For one day only--ending October 23 and available in limited supply--you can get the Sniper: Ghost Warrior Trilogy from Fanatical for just $1. That's three games for a buck, or $0.33 each. Not a bad deal if you're interested in dipping your trigger finger into this series of PC shooters. Once you make your purchase, you'll instantly get a code you can redeem on Steam.
Released between 2010 and 2017, the Sniper: Ghost Warrior trilogy was developed and published by the Polish game maker City Interactive (which also made Lords of the Fallen). The trilogy puts you behind the scope of a sniper rifle and has you take out enemy soldiers across a variety of missions. When you make your kills, the game slows down and zooms in to display a close-up view of the splattering gore. If you turn up the difficulty level, you'll also have to take into consideration real-life sniper considerations like wind speed and direction, your breath and heartbeat, and gravity's pull on the bullet.
Over the years, our reviewers scored these games in the 5-7 range. The first installment got dinged for having odd bullet physics and bad enemy AI, though the online multiplayer mode fared better than the campaign. Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 improved upon the original in nearly every way, with only a handful of minor problems keeping it from a wholehearted recommendation.
Last year's third entry made the move to an open-world environment and offered up three play styles: sniper (with a focus on long-range kills), ghost (emphasizing stealth), and warrior (taking an aggressive approach). From our Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 review: "Sniping is all about being cautious and taking a measured approach, and you're rewarded for your patience with some immensely satisfying killshots. For first-person shooters, it offers a unique approach that sets Ghost Warrior 3 apart from its histrionic contemporaries."
If this sounds like a series you want to try, make sure to head over to Fanatical and grab it before it's gone.
Wonder Woman was a breakout critical success for the often uneven DC cinematic universe, and its sequel set in the 1980s will take the character into the Cold War. We'll have to wait a little longer for the return of Princess Diana, though, as the film has been pushed back to 2020.
Star Gal Gadot, who plays the title character, announced the delay via Twitter. Rather than its planned November 1, 2019 date, it will now release on June 5, 2020. Gadot calls this date its "rightful home," presumably a reference to its placement among tent-pole summer movies rather than a fall release.
No reason was given for the delay other than the "changing landscape." That could mean that next fall is simply getting too crowded or that space has opened up in the following summer. DC has scheduled its Joker movie for October 2019, so keeping Wonder Woman 1984 in the November slot could have overlapped with it.
Super excited to announce that, thanks to the changing landscape, we are able to put Wonder Woman back to its rightful home. June 5, 2020. Be there or be square!!! ✨🙅♀️✨ pic.twitter.com/Wj8ORUQLdg
So far we haven't seen a trailer for WW84, so details are still scarce. Patty Jenkins is returning to direct, and Chris Pine is coming back in some capacity as Steve Trevor. We also know that Kristen Wiig has been cast as one of Wonder Woman's most iconic nemeses, Cheetah.
Fortnite has exploded into wild popularity thanks to its free-to-play Battle Royale mode, thanks in part to its availability as a free-to-play game. But Fortnite's original Save the World mode will also eventually transition to a free-to-play model. However, those plans have been pushed out of 2018, as developer Epic Games says it needs to progress on some reworks and additional features before it makes the switch.
In an update about its Save the World mode, Epic suggests that the popularity of Fortnite as a whole means it needs to be prepared for a large influx of new users once STW goes free for all.
"We're working on a broad set of features, reworks, and backend system scaling we believe are needed to go free-to-play," it said. "Scaling up for the legions of player heroes who will be joining the fight is key to providing an excellent experience. This applies to all of our players, old and new, so we're taking the time to get this right."
If you just can't wait for it to go free-to-play, Epic is hosting a 50% off sale for the Standard, Deluxe, Standard Deluxe, and Limited Founder's Packs starting later this week. That means that your cheapest option will be $20 soon, until it goes free. Founders will also get a Brainiac Jonesy and Skull Ranger Ramirez for free if they log on during the Fortnitemares Halloween event.
The update also details a big change to the Hero System to give you more flexibility in the loadouts, along with several front-end UI improvements.
The cooperative PvE Save the World mode was the original pitch for Fortnite, and has remained in development as the free-to-play PvP Battle Royale has exploded in popularity. It's fair to say the free version of the game has overshadowed its original vision, especially since the PvE isn't available for some versions, including the Nintendo Switch or mobile games. But at least some of its large audience is likely to jump into Save the World once it's free, so Epic is looking to be prepared.
If you need a hand on earning your rewards in Battle Royale, make sure to check out our challenge guide for this season.
Treyarch has been rolling out updates for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 on a near-daily basis since the shooter launched earlier this month. On top of the title's latest patch, which makes stability improvements to all modes across PS4, Xbox One, and PC, the developer has discussed other aspects of the game it will continue to refine in the coming weeks.
In a post on Reddit, Treyarch shared with fans its plans to further optimize Black Ops 4's network performance. "We're constantly working to optimize the game, and particularly network performance, to ensure the highest quality online experience for our players," the developer wrote. "Now that we're past the initial launch of the game, we are focusing on fine-tuning network performance around the globe, using the real-world data that we have collected.
"Over the course of the next two weeks, we will roll out several updates to our network setup that will continue to improve upon the experience of our players since launch. As we have always said, launch is just the beginning, and we're committed to making Black Ops 4 the best-supported game we've ever delivered."
The latest Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 update resolved crashes and other issues across Multiplayer, Blackout, and Zombies modes. This follows the patch Treyarch rolled out last week, which made various fixes to Zombies mode. The developer says it is also investigating other Zombies bugs and will provide an update on those issues "in the coming days." You can read the patch notes on Reddit.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has been a critical and commercial success for Activision and Treyarch, breaking the publisher's record for "biggest day-one digital release." It has also been well received by critics. GameSpot awarded it an 8/10 in our Black Ops 4 review. Critic Kallie Plagge wrote, "Sure, there isn't a traditional single-player campaign, but with the depth and breadth of what is there, Black Ops 4 doesn't need it."
Pacific Rim director Guillermo Del Toro has been associated with Netflix for several years now, having produced three seasons of the acclaimed animated show Trollhunters. It has now been reported that the filmmaker is set to make a new movie version of the classic fairy tale Pinocchio.
According to Variety, Del Toro will write, produce, and direct a feature-length, animated musical adaptation of Pinocchio for Netflix. The movie will be set in Italy in the 1930s, against the backdrop of fascism and the rise of the dictator Benito Mussolini. Del Toro has often set his fantasy films against real life historical backdrops, such as 1940s Spanish setting of Pan's Labyrinth and the Cold War of The Shape of Water.
In a statement, Del Toro explained why he was drawn to this project. "No art form has influenced my life and my work more than animation and no single character in history has had as deep of a personal connection to me as Pinocchio," he said. "In our story, Pinocchio is an innocent soul with an uncaring father who gets lost in a world he cannot comprehend. He embarks on an extraordinary journey that leaves him with a deep understanding of his father and the real world. I've wanted to make this movie for as long as I can remember."
This new version of Pinocchio isn't the only new production that Del Toro is working on for Netflix. In May, it was announced that he was developing a new horror anthology series for the streaming service titled10 After Midnight. In addition, his Trollhunters spin-off series 3 Below will be released in in December.
Epic has begun teasing an apparent Halloween event for Fortnite, titled Fortnitemares. The event will kick off this Wednesday, October 24 and last through Monday, November 26. It promises "spooky rewards" for completing special Fortnitemares challenges, and uses a variation on the Season 6 theme, "Darkness has risen."
One such reward could be a skin that Epic appears to be teasing through Twitter. Three images have been revealed so far, and at least two of them look like they fit together like a puzzle. The Fortnitemares rewards will probably go through both the Battle Royale and Save the World modes, since Epic has announced that you can win a couple of skins by logging onto Save the World during the event.
That same announcement gave word that the Save the World mode, which had been planned for release as a free-to-play mode this year, won't be switching to free after all. That means to earn any Fortnitemare rewards you'll need to be a founder, but the studio is offering those packages at half-price.
The whole season is fairly creepy, and its biggest Battle Pass reward is the Dire Wolf skin that changes you into more and more of a werewolf as you level it up. We've also seen a slow drip of special Halloweenskins. For more Halloween events, check out our Halloween roundup.
The beta for Fallout 76 is just about ready to get underway, and those who will be playing on Xbox One can being pre-loading. This test won't be available at all times, but with the first of these nearly here, Bethesda has announced the first window during which you'll be able to play. The initial session will take place on Tuesday, October 23 from 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT to 11 PM ET / 8 PM PT. The full schedule for the first test follows below.
As previously detailed, Bethesda will be running individual targeted time frames for players to access the beta. The idea is that this will force more players together at a specific time to stress test and put the game through its paces. Sessions will typically last 4-8 hours in a given day, and then the beta will be inoperable again until the next session. The process will repeat over again until November 14.
A beta code is available to anyone who pre-ordered the game across Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4. Pre-loading is only available on Xbox One for now, since the PC and PS4 betas will begin on October 30. You'll receive a code with your physical pre-order to enter into the accounts page, or you'll be entered into the pool automatically if you pre-order a digital copy. Note that those codes don't grant you access. Rather, they put you into the potential pool of players to get a distribution code later, since Bethesda is rolling out the invites in waves.
Fallout 76 Beta Times (October 23/24)
US Pacific Time: 4 PM - 8 PM (Tuesday, October 23)
US Eastern Time: 7 PM - 11 PM (Tuesday, October 23)
UK BST: 12 AM - 4 AM (Wednesday, October 24)
Australia AEDT: 10 AM - 2 PM (Wednesday, October 24)
Bethesda plans to let to keep your progress from the beta through to the full game. Pre-ordering also will get you 500 Atoms, the in-game currency, for purchasing cosmetic items in the shop.
Fallout 76 is due out on November 14. For more details, check out our guide to everything we know.
By Anonymous on Oct 22, 2018 10:57 pm We go beyond and try out a bunch of our favorite My Hero Academia characters in versus mode including All Might, Midoriya, Bakugo, Todoroki, and more.
After nearly a decade, the end of the Game of Thrones TV show is in sight. Fortunately, fans of the series have new things to look forward to, but even for those with faith in George RR Martin, the prospect of a new Song of Ice and Fire novel looks increasingly unlikely. Similarly, what the future holds for video game adaptations of the franchise is unclear. Telltale is all but dead, and for a series that has proven to be such a phenomenal success in other mediums, it's surprising that there haven't been more game adaptations. Reigns: Game of Thrones may not be the Elder Scrolls-style RPG you're hoping for, but it does nonetheless offer a welcome use of the license--even if it does occasionally stumble with repetition.
Reigns: GoT has you take on the role of king or queen of Westeros. You're faced with a series of situations, and you respond to each card that pops up with a binary choice by swiping left or right. Your decisions impact four different meters you must constantly balance: military, religion, citizens, and money. It sounds simple, but you have to prevent all of these meters not just from emptying, but also from filling all the way up. Becoming overwhelmingly popular with the people sounds great, but it's a one-way ticket to losing your throne thanks to jealous lords who launch a coup. You're able to preview the impact of any decision, but you're only told which meters will be affected and whether it'll be a minor and major effect, not whether it will increase or decrease.
This results in a certain amount of guesswork when you're initially presented with any scenario, which can lead to a swift death--I've had runs end with my very first swipe. In time you'll develop an understanding for how to approach situations, and the challenge comes in being prepared for anything. You're never sure what opportunity or obstacle lies around the next corner, and deftly handling whatever is thrown at you is the key to success.
As is appropriate for Game of Thrones, no character is untouchable, and that's true for each of the rulers you can play as. Like in the previous Reigns games, your death is the very likely outcome of any run, but it comes in many forms, and discovering them all (whether it's contracting greyscale, getting lost in the tunnels of the Red Keep, or being burned to death by wildfire) is one of the most entertaining aspects of the game. It's a rarity that death is a legitimately enjoyable moment in a game, but that's undoubtedly the case here.
That's thanks in large part to the excellent writing. Despite each card consisting of a few sentences at most, characters are colorful, distinct, and full of personality. And although the subject matter is often serious, and the world brutal, the game manages to maintain an air of lightheartedness throughout. Some part of that is due to the apparent decision to leave out the sexual assault and rape that is a common element of Martin's novels and the TV show. The game is better off by not trivializing these things by having you respond to them with a Tinder-style swipe, and their absence makes you feel no less like you're inhabiting the world of the books and show.
The use of well-established characters is thankfully not heavily reliant on quotes or wink-wink references to the show, like you might expect. While it makes sense that your own ruler's personality is dictated by your choices, there are the occasional moments where characters feel less like themselves and more like generic individuals who share the name and look of their book/show counterparts, but these instances are few and far between.
Reigns: GoT embraces its non-canonical status, building loosely on the state of the world from Seasons 6 and 7 and allowing it to expand in many different directions. You're able to make decisions that run contradictory to what we know about these characters; there's nothing stopping you from making Cersei into a benevolent leader or Jon Snow into a materialistic jerk. You will face resistance where you'd expect; Winterfell is not inclined to take kindly to Cersei's attempts at diplomacy. This helps to deepen the sense that you are occupying this world, and not one that just happens to have characters whose names you recognize.
The game is well suited to mobile, where you can quickly knock out a brief run. It's designed to be replayed over and over as you take different paths and try different rulers and approaches. In time, you recognize patterns and scenarios that emerge repeatedly, and playing begins to feel like exploring an elaborate maze. You can't save your progress during any run, so you're unable to do the old choose-your-adventure book trick of peeking ahead to see if you're making the "wrong" choice. While there were times that I wished I could place a bookmark I could return to in order to see how differently things could have played out, the absence of such a feature provides a weight to each of your decisions. You'll just have to live (or, well, die) with your decisions, whether or not you like the outcome.
As with discovering the many deaths that await you, much of the fun comes from finding every corner of the maze, rather than successfully navigating your way out of it. The threat of the White Walkers is constantly looming in the background, and some runs do prove to be repetitive and dull, offering nothing new to see or do. But more often, you'll be faced with some well-written scenario to see through, be it a war with Dorne, the threat of the Greyjoys, or experiments with wildfire. While this could have felt directionless, vaguely described optional objectives--win a tavern brawl, make Dothraki pie, and so on--provide you with a loose path to pursue as you seek to check everything off your list.
While the Game of Thrones license is the headlining feature, there are some advancements here that provide welcome variety and iterate on the formula established in Reigns and Reigns: Her Majesty. You'll periodically have the opportunity to pick from a handful of branches of a decision tree (though these still lead to swipe left or right choices). Slightly more elaborate sequences have you making a series of decisions that, rather than directly affect your four reputation meters, determine whether you successfully complete a long trip or win a battle. In the latter case, you'll have to make tactical decisions about which of your forces to use against specific opponents. StarCraft this is not, but these sequences help to break up the action and make these moments feel like the significant events that they should.
Reigns: GoT is by no means perfect. It doesn't lend itself to long play sessions thanks to the potential for repetition, which can make the action feel tedious. But that's ultimately a minor quibble for what's a genuinely fun experience: a choose-your-own adventure where you're faced with non-stop decisions and a seemingly endless combination of ways for things to play out.
Any game as big as Red Dead Redemption 2 is probably going to be a system-seller. And if you're in the market for an Xbox One S or Xbox One X, you can save $100 if you buy Red Dead Redemption 2 from GameStop between October 26 and November 3. That's a killer deal for anyone who's looking to buy both of those items anyway.
If you need help choosing between the two console models, you can check out our Xbox One S and Xbox One X reviews to get the full rundown on what features each one includes. We've also done an in-depth comparison of the models. It's worth noting that Red Dead Redemption 2 is an Xbox One X-enhanced game, meaning it runs in 4K and supports HDR when played on an Xbox One X connected to a TV with the corresponding features. (The S also supports HDR, but not native 4K--it's confusing).
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prequel to the 2010 original. It takes place in 1899 and finds the Van der Linde gang on a crime spree in the Old West. You play as a man named Arthur Morgan this time around, though the previous game's protagonist, John Marston, also makes an appearance. The game comes out October 26 on Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
You can check out our Red Dead Redemption story recap to get yourself up to speed from a narrative perspective. We've also gone hands-on with the game, so you can see our thoughts on 90 minutes of playtime. And if you're ready to place your pre-order, we have everything you need to know about the pre-order bonuses, as well as what comes in each edition and how much it costs in our Red Dead Redemption 2 pre-order guide.
Titan Comics has brought some of today's biggest video game franchises to the printed page with its adaptations of Tekken, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, and From Software's critically acclaimed action RPG, Bloodborne, among many others. The first issue of Titan's Bloodborne: The Death of Sleep series arrived back in February, but if you've missed out and would like to catch up on the story so far, you'll soon have an opportunity to pick up the first few issues in one collection.
Bloodborne: The Death of Sleep Vol. 1 goes on sale in comic stores and online tomorrow, October 23. It collects the first four issues of Titan's Bloodborne series into one 112-page graphic novel. Here's Titan's synopsis of the series: "Awakening in an ancient city plagued by a twisted endemic--where horrific beasts stalk the shadows and the streets run slick with the blood of the damned--a nameless Hunter embarks on a dangerous quest in search of Paleblood... his only escape from the endless Night of the Hunt..."
Bloodborne: The Death of Sleep is written by Ales Kot, whose previous credits include Change, Zero, and Wolf. It features artwork by Piotr Kowalski, who has also worked on Titan's Wolfenstein and Witcher comics, as well as Dark Tower, Sex, and Robocop. Titan has provided GameSpot with an exclusive preview of The Death of Sleep Vol. 1; you can read eight pages from the upcoming collection by clicking through the gallery below.
Bloodborne: The Death of Sleep Vol. 1 retails for $17 / £14. You can find more details on Titan's website. A fifth issue in the series, titled Bloodborne: The Healing Thirst, launched last month. Likewise written and illustrated by Kot and Kowalski, The Healing Thirst "delve[s] into the dark underbelly of the Healing Church."
Bloodborne isn't the only From Software series to receive the comic treatment. Titan has also published a comic based on Dark Souls titled The Age of Fire, a four-issue series written by Ryan O'Sullivan (Void Trip, Warhammer). The Age of Fire features "all the main characters" from the game series and is a "dramatic retelling of the Legends of Silver Knights." All four issues are on sale now.
From Software's next title, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, is slated to release for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on March 22, 2019. Meanwhile, Dark Souls Remastered recently launched for Nintendo Switch alongside the GameStop-exclusive Solaire of Astora Amiibo figure after being delayed. While not as visually impressive as the PS4, Xbox One, and PC versions, we thought the Switch edition of Dark Souls Remastered offered a unique way to revisit the landmark title. You can read more in our Dark Souls Remastered Switch review.
Jade Raymond has departed EA Motive, the studio she helped found, making way for another executive to take on additional responsibilities. VentureBeat reports that Samantha Ryan is currently running EA's mobile, Maxis, and BioWare studios, and will add Motive to her portfolio. That puts Ryan in charge of all North American studios except Respawn and EA Sports.
EA Motive has been at work on an unnamed Star Wars title, and it most recently helped DICE on development of Star Wars Battlefront 2. That Star Wars game is the same one Amy Hennig had been at work on before leaving the company upon the closure of Visceral. Raymond had said in an interview with Game Informer that her studio was planning to use a lot of the material produced by Visceral, but to pivot more towards "player agency."
"EA Studios is focused on bringing more creative new games and content to players," an EA spokesperson told GameSpot in a statement. "Laura Miele and her team have taken several steps internally to better support our game makers in this pursuit, such as expanding Samantha Ryan's portfolio to lead additional studios, including Motive. Samantha is known for driving creative design and supporting game teams so they can bring their visions to life. She is a deeply experienced game-maker with a gameography that spans from The Sims to Batman: Arkham City to No One Lives Forever to the highly-anticipated Anthem.
"With this change, Jade Raymond has decided to leave Electronic Arts. In her time with us, Jade helped to build great teams, and our projects underway at Motive and other studios continue unchanged. We're appreciative of all of her efforts, and we wish Jade all the best as she moves on to her next adventure. We are driving greater creativity into everything we do across EA Studios, and we'll look forward to sharing more in the months to come."
A new week means you can find a new set of video game deals at Best Buy, available both in-store and online. This week's sale sees temporary price drops on a handful of PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch games, as well as discounts on accessories and $10 rewards for specific purchases and pre-orders. Let's take a look at what deals are available between now and October 27.
For PS4 owners, select DualShock 4 controllers are $5 off this week, bringing them down to $60 each. They come in a variety of colors, which is great for anyone looking to expand beyond the traditional black. Pre-order Fallout 76 this week, and you'll get a special steelbook edition, plus access to the beta. The beta begins October 23 on Xbox One and October 30 on PS4 and PC.
If you trade in select games between now and December 1, you'll get a $10 coupon toward the purchase of Battlefield V in addition to the game's trade value. That's on top of the $10 reward credit you can get for pre-ordering Battlefield V. Speaking of credit, if you pre-order Just Cause 4, which comes out December 4, you'll also get a $10 reward. And buying Dragon Ball FighterZ for Nintendo Switch gets you a free $10 Best Buy gift card.
There aren't that many games on sale this week at Best Buy, but you can same some cash on a few fine titles. Sports fans can grab NHL 19 or NBA 2K19 for $40 each. The open-world shooter Far Cry 5 is on sale for $30, the cheapest we've seen it drop yet on console. And Xbox One owners can pick up Minecraft: Explorer's Pack for $20.
You can find more video game discounts at Best Buy right here.
Mondo, the company that produces high-quality, limited edition posters, collectibles, apparels, and more, is bring the Castlevania: Symphony of the Night soundtrack to vinyl. The 2XLP will be available on October 24 and is being released in partnership with Castlevania developer and publisher Konami.
"Originally released for the Playstation 2, Symphony of the Night is considered one of the most essential video games of all time, and one of the parents of the genre now known as the 'Metroidvania,'" Mondo says. "The story follows Alucard, the son of Dracula, directly after the events of Rondo of Blood, and his attempt to stop his father's castle's sudden reappearance.
"This double LP features 41 tracks from the game (including seven bonus tracks from the Sega Saturn version of the game) all remastered for vinyl, and featuring all new original artwork by Jasmin Darnell."
The soundtrack will be available on three different colorways: 2x 180 Gram Black, Gold, and Bone. The bone version is limited to 1,000 copies. It's also available in Gram Bone or Silver Swirl with a white splatter, or a Gram Translucent Red colored vinyl, which will be available at record stores. The Black, Gold, and Bone (limited), and Bone/Silver Swirl with white splatter, meanwhile, will be available at MondoTees.com. Each of these vinyls will be priced at $35 and you can see images of them below.
The next few weeks are going to be quite Castlevania heavy, which will no doubt be welcoming to fans of the series, who have been underserved as of late. On October 26, Season 2 of Netflix's Castlevania animated series will be available to stream. It is once more written by acclaimed comic book writer Warren Ellis, with Richard Armitage reprising his role as Trevor Belmont.
Also on October 26, Konami will launch Castlevania Requiem on PlayStation 4. This digital release will have Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Rondo of Blood in one package. Both titles are their original releases emulated for the PlayStation 4, with updates that take advantage of the new hardware. These updates include 4K/1080p upscaling, multiple high resolution backgrounds, different rendering options such as smoothing and full Trophy support.
Sadly, the version of Symphony of the Night included in this package is based on the PSP release that was included in Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles. This version, though faithful to the PlayStation original in most respects, removes the iconic "What is a man?" moment from the game, which has come to be quite beloved in the Castlevania fan community.
Recent Articles:
You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website.
The scary movie has a great first weekend.
We go beyond and try out a bunch of our favorite My Hero Academia characters in versus mode including All Might, Midoriya, Bakugo, Todoroki, and more.
No comments:
Post a Comment