Dying Light Showcase

The dilapidated streets and shambling zombies are scary enough, but as the sun drops below the horizon, getting back to safety becomes my biggest concern. The crude crowbar weapon I’m wielding seems to only stun these creatures, and the deadlier predators come out at night. Switching tactics from fight to flight, I leap over low walls, scurry over fences, and dash across rooftops to avoid the undead below. I pause only long enough to re-arm some of the traps around our base, and barricade myself inside as the last light fades from the sky. I hear a “Volatile” howl in the distance, signaling that things are about to go from bad to worse in Dying Light.

In a crowded genre of open-world-zombie-survival games, Dying Light needs a few gimmicks to stand out, especially as it looks like an improved version of Dead Island (also developed by game studio TechLand back in 2011). Fortunately, Dying Light has a list of features to persuade zombie killers from other games: four player drop-in-and out co-op, dynamic day-night cycle featuring deadlier creatures of the night, and “parkour” or free-running enables mobility as the preferred option to escaping zombie bites. In fact, new players may feel discouraged at first as their character struggles to use basic blunt objects against the undead, until they have a chance to level up and unlock better skills. Even with deadlier skills and weapon arsenals, free running around the city and dodging zombies is just too much fun! If you’re looking for even more fun, become an even deadlier “night hunter” zombie and invade other players’ games!

In a nutshell, Dying Light is a tense, exciting, and relatively bug free experience. It’s not just an improved version of Dead Island, it’s a VERY improved version. It’s challenging, fun, and ultimately very satisfying! eBash Video Game Centers are featuring an exciting Dying Light Showcase from February 2nd – 13th, leading up to a big Friday the 13th Lock-In party with free pizza and other prizes! Up to four players can play Dying Light at a time, either alone or co-op!

Dying Light is rated ‘M’ for Mature for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language. It is available on Tuesday, January 27th, on PC, Xbox One, and PS4.

Destiny Beta (PS4)

This is it, this is your last chance to try Destiny before the Beta ends this Saturday night! Even if you tried the Alpha build a month ago, additional story cut-scenes and voice overs have given much needed presentation and production values to the Beta. Bungie occasionally allows players the chance to try “Gold Banner” matches that weren’t available during the Alpha, and they have promised that everyone that logs in and plays on Saturday will unlock a special emblem to use in the full version.

These additions help answer a few questions I had with the story, and remove some concerns I had with multi-player. The story parts are very interesting, and I can’t wait to learn more about the Traveler, the Darkness, and the rest of Destiny’s lore. As for multi-player, I’ve grown very fond of it. The mechanics Bungie has crafted for both PvE (Player versus Environment or “story” content) and PvP (Player versus Player) and how they work together is quite genius. Players can level up their characters, gain loot from enemy “drops” or for completing quests, and buy weapons, armor, and equipment from vendors. But, when competing in PvP matches, all the player levels and equipment levels are reduced to the same “base” level. Individual qualities of equipment, such as fire rates and accuracy still apply, but an assault rifle does the same damage as any other assault rifle, all the sniper rifles do the same damage, and so on.

That is, unless players dare to compete in “Gold Banner” matches, where all the player levels and varied stats of weapons and armor are actually kept at their PvE value!

What I really appreciate about PvP, however, is how the ammo, special ammo, grenades, and special ability “cooldowns” work to keep everything very balanced. It’s such a clever system, I’m surprised nobody has thought of it before. Bring all the gear you want into a PvP match, choose to equip your shotgun or your sniper rifle whenever you want, but keep in mind that they are in the “special” weapon category, and you’ll only spawn and respawn with a small amount of ammo – and then you’ll have to loot special ammo crates throughout the match to replenish that ammo. The “heavy” weapon category – light machine guns and rocket launchers – will have ZERO ammo available until special “heavy” ammo crates appear on the map, several minutes after the matches start! Even if you’ve found some heavy ammo and reloaded your rocket launcher, don’t die, because you’ll respawn with no heavy ammo again!

There are a lot more details to discuss about Destiny, but the best thing to do is find your closest eBash Video Game Center and try it for yourself!

Destiny is rated ‘T’ for Teen for Animated Blood and Violence. Destiny launches September 9th for PS4, PS3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360. 

eBash Summer News

If you haven’t seen the eBash website in awhile, now is a great time to check it out! It features a cleaner look with the content and features spread out and easier to find. The home page also cycles through some of the important features of eBash, such as birthday specials and Lock-Ins, news stories, and other updates. If someone misses the news story about a tournament or other event, those are listed separately on the right side of the home page.

The best thing to do is to sign up for regular notifications! eBash has a LOT of events planned for the rest of the summer:

Weekly CS:GO (Tuesday) League nights, sponsored by BAWLS energy drinks, starting June 24th and leading up to a big Tournament on July 12th; a giant Call of Duty Ghosts and Black Ops 2 Tournament WEEKEND event at the Indianapolis location; weekly League of Legends (Wednesday) League nights, starting July 2nd and leading up to a huge multi-store Tournament on August 2nd; and a special DOTA 2 Pubstomp Lock-In on July 19th! (What is a Pubstomp? Click on the link and find out!)

The next best thing to do is get active in the eBash Forums on their website. Get involved with the eBash community! Find other gamers with similar interests, make teams for tournaments, and make new friends!

Destiny Sneak Preview

The PS4 exclusive “Alpha” build sneak preview for Destiny has come and gone, and now it’s time to weigh in with opinions. What IS Destiny? What are its strengths and weaknesses? Welcome to the “Destiny Sneak Preview” on eBash Bits and Bytes!

Overall, I think Destiny will be worthy of the hype when it releases later this year, though some expectations may need to be tempered – this isn’t a revolution for first person shooters, just an evolution. In the capable hands of third party studio Bungie, Destiny is a high quality AAA title: the mechanics are solid, the atmosphere is established, the soundtrack rocks, and the art style is impressive. After getting my hands on this early preview of Destiny, I can appreciate why it is hard for Bungie to describe what kind of game it is.

Since this Alpha build was very limited in content, it is hard to predict what players can expect when the full game is released. The Alpha included three distinct “pillars” or game modes: Story/free roam content, Co-Op “Strike” missions, and the “Crucible” or player versus player matches. Presentation was minimal, in other words, there were no cut-scenes and very few non-player-characters (NPCs) to describe the story or setting. Transitioning from one mode to one of the other two modes required a fairly lengthy load time – represented only by an outside view of the player’s space ship in flight. The limited presentation made even more disconnect between each mode. In fact, beyond the unifying structure of player progression, Destiny doesn’t seem to be anything we haven’t seen before:

Players can free-roam a decent size area by themselves (or with their friends) and shoot enemies, complete random objectives, collect “loot” or weapon and armor drops, and gain experience to level up.

The “Strike” or Co-Op missions require a group, and players can form a party with their friends or join a matchmaking queue for random players. The Strike mission in the Alpha was pretty challenging, and featured some unique boss fights – and much better loot than free-roam mode.

The third “pillar” of Destiny, the “Crucible,” was surprisingly well made and it was very fun to play in player versus player matches. There are three “classes” to choose from in Destiny, and at least at these lower levels (the Alpha capped player progress to only level eight) their main differences were only in their special abilities. The “Titan” class, for example, can punch the ground and send powerful shockwaves to kill nearby enemies, but the “Warlock” class jumps up into the air and hurls a ball of magical energy at the ground from a distance. One of the maps even had futuristic vehicles to drive and shoot at opponents with, giving the experience a strong “Halo” vibe – and that is a very good thing.

As good as these three modes are, it does feel strange that they are so dis-connected. The “player’s ship flying” loading screen is maybe just a placeholder for something more dynamic, but as it is, it seems really odd that I can’t be running around in free-roam mode and waiting in a “Strike” mission queue at the same time. Having to physically “fly off” the planet to join the co-op or versus modes’ queues is sort of old fashioned and tedious.

I’m also concerned that, as addicting as player progression and light-RPG elements can be, they can also be very limiting. Will high level characters be able to group up with their lower-leveled friends? Or will they only be able to play with each other if they are at the exact same level? I am always looking for more games that offer co-op mission and/or campaign content, but locking the “next level” down until players reach a certain player level feels too restrictive.

Until we learn what the finished game is like, I can only guess and hope for the best. Aside from the potential pitfalls of player-progression, a game like Destiny that features story/free-roam modes, Co-Op modes, and Versus modes should be a great fit for eBash Video Game Centers!

Destiny is a third party game developed by Bungie and published by Activision. It is scheduled to be released September 9th, only for the PS4 and Xbox One, and is predicted to be rated ‘M’ for Mature.

Gamers Are More Social Than Non Gamers

We’ve heard it all before: the negative stereotypes of the lonely, isolated gamer with no friends in real life, living in his parent’s basement, helplessly addicted to video games. A new study from LifeCourse Associates, commissioned by Twitch.TV, looks to change those perceptions.

“In many cases, we still see gamers portrayed as glassy-eyed addicts or isolated automatons,” the report says. “Given how pervasive a pastime gaming has become, it should seem obvious that these negative characterizations aren’t true.”

According to the study, gamers are more social than non-gamers, with stronger connections to their friends and families. The report said that 72% of gamers play games with their friends, and found that “spending time with their families (82% vs. 68%) and parents (67% vs. 44%) are top priorities.”

Additionally, the study said gamers are more likely to have a college degree (43% vs. 36%), are more optimistic about their career goals (67% vs. 42%), and are more likely to have a career they want to be in (45% vs. 37%).

The study also revealed the demographics of gamers; 52% of gamers are male, 48% are female, and as much as 73% of Millennials, 62% of Generation X, and 41% of Baby Boomers are playing video games.

At eBash Video Game Centers, friends and family have always been the top priorities. The main goal and function of a video game center is to promote the social aspect of playing video games. Playing alone or online is fun, but it’s so much more fun to play with other people in person!

LifeCourse Associates used an online survey of over 1,200 participants. In this survey, gamers are defined as anyone who played a video game within the last 60 days.

Watch Dogs Byte Sized Review

In June of 2012, Ubisoft blew the roof off the E3 in L.A. by revealing a brand new game at the very end of their presentation. Called “Watch_Dogs,” the game features a vigilante protagonist that can manipulate almost anything in the city by hacking it with his phone. Trying to escape in a car chase? Turn all the traffic lights green in a busy intersection and let the ensuing chaos take out your pursuers. Low on cash? Hack pedestrians’ phones as they walk by and withdraw money from their accounts at any ATM. The game looked unbelievably realistic, and ran away with multiple ‘best of’ awards from many gaming websites.

When it missed its 2013 launch window and got pushed back to spring of 2014, some of that hype died down. Ubisoft went on to break records with the release of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag instead, so I don’t think it bothered them too much. There WAS enough hype left over for Watch_Dogs after all, as it broke those ACIV records by selling 4 million copies in one week!

Is it good? I think Watch_Dogs is very deserving of all the praise it can get as it truly feels “next gen” to me. There are the obvious comparisons to open sand box games, especially Grand Theft Auto and even Ubisoft’s own Assassin’s Creed. Players can accept main story missions or explore Chicago (and Pawnee!) for side missions and more advantage over the “CitOS” that runs everything. These side missions can vary from stopping potential crimes, driving missions, or solving missing person cases, and are pleasantly distracting from the main story.

Aiden Pearce compliments his hacking with impressive melee take downs, expert driving, and lethal firearm skills. It’s really fun to use a combination of these skills, like hacking a car alarm to distract a guard or blowing a gas line to even the odds in a firefight. Car chases and firefights require a lot of quick thinking and the game is pretty challenging. The controls are solid, though Aiden isn’t a super hero that can take a lot of damage. Timing a traffic jam in a hacked intersection is a lot harder than it sounds, as the enemies seem better at dodging other cars than one would expect. To ease the frustration, the game is generous with check points and missions can usually be restarted at any time.

If all of this sounds like another Grand Theft Auto or Assassin’s Creed game, but with hacking, you’d only be half right. The extra features of Watch_Dogs push it beyond the limits of the “sand box” genre into its own “next gen” world. I’m very happy with the way they’ve seamlessly integrated multi-player features into the single player experience; allowing players to “invade” or be invaded by other players simply by using Aiden’s smartphone. Some of my favorite gaming experiences so far have been playing games of “cat and mouse” with other players, or trying to evade the police cars and obstacles another player pits against me using a *free* companion mobile app! That’s right, someone that doesn’t even OWN Wach_Dogs can get a mobile game that lets them control a collection of “hacks” and police vehicles to try to run down another person in their “normal” single player game. It’s so ridiculously fun! There are other MP modes, including full team vs team modes, that I look forward to trying.

The hype is still alive at eBash Video Game Centers, as Watch_Dogs has been consistently checked out since it’s release. It’s open sand box game play and “next gen” integrated multi-player makes it a great fit for gaming alone or with friends at eBash!

Content Descriptors: Blood, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol

Other: Includes online features that may expose players to unrated user-generated content (Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One)

Xbox One June Update to Add External Storage

Xbox Live’s Major Nelson announced on his blog today that external storage capabilities will be added to the Xbox One in a June update. From the announcement:

Easily Increase Games Capacity with External Storage Support

“It couldn’t be easier to increase your storage capacity of games and apps with the external storage support features we’re bringing in June. Your Xbox One system will soon support up to two external hard drives at once. Simply plug in your 256 GB or larger USB 3.0 external hard drive and once formatted, copy and move games, apps and game add-ons to increase your storage capacity at home.

This is also a great way to take your content to a friend’s house and get straight into a game directly from an external drive. You’ll need to sign in to Xbox Live if you’ve purchased your content digitally or insert a disc to verify your game ownership when you take your content on the road. The great benefit here is there’s no need to wait to re-download your game and all the DLC. With external storage support in June, you can also choose to copy full games and all of the associated content in one easy step.”

With a growing library of Xbox One games available to play at eBash, several of the Xbox One hard drives are already full or nearly at full capacity. Having external storage options will be very welcome.

Another feature included in the update is an option to set one profile to sign in automatically. Both features will be very welcome at eBash Video Game Centers. One of the conveniences that eBash offers is an Xbox Live Gold account on every Xbox console. Manually signing into those accounts every time a customer wants to use an Xbox One gets a little tedious. Thank you, Microsoft!

eBash Memorial Day 48 Straight

Summer is almost here, and that means it’s time for the annual Memorial Day 48-Straight at eBash!

This is a special Lock-In event that runs 48 hours straight at your favorite eBash Video Game Center. Don’t worry, you do not HAVE to stay the entire time, and MOST players head home during the first night to sleep and recover for the second night. Players also have the option to buy a 24 hour pass for one day or the other.

Official times are going to be Friday May 23rd at 8 AM until Sunday May 25th at 8 AM.

Costs and Details:

48 Hour Pass VIP – $45
48 Hour Pass Regular – $55
$5 discount for reserving your spot before May 20th with $10 down

48 Hour Pass Includes:

• 48 Hours of gaming between 8 AM Friday and 8 AM Sunday
• Pizza and drink both nights
• Donuts and Milk/Juice both mornings
• Special Edition 2014 Memorial Day 48 Straight T-shirt

24 Hour Pass VIP – $25
24 Hour Pass Regular – $30

24 Hour Pass Includes:

• 24 Hours of gaming between 8 AM Friday and 8 AM Saturday
• OR from 8 AM Saturday until 8 AM Sunday
• Pizza and drink
• Donuts and Milk/Juice
• Special Edition 2014 Memorial Day 48 Straight T-shirt

Elder Scrolls Online Delayed on Consoles

Despite having one of the smoothest launches in MMO history on the PC, the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the Elder Scrolls Online game have been delayed for about six months. These console versions were scheduled to be released in June, so perhaps they’ll be ready by December.

Elder Scrolls Online is a fun hybrid of single player Elder Scrolls games, including a great amount of player freedom in character creation and exploration, and “normal” Massively-Multiplayer-Online games featuring huge PvP battlegrounds and challenging content designed for groups. The action is handled on PC capably with a mouse and keyboard, but I can tell that it will be really enjoyable for console controls.

The delay is unfortunate, but there is some good news: customers that buy and play the PC/Mac version before the end of June will have an option to transfer their characters and progress to either the Xbox One or PS4 version of their choice for only $20, including another 30 days of play time.

The PC version of ESO has been getting a decent amount of play by some of the regulars at eBash. I can only guess how many more people are waiting to try it on the Xbox One, but now they’ll have to wait.

Indy PopCon

eBash is excited to announce a major event as part of their partnership with Indy PopCon. Call of Duty Ghost players on Xbox 360 will be able to compete for a chance to travel to PopCon the weekend of May 30 – June 1 and play for a share of $5,000 in cash!

There will be four qualifying events held over the next two months to decide the four teams invited to the finals. Those four teams will be guaranteed to win one of the following cash prize amounts: 1st – $2000, 2nd – $1200, 3rd – $1000, 4th – $800. Tickets to Indy PopCon will also be provided for all four members of each qualifying team.

The first of four events is called “Ghosts Tuesdays” and is an 8 week, online-only event. Fourteen teams total will participate in online matches, hosted by machines at eBash Indianapolis. For more information, and to register your team, click this link.