Perhaps the real highlight (so far) of the Xbox One X is that it boasts a 6 Teraflop GPU. This means that it is more than capable of offering native 4K gaming. The best part is that all of the games in the Xbox One catalog will be able to be displayed in 4K too when you are playing on the console.

Now, of course, the console is going to be backwards compatible with all Xbox One games, plus a selection of Xbox 360 games (more are being released each week. At the time of writing, Halo 3 and 4 were added to the backwards compatibility list). However, there is a hint that the console may be forward compatible too.

What do we mean by this? Well, every indication so far is that the console will play games released in the future on other Xbox consoles. This could completely shake up the world of consoles as we know it. Of course, it is likely not going to be able to play those games ‘out of the box’, it is likely that you will need to purchase additional hardware to make it work (think along the lines of the N64 RAM booster pack, just a bit different than that), and then you will be able to play all the games that you want.

In the past, if you wanted to get your hands on the latest generation of games, then you would have no choice but to purchase the latest console, which was going to set you back a rather hefty sum of cash. This is likely why many people went over to the PC market (PC gaming has been on the rise over the past couple of years). If Microsoft follow through on their plans here then they may release future consoles, but they are not going to kick their older consoles to the side.

Honestly, we reckon that if this whole plan pays off, then Microsoft will be able to make a significant sum of cash. Remember; the whole battle with selling a console is trying to ensure that people buy into your gaming ecosystem. Once they are there, they are less likely going to go to one of your competitors. If this pans out the way that Microsoft are expecting, then it is likely that they will be pulling players away from Sony for generations to come. Of course, Sony will need to try and offer something different, but they have been terrible with their backwards compatibility over the past few years, so we do not reckon that will happen.

Remember; all of this is on top of the fact that Microsoft are planning to release more of their exclusives on the PC. It really is a good time for the Microsoft brand!

• 
• 

Of course, the biggest thing from this update is the fact that all users of the consoles mentioned previously can play together. It does not matter which console you play on. In the future, the update is going to come to the Nintendo Switch too, which will allow Nintendo players to play with Microsoft players, which is not too bad. Of course, this functionality is not going to come to the Playstation versions of the game with Sony adamant that Microsoft players stay out of their player’s way. Mojang claim that they are not going to give up here, but we feel that it is somewhat of a hopeless cause.

Of course, what is a game update nowadays without a ton of DLC thrown into the mix? The Better Together update gives players access to player made items on the Marketplace. At the time of writing, we have no idea how much Microsoft are planning to charge for these. It is likely that some money will go back into the hands of the players. Honestly, we are fine with DLC like this. A game needs to make money somehow, right? We do know that several items are already on the store. This includes parrots, fireworks, stained glass, and a whole lot more. We can expect the Minecraft store to expand rapidly over the coming years.

We have a couple of bug fixes too. For example; Minecraft players recently noticed that when riding a Llama, they would stare into your very soul. Apparently, that has now been patched out.

Here is a quick list of all the features you can expect to find in the Better Together update:

-          Stained glass

-          Parrots

-          Banners

-          Armor stands

-          Fireworks

-          Jukebox with accompanying music discs

-          Recipe book

-          Ravines

-          Coarse Dirt

-          Book & Quill

-          New ways in which you can start a world. This includes being able to select a Bonus Chest!

-          Show coordinates

-          TNT explodes

-          Nature automatically regenerates

-          Set areas which update even when no players are in the vicinity

-          Zombie villager spawn egg

-          More achievements

-          Texture packs

-          Mash-up packs

Honestly, that is just scratching the surface of everything that Minecraft Better Together has to offer. We want you to go out there and find the features yourself. Hopefully, it should not take too long for you to start having fun!

Remember; this update is only available for the new version of Minecraft. It is not compatible with the Java version of Minecraft (i.e. the original). We are hoping that the new features the company have added here will encourage people to start moving over to the newer version of the game which could, of course, result in more mods.

• 
• 

The Nintendo Switch has, of course, been selling like hotcakes. By all accounts, it was the biggest selling console in the last quarter. You may think that this is natural because it is a new console, but it is not. Consoles tend to sell most during the midpoint of their life cycle, so the PS4 and the Xbox One should have shifted more, but they did not. This means that the Nintendo Switch, unlike the Wii U, is the perfect place for third party developers.

The director of the game, Hajime Tabata, has been running tests on whether a Switch port was possible. They say that the tests have been completed and the early reports seem very promising. Of course, you can’t expect the game to have the same graphical fidelity as the other consoles and PC versions of the game, but it should still be pretty decent. The company is trying to work out the exact way in which they should port the game over.

We do have much love for Square Enix in this regard. They are a company that has demonstrated that they care about the way that a port of a game looks. This is why they are taking so long on the PC version. Unlike other companies, they tend not to take that ‘one size fits all’ approach to everything. They go down the route of working out whether that game will look amazing on a particular format, rather than just putting it there for the sake of making more money.

These discussions are not just taking place in the Square Enix offices, either. Oh no. by all accounts, the team working on Final Fantasy XV have started to speak to the team at Nintendo to work out the best way in which they can port the game over and whether it would be suitable for their format. We are going to imagine that Nintendo love the idea of having the game ported over after all, having Final Fantasy on their console will almost certainly be a system seller.

It is unlikely that if Final Fantasy XV does come over to the Nintendo Switch that we will see the multiplayer DLC for the game, mainly because Nintendo does not make online play that easy at the moment which would really hamper the playing experience. We can’t imagine that this is something that the Final Fantasy XV team would want.

If the game is going to come to the format, then we would expect an announcement pretty quickly, particularly since a lot of the work has been put into ensuring the game works thus far, and the fact that they are talking about it quite heavily.

• 
• 

By now, you should probably know what the Final Fantasy XV multiplayer update entails. If you don’t, then boy are you in for a treat! In this DLC, you and up to three other people will be able to complete various quests and battles together. The game is set shortly after Chapter 13 of the game. We know that a few of those people who are reading may not have played the game, so we are going to try and keep this spoiler free as much as possible!

In this update, entitled ‘Comrades’, players will play the role of a member of the Kingsglaive. You will be given royal sigils that contain fantastic powers. These powers will (hopefully) be unique to each player in the team. The idea is that you will be able to balance your team out based upon the powers that each one of your holds. It will act as a sort-of MMORPG in that regard.

Of course, this update is all about creating a character and improving it. While the bulk of the action is going to take place online, Square Enix have promised that there will be several single player quests that you will be able to dive into too. These single player quests are all about enhancing your character and improving your overall ‘strength’ so that you can tackle those even bigger multiplayer missions.

At the moment, there is no indication as to the scope of the multiplayer experience. We are willing to wager that you will be able to lose a few dozen hours in the DLC, if not more. The wonderful thing about the way in which this is being set-up is that Square Enix are leaving open the possibility that the multiplayer experience can be expanded upon in the future. They will already have the online code in place, as well as the way in which they run their missions. However, of course, you can expect them to charge for any further updates to the multiplayer experience.

Comrades will be released starting on October 31^st 2017. Those who have the season pass for the game will be able to download the multiplayer expansion without paying anything additional. Those who just want the DLC will need to pay for it. At the moment, we have no word on pricing. We can’t imagine that it is going to be on the cheaper side of things, though. This is promising to be a rather substantial update to the Final Fantasy XV world. Of course, this update is currently only scheduled to hit the PS4 and the Xbox One (you will need to subscribe to the online service for these platforms). However, the full game is going to be released on the PC in the future. Square Enix have promised that the expansion will be coming to it too.

• 
• 

The latest add-on allows you to ‘smell’ the world, as well as experience heat, cold, and a whole lot more. At the moment there are seven unique smells for the device:

• Ocean
• Jungle
• Fire Grass
• Powder
• Flowers
• Metal

I am not going to lie to you; I have not actually tried out this add-on yet. Only those that attended the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco were able to do so. By all accounts the device is still clearly in the earliest possible stages though.

The scents are limited for a start, and the majority of developers will not include this type of technology in their game because it is unlikely that many people will own this device.

That being said; I do think that this idea will have merit into the future. The mask includes a mister, so I can only imagine a day where you are able to slide it on, smell the ocean, and get a small spray in your face. It would really help pull me into the game. I think this is the way in which virtual reality is going to go into the future. Developers are going to come up with even more exciting ways in which you can just be pulled into the game and get a truly authentic experience. I think we are a long way off actually being able to use devices like this ‘properly’ because virtual reality, despite its relative popularity at the moment, is still fairly niche. In fact; until the major console manufacturers out there start to add virtual reality into their games I doubt that the idea will really start to gain traction. We are at least a whole console generation away from this happening. You can bet your bottom dollar that Nintendo are likely to be one of the first companies to even attempt something like this though!

If you are interested in the world of virtual reality then I do suggest you take a look at news related to GDC. There were a number of big announcements made there. One of which was made by none other than Gabe Newell of Valve who claimed that the company had completely eliminated the motion sickness problem of virtual reality. This is something which will hopefully lead to virtual reality taking off quite rapidly. A lot of developers had praise for the Valve system too.

• 
• 

In ‘The Assignment’, you will play the role of ‘Juli Kidman’ (voiced by Dexter Actress Jennifer Carpenter., The main character from the game, Sebastian Castellanons, is nowhere in sight. Don’t worry though as the game plays pretty much the same as the main campaign.

The story of ‘The Assignment’ takes place at the same time as the main campaign. This means that many of the questions that were left unanswered in ‘The Evil Within’ finally get an answer. The sotyr is pretty decent too. In the story you will learn a little bit about the relationship that Juli Kidman has with ‘Mobius’, and just what her motivations really are. For those who are unaware; Mobius is the secret organization who are believed to be behind everything that happens in ‘The Evil Within’. The DLC is scheduled to be a ‘two part’ DLC with the second part launching in spring (you will have to buy them separately unless you have the season pass of course)

There is plenty to do in the first DLC. Much of it is focused on the new enemies though, and they are incredibly scary. Although what can you really expect from the creator of the Resident Evils series? There are plenty of things to discover, although you will be left with a lot of questions that will not go answered until the second DLC later on this year. Having played through this DLC already I can tell you that it is incredibly scary. Do not play it at night. Trust me on that one!

You are able to pick up the DLC across all formats today. The DLC is part one of two pieces of DLC planned for the game. The second, currently entitled ‘The Consequence’, is scheduled to land sometime in the spring. The final expansion, known as ‘The Executioner’ is scheduled to be launched later this year. The Executioner is scheduled to be an even bigger expansion pack. In that you will play the role of the bad guy, although we have very little information about that at the moment. If you are planning to purchase all three of the DLCs, and you should because this game is fantastic, then I suggest that you pick up the season pass in order to save yourself roughly $10 (that is like…almost a whole new game!)

• 
• 

The new music is composed by ‘The Alchemist’ and ‘Oh No’, both of which were composers for the original score of the game. It is by all accounts a brilliant album too with a multitude of different genres represented.

The album’s music, entitled ‘Welcome to Los Santos’, can be accessed through a new radio station in the game. I must say; I have listened to partial clips of the album and it is actually pretty decent. A lot of musicians have contributed to the album, and the composers have really created something special here. Musicians featured in the new music include:

• Earl Sweatshirt
• Little Dragon
• Phantogram
• Freddie Gibbs
• Popcaan
• Killer Mike
• Tunde Adebimpe
• Samuel T. Herring

Many of these musicians should be well-known to many of you. They are all known for pumping out some pretty decent music. I have absolutely no doubt that the combination of composers and these musicians will help to breathe new life into the world of Los Santos.

I for one am going to have that radio station blaring out all of the time. Remember; Rockstar like to put a lot of effort into their radio stations (the Radio Stations have always been one of my favorite features in Grand Theft Auto. In Vice City I absolutely loved just driving around and listening to the talk radio stations). This means that you can expect all of the music to be intertwined perfectly, possibly with a couple of talking interludes to really help to flesh out the radio station.

I have absolutely no doubt that it is going to be fantastic and will be a solid addition to the game, something which the PC really needs after so many delays to it (the game was originally meant to be launched for the PC back in January!)

You will be able to pick up Grand Theft Auto V for the PC on April 14th. It is available to pre-order through Steam today. You will be able to download the new album from all major music download platforms on the same day, although of course there is no sense in doing that if you are going to be purchasing the game as you will be listening to it a LOT in that! The other versions of Grand Theft Auto V will not have access to the new music. This will be the sole domain of the PC version.

• 
• 

As you may well know, and I am sure you have been reading the news regularly on this, Grand Theft Auto V heists are essentially 4 player co-operative missions. You will work with your crew, each of whom will be assigned a different job, to carry out a big ‘heist’ and earn tons of that sweet cash. Any player can take part in a heist. In order to lead a heist however you will need to be a Rank 12 player and have a high-end apartment already. Thankfully you have had well over a year to get to this point.

At the moment there are five heists in the game. This includes an introductory heist which teaches you about the mechanics of the whole system. Rockstar have promised to add more in the future, but with the amount of time it took to implement this feature, you really should not be expecting the heists to land any time soon.

Now; despite making oodles of money from Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar have still yet to implement decent servers for Grand Theft Auto V. This means that I have yet to experience the true wonder of heists. I think in about two hours I managed to get in just under fifteen minutes of play. The rest of the time was spent dealing with random disconnects and crashes.

This is no doubt in part down to the fact that a lot of players have returned to Grand Theft Auto Online in order to experience heists. Give it a week or so and you will find that the servers will start to act a little bit better. By all accounts though; the heists are actually incredible amounts of fun. There is nothing quite like working as a team to reach that goal at the end (which is tons of cash, in game of course). You are easily going to get a few hours of gameplay from the heists. They are just fun enough to play over and over again too. Hopefully the introduction of heists will breathe new life into that online world.

Remember; the PC Version of Grand Theft Auto V will be releasing next month. Heists will be included with that game right off the bat. It is likely that mod support will be included in the game and thus the heists will, in the future at least, be a lot more extensive than the heists included in the console versions of the game.

• 
• 

I must admit I, like many other people, were getting a little bit agitated with the fact that Telltale was not announcing a single thing about Tales from the Borderlands Episode 2. Even Game of Thrones, the episodic series that was launched a couple of weeks later, got its second episode over a month ago. There was not a single peep from the Tales’ crew. No idea why. Nobody knows why.

One of the things that really annoyed me was the fact that Telltale states that it releases its episodes every four to six weeks. I have never seen them do that. Ever. That being said; I was expecting the second episode of Tales to come within about two months, middle of January at a push. Here we are close to four months later and we have finally been given a release date.

At the moment there is no word for what is holding up the game. It is likely that the game went through the same issues that ‘Wolf Among Us’ did, which was delayed but for not quite as long. This episodic game from Telltale was delayed as the story went through a rather extensive rewrite.

As most of you may know; Telltale develop their episodes after the previous episode has been released. They say that this is so that they can shape the story based upon the most popular decisions that the players have made, but I think it is just an excuse to pump out games as quickly as possible (who can blame them, right? People lap up their games!). In addition to this; Tales has a rather experienced voice cast. It can’t be that easy getting all of them together to actually record their lines for the game, particularly with the amount of voice recordings actually needed (almost a couple of movies worth when you factor in all of the decisions that you can possibly make!)

The game is, according to Telltale Games at least, going to launch the week of the 17^th March (and it will most likely come on the Tuesday). By all accounts they have recently tied themselves into that date, although previously they said that only new information would be supplied that week. I for one am genuinely excited about the release of the new episode. The last episode was true to the Borderlands universe, and it was a ton of fun to play through too (and the jokes genuinely had be laughing out loud!). The story is impeccable just like other releases from this developer. I just hope that they do not take quite as long for the third episode. If they do; we won’t see the end of the series until almost a year after the game launched. That is not good.

• 
• 

For the next couple of years I played the NES extensively. I owned only a few games. Much of my time was spent on a rather nifty game called Bucky O’Hare, which by all accounts is worth a pretty penny nowadays. Not that I would ever sell it of course. I have some pretty decent memories of playing all of those games. If I close my eyes I can still imagine that CRT set up in my parent’s room. I can still imagine going to my grandparents and needing to leave that game paused because of the lack of a save ability. It was great. Games were short, but they were built to last.

I think the true joy of retro gaming is being able to relive your childhood. I don’t really get those ‘memories’ from the most recent games (bar World of Warcraft). Sure; I complete games, but I do not play them extensively nowadays. They just get…forgotten about. Games nowadays are mainly designed to be ditched after you have played through them once. Not older games though. The game industry was not all large back then. Most publishers were happy if you purchased just a couple of games from them. They made their money.

Nowadays they want to thrust constant games in your face (I was actually surprised to see that a new Assassin’s Creed has been released, less than a year after the previous one). They also want you to download as much DLC as possible. Games nowadays are incomplete. That Bucky O’Hare NES game wasn’t. It was one of the most complete games I have ever played. I still return to it to this very day, same with Ocarina of Time, same with Goldeneye. I am never going to return to most of the games I play nowadays. They do not grab my attention enough.

If you did not live through the days of retro gaming (PS1 and before), then I seriously do suggest that you get hold of a couple of games and just…play them. Experience them. Get a feel for the roots of gaming. I am sure that they may look terrible in your eyes (still boast a better frame rate than the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 though, solid 60FPS), but…just play them. I can guarantee that you will have a lot of fun. You will also most likely get addicted to collecting retro games, just like I am. Play those games though and I swear you will barely ever want to touch a modern console again. The games were simplistic, but they have been designed to last years and years. It is well over 20 years since I got that NES. I still play it every single day.

• 
•