Need For Speed Rivals Announced For Next/Current Gen

Hot off the heels of the Xbox One announcement, Electronic Arts has revealed the latest entry in their long running racing franchise, Need For Speed: Rivals. The game is destined for next generation platforms, like the PS4 and Xbox One, as well as current gen machines.  Developed by Critereon Games (of 2010 Need For Speed and the Burnout Franchise) will be handling development duties targeting a November 19th release for the current generation consoles and “later this year” for next-gen.

Need For Speed: Rivals is powered by D.I.C.E’s impressive Frostbite 3.0 engine, which has allowed Critereon to craft a visually impressive game, complete with roadworthy physics. New to the series is a feature known as “alldrive”, which allows users to join and drop from friend’s game worlds instantly. The developers have already stated there will be differences between the current generation and next-gen versions in terms of alldrive, including the number of simotanous players, with more details expected to be released at E3.

We’ve got a small gallery of screenshots featuring several famous automobiles like Ferrari, Austin Martin and Porsh, as well as a trailer, after the jump. (more…)

The Next Xbox Is ‘Xbox One’

Microsoft has revealed the next generation Xbox, now known as Xbox One, clearly Redmond means business because they are coming out with the bat swinging. Not only did we see the console, controller and dashboard within the first six minutes of the presentation but the console maker also featured the ability to watch television instantly.

Xbox One’s theme appears to be “instant”, giving the user the ability to switch between the dashboard, live television, movies and internet search with just a few words. The console’s user interface is rather familiar, looking strikingly similar to the Metro style featured in the Windows 8 and Xbox 360 experiences. According the PR spin they want to make sure that the Xbox is the hub for everything we do.. Hasn’t this always been the target of the Xbox brand?

Check out the first screenshots of the hardware, user interface and controller after the jump. We’ll bring you more as it develops. (more…)

Mobile Matters: Why Broken Joysticks Will Soon Review Free-To-Play Games

Things have been a little quiet here at Broken Joysticks, and my level of activity has decreased significantly the last few weeks, at least publicly. We’re working on some really exciting stuff, which we’ll be announcing to readers soon, and one of these initiatives is the forthcoming category of Free to Play games here at Broken Joysticks. Before you run to grab your pitchforks and torches to brand Broken Joysticks as a casual site, hear me out. (more…)

New Batman Arkham Origins Screens Released

Warner Bros Interactive, publisher of the upcoming Batman: Arkham Origins have released a collection of five brand new screenshots. These new stills give us a glimpse into the world that Warner Bros Montreal is crafting using resources from the original developers Rock Steady.

Gotham swat teams pose for action in a smokey alleyway as the Dark Knight watches from the mist in one screenshot. In another, we see Batman about to square off against the mercenary known as DeathStroke. These screenshots convey a lot of emotion and tension. Make sure to check them all out after the jump.

Batman Arkham Origins will be released for the Nintendo WiiU, PS3 and Xbox 360 this fall.  (more…)

May The 4th Be With You: BattleFront III Livestream

Celebrate Star Wars Day with over an hour of footage from the defunct Star Wars: Battlefront III. Twitch TV channel, Past to Present (P to P) decided to celebrate the popular sci-fi staple by live streaming over an hour of new content from a pre-alpha build of the cancelled combat game. What a better way to celebrate a storied franchise than to get an in-depth glimpse into of the most requested Star Wars titles ever.

Originally developed by the now closed Free Radical Studioes, Battlefront III was a current generation combat game set in the Star Wars Universe. The first two titles allowed players to battle it out using the series’ famous vehicles, weapons and combat roles, as well as play as fan favorites like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Bobba Fett. Battlefront III was slated to allow PS3/Xbox players to begin their battles in space, above key planets, and seamlessly travel to land battles on the planets surface. Call it ambitious, but the whole thing sounds awesome.

Given the more recent closure of Lucas Arts and the cancellation of Star Wars 1313, it is nice to get such a long look at such an ill-fated project as Battlefront III. Their stream ended about an hour prior to the writing of this article, so we’ve embedded it after the jump. (more…)

Get Ready To Clash! Atlus’ Zeno Clash II Now Available

First person punching action is the name of the game in Atlus’ Zeno Clash II for Steam (PC), Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The publisher announced via press release yesterday that the game is now available on Valve’s digital distribution platform for $19.99, or $29.99 if you are the adventurous type and want to splurge on the special edition. The extra $10 nets you a digital art book and soundtrack featuring concept art and assets from the game

Just like the first game Zeno Clash II focus’ on first person pace punching action combined with RPG statistics. The game continues the story of Ghat, four years after the events of the original, he must join former nemesis Rimat to stop hordes of angry denizens from realizing their plans. Game play improvements include precise melee targeting, a new lock on system and new locals using the Unreal III engine.

For more information head on over to the game’s Steam page.

Activision Confirms Call of Duty Ghosts, Due Out This November

Activision has confirmed Call of Duty: Ghosts will be ready to deploy on multiple consoles on November 5^th. The publisher also confirmed that the game would be coming to both Sony and Microsoft’s next generation consoles, although these versions do not yet have a confirmed release date. Aside from confirmation of target platforms, Activision also released the game’s box art and a brief promotional trailer.

This might be our chance to throw out any conceptions we’ve had about this generation’s Call of Duty games, with the announcement of a brand new game engine and new characters, setting. As Activision CEO Eric Hirsgberg points out, everyone expected the publisher to release Modern Warnfare 4, but rather than playing it safe they’ve decided to shake things up a bit. (more…)

Voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, Will Not Return In Arkam Origins

Fans of Kevin Conroy, the voice of Batman – since the 1990s animated series, will be disappointed that he will not be reprising his role as The Dark Knight in the latest game, Batman: Arkham Origins.  This report originates from South African magazine NAG, which claims that “[Warner Bros. wants] to use a new younger actor because the game features Batman in his early years”.

Batman: Arkham Origins was unveiled earlier this month and tells the story of the early days of the caped crusader, capturing his first interactions with some of his most famous rivals. Development of Origins is underway at WB’s internal Montreal studio, as opposed to RockSteady Games, which developed both Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City.

Kevin Conroy’s career as Batman began with 1992’s Batman: The Animated Series and continued for two decades with roles in several direct to DVD films, including the excellent series of Batman themed short stories Gotham Knight. His non-Batman related credits include roles in Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne and a spot on The Venture Bros.

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Call of Duty: Ghosts Spotted In Multiple Retail Advertisements

Call of Duty Ghosts seemed to vanish from the rumor mill for the last few weeks, but all of that has changed with multiple retailers mentioning the game in new advertisements. Both the U.S based Target and U.K based Tesmo featured the game predominately in their latest fliers. We’ve learned that the game could be released on November 5th with a suggested retail price of $59.99.

Supposedly Call of Duty Ghosts will take place in a near future society that is forced to use modern weapons due to some kind of catastrophe. Apparently the game may also make modifications to player movement and cover mechanics, allowing players to blind fire from behind cover for example.

None of this is official but as soon as we know more, we will let you know. Traditionally annual Call of Duty offerings are revealed during the month of May, so our first glimpse at the game can’t be too far away.

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Ubisoft Announces Closed Beta for Anno Online

Players have been able to world breathtaking worlds in Ubisoft’s Anno franchise for a number of years and now the publisher is targeting a wider audience with the launch of the closed beta for Anno Online. Now anyone with an internet connection will be able to jump into the strategy action as long as they have a working internet connection and a modern web browser.

Anno Online is based off of Anno 1404, allowing players to experience build and develop medieval cities using a highly detailed economic simulation. Starting out with just two building, a warehouse and harbor, players can trade with others using ships. These trade routes are key to success and comprise the social componet of the game. As your cities build and flurish new inhabitants will move on in and you’ll need to unlock new buildings and capture new islands, to help your community thrive.

Check out the official website to sign up for the closed beta or watch the game’s new trailer after the jump.

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