My experience of the Warriors series of games has only been with its crossovers and other games spun off from it.

I knew the gist of the games flow, and IP like Fire Emblem had me hooked for dozens of hours as I slashed my way through with some favourite FE characters.  So, given the enjoyment I got from these games I was eager to jump at an original Warriors game and jumped feet first into Warriors Orochi 4 Ultimate.

One thing that I should note straight out of the gate, the Orochi series, as I learned, is a mashup of the other original Warriors games Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors.  This meant it is a series designed for fans of these other two series, but given the lengths of all of these series, it can be useful to know if a newbie can get into a series at this point.  I can now say you can, but there is a big but.

The big but is trying to follow the story.

Basically the characters are pulled from their respective universes to a different dimension by Zeus.  The Greek Gods then make factions with the warriors and things go bonkers from there.  Honestly I got lost in the story, as between the talking during missions and cutscenes, it seemed like I was still missing something.  Familiarity with at least this series or probably better still, some of the other Warriors series, would have helped significantly.  Instead when the story suddenly changed and other religions’ Gods appeared, I got confused. These moments probably mean more to longer time fans, but I honestly cannot say.

The one thing the game does well is its absurd hacking and slashing.

The game, like the other Warriors games I have played, are generally structured around a big battlefield with areas connected via wide paths.  The whole arena is littered with enemies and bosses, and you have a series of objectives like get to an area or beat a certain boss, some of which are time dependent.  These missions can vary in difficulty pretty radically which left me doing plenty of grinding, but this may be because I never quite got the right strategies.

One thing I love and hate about the game series is the masses of enemies that get thrown at you.

You hack, slash, and magic your way through hundreds of enemies, racking up combo counts in the thousands when you do well.  Within the first few hours of a Warriors game I enjoyed the hell out of this, but without a connection to the characters themselves, it became repetitive.  Even with a mix of combat as you cycle through your party on a whim, it does not stop the feeling of repetitiveness by the tenth hour of hacking and slashing.

One thing that surprised me is how well the game ran on Switch.

When I was playing I would have convincingly believed a bigger machine behind the scenes was running it as dozens of enemies on the screen at a time didn’t even make the game chug.  I have seen plenty of handheld ports where a much smaller number of enemies can make games sputter but I didn’t miss a beat during the gameplay of any missions.

Warriors Orochi 4 Ultimate is a fun game that runs very well on the Switch.  It is a tough sell for people who haven’t played the series before, but if the absurd hacking and slashing sounds like fun then it could be a worthwhile purchase.

I suspect though that fans of the series will get a lot more joy from this crossover.

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Nintendo opened its activities for the annual E3 2018 video game trade show with a bang – and a smash. Showing world-first footage of Super Smash Brothers: Ultimate.

Nintendo shared details about the latest entry in a series with sales of more than 40 million worldwide. A new game built for Nintendo Switch, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate lets up to eight players square off in action-packed battles that are all about smashing beloved video game characters off the screen. Legendary game worlds and fighters collide in the ultimate showdown at E3 2018.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will include every single fighter ever featured in the series’ nearly two-decades run, making it one of the biggest crossover events in gaming history. Fans can enjoy returning favourites like Ice Climbers and Pokémon Trainer, as well as newly announced fighters like Ridley from the Metroid series and Inkling from the Splatoon series. The game supports a variety of controller options, including Nintendo GameCube controllers (original or newly designed), Joy-Con, or the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. With Nintendo Switch, players can throw down whenever and wherever they like in handheld or tabletop mode while enjoying online play.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate combines many stages and new items with gameplay that makes it easy for players of all skill levels to jump in. All Super Smash Bros. series amiibo figures are compatible with the game, and any fighter’s amiibo figure from other series will also be supported. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is set to launch on the 7th of Decemeber 2018, exclusively for Nintendo Switch. It is being developed by Nintendo, Sora, Ltd., and BANDAI NAMCO Studios, and is directed by Masahiro Sakurai.

Nintendo also announced that Fortnite, the Battle Royale phenomenon from Epic Games, will be available for Nintendo Switch from 7:00am AEST today. Players can download it for free from Nintendo eShop, then test their mettle in thrilling crucibles of combat. The action never stops with Fortnite on Nintendo Switch, where players can build and battle together anytime, anywhere. Team up online with friends in the same room or around the world. Weekly updates and new gameplay modes will keep the action fresh for seasoned Fortnite players and newcomers alike.

At its E3 booth Nintendo gave attendees their first chance to play Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!, two Pokémon games launching for Nintendo Switch on 16^th November. Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! are a new way to experience Pokémon that lets players adventure with their partner Pokémon in the vibrant Kanto region, discover fresh and exciting Pokémon encounters and Trainer battles, as well as share the adventure cooperatively with a friend anytime, anywhere on one Nintendo Switch console. Players can even transfer Kanto region Pokémon into the game from the Pokémon GO app. These games serve as an entry point to the Pokémon series for newcomers, but they also provide fun and engaging experiences for Pokémon fans of all ages. A new controller, called Poké Ball Plus, comes with Mythical Pokémon Mew and is sold separately from the games. Poké Ball Plus includes a pressable analogue stick and button, so players can control the new games entirely with the controller, if they want. Nintendo also announced two bundle versions of the games, in which players can purchase either Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! with one Poké Ball Plus.

Additional Upcoming Games Announced

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Expansion Pass owners also will gain access to Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country to be released on 14th September. In this new story mode, players uncover the full history of Jin and the fall of his homeland, Torna, which existed 500 years before the events of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. This new storyline will also be available as a stand-alone packaged version on 21st September 2018.

Super Mario Party: Inspired by classic Mario Party board game play, the beloved series is coming to Nintendo Switch with new mini-games and play styles that make use of the Joy-Con controllers. Super Mario Party includes features like character-exclusive Dice Blocks that add depth to players’ strategy. Up to four players take turns rolling the dice, and individually race across the board searching for Stars. In Toad’s Rec Room Mode, new gameplay links two Nintendo Switch consoles for side-by-side fun. The game launches on 5th October 2018.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses: A new episode of the Fire Emblem series comes to Nintendo Switch for the first time in autumn 2019. The player can manoeuvre the main character freely and interact with other characters to build relationships and gather information at various points within the game. This turn-based tactical RPG will put new strategic twists on battling, with formations of troops supporting individual units on the battlefield. Players will get to know three main characters – Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude – who play key roles in the story.

DAEMON X MACHINA: A new fast-paced mech action game from Kenichiro Tsukuda is coming to Nintendo Switch in 2019. Players take their fully customisable Arsenal powered suit on a variety of missions to thwart the enemy at all costs. They can choose and equip their Arsenal with a multitude of weapons, obtain more from downed enemies, and swap them on the fly to suit their strategy in the face of ever-changing threats.

Overcooked! 2: The kitchen mayhem returns in this sequel from Team17 and Ghost Town Games that’s brimming with even more recipes, characters, kitchens and co-op madness. Bake, barbecue or broil with up to three other players in wireless local and online play modes. Save the world from clumsy cooking when the frantic food-juggler arrives on 7th August 2018.

Killer Queen Black: Redesigned from the ground up, the acclaimed arcade extravaganza that became a multiplayer phenomenon is coming to Nintendo Switch. Players can hop on a snail, hoard berries or wipe out the enemy’s queen to claim victory for their team in Liquid Bit and Bumblebear Games’ Killer Queen Black, when it launches first on Nintendo Switch later this year.

Hollow Knight: Venture through the beautifully hand-drawn, mysterious landscapes of a vast forgotten kingdom in Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight, an action-adventure filled with gripping combat and haunting secrets. Hollow Knight on Nintendo Switch also includes the new items, areas, characters and bosses from the currently released content packs – all available today.

Octopath Traveler: Players can take another early look at Square Enix’s upcoming fantasy epic when the Octopath Traveler Prologue Demo arrives on 14th June in Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch. Play the demo, then use the save data transfer feature to carry your choices into the main game, once purchased, where players can live the stories of each of the eight travellers and freely explore the world of Orsterra. Octopath Traveler is scheduled to launch on 13th July 2018.

More great games are coming in 2018, including EA Sports FIFA 19 from Electronic Arts, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate from Capcom, Dragon Ball FighterZ and Dark Souls: Remastered from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus from Bethesda Softworks, and Starlink: Battle for Atlas from Ubisoft, which includes characters and content from Nintendo’s Star Fox franchise that are exclusive to the Nintendo Switch version of the game.

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For the first time, gamers have the flexibility to play both local wireless and online multiplayer with up to three other hunters whether playing at home on the big screen or on the go in handheld or table top mode.

Hunters can face off against the series largest roster of unique monsters in this nostalgic look back at the series beginnings and evolutions. Take on the role of a brave hunter on an adrenaline fueled adventure challenging larger than life beasts. Completing quests will yield valuable resources for crafting countless distinct weapons and equipment fashioned after players’ defeated foes. Along their journey, hunters must defend each of the game’s four villages from major threats known as the Fated Four, plus an even more dangerous new Elder Dragon.

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate features a blend of classic gameplay and unique new twists, brand new explorable areas and monsters, plus returning fan-favourites like the lightning fast Zinogre and the stealthy long-tailed Nargacuga. This release introduces a new quest level called “G” rank that features even more formidable versions of familiar foes, truly testing experienced hunters’ battle tactics now with different moves and abilities never before seen in the wild!

For newcomers to the series, the gameplay features ton of powerful super moves called Hunter Arts that can be executed with a quick tap on the touch screen. Players can experiment and choose from six different Hunting Styles including two new ones called Brave Style, which rewards players with new moves for landing successive attacks, and Alchemy Style, a support style that grants the ability to creating useful items on the fly during combat. Hunters are encouraged to explore and customise the experience between quests to find the most personalised playstyle.

Players of the original Monster Hunter Generations can transfer save data from the previous title to continue their journey in Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate.

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Gifting fans with a brand-new best of album, iconic singer / songwriter Bryan Adams is set to release Ultimate on November the 3rd, 2017 via USM / Polydor Records. Featuring 21 tracks in total, it will also contain two new songs – one of which will be available upon pre-ordering the album via all digital partners.

Known the world over for his signature brand of feel-good rock and roll and big ballads, Bryan Adams is an icon of epic proportions. With multiple awards under his belt, including a Grammy, an American Music Award, an Ivor Novello Award and countless Juno Awards, he was also awarded the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia. Given to him for his contributions to popular music and philanthropic work via his own foundation, The Bryan Adams Foundation, it’s solid evidence that his impact on pop culture goes way beyond just music.

The aim of Ultimate is to condense Bryan Adams’ extensive back catalogue – 13 studio albums, 5 live albums, 5 compilation albums and over 75 singles – into a 21-track offering guaranteed to capture the true essence of the hitmaker’s much celebrated career. Containing early hits such as “Cuts Like A Knife” and “Run To You” as well as later additions to his repertoire, like “When You’re Gone” with Melanie C and “Cloud Number Nine”, it’s a must have collection for any fan of the Canadian rock star.

Of course, no Bryan Adams best of is complete without his record-breaking international smash hit “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You”. And aside from the song with the longest unbroken run at number one on the UK Singles Chart – 16 consecutive weeks – other mammoth hits that appear on Ultimate include “Summer Of ’69”, “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?” and his Rod Stewart and Sting collaboration “All for Love”.

It’s not just the classics that feature on Ultimate either. Releasing two brand new songs, “Ultimate Love” and “Please Stay” – the latter of which is instantly available upon pre-ordering the new best of – are the first new songs by Bryan Adams in over two years.

“As a songwriter and musician you are always creating – it’s what you do,” said Adams. “So even though I’ve released an “ultimate” collection, I’m always looking ahead. There are two new songs included ‘Please Stay’ and ‘Ultimate Love’ both written this year with the message that love still counts, even in uncertain times.”

You can listen or download one of Bryan Adams’ new tracks HERE.

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Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the Razer Thresher Ultimate wireless headsets for Xbox One and PlayStation  4. Both models are also PC compatible.

The Razer Thresher Ultimate delivers wireless Dolby 7.1 surround sound for the most immersive audio experience possible on console. The headset is capable of the highest audio bandwidth on console, delivering the highest highs and the lowest lows.

Large 50 mm drivers pump directional audio into each leatherette ear cup, cushioned with memory foam for state-of-the-art comfort, sound quality and noise isolation. Also available are cooling-gel infused ear cushions designed for even longer hours of comfortable gameplay.

The Razer Thresher Ultimate is also the most reliable wireless console headset designed with a connection range up to 40 feet.

The headset comes with a retractable digital microphone for clear voice communication thanks to a unidirectional mic boom design. On-headset controls for mic volume, game and voice chat balance (on PlayStation 4) and master volume (on Xbox One) allow for quick access to every important audio setting.

“We are taking our expertise in designing the very best PC gaming hardware into the console arena,” says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO. “These are the most reliable and best-sounding wireless console headsets ever made.”

Razer’s rich history in hardware continues to extend into console. The Thresher Ultimate is joined by Razer’s tournament-grade Wildcat and Raiju controllers, while the company’s Atrox and Panthera fightsticks are used by the most renowned professional fighting game players.

The Razer Thresher Ultimate is an officially licensed accessory designed for the Xbox One family of devices, compatible with Xbox One, Xbox One S and Xbox One X. Both the Xbox One version and the PlayStation 4 version are shipping in June 2017.

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The Xbox One Gears of War: Ultimate Edition Bundle has been announced today and will include a standard Xbox One 500GB console, wireless controller and stereo headset, the SuperStar Cole multiplayer skin, early access to the Gears of War 4 beta, a 14-day Xbox Live Gold membership trial, HMDI cable, power supply and a digital download code for Gears of War: Ultimate Edition.

Gears of War: Ultimate Edition re-masters the classic Xbox 360 game that kicked off the Gears series. Relive the first pulse-pounding adventure starring Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad, his battle-hardened brothers in arms. Everything that made Gears such an instant classic is back, along with plenty of gameplay improvements from the series’ more recent instalments, in a beautiful HD package.

Available at an RRP of $599 NZD, the Gears of War: Ultimate Edition bundle offers incredible value for fans with a feature-rich game rebuilt from the ground up in breath-taking 1080p, including 60FPS competitive multiplayer with 19 maps and six game modes, as well as five campaign chapters never released on console.

In addition, with recaptured and rebuilt cinematic sequences, re-mastered 7.1 surround audio and seamless matchmaking, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition is the landmark original game at its very best and one of the hottest titles from the greatest holiday games line-up in Xbox history.

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