Rise once again Tarnished, answer the call of the kindly Miquella and follow his pilgrimage through the lands of shadow. Journey across a new land filled with beautiful and grotesque landmarks to behold. Discover a new cast of characters to introduce yourself to and follow their journeys. Not only that, uncover an arsenal of new weaponry and magic to wield and unleash upon your foes. Remember one important thing, when you get to the Shadow Realm, you are going to die. A lot. Shadow of the Erdtree is the newly released DLC of FromSoftware’s critically acclaimed 2022 title Elden Ring. It is a huge expansion on top of the base game taking place solely within the impressively massive Shadow Realm, where you once again step into the shoes of the Tarnished as they answer the call of Miquella.

The content can be accessed once you defeat Mohg in the base game (I highly recommend using a guide for this if you’ve forgotten how to access his arena as a returning player). From there you are teleported into a dark cave in total silence and as you make your way outside you are greeted by an absolutely stunning skybox. A gigantic golden tree looms in the distance, draped in cloth-like shadow, the world washed with different shades of gold and black and a score rises alongside as the reveal happens, the opening minute sets the tone and easily reminds you why you fell in love with this game two years ago.

The world of Elden Ring has never been so scary in scope

The map is massive, with more verticality in the placement of locations, layering them above and below the player. It is so easy to get lost in this world and I don’t mean in the sense of wandering with no direction. You can fall deep into the beauty and horror of the lands you travel. The world is littered with landmarks in the distance and just travelling over to them will start a Rube Goldberg machine of events taking you off the beaten path and on an adventure. The sense of discovery in this game feels so natural. You will find secret areas, items, bosses and accomplishments that feel like you have earned them with no guidance, just your own intuition. You made this discovery possible by just having a nosey around the sides of a cliff or behind a waterfall.

I’ve found myself re-assigning my levels constantly during my playthrough. This is mostly due to the new arrangement of weapons available (shoutout to the ‘DryLeaf Arts’ martial arts weapon). Each one provides its own unique style of play and has been tremendously fun to play around with so far. I highly recommend you use a save file with most of the base game explored. At the very least grab the bell bearings to easily have access to buy all purchasable smithing stones back at the Roundtable from the Bell Maidens so you can hastily upgrade the new weapons as you acquire them and jump back into the DLC to try them out. Weapons are great but what you use them on is what’s important. Shadow of the Erdtree has a plethora of new enemies and bosses for the Tarnished to run at.

Some of these new foes are returning from the base game but the new additions will leave you either in awe as you see them approach or shout out in fear when you see them charging you down. FromSoftware’s approach to balancing this DLC was the introduction of ‘Scadutree Fragments and Revered Ashes’.

Beware the shadow of the Erdtree

Fragments will increase your attack and defence while ashes strengthen your summons. These only apply inside the DLC, and they do not affect stats when you return to the base game. I cannot stress this enough you need to collect these things! I entered at level 215 and I was being killed in either two or three hits by regular enemies. The difference these upgrades make is night and day. A number of them can be found by exploring the opening area of the DLC.

Shadow of the Erdtree is a beautiful expansion on an already beautiful game. I’ve not finished the DLC as of writing this and most of that is because I just can’t stop running off in the opposite direction of the main path looking for stuff to discover. It’s big, bold, brutal and beautiful. My only gripe is the game has great difficulty keeping a playable framerate in some areas. I had to stop using one of my weapon arts during an encounter due to the game chugging so much.

These are things that get ironed out down the line in a patch hopefully. I really enjoyed my time and once I regained my muscle memory of the controls and familiarised myself with my build again, I left like I was catching up with an old friend I hadn’t seen in years. Just picking back up where we left off like no time had passed at all. FromSoftware has created a magical world again. They could easily be looking at even more awards for Elden Ring due to their hard work and craft.

These words were written in blood by the Tarnished Lewis Magee.

Stay tuned to GamEir. Come talk with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir).

I promise we’re nice! Keep up with our streams over on Twitch (GamEir) and our videos on YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content

The post Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree – An impressive expansion appeared first on GamEir.

Transported to ages long ago, you will relive the Shattering, a war that brought darkness to the Lands Between, initiated by demigods’ hunger for power. You’ll fight alongside General Radahn and Malenia the Severed, but even these two undefeatable warriors couldn’t reunite a world so badly broken. There is only one hope left: the hope that a new Elden Lord will rise and lift the veil of shadows that have fallen over Marika’s domain.

The wait is almost over. Soon you’ll venture into the Lands Between and strive to become its Elden Lord. Stand ready, Tarnished, and prepare to claim what fate has promised you.

Click to view slideshow.

Elden Ring is available for pre-order now and will launch on February 25th, 2022, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via STEAM.

The game offers a free Upgrade to PS5 for players who purchase the PS4 version and supports Smart Delivery for Xbox, allowing players to play on both Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S with a single purchase.

Stay tuned to GamEir. Come talk with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir).

I promise we’re nice! Keep up with our streams over on Twitch (GamEir) and our videos on YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content.

The post Elden Ring Lands Between: The Age of Gods appeared first on GamEir.

From what the preview video shows there is a lot to be excited and scared about when it comes to Elden Ring. This “Tarnished World” as they call it is one of incredible danger and I love it. After playing Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice I cannot wait to fall into this new and monstrous world atop my mighty spectral steed.

• Vast world design – the meticulously designed ”Lands Between” brings unprecedented immersion to FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Secrets hide around every corner of this immense world encouraging exploration for those who dare venture off the beaten path.
• Legacy Dungeons – Large multi-level dungeons evoking classic FromSoftware level design are integrated into the overworld.

Players can also get excited with the announcement of the special editions.

Launch Edition

• Elden Ring game (disc on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Xbox One, and PC Steam code-in-box)
• Poster
• Art Cards, Stickers and Woven patch

Digital Deluxe Edition (Available on PlayStation, Xbox, and STEAM digital storefronts)

• Elden Ring game
• Digital Artbook and Original Soundtrack

Collector’s Edition (Available at selected retailers)

• Elden Ring game (disc on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Xbox One, and PC Steam code-in-box)

• 23cm statue of Malenia – Blade of Miquella
• Exclusive SteelBook featuring the Elden Ring
• 40-page hardback artbook
• Digital Soundtrack
• Poster, Art Cards, Stickers and Woven patch, which are included in the Launch Edition – exclusive to EMEA

If these beauties weren’t enough there is the exclusive premium collector’s edition. It is available on the Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe Store and has so many god damn goodies available.

• Elden Ring game (disc on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Xbox One, and PC Steam code-in-box)
• 23cm statue of Malenia – Blade of Miquella
• Official 1:1 Malenia helmet replica
• Exclusive SteelBook featuring the Elden Ring
• 40-page hardback artbook
• Digital Soundtrack
• Poster, Art Cards, Stickers and Woven patch, which are included in the Launch Edition – exclusive to EMEA

Elden Ring will be out on the 25th of February, 2022. It’ll be available on the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, or PC via STEAM.

Stay tuned to GamEir. Come talk with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir).

I promise we’re nice! Keep up with our streams over on Twitch (GamEir) and our videos on YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content.

The post Explore Elden Ring in latest preview appeared first on GamEir.

Tenchu: Stealth Assassins on PlayStation 1 is, in my opinion, the first title that the term “git gud” was created for. The first Tenchu title was teaching gamers many skills they would need to conquer Soulsborne adventures way back in the late ‘90s.

The lessons in Tenchu: Stealth Assassins began with item management. Before heading into each mission you had to choose your arsenal. A simple task, you might think, but it was far from it. You had limited space within your inventory, whether you were playing as Rikimaru or Ayame. You could try the stealthy approach with each mission, going unseen until the final boss encounter occurred, jumping from rooftop to rooftop staying hidden from the enemies below. Or you could (like me) find as many delightfully depraved ways to kill and lower the number of combatants you may have to deal with later on in the mission.

The game offered a generous number of tools to dish out death, but it was equally unforgiving when it came to dealing with your mistakes. There were not just enemies but civilians to take into account, and you had to be wary of where you left your victims. If you or a body was discovered, the enemies would immediately go on alert. This would fundamentally change everything about your environment.

Then came one of the most significant challenges, the different play styles of the two protagonists. With Rikimaru you had strength and durability. Ayame, on the other hand, was nimble and had access to far more combinations of attacks. On top of this, the various enemies would face the two characters differently and offer unique challenges. This came down to the strengths and weaknesses of your chosen character coming into play.

Click to view slideshow.

Git gud or stay a thug

Looking at Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and its spiritual siblings, you can see much of the Tenchu DNA is woven into their core. Even down to the graphical choices and movements of the characters. Tenchu: Stealth Assassins is blocky, slow and methodical.

Even though you are a shinobi, you aren’t some anime hero or heroine using godlike magical jutsu. You are a human facing high-stakes scenarios, and you had to get better or you would fail, not unlike the protagonists from Soulsborne titles. You had to choose each block, each jump carefully, or you would find yourself on the wrong end of any number of sharp blades. It wasn’t just from fear that players found themselves trying to “git gud” in Tenchu: Stealth Assassins. There was also a rather unforgiving ranking system in place.

If you were seen too often or killed too many civilians, you would be deemed a shameful thug. However, if you masterfully dealt with all opposition and fulfilled your mission, you were given the honourable title of Grand Master. This came with tangible rewards, meaning there was an incentive to try and become the best.

Gitting gud never felt so good

Tenchu: Stealth Assassins is a fascinating game when seen through the eyes of the “git gud” culture. Between its distinct difficulty and an addictive ranking system that beckons you back to become a better shinobi, it is fair to say Tenchu: Stealth Assassins taught us much before Demon’s Souls reared its terrifying face.

I hope you enjoyed my Tenchu appreciation. I’m thinking I may continue this on other titles I’ve adored over my lifetime as a gamer.

Stay tuned to GamEir. Come talk with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir).

I promise we’re nice! Keep up with our streams over on Twitch (GamEir) and our videos on YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content.

The post An appreciation: Tenchu: Stealth Assassins appeared first on GamEir.

With recent details emerging that launch titles are going to cost $70.00/ £60.00 (so you can bet it’s €70.00) I want to know I’m getting my bang for my buck! One title I’m pleased to fork out my money for is Demon’s Souls!

Bluepoint who bringing Demon’s Souls to (re)life?

Bluepoint Games has certainly taken their jobs seriously clearly understanding FromSoftware has its reputation on the line handing such an iconic game over to a third party.

Thankfully Bluepoint has really invested a lot of thought and energy into its efforts. remaking it from the ground up.

The developers of Shadow of the Colossus (of which Graham reviewed and adored) and the Nathan Drake collection definitely have a trustworthy reputation. The new lighting system, faster load times and fluid mechanics bring new life to Demon’s Souls and I can already see it will be like playing a entirely new game, one that you already love!

My research brought me across a comparison video, side by side screens of just how the upgrades fair compared to the PS3 title.

Check out the stunning footage below to whet your appetite.

Stay tuned to GamEir. And if you’re interested, come converse with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir).

Check out our videos on Twitch (GamEir) and YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content!

The post A look at Demon’s Souls HD PlayStation Showcase appeared first on GamEir.

Finally, there exists a very small group of beings, hitherto unspoken about. A group lost from history. They occupy the shadows. Lurking, and waiting. Watching, and judging. The Illuminati of Souls fans. Using their Mensa level intellect, these fans perceived a darkness coming from the East in 2009. A whisper, nay, a shadow, or an almost imperceptible fog, that roiled across the Pacific to the Continental US in late 2009. Casting fear to the side, they ordered this rumour to their homes, and their lives were forever changed. Transported to the forsaken land of Boletaria, they encountered a game that outwardly seemed familiar, yet was unlike anything they had ever played. A game that would create its own sub-genre, and change the way mainstream games were made forever. That game, was, of course, Demon’s Souls. And now it’s back.

Click to view slideshow.

With Demon’s Souls, I have always been here in this Nexus

Announced at last nights PlayStation event, Demon’s Souls came as a delightful surprise. There had been rumours of course, but none could have predicted just how epic the first reveal would be. The remade environments, so familiar to fans, are gloriously dripping in atmosphere. The enemy types and bosses which make an appearance are jaw-dropping and conjure a very specific reminiscence. I haven’t actually played Demons Souls since that initial year with the game, so this remake looks to me how the game felt back then. If that makes sense.

Originally developed by FromSoftware, Bluepoint Games are the studio behind this remake. Although Bluepoint have developed their own games, they are essentially “remake” specialists. Demon’s Souls will now be added to their remake back catalogue of Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, and Uncharted, to name but a few. FromSoftwares masterpiece is in good hands, it would seem. At the time of writing there has been no indication of release date, but don’t be surprised if Demon’s Souls is available at launch. You can check out the PS5 Demon’s Souls trailer below. Trust me, it’s worth a watch.

Stay tuned to GamEir. And if you’re interested, come converse with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir). Check out our videos on Twitch (GamEir) and YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content.

You have a heart of gold… Don’t let them take it from you.

The post Demon’s Souls remake coming to PS5 appeared first on GamEir.

Graham’s Choice Game of 2019

Ladies and gentlemen welcome. I start my choice off with this opening statement – I’ve played a lot of games this year and was lucky enough to get some of the heavy hitters but my choice is something of a hidden gem, I chose The Legends of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III. If I was being honest though it is the whole Trails trio I played. All three came out this year for the PlayStation 4 with the fourth and final game in the arc hopefully coming out in 2020.

Every time I picked up one of these JRPG’s I spent an inhuman amount of time delving into the deeply involved continent of Zemuria and its people. The combat system was engaging, the customisation system for the characters you controlled was deep, and though the graphics were nothing special it ultimately didn’t matter with such a nuanced and engaging story. This is to me one of the best JRPG’s out there.

Between the three titles that culminated in Trails of Cold Steel III, I have put in approximately 400+ hours and I regret nothing!

Marcus’ Choice Game of 2019

It is that time again. Another year is just about to pass and what a year it has been for all us gamers. When I was asked to choose my GOTY, I had no doubts at all as to what my choice would be. My GOTY consists of intense combat, Deep subliminal lore and gorgeous periodic environments. With a Mighty prosthetic hand and a lifetime of Shinobi training, the legendary quest of Wolf won me over.

Yes, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is my GOTY!

The Orphaned child, turned Ninja bodyguard to the Divine Heir Kuro teased my imagination and childhood love of all things Japanese. Officially winning the Game of the Year title for 2019 was so deserved. Many outstanding titles entered much later in the year. This allowed Sekiro more time to really sink its teeth into hardcore, masochist gamers out there.

After all was said and done, the gruelling boss battles and tricky combat, Sekiro was so rewarding to finally beat. No other game developer creates such painstaking, mind-opening and addictive gameplay as FromSoftware.

So I salute FromSoftware and award Sekiro the highest prize of gaming. Not just GOTY but also…My respect!

Declan’s Choice Game of 2019

2019 was a slow year game wise for myself but Mortal Kombat 11 was the shining light. The game got a whole new facelift from the last outing. The characters were slick and stylish and updated (no more scantily clad females). Each character could also be customised as each had numerous skins and equipment.

The storyline takes place not long after MKX as they introduce Shinnoks mother and Keeper of Time, Kronika, who is hellbent on resetting time and moulding it into her image. The story introduces new characters and also past favourites return, we also get to hate Jax again which was nice. The highlight for me was the return of Shang Tsung and his island from the legendary Mortal Kombat film.

The game has come under some criticism for being too grindy. I don’t like paying my way through games, if there are unlockables or loot boxes I just get on with it and grind, I was born into the grind I’m an old school WoW player so I know how to spend hours doing the same thing to get what I want, bloody kids don’t know they’re born.

Anyway, MK 11 is a must for all fighting game fans and casuals alike and is my favourite in the franchise to date.

Niall’s Choice Game of 2019

In a year of enormous open worlds and RPG’s that take longer to finish than the entirety of Frasier there really is no sweeter change of pace than returning to the world of Shovel Knight. Now starring King Knight, the self-appointed man-baby monarch!

Like previous expansions the King has his own playstyle, focusing on audacious and deliriously silly spins as he quests to become the greatest card player in the realm. Joustus the new card game does the impossible: it makes playing a card game not only bearable but also sporadically very enjoyable! Yacht Club has put so much love into Shovel Knight over the years and as a result it has become one of the happiest success stories for a crowd-funded gaming project to date.

With their brilliant additions to the game since it’s bittersweet to think of it as finally finished but few prospects are more enticing than what could be coming next from these wonderful developers. Oh and if you already own Shovel Knight then congrats! That means you own Shovel Knight: King of Cards. Go and play it! Steel thy shovel! Or you could watch Frasier but Netflix don’t have it. Damn.

Well, we hope you enjoyed our choices of 2019. This will be the last article of 2019 as we have to hibernate until the New Year. Thanks for all being a fantastic audience and we’ll see you in 2020.

The post The Game of 2019 for the GamEir team appeared first on GamEir.

The country is in peril as President Michael Wilson defends the nation against a full-scale rebellion lead by Vice-President Richard Hawk and the mechanised legions he commands. As the 47th President of the United States, it is your sworn duty to take your country back by any means necessary and end this unjust coup d’état! Battle in your advanced mech – armed to the teeth – across iconic American landscapes including the Brooklyn Bridge, the Grand Canyon, and the front steps of the White House.

Where dis Metal Wolf Chaos XD come from?

FromSoftware originally released Metal Wolf Chaos in December 2004, appearing exclusively on the original Xbox and only in Japan. The game went on to become something of a legend as it was hard to acquire and even harder to play outside of Japan.

Devolver Digital and FromSoftware have partnered together with developer General Arcade to modernise Metal Wolf Chaos with updates to the game including upgraded visual fidelity, refined controls, and gameplay, a new save system, and 4K + 16:9 support for modern displays.

Stay tuned to GamEir, and if you’re interested, converse with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir). Check out our videos on Twitch (GamEir) and YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content!

The post Metal Wolf Chaos XD is coming soon appeared first on GamEir.

 Niall – Breath of the Wild Sequel

My favourite game of all time is Majora’s Mask. Building off of the far more popular Ocarina of Time Majora went in a completely different direction. Where Ocarina focused on jolly adventuring Majora went for apocalyptic nightmare fuel and melancholy.  With that in mind, the trailer for the newest Zelda shows a much darker and creepier tone than it’s predecessor, as Link and Zelda dabble in grave-robbing.

As Brendan Fraser would tell you this ends poorly as an ancient mummy (Ganon?) comes to life and starts to magically elevate Hyrule Castle. I don’t want to sound prejudiced but I doubt this dead dude has benevolent intentions.

My love of the Zelda series has always stemmed from how unafraid it is to get weird and shake things up so I hope this title has plenty of those surprises up its sleeve. The giant buffalo, discordant hell music and Zelda’s sweet new hairdo are enough to make this my new most anticipated game. Give me my main man Tingle and this will be the best game of all time.

Graham – Final Fantasy VII Remake

I mean come on guys it’s obviously Final Fantasy VII Remake. The fact that Cloud and the gang are coming back made me feel quite emotional. Seeing those iconic moments reimagined at this years E3 was absolutely fantastic.

What got me were the little touches:

• The fact that you can see the materia (and it’s colour) within the slot on Cloud’s Buster Sword as well as Barrett’s gun arm.
• Tifa’s new design and her amazing stylised fighting abilities.
• The expansion of the motorbike section with Avalanche.
• The improved boss battles which look incredibly cinematic.

As well as the iconic moments there were a few times where the story seems to have evolved. The most significant element was the interaction between Cloud and Sephiroth. This moment did not happen in the original but it is a welcome change.

The battle system looks promising, the score is suitably epic, and the character designs pop. As a great man loved to exclaim, “Nuff said!”

Dave – Elden Ring

A few weeks ago, the existence of a new Fromsoftware game was confirmed. We heard two things, they were working on an open world Norse mythology-inspired game and George R. R. Martin was helping to create the story. Do we even need more incentive than that? At E3 we learned its name; Elden Ring. The Xbox conference gave us a cinematic trailer much in the vein of first trailers for previous Fromsoft games. It paints a picture of a dark and mystical world, full of Norse and Celtic inspiration.

Fromsoftware has a habit of creating their own takes on mythology and I expect this game to do just that. In press releases since then, Miyazaki himself has said that Elden Ring is the biggest game they have ever built, and it is a broader action RPG than any of their previous games.

Unconfirmed are the rumours that the game will include horse riding and travelling to different kingdoms, but those things are certainly in line with what we know to be true. Fromsoftware has become the kind of developer who has my money for life, and having the credibility of George R. R. Martin on board is just gravy. I cannot wait to know more about this game.

Brian – Ghost Recon: Breakpoint

Shane f**kin Walsh. Frank f**kin Castle. And now, Cole D. F**kin Walker. When a digitized Jon Bernthal shows up on screen, you know things are about to kick off. When real life Jon Bernthal shows up, with his dog (Bam Bam), s**t just got real. Of all the keynotes and pressers at E3 2019, two will stand out in my memory. First, Keanu Reeves. Second, and more so than the first, Jon Bernthals appearance. We’ve all been Bernthal fans since The Walking Dead, and we delighted at his turn as Frank Castle in The Punisher. Now, as Cole D. Walker, a rogue Ghost agent in upcoming Tom Clancy game Ghost Recon: Breakpoint, Bernthal can get to grips with another multi-faceted tough guy. In Bernthal’s own words from E3:

…Cole D. Walker. A skilled, former special operations soldier, with his own sense of responsibility, and his own moral code… He loves his fellow soldiers, his brothers, but he is willing to do whatever it takes to complete his mission… We’ve got the numbers, we’ve got the organisation, and remember; we trained alongside you…

While other media for Ghost Recon: Breakpoint serves to highlight mechanics, graphics, game-play etc., what Walkers introduction cinematic does, is give us context. It immerses us into this world. Walker and his “Wolves” aren’t “bad guys”; they’re actually us. The difference being, something changed for them. Some intangible motivation flicked over. While games in this genre rarely, if ever, question the morality of these black ops units, a character like this can highlight the murky grey area these soldiers actually inhabit. There have been two points in my life when I genuinely wanted the good guys to lose. First, Gen. Francis X. Hummel (Ed Harris) in The Rock. The second, will be Cole D. F**kin Walker.

Steve – Everything but Microsoft

E3 2019 has come and gone. In my opinion it was Microsoft’s to win and they did not turn up at all. Some games I found interesting, but the “reveal” of their new console was the weakest I have ever seen. They were never able to keep me engaged and wanting to see more. Which I found most disappointing.

The biggest highlight to me is Keanu in Cyberpunk 2077. It is a fitting and cool move and he is just the best the human race has to offer. Hearing that his character will have the biggest side character questline has gotten me even more hyped. Now where can I get the collectors edition in Ireland?

An honourary mention goes out to the kickass old lady Helen of Watch Dogs Legion. Please Ubisoft let me fight the system with an army of high tech pensioners!

The race for best presentation was a hard fought race between Devolver, Square-Enix and Nintendo. Thanks to the big N’s (Nintendo) strong direct ending with a tease for the first ever direct sequel to a main line Zelda, in my opinion they beat out the competition. This tease has my Zelda fan heart throbbing. It is alluding to a potential for coop or even having Zelda as the hero. So many questions that I cannot wait to find the answers for. Overall, I feel this has been the weakest E3 in a good few years, but the highlights shine all the brighter.

Stay tuned to GamEir, and if you’re interested, converse with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir). Check out our videos on Twitch (GamEir) and YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content!

The post GamEir’s Best of E3 Selections appeared first on GamEir.

The first was a plethora of games, including numerous world premieres, the second was Games Pass/xCloud, and the third being their new console, Project Scarlett.

There was also a constant undercurrent of cross play availability, with many new titles being available to play across PC, Xbox One, and/or Nintendo Switch.

The Games

60 games are what Phil Spencer promised us, and he didn’t lie. However, some were titles merely being release on Games Pass, or otherwise being re-released. Halo MCC on PC for example. Most notable among all these titles were the previously unannounced games or dates for major releases.

We got a trailer for new FromSoftware game “Elden Ring“. This has has been in development for a couple of years, and the lore has been written by Game of Thrones scribe George RR Martin. It’s not like he has anything better to be doing anyway.

Finish the damn books, George!! Elden Ring is an open world RPG, no release date, or gameplay, but the trailer does give some very broad context of the games’ world.

We also got release dates for Gears 5, and Halo: Infinite. This 6th Halo in the Master Chief saga will be a launch title for Project Scarlett, holidays 2020. The CGI video features a space drifter, drifting along on his small ship in space. This is a sad space drifter, sad about things.

He then comes across a drifting object, also drifting along. The object turns out to be none other than John-117, or “Master Chief”, in the common tongue. John comes aboard, thaws out, and proceeds to declare violence as the answer to all life’s problems. Fade to black.

Gears of War 5 meanwhile, featured several times throughout Microsoft E3 2019. First, we had a close up of Kait, an NPC in Gears 4, she’s now the lead character for Gears 5. The trailer focused on Kaits fractured psyche, to the backing of a Billy Eilish track. A video highlighting Gears 5 new horde mode, or “Escape Mode”, was next.

This 3 player co-op mode has 3, all new, characters to play, and is built around a fight to survive/fight against the clock mechanic. Finally, and I still can’t find any substance behind this, there is a Terminator skin pack for Gears of War 5. You read that right. It’s cool and all, but little more than a cosmetic cash grab.

Cyberpunk 2077 hit us with a brand new trailer and release date. Best of all though, we got a glimpse at one of the games main NPCs, and it’s none other than Johnny Utah himself, Keanu Reeves! Reeves arrived onstage to triumphant fanfare and seemed to really glee in his participation.

He also introduced us to the official release date for Cyberpunk 2077: April 16, 2020. “Wake the f*ck up, Samurai. We got a city to burn.” The cinematic trailer did show off several new mechanics, including electro-whips, and arm swords. Wicked.

A standout trailer among the 60 for me was “12 Minutes“. This indie title sees characters play out a single 12-minute sequence repeatedly, trying to crack a mystery. 12 Minutes take place entirely in the protagonist’s apartment, and the top-down view gives it a unique perspective.

The player character remembers everything, so that, in essence, makes him Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. It’s a lot more than serious than that classic caper though. Developed by Annapurna Interactive, 12 Minutes won’t be out until 2020.

The Pass

Games Pass now has a new iteration: “Games Pass Ultimate”, which is available from… now. Games Pass Ultimate will allow subscribers to access Games Pass on Xbox One, PC, and also gives access to Xbox Live Gold. This new service will set you back € 14.99 a month.

There are several titles on Games Pass specific to PC, such as Imperator Rome, and Football Manager 2019. A stand-alone PC Games Pass will cost €9.99 per month. As a nice Brucey Bonus to Microsoft E3 2019, they’ve lowered the cost of Games Pass Ultimate to $1 for the duration of the event. Snap it up while you can.

Project xCloud, meanwhile, will go live in October. This streaming games service will turn your Xbox One into your own personal server. This, in turn, will allow users to play their Xbox titles on any device. Project xCloud is Microsoft’s answer to Google Stadia, and PlayStation Now. Not much information other than that, but given its being trialed at E3, there’ll be plenty more news as the week goes on.

The Project

A new Xbox. At Microsoft E3 2019. Who’d have predicted that one? Everyone, that’s who. In fairness, the specs are fairly legit. A brand new AMD processor developed specifically for Project Scarlett, it promises 8k clarity at up to 120 FPS.

The lack of any perceptible loading screens was being pushed by loads of nameless goons during the presentation video, that being credited to a fancy new SSD. The convergence of console and PC is almost complete, it seems. Additionally, that SSD will also act as virtual RAM, while the performance boost will be a full four times over current gen. As with any new Xbox system, backward compatibility will also be available from the get-go. Huzzah!

The Round-up

So there ya have Microsoft E3 2019. Did it live up to the hype? Was Sony right to skip out this year, or will they regret that decision? Personally, I thought it was an excellent keynote. Direct, to the point; games, services, hardware.

It carries on from a strong showing at E3 2018 and has now associated Microsoft with all of the major releases in the coming year. Games I’ve not featured, but will most definitely be playing? Well, Wasteland 3, Blair Witch, and Dying Light 2. Let us know what you thought of Microsoft E3 2019, and/or what titles you’ll be playing this coming year.

Stay tuned to GamEir, and if you’re interested, converse with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir). Check out our videos on Twitch (GamEir) and YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content!

The post Welcome to Microsoft E3 2019 appeared first on GamEir.