The launch of Destiny 2's Forsaken DLC was relatively smooth, all things considered, but it has suffered from a variety of nagging issues, some more serious than others. Those eager to get ready for the Raid were sidetracked by a weekly reset issue over the weekend, but Bungie has now released a new update that should resolve the matter--just in time for the Last Wish Raid.
Bungie's patch notes for hotfix 2.0.2.1 are relatively brief, as it primarily serves to rectify the aforementioned issue. Over the weekend, a weekly reset occurred that allowed players to begin earning more Powerful gear rewards (which should not have happened until Tuesday). However, these rewards were not dropping at the correct Power level, and the challenges were unavailable following Tuesday's weekly reset. This effectively prevented players from progressing at the rate that's needed to jump right into the Raid when it launches.
Over the past few days, Bungie said it was investigating the issue, and now hotfix 2.0.2.1 gives affected players the opportunity to take part in weekly challenges that will pay out the correct rewards. If you completed these challenges over the weekend but did not receive new ones on Tuesday, you should now see them in the Director. With that fixed, you can resume getting Raid ready, which you can read more about in our leveling guide. We also have a guide to doing this week's Ascendant Challenge, which pays out a Powerful reward.
Beyond this, the patch does fix two other issues. One prevents players from being able to receive free Masterwork Cores from the Drifter, while the other deals with a problem involving the reward for completing all Crucible weapon Triumphs.
You can see the full patch notes below. Be aware that some players, including some of us at GameSpot, have found that DLC locations are missing from the Director after installing the update. Thankfully, simply restarting the game or your system appears to rectify this.
The Last Wish Raid goes live on Friday, September 14, at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. There will inevitable be a race to finish it first, although due to a since-resolved bug, some players have already opened Raid chests and obtained their rewards.
Destiny 2 Update 2.0.2.1 Patch Notes
Fixed an issue where some Weekly Challenges were not resetting properly
Players who were impacted by this issue should now have their missing Challenges
Fixed an issue where players could earn Masterwork Cores at no cost through the Drifter
Fixed an issue where the reward for completing all available Crucible weapon triumphs was not properly available to all platforms
Ubisoft has announced a remaster for Assassin's Creed III. The 2012 entry into Ubisoft's franchise concluded the storyline of modern day protagonist Desmond Miles, and started what would become known as the Kenway Saga.
Assassin's Creed III: Remastered can be bought as a standalone title but it also comes included in the season pass for Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Regardless of how you buy it, the game launches for Xbox One, PS4, and PC in March 2019.
In our Assassin's Creed III review, Kevin VanOrd gave the game an 8.5/10, writing, "Assassin's Creed 3 is a big game that gives you a lot to do, some of which is fleshed out relatively well, and some of which isn't. It is not, however, content to rest on the series' laurels. It takes chances with its opening, with its story, and with its characters. It expands the series' gameplay in enjoyable and sensible ways. As with many ambitious games, not every arrow fired hits the bull's-eye, yet this big, narratively rich sequel is easy to get invested in. Other games stimulate emotion with manipulative music and teary monologues; Assassin's Creed III rouses your mind and your heart by giving you a glimpse into its characters' souls and letting you judge them on their own merits."
The remaster of Assassin's Creed III isn't the only piece of content that comes included in Odyssey's season pass. You'll get the 2014 HD remaster of Assassin's Creed III: Liberation--which we gave a 6/10 in our review--as well. You'll also get two story add-ons that are each divided into three episodes: Legacy of the First Blade and The Fate of Atlantis. Legacy of the First Blade sees Kassandra or Alexios meeting the first individual to use the hidden blade--which Assassin's Creed II tells us is the Persian assassin Darius--and The Fate of Atlantis delves into the history behind the famed underwater city.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey launches for Xbox One, PS4, and PC on October 5.
If you have an Xbox One, you'll want to take a look at this deal. Between now and September 30, you can get a year's subscription to Xbox Game Pass, plus copies of Forza Horizon 3 and Forza Motorsport 7 to keep, for $99. Considering a 12-month Game Pass subscription alone normally costs $120, that's a seriously great deal even if you're not into racing games. You can get the deal here.
But for those who are into racing games, you'll also be able to play Forza Horizon 4 for free when it launches on October 2. That's because it's a Microsoft-published game, and all first-party games are included in Xbox Game Pass at launch.
Xbox Game Pass gives you access to over 100 Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One games. All you have to do is peruse the Game Pass catalog and download whatever games you want to play. You can play them for as long as you have a current membership (or until they leave the Game Pass catalog). If you want to purchase any game from the library so you have it forever, you'll get a 20% discount off its normal price. You also get 10% off any DLC for titles in the Game Pass library.
It's a pretty great selection of games, too. It has Xbox One exclusives like Sea of Thieves, State of Decay 2, Halo 5, Gears of War 4, and Quantum Break. It also has lots of major third-party games, including Fallout 4, The Division, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Doom, Hitman, and many more.
If you want access to a wide selection of quality Xbox games, subscribing to Game Pass is a terrific deal even at its normal full price. This deal trims $20 off the regular price and throws in two phenomenal racing games for good measure. You can't go wrong with this deal.
The hour-long premiere episode of American Horror Story: Apocalypse introduced viewers to the end of the world, and the arguably unfortunate characters who survive it. What's best: being decimated in a nuclear blast, dying slowly in a nuclear winter, or scraping by under the oppressive thumb of a mysterious, cult-like organization called The Cooperative? We likely won't have that answer for a while, but in the meantime at least we get one major connection between Apocalypse and a previous season of American Horror Story: Michael Langdon.
Apocalypse, the show's eighth season, promises to cross Seasons 1 and 3--Murder House and Coven, respectively--while telling a new story. Sarah Paulson is playing three different roles, for example, including her characters from Murder House and Coven, plus a new one, Wilhemina Venable, who we met in the premiere.
But we didn't reunite with any of Paulson's past characters, or any other actor's, in the premiere. Confusingly, the one existing character who appeared in American Horror Story: Apocalypse so far was played by a different actor. That's because the last time we saw the character, he was a child.
At the end of the episode--called, appropriately, "The End"--a mysterious, vampiric man by the name of Michael Langdon (played by Cody Fern) arrived to dangle a hint of salvation toward the Cooperative's beleaguered houseguests. The sharpest and most dedicated AHS fans in the audience may have recognized him right away, but for the rest of us, Langdon's appearance was as much a mystery as the rest of this episode.
Michael Langdon was actually the name given to the child born at the end of American Horror Story's first season (which you may recall was only retroactively named "Murder House"). Michael was conceived when Even Peters' Murder House character, Tate Langdon, raped Connie Britton's character, Vivien Harmon, in the guise of the Rubber Man. Toward the season's end, Sarah Paulson, in the role of the spirit medium Billie Dean Howard, declared that he was the Antichrist. He's "a child born of human and spirit [who] will usher in the end of times," as remembered over at Vulture, where they've definitely watched Murder House more recently than I have.
To make things even more confusing, Paulson and Peters both played prominent roles in Apocalypse's premiere, though neither appeared as their Murder House counterparts. That will likely change, as a cameo (at least) from ghostly school shooter Tate is all but guaranteed now that his son is calling shots at the end of the world. And yes, it's definitely the same Michael Langdon--in case you had any doubts, AHS creator Ryan Murphy confirmed as much on Twitter in a message that's since been deleted:
Not to mention that when Langdon arrives, we hear the song "Tonight You Belong To Me"--a cover by the singing sisters Patience and Prudence, in fact, that was featured prominently in the first and final episodes of Murder House.
What Langdon is offering the Cooperative's prisoners seems too good to be true: an impregnable, radiation-sealed fortress with ten years' worth of rations? And given what we know of Langdon, there's no doubt something more sinister going on here. After all, the last time we saw the character, he was three years old and had just slit his babysitter's throat.
The biggest question Michael Langdon's reappearance raises is just how this pale weirdo managed to "usher in the end of times," as Paulson's Murder House character put it all the way back in 2011. That, and whether his return means AHS fan favorite actress Jessica Lange--whose Murder House character is Michael's paternal grandmother--will make a return in Apocalypse after all.
American Horror Story: Apocalypse airs Wednesday nights on FX.
Epic Games has released the patch notes for Fortnite's 5.40 content update, confirming everything that is being tweaked, changed, and added to the game's Battle Royale and Save the World modes on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile. The most notable part of the update--which launched just prior to Week 10's challenges--is the introduction of the Suppressed Assault Rifle.
The new Suppressed Assault Rifle will let Battle Royale players take out enemies quietly. On Epic's official Fortnite website, the weapon is said to reward precision over rapid fire. It can be found in Vending Machines, floor loot, Treasure Chests, and Supply Drops, and is also available in Epic and Legendary variants. If you manage to score one of these versions, you'll do 32/33 damage per shot.
To make way for the Suppressed Assault Rifle, the Drum Gun has been vaulted, which means it is no longer available to use.
In Save the World, meanwhile, Field Agent Rio joins the battle, and there's also a new set of Weekly Horde Challenges. For these, shields are considerably less useful as Husks are more aggressive. You can see the full patch notes for Save the World here and take a look at the Battle Royale notes below.
LTM: The Getaway
Bug Fixes
Players in the Getaway LTM can no longer land on the van without building.
Reduced the Victory music at the end of a match.
Jewel will no longer appear in inventory hotbar after being put in the Down-But-Not-Out state.
Player models will no longer get stuck under the van after winning a match.
Player models and items will no longer fall to the ground after winning a match.
Enforcer Outfit no longer appears distorted to other clients from certain distances.
Weapons And Items
Suppressed Assault Rifle Added.
Sneaky weapon that rewards trigger discipline with precision.
Can be found in Vending Machines, floor loot, Treasure Chests, and Supply Drops.
Earlier today Epic launched a separate client update for Fortnite which addressed a number of unspecified issues. The downtime started at 11 PM PT (2 AM ET / 7 AM BST on September 11) and finished an hour later, providing minimal disruption for players.
This week will also see the launch of Fortnite's Week 10 challenges, barring any unforeseen delays. This will be the last batch of weekly challenges for Season 5, so if you haven't done previous week's challenges, you don't have much longer left to complete them. To speed things up, you can use our guides in our complete Fortnite Season 5 challenge roundup.
It may be the middle of the month, but Netflix is still releasing a ton of content in mid-September to keep its subscribers busy during the week. There is something for everybody, including the return of a couple fan favorite Netflix originals and a former SNL cast member who has a new TV show.
The biggest thing coming out this week is the second season of the mockumentary series American Vandal. In Season 1 of the Netflix original, the series tried to figure out who at a local high school painted penises on the faculty's cars. With Season 2, the series attempts to uncover who made everyone at another school poop their pants. The trailer for the new season--coming out on September 14--is hilarious. Additionally, BoJack Horseman returns for Season 5, and surely, the adult animated series will provide some laughs and ridiculous situations.
Former Saturday Night Live cast member Norm MacDonald has a new series on Netflix and it's aptly named Norm Macdonald Has A Show. On the series, MacDonald interviews celebrities like a traditional late night series, but he does it his way, which is a bit more laid back, and at times, he doesn't hold back. The new series launches on September 14, pending any changes amid his recent controversy.
Check out all of this week's releases for US Netflix subscribers below.
September 10
Call the Midwife: Series 7
September 11
Daniel Sloss: Live Shows
The Resistance Banker
September 12
Blacklist: Season 5
Life
On My Skin
September 14
American Vandal: Season 2
Bleach
Boca Juniors Confidential
BoJack Horseman: Season 5
Car Masters: Rust to Riches
Ingobernable: Season 2
Last Hope
Norm Macdonald has a Show
Super Monsters Monster Party: Songs
The Angel
The Dragon Prince
The Land of Steady Habits
The World's Most Extraordinary Homes: Season 2 Part A
Titans won't premiere of a month, but the live-action Teen Titans adaptation is already doing something fans of DC Comics have never seen before. A pair of new images have been released, showing Robin squaring off against... Robin?
In the images, which were debuted on IGN, Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites) goes face-to-face with Jason Todd (Curran Walters), both vigilantes in their Robin costumes. It's a battle of the Batman sidekicks and we couldn't be more excited to see how it plays out.
If the trailer for Titans is any indication, Dick and Bruce Wayne's relationship isn't great. After all, a friend wouldn't say, "F*** Batman," right? With that in mind, we can only assume the meeting between the original Robin and his replacement will be chilly and filled with tension.
While Dick will be a regular character on Titans, it's unknown how often fans will see Jason. That said, it is this character's first live-action appearance. Hopefully, it's not a one-time thing.
Speaking to IGN, Titans showrunner Greg Walker teased the idea that Jason will be a very different kind of Robin, which is something that's also true in the comics. "What I really love about [Jason] as a character is the unbridled sense of self that he has--there's a lack of... maybe self-awareness, but for sure self-consciousness in terms of how he comports himself and how he moves through the world," he said. "He's completely seemingly unaffected by darkness--he kind of embraces it or walks right through it. He's a breath of fresh air and that's what I love about him, he's got a punk rock, no-holds-barred attitude that's massively unburdened. There's a lot of energy that comes with that"
You can see the other image of Dick and Jason facing off over at IGN. Titans premieres on DC Universe on October 12. The streaming service itself launches on September 15. Make sure you check out our DC Universe review to see if it's the right service for you.
Destiny 2: Forsaken's first Raid is hours away, and we're getting a small peek at what it'll entail and when it will drop. Last Wish will take players and five other guardians into the heart of the Dreaming City, Forsaken's new area, and it will go live on Friday, September 14 at 10AM PT / 1PM ET / 6PM BST on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
"Assemble a team…Send them into the heart of the City. Kill that creature, and extract its heart," says the Queen, Mara Sov, in the trailer above. We don't much else about what exactly players will be doing, but it seems the "creature" could be Riven, which was teased at the end of the campaign. The promise is "the riches of the Dreaming City await those who are victorious," so you could be in for some pretty good loot if you successfully complete it. "I've waited so long to fulfil one last wish," Mara Sov finishes.
Some players have already managed to nab some of that Raid gear early. An early bug allowed some players to glitch their way into opening Raid chests and earning the gear. In hotfix update 2.0.2, Bungie fixed the issue, but it won't be taking that gear away from players who've already obtained it.
Meanwhile, players racing to take part in the Raid encountered an issue over the weekend, when a weekly reset took place sooner than it should have. Although players could earn Powerful gear, the rewards were not dropping at high Power levels, thereby stunting the leveling process. Bungie has rolled out a new update that resets these challenges for those affected. And if you're looking for a less-obvious way to earn a piece of Powerful gear, you can try the new Ascendant Challenge. We've also got a leveling guide to get ready for the Raid.
In addition to everything coming in the Last Wish Raid, Bungie has introduced a ton of new content with its Forsaken expansion. In addition to a new storyline, there is a lot of new gear including Exotics (both weapons and armor) for Hunters, Warlocks, and Titans. There are new Strikes and the new Gambit mode that blends PvE with PvP. The campaign centers around hunting the eight Barons, powerful boss-like enemies from the new Scorn race.
In GameSpot's Forsaken review in progress, Kallie Plagge said it was a welcome change from the previous two expansions. "Like with the base game--and unlike with the previous two expansions...there's a lot to sink your teeth into in Forsaken at launch," she wrote. While Kallie is still evaluating the expansion for a full review, she applauded Forsaken's darker more personal tone and boss-focused mission structure that allows for more memorable and exciting fights. There are distinct new enemy types, Gambit mode is enjoyable, and the new combat bow stands out as a fun addition to the arsenal.
"After being let down by Curse of Osiris and Warmind, I'm enjoying Destiny 2 again. The biggest question right now is how long that will last, but there's plenty to keep me occupied before the Raid drops."
Earlier this week, it was reported that Superman star Henry Cavill will be leaving the DC Universe after negotiations to cameo in the upcoming Shazam broke down. With no further Superman movies planned and the studio seemingly changing direction, The Hollywood Reporter stated that Cavill was unlikely to play the Man of Steel again.
DC's parent company Warner offered an initial statement that, while not denying the news, did state that "no decisions have been made regarding any upcoming Superman films." In addition, his manager Dany Garcia tweeted that "the cape is still in his closet."
Now Cavill himself has "commented" with a bizarre video which he posted to his Instagram page. In the video, Cavill, who is wearing a 'Krypton Lifting Team' shirt, slowly lifts a Superman doll into frame, while a canine-powered version of Strauss's "The Blue Danube" plays in the background. The post is captioned "Today Was Exciting." Your guess is as good as ours. Check it out below:
THR's story stated that the Shazam negotiations failed due to scheduling issues, potentially with the Netflix adaptation of The Witcher that Cavill was recently cast in. The site also states that there is a Supergirl movie in the works, which will be an origin story featuring a "teen superheroine," a storyline that is unlikely to have a place for an adult Superman.
In any case, it seems that the DC Universe is undergoing yet another shake-up. While Shazam, the upcoming ", and next year's Wonder Woman 1984 are technically part of the existing universe, the Joker origin movie that is about to start production is not. In addition, Ben Affleck is not expected to play Batman again, and the standalone Batman movie that is currently in development is likely to star another actor as the Caped Crusader.
Cavill's involvement with The Witcher TV show was confirmed last week, after the actor hinted about it last month. He will play Geralt in the Netflix show, which is expected to premiere in 2020. The eight-part show will be based on the fantasy novel series written by Andrzej Sapkowski, on which the games are also based.
The next installment in Ubisoft's stealth-action series, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, launches for PS4, Xbox One, and PC in only a few weeks. Ahead of its release, the publisher has announced its DLC plans for the game, and they include an extensive amount of free and paid content set to arrive later this year and into the next.
With no new Assassin's Creed game coming in 2019, Ubisoft will support Odyssey with a regular stream of post-launch content. First, the publisher will roll out additional story missions called The Lost Tales of Greece to all players for free. These missions will be released "regularly" between the game's paid DLC episodes and "will feature familiar faces and new characters from the world of Assassin's Creed Odyssey," according to Ubisoft.
In addition to that, all players will be able to take part in daily and weekly contracts, and a new epic ship or mercenary will appear each week. Ubisoft will also release a free Discovery Tour mode like the one added to last year's title, Assassin's Creed Origins, which will allow players to explore the game world and learn more about Ancient Greece without taking on any enemies or quests. A New Game Plus mode and other content drops, like new mythical creatures to battle, are also in the works.
Those who purchase the Assassin's Creed Odyssey Season Pass, meanwhile, will receive even more content. First, Season Pass owners will have access to two "major" storylines broken up into three episodes apiece. The first arc, called Legacy of the First Blade, will begin this December and "will introduce players to the first hero to wield the iconic hidden blade." The second story arc, The Fate of Atlantis, kicks off Spring 2019 and is centered around the fabled sunken city.
On top of that, players who purchase the Season Pass will receive two remastered Assassin's Creed games: Assassin's Creed III and its previously Vita-exclusive spin-off, Assassin's Creed III: Liberation. The Season Pass costs $40 and is also included in the game's Gold, Ultimate, Spartan and Pantheon Editions. You can read more about each in our Assassin's Creed Odyssey pre-order guide.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey releases for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 5. Ubisoft recently shared the game's minimum and recommended specs for PC. Unlike previous installments in the series, Assassin's Creed Odyssey places a much greater emphasis on player choice--for both better and worse as we learned in our recent hands-on time with the game.
Since the launch of Destiny 2: Forsaken, players have been hard at work getting ready for the next Raid. Though we're still in the dark about what sort of challenges the Last Wish Raid will have, we do know that it finally takes us away from the Leviathan, and will offer the most challenging six-player mission to date. But as many players discovered after finishing the main campaign, the new soft cap of 500 Power brings in a rather steep climb to overcome for Guardians looking forward to the next big activity.
Historically, the Power and Engram systems have undergone major changes and revisions with each big expansion, and Forsaken is no different. Ahead of the expansion's launch, the game has seen some updates to the frequency of loot drops and the systems that players have become accustomed to. With a minimum power level of 550 required for the upcoming Raid, players will have to take advantage of every resource and opportunity they have available to them to prepare for what's to come. With this in mind, we've come up with 5 useful tips to help you get ready for the upcoming Raid, which releases on Friday, September 14.
Finish The Campaign And Embrace The New Grind
Firstly, it's important that you finish the main campaign for the Forsaken DLC. While this may seem obvious, completing the story is the fastest way to reach level 50 and 500 power level for your Guardian. As you're taking on the story missions and Adventures throughout the campaign, you'll be swimming in new gear--mostly blue items--while getting accustomed to the new changes added into the Forsaken expansion. What's abundantly clear is that many of the alterations to Destiny 2's established systems have removed some shortcuts and dialed down certain methods players liked to use to get over the hump.
Once you reach 500 power level, you'll encounter the first soft cap for leveling. Going forward, most blue and purple gear found from ordinary drops, vendors, and standard missions will cap at 500, and you'll need to take advantage of the more challenging missions to steadily increase your power. But bare in mind, just when you start hitting your stride and rise in power, another soft-cap at 520 awaits. Just remember, there is no quick way to increase your strength; it will take time to steadily buff your character's stats from here on out.
Acquire Powerful And Prime Engrams
In order to overcome the steep climb past 500, you'll need to acquire the new type of rewards found from completing the harder bounties and milestones. Similar to the Luminous Engrams from the original Destiny 2, Powerful Engrams are the rare loot you can find from completing key missions and milestones around the various planets and activities you can take part in. These Engrams house Legendary and Exotic gear--the latter of which have also seen reduced drop rates. In addition to Powerful Engrams, Prime Engrams have also been thrown into the mix.
While the Cryptarch Master Rahool has taken a less hands-on role with cracking open Engrams--most of which unlock instantly--you'll need his help to open up Prime Engrams. Unlike Powerful Engrams, however, Prime Engrams require Prime Attunement, a special buff that comes only once a day. With the prime attunement, the special Engram can drop from powerful enemies in public events, Strikes, and Heroic missions, and from taking part in multiplayer matches. Though totally RNG-based, it's generous enough where it will only take a few missions to see a drop. Interestingly enough, Prime Attunement can stack if you don't take advantage of it on the day you receive it--it will carry over to the following day. The gains you can get from these special Engrams can offer up an increase of 5 power on the specific item, which may not seem a lot, but can go a long way in upping your strength. To sum it up, be sure to keep an eye out for powerful enemies in the strikes and heroic missions, and stay focused during PvP to get those drops.
Keep Up With Daily And Weekly Bounties
Though the usefulness of bounties took a backseat throughout the first year of Destiny 2 compared to the original game, Forsaken has brought them back in a big way. Over the course of the main story, you'll interact with many of Destiny 2's key characters, including newcomers Spider and The Drifter, along with other returning characters like Petra and the members of the Vanguard. Several of the key NPCs will offer daily and weekly bounties for you to take on. The bulk of these bounties don't require much effort and can be accomplished while engaging in other activities. While a number of these tasks will only yield glimmer, materials, and other rewards, the resources gained can be turned in for rewards to vendors and NPCs.
However, there are several high-profile bounties that are far more challenging and only come once a week. Found from Petra and Spider, some of these bounties will task you with heading to some of the more obscure areas of Destiny 2's worlds to find hidden targets. The higher-tiered bounties from Spider will have you confront the escapees from the Prison of Elders, while Petra's bounties at the Dreaming City will task you with handling many of the new location's unique events and missions, some of which are a bit more complex than they let on. But when it comes to bounties, always check in Petra and Spider to stay up to date on the newest goals they have to offer.
Head To The Dreaming City
After finishing the main story, you'll eventually gain entrance to the Dreaming City, the new end-game zone in Forsaken. While exploring the Dreaming City, you'll find several events around the map that are a bit different from what's available on the Tangled Shore and other planets. Once you visit Petra in The Strand, you can take on a number of bounties and pursuits, both of which can offer Powerful Engram rewards. From here, you can explore the area and engage with the key points within the Dreaming City.
One of Petra's pursuits tasks you with completing an Ascendant Challenge, a new weekly activity bringing Guardians to the Taken realm. By using a Tincture of Queensfoil, found from public events and chests around the Dreaming City, you'll gain access to a hidden portal on the map. Every week, this portal's location is changed from three different areas, and they can only be found after consuming the aforementioned Tincture of Queensfoil. Inside the Ascendant Realm, you'll engage with several powerful Taken while completing minor goals. It's best to complete these with a group, as you can get easily overwhelmed. Completing the Ascendant Challenge pursuit from Petra will reward you with a Powerful Engram.
However, the clear standout in the Dreaming City is the public event known as The Blind Well. Similar to The Taken King's Court of Oryx, it's a multi-tiered activity within the open world that tasks players with taking out increasingly difficult waves of Scorn and Taken. While most players can take part in the first tier challenge of The Blind Well by using a Tier 1 Charge of Light (found from most activities in the field or by purchasing them from Petra), the upper tiers are much more difficult to carry out. With that said, Tier 1 of The Blind Well is manageable. To gain a guaranteed Powerful Engram, complete the Gateway Between Worlds pursuit from Petra by clearing the activity multiple times, which will earn you an Offering. Take this item to the Oracle Engine in The Dreaming City, located in the Spine of Keres, to collect your reward.
Pace Yourself And Complete Milestone Challenges
Along with collecting Prime Engrams and completing bounties from Petra and Spider, the most important thing you can do to power up is to stay on top of your weekly and daily milestone challenges. From the director menu, you'll be able to see the available activities across the various game modes and planets that will offer up Powerful Engrams. These include vanguard Strikes, Nightfalls, flashpoint, and clearing games in the Crucible and Gambit modes. Also, be sure to keep up with your clan bounties as well, as maxing your rep can also lead to powerful engram. Along with taking on the bounties from various NPC characters, you'll be able to acquire materials and other rewards while clearing out these challenges.
As previously stated, the grind post 500 power will take some time to overcome. With the Raid requiring 550 power, and with yet another hill to climb once you hit 520, you'll need to stay on to top of all these activities and bounties in order to reach Raid status in a reasonable amount of time. With that said, there's still much to be gained from completing the game's shifting challenges, which you get you up to right power level sooner than you think.
For more info on Destiny 2: Forsaken, be sure to check out our review in progress, along with our look at the game's new lineup of Exotics for all three characters classes.
[UPDATE] Warner has now released a statement following reports that Henry Cavill will no longer play Superman in the DC Universe. It reads: "While no decisions have been made regarding any upcoming Superman films, we've always had great respect for and a great relationship with Henry Cavill, and that remains unchanged." Additionally, Cavill has posted a bizarre video on his Instagram; it's anyone's guess what that means. The original story follows below.
Henry Cavill was first announced in the role of Superman back in 2011, and to date he has appeared in three DC movies--Man of Steel, Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League. However, it has now been reported that he is set to leave the DC Universe and will not play the character again.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, DC was looking to include a Superman cameo in next year's Shazam. However, negotiations with Cavill broke down, and with the studio increasingly moving away from the current version of their superhero universe, the actor is unlikely to reprise the role.
THR's sources state that negotiations failed due to scheduling issues, potentially with the Netflix adaptation of The Witcher that Cavill was recently cast in. However, there is also a suggestion that he took the Witcher job after failing to reach an agreement with DC. The site also states that there is a Supergirl movie in the works, which will be an origin story featuring a "teen superheroine," a storyline that is unlikely to have a place for an adult Superman.
In any case, it seems that the DC Universe is undergoing yet another shake-up. While Shazam, the upcoming Aquaman, and next year's Wonder Woman 1984 are technically part of the existing universe, the Joker origin movie that is about to start production is not. In addition, Ben Affleck is not expected to play Batman again, and the standalone Batman movie that is currently in development is likely to star another actor as the Caped Crusader.
Cavill's involvement with The Witcher TV show was confirmed last week, after the actor hinted about it last month. He will play Geralt in the Netflix show, which is expected to premiere in 2020. The eight-part show will be based on the fantasy novel series written by Andrzej Sapkowski, on which the games are also based..
Three more Xbox 360 games are available via Xbox backwards compatibility. You can now play Rumble Roses XX and Zone of the Enders HD Collection--which is composed of two games--on Xbox One.
Rumble Roses XX, the sequel to Rumble Roses, is a wrestling game that features an entirely female cast. Matches consist of one-on-one bouts, two-on-two tussles, and one wrestler against an entire team. You win when you successfully grapple your opponent into a position where they have to tap out.
We gave the game a 6.6/10. In our Rumble Roses XX review, Alex Navarro wrote, "Rumble Roses XX is a better game than its PS2 predecessor, but there are still too many annoying things about it to make it a success. Again, there isn't a single thing wrong with wanting to put attractive, well-built women in a wrestling game, but Rumble Roses XX insists on taking it to such levels of objectification that it just becomes hard to put up with after awhile. Not to mention that very little else of what the game offers, both from gameplay and feature standpoints, is strong enough to carry the load apart from the whole titillation aspect."
Zone of the Enders HD Collection packages the original Zone of the Enders and its sequel Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner. Both games are third-person shooters that incorporate hack-and-slash elements. You control an advanced combat mecha named Jehuty in both games, with a child piloting the suit in the first game and a miner in the second.
Although we gave the two titles decent scores upon their release--a 7.4 for the first game and an 8.5 for the second--we were not as big a fan of the HD collection. In our Zone of the Enders HD Collection review, Peter Brown gave the bundle a 5.5/10, writing, "The HD treatment, especially the widescreen aspect ratio, makes the pair of Zone of the Enders games more palatable by contemporary standards, but the chugging frame rate leaves the bitter taste of disappointment behind, inspiring thoughts of what could have been."
We're now in Week 10 of Fortnite Season 5, which means there's a fresh set of challenges for players to undertake and new rewards to earn. You should know the drill by now, but if you're jumping on the Fortnite train a bit late, we've got a breakdown of how it works and what you'll need to do. First things first, it's important to know that there's two sets of challenges. There's a free set that's available for anyone and everyone to do, and then an exclusive set that's just for those that have paid for a Battle Pass--including one that asks you to search between a covered bridge, waterfall, and 9th green. Here's where to find that location and how to do the rest.
In the free section this week there are three challenges. The first involves searching for jigsaw puzzle pieces in basements, the second requires you to consume apples or mushrooms, and the third demands you eliminate 10 enemies. The final of these is perhaps the trickiest, given that enemies tend to, you know, fight back, but with a little perseverance and guile it shouldn't be too tricky. Munching on apples and mushrooms is a relatively new challenge, and--based on our experience--it's usually more common to stumble upon shrooms than apples. We recommend heading south of Lonely Lodge, where you should find a bunch of them ready to be devoured.
In the paid Battle Pass section, challenges involve searching chests in Salty Springs, dealing damage to opponents, and eliminating an opponent in Pleasant Park. You'll also need to complete a bit of a treasure hunt in the Search Between a Covered Bridge, Waterfall, and 9th Green challenge. Don't worry though, we've got a guide to speed up the process. Below you'll find images of the map and the exact location of the Battle Star, as well as a full breakdown of this week's challenges. Alternatively, you can watch us complete the challenge and follow along using the video above.
Consume Apples or Mushrooms (20) -- 5 Battle Stars
Hard: Eliminate Opponents (10) -- 10 Battle Stars
Battle Pass
Search Chests in Salty Springs (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Deal Damage to Opponents (5000) -- 5 Battle Stars
Search Between a Covered Bridge, Waterfall, and the 9th Green -- 10 Battle Stars
Stage 1: Eliminate Opponent in Pleasant Park (1) -- 10 Battle Stars
On September 12, Epic Games rolled out Fortnite content update 5.40, which introduced the new Suppressed Assault Rifle and stuck the Drum Gun in the vault. You can see all the changes in the full patch notes here.
This will be the last of the weekly challenges for Season 5, which means the clock is ticking on challenges from previous weeks. If you haven't already completed them but want to, you can use our guides in our complete Fortnite Season 5 challenge roundup.
Fortnite Season 5, Week 10's challenges are now live--the final ones of this season. We've already detailed what the week involves, including how to complete the Search Between Covered Bridge, Waterfall, and 9th Green challenge in the paid Battle Pass tier. However, in the free section there's also one challenge that requires a bit of legwork, which we've already done to save you some time and effort in tracking down the key locations.
The Search Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces in Basements challenge is pretty self-explanatory, but given that the very large Fortnite island has quite a few basements for developer Epic Games to hide jigsaw puzzle pieces in, a little guidance can go a long way.
Above you'll find a video of the basements that we managed to find the pieces in. Simply head to these locations and before you know it you'll have that challenge under your belt. You can also see the pieces on the map below.
Once you're done with this week's challenges, we recommend going back and finishing up anything else you've got left over. Week 10 is the final week of Season 5, which means that when the new season arrives, previous challenges--and the rewards attached to them--will no longer be available. You can use our guides in our complete Fortnite Season 5 challenge roundup to get them done quickly.
In the lead up to this week's new challenges, Epic Games released Fortnite content update 5.40. The headline feature in this update was the introduced the new Suppressed Assault Rifle. However, Epic also threw the Drum Gun into the vault, which means it won't be available to use until its taken out and reintroduced into the game. You can see all the changes in the full Fortnite content update 5.40 patch notes here.
A new month is now upon us, and The Pokemon Company is continuing its Year of Legendary Pokemon campaign with another pair of free Legendaries for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. During September, players will be able to claim one of the two Eon Pokemon from Ruby and Sapphire, Latios and Latias, but as usual, the way to get your hands on them will vary by region.
Once again, those who live in the US will need to go to a participating retailer to pick up a free download code for the Legendaries. This time, the code will be distributed at Best Buy stores around the country from September 2-29. Players in Europe and Australia, meanwhile, will be able to download the Legendaries directly from the Nintendo Network between September 1-23.
As usual, the Pokemon you receive will depend on which version you're playing. You can claim the Legendaries in any seventh-generation Pokemon game, but there's an added incentive to redeem them in the Ultra titles; not only will the Legendaries come at higher levels and know different moves, they'll be equipped with a Gold Bottle Cap, a rare item that can be exchanged to Hyper Train a Pokemon. You can see their movesets and other details below.
Pokemon Ultra Sun
Latias -- Level 100 (w/Gold Bottle Cap)
Mist Ball
Psychic
Draco Meteor
Tailwind
Pokemon Sun
Latias -- Level 60
Mist Ball
Dragon Pulse
Psycho Shift
Wish
Pokemon Ultra Moon
Latios -- Level 100 (w/Gold Bottle Cap)
Luster Purge
Psychic
Draco Meteor
Tailwind
Pokemon Moon
Latios -- Level 60
Luster Purge
Dragon Pulse
Psycho Shift
Dragon Breath
To get the Legendary, select Mystery Gift from the main menu and choose the option to receive your gift with a code/password. Enter the download code you picked up and the Pokemon will be downloaded into your game. (Players in Europe and Australia, meanwhile, will simply need to select the option to receive their gift via the internet.) Once those steps have been completed, you'll be able to pick your Legendary up from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center around Alola.
You also still have time to redeem your download code for August's free Legendaries, Groudon and Kyogre. If you still haven't picked one up, however, you're out of luck, as codes for the Ruby and Sapphire cover monsters were only being given away from GameStop stores until August 26. You can see all of the other free Pokemon available for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon right now in our roundup.
As the world of Mayans MC is being built, it continues to find itself populated with familiar faces from Sons of Anarchy. In the first episode of the series alone, both Gemma Teller Morrow (Katey Sagal) and Marcus Alvarez (Emilio Rivera) appeared. While Gemma's cameo will play a bigger role in Season 1, chances are she won't be seen much. Alvarez, on the other hand, will be a pretty constant presence. The following contains spoilers for the second episode of Mayans MC.
Now, a third fan-favorite character has been introduced. Chucky Marstein (Michael Ornstein) started off as a compulsively masturbating thorn in the SAMCRO's side. Eventually, though, he became one of its most trusted allies and managed to escape the series alive. Now, Chucky has made his way to the Mayans MC, where he seems to essentially playing the same role for this new club.
Now, Chucky works at the same scrapyard the club operates out of, using his prosthetic hands to do office work. He only appears for a moment in the second episode, but you'd better get used to seeing him around the Mayans.
Speaking to GameSpot, showrunner and executive producer Elgin James confirmed that Chucky will recur throughout the season. "[Ornstein] is like such a gift as a human being, nevermind the Chucky character," he said. "He does a lot on our show. I mean, he's another one, it's not just a little like, 'Hey, check this out, isn't this funny?' Like Chucky plays a role in the season and in the series."
While James won't say exactly how Chucky will factor in the story, other than his role at the scrapyard, he couldn't be more excited about weaving the character into his series. "He's just been a gift to every single person [to] now have him in their life," the executive producer explains. "It's been great, it's one of the greatest [gifts] Kurt [Sutter, creator of Sons of Anarchy] has given us, besides careers."
Hopefully, Mayans MC makes as much use of Chucky as Sons did. What's more, if this is how Mayans plans on continuing to integrate Sons of Anarchy characters into its story, James and his team should definitely sprinkle in a few more. Perhaps we can find out whatever happened to Nero (Jimmy Smits) and Wendy (Drea de Matteo) after they left Charming in the Sons of Anarchy series finale.
While this Nintendo Direct was initially delayed because of the earthquake in Hokkaido, Japan, it will now go live today, September 13. We're expecting lots of announcements, trailers, and news about Nintendo Switch Online, the paid online service, and you can tune into it live by watching the stream below. The stream will begin on this page at 3 PM PT / 6 PM ET / 11 PM BST.
There aren't many specifics on today's Nintendo Direct, but the company has said it will focus on games for Switch and 3DS. Viewers can expect details on Nintendo Switch Online, too. The service launches next week, on September 18.
Nintendo has already shared many details about the paid service, including its pricing tiers. We still don't know the full lineup of games available in Switch Online's NES library, just that subscribers will have access to 20 classic NES titles and online play when the service launches, with more to be added "regularly."
As far as what games will take centerstage in the broadcast, we'll likely get more details on those games missing from Nintendo's E3 2018 presentation, like the Yoshi game for Switch. Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate are also hotly anticipated releases coming soon, so the company could tease more info about what to expect from these games when they release on November 16 and December 7, respectively.
Sure, we've known about Captain Marvel's imminent arrival in the MCU for a while now, but if you're anything like us, the whole thing didn't start feeling real until very recently. With our first official look at Carol and her crew of cohorts, both alien and human alike, we've finally been able to nail down and definitely confirm a number of rumored roles and character appearances that have been swirling around the internet for what feels like forever.
We've also got more info on the plot than ever before. In case you need a refresher, it goes like this. Carol Danvers is a human who, in the comics (and we can assume in the movie as well) had her genes spliced with the genes of the superpowered alien race, the Kree, which in turn gave her an incredible array of superpowers. Now, according to Entertainment Weekly's cover story, Captain Marvel will be picking up with this process (or whatever the live-action adaptation of it winds up being) already over and done with. Carol's already left Earth, embraced her newfound Kree heritage, and has been training with the Kree military outfit known as the Starforce under an "enigmatic commander" played by Jude Law. In all likelihood, Law will be playing the Kree hero, Captain Mar-Vell, but we'll get to that in a second.
EW reported that the movie will pick up with Carol returning to Earth only to find herself beset upon by another alien society, this time in the form of the Skrulls, a race of powerful shapeshifters known to infiltrate and destabilize planets by impersonating their inhabitants.
Oh, right, and all of this is set in the 1990s, an almost entirely unexplored era of the MCU, home to only a small handful of flashbacks and oblique on-screen references which leaves plenty of room for Carol to work. We also know that we're going to be seeing the 1990s version of SHIELD (complete with a digitally de-aged, two-eyed Samuel L. Jackson), meaning there's a pretty strong chance for whatever happens in Captain Marvel to dramatically and forever alter the way we see the MCU in the modern day. Expect a lot of dot-connecting and circling back to all those little moments in the last ten years worth of movies that are about to be put in an entirely new light.
Now that we've got some more information (and some official confirmation), here is the list of exactly who is playing who in Captain Marvel, which has a release date of March 8, 2019.
Brie Larson -- Carol "Captain Marvel" Danvers
An airforce pilot turned superhero, Carol has spent some time away from Earth as a member of the Kree military unit the Starforce. As the most powerful superhero in the Marvel Universe, Carol represents the ultimate bridge between cosmic and terrestrial--and she's returning to earth to prove it as she faces off against a secret Skrull invasion in the 1990s. You might recognize Larson from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and Room.
Jude Law -- "Enigmatic Kree Commander" (Mar-Vell? Yon-Rogg?)
We have yet to officially confirm just who Law's character actually is, but it's long been assumed he would be playing Mar-Vell, a Kree soldier who wound up with a soft spot for Earth after he was eventually exiled from his homeworld. Alternatively, Law could be playing Yon-Rogg, a Kree zealot and commander in the military. Law has previously appeared in big budget franchises like Sherlock Holmes and The Young Pope.
Ben Mendelsohn -- Talos
Previously, it had been assumed Mendelsohn joined the cast as Yon-Rogg, but EW's first look has confirmed his role as Talos, a powerful Skrull commander and leader of the invasion on Earth. Mendelsohn recently appeared in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Ready Player One.
Lee Pace -- Ronan the Accuser
We've actually met Pace's Ronan before, back in Guardians of the Galaxy where he was working with Thanos to hunt down the Infinity Stones. Now we're going to see him in a brand new light, hopefully stripped of his genocidal urges, working as a Kree judge. Pace is reprising the role, but you'll also recognize him from the TV show Halt and Catch Fire.
Gemma Chan -- Minn-Erva
A Kree geneticist and member of the Starforce who became obsessed with modifying and purifying the Kree genetic code, Minn-Erva wanted desperately to advance her race by any means necessary, even if it meant crossing some serious ethical lines. Chan recently appeared in Crazy Rich Asians.
Samuel L. Jackson -- Nick Fury
You don't have to be an MCU fan to know exactly who Nick Fury is anymore--he's been a part of this whole thing from the very start. Finally making a major return after his post-credits-only appearance in Avengers: Infinity War, Jackson will be digitally de-aged to look like his 1990s self for this movie.
Clark Gregg -- Phil Coulson
One of the breakaway fan favorites of the MCU, Coulson hasn't actually been in the big screen universe for a while now, having made the transition to the small screen Agents of SHIELD TV show. That's about to change, however, with Coulson set to pop in, digitally de-aged like Jackson, to work in 1990s SHIELD.
Lashana Lynch -- Maria Rambeau
Rumors of Lynch's role have been swirling since her casting announcement with most fans assuming she would be playing Monica Rambeau, another woman to hold the superhero codename Captain Marvel for a time. It turns out this was partially correct--Lynch will actually be playing Maria, Monica's mother, who uses the air force call sign "Photon," another one of Monica's heroic code names. Lynch can be found in the TV shows Still Star-Crossed and Bulletproof.
While there are conflicting reports on whether Henry Cavill (Man of Steel, Immortals) will hang up Superman's cape, previous rumors have suggested Ben Affleck (Gone Girl, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) is following suit in what's believed to be a huge shake-up over at DC. If rumors are true and Affleck does leave Batman behind, fans are eager to know who'll play the Dark Knight in future films. Well, it seems Jon Hamm (Baby Driver, Tag) is interested.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the former Mad Men star said he's interested in playing Batman as long as the script is good. "It depends on the script, what the story is," Hamm said.
He added that he's always been a comic book fan and wouldn't mind playing the Bat, but there are stipulations. "I am a huge comic book fan, always have been," he said. "I've read comic books since I was 9 or younger. And I'm pretty knowledgeable about a lot of them. And I like the genre, and I like when they're done well." The main requirement for Hamm to play Bruce Wayne/Batman, it would seem, is that it has to be done well.
And what about the suit? Hamm said he'd "probably fit the suit" but that it would demand him to "work out a lot," which he claims he doesn't enjoy. "But, I am sure there's an interesting version of that being out there. And if they wanted to tap me on the shoulder and ask me to do it, why not?"
Hamm is aware that some fans have wanted to see him in the role for years. "I have had rumors about that since probably season one of Mad Men," he said. But the actor would like to remind fans he hasn't had any real, legitimate conversations with any studio bigwigs about anything. "I think the internet wants what it wants," he continued. "But, I mean, a lot of people have to sign off on that, obviously not just the internet."
Remember when fans were worried that Danny McBride and David Gordon Green--the guys behind HBO comedy series Eastbound & Down--would ruin the Halloween franchise by trying to make it funny? Well, the newest chapter in the Michael Myers saga--which is technically only the second, since it ignores all other sequels--is definitely the funniest film in the franchise. But surprisingly, it's also the perfect continuation to the story begun in the original Halloween 40 years ago.
Yes, it's been 40 years since Michael Myers put on a mask and terrorized the town of Haddonfield, Illinois as "The Shape," and he hasn't done much since then. Played by the original actor Nick Castle, as well as newcomer James Jude Courtney, Myers hasn't spoken a word in the 40 years he's apparently been incarcerated at the movie's start. Not even when two podcasters--or "investigative journalists," as they refer to themselves--present him with the iconic mask in an attempt to get a reaction does Michael stir. This is a return to form (or shape) for Michael. No longer the brother of Laurie Strode, as was established in sequels to the original, he is back to being a force of pure evil who commits random acts of violence with no cause or reason. Green, who directs with co-writer McBride, treats the character with utmost respect, like a larger-than-life force that deserves your complete attention and fear.
Castle and Courtney, who seamlessly share the role of The Shape, don't miss a beat with their performances, as this is the most terrifying Michael has been since 1978. It helps that Green and McBride have made this one mean and nasty Halloween movie. It surpasses the body count of John Carpenter's original even before Michael gets to Haddonfield, and we see kills involving knives going through throats, lethal headbutts, and more.
Meanwhile, the core of the story focuses on Laurie Strode. Jamie Lee Curtis gives what is perhaps the best performance of her career in the role that first gave her the spotlight. She effortlessly steps back into Laurie's shoes, evolving the trauma and psychological damage Myers inflicted on her all those years ago. Yes, she is a complete and absolute badass in this film, as she is now the hunter and no longer the hunted. However, she is no Sarah Connor. She is a broken woman who hasn't been able to let go of that fateful Halloween night.
Strode now lives in a fortified house in the middle of the woods and spends every day shooting at target dummies, preparing for the day when her paranoia finally bears fruit. Of course, it doesn't take long before Myers escapes and finds his way to Haddonfield, where he obsesses over finishing the job he started 40 years earlier.
Despite the gravity of Halloween's themes, and the gory and violent fun audiences expect from a slasher, McBride and Green infuse the script with their signature sense of humor, and surprisingly, it actually works. Every side character gets a moment to shine, and the jokes never feel out of place, especially when coming from soon-to-be breakout star Jibrail Nantambu. Nantambu plays the only character who has any idea what's going on in the film--he never makes a stupid choice (it's a slasher, so naturally, characters make a lot of stupid choices) and provides insightful meta commentary about the horror tropes on display.
Speaking of meta, Halloween pokes fun at every single film in the franchise, all while paying homage to its predecessors. There are references to Silver Shamrock, tributes to Halloween 2, and a fun cameo or two. The film also comments on this being a pseudo remake of the original, but in modern times. For example, when discussing the original babysitter killings from the first film, a character remarks that five dead people isn't too much "by today's standards." Green has fun with the idea of Laurie being prepared for Michael by playing with role reversal throughout the film. One instance in particular got the audience at the world premiere cheering so hard, the next three lines of dialogue were inaudible.
If there's one problem with Halloween, it's that it never uses Laurie's granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) and Allyson's mom Karen (Judy Greer) to their full potential. Thankfully, it isn't a big issue, as Laurie's story is compelling enough on its own. And those missing the magic Carpenter touch will be delighted to know that the film is keen on using silence to increase the tension, and there is a 5-minute-long single-shot sequence that is a marvel to watch, even if it's quite brutal. Green may not have a ton of experience filming horror, but he sure knows how to create nail-biting tension at the right moments.
John Carpenter returns to score the film with the help of his son, Cody Carpenter, and Daniel Davies. Yes, you do hear the classic Halloween theme, and Carpenter even uses a slower version of the theme at several key moments. Carpenter also uses a whole new style of synth rock that pulsates and beats like a heart and will have everyone in the audience on the edge of their seat while also making them pre-order the soundtrack as soon as they leave the theater.
Halloween doesn't reinvent the wheel or create a new subgenre of horror. What it does is take the best parts of all the films in the franchise, and deliver the ultimate companion piece to Carpenter's 1978 masterpiece. It's a film that not only has something to say about trauma and PTSD, but also delivers a bloody, fun time at the theater. Will Michael Myers return again? Who knows, but we sure as hell welcome him home.
The Good
The Bad
Laurie Strode is a more complex character, yet a total badass
Side characters are slightly underused
Michael Myers is scarier than ever
The fantastic score that will get your heart beating
A much-welcomed sense of humor and meta commentary
Square Enix has released a new trailer for Kingdom Hearts 3, showing off plenty of footage from the Big Hero 6 world and characters that will be featured in it. The trailer was shown at the PlayStation Lineup Tour, a pre-Tokyo Game Show event. The Kingdom Hearts 3 trailer is in Japanese but you can use YouTube's closed captions feature for English subtitles.
It opens with Sora, Donald, and Goofy in San Fransokyo battling Heartless on the Golden Gate Bridge. Baymax arrives and introduces himself, alongside Hiro, and the gang all team up to fight their enemies. There's also short segments from the Monsters Inc. and Tangled worlds, as well as some story teases, with Xehanort appearing briefly too. Check out the trailer above to see all this, plus some pretty cool combat and Gummi Ship sequences.
Kingdom Hearts 3 is set to be the closing chapter in the saga, which has been told primarily through the numbered, core entry in the series. As with previous entries, players will be taken on a ride through some of the most beloved Disney worlds, including Toy Story, and Hercules, in addition to those mentioned above. Kingdom Hearts 3 is set to release on January 29, 2019 on Xbox One and PS4.
At E3, GameSpot talked to one of the key creative forces behind the Kingdom Hearts series, Tetsuya Nomura. The interview covered a variety of topics, including how it felt to finally have a release date for the game, which has been 13 years in the making, the pressure of fan expectations, and working on Kingdom Hearts 3 at the same time as remaking Final Fantasy 7, among others. You can read the full Kingdom Hearts 3 interview with Tetsuya Nomura here.
(Spoilers ahead for both the game and Avengers: Infinity War.) If you're still a little raw after the brutal ending of Avengers: Infinity War, then seeing this suit in action in the PS4-exclusive Spider-Man title may either make you very happy (yay this costume is great and I can pretend everything is OK with Peter Parker) or very, very sad (oh god it just reminds me of that last scene with Tony Stark MY FEELINGS). Either way, the Iron Spider suit stands as one of the most visually striking in the game, and it makes swinging through the skyscrapers of New York just that little bit cooler.
Unsurprisingly, this suit's power mimics the one seen in the movie, and sprouts four mechanical arms from Spidey's back when activated. Within the game, these arms add extra power to Spidey's attacks, allowing you to bust through even the strongest enemies' defenses (including shielded foes and those pesky brutes), as well as hit multiple enemies at once. When you're surrounded and need a quick way to land some hits regardless of the enemy types around you, this suit's Iron Arms power is a lifesaver.
The Iron Spider Suit unlocks about two-thirds of the way into the game, and when looking at the suits list, it's the 17th you'll have access to. The first thing you'll need to do to nab the Iron Spider is reach level 31. After that, you'll need to have four crime tokens accumulated, as well as three base tokens and three challenge ones. Once you have those, then Stark's hopefully-not-final creation for young Peter Parker is yours for the taking.
Dying Light's battle royale-style mode, Bad Blood, is now available on PC. The standalone "brutal royale" game, as developer Techland bills it, has launched on Steam Early Access, and you can jump in now by purchasing the $20 Founder's Pack.
Along with access to the game, the Founder's Pack includes a handful of exclusive content, such as three Legendary weapon skins, one Legendary mask, and 1,000 Blood Bucks--Bad Blood's in-game currency. The pack also comes with the Founder's Pass, which will grant players three exclusive Legendary skins over the next three months.
Unlike a typical battle royale game, Dying Light: Bad Blood incorporates PvP and PvE elements into the series' brand of survival horror. The game drops 12 players into a city swarming with zombies. You'll need to go about the map scavenging for weapons, eliminating other players, destroying zombie hives, and using Dying Light's signature fast-paced parkour tricks to survive.
On top of gathering weapons and other resources, you'll also need to collect blood samples from the infected. These are the most vital items to acquire, as they're tied to Bad Blood's victory condition. You'll need to gather enough samples to secure a seat on the evac chopper and safely evacuate the map. However, only one player will be able to board the helicopter, so you'll need to race against all the other players to be the first to collect samples and escape.
Techland hasn't announced a full release date for Dying Light: Bad Blood, but the game is coming to PC and consoles. The developer says the game will transition to free-to-play when it leaves Early Access. For more footage of the game, check out our hands-on session with it at Gamescom last month.
Apple's big annual event to reveal new iPhones took place on Wednesday, and as expected, the company announced an array of new products coming in the near future. Apple led the event with the Apple Watch Series 4, a gorgeous-looking new version of its smartwatch. It followed that with a trio of new phones, the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR.
Below, we're rounding up the essential information on all of the big announcements from the event. Surprisingly, there was nothing about new AirPods or the AirPower wireless charging mat; today's keynote dealt almost exclusively with new iPhones and Apple Watch, although we did get a release date for MacOS Mojave (September 24) and some brief talk about the HomePod.
Apple Watch Series 4
A wide variety of new watch faces were showcased, including one that could feature as many as eight complications. There is also expanded support for third-party apps on the watch face; we saw how the MLB At Bat app could show the box score for a baseball game, for instance. Apple also highlighted the watches' louder speakers and other improvements, as well as new health-related features such as the ability to detect when the wearer falls down (triggering new options for altering emergency services or contacts).
Series 4 watches release on September 21 and will be priced at $399 or $499 for the cellular version.
Next during the keynote was the new iPhones. First up was the iPhone XS--pronounced "ten ess"--that serves as the follow-up to last year's pricier iPhone X. It features an edge-to-edge screen with curved sides, coming in three finishes: gold, silver, and space gray. It features a 5.8-inch screen when measured diagonally; despite being greater than the iPhone 8 Plus's screen size, it's actually a smaller overall phone.
The XS screen is a Super Retina OLED display featuring a 2436x1125 resolution with many of the expected features, like True Tone and HDR10 support. The phone offers Face ID, improved speakers, better CPU and GPUs, and more. It also boasts improved cameras on the front and back, which the company spent a great deal of time showcasing. The battery lasts up to 30 minutes longer than that of the iPhone X.
Pre-orders begin on September 14, with an iPhone XS release date set for September 21. It starts at $999 and comes in 64 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB sizes.
Alongside the iPhone XS is the XS Max. This is the new name for what's previously been known as the Plus model--it's essentially a larger XS. It has a 6.5-inch OLED display with a 2688x1242 resolution. And again, despite a much larger screen than the 5.5-inch iPhone 8 Plus, it's roughly the same size as that phone. The battery life offers up to 90 minutes more than the iPhone X.
Similar to the XS, its release date is set for September 21, while pre-orders begin on September 14. The sizes are the same--64 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB--and it starts at $1099.
While not a new announcement, Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls: Blades was featured during the keynote. Todd Howard came on stage to showcase the game and what the iPhone XS's new A12 chip makes possible in terms of visual effects. He also reaffirmed Blades' release date is set for sometime this fall; it's available for pre-order now.
Alongside the iPhone XS and XS Max, which are Apple's high-end devices, the company is also introducing another new phone, the iPhone XR. This is said to offer an iPhone X-style experience (there's no home button, for instance), but it's equipped with an LCD screen, rather than the fancier OLED displayed offered on the XS and XS Max. The 6.1-inch display--with what's called Liquid Retina tech--does still extend to the edges, though.
The camera has the same tech as that of the XS and XS Max, even offering Portrait mode, but with only one camera rather than two; it's equipped with the A12 Bionic chip; and the battery life compared with the iPhone 8 Plus can last 90 minutes longer.
XR pre-orders begin on October 19, with a release date on October 26. It starts at $749, making it cheaper than the iPhone 8 Plus.
Apple has officially unveiled its new lineup of iPhones for 2018. But before you whip out your wallet to throw money at the trillion-dollar company, you'll want to know a few things first. This is GameSpot's iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR pre-order guide, complete with release dates, pre-order dates, and other information you'll need to pre-order these gorgeous phones that launch soon.
Pre-Order iPhone XS
As is common for "S" years for iPhones, this year's evolution of the iPhone X model doesn't shake things up in terms of design. It still has the gorgeous 5.8-inch OLED display that takes up nearly the entire front of the phone, plus stereo speakers, dual-cameras, and the True Tone display found in last year's model.
The processor and GPU will get their standard annual boosts, and Apple says the battery will last about 30 minutes longer than last year's model (hooray?). Despite the similarities to last year's model, this is a slick-looking device, and you're not going to find a more powerful iPhone for the next 12 months.
You can pre-order an iPhone XS starting at 12:01 AM PT (3:01 AM ET) September 14, and it will ship on September 21. Here's how the pricing breaks down.
iPhone XS Pricing
64 GB - $999 ($49.91 per month with Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program)
256 GB - $1,149 ($56.16 per month)
512 GB - $1,349 ($64.50 per month)
Once pre-orders go live, here's the link you'll need to buy it directly from Apple:
If you'd prefer to get yours from your cell carrier, check their website to see if their iPhone XS page is live yet.
Pre-Order iPhone XS Max
The iPhone XS Max is a larger version of the XS, with a sizable 6.5-inch OLED display. Aside from that, it has the same features available in the XS. You can pre-order an iPhone XS Max at 12:01 AM PT (3:01 AM ET) on September 14, and it will ship on September 21. Here's how the pricing breaks down.
iPhone XS Max Price
64 GB - $1,099 ($54.08 per month with iPhone Upgrade Program)
256 GB - $1,249 ($60.33 per month)
512 GB - $1,449 ($68.66 per month)
Once pre-orders open up, here's the Apple link you'll need to lock in your purchase:
If you'd prefer to pre-order yours from your carrier, check their website to see if their iPhone XS Max listing is available yet.
Pre-Order iPhone XR
If you want a brightly colored iPhone, the XR is the model for you. The iPhone XR is a more affordable version of the XS, with lower-end versions of some of the components. Its screen is an LCD instead of an OLED, and it only has one camera on the back instead of two. It comes in smaller storage capacities than its more expensive siblings, but it's available in a wide selection of colors. In terms of size, it lands right between the XS and XS Max, with its 6.1-inch display. The iPhone XR launches October 26, but you can pre-order one starting at 12:01 AM PT (3:01 AM ET) on October 19. Here's the pricing for this model.
iPhone XR Price
64 GB - $749 ($37.41 per month with iPhone Upgrade Program)
128 GB - $799 ($39.50 per month)
256 GB - $899 ($43.66 per month)
Once pre-orders go live on October 19, here's the Apple link you you can use to secure one for yourself:
FIFA 19 is coming to PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch on September 28. The title marks the first game in the franchise to hold the official Champions League license since the 2007 spin-off UEFA Champions League 2006-2007, giving FIFA a near monopoly over the world's major soccer licenses.
Whether that news has you looking to get into the franchise for the first time, or you're a long-time fan who buys the newest edition each year, you might be wondering what editions of FIFA 19 are available, how much they cost, and where to pre-order. We have you covered on all counts below. Read on for the goods.
FIFA 19 Standard Edition
Suggested Retail Price: $60
This is the standard version of the game. Pre-ordering the Standard Edition nets you five Jumbo Premium Gold Packs (one per week for five weeks), Cristiano Ronaldo as a loan item for seven FUT matches, and Special Edition FUT kits designed by FIFA soundtrack artists.
The Champions Edition costs $20 more than the standard edition, but it gets you everything in the Standard Edition, plus a number of extras. Buying the Champions Edition bumps your FIFA Ultimate Team Jumbo Premium Gold Packs up to 20 (one per week for 20 weeks), nets you a UEFA Champions League Gold Player Pick (choose one of five 80 to 83 rated gold players from qualified teams), and adds Neymar Jr. loan items for seven FUT matches.
Like with the Standard Edition, pre-ordering from Best Buy gets you a $10 reward certificate redeemable at Best Buy. And regardless of where you pre-order the Champions Edition, you'll get access to the game three days early (September 25).
The Ultimate Edition is the most expensive version of FIFA 19 but it offers the largest collection of loot. With the Ultimate Edition, players get everything from the Champions Edition, but their FIFA Ultimate Team Jumbo Premium Gold Packs is upped to 40 (two per week for 20 weeks).
Like the Champions Edition, if you pre-order the Ultimate Edition, you get access to the game three days early (September 25). The Ultimate Edition is not available for Nintendo Switch.
During Apple's 2018 iPhone keynote on Wednesday, Bethesda's Todd Howard took the stage to show how The Elder Scrolls: Blades will run on the new iPhone XS. The segment followed details about the improved technology in the newly announced XS and XS Max, including the new A12 Bionic chip, which has increased processing power and a GPU that's 50% faster than last year's equivalent.
The focus of the segment was how the new iPhone tech will enhance the mobile gaming experience. Howard discussed how the XS' OLED screen allows for a high amount of visual detail in both light and dark areas of the game; he also highlighted precision touch controls for sword movements and haptic feedback for attacks. Also during the keynote, former NBA star Steve Nash appeared to promote a new basketball training app that was showcased on the XS.
Originally announced at E3 2018, The Elder Scrolls: Blades is described as a "uniquely mobile experience" with "console-quality graphics." It has the same kind of combat as previous Elder Scrolls games as well as a town-building mechanic and PvP.
The Elder Scrolls: Blades is coming to iOS and Android this fall. It will be free and is currently available for pre-order on Bethesda's website. For more on what Apple had to share, check out our full coverage below.
Update: Sony's status page now says the PlayStation Store servers should be running as normal, so you can play the FIFA 19 demo to your heart's content. Original story follows.
FIFA 19's demo release is always a highly anticipated moment in the gaming and football calendar. That day has arrived, with the trial now available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC--but PSN's servers are suffering from some poorly-timed connectivity issues.
Sony's network service status page states the PlayStation Store is currently experiencing problems. "You may have some difficulty accessing features and products in PlayStation Store," the company said. "Our engineers are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible, and we thank you for your patience."
It's unclear if the demo's release and the server issues are connected. Sony says all other services should be operating as normal.
FIFA 19 launches worldwide on September 28 for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch, as well as last-generation consoles. EA/Origin Access subscribers can play a 10-hour trial version eight days earlier, from September 20. Publisher EA recently revealed the game's top 100 players--find out the ratings of all 100 players on the official EA Sports site.
FIFA's main competitor, Pro Evolution Soccer, has been available for a little while now. See what we thought of Konami's challenger in our PES 2019 review.
On Wednesday, Apple held its annual September media event to announce, among other things, the new iPhones for 2018. Whether you're the type of person who buys the new iPhone every year or your current phone is getting creaky with age and it's time to upgrade, you're probably wondering when these new devices will come out. Let's break down Apple's new iPhone release dates.
Three new iPhones are heading our way: the XS, XS Max, and the XR. The iPhone XS (pronounced "ten ess") and XS Max are the updated version of last year's iPhone X. The XS has a 5.8-inch OLED display, while the XS Max has a 6.5-inch display. Both devices have stereo audio output, a dual-camera system, True Tone displays, and Face ID security that lets you unlock your phone just by looking at it.
They come in gold, silver, and space gray. The price for the iPhone XS starts at $999 for the 64 GB model and goes up from there for 256 GB and 512 GB. The XS Max starts at $1,099 for the same amounts of storage
Apple also announced the iPhone XR during the presentation. It's a more affordable version of the XS, and it comes in a number of bright colors. It has an LCD screen instead of OLED and has a single camera instead of a dual camera. The XR has a 6.1-inch screen, which lands it right between the XS and XS Max in terms of size. It starts at $749 for the 64 GB model and will cost more for its 128 GB and 256 GB models.
iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR Release Dates
iPhone XS: September 21 (pre-orders start September 14)
iPhone XS Max: September 21 (pre-orders start September 14)
iPhone XR: October 26 (available for pre-order October 19)
You can find more information about Apple's iPhone keynote 2018, including information about the Apple Watch Series 4, in the stories below.
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