Gadgets-Review

Sony PlayStation 4 Gets a Dedicated Media Player App

For those PlayStation 4 users who always wanted a dedicated media player on their consoles, Sony at its pre-E3 2015 event announced that it would be bringing the functionality on the console starting Monday.

The Media Player app, which is now available to download from the PlayStation Store, is already visible in the PS4's content area before downloading - PS4 owners can click the icon to download the app.

The Japanese tech giant also said that the Media Player would work both with home servers and while using a USB stick plugged into the console. "Your home server will appear as a media option in the player automatically and finding your media is simple and quick. You may also simply enjoy music as background music on your PS4!"added the Sony PlayStation blog post.

The post also mentioned all the file formats and codecs supported by the Media Player app. The app would be compatible with mkv, avi, mp4, and mpeg-2 ts videos, jpeg, bmp and png photos, and with mp3 and aac (m4a) audio.

The Xbox One has had a native media player app for a while, and the move by Sony to introduce on for the PS4 will go a long way to positioning the console as a home entertainment system at the centre of the living room. Scott McCarthy, Director, Product Planning & Software Innovation, SCEA, on the PlayStation Blog echoes the sentiment: "I know the Media Player will be a favorite new feature for PS4 owners who love to use their PS4 as the entertainment centre of their living room."

Google has introduced Google Play prepaid vouchers for the Indian market. The Google Play prepaid vouchers, also known as Google Play Gift Cards elsewhere in the world, can be used to purchase digital content such as apps, games, in-app purchases, and ebooks, apart from rent or buy movies on the Google Play store.

The Google Play prepaid vouchers will be available in three options: Rs. 500, Rs. 1,000, and Rs. 1,500. The company has announced that over the coming weeks prepaid vouchers will be available at select Vijay Sales and Spice Hotspot stores in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Jaipur. Redemption begins from Tuesday however.

The prepaid vouchers or gift cards were introduced in the US back in 2012, and have since seen a slow rollout across the world. Their entry into India is very welcome, as apart from easily gifting friends and family Google Play store credit, users will no longer have to rely on electronic payment to make Google Play purchases or rentals - and can instead use cash at the stores that sell the vouchers.

Announcing the news and detailing how consumers can get a Google Play prepaid voucher, Google India in a blog post said, "Simply ask the cashier at the register for a Google Play prepaid voucher. Pay using cash or any other form of payment accepted by the retail store and receive a redemption code that you can use to purchase digital content on Google Play."

User can redeem the Google Play prepaid voucher by entering the gift card code on play.google.com/redeem page, or on their Android device via the Google Play app, via the Redeem option.

Microsoft played to the hearts of gamers on Monday with word that they will be able to switch on beloved old video games on new-generation Xbox One consoles.

The announcement of long-desired "backward compatibility" for hit video games that typically cost $60 new came at a flashy Xbox One event on the eve of the opening of an Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) extravaganza at the Los Angeles convention center.

Microsoft repeatedly touted "exclusive" blockbuster content, including "Halo 5 Guardians," from in-house teams and early availability of hotly-anticipated video games such as "Rise of the Tomb Raider," set for release late this year by outside studios.

"There has never been a better time to be an Xbox gamer," said Xbox division head Phil Spencer.

"If you have been waiting to move from your Xbox 360 to Xbox One, now is the time."

Sony PlayStation 4 consoles trounced Xbox One after the new generation consoles hit the market in late 2013.

Microsoft since lowered the price and increased the focus on game play, rather than features such as streaming films, and has begun narrowing the sales gap.

The ability of people to re-play previous generation Xbox games that they enjoyed promised to be a hit with gamers who have lamented that upgrading to new hardware, historically, has come with leaving behind old titles that don't work on new consoles.

"Xbox One backward capability allows you to play the games you have already invested in," Spencer said, eliciting raucous cheers from an audience of gamers, partners and the press.

By the year-end holiday season, Xbox One will support play of select Xbox 360 games for no charge. Spencer noted that it was one of the most requested features from fans.

Xbox executive Mike Ybarra promised that more than 100 titles would be available by year's end in a library of games with backward compatibility, crowing that a personal favorite, "Mass Effect," will be among them.

Exclusives and independents
Xbox is investing heavily in new franchises, along with cultivating creative original content from small independent studios. Microsoft studios announced a partnership with famed Japanese game designer Keiji Inafune, Mark Pacini and teams at Comcept and Armature Studio to debut an all-new Xbox One exclusive titled "ReCore."

Independent games in the works included "Beyond Eyes," in which the main character is blind and engages her world using other senses, and a "Cuphead" game with the intentional vintage look of a 1930s era cartoon.

Microsoft played up the work done to harmonize play across Xbox One and computers powered by Windows 10 operating software due for release later this year.

Virtual reality games
The US technology titan also announced a partnership with Valve VR to make Windows 10 a platform for play using virtual reality head gear.

Facebook-owned Oculus last week said that its Rift virtual reality head gear will come with an Xbox controller due to an alliance with console maker Microsoft.

"We believe we will be able to create state-of-the-art virtual reality experiences on the Oculus on top of Windows (computer operating system)," Spencer said at an Oculus media event.

Spencer said that virtual reality "experiences" would be built on top of Windows and that Xbox games will be playable on Rift.

Microsoft used the Xbox One event at E3 to show off a version of popular Minecraft game make for play using the augmented-reality visors, which have yet to hit the market.

Sony was expected to return fire at console rival Microsoft late on Monday, with its own grand presentation of what it has in store for PlayStation 4 and its Project Morpheus virtual reality headgear.

Sony late Monday proclaimed a "new era" of PlayStation gaming complete with big-name games and the dawn of virtual reality on its powerful PlayStation 4 consoles.

The Japanese entertainment titan boasted an array of beloved games for exclusive play on PlayStation 4, along with behind-closed-doors demonstrations of video games tailored to immerse players in fantasy worlds using Sony's Project Morpheus virtual reality head gear.

"I believe we are witnessing an historic evolution in gaming," Sony Computer Entertainment America chief Shawn Layden said as he kicked off a glitzy media event on the eve of the official start of the Electronic Entertainment Expo extravaganza.

As Microsoft did in a grand event earlier, Sony spotlighted exclusive content and early access to some keenly awaited new games in an effort to be the preferred console for die-hard players.

PlayStation is the new home for the blockbuster "Call of Duty" franchise due to an alliance with video game publisher Activision, according to Sony Computer Entertainment president Andrew House.

"This is the start of a new era for PlayStation and this famed franchise," House said.

Sony Studios is also expanding the massive science fiction shooter world of its successful new "Destiny" video game centered on seemingly limitless online play.

(Also see:Sony's E3 2015 Conference: The Last Guardian, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Shenmue 3, and More)

Some 20 million people have played "Destiny" in its first year, and a "Taken King" sequel is on its way, according to Adam Boyes of PlayStation.

Other blockbuster titles promised PlayStation 4 lovers included "Uncharted 4: A Thief's End" due out early next year along with a resurrected Last Guardian, Hitman, Star Wars, and a Final Fantasy Seven remake.

Also teased was a new video "Horizon Zero Day" video game set in a future where cities have died, nature has reclaimed the world, and tribes of people fight robotic foes.

(Also see:Ubisoft's E3 2015 Conference: South Park, Tom Clancy, Assassin's Creed Syndicate, and More)

House boasted that developers were embracing crafting games that give players 360-degree perspectives in worlds visited using Morpheus virtual reality head gear Sony is readying for market.

He showed off a "Rigs" arena battle game and touted others that visitors to the PlayStation booth at E3 will get to play.

"Project Morpheus is real, evolving, and continues to capture the imagination of developers," House said.

"We are committed to bringing the biggest titles and the best experiences to PlayStation."

While Microsoft's E3 2015 conference inevitably focused on adding features to the Xbox One, Sony concentrated on the games. And the results were astounding to say the least. The usual suspects such as procedural space adventure No Man's Sky and Uncharted 4 made the rounds, with the latter rounding off the show with a fairly lengthy chase sequence. But there was plenty of other stuff to talk about, enough to relegate these two anticipated titles to the backseat. Here's a roundup of all the news you can use from Sony's E3 2015 conference.

(Also see:Microsoft's E3 2015 Conference: The Xbox One is Now a PC, HoloLens, and Yes, Games)

1. The Last Guardian makes a triumphant return
This once-shelved PS3 exclusive was re-introduced to a nostalgic audience. The demo showed a boy and his gigantic, silent creature that looks like an adorable cross between a bird and dog, navigate all sorts of platforms by helping each other, complete with a nonsensical language and confounding puzzles. The Last Guardian looked like a soulful experience much like Sony Japan's other critically acclaimed games, such as Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. While it had no fixed release date, The Last Guardian is slated for a 2016 release window.

2. Final Fantasy VII is finally getting remade
The Japanese role-playing game (RPG) that kickstarted the genre on the first PlayStation is getting remade for the PS4 and PC. Though details were scarce, we were treated to a fantastic looking computer generated video that gave us an idea of what to expect as and when the final product hits. Given series creator Square Enix's rocky development cycles with Final Fantasy XV, we wouldn't get our hopes up.

3. Shenmue 3 Kickstarter gets Sony's support
A game must be special for a console maker to call out its Kickstarter campaign in its own press conference, but that's what Sony did for Shenmue 3. Sequel to the Dreamcast classics, Shenmue and Shenmue 2 (which later made it to the original Xbox), this open world RPG will be built in Unreal 4 for the PS4 and PC. With a goal of two million dollars in 31 days, and a mighty push from Sony at its own E3 conference, it just might make it and then some.

4. Third party exclusivity - Street Fighter V, Hitman, Assassin's Creed Syndicate, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3
Sony seems to have opened up its coffers for third-party timed exclusivity. Street Fighter V will have a public beta on the PS4 from July 23 while the next Hitman game will have its public beta on the PS4 as well as have six missions (or contracts as the game calls it) exclusive to the PS4. In addition to this, map packs and online betas for Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 will hit the PS4 first. Meanwhile, Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Syndicate for the PS4 will have exclusive content in the form of missions labelled as Dreadful Crimes.

(Also see:Ubisoft's E3 2015 Conference: South Park, Tom Clancy, Assassin's Creed Syndicate, and More)

5. Horizon: Zero Dawn looks like a sci-fi, post-apocalyptic version of Brave
Prior to E3 2015, several leaks indicated that the studio behind Killzone, Guerrilla Games would be working on an open-world RPG dubbed Horizon. And they were right. Sporting a fresh art style that merges nature and machinery, what with robotic wildlife and weapons that include modified bows and arrows, Horizon: Zero Dawn takes place in a post-apocalyptic era that sees a world reclaimed by nature. The gameplay footage indicates that the studio is perhaps further along than most anticipated although no release date has been announced.

6. Morpheus has multiplayer
If GDC 2015 was the staging ground for Sony's single-player offerings for its Morpheus VR headset, E3 2015 is serving as the stage for its multiplayer endeavours. Rigs is a three on three multiplayer battle game for Morpheus made by Guerrilla Cambridge, the studio responsible for the spectacular Killzone Mercenary on the PS Vita.

"Imagine playing a Morpheus game while four of your friends are inside the same virtual world," said President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Andrew House. Though details were scarce, he dubbed it "e-sports, Morpheus-style."

With Morpheus due next year, it will be interesting to see how Sony pushes the envelope in terms of virtual reality. Due to the PS4's massive install base, getting developers on board should not be a hindrance.

7. Dreams - the oddest title this generation
LittleBigPlanet and Tearaway developer, Media Molecule lifted the lid on its latest endeavour, Dreams. Using the PS4 controller you paint and build your own world. It can be customised easily and resembles a moving painting. Collaboration is a major theme for Dreams, with the game asking you to alter or manipulate the dreams of others to take different shapes or forms ranging from cute to sinister, and everything in between.

Dreams' overriding theme is to "get lost for hours journeying from the imagination of thousands of PS4 users." The trailer was trippy, and if the final game is anywhere close to it, we'll be in for quite the treat.

Along with Electronic Arts, Ubisoft has long been thought of as one of the kingmakers in the console wars. And while it exhibited very few symptoms of picking a side at its own E3 2015 conference, it wasn't without surprises. Here are the ones you need to know about.

1. A new South Park game is incoming
After series creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker said South Park: The Stick of Truth would be their last video game outing, it seems that it did well enough for them to reconsider. And while the developer Obsidian is no longer at the helm, the new game, entitled South Park: The Fractured but Whole will be made by Ubisoft San Francisco. This time around, it drops the high fantasy motif for superheroes - a theme that's ripe for satire. Expect it sometime next year.

2. For Honor has samurais versus knights versus vikings
This violent squad-based brawler is a new IP from Ubisoft. There's an abundance of swordplay and seemingly realistic amount of heft to each swing and motion. You play the role of a warrior who is either a knight, samurai, or viking and there's a fair amount of blood to boot. For Honor has a multiplayer hands-on at E3 but no release date at the moment, and from whatever we've seen, it looks promising.

(Also see:Bethesda's E3 2015 Conference: Fallout 4, Doom, Dishonored 2, and More)

3. Trackmania Turbo and Trials Fusion Awesome Level Max are Ubisoft's attempts at racing
Trackmania Turbo will grace the PS4 and Xbox One and is replete with tracks galore. It exhibits a fantastic sense of speed complete with a slew of cars at your disposal to race in true arcade fashion. Meanwhile, Trials Fusion Awesome Level Max is an expansion pack for the physics-based platform racing game, Trials Fusion that sports gun-toting cats riding fire-breathing unicorns amidst double rainbows. We couldn't believe it ourselves. Trust Ubisoft to inject a substantial amount of whimsy into the racing genre.

4. Tom Clancy's Ubisoft
Games bearing the Tom Clancy moniker put on quite a show for Ubisoft. For starters, online open-world action RPG (with a focus on co-operative gameplay) The Division finally has a release date of March 8, 2016 with a dark video showing off how you can betray your friends in the game. Then, tactical first-person shooter Rainbow Six: Siege showed off Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe-winning actress Angela Bassett as the leader of Team Rainbow, complete with a multiplayer beta from September 24.

(Also see:Microsoft's E3 2015 Conference: The Xbox One is Now a PC, HoloLens, and Yes, Games)

Finally, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands, promises to be an open-world squad-based shooter that pits you against drug cartels and offers a myriad of ways to play. It looked stellar and although it has no release date, it was most definitely the strongest of the three Tom Clancy titles on display. Pity a new Splinter Cell game was missing.

5. Assassin's Creed and Just Dance are still as relevant as ever
The two pillar franchises of Ubisoft made their presence felt. There was a new trailer for Assassin's Creed Syndicate that was a mix of computer generated imagery and in-game footage that had you hijacking stage coaches. For Just Dance 2016, Ubisoft announced that you can play the game even if your console has no camera, thanks to your smartphone. And if you're playing it on the PS4, Xbox One, or Wii U, you can make use of the company's streaming service called Just Dance Unlimited for fresh music to jive to all year long.

One of the world's biggest video game publishers, Electronic Arts (EA) is a regular feature at E3, the world's biggest gaming event. This year its press conference showed off a host of games, some closer to release than others. CEO Andrew Wilson stated that everything on display will be out either this year or the next, making it a rather immediate look of things to come. It's a far cry from most announcements that see games shipping long after. Here is what was important from EA's E3 2015 event.

1. A new Mass Effect game is in the works
This started off the show, a Johnny Cash tune playing while the series' signature futuristic 70s aesthetic was shown off in a cinematic trailer. Bioware, the developer of the series claims you will play a human, male or female, the character you saw in the trailer is not actually you. Along with this, you'll explore a new galaxy named Andromeda, pilot the series' hallmark Mako tank, meet and fight alongside a new team of adventurers too. The trailer looked stunning and the game is expect in holiday 2016.

2. Need for Speed is out November 3
EA showed off a generous amount of pre-alpha footage of the latest entry in its seminal racing franchise. Borrowing extensively from past hits like Need for Speed: Underground, and movies like Fast and the Furious, the next Need for Speed looks like the perfect fuel for street racing dreams. But in a world replete with racers such as Forza Horizon 2, Driveclub, and Project CARS to name a few, is NFS still relevant? Judging by the reaction to what EA showed off, we sure hope so.

3. Unravel is an indie game from EA
Presented by a rather nervous developer, this part of EA's event displayed the more vulnerable side of creators, what with him almost breaking down while explaining a game that is undoubtedly close to his heart. Unravel is a game where you don the role of a creature made of yarn that is unravelled as it brings people closer together. Stellar theme aside, the poignant trailer had fantastic art-direction and showed off a fair chunk of platforming gameplay that looked rather solid. Developed by a 14-person team in Norway, it's surprising that EA picked up the publishing duties for Unravel. Nonetheless, it was quite possibly the star of the show.

4. Star Wars Battlefront is very real and very near
At the end, EA presented PS4 footage of large scale battle from Star Wars Battlefront. Not only did it look suitably epic but it was backed up by some tremendous sound design and effects that rival what the films were capable of. Throw in a fantastic amount of detail in terms of visuals and you have one of the more technically proficient games on the show floor. Pity that it's got no single-player campaign though.

5. Mirror's Edge Catalyst gameplay
The latest in EA's first-person parkour series looked the part what with retaining the same stylised look that made the first game unique. It's an origin story of Faith, the protagonist from Mirror's Edge and how she shines light on a seemingly squeaky clean city's sinister secrets where your personal data is not your own. The fact that it is has no loading screens and a free roaming open world (perhaps inspired by Dying Light?) piqued our interest in Catalyst. Throw in a lack of gunplay, with a focus on melee and free-running, and we have a title we are looking forward to on February 23, 2016.

6. Never say "let's talk mobile" at a core gaming conference
The audience at EA's event were in for a shock as the company spent a fair bit of time discussing its mobile games. Mostly its tie up with Despicable Me creators Illumination Entertainment for a game entitled Minions Paradise, which seemed like The Sims skinned with minions from the Despicable Me movies. Odd choice of things to present given that E3 is known for its focus on PC and console games rather than mobile.

7. Let's talk about sports
While we yearn for the day EA decides to grace us with a cricket game based on the World Cup or IPL, we had to make do with the ramblings of football legend Pelé. Not only was what he said incomprehensible, it just served to take away time from FIFA 16 which has a host of new features such as no touch dribbling, on screen controls to help newcomers, and female players.

(Also see:It Only Took 22 Years but FIFA Will Finally Have Women Players in FIFA 16)

E3 2015's second big press conference saw Microsoft take the stage with a slew of announcements. Some of the biggest surprises had very little to do with the actual games themselves. Most of it had to do with the Xbox One gaining features that would put it on par with the PC, such as early access gaming, mod support, and well, backward compatibility with Xbox 360 games. And while there was a lot that the Redmond-based company managed to cram into an hour and a half, here's some of the most important announcements.

1. You can play Xbox 360 games on the Xbox One

Yes, the fine folks at Microsoft have brought this much requested feature to the Xbox One.

"The games you have invested your time and money in will be able to be played natively on your Xbox One," head of Xbox Phil Spencer said.

You'll need to have the original disc, put it in the disc drive, and download the digital edition to the Xbox One. No clarity on which regions are supported for specific consoles since a fair few Xbox 360 games were region-locked. The plan is to have 100 games supported by this holiday. Games include Mass Effect, Kameo, and Perfect Dark to begin with. You can take screenshots and videos of these as well. A welcome move from Microsoft that will ensure Xbox 360 owners carry over to the Xbox One.

2. Valve VR tying up with Microsoft

In what seemed to be a last minute deal, Microsoft Game Studios boss Kudo Tsunoda announced that the company had inked a deal with Steam VR. While the exact details are unknown, and though it's confusing considering that the company just announced its alliance with Oculus VR, the potential of such a tie-up is immense. Even more so when you consider that the Xbox One will be mimicking one of Steam's biggest features. Which brings us to the next point.

3. Xbox One borrows from Steam

In an attempt to stand toe to toe with the PC behemoth that is Steam, Microsoft announced Xbox Game Preview. It's similar to Steam's Early Access program in the sense that you can pay to play games prior to their full retail release. And while Steam forces you to pay before trying them out, with Xbox Game Preview you can try before you buy. The Long Dark and Elite Dangerous (pictured below) are two games that will hit Xbox Game Preview today.

4. The Xbox One is the first console to support PC modifications

Modifications or mods as they're known are the mainstay for many a PC gamer looking to extend the life of their games. Todd Howard from Bethesda was on stage to explain that Fallout 4 will be the first game to support mods created on PC to be imported to the Xbox One. Few details were given as to how this would work but it's a step in the right direction to make console owners not seem like second-rate citizens when playing vast open-world adventures that thrive on community support like most of Bethesda's output.

(Also see:Bethesda's E3 2015 Conference: Fallout 4, Doom, Dishonored 2, and More)

5. HoloLens and Minecraft

When Microsoft debuted HoloLens at its Windows event earlier this year we were curious to see what the implications for gaming would be. And today they showed us what was possible with the HoloLens edition of Minecraft. Through voice and gaze you're able to control developer Mojang's pixellated world with consummate ease, turning your role into that of a god rather than a survivor what with the ability to hurl lightning bolts and view every level of detail within the game world. And while the tech still has a way to go before it's commercially feasible we can't help but hope that it happens sooner rather than later.

6. Yes, there were games as well

Halo 5: Guardians, Forza 6, Fable Legends, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Gears of War Ultimate Edition, and a host of indie games made their presence felt but the existence of most, if not all of these games were known for awhile, either leaked or announced prior. Gears of War 4 was finally unveiled for a Winter 2016 release complete with a stunning demo featuring dark environments and interesting enemies, but barring that it felt like business as usual. With Xbox chief Phil Spencer tom-toming that the this year's games lineup is the "best in the history of Xbox" for yet another year, we think he's due for another catchphrase.

7. EA and Ubisoft proved unlikely allies

EA's Peter Moore was on stage to announce the company's EA Access program being made free to Xbox One Gold subscribers this week and that Titanfall as well as Dragon Age: Inquisition was coming to it. He also unveiled Plants Versus Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 as well. Ubisoft on the other hand, waxed eloquent with Rainbow Six Siege that will see the Xbox 360 games in the series come free for those who buy the game on Xbox One, and that Tom Clancy's The Division, will have its beta on the Xbox One first, much like how Activision tied up with Sony last year to bring Destiny's first public trials to the PS4.

8. A new Xbox One controller

Microsoft had just announced that the Xbox One controller was getting a 3.5mm jack to allow you to use headphones of your choice. At its press conference it showed off "an elite controller for the elite gamer." And by that the company meant an Xbox One controller with remappable buttons, swappable components, trigger locks, and customisable sensitivity. Dubbed the Xbox One Elite Wireless Controller (pictured above), it will be out this fall for $150 (approximately Rs. 9,600).

Indie first-person shooter Lovely Planet was one of the quirkier games to hit the PC last year and it has now become the first game developed by an Indian to make it to the Wii U and Xbox One.

Though the game logo with its title in Japanese might not suggest an Indian connection, the game's Delhi-based developer Vidhvat Madan said at the time it was so to go with the Lovely Planet's crazy, abstract vibe wherein not everything is supposed to make complete sense.

The publishing duties will be handled by tinyBuild (who published it on PC last year as well), and Lovely Planet's scheduled to hit the Wii U in December. Though the Xbox One version was announced to hit Microsoft's black box in summer, there's no sign of it on the Xbox One Store just yet.

Sporting trippy visuals and gameplay in-line with twitchy shooters like Quake and Doom, Lovely Planet was a revelation of sorts when it the PC last year. A release on consoles is welcome. Even more so on the Wii U considering that Nintendo is offering a special E3 2015 promotion on it.

"For a limited time only, the Nindies@Home programme lets people download free preview versions of nine Nindie games from Nintendo eShop for Wii U from now until 23:59 local time on 22nd June 2015," a press release from Nintendo reads. "Best of all, once the full games launch, players of the Nindies@Home preview versions can save 15 percent on the price of each respective full version for one month after their release."

It's amazing how the massively online battle arena (MOBA) genre is one of the most popular on PC. Reason being, the learning curve and the tutorials aren't usually the greatest, making accessibility a glaring concern unless you have a bunch of friends helping you out. It's something Valve, the company behind Dota 2 (short for Defense of the Ancients 2) has realised, and has proceeded to overhaul the game in a huge way.

"Many of you told us that while our existing tutorials were good for teaching Dota's mechanics, they weren't great at helping new players understand why Dota is awesome. So we've built a new system of Guided Bot Matches, which allows a new player to jump right in and experience a full Dota game, all the while receiving guidance from an AI director," reads Dota 2 Reborn, a new site launched by Valve to explain its changes.

This is not all. At the same time, the company has overhauled the entire UI in an attempt to make it more streamlined. But perhaps the biggest draw is that the game now apparently runs on Valve's Source 2 engine.

"Today we are announcing the Dota 2 Reborn beta, which brings with it a new interface, new engine, and Custom Games. Everything in the dashboard has been redesigned utilizing a new UI framework and the engine that powers the game has been fully replaced," a post on Valve's Dota 2 blog reads.

The open beta has not yet been released, and Valve elaborates, "Early next week we'll be talking about Custom Games, and later that week we'll conclude with various details about the new engine and launch the open beta."

With League of Legends and Heroes of the Storm nipping at its heels, these additions to Dota 2 could not have come at a better time. Are these changes enough to get you to play Dota 2? Let us know in the comments.

At the Nintendo World Championships - a Nintendo-promoted video game competition - the Japanese gaming giant announced that owners of its Wii U home console will be able to download the classic EarthBound Beginnings game via its Virtual Console section of the Nintendo eShop, the console's digital marketplace.

Costing $6.99 (around Rs. 450), it's a steal for many a Nintendo fan looking to experience one of the more solid roleplaying games of its time more than two decades ago. And it's the first time it has had an official release in any form and shape outside Japan.

It's a highly acclaimed role-playing game set in a somewhat modern era (for its time in the late 1980s). The game released in Japan for the Nintendo Famicom with the title, Mother. This was in 1989. In 2003, it was released for the Game Boy Advance as a part of a compilation dubbed as Mother 1+2. The sequel, Earthbound saw a release on the Wii U via the US Virtual Console service in 2013. Both games are highly sought after by collectors the world over.

While the Wii U has failed to match the success of its predecessor, that's not stopped Nintendo from supporting it with a wealth of great titles. From first-party hits like Mario Kart 8 to funding the development of more mature fair like Bayonetta 2, it's a console that has something for everyone, even if you're not a dyed-in-wool Nintendo fan. It's Virtual Console storefront on the Nintendo eShop has been a godsend for many a retro fan looking to get their fix of old school games in a legitimate fashion, including games from bygone consoles like the MSX and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).

The biggest video game event of the year, E3 was off to a rousing start. Bethesda, the company behind franchises such as Doom, Wolfenstein, and Fallout hosted its first E3 press conference and it was solid.

Over the years, most E3 events have devolved from showcasing gameplay footage and release dates to simply showing off pre-rendered, computer generated trailers that have no resemblance to the final product. Today, we were treated to a slew of fantastic looking games in close to final form. Here were the top announcements from Bethesda's maiden E3 event.

1. Fallout 4 has a release date

November 10, 2015 is when you'll be able to get your hands on Fallout 4. The company showed off gameplay footage that looked a tad better than what we saws in the reveal trailer a few weeks earlier. In addition to this, some welcome additions like base building, dynamic dialogues, and an easy to use character customisation feature promise to make this the biggest and possibly best game in the series. There was a mention of "brahmin caravans" implying that the franchise's two-headed radioactive cows are making a comeback. Wether this would impact the India release of the game is yet to be ascertained.

2. The new Doom is real and it looks gorgeous

After teasing us with a three second video weeks prior, the Bethesda-owned Id Software finally lifted the lid on the new Doom game. Simply called "Doom" you'll be squaring off against the hordes of hell with some classic weapons ranging from double-barrel shotguns to super weapons like the BFG (short for big friggin' gun). The gameplay footage presented a sense of pace that's quicker and more twitchier than we're used to from most modern day first-person shooters, making this a throwback to the early days of PC gaming. A welcome change. While no concrete release date was unveiled, there was a release window. Spring 2016 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Id also showed off Doom Snapcam, an easy to use level editor to make and share custom maps with friends as well as multiplayer mode for Doom.

3. Dishonored 2 and Dishonored Definitive Edition

One of the industry's worst kept secrets finally revealed itself when Arkane Studios' Harvey Smith and Raphael Colantonio were up on stage. The next entry in the Dishonored series, aptly named Dishonored 2 will be out in 2016. Much like its predecessor it's a first-person stealth game with the option to play it violently or otherwise. Like everything else, there was an in-game trailer that showed off slick magic and weaponry as well as the ability to play as Emily Kaldwin, as well as the last game's protagonist, Corvo. Sporting the oil painting art style reminiscent of the first game, it was a treat for the eyes. And if you weren't up to speed on the series, the duo announced Dishonored Definitive edition - an HD remaster of the first game with all its downloadable content for the PS4 and Xbox One out later this year.

4. Bethesda begins to take mobile seriously

The company also lifted the lid on two mobile games. The Elder Scrolls Legends is a card game that's in a similar vein to Blizzard's monster hit, Hearthstone. With no release date just yet, it's expected later this year on PC and iPad. Details were sketchy but the title appears to bring elements from previous and present The Elder Scrolls titles, such as Morrowind, Skyrim, and Oblivion. Available today on iPad is Fallout Shelter, a management game based on the post-apocalyptic series that has you taking care of a vault- a settlement of survivors from a nuclear blast, and growing it. It seemed reminiscent to XCOM in the way base management is handled. While it sports in-app purchases, at no point in the game will your progress be stifled because of it and there's no requirement to be always online either.

5. Battlecry and The Elder Scrolls Online Tamriel Unlimited

In addition to these were a global beta announcement for the melee industrial revolution themed third person action game, Battlecry which you can sign up for here and new cities to The Elder Scrolls Online Tamriel Unlimited. While both aren't exactly popular in India thanks to bandwidth constraints, they're available to try out if you're one of the rare few with a fast enough internet connection. Keep in mind that while Battlecry is currently free (as it is in beta), The Elder Scrolls Online Tamriel Unlimited sports a Rs. 4,299 price point with no monthly subscription charges.

Disney is currently offering a bunch of video games free of cost for the Windows Phone platform until June 17. The games being offered for free include Where's My Water?, Where's My Perry?, Where's My Water? Featuring XYY, Where's My Mickey?, Temple Run: Oz, Temple Run: Brave, Disney Solitaire, Lost Light, and Disney Checkout Challenge.

"Continuing our tradition of rewarding loyal Lumia owners, Microsoft and Disney are giving away an exciting range of games worth more than $17 (or the equivalent value in local currency) through June 17," says Microsoft's Lumia Conversation blog post. The list of games featured in the promotional offer include titles from different genres such as puzzles, adventure, and arcade.

Where's My Perry, which also is the costliest game in the list, lets users solve physics-based puzzles by completing missions. Where's My Water?, Where's My Water? Featuring XYY and Where's My Mickey? follow the same gameplay style but with different levels and challenges. In Temple Run: Oz users can run as both Oz and China Girl earning in-game coins, which in-turn will unlock more achievements in the video game. Temple Run: Brave is also based on the similar gameplay design.

Disney Solitaire, as the name suggests will let users play 120 levels of Solitaire game based on adventures of Peter Pan and The Lion King. While the Lost Light is a puzzle adventure video game where users manoeuvre through forests and help animals, the Disney Checkout Challenge is a fast-paced game title where users have to grab certain grocery items and checkout as quickly as possible.

Microsoft a week before also announced that until November 30, any user who buys a Lumia device would receive a gift pack from Gameloft worth $90.

Launched early in 2014, and almost immediately cloned as 1024 and 2048 - both of which ended up being more famous than the original - Threes! is a game that's also a work of art, and the only reason it was overshadowed by its clones was because unlike them, it was not a free game.

(Also see:A Game of Clones: Mobile Games Will Be Cloned and There's Nothing You Can Do About It)

That however is a thing of the past. Well at least on iOS for now. The game is now available for free with ad-support for iPhone and iPad users. Until yesterday, the cheapest you could get it for was Rs. 120 on Android and iOS.

The game has been highly praised for its minimal aesthetic and easy to play mechanics. It's a pity that a very small charge kept people away from one of the most well-crafted games in recent times, but if you've not experienced this game till now, then we urge you to take the plunge just to see how carefully every little detail was made in this game. It's a beautiful little numbers game, and well worth your time. We've been playing it for months now and it was one of our favourite mobile apps and games of last year.

And if mobile games aren't your thing and if you don't mind paying, a port for the Xbox One was also launched last year.

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