We're giving away 5 PS4 codes and 5 Xbox One codes for Railway Empire! (List Price: $59.99, scroll down below to enter)
In Railway Empire, you will create an elaborate and wide-ranging rail network, purchase over 40 different trains modeled in extraordinary detail, and buy or build railway stations, maintenance buildings, factories, and tourist attractions to keep your travel network ahead of the competition.
Competition ends Sunday, February 4 at 9:00PM PT. Ten (10) winners will be emailed. Entry is open to USA residents only on PS4 and worldwide on Xbox One. No purchase necessary.
Enter below (the additional entries are OPTIONAL to increase your chances of winning):
Super Bowl Sunday is upon us and in anticipation of the big game between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, we ran our own simulation between these two teams in Madden NFL 18. We set the stage for our own Super Bowl LII matchup taking place in Minneapolis, Minnesota with full 15 minute quarters and updated rosters. In the video above, we cut down to the biggest plays and highlights for your viewing pleasure and call the plays from our booth.
Since we wanted to get a somewhat accurate prediction, we used current player rosters for both teams, so Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz had to sit this one out, just like in the real world. However, former Eagles starting QB Nick Foles has been able to use his experience to lead the team through the playoffs, but is now challenged against this strong Patriots defense. However, Tom Brady and the Patriots offense need to face the NFL's second-ranked defense in the Eagles, so this won't be a walk in the park for the five-time Super Bowl champion QB.
Clutch plays from both teams come up every quarter, from amazing catches to long rushes, but plenty of fumbles and big mistakes turn the tide at key moments of the game. We hope you enjoy our Super Bowl prediction video, called by GameSpot's own Nick Margherita and Michael Higham with our "sideline" reporter Rob Handlery. Go Pats? Fly Eagles Fly? Find out what happens in our Super Bowl simulation!
This isn't our only coverage of the biggest football game of the year; check out what could be the best Super Bowl commercial this year, or what trailers you could catch during the game.
The promotional blitz for Westworld Season 2 has officially begun. While there is no premiere date for the new season, it's been confirmed that it will debut in the spring. It may not be long before fans find out when exactly new episodes will arrive, though.
It's been revealed that Westworld will have a commercial during the Super Bowl. According to Entertainment Weekly, it's the first time since 1998 that HBO has purchased ad time during the big game. While it remains unknown just how much the trailer will give away--or what the plot of Season 2 will be--EW says the trailer is directed by Jonathan Nolan, who co-created the series with Lisa Joy, and will include exclusive footage that won't appear on the show.
HBO has also released a shot teaser via Westworld's Twitter account, which teases the show's Super Bowl presence. The short video, like a lot of Westworld's viral marketing, looks like it's captured from Delos computer systems and hints at major problems in the Journey into Night celebration that ended Season 1.
There has also been an update to the Delos company website, part of the show's massive ARG efforts, that points fans to the Super Bowl, which takes place in Minneapolis. "Our current market testing tells us that now, more than ever, people are looking to escape their reality," it reads. "With this strategy in mind, we are expanding our outreach campaign, starting with boots on the ground in Minneapolis. We are proud to announce a rebrand years in the making, placing Delos Destinations at the forefront of a new age. There has never been a better time to live without limits."
With so much effort being put into promoting the show's Super Bowl commercial, chances are this is going to be a big moment for Westworld fans. After all, the trailer released at San Diego Comic-Con only included footage from the first few weeks of Season 2 filming. Now production of the episodes is complete. That's a lot of footage to choose from when it comes to teasing the new season.
A new Fortnite update has been released, and while the accompanying server downtime was not as lengthy as it was last week, some issues have cropped up. Most significantly, some players of the PS4 and Xbox One versions are encountering a resolution problem that stretches the video incorrectly, causing it to fall outside the bounds of the screen.
Shortly after the patch went live, developer Epic Games confirmed it knows about the issue and is working to resolve it. In a post on Reddit, Epic explained, "We are aware that some console players are having issues with resolution. Fixing this is a priority for us and we will let you know when we are ready to deploy a fix." There's no further timeline shared for when the problem might be resolved. It's worth noting that some players don't encounter this at all, so it's worth downloading the update (which is mandatory anyway) and seeing if you're spared.
Another, less serious problem that has emerged is the addition of a quest that calls for players to participate in the limited-time mode Blitz. However, this isn't actually available at this point, and the quest's listing is described as a known issue in the the 2.4.0 update patch notes. Epic simply says the mode "is not current available," adding that it's "working to remove this from available quests."
Other known issues in Battle Royale with this patch include chests sometimes not having loot, being unable to equip the first weapon you find, and the pause menu being inaccessible if you're downed while in Build mode. The known issues for Save the World mode are more extensive; you can see them all here.
Following a period of server downtime, Epic Games has brought Fortnite back online (though you might face a queue to get in). With it, the new 2.4.0 update is now available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Players of both the Battle Royale and Save the World modes have some things to look forward to, but the most exciting of the bunch is likely the new minigun weapon for Battle Royale. [Update: Epic Games has confirmed that "some" console players are experiencing an issue with resolution. "Fixing this is a priority for us and we will let you know when we are ready to deploy a fix," it said on Twitter. We'll report back with more details as we receive them. Players have also noticed an in-game reference to something called Blitz mode, but there's no word on what that is. The patch notes state this is not available yet and will be removed from your quests at some point.]
The minigun can be found in both supply drops and chests in Battle Royale, and it uses Light ammo. Epic says it fires at "almost" the same speed as the SMG, but you can presumably fire it for much longer before needing to reload. It should offer a nice change in pace if you've been spending a lot of time with sniper rifles recently as part of the limited-time Sniper Shootout mode that has now wrapped up.
Other Battle Royale changes in this update include an option to toggle off the recently added auto-run feature, and a reduction in how often the high-rarity suppressed pistols show up. Save the World's additions include the release of the Cozy Campfire item and the addition of new Expedition types. You can see everything in our breakdown of the Fortnite 2.4.0 patch notes, or check out the full list of changes on Epic's website.
Epic recently promised freebies are on the way to make up for the lengthy server downtime that accompanied the release of a patch last week. We still don't know when those are coming, but they're now one step closer, as Epic said they wouldn't be released until after 2.4.0 rolled out.
As for what's next, Epic has revised its schedule for upcoming updates. The Valentine's Day and Spring It On events have been pushed back a week and now have target launch dates of February 14 (update 2.5.0) and February 21 (update 3.0.0), respectively. The current Save the World event will be extended in the meantime. "We want you to be able to play the game and feel this is the best bet for getting a stable patch out to you," Epic said in a post on Reddit. We'll report back as further details are shared.
Netflix's new sci-fi show Altered Carbon is based on a series of novels by Richard K. Morgan. It takes place in a cyberpunk future where death is no longer a limitation on the lives of humankind, and existing in virtual reality is as normal as walking the streets of the real world. The seven settled worlds have evolved to accommodate this massive leap in technology, giving the rich and powerful the means to cheat death by moving between bodies, while miring the less privileged in rundown districts filled with their vices.
Naturally, the series is stuffed with grand ideas, existential quandaries, and strange technologies, and--in many cases--it doesn't dwell on them enough to fully explain them. It's easy to get lost in all the tech terminology, references to government agencies, or fleeting historical context, so we've put together a breakdown for all the most important things you need to know to watch Altered Carbon and fully understand what's going on.
In the video above, we go through everything from Stacks and Sleeves to AI, VR, Dippers, Songspires, CTAC, and more. We explain what they are, how they fit into the world of Altered Carbon, and why they're important to the story. Of course, we've done this while avoiding major story spoilers (there's some minor spoilers for episode one and two). You can also read about the many cyberpunk terms in Altered Carbon here.
Altered Carbon is available to watch on Netflix now, and we think it's well worth your time. You can watch our spoiler-free Altered Carbon review to find out why we like it. We also have a written Altered Carbon review for you to check out. For those looking for a deeper dive, we'll have a spoiler-filled Altered Carbon review coming up soon too. Make sure to subscribe to GameSpot Universe on YouTube so you don't miss it.
Ubisoft has revealed what DLC content will be included in Far Cry 5's season pass, which is available as part of the game's Gold Edition or as an add-on across PS4, Xbox One, and PC. According to the publisher, the DLC is designed to "take players on three uncanny adventures with a unique Far Cry twist."
Hours of Darkness will see players travelling back through time to Vietnam, where they'll battle agains Viet Cong soldiers. Dead Living Zombies, meanwhile, will pit players against the zombie hordes in multiple scenarios that are inspired by B-movies. Finally, Lost on Mars will take players to Mars to go "toe-to-claws" with Martian arachnids.
Those who purchase the season pass will also get the single-player campaign from Far Cry 3. It will be available four weeks early to them, before becoming available to purchase as a standalone product in "Summer 2018."
Alongside the season pass details, a new story trailer for Far Cry 5 has been released, check it out above. Far Cry 5's release date has been confirmed as March 27 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. One of the big new additions is the ability to use dogs to distract enemies and pick up weapons for you. Other classic open-world gameplay opportunities such as flying planes are also available. For lots more on Far Cry 5, check out all of GameSpot's previous written and video coverage here.
On January 23, Ubisoft revealed PC specs for Far Cry 5, detailing the minimum and recommended requirements, as well as what hardware you'll need to run the game at 4K.
2K and Firaxis Games have announced that XCOM 2 Collection is available now on PC, Mac, and Linux. Additionally, it has confirmed on Twitter that PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions will be released "soon."
XCOM 2 Collection features the base game along with four DLC packs for it (Resistance Warrior, Anarchy's Children, Alien Hunters, Shen's Last Gift). The larger War of the Chosen expansion is also included. To celebrate the launch of the collection PC, it is available at 50% off on Steam until February 3 at 2 AM UK time. You can take a look at the full list of content included in XCOM 2 Collection below, courtesy of 2K and Firaxis.
The XCOM 2 Collection is now available for PC, Mac, and Linux. Coming soon to #PS4 and #XboxOne.
XCOM 2 –Aliens rule Earth, promising a brilliant future for mankind while secretly hiding a sinister agenda. As the leader of a guerrilla force facing impossible odds, you must ignite a global resistance to eliminate the alien threat and save the human race from extinction.
XCOM 2: Resistance Warrior Pack–Customize your squad of resistance fighters with a set of bonus outfits and head gear, as well as custom armor and face camo. Instantly unlock a survivor of the old war as a new recruit in your barracks.
This rebellion-themed content pack introduces more than 100 new exotic customizations for the entire arsenal of armors available to your XCOM soldiers. These options are purely cosmetic and do not alter the stats of a soldier.
Transform the soldiers of XCOM into an elite alien hunting squad with impressive new weapons and armor to face off against new alien Rulers that will pursue your squad across an entire campaign. Additional cosmetic upgrades to soldiers and the Avenger are included, as well as a new epic mission where Central Officer Bradford leads a squad with the guidance of an old friend.
XCOM 2: Shen's Last Gift –Investigate ADVENT's Lost Towers facility where Chief Engineer Lily Shen accompanies your squad in search of her late father's secretive final project. Discover a unique new soldier class complete with powerful new combat abilities, strategy mechanics, and customization options.
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen - The XCOM 2: War of the Chosen expansion adds extensive new content in the fight against ADVENT when additional resistance factions form in order to eliminate the alien threat on Earth. In response, a new enemy, known as the 'Chosen,' emerges with one goal: recapture the Commander. The expansion includes new Hero classes to counter the 'Chosen,' new enemies, missions, environments and increased depth in strategic gameplay.
In GameSpot's XCOM 2 review, Mike Mahardy awarded it a 9/10, saying that "layered tactics, impactful meta-game, and deep character-building are all intact on PS4 and Xbox One," making XCOM 2 a "superb" strategy title across all platforms. Our War of the Chosen review was equally praise-filled, with Daniel Starkey giving it a 9/10.
"Everything that Chosen brings--from the elite soldiers to the deeper connections between your squads--feels like a living part of the XCOM universe," he said. "If you like your deep strategy and brutal turn-based tactics alongside brilliant interplay between camp and emergent drama, there is none better."
Altered Carbon is out now on Netflix and we're quite big fans of it. Between the cyberpunk sci-fi world, the who-dun-it detective story, and the cast of memorable characters, we think it's one of the best shows on the streaming service.
Although sci-fi continues to be perennially popular, cyberpunk as a genre is still somewhat niche. In 2018, however, it is on the cusp of grabbing the attention of a much broader market, and we think Altered Carbon could have a big part of that.
In the video, above Lucy and Tamoor discuss the show in detail, tackling the show's themes, its plot, characters, production, and everything else in between. It's a spoiler-filled deep dive, so we recommend watching the series first and then coming back to hear their thoughts.
Nintendo raised a lot of eyebrows last month when it announced Nintendo Labo, a new kind of "experience" that players can build and use with their Switch. While DIY software in itself is hardly a novel concept, what makes Labo particularly unique is that it comes packaged with pieces of cardboard and other assorted crafts, which can be fashioned into a number of different peripherals, such as a fishing rod or a miniature piano, and used in conjunction with the Switch console and Joy-Cons.
Of course, it's difficult to fully wrap your head around Labo without experiencing it for yourself, and you may still have questions about how it all works. If you're confused over what exactly Nintendo Labo is and how you play it, we've got you covered. In the video above, we break down exactly what it is you do with Nintendo Labo and how your cardboard creations are able to interact with the Switch.
Labo is available in two different kits, each of which includes several sheets of cardboard paper and other materials you need to build Toy-Cons, the cardboard objects you use to play Labo's various activities. The cardboard is already perforated, so assembling your Toy-Con is simply a matter of popping out the pieces (carefully, as the cardboard is fairly thin) and following the step-by-step instructions displayed on the Switch screen to put them together.
Every Toy-Con you create has a slot for your Joy-Cons, and it uses these controllers in various ways to interact with the Labo software. The RC Car, for instance, "drives" around by using the Joy-Cons' HD rumble. Other constructions, like the Piano, have strips of IR tape that are read by the right Joy-Con's camera to determine which note to play when you press a certain key. Similarly, the House Toy-Con comes with a variety of plugs that can be inserted into either of its sides, which will cause something different to happen on the Switch screen.
For a better idea of how the game works, be sure to watch our hands-on footage of Nintendo Labo. We got to build several Toy-Cons and played all five of the activities in the Labo Variety Kit: RC Car, Fishing Pole, House, Motorbike, and Piano. You can also watch us try out the Robot Kit, which has players strap on a Toy-Con backpack to control an on-screen robot.
Nintendo Labo releases in the US and Australia on April 20, while it arrives in Europe on April 27. Both the Variety Kit and the Robot Kit will be available at launch; the former will cost $70 USD / £60 / $100 AUD, while the latter retails for $80 USD / £70 / $120 AUD. Nintendo will also release a separate Customization Set that includes stencils, stickers, and colored tape to customize your Toy-Cons.
Nintendo has a lot of big titles lined up for the first half of 2018 as its new hybrid console, the Switch, heads into the second year of its life, but certainly the most unexpected is Nintendo Labo. Unveiled last month as a new "experience" for the Switch, Nintendo Labo isn't a video game in the traditional sense, but rather a suite of DIY projects that use the console and Joy-Cons in a variety of clever ways.
So far, Nintendo is releasing Labo in two distinct "kits," each of which includes an assortment of cardboard sheets, string, and other crafts that can be assembled into different peripherals--charmingly dubbed Toy-Cons--that interact with the included software. The first package, the Variety Kit, features five different Toy-Cons to make for use with a corresponding activity, while the Robot Kit comes with materials to assemble a cardboard backpack that lets you control an on-screen robot.
It certainly sounds like a bizarre concept on paper, and it may be difficult to fully wrap your head around how Nintendo Labo operates and why it's such a neat piece of software just from the trailer Nintendo shared earlier this month. While it remains to be seen if Labo will ultimately be worth picking up when it launches, most of our questions about the game were answered at a preview event this week in New York, which gave us our first opportunity to go hands-on with unique project.
In the video above, you can watch us assemble some Toy-Cons and play through the full range of activities from the Nintendo Labo Variety Kit: RC Car, Motorbike, Piano, House, and Fishing Rod. We also strapped on the Robot backpack and stomped around a virtual city as a giant robot, punching over buildings and transforming into a vehicle.
Both Nintendo Labo kits launch on April 20. The Variety Kit retails for $70 USD / £60 / $100 AUD, while the Robot Kit costs $80 USD / £70 / $120 AUD. We'll have more coverage of Nintendo Labo soon, but in the meantime, you can read more about Nintendo Labo here.
Quirky crossover costumes are a regular part of the Monster Hunter experience, but the first set for Monster Hunter World makes a lot of sense: it's the metal-monster hunter Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn. The initial quest for unlocking the Palico armor has been active for a while in the PS4-exclusive add-on, but if you're curious about how the process works, we've outlined the timing and quests below to access the extras.
The Aloy armor set and bow will be available starting February 28 until March 5. Unlike other gear, you'll have to wear the entire Aloy set together--you can't just wear the pants or chest alone. And the set will also alter your appearance so that your character looks like Aloy from Horizon, complete with long red hair. We'll have more details on those quests once they're active in the game.
To unlock the Palico armor, you'll need to accept the Event quest "Lessons of the Wild," which runs until February 8. This is a 5-star quest that requires a Hunter Rank of 6 or higher. In the description, this sounds like a pretty easy hunt; all you have to do is slay 8 Barnos. And since you're fighting in an arena, you don't even have to worry about hunting them down in the environment. However, you're not alone in the battle; there's also a Tzitzi-Ya-Ku to deal with.
You're not required to take out the raptor, and if you're not using a long-range weapon, you can even use the monster's ability to help you out. Tzitzi has a flash ability that's able to knock the Barnos out of the air--as long as you're able to dodge out of the way and avoid the stun as well. If he ends up stunning you more often than he helps out, you should focus on taking him out first. While the Barnos will occasionally attack you, they're not quite as aggressive and will tend to stay out of the fight.
After you take out the Barnos you'll earn at least one Watcher Lens, which is represented by a big question mark in your gathering inventory. To get the full set of Horizon Palico gear, you'll need 3x Watcher Lens, 1x Electro Sac, and 3x Dragonite Ore. With those items collected, to craft the gear you'll head to the Smithy. The Palico armor is located under Forge Palico Equipment -> Full Armor Sets. The Horizon-themed Palico weapon is found under Forge Palico Equipment -> Standard Equipment. At the bottom of your low-rank list you'll find the Watcher weapon. Check out the screens above for a more visual break-down of where to find everything.
The Horizon Zero Dawn content is exclusvie to PS4, but everyone will get to take part in the next costume event--a Street Fighter V crossover. While PS4 owners who have SFV save data on their console will get first dibs starting February 16, that Event Quest line will launch for other Xbox One and PS4 players at a later date. And the first big free update for the game, which will introduce the new Deviljho monster, is set to release this Spring.
News hit last week that Epic Games will shut down Paragon, its free-to-play action MOBA, on April 26. The game went through several changes over its two years of open betas and early access, but a final release won't see the light of day. Despite building a community of its own and reaching over five million players during its course, Paragon never found stability. It also seems that Epic struck a gold mine with Fortnite; not because of the original Save the World mode, but because it was able to capitalize on the battle royale trend by adapting the core game to a drastically different style.
In the video above, we explore in-depth what went wrong with Paragon; a game that seemed to have the foundation of a potentially successful MOBA. Can we attribute this to Fortnite's rapid success by riding the battle royale wave, or how Epic reacted to the increasingly competitive space in MOBA games? Maybe there's a larger business reason at play--or maybe it's a combination of all those factors.
Paragon and Fortnite had somewhat similar paths at their start. Both were presented as free-to-play, but also had paid early access versions with tons of digital content for early adopters. Paragon went through many iterations with tweaks to pacing, balance, and other issues, which Epic worked to resolve with varying degrees of success. Fortnite set out to be a Gears of War- or Orcs Must Die-like Horde mode/tower-defense game with construction mechanics similar to Minecraft. But following in the footsteps of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, Fortnite: Battle Royale is what launched the game into massive popularity, reaching 45 million players and dwarfing the numbers Paragon could muster. That's only part of the story, however. We hope you watch the video above as Jake Dekker digs deeper into the fall of Paragon and the rise of Fortnite.
Crytek's forthcoming PC horror game Hunt: Showdown is finally in alpha. We've taken some time with the PvP/PvE title to bring you the best tips and tricks on how to survive with both your hunters and the bounty intact. Make sure to check them out in the video above.
Hunt: Showdown has had a strange history, and it's evolved even from what was shown at E3 2017. The whole point of the game is to pair off into different teams, hunt down a monster, kill and banish it, collect the bounty, and get the heck out of dodge. The premise seems simple enough, but it's not quite as easy as it may sound.
Not only are there NPC enemies along the way to your bounty targets, but other teams of players are working toward the same goal. You can take them down too, but if you're not careful, they may wipe you out or whisk away the prize before you can. And note that if you do fall on the battlefield, you'll lose that specific hunter's progression progress permanently. Making it to the extraction point without the bounty still allows you to level up your hunter, so going after the bounty may not be a risk you have to take.
The key to success is stealth. You'll want to make the least amount of noise as possible in game, and in communicating with your teammates. Guns, cattle, dogs, and the infected all make noise, and if you're trying to keep your plans on sabotaging the other team on the DL, you won't want to speak over voice chat leisurely. Proximity voice chat is on in this game, and the opposition will hear you if you're within range.
For even more on Hunt: Showdown and how to survive in the alpha build, check out the video above for all the tips and tricks we've got. The alpha is currently invite only, but sign-up is available on the official website. You can also take a look at our Hunt: Showdown alpha livestream.
The classic arcade game Tempest is coming back in the form of a miniature cabinet via Kickstarter through New Wave Toys. This 1/6th-scale machine, called the Replicade X Tempest, surpassed the funding goal ($20,000) by more than three times in its first day. Now with just over two weeks left for the campaign, it is nearly at $100,000 in total pledges from its backers.
This doesn't come as a surprise since New Wave Toys had success with its previous Kickstarter campaign in the Replicade X Centipede, which was the first product in the Replicade Amusements product line. These downscaled retro arcade cabinets run on a closed system and use the original ROMs, fully licensed by Atari, with a scaled version of the original control schemes. The cabinets themselves are constructed with a wooden frame and feature the artwork from the original cabinets.
Like the Centipede rendition, the Replicade X Tempest has a 3.5-inch LCD screen and LED backlighting. These run on micro USB-charged lithium-ion batteries and are said to last between three to four hours on a full charge. The coin return button functions as players' in-game credit.
In previous talks with New Wave Toys founder Shilo Prychak, he stated that the Replicade machines are intended to be collectors' items produced in limited quantities that also serve as faithful recreations of games. He plans to expand the collection of Replicade machines for other retro arcade games beyond Centipede and Tempest, but hasn't stated which ones are planned for the future.
Those who pledged at least $90 USD for the campaign will receive the Replicade X Tempest, but higher tiers offer multiple machines in one shipment. Units are planned to ship out to eligible backers by August of this year. Backers of the previous Centipede campaign are scheduled to receive their miniature cabinets in April.
Now, though, he's explaining why something was missing from the movie. After the death of Han Solo (Harrison Ford) in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, many fans expected there to be some sort of memorial service for the beloved character in The Last Jedi. It wasn't there, though, and according to Johnson, it was never even a possibility.
Speaking with Collider following a screening of the movie, Johnson explains his stance on the subject. "[There was no debate of showing Han Solo's funeral], just because pacing-wise it didn't have a place," he says. "It's tough in Star Wars because I always think about the mourning that Luke gives to Ben's death, which is all of four-and-a-half seconds before, 'Come on kid we're not out of this yet' and then boom, you're into 'Yay, woo-hoo! Don't get cocky!' There's the moment for it, but it's not long. We don't have time for our sorrows, commanders. That's kind of the thing of Star Wars; you don't really linger on grief because you're moving forward."
Johnson's not wrong. With so much happening in The Last Jedi, pausing everything for a memorial service would have halted the movie's forward momentum. Still, the director points out that there were small moments in the movie that showed the grief felt not only by Han's death but the state of the galaxy in general.
"I think we do it a little more in this movie than typically is done," Johnson says. "I really held onto that moment of Leia before they come out of hyperspace, just that moment of feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders."
Say what you will about Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but Johnson clearly thought out every choice he made for the movie. That's reassuring, given that he's going to tackle an entire trilogy of the series. Before that, though, the Han Solo standalone movie will hit theaters.
2018 is still young, but one of the standout games so far is Celeste. The platformer calls to mind a game like Super Meat Boy, but it trades in the violence of that game and instead offers up a surprising story about mental health issues. Although its narrative is a real highlight, it's also incredibly fun to play--and really tough.
While the entire game poses a challenge, where it's most difficult is in its B-Side levels. These alternate versions present twists on the standard levels that make reaching the end a real accomplishment. But in order to play them, you first have to unlock them by tracking down and securing hidden tapes. Whether you're simply curious to see what these B-Sides are like or want to see an expert run through them, you can check out the video above. Our own Joey Yee starts out by going through some standard levels before jumping into the B-Sides.
Celeste was developed by Matt Makes Games, the same group responsible for TowerFall. It debuted just recently on a variety of platforms, including PC, Switch, PS4, and Xbox One. The aforementioned narrative, which centers around protagonist Madeline's attempt to climb a mountain, help to elevate it beyond simply being an excellent platformer.
"It's a testament to convincing writing and ingenious design that after playing Celeste I felt like I'd been on the same journey as Madeline," GameSpot's Oscar Dayus writes in our Celeste review. "Her struggle is one made easy to empathize with, her low points painful to watch, and her high notes exhilarating to experience. Her 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."
If you're looking for something to play this weekend, you've got a few free options on Steam. Another Steam free weekend has started, and it features Alphabear: Hardcover Edition, Rock of Ages 2: Bigger and Boulder, and Fallout 4. Beginning today, you can download and play all three games at no cost. The full games are playable until Sunday, February 4 at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET / 9 PM GMT.
In addition to these free trials, all three games are also available for 50% off. Alphabear will run you $5, Rock of Ages 2 costs $7.49, and Fallout 4 costs $15. The Rock of Ages 2 deal ends on February 5, Alphabear's runs through February 6, and Fallout 4 is on sale until February 12.
Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition is also on sale right now, and it comes with all of the game's DLC packs. You can snag this version for $36, a discount of 40%. The DLC includes the big expansions, Far Harbor and Nuka-World, as well as the smaller packs like the Wasteland Workshop, Automatron, and the Vault-Tec Workshop.
If you're not familiar, Alphabear is a fun puzzle game that tasks you with coming up with words from combinations of letters. Rock of Ages 2, meanwhile, is a tower-defense game based on themes from art history.
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest incarnation of the Ninja Turtles franchise, will not debut on Nickelodeon until later in 2018. However, images from the new show have been revealed, showing radically different character designs and a peek at the first African-American portrayal of April O'Neil (Kat Graham).
According to a synopsis, the series "follows the band of brothers as they encounter new allies and villains and discover a mystical world they never knew existed beneath the streets of New York City." Based on the character art, which you can see below, it looks like the mystical world they discover will come in handy. April's glowing baseball bat looks pretty dangerous.
The images also show just how different this series is going to be. The art style looks unlike any other incarnation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. For one, there are some changes to their standard weaponry. Raphael (Omar Benson Miller) has traded his sai for tonfa, Michelangelo (Brandon Mychal Smith) uses a kusari-fundo chain weapon, Leonardo's (Ben Schwartz) typical sword is traded out for an odachi sword, and Donatello's (Josh Brener) bo had gotten some high tech upgrades.
Raphael and Michelangelo's weapons are especially interesting. Those turtles utilized the tonfa and kusari-fundo while training in the comics, before becoming the heroes in a half shell that fans know well. Perhaps, this version of the Ninja Turtles is something of a prequel to the franchise fans know as the turtles discover their personalities.
It would surely help make sense of their roles on the new show. In Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Raphael is the leader of the team, while Leonardo--who normally guides his brothers--is the self-proclaimed cool turtle. Perhaps they have yet to mature into the heroes they eventually become.
The images also include a look at Splinter (Eric Bauza), though no information is given about this take on the turtles' sensei. Missing from the character art is Baron Draxum, a villain in the series voiced by John Cena. With plenty of time before the series premieres later in the year, though, that is bound to come in due time.
It's been a long time since The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion launched--almost 12 years, in fact--and the game's visuals have aged quite a bit. Oblivion looks like what it was: a game released early on in the life cycle of the Xbox 360, which might make it difficult for some players to return to. However, a group of fans are determined to remake the game using more modern tech, and as a new trailer for the Skyblivion mod shows, it's looking pretty great.
Skyblivion is an effort by the modding group TESRenewal, which has also undertaken a similar project to recreate The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Skyblivion is a remake of Oblivion using the Skyrim game engine, and it's been in development for several years. You can see some of the beautiful Cyrodiil landscapes and cities in the video below.
Skyblivion includes substantial overhauls of many elements of Oblivion, and it'll be modular, meaning you can pick and choose which parts to install. According to TESRenewal's website, you'll be able to install enhancements to landscaping, interiors, cities, weapons and armor, among other improvements. In addition, all of Oblivion's quests, locations, and characters will be ported to Skyblivion.
There's still no release date yet for the mod, but TESRenewal promises that it'll be entirely free. However, players will need to own both Skyrim and Oblivion, and all their DLC packs, in order to install the mod.
Hamrick explained that Bungie's goal with the new update is to "provide individual players with more hero moments" by way of boosting their total speed and mobility, particularly in Crucible. Additionally, Supers are changing, while the "frequency and impact" of the "most worthy power weapons" is increasing.
Below is a rundown of changes that Bungie is currently testing internally. Hamrick cautioned that, while "the outlook is good" for these to be released, through the process of testing it might be determined that they won't ever be released publicly. They are all pretty notable, including things like Power ammo dropping when you die, faster Super recharges, faster Power ammo respawn timers, and various changes to weapons, among many other things.
Additionally, the Shoulder Charge ability is undergoing some serious changes in that Bungie is completely reverting it to work as it did before a previous update tweaked it. "Shoulder Charge's movement utility was perceived as more valuable than its damage utility, which made it feel bad to actually hit someone with Shoulder Charge. The movement was effectively a 'free' dodge," Hamrick said.
"The goal of the untargeted distance nerf was to discourage using the ability as a movement mode by making it only effective when using it against enemies," Hamrick added. "In retrospect, we think this change was a mistake and we've heard you all say the same."
Finally, Hamrick said a change is coming for Snipers so that they don't "flinch" as hard when taking hits, especially with Power weapons. "We have dug into this and found that somewhere along the way towards shipping Destiny 2, we acquired a bug that is preventing us from being able to successfully tune this to the values that we would all like," Hamrick said. "While the current batch of changes we are playtesting go a long way to bringing snipers back to where they should be, this bug will still prevent them from feeling perfect."
The bug that Hamrick mentioned requires some "deep changes," and the developer cautioned that it could take "a while" to clear out this issue. You can see a full list of changes for the "Go Fast Update" below, while this Bungie post has even more details.
Destiny 2 "Go Fast Update" Notes:
All three glides plus Catapult and Strafe Lift have been retuned and buffed to make them more unique and faster.
The mobility stat has had its range expanded and been completely retuned as well. In short, everyone gets faster and the high end is higher.
The players' ground speed cap has been increased, allowing for faster total movement speed, regardless of how you may get there.
Arcstrider, Sentinel, and Striker all move faster, and at the same speed as one another, while in their Supers.
Arcstrider, as a whole, is performing well in PvP but mostly due to its neutral game perks. We've made the following changes in an effort to get the Super to be a more competitive option:
Faster Attack Animations.
Faster Dodge Animations.
Increased range of all attacks.
Supers recharge faster for everyone!
We've buffed several weapon archetypes (including, but not limited to, Hand Cannons, Pulse Rifles, Sniper Rifles, and Shotguns) and a few specific perks, as well.
A key goal here is to make Shotguns, Snipers, and Fusion rifles more prevalent in the game.
We've also been working side-by-side with our friends on PvP to increase the pace of PvP combat and the frequency of power play. Here's a sneak peek at their hard work:
Player respawn times for all Quickplay modes have been decreased.
Power Ammo respawn timers for all Quickplay modes have been reduced ~30%.
Power Ammo respawn timers in Survival have been reduced ~40%.
Power Ammo respawn timers in Countdown have been reduced ~25%.
Ammo counts have been adjusted in relation to these timers, and in relation to weapon type.
Enemy players now drop their power ammo on death.
The dropped brick is available to anyone until picked up or 30 seconds have passed.
Electronics giant Sony today announced earnings for the period ended December 31, showing slowing PlayStation 4 sales. For the quarter, Sony shipped 9 million PS4 consoles, which compares to 9.7 million during the same period last year.
In other Sony news, CEO Kaz Hirai--who was previously the boss of the PlayStation business, has stepped down. He will officially leave his post on April 1 (this is not an April Fools' joke).
Sony's video game division, which is called Game & Network Services, saw its sales and operating income increase year-over-year, as you can see in the chart. The uptick in revenue was due in part to increased PS4 game sales, including digital sales through PSN.
Sony, which is a massive company whose other branches including film, TV, and music, reported revenue of $23.65 billion, which is up 11.5 percent compared to last year. The company pulled in $2 million in profit for the period, which is up from last year.
The next Overwatch seasonal event has been announced. The Lunar New Year event comes to the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC game on February 8, developer Blizzard announced today.
"Wishing you prosperity in the Year of the Dog!" Blizzard said in a tweet along with a teaser video. You can check out the 10-second teaser in the embed above.
The start of Rainbow Six Siege's third year of content is quickly approaching, kicking off next month with the Operation Chimera update and the Outbreak event. Ubisoft announced the first details about Outbreak earlier this week, and now the publisher has shared a cryptic trailer that sheds more light on the mysterious threat that awaits players.
Outbreak is a free event that's much different from anything else in Rainbow Six Siege. The event is set in the town of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, which has been quarantined after the outbreak of "an infestation of unknown origin." As the above trailer reveals, the infestation is actually the Apex parasite, which has come to Truth or Consequences via a mysterious space capsule that crashed near the town. Those who are infected by the parasite turn into monsters, and it falls to players to keep it from breaking out of the quarantine zone.
Outbreak begins on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on March 6 and runs for four weeks. Players will be able to team up with two friends in the event, which features three exclusive, co-op-oriented maps that are larger and "more open" than the game's typical PvP maps. "Being designed for co-op, they are also more linear and feature a clear sense of progression," Ubisoft said in an update on the game's official website. "Nevertheless, the destruction and multi-path approach that are iconic to Rainbow Six Siege are still very much present."
Ubisoft has also revealed the list of playable Operators during the Outbreak event. Since not every Operator's skill set is suited for the new event, Ubisoft has narrowed the list to "a selection of Operators who are the most adapted and relevant for this specific game mode," though the publisher didn't specify if you'll need to own the Operators in order to use them in the event. In addition to the two new Operators being introduced in Operation Chimera, players will be able to play as the following:
Smoke
Ying
Buck
Kapkan
Ash
Doc
Tachanka
Glaz
Outbreak also introduces an exclusive line of cosmetic items, which will only be available for the duration of the event. The Outbreak Collection consists of 50 unique items including weapon skins, headgear, charms, and more. Ubisoft says that players will receive no duplicate items when opening packs. You can read more about the Outbreak event on the Rainbow Six Siege website.
Pokemon Go's suite of cosmetic items expanded this week, as developer Niantic has released a handful of new avatar clothing options that you can buy. However, you have to earn a few medals first before they become available.
Niantic announced on Twitter recently that it had updated the game with three new outfits for Trainers. You can now dress up as a Fisherman, a Jogger, or a Battle Girl. You have to earn the corresponding Fisherman, Jogger, and Battle Girl medals at the Bronze level to unlock some items for purchase, although you'll need all three Gold medals to be able to buy the entire outfits.
Once you've acquired all the medals, you'll need to shell out PokeCoins to grab the outfits. The prices range from 50 coins for Jogger and Battle Girl shoes to 500 coins for the Fisherman's vest. You can see the full list of prices at the bottom of this article.
Following a delay, Epic Games is prepared to release the new update for Fortnite. However, that process will require a period of server downtime, which begins at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM GMT on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. There's no time table for how soon it will return, but we'll keep this story updated with any developments. [Update: Servers are back online, and Fortnite's new update is now available. However, you may run into a queue when trying to play for the time being.]
Once servers are back online, you'll have to download update 2.4.0 before being able to play. As detailed previously, this patch makes changes and additions for both the Battle Royale and Save the World modes. On the BR side, players will get access to the new minigun weapon, a drop-rate reduction for high-end suppressed pistols, and the ability to disable the new auto-run feature. Save the World gets the Cozy Campfire item and new types of Expeditions, among other things. A variety of smaller improvements and bug fixes have also been made to both modes, as you can read about in the full breakdown of Fortnite 2.4.0's patch notes.
With the arrival of the weekend, Xur has once again shown his face (sort of) in Destiny 2. As always, his appearance in-game provides an opportunity to blow some Legendary Shards and fill out your collection of Exotic weapons and armor, with another batch of four items up for sale in addition to the usual other options. Here's where Xur is this week, how to find him, and what he's selling.
Xur has taken up residence on Nessus this week, which means getting to him is a cinch. Spawn in at the Watcher's Grave Landing Zone, hop on your Sparrow, and drive straight ahead. You'll see Xur lurking in the giant tree you run into; you can simply jump up the side or leap over from the nearby cliff to reach him. Either way, you'll find him standing all by his lonesome on one of the main branches.
As for his lineup of items, you can spend a whopping 97 Legendary Shards for a Fated Engram, which is guaranteed to put into your hands an Exotic that you don't already own. You can also pick up the Three of Coins, which boosts the likelihood of Exotic items dropping for four hours. There's also an Exotic weapon--the Prospector grenade launcher--and three pieces of armor, one for each class. The most notable of these is the Warlock's item, Ophidian Aspect, which is a set of gauntlets added in Curse of Osiris (meaning you'll need to own the DLC in order to purchase and equip them). Here's everything Xur has for sale:
The Prospector (Exotic Grenade Launcher) -- 29 Legendary Shards
A manga series based on Back to the Future is coming soon. Manga artist Yusuke Murata, known for his work on superhero parody series One-Punch Manand American-football manga Eyeshield 21, is working on the BTTF series, Anime News Network reports.
Back to the Future screenwriter Bob Gale is supervising the manga, which will include new story content. BTTF will initially be serialized online in Japanese, and Murata plans to publish the first book volume on April 20. It's not clear when the series will be translated to English.
Though the manga is said to be based on the original 1985 film, the preview illustration (which you can see below) includes characters from the two sequels. You can also see a full-color illustration from the series.
Murata worked on the Eyeshield 21 and One-Punch Man manga series, both of which were later adapted into anime. His art is known for being dynamic and comedic, with Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama's style as a major influence.
Aegislash is the star of this first wave of DLC as it is the only playable Pokemon fighter in the launch. The Ghost-and Steel-type Pokemon is known for its two forms, one offensive and one defensive. Like in the main Pokemon games, Aegislash can battle using both forms in Pokken Tournament DX. Mega Rayquaza and Mimikyu will both act as support fighters. Additional avatar items are also included.
All three are available as part of the $15 / £14 / A$15 Deluxe Battle Pack DLC. The second wave of the pack will launch March 23 featuring Blastoise, Mew, and Celebi, and more avatar items.
Pokken Tournament DX is the Switch port of Pokemon arcade fighting game Pokken Tournament. It released worldwide in 2016 on Wii U, and Switch in 2017 with five new Pokemon fighters and new game modes.
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