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INFORMATION Indivisible is an action role-playing-platform game developed by Lab Zero Games and published by 505 Games.The game was released in October 2019, with a Nintendo Switch release at a later date. GAMEPLAY There's nothing quite like the bright, beautiful, and sometimes distraught world of Indivisible. It's one that wears its Southeast/South Asian influences on its sleeve, and pulls you into places you want to be in with characters you want to be around. Developer Lab Zero blends several genre elements to create a system of combat and platforming that flows seamlessly between Indivisible's seemingly disparate parts. It has so much going for it that it's disappointing when heartfelt exchanges and pivotal moments lack the gravitas they deserve or are simply glossed over. While Indivisible has trouble following through narratively, I can't shake its enjoyable moments and the sense of cultural visibility it gives a region I'm connected to. Your journey across Indivisible's world revolves around Ajna, the hard-headed but full-hearted protagonist who perpetually stumbles into revelations about her true nature. She makes new friends along the way who either have mutual goals in mind or don't need much convincing to join her cause. Other than brief surprise, no one seems to bat an eye at the fact that they get physically absorbed into Ajna's consciousness--a separate plane of existence that acts as a sort of hub area--only to be summoned in battle or in conversation. You'll have to concede having deeper explanations other than Ajna's supernatural powers and third-eye chakra which are connected to the ominous villain Kala, goddess of destruction and creation. Although a handful of key characters are central to the story, you assemble a party of four from a large and varied roster that's built up rather quickly. You assign a party member to a position in combat that corresponds with a face button; this is how you actively send them in to deal damage in real-time during an offensive phase and have them individually defend when enemies initiate attacks. Getting the hang of Indivisible's hybrid of turn-based and real-time mechanics opens you up to inventive ways of combining different characters' movesets and timing their specific attacks at the right time. It's easy to see how Lab Zero channels elements of its previous game, Skullgirls--there's a slight fighting game touch with combos, directional attacks, guard breaks, perfect blocks, and air juggling attacks. You also build up a meter, called Iddhi, which represents Ajna and friends' ability to go into overdrive for executing powerful special attacks. Battles tend to move fast, and this layered combat system makes you eager to get into the next fight. it's not necessary to learn every character as it's viable to stick with a handful of your favorites to cycle between for certain situations (they all level alongside Ajna so no one gets left behind). But as great as combat can be, you'll be disappointed to know that its wonderful complexities are squandered by a lack of challenge towards the end of the game. Your party becomes so powerful that simple button mashing will get you by most, if not all, enemies and bosses. You'll continually recruit new members in the late-game, too, but with little reason to get in tune with their mechanics. Combat's biggest enemy is the lack of difficulty right when the stakes should be the highest. Fighting is only half of Indivisible, gameplay-wise, though--it's partly a 2D side-scrolling adventure that draws from Metroidvania-style exploration. As you accumulate new tools and powers, so too does your means of traversal. Ajna starts with an axe that she uses to propel herself upward to higher ledges, but she'll soon be pole-vaulting, pogo-sticking, and monkey-swinging with a spear to avoid hazards and reach new areas. Her own superpowers eventually let you dash across wide gaps, jump to greater heights, and break through walls. What makes all these mechanics fun to use is that you face a variety of obstacles that force you to think about the clever ways you need to string together your toolset and abilities to overcome these platforming challenges. Unlike combat, platforming steadily ramps up to a satisfying difficulty towards the end, but it's never frustrating since you only face light punishment for death. Rather than loading a previous save, you get brought back to a generously placed checkpoint should you fail a sequence. What's more, a number of boss battles merge the two gameplay styles and test you to juggle both at a rapid pace. That could sound like the game biting off more than it can chew, but the pace at which you transition between the two phases keep things moving seamlessly. From one location to another, Indivisible's imaginative art style gives you an unmistakable sense of where you are and the things that happen there. I'm still thinking about the rough streets of Tai Krung City, which come to life through neon signage, quirky apartment setups, lavish clubs, and sketchy alleyways. Even the grimy, oppressive Iron Kingdom clearly communicates a hardship among the common folk who inhabit the cobblestone roads, and you feel the bustle of the markets that occupy the colorful seaside town of Port Maerifa. That rich sense of style extends to each of the characters, who are beautifully realized in expressive, hand-drawn artwork. It's an evolution of the imaginative style and designs from Skullgirls, and it helps distinguish each member of the wide, diverse cast. With that said, while Indivisible has the foundation to portray something powerful it doesn't exactly follow through. Many of Indivisible's major story beats lack the necessary impact they need to stick with you and get you fully invested in Ajna's fight to save the world. While there's an assortment of likeable personalities and quips between characters, and the voice acting performances shine, many dialogue sequences don't reflect the gravity of the situations that unfold. For example, Ajna internalizes life-altering events in ways that frame them as frustrations to her rather than tragedies. And when she inadvertently causes destruction, it's largely brushed off as an accident with consequences that aren't communicated. Characters are quick to change their minds about things without portraying the process through which they came to their conclusions, undermining possible emotional stakes. There are key moments when other characters push back and confront others to think harder about what they're doing. Whether it's characters who open themselves up to feel any sort of positive emotion, go through a sincere redemption arc, or provide unquestioning support, you can identify the times Indivisible gets it right. I can't help but wish that the story contained these highlights more often than not. I want to love Indivisible unconditionally; it has so many great pieces, and it's a special thing to feel seen. I'm happy to have a game that's distinctly Southeast Asian, giving some earnest representation to a part of the world I belong to and one I'm even more curious about now. As a whole, it sometimes doesn't come together; it's missing weight to its narrative and the challenges necessary to flex its wonderful combat system. But it stands out as an RPG that's doing something genuinely different, and it brings joy to its clever platforming with the tune of an infectious soundtrack. For all its faults, Indivisible has its heart in the right place. TRAILER

Name Game: VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action Price: 14.99 / 10.49 The Discount Rate: 30% Link Store: Steam Offer Ends Up After : OCT 15

Alongside a prominent rear spoiler and front splitter arrangement, there's a roof-mounted air scoop and new intakes cut out from the bonnet. Further changes include an exhaust feeding out through the bumper in place of the top-exit items of the 600LT, a detail that features in the Woking brand’s GT4 cars. A specific wheel design, most likely made from a super-light material such as magnesium, can also be seen. Although this prototype doesn’t appear to sit any lower to the ground, we can speculate that the 620R will feature a bespoke suspension tune compared with the 600LT. Whether that will be the race-bred coilover setup remains to be seen. Running the registration plate reveals that this 620R is powered by the same twin-turbo 3.8-litre V8 as the 600LT, but judging by the car’s name, expect that to be boosted to 620hp (612bhp) – more than the regulation-restricted racing models. The interior is yet to be seen, but expect faithful race-spec details such as bucket seats, six-point harnesses and the removal of non-essential hardware and features. McLaren is yet to reveal any details of the car, but when questioned, a spokesperson confirmed its existence and said: “This IS a car that will be offered to select customers by invitation only.” It will be built in strictly limited numbers, although probably not as exclusively as the 10 570S MSO X cars built for US customers, and is expected to cost significantly more than the 600LT. More details should follow some time next year.

One in four patients with secondary breast cancer had to visit their GP three or more times before they got a diagnosis, a survey suggests. A breast cancer charity said there should be more awareness that the disease can spread to other parts of the body. GPs said they were doing their best for patients but symptoms could be difficult to spot. In the UK, 35,000 people are living with the incurable form of the disease. Breast Cancer Now said it was "unacceptable" that some people whose cancer had spread were not getting early access to treatments which could alleviate symptoms and improve their quality of life. "For too long now, the worrying perception that everyone survives breast cancer has masked the heartbreaking reality for 11,500 families in the UK that lose someone they love each year," the charity said. The advanced, or metastatic form of the disease means the cancer has spread through the blood and created secondary tumours in the bones, liver, lung or brain. It cannot be cured and patients stay in treatment for the rest of their lives. 'I felt stupid and naive' Jo Myatt, 43, from Chorley, went to see her GP five times over a number of years before discovering that breast cancer had spread to her liver and bones. "I felt like a hypochondriac for going all the time," she says. Her symptoms started with missed periods and nausea before becoming more serious and persistent, leaving her unable to move her neck. But no-one had mentioned secondary breast cancer as a possibility when she was diagnosed 10 years previously. "I was devastated. I felt stupid and naive," Jo says. "People don't realise it can spread to other areas of the body and you can have nothing in your breast." Jo is now on her fourth treatment and waiting anxiously for the results of her latest scans. She knows she is eventually going to run out of options, but she urges other women to speak up. "If you're worried about pain, make doctors aware of your history. "You're not going mad - the sooner you find the secondary, the better health you're going to be in and the more it can be contained." What are the symptoms of secondary breast cancer? They can vary depending on where the cancer has spread to, but common signs and symptoms include: unexpected weight loss or loss of appetite discomfort or swelling under the ribs or across the upper abdomen severe or continuing headaches altered vision or speech feeling sick most of the time breathlessness or a dry cough loss of balance or weakness or numbness of the limbs any lumps or swellings under the arm, breastbone or collarbone pain in the bones (eg back, hips or ribs) that doesn't get better with pain relief and may be worse at night Cancer Research UK lists more symptoms of secondary breast cancer on its website. Breast Cancer Now's survey of 2,100 people in the UK with secondary breast cancer found that just 13% were told of the symptoms to look out for if their cancer spread. And four in 10 said they felt their symptoms had not been taken seriously before they were diagnosed. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK, with around 55,000 new cases every year. Although survival rates have significantly improved over the last 40 years in the UK, there are still around 11,500 deaths from breast cancer each year - mostly from secondary breast cancer. 'Working flat out' Prof Helen Stokes-Lampard, from the Royal College of GPs, said: "GPs and our teams are working flat out to do the very best we can for all our patients. "We understand the importance of timely cancer diagnosis and are highly trained to identify possible symptoms of cancer and its recurrence." But she said some symptoms were "very difficult to interpret because they are vague in the initial stages" or similar to other, more common conditions. Prof Stokes-Lampard called for GPs to have better access to the right diagnostic tools and training to use them

EU countries have agreed to "intensify" Brexit talks with the UK over the next few days. The development comes after a meeting in Brussels between Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, described by both sides as "constructive". But UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there was "a way to go" before a deal could be reached. The UK is due to leave the EU at 23:00 GMT on 31 October. A European leaders' summit next week is seen as the last chance to agree a deal before that deadline. Mr Johnson put forward revised proposals for a deal last week, designed to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland after Brexit. Speaking on Friday, he said there was not "a done deal", adding: "The best thing we can do now is let our negotiators get on with it." DUP says it will 'stand up for NI' in Brexit talks Government faces industry backlash on Brexit plans 'No community will have Brexit plans veto' - Smith In a statement, the European Commission said: "The EU and the UK have agreed to intensify discussions over the coming days." BBC Brussels correspondent Adam Fleming said that, although there would be a "measure of confidentiality", EU states would still be briefed on any developments. n Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron was asked if there was hope of a deal, replying: "Let's wait for the next few hours." Leader of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party Arlene Foster said "anything that traps Northern Ireland in the EU, whether single market or customs union, as the rest of the UK leaves will not have our support - the prime minister is very mindful of that". Support from DUP MPs will be key to getting a deal through Parliament. Meanwhile, the pound rose to a three-month high against other major currencies, amid increased investor optimism over an agreement. Following his "technical" discussion with Mr Barclay in Brussels, Mr Barnier told reporters: "Be patient." He added: "Brexit is like climbing a mountain. We need vigilance, determination and patience." Earlier this week, several senior EU figures played down the chances of Brexit happening with a deal agreed to by both sides. But on Thursday, Mr Johnson and Mr Varadkar held a one-to-one discussion - described by both as "very positive and very promising". Mr Varadkar said talks were at a "very sensitive stage" but he was now "convinced" the UK wanted a deal, adding: "I do see a pathway towards an agreement in the coming weeks.

INFORMATION Child of Light is a platforming role-playing video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft for Microsoft Windows, the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360 and Xbox One in April 2014, and was released on PlayStation Vita in July 2014. The game was later released on Nintendo Switch on 11 October 2018; the announcement of this release also teased a sequel. It is powered by UbiArt Framework. The game's story takes place in the fictional land of Lemuria. Aurora, a child who wakes up in Lemuria after dying from a mysterious illness, must bring back the sun, the moon, and the stars that are all being held captive by the Queen of the Night in order to return home. GAMEPLAY There are times I want to be sad, when I'd rather be all alone, quietly thinking about my life, or hugging a loved one to forget about the day's trouble. Child of Light embraces that melancholy beautifully and its various elements cultivate a doleful mood. From the overgrown foliage threatening to overtake the neglected environments to the tired inhabitants wasting away their days, there's a somber tone that permeates this storybook adventure. I was struck by that desperation in the whimsical poetry of the dialogue; conversations are constructed with overtly meticulous rhymes that betray the bewilderment building below the surface. And the docile piano melody made my heart all the heavier. Child of Light is a lovely adventure, a journey as remarkable as it is uncommon, that left me grappling with my own sadness. I wasn't so accepting of Child of Light at first. The delicate artistic style is so immediately inviting that I had imagined a world opening before me that I would want to exist in. That's because I had mistaken color for happiness. Child of Light is not about fleeting joy, and so, when the sorrowful tone endured as I ventured on, I struggled to find my bearings. I waited for a lightheartedness that never arrived, so I fought against the energy that Child of Light was putting forth. But as I pushed deeper inside of this dreamlike world, I stopped resisting and opened up to the game. Child of Light is difficult in ways that I hadn't expected, and is incredibly effective if you allow it to work its magic. It's in the combat that the sadness that permeates the rest of Child of Light is momentarily halted. The music loses its solemnity as it suddenly becomes fierce, and the characters forget their aching problems for a moment while they focus on the threats that stand before them. Wolves and boars growl their displeasure, flaming birds and ethereal horses bar your path, and you stare them down like only a true warrior can. Although your party balloons as you trudge deeper into this desperate land, only two can fight at one time, while the others swap in when their fists are needed and back out once their energy is spent. It's a frenetic system in which you're continually juggling your party, tapping a healer when you need a boost, matching elemental attacks against your shifty opponents, and finding ways for everyone to contribute. The energy of these encounters carries a fast-paced excitement that's lacking from the rest of the adventure. That's not to downplay how affecting the quiet moments are, but rather to show how sharp the contrast is. When you're fighting, you're so invested in an immediate threat that you're no longer saddened by the dire world around you. And it's a freeing feeling that exists only because of how different it is from the rest of the adventure. Part of that rush comes from how smartly time is used. Though fights play out in a turn-based manner, you and your opponents race to perform attacks as quickly as you can. Cast haste to get a boost, or hover Igniculus over an enemy to slow it down. Interrupt an attack, and you can infuriate an enemy, cause it to retaliate with anger or cower from frustration. If you're inattentive, your hard work can blow up in your face, so you have to act with exactitude and think on your toes. The challenge of these encounters is expertly balanced. Against tougher foes, I always felt out of my element. Would this be the fight where I finally met my end? I would scrape and claw, desperately casting spells while fending off the unceasing threat. My attacks would be interrupted, my characters infected by curses, and yet I pressed on. I would drown enemies in water, blind them with sunlight, and never relent for even a second. I never did lose a battle. Child of Light did a wonderful job of pushing me hard, forcing me to fight with speed and precision, without ever becoming overwhelming. When I won, I would pause for a few moments to take in what I had accomplished. It's a great feeling to come out on top. And though I would invariably level up from such victories, I wasn't drawn to better stats or new powers. It was winning that was infectious. It was embracing the moments of respite amid a sea of sorrow and despair. Child of Light is a remarkable adventure. I wouldn't have thought that was true during the first couple of hours given that my expectations of what kind of game this was shattered when reality showed its face. But once I accepted the sadness that is so intertwined with every element, I grew so much closer to Child of Light. It's easy to heap praise on the combat because it's so interesting and engaging, and it's certainly a high point in this adventure. That's not what makes Child of Light stand out, though. Rather, it's how confident it is in its own feelings of woe. There are so few games willing to explore that dull ache that I became mesmerized by Aurora's journey, even when I needed to step away from her plight while I regained my composure. Child of Light is a wonderfully realized, somber adventure, and I couldn't be happier that such a game exists. Editor's note: It has been more than four years since Child of Light first hit consoles. The somber tone that permeates the adventure still resonates deeply, using its delicate visuals and wistful music to capture a feeling of melancholy that still feels incredibly rare. The passage of time hasn’t undermined the sadness that makes this game so welcoming because there is still nothing quite like Child of Light. The transition to the Switch hasn’t hurt the experience in the slightest. Whether docked or in handheld mode, the beautiful artistic design shines through and the controls are smooth regardless of which controller you use. Because this is the Ultimate Edition, there are bonus features that weren’t included in the original release. A couple of alternate skins for the protagonist are available from the onset along with a few items, one additional skill, and a new mission. It’s still the quiet adventure that is the main draw, though, and whether you’ve never before experienced Princess Aurora’s adventure or simply want to revisit this dreamlike world, Child of Light is just as great as it was years ago. -- October 11, 2018, 10:30 AM PT GAMEPLAY TRAILER

INFORMATION Jade Empire is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare, originally published by Microsoft Game Studios in 2005 as an Xbox exclusive. It was later ported to Microsoft Windows personal computers (PC) and published by 2K Games in 2007. Later ports to macOS (2008) and mobile platforms (2016) were handled respectively by TransGaming and Aspyr. Set in a world based on Chinese mythology, players control the last surviving Spirit Monk on a quest to save their tutor Master Li and defeat the forces of corrupt emperor Sun Hai. The Spirit Monk is guided through a linear narrative, completing quests and engaging in action-based combat. With morality-based dialogue choices during conversations, the player can impact both story and gameplay progression in various ways. GAMEPLAY For years now, BioWare has been a leading developer of role-playing games. Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic are the company's claims to fame, and they've helped to galvanize a style of gaming that emphasizes open-ended storytelling and character development, as well as plenty of entertaining tactical combat. Yet despite having worked on definitive games like these for such a long time, only now has BioWare finally delivered an RPG that takes place in an original setting. But even though Jade Empire is set in a beautiful and exotic land inspired by the mythology of ancient China--seemingly a far cry from the medieval stylings of Dungeons & Dragons or the science fiction of Star Wars--the game is unmistakably similar to its predecessors. So fans of BioWare's past work will be in for a familiar experience, which, considering the company's very high standards, is great news. Sure enough, Jade Empire features a complex and interesting storyline, a number of great characters, an impressive presentation, and plenty of replay value. With that said, the game also lacks the ambitious scope of, say, Knights of the Old Republic. It has the simplest design of any BioWare RPG yet, from the bare-bones character building elements to the action-based combat system. It's also surprisingly easy and fairly short by the genre's standards, offering up an adventure that shouldn't last you more than 20 hours on your first play-through. Presumably, all this is intended to be attractive to those who normally think role-playing games are too difficult or complicated to get into. Yet it's hard to imagine such players delving into Jade Empire's unusual world anyway, especially since it's filled with at least as much dialogue as action. In fact, one area in which BioWare definitely didn't skimp is the lengthy discussion sequences that feature the game's colorful characters. At any rate, fans of the company's previous efforts may be disappointed to find that Jade Empire is in some ways a step backward. While playing, it's hard not to wonder about exactly what the developer was intending to accomplish, since this overly streamlined design ends up leaving out a number of elements that made earlier BioWare RPGs deeper and more engaging by comparison. Fortunately, when you consider it on its own merits, Jade Empire is still a great game that offers a refreshing and memorable experience in spite of these shortcomings. The eponymous setting of Jade Empire looks like it comes straight out of a spectacular martial arts action movie. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is the most obvious point of reference, though Jade Empire doesn't actually take place in ancient China, which gave the designers license to include a number of creative twists. For example, these ancient lands aren't entirely devoid of sophisticated technology, which includes armies of powerful automatons and rickety, bug-shaped flying vehicles that spew fire and smoke as they soar across the sky. As well, the Jade Empire has its fair share of supernatural problems. Vengeful ghosts walk the land, and all manner of demons (shaped like hulking toads, rats, elephants, and more) prey on hapless victims. In this rich setting, you play as a young martial artist on the verge of completing his or her training under one Master Li. Early on, an altercation with a bitter rival quickly escalates, and soon enough, you'll find yourself searching for Li and searching for answers. Along the way, you'll be joined in your quest by some interesting characters with great names like Sagacious Zu and The Black Whirlwind, as you uncover the truth behind your mysterious heritage and the evil spilling from the heart of the Empire. Jade Empire's plot actually seems fairly formulaic at first, but the story takes some clever turns and does a good job of tying up its loose ends. As in Knights of the Old Republic, the main reason Jade Empire's story is so successful is that it gives you the sense that you have a great deal of influence over what happens. Dialogue with the game's dozens of characters is highly interactive, letting you choose from multiple responses whenever your character is prompted. Entire, fairly large portions of the game are optional, and certain significant outcomes are mutually exclusive. So you'll never see everything the game has to offer if you only play through it once. For example, one of the first big quests involves a small town that's in trouble because a nearby dam has been opened. The town will be saved if the dam could only be shut. But a certain unscrupulous merchant would prefer it if that didn't occur...that way he can keep the business of all the sailors stuck in harbor. Further complicating matters, you learn that the area on the other side of the dam is a burial ground for some restless spirits. Should you see if you can do something about them, or should you close the dam without delay, flooding them in? Or maybe you should side with the merchant and get a cut of his profits. Whatever you decide, the game offers a plausible outcome, as well as just desserts. The typical role-playing game on consoles presents you with a noninteractive story that you just sit back and watch, in between grinding through enemy encounters. Jade Empire is completely different from that blueprint, because it makes the story a central part of the gameplay itself. It sure is nice to actually get to role-play in a role-playing game, and the quality of the storytelling definitely doesn't suffer for it. The script is sharply written and finds the occasion for a few pretty funny jokes and references amid an otherwise serious plot. On the bright side, Jade Empire sure sounds terrific. Much like Knights of the Old Republic, what makes this game sound so impressive is the remarkable quantity of high-quality voice-overs you'll hear throughout. While it can be tempting to skip through the spoken dialogue because of the subtitles, some of the characters are voiced so well that you'll naturally prefer to hear them out. Not every character's performance is exceptional or anything, and some of the characters speak a made-up language called the Old Tongue, presumably because word-for-word voice-over wasn’t available. You’ll notice that sometimes these lines will repeat, and sometimes the voice inflection doesn't fit the dialogue when these lines are delivered. But so what? Few games offer the audio quality you'll find here. Jade Empire's actual sound effects (during combat and such) are fine, if not particularly outstanding. And its musical score, filled with strings, woodwinds, and deep percussion, is a perfect fit for the setting. You'll probably enjoy Jade Empire a great deal if you approach it with reasonable expectations. Namely, you shouldn't expect a game that's hands-down superior to what you may have experienced from BioWare in the past. Instead, you can look forward to a game whose strengths ultimately outweigh its weaknesses by a long shot. In short, if the setting of Jade Empire appeals to you, along with the promise of a good storyline and some open-ended role playing, then you'll be more than satisfied with BioWare's latest game. GAMEPLAY TRAILER

INFORMATION Grid (stylized as GRID) is an upcoming racing video game being developed and published by Codemasters for Microsoft Windows, Google Stadia, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It is the tenth title in the TOCA series.It is also the fourth GRID title in the TOCA series and is intended to be a reboot of the Grid series. Initially scheduled for release on 13 September 2019,its release date was delayed, and released on 11 October 2019 GAMEPLAY Codemasters' Race Driver series has long put the emphasis on making the driver, not the cars, the stars of the show. Grid is the spiritual successor to this series, and though it still offers you the chance to travel the world as a racing driver, the emphasis is firmly back on the racing itself. Taking in a wide range of international venues and racing disciplines, Grid's career mode puts you in the shoes of a top racing driver. You'll freelance as a driver for other teams, form your own team, and negotiate sponsorship contracts so you can buy new vehicles. In addition, Grid has a highly accessible 12-player online mode, a new flashback feature to rewind the action after devastating crashes or costly mistakes, and a novel approach to trading vehicles. It may lack basic features such as adjustable weather and split-screen multiplayer, but Grid still has enough fresh ideas to make it a notable entry in the racing genre Grid splits its racing between three geographical locations, with Europe, the US, and Japan each presenting an assortment of racing styles. Europe features track-based racing, with famous locations such as the Nurburgring, Donington Park, and Le Mans on its roster. Europe also boasts a city track in Milan, but it's the US that is more focused on street racing with courses in Washington, San Francisco, Detroit, and more. Japan is clearly influenced by underground street racing and has short, winding tracks that are perfect for drifting around. Each of these locations demands different vehicles; Europe features touring and GT cars, the US has muscle cars such as Vipers and Mustangs, and in Japan you get to drive tricked-out Nissans and Subarus. The main aim of the Grid World mode is to increase your reputation as a driver and earn money to buy new vehicles. You'll be paid for winning races, playing at harder difficulty levels, earning sponsor bonuses and being part of a winning team. As with many racing games, you need a selection of vehicle types to enter different racing events, and you can buy cars either brand-new or secondhand on eBay Motors. It's a rare example of in-game advertising done right: Some pre-owned motors run the risk of being too banged up, whereas others have proved themselves capable of winning races previously. One thing that Grid doesn't focus on is upgrading vehicle components; instead of buying new engines, you just sell your old banger and buy something better. The simple upgrade system and accessible racing style mean that Grid is more of an arcade-style racing game than a sim. That said, the game is still challenging, and the believable AI opponents will happily smash you into walls. In a nod to realism, head-on collisions will often take you out of a race completely, though one of Grid's new features offers you a way back in. The flashback system, which can be selected from the pause menu, lets you rewind time and resume gameplay at a point before the mistake was made. Your chosen difficulty level determines the number of flashbacks at your disposal, and there's a cash incentive at the end of each race for not using the feature. Racing purists may baulk at the concept, but it's completely up to you whether you choose to use flashbacks in the game. In situations when you'd previously have to restart the entire race, you now have a second chance to try a corner, and the decision adds an interesting gambling element to the game--should you use your last flashback now, or save it for the final lap? Grid also provides concessions for hardcore players who want to make the game harder, with a pro mode that restricts you from restarting a race at all. Enabling the pro mode changes your entire approach for each race, given that every lap becomes a do-or-die test of nerves. Grid's controls feel light, responsive, and even quite forgiving, but the damage model and challenging AI can make for a difficult first few races. Minor bumps and crashes will do little to impact the performance of your vehicle; bumpers will fall off and windscreens will shatter, but the innards of your car will perform as normal. However, major incidents will have a more drastic effect on your ability to race. Your vehicle might pull to one side or lose speed and acceleration, or even worse, it could fail completely. Once you're aware of these dangers, Grid becomes an enjoyably edge-of-your-seat racing experience. With the traction, braking, and stability assistance enabled, the game lets you perform some extraordinary braking manoeuvres, but you still need to be careful. While there's no option to have a racing line drawn on the track, a red light next to the map advises you of when to brake for corners. But Grid's greatest achievement is the driver AI, which does a fantastic job of replicating the behaviour of competitive and somewhat accident prone race drivers. Grid's drivers move in a choreographed formation at the beginning of each race, but they begin to take risks and make mistakes as they try to get to the front of the pack. You'll frequently find yourself misjudging a corner and spinning out, only to see a pack of rivals pile up the next corner down. There are also distinct racing styles between teams and drivers; race leaders will guard their position closely, whereas those at the back will cautiously slow down and go around you if you spin out in front of them. Whichever difficulty level you choose to play at, they're a clever and challenging bunch to race against. One area that Grid falls down on is its audio. Engine noises don't always sound as meaty as they should, especially when you're using the in-car view, and some of the cars' engines are difficult to distinguish from one another. Musically, there's a superb intro theme courtesy of UNKLE, but the music in the menus is bland, and the few in-game tracks add little to the atmosphere. The Xbox 360 lets you play your own music over the top, of course, but Grid would benefit from a more exciting and memorable soundtrack to add to the thrill of high-speed racing. As both an extension and a rewrite of the Race Driver series, Grid is certainly a successful progression of Codemasters' art. It may not feature the customisation of Forza 2, and it doesn't have the diversity of online modes found in Project Gotham Racing 4. But as an alternative to arcade racers such as Need for Speed and Juiced, Grid is an accessible and rewarding first step in what we hope will be an ongoing franchise. GAMEPLAY TRAILER

INFORMATION Evolve is a first-person shooter video game developed by Turtle Rock Studios, published by 2K Games and distributed by Take-Two Interactive. Announced in January 2014 and originally set to be released in late 2014, the game was delayed and released worldwide for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in February 2015. GAMEPLAY Like many children, I was afraid of the mythical monster under the bed, but in time, this nightmare fodder gained a face and a name. It was the Sasquatch, a creature I came to fear when watching a cheap television film late at night which demonized the fictitious (or is it?!) beast. I refused to go into the woods by myself for years afterwards, for fear a giant hairy fiend might grab me and abscond with my limp body, for Lord knows what reasons. By avoiding the woods, I could avoid the monster lurking there. Evolve doesn’t let you hide. This unusual and entertaining team-focused shooter forces you to face a grotesque monster in each and every match, and should you find it, you cannot always flee. Here’s the setup: a four-person team of hunters, each touting very specific talents, is on the prowl. The quarry is a single creature with an appetite for flesh. Not just the flesh of the hunters, but indeed, for the flesh of anything that moves. By attacking the wildlife and chomping down on its meat, the monster evolves through three stages of being, each more powerful than the last. Clearly, the hunters would rather tear the monster down with the least resistance possible, and thus finding the creature quickly, and efficiently destroying it, is a good team’s opening goal. Would that it were so easy. Should you join a team of hunters, you rely on a particular squadmate to lead you to the beast. That would be the trapper, and while you eventually unlock two other trappers to chose from, Evolve smartly taps Maggie as the initial leader. Maggie makes for a good guide through the ins and outs of pursuit, for she is not a lone ranger. Instead, she relies on her best friend Daisy, an animal called a trapjaw that you might think of as an ugly beagle, or perhaps the result of a hyena and a shark’s unholy coupling. In any case, Daisy is truly woman’s best friend: she follows the monster’s tracks, and leads you to its current location, should all the proper pieces fit in place. The hunters chat it up from time to time, trying to keep you invested in the chase, but the dialogue repeats quickly and often. Hunting with my grandfather was as much about telling stories as it was about bagging an eight-point buck (we thankfully never encountered the Sasquatch); if only Evolve had taken the opportunity to regale you with tall tales. Nevertheless, Evolve goes out of its way to mitigate any potential tedium, forcing the monster to attack a power generator, and the hunters to defend it, once the monster achieves the final stage of its evolution. In any case, hunts don’t usually hit the boredom breaking point. There is wildlife to contend with, for starters, though you’ll ignore most of the critters when possible. Yet you can’t always bypass them, either because killing one rewards you with a temporary (but still long-lasting) buff, or because a not-actually-a-rock comes to life and starts chomping on your tasty bits. The world of Shear isn’t hospitable, though humans have certainly tried to tame it, going so far as to build a verdant bird sanctuary on its most chilling map. There’s no story to speak of, but the poisonous creeks and carcasses left by the monster’s predations speak volumes. The visual design deserves some credit for the oppressive atmosphere, bringing to life a planet that clearly isn’t Earth, but is just enough like it to unsettle you--a biological uncanny valley, if you will. Audio wields the true power in Evolve, however, freaking you out with the chitter-chatter of Lord-knows-what, and the squishes and crunches of what-the-hell-made-that-noise... And then the moment arrives, and the foreshadowed attack occurs. Battles remain fresh and exciting due to an in-game conspiracy devised by Evolve’s many variables: rising plateaus that provide vantage points and break up the line of sight; the trapper’s vast dome, which traps the monster within its confines and creates corners and cul de sacs; nearby creatures that might enter the fray; and the hunters’ own weapons and skills, of course, which damage and limit the monster in various ways. Assault expert Hyde uses toxic grenades that poison the monster and help drive it to different areas; support-class robot Bucket drops floating turrets that pelt the monster with bullets; and tracker Abe slows down the target with stasis grenades. Monstering it up is just as fulfilling as engaging in the hunt, though the pace is different. You spend the early minutes sniffing out the wildlife and satiating your hunger, which not only reinforces your armor, but also brings you that much closer to evolving. You might be a hulking beast, but you’re more vulnerable than you think, particularly at stages one and two. Smart play can yield victory even so, though you’re best bet is to avoid confrontation until you are the brawniest bully you always knew you could be. Just as good hunters are constantly in motion, so too is a good monster, and in this way, the tables turn: the hunted becomes the hunter, and it is the four-person squad that has most to fear. The tempo changes considerably when you abandon Hunt mode and experiment with other possibilities. There is Nest mode, for instance, in which the hunters must gun down a half-dozen monster eggs ready to be hatched before the monster annihilates the team. The monster, in turn, can hatch an egg to spawn a minion, which tears through the jungle en route to the pack of hunters. Even at stage one, following a minion into a warzone is incredibly tempting: not only does a duo do more damage, but the addition of another combatant can confuse the team. Rescue mode requires the hunters to revive fallen colonists and protect them while waiting for a dropship to appear and whisk the survivors away to safety, but it has something important in common with Nest mode: it uses specific objectives to keep both the hunters and the monster in motion, and brings them together early and often as a result. GAMEPLAY TRAILER

Name Game: Killing Floor 2 Price: 29.99 to 14.99 The Discount Rate: 50% Link Store: Steam Offer Ends Up After : OCT 28

When Red Dead Redemption 2 releases on PC this November, it'll be a bit bigger than it was when it came out on consoles last year. The 150GB game will include graphical improvements as well as new guns, horses, items, and other accoutrements. (For more on the technical bits, head to our post on RDR2's system requirements and graphical changes.) And, because Rockstar would really like you to use its new launcher, you can get two free Rockstar games if you pre-purchase it there. Scroll down for more on the pre-purchase bonuses. First, here's all the new stuff being added for RDR2's PC release, in Rockstar's words: 3 new Bounty Hunter Missions Herman Zizendorf has been stealing tools from tradesmen—track him down in Blackwater. Ex-Confederate Cavalry Officer Camille de Millemont is wanted dead or alive out by Catfish Jacksons, but his loyal men are never far behind. Bart Cavanaugh and his men are camping out in Big Valley. Take Bart dead or alive without alerting the others if you want to avoid a whole mess of trouble. 2 new Gang Hideouts Take on the deadly Del Lobos gang in new hideouts at Gaptooth Breach and Solomon’s Folly. 2 new Treasure Maps Search for treasures across the new Landmarks of Riches and The Elemental Trail maps for gold bars and other rewards. New Story Mode weapons M1899 Pistol: All-new Semi-automatic handgun with clip loaded ammunition Evans Repeater: High capacity repeater (previously available in Red Dead Online only) High Roller Revolver: Ornate double-action revolver (previously available in Red Dead Online only) Le Mat Revolver: Powerful revolver with the ability to shoot shotgun shells (previously available in Red Dead Online only) New Story Mode horses Warped Brindle Arabian: A fast and agile mount. Few Spot Appaloosa: Beautiful and hardy, ideal for cross-country journeys. Perlino Andalusian: A healthy, sturdy animal, ideal for hunting (previously available in Red Dead Online only). Red Chestnut Arabian: A fleet-footed beast with a distinctive coat (previously available in Red Dead Online only). Plus 3 new wild horse variations: Keep an eye out for wild herds featuring the Buttermilk Buckskin Kentucky Saddler, Liver Chestnut Morgan and Gold Palomino Tennessee Walker. New Mission 'To The Ends of The Earth' Collect requested herbs for a range of rewards. 5 new trinkets Hawk Talon: Permanently decreases Stamina bar drain speed by 30% when drawing a bow Cat Eye: Permanently increases the length of Fortifying tonic effects by 20% Shark Tooth: Permanently increases horse bonding experience bonus by 10% Turtle Shell: Permanently increases health bar refill speed by 10% Crow Beak: Permanently increases looted ammo by 10% The gist is that some Red Dead Online stuff has been copied over to the singleplayer mode, and new guns, horses, missions, hideouts, and trinkets should add a bit more variety to the world. Without having played it, all I can say is that I am always welcoming to new horses, even if real ones make me uncomfortable when they look at me. Rockstar also elaborated on the pre-purchase benefits today. RDR2 is up for pre-purchase now, but only on Rockstar's new launcher, where you can buy it early until October 22. Pre-purchases on the Epic Store will come later, and the Steam release is being held to December. If you pre-purchase the Rockstar Games Launcher version, which releases November 5, you'll get two of the following games free: Grand Theft Auto III Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Bully: Scholarship Edition L.A. Noire: The Complete Edition Max Payne 3: The Complete Edition You'll also get a Premium Edition upgrade, or, if you want, a $20 discount on the Special Edition or Ultimate Edition. There's in-game stuff that comes along with a Rockstar Games Launcher pre-purchase, too: Outlaw Survival Kit for Story Mode War Horse for Story Mode Le Tresor des Mortes Treasure Map for Story Mode Cash Bonus for Story Mode 50 Gold Bars for Red Dead Online Like other major developers in recent years, Rockstar is pushing to sign users up to its private platform, where it doesn't have to pay Epic's 12 percent cut or Steam's 30 percent cut. The free games are a decent offer—I'd take Bully and LA Noire—and I'm sure it'll get some takers. I suspect a decent number of people will opt for the Steam release, though, foregoing the 35-ish dollars in free games to house RDR2 in their usual library. Of course, we'll have to test Red Dead Redemption 2's PC stability and performance ourselves before making a judgment call. If you do pre-purchase, you might want to avoid playing your free games until RDR2 is out, at least if you're concerned about the possibility you'll want a refund should the game not run to your liking. Rockstar's refund policy excludes purchases played for more than two hours, and that'll apply to the bonus games. So, if you get Bully as a pre-purchase bonus and play it for two hours, for instance, the whole package becomes non-refundable. The policy also excludes bundles which include digital currency, which this one does, but from what I understand that won't be an issue—still, I'd tread carefully. If I can get more clarification on the subject from Rockstar, I will. One bit of good news is that the official system requirements don't look too demanding anyway. There are also quite a few graphical changes, which we've listed here along with the minimum and recommended specs.

Dyson has scrapped plans to build what it called a "ground-breaking" electric vehicle, because it doesn’t feel that the project can be commercially viable. The British firm had established a new Dyson Automotive division that was developing the car, a large crossover-style premium EV saloon, ahead of a planned launch in 2021. Billionaire inventor James Dyson had vowed that new technology and design methods would make it stand apart from every other electric vehicle. The firm had committed £2.5 billion into technology including the car project. The design and development of the machine was being undertaken by a staff of just over 500 workers at a facility in Hullavington. It is understood the firm already had a working version of the car at the facility. But in an email to staff, Dyson confirmed that the automotive project was being closed. He said the team “has developed a fantastic car; they have been ingenious in their approach while remaining faithful to our philosophies. However, though we have tried very hard throughout the development process, we simply can no longer see a way to make it commercially viable.” It is understood that Dyson’s board considered the troubles of EV start-ups such as Tesla and Nio to make money from selling cars, and the speed with which mainstream car firms were moving into the electric car market, as reasons for the decision. The firm had been planning to produce the car at a new factory in Singapore, and was shortly due to start on the hugely capital-intensive project of developing and tooling up that site. Dyson added that the firm did go through “a serious process to find a buyer for the project which has, unfortunately, been unsuccessful so far.” Although the car project has been stopped, the firm says it remains committed to the £2.5bn technology investment, which will be spent on further developing the IP and technology that was set to underpin the car. That includes continued investment in robotics, manufacturing techniques and, in particular, solid-state battery technology. It is understood that Dyson is open to licensing some of the technology it develops to other firms. Dyson said the technology it is developing will “offer us significant opportunities which we must grab with both hands.” He added: “Our battery will benefit Dyson in a profound way and take us in exciting new directions. In summary, our investment appetite is undiminished and we will continue to deepen our roots in both the UK and Singapore.” The firm hopes that as many staff working on the car project as possible will be given roles elsewhere within Dyson, working on the firm's existing home products. Dyson said: “This is not a product failure, or a failure of the team, for whom this news will be hard to hear and digest. Their achievements have been immense – given the enormity and complexity of the project.” He added: “Since day one, we have taken risks and dared to challenge the status quo with new products and technologies. Such an approach drives progress, but has never been an easy journey. The route to success is never linear. “This is not the first project which has changed direction and it will not be the last. I remain as excited about the future of Dyson as I have always been. Our ambitions have never been higher, our ability to invest has never been greater, and the team has never been stronger.”

Snacking should be banned on public transport and extra taxes placed on unhealthy foods to tackle child obesity, England's outgoing chief medical officer says. In her final report as CMO, Dame Sally Davies also called for tighter rules on advertising and takeaways. She said children needed more help as they were "drowning in a flood" of unhealthy options. If ministers were not bold, she added, they would fail to cut obesity rates. A target to halve rates by 2030 has been set. Will we see radical action to tackle child obesity? Dame Sally said: "The unavoidable fact is that over time our environment has become very unhealthy without us realising. "Our children are now suffering from painful, potentially life-limiting disease. "Our politicians need to be bold and help everyone embrace healthier life choices." The obesity 'crisis' The proportion of obese and overweight children has doubled in the past 30 years. Today around a third are obese or overweight by the age of 11 in England - with a minority, but growing number, classed as severely obese. There are signs the increase has begun to level off, but among the most deprived communities rates are still increasing Children living in the poorest tenth of areas are more than twice as likely to be obese than those in the richest. Obesity increases the risk of a range of diseases from cancer and heart disease to diabetes. In fact, until recently type two diabetes was considered an adult problem, but now there are more than 100 new cases each year among children. How to help a child eat healthily What to do if your child is overweight Record number of severely obese children What needs to be done? Dame Sally has put forward a wide range of measures. Some are about extending existing policies, while others are completely new. They include: Phasing out all marketing, advertising and sponsorship of unhealthy food and drink Banning food and drink on local transport with exceptions for water, breast-feeding and medical conditions Free water refills to be available at all food outlets, transport stations and public sector buildings Regular car-free weekends across the country to encourage physical activity Changing planning rules to make it harder to open fast-food takeaways Extending the sugar tax to include milk-based drinks Adding VAT to unhealthy food products that are currently zero-rated, such as cakes Capping calories in food served out-of-the home to combat rising portion sizes Consider plain packaging - as for tobacco - for junk food, if firms fail to reduce sugar, fat and salt in their products quickly enough All nurseries, registered childminders and schools to adopt water and milk-only policies Why stop people eating on buses and trains? Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES The most eye-catching announcement is the proposed ban on eating and drinking on public transport. This is squarely aimed at children on the way to and from school and so will only apply on local transport - trains, buses, trams and metro networks. Inter-city trains with buffet cars will not be covered, the CMO said. The idea is to discourage snacking. The ban will also apply to adults - she wants them to model good behaviour to children. And she is suggesting there are exemptions for people who need to eat or drink because they have medical conditions that require them to. Breast-feeding would also be allowed, while everyone will be able to drink water. How taxing can help Dame Sally said tax was an important lever for ministers. She highlighted the success of the sugar tax - a levy which has been applied on sugary drinks since last year. Figures released last month showed that it had reduced sugar consumption by more than a fifth through a combination of people choosing lower sugar drinks and industry changing the sugar content of products. The fall came despite an increase in sales, and means the equivalent of 30,000 tonnes of sugar a year have been taken out of the nation's diet. But Dame Sally wants the government to go further by extending the tax to cover milk-based drinks. She also wants some anomalies in the VAT system to be tackled. Food is generally not taxed, but some unhealthy ones are, adding 20% to the price. It means that a gingerbread man with chocolate-covered trousers is subject to VAT, but not if it only has chocolate eyes. Cakes, flapjacks and corn chips are zero-rated, but chocolate biscuits, cereal bars and crisps are not.

A Japanese man accused of stalking and sexually assaulting a young pop star told police he located her through the reflection in her eyes in a picture, according to local media reports. The man said he had identified a train station reflected in the singer's eyes in a selfie she posted online. The 26-year-old then waited at the station until he saw his victim and followed her to her home, police said. The case has prompted debate about the threat of cyber-stalking. The suspect, named by police as Hibiki Sato, is accused of following the woman home on the night of 1 September and molesting her. Gangnam: The scandal rocking the playground of K-pop 'My stalker would wait at work with his face against the window' Sumo wrestling's growing sexism problem Following his arrest later that month, he told police he was a big fan of the woman, who was described as a 21-year-old "Japanese idol" in local media reports. The suspect told police that after zooming in on the image of her eyes, he used Google Street View to identify the station. He also said he had studied videos the woman shot in her apartment, looking at details such as the placement of curtains and the direction of natural light coming through the window to try to determine exactly which floor she lived on, reports said. The case raises questions about the risks unwittingly taken by social media users who post high definition pictures online documenting their lives. "Higher quality images allow for more details to be identified that can help with geolocation, and the more reference imagery there is from services like Google Street View, the higher chance there is of finding a location," Eliot Higgins, the founder of investigations site Bellingcat, which has pioneered online investigative techniques, told the BBC. "Even the tiniest details can reveal a lot of information about where a photograph is taken, and information about the individuals in the photograph," he said. "Never post anything online you wouldn't want your boss, partner, or worst enemy to see. Even what seems like the most private setting online can be exposed, just ask Coleen Rooney." Japan has seen several attacks by fans on female pop stars in recent years: In 2016, Japanese singer Mayu Tomita was left in a critical condition after being repeatedly stabbed by a fan as she was waiting to perform at a concert in Tokyo. It was reported this year that she was suing the government for not doing enough to protect her Pop star Maho Yamaguchi went public earlier this year with allegations that she had been assaulted by two obsessive fans Shuichiro Hoshi, a professor at Tokyo Metropolitan University and expert on the risks of social media, told the Tokyo Reporter that improved picture quality on smartphone cameras had increased the risk of private information "being leaked unexpectedly". "In other words, the risk of a so-called 'digital stalker' is on the rise," he said.

Hey everyone, Each year, we take a step back to evaluate what improvements we could make to the game for a post-BlizzCon design patch. As we come closer and closer to stability with each passing year, for 2019, we’ll be focusing more on tweaks and refinements to existing units. Some themes in this year’s patch include: Introducing new upgrades designed to gate the full power of certain units and improve late-game usage for others. Strategically reducing ranges of key units and abilities to encourage greater interaction in late game. Before we start, please bear in mind that this update contains many experimental changes that we’d like to try and test, and we’ll do our best at highlighting which ones we’re especially wary of. TERRAN Hellion/Hellbat Infernal Pre-Igniter research cost decreased from 150/150 to 100/100. In the summer of 2011, the legendary SlayerS Terrans unleashed a revolutionary “Blue Flame Hellion” build upon hapless Zerg players around the world, and the balance team had no choice but to act, cutting the bonus provided by the Infernal Pre-Igniter upgrade in half. Since then, the upgrade has acted more as a time-gate to the Hellion/Hellbat’s mid-game combat power rather than a core upgrade for matchup-defining openers. As such, we’d like to reduce the cost of this upgrade to encourage earlier and more meaningful Hellion/Hellbat power spikes. Thor High Impact Payload damage decreased from 40 (+15 vs Massive) to 25 (+10 vs Massive). High Impact Payload weapon cooldown decreased from 1.7 to 0.9. A common complaint we’ve heard regarding the Thor is its ability to be controlled in late-game fights. Because the Thor’s anti-ground and anti-air attacks have such drastically different cooldowns, it can often feel unresponsive in these engagements. Thus, we’d like to try an experimental change that brings the High Impact Payload’s cooldown to the same as that of its anti-ground weapon, Thor’s Hammer. The primary purpose of this change is neither to increase nor decrease the Thor’s power, but rather to improve the responsiveness without hurting its fantasy. Of course, there are tradeoffs to this change; while this new Thor has lower burst damage, it will tend to overkill its targets less frequently. Because we view the lower burst damage to be slightly more impactful than the lower overkill potential, we’ll also be slightly raising the DPS of this weapon to start off. Viking Health increased from 135 to 150. We’d like for the Viking to be a stronger counter to the units it’s intended to fight. After this change, Vikings will generally take additional shots to kill from Corruptors, Stalkers, and Tempests. Perhaps more importantly, it’ll be more resilient against area effects such as Fungal Growth, Parasitic Bomb, and Psionic Storm. Some concerns we have for this change include the strength of individual Viking in the early game, the potency of timing pushes against Colossi in TvP, and its general power level in TvT. We’ll also be careful to evaluate how impactful this change will be considering other changes proposed, especially those involving the Infestor and Tempest. Medivac Moved the Rapid Re-Ignition System upgrade from the Starport Tech Lab to the Fusion Core. In addition to reducing the Medivac's Ignite Afterburners cooldown by 5 seconds, this upgrade will also increase the Medivac's base movement speed from 3.5 to 4.13. However, this upgrade will not affect Medivac’s movement speed during the Ignite Afterburners effect. In the past, our goals with various Medivac upgrades has always been two-fold: first, to introduce an upgrade that improves mid- or late-game multipronged Medivac harassment. And secondly, to ensure this upgrade does not greatly improve potentially game-ending doom drops. Previous Medivac upgrades have seen little use as they were viewed as unimpactful and at an awkward position on the Terran tech tree. We’d like to start off by introducing this new, more visibly impactful upgrade on the Fusion Core, a building that often finds itself idling. We believe this could be a potentially powerful upgrade either researched in the late game or from Battlecruiser openers. Liberator Advanced Ballistics upgrade moved from the Starport Tech Lab to the Fusion Core. Likewise, the transition to ranged Liberators can also be awkward and, in more than one matchup, lead to a period of inactivity on the Terran’s part. We’d like to try to smooth this transition by transplanting the upgrade to the Fusion Core, and we feel confident we can safely do so with the following change: Advanced Ballistics upgrade now increases the range of Liberators in Defender Mode by 3, down from 4. We’d like to reduce the range of a few key units and abilities, including fully upgraded Liberators, in order to promote more unit interaction in the late game. This range reduction is meant to be viewed as a package with the changes to Neural Parasite and the Tempest as they are two units/abilities that often interact with the Liberator. Raven Interference Matrix energy cost increased from 50 energy to 75 energy. Interference Matrix duration increased from 8 seconds to 11 seconds. We believe the Raven is slightly too powerful in early-game TvT, leading to a low level of diversity in this matchup’s openers. As Interference Matrix is key to the Raven’s strength in TvT, we’d like to make some adjustments to divert its power from disabling Siege Tanks. As early-game TvT engagements are characterized by quick exchanges of Tank volleys, we believe an energy cost increase in favor of increased duration would constitute a bigger change in TvT than the other matchups. Raven movement speed increased from 3.85 to 4.13. We’d also like to place more of the Raven’s power into the unit's body. When the Raven was potentially lethal with previous iterations of Hunter-seeker missile and Anti-armor missile, the slower movement speed was a necessary counterbalance. Now that the Raven occupies more of a support role, we believe it’s no longer necessary to exercise such restraint, and a higher movement speed could allow it to be more useful at harassment and creep-clearing. Our goals with these set of changes is to decrease the Raven’s early-game power in TvT while either maintaining or increasing its power in other matchups. If this set of changes fails to achieve either of these goals, we’ll be ready to make tweaks. Battlecruiser Tactical Jump now stuns and puts the Battlecruiser into a 1 second vulnerability phase before it teleports. While we enjoy the increased Battlecruiser usage over the last year, we think it’s a bit too easy for them to escape unfavorable situations, so we’d like to make this change to encourage Battlecruiser players to think twice before committing their fleets into risky predicaments. After this change, Interference Matrix, Fungal Growth, and Abduct will be able to cancel Tactical Jump and put it on cooldown during the Battlecruiser’s vulnerability phase. Tactical Jump cooldown increased from 71 seconds to 86 seconds. An alternate potential change we’d like to try is simply to increase Tactical Jump’s cooldown, which would temper its ability to constantly harass and perform hit-and-run tactics on enemies, especially in the late game. When considering options to tweak the Battlecruiser, we’re interested in some combination of the above two changes, but perhaps not both. Yamato Cannon will no longer cancel itself if a target enters a transport or becomes cloaked/burrowed. Instead, the Yamato Cannon will miss, and the ability will go on cooldown. In addition, we’d like to introduce some counter-play options against Yamato Cannon. Mule Duration decreased from 64 seconds to 63 seconds. After this change, Mules will still mine the same number of Minerals if left undisturbed. However, they will no longer expire while holding minerals from certain patches. Mules now always attempt to spawn on the side of minerals closest to a town hall. This general quality of life change also helps ensure undisturbed Mules always mine their maximum potential

INFORMATION Anno 2205 is a city-building and economic simulation game, with real-time strategy elements, developed by Blue Byte and published by Ubisoft. Anno 2205 is the sixth game of the Anno series, and was released worldwide on 3 November 2015. As with Anno 2070, the game is set in the future, with players having the opportunity to set up colonies on the Moon GAMEPLAY Imagine a future where global warming has melted the Earth's ice sheets, and all that's left is a fractured society desperate to pick up the pieces and build anew on the few islands that remain. This is the setting of Anno 2205, a game where you side with one of two competing corporations to rebuild civilization, and eventually, construct a fusion reactor on the moon for a limitless resource of clean energy. Thankfully, humanity doesn't have to start from scratch. During your campaign, you have access to bits and pieces of advanced technology leftover from Earth's better years, but there's still a lot that needs to be rebuilt. That's where you come in. You're responsible for constructing new houses, roads, and factories, plus all the logistical systems that are required to support and transport all of your goods. Like most city-builders, construction is handled with a straightforward system of dragging and dropping elements from a menu onto a map. Anno 2205 makes construction a simple affair; even more so than usual. It adapts the series' mechanics to work within the constraints of a flooded, land-starved Earth, allowing you to tack modules onto existing properties to boost resource production, rather than having to construct entirely new buildings that eat up your ever-valuable real estate. Unlike most games in the genre to force you to permanently commit to decisions, you can also reposition elements after they're built in Anno 2205, which makes it easy to react when things don't go according to your original plan. You can eventually take on bigger construction projects that unlock new areas, including arctic settlements, additional islands, and, yes, the Moon. These projects require huge chunks of resources, however, and given that you earn funds at fixed intervals while playing, you have to do an awful lot of waiting before you can enjoy building and managing greater expansions. Anno 2205 accounts for this by giving you optional, secondary objectives to help pass the time. Unfortunately, Anno 2205 isn't a very challenging game. Every resource is inexhaustible, or close to it, and any city you build will stay stable for quite a long while. All you need is enough cash to lay down a ton of houses to attract workers, then build up factories, upgrade your workers, upgrade the factories, and repeat. Once you've got that cadence down, not only do missions become trivial, but the campaign flies by in a couple of hours. Military missions aren't much better. Even on higher difficulties, you can survive by employing the most basic tactics. As you move through a map, you regularly discover and acquire new tools in the form of missiles, mines, and support craft, and as a result, your over-powered military rarely faces an enemy it can't beat. It's a shame that Anno 2205 is so easy to figure out, because alternating between two distinct modes creates an enjoyable dynamic at first. But after a while, the lack of challenge in either mode leads to boredom, and you begin to dwell on how shallow each experience is in isolation. If anything is the killer here, it's how short the campaign is overall. I finished my first run after five hours, and subsequent playthroughs went by even faster. City building games have always been about maintaining balance. Tweak this thing here, another thing there, and wait to see if the effect was what you expected or needed. In Anno 2205, the rules and processes have been streamlined so much that you're robbed of this challenge. Cities' behavior are so predictable that it's far too easy to build everything you need and wait for everything to work itself out Balance issues aside, Anno 2205 has technical peculiarities that leave a bad taste in your mouth, too. It constantly simulates activities across multiple settlements in the background, but it takes a while for the game to load maps when you switch from one to the other. When planning out coordinated expansions that require two sets of resources from distant locations, you need to endure these frustratingly long loading times as you repeatedly shift your view from one map to the other. It's not game-breaking, but its a regular annoyance that impedes on your enjoyment. My machine is about as top-of-the-line as they come, and I also noticed some nasty frame-rate dips after a couple of hours that, while not making the game unplayable by any means, made it obnoxious to wrestle with. Adjusting graphical settings had unpredictable effects on the game's performance, making optimization a tricky affair overall. It's a shame that Anno 2205 takes the game so far into the future and does so little of substance with that premise. Not much has changed from Anno 2070, and what has is almost always worse. Anno 2205 still has a sturdy core of satisfying city planning and construction, but so much has been cut out as to make the game barely worth playing at all. GAMEPLAY TRAILER

Name Game: Fallout 4 VR Price: 59.99 to 29.99 The Discount Rate: 50% Link Store: Steam Offer Ends Up After : OCT 16

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