By Mat Elfring on Jul 19, 2017 12:14 am
It's almost time for SummerSlam, but before we can get to the summer event, we're making a stop at the Smackdown brand-exclusive PPV Battleground. Taking place on Sunday, July 23, three titles will be on the line, with the most anticipated one being WWE Champion Jinder Mahal taking on Randy Orton in a Punjabi Prison match. Here is who is on the card and our predictions.
Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch vs. Natalya vs. Tamina vs. Lana
(Five-Way Elimination Match to determine Naomi's opponent at SummerSlam) Naomi has been the Smackdown's Women's Champion since she beat Alexa Bliss at Wrestlemania this past spring. Since then, she's gone through the division racking up victory after victory. Now, the rest of the women on Smackdown will fight each other in an elimination match to determine who will take on the champ at SummerSlam. Although we would love to see Becky Lynch take on Naomi at SummerSlam, we're going to go out on a limb and say that Tamina is going to take this one. She's the only one out of the five women that hasn't been in the championship picture, and while Lynch seems like the logical choice, we're thinking WWE might shake things up a bit by having Tamina win. Our prediction: Tamina wins
AJ Styles (c) vs. Kevin Owens
(For the United States Championship) At a recent house show, Kevin Owens lost the United States Championship to AJ Styles, which was a baffling surprise considering titles almost never change hands at non-televised events. "The New Face of America" no longer has the object that made Kevin Owens great again, so he's getting a chance to win his championship back at Battleground. Owens and Styles are a couple of the top performers at the company, so this match will be a barnburner. That being said, in order to keep this rivalry going, Owens needs to win the title back, so they can have a rubber match at SummerSlam. Also, Owens is the new face of America, and he needs his United States Championship. Our prediction: Owens wins
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin
Filling out the Battleground card are two of Smackdown's up-and-coming stars, Shinsuke Nakamura and Money in the Bank winner Baron Corbin. This is going to be a very interesting match, considering both wrestlers have very different styles. Corbin will reach main event status very soon, if not by the end of Battleground, and Nakamura hasn't been given an exceptionally great storyline as of yet. However, we're thinking this match will showcase The Artist's abilities, since he has so much to gain from winning this match. Corbin will be fine, as he still has his Money in the Bank contract by his side. Because of all this, we're giving the win to Nakamura. Our prediction: Nakamura wins
The Usos (c) vs. The New Day
(For the Smackdown Tag Team Championship) The New Day will take on The Usos once again at Battleground, and hopefully, The Usos won't use the championship advantage to give them the edge. As far as the tag team division goes, this is the rivalry to watch--although we do love what Breezango is doing. This is a tough call, since both of these teams are at the top of their game. However, with SummerSlam coming up next month, it seems like we may get a repeat of this match, with larger odds. For that to happen, New Day should win this match; however, much like last month, we see New Day winning by count out or DQ, which means the Usos would keep their belts. Our prediction: The New Day wins
John Cena vs. Rusev (Flag Match)
Rusev has returned to television, and he's taking on John Cena, again. The whole "America vs. Not America" story is the angle one more time as the two battle each other in a Flag Match, in which you can only win by capturing the opponent's flag--which are at opposite turnbuckles--and raising said flag in your corner. Apparently, the main event for Battleground didn't give the WWE Universe enough chances to chant "USA" during the PPV. When Rusev had the United States Championship, Cena/Rusev was a fantastic rivalry, but this time, there's nothing on the line, aside from pride. Because of John Cena's return to television, and jumping back and forth between Smackdown and Raw is being highlighted by WWE, we're giving Cena the win. Our prediction: Cena wins, crowd chants "USA" a whole bunch.
Jinder Mahal (c) vs. Randy Orton (Punjabi Prison Match)
(For the WWE Championship) Closing out the PPV is yet another Jinder Mahal/Randy Orton battle for the WWE Championship. The two will square-off in a Punjabi Prison match. Two steel-enforced bamboo cages surround the ring--the first is 16 feet tall and the second is 20 feet tall. In order to win, you have to escape. In order for Mahal to establish himself as a real champion, he needs to win this match, so he can face his next opponent. For the most part, Mahal has been involved in this rivalry for months, aside from a squash match here and there. What fans want to see out of the champ is for him to take on more than just Randy Orton, which will help legitimize Mahal. That being said, the modern-day maharajah will come out on top. Our prediction: Mahal wins, crowd chants "USA" a whole bunch. Secondary prediction: Baron Corbin wins after cashing in his Money in the Bank contract.
By Matt Espineli on Jul 18, 2017 11:46 pm
Tricks of the trade.
Destiny 2's closed beta has provided us a plethora of new details about the game. That includes more information about the new subclasses--with new Supers--among many other additions. We've rounded up images of every skill of the Hunter's new Arcstrider subclass. With its trusty staff, it can inflict a variety of damaging electrical attacks. In addition, it also has a variety of useful dodging maneuvers, such as Gambler's Dodge, which allows you to fully recharge your melee ability if you evade attacks from enemies close to you. Click through the slides ahead for a look at the Arcstrider, and be sure to check out our other features covering the skills and abilities of Destiny 2's other subclasses. As of writing, the game's closed beta is currently open to all who have pre-ordered the game.
Arc Staff
Form a staff of pure Arc energy and acrobatically take out your foes.
Flux Grenade
An explosive grenade that deals additional damage when attached to enemies.
Skip Grenade
A grenade that splits upon impact, creating multiple projectiles that seek enemies.
Marksman's Dodge
Dodge to perform an evasive maneuver with a steady hand. Dodging automatically reloads your weapon.
High Jump
While airborne, jump a second time to reach greater heights.
Arcbolt Grenade
A grenade that chains bolts of lightning to nearby enemies.
Gambler's Dodge
Dodge to perform a deft tumble, avoiding enemy attacks. Dodging near enemies fully recharges your Melee Ability.
Strafe Jump
While airborne, jump a second time with strong directional control.
Triple Jump
While airborne, sustain your air control with a second or third jump.
Combination Blow
Kill an enemy with this melee ability to trigger health regeneration and increase your melee damage temporarily.
Combat Flow
Melee kills recharge your dodge ability.
Deadly Reach
Dodging increases your melee range, allowing you to lunge further to strike enemies.
Lethal Current
After dodging, each Arc Staff hit creates a damaging lightning aftershock.
Focused Breathing
Sprinting recharges your dodge ability. Increased maximum sprint speed.
Disorienting Blow
Strike an enemy with this melee ability to disorient the target and nearby enemies.
Lightning Reflexes
You are harder to kill while dodging.
Combat Meditation
While critically wounded, melee and grenades recharge drastically faster.
By Kallie Plagge on Jul 18, 2017 08:30 pm
Surf And Turf
Splatoon 2, the sequel to the colorful Wii U shooter, arrives on Nintendo Switch on July 21. It introduces a new co-op mode called Salmon Run and a new-and-improved version of the original's single player. But most notably for the PvP-minded, it also brings new maps to the standard Turf War multiplayer mode, plus some tweaks to weapons and gear. Turf War is the first game mode you'll be able to play and the only mode for the more casual regular battle category. To gain access to ranked battles, you have to reach level 10 by playing Turf War matches. If you're new to Splatoon or just a little rusty, click ahead for tips and tricks to getting better at Turf War. For more on Splatoon, check out our review and our beginner's guide to weapon classes.
Play The Single-Player Mode
Splatoon 2's single-player campaign is a great introduction to all the weapon types--you'll be able to use a wide variety of weapons throughout. Not only is it fun to play, it'll give you a good idea of what weapon you'll want to use in multiplayer, and it'll help you master the game's movement mechanics.
Learn How Turf War Works
Turf War is a 4-vs-4 PvP mode that tasks you with covering more of a map's area, or "turf," than the other team. Each match last three minutes. Inking turf is a priority, but you'll also be "splatting" your opponents to slow their progress (and avoiding getting splatted yourself). You can check the map with X to see how much turf your team has inked. After your three minutes are up, the team that inked the most turf wins. You receive experience points and money even if you lose, but the winning team gets better rewards.
Focus On Inking At First
When you're first starting out, you won't be able to buy new gear or weapons--you have to be level 4 to go into the shops. In order to level up quickly, focus on inking rather than going to the front lines and splatting opponents. They'll likely have more powerful weapons than you, so it's a better use of your time to rack up points for your team and hang back a bit.
Choose Your Weapon Carefully
Once you hit level 4 and can buy new weapons, you'll want to pick one that best fits your playstyle. Do you like combat and dealing a lot of damage, or would you prefer to ink more often? If you're having trouble deciding, be sure to read our beginner's guide to weapon classes for the full rundown.
And Pick The Right Gear
Gear in Splatoon can be a bit tricky to manage. Everyone wants to look as fresh as possible, but don't forget that gear has abilities! Each piece of gear (headwear, clothing, and shoes) has a main ability and up to three sub-abilities. The main ability can't be changed, but you can speak to Murch in the Square to alter sub-abilities and add ability slots for a price. When you're buying new gear, check the abilities it comes with to see if they fit with your playstyle. If you find yourself running out of ink quickly, try prioritizing gear with the Ink Saver or Ink Recovery Up abilities, for example. You can press ZL when shopping for or equipping gear for more details on what each ability does. Note that sub-abilities are rolled randomly as you level up. You can change them if you don't like them, but it's costly, so save that for your favorite outfits.
How To Use Specials Effectively
In order to use your special, you have to fill your special gauge by inking turf. Your special gauge will decrease whenever you get splatted, so use your specials early and often. To be most effective with the offensive specials, you'll want to use them when multiple opponents are in your line of sight or when you're surrounded by enemy ink that your special will help cover.
Don't Forget To Super Jump
Pull up the map with X and then select an ally with the D-pad to launch to their location. This is really helpful when your team has solid control of the area around your spawn, since swimming to the frontlines can take a while without gear perks that increase your speed. Just be sure not to Super Jump into certain death; pay attention to the ink around your teammate to see if there are enemies close by. Unless you have the Stealth Jump perk, there will be a small circle showing everyone where you'll land, so keep that in mind. And if your teammate is jumping to you, do your best to protect them from danger.
Just Keep Swimming
Try to swim in ink as often as possible. You'll move faster, stay hidden, and refill your ink tank in the process. The more you play, the better you'll be at timing this most efficiently, but a good rule of thumb is to never let your ink tank run out--that means you're not swimming nearly enough.
Stealth Can Be Key
You don't always need to engage right away. Hiding in ink and popping out at the right time can help you get the jump on opponents and fill your special gauge. Also, hiding on walls is a great way to launch a sneak attack for someone rounding a corner.
Bonus: You Can Remix The Wait Music
While you're in a lobby, you can mess around with the buttons on your controller to remix the music. Experiment while you wait!
By Kallie Plagge on Jul 18, 2017 08:30 pm
Splattitude
Splatoon 2, the sequel to the colorful Wii U shooter, arrives on Nintendo Switch on July 21. It introduces a new co-op mode called Salmon Run, a new PvP mode called League Battle that lets you group up with friends, and a new-and-improved version of the original's single player. But whether you're a raw newcomer or a superfresh squidkid, there's a lot to learn about weapons new and old going into Splatoon 2--especially with the small tweaks made to key weapons. Click forward to see each main weapon class, any subclasses within that class, and tips on how to best use each. Keep in mind that you have to reach level 4 in multiplayer in order to buy and equip new weapons, but you can always play through the single-player campaign to try them out. For more on Splatoon 2, check out our review and our tips and tricks for multiplayer.
The Basics
For multiplayer, weapons come in sets: main, sub, and special. When you pick a weapon, be sure to take into account what sub and special it comes with, since you can't customize your loadout. Main and sub weapons consume ink when used, and each has two main components: damage dealt and turf-inking ability (or how effective it is to spread ink on a surface with that weapon). For example, your starter weapon set is the Splattershot Jr., which comes with the Splat Bomb sub and the Ink Armor special. The best weapon set for you really depends on your playstyle, but we recommend prioritizing your main weapon followed by your special and then your sub when choosing a loadout. Sub weapons include: Splat Bombs--standard grenades that explode in a small burst of ink Suction Bomb--can stick to walls and other surfaces before exploding Burst Bomb--explode on impact Curling Bomb--slide along a surface leaving a trail of ink behind before exploding Autobomb--a walking robot bomb Point Sensor--temporarily reveals the location of enemies for you and your team
Specials include: Ink Armor--gives your team a temporary shield and is great for support Curling-Bomb Launcher--allows you to send out a flurry of curling bombs without having to worry about your ink tank running dry Splashdown--hit the ground with a powerful splash of ink, splatting enemies underneath Tenta Missiles--highlights and targets opponents and sends ink raining down on their location from afar Inkjet--streams of ink send you up in the air, where you can then launch ink missles at opponents below you Sting Ray--a laser of ink that can pass through walls
Continue clicking ahead for more details on each of the main weapon classes. Note that "subclasses" within these categories is separate from your sub weapon.
Shooters
Shooters are your basic automatic rifle-type weapon. Your starter weapon, the Splattershot Jr., falls into this category. This class is good for learning the basics of Splatoon and for those who want a nice balance of inking turf and inflicting damage. Subclass: Blasters These shooters have a lower fire rate, so time your shots carefully to avoid getting splatted by an enemy. They also give a lot of splash damage, so they're most effective if you can group enemies together and blast them all at once.
Rollers
Rollers make it easy to ink. Unlike in the original game, the longer you roll with a roller, the faster you'll go in Splatoon 2. You can also fling ink using ZR (or do it vertically by jumping and then pressing ZR). These are especially frustrating in the hands of a skilled player, so be sure to keep your distance when facing a Roller. Subclass: Brushes Brushes have the fastest movement speed while inking. They're a melee-ranged weapon that's good for a forward charge.
Chargers
Chargers are Splatoon's sniper class. Holding ZR will charge the shot, which increases the distance and width of the ink spray when fired. You can now swim in ink for a short time with a fully charged shot, which makes Chargers more mobile than in the original Splatoon. Hide your sights behind walls and wait for enemies to appear to be most effective, but be wary of getting flanked by quick melee attackers.
Sloshers
These are literally buckets! They're very good for inking, but they use up ink really quickly, so you have to reload in the ink pretty frequently. They're best for close combat or splashing ink up at enemies that have the higher ground.
Splatlings
These are what they sound like: heavy Gatling gun-like weapons. They use a lot of ink and take some time to charge up, which leaves you temporarily vulnerable, so hide behind walls while revving up the engine. You'll also move more slowly while shooting, so don't be afraid to dip into the ink and cancel the stream prematurely to run and/or hide.
Dualies
Dualies are a new weapon class in Splatoon 2. They're best for close encounters and feature a unique dodge roll that you can execute with B. Don't forget to use it; it's the biggest perk of the Dualies and lets you move quickly even outside your ink.
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