Vampire: the Masquerade – Shadows of New York is the second Vampire: The Masquerade visual novel, following on from 2019’s Coteries of New York, and it’s coming to Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC soon. Developer Draw Distance has released some new details about the game, giving us some insight into what to expect and what it’ll do differently from its predecessor.
Players will be cast as Julia, a member of the Lasombra vampire clan, and part of the Camarilla faction. She’s looking for a way to rise up the ranks in vampire society, and finds it when the Anarch Baron of New York reaches his “final death”–which plunges Julia into trying to solve a crime that the game’s Steam page describes as “unsolvable”.
The game will feature two different endings depending on the choices the player makes, and is promising a “more personal, and darker story” than what Coteries offered. It will also feature more illustrations than that game did, complete with animations. The soundtrack is being composed by the Polish artist Resina.
Shadows of New York is a standalone game, although there is some crossover with characters from the previous game. The press release specifically mentions Agathon, D’Angelo, Hope, and Tamika returning, along with Sheriff Qadir Al-Asmai.
The game is scheduled for Q3 2020, meaning August or September at this point. You can watch the trailer above.
2K’s soon-to-release golf game, PGA Tour 2K21, will feature a total of 15 real-life courses, and now all of them have been confirmed.
The list includes some very famous real-world courses, including TPC Scottsdale, which is the site of the fan-favorite Waste Management Phoenix Open every year. TPC River Highlands is also on the list, and it’s one of the more popular courses among golfers. Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California is also included in PGA Tour 2K21, alongside TPC Boston, TPC Deere Run, and TPC Louisiana, among others. You can see the full list below.
Developer HB Studios worked with Terra Imaging to create the courses and make them as true-to-life as possible. HB Studios had access to drone footage and other datapoints that helped the studio create courses that are accurate “down to one centimetre of accuracy,” 2K said.
“Our goal is to make the PGA Tour 2K21 in-game TPC course recreations as detailed as possible, so it feels like you’re actually playing the course alongside top PGA Tour pros,” senior producer Shaun West said in a statement. “To see professionals play these courses on TV, and then watch each come to life as playable courses within the game, is an incredibly cool process to see. We’re excited for our fans to be able to experience it as well.”
You can check out the video above to hear from Terra Imaging about how they captured footage of the East Lake Golf Club for PGA Tour 2K21.
PGA Tour 2K21 launches on August 21 for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
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Apparel store TeePublic is back with another massive sale this week, offering discounts on its massive collection of T-shirts designed by independent artists. From now through Friday, literally thousands of cool tees are marked down from $20 to just $13. What’s great is these T-shirts have a ton of customization options for every design, including background color, male/female styles, and different T-shirt types, including V-necks, heavyweight, and a softer tri-blend (although these types are slightly more expensive than the classic fit). Domestic shipping within the US is $6, while international shipping will cost you $8, so the price will be even more worth it if you pick up a couple of tees.
Animal Crossing has had hundreds of villagers throughout its history, but there can never be enough cute and cuddly creatures in the world. The major Nintendo leak just uncovered a villager that’s never been seen before. Meet Cat13.
Discovered by Matthew Lombardo (Twitter user lombTV), Cat13 was found in the files of the major leak. They include various models for the furry villager that display different emotions the NPC showcases in-game. Lombardo also tweeted out a photo of what the villager would look like you encountered them in your town.
Lombardo found Cat13’s files, along with files of other characters, in a folder named “OLD_NPC.” He believes they are from an early prototype of the original Animal Crossing game–a prototype that didn’t look anything like the game that launched in 2001. It had dungeons instead of forests.
“During our original planning phase the field we planned was incredibly large and split into 4,” said Nintendo’s Hisashi Nogami in an interview. “There would be 4 different islands – one for each of the 4 seasons, and each island would have small dungeons that you would adventure in. Of course, something so large wouldn’t possibly fit, so we thought fine–let’s make it one.”
The latest War Table stream for Marvel’s Avengers went into more detail about features like challenge rooms, Warzones, and the first post-launch character. But the studio saved one more surprise for the very end–a partnership with Epic Games to bring more Avengers gear to Fortnite.
By participating in the Avengers beta, you can get a Hulk Smashers Pickaxe weapon, which makes your hands look like the Hulk’s giant green meatpaws. The item comes with an alternate Hulkbuster style, which is modeled after Iron Man’s huge suit meant to neutralize any out-of-control Hulk moments.
To pick up the items, you’ll need to complete three HARM challenges on either PlayStation 4 or Xbox One during the beta periods. You’ll need to make sure your Epic Games and Square Enix accounts are both linked to your console. Epic also noted in the announcement that the items will be available for purchase at a later date.
Developer Crystal Dynamics revealed Marvel’s Avengers‘ first post-launch DLC character during the second War Table livestream, and the character’s identity may not surprise you all that much.
It turns out that Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye, will join the game’s roster sometime after launch. An exact release date has not been confirmed, but it seems Hawkeye is getting added the Marvel’s Avengers because of the fans.
“You asked for him and we’re thrilled to bring him to you,” the studio said. “When we started working on Hawkeye the first thing we did was find the best comics and pull ideas that would fit into our post-A-Day universe. One of our favorite runs is writer Matt Fraction and artist David Aja’s ‘My Life as a Weapon’ and we’ve taken some exciting ideas from it.”
Crystal Dynamics went on to say that Hawkeye has his own in-depth story mission chain separate from the main campaign that can be played in cooperative or solo play. Hawkeye is Marvel’s Avengers’ first-look at how the game will grow after launch, but that’s not all that’s up Crystal Dynamics’ sleeve post-launch.
The studio also detailed what it calls the Avengers Initiative, a series of post-launch content that will expend Marvel’s Avengers’ universe. It will introduce new playable heroes, more HARM challenge rooms and Warzone missions, and much more.
Marvel’s Avengers’ beta kicks off on August 7 for those who pre-ordered on PlayStation 4. On August 14, PC and Xbox One pre-orderers–alongside all PlayStation 4 owners–will get their hands on the beta before it opens to everyone on August 21. Check out our Marvel’s Avengers pre-order guide to learn more about the bonuses and editions available to purchase before the game drops on September 4 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Marvel’s Avengers will also launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
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These Holographic Augmented Reality Machine rooms are virtual training simulators that let you battle waves of increasingly difficult enemies by yourself, with companion AI, or with four other real players. When the beta goes live this August, you can choose from Iron Man, Kamala Khan, Black Widow, and The Hulk and take them through these challenge rooms to test your teamwork and earn various nameplates that will carry over to the main game. There will be four challenge rooms available in the beta, with more appearing in the full game.
Developer Crystal Dynamics also touched on other Marvel’s Avengers aspects during the War Table livestream. The studio shared details on the cooperative Warzone missions, a look at the campaign content, and more.
The beta for Marvel’s Avengers will open first to PlayStation 4 owners. Those who pre-ordered the game on Sony’s current-gen system can access the beta on August 7. The following week, on August 14, PC and Xbox One players who pre-ordered the game–alongside all PS4 players–will get their hands on the beta before it is opened to everyone else on August 21. You can check out our Marvel’s Avengers pre-order guide to learn what other bonuses you get with buying early, as well as what editions are currently available to purchase before it drops on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on September 4.
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Frostpunk‘s third and final DLC, On The Edge, is coming to PC on August 20. The new expansion takes place after the events of the base game, and revolves around an old military base, exposed by the great storm.
A scouting party is sent from New London to establish a supply chain from the old base. With no food resources near the base you will need to rely on shipments from New London and it has its own demands. The weather is less severe at the base, but there are more challenges to overcome for survival.
On The Edge features a new survival story, a brand new map with new structures, new methods of dividing or unites your people, and new mechanics for building economic and diplomatic relationships.
Frostpunk’s most recent DLC, The Last Autumn, took place prior to the base game and prior to the great storm. No release date was given for console versions of On The Edge. On The Edge will be available as part of the game’s season pass or can be purchased individually for $13 USD.
Frostpunk is available on PC, Xbox One, and PS4, and is available on Xbox Game Pass for console and PC.
Riot Games has received sharp criticism over a recent announcement that it would be partnering with Saudi Arabian city Neom for its League of Legends European Championship (LEC) Summer Season. Critics of the move, including some from within the LoL community, have raised concerns regarding Saudi Arabia’s human rights abuses, ties to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the city’s implications for an indigenous tribe.
The announcement named Neom as its partner city and said it will be “a new model for sustainable living, working, and prospering” in Saudi Arabia. It also said that Neom will “help future-proof the LEC stage” by sponsoring the Oracle Lens feature, which predicts team movements and strategies.
Neom is a $500 billion mega-city currently being built in Saudi Arabia, financed by Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. That connection itself has led to much of the criticism, as American intelligence agencies have concluded that bin Salman ordered the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. In broader terms, Saudi Arabia has a poor human rights record, especially in regards to women and LGBTQ individuals.
The move drew sharp criticism from across the spectrum, and many employees within Riot Games or associated casters and other on-camera talent were quick to distance themselves from the move. Those included a statement from lead gameplay designer Mark Yetter.
“I can’t and do not personally support this partnership,” Yetter wrote on Twitter. “Sponsors are essential for the esport to thrive, but not at the cost of human life and freedoms.”
Call Of Duty: Warzone has been out for a few seasons, and while it has some great ideas, there’s still plenty of room for improvement. Below, we’ve detailed 11 things that the game needs to change to make it a better experience ahead of next season. Some of these changes include a better drop system, expanded communication ping wheel, improved armor mechanics, better climbing system, balancing, and major map changes and events.
We’ve written what we think can improve below, but you’re welcome to watch the video version of this feature above. Regardless, what are your ideas on balance and how to improve Warzone? What just sticks in your craw when you play? Let us know in the comments below, if your ideas are great we might make another feature and video.
Make Team Drop More Like Apex
In Warzone, it’s a frequent bother for squad leaders picking a drop point to have their teammates bail out separately from them and scatter to the wind. This isn’t an issue in Apex Legends, which has the ideal system that allows the team leader to drop the squad all at once, so at least everyone ends up on the same part of the map, and then anyone who wants to can peel off. We’re hoping Warzone can implement the same in its team drop mechanics in a future update.
Expand The Ping System
There are times in a match when you need your team to watch a specific area, or not do something, or split cash to buy back someone from death, or do any other number of important, time-sensitive things you can’t communicate off-mic. Communication is everything in a battle royale, so something like a robust ping and response system would help those who want to talk to their teammates without hopping on mic. Again, Apex Legends does this really well, and Warzone should learn from it. It feels dreadful not to be able to say things like thank you to fellow players.
Aggressive Ban Hammer
We need a better ping system in part because many players have good reasons to be off-mic. Games like Rainbow Six Siege have mastered the art of the ban for toxic behavior, racist names, and anything else that makes their game a less welcoming place. One Call Of Duty studio, Infinity Ward, recently tweeted that they will crackdown and hand out permanent bans for repeat offenders, which is excellent; this has been a problem for many, many years. We’re going to keep this one in subsequent improvement lists until we see it implemented because if you want to play Warzone, you should always feel welcomed by the community.
That Main Menu
Confusing UI aside, a few of us in the office have had the experience on PS4 where the main menu spins up our console’s fans to an alarming hovercraft speed. Some of us have even had our console shut down from overheating because of the main menu. At this point, many of us would prefer a simple text-based menu that doesn’t make our PS4s scream in agony. Thank you.
Run Faster With Your Fists Out
We’ve had it good with movement in Apex Legends for too long to go back. When that gas cloud is closing in, and all you picked up was an LMG and a Rocket that reduce your run speed to John Woo levels of slow-motion, you really need to put all the guns away and run faster–like significantly faster. There are indeed ways to build this with double time and a knife, but we want it all the time. Let us run faster when we’ve only got our fists out.
Interesting World-Changing Events
It may not have happened yet, but we’re hoping a future season will have character drama and substantial map changes, such as nukes going off in challenges. So far, we’ve just made it into a few bunkers, been stuck on a frozen winter map through the summer, and sold winter- or cold- themed items in the store.
We say this because Fortnite has been doing fantastic map-altering events and “you had to be there” moments for years now. It’s also hard to get excited about characters we know nothing about. Please give us the animated shorts and stories outside the game. There have been leaks that Season 5 might finally deliver on some of this, and we’re ready.
Change the Armor System
Several folks in the GameSpot office would like to see the game’s armor system change. The current armor system causes players to waste plates because it’s limited to filling or topping off one of three armor bars. Instead, plates should give you a fixed number of armor points, the full 50 points per plate, and potentially spill over from one armor bar into the next. We could also use a bit more variety in terms of armor rarity.
Teachable Challenges
One of the best games of all time, Titanfall 2 (fight us), had a system of challenges that forced you to get good with each weapon. Those challenges were based on showing the player what a gun was made to do. Far too many challenges in Warzone are simply chores or have nothing to do with the weapon blueprint they unlock. We’re talking even simple stuff like teaching players to make sniper kills from the edge of the gas or use RPGs to destroy vehicles.
Currently, there are even broken challenges that don’t count, which can be frustrating to experience after spending hours trying to complete them. Overall, the end rewards for Warzone Challenges aren’t very good, and that needs to change.
Improved Climbing System
Far too many times, you’ll be on the run from the gas and get hung up on cliffsides or unclimbable rocks. When it comes to terrain, there isn’t a reliable way to tell what is and isn’t climbable, and there’s nothing worse than getting got because your ankle snagged. It’d be nice if players could reliably understand what can and can’t be scaled in the heat of battle.
Better Gas Masks
Equipping the gas mask should be a one-time thing. The automatic and unskippable animation when removing the mask near the edge of the gas messes with gunplay and gets players killed. It’s incredibly frustrating to be caught in this during a key moment in a gunfight.
Balance
Okay, this is tricky to request. To give credit where it is due, developer Infinity Ward has implemented plenty of balance changes like nerfing the Grau and making loadout drops more expensive. It’s just that there isn’t much room for creativity with perks in the final circles. If you don’t have Cold-Blooded to stay off thermal sniper scopes, or EOD so you don’t get vaporized by C4 and RPGs, you’re at a considerable disadvantage. We’d like to see more risk/reward with loadout creativity than dominant tactics. But seriously, keep up the good work, Infinity Ward!
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