The new free White War update arrives today for WW1 FPS Isonzo, bringing a new map set in and around the ‘Ice City’, an extensive network of tunnels carved into the ice of the Marmolada Glacier. Marmolada is a 10,968 ft (3,343 m) high mountain, the tallest in the Dolomites. Alongside the Marmolada map are new weapons, and a new cosmetic DLC pack, focused on improvised cold-weather gear.

In recreating parts of the Ice City and the Marmolada mountain, our team at BlackMill Games continues to work on highlighting lesser-known parts of the First World War. Conditions on the Western Front of the First World War were grim, with bloody trench warfare exacting a brutal toll on soldiers there. But other fronts of the war came with their own challenges – with cold, snow, and avalanches posing threats in the mountain regions between Italy and their foes Austria-Hungary.

The Austro-Hungarians built the Ice City after establishing combat positions on top of the Marmolada Glacier. It was difficult for them to get supplies on top of the mountain, not just because of the extreme altitude, but also because Italian troops kept a watchful eye over them from their bastion of Serauta, which overlooked the entire glacier. What started out as a simple tunnel to allow passage through the glacier while staying safe from Italian fire, quickly grew into something much larger as soldiers discovered the benefits of living in the ice: no avalanches, protection from bad weather, and cozy temperatures of 0°C (at least much better than outside!). In the end 12 km of tunnels were built, enough space to house more than 200 soldiers.

So how is this portrayed in Isonzo? The battle begins on the mountainside in the open. At this height there is snow everywhere, and if you’re playing as the Italian attackers you’ll have to advance carefully along narrow mountain trails or utilize small tunnels and gullies carved out from the rock. Your objective is a single point atop a local peak – while many of Isonzo’s battlegrounds have sectors with multiple objectives, in this first sector of Marmolada it’s all about that one point meaning there will be intense fighting. The Austro-Hungarian defenders will be emerging from the Ice City tunnels to contest the ground, and can choose to dig in around the objective itself or employ more proactive tactics to try and pin down the Italians with barbed wire and machine guns before they can close in. Remember that in Isonzo the Engineer class can build new sections of barbed wire, perfect for closing off those narrow paths and tunnels we mentioned earlier.

If the Italians can take control of the first sector, the fighting moves into the Ice City. As well as the general dangers of narrow corridors and doorways where ambushers can lurk, the attackers will also have to find routes across the many pitfalls and deep drops within the Ice City. There are bridges, but these can be sabotaged and destroyed by the Austro-Hungarians, requiring reconstruction before they can be used again – not always easy to do under fire! The ice all around can give an otherworldly feel to the action here, quite unlike anything you’ve encountered before. On the other side of the Ice City is a small base which must be captured. There are many ways in and out of the Ice City, and many routes through, so the Austro-Hungarians must be careful to try and maintain overview of the fighting and not let significant Italian forces slip through to push on the objective. 

While inside the glacier, both sides will have to do without much support from the call-ins their officers would usually employ. No artillery, gas, or air bombardment will penetrate the thick ice walls. However, WW1 soldiers were already prepared for close combat due to the demands of clearing out trench networks. Many rifles come with bayonets, a number of classes can employ dedicated melee weapons like knives, clubs or ice picks – and if you want to keep a little more distance then pistols will serve you well, making up for what they lack in power at range with handiness up close and rapid fire (at least compared to bolt action rifles!). And don’t forget grenades! You’ll need to throw carefully in the tunnels where they could bounce back or fall down a chasm, but a skilful grenade can hit enemies round corners or behind fortifications!

The new map takes center stage, but it’s not all that comes with the update! Every faction in the game (Italians, Austro-Hungarians, and Germans) get a new rifle, and there is also an optional cosmetic DLC pack available for purchase – the Glacial Units Pack. If you want more visual options for yourself, Glacial Units contains a variety of uniforms and accessories that reflect the struggle of soldiers trying to keep warm without specialized clothing in the frozen mountains. There are a number of greatcoats, a sheep’s wool vest, a lot of face coverings from balaclavas and goggles to rough fabric wraps to keep out the cold. Several new facial hair choices round out the pack.

We’re hyped to see what everyone thinks of the Ice City – it’s certainly one of the most novel environments we’ve recreated so far. And remember, Marmolada is only the first stage of the White War – another new map will be coming…

Isonzo

BlackMill Games

☆☆☆☆☆
222

★★★★★

$29.99

$14.99

Get it now

World War One expands to the mountains of the Italian Front – beautiful but deadly in equal measure. Inspired by the two year struggle for control of the Isonzo river valley and the Alps during World War One, Isonzo elevates the WW1 Games Series, figuratively and literally.

From the makers of Verdun and Tannenberg…

Take part in historical offensives from the Sixth Battle of the Isonzo to the Strafexpedition. Reflecting the course of the actual battles, as the attackers advance the fighting will shift through vastly different landscapes within a single offensive: from hillside fortresses to mountain trenches and fierce urban combat on city streets. Everything is recreated based on research and field trips, from sound effects and uniforms down to the houses, vineyards and trenches you’ll be fighting over.
The new Offensive game mode puts you right in the middle of key historical offensives on the Italian Front. Lead the charge across stunning Italian landscapes as you choose your path to victory – cut paths through barbed wire, flank your enemies by following mountain trails, or man a mortar to blast a way through. Shape a dynamic battlefield by laying sandbags and wire, placing ammo crates, deploying trench periscopes or sniper shields, and more.

Call in support with a unique historically accurate flare system: flare guns can mark targets for artillery or biplane flybys, or different colored flares can be used to guide your team. Once the big guns have softened up the enemy, finish the job at close quarters with an Arditi dagger or mountaineer’s pickaxe. Man heavy machine guns, mortars and even mountain guns for more direct fire support.

Choose from six classes based on historical combat roles and build your loadout from a selection of weapons, equipment and perks linked to that class, giving flexibility and variety while staying grounded in what real soldiers might have carried. You’ll be operating wire cutters, bandaging yourself and wounded teammates, and blowing the whistle to start an assault. One shot can kill and even lighter injuries can lead to quickly bleeding out.

Being an effective soldier in Isonzo is not just about being a good marksman. Mastering the terrain is also key – the mountain can be a friend or foe. Learn how to navigate well to maintain cover and surprise your enemies or support your allies.

Finally… watch out for the dreaded poison gas. You’ve never experienced WW1 action quite like this!

Isonzo key features include:
• MOUNTAIN WARFARE: Assaulting mountain fortifications, battling through ruined towns, and fording rivers are just a few of the challenges you’ll face as you fight your way through numerous enemy positions
• TACTICAL MULTIPLAYER FPS: Choose your role and loadout carefully to survive this high altitude combat – play a sniper to pick off the enemy engineers before they can cut your wire, use rifle grenades to clear enemy machine guns, and much more
• WORLD WAR ONE GAMEPLAY: Historical Offensive game mode based on real battles and focused on the unique challenges of Alpine warfare. Fight with 30+ WW1 weapons, poisonous gas attacks, and intense artillery barrages
• BUILD FOR VICTORY: Place your own wire, sandbags, trench periscopes, and more! Whether you’re digging in or on the attack, shaping the battlefield to your advantage will be key to victory
• FACES OF WAR: Make every class your own by picking from a variety of historically class-appropriate uniforms, accessories and headgear. As a finishing touch, you can even pick your mustache from several famous period-accurate styles!
• AUTHENTIC WW1 ATMOSPHERE: Accuracy in everything from maps and weaponry to music and the uniforms – fight for the Kingdom of Italy, the German Empire or the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy

MORE GAMES IN THE AUTHENTIC WW1 GAME SERIES
Immerse yourself in more WW1 action with our other standalone titles Tannenberg and Verdun. Experience trench warfare on the Western Front in Verdun, or maneuver for control of key sectors in Tannenberg on the Eastern Front. These authentic WW1 shooters let players choose from a range of squads from across the war, as they fight for control of the ever-changing frontlines.

The post New Free Map Set in the Icy Marmolada Glacier Tunnels in WW1 Isonzo: White War appeared first on Xbox Wire.

• Four new playable characters from the Ultraman universe.
• Patch 1.3 updates include a new Replay Mode (beta) and upgrades to cross-platform matchmaking for the base game.
• Battle with up to four players as one of eight new kaijus and heroes, or ten of our original characters.

Heroes, Unite! Villains, Rise!

The fate of our universe has intertwined with another once again! Join us as we welcome Ultraman, Ultraman Tiga, Alien Baltan and Camearra as they cross over into GigaBash as a character pack DLC!

That’s right, the GigaBash | Ultraman DLC adds four new playable characters from the Ultraman universe to the GigaBash roster. Each of them features unique movesets and iconic abilities as seen on screen! So, will you become an Ultra-Hero or join the galactic villains and destroy our world? Join us as we take a closer look at each new character.

Ultraman

As seen in the first-ever Ultraman series that debuted in 1966, he is the alien of justice from Nebula M78, who merged with SSSP member Shin Hayata to fight for the peace of mankind. As Ultraman, you are highly skilled in close-quarters combat. Grapple your foes and unleash devastating takedowns, or deliver a powerful drop kick to send enemies flying. You can also charge the Spacium energy stored in his body to fire his iconic Spacium Beam against enemies who threaten humanity.

Alien Baltan

As seen in the 1966 debut of the Ultraman series, it is an alien species of advanced intelligence. As Alien Baltan, you are equipped with various deceptive abilities such as Multi Shadow Cloning and teleportation. You can also fire a barrage of White Destructive Light Bullets with your clones to devastate your foes. Don’t forget to taunt your foes with its distinctive cry, “Fofofofofofo.”.

Ultraman Tiga

As seen in the Ultraman Tiga series, which debuted in 1996, he is the light that stands against the dark forces of the world and an Ultra who moves forward with humanity. As Ultraman Tiga, you can Type Change to change your speed, power, and even skillset to adapt to any situation. Change to power type to deal huge damage but slower speed; change to Sky Type to move and attack faster at the cost of power; or change to Multi Type for a balanced fighting style while unlocking the use of his Zeperion Beam.

Camearra

Hailing from Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey, which debuted in 2000, she is the leader of the Giants of Darkness and the former lover of Ultraman Tiga. As Camearra, you wield a long-range whip that transforms into a close-range sword to defeat any who oppose her. You can also command swarms of Shibito-Zoigers to distract your foes, giving you space to set up your next deadly combo.

Beam Clash!

Wait, the hype doesn’t end there. Did you know if you fire any beam attack at another beam attack it increases?! That’s right, the faster you mash, the stronger your beam attack becomes, causing a massive explosion as a finale. Give it a try, this is one tug-of-war that’s sure to blow your enemies away!

Note: Due to regional restrictions and licensing agreements, Ultraman 4 Characters Pack DLC is not available in Japan and Mainland China.

Patch 1.3 Replay Mode (Beta) + Improved Crossplay

Replay Mode (Beta):

This new feature allows players to save and watch replays of their battles from within the game. With two Tokusatsu giant crossovers in the game, we hope this feature can enable fans to capture the Kaiju fantasy they always dreamed of.

Use the Free Camera Mode to move the camera down to a pedestrian’s point of view and feel the terrifying scale of destruction. Pause to catch quirky interactions between Kaijus and Heroes in the heat of battle. You can also apply various nostalgic camera filters or use the new News Channel filter for that extra cinematic twist.

This feature is still in beta and is only available in local play, but we’re working hard to get it running for online mode. It’s not perfect, but we’re excited to get everyone involved in its development as early as possible. So, share your feedback with us on our Discord as we continue to polish and improve this feature.

Cross-Platform Matchmaking & Online Mode updates

Assert your dominance online with this new update! All platforms now share the same public matchmaking pool via Public Match. That means Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Steam, and Epic players will be able to battle each other in the arena when they search for a Public Match. However, players will not be able to directly invite their friends from another platform via Private Match.

Patch 1.3 is a free update available to all players with the base game. So, hurry up and update your GigaBash to the latest version to enjoy these new features for free!

With two of the largest Tokusatsu franchises crossing over into GigaBash, along with improved crossplay and an epic Replay Mode (Beta), it’s never been a better time to play the game with friends and family! So, start gathering your Spacium energy towards both your arms because our Kaiju vs. Hero arena brawler is about to get real wild! Remember to follow us on our social media channels for the latest news and we’ll see you in the arena.

GigaBash

Passion Republic Games

☆☆☆☆☆
86

★★★★★

$24.49

Get it now

GigaBash combines the chaos and creativity of titles like Power Stone, Super Smash Bros Ultimate and War of Monsters with the jaw-dropping scale of the classic kaiju movies. Play as either a rampaging Titan or a Titan-hunting mecha; summon lightning from the heavens, use a radio tower as a baton, or roll a whole district (and your enemies) into a single massive snowball. Wreak enough havoc and you’ll evolve into your final form, the terrifyingly titanic S-Class.

The post GigaBash Ultraman DLC, Ultra-Heroes & Villains, Crosses over, and Patch 1.3 Updates appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Hi there, Xbox Insiders!

To Whom It May Concern

Fall has begun over here at HQ, and you can already feel its effects in the air. The leaves are turning, the faint smell of vaguely pumpkin flavored coffee permeates the office, and the night is dark and full of terrors. (That’s from when everyone still liked that show, right?)

Indeed, the winds of change blow heavily this year; our beloved program caught in the gale’s tempestuous grasp. So put on your favorite flannel, equip your thickest framed glasses, spin that classic blue (or green, or red, or white) record, and gather ‘round to hear all about the upcoming improvements, new initiatives, and much more coming to the Xbox Insider Program!

In Regards To Myself

My favorite game show host likes to say, “The only way to begin is by beginning,” and since I grew up in the South that means introductions are in order.

Hi! I’m Wynn; the newest member of the wonderful Xbox Insider team. I’ve been brought on to lead all things Comms and Community (or as I like to call it: Comm(s)unity) for the Xbox Insider Program, so you’ll be hearing from me more and more in the coming months. I’m super excited to be joining this team right now and I hope that my passion for both gaming and Xbox Insiders can help our 10th anniversary be a banner year for the program.

Some more about me? Well, I’m a huge Sci-Fi/Fantasy nerd, I wake up early on the weekends to watch Liverpool (YNWA), and I love achievement hunting. I’m also something of a writer myself (if using the word “tempestuous” in the opening section wasn’t a dead giveaway). But that’s enough self-indulgence, let’s talk about ~the future~.

Breathing In A New Mentality

From our social presence to new content being developed, from our releases to things we only dared dream of, there’s so many exciting projects we’re looking forward to sharing with everyone. We’re truly redoubling our efforts on having an “Xbox Insiders-first” mentality, and we hope everyone is as stoked by these changes as we are. Below you’ll see the first look at our Content Roadmap. It includes the return of old favorites, retiring (for now!) a few items, and a hint of new possibilities on the horizon!

Everyone Looks So Good From Here

My first week here, I scrolled back through all 205 pages (yes, all of them) of Xbox Wire articles we’ve posted. I wanted to understand the history of the program and what has changed over the years. One of the changes we discussed was a shift away from “people-content” and a move to “program-content”. Q&As, Community Spotlights, and deep dives had slowly faded from the limelight. Well no longer! A primary goal for this refresh is to demystify and de- “black box” things where we’re able to. This team is full of absolute rock stars. Some of whom have been here since the very beginning, and we want to share their stories with Xbox Insiders.

There’s also all the amazing Xbox Insiders themselves. Who can forget The Wee Bear’s dominance on the XP Leaderboards (or the way he always called it “Xbox Insiders Programme”)? Or when Beard got over 125K GamerScore in one month (which is about 6 games when adjusted for Xitilon/Ratalaika inflation)? We know our community is full of diverse and unique perspectives and we want to celebrate those stories, as well as highlight accomplishments and accolades within the program. Keep an eye out for these spotlights returning soon(tm).

The Created Void

I mentioned earlier that we want to demystify things where we can, which will sometimes mean acknowledging and owning our misses. The team spoke last week about being more cognizant around how we collected and delivered feedback from Xbox Insiders. One such item is Feature Fridays on the subreddit.

First, we want to give an enormous, heartfelt, “Thank you” to everyone that has participated in these threads over the last five years. Your contributions cannot be understated. We also realize this experience has let some of you down. As such, it’s our intent to retire the current Feedback Friday threads at the end of this year in preparation for launching a better, more transparent process. (Note: Plans can change! If we need more time to implement the new pipeline, we’ll make sure to keep everyone informed.)

To be perfectly, Hydaelyn-level, crystal clear, this does not mean we are abandoning our feature request pipeline. It’s an incredibly valuable tool not only for the Xbox Insider Team, but tons of other engineering and development teams within Xbox. The current vehicle isn’t working as intended, so we’re retuning the engine and giving it a fresh coat of paint. It’s still early days but our proverbial “North Star” is firmly set. Ensure that Xbox Insiders are given proper expectations and insight into what happens after a feature is requested. We’ll also be opening threads on the subreddit to gather feedback around this topic in the coming days. See y’all there!

The Changing Of Times

Looking even further down the line, you might notice things are a little less defined. Lots of teases on the roadmap, yet nothing quite solid. The planning stages for these projects have just begun and we don’t want to overpromise there. This is only the beginning. We’ll continue to send out these Community Update letters on a regular basis (aiming for the first Tuesday of every month) to discuss more about what the future holds. But maybe the roadmap itself holds more than meets the I?

There Could Be Nothing After This

I said, “could”, right? I know this is getting lengthy, so I just want to end by saying once again thank you so incredibly much to all the Xbox Insiders who continue to spend their time and effort delivering feedback, reporting problems, and engaging with the program. Without y’all, none of this would be possible.

Hope everyone enjoyed this inaugural Xbox Insider Program Community Update! If you haven’t already, drop us a follow @xboxinsider or head over to our official subreddit r/XboxInsiders. You can also join our [REDACTED] where we [REDACTED]! There’s also [REDACTED] and [MEGA REDACTED] for those of you who enjoy that.

Wynn/

The post Community Update November 2023 appeared first on Xbox Wire.