Mortal Kombat 11

Despite how motion capture is utilized when quicker attacks start flying, there’s no denying how good the overall animation work is here. Facial expressions are on point throughout, comparing favorably to Injustice 2. Even in terms of attack animations, seeing each character’s unique stances and abilities flowing into one another, creating a gorgeous rhythm during fights is mesmerizing. That’s even with some of the more exaggerated actions taking place with Fatal Blows and Fatalities.

The Inpatient

From the same developer of Until Dawn, The Inpatient looking great seemed to be expected. However, as a PlayStation VR title, it goes even further with its tout facial details, atmospherics and lighting. The textures are also impeccable though this should be considered within the context of the PS VR’s power. It may not be the best looking PS4 game but The Inpatient certainly stands out in the VR space.

To learn more about the game and its development, Gamingbolt spoke to Creative Director Brian Hayes who answered the following questions.

" Frostbite is a great engine and we’re always looking at that technology, but we feel like with UFC 3 we were able to portray class-leading fighter likenesses and deliver entirely new striking mechanics with the engine we already had in place."

EA Sports UFC releases in two year intervals as opposed to FIFA or Madden which release yearly. How does this release schedule benefit development?

Even though we’re not an annual game, we still strive to get a lot of work done in a fairly short window of time. For instance, our complete overhaul of striking and implementation of RPM Tech was an ambitious project, and quality would have likely suffered if we had to complete that in seven or eight months. There’s always more we want to do and we always wish we had more time, but the team did a lot of top-quality work and we’re proud of the finished product.

Conor McGregor was the cover fighter for EA Sports UFC 2. What prompted utilizing him again for EA Sports UFC 3? 

Conor is most instantly recognizable face in MMA right now, and everyone has an opinion on him whether you love him or hate him. He also embodies what we are doing in the new GOAT Career mode, as not only is he one of the absolute best inside the Octagon, he knows how to hype up a fight and get fans excited outside of the Octagon too.

While other EA Sports titles are running on Frostbite, EA Sports UFC 3 is one of the few to remain on Ignite. What benefits do you believe this offers in comparison? Have there been plans to shift to Frostbite at any point?

Frostbite is a great engine and we’re always looking at that technology, but we feel like with UFC 3 we were able to portray class-leading fighter likenesses and deliver entirely new striking mechanics with the engine we already had in place. We weighed our options when we started development and are very happy with the choices we made.

"When we introduced RPM Tech, that allowed us to do a lot to replicate the various fighter styles and techniques around the UFC. We worked with the motion capture team to make sure we captured as many possible variation of movement, strikes, takedowns, transitions and more so the game would look and feel like the real thing."

What steps have you taken to accurately capture and portray each fighter? 

When we introduced RPM Tech, that allowed us to do a lot to replicate the various fighter styles and techniques around the UFC. We worked with the motion capture team to make sure we captured as many possible variation of movement, strikes, takedowns, transitions and more so the game would look and feel like the real thing. Our animators also did a great job putting everything together, so fights look real and moves are pulled off in the correct way. We’re always trying to improve, however I’m really happy with what we brought to the table in UFC 3.

Concerning the matchmaking in Ultimate Team mode, how effective is the game at taking various fighter attributes, moves, perks, etc. into account as the game becomes older? Will there truly be a 100 percent balanced solution at all times? 

Whenever a player searches for a fight the game accounts for a number of factors before matching you up. Player skill, player location, tier of fighter, equipped items, and many more calculations are happening under the hood to create the most fair and fun fights possible. Our first goal is to make sure we’re doing everything we can to make the game fun for our players.

With fighting games on PC seeing greater popularity over the years, do you think that EA Sports UFC 3 will ever come to that platform as well?

I don’t have anything to share on new platforms right now, I’ll just say that we’re always looking at what our players want and where they want to play our games and making the call from there.

The market is full of exceptional fighers. Mortal Kombat XL, Injustice 2, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Tekken 7, BlazBlue…you name it and the market has it. But in terms of realism, there is nothing that comes close to EA Sports UFC 3. For those who are unware, UFC is a mixed martial arts fighting game that places heavy emphasis on eye-body coordination, and the physics of how two clashing bodies react on the stage.

Buliding on 2016’s EA Sports UFC 2, UFC 3 improves in just about every gameplay mechanic whether it be knockdowns and knockouts, (which by the way look incredibly realistic) or the ground transitions along with fluid and responsive animations. Every blow has its impact which could result into a swollen face, blood getting dropped on stage as the opposing fighter wallops you right in the mouth or a fighter feeling completely exhausted after a long drawn fight. The beautiful thing about all of this is that none of it feels scripted. Every action you do on the fighting stage will result into different effects. Hit your opposing player on any part of the body, that particular spot will be bruised. It all flows nicely into the gameplay and doesn’t seem like a forced injury or artifical in anyway.

As was the case with UFC 2, the presentation in UFC 3 is top notch. There are over 200 fighers in the game and each of them have been modeled accurately right down to the tee. Their respective entries, the background score, the announcer going crazy on the stage and the almost perfect commentary sets the stage for some awesome and bloody fighting on the UFC stage.

And the on-stage action looks even better thanks to the added power of the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X. For starters both versions feature two graphics options. One is the Performance mode that prirotizes better frame rates up to 60fps and secondly, the Resolution mode which allows better image quality on 4K TV sets. Both versions run very close to 4K resolution and in Performance mode we see almost locked frame rates of 60. This is kind of expected given that there isn’t much going in terms of GPU effects like particles, environmental interaction and destruction (seen in games like Tekken 7).

There are also some minor differences in terms of how ambient occlusion is implemented on the Xbox One X. It seems to be more pronounced on Microsoft’s machine. 1080p TV owners can also enjoy supersampling when running the game in Resolution mode making on the screen image quality sharper.

So overall, UFC 3 is a realistic looking game with top notch presentation, fluid animations and complex gameplay. It might very well be 2018’s best fighers, right up there with Dragon Ball FighterZ in terms of skilled fighting and the number of modes it offers. Whether you are playing on the PlayStation 4 Pro or on Xbox One X, you are guaranteed to have a fantastic experience.

Sony’s reign of chart-topping titles can’t be stopped. The latest UK sales data from Chart-Track states that Shadow of the Colossus on PS4 has debuted at number 1 in the region. It beat Monster Hunter World which dropped to third place. Shadow of the Colossus on PS4 also saw launch week sales that were 73 percent higher than the PS2 version which released in 2007. Since Chart-Track only accounts for physical sales and not digital, overall units sold will be higher.

In other news, EA Sports UFC 3 maintained its place in second while FIFA 18 stayed in fourth place. Grand Theft Auto 5 also remained in fifth place followed by Call of Duty: WW2 which dropped to sixth place from third. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Mario Odyssey maintained their positions at seventh and eighth respectively while Assassin’s Creed Origins rose from 15th to ninth place.

Perhaps an even bigger surprise is The Evil Within 2 which suddenly came up to tenth place despite not being in the top 40 for the previous week. What are your thoughts on success of Shadow of the Colossus PS4? Let us know in the comments.

GENERAL TIPS AND TRICKS

Learn how ground game works

To get good at this game, you need to learn how to safely transition into another position when you’re on the ground. It also means learning to deny transitions when your opponent is on the ground. When you’re on the ground, your grapple HUD will display what positions you can transition to. You just need to select the position you want and then wait for the transition meter to fill up so as to get into a new position. 

On the other hand, you can also deny your opponent’s transition attempts by holding the R2 or Right Trigger Button and matching the same direction your opponent is attempting to transition into. Additionally, in certain positions you can also just attack the opponent to disrupt a transition. 

Combat when standing up

When standing up, you can target different body parts of the opponents to strike. Each strike costs stamina and the lower your stamina, the less damage you deal and the more damage you’re dealt. Each different body part has its own health meter which drains as they take repeated hits. If a particular body part is damaged enough, it leaves the fighter open to knockout, knockdown, and stun. 

Always pay attention to your opponent’s attack patterns and strike back accordingly. You have to be very careful about using your attacks and not wasting stamina since missing a strike will cause you to lose more stamina. 

Strike cancelling 

In case you already initiated a strike that you know is going to cost you dearly, you can quickly choose to cancel the strike by holding the high block. This can also be used to fake attacks so as to confuse the opponent. If you know that a particular attack is going to be blocked or counter, make sure you cancel the strike using this method as it can suddenly give you an upper hand. 

Stopping power

If you land a strike at any point when your opponent is also about to strike you, this new feature known as stopping power kicks in. This basically reduces the damage you take from a particular attack and it may even end up stopping the opponent’s strike completely. It’s a great way to counter certain attacks thrown at you by the opponent, so make good use of it!

SINGLE PLAYER CHALLENGES

One of the best ways to get better at this game is to participate in the single-player challenges that are available. These are unique scenarios that test different aspects of your skills such as defense, offense, combos, etc. Challenges  can range from having to land a particular kind of attack a number of times, or not getting hit too many times. Each challenge also has multiple difficulty modes including Normal, Hard, and Insane difficulty settings, so it’s a great way to train yourself in those parts of fighting that you want to get better at. 

FULL COMBO LIST

You can  find below the full list of combos. Default Combos refer to those combos  that are common to all fighters. Certain combos however require a fighter to be trained in a particular discipline. The fighter’s proficiency in a particular discipline determines the level of  combos the fighter has access to. Read on to find any combo you’re looking for within any discipline. 

DEFAULT COMBOS

2 Punch

• 1-2 (Jab-cross)
• 1-6 (Jab-back uppercut)
• 1-3 (Jab-Lead Hook)
• 1-5 (Jab-Lead Upper)
• 1 – 2b (jab – cross body)
• 1 – 4b (jab – back hook body)
• 1 – 6b (jab – back upper body)
• 1b-2 (jab body – cross)
• 1b-4 (jab body- back hook)
• 1b-6 (jab body- back upper)
• 1b-2b (jab body-cross body)
• 1b-4b (jab body-back hook body)
• 1b-6b (jab body-back upper body)
• 1 (jab)- 8
• 1b-1 (jab body-jab head)
• 1-1b (jab -jab body)
• 2-3 (cross – lead hook)
• 2-5 (cross – lead upper)
• 2-7 (cross-lead overhand)
• 2-3b (cross-lead hook body)
• 2-5b (cross-lead upper body)
• 2b-3 (cross body-lead hook)
• 2b-5 (cross body-lead upper)
• 2b-1b (cross body-jab body)
• 2b-3b (cross body-lead hook body)
• 2b-5b (cross body-lead upper body)
• 3-6 (lead hook-back Upper)
• 3-4b (lead hook-back hook body)
• 3-6b (lead hook-back upper body)
• 3b-2 (lead hook body- cross)
• 3b-4 (lead hook body- back hook)
• 3b-6 (lead hook body- back upper)
• 3b-2b (lead hook body – cross body)
• 3b-4b (lead hook body – back hook body)
• 3 (lead hook)- back overhand
• 4-3 (back hook – lead hook)
• 4-5 (back hook – lead upper)
• 4-3b (back hook – lead hook body)
• 4-5b (back hook – lead upper body)
• 4b-3 (back hook body-lead hook)
• 4b-5 (back hook body-lead upper)
• 4b-3b (back hook body-lead hook body)
• 4b-5b (back hook body-lead upper body)
• 5-2 (lead upper-cross)
• 5-4 (lead upper-back hook)
• 5-6 (lead upper-back upper)
• 5-2b (lead upper-cross body)
• 5-4b (lead upper-back hook body)
• 5-6b (lead upper-back upper body)
• 5b-2 (lead upper body-cross)
• 5b-4 (lead upper body-back hook)
• 5b-6 (lead upper body-back upper)
• 5b-2b (lead upper body-cross body)
• 5b-4b (lead upper body-back hook body)
• 5b-6b (lead upper body-back upper body)
• 5 (lead upper)- back overhand
• 6-3 (back upper-lead hook)
• 6-5 (back upper-lead upper)
• 6-3b (back upper-lead hook body)
• 6-5b (back upper-lead upper body)
• 6b-3 (back upper body-lead hook)
• 6b-5 (back upper body-lead upper)
• 6b-3b (back upper body-lead hook body)
• 6b-5b (back upper body-lead upper body)
• 8-3 (back overhand-lead hook)
• 8-5 (back overhand-lead upper)
• lead leg kick – overhand

3 Punch

• 1-1-2 (Jab-Jab-Cross)
• 1-1-2b (jab-jab-cross body)
• 1-1-4 (Jab-Jab-back hook)
• 1-1-6 (Jab-Jab-back upper)
• 1-2-1 (jab-cross-jab)
• 1-2-3 (jab-cross-lead hook)
• 1-2-5 (jab-cross-lead upper)
• 1-4-3 (Jab-Rear Hook-Lead Hook)
• 2-1-2 (cross-jab-cross)
• 2-1-4 (cross-jab-back hook)
• 2-1-6 (cross-jab-back upper)
• 3-2-3 (lead hook-cross-lead hook)
• 3-4-3 (lead hook-back hook-lead hook)

Kick

• Jab-back leg kick
• Jab-back body kick
• Jab-back head kick

BOXING

Boxing Level 1

• 1b-3 (jab body-lead hook)
• 1-3b (jab -lead hook body)
• 1b-8 (Jab body-back Overhand)
• 7-2 (lead overhand-cross)
• 7-4 (lead overhand-back hook)
• 1b-1-2 (jab body-jab -cross)
• 1-4-1 (jab-back hook-jab)
• 1-4-5 (Jab-back Hook-lead upper)
• 1-6-1 (jab-back upper-jab)
• 1-6-5 (jab-back upper-lead upper)
• 2-3-2 (cross-lead hook-cross)
• 2-3-4 (cross-lead hook-back hook)
• 2-3-6 (cross-lead hook-back upper)
• 2-5-2 (cross-lead upper-cross)
• 2-5-6 (cross-lead upper-back upper)
• 3-4-5 (Lead Hook-Rear Hook-Lead Upper)
• 4-3-4 (back hook-lead hook-back hook)
• 5-4-3(lead upper-back hook-lead hook)
• 1-2-1-2 (jab-cross-jab-cross)
• 1-1-2-3 (Jab-Jab-Cross-Lead Hook)

Boxing Level 2

• 3b-3 (lead hook body- lead hook)
• 3-3b (lead hook – lead hook body)
• 1-2-3b (jab-cross-lead hook body)
• 1-3-2(jab-lead hook-cross)
• 1-3-4(jab-lead hook-back hook)
• 1-6-3 (jab-back upper-lead hook)
• 1b-2-3 (jab body – cross-lead hook)
• 1-4b-3b (jab-back hook body-lead hook body)
• 2-3b-4b (cross-lead hook body-back hook body)
• 2-5-4 (Cross-Lead Upper-Rear Hook)
• 3b-4b-3 (lead hook body-back hook body-lead hook)
• 3-6-5 (lead hook-back Upper-lead upper)
• 5-2-3 (lead upper-cross-lead hook)
• 5-2-5 (lead upper-cross-lead upper)
• 5-4-5(lead upper-back hook-lead upper)
• 5-6-3 (lead upper-back upper-lead hook)
• 1-1-2-5 (Jab-Jab-Cross-Lead Upper)
• 1-2-3-2 (Jab-Cross-Hook-Cross)
• 1-2-3-4*(jab-cross-lead hook-back hook)
• 2-3-4-3 (Cross-Lead Hook-Rear Hook-Lead Hook)

Boxing Level 3

• 3b-8 (lead hook body- back overhand)
• 1-3-6(jab-lead hook-back upper)
• 1b-6-3 (jab body- back upper-lead hook)
• 2-3-2b (cross-lead hook-cross body)
• 2-5-4b (cross-lead upper-back hook body)
• 2b-3-4 (cross body-lead hook-back hook)
• 3-2-5 (Lead Hook-Cross-Lead Upper)
• 3b-3-2(lead hook body- lead hook- cross)
• 3b-3-6 (lead hook body- lead hook-back upper)
• 3-4b-3b (lead hook-back hook body-lead hook body)
• 3b-4-3 (lead hook body- back hook-lead hook)
• 3b-4b-3b (lead hook body-back hook body-lead hook body)
• 3-6-3 (Lead Hook-Rear Upper-Lead Hook)
• 5b-4-3(lead upper body-back hook-lead hook)
• 5-4b-3b (lead upper-back hook body-lead hook body)
• 1-2-3-6 (Jab-Cross-Lead Hook-Rear Upper)
• 1-2-5-2 (jab-cross-lead upper-cross)
• 1-2-5-6 (jab-cross-lead upper-back upper)
• 1-3-4-3(jab-lead hook-back hook-lead hook)
• 2-3-2-5 (cross-lead hook-cross-lead upper)

Boxing Level 4

• 1-2b-3 (jab-cross body-lead hook)
• 1-4b-3 (Head Jab-Body Rear Hook-Head Lead Hook)
• 2b-3-2 (cross body-lead hook-cross)
• 2-3b-4 (cross-lead hook body-back hook)
• 3-4b-3 (lead hook-back hook body-lead hook)
• 3b-2-5(lead hook body- cross- lead upper)
• 1-1-2b-3 (jab-jab-cross body-lead hook)
• 1-4-3-2 (jab-back hook-lead hook-cross)
• 1-4-3-6 (jab-back hook-lead hook-back upper)
• 1-6-3-4 (jab-back upper-lead hook-back hook)
• 2-5-2-3 (cross-lead upper-cross-lead hook)
• 2-5-4-5 (cross-lead upper-back hook-lead upper)
• 3b-4-3-4 (Body Lead Hook-Body Rear Hook-Head Lead Hook-Head Right Hook)
• 3-6-3-2 (Lead Hook-Rear Upper-Lead Hook-Cross)
• 3-6-3-6 (Lead Hook-Rear Upper-Lead Hook-Rear Upper)
• 3-4-5-2 (lead Hook-back hook-lead upper-cross)
• 3-4-3-4 (lead hook-back hook-lead hook-back hook)
• 5-2-3-4 (lead upper-cross-lead hook-back hook)
• 5-4-3-4 (lead upper-back hook-lead hook-back hook)
• 5-6-3-4 (lead upper-back upper-lead hook-back hook)

Boxing Level 5

• 2-3b-6 (cross-lead hook body-back upper)
• 2-3b-3 (cross-lead hook body-lead hook)
• 3-4b-5 (lead hook-back hook body-lead upper)
• 3-6b-3 (lead hook-back upper body-lead hook)
• 5-4b-3 (lead upper-back hook body-lead hook)
• 1-3-2-5 (jab-lead hook-cross-lead upper)
• 1-4-5-4 (Jab-Rear Hook-Lead Upper-Rear Hook)
• 1-4-5-2 (jab-back hook-lead upper-cross)
• 1-6-3-6 (jab-back upper-lead hook-back upper)
• 2-3-6-3 (cross-back hook-back upper-lead hook)
• 3-2-5-4 (Lead Hook-Cross-Lead Upper-back Hook)
• 3-2-5-2 (lead hook-cross-lead upper-cross)
• 3-6-5-4 (lead hook-back Upper-lead upper-back hook)
• 3-4b-3b-4 (lead hook-back hook body-lead hook body-back hook)
• 3b-4-3-4b (lead hook body- back hook-lead hook-back hook body)
• 3b-4b-3b-4b (lead hook body-back hook body-lead hook body-back hook body)
• 5-2-3-6 (lead upper-cross-lead hook-back upper)
• 5-4-5-2(lead upper-back hook-lead upper-cross)
• 5-6-3-6 (lead upper-back upper-lead hook-back upper)
• 5-4b-3b-4b (lead upper-back hook body-lead hook body-back hook body)

Muay Thai

Muay Thai Level 1

• lead leg kick-2
• lead elbow – back elbow
• back*elbow – lead elbow
• 1-lead leg kick
• 1-lead body kick
• 1-back teap body
• 2-back leg kick
• 2-back body kick
• 2 – lead leg kick
• 2 – lead body kick
• 3 – back leg kick
• 3b – back leg kick
• 3 – back body kick
• 5 – back leg kick
• 5b – back leg kick
• 1-1-back leg kick
• 1-1-back body kick
• 1-2- lead leg kick
• 1-2- back leg kick
• 2-1- back leg kick
• lead elbow – 4
• back elbow – 3
• lead elbow – 6
• back elbow – 5

Muay Thai Level 2

• 1-back superman
• 1-back jumping roundhouse
• 1-cartwheel kick
• 1-2- lead body kick
• 1-2- back body kick
• 1-3-back leg kick
• 1-4- lead leg kick
• 1-5-back leg kick
• 1-6-lead leg kick
• 2-1- back body kick
• 2-3-back leg kick
• 2-3-back body kick
• 2-3b-back leg kick
• 2-5-back leg kick
• 2-5-back body kick
• 3-2-lead leg kick
• 4-3-back leg kick
• 5-2-lead leg kick
• lead elbow – back knee
• back elbow – back knee
• back elbow – lead knee
• 1-1-2-lead leg kick
• 1-1-2-back leg kick
• 1-2-3-back leg kick

Muay Thai Level 3

• lead superman-back leg kick
• lead superman-2
• back superman-lead leg kick
• back superman-3
• lead elbow – back spin elbow
• back knee – lead elbow
• back knee – back elbow
• lead knee – back elbow
• back spin elbow (miss) – 3
• back spin elbow – lead elbow
• 6to12 elbow – back spin elbow
• 6to12 elbow – 6
• 1-3-back body kick
• 1-3b-back leg kick
• 1-4- lead body kick
• 1-6-lead body kick
• 2-3b-back body kick
• 3-2-lead body kick
• 3-3b-back leg kick
• 5-2-back leg kick
• 1-1-2-lead body kick
• 1-1-2-back body kick
• 1-2-3-back body kick

Muay Thai Level 4

• lead leg kick-2-3
• back superman-3-back leg kick
• 8 (back overhand)-3b-back leg kick
• 1-3b-back body kick
• 1-5 – back body kick
• 2b-3-back leg kick
• 2b-3-back body kick
• 3-3b-back body kick
• 4-3-back body kick
• 4-3b-back leg kick
• 5-2-lead leg kick
• 5-3-back leg kick
• lead teap body-back leg kick
• lead teap body – lead switch body
• lead leg kick-back body kick
• lead leg kick – lead teap
• lead leg kick – back leg kick
• 1-2-lead leg kick-2
• 2-3-2-lead leg kick
• 2-3-4-lead leg kick
• 3-2-3-back leg kick
• lead body kick – back body kick

Muay Thai Level 5

• 1-2-3b-back leg kick
• 1-4-3b-back leg kick
• 1-6-3b-back leg kick
• 2-3-2-lead body kick
• 2-3-4-lead body kick
• 2-3-6-lead leg kick
• 3-2-3-back body kick
• 3-2-3b-back leg kick
• 3-2-5-back leg kick
• 3-2-5-back body kick
• 3-6-3-back leg kick
• 3-6-3-back body kick
• 3-6-3b-back leg kick
• 5-2-3-back leg kick
• 5-2-3-back body kick
• 5-2-3b-back leg kick
• 5-4-3-back leg kick
• 5-4-3-back body kick
• 2-lead body kick – back body kick

Kickboxing

Kickboxing Level 1

• 1-lead head kick
• 1-lead side kick body
• 1b-back head kick
• 1-back spin bfist
• 2-lead spin bfist
• 2 -lead head kick
• 2 – back head kick
• 2b -lead head kick
• 2b – back head kick
• 2-back side kick body
• 3-back spin bfist
• 3-back head kick
• 3b-back head kick
• 4-lead spin bfist
• 5-back head kick
• 5b-back head kick
• 1-1-back head kick
• 1b-1-back head kick
• 1b-2-lead head kick
• 1-2 – lead head kick
• 1-2-back head kick
• 2-1-back head kick
• 2-3- back head kick

Kickboxing Level 2

• 1-lead sidekick head
• 1-back jump spin kick body
• 1-back spin heel kick
• 2-back ducking roundhouse
• 2-back side kick head
• 3- back jump spin kick body
• lead head kick -2
• 1-3- back head kick
• 1-2b-lead head kick
• 1b-2-back head kick
• 1-4- lead head kick
• 1-5-back head kick
• 1-6 – lead head kick
• 2b-1-back head kick
• 2-5- back head kick
• 3-2- lead head kick
• 3-2- back head kick
• 3b-2-lead head kick
• 5-2- lead head kick
• 5-2- back head kick
• back spin bfist – 7
• lead spin bfist – 8
• 1-1-2-lead head kick

Kickboxing Level 3

• 2-lead spin heel kick head
• 3-back spin heel kick head
• 4-lead spin heel kick head
• 8-lead head kick
• 8-lead spin bfist
• 1b-2b-lead head kick
• 1-3b-back head kick
• 1-5b-back head kick
• 1-2-back ducking roundhouse
• 1-8-lead head kick
• 2-3b-back head kick
• 2-5b-back head kick
• 3b-2-back head kick
• 3-4-lead head kick
• 4-3-back head kick
• 4-3b-back head kick
• 5-2b-lead head kick
• 5b-2-lead head kick
• 5b-2-back head kick
• back head Kick- lead spin bfist
• lead head Kick- back spin bfist
• 1-1-2-back head kick
• 1-2-1-back head kick

Kickboxing Level 4

• 1b-8-lead head kick
• 3b-8-lead head kick
• 3-3b-back head kick
• 8-3b-back head kick
• 1-2-lead spin heel kick head
• 2-3-back spin heel kick head
• 1-4-lead spin heel kick head
• 2-1-back jump spin kick body
• 2-1-back spin heel kick
• lead head kick – back head kick
• lead head kick – back body kick
• lead body kick – back head kick
• lead sidekick body – back jump spin kick body
• lead sidekick body – back spin heel kick
• lead sidekick head – back spin heel kick
• lead sidekick leg – back jump spin kick body
• lead sidekick leg – back spin heel kick
• lead sidekick body – back spinning backfist
• lead head kick – back spin heel
• back head kick – lead spin heel
• back body Kick- lead spin bfist
• lead body Kick- back spin bfist
• lead hook kick-back spin bfist
• 1-2-3-lead head kick
• 1-2-3-back head kick

Kickboxing Level 5

• 2-lead head kick – back head kick
• 2-lead head kick – back body kick
• 2-lead body kick – back head kick
• 1-2-lead head kick-2
• 1-2-3b-back head kick
• 1-4-3-back head kick
• 1-4-3b-back head kick
• 1-6-3b-back head kick
• 1-6-3-back head kick
• 2-1-2-lead head kick
• 2-1-2b-lead head kick
• 2-1-2-back head kick
• 2-3-2-lead head kick
• 2-3-2b-lead head kick
• 2-3-2-back head kick
• 2-3-6-lead head kick
• 3-2-3-back head kick
• 3-2-3b-back head kick
• 3-2-5-back head kick
• 3-2-5b-back head kick
• 5-2-3-back head kick

Traditional

Traditional Level 1

• 1-back turn side kick body
• 1-lead axe kick
• 1-lead hook kick
• 1-back Q Mark kick
• 1-lead jump switch
• 1-back handplant head
• 1-back turn side kick head
• 1-back handplant body
• 1-lead tornado kick
• 1-cartwheel kick
• 2-back hook kick
• 2-back axe kick
• 2-lead Q mark kick
• 2-back Q Mark kick
• 1-2-back Q Mark kick
• 1-2-back hook kick
• lead Q Mark Kick – 2
• lead front kick head – 2

Traditional Level 2

• 3-back turning side kick body
• 3-lead axe kick
• 3-lead hook kick
• 3-cartwheel kick
• 3-back turn side kick head
• 3-back handplant body
• 3-back handplant head
• 3-lead tornado kick
• 4-lead spin side kick head
• 4-lead turning side kick body
• 5-lead hook kick
• 1-2-back axe kick
• 2-1-back Q mark kick
• back front kick-lead spinning backfist
• lead front kick body-back Q Mark kick
• lead side kick body – back turning sidekick head

Traditional Level 3

• 1-3-back turn side kick body
• 1-3-back turn side kick head
• 1-4-lead turn side kick body
• 1-4-lead turn side kick head
• 2-3-back Q mark kick
• 2-3-back spin side kick body
• 2-3-lead axe kick
• 2-3-lead hook kick
• 2-5-lead hook kick
• lead side kick body – back turning sidekick body
• lead hook kick – lead side kick body
• back hook kick – back side kick body
• lead jump switch – back turning sidekick body

Traditional Level 4

• 2-3-back turn side kick head
• 2-3-back handplant body
• 2-3-back handplant head
• 2-3-lead tornado kick
• back head kick – lead turning sidekick body
• back body kick – lead turning sidekick body
• back leg kick – lead turning sidekick body
• back head kick – lead turning sidekick head
• back body kick – lead turning sidekick head
• back leg kick – lead turning sidekick head
• back turning sidekick body – lead head kick
• lead front kick body-back turning sidekick body
• lead head kick – back turning side kick head
• lead head kick – back turning side kick body
• lead body kick – back turning side kick head
• lead body kick – back turning side kick body
• lead hook kick – back spinning backfist

Traditional Level 5

• back body kick – lead tornado kick
• lead front kick body-back turning sidekick head
• lead head kick – back handplant head
• back front kick body – back crane kick head
• lead front kick head – lead jump switch head
• tornado – back spinning heel kick
• back spinning heel – back handplant head
• lead hook kick – back spinning heel kick
• lead jump switch – back turning sidekick head

HOW TO GRAPPLE

If you want to get into the ground game, you need to use Left Trigger + Right Stick left/right.The ground game allows you to get into a position which will allow you to perform a submission. Once you’ve got into a suitable position, just hold down Left Trigger to see what options are available to you when trying to perform the submission. You can now see in the HUD in what direction you need to move the right stick. Remember to keep holding the Left trigger and once you’ve also moved the right stick in the appropriate direction, your fighter will attempt to perform a submission. 

You also have to try and block attacks when you’re on the ground. You have to time your escapes and you can then follow up with a successful block. You also need to be clever about the ground game and sometimes it would be more beneficial to try and get back up or to shift into a more favorable position. Additionally, you can also try to perform a sweep so as to gain the more dominant position in a fight. 

HOW TO ESCAPE GRAPPLE

It can be a really dangerous position to find yourself on the ground and your opponent is throwing some deadly hits your way. Just stay calm and try to block the opponent’s attacks.  If you are able to successfully block the opponent’s attack, this gives you room to try and gain the advantage. You can try and shift into a half guard position by using the left analog stick and moving it either left or right. Additionally, you can try and use an arm trap by holding R2 and then quickly moving the right analog stick to the left or right. Be careful when trying this because it leaves you open to some devastating attacks if you’re not able to perform the move properly. 

If your opponent has you in a clinch against the cage, you can try to deny the clinch by holding the right trigger and using the right analog stick. It is possible that your attempt at denying the clinch may fail. If it comes to this, then your best bet is try and use a ‘take down’ against the opponent using your grappling HUD. 

LEG KICKS GUIDE

Leg kicks can be really useful  as they cause a lot of damage but they also carry high risk.  Leg-kick damage does not recover which makes them very useful later on in fights. However, Leg kicks can also be countered so you have to be careful when using them. To counter a leg kick, simply use a low block by holding the left and right trigger buttons. Since leg kicks can be countered, make sure your opponent does not see one coming. Use them in the middle of combos and be unpredictable to get the best out of these attacks. 

Check out the video below to learn more about leg kicks. 

SUBMISSION GUIDE

Learning how to perform submissions successfully and countering your opponent’s submissions is crucial. If your opponent has you locked in a submission, you just have to use your right analog stick to push any one of the break walls to the edge of the submission HUD. Your opponent will try to stop you by matching your direction, so move to a different break wall if the current one isn’t moving. Just stay calm and keep pushing the break walls and you’ll soon be able to escape. Check out the video to learn more about submissions.

STRIKING GUIDE

You’ll have to learn these basic attacks and master them to get good at this game. To punch, you can use X or Y buttons on the Xbox One and the Square or Triangle Buttons on PS4. You can perform an upper cut by holding two buttons at once: the A and X or B and Y buttons on Xbox One, and the Square and X or Triangle and O on PS4. You can kick using the X or O buttons on PS4 and the A or B buttons on Xbox One. 

Additionally, you can modify where your attacks land by using the Left Trigger. This can be used to target a particular body region of the opponent. Check out the video below to learn more about striking. 

HOW TO BLOCK

If your opponent is unleashing some deadly combos against you or if you find yourself stuck and unable to plan ahead, then always remember that you can rely on using blocks to keep yourself from getting hurt. However, this is not something you can just use indefinitely and there are certain limitations you have to keep in mind. Pay attention to the block meter which  indicates how many more hits it’ll take to break down your block.  To effectively use blocks then, you’ll have to use them carefully along with using some clever footwork, switching stances, and getting some hits in against your opponent. Relying too much on the block will just end up exhausting you and then leave you open to attacks. Use the block wisely and it just might give you the time you need to turn a fight around. 

STAND- UP GUIDE

When you’re standing up and fighting, you need to try and unleash your fighter’s devastating combos on the opponent. To do this, you’ll first have to learn your fighter’s combos and figure out what situations each one is best suited for. You’ll also have to block your opponent’s attacks as you attempt to get your own attacks in. Sometimes, you can’t just rely on blocking and so you’ll also have to use good footwork so as to gain an advantage over the opponent. 

You also have signature moves or special moves you can use by pressing the R1 modifier. Make sure you learn how your fighter’s special moves work and use it in the right situation!

You can also make your fighter run so as to quickly close a gap between your fighter and the opponent. To do this, just use the left stick and then press it in the direction of your opponent. This will make your character move forward quickly towards the opponent. Additionally, when standing up, you can also use a clinch against an opponent by using the Left Trigger along with the right stick. To learn more about how this works, read about it in the following section. 

CLINCH GUIDE

A clinch is basically grappling at close quarters and can be used to deal great amounts of damage. There are high risks involved in using a clinch since your opponent can turn the situation around by taking you down, performing a submission thereby leading you to take heavy damage. However, a clinch is really useful to deal high damage very quickly. You can use a clinch by pressing Left Trigger + Right Stick Up or Left Trigger + Right Stick Down. 

Once you’ve used a clinch, you can also go straight to ground fighting by holding Left Trigger to bring up ‘take down’ options and then selecting one of these using Right Stick. If your opponent puts you in a clinch, you should focus on defending yourself and building up your stamina. You can also block attacks using the same buttons as when stand-up fighting. 

MULTIPLAYER MODES GUIDE

There are a whole number of multiplayer modes available in this game that makes it a great game to play with friends as you hone your skills at fighting. The following are the different multiplayer modes in the game. 

• Knockout Mode: In this mode, there is no grappling or ground game available. It is a mode where players have a health bar which decreases as players take damage. This is a fast-paced mode so make sure you unleash your best combos as quickly as you can. Once the opponent’s health is down to the last bar, all that’s left is to finish the fight because the next attack  will knock the opponent out. 
• Stand and Bang: This is a mode with its emphasis on strikes and no ground game available. A match in this mode lasts five rounds, so make sure you pick your best fighters! Fighters can be knocked down in a single shot in this mode. 
• Submission Shootout: This mode is all about ground game as you will depend on holds, and perform submissions to try and attain victory. 
• Fight Now Custom: In this mode, you can customize every single setting including adjusting stamina, damage, health recovery, and much more. You can use this to create a very specific kind of match that you and your friends have in mind. 
• Tournament Mode: As the name suggests, this mode sees you participating in a tournament where you will try and defeat your opponents one by one. The last man left standing is the victor. 

G.O.A.T CAREER MODE GUIDE

In this game’s career mode, you need to take care of both your skills in the fighting ring as well make promotional choices that help increase your fans. As you get better contracts you can get more cash and better access to training equipment which helps your fighter becomes stronger. You need to manage your fighter’s skills and also manage his many fans. Slowly and steadily then, you’ll see your fighter become the Greatest Of All Time. 

The game’s career mode will properly kick off with the World Fighting Alliance. If you’re able to impress those scouting new talent, then you’ll soon be able to fight in the UFC. If you don’t, it’s not a big deal as you’ll have plenty of opportunities to prove yourself later on as well.

In the game’s career mode, you need to select which training camps your fighter will go to. Training camps are incredibly important as it also affects which stats of your fighter are improved. If you want to improve the weaker areas of your fighter, then go with a training camp that specializes in these areas that your fighter needs to improve upon. However, keep in mind that gym loyalty is rewarded, so think carefully before choosing to change the gym you go to. 

ULTIMATE TEAM GUIDE

In Ultimate Team mode, you get to assemble your very own dream squad to own the Octagon.You will need to know more about sets to be able to do this. Sets are basically a  thematic collection of Ultimate Team items that rewards you with new cards. As you trade more and more, your power over the Octagon also slowly increases. Make sure you build your fighter with Ultimate Team before you start playing the game online.

There are two different types of sets that are currently available including the Champions Sets and Crafting Sets. If you manage to get a Gold tier fighter item from all of the opponents your fighter has defeated, then you will be able to complete the Champions Sets. Completing this will reward you with an Elite tier fighter item, so it’s well worth the effort.

As for the crafting sets, completing a specific set will net you either a lot of tokens or some specific items such as Gold moves, Gold contracts, etc. You can complete the set by trading in items that are of the same tier. After you trade in these items, you’ll be rewarded with crafting tokens. Watch the video below for more information on how to build your Ultimate Team.

ACHIEVEMENTS/TROPHY GUIDE

• UFC 1: The Beginning: Complete the UFC 3 Introduction.

• UFC 80: Rapid Fire: Land a four-hit combination. (online multiplayer only)
• UFC 35: Throwdown: Finish the fight with a submission. (online multiplayer only)
• UFC 101: Declaration: Trigger a health event on the opponent within 10 seconds of your taunt. (online multiplayer only)
• UFC 46: Supernatural: Sway to avoid at least 6 strikes in 20 seconds. (online multiplayer only)
• UFC 99: The Comeback: Survive at least two health events before winning the fight. (online multiplayer only)
• UFC 56: Full Force: Win in the first round of an online multiplayer match.
• UFC 64: Unstoppable: Complete all your daily objectives in UFC Ultimate Team in one day.
• UFC 31: Locked and Loaded: Every slot on one of your UFC Ultimate Team fighters is filled.
• UFC 73: Stacked: Acquire your first Gold tier UFC Ultimate Team Item.

• UFC 87: Seek and Destroy; Complete all Challenges in a UFC Ultimate Team Solo Challenge Group.
• UFC 39: The Warriors Return: Complete all Sets in a single UFC Ultimate Team Program.
• UFC 68: The Uprising: Earn your yellow belt in UFC Ultimate Team. (level 50)
• UFC 45: Revolution: Earn your orange belt in UFC Ultimate Team. (level 100)
• UFC 109: Relentless: Earn your green belt in UFC Ultimate Team. (level 150)
• UFC 2: No Way Out: Win against a CPU controlled fighter who is set to maximum damage, with your own set to default.

• UFC 10: The Tournament: Win four fights with the same fighter in a 16-fighter tournament.

• UFC 65:  Bad Intentions: Pass all Skill Challenges on any difficulty.

The following are the secret achievements.

• UFC 3: The American Dream: Sign a Rookie Contract during your Career.

• UFC 11: The Proving Ground: Sign a Prospect Contract during your Career.
• UFC 88: Breakthrough: Sign a Contender Contract during your Career.
• UFC 22: Only One Can Be Champion: Sign a Superstar Contract during your Career.
• UFC 13: The Ultimate Force: Sign a Legend Contract during your Career.

• UFC 44: Undisputed: Become the Greatest Of All Time during your Career.
• UFC 82: Pride of a Champion: Sign a Superstar Contract on Legendary difficulty during your Career.
• UFC 61: Bitter Rivals: Defeat a rival during your Career.
• UFC 12: Judgement Day: Win on the main card of a Pay-Per-View during your Career.
• UFC 78: Validation: Successfully defend your title during your Career.
• UFC 47: It’s On!: Respond to a social media message during your Career.

• UFC 34 High Voltage: Start trending on social media during your Career.
• UFC 54: Boiling Point: Get very high hype for any fight during your Career.
• UFC 74: Respect: Win a performance of the night bonus during your Career.

It’s another week that sees Capcom’s Monster Hunter World at the top of UK sales charts according to Chart-Track. Monster Hunter World managed to ship an astounding five million units in three days worldwide (digital downloads included) so it’s no surprise to still see it at the top.

Electronic Arts also has a strong debut with EA Sports UFC 3 which is in second place. It’s followed by the usual suspect – Call of Duty: WW2, FIFA 18 and Grand Theft Auto 5 in third, fourth and fifth respectively. Dragon Ball FighterZ, despite debuting in second place for its launch week, has fallen to sixth place.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe dropped one place to seventh while Super Mario Odyssey saw a strong rise from 16th to eighth place. Interestingly though Dissidia Final Fantasy NT debuted last week for PS4, it’s only sold 5,000 units thus far. It still placed higher than Dissidia Final Fantasy in 2009 (10th place) and Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy in 2011 (24th place) which both released for PSP. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild dropped from seventh to tenth place.

EA Sports UFC 3 is finally available for PS4 and Xbox One – to hype up this fact, Electronic Arts has released a launch trailer. It features many of the accolades bestowed on the game by various publications. Check it out below.

Touted as the “most realistic mixed martial arts game ever made” by UFC President Dana White, the game boasts a few new features to distinguish it from EA Sports UFC 2. These include Real Player Motion technology which allows fighters to animate from one animation to the next. With more than 5,000 animations in-game, this supposedly helps the action move smoother.

Then there’s G.O.A.T. Career Mode where players can make a number of narrative choices to advance their career, earning big money from fights while interacting with rivals on social media. Those looking to play online will have modes like Stand & Bang, Submission Showdown the new Tournament mode to engage with. Ultimate Team, with its bevy of card packs and microtransactions, is also included though it thankfully doesn’t affect the rest of the game.

What are your thoughts on EA Sports UFC 3? Let us know in the comments.

The main thing that stands out in EA Sports UFC 3 is the veneer of authenticity to it. That should probably not come as a surprise to anybody who has picked up an EA Sports title over the last decade or so- after all, the franchise has made a name for itself in striving to recreate the authentic experience no matter what sport it tackles. EA Sports UFC 3 is no different in that regard. From the commentary to the slick overlays to the fighters’ entrances, to round transitions, to the scoreboards, and just about everything else I could think of, EA Sports UFC 3 almost felt to me like I was watching the real thing live on TV.

Of course, those illusions were shattered right as soon as I started playing- this was through no fault of the game. I jumped into this game, like I would into any new fighter, and decided to button mash my way to victory. EA Sports UFC 3, however, was going to have none of that- it punished me for my indiscretion and unnecessary aggression, again and again, until I was forced to stop and consider how the game played.

"EA Sports UFC 3, you see, has a far more deliberate pace than other similar games on the market. From its unique (but hugely intuitive and instantly understandable) controls to how every action is capped by your stamina meter, it’s a game that asks you to pay attention to your opponent and surroundings, and act accordingly."

EA Sports UFC 3, you see, has a far more deliberate pace than other similar games on the market. From its unique (but hugely intuitive and instantly understandable) controls to how every action is capped by your stamina meter, it’s a game that asks you to pay attention to your opponent and surroundings, and act accordingly. Is your opponent about to attack from a certain direction? Maybe adjust your swerve or block accordingly. Do you notice them weak on one side? Double your attacks from that side. Do you see them hurt or limping? Attack that limb, and knock them down.

Every punch and kick has an associated animation that you commit to, every action has heft. You have so many different kinds of attacks and moves at your disposal- uppercuts, hooks, punches, kicks, with technical modifiers, signature modifiers, and directional modifiers, it’s easy to lose track of it all. But try and ever get too greedy and aggressive, and you’ll find yourself winded- not just right then, but also permanently, as you lose a chunk of your stamina for the rest of the fight, a miserable state of affairs, since you need stamina to do just about anything.

Maybe to someone who follows MMA, this doesn’t sound particularly special- but the key thing to note here is how unique it makes EA Sports UFC 3 as a ‘fighter’ (which I suppose would be the closest genre classification for it) on the market- there isn’t quite anything else like it available. Slowly coming to grips with the game’s unique take on fighting, and learning the controls and the mechanics, and going from losing every fight I played to actually winning them- and winning them in different ways each time- was a hugely satisfying experience, giving me the sort of endorphin rush I haven’t had from a sports game in a very long time.

"From its strong controls to its great core mechanics that make it unlike anything else on the market today, to its strong presentation (except for the licensed soundtrack which, in true EA fashion, is unmemorable at best, and obnoxiously offensive at worst), to the huge amount of content it offers, then, EA Sports UFC 3 is a knockout."

The strong mechanical core of the game is also backed up by a hefty amount of content in game. Yes, you get the requisite ‘fight now’ option, as well as the option to play online (which seems to work out well, as I experienced minimal lag during online fights), set up a tournament, or even engage in live events. That aside, there is a full featured career mode, which sees you creating your own fighter- and the amount of customization options you get offering granular control are frankly ridiculous- and then working you way up from the bottom. You’ll be accepting fights, training, looking after your health, posting on social media, and of course, actually fighting in the career mode. It’s actually really full featured, and it’s the reason that I ended up spending so much time on the game- because after each fight, I’d tell myself “just one more”, and then I’d spend the better part of the next hour in prepping for, and then actually trying to win, the fight.

This is an EA Sports game, which means that in addition to the career mode, you also have Ultimate Team- which works pretty much how Ultimate Team always does. You’ll be buying card packs to build up your roster, equip them with moves and equipment, grant them buffs and perks, and more. And yes, as always, there are microtransactions governing your purchases of these card packs, though mercifully, and contrary to some early reports, these microtransactions seem to be limited to this mode alone, and don’t affect your progression through any other mode in the game.

From its strong controls to its great core mechanics that make it unlike anything else on the market today, to its strong presentation (except for the licensed soundtrack which, in true EA fashion, is unmemorable at best, and obnoxiously offensive at worst), to the huge amount of content it offers, then, EA Sports UFC 3 is a knockout. Even beyond its merits as a faithful video game recreation of the combat sport, it’s just a darn good video game that is hugely satisfying in its own right- and that, I think, is EA Sports UFC 3’s greatest achievement.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 4.

EA Sports UFC 3

EA Sports UFC 3 is coming and yes, Ultimate Team mode has microtransactions which let you enhance fighters for the best results. For the rest of the experience though, it’s all about submissions, your mat game and conserving your stamina. EA Sports UFC 3 changes its career mode up by implementing G.O.A.T. In this mode, you can make decisions to advance your fighter’s career, engage in social media feuds with others fighters to build your public image and much more. It releases for Xbox One and PS4 on February 2^nd.

Shadow of the Colossus

During the PlayStation 2 era, there was a game that stuck out among the various exclusives – Team ICO’s Shadow of the Colossus. The studio’s first game may have presented a unique artistic vision but Shadow of the Colossus did the same and was also an awesome game. Bluepoint Games is bringing that experience to the PS4 but in a brand new way, remaking the game’s visuals from the ground up with new textures, an enhanced draw distance and oodles more detail. This is still the same classic you remember though – hunt down enormous Colossi with your trusted horse Agro, find out how to defeat them and move on to the next. Shadow of the Colossus is out on February 6^th for PS4 and trust us when we say you won’t want to miss it.

Civilization 6: Rise and Fall

When Firaxis releases expansion packs, it doesn’t mess around. Civilization 6’s first expansion Rise and Fall is the latest example. Releasing on February 8^th, it brings Golden and Dark Ages which occur by meeting or failing certain milestones. The Dark Age implications are intriguing due to the challenges present – overcoming these will bring about a Heroic Age, which offers bonuses far beyond a typical Golden Age. Then there are Loyalty ratings, which can result in Free Cities uncontrolled by any civilization if they drop far enough; alliances between civilizations; Emergencies which involve numerous civilizations taking sides; new units and a new District type; and of course, new civilizations. If that sounds like the rest of your year, then best to wrap up everything right now.

Dynasty Warriors 9

With a new generation comes change. You wouldn’t expect Omega Force’s Dynasty Warriors to follow that path but the Musou developer is going all out to revamp the experience with Dynasty Warriors 9. It introduces an open world rife with main story missions and side quests, a day/night cycle with dynamic weather, weapon crafting and the ability to customize your own hideout. There more than 83 characters to play with revised movesets along with the same large scale battles that fans love. Dynasty Warriors 9 is out on February 13^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC so we’ll see just how far it changes the formula.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Warhorse’s long-in-development and crowd-funded open world action RPG is finally out in February. Kingdom Come: Deliverance takes place in medieval Bohemia and players will essentially lay siege to castles, survive in the open world while performing various deeds and combat different foes using realistic weaponry. It may all sound a bit Witcher-esque but Kingdom Come: Deliverance promises an entirely unique experience with all the grit, grime and guts befitting a medieval war epic. It releases on February 13^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Bayonetta 1 and 2

The bullet witch finally comes to the Nintendo Switch. Bayonetta 3 is still a ways out but in the meantime, we’re getting double-game package Bayonetta 1 and 2. We’ve already seen the graphical enhancements provided by Bayonetta 1 when it released for PC last year – it’s Bayonetta 2 on the Switch which should prove more interesting. If, like many people, you didn’t pick up a Wii U and happened to miss the critically acclaimed sequel, this is the best way to experience it. Plus you receive a portable version of the first game as well. Bayonetta 1 and 2 arrive for the Nintendo Switch on February 16^th.

Fe

Make music, scale giant beasts (without administering the coup de grace a la Shadow of the Colossus) or simply sing to animals in Zoink Studios’ platformer Fe. Published under the EA Originals label, Fe will feature a main quest that’s 7 to 8 hours long but promises a huge world with plenty of secrets. The art direction and unique gameplay mechanics have us interested but will it stand out in this season of excellent indie platformers like Celeste and Iconoclasts? We’ll find out when Fe releases on February 16^th for Xbox One, PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Secret of Mana

You’ve probably heard of Secret of Mana and what an influence it had on the hack and slash action RPG genre. If you’ve yet to find a game to scratch that itch – and CrossCode’s updates are too slow – then Secret of Mana is worth revisiting for PS4, PS Vita and PC. This version is a full remake with 3D graphics and features full voice work, new arrangements for classic tracks, more AI options for your teammates, mini-maps and an auto save function. Secret of Mana is out on February 15^th and we can’t wait to see how it plays.

Metal Gear Survive

We’ll be perfectly honest – Metal Gear Survive’s open world survival and stealth mechanics combined with zombie crystal things has us bizarrely intrigued. Maybe it’s because this is unlike anything we’ve ever seen from the MGS series. Or maybe there’s something deeper that’s worth looking forward to. It may also be like watching a train wreck in slow motion complete with microtransactions. Would that be a money train wreck then? Either way, Metal Gear Survive releases on February 20^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. Check it out if you happen to pick up the other nine games on this list, finish them and don’t have the good sense to play anything else.

Age of Empires: Definitive Edition

If you grew up in the 90s, then real time strategy gaming on the PC was consistently amazing. Command and Conquer: Red Alert, StarCraft, Warcraft 2 – there was no shortage of awesome games to play and Age of Empires was among them. The classic returns on February 20^th as Age of Empires: Definite Edition. Revamped graphics with 4K resolution support, numerous improvements and quality of life features, full online support and a completely redone soundtrack – what more could you want? Aside from remakes of the other games, which are also thankfully in development.