Welcome to the PDG August 2013 New Video Game Release Guide
By PDG Staff
Tuesday – August 13
PAYDAY 2 (Xbox 360, PS3)
PAYDAY 2 is an action-packed, four-player co-op shooter that once again lets gamers don the masks of the original PAYDAY crew – Dallas, Hoxton, Wolf and Chains – as they descend on Washington DC for an epic crime spree. The new CRIMENET network offers a huge range of dynamic contracts, and players are free to choose anything from small-time convenience store hits or kidnappings, to big league cyber-crime or emptying out major bank vaults for that epic PAYDAY. While in DC, why not participate in the local community, and run a few political errands? Up to four friends co-operate on the hits, and as the crew progresses the jobs become bigger, better and more rewarding. Along with earning more money and becoming a legendary criminal comes a new character customization and crafting system that lets crews build and customize their own guns and gear.
Key Features:
* Rob Banks with Friends – Players must choose their crew carefully, because when the job goes down they will need the right mix of skills on their side.
* CRIMENET – The dynamic contract database lets gamers pick and choose from available jobs by connecting with local contacts such as Vlad the Ukrainian, shady politician “The Elephant”, and South American drug trafficker Hector, all with their own agenda and best interests in mind. PAYDAY gun play and mechanics on a new level – firing weapons and zip tying civilians never felt so good.
* Dynamic Scenarios – No heist ever plays out the same way twice. Every single scenario has random geometry or even rare events.
* Choose Your Skills – As players progress they can invest in any of four special Skill Trees: the Mastermind, the Enforcer, the Ghost and the Technician. Each features a deep customization tree of associated skills and equipment to master, and they can be mixed and matched to create the ultimate heister.
* More Masks than Ever – PAYDAY 2 features a completely new mask system, giving players the ability to craft their own unique mask together with a pattern and a color combination.
* Weapons and Modifications – A brand new arsenal for the serious heister, covering everything from sniper and assault rifles to compact PDWs and SMGs. Once you’ve settled for a favorite, you can modify it with optics, suppressors, fore grips, reticles, barrels, frames, stocks, all of which will affect the performance of your weapon. There are also purely aesthetic enhancements – why not go for the drug lord look with polished walnut grips for your nine?
* Play It Your Way – Each job allows for multiple approaches, such as slow and stealthy ambushes, to running in guns blazing. Hit the target any way you want, and watch as the heist unfolds accordingly.
Tuesday – August 20
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified (PS3, Xbox 360)
The year is 1962. JFK is President and the Cold War has the nation gripped by fear – but a far more powerful and insidious enemy than communism is threatening America. Known only to a select few, a top-secret government unit called The Bureau begins investigating and concealing a series of mysterious attacks by an otherworldly enemy. As special agent William Carter, call the shots, pull the trigger and lead your squad in a gripping third-person tactical shooter set within a high-stakes, covert war to protect humanity. The Bureau’s mission is clear – survive, adapt and overcome the enemy threat to protect the citizens from the truth.
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is a Third-Person Shooter (TPS) from the developers of BioShock 2. The year is 1962. The Cold War has the nation gripped by fear – but a far more powerful enemy than communism is threatening America. The Bureau, a top-secret government unit, begins investigating and concealing a series of mysterious attacks. As special agent William Carter, call the shots, pull the trigger and lead your squad in a gripping third-person tactical shooter set within a high-stakes, covert war to protect humanity. Features include: an immersive 1960s America, tactical squad based combat, brutal consequences and a government cover up that proves we are not alone in the universe.
Key Features:
* Uncover the Mystery – Fight through the streets of 1960’s America as you uncover the declassified truth behind mankind’s first enemy invasion.
* Be the Field Leader – As William Carter, a highly intelligent special agent, call the shots and pull the trigger. Formulate the plan of action, execute well-timed ambushes and flank your attackers to obliterate the threat.
* Tactical Combat – Use your strategy to your advantage: enter Battle Focus to slow down time and execute your next move, commanding your squad with a variety of tactical actions to turn the tide in your favor.
* No Second Chances – Pay the price for mistakes – permadeath will make you value your squad mates more than ever, and make losing one of them all the more painful.
* Strategic Reflexes – Turn an enemy misstep into your strategic advantage. Give tactical commands on the fly to outsmart the enemy and make split-second decisions to save the lives of your squad.
* Customization that Counts – Train each of your squad mates into unique specializations, allowing for a dynamic combination of skills to compliment your play style.
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist (Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii U)
The United States has a military presence in two thirds of countries around the world. A group of 12 have had enough and initiate a terror ultimatum called the Blacklist – a deadly countdown of escalating terrorist attacks on U.S. interests. Sam Fisher is the leader of the newly formed 4th Echelon unit: a clandestine unit that answers solely to the President of the United States. Sam and his team must hunt down these terrorists by any means necessary, and stop the Blacklist countdown before it reaches zero.
Key Features:
* Operate Without Restrictions – Sam is back in his ops suit and goggles, and he’s more lethal and agile than ever. Granted the freedom to do whatever it takes to stop the Blacklist, Sam flies from exotic locales to US cities as he races against the clock to find out who’s behind this devastating threat.
* Spies vs. Mercs (Multiplayer) – Spies vs. Mercs is a unique multiplayer experience that innovates from the roots of the Splinter Cell franchise. On one end, you have a team of agile, stealthy Spies looking to infiltrate a location and hack terminals to gather information, all while remaining undetected. On the other end, you have a team of heavily armed and powerful Mercs that must defend their terminals and stop the Spies from gathering the data by any means necessary. Each team has different abilities and tools that they must leverage to outsmart their opponents, setting the tone for big rivalries and very fun competitive gameplay.
* New Gadgets:
– Tri-Rotor – A remote-pilotable flying drone that fires Sticky Shocker darts. Its rotors can be heard by hostiles if you fly too close.
– Sticky Noisemaker – Use it to create an opening to slip through patrols, or lure hostiles into a trap. This tiny speaker can be thrown onto walls and surfaces to distract guards from their posts.
– Sticky Emp – Sticks to walls and delivers a localized electromagnetic pulse, disabling lights and Security Systems nearby. Use it to create Shadow paths to hide from hostiles, or target Power Boxes near laser trip wires to shut them down. Hostiles are unaffected by the pulse, but will investigate when they see lights shutting off.
Saints Row IV (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
The Saints are once again thrust into the lime light after they were heralded as patriots. Riding their wave of popularity, The Leader of the Saints decided to run for the highest office…and won. Now the President of the United States, the boss has gone from the crack house, to the penthouse, to the White House. But all is not well. Despite eliminating the deficit, ending world hunger, and successfully lobbying to have pole dancing added as an Olympic sport…something dark is looming: the arrival of the Zin Empire.
Lead by the erudite and egomaniacal Zinyak; the Zin brazenly attack Washington DC, abducting the President and his entire cabinet. Their goal was to imprison the captives in a virtual prison to break down their will… but they never realized that the individuals they brought onto their ship weren’t fat cat politicians: they were the most dangerous men and women on the planet.
Key Features:
* The American (Fever) Dream – Play as the President of the United States in a story that spans countries, space, and time. Saints Row IV is to Saints Row: The Third what Saints Row: The Third is to Do The Right Thing. You’re not ready.
* Super Hero-in-Chief – Leap over buildings. Kill people with your mind. Run through tanks. Those are some of the most mundane powers you will wield in your quest to stop an alien menace hell-bent on destroying the Earth.
* Alien Toys of Destruction – Wield an impressive array of alien vehicles and weapons… FOR SCIENCE!
* Custom Weapons, Custom Mayhem – You’ve customized your character. You’ve customized your clothes. Now you can complete the look with our all new weapon customization system. Turn traditional weapons into exotic conversation pieces!
* Dynamic Duo – Seamless drop-in, drop-out co-op, a Saints Row standard, improved. The only thing better than one malicious super-powered President is two.
Tuesday – August 27
Lost Planet 3 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3)
Lost Planet 3 introduces Jim Peyton, a Utility Rig pilot who leaves Earth to take on a hazardous but lucrative contract on E.D.N. III. Working for Neo-Venus Construction (NEVEC), Jim is one of a select few pioneers at the Coronis base surveying the uncharted terrain and obtaining samples of the planet’s natural energy source – Thermal Energy, which NEVEC believes will save Earth’s energy crisis. The title delivers a mix of action both inside and outside of Jim’s utility rig vehicle. Acting as a home away from home and offering protection from the ever changing climate, Jim soon discovers the utility rig’s array of tools are just as useful at taking out Akrid in the rig’s first person perspective as they are at helping him fulfill his contract work.
Outside the rig the action switches to third person with Jim at the mercy of the elements. He’ll need to battle against hostile enemies with a mix of gun and melee based combat whilst surviving all that is thrown at him. While under attack from E.D.N. III’s indigenous Akrid, Jim’s Utility Rig falls down an icy fissure, leaving him unconscious and injured. Jim wakes to find himself in what appears to be a secret base, hidden beneath the planet’s frozen surface. On discovering he was rescued by one of the base’s inhabitants, Mira, the daughter of So’ichi (the Snow Pirate leader), he soon realises that NEVEC are no longer the only occupants of E.D.N. III. With this encounter with the Snow Pirates new truths about the foreboding planet and the colonial history are set to be unveiled.
Key Features:
* Return to extreme conditions – Taking the series back to its roots Lost Planet 3 returns to E.D.N. III, delivering a dynamic game world that’s more dangerous than ever before.
* Brave the terrifying – Play as blue collar worker Jim, risking assignments in treacherous conditions to earn his hazard pay and return home to his family.
* Home away from home – Protect yourself from hostile Akrid and the unpredictable ice storms on E.D.N. III with your utility rig. Equipped with an assortment of tools, including the new winch that can grab your enemies at range and the drill that can destroy creatures of any size, players will need to learn to use the rig to their advantage in order to survive.
* Gameplay Variety – Take to the extreme conditions on foot or utilize the safety of the rig for first person combat sequences.
* Stormy weather – The ever changing weather system of E.D.N. III affects the way you play with conditions that create an imposing environment players will need to adapt to.
* Intense, cinematic experience – Developed with the Unreal Engine 3, Lost Planet 3 presents a visually stunning and unique terrain that impacts the gameplay.
* Killer enemies – The Akrid are back, bigger and angrier. The new Carrier Akrid unleashes smaller defender organisms at its attackers. The Carrier is also able to get up and close to impale foes with its powerful front legs. Using Jim’s weapons or his Rig to uncover the core hidden beneath a hard outer shell will be the only way to take this beast down.
* Save your energy! – Harvest energy by planting thermal posts and use the supply to upgrade your weapons. The longer you leave your post in the ground the more energy you’ll source but this reward brings with it the threat of increasing Akrid reproduction, adding even more risks to the unstable environment. Will the reward be worth the risk?
* Reveal the hidden truths of E.D.N. III – The uncharted world has many secrets locked away. What is E.D.N. III hiding? All will be revealed in Lost Planet 3.
* Lonely Planet? – Lost Planet 3 will support a full set of multiplayer modes that enhance players experience of the Lost Planet world.
Madden NFL 25 (PS3, Xbox 360)
Celebrating 25 years of innovation, Madden NFL 25 unlocks the power, precision, and creativity of the NFL ball-carrier. Whether you’re a slashing running-back, dual-threat QB, or ball-hawking safety, unleash 30 new moves and string together devastating combos with the all-new precision modifier in Madden NFL 25.
Key Features:
* Playbook #1: Run Free – Unlock the power, precision, and creativity of the NFL ball-carrier. Whether you’re a slashing running-back, dual-threat QB, or ball-hawking safety, unleash 30 new moves and string together devastating combos with the all-new precision modifier.
* Playbook #2: Infinity Engine 2 – Year 2 of the award-winning Infinity Engine brings both a more polished physics simulation and introduces the all-new Force Impact System. Power moves including the Hit Stick, Truck, dive tackle and more have been completely redesigned to harness the full potential of Infinity Engine 2, giving you more control over the outcome of a play than ever before.
* Playbook #3: Connected Franchise – Be a player. Be a coach. Be an owner. Cement your legacy as one of the all-time great NFL players or coaches in the new and improved Connected Franchise. Become the ultimate sports tycoon as you take the reins of your favorite team to manage personnel, set prices, build the next cutting-edge stadium, and more in an all-new Owner Mode.
* Playbook #4: Madden Share – Create, download, and share rosters, playbooks, and gameplay settings with the Madden online community.
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