FTS: Tomb Raider SteamVR action!

RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER “BLOOD TIES” CHAPTER NOW AVAILABLE FOR SteamVR  HTC Vive and Oculus Rift Headset Owners Can Now Experience “Blood Ties” in Virtual Reality REDWOOD SHORES, CA (December 5, 2017) – Square Enix® and award-winning studios Crystal Dynamics® and Nixxes Software today announced that the “Blood Ties” story chapter from the critically acclaimed Rise of the Tomb Raider®, is now available for Steam®VR and compatible with HTC Vive and Oculus Rift virtual reality headsets. For the first time, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift owners can experience the “Blood Ties” single-player story chapter to unlock the mysteries of Croft Manor on SteamVR. When Lara’s uncle contests ownership of the family Manor, Lara must explore deep within the estate to find the hidden history that she is the rightful heir; or, lose her birthright and father’s secrets forever. Explore Lara’s childhood home in over an hour of new story, and uncover a Croft family mystery that will change her life forever. This new release adds another treasure celebrating Crystal Dynamics 25th anniversary: new functionality to the critically acclaimed and award-winning Rise of the Tomb Raider. Season pass owners can download the VR content for free and also receive all of the new content featured in the 20 Year Celebration edition including: Co-op Endurance gameplay, “Extreme Survivor” difficulty for the main campaign, 20 Year Celebration outfit and gun, 5 classic Lara skins, and all previously released Downloadable Content such as “Baba Yaga: The Temple of the Witch,” “Cold Darkness Awakened,” 12 outfits, seven weapons, multiple Expedition Card packs, and more!

Brought to you by the... Baby Fu Clothing Co.!

Rise of the Tomb Raider 20th Anniversary… reviewed!

Lara sets out on a new adventure… after one heck of a new first impression.

I say it like that, not only because this isn’t Lara’s first rodeo, but it is the first time I’ve made more of an emotional connection with the Tomb Raider. The initial games (PS1 days)… were colder, but I took it for what it was, making moves to get where I needed to be in the level in order to progress to the next location. The way the character was set up to move, really frustrated me… and although it got better from the 1^st Title to games like Tomb Raider Legend… the latest installments are more my cup of tea.

The new Tomb Raider ushered me into a story that I looked forward to experiencing, not just something they get through. I’m really glad the decision was made to take Lara back to the beginning where we joined her in the growth process of what’s to come. There are very valid reasons now… to continue the franchise forward adventure after adventure. We can literally experience her growth process as the Tomb Raider… and after playing Rise of the Tomb Raider, I’m ready for the next installment.

This is the 20^th Anniversary, so I wanted to look back and share my experience whether frustrating or not… because today’s Tomb Raider may have never existed without those initial building blocks.

In this installment, you’re already on the ground running and the sting of being forced to proceed is gone. Now it’s adventure time… and if you’re new to Tomb Raider… I do recommend starting off with the 1^st installment to get up to speed.

In Rise of the Tomb Raider... you embark on an expedition in... Siberia, and believe me when I say there is plenty of chilling action to enjoy as you dive into the adventure, kicking butt and uncovering secrets while in a rat race against an organization known as the... Trinity.

From A to Z the story is well written... and there's nothing I'd change about it (including the playable backstory). Although it's fictional action adventure... I appreciate the fact that the game's story still has that element that makes sense. It's not over the top, even with a certain secret as a factor in the story. So strap up with Lara's bow & arrows and jump in. (The more you adjust to using the bow and arrow types, the better. Poison arrows are by far my fave, but the incendiaries really come in handy.)

Holy ****!

Visually the environments are stunning... and sometimes creepy at times (especially when a bear is near... or is after you). I enjoyed sitting back and just checking out the lay of the land that the developers brought to life... in addition to the great work done on the characters (not only visually but personality wise).

Audio is almost as equally satisfying for me. You get those little additions like the sound of walking through snow, reloading guns, the sound of bushes while sneaking through them to get the drop on enemies, etc... and it just amps up the experience (as intended).

Beyond the main adventure... which is very good, you have optional tombs that will challenge you to think. Just like in the previous game, these tombs increase the enjoyment of the adventure because you get a break from the action to do something different... while still being a part of the adventure. That's also one of the reasons why I really enjoy them, I can take in the visuals while also thinking of how to solve a tomb's puzzle without the worry of someone trying to take my head off. This is just one part of the hefty replay value this game has to offer.

The replay value you get from this game is huge... all games aside (outside of the video game itself), expect to get a lot of playtime out of this title. In the 20 Year Celebration, you also get:

Blood Ties – This is a single player story giving you a taste of Lara Croft's life at home. I can't exactly say that this specific story shows the best aspect of that life, but it gives you more to enjoy. This story places you in a situation with Lara's uncle challenging her ownership of Croft Manor in the wake of her father's death. This hour long addition can be played in third person or even VR mode.

Co-op play for endurance mode, extreme survivor (difficulty setting) for the main campaign, a special outfit and gun, 5 classic Lara skins and... all the previously released DLC. There are a lot of games that have plenty of content, but... this one made me say “Damn”.

Previously released DLC includes... Baba Yaga: The Temple of the Witch... that challenges you to a new tomb that houses an... ancient terror, and Cold Darkness Awakened... where you combat waves of infected enemies. Going back to the co-op... I think it will be appreciated more so after the adventure is done because you will take the skills you've sharpened to go full bad ass online to see how you can hold up... and it delivers that survival aspect that has proven to be of interest to quite a few gamers (add a person you can vibe with on the other end and... that's hours of fun). So yeah... the replay value in Rise of the Tomb Raider is huge.

Price wise, no arguments here, you're getting value on value that you're able to come back to and not just replay... but you have many factors that give you something new to enjoy after the main adventure is done, all tombs have been raided, all side missions completed, etc.

Overall, this is a beautiful game... chock full of content that takes you for one heck of a ride... that I highly recommend.

Fun factor: 5
Visually: 5
Replay value: 5
Price: 5

“5 / 5 Cool Points”

Brought to you by the... Baby Fu Clothing Co.

From the Source: Square-Enix action!

[PRESS RELEASE]

Critically Acclaimed Rise of the Tomb Raider Leads DirectX 12 Integration

REDWOOD CITY, CA (March 11, 2016) - Square Enix®, Crystal Dynamics® and Nixxes Software announced that starting today, Rise of the Tomb Raider® PC will support DirectX 12 on Steam® and the feature will be coming soon to The Windows 10 Store. By adding DirectX 12 support to Rise of the Tomb Raider, processors will be able to spread CPU rendering work over all CPU cores, without introducing additional overhead. This will enable users with high-end graphics cards but low-end CPU to run the game at higher frame-rates, graphical settings and other technical enhancements like never before. The update is already integrated with NVIDIA’s GEFORCE Game Ready Driver: http://www.nvidia.com/download/driverResults.aspx/99512/en-us Please visit the official Rise of the Tomb Raider blog for a detailed post from Nixxes Studio Head Jurjen Katsman that dives deep into this new technology. NEW SQUARE ENIX STUDIO TO REVIVE CLASSIC JRPG HALLMARKS ‘I AM SETSUNA’ First Title for Tokyo RPG Factory SAN FRANCISCO (Mar. 14, 2016) – At this year’s Game Developers Conference, the newest studio within the Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. (“Square Enix®”) group of companies, Tokyo RPG Factory, was on hand to reveal its debut title — I AM SETSUNA™.  The title is slated for digital release for the west this summer on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Steam®. Led by director Atsushi Hashimoto, Tokyo RPG Factory aims to capture the narrative depth, impactful storytelling and masterful character development inspired by the golden era of Japanese role-playing games and bring them to current hardware and technology. With a battle system inspired by the classic hit CHRONO TRIGGER®, I AM SETSUNA brings back authentic RPG gameplay, beautiful art design and a sorrowful story to the new generation.

From the Source: Square-Enix... GDC 2016 Action!

Enjoy the GDC 2016 action... and if you get to go, take advantage and have a great time!

[PRESS RELEASE]

Square Enix Announces Panels and Talks for GDC 2016  Sessions with Top Developers on HITMAN, Tomb Raider and More

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 9, 2016) - Square Enix® today announced its panel lineup for GDC (Games Developers Conference) 2016, taking place in San Francisco, March 14-18, 2016. This year, featured talks from the company’s world class list of developers will provide in-depth discussions on game development from critically acclaimed titles, such as Hitman™, Life is Strange™, Just Cause® 3, Rise of the Tomb Raider® and more. Continuing the company’s award-winning trends, multiple Square Enix titles represented in GDC talks have also been nominated for 2016 Game Developers Choice Awards, including Lara Croft® GO for Best Handheld/Mobile Game and Just Cause 3 for Best Technology. The full list of Square Enix GDC 2016 panels and talks, in chronological order, includes: Advanced Graphics Techniques Tutorial Day: Rendering Hitman with DirectX 12 Jonas Meyer – Lead Render Programmer, IO Interactive Monday, March 14th, 11:20-11:50 a.m. http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/advanced-graphics-techniques-tutorial-day-rendering-hitman-with-directx-12 This talk will give a brief overview of how the Hitman Renderer works, followed by a deep dive into how we manage everything with DirectX 12, including Pipeline State Objects, Root Signatures, Resources, Command Queues and Multithreading. A "Life is Strange" Case Study: Using Interactive Storytelling and Game Design to Tackle Real-Michel Koch - Co-Game Director / Art Director, DONTNOD Entertainment Raoul Barbet - Co-Game Director, DONTNOD Entertainment Monday, March 14th, 5:30-6:00 p.m. http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/life-is-strange-case-study-using-interactive-storytelling-and-game-design-to-tackle-real-world-problems Yeah... I think its a good idea to RUUUNNNN! -SdgtEnt Join the co-directors of the episodic game "Life Is Strange" as they reveal how they approached the inclusion of emotional, often sensitive, and sometimes taboo real-world issues into the core narrative of the game. Examples from the game will illustrate how the interactive nature of video games can be used to tackle difficult subject matters, driving players to reflect upon intense questions and emotional challenges; and how the coordinated development of story, characters and design can be used to achieve these goals. Raid on Rise: Narrative Creation on "Rise of The Tomb Raider" Rhianna Pratchett - Writer, Independent John Stafford - Lead Narrative Designer, Crystal Dynamics Cameron Suey - Narrative Designer, Crystal Dynamics Tore Blystad - Performance Director, Crystal Dynamics Jeff Adams - Senior Story Artist, Crystal Dynamics Noah Hughes - Creative Director, Crystal Dynamics Tuesday, March 15th, 10 – 11 a.m. Room 3016, West Hall http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/raid-on-rise-narrative-creation-on-rise-of-the-tomb-raider The narrative team behind Rise of the Tomb Raider share how they worked together to build the next successful stage of Lara Croft's adventures, and demonstrate how a strong story and characterization are fundamental for AAA success. Custom Tools that Power Eidos-Montreal's Narrative-Driven Experiences (presented by Autodesk) Jean-Normand Bucci - Director of Labs, R&D department, Eidos-Montréal Hubert Corriveau - Environment Director, Eidos-Montréal Wednesday, March 16th, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Room2014, West Hall http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/custom-tools-that-power-eidos-montreals-narrative-driven-experiences-presented-by-autodesk In this session, the team from Eidos-Montréal (Jean Normand Bucci, Director of Labs, R&D Department and Hubert Corriveau, Environment Director) will share their knowledge and expertise on the way they use and customize 3ds Max to create more immersive environments for the narrative driven titles from the studio: taking the existing tools and customizing them to facilitate and optimize the production flow. Real-time Procedural Percussion Scoring in Tomb Raider's Stealth Combat Philip Lamperski - Audio Designer, Crystal Dynamics | Bobby Tahouri - Composer, Independent Wednesday, March 16th, 12 – 12:30 p.m. Room 3002, West Hall http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/real-time-procedural-percussion-scoring-in-tomb-raiders-stealth-combat In Rise of the Tomb Raider, Crystal Dynamics ® used, for the first time, procedurally generated music: the percussion music during combat scenes is composed and played by a software system in real time. It never loops, adapts dynamically to game action, and is different with every gameplay. Furthermore, the music is based on the game composer's original music: his original MIDI scores and sample data are analyzed in order to compose new music in his style during the game. In this talk, one of the game's audio designers discusses in detail the benefits of procedurally generated music, as well as the issues and limitations faced when working with it. Videos from the game will be used as illustration. More Explosions, More Chaos, and Definitely More Blowing Stuff Up: Optimizations and New DirectX Features in Just Cause 3 (presented by Intel) Emil Persson, Head of Research, Avalanche Studios Antoine Cohade, Graphics Application Engineer, Intel Wednesday, March 16th, 3:30-4:30 p.m. http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/more-explosions-more-chaos-and-definitely-more-blowing-stuff-up-optimizations-and-new-directx-features-in-just-cause-3-presented-by-intel Gasoline undies... are NOT recommended! -SdgtEnt Just Cause 3 is Avalanche Studios' latest addition to the mind-blowing and stuff-blowing open world action-adventure series: Just Cause. Published by Square Enix, the game released on December 1, 2015 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. During the development of the game, Intel and Avalanche Studios have been working closely together to optimize the game on Iris graphics, but also to make use of DX12 level features to further improve the user experience. This session will cover the changes Avalanche Studios made to their engine to make the game run faster, better and stronger on PC, as well as how Intel's tools helped us accomplish this goal. PC exclusive features, such as Ordered Independent Transparency and G-buffer blending using Raster Ordered Views, and light assignment for clustered shading using Conservative Rasterization, will also be presented. GPUOpen - Unlocking Game Development with Open Source (presented by AMD) Nicolas Thibieroz - Senior Manager, Gaming Engineering, AMD Jason Stewart - Developer Technology Engineer, AMD Jean-Normand Bucci - Director of Labs, R&D department, Eidos-Montréal Wednesday, March 16th, 3:30–4:30 p.m. Room 2024, West Hall http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/gpuopen-unlocking-game-development-with-open-source-presented-by-amd GPUOpen is a new philosophy spearheaded by AMD that aims to bridge the gap between console and PC game development by allowing optimal access to the GPU for developers. GPUOpen is a portal to effects, SDKs, libraries and tools that provide various levels of GPU access and functionalities for real-time graphics and content creation. In addition GPUOpen components are provided with an open source license to give developers full control and usage of the code they choose to use. GPUOpen marks the beginning of a new era where developers are able to achieve their artistic and technical vision via open and unrestricted access to the GPU. Distilling  Franchise: A Lara Croft GO Postmortem Antoine Routon - Technical Direction, Square Enix Montréal Thursday, March 17th, 10 – 11 a.m. Room 134, North Hall http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/distilling-a-franchise-a-lara-croft-go-postmortem Lara Croft GO is the next instalment in the award-winning series created by Square Enix Montréal with Hitman GO. Hitman GO boiled down the world of Agent 47® to a minimalistic puzzle inspired by chess and dioramas, Lara Croft GO captures the essence of adventure, acrobatics and exploration. This multidisciplinary talk is a postmortem of Lara Croft GO, discussing how to bridge the gap between two very different franchises, how to distill the action-packed adventures of Lara in a puzzle format, and all the lessons that were learned in the middle. Improving geometry culling for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ® (presented by Umbra) Nicolas Trudel – Graphics Programmer, Eidoss – Montréal Thursday, March 17th, 4-5 p.m. Room 3007, West Hall http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/improving-geometry-culling-for-deus-ex-mankind-divided-presented-by-umbra Adam looks like he could play the role of a werewolf. -SdgtEnt This talk will explain how we used Umbra in Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, a game powered by the Dawn engine. In order to support the very rich environments our artists envision, we needed a very efficient geometry culling solution without the associated manual labour. We will give a general overview of the Dawn Engine™ and show how Umbra was integrated from the edition and offline building to the low level-rendering engine to achieve this goal. We will go into the details of how Umbra was used for the main camera, but also the generation of the shadow maps. Since many of our lights are static, we cached the static geometry visibility to speedup the umbra query. We will also discuss how we used umbra to speed up our offline GI computation.

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Lara Croft Go... reviewed!

A Lara Croft turn-based puzzle game? Count me in!

I have to start this review off by saying… if you think this is… just like “Hitman Go”, you’re sadly mistaken. Both of these franchises were given a turn-based puzzle game, but the delivery is different enough to notice; Square-Enix Montreal gets a well-deserved… thumbs up for both.

I think the way this game was delivered, was smart. You still get the Tomb Raider adventure, but it’s served up in a way that can be appreciated by strategic players in a turn-based way. You aren’t playing through a board game like set up mirrored off of Hitman Go; you maintain what Lara Croft is known to do… raid tombs in hopes of coming out in one piece.

The challenges in this game are presented as a bit more of a successful chain reaction equaling progression (to me). If you mess up something, you will have to go back in a lot of cases and start the area over again, and you don’t just kill enemies of certain areas, you have to be strategic and use them to your advantage.

You also need a good eye in this game, because there are hidden items throughout the various locations that collectively form treasures… so replay value comes into play via that part of the game alone. I think it was cool to have this seek and find element added to the mix, because that’s usually the purpose of raiding the tombs... but you aren't just obtaining a treasure from that point, you're also unlocking clothing like the bomber jacket. So... get to searching!

Visually, I think the game looks nice, and plays smoothly on mobile. The environments have a lot of depth, and they designed it to definitely immerse you as much as they could via this mobile adventure (which hits the mark). I like when Lara is climbing down a rope and you can see her though the holes in the foreground and it’s very fluid (which really caught my eye with this game). The sound quality can also be appreciated in Lara Croft Go, and I even found myself more often than not... playing it with a pair of headphones.

Could you imagine if this were real? Ahhh!

Price wise I’d probably say it should be a little less… than Hitman Go, but… at $4.99 it doesn’t feel like a rip off either (even if $3.99 would be more of a sweet spot). I still found myself getting in a good amount of play time, and would still recommend at this price.

Overall, Lara Croft Go is an enjoyable experience that gives fans of strategy games… a great game worth checking out for a change of pace... whether for the sake of puzzle, adventure, seek and find or all of the above.

Fun factor: 4
Visually: 5
Replay value: 4
Price: 5

"4.5 / 5 Cool Points"

Drama'N'Drablands | 01.29.2016 + From the Source: Nintendo eShop Action!

It's Friday already? Oh... snap, we've been too busy to notice the days flying by. So many games to play, including Just Cause 3 and the PC release of Rise of the Tomb Raider... etc. So if you'd excuse me, it's game time!

Jan. 28, 2016 14:00 UTC

Nintendo News: Nintendo Download Highlights New Digital Content for Nintendo Systems

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content:

In FINAL FANTASY EXPLORERS, master more than 20 jobs, each offering unique ways to defeat or even recruit the realm's mightiest monsters. (Photo: Business Wire)

• Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS
  • FINAL FANTASY EXPLORERS – Master more than 20 jobs, each offering unique ways to defeat or even recruit the realm’s mightiest monsters. Players will have the ability to call upon the powers of eidolons like Ifrit and Bahamut, as well as transform into legendary characters from the FINAL FANTASY series via the Trance ability.
    
• Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS
  • LEGO^® Marvel’s Avengers – The best-selling LEGO Marvel video game franchise returns with a new action-packed superhero adventure on the Wii Uand Nintendo 3DS systems. LEGO Marvel’s Avengers features characters and storylines from the critically acclaimed Marvel films, additional classic Avengers characters featured in Marvel Comics, open-world game play and the introduction of dynamic new Team-Up Moves.
    
• Nintendo eShop on Wii U
  • Shadow Puppeteer – Invite a friend to explore the strange, yet beautiful, world of darkness and light in Shadow Puppeteer, an award-winning local co-op adventure. Work together as a boy and his shadow, manipulating light to solve puzzles that bring you closer to finding the evil shadow puppeteer.
• Virtual Console on Wii U
  • FINAL FANTASY Tactics Advance – When Marche and his friends open an ancient magical tome, their small town is transformed into a fantasy-filled kingdom known as Ivalice. In this Game Boy Advance RPG classic, guide Marche and his clan against countless foes, and discover the wonders of Ivalice. Build up your party, master abilities and summons, and learn tactical combat to win in battle.

Nintendo eShop sales:

• Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS
  • It’s the last week of the Winter Warm-up Sale! Check out this week’s deals and save up to 30 percent off select games. The sale ends Feb. 4 at 8:59 a.m. PT.
  • 99Moves, Darts Up 3D and more games from Enjoy Up are on sale until 8:59 a.m. PT on Feb. 25.

• Nintendo eShop on Wii U
  • TNT Racers – Nitro Machines Edition is more than 35 percent off (reduced from $7.99 to $4.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on Feb. 11.
• Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS
  • Art of Balance TOUCH! is 25 percent off (reduced from $6.99 to $5.20) until 8:59 a.m. PT on Feb. 18.
  • Classic Games Overload: Card & Puzzle Edition is 50 percent off (reduced from $29.99 to $14.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on Feb. 22.
  • The Magic Hammer is 40 percent off (reduced from $4.99 to $2.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on Feb. 25.

Also new this week:

• Hello Kitty’s Magic Apron (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
• RV-7 My Drone (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
• The Magic Hammer – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
• Joe’s Diner (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
• Level 22 (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
• MINI-GAMES MADNESS VOLUME: #1 – HELLO WORLD! (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
• Crazy Train (DSiWare on Nintendo DSi)

Oh no they did-Nt... oh but yes they did! WTF?! + From the Source: Square Enix - Lara & Lightning

So... Ys Net... the developer of Shenmue (and it's pending third installment), is allowing their initial backers the opportunity to make them look bad (not only to those considered "Slacker Backers" but also others who agree with us that this is wrong). Why? I'll tell you why, because they allowed a select minority of the initial backers deny secondary backers... rewards.

Are backers not going after the same unified results of this game seeing the light of day? Don't have a PayPal if their support doesn't matter as much as the initial backers to the point that you allow the initial backers to take a crap in a bag so that you can dump it on the heads of other supporters. That is disrespectful and shows a lack of appreciation for the support that people are giving which could be hard earned money they are giving because they believe in Shenmue... and feels that it should be able to rise from the ashes.

It may sound like I am taking things to another level, but you have to think about it. What if you need the support of someone in the future that you've dumped crap on? If you don't want them to have those rewards, give them a different set, but don't crap on the supporters, and further more no one should call them "Slackers" because you don't know what they probably were going through at the time.

That's basically saying w/ a cold ungrateful heart: Thanks for the money... slacker! (IMO)

I mean... can you imagine giving someone something and they diss you? The hell is that? 

If someone had to feed their family, pay the bills, make sure that they could get to work or cover tuition or... any number of things... I would commend them for not being crazy enough to back a game prior to supporting. So don't damage your reputation, and never let a small group of people dictate what you should do for others.

Ys Net openly admits to breaking a promise:
Considering the strong response from those of you who felt that the Exclusive Rewards should remain exclusive for the Kickstarter, those Exclusive Rewards will not be made available on the PayPal page as originally promised.

Think about this though... If the PayPal supporters aren't going to benefit from the Kickstarter exclusives, why add those PayPal collected funds to the Kickstarter total for the game's development? If you are reading this thinking... "Because it benefits everyone if more Area Stretch Goals get unlocked", I would say, "That's very true, and since its benefiting everyone via Kickstarter... the rewards should be obtainable by everyone also or... simply create separate ones for them". 
Be creative, not cruel with supporters Yu Suzuki. What is the definition of a "Scam"?

SQUARE ENIX AND CRYSTAL DYNAMICS ANNOUNCE RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER RELEASE DATE FOR WINDOWS 10 AND STEAM  Award Winning and Critically Acclaimed Adventure Coming to PCs on January 28th

REDWOOD CITY (January 5, 2016) - Following Rise of the Tomb Raider’s highly successful release exclusively for Xbox One and Xbox 360, Square Enix® today announced that the game will be available for Windows 10 and Steam on January 28, 2016. Bringing the game’s thrilling narrative and perilous environments to PC in stunning new detail, developers Crystal Dynamics® and Nixxes Software added numerous features, including Windows 10 support and 4K resolution. Rise of the Tomb Raider® was nominated for Best Action/Adventure for The Game Awards and follows the critically acclaimed, award-winning Tomb Raider®. “The PC release of Rise of the Tomb Raider continues the positive momentum from our highly successful partnership and collaboration with Microsoft for the launch on Xbox One and Xbox 360,” said Scot Amos co-Head of Studio at Crystal Dynamics. “PC players are a passionate, devoted audience and we know they’ll embrace the version created for their systems,” said Ron Rosenberg, co-Head of Studio at Crystal Dynamics. After uncovering an ancient mystery, Lara must explore the most treacherous and remote regions of Siberia to find the secret of immortality before a ruthless organization known as Trinity. Lara must use her wits and survival skills, form new alliances, and ultimately embrace her destiny as the Tomb Raider. Experience high-octane action moments, conquer beautifully hostile environments, engage in brutal guerilla combat, and explore awe-inspiring deadly tombs in the evolution of survival action. In “Rise of the Tomb Raider,” Lara becomes more than a survivor as she embarks on her first Tomb Raiding expedition. The PC version of Rise of the Tomb Raider will be available as a digital download via Steam®, the Windows Store, Amazon™, the Square Enix e-store and other major retailers – both in-store and online. Standard edition pricing is $59.99. The Digital Deluxe edition is $89.99 and includes a Season Pass to nearly all current and future DLC. A Collector’s Edition, which includes the Digital Deluxe version of the game, a 12-inch Lara Croft® statue, replicas of Lara’s journal and jade necklace, and a steel case, will also be available from the Square Enix e-store for $149.99. This doesn't exactly relate to gaming, but Square-Enix is making  moves like Nintendo and partnering up for the unexpected. LIGHTNING BECOMES A FASHION ICON IN LOUIS VUITTON’S “SERIES 4” CAMPAIGN LOS ANGELES (Jan. 5, 2015) - The heroine of FINAL FANTASY® XIII, Lightning, will make an appearance in the global campaign of Louis Vuitton’s spring-summer 2016 collection, “Series 4.” This collaboration between the world famous fashion brand Louis Vuitton and Lightning, the strong and determined heroine of FINAL FANTASY XIII, has been made a reality, with Lightning being the perfect model to express the themes explored by the Louis Vuitton Women’s Collection “Series 4.” This collaboration embodies the shared values cherished by both Louis Vuitton and FINAL FANTASY; to preserve our traditions while constantly seeking out new and revolutionary ideas in order to deliver products of world-class quality. Under this philosophy we aim to bring a new value and new experiences to the world. As the model for the “Series 4,” Lightning will appear on various magazine advertisements starting from the January 2016 issue and will also star in promotional videos for the campaign. Nicolas Ghesquière, Louis Vuttion’s Artistic Director of Women's collections, commented, “It’s clear that the virtual aesthetic of video games is predominant in this collection. If we push the reflection about heroines, or what might constitute the nature of a woman whose actions can be so courageous that she becomes superior and iconic, it becomes obvious that a virtual entity integrates with the founding principles of the Maison. Lightning is the perfect avatar for a global, heroic woman and for a world where social networks and communications are now seamlessly woven into our life. She is also the symbol of new pictorial processes. How can you create an image that goes beyond the classic principles of photography and design? Lightning heralds a new era of expression.” “The stunning new look of Lightning including her poses and character in action was fully produced by Louis Vuitton,” said Tetsuya Nomura, the character designer of Lightning. ”Additionally, thanks to the Visual Works team, they were able to produce brilliant work under a tight schedule. This collaboration is not just a promotion of a game, and it is a great honor that the character herself received an offer from a world famous brand. As a result of this collaboration, this has infused new breath into the character, Lightning.” Speaking of Square-Enix... there will be quite a bit of content rolling out, as we release review after review of Square-Enix games. By the way... another episode of "Drama'N'Drablands" is coming this Friday. Game on! ;)