Resident Evil is one of the most successful survival horror franchises to ever grace our consoles, and from May 21st in North America and May 24th in Europe, the virus is back with its latest HD reboot. Resident Evil Revelations.

Taken from the Nintendo 3DS, this reboot is stunning with its high quality visuals, enhanced lighting effects and immersive sound, it takes the game into a whole new world of creepy.

This chapter takes place between Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5, revealing the truth of the T-Abyss virus.

The action begins on a supposedly abandoned cruise ship, the ‘Queen Zenobia’ and then heads to the mainland to a devastated city of Terragrigia. The game features series favourites, Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield,  with only a handful of ammo and limited guns, only the ones with nerves of steel will survive this horror, so pick your shots wisely…

Gamers will be able to further their experience with release of the games add-on content.
There will be weapon upgrades for each of the playable characters, that will come in the form
of two separate packs – ‘Resistance Set’ and ‘Enhancement Set’ for only 160 Microsoft points.
There wil also be DLC for two more playable characters from June 11th, with each playable 
character being sold seprately for 240 Microsoft points.

So turn off the lights, and try to keep calm... the virus is waiting.

Written By RUBY RAGE 

Don’t think you’re done with Moscow’s dark, eery, irradiated environments just yet, ranger! DLC news is incoming.

Deep Silver announced today that 4A Games will be launching a series of single player content packs throughout the summer. These will include:

• The ‘Faction Pack’ and the ‘Chronicles Pack’ will  include new, original single player gameplay that expands on the Metro: Last Light universe and story 

• The ‘Tower Pack’ will present a unique solo challenge to Metro veterans 
   
• Meanwhile, the ‘Developer Pack’ will give creative players some interesting tools with which to explore the world of Metro… 

Creative Director at 4A Games Andrew Prokhorov had this to say on the content:

“Artyom’s story may have been concluded in Metro: Last Light, but there are other characters with stories to tell, some familiar locations that fans of the Metro series wanted to revisit, and some new challenges that 4A wanted to explore. Since completing the game we have been working on these new stories and hope to release them throughout the summer.” 

The season pass to acquire these packs is available right now on Xbox Live for 1200 Microsoft Points. The first chapter will be the Faction Pack and is set for a June 2013 release. Players of the latest Metro game will likely be happy to hear this as it will only help to support the replayability of the game that has seen mostly very positive reception due to its impressive use of atmosphere.

Written by Kenny Wildman

Are you feeling sneaky and mischievous? Do you have a fondness for knives and next generation consoles? Well then we have excellent news for you!

Straight from Eidos Montreal, developers of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, it has been announced that Thief is being developed for the newly announced Xbox One. Eidos Montreal claim that the capabilities of the next generation of consoles allows them to create the most immersive Thief title to date.

Thief will be creeping around E3 for us all to catch a glimpse of. The game is currently slated for a 2014 release. Should you want to learn more about Thief, keep it here at XBLGamerhub where we'll get you any information available, especially with E3 a mere three weeks away.

Written by Kenny Wildman

 Amazing Photo By Josh Rossi
So today was the release of Devin Grahams Halo Music video.  We here at XBLGamerhub have been covering all of Project Utah and this was definately a huge part of it.  The Video Speaks for itself.  Check it out here.
 

After a long period of speculation and rumours, and hot on the heels of the Sony PS4 unveiling, Microsoft has finally unveiled the new Xbox One, but has it lived up to our dreams and just how many of the denied rumours were actually true?

The new Xbox One is going to be more than just a console, it's going to be the centre of your entertainment world and your living room. Xbox are claiming that 'you and your television are going to have a relationship' and that they are 'about to change entertainment forever.' But just how are they going to do this? New tech!

The new Kinect is going to be incredibly central to the new system, it will recognise not only your voice but you as a person.

Don Mattrick said that it will 'Put you at the centre of a new generation in the living room.' The phase that was repeated more than once was clearly the mantra for this new generation and something we will be hearing more of 'Simple, Instant and Complete' and this is the core idea behind the new technology.

Yusuf Mehdi asked 'What if a single device could provide all of your entertainment, what if it could talk to all your devices and control all of your equipment?' This is what the new Xbox One will be able to do. With a single voice control you can turn on your Xbox and television. The new interface is familiar but now remembers what you were last doing be it playing a game, watching a movie or television. The new Trending Area gives a snapshot of what is popular in the entertainment world both with your friends and over the entire Xbox network.

A simple command such as 'Xbox watch tv' instantly changes over to show live Tv so there'll be no more having to change channels or dig out the tv remote from the back of the sofa. With this new technology you will be able to switch over instantly between games, television, movies and the internet. Oh and you can Skype people too all with a waft of your arms or a yell of a command.

If you aren't sure what to watch on television....Xbox One....whichever it is, then the new Xbox One guide will help you out. Providing a voice controlled search, trending programmes and favourites area you can pin content to one space and keep up with all your series. Trending lets you see what everyone in the Xbox community is watching, but this isn't just for live TV there's also on-demand listings too.

Skyping during live television will be quite a good function for live events such as sports games, elections and, of course, Eurovision! Being able to connect with friends while watching the programmes is a great idea from Microsoft as it's what many of us do via the social networks anyway, only this will be more direct.

Microsoft are calling this 'the beginning of truly intelligent television' and, if it lives up to the hype, it will certainly alter how we watch and use television.

Marc Whitten took to the stage to explain more about the technology that powers the Xbox One. With 8GB RAM, 64bit architecture and 5 billion transistors (random fact of the day!) the new Xbox will be virtually silent. It will run on three operating systems; the best of xbox OS, the kernal of windows making it 'flexible, powerful and simple' and a third OS which connects the other two giving better control and power.

The new Kinect sensor is really the thing they are excited about and what is central to everything.

It will come paired with every Xbox One and will that learn your voice in more natural way that the current one (so, we won't have to yell 14 times?) The Kinect 1080p camera is clearer and crisper making your Skype calls glorious but also improving the quality of Kinect controlled games. They have also revolutionised the skeletal form that the Kinect can 'see' adding more joints and a greater understanding of muscles. Oh, and it can read your heart beat when exercising.

The controller itself has been updated with over 40 design innovations, impulse triggers, new D-pad for 'immersive gaming'. Apparently it has been 'designed for gamers by gamers.'

Smartglass is also still going to be around and Microsoft were very pleased to tell us that 10 million downloads of Smartglass have already happened since it launched. There wasn't much detail on exactly how they are going to use this though. The Kinect, controller, smart glass, are all going to be better connected and create a more fluid and smooth experience. The Kinect sensor binds everything together recognising you and your controller, your voice and gestures, with 'a lag free instant and complete experience.'

The new Xbox Live for Xbox One is built on same membership but will now more personal and powerful. 15K servers currently power XBL but 300k servers will power the Xbox One XBL, nothing was mention about any integration between the two though, hmmmm. Content will be available and stored in cloud be it music, tv, games etc. Playing games is brought to a whole new level, you can now save, edit and share your moments of victory and achievements. Basically, you can show off to your friends much easier, which is something we all like doing, don't lie! You'll play richer matches with the new matchmaking system which allows you to find a match in a game while playing another or watching a movie. This new architecture will allow bigger matches with more players, living in persistent worlds.

Andrew Wilson of EA revealed a 'brand new broad partnership between EA and Xbox.' EA Sports on Xbox One means 'games should be dynamic, intelligent rich with emotion and fun. Fifa 14, Madden NFL, UFC and NBA Live will all launch in the next 12 months and will 'be revolutionary, changing the way you play.'

There's also a new games engine; EA Sports Ignite. This has been 'designed to blur the line between real and virtual, with true player motion, human intelligence and a greater field of vision with greater awareness. Human like intelligence from the engine and 10 times more animation depth and detail allows you greater and more natural control of movements to win your games. 3D crowds, dynamic sideline, constant updates will make the experience better than ever before.

Phil Spencer, Head of Microsoft Studios, promised exclusives and to be first for content with a commitment unlike any previous generation. They 'will broaden the landscape for the storyteller' And has said that the Microsoft teams across the world are currently 'building original content to amaze and showcase the Xbox One power.'

Forza Motorsport 5 will be a game available at launch and the video footage showed the cars looking sleeker and more 'real' than before, with greater depth on shine and shadow etc. 'Turn10 studios have redefined what we can expect from a racing game.'

First experiences define our gaming experience. Cloud powered games that change depending on how the community are using them. Time and weather wear and tear showing on items etc

Remedy, the people who brought us Max Payne' are 'world class storytellers' and in their new game Quantum Break the actions you take and choices you make shape your experience as the story unfolds. There wasn't much detailed to be gleamed from the trailer but it looks to be about super human abilities and guns. The tagline was 'time is the fire in which we burn.'

Microsoft Studios are now investing in other studios more than ever and have more titles in development now than ever. There are currently 15 exclusive Xbox games, 8 of which are new franchises, under development.

Nancy Tellem – Ex CBS and Warner Brothers now entertainment and digital media president of Microsoft – explained how Xbox Entertainment Studios are altering television viewing from 'a one way street.' Television on Xbox One 'will immerse you, enabling you to jump into the action' and will be 'personalised for you tastes and needs.' Only on Xbox, television will become social, driven and shaped by the 10s of million on the xbox live community. At this moment out teams are rethinking dramas, comedies, live events and digital shorts.

Bonnie Ross Head of 343 joined Nancy on stage for some exciting Halo news. They will be creating a Halo live action television series with the aid of none other than Steven Spielberg. There seems to be a feeling of interaction and integration here between television and the Xbox One, but there wasn't much detail. Perhaps that will come at E3?

Back to Nancy and on to live sports, in particular HandEgg...I mean, NFL. Microsoft want to 'make the Xbox your home for sports' and they promise to 'change the viewing experience and the sport itself.' NFL always brought in technology to make the game more exciting for people both in the stadium and at home and now they will be using the MS technology to aid managers and players, as well as changing the experience at home. Exclusive content will be available that will use smartglass, Kinect and other innovations bringing fantasy football to life. This will make Fantasy Football easier and better to play with your friends as live broadcast and Fantasy Football games will be connected, updating the game and allowing you to talk to and taunt friends via Skype.

Console Launching later this year around the world. Just the beginning will show you the next chapter including exclusive games at E3.

And finally Eric Hirshberg, Activision CEO climbed up on stage to peach the word of the new Call of Duty game; Call of Duty Ghosts. He also confirmed that all DLC for Call of Duty will continue to launch first on the Xbox.

Activision and Infinity Ward didn't want to be safe and boring and just make CoD4, which they could have done instead they have made CoD Ghosts. This embraces the new technology and has create a whole new Call of Duty game with new characters in a new world running on a new engine; SubD.

Mark Rubin of Infinity Ward explained how they were working with award winning writer Stephen Gaghan to create a deeper story for the game. Set after a mass event, the whole of America (they didn't mention the rest of the world) has been crippled, the government crushed and for once you are playing as an underdog fighting back. Your team is made up of what is left of the special forces and you even have a dog as a member of your team to help sniff out bombs.

Still running at 60fps, the new engine looks like it will be the kick the CoD franchise has been needing for a while, with more detailed textures, dynamic shadows and higher resolution. The arms of your character one the thing you see the most in the game and so these have been revamped with greater detailing; fine hairs, cuts, bruising and even dirt under the finger nails.

Multiplayer has also been revamped with dynamic maps shuddering the land with earthquakes and floods as well as player triggered events such as traps, bombs and breaking down doors. You will be able to traverse the map sin single and multiplayer much better by scaling objects as you run and sliding out of the line of fire. You can also customise your character much better helping you

Hirshberg promised this 'will be best Call of Duty game ever made.' and the video of the gameplay, running on Xbox One certainly shows the improvements on Modern Warfare 3.

The voice over to the trailer explained a little more and hinted at the deeper level of storyline and attachment in the new game “Its been ten years...you start to forget...the things you should remember...and you can't stop remembering...the things you should forget. We've always had the power...not any more...what we have is each other. We're ghosts fighting for something that can't be killed. Soldiers stand against their enemies, but ghosts haunt them.”

The whole of the unveiling ended with the tagline to Call of Duty: Ghosts “We are all we've got”

The new Xbox One will be available around the world later this year

More info to come next month at E3!

Even more bat-news coming in!

Some confusion has been floating around over recent comments made by Kevin Conroy, most noted for his voice performances as Batman. His most recent outings donning the voice of Batman were in the highly successful Arkham Asylum and Arkham City games. At a Q&A in Dallas recently Conroy confirmed he was indeed involved in the development of an up and coming Batman game.

Where’s the confusion in that, you ask? Well, the voice actor for Batman in Arkham Origins has already been confirmed as Roger Craig Smith, the voice of the cocky Italian assassin, Ezio Auditore. Kevin Conroy tweeted recently that he is working alongside a new Batman game in development but NOT Arkham Origins.

So it seems there’s even more bat-shenanigans to be had for the dark crusader if Conroy’s statement is to be taken as truth. Are you happy to hear of more outings for Batman? What do you think this unannounced title could be? Let us know in the comments!

Source: Eurogamer

Written by Kenny Wildman

DC enthusiasts may want to sit down as we’ve got the brand new full trailer for Batman: Arkham Origins.

The trailer shows Bats to be more popular than ever with Deathstroke, the Black Mask and Deadshot all wanting to have a go at taking him down. The visually wonderful trailer nicely builds up the anticipation for the new title which no doubt fans are dying to see more of.

Better yet, those who pre-order the game will get exclusive early access to the Deathstroke pack which will put players in the boots of the badass assassin. The pack features additional challenge maps that players may play through using Deathstroke whom has all of his unique weapons and abilities for taking out the scum of Gotham City.

What can we expect next? Perhaps we’ll see more at E3? Maybe even sooner! Keep your eyes on XBLGamerhub for more on the Dark Knights latest crusade.

Written by Kenny Wildman

Not long to wait now, folks. Tomorrow night we’ll be glued to our screens anticipating the unveiling of Microsofts new Xbox console! The past few months have been a whirlwind of rumours, maybes and possibilities. Let’s take a look at some of the major points that have been dominating the web over the past few months around the development of the new system.

Always Online

Quite easily one of the biggest and most frightening prospects rumoured for the “720” is the possibility of it requiring an internet connection to run at all times. This caused uproar throughout near every person watching the 720’s development. The sheer prospect of this attempt at DRM left people appalled and could have potentially axed a fair amount of sales of the console to a large portion of the market.

There was also the rather nasty business involving Adam Orth, creative director of Microsoft Game Studios. He took to twitter telling people to “deal with it” and that always online wasn’t as scary as prospect as it seemed. The way he went about it led to furious debate and Adam Orth was possibly the least popular person on twitter for some time due to his unfair and snide remarks to those whom opposed his views. Since then Orth has departed Microsoft Game Studios but one of the scarier results of this scenario was that it almost pointed that the always online rumours could in fact be true.

The latest information on this particular subject is that employees of Microsoft apparently received emails stating that the console will not require a constant connection and thus rested the minds of many following the story. Of course, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow night for the absolute facts.

Launch Titles and Exclusives

Of course, for the console to boast great sales and profits right off the bat it will need a strong lineup of launch titles. While this aspect of the 720’s release has been a little light in terms of information, there are some snippets to be found in the rumour mills of the internet.

One of the bigger rumours floating around is that Respawn Entertainment will be developing and releasing their first game for the 720. This would make sense as Respawn Entertainment are a team consisting of industry veterans including founders Jason West and Vince Zampella, most notably known for their development of the Call of Duty series at Infinity Ward. It could be fair to assume this title will be a multiplayer shooter, which would not only have the good names of its developers to hold it up but would also appeal to the hardcore audience, the market that Microsoft really want to sell to early in the console lifecycle.

Project Gotham 5 is also being found amongst the rumours of launch titles. With Project Gotham always having a strong presence on the Xbox consoles in the past, this could prove unsurprising. It’s also being said that Rare could be co-developing the title due to recent discoveries of the team hiring racing game developers from a plethora of backgrounds including Criterion and Bizarre Creations.

The 360 had launch titles including Condemned: Criminal Origins, a gruesome first-person shooter that instantly appealed to the more adult gamer market. The sequel came years later and the series has fallen silent since. Will we see Ethan Thomas again? What other titles do you think Microsoft would be wise to unveil along with the console?

Kinect 2.0

A lot of people are conflicted about the release of the Kinect some time ago. A lot of people, especially of the hardcore gaming base seem to almost completely avoid the device and dub it a gimmick. While it may not be a perfect piece of hardware and now only seems to be marketable with casual, more family-friendly games, what about the future of Kinect?

The Kinect has it’s issues for a lot of gamers, it requires a lot of space to use, it’s picky with its lighting and performance, it’s not cheap, etc. But, what if the Kinect for the 360 was a trial run for something that Microsoft have in their sleeves for the 720? Specs for the supposed Kinect 2.0 have surfaced online are shown to be vastly improved from its predecessor. It is also rumoured to be built in, improving the convenience of the hardware itself. This would likely irk the gamers looking to buy the 720 and paying for a motion controller they have no intention of using but the only way to determine the truth is to see what happens with the big announcement tomorrow night. It wouldn't be a shock to see Microsoft pumping more money and time into the Kinect as they seem to believe it has true potential for innovative and immersive gameplay options.

Release

This is something everyone following the new Xbox will be wondering, when will we get our hands on it? The PS4 was announced recently to be aiming for a holiday 2013 release. Releasing a console during the holiday season is just common sense from a marketing perspective in that every kid, teen and adult wanting one will be their most-desired console under their Christmas tree. Will the 720 be able to achieve this?

Possibly. At this point, it is not out-of-order to deduct that Microsoft will try to par up with Sony on every possible detail. They’ll want to have their console released as close as possible if not sooner than Sony to increase sales. While this is almost a shot in the dark at this point, I’d say that having the console set for a Christmas release is a safe bet, but we’ll see what happens. This will also heavily depend on the price of the console which fluxiates between rumours that span to the console either featuring no sort of online subscription but being more expensive, to a model that will feature subscription but with be cheaper to buy.

Of course, there’s the actual console itself and what will be released with it. Nobody seems to know for certain what it looks like and Microsoft have seemingly done a terrific job at keeping this from the public. That’s just another thing we’ll have to wait and see tomorrow but considering the lack of console-on-show at Sony’s conference, this could be an opportunity for Microsoft to try and one-up the PS4 and it will need to use every advantage it can get after Sony’s impressive event.

The truth…when and where?

All will be divulged soon, readers! The Xbox reveal will be shown on the Xbox website, various sites online and of course, on Xbox Live itself on the Xbox 360. The event begins at 18:00 BST though should you not be able to watch the stream for whatever reason, follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates as they come along with a full breakdown afterwards on the XBLGamerhub website.

See you on the other side!

Written by Kenny Wildman

It seems Microsoft and their Xbox division are further trying to push the 360 as not just a gaming device. The Xbox team have just announced The Music Room.

This two part series will work to exhibit new up-and-coming bands through Xbox Live. Presented by Laura Jackson, the first show is to feature a lineup including Don Broco, Swim Deep, Everything Everything and Carl Barat, co-frontman of the Libertines.

Those with an Xbox Live Gold account can feast their eyes and, more importantly, their ears on this on Wednesday 29th May at 20:30 BST. The show will also feature live interactive polling that allows you to determine the finale act of the show in real-time. Highlights will be available on catch-up and will feature individual tracks and more. News on the second show will be coming on the 25th of June along with more entertainment events to come.

Written by Kenny Wildman

Some of you readers may have heard about Capcom's new venture called Remember Me. You may have heard about it in passing or perhaps some of your gaming comrades have been talking about it since its reveal not long ago. Are you somewhat in the dark about the game and what it is about or the history of the world in which it takes place? Let us illuminate you…

Taking place in the distant 2084, Remember Me delves into a future where advances in technology have seen how people excpress themselves and their experiences, shifting from the all-too-familiar social networks to a reality where a persons every waking moment is recorded. These digitalised memories may be bought, sold or traded and as such have created a memory based economoy where the Memorize Corporation and its Sensen device have a part in the lives of nearly every person of the world’s population.

Information on the Memorize Corporation and its history are charted in the journal of its creator, Antoine Cartier-Wells. More information of Antoine and his motivations behind the device is available in a short film produced by Devin SuperTramp.

Does this arouse your curiosity? Perhaps you are keen to learn more about what seems to be a very narrative-driven experience that Remember Me may offer. Or maybe you’re interested to see the satire involved focusing on social networking that could well become an unnerving reality in due time.

The best way to find out more is to stay with us here at XBLGamerhub where we’ll give you the latest information once we have it. E3 is only around the corner after all…

Written by Kenny Wildman

Get ready to scrum with your favourite British and Irish Lions squad as each member of the Lions squad has been officially announced for Rugby Challenge 2: The Lions Tour.

Whilst the Lions are battling it out down under, you also have the options to play each game at home with players able to select from the whole licensed squad to ensure your chances of victory are as high as possible!

This will please fans of the squad no doubt. Combining this with the games already impressive lineup of 110 teams, new revamped commentary and improved customisation could all help to put a smile on the faces of rugby fans all over.

Written by Kenny Wildman

Have you ever wanted to control a gang of ruthless bikers as they cruise down the open road, taking out opposing gangs that cross them? If your answer is yes (and why wouldn’t it be?!) then please divert your attention to this announcement trailer for Ride to Hell: Route 666.

Set within the violent, motorcycle-centric universe of the Ride to Hell series of games, Route 666 has you control a gang of bikers, each member can be one of the different classes consisting of gunners, brawlers and medics. You, the player, will assume control of Jack Rider, leader of the gang seeking vengeance after his previous gang was wiped out.

The gameplay combines the use of tactics, formations and action where players must use their brains and plan their attacks carefully to ensure their gang comes out victorious against others. The use of classes and strategy combined with what looks to be a cartoon-ish, fun art style could make Ride to Hell: Route 666 a journey to remember.

Ride to Hell: Route 666 is due for release on XBLA this summer. For more information, follow us at XBLGamerhub.

Written by Kenny Wildman

Looking for new locations and events to mix things up in GRID 2? Well, belt up because there’s some new content coming that will sate your need for more.

The latest content for GRID 2 will focus on Asian locations, clubs and events. This includes racers having to show supreme style and skill in events inspired by Okutama, Japan that feature steep and dangerous mountain roads. It’s not just drifting on mountain roads, however, there’s also open road events where players race in one-on-one contactless events in Hong Kong. There’s also street racing in Dubai where racers must storm through locations that showcase jaw-dropping skyscrapers showcasing a city drenched in wealth.

This new content looks to be not only fresh and exciting for GRID 2 players but visually wonderful. Are you looking to acquire all this content on release? Or are you holding out for other locations and events to be released before you look to invest more money into Codemasters latest racing venture?

The new Asian GRID 2 content is due for release on May 31st. As always, stay tuned with XBLGamerhub for all of your gaming news and announcements.

Written by Kenny Wildman

Been playing plenty of Injustice: Gods Among Us? Maybe you’re looking for someone new to dominate the other heroes and villains with, or simply want a new face for Superman to turn into paste? Well, introducing the latest addition to the Injustice roster: Lobo.

Lobo could well be the anti-hero you’ve been waiting for. The trailer will tell you all you need to know. Banished from the afterlife, wiped out all of his own kind, rides around the galaxy on an interstellar motorcycle…Lobo is not one to be taken lightly.

Lobo is available to download now for 400 Microsoft Points. Accompanying his release is two packs of skins: Teen Titans pack featuring Cyborg, Deathstroke and Raven, along with the Bad Girls pack comprised of skins for Wonder Woman, Catworm and Harley Quinn. These packs are 240 Microsoft Points each.

Written by Kenny Wildman

Stealth fans, rejoice! The multiplayer mode Spies VS. Mercs is back in the latest instalment of the Splinter Cell series as shown in this brand new trailer.

First rolled out in the second game of the series, Spliter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, Spies VS. Mercs has two teams of players seek to outwit or outgun each other. The spies rely on stealth, cunning and gadgets to complete their objective. The Mercs use their technology and firepower to stop the spies dead in their tracks.

This featuring in the new Splinter Cell: Blacklist will no doubt be a huge selling point to long-standing fans of the series that thoroughly enjoyed the tension-ridden and heart-racing game mode in the previous Splinter Cell titles.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist is available for pre-order now.

Written by Kenny Wildman

Still got an itch that only the Dark Knight can scratch? Then feast your eyes on the new teaser trailer for Batman: Arkham Origins!

The video shows the dark crusader going toe-to-toe with none other than Deathstroke. But what could this mean? Is Deathstroke the prime antagonist of this game? Could he be a pawn for someone twice as sinister?  Do not ponder on it too much, the full trailer is being released on the 20th of May so no doubt all will be revealed then.

Batman: Arkham Origins is the next instalment of the highly successful Batman: Arkham series serving as a prequel to the previous games. Rather than coming from the original developers at Rocksteady this title in the series comes from WB Games Montreal. This leaves a limitless number of possibilities open for Arkham Origins and if you want to know more then check back regularly at XBLGamerhub and we’ll keep you posted. We will also have the full trailer when it is released.

Written by Kenny Wildman

Here’s one that might have slipped under your radar, folks. The Polish studio from CI Games have just debuted their first teaser trailer for their FPS shooter now dubbed Alien Rage.

Previously known as Alien Fear, CI Games promises this digital download title to be a hardcore sci-fi shooter that will revitalise all your love for classic first person shooter experiences whilst boasting stunning visuals alongside. The game is said to feature an impressive array of weapons and firing modes, over 20 types of enemies and a number of, in CI Games’ own words “bad-ass bosses”. Alien Rage could be a title that helps to breathe a little more life into the rather crammed FPS market.

CI Games promise to show more at this years E3 and that the game will be available later this year. Want to learn more? Stick with us at XBLGamerhub and we’ll let you know every scrap of information we get as it comes.

Written by Kenny Wildman

The games market over the past couple of years has seen somewhat of a sharp increase in co-operative shooters. These games appeal to audiences who not only seek the fast-paced, frantic gameplay of a first or third person shooter, they're seeking to satiate the need to play alongside friends invoking mayhem on a more grandiose scale whilst possibly laughing with or screaming at their counterpart. The soon-to-be-released FUSE offers you this on a plate, a great looking plate too! After getting hands-on with the demo of the game before it is released, here’s what can be gathered thus far…

The core element of the game is the alien element from which the game takes its name; Fuse. Fuse is an alien substance that reacts violently (VERY violently) when combined with other terrestrial elements. This is a core dynamic in the gameplay with each character wielding a weapon that has a different ability derived from the Fuse combined with various elements. One weapon creates singularities that tear enemies apart when damaged enough, another creates a huge shield that protects those behind it from damage whilst able to unleash a telekinetic blast in front of it to rip apart enemies directly in front of it. The weapons themselves are fun to use and though there are more traditional armaments in the game, chances are you’ll find yourself only using them once your Fuse weapon of choice has run dry.

In the short portion of the game currently available, you are able to control the four characters of Overstrike 9m, a squad of rogues and misfits who have in their possession four unique weapons that are capable of unleashing the power of the Fuse substance upon their enemies. The characters themselves look great as does the rest of the game which features a not overly realistic vibe and this helps the game to not take itself too seriously. Fuse certainly has its own unique feel to it and the visuals are aided, not only its attractiveness in environments and characters, but also in the seamlessly blended animations, especially in the takedowns. Sneaking up behind an enemy, dragging them over some cover and breaking their neck out of sight of his comrades has never looked so good or felt so satisfying.

The segment of the game currently playable is further bolstered in the co-operative mode. Playing through solo allows you to control all of the characters as you seamlessly switch control of one or another mid-game at will. This means you can, for example, position your stealth specialist somewhere strategically sound before diving into the boots of the more tank-like character to run up and protect their stealthy and less-tough squad-mate. However, multiplayer is where this truly blooms. Devising strategies with up to four players as each character, considering their abilities/weapons helps to create a truly gratifying experience when combined with good communication and observance.

The enemies on show were devious and cunning, often repositioning to gain a vantage point and flank members of the squad who were isolated and vulnerable. This presented a fresh challenge during most gunfights and really helped to push the feeling of constantly being on your toes, as enemies jetpack from platform to platform to gain a height advantage at your rear or to simply charge around cover to beat down anyone not alert enough to see them.

By shooting, obliterating, imploding and shattering enemies you gain XP which increases the level of each character in the squad. Each time you earn XP a small notification appears on-screen with a word summarising the feat performed to earn the XP and how much. This sort of pop-up text proves to be neither obstructive on the screen, nor irritating in its frequency and helps to provide a somewhat basic but satisfying rewards system that is becoming more prevalent in games today.

When you level up you earn skill points which can be used to purchase upgrades and perks for each character. Working together, combining weapon abilities and damage will reward players extra points. This works wonders in that it doesn’t necessarily force players to work cohesively as a unit, but more so encourages it, so you still feel you are able to play your own way even if it isn’t necessarily the best way.

We didn’t get to play a great deal of Fuse but what we got was fun, frantic and a breath of fresh air in what could be considered somewhat of a stale market. Fuse has thus far impressed, even through merely a rather short demo, but has left us eager to see what the game has to offer. Should the full game tote a good weave of narrative, along with each character being fleshed out enough to seem unique, different and play off of these inconsistencies, then this could be one of the better releases of the twilight-era of this current generation of consoles.

Fuse is due for release May 31st in Europe.

Written by Kenny Wildman

What is your name and where are you from?  Do you have any aliases?
My name is Calen Hoffman.  I am from Kansas City, USA.  I go by Propcustomz on forums and online.

What kind of costumes/props do you have? Which prop/costume is your favorite and why?
As far as full suits go, I have the original Gears of War 3 Baird suit, Gears of War Judgment Baird suit, Halo Reach Jorge suit, and an Assassins Creed Revelations Ottoman Plague Doctor suit.  As far as props go, I have a large array of them.  From Army of Two masks, to an Incendiary grenade from Gears of war.  My favorite Costume is my new Baird suit.  I am just so happy how it turned out and I poured my heart and soul into it.  While that may sound strange, when you spend over 200 hours with something you created from sheets of paper and foam, it sort of imbeds it into your heart.


How long have you been doing costume/prop making? What got you into Costume/prop making?
I have been making "things" for as long as I can remember.  I'm not really sure how I first got into it, but ever since I can remember, I always enjoyed art and taking things apart to see how they work.  I have been pursuing it seriously for a few years now.  I actually still have some various things that I created in high school.  It is really mind blowing to look back at them and see the progress and development of my skills and talents over the years.  Even the improvements I make with each project I take on.  I am an extremely competitive person and I always try to out do myself with every new project.


What kind of projects have you been involved in? Anything big or worth mentioning?
As far as anything outside of my own personal interests and inspirations, I have not been involved in anything too serious.  I hope to be some day though.  I have been featured on EPIC Studios website a couple times with my Gears of War projects.   My higher quality photos were taken by a friend of mine who is a wonderful photographer and we shot it in downtown Kansas City. 


Do you have any Conventions you go to regularly?  Have you done anything extraordinary worth mentioning at one of these conventions?
I have only been to two conventions unfortunately, but I had a BLAST at both of them.  We took about 1000 pictures with fans and fellow cosplayers, that was a lot of fun.  We actually didn't move from one spot for an hour and a half, because of all of the people wanting pictures.  I won second place best in show at the recent convention. At the end of the night, I ended up being in the suit for a solid 10 hours.  I was worn out to say the least, but I was very much worth it.

What are you plans for the future in your costume/prop making?
My next big project is going to be by far my most challenging suit to date.  It will be the Songbird from Bioshock Infinite.  I am extremely excited about it for a few reasons:
1. I enjoy a new, challenging project.  I like thinking through problems and solving them.
2. I just really really LOVE the Bioshock series.  I especially love Songbird because he is oddly unique and creepy.
3. Aesthetically, the suit/character just turns my gears.  I love his whole look and disposition, that of a giant over protective jailer(almost like a jealous ex boyfriend).

So that will be my next big project and I am just as excited as can be and can't wait to get started!

Is there anything you want to add about yourself? 
I hope you guys all enjoy my work.  I do it because I love it.  I love it because it inspires and give joy to others.  I get so much satisfaction from making something that I believe to be magnificent out of a pile of materials.  That appeals to me in such a basic and complex way.  I just hope that it brings you guys as much joy as it bring me to create things like this.

If you are interested in seeing some other photos, following my future projects, or just ask me questions about me or what I do, give me a like on my props page here:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Propcustomz/385005674846614?ref=hl

If you want to contact me personally, you can do so on my profile page here:
https://www.facebook.com/calen.hoffman.31

What's up Guys and Girls.

 So today Ubisoft revealed the new Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag FIGURINE, Blackbeard the Legendary Pirate. 
The figurine will be released in October this year, along with the Edward Kenway : The Assassin Pirate figurine. Which are already available for pre-order on Uplay.
Blackbeard is based on the infamous pirate legend, a truely beautiful collectible for any Creed fan.
Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag is available to pre-order on Xbox 360 

Written by Ruby Rage