Month: September 2020

Crusader Kings 3, Paradox Interactive’s newest addition to its medieval strategy RPG series, is out September 1. Ahead of the launch, we’ve rounded up a selection of reviews to help you decide if Crusader Kings 3 is worth it.

Critics generally praised Crusader Kings 3 highly. It has everything that players loved Crusader Kings 2 for: an imaginative and expansive strategy component, coupled with an in-depth and compelling RPG element.

David Wildgoose, in GameSpot’s Crusader Kings 3 review, gave the game a high score of 8/10. Wildgoose stated, “[T]he singular vision of Crusader Kings 3 [is] a grand strategy game that successfully operates across a bewildering scale, feeling vast and unknowable one moment yet awkwardly intimate the next. It’s a marvel of connectivity, effectively linking together complementary elements plucked from different genres–the role-playing game, the visual novel, the life simulation, the city-builder, the wargame–even if at times you can sense it straining at the seams.”

• Game: Crusader Kings 3
• Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
• Developer: Paradox Interactive
• Release date: September 1
• Price: $50

GameSpot — 8/10

“In a sense, Crusader Kings 3 is all over the place. It doesn’t always work perfectly, and at times it really makes you work for it, but there’s something amazing in that any of it works at all. Strategy games can tell interesting stories as their empires rise and fall, but their procedural narratives are rarely as affecting and poignant as they are here.” – David Wildgoose [Full Review]

IGN — 10/10

“Crusader Kings 3 is a superb strategy game, a great RPG, and a master class in how to take the best parts of existing systems and make them deeper and better. I have thousands of hours in the previous game, and I expect to spend at least that many in this third installment. All of the engrossingly flawed characters and stories of love, war, triumph, and loss that have already dynamically emerged from my playthroughs feel like just the beginning of something legendary. In fact, if I had to pick only one game to play for the rest of my life, the decision wouldn’t be that difficult. A new king of historical strategy has been crowned. Long live the king.” – T.J. Hafer [Full Review]

Kotaku — Unscored

“Crusader Kings III is an immense game, but also an immense achievement. There’s really nothing else quite like it. It’s a strategy game, and a good one at that, and like I’ve said if you only want to raise armies and conquer the world, this will let you do that and you’ll have a good time with it. But it’s so much more than that. It’s a strategy game with the lifeblood of an RPG coursing through its veins, and a character system that lets you truly live in the time rather than just look down on it from above.” – Luke Plunkett [Full Review]

PC Gamer — 94/100

“Crusader Kings 3 is always in motion, always jumping to new stories, so it never lets you get too settled. But it also never ventures far out of its comfort zone. Paradox hasn’t taken it in a different direction or made changes that will elicit any gasps. The stuff that made Crusader Kings 2 so enduring has been pushed to the front even more, while some of the bloat that accumulated over the better part of a decade has been chipped away. It’s a very sensible sequel. I know, I know—’sensible’ is not the most encouraging of words. Let me reassure you, then, that Crusader Kings 3 is incredible. It’s an irrepressible story engine that spits out a constant stream of compelling alt-histories, delightfully infuriating characters and social puzzles that I’ve become obsessed with unravelling.” – Fraser Brown [Full Review]

Rock Paper Shotgun — Unscored

“I like [Crusader Kings 3] a lot. I think there are some awkwardnesses still to be ironed out, but they’re offset by a strong suite of new ideas. I saw what might have resolved into the edges of CK3’s potential a little earlier than I wanted to, in a game of such colossal scope. But I also saw a much stronger starting point for growth than CK2 represented in 2012. It’s less overwrought than its predecessor, and certainly less mentally draining to play. But this felt more like the result of smart design choices than oversimplification. Tonally, it’s in just the same, marvellously dark spot. All in all, and as boring as it is to say, I think Crusader Kings 3 is a lot like Crusader Kings 2, but newer and tidier. And I’m very content with that indeed.” – Nate Crowley [Full Review]

Twinfinite — 5/5

“Not only Crusader Kings 3 is one of the best RPGs I’ve ever played, but it’s also one of the best world simulators I can think of. It’s basically the Sims without the gibberish and with swords, on a much, much grander scale. Ultimately, the only really large issue I can identify in Paradox’s latest game is that it’s the supreme emperor of the “one more turn” syndrome (even if it doesn’t really have turns). If there is one title that has the potential to absolutely trash your sleeping schedule, it’s Crusader Kings 3.” – Giuseppe Nelva [Full Review]

Vice — Unscored

“Crusader Kings III is massively, powerfully alive. You can almost feel it pulsing when you play it. Often, deep into the third, fourth, fifth hour of play, I’d realize I wasn’t so much playing it as watching it develop. The streamlining of its user experience and the accessibility of the wealth of information it collates for each and every citizen of it’s stunning rendering of Europe, continental Asia and northern Africa has not just made this a game that’s legible to more kinds of players; it has opened up new dimensions in its sense of character.” – Gita Jackson [Full Review]

VG247 — 5/5

“Crusader Kings 3 is just as bonkers, unpredictable and enthralling as its predecessor. Random encounters have increased and you’re often faced with dilemmas, some straightforward choices and, on occasion, a simple notification that you’ve done something unexpected, like the aforementioned stabbing.” – Lauren Aitken [Full Review]

Halo Infinite developer 343 Industries has shared some new details about the game’s story–specifically, the studio has revealed a new enemy character. Jega ‘Rdomnai is a member of The Banished, which is the evil faction of aliens in Halo Infinite. Here is how 343 summed up Jega in a post on Halo Waypoint:

“In hushed whispers throughout the ranks of the Banished, Jega ‘Rdomnai’s name is spoken of with care. The blademaster’s history is shrouded in rumor and half-truths. Some say he was an experiment, an affront to his own kind. Others make mention of a clandestine ambush gone wrong. Very few know the truth, fewer still speak of it. One thing is certain: he has hunted demons before, and as the first recruit welcomed into the Hand of Atriox, he will do so again.”

Jega is further described as a “mysterious and battle-ravaged Sangheli warrior.” He is one of “several” new characters that players will meet in Halo Infinite, 343 said.

In addition to announcing Jega, 343 showed off more of Master Chief’s armor in Halo Infinite. Master Chief will wear the Gen 3 Mark VII armor, which looks familiar but features some new flourishes and upgrades.

“Though it does represent a generational leap for the Mjolnir platform for actively deployed Spartans, some elements tested with the GEN1 and GEN2 Mark VII remain in the prototype stage due to unreliability or cost factors, such as integration of Forerunner-derived nanomachine elements and full shield-shaping,” 343 said.

The famous Dr. Halsey created the newest version of the Mark VII armor, according to the Halo lore. The new suit features “breakthroughs in neural interfaces, shield emitters, fusion power, and armor formulation.”

The concept art of the Gen 3 Mark VII armor was done by Isaac Hannaford.

As a refresher, Halo Infinite’s campaign picks up after the events of Halo 5: Guardians, with a story focusing on Chief as he fights the Banished on Zeta Halo. The Banished’s leader is Escharum, who is, like Jega, a new character in the Halo universe. Another new character is the Pilot, who we first saw in the initial Halo Infinite teaser at E3 2018.

“We’re excited about a story that helps put players of all experiences on a similar playing field,” 343 said. “You are stepping into the Mk.VI [GEN3] Mjolnir of the Master Chief nearly six months after the UNSC met defeat at Zeta Halo. It’s up to you to discover what’s taken place in the past, and what it might mean for our future.”

Halo Infinite was originally expected to release this holiday as a launch title for the Xbox Series X, but, due in part to complications related to COVID-19 and working from home, Microsoft shifted the release date to 2021. Despite what you might have read on the internet, Halo Infinite is not abandoning Xbox One or getting delayed again to 2022.

Fortnite developer Epic Games is currently in a legal battle with Apple, and one of their opening salvos against the company was releasing the short film Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite. The film, below, was a parody of Apple’s 1984 commercial for the Macintosh, which evoked George Orwell’s famous novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.

The commercial, which introduced the Apple Macintosh ahead of its release, aired at third quarter time during Super Bowl XVIII in 1984. It is one of the most famous commercials ever, and it was directed by Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator, The Martian). Now, the director has weighed in on Epic’s version of his commercial–and while he appreciates the homage, he finds the message wanting.

Speaking to IGN, Scott said that he is aware of the trailer, and that he wrote to Epic about it. “On the one hand I can be fully complimented by the fact they copied [my commercial] shot for shot,” he told IGN. “But pity the message is so ordinary when they could have been talking about democracy or more powerful things.”

Continuing on, the director said that while the animation and idea are “terrific,” he does not think the message is particularly strong–or, to use his specific wording, the message is “ehh”.

Fortnite’s new season is not playable on mobile devices. Season 4 is called Nexus War, and it introduces Marvel characters to the fray. A judge recently denied Epic Games’ attempt to have the game returned to Apple’s App Store.

Big day today. As much as I’ve been enjoying the time off, idle hands aren’t my style.
So, excited to say I’ve accepted a new role and am joining the Facebook Reality Labs team! Can’t wait to get started and help build the future of AR/VR

— Wall of Bill 🏒🥅 (@wcstillwell) August 31, 2020

The Call of Duty League has wrapped up its 2020 season, but it’s coming back next year with some changes. The official CDL Twitter account posted a teaser that seemingly confirms that 4v4 competition is coming to the league next year with the introduction of Black Ops Cold War. The current format is 5 on 5.

As ESPN reminds us, the 4v4 format for professional Call of Duty was the standard until the 2018-2019 season with Black Ops 4 when the team size was increased to five. With competition dropping back to teams of four, this may lead to roster cuts for pro teams.

Former CoD pro Anthony Wheeler said on Twitter that he likes the change but it’s also “scary for the pros” due to the potential cuts.

The Dallas Empire defeated the Atlanta FaZe during the finals over the weekend, claiming a $1.5 million prize and bragging rights. More than 330,000 people watched the event, which makes it the most-watched Call of Duty eSports event in history, according to a press release from Activision.

This was the inaugural season of the Call of Duty League under its city-based structure. There are currently 12 teams in the CDL, and according to another story from ESPN, the league is not looking to expand for the upcoming season in terms of teams.

The price to become a CDL team is said to be $25 million USD, which is paid over time. According to the new report, no further teams are being added for the upcoming season not because of a lack of interest, but instead to give team owners more time to promote the league in an effort to get buyers at a “higher sum” later on.

Black Ops Cold War was recently announced. The campaign takes players to 1981 in a story that is a direct sequel to the 2010 original Black Ops. Sam Worthington (Avatar) is not coming back to play Alex Mason, while the role of Frank Woods has also been recast.

The multiplayer reveal for Black Ops Cold War is coming on September 9, so it won’t be much longer until we see how the game plays.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is going to expand its aerial arsenal with three new aircraft. This new DLC is scheduled for an autumn release, and contains the ASF-X Shinden II, XFA-27, and the CFA-44 Nosferatu planes. All of these have appeared in earlier entries in the franchise.

You can check them out in action in the trailer below. As well as these planes, the DLC will contain new weapons, skins, and emblems–the skins are revealed in the trailer alongside the new aircraft. It’s unclear how much this DLC will cost, and a specific release date has not been announced yet.

At the same time, a free update will unlock a new, easier difficulty level for Ace Combat 7. The new difficulty is called “Casual Easy,” and is designed as an entry point for players who struggle with the harsher elements of Ace Combat.

What this new mode will entail remains to be seen, but Ace Combat 7 features fairly harsh checkpointing in its campaign. As Edmond Tran noted in GameSpot’s 8/10 review, “Checkpoints typically only occur only at the halfway point of a mission, and it’s common to get 20 minutes into a battle before failing to hit an objective and having to start from the very beginning. This can get frustrating in the tail end of the campaign, where threats are more abundant and more relentless and the overall demands are higher.”

If you are curious about Ace Combat 7 and have an Xbox One, it’s available through Xbox Game Pass.

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One of the most exciting new additions for NHL 21 is the “Michigan” skill move, so when the game’s closed technical test went live today, people understandably tried to pull it off.

However, it’s proving to be exceptionally difficult–so much so that some believe it might be bugged. Hockey YouTuber Nasher says he’s tried more than 500 times but hasn’t been able to do it. He even created a “dangler” build to give himself a greater chance, but it still isn’t working for him.

For what it’s worth, EA Sports said players should expect The Michigan to be an extremely difficult deke to pull off in NHL 21 to replicate the high degree of difficult of the real-life move. The studio has said it will use feedback from the closed tech test to tune this deke specifically, so whatever experience you get in the tech test may not reflect the final game.

Andrei Svechnikov of the Carolina Hurricanes became the first player in the history of the NHL to pull off the move during an October 2019 game.

Mike Legg popularized the move in 1996 when he played for the University of Michigan. He is said to have practiced it hundreds of times and even consulted with a referee to determine if it was a legal move before trying it in the game that year.

The move involves the skater scooping the puck up onto their stick and wrapping it around into the net, surprising the goalie. It’s an extremely difficult deke, and it makes sense that the developers of NHL 21 would want to have its in-game version reflect that.

The NHL 21 closed technical test requires users to agree to a non-disclosure agreement that states they cannot share gameplay footage, so that’s why you probably won’t see footage of The Michigan or anything else until later on.

NHL 21 also introduces Nikita Kucherov’s “no move move” where he pretends as if he’s making a move to get the goalie to bite, leaving the puck to glide between the goalie’s legs and into the goal. Additionally, NHL 21 has new “chip” moves that aim to give players more freedom to play with style, skill, and flair.

NHL 21 launches on October 16 for PS4 and Xbox One.