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Shadow of Mordor is the ultimate Beastmaster in new DLC screens
Monolith detailed the first expansion to Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor today, Lord of the Hunt. The upcoming DLC introduces "more tales from Torvin, the Dwarven Hunter, as you work together to tame the beasts of Mordor and fight Sauron's minions." Lord of the Hunt also features new monsters and nemeses to face off against, as well as new missions and beast-hunting challenges to take on. The DLC adds a "Test of the Wild" skill challenge mode and a character skin that turns Talion into the "ultimate Beastmaster." Lord of the Hunt will be available for purchase later this year and will be part of the game's $25 season pass program. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor launched in late September for PS4, Xbox One and PC, and the game's Xbox 360 and PS3 versions will arrive on November 18 after being delayed last month. The game's season pass also includes an exclusive Guardians of the Flaming Eye mission as well as another piece of story DLC, The Bright Lord. [Image: WBIE]
No one man should have all that Power of Shadow Middle-earth DLC
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor received a free DLC pack today that adds three new runes and a playable character skin to the game. The Power of Shadow add-on introduces the Black Hand of Sauron skin for protagonist Talion. Players can also toy with the One with Nature, Ascendant and Elven Grace runes. One with Nature grants players immunity to poison attacks from Uruk captains and Ghuls. Likewise, players get double focus time for ranged combat with the Ascendant rune. Finally, Elven Grace increases players' defense, cutting the damage taken by enemy strikes in half. Monolith recently introduced a new photo mode to the game via an update. Shadow of Mordor will get a few other content packs as part of its season pass program that add new story missions. [Image: WBIE]
Lego Batman 3 trailer casts Arrow's Amell, Conan O'Brien
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment issued a new trailer for Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham today, which shows a few of the big-name voice actors talking about their involvement in the Lego superhero game. As previously announced, Conan O'Brien will be a playable character in the game, joining the likes of film director Kevin Smith and Arrow's Stephen Amell, the latter reprising his role as Green Arrow. Lego Batman 3 will launch on November 11 for a whole mess of platforms: PS4, PS3, Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, Wii U and 3DS. Players will be able to pick up the game's $14.99 season pass that guarantees access to six DLC add-ons. It will also be packed in to its own $270 PS3 bundle at launch. Head past the break to see the game's new trailer and check out the new heroic screens in the gallery below. [Image: WBIE]
How Shadow of Mordor PS4 stacks up to PC's huge textures
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is a great action game, and a pretty (gruesome) one at that. Those playing on consoles will get a good sense of Monolith's interpretation of the Tolkien universe, but high-end PC players have access to an even more detailed version of Middle-earth. Players with beefy computers can download the HD content pack on Steam, which patches Shadow of Mordor with the "highest resolution textures available." The content pack requires a 64-bit version of Windows 7 or Windows 8 as well as a minimum of 8 GB of system RAM and a video card with at least 6 GB of RAM. Digital Foundry put together a comparison video with the PC version's ultra textures and a PS4 copy of the game, found after the break. For more footage of Shadow of Mordor in action, check out Tuesday's hour-long archived Joystiq Streams. [Image: WBIE]
Shadow of Mordor season pass trailer tastes a little Sauron
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment may have revealed its $25 season pass for Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor last month, but it's now offering a closer look at the add-ons that pass holders are guaranteed access to. The DLC includes an exclusive Guardians of the Flaming Eye mission and two story missions, Lord of the Hunt and The Bright Lord. The latter quest has players controlling Celebrimbor, "the great Elven smith of the Second Age," eventually encountering the Tolkien universe's primary antagonist, Sauron. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor will launch tomorrow for PS4, Xbox One and PC. The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game were delayed to November 18 earlier this month. It received good marks critically, including our five-star review that praised the Mordor's Nemesis system. Head past the break to see the game's season pass trailer. [Image: WBIE]
Metareview: Middle-earth Shadow of Mordor
Our five-star review of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor reassured players that an appreciation for J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings universe isn't necessary to enjoy the deep action game. "What would have otherwise been a competent sandbox game with solid combat mechanics and an interesting twist on a known fantasy world is elevated by the Nemesis System," which greatly personalizes your experience. The game's unique systems means our Nemesis in Shadow of Mordor differed from that of other critics, yet reviews around the web are mostly positive about the game. Head past the break to get a better sense of the collective opinion on the game, which launches next Tuesday, September 30 for PS4, Xbox One and PC. The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game were delayed to November 18 earlier this month.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor review: My precioussss
Prerequisite for enjoying Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor: appreciation for a well-crafted action game. A distant second requirement is a basic awareness of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings fantasy world. I'm not talking Tom Bombadil slash fiction. I mean, you know that there are some rings and something-something one rules them all, right? Awesome! You're good to go. You don't have to like Tolkien's Middle-earth to appreciate this game, but there's plenty of lore trinkets in there for the initiated. Taking place in the timeline between The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, Shadow of Mordor has the player fighting back against the Dark Lord Sauron's Black Captains as Talion, a Gondorian Ranger ritually sacrificed, resurrected and now possessed by an unknown force to change Mordor for the better. This spiritual force is Talion's dark passenger, guiding him through the harsh realities of taking on Sauron's forces. Within the first ten minutes, it's clear that this isn't a family-friendly PG-13 experience. Shadow of Mordor is darker than any of the movies or licensed games based on Middle-earth that have come before. It also introduces one of the freshest game mechanics in years with the Nemesis System, a tug of war for power among the game's Uruk (Orc) captains and warchiefs.
Joystiq Streams: New Gauntlet needs a workout badly
All these space wizards and Dinklages and space balls telling us about our Destiny as conqueror of the darkness have exhausted us. Now we thirst for simpler pleasures. No more moon wizards! Just regular wizards, who are mightily hungry and may or may not need food in the immediate future. The Joystiq crew is going old school today, diving into an early build of the newly resurrected Gauntlet! Joystiq.com/Twitch will be broadcast a piping hot plate of Gauntlet one week before its release, starting today at 4:00PM EST. Jess Conditt (@JessConditt), Alexander Sliwinski (@Sliwinski), and Anthony John Agnello (@ajohnagnello) will dive into the game blind with absolutely no clue how to succeed! Come and talk to us as we wonder what the hell we're supposed to do with all these arrows. That's Joystiq.com/Twitch at 4:00PM EST, just like we broadcast every Tuesday and Thursday. Want to catch our irregular streams like last week's all-staff Destiny roundtable? Make sure to follow us on Twitch, Facebook, and Twitter! [Images: WBIE]
Dying Light to rise in January 2015
Dying Light, the free-roaming zombie apocalypse survival game from Call of Juarez and Dead Island developer Techland, will launch January 27, 2015. The game was delayed to February back in May, and was previously expected to arrive on March 31 of this year for PC, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360 and PS3. Published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, the game splits players' activities among day and night cycles, the latter featuring much more dangerous and aggressive zombies. The best options for survival during the noctural hours is usually to run, encouraging players to partake heavily in Dying Light's parkour-like urban traversal mechanics. Players will also hunt for supplies to dig into a weapon crafting system and take out the undead enemies when the opportunity arises. [Image: WBIE]
Lego Batman 3 goes beyond Gotham with DLC, season pass
When Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham launches in November, players will have three pieces of DLC to pick up, each part of a season pass for the game. The season pass costs $14.99 and promises access to six add-ons in total, three of which will be announced at a later time. It will be available to PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360 and PC owners, but not Wii U, 3DS and Vita. The DLC packs set to arrive alongside the game are The Dark Knight Pack, the Man of Steel Pack and the Batman 75th Pack, each with themed missions with story elements and free play modes. The latter has players following the exploits of the Joker and Harley Quinn as they set up "a variety of celebration set pieces," then play as the varying Batmans (Batmen?) through the hero's many years of existence. Future packs will include new playable characters, vehicles and levels. Each piece of DLC can be purchased individually for $2.99. Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham will launch November 11 for PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Vita, Wii U and 3DS. The game will also be featured in a PS3 bundle, slated to launch with the game. [Image: WBIE]
Shadow of Mordor delayed on Xbox 360, PS3
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor won't storm retail's gates in September on previous generation consoles. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced this morning that the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions "will take more time in development," with release dates now slated for November 18 and 21 in the Americas and UK, respectively. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of Mordor are all set to ride on September 30 in North America and October 3 in the UK. The PC and Steam versions are also set for September 30 in the Americas and Europe.
Gauntlet needs new release date, badly
WBIE's Gauntlet reboot is being delayed by a couple weeks so everyone can build up more rage against friends who will inevitably shoot the food. Originally scheduled for September 3, the game has now been moved to a September 23 launch.
You shall use this season pass for Shadow of Mordor add-ons
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is getting the season pass treatment, giving players bonus content when the game launches on September 30. Season pass holders will receive the exclusive Guardians of the Flaming Eye Orc Warband mission, early access to the Trials of War series of challenges and two story missions: Lord of the Hunt and The Bright Lord. Additionally, those that opt-in to the season pass program will be guaranteed access to future add-on content like runes and skins. Monolith's adventure based in the Tolkien-o-verse was previously expected to launch on October 7 before Warner Bros. moved the game's launch up last month to late September (October 3 in the UK). The publisher did not offer a price for the season pass, though it's not the only method of obtaining extra goodies for Shadow of Mordor; PS4 owners that pre-order the game will receive exclusive "PlayStation Legion Missions." Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is in development for PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC. [Image: WBIE]
The Witcher 3's 'Gwent' mini-game is quite a card
The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt will feature a card game within the open-world RPG, CD Project Red revealed. "Gwent" is a "fast-paced card game" invented by dwarves that includes four factions. Players duel with other characters using over 150 playing cards with multiple combat styles, heroes and spells. Gwent represents a "clash of two armies locked in mortal struggle on a battlefield," in which players' decks act as their forces. The developer also revealed the inclusion of bonus physical goodies for the Xbox One Collector's Edition of The Witcher 3. In addition to the 200-page artbook, medallion, steelbook and cases, limited edition Xbox One owners will receive a a cloth map of the game's world and two physical Gwent card decks. Best Buy, GameStop and Walmart listings peg the Collector's Edition at roughly $150. The Witcher 3 will launch on February 24, 2015 for PS4, Xbox One and PC. [Image: WBIE]
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor PS4 pre-orders earn exclusive missions
PlayStation 4 owners will be delighted to learn that a pre-order of Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor includes exclusive quests dubbed "PlayStation Legion Missions." Though it's unknown how many PlayStation Legion Missions are included with the pre-order, Monolith Productions community manager Andy Salisbury offers more information on what Tolkienian beasts you'll be stalking. "In these exclusive missions, you'll go head-to-head with the deadly Blood Hunters, and the fearsome Flesh Burners, two of the most savage Warbands in all of Mordor (and two groups of hunters determined to personally bring your head to Sauron)," Salisbury wrote in a recent PlayStation.blog entry. According to Salisbury, the Blood Hunters are a pack of assassins sent to kill protagonist Talion. Kill them and you'll walk away with the Stinging Blade Rune. The Flesh Burners, by contrast, are a group of "elite archers" who employ crossbows loaded with burning bolts. Snip their bowstrings with extreme prejudice and you'll earn the Black Arrow Rune. All of these PlayStation exclusives are in addition to the base pre-order bonuses which include the "Test of Power" challenge mode and an additional, darker skin for Talion. Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor launches on September 30. [Image: WBIE]
Kano gets the green light for Mortal Kombat X
The cybernetically charged Kano is the latest combatant to be revealed for Mortal Kombat X, courtesy of a brand new trailer. As creative director Ed Boon explains, Kano's three fighting styles are the slice-and-dicing Cutthroat, the Cybernetic style complete with eye laser, and finally the more close-quarters, counter-based Commando. Helpfully, the three fighting styles are denoted by the color of Kano's glowing cybernetic heart - the things they can do with cybernetic hearts these days. Kano joins Scorpion, Raiden and Sub-Zero on the returning side, while new characters include insect woman D'vorah, the disturbing two-in-one amalgamation Ferra/Torr, chest-baring Aztec god Kotal Kahn, and relative newcomer Cassie Cage. Expect more info and characters to gradually trickle out between now and Mortal Kombat X hitting PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3 and PC sometime next year. [Image: Warner Bros.]
Put down your tea and watch this Shadow of Mordor gameplay
We're not sure why the narrator isn't more excited in this video about the Wraith abilities in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. Everything we've seen about this game makes us more and more stoked about it, so this guy's mellow demeanor is a bit confusing. Maybe he just had some nice chamomile tea. That could be it. Seriously, check out our video preview. This game is looking legit. A small blessing for the game is that it was moved up to a September 30 launch away from the October bloodbath.
One does not simply move up the Shadow of Mordor release date (but WB did)
Warner Bros. revealed it's moved Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor away from the October 7 madness, bringing the game forward to September 30 in North America and October 3 in the UK. According to a press release, Warner Bros is releasing the game earlier "based on hearing fans' excitement." It may also have something to do with the number of high-profile games releasing on the game's original street date of October 7. Dragon: Age Inquisition's already abandoned the October 7 ship for November, but the date's still home to the likes of Alien: Isolation, Driveclub and NBA 2K15.
Holy cameo, Batman: Adam West as himself in Lego Batman 3
The official Lego Batman Twitter accounted posted the above image this week, while the San Diego Comic Con Lego Batman 3 panel features one Adam West as a special guest star. Furthermore, the Lego Batman account retweeted this mysterious message from the user @warhev: "Adam West plays himself in Lego Batman 3?! Day one purchase, lol!" But what could this riddle mean...? Lego Batman 3... if you take the L away from Lego, you get ego... or "I." I Batman 3... or, maybe... I'm Batman No. 3. The third Batman... would be Adam West. Ergo, Adam West must play himself in Lego Batman 3! Quick, to the Joymobile! Is the TV show's superheroic actor truly in Traveller's Tales' new Lego adventure? Find out this fall on all bat-channels, namely Xbox 360, Xbox One, Vita, PS3, PS4, PC, Wii U and 3DS. [Image: Warner Bros.]
Microsoft Store lists Batman: Arkham Knight for Feb. 2015
Batman: Arkham Knight rises on February 24, 2015, at least so says the Microsoft Store. While the release date remains officially unconfirmed, the MS Store's offering does lie on a Tuesday, the day of the week games are released typically in North America. NeoGAF spotted the Xbox One listing over the weekend, but when asked, Warner Bros. told Eurogamer the game "is due for release in 2015." An early 2015 arrival for Rocksteady's new-gen Arkham looks likely. Speaking to Groovey.tv earlier this month, Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy - who has some previous experience with spilling the bat-beans early - said Arkham Knight is due "next January." Conroy also noted it was originally supposed to come out in January 2014. As you're probably aware, Arkham Knight was scheduled for this year before WB pushed it back three weeks ago.
