Welcome to TAG Roundup!
Ever wonder what you missed in the world of gaming last week? No worries – we’ve got you covered!
We read a ton of video game articles each week and wanted to share some of our favorites with the Average Gamer community. We’ll feature everything from previews to reviews and everything in between.
The articles we share will be from a combination of well-known sources (like IGN) and more niche blogs that you may not have heard of. In the previous TAG Roundup post, I talked about a Gamecube mini, pro controllers, upcoming Switch games and more!
Since then, we’ve had a busy week for gamers. Without further ado, let’s jump into last week in gaming.
More PS5 News! – Endgadget
We’ll be waiting until at least 2020 before being able to purchase a PS5, but Sony continues to share news of the next-gen console.
We know there will be backwards compatibility with the PS4 and both the CPU and GPU are getting a boost over it’s predecessor. Ray tracing is finally coming to consoles, allowing for even more stunning visuals.
PS5 will support 8K graphics, which is especially helpful for the 11 people out there who have 8K displays. My guess is that this monitor technology will be cost-prohibitive until at least 2021.
The introduction of an SSD into the console has blown away many gamers’ expectations when Sony showed the decrease load time in popular titles. The speed bump has been described as “10 times faster than a PS4 Pro”.
There’s a 99% chance that I pick up Sony’s new console when it comes out and I’m excited to hear more details over the next year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmLYh1ybLqshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8QhMrwqS-Y
Monster Hunter v Dauntless – Polygon
Developer Phoenix Labs released the beta of their action-RPG last May. After incorporating feedback from the gaming community into their development, the free-to-play game is now available on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
Dauntless is similar to the Monster Hunter series given the beast-hunting nature of the game. While the underlying premise is the same, the differences are large enough that you will likely prefer one over the other.
Based on the article’s comparison, Dauntless is easier to pick up but less rewarding. Monster Hunter requires more planning, tracking and evaluating monsters to take down large beasts.
Ultimately, it will come down to personal preference, but the free-to-play model has certainly demonstrated the potential to grow a player base quickly. People are of course comparing it to Fortnite but only time will tell.
Rime is now Free – Polygon
You still have a couple days to pick up Rime for free in the Epic Games Store! Released two years ago, this exploration game has received mostly positive reviews particularly for its visuals and music.
The player will solve environmental puzzles throughout a well-written story. If you liked A Boy and His Blob or Unravel, you’ll probably like Rime.
Ancestors Set for a PC Launch – Gamespot
From the creator of Assassin’s Creed comes “an ambitious and immersive game with a unique setting that will captivate gamers of all types”. Another timed-exclusive in the Epic Games Store (sheesh, save some new games for the rest of us), Ancestors will release on PC on August 27th and come to consoles in December. The description of the game sounds ambitious but will be really cool if the studio can pull it off well:
A single-player, third-person exploration survival game, your journey in Ancestors begins as a hominid in Neogene Africa some 10 million years ago. Over time, you grow and literally evolve to the Australopithecus popularly known as Lucy. On your way to becoming Lucy, you’ll learn new skills and abilities as you take the form of the next subspecies of hominid that would eventually become the human form of today.
Must-Have Expansions for Sims 4 – Gamespot
Today is the last day to grab the Sims 4 for free so go fast! It’s the base game, which has a good amount of content, but you can make it even better with expansions.
This article shares recommended add-ons to make you Sims experience that much more enjoyable. Seasons looks particularly helpful since it allows you to schedule events in advance.
I already picked up my copy, because, well, it’s free…and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it won’t collect virtual dust in my gaming backlog for the next several years.
American Fugitive Launches – Geeky Gadget
By no means a killer, but no angel either, you face life in prison for a crime you didn’t commit. Fueled by grief over the cold-blooded murder of your father, and armed with a burning desire for vengeance you’ll need to break out of jail to find the real culprit. Simply put: It’s payback time.
The top-down view of this action adventure feels like all the best parts of GTA car chases. Set in the 80’s, there’s a retro feel to the game with modernized visuals.
You can loot, rob, do jobs for criminals and arm yourself up for battles as you evade police capture. American Fugitive is out now for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.
A new Mario Kart game arrived on Android – Business Insider
Mario Kart Tour was released in beta mode last week for Android devices. The core gameplay is what you have come to love from Nintendo’s racing giant. However, it has some drawbacks. In short, free rarely means free…
There are a whopping 64 courses spread across 16 different “cups.” There are 30 different drivers, and a mess of different vehicles to pilot and ways to outfit those vehicles.
But Nintendo needs to make money on this new game, and that’s where microtransactions come in. There are multiple forms of virtual currency, and they’re tied to unlocking those racers and vehicles, and even how long you play.
Hopefully, they listen to the community’s feedback and ease up on some of the microtransactions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqvvF8d3BEs
That’s All For Now
There were plenty of other highlights from last week but these ones really stood out. Be sure to check in next time to read about video game current events.
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