Author: Daniel Hollis

NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News

Microsoft has announced February’s Games With Gold, bringing five titles instead of the usual four.

• READ MORE: The best games you missed in 2020

Gears 5 is set to be the biggest inclusion in the selection, making the additional free title available for the program between February 1-28. It’s joined by other notable inclusions such as the original Resident Evil, which is also available on the same dates, and Lost Planet 2, available between February 16-28.

Joining the three games will also be Indiana Jones And The Emperor’s Tomb from the original Xbox between February 1-15, along with Dandara on February 16-28.

See the full announcement below:

Gears 5 is the latest instalment of the Gears Of War series, offering a high octane single player campaign full of bombastic set pieces, as well as addictive competitive and cooperative multiplayer options.

On the other hand, Resident Evil marks the beginning of the classic series that launched 25 years ago, bringing constant terror as players are forced to explore the origins of the story.

Lost Planet 2 from the Xbox 360 is a third-person shooter which takes place on a mysterious planet. Battling hordes of enemies, the game’s visceral combat consistently ramps up in explosive action.

Finally, Dandara brings a metroidvania retro inspired side scroller to Games With Gold, whilst Indiana Jones And The Emperor’s Tomb is an action-adventure title, continuing the legacy of the iconic character.

Along with the Games With Gold announcements, Xbox have also announced a price hike in its Gold membership subscription across all of its subscription plans.

The post ‘Gears 5’ and ‘Resident Evil’ headline February’s Xbox Games With Gold appeared first on NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News.

NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News

Microsoft has announced February’s Games With Gold, bringing five titles instead of the usual four.

• READ MORE: The best games you missed in 2020

Gears 5 is set to be the biggest inclusion in the selection, making the additional free title available for the program between February 1-28. It’s joined by other notable inclusions such as the original Resident Evil, which is also available on the same dates, and Lost Planet 2, available between February 16-28.

Joining the three games will also be Indiana Jones And The Emperor’s Tomb from the original Xbox between February 1-15, along with Dandara on February 16-28.

See the full announcement below:

Gears 5 is the latest instalment of the Gears Of War series, offering a high octane single player campaign full of bombastic set pieces, as well as addictive competitive and cooperative multiplayer options.

On the other hand, Resident Evil marks the beginning of the classic series that launched 25 years ago, bringing constant terror as players are forced to explore the origins of the story.

Lost Planet 2 from the Xbox 360 is a third-person shooter which takes place on a mysterious planet. Battling hordes of enemies, the game’s visceral combat consistently ramps up in explosive action.

Finally, Dandara brings a metroidvania retro inspired side scroller to Games With Gold, whilst Indiana Jones And The Emperor’s Tomb is an action-adventure title, continuing the legacy of the iconic character.

Along with the Games With Gold announcements, Xbox have also announced a price hike in its Gold membership subscription across all of its subscription plans.

The post ‘Gears 5’ and ‘Resident Evil’ headline February’s Xbox Games With Gold appeared first on NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News.

NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News

Capcom has announced that Resident Evil Village will be arriving this Spring, including a last-gen release.

• Read More: Tempted to try gaming? Here’s everything you need to know

Unveiled during the Resident Evil Showcase, it was revealed the game will be releasing on May 7 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. Next-gen owners of the PS5 can also get their hands on an exclusive demo titled Maiden, acting as a prologue to the game.

The game will also receive a digital Complete Bundle, which couples both Resident Evil VII and Resident Evil Village, allowing players to play the former now.

Accompanying the news was a new trailer, which gave viewers more insight into what to expect. The gothic setting of Resident Evil Village is oozing with atmosphere throughout the trailer, as numerous enemy types, claustrophobic environments, and grandeur buildings lay around every corner.

Watch the full trailer below:

The first gameplay walkthrough for the air was also shown, which delved into the elements a little further. It was proven that the blocking mechanic from Resident Evil VII will return, as well as multiple weapons, such as the powerful shotgun.

Viewers also got their first look at the merchant within the game, who will be available to buy new weapons and gear off throughout the narrative, and will even change their personality relating to story events.

See the full gameplay walkthrough below:

Wrapping the Resident Evil Village package together will be Re:Verse, a multiplayer mode available for free with each copy of the game. Instead of the gritty style of Village, the game will instead take on a cel-shaded art style for its chaotic multiplayer action.

Players will embody the characters of iconic heroes and villains from the series, tackling opposing players in a variety of multiplayer rounds. Little is known as to what will be included, but a multiplayer beta is available to sign up to now.

The Division 2 is also getting a crossover event to mark the 25th Anniversary of Resident Evil, featuring new unlockable items relating to the series.

The post ‘Resident Evil Village’ has a release date, last-gen versions confirmed appeared first on NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News.

NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News

Capcom has announced that Resident Evil Village will be arriving this Spring, including a last-gen release.

• Read More: Tempted to try gaming? Here’s everything you need to know

Unveiled during the Resident Evil Showcase, it was revealed the game will be releasing on May 7 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. Next-gen owners of the PS5 can also get their hands on an exclusive demo titled Maiden, acting as a prologue to the game.

The game will also receive a digital Complete Bundle, which couples both Resident Evil VII and Resident Evil Village, allowing players to play the former now.

Accompanying the news was a new trailer, which gave viewers more insight into what to expect. The gothic setting of Resident Evil Village is oozing with atmosphere throughout the trailer, as numerous enemy types, claustrophobic environments, and grandeur buildings lay around every corner.

Watch the full trailer below:

The first gameplay walkthrough for the air was also shown, which delved into the elements a little further. It was proven that the blocking mechanic from Resident Evil VII will return, as well as multiple weapons, such as the powerful shotgun.

Viewers also got their first look at the merchant within the game, who will be available to buy new weapons and gear off throughout the narrative, and will even change their personality relating to story events.

See the full gameplay walkthrough below:

Wrapping the Resident Evil Village package together will be Re:Verse, a multiplayer mode available for free with each copy of the game. Instead of the gritty style of Village, the game will instead take on a cel-shaded art style for its chaotic multiplayer action.

Players will embody the characters of iconic heroes and villains from the series, tackling opposing players in a variety of multiplayer rounds. Little is known as to what will be included, but a multiplayer beta is available to sign up to now.

The Division 2 is also getting a crossover event to mark the 25th Anniversary of Resident Evil, featuring new unlockable items relating to the series.

The post ‘Resident Evil Village’ has a release date, last-gen versions confirmed appeared first on NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News.

NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News

Microsoft has announced a price hike for Xbox Live Gold, increasing the price drastically on some membership plans.

• READ MORE: The best games you missed in 2020

The new prices will see changes to the already existing one month, three month and six month models that operate. It appears to only be affecting new members, as pre-existing members are able to renew at the previous price point.

An Xbox Wire post highlighted some of the increased costs, citing a one month subscription to be increasing by $1USD and the three month to be jumping up by $5USD. Six months will see the biggest price increase from $39.99 to $59.99.

Eurogamer has reportedly been told the UK equivalent from a Microsoft representative, which sees one month increasing from £6.99 to £7.99, three months jumping from £17.99 to £21.99, and finally the six month seeing a movement from £29.99 to £42.99.

Xbox Live Gold members will receive a message once the price increase is live in their territory, in which the price will not increase for at least 45 days.

The other option for Xbox owners is to move over to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which couples both Game Pass and Gold membership into one joint subscription. Xbox Game Pass sees multiple games being added on a monthly basis, using a similar style to Netflix.

Upcoming inclusions over the next few weeks include the horror title The Medium and the Yakuza Remastered Collection, which brings many of the franchises beloved games to the Xbox family.

Microsoft also announced February’s Games With Gold, which sees five games being included instead of the usual four.

The post Xbox Live Gold’s subscription prices are set to receive an increase appeared first on NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News.

NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News

Microsoft has announced a price hike for Xbox Live Gold, increasing the price drastically on some membership plans.

• READ MORE: The best games you missed in 2020

The new prices will see changes to the already existing one month, three month and six month models that operate. It appears to only be affecting new members, as pre-existing members are able to renew at the previous price point.

An Xbox Wire post highlighted some of the increased costs, citing a one month subscription to be increasing by $1USD and the three month to be jumping up by $5USD. Six months will see the biggest price increase from $39.99 to $59.99.

Eurogamer has reportedly been told the UK equivalent from a Microsoft representative, which sees one month increasing from £6.99 to £7.99, three months jumping from £17.99 to £21.99, and finally the six month seeing a movement from £29.99 to £42.99.

Xbox Live Gold members will receive a message once the price increase is live in their territory, in which the price will not increase for at least 45 days.

The other option for Xbox owners is to move over to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which couples both Game Pass and Gold membership into one joint subscription. Xbox Game Pass sees multiple games being added on a monthly basis, using a similar style to Netflix.

Upcoming inclusions over the next few weeks include the horror title The Medium and the Yakuza Remastered Collection, which brings many of the franchises beloved games to the Xbox family.

Microsoft also announced February’s Games With Gold, which sees five games being included instead of the usual four.

The post Xbox Live Gold’s subscription prices are set to receive an increase appeared first on NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News.

NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News

Hitman 3 reportedly runs better on Xbox Series X compared to the PS5.

• Read More: Indie games you should check out this week: 18 – 24 January

Gaming analysts, Digital Foundry, recently compiled a report on Hitman 3, comparing the console versions of the game, specifically on next-gen systems. Having spent time with both the Xbox Series X and PS5 versions of the game, it was found that performance is notably better on the former.

The PS5 version is said to run at a 1800p resolution, whilst the Xbox Series X is boosted to a native 4K resolution, still maintaining a solid 60 frames per second (FPS). It’s also cited that the Xbox Series X performance doubles the Xbox One X’s performance of 1440p, and the Xbox Series S only maintains 1080p.

However, the PS5 has been proven to come out on top for delivering a consistent frame rate across the entire experience. While both manage to keep 60FPS most of the time, the Mendoza Argentina level was seen to drop considerably at certain portions on the Xbox Series X, sometimes appearing around to 50 range.

See the full analysis video below:

Hitman 3 has been plagued with a few server issues since its launch yesterday (January 20), as many players eagerly tried to carry over their saves from previous entries into the latest instalment.

Due to the demand, IO Interactive faced server problems and the migration process was unable to be completed. For those who would perform the process at a later date, the game would wipe all progress made before it was done, meaning many were forced to wait.

NME reviewed Hitman 3, calling it “absurd international assassination at its absolute finest”, also citing it as a “great place to start for those new to the series”.

The post ‘Hitman 3’ reportedly performs better on the Xbox Series X over PS5 appeared first on NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News.

NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News

Ubisoft’s recently released open-world adventure, Immortals Fenyx Rising, could be getting its first expansion very soon.

• READ MORE: Colour me happy – colour and symbolism in video games

Despite only releasing last month (December), the Zelda inspired game is set to receive three substantial expansions as part of its season pass, and an Xbox store listing pinpoints it to arrive as early as January 28.

Titled A New God, the store page states that players will “play as Fenyx to overcome the trials of the gods of Olympos”, adding that the expansion will use godly powers to find ways “to become even stronger”, in the attempts to “earn a place among the inner circle of the Pantheon”.

A few screenshots also reside on the store page, delivering a first look at some of the new locations and vaults players can explore in A New God.

A new patch for Immortals Fenyx Rising dropped last week (January 14), and with it came a short demo for A New God. Simply titled The Quest, it aims to give players a first look at the brand new expansion ahead of its implied release date next week.

See the full patch announcement below:

The entire season pass was outlined last year (2020), giving a glimpse into what players can expect from the three post-launch expansions. Outside of A New God, the other two include Myths Of The Eastern Realm, which will see players control a new character; and The Lost Gods, a complete shift from the original game, changing it into an isometric brawler.

Along with Immortals Fenyx Rising expansions, Ubisoft has a big year of it. Far Cry 6, Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time Remake and Riders Republic are all expected to hit throughout the year.

The company also announced it was working on an open-world Star Wars game, which is in very early development.

The post Store listing drops release date for ‘Immortals Fenyx Rising’ first expansion appeared first on NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News.

NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News

Details of Resident Evil Village’s multiplayer mode have seemingly leaked ahead of the official showcase.

• READ MORE: Inside that horrifying new Resident Evil Village trailer

Resident Evil has scheduled a showcase for later today (January 21) at 10PM GMT, focusing on the upcoming Resident Evil Village and other elements of the series. It’s expected that Village will receive a full gameplay walkthrough and new trailer.

However, the Humble Bundle has released the store listing for the game early, pinpointing some new details about the game, more specifically, a multiplayer element which is titled Resident Evil Re:Verse.

Little else is known outside of the title, but the store listing reveals the mode will have an “operational period”, suggesting online functionality. You can see the store listing below.

The page also gives a small description for Resident Evil Village: “Set a few years after the horrifying events in the critically acclaimed Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, the all-new storyline begins with Ethan Winters and his wife Mia living peacefully in a new location, free from their past nightmares. Just as they are building their new life together, tragedy befalls them once again.”

News of an online Resident Evil game surfaced last week (January 15), as a beta page surfaced for a multiplayer mode in the series designed for two to six players. It’s said to be “celebrating the 25th anniversary of Resident Evil” and will be available on both PS4 and Xbox One.

It has not been confirmed whether Resident Evil Re:Verse and the beta are the same, but it is highly likely all will be revealed during tonight’s showcase event.

The showcase will also mark the first footage of Resident Evil Village since November, when thirty seconds packed a variety of content from the upcoming survival horror game.

The post ‘Resident Evil Village’ store listing reveals new multiplayer mode appeared first on NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News.

NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News

Respawn Entertainment has released the launch trailer for Season 8 of Apex Legends.

• READ MORE: Colour me happy – colour and symbolism in video games

The new season, which is titled Mayhem, is expected to arrive for the battle royale on February 8. It’s also said that the date is reportedly set to be the same time the Nintendo Switch version of the game will launch.

Apex Legends’ launch trailer for Season 8 delivers a new look at the game’s 16th playable hero, Fuse, whose loud and outlandish personality is a signature takeaway from the trailer. Fuse’s big entrance does not go according to plan, as the area is attacked, leaving a new look at the game’s signature map, King’s Landing.

The trailer shows that players will be in for a new design of the iconic map, as King’s Landing will be receiving a makeover in time for the new season.

See the full trailer below:

Fuse was announced earlier this week (January 19) and saw the announcement of a new weapon known as the 30-30 Repeater rifle, which is said to be “Salvo’s most popular weapon”, which “picks apart the opposition with hard-hitting rounds”.

He will join a list of popular characters in the Apex Legends’ universe, to which a full rundown of the game’s most popular characters was previously revealed, placing the fan favourite Wraith at the top.

Respawn Entertainment may also be working on a new game alongside continually supporting Apex Legends, as a now removed job listing suggested it was working on a new IP.

The post Watch the explosive launch trailer for ‘Apex Legends’ Season 8 appeared first on NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News.