Tag Archives: Ubisoft

News

Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate story trailer (contains epic moustaches)

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We’re warming up to Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate the more we see of it. Naturally, it’s facing a lot of pressure after the poor showing of Unity, but we’re sure Ubisoft is keen to get its flagship franchise back on track.

Today’s new story trailer shows us the ruthless Templar characters who are running London in Syndicate. Fans of twirly gentleman’s moustaches are in for a treat. There’s zero mention of a modern-day storyline sitting alongside the London narrative, so we presume Ubi has ditched it, which they were in the process of doing with Unity. Take a look at our features below for our earliest impressions on the game. Continue reading Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate story trailer (contains epic moustaches) →

Features, PC, Platforms, PS4, Xbox One

Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate and Ubisoft need to answer these questions

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After yesterday’s reveal, some questions were finally answered about Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, but with months to go before release, there’s still a lot we don’t know about the world of Jacob and Evie Frye. Continue reading Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate and Ubisoft need to answer these questions →

PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PS4, PSN (PlayStation Store), Puzzle, Reviews, XBLA, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Valiant Hearts: The Great War (Review)

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An Essential Journey

With a World War I setting, Valiant Hearts: The Great War explores relatively unfamiliar ground for gaming, or even movies to be honest, as it was generally WWII that inspired so many films and games. It’s hard to believe that the human race had the capacity for war again after the events of WWI and Valiant Hearts plays an important role in showing us that this was one of the darkest moments of humanity’s very chequered past.

Unlike most war games though, Valiant Hearts isn’t another one-man-army first-person shooter or a strategic tactical sim. It’s a heavily story-driven experience with puzzling and old-school adventuring at the core of the gameplay.

Continue reading Valiant Hearts: The Great War (Review) →

Features, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One

E3 2014 Predictions: Brendan’s Last Gasp Picks

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E3 2014 Predictions: Brendan’s Last Gasp Picks

Having a cheeky pre-E3 holiday was a great idea. Well, aside from the lack of internet, being awake for the last 36 hours, still having sand from the Aegean in my hair and suffering from regular twitchy lucid flashbacks of that spider that invaded my apartment one night.

But it’s the day before the biggest day in any gamers’ calendar and now that I’m no longer at the mercy of Wi-Fi powered by stray cats on a treadmill, I thought I better chuck in my Day zero predictions as the rest of the team have done for Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, EA and Ubisoft at E3 2014. Enjoy! I’m off to check my bed for spiders as big as my face. Continue reading E3 2014 Predictions: Brendan’s Last Gasp Picks →

News

Watch Dogs Will Not Get a Demo Say Ubisoft

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Creative director at Ubisoft Jonathan Morin has confirmed via Twitter that Watch Dogs will not be getting a downloadable demo on any platforms. When responding to a deluge of -oddly impatient- fan questions on Twitter, he responded with the below Tweet.

Before adding to another reader:

While we’d love to have a demo for Watch Dogs before release, we’re not exactly surprised that Ubisoft aren’t even working on one. This is a game that has seen very few hands-on opportunities and even the upcoming PAX East Expo will only feature a hands-off demo for attendees. The lack of a playable Watch Dogs Pax demo strikes me as more strange as expo demos are easier to put together as they can run off a machine of the developers choosing, with as much game data stored on them as needed. Should we be concerned that Ubisoft won’t let anyone play their game when they were so open with the likes of Assassin’s Creed IV? Or are they trying to create an aura of mystery about the game similar to Rockstar and the GTA games?

As far as a downloadable Watch Dogs demo goes though, was that ever likely? Probably not. Do you remember ever playing a demo for any of the Assassin’s Creed games or Far Cry 3? Exactly, these games are way too big to be able to be compressed into a PSN/XBLA demo. Sure, they could give us a confined warehouse shootout, but that would be a poor representation of the intriguing open-world adventure that awaits us in Watch Dogs.

Still not sure about whether to pre-order Watch Dogs? Well, the truth of the matter is, nobody is holding a gun to your head, wait for a few reviews if you’re not sure. It’ll still be there a week after launch. Personally, I’m back on Team Excited for the game after seeing the Welcome to Chicago trailer. That and Ubisoft’s last two open world games in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Far Cry 3 have been amongst the best I’ve ever played.

Platformer, Platforms, PS4, Reviews, Xbox One

Rayman Legends (PS4 Review)

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After being utterly smitten with the next-gen re-release of Tomb Raider last month, I was keen to see how last year’s rather tasty Rayman Legends fared on the next-gen machines too. Well, there’s good news and bad news.

There’s a strong argument that that Rayman Legends looks exactly the same on the new consoles as it does on the older ones and there’s no truly relevant new material. But on the other hand, shop around and you can currently buy it for only £7 more than the last-gen version, meaning you don’t have to spend much to finally play a decent platformer on your PS4 or Xbox One.

Continue reading Rayman Legends (PS4 Review) →

News

Watch Dogs and Assassin’s Creed Connection Proved at Last?

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Not long after Ubisoft announced Watch Dogs, rumours and conspiracy theories began to float around that the game was going to be linked to the Assassin’s Creed series, possibly even as a full entry to the series’ canon.

While playing Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag earlier today, I stumbled across some evidence in the Abstergo offices (Ok, less ‘stumbled’ and more ‘hacked’) that directly links the two game brands together. Continue reading Watch Dogs and Assassin’s Creed Connection Proved at Last? →

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Play Assassin’s Creed IV Early on the Black Flag Tour

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Fancy getting your hands on some next-gen Assassin’s Creed? Then check out the lengthy list of UK Universities Ubisoft are visiting so you can play Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag on the PS4. I played the PS4 version at the Eurogamer Expo and it’s absolutely gorgeous, so get down there and have a look if you’re still on the fence about whether to buy the game on a current or next-gen console. Prizes will be available too.

The events take place at the venues and dates listed below from 10am-6pm, so chances are you won’t have to spend much time queuing. There’s no need to book a place either, just turn up! Expect the venues to be over 18s only, so ID may be required, although there’s no mention of you having to be a student at that Uni to get in. Continue reading Play Assassin’s Creed IV Early on the Black Flag Tour →

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Leaked Logos Show Unannounced Ubisoft Titles

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Whoops, Ubisoft’s upcoming secret lineup has potentially just been leaked thanks to the likes of A9VG and (who else?) NeoGaf. Take a look at the above image and you can see a number of as yet unannounced titles. The fact these titles already have logos as opposed to the usual internet domain registrations could indicate they are already deep into development.  Continue reading Leaked Logos Show Unannounced Ubisoft Titles →

Action, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Xbox 360

Splinter Cell: Blacklist (Review)

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When the best stealth experiences this generation have come from first person games -take a bow Far Cry 3’s machete and Dishonored- you have to wonder if grizzled vet Sam Fisher and Splinter Cell can still compete. Like any stealth master though, you don’t even notice how good he is until you’ve been completely drawn in.

The so-so wrapping of this long-awaited return belies the high quality within though. Fans of TV’s 24/anything with terrorists will be able to spot the plot a mile off. A rogue ex-military group attempt to start World War III by threatening terrorist attacks on America if they don’t pull all their troops from foreign countries. A few familiar faces from Sam’s past turn up, but newbies can play the game without feeling they’re missing important facts. Blacklist is a great standalone entry point to the series.

Continue reading Splinter Cell: Blacklist (Review) →

Games deals, News

REPORT: Original Far Cry Coming to Consoles in HD

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A HD re-release of the original Far Cry game has been spotted on the Brazilian Ratings Board. With the original 2004 release being a PC exclusive, this is good news for PS3 and 360 gamers.

The Crytek  developed shooter was set in tropical locations similar to the ones we loved in Far Cry 3 and is something console gamers would probably be keen to investigate. Ubisoft haven’t officially announced the HD makeover yet, but with Far Cry 3 shifting over six million units and Blood Dragon proving to be a big hit, we think this is a no brainer. The Brazilian Ratings Board were also behind the early unveiling of Blood Dragon, so this is probably legit.

[GamesRadar]

News

Extensive Far Cry 3 Patch Released for Consoles

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Wow, this is a long list. Admittedly, I’ve barely encountered any of these and with any luck, I never will now. The patch fixes a range of issues in single player, multiplayer and the map editor.

Single player fixes include mission specific bugs, challenge leaderboard issues and a strange glitch that left weapons attached to your arm making aiming the bow a nightmare. Multiplayer updates fix issues with the loadout editor, weapon damage not registering and host migration problems amongst many others.

Continue reading Extensive Far Cry 3 Patch Released for Consoles →

Platforms, PS Vita, Puzzle, Reviews

Lumines: Electronic Symphony (Review)

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lumines-vitaIf it wasn’t for the Lumines games on the old PSP the underperforming handheld would have faded into obscurity and the back of our cupboards much sooner than it sadly eventually did. As the Vita approaches its first birthday with a distinct lack of killer apps, I’ve been looking over its back-catalogue, desperate for something to justify charging the thing up more than once a month. Now available for under a tenner, Lumines: Electronic Symphony seemed like a good place to start and certainly better value than its initial £35 price tag.

Lumines is a block-puzzler but one that bears little resemblance to games like Tetris andBejeweled 2. By rotating falling blocks of four squares you must create patterns of like colours in 2×2 or bigger blocks. These blocks will then become highlighted and the constantly sweeping timeline comes and clears them from your pile.

Continue reading Lumines: Electronic Symphony (Review) →

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Far Cry 3 Outpost App Now Live

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Ubisoft have released a new free app on the Apple App Store and Google Play for Android-enabled devices. If you play Far Cry 3 online competitively or in co-op -and you really should- this is an essential tool. PC users can also gain access to the Outpost here.

Co-op players will be familiar with decoding found DVDs, data sticks and so on to unlock mods and boosts. Thanks to the app, you no longer have to be playing the game while they decode in the background as this allows you to decode and collect the rewards on the move.

Continue reading Far Cry 3 Outpost App Now Live →

Features, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

The Sunday Seven: Far Cry 3 Survival Tips

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Far Cry 3 is a hot contender for Game of the Year and should be on any FPS fan’s Christmas list. The postcard-perfect tropical location is fraught with danger though so you’ll want to take note of our handy survival guide before you pack those grenades, assault rifles and sun cream. These seven tips will make your life much easier and allow you to enjoy the game to its maximum potential. Feel free to add in your own tips in the comments section or anything cool you may have come across in the game.

Continue reading The Sunday Seven: Far Cry 3 Survival Tips →

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Rabbids Land Trailer Brings the Mental to the Wii U

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Of course there’s a Rabbids game to go with the Wii U launch. The Rayman spin-offs were a huge success for Ubisoft on the original Wii and we imagine they’ll do well on Nintendo’s new console too with their demented selection of minigames. As much as we’d like to dismiss this as a kid’s game, it does look like a fun way to get to know your new console.

From what we can see in the trailer, you’ll be able to use the game pad (the one with the screen) and an original Wii motion controller to play these games and they’ll support up to four players. Parents are advised to hit the mute button though as the gibberish chatter from the Rabbids will drive you insane in minutes. Continue reading Rabbids Land Trailer Brings the Mental to the Wii U →

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Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation Video Shows Off Touch Controls

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Check out this interview with Richard Farrese, writer of Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation, to see lots of gameplay involving the PS Vita’s touchscreen and touchpad controls. The screen can be used to paddle a canoe and rear pad brushes let you sneakily pick the pockets of people around town.

We also get to see the new chained kills system, where Aveline builds up a metre by being stealthy, before pausing the action, allowing you to tap multiple targets to take out in spectacular fashion. We’ve not been excited for a Vita game in quite some time, but this is certainly looking like the best we’ve seen since Drake. See the video after the jump.

Continue reading Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation Video Shows Off Touch Controls →

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New Far Cry 3 Savages Trailer Increases ‘Want’ Factor

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Two whole months to go until Far Cry 3 is released and each trailer just makes the wait even worse. This new video introduces us to Buck, an Aussie nutcase that we get the feeling may even turn out to be worse than Vaas. The action shows us more tantalising glimpses of the island from land, sea and air. With the environments looking as gorgeous as they are, we’re hoping the game will start a trend for not basing your game in industrial estates and office blocks. More trees, more beaches, more sun and definitely more tigers in everything from now on please. Continue reading New Far Cry 3 Savages Trailer Increases ‘Want’ Factor →

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Far Cry 3: Survival Trailer Welcomes Us To Rook Islands

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For those of you tired of military shooters, feast your eyes on the gorgeous Far Cry 3. Rather than focus on Vaas telling us All about his ‘insanity’ for a change we get a real good look around the two main islands that will be used for the single player campaign of the game.

Lush jungles -complete with wildlife ranging from birds, komodo dragons and tigers- are amongst the most detailed ever seen on a console. It sort of makes Just Cause 2 look like something spewed out on Blue Peter. An early look at some of the underground ruin areas shows a new side to the game and gives it something of an Uncharted FPS feel. Or imagine Skyrim’s tombs actually looking like something on a current-generation machine (sorry, burned PS3 gamer here).

Jet skis, hang gliders, jeeps and quads are given a brief showing. Nasty nature seems keen to eat your face as we see close encounters with tigers and sharks. Wrapping a bandage around your arm or pulling a dislocated thumb back into place are shown too, not that any of those will be applicable to getting out of a shark’s stomach.

Far Cry 3 is climbing up our most wanted lists at an alarming rate.

Continue reading Far Cry 3: Survival Trailer Welcomes Us To Rook Islands →

Hands-on previews, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Previews, Xbox 360

Far Cry 3 (Hands-on Preview)

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After sitting through so many presentations at Gamescom, it was a relief to see that I’d actually get to play Far Cry 3. The recent E3 singleplayer stage was available as was a round of multiplayer. I’m eager for something a little different than another military shooter and Far Cry 3’s tropical paradise setting is one hell of a place to start. Console gamers missed out on the first game and the dull African setting of the last game left a lot to be desired for many, so expectations are high for Ubisoft’s title.

The start of the single-player stage began on a cliff-top across from an island. Using the bow, I took out the guard far in the distance. The arrows realistically drop over longer distances, so it took a few attempts as my first shots landed in the water just in front of him.

Continue reading Far Cry 3 (Hands-on Preview) →