GHOST RECON is back with a new open-world game. Ghost Recon: Breakpoint flips the world of 2017's Wildlands on its head and throws you and your squad of special operations buddies not into a battle with drug lords, but into a battle for survival. The setting behind enemy lines sets up that battle and "brings the immersion back" to the series, according to senior developer Sébastien Le Prestre, talking to Sun Online as the game was revealed. You'll need to deal with semi-permanent injuries -- a sprained ankle will slow you down, a splinted arm will mess with your aim -- as you use all your character's special operations training just to survive. The game also has some spec ops support of its own, with former US Army Special Forces Sergeant Emil Daubon on the writing staff. HIGH TECH HELL Sent to the Pacific Island HQ of an Elon Musk style billionaire with shady motives and slick PR after something goes wrong with his 'benevolent' drone programme, things go rapidly awry and you need … [Read more...] about Ghost Recon: Breakpoint flips the script of the spec ops fantasy
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US Senator seeks to stop loot boxes in video games
A US senator wants to ban loot boxes in video games directed at children, claiming they can promote addiction. On Wednesday, Senator Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) said he plans on introducing legislation cracking down on loot boxes and other "pay-to-win" mechanics, such as microtransactions that can unlock new content. His goal is to bar video game makers from ever using the practices on minors under the age of 18 "When a game is designed for kids, game developers shouldn't be allowed to monetize addiction," he said in a statement. "And when kids play games designed for adults, they should be walled off from compulsive microtransactions. Game developers who knowingly exploit children should face legal consequences." More From PCmag First Look at Google's Custom Game Controller for Stadia Hands On With Google's Nest Hub Max Smart Display Double Trouble Creatives in the PCMag Startup Spotlight Microsoft Teases Advanced Speech Tech, But It's Not for Everyone Hawley … [Read more...] about US Senator seeks to stop loot boxes in video games
Oculus Quest Review
VR gaming has largely been a difficult space to navigate from a consumer perspective. PC-based platforms require a decent rig, the room to prop up external sensors, and the willingness to deal with wires--not to mention the high cost of entry. As vast as VR worlds can be, the setup requirements have been somewhat restricting. Oculus Quest forgoes all of that by delivering a standalone VR gaming platform with the features we've come to expect from the high-end. It's not perfect, but Quest is an example of the ideal VR experience.Quest offers a whole lot more than its cheaper, entry-level counterpart, the Oculus Go. With Quest, you get six degrees of freedom (6DOF) for positional tracking thanks to the headset's four inside-out sensors--formally called Oculus Insight. This translates to roomscale capability without external sensors. In many ways, it's an improvement over the requirements of beefier PC-based headsets which rely on base station sensors (save for the upcoming Rift S) since … [Read more...] about Oculus Quest Review
Microsoft Solitaire inducted into video game Hall of Fame
The Video Game Hall of Fame today inducted a familiar computer game: "Microsoft Solitaire." The game joins "Mortal Kombat," "Super Mario Kart," and the text-based title "Colossal Cave Adventure" as the latest inductees to The Strong's World Video Game Hall of Fame. Modern gamers may snooze at the thought of playing solitaire. But for old-school PC users, Microsoft Solitaire was a go-to game in the 1990s when free-to-play software was sparse. Solitaire's easy-to-learn mechanics also helped pave the way for the casual gaming market, according to The Strong's National Museum of Play. "The game proved that sometimes analog games can be even more popular in the digital world and demonstrated that a market existed for games that appeal to people of all types," said The Strong's assistant vice president Jeremy Saucier. More From PCmag Latest Amazon Echo Dot Smart Speaker Is Just $30 Right Now Facebook's New Avatars Get Closer to the VR in 'Ready Player One' Give Google's AI a … [Read more...] about Microsoft Solitaire inducted into video game Hall of Fame
Xbox Games with Gold May 2019 – Xbox One and Xbox 360 titles for download this month
XBOX Games with Gold is getting new games this month and Microsoft has just announced what you could be playing. The May 2019 selection doesn't include that many blockbuster games but Xbox Live Gold subscribers still won't be stuck for choice. What are May's Games with Gold? This month, you'll be able to download Marooners for the whole month. The Golf Club 2 will be available from May 16 until June 15. You can play Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon from May 1 until May 15. And, Comic Jumper will be available from May 16 to May 31. All of the Xbox 360 offerings will be available to download and play on Xbox One. What were April's Games with Gold? In April this year you could play Technomancer for the whole month. Outcast Second Contact was available from April 16 to May 15. Sat Wars: Battlefront was free to play from April 1-15. And, you could play Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 from April 16-30. What were March's Games with Gold? In March you could download … [Read more...] about Xbox Games with Gold May 2019 – Xbox One and Xbox 360 titles for download this month