Another Next-Gen Rumor

According to CVG the Xbox World magazine will reportedly use it’s penultimate issue to reveal the details about the next-gen Xbox console; which is expected to include Kinect 2.0, Blu-Ray discs and a much larger system. The magazines editor has reportedly told the site that the next-generation hardware will most likely be called ‘Xbox’ and no the coded ‘Xbox720’ as expected. It is likely to be shipped with 8GB of RAM and a quad-core processor which means it will harbour a far more explosive experience to anything currently on offer. The other details revealed are likely to be Kinect version 2, the use of Blu-ray discs, directional audio, the TV output type and the new ‘innovative’ controller. It has also been widely reported that there will be augmented-reality (AR) glasses for use after the initial release period. Although Microsoft has not officially confirmed the new console, the speculation surrounding the hardware has been circulating for some time. In June, a 56-page document allegedly from Microsoft themselves indicated that the plan was to launch the new Xbox in 2012 for around $299. This also listed a new version of the Kinect system as well as the AR glasses support that is likely to be added sometime after launch. The document has been removed by the Microsoft legal team but a patent for a new tech system for monitoring behavior has recently been filed by the company.
 The rumor mill has been pretty brisk lately but as I’ve mentioned above nothing concrete has surfaced. I would still expect that console to come out next year and likely in the Christmas build up period.

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Halo 4 eSport

Online multiplayer combat is currently being dominated by title that enfold player in semi-realistic warfare combat. The action and the perks are pure fantasy but the settings are rooted in the real world with team action, base captures and destruction.

By contrast, Halo 4 is pure sci-fi fantasy with a range of vivid colours, strange weapons, gravity changes and crazy vehicle designs. Microsoft wants this new instalment to become another multi-billion-dollar franchise that sits at the heart of online shooters.

343 have arguably created the best Halo ever, and the multiplayer portion is up there with the best. It’s immaculate weapon design and strict balancing means players have to use all their skills to bring each other down and along with the well crafted battleground this really expands on what can be offered.

Certain Affinity were drafted in to help 343 out with the different modes, maps and Forge creation tool and have done a wonderful job of making this a real activity hub for players. The company was founded by Max Hoberman who previously spent a decade with Bungie and has one of the best Halo resumes on offer.

They have also been drafted in on the multiplayer sections of recent Call of Duty games and also the zombie FPS Left 4 Dead. Basically these guys are at the pinnacle of online gaming and have a long, intimate relationship with the Halo universe. It can truly be taken that this new experience has been crafted to be love by the fans while also becoming available to as many people as possible.

Mr. Hoberman has been quoted as saying ‘That was 343's approach across the board. How do we make this better by letting more people enjoy it? We started by smoothing off some of the rough edges on areas that could be great, but just weren't quite there for accessibility reasons. That can be really difficult, really challenging, especially when you're trying to develop something that has some inherent depth. How you balance depth and accessibility is always a challenge. But that has absolutely permeated all of our decision-making.”

Certain Affinity has worked on some of the older War Games modes too, by adding various tweaks to already well established models. My favourite being the Oddball game mode, a classic which sees teams winning points by holding onto a skull, the added twist is that you are now able to throw this to someone else. It’s a scaling game of ‘piggy in the middle’ with guns. Another enjoyable addition is in the Dominion mode. For those of you that don’t know, this mode sees team defending various bases but these now spawn defensive upgrades over time which and attacking team need to get passed in order to change the bases alignment.

The biggest difficulty facing Certain Affinity, and other developers that specialize in multiplayer gaming, is the relationship players have with the modes, maps and weapons. Unlike single-player games these are experienced many hundred, or even thousands of times, whereas singles player may only be player a few times before people get to know the designs too well. Multiplayer games are a live ground with people extorting specific areas, defensive positions and more until another breakthrough/tactic occurs to combat them.

The more online multiplayer takes place the increased knowledge people have obtained on the subject. People now understand the fundamentals of level design including sight blocks, cover positions and height advantages.

The big studios like Certain Affinity know the extent of their responsibility and that the content being created is likely to be the most used part of any game. They often play hours each day ironing out the creases and working out exactly how to finely balance the systems. The need to be fans of their own work and put the time in to experience what the consumer market will see.

Someone once said that single player is asymmetrical and designed primarily for the player, I mean they are right in that you don’t need to worry how the Covenant feel in Halo. In multiplayer however one person’s joy can be another’s distain.

Halo is one of the longest standing eSport franchises in the United States at the moment, although it has declined in popularity recently, and Halo 4 looks set to bring it back to the top. Competitive Halo revolves around team-based combat and the developer support, community involvement and corporate funding means that it’s set to stay. The strong formula has proven to be the best format for shooters with deep gameplay options and fast-paced action. The theatre mode allows observers to see all the action but having multiple vantage points during the games. The smaller arenas allow players to jump straight back into the action and with the giant corporate backing from Microsoft we can expect Halo to be a premier shooter in years to come for both competitive matches and casual gamers.

It’s interesting to see how much Certain Affinity have also put into the Forge editor. This feature, a multiplayer map creator, has been around for a long time and although it’s produced some fantastic offerings it’s never been easier to use. The new features include and excellent item-lock and local effects editor called player-trait zones. It means that budding map designers now have even more freedom to toy with their creation.

Now is as good a time as any to join the Halo force and the depth of the online action means you don’t necessarily need to be interested in the Master Chief’s plight in order to enjoy this game. The whole experience is fresh and the amount of online content is phenomenal.

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FIFA 13 Ultimate Team Money Guide

So Fifa 13 has been out a couple of months and seems to be another extremely popular addition to, what seems to be, the majority votes favourite Football game. This year gave birth to another round of the Ultimate Team game and web app and I’ve been assembling some good coin making ideas to keep you ahead of the game and also to stretch you to the difficult ‘85 million pound club’ achievement.

1)       Cheap Gold Players

The sure fire way of making money is to dip in an spend a really small amount on a gold player (300 coins is a good maximum). Try then selling them at a buy now for 500 coins and if they don’t sell then push them on the quick sell option and try again. As I said, this method is full proof as you will always make your money back. I tend to stick with a specific formation when running this method as you slowly get to know the prices players go for and how to undercut the competition.

2)       Dream Team Players

Another sure fire tactic is to pick up a dream team player for less then 10,000 coins. Their quick sale option is around the same so the loss is negligible if you cannot push them on for a slight profit. The same rules as the above apply here and should be used once you’ve built up enough of a money box to start playing about.

3)       Bronze Brazilian

One of the best tactics I have been using is to pick up cheap bronze Brazilian players. These often attract a lot of attention and can create a bit of a 59^th minute auction. You need to search, if possible, for players with 4* skills, (checking Futwiz.com will help identify these) and you will surely be able to make a profit on these players and if not they make a great addition to your low level team for the quick win tournaments.

4)       Undercutting prices

A great option for making money, once you have some money behind you, is to find a player that only ever has a small number of sales available. Find the cheapest one and buy them, then slightly raise your price to that of the next cheapest and sell on. The margins are small but as you get into the 5* players this tactic can easily bag you a few thousand coins in per sale.

5)       Price Fixing

It is possible to artificially increase a players buy price but basically owning all of the players on the market. The best ones to use are cheap and fast or 5* skilled player as these usually generate a bit of interest amongst other users. If you’ve got a big enough pot you can do this with the superstars but I started with Maggio (the solid, speedy Italian right-winger) and grab about 10 cards for 3 or 4 thousand each. I then waited for an ideal opportunity to sell them on, basically when there weren’t a lot of purchase options on the market and booted them all in a 6.5k. After all had been sold I had around a 15000 profit. This is especially good to use while the game is in its early stages or when a player has a good game in real life. Look at Giroud – not a single sole wanted him two weeks ago but now you can knock him on at 2,500 at least – at the time of writing of course.

The real winning strategy though is to look often and have a little bit of luck. Patience really is a virtue as there are cheap players going every minute on the market, all you need to do it be there when the timer runs out. A quick win is for formation cards which can be picked up really cheap and sold on at a profit if someone specifically needs it for a player.

It’s great to hear how other people make money on the Fifa 13 Ultimate Team so let me know on Twitter or in the comments section below what you think or how you’ve made money in the past. If they’re good enough I’ll put them on this list with a credit to you….

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Having received some further money making skills this article has been updated to reflect the same…

Thanks to an anonymous user…. Please get in contact again for credit.

6)       Play to Gain

This involves harvesting the Bronze Starter pack you receive and playing as much as possible to raise some funds. If completed early on a bronze contract can still go for 200-250 coins when a bronze pack itself only costs 400 coins to buy. This is a great idea for creating a reasonable ‘funds package’ to start any of the above methods.

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Halo 4 - The Best Maps

Every Halo game is remembered for it’s multiplayer maps, good or bad, this sets the pace on whether the games are classics or not. A mediocre batch can leave players with a bad taste due to their lack of replayability like Halo Reach or can turn them into true icons like Halo 2. After playing through Halo 4’s vast selection I have come up with 5 favourites.

5 – Solace

This symmetrical level gives us the opportunity for lots of aerial combat – my favourite kind – with it’s low walls and giant anti gravity beam you always need to pay attention to your motion tracker. You can literally give the jump on unsuspecting players and precise teamwork will always prevail. Perfect for small scale battles this one is worth the investment time, it’s easy to learn but difficult to master.

4 - Exile

One of the best sandbox multiplayer levels on offer this, high speed vehicle fest is great for anyone looking for their Scorpion tank fix. Basically a giant donut loop this map enables full speed chases and high octane rounds as you fly around the open exterior. The cave systems also allow walking players to rush about quickly and the green spaces make it all feel decidedly ‘Halo’. The trenches also make a welcome addition to the action with enough room to hide but also the right height that a well placed DMR/Battle Rifle shot will bring you down exceptionally quickly. This is great for basically any game type.

3 - Settler

Blood Gulch is one of my favourite maps ever and although it’s been remastered many times before. The Settler map is another attempt at a similar formula but is a spiritual successor and the results are brilliantly crafted together. Smaller than Gulch, the map is divided into three district connections from each base. The mountain path, the central area and the cliff-side walk are all excellent for walking patrols but the bases are all given a familiar Warthog and a Ghost for quick movement. A great update to one of Halo’s most classic maps this can be also be used for any of the game types and is great in the new Dominion mode.

2 - Ragnarok

This popular classic is a return of Valhalla from Halo 3 but comes over to us virtually untouched due to its perfect intensity. The big addition here is the Mantis mech vehicles that can be found at each of the bases. These strong walkers manoeuvre nicely in the open battlefields and can be used very successfully in the hands of a skilled player. The open spaces add a good dynamic for snipers and also give players enough of an area to take down the vehicles while on foot too – having a Mantis isn’t a massive advantage for any team but does enough to force players to strategise properly. The other vehicles on the map – Warthogs, Ghosts and Banshees make this one of the best vehicle maps ever.

1 - Haven

This small, symmetrical map is very straightforward to learn but difficult to master. The action happens over two floors and the gaps in the walkways allow players the chance to drop in and out of the action with ease. There are also two player launchers that propel people up to the centre area, which is made excellently with the structure in the centre – meaning you have to strife around it and not over it. It’s great to see a new map getting the top spot and this one really shows that 343 have through about what players like and how to create something to effortlessly. Watch your back on this one as there are plenty of attack points. Haven is my personal favourite map so far and ensures that players must work as a team in order to win these affairs.

What are you favourite Halo 4 maps? Do you have any comments for my top 5? If so sound off in the comments below.

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Grand Theft Auto V

The new GameInformer cover story has lead to tons of details about Rockstar’s highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 5.

Most strikingly, GTA 5 allows the play to seamlessly switch between three characters during set points in the missions are at any time when in free roam.

The playable cast is comprised of the following:

·         Michael is a retired bank robber in his early 40s who lives in a posh Rockford Hill estate (think Beverley Hills) with his two kids and his obnoxious trophy wife. He is on a witness protection program but still leads a luxurious life due to his FIB connections. Unfortunately his wife is running his bank account dry and this leads him back to a life of crime.

·         Trevor is a junkie and an ex-military pilot suffering from fits of rage. He resides in an area full of biker gangs and meth heads. He’s an old friend of Michael and joins up with his pal for ‘one last heist’.

·         Franklin is a young hustler in his mid 20s that originally comes into contact with Michael after targeting him for a con job. He lives in Vespucci Beach (see-Venice Beach) and is looking to move up in the world. Franklin currently works for an Armenian car dealership where he plays the role of a thuggish repo man.

The article explains that one mission see the group extracting a target from an interrogation. Trevor flies the helicopter while Michael rappels down the side of the building. Franklin meanwhile acts as a sniper from the rooftop across the way. Although the player initially takes on the role of Michael, he/she will at this point get a choice on whether to snipe from afar or to continue through the building with a human shield.

During the getaway a helicopter chase ensures the players are given yet another choice on whether to pilot the fleeing vehicle or to act as one of the gunners.

The only thing with having three characters is that some of the previous systems would become overcomplicated and therefore they have been dropped. No more romancing or weight gaining will be available as this could cause a lot of system issues.

The article also quotes that cars will feel less 'boatlike' than in GTA 4 and give off the feeling of a racing game instead.

GTA 5 is much larger than any of Rockstars more recent outings and the art director, Aaron Garbutt, explains that it’s so big that you can even grab some scuba diving gear and explore the ocean floor. Los Angeles, which the new game is based on, is the largest city in the world and the studio decided that the game should feel the same way. The game will span several diverse regions what give the whole experience an immersive feeling with dry deserts and rural styled geography outside of the city streets.

Rockstar also confirmed a multiplayer element although they are keeping tight lipped on what this will actually entail. The report noted that the multiplayer option was located just under the character switching selection in the menus suggesting a form of co-op.

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A Decade of Xbox Live

Last week marked the 10 year anniversary of Xbox Live and sprouted various articles about the effect it has had on the industry today and how this has strengthened the consoles we use.

When the original Xbox released 10 years ago no-one could really foresee the effect it would have on the industry and how it would push other hardware to the edge. It released against an already successful platform in the shape of the PlayStation 2 but given the online capabilities of Live the hardware still managed to establish itself as a premiere service without much competition to grade itself against. It was a risky move for Microsoft, not just because of the established console competition, but also because the broadband industry was being used by less than 5% of UK residents. Its biggest selling point aside from its games was its online functionality and in most respects this was far ahead of the curve.

As the generation was exhausted Microsoft sent out its 360 console ahead of the competition in order to grow its coverage and utilise the expanding online services being taken up by the general public. As the Live community grew the word of mouth advertising pushed even more people over to the console, by the time Sony brought out its new hardware, this made Microsoft the behemoth of the industry. The push for online functionalities meant that Sony aggressively forced themselves into the same market, creating the PlayStation Network being used today.

While it is widely know that the PlayStation Network isn’t as robust as the Xbox service, the origin of the services is in whole due to the success of Microsoft’s product. As Sony watch Microsoft push ahead to extend their online services a few years ago, the Japanese hardware specialist decided to attempt to follow suite. They both added a host of new features with the idea that an online service on a gaming console extended beyond the ability to just play games. Sony added the online social hub, Home, with a free friends system and Microsoft guided down the pay monthly route.

With Microsoft's paid subscription option they have once again raised the bar - and the fee for using this only allows them to pump more money into their growing ecosystem. Sony just don’t have the level of experience or the infrastructure to compete, even now.

The addition of Achievements back at the beginning of the 360 lifecycle gave people even more reason to stay with the console. The more purchases you made online and the more achievement you racked up the more you became invested in the path of Microsoft. Once again Sony found themselves itching to keep people playing on their system and out came the Trophy service. Again no innovation from the competition, Sony delivered a product idea almost exactly the same as the one offered by the Microsoft hardware. The XBLA players are likely to have gaming friends who he/she will want to play with and therefore pester them into getting on board with the same system.

The genius of Xbox Live, and the core reason why Microsoft have overtaken Sony in the worldwide market is their innovation and their excellent ideas when improving their online services. Halo 2 pushed the boundaries of the multiplayer content back on the original system and Halo 3 did the same on the 360. They also push the COD series and although Sony tried to replicate that success they never quite had the killer results they would have liked.

The questions now is with this console generation drawing to a close are Sony able to push their offerings and overtake Microsoft again? The line is pretty close and the user-bases on both systems is in an almost negligible difference now.

A more digital era is upon us and the changes in hardware will mean that players have less physical ties to the services they currently use. As everyone moves over to cloud based content, the propositions for physical content will be slimmer and the new attachments create with the hardware will be even higher.

The biggest benefit for Microsoft’s next hardware will be the biggest selling point for Sony’s online services currently, XBL is paid and the PSN is a free service. When the services become more and more entwined with the cloud offerings the services will have to be on a subscription and Xbox users are already accustomed to the bill. Sony will now need to target how they will get the market of consumers paying for a service that they currently get for free.

Microsoft bank around a billion every year simply from these subscriptions and the groundwork means that people will be even less willing to jump ship when they know how much they’ve invested. Sony users are looking towards their implementation of the PlayStation Plus but lets face it – and this isn’t fanboy beliefs, the facts are there – Microsoft’s ideas have always been ahead of the curve and Sony seem to follow suit. I can’t see that changing anytime soon and no matter who is released by with Windows manufacturer it makes sense to think that it’ll be the same route taken by Sony and not the other way around. Don’t get my wrong though the PlayStation Plus is a great way to onboard subscribers and should build a decent following over time.

Either way online gaming has become the go to place for content offerings and with its exceptional benefits it really does show that Xbox Live has given us the landscape we see and use today both on Sony and Microsoft hardware.

Are you currently an XBL gold member? If so, how long have you been with them? If both Sony and Microsoft charged for their service, whose service would you choose? Let us know in the comments, or by tweeting me at the usual place.

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Halo 4 Review

Yesterday marked the global release of Halo 4 on the Xbox 360 and once again pins our favourite Spartan with the fate of the universe on his shoulders. The Master Chief has been on a hiatus in cryo-freeze for the last 4 years following the events of Halo 3 and needs to muster all of his skills to push back this new enemy.

The integral part of the story this time isn’t just saving everyone from certain annihilation but supporting his long term AI ‘partner’ Cortana. She is slipping into rampancy – a form of AI Alzheimer’s – that typically plagues all UNSC constructs after they’ve been in service for more than seven years – or 8 as is the case here. As their knowledge expands they eventually think themselves to death. It’s an interesting role reversal as John needs to show more humanity than ever before while Cortana suffers with emotional outbursts.

Amazingly I have found that Halo 4 is not just a success, but potentially the best Halo to have graced the Xbox systems – it’s really only pushed for the top spot by the brilliant Halo 2. 343 Industries have really done a great job retaining the feeling of Halo while giving it their own unique characteristics too.

The game starts with a mesmerizing CG cut scene that knocks you back with its LA Noire style facial animations and flawless lighting movements. It’s a welcome surprise to see Commander Lasky (the same one we all saw as a teenager in the Forward Unto Dawn web-series) with his blemished face, his crooked teeth and his individually crafted strands of hair. Welcome to the games sir!

Dropping straight into the game itself you notice straight away that the gunplay we are used to is still in place and fans of all the previous armoury options will be grateful to see the old favourites return. The weapons from each of the different races have their own distinct advantages and disadvantages to help you decide on the best option for each of the enjoyable battle set pieces. It’s more important now than ever for you to bring that knowledge of the weapons over to the multiplayer game too where a wrong choice really is the different between life and death.

After getting my teeth into the campaign I can tell you that fans of the series have nothing to worry about and I’ve found myself admiring the view at least once on each of the superbly realised Halo style sandboxes. There is a real sense of excitement when you first step onto Requiem and it’s close to the first time you see the Halo ring running off into the sky when you touched down in the original Combat Evolved.

I’m going to break all sorts of video game journalism rules in this paragraph but I can’t help but explain how gorgeous the graphics really are. They shimmer in and out of your line of sight as battles take place but also grip you in the sections when you get a chance to relax. There are a couple of well designed vehicle sections too which show off the size of the prize that 343 have created. Everything from the moving Forerunner architecture to the large mountain ranges are fully realised with immersive details. Clouds drift across the skies too which is great to see when you stand back to admire the view. It certainly raised the bar on the 360 and could be a contender for the best graphics award this year.

Of course the view isn’t the only area to admire and I can tell you that the sounds are second to none too. From the subtle rustle of wind in the bushes to the gargantuan gunshots, everything has been put together with a loving touch. The Covenant Elites still ‘wort’ their way through the speakers, giving a sense of their authoritative aggression – they really are testosterone inducing sounds. Battlefields are loud and boisterous while the silence conveys an eerie sense of the unknown.

Fans expressed their concern that the music of Halo was being taken over by British Electronica producer Neil Davidge from their beloved Marty O’Donnell who helmed the Bungie offerings. It’s a bold move by 343 and one that has given mixed results. The trademark chanting is no-where to be seen but the moody tunes on offer compliment the atmosphere brilliantly while never reaching the dizzying heights of the past greats.

The campaigns set pieces are clear identifiers of pushing the game forward and urge you to continue through the cleverly designed campaign. Split second decisions can be the difference between life and death and the increased AI of the enemies means that the legendary difficulty is harder than ever before. In fact I’d go so far as to saying that Heroic feels more like the usual legendary setting and the new version is really something even further up the difficulty scale. Enemies strategically flank you and draw you from cover without the usual ‘increase in enemy volume’ or ‘increase enemy health’ used in most modern shooters. All the enemies need have their own sets of abilities to terrorise you with but none are created to pitch unfair advantages.

The new Prometheans come in several different shapes and sizes. The Watcher units for example act as medics for the Knight brotherhood and show that 343 have really thought about how to test you skills. If you manage to get around their protection shields or their return-to-sender style grenade tosses, you might also find them reviving their allies. Halo 4 is all about efficient prioritization: killing the Watcher first will mean it can’t heal the surround Knights or throw back your grenades while the wall-running Crawlers shoot bursts at you from all around. Interestingly you can almost group these new enemy types against their Covenant rivals. Crawlers are the Grunts of the Promethean army taking a butt to the face or a few well aimed shots will put them down, the Knights are the equivalent Elites and the Watchers post the tactical demands of the Jackal’s. Strangely there are no Brutes this time around.

My only gripe so far is that the Terminals are far more important than ever before and fill in useful information about the campaigns back story. Unfortunately these can be rather difficult to find and require you to exit the campaign in order to view them. It’s an immersion breaker that pulls you out of the game and one that could have easily been amended before release. The only other small announce is that the flip-this-switch, press-that-button objectives seem to always come in threes (much like the other games) and on the higher difficulties these can really drag out the campaign when you want to see a bit more variety. It all just seems like it’s been added in to increase the length of the campaign and doesn’t really serve the story itself.

It’s not a bad review when you realise that paragraph holds the only negatives I can personally find and even they took me some time to think about….

Halo 4 has also implemented a new form of multiplayer in the new Spartan Ops co-op mode. Blending objective based team play with campaign style stories; this narrative is being released in 10 weekly episodes each consisting of 5 chapters – all of which are free of charge. The story drives alongside the main campaign and fills in the gaps on what the UNSC Infinity Spartans have been doing to help the causes on Requiem. The only problem with this is that it lacks the replay of the old Firefight mode. Completing these chapters on Legendary is really as far as it goes and the only reason to come back is to level up your Spartan on his/her own.

Fear not though the War Games multiplayer selections are still available and have hit back in full force. There are 10, most cases, great maps to choose from that range from claustrophobic interiors to grand outdoor battles sustaining all the usual vehicle warfare we have come to enjoy. Ragnarok shines through with its Mantis combat putting a different spin on Halo 3’s popular Valhalla level, while Haven (which I originally played back at the Eurogamer Expo) is one of the finest small symmetrical levels ever. Overall the levels seem to push towards the larger vehicle based warfare that Halo has become famous for but there are gems in all the different variants offered.

The matchmaking playlists are all in place with Spartan customization holing all the bells and whistles you’d expected from a game in the Halo franchise. The lobby screens have changed but you can still see who you are up against, their stats and their ranks. The Theatre also returns a triumphant return alongside Forge, which now features a magnet like tool that allows users to connect pieces together more easily.

Having  played the game almost constantly for the last few days I can tell you that I am more than thrilled to fall back into Halo again. I think every fan of the series was, at least initially, worried by the change in developer but I cannot praise 343 enough for their loving touches. They understand what makes the game so enjoyable and have kept to the aesthetics we have all come to see while blasting their own feeling into the game too – which at no point is a detriment to what we want. Halo has been redesigned, rebuilt and returns to its titular place in the heavens of gaming.

Game of the Year 2012 – you heard it hear first!

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Skyrim Dragonborn DLC

This week marked an exciting new announcement from Bethesda regarding their hugely popular Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in the form of an expansion park called Dragonborn.

Listed to be available on Xbox Live from 4^th December this extension will set users back 1600 Microsoft Points and looks to be in the size range of the Oblivion content Shivering Isle.

The trailer has been unveiled, which does offer some insight into what can be expected, especially when taken in conjuncture with the rumours thrown around a fortnight ago.

The announcement shows what appears to be the DLC’s antagonist, the first Dragonborn from ages past who ruled over the island of Solstheim; which is northeast of Skyrim and just offshore from Morrowind. This outting will be the second time the island has appeared in an Elder Scrolls game, which is an achievement in itself, as this was original used on the Bloodmoon expansion for Morrowind.

The trailer has give us even more hope that we can take to the skies on the back of a dragon, as one of the final scenes in the trailer shows, but whether this is an on the rails experiences remains unclear. We do however see a Goblin riding a boar and several other interesting new enemy types.

The first two expansions have not yet made it onto the Playstation 3, and with the 30 day exclusivity for Skyrim on the Xbox 360, it looks like this expansion has a long way to go before it’s updated onto the Sony console as well.

Interestingly Bethesda have quoted on several occasions that the extended content available for Skyrim will be bigger in size than anything we’ve seen before and Solstheim looks like a good sized area for us to get our teeth into.

At least there are no signs of Horse Armour… See the trailer below!

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Halo 4 Tips

Need some help beating Halo 4… fear not for I have got some legendary tips for you.

The weapon of choice is one of the most important things to remember in Halo 4 as each one is designed to have advantages for different situations. It’s true on Normal and Easy you can probably use anything but try getting through Heroic or Legendary without using the full array of options and you are in for a struggle.

The Sniper Rifle options from either of the races are always a good bet on the harder difficulties, if you are good with it you can almost clear a field without getting close enough to take too much damage. Alternatively having an enemy surprise you from behind and this monster is just as deadly from close range (just don’t zoom in).

Energy Swords and Gravity Hammers are great pieces of equipment but don’t make them your primary option. Only reveal these dangerous close quarter options once an enemy is already in range. There really is no point in taking a Sword to a Gunfight.

One of my favourite weapons in the game is the Plasma Pistol; a charged shot from one of these will knock down any enemy shield, including the new Prometheans, and open them up to a whole can of whoop ass. Don’t waste those treasured DMR shots on an Elite with a shield just drop him with it once you’ve unleashed a Plasma Pistol on him. Remember though kids holding a charge on these will continue to decrease the ammo and soon you’ll be out of shots just because you’ve taken too long to line up your enemy.

Needlers are great weapons to hold in multiplayer but personally I don’t find them of much use in the campaign other than dropping enemies that are already badly injured, although they do help against some of the enemies mounted on vehicles. The same can be said for the spray tactics of the Assault Rifle of Supressor.

Knowing your enemy is another of the important areas to be considered during every battle. The new Promethean warriors mix up the combat in different ways to anything we fought before but I’ll cover those we know first.

Grunts are still your typical one shot to the face affair but remember, especially on the higher difficulties, that a well place gun butt will also send them packing reducing your ammunition consumption.

Also similar to the games of old are the simply frustrating Jackals. Hitting these enemies is half the battle and a well place DMR or Pistol shot to the gun hand will make them stumble backwards showing their head from behind their large circular shields. A shot to the head will take these guys down without a problem.

Elites are the toughest of the bread-and-butter Covenant troops but a few clean headshots will bring them down. Alternatively a charge plasma pistol blast will completely remove the shields, for a time at least, giving you a clean few seconds to deal with them with a direct headshot or two.

Hunters are the behemoths of the Covenant offerings and can take a lot to finally grind them down. The best bet is to let them in close and to evade their charge; this will expose a mushy orange area of their backs that is clean of any armour. Firing a Shotgun blast here or planting a well placed sticky grenade and these monsters will tumble quickly.

On the Promethean side of things we have a bit more variety. The Knights tend to come in abundance with some hovering Watchers. These pesky machines have the option of healing their allies and in some cases even reviving them from certain death. Your best tactic is to deal with their flying tykes as quickly as possible freeing you up to deal with their accomplices. Think of them as the Robin to the Knights Batman. Another thing to be wary of is their ability to throw back your own grenades.

Knights are the toughest of the Promethean troops and can take a bit of damage before finally hitting the deck. Head shots can be great against them but only if their armour has exposed the blue/orange areas. Alternatively a quick shotgun blast followed by one of Master Chief’s butt shots is sure to be more than a match for them. A charged Plasma Pistol shot wouldn’t go amiss either in order tog et their shields down.

The last Promethean enemy I can list off are the pesky Crawler bots. Looking like mini robot dogs these appear in great numbers and fire short bursts of shots at you while rushing up and around the walls of the battlefield. A singular shot to their face should drop them or much like the Covenant Grunts they aren’t too fond of the gun smash.

Again there are a variety of vehicle sections during the Halo 4 campaign and there are many opportunities to seize the weapon you are after. The biggest tip I can give you is to let your allies board your vessel whenever possible. The added gun-power, regardless of how small, can be the difference in these battles.

Your most common acquisition is the Covenant Ghost, Small and quick these are designed for quick in and out combat and don’t match the firepower of the large counterparts. Be careful, getting too close to packs of Elites will allow them to board and steal your vehicles resulting in an almost certain death.

Banshees are also a common choice in the last few campaign levels at least and boost a well rounded set of abilities. These flying machine don’t pack the hardest punch and can’t take a massive amount of damage but they are very versatile and difficult to bring down when they are in the right hands. Remember dodging is your friend and a well rehearsed barrel roll can make all the difference.

The other end of the Covenant scale is the larger and much more powerful Wraith. Difficult to master thought they are, these giant machines glide slowly across the field of play but pack a very mean dipping blast that will take out anything from Ghosts to Warthogs in a single shot  so be careful with your allies around you. The best thing about Wraiths are their high armour levels and unless you get a direct shot these guys will take a while before you’ll need to eject.

Warthogs seem to be everyone’s favourite Halo vehicle but remember to take into account their high flying acrobatics and their prone-to-topple nature. When battling other lighter vehicles be careful not to charge them but circle around them as your ally blasts away with the mounted turret. These are best used in co-op campaigns but if you find they are your only hope you are probably best off being the driver and letting the AI UNSC troopers doing the action. Putting them in control of the vehicle, although much better than ever before, still means they don’t have the best control.

Scorpions are the heavy vehicle option from the UNSC side of things. What they make up for in firepower they really lack in vulnerability due to their large size and their slow off the mark movements. Too many hits will quickly destroy this in seconds so take your time when moving and leave as little shell as possible on view for your enemies to fire at.

The Mantis is the new two-story walking mech created by the UNSC for quick direct action. The right trigger acts as a rail gun while the left trigger fires off rounds of rockets – 4 time rocket blast anyone. They also have a hydraulic stomp action for anyone who gets too close.

There are also a few other vehicles that come up during the campaign but I don’t want to spoil anything for you so I’ll leave it at that.

I hope these tips and tricks help you get through the campaign. The Legendary setting far surpasses anything I’ve played before and is a must on solo for any of the franchise fans out there.

More than anything just enjoy the game – if you’re finding it too difficult turn it down a notch….

Does anyone have any other tip or tricks for new and experienced players alike – if so please jot them down in the comments section below.

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Bungie's Destiny

So the great looking Halo 4 hits our UK stores tomorrow but has a new developer in the form of 343 Industries. What this means is that Bungie are free to go onto their next project which we now know is code named ‘Destiny’.

Unlike the exclusive Microsoft franchise, Destiny is being published by Activision and as the Zampella/West trial  documents show this is due to be a four part ‘sci-fantasy, action shooter’ series - so not completely unlike Halo either. The games are due to start being released from winter 2013 followed by bi-yearly sequels from 2015 to 2019.

It has also been noted that in the down time years in-between Bungie will be working on four large scale expansions known as ‘Comet’ which start in 2014.

Bungie originally signed on with Activision in 2010 and rumours of the Destiny codename began to emerge in February of the following year. Reports have suggested that the game could also be a first-person MMO. When asked about the series, and even with the court documents going public, neither party have formally announced nor confirmed that series in any form.

According to the court documents, provided for the trial, the first of the Destiny game will definitely be available on Xbox 360 as well as ‘the next successor console platform released by Microsoft’. The contract refer to this as the Xbox 720 and could mean that this would do a similar thing as King Kong when the Xbox 360 was released – bridging the gap between the hardware generations.

While the Xbox 360 version is expect in the winter of 2013 the contract also states that the same game will hit PlayStation 3 in winter of 2014 after a ‘joint technical feasibility analysis’ is used to determine whether the game ‘is able to be developed for the PS3 at quality and feature parity to the Xbox 360 version.’  A PC version of the games is also mentioned as is Sony’s next generation console dubbed PlayStation 4 in the documentation.

Destiny has had a few pieces of concept art already released via Bungie in August 2011 but none of these have any clear cut details of the game itself.

The game has been quoted as a ‘WOW in Space’ which pretty much correlates with the MMO FPS title it’s being dubbed as. A beta has also been mentioned which is common practice in the online multiplayer genre as well as server maintenance.

Destiny has already become a very interesting idea due to Bungie’s large fan base and exceptional work with the Halo series. It’s now all about waiting for a detailed announcement or firstly some sort of confirmation of its existence to the public in the first place.

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