Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown

Developer KT Racing’s most ambitious title to date has landed Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown a place on this rundown despite an onslaught of issues resulting predominantly from it’s always-online requirement. First, the good: Solar Crown’s Hong Kong open world is consistently complex and interesting, and the car feel – whilst not perfect – is a step up from Test Drive Unlimited 2. The bad however outweighs the good: time wasting bugs, server issues even when racing solely against AI, and inconsistent, non-adjustable difficulty settings makes Solar Crown a racer steeped in promise but with much to fix.

MotoGP 24

Unlike many annual sports titles MotoGP developer Milestone strive for meaningful improvement with every iteration, and MotoGP 24 is the biggest leap between versions since the Italian studio took over in 2013. Principal of these changes are bike physics, especially the feel of the rear brakes into corners and the stability of the 2-wheeler as you accelerate out. Competition is fiercer too: adaptive AI and penalties dished out from stewards to any rider on track – not just the player – fosters centimetre-close, front-wheel-to-rear-wheel racing.

]]> 605140 https://gamingbolt.com/gta-5-dying-light-2-and-like-a-dragon-ishin-lead-ps-plus-game-catalog-lineup-for-november Wed, 13 Nov 2024 17:40:44 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=604003 Sony has announced the lineup of games that are being added to PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium’s catalog of titles, and there’s several major games that subscribers can look forward to.

For starters, there is, of course, the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog, which is available to subscribers of both tiers. Among the many games that this library will add on November 19, some of the more notable ones of Grand Theft Auto 5, Dying Light 2 Stay Human, Like a Dragon: Ishin!, and Chivalry 2, among many others.

Meanwhile, PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers also get access to legacy and VR titles every month, with this month’s offerings bringing Synapse for PS VR2, as well as classic PS1 and PS2 action-adventure titles Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and Blood Omen 2, ahead of the December release of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered.

Finally, Insomniac Games’ beloved PS3 first-person shooters Resistance: Fall of Man and its sequel Resistance 2 will both also be available to PS Plus Premium subscribers, but only via streaming. You can check out the full list of upcoming additions across both tiers below.

PLAYSTATION PLUS GAME CATALOG

• Grand Theft Auto 5 (PS5, PS4)
• Dying Light 2 Stay Human (PS5, PS4)
• Like a Dragon: Ishin! (PS5, PS4)
• MotoGP 24 (PS5, PS4)
• The Sims 4 Island Living (PS4)
• Digimon Survive (PS4)
• Overcooked! All You Can Eat (PS5, PS4)
• Stick Fight: The Game (PS4)
• Clash: Artifacts of Chaos (PS5, PS4)
• Killer Frequency (PS5, PS4)
• Hungry Shark World (PS4)
• Chivalry 2 (PS5, PS4)

PLAYSTATION PLUS PREMIUM

• Synapse (PS VR2)
• Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (PS5, PS40
• Blood Omen 2 (PS5, PS4)
• Resistance: Fall of Man
• Resistance 2

Having had the MotoGP license for over a decade, alongside having developed the aforementioned Ride franchise, Milestone has pinned down the core motorcycle racing gameplay at the core of MotoGP 24. For years, it has been a tight, satisfying racing structure that lets you achieve the highest highs of motorcycle racing while having to overcome the inevitable lows of crashing, taking turns too quickly, and ultimately losing races. MotoGP 24 keeps the foundation that has been set through years of tweaking and refining the gameplay, and broadly it feels very similar to past games. The name of the game, like in real-life MotoGP races, is balancing speed with precise turns, ensuring that you outpace your fellow racers on straightaways without losing any ground by taking sharp turns too quickly. This is a concept that has been the franchise’s strong suit for multiple years, and this year’s entry continues that strength.

"MotoGP 24 keeps the foundation that has been set through years of tweaking and refining the gameplay, and broadly it feels very similar to past games."

On the track, racing feels smooth and steady with some new tweaks primarily aimed at allowing players more freedom in how difficult they want their experience to be. You can immediately choose difficulty levels from Simplified all the way up to Pro, and these options have material effects on your requirements for success. A Simplified experience feels almost trivial if you’ve played the game before, as it controls much of your movement and automatically brakes as you approach turns, and as you move up the difficulty ladder, you receive less automatic help from the game, forcing you to accelerate, brake, and turn on your own. For a race that can be boiled down to just a few key pieces, it’s good to have this level of flexibility in how much control you truly have, and while seasoned players of past games will likely jump straight to higher difficulties, new players will more easily settle in with a bit more help.

On top of the difficulty options, a major new feature for this year’s entry is adaptive difficulty, a feature similar to Forza’s “Drivatars” that reads your riding style and dynamically changes how AI racers perform, both in their riding styles and their overall challenge level. While this is an interesting system, it isn’t as impactful as the game makes it seem. Playing through multiple seasons of the Career, the main single player mode, I never felt like the other racers were ever getting noticeably better, even after I started winning or placing in virtually every race. Once I nailed down some of the tenets of performing well in these races, like braking before turns and accelerating out of them, the game became consistently easier, and I expected the adaptive difficulty to play more of a role in my experience. With that said, it’s an intriguing addition that will likely be refined in coming entries, and I’m excited about how this feature could look in future years.

Outside of the races themselves, another area where the MotoGP series really shines is its presentation, and this year’s entry takes another step forward in that regard. Visually, the game is as beautiful as ever, with varied, photorealistic tracks and a wide range of factors that can affect races, like weather and time of day. Even when racing on the same track, racing on a bright, sunny day or a rainy evening can completely change both how the race looks and how it plays. Raindrops glimmer on the camera and the track, and it’s much more difficult to make a tight turn when it’s raining than when the track is clear. When the skies clear, the game literally shines, and the hyper-realistic textures, as well as the refined sound design, take center stage. For any MotoGP fan, it’s almost worth the price of entry alone to see the 20-plus tracks in all of their on-track glory.

"Raindrops glimmer on the camera and the track, and it’s much more difficult to make a tight turn when it’s raining than when the track is clear. When the skies clear, the game literally shines, and the hyper-realistic textures, as well as the refined sound design, take center stage. For any MotoGP fan, it’s almost worth the price of entry alone to see the 20-plus tracks in all of their on-track glory."

Unfortunately, the majority of the improvements to this year’s game don’t revolve around the game’s content, as the various modes are broadly consistent with past years. The aforementioned Career mode is the centerpiece here, and it feels very similar to other Career modes in past MotoGP games. You begin as a newcomer to the MotoGP scene and work to develop your bike and win races, championships, and ultimately, the season title. You can opt for the full season or a shortened season, but both consist of playing through the practice rounds, qualifying sessions, and the race at each track for each Grand Prix. If you’ve played a MotoGP Career in the past, you will feel right at home here. The biggest changes come off the track, as you can now impact your relationship with your teammates and rivals, as well as more realistically see transfer rumors between teams.

Overall, the Career mode feels like it has only incrementally changed. It’s nice to have some further detail in the off-track relationships, but it’s hard not to compare this with games like F1 or even NBA 2K and MLB The Show, all of which have had more depth in their Career modes over the years and frequently include actual stories surrounding your character. While you’re greeted in your debut season here with some special remarks about your youth and inexperience, over time the campaign becomes solely about racing, racing, and more racing. It’s a streamlined approach, but it’s no more than a glorified sequence of Grand Prix where I would’ve loved to see some more detail in the presentation.

The rest of the content is relatively limited as well. You can, of course, quick play any track or set up your own championship with any combination of tracks. The multiplayer has taken a step forward as well, as you can now play local splitscreen on top of the expected online races, an appreciated addition to bring back a beloved feature from racing games of the past. Otherwise, though, there’s very little that changes how you actually interact with the game; instead, it’s merely a handful of modes that bring you to the same challenge of simply winning races.

"MotoGP 24’s sareer mode is slightly improved with some off-track refinements, and the additions to the difficulty options."

MotoGP 24’s sareer mode is slightly improved with some off-track refinements, and the additions to the difficulty options make it an easier sell for newcomers to the franchise, but few other improvements mean this is a game that’s better for players who have been away from the franchise for a couple of years. Come for the racing and stay for the beautiful visuals, but don’t expect any major updates over previous games.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs

We’ve seen the likes of Pac-Man 99 and its take on the battle royale format. Amber Studio’s PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs – try saying that five times fast – offers another spin, allowing up to 64 players to venture into each other’s mazes to consume them. It’s a dangerous game as mazes continually collapse during matches, but it’s a unique spin on a classic arcade formula.

Throw in some cosmetics and even indulge in Ranked Mode to place on the leaderboards. There are even private lobbies, complete with spectator support. PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs launches on May 9th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch, and thankfully, supports cross-platform play.

Homeworld 3

It’s been almost 21 years since the release of Homeworld 2, and while Deserts of Kharak received a good reception in 2016, the franchise is finally moving forward with Homeworld 3. Launching on May 13th after multiple delays, the story sees the Hyperspace Gate Network in shambles and humanity embarking on another mission for survival. All the strategic tenets are here, from your fleet carrying over between missions to utilizing the Z-axis to flank and outmaneuver opponents.

New Megaliths mix things up, providing cover, while Fortresses demand clever flanking and trench runs to overcome. In addition to the story and PvP, there’s War Games, a rogue-like mode where players play through challenges and gain Artifacts to improve their fleet. It even supports up to three players.

The Rogue Prince of Persia

The Rogue Prince of Persia embraces an animated art style and sees the Prince fighting to halt an invasion from the Huns. The robust combat system offers several weapon types and opportunities for environmental kills. Launching on May 14th for PC via Steam Early Access, The Rogue Prince of Persia offers the first story Act with six levels and two bosses, with plans to effectively double the content with the 1.0 release.

Die by the Blade

Remember Bushido Blade and its emphasis on realistic, 1v1 fights between sword-wielding warriors? Die by the Blade by Triple Hill Interactive, Toko Midori Games, and Grindstone look to channel that visceral combat feel, albeit in a cyberpunk setting. You can customize the playable characters and blades alike, though opting for heavier weapons like the Nodachi could come at the cost of speed (which the katana is skilled at). Parrying and dodging are all here, with Practice, Tournament and Ranked modes, but remember: a single decisive blow is enough to end it all. Die by the Blade launches on May 16th for PC.

Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut

Finally, Sucker Punch’s acclaimed open-world action-adventure is coming to PC. Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut has garnered acclaim for many reasons. Jin Sakai’s struggle between honor and fighting the Mongol invasion of Tsushima by any means necessary. The combat with its fluid mix of styles and Ghost Tools, from kunai and explosives to bows and powerful Ghost Techniques. The various side quests, whether it’s helping out your would-be companions or investigating the legends of Tsushima.

There’s just so much to get into, and that’s before venturing to Iki Island in the expansion. On PC, the Director’s Cut offers unlocked frame rates, Ultrawide and triple-monitor support, fully customizable mouse and keyboard support and various upscaling solutions from Nvidia DLSS 3 and AMD FSR 3 to Intel XeSS. Whether you loved it on console or have waited for its PC release, Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut can’t be missed when it launches on May 16th.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

Despite the baffling lack of marketing from Microsoft, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is probably the company’s standout release for the year thus (if not the biggest game in May). It continues the story of Senua as she ventures through a Viking Iceland to seek revenge and save those who “have fallen victim to the horrors of tyranny.” Meanwhile, the Furies continue to ring through Senua’s thoughts, guiding her but still weighing on her mind.

Developed on Unreal Engine 5, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is an absolutely gorgeous title, from its realistic weather effects and photo-realistic lighting and textures to the lifelike facial animations. It’s almost enough to make you forget that this is a digital-only release for $49.99 and lasts about as long as the first game. Despite all that and the 30 FPS lock on consoles, it’s a long time coming and worth checking out when it launches on May 21st for Xbox Series X/S and PC.

MultiVersus

MultiVersus finally makes its long-awaited return after its beta was delisted from storefronts last year. Player First Games has retooled it extensively, from shifting to Unreal Engine 5 and overhauling the netcode to adding new fighters like the Powerpuff Girls, new stages like Dexter’s Laboratory, and adding new moves for all existing fighters.

There are even new mechanics like Dash Attacks and Parrying, with improved readability during combat and a more responsive camera that dynamically zooms in and out. A new PvE mode is also finally on the way and even promises “unique rewards.” MultiVersus will be available on May 28th for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and PC.

F1 24

Say what you will about Codemasters’ yearly sequels in the F1 series, but F1 24 is looking quite good. It’s out on May 31st for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Xbox One, PS4 and PC, and delivers some brand new content. Driver Career lets you actually control one of 20 real-world Formula 1 drivers, earning accolades and earning recognition, while Challenge Career takes an episodic approach with unique events for community members vote on. With new Dynamic Handling, updates to iconic tracks, and much more, F1 24 could be the best new entry in years.

World of Goo 2

The first World of Goo launched in 2008 and received such extensive acclaim from critics that then-EA Sports head Peter Moore was annoyed that it was on a top 50 games list and FIFA 09 wasn’t. Believe it or not, World of Goo 2 is very much the same, as you use the gooey living creatures in various ways. Create bridges and other structures, reshape the world and, most importantly, survive through all kinds of new and potentially maddening puzzles when it launches on May 23rd for Nintendo Switch and PC.

MotoGP 24

Milestone’s MotoGP series hasn’t exactly been setting the world on fire these past few years, but there are fans, and they’ll probably be happy that MotoGP 24 is out on May 2nd for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch. Career Mode is still here, but the game now offers Adaptive Difficulty to tune the challenge to your tastes. MotoGP Stewards helps curb rule-skirting, and LiveGP Championships promises monthly challenges for players to pursue. It may not unseat the usual racing sim kings, but MotoGP 24 could prove a fun alternative.

Undead Inc

Undead Inc. is described as a mix of Fallout Shelter and Two Point Hospital. Your job is to create a subsidiary for the totally-not shady Endswell Medical Corporation, building different officers, hiring staff, conducting research into bioweapons and viruses, and, of course, driving profits, ethics be damned. It’s not all smooth sailing – politicians and officials need to be kept in line, and there are rival corporations to deal with. Probably the best part is that it’s only a matter of time before things go south and descend into chaos. Undead Inc. launches on May 2nd for PC.

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Classic

What’s better than Blizzard monetizing your nostalgia for World of Warcraft’s good ol’ days? Monetizing the expansions as well. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Classic is the “latest” and “greatest” new addition to the lineup, seeing players take on Deathwing to prevent the end of the world. Cataclysm offers seven new zones, two new races (Goblins and Worgen), transmog, a new level cap, new dungeons and raids and the Elemental Plane for players to venture into. The re-release also offers a new dungeon difficulty system, smoother leveling and a “streamlined” Auction House. It goes live on May 20th for PC.

Morbid: The Lords of Ire

Launching for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch (with a demo out now on PS5 and PC), it features a new 3D perspective for more immersive combat and there are five lands to explore and five factions awaiting your challenge, not to mention all the terrifying bosses to face. As a hack-and-slash action adventure, Morbid: The Lords of Ire could be a dark horse when it launches on May 23rd.

System Shock (Xbox and PlayStation)

One of the more underrated releases of last year, not to mention a solid remake in its own right, Nightdive Studios’ System Shock is finally coming to Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5 and PS4 on May 21st. While it’s enough to bask in the overhauled visuals and interface, a new update went live recently, improving the game even further. It added an option to play as a female hacker, reworks the final battle, and incorporates cloud sync. Furthermore, enemies have new attacks, and there are even waypoints on Easy difficulty for those focused on the story. Overall, these should make for an even better experience on consoles.

Braid: Anniversary Edition

Previously slated for April 30th, Braid: Anniversary Edition was delayed to May 14th on PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch and Netflix. Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One users have to wait until May 15th to get their hands on it, though the reason for the delay is unknown. It should still be worth the wait, whether you’re someone keen on experiencing the original with sumptuous new visuals and delve into the 35 new levels. The developer commentary should also be a treat, providing over 15 hours of worthwhile development details.

This year’s title sees the introduction of the Riders Market and Stewards. The former provides “endless possibilities” for riders to shift to other teams, resulting in a new roster each season. Social media also plays a part, as Likes and responses can lead to rumors about potential transfers.

As for the Stewards, they keep track of races and sessions. Depending on the performance of players (and AI), they may receive Warnings, Long Lap Penalties, Time Penalties and so on. These two additions arrive alongside the “most dynamic career mode” in the series yet and a new Adaptive difficulty, which adjusts your opponent’s performance based on how well you’re doing.

Other features include LiveGP Championships for multiplayer, a new electronic tuning system, and editors for helmets, racing numbers and stickers. Stay tuned for more details ahead of the game’s launch.