After spending time in the garage, EA’s latest entry in the Need for Speed franchise looks ready to hit the road in its latest gameplay trailer. Unveiled at EA’s first E3 press conference, the new trailer for Need for Speed: Payback shows off some unbelievable action and killer visuals — as well as some major differences from previous Need for Speed titles.
We already knew that the new Need for Speed was going to be a major departure from previous entries in the series. For instance, instead of being a nameless driver, you’ll take control of a couple different characters throughout the game. This feature was demonstrated during a high-octane heist sequence which pits two player characters against a semi-truck.
You’ll be able to switch between different characters — named Tyler, Mac, and Jess — each of whom have their own driving style. This latest Need for Speed title will also feature an open world for players to explore, where you can find upgrades, new customization options for your cars, and a special new bonus. Throughout the open world, you’ll be able to find “Relics,” abandoned classic cars which can be fixed up and turned into lightning-fast supercars.
Today’s trailer also featured another major element of Need for Speed: Payback — high-stakes car battles. Instead of just chasing down that semi-truck to steal its cargo, in today’s trailer we’re given a sneak peek at some new ways for players to take out other cars while chasing after an objective.
Running enemies off the road and into obstacles rewards the player with slow-motion quick-shots detailing the game’s stellar car physics and spectacular crashes. Enemy cars spiral through the air while sparks fly and fire roars out of the engine, all captured in luscious slow-motion.
For more details about the upcoming Need for Speed: Payback, including what we know about the plot so far, check out our full break-down. For more details on EA’s recent announcements, check our E3 2017 news roundup.
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.