Latest news with #Ubisoft
Metro
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Ubisoft teases Splinter Cell reveal but don't get your hopes up
Activity on Ubisoft's social media channels points to a potential Splinter Cell announcement, but is it connected to the remake? It's been four years since Ubisoft announced it was working on a remake of the first Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, and we've heard nothing substantial about it since. Aside from some early concept art, a report last year claimed that, despite fan fears, the project hadn't been cancelled and that it could launch at some point in 2026. Despite years of silence from Ubisoft, it seems they might finally be gearing up to make an announcement regarding the franchise. Either that, or someone on the social media team is feeling particularly torturous towards its fans. In an X post on Friday, May 30, the official Ubisoft account shared a head shot of series protagonist Sam Fisher, with eye emojis and '#SplinterCell' in the caption. Weirdly, the screenshot itself is from the sequel to Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, titled Pandora Tomorrow, which was released in 2004 on PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, and PC. While many fans are hoping this is a tease for news about the remake at Summer Game Fest on Friday, June 6, or at the Xbox showcase two days later, there's a chance it could be connected to something else entirely. On Saturday, May 31, Netflix is holding its annual Tudum event where it shares trailers and announcements about its upcoming release slate. You might have forgotten about it entirely, but Netflix is developing an animated TV series based on Splinter Cell, called Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, which is slated to be released in late 2025. More Trending There's a chance Ubisoft is teasing an announcement regarding the latter, but that doesn't mean we won't see an update about the remake at some point soon. In fact, it makes sense to line up the animated series with the launch of a remake, but that depends on whether Ubisoft is feeling logical. One potential ding against the chances of an update at Summer Game Fest is the fact Ubisoft hasn't been listed among the event's partners so far. This in turn suggests the company is planning its own Ubisoft Forward presentation again, like it did in June last year, but there hasn't been an official announcement yet. The last mainline instalment in the series was 2013's Splinter Cell: Blacklist, which continued the series' action-orientated shift, following Splinter Cell: Conviction. Ubisoft was working on a VR spin-off, but that was was cancelled in 2022. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: to a T review – surrealism and empathy from the maker of Katamari Damacy MORE: Elden Ring Nightreign is From's worst-rated game in years but it is a hit on Steam MORE: Cyberpunk 2 release date narrowed down as production ramps up
Mint
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Assassin's Creed Shadows review: Vast and beautiful, with a story mode
Among all of the world's most popular games, Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed franchise is one of the most recognizable names globally. By itself, the lore created by this 18-year-old game series has been a landmark experience in gaming—giving players the experience of an open world that can be explored freely, close links to actual historical events in its storyline, and a narration that connects the protagonists of each game with multiple previous ones. Now, Assassin's Creed Shadows takes all of these elements to give fans of its franchise a setting that many forums had demanded for years—medieval Japan. Straight off the bat, Assassin's Creed Shadows does a fantastic job of recreating Japan in the late-1570s. This is not just because of the visuals, which are undoubtedly poignant, realistic and befitting of the game's set-up—the design of the terrain's layout, including the hideouts and the strategically placed side quests alongside the 22 main mission levels, actually makes Assassin's Creed Shadows a title that gamers can continue to explore well beyond finishing the main storyline. For those without prior context: this is the 14th game in the 18-year history of Ubisoft making Assassin's Creed. The plot is simple: players don the shields and armours of a fictional member of the ancient Order of the Assassins—dropped in the game within real historical context and events. The goal is largely to defeat an opposing faction—for the most part, the Knights Templar that sought to establish order in medieval and ancient societies with an iron fist. But through this journey, the game has evolved to offer historical clues for players, including links and tributes to older games within the main game itself. Also read: Inside India's first Lego store in Gurugram Assassin's Creed Shadows, too, has the same spirit. You play either as Yasuke, a former imprisoned slave, or Naoe—the daughter of master assassin Tsuyu and Nagato, a leading member of the resistance faction Iga ikki. Both the characters have their strengths and limitations—Yasuke is a humongous force of nature, capable of breaking down doors with sprints and going on a rampage as enemy numbers escalate. Naoe, meanwhile, is ideal for stealth and swift assassinations—throughout the game, you'd often find Naoe's nimble-footed approach to be ideal. As you set off in the game, you realize that the storylines and character developments have still remained one of Ubisoft's biggest strengths, making Assassin's Creed Shadows stand on the same podium as some of the world's best third-person role-playing narrative-driven games—such as The Witcher, The Last of Us, Uncharted and Control. You get absorbed with Naoe's predicament, and you find Yasuke's journey a fulfilling one as you progress through the game. It's important to note here that as you progress in the game, choosing the normal and expert difficulty settings will need you to invest heavily in upgrading your gear, attire and weaponry. If you're not a hardcore gamer and would rather enjoy the game's story, there is a 'story' mode where the combat is toned down to the bare minimum, with protagonists barely ever taking a hit. What's interesting is that even in the story mode, Ubisoft has ensured that players stay immersed enough in tactical movement and swift combat to get the most of the ideal experience of Assassin's Creed Shadows. But, the presence of such a mode increases the appeal for such a game with those who do not want to go into extreme levels of combat. Back to the story, though, and about halfway through the game, you realize just how massive the world of Shadows really is. For the average casual gamer playing about two hours a day, it took almost a full month to finish the main story levels of Assassin's Creed Shadows. With side quests and additionally discoverable regions to explore, it can easily take up to three months to really straddle the full expanse of the game. As you go through the game, you can't help but feel that the exchange of dialogues and the narrative stretches on for a bit too long. While most combats are nearly ideal, some design elements interfere with the smoothness of the gameplay—in certain battles for instance, Yasuke's weight and armour levels just do not come through. Such glitches can become increasingly frustrating, especially since after a point, you tend to feel that even the story is rather loose, and should have been much crisper to let the game's open world shine through more. The present-day binding narrative, which plays right at the onset to set you up for the game, also feels rather forced—surely, there could've been a better way to establish context and history to the assassin's journey. That said, Assassin's Creed Shadows put forth a glorious insight into just how fun this game series always was, and in many ways, continues to be. It may come across as tedious, and those who are not good at combat-and-stealth gameplay may even struggle to finish it or continue beyond a point. But, perseverance lets you discover various parts of medieval Japan where the sights are gorgeous, and getting to the top of the pole still gives you the 'master of the world' appeal that has remained intact since the very first of this series. Is it worth playing, then? Definitely. Assassin's Creed Shadows' biggest 'fault' per se is in just how big the game is—and that's not necessarily bad for those at whom the game is aimed at. Is it the best that the series has offered to date? Based on pure visuals, some would certainly say so. Played on: Xbox Series S; Price: ₹4999 onward; Developer and publisher: Ubisoft. Also read: Computex 2025: All things AI to come from the annual computer show
Engadget
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Engadget
Summer Game Fest 2025: What new game announcements to expect and how to watch
As if early June wasn't already going to be a wild enough time in the gaming world with the arrival of the Nintendo Switch 2, that's also when a whole host of showcases takes place as part of Summer Game Fest. Along with the two blockbuster events — Summer Game Fest Live and the Xbox Games Showcase — there are a bunch of other ones in store, including the always-delightful Day of the Devs. There could be even more on the docket. There's always a chance that Nintendo and Sony will run a Direct or State of Play, respectively, over the next few weeks. Ubisoft hasn't yet announced a Forward event for this year either — perhaps because it has delayed a bunch of big games and isn't ready to talk about them. We haven't yet heard about a Devolver Direct either (c'monnnn, we need Baby Steps and Skate Story release dates already!). As things stand, SGF is slated to run from June 6 until June 8. With E3 officially dead (organizer Entertainment Software Association is planning an industry-focused event for next April instead), SGF is now the de facto replacement and the biggest event for announcements and updates this side of Gamescom in August. We'll update this preview as more details about the showcases emerge, including additional events in the SGF nebula. We'll embed videos for each stream as they become available as well. Engadget will be on the ground in Los Angeles for the in-person side of SGF, which is for media and creators. We'll be bringing you hands-on impressions of many of the games that are featured during SGF Live. Most folks will be keeping up with everything from home, though. To that end, here's a breakdown of how to watch Summer Game Fest 2025 and what to expect from the extravaganza (we're bound to get a Hollow Knight: Silksong release date this time, right?!?!). Summer Game Fest Live — June 6, 5PM ET Day of the Devs — June 6, 7PM ET Wholesome Direct — June 7, 12PM ET Women-led Games Showcase — June 7, 1PM ET Latin American Games Showcase — June 7, 2PM ET Green Games Showcase — June 7, 4PM ET Xbox Games Showcase — June 8, 1PM ET Putting aside our annoyance at the timing of this showcase — late on a Friday evening in the UK and right when many folks on the East Coast are clocking out for the weekend — Summer Game Fest Live is one of the bigger events in early June. It starts at 5PM ET and will run for two hours. Organizers are promising "spectacular new video game announcements, surprises and reveals." That's pretty compelling, especially since host Geoff Keighley (rightfully) downplayed expectations ahead of last year's show. We do know about a few games that will appear. SGF Live will include a fresh look at Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, a Soulslike action RPG from Leenzee, a studio based in China. That game will arrive in July. Open-world MMORPG Chrono Odyssey will make an appearance as well. Oh, and Hideo Kojima will be there, of course. SGF Live takes place just a couple of weeks before Kojima's Death Stranding 2: On the Beach arrives, so we'll likely get another peek at that game. Perhaps some of the other projects Kojima's working on will get some time in the limelight too. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. Keighley has also released an initial list of partners for SGF. It includes big names such as PlayStation, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox, Steam, 2K, Epic Games and Square Enix. On the list is IO Interactive, so perhaps we'll get more information about the James Bond game that the Hitman studio has been working on for several years. Embark Studios is there as well, and given that there's a lot of hype around its upcoming extraction shooter, Arc Raiders , there'll be high hopes for a release date for that one. On top of that, it might be a little too early for another peek at The Witcher 4 after the reveal trailer at The Game Awards in December. But CD Projekt Red will be at SGF, so you never know... You can watch SGF Live on more than 20 platforms, including YouTube (that stream will be available in 4K at 60 fps), Twitch, X, TikTok, Steam and international services. The event will stream live from the YouTube Theater, and you can attend in person, if you like. In any case, we'll be bringing you all the major news from Summer Game Fest Live. We just can't promise we won't have an adult beverage with an umbrella next to us while we're covering the event. Immediately after SGF Live ends, the YouTube and Twitch streams will segue into the summer 2025 Day of the Devs stream. This indie-focused showcase invariably has a fantastic lineup of games worth keeping an eye on. Among the games making appearances are Possessor(s) from Heart Machine and "nightmarish RPG" Neverway from Coldblood and co-publisher Outersloth. We'll also see something from House House ( Untitled Goose Game ) — presumably the co-op "walker-talker" Big Walk that was revealed in 2023. In all, this edition of Day of the Devs will feature 20 games. Last year's show included 2024 game(s) of the year contender UFO 50 , the very intriguing platformer Screenbound , survival climbing game Cairn , the delightfully kooky-looking Building Relationships and sci-fi mystery Phoenix Springs . My Steam wishlist somehow expands quite significantly after each Day of the Devs showcase. Weird how that always happens. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. Definitely don't overlook the smaller events that take place during SGF, as you can always find plenty of treats among them. One such event is the Wholesome Direct, which will feature around 60 cozy games. It will include world premieres, demo announcements and updates from publishers and developers including Playstack, btf Games, ustwo games and Wētā Workshop (whose Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of The Rings Game arrives in July). This one does what it says on the tin. It's a showcase featuring games from women-led and majority-women studios. Women-led Games will feature 39 titles, including world premieres and release dates. The Latin American Games Showcase will feature more than 50 games, all of which are from Latin American developers, oddly enough. Expect world premieres, game update news and more from this one. Watch on YouTube The Green Games Showcase is a new addition to the lineup for 2025. This will focus on the game's industry's "growing commitment to the environment." It will feature games that make direct contributions to green initiatives. Other titles in the showcase center around sustainability, and some are designed to raise awareness or drive action regarding environmental causes. Amazon Games, Skybound Games and Team17 are among those taking part. The stream will include a Q&A about how games can inspire meaningful action on climate change. There will also be a fundraising drive to help plant 50,000 trees. What's the over/under on the number of times the phrase "day one with Game Pass" will appear on this stream? That's one phrase you can definitely expect to hear, but Microsoft will have plenty to share here. It's the biggest Xbox showcase of the year. There will be reveals and updates from across Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda and Activision Blizzard. Games that the company has in the pipeline include Fable (2026), Perfect Dark, Gears of War: E-Day, Everwild, State of Decay 3, Clockwork Revolution, Hideo Kojima's OD and Contraband . It feels a little early for an update on The Elder Scrolls 6 since that game is still years away. But we may find out more about those other games and some we don't yet know about, such as whatever Double Fine and Toys for Bob are working on. I have my fingers crossed for more info on the Blade game that Arkane Studios is working on. It's a reasonably safe bet that we'll see something about the next Call of Duty here as well. There's always going to be space for offerings from Microsoft's partner studios and publishers too. Plus, you never know, we might get a peek at what Halo Studios has been cooking up. One game we'll definitely hear more about on June 8 is The Outer Worlds 2 . That's getting its own time in the spotlight, with a dedicated event that will start as soon as the main Xbox Games Showcase ends. Meanwhile, several publishers and other organizations are hosting their own shows around SGF. Here's when those will take place: Access-Ability Summer Showcase (featuring games made by disabled developers and the accessibility options in each title) — June 6, 11AM ET, YouTube and Twitch IGN Live — throughout June 7 and 8 Southeast Asian Games Showcase — June 7, 3PM ET To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. Future Games Show — June 7, 4PM ET (featuring more than 40 games) To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. PC Gamer 's PC Gaming Show — June 8, 3PM ET (with 50-plus games) Phew. Get ready, gamers. Details on many, many new games are coming your way very soon.
CNET
a day ago
- Business
- CNET
Play One of 2024's Best Games on Xbox Game Pass Now
Metaphor: ReFantazio was one of CNET's games of the year in 2024, and Xbox Game Pass subscribers can experience the game for themselves now. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a CNET Editors' Choice award pick, offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One and PC or mobile device for $20 a month. A subscription gives you access to a large library of games, with new titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 added monthly, plus other benefits, such as online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles. Read more: Play Classic Games From the '80s and '90s on Xbox Game Pass Now Here are the games Microsoft is adding to Game Pass soon. You can also check out what games the company added to the service earlier in May, including Doom: The Dark Ages. Metaphor: ReFantazio Game Pass Standard, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can play now. Traverse vast lands, explore dungeons and take part in a royal tournament to decide who the next ruler of the kingdom will be in one of the best games of 2024. This turn-based fantasy RPG comes from the creators of Persona 3, 4 and 5, so expect some similar stylistic choices. But CNET's Imad Khan said what really stands out about this game is "its addictive RPG gameplay loop." Tom Clancy's The Division 2 Game Pass Standard, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can play now. Ubisoft This RPG shooter begins a few months after the events of the original game when chaos has engulfed Washington, DC. Enemy factions have overrun the city's streets, and settlements of citizens are threatened by new enemies. It's up to you to help liberate the city. This game lands on Game Pass just in time for Year 7 Season 1, which brings new gear, weapons and more to the game. Monster Train 2 PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can play now. In the original Monster Train, you were fighting angelic forces to take back your home in hell. In this go-round, former angels and demons have made an unholy alliance to stop powerful creatures known as Titans from destroying the world. The deck-building gameplay that made the original Monster Train is back in this sequel, with new abilities, challenges and more for you to tackle. Creatures of Ava New to Game Pass Standard. Game Pass Ultimate subscribers could play this game full of cute creatures in August, and Game Pass Standard subscribers can try it out soon, too. This action-adventure creature-saver game is all about understanding and taming different creatures from various climates. Though your mission is to stop a life-consuming infection that threatens the world, I can't blame you if you just want to cuddle and pet all the cute critters in the game. Stalker 2 New to Game Pass Standard. Microsoft The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone was established in the wake of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. It's one of the most radioactively contaminated areas on Earth, and you get to explore it in this highly anticipated sequel. However, you're not alone. Mutated animals, humans and other dangerous creatures roam the zone. So choose your path wisely, and you might survive. You might even shape the future of humanity. Game Pass Standard subscribers can play this survival horror game a few months after Game Pass Ultimate subscribers could. Tales of Kenzera: Zau PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can play now. This side-scrolling Metroidvania-style game was inspired by Bantu myths. In this game, your father has died, and you make a bargain with the God of Death to bring him back. You'll wield cosmic powers, travel through mystical realms and confront three mighty beings who seem pretty familiar to you. To a T PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can play now. Being 13 years old is hard, and being 13 years old while standing in a T pose all the time can be even more difficult. This narrative-adventure game comes from Keita Takahashi, the creator of Katamari Damacy, and you'll experience a colorful story, explore your seaside town, and hang out with a precious and helpful dog. Takahashi talks about the game with CNET's Sean Booker here. Spray Paint Simulator PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can play now. Bring some color to the world in this simulator, which lands on Game Pass right when it comes out. You'll restore worn-out surfaces, apply fresh coats of paint and make the world a little brighter in this relaxing, precision game. Crypt Custodian Coming to Game Pass Standard, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate on June 3. Cleaning up the afterlife can be hard, but someone's got to do it. And that someone is you! In this top-down Metroidvania-style game, you play as a mischievous cat named Pluto. You die and agree to be janitor of the afterlife forever, but it's not all doom and gloom. You can hang out with other spirits, battle creatures and explore the ghostly landscape. Symphonia Coming to Game Pass Standard, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate on June 3. Music acts as a source of life and energy in this nonviolent platformer. But when the founders of an orchestra vanish and life goes quiet, it's up to mysterious musician Philemon to find answers. Use your violin and bow to explore the musical world, reactivate the musical machinery scattered throughout the land and bring the orchestra back together. More games land on Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) Game Pass Ultimate members can access loads of games, as well as Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta). This lets subscribers access games on consoles, PCs, smartphones and more devices without downloading the game to their device. Microsoft added these games to its cloud gaming service, so subscribers can play them anywhere. Brütal Legend Costume Quest 2 Day of the Tentacle Remastered Full Throttle Remastered Grim Fandango Remastered Max: The Curse of Brotherhood Neon Abyss Quantum Break Rare Replay ScreamRide State of Decay: Year-One SteamWorld Dig 2 Sunset Overdrive Super Lucky's Tale Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal Collection Games leaving Game Pass on May 31 Microsoft is adding those games to Game Pass soon, but it's also removing five games from the service on May 31. That means you still have some time to finish your campaign and any side quests before you'll have to buy these games separately. Cassette Beasts Firework Humanity Remnant 2 Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengeance of the Slayer For more on Xbox, discover other games available on Game Pass Ultimate now, read our hands-on review of the gaming service and learn which Game Pass plan is right for you. You can also check out what to know about upcoming Xbox game price hikes.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Surprise batch of SIX freebies handed out to millions of PlayStation gamers in promotion – exact days to claim each
MILLIONS of PlayStation gamers are set for an early summer treat. This is a bonus on top of Sony's monthly games drop for console users around the world. Advertisement 8 These games are available to Playstation Plus users Credit: Getty 8 The games are bonuses in Sony's Days of Play promotion Credit: Getty A selection of bonus These are part of Sony's Days of Play PS Plus is the popular membership scheme for Plus has two tiers of benefits: Extra and Advertisement Read more Tech Both allow users access to a rolling In Extra, these include a catalogue of PS5 and PS4 games. But with Premium, this is extended to include games from The Days of Play promotion means PS Plus users will get these bonus games on top of a usual monthly offering of games included in their subscription. Advertisement Most read in Tech This means there will still be a normal drop of The Bonus games dropping for both subscription tiers are listed below, along with their Get an inside look at the new PS5 30th anniversary edition PS Plus Extra: Bonus Games for May / June 2025 Another Crab's Treasure (PS5, PS4) — Available 29th May Skull and Bones (PS5) — Available 2nd June PS Plus Premium: Bonus Games for May / June 2025 Advertisement Myst (PS1) — Available 5th June Riven (PS1) — Available 5th June Sadly, this comes as six games will be disappearing from the PS Plus library in June, in line with the subscription's monthly game rotation system. The games being removed are listed below: After Us Inscryption Kayak VR: Mirage Monster Hunter Rise Rogue Legacy 2 These six games are classified as "Last Chance to Play" titles, and will disappear on June 17, 2025. They are PS Plus library games – and not free Advertisement This means they are only available to play when on PS Plus. Once they're out of the PS Plus library, users are locked out from playing them, even if they've been downloaded. These games can only be owned permanently if they're bought at retail cost. PS PLUS PRICES – HOW MUCH IS IT? Here's how much you'll pay, and the perks you'll get with each tier... PlayStation Plus Essential Monthly: £6.99 / $9.99 Monthly games Online multiplayer Exclusive discounts Exclusive content Cloud storage Share Play PlayStation Plus Extra Monthly: £10.99 / $14.99 Monthly games Online multiplayer Exclusive discounts Exclusive content Cloud storage Share Play Game catalogue Ubisoft+ Classics PlayStation Plus Premium Monthly: £13.49 / $17.99 Monthly games Online multiplayer Exclusive discounts Exclusive content Cloud storage Share Play Game catalogue Ubisoft+ Classics Classics Catalogue Game trials PS5 Cloud Streaming Sony Pictures Catalogue Picture Credit: Sony PlayStation Fans on Reddit were quick to react to the news of the removals. Advertisement One wrote: "Highly recommend people dig into Inscryption if they haven't yet. "Very addictive and great fun. Don't read up about it before playing." Another said: "Inscryption is 10/10. Not really into roguelikes or "Vibes, loop, puzzles, endgame?! Whole game changes and evolves - don't miss out." Advertisement 8 Impatient for GTA VI? Take a trip back to GTA III included in the bonus games Credit: PlayStation 8 Riven PS1 is a retro comeback Credit: PlayStation 8 Family favourite Another Crab's Treasure will be available to play Credit: PlayStation 8 Myst came out on the PS1 32 years ago Credit: PlayStation Advertisement 8 Skull and Bones will be a bonus game available from June 2nd Credit: PlayStation 8 Sci Fi fans will love Destiny 2: Legacy Collection Credit: PlayStation
