Dead Island 2 Delayed to 2016

Deep Silver and YAGER revealed via Dead Island 2’s official Facebook page that the game will be delayed to 2016. As the development team noted, the game was delayed because it is still not complete yet (despite the team working hard on it).

“We have always set ourselves a big goal for Dead Island 2: to create the sequel that takes Dead Island to the next level. A game that takes what our fans tell us they love about Dead Island – multiple different characters to play with, co-op, and turning a paradise setting into a zombie slaughter melee – and a game that adds a ton more content and combat options on top of that.”

YAGER is currently focusing purely on the game’s development, meaning that this is not a minor ‘polish’ delay. In other words, this game may be very well delayed until Sprin 2016 (the game was originally meant to be released this Spring).

YAGER concluded that by delaying the game, players will get a better game to play, and that it will share more details about the game at a later stage.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 – Reveal Trailer Released, Minimum PC Requirements, Release Date Confirmed

Activision and Treyarch have officially revealed Call of Duty: Black Ops 3. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 will be released on November 6th, and all the features that were leaked – a couple of days ago – have been confirmed. The game will feature 4 player co-op campaign and will sport a new movement system. In addition, Activision revealed the game’s minimum PC requirements and its first screenshots – accompanied with its reveal trailer – that can be viewed below. Enjoy!

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 – PC Minimum Requirements:

• Operating System: Windows 7 64-Bit / Windows 8 64-Bit / Windows 8.1 64-Bit
• Processor: Intel Core i3-530 @ 2.93 GHz / AMD Phenom™ II X4 810 @ 2.60 GHz
• Memory: 6 GB RAM
• Graphics: GeForce GTX 470 @ 1GB / Radeon HD 6970 @ 1GB
• DirectX: Version 11
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 Will Be Showcased at This Year’s E3

It’s been four months since the announcement of Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3. And while CI Games has not revealed any new screenshots or gameplay videos for this latest instalment in the Sniper: Ghost Warrior series, the publisher revealed today that this new title will be showcased at this year’s E3.

This information comes straight from E3’s official website. As CI Games’ E3 page reads:

“This year at E3, CI Games is presenting Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3, the best sniper experience for PC and next gen consoles.”

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 is set in a modern day conflict based in Eastern Europe, where players will be thrust into the role of a sniper caught between three warring factions, played out in a realistic and immersive environment.

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 will feature non-linear and sandbox-style gameplay on large open-ended maps that will give players the flexibility to play and replay the missions in a number of different ways.

WWE 2K15 Officially Announced for the PC, Coming this Spring

Well, we all knew it was coming. After last year’s rumours about a PC version of WWE 2K15, 2K Games revealed today that its wrestling title will be coming to the PC this Spring. In addition, 2K Games announced that the DLC content for the PC version of WWE 2K15 will be free.

Those who will purchase the game on day one can expect immediate access to two versions of Sting and two of Hulk Hogan, each of whom would make a worthy opponent for WWE 2K15’s cover Superstar, John Cena.

Given the fact that all DLC of WWE 2K15 will be free on the PC, PC gamers can expect the grapplers of the WCW and NXT ArRIVAL packs, as well as the additional 2K Showcase modes such as “One More Match,” “Hall of Pain” and “Path of the Warrior.”

John Cena said:

“One of the great bonuses of getting the game on PC is that you get nearly all of the downloadable content that was released after WWE 2K15 launched in October free, as part of the package. That’s an incredible amount of content: 36 extra characters, 4 new managers, 26 matches, 46 entire single player stories and cut scenes in 2K Showcase, and a whole lot more. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that that’s a pretty awesome deal.”

Review: Grand Theft Auto V (PC)

It’s hard to believe there was a world without Grand Theft Auto V on PC. Originally released in September 2013, GTAV broke practically every sales record and was lauded in almost every circle. When its “definitive” edition debuted on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One during last holiday season, many were questioning if Rockstar would be able to pull it off on PC considering the numerous delays and spotty track record. While they made huge promises and had all the potential in the world, whether or not they were able to optimize Grand Theft Auto V on a bevy of current and last generation machines was still up in the air. While it may have taken Rockstar 19 months to bring their biggest and best game to PC, the result was well worth the wait.The world of Grand Theft Auto V is so big that it requires three characters to explore it. While that line may sound ripped straight from a PR-laden interview, it’s quite accurate considering telling a story from the eyes of just one man would lead to new areas not being discovered for tens of hours into the game. The game stars three protagonists: Michael, Franklin and Trevor. After a prologue that sets the events of the game in motion, Franklin is the first playable character. Similar to CJ in San Andreas, Franklin is well-meaning gangster who lives with his aunt in the ghetto and is trying to make a better life for himself. Clearly more intelligent than his known associates, Franklin is confined to being a repo man for a shady car dealer who plays the race car to get customers into vehicles they can’t afford, only to have Franklin repo them weeks later thanks to ludicrous financing. After one of the customer’s father, Michael, gets a whiff of this little scam, he comes down to pay the dealer a little visit. Impressed by his attitude, Franklin decides to reach out to Michael to see if they could work together.A former two-bit criminal, Michael has retired into a witness protection program. Thanks to his previous life, he’s absolutely loaded and lives in a mansion with two kids and a wife. His kids are spoiled brats, with the son spending all day smoking pot and playing video games (no offensive, readers) and the daughter a fame-obsessed promiscuous teenager who will do anything to become a celebrity. His wife, on the other hand, resents him even though he gives her anything she could possibly want (including some surgical enhancements) and is having an affair with likely multiple suitors. Depressed and not challenged in his current country club life, Michael decides to team with Franklin for some excitement. Unfortunately, coming out of retirement made former partner and current psychopath, Trevor, take notice.

After Michael went into “retirement,” Trevor relocated to Sandy Shores and decided to do what he does best — be a redneck. He lives in a trailer, has terrible hygiene, is promiscuous with all the wrong people and associates with…let’s just say the “the wrong crowd.” Even though he has delusions of grandeur thanks to his shell company “Trevor Phillips Industries,” he’s a broke loser with little to show in life. After finding out that former accomplice Michael is alive and well under a different name, he decides to drive down to Los Santos to pay him a visit. Soon all three characters are thrust into the plans of a crooked FiB agent (guess what initialism that’s a play on) and some notorious gangsters in the city and have to work together to survive and bring in a handsome payday while they’re at it.The first game in the series to offer more than one protagonist, things play a bit differently than before. As each character is introduced, you’ll play only as them for a few hours to get acquainted with their backstory and style of play. After all three characters are firmly established (about ten hours in), however, the rest of the narrative shifts between them. There’s missions unique to each character, some of which focus solely on their story (like Michael keeping his awful family at bay) and others that combine all three characters together. One mission, for instance, has Trevor flying a helicopter, Michael repelling from it and scaling a building and Franklin providing cover via a sniper rifle from a neighboring building. While some parts of the mission must be done as a certain character (like Michael repelling), others let you play as you want to. For instance, after fleeing, you can choose to either pilot the helicopter, shoot from inside or provide cover from a building with a sniper rifle. This swap happens on the fly via holding down on the d-pad, which allows any one of the three of the characters to be chosen. You can complete these mission parts as just one of the characters, but it’s generally best to cycle between all three to be most efficient. In-between missions, characters can almost always be swapped to at will by the same d-pad method. This is effective for both doing individual missions and covering different parts of the city. As the character’s safehouses are generally spread apart, it’s a nice feature as the character closest to the desired destination can instantly be swapped to, saving commuting time.Another benefit to the multi-protagonist setup and also one of the biggest new features to mission portion of the game are heists. While the majority of missions are either driven by a single character or are like the aforementioned one, there’s a handful of heists sprinkled throughout. Heists are basically multi-tiered missions that contain multiple small missions to set them up and require a higher level of planning to correctly execute. The first heist in the game, for instance, concerns knocking off a high-end jewelry store. There are two methods available to tackle the job: quiet or loud (smart or dumb). Going in loud is what you’d imagine, simply rushing into the store with heavy artillery and running out with the merchandise. Going in quiet, however, requires more planning and stealth tactics. In a jewel heist, for instance, chemicals and an exterminator truck must be stolen. Using the exterminator gig as cover, you head up on the roof with a gas mask and uniform and drop some gas into the vents of the store. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew bursts into the store with similar outfits and cleans it out while the customers and clerks are unconscious. One great feature of these heists is that the crew itself must be individually selected. You’ll generally need a gunner, driver and hacker, who are selected via a pool of known associates and characters encountered throughout missions. These criminals vary in expertise, with those highly experienced demanding more of the cut. Going with a low experienced crew member means that more could go wrong (for example, having a bad driver could mean they get captured and lose whatever loot they were carrying), but the more they are used, the better they get with the same cut. Heists add a fantastic dynamic to the game and make the scope of the universe seem larger than ever.

Combat itself has been overhauled in GTAV. Instead of blindly cycling through weapons, there’s now a weapons wheel that is brought up by holding the left bumper, allowing available weapons to be seen and selected easier. Additionally, getting busted or killed no longer forfeits your weapons, which makes spending money on weapons upgrades much more realistic. Actual combat is more customizable, allowing players to choose how much they want to be assisted with automatic locking. By default, it’s a bit of a mix between free-aim and full-lock, with targets in clear view automatically locked on and those hidden or at weird angles left to free-aiming. The cover system has also been improved, allowing smoother transitions. On the driving side of things, vehicle handling has been updated, with vehicles feeling better than ever before. While this is still the sort of game that lets you bounce around after landing a jump, handling feels more realistic and tailored to specific vehicles, instead of cars simply being “fast” or “slow.” Even supercars feel distinct from one another. Realism has also been visually improved, with cars mirroring their real-life counterparts like never before. It’s clear what’s a Mustang or what’s an Audi and even though the brands can’t be used, it’s better than simply looking for a “fast” car.The most notable addition to GTAV is the all-new first-person mode. For the first time ever, players can now choose to experience a Grand Theft Auto from the eyes of the protagonist (or in this case protagonists). Instead of being a mere gimmick, Rockstar made multiple changes to accommodate the new perspective including a first person cover system, a new control scheme, a different targeting system and thousands of new animations. As it’s hard to create a first-person experience that caters to everybody’s preferences, multiple optional settings have been added including the ability to change control schemes, alter ragdoll perspectives and rolls and even turn off head bobbing. I wasn’t a fan of how the game controlled in first-person by default, but was easily able to tweak it to a point where it felt like a standard FPS. Turning up the sensitivity and any auto-locking off is key to this. Commendably, Rockstar has even allowed the option to mix and match when first-person comes into play, permitting players to drive in first-person and shoot in first-person and vice versa. Allowing the former is a huge addition as it allows those who dislike first-person driving to still experience combat in first-person without having to continually swap modes or commit to one.Of course, the biggest question on many’s mind is whether or not this is a mere gimmick. With the amount of work and customization Rockstar clearly put into it, it’s far from a throwaway feature. Those who tailor the settings to their likings will realistically find a whole new way to experience the title. Some may even prefer many aspects of first-person mode. While I found it agreeable, I still prefer to experience the entire game in third-person, but there’s no denying that gunplay can be more smooth and precise in first-person. However gamers decide to experience it, though, they can be assured it will be in a beautiful setting.

The world of GTAV is the biggest ever. Although the majority of it is rural, know that it’s not that they’ve taken away from the city, but simply added hundreds of miles of land outside it just for good fun. The city itself is huge and rivals the entire world of GTA IV. Outside of it, there’s mountains, rivers, beaches, desert and more. Surprisingly, however, hardly any of it is empty. There’s small towns, unique buildings, military bases and more sprinkled throughout. The incredible thing is how alive it all seems. Off one of the back roads, for instance, I noticed a car pull over at a fruit stand and decided to see if it was a coincidence, but nope — a woman got out, walked up to it and examined the produce. That’s level of detail to expect in the world, from the boardwalks with interactive rides to trains carving through mountain passes. To add some spice for players who like to drive around exploring the world, random events have been added that unfold during a day. Represented by a flashing blue blip on the map that appears when nearby, these range from a thief snatching a purse to a carjacking. After stopping the miscreant in one of these robberies, you can either keep the stolen item for yourself or return it to the victim. Doing the latter results in good karma that might just come back to you later in the game.Of course, one of the aspects this series is most renowned for is its music. Vice City sparked a minor resurgence in New Wave, while Grand Theft Auto IV perfectly captured the burgeoning indie scene in Brooklyn at the time. Building off of the presentation and quality of the latter’s soundtrack, V boasts one of the series’ best collections of music. For indie lovers, Radio Broker is replaced by Radio Mirror Park, which features tracks from Twin Shadow, Yeasayer, Health, Neon Indian, The Chain Gang of 1974 and more. The incredible thing is that all of the aforementioned artists are contributing new music to the game and the fact that there’s so many critically revered artists with new music on one channel is astounding. For electronic lovers, there’s Soulwax FM, named after and featuring many remixes from electronic band Soulwax. On the pop side of things, there’s Non-Stop Pop FM which features an excellent blend between current top ten artists like Rhianna, lesser-known ones like Robyn and classic acts like Hall & Oats. Of course, there’s something for everyone with other stations focusing on rap, country, classic rock and more. The amount of care put into curating this soundtrack that could have simply been a collection of random songs is more evidence of how much work goes into even the smallest features of the game.As amazing as the soundtrack was before, Rockstar shockingly decided to add even more songs to it in this re-release. A whopping 150 additional new tracks have been spread across the radio stations. Highlights include Holy Ghost! — Hold On, Hot Chip – Flutes, Neon Indian — Polish Girl, Lorde – Tennis Court, !!! – One Girl/One Boy and many, many more. If that’s not enough, more DJ commentary has been recorded from some of the top DJs including DJ George (Twin Shadow), Nathan and Stephen (Wavves), Kenny Logins and more. On the talk radio side of things, Duane Earl (Danny McBride) has recorded new show segments. GTA has always been a series epitomized by its radio stations and by putting in the effort to expand GTAV’s selections, not only have they made an already complete soundtrack more robust, but they’ve made driving around a fresh experience.

Adapted for PC, there are certain expectations players have become accustomed to. Rockstar’s initial attempt to bring Grand Theft Auto IV to the platform was met with negative reaction, to the point many declared it the most unoptimized PC port to ever grace the platform. Thankfully, that doesn’t follow suit with its successor. GTAV is without a doubt a much better port, not only giving the player a ton of graphical options, but being playable on lesser machines. Of course, those with higher end computers will be able to take advantage of the immense power GTAV holds, but it’s not difficult to achieve 1080p and 60fps while looking as good, if not better, than its console counterparts. It should be noted that playing this at 60fps is an absolute must as driving around Los Santos and seeing the cast of characters interact with one another so smoothly is almost a new experience on its own. That doesn’t mean it comes without its own hitches as there are numerous crashes and long hang times, not to mention AMD cards having trouble processing MSAA while in DX11 mode (at least with Post FX set at very high). Regardless, for an open world game of this size, these are minuscule issues for its launch.Graphically, Rockstar hasn’t reinvented the wheel for the PC version, but the bevy of settings they give allow for great alterations to the game’s beauty. Those with DirectX 11 graphic cards have access to tessellation, grass quality and depth of field sliders. Everyone else will receive the traditional lengthy lineup of options. This includes FXAA, MSAA, VSync, Post FX, Soft Shadows and Quality sliders for Textures, Shaders, Shadows, Reflections, Water, Particles and so forth. Oddly enough, only Reflection Quality, Grass Quality and Post FX have Ultra settings while the rest go as high as Very High. There’s also an Advanced Graphics options which allows for Long Shadows, High Resolution Shadows, High Detail Streaming While Flying and Distance Scaling. Suffice it to say, there’s a lot of options to choose from, so whether you have a budget machine or a high end beast, you should be able to run GTAV in some fashion. While GTAV is visually impressive, there is one final test it must go through: controls. The controls are still relatively preferable on a gamepad, but the keyboard and mouse functionality have been adapted very well in most situations. Driving and flying remain better with a gamepad, but tasks are on par for general combat, if not better with keyboard and mouse. The first person mode is also a great excuse to break out the keyboard and mouse, even though getting into cover is not ideal.

Closing Comments:Rockstar continues to improve upon one of the greatest games of all time, not to mention getting over the hump that haunted them for the past seven years. While not as significant of an overhaul as when they brought it to PS4 and Xbox One, Grand Theft Auto V offers the most graphical options and accessibilities on PC. It’s not without its launch compatibility issues, but they are small in comparison to other games of its size. There’s seemingly endless fun to be had with GTAV, and it certainly helps that their online component has grown significantly since it debuted in 2013. Grand Theft Auto Online alone should be enough to persuade gamers now that heists have been added to the experience. Whether you were able to hold out over the last year and half, or even played through it on one of the consoles versions, GTAV on PC isn’t an experience to pass up on as it beckons to be played again.

RATING: 5/5

Reviewd By: HardCoreGamer

Star Wars: Battlefront site points to November release

The unveiling of Star Wars: Battlefront doesn't take place until tomorrow, but its release date appears to have been revealed a bit ahead of time. A line in the source code of EA's SW: Battlefront "News and Media" page, noticed by the sharp-eyed folks at GameSpot, drops the dime: "The latest news and updates for Star Wars Battlefront," it says. "Available November 17, 2015, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC."The line is still there, if you want to see it for yourself, and while it's not quite confirmation, it's hardly what you'd call ambiguous. The site also contains an image of a speeder racing through a great forest, which looks as though it came from this ten second blip of Battlefront gameplay posted to YouTube by BattlefrontUpdates (via MP1ST). The clip is actually from a link at the end of the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser, which—since we're hip-deep in Star Wars anyway—you can catch here. (It's pretty groovy.)One more thing to look at before you go: This image from the Star Wars Celebration, courtesy of NeoGAF. It looks very much like box art, and if it is, I say, "Nice choice, guys."

Review: Mortal Kombat X

After resetting the events of Mortal Kombat in 2011 and taking a DC Universe detour in Injustice: Gods Among Us, NetherRealm Studios is finally pushing the Mortal Kombat narrative forward. Mortal Kombat X is here with a new generation of fighters, an enhanced story mode and more kontent than ever. This, however, isn’t a guarantee the game is any good; we’ve seen many Mortal Kombat games fall flat when attempting to add the next generation of fighters (Shujinko), or stuff as much kontent in as possible (Armageddon). Does Mortal Kombat X fall into these traps, or is this truly the next-generation of Mortal Kombat?On the surface, Mortal Kombat X may appear like a downgrade from 2011’sMortal Kombat. There are only 24 stock fighters (Goro is available via pre-order or purchase), down from 28 (27 on the Xbox 360 and PC versions) in the last installment. Story mode is only 12 chapters and can be beaten in under five hours, down from 2011s 17 chapters. A simple comparison doesMortal Kombat X little justice, however, as everything in X is better than 2011.Mortal Kombat X takes place directly after the events of Mortal Kombat 2011. With Outworld leaderless and EarthRealm severely weakened, Shinnok launches an assault on Raiden and his remaining forces. Shinnok seeks revenge against the thunder god and the Elder Gods who banished him to the NetherRealm millennia ago. His plans go awry thanks to Johnny Cage and Raiden is able to imprison Shinnok inside his own amulet. The majority of the story takes place 25 years in the future, though the story isn’t afraid to use flashbacks to fill in gaps. Though not necessary to enjoy the story, a read-through of the prequel comic will further flesh out character backstories and relationships.Mortal Kombat X continues the same formula seen in the last release, as well as Injustice. Each chapter consists of four fights before moving on, but the major difference is that Mortal Kombat X handles cutscenes with more finesse, no longer restricted to the game’s arenas. Indeed, Mortal Kombat X’sscenes take place in helicopters, tents and hallways not connected to the fighting arenas. This little addition makes all the difference by improving the pacing and allowing for more logical transitions between scenes.

The only hiccup in Mortal Kombat X’s story is the abrupt ending which leaves a few character plotlines open. There is a mid-credits scene that sets up the next game, though, so don’t skip the credits. As interesting as that scene is, and the potential it holds for Mortal Kombat XI, it would have been nice for a better wrap-up. Though the story may be short and have an abrupt ending, the quality is high. With solid writing, a great cast of voice actors and improved staging, this is the best campaign NetherRealm has ever constructed.Mortal Kombat X was named ‘X’ for different reasons. First, this is the tenth main-entry in the franchise. Secondly, this is the first Mortal Kombat game for the next-generation platforms (PS4 and Xbox One). Finally, and most importantly, this is the introduction of the next-generation of fighters. There are a total of seven new fighter: Cassie Cage (daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade), Jacqueline Briggs (daughter of Jax), Takeda (son of Kenshi), Kung Jin (cousin of Kung Lao), Kotal Kahn (the new emperor of Outworld), D’vorah (Kotal Kahn’s insectoid servant), Ferra/Torr (a brute in Kotal Kahn’s service) and Erron Black, a mercenary gunslinger – and they’re all awesome. What makes Mortal Kombat X’s roster the best it’s been in years is that the character’s feel unique, and have strong personalities. In Mortal Kombat 2011, characters like Sheeva and Baraka had little screentime and lacked personalities. The slightly smaller roster and better writing give each character in Mortal Kombat X more time to shine.

The core mechanics of Mortal Kombat X remain unchanged from 2011’s Mortal Kombat. There are still two punch buttons, two kick buttons, blocking and throwing. The Energy meter lies at the bottom-left of the screen and fills up when inflicting or taking damage. That built up energy can then be used to enhance attacks, escape kombos with Breakers or unleash a powerful X-Ray move. Stage interactions, first introduced in Injustice: Gods Among Us, make a neutered return. Interactions in Mortal Kombat X are focused on quickly moving about the stage and getting out of tight spots. There are a few objects littered throughout the arenas that will cause damage, but it’s never as much as caused by objects in Injustice.Fatalities make their bloody return and look as awesome as they are disturbing. NetherRealm has always been creative when it comes to ending a character’s life and Mortal Kombat X provides some of the most creative ways yet. Like in the last outing, the button input for fatalities are relatively easy to execute allowing players of all skill levels to perform the bloody finishers. Brutalities, which have not been included in a Mortal Kombat game since Mortal Kombat Trilogy, make a comeback, but require very specific input to execute. One might require a match to end with a throw, while another might require a certain move to be used sometime during a match. Brutalities are harder to pull off, but managing to execute one is extremely satisfying.Mortal Kombat X’s big gameplay innovation is Character Variations. Every character has three different variants that switch up the different specials available to them and makes slight modifications to costumes. For example, Kenshi’s Balanced variation paints his moves in a blue aura, allowing him to unleash telekinetic attacks. His Possessed variation paints red stripes across his sword however, and replaces telekinetic attacks with a demon. Variations are a cool concept, but fail to change the core gameplay in meaningful ways. All that changes between Variations are a few specials. How a character plays remains exactly the same.

Kontent is king and Mortal Kombat X has a lot of it. NetherRealm has packed the game with numerous challenge towers that can be tackled before or after playing the campaign. There are the traditional towers, which include the classic ladder (fight ten opponents), Test Your Luck (randomized modifiers in seven rounds), Test Your Might (break ten different objects) and Survivor (unlimited rounds). Each holds its own challenge and offers plenty of rewards. The classic ladder, however, by far offers the most thanks to character endings and alternate costumes unlocking after beating the final boss.Then there are the Living Towers, which divide into the Quick, Daily and Premier Towers. The Quick Tower is a few matches with various challenges and modifiers to overcome and is updated every few hours. Daily Tower updates every 24 hours, offering eight different challenges to complete. Finally, the Premier tower updates weekly and comes packed with 15 challenges and special events with special bonuses. Modifiers can range from slowing down one or both characters, power or de-powering a character, to fireballs raining down from the heavens. The amount of content here is huge and the modifiers ensure that no two matches are ever the same.

Mortal Kombat X’s online component is, more or less, the same as the previous Mortal Kombat. It’s easy to jump into random 1v1 matches, hook up with friends in lobbies, run through a customized Challenge Tower or participate in King of the Hill lobbies. Obviously the most important thing with an online fighter is the netcode, which has the potential to turn a great game sour. Thankfully, the netcode appears fine. Every now and again there will be matches that lag, and matches where there’s significant input delay. During our testing, however, we only ran into this situation a few times. The majority of our time playing online was relatively smooth. Mortal Kombat X provides a solid, fun experience online that is sure to keep players hooked.Underneath all the gamepay and kontent are a few metagames players can participate in. First is the Krypt, traditionally a marketplace to purchase extras with koins. In Mortal Kombat X, however, the Krypt is its own mini-adventure game. The goal is to run around the Krypt and unlock everything. Wolves, spiders and other environmental dangers will attempt to impede your progress. Thankfully, defeating them is as easy as tapping a button.

Second is Faction Wars, a new meta-game featuring five different factions – White Lotus, Lin Kuei, Brotherhood of Shadow, Special Forces, and Black Dragon – that vie for supremacy week after week. Everything feeds into the Faction’s Score. Won a match? Get some Faction Points. Double flawless victory? Get some Faction Points. At the end of the week a faction is named champion and all members are treated to in-game bonuses such as finishing moves. It’s a neat little platform-agnostic meta-game. PlayStation, Xbox and PC players are all pouring Faction Points into one pool.Mortal Kombat X is the first Mortal Kombat game on the new consoles, and it shows. Mortal Kombat X is a stunning game. The models and textures of each of the 24 playable characters are astounding and NetherRealm knows this. Included is a character viewer that allows for up close and personal viewing of all the characters and their many different costumes. There’s so much detail that you can see individual droplets of sweat on the characters. The same attention to detail is also present in the thirteen stages. They’re all beautiful with something going on in the background at all times. Mortal Kombat X uses the power of these new consoles well and delivers the best-looking fighting game yet.

Closing Comments:2011’s Mortal Kombat reinvigorated the franchise by taking it back to its roots, retelling the story with a slight variation. Mortal Kombat X goes a step further and wades into uncharted territory with great results. Not only is this the highest quality story NetherRealm has ever put together, it’s perhaps the best fighting game story ever. Character Variations aren’t the game-changer NetherRealm was hoping for, but do little to detract from how good the core gameplay mechanics already are. Deep enough to attract competitive players, yet simple enough for newcomers to pick up and play, there’s no denying that Mortal Kombat X has a lot of meaningful kontent. Mortal Kombat X is not only a great Mortal Kombat game, it’s simply a great game.

RATING: 4.5/5

Reviewd By: HardCoreGamer

DiRT 4 Incoming Announcement? AMD Adds Crossfire Profile for Codemasters’ Racing Game

AMD may have spoiled Codemasters’ surprise, as the red team has already added a Crossfire profile for DiRT 4 in its latest graphics driver. Yeap, the latest part in the DiRT series will most probably be titled “DiRT 4″ and from the looks of it AMD has been trying to optimize the title for its graphics cards.

Apart from the fact that AMD has already included a DiRT 4 Crossfire profile in its AMD Catalyst 15.4, the red team has also noted that these drivers are not yet optimized for Codemasters’ racing game.

As noted, PC gamers may experience poor performance in some configurations with these drivers (perhaps an issue meant to be read by those participating in the game’s closed beta phase).

For what is worth, Codemasters teased DiRT 4 back in April, though the team has not officially announced anything yet about it.

Grand Theft Auto V Modding May Actually Be Possible, Russian Modder Gains Access to Encrypted Files

A couple of hours ago we informed you about ENBSeries creator’s opinion about GTA V mods. As Boris claimed, modding Rockstar’s latest GTA instalment was considered impossible. However, a Russian modder has already gained access to GTA V’s encrypted files.

OpenIV lead developer “GooD-NTS” has shared the following images and claimed that he has gained access to GTA V’s encrypted files. This basically means that modding the game is now possible.

It will be interesting to see whether GooD-NTS’ attempts will help modders mod the game right here, right now. It will also be interesting to see what kind of mods will be now coming to GTA V.

Dead Island 2 Delayed to Fall 2015

Eurogamer Czech has reported that Dead Island 2 is being delayed and is now planned for a Fall 2015 release. The game was originally meant to hit stores this Autumn, however Eurogamer’s sources claimed that the game won’t be released until September of this year.

Deep Silver has not debunked this story yet, so this delay sounds plausible. Do note that Homefront: The Revolution has already been pushed back to 2016, so this delay may very well be intentional.

After all, this will give YAGER enough time to further polish its title, and will replace Homefront: The Revolution that was originally planned for a Fall 2015 release.