In Control, you play as Jesse Faden, the newly appointed Director of the Federal Bureau of Control, which is responsible for the mysterious, the supernatural and the downright weird. The world has been invaded by an almost incomprehensible supernatural species known as the Hiss, that we assume have something to do with the remit of the Federal Bureau of Control, and its headquarters, The Oldest House. Now, here’s where it all starts to get a little strange, because The Oldest House is actually a vast, transdimensional, shapeshifter in itself, rearranging itself like the staircases in Hogwarts, hiding away different mysterious spaces, secrets, cryptic ciphers, strange experiments and probably more. It also hides away side-quests galore, that threaten to distract Jesse from her main quest, although at the moment it’s unclear what that exactly is right now. The entire aesthetic though is based on brutalist architecture; all concrete and hard angles. It’s meant to contradict the otherworldly occurrences that go on there, and to Jesse herself. 

To get to her position as Director, Jesse had to go through some kind of ritual, during which her gun – known simply as the Service Weapon – chose her. It acts more as a companion and protector in Control than just part of Jesse’s arsenal… because it is, in fact, the entirety of her arsenal. As you progress through the game, you’ll be able to discover different forms for the Service Weapon that lets it behave quite differently. Like The Oldest House, the Service Weapon morphs and changes, with metal chunks of its body rearranging so you can visually see what form it’s currently taking, like shotgun or something more long-range. 

In my hands-off Control demo at E3, every single element that the development team walk me through is intriguing and I’ve come away with more questions than answers. But that’s usually the way with Remedy titles at this stage. The studio’s last game, the Xbox One exclusive Quantum Break, was an enigma until you had it in your hands, and although thankfully the live action TV episode segments are gone for Control, there are still elements of live action included. So far, it feels like a blend of Quantum Break’s aesthetics with the supernatural elements of Alan Wake. And when you start throwing in the powers that Jesse can wield, there are hints of Max Payne’s bullet time in there too. 

When it comes to powers, don’t expect to be wielding fireballs, as Remedy is wanting to keep things a little more believable for Control. Jesse will be able to utilise more realistic powers like levitation, or creating shields from nearby debris, for example. Okay, okay so they’re not exactly how I’ll be spending my weekend, but they definitely feel more accessible than traditional magic or element manipulation. These abilities will develop over the course of the game though, so I feel like we’re only scratching the surface of Jesse’s capabilities with what we’ve seen so far. 

These powers and the Service Weapon’s various states tie into the fact that The Oldest House is also Metroidvania inspired. You’ll be able to explore areas of the building, knowing that you’ll have to come back to investigate certain corridors and passageways at a later date with new skills at your fingertips. I’m sure that will come with a side-helping of panic when it comes to the side-quests on offer in this labyrinth. At one point in the demo I’m shown a man inside a glass room, who is sat on a wooden stool staring relentlessly at a fridge. Apparently it’s all part of some strange experiment, and if someone isn’t looking at the fridge at all times, it’ll eat them all. Now that’s a serious case of the munchies. He begs Jesse to relieve him but she eventually runs on, and yet I’m still thinking about that carnivorous fridge puzzle even now.

The way Control juxtaposes mundane things with the supernatural is all part of its intrigue, and at the moment Remedy’s new title has that in buckets. There’s a constant unpredictability in what we’ve seen so far, with a couple of pulls of a light switch in The Oldest House revealing a secret passage and hidden meanings, bodies floating everywhere, and a mysterious face hovering in mid-air telling you of strange goings-on. If it’s anything like Alan Wake, which it seems to be, you can sign me up right now. 

Remedy’s Control is arriving sometime in 2019 for PS4, Xbox One and PC.

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Some people mistakenly think it’s an all-out PvP experience with “running around and shooting folk or that you can’t play by yourself, or that nukes are going off every minute or that you can grief people,” Hines said. That kind of speculation is natural, given how different the online concept is from existing Fallout games and how other multiplayer survival games tend to function. But those other games aren’t Fallout!

“It is important to note this is not just a full on PvP game,” Hines explained. “Where you get in the world and everyone shoots everyone. It’s more like a challenge to another player.”

Hines added that “you can’t just let things go unfettered.” What specific limitations or systems will Bethesda put in place to keep players from ruining the game for one another? Some of the specifics are still taking shape, but Hines confirmed a few: you won’t lose progress or loot when you die to another player for instance, and you can respawn far away if you don’t want to get caught in a ganking loop. But if you do want to get your hands dirty “there is a revenge thing you can opt into and try to go head-to-head.”

It’s possible to go too far in the direction of player safety as well. Grief aside, Bethesda wants you to feel a sense of unease when you see an unfamiliar player in the distance and the studio has tried a few different models to balance that feeling with other gameplay concerns: “We’re still trying to figure out how you make it feel like there is some still tension,” Hines admitted. “We’ve tried different versions. I think the one we have now is pretty close.”

Not sure about taking the wasteland online? Read about why Fallout 76 could be the MMO for you (opens in new tab). 

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• E3 2018 games (opens in new tab)
• The winners and losers of E3 2018 (opens in new tab)

Okay this is slower than Valve’s witch-screaming, panic filled horde rush, but there’s an undeniably familiar and satisfying look to taking on the undead with friends. The DNA of Overkill’s last game, Payday 2 (opens in new tab) is undeniable too, from weapon feel to the objective based missions. 

And, as you’d hope, it feels like a Walking Dead experience – from the overgrown streets that look like they’ve been lifted from the show, to gunfire attracting walkers and the ability to board up zombie filled houses to keep things under control. ‘Don’t open. Dead inside,’ indeed. 

Overkill’s The Walking Dead currently has a release date of November 8 in Europe and November 6 in the US.

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It’s also unique thanks to being set in feudal Japan. But if the winds of fate had blown a slightly different direction, this would not have been the case. Ever since Assassin’s Creed first took us to the city of Jerusalem during the Third Crusade, fans have wondered where and when the series might go next, and at the top of fan-requested locales is Japan in the age of samurai. Seriously, every year there’s a new piece of “leaked concept art” or some other rumor that this will be the year AC will unsheathe a katana. Would Ghost of Tsushima have stood out if one of modern gaming’s biggest series had chosen the same setting?

“The phrase ‘worst nightmare’ actually comes to mind,” said Sucker Punch co-founder Chris Zimmerman in a round-table interview at E3 2018. Lucky for him, Ubisoft decided to go for ancient Greece (opens in new tab) for its next installment in its time-hopping franchise. But even if it hadn’t, there’s more to set Ghost of Tsushima apart, and part of it ties directly into the game’s title:

“We started on the idea of not just building a samurai game, but the actual Mongol invasion, which is not the go-to,” Zimmerman said. “Most people do warring states, for instance, which is 15th century – which is cool! [The Mongol invasions are] great times, really interesting times, really interesting people and characters. But it’s not as well trodden a territory. So that was exciting. Then we actually looked at the details of the Mongol invasion, which seemed a good kind of, two forces clashing with each other, and discovered that the first place that they landed was Tsushima.”

Be sure to check out our full list of E3 2018 games (opens in new tab) to learn more about all the excitement coming your way, or if you just wanna stick with PlayStation games, check out our PlayStation E3 2018 press conference recap (opens in new tab).

Get the best games and entertainment news, reviews, tips and offers delivered to your inbox every week by signing up to the GamesRadar+ newsletter today. 

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Formally known as the Fallout 76 Power Armor Edition, this probably-already-sold-out version of the game comes with:

• A West Tek Canvas Carrying Bag. Hey, you’re gonna need something sizeable to lug all this stuff around.
• Wearable T-51 Power Armor helmet with built-in voice modulator speaker, functioning LED head lamp, and custom V.A.T.S. sound effects.
• A 21″ x 21″ map of Fallout 76’s version of West Virginia that, as game director Todd Howard put it during the Bethesda E3 2018 press conference, “glows in the fucking dark”.
• Fallout miniature figurines; tiny plastic versions of the game’s Vault Dwellers, Power Armor-wearing soldiers, creatures, and more. Ever wanted to start a Fallout-themed tabletop RPG? Well, now you’ve got the pieces for it.
• Tricentennial Edition Steelbook, so you can display your game on your shelf with gleaming, shiny, metal pride.
• Fallout 76 Tricentennial Edition bonus in-game items, including unique customization options for your power armor and weapons, a Vault Boy mascot head, Patriotic Uncle Sam outfit, Celebratory Vault Boy Saluting emote, First-Class Tricentennial Workshop Posters, and a Tricentennial Commemorative Photo Frame.

Pre-order Fallout 76 for PS4 from Amazon (opens in new tab)
Pre-order Fallout 76 for Xbox One from Amazon (opens in new tab)
Pre-order Fallout 76 for PC from Amazon (opens in new tab)

However, arguably the coolest bonus is one available to anyone who pre-orders any edition of Fallout 76: beta access. True, we don’t know quite when the beta will start, but with Fallout 76 launching on November 14, 2018, it surely can’t be too far away.

Be sure to check out the E3 2018 schedule (opens in new tab) to see when the other major players will announce their news, and keep an eye on our list of E3 2018 games (opens in new tab) to see all the titles coming your way. 

The post Fallout 76 collectors edition contents revealed, pre-order for beta access appeared first on Game News.

So let’s break this announcement up and see if we can’t surmise what this means for the future of Xbox:

Playground Games

Who are they?

This may be the least surprising of all Microsoft’s acquisitions, as Playground and Xbox have had a longstanding partnership thanks to the Forza Horizon series. The studio is already known to be working on Forza Horizon 4, which was confirmed during the Xbox E3 press conference, but head of Xbox Phil Spencer also teased that Playground is putting its expertise to work on something else, which will be revealed “later”.

What could they be working on?

Rumors suggest Fable 4. Playground knows how to build beautiful open worlds, and just because they’ve historically filled those landscapes with expensive cars doesn’t mean they couldn’t instead focus their designs on something more fantastical.

Undead Labs

Who are they?

Again, not a super huge surprise here. Undead Labs is the studio behind State of Decay and State of Decay 2, which have been solid hits for Microsoft and are Xbox exclusive. It makes sense that Microsoft would want to keep Undead Labs to itself, and this acquisition keeps the relationship strong.

What could they be working on?

Well, more State of Decay 2 content, for starters. The game only came out in May 2018, so there’s bound to be lots of post-launch stuff to keep players coming back for awhile. After that, who knows? State of Decay 3 is a relatively safe bet, but there’s always a chance the studio will want to explore new options, especially with Microsoft’s money backing them.

Ninja Theory

Who are they?

Ninja Theory made a name for itself by developing action-heavy adventure games like Heavenly Sword, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and DmC: Devil May Cry. More recently, it shook up the indie scene by developing Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, a game it called representative of “independent AAA” development.

What could they be working on?

With Microsoft’s acquisition, Ninja Theory moves from “independent AAA” to “just AAA”. Expect more of what Ninja Theory specializes in: solid, exciting combat and emotionally-driven narratives. Just don’t expect DmC 2; Capcom is already working on a new entry in that series (which seems to have taken major visual cues from Ninja Theory’s work).

Compulsion Games

Who are they?

Compulsion is the studio behind the artful Contrast and currently working on the psychedelic survival game, We Happy Few. It was founded by a former executive producer at Arkane Studios, and is staffed by employees who’ve worked on everything from Far Cry 3 to Darksiders.

What could they be working on?

We know the next game on Compulsion’s slate: We Happy Few (which, to be clear, is still a multiplatform game). Inspired by the trippy aesthetic of the ’60s, the game has you struggling to survive and escape the rapidly-collapsing society of Wellington Wells. Beyond that, expect more games with stylish flair and unique twists you won’t see from the usual AAA crowd.

The Initiative

Who are they?

A totally new studio, led by the former head of Crystal Dynamics, Darrel Gallagher.

What could they be working on?

The Initiative’s formation was announced as part of Xbox’s E3 2018 press conference, and “it exists” is pretty much all we know so far. Still, with Gallagher at the helm, hope for big things is warranted.

Be sure to check out the E3 2018 schedule (opens in new tab) to see when the other major players will announce their news, and keep an eye on our list of E3 2018 games (opens in new tab) to see all the titles coming your way. 

The post Microsoft buys Playground Games, Compulsion Games, Undead Labs, and Ninja Theory appeared first on Game News.

Don’t panic, this isn’t Life is Strange 2, it’s something else entirely; a new story told within the universe of Life is Strange. It tells the story of Chris, a 10-year-old boy who basically wants to be a superhero. His big imagination takes him – and you – on a big adventure, on one rather ordinary Saturday that turns into one rather extrarodinary. 

This self-contained narrative experience apparently contains plenty of hidden secrets that you’ll discover through multiple playthroughs, and will also feature links to the brand new story that’ll come, eventually, with Life is Strange 2. 

“We have always imagined Life is Strange as a diverse universe filled with interesting characters and stories to tell. The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit and the story of Chris is one of many stories that we really want to share with the world,” said Michel Koch and Raoul Barbet, Creative Directors of Life is Strange at DontNod Entertainment.

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But beyond that, there’s a whole lot more going on in this Gears. Gears of War 5 looks to bring a stack of new gameplay additions, by way of excessively bloody and surprisingly dextrous melee combat (using massive, spiked, Locust maces), fleshy, biomechanical turrets, and a host of brand new Locust types. 

The story side looks no less impressive. Fully steering into the more human, youthful, and emotional vibe set up so well with Gears of War 4’s time-jumping reboot, Gears of War 5 looks to be taking us on a continent spanning, deeply personal quest, led by a Kait as new lead, player character, going through some serious emotional trauma. There’s also the conspicuously raised matter of whether she might have been comprised by the Locust. Oh, and JD now has a splendid beard, so that’s rather lovely too. No projected release date, but we’ll keep you posted. Check out the reveal trailer above. 

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• E3 2018 schedule (opens in new tab): How and when to watch all the big E3 press conferences
• Best Nintendo Switch games (opens in new tab)
• Upcoming Switch games (opens in new tab)

When is the Nintendo E3 conference?

As usual there isn’t technically a Nintendo E3 conference, but a live stream where all the upcoming Nintendo Switch games (opens in new tab) (and 3DS ones too, no doubt). The Nintendo E3 2018 livestream is being held on June 12 at 9am PT / 12pm ET / 5pm BST. 

Afterwards Nintendo will be hosting its usual line-up of Treehouse streams, where you’ll get better looks at some of the games that it features in its main E3 livestream.

Where can I watch the Nintendo E3 conference?

There are a few places where you can watch the Nintendo E3 event and the Treehouse livestreams. All the action from both days will be streamed live on the official Nintendo E3 2018 website (opens in new tab), as well as on YouTube (opens in new tab). It’s worth keeping an eye on Ninty’s various Twitter accounts too, as they always have little news bulletins and gifs for each game on them.

Nintendo E3 confirmed games

Super Smash Bros for Nintendo Switch

Nintendo has already confirmed that most of its focus at E3 will be on Super Smash Bros for Nintendo Switch. In fact, the game is Ninty’s key headlining title, and there’s even a Super Smash Bros. Invitational 2018 tournament on June 12 where players will actually get hands-on with the game for the first time, just hours after the E3 conference. So far, all we’ve had is the above trailer that confirms the game exists, will include the Inkings as playable characters, and solidifies that 2018 release date. The little silhouettes at the end also reveal that Mario and Link are making a comeback, although that doesn’t come as much of a surprise. 

Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee

Seeing as a pair of new Pokemon games literally just got announced, it would be crazy for them not to feature in the Nintendo E3 presentation. We’ve already seen the first trailer (which you can watch above), we know its gameplay is based on a combination of Pokemon Yellow from back in the Game Boy days and the ever popular Pokemon Go. But, of course, ever greedy as we are, we’d love to know a little more about these upcoming spin-offs. Just how far do they deviate from the classic core RPG structure? What are Team Rocket up to? Why are we fighting Mewtwo? How adorable really is Eevee? So many questions, Ninty, so many questions.

Nintendo E3 likely games

Most of the games in this next section are almost sure bets. They were all part of the E3 2017 presentation or have been announced since, and we’re more than ready to hear much, much more about them. 

Yoshi

When Nintendo announced this new Yoshi game at E3 last year, its adorable, two-sided, papercraft dioramas were the talk of the town. Yoshi’s been very crafty of late, what with his woollen adventures, and the interactivity on this game’s world seems to build on that creativity. Unfortunately, that’s all we’ve seen of the game for a year now. It doesn’t even have a name yet. But, in the latest Nintendo financial earnings (opens in new tab), it is listed with a 2018 release date so expect to see more at the Nintendo E3 event.

Metroid Prime 4

Unlike Yoshi, Metroid Prime 4 does have a name, but it doesn’t have any kind of pencilled in release date or even a trailer. All we’ve had so far is the above starscape with the Metroid Prime 4 logo and the tease that it is “now in development for Nintendo Switch”, although it’s not clear who by. Ninty, you cheeky devils. That means it should be more than ready for just a little sneak peek at E3 2018, although if you look at how long it took the Japanese gaming giant to show off more of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, fans might be waiting a little while longer.

The core RPG Pokemon Switch game

With the surprise announcement of Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee, and the confirmation that the core RPG Pokemon Switch (opens in new tab) game won’t arrive until 2019, it’s debatable as to whether we’ll see any more of the latter at E3. We can still keep our fingers crossed for a least the tiniest of teasers at the Nintendo E3 conference at least, right? So far we’ve seen nothing of the gameplay, or even what it’s called. Early rumors suggested it would be a spin-off of the most recent entries, Pokemon Sun and Moon, potentially called Pokemon Stars. But it’s looking more and more likely that the game will be an all-new game, perhaps in response to the runaway success of the Switch. 

Fire Emblem

Another of the E3 2017 announcements included a new Fire Emblem game, and it’s going to be a full strategy RPG title. It’s scheduled for a release sometime in 2018, so the time is ticking for more information on the game, including the title and… any gameplay whatsoever.

Bayonetta 3

Bayonetta 3 doesn’t even a vague release date yet, but that doesn’t stop us expecting to see the Switch exclusive pop up during the Nintendo E3 event. From the looks of the teaser trailer revealed at the Game Awards at the end of last year, it looks to be the same kind of stiletto-wearing, ass-kicking, magic-hair-wielding action of the last two games. We’re more than ready to see more.

Nintendo E3 wildcard games

How about some games that might blow our tiny minds if they were revealed at E3? Well, here you go:

Star Fox Grand Prix

The latest of the Nintendo E3 rumors involves information posted by Reddit by user DasVergeben, who has a patchy record at best. But, according to them, Retro Studios – the developer of the Metroid Prime trilogy – is actually working on a Star Fox racing spin-off, “like Diddy Kong Racing mixed with F-Zero”.

“It will have an adventure mode of some kind (think Diddy Kong Racing) and there will be some boss fights and a hub world like it too. It is called Star Fox Grand Prix.” 

According to a story from Eurogamer (opens in new tab), although the name might be subject to change, the leak lines up with their sources too.

Animal Crossing

If there’s one game in Nintendo’s vast library that would be the perfect fit for the Switch, it’s Animal Crossing. The series always made the most sense on 3DS, because its gameplay is the kind of busy work that allows you to dive in and out while you’re doing other things, like watching the best shows on Netflix (opens in new tab). We’ve all done it. Absent-mindedly collecting shells, catching fish and bugs, and paying off your mortgage would be a perfect fit on Switch, and because it’ll be pretty to look at, why not fling it onto the big screen when you get home (sorry Netflix). Thankfully, there are clues that an Animal Crossing Switch (opens in new tab) game is coming, but whether this E3 is the time to show it off is another matter entirely. 

Super Mario Maker

Of all the games that could potentially be ported to Switch, Super Mario Maker seems to make the most sense at this stage. Not only is it a brilliant Mario game in its own right, but what with the interest in the creative elements of Nintendo Labo having quite the surge right now, it’s a great time to talk again about Super Mario Maker. 

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After Rage 2 (opens in new tab), Hitman 2, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (opens in new tab), Fortnite (opens in new tab) on Switch, and Gears of War 5, I didn’t think we could have anything else spoiled for us before the press conferences, but no, Just Cause 4 (opens in new tab) has been unofficially revealed for the second time via a telling advertisement on Steam. Welp. 

So what does the actual ad tell us? Well, it’s called Just Cause 4, mainline protagonist Rico Rodriguez is returning (with his iconic grappling hook intact), and apparently he’s caught up in some bad weather? 

Given the emphasis on the stormy climate, my money’s on the sequel being set on some tropical island in the Pacific, likely a fictional island in keeping with developer Avalanche Studio’s tradition for imagining fake Banana Republics for Rodriguez to liberate. 

Despite the “Pre-Purchase Now” tagline, clicking on through the ad just leads back to the Steam Store homepage (opens in new tab), so this was definitely an accidental slip-up that nevertheless confirms what we already suspected. 

This leak comes after Walmart Canada (opens in new tab) also showed a listing for a Just Cause 3 (opens in new tab) sequel, but today’s informal Steam reveal is rather more unfortunate in that Avalanche Studios only just announced its new IP, Generation Zero, yesterday. Now all of the limelight is going to be eaten up by Just Cause 4, which was probably awaiting a more official announcement during Square Enix’s E3 conference on Monday. 

This means Avalanche Studios has been a very busy bee indeed, working on three projects presumably all at once (it’s co-developing Rage 2 with id Software), all of which are ambitious, big budget titles. The studio’s acclaimed pedigree is strong, and it has multiple branches working across the world, but one wonders whether Avalanche is biting off more than it can chew with so many fingers in so many pies. 

I hope my scepticism about that is proven wrong, and perhaps the inevitable reveal trailer for Just Cause 4 will help to alleviate some of those concerns, because I need more to go on than just an angry man staring at the thunder with murderous intent. 

For more on E3 2018 (opens in new tab), check out our list of the best E3 2018 games we know about so far, including Fallout 76 (opens in new tab), Death Stranding (opens in new tab), and more. 

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