SEVEN GAMES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO XBOX ONE BACKWARDS COMPATIBILITY PROGRAM THIS WEEK

For the second time this week, Microsoft has added games to the Xbox One's backwards compatibility catalog. New additions for today, October 13, include Silent Hill: Downpour, Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard, and Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords.

These were announced by Microsoft's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb on Twitter.

Silent Hill: Downpour

If you already own any of these games on Xbox 360, they should show up automatically in your Xbox One game library. If not, you can buy them on your Xbox One or through the links below.

*Eat Lead ($15; 5.53 GB)

*Silent Hill: Downpour ($20; 4.52 GB)

*Puzzle Quest ($10; 80.29 MB)

*These three games follow the release of Jurassic Park: The Game, Battlestations: Midway, Dragon's *Lair, and Tour de France 2011 into the backwards compatibility catalog earlier this week.

The Xbox One's backwards compatibility feature launched in November 2015 with the New Xbox One Experience update. Microsoft has added new titles on a regular basis since then--you can see all 250-plus games in the catalog here.

Since backwards compatibility launched, the response has been "overwhelming," Microsoft recently said. Users have collectively spent 145 million hours playing Xbox 360 games on Xbox One.

Just recently, Xbox boss Phil Spencer was asked if Call of Duty: Black Ops II--the single most-requested title on the Xbox Feedback site--would be added to the program. He did not confirm anything but said conversations are ongoing about adding more third-party games to the catalog.

MICROSOFT CONSIDERED CALLING XBOX 360 THE "Xbox 3"?

When the Xbox One was originally announced, its name caused a lot of confusion and amusement because Microsoft threw normal naming conventions out the window and went backwards in number. However, Microsoft is no stranger to unusual numbering: after all, it named the original Xbox's successor "Xbox 360." As it turns out, though, the other name Microsoft considered for the 360 is even stranger.

According to an IGN interview with former Chief Xbox Executive Robbie Bach, the company seriously thought about naming the console "Xbox 3." And the reasoning centered on Sony's console, the PlayStation 3, and how Microsoft didn't want people to perceive Xbox as behind.

Bach explained, "Certainly Xbox 3 was actually on the list because, well, you've gotta catch up. You don't want to be Xbox 2 compared to PlayStation 3. We actually talked about that... You don't want to feel like you're a generation behind, so why not skip?"

Of course, the company ended up going with "Xbox 360," but since then Microsoft has proven just as willing to subvert numbering expectations. For example, last year it skipped Windows 9, going directly from Windows 8 to Windows 10.

In addition to talking about the 360's name, Bach also explained why Microsoft never made an Xbox handheld. Take a look at IGN for more interesting tidbits from their series with Robbie Bach.

COLD DARKNESS AWAKENED FOR THE RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER

Cold Darkness Awakened, the next expansion for Rise of the Tomb Raider, comes out on March 29, Microsoft and Crystal Dynamics announced today. It will be available on that date for Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC. A new trailer has also been released.

Check it out:

VIDEO LINK : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7h7VvzWLPo

VIDEO LINK : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd6evo2X5fw

Cold Darkness Awakened takes players to a decommissioned Cold War research base. It's been overrun, however, and a "deadly affliction" pours out from it.

"As the illness seeps into the wilderness surrounding the base, Trinity soldiers transform into bloodthirsty killers who thrive on carnage," reads a line from the expansion's description. "To prevent the affliction from spreading, Lara must rely on her wits, physical agility, and crafting abilities to overcome this new enemy and shut down the decommissioned base."

Cold Darkness Awakened is Rise of the Tomb Raider's third add-on, following Endurance Mode (December 2015) and Baba Yaga: The Temple of the Witch (January 2016). It's included with the Rise of the Tomb Raider Season Pass, which sells for $30, or can be purchased by itself for $10.

In other news about Rise of the Tomb Raider, the game is marked down this week as part of Microsoft's new Spring Sale. Additionally, the game is coming to PlayStation 4 later this year, though a release date has not been announced.

REVEAL OF GEAR OF WAR 4

A tweet from the Gears of War channel teases that the game's "next big reveal is coming soon." A countdown clock on the Gears of War website is ticking down to three days from now, on the morning of Monday, April 11. This is apparently when the announcement will be made, whatever it is.

The website itself is potentially confusing, as it shows only a number of hours left, but producer Rod Fergusson says it should be read as three days and a number of hours.

Gears of War community director Adam Fletcher teased the reveal further, saying it will come completely out of left field.

Gears of War 4 is scheduled to launch on October 11 for Xbox One. A PC version may also be released, but nothing has been confirmed at this stage. In other news, it's been confirmed that the game will offer split-screen play for multiplayer, though frame rate drops to 30fps when playing this way.

The Gears of War 4 multiplayer beta will begin later this month--check out this post to find out how to get in. On the subject of multiplayer, Fergusson recently said Gears of War's multiplayer--since Gears of War 1--has been "under-served," and explained why Gears of War 4 will change that.

RESIDENT EVIL REVELATIONS 2

Although Resident Evil Revelations 2 doesn't recapture old glory or reach new heights for the series, it contains moments of inspiration where its action-adventure gameplay and mostly compelling mystery plot marry together beautifully. Capcom’s horror doesn't frighten, but as an action-adventure it’s elevated by this occasional synergy, and the excellent bonus Raid mode.

Revelations 2’s four episodes dance between two timelines, each with its own pair of characters, to weave together a mystery that kept me hooked right up until its finale. In one, reliably endearing Claire Redfield and ‘tude-filled Moira Burton - who I also liked, despite her tendency to swear for the sake of swearing -  are two unlikely friends, thrust together by an evil ‘overseer’ who is keeping them captive for reasons unknown.

Resident Evil fan-favourite Barry Burton is back in the second timeline, joined by mysterious newcomer Natalia, a little girl whose memory harbors half-remembered secrets. Each episode manages to keep its cards close enough to its chest that I was compelled to play the next one – perhaps the only justification for Revelations 2’s four-episode structure – and there’s a humour in the characters that I found refreshing.

Pairing off these characters does more than serve the story, though, as your companions are legitimately useful in ways that make gameplay more interesting. Moira’s flashlight is used to blind

Resident Evil Revelations 2.

FEBRUARY 25, 2015 [EPISODE 1 LAUNCH]

Uncover more secrets of the Umbrella conspiracy in Resident Evil: Revelations 2.

→ MUCH MORE

LUCY O'BRIEN SAYS

Try This Game If You Liked:

The Evil WithinResident Evil 5Dead Island enemies and find hidden objects for Claire, and Natalia can see enemy weakpoints and crawl through tiny spaces where Barry can’t fit.

Revelations 2 is at its best when it makes us use all these skills at once. Its most satisfying moments involve switching between characters on the fly - or shrieking instructions at your partner if playing in split-screen or online co-op - in order to make it through particularly tricky or dangerous areas.

Both Natalia and Moira are physically underpowered, too, which can lend to a sense of hysteria. There’s a thrilling section in Episode 3, for example, where Moira and Claire must escape an enemy-filled building by working together against the clock. Moira can’t defend herself against giant enemies, so you’ve either got to make a run for it or you’ve got to switch to Claire and pump bullets into them from afar.

I would have liked to have seen more of this kind of co-op play across the board, but unfortunately Revelations 2’s biggest sin is its boring corridor environments.There’s a significant lack of environmental detail here - ‘unbreakable crates’ is as spicy as it generally gets - and its crumbling interiors are painted in far less than 50 shades of grey.

Equally unimaginative enemies roam them. While there are a handful that stand out - Claire faces off against a deliciously gross monster at the end of episode 3, while the final boss will likely inspire fan-art - most enemies are generic shamblers or walking pustules with glowing red spots. In 2015, these monsters aren’t only played out - they’re simply not scary.

Fortunately, traditional Resident Evil puzzles do eventually spice things up, after a conspicuous absence in the first few episodes. Episode 3 introduces some classic brain-benders, including one that involves Barry and Natalia working together to move a box from one end of a level to another. It’s all nonsense, of course - the justification is that the giant box is an outdoor ‘power source’ - but it incorporates some clever level design and provides a nice break from the running and gunning.

There’s far more consistency outside the main campaign. The Raid minigame is a highlight, played either solo or co-op. Raid mode challenges you to clear out a huge number of shooting galleries under the recommended level without healing yourself, offering bragging rights and unlockable characters as a reward. At 130 medals down, I’ve only scratched the surface, yet I’m compelled to continue: Raid offers real longevity outside of the main campaign.

VIDEO LINK : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ytrIg10Rpc

APRIL UPDATE IMPROVES XBOX ONE`S

Microsoft has detailed the next Xbox One system update, which brings with it some minor, but much appreciated new features.

The April system update is being distributed to preview program members first, as usual, but it'll be coming in two parts. The first of these should now be in the hands of testers, and consists of three features, as detailed by Major Nelson.

With the update installed, achievement notifications will include more than just the name of the achievement you've unlocked. You'll be able to see the description for the achievement, sparing you the effort of having to open the achievements app in order to see exactly what it is you just accomplished. Should you want to still open the achievements app, it should now open more quickly when launched from a notification.

Party chat has been improved and will now help to identify what problem may be preventing you from chatting with other users. It will do this by informing you of networking issues or privacy settings that are getting in the way of being able to chat, as well as by identifying other problems--such as your Kinect's chat being disabled, as shown in the image above.

Finally, game hubs are being made more easily accessible from the activity feed. You'll be linked to a game's hub from posts involving that game, including achievements, video clips, and screenshots.

Details on the features coming in the second part of the April update's preview will be announced next week.

PREDATOR ON MORTAL KOMBAT X?

Yesterday, an Xbox Store listing revealed that the Predator, the alien from the movie of the same name, will be a playable character in Mortal Kombat X for those who buy the game's premium edition.

Now, publisher Warner Bros. officially announced that the Predator will be included in one of four pieces of DLC. The other three pieces of DLC add the previously announced Jason Voorhees, Tanya, and Tremor. Each of the packs will also include new skins for existing characters.

Here's a complete breakdown of what's included in each of the packs:

The Ultimate Horror Pack:

Playable character Jason Voorhees

Horror skins Vampiress Mileena, Kraken Reptile and Pharaoh Ermac

The Klassic Pack #1:

Playable character Tanya

Klassic skins for Kano, Sonya and Liu Kang

The Predator / Prey Pack:

Playable character Predator

Predator-themed skins Commando Johnny, Infrared Scorpion and Carl Weathers as Jax

The Klassic Pack #2:

Playable character, Tremor

Klassic skins for Quan Chi, Jax and Kung Lao

In the Americas, all of the above content will be included in the Kombat Pack, which comes with the Mortal Kombat X Kollector’s Edition by Coarse, Limited Edition and Premium Edition. The Kombat Pack will also be available for purchase separately for $30.

Check out GameSpot's detailed list of what's included in each of the Mortal Kombat X special editions.

At launch, Kombat Pack owners will get the Samurai Pack, which contains three new skins: Ronin Kenshi, Samurai Shinnok and Jingu Kitana. Those who buy the Kombat Pack will also get the content earlier, before it's sold individually.

The game launches April 14 for Xbox One, Xbox 360

VIDEO LINK : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_1WiEHvtS0

SURVIVAL TIPS TO SUCCEED IN EVOLVE

The four-on-one multiplayer of Evolve looks deceptively simple. Jump into the shoes of a Hunter, and it'll feel like a first-person shooter. Even playing as the Monster can initially feel like an action-focused roaming brawler. But this is a game with a great deal more depth than it appears at first glance. No, don't shy away, we're here to help: Follow these key bits of advice to get yourself up to speed.

Know Your Role

In Evolve, every character is unique. And every Hunter is vital. Since you're never entirely sure which character you're going to spawn as, you need to get familiar with them all. But, more importantly, you need to operate within that character's given role. For example, if your Medic spends more time trying to damage the Monster than healing your team, you're gonna have a bad time. Learn the roles, and play the role you're given. You'll have plenty of opportunities to play other roles in the future.

It's Dangerous to Go Alone

Because each Hunter class supports every other, it's absolutely crucial to stick together as much as possible. The last thing you want is to have your Assault Hunter halfway across the map when you've trapped the Monster. And being low on health without a Medic around is nothing short of infuriating. So keep tabs on your teammates... and at the very, very least, stay in constant communication with each other.

For Monsters, a Little Stealth Goes a Long Way

Let's review the basics of Evolve: One player controls a Monster. Four players do everything in their power to destroy the Monster. As powerful as the Monster can be, it's hard to escape the fact that it's four against one. One way to gain an edge as the Monster is to be as stealthy as possible. At the start of the match, of course, you'll want to run like hell. But as soon as you've got some distance between you and the Hunters, take it slow and careful. The quieter you are, the harder it'll be for them to find you. And for the love of all that is holy, avoid the groups of roosting birds. They'll put the Hunters on your trail immediately.

Don't Get Tunnel Vision

No matter your role, it's easy to get too focused on the ultimate goal of the match, whether it be taking down a Monster or simply surviving as one. But remember that some sidetracks are worth it. Most especially, hunting albino creatures can result in seriously beneficial buffs for you or your team. You can harvest bonuses that slash your special-ability cool-down times, boost your armor, or even expand your clip size. Just don't get too distracted, or you might find your enemy creeping up behind you.

Mix it Up...

When you look at the progression path for both Hunters and Monsters, you'll notice that each item or ability has its own individual challenge. For example, the Medic needs to heal a certain amount of teammate damage, tranquilize the Monster a certain number of times, and place a certain number of targets on the Monster with the sniper rifle. Each class has similar challenges, and so does the Monster. Only after completing all of these objectives can you level up and unlock a new character. It can feel like a bit of a grind, but it serves two important purposes: First, it forces you to get comfortable with all of your role's abilities; and second, it gets you access to upgraded characters, who are dramatically better than the base model.

...But Not All at Once

Here's the trouble: If you try to focus on all these objectives in a single game, you'll find yourself overwhelmed. Monsters really need to specialize; you only get a handful of upgrade points when you evolve to Tier 2 and Tier 3, and trying to spread those points to all your abilities is going to leave you underpowered and vulnerable. So whether you're playing as Monster or Hunter, pick just one or two abilities to focus on each round.

The most important thing to remember about Evolve is that it's a much more complex and strategic game than it appears. Pay attention to your roles and your goals, though, and you'll survive.

Well, some of the time.

You can test your monster-hunting abilities immediately; Evolve is available right now on Xbox One!

EVOLVE GAMEPLAY VIDEO