On the June 19 episode of WWE Smackdown, Daniel Bryan performed a diving headbutt of the top rope. From health standpoint, this is a bad idea for any wrestler. But it's a specifically bad idea for a wrestler like Daniel Bryan, who not long ago was suffering from trauma-related seizures. Everyone who cares about him--hopefully, that includes the WWE itself--should remind him of his well-being and what he stands to lose if he continues down this path.
It happened during a gauntlet match between Bryan, Big E, The Miz, Rusev, and Samoa Joe. The winner would compete for the WWE Championship at Extreme Rules on July 15. In a shocking upset, Rusev won the match and the right to face AJ Styles in four weeks. Happy Rusev Day indeed.
But I found it difficult to focus on Rusev's achievement. I was too busy being appalled by what happened in the first third of the match. Daniel Bryan and Big E were the first two entrants and were engaged in a standard back-and-forth when suddenly, Bryan climbed on the turnbuckles and did this:
That's not an old screencap from several years ago; that's from the June 19 episode of Smackdown. Daniel Bryan, against all reason and advice to the contrary, attempted a diving headbutt. Big E rolled out of the way, and Bryan landed face first on the mat, with only his outstretched hands to cushion the blow.
There is no positive upside to this. A man with a history of multiple concussions (and a lesser history of concealing them from others) put himself at considerable, unnecessary risk for no reason. And if WWE officials signed off or approved of this, they're complicit in his recklessness. It's odd, because WWE has a controversial history of banning dangerous moves. The most well-known banned move is the classic Texas Piledriver, which has a long, established history; Jerry "The King" Lawler popularized it in the Memphis territories; it was the move he delivered to Andy Kaufman that "broke his neck." But just because something is established doesn't mean we continue to do it.
And after Owen Hart botched a variation of the move, in the Tombstone position, on "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and shortened his career, WWE stepped in. Since then, the Texas Piledriver has been rare to nonexistent in WWE. Lawler, when he occasionally wrestled, still used it, but certainly no younger wrestlers were using it as their go-to signature or finisher.
Why hasn't WWE applied this level of scrutiny to the diving headbutt? It was innovated by Harley Race. The man who adopted it after him, The Dynamite Kid, is now confined to a wheelchair; Race regrets inventing the move for this very reason. Prior to Daniel Bryan, the most notable practitioner of this move was Chris Benoit, who suffered from multiple, untreated concussions. These concussions may have contributed to his mental instability, which ultimately led him to kill his wife, his young son, and himself. The autopsy would later reveal he had the brain of an 85-year-old Alzheimer's patient.
Bryan, like Benoit and Dynamite before him, is one of the most talented wrestlers of his generation. He can mat wrestle and he can fly high; he can brawl when the occasion calls for it. And for a large chunk of his WWE career--largely by choice--Bryan opted for a spot-heavy, high-impact style, which included moves such as the diving headbutt.
It made him stand out in a crowd of men who were bigger than him. Narratively, it said: "I may be smaller and weaker, but I have more heart and more guts than you. I am willing to make the bigger sacrifice." Bryan got over with the fans, but this unrestrained style exacted a toll. He missed months of ring time; his run as WWE Champion after Wrestlemania XXX was cut short after he lost feeling in his arm. He required neck surgery. He suffered multiple concussions and post-concussion seizures. He hid this from many of his colleagues, thus putting himself--not to mention his opponents--in danger.
And all the while, WWE was telling him to slow down. He was now the most beloved wrestler in the company; he no longer needed these dangerous spots to get over with the crowd. But still, he ignored that advice and continued working like he had nothing to lose.
Eventually, WWE forced Bryan to retire in 2016. He had lesions on his brain; WWE could no longer trust him to take care of himself, and by extension, protect the company. And for two years, Bryan was relegated to mostly backstage roles.
Then in March 2018, the impossible happened. After months of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which Bryan credits to healing his brain, he was cleared by WWE to wrestle again. And for his first few matches, it seemed as though the man had recognized his mortality. He grabbed the ropes to brace himself on his corner attacks. He stopped diving through the ring ropes to the floor, instead launching himself partially outside, feet-first. His top rope maneuvers were also feet first, and he landed with a flat back bump. He used more grapples and submissions.
And eventually, it felt comfortable to watch Bryan wrestle. He was finally taking care of himself, and we, as an audience, weren't enabling him to cripple himself or dig an early grave.
Now, that's gone. Instead, we'll worrying about the velocity of his next move. We'll be watching to see how hard his head hits the mat or the security barrier. We'll be wondering if this time, he's going to botch the next diving headbutt and get stretchered out of the ring. And even if we can't see it the damage now, there may long term damage, quietly piling up, that Bryan won't see for another 15-20 years.
No WWE fan should want Bryan to continue this backslide into old habits. But as of this morning, no major wrestling site has called Bryan or WWE over the carpet for allowing this. After months of bellyaching and performative "concern" over his health, the press has thrown up their hands and accepted this as standard operating procedure. But it shouldn't be this way; the multi-million dollar class-action lawsuit filed by former WWE employees, who now suffer from concussion-related disorders, confirms this.
Bryan needs to control himself. And if he can't do that, WWE needs to step in and do it for him, whether that's by banning the move, reprimanding him, fining him, or firing him. The company may not be directly responsible for Bryan destroying himself; the man can make his own choices, no matter how destructive. But it doesn't mean the fans have to accept it as a given, or that WWE has to give him a platform to broadcast it on.
A new demo for Octopath Traveler lets you experience all eight prologue stories in anticipation for the Nintendo Switch release on July 13. The stylized retro RPG pays homage to Super NES classics like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 6, but it strikes a considerably darker tone. At E3 2018, producer Masashi Takahashi and director Keisuke Miyauchi told GameSpot what influenced this new take on old tropes, and how they've been updated.
The serious tone was punctuated in the very first demo, released last year. The story of Primrose, a dancer, touched on themes of sexual abuse and human trafficking. It was jarring, given the cute, doe-eyed sprite work and classically styled battle system, to see a story that many older RPGs it imitated would have implied at most.
"We're creating a medieval world, and we wanted to think of the realities within that medieval world," Takahashi said, via a translator. "What would be a kind of inevitability that would happen as a result of this world existing? What kind of dramas would play out? I think, out of the eight people, that Primrose has the story that deals with the heaviest themes, but that's not to say that the other themes are light in any way. There are also characters that deal with other heavy elements of this world, as well, like Cyrus, the scholar. His story deals with the darkness that exists within this world."
By the same token, Square Enix felt it was important to create a style that was reminiscent of classic RPGs, with a modern twist. The result is a game that looks like a game from the 1990s at a glance, but that comes alive with depth and movement thanks to its 2.5D animation.
"This is the art style that was used for the games that we played when we were growing up," Takahashi said. "Even though it has a simple character design, the simplicity of the character design allows the user to use their imagination to kind of create their own story of the characters in their own minds, versus how you would respond to, for example, a realistic art style."
The final ingredient was the battle system and the new "path actions" system, which give characters a variety of ways of interacting in and out of battle. Like the story and art style, it was important that this was rooted in classic RPG tropes, but had its own twists and stylistic choices. It's a turn-based battle system, and Takahashi said that's meant to make it inviting to new or lapsed players who may not have touched an RPG in years.
"In addition to that, we've added in things like the additional strategic dimensions of what you can accomplish during battle," added Miyauchi. "And also, things like path actions--where, in other RPGs, if you're talking about NPCs around a town, the only action that you could accomplish with them was to talk to them. We've added in considerably more dimensions of being able to talk with them so that you're able to role-play now in more different ways than you ever were. So that you could feel like you're a scholar, for example, like you're really playing this role of this character in this game."
It's been almost three years since the release of Halo 5, so it was exciting when Microsoft opened its E3 2018 showcase with a trailer for Halo: Infinite. But as we later learned, the video was a "game engine demo" that was meant to show off the capabilities of 343's new proprietary Slipspace engine, and it was not necessarily representative of the game itself. With that in mind, we're rounding up some key details about Halo Infinite and its developer to help clear up some lingering confusion and give you a snapshot of what the game is.
Not A Game Yet?
The Halo Infinite trailer released during the Xbox briefing was a tech demo meant to show off what the Slipspace engine was capable of achieving. In a blog post that all Halo fans should read, studio head Chris Lee said 343's ideas for Halo Infinite are so ambitious that it had to make new tech to realise that ambition. Everything in the trailer is running in-engine, but it doesn't necessarily represent what the game will be. Lee stressed that 343 still has "a long way to go" until launch. He added that he is sure that Halo Infinite will "evolve" between now and launch. This is all to say that what you saw at E3 was not Halo: Infinite the game but instead a snapshot of what Halo: Infinite could be. It was an impressive-looking demo, showcasing a gorgeous world and sprawling environments, as well as a variety of new creatures. Halo 5's 24-player Warzone mode offered a first look at larger-scale Halo, and it's exciting to think about what 343 might do to push things further with the new engine.
Poor Messaging
The Halo Infinite trailer at E3 was presented as a first-look at the game, but it wasn't that, and Microsoft should have done a better job at making that immediately clear. No one from the 343 leadership team stood up on stage to talk about Infinite, and that felt odd given the size and stature of the Halo brand. Fans are clearly thirsty for more news and details on the next game, and it was a big bummer that we got nothing of the sort on stage. We would have liked to have seen someone like 343 founder Bonnie Ross or Halo franchise manager Frank O'Connor tell fans what Halo: Infinite is all about and why they should get excited about it. It does not inspire confidence in Halo as a franchise that so little was said. Additionally, we are told that Microsoft is not doing Halo interviews at E3 this week.
The Story:
While Halo: Infinite may not be a game yet, we do know some important story details about it. Halo Infinite is a follow-up to Halo 5: Guardians. It picks up after the events of that game, and tells a more Master Chief-centric story, according to Lee. He explained that 343 is aware of the concern some fans had regarding how Halo 5's story strayed too far from Chief. Indeed, that game's campaign split up time between playing as Chief and Agent Locke. Some wanted more focus on Chief, and it's good to hear Halo: Infinite will deliver that. The Halo universe is a rich tapestry, replete with storytelling opportunities, so it's exciting to think about what 343 might do with Infinite's story.
Next-Gen?
During the Xbox briefing at E3, Xbox boss Phil Spencer announced that Microsoft is working on new consoles that will follow the Xbox One. Media reports at E3 suggest that one of these is codenamed "Scarlet" and it could launch as soon as 2020. This is especially intriguing and noteworthy in the context of Halo: Infinite. With 343 stressing that Halo: Infinite is a "long way" off from release and the general comments on its technical ambitions, there are some who believe the game might not come until the next Xbox. Microsoft hasn't commented on this.
"New And Unexpected Directions"
Lee, the 343 studio head, said in the blog post that 343 is "making changes to how we approach things" with Halo: Infinite. This could mean a number of things, but the quote stands out in the wake of reports this week. Reports claim Halo: Infinite will be two separate releases. It is rumoured that Halo: Infinite could split up multiplayer and single-player. Noted Microsoft insider Brad Sams said he's heard from sources that single-player for Halo: Infinite could launch in late 2019 with the multiplayer portion arriving in 2020. This would indeed be a big change for Halo. In the same blog post, Lee said he looks forward to taking players in "new and unexpected directions" with the new Halo game, though whether this pertains to a delivery model, the story, or something else remains to be seen.
You'll Get To Play Early
Lee said 343 hopes to develop Halo: Infinite alongside the community, making changes to the game based on fan feedback. To that end, 343 will hold "flighting programs" for the game where people will get to play early and provide feedback to 343. If this sounds familiar, it's because 343 is currently doing that with Halo: The Master Chief Collection as it rolls out new features. Halo: Infinite's beta tests are not coming anytime soon, but Lee said you can expect them to start small and grow over time. Microsoft already has the Game Preview program where people can play unreleased games, but never before has this happened for a franchise as large as Halo. It is exciting and encouraging to see 343 incorporate fan feedback in this way, and hopefully it can lead to a better game in the end.
A New Art Style
Halo Infinite will have a new art style that appears to be evocative of the original game. Nicolas Bouvier, who has been on the Halo team since Halo 4, is Halo: Infinite's art director, and the overall aim of the new style is to "draw significant inspiration from the most iconic and historic parts of the Halo franchise." At the same time, 343 will be trying to "modernize" and "take advantage" of the power of Xbox One consoles to make the game look great. Master Chief's helmet is meant to be a good example of the new art direction for Halo: Infinite.
Get Comfortable
By all accounts, Halo: Infinite will not be fully released anytime soon. In the blog post, Lee said he understands waiting is difficult, especially now that it's been so long since Halo 5. He stressed that 343 is taking as much time as it needs to make "the right game." Not only that, but the blog post with all the details is titled "Our Journey Begins," which--along with everything else we already mentioned--suggests that Halo: Infinite is a long time off. The pre-release testing periods will soften that blow somewhat, but it's the final product people really want, and that sounds like it is not coming anytime soon. Halo is one of the biggest and most beloved franchise in gaming, with a huge community of dedicated fans. No one would want 343 to rush the next big game out, but it is somewhat disappointing to know the next game is still a long time away from release.
Keep checking back with GameSpot for more on Halo Infinite as more details become available.
Wrestling fans across the world were shocked to see the news that Leon White, better known as Big Van Vader, passed away recently after a long battle with his health. The past year and a half have been tough for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and Wrestling Observer Hall of Famer, as he has been battling congestive heart failure.
One of White's children tweeted from the wrestler's account that he had passed away on Monday night after battling his heart condition and pneumonia: "Around a month ago my father was diagnosed with a severe case of Pneumonia. He fought extremely hard and clinically was making progress. Unfortunately, on Monday night his heart had enough and it was his time."
Around a month ago my father was diagnosed with a severe case of Pneumonia. He fought extremely hard and clinically was making progress. Unfortunately, on Monday night his heart had enough and it was his time. pic.twitter.com/hJYjumvxjH
In early May, White mentioned that he had successful heart surgery, and things were looking up him. There have been concerns about his heart for quite some time, since White announced his struggles publicly on Twitter back in November 2016. During an event in Japan in Spring 2017, Vader collapsed during a show, which he claimed was because of a shot to the head.
Outside of wrestling, White was remembered primarily for his appearance on the TV series Boy Meets World. He played Frankie Stecchino Sr., the father of the bully Frankie the Enforcer. On the show, Stecchino Sr. was also a professional wrestler who wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. Additionally, White appeared on an episode of Baywatch cleverly titled "Bash at the Beach."
Because of White's popularity in Japan, after wrestling in NJPW for years and winning the IWGP Heavyweight Championship--which is where he got the name Big Van Vader--his likeness has actually been in a couple of video games as well. Alexander The Grater from Saturday Night Slam Masters and Raiden from Fatal Fury.
He was a powerhouse performer who was well-loved within the wrestling communities and paved the way for the next generation or superstars. Hopefully, WWE will honor him by adding him to the 2019 WWE Hall of Fame.
The Xbox Gaming Set is a collection of accessories created to fit any American Girl Doll. Now your kid can play video games with their plastic best friend.
The set comes with everything needed to transform a doll into the perfect gaming partner. The set includes a pretend Xbox One S controller and console. The controller is small enough to fit perfectly into the doll's hands and the console can project scenes from 10 different games. The 10 games are divided between two game discs, which can be stored in two colorful game cases when not in use.
The set also includes a faux-leather game chair and fake wireless mic. The chair has built in speakers and comes with a cord that allows you to plug in your own personal devices to play whatever music or sound effects you want.
Shopping carts have been a fun addition to Fortnite: Battle Royale, but they've also proven to be a problematic one. Epic Games has had to disable them a number of times due to problems that have arisen, and that's the case once again.
Epic confirmed the temporary removal of shopping carts in a tweet, stating, "Due to ongoing issues, we'll be disabling Shopping Carts again. We'll update you when this issue is resolved." There's no time table shared for when they might be added back in, but at this point players have become accustomed to seeing shopping carts--Fortnite's first vehicle--yanked from the roster of active items.
It's not uncommon for Epic to disable items; some are rotated out to make way for new ones, while others--like the guided missile--have been removed to provide the studio with time to work on balancing them. But shopping carts have been temporarily pulled several times now in a relatively small window of time. Among other things, they've been utilized to glitch into areas of the map that players should not be able to access, which is extremely problematic in a competitive game. With Fortnite's massive popularity continuing to rise, it's no surprise Epic is fast to pull anything that might upset its competitive balance (and thereby impact its growing success).
Since the launch of Battle Royale last year as a free-to-play mode in Fortnite, Epic has steadily and frequently rolled out new content. Some of that comes in the form of new weapons, as with the recently added Stink Bomb, while others serve different purposes, as with the shopping carts and Hop Rocks.
During E3, Fortnite: Battle Royale was released on Switch, joining the existing PC, PS4, Xbox One, and iPhone versions. Fortnite Mobile is also on the way to Android, although a release date for that version has not yet been announced.
Regular updates continue to change Fortnite, and the latest update, v4.4, adds the Stink Bomb item and more to Battle Royale. Server downtime has ended, meaning the patch is now available on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile.
The Stink Bomb is a new throwable weapon; it "creates a stinky cloud that deals five damage every half-second within the cloud." It lasts for nine seconds in total, and can be found in Epic rarity only in chests, Vending Machines, and in floor loot.
In addition, a new limited-time mode has been added. Named Final Fight: Teams of 20, the mode sees five teams of 20 players each go to battle in a Final Fight variant of Battle Royale. This means the storm circle ceases closing in after its third shift. At this point, a countdown will begin, and the team with the most players remaining at the end of the timer will win.
For more from update 4.4, check out the full patch notes at the bottom of this article, via Epic Games. The patch will not fix a recent issue which meant a symbol resembling a swastika could inadvertently be seen in-game--that fix is coming next week. Update 4.4 is the game's first since the launch of Battle Royale on Nintendo Switch. That came shortly after it was confirmed during Nintendo's E3 press conference broadcast, though it had been leaked and rumored for quite some time.
Fortnite Update 4.4 Patch Notes
General
Bug Fixes
Fixed several issues with Discord integration and improved the information displayed when in a Battle Royale or Save the World game.
Battle Royale
General
Limited Time Mode - Final Fight: Teams Of 20
Summary
Survive the countdown! The Storm Circles give players more room to hunt down opponents. The final circle triggers a countdown timer; when the time is up, the team with the most players remaining wins. In this LTM, teams can tie for the Victory Royale!
Mode Details
Final Fight plays similar to standard Battle Royale, but instead of the Storm circles closing all the way, the Storm stops after the 3rd circle.
When the circles have finished closing in, the final countdown timer will begin.
The remaining teams will battle it out until the timer expires.
The team with the most players remaining at the end of the timer wins!
In the event of a tie, the two (or more) teams tied for the lead win the match.
Weapons And Items
Stink Bomb added.
Creates a stinky cloud that deals 5 damage every half-second within the cloud.
9-second duration.
Epic rarity.
Can be found from floor loot, chests, and Vending Machines.
Loot in stacks of 3 with a maximum stack of 5.
Increased the reload time of the Rocket Launcher based on rarity.
Rare from 2.3 seconds to 2.8.
Epic from 2.185 seconds to 2.66.
Legendary from 2.07 to 2.52.
The maximum number of unloaded Rocket Ammo that can be held has been changed to 12.
Bug Fixes
Enemy built structures are no longer lit up by the thermal scope.
Cozy Campfires are now lit by the thermal scope.
Gameplay
Bug Fixes
Back Bling no longer appears detached from players at a distance.
Fixed the two intersecting busses on the starting island.
Performance
Fixed performance issues on Switch related to frequently called time functions during gameplay (especially when skydiving).
Level streaming optimization to smooth out some hitches during skydiving on Switch.
Audio
Bug Fixes
The music for the Fresh emote has been re-added.
Fixed attenuation of Supply Drop opening sound so it doesn't sound like it's right next to players even if it's opened far away.
The Clinger explosion sound now plays properly if detonated directly next to you on iOS/Switch platforms.
UI
Added the "Net Debug Stats" HUD UI option for Xbox.
Bug Fixes
Fixed a crash that could happen after buying items in the Item Shop.
When using styleable outfits, your last saved version will always appear in the locker preview.
Save The World
Missions And Systems
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue which could block progression where the Chrome Husky would no longer spawn if the Magnets! quest was completed. Players who were blocked will now be unblocked with this fix.
Heroes
New Constructor Demolitionist: 8-Bit Demo added to the Event Store.
Available Wednesday, June 20 at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET (June 21 at 1 AM BST / 10 AM AET)
Swords & Soldiers II Shawarmageddon is heading to Steam this fall. To celebrate--and to put the series on players' radar--developer Ronimo Games is giving away Swords & Soldiers HD for free on Steam. The catch is that it's only available for free for 24 hours, ending on June 21, and the clock is ticking.
Swords & Soldiers HD is a cartoonish side-scrolling RTS game from 2010 that pits Vikings, Aztecs, and Chinese forces against one another in an effort to win the favor of the gods. You do so by gathering resources, building units, and using magic (along with brute force) to defeat your opponent and destroy their castle. It has a lengthy single-player campaign, as well as a number of multiplayer modes.
In GameSpot's 8/10 Swords & Soldiers review, we said, "It may not be as serious or ponderous as other RTS games out there, but don't let its appearance fool you: Swords & Soldiers is a great example of its genre, and its simple controls and abounding good humor are likely to engage even those who have never dipped their controllers into the strategy pool."
If you download Swords & Soldiers HD for free and find that you enjoy the game, you can pre-order Swords & Soldiers II Shawarmageddon for $20 on Steam. Ronimo Games has also launched a Kickstarter to add more content to the upcoming game, with various rewards for backers depending on how much they kick in. So grab your free copy of Swords & Soldiers HD here before the price goes back up and give it a try.
With cheating still an ongoing concern in PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, developer PUBG Corp. has regularly implemented new measures in an effort to curb the practice. While the studio says this has helped winnow cheaters and bots from the game, it has also inadvertently resulted in some innocent players being temporarily banned.
"As you know, one of our highest priorities is working towards eliminating hackers and cheaters from PUBG," PUBG Corp. wrote in a post on Steam. "We've made great strides in this area recently, but unfortunately sometimes we get it wrong, which was the case recently when a number of players were improperly banned and were unable to access the game for a period of time. While we will continually work to improve these cheat detection methods, we ask for your patience on the hopefully few occasions where a false ban happens."
As a way to compensate players who have been wrongly banned from the game, PUBG Corp. is offering 20,000 BP--PUBG's in-game currency--to affected users. The developer says the BP should already appear in your account if you're one of those who have been inadvertently banned. Those unsure if they qualify to receive the compensation will need to meet the following criteria:
Logged into the 3.8.38.15 version between June 16, 11 AM - 1:30 PM PDT / June 16, 8 PM - 10:30 PM CEST / June 17, 3 AM - 5:30 AM KST
Were wrongfully banned due to internal ban detection logic
A new update for PUBG is rolling out later this week, on June 22. Along with an assortment of UI and sound improvements, it introduces the tropical Sanhok map to the live game, as well as a Sanhok-exclusive weapon: the QBZ95.
Alongside the update, PUBG Corp. is releasing the Event Pass--PUBG's equivalent of Fortnite's Battle Pass. As with the Battle Pass, the Event Pass allows players to complete daily and weekly challenges, which will level the pass up and unlock exclusive rewards. The Event Pass is available to try out now on PUBG's test server.
Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee occupy an unprecedented middle ground in the world of Pokemon video games. They're neither spin-offs nor remakes, but they're also not the "core RPG" for veterans that Nintendo announced last year at E3 2017. Instead, the Let's Go games are mainline Pokemon games for everyone, blending Pokemon Go mechanics with the series' traditional battle style and returning to the Kanto region of the original Red and Blue in 3D. With the Poke Ball Plus controller, which is sold separately, the Let's Go games also attempt to go into the real world.
We had a chance to go hands-on with Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee as well as the Poke Ball Plus at E3 2018. Although the demo was brief, it shed some light on how all of Let's Go's seemingly disparate parts work together and answered a few questions we had about how Pokemon stats work. Most surprisingly, it was really easy to play using only the Poke Ball Plus controller in one hand. Nailing the perfect Poke Ball throw was tricky, but playing one-handed has a casual feel that works well with the games' laidback take on the Pokemon RPG.
The demo took place entirely in the Viridian Forest, which has been remade faithfully in 3D. Even some Trainer names (like Bug Catcher Rick) carry over from their equivalents in FireRed and LeafGreen, the first generation remakes on Game Boy Advance. You can still catch wild Pikachu here, even in Let's Go Pikachu, and it's still a windy, grassy road through the forest. But the Let's Go games are reimaginings, not remakes; we were able to catch a wild Bulbasaur, for example, which you can't do in the originals.
You can play all of Let's Go using only one Joy-Con, and we opted to play it with the Switch's first alternative controller, the Poke Ball Plus. It's slightly larger than a golf ball, so a lot smaller than what you might expect a Poke Ball to be, but it was comfortable to hold for at least the ten minutes we played. A button on the top functions as B, and the analog stick at the center can be clicked inward and replaces the A button. It's a limited setup for sure--we couldn't click menu prompts requiring the Y button, for example--but it's perfect for those looking for a relaxed, casual experience that's mostly walking around and catching Pokemon.
Pokemon appear in the overworld rather than as random encounters, and you just have to walk up to one to initiate the Pokemon Go-style catch sequence. Catching a Pokemon requires motion controls--you have to "throw" the Poke Ball Plus to throw out a Poke Ball in the game. We didn't have enough time to really get the hang of this, and we ended up throwing Poke Balls off to the side on accident. But overall, the new controller both feels good to use and works well with the more laidback nature of what we played, and feeling it vibrate after a successful catch is a nostalgic novelty that wasn't lost on us.
When attempting to capture a wild Pokemon, the only stats displayed are its gender, level, and CP, the latter of which is new to Pokemon RPGs. In Pokemon Go, CP (or Combat Power) is an overall statistic calculated using the Pokemon's hidden stats, like Attack and Defense, which helps determine its strength in battle. For a main Pokemon RPG, that likely means a more simplified approach to Pokemon's individual stats--or at least a more abstracted one, where you don't have to think as much about what's under the hood--but it also means that you get a better idea of what a Pokemon's base stats might be even before you catch it. It's not clear from what we played how CP will factor into a Pokemon's other stats, or what those stats are, but that has the potential to save a lot of time sifting through menus to check numbers.
Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee launch November 16. The Poke Ball Plus releases the same day and is sold separately; we learned during Nintendo's conference that the Poke Ball Plus is the only way to get the legendary Pokemon Mew in Let's Go. For more on Pokemon, be sure to check our roundup of everything we know about Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee so far. You can also catch up with all the Nintendo E3 announcements with our news roundup.
Following a series of cinematic trailers, Sony debuted the first look at gameplay from The Last of Us Part II during its recent E3 2018 press conference. What Sony and developer Naughty Dog showed is just as gruesome as the previous trailer for the sequel; on top of a man getting eviscerated, we see Ellie perform a number of brutal takedowns and kills. It's definitely a lot to take in all at once, and it's also cinematic--it can be hard to tell what's pure combat and what's a cutscene-like transition.
While at E3 2018, we had a chance to speak to co-directors Anthony Newman and Kurt Margenau about the game. They gave us insight into what exactly we're seeing in the trailer in terms of combat, and as it turns out, much of what looks cinematic--Ellie's perfectly timed dodges and pulling an arrow out of her shoulder--is actually within your control. That looks to be a key component in framing and shaping the intense violence in The Last of Us Part II, as well as something that can add greatly to Ellie as a character.
"In classic Naughty Dog style, we always try to contextualize animations, so the dodge and shoot play away from the arrow is a different animation from when the blade is about to hit her," Newman said when asked about the variety of movements seen in the new gameplay. "There's an extremely complicated system that goes into making each of her dodges."
"Every strike has its own dodge based on the angle, how high it is, different things [like that]," Margenau added. These dodges in particular make certain combat sequences in the trailer look scripted, but the co-directors say that this movement is mapped to a specific button.
We also asked about what looks like a healing mechanic, when Ellie vaults over a store counter and then pulls an arrow out of her shoulder before continuing. But Newman and Margenau said that this is an entirely new mechanic separate from healing. A lot of it has to do with the new bow-and-arrow enemies, which didn't appear in the original Last of Us, and what happens when one of their arrows becomes lodged somewhere on Ellie's body.
"It's not distinctly a healing animation [in the trailer], it's a particular status effect," Newman said. "You'll notice in the lower right, there's a little arrow icon, and it's like you're afflicted with 'arrow-ness.' It disables your listen mode and it totally screws up your aim, so you have to try and find a safe spot to take the arrow out."
This status is specific to arrows. The co-directors did not give other examples of similar mechanics, but they did talk a bit more about the returning listen mode, which the arrow status impacts. "We're looking at ways to refine it... we're always trying to balance against how much information we give the player in a stealth scenario," Margenau said. "We've got some cool ideas to make it more grounded, more realistic."
All of this points to an involved style of combat with more factors to consider than in the original game, and that in turn says a lot about Ellie. Ellie in The Last of Us is young, naive, and learning how to survive; Ellie in Part II is an experienced killer with a lot of anger behind her strikes. Learning about who she's become is one of the most enticing things about The Last of Us Part II, and combat seems to be a huge part of that.
The Metro series has been building toward a game like Metro Exodus for years. 2010's Metro 2033 focused on the exploits of Artyom in the bleak underground society of post-nuclear-war Russia, and its follow-up Last Light expanded its scope even further. Exodus broadens the scale of this world in an even more pronounced way, placing greater emphasis on survival in the harsh and unforgiving Russian wilderness.
The developers at 4A Games have been rather quiet about Metro Exodus after revealing it last year, but just prior to E3 2018, we played about an hour of the game and spoke to the team about the evolution of the series. With Exodus fleshing out the survival-oriented gameplay, while sticking close to its methodical combat, the next game exhibits potential for a more freeform experience, where open-ended exploration presents players with the freedom to approach challenges as they see fit.
Set two years after the events of Metro: Last Light's "good" ending--which saw Artyom save the mysterious Dark Ones, giving humanity hope for a better future--we find the lead character working with a group of survivors seeking safe passage out of Russia. Aboard their train and mobile base, the group will journey through several large areas housing hidden bunkers, several strange factions seeking control of territory, and hostile mutants that attack anything in sight. With their trek becoming more dangerous as the months go by, Artyom and his allies will have to make some tough choices as they fight to survive in the wilderness of post-apocalyptic Russia.
While the previous Metro games had brief sections above ground, mostly to illustrate the scale of devastation and showing there are worse places to be than the underground, the surface is where you'll spend most of your time in Exodus. As you're mostly out in the open, you're in a constant state of danger whenever you're away from a safe haven. Along with a day/night cycle, you'll have to plan ahead and manage your time, as hidden enemies will come out of hiding during the night. This is all made worse by the ever-present dangers of lacking resources, stumbling into wandering mutants, or falling victim to radiation and other environmental hazards.
In our demo, we explored one of the early maps in the region called The Volga, which is one of the more average-sized maps you'll find according to the devs. After departing from the train, we traveled to a nearby church, serving as a hideout for a particularly weird cult that shuns technology. While initially cordial, our meet and greet quickly turned into a fight for survival. In keeping with Metro's style of shooting gameplay, with every gun having a particular kick to it, you're constantly aware of your weapon's capabilities during a fight. Running and gunning has never worked in the series, and that's most definitely the case in Exodus. After escaping on a boat, things got even hairier h when several mutated crabs sprung out and tried to pull Arytom under. Such as the case in previous games, things usually go from bad to worse.
While the main mission was the focus, I took the time to explore the surrounding areas first, oftentimes finding abandoned houses surrounded by mutants. The game gives you the chance to trail off from the main path at any time, which is a level of freedom that I appreciated, but I had some difficulties getting a sense of just how much variety there was in the short time we had. While the developers claim that much of the content found in the game is bespoke, including all side-content, I had a difficult time getting a sense of that from this demo, felt like I was wandering aimlessly without much payoff, as opposed to properly exploring the environment and finding something cool.
Considering how it blends together these sandbox events with story missions, all wrapped with challenging survival systems, Metro Exodus channels elements of the classic S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series--which several 4A developers had worked on. At any time, you can pull out Artyom's backpack--shown with him actually taking it off and placing it onto the ground--to manage your inventory, craft items, and swap out weapon attachments. Of course, it's smarter to do this at the safe houses scattered around, as opening your backpack out in the open is dangerous as you're vulnerable to any nearby foes. There's also a strong sense that players need to be keenly aware of their surroundings. In the style of Far Cry 2, you have to pull your map and look directly at it, obscuring your vision and leaving you vulnerable. With no mini-map or on-screen health indicators, all the important bits of info are located on the main character's arm--such as a watch and Geiger-counter.
Since utilizing survival skills is more important than ever, Exodus gives you a lot more options in how you want to approach situations. After taking out human enemies--either with lethal or stun attacks--you can loot their bodies and even strip their weapons for parts. These materials can be used to craft items and upgrade weapons, which include the familiar standouts like shotguns, pistols, and rifles. As many of these weapons are made from used pipes and other bits of metal, you can modify them to add new stocks, barrels, silencers, and other gadgets. It's also important to keep your guns clean by routinely keeping them clean, as overuse will cause them to break apart. The gun-crafting system is impressive in its own right, but it also feeds back into the underlying survivalist element of the game.
Like previous Metro games in the series, Metro Exodus emphasizes an incredibly eerie and haunting atmosphere, but now within the desolate Russian wilderness. While Exodus has incredible scenery, we encountered numerous technical hiccups and quirks which made certain sections--which should been exciting--somewhat taxing to sit through. Along with inconsistent frame-rate, reloading to a checkpoint would take well over a minute each time, which made some challenging combat sections a headache. By far, these were the most glaring drags throughout the session, which did a lot to put a damper on the experience.
Still, I found myself really enjoying what Metro Exodus has to offer. With the game now aiming for a Spring 2019 release, there's still plenty of time for 4A to iron out technical issues. Given the scale of the game, and how it brings those familiar Metro touches with a more open design, it should be a welcome twist on what people expect from the series.
For more info on Metro Exodus, and all other games we got to play during E3 2018, check out our GameSpot E3 HUB page for all new content as it comes in.
Resident Evil has been known as a horror mainstay, even given its campy dialogue. Resident Evil 2 borrows liberally from later entries to make it more modernized horror, and given our look at E3 2018, a big part of that feeling is the visual style. There's no way to sugar-coat this: Resident Evil 2 is gross.
You can see for yourself in the video above. The famous doomed officer spills his guts like never before, leaving a mottled trail of viscera in his wake. It looks meaty and believable in a way that the series never has.
Capcom knows this, and has made it a selling point for its upcoming survival horror. A press release boasts that the proprietary RE Engine provides a photorealistic style, and "grotesque hordes of zombies are brought to life with a horrifyingly realistic wet gore effect." It's all enough to make the spine crawl, and it's likely only a taste (gross) of the final product.
For more on Resident Evil 2 Remake, check out our extended gameplay above, or take a look at the latest trailer. RE2 will come back from the dead on January 25, 2019 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
In addition to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, the developer of Dark Souls and Bloodborne, From Software, announced another new game at E3 2018. This one, Deracine, is exclusive to PS4 and PSVR, and many--including myself--were confused after watching its reveal trailer. In the search for answers, I went and played around 40 minutes of the VR game at E3. I'm still confused.
You play a spirit "summoned by a young girl in a secluded boarding school." At first, it's not clear what exactly to do, but with the help of a Sony Japan Studio developer I worked out that you have the power to talk to students at the school and interact with a limited number of the objects contained in the old house you find yourself in. Every object and being in the world is frozen in time until you touch them, at which point they will briefly spring to action, providing you with a sprinkling of exposition.
The concept of life is seemingly a running theme in Deracine; another power you yield is the ability to breathe life into dead objects. My first task was to revive a wilted flower, though for what purpose isn't clear. The rest of the demo centers around the girl's desire--and therefore my task--to poison a fellow student's soup using four herbs scattered around the building. Obtaining those herbs requires some light puzzle solving, such as carrying keys from one area to another to open a lockbox or finding missing characters whose belongings are useful to progress.
Deracine is seemingly a slow-paced point-and-click adventure, though at this early stage it's almost impossible to tell if that will be the case for the rest of the campaign, or what other elements it will introduce. This is a From Software game, after all.
Even with a developer next to me, I was forever wondering about what this ethereal, aged school was, who the girl was, who I was, and what I was doing. Given the developer's history, my guess is that's very much intentional. Let's hope we find out more about Deracine's world when the game launches for PSVR later this year.
Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick is skeptical of the rush to capitalize on the multiplayer flavor of the day. The publisher of the upcoming Red Dead Redemption 2 said in an interview that single-player isn't dead, and scoffed at the battle royale gold rush.
"[T]here are also people saying that it won't work if it's not a free-to-play battle royale. People really are saying that, and not even tongue-in-cheek. I don't buy that," Zelnick told VentureBeat. "Single-player, in my opinion, is not dead, not even close. Companies that feel like they'll just avoid the hard work of building a story and characters and go right to where the money is in multiplayer, I don't think that's going to work. I'd be surprised."
He pointed out that Take-Two's approach is to give teams a lot of time and resources and then reap the benefits. Grand Theft Auto 5 is still paying dividends thanks to GTA Online, but plenty of players are still engaging with the story too. He said he understands that approach sometimes means their schedule can be hard to pin down.
"That's why we don't annualize titles," he said. "That's why we sometimes have slippage. That's why we're so focused on making sure that every title is better than the last title. We don't always succeed, but that's the goal."
Asked if his personal involvement means he's the one to call up one of their partners and ask for a battle royale, he was dismissive. "The fact that I'm very involved doesn't mean I say stupid things. I'm involved by saying hopefully intelligent things that are going to advance our strategy. So no, I don't do that."
Finally, Zelnick said the publisher doesn't intend to share technology across their separate labels. Asked what he would say to Hanger 13 (Mafia 3) requesting the GTA 5 engine, he balked. "Our studios are trying to create their own phenomenally competitive products. It seems unlikely that they would take another studio's properties in any form and try to replicate them or jump off from them to a creative solution. It's not what we're trying to do."
Seven new characters are now available for BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, playable on PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The most notable addition is Yang Xiao Long, who comes as a free download for all players, as she completes the Team RWBY roster alongside her teammates Ruby, Weiss, and Blake.
The other six characters are divided evenly between two new character packs, which players must purchase. Character Pack 2 contains Aegis from Persona 4 Arena, Jubei from BlazBlue, and Carmine from Under Night In-Birth. Character Pack 3 includes Naoto from Persona 4 Arena, Hakumen from BlazBlue, and Vatista from Under Night In-Birth.
A new trailer offers a glimpse of the seven new fighters in action. Yang gets the most attention, showing off how she can use her signature weapon, Ember Celica, to perform quick, short ranged attacks.
Yang excels at juggling other fighters and preventing them from attacking, and can use Ember Celica to boost forward and close the distance between her and an opponent trying to escape. She can also fire off a blast while in midair to give her a diagonal range attack, the recoil of which fires her back and offers her an opportunity to create some breathing room. Yang is voiced in-game by the same actress who voices her in the RWBY anime: Barbara Dunkelman.
In our BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle review, Michael Higham gave the game a 9/10 and said, "Whether playing through the story mode alone or against hardened opponents online, Cross Tag Battle is an absolute joy with a surplus of possibilities within its wide roster and versatile fighting system. Even with all the ridiculousness of the overarching plot, I reveled in the charm of my favorite characters and embraced the many moments of fan service. It's a masterful unification of styles and mechanics from four different universes that compels you to dig deeper and dedicate the time to getting the most out of the beloved members of this cast."
Days Gone's absence from Sony's E3 2018 press conference was conspicuous. Despite the game's no-show, it was playable behind closed doors at E3, and after our first hands-on opportunity with the zombie title, we were left a little worried.
The first level in my play session was a stealth-focused fetch quest: sneak into an abandoned garage, steal an engine part, get out. The stealth gameplay was basic, containing nothing more complex than simply avoiding the zombies' gaze and remaining quiet. The AI, meanwhile, was easily fooled by simply running away--the zombies refused to investigate my last known location.
Far more enlightening was the second mission I played, which presented me with a mass grave within a more open valley locale. Festering inside the mass grave were hundreds and hundreds of zombies, ready to pounce the moment I revealed myself. This level, developer Sony Bend told me, was more about preparation: collect materials, craft traps and plant them around the grave near environmental hazards, then let hell break loose.
So away I went, collecting everything I could find in the area. Despite the crafting element to Days Gone, it contains no real form of inventory management--there's no limit to the amount you can carry and everything is simply stockpiled under your weapon wheel with no way to view your whole backpack. I therefore found myself with an aching thumb and a creaky square button by the end of the demo--and combining them to make molotovs and proximity mines. However, when the horde noticed my presence, these items dealt very little damage, perhaps only taking out a zombie or two from the many hundreds chasing me.
So, I turned to my guns. This level was later in the game's campaign, and so I was more heavily armed than in the first mission. My LMG seemed the perfect tool for the situation, and it was: zombies fell with ease. In fact, they fell too easily, and I got no sense of completion or satisfaction from killing them. Seriously, one hit anywhere in the body and they were down.
The game encourages you to use your environment--specifically, the handily-placed red barrels and myriad oil tankers that happen to fill the small valley--to harm the zombies. But there were no more complex or interesting objects in that environment, so to be pushed so heavy-handedly towards using it felt frustrating. For the purposes of the demo, I was trapped in the valley and surrounding hills, so escape was not an option. Every attempt at fighting the crowd--no matter how well prepared I was--ended with one eventuality: me running in circles with half the world's population of undead chasing me, endlessly, until I either finally got overwhelmed or I managed to sprint long enough to gradually pick my pursuers off.
My hope is that this was a bad demo, rather than a bad game; the meta-game of character progression--as well as most meaningful narrative content and the entirety of the open world--was not accessible in the version I played. There's also, of course, another eight months until release, so there's plenty of time for Bend to refine the game's core. However, on present viewing, Days Gone will need to improve a significant amount in that timeframe to become more than the relatively basic zombie shooter it currently appears to be.
A new patch is around the corner for the PC version of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. Coinciding with the update, developer PUBG Corp. is introducing a new type of progression system called the Event Pass, which gives players a new avenue for earning items in the game.
Much like the Battle Pass offered each season in Fortnite, the Event Pass allows players to earn rewards while playing PUBG. Event Pass holders will have a variety of daily, weekly, and map-specific missions to undertake; completing these challenges will level the pass up and in turn unlock exclusive rewards.
In contrast to Fortnite's Battle Pass, the Event Pass can only be purchased with real-world money, and it lasts for four weeks, rather than the span of the entire season. Regardless of whether or not they purchase the pass, players will still be able to complete missions and "temporarily" unlock rewards (as well as earn one "special item" permanently). Those who decide to buy the Event Pass at a later date will earn rewards for any missions they've already completed.
PUBG's first Event Pass will be offered on the same day Sanhok arrives in the live game, on June 22. "This first Event Pass is all about celebrating the launch of Sanhok, so it includes an item set that fits the map Sanhok thematically," PUBG Corp. wrote on Steam. The developer hasn't provided any further details about what the Sanhok-specific missions will entail, but the Event Pass is currently available on the game's test server, giving players a chance to try it out before it is implemented in the live game.
In addition to Sanhok and Event Pass, Update #15 introduces a new weapon to PUBG: the QBZ95, an AR found exclusively on the new tropical map. The patch also makes a handful of sound and UI improvements to the game, particularly to the inventory, map, and results screen. You can read the full patch notes for Update #15 on Steam.
It took 14 long years to get a second Incredibles film from Disney/Pixar. However, it seems as though the latest installment in the superhero franchise didn't miss a step. As GameSpot's Incredibles 2 review points out, the new film is a worthy sequel--and just might be even better than the original.
It's also well on its way to earning Disney/Pixar's best opening weekend at the box office, with $18.5 million in Thursday night domestic preview screenings. That news comes via Deadline.
With seemingly everything working in its favor, it's only natural to wonder what happens next. After all, Pixar wouldn't wait another 14 years to revisit the Incredibles universe, would it? There have been three Cars movies since the first Incredibles movie hit theaters, proving the animation studio isn't afraid of sequels. You should stop reading now if you haven't seen Incredibles 2, as we're going to discuss spoilers.
So when should fans expect Incredibles 3? "Yeah, don't go there," writer-director Brad Bird tells GameSpot. "It's best not to talk to the mom who's just delivered a child about, 'How about the next child?' Don't do it. Don't do it, man."
Given that Bird and his team are just now closing the book on Incredibles 2, it's easy to understand why he's reticent to discuss another sequel. However, there are plenty of opportunities to explore in the new film. Whether it's the introduction of a new generation of supers or the fact that the Underminer is still at large, there are plenty of plot threads to address in another movie.
However, the biggest "unexploded bomb," as Bird refers to it, is Jack-Jack. The youngest member of the Parr family has a ton of crazy superpowers, and the writer-director teases there may be even more to see beyond what's in Incredibles 2. "He's all potential, right?" Bird asks.
Whatever the case, another Incredibles movie seems like an obvious road for Disney/Pixar to go down. As for when it will happen, that's anyone's guess.
At first thought, it might not sound like it, but it took a very long time for Incredibles 2 to become a reality. In fact, 14 years have passed between the first and second movies--a lengthy period of time for any sequel.
By comparison, since the release of the first Incredibles, all three Cars movies have hit theaters--along with 10 other Pixar films. So what took so long? According to producer John Walker, the answer is simple. "We all had other movies to make and other things to do, and also life goes faster than you think," he tells GameSpot.
That's especially true of writer-director Brad Bird, who returns for the new film. Since the first Incredibles, he's gone on to make movies like Ratatouille, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, and Tomorrowland. Still, this franchise was always at the back of his mind.
"That's the most fun I ever had making a movie so far is the first Incredibles because it's the first time I got to take something from a tiny seed to a finished film," he says. "I always intended to return to it, and I dipped my toe-in, right before Mission Impossible, and we worked on the opening sequence, and then I got distracted."
The ideas he wanted to explore in the sequel stretch all the way back to the first movie, though. The idea of switching the roles and having Elasti-girl go off on her own superhero adventure first occurred to Bird while promoting the original film. Of course, there was also that other thing. "I had the unexploded bomb of Jack-Jack, the family not knowing that he had the powers," Bird teases. "I knew he was going to play a big role if we did another one."
Thankfully, as producer Nicole Paradis Grindle tells us, "Pixar always had the door open." So once the time was finally right, it was off to the races for the new film.
That said, while Bird and the movie's producers were confident Incredibles 2 would eventually happen, the same can't be said for the cast.
"When it hit like it did, then you expected the sequel to be right behind it," Craig T. Nelson, who plays Mr. Incredible, says. "At least three, four years maybe. But about the fourth, fifth year you're going, 'Well, it's not going to happen. There's no scuttlebutt, no rumor. It's done. Weird. Why not do this again?'"
Holly Hunter, the voice of Elasti-girl adds, "It definitely went over the sell-by date of most sequels, so I was surprised." Thankfully, for her, at least, the movie's fanbase never truly went away. "My experience was that because people continued to come up to me over those 14 years and say 'Hi, I love The Incredibles,'" she admits."The movie feels very much in the public consciousness right now."
That's exactly where it belongs. While there's been a glut of superhero movies over the years, the newest Pixar movie is striving to be something more and, based on GameSpot's Incredibles 2 review, it might have just achieved that. You can find out for yourself when it arrives in theaters on June 15.
WWE's global expansion just took a major step forward. Appearing at WWE's UK Title Tournament taping on Monday, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events, and Creative Triple H announced the United Kingdom was getting its own NXT brand, with taping for the new show beginning in July. The news comes on the heels of another major announcement from the company, which revealed current WWE Champion AJ Styles would be featured as the cover star of its next video game, WWE 2K19.
NXT UK will showcase wrestling's top talent in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with three championship titles being up for grabs. In addition to the WWE UK title, currently held by Pete Dunne, the UK Tag Team Championship and UK Women's Championship will also be featured on the new series.
"The UK has an amazing talent base and incredibly passionate fans that are deserving of their own showcase," Triple H says in a statement. "This is the next step in our ongoing strategy to create localized content and further develop our brand globally."
At this point, a roster of potential talent for the new series is not known, though it's very likely that reigning WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne will play a major role. Tickets for the first eight tapings of NXT UK go on sale June 29. You can find out more information through WWE's website.
It will be interesting to see what this offshoot of NXT means for future WWE global brands. Perhaps eventually there will be multiple NXT brands that represent various parts of the world.
One of the most exciting things about WWE programming in the last decade is the women's revolution--more than the rise of NXT, the advent of the WWE network, or any returning superstar that might have shocked the audience. When the audience demanded a more competitive women's division, WWE listened and completely changed the way it presented its female performers.
Gone were dance contests, matches held in inflatable pools filled with gravy, and the term "Divas." Now the entire female division--rebranded simply as Superstars, just like the men--fight tooth-and-nail to secure the top championship titles on their brands. In doing so, women have now main evented pay-per-views, had their own Money in the Bank, Hell in a Cell, Elimination Chamber, and Royal Rumble matches, and proven they are just as worthy of the spotlight as any male WWE competitor. There is one goal they've yet to attain, though. Women have yet to occupy the main event slot of WWE's biggest annual show, Wrestlemania.
Now, however, the time has come. As WWE sets its sights on Wrestlemania 35, which will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and it's time for the women's division to own the main event. And it's not just the fans who think that, but WWE's male and female superstars themselves.
Speaking to GameSpot at the company's Emmy Awards For Your Consideration Event, which celebrated the WWE 24: Empowered special focused on the women's revolution, the stars of WWE were very clear that they believe women will stand tall on the grandest stage of them all soon.
"I hope right around the corner," Charlotte Flair, a 5-time WWE Women's Champion, tells GameSpot. "I hope New Jersey/New York. I don't know. When all this started, obviously the women's evolution has been going on for years but just in the last three years you've seen so many firsts from Hell in a Cell, from Money in the Bank, Elimination Chamber, Royal Rumble, main eventing Raw [and] Smackdown, I think the WWE Universe, when they hear, 'Oh, the women are main eventing,' they don't even think it's a big deal anymore because it's happened so much. So, I do think Wrestlemania is right around the corner."
Braun Strowman, who won the 2018 men's Money in the Bank ladder match, agrees. "These girls go out night after night and steal the show," he says. "They're put in high profile matches. and they're put on the spot. and they deliver time after time after time. And it's only a matter of time before we have a bill with having Ronda [Rousey] coming over and these girls, the Four Horsewomen, and Alexa [Bliss] and Nia [Jax]. Our women's roster is so stacked from top to bottom with phenomenal athletes from every corner of the globe, and it's just a matter of time before it's going to happen."
The addition of Rousey, who joined WWE in January after a career in the UFC, has definitely been a wild card for the women's division. After competing at Wrestlemania and challenging for the Raw Women's Championship at Money in the Bank, she's shown she can more than hold her own in the ring--and also elicit a massive response from the live audience. When the women finally make it to the main event, after she has more training and matches under her belt, Rousey may be an easy choice for the match. Then again, that can be said about many in the division.
For WWE Hall of Famer and four-time World Champion Shawn Michaels, though, the amount of talent on the women's roster is simply bursting at the seams. In fact, it's enough that he's already looking past an all women's Wrestlemania main event to the next milestone. "I was with Becky Lynch, we were doing the Marine 6 movie in London and I don't even know, it's just one of those things that I thought, 'How far could we be from an all women's pay-per-view?'" he remembers. "You know what I mean? I don't know, to me, I just don't know. I think the strides they've made in, gosh, just the last couple years has been unbelievable, and honestly, it's all due to those young ladies."
He continues, "You just got so many talented young ladies that I don't think we're far from a main event, for me even a full pay-per-view for heaven's sake."
Still, while a full women's pay-per-view may happen eventually, Wrestlemania is clearly the division's next step. And whoever ends up in the slot--which female superstar would turn down that opportunity?--is going to make history. However, this isn't something WWE should just throw together to make sure it happens. "I do think it's going to take the right story," Flair says. "It just can't say, 'Oh, the women are main eventing [Wrestlemania].'' It's got to be like, the ultimate good guy, the ultimate bad guy, and that big fight feel."
As for Flair, she's hoping to be the ultimate bad guy, when the time comes. "I miss being the dirtiest player in the game," she says with a smile.
For Honor has gotten regular updates since it launched last year, but none of them have been as big as the one coming in October. Season 8 is called Marching Fire, and not only will it include a new faction, but it will also introduce Breach mode, an ambitious new way to play the game.
Just calling Breach a new mode is underselling it. "Breach mode," game director Damien Kieken said, "is by far the biggest update we've ever done on For Honor, in scale, in the amount of things you can do, and in playtime. We think it's a good candidate to become the new flagship mode in For Honor."
Based on a pre-alpha build of the mode, it's easy to see why. Breach mode isn't just another way for vikings, knights, samurai, and the new Wu Lin faction to fight each other. It adds a sizable new map and a whole new concept to the game, one that's much more team-based and strategic than anything that's come before.
Breach mode has two teams of four players face off at the gates of a castle. One team defends the castle, while the other team tries to break down the gates and kill the king, who's waiting in a courtyard. Each team has its own goals to accomplish during the match and an army of nameless minions helping their cause. Most matches last between 20 and 30 minutes and are quite unlike anything you can currently do in For Honor.
The main component of the attackers' offense is a giant battering ram they're trying to protect as it advances toward the castle. Each match consists of three parts. The first part ends when the attackers break down the castle's outer gate. Then the attackers must guard their battering ram as it approaches an inner gate. Once that gate falls, the attackers can swarm into the king's courtyard and hack away at him. He's an armor-clad warrior controlled by AI, with attacks that are slow but deadly. If the attackers kill the king, they win.
The attackers begin with 25 tickets, or lives. Each time a hero falls on the battlefield and no one saves them in time, they must pay one ticket to respawn. Breaching a door gains the attackers five additional tickets, but once all the lives are gone, it's game over, and the defenders win.
Breach mode is asymmetrical, so each side has different rules and goals during the match. The defenders don't have to worry about tickets--they can't lose until their king is dead. In the meantime, they can try to stop the attackers by fighting them directly in classic For Honor style, or by using the castle's built-in defenses. On the ramparts is a ballista you can use to one-shot kill attackers. Giant cauldrons can be tipped to rain fire on enemies below. Defenders are also well advised to hold the control points on the ramparts; if you lose them, the attacking army advances further and gains easier access to the defense weapons.
The overall experience is strategic and intense. Each team has a number of ways to put pressure on their enemies. Keiken said the gameplay in Breach Mode "is not based only on reaction to what other players are doing" as it is in For Honor's other modes. "It's based on strategy. It's based on team composition."
Creative director Roman Campos Oriola agrees with that sentiment. "With [game modes] Dominion and Tribute, even though team play is important, they're more tactical game modes. You make second-to-second decisions," he said. Whereas with Breach, "the game mode is longer and has many more ingredients and gameplay loops than in Dominion. The minions, known as pikemen, are much more dangerous in Breach and they can actually kill you. But also, if you're in danger, you can retreat into your pikemen and they'll protect you."
From what I played, it was clear that a well-composed team, with each hero doing their part in the battle, will be able to steamroll an unprepared team. Communication is also important, because each player has so many options for what to do at any given time. If you're not talking, your strategy is likely to fall apart.
I've always found For Honor interesting, but it never really grabbed my attention in the past. Based on what I played of Breach mode, that's going to change once the Season 8 update launches in October. Laying siege to a castle--and using the medieval tools of warfare to defend it--was incredibly fun, and I can't wait to do it again.
Red Dead Redemption 2's special editions were teased last month, but we've finally been given a peek at what these special editions have to offer. Note "special editions." There's not one, but three different versions to choose from.
The first of the three is the Special Edition ($80 in the US), which includes several story mode additions and a physical world map. It includes a bank robbery mission and a gang hideout in story mode; a dappled black thoroughbred horse; talisman and medallion accessories to enhance Arthur's skills in-game; gameplay boosts, cash bonuses, and discounts; the Nuevo Paraiso Gunslinger outfit; and free access to several weapons: the volcanic pistol, pump action shotgun, and Lancaster varmint rifle.
The Ultimate Edition ($100) includes all of the content from the Special Edition and more. This version tacks on two bonus outfits, the Blackrose Bounty Hunter and Copperhead Enforcer outfits; a black chestnut thoroughbred horse with a high plains cutting saddle; free access to the survivor camp theme; and rank bonuses in online play.
The Collector's Box ($100) however does not have any digital content, or the game. Instead, it focuses on physical items from the Red Dead universe. Everything included will come in a metal tithing box with a lock and key. It includes a collectible challenger coin; double-sided 100-piece puzzle; Six Shooter bandana; treasure map; pin set; playing cards featuring illustrated versions of Arthur Morgan, John Marston, Javier Escuella, Bill Williamson, and Dutch van der Linde; a replica of the 150-page Wheeler, Rawson and Co. Catalogue; and 12 collectible cigarette cards inspired by the ones that can be found in-game.
Both the Special and Ultimate Editions are up for pre-order digitally on the Xbox Store and Playstation Network. Check out the pre-order bonuses here. All three versions, including the Collector's Box, are available to pre-order on the Rockstar Warehouse. Red Dead Redemption 2 is out on Xbox One and PS4 October 26.
With June in full swing, PlayStation Plus subscribers have another lineup of free games available to download throughout this month. There are some great titles this month, spread across PS4, PS3, and PS Vita. There's also a bonus game announced during E3, as Plus members can download Call of Duty: Black Ops III for free from now through July 11; everything else is available until July 3.
In terms of the standard lineup, PS4 players can download the excellent XCOM 2 for free. The strategy game has tons of fans and has gathered lots of critical acclaim over the years for its many tactical layers, fun high-stakes gameplay, and great character development. In GameSpot's XCOM 2 review, Mike Mahardy gave the game a 9/10, calling it a superb strategy game that results in deep and meaningful playthroughs.
The other PS4 title you can pick up for free this June is Trials Fusion. The motorcycle platform-racing game has you zooming your way through courses covered in obstacles and ramps--the goal is to beat out players from around the world in time trials. Another well-reviewed title, it scored 8/10 in GameSpot's Trials Fusion review, where Tom Mc Shea called it "a great game that not only tests your skill and patience, but keeps you laughing at the ridiculous scenarios."
PS3 players can play Ghost Recon: Future Soldier for free. The game blends the Ghost Recon series' realistic shooting action with futuristic tech. The other free game is the Complete Edition of Zombie Driver HD, an isometric action game where you'll drive around a car slaughtering zombies. If you're a PS Vita player, multiplayer action game Atomic Ninjas, and puzzle game Squares are free to download too.
The first trailer for Creed II is here. The sequel to 2015's hit spin-off from the Rocky series arrives in theaters in November. It stars Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed and Sylvester Stallone as veteran boxer Rocky Balboa, with Dolph Lundgren reprising his role from 1985's Rocky IV as Russian heavyweight Ivan Drago.
The trailer shows Creed after he's suffered defeat and is trying to fight his way back. Adonis is also struggling with his legacy, trying not to make the same mistakes his father did. His mentor, Rocky Balboa, advises him to reconsider fighting, indicating that Creed's opponent may be too dangerous. That opponent happens to be Viktor Drago, son of Rocky's former nemesis Ivan Drago. And thus, another underdog story is set up. Check it out above.
Creed II also stars Tessa Thompson (Thor: Ragnarok, Westworld), Wood Harris (The Wire), and Phylicia Rashad (Empire). The movie is directed by Steven Caple Jr., who previously made the acclaimed 2016 indie hit The Land.
Stallone himself was originally set to direct--as well as co-write--the movie, but he ultimately stepped aside. In December, the action icon explained this decision. "The character of Adonis Creed reflects this generation and its challenges," he said. "I believe it's important for the director to also be a part of this generation like I was in mine, to make the story as relatable as possible."
Stallone won a Golden Globe for his performance as the aging Rocky in Creed and also received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The movie made $173.6 million at the worldwide box office. Creed II hits theaters on November 21.
Amazon and Twitch Prime members can now download their free games for June 2018. To collect your freebies, just click the crown-shaped Prime Loot icon next to the search bar on Twitch. That opens a drop-down menu containing your free games, of which there are a total of five this month.
Kicking off the freebies is Strafe, a gory first-person shooter that wouldn't look out of place in 1996. It's a fast-paced roguelike-inspired game with procedurally generated levels and tons of blood-spilling weapons. Next up are The Banner Saga and The Banner Saga 2, tactical RPGs about a Viking caravan trekking through a world inspired by Norse mythology. The many decisions you'll have to make will determine your success or failure.
Also included is Tumblestone, a puzzle game you can play alone or with friends that involves clearing out columns of colorful blocks. Last up is Treadnauts, a side-scrolling arena battle game in which you and some buddies control nimble tanks trying to blow each other up.
Twitch Prime is a perk for members of Amazon Prime. All you have to do to sign up is link your Amazon Prime account to your Twitch account. Once you do, you can download all five games for no cost between May 31 - July 1. They're yours to keep forever, even if you cancel Amazon Prime down the line. The only catch is that you need the Twitch desktop app to install them.
Other Twitch Prime benefits include free monthly in-game loot for popular games like Fortnite and Heroes of the Storm, ad-free viewing on Twitch, and a channel subscription every 30 days.
The month is half over, which means Xbox Live Gold subscribers can now download two more freebies. As usual, one is an Xbox One game, and the other is an Xbox 360 game you can play on Xbox One thanks to backwards compatibility.
The new free Xbox One game is the Smite Gold Bundle, which will be available between now and July 15. Smite is a free-to-play game, but the Gold Bundle includes 20 additional gods, plus skins, announcer packs, and other extra content. Seeing as it normally sells for $100, that's a good deal for anyone interested in this MOBA-of-the-gods.
The Xbox 360 game Gold members can download for free is Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues. Available until June 30, it's an action game that lets you play through Lego versions of all four Indiana Jones films. And if you haven't picked it up yet, you can still download the side-scrolling Xbox One game Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia, which is available until June 30.
Good news, PC gamers: for the first time ever, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds has gone on sale on Steam. Between now and July 5, you can buy it for $20 / £18, which is 33% off the regular price of $30 / £27. The reason for the sale, PUBG Corp. says, is to celebrate the game hitting a new sales milestone.
All told, PUBG has sold 50 million copies worldwide on PC and Xbox One. If you include the free mobile version in the number count, there are now 400 million registered PUBG players around the globe, with an average of over 87 million people playing the game every day across all platforms.
In a press release, the publisher said, "We're going to keep working on new content and improvements for all versions of the game. We know there's still so much we can do to make PUBG a better game for our players."
So far, two maps are available in both the PC and Xbox One versions of PUBG. The PC version will get a third map, called Sanhok, on June 22. Microsoft announced at E3 2018 that a fourth map that features a snowy environment will be coming to the Xbox One version of the game sometime this winter; it will come to PC as well.
A new sale on Xbox One and Xbox 360 games is live on the Microsoft Store. You can find the full details here, but we've sorted through and selected the highlights below. Note that some of the deals require you to have an Xbox Live Gold subscription, while others are available to everyone. The sale ends June 25, so don't wait too long to pull the trigger on any games you've had your eye on.
The best deal here is probably on Diablo 3: Eternal Collection, which is on sale for $30 / £22. This bundle contains the game itself, plus the Reaper of Souls expansion and the Rise of the Necromancer pack. That's a lot of excellent content for a low price.
Loads of Telltale games are also on sale this week, including The Telltale Batman Bundle for $22 / £26. It contains both seasons of the company's Batman story. If you have a lot of Telltale games to catch up on, you may be interested in The Telltale Collection, which is currently available for $78 / £69. Most other Telltale games are on sale individually--including the Xbox 360 ones--so you can cherry-pick the ones you want. Just note that buying them in bundles saves you even more money.
If all the recent talk about The Division 2 has you intrigued, you can get all of the first game's expansions for cheap this week. The Division costs $50 / £40 (it's available elsewhere for cheaper, and is part of Game Pass), but the season pass is on sale for $16 / £12, and you can get the individual add-ons for 50% off.
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