Daily Archives: January 17, 2020

Augmented reality is cool and all, but its hard to shake the idea that staring at our smartphone screens isnt the optimal way to experience AR. Thank goodness, then, for startup Mojo Vision, which has developed augmented reality contact lenses that promise to make viewing AR content a whole lot more seamless. And far more sci-fi in the process.

The companys forthcoming Mojo Lens AR lenses pack the worlds densest 14K pixels-per-inch micro-displays, wireless radio, image-recognition tech (which it claims will be able to understand the activities youre engaged in, so as to not disturb you when its not wanted), and motion sensors all in a minute form small enough to fit onto your eyeball. Mojo Vision believes its Invisible Computing tech has the potential to be a major game-changer when it comes to augmented reality, with the ability to transform how people interact with AR.

Through the use of [AR], useful information can be presented on displays built into glasses or a headset, the company notes on its website. You can see turn-by-turn directions while walking, important steps for replacing an unfamiliar machine part, or talking points for a presentation all without holding a device or looking down at a screen. By using a wearable display, AR helps you keep your concentration by providing information heads-up and hands-free. However, todays AR headsets are too awkward to be worn in social and professional situations, and many AR solutions try to create immersive experiences that can clutter reality. Thats why Mojo has pioneered the concept of Invisible Computing a display that never gets in the way.

Promotional images for Mojo Vision depict users having constellations highlighted in the night sky and hint at things like the aforementioned turn-by-turn directions on the street. Realistically, provided that the tech is as good as the company promises (and its $108 million in previous funding suggests), the number of use cases for this tech is almost limitless. An announced partnership with the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired could also make Mojo Vision particularly valuable as a piece of accessibility tech for the Blind community.

Theres still more work to be done, including the securing of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval since contact lenses are considered medical devices. There is also the question of whether AR contact lenses are going to win over a public that thought Google Glass was a bit too creepy.

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AR contact lenses are here to usher in the cyberpunk future of our dreams - Digital Trends

As we wait for the release ofCyberpunk 2077, we're all trying to anticipate what the game will be like. To do this, we look at the features the game offers, try to compare it to games by the same developer, or other games in the same or similar genres. Butif you want to know what the game will really feel like to play, you must pay attention to another aspect of the game, too, its soundscape.

RELATED:Castlevania: 10 Best Soundtracks, Ranked

Developers have released information on who is playing music for the soundtrack,and this tells us a lot. Here're ten feels you can expect from the game based on the soundtrack.

A$AP Rocky is a rapper from NYC who has experienced firsthand what the street life can be like. At a young age, he lost his older sister to a drug overdose, and in addition to rapping he has sold drugs on the street. His music can be thematically heavy, but it can also be light in feeling.

RELATED:Cyberpunk 2077: 10 Cool Features to Look Forward To

A$AP Rocky's music will add feelings of stepping into the shit and coming out clean. This will put you in the mood for conquering Night City. A great feeling for gearing up before a mission or getting down with friends afterward.

Rat Boy is a British rapper who also cites indie rock as one of his key influences. He's been compared to The Beastie Boys, and certainly there is a similarity in his early music. He's had experience as a disposable worker in the service economy, and his personal experiences form the basis for his music. For theCyberpunk 2077 soundtrack, he promises music that blends punk influence with an exploration of where electronica can go. This music will likely be good for listening to when things don't go your way; very comforting music for a loser.

Richard Devine is an electronic musician who has produced some amazingly complex sounds. The thickly layered music he produces is very different from the type of music we've encountered before on this soundtrack, and it broadens our understanding of what this soundtrack could be. Devine brings somethingalmost like what Vangelis did for theBlade Runner soundtrack, and this could lead to some very interesting feels for the game. Quiet, deep moments. In the music based trailer, he talks about making "rugged, rough, edgy" music, which isn't the type of sound he's normally known for, so it could be a bit of a wildcard here.

Nina Kraviz is a Russian DJ, producer, and singer. Trained as a dentist, she worked many jobs before she finally found success at her calling. In the music trailer, they quote her as talking about music that is "psychedelic, trippy, yet uplifting, engaging."

RELATED:Cyberpunk 2077: 10 Reasons Why Cyberpunk Still Matters

This goes along with her style of music, which can separate an audience from their surroundings and put them into a headspace that she creates. We can see her music as being ideal for club scenes, of which we expect there will be several.

Deadly Hunta combines many disparate influences in his music, including dancehall and reggae. It's nice to see him on the soundtrack, because it helps to bring a more international feel to the game. Deadly Hunta is an African artist who moved to Jamaica before establishing himself as an energetic performer and thoughtful musician. In the music trailer he talks about the music being industrial and connoting a feeling of revolution.There are a lot of places this music might fit, either as background for a drugged-out scene, or perhaps as a call to action for an uprising, the latter is of coursehearkens most to his recent song "Chemtrails."

Gazelle Twin describes her music as being "quite rebellious, and it's quite noisy and aggressive." That certainly fits the style of this British-based electronic music composer, producer, and musician. The heavy beats anddeep themes of her music will make for a very oppressive atmosphere. Adding Gazelle Twin to the soundtrack will create a sensationalmost like being trapped under the weight of the world, but like the cockroaches she uses in her "Anti Body" video, the game's heroes are resilient and still capable of escaping the pressure.

While it might initially seem strange to add a cellist to the soundtrack ofCyberpunk 2077, Tina Guo is no ordinary cellist. This Chinese-American musicianhas come a long way from her training as a classical cellist. She has a long history in pop music, performing with the Foo Fighter as far back as 2008. She has entire album themed to video game music, calledGame On!, and she has a number of amazing performance videos out there, including theGod of War main theme and an outstanding live performance of the theme from theWonder Woman movie with violinist Caroline Campbell.

RELATED:God Of War: 10 Most Heartbreaking Moments In The Series, Ranked

She talks about the range of music she's performingfor the soundtrack, including some heavy, dirty tracks, but also some mellow, ambient music. So, I guess we have to expect some mellow scenes?

Refused is a veteran punk rock band from Sweden that debuted just a year after the classic Cyberpunk 2020 RPG printed. They combine driving guitars with a wide range of influences, including jazz. The band has changed dramatically. Their anti-establishment stance makes them a great tonal fit for the game, but Refused isn't actually appearing as themselves. They are portraying the band "Samurai," in the game. This legendary chrome rock band served as the launch vehicle for rocky Johnny Silverhand voiced by Keanu Reaves when he's not singing.Several tracks by "Samurai" have been released, and this gives you your best way to sample the true sonic environment ofCyberpunk 2077.

Grimes is a Canadian dream pop musician who has already released songs related to Cyberpunk 2077. This includes "4 M," which she also performed live at The Game Awards in a spectacular stage show promoting the game. This song is consistent with some of her other recent work. She says of her music, "I think it fits with Night City because both are scary and pretty at the same time."

RELATED:Cyberpunk 2077: 10 Amazing Cosplays That Have Us Hyped For The Game

In the case of this song, the music has a dreamy, distant feel, like reality is slipping away. This could be in a good way, or it could be in a very bad way.

Perhaps the simplest inclusion on this soundtrack,Run the Jewels brings a heavy foundation to theCyberpunk 2077 soundtrack. Ahead of their highly anticipated new album this year, they are bringing their characteristic hardcore rap sound to the soundtrack, as well as their combination of fun, engaging lyrics. And the feeling they want to convey? That's simple. Killer Mike explains, "We wanna provide you with the soundtrack for f***ing shit up." There is definitely going to be a lot of that, Mike. And it will be a lot more fun with your music.

NEXT:10 Amazing Games You Should Play While You're Waiting For Cyberpunk 2077

NextThe Witcher 3: 5 Video Game Protagonists Who Could Beat Geralt In A Fight (& 5 Who Couldn't)

Matthew literally has a PhD in science fiction and has been a professional writer since 2007. He fell in love with games when they were simple, like Risk and Gort. He grew up with D&D, Paradroid, and Axis & Allies. Now he's delighted to enjoy fun times gaming with his kids and all the new options. Current favorites: Astroneer and Terraforming Mars.

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Cyberpunk 2077: 10 Feels We Can Expect Based On The Soundtrack - TheGamer

Its said almost every year: This year is looking to be one of the best one for games ever! The prospects of each new year are analyzed and stock is taken on what can be expected from console manufacturers and publishers. While some deliver in spades 2018 was a killer year for the industry others often tend to be notable but not necessarily huge. Thats all about to change this year. With a string of high-profile tent pole game releases, the growth of cloud gaming, and the beginning of an all-new console generation, 2020 is set to be pretty explosive.

For starters, Final Fantasy VII Remake arrives in March. Its not the entire game, but fans are actually getting the full-scale remake theyve dreamed about for decades. Receiving even a piece of this remake is a huge deal.

Then Cyberpunk 2077, first announced back in 2012, releases on April 16. Anticipation is through the roof for CD Projekt Reds new epic action RPG. Each trailer, gameplay demo, and piece of media cements the notion that were in for an incredibly detailed world to explore. CD Projekt Red has proven itself to be a studio that has its finger on the pulse of what many core gamers desire: narrative-driven action adventure games focused on delivering high-quality stories. Whats more, the developer is still riding high on the goodwill built from The Witcher 3, which recently received renewed interest thanks to a Netflix series.

The big hitters dont stop there by any means. Doom Eternal and Resident Evil 3, scheduled for March and April respectively, are both expected to do extremely well critically and financially. Resident Evil 3 launching just over a year after Resident Evil 2 in particular comes across as ambitious and exciting (especially since Resident Evil: Resistance is included). Capcom has been on fire lately, and if Resident Evil 3s announcement trailer is anything to go by, were in for another great time.

Perhaps most shocking of all games releasing this year is Half-Life: Alyx. Many Half-Life fans had all but given up on ever getting another entry in the franchise, with Valve showing much more interest in its position as a platform (Steam) than narrative-driven games. While Alyx is admittedly VR-only, that doesnt take away from the fact that were getting a new Half-Life experience one thats long, suggests high quality with its trailer, and dishes out more story surrounding Half-Life 2 and potentially beyond.

When looking to the console manufacturers, we see a ton of movement. Microsoft has been incredibly busy as of late, heavily pushing Game Pass, laying the ground work for xCloud, and setting the stage for the next generation with Xbox Series X.

Xbox Game Studios appears to finally be picking up steam this year with first-party titles releasing almost every month. Ori and the Will of the Wisps and Bleeding Edge are two to watch for in March. Gears Tactics and Minecraft Dungeons will definitely have their share of players in April, and games like Grounded, Wasteland 3, Tell Me Why, Battletoads, Psychonauts 2, and Flight Simulator round out the list.

The biggest elephant in the room is of course the recently revealed Xbox Series X. Xbox easily stole the show at The Game Awards with its announcement. Touted as a very powerful and dedicated gaming machine, the Series X is Microsoft throwing its full weight behind console gaming. We have yet to learn details on launch date, price, and the full extent of its hardware innards, but gamers have shown theyre definitely hungry for it.

A new console launch is a big deal. Its the culmination of years of research and development, and Microsoft is smart to release a game many have been eagerly anticipating for years right alongside it: Halo Infinite. Not only is this subconsciously symbolic Halo was a launch title for the original Xbox its a calculated move, and one Microsoft hopes will push Xbox Series X units into living rooms this holiday. If 343 delivers a home run, it will be a system seller.

Microsoft is also gearing to finally launch Project xCloud into the public domain. The companys push into cloud gaming isnt hard to see. The preview program has been regarded as a success to a majority of players, and its rollout signifies a potential turning point for many gamers worldwide. Its going to be a massive year for Xbox.

Nintendo is more of a wild card at this point. We dont know much beyond releases like Pokmon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, both slated for March, and Grasshoppers No More Heroes III. But you can be sure that a company like Nintendo has some cards up its sleeve. Nintendo Directs are always on the horizon, often holding surprises that seem to pop up out of nowhere.

Will the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild actually launch this year? Will we finally see Bayonetta 3 in our hands? Can we expect to hear more about Metroid Prime 4? These are all possibilities, just like a rumored new revision of the Nintendo Switch itself. The handheld-console hybrid has continued to ride a wave of momentum since its launch almost three years ago, and I have no doubt the company will continue that trend this year.

Sonys 2020 on the other hand is fairly transparent relatively speaking, and its looking like it will be a monster. A slew of first-party games and exclusives are set to release on PlayStation 4 this year. In development for the entire generation, Dreams is finally set to release on Feb. 14. Players have created some absolutely stunning works of art, not to mention actual functional games. Its an incredibly unique and ambitious project and could possibly open up something entirely new for game creators and gamers alike.

Nioh 2, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and Iron Man VR are marquee exclusive titles to keep an eye on as well. Ghost of Tsushima, Sucker Punchs all-new open-world action adventure IP, will also be released at last later this summer. Expectations for the developer are high after the long gap since 2014s inFamous Second Son and its expansion, First Light. Demo footage and trailers have continued to tick all the right boxes, and PlayStation fans definitely love what they see.

But its The Last of Us: Part II, arguably one of the most anticipated titles in recent memory, that has PS4 owners foaming at the mouth. Naughty Dog can seemingly do no wrong at this point, and thanks to the highly lauded Uncharted series and The Last of Us, people are just dying to get their hands on the game. Its right behind Cyberpunk 2077 as the game Im most looking forward to this year. Sonys focus on highly focused narrative-driven games is continuing full steam ahead, and if Uncharted 4, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Spider-Man are anything to go by, we might even see the best-selling first-party SIE title on PS4 to date.

All of that alone makes for a busy year for the company, but its also throwing its hat into the next-gen ring with the PlayStation 5. With over 106 million PlayStation 4 systems sold to date, its not a stretch to say that many gamers will be excited as all hell to grab the next PlayStation. We still havent seen the physical console itself, let alone details on price and launch date, but we know its coming this holiday.

Like every PlayStation before it, the PS5 launch will be massive. Expect a heavy marketing campaign and a wide range of launch titles big and small. Thanks to Gearbox Software and developer Counterplay Games, we already know of one launch game. Announced at last years Game Awards, Godfall is a new looter-slasher thats set to release alongside the new console.

Even with everything said so far, we still havent taken into account several other big third-party releases like Watch Dogs: Legion, Dying Light 2, and Marvels Avengers. There are bound to be a bunch of unannounced titles ready to go too. Will Warner Bros. Montreals new Batman game, frustratingly teased with logo after logo for the past four months, finally see the light of day? Will the long rumored Viking-inspired Assassins Creed become a launch title for next-gen consoles? Whats Bluepoint Games PS5 game going to be? Could a sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn theoretically be ready as a launch title? Well almost certainly see Forza Motorsport 8 for Xbox Series X.

With everything we know so far, its easy to see just how big this years bound to be. Indeed, people do say every year in games is huge, massive, or epic! But hey, when we actually stop to look at everything thats coming this time, it actually does look that way.

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The Last of Us 2, Halo Infinite, Cyberpunk 2077 & More Have Set 2020 Up to Be an Epic Year in Gaming - The Escapist

Technicolor 23:52:00 Liam Wong. All images courtesy of the artist and Thames & Hudson

Late-night taxi rides, rain-soaked streets, a fleeting glimpse of the last train home video game designer-turned-photographer Liam Wong reveals a neon-soaked journey into the nocturnal world of Tokyo.

Creative Boom was one of the first to share his Blade Runner inspired series when it was launched in 2016. Now we're happy to discover that Wong is releasing his first book, TO:KY:OO presenting the world's biggest city as it's rarely seen, masterfully reinvented from midnight street scenes to cyberpunk dreamscapes.

Self-taught and influenced by creative masters such as Syd Mead and Hideo Kojima, Wong developed his own software techniques to create the evocative images that render Tokyo's particular nightlife in a surreal world all his own.

The book also features a section on Wong's creative process, so diehard fans can discover how he chooses the right scene, enhances colour and adds further impact.

"One night, it rained, and the city came to life. I got lost in the beauty of Tokyo at night. I kept taking picture after picture. It was like being inside the cyberpunk world created by Syd Mead in Blade Runner," says Wong.

Art directed by Wong himself, TO:KY: OO is published by Thames & Hudson. You can grab a copy via Liam Wong's website at http://www.liamwong.com.

Neon Noir 23:50:20 Liam Wong

Blade Runner Origins 00:17:59 Liam Wong

Ultraviolet 02:41:27 Liam Wong

Memories of Green 00:00:33 Liam Wong

TO:KY:OO Night Train 00:00:00 Liam Wong

Kimono Glitch 01:51:19 Liam Wong

Self-Portrait in Midgar 01:00:00 Liam Wong

Youth 23:11:00 Liam Wong

Neo Tokyo 20:9:00 Liam Wong

Traffic 02:32:19 Liam Wong

Blade Runner Vibes 00:49:51 Liam Wong

Noir 23:56:30 Liam Wong

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Liam Wong's debut monograph is a cyberpunk-inspired exploration of a neon-soaked nocturnal Tokyo - Creative Boom

January 11, 2020 4:34 PM EST

Ever wonder what the brilliant minds of CD Projekt Red could do with other major gaming IPs? Well, youre in luck a Principal Concept Artist from the Cyberpunk 2077team has taken his hand at making some Metal Gear Solidinspired concept art that looks like the making of a great game. In fact, some of these concepts are so good, hopefully we will see something similar in eitherCyberpunk 2077 or a future Hideo Kojima title.

The CD Projekt Red Concept Artist Furio Tedeschi shared some of these designs earlier this week on his LinkedIn page. With each one simply titled MGS Inspired Work, there isnt a ton of detail into the thought process behind the designs. With that said, these feel right out of Hideo Kojimas metaphorical sketchbook.The environments are somewhat varied. Though Tedeschi stuck with a military camouflage aesthetic for each of these characters, they all feel wildly different. While the first in the set gives off a distinct icy arctic impression, the other two draw from more modern settings with desert and a more outdoorsy print:

While the visuals themselves scream neo-militaristic futurology, there is a great reference to theMetal Gear Solidseries: a patch on their uniforms that signify Outer Heaven. Its clear that Hideo Kojima is a big fan of this style even beyond the Metal Gear Solidfranchise. After parting ways (unceremoniously) with Konami, his earliest concept art of DeathStranding then titled Dead Stranding had more of a soldier aesthetic than the games final end product.

This is far from the only crossover artist weve seen in 2020. A week ago we highlighted the lead artist fromGod of Warand Sony Santa Monica who was drawing different Nintendo series characters, starting with Fox fromStar Fox.

Cyberpunk 2077will launch on April 16, 2020 for Google Stadia, PC, PS4, and Xbox One and you canpre-order it over on Amazon to support the site. Check out the full gallery of theMetal Gear Solidinspired art, below:

This post contains affiliate links where DualShockers gets a small commission on sales. Any and all support helps keep DualShockers as a standalone, independent platform for less-mainstream opinions and news coverage.

January 11, 2020 4:34 PM EST

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Cyberpunk 2077 Concept Artist Is Creating Metal Gear Solid Inspired Art - DualShockers