Need For Speed (2015 game)

Need For Speed (PS4)

Need For Speed (XBOX One)

The longest-running hardcore car racing franchise is back and now, the latest Need For Speed game delivers the ultimate definition of car culture where everyone can express their love of cars not as a car enthusiast but as a driver who live out driving as their personal hobby.

Drivers are welcomed in the nocturnal open-world landscape of Ventura Bay as they are free to do whatever the heck they want with their rides. In the new NFS, there are many ways to enjoy Ventura Bay you like as demonstrated by the biggest names in the car culture scene. You can race against your rivals, outrun the cops, perform stunts, customize your ride to make it unique, and form alliances so you'll never race alone.

From Japanese street tuners, European saloons, American muscle cars, to supercars, every car in Need For Speed is unique to the driver and to make them even more unique, they can customize it any way they like.

Yes, customization is mentioned and in Need For Speed, you now have many ways to customize your ride from visuals to performance upgrades. 

On the visual side, drivers can personalize it with body kits, wheels, aero parts, and of course, paint jobs. Although the new feature feels a bit limited, creating paint jobs for their favorite cars adds a nice impression to show the world your favorite car looks like. As for performance, feel free to upgrade whatever suits the situation such as adding more power, making it more driftable, more easier to handle, whatever floats you boat but remember, all cars differ to their performance so experiment upgrading with different rides and find out which setup fits your next race or which is great for escaping the cops.

Thanks to next-generation gaming, the graphics never felt more realistic than ever before and the way you play NFS is nothing like you've ever played before. That's an upside for this game as well as the customizations and many others but the downside goes to the choice of cars. Sure, you might have early access to future machines such as the all-new Ford Focus RS and the BMW M2 Coupe but while the current NFS car lineup is a great start, it feels somewhat lacking. Let's hope some DLC will remedy it but its too early to tell so you have to make do with all the rides offered in-game.

Another downside is when playing off-line, single-player gameplay is allowed but if you want to connect to multiplayer, you need subscription to either PlayStation Plus or XBOX Live Gold to do so, which is kinda lame because we miss the split-screen multiplayer goodness where you and your friends can enjoy this game anytime.

Although this may not be one of the best racing games of 2015, the newly reborn NFS game is a sure fire way to attract car lovers who share their passion for the car culture scene and with car culture is the key essence of this game, this is definitely the NFS game you want to have if you're a series veteran or newcomer alike.

Need For Speed is now available on the PS4 and XBOX One, and coming Spring 2016 for the PC.

F1 2015 - Mexican GP

Photo: Getty Images

After over two decades of hiatus, the Mexican Grand Prix has returned on this year's season and although everything's changed at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, its glorious past still remains the same, even though with numerous F1 drivers who are new to this track.

In the end, Nico Rosberg feels like he's back on the road after his gratuitous win at the Mexican GP, sending his teammate (and rival) Lewis Hamilton to 2nd place, due to downforce problems. That's another 1-2 finish for the Mercedes team. Williams' Valtteri Bottas placed 3rd.

Onto the overall standings, Lewis Hamilton still in 1st place with 345 points while Nico Rosberg, thanks to his win, sent him back to 2nd place with 272, and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel dropped back to 3rd with 251 points.

The semi-finals of the F1 2015 season will take place in Brazil on the 15th of November.

Let's Do The News! (November 3, 2015)

- ASEAN defense ministers started their two-day talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, following reports of an American destroyer vessel sailed within 12 nautical miles of a Chinese-made island in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea last week. This meeting hopes to gain support for their countries' stances in the ongoing maritime tensions in the South China Sea.

- According to a US State Department spokesperson, the United States will lift sanctions on Iran after monitoring its adherence to the international deal curbing Iran's nuclear development as the relevant nations have started necessary precautions. If the International Atomic Energy Agency verifies that Iran completed the necessary steps, the sanctions will be lifted.

- The first batch of bodies retrieved from Saturday's plane crash in Egypt has arrived in St. Petersburg in Russia. Last weekend, an Airbus A321-200 crashed in the Sinai Peninsula while on its way to the Russian city. Reports told that all 224 people onboard have died.

- Senator Alan Peter Cayetano files complaint  against DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and NAIA execus at the Office of the Ombudsman over the alleged tanim-bala scam that has been plaguing airline passengers everywhere. This scam involves some security officials who allegedly insert live rounds in the luggage of passengers and ask them for money in exchange of dropping charges of illegal possession of ammunition.

- A crossfire at a nightclub north of Lebanese capital city, Beirut, killed eight people including two officers and two members of a notorious crime family, according to reports,

- Available tomorrow on Forza Motorsport 6 for the XBOX One Console is the eBay Motors Car Pack featuring motorsport legends such as Senna's McLaren MP4/4, Lancia Corse Beta Montecarlo Turbo, Swiss Team MC Trofeo, Holden Torana A9X, Datsun 2000, Mazda SpeedSource Lola B12/80, and rather unique Plymouth Prowler. Car Pass owners can get it for free.

- W Motors, the Arab-based supercar company behind the Lykan Hypersport, is teasing their next supercar prior to Dubai International Motor Show, called the Fenyr Supersport.

- Earlier, a group of hackers, presumably the Hacktivist group Anonymous Philippines, hacked the official Twitter account of Maine "Yaya Dub" Mendoza, Now, Anonymous PH issued a public apology over the hacking of the popular EB presenter, famous for her AlDub antics on TV.

- Nolyn Cabahug, the leading tenor of the Philippines, passed away due to renal failure he was diagnosed six years ago.

TTFN!!!

Let's Do The News! (November 2, 2015)

- 11 people are reportedly killed in a hotel attack in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. Local police say a car rigged with explosives rammed into the hotel's entrance on Sunday and exploded. It is believed to be an attack caused by an Islamic militant group.

- The first-ever Japan-South Korea summit in three years became meaningful as the two leaders, Japan PM Shinzo Abe and South Korean president Park Geun-hye, sought to solve historical issues and improve bilateral ties.

- The Turkish ruling party, AKP, vows to form a single-party government on their own after winning a majority in the country's general elections. They've won 316 seats in parliament, well over the majority.

- US Secretary of State John Kerry met up with his counterparts from five Central Asian nations to discuss ways to combat terrorism. The foreign ministers agreed to cooperate in monitoring the movements of WMDs amid the increasing activities of Islamic State militants infiltrating the region from Afghanistan.

- Two hosts of Eat Bulaga, Joey de Leon and Tito Sotto, got offended by the Filipino Muslim community ever since they wore Arab garbs in the variety show's Halloween special last Saturday.

- Another teaser for the third-generation Buick LaCrosse flagship saloon was showcased prior to this month's LA Auto Show premiere.

- Check out this Amazon Fire TV commercial starring former Top Gear host, now host for Amazon original motoring show, Jeremy Clarkson.

- New Pokemon XY toys on the radar! In celebration of the latest chapter of the XY saga, titled Pokemon XY & Z, Takara Tomy announced new toys based on the latest season. On the Moncolle side, there is now Zygarde Core, Ash-Greninja, and Zygarde 10% Forme. They'll be out this December in time for Christmas. Be on a lookout for the Zygarde Special Pack featuring four forms of Zygarde from the Core, 10% Form, 50% Form, and the Complete Form. They'll be out this December for 3.800 Yen.

There's also a stuffed toy of Zygarde Core itself with a feature that it crawls when you wind up. Available this December for 2,000 Yen.

And now, a little something for everyone. The Pikachu Talk plush where you can talk with Pikachu and it responds with feelings. Want to know what in the world Pikachu says? A special device featuring our favorite archnemesis Meowth can explain what Pikachu says! Yours for just 4,200 Yen when it's on sale this December.

- Seiyuu Miyu Matsuki died on the 27th of October at the age of 38 due to an illness, according to her talent agency. Back in July, she announced that she'll be taking a break from her seiyuu career to focus on treating her pneumonia. Matsuki was known for her roles as Isumi Saginomiya from the Hayate the Combat Butler series, Magical Sapphire in Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya, and many others.

TTFN!!!

Fourth-generation Kia Sportage

2016 Kia Sportage

Shortly after its debut at the 2015 Frankfurt International Motor Show, this all-new, fourth-generation, Kia Sportage managed to slip in through Korean dealerships following its world premiere to the massive motoring public in Europe and for this new model, this new model claims to be more attractive than the previous model with its new look, new tech, and greater quality.

2016 Kia Sportage

2016 Kia Sportage interior

To getting to know more about the Sportage, first, let's get to know more about its design and for this new model, feels like there's some mixed results involved here. From the front view, it looks like an oversized version of its little brother, the Soul, while the side view looks oddly similar to its previous-generation Sportage, while on the back, it looks like they've stole it from the not-for-Japan Toyota RAV4. The new exterior looks very questionable, right? And now, let's take a look on the interior and some might jump through conclusions that it was plagued by its uniformity that most interiors of present-day Kia models had but take a closer look and be the judge of it. Practicality-wise, the new Sportage promises to be more convenient than the last one thanks to rear folding seats, 1,492 litres of boot space, and seating variations that will accommodate any luggage-related scenarios. It even has high-tech features such as the UVO II telematics system, smartphone connectivity, and a smart tailgate.

2016 Kia Sportage

Bear that in mind that the new Sportage uses the same underpinnings as the latest-generation Hyundai Tucson, meaning that the engine choices offered in the Sportage are the same as the Tucson such as the e-VGT R2.0 diesel engine connected with either a 6-speed manual or automatic as well as the smaller e-VGT U-II 1.7L diesel engine that develops 141PS of power and 34.7kg-m of torque,  mated with a 7-speed double-clutch gearbox. Fuel economy for the 2.0L model is expected from 12.4 to 15.0km/L while the 1.7L model can expect 15.0km/L of fuel consumption, although driver verification is strongly advised to figure out how fuel efficient is these variants.

 

One thing that drivers will notice is the Drive Mode Select button which allows the driver to switch between three driving modes; SPORT, NORMAL, or ECO. When in SPORT mode, it firms up the suspension and makes it sharper to handle but for a car like this, let's call it as sharp as your recently-sharped pencil rather than a knife. Other things you might be keen about are the 4WD Lock button and the Idle Stop and Go system which turns off the engine while pulling at a set of lights.

For added safety, the new Sportage comes with driving aids such as Auto Emergency Brake, Blind Spot Detection, Electronic Stability Control, Lane Departure Warning System, Static Binding Light, and Advanced SPAS which allows this one to park hands-free.

The MSRP for the new Sportage starts at 21,790,000 Korean Won, which sounds like a lot less compared to the Tucson even though they got the same stuff, but anyway, it's a smart buy for a crossover well-tailored for any occasion.

Photo: Kia Motors

Doctor Who S09E07

Two years ago, as quoted by the flashback from The Day of The Doctor, there was a ceasefire agreement that will reconcile both humans and Zygons to prevent further conflicts between them. Now, on this episode titled The Zygon Invasion, the ceasefire broke out and the Zygons unleashed war on Earth that will put everyone on the line, including UNIT and The Doctor.

The Doctor takes on a daring rescue mission to save Osgood and investigate the Zygon presence. Trouble is, there's a bit worse than that and as for Clara...she was taken over by a Zygon who looked like Clara and now...she's bent on world domination.

Let's find out next week as The Doctor faces the most extreme choice of all...

NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW:

Stars of 2015 Tokyo Motor Show

2015 Mazda RX-VISION Concept

The 2015 Tokyo Motor Show runs from now until the 8th of November, 2015 at the Tokyo Big Sight and on this year's TMS, there are some exciting concepts and production cars displayed for the general public not to mention some sporty concept cars that will up the ante for some Japanese carmakers as well as machines that will envision a world of autonomous driving science. So, let's list down the stars of this year's car show...

- Lexus LF-FC Concept - a fuel-cell premium saloon concept might preview a next-generation LS saloon in the foreseeable future.

- 2016 Toyota Prius - the most fuel-efficient Prius has arrived in Tokyo Motor Show for its fourth-generation, set to be on sale to the Japanese market at the end of the year.

- Toyota S-FR Concept  - A small concept sports car from Toyota showcases just how fun small cars can be.

- Toyota FCV Plus Concept - A fuel-cell concept car from Toyota

- Toyota Kikai Concept - A funky-looking concept car from Toyota features an agnostic common sense of a conventional car.

- Nissan Teatro for Dayz Concept - A concept car fit for the tech-savvy people thanks to its numerous gadgets offered as well as an on-board camera.

- Nissan IDS Concept - A zero emission electric concept car from Nissan showcases the science of autonomous driving.

- 2016 Honda Civic Type R - The Civic is back to the Japanese market only in Type R five-door hatchback form imported from Europe. It will be limited to 750 units when it's available before the year ends. It's powered by Honda's first ever 2.0L VTEC TURBO engine and it's known to be the fastest front-wheel drive car to lap round the Nurburgring.

- Honda Clarity Fuel Cell- Honda's new-generation fuel cell vehicle has been given a name and for this new Clarity, it has a cruising range of over 700km, the best-in-class among all FCVs.

- Honda Odyssey Hybrid - A hybrid version of the latest-generation Honda Odyssey flagship minivan featuring a SPORT HYBRID i-MMD powertrain derived from the Honda Accord Hybrid.

- Mazda RX-VISION Concept - This concept sports car from Mazda previews its newly reborn SKYACTIV-R rotary engine, dedicated to keep the rotary engine spirit of Mazda alive.

- Subaru Impreza 5-door Concept - This concept hatchback from Subaru previews the fifth-generation Impreza in the foreseeable future.

- Subaru Viziv Future Concept - A crossover concept car from Subaru

- 2016 Subaru WRX S4 SporVita - A special edition WRX S4 featuring a special Lapis Lazuli Pearl color and special seats provided by Mario Levi.

- 2016 Subaru Legacy B4 SporVita - A special edition Legacy B4 featuring a special Lapis Lazuli Pearl color and special seats provided by Mario Levi.

- 2016 Subaru WRX STi S207 - A special edition WRX STi with some components derived from its Nurburgring 24 Hour racecar, making it a road going track car that drivers can use it anywhere. Only 200 units will be made.

- Mitsubishi eX Concept - A compact crossover concept car might preview the next RVR.

- 2016 Suzuki Ignis - A new crossover from Suzuki that is set on sale very soon.

- 2016 Suzuki Baleno - A new compact hatchback from Suzuki featuring its first-ever BoosterJet 1.0L petrol engine.

- 2016 Suzuki Alto Works - The legendary Alto Works hot kei car has been revived and it's based on the current-generation Alto. It comes with a turbocharged 660cc engine mated with a 5-speed manual gearbox.

- Suzuki Ignis Trail Concept - A concept version derived from the production-spec Ignis.

- Suzuki Mighty Deck Concept - A concept car which is a modern take on the legendary Mighty Boy compact pickup truck.

- Suzuki Air Triser Concept - A concept minivan from Suzuki featuring a unique door sliding mechanism.

- Mercedes-Benz Vision Tokyo Concept - A concept van visualizes the science of autonomous driving

- 2016 BMW M4 GTS - A lightweight, track-focused version of the M4 featuring the first-ever water-injection system on its 3.0L 6-cylinder turbo petrol engine.

...and many more.

Further checking:

http://autoc-one.jp/motorshow/tokyo/2015/