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Tag: Ryse: Son of Rome

  • Xbox One Games Are Apparently Too Real

    Xbox One Games Are Apparently Too Real

    With this latest generation of games, Microsoft and Sony are promising games that look and feel more real than ever before. Microsoft took this line of thinking to the extreme with a new trailer that’s a little creepy.

    In a new trailer for Ryse: Son of Rome, Microsoft creates an almost horror film-like atmosphere of where the events of the game have an effect on a person. When the player character is cut across the chest, the player finds that he himself now has a deep chest wound. When cut across the forehead, he finds a wound on his forehead. Not gonna lie – that’s a little creepy.

    Despite setting up what could be an excellent B-horror flick, Microsoft is just trying to say that games are only going to get more realistic from here on out. With support for Unreal Engine 4 baked into both the PS4 and Xbox One, hyperrealistic games could certainly be a possibility if recent tech demos are to be believed.

    The above trailer wasn’t the only video released today as Microsoft felt it needed to pat itself on the back for selling over 3 million consoles since launch. It’s certainly a major achievement and should be congratulated. It just feels a little hollow when the company is tooting its own horn, but hey, accolade trailers are always like that.

    Image via xbox/YouTube

  • Ryse: Son Of Rome Gets Its First Batch Of DLC

    It was revealed last month that Ryse: Son of Rome would continue the proud tradition of games selling DLC season passes before it even comes out. We’re not even a month out from the Xbox One’s launch and we’re now starting to see just what that season pass entails.

    Microsoft announced on Wednesday that Ryse: Son of Rome will be getting free and paid add-on content this week. The free content adds two new level events in the arena – a new enemy turret and reward statues. The first will attack players until its destroyed while the second provides buffs to players when touched.

    As for the paid content, the Colosseum Pack includes the following content:

  • Two new arenas: Henge and Ascension. Henge tasks Gladiators with seizing an ancient forest shrine from hordes of barbarians and securing it for Rome. In Ascension, combatants must fight their way through the burning embers of Hades’ lair up to the lavish surface world.
  • Two new Gladiator skins: Commodus and Centurion. Don the opulent golden breastplate of Commodus, the twisted son of Emperor Nero, or the battle-tested armor of a Roman Centurion.

    • The new content costs $4, or can be obtained as part of the season pass. Here’s a trailer:

    Image via xbox/YouTube

  • Can SmartGlass Make Xbox One Games Better?

    Can SmartGlass Make Xbox One Games Better?

    In 2012, Microsoft introduced SmartGlass for Xbox 360 to the world. It was Microsoft’s foray into the second screen gaming experience that Nintendo kicked off with the Wii U a year prior. Unlike Nintendo’s console, however, Microsoft would let you use any tablet or phone to get additional information about a game or movie.

    With the launch of the Xbox One, Microsoft has promised us a much better SmartGlass experience. While the second screen experience would be beneficial in scenarios like Battlefield 4’s commander mode, the benefits are less apparent in a game like Ryse: Son of Rome. The action game does have SmartGlass support, though, and Microsoft wants you to know how it improves the gameplay experience.

    In a new video from Major Nelson, he walks us through the SmartGlass app for Ryse. As you would expect, the companion app lets you track your progress as well as that of your friends. In what you might not expect, the app also tracks your progress through a level in real time and lets you know where secret collectables are located. It’s like a mini-strategy guide on your tablet.

    Not every game is going to take full advantage of SmartGlass, but Microsoft-published games certainly will. Both Microsoft and Sony have already acknowledged that the second-screen experience is going to be a pretty big deal going forward. While Sony’s PlayStation app can’t do everything that SmartGlass does yet, you can bet that Sony will be working with developers to offer its own unique take on the second-screen experience in the coming months and years.

    [Image: xbox/YouTube]

  • ‘Ryse: Son of Rome’ Launch Trailer is Appropriately Bloody

    The launch of the Xbox One is now just days away. Though the road to the console’s release has been more than a little bumpy, Microsoft has fielded an impressive launch lineup filled with a variety of gaming experiences.

    One of the most hyped launch games for the Xbox One is Ryse: Son of Rome. Developed by Crytek, the game allows players to take on the role of Marius Titus, a Roman soldier bent on getting revenge for his murdered family. Microsoft today released the launch trailer for Ryse, firmly establishing it as the first-party launch title for gamers who need a bit of ultra-violence.

    Like the Dead Rising 3 trailer released earlier today, the Ryse video does not depict much in the way of actual gameplay. It does show, however, plenty of the action and Roman military bravado that have been showcased in previous gameplay videos and even in the live-action mini series that Microsoft produced to promote the game. Also there are plenty of brutal, bloody slow-motion executions – a feature Crytek has been heavily touting for the game.

  • Final ‘Ryse: The Fall’ Episodes Released

    Final ‘Ryse: The Fall’ Episodes Released

    Just over one week ago, Microsoft released the first episode in a live-action mini-series tied to its upcoming Xbox One launch title Ryse: Son of Rome. The series, titled The Fall, follows Marius Titus, the protagonist that players will control in the video game. Though not quite as ambitious as last year’s live-action Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, the series does sport significant production values.

    The first episode in the series provided a bit of background, showing just why Titus is bent on revenge. The second episode featured Titus re-telling a version of the story of Damocles, possibly foreshadowing his own fate.

    Today Microsoft released the final two episodes in The Fall. The third episode introduces a gladiator named Gannicus. He provides a long soliloquy about death and the brutality of Roman society. Fair warning, the video gets graphically violent near the end:

    The fourth episode of The Fall gets back to Titus and his quest for vengeance. His mentor, Vatallion, places a seed of doubt into his mind about what Rome might actually stand for:

  • ‘Ryse: The Fall’ Episode Two Released

    Earlier this week, Microsoft unveiled the first episode of a live-action mini-series based on the upcoming Xbox One launch title Ryse: Son of Rome. Titled The Fall, the series depicts the video game’s protagonist, Marius Titus, in a sort of prologue that will lead up to the events of the game.

    Today, the second episode in the series has already hit the Machinima Youtube channel. The third and fourth parts of the four-part mini-series are set to be released next Tuesday, November 12.

    The first episode itself served as a bit of a prologue for The Fall. It depicted a massacre and the reveal of Titus, who would soon set out for revenge for the death of his family.

    The second episode depicts Marius as a legionnaire in the Roman army. He tells the legend of Damocles to an inexperienced soldier, no doubt foreshadowing the story of revenge that is to come in the video game:

  • Ryse: Son Of Rome Gets Three New Gameplay Trailers

    If you’re getting an Xbox One on November 22, chances are you’re also picking up Ryse: Son of Rome. The Crytek developed game has been incessantly pushed by Microsoft ever since it was revealed to be a launch title at E3 2013. You may be getting cold feet now though, and would like it if Microsoft would provide you with just a little more incentive.

    If you’re still having trouble deciding if you should pick up Ryse, three gameplay videos emerged yesterday showing three different sections of the game. These videos should give you a decent idea of what to expect from the third person action game:

    While it’s certainly no God of War, Ryse: Son of Rome looks to be the kind of mindless action game that will help you pass a few days. The game will also feature a multiplayer mode to keep players engaged long after the campaign ends. That’s at least what Microsoft would want you to believe as it’s already planning a season pass for the title.

    [Image: GamersPrey/YouTube]

  • ‘Ryse: Son of Rome’ Live-Action Series Begins

    Last week, Microsoft announced that it had created a live-action web series tied-in to the world and story of Ryse: Son of Rome. Ryse is one of the launch titles for Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox One console.

    Much like last year’s Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, the Ryse series, titled The Fall, is being released episodically through the Machinima Youtube channel. The first episode of The Fall is out now. The series features Marius Titus, the same protagonist from the upcoming game, as his tragic backstory is revealed.

    The production value seen in the first episode of The Fall already seems similar to that of Forward Unto Dawn. And though there is already plenty of violence to be seen in this first short prologue episode, the preview near the end of the video foreshadows a longer tale of bloody revenge.

    New episodes of The Fall will be posted on Machinima each week in the run up to Ryse’s launch on November 22.

  • Ryse: Son Of Rome To Get Season Pass

    The online pass is all but dead. Long live the season pass.

    That seems to be the rallying cry of the games industry these days as more and more publishers abandon the much maligned online pass in favor of something that, at least on the surface, looks to be consumer friendly – the season pass. After all, you’re basically pre-ordering upcoming DLC for the game instead of being punished for buying it used. It sounds like a pretty good deal, but some people aren’t fans. Well, the practice isn’t going anywhere anytime soon as Microsoft has announced that its Xbox One flagship title – Ryse: Son of Rome – will be getting a season pass.

    In today’s announcement, Microsoft says the multiplayer component in Ryse: Son of Rome will be getting spruced up with a variety of content over the course of its life. That content will hopefully turn what looks like a pretty standard horde mode into something more exciting.

    The Ryse season pass will include four add-on packs that include 14 new multiplayer maps, a new game mode, six player skins, new level events and a new tier of weapons and armors. All of this will be offered to players for $19.99 upfront which Microsoft claims is a 25 percent discount versus buying each pack separately.

    Oh, and to further incentivize into buying content that doesn’t exist yet, Microsoft will throw in an in-game sword and shield with bonus attributes for use in multiplayer. So even if something happens and Crytek can’t deliver your season pass content; you’ll at least have a shiny new sword and shield that cost you $20.

    [Image: Xbox Wire]

  • ‘Ryse’ Live-Action Series Starts November 5

    In the run-up to last year’s release of Halo 4, Microsoft Studios produced a live-action Halo mini-series titled Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn. Aside from the series’ probably origins as a marketing effort, the quality of Forward Unto Dawn was impressive for a video game tie-in, and even garnered an Emmy nomination for its title sequence.

    This year, Microsoft will be using the live-action format to market its upcoming Xbox One launch title Ryse: Son of Rome. A live-action series based on Ryse will be premiering on November 5. The series, titled The Fall will be four episodes long and air on the Machinima Youtube channel in the weeks leading up to Ryse‘s launch on November 22.

    The Fall will follow the protagonist of Ryse, Marius Titus as he seeks revenge against those who murdered his family. Along the way he will “confront the corruption, turmoil, and depravity that marked the final days of Rome,” according to Microsoft.

    A preview trailer for The Fall was released on Machinima earlier today. The video teases a series that seems similar to the upcoming video game, with plenty of sword fighting and tons of blood:

    The Fall is being created by twofifteenmccann, a video marketing firm that has produced marketing materials for Microsoft in the past.

  • New ‘Ryse: Son of Rome’ Trailer Previews Story

    The launch of the Xbox One is less than one month away now. Microsoft is ramping up its big ad campaign for the new console, and today the company released a new teaser trailer for one of its biggest launch titles, Ryse: Son of Rome.

    Though the trailer does not include any gameplay, it does give an idea of the intense, bloody story that developer Crytek has crafted for the game. Gamers will take on the role of Marius Titus, a Roman soldier who is seeking revenge against those who murdered his family. Judging from the new trailer, Titus will quickly become embroiled in a larger conflict – one that the fate of the Roman Empire itself may hang on:

    Ryse is scheduled to debut on November 22 along with the Xbox One.

  • ‘Ryse: Son of Rome’ Combat Video Released

    Ever since Ryse: Son of Rome was unveiled as a launch title during Microsoft’s big E3 presentation, impressions of the game have called the game’s fun factor into question. Though the game’s graphics are clearly next-gen and intricate, the numerous quicktime events seen in the game’s early gameplay trailer made it seem easy or on-rails. Subsequent trailers have revealed that the combat has a bit more depth, but an emphasis is still being placed on bloody, instant-execution abilities.

    Today Microsoft revealed another look at Ryse, this one focusing on the specifics of the game’s combat. The new video has many of the game’s designers describing combat as “brutal,” “up-close,” and “intense” (the word brutal was used multiple times). The gameplay footage itself still emphasizes insta-kill executions, which each appear to have a Zack Snyder-style slo-mo stutter attached to them. Players will have to damage enemies enough that the executions are available, and the build-up to those executions seems to resemble recent action games such as the Batman: Arkham series.

    Regardless of how interesting the combat may or may not be, the animations should be nice. Developer Crytek brought in a Roman weapons expert to consult.

  • Xbox One Launch Title Pre-Order Bonuses Announced

    November is less than three months away, and the smell of the coming console war is in the air. Despite rumors of lowered shipment numbers for the year, hundreds of thousands of gamers in the U.S. and U.K. will have shiny new Xbox One consoles on launch day – and they’re going to need games.

    Microsoft and its publishing partners today announced the pre-order bonuses that will come with the Xbox One’s exclusive launch games. Since not everyone will be able to get their hands on an Xbox One immediately, the bonuses are tied to retail pre-order “Day One Edition” copies of the games “while supplies last” and to digital downloads of the titles for two weeks after the console launch.

    A pre-ordered Ryse: Son of Rome will come with an exclusive Gladiator Mode co-op map called Ruins. An in-game weapon called the Legionnaire’s Trust sword is also included, and comes with “bonus in-game attributes.” Players who have the Ruins map will be able to invite players who didn’t pre-order into their game on the map.

    Forza Motorsport 5 will come with three exclusive vehicles, each with an Xbox One paint job and “custom tuning.” The cars are the 2010 Audi TT RS Coupe, the 2013 Ford Focus ST, and the 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera.

    Capcom’s Dead Rising 3 comes with exclusives that should please fans of the Dead Rising series. Players who pre-order the game will get exclusive outfits and weapons from previous Dead Rising protagonists. The Frank West outfit comes with the “Zombie Slugger” (spiked bat) and boots melee damage. The Chuck Greene outfit comes with the double paddle saw weapon and gives vehicle and weapon duability bonuses.

  • ‘Ryse: Son of Rome’ Combat, Co-op Revealed

    Ryse: Son of Rome was announced at Microsoft’s big E3 press conference as one of the Xbox One’s exclusive launch titles. Though the game’s graphics earned praise, Ryse failed to build E3 hype the way games such as Titanfall did.

    Today at Gamescom Microsoft finally revealed more details about Ryse‘s gameplay. Combat will involve players timing attacks and blocks, with perfectly-timed blocks becoming parries. Players will get to pick perks that they earn for good timing, such as extra XP or damage. The quicktime events so maligned after the gameplay shown at E3 are actually “executions, which pop up when an enemy is low on health. Developer Crytek stated that there are over 100 different executions to see in the game and that three tiers of executions will have to be unlocked to see the most gruesome of them.

    In addition to combat details, Crytek also revealed “Gladiator mode,” a co-op experience in which players will test their skill in the Coliseum. The mode is similar to other games’ horde mode, but has a variety of goals to accomplish in the arena. Gladiator mode also features “dynamic” tile sets that provide randomized settings for each match. Ryse will also launch with 11 set multiplayer maps.

    A trailer for Gladiator mode shows Crytek’s vision of an ever-changing non-stop challenge:

  • Comic-Con 2013: New ‘Ryse: Son of Rome’ Details Revealed

    Though the gameplay in Ryse: Son of Rome failed to greatly impress critics at this year’s E3, there was no disputing that the game’s graphics were next-generation quality. This week at the Ryse panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Microsoft Studios and Crytek finally revealed a bit of the story surrounding the brutal violence seen in previews of the game.

    In Ryse players will take on the role of Marius Titus, a Roman soldier out for revenge against bandits for his family’s murder. According to Microsoft’s announcement, Marius is “completely dedicated to Rome and her ideals.” When the character finds out that there is “an even more insidious threat than the barbarians” he sets out to save from from “her true enemies.”

    Other characters from the game were also announced at Comic-Con. Vitallion is a “wise and charismatic general” who is Marius’ mentor. Roman Emporer Nero makes an appearance in the game, along with his sons, Commodus and Basillius. Oswald, king of the Britons is also a figure in the game as is his daughter Boudica, who leads a rebellion against Rome. The character Glott is the leader of the Northern barbarian tribes. Various spirit gods will also appear to Marius throughout the game.

    In addition to the story details, Micrsoft announced three interactive graphic novels titled Ryse: Sword of Damocles that fill in some of the story surrounding Ryse. The first comic, titled “Claudius,” is already available at the Ryse website. It contains a few audio and animation elements to interact with.

    Ryse comic

  • E3 2013: Microsoft Brings Games to its Xbox One Conference

    Gamers were wary of Microsoft’s new console when the Xbox One announcement was filled with talk of TV, sports, and Kinect. Tensions on gaming forums were raised even more when the new console’s draconian DRM policies were confirmed last week. Now, Microsoft is betting that a strong lineup of games will win over those those who are not yet onboard with its vision of next-generation gaming.

    Microsoft began its E3 2013 conference by showing off a new CG trailer for Metal Gear Solid 5, featuring glimpses of the characters that will be seen in the game. Though not an Xbox One exclusive, it set the tone for a conference filled with games that Microsoft believes will excite core gamers.

    The future of the current generation of Xbox was front-loaded to get it out of the way. The Xbox 360 has been redesigned to look similar to the Xbox One. The new Xbox 360 is available starting today. Xbox LIVE Gold members will also be receiving two free game downloads per month from July until December, as long as they don’t unsubscribe. The choice of free games will include Assassin’s Creed II and Halo 3.

    A few upcoming Xbox 360 titles were then announced, including World of Tanks, a free-to-play tank battle game, and Max: The Curse of Brotherhood a platformer with a cartoonish art style. Other titles include Dark Souls II and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII.

    Phil Spencer then took the stage to kick off the Xbox One announcements.

    The first title previewed was Crytek’s Ryse: Son of Rome, a historical action game set in Roman times. The preview featured a massive battle in which the player commands his own troops while hacking away at enemies. The game will be “exclusive” to Xbox One at launch, but the phrasing of the announcement implied the title might only be a timed exclusive for the console.

    Ryse: Son of Rome

    Next up was the much-rumored reboot of Rare’s Killer Instinct, though just a short preview was shown.

    Sunset Overdrive was announced next. Made by Insomniac, the game is a “sylized, open-world shooter” in which game conditions can supposedly change constantly. The preview made the game appear to be a zombie shooter that features different, quirky characters.

    The obligatory next-generation racing title was announced in the form of Forza 5. A gameplay demo was shown for the title, and the concept of a “drivatar” was emphasized. A “drivatar” can be trained and continue to race while the console is sleeping, earning rewards for gamers.

    Forza 5 preview

    A new version of Minecraft, which became a mega-hit on the Xbox LIVE Arcade last year was shown next for the Xbox One.

    Remedy studios then expanded upon the Quantum Break reveal that came at the Xbox One reveal two weeks ago. The game will be an Xbox One exclusive, and a new preview of the game shows that time in the game will be odd, as a science experiment has caused some objects to be frozen in time.

    A cell-shaded game called D4 was up next, though not much was revealed about it.

    Project Spark was previewed next, a game-creation tool/game. Project spark was demonstrated using smartglass, with a tablet interface and Kinect being used to create simple level designs. Characters and enemies were then populated into the game world, showing how Project Spark can be used to create personalized game experiences.

    The new details about Xbox One’s connectivity were previewed next. Smartglass featured heavily, with tablet apps able to access game data from Xbox LIVE, including recordings, friend lists, and achievements. Ryse was demoed, showing how the Xbox one will be able to play one game while still matchmaking for another game.

    A Killer Instinct match that was recorded automatically by the console was uploaded using the “upload studio.” Another was then streamed via Twitch, a feature that has been built into the Xbox One.

    A few more details about Xbox LIVE were revealed before the final few game previews. Microsoft Points will be eliminated, and purchases will now be priced in local currencies. “Xbox LIVE Gold sharing” will allow family members to play online, even when the main Gold account holder is not logged on.

    Crimson Dragon, a game from the creators of Panzer Dragoon series was previewed next, though the audio for the trailer was strangely absent.

    Dead Rising 3 was announced to decent applause, and a preview for the game shows that it will be larger and more open-world than previous Dead Rising titles. Also, the game seems to be a bit more serious than other Dead Rising incarnations, with hundreds of zombies appearing on-screen thanks to the next-gen hardware.

    The Witcher 3, which was already known to be a next-generation title for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, was previewed next. The Xbox One version of the game will take advantage of the Kinect and smartglass to help with spell casting and inventory management.

    The Witcher 3 at the Xbox E3 conference

    DICE was up next to preview Battlefield 4, with a gamplay demo running at 60 fps. After a few technical audio difficulties were ironed out during an awkward pause, some single player campaign footage showed that DICE is still chasing after the gameplay of the Call of Duty titles. The set pieces and shooting were familiar, though the graphics were noticeably fantastic. The Xbox One will be getting timed exclusive DLC content for Battlefield 4.

    Below, a game from the creators of Sword & Sorcery, debuted near the end of the conference. It appears to be a moody dungeon crawler.

    A game from Black Tusk was announced as an Xbox One exclusive, though it was made clear that the game will not be released during the new console’s launch window.

    Of course, a Microsoft E3 conference wouldn’t be complete without a bit of Halo. A CG trailer featuring Master Chief served as an announcement of a new Halo game for Xbox One. The title Halo 5 was conspicuously absent from the announcement.

    Pricing and release information was, thankfully announced during Microsoft’s conference. The Xbox One will be available in November for $499/€499/£429.

    The conference ended with Respawn Entertainment’s Titanfall, the next-gen shooter title that leaked last week. The game features superhuman combatants that can battle with giant mechs called Titans.

    Titanfall battle