Archangel Tyrael

FROM: http://www.gameinformer.com/ BY: Jim Reilly The upcoming single-player download content for Mass Effect 3 explores the origins of the Reapers. Leviathan introduces new characters, weapons, and upgrades. It's due out this Tuesday for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC for $9.99.

Adding 4x official servers, answering the fans call. Tired of getting kicked from rented servers? Well, now you don't have to deal with that. READ BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS FROM: http://www.computera...m/homepage.php? BY: Tom Ivan "We have heard your wish" DICE has boosted the number of official Battlefield 3 servers on consoles. "We have heard your wish for more official DICE servers," the studio said. "As of now, we have effectively quadrupled them on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. "Note that you will still be able to get quick matched into any ranked server. For the best results if you want an official DICE server, please refer to the manual server browser and enter 'DICE' as a search term. "If you go to the Server information screen, all official DICE servers will have the owner set to 'DICE'. Remember that you can favorite servers that you like so you can easily find them again on your next session." In April DICE enabled Battlefield 3 players to begin renting their own servers for multiplayer games. Official DICE servers soon began dropping off the radar on PS3 and Xbox 360 because they had been rented out to players, although it didn't take long before public opinion led to their reintroduction. Last week EA confirmed a Battlefield 3 Premium Edition release date of September 11 in the US and September 13 in Europe. It'll include the game, all Battlefield Premium content (including five themed DLC packs), and a 'Multiplayer Head-Start Kit' which automatically unlocks 15 different weapons, gadgets and vehicle upgrades. Video here. http://www.computera...y-SL35sD8F1T39u

Five new screenshots showing cop chases, possible hijacking and a Bi-Plane. READ BELOW FOR DETAILS FROM: http://www.g4tv.com/ BY: Stephen Johnson More Grand Theft Auto 5 screenshots have hit the internet, and Rockstar has saved the best for last. As you can see above, we'll even get to tool around in a bi-plane/crop-duster. Click the cut for some other shots revealing different things you'll be able to do in GTA 5, including clutching onto the side of a car carrier truck, shooting at helicopters with a laser-scoped rifle, and tooling around in a killer hoon while a chopper chases you. . Check back in a bit for a full gallery of all 10 of this week's new Grand Theft Auto 5 screenshots.

Microsoft changes their logo to something more colorful and a trailer about the change. READ BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS FROM: http://www.computera...m/homepage.php? BY: Mike Jackson Microsoft's changed its logo after 25 years with outs previous one, and now it has colour. The new logo switches up the font and slaps the iconic 'Windows' logo on the left, adding a bit of colour to it but also, more significantly, representing Microsoft's new efforts to unify all its platforms with the squares seen on Xbox, Windows Phone and soon the Windows 8 Metro platforms. MS says the logo switch comes "in advance of one of the most significant waves of product launches in Microsoft's history". "It's been 25 years since we've updated the Microsoft logo and now is the perfect time for a change," it adds. "This is an incredibly exciting year for Microsoft as we prepare to release new versions of nearly all of our products. From Windows 8 to Windows Phone 8 to Xbox services to the next version of Office, you will see a common look and feel across these products providing a familiar and seamless experience on PCs, phones, tablets and TVs." If logos excite you, here's a trailer all about the change.

FROM: http://www.computera...m/homepage.php? BY: Tom Ivan Daily Digest: This is the future for core gamers. Oskari Hakkinen, head of franchise development at Remedy, said in an interview published earlier today that the next generation of consoles represent "a quantum leap" from systems available today. While the platform holders have yet to announce the Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4, or whatever they will eventually be named, the likelihood is that at least one new console will arrive in 2013. Here, we analyse five key features that will shape and define the next generation. 1. 4K resolution displays Stunning visuals are always a crowd pleaser, and graphical improvements tend to be the first thing the average consumer recognises when comparing two hardware generations side by side. Most recently Yahoo reported that PS4 will support ultra HD '4K Resolution' displays. 4K resolution is the term used in digital cinematography to broadly describe a resolution (pixel count) of around 4000 pixels horizontally on a display. This is similar to 'Ultra HD', or 'Quad Full High Definition' (QFHD), which at 3840x2160, is exactly double today's full HD resolution of 1920x1080. With 3D failing to take off as the next big thing, Sony and the rest of the big players in the TV industry are looking for a new way to get consumers to upgrade their sets. Given that Sony's already selling 4K Blu-ray players, similar support for games and movies on PS4 seems highly likely. 2. Platform Ubiquity Next gen consoles will allow players to engage with content in new, increasingly imaginative and convenient ways. PS3 Remote Play using PSP was an early step in this direction, but things will only accelerate in this direction with Wii U, PS4 and Xbox 720. Users will be able to begin playing games and watching movies at home on one device before leaving the house and resuming them on another, or vice versa. Secondary devices will make experiences more immersive by delivering companion content using tech like SmartGlass, and serve as remote controls for your home console, whether it's the Wii U GamePad, your Vita or your mobile phone in the case of SmartGlass. A new PC-based development environment for PS4 should also enable more companies to take advantage of initiatives like PS3-Vita Cross Buy, which let you buy a piece of software on console and get a free digital version for handhelds. 3. Enhanced communication Online gaming is a great way to keep up with friends without having to ever leave the comfort of your own sofa, Kinect Video is an interesting feature, and the integration of social media platforms on consoles is nothing new, but next gen consoles should make great advances in the communications space. Earlier this month a Microsoft job ad revealed that the "next gen Xbox" will support Skype. The potential to make or receive free phone calls on your console is an appealing one, particularly if it means you can simultaneously play games, eradicating the need to juggle your mobile phone or telephone receiver with your controller. The Wii U will also go in this direction, allowing customers to make video conference calls with their devices. 4. Digital dominance The brick-and-mortar games retail business will not survive another ten years, the executive vice president of EA Games recently told CVG. While the next generation of consoles are highly likely to support physical media formats, that doesn't mean the digital revolution isn't already in full flow, and day-and-date digital game releases are likely to become as mandatory as DLC in the next few years. That said, sales figures for downloadable triple A games on console won't match sales of physical products until digital prices are more reasonable. We can't think of any reason why New Super Mario Bros. 2 costs £10 more to buy from the eShop than it does from GAME for £29.99 (games on PSN and Xbox Live's Games of Demand are also regularly overpriced). Sony also has the possibility of opening up a games streaming service with its newly acquired Gaikai tech. 5. Subscription options Microsoft has been trialling a console subscription model in the States, where customers pay $99 upfront for a new Xbox 360 bundled with Kinect and a two year Xbox Live Gold account, and are subsequently charged $14.99 for the following 24 months. We've heard from a well placed Sony executive that the company thought about introducing such a model for the PS3's launch, and think it would make sense for the platform holders to roll it out from the offset of the next generation. The model locks buyers into the concept of upgrading at the end of their contract, when they can pick up the latest iteration of the current hardware offering. It has worked for Apple with iPhone and iPad, so there certainly is potential for consoles to do the same. The subscription model also allows the platform holders to sell their high-power machines at a low deposit RRP, meaning that the huge investment required to make these machines won't be reflected in such exorbitant product costs. The PS3 suffered tremendously when it launched at $599, but a subscription model would likely cut that price down by more than half. Image credit: Telegraph, Digital Trends

Below features 23 tracks of composed music by various composers that have worked on amazing games such as Assassins Creed. This should be a very interesting mix of OST. READ BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS FROM: http://www.gameinformer.com/ BY: Jim Reilly The soundtrack featuring original music from Borderlands 2 is out September 18 worldwide at retailers. it includes songs composed by Jesper Kyd (Assassin's Creed), Cris Velasco and Sascha Dikiciyan (Mass Effect 3), and Raison Varner (Gearbox Software). The soundtrack can be purchased from Sumthing Else Music Works , Amazon , and digitally through Amazon MP3, iTunes, and other digital music sites. Below is the track listing. 1. Ascent (Cris Velasco and Sascha Dikiciyan) 2. Ash (Jesper Kyd) 3. Caverns (Jesper Kyd) 4. Glacial (Jesper Kyd) 5. Crater Lake (Cris Velasco and Sascha Dikiciyan) 6. Dam Interior (Cris Velasco and Sascha Dikiciyan) 7. Dam Top (Jesper Kyd) 8. Fyrestone (Jesper Kyd) 9. Hyperion (Cris Velasco and Sascha Dikiciyan) 10. Ice (Jesper Kyd) 11. Interlude Combat (Jesper Kyd) 12. Interlude Ambient (Jesper Kyd) 13. Lynchwood (Cris Velasco and Sascha Dikiciyan) 14. Lynchwood Sheriff Combat (Cris Velasco and Sascha Dikiciyan) 15. Main Menu (Jesper Kyd) 16. Jack Final Boss (Cris Velasco and Sascha Dikiciyan) 17. Pandora Park (Jesper Kyd) 18. Sanctuary (Jesper Kyd) 19. Bandit Slaughter (Raison Varner) 20. The Fridge (Jesper Kyd) 21. Tundra Express (Cris Velasco and Sascha Dikiciyan) 22. Warrior Boss (Cris Velasco and Sascha Dikiciyan) 23. Vog Fight (Cris Velasco and Sascha Dikiciyan)

From: http://www.gameinformer.com/ By: Jim Reilly Microsoft announced the Halo 4 original soundtrack is available in a number of formats starting on October 22. The soundtrack features 15 tracks and over 75 minutes of music. In addition to the soundtrack, which was composed and produced by Neil Davidge of Massive Attack, there's also a remix album included in a limited edition box set featuring DJ Skee, Sander Van Doorn, Apocalyptica, Hundred Waters and more. Below is a list of all the details and buying options per Microsoft: “Halo 4” Original Soundtrack (available in physical CD and digital formats) • Available for standalone purchase of $13.98 (U.S. ERP), the “Halo 4” Original Soundtrack features 15 themes from award-winning producer Neil Davidge, co-writer and producer of the pioneering trip hop group Massive Attack. This marks the first time a new composer has taken the reins for the iconic series’ musical score since the launch of the original “Halo” game more than a decade ago. • Working in collaboration with 343 Industries, Davidge and his production team enlisted a 16-person hand-picked male tenor / bass choir plus 10 females from the London Bulgarian Choir, a full 50 piece orchestra and a whole host of other performers to bring the music of “Halo 4” to life through a massive production effort on par with a major Hollywood blockbuster. • In addition, “Halo” fans who purchase a physical copy of the Original Soundtrack will receive a free download voucher for three exclusive remix tracks and three additional Davidge tracks not included on the soundtrack but featured in the “Halo 4” game. These game pieces will not be available on any other platform other than through the physical CD purchase. “Halo 4” Original Soundtrack List and Titles (CD & Digital): 1. Awakening 2. Belly Of The Beast 3. Requiem 4. Legacy 5. Faithless 6. Nemesis 7. Haven 8. Ascendancy 9. Solace 10. To Galaxy 11. Immaterial 12. 117 13. Arrival 14. Revival 15. Green And Blue “Halo 4” Special Digital Original Soundtrack • The Special Digital Original Soundtrack features the full content of the Original Soundtrack, a digital booklet, as well as six bonus remix tracks composed by renowned producer Neil Davidge and remixed as follows: “To Galaxy (Sander Van Doorn & Julian Jordan Remix),” “Awakening (Gui Boratto Remix),” “Revival (DJ Skee & THX Remix),” “Ascendancy (Caspa Remix),” “Requiem (Bobby Tank Remix) and “The Beauty of Cortana (Apocalyptica vs. Neil Davidge Remix).” “Halo 4” Special Edition 2-Disc Box Set (available direct to consumer) • Available for preorder today for $75 (U.S. ERP), the “Halo 4” Special Edition 2-Disc Box Set includes: o “Halo 4” Original Soundtrack o “Halo 4” 14-track remix album o Exclusive “Making of ‘Halo 4’ Music” DVD containing over 70 minutes of unique behind the scenes footage, interviews and recording sessions from Abbey Road o Exclusive hardcoverbook on the “Making of ‘Halo 4’ Music” featuring production and composition notes from Neil Davidge plus exclusive behind-the-scenes photos and exclusive artwork images o Exclusive 12” Neil Davidge signed art print o Exclusive 180g heavy weight 12” Vinyl Full color Picture Disk of Master Chief and Cortana in a uniquely designed Sleeve bag o Exclusive Avatar T-Shirt download (Male & Female) o The first 5000 orders will all be individually numbered in a limited series and personalized by Neil Davidge o Preorder at: http://halowaypoint....halo4soundtrack “Halo 4” Remix Album Track List and Titles: 1. Awakening – Gui Boratto Remix 2. Green And Blue – KOAN Sound Remix 3. Requiem – Bobby Tank Remix 4. Ascendancy – Caspa Remix 5 To Galaxy – Sander Van Doorn & Julian Jordan Remix 6. Haven – Hundred Waters Remix 7. Revival – DJ Skee & THX Remix 8. Ascendancy – Matt Lange Remix 9. Nemesis – Alvin Risk Remix 10. Solace – Maor Levi Remix 11. Arrival – Norin & Rad Remix 12. Green And Blue – Andrew Bayer Remix 13. Foreshadow – James Iha Remix 14. The Beauty Of Cortana – Apocalyptica vs. Neil Davidge Remix All Soundtrack formats will be released by Microsoft’s new soundtrack partner, 7Hz Productions and affiliates: Friday October 19th, Australia & New Zealand (7Hz / Sony Music); Monday October 22nd UK & Eire, Europe & Japan (Essential), USA & Canada, South America (The End/RED).

Valves new game adds, new grenades, polish you would expect for valve and a few upgrades to one of the best games for the pc ever. From: http://www.computera...m/homepage.php? By: Mike Rose Valve's latest FPS does not redefine nor ruin the acclaimed series. This is it, then - the next chapter in one of the greatest first-person multiplayer shooter franchises the PC has to offer, now with added console support. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tries to emerge from the meteor-sized shadows of the original 2000 Counter-Strike and the 2004 Source follow-up. It aims to satisfy the (often vocal) CS community, while also pulling in as many casual players as possible. It's fair to say that developers Hidden Path and Valve have, to some extent, have succumbed to peer pressure in trying to fulfil these goals. This could have been an altogether new experience in the Counter-Strike collection. It is not. Global Offensive is the same step-up that Counter-Strike Source was from the original 1.6 version. This is not a fully fledged sequel with oodles of new content and dozens of never-seen-before elements. This is Counter-Strike: Source with new visuals and gameplay tweaks. Not that everyone will find this worthy of complaint. This is, after all, exactly what many CS enthusiasts wanted; the result of Valve expertly observing calls from its community and acting on them. The result, ultimately, should be more fittingly named Counter-Strike: Source Redux. It is mash-up of everything that CS has always stood for, but with additional elements that allow new players to enter the fray with less fear of being manhandled by veteran players. If you are such a potential new player, Counter-Strike in a nutshell is this: Two teams vie for control of an enclosed game space. The terrorists will seek to plant a bomb in designated areas, while the counter-terrorists seek to thwart such plans. This is all done with guns and grenades. If you're a big Call of Duty fan, it is likely that Counter-Strike will not sit well with you as much as you expect - at least at first. This is a famously merciless, harsh environment where you can be assassinated before you've even had time to fire off your weapon. Fire fights are usually over within seconds, and the old 'spray and pray' tactic simply does not work. Counter-Strike makes you work to enjoy the content, and you'll have to put many hours of play into it before enjoying the feeling of conquering it. Weapons are a huge part of the series too, with CS:GO not an exception. Each round provides a cash sum based on your previous performance, and with this you can purchase armour, projectiles and weapons. Firearms range from standard assault rifles to shotguns and sniper rifles, and you'll want to experiment with each one to see which works best. What makes Counter-Strike such a popular series - and what will no doubt make CS:GO the next big PC shooter - is the thrill of the ego chase. As you die, often continuously, the frustration is outweighed by an aspiration to do better. In a game where success is pinned on attention to detail, death often triggers an internal failure analysis that the player will mull over while waiting for a new session to load. It becomes a spiral of egging yourself on to do better - and if you become a good player, the game becomes a stage for you to parade your skills. Global Offensive builds on the CS series by going through a significant checklist presented by its community and marking off as many points as possible. Gun game as its own separate mode? Check. Competitive capabilities built in? Check. Map balancing here and there? Check, check, check. As a result, there are numerous upgrades that will adjust gameplay while also making accessibility far better. The wide range of grenades, for example, will likely make play more tactical - laying down incendiary grenades will thwart rushes, while decoys, which fake gunfire and fool radar points, are brilliant tools for messing with the minds of established players. The actual core shooting will be a huge talking point for many months to come. It has been tinkered slightly and gives weapons a noticeably floaty feel, which doesn't sit well to begin with. We eventually found ourselves enamoured by it, and the impact of hits add a real tactile distinction to play. It's what doesn't work, however, that is most notable. Regular mode has no new maps added to it, while all the new guns seem somewhat cosmetic. Global Offensive has also removed some of its middling weapons such as the MP5, essentially pushing even more players to stick with the AK and the M4. Sometimes it gives the impression that there is in fact less valuable content than in previous CS releases. If one assumed this was Counter-Strike Source with a visual mod installed, there would often be little to shake that impression. There's also now a split between casual and competitive servers - however, many players aren't yet aware of the differences, mainly because the distinction isn't made obvious enough. It becomes even more confusing if you join a community server with all hosts of mods installed on it, which have perhaps taken casual mode, turned friendly fire on and essentially made it as close to Source as possible. At times, arranging games in Competitive Mode feels like a chore. Joining a five-on-five war is simple enough, but attempt to lobby up with a group of friends and join a game, and you'll often hit a snag. Myself and a few others tried to find a competitive game with no luck, simply being told that no servers were currently available. When you finally do join, it works fine, but the wait and work required to find a game seems like a drawback. We eventually gave up and resorted to using IRC to find matches, as we would with Source. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is not the key evolution point that we were hoping for, and the response from the community often reflects this view. On many occasions, other players used phrases such as "same old" to us. This is elementally Counter-Strike Source with some fine-tuning under the bonnet, and Valve appears to have acknowledged this with the reasonable RRP attached to it. And yet the core DNA of the game has not lost its appeal. This is still a glorious experience that sets a benchmark for all multiplayer shooters. Valve's objective with Global Offensive was to draw together the active communities of both the Source and trusty 1.6 edition. It clearly has a good chance. The verdict SCORE 8.0 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a great introduction to the renowned shooter series, but veterans may feel there simply isn't enough new material here to justify the encore. CVG UK<p> UPPERS Layers of polish typical of a Valve game Nails the 'just one more go' multiplayer hook New range of grenades are a blast DOWNERS Don't expect too much more than Counter-Strike Source Deluxe Arranging matches in Competitive mode is a chore Er... where's my MP5

From: http://www.gameinformer.com/ By: Jack Gardner Thousands are set to descend on Raleigh, North Carolina for the biggest North American eSports event of the summer. The Championship will feature a total prize pool of nearly $215,000. MLG expects thousands to flock to their summer championship at the Greater Raleigh Convention Center and millions more to watch the online streams. From the amount of content they are putting out for the Summer Championship, I wouldn't be surprised if they shattered their previous attendance/viewership records. The main events will be the StarCraft II, Mortal Kombat, Soul Calibur V, and League of Legends tournaments. StarCraft II fans can expect to see previous champions Taeja, Marine King, and Violet going up against hundreds of prospective summer champions for the $25,000 first place prize. There will be four streams for StarCraft II matches cast by Day[9], Apollo, djWheat, TotalBiscuit, Mr Bitter, Rotterdam, Rob Simpson, Tim Frazier (Robin), Axeltoss, Kibbelz, Clutch, and Adebisi (observer). Mortal Kombat and Soul Calibur V each have a first place prize of $16,700 and will feature the likes of DetroitBalln, CDjr, Keev_, Kayane, LostProvidence, Pig of the Hut, among others. Each fighting game will have one dedicated stream cast by Tom Brady for Mortal Kombat, Bibulus forSoul Calibur V, and hosted by Juicebox Abel. League of Legends will have the largest prize money with $40,000 given to the winning team. Twelve teams will be competing for honor and riches including Curse and Dignitas. Two streams of the competition will be cast by Dan Dinh, Optimus Tom, Deman, Monte Cristo, Jaws, and Jatt. In addition to all of that eSports goodness, there will also be several other awesome events occurring. Blizzard Entertainment’s StarCraft II World Championship Series North American Finals will have a separate stage and competition area. Players will be competing for $60,000 and the chance to represent their countries at the Battle.net World Championship in Shanghai November 17-18. Some of the players to watch will be Scarlett, ViBE, and MajOr, winners of the Canada, US, and Mexico Finals, respectively. There will be two exhibition tournaments of Virtua Fighter 5 and Skullgirls each with $2,000 prize pools. The exhibitions will be held Friday through Saturday. For more information on attending or viewing the MLG Summer Championship, click here. Also, MLG has been kind enough to provide me with a few HD codes that can be used to view the event in HD without ads and with full access to all streams. Tweet at me, @Riverboatjack, with #MLGRaleigh for a chance to win one of the codes! Tune in August 24-26 to watch the action go down in Raleigh.