Tuesday, March 20, 2018

The latest News from GameSpot News On 03/21/2018

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The latest News from GameSpot

In the 03/21/2018 edition:

Ubisoft Is Safe: After Years Of Takeover Concerns, Vivendi Will Sell Off Its Stock

By Chris Pereira on Mar 21, 2018 12:23 am

In recent years, French media conglomerate Vivendi has acquired more and more stock in Ubisoft, fueling concerns that the company would eventually attempt a hostile takeover of the games publisher. Ubisoft and CEO Yves Guillemot have made it clear they oppose the moves, and now they've gotten precisely what they were seeking--a complete sell-off of Vivendi's Ubisoft stock.

The news was shared today, with Ubisoft saying it has reached an agreement for Vivendi to sell its entire stake in the publisher. The shares being sold will go to multiple sources; the Guillemot brothers will acquire some, Ubisoft will initiate a buy-back for some, and the company will get two new "long-term investors:" the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan and Tencent. The latter is the massive Chinese company that also owns stakes in a variety of game companies, including Fortnite maker Epic. This acquisition by Tencent (which amounts to 5% of the company) is part of a new partnership meant to "significantly accelerate the reach of Ubisoft franchises in China in the coming years," according to a press release.

"The evolution in our shareholding is great news for Ubisoft," Guillemot said in a statement. "It was made possible thanks to the outstanding execution of our strategy and the decisive support of Ubisoft talents, players and shareholders. I would like to warmly thank them all. The investment from new long-term shareholders in Ubisoft demonstrates their trust in our future value creation potential, and Ubisoft's share buy-back will be accretive to all shareholders. Finally, the new strategic partnership agreement we signed will enable Ubisoft to accelerate its development in China in the coming years and fully leverage a market with great potential."

"Today, Ubisoft is fully reaping the benefits of our long-term strategy and the successful transformation towards a more recurring and profitable business. Ubisoft is perfectly positioned to capture the numerous video game growth drivers in the coming years. We are focused more than ever on delivering on our strategic plan."

Vivendi said on more than one occasion that it did not plan a hostile takeover of Ubisoft, at least on a short-term basis. In November, it announced that it didn't intend to make such a move in the next six months--a window that was coming up in the near future. Despite this, Vivendi's 27.3% stake in the company meant it was approaching a threshold where it would be legally required to pursue a controlling interest in the company.

Vivendi had caused some issues for Ubisoft, particularly during an annual shareholders meeting where its non-vote caused certain measure to not pass. Meanwhile, Guillemot and company made moves to preserve the company's independence, which he argued was essential to its success. During all of this, Vivendi took control of French mobile game company Gameloft, which like Ubisoft was led by the Guillemot family.

It's no secret that Ubisoft wanted Vivendi out of the picture. Guillemot argued that Vivendi threatened Ubisoft's ability to innovate and be agile--a convincing argument given how successful the publisher has been in recent years. With Vivendi out of the way, one hurdle is out of the way for the company.


Watch Nintendo's Switch Game Stream Here

By Chris Pereira on Mar 21, 2018 12:21 am

Not long after the recent Nintendo Direct, Nintendo will again host a stream dedicated to upcoming games. This one, the Nindies Showcase Spring 2018, will focus exclusively on indie games headed to Nintendo Switch. [Update: The event is now over, though you can watch the full replay below. We also have a roundup of all the new Switch games Nintendo announced during the Spring Showcase.]

The stream begins today, March 20, at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 4 PM GMT. In advance of the event, we don't know how long it will be or exactly which games will show up--Nintendo only said it will consist of the "hottest upcoming indie games for Nintendo Switch." You can find out what those are through the YouTube embed below.

We're not expecting major news from this event, as Nintendo packed many of its own announcements into the earlier Nintendo Direct. The biggest reveal during that was of course Super Smash Bros. for Switch, but we also learned about a ton of other games on the way for both Switch and 3DS.

Whatever we do end up learning about, we'll report back with all of the details. Previous Nindies events have unveiled some excellent-looking games, so while this may not be home to any of Nintendo's own big franchises, we may still get a peek at some exciting games that are just around the corner.


Leaving Netflix In April: Batman, Ace Ventura, And More Movies And TV Shows

By Chris E. Hayner on Mar 21, 2018 12:16 am

Each month, Netflix's original programming library grows by leaps and bounds. However, with the good comes the bad. As streaming agreements end, a long list of movies and TV shows is pulled from the service every month.

April is no different, and some of these movies leaving Netflix are going to hurt. The most notable titles departing the service are Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever, and Batman & Robin. Though the four films encapsulate the law of diminishing returns perfectly--with 1997's Batman & Robin widely considered the worst film adventure for the Caped Crusader yet--having them all in one place for a massive binge is comforting. Instead, you'll just have to make due watching Tommy Wiseau's Joker audition tape several dozen times.

Other titles leaving Netflix include 30 Days of Night, American Pie, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Pursuit of Happyness. Additionally, the comedy special John Mulaney: New in Town will be departing on April 1, with the Banksy documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop disappearing on April 22.

You can take a look at everything leaving Netflix in April below. After that, take a look at everything the service is adding for the month, as well as what Amazon Prime Video is bringing to the table.

Leaving Netflix in April

April 1

  • 30 Days Of Night
  • 88 Minutes
  • Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
  • Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
  • American Pie
  • American Pie 2
  • Apollo 13
  • Batman
  • Batman & Robin
  • Batman Forever
  • Batman Returns
  • Caddyshack
  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  • Cool Runnings
  • Death Sentence
  • Dolphin Tale
  • Eagle vs. Shark
  • John Mulaney: New in Town
  • Never Let Me Go
  • Set Up
  • Small Soldiers
  • The Dukes of Hazzard
  • The Men Who Stare at Goats
  • The Pursuit of Happyness
  • The Shawshank Redemption
  • The Whole Nine Yards
  • Wild Wild West

April 3

  • Starry Eyes

April 5

  • The Hallow
  • The Nightingale

April 12

  • The Emperor's New Clothes

April 15

  • Happy Tree Friends
  • Leap Year

April 16

  • Son of God

April 17

  • Z Storm

April 20

  • The Exorcism of Molly Hartley

April 21

  • The Prestige

April 22

  • Exit through the Gift Shop

April 26

  • Kung Fu Panda 3

April 27

  • Begin Again

Ni No Kuni 2 Story Length Estimate - How Long Does It Takes To Beat?

By Steve Watts on Mar 21, 2018 12:14 am

Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom is coming this week, marking another sumptuous RPG from Level-5. Like the first game, there's no shortage of things to do in this Ghibli-inspired adventure, and role-playing games are known for their lengthy playtimes. Now we have a better idea of just how much time you'll put into this trip through Ding Dong Dell.

Our Ni No Kuni 2 review said the game lasted roughly 35 hours, which included a handful of hours devoted solely to developing the kingdom. 100% completion could be roughly double at 70 hours.

It should be noted that while you have some freedom to pick and choose which quests you do and when, they aren't entirely optional. Elements like skirmishes and kingdom building are treated as open-ended but you need to do some of each to level up high enough to access the end-game.

Our review found it charming, with a great soundtrack and a demanding combat system, but we lamented an overreliance on fetch quests and underdeveloped secondary characters. It will be available on PC and PlayStation 4 on March 23.


All New Nintendo Switch Games Revealed During Today's Spring Showcase

By Chris Pereira on Mar 21, 2018 12:11 am

Nintendo today hosted a video livestream event to reveal new games for Nintendo Switch. Whereas it highlighted many of its own games during the big Nintendo Direct recently, this event--the Nindies Showcase Spring 2018--focused exclusively on indie games coming to the system in 2018. Although it ran for only about 10 minutes, it was an event packed with announcements for a lot of new games.

Many of these games are ports or remasters of existing titles--something that many of us have been asking for, given that games can feel like new experiences on the portable Switch. Others are brand-new games that have yet to be released. In all, there were more than a dozen games featured, and we've rounded up the basic details on all of them below.

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Mark of the Ninja Remastered -- Fall 2018

Nintendo started out the event with news that Klei Entertainment's stellar 2D stealth-platformer, Mark of the Ninja, is being remastered for Switch. Few details were shared, but it's getting a "high-definition remaster" for its release on Switch.

Fantasy Strike -- Summer 2018

Next up is a fighting game from Sirlin Games called Fantasy Strike. Despite having the appearance of a standard 2D fighting game--albeit with a cel-shaded look--it features an unusually wide variety of weapons. The brief glimpse we got showed wind, paint, and even a slot machine all being utilized in the middle of the fight.

Just Shapes & Beats -- Summer 2018

Launching on Switch before other consoles, Just Shapes & Beats is described as a "musical bullet hell" game. Bullet hell might be a stretch--we didn't quite see the screen completely flooded with enemy fire--but the game does feature a pleasantly minimalist visual style. It also features a story mode that can be played solo or with friends and music from 20 different chiptune artists (though none were called out by name).

Garage -- Spring 2018

Another game launching on Switch before other platforms, Garage is a top-down shooter from TinyBuild that Nintendo says was inspired by VHS B-movies. You'll deal with zombie-like enemies as you shoot your way through levels using a variety of weapons.

Pool Panic -- 2018

From Adult Swim Games comes Pool Panic, where you're effectively playing pool through a wide variety of unusual locations like the top of a rocking pirate ship. You'll knock around a cue ball and have to deal with a wide variety of other types of balls that don't conform to what you're used to seeing in billiards. There are more than 100 levels in the game and support for four-player local co-op. Pool Panic launches first on Switch.

Bomb Chicken -- Summer 2018

The aptly titled Bomb Chicken is a 2D platformer where you play as a chicken who can lay bombs, rather than eggs. Those bombs can then be used to destroy parts of the environment, block incoming fire, or push you up to hard-to-reach places. It launches on Switch before other platforms.

Lumines Remastered -- Spring 2018

Another of the remasters announced during the event was for Lumines, the classic puzzle game from Q Entertainment. It's described as an "HD remake" and features the involvement of Tetsuya Mizuguchi. It includes HD rumble support that matches up with both the beat of the music and the action on-screen, as well as local multiplayer support.

Reigns: Kings and Queens -- Spring 2018

Reigns: Kings and Queens packages together the two existing Reigns games (Reigns and Reigns: Her Majesty). Like the original versions, this humorous Tinder-inspired RPG has you swiping left or right on various cards to make decisions on how you'll rule. New for this Switch collection is a local co-op mode that allows you to make decisions with a friend.

Light Fall -- Spring 2018

Light Fall is a gorgeous 2D platformer set in Numbra, a "forgotten world." You'll use a magical box called the Shadow Core to navigate the environment. It'll be a timed console exclusive when it releases on Switch.

West of Loathing -- Spring 2018

West of Loathing is a comical RPG where you and everyone in the world is a stick figure. You'll solve puzzles and take part in traditional turn-based combat as one of several classes. It launches as a console exclusive on Switch.

Pode -- Spring 2018

Pode is a puzzle/adventure game inspired by Norwegian art that can be played with a single Joy-Con. Each of the two characters has special abilities they can use to help the duo navigate the world. Although it appears to primarily be a two-player co-op game, it can also be played solo.

The Messenger -- Summer 2018

The Messenger is an old-school 2D action-platformer where you play as a ninja who acquires a variety of abilities over the course of the game. What distinguishes it more than anything else is the ability to transition from an 8-bit-style game to a 16-bit "time-traveling adventure."

Bad North -- Summer 2018

A blend of real-time strategy and roguelikes, Bad North tasks you with defending small islands. Whenever you lose one of your commanders, they're gone permanently, and the game ends completely if you lose them all. It launches first on Switch.

The Banner Saga 3 -- Summer 2018 / The Banner Saga 1 + 2 -- "soon"

The upcoming conclusion to the Banner Saga series, The Banner Saga 3, is coming to Switch in addition to other platforms. This tactics game has a strong emphasis on story and allows progress to be carried over from one game to the next. To ensure players get the full experience, both The Banner Saga 1 and 2 will also be released on Switch "soon."


PUBG Mobile: Why You Keep Winning (Maybe)

By Chris Pereira on Mar 21, 2018 12:09 am

PUBG Corp. and Tencent surprised everyone when they decided to suddenly release PUBG Mobile in the US and other regions this week. After being beaten to consoles by the free-to-play Fortnite: Battle Royale, it looked as if Fortnite would again be the first of the two big-name games to hit mobile in the West when an iOS test began recently. Instead, PUBG has beaten Fortnite to the punch, as the former is now available free on iOS and Android. If you've already been playing, however, you might want to temper your excitement over any wins you picked up in the early going.

When you first open the game, you're presented with the option to take part in a tutorial, or you can just jump straight into a match (in Squad mode, by default). From there, things basically play out like PUBG on PC and Xbox One: you wait in the lobby, parachute out of a plane onto the island, and try to survive. What's seemingly different is everyone's success rate--the game's subreddit has been flooded with posts from people who have never won on other platforms yet managed to rack up a chicken dinner in their first game on mobile.

The quick assumption is that these are players who understand PUBG's mechanics and have a leg up on new players, or that the less precise touch controls have flattened the skill curve, giving everyone a better chance to take out other players. Yet it appears what's causing this is instead the presence of bots, which apparently fill in matches and serve to ease players into the experience. It's a clever way to ease people into what can be a difficult game, but it also means the bloated egos of those who claimed victory in their first match are looking a little silly now (ahem).

Whatever the competition might be, PUBG works surprisingly well on mobile, although the controls can be a challenge. The game scales its visuals to one of several settings depending on what device you're using to play, and some changes have been made. For instance, there is an auto pick-up option that eases the amount of inventory management you have to do. There are also daily login bonuses to keep players coming back, as is typical for a mobile game. If you haven't already downloaded it, you can grab it from the iOS App Store or Google Play.


Cyberpunk 2077 To Be Bolstered By New CD Projekt Studio

By Steve Watts on Mar 20, 2018 11:58 pm

CD Projekt Red has opened a new studio in its native Poland, to help the workload of development on its upcoming game Cyberpunk 2077. The new studio, called CD Projekt Red Wroclaw, is located in the city of the same name. It joins similar studios in Warsaw and Cracow.

The new studio is 18 members strong. Strange New Things, a studio made up of Dying Light, Hitman, and Call of Juarez vets, will become the core of the Wroclaw studio.

"Aside from their immense technological knowledge and artistic flair, the core team of CD Projekt Red Wroclaw are just great people," said Cyberpunk director Adam Badowski in the announcement. "We put gamers, creative freedom and quality games above making business. These guys not only share this approach, but, much like the rest of the team, think that this attitude is essential to creating epic video games."

This is the latest sign that CD Projekt is preparing Cyberpunk for its big debut. In January the Twitter account, which had laid dormant for years, came back to life with a single beep. The studio also appeared on a list of participating companies for E3 2018, which the studio then acknowledged with a coy tease. All this means we're likely to see and hear more about Cyberpunk this year, but there's been no indication if it will actually release in 2018. Maybe don't get your hopes up.


Overwatch Update Adds New Hero Brigitte And More On PC, PS4, And Xbox One

By Chris Pereira on Mar 20, 2018 11:56 pm

As promised, the latest addition to Overwatch's roster of heroes has now arrived. Brigitte, the newest Support character, is now available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One as part of Blizzard's next update for the game. In addition to her, there are also some other changes and fixes made, as outlined in the patch notes.

Before Brigitte's reveal, game director Jeff Kaplan had described the new character as someone who was "very needed." She carries the Rocket Flail, which she swings in an arc in front of her and can hit multiple enemies. She can heal nearby allies over time (as she deals damage) and knock back distant enemies, and she carries a shield that protects her and teammates located behind her. Brigitte also has a charge ability that can stun enemies, and her Ultimate--Rally--allows her to move faster and provide armor to her nearby allies.

In short, Brigitte is essentially a mixture of Reinhardt and Torbjorn (her father) with the ability to heal. She's been available on the PTR in recent weeks but will now get into the hands of everyone for the first time. She launches with a variety of alternate looks; you can see all the Brigitte skins in our gallery.

The other big change in this update involves Sombra, who's being nerfed. As recently announced, Blizzard is addressing frustrations with her by putting Hack on a two-second cooldown when it's interrupted by damage. Additionally, the game should now deal with her line-of-sight being broken while casting Hack.

"We're also removing the 0.1 second window of time during a hack where it couldn't be canceled via line of sight or with other abilities including Tracer's Recall and Zarya's Particle Barrier, which was originally put in place so the hack wouldn't be interrupted by small objects such as light posts. We've implemented a separate fix for that issue, so she should still be unaffected by those small objects."

The free update is out now on all platforms. Aside from what's outlined above, Blizzard primarily makes a round of bug fixes, although one small feature is that the team info screen will show how close teammates are to having their Ultimate. The full patch notes can be seen on Blizzard's website.


A Bunch Of New Nintendo Switch Game Remasters And Ports Are On The Way

By Kevin Knezevic on Mar 20, 2018 11:13 pm

Nintendo showcased more than a dozen games during today's indie-focused Switch presentation. Along with a number of brand-new titles that have yet to be released, the stream revealed a handful of acclaimed games that are being ported or remade for Switch in 2018.

Nintendo kicked off the presentation by announcing a Switch release of Mark of the Ninja, the critically acclaimed 2012 stealth-action platformer. Few details were shared about the title, but the game is slated to arrive for the hybrid console sometime this fall and will be a "high definition remaster."

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In addition to that, the classic puzzle game Lumines is also being remastered for Switch. This "HD remake" will release for the system in spring and features new HD rumble support, which will match up with both the beat of the music and the action on-screen, as well as local multiplayer.

Switch will also receive the humorous RPG West of Loathing and Reigns: Kings and Queens this spring. The former is a quirky stick-figure western that features traditional turn-based battles, while the latter is a compilation of Reigns and Reigns: Her Majesty, two Tinder-inspired RPGs in which players swipe left or right on various cards to make decisions on how to rule their kingdom.

The presentation ended with a look at The Banner Saga 3, which will arrive on Switch (and other platforms) sometime this summer. Before then, however, players will be able to experience the entire trilogy from the beginning with the Switch release of Banner Saga 1 and 2. Those two games are slated to launch for the hybrid console "soon" and carry progress and decisions over from one title to the next.

On top of those titles, Nintendo highlighted a slate of intriguing looking new games during today's presentation, including the "musical bullet hell game" Just Shapes & Beats and the quirky billiards game Pool Panic. You can see all of the new Switch games from the Nindies Showcase Spring 2018 in our roundup.


New On Netflix In April: Mortal Kombat, Lost In Space, And More Movies And TV Shows

By Chris E. Hayner on Mar 20, 2018 11:00 pm

April showers bring lots of new programming on Netflix. From classic--and not so classic--movies to new original TV shows and films, the streamer is making sure you have more than enough to binge for the beginning of spring.

Among the films being added to the service are the so-bad-it's-good video game adaptation Mortal Kombat, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, The Iron Giant, The Lost Boys, and the first two Cabin Fever movies. You'll also be able to stream Scarface, Sin City, and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

On the originals front, April 13 will see the premiere of Netflix's Lost in Space reboot, as well as new seasons of The Magic School Bus Rides Again, Money Heist, and Wakfu. Each Sunday will also bring new episodes of The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale. If documentaries are more your speed, Bill Nye: Science Guy will debut on April 25.

It's not all good news, though. There are a number of films leaving Netflix in April. Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever, and Batman & Robin will all disappear on April 1. Additionally, both Ace Ventura movies, the first two American Pies, 30 Days of Night, and Small Soldiers will also all be gone at the beginning of the month.

You can take a look at everything coming and going on Netflix in April below. You can also check out what the service's new offerings from March. After that, take a look at Amazon Prime Video's offerings for the month.

Arriving on Netflix in April

April 1

  • A Sort of Family
  • Along Came Polly
  • Bad Boys
  • Battlefield Earth
  • Beethoven's Christmas Adventure
  • Big Time
  • Body of Lies
  • Cabin Fever
  • Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever
  • Cats & Dogs
  • Cold Mountain
  • Dare to Be Wild
  • Deep Blue Sea
  • Fish People
  • Friday Night Lights
  • Jackass 2.5
  • Life Is Beautiful
  • Looney Tunes: Back in Action
  • Mortal Kombat
  • Nancy Drew
  • Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
  • Scarface
  • Seven
  • Sin City
  • Speed Racer
  • Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
  • The Duchess
  • The Family Man
  • The Flintstones
  • The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas
  • The Iron Giant
  • The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale (Netflix Original)
  • The Lost Boys
  • The Queen of the Damned
  • The Spy Next Door
  • Wakfu: Season 3 (Netflix Original)

April 2

  • La Piloto: Season 1

April 3

  • Fary Is the New Black (Netflix Original)

April 5

  • Behind The Curtain: Todrick Hal
  • Despicable Me 3

April 6

  • Sun Dogs (Netflix Original)
  • 6 Balloons (Netflix Original)
  • Amateur (Netflix Original)
  • The Boss Baby: Back In Business (Netflix Original)
  • Fastest Car: Season 1 (Netflix Original)
  • Troy: Fall of a City, Season 1 (Netflix Original)
  • Ram Dass: Going Home (Netflix Original)
  • Money Heist: Part 2 (Netflix Original)
  • My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman: JAY-Z (Netflix Original)
  • Orbiter 9 (Netflix Original)
  • The 4th Company (Netflix Original)
  • Todo lo que sería de Lucas Lauriente (Netflix Original)

April 7

  • 24 Hours to Live

April 9

  • AMO: Season 1 (Netflix Original)

April 10

  • Greg Davies: You Magnificent Beast (Netflix Original)

April 12

  • Pickpockets (Netflix Original)

April 13

  • Lost in Space, Season 1 (Netflix Original)
  • Chef's Table: Pastry (Netflix Original)
  • Come Sunday (Netflix Original)
  • I Am Not An Easy Man (Netflix Original)
  • The Magic School Bus Rides Again: Season 2 (Netflix Original)

April 15

  • Lakeview Terrace
  • Seven Pounds

April 17

  • The Chalet: Season 1 (Netflix Original)
  • The Honeymoon Stand Up Special: Collection (Netflix Original)

April 18

  • Friend Request
  • Pelé

April 19

  • Charité: Season 1 (Netflix Original)
  • Chasing The Dragon

April 20

  • Aggretsuko, Season 1 (Netflix Original)
  • Dope: Season 2 (Netflix Original)
  • Dude (Netflix Original)
  • Kodachrome (Netflix Original)
  • Mercury 13 (Netflix Original)
  • Spy Kids: Mission Critical: Season 1 (Netflix Original)

April 21

  • The Letdown: Season 1

April 24

  • Call The Midwife: Series 6: Christmas Special 2017
  • Kevin James: Never Don't Give Up

April 25

  • Bill Nye: Science Guy
  • Psychokinesis (Netflix Film)

April 27

  • The Week Of (Netflix Original)
  • 3%: Season 2 (Netflix Original)
  • Bobby Kennedy for President (Netflix Original)
  • Candy Jar (Netflix Original)
  • Holy Goalie
  • The Man Who Knew Infinity
  • The New Legends of Monkey: Season 1 (Netflix Original)

Also Arriving in April

  • Seth Rogen's Hilarity for Charity
  • Jane The Virgin: Season 4

Leaving Netflix in April

April 1

  • 30 Days Of Night
  • 88 Minutes
  • Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
  • Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
  • American Pie
  • American Pie 2
  • Apollo 13
  • Batman
  • Batman & Robin
  • Batman Forever
  • Batman Returns
  • Caddyshack
  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  • Cool Runnings
  • Death Sentence
  • Dolphin Tale
  • Eagle vs. Shark
  • John Mulaney: New in Town
  • Never Let Me Go
  • Set Up
  • Small Soldiers
  • The Dukes of Hazzard
  • The Men Who Stare at Goats
  • The Pursuit of Happyness
  • The Shawshank Redemption
  • The Whole Nine Yards
  • Wild Wild West

April 3

  • Starry Eyes

April 5

  • The Hallow
  • The Nightingale

April 12

  • The Emperor's New Clothes

April 15

  • Happy Tree Friends
  • Leap Year

April 16

  • Son of God

April 17

  • Z Storm

April 20

  • The Exorcism of Molly Hartley

April 21

  • The Prestige

April 22

  • Exit through the Gift Shop

April 26

  • Kung Fu Panda 3

April 27

  • Begin Again

Pacific Rim Uprising Review: A Kaiju-Sized Step Backward

By Michael Rougeau on Mar 20, 2018 10:30 pm

In Pacific Rim: Uprising's climax, Tokyo and Mount Fuji appear a mere few miles apart, which they most certainly are not. It makes for an exciting battle that falls apart when you stop to examine it. That may sound like a nitpick, but it's a good metaphor for the rest of the film.

There was something magical about the original Pacific Rim's giant monster battles, glossy, rain-slicked colors, and seemingly effortless world-building. It's possible the sequel never stood a chance at living up to that, especially since visionary director Guillermo del Toro chose to focus on The Shape of Water, which won the best picture Oscar for 2017, instead of returning to direct Pacific Rim Uprising. Sure enough, Uprising is a disappointing, if bold, sequel.

Uprising takes place 10 years after the original and follows new and returning characters as they battle yet another Kaiju threat. There hasn't been a new attack since Idris Elba's character, Stacker Pentecost, helped close the "breach" in the original, and the sequel can't seem to decide whether we've grown complacent since then or doubled down on our defenses. The first movie did a great job communicating the status of Jaegers all around the world, and you felt the stakes heighten as they were one-by-one destroyed; this time around, it's unclear where humanity's defenses stand, or why the Jaegers and pilots we do see are the only ones the movie focuses on.

At the start, John Boyega's Jake Pentecost, Stacker's estranged son, parties in the wreckage of Malibu, giant Kaiju skeletons draped across nearby hillsides. He's a dropout of the Jaeger pilot program, which for the purposes of this movie is composed of half-trained teenage cadets at a base in China. There may be more pilots at other sites around the world, but Uprising lacks the original's deftness at worldbuilding, so as far as we're shown, this is it.

Into that program comes Cailee Spaeny's Amara Namani, an orphan who somehow built her own (albeit comparatively pint-sized) Jaeger from stolen and scavenged parts. Meanwhile Jing Tian's new character, the ingenious and cold Liwen Shao, threatens to make the government Jaeger program obsolete with her patented remote drone-operated Jaeger technology, developed with help from Charlie Day's returning character Dr. Newt Geiszler.

There's a massively fumbled late-game twist that derails the plot into goofy fan fiction territory that doesn't feel true to this world (though it is, at least, unpredictable). And naturally, the Kaiju return.

When they do, some vague shenanigans leave the entirety of the world's defense to a handful of characters: Pentecost, Scott Eastwood's pilot Nate Lambert, and Spaeny's Namani, with her fellow cadets. Only four Jaegers remain standing between the Kaiju and global annihilation, and three of them are piloted by half-trained kids. Luckily, they're aided by some heavy-handed deus ex machina in the form of a secret project Dr. Hermann Gottlieb (the returning Burn Gorman) has been working on.

Spaeny is a breakout star, although Uprising focuses overall too much on the young characters. There's a cheesy thematic through-line about the kids needing to step up and save the world, giving it all an unfortunate Spy Kids vibe. It's pretty surprising coming from director Steven DeKnight, whose previous work includes well-received and mature series Daredevil and Spartacus. But Uprising feels deliberately and conspicuously family friendly. Kids are probably going to love it, but fans of the original's darker tone might find the new vibe disappointing.

There are more than just tonal and direction problems. The writing and plotting are all over the place, with unsatisfying character deaths and some actors playing surprisingly against type--albeit seeming to have fun in the process, but with mixed results. One returning character in particular has their role in the movie flipped in a way that just doesn't work. Certain other plot elements are way too convenient, and Uprising does a poor job retconning events from the first film.

For example, Jake is the son of Stacker Pentecost, a major character from the first movie. This would have worked if, say, Stacker hadn't known about Jake, or Jake was too young to have been involved in the first movie's events. Instead, Uprising wedges in a backstory for Jake that has him dropping out of the Jaeger pilot program while his dad was still alive. Given Stacker's well-explored relationship in the original with his adopted daughter, Mako (the great Rinko Kikuchi), it stretches plausibility that Jake wouldn't have been mentioned before now. This is a clumsy way to shoehorn in a new character.

Kikuchi, by the way, does return in Uprising, but her talents are completely wasted. Adria Arjona's character, the mechanic Jules Reyes, also has very little to do, besides provide another point of competition for Boyega and Eastwood's characters.

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Boyega possesses ample swagger, his character here a transplant of Moses from 2011's Attack the Block, filtered through the confidence Boyega's gained since then as a global superstar thanks to Star Wars. But his cocky demeanor often feels out of place in the movie, like they let the actor improvise too much; too many scenes end with yet another crack from Jake about how good-looking he is, like the script kept getting cut off at the end and Boyega was left to wing it with a joke. He's as charming as ever, but it gets stale.

The new Jaegers, on the other hand, are definitely cool. Wielding house-sized weapons like a giant morningstar equipped with multiple spinning blades, or a crackling laser whip, they dominate the movie, as you'd expect. If all you really care about is watching giant robots wail on giant aliens--and occasionally, one another--Uprising will satisfy, although the action this time around feels slightly less weighty than the original. Bashing giant aliens with a humongous lightning whip or spinning ball of death is awesome on paper, but too many of the Jaegers' attacks just seem to glance harmlessly off until the plot demands otherwise.

Most of all, Pacific Rim: Uprising is just confusing. If you haven't seen the original, it's unlikely much in this sequel will make sense. Concepts like Drift--the way Jaeger pilots mentally link with one another--are poorly explained, despite this movie spending plenty of time attempting to recap and revisit past events. And if you did like the first Pacific Rim, you'll likely wonder what happened to all the distinctive side characters, the stylish action, and the flashy aesthetic. Pacific Rim: Uprising might have seemed like a pretty good giant monster movie if it didn't have to live up to the gigantically cool original, but unfortunately, it simply can't escape its predecessor's massive shadow.

The GoodThe Bad
Stars Cailee Spaeny and John Boyega do a good jobToo much retconning that doesn't make sense with the original
New Jaegers and Kaiju are funPlot is fumbled with out of place twists and deus ex machina
Fun to return to this worldStruggles to establish the state of the world after 10 year gap
Action feels flightier, with less attention to detail
A very Spy Kids vibe


Matt Hardy's "Ultimate Deletion" Succeeded Where WWE Once Failed

By Kevin Wong on Mar 20, 2018 09:33 pm

On the March 19 episode of Raw, WWE debuted the "Ultimate Deletion," a pre-recorded (final?) confrontation between "Woken" Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt. After a wide variety of missteps while booking this feud, the WWE, in a rare instance of humility, allowed Matt Hardy to do whatever he wanted for his latest short film. The result was that #UltimateDELETION was the #1 worldwide trend on Twitter on Monday evening. WWE allowed something outside of its comfort zone to simply "be" and thus reaped the rewards.

I grew up during WWE's New Generation Era, which meant that every Saturday, I'd cheer as pig farmers, circus clowns, psychotic dentists, and fitness gurus squared off in the ring. It was an age of outlandish gimmicks, when you could wrestle as a Three Mile Island nuclear meltdown survivor, and people would nod their heads and say, "Sure! That sounds reasonable." It was done with a wink and a smile--an acknowledgement that this was fun, escapist entertainment and not an accurate reflection of the real world.

WWE has lost some of this fanciful, farcical "fun" over the years. Nearly every current superstar portrays an outsized version of himself, rather than a different character entirely. And that's why left-field characters like Bray Wyatt, a backwoods cult leader who follows the teachings of Sister Abigail--and Woken Matt Hardy, who believes he is an immortal spirit trapped in a human vessel--stand out from the rest of the pack. They hearken back to the sort of free-wheeling, throw-it-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks ethos that WWE used to indulge.

It made sense for Hardy and Wyatt to feud with one another, especially leading into Wrestlemania 34. But over the course of several weeks, WWE killed their momentum with a series of lackluster, unimaginative matches accompanied by repetitive promos, where Hardy and Wyatt would trade off laughing at each other. That got stale in a hurry. Fans love Hardy's Broken/Woken gimmick, which began in TNA, for its variety, randomness, and go-for-broke creativity. And this was not that.

So when Matt Hardy announced that there would be a pre-recorded Ultimate Deletion, even Hardy fans were skeptical, especially if WWE had final say and final cut. But thankfully, the Ultimate Deletion that aired this Monday was fun, weird, and oddly personal; WWE fans will put up with a lot of outlandish BS if the underlying intent behind it is sincere.

The little touches throughout the film, which lasted a little over 15 minutes, were nice; Reby Hardy played Bray Wyatt's theme on her piano as he made his way to the ring. Hardy alluded to all his signature catchphrases--"I knew you'd come," "Prepare the battlefield for annihilation," "Skarsgard, my dilapidated friend!"--without harping on them. The Ultimate Deletion featured both the indoor ring and the outdoor ring from the previous films. Hardy used "boomsticks," although (probably because WWE is PG) the two men didn't launch the fireworks directly at each other. There was even a quick glimpse of Matt's partner-in-crime Brother Nero, who was recently arrested for a DWI.

At its core, despite all the bells and whistles, the Ultimate Deletion was a falls count anywhere, no disqualification wrestling match, which added to its absurdity. And the match itself was very physical and well-worked, featuring stiff lariats and a painful looking apron spot. The straight-faced, official WWE referee, who's keeping his veneer of professionalism while everything goes to hell around him, was a perfectly underplayed joke.

But most importantly, there was a sense of humor around the whole affair. It was silly and dumb, and rather than playing it straight-faced and selling the segment as a legitimate life-or-death scenario, the Ultimate Deletion let us in on the joke. And in doing so, it respected the audience. No one wants to be talked down to.

Compare the Ultimate Deletion to the Wyatt vs. Orton House of Horrors match, or to the Wyatt Family vs. New Day brawl at the Wyatt Family compound. Both were obvious attempts to rip off the Hardys' films. Both of those pre-recorded segments had higher production values, slicker editing, and better effects than the Ultimate Deletion. But what they didn't have was self-awareness. They took themselves too seriously, which is a fool's errand in this type of narrative framework. Fans don't care about production values when they can see honest effort--the sort of do-it-yourself scrappiness that the Ultimate Deletion had in spades.

The WWE brass now knows, thanks to social media, how popular these types of segments are. And hopefully, they also know to leave well enough alone, should Hardy want to film another one. In a company so preoccupied with image, polish, and branding, this rare sort of individual, messy creativity deserved the chance to stand on its own. And the Ultimate Deletion did.


GTA 5: What's New To GTA Online For PS4, Xbox One, And PC This Week

By Kevin Knezevic on Mar 20, 2018 09:23 pm

Rockstar is continuing its weekly support of Grand Theft Auto V with another update for GTA Online. This week marks the start of the Southern San Andreas Super Sports Series, a "massive" multi-week series of updates that will introduce new racing modes, vehicles, and more to GTA Online.

The Super Sports Series kicks off with the debut of Hotring Circuit, a new racing mode that Rockstar describes as "an homage to Vice City's classic Hotring mixed with the Cunning Stunts of GTA Online." Hotring Circuit is a multi-lap race that up to 30 players can participate in. To celebrate its launch, Rockstar is offering double GTA$ and RP for playing the new mode from now until March 26.

Hotring Circuit is tailor-made for one of the five new cars arriving in GTA Online this week: the Declasse Hotring Sabre. That vehicle is available for purchase now from Legendary Motorsport alongside two new Super-class cars--the Overflod Entity XXR and Cheval Taipan--as well as the Vulcar Fagaloa and Vapid GB200. You can take a look at all of this week's new vehicles in the gallery below.

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If you need more space to store all of your new cars, this week's selection of deals features discounts on vehicle storage. Players can also save on car upgrades this week, with discounts on engines, brakes, spoilers, and other customization options. You can find the full list of this week's GTA Online deals below.

The Premium Race this week is Threading the Needle. As always, everyone who participates in the race will earn triple RP, while the players who finish in the top three will receive a big GTA$ payout. This week's Time Trial is Down Chiliad. Players who manage to beat the target time will be rewarded with a nice GTA$ and RP bonus.

This is only the first part of Southern San Andreas Super Sports Series. On April 3, Rockstar will introduce Target Assault mode to GTA Online, in which eight teams of two players race around a track and shoot at targets. Beyond that, the developer plans to roll out 10 new Special Vehicle Races and two new Adversary Modes. You can learn more about some of the content coming soon to GTA V on Rockstar's official website.

This Week's GTA Online Discounts

Properties

  • Executive Office Garages -- 30% off
  • Custom Auto Shops -- 30% off
  • Penthouse Suites -- 30% off
  • 10 Car Garages -- 30% off

Vehicle Upgrades

  • Engines -- 25% off
  • Turbo -- 25% off
  • Brakes -- 25% off
  • Transmission -- 25% off
  • Suspension -- 25% off
  • Spoilers -- 25% off
  • Bullet Proof Tires -- 25% off

After Being Pulled, PS4's Yakuza 6 Demo Is Back (Alongside A Free Theme)

By Chris Pereira on Mar 20, 2018 09:09 pm

When Yakuza 6 was delayed, the sting was eased somewhat by news that we'd be getting a demo to play in the meantime. This would allow players to check out the upcoming game's prologue and then transfer their progress to the full game. It turns out that, through a glitch, players could access and play the entire game through the demo, forcing Sega to pull it from the PlayStation Store.

The demo has now been fixed and is back on the store for PS4 owners to download--grab it here. It's still a huge download--36.53 GB--and allows you to carry your save game file into the final version of Yakuza 6 once it's released. You just won't be able to play past the opening stages using this demo.

In addition to the demo, there's also a free PS4 theme for users to pick up on PSN here. This is not directly related to the demo, so if you are planning to wait for the full release to play, you can still grab the theme. It's called a "locations" theme and is a dynamic one that showcases--you guessed it--various spots you'll visit in Yakuza 6.

Yakuza 6 originally released in Japan back in December 2016 and is finally due out in the West on April 17. In our Yakuza 6 review, Edmond Tran says the game "reins in its scope, but doubles down on what has made the series great. It's a unique and fascinating representation of the modern Japanese experience, worth playing even if you're a newcomer." Next up for the series beyond this is Yakuza Kiwami 2, a PS4 remake of Yakuza 2 that releases in August.


Top New Game Releases This Week On Switch, PS4, Xbox One, And PC -- March 18-24

By Tony Wilson on Mar 20, 2018 08:30 pm

This week's biggest games are all about working together. In Sea of Thieves, you and your pals can run your very own pirate ship. In Attack on Titan 2, you can team up to take down the titular titans. And in A Way Out, your only path out of prison is playing cooperatively. On the single-player side, you can solve cases with everyone's favorite electric mouse in Detective Pikachu, or save the world in Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom.

Sea of Thieves -- March 20

Available on: Xbox One, PC

If I tell you that Sea of Thieves is all about gathering a pirate crew with your friends, you can probably figure the rest out: you can explore a massive ocean, run a tight ship, battle other crews, search for buried treasure, and so much more. You might even run into a kraken or two.

Further Reading:

Attack on Titan 2 -- March 20

Available on: PS4, Vita, Xbox One, PC, Switch

Maybe your crew would rather defend your hometown from giant, people-eating freaks. This follow-up smash-hit anime game picks up right after the first, and this time you'll be able to play the whole thing in co-op, or take on the challenge alone with new co-op characters.

Further Reading:

A Way Out -- March 23

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

A Way Out is a forced co-op game--one player controls Leo, the other controls Vincent--where your goal is to escape prison. In practice, this means one of you can be stuck in a cutscene while the other explores or approach a situation from multiple vantage points.

Further Reading:

Detective Pikachu -- March 23

Available on: 3DS

Don't expect to be choosing starters and earning gym badges in this Pokemon adventure. Instead, you'll guide a talking Pikachu and his human helper Timmy as they solve cases around town. There are plenty of clues to find and suspicious characters to interrogate.

Further Reading:

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom -- March 23

Available on: PS4, PC

This RPG sequel had its own set of delays, but it'll soon be time to help King Evan restore his stolen throne. New to the game are the Pikmin-like Higgledies, which can be commanded in battle. And you'll definitely be having plenty of those across the game's expansive world.

Further Reading:


New Rainbow Six Siege Update Rolling Out; Patch Notes Released

By Chris Pereira on Mar 20, 2018 08:17 pm

Rainbow Six Siege received a major update, Chimera, in early March to kick off Year 3 of the game. The first patch since then is now rolling out on PC, with a PS4 and Xbox One release to come later this week. Unlike the Chimera update, however, this one deals primarily with fixing things, rather than introducing new content.

Ubisoft has reset its patch numbers for the start of Year 3, making this patch 1.1. It makes changes to both the standard game and the ongoing limited-time Outbreak mode. Many of the adjustments don't directly impact gameplay, such as overlapping text in the shop menu and equipped cosmetics resetting to the default options when your connection is lost. Others are just funny, like Ash's eyes not being aligned correctly on the MVP screen while wearing the Sidewinder Elite uniform.

Other, more serious problems are addressed. That includes characters being invisible when a last-minute Operator change is made and the missing revive icon and timer when a hostage is in the DBNO state before being escorted. R6 Credits not showing up after they're purchased has also been resolved.

On the Outbreak side, the bugs addressed are not terribly serious for the most part, although turrets will no longer be rendered unusable (and unable to be picked up) when they run out of ammo. Additionally, Buck will be able to refill the ammo for his Skeleton Key while his secondary weapon is equipped.

You can check out all the changes in the patch notes below, which were shared on Ubisoft's website. We recently took a look at how Siege got so big, and if you're looking for some suggestions, we have tips on the best Operators for beginners and the best Operators for experts.

Rainbow Six Siege Year 3 1.1 Update Patch Notes

Chimera

  • Fixed - The operator can be invisible for all users or have a different BDU equipped instead of the selected one when switching operator at the last moment.
  • Fixed - All equipped weapon skins, charms, uniforms and headgear (except those awarded by the Season Pass) are reset to default after losing connectivity.
  • Fixed - R6 Credits are not received after buying them from Shop.
  • Fixed - The Starter Pack discount pop up for Blitz cannot be closed.
  • Fixed - Player lose access to Operator from Starter Edition bundles when purchasing Standard Edition.
  • Fixed - The play ranked button can be selected for a second after a user below clearance level 20 join the squad.
  • Fixed - The Gold Skin for Hibana's P229 is corrupted.
  • Fixed - Text overlaps the preview Operator image in Highlights tab from the Shop Menu.
  • Fixed - While wearing the Sidewinder Elite uniform, Ash's eyes will be slightly misaligned in the MVP screen.
  • Fixed - When the Hostage is DBNO before escort, there is no "revive" icon or timer.
  • Fixed - Occasionally, in poor network conditions, Hostage can remain stuck if it enters DBNO while being pick up by a player.
  • Fixed - He Grunt Chibi is stuck to the magazine while reloading.
  • Fixed - Drone can be placed inside walls of plane from 3F cockpit stairs on Plane.

Outbreak

  • Fixed - During the intro cinematic, the hands of the right-most operator will be misaligned with the weapon.
  • Fixed - If a player leaves the sessions during the transition from Part A to Part B, shaders do not load properly
  • Fixed - Buck cannot refill his Skeleton Key while holding the secondary weapon.
  • Fixed - Outbreak Collection icon is missing from Ash's Operator Card when equipping the Black Viper Elite.
  • Fixed - Incorrect victory pose model is shown for the Ash Black Viper Elite in the Collection menu.
  • Fixed - Some operators have the Outbreak load out in the Operator screen.
  • Fixed - The Outbreak Collection button does not work.
  • Fixed - Operator's voice lines are not heard, nor subtitles displayed, when starting the game in a language different from English.
  • Fixed - After using all the ammo on the turret, it can't be picked up or interacted with, losing all of its functionality.


Free PS4 PS Plus Games For March Now Available

By Chris Pereira on Mar 20, 2018 07:41 pm

We're beginning to approach the end of the month, but the free PlayStation Plus games for March remain available. If you haven't claimed them yet, March offers a new batch of free games for PS Plus members to download. There are a total of six in all to grab, and while that's the same number we typically see, Cross-Buy ensures PS4 owners have a lot to download--including some great ones.

As is the case most months, the best of the lineup comes on PS4. From Software's Bloodborne, the Souls-style action game that rewards aggressive play, is the first of the month's freebies. Although it's primarily a single-player experience, it does feature online multiplayer elements, and fans of the game have launched a campaign to ensure that the newcomers flooding its servers won't be alone. If you need any specific assistance, you can check out out our Bloodborne boss guide and tips you should know before starting Bloodborne.

Alongside that, Ratchet & Clank is also free right now. This is the most recent entry in Insomniac's long-running platforming series, although it's technically not an original game. It's based in part on the animated film, which itself was based on the original Ratchet & Clank game.

That's not it for PS4 owners, who will receive a total of five games this month thanks to Cross-Buy. Both games available on Vita, Claire: Extended Cut and Bombing Busters, are free on Plus, as is one of the two PS3 games, Mighty No. 9. PS3 owners also get their hands on Legend of Kay.

All of these games are available to download for free on the PlayStation Store from now until April 3; as they are just coming online, you may have to add them to your cart to see the free price. Other PS Plus bonuses you can get right now include a free Fortnite pack and another for Gems of War. This year will mark the final one that PS3 and Vita games are offered through Plus.

March 2018 Free PS Plus Games

PS4

  • Bloodborne
  • Ratchet & Clank
  • Mighty No. 9 (Cross-Buy with PS3)
  • Claire: Extended Cut (Cross-Buy with PS Vita)
  • Bombing Busters (Cross-Buy with PS Vita)

PS3

  • Mighty No. 9 (Cross-Buy with PS4)
  • Legend of Kay

PS Vita

  • Claire: Extended Cut (Cross-Buy with PS4)
  • Bombing Busters (Cross-Buy with PS4)


GameStop's Big Spring Sale Going On Now

By Kevin Knezevic on Mar 20, 2018 07:40 pm

If you're in the market for new games to play, you now have a chance to pick some up for cheap. GameStop has kicked off its Play Days sale, a limited-time event that offers some nice discounts on various titles and accessories for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

From now until April 1, customers will find deals on an assortment of games for each platform, including some that were just recently released, like Burnout Paradise Remastered, which is already on sale for $30. Additionally, Capcom's incredibly successful new game Monster Hunter World is available for $45, while the newly released Scribblenauts Showdown is $20.

The sale also encompasses some of 2017's biggest releases. Two of Activision's most popular shooters from the past year, Call of Duty: WWII and Destiny 2, are on sale for $50 and $30, respectively. On top of that, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is $40, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is $30, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is $40, FIFA 18 is $30, and Star Wars Battlefront II is $30.

Other notable game deals from GameStop's Play Days sale include Overwatch: Game of the Year Edition for $30, Grand Theft Auto V for $30, Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition for $40, L.A. Noire for $20, The Witcher III: Wild Hunt Complete Edition for $25, and Dark Souls III: The Fire Fades Edition for $20.

In terms of hardware, all Xbox One wireless controllers are $10 off, and customers can save up to $10 off of select Switch accessories. While the Xbox One X itself isn't discounted, those who pick one up during the sale will get a digital copy of Sea of Thieves for free. A number of toys and collectibles are also on sale, including Pokemon TCG decks and packs. You can find the full list of deals during the Play Days event on GameStop's website.

This story has been updated.


New Free PC Game Available Now On Origin

By Kevin Knezevic on Mar 20, 2018 07:40 pm

If you're looking for something new to play on PC, EA is offering another free game through Origin. The latest freebie as part of the publisher's "On the House" promotion is Dead in Bermuda, and it's available to download right now at no cost for a limited time.

Dead in Bermuda is billed as a "survival management game with RPG and adventure elements." The title puts players in command of a ragtag band of survivors, who are stranded on a mysterious island after their plane crashes. Players must manage the survivors' hunger and fatigue levels, craft upgrades for their camp from the materials collected around the island, and ultimately uncover the "mysteries behind an ancient atlantean prophecy."

Like previous On the House titles, once you've downloaded Dead in Bermuda, the game will remain in your library permanently. However, EA hasn't announced how long the title will be available through the On the House promotion, so if you're interested in taking advantage of this offer, you should act quickly. You can grab the game here.

Dead in Bermuda isn't the only free title PC players can pick up right now. Twitch has just kicked off its expanded Free Games With Prime program. From now March 31, Twitch Prime subscribers can download five games at no cost from the service, including Shadow Tactics, Superhot, Oxenfree, and Mr. Shifty. Another free title from Twitch, the original Devil May Cry, is also available to download until April 6.


New Fortnite: Battle Royale Blitz Mode Is Now Live For A Limited Time

By Kevin Knezevic on Mar 20, 2018 07:35 pm

Fortnite developer Epic has kicked off a new limited-time mode in Battle Royale on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. For the next few days, players will be able to jump into the short-lived Blitz mode, which promises "swift storms and lots of loot."

Blitz was one of the new limited-time modes Epic teased last month for Battle Royale. As the studio previously described, the mode features much shorter matches than usual, which Epic says makes them "faster [and] more intense." In Blitz, the maximum duration of a match is only 15 minutes, and each match begins with the storm circle already closing in.

On top of the shortened match times, loot availability has been adjusted in Blitz mode. The likelihood that treasure chests and ammo boxes will spawn during a match has been significantly increased, and Floor Loot spawns "nearly 100% of the time." The spawn interval of Supply Drops and their descent time have also been decreased, while harvest resources have been doubled.

Epic hasn't announced an exact end date for Blitz mode, but limited-time events in Battle Royale typically run for about a week, giving you only a few days to participate before it is removed from the rotation. You can find more details about Blitz mode on the official Fortnite website.

Blitz mode rolls out shortly after the release of Fortnite's 3.3 patch. Along with an assortment of bug fixes, that update moved Smoke Grenades into the Vault. In their place, Epic introduced Supply Llamas and a new weapon in Battle Royale: remote explosives, which can be placed on the map and detonated from a distance. Another weapon, the Boogie Bomb, has also been "temporarily disabled" due to a bug, although it will return to the game once Epic has resolved the issue.


Get These Free Fortnite: Battle Royale Items With Amazon / Twitch Prime Right Now

By Kevin Knezevic on Mar 20, 2018 07:35 pm

As it so often does, Twitch is offering another batch of free in-game goodies to Amazon Prime members, this time for Epic's popular shooter Fortnite. Right now, those with a Prime account will be able to claim the Fortnite Twitch Prime Pack, which includes cosmetics and other items for both Battle Royale and Save the World modes.

The Twitch Prime Pack is redeemable on all platforms--PC, PS4, and Xbox One--and comes with two exclusive gliders and outfits for Battle Royale: the Havoc Outfit and Back Bling, plus the Sub Commander Outfit and Slipstream Glider. Additionally, users will receive four exclusive Twitch chat emoji and two heroes for Save the World: Havoc and Sub Commando Jonesy. You can take a look at some of the freebies below.

No Caption Provided

Twitch Prime regularly offers free items and games for Amazon Prime members, so anyone who's a subscriber to the premium service is able to take advantage of this offer. To grab the Fortnite Twitch Prime Pack, simply click on the Prime Loot icon at the top of Twitch's homepage or visit Epic's official website for more details about how to claim the free items.

The Twitch Prime Pack isn't the only freebie that Fortnite players can get right now. PS Plus subscribers can also download the PlayStation Plus Celebration Pack on PS4, which includes an exclusive glider and outfit. You can grab the pack here. Meanwhile, the next free game for Twitch Prime members is the original Devil May Cry, is also available to download now after being temporarily delayed due to "unforeseen technical circumstances."

Epic recently rolled out update 3.0.0 for Fortnite, which kicked off Season 3 of Battle Royale. It also introduced a new Battle Pass, which features 30 additional rewards tiers to unlock--you can take a look at all of the new Battle Royale rewards in our gallery. A new limited-time mode, Solid Gold, is also now underway. The theme for this event is Legendary weapons.

This story has been updated.


Xbox One Game Sale: All The Deals Now Until Mar. 27

By Eddie Makuch on Mar 20, 2018 07:30 pm

It's a new week, and that means more deals on Xbox Live. Microsoft's Major Nelson has now announced all of this week's Xbox Live Deals With Gold offers for Xbox One and Xbox 360--and they include some nice offers depending on what you're looking for.

Some of the better, more notable Xbox One offers this week include Grand Theft Auto V ($30), Dragon Age Inquisition Game of the Year Edition ($10), Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 ($8), Mirror's Edge Catalyst ($5), and The Surge ($20). Additionally, DLC and other extra content for games like The Division, Smite, and GTA V are on sale as well.

No Caption Provided

Moving to Xbox 360, there are only a handful of deals, and some of them are Skate 3 ($5), Dragon Age 2 ($5), and Worms ($1.24). To see a full rundown of this week's Xbox One and Xbox 360 deals, including region-specific pricing, check out Major Nelson's blog. Bear in mind that some of the offers require an Xbox Live Gold membership; the deals expire on March 26.

In other news, Xbox Live Gold members now have a fresh batch of free Games With Gold titles to pick up, including Superhot and Quantum Conundrum.


Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom Reviews Roundup

By Kevin Knezevic on Mar 20, 2018 07:30 pm

After suffering a few delays, Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom finally makes its anticipated debut on PS4 and PC this week. Despite being a follow-up to the beloved PS3 RPG, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, Revenant Kingdom bears little direct connection to the first game, taking place hundreds of years in the future and following the adventures of Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, a deposed boy-king on a journey to form his own kingdom.

The story isn't the only area where Revenant Kingdom diverges from its predecessor. The game features a radically different battle system than the original, eschewing the Pokemon-like familiars of the first Ni No Kuni completely in favor of faster-paced real-time battles. In addition to that, Revenant Kingdom features kingdom building and strategy elements, often tasking players with commanding a small army of troops in RTS-like battles.

While these new elements may not always tie together in a cohesive way, they help set the title apart from its beloved predecessor. They also make it one of the year's most ambitious releases, taking roughly 35 hours to complete by our estimates. In GameSpot's Ni No Kuni II review, critic Peter Brown said the game "compels you to care and put your best foot forward" and features "something worthwhile around every corner, and usually something pretty to admire along the way."

Ahead of its release, other outlets have also started posting reviews of Ni No Kuni II. As usual, we've collected a sample of them below to give you an idea of what critics think about the anticipated JRPG. For a broader look at Ni No Kuni II's critical reception, be sure to visit GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

  • Game: Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom
  • Developer: Level-5
  • Platforms: PS4, PC
  • Release date: March 23
  • Price: $60 / £50

GameSpot -- 8/10

"Ni No Kuni 2 is a robust game that offers ample ways to spend your time, and even if they aren't all up to the same level of quality, it's easy to appreciate how they collectively contribute to the bigger picture. It's chock full of excellent battles and surprising moments that make for a far more memorable experience than you initially expect and leaves you impressed by your own accomplishments. If you didn't play the first game, don't let this one pass you by too." -- Peter Brown [Full review]

IGN -- 7.8/10

"Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom distinguishes itself from its predecessor by layering fast-paced, real-time combat and an engaging kingdom building system atop more traditional RPG systems and quests. It's a shame it delivers so few truly memorable characters and restricts so much of its storytelling to text on screen, but by the end of Ni No Kuni 2 the broader themes certainly resonate and the 40+ hour journey has been well worth it." -- Cam Shea [Full review]

Polygon -- 9/10

"Ni No Kuni 2 aims for a lot of different targets: world-spanning story, management sim, recruitment game and solid combat experience. Against all odds, it manages to hit them all in a way that very few games in its genre can manage. There's no part of the game that feels more or less important, and there were no moments in the game where I thought I was slogging through exposition or kingdom management to pad hours in my playthrough. There's not a wasted breath or a plot point that doesn't manage to pay off in a significant way. Ni No Kuni 2 is a solid contemporary JRPG that brings a lot of design ideas that I love into sharp, clear focus while staying entertaining and engaging throughout." -- Cameron Kunzelman [Full review]

US Gamer -- 3.5/5

"Ni No Kuni 2 is a sweet-tempered and attractive RPG with a strong castle-building mechanic, but it's dragged down by a jarringly ugly overworld, mandatory fetch quests, and a lot of padding. It's a pleasant throwback for fans of the genre, but it ultimately fails to meet the high bar set by other big-budget JRPGs." -- Kat Bailey [Full review]

Game Informer -- 8/10

"Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom may not nail everything it attempts, but it gets the important things right. Building your kingdom is satisfying and engaging, even with the weak narrative hooks. The cycle of rewards became an obsession, and had me staying up late to recruit just one more ally, or complete just one more upgrade. Combat could be tighter, and other supporting elements could use some polish--but like any kingdom, this experience isn't about individual contributions. It's about how those contributions come together, and the fun of this experience as a whole outweighs its flaws." -- Joe Juba [Full review]

GamesRadar+ -- 4.5/5

"Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is the RPG adventure that's like shooting sunshine right into your veins. So clear your calendar, because Level-5 is about fill it with monsters, magic, and city management." -- Rachel Weber [Full review]


Another Nintendo Switch Presentation Is Airing Today

By Kevin Knezevic on Mar 20, 2018 07:30 pm

Nintendo is giving Switch owners another glimpse at some of the many intriguing titles on the way for the console soon. The company announced on Twitter that it is streaming another presentation today, this one focusing entirely on indie games coming to Switch.

The Nindies Showcase, as the broadcast is dubbed, airs on Tuesday, March 20, at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET. Nintendo hasn't revealed how long the presentation will run, but it will highlight the "hottest upcoming indie games for Nintendo Switch." You'll be able to stream the Nindies Showcase on Nintendo's website.

Aside from that, we know very little about today's presentation. Nintendo hasn't specified which games it will showcase during the broadcast, although there are a few we can reasonably expect to see, such as Runner3; publisher Nicalis recently confirmed that title will launch for Switch (as well as PC) on May 22.

The Nindies Showcase will mark the second presentation Nintendo has aired this month, following the March Nintendo Direct. That broadcast contained a ton of announcements about many of Nintendo's biggest upcoming Switch games, including new details on Mario Tennis Aces, a release date for Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, and the surprise reveal of Super Smash Bros. for Switch. You can see all of the major announcements from that presentation in our Nintendo Direct news roundup.


New To Netflix This Week: Santa Clarita Diet Season 2, New Anime, And More Movies And TV Shows

By Chris E. Hayner on Mar 20, 2018 07:28 pm

Are you in need of new shows and movies to binge? Thankfully, Netflix has your streaming fix thanks to a large number of new originals and a few films being added to the service over the course of the week.

The most notable title arriving on the streamer is the second season of Santa Clarita Diet, the dark zombie comedy starring Drew Barrymore as a member of the brain-eating undead community. The first season was a funny and bizarre trip into suburban life when you're a zombie, and Season 2 will likely continue the trend. The new episodes will see Joel McHale, Maggie Lawson, and Gerald McRaney join the cast in guest roles.

The first season of anime Sword Gai The Animation will also debut on the service this week, along with Netflix originals Alexa & Katie, Dinotrux Supercharged, The Mechanism, and Requiem. Additional titles for the week include In Search of Fellini, Conor McGregor: Notorious, and Red Trees.

You can take a look at the full list of everything being added this week below. Additionally, check out every title Netflix is adding and removing in March, as well as Hulu and Amazon Prime Video's offerings.

March 19

  • In Search of Fellini

March 20

  • 100 Years: One Woman's Fight for Justice
  • The Standups: Season 2 (Netflix Original)

March 21

  • Conor McGregor: Notorious

March 23

  • Alexa & Katie: Season 1 (Netflix Original)
  • Dinotrux Supercharged: Season 2 (Netflix Original)
  • Game Over, Man! (Netflix Original)
  • Layla M. (Netflix Original)
  • Requiem: Season 1 (Netflix Original)
  • Roxanne Roxanne (Netflix Original)
  • Santa Clarita Diet: Season 2 (Netflix Original)
  • Sword Gai The Animation: Part 1 (Netflix Original)
  • The Mechanism: Season 1 (Netflix Original)

March 24

  • Red Trees

PUBG Mobile Works Surprisingly Well

By Chris Pereira on Mar 20, 2018 07:23 pm

Following some tests in select marks, PUBG Corp. and Tencent have made a surprise announcement by suddenly releasing PUBG Mobile in the United States and other regions around the world. It had previously been available in Canada, but it's now seeing a much wider release--and it runs quite well.

Not only is it out on iOS and Android, it's available for free, unlike the PC and Xbox One versions. It comes not long after the launch of an invite-only test for Fortnite Mobile, which is currently only playable on iOS. The official PUBG Twitter account seemingly took a shot at Fortnite--or at least the many PUBG clones that are out there--in an announcement tweet, stating, "The true Battle Royale experience is now on your phone."

If you're eager to get a look at what it's like, you can check out our video of the game above. You'll see it running on an iPhone X, although a wide range of hardware is supported across iOS and Android. The game has a number of graphics settings that allow it to scale to different hardware.

This is an in-development version--the developers say it will continue to improve--but it feels like a surprisingly complete version of the existing game. As with Fortnite Mobile, the controls are somewhat of a challenge, but again we see some minor changes that have been made to better fit the platform.


Fortnite Twitch Streamer Ninja Makes Over $500k A Month - Report

By Chris Pereira on Mar 20, 2018 07:18 pm

Wildly popular Twitch streamer Tyler "Ninja" Blevins recently set a new record when he streamed Fortnite with Drake. While that proved to be a particularly big moment for Fortnite streaming, it's hardly a one-off success story for Ninja.

The streamer recently confirmed a Forbes report suggesting he makes upwards of $500,000 a month. That's driven by Twitch channel subscriptions, which pay out a portion of the money to the channel's owner. Twitch users can pay to subscribe to a channel, and Twitch Prime memberships (a perk of Amazon Prime) come with a free subscription.

Since then, Ninja has spoken with CNBC in a segment you can watch below. Although he doesn't specifically address how much he's making, he does talk a little about his business, what he's doing with his money, and his recommendations to those who wish to follow in his footsteps (in short: don't leave your job and school).

In the video, Ninja is initially speaking about Fortnite, which has enjoyed a tremendous level of success since the release of its free-to-play Battle Royale mode last year. Ninja's recent stream with Drake topped 600,000 concurrent viewers on Twitch. That came just prior to the release of the 3.3 update, which paved the way for the newly launched Blitz limited-time mode.


HTC Vive Pro Price, Release Date Announced; Price Drops For Existing Vive VR Headset

By Chris Pereira on Mar 20, 2018 07:17 pm

HTC's next iteration of its Vive VR headset, the Vive Pro, is coming soon. Following its reveal earlier this year, HTC has now confirmed both a price and release date for the headset, along with a promotional offer to encourage early adoption. And with the introduction of a new model, HTC is slashing the price of the existing Vive.

Vive Pro will be available for $799/£799, HTC has announced. Notably, that's only for the headset itself--that price doesn't include any controllers, base stations, or the wireless adapter. By contrast, the basic Vive includes two controllers and two base stations in addition to the headset. That package has seen its price cut by $100 and is now available for $499/£499 with a free copy of Fallout 4 VR.

The Vive Pro begins shipping on April 5 and is now available for pre-order on the Vive website, among other places. Purchases of the headset made by June 3 come with a free six-month Viveport subscription, which gets you an allotment of free games each month.

Vive Pro has dual OLED displays with a combined resolution of 2880 x 1600, which is a marked increase over the standard Vive's 2160 x 1200. When we tried it back at CES, we found it to be a notable improvement and thought Vive Pro might be the best VR headset to date.

While the lack of included controllers and base stations isn't ideal for first-time Vive buyers, HTC notes that existing Vive owners can easily upgrade. The headset-only package can be purchased to replace their current headset, with the old base stations and controllers working with Vive Pro.


Sega Teases Sonic Racing Game News

By Kevin Knezevic on Mar 20, 2018 07:15 pm

Another Sonic racing game is possibly on the way. Following rumors that a sequel to Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed was in development, the official Sonic Twitter accounted tweeted out a brief video that seems to confirm the hedgehog is heading back to the race track.

The tweet, which you can see below, only features the words "[TOP SECRET]" along with a brief, 22-second video clip. The video begins with a closeup of a car's headlight, while sounds of a revving engine can be heard in the background. It ends with the silhouette of the game's logo, with only the letter R visible.

The latest Sonic racing game, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, was first released back in 2012. Like its predecessor, it's a Mario Kart-style arcade racer that features iconic characters from throughout Sega's history. You can read more about the title in our original Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed review.

This was a big day for Sonic fans. In addition to the above tease, Sega announced Sonic Mania Plus, a physical re-release of last year's acclaimed 2D Sonic game. On top of the existing game, Plus features new content in the form of an Encore mode and two additional playable characters: Mighty and Ray. Sega also announced a partnership with Puma to sell Sonic-inspired sneakers.


Free Monster Hunter World Item That Lets You Edit Your Character Available Now

By Kevin Knezevic on Mar 20, 2018 07:15 pm

If you're unhappy with the way your character looks in Monster Hunter World but have sunk too many hours into the game to start from scratch, you now have a chance to give your hunter a makeover. Ahead of this week's big Monster Hunter World update, Capcom has distributed a Character Edit Voucher, giving all PS4 and Xbox One players one free pass at tweaking their avatar.

The Character Edit Voucher is now available from the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store. With it, you can modify your character's gender and physical appearance. However, you won't be able to change your hunter's name, nor will you be able to edit your Palico's appearance or name.

The voucher is a single-use item, meaning you'll only have one opportunity to edit your hunter's appearance for free. If you're playing on PS4, you can grab the voucher directly from here; those on Xbox One can claim the item here. If you'd like to make any further changes to your hunter after using the freebie, Capcom will offer additional Character Edit Vouchers for purchase "at a later date."

The first major update for Monster Hunter World arrives on March 22. It most notably introduces a new monster to the game--the fearsome Deviljho--along with accompanying gear to craft. In addition to that, the update makes balance changes to almost every weapon type in the game and will no longer allow players to interrupt allies' carving animation, thereby preventing them from receiving their rewards.

Shortly after the Monster Hunter World update rolls out, Capcom will kick off the first seasonal event for Monster Hunter World: the Spring Blossom Fest. That runs from April 5-19 and features "daily fun activities," along with a redecorated Gathering Hub. Capcom will also hold two Event Quests during the Spring Blossom Fest: the first allows players to create the winning weapon from the community Weapon Design Contest, the Wyvern Ignition Great Sword; the second quest is for the Mega Man Palico armor.


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