Author: Donster

sniper-elite-5Rebellion, one of the world’s most successful video games developers and publishers, has today released a new trailer for Sniper Elite 5 which showcases the game’s features and game modes, including the first glimpse of multiplayer and Invasion Mode. With all footage captured in game, the new Features Trailer is available to view HERE.

The game’s expansive campaign is set in France in 1944 and centres around the events of D-Day. Elite marksman Karl Fairburne uncovers a Nazi plot called Operation Kraken that could turn the tide of the war back in their favour. Working in the shadows behind enemy lines, Karl has to use all the skills at his disposal to destroy Operation Kraken and the mastermind behind it Abelard Möller. The full Campaign is playable in two player online co-op allowing players to team up as they fight the Axis force and track down Möller.

However, human players can also try to thwart Karl’s progress as the new Invasion Mode allows an opposing player to join your game as an Axis Sniper tasked with hunting Karl down and taking him out. The invading player can make us of AI Axis soldiers to help them find Karl’s location, creating a high stakes game of cat and mouse. Meanwhile Karl can utilise phones placed within the level to gather intel on the invader and their location. Invasion Mode can be toggled on/off in the game menu.

Multiplayer is not restricted to the campaign as a suite of tense multiplayer combat modes are also available. Complete with all format crossplay, Sniper Elite 5’s multiplayer features four core game modes each with a host of customisation options allowing players to create their own matches.

The Sniper Elite franchise has always been recognised for its advance gun physics and this have been elevated even further for Sniper Elite 5. With weaponry painstaking recreated from real world reference to ensure maximum authenticity, the guns in Sniper Elite 5 contain a meticulous level of detail and all have their own unique feel and characteristics to the player.

The series defining Kill Cam has also been elevated. Clinical kills with pistols and SMG will now trigger the Kill Cam in addition to rifle and takedown kills. Bullets will ricochet off bone, causing increased devastation which is shown to the player in even more gory detail than ever before.

Weapon customisation has also been greatly enhanced with players now able to change a weapon’s stock, magazines, receiver, barrel, scopes and iron sights as well as its materials. This allows every player to create a suite of weapons that perfectly suit their individual playstyle as well as the mission that they are undertaking. Customisation options are unlocked in the game by discovering workbenches that are hidden within the maps. At these benches players can then customise their loadout meaning that they can adapt their playstyle and approach on the fly without having to restart a mission.

New traversal mechanics have unlocked even more playstyle options. The routes you take can define if you are stealthy and stay in the shadows or go loud and take the fight to the enemies head on. The ability to climb vines for example allows Karl to reach new areas of the map giving him sneaky routes, great vantage points and access to secret locations further adding to each mission’s replayability.

Sniper Elite 5 will launch globally on Thursday, May 26th 2022 on Xbox Game Pass, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 4 & 5, Epic, Steam and Windows Store.

Learn more about Sniper Elite 5 on the games official website.

Hardware | Donster | |

sniper-elite-5The Sniper Elite development team give insight into the creation of in-game weapons in the new Spotlight video

Rebellion, one of the world’s most successful independent studios, has today released a new video for Sniper Elite 5 which gives in-depth insight from the development team about the variety of weapons in the game as well as the incredible customization options available to the player. The new Weapons & Customization Spotlight also reveals the steps the team at Rebellion takes to recreate the authentic weapons in minute detail and is available to view HERE.

Rebellion worked with renowned military historian and star of the Combat Dealers TV show, Bruce Crompton as well as the Imperial War Museum and Royal Armouries Museum to capture thousands of reference images and audio recordings of World War 2 weapons and vehicles to help ensure maximum authenticity. The new video takes you behind the scenes and shows the meticulous level of detail that goes into creating the game.

Sniper Elite 5 offers a level of customization never seen before in the franchise with players able to change a weapon’s stock, magazines, receiver, barrel, scopes and iron sights as well as the materials. This enables the player to finesse their weapons to best suit their playstyle, whether that is stealthy and methodical, ‘run and gun’, or a mixture of the two. Customization options can also be accessed during gameplay as the player discovers Workbenches in the game maps. These will in-turn unlock further customization options.

The latest game in the award winning franchise, Sniper Elite 5 will release simultaneously on Xbox Game Pass, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 4 & 5, Epic, Steam and Windows Store on May 26th 2022. The game is available to pre-order now and players that do pre-order will receive an additional Target Führer campaign mission entitled “Wolf Mountain”. A Deluxe Edition is also available, which will include Season Pass One, as well as the P.1938 Suppressed Pistol for pre-orders.

To keep up to date with all the latest Sniper Elite 5 news please visit sniper.com.

strategic-command-american-civil-warFor the first time in the series’ history, Strategic Command will be taking you to the 19th century battlefields of the American Civil War. In this turn-based strategy game, you will control the armies, research, production and diplomatic policy of either the Union or the Confederacy during a time of great innovation and dramatic battles.

Strategic Command: American Civil War is coming soon with a massive 296 x 224 map, covering all of North America from Canada and New Mexico to the Caribbean at a 15km/9mi scale.

This is the largest hex-based map ever offered by the Strategic Command series, 6 campaigns covering the Civil War from first shot to last, new unit types, new technologies, riverine warfare, historical event popups, PBEM++ and much more, check out the product page for full details HERE.

Strategic Command: American Civil War coming soon and also is looking for beta testers.

Hardware | Donster | |

Update 0.11.1 brings all-new aerial threats and mission types, alongside the return of Personal Challenges, and for the first time, a ship from Spain.

Wargaming, publisher and developer of the naval multiplayer free-to-play game World of Warships, has announced the details of its latest update with new ships, an all-new battle type and a long-awaited nation.

New Super Aircraft Carriers

Jet planes on the horizon! — not one, but two new Super Aircraft Carriers are entering World of Warships, celebrating both British and US naval powers. The Eagle hails from the British Navy, which housed some of the most advanced deck-based aircraft of the 1950s, including jet aircraft. The United States has been recreated in the game based on original unfinished plans from 1949, giving players a glimpse of what could have been. Both ships carry two types of squadrons: standard and an all-new tactical squadron. These very fast jet-propelled aircraft can quickly cover substantial distances and carry out lightning-fast attacks against enemy ships.

Dirigible Derby

In the newest update, players can also dive into a brand new temporary game mode: Dirigible Derby. This will see teams of 12 facing off in a Tier X ship showdown, escorting these iconic airships to their destinations. Based on historic tactical warfare, where important diplomats would be escorted to conduct secret negotiations in neutral territories, players can get a feel for high-stakes missions first-hand. Those who can outrun their opponents and deliver their dirigible first will be victorious.

Pan-Asian Cruisers

The all-new Pan-Asian Cruisers will continue their steady course in Early Access, with the Rahmat and Harbin all available for Pan-Asia Tokens while Jinan and the Sejong available for doubloons. Port Dragon has also been updated to celebrate this release, with access to a special combat mission to unlock a unique commemorative flag.

Personal Challenges and the Mediterranean event: Spain enter the fray!

From the launch of Update 0.11.1, players will be able to take part in Personal Challenges, to earn the most XP possible while mixing up different ship types and nations. As a reward for this Mediterranean themed event, players can receive two-tier VI ships, the Spanish heavy cruiser Canarias which will be the first of the Spanish ships in-game, and the long-awaited cruiser Dido from the Royal Navy.

Watch the World of Warships Update 0.11.1—Pan-Asian Cruisers: Part 2 trailer HERE.

Visit the official World of Warships website now for more game info and to sign up to play World of Warships for free!

MMORPGs World of Warships | Donster | |

Players Can Now Pay Monthly Fee to Access All Heart of Iron Content

In the six years since the release of Hearts of Iron IV, Paradox Interactive’s grand strategy wargame has expanded many times to reflect the size and complexity of World War II. More detailed army and naval management, as well as new espionage and resistance systems have been added, not to mention the many new alternate history paths for the major nations of the world in this tumultuous time.

If you own Hearts of Iron IV but have found it hard to keep up with this growth, Paradox Interactive has introduced a subscription model for players unable or unwilling to commit to six years of added content. This is especially helpful for new players who are unsure where to start when buying expansions or country packs.

Watch the Heart of Iron IV subscription video HERE.

Available only to Hearts of Iron IV owners through Steam, the expansion subscription gives players access to:

  • Five expansion packs: Including the naval themed Man the Guns and the recent Eastern Front focused No Step Back
  • Two Country Packs: Adding new national focuses for Central European and Eastern Mediterranean nations.
  • Sound Packs: Including period music and historical speeches, as well as two song packs from the Swedish metal band, Sabaton.
  • Cosmetic Packs: Special cosmetic skins for Allied and Axis Armor, new ship models and planes of the Eastern Front.
  • All upcoming expansions and content

This subscription is available now on Steam for the suggested monthly retail price of $4.99/£3.99/€4.99.

Source: Blue’s News

The US Government is planning to shut down the servers for America’s Army, a military first-person shooter launched as a recruiting tool on July 4, 2002. The game’s official website declares mission accomplished, saying the last choppers will lift off on May 5th. This post has platform-specific details, saying private servers should still be able to run the Steam version after that, but player stats will no longer be available. Here’s the big picture:

The free-to-play America’s Army PC Game represented the first large-scale use of game technology by the U.S. government as a platform for strategic communication and recruitment, and the first use of game technology in support of U.S. Army recruiting. Three mainline titles and more than 20 million AA players later, the series’ original purpose continued. There have been over 30 million objectives completed, 180 million successful missions accomplished, 250 million teammates assisted, and many more in-game achievements attained in AA:PG alone.

As time has passed and AA has fulfilled its mission, it is time to shift our focus to other new and innovative ways to assist the Army with comms and recruitment.

crusader-kings-3-royal-courtYour court is the heart of your kingdom, and now, in Crusader Kings III: Royal Court, you will be able to engage in vital affairs of state in a new game area to awe visitors with your splendor and display marvelous items and artifacts. The first major expansion for Paradox’s award-winning grand strategy role-playing game is now available.

Decorate your court with works of art created by master craftspeople or with rare artifacts captured or inherited across the generations. Hear the pleas of your subjects as they ask for royal favors or mercy, while maintaining a court grand enough to reflect a reputation appropriate for someone of your stature.

On a less personal note, reshape your society with dynamic and dramatic cultural options. Change your realm’s habits and practices to better suit a large multicultural empire or strike your own path, forging an original culture as old ways prove unsuitable for new circumstances.

Watch the Crusader Kings III: Royal Court Release Trailer HERE.

Features of Crusader Kings III: Royal Court include:

  • Royal Throne Room: A visual representation of your royal court will reflect all the accumulated majesty and prestige of your dynasty. Only kings and emperors have royal courts, so climb the ladder of power to bask in your own majesty.
  • Hold Court: Interact with vassals and courtiers as they come to you with their problems, seeking a royal judgment.
  • Grandeur: Increase the quality of life at your court with fancier trappings and better food, all the better to impress your rivals and attract higher quality guests.
  • Inspired People: Talented artists, craftspeople and thinkers can be commissioned to work on new projects, adding treasures and artifacts to your court. The higher the grandeur of your court, the better the quality of creator you will attract.
  • Court Artifacts: Put your arts and crafts on display, and pass these items of great renown down the family line. All artifacts can be stolen in war, building a legacy of ownership and personal claims down the centuries.
  • Hybrid Cultures: Make the most of a multicultural realm, developing a new way of life that is specifically adapted to your varied population and geography.
  • Cultural Divergence: Split from your traditional culture, adapting it into something new that better fits your situation or aspirations.

As always, this expansion is released with a major update free for all Crusader Kings III players. This update adds more detail and context for the game’s culture system, as well as the addition of minor court positions, a character inventory system for weapons and armor, new events and a way for you to design your own custom coat of arms.

Learn more about Crusader Kings III: Royal Court at the expansions official website.

crysis-4Source: Blue’s News

Crytek tweets “a Crytek announcement,” which seems like it’s in its wheelhouse. The tweet includes a 45-second teaser video that shows off a little destruction that’s reformed into an image of the numeral “4.” This includes a tagline: “Join the journey. Become the hero.” It’s hard to mistake this for anything but a tease for Crysis 4. But there’s no guesswork required, as this press release confirms the news. CEO Avni Yerli tells us this “truly next-gen shooter” is “still in early development.” He also reassures Hunt: Showdown players they are not forgotten: “I also want to let Hunt: Showdown players know that we have some great things planned for you too, this year.” Here are the scant details we have about Crysis 4 so far:

Right now the game is in the early stages of development so it will be a while yet, but we wanted to bring you the news at this time as we are so hyped for the future, and to let you know that we will be listening to our community.

Crytek has a proud history of working with our community to develop the games you want to play. Crysis is incredibly important to so many people – it’s beloved by gamers everywhere, and some of those working in the industry today are doing so because of the original game – so we want to make sure the next instalment in the franchise lives up to all of your expectations. Make sure to join our socials and get involved!

Crysis 4 First-Person Shooters | Donster | |