Thursday, April 20, 2017

The latest News from GameSpot News On 04/21/2017

Updates from

GameSpot News

The latest News from GameSpot

In the 04/21/2017 edition:

Rick And Morty's Absurd New VR Game Is Out Now, Watch The Launch Trailer

By Chris Pereira on Apr 21, 2017 12:06 am

The appropriately ridiculous new virtual reality game based on Rick and Morty is now available on PC.

Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality is available both through Steam and the Oculus store for $30. The game is playable with either the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift (Oculus Touch is required) and mashes up the popular series with elements of Job Simulator. Like that game, it was developed by Owlchemy Labs.

No Caption Provided
Gallery image 1Gallery image 2Gallery image 3Gallery image 4Gallery image 5Gallery image 6

It's somewhat difficult to describe what you actually do, as the trailer above attests. You'll shoot at aliens, turn knobs, and throw things as you solve puzzles and do what Rick asks of you.

Don't expect this to be the last time you see Rick and Morty in VR. The show's creator, Justin Roiland, has big plans for the technology.


Budget-Priced Nvidia Video Card Launching Soon To Compete With AMD's Cheap Cards

By Michael Higham on Apr 20, 2017 11:56 pm

Amid the release of AMD's new RX 500 series of video cards--which includes the budget-friendly RX 550--Nvidia reportedly plans to top off the GeForce 10 series with the cheap GT 1030. The new card will use the same Pascal architecture as the rest of Nvidia's 10 series.

According to Guru3D, the GT 1030 will be equipped with 512 shader processors and could use the GP107 core used in the GTX 1050 or an unreleased GP108 core. It's also said to be available sometime next month. And while a price has not been set for the card, it will compete with the RX 550, which can be found around $80. Nvidia is also rumored to release slightly faster version of the GT 1030, called the GT 1040.

These budget-level graphics cards are aimed to be a substantial upgrade over integrated graphics processors (IGP). While you won't be maxing out any modern games with the RX 550 and the upcoming GT 1030, they're designed to be sufficient for running less demanding but popular games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends, and even Overwatch.


DC Introduces New Comics Banner, Featuring Some Major Artists

By Mat Elfring on Apr 20, 2017 11:46 pm

DC Comics revealed six new titles at a press conference at C2E2 today. These titles will fall under the banner "Dark Matter" and will begin to debut this summer.

No Caption Provided

It kicks off with Dark Knights: Metal in August. Former Batman creative team Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo reunite for this book, which will set the tone and world for the other series. The new banner will focus on what the publisher called Masterclass artists working with newer writers. It will "bring the sense of craft into storytelling," explained DC co-publisher Jim Lee during a press conference on Thursday morning.

The publisher wants to expand its universe and reach a new audience. co-publisher of DC Dan Didio explained that "It's a starting point for characters. It's a starting point for stories. We gotta keep building. We gotta keep introducing people to the DCU." The Dark Matter banner will exist alongside the regular DC Universe, and the issues will cost $3. Variant covers for the books will not be released.

Below is the list of upcoming books under the Dark Matter label.

September:

  • Sideways by Dan DiDio, Justin Jordan, and Kenneth Rocafort. A teenager comes into contact with dark matter and gains the ability to teleport through the dark dimension.

October:

  • Immortal Men by James Tynion IV and Jim Lee. Five siblings who were born at the beginning of time recruit the elite to stop Armageddon. This will be a horror series.
  • Damage by Robert Venditti and Tony S. Daniel. Ethan Avery is cursed with the ability to unleash a monster for one hour at a time.

December:

  • The Silencer by Dan Abnett with art by John Romita Jr. This book follows an assassin who moves to the suburbs for a normal life. Romita Jr. described the book as John Wick without the tragedy.
  • New Challengers by Scott Snyder and Andy Kubert. An adventure book in the vein of the classic DC series Challengers of the Unknown.

Below, you'll find character designs for the upcoming books.

No Caption Provided
Gallery image 1Gallery image 2Gallery image 3Gallery image 4Gallery image 5

Didio claimed that the real winners for this new banner are the fans. They want to have that same burst of creative energy that the publisher had when Jack Kirby introduced elements like Fourth World and Kamandi to DC back in the early '70s. Romita Jr. said that they have to keep trying new ideas, explaining that they can't remain stagnant. There needs to be some fearlessness when creating new ideas.


Five More Xbox One Backwards-Compatible Games Now Available

By Chris Pereira on Apr 20, 2017 11:35 pm

While none are as big as Call of Duty: Black Ops II, five more games have been added to the list of Xbox 360 games playable on Xbox One.

As of today, Contra, RoboBlitz, 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures, Golf: Tee It Up, and Gin Rummy are all now backwards compatible on Xbox One. They're each priced at $5.

No Caption Provided
Gallery image 1Gallery image 2Gallery image 3Gallery image 4Gallery image 5Gallery image 6Gallery image 7Gallery image 8Gallery image 9Gallery image 10Gallery image 11Gallery image 12Gallery image 13Gallery image 14Gallery image 15Gallery image 16Gallery image 17Gallery image 18Gallery image 19Gallery image 20

If you already own any of these, they should show up automatically in the My Games and Apps section of your Xbox One. If you don't, you can pick them up from the Xbox Store through the links below.

As noted above, the aforementioned Black Ops II, which was the top-requested game to receive backwards compatibility, was recently added. Other recent additions include Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, Far Cry 3, and Civilization Revolution. For more, check out our full list of all the backwards compatibility games.


All The Xbox One Backwards Compatibility Games

By Eddie Makuch on Apr 20, 2017 11:34 pm

[Updated April 20 with Contra, RoboBLitz, Golf: Tee It Up, Gin Rummy, and 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures]

The Xbox One's backwards compatibility feature, introduced in November 2015, lets you play Xbox 360 games on the new console. But what games are available? We've now rounded them all up--and we'll continue to update this post as new games are made available.

Microsoft has promised that "hundreds" are still on the way.

No Caption Provided

Xbox One Backwards Compatibility Lineup (As of April 20, 2017):

New titles are bolded

  • 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures (added April 20, 2017)
  • A Kingdom for Keflings
  • A World of Keflings
  • Aegis Wing
  • Age of Booty
  • Alan Wake
  • Alan Wake's American Nightmare
  • Alice: Madness Returns
  • Alien Hominid HD
  • Altered Beast
  • Anomaly Warzone Earth
  • Arkanoid Live
  • Army of Two
  • Assassin's Creed
  • Assassin's Creed II
  • Assassin's Creed Revelations
  • Assassin's Creed Rogue
  • Asteroids & Deluxe
  • AstroPop
  • Aqua
  • Babel Rising
  • Banjo Kazooie: Nuts n Bolts
  • Banjo Tooie
  • Banjo Kazooie
  • Battlefield: Bad Company 2
  • Battlefield 3
  • BattleBlock Theater
  • Battlestations: Midway
  • Bayonetta
  • Beat'n Groovy
  • Bejeweled 2
  • Bejeweled 3
  • Bellator: MMA Onslaught
  • Beyond Good & Evil HD
  • Bionic Commando Rearmed 2
  • BioShock
  • BioShock 2
  • BioShock Infinite
  • Bloodforge
  • Blood Knights
  • Blood of the Werewolf
  • BloodRayne: Betrayal
  • Blue Dragon
  • Bomberman Live: Battlefest
  • Boom Boom Rocket
  • Borderlands
  • Borderlands 2
  • Bound by Flame
  • Braid
  • Brain Challenge
  • Bully: Scholarship Edition
  • Burnout Paradise
  • Call of Duty 2
  • Call of Duty 3
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops II (added April 11, 2017)
  • Call of Duty: World at War
  • Call of Juarez Gunslinger
  • Capcom Arcade Cabinet
  • Carcassonne
  • Cars 2
  • Castle Crashers
  • Castlestorm
  • Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
  • Catherine
  • The Cave
  • Centipede & Millipede
  • Civilization: Revolution (added April 4, 2017)
  • Clannad
  • Comic Jumper
  • Comix Zone
  • Condemned
  • Contra (added April 20, 2017)
  • Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
  • Crazy Taxi
  • Crystal Quest
  • Crystal Defenders
  • Dark Souls
  • Dark Void
  • Darksiders
  • Darksiders II
  • Daytona USA
  • de Blob 2
  • Dead Rising 2: Case West
  • Dead Rising 2: Case Zero
  • Dead Space
  • Dead Space Ignition
  • Deadliest Warrior: Legends
  • Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue
  • Defense Grid
  • Deus Ex: Human Revolution
  • Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut
  • Dig Dug
  • Dirt 3
  • Dirt Showdown
  • Discs of Tron
  • Disney Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
  • Domino Master
  • Doom
  • Doom II
  • Doom 3: BFG Edition
  • Doritos Crash Course
  • Double Dragon: Neon
  • Dragon Age: Origins
  • Dragon's Lair
  • DuckTales Remastered
  • Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project
  • Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara
  • Dungeon Siege III
  • E4: Every Extend Extra Extreme
  • Earthworm Jim HD
  • Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard
  • The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
  • Encleverment Experiment
  • Escape Dead Island
  • Fable II
  • Fable III
  • Faery: Legends of Avalon
  • Fallout 3
  • Fallout: New Vegas
  • Far Cry 3 (added March 30, 2017)
  • Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon
  • Feeding Frenzy
  • Feeding Frenzy 2
  • Final Fight: Double Impact
  • Flashback
  • Flock
  • Forza Horizon
  • Fret Nice
  • Frogger
  • Frogger 2
  • FunTown Mahjong
  • Galaga
  • Galaga Legions
  • Galaga Legions DX
  • Garou: Mark of the Wolves
  • Gatling Gears
  • Gears of War
  • Gears of War 2
  • Gears of War 3
  • Gears of War: Judgment
  • Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved
  • Ghostbusters
  • Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime
  • Gin Rummy (added April 20, 2017)
  • Golden Axe
  • Go! Go! Break Steady
  • Golf: Tee It Up (added April 20, 2017)
  • Grand Theft Auto IV
  • Grid 2
  • Gripshift
  • Guardian Heroes
  • Gunstar Heroes
  • Guwange
  • Gyromancer
  • Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax
  • Halo: Reach
  • Halo: Spartan Assault
  • Halo Wars
  • Hardwood Backgammon
  • Hardwood Hearts
  • Hardwood Spades
  • Haunted House
  • Heavy Weapon
  • Hexic 2
  • Hexic HD
  • Hitman: Absolution
  • Hydro Thunder
  • I Am Alive
  • Ikaruga
  • Injustice: Gods Among Us + disc-only Ultimate Edition
  • Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet (added April 4, 2017)
  • Interpol: The Trail of Dr. Chaos
  • Iron Brigade
  • Jeremy McGrath's Offroad
  • Jet Set Radio
  • Jetpac Refuelled
  • Joe Danger Special Edition
  • Joe Danger 2: The Movie
  • Joust
  • Joy Ride Turbo
  • Juju
  • Jurassic Park: The Game
  • Just Cause 2
  • Kameo
  • Kane & Lynch 2
  • Killer Is Dead
  • The King of Fighters '98
  • The King of Fighters 2002
  • Lazy Raiders
  • Left 4 Dead
  • Left 4 Dead 2
  • Lego Batman
  • Lego Indiana Jones
  • Lego Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game
  • Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
  • Limbo
  • Lode Runner
  • Lost Odyssey
  • Lumines Live!
  • Luxor 2
  • Mad Tracks
  • Magic: The Gathering 2012
  • Mars: War Logs
  • Mass Effect
  • Mass Effect 2
  • Mass Effect 3
  • The Maw
  • Medal of Honor: Airborne
  • Meet the Robinsons
  • Mega Man 9
  • Mega Man 10
  • Metal Slug 3
  • Metal Slug XX
  • Midway Arcade Origins
  • Might & Magic Clash of Heroes
  • Military Madness
  • Mirror's Edge
  • Missile Command
  • Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine
  • Monday Night Combat
  • Monkey Island: SE
  • Monkey Island 2: SE
  • Moon Diver
  • Motocross Madness
  • Ms. Splosion Man
  • Ms Pac-Man
  • Mutant Blobs Attack
  • Mutant Storm Empire
  • MX vs. ATV Reflex
  • N+
  • NBA Jam: On Fire Edition
  • Neogeo Battle Coliseum
  • Nights Into Dreams
  • Of Orcs and Men
  • Omega Five
  • Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
  • Operation Flashpoint: Red River
  • The Orange Box
  • Outland
  • Pac-Man
  • Pac-Man C.E
  • Pac-Man CE DX+
  • Pac-Man Museum
  • Peggle
  • Perfect Dark
  • Perfect Dark Zero
  • Phantasy Star II
  • Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds
  • Pinball FX
  • Planets Under Attack
  • Plants vs. Zombies
  • Poker Smash
  • Portal: Still Alive
  • Portal 2
  • Prince of Persia
  • Pure
  • Putty Squad
  • Puzzle Quest
  • Puzzle Quest 2
  • Puzzle Quest: Galactrix
  • QIX++ Puzzlegeddon
  • Rage
  • Raskulls
  • Rayman 3 HD
  • Rayman Legends
  • Rayman Origins
  • Red Dead Redemption
  • Red Faction: Battlegrounds
  • RoboBlitz (added April 20, 2017)
  • Rocket Knight
  • R-Type Dimensions
  • Runner 2
  • Sacred 3
  • Sacred Citadel
  • Saints Row IV
  • Sam & Max: Beyond Time & Space
  • Sam & Max Save the World
  • Samurai Shodown II
  • Scarygirl
  • Scrap Metal
  • Sega Vintage Collection: Alex Kidd & Co.
  • Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World
  • Sega Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage
  • Shadow Complex
  • Shadowrun
  • Shadows of the Damned
  • Shank 2
  • Shred Nebula
  • Shotest Shogi
  • Silent Hill: Downpour
  • Skate 3
  • Skullgirls
  • Skydive
  • Small Arms
  • Soltrio Solitaire
  • Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
  • Sonic & Knuckles
  • Sonic CD
  • Sonic The Fighters
  • Sonic The Hedgehog
  • Sonic The Hedgehog 2
  • Sonic The Hedgehog 3
  • Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
  • Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode II
  • Soulcalibur
  • Soulcalibur II
  • South Park: The Stick of Truth
  • Space Ark
  • Space Giraffe
  • Space Invaders Infinity Gene
  • Spelunky
  • The Splatters
  • Splosion Man
  • SSX
  • Stacking
  • Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
  • Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
  • Strania
  • Street Fighter IV
  • Stuntman: Ignition
  • Super Meat Boy
  • Supreme Commander 2
  • Syberia
  • Tekken 6
  • Tekken Tag Tournament 2
  • Texas Hold 'Em
  • Ticket to Ride
  • Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
  • Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2
  • Torchlight
  • Tour de France 2009
  • Tour de France 2011
  • Toy Soldiers
  • Toy Soldiers Cold War
  • Toy Story 3
  • Tower Bloxx Deluxe
  • Trials HD
  • Trine 2
  • Tron: Evolution
  • Ugly Americans: Apocalypsegeddon
  • Unbound Saga
  • Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown
  • Viva Piñata
  • Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise
  • The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
  • Wolfenstein 3D
  • World Puzzle
  • XCOM: Enemy Unknown
  • Zuma
  • Zuma's Revenge!

Don't see your favorite game here? Back in November, Microsoft said it is holding discussions with all major publishers and developers to possibly bring their games to the program. However, the decision about whether or not a game is added to the lineup ultimately comes down to individual publishers.

What do you make of the lineup so far? And what games would you like to see added in the future? Let us know in the comments below!


What Graphics Card Should You Get?

By Jimmy Thang on Apr 20, 2017 11:24 pm

With so many graphics cards out on the market from both AMD and Nvidia, figuring out which GPU best suits your needs can be difficult. We're here to help steer you in the right direction. We've rounded up our reviews of all the modern graphics card below and have ordered them by performance.

We tested reference cards from AMD and Nvidia whenever possible, and included GPU specification charts below.

Nvidia GeForce GTX Spec Chart

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 TiNvidia GeForce GTX 1080Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 TiNvidia GeForce GTX 1050
CUDA Cores/Stream Processors3584256019201280768640
Texture Units224160120804840
ROPs886464483232
Core Clock1480MHz1607MHz1506MHz1506MHz1430MHz1405MHz
Boost Clock1582MHz1733MHz1683MHz1708MHz1544MHz1519MHz
Memory Clock11Gbps GDDR5X10Gbps GDDR5X8Gbps GDDR58Gbps GDDR57Gbps7Gbps
Memory Bus Width352-bit256-bit256-bit192-bit128-bit128-bit
VRAM11GB8GB8GB6GB4GB GDDR52GB GDDR5
Transistor Count12B7.2B7.2B4.4B3.3B3.3B
Teraflops11.348.96.53.82.11.8
TDP250W180W150W120W75W75W
Manufacturing Process16nm FinFET16nm FinFET16nm FinFET16nm FinFET14nm14nm
ArchitecturePascalPascalPascalPascalPascalPascal
GPUGP102GP104GP104GP106GP107GP107
Launch Date3/10/20175/27/20166/10/20167/19/201610/201610/2016
Launch Price$699$599/$699$379/$449$249/$299$149.99$109.99

AMD Radeon RX Spec Chart

AMD Radeon RX 580AMD Radeon RX 570AMD Radeon RX 480AMD Radeon RX 470AMD Radeon RX 460
Stream Processors2304204823042048896
Texture Units14412814412856
ROPs3232323216
Core Clock1257MHz1168MHz1120MHz926MHz1090MHz
Boost Clock1340MHz1244MHz1266 MHz1206MHz1220MHz
Memory Clock8Gbps GDDR57Gbps7/8Gbps GDDR57Gbps7Gbps
Memory Bus Width256-bit256-bit256-bit256-bit128-bit
VRAM8GB4GB4/8 GB4GB GDDR54GB GDDR5
Transistor Count5.7B5.7B5.7B5.7B3B
Teraflops6.175.15.84.92.2
TDP185W150W150W120W75W
Manufacturing Process14nm FinFet14nm FinFet14nm FinFet14nm14nm
ArchitectureGCNGCNGCNGCN 2.0GCN 2.0
GPUPolaris 20Polaris 20Polaris 10Polaris 11Polaris 11
Launch Date4/18/174/18/1706/29/168/168/16
Launch Price$199/$229$169$200/$240$199.99$139.99

While these charts will provide you with a ton of detail on every video card, if you don't understand GPU jargon, we explain what each graphics card is capable of in laymen's terms below.

GeForce GTX 1080 Ti

No Caption Provided

What it's good for: The GeForce GTX 1080 Ti is currently the best gaming graphics card that money can buy. The GPU is geared for 4K (3840x2160p) and should be able to max out the most graphically-demanding games at that resolution with playable frame rates. You may want to lower some graphical settings like anti-aliasing if you want to hit 60FPS and above for the most taxing games at 4K, however.

From our GeForce GTX 1080 Ti review: "The GTX 1080 Ti shattered nearly every benchmark I threw at it while being a very quiet card. At $699, it isn't cheap, but it's still a great value given the performance.

If you told me last year that we'd get a card this fast by now, I would have called you crazy. As I noted in my GTX 1080 review in 2016, I thought it wouldn't be until Nvidia's Volta GPU micro-architecture that we'd get a card that could truly handle 4K this well. The GTX 1080 Ti proved me wrong. It's that good."

Price: $699.99

GeForce GTX 1080

No Caption Provided

What it's good for: The GeForce GTX 1080 is a high-end GPU that serves as a good entry point for 4K gaming. It will be able to handle most games at 3840x2160p, but may struggle to max out the most taxing titles with smooth, consistent frame rates. Alternatively, it's also a viable GPU for maxing out graphically demanding games at 1440p with high refresh rate panels.

From our GeForce GTX 1080 review: "It easily gives the $1,000 Maxwell-based Titan X a run for its money. At 4K, where it's really able to flex its muscles, it can be 70 percent faster than its predecessor, which is insane when you consider that the GTX 980 is still a fantastic GPU."

Price: $499

GeForce GTX 1070

No Caption Provided

What it's good for: The GeForce GTX 1070 is an upper mid-range GPU that can handle moderately taxing games at 4K, but it really excels more as a fantastic card for maxing out games at 1440p on high refresh rate panels. It's also slightly faster than 2015's $1,000 Titan X graphics card.

From our GeForce GTX 1070 review: "If you were tallying the wins between the GTX 1070 and the Titan X in my suite of benchmarks, then you'll know that the 1070 beat the Titan X in all of the benchmarks with the exception of one test, where it was just one percent behind. Not only is this within the statistical margin of error, but it was a test done at 1080p with both cards averaging over 140 FPS. Like the Titan X and GTX 1080 before it, the GTX 1070 is overkill for 1080p gaming, unless you're running a really high refresh rate monitor. Also like the GTX 1080, it will be able to max out all 1440p games with playable framerates as well, though it won't achieve above 60 average FPS for the most taxing games. It's also a viable card if you want to dip your feet into 4K, but, again, it won't be able to max out the most graphically demanding games there.

...Sure, the GTX 1070 makes some concessions against the GTX 1080, but, for the most part, it performs admirably where it counts."

Price: $399

AMD Radeon RX 580

No Caption Provided

What it's good for: The RX 580 is essentially an overclocked RX 480. It's a great mid-tier GPU for maxing out games at 1080p. In a benchmark battle, it's really competitive with Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1060 and can also handle most games at 1440p.

The RX 580 comes in either 4GB or 8GB variants. We'd suggest sticking with a 4GB model, which start out at $199, if you plan on gaming at 1080p. If you plan on gaming at higher resolutions, we recommend an 8GB version, which you can find for around $230.

From our AMD Radeon RX 580 review: "Sapphire's slightly overclocked RX 580 trades blows with Nvidia's slightly more expensive GTX 1060. According to our benchmark data, it's really too close to declare a definitive winner. One downside to the RX 580 is that it consumes a lot of power for a mid-range card."

GeForce GTX 1060

No Caption Provided

What it's good for: The GeForce GTX 1060 is a highly recommended mid-range card for those who game with a high refresh rate 1080p monitor, which is the most popular gaming resolution. It can also handle many moderately-taxing games at 1440p with playable frame rates and is also a VR-capable card.

From our GeForce GTX 1060 review: "While Nvidia is marketing the GeForce GTX 1060 as a capable graphics card to run 1080p games maxed out, it can also handle many 1440p games well. According to my numbers, the $300 graphics card runs 1.6 percent faster than the GTX 980--which is a card that you'll still find online for roughly $100 more. While it isn't always faster than the GTX 980, my tests do validate Nvidia's assertions that the two cards are generally comparable."

Price: $299

AMD Radeon RX 570

No Caption Provided

What it's good for: The RX 570 is essentially an overclocked version of 2016's RX 470. This makes it roughly as fast as AMD's older, but more premium tier RX 480. Like the RX 480 before it, the card is a fantastic GPU for 1080p gaming, especially since it starts at a base price of $169. It will also be able to handle most games at 1440p with playable frame rates.

From our AMD Radeon RX 570 review: "The RX 570 will be able to run most games at 1440p with playable frame rates. You will most likely want to turn some settings down in the more graphically demanding games, however."

GeForce GTX 1050 Ti

No Caption Provided

What it's good for: The GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is a budget card that's geared for playing the most popular games at 1080p with high-to-very high settings.

From our EVGA GTX 1050 Ti Review: "EVGA's GTX 1050 Ti offers a great value"

Price: $149.99

GeForce GTX 1050

No Caption Provided

What it's good for: The GeForce GTX 1050 is a slightly slower version of the GTX 1050 Ti. The card is geared for running popular titles like Rocket League and Overwatch at 1080p, though it can run graphically demanding games like The Witcher 3 if you're willing to turn down some settings. It's a super cheap, good bang-for-the-buck 1080p option.

From our MSI GTX 1050 review: The card is capable of handling most games at 1080p with respectable settings and frame rates."

Price: $109.99


Assassin's Creed Creator's New Game Drops Episodic Model, Gets Teaser Video

By Chris Pereira on Apr 20, 2017 11:00 pm

While there's still a lot we don't know about it, we've now learned that the new project from Assassin's Creed creator Patrice Desilets is no longer episodic.

Desilets shared the news about Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey today at the Reboot Develop conference, GamesIndustry.biz reports. "It's a third-person adventure game set 10 million years ago," he explained. "Before it was episodic, and that changed the pace, but the content is the same. It's a bigger game, a bigger world. It was hour to hour; now it's open and I let the player tell their own stories. There are systems talking to each other, not me taking players by the hand. You'll create the story of your own ancestors, and maybe it will be different than what science claims."

Coinciding with this news, developer Panache Digital Games released a teaser trailer (above) for Ancestors. It opens with a Charles Darwin quote before showing brief glimpses of the game's setting of Africa 10 million years ago.

"Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey is a third person action-adventure survival game," the accompanying description states. "The player will relive the early story of mankind with a documentary twist. Humanity is one idea away from evolution or extinction."

Desilets, who is best known for his work on Assassin's Creed at Ubisoft, parted ways with the company in 2010 to found a THQ studio which was subsequently purchased by Ubisoft. He again parted ways with Ubisoft on less-than-stellar terms, resulting in a lawsuit that was ultimately dropped. He founded Panache in 2014 before revealing Ancestors in 2015. As part of his talk today, he reaffirmed that another of his announced projects, 1666, is on hold.

Ancestors does not yet have a release date or confirmed platform, but we'll report back as Panache shares more details.


Street Fighter 5's New "Work" Costume DLC Includes Firefighters And Cheerleaders

By Chris Pereira on Apr 20, 2017 10:36 pm

Capcom has revealed even more DLC for Street Fighter V with a new line of work-themed costumes for three characters.

With this DLC, Alex puts on a firefighter outfit, R. Mika dresses up like a cheerleader, and Chun-Li wears business attire. You can check out all three, along with concept art for each, in the gallery below.

No Caption Provided
Gallery image 1Gallery image 2Gallery image 3Gallery image 4Gallery image 5Gallery image 6Gallery image 7Gallery image 8

These costumes don't come cheap: they'll be priced at $4/€4 each when they're released on April 25. They join the previously announced school costumes for Juri, Chun-Li, and Ryu, all of which carry the same price.

Also arriving on April 25 alongside those six costumes is the revived Thailand stage. It, too, is priced at $4/€4, though you'll alternatively have the option of spending 70,000 Fight Money to acquire it.

More substantial updates were expected later this month in the form of balance changes and a new DLC character. Those were recently delayed, as Capcom plans to host a second beta test for its revamped Capcom Fighters Network. Both the balance tweaks and new character are tied to that update and can't be released until it's ready for launch. They are currently without an official release date.


Full NBA Playgrounds Official Roster Revealed

By Justin Haywald on Apr 20, 2017 10:00 pm

Many years have passed since the last arcade-style basketball game came out for home consoles, but it's a niche that NBA Playgrounds is hoping to fill. Gameplay videos of the in-development title have shown its ridiculously proportioned characters, an official NBA license, and high-flying aerial stunts. And now, we also know the complete character roster.

Playgrounds is being developed by Saber Interactive--one of the studios behind the Halo: The Master Chief Collection and a co-developer of the upcoming Quake Champions. An arcade-y basketball is a very different development direction to take for the development team, but it seems to have the full support of the NBA, and the game will include a roster of current and historic NBA superstars. Here's the full list:

  • Aaron Gordon
  • Al Horford
  • Al Jefferson
  • Alex English
  • Allen Iverson
  • Alonzo Mourning
  • Andre Drummond
  • Andrew Wiggins
  • Anfernee Hardaway
  • Anthony Davis
  • Ben McLemore
  • Ben Simmons
  • Bill Laimbeer
  • Bill Russell
  • Bill Walton
  • Billy Cunningham
  • Blake Griffin
  • Bradley Beal
  • Brandon Ingram
  • Brook Lopez
  • Buddy Hield
  • CJ McCollum
  • Carmelo Anthony
  • Chandler Parsons
  • Chauncey Billups
  • Chris Bosh
  • Chris Mullin
  • Chris Paul
  • Chris Webber
  • Clyde Drexler
  • Damian Lillard
  • Danilo Gallinari
  • Danny Ainge
  • David Robinson
  • DeAndre Jordan
  • DeMar DeRozan
  • DeMarcus Cousins
  • DeMarre Carroll
  • Dell Curry
  • Derrick Rose
  • Dikembe Mutombo
  • Dirk Nowitzki
  • Dominique Wilkins
  • Dragan Bender
  • Draymond Green
  • Dwight Howard
  • Dwyane Wade
  • Elfrid Payton
  • Emmanuel Mudiay
  • Enes Kanter
  • Eric Bledsoe
  • Evan Turner
  • Frank Kaminsky
  • George Gervin
  • George Hill
  • George Mikan
  • Goran Dragic
  • Gordon Hayward
  • Grant Hill
  • Greg Monroe
  • Hakeem Olajuwon
  • Harrison Barnes
  • Hassan Whiteside
  • Ian Mahinmi
  • Jabari Parker
  • Jahlil Okafor
  • Jakob Poeltl
  • Jamal Crawford
  • Jamal Murray
  • James Harden
  • James Worthy
  • Jason Kidd
  • Jaylen Brown
  • Jeff Teague
  • Jeremy Lin
  • Jimmy Butler
  • Joel Embiid
  • John Stockton
  • John Wall
  • Jonas Valanciunas
  • Jordan Clarkson
  • Jrue Holiday
  • Karl Anthony Towns
  • Karl Malone
  • Kawhi Leonard
  • Kevin Durant
  • Kevin Johnson
  • Kevin Love
  • Kris Dunn
  • Kris Humphries
  • Kristaps Porzingis
  • Kyle Lowry
  • Kyrie Irving
  • LaMarcus Aldridge
  • Larry Johnson
  • LeBron James
  • Luis Scola
  • Luol Deng
  • Magic Johnson
  • Marc Gasol
  • Marcus Morris
  • Marcus Smart
  • Marquese Chriss
  • Mason Plumlee
  • Matt Barnes
  • Maurice Cheeks
  • Michael Beasley
  • Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
  • Mike Conley Jr.
  • Mitch Richmond
  • Monta Ellis
  • Nenê
  • Nerlens Noel
  • Nicolas Batum
  • Nikola Jokic
  • Nikola Vucevic
  • Oscar Robertson
  • Otto Porter Jr.
  • Patrick Beverley
  • Patrick Ewing
  • Pau Gasol
  • Paul George
  • Paul Millsap
  • Paul Westphal
  • Rajon Rondo
  • Ray Allen
  • Reggie Jackson
  • Ricky Rubio
  • Robert Parish
  • Roy Hibbert
  • Rudy Gay
  • Rudy Gobert
  • Russell Westbrook
  • Scottie Pippen
  • Shaquille O'Neal
  • Shawn Kemp
  • Shawn Marion
  • Spud Webb
  • Stephen Curry
  • Steven Adams
  • Thon Maker
  • Tim Hardaway
  • Trey Burke
  • Ty Lawson
  • Tyreke Evans
  • Victor Oladipo
  • Vince Carter
  • Walt Frazier
  • Willis Reed
  • Wilt Chamberlain
  • Zach LaVine
  • Zach Randolph
Gallery image 1Gallery image 2Gallery image 3Gallery image 4Gallery image 5Gallery image 6Gallery image 7Gallery image 8Gallery image 9Gallery image 10Gallery image 11Gallery image 12Gallery image 13Gallery image 14Gallery image 15Gallery image 16Gallery image 17Gallery image 18Gallery image 19Gallery image 20Gallery image 21Gallery image 22Gallery image 23Gallery image 24Gallery image 25Gallery image 26Gallery image 27Gallery image 28Gallery image 29Gallery image 30

You can see a sampling of how a few of those characters will be portrayed in the gallery above. NBA Playgrounds is currently scheduled to release digitally for Xbox One, PS4, and PC sometime in May for $20.


Nintendo Switch EShop Adds Its Second New Game This Week

By Chris Pereira on Apr 20, 2017 09:15 pm

Nintendo Switch owners looking for something new to play have a pair of new options this week on the eShop.

New today is yet another ACA Neo Geo release. This one is Fatal Fury, the classic 1991 fighting game from SNK. Like the other ACA games on Switch, such as Metal Slug and Samurai Shodown IV, it's priced at $8 (£6.29).

No Caption Provided
Gallery image 1Gallery image 2Gallery image 3Gallery image 4Gallery image 5

Fatal Fury follows a more significant eShop release on Tuesday, when Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap debuted for $20 (£18). Wonder Boy was one of quite a few remasters that launched this week, though it was the only one to come to Switch (at least for now). As our review states, it's still a strong game, maintaining the original's classic gameplay while offering an optional new visual style that looks absolutely fantastic.

Switch's next big release comes on April 28, when Mario Kart 8 Deluxe arrives. This enhanced port of the Wii U game packs in new characters and an expanded Battle mode, among other things. For more on that, check out GameSpot's Mario Kart 8 Deluxe review and review roundup.


GTA 5 Online Revives Classic Top-Down Camera For A New Mode

By Chris Pereira on Apr 20, 2017 08:43 pm

As promised, Grand Theft Auto V is going old-school with a new mode in GTA Online.

Before it shifted to a traditional third-person perspective and became one of the biggest franchises in gaming, Grand Theft Auto featured a top-down camera view. Rockstar is bringing that back with Tiny Racers, a new take on the game's stunt races that forces an overhead perspective a la GTA and GTA 2.

Details are still scant; we know it's arriving on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on April 25, but we otherwise have no information beyond what's seen in the trailer above.

While we wait for that, Rockstar is offering one-day bonuses in GTA Online to mark today's 4/20 date. Today only, weed farm business and business upgrades are 50% off, and profits derived from weed sales will net 50% more money. Additionally, if you head over to LS Customs, the green tire smoke upgrade can be purchased for half price.

These bonuses come in addition to those already announced earlier this week, when Rockstar also unlocked previously exclusive content for all players.


Dawn Of War 3 Review Roundup

By Oscar Dayus on Apr 20, 2017 08:02 pm

The latest Warhammer 40,000 game, Dawn of War III, is nearly upon us. The title is a follow-up to 2009's Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II, itself a sequel to the 2004 original, and it aims to combine the best bits of those two games and add in some larger-scale action in the form of super-sized units. But is it successful?

Well, with its April 27 launch just a few days away, reviews have started to go live for Relic Entertainment's RTS title. In GameSpot's review, critic Daniel Starkey said the game "builds and maintains an organic tension that yields huge pay-offs ... there's nothing else quite like it." Read more in our full Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III review, or watch some gameplay here. If you want to try it for yourself, meanwhile, you can try the open beta starting April 21.

For a wider view on Dawn of War III's critical reception, you can take a look at our roundup below, or check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

  • Game: Dawn of War III
  • Developer: Relic Entertainment
  • Platform: PC
  • Release: April 27
  • Price: $60 / £40

GameSpot -- 8/10

"An odd chimera of its forebears, there's a lot in this fast-paced RTS that's a little bit off. Parts of the interface don't work sometimes, inter-match army management is half-baked, and the micromanagement needed to use the game's signature hero units effectively doesn't jibe with the extensive base-building you'll need to support them. But those problems fall away when you're in the heat of battle. Dawn of War III builds and maintains an organic tension that yields huge pay-offs, and there's nothing else quite like it." -- Daniel Starkey [Full review]

PCGamesN -- 8/10

"This is the most conventional RTS in an historically unconventional series. While this fact alone may divide players, its quality of presentation and polished mechanics mean that, as it inevitably expands with more content, Dawn of War III may yet become the champion of a genre that remains stubbornly resistant to evolution." -- Robert Zak [Full review]

Polygon -- 8/10

"Dawn of War 3 makes an admirable attempt to nudge forward a genre that has struggled in recent years to progress. The addition of Elites offers intriguing and complex challenges for those who are prepared to put in the necessary practice. Relic has obviously thought long and hard about how real-time strategy might best be improved--even if true evolution seems out of the game's grasp." -- Colin Campbell [Full review]

PC Gamer -- No score (review in progress)

"If I were to pass judgement on it now, I'd call Dawn of War III flawed but fun. The flashy animations might chase away Warhammer fans who can't bear the thought of guy in terminator armour flipping into battle. There's certainly fun here, though, and I'll be back with a fuller review explaining whether that means it represents a new dawn for the real-time strategy genre as a whole." -- Leif Johnson [Full review in progress]


Grab Saints Row 2 For Free As The Series' Latest Games Go DRM-Free

By Chris Pereira on Apr 20, 2017 07:52 pm

GOG today launches DRM-free versions of the two most recent Saints Row games, and to celebrate, it's giving away an earlier title for free.

Over the next two days, you can add Saints Row 2 to your library for free. This is a DRM-free version of the game, meaning you don't have to use GOG or its Steam-esque Galaxy client in order to play it. Simply claim it on GOG's website before the deadline--this Saturday, April 22, at 3 AM PT/6 AM ET/11 AM GMT--and it's yours to keep forever.

No Caption Provided

As for the new releases, both Saints Row IV: Game of the Century Edition and Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell (a standalone expansion to Saints Row IV) are now available through GOG, marking the first time they've been offered DRM-free. Both games are 75% off right now, dropping their prices to $5 (£3.79) and $3.74 (£2.79), respectively.

If you already own Saints Row games on Steam but want DRM-free copies, you can use the GOG Connect feature to import them to your GOG library. This applies to Saints Row 2, The Third, IV, and Gat Out of Hell. The process leaves your Steam copies intact but allows you to also download the games from GOG, sans DRM.


Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Review Roundup

By Oscar Dayus on Apr 20, 2017 07:03 pm

After a successful launch, the Nintendo Switch is about to get its next big exclusive in the form of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, a port of the 2014 Wii U game. This Switch version of the arcade racer includes all the original game's DLC, as well as some new characters and a completely revamped Battle Mode.

With its April 28 launch drawing ever closer, reviews have now begun to surface for the Nintendo title. In our review, critic Kallie Plagge awarded the game a 9/10, stating that the changes made "refine an already great racing game." Read more in our full Mario Kart 8 Deluxe review, or check out some more of our recent coverage below.

For a wider view on critics' opinions, check out our roundup below. Alternatively, you can take a look at GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

  • Game: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
  • Developer: Nintendo
  • Platform: Nintendo Switch
  • Release: April 28
  • Price: US $60 / £50 / AU $80

GameSpot -- 9/10

"Even if you didn't really care about Battle Mode, the smallest changes in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe refine an already great racing game. But the huge overhaul to the original's afterthought of a Battle Mode is a chaotic, varied opportunity to play very differently than in Grand Prix mode and well worth reinvesting yourself in Mario Kart 8 on Switch." -- Kallie Plagge [Full review]

IGN -- 9.3/10

"Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an amazing game for all the same reasons I mentioned in our original review. It's still a gorgeous kart racer and every bit as addictive as it was in 2014. This is the best entry in the series so far, and it has all the content you'll need. Returning players have seen a lot of this game before, but the overhauled Battle Mode and its five additional ways to play are a great reason to pick it up. Nintendo didn't do enough to make the online experience better, but the rest of this game holds up well." -- Jose Otero [Full review]

Destructoid -- 9.5/10

"Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is straight-up a better version of the game without compromise. It looks crisper, there's more to do, it's portable, and it might even outsell the Wii U version to ensure a healthier long-term community. With Battle Mode firmly in place, it's one of the best kart racers ever made." -- Chris Carter [Full review]

Game Informer -- 9.25/10

"Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is primarily a re-release of an acclaimed game from three years ago, but by adding new content and addressing the biggest complaint of the original, this version is unquestionably the best way to experience Nintendo's great racer. Battle Mode is back to its original glory, and when combined with the rest of the robust Mario Kart 8 package, it creates a great addition to the fledgling Switch library." -- Brian Shea [Full review]


Injustice 2's Brainiac Receives The Spotlight In Latest Trailer

By Chris Pereira on Apr 20, 2017 07:00 pm

The fifth and final entry in Injustice 2's Shattered Alliances video series has arrived, and this time the focus is squarely on Brainiac.

Much of the video focuses on setting up the story--Brainiac has arrived to seek Superman, whom he believed had been eradicated with the rest of Krypton--and emphasizing how much of a threat he is.

We also get a glimpse of what Brainiac looks like in combat, where he makes ample usage of the robotic arms protruding from his back. You can check it all out in the video above.

Injustice 2's release is now just a few weeks away. Developer NetherRealm will broadcast its latest Watchtower stream on Twitch later today, April 20, at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET / 9 PM GMT. It will focus on Poison Ivy, Deadshot, and Catwoman.

The next character reveal, meanwhile, is scheduled to come on April 28. That will be followed soon after by the game's PS4 and Xbox One launch on May 16.


The Matrix Tickets Giveaway (Los Angeles Only)

By Sheiva Yazdani on Apr 20, 2017 06:30 pm

To celebrate the upcoming release of Prey, you can enter for a chance to win two (2) tickets for you and a friend to see The Matrix at The Regent Theater in Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 25th. Five (5) winners, plus their friends, will be chosen on Sunday, April 22nd, and contacted via email. Winners will have to travel to the event at their own cost.

Perks: Attendees of the event will be able to play the game Prey, enjoy food/drinks, and get a chance to win a custom Prey Xbox One or PlayStation 4. This event is sponsored by Bethesda Softworks.

Where: The Regent Theater | 448 S. Main St. Los Angeles, CA 90013​

When: Tuesday, April 25​, 2017. The Matrix begins at 7:00 pm PT and the Prey game demo starts at 9:15pm PT.

Enter below:


Overwatch's Controversial Tie Break Rule Changing Again

By Oscar Dayus on Apr 20, 2017 04:31 pm

As part of a recent update, developer Blizzard changed how Overwatch ties are resolved in competitive Assault games. After "a tremendous amount of feedback," the developer has decided to tweak the system again.

Before the patch, draws were decided by racing to capture a tie-breaker point. The update changed that to a progress-based system: "If neither team successfully captures the objective, a winner can be determined based on which team captured the largest portion," Blizzard said at the time.

This created a problem, however. As Blizzard explains in a new blog post, it meant that teams only needed to reach 1% capture to potentially win a match.

"If Team A is on Hanamura defense and prevents Team B from ever gaining any capture progress, then when Team A is on offense they only need to reach 1% capture progress to win the game," writes principal designer Scott Mercer. "This means Team B needs to always have someone contesting on the capture point, or they risk losing."

To prevent this, the system will soon change slightly, meaning you'll now need to reach at least 33% capture to win a tiebreak. So if Team A gains 10%, then Team B captures 20% in the next round, the match will end in a stalemate as neither team reached 33% capture. Conversely, if Team A reaches 90% on offense before Team B attacks to gain 40%, Team A wins as they had more progress than their opponent and a minimum of 33%.

Blizzard admits the tweak will result in more ties than the old arrangement, but feels "the additional clarity of the victory moment and ability for the defense to react to the offense are worth it." The change will arrive in a future patch.

No Caption Provided

Overwatch was recently updated with a new expansion, called Uprising. The update added a bunch of new skins, items, and a PvE mode. You can watch us play the game and unlock boxes in our Overwatch Uprising livestream right here. In addition, a patch was released on PC to fix a PvE exploit and fix a load of bugs--take a look at the full patch notes here.

Game director Jeff Kaplan recently said Overwatch could come to Nintendo Switch down the road, though it would be "difficult" if it did happen. He's also stated the game could get a map editor one day.

"We are extremely open-minded about releasing a map editor for Overwatch someday," he said. "But because Overwatch was made with a brand new engine, this is not a small task or one which can happen any time soon."

For more on Overwatch, you should definitely check out our own interview with Kaplan. He discusses an abandoned idea for a cat-with-a-jetpack hero, patching out Genji, bad Google images, Fast and the Furious, and more.


DC's Batgirl Might Not Be Played By A Big Star, Director States

By Dan Auty on Apr 20, 2017 04:23 pm

Last month it was announced that director Joss Whedon will be helming a Batgirl movie for DC. Now Whedon has been speaking about the project, and has revealed that he doesn't expect a big star to play the title role.

No Caption Provided

In an interview with Variety, Whedon stated that he wasn't thinking about casting for now. "I feel like I'm creating this character, I'm going to dialogue with her, and then we'll see who joins that later on," he said

"I doubt it will be a name. This is somewhere where you go and find Batgirl and then you cast her".

The director explained that although he wouldn't avoid a star, it wasn't his main focus. "I'm not against movie stars, they're great, but you need somebody who's going to be just right," he said. "And a situation like this, the name carries a lot of weight so it's not as critical."

Whedon is no stranger to star-studded superhero movies, having helmed The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron for Marvel. He is also known as the creator of TV shows such as Firefly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Agents of SHIELD.

It's early days for the Batgirl film, and no producers are attached at this point. It will be DC's second standalone female superhero movie, following the upcoming Wonder Woman, which releases in June. The studio is also at work on a Gotham City Sirens movie focusing on a number of female supervillains.


More Details And Images For Dark Souls Publisher's New Vampire RPG Revealed

By Eddie Makuch on Apr 20, 2017 02:35 pm

Following a report from last week, Bandai Namco today officially announced Code Vein, a vampire game of sorts where you "feast on the blood of enemies" in a "massive interconnected world."

The third-person action-RPG is scheduled to launch on "major home consoles" in 2018. This is likely a reference to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One; there is no word on a PC version.

No Caption Provided
Gallery image 1Gallery image 2Gallery image 3Gallery image 4Gallery image 5Gallery image 6Gallery image 7Gallery image 8Gallery image 9Gallery image 10Gallery image 11Gallery image 12Gallery image 13Gallery image 14Gallery image 15Gallery image 16Gallery image 17

Bandai Namco also released the official synopsis for Code Vein. You play as a Revenant in a world "full of vicious enemies and monstrous bosses." More from the synopsis follows below:

"In the not too distant future, a mysterious disaster has brought collapse to the world, as we know it. Towering skyscrapers, once symbols of prosperity, are now lifeless graves of humanity's past pierced by the Thorns of Judgment. At the center of the destruction lies a hidden society of Revenants called Vein. This final stronghold is where the remaining few fight to survive, blessed with Gifts of power in exchange for their memories and a thirst for blood. Give into the bloodlust fully and risk becoming one of the Lost, fiendish ghouls devoid of any remaining humanity."

As a Revenant, players can make use of items called Blood Veils, which drain the blood of enemies to enhance the player's abilities, known as Gifts.

"Players can change their form to increase their strength, weaken enemies, and utilize new weapon abilities with overpowered attacks," Bandai Namco said. "Utilizing the vast array of weaponry along with each character's Gift, players can adapt and strategize to a variety of battle conditions that suit their play styles."

Bandai Namco VP of marketing Eric Hartness said in a statement that Code Vein will offer a "fresh anime aesthetic and blood-curdling gameplay twists."

The game is being developed by Bandai Namco Studios.


Xbox Game Pass Alpha Ends Soon, Suggesting Full Release Coming Up

By Eddie Makuch on Apr 20, 2017 12:34 pm

The ongoing alpha for the Xbox Game Pass service will wrap up on April 28, Microsoft has confirmed. A message in the Xbox Insider app on Xbox One reveals the end-date.

"Thank you for participating in the Xbox Game Pass Alpha Preview," the message reads. "You feedback has been invaluable and will make the service better for all gamers....We're getting close to launch and Xbox Game Pass will be available for all gamers later this Spring."

No Caption Provided

Xbox Game Pass, which was announced in February, is a Netflix-like service that provides subscribers with access to a catalog of 100 games (see all the confirmed titles here). Alpha testers have access to around 20, not including some of the bigger ones like Halo 5 and NBA 2K16.

Xbox Game Pass is expected to launch for all Xbox One owners this Spring. Though an official release date has not been announced, the fact that the Alpha is ending soon suggests that the release may be right around the corner. The official last day of Spring is June 20.

Earlier this week, Microsoft sent out a new wave of invitations to the Xbox Game Pass Alpha. If you're an Xbox Insider, check your messages for a invitation.

Are you planning to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass? Let us know in the comments below!


Here Are All The Songs On The Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 Soundtrack

By Eddie Makuch on Apr 20, 2017 11:52 am

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 hits theaters soon. While you have to wait a little while longer to see the Marvel sequel, you can now listen to the movie's entire soundtrack.

The "Awesome Mix Vol. 2" has a number of popular licensed songs such as Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky" and "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac. Also on the album are songs like "My Sweet Lord" by George Harrison, "Surrender" by Cheap Trick, and The Jackson 5's "I Want You Back."

According to Rolling Stone, the second Guardians of the Galaxy movie had a bigger budget, which allowed the producers to get better-known songs. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 starts with a scene set to Electric Light Orchestra's "Mr. Blue Sky"--and it's the "most hugely insane shot I've ever done," Gunn told Rolling Stone.

"It's the perfect song to start the movie," says Gunn. "Because it's really joyous, but there's a really dark underpinning to it."

Gunn explained that he thinks that if the Guardians had a house band, it would be ELO. He pushed hard to get the rights to "Mr. Blue Sky"--but it wasn't easy. ELO singer Jeff Lynne approved a song for the first movie, but it was cut, which complicated the negotiating process for the sequel, apparently.

"We had to really fight to get the song, and I personally appealed to Jeff Lynne. I think we made him an offer he couldn't refuse," Gunn said.

Read the full Rolling Stone story here to hear directly from Gunn about the songs on the soundtrack and what they mean to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. You can listen to the soundtrack right now through the Spotify embed below.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 hits theaters on May 5; you can check out a trailer here. In addition, Telltale has released the first episode of its adventure game series based on the franchise--click here to read GameSpot's review.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, and Kurt Russell. Recently, Gunn said the movie would have no fewer than five post-credit sequences.

Gunn has also confirmed that he will return to write and direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.


This Week's PSN Deals Revealed

By Eddie Makuch on Apr 20, 2017 11:16 am

Sony has announced the latest wave of weekly deals on PlayStation Network, with offers available across PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita.

As posted on the PlayStation Store's website, a lot of EA Sports PS4 games are on sale, including FIFA 17 ($24), NHL 17 ($20), Madden NFL 17 ($20), UFC 2 ($16), and Rory McIlroy PGA Tour ($7.50).

No Caption Provided

Other PS4 games marked down this week include Snow Moto Racing Freedom ($20), Tethered ($15), Gunjack ($4), and Alien: Shooter ($3).

The deals extend beyond games, too, as the Adorable Cats and Adorable Puppies PS4 dynamic themes are on sale for $1.50 each.

You can see the full rundown of this week's PSN deals here on the PlayStation Store's website.


The Walking Dead: A New Frontier Episode 4 Release Date Announced

By Eddie Makuch on Apr 20, 2017 06:13 am

The fourth episode of The Walking Dead: A New Frontier, "Thicker Than Water," will launch on April 25, Telltale Games announced today on Twitter.

Additionally, a trailer for Thicker Than Water will premiere on April 20. We'll post that here on GameSpot when it's made available, along with any further details that are shared.

The Walking Dead Season 3 - A New Frontier kicked off with a two-part premiere in December 2016, after a small delay from November.

The new season is available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and mobile devices. You can read GameSpot's reviews of the first three episodes below. There will be five episodes in all.


Next Injustice 2 Character Reveal Coming Soon, Here's When

By Eddie Makuch on Apr 20, 2017 05:31 am

NetherRealm will announce the next character for the fighting game sequel Injustice 2 on April 28, the developer announced on its website. This is all we know for now, as the page doesn't contain any sort of teaser for who the character might be.

Before the character is revealed, NetherRealm will conduct the next Watchtower event tomorrow, April 20, starting at 1 PM PT / 3 PM CT / 4 PM ET. This broadcast will focus on Poison Ivy, Deadshot, and Catwoman. You'll be able to watch through NetherRealm's Twitch account. GameSpot will report back with any news or videos as they're made available.

In other Injustice 2 news, NetherRealm recently released a trailer for the fighting game that showed off Poison Ivy gameplay--watch it here.

Injustice 2 launches on May 16 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. You can see a roundup of all the confirmed characters here.

Which character are you hoping to see be revealed for Injustice 2 next week? Let us know in the comments below!


Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Nerfs Controversial "Fire-Hopping" Technique Apparently

By Eddie Makuch on Apr 20, 2017 05:13 am

It appears that Nintendo has nerfed the controversial "fire-hopping" technique for Mario Kart 8's upcoming Deluxe version for Nintendo Switch.

The video below from GameXplain (via Eurogamer) appears to show that fire-hopping, a technique that lets you extend a power slide boost, is significantly less effective in Deluxe. It may even slow you down, the video explains through a comparison to the Wii U version. This is not 100 percent definitive proof that fire-hopping, or whatever else you might call it, has been nerfed, but the video is compelling.

GameSpot has contacted Nintendo in an attempt to get more details on fire-hopping's role in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe launches on April 28 for Nintendo Switch. A re-release of Mario Kart 8, the game has more characters, carts, and tracks unlocked from the beginning than any other Mario Kart game ever. If you want to download it to your console, it will take up 6.75 GB, apparently.

For more on on Mario Kart 8, check out GameSpot's hands-on video preview here.


Xbox Boss Teases New "Future Work" On Minecraft

By Eddie Makuch on Apr 20, 2017 04:47 am

Xbox boss Phil Spencer spent a part of his day today with the team at Minecraft developer Mojang, he said on Twitter. While he didn't get into specifics about what he saw, Spencer said it was a "Great day with the team [at] Mojang seeing the future work on Minecraft."

He added: "Very cool to see the new ideas the team has come to life."

Microsoft acquired the Minecraft franchise and developer Mojang in September in a big deal worth $2.5 billion. Since then, the massively popular sandbox game has gotten even bigger, with Microsoft announcing 121 million sales and 55 million monthly players earlier this year.

The game is regularly supported with new DLC and updates, including Power Rangers content that came out at the end of March. More recently, Microsoft announced a real-money marketplace for Minecraft, while the game is coming to another platform, Nintendo Switch, in May.

In August 2015, Spencer talked about his broad vision for Minecraft, saying Microsoft has no immediate plans to make Minecraft 2, though it could happen eventually.

What would you like to see added to Minecraft in the future? Let us know in the comments below!


You Can Play As Ariana Grande Again In This Final Fantasy Game Right Now

By Eddie Makuch on Apr 20, 2017 04:18 am

If you missed out on playing as Ariana Grande in Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, there is good news today, as Square Enix has announced that her character is coming back.

Right now, you can again play as the "Dangerous Ariana" character, whose look is inspired by the world-famous pop singer's trademark bunny ears outfit. You need to complete the "Dangerous Woman Tour" stage to unlock the special character.

There are also "various pieces of equipment" for the Ariana Grande character that you can use in battle.

On top of that, a new "elite difficulty" stage has been added to Final Fantasy Brave Exvius. According to Square Enix, this will provide a new challenge for "veteran players."

Like the first event, this one is also only available for a limited time, Square Enix said.

Additionally, Square Enix and developer Gumi have announced a special promotion where players who post screenshots from the boss battles in the Dangerous Woman stages can get in-game rewards.

Additionally, you can win tickets to Grande's Dangerous Woman show in Paris on June 7 by posting a comment and a boss battle screenshot on the Exvius Facebook Page.

You can download Final Fantasy Brave Exvius through the links below:


An Office Space Video Game Is Out Now, 18 Years After The Movie Came Out

By Eddie Makuch on Apr 20, 2017 03:54 am

18 years after the release of the the workplace comedy Office Space, a video game based on the Mike Judge film has arrived. Called Office Space: Idle Profits, the free-to-play game is out now for iOS and Android.

Idle Profits features characters from the game such as Michael Bolton, Bill Lumbergh, Samir, Peter, and Milton (with this red stapler, of course). You play as a "lowly Initech corporate drone" who is about to lose their job to a recent college grad. Just like in the movie, you'll work with your fellow disgruntled employees to install a virus on the company's mainframe to steal money.

No Caption Provided

As the money piles up, players will unlock new departments of Initech and new characters.

"Everyone, at least once, has felt underappreciated at their job," developer Ultrabit GM Cooper Bachman said in a statement. "When we started working on Office Space, everyone on the development team knew we were onto something special. Even 18 years later, the film's themes are still relatable to all ages. And when we paired the film's story and hilarious cast of characters with idle mechanics, it fit incredibly well."

And don't worry, Idle Profits will indeed pay homage to Office Space's famous printer-destroying scene. As you can see in the image below, Peter, Michael, and Samir deal out their own brand of justice on the device in the middle of a field, just like it happened in the movie.

Ultrabit is a subsidiary of GameStop's mobile game unit, Kongregate. The studio worked on Pocket Politics and Raid Brigade.

No Caption Provided


Diablo 2 Speedrunner Beats The Game Without Attacking

By Chris Pereira on Apr 20, 2017 02:45 am

A successful new speedrun of Diablo II manages to distinguish itself from existing ones in a very significant way: the game was beaten without attacking any enemies.

This pacifist run by streamer DrCliche can be watched in full in the video below. The game is completed on Normal difficulty through Act V's Baal boss in just over 7 hours and 41 minutes (though the video continues on for a bit after that point). Put simply, the strategy involves equipping gear that causes attackers to suffer damage, leaving the player to consume health potions that allow them to tank their way through fights.

DrCliche said in a post on Reddit that this is the second time they've done a run like this. With it being a new concept, they laid down some ground rules for a Diablo II pacifist run. These include not hiring a mercenary (an AI companion that fights for you), disregarding actions taken by NPCs you have no control over, and not taking advantage if you attack due to a bug.

"There's a bug that sometimes causes your mouse buttons to revert to attack when any of your equipment changes," DrCliche explained. "As a result, it's easy to unwittingly swing at an enemy, or to accidentally [use telekinesis on] something while aiming for a chest, portal, waypoint, shrine, seal, or altar. If that happens, simply apologize and don't allow that enemy to die. If that enemy needs to die, respawn it unprovoked in a new game."

The Reddit post goes on to highlight the items you need to shoot for while doing this and the strategy for each act and its boss. The choice of the Sorceress class was made due to an otherwise forgettable enemy in Act IV, Lord de Seis. Because he's unskippable, doesn't have a melee attack, and can heal himself, this leaves the Sorceress' Chilling Armor as perhaps the only efficient way of taking him down as a pacifist.

Blizzard recently celebrated the Diablo series' 20th anniversary with in-game events in Diablo III, among its other games. It's also currently working on bringing arguably Diablo II's best class, the Necromancer, to Diablo III.


Nintendo Switch's Binding Of Isaac Might Get This Amiibo Figure

By Chris Pereira on Apr 20, 2017 01:53 am

The next game to get an Amiibo figure might be the Nintendo Switch version of The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+.

Publisher Nicalis teased the possibility on Twitter, sharing the image below of what looks like a mock-up of an Amiibo figure of Isaac.

No Caption Provided

The tweet reads, "What's that? You really want an Amiibo from The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ on Nintendo Switch?" Given the phrasing, Nicalis may simply be trying to drum up support for such a figure rather than confirming one is officially on the way.

The vast majority of Amiibo figures on the market come from first-party Nintendo games, though some third-party options have also emerged, including Shovel Knight. Highly anticipated Bayonetta and Final Fantasy VII Cloud figures, announced back in 2015, recently went up for preorder ahead of a release in July.

While Nintendo has obviously since allowed the game on its platforms, a Binding of Isaac Amiibo would be funny to see considering Nintendo blocked the game from release on 3DS back in 2012. Designer Edmund McMillen noted at the time this was due to the game's "questionable religious content." It was later released on the New 3DS and Wii U before arriving for Switch last month.


Recent Articles:

You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website.

http://Gamefeed.us10.list-manage1.com/unsubscribe?u=b01828b2bfdd2acf079c9de40&id=55a5ab23e0&e=96854223cb&c=78d1c35da3

Gamefeed

http://Gamefeed.us10.list-manage.com/profile?u=b01828b2bfdd2acf079c9de40&id=55a5ab23e0&e=96854223cb

demo-mailchimp-gamefeed15032015@mailcatch.com

VCard:

Gamefeed
Gamefeed
Mumbai, Mh 400001

Add us to your address book

Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp

No comments:

Post a Comment