Want to get an early peek at BioWare’s next sci-fi epic? EA Access and Origin Access members can download a 10-hour trial version of Mass Effect: Andromeda starting on March 16, giving series fans an early look at the sequel’s new storyline developments and gameplay mechanics.
The trial offer is open to all paying members enrolled in the Xbox One-exclusive EA Access program. Origin Access members will get access to the PC demo version of Mass Effect: Andromeda on the same day. PlayStation 4 owners, however, will have to wait until launch day to get their hands on BioWare’s latest project.
Announced at E3 in 2015, Mass Effect: Andromeda is a sci-fi action-RPG that allows players to explore a series of massive otherworldly environments during a lengthy spacefaring quest. Gameplay alternates between exploration sequences and combat encounters with hostile alien life, requiring players to make effective use of their party’s skills and abilities in order to survive.
Mass Effect: Andromeda follows up on a trilogy of Mass Effect series releases for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC platforms. The latest sequel marks the franchise’s debut for current-generation consoles like the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
In addition to securing exclusive access to the Mass Effect: Andromeda demo, EA Access members can also download and play full versions of the original Mass Effect games via the Xbox One’s backward compatibility feature. The original Mass Effect games are not currently downloadable as part of the PC-equivalent Origin Access service.
Gamers can start up an EA Access membership for as little as $5 a month, while a year’s subscription costs $30. Subscribers get access to dozens of free EA-published games via the service’s “Vault” feature. Other currently featured EA Access games include Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst, Battlefield 3, and Star Wars: Battlefront.
Mass Effect: Andromeda launches for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows PCs on March 21 in North America. A European release will follow on March 23.
Acer’s Predator Atlas 8 finally has a US release date and price, several months after the company first showed off the handheld in May. The highlight is the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip inside, which has been adopted by only a couple of other consoles besides the Atlas 8. This version will go on sale exclusively at Best Buy on November 1 for $1,299.99.
Acer originally said the Atlas 8 would arrive in North America in October, but left pricing open at the time. The launch came amid the ongoing DRAM crunch, which has made memory more expensive across the PC industry and complicated pricing for hardware makers.
Gaming laptops and I have a complicated relationship. One of my first gaming rigs was an Acer Predator that was already outdated when I bought it. I was a broke college kid, and that was the best I could afford. So trying out high-end gaming laptops is always fun. But ASUS' ROG Zephyrus G14 is a lot more than a laptop that can run AAA games. It is portable, so you're not lugging around a 2.5kg machine everywhere you go. It is built well, none of that plastic chassis, and can even function as a normal laptop outside of just gaming.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.