IF the lazy days of summer means you have spare time to catch up on video game playing, read on for our pick of the action titles worthiest of your attention from the last six months' releases.
This quartet of high-action offerings, come year end, should be primed to collect multiple accolades. And while "Uncharted 4," "The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine," and "Dark Souls III" draw three well-praised series to a close, new kid "Overwatch" shows there's always room for fresh ideas.
- "Uncharted 4: A Thief's End" -
PlayStation 4
Closing out the Uncharted quadrilogy with a first entry on PlayStation 4 -- or second, counting the Nathan Drake Trilogy released October 2015 -- "Uncharted 4" was received as a tour de force and a trumping of the set-piece spectaculars and consistent genre iteration that the franchise had become known for.
Deft characterization achieved even greater nuance over a storyline that reaches back to well before 2007's "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune" and, through an epilogue, extends a decade or more into the future.
- "The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine" -
PS4, Xbox One, Windows PC
As the second of two sizeable expansions for 2015's genre-defining action role-playing adventure "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt," the May 2016 release was widely considered even more comprehensive than its foundation.
Like "Uncharted 4," "The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine" closes out its parent series, at least in current form; a vampire-hunting storyline takes players into new environs via a sophisticated web of intrigue, brought to life through a number of well-executed performances.
By contrast, where "Uncharted 4" saw its characters mature in age, perspective and pursuits, the near-immortal Witcher's leisure interests are as R-rated as ever.
- "Overwatch" -
PS4, XBO, WinPC
With "World of Warcraft," "Diablo" and "StarCraft" the base of its studio output, Blizzard Entertainment has hardly been known as a well of new franchise opportunities -- until "Overwatch."
The studio's first attempt at a first person shooter was so highly polished upon release this May that it became an immediate essential, delivering a vibrant, accessible, yet delightfully multi-layered multiplayer online shooter with a roster of 21 diverse playable characters and the ability to switch between them at will.
- "Dark Souls III" -
PS4, XBO, WinPC
Expected to mark the end of the Souls series -- one which started on PlayStation 3 as international demand for Japanese imports helped bring surprise hit "Demon's Souls" to a global audience -- "Dark Souls III" also brings things full circle by adding magical powers back into the armory that players use to try and survive, even conquer, its rambling ruin of towers and pits.
Tweaks to the Souls formula were made to make for a faster experience, bringing in elements from PS4 spin-off "Bloodborne," making it somewhat of a known quantity (especially in comparison to earlier entries) but a suitable conclusion to the series' arc nonetheless.
AFP RELAXNEWS
Thu Jul 14 2016
With 21 characters across 4 broad classes, "Overwatch" offers up an awful lot of variety. - Blizzard Entertainment
Gempa kuat bermagnitud 6.3 landa Jepun - MetMalaysia
Satu gempa bumi kuat bermagnitud 6.3 dikesan di Shikoku, Jepun pada 10.14 malam tadi.
Thailand, New Zealand tingkat hubungan dua hala
Thailand dan New Zealand bersetuju meningkatkan hubungan dua hala mereka kepada perkongsian strategik menjelang 2026.
Ia sekaligus menandakan langkah penting ke hadapan dalam kerjasama kedua-dua negara yang telah lama terjalin.
Ia sekaligus menandakan langkah penting ke hadapan dalam kerjasama kedua-dua negara yang telah lama terjalin.
Penumpang HSR Jakarta-Bandung cecah 2.56 juta orang
Pada masa ini, perjalanan kereta api harian kereta api itu telah meningkat daripada 14 kepada 52 dan bilangan tempat duduk penumpang melonjak daripada 8,400 kepada lebih 31,000.
Antara pembangunan, pilihan manusia & kesihatan planet
Antara pembangunan, pilihan manusia, dan kesihatan planet.
dilema yang menjadi cabaran utama buat mana-mana negara untuk keluar dari kepompong kemunduran.
Hari kedua Sidang Kemuncak Kesihatan Planet (PHAM 2024) dan mesyuarat tahunan ke-6 antaranya mengangkat topik berkaitan kecerdasan buatan (AI) yang masih menjadi perdebatan kalangan pakar.
dilema yang menjadi cabaran utama buat mana-mana negara untuk keluar dari kepompong kemunduran.
Hari kedua Sidang Kemuncak Kesihatan Planet (PHAM 2024) dan mesyuarat tahunan ke-6 antaranya mengangkat topik berkaitan kecerdasan buatan (AI) yang masih menjadi perdebatan kalangan pakar.
KKR beri jaminan projek Kolam Selam Tempur siap Jun ini - Nanta
Kementerian Kerja Raya (KKR) akan memastikan projek pembinaan Kolam Selam Tempur di Kem Iskandar, Mersing, Johor yang mengalami kelewatan, siap sepenuhnya pada Jun ini.
Pemilihan MIC bermula 27 April ini
MIC akan mengadakan pemilihan parti bagi penggal 2024-2027 dari 4 Mei hingga 6 Julai dengan hari pencalonan ditetapkan mulai 27 April ini.
Kerajaan pandang serius pihak main sentimen rakyat
Mesyuarat sepakat agar kerajaan bertindak tegas menurut lunas-lunas perundangan dan tidak berkompromi dengan sebarang tindakan melampau yang boleh menjejaskan kestabilan negara ini.
Tumpuan Khamis - 18 April 2024
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan di Astro AWANI.
MCMC rakam percakapan Che'gubard, Salim lebih tiga jam
Salim dan Che’gubard yang ditemui di bangunan tersebut memberitahu mereka disiasat atas pertanyaan berkaitan kesihatan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dalam media sosial baru-baru ini.
Sabah kehilangan pemimpin berpengalaman, luar biasa - Hajiji
Ketua Menteri, Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor menyifatkan pemergian Tan Sri Joseph Kurup adalah satu kehilangan pemimpin berpengalaman dan luar biasa bagi negeri Sabah.