Murderous pet friends are the real meaning of Far Cry 5

There are many reasons why Far Cry 5 has wormed its way into my cold heart far more than I’d ever expected, but foremost among them are its recruitable animal followers. Why have a crack-shot sniper or rocket-spewing airplane pilot watching your back, when you can have a tame bear and unnaturally loyal cougar by your side instead? Sure, there’s a cute dog, but screw that guy – Peaches the mountain lion and Cheesburger the grizzly are the best friends an anonymous law-enforcer on a one-person crusade to rid Montana of murderous cultists could have.

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The Foxer

Warm-up Foxer (Where am I?)

I’m standing outside a restaurant that shares a name with a Chuck Connors movie, a brand of cigarettes, and a British paddle steamer that served during both World Wars. I can see several dinosaurs including a T. Rex and a Triceratops. I’m 80 metres from a likeness of this man. I’m in a mineral-rich landlocked land that sent a citizen into space before the UK or China. If I was to circle the globe at this latitude I’d cross the Canada-US border. I’m 500 metres from a monastery and 880 metres due north of a monument to a pop group. (more…)

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The Flare Path: Kuban Epistle Crisis

Although IL-2 Sturmovik’s new Rise of Flight-style career mode looks decidedly unambitious when set beside the best the genre can offer a solo campaigner, it’s a big improvement on what it replaces and, assuming you’re playing with the ‘iron man’ box ticked and don’t wander too far from assigned routes, a powerful drama amplifier. During his first five randomly-generated sorties over the Kuban bridgehead, my current in-game alter-ego, Nikolai Novichok, had several opportunities to inspect the Grim Reaper’s shrapnel-sharp soul-scythe at close quarters. Will his luck and nerve hold for another five missions? (more…)

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What are we all playing this holiday weekend?

Happy Easter, gang! This is an extra-long holiday weekend for us here in the RPS treehouse so we’ll be back on Tuesday. I’d tell some lousy story about us stuffing our faces with Cadbury Creme Eggs but let’s face it: they’re terrible. They are a punishment. We deserve better than those sickly lumps. And now we can have better. Tesco this year started selling Reese’s Peanut Butter Creme Eggs and good grief, they are fantastic. I know, American big-brand chocolate tastes like it’s spent three years in a shoebox, but the big glob of peanutness makes these sing. I am declaring them the Official RPS Egg of Easter. It is settled. No arguments. We’ll see you again on Tuesday.

What are you playing (and eating) this weekend? Here’s what we’re clicking on!

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The Pillars of the Earth’s third and final book is out now

The Pillars of the Earth is a historical novel (the real kind, with pages and everything) dense with intrigue, murder and revenge centered around a fictional 12th century English town’s plans to erect a cathedral. Adapted to digital, interactive format in a style not entirely unlike Telltale’s choose-your-own-adventures by experienced point-and-clicker creators Daedalic, by all accounts, this is something I would have deeply enjoyed, having eagerly consumed every episode of Cadfael and a few of the novels, but I’m sadly late to this party. Fashionably so, at least.

Today, the final part of The Pillars of the Earth was released, completing the 21-chapter digital adaptation of Ken Follett’s novel. Perfectly timed for a spot of lazy Easter weekend reading.

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Wobbly road trip adventure Jalopy leaves Early Access

It’s been a long, bumpy road, but Jalopy has finally completed its pilgrimage through the plains of Early Access, and has officially launched. It’s one of those games so distinct and original, it’s no surprise that it’s held our attention for years; a low-budget (and low-fi) road trip adventure from Germany, across eastern Europe on a course for Turkey. All the way, driving a crumbling junker of a not-Trabant through rain, snow and mud in service of your weird Uncle’s latest get-rich-quick scheme.

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Celebrate Starcraft’s 20th with a free co-op commander

Blizzard have been celebrating the 20th anniversary of Starcraft all month long with a series of giveaways and perks for their endlessly cross-promoted stable of games. Today, they’re finally giving away something of real value for Starcraft II players: One of their premium-priced playable characters for the RTS giant’s still-growing cooperative mode.

You remember Fenix, right? Protoss hero, seemed friendly if a little death-prone. Now you can get him in his final, transforming future-bot form, free via Battle.net.

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Far Cry 5’s Arcade Mode is a map-making’n’sharing joy

I made my first Far Cry 5 map in the game’s Arcade Mode this morning, in collaboration with my 4-year-old daughter. It took me about an hour, it stars 20 cougars, two enormous yetis, half a dozen windmills and a tasteful pink pillow. It even has a puzzle, of sorts, involving a rocket launcher and a very high ladder. It was remarkably easy to create – you should give it a go yourself (you don’t have to include quite so many cougars, though).

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Podcast: The GDC special (with bonus Far Cry 5 chat)

♪♫ When you go to San Fraaaanciscooo, be sure to wear a lanyard with ‘Media’ inscribed on it round youuur nnnneck ♪♫ That’s what Adam, John and Brendan sang to each other as they gleefully skipped through the streets of California’s tram-infested hill city. The crew were in town for the yearly Game Developer’s Conference where they spoke to developers, played games, and gambled on the results of the annual awards show. Now they’re back and ready to tell you all about their Stateside adventures on the latest RPS podcast, the Electronic Wireless Show. (more…)

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God Eater 3’s apocalyptic monster brawls are PC-bound

Teen Anime-styled monster hunting game God Eater 3 is confirmed for a western PC release, according to Bandai Namco, confirming rumours in an official press release today. Soon, you too will be able to gel your hair up to 11, shoulder an improbably large hybrid sword/gun/demon-devouring maw, and go bop some improbably large and angry creatures on the snoot, solo or with friends. Within, a gameplay trailer, featuring some monster snoots being bopped.

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Jurassic World Evolution hatches on June 12th

After building rollercoasters in Planet Coaster, the next park management game from Frontier Developments will focus on the wildest ride of all: life. Today they announced that Jurassic World Evolution will launch on June 12, days after the next movie comes out. Evolution will have players build their own tropical dinoparks, trying to keep tourists happy so your business turns a profit while keeping dinosaurs happy so they don’t break out and devour tourists. Life, I’m sure Jeff Goldblum will remind us in his role as the in-game advisor, finds a way. For now, have a watch of 20 minutes of gameplay: (more…)

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Spec Ops: The Line is free until Saturday

Spec Ops: The Line is free over at the Humble Store right now. It’s only available for 48 hours, ending March 31st at 10am Pacific, so I advise you to go there now. Congratulations! You are hopefully now the proud owner of a game about the horrors of war. It’s hell, in case you hadn’t heard, and many people are unsure what it’s good for. Hu-ah.

Here’s wot our Alec thought back in the day.

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Dying Light’s free Prison Heist rewards speed with loot

Dying Light, like the best of zombies, keeps on picking itself up to take a bite out of my free time. Yesterday, Techland’s cult hit zombie parkour sandbox was blessed with yet another chunky free content update, adding a lengthy new mission for 1-4 players set in Harran’s zombie-and-soldier infested prison. Players still exploring the Old Town streets might also bump into a unique Demolisher zombie mini-boss wandering about, hucking bloody great chunks of concrete at less wary players.

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