The final week of Destiny 2's Festival of the Lost has kicked off, and with it comes the last big piece of the three-week Halloween-themed event. It's a murder mystery quest line Bungie teased at the start of the Festival, in which players are tasked with figuring out what happened to Master Ives, the Cryptarch formerly seen in the Reef back in the first Destiny.
Ives' death is both a story point and, some Destiny 2 players suspect, a quest to get a new Exotic weapon. That gun is Thunderlord, a lightning-slinging machine gun from the original Destiny that hasn't shown up yet in the sequel, which recent datamining leaks have suggested is going to pop up in the Festival. There has also been some suggestion from leaks that the quest might take three weeks to complete--the first step unlocked on October 30, but players are still waiting to see when the second step will become available.
So far, the quest to find Master Ives' killer does have the hallmarks of an Exotic quest line. To start it, head to Amanda Holliday in the Tower, where you'll receive Master Ives' journal. The pursuit item is colored gold, like other Exotic weapons quests, and requires players to search out the missing pages from Ives' diary out in the world.
Clearing that first step is actually pretty easy to accomplish. There are 10 pages to acquire, and players can get them either by finding Legendary engrams in various activities--including Gambit, the Crucible, Strikes, and everything else you already do in Destiny 2--or from killing tougher Fallen enemies in the EDZ on Earth.
Actually snagging all the pages is an easy feat to knock out if you head to the EDZ. You're looking for Fallen with orange-colored health bars, which are otherwise known as Elite bad guys. You need the orange enemies in particular; you won't get pages from Majors, who have yellow health bars, like the ones designated as high-value targets, for instance.
The quickest way to find Elite Fallen to kill in the EDZ is to find a public event and join it. The Glimmer Mining event that takes place in various places in the EDZ is a solid bet, especially if you knock it up to its Heroic level. You won't get a page for every Elite you kill, but the drop rate is pretty high--one or two public events should do it.
If you don't feel like messing around on Earth, you can also spend some shards at the Cryptarch in the Tower to quickly gather up the Legendary engrams you need to complete the step. That method will cost you 250 Legendary shards if you buy 10 engrams to get all 10 pages. Given how easy it is to get the pages in the EDZ or by earning Legendaries organically, though, you probably don't need to waste the shards.
Once you've completed that step, you'll have to wait. According to the description on the pursuit, Holliday needs time to decrypt the pages Master Ives created in order to find out what happened to him, and she'll contact players when that's done. Since the next step didn't unlock with Destiny 2's daily refresh on Wednesday, October 31, it may well be that we'll have to wait until the November 6 weekly refresh for the next piece of the puzzle. We'll follow up with more information on how to track down Master Ives' killer (and maybe get Thunderlord) once the next steps become available.
November is hours away, and that means it's almost time to spend the day gorging yourself on turkey, making sure to avoid the family you're forced to hang out with. What better way to avoid forced conversation than sitting around the television, watching Netflix, together? November is almost here, and Netflix has revealed what is coming to its service for the next month, as well as what is leaving the subscription service.
Kicking off the month, Netflix is bringing a slew of movies on Thursday, November 1. If you haven't seen it yet, you'll need to watch From Dusk Till Dawn. The 1996 action/horror film is by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino and follows two criminals on the run who take a family in an RV hostage. They all end up at a strip club in Mexico that's filled with vampires. Also coming on the first of the month is Cape Fear, Marvel's Doctor Strange, and Sixteen Candles.
If Netflix's originals are more up your alley, then you're in luck, as there are 46 movies and series coming in November. Most notable is the return of House of Cards, for Season 6, which will be its final season. This time around, Kevin Spacey won't be involved after sexual abuse allegations came out against the House of Cards star. The final season will follow Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) as the President of the United States, which was revealed in the first trailer.
There are plenty of other original series to get excited about as well. Mystery Science Theater 3000 returns for another season to make fun of some terrible, old movies, coming November 22. Also, She-Ra--He-Man's superpowered cousin--is getting a fun and bubbly reboot on November 16. Along with a new collection of The Great British Baking Show on November 9, you'll have a ton to watch.
The full the list for Netflix is below, and make sure to check out what's coming to Hulu and Amazon for the month of November as well.
Everything coming to Netflix in November
Avail. 11/1/18
Angela's Christmas-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Bring It On: In It to Win It
Cape Fear
Children of Men
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Cloverfield
Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo
Doctor Strange
Fair Game - Director's Cut
Follow This: Part 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
From Dusk Till Dawn
Good Will Hunting
Jet Li's Fearless
Julie & Julia
Katt Williams: The Pimp Chronicles: Pt. 1
National Lampoon's Animal House
Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow
Planet Hulk
Scary Movie 2
Scary Movie 3
Sex and the City: The Movie
Sixteen Candles
Stink!
The English Patient
The Judgement-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
Transcendence
Vaya
Avail. 11/2/18
Brainchild-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
House of Cards: Season 6-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
ReMastered: Tricky Dick & The Man in Black-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Holiday Calendar-- NETFLIX FILM
The Other Side of the Wind-- NETFLIX FILM
They'll Love Me When I'm Dead-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Trolls: The Beat Goes On!: Season 4-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 11/3/18
Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil
Avail. 11/4/18
Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj (Streaming Every Sunday, begins October 28)-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 11/5/18
Homecoming: Season 1
John Leguizamo's Latin History for Morons-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 11/7/18
Into the Forest
Avail. 11/8/18
The Sea of Trees
Avail. 11/9/18
Beat Bugs: Season 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
La Reina del Flow-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Medal of Honor-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Outlaw King-- NETFLIX FILM
Spirit Riding Free: Season 7-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Super Drags-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Great British Baking Show: Collection 6-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Treehouse Detectives: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Westside-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 11/12/18
Green Room
Avail. 11/13/18
Loudon Wainwright III: Surviving Twin-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Oh My Ghost-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Warrior-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 11/15/18
May The Devil Take You-- NETFLIX FILM
The Crew-- NETFLIX FILM
Avail. 11/16/18
Cam-- NETFLIX FILM
Narcos: Mexico-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Ponysitters Club: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Prince of Peoria-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs-- NETFLIX FILM
The Break-Up
The Kominsky Method-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Princess Switch-- NETFLIX FILM
Avail. 11/18/18
The Pixar Story
Avail. 11/19/18
The Last Kingdom: Season 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 11/20/18
Kulipari: Dream Walker-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Motown Magic-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Sabrina-- NETFLIX FILM
The Final Table-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Trevor Noah: Son of Patricia-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 11/21/18
The Tribe-- NETFLIX FILM
Avail. 11/22/18
Jiro Dreams of Sushi
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Gauntlet-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Christmas Chronicles-- NETFLIX FILM
Avail. 11/23/18
Frontier: Season 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Fugitiva-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Sick Note-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Sick Note: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
To Build or Not to Build: Season 2
Avail. 11/25/18
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Best Gift Ever
Avail. 11/27/18
Bumping Mics with Jeff Ross & Dave Attel-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 11/29/18
Pocoyo: Season 4
Avail. 11/30/18
1983-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding-- NETFLIX FILM
Baby-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Death by Magic-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
F is for Family: Season 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Happy as Lazzaro-- NETFLIX FILM
Rajma Chawal-- NETFLIX FILM
Spy Kids: Mission Critical: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The World Is Yours-- NETFLIX FILM
Tiempo compartido-- NETFLIX FILM
Leaving Netflix in November
Leaving 11/1/18
Amelie
Crossfire
Cruel Intentions
Cruel Intentions 2
Cruel Intentions 3
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park III
Oculus
Phenomenon
Run to me
Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball
Steel Magnolias
The Invasion
The Land Before Time
The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure
The Land Before Time III: The Time of the Great Giving
The latest weekly reset in Destiny 2 is a significant one, as it coincides with both the launch of a major new update and the start of the Festival of the Lost's murder mystery questline. But in terms of the standard refresh, another Ascendant Challenge is now available, this one returning from the third week of Forsaken. Here's where its portal is located and what to do inside.
If you've done an Ascendant Challenge before, you'll have an idea of how this goes overall. Start out by buying the appropriate bounty from Petra in the Dreaming City. Alongside that, you'll need a Tincture of Queensfoil. Once you consume that you get the Ascendance buff that allows you to see the Taken portal--after you've found it.
This particular portal is located in the Spire of Keres; you can see its location in the video above. Go through it to visit the Ascendant Plane, where are tasked with climbing a tower made of rocks without dying. Enemies will try to snipe you, and Taken rifts will try to boop you off the tower to your death. Be careful with where you move as you go toward the top; once you're there, kill the boss to complete the Ascendant Challenge.
Your reward is a chest that may not have anything special inside, but you'll also complete the bounty you picked up from Petra. This offers a piece of Powerful gear, making this a task worth tackling.
As noted above, the prerequisite for doing an Ascendant Challenge--aside from access to the Dreaming City, which only comes after finishing the Forsaken campaign--is a Tincture of Queensfoil. These can be obtained through chests and Public Events in the Dreaming City, but that's not the only means.
The video above details a location you can go to trade 50 Baryon Boughs, the planetary material you earn in the Dreaming City, for a Tincture of Queensfoil. If you're desperate to get your hands on one to try the Ascendant Challenge, follow our video guide to help you find your way to the spot where you can trade with Huginn.
If you're going to survive in Red Dead Redemption 2's world, you're going to need cash. Previously we've highlighted several ways to earn money relatively quickly by working many of the game's core systems and mechanics, but there exists a secret method that can give a significant bump to your wallet without much effort.
The method in question is none other than the Poisonous Trail treasure map side mission, which by its end rewards you with four gold bars that equate to about $2,000 when sold. As you explore, you'll often find treasure maps that lead you to all manner of valuable items, but none are as lucrative as the Poisonous Trail maps, which you can complete early on. Of course, if you're more into cheating the system, you can try out this newly discovered glitch that can net you 30 gold bars. But we all know that's nowhere near as fun!
Below are directions leading you to all the treasure maps in the Poisonous Trail side mission. We've also included screenshots to aid you in your journey. It's worth noting that you cannot simply head to the final location to cash in on the gold. You need to find every single treasure map first before the gold appears in its associated location.
The first map is found at Cairn Lake, which is located north of Valentine up in the mountains. It's snowy up there, so make sure to bring a thick jacket with you before heading up that direction. If you've triggered "The Noblest of Men, and a Woman" Stranger mission, you'll notice that this is the exact location of legendary gunslinger Flaco Hernandez.
Once you make it to Cairn Lake, you should find a small abandoned cabin--the one that Hernandez is staying in. Approach the bed to the right and uncover the lock box underneath it, which holds the first treasure map along some extra valuables.
Treasure Map 2: Face Rock and an Unassuming Tree Trunk
The first treasure map is attempting to clue you in on a location with a rock that seemingly resembles a face. If you haven't spent much time exploring, this natural formation may seem a mystery to you. Fortunately, we know exactly where it is. Simply proceed down to the Lemoyne region, which is located just South of New Hanover. You can find the rock just north of the "E" in "Scarlett" on the map; check the screenshot in the gallery above for visual clarification.
You'll spot Face Rock on a hill. To find the map, go past the tree directly next to Face Rock. You'll want to run further back to the hill's rear where there's a thin tree trunk right beside a fallen tree. The map is located in this thin tree trunk.
Final Treasure Map: The Mysterious Snake Mound
The second treasure map has you searching for a snake-like land formation. Yet again, an oddity that you're likely to have missed if you haven't spent significant time taking note of every curiosity out in the world. This bizarre mound is located southeast of Van Horn, a reasonable distance south of the "R" in "New Hanover" on the map.
As the treasure map indicates, you're going to want to search for a pile of rocks near the snake-like mound. It's pretty easy to spot as it's literally just a clumped-up pile of rocks with a hole at the center. Search the hole to find the final treasure map. Onward to the treasure!
The Treasure: Gold! Gold! Gold!
The final treasure map points to a waterfall and what appears to be a pathway in a cave. You'll find this waterfall at the Elysian Pond, which is located directly northeast of the "E" in "Hanover" on the map. When you arrive, walk through the waterfall to discover the entrance of a hidden cave.
It's dark in the cave, so bust out your lantern. Proceed through the cave until you find a section in the path where you can drop down. When you land, proceed through the crawl space on the right, which will lead you to the fork in the road pictured on the map. Take the right path, but before you do hug right to find a makeshift camp with a lockbox containing a Large Jewelry Bag.
Continue the path forward until you reach what appears to be a pit into certain doom. Instead of falling to your death, proceed left until you reach another edge. If you look closely, your lantern will illuminate some solid ground below that you can land on. But take a few steps back; you're going to want a running start in order to make this jump. If you're acrobatics are sufficient, head down the slope to the left. You'll slip down into some water; once you gain your balance, look to your left for a rock platform to climb up. Search this area and you'll be rewarded with four bars of gold.
If this is the first time you've obtained gold, know that you can sell them at Fences for direct profit. Though, if you're feeling particularly generous, it's possible to donate it directly to your camp.
As you explore Red Dead Redemption 2's vast open world, you'll come across a lot of interesting (and slightly disturbing) things. Sometimes it's a wailing snake-bite victim in need of assistance; other times, it's a creepy abandoned building with a story to tell. But there's one set of chance encounters more gruesome than the rest, and once you find the first, you'll be on the lookout for a very messed-up serial killer.
You'll likely find the first murder scene early in the game. While the other two murder victims are a bit of a ride from the opening areas, you can find them at any time as long as you can freely roam the map. For this guide, we've kept location spoilers to a minimum, and all the screenshots are from an early save with little unlocked--so no worries if you want to play detective for a bit before you really dig into the rest of the game. Of course, this does contain spoilers for the American Dreams Stranger Mission.
There are three murder scenes to be found, with a piece of a map hidden at each. In order to initiate the Stranger Mission itself, you first have to put the map back together. In general, you're looking for an area that sticks out in some way--maybe you see blood stains on the road or vultures in the distance. You can also zoom in on the map when you get close, since an X marking the corpse will appear and show you the way.
Murder 1: South of Valentine
The first murder scene is just outside of Valentine. Follow the railroad tracks going south out of town; you'll have to ride directly on the tracks at one point to get over a gap, and then you'll find the body under the next overpass. The "front" of the scene faces west. You'll find creepy words written in paint on the right, and to the left, the victim's severed head is stuck to a support beam. In its mouth is the first of three map pieces.
Murder 2: West of Shady Belle
The second crime scene can be found in the Scarlett Meadows region, which is a decent ride southeast of Valentine. It's just west of Shady Belle or a bit south of Rhodes, depending on your angle of approach. It's easiest to spot coming from Shady Belle; take the road west, go straight at the first fork, and keep going straight for a bit until you reach a second major fork. Turn right here, then go straight until you reach another fork in the road. The corpse will be strung up in a large tree to your left; on your map, it will be right around where the "S" in "meadows" is. Go around the back of the tree to find the severed head and map piece.
Murder 3: Southwest of Wallace Station
The final murder victim can be found strapped to a large rock just southwest of Wallace Station in the West Elizabeth region (it's west and a bit south of Valentine, across the river). Cross the stream and you'll see the rock up the hill, likely with vultures perched on top of it. The head and final map piece are on a smaller rock to the left.
Step 2: Locating the Killer
Once complete, the map will give you vague instructions on where to go and what to do when you get there. It shows a bridge with arrows leading into a forest, a dilapidated log cabin, and a code for a combination lock: 6-34-32. As any true crime fan knows, murderers usually kill in areas they know and perhaps live in, which is as good a place to start as any. (If you'd rather solve the mystery yourself from here on out, don't keep reading!)
As it turns out, it ends where it all began: Valentine, or technically southwest of Valentine at a place called Lucky's Cabin. If you're coming straight from the Wallace Station murder scene, cross the river and follow the main road northeast--this is the direction shown on the map, and you'll turn left just after you cross the bridge to reach the cabin. If you're instead coming from Valentine, just follow the road out of town to the west.
With the pieced-together map, you'll be able to open the basement doors and see the horrors within. A white ? icon indicating a Stranger Mission should appear on the map around the cabin--if not, you might have an active mission you need to complete first. After taking a good look around the killer's hideout (use your lantern if you really want to see every grisly detail), head to the back and inspect the knife. This will trigger a cutscene, so all you need to do is follow the prompts.
Once you've hogtied and delivered the killer to the Sheriff's office in Valentine, he'll attack the Sheriff. Use Dead Eye to kill him and save the Sheriff for a reward, which will complete the American Dreams Stranger Mission. Hopefully Arthur isn't too creeped out.
With Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee less than a month away from their Nintendo Switch release, The Pokemon Company is continuing to build excitement for the games by sharing another new trailer. Fittingly for Halloween, this one focuses entirely on the creepiest location in the Kanto region: Lavender Town.
The trailer, which you can watch below, offers our first look at how the notorious village has been reimagined for the upcoming Switch games. As in the original Pokemon Yellow version, Lavender Town is a small settlement that's home to the Pokemon Tower--a tall, foreboding structure that houses the graves of departed Pokemon. Naturally, the tower is haunted; as you can see in the video, its floors are wreathed in a ethereal purple mist, and your poor partner Pikachu or Eevee shivers with fear as you explore.
The Pokemon Tower is also the only place in the Kanto region where you can capture Ghost-type Pokemon, and in the new trailer, you can see Gastly, Haunter, and even Gengar battling it out amongst all of the Pokemon graves. Perhaps even more notably, you can also hear the new rendition of Lavender Town's distinctive, eerie theme, which remains one of the area's most unforgettable features (and has spawned its share of urban legends).
While Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee are based largely on the aforementioned Pokemon Yellow, they also diverge from the classic game in some notable ways. Team Rocket's Jessie and James appear more frequently throughout the course of the adventure than they did in the original, and this time around, tough post-game Master Trainers will appear around the Kanto region after you've defeated the Elite Four.
The Let's Go games also allow you to obtain a brand-new Mythical Pokemon, Meltan. This rare Steel-type can be captured in Pokemon Go and transferred over to the Switch titles via the new Go Park facility. Meltan is also notable for being the first Mythical Pokemon capable of evolving; if you feed it enough Candy in Pokemon Go, it will transform into the hulking Melmetal.
The first look at Superman actor Henry Cavill as Geralt in the upcoming Netflix adaptation of The Witcher has been revealed. The fantasy show is currently in pre-production and is set to star Cavill is the iconic lead character from the Witcher novels and video games.
Netflix released a brief video showing off Cavill's new look. As the clapperboard at the start of the video reveals, it is from a hair and make-up test. It shows Cavill, with flowing white hair, walking purposefully towards the camera. There's no sign of Geralt's beard, but Cavill has possibly had enough of facial hair for a while. Check it out below:
Cavill was confirmed in the role of Geralt in September, following a hint that he dropped while promoting Mission Impossible: Fallout. In October, two more names were added to the cast. Freya Allan (Into the Badlands) will play Ciri, while Anya Chalotra (Wanderlust) will take on the role of Yennifer.
The Witcher is produced by Lauren S. Hissrich, who previously worked on Daredevil, The Defenders, and the upcoming Netflix drama Umbrella Academy. It will run for eight episodes, and is based on the fantasy novel series written by Andrzej Sapkowski, from which the games are also adapted. Sapkowski is set to work on the English language drama series as a creative consultant.
The show was announced in May, but it is not expected to hit the service until 2020. "We're moving quickly ahead with everything--like, my head is spinning around Exorcist-style, except with enthusiasm, not evil possession--but one thing is certain: quality comes before speed," Hissrich said at the time.
As for the Witcher game series, the newest instalment was 2015's The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. No new projects in the series have been announced, and developer CD Projekt Red is now working on the much-anticipated Cyberpunk 2077.
You won't see much that you haven't already when you dive into The Heist, the first of three pieces of DLC for Marvel's Spider-Man on PlayStation 4. By and large, The Heist offers more of the same thing that Spider-Man did: a smattering of fun, quick open-world activities, coupled with a more character-focused storyline.
That's not to say you shouldn't play it, though, or even that The Heist reiterating what worked previously is much of a negative. It adds more of what made Spider-Man an engaging, reliable, and very fun experience. Sure, it fills its open world with activities that are pretty much what you have already completed--almost all new crimes to stop in New York are just slight spins on offerings in the vanilla package. But after a break following Spider-Man's release, it's great to get back into Insomniac's beautiful rendition of New York and punch some bad guys, sling some webs, and uncover the first part of a new and affecting story.
That story is what really makes The Heist interesting, as the rest is just open-world window dressing to take advantage of Spider-Man's solid systems. After being teased in the main game, Spider-Man's old friend-slash-former-lover-slash-semi-nemesis Black Cat is back in town. She's both up to no good and potentially in trouble, since her arrival coincides with the resurgence of a mafia crime family in the wake of Spidey's removal of the Kingpin at the start of the main game.
Like the base game, what makes the story work is the personal connection of it all. Peter Parker and Black Cat have a deep and fraught history together, and it clouds his judgment from the jump.The relationship between Pete and MJ is already complicated--and that was before his ex showed up and started robbing museums. That Black Cat has seemingly thrown in with the mob, which makes her dangerous, might put her in danger, and messes with Peter's head even more. Mission by mission, the best part of The Heist is watching Peter grapple with how he feels about Black Cat and what exactly her return means for his life going forward.
Apart from the story, it's not all a rehash of the main game's glories. The story missions offer some great, refreshing takes on elements that have shown up in Spider-Man before, like an opening museum heist in which Spidey has to save the art from grabby mafiosos, or a later tag-team scenario in which Spidey and Black Cat stealth-beat down a bunch of bad guys. Insomniac capitalizes on just how well-designed Spider-Man is, and these ideas are especially engaging when they're added to the unfolding story.
The Heist won't keep seasoned spider-folk busy for long--it's easy to wrap up everything it has to offer in a handful of hours--but that's also part of the appeal of the game itself. Spider-Man does a good job of avoiding the feeling of your time being wasted, and the story campaign clips along so that it feels substantial without being an investment in busywork.
Apart from the story, a new slate of challenges offer some tougher activities to master. This time, they're geared around one of the main game's better side activities, created by the online streaming psycho Screwball. Again, they're not terribly different from Taskmaster's challenges from the main game, but they carry some fun twists, like "photobomb areas" where Spidey can earn bonus points for performing cool moves, or requirements like only using a certain set of gadgets in a fight.
Insomniac's strong character work and solid storytelling are combined with a few new fun activities in New York, making The Heist an engaging return and a meaningful addition to what is already an impressive open-world title. The biggest bummer of the whole thing is that it ends on a cliffhanger that leaves you wishing November, and the next chapter of The City That Never Sleeps, would hurry up and get here.
The final day of October has arrived, which means if you haven't picked up your free PC games from Twitch, your last chance has arrived. The games are free to anyone with an Amazon Prime account; all you have to do is link it to your Twitch account, and you're good to go. This is a particularly fine month for fans of horror and creepy games in general, because that's the theme for this month's titles. It's the month of Halloween, after all.
The games in question are fairly well known, headlined by Darksiders: Warmastered Edition. In it, you play as War, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who sets out to fight back the forces of hell after the cataclysmic event gets triggered prematurely. If you can get past the title, you'll find a fine action game that mixes combat inspired by God of War with the types of elaborate puzzles you'd find in a Zelda game. With Darksiders 3 launching November 27, now is a great time to play this one.
Next up is Soma, a fittingly chilling addition to this month's freebies in which you must make it through an underwater research facility and learn what's going on there while being hunted. Then comes the point-and-click horror game Sanitarium, followed by the genre-defining action/adventure game System Shock.
To collect your free games, just head over to Twitch on a computer and click the crown-shaped icon at the top of the page. That opens a dropdown menu with a list of all the freebies you're eligible for. Click the button under each game to add it to your account, then go to the "My Games" section of the Twitch desktop app to install it.
GameStop kicks off a new week's worth of deals each Wednesday. This week's sale is now live, with discounts on games and hardware for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. We've scrolled through this week's ad and hand-picked some of the best deals available, so let's take a look and start saving money.
Pre-ordering Spyro Reignited Trilogy gets you a keychain featuring the fire-breathing protagonist. If you have any of these games to trade in, you'll get $20 off any new game or pre-order. Select Pokemon figures and plushes are 25% off. In an ongoing deal, you can get a four-for-$20 deal on pre-owned games under $10. And although there's no specific date for when it will be, GameStop says another Pro Day sales event is coming soon. These are one-day sales that are limited to those with a Pro membership.
As for the game deals, there are some great discounts available this week. God of War is down to $35--the lowest price we've seen yet. Or you can grab the Collector's Edition, which comes with a Kratos and Atreus statue, among other things, for $60 (normally $100). Switch owners may want to pick up Nintendo Labo Robot Kit for $60 or Axiom Verge: Multiverse Edition for $24.
You'll find more deals below, or check out GameStop's weekly ad for the full rundown.
The final day of the month has arrived, which means we've reached last call for October's Xbox One and Xbox 360 Games with Gold. Once November 1 rolls around, you'll lose your chance to pick up some free Xbox One and Xbox 360 games. And while you're at it, you can already grab a pair of November's Games with Gold.
The Xbox One game in question is Overcooked, a co-op cooking game that drops you in increasingly unlikely kitchen scenarios. These might take place on a busy street, during an earthquake, or on a ship being buffeted by waves. Each cooking environment offers its own set of challenges as you and your partners try to make meals to order under tight time restrictions.
The Xbox 360 game--which can also be played on Xbox One--is Hitman: Blood Money. The fourth game in the series, it begins with Agent 47's higher-ups being targeted by a mysterious organization that wants them dead. Your job is to make your way through sandbox levels and using creative methods to assassinate your targets as you figure out who's behind the bad deeds.
One of the month's free games will remain available into November. That's the Xbox One dungeon crawler Victor Vran, a game about hunting monsters like skeletons and vampires; it's available until November 15. As for the rest of November's games, we'll have to wait for the official announcement from Microsoft, which should be coming very soon.
The Resident Evil 2 remake is right around the corner, and Capcom is playing into your survival horror nostalgia with a little treat for long-time fans. The company announced that the classic costumes for Leon and Claire will be unlockable in the game for free.
That means Leon's "Classic Police Costume" and Claire's "Classic Jacket Costume" will be available for all players. As some eagle-eyed fans have noted, Claire's is slightly different than her original look, which had black sleeves and a high neck from the shirt worn under her jacket. As an homage, though, it's recognizable.
This comes just after a new trailer revealed exclusive costumes that you can get by purchasing one of the game's Deluxe and Collector's Editions. Those included a Military and Elza Walker outfit for Claire, and the Arklay Sheriff costume for Leon. Both also have a Noir costume for that smoky old-school look. All of those are included in both the Deluxe and Collector's Editions, which come with a few different goodies. The Deluxe includes an exclusive pistol and additional music options, while the CE has all that plus some physical items: a 12-inch Leon statue, art book, and RPD renovation blueprints.
We have a treat for you! As a thanks for your undying support, we're providing all Resident Evil 2 players with a piece of nostalgia: Leon and Claire's classic costumes will be unlockable in-game, for free.#RE2pic.twitter.com/szuvgxGnl6
The Resident Evil 2 remake is coming on January 25, 2019 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. While the remake is striving to stay true to the mood and tone of the original, it's taking some big liberties. The controls and camera are more akin to later Resident Evil games, making for a uniquely fresh take on the classic.
Call of Duty is the first major shooter franchise to wade into the thickening fray that is the battle royale genre in an attempt to dethrone the existing favorites: PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and Fortnite. The new Blackout battle royale mode in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 makes a strong case for the franchise's ascendance in this genre, too. Blackout takes a lot of things that have become signature elements of battle royale, like last-player-standing matches, huge maps, randomized weapons, and careful gameplay, and tightens up the formula with the solid mechanics and polish for which the franchise has become famous.
That doesn't mean that Blackout has won the battle royale melee just for showing up, though. Yes, developer Treyarch has made a lot of great improvements to things players are used to seeing in PUBG, Fortnite, H1Z1, and others, but it's by no means perfect. Blackout relies heavily on players' existing knowledge of other battle royale games, for instance. It introduces a lot of new systems without giving much explanation about how they work, like other battle royale games, without acknowledging that with its huge audience, it's probably introducing many players to the genre for the first time. And it's still following the lead of the games that have come before it.
Blackout is a fun mode with a lot to love. The question is, can it last, especially as more and more developers chase the battle royale trend? Here are five ways that Treyarch could improve Blackout to help it become the last battle royale game standing.
Make It Easier For New Players To Learn The Game
The great thing about Call of Duty games, and one of the things that's helped make the franchise so enduring and popular, is that they're generally very easy to pick up and play. Hopping into a standard Deathmatch game in any Call of Duty doesn't require too much background knowledge for reasonably seasoned players. You don't need to know the pros and cons of every gun, for example, to be a solid fighter, because the game provides you with loadouts that make it easy to get a sense of what works for you and what doesn't.
By its very nature, the battle royale genre upends this thinking. It's inherently a more complex concept. Spending time trying out new equipment comes at the high price, since matches are longer and more involved. In any given game, you need to know where to deploy or try to deploy; what equipment you actually need to survive and to fight; what "circle collapses" are and how they work; and how to actually engage enemies. Yet Blackout gives very little information or explanation to new players about the mode and how it works. Call of Duty has the power to bring a huge number of people to the battle royale genre yet squanders it by chasing the audience of players who already play those kinds of games. It's a huge missed opportunity.
Make Blackout More Accessible For The Less Hardcore
Continuing the last point, the folks at Treyarch could stand to try to make Blackout clearer and more accessible beyond the first couple of matches. Most of the games in the battle royale genre can already be tough to break into and understand. Not only are there things new players have to learn basically with zero assistance when they start these games, but these games are full of intricate systems and mechanics whose uses and benefits aren't very clear, even when you've built up some experience in the game.
Blackout is already a little better than most games at getting you acclimated. Hovering the cursor over weapons and equipment on the inventory screen gives players some (very brief) insights into their types, uses, strengths, and weaknesses. But you'll learn little or nothing about things like just how useful adding grips to your gun can be, or what differences to expect between 5.56 and .45 ammo. Some players and streamers even take to Reddit and YouTube to figure out all the little details about how guns, armor, and equipment in these games work--and that level of dedication inherently leaves more casual players, who don't have the time to research bullet drop or recoil reduction, on the outs. Blackout has the opportunity to make a more inviting battle royale game that's easier to understand, no matter whether you play one match a week or 50.
Audio Needs An Overhaul
A key part of battle royale is sound, especially when playing solo. Players are alone on the a vast island in Blackout, with only their wits and whatever they can scavanage, and often they can rely only on their senses to locate other players and protect themselves. In most battle royale games, sound is more important than just about anything else, because hearing other players walking, driving vehicles, or fighting one another is often the only information you can get about where they are and whether you're in danger.
Blackout currently seems to have two problems with audio. First, the sound in Blackout can be frustrating when you're relying on it. Your own footsteps and actions are very loud, while sounds from other players can be excruciating to hear and pin down. This does make the Awareness perk, which boosts your ability to hear sounds from other players, a lot more valuable, but it shouldn't be quite so hard to hear who's sneaking up on you in the first place.
On top of that, other players have complained about issues in which sound doesn't always work correctly in Blackout, or comes out of the wrong speaker or headphone channel; a player might be approaching you from the left, but you're hearing it coming from the right, for instance. That's an element that needs to be fixed in Blackout if it's going to have longevity. Even without focusing on a major problem like that, though, audio could use some work in the future to make it more viable for players to use their senses to survive.
More Zombies!
Blackout sets itself apart from the rest of the battle royale genre with a lot of little Call of Duty-type elements--like the addition of undead enemies carried over from the Zombies mode. In certain areas, your sneaking and looting can be halted by zombies popping up and trying to murder you. Right now, though, you could play several matches of Blackout and never come across a zombie. Even if you did, you'd likely never really have a need to be afraid of them, since they're easily avoided and not especially dangerous. Zombies in Blackout are little more than a novelty, but they could be a lot more.
Just simply putting zombies in more locations would instantly create a totally different battle royale dynamic, creating a middle ground between existing battle royale and Call of Duty's Zombies mode. We saw something in this vein with the Blackout beta, in which Treyarch included a zombie boss character players could encounter, and take down, during matches. Treyarch could get even more creative with zombies; the developer could add them to popular locations that see the most players at the start of every match, while smaller, more hidden locations could be safer, changing up players' incentives when they first start a match. Or the number of zombies filling the map could be more reactive to where players die. Zombie populations could climb as the circle closes, or they could pick up speed and strength as it tightens, making being caught outside the circle even more harrowing than it already is.
There are a lot of possibilities to make zombies a bigger part of the Blackout experience, even if those possibilities are relegated to additional game type options separate from the standard Blackout competition.
Lead, Don't Follow
Blackout does a great job of taking the existing battle royale formula and improving upon it. Perks, weapon selection, improved mechanics, zombies, and streamlined gameplay are all great additions that make playing Blackout familiar yet different. But they all also feel like somewhat superfluous renovations to someone else's building. Blackout is very similar to the current top battle royale titles, and because of that, it feels like it's chasing the current leaders, rather than searching for a path of its own.
Blackout has identified some of the problems of other battle royale titles and fixed them, while also putting a bit of a Call of Duty spin on the whole idea. Going forward, however, Call of Duty needs to do more than just turn out a Call of Duty version of PUBG. What exact shape that might take is tough to guess at, but in a field that's quickly filling up with battle royale options, as well as copycats and knockoffs, it's going to take more than polish and improvements for Blackout to keep players invested long-term.
The vast obsession with Epic Games' Fortnite has already spilled into real life in the form of children everywhere frantically performing the floss dance. Soon, they'll be able to add reenacting their favorite Fortnite moments with foam darts, using the first Nerf blaster modeled after one of the weapons that appears in the game.
Nerf announced on Instagram that it'll soon sell a dart-flinging version of Fortnite's AR-L assault rifle. The orange and yellow toy gun has flip-up sights and a 10-dart magazine, according to Hasbro's website. It should also be pretty formidable in dart-based warfare, on account of it's motorized to shoot darts rapidly, like the in-game gun after which it's modeled.
According to Hasbro's website, the AR-L will run players $50 when it's released on June 1, 2019. It'll be the first Fortnite-based Nerf blaster the company releases, which is the result of a partnership between Epic Games and Hasbro. No other guns have been announced yet, but presumably they'll eventually run at least some of the gamut of what's available in game, which includes pistols, sniper rifles, shotguns, and more.
Creating Nerf battles with friends isn't the only way fans can bring Fortnite competition into their regular lives. Hasbro also released a Fortnite-branded version of Monopoly at the start of October. Epic Games' Worldwide Creative Director Donald Mustard showed off the art for the game on Twitter back in September, and described it as "a unique spin on the classic game mashed up with last player standing Fortnite."
If you'd rather actually play the video game version of Fortnite, there's a lot going on right now with the game's Halloween-themed event. Check out our guides for tackling Fortnite's new challenges: finding all the Flaming Hoops, and speeding past Radar Signs.
Sony waited until the last minute to announce November's lineup of free games for PS Plus members, but the announcement has finally arrived. Want to know what PS4, PS3, and PS Vita games you'll be able to download between November 6 and December 4? Read on for the goods.
PS4 owners can download a pair of remakes in November. The first is Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition, an absurdly over-the-top first-person shooter that offers many more charms than its macho exterior might suggest. Also free on PS4 in November is Yakuza Kiwami, a remake of the first Yakuza game, which released on PS2 in 2006. It follows the exploits of Kazuma Kiryu as he searches for a fortune that's been stolen from his gang's vault.
PS3 owners can pick up Jackbox Party Pack 2, a collection of party mini-games you and your guests can play using their phones as controllers. Also on PS3 is Arkedo Series, a collection of three retro-style games. And PS Vita owners can grab two games that are also playable on PS4. They're the '70s B-movie game Roundabout and the branching adventure game Burly Men at Sea.
It's not too late to download October's free PS Plus games if you haven't yet. You can grab Friday the 13th: The Game and Laser League on PS4, Master Reboot and The Bridge on PS3, and Rocketbirds 2: Evolution and 2064: Read Only Memories on Vita.
Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige revealed a few minor but key details about the Marvel Cinematic Universe last week at a special screening of Black Panther, including the not-quite-news news that a trailer for Avengers 4 will definitely drop before the end of 2018. Feige also confirmed that production on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is still on hold, a fact that came to light after the firing of writer and director James Gunn back in August.
The confirmations came from Critics Choice Association journalist Erick Weber, who attended the screening and tweeted Feige's answers to three questions when it was all over. In addition to giving a sense of when fans might finally see a little bit of Avengers 4 before its May 3, 2019 release date, he also mentioned that Marvel Studios hasn't shut the door on bringing Namor the Sub-Mariner into the MCU.
OK, here we go, 3 quick questions, answers direct from Kevin Feige's mouth 1) AVENGERS 4 trailer "before the end of the year" 2) Namor COULD make an appearance, still deciding IF & when 3) GUARDIANS 3 status "on hold"
The bit about the Avengers trailer isn't too surprising--marketing for the movie will be picking up steam soon as the May release closes in. What a trailer might reveal, however, is the full title of the movie, something Marvel has been holding back up to now. Fans are so ravenous to find out what the sequel to Avengers: Infinity War might be called (and whether that title tidbit could be a spoiler), that they banded together to try to dissect strange photos tweeted by Avengers 4 directors the Russo brothers for hints and clues.
In the case of Guardians of the Galaxy, the third movie in the franchise was placed on hold after Gunn's firing, but things have become more heated in the aftermath of that move. The Guardians cast issued an open letter in favor of Gunn and calling for his rehiring, and star Dave Bautista has suggested he might quit the film over Disney's removal of Gunn.
As for the Namor tidbit, the question of whether the character could wind up in the MCU comes down to rights issues, with Universal currently holding the rights to the character. Feige's comment at least means the studio is looking into the situation, though, so Namor fans still have some hope.
It's the Destiny 2 patch we've been waiting for. The October 30 patch for the game, which dropped alongside the weekly reset, brings a load of quality-of-life improvements to Destiny 2, including a handful that should make getting the best loot in the game a little less frustrating.
Along with Update 2.0.5 itself, Bungie released patch notes that detail some behind-the-scenes alterations that won't be super obvious to players, but should lessen the grind for some Exotics and unique weapons a little less grindy.
The change that's likely to affect the most players is the alteration to Exotic drops. Right now, there's a low chance that players will get Exotic engram drops from enemies while they play through the game, but the item that comes out of those drops is random, which results in a lot of duplicate Exotics. Bungie has altered those drops so that Destiny 2 takes your collection of Exotics into account when determining which item is in the engram you receive. Exotics you don't have will be weighted higher than those you do, which should increase the chance of getting something new out of random drops. Bungie also changed things so that when you do get a duplicate Exotic, the chances that it's a piece of armor, rather than a gun, will be higher--because armor has random perks and guns don't. That way, even if you do get a duplicate Exotic armor, there's a chance it'll be different or better than what you already have.
More players should have a chance at getting another new Exotic that came with Forsaken, Destiny 2's latest expansion: Malfeasance. The Exotic hand cannon can only be earned through a series of quests, and those quests only kick off when players happen to encounter and kill a specific Primeval enemy when playing Gambit matches, called the Ascendant Servitor. Update 2.0.5 ups the likelihood that the Ascendant Servitor will appear in Gambit matches, which should give more players a chance at unlocking Malfeasance.
In the area of non-Exotic unique loot, Bungie has made grinding Nightfall Strikes more fruitful. Each Nightfall has specific loot that only drops in it, but the chances of receiving that stuff are usually pretty low. Destiny 2 now tracks how many Nightfalls you've played without receiving a unique drop, and each time you don't get one, the chances you will in the next Nightfall are increased.
There are a bunch of other balancing and rule changes that come in Update 2.0.5, which you can read about on Bungie's website. They also include a nerf to Sleeper Simulant, a gun that has dominated Gambit and Crucible matches since Forsaken came out, that's sure to bum out a few players--and probably make several more happy to use a different weapon for a change.
The newly released Daredevil Season 3 on Netflix has an unexpected tie to another story about a grizzled vigilante with a five o'clock shadow battling the forces of evil, while possibly grappling with their own dark side: Mass Effect 3. Fans noticed that one of Netflix's recaps for the Daredevil story so far slips in what could be considered a Mass Effect Easter egg--one that instantly transports fans of the game back to that moment when the Reapers came close to wiping out Earth.
That Easter egg is the song "Leaving Earth," by composer Clint Mansell, from the early portion of Mass Effect 3. The song is a master class in the "sad piano music" category of songs from video game soundtracks. In the game, it plays as the Reapers arrive for their invasion of Earth, and the player character, Commander Shepard, is forced to evacuate. The plan to stop the threat requires Shepard to help the rest of the galaxy, but that requires the painful choice of leaving everyone still stuck on Earth to fend for themselves. A kid gets blown up. It's sad.
Redditor Sons-of-N7 pointed out that a portion the song appears in Netflix's recap for Daredevil Season 2, which is pretty fitting--it's a very "dark night of the soul" kind of song, and that was a very "dark night of the soul" season of Daredevil. Although to be fair, all the Daredevil seasons are like that.
If you're somehow unable to remember the very best track in the entirety of Mass Effect 3, here's a refresher. You might have heard it in other movies, TV shows, or commercials, as it gets licensed for other works fairly regularly.
The song even popped up in a Key and Peele sketch to punctuate a hilariously sad punchline (it's right at the end).
Mass Effect 3 isn't the only video game whose music popped up in Daredevil. Another Redditor, 5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_12_6) AppleWebKit/605.1.15 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/12.0 Safari/605.1.15","sr_id":4645555,"sr_name":"Daredevil","embed_id":30961916426,"embed_version":"0.1","embed_type":"comment","embed_control":true,"embed_host_url":"https://comicbook.com/gaming/2018/10/19/marvels-daredevil-has-spider-man-ps4-easter-egg/","comment_edited":false,"comment_deleted":false,"uuid":"df59c1dd-1d33-4f87-8d59-cfb6b7ea3019","embed_ts_created":"2018-10-19T13:35:59.530Z","redirect_url":"https://www.reddit.com/r/Daredevil/comments/9phg3z/lmao_the_recap_uses_mass_effect_3s_leaving_earth/e81xbm2/?utm_term=30961916426&utm_name=f02ca34c-6770-4b98-844c-fb9d0b6cd62d&utm_content=timestamp&utm_source=embed&utm_medium=comment_embed&context=3","redirect_type":"timestamp","redirect_dest":"www.reddit.com","redirect_thing_id":"30961916426"}&url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Daredevil/comments/9phg3z/lmao_the_recap_uses_mass_effect_3s_leaving_earth/e81xbm2/?utm_term=30961916426&utm_name=f02ca34c-6770-4b98-844c-fb9d0b6cd62d&utm_content=timestamp&utm_source=embed&utm_medium=comment_embed&context=3">ShieldRune5847, pointed out that a track from the recently released Marvel's Spider-Man on PS4 made it into the second episode of Daredevil Season 3. Turns out, Daredevil's composer, John Paesano, is pretty good at this Marvel thing--he also composed the music for Spider-Man.
If there's something Spider-Man PS4 needs, it's more puddles. With its latest update to Marvel's Spider-Man, developer Insomniac Games has made sure all players' versions of New York City are up to the requisite level of dampness, as required by internet law. The new update, which came just ahead of the release of Spider-Man's first round of downloadable content, The Heist, includes a new difficulty mode and a New Game Plus mode, as well as additional stickers for Spider-Man's Photo mode--specifically, puddles.
Insomniac User Interface and Experience Lead Gil Doron shared a shot of the new puddle capabilities on Twitter. It was also shared by Insomniac Community Manager James Stevenson, who cheekily wrote, "You can add your own puddles in Photo mode now with puddle stickers. You're welcome."
You can add your own puddles in photo mode now with puddle stickers. You're welcome. https://t.co/l0Jem6SWcL
The addition of puddle stickers allows players to add as many puddles as they like to the game, in a hilarious throwing of moist shade by Insomniac. The puddle gag is a reference to an internet controversy that pooled up before the September release of Spider-Man, when some Reddit users claimed one shot of the game included fewer puddles than were shown in the same scene at E3 2018.
The lack of puddles led to some players claiming Spider-Man had received a graphical downgrade as compared to the E3 demo, maybe to hide the limitations of the PS4, and they were not happy about it. The situation became, as some dubbed it, Puddle-gate. Insomniac answered back by saying the puddle sizes had been reduced, but there was no graphical downgrade. The Photo mode answer to the Puddle-gate question is undeniably better.
Apparently the controversy wasn't a wet blanket for too many players, since Spider-Man broke Sony's sales records in its first three days on store shelves.
Toby Fox, the indie developer behind the hit Undertale, has released a special treat for Halloween. His latest game, titled Deltarune, has released for free through its official site. You can download it now for PC or Mac.
Fox began teasing the game yesterday. "For those who completed Undertale, it's really important that you check [the Undertale Twitter account] 24 hours from now," Fox said. "I want to make something new, and it all begins with your feedback."
That teaser could imply a direct connection between Undertale and Deltarune, or possibly just a hunch that anyone interested in Fox's work would also like to check out whatever else he has up his sleeve. Notably, "Deltarune" is an anagram of Undertale. Undertale is chock full of secrets and mysteries, some of which remain unexplained. The fan community pores over details and clues looking to unlock its mysteries, and this latest game may help fill in some gaps. It appears to be more of a proof-of-concept than a full finished game, which Fox suggested with his comment about feedback.
Undertale recently released on Nintendo Switch, joining the PC and PlayStation Vita releases. It became a critical hit for subverting RPG tropes with a unique combat system, and for allowing wide flexibility in how you deal with enemies.
"Without spoiling the many ways it will screw with your expectations, it isn't possible to truly capture how wonderful Undertale is," said critic Tyler Hicks in GameSpot's Undertale review. "You wouldn't know it with a passing glance, but it's one of the most progressive and innovative RPGs to come in a long time, breaking down tradition for the sake of invention, with great success."
Tetris Effect is the latest game from Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Enhance, Inc., and the latest version of Tetris after decades of iteration by developers around the globe. Tetris may not sound like a naturally impressive VR experience, but it you're familiar with Mizuguchi's past work, you can probably imagine how his flair for music and colorful visuals will do a lot of the heavy lifting. In fact, Lumines, a puzzle game spearheaded by Mizuguchi during his time at Q Entertainment, was born out of his inability to create his own Tetris game after completing work on Rez; you'll recognize a lot of its DNA in Tetris Effect.
Like many other Mizuguchi games, Tetris Effect is designed to make you feel like an active participant of the overall sensory experience. You are primarily focused on playing Tetris the way you always have, but beats and other sounds are triggered by your actions, creating a highly effective feedback loop. Before you realize it, you'll begin to match your movements and actions to notes, half-notes, or whatever timing feels right in a given stage. However you wish to define the mental bridge that forms when you connect music and gameplay, the heightened version that occurs while playing Tetris Effect in VR is difficult shake once it sets in.
Where a game like Thumper achieved similar results, it was primarily interested in ramping up the BPM whilst simultaneously layering on more stressful and sinister visuals to complete the dark sci-fi atmosphere it was going for. Tetris Effect's suite, on the other hand, is built with a dynamic journey in mind, one that rises and falls in tone and intensity as you jump from one virtual soundscape to the next.
Being not just enveloped within the sights and sounds, but isolated from the real world, results in an atypical sense of immersion despite the abstract elements that fuel it. Tetris Effect is more effective at getting in your head than most games that try to immerse you in realistic worlds, which so often show cracks or stumble into the uncanny valley. Rather than attempt to bring your physical and mental self into a virtual world, Tetris Effect is aimed squarely at making you detach from your physical self to fully embrace the swirling digital realm in your head.
At this stage, it's fair to say Mizuguchi knows what he's doing, and that he's been waiting a long time to make a game like Tetris Effect. We recently had the chance to sit down with him discuss his Tetris background and how his desire to develop VR games has carried him throughout his career, from one artistic game to the next. In the video at the top of the page, you can learn how from his early days playing in arcades as a student, to his life making games at Sega, the past 30 years of events have been leading up to his latest game.
For a look back at Mizuguchi's previous PSVR hit, have a peek at our Rez Infinite review. Scoring it a 9, author Alexa Ray Corriea said "Rez Infinite is the game to buy a PSVR for. It's hypnotic and enveloping. And it's transformative, both within itself and in the wider scheme of the experiences made possible by VR."
PS4 owners can get a taste of Tetris Effect when the Tetris Effect: Weekend Trial Demo goes live on Nov. 1. Act soon if you're interested, because the demo will expire on Nov. 5. And stay tuned for our review, which will go live closer to the game's Nov. 9 release date.
The beta for Fallout 76 has officially begun, but as you read this, you likely can't actually play it. That's because Bethesda only has its servers available at certain times; trying to get in outside of these specific windows will yield a "login failed" error. Below, we've got all the details you need to know regarding exactly when you can play. At the time of this writing, the next test takes place on November 1 with the next session that will be available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC. Read on for the full schedule (so far).
Fallout 76's debut test was available only on Xbox One for a four-hour window on October 23. That has since passed, with Bethesda deeming it an "amazing start." Additional test periods will continue to be available for a limited time. The purpose of this is to force 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 between now and the game's release date on November 14.
A beta code is available to anyone who pre-ordered the game across Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4. Pre-loading is available on all platforms. 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.
Upcoming Fallout 76 Beta Times
November 1
US Pacific Time: 11 AM - 4 PM
US Eastern Time: 2 PM - 7 PM
UK GMT: 6 PM - 11 PM
Australia AEDT: 5 AM - 10 AM (November 2)
November 3
US Pacific Time: 2 PM - 6 PM
US Eastern Time: 5 PM - 9 PM
UK GMT: 9 PM - 1 AM
Australia AEDT: 8 AM - 12 PM (November 4)
November 4
US Pacific Time: 11 AM - 6 PM
US Eastern Time: 2 PM - 9 PM
UK GMT: 6 PM - 10 PM
Australia AEDT: 5 AM - 12 PM (November 5)
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.
Pokemon Go's third annual Halloween event is now underway, bringing a handful of new Ghost- and Dark-type Pokemon to catch--including another Legendary Pokemon. For a limited time, you'll be able to encounter the cover monster from Pokemon Platinum, Giratina, as a Raid Battle at Gyms, making it the first Gen 4 Legendary to arrive in Pokemon Go.
While the Halloween event is scheduled to end on November 1, Giratina will be available in Raid Battles until November 20. This likely won't be the last time it appears; Niantic frequently reintroduces previous Legendaries to the game, although that typically isn't until some time after their initial run, so you'll want to add a Giratina to your collection soon while you still have the opportunity. Here are some tips for catching one.
Battling Giratina
Like most of the other Legendary Pokemon to appear in Pokemon Go, Giratina will occasionally spawn as a Raid Battle at Gyms. In order to catch one, you'll first need to travel to a Gym where a Giratina Raid is taking place and battle it. Giratina is a tough opponent to bring down, however, so you'll need to team up with other players in real life if you hope to defeat it. If you've hit Pokemon Go's level cap of 40, you should be able to bring Giratina down with a team of 6-8 players, although the more players you have around, the better your chances of success are.
Giratina is a dual Ghost/Dragon Pokemon, which is a unique combination due to the fact each of those types is weak against itself in battle. Dragon Pokemon in particular fare very well against Giratina, so you'll want to bring monsters like Dragonite, Salamence, and Rayquaza along if you've managed to obtain any of them. Gengar and other Ghost Pokemon are also effective, although their typing and generally frail defenses make them susceptible to Giratina's attacks as well.
Outside of those choices, Dark-type Pokemon are likewise effective against Giratina, particularly if the one you encounter during the Raid knows Ghost attacks, which Dark Pokemon resist. Tyranitar, Absol, and Houndoom in particular will fare well against it. Mewtwo is a great choice to bring along as well if it knows Shadow Ball, and Pokemon with Ice or Fairy attacks are a decent alternative.
Catching Giratina
If you've managed to successfully defeat Giratina, you'll be rewarded with a ton of XP, Stardust, and items. You'll also receive a handful of Premier Balls, the only type of Poke Ball you can use to catch Legendaries. The number of Premier Balls you receive will vary depending on which Pokemon you use and if you battled it alongside your friends.
Much like Mewtwo, Giratina will be standing fairly far in the distance when you're trying to capture it. It will also attack often, so you'll need to time your throws very carefully. To maximize your chances of catching one, use a Golden Razz Berry before each throw. Giratina is slated to leave Raid Battles at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET on November 20, so good luck!
Ghost Pokemon have been a common sight in Pokemon Go this past week thanks to the ongoing Halloween 2018 festivities, and soon one will be the star of its very own special event. Niantic has announced it is hosting a Gengar Day on Saturday, November 3, bringing the Shadow Pokemon to Raid Battles for a limited time.
Like Pokemon Go's monthly Community Days, Gengar Day will be a brief event, only running for three hours. During that window of time, the Shadow Pokemon will appear as a Raid Battle at Gyms. These require a Raid Pass to join, but you'll be able to get five of them for free from a nearby Gym to help you participate.
Not only will Gengar spawn frequently at Gyms during the event, you'll also have a chance of coming across a Shiny one. You may not initially be able to tell it's a Shiny at first glance, however; unlike most other Pokemon, Gengar's Shiny variant is only subtly different from its standard form. It's still worth getting one, though, particularly if you plan on picking up Let's Go Pikachu or Let's Go Eevee for Nintendo Switch when they launch next month.
Shiny Mega Gengar artwork for Pokemon X/Y
Any Gen 1 Pokemon you catch in Pokemon Go can be transferred to the Switch titles, where you'll then be able to recapture them at a new facility called the Go Park. If you do manage to find and get a Shiny Gengar during the upcoming Gengar Day event, you'll want to bring it over to Let's Go; Gengar is one of the few Pokemon capable of Mega Evolving, and Shiny Mega Gengar (pictured above) is one of the coolest-looking Pokemon in the games. You can find the hours for each region's Gengar Day event below.
Pokemon Go's Halloween event is scheduled to end on November 1. It introduced a handful of new Ghost and Dark Pokemon to the game, along with the Gen 4 Legendary Pokemon Giratina, which will appear in Raid Battles until November 20. You'll also be able to encounter another Gen 4 Ghost Pokemon, Spiritomb, by completing a new Special Research questline.
Meanwhile, Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee launch for Nintendo Switch on November 16. As previously mentioned, players can transfer monster from Go to Let's Go, and doing so is the key to getting the new Mythical Pokemon Meltan, which we recently learned is able to evolve into a Pokemon called Melmetal. You can read more about the games in our hands-on impressions of Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee.
Following the latest leak, Niantic has confirmed Pokemon Go's annual Halloween event is coming back for another year. The event is now underway for a limited time and introduces a handful of new Gen 4 Pokemon to the game, as well as the first Gen 4 Legendary. [Update: Pokemon Go's Halloween event is scheduled to end on November 1, making this your last chance to earn extra Candy and find increased Ghost and Dark Pokemon swarms.]
As in previous years, Niantic is debuting a couple of new Ghost- and Dark-type Pokemon during the Halloween event. This time around, players will have their first chance to catch Drifloon, Stunky, and their evolved forms Drifblim and Skuntank. The studio is also offering new trainer hats, shirts, and backpacks inspired by Ghost Pokemon through the in-game store, including a Gengar backpack and Drifloon cap. (A Gengar event, meanwhile, is on the way soon.)
On top of that, Niantic is kicking off a new Special Research questline. Whereas previous Special Research quests led to encounters with the Mythical Pokemon Mew and Celebi, this new one revolves around Spiritomb--another Ghost Pokemon introduced in Gen 4. Niantic is also rolling out new Field Research tasks that focus on Ghost and Dark Pokemon. Finally, just as in past years, players will earn double the normal amount of Candy for capturing Pokemon during the Halloween event.
Perhaps most notably, the first Gen 4 Legendary Pokemon is set to debut in Pokemon Go. Coinciding with the start of the Halloween event, Pokemon Platinum's cover monster, Giratina, will appear around the world as a Raid Battle at Gyms until November 20, giving players roughly a month to add one to their collection. Giratina is dual Ghost/Dragon Pokemon, so you'll want to bring along a powerful Dark- or Dragon-type to challenge it. Here are some tips for catching one.
Pokemon Go's Halloween event is slated to run until November 1. Meanwhile, the game's next Community Day is scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 10. The featured Pokemon this time will be Cyndaquil, one of the three starters from Pokemon Gold and Silver.
Nintendo has released its latest round of global sales data as of September 30, and once again its slate of first-party games ran the field. While the top five Nintendo Switch games all continued their steady success and remained in place relative to each other, the bottom half of the list was scrambled by some newcomers that have joined the list.
The biggest change is from Mario Tennis Aces, which rocketed to number six on the list with 2.16 million copies, after debuting in the number ten spot as of June 30. Kirby Star Allies, which cracked the list in March figures, has now tied Arms for the number seven slot at 2.1 million. The re-release of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze also made the list with 1.67 million.
On the 3DS the list is less dynamic. All ten games have retained their exact positions as the system puts out fewer new releases, and the pace of new purchases appears to have slowed as well. Between March and September, for example, Pokemon X/Y sold an additional 50,000 copies. That's steady success for a franchise that has already sold in the tens of millions, but the system is definitely starting to show its age. Check below for the full list.
Nintendo Switch
Super Mario Odyssey -- 12.17 million
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe -- 11.71 million
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild -- 10.28 million
Splatoon 2 -- 7.47 million
1-2 Switch -- 2.64 million
Mario Tennis Aces -- 2.16 million
Arms -- 2.10 million
Kirby Star Allies -- 2.10 million
Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze -- 1.67 million
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 -- 1.53 million
3DS
Mario Kart 7 -- 17.04 million
Pokemon X/Y -- 16.29 million
Pokemon Sun/Moon -- 16.10 million
Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire -- 14.06 million
As Netflix continues to trim its roster of Marvel shows, there is much attention on what Disney plans for its own streaming service, which launches next year. It has already been rumored that Marvel shows based on Loki and Scarlet Witch are in the works, and it has now been reported that a Falcon and Winter Soldier team-up series is also in development.
According to Variety, it would be a "limited series," meaning a self-contained show with a set number of episodes rather than an ongoing series. The site states that it is the first of the potential new Marvel shows to be assigned a writer, with Empire writer/producer Malcolm Spellman on board to work on the script. Marvel and Disney both declined to comment on Variety's story.
If the series happens, it is expected that the Falcon and Winter Soldier will be played by Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan, the actors who play the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Both joined the MCU for 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier and were seen most recently in this year's Avengers: Infinity War. This latest report supports the rumor last month that the new Marvel shows being developed for its streaming service will focus on "second-tier" MCU characters.
The news comes after Netflix recently canceled both Iron Fist and Luke Cage after two seasons each. The service still has Daredevil and Jessica Jones on its roster, and a second season of The Punisher is expected next year.
In related news, production is now underway on the upcoming live-action Star Wars show, which will also premiere on the Disney streaming service. The show is titled The Mandalorian, and is written and produced by Jungle Book director Jon Favreau. While no casting news has been announced yet, we do know that the show will focus on a "lone gunfighter" and will be set in the years between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.
Director Andy Muschietti scored one of the biggest horror hits of all time with his adaptation of Stephen King's classic novel It, and expectations are high for the sequel, which is due for release next year. It has now been reported that Muschietti has lined up his next movie after It: Chapter Two--an adaptation of classic manga Attack on Titan.
According to Variety, Muschietti will helm a live action Attack on Titan movie for Warner. The site states that the studio recently signed a deal with Kodansha, the Japanese publisher of the property, to make a Hollywood version. Muschietti's sister Barbara Muschietti, who produced both It movies and his 2013 horror hit Mama, will co-produce.
Attack on Titan was created by Hajime Isayama, and was first published in 2009. The series focuses on giant humanoid creatures called Titans who have wiped out much of humanity, and the struggle of what is left of mankind to survive together, hidden behind huge walls. The series has already been adapted in Japan, with an anime version premiering in 2013 and a two-part live action movie released in 2015. There was also a video game released in 2016.
This isn't the first Japanese property that Muschietti has been associated with. Last year, it was reported that he was in talks to direct an adaptation of the classic anime series Robotech. However, there has been no further news about this project since then.
It: Chapter Two hits theaters on September 6, 2019, and stars Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, James Ransone, and Bill Skarsgård. The movie wrapped production in September, and Muschietti shared a bloody behind-the-scenes image to mark the end of shooting.
Riding on horseback is the primary of getting around in Red Dead Redemption 2's massive world. Before long, you'll find yourself rearing up a multitude of horses in search of the one that'll get you around the quickest. With not much in the way of fast travel, having a horse that's not only fast but can withstand the burdens of exploration is essential.
While the question of which horse is the absolute best comes down to preference, there are a few breeds that can be classified as some of the top candidates. Below we discuss these breeds and highlight their locations. If you're looking for a more in-depth guide on horse care and how to boost your trusty steed's performance while making bank along the way, we've got one in the hopper coming soon, so be sure to check back often to get all the information on how to be a proper horse trainer.
Be mindful that there are some light location spoilers below given how most of these horses can only be acquired later in the game. You should be good for the White-Maned Arabian breed, but be careful when looking at the details below if you want to steer clear of potential story bits.
As stated, there is no singular "best horse" in the game. There are only strong breeds that fair much better than the standard breeds you encounter early on. Speaking on the different types: the Arabian, Turkoman, and Missouri Fox Trotter breeds stand out as the most well-rounded and top-tier. Keep in mind that the stats below reflect the horse when you find it and not at its top condition.
Arabian
Arabian breed horses have some of the best stats overall. There are three coat types in total, each with their own unique statistics: White, Black, and Rose Grey Bay.
White-Maned Arabian
The White-Maned Arabian can only be found in the wild, which makes it possible to find relatively early on. This snow-white beauty wanders around the edges of Lake Isabella. It's quite difficult to tame, so you're going to need to be persistent in following it around and calming it down enough before you can approach it.
Compared to other Arabian horses, it has the lowest base Health and Stamina stats--though, it's still much higher than any of the more standard horse breeds. A worthy compromise for a fantastic horse you can catch and tame so early in the game. Just watch out for the wolves who hang out nearby.
Speed
Acceleration
Handling
Type
6
6
Elite
Superior
Black Arabian
The Black-Maned Arabian horse can be purchased at the Saint Denis Stable during Chapter 4. It has most the well-rounded stats of the Arabian Horses with decent Health and Stamina.
Speed
Acceleration
Handling
Type
6
6
Elite
Superior
Rose Grey Bay-Maned Arabian
The Rose Grey Bay-Maned Arabian can only be bought at the Blackwater Stable during the Epilogue section of the game. It has the highest Health and Stamina of the three Arabian horses.
Speed
Acceleration
Handling
Type
6
6
Elite
Superior
Turkoman
Turkoman breed horses make up their lacking acceleration with solid speed, average handling, and a high Health pool. As a cross between War and Racing breeds, they're well worth owning for riders who want a trusty steed who can withstand damage without sacrificing speed. All three Turkoman breeds have the same exact stats, which are reflected below along with a brief breakdown of where you can purchase them and when.
Speed
Acceleration
Handling
Type
6
5
Standard
Race / War
Gold Turkoman: Sold at the Saint Denis Stable during Chapter 4.
Dark Bay Turkoman: Sold at the Blackwater Stable during the Epilogue.
Silver Turkoman: Sold at the Tumbleweed Stable during the Epilogue.
Missouri Fox Trotter
The Missouri Fox Trotter balances the best base speed of all the horse breeds with solid Health and high Stamina. As a mix between the Race and Work breeds, the Missouri Fox Trotter comes highly recommended for those who want all of the perks and benefits of a fast riding horse with resilient Stamina. Like the Turkoman breed, all of the Missouri Fox Trotter coats have the same exact stats, which are reflected below along with a brief breakdown of where you can purchase them and when.
Speed
Acceleration
Handling
Type
7
5
Standard
Race / Work
Amber Champagne: Sold at Scarlett Meadows Stable during Chapter 4.
Silver Dapple Pinto: Sold at Blackwater Stable during the Epilogue.
In Red Dead Redemption 2, hunting is an important part of exploration and survival in the vast open world. In addition to finding food and other necessary supplies, you'll be able to use materials taken from fallen prey to craft outfits and talismans, which unlock special perks that amplify Arthur's main attributes. As you travel, you may even stumble upon an elusive animal that other explorers have rarely seen. Your first encounter with such a beast will be the Legendary Grizzly Bear, which can offer up a legendary bear pelt if you're able take it down.
These Legendary Animals can be found across the many regions of the map and take some extra effort to hunt. While some of these are small in stature, there are many that tower in size over Arthur and are quite dangerous in a fight. But if you're able to take them out, you'll acquire the means to craft some of the game's most valuable accessories and outfits. These particular animals offer the rarest pelts and materials you can find, which can be turned in to the local Trappers and Fences--those shady, black market dealers offering up some of the rarest goods. But rest assured, any materials that can't fit in your bags will be sent straight to the respective merchants.
In this feature, we're giving you all the details you need in order to track and hunt each of the game's Legendary Animals. If you want some extra tips for general survival and even fishing--which has its own set of Legendary Fish--be sure to check out our guides and features relating to each of Red Dead 2's most involved gameplay systems. Furthermore, be sure to check out our new weekly series QuickDraw, which focuses on the game's numerous gameplay features and along with a broader look on the impact of the Red Dead series.
Location: During the Chapter 2 story mission Exit Pursued By A Bruised Ego, you'll encounter your first Legendary Animal. While it's possible to take down the bear at this time, you can return later if you want better firepower. You can find it in Grizzlies East, north of the lake O'creah's Run.
Crafting: Fence: Bear Claw Talisman (Decreases health core drain by 10%) -- Legendary Bear Claw, Silver Chain Bracelet, Quartz Chunk
Legendary Beaver
Location: This rare beaver is known to wander southwest of Butcher Creek, which is directly to the west of Van Horn Trading Post.
Location: Living up to its name, this unusual ram can be found at Cattail Pond, just west of Valentine--the first town you come across in Chapter 2.
Crafting: Fence: Ram Horn Trinket (Doubles amount of Creeping Thyme, Oregano, and Wild Mint collected): Legendary Ram Horn
Legendary Boar
Location: The rare boar can be found in Bluewater Marsh, north of Lagras in the Lemoyne region.
Crafting: Fence: Boar Tusk Talisman (Decreases drain speed of horse health and stamina by 10%) -- Legendary Boar Tusk, Cobalt Petrified Wood, Gold Earring
Legendary Buck
Location: In the mountains northwest of Strawberry, you'll encounter this large buck.
Crafting: Fence: Buck Antler Trinket (Receive higher quality parts when skinning animals) -- Legendary Buck Antler
Legendary Bullgator
Location: First, you'll need to complete the Chapter 4 story mission Country Pursuits, which introduces you to the beast while showing you why it's so dangerous. Afterwards, you'll be able to encounter the massive gator in Bayou Nwa, west of Lakay--which is north of Saint Denis.
Crafting: Fence: Alligator Tooth Talisman (Decrease dead eye drain speed by 10%) -- Legendary Alligator Tooth, Gold Jointed Bracelet, Vintage Civil War Handcuffs
Legendary Cougar
Location: This fearsome feline can be found in Gaptooth Ridge, west of Tumbleweed.
Crafting: Fence: Cougar Fang Trinket (Increase stamina XP by 10%) -- Legendary Cougar Fang
Legendary Coyote
Location: The hunting grounds for this dangerous coyote can be found in Scarlett Meadows, northwest of Northwest of Rhodes and Southeast of the Old Mill.
Crafting: Fence: Coyote Fang Trinket (Increase dead eye XP by 10%) -- Legendary Coyote Fang
Legendary Elk
Location: You can find this animal east of Bacchus Station in the Ambarino region--the northern section of the map.
Crafting: Fence: Elk Antler Trinket (Increase money from looting by 10%) -- Legendary Elk Antler
Legendary Fox
Location: The fox can be found near Mattock Pond, just north of Rhodes in the Lemoyne region.
Crafting: Fence: Fox Claw Trinket (Increases eagle eye duration by five seconds) -- Legendary Fox Claw
Legendary Giaguaro Panther
Location: To encounter this incredibly dangerous animal, you'll first need to prove yourself as hunter by reaching the rank 9 challenge for Master Hunter. Afterwards, you'll find it roaming west of Shady Belle in Lemoyne. This is directly east of Braithwaite Manor.
Crafting: Fence: Panther's Eye Trinket (Decreases dead eye drain speed by 10% for three seconds) -- Legendary Panther Eye
Legendary Moose
Location: This massive moose can be seen in the area of Roanoke Ridge, which is near the northeastern corner of the map. Legendary Pronghorn Location: This rare antelope is found wandering in Rio Del Lobo Rock, just east of Fort Mercer in New Austin.
Crafting: Fence: Moose Antler Trinket (Increases health exp by 10%) -- Legendary Moose Antler
Legendary Tatanka Bison
Location: In New Austin, you can find this rare bison just southeast of the MacFarlane ranch at Hennigan's Stead.
Crafting: Fence: Tatanka Bison Horn Trinket (Decreases received melee damage by 10%) -- Legendary Tatanka Bison Horn
Legendary White Bison
Location: You can find another rare bison at Lake Isabella, just north of Mount Hagen in Grizzlies West.
Crafting: Fence: Bison Horn Talisman (Decreases the speed stamina drains by 10%) -- Legendary Bison Horn
Legendary Wolf
Location: This elusive wolf can be found in Cotorra Springs, west of Bacchus Bridge in Ambarino.
Crafting: Fence: Wolf Heart Trinket (Doubles resistance to alcohol) -- Legendary Wolf Heart
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