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'Rage 2' serves up open world mayhem on May 14th, 2019
Bethesda, Avalanche and id Software have nailed down a release date for Rage 2. The Mad Max-like open world shooter will be available on PC, PS4 and Xbox One on May 14th, 2019 -- almost exactly a year after it was introduced, in fact. The accompanying new trailer doesn't tell you much that you don't already know, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Essentially, you can expect punks with guns, a thorough mix of vehicular and on-foot combat, and many creative ways to kill your foes.
Footage leaks of a mysterious Harry Potter RPG
You can now play Harry Potter on mobile, but if you're craving something more substantial, a new leak is sure to get your pulse racing. Redditor VapeThisBro briefly shared footage of an apparent new RPG set within J.K. Rowling's wizarding world, starring your own custom-built character. The clip was only up a short time before it was pulled from YouTube and replaced with a notice that Warner Bros. Entertainment Interactive had filed a copyright claim. Filmed in third-person, the clip showed a wand-waving protagonist battling goblins and walking through a town square scattered with NPCs. Hogwarts' famous hall also made an appearance.
'Just Cause 4' parachutes in December 4th
Square Enix brought more than just Kingdom Hearts to Microsoft's pre-E3 2018 press conference -- there's also Just Cause 4. Rico is back, once again parachuting into some disastrous warzone with both guns and attitude in tow. The quick trailer showed off some new-gen powered gameplay with plenty of driving, shooting, explosions and impressive weather effects as our hero plunged directly into a tornado. The game is scheduled for release December 4th on Xbox One, PS4 and PC, so at least that's one title we won't be waiting until Q1 2019 for. While a gameplay trailer showed off Just Cause 4 at the event, you should look below for the "Welcome to Just Cause 4" video that goes in-depth with developers from Avalanche Studios (which is also behind the 80s-themed robot shooter Generation Zero) explaining what's new this time around. This time the game takes place on the home turf of a group that has been featured in previous games called The Black Hand. There will be four separate biomes included, and the concept of a "force of nature" plays a massive role. Rico's grapple hook is, of course, included, but there are even more physics-based tricks for players to mess around with this time.
Avalanche Studios unveils nostalgic '80s robot shooter 'Generation Zero'
If you've caught the '80s nostalgia bug after Stranger Things, this could be the game for you. It's 1989. Machines have taken over rural Sweden, and it's unclear how or why. And it's up to a group of young adults to stop them. That's the gist of Generation Zero, an open-world shooter announced by Just Cause and Mad Max developer Avalanche Studios just a few days before E3 kicks off.
'Rage 2' brings the frenetic action of 'Doom' to an open world
Bethesda's initial teaser for Rage 2 may have been long on hype and short on substance, but it's making up for that with the full announcement. The team-up between original Rage creators id Software and Avalanche Studios (best known for Just Cause and, appropriately, Mad Max) promises to be a significant expansion of the first game's post-apocalpytic open-world concept. The premise is familiar -- you're still fighting gangs, mutants and the oppressive Authority through a mix of on-foot shooting and vehicular combat -- but the mechanics have changed. Even at this early stage, it's clear the title is borrowing a page from Doom's book.
Playdate: We're playing with fire in 'Just Cause 3'
It's really hard to not smile when you're causing massive amounts of mayhem in a video game, and what I've played of Just Cause 3 so far has me grinning ear to ear. Now it's time to share that joy with you, our lovely Playdate viewers on Twitch. Join myself and Jessica Conditt as we explore the game's lush Mediterranean island in the sun starting at 6 PM Eastern / 3 PM Pacific as we broadcast two hours full of good-natured mayhem and destruction either here on this post, the Engadget Gaming homepage, or, if you want to chat along, Twitch.tv/Joystiq.
'Mad Max' the game has crazy cars, murder and a story
The "Savage Road" story trailer suggests that there's a deeper tale behind all of the desert-drenched road rage and creative killing in the Mad Max video game. Apparently, that story is about a dude looking for a car, finding a car, kissing a lady and then destroying all of the evil men he can reach on four wheels. It's a slightly different narrative than the one in this year's film, Mad Max: Fury Road, and plot isn't the only way these two products diverge. We played a portion of Mad Max last week and found it to be fun as a car game but lacking in intrigue as a brawler: "In its translation to an open-world video game, Mad Max: Fury Road's unique charm's been traded in for monotony." Still, a video full of rampaging, spiky vehicles and bloodthirsty desert overlords gets our blood pumping every time. Watch the story trailer below. Mad Max is due on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on September 1st, with pre-orders open now.
'Mad Max' the game lacks the charm and detail of 'Fury Road'
Like any Mad Max fan thrilled by the film Fury Road, I approached Avalanche Studios' new video game translation hoping to find echoes of the film's anarchic spirit. And while the full game may deliver -- we won't know until review time -- the current demo feels more like a mundane snapshot of Max's offscreen life in that post-apocalyptic world than an adrenaline shot from Fury Road. Mad Max, due out this fall for PlayStation 4, PC and Xbox One, just doesn't have the same level of enervating detail.
Just Cause sequel on the way
Swedish gaming rag Kong reports (via GameSpot) that the relative success of Just Cause in the UK has inspired Avalanche Studios CEO Christofer Sundberg to announce a sequel. This time the open-world game will remain exclusive to next-gen platforms while ditching the tropical theme for a "VERY large city environment." Are you thrilled by this news, or just curious to see how they improve a flawed, but reasonably entertaining, product?
Metareview - Just Cause (Xbox 360)
Just Cause was a hit at E3. People were talking, and as Saint's Row was being written off as a shallow GTA-clone, Just Cause was said to be blazing new trails for the sandbox genre. Well, it's here now -- and it's a bore. Good idea. Poor execution. Game Informer (73/100) credits Avalanche's attempts to "try a few new things," but noble efforts don't always amount to a memorable game. [Oct. 2006, p.93] GameSpy (60/100) believes Saint's Row is the better choice for sandboxing on Xbox 360. (We agree). Eurogamer (60/100) coins the term: "poor man's Mercenaries" ... which sums Just Cause up well. Also available on: PlayStation 2 / Xbox / PC
Grab the Just Cause demo on August 24th
These days, it seems like announcing a demo is almost as important as announcing the launch date of a game. Not one to be late to the party, Avalanche Studios has come through with a date for the demo of Just Cause. In case the headline didn't tip you off, the demo should hit Marketplace (and PC) on August 24th. Starring a skydiving, carjacking, black wearing operative, Just Cause looks to give 360 owners their first non-urban sandbox game. Anybody expecting this to top Saints Row? [Via OXM]
