Burnout Paradise is getting a current-gen remaster, publisher EA has confirmed. The racing game has been given a PS4 and Xbox One release date of March 16, while the PC version is coming "later this year."
Burnout Paradise Remastered will include the base game and eight add-on packs--including the open-world expansion Big Surf Island--as well as the Legendary Cars pack, which brought vehicles based on those from movies such as Back to the Future and Ghostbusters. EA says this new edition includes technical enhancements that include "high resolution textures" and 4K / 60 FPS support for PS4 Pro and Xbox One X. It will cost $40 in the US, with international pricing yet to be revealed.
However, while Funko had plenty on display for fans to check out, the company also had quite a few announcements of other Pops hitting stores in 2018. The biggest news is that the company is expanding its Stranger Things 2 line. The new additions include a levitating Eleven, Steve with his trusty baseball bat, and even vampire Bob.
There are also some new WWE Pops in the works, including Shawn Michaels in his WrestleMania XII attire and a two-pack that comes with Lex Luger and Sting with his old surfer look. There are also more Game of Thrones toys on the way--including Daenerys seated on the Dragonstone throne--and Pops based on the 1988 Eddie Murphy comedy Coming to America.
Lastly, Funko is expanding its Disney collection with Pops based on the animated series Doug. In addition to Doug, fans will be able to pick up Patti Mayonnaise and two versions of his dog Porkchop. When it comes to exclusives, Toys R Us will have a Quailman Pop, while Hot Topic gets Quaildog.
You can take a look at images of the major announcements above. No release dates were given. However, Funko says the new toys will arrive in stores in 2018.
Microsoft has added another new batch of games to Xbox One's backwards compatibility catalogue. Three more Xbox 360 titles are now playable on the current-gen console, including a critically acclaimed shooter from Bayonetta developer Platinum Games.
Headlining the newest backwards compatible titles is Vanquish, Platinum's stylish, fast-paced third-person shooter. Joining it is Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, the co-op Tomb Raider spin-off released for Xbox Live Arcade in 2010. Rounding out the batch is Brave, the video game adaptation of the Disney/Pixar film of the same name. The latter is also one of March's free Games with Gold titles for Xbox Live Gold subscribers.
As usual, if you own a physical copy of any of these titles, you can now pop the disc into your Xbox One and start playing. If you happen to own any of the games digitally, it will automatically appear in the Ready to Download area of the My Games and Apps section. You can also purchase any of the backwards compatible games from the Xbox Store, though unlike last week's additions, none are included in the latest selection of Xbox game deals.
Microsoft has been regularly expanding Xbox One's backwards compatible library with new Xbox 360 games. Most recently, Mafia II and 2006's Prey were added to the catalogue. Microsoft also rolled out the first batch of original Xbox backwards compatible games back in October, though those won't be added as frequently as 360 titles. The next wave of original Xbox games is slated to arrive sometime this spring. You can find the full list of Xbox One backwards compatible games here.
Ela has been a popular pick since her release, but she's to be nerfed in the new update, as Ubisoft believes she is still "picked way too often." Her SMG will suffer from increased recoil and deal less damage than before, and her impact grenades have been replaced by a deployable shield. "She was too good at doing all the roaming work by herself," the developer said, "preparing rotations, being warned by Concussion mines, and of course killing with her SMG. This loadout change will force her to rely on teammates for rotation holes, or to pick the shotgun if she wants to do them herself."
Kapkan is also exchanging his barbed wire for impact grenades, as he apparently had too many tasks during the preparation phase as it was. "Having impact grenades for faster rotations is a better fit for his playstyle," Ubisoft states.
The final Operator tweak pertains to Blitz, who has been made a 2 speed / 2 armor Operator, having previously been 1 speed / 3 armor. The reasoning for this is that "making Blitz faster is the next logical step to making him a more attractive choice and help him close the gap, as he really shines when he manages to get in close quarter with isolated defenders."
Ubisoft has also changed a few things regarding reloads. After the coming patch, you'll be able to interrupt a reload animation by aiming down a weapon's sights. If you do interrupt a reload (by any method) and then reload again shortly afterward, you'll be able to resume it after some key moment--after throwing away an old magazine, for example--rather than having to undergo the entire animation again.
Patch 3.1's final big tweaks are the removal of Bartlett University from the Casual map playlist, to be replaced by Yacht, and that you can no longer walk on top of deployable shields. For the full list of changes, check out the patch notes at the bottom of this article, via Ubisoft.
We are going to continue building on our previous adjustments to Ela by making more substantial changes this Season. She is still too powerful and, logically, picked way too often. This is mostly because of her SMG still being too strong. As such, we are going to be making the following changes.
Increased recoil: The recoil will be harder to control. It will pull harder on the camera, and the maximum amount of kick (max diamond size) is bigger.
Damage reduced: The damage is lowered from 28 to 23, to better take the high rate of fire into account
Scorpion Evo 3 A1 damage updates: Our objective is that she remains efficient at taking fights at short distances when getting pushed by attackers, but is at a clear disadvantage when taking medium to long range fights versus assault rifles with ACOGs.
Loadout changes: A deployable shield will replace her impact grenades. As many of you identified, she was too good at doing all the roaming work by herself: preparing rotations, being warned by Concussion mines, and of course killing with her SMG. This loadout change will force her to rely on teammates for rotation holes, or to pick the shotgun if she wants to do them herself.
Kapkan
Impact grenades will replace Kapkan's barbed wires. He already has a lot to do in preparation phase to set his traps up – having impact grenades for faster rotations is a better fit for his playstyle.
Blitz
Blitz has been working out, and will now be a 2 speed / 2 armor operator.
The previous rework of Blitz that let him sprint while holding his shield had a positive impact on his popularity, but he is still at the bottom of the pack. We believe making Blitz faster is the next logical step to making him a more attractive choice and help him close the gap, as he really shines when he manages to get in close quarter with isolated defenders.
General Tweaks And Improvements
Game Health
Rotation desync for DNBO players: In some instances, the server was rejecting shots to players in a DBNO (Down But Not Out) state. The reason for this was a desynchronization with the game server. After downing an enemy, you could see him rotating in one direction from your point of view, while on the server, their movement was completely different, and that is why some of your shots to DBNO targets would not register. We have addressed this desync and your shots should now land properly and accurately on downed enemies.
Player Comfort
Changes to ammo update timings: When you reload your weapon there is always a point in the animation where your ammo count updates. We have overhauled the "key" moment where it happens during the animation. All weapons ammo updates are now slightly faster. They have been rationalized according to their animation. This should make reloading a lot more comfortable.
Interrupting tactical reload with going to ADS: You can now interrupt a tactical reload (reloading with a round in still in the chamber) with aiming down the sights. Before you could only do it with sprint, but now if you are reloading and someone surprises you and you want to shoot, all you have to do is go to ADS and fire instantly with your remaining ammunition.
Reload resume points: Missing reload resume points have been added to all weapons reloads. When you interrupt a full reload, if you have done certain steps (ie. Discarding the empty magazine) you won't do that step again when resuming the reload animation.
Raw Input on PC: We will be implementing a new input method on PC. This raw input option reads mouse/keyboard values directly from the hardware, without any post-processing. This may slightly improve the responsiveness of the mouse/keyboard during heavy load. This option can be found under Controls > Raw Input.
Playlist Changes
We are removing Bartlett University from the Casual Playlist and adding Yacht back. Ranked Playlist remains unchanged.
Game Balancing
Deployable shield walking: You can no longer walk on deployable shields. At any instant that an operator is considered walking on the shield, it will collapse on itself (be destroyed) and the shield is refunded in the inventory of the defender that placed it. That will prevent players from utilizing exploits by walking on a shield.
Melee hit validation: Throughout last season, we collected your feedback regarding hit validation in general and melee hit validation in particular. Many of you have experienced how it feels to flank an enemy, approach from behind, land a clear knife hit, hear the audio, but not get the kill. We understand how frustrating it can be, that's why in Patch 3.1 we have applied some tweaks and improvements that should make melee attacks much more reliable, and we are looking forward to receiving your feedback!
Main Bug Fixes
Gameplay
Fixed - The gadget crosshair will persist after switching to drone toss.
Fixed - It is possible to hear Mute's jammer even when standing very far away from it.
Fixed - The barbwires' slow down effect is still ongoing even after the player is no longer into the barbwire's effective range, or when the barbwire is destroyed.
Fixed - Resetting animation when switching views between one player standing up and one crouch.
Fixed - Rubberbanding can happen after detaching from rappelling.
Fixed - After scanning enemies, the distance to them might not be shown.
Fixed - A player will not take damage when spamming crouch.
Fixed - When the drone owner dies while controlling his drone, others can't rotate the camera view of the dead player's drone.
Fixed - Following certain steps, it's possible to have some gadgets out in a stance you normally can't.
Fixed - When the player interrupts the reload animation of the LFP586 revolver by switching weapons, then switches back to LFP586 and reloads again, there will be no new rounds loaded.
Fixed - Operator's body rotation is not replicated correctly when vaulting.
Fixed - Moving once you hit the ground after entering a window in rappel will lock the character's movement for a couple of seconds.
Fixed - Operators can teleport if they remove a breaching charge while ending the rappel animation.
Fixed - The "American Anarchy" headgear's hairstyle slightly extends the hitbox upwards.
Fixed - When friendly fire is off, drones don't get destroyed by going out of bounds.
Fixed - Players randomly die by falling during Multiplayer sessions.
Operators
Bandit: Fixed - The shock battery disappears when the barbwire it is placed on is destroyed.
Blitz: Fixed - Blitz's first person animation is faster than third person animation when equipping his shield from the back.
Doc: Fixed - Stim Pistol's reticule turns blue when aiming at an attacker.
Fixed - Doc is able to sprint and use his stim pistol without slowing down.
Echo: Fixed - Yokai drone can be placed in a door/window frame in a way that a barricade placed over, allows it to see and fire on both sides.
Fixed - HUD will display "Kill assist" when a teammate kills a stunned player but will not count on the scoreboard.
Ela: Fixed - The Grzmot mine can be deployed between wall panels causing the tip of the gadget to clip through the wall.
Fixed - The laser under barrel is applied to the other side of the weapon in preview.
Fuze: Fixed - The character can freeze while deploying the gadget from rappelling position.
Hibana: Fixed - Pellets stick incorrectly in the corner of some trapdoors.
Fixed - When shooting at least two times before detonating, X-Kairos do not produce any sound in third person.
IQ: Fixed - Deploying IQ's gadget and entering Observation Mode at the same time causes the gadget to become opaque.
Jager: Fixed - Jäger's gadget floats in the air when placed in certain locations.
Fixed - Jäger's gadget clips through the wall when placed in certain locations.
Lesion: Fixed - The laser under barrel is applied to the other side of the weapon in preview.
Montagne: Fixed - Following certain steps, it is possible to have Montagne's shield up while rappelling.
Tachanka: Fixed - Tachanka's LMG shields are inconsistent, players can get shot through them in some instances.
Vigil: Fixed - Vigil's ERC-7 is deactivated when climbing or descending ladders.
Fixed - The laser under barrel is applied to the other side of the weapon in preview.
Ying: Fixed - The character can freeze while deploying the gadget from rappelling position.
Game Modes
Multiplayer: Fixed - The play ranked button can be selected for a second after a user below clearance level 20 joins the squad.
Fixed - In some instances, squads of two can split when matchmaking, forcing both players to play against each other.
Fixed - A squad is able to join a Ranked match even if there is one squad member below level 20.
Fixed - Sometimes a squad of 2+ can be split when trying to join a casual or ranked match.
Custom Game: Fixed - Users are able to create Player Hosted Custom Online Games.
Level Design
All maps: Fixed - When entering from rappel while breaching a window, the character animation will remain stuck looking up.
Fixed - Operators fall through the map when spawning.
Fixed - Rappelling while falling will make the character fall out of the map.
Fixed - Long rifle weapons can clip through walls.
Fixed - Players are able to land on window sills to spawn kill.
Bank: Fixed - A small gap in 1F Staff room reveals a spot in EXT Terrace.
Fixed - Attackers can place a drone inside the ceiling in B Server Room allowing them to see all of the basement area.
Fixed - Valkyrie can place a Black Eye inside the ceiling of B sever room.
Bartlett University: Fixed - Defenders are able to spawn kill attackers from 2F Classroom. Fixed - Ela's concussion mines are very difficult to pick up when place in the boat model.
Chalet: Fixed - Great room can be seen through a gap in the floor on 2F bedrooms hallway.
Fixed - There is a gap at the doorway located at 2F Office area allowing to see the EXT Backyard Patio and 1F Great Room area.
Fixed - Players can place drones inside the walls of Chalet from 2F office balcony.
Fixed - The red wall does not cover the full Kitchen window, which allows Echo to throw his drone outside during Preparation Phase.
Fixed - Players can push teammates out or into geometry with the use of reinforcements in Kitchen.
Clubhouse: Fixed - Jäger gets stuck in 2F Logistic Office's bookcase after placing the ADS on the second shelf.
Fixed - The player is stuck under the table at 1F Bar when trying to get out from under it.
Coastline: Fixed - Jäger can clip through a wall after placing his ADS in a specific spot of the 2F Penthouse area.
Fixed - Players can get onto the purple tarps in EXT Pool by walking along the pool's glass border.
Fixed - When shot from the rooftop, Hibana pellets will not stick to the destructible wall from 1F Blue Bar area.
Consulate: Fixed - It's possible to melee through reinforced walls when doing a rappel enter in 2F Exit Stairs.
Fixed - Defenders can spawn kill attackers near Riot Barricade from 2F Administration Office.
Fixed - One Way Mirror can be deployed on the opposite side of the reinforcement in 2F Break Room.
Favela: Fixed - Attackers are killed if they enter rappel on the wall near to the EXT Courtyard metal platform while sliding off the platform.
Hereford Base: Fixed - In Terrorist Hunt, a player can spawn inside another when choosing EXT Shooting Range as spawn location.
Fixed - Defenders can have a one-way view outside from 2F laundry room.
Fixed - Valkyrie's camera becomes invisible if thrown on an iron frame between B Corridor and B Armory.
Fixed - Textures between reinforceable and indestructible walls allow bullets to pass through.
House: Fixed - Attackers near EXT Construction Site can be spawn killed by defenders from the window at 2F Upper Hallway.
Fixed - The Defuser can be planted between pillows and cannot be detected by defenders.
Kafe: Fixed - Inconsistent deployment of Active Defence System on walls with a lower wood panel.
Kanal: Fixed - A small gap in indestructible window allows players to see outside.
Oregon: Fixed - Some collisions with barbed wires and Grzmot mines are inconsistent.
Fixed - There is a space between the window frame and the wall at EXT Junkyard that allows the player to see inside the building.
Fixed - It is possible to shoot through textures from 1F Meeting Hall inside the B Supply Closet.
Plane: Fixed - Drone can be placed inside walls of Plane from 3F cockpit stairs.
Fixed - Destroying South side of 2F Meeting room ceiling reveals a gap that exposes attackers coming in from EXT Caterer.
Fixed - Drone can be placed inside the plane ceilings from EXT Caterer.
Skyscraper: Fixed - Players can vault on the wooden beam on 2F Work Office using a deployable shield.
Fixed - It's possible to shoot from 1F Bathroom to 1F bedroom through the indestructible cabinet.
Fixed - Operators are able to clip through the stairs when prone and moving.
Fixed - The wood blinds in the windows block bullets completely until broken.
Fixed - Skyscraper map name is not in capital letters as the rest of the maps list in PVP & PVE map preferences.
Theme Park: Fixed - Players can clip through the unbreakable wall between 2F Office and 2F Rail Corridor.
Fixed - A Black mirror cannot be placed next to another one when a reinforcement is placed on wall of 2F Daycare.
Fixed - Kapkan's EDD is sometimes destroyed when breaking a barricade.
Tower: Fixed - There is a gap in the wall that allows the player to see through it with a drone at 2F Exhibit Hallway.
Fixed - The glass in 1F West Balcony facing the west side is indestructible.
Fixed - It is possible to walk in the air in some areas of the map.
Fixed - The lights on the side of the tower can block the attacker's rappel trajectory.
Fixed - Users may experience FPS drops when shooting a specific screen at 1F West Observatory.
Yacht: Fixed - Characters can clip through the stairs when prone and moving.
User Experience
Fixed - Spawn Locations are missing in the waiting screen of the Preparation Phase when Attacker Unique Spawn match setting is activated.
Fixed - Killer's pawn orientation is sideways during the death cam zoom in.
Fixed - "This weapon skin is available for" section can only display up to 4 operator icons when unlocking weapon-specific weapon skins in an Alpha Pack.
Fixed - Placing gadgets such as breach charges on exterior small barricades will show no prompt for removing the gadget.
Fixed - The Dialog Volume affects environmental sounds, especially footsteps.
Fixed - The exterior part of the tactical map is missing in the spawn selection menu.
Fixed - There's no visual indicator for muted players.
Fixed - Sometimes hovering over a bundle in the shop will not show its description.
Fixed - There is no username voice chat display when a squad member speaks in the menu.
Fixed - Players are not notified to collect reward from a completed Ubisoft Club Challenge.
Fixed - Voice chat cuts off in MVP screen.
Fixed - No scoreboard is displayed at the end of the game.
Fixed - After collecting rewards from a Ubisoft Club challenge, in-game challenge tab won't update.
Fixed - Renown-counting sound is still playing in transition if the player quits the match.
Fixed - When a player loses connection, the message displayed is "spectator, GAMESERVER, has left the game".
Fixed - Player will remain with the shield while spectating in drone.
Fixed - Caster and Spectator have a team chat.
Fixed - The concussion effects of mines and Echo's drone are shown on the caster camera.
Microsoft has rolled out a new batch of game discounts in the Xbox Store. In addition to the usual weekly selection of Deals with Gold, Gold and non-Gold members alike will be able to save on a number of EA titles thanks to this week's publisher sale, which offers discounts on a big range of games for both Xbox One and Xbox 360.
On the current-gen console, Xbox Live Gold members can save on various editions of Fortnite, which come with both the Battle Royale and Save the World modes--the latter is currently only available in paid early access, but will be offered for free at a later point. The Standard Founder's Pack is $20 / £17.50, the Deluxe Founder's Pack is $30 / £25, the Super Deluxe Founder's Pack is $45 / £37.50, and the Limited Edition Founder's Pack is $75 / £60. Additionally, Gold members can pick up Halo Wars 2: Complete Edition for $30 / £24.87, Overwatch: Game of the Year Edition for $30 / £25, Final Fantasy XV for $20 / £16, Agents of Mayhem for $10 / £8.75, Shadow Warrior 2 for $20 / £17.50, Human Fall Flat for $7.50 / £6, and Farming Simulator 17 is $13.20 / £10.56.
The above discounts will be available in the Xbox Store until 3 AM PT / 6 AM ET on February 27. You can find the full list of Xbox One and Xbox 360 games on sale this week on Major Nelson's blog.
With March drawing near, Microsoft has announced the lineup of games that Xbox Live Gold members will be able to download for free next month. There's the usual total of four new games being introduced across Xbox One and Xbox 360, with an especially good one up for grabs on the newer console.
On Xbox One, the month starts out with Trials of the Blood Dragon, a more action-oriented take on the Trials series that's somewhat in the vein of Far Cry 3's Blood Dragon spin-off. It will be available for free for the entire month. From March 16 through April 15, Superhot will be free. The excellent shooter sports a distinct visual style and an even more novel concept, as time (mostly) freezes when you stop moving, allowing you to set up some Matrix-style bullet-dodging sequences.
Xbox 360 owners also get two games to download in March. During the first half of the month, it's Brave: The Video Game, which is based on Disney's film of the same name and was just added to the Xbox One's backwards compatibility list. It's then followed in the second half by Quantum Conundrum, the puzzle-based first-person game from Airtight Games and Kim Swift, one of the key developers behind Portal and Left 4 Dead. As always, both Xbox 360 games are playable on Xbox One through backwards compatibility.
In the meantime, it's not too late to grab some of February's free Games With Gold titles. One of the Xbox One games, Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India, will also remain free for the first half of March. Claiming any of these games allows you to continue playing them for as long as you're an Xbox Live Gold subscriber.
Star Wars: The Last Jediis coming to home entertainment formats next month. Disney has confirmed that the latest Star Wars movie will be available to buy on digital platforms from March 13, with a physical release and on-demand following on March 27.
The studio has also revealed details of the bonus features that fans can enjoy. They are led by 14 deleted scenes and a two-hour behind-the-scenes documentary titled The Director and the Jedi, which is described as "an intimate journey into the creation of Star Wars: The Last Jedi with writer-director Rian Johnson." There's also a new trailer for the home entertainment release--check it out above.
The movie will be available in both 4K and HD, and there will different retailer exclusive versions. While we don't know what the deleted scenes will be, last week star Mark Hamill suggested that there one cut scene featured Luke Skywalker and Laura Dern's character of Admiral Holdo.
The list of bonus content is as follows (descriptions via Disney):
The Director and the Jedi--Go deep behind the scenes with writer-director Rian Johnson on an intimate and personal journey through the production of the movie--and experience what it's like to helm a global franchise and cultural phenomenon.
Balance of the Force--Explore the mythology of the Force and why Rian Johnson chose to interpret its role in such a unique way.
Scene Breakdowns - Lighting the Spark: Creating the Space Battle--Get a close-up look at the epic space battle, from the sounds that help propel the action, through the practical and visual effects, to the characters who bring it all to life. - Snoke and Mirrors--Motion capture and Star Wars collide as the filmmakers take us through the detailed process of creating the movie's malevolent master villain. - Showdown on Crait--Break down everything that went into creating the stunning world seen in the movie's final confrontation, including the interplay between real-word locations and visual effects, reimagining the walkers, designing the crystal foxes, and much more.
Andy Serkis Live! (One Night Only)--Writer-director Rian Johnson presents two exclusive sequences from the movie featuring Andy Serkis' riveting, raw on-set performance before his digital makeover into Snoke.
Deleted Scenes--With an introduction and optional commentary by writer-director Rian Johnson.
Audio Commentary--View the movie with in-depth feature audio commentary by writer-director Rian Johnson.
The Last Jedi was the most successful movie of 2017, with a worldwide box office gross of $1.32 billion. The three month turnaround between the theatrical and home entertainment release is even faster than the four month window that 2015's The Force Awakens enjoyed, possibly because the next movie in the franchise, Solo: A Star Wars Story, hits theaters in May.
Battlefield 1 has received another new update, with some players also receiving access to Apocalypse, the game's fourth DLC expansion, on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The latter introduces a variety of new content, including new maps, weapons, and gadgets.
Early access to Apocalypse is available to everyone who owns the game's Premium Pass, as well as those who have bought Battlefield 1 Revolution (which consists of the base game and access to all of the DLC expansions). The DLC will be available for purchase individually after two weeks, beginning on March 6. Even if you only own the base game, you'll still need to download the new update in order to play online. Patch notes for the update have not yet been released, but we'll report back once we have them.
As for Apocalypse itself, it introduces five new maps. Three of these (River Somme, Caporetto, and Passchendaele) are standard multiplayer maps, whereas the other two (London Calling and Razor's Edge) are designed specifically for Air Assault, a new aircraft-only game mode. This centers around dogfights but can culminate in a battle between giant Airships.
There are also a variety of new tools as your disposal: six weapons, including the RSC SMG; melee weapons, such as the meat cleaver; gadgets, like the AA Rocket Gun for the Assault class; two bombers, the Hansa Brandenburg GI and the Airco DH10; and a stationary weapon that fires poison gas. Additionally, Apocalypse adds new assignments and cosmetics to unlock, including dog tags, codex entries, ribbons, medals, and so on.
The trailer above briefly showcases much of what's new in Battlefield 1. This is the last confirmed expansion for the game, though developer DICE has shown no signs of stopping its support for it altogether. Meanwhile, a new Battlefield game has been confirmed for release before the end of 2018, though EA has yet to officially announce any details about it.
The hugely successful reboot of Jumanji is still doing impressive business in theaters, but the ever-busy Dwayne Johnson will soon return to the screen in another spectacular action comedy. Rampage is the big-screen adaptation of the classic video game--it arrives on April 20, and a new international trailer has been released.
This Japanese promo puts the emphasis on the movie's ridiculous-looking monster action. It also features an introduction from Johnson himself, who makes reference to Japan's long history of monster movies and has a go at speaking Japanese. Check it out above.
This latest promo follows one released last week, and an earlier trailer that arrived in January. Rampage also stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Naomie Harris, Malin Åkerman, and Joe Manganiello. It's directed by Brad Peyton, who also worked with Johnson on the 2015 disaster smash San Andreas.
Rampage was originally released in arcades back in 1986 before being ported to more than a dozen other platforms--it's appeared on everything from the Commodore 64 to the PS2. It's also seen a number of sequels produced, though by the time the movie comes out, it will have been more than a decade since the last of these, Total Destruction, was released.
This is one of three movies Johnson has heading to the big screen this year, along with Skyscraper and the wrestling biopic Fighting with My Family--in which he plays himself and serves as executive producer. Rampage smashes into theaters on April 20.
Although the Transformers franchise has proven to be a hugely poplar one, 2017's The Last Knight was the least successful film by some distance, suggesting that audience interest in the series might be fading. The spin-off Bumblebee is due out later this year, but a new report states that beyond that, Paramount is planning to reboot the whole series.
As reported by Transformer World, toy manufacturers Hasbro confirmed at the company's Toy Fair 2018 Investor Preview that the series will be entirely reset. In addition, a new agreement with Paramount means that Hasbro will have greater control over the property, including greenlighting movie projects. The site also reports that no Transformers movies beyond Bumblebee remain on Paramount's release schedule.
This is something of a change in fortune for the series. In October 2015, Hasbro announced that there would be at last four more movies, and that a "writers room" had been established to map out the next decade of Transformers across movies, TV, and digital. Following this, Paramount confirmed that Transformers 6 would arrive in 2019, which seems to be no longer the case.
The Last Knight made $605 million worldwide. This was well below the $1.104 billion haul for its predecessor, 2014's The Age of Extinction, and less than the first movie made back in 2007.
Last month it was reported that Marvel is developing a standalone movie focusing on Black Widow, the Avenger played by Scarlett Johansson, and that writer Jac Schaeffer had been hired to pen the script. Now Captain America star Chris Evans has seemingly confirmed that the film is in the works.
In an interview with ET Canada, Evans was asked about the huge success of Marvel's latest movie, Black Panther. "There's nothing they can't do, man," he said. "I'm sure it's going to have the exact same effect when Captain Marvel comes out, and then the Black Widow movie comes out. Marvel just has the winning recipe."
To date, Johansson has appeared in five movies in the MCU--Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Captain America: Civil War. She will reprise her role in this summer's Avengers: Infinity War and next year's currently untitled Avengers 4.
There has been much discussion about a standalone Black Widow movie for some time. In October 2016, Johansson said time might not be on her side. "If I did it, I'd have to do it while I still actually wanted to wear a skin-tight catsuit," she explained. "I don't know how much longer that's going to be."
In related news, Captain Marvel is now in production. The movie stars Brie Larson and will be released in March 2019. Last month, an on-set image and video were leaked. They showed Larson wearing a green costume, rather than the character's distinctive traditional red, blue, and gold ensemble.
The first Metal Gear game since Hideo Kojima left Konami is very different from Snake's sneaking missions. This open-world survival game is all about scavenging for resources to build weapons and defenses. You can take the challenge solo or with friends in co-op.
After a delay, the best way to play this classic strategy game is launching this week. It's souped-up for the modern era with 4K support, brand-new narration, and rebuilt sound effects--but you can always turn all that off and play in Classic Mode too. Definitive Edition includes the base game and the Rise of Rome expansion.
This first-person game has you exploring the titular station as it orbits above an alien planet in the midst of a civil war. For you, that means finding out what happened and deciding the fate of the alien race below. There's a lot to discover as you learn the truth and solve puzzles around the station.
Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 Plus -- February 22
Available on: Switch
Championship Edition 2 is coming to Switch with new features. First and foremost, you can hand your friend a Joy-Con and play co-op. And of course there are plenty of boards and bosses to complete in both Time Attack and Adventure modes. Watch out for ghost trains!
If this cartoon-looking fighter seems familiar, that's because it comes from the same mind behind My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. But don't let the cutesy look fool you: this fighter takes cues from series like BlazBlue and Guilty Gear, so don't expect an easy battle.
If you've spent any time on the internet over the last week you'll know that Marvel's Black Panther has had what can only be described as a sensational reception. Reviews for the superhero flick have been overwhelmingly positive and, based on early figures, it's on track to be one of Marvel and Disney's most successful movies yet.
In our Black Panther review Michael Rougeau said it is "a top tier Marvel movie with all the humor, style, action, passion, and fun that the MCU has come to embody." Not to mention "a cultural event that's going to be hard for Marvel to top."
We've been thinking about where the Marvel Cinematic Universe goes from here, and while we can only take guesses at how the story plays out, we're confident that Marvel is going to change the way they make films. The success of Black Panther, which feels different to previous entries in the MCU, could serve as a new template for Marvel's movies, much like 2008's Iron Man established the framework for most of the films up until now.
That's the argument that Tamoor makes in the video above, where he talks through how he feels main character T'Challa is different from other heroes like Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and Stephen Strange, and what makes his first standalone film unique from a characterization perspective. On top of that, he discusses why, alongside Thor: Ragnarok, Marvel is starting to lean towards creating films with a unique identity, instead of a bunch of flicks that feel uniform.
In related news, Chris Evans, who plays Captain America in the MCU, has indicated that a standalone Black Widow film starring Scarlett Johansson is in the works. Prior to this, it was reported that writer Jac Schaeffer had been hired to pen the script. However, as of yet, there has not been official confirmation from Disney or Marvel.
A bunch of new titles arrived on Switch this week, including Platinum's critically acclaimed action game Bayonetta 2. If you're still looking for something new to play on the console, however, a new batch of deals are also now available on the Eshop, and they include discounts on some good games.
Just as in the PlayStation and Xbox Stores, 2K's latest basketball game, NBA 2K18, is on sale in the Eshop this week. From now until February 20, you can download the standard version for $39, while the Legends and Legends Gold Editions run for $50 and $82.49, respectively. Additionally, Capcom has discounted both Resident Evil Revelations titles for a limited time. Each game can be downloaded for $14 until February 21.
This week was an especially busy one for Switch, with 18 games arriving to the Eshop over the past several days. Along with the aforementioned Bayonetta 2, the original Bayonetta is also now available digitally for the hybrid console. A download code for the first game is included in physical copies of Bayonetta 2, but those who purchase either Bayonetta in the Eshop will get an automatic discount on the other one.
Pokemon Go's second Community Day is quickly approaching, and like the inaugural event held last month, it'll give players a brief chance to capture a rare Pokemon with an exclusive move. Developer Niantic had previously revealed that the Pokemon in question this time will be Dratini, and now the studio has shared details about what its exclusive move will be and how players can learn it.
The rare Dragon Pokemon will spawn much more frequently for the duration of the Community Day. If players manage to evolve its evolution, Dragonair, into a Dragonite during the event, it'll learn the ultra-powerful Dragon-type move Draco Meteor. This applies to all Dragonair you own, even ones that were obtained prior to the Community Day. However, Dragonite will only learn Draco Meteor if it is evolved during the event hours, giving you a very brief window of time to get one with the exclusive attack.
The Community Day takes place worldwide on February 24 and runs for three hours, although the starting times will differ depending on your region. The event kicks off in the US at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET, while Europe's Community Day begins at 10 AM GMT. In addition to the increased Dratini spawns, players will earn triple the normal amount of Stardust for any Pokemon they catch during the event, and Lure Modules will last for three hours.
Community Days are a new series of events that Niantic plans to hold once a month for Pokemon Go. Each event will feature a Pokemon that knows a move it cannot typically learn in the game. During the first Pokemon Go Community Day in January, players could find and catch a Pikachu that could use Surf, just like the one you get in the classic Pokemon Yellow version.
Before the next Community Day event begins, Niantic held a limited-time Lunar New Year event in Pokemon Go. The event ran until February 17 and rewarded players with triple Stardust for catching certain dog-like Pokemon such as Poochyena, Growlithe, Snubble, Eevee, or Electrike. While that may now be over, players still have a chance to encounter the latest Legendary Pokemon, Rayquaza, in Raid Battles until March 16.
The first trailer for Onrush, a new racing game from Codemasters, has been released. The title is being developed by the company's new Cheshire, UK studio, formerly the team behind PlayStation-exclusive racing series' Motorstorm, and the similarities between the two games are immediately apparent.
The gameplay trailer shows a variety of vehicles including buggies and dirt bikes tearing through snowy alps and picturesque caverns at high-speed. They're weaving in and out of naturally formed obstacles in the environment, launching themselves off ramps and, of course, slamming into each other.
"Onrush is a celebration of sensational speed, outright fun and over the top spectacle," Codemasters explains in a press release. "Players battle it out on track to power up their Rush meter which enables them to unleash the ultimate manifestation of boost and power as they wreak havoc on their opponents by performing death defying takedowns and stunts."
There will be eight vehicle classes in Onrush and each one will have its own "unique style, feel, and advantages." Each class of vehicle will also have different effects and abilities when they activate their Rush state.
"Onrush is not about racing to the finish line," Codemasters continues. "Racing with style and flair is what counts as you perform incredible takedowns and put everything on the line in order to power up your all important Rush bar."
Onrush's release date has been confirmed as June 5 on PS4 and Xbox One. The game is available to pre-order now, and anyone who puts their money down early will get access to the beta before it opens up to everyone else in May.
Sony announced plans to close Motorstorm and Driveclub developer Evolution in March, 2016. However, a month later Codemasters established a new team with some of the talent from Evolution. The success of F1 2015 and Dirt Rally "re-positioned [Codemasters] for growth," it said, and this growth started with the acquisition.
On top of the 24 characters already available in Dragon Ball FighterZ, Bandai Namco is introducing an additional eight fighters to the roster post-launch as DLC. While the publisher has been quiet about who these characters will be, we've now gotten a look at the first two coming to the Dragon Ball fighting game, courtesy of Japanese magazine V-Jump (via Gematsu).
The first two DLC characters on the way to Dragon Ball FighterZ are the Legendary Super Saiyan Broly and Goku's father, Bardock. The former was one of the 15 DLC characters we wanted to see added to the game. According to Gematsu, Broly's special is Gigantic Meteor--an enormous energy ball that uses three Ki gauges. Bardock's special attack is called Revenger Assault; when activated, the warrior transforms into a Super Saiyan and delivers a rush attack.
Broly and Bardock are included in Dragon Ball FighterZ's season pass, along with the other six yet-to-be-revealed DLC characters coming to the fighting game. Bandai Namco hasn't announced individual pricing for the two fighters, but the season pass costs $35 USD / £29 / $52.95 AU.
Dragon Ball FighterZ is available now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Critic Peter Brown awarded the title a 9/10 in GameSpot's Dragon Ball FighterZ review and said, "Even if you think Dragon Ball is old hat, and even if you're intimidated by fighting games, there's a good chance you'll be drawn into the explosive action and personalities that expertly evoke the anime's infectious spirit."
Two of this month's free Games with Gold have now returned to their regular price, but a couple of new titles are available in their place. Xbox Live Gold members can now grab two more free games on Xbox One and Xbox 360 for the remainder of the month.
On the current-gen console, Gold members can now download the Assassin's Creed spin-off, Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India. Xbox 360 owners, meanwhile, can nab the classic Dreamcast arcade racer, Crazy Taxi. Like all other free Games with Gold, the latter is also playable on Xbox One via backwards compatibility.
Crazy Taxi will be available to download until February 28, while Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India will remain free through the first half of March. Xbox One owners can also still download the first-person shooter Shadow Warrior, which is free for the entirety of February. You can see the full list of this month's free Games with Gold below.
PS4 owners have two new games to download this month: the PS4 launch title Knack and the Ico-esque adventure game Rime. Additionally, one of last month's freebies, the PSVR shooter Starblood Arena, is also still available at no cost for PS Plus subscribers until March 6.
PS3 owners likewise have two games to choose from this month: the 2D platformer Spelunker HD and the turn-based RPG Mugen Souls Z. Those with a Vita, meanwhile, will be able to download the side-scrolling adventure game Exile's End and the tactical RPG Grand Kingdom for no cost. The latter is also playable on PS4 thanks to Cross-Buy, giving PS4 owners three potential freebies to download this month.
Those in the market for a new game that won't cost them a penny are in luck, provided they have an Amazon Prime membership. The next free PC game to be offered through Twitch Prime--which is one of the perks of an Amazon Prime membership--is now available, and it's a good one.
Civilization IV: The Complete Edition can currently be had for free on Twitch. It's available from now until February 21 and can be claimed from Civ IV's game page or by clicking the Prime Loot button from the Twitch website's top bar while logged into a Twitch Prime account. Bear in mind, you'll need to redeem this through the Twitch desktop app, rather than simply getting a code to redeem through Steam, but it's yours to keep even after this offer expires.
Although the Civ series is now two numbered entries ahead, Civ IV remains an excellent game that you can easily lose hundreds of hours in. The Complete Edition, which normally retails for $30, packages the base game with its Beyond the Sword, Colonization, and Warlords expansion packs, introducing even more content to a game that already offered a tremendous amount of gameplay.
Free games and DLC packs are periodically given out to members with Twitch Prime. Another is on the way shortly after this Civ IV offer concludes, as the original Devil May Cry will be free beginning on February 27. That precedes the PS4, Xbox One, and PC release of Devil May Cry HD Collection on March 13. PC owners can also nab another free game through EA's On the House promotion, which is currently giving away Dead Space.
This month is looking like an ideal time for PlayStation 4 owners in the market for a PlayStation VR headset to finally pick one up. Sony is bringing back some steep discounts on the standalone headset and various bundles, bringing their respective prices as low as they've ever gone.
These new promotions began in the United States on February 18 and see the cheapest option sell for $200, rather than the usual $300. The PlayStation Blog suggests this may just be the standalone headset (which doesn't come with the required PS4 camera). However, the official PlayStation website shows that it may also include the Gran Turismo Sport bundle, which gets you the game and camera, but that will require you actually finding a store that has it in stock.
Next cheapest is Doom VFR's bundle, which will go for $300 (down from $400). This packs in a physical copy of Doom VFR in addition to the headset, camera, and the 2.0 demo disc. Alternatively, Skyrim's bundle drops to $350 (from $450) and gets you Skyrim VR, the headset, camera, 2.0 demo disc, and two PlayStation Move controllers. As with a number of other games, Skyrim VR can be played either with the Move controllers or a standard DualShock 4.
These offers will be available until March 3 at participating retailers; according to Sony, these include Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and GameStop. If you're unsure about buying one, check out our comparison of the different VR headsets. You could also wait and hope Sony does another promotion where it sends PSVR demo units to people's homes.
One thing to be aware of is that Sony introduced a small revamp of PSVR last year, allowing HDR passthrough with the breakout box and making other refinements. For more help in deciding which unit is right for you, check out our Doom VFR review and thoughts on Skyrim VR.
Capcom has launched the latest slate of weekly content in Monster Hunter World. PS4 and Xbox One players both have a new set of limited bounties and event quests to complete, although some of those on PS4 have gotten a head-start on a particularly notable quest.
In addition to the actual playable content, Capcom has released a new Monster Hunter World update. The patch notes are fairly simple, dealing primarily with multiplayer problems on both platforms and an issue involving Slashberries that emerged following another recent patch.
As announced previously, PS4 players with a Street Fighter V save on their system get early access to the quest Down the Dark, Muddy Path. It's a simple Arena quest in which you simply hunt a Barroth, but the rewards are what make it notable--completing it enough times provides you with the necessary materials to craft the armor based on the look of Street Fighter character Ryu. This quest--and the Ryu gear, as well as armor based on Sakura--will be available to all PS4 and Xbox One players in the future. For more details, check out our guide on how to unlock Monster Hunter World's Ryu armor.
There's still plenty else to do, whether you're on Xbox One or simply don't have a Street Fighter V save. A new slate of Limited Bounties are now available, tasking you with hunting three Kulu-Ya-Kus, four Diablos, and five Tempered monsters, as well as the usual one for completing the other three. These are available from now until February 22 or 23, depending on your platform. Here are the rewards for each of those:
Ecology Survey: Hunt Kulu-Ya-Ku
Hunt three monsters
Rewards:
300 Research Points
3x Armor Sphere
Ecology Survey: Hunt Diablos
Hunt four monsters
Rewards:
450 Research Points
4x Armor Sphere+
1x Steel Wyverian Print
Ecology Survey: Tempered Monster Hunt
Slay 5 Tempered monsters
Rewards:
700 Research Points
5x Hard Armor Sphere
1x Silver Wyverian Print
General: Limited Bounty
Complete all Limited Bounties
Rewards:
500 Research Points
1x Gold Wyverian Print
1x Golden Egg
There are also new event quests to complete from now through February 22. One of these, Chew the Fat, is fairly basic and tasks you with hunting two Great Jagras. Gaze Upon the Dawn is more notable, both because it has a fairly substantial reward (15,120 Zenny) and because it involves the quest where you guide Zorah Magdaros, which is something you can't otherwise have access to at all times. Finally, Deep Green Blues gives you 50 minutes to kill a whopping five monsters, although given the specific lineup, this actually proves to be fairly easy for high-end players. Here are the particulars:
Chew the Fat
Hunt two Great Jagras
Two stars
Time Limit: 50 minutes
Faint Limit: 3
HR Requirement: none
Reward: 3240z
Gaze Upon the Dawn
Guide Zorah Magdaros
Six stars
Time Limit: 50 minutes
Faint Limit: 3
HR Requirement: 11
Reward: 15120z
Deep Green Blues
Hunt all targets monsters
Great Jagras, Pukei-Pukei, Tobi-Kadachi, Anjanath, Rathalos
Seven stars
Time Limit: 50 minutes
Faint Limit: 3
HR Requirement: 13
Reward: 28800z
Finally, the next Arena Challenge is available through March 1. This time around it's Challenge Quest 1: Intermediate. The reward isn't much better than the previous one at 2160 Zenny, but you'll have two weeks to try to hunt a Rathalos and Tzitzi-Ya-Ku as quickly as possible. Only select weapon categories are available--you'll have to choose from the Sword & Shield, Hunting Horn, Charge Blade, Insect Glaive, or Light Bowgun.
In the video above, we've highlighted five such games. One of these, Celeste, is actually already available; the stellar platformer is out now on Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. It's well worth a look--as our Celeste review states, "[Madeline's] tale is delicately told and beautifully illustrated, confidently coalescing with the satisfying, empowering game it lies within. Not bad for a game about climbing a mountain."
Looking further ahead this year, games like Donut County, Way of the Passive Fist, Wattam, and The Gardens Between look like exciting releases. We've spent time with each of these previously, and the video above dives into what makes each of them notable. If that's not enough, we have an even more extensive rundown on the biggest hidden gems of 2018, which covers a wide variety of genres and styles.
The last full week of February brings a bunch of new shows and movies to watch on Netflix. From talk shows to original movies to animate adaptations, there's more than enough to binge if you've got the time.
Likely the biggest addition of the week is the live-action movie adaptation of FullMetal Alchemist. The film, based on the popular anime, was released in Japan back in December. In lieu of a theatrical release in the United States, it will instead stream on Netflix.
Joining it are new seasons of Netflix originals Marseille, Seven Seconds, and Ugly Delicious. Additionally, February 18 saw the premiere of the streamer's new weekly talk show, The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale. Based on what's been revealed about the series thus far, it sounds like a hybrid of a traditional talk show and McHale's former E! series The Soup.
Rounding out the week is Mute, the new film from Moon and World of Warcraft director Duncan Jones. The sci-fi movie stars Alexander Skarsgard as a mute bartender searching for his missing girlfriend in the near-future. Joining Skarsgard on the project are Paul Rudd, Justin Theroux, and Sam Rockwell.
You can take a look at what is coming to Netflix this week below. After that, go ahead and take a look everything added in February.
February 18
The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale (Netflix Original)
February 19
Dismissed
FullMetal Alchemist (Netflix Original)
February 20
Bates Motel: Season 5
The Frankenstein Chronicles: Season 1 and Season 2 (Netflix Original)
Bungie is preparing to launch the next Season 2 instance of Faction Rally in Destiny 2, and it's right around the corner. Along with an opportunity to earn the armor and other items offered during previous Faction Rallies, this one will also introduce a number of new weapons to obtain.
In its latest blog post, Bungie showcased the weapons coming soon. Some of these are brand-new additions to the pool of possible rewards for taking part in the event. Others you may recognize from January's Faction Rally--the exclusive auto rifles that would only be available if their corresponding Faction won the event will now be obtainable as standard Faction Rally rewards. This will mark the first time that two of these (those belonging to Future War Cult and Dead Orbit) will be available to players; New Monarchy won last month's event, so only its Winner's Offering weapon went up for sale.
This Faction Rally will operate similarly: members of the three Factions will all compete to acquire the most rewards packages during the week-long event. A new weapon belonging to that faction will then be sold to all players for 50,000 Glimmer, though members of the faction will get it for just 1,000. Both Dead Orbit and New Monarchy will offer a pulse rifle, while Future War Cult will have a scout rifle. You can see all of these, along with the other new reward weapons and the returning armor, in the gallery below.
Destiny 2's next Faction Rally begins with the weekly reset on February 20. It will run for one week, as always, and be followed by Victory Week, during which time you can cash in any remaining Faction Tokens and buy the Winner's Offering. You may want to save your Tokens, however, as not all of the new Season 2 Faction Rally items will have been introduced--more are still to come in the subsequent event. Following some confusion about how new items would be rolled out, Bungie clarified last month that not all Faction Rally weapons would be available right away.
As it does occasionally, Rockstar is providing a welcome freebie to players of Grand Theft Auto V. Players will be able to get some free money in GTA Online for a limited time, and in a roundabout way, everything available for sale will be discounted.
Attributing this to a move by the fictional San Andreas Treasury Department, Rockstar has announced a stimulus package for all players on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. By logging into GTA Online between now and February 26, you'll qualify for $250,000 of in-game cash. This won't be handed over immediately--you can expect it to reach your Maze Bank account sometime between February 27 and March 6.
In addition to that, Rockstar has kicked off a promotion that requires you to have GTA money now but will save you some in the long haul. Any in-game cash you spend from now until February 26 will get you a 10% refund (for example, spend $500,000, and you'll get $50,000 back in the bank.) The most you can earn back through this promotion is $1 million, though that'd require you to spend a whopping $10 million. The refund will be delivered on February 27.
You can stack this offer with this week's new sales, which include 25% off Executive Offices, all 10-car properties, and the Nagasaki Buzzard attack helicopter, among other vehicles. It's also not too late to take advantage of some of the other bonuses going on in GTA 5 this week, which coincided with the release of a new vehicle, the Vapid Hustler.
Although these it's not mentioned as often today as some of its contemporaries, Xenogears is nevertheless a cult-classic RPG. Released in 1998 for the original PlayStation by the company then known as Squaresoft, Xenogears set the stage for a series of games that continues today, two decades later.
In the video above, we explore the history of Xenogears, including some behind-the-scenes details and a look at what made it special. With a twist on the Active Time Battle system used in games like Chrono Trigger, it offered a distinct style of combat to go along with an excellent soundtrack.
The video also explores the controversial religious aspects of the game that posed a problem during localization. It also touches on the infamously incomplete nature of the game; rather than cut content entirely, the developers resorted to leaning on exposition-heavy cutscenes comprised of static images.
Despite this, Xenogears remains beloved by many. It never received a direct sequel at Square, and disagreements with the publisher led to director Tetsuya Takahashi leaving the company to found Monolith Soft. That company subsequently went on to establish the Xeno series, first developing the Xenosaga games before moving on to the Xenoblade Chronicles titles, the most recent entry of which, Chronicles 2, debuted late last year on Nintendo Switch.
February has been a busy month for Nintendo Switch owners so far, and that only continues this week with the release of Bayonetta 2. Platinum Games' acclaimed action game arrives on Switch nearly four years after it originally debuted on Wii U back in 2014, and it has the distinction of being one of the few games to earn a rare 10 out of 10 from GameSpot.
"Bayonetta 2 never strives to be anything less than the purest, rarest kind of action-game experience, one that values skill, reaction times, and sheer spectacle over all else--realism and storytelling be damned," critic Mark Walton wrote in GameSpot's original Bayonetta 2 review. "Sure, you can feel the influence of the likes of Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden in Bayonetta 2's combat, and see it in its wonderfully outlandish visuals. But neither of those games, nor the many that followed in their footsteps, come close to the brilliance of Bayonetta 2."
Ahead of its release, outlets began publishing reviews of Bayonetta 2. As always, we've rounded up a sample of them below to give you an idea of what critics have to say about the action game. For a broader look at Bayonetta 2's reception, be sure to check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
Alongside Bayonetta 2, the original Bayonetta also arrives on Switch this week, and it likewise remains one of the most highly regarded action games ever released, as you can read about in our original Bayonetta review. Both titles are available individually on the Switch Eshop, but those who pick up a physical copy of Bayonetta 2 will also receive a download code for the original Bayonetta, giving fans a chance to catch up on the series before Bayonetta 3 launches exclusively for the console. Alternatively, you can get a discount by purchasing the first two games on the Switch Eshop.
Game: Bayonetta 2
Developer: Platinum Games
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release date: February 16
Price: $60
GameSpot -- 10/10
"Bayonetta 2 arrives on Switch with everything intact from the Wii U version, but with the added convenience of portability and a more consistent frame rate, making it the definitive version of the game. Thanks to the confident execution of seemingly unbridled creativity, Bayonetta 2 remains a game that shouldn't be missed, just as it was when we first reviewed the game on Wii U." -- Peter Brown [Full review]
IGN -- 9/10
"Playing through Bayonetta 2 on Nintendo Switch allowed me to relive some of the most exhilarating, action-packed, hack-and-slash moments from the last decade of gaming. The framerate improvements alone make it a better experience than the Wii U version, and the Amiibo-activated costumes at least put a fun spin on it even if there's no substantial new content for returning players. It's disappointing that the Switch version can't manage more than 720p on a big screen, but with that said, Bayonetta 2's fantastic art style holds up well." -- Filip Miucin [Full review]
Metro -- 9/10
"Bayonetta 2 is one of the best action games of all-time, and while we'd love to think this Switch version will finally grant it the mainstream success it deserves we're not holding out much hope. The third game probably won't be a hit either, but then these aren't games made for the love of money, but for the love of gaming itself." [Full review]
Trusted Reviews -- 4.5/5
"Bayonetta 1 and 2 remain a fantastic duo of action titles that feel perfectly at home on Nintendo Switch. Being able to play two of Platinum Games' finest efforts whenever you like is hugely appealing, and the abundance of content on offer here only makes it even better." -- Jordan King [Full review]
We Got This Covered -- 4.5/5
"Although many have experienced Bayonetta in some form or another, whether it be the amazing PC port from last year, or the abysmal PlayStation 3 release, it feels more than at home on Switch. The inclusion of Bayonetta 2 seals the deal, as many didn't own a Wii U, and I certainly can't blame them. Packing them together for $60 is frankly a steal, as we've seen much worse ports at higher prices. A 720p docked resolution will be a deterrent for some, but maintaining a solid framerate is crucial for an action game, and on that front, Bayonetta 1 + 2 (mostly) hits the mark. If you're at all a fan of Bayonetta or action games in general, do yourself a favor and give these two games a go." -- David Morgan [Full review]
Vooks -- 5/5
"There's a reason Bayonetta is revered amongst fans of character action games. While Bayonetta as a character might deter some people from giving the franchise a chance, there's an incredible set of action games in this collection. As I said right at the beginning, after playing both Bayonetta games for the first time on Switch I was kicking myself for not trying them sooner. The characters and utter spectacle of the environments and encounters are impressive, and the flow of combat is immensely satisfying whether you keep it to basic dodges and ripostes or get experimental with combining techniques. Both games are adjustable to your preferences as far as difficulty, game speed, and complexity--even if you've been intimidated by similar games in the past, you can get in on the action here." -- Steven Impson [Full review]
The TTS allows PC players to try out the new content ahead of its full release. Ubisoft does warn, however, that "a consistent gameplay experience is not guaranteed on the test server." Operation Chimera will be available to test here until March 2, with the DLC season's full release coming to PC as well as PS4 and Xbox One on March 6.
Finka and Lion were revealed in full just a few days ago. The former comes equipped with a stim pen that applies a 20 HP boost to both herself and every teammate for 20 seconds, even reviving any downed allies, wherever they are on the map. In addition, each of the three adrenal surges grants the team a movement and reload speed buff for the same period, as well as a reduction in recoil and resistance to stun effects.
Lion, meanwhile, carries a drone that reveals moving enemies' identities and locations around the map for four seconds, including their exact outlines. The counter is that both teams receive a three second countdown after the drone is triggered but before its x-ray vision comes into effect, allowing enemies to lie still and avoid detection. For more on the new characters, check out our analysis of how Operation Chimera's Lion and Finka will change the Rainbow Six Siege meta.
Outbreak, meanwhile, is the new alien zombie-based co-op mode. It's only a limited-time event, lasting four weeks from March 6, but it includes plenty of new maps and missions, as well as loot boxes. You can read our preview on how Outbreak is completely different to traditional Siege here.
In Celebration of Chinese New Year--this year it's the Year of the Dog--Microsoft dressed up a bunch of dogs in video game-inspired outfits. Microsoft worked with dog fashion designer Roberto Negrini from the TV show Furry, Fierce, And Fabulous on these outfits, which are based on franchises like Sea of Thieves, Forza, Gears of War, Halo, and PUBG.
The dogs, or "CosPups" as Microsoft calls them, are pretty adorable, and they have cute names, too. These include "Master Chihuahua," "Sea of Fleas," "Mutt-cus Fenix," "Fur-za," and "PUG-G." Microsoft says "each dog's character outfit was created with craft, care, and a passion for the games they represent." You can see images of these lovely dogs in the gallery below; be sure to click each image to see it in full size.
Well, here you go.
Have a nice day.
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