Call of Duty Black Ops 3 Multiplayer Beta Impressions

I play a bit of the preorder bonus that is the Multiplayer beta for Call of Duty Black Ops 3. I give some pro tips for playing a first person shooter, go on a rant about why people suck, and talk about how the game feels and what all that good stuff is like. I think the Beta ends soon, if not tonight, for PS4 at least. But go ahead and watch and get an idea to see if it's something you'd want to play come November. Watch it HERE, or below. 



As always, thanks for watching. If you haven't please subscribe. More videos are definitely coming soon especially with the in rush of titles come September.

Thanks,

Rich

Watch Press Start - Bloodborne How long can I survive?

Be sure to check out my blog HERE

Twitch Streaming HERE

Twitter HERE

Quick Clip! Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor Fail - Suicide isn't the answer here folks

For some reason the Uruk's tend to up and just off themselves. Maybe it's a cultural thing. Who knows. This one wanted to be a bird.




Also a big congratulations to the studio behind the game for winning 'Game of the Year' at the GDC awards.

Rich

Press Start to Continue - Youtube

Twitch Streaming HERE

Twitter HERE

Press Start - Battlefield Hardline Beta

So the free public Battlefield Hardline Beta went live on Tuesday night of this past week, and I figured I'd give it a download and try to show what you can expect if you decide to play this when it comes out in about  a months time from now. Sit back and enjoy, and decide if maybe it's something you'd be interested in playing.

Thanks, Rich 

Twitch Streaming HERE

Twitter HERE

Devil's Lair Nightfall Simple Walkthrough

Still playing Destiny? Nigthfall still has to be completed, but you're short a friend or two? Well I got ya covered. Watch as myself and buddy Justin AKA Jada, tackle the first Nigthfall strike with just the two of us. Every boss encounter has a good strategic holding spot. It can be completed if you have to run solo too. Thanks for watching!

Battlefield 4 - Get doubled up

That super satisfying, 2 armored vehicles, with 3 C4 type of kill. Taking out the Anti Aircraft gunner along with one of his Superman LAV buddies. Enjoy.

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor - Five Point Review

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor - Five Point Review

I'm a little late to this one, but I've been super busy and have had a decent back log to get through with GTA V, Destiny's expansion, Call of Duty and general human business. But in today's return to the Five Point Review we take a look at Shadow of Mordor and whether or not it's worth your time. I'm not a huge fan of the Tolkien books, but fan enough to see all the movies and be interested in it's games. When Monolith announced this one, I was a bit weary as the past few Lord of the Rings games have essentially been bad, and the MMO hasn't been all that great. But after the game started to get some good press, and good reviews, I figured I'd give it a look. 

Summary -  In Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, you play as Talion, a non canonical character in the Middle Earth universe created by Tolkien. I'm not going to get too much into story, as it's a bit of a spoiler, but the easiest way to put it is that the actions in the game's story give the reasoning behind Talion's abilities as plausible. For example, jumping off of ridiculously tall structures, what happens after you die, using your bow and arrow, and so on, and so forth. The game reminds me heavily of the Arkham series, and Assassin's Creed series and does a really great job at marrying them together. The game does get repetitive, but it's a kind of welcome thing to just mindlessly slay the Uruk's who never seem to stop coming. The Sauron's Army component is awesome. Essentially, having in game NPC's fight it out for power and control to move up the ranks. Dying moves the captains around and empowers others, making them stronger and more difficult to deal with. At times, like last night for instance, I found myself fighting 4 different captains at once because they just happen to be wondering by. I absolutely died as probably a hundred enemies eventually slid in and out our combat zone, but that was actually half the fun of it. Dealing with different strengths and weaknesses of each captain, while managing their minions and the possibility of giant monsters joining the fight is a blast. There's hunting challenges, weapon challenges, scavenging challenges, and a ton of content. It's definitely a good time, even through some of it's repetitiveness.

Pros

• Arkham and Assassin's Creed clone - but it works
• Sauron's Army mechanic
• Upgrading/Abilities are fun to mix and match, and find
• Killing Uruks, no matter how many, doesn't seem to get old.
• Ratbag and Gollum are great
• It's bloody and gory and violent, everything you'd expect from Middle Earth
• A ton of content
• Original Story
• Great Voice Acting
• Combat is fluid

Cons

• It does get repetitive
• Some of the platforming and free running is an annoyance. I get stuck on geometry too often
• There are some things they took right out of the other series that seem kind of lazy
• The enemies respawn way too quickly in your immediate area
• Story is a little convoluted
• The typical collectibles - find 45 of these, 25 of these, etc.

Should you play it? Yes.  If you like games like Arkham City, and Assassin's Creed, I would highly suggest it. There is enough going on in the game and it is fun enough even if you aren't really a huge fan of those games. Also, if you like the Tolkien universe, I would suggest it as well as it seems like a pretty great representation of the world and his vision. 

Should you buy it? Yes. Especially at this point. I got it for Christmas for about $30, so it's probably hovering around there still.

Score - 8.25 The game is solid fun and a great time waster. If you're not involved in any other game and want to waste some time brutally beheading some Tolkien-esque monsters, go get it.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Multiplayer 5 Point Review

It feels fun again.

Summary - So it's out, and I swore to myself I wasn't going to play anymore Call of Duty games. But, they sucked me back in. After the debacle that was Ghosts, and the less than stellar Black Ops 2, I had become skeptical to say the least. I think if it did turn out to be the Treyarch game after Ghosts, I wouldn't be playing it.But to be honest, it wasn't so much the game that turned me away from playing, mostly the community. I consider myself a pretty great Call of Duty player and I love the competitive play and aspect of the game. But, I have never, nor will I ever be a fan of drop shotting, quick scope, no scope, 360 shot, excessive camping, or anything that isn't really just a guy and his gun and his skill. And you could argue that all of that takes skill, but that's a different topic for a different day. But to get it out there, the multiplayer is fun again. A bevy of new guns, a new mantling and movement system, the double jumps and dashing, the Exo abilities, the pick 13 system, it all feels familiar while feeling fresh and different at the same time. It is a far from perfect multiplayer, as some of the maps are too tight and the spawn system will suffer because of how quickly everything is moving, but I almost don't mind dying like I would in other games, because I feel like everyone is actually moving around and having a ridiculous time flying through the air.

Pros

• New weapons, Exo suits, Perks, Kill streaks, character customization
• Pick 13 system returns
• Maps are surprisingly really well made with only 1 or 2 duds in the bunch
• Fast paced game play. I mean really fast. But also the ability to play "classic" style
• Future setting without feeling Sci-Fi or campy
• The community hasn't ruined the game yet
• That addicting feeling
• It is a pretty game

Cons

• Spawn system suffers
• Some weapons feel really underpowered
• That "you're putting a 100 bullets into someone and they don't die, then you get killed on 2 and perfect aim and no recoil on the kill cam" feeling is still there and it is still frustrating
• Verticality is a huge and fun part of the game
• New game modes are fun but they're nothing to go crazy over
• I'm still confused why I'm unlocking things, and then losing them a few matches later
• The community still sucks regardless

Should you play it? Yes - Especially if you took a game or two off, to me at least, it feels new and fresh and I swore off the series. If you like FPS games, it will keep you addicted for at least a few months

Should you buy it? Yes - Again, it's that same addicting feeling of Call of Duty and will last a few months. If need be wait till Christmas and ask for it then. Just be prepared to be harvested by veteran players come December 26th.

Score - 8.75

This is for the multiplayer section of the game only. There are single player campaign, as well as a survival mode. They may be coming later. Also, I will be releasing some videos on Youtube hopefully soon so you can see some gameplay and impressions. Thanks

Destiny Beta - 5 Point Review

I know it's just a beta, but Destiny is a different animal all together. Coupled with the fact that there hasn't been much released in the past few weeks, nor will there be in the next few, it fits pretty well into the formula. So, here we go.

Destiny Beta

Summary - The plot of Destiny as a whole is still a little unclear to me. Maybe because I don't want to have it spoiled, but I didn't pay attention much in the Beta in terms of story. What I do remember is you are a guardian, awoken at some point in time by your companion Ghost, voiced by Peter Dinklage, and asked to help solve the problem of a violent repressive alien species. I think. It is a little similar to Halo, but I'm not really going to complain. All in all, the Beta was a lot of fun. It feels like an MMO mixed into a Sci-Fi world. Intergalactic travel, fun and rewarded gun play, different classes and abilities, a slew of weapons, vehicle combat, great voice acting. If you didn't get to try out the Beta, I am a little sorry for you. It has me super excited for what's to come in September. 


Pros

• Everything feels fluid, and intended. Movement, recoil, vehicles, specials, environments
• Ability trees are everywhere, and it's a good thing
• Multiplayer is different enough to be fresh, and we only had one game type
• Story missions were repeatable, and easy to track where to go next
• The Tower gives you the feeling of an MMO without being too overwhelming
• It is genuinely a ton of fun, and puts an awesome spin on the FPS genre
• Hopping into a fire team with friends is a breeze

Cons

• The in game vehicles are slightly over powering
• Single player weapons carry into multiplayer, possibly giving an unfair advantage to specific players. It will hopefully be addressed in the full game
• Story was somewhat confusing, even for the few hours I spent trying to figure it out
• Wasn't much enemy variation, but I expect that to change come full release
• I wanted more!

Should you (have) played it? - I hope you did because it was just a really good time, and an amazing look of what's to come from Bungie. From what I've played, they deserve all the praise and attention they've been getting. So when it comes out, yes you should absolutely play it.

Should you buy it? - Reread the section about, yes you should 100% buy this game. It's an MMO that Bungie plans to support for years to come. Buy two if you have to.

Score - I'm not going to give it a score simply because it was a Beta. It plays like a more defined Halo, with multiplayer added in. Have a dash of Borderlands, Fallout, and any MMO. So whatever you think that equals out to, we'll go with that.

Watch_Dogs - 5 Point Review

The 5 Point Review

I'm going to be trying something a bit different. Similar to the end of Kotaku's reviews, they have a little bar of score and if you should/shouldn't play the game, I wanted to streamline the review process instead of going so into depth that it takes me a massive amount of time to write and read. Also it would allow me to make a call based on only playing a portion of the game without having to dive into 40 hour games and give a review a couple weeks later.

So the 5 Points will be

• Quick Summary
• Pros and Cons
• Should you play it
• Should you buy it
• Score

Watch_Dogs

Summary - When Watch_Dogs is at its best, you're on foot, hacking cameras, phones, explodable environments, traffic lights, and so on. When it's at its worst you're stuck trying to get away from cops with terrible driving gameplay, the inability to shoot while you drive, and wading through a lot of added on content that just seems to be there to be there. Overall the game is fun, and its idea of where it wanted to end up as a total package is a good one, but the final product is a mixed bag.

Pros - 

• Hacking is a lot of fun
• Progression system is pretty deep and rewarding
• On foot gameplay/gunplay/minigames all work well
• There is a ton of stuff to do, and they don't hold anything back
• Graphically is a very good looking game
• Fast travel is convenient
• 1v1 hacking multiplayer is tense and fun

Cons -

• Driving is awful and has no consistency.
• A lot of the minigames, side missions, etc., seem tacked on just because.
• Repetitive a la Assassins Creed or Farycry.
• In my opinion, the voice acting is pretty poor.
• Police wanted level system is awkward, and coupled with driving, its downright frustrating
• The game is a bit buggy
• The multiplayer has a poor showing, with only 1 team event and no party system.

Should you play it? Probably - If you're not really invested in anything else and are looking for a game to pickup to kill time then yes, this is a play. Especially with not much on the horizon.

Should you buy it? Yes - If you have Gamefly, or a friend willing to give up their copy, go that route. If not it is worth the money to kill 30 hours or so.

Score - 7.75

GTA V Special edition unboxing

Grand Theft Auto V has been released, and it is all anyone is doing nowadays. I sprung for the middle tiered Special Edition copy of the game, coming in at a retail cost of $79.99. For the special edition, you get:

• Metal game case
• Blue Print Map
• Digital upgrades
• Special abilities for each character regenerates 25% faster
• Bonus outfits, tattoos, deals from in game vendors
• Free special weapons at Ammu-Nation
• Stunt Plane Trials

It's nothing too special, but I don't mind springing for extra in game stuff like that and a pretty cool blue print map. One pretty cool thing I have found out through reddit, is that holding a black light to the blue print map will show secrets about the game. Since I don't have a black light, here is the link to the reddit post about the message GTA V SECRET BLUE PRINT MESSAGE. There's also a map included with every game with two sides. One being the full map in the game, the other side being a zoomed in more detailed look at downtown Los Santos. Below are some poor quality phone pictures I took with my phone. They're also kinda shitty because I was way too excited to start playing the game and could care less about the proper positioning and good lighting. Shame on me, I know. 

Anyway the game so far is awesome. It truly feels like an open world, with so much to do. I've done a couple missions, and driving around as Franklin is a ton of fun, especially with his special ability to slow down as he drives. Overall all it's kind of overwhelming so far. There really is so much to do, that it would be difficult to spell everything out at this point, especially considering I'm only about 3 hours in. I'm going to attempt to get a review out in relative time. Probably some time around when GTA Online starts up, that way I can incorporate it into the review. IF you haven't picked up the game, go do it now and enjoy. 

Rich

The box

All the Contents

 The Blue Print Map

Downtown Los Santos Side

 Full Map

GTA V Multiplayer reveal - Grand Theft Auto Online

Rockstar announced back when they had the game play reveal trailer that more information on the their redefining of multiplayer would come at a later date. Today is that day. What we saw originally in the final few seconds of the 5 minute trailer was a boat load of people causing shenanigans all over the maps. A player walked around an apartment to a floor to ceiling window and caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a traditional GTA race, helicopters floating around, other players just moseying about, and then finished with a fighter jet buzzing the apartment complex, finalized by the commentator saying "... And then there's Grand Theft Auto Online, which we will show you properly, soon..." Well about 21 million views on the Rockstar channel alone, and a month later, we finally have more information.

Everything you do is up to you. And the world seems more like it's own character rather than just another map to waste time on. Below is a list of details from the game, and the full video is below that. 

Mechanics - Movement, cover, moving into cover, shooting, and the weapon wheel and more will carry over from single player into multiplayer. 

Weapon Wheel - Apparently you still have the magical purse from Harry Potter that Hermoine carries around. In the weapon wheel you can carry a handgun, sub machine gun, assault rifle, sniper rifle, shotgun, a heavy weapon like a grenade/rocket launcher, and a thrown weapon. There are a bunch of different weapons that can be slotted in each spot. 

Crew - You can either choose to play alone, or form a crew of friends and allies.

Missions - In your crew, or alone, you can complete jobs, heists, robberies, as well as traditional GTA style game modes like Team Death Match, races, and more.

Races - The only solid detail they gave was that you can race in any of the vehicles; land, sea, air. Also I'm gonna assume that the GTA style races will be back where you can shoot each other and blow each other up.

Reputation/Money - Completing all of the above gets you and your crew money and reputation. What you do with this money is completely up to you. You can buy anything from weapons, character accessories which includes clothing, hair styles, tattoos, and accessories in general, cars, garages, and even real estate. Since it's a persistent world, I assume that once you purchase something like a car or weapon that it might be yours forever, so you can pick it back up at your base of operations or your garage. Everything you do in the game earns you some form of reputation or money.

Activities - These are scripted and unscripted things to partake in through the city that were shown or talked about. Some of which have already been discussed.

• Cliff/base jumping
• Tennis
• Golf
• Racing
• Arm Wrestling
• Missions
• Heists
• Apartment Hangouts

Support- Rockstar as proclaimed they will be supporting the game for a while to come by providing content updates, along with user created content. It's still GTA but not even technically part of GTA V. They are considering it its own entity. Online will not be available at launch, but rather two weeks later on October 1st and will be free and no extra charge on top of the game. 

Players - There are a maximum of 16 players, but whether or not you're locked into a server wasn't addressed. 

That's the one thing I'm curious about. If you buy property on one server, do you have it on all servers? Can you be on multiple servers with different characters? What if the server is full and you can't get a crew member in? There's definitely a few questions I have.

Overall, this game looks like it might blow away any competition it will have as a Game of the Year contender. They're packing so much content into this that it's hard to believe anyone will be able to say that it's too short, or that they can't find something in the world to do that isn't fun. I can't sing praises enough about how much I love Rockstar, and how they're one of the few companies that can take as much time as they need to put out a game because everyone knows what they turn out is quality. Only one month left until GTA V hits. I know I'll be counting down the days.

Grand Theft Auto V ships on September 17th, 2013, and Grand Theft Auto Online will be available two weeks later on October 1st, 2013.

Call of Duty: Ghosts Multiplayer Reveal

Today is the Call of Duty: Ghosts Multi player reveal, and a lot of information has come to fruition.There's a lot of info to digest, so I'm gonna try to keep it rather short.

They began with a trailer of a bunch of features, while a brand new Eminem song played in the background. It is apparently a world premier from his new album. So, some new multi player stuff. It's going to be a bit jumbled, because a lot of the information they provided was back and forth and integrated into all other new announcements

Complete soldier customization - appearance, clothing, faces, gender, camouflage. Approximately 20,000 combinations possible.

Classes are now your Squad - Instead of 10 classes, you get a squad. Essentially tailoring each soldier to what you want them to be. If you want a ghillied LMG expert, have fun, and so on and so forth.

Squads - Compete across all modes. Squad v squad puts you and your AI squad against another player and their squad, war game - which you hand pick 5 squad mates against 5 AI opponents, and safeguard - a wave based squad game mode

The AI will be refined and attempt to play like humans, ala like douchey kids who like to drop shot, jump shot, etc. I understand this is part of the game, but when you say that your game is realistic, this stuff tends to take away from the experience, as it's a cheap way to take advantage of the shooting system and mechanics. What makes it worse is that Infinity Ward is actually supporting this form of game play. 

Dynamic maps - Set pieces and scripted events you can trigger, like moving locations, falling debris/buildings, map specific kill streaks, and some destructible cover.

Kill streaks - 20 new kill streaks have been added, and they're also removing a lot of air based streaks to minimize the necessity to carry around specific equipment to neutralize them. Care packages, UAV, mini gun, sentry guns, juggernaut, choppers, are all returning, plus more. Also Riley, the campaign dog will be a kill streak. He will follow you around, help with CQC, and act as a personal UAV. Death streaks have also been removed.

The idea behind removing holding certain equipment for game play takes away even more of the strategy element of the game. I understand that some kill streaks were very overpowered in past iterations, but now making them ground based might even make it worse. 

Weapons - 30 new weapons have been added, they didn't go into specifics, other than a new gun class called marksmen rifles that looked to be like the FAL-DSW, M21, etc. Essentially single/burst/full auto high powered weapons that can have high powered scopes or normal red dot, etc.

Again this is something I don't like. Giving weapons full customization is an awesome thing. But the power of some of these weapons is great enough, and the whole quick/no scoping, and rapid firing semi auto rifles with no recoil give the game an annoying touch to it. This is another piece of annoying community fanfare they're embracing that I personally don't agree with.

Second screen - They're embracing second screen a lot. Seems like just enhanced stats, customization on the fly. There's also a lot more second screen options like touch screen emblem creators, clan operations, etc.

Weapon Overhaul - The system to building your squad (class) has been overhauled. For the first time since modern warfare 1 the new system is considered "most flexible." They've adopted the "pick 10" system from Treyarch, but is slightly redesigned with new/more perks. Every perk has a set point value from 1-5. The maximum quantity of picked perks is set to 8, without weapons it goes to 11. Now, XP gives squad points to unlock the usual - difference is pick what you want to unlock at any point, in any order. So, instead of classes, you singly level 10 different soldiers. Each soldier has 1 prestige, equaling the usual 10 prestige levels.

Strike Packages - Are back. They didn't go too much into it though. I'm assuming because it's the same as MW3, with assault, support, and specialist.

Game Modes - 
Cranked -It's TDM with faster pace. Every kill gives you faster movement, like reload speed, ADS, but with a timer. If you don't get a kill in the timer, you die. It's a similar idea to the movie Crank where he has to keep moving with adrenaline or he dies.
Search and Rescue - This is similar to Search and Destroy, but after your death, instead of being done, you can be revived. When you die, your tag drops. If you grab a teammates tag they respawn. If you grab an enemy tag they stay dead until the next round.
Squads - Is explained above. These are also considered in the new game modes.


Movement - Now the movement system has been more streamlined, so moving over cover, or mantling, is now easier and you don't lost momentum. They have also added in a leaning cover system where you don't need to press any more buttons, it will do it intuitively, and a knee slide to slide into cover, obviously.

Redefined Sound - The new system sounds good. Depending on where you are on the map, say a metal warehouse, or a carpeted room, the fire fights, and explosions will sound differently. They have also added in combat chatter which will help with locating enemies, and other things around the map without any prompt.

Field Orders - In the live demo, while they were playing a game of Cranked, the first player killed dropped a briefcase, the briefcase contains an order from anywhere to humiliate your opponent to a certain number of kills. If the player holding the orders dies, someone else can pick it up and try to complete it Upon completing this gets you a care package that could be anything. Now I don't know if this is across all game types or just cranked, but it's actually a cool idea.

Clans - Integrated clan support and in game challenging, as well as 2 week long Clan Wars involving maps, and challenges to determine a winner, all in game. Winning events will earn you exclusive gear, emblems, camo, etc.

Prestige edition - They had a really dumb video of the two guys from college humor showing off the prestige edition of the game, with a helmet cam that resembled a Go-Pro, and how it is shock and water proof. I don't know, I didn't get it. But there's obviously other goodies in it. Also, the season pass is back.

So, Eric Hirshberg stood on stage and said that there is a holiday every year in November called Call of Duty time, and referenced pop culture like how when the franchise was born Pierce Brosnan was 007, Ironman was only a comic, and the Avengers wer

e something, I forget, but... there was something about this guy talking that gave me cringe worthy chills down my neck. Touting stats of what Call of Duty has done, how the series brings that "holy shit" reaction to gamers, bringing Eminem in for a shameless plug for his new album, and cameo saying to stay tuned for more information, and just overall trying to be too overly funny and culturally hip.

In my honest opinion, as someone who's been in love with the brand, Call of Duty is heading in the wrong direction. I get it, they want to keep making the billion they make every year. I'm all for companies doing their thing. I just don't really like how they're trying to market the annoyances of the game, like drop shots, and quick scoping, and upping the speed of the game, but still have the audacity to talk about the realism it portrays. They have actual US soldiers playing the game, yet none of the soldiers would ever do anything in the game. Again, let me reiterate, I understand the franchise is essentially a hero's idea of war, and supposed to be arcade-like super speed action. I just don't think they should be advertising it as realistic for anything other than their attempt at graphics.

The series is a mainstream thing, which is no problem at all, but it seems like they're having problems staying humble as well.The issue there, is that they're talking about game features that have been present in their biggest nemesis, the Battlefield series, for a little while now.

In the end, there are a lot of things I like about the idea of the new Ghosts entry. Enhanced customization, interactive maps, new game modes, bigger emphasis on clans, and a complete class overhaul. These are the things that need to push the soon to become boring FPS genre forward. Embracing the social media space, new generations of gamers and consoles, different styles of game play are all great ideas, and I hope they succeed in attempt to make the franchise seem fresh again. I just hope they don't lose site of what made Call of Duty a multi-billion dollar franchise in the process.

Call of Duty Ghosts releases on all major platforms, including next gen on November 5th, 2013

Rich

Xbox One to reverse DRM?

-UPDATE-

And it has been confirmed, that Microsoft will be making changes to their DRM policies on th Xbox One. What exactly, you can read here News.Xbox.com. 


According to Giantbomb.com, (who's website is currently down at the time of this) Microsoft has stated that the Xbox One will reverse their stance for DRM on the next gen console, and have the same standards to that of the Xbox 360. This includes scrapping the 24 and 1 hour check ins, and used game fees that plagued the system's reputation since the whispers came around. However, the Kinect 2.0 will still need to be connected with the system.

This is a complete game changer for Microsoft, as many have stated their displeasure with the company and swore of Xbox for the other choices. There has not been any confirmation from Microsoft, and the GiantBomb.com website is down.

Rich

Presenting: Xbox One

After much hype and anticipation, the new Xbox has been revealed, now known simply as the Xbox One. It was rumored it could have been called the Infinity, Fusion, 720, but they decided to go with One, as in the "All in One" console.

So here's what we saw:

The console itself - Touting the actual thing, unlike Sony did for the Playstation 4, it looks like how you would expect it to. It's a big black glossy box, with the Xbox Symbol on it, and some vents. It does look huge, but it's got a lot of tech inside it so it's probably on par with what the PS4 will be. 

Kinect 2.0 - It will be bundled with all Xbox One's, and will apparently need to be connected to the system for the system to work. In other words, if its not plugged in, your new Xbox One won't function properly. It does appear to have enhanced capabilities, better body and facial recognition, and a design synonymous with the new console. 

Games - So far we saw the new Forza Motorsport 5, and Quantum Break, which were actually the only console exclusives shown  almost all EA sports games were shown off in a prerendered trailer form, but with the oddly notable not present NHL series, but did include the new UFC title from EA, and Call of Duty: Ghosts. Other than that we didn't see much in terms of games.

User Interface - It looked similar to the Xbox 360, but now everything can be controlled with voice and hand gestures, but can also be done with the remote. Switching back and forth between TV, Movie, Games, YouTube  and back to the home screen are done with ease. Not much else seems to have changed other than that.

Mandatory Game Installation - this is leading to the idea of no used games with the One. When you pop in your new game, you'll need to download the title. Major emphasis on the new. Apparently the new idea behind this, is that you can buy used games, but when you install them from a used disc, you will have to pay a fee. Sounds pretty awful right? There will be more information made available at E3 soon. Microsoft has said they have a plan for used games. If it's anything like what it appears to be, its a botched one. 

Controller - the controller doesn't look too changed, other than maybe being a little bigger, and a minuscule redesign. The buttons are pressure sensitive now, and the triggers each have their own rumble sensor. The battery in the back also moved from the back central, to the top rear part. I really don't understand the use of exterior batteries at all anymore if that's what they're using. 

Backwards Compatibility - the Xbox One will not play your Xbox 360 games. That's all you need to know. 

Blu-Ray - the Xbox One has made the leap from the regular DVD drive to the originally exclusive Blu-Ray drive. So look forward to finally getting to use your Blu-Ray discs on your new One.

TV - Tv and other applications will be an integral part of the system. Microsoft wants to work closely with cable providers to give seamless transition from TV, movies, games, apps, and everything in between. ESPN, and NFL are two major names tacked on to give the One some spark. 

Here's what I don't know yet.

Pricing - they said nothing about this. You have to figure there will be multiple bundles. A base one, stripped of everything good coming in probably around $350-400. A middle Tier from $400-450. And an elite tier probably from $450-500. This is just speculation, but it's what Microsoft has been doing when offering the 360. Different hard drives, wireless vs. wired controllers, games, better headset, customized outward appearance, and a couple other little features. We'll find out more at E3.

Always online - the dreaded words no one wanted to hear. There's been some hush hush talk about it is or it isn't happening. Some have said it has the capabilities to be always on, but they're leaving that up to the developers. Some have also heard rumors that it will be always on all the time period, which is why their would be a connection to your cable provider, and Kinect. This one is still open for talk.

Release date - I along with probably every one else, is assuming late October to mid November. Games are being listed for the systems around then, and it's going to be a holiday nightmare finding these. Which in turn is exactly what the companies want.

Online - a big reason why some people choose to not use the Xbox online is that it costs money to access the Gold membership account. They haven't stated whether or not the pay model will return, but since it's only $60 for a year, I don't see why this won't be back. 

Overall, those are the main talking points. There are a few more, but I didn't consider them to be too substantial. If you have any other concerns feel free to ask and I'll answer to the best of my knowledge.

Lastly, I hate to say it, but I wasn't really impressed with their conference. Other than some application functions, they didn't say or do anything to wow me. The whole Kinect 2.0 scheme they're trying to pull on the Xbox crowd is going to be its make or break function. I just don't think it's going to work as well as they're showing it to. Especially when what they were doing actually seemed to be prerecorded. The presenter was doing his hand grab to stretch open and close motions while also talking to the Xbox One. Which was fine, except when he said you could do it on the fly, he said something along the lines of Xbox, watch ESPN. It instantly flicked over to ESPN. Sounds fine, and awesome at that. But what was showing? A basketball game. Cool, it's playoff time afterall. Well, it was of two teams not in the playoffs, of which I can't remember. He snapped to a game, which was already in progress of a car driving. Who was playing the game? Why was it automatically playing? Who was actually playing it? Honestly, I don't have a clue. Then back to ESPN. A completely different basketball game. This time it was the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets. Two teams eliminated from the playoffs. It was also 10:30 A.M. in Washington where the conference was being held. If I had to guess, at this time there would've been Sportscenter playing. He snaps to a movie which is playing. One cool thing to note, is that he did minimize the movie, brought up a clean UI of the One's dashboard and took an incoming Skype call in a smaller window in the top corner. 

I'm pretty baffled by the press conference. I don't know what to make of the new Xbox One. Part of me is semi excited, and another part is full on disappointed. A company that size, with that much power in their teams, put on a show like that, with few mentions to any notable games other than the yearly releases, and a couple of voice and gesture activated features has me worried for them. I guess, and we'll hopefully be finding out more about the console at E3 in a couple weeks.