From the Source: Square-Enix... HITMAN Episode 3 is ready for action!

COPENHAGEN, May 31, 2016 - Io-Interactive is happy to announce the launch of HITMAN Episode 3: Marrakesh today.

The featured mission, ‘A Gilded Cage’, sees Agent 47 travel to the busy market city of Marrakesh to target corrupt private banker Claus Strandberg and his accomplice Army General Reza Zaydan before the city of contrasts collapses into a riot.

“Marrakesh marries the concepts of the first two offerings of HITMAN – Paris and Sapienza,” said Hannes Seifert, Studio Head at Io-Interactive. “We have the fortressed, at times claustrophobic, nature of the Showstopper event in Paris combined with the expansiveness and lived-in feeling of Sapienza all in one. I think Marrakesh is really going to give players a lot to explore and experiment with.”

Marrakesh offers a richly detailed, dense creative stealth sandbox featuring two targets, a host of opportunities and challenges to explore and a living environment that transports you from crowded markets to magical souks, from the cool elegance of the Swedish consulate to the military-occupied remains of an abandoned school. Infiltrate a consulate under siege to kill a man everyone hates and take out the army general that freed him from his prison shackles in Episode 3 of HITMAN.

Check out the trailer below!

HITMAN started with a Prologue and the Paris location in March. Episode 2: Sapienza released in April and now Episode 3: Marrakesh has arrived in May. HITMAN will continue to deliver regular content updates, including three additional locations; Thailand, the United States and the season finale in Japan later in 2016. The game also recently launched the new “Elusive Targets” feature, with two targets encountered by players so far...Marrakesh is sure to hide more.

Marrakesh is FREE as part of the Full Experience Pack. Owners of the Intro Pack can choose either the Upgrade Pack for $50, which will then include all of this year’s content as it’s released including live and bonus content – or choose to purchase the location individually for $10 (or local equivalent).

HITMAN is available on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC.

Gaming is a waste of time? Ha! Check this out!

This is for the fans of racing, racing games, gamers... and even the haters who think video games are just a waste of time. The video can be seen below, and it's awesome! I thank the Slightly Mad Studios team for getting this to us the other day. On that note, enjoy this news... from the source!

New Film Documents How Sim Racing Changed the Life of a Young Man with Cerebral Palsy

A new short film “Inspired to Drive” is the inspirational story of how a young man with cerebral palsy used simulated racing technology to develop the skills needed to become a world-class professional race car driver.

Nicolas Hamilton was born with cerebral palsy and spent most of his early years in a wheelchair and a variety of other devices designed to aid with motor impairment. He also had a dream—to one day be a professional race car driver, like his older brother, three-time Formula One World Champion, Lewis Hamilton.

Nicolas Hamilton looking up at his brother Lewis Hamilton

His father, who never gave up the hope that Nicolas might one day live out his dream, once strapped his feet to the pedals of a go-kart, only to watch 7-year-old Nicolas go careening off into a ravine.  

Nicolas Hamilton looking over sim racing setup

But at the age of 15, Nicolas was introduced to the world of simulated racing, and his life was changed forever. The virtual world of simulated racing offered him a glimmer of hope and a whole new way to make nerve-muscle connections.

He devoted so much time developing his skills and abilities on the simulator that he was soon winning Esports championships and gaining huge notoriety in the online racing community. But that wasn’t enough for Nicolas; eventually, his single-minded dedication saw him able to transfer his online skills into the take-no-prisoners, physical world of real-world motorsports.

In 2011, Nicolas Hamilton, with his world champion brother Lewis watching alongside thousands of fans, lined up on the grid for his debut in professional motorsport, competing in the highly-competitive UK-based series, The Renault Sport Clio Cup.

In 2015, with a car that was specially modified to accommodate his needs, Nicolas secured a deal with AmD Tuning to race an Audi S3 in five rounds of the British Touring Car Championship, the top motorsport series in the UK, thereby becoming the first driver with a disability to compete in the series. Nicolas is now also part of Channel 4's Formula One presentation team.

The short film “Inspired to Drive”, charts this inspirational story of how a kid who couldn’t walk without mechanical aid went from a wheelchair cheering on his world champion brother to the cockpit of a racing car as a professional racing driver.

The film was shot on location in Los Angeles, California, at CXC Simulations—a high-end engineering firm that has revolutionized personal racing simulation equipment—as well as on location in London. The film was produced by automotive filmmakers Donut Media.

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

Heavenstrike Rivals... released on Mobile and now PC the way it should be! + A new Elusive Target is coming May 27th!

Gotta collect em' all? Hmmm... that's up to you, but i'd love to do so.

Heavenstrike Rivals is one of those games that is awesome... but it can easily be underestimated as far as its fun factor is concerned. Considering the fact that it's free on Steam, it should be easy enough to give this game a try if you're into turn by turn tactical strategy RPG games.

It's great on mobile and you don't really skip a beat on PC either, except... you're enjoying the action on a larger screen. Some may say that the PC versions shouldn't require the elements of the mobile version, but the play/refill timer set up is in many games enjoyed on PC (like Candy Crush Saga).

Something that immediately comes to mind with Heavenstrike Rivals on Steam... is the ability to battle it out on the big screen. It's obviously not a new concept, but i'd love to see this game enter the arena because it could easily be a game played in a tournament style set up... under the right conditions. As far as competition is concerned on PC, no need to worry about that, because... you get to take on PC & Mobile gamers looking for the next "W". There are already over 2 million players on the mobile version... so you know what time it is! Check out the story trailer below.

Story wise, you're in a war-torn world fighting to save the legendary Seven Sisters... while fighting to prevent a little something called, extinction. So no pressure as you embark on the adventure collection and training over 700 units to take on... "The Fallen". There are some pretty cool looking units too, like Adam Jensen from Deus Ex and... a crap load of other units you may or may not recognize.

Outside of PvP and even Co-Op event action, you also get to strive for the best leaderboard rankings. One thing Steam does have that the mobile versions do not... is the Steam achievements and trading cards, so even if you have it on mobile, that's a reason to get the PC version if hunting down achievements and cards is a hobby of yours. By the way, characters are designed by Ryoma Ito (Final Fantasy Tactics Advance) and the music is by Ryo Yamazaki (Final Fantasy XIV).

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Your mission is clear... take this guy out any... way... you can and get out of there. Remember, you don't have long, so if you don't jump on the chance when you get it... you can kiss this target goodbye. Only 53% of people were able to take out the first target, which at least says... "Hey at least over 50% of HITMAN players have the skills to pay the bills". I can't say that the other percentage... stink, but I will say that 47% missed the opportunity.

Benefits for taking out Elusive Targets:

• 5 completed Elusive Targets... gets you the Hitman: Absolution suit
• 10 completed Elusive Targets... gets you the Hitman: Blood Money suit
• More to come!

Square-Enix, served us up with rules for the Elusive Targets:

• An Elusive Target is a once in a lifetime experience
• They are available for a limited time only in game

• Intel on the target will be limited

• They will not appear in instinct mode, or the mini map and their locations will not be revealed to you – you’ll have to go and find them

• Your target can only die once

• If you die during the mission, that’s it

• When the time runs out, they are gone for good

• If you fail, there are no second chances

This is awesome by the way, it gives gamers something to look forward to in-between new episodes and Square-Enix doesn't give any room for error if you mess up. Some of you may ask "WTF makes that so awesome", but it makes it awesome... because it's a challenge that doesn't hold your hand. If you want to be successful, learn what you need to learn... to do what you need to do. (Mic drop)

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Nintendo 2DS Price drop w/ Mario Kart 7 + RkRk chimes in! + From the source: Nintendo eShop action!

If you wanted to get your hands on a Nintendo 2DS... now seems like a good time. Though its a good price drop, it should've been a similar price point from launch (in my opinion). It feels more like Nintendo novelty, even if its geared towards kids so that they don't have the option to use the 3D feature (and that's good... it is) but like everyone (even Toy R Us kids)... they will get older and probably want that 3D feature like we have. There was also enough room on this thing for a second circle pad or at least a c-stick, but I will leave that alone... I just hope that Nintendo's next handheld can deliver with fewer revisions or no revisions at all (maybe even make the thing customizable with optional analog stick screw in's, etc.). I'd like the next Nintendo handheld to have a premium feel to it, something like the Xbox One's pro controller quality.

Anyway... back to the 2DS. If that's all the parents could afford, then the kids are S.O.L. (sure outta luck), but there could've simply been another option like a parental lock of the feature in the New Nintendo 3DS. That would've spared resources possibly even to the degree of releasing that handheld at a lower price and making the shift to upgrade a bit more realistic for some gamers who can't play certain games ONLY available for the... New Nintendo 3DS (which is still a major "WTF").

On the plus side you get... Mario Kart 7 thrown in, which has replay value out the tailpipe! So if you'd rather you or your child to have a 2DS or its just the best price option to get access to a really good library of games... enjoy the crap out of it! (Ka-Boom!)

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May 19, 2016 13:00 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:

Nintendo is partnering with Mojang and Microsoft to bring the imaginative worlds of the Super Mario series and Minecraft together as a free update for those who own the Minecraft: Wii U Edition game. (Graphic: Business Wire)

• Nintendo eShop on Wii U
  • Minecraft: Wii U Edition – Super Mario Mash-Up Pack – Nintendo is partnering with Mojang and Microsoft to bring the imaginative worlds of the Super Mario series and Minecrafttogether as a free update for those who own the Minecraft: Wii U Edition game. For the first time ever, players will be able to fend off blocky Hammer Bros. and Dry Bones the same way they do Creepers and Zombies. Click here to see the trailer.
  • PixelJunk Monsters – The classic tower defense game comes to the Wii U system! Play as Tikiman and protect your offspring from hordes of monsters sweeping through your realm. Click here to view a trailer for the game.
• Wii Retail on Wii U
  • PokéPark Wii: Pikachu’s Adventure – Play as Pikachu as you run, jump and smash your way through an action-packed adventure. You’ll travel across land, sea and sky to show off your speed and skill. Travel to all corners of the PokéPark to experience a variety of Zones and Attractions, as well as meet and befriend many Pokémon.
• Virtual Console on New Nintendo 3DS
  • Contra III: The Alien Wars – In the year 2636, the alien war continues, and it’s up to two soldiers, Bill and Lance, to put a stop to the alien invasion. In this Super NES action classic, battle through six stages of nonstop run-and-gun action while collecting power-ups to take out the aliens.

New DLC:

• Hyrule Warriors Legends Master Wind Waker Pack – Download this new DLC in the Hyrule Warriors Legends game for only 99 cents to receive 16 new Fairy Costume pieces, the “Master” Wind Waker map for Adventure Mode and one new adventure battle scenario. You can also purchase the Hyrule Warriors Legends Season Pass for $14.99 to receive all DLC packs as they become available.
• Fire Emblem Fates – New DLC Maps: III: The Changing Tide – Shiro’s wounded band must seize an opportunity. Part 3 of Heirs of Fate is now available for $1.99.
• Fire Emblem Fates – Map Pack 2 DLC – Across dimensions, other versions of the Hoshidan and Nohrian children are under attack. Born and raised in the Deeprealms, these fledgling warriors must now rise up to save themselves and their parents as they unravel the mystery of their adversaries. In this six-map series, units leveled up in the main game cannot lend support. Devise a strategy using a fresh team and reap the rewards, but only if all of your units survive. You can receive all six maps as they are released by purchasing Map Pack 2 for only $7.99.

Nintendo eShop sales:

• Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS
  • Funfair Party Games (Nintendo 3DS), Joe’s Diner (Wii U) and more games from JoinDots are on sale until 8:59 a.m. PT on May 26.
• Nintendo eShop on Wii U
  • Shadow Puppeteer is more than 30 percent off (reduced from $14.99 to $9.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on June 8.
  • STEEL RIVALS is more than 25 percent off (reduced from $6.99 to $4.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on May 26.
• Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS
  • Sweet Memories-Blackjack, Brunch Panic and more games from CIRCLE Entertainment are on sale until 8:59 a.m. PT on June 9.
  • Nano Assault EX is 25 percent off (reduced from $9.99 to $7.49) until 8:59 a.m. PT on June 9.
  • Epic Word Search Collection is 25 percent off (reduced from $7.99 to $5.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on June 2.
  • Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker is more than 35 percent off (reduced from $39.99 to $24.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on May 30.
  • Snow Moto Racing 3D is 50 percent off (reduced from $7.99 to $3.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on May 26.
  • Classic Games Overload: Card & Puzzle Edition is 50 percent off (reduced from $29.99 to $14.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on June 6.
  • Tiny Games – Knights & Dragons is more than 30 percent off (reduced from $2.99 to $1.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on June 2.

Also new this week:

• Digger Dan DX (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
• Sweetest Thing (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
• Chompy Chomp Chomp Party (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)

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Square-Enix News + E3 action: Full-Scale Final Fantasy game... made for Mobile!

Final Fantasy Brave Exvius? Yep, and it looks... quite promising. I'd love to play Final Fantasy 8 again too, recreated for mobile, but (but... but) i'd also love to have a full remake for PC & Consoles also (after FF7 of course). That's the beauty of some games, they are so awesome they can be brought back in an all new way. 

Even ones that I absolutely could NOT stand (like the old Tomb Raider 1 & 2 for PS1) can be brought back in awesome fashion.

The new Tomb Raider is just worlds better... for me, but I give props to the original because if that never existed... what we have now may never have existed either. Anyway, check out this video from Square-Enix for FFBE... which is coming our way this summer. (I can feel the heat already, lemonade please!)

Square-Enix reports that the game will feature turn-based gameplay (which I enjoy as a fan of RPGs!), with streamlined battle mechanics and intuitive touch controls so that its easier to pick up for newbies and seasoned fans alike. I still prefer controller and even mouse & keyboard over touch screen for most games, but... we've been doing a lot of gaming. :p

Anyway, they also list that players will be able to movie their characters through fields and dungeons to search for things like items, hidden paths, and... basically what i've come to expect from an RPG, which i'm glad is being incorporated into this game. I love venturing to different areas... except for when i'm low on health and happen to stumble across one of those rare monsters that can END YOU with one attack. MOMMA NO!

I can't wait to see the high-quality cg animations for the summons, and even the appearances of various new and old characters from games like the Warrior of Light from my friggin phone. There are other great games on mobile, but I really want to dig into this and indulge in some Final Fantasy action that doesn't require me to sit in front of the telly or the PC. It will allow me to be mobile when I get my hands on Blu's gummy snacks. If you read this... I am only kidding. hehehe

You can pre-register for the game at FinalFantasyExvius.com to receive special in-game items at launch... and this game will also be playable at E3 (in the Square-Enix booth ofcourse) compliments of Square-Enix and... Gumi Inc (the developers of Brave Frontier) from June 14th - 16th (2016).

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From the Source: Deus Ex News... Audio Edition!

I thoroughly look forward to playing this game when it gets released. They've had time to get their feel of how things should be, and they even improved on Deus Ex: Human Revolution which... the original was still quite cool (though it felt a bit stiff to me at times). I was one of the initial supporters that pre-order the Augmented Edition on Onlive (no less)... which I was able to complete the game after enjoying it for awhile. I didn't rush through it, I soaked it in.

When the Onlive streaming service went goodbye... and the micro-console system + the controller went auto-paperweight, I went and got a copy of the Director's Cut (eventually) just to have it as a part of my library, because I like to go back and play great games. 

By the way, whoever made the decision at Onlive to not even give the supporters the option to utilize the micro-console or controller in an alternate way via some sort of software or open source code to create some type of software... you royally suck for that. Money went into that... on both ends, and just because it wasn't going to result in you making anymore money... shouldn't mean that it should've also burned supporters. 

Then again on the financial end, they could've repackaged it and made it solely a streaming device we control via our PC and made money from the hardware. The controller should've been reusable especially, that could've been used on PC and mobile, and i'd encourage tech modders to see what can be done with the Onlive hardware because... it would breathe life back into something that essentially recycles it (green gaming!). Like captain planet said, the power is yours. If you aren't familiar with Captain planet, he was the superhero that fought to protect the earth from pollution.

Onlive's situation has nothing to do with Square-Enix, its a different company entirely... but it was the perfect opportunity to vent about that, because I got the micro-console system for Deus Ex: HR: AE to enjoy and try out streaming. Which is why streaming only consoles aren't exactly a fave, though I wouldn't have that same judgement towards devices that more so stream from the PC... as mentioned above (like the Steam link).

Anyway... on to the Deus Ex: Mankind Divided news.

AWARD-WINNING ARTIST SASCHA DIKICIYAN TO COMPOSE TRACKS FOR DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED Original Soundtrack to release this Fall

MONTRÉAL (May 18, 2016) – Square-Enix® and Eidos®-Montréal today announced that, in addition to Michael McCann returning to compose music for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, award-winning artist Sascha Dikiciyan (aka Sonic Mayhem) will also bring his talent to the game’s soundtrack. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided’s Original Soundtrack will be available worldwide this fall. Overseen by Executive Audio Director Steve Szczepkowski, the music direction of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided represents an evolution of the score created for Deus Ex: Human Revolution. The world ofDeus Ex has dramatically changed since the final events of Human Revolution, which culminated with the Aug Incident. The golden age of augmentations is now over, and mechanically augmented humans have been segregated from the rest of society. Mankind Divided deals with heavier subjects and, as a result, the music has been adapted to reflect the new state of the world. It plays a key role in immersing players within the more mature and darker atmosphere of the game, while still staying true to Deus Ex’sdistinctive and signature style. Hear Sascha Dikiciyan’s work in action in both the Deus Ex: Mankind Divided 101 trailer and the Adam Jensen 2.0 trailer. “It was important for us to build upon the strong foundation of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, but also to let it stand on its own. Along the way, we realized this game was much vaster than anticipated and we made the choice to add another composer to the team. Sascha Dikiciyan’s music stood out,” said Steve Szczepkowski. “After talking with Sascha, it became clear that we shared the same vision and passion for what musically drives Deus Ex. Sascha’s influences mirror ours in many ways, yet he also brings a whole other set of influences to the table. Sascha is completely immersed in the musical feeling of Deus Ex; he’s a huge fan of the franchise, and that comes through loud and clear in his compositions. We can’t wait for people to hear the work that he’s done and we are all thrilled he’s now part of the Deus Exfamily!” Sumthing Else Music Works and Eidos-Montréal will release the Deus Ex: Mankind Divided OST this fall. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided will launch on August 23rd for PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and Windows PC.

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King of Fighters XIV + KOF vs Persona? + 15 Minutes of DOOM!

Would this be sick... or would this be sick? It isn't real... but 

who knows, we may see a versus from ATLUS & SNK soon enough.

I am excited about a new King of Fighters game (especially with ATLUS in the fold)... I just don't want it to have DLC... for sale. While ATLUS should bring the franchise increased support (even out of curiousity), King of Fighters XIV can make a power move back into a slot of what can be considered... a household name if the game is awesome and is known for delivering a complete package (or at least one that doesn't need additional purchases for the entire experience.

I don't want to say that it wouldn't be without DLC, but the ability to have everything for the game you've purchased without buying additional... would be a win in my book. Look at the various fighting games that require additional purchases to gain characters, etc. Now... compare a complete package versus one that... can be completed for an additional price.

They have an opportunity to take KOF to a new level. A level it should be after all these years (which should include loosening up some characters).

Considering the fact that KOFXIV is being brought to us by (SEGA) ATLUS, it would be sick to see some crossover VS action like... KOF vs Persona Arena perhaps.

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From the source:

Plus, for the Week Following Launch, the Classic Kyo DLC Costume will be Free! Oh, and Two New Videos!

The old guard of SNK's THE KING OF FIGHTERS series shows off their new 3D look while repping Team Japan in THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV in the latest trailer.  Series mainstays Kyo, Benimaru, and Daimon are looking bigger, badder, and beastlier than ever thanks to the 3D graphical upgrade in KOF XIV, and with this latest trailer, you'll get a sample of Kyo's fiery power, Benimaru's electric speed, and Daimon's well...let's just say that you don't want to make him angry (unless you like being on the receiving end of devastating tech throw combos).  And in case you missed it the last time around, here are the top-line refinements for THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV: 3D Evolution: All 50 fighters, movesets and more are rendered in full 3D graphics that preserves the essence of KOF's visual style but updates it with a whole new dimension. The Best Refinement since KOF '98: Through extensive playtesting and balancing, the controls have been streamlined, and the Combo and Max Mode mechanics have been overhauled to create the most competitive fighter in SNK's history. The KOF Saga Continues: There's a robust single-player storyline where several years have passed since the previous KOF tournament. Now a worldwide business, the global KOF will decide who is the strongest as both individuals and companies with their own ambitions have come to compete. Players compete against CPU-controlled opponents to unlock the storyline. The Best Roster Yet: There are 50 fighters total, with 31 returning from previous entries into the KOF series, and 19 brand new characters. All 50 characters will be available at the game's launch. Revamped Online Experience: THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIVhas devoted a lot of development time to improving the game's netcode for vastly improved online gameplay. KOF XIV uses the PS4's online architecture to have a whole host of online conveniences, from spectating to saving replay/battle data, and having a single online KOF XIV profile to connect with friends. The game will be $59.99/CA$79.99 at launch. Pre-orders and a limited number of launch editions will arrive in this special SteelBook™ case. Plus, for the week following launch, the Classic Kyo costume DLC will be free to all players! Also, Koch Media Will Be Publishing KOF XIV in Europe!You heard right, for our European fans waiting for news with bated breath, our friends at Deep Silver announced earlier today that they'll be publishing THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV in Europe, complete with SteelBook® case for pre-orders and limited launch copies!  The scratch-happy Team Yagami is looking to win it all in THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV's newest trailer. Diehard fans of KOF will recognize Iori Yagami, Mature, and Vice from the early games, but they sure look fine, fresh, and fierce showing off their skills in 3D. The trailer showcases the scorching purple fury of Iori, the dizzying brutality of Vice, and vicious cat-like clawing of Mature. Watch the bad girls and boy of Team Yagami dish out some brutal combos to the sweet sultry sounds of "Saxophone Under the Moon"! +

If you were thinking of getting your hands on DOOM... check out the 15 Minute Arena below!

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