By Mat Elfring on Aug 30, 2017 10:11 pm
This October, 2K Games will release the next game in its WWE franchise: WWE 2K18. Seth Rollins was revealed as the cover star of this year's game, and more recently, John Cena's career will be highlighted in the deluxe edition of the game, which you can see the contents of above. The biggest news came from early July when it was announced the game will be available on Nintendo Switch. We also discussed some of the changes to this year's game with 2K devs. For WWE 2K18, the publisher has stated this year's roster will be the biggest one yet, topping last year's edition, which had 177 playable characters, including DLC. Here are the playable characters revealed so far, and we'll be updating this gallery as more are revealed up until its release in October. Click here to jump ahead to the first batch of roster reveals: 47 characters [August 16] Click here to jump to the second batch: 35 characters [August 23] Click here to jump to the third batch: 41 characters [August 30] Current number of playable characters: 128 New characters for this year (so far): 23
Seth Rollins (Raw)
Kurt Angle (Raw/Legend)
Preorder bonus
John Cena (Free Agent)
Batista (Legend)
Deluxe edition bonus
Rob Van Dam (Legend)
Deluxe edition bonus
Bray Wyatt (Raw)
The biggest surprise from the first batch of reveals came from all the members of NXT's Sanity appearing in this year's game.
Dolph Ziggler (Smackdown)
Sami Zayn (Smackdown)
Dean Ambrose (Raw)
Baron Corbin (Smackdown)
Kalisto (Raw)
Akira Tozawa (205 Live)
Sin Cara (Smackdown)
Hideo Itami (NXT)
Eric Young (NXT)
Jinder Mahal (Smackdown)
Bushwhacker Butch (Legend)
Bushwhacker Luke (Legend)
Konnor (Smackdown)
Viktor (Smackdown)
Cesaro (Raw)
Sheamus (Raw)
Karl Anderson (Raw)
Luke Anderson (Raw)
Nikki Cross (NXT)
Alundra Blayze (Legend)
Emma (Raw)
Lita (Legend)
Summer Rae (Raw)
Paige (Raw)
Brie Bella (Retired)
Nikki Bella (Smackdown)
British Bulldog (Legend)
Buddy Robert (Legend)
Diamond Dallas Page (Legend)
Big Boss Man (Legend)
Mark Henry (Raw)
Bam Bam Bigelow (Legend)
Bret Hart (Legend)
Dusty Rhodes (Legend)
Undertaker (Legend)
Big Show (Raw)
Andre The Giant (Legend)
Kane (Smackdown)
Diesel/Kevin Nash (Legend)
Luke Harper (Smackdown)
Erick Rowen (Smackdown)
Sawyer Fulton (NXT)
Alexander Wolfe (NXT)
Killian Dain (NXT)
Braun Strowman (Raw)
Goldust (Raw)
Goldberg (Legend)
The second batch of reveals didn't have any huge surprises aside from NXT's Ember Moon. There was quite a bit of last year's WWE 2K17 DLC included in this batch.
Earthquake (Legend)
Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart (Legend)
Larry Zbyszko (Legend)
Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake
Greg Valentine (Legend)
Edge (Legend)
Godfather (Legend)
Eddie Guerrero (Legend)
Daniel Bryan (Legend/Smackdown)
Maryse (Raw)
Naomi (Smackdown)
Sasha Banks (Raw)
Bayley (Raw)
Ivory (Legend)
Natalya (Smackdown)
Mickie James (Raw)
Becky Lynch (Smackdown)
Tamina (Smackdown)
Ember Moon (NXT)
Kerry Von Erich (Legend)
Kevin Von Erich (Legend)
Jey Uso (Smackdown)
Jimmy Uso (Smackdown)
Mojo Rawley (Smackdown)
Zack Ryder (Smackdown)
Shinsuke Nakamura (Smackdown)
AJ Styles (Smackdown)
Bobby Roode (Smackdown)
The Miz (Raw)
Roman Reigns (Raw)
The Rock (Legend)
Randy Orton (Smackdown)
Triple H (Legend)
Brock Lesnar (Raw)
Kevin Owens (Smackdown)
IGN revealed the third batch of stars for the game, which included a few new 205 Live and NXT stars.
Samoa Joe (Raw)
Big Cass (Raw)
Rusev (Smackdown)
Finn Balor (Raw)
Chris Jericho (Smackdown/Legend)
Rick "The Model" Martel (Legend)
Mick Foley (Legend)
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat (Legend)
Jacqueline (Legend)
Rikishi (Legend)
"Macho Man" Randy Savage (Legend)
Mr. Perfect (Legend)
Lex Luger (Legend)
Razor Ramon (Legend)
"Ravishing" Rick Rude (Legend)
Vader (Legend)
Ric Flair (Legend)
Chad Gable (Smackdown)
Alexa Bliss (Raw)
Carmella (Smackdown)
Nia Jax (Raw)
Tye Dillinger (Smackdown)
Apollo Crews (Raw)
Dana Brooke (Raw)
Neville (205 Live)
Shane Thorne (NXT)
Akam (NXT)
Rezar (NXT)
Michael Hayes (Legend)
Jimmy Garvin (Legend)
Tommaso Ciampa (NXT)
Cedric Alexander (205 Live)
Asuka (NXT)
TJP (205 Live)
Roderick Strong (NXT)
Johnny Gargano (NXT)
Jason Jordan (Raw)
Nick Miller (NXT)
Dash Wilder (NXT)
Scott Dawson (NXT)
By GameSpot Staff on Aug 30, 2017 05:09 am
Rabbid Hunting Season
Like any good strategy game, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle has a number of different enemy types to deal with, and each requires a different combat approach to take down. As you progress through the campaign, you'll face a wider array of enemies in some pretty challenging combinations. And each bad guy is slightly different from its counterparts depending on if you're fighting them in, say, the lush Ancient Gardens world, as opposed to the fiery Lava Pit world. Using the right strategy for the job is the name of the game in Mario + Rabbids. Luckily, all you need is knowledge to take on the worst the corrupted Rabbids have to throw at you. Here's every enemy in Mario + Rabbids, plus the info you need to come out of any battle victorious. For more Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle tips and guides, including beginners' tips and a full guide to all playable characters, make sure to check out all of our other hints for this challenging strategy game.
Ziggy
The most common type of enemy in Mario + Rabbids is the Ziggy. Ziggies take cover, attempt to flank you, and fire away with their blasters, which are the same single-shot weapons that Mario and Rabbid Peach wield. Ziggies also use a similar technique to Mario's Hero Vision, giving them a reaction shot if you move from cover. Luckily, they only get one, and you can use weapons like Rabbid Peach's Drone to draw their reactions.
Hopper
Hopper Rabbids use the Team Jump ability to become highly mobile fighters, using their jumps to get around enemies and cover. They also heavily rely on movement abilities, getting close to enemies so they can slide tackle them before opening fire. When Hoppers stop moving, they tend to fire up Outer Shell shields like the one Rabbid Yoshi uses, which absorbs one whole attack. That can make them tough to kill, since you usually have to dedicate one character to breaking the shield, rather than allowing all three to fire away. The best way to deal with Hoppers is at a distance, or by using reaction shot Techniques to blast them whenever they try to move. They're especially vulnerable when they're using Team Jump to fly through the air. When their shields are up, use a movement attack like the slide tackle--which generally does less damage--to knock it out, then follow up with your weapons.
Smasher
The strongest enemy that pops up in Mario + Rabbids, other than the bosses and minibosses, is the Smasher. This tank enemy uses a powerful melee attack to squash your teammates, and those attacks have an area of effect that can catch multiple characters if they're close together. If you shoot a Smasher, it'll charge toward the character that fired at it, allowing them to close the gap between them and your characters quickly, and they can do massive damage when they arrive. To take out Smashers, spread out your squad around them so you can draw them in several directions while you fire on them, taking away their movement advantage. Smashers can't get very far in a single turn, and they can only attack within one cell of where they stop, so if you stay out of their range, you can render them ineffective. Reaction shots are also great against them, since every time Smashers are hit, they start moving, triggering all your characters' shots at once. Finally, hitting Smashers with movement abilities doesn't trigger their charge, so try to slide tackle them before using your entire squad to focus fire and take them down.
Supporter
The only enemy unit that can heal is the Supporter, which stays in the back of the battlefield and avoids direct confrontation. Like Rabbid Peach, Supporters can heal enemies in the area around them. They also carry grenades that can impact any of your characters behind cover, which makes them especially irritating. The best way to get rid of Supporters is to make them a priority as early as you can in the battle and work to flank them, the way you do with Ziggies. The good news is that they tend to flee when they get in trouble, so you might be able to drive them back and keep them out of the battle, or take them out with reaction shots as they attempt to get out of the line of fire.
Buckler
Possibly the toughest enemy to deal with in any given fight, the Buckler carries a shield that gives it perfect cover protection from the front at all times. That means you have to either hit them with area of effect attacks like rockets, or flank them and hit them from the sides. Bucklers have short-range Boomshot shotguns that can destroy cover and hit several of your characters at the same time if they're bunched together. Luckily, Bucklers can't move very far in a single turn, and they're vulnerable to slide tackles, as well. The best way to deal with Bucklers is to flank them whenever possible, and if you can zap them with weapon status effects like Honey or Ink, you'll neutralize them pretty effectively. Explosives are a solid option, too, and reaction shots will deal high damage because Bucklers can't defend themselves while moving. Generally, you want to take them out as fast as you can, before they can get close and start wrecking your cover.
Peek-a-Boo
A ghostly Rabbid, Peek-a-Boos don't move around the battlefield the way other Rabbids do. Instead of walking or jumping, they teleport, which protects them from reaction shots and lets them get behind you very easily. They like long-range attacks, as well. They're a massive pain to deal with and will inflict a lot of damage on your team because they're so difficult to outmaneuver. Don't bother with Hero Vision or similar Techniques when fighting Peek-a-Boos. Instead, focus on getting close to them, since they lack movement attacks. Take out their cover or flank them to get rid of them, and do it fast. They don't usually have much health, so the tough part about fighting them is positioning. Note that while reaction Techniques don't work against Peek-a-Boos, other Techniques and status effects do, so adapt accordingly.
Valkyrie
A machine gun-toting enemy, Valkyries are mid-range fighters that bring the pain when they get close. Their machine guns can pack a lot of punishment, and when they Team Jump, they land with a strong Ground Pound attack similar to what Yoshi can do (this is an area of effect attack, so try not to group your team too closely together when Valkyries are around). Valkyries are pretty mobile, generally have high health, and hit pretty hard. They also sport the Protection ability that Princess Peach has. That allows a Valkyrie to absorb some of the damage that hits another character, including bosses, using their high health pools to make them harder to kill. Valkyries, unlike other enemies, are mobile without being especially tactical. That means Valkyries don't flank as much, and using cover effectively is a great way to deal with them. Coming in close and hitting them with lots of power, especially with Hero Sight and similar reaction shot Techniques, is a good way to deal with them. Focus on the ones using Protection first, as you'll have a harder time fighting bad guys who are taking a reduced amount of damage from your weapons.
By GameSpot Staff on Aug 30, 2017 03:34 am
How to Become a Master Mario + Rabbids Tactician
It's tempting to think that a strategy game featuring Mario would be simple, but Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is anything but. While some of its elements aren't as complex as those in other strategy games, there's plenty of depth hiding in the game, and it can be pretty difficult at times. There are plenty of little things in Mario + Rabbids that are a bit different from the turn-based strategy titles you might be used to. Here's a list of things you'll want to know before you get started, which can save you time--and maybe a few losses. Kingdom Battle is out now for Nintendo Switch. It sports a season pass, which includes new weapons and a story expansion. For the uninitiated, the game sees you pick a squad of three characters to face a bunch of heinous enemy Rabbids. Its local co-op mode, meanwhile, has you team up with a friend, each controlling a squad of two. Despite the game receiving poor first impressions when a piece of concept art leaked online, it managed to defy all expectations when it was officially unveiled at E3 2017 this past June. Kindgom Battle has since been well-received by critics. GameSpot's Edmond Tran said the game "triumphs in creating a magical game world that is undeniably delightful" and called it "a consistent delight." Check out our in-depth review for our full thoughts about the game. For more Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle tips and guides, including beginners' tips and a full guide to all playable characters, make sure to check out all of our other hints for this challenging strategy game.
You Can Change Squad Members at the Start of Every Battle
This is a bit of an unintuitive element, but your team is almost never set in stone in Mario + Rabbids. In fact, before almost every battle in the game, you'll have time to survey the battlefield, switch characters, buy new weapons, and even level up your team. Take advantage of that fact and trade out characters as the situation warrants. You don't have to stick with the team you had for the last fight.
...But You Can't Change Squad Members in Boss Fights
The only battles that restrict your ability to choose new teammates are boss fights, which are activated by crossing a banner like the other chapters in the campaign. When you cross the banner, a cutscene starts, and you're stuck with whomever you bring. Work around that issue by restarting the whole chapter, rather than just the battle, and pick new characters before you head into the fight. It's better to give up early and get the fighters you want than to waste a bunch of time in a boss fight where you're struggling.
Solving Puzzles Gets You New Weapons
You may find yourself wanting to skip all the exploration that you can do in Mario + Rabbids. Most levels are pretty dense, with lots of side paths and hidden treasures to grab--but they're often items like concept art, which can feel like a lot of effort for little payoff. The puzzles are worth it, however, because they're chiefly how you'll unlock new weapons. Keep an eye out for red rings that trigger a race to pick up red coins, and blue rabbid cannons, in particular. Both give you puzzles that almost always dish out new, better guns. And you might find Power Orbs on the odd occasion that will make the time you spend exploring worth it
You Can't Buy Everything
Weapons are bought with coins after you unlock them, but your stash of money is shared across all your characters. At the beginning of the game, it doesn't seem like a big deal, but you'll quickly find out you can't buy everything, and you'll waste a lot of money if you're not careful. It's pretty rough getting stuck with a low-level gun in a late-game battle because you can't upgrade your characters. Save your money whenever you can and choose your weapon purchases very carefully.
Upgrade Your Rabbid Characters' Movement Abilities
One of the major things that sets Mario + Rabbids apart from other strategy games is its movement system. Your characters all can move around a large area every turn, and each character can actually slide tackle enemies as they move, with no penalty to their range. That means if bad guys fall in your characters' move area, you can hit them. The Rabbids in particular can often hit multiple characters in every move, which lets you dish out a ton of extra damage if you're careful. And certain enemies, like Smashers, have abilities that trigger if you shoot them but not if you slide tackle them. It's totally worth it to spend your Power Orbs to upgrade your characters' movement damage. It often functions like a free hit and can be a game-changer when used effectively.
And Upgrade Your Ability Cooldowns
It might seem wise to go straight for the damage and healing upgrades for most of your characters, but the first thing you should upgrade is their ability cooldowns. Being able to use Mario's Hero Vision or Rabbid Peach's healing capabilities as often as possible is extremely handy and worth dumping your Power Orbs on right away.
Keep an Eye on Movement Upgrades, Too
There are a variety of different battle objectives throughout the Mario + Rabbids campaign, and not all of them have you thrashing every enemy you come across. Some are chase scenes, in which you need to get from one side of the battlefield to the other in one piece. In those scenarios, you're going to be thankful you spent some Power Orbs on upgrading your characters' movement distances--or wishing you did so. It's an easy-to-overlook upgrade, but one or two extra cells of motion can be a game-changer in lots of battles, particularly as you get toward the end of the game, when enemies and bosses become much tougher.
But Don't Be Afraid to Respec At Any Time
Mario + Rabbids lets you reset and redistribute your Power Orbs at any time, and without penalty. So, if you're having trouble with a particular map, consider restarting the match and funnelling your skill points into abilities that will be useful. For example, it's often a good idea to boost everyone's movement abilities in a map that requires you to reach an area quickly.
Criticals Can Affect Your Teammates, So Be Careful
Lots of the weapons in Mario + Rabbids have a chance to dish out special effects on a critical hit. Most just hamper enemy movement or abilities, but a couple are pretty dangerous: particularly, Push and Burn. Push knocks characters out of their cover positions, sending them flying in a straight line, and Burn lights enemies on fire like they're in a Bugs Bunny cartoon, causing them to move. Trouble is, if you shoot an enemy with Push and it's too close to one of your characters, your teammate will go flying too. And if a burning character touches another character, they both get burned. Keep in mind what kind of effects your guns might have, and where you're shooting them--an unintentional critical at the wrong time can be disastrous.
You Can Restart Any Battle at Any Time
Some players aren't keen on "save scumming," but if you're having a hard time in a battle or just mess something up early, you can restart the fight from the Plus button menu whenever you want. It's handy when you accidentally send the wrong character to a location or when you're learning the ropes on a new enemy, and it can save a lot of time.
You Must Have a Rabbid on Your Team
For some reason, Mario + Rabbids doesn't let you roll a team of just Mushroom Kingdom characters--you need to bring a Rabbid along. Keep that in mind if you're thinking about buying a bunch of new weapons as you unlock new characters. It's best to be as balanced as possible and to build teams to respond to multiple situations, so try to spend time with different combinations of characters to see how their abilities mesh or clash.
Protect Mario
You're stuck with Mario on your team for the entire, since he's the "leader" of your team. Every chapter in the game features at least two battles, and the damage your characters take in the first fight stays with them through the rest. Sometimes, if you're into exploring, you can find a mushroom between battles to get some health back--but sometimes not. While you can rotate your hurt characters out for fresh ones between battles, you can't switch out Mario, which means if he takes too much damage in one fight, he can become a liability in the next. It's tempting to throw Mario into the thick of it in every battle, but keep in mind that you're stuck with him if he gets trounced.
The Tactical Camera Is Really Useful
Hitting X lets you view the battlefield from above, and it's really useful for surveying the battlefield at the beginning of a fight, getting a sense of the terrain and enemy types, and deciding who should be on your team. It's also really useful during a fight, since you can take a look at your enemy's potential movement and attack ranges--very useful for keeping yourself out of reach from Rabbid Smashers.
Recent Articles:
| 
No comments:
Post a Comment