Midway through the Xbox One reveal, I began thinking to myself, “Is this it? I don’t want a Tivo box.” As the hour long presentation came closer to ending, I felt very (popular word on Twitter right now) underwhelmed by the whole event. I don’t use my games console to watch sports or TV, I only use it for games and occasionally movies. While the lack of game announcements may seem to have been part of a poor show from Microsoft, I believe they have got at least one thing over on Sony in light of what they did show.

Both FIFA and Call of Duty are amongst gaming’s elite. No matter if you hate COD for being the same as the previous title or you hate the connectivity functions in FIFA, they both sell in extraordinary numbers year after year. While the PS4 showed games such as Watchdogs and Killzone, Microsoft showed next to no gameplay of any games, it was all CGI based and didn’t give a proper insight into the graphical power of the Xbox One. While I do enjoy playing FIFA with my real-life friends, I’m not as enthusiastic about the game as much as others are. I haven’t owned a COD game since Black Ops and I wasn’t too bothered about the announcement but for many it was a crucial announcement.

The main reason I think Microsoft have performed a masterstroke with this announcement is because they have identified their market. In Britain, there are a high number of gamers who play nothing more than COD and FIFA all year round, it is all some people will play year-on-year. From September one year until September the next, they are happy to ‘Prestige’ an infinite amount of times and will happily pit their wits against anyone who is willing to on the virtual football pitch. The EA Sports Ignite engine looked to impress the gaming sports fans as it promised to have the ‘realistic’ feel to the sports games, which we have been promised every year since around 1996.

In addition to these two games however, the announcement of the dedicated number of servers will have some people desperate to own an Xbox One along with COD and FIFA as they are among the highest played online multiplayer titles.This would have been music to many gamer’s ears as they are constantly looking for a lag-free, online gaming experience.

The majority of games related people I follow on Twitter, like myself, seem to be disappointed with what Microsoft had on show. There wasn’t really any need for 20 minutes of being shown how to use the Kinect 2.0 and watch TV constantly, that’s what my TV is for! (This will be said by many until E3) People need to remember that this was an announcement to try and get one over on Sony and while I think the Sony announcement was better, I think Microsoft showed a lot of (although it’s sad to admit it) what young gamers and core gamers would like to see.

As news keeps on generating after the conference is finished, many will remember this conference for being inferior to that of the PS4’s announcement. This much is true but I do believe that one of the few good things that has come out of this for Microsoft was the seeming ‘exclusivity’ of FIFA 14 and Call of Duty: Ghosts. I was using this Xbox Reveal to determine which console I will purchase first but I think to ultimately decide, I will need to wait until E3 rolls around till I see what games each console has to offer. Other people should do the same and wait until they see what each console has to offer before writing off Microsoft. With some FIFA and Call of Duty exclusivity on offer, the Xbox One should still be a success.

@SimonMarshall6

The post Simon Says: Why Microsoft Played a Masterstroke With One Part of the Xbox Reveal appeared first on GameNTrain.

Microsoft have just announced the Xbox One, dubbed the “Ultimate all-in-one entertainment system.” This reveal comes following months of rumours circulating with regards to the name, with the like of Durango, Infinity and 720 floating around far too often for my liking.

Here’s a summary of what we now know:

The system comes with a new dashboard that is highly reminiscent of Windows 8, with tiles for internet browsing, music, movies and games. Switching between the sections is voice activated and seamless – it’s seemingly capable of multiple transitions with little delay. There is also a new section called ‘Trending’ which looks at the most popular forms of media among your friendship circle and beyond. Skype will be heavily catered for and the new Kinect camera will be powering this, ultimately allowing you to connect with your friends quite easily through the Xbox One.

In terms of hardware, the Xbox One will feature a blu-ray drive and USB 3.0 ports. The operating system is a combination of Xbox 360′s system and Windows 8, with a little extra to help the two get along. The graphics have been quantified as 8 times more powerful than the Xbox 360, whilst 8GB of RAM should help this run far more smoothly. In terms of transistor count the Xbox One has 5 billion to the 360′s 500 million. The controller looks more like the original Xbox pad – in with the old? – yet features 40 design innovations, supposedly providing more ergonomics and an improved D-pad. The second coming of Kinect allows for better precision with intricacies such as wrist/limb rotations and heart rate apparently being detectable.

Rather disappointingly, game news was fairly sparse because they want the majority of those reveals to hit E3. What we did see was confirmation of Forza 5 and the reveal of Call of Duty: Ghosts, as well as a bunch of EA titles – FIFA, Madden, NBA & UFC – that will be launching withing the next 12 months. I hate to say it but none of the aforementioned titles piqued my interest in the slightest. All were existing franchises that had either already been announced or were expected on the horizon anyway.

In other news, Film-maker and Pong enthusiast Steven Spielberg has been signed up to create a live action Halo series that will be watchable through the Xbox One. There has also been an exclusive deal struck with the NFL that is supposedly “going to change football in a way that is so dramatic”. I think we’ll just have to wait and see for ourselves on that one folks.

Well, I guess it’s time to say “Xbox on” to the Xbox One?

Toodle pip!

The post Xbox One – The Ultimate All-in-One Entertainment System appeared first on GameNTrain.

Shin Megami Tensei IV is launching in less than two months, yet there is no word on the next entry into the Persona spin-off franchise. While the ATLUS faithful eagerly wait for news regarding Persona 5, I want to take a look backwards through the series. Some gamers have only tried Persona 3. Others have played them all. Others still have only heard of the games based on their positive reputation. If you are a fan of Japanese RPGs, the Persona series is one of the best out there.

Persona 4
Available on PS2, PS Vita, and PSN (PS Vita)

An enhanced port of Persona 4 is the Vita’s highest-rated game on Metacritic right now. Some might look at that and think “how pathetic”, but I consider it to be a testament to how dang good this game really is. When ATLUS released P4 on the PS2, it was received with high praise and high review scores, but it didn’t seem to make as big of a splash as Persona 3. The debate still rages among fans as to whether P4 is better than P3 or if it is the other way around.

Nonetheless, P4 benefits from the most polish and streamlining out of any other game in the Persona series, and if you’re playing P4: Golden on PS Vita, it has the most content compared to the other games. But keep in mind, that is like saying “Oblivion has more content than Skyrim”. Obviously, all Persona games are massive, and although P4 has the most stuff to do, that does not mean the other titles are lacking. Combat still revolves around the Press Turn combat system, where exploiting a foe’s weakness will knock them down and grant you another turn, although be wary, because this technique can also be used against your party members. Unlike Persona 3, you have the option to control the actions of all of your party members, although there is the option to leave them computer-controlled if that is your thing. Also unlike Persona 3, dungeons are split between several different themes instead of giving players one big dungeon. P3′s Tartarus was cool at first, but the décor started to get old after a while. P4 keeps things fresh by giving each dungeon its own motif. It is also the most colorful of the Persona games, for what it’s worth.

Strength: There are a lot of facets to praise in Persona 4, but the one thing that stands above the rest is P4′s cast of characters. In terms of relatability and depth of personality, no cast can compare to the people you’ll meet in Persona 4. That really is saying something, because every Persona game has at least three or four well-written cast members, but Persona 4 just nails it.

Weakness: I may sound like a curmudgeon, but the tone for P4 is all wrong for a Persona game. The music is the J-Popiest, the overall storyline has the most silliness, and even if you seek out the True ending, the plot is the least epic in the series, complete with a groan-inducing “hey, let’s all stay friends forever, okay?” part near the finale. I’m not saying those factors make P4 a bad game, but it is something to keep in mind.

Tracks worth noting:
Sauna – a perfectly schizophrenic song for a very weird part of the game

Specialist – in my opinion, the best “classroom” music

Secret Base – an upbeat dungeon track toward the end of the game

Personal favorite bit: Even the character I thought I’d despise – Teddie – was someone I ended up liking. That’s how good P4′s cast happens to be.

Persona 3
Available on PS2, PSP, PSN (PS3, PSP, Vita)

What more is there to be said for the break-out hit of the entire Shin Megami Tensei franchise? While SMT has enjoyed a respectable amount of popularity overseas in Japan, worldwide it had been virtually ignored by gamers prior to the launch of this game. It wasn’t until Persona 3 came out on the PS2 that people began to give attention to the long-running series. In the wake of Persona 3, gamers began to investigate other SMT titles like Nocturne, Digital Devil Saga, and Devil Summoner, and the surge of interest has no doubt been a key factor in allowing ATLUS to revive and remake several of their older games over the last few years.

Looking back, I can see why it was such a hit. P3 had just enough polish and accessibility to be friendly to SMT newcomers, but it still retained the utterly unique SMT style of demon hunting, modern-day setting, a standout soundtrack, and in-depth character interactions. Returning to the Persona series was the Lunar calendar (a nod to its older brother, Revelations: Persona, and the main Shin Megami Tensei series) and Social Links, which plays out like a dating game between you and a dozen other characters. This created a tension that was unlike anything RPG gamers had experienced in the past. Not only that, but it gave players a much-needed distraction from constant dungeon crawling. As long as you visited the dungeon three or four times per month to train, you could focus on leveling up your relationships and your personality traits. This made Persona 3 far less grind-heavy as the previous games, for better or worse.

The dungeon crawling was nothing new, but P3 wrapped everything up in such a compelling package that people couldn’t help but take notice. Combat was fast, challenging, and full of bizarre enemies. Bosses were especially difficult, and if you didn’t devote a good chunk of time to leveling up your characters, you would quickly be outclassed on the higher floors of Tartarus, the main dungeon.

So far, P3 holds the record for most re-released game in the ATLUS stable of RPGs. In original form, it is available on the PS2, but after its surprising success in the West, ATLUS added The Answer chapter to Persona 3: FES which included the full original game plus all the extra content. Persona 3 Portable launched on the PSP. While P3P did cut some cutscenes and the 3D town exploration, it added a great deal of dialog and scripting to accommodate the brand-new female protagonist option. It also takes on Persona 4′s combat system, allowing players to control all party members if you want. As far as which game is most complete, that’s a toss-up between FES on the PS2 and P3P. I personally place great value on being able to take my games on the go, so P3P wins the day, but that’s just me.

Strength: The “feel” of Persona 3 – “tone” is an equally apt word here – is its greatest triumph. From the shocking use of suicide imagery with the Evoker to the tangled, twisted, quasi-religious, quasi-psychological, quasi-philosophical storyline, Persona 3 was and still is among the most unique RPGs on the market. And while I hate to throw around the word “unique” so often, there really is no other way of putting it. If you were put off by Persona 4′s “lol murder mystery!” attitude, Persona 3 should restore your faith in what the series is capable of.

Weakness: While the tone is enthralling, the characters are not. They suffer from every JRPG and anime trope in the book and have shallow personalities compared to many of the other SMT titles. Sure, your crew is serviceable and they help move the story along, but after playing Persona 4 and then returning to P3, there’s a distinct drop in character quality (or rather, a distinct increase in quality in favor of P4, if we’re being chronological). Granted, I’ll take Junpei or Akihiko or even Aigis any day over the week compared to 90% of the JRPG party members out there, but when the SMT franchise is full of so many excellent characters, it’s hard not to be a bit let down by P3′s cast.

Tracks worth noting:
Iwatodai Dorm – a great example of Persona 3′s unique musical style:

The Battle for Everyone’s Souls – an homage to the heavy-metal soundtracks of previous SMT games

Calamity – a very peculiar track that fits with the unique themes of Persona:

Personal favorite bit: The gun-like Evoker just never, ever loses its dramatic appearance.

Persona 2: Innocent Sin
Available on PSP and PSN (PSP, PS Vita)

Though this game has only been available in the West for the last two years, Innocent Sin is actually the first game in the P2 duology. In Sumaru City, rumors have the power to come to life if enough people believe them. Assuming the role of Tatsuya, you are tasked with investigating the Joker and his wish-fulfilling game, a game by which people can dial their own cell phone number and be given their heart’s desire by Joker himself. Well, problems arise when Joker starts liberating certain people of their desires, claiming that they’d just be unhappy if they lived their lives with hopes that will never come true. The side effect is that they turn into shadows. Ouch.

The premise sounds similar to P3 and P4 in the sense that the characters use technology to access a hidden world. In P3 it was the Dark Hour and the Evokers. P4 had the Midnight Channel brought to us by the television screen. However (and here is where P2:IS really stands out), P3 and P4 never really expanded those concepts. Despite the lavish attention given to plot and character development, these windows into the shadow were static concepts throughout the game, nothing more. P2:Innocent Sin takes its own twist and runs wild with it. By spreading rumors, you can alter dungeons, add uber-attacks to your demons’ repertoire, unlock secret areas, enhance shops, find super-weapons, and much more. Confronting Joker takes place about halfway through the game. Following that point you’ll be caught up in a story full of extraterrestrials, human evolution, Wizard Hitler, Nazis, religious cults, and that’s not all of it. Compared to P3 and P4, the story is significantly more epic and over-the-top which can be good or bad depending on your tastes. On the other hand, the way the story is told feels far less streamlined, and the character dialog – while still memorable – can’t hold a candle to P3 or P4.

I would go as far to say that Innocent Sin (in tandem with Eternal Punishment) has the biggest and best storyline in the Persona series, yet it is also the worst-told story in terms of delivery. Important characters and important twists appear out of thin air. Having played the game more than once, I understand the story and its nuances much better since I already know what is going on, but during your first playthrough, do your best to pay attention, and don’t feel stupid if you are caught off guard by sudden twists. Just make sure to punch him in the face when you beat the game. You’ll know what I mean.

If you plan on playing Innocent Sin via the PSP remake, be aware that you can select either the original soundtrack or the newly composed soundtrack. Also, there are several extra mini-episodes available through the Climax Theater that were not available in the original game.

Strength: Both Persona 2 titles are going to be a huge departure from what a modern Persona fans have come to expect from the series. There are no social links. There is no calendar that restricts your time. Any Persona can be used by any character in the party, although each party member has an aptitude for certain Arcana. Customization is through the roof, and this is where Persona 2 shines. Not only are there a few extra elemental types (Nuclear, Earth, and Water) but there are also five distinct Physical damage types, meaning that you have a lot more options for dealing damage. In addition, Persona 2 allows you to use Fusion attacks, which are like the Chrono Trigger’s Triple Techs on steroids, and there are quite a lot of these to discover.

Weakness: As mentioned above, the story is phenomenal, but the delivery leaves a lot to be desired, even in the PSP remake. Dialog is stilted and cut-scenes are few and far between. Remember: back in the day, game studios didn’t usually have top-tier writers or voice actors. If you are willing to put up with a less-than-stellar script, there’s a wonderful story to be experienced.

Tracks worth noting:
Velvet Room Gymnopedie – a soft, relaxing piano piece

Zodiac – a smooth, laid-back tune:

Quest Boss – A hard-rockin’ battle theme whose style you’ll find in later games like DDS or Nocturne:

Personal favorite bit: Some great music, including the best Velvet Room music in the entire series. What am I saying? Both IS and EP have awesome Velvet Room music.

Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
Available on PS1 and PSN (PSP, Vita, PS3)

Eternal Punishment is not a sequel so much as it is a companion to Innocent Sin. Well, it is a sequel, because the storyline occurs a few months after Innocent Sin, but it isn’t, because it’s an alternate universe where nothing in Innocent Sin seems to have occurred, but it is, because some of the things actually did occur but no one can remember. Ooof! Let’s just say that Eternal Punishment and Innocent Sin offer the complete story once both are completed. Each game refers to the other one on more than one occasion. In fact, Revelations: Persona, Innocent Sin, and Eternal Punishment form a tightly-knit trilogy, though you wouldn’t necessarily know that based on their names. In light of all this, Eternal Punishment can be considered the conclusion to the trilogy.

Gameplay, graphics, and overall tone are similar to what was already described above in regards to Innocent Sin. In the West, Eternal Punishment was released on the PS1 while Innocent Sin was not, so players missed a lot of the references packed into this game.

The storyline is the star of the show here. If you started with Persona 3 or perhaps Persona 4 and now you’re going back through the series, you will be pleased to see the intricate connections between Persona, Innocent Sin, and Eternal Punishment. The only obvious connection between P3 and P4 was a cameo of Gekkoukan High. In contrast, numerous characters and plot elements carry between the first three games, including several playable characters. After playing Persona 3 and Persona 4, a lot of gamers were left with the impression that each Persona game is (more or less) completely stand-alone. However, that isn’t the case with the first three games.

The main character this time around is Maya, one of the main female party members from Innocent Sin. She reprises her role as a plucky journalist investigating the Joker, but instead of the Joker game fulfilling wishes, Joker will assassinate whoever you want (similar to the Strega’s Revenge Request website in P3), as long as you play his little game. Although these “Joker murders” have led to a police investigation, no one can seem to solve the case, and Joker’s murder spree continues. Of course, there are consequences on a cosmic scale, and not only will you have to stop Joker, but you’ll also have to eliminate the force that gave him this horrifying power.

Not much more can be said here that wasn’t already said about Innocent Sin. The version of Eternal Punishment available in the West is the original PS1 release, while Innocent Sin was redone and re-translated for the PSP, so Eternal Punishment is actually clunkier than its predecessor here in the West. It’s not that big of a deal. The main reason why you would play this game is for the story, and Eternal Punishment does a phenomenal job of wrapping up the unofficial trilogy. I will point out that when compared to Innocent Sin, Eternal Punishment has far more areas to explore, more sidequests, and more optional dungeons, including an incredibly difficult “Ultimate” dungeon that comes with its own crazy plot twist. Additionally, there is a stronger emphasis placed on Fusion spells and creating a wide variety of Personas. Innocent Sin hands you some of the best Personas for free, while Eternal Punishment makes you work for them.

Tracks worth noting:
Map II – possibly one of the best overworld themes in the Persona franchise:

Boss Battle – a memorable tecno-inspired piece:

Science Lab – another techno track that conveys the creepiness of its area:

Personal favorite bit: Seeing all of the cameos and references to previous Persona games was a real treat.

Revelations: Persona (SMT: Persona)
Available on PS1, PSP, and PSN (PSP, Vita)

Here it is, the one that started it all. Revelations: Persona was mostly ignored when it first came out in the West, but it was the beginning of something special. Most RPGs at the time were either standard fantasy sword-and-sorcery fare or futuristic science fiction. Persona’s choice to place the game in a modern setting using high-school students as the cast must have seemed a bit odd. The game begins with a group of friends who have locked themselves in a classroom at St. Hermelin High School. They want to play the “Persona game” which will allow them – according to rumor – to see their future selves. Unfortunately for them, this game summons a hostile demon, and the events of the story are set in motion after the demon attacks the group. Exploration takes place on an overworld map and dungeons are traversed in a first-person perspective like the older Shin Megami Tensei titles. Players have the choice of battling demons or using the Contact option, opening up the possibility to gain items, escape battle unharmed, or even gain spell cards, which can later be used to create new Personas for the team to use. Players have the option to follow one of two paths in the storyline, making it worthwhile to replay it at least once. In addition to different locales and plot twists, there are certain party members that are exclusive to each plot thread.

Although Revelations: Persona has aged quite a bit, ATLUS remade the game for PSP, cleaning up the menus, enhancing the graphics, improving the translation, and adding in a few cutscenes here and there. The downside is that the soundtrack in the remake is very different from the original game. The first-person dungeon crawling is similar to titles like Etrian Odyssey, but if you’re accustomed to battling in third person, that’s okay, since battles take place on an isometric battlefield like the other games do. Revelations: Persona cannot be faulted for lacking certain features or content, considering it is the first game in the series, but compared to the others, it is a bit less entertaining. However, it is definitely worth playing if you want to see how the Persona spin-off series began, or if you’re in the mood for a good dungeon crawler.

Strength: The complexity of the battle system is one of the game’s many charms. Something unique to this game is that your party members stand on a grid during battles. Based on their position, only certain enemies will be in range for attack, so you have to keep that in mind when selecting Personas for your crew.

Weakness: Because it is such an old game, it’s hard not to feel a bit underwhelmed if this is the first time you’ve played Revelations: Persona (or the PSP remake). Yes, the storyline is functional. Yes, the cast of characters do their job, but compared to the other games in the series, Persona feels more like a trial run instead of an integral part of the story. However, a lot of characters and plot elements are revisited in Persona 2, so keep that in mind if you plan on playing P2.

Tracks worth noting:
Awakening Legend – a theme that was sadly absent from the PSP remake’s soundtrack

Pandora – Not every song on the PSP remake’s soundtrack is bad. This one is great.

Deva Yuga – a bizarre track that perfectly captures the feel of the Persona series

Personal favorite bit: The Snow Queen quest in the PSP remake is one of my favorite dungeons in the series, for some odd reason.

Thanks for taking the time to look into the history of the Persona franchise. Hopefully this will spark your interest in trying one (if not all) of the Persona games. If you have a fond memory of the Persona series, share it in the comment section below.

The post Persona: A series retrospective appeared first on GameNTrain.

If you go to a gym in today’s American Society, you would find that iPods have become almost as ubiquitous as free weights, and I don’t draw this comparison idly. With both of these systems, there are people who use them correctly, and those who do not. However, most of the time, the misuse comes from a lack of practical training, which means that the users who are not as familiar with the ins and outs of music and it’s do not get the same results when compared to those who are more knowledgeable on the topic. When it comes to working out, there are four primary functions that music can serve. Music can prime you for what’s ahead, distract you from fatigue, give you a cadence which is easy to follow, and help you mellow out. This article includes these purposes, along with the corresponding genres and physical actions.

While on the way to the gym, as well as while warming up, it is important that you get as mentally prepared as possible, so that you can make the most of your time at the gym. This is where function one comes in. In order to best prepare for the impending workout, it is in your best interest to listen to some “pump-up” music to help you get focused before your workout starts. What kind of music you choose is totally up to your own preference. However, if you have absolutely no idea where to start, a few internet searches have shown that popular genres consist of hard rock, rap, and metal.

If you’ve ever started running, only to give up a few minutes later, you know just how formidable of a force fatigue can be. So, many runners use function two in order to enhance their performance. Since the most difficult aspect of running (for many, not for all) is the mental capacity to continue on when faced with the natural instinct to give up, experienced runners will use music in order to distract themselves from their growing fatigue, instead allowing them to zone out and continue running without actually focus on the act of running. So, it is in your best interest here to pick any music that you enjoy and can get lost in listening to. Also, it’s worth noting that this only really works if the music is upbeat and encouraging enough to keep your feet driving forward, so ballads and the like are probably a “no” here. But, anything you can lose yourself in can be used to great effectiveness here.

Lifting weights can often be a difficult task to start if you have no experience. A fair bit of the challenge comes from trying to set an effective rhythm with which to perform reps. If you go too fast, you tire quickly, while going too slowly will lead to diminished results. Some look to the help of a personal trainer to help improve their cadence and find a happy medium, music is a better tool because it can provide a more consistent beat, which is where function three comes in. The easiest way to learn and follow a cadence is to create a workout mix that contains music with a steady and easy to follow beat that gives you a sort of internal metronome that you can follow to guide you through your works. With this tool at your disposal, you’ll be better equipped to consistently execute your exercises, which will lead to more substantial muscle growth. However, it’s worth noting that this only works when you are lifting weight that you are comfortable with. If you’re maxing out or lifting a heavier weight than you’re accustomed, the music should fall more in the realm of pump-up music than rhythm music. But, when the rhythm is the goal, your best bets are newer rap and dubstep due to their usually low tempos and non-confusing time signatures and beat patterns.

After your workout, one of your main focuses should be to mellow out and allow your body to relax and recover from the exercise. While post-workout supplements and high-protein meals can be helpful, music can also play a viable part in the relaxation and recovery processes, which is function four. Countless studies have proven that music has a profound effect on a person’s mood and blood pressure. If you know how, you can use these benefits to your advantage. A post-workout mix should primarily consist of something relaxing, slow, and fairly low in volume, Soundtracks can work well here, but the best genre for relaxing that I’ve found is smooth jazz.

So that’s that. Music has a profound effect on every aspect of a workout, and it will help you get more out of your time at a gym. So grab some headphones and, next time you hit the gym, be sure to hit play as well.

The post Music: How it Can Enhance Your Workouts appeared first on GameNTrain.

Fit Female is back for another week but this time we have a mission. We want to make you sweat, burn and experience true exhaustion. Let’s see if I can put something together to make that goal a reality.

5 rounds:

• 1/4 mile run (fast pace)

• 20 reps of 85 pound smith squats

• 25 reps of 25 pound thrusters

• 20 reps of assisted pull ups (not the whole rack)

• 15 burpees

• 21′s with the 25 pound barbell

• 20 reps of bodyweight bench dips

• 20 reps of 45 pound leg extensions

• 20 reps of 45 pound leg curls

• 30 reps of bodyweight decline crunches

Interested in more Fit Female workouts? Check them out here.

The post Fit Female: This is going to be hard appeared first on GameNTrain.

Today WB Games Montreal released a plethora of goodies regarding the upcoming Batman prequel game, Batman: Arkham Origins. Let’s start with the first trailer released for this game. It’s all in CG goodness and we get to see Batman playing predator with some goons. Later it escalates, revealing Deathstroke inviting Batman to fight him. As soon as Deathstroke unsheathes his second sword, Deadshot intervenes by shooting some chains holding up a container and letting it fall upon Batman.

We know Batman is alive because he is The Batman. To finish this trailer, Black Mask comes up to Deathstroke letting him know he’s not the only assassin in town. Check out the trailer below to see Batman applying his martial arts to Deathstroke.

At the end of the trailer, it is mentioned that Deathstroke will be a playable character via a Amazon Pre-Order. Here’s an image taken from Amazon:

WB Games Montreal also released the boxart for Batman: Arkham Origins. Have a look below:

Thou fancy also some in-game screenshots?

Now let’s point out some important details NeoGAF picked up from a IGN preview:

• - Begins on Christmas Eve
• - Joker’s “present” is a series of explosives tied to a nearby building
• - Batman is disarmed and stunned by Bane, so he can only watch as Joker detonates his trap
• - Batman is more primal and vicious in this game
• - Fighting style is raw and undefined
• - Enemies are younger and more vibrant
• - Batman’s armor style comes closer to what is shown in Christopher Nolan’s films than anything in previous games
• - Black Mask hires eight assassins to kill Batman
• - Deathstroke and Deadshot are among those hired
• - Police, led by Commissioner Loeb, will pursue Batman and attempt to detain him
• - Grappling, gliding, perching atop gargoyles, ambushing thugs, and maneuvering around Gotham works as it always has
• - Combat system is back in full force
• - Tracking system helps players assess the efficiency of their combat
• - This is entirely informational
• - Experience points flow into a branching upgrade system
• - Gain points by chaining hits into lengthy combos
• - New enemy types include the martial artist thug. This enemy type requires back-and-forth combos until the criminal makes a mistake.
• - Side quests are back in a significant way, both through a radio scanner that helps track criminal activity, and a ‘Most Wanted System’
• - Most Wanted System: hunt villains like Anarchy, who have stories and motivations that are separate from the main Black Mask thread
• - Warner Bros. not saying how significant Joker’s role is
• - Detective Mode concept is back
• - It can now be used to track observations and discoveries, allowing players to ‘scrub through’ a crime as it occurred in the past, discovering where more evidence might be
• - When an assassin’s bullet disables a police helicopter causing it to crash, Batman is able to deduce that a nearby SWAT sniper wasn’t responsible – tracing the source of the bullet to what was likely Deadshot
• - By scrubbing through different evidence in different places, Batman assembles the truth piece by piece, allowing him to move to his next target
• - Fast-travel system
• - Remote Claw: attach to two points or enemies and pull them together

It has come to our attention that Kevin Conroy is indeed voicing Batman, but not for this game! NeoGAF picked up a tweet from a suppossed  Kevin Conroy’s official Twitter account though the tweet was taken down. Kevin Conroy announced via a Dallas Comic Con Q&A that he will indeed reprise Batman. Though Kevin thought he would voice Batman in Origins, it is rumored he will be voicing the Dark Knight in the sequel of Origins. Take a look at Kevin’s tweet:

To clarify this, Roger Craig Smith (who reprised roles such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Chris Redfield from Resident Evil and Ezio Auditore Da Firenze from Assassin’s Creed) will reprise a young Bruce Wayne in Batman: Arkham Origins while Troy Baker (Booker DeWitt from BioShock Infinite) will be voicing a Joker who wants to show what he is made of in the world of criminals. This information was picked up from Joystiq.

Batman: Arkham Origins will release on October 25th for PS3, Xbox 360, PC and Wii U.

The post Batman: Arkham Origins – Box Art, New Trailer, Voice Actors Confirmed, Deathstroke Pre-order DLC & More! appeared first on GameNTrain.

With Resident Evil Revelations set to release on Mat 21st, Capcom has given us a little treat in this launch trailer that you will find below. Have a look at the footage and let us know if it persuades you to pick up the title on launch day. If you plan on picking up the title, let us know in the comments below which system you will be playing on.

If you want even more from this title, check out the huge image gallery below the trailer.

Press Release

The post Capcom Launches a Doozy of a Trailer in Resident Evil Revelations appeared first on GameNTrain.

We’re nearing the end of GameNTrain’s coverage of the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo…

The GameOn team is back with more great content from this year’s Calgary Expo. We’ve got a few more interviews and some random fun events to share with you.

Let’s keep this party going… Today, GameOn Host Jeff Johnson speaks with voice actor Brendan Hunter, the Canadian voice of Tien from Dragon Ball and Uub from Dragon Ball GT.

Brendan talks about getting his start as a voice actor and gives his tips for giving your voice acting career a strong start

Be sure to check out the GameNTrain YouTube channel every day for new and exciting content from the Calgary Expo.

Special thanks to Canadian band Thwomp for their live rendition of the GameOn intro. To check out Thwomp in action, go to their website, http://thwomp.net/.

A big thank you to the staff and volunteers at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo for your support over this three day event! To find out more about the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo, check out http://www.calgaryexpo.com/.

And if you like what you are hearing, be sure to subscribe to the GameOnGNT YouTube channel for all of our past content!

The post GameOn Presents… Brendan Hunter appeared first on GameNTrain.

One of the big questions that Sony left to us in the last PlayStation Meeting 2013 was how would the final appearance of the PS4. How would the console be at the design level. Now Sony strikes back against the competition with the release of a teaser that reveals what could be the PS4, the next-gen PlayStation.

It is clear that the release of this video, which certainly leaves us wanting more, and is a movement of distraction to the event Microsoft will held tomorrow, May 21, where they will make presentation of the successor of the Xbox 360.

It seems that we’ll have to wait until June 10, the date on which Sony will present the PS4 at E3 with great detail but, who knows, maybe after the event that Microsoft will give tomorrow, Sony feels “motivated” and decides to advance some details that obscure the presentation of the next-gen Xbox.

Source: [The Official PlayStation Blog]

The post New PS4 Teaser Shows The Console In Small Proportions appeared first on GameNTrain.

Hi guys! Welcome back to Strong or Weak! This last weekend has been a blur of events! I hope you’ve all had a great one! Check out last weeks article here.

~Resident Evil: Revelations~

Release Date: May 21, 2013

Consoles: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, 3DS

Taking place between Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5, Resident Evil: Revelations revolves around Jill and her newest partner. Set on a cruise ship, players have to make there way through murky waters as the game moves from ship to land. Jill, and her new partner, Parker, are in search for Chris Redfeld, an agent who’s GPS says he was last on the cruise ship.

As the entire franchise has done so well, Resident Evil: Revelations looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun! I give this game the Strong vote!

~Fast & Furious: Showdown~

Release Date: May 21, 2013

Consoles: Wii U, PS3, Xbox 360

Fast & Furious: Showdown revolves around the newest Fast & Furious movie, coming out in theaters this week! Being and action-packed, full of racing, adrenaline-fueled game, Fast & Furious: Showdown should be one of the top racing games this quarter!

I know the franchise has done well, and any clips I’ve seen make this game look like it’s going to be a blast! So this week, Fast & Furious: Showdown gets the Strong vote!

That’s it for this weeks Strong or Weak! Make sure to check in Friday for another Strong or Weak, and check out some of our other awesome articles such as: Female Gamer of the Week, Week in Geek, and Fit Female! Make sure you follow GNT on Twitter as well!

xoxo Erin

The post Strong or Weak for the Week: Resident Evil: Revelations, Fast & Furious: Showdown appeared first on GameNTrain.

The Development Diaries of the expected The Last of Us are coming slowly as well as its release date. In this third episode Naughty Dog talks about how to survive in a post-apocalyptic environment and how important it is to explore for resources and decide what to do with them.

Naughty Dog emphasizes into two of the most significant elements of The Last of Us, freedom of action and survival. The new video shows how a same object can be decisive if is used as medicine. Conversely, if the result is used as lethal as a weapon. In addition, it exhibits different sequences of pure gameplay, of course, we can’t miss.

The Survival element is one of the most attractive ones of the new title from Naughty Dog. The development team choose to follow the path of other titles in the genre such as Uncharted or Deus Ex Human Revolution. Action games requiring concentration and reflection to resolve certain situations. Furthermore, this type of gameplay granted great freedom to the player, being one of the most striking aspects of the game. The Last of Us will be released this 14 June worldwide.

Source:[The Official PlayStation Blog]

The post The Last of Us – New Development Diary Ep. 3 ‘Death and Choices’ appeared first on GameNTrain.

As Drift0r continues his journey toward lifelong fitness, we continue to feed him the fitness recipe to succeed. We are three months into his training routine. You can have a look at all of the routines that Drift0r has completed along the way by visiting this link. Have a look at what we have in store for our boy this week. Join in on the Gamer Fitness workout.

Drift0r Week 12

5/20 – 5/26

Day 1:

2 1/2 Mile run

150 Crunches

200 Flutter kicks

50 Leg lifts

Day 2:

3 Sets bench press

3 Sets push ups

3 Sets dumbbell curls

3 Sets tricep kickbacks

3 Sets dumbbell row

3 Sets shoulder press

3 Sets barbell shrugs

3 Sets of 50 crunches

Day 3:

2 1/2 Mile run

75 Dumbbell squats

75 Dumbbell lunges

75 Stiff leg dead lifts

Day 4:

3 Sets bench press

3 Sets push ups

3 Sets dumbbell curls

3 Sets tricep kickbacks

3 Sets dumbbell row

3 Sets shoulder press

3 Sets barbell shrugs

3 Sets of 50 crunches

If you are new around here and have not yet seen the journey which Drift0r has been challenged with, be sure to have a look at it here. My suggestion is that you join him on his journey toward Gamer Fitness.

Be sure to support and follow Drift0r on YouTube.

The post Getting Fit With Drift0r: Gamer Fitness Week 12 appeared first on GameNTrain.

Arc System Works is working with the franchise Guilty Gear and announces a new release called Guilty Gear Xrd-SIGN- with his first trailer. The first confirmed characters are Sol, Ky, Millia and Eddie, plus you can see in the first material that the character models are polygonal.

There are no confirmed launch consoles besides the arcades. The game will use the Unreal Engine, although it is unknown which version is, something that could clarify the console generation.

It’s been many years since Arc System Works did a new installment of Guilty Gear. Among reissue and versions of the original Guilty Gear XX, They created the BlazBlue series and made by order Persona 4: Arena.

Arc System Works also shared the opening movie to their upcoming visual novel, Xblaze Code: Embryo. Xblaze’s story is linked to the world of BlazBlue, according to series producer Toshimichi Mori. The game is being developed by the BlazBlue team and is slated for a July 25th release for the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita.

Source:[Joystiq, Crunchyroll]

The post Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- Announced Plus New Visual Novel Xblaze Code: Embryo appeared first on GameNTrain.

Just a few days out for the official announcement of the new Xbox, the rumors do not stop from arise. On this occasion the months of June or July could serve to know first on hand how the new dashboard will be and what better way to prove it on the Xbox 360.

Microsoft’s goal is to ensure that the users are ready for a change to the next generation of its popular console. They are expected to perform this update which may cause problems sending messages or with the transfer of the achievements.

Another significant change would have to do with the end of the current points system. This would be replaced by one that involves the use of real money and gift cards. Apart from these details the company has made ​​great explanations of the changes that might occur. Let’s wait for this May 21th to see what Microsoft has prepared for the users.

Source: [Neogaf]

The post Microsoft Preparing Another Dashboard Update For The Xbox 360 appeared first on GameNTrain.

Just when you thought we had nothing else to talk about from the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo…

The GameOn team is back with more great content from this year’s Calgary Expo. We’ve got a few more interviews and some random fun events to share with you.

Let’s keep this party going… Today, GameOn Host Jeff Johnson speaks with Peter Kent, the stunt double for Arnold Schwarzenegger for 15 years.

Peter also runs the School of Hard Knocks out of Vancouver, the only stunt double school in Canada. Peter speaks with Jeff Johnson about the school and some of the highlights of his career!

Be sure to check out the GameNTrain YouTube channel every day for new and exciting content from the Calgary Expo.

Special thanks to Canadian band Thwomp for their live rendition of the GameOn intro. To check out Thwomp in action, go to their website, http://thwomp.net/.

A big thank you to the staff and volunteers at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo for your support over this three day event! To find out more about the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo, check out http://www.calgaryexpo.com/.

And if you like what you are hearing, be sure to subscribe to the GameOnGNT YouTube channel for all of our past content!

The post GameOn Presents… Peter Kent appeared first on GameNTrain.

We can all agree that gaming has many different features which makes it unique in the world of entertainment. These features, however, can continually be altered by the new ideas generated by some games that push the boundries of what we consider common in gaming. These new features can grow in popularity to such an extreme degree that it can change what we consider to be the norm. For 2013, there have been many interesting examples of game creators pushing those limits to create the truly impressive games that we see today.

Three of these games have appealed to a large audience and have the potential to change the standard for gaming. Each game listed offers their own unique features that may change elements of there particular genre. These are those games.

Watch_Dogs

For those who don’t know, Watch_Dogs follows the story of Aiden Pearce. A vigilante who utilizes the completely automated city of Chicago to further his own goals threw both hacking and sheer force. Though the direct reason of his vengeance has not been made clear, he has made it his goal to hunt down the people who have hurt him and his family. This game is heavily immersive. Allowing you to control almost aspect of the changing world around you. With a click of a button, you can completely change the tide of battle. Also, the game has been announced to feature a deeply integrated co-op feature. Although not much of this feature has been discussed, it has been hinted others may be able walk around our cities. Doing their own things to significantly alter the world around you. This game alters the gaming formula with its severe immersiveness and completely dynamic world.

Watch_Dogs is being developed by Ubisoft and will release on all consoles in North America on November 19 and November 22 in Europe.

The Last of Us

 In a future where the world has become plagued by a intense fungal growth, and where men kill each other simply to stay alive. Where a man sacrifices everything to protect a young girl in this dangerous world. This is The Last of Us. In the game, you play as Joel, A survivor who is recruited by his dying friend to escort a 14 year old girl named Ellie away from the terrible fungal infection that is gripping the world.

This game attempts to bring much unique features to the world of gaming. The game will feature multiple means of getting past obstacles all while trying to protect Ellie. Whether you are sneaking around enemies or running in full force, The game will offer many challenges that may get in your way, and compromise your plans. Ellie, in trailers and gameplay videos, has been shown to be completely self reliant. Ensuring that she won’t become a burden like so many games with escort quests show.

The Last of Us is being developed by Naughty Dog and will release for the PS3 on June 14.

State of Decay

Taking a far less centered approach as the first two games, State of Decay forces you to survive in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. In this open world sandbox you play as a group of survivors, each with their own unique abilities, and try to survive this dangerous world by scavenging and improving your base camp. This game offers intense strategy as you are able to control multiple characters to formulate plans to gather the materials you need while outwitting the zombie menace. The abilities of each survivor is extremely dynamic, which can effect the group as a whole, but also decide who is best fit for certain tasks. Also, with the addition of permanent death, each decision is a gamble. A gamble that may result in your best survivor’s permanent demise.

State of Decay will release on the Xbox Live Arcade and PC hopefully around June.

Gaming is currently in an extremely dynamic stage, and games like the ones listed above can only serve to improve that experience for all who play.

Like always, thanks for reading.

The post 3 Games That May Change The Way We Game appeared first on GameNTrain.

Just when you thought we had nothing else to talk about from the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo…

The GameOn team is back with more great content from this year’s Calgary Expo. We’ve got a few more interviews and some random fun events to share with you.

Let’s keep this party going… Today, GameOn Host Jeff Johnson speaks with Mark Meer, the voice of Commander Shepard from Mass Effect.

Mark compares improv to video game voiceovers and talks about his new theatric project, Legend Has It, a show that puts YOU into the role of the hero!

And no, Jeff Johnson does not get punched like a certain reporter throughout the course of the interview.

“I Should Go.”

Be sure to check out the GameNTrain YouTube channel every day for new and exciting content from the Calgary Expo.

Special thanks to Canadian band Thwomp for their live rendition of the GameOn intro. To check out Thwomp in action, go to their website, http://thwomp.net/.

A big thank you to the staff and volunteers at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo for your support over this three day event! To find out more about the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo, check out http://www.calgaryexpo.com/.

And if you like what you are hearing, be sure to subscribe to the GameOnGNT YouTube channel for all of our past content!

The post GameOn Presents… Mark Meer appeared first on GameNTrain.