Mike Bithell is well-known as the creator of acclaimed indie games Thomas Was Alone and Volume, but since Volume's release in 2015, he has been relatively quiet about what his studio has been working on. Today, however, he suddenly announced and launched a new game called Subsurface Circular.
The game is described as a "graphical twist on the text-based adventure," and it tasks you with navigating through a number of different interactions and dialogue trees. It's also gorgeous, with good-looking robot characters and futuristic environments.
According to Bithell's announcement, this is just the first in a series of short, narrative-focused games that the developer is working on. Although Bithell hasn't said anything official about the next games, I'd hazard a guess that they, too, will probably be stealthily released.
Subsurface Circular costs $6 / £4.76, but you can get it right now for 20% off ($4.79 / £3.81). You can pick it up right now Steam.
This month's Stephen King adaptation The Dark Tower may not have made an impact at the box office, but it looks the like same won't be true for the upcoming It. The big-screen version of King's classic horror novel hits theaters next month, and early estimates suggest that it might set a box office record.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie could make $50 million in its opening three days. This would make it the biggest film ever released in September, overtaking 2015's Hotel Transylvania 2, which made $48 million. The site states that some sources even think It could make as much as $60 million.
Warner, however, is more cautious, and the studio's own estimate places the movie more in the $40-$45 million range. September is traditionally a quiet month at the box office, and the film's R rating could count against it. Nevertheless, it is certain to earn considerably more than The Dark Tower's underwhelming $19.1 million opening weekend gross.
Plans for the It sequel are already underway. Last month, director Andres Muschietti confirmed that he would start work on the second part of the adaptation soon. "We'll probably have a script for the second part in January," he said. "Ideally, we would start prep in March. Part one is only about the kids. Part two is about these characters 30 years later as adults, with flashbacks to 1989 when they were kids."
It arrives in theaters on September 8. The movie stars Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise, plus Finn Wolfhard, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophie Lillis, Wyatt Oleff, and Jeremy Ray Taylor.
Fans were excited to see that a new Marvel vs. Capcom game was on the way when it was first announced. But as we saw more of Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, one thing in particular stuck out--Chun-Li's odd-looking face. This became a source of some consternation, though Capcom eventually pledged to fix it. Based on the latest trailer, it appears to have successfully done so.
As pictured in the screengrab below, we see Chun-Li speak around the 1:11 mark of the new Infinite story trailer. While this is only a cinematic trailer, it does show off a noticeably different look that more closely resembles what we've come to expect from the Street Fighter character. You can use the slider to compare the new and and old looks--the new one is on the left.
At San Diego Comic-Con in July, producer Yoshinori Ono stated, "The development team is hard at work finishing the game for the September 19 release date, and based off the feedback we heard, we are currently making improvements to Chun-Li as well as other Capcom characters. Since the work is still in progress, we don't have anything final to show you just yet, but stay tuned."
A lengthy new trailer for Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite has come online, revealing some new characters. And if you've ever wanted to see Resident Evil's Nemesis being hit with a release German suplex, have I got the video for you.
Dubbed the full story trailer, this video sets up the conflict that awaits in Infinite's story mode. It shows off Ultron Sigma as the game's primary villain, which we already knew about. But it also teases how a disagreement over how to deal with him pits characters like Iron Man and Captain America against each other.
While devoid of any actual gameplay, the trailer does reveal characters like Ghost Rider and Dormammu. These had been previously confirmed for the game but had not yet been shown off. There's also a glimpse of Spider-Man in a black outfit. Most importantly, it looks like Chun-Li's weird face has been fixed.
New details on Ghost Rider and Dormammu, as well as Firebrand and Jedah, will be revealed next week as part of Gamescom. These four bring the roster to 30 characters that will be included at launch, Capcom confirmed in a press release. More will also be added following release, which is slated for September 19 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. You can see all of Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite's characters in our gallery.
The previously announced promotion went live today. If you subscribe to Amazon's service, you can now grab a free Legendary loot chest for the game. The chest contains at least one guaranteed Legendary-tier item. Heroes of the Storm players can also expect more free stuff in the coming months, as Blizzard will give away five standard loot chests in October and another five in December.
To grab these items, go to this webpage and link your Amazon Prime and Twitch accounts (if you haven't already). This will upgrade your Twitch account to Twitch Prime, which gets you free stuff for various games each month. If you're an Overwatch player, you can also snag five standard loot boxes right now at this page.
August 17 update: The previously available Walmart pre-orders were ultimately canceled in the US. Nintendo has since revealed that SNES Classic pre-orders should arrive in the US by the end of August. We don't yet know when they will go up for sale exactly, but you can check out the store listings at some major retailers through the links below. With the end of the month fast approaching, we should have more details soon.
Update: Those in the UK may have missed at least their first chance to pre-order from certain retailers, but Nintendo's online store has the SNES Classic available as of this writing.
Original Story: Nintendo announced the SNES Classic today. A miniature version of the classic Nintendo console, the $80 system that comes with 21 games and two controllers launches in the US in September. Given that last year's NES Classic sold out basically instantly everywhere it was sold, fans might be wondering how they can secure the SNES Classic right away.
US retailers are not yet widely accepting pre-orders, but in Australia, you can secure a pre-order right now through JB Hi Fi and EB Games. The console sells for $120 in Australia and it looks a little different than the North American edition.
In the US, Amazon has a page up for the SNES Classic, as does Best Buy, but you cannot actually pre-order the system there as of yet. We will update this post as more retailers open pre-orders for the SNES Classic. Keep checking back with GameSpot for the latest.
As with the NES Classic Edition, the SNES Classic features HDMI output and resembles the look of the system it's based on but in a smaller form factor. But unlike that system, it comes with two controllers in the box.
On the subject of supply, while Nintendo isn't sharing specific numbers, it did say it will deliver "significantly more" units than it did with the NES Classic Edition. That said, it only plans to ship the system between September and the end of 2017.
A few new details about Dragon Ball FighterZ have emerged. The latest issue of Japanese magazine Jump (as translated by Gematsu) reveals some information on the game's story mode, along with a few new characters who'll be playable in the anticipated fighting game.
Most notably, the magazine reveals that Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Super Saiyan Blue Vegeta will both be featured in Dragon Ball FighterZ, though it's unclear if they'll be transformations or separate fighters. The magazine also unveiled two more playable characters: Android 16 and Android 18. The latter can summon Android 17 for a special combo attack, though it didn't confirm if he'll be a playable character as well.
As for Android 16, Jump says he'll play a prominent role in the game's "what-if" story mode. This campaign features "high-end animation" and a brand-new storyline that imagines Android 16 being revived to battle Goku and friends. The magazine also confirms Dragon Ball FighterZ will allow six players to team up for three-on-three online party matches.
Dragon Ball FighterZ is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in 2018. A closed beta for the game will be available this September. Registration was initially scheduled to begin on July 26, but Bandai Namco postponed it in order to "expand the capacity of the closed beta." Players who'd like a chance to participate in the beta will now be able to sign up on August 22.
The Splatoon 2 community may still be healing after the game's first divisive Splatfest, which saw Team Mayo defeat Team Ketchup in a battle for condiment supremacy, but that won't stop Nintendo from causing another rift among fans. Today, the company announced the first details for the game's next Splatfest, which is set to begin soon.
The next competition takes place in two weeks, on September 1-2. Unlike the previous Splatfest (or the pre-release World Premiere demo that pit ice cream against cake), this one doesn't revolve around food. Rather, it asks players to make a much more difficult choice: which superpower would you rather have, flight or invisibility?
Nintendo hasn't announced timing details for the Splatfest just yet, but it will presumably run for a full 24 hours, just as the previous competition. Once voting begins, players can choose their side from the booth in Inkopolis Square, though once you make a selection, you won't be able to change teams. Splatfest winners are determined by three criteria: popularity, solo wins, and team wins.
We already know at least one stage that players will battle on during the competition: Shifty Station. This new map only appears in Splatoon 2's stage rotation during Splatfests. Moreover, its layout changes from event to event, so players can expect to see a new variation of it for this Splatfest.
Splatoon 2 is available exclusively for Switch. Those who've yet to pick either up will soon have a chance to get both at once; Nintendo announced it will release a special Splatoon 2 Switch bundle in the US. The bundle goes on sale September 8 and will be available exclusively at Walmart stores for $380. It includes a digital copy of the game, neon pink and green Joy-Cons, and a Splatoon-themed Switch carrying case.
Since Playerunknown's Battlegrounds' Early Access release this past March, developer Bluehole has supported the immensely popular title with a steady stream of patches and updates. Now, however, the developer has announced that new updates for the game will be rolling out less frequently until its official release.
Bluehole discussed the change in a post on the game's Steam forums. According to the developer, the reason behind the decision is to "improve how we work on the game."
"We've found internally that being rushed to finish certain features, and having shorter QA test time between pushing updates caused more issues than it solved in regards to maintaining a high standard of quality," Bluehole said. "We want to put our best content out, and ensure that everything we do is making the game more enjoyable with every update."
But while updates may not be coming as frequently as they once did, Bluehole says it will "utilize the test servers for significantly longer periods of time" and still issue patches and any other fixes when necessary. This approach allows the developer to ensure any new features are "thoroughly polished" before they are introduced to the game.
Despite the change in its update schedule, Bluehole assures that the full release for Playerunknown's Battlegrounds is "still on-track" to arrive during its revised launch window. Initially, the game was scheduled to officially release on PC by the end of October, though it was recently pushed back to "before the end of Q4 2017." The game is also slated to go into Early Access on Xbox One late this year. Playerunknown himself, Brendan Greene, will be hosting a panel about the game during Gamescom next week.
Prey's been out for several months now, but if you haven't had a chance to check out the action game, you can now try it for free and keep your progress if you upgrade. Bethesda announced today that a free trial is now available on PC, and the demos on PS4 and Xbox One have both been converted to free trials.
What's the difference between a trial and a demo? Bethesda explained that the Prey trial is essentially the full game, but it has restrictions until you buy it. This means that all of your progress from the trial, including Achievements and Trophies, will carry over if you purchase the full game. The previously available demo on consoles wouldn't carry over anything to the full game.
To mark the release of the trial, Bethesda also published a new trailer, which you can see above. It shows off a bit of what you can expect from the game, including a spooky space station, a bunch of monsters, and some wacky guns.
Game of Thrones fans eagerly anticipating what the penultimate episode of Season 7 will bring now have something to help tide them over. HBO has released a series of images from the upcoming Episode 6, which promises to be one of the most action-packed of the season.
Game of Thrones Season 7 spoilers ahead
As always with these teaser images, they don't reveal anything particularly shocking. They're also primarily focused on characters standing around with each other, rather than having them in the midst of any specific action.
Images courtesy of HBO
That said, we do see Arya and Sansa having a discussion in light of Littlefinger's apparent attempt to drive them apart in Episode 5, though it's difficult to read their expressions with any certainty. (Sansa is also shown reading something that she seems angry or frustrated by.) Additionally, we get a look at Tyrion and Daenerys sitting down for a fireside chat and strolling between two dragons, as you do. And there's a shot of the famous moment we've seen in multiple trailers at this point, with Beric's sword lighting on fire as he heads into battle.
We'll see how these pieces fit together when Episode 6 airs this Sunday. After that, there's only one more episode to come during what is an abbreviated--and sometimes rushed-feeling--Season 7. Season 8 will conclude the series with six episodes, although those may be longer than usual. For a breakdown of what we've seen, check out GameSpot of Thrones.
Those still in the market for a Nintendo Switch will soon have a new option when deciding how to purchase it. Nintendo has announced a new Splatoon 2 bundle for North America, though only a single store will carry it.
Following the launch of Splatoon 2 bundles in Europe and Japan, North America will get one starting on September 8. For $380, it includes a Switch, a digital copy of Splatoon 2, and a carrying case. It will only be available at Walmart. Nintendo did not say how long it will be available for.
Notably, the Joy-Cons that the system comes with are the neon pink and neon green ones that were previously unavailable in the US. Nintendo's press release notes this bundle gives "fans in North America their first chance to get their hands on that Joy-Con color combination." That suggests these controller controllers will be sold separately at a later date.
Nintendo currently offers two different versions of the base system itself: one with grey Joy-Cons, and one with a red and blue pair. Yellow Joy-Cons released alongside Arms are also available but only as a purchase separate from the system.
This Splatoon 2 bundle marks the Switch's first official bundle in North America. However, retailers have made a habit of selling their limited supply of Switch systems in bundles that package the system together with games and accessories. Stock remains limited, with the system selling out very quickly whenever it returns to stores--when it's sold on its own, at least.
The Xbox One's backwards compatibility feature, introduced in November 2015, lets you play Xbox 360 games on the new console. But what games are available? We've now rounded them all up--and we'll continue to update this post as new games are made available.
Xbox One Backwards Compatibility Lineup (As of August 17, 2017):
New titles are bolded
3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures
A Kingdom for Keflings
A World of Keflings
Aegis Wing
Age of Booty
Alan Wake
Alan Wake's American Nightmare
Alice: Madness Returns
Alien Hominid HD
Altered Beast
Anomaly Warzone Earth
Arkanoid Live
Army of Two
Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (added June 27)
Assassin's Creed III
Assassin's Creed Revelations
Assassin's Creed Rogue
Assault Heroes 2
Asteroids & Deluxe
AstroPop
Aqua
Babel Rising
Band of Bugs
Banjo Kazooie: Nuts n Bolts
Banjo Tooie
Banjo Kazooie
Batman: Arkham Origins (disc only -- added August 8)
Battlefield: Bad Company -- added August 17
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Battlefield 3
BattleBlock Theater
Battlestations: Midway
Bayonetta
Beat'n Groovy
Bejeweled 2
Bejeweled 3
Bellator: MMA Onslaught
Beyond Good & Evil HD
Bionic Commando Rearmed 2
BioShock
BioShock 2
BioShock Infinite
Bloodforge
Blood Knights
Blood of the Werewolf
BloodRayne: Betrayal
Blue Dragon
Bomberman Live: Battlefest
Boom Boom Rocket
Borderlands
Borderlands 2
Bound by Flame
Braid
Brain Challenge
Bullet Soul
Bullet Soul: Infinite Burst
Bully: Scholarship Edition
Burnout Paradise
Cabela's Alaskan Adventures
Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2013
Cabela's Hunting Expeditions
Cabela's Survival: Shadows of Katmai
Call of Duty 2
Call of Duty 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Call of Duty: Ghosts (added June 29)
Call of Duty: World at War
Call of Juarez Gunslinger
Capcom Arcade Cabinet
Carcassonne
Cars 2
Castle Crashers
Castlestorm
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Catherine
The Cave
Centipede & Millipede
Civilization: Revolution
Clannad
Commanders: Attack of the Genos
Comic Jumper
Comix Zone
Condemned
Contra
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Crazy Taxi
Crystal Quest
Crystal Defenders
Dark Souls
Dark Void
Darksiders
Darksiders II
Daytona USA
de Blob 2
Dead Rising 2: Case West
Dead Rising 2: Case Zero
Dead Space
Dead Space 2
Dead Space 3
Dead Space Ignition
Deadliest Warrior: Legends
Deadliest Warrior: The Game (added August 8)
Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue
Defense Grid
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut
Dig Dug
Dirt 3
Dirt Showdown
Discs of Tron
Disney Bolt (added August 8)
Disney Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (added August 3)
Domino Master
Doom
Doom II
Doom 3: BFG Edition
Doritos Crash Course
Double Dragon: Neon
Dragon Age: Origins
Dragon's Lair
DuckTales Remastered
Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project
Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara
Dungeon Siege III
E4: Every Extend Extra Extreme
Earthworm Jim HD
Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon (added July 12)
Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Encleverment Experiment
Escape Dead Island
F1 2014 (added July 12)
Fable II
Fable III
Faery: Legends of Avalon
Fallout 3
Fallout: New Vegas
Far Cry 3
Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon
Feeding Frenzy
Feeding Frenzy 2
Fighting Vipers (added August 8)
Final Fight: Double Impact
Flashback
Flock
Forza Horizon
Fret Nice
Frogger
Frogger 2
FunTown Mahjong
Galaga
Galaga Legions
Galaga Legions DX
Garou: Mark of the Wolves
Gatling Gears
Gears of War
Gears of War 2
Gears of War 3
Gears of War: Judgment
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime
Gin Rummy
Golden Axe
Go! Go! Break Steady
Golf: Tee It Up
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grid 2
Gripshift
Guardian Heroes
Gunstar Heroes
Guwange
Gyromancer
Gyruss (added July 25)
Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax
Halo: Reach
Halo: Spartan Assault
Halo Wars
Hard Corps: Uprising
Hardwood Backgammon
Hardwood Hearts
Hardwood Spades
Harms Way
Haunted House
Heavy Weapon
Hexic 2
Hexic HD
Hitman: Absolution
Hydro Thunder
I Am Alive
Ikaruga
Ilomilo
Injustice: Gods Among Us + disc-only Ultimate Edition
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
Interpol: The Trail of Dr. Chaos
Iron Brigade
Jeremy McGrath's Offroad
Jet Set Radio
Jetpac Refuelled
Joe Danger Special Edition
Joe Danger 2: The Movie
Joust
Joy Ride Turbo
Juju
Jurassic Park: The Game
Just Cause 2
Kameo
Kane & Lynch 2
Killer Is Dead
The King of Fighters '98
The King of Fighters 2002
Lazy Raiders
Left 4 Dead
Left 4 Dead 2
Lego Batman
Lego Indiana Jones
Lego Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
Limbo
Lode Runner
Lost Odyssey
Lumines Live!
Luxor 2
Mad Tracks
Magic: The Gathering 2012
Mars: War Logs
Mass Effect
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 3
Matt Hazard: Blood, Bath, and Beyond
The Maw
Medal of Honor: Airborne
Meet the Robinsons
Mega Man 9
Mega Man 10
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (added August 15)
Metal Slug 3
Metal Slug XX
Midway Arcade Origins
Might & Magic Clash of Heroes
Military Madness
Mirror's Edge
Missile Command
Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine
Monday Night Combat
Monkey Island: SE
Monkey Island 2: SE
Moon Diver
Motocross Madness
Ms. Splosion Man
Ms Pac-Man
Mutant Blobs Attack
Mutant Storm Empire
MX vs. ATV Reflex
N+
NBA Jam: On Fire Edition
Neogeo Battle Coliseum
Nights Into Dreams
Of Orcs and Men
Omega Five
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
Operation Flashpoint: Red River
The Orange Box
Outland
Pac-Man
Pac-Man C.E
Pac-Man CE DX+
Pac-Man Museum
Peggle
Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark Zero
Phantasy Star II
Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds
Pinball FX
Planets Under Attack
Plants vs. Zombies
Poker Smash
Portal: Still Alive
Portal 2
Prince of Persia
Pure
Putty Squad
Puzzle Quest
Puzzle Quest 2
Puzzle Quest: Galactrix
QIX++ Puzzlegeddon
Rage
Raiden IV (added July 25)
Raskulls
Rayman 3 HD
Rayman Legends
Rayman Origins
Red Dead Redemption
Red Faction: Armageddon (added July 25)
Red Faction: Battlegrounds
RoboBlitz
Rocket Knight
R-Type Dimensions
Runner 2
Sacred 3
Sacred Citadel
Saints Row IV
Sam & Max: Beyond Time & Space
Sam & Max Save the World
Samurai Shodown II
Scarygirl
Scrap Metal
ScreamRide (added August 15)
Sega Vintage Collection: Alex Kidd & Co.
Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World
Sega Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage
Sega Vintage Collection: ToeJam & Earl (added August 3)
Shadow Assault/Tenchu
Shadow Complex
Shadowrun
Shadows of the Damned
Shank 2
Shinobi
Shred Nebula
Shotest Shogi
Silent Hill: Downpour
Skate 3
Skullgirls
Skydive
Small Arms
Soltrio Solitaire
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
Sonic & Knuckles
Sonic CD
Sonic The Fighters
Sonic The Hedgehog
Sonic The Hedgehog 2
Sonic The Hedgehog 3
Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode II
Soulcalibur
Soulcalibur II
South Park: The Stick of Truth
Space Ark
Space Giraffe
Space Invaders Infinity Gene
Spelunky
The Splatters
Splosion Man
SSX
Stacking
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
Steins; Gate 比翼恋理のだーりん (Japan only)
Steins; Gate (オリジナル版) (Japan only)
Steins; Gate 線形拘束のフェノグラム (Japan-only, requires game disc)
Strania
Street Fighter IV
Stuntman: Ignition
Super Meat Boy
Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition (added July 13)
Following some additions earlier this week, the Xbox One's backwards compatible library grows once again today. Another Xbox 360 game is now playable on Xbox One, and it's a good one.
Microsoft's latest addition is Battlefield: Bad Company. The renowned shooter served as a console-only spin-off to the main, numbered entries when it was released in 2008. It featured an enjoyable campaign--no small feat for the Battlefield series, which has traditionally struggled in that regard--and a solid multiplayer component. It was the first game released using DICE's Frostbite engine.
If you already own Bad Company, you can pop in the disc (for physical copies) or find it in your Ready to Download list (for digital copies). Alternatively, it's available for purchase through the Xbox Store for $15/£15/AU$20.
Loot Crate has announced it is making a Call of Duty: WWII special edition dropbox to celebrate the game's launch later this year. The "one-time only, limited edition mystery crate" features "exclusive … themed items across apparel, gear, and other collectables that Call of Duty fans won't find anywhere else."
The crate will launch in December, not long after the game itself comes out. It will cost $50 (plus shipping and handling), with international pricing yet to be announced. Loot Crate has also not said anything more about what's actually contained in the care package, so it may be best to wait until it reveals more before committing your cash.
In other Call of Duty: WWII news, we recently learned lots more about the game's upcoming private beta, which runs on PS4 from August 25-28, and on PS4 and Xbox One from September 1-4. We now know the beta will feature the Pointe Du Hoc, Ardennes, and Gibraltar maps, and that Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Hardpoint will all be playable. War, the new mode that we think helps to make WWII feel fresh, is also available in the beta.
You can see a preview of all of this in the new trailer above. In addition to sharing what will be in the beta, the company also noted what will not be in there--namely, Headquarters (the new social space), supply drops, and esports functionality.
Those eager to place their order for the Xbox One X will soon have a chance to do so. Pre-orders will reportedly go online in a matter of days.
According to a tweet from The Verge's Tom Warren, pre-orders will be available this Sunday, August 20, following Microsoft's Gamescom press conference/livestream event. Microsoft has yet to confirm the details of when pre-orders go live, but Xbox boss Phil Spencer has stated that more information regarding Xbox One pre-orders will be shared today. However, it looks like all we'll get is what's seen in the tweet below, which promises pre-order details on Sunday. Marketing boss Albert Penello also posted about this on Twitter, saying, "Xbox One X Pre-orders are COMING! Watch our Gamescom broadcast on Sunday for details and a cool surprise!"
We don't yet know what exactly to expect from Microsoft's Gamescom event this Sunday. It's scheduled to begin at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET / 8 PM BST, and we'll cover all of the major news here on GameSpot. Spencer stated on Twitter that we'll hear about Xbox One X game support and described the event as "something we haven't done in awhile at Gamescom; it will be different from what fans expect, but I'm excited."
The live-action adaptation of the classic manga series Death Note hits Netflix later this month, and a new clip has been released. It shows the movie's main character Light confronted by the mysterious detective L--check it out below:
This clip follows the full Death Note trailer, which was released in June, plus a behind-the-scenes promo. The movie stars Nat Wolff, best known for the hit teen drama The Fault in our Stars, Keith Stanfield, Paul Nakauchi, and Shea Whigham. Willem Dafoe will perform the voice of the demonic Ryuk. The film hits Netflix on August 25, 2017.
The movie premiered at San Diego Comic-Con last month. In GameSpot's Death Notereview, writer Michael Rougeau said that the film "isn't a perfect adaptation. But it is a fun one. Fans of the original should walk away happy, and newcomers to the morbid world of shinigami and sociopathic high schoolers with god complexes will get more out of the film's relatively short runtime than they would from trying to tackle the anime's full 37-episode run."
Death Note ran for 108 issues between 2003 and 2006. These were subsequently collected into 12 graphic novels, which to date have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. There have also been three live-action Japanese films, an anime series, and a number of video games for the Nintendo DS, published by Konami.
Another batch of new games is now available in the Nintendo Switch Eshop. Today, four more titles have been added to the console's library.
As usual, one of the new games available today is an ACA Neo Geo classic. This time, Switch owners can pick up Magician Lord, a fantasy action game that originally launched alongside the Neo Geo. Players guide a magician named Elaton through side-scrolling stages to save the world from the evil Gal-Agiese. Like other ACA Neo Geo titles, Magician Lord retails for $8/£6.29.
Magician Lord
Also available today are the party game compilations, Jackbox Party Pack and Jackbox Party Pack 2. Each one retails for $25/£19 and contains five popular party games like You Don't Know Jack, Fibbage XL, Drawful, Quiplash, and more. Rounding out today's batch of new titles is Sky Ride, an aerial action game that has players piloting a high-speed bike and battling swarms of enemies. Sky Ride runs for $7.
The game takes place in a distant future in which the only hope for governments and global corporations are a group of corporately funded super agents--the Agents of Mayhem. Take a look at a bunch of videos below:
After playing it pre-release, we had our doubts, and now final reviews have started to go live. In our verdict, critic Brett Todd said there's "little to Agents of Mayhem beyond its foul-mouthed and bombastic attitude." He went on to say it has "loads of mayhem, but not much else." Read more in our full Agents of Mayhem review.
For a selection of other critics' opinions, check out the roundup below. Alternatively you can take a look at GameSpot sister site Metacritic for a wider view of Agents of Mayhem's critical reception.
Release: Out now (US), August 18 (Europe, Australia)
Price: US $60 / £43 / AU $100
GameSpot -- 4/10
"Personality can only take a broken and repetitive game so far. The attitude behind Agents of Mayhem has potential, at least if it's executed properly. But there's little to Agents of Mayhem beyond its foul-mouthed and bombastic attitude, which push the game into grating and obnoxious territory. Throw in the poor mission design and bugs, and you've got a game with loads of mayhem, but not much else." -- Brett Todd [Full review]
IGN -- 7.1/10
"Agents of Mayhem does a good job paying homage to the cartoon and live-action TV heroes of the '80s and '90s, and revels in the absurd tropes and idiosyncrasies of those inspirations. A broad and goofy arsenal of unique weapons and gadgets and the ability to switch characters on the fly to access complementary abilities offers some solid combat and good mindless fun, but due to some unpolished writing and repetitive environments and enemy types, it doesn't fully live up to its heroic potential." -- Jon Ryan [Full review]
Game Informer -- 8.0/10
"Agents of Mayhem is cheesy, rarely funny, and generally ridiculous, but I was eager to play for long periods of time. The action is frenetic and fun, with room for strategy using all the characters' assorted abilities. Even if Seoul ends up being a bland backdrop, I enjoyed being in the world and causing explosions in [it] at every opportunity." -- Kyle Hilliard [Full review]
Polygon -- 5.5/10
"This has likely started to feel like a litany of sins rather than cogent critique, but it's the best way I have of illustrating Agent of Mayhem's failings. It is not felled by any one thing, but is rather undone by a thousand little cuts. Agents of Mayhem heaps theoretical fun on you. Characters, powers, upgrades, tons of missions--it's desperate to for the player to just have fun. It's a noble impulse, but one that it's depressingly incapable of consistently delivering on." -- Justin McElroy [Full review]
GamesRadar+ -- 4/5
"Variety is something that Agents of Mayhem otherwise has in abundance, thankfully. Whether you're in the mood for action-packed battles on crowded concert stages, upgrading your agents and home base, or going for some breezy, triple-jumping platforming between skyscrapers, new fun is never far off. Then you can return to base, slot in a different trio of heroes, and drop back into Seoul with an all-new team. Mayhem is flawed, but it's also a strong start for an enjoyable and funny series. Would it be presumptuous to say I'm ready for season two?" -- Connor Sheridan [Full review]
Trusted Reviews -- 2.5/5
"Agents of Mayhem would have been a great rental in days gone by, but today it's an experience that's great for a a short while, but doesn't offer enough to keep players invested for the duration of the campaign. I hope Volition does something with these heroes, though, as they're truly great. I just hope they're wrapped up in a more fulfilling experience on par with rivals in the genre on their next outing." -- Brett Phipps [Full review]
We know The Lost Legacy contains the biggest Uncharted level ever made, and we've seen some pre-release gameplay--but is it any good? Reviews have started to go live for the new action game, and it seems critics are enjoying it. Our reviewer, Miguel Concepcion, said "The Lost Legacy doesn't signify a new era for Uncharted" but it does deliver "new settings and character motivations, wrapped in a comfortingly familiar Uncharted package." He went on to say it ranks "among the best in the series." For more, check out our full Uncharted: Lost Legacy review.
For a wider view of critical opinion, check out our review roundup below, or take a look at GameSpot's sister site Metacritic.
Release: August 22 (North America), August 23 (Europe, Australia)
Price: US $40 / £25 / AU $55
GameSpot -- 9/10
"The Lost Legacy doesn't signify a new era for Uncharted so much as it presents an opportunity to show the series from new perspectives, for which Chloe and the AI-controlled Nadine are perfectly capable. With a new playable treasure hunter comes new settings and character motivations, wrapped in a comfortingly familiar Uncharted package. The thrill of playing through set pieces that call back scenes from the earlier games is all the more enhanced when seen through the gameplay mechanics introduced in A Thief's End. The initial hours of The Lost Legacy give an "Uncharted Greatest Hits" vibe, but it grows into a more nuanced, clever experience, ranking among the best in the series while also making its own mark as a standalone Uncharted that isn't anchored to Nathan Drake's harrowing exploits." -- Miguel Concepcion [Full review]
IGN -- 7.5/10
"Uncharted: The Lost Legacy succeeds on the strength of its protagonists, writing, and phenomenal depiction of India's jungles and ruins. Being in the company of Chloe and Nadine keeps its overly familiar action sequences and disappointingly empty open-world area interesting, and it regains its footing in smart puzzles and thrilling cinematic moments." -- Marty Sliva [Full review]
Polygon -- 8.5/10
"I went into Uncharted: The Lost Legacy expecting a light stand-alone adventure, but it turns out to serve a much greater purpose. Despite the new protagonist, this game serves as a celebration of everything the Uncharted series has come to represent over a decade of mostly strong releases from Naughty Dog. And because of the new protagonist, it also offers a glimpse into what the franchise could become in the future, with some new developer leading the way. Naughty Dog did right by our memories here, and I hope that whoever takes on Uncharted next does right by them." -- Philip Kollar [Full review]
Eurogamer -- Recommended
"Perhaps it is unfair to expect more of a glorified expansion pack, but it was Naughty Dog that raised our expectations were with the excellent Left Behind add-on for The Last of Us; it seems as though, with its changing of the guard, The Lost Legacy had just as good an opportunity to weave some new patterns with this old yarn. That opportunity has been missed.
"Many won't mind that and will point, reasonably, to the sheer unflagging quality and effortlessness of this action romp. Others, like me, will take pleasure in finding that a smaller Uncharted doesn't mean a lesser one, and that even in a series known for its excess, less can be more. And Nate? To be honest, I didn't really miss him." -- Oli Welsh [Full review]
Trusted Reviews -- 5/5
"It might be shorter--as reflected in the price--but The Lost Legacy is a great Uncharted and a dazzling example of a studio at the top of its game. To be honest, I wouldn't have believed that Chloe and Nadine could make such fantastic, sympathetic protagonists or that Naughty Dog could stretch the formula out for another 10 hours, yet it has and I loved every minute.
"To my mind, this isn't merely one of the best games of the summer, but one of the season's best blockbusters in any media. If Naughty Dog wants to leave the series here, it's hard to grumble, but let's hope it doesn't. Right now, more Uncharted seems like anything but a bad idea." -- Stuart Andrews [Full review]
The Guardian -- 4/5
"Though The Lost Legacy boasts beautiful new environments to explore and for Chloe to take collectible photos of on her smartphone, the journey through them feels very familiar. The only thing that's truly fresh about this game is the protagonists, but they're a promising pair, and those who don't mind a formulaic sequel should take the chance to get to know them. They've certainly proved that we don't need Drake." -- Jordan Erica Webber [Full review]
PlayStation 4's 5.0 update was leaked last week, and now Sony has officially revealed what's coming in the patch. In short, there are few huge features included in the update--which is out today for select beta testers--but lots of small improvements that should improve the system's functionality overall.
Some of the enhancements center around streaming using the PS4's built-in broadcasting capabilities. PS4 Pro users will be able to stream in 1080p and 60 FPS, provided their connection is strong enough, and PSVR users will be able to see new messages and comments coming through while broadcasting. PSVR is also adding 5.1ch and 7.1ch virtual surround sound support.
Next up, the PS4's Friends List is being updated with greater management tools, such as the ability to set up separate lists of friends. You'll be able to create a list of all the people you play Destiny with and send them all an invite, for example. This feature replaces the old Favorite Groups tab.
In another move to help reduce the amount of time spent in menus, the Quick Menu is being updated to have more options. For example, you'll be able to check on download progress and see new party invites. You can also leave a party from within that menu and see your current Spotify playlist.
Notifications are also being improved when watching films and TV, as you can now disable message and other notification pop-ups while watching media. You can also change how much of a message is displayed, as well as its color, when playing or watching any form of content.
Finally, Parental Control features are being overhauled in favor of what Sony calls "Family on PSN." This replaces the old Master/Sub account system; instead, one user is deemed the Family Manager, and they can set up other accounts and appoint them as a Parent/Guardian, Adult, or Child. Parents or Guardians can restrict Child accounts in their "use of online features and communication with other players, set restrictions for games, restrict the use of the internet browser, and set spending limits for PlayStation Store." Note that Sony says the first time any North American user tries to set up an Adult account, they will be charged $0.50 "to verify that you are an adult."
You can read all the details of the 5.0 update here. Beta testers who were selected to take part will be able to upgrade today, though bear in mind that your console may experience "unexpected issues" as a result of the beta. Sony does say, however, that you can downgrade to the current version of 4.73. The company has not revealed when the update will go live for all users, though beta invites do include two extra codes for testers to try it out with friends.
Last month it was rumored that Shazam would be the next DC movie to start production. This has now been confirmed by director David F. Sandberg, who has also explained why Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson won't appear in the movie.
Johnson was previously announced in the role of Shazam's nemesis Black Adam who is set to appear in his own spinoff movie. However, in a new interview with Film Riot, Sandberg said, "[Although] The Rock has been cast as Black Adam, he's not going to be featured in this film. There have been variations of the script, before I came along, where Black Adam was in and out. But now, this is about Shazam."
Sandberg also spoke about the research he is doing into the character, and explained that he was going all the way back to Shazam's earliest comics. "I'm taking it all in," he said. "Some of those really old ones are quite fun, when he's, like, fighting Hitler. Stuff like that. So there's a lot to read. It's also interesting because he sort of has a couple of different origin stories, and a couple of different takes on it. You have the most recent sort of Geoff Johns version, and then you have Ordwell version, and then you have those really old versions.
"It's going to be interesting, just because how hardcore the fans are. Already, if I tweet a little something, suddenly there's blog post, and no matter what you do, some people will be disappointed."
Although Shazam will be the next DC movie to start shooting, the studio has plenty more films in the pipeline. A full slate of upcoming titles was announced at San Diego Comic-Con last month, including Wonder Woman 2, The Batman, Justice League Dark, Suicide Squad 2, Green Lantern Corps, Batgirl, and the Flash movie, which is now titled Flashpoint.
Shazam first appeared in 1939, when he was known by the name Captain Marvel. The character was bought by DC in 1971, when he was renamed, due to Marvel's ownership of the name Captain Marvel. A live action Shazam TV show was broadcast in the mid-70s, while an animated show followed in 1981.
Pokemon Go's series of summer live events got off to a rocky start with last month's Pokemon Go Fest in Chicago. Due to the high volume of attendees, the event was plagued by technical issues that prevented many players from being able to even log in to the game. Pokemon Go developer Niantic applied the lessons it learned from that meet-up for the game's most recent real-world event, last week's Pikachu Outbreak in Japan, which would turn out to be much more successful.
The event, which took place over the course of seven days last week in Yokohama, attracted over 2 million attendees, who would go on to catch over 120 million Pokemon. To prepare for the massive number of players, Niantic says it "had all of the major Japanese carriers on notice" and that the carriers "turned out in force to keep the data flowing."
Similarly, the developer organized the event to encourage players to continually explore. Niantic says it "carefully" distributed rare Pokemon such as Unown, Chansey, Larvitar, and Shiny Pikachu throughout the entire area, giving attendees an incentive to "move through the greater festival area rather than staying in a single location."
The event culminated in a battle with the game's newest Legendary Pokemon, Mewtwo. Niantic says this encounter, too, was "tightly scripted" to ensure it ran smoothly. The developer undertook special work in order to "segment the servers for this finale raid to enable the best play experience." As a result, the developer was able to avoid the problems that mired Pokemon Go Fest, and players successfully defeated the Legendary Psychic Pokemon and unlocked him in Exclusive Raid Battles in the near future.
Capcom has announced more DLC costumes for Street Fighter V. This batch consists of four new outfits that will release later this month to coincide with the series' 30th anniversary.
Beginning August 29, Street Fighter V players will be able to purchase fancy new threads for M. Bison, Guile, Ibuki, and Karin. Like previous DLC costumes, each one retails for $4 apiece. You can see screenshots of the outfits below.
Capcom has been offering a regular stream of DLC costumes for Street Fighter V since its release. Last month, Capcom released a trio of retro costumes that were inspired by older Street Fighter titles. The publisher also introduced three sports outfits, as well as a premium Champion's Choice costume for Guile. You can see images of those costumes here.
Street Fighter V's newest DLC character, Abigail, also released last month. The beefy bruiser originally appeared in Capcom's Final Fight series and is the tallest Street Fighter character to date. Abigail can be purchased individually for $6 or as part of the game's $30 Season 2 Character Pass, which also includes Akuma, Kolin, Ed, and one more yet to be revealed character. His home stage, Metro City Bay Area, retails for $4.
Microsoft has rolled out the newest set of weekly deals for Xbox One and Xbox 360 on Xbox Live. These were posted on Major Nelson's blog, and we have highlighted some of the ones we think you may want to know about in the text below.
Starting on Xbox One, Mass Effect: Andromeda ($28/£38.50/$70 AU), FIFA 17 ($16/£22/$40 AU), and WWE 2K17 ($24/£22/$40 AU) are discounted for the week. Additionally, all of Fallout 4's expansions are marked down by 40 percent, while the Season Pass that contains all of them can be had for ($30/£24/$50 AU). Additionally, EA Sports UFC 2 is on sale this week, marked down to $10/£7.50/$13 AU, a bundle that includes 13,000 Call of Duty points for Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Infinite Warfare, and Modern Warfare Remastered is marked down 10 percent for each game.
Go to Major Nelson's blog to see a full rundown of this week's Xbox One and Xbox 360 Deals With Gold offers, some of which require an Xbox Live Gold membership. The deals are good through August 21.
Featuring the song "Shook Ones" by Mobb Deep, which is one of 49 songs on NBA 2K18's soundtrack, the two-minute video is comprised primarily of player celebrations, reactions, and dunks. Much like our previous look at the game, 2K18 continues to impress with its alarmingly accurate versions of the NBA's biggest stars. It even seems to have nailed Lonzo Ball's awkward shooting technique, which is quite the accomplishment.
We've still yet to see a proper view of an actual game being played, but these more cinematic shots do afford us an opportunity to see how accurate players models are. It's also a chance to glimpse some players in their new uniforms--Paul George in a Thunder jersey still doesn't look right quite yet.
The trailer concludes by plugging the upcoming release of The Prelude. This is a free download on PS4 and Xbox One that allows players to create a character and begin playing MyCareer mode. It launches on September 8, while the full game launches on September 19. Those who pre-order the game will get their hands on it four days early, on September 15, as well as some other bonuses.
A new trailer for the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok has been released. It's a Japanese promo, and while much of the footage is the same as the previous US trailer, it does feature an appearance from another key figure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Check it out below--but be warned, it contains potential spoilers!
Thor: Ragnarok stars Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner, and Tom Hiddleston as Loki. Cate Blanchett plays the villainous Hela, while Jeff Goldblum will appear as immortal games-playing Grandmaster. It hits theaters on November 3, 2017.
One key addition to the MCU is Skurge, the gun-toting, tattooed Asgardian bad guy played by Star Trek's Karl Urban. The character was better known as the Executioner in Marvel's Thor comics, and in a recent interview with CBR, Urban spoke about playing the character. "It was really about trying to honor the genesis," he said. "But also make sure that as a piece of the puzzle he fits into the world that [director] Taika [Waititi] was creating. I think that there's going to be elements within the character of Skurge that are going to surprise fans.
"The most challenging aspect was probably the physicality of the role, particularly when you're trying to work with that uniform, is pretty physically exhausting. [But] once I've shaved my head, put the tats on, wear the armor, it dictates the tone."
Back in 2015, after shooting finished on the Bond movie Spectre, 007 actor Daniel Craig said he would rather "slash my wrists" than play James Bond again. That quote has been making the rounds for the past two years, and, now that Craig is confirmed be playing Bond again, he has cleared up some confusion about the quote and what he really meant.
Appearing on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Craig clarified that he gave that quote in an interview that took place just two days after Spectre finished filming. It must have been a demanding process to shoot such a massive movie, so it's understandable he wouldn't want to dive right back in in that moment.
"There is no point in making excuses about it, but it was two days after I finished shooting the last movie," Craig recalled. "I went straight into an interview and someone said, 'Would you do another one?' And I went, 'No.' And instead of saying something with style and grace, I gave a really stupid answer."
Colbert then jumped in to say the situation is like asking a woman who just gave birth if she would like to have another child. He suggested that the woman might say no at that moment but would be open to the idea of having another child later. Craig said he doesn't exactly agree with the comparison. "I can't compare it to childbirth. I would get in a lot of trouble," he said.
Business and money magazine Forbes has published its annual list of the world's highest-paid actresses, and Jennifer Lawrence--after two years on top--is no longer No. 1. Emma Stone, who won an Oscar for La La Land, was the highest-paid actress of 2017 according to the report. She reportedly banked $26 million before taxes during the year.
Jennifer Aniston ranked second on the 2017 list, with pre-tax earnings of $25.5 million. According to Forbes, the majority of Aniston's money came from her endorsement deals with companies like Emirates Airlines, Smartwater, and Aveeno.
Lawrence, who was the highest-paid actress for the two years prior, came in at No. 3 this year, banking $24 million. She made her money from the upcoming Darren Aronofsky movie Mother! and the film Red Sparrow, according to Forbes. She also has an endorsement deal with Dior.
Rounding out the top five this year were Melissa McCarthy ($18 million) and Mila Kunis ($15.5 million).
Forbes said its list covers the June 1, 2016 through June 1, 2017 period, and doesn't include taxes and manager and lawyer fees. The numbers are "estimates ... based on data from Nielsen, ComScore, Box Office Mojo, and IMDB, as well as interviews with industry insiders."
Go to Forbes to learn more. Next week, the magazine will publish its list of the highest-paid actors.
Asked on Twitter if Microsoft will make an announcement about Xbox One pre-orders during Gamescom, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said, "We'll share more info on this tomorrow." That's as specific as he got, but whatever the case, it seems we won't have to wait much longer at all to finally learn more about Xbox One X pre-orders.
In other news about Xbox One X, Spencer confirmed that there will be more news at Gamescom about Xbox One X game support. He teased that and more in tweets today, which you can see below.
Yes you will hear about more games supporting X at Gamescom.
Microsoft's Gamescom briefing is scheduled for Sunday, August 20, starting at 12 PM PT. That comes out to 8 PM BST and 5 AM AEST on August 21. GameSpot will bring you all the news from the event as it unfolds.
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