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Microsoft reverses maligned Xbox One policies

Microsoft has relented against the torrent of Internet backlash regarding the sharing and trading of used games on it's upcoming console, the Xbox One.

In a blog post entitled "Your Feedback Matters" on news.xbox.com, Don Mattrick, president of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business, said the next-gen console will no longer force users to check back with Microsoft servers once every 24 hours for the console to function — a move that had been called "a sin against all servicemembers" and drawn collective moans from gamers in deployed areas, where steady Internet connections are hard to come by.

From the E3 showfloor, PC titles make their case

“Company of Heroes 2” fights on WWII’s Eastern Front. Courtesy of Sega

Console games were in the spotlight at the Electronic Entertainment in Los Angeles this month, but several computer games also looked very promising.

In most cases, developers did not have release dates, but they all had short hands-on demos for E3 attendees.

Sony, Microsoft lay the next-gen gaming details bare

A controller for the new PlayStation 4 is on display at the Sony PlayStation E3 media briefing in Los Angeles, Monday, June 10, 2013. AP

In recent months, Sony and Microsoft announced their entries in the latest battle between the consoles. Monday brought Round One of the brawl.

Dueling news conferences prior to the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles provided an odd spectacle: One fighter landed heavy body blows while the other punched himself in the face.

All for One and One for all?

Courtesy of Microsoft

Xbox One and only.

Microsoft unveiled the successor to its Xbox 360 on Tuesday and showed off a console that tries to do it all.

'World of Warplanes' already flying high

My German-made Messerschmitt bf 110 heavy fighter does a victory lap before getting surrounded by a squad of faster attack aircraft. World of Warplanes often turns into a game of high-flying acrobatics as players circle and dance around each other in dogfights. game screenshot

Flying over a tropical atoll with enemy fighters closing in, I brought up my bombing reticule and adjusted my flight path. Back in the hanger, I’d made my choice: an German-made Messerschmitt bf 110 heavy fighter, and out here in the war zone, I’d made another: If I was going down, I was going to take this little potshot-hurling battleship with me.

It was bombs away with two taps on the keyboard, and then onto the dance of death. That’s the ‘endgame’ of Wargaming.net’s upcoming “World of Warplanes,” which this reviewer got early access to. And from what I’ve played, this game is going to up the ante of what gamers can expect from aerial combat.

PlayStation 4 unveiled - sort of

Sony highlighted its work with independent developers by showcasing “The Witness,” which will offer 25 hours of puzzles. Courtesy of Sony

Sony offered a peek at the future during its PlayStation Meeting 2013 on Wednesday.

The future is smarter, more attractive and better connected, judging from the features of the PlayStation 4, which was unveiled — sort of — at the event in New York City.

Gamer's delight

“Tomb Raider” explores the origin of its central character, Lara Croft, taking players along her path to fame. Courtesy of Square Enix

Now that you’ve beaten all of those games that looked so cool under the twinkling Christmas lights, it’s time to start thinking about the next batch of digital wonders.

The next wave of video games starts rolling in next month, and it looks like gamers will be awash in adventure and conflict. From startling visions of the future to grim battles with extraterrestrial opponents, here’s a look at a few of the most anticipated titles.

 

Geeking out at MAGFest

Stars and Stripes game blogger Sam Laney takes viewers on a tour of MAGFest, the annual music and gaming festival.

Geeking out at MAGFest

There's a quiet void between the end of the holidays and the pickup of the new year. News is slow, major gaming releases are few and far between, and endless barrage of gift giving and family time has probably left everyone in need of a little getaway.

Nestled in this holiday twilight, for those who make the trek, is MAGFest, a four-day music and gaming festival that celebrates everything geek. Rooms of board games, endless consoles, hundreds of free-play coin-ops, dozens of bands, and even game culture icons are all on full display. 

Our favorite games of 2012

"Dishonored" mixes the best elements of the parkour of “Assassin’s Creed” and the stealth combat of “Splinter Cell” and adds a host of interesting mystical abilities. Courtesy of Bethesda Softworks

The past year has brought a bounty of terrific sequels, but it was a new name that turned out to be the best of the bunch.

The “Halo,” “Call of Duty,” “Mass Effect,” “Assassin’s Creed” and “Far Cry” series all came up with games that were exceptionally good — even by the high standards set by many of their predecessors. However, the game that delivered the best combination of gameplay, story and adventure was “Dishonored,” by Bethesda Softworks.

Holiday rush

Life in a tropical paradise isnt exactly peaceful in Far Cry 3. Courtesy of Ubisoft

The holiday season is a bittersweet time to be a gamer — and especially a game reviewer. Stars and Stripes gamers had their hands full with all of the AAA goodness we expect for this time of year, but no matter how much holiday cheer you can muster, there’s never enough time to play it all.

First up is “PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale,” a game so addictively good that it just “wouldn’t let go.” This Smash Bros.-style game got extra credit for its extensive cast of Sony favorites and special moves.

 
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About the Authors

Brian Bowers is Stars and Stripes’ Assitant Managing Editor for Europe and Mideast and one of its video game reviewers. He joined the newspaper in 1992 in Germany, where he worked on the news desk and the city desk. He has a wife and three children, who are always eager to help him test games.

Sam Laney joined Stars and Stripes’ in 2007 as a copy/layout editor, and slowly convinced upper management to support his video game habit. Since then, he’s added game reviews and previews to his list of duties and moved on to the iPad. When he’s not rocking newbies in “Left4Dead2,” he covers PC and Nintendo systems.