Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom's latest trailer, debuting just before Gamescom, focuses on one of the game's supporting characters rather than our blonde-haired protagonist--Roland, the stoic president of a country in Ichi No Kuni.
Though the trailer doesn't reveal much about Roland's character, we do already know he's not as he appears to be. Roland is a 48-year-old president renowned for his leadership and loved by his people. After some magical happenings and he is transported to Ni No Kuni, he runs beside Evan and his friends as a 20-year-old man with nothing but justice on his mind.
The trailer also reveals two new characters: Nerea, the queen of Thalassea, and her advisor Leander. Details on these two characters and their roles have not yet been released, but more may be revealed at Gamescom.
We're giving away Sonic Mania: Collector's Edition on PS4 (open to United Kingdom residents only)! One (1) winner will be chosen after the giveaway closes on Sunday, August 20th at 12:00 PM Pacific.
Scroll down below to enter.
The Sonic Mania: Collector's Edition includes:
Deluxe "SEGA Genesis" style Collector's Box
12" Classic Sonic Statue featuring SEGA Genesis Base
Flip the power switch to trigger the "SEEGAA" startup audio!
Metallic Collector's Card with Sonic Mania Download Code (digital game code)
We're giving away Sonic Mania: Collector's Edition on Xbox One (open to United States residents only)! One (1) winner will be chosen after the giveaway closes on Sunday, August 20th at 12:00 PM Pacific.
Scroll down below to enter.
The Sonic Mania: Collector's Edition includes:
Deluxe "SEGA Genesis" style Collector's Box
12" Classic Sonic Statue featuring SEGA Genesis Base
Flip the power switch to trigger the "SEEGAA" startup audio!
Metallic Collector's Card with Sonic Mania Download Code (digital game code)
In honor of Game Of Thrones Season 7 Episode 6 "Beyond the Wall", we're giving away a Tyrion Lannister Funko Pop! One (1) winner will be chosen after the giveaway closes on Friday, August 25th at 12:00PM PT.
Open to US residents only, void where prohibited. If you do not win this time, you'll be automatically entered in the next giveaway.
It sure looks like the rumoured ReCore: Definitive Edition is indeed real. Following multiple leaks, the Microsoft Store posted a product page for the unannounced game, according to Gematsu.
According to the site, the product page--which no longer appears to be functional--said that the game would be available for Xbox One and PC on August 29, priced at $30.
The Definitive Edition will reportedly include a new "Eye of Obsidian" mission and T8-NK Corebot frame. The listing also reportedly said the game will have enhancements for Xbox One X, along with HDR support.
Earlier this week, ReCore's official Twitter account said some kind of ReCore announcement is coming on August 20. This is the same day as Microsoft's Gamescom briefing, so it could be that an announcement is made there.
The Xbox Gamescom briefing is also expected to bring news about Xbox One X pre-order information. The briefing begins at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET / 8 PM BST / 9 PM CEST. That comes out to 5 AM AEST on August 21 for people in Australia.
Ahead of an expected official reveal at Gamescom 2017 next week, a trailer for Star Wars: Battlefront II has leaked. It shows off the game's space battles, one of the most anticipated elements of the sequel. What you're seeing is not gameplay but was captured in-engine, so keep that in mind when looking at the impressive-looking footage.
Also, Yoda as a fighter pilot? This looks great.
You can find the video on the internet (via Eurogamer), and when the official version is released next week, we'll post it on GameSpot.
Battlefront II's space battles are being made by Burnout developer Criterion. Other EA-owned studios DICE and Motive are also working on the game. Unlike the 2015 original, Battlefront II has a campaign, which Motive is developing.
Battlefront II is scheduled to launch in November for Xbox One, PS4, and PC, with an open beta coming in October. Keep checking back with GameSpot for more.
We have 5,000 beta codes for Raiders Of The Broken Planet to redeem on Xbox One. The codes are redeemable worldwide. To receive a PS4 code instead, visit here.
This is an instant win and you will receive an email with the code within 24 hours.
Beta starts on August 19, 2017 at 9:00am EST and ends August 20, 2017 at 7:00pm EST. The beta continues every weekend at the same time and you will still be eligible to play with your code.
Enter below:
About Raiders of The Broken Planet
In Raiders of the Broken Planet, humanity have reached a new world, a broken planet on the far side of the universe. The humans, stranded on this planet, are now at war with each other and its indigenous population over control of its incredible power source, Aleph. Become a Raider and join the battle both on and offline in awesome 3rd person brawler-shooter gameplay. Customise your character's combat style in unique ways with special collectible cards and use Aleph in order to power special abilities. In multiplayer, Raiders of the Broken Planet sets itself apart with its innovative Antagonist system. Choose to play as part of a four-person Raider team or choose to become the Antagonist and play against the Raiders team on your own with the help of an army of AI controlled soldiers at your back.
We have 5,000 beta codes for Raiders Of The Broken Planet to redeem on PS4. The codes are region locked to NORTH AMERICA only. To receive an Xbox One code instead, visit here.
This is an instant win and you will receive an email with the code within 24 hours.
Beta starts on August 19, 2017 at 9:00am EST and ends August 20, 2017 at 7:00pm EST. The beta continues every weekend at the same time and you will still be eligible to play with your code.
Enter below:
About Raiders of The Broken Planet
In Raiders of the Broken Planet, humanity have reached a new world, a broken planet on the far side of the universe. The humans, stranded on this planet, are now at war with each other and its indigenous population over control of its incredible power source, Aleph. Become a Raider and join the battle both on and offline in awesome 3rd person brawler-shooter gameplay. Customise your character's combat style in unique ways with special collectible cards and use Aleph in order to power special abilities. In multiplayer, Raiders of the Broken Planet sets itself apart with its innovative Antagonist system. Choose to play as part of a four-person Raider team or choose to become the Antagonist and play against the Raiders team on your own with the help of an army of AI controlled soldiers at your back.
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon aren't the only Pokemon games coming to 3DS this fall. Next month, the series' second generation installments, Pokemon Gold and Silver, will launch as Virtual Console titles in the 3DS Eshop, and players in Europe will have a chance to pick up boxed versions of them in stores.
Nintendo announced on Twitter today that packaged versions of the classic Pokemon games will release the same day they arrive in the Eshop, September 22. These will contain a download code for their respective title, and they're sure to bring back fond memories for anyone who played the originals. You can see a photo of the packages below.
The two boxes are almost exact replicas of the games' original packaging when they first released for Game Boy in 2000. The boxes have a shiny finish and feature each title's respective mascot Pokemon, the Legendaries Ho-Oh and Lugia. The Pokemon Company's official Japanese Twitter account confirmed that the packaged versions will also be released in Japan, though there is currently no word if they'll be available in the US or if they contain anything besides a download code.
Pokemon Gold and Silver were the series' first official sequels. The games were set in the Johto region two years after the events of Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow. In addition to being the first installments to feature full-colored graphics, the pair introduced a number of important features to the series, including a day/night system, Pokemon breeding, two new types (Dark and Steel), and 100 new monsters. The Virtual Console releases will be compatible with Pokemon Bank, allowing players to transfer the Pokemon they catch to Sun/Moon and their upcoming alternate versions.
The annual Pokemon World Championships are being held in Anaheim, CA this weekend, and for Pokemon fans, that means a chance to see the best strategies players can come up with. The top players in both the trading card game and the video game compete for over $500,000 in prizes, and some of the matches can get pretty intense.
You can watch all the events now on Pokemon's official World Championships livestream. While the competitive TCG follows most of the usual rules you might be familiar with if you've played recently--and the casters explain complex strategies and unique cards if you aren't up to speed--the competitive video game involves rules and strategies you probably wouldn't use (or even know about) while playing the games normally. This is what you need to know to watch the best Pokemon video game playing you'll see all year.
Pokemon must have the Alola symbol showing they were caught in the Alola region
Mythical and some Legendary Pokemon are not allowed
No Mega Stones are allowed
All other items are allowed, including Z-Crystals
Double Battle format
90-second team preview, 45-second turn limit, 10-minute "player time"
All Pokemon are set to Lv. 50, including Pokemon below Lv. 50
All competitive battles are double battles, meaning each player has two Pokemon out on the field at one time. Additionally, they're required to register a "battle team" of four to six Pokemon at the beginning of any given VGC event and can't change it, so they have to come prepared.
Before every battle, each player is given a 90-second preview of their opponent's battle team. Based on that preview, they then pick the four Pokemon from their team that they think will best counter their opponent's Pokemon. If all your Pokemon faint, you lose. Ties at the end of the time limit are broken based on how much HP each player's Pokemon have left.
The main difference with this year's competitive series is the omission of Mega Evolution, which is replaced with Sun and Moon's superpowered Z-Moves. These moves can be used once per battle, and the Pokemon has to be holding a Z-Crystal for it to work. One other change is the introduction of Legendary Pokemon Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu, and Tapu Fini changes strategies, but we'll get to that a bit later.
Before The Battle
Much of what goes into competitive Pokemon happens before the battles themselves. Players spend a lot of time crafting teams that work well together--Pokemon that can effectively combo off of each other, counter popular Pokemon, and represent a variety of types and purposes. Rather than just use a bunch of strong attacks, VGC battles involve a lot of status and support moves that enhance the performance of already strong Pokemon. Usually, teams will be a mix of strong offensive Pokemon and support Pokemon with less-than-stellar stats but access to important moves or abilities.
Trick Room
For example, the move Trick Room reverses the priority on the field for five turns, meaning the slowest Pokemon move first. Attacking first can make or break a battle, and it's a great option for Pokemon with high attack or special attack stats but poor speed. If you're going to use Trick Room, you'd want most of the Pokemon you use to be on the slower side so that the team is compatible. On top of that, you wouldn't want your main attacker to use Trick Room; you'd teach Trick Room to a support Pokemon instead, since its purpose is to provide setups for stronger Pokemon to capitalize on.
In order to build these teams, pro players look at semi-hidden stats called individual values (IVs). IVs are assigned to Pokemon when they're caught or hatched from an egg, and they determine the max growth of each of their stats (HP, attack, defense, special attack, special defense, and speed). Players breed Pokemon to get the IVs that will work best for them, usually the highest IV in most stats. For the Trick Room example, though, breeding a Pokemon with the lowest possible speed IV would help ensure that it will be the slowest Pokemon on the field and therefore benefit from the effects of Trick Room.
Players also breed Pokemon to get specific natures, which increase the growth of one stat and decrease the growth of another. For the slow Pokemon, you might want a Brave nature, which increases attack and lowers speed. That way, you're making sure this Pokemon is really slow, but you're also giving it a boost so it can hit harder.
via eBay
When breeding, players also look for the right ability--most Pokemon have two or three possible abilities, each with different benefits. Whimsicott, for example, is a support Pokemon that has access to Trick Room but a high speed stat, which normally wouldn't be ideal on a Trick Room team. However, one of its abilities is Prankster, which gives non-damaging moves priority. When up against a similarly slow team, that priority can often allow it to move first even under Trick Room, and it can then continue to provide support with its wide pool of non-damaging and status moves. You might decide that's too risky, though, and opt for Tailwind as a form of speed control instead--rather than reversing priority, it just increases priority on your side of the field.
Finally, after breeding the perfect Pokemon, players train them with a focus on effort values (EVs). You can get EVs in several ways, including battling, using items, and training in Poke Pelago. A limited number of EVs can be "invested" in a Pokemon's stats to increase growth for that stat. For the slow attacker, you'd invest the maximum EVs in its attack stat while making sure it doesn't have any EVs in speed.
After a pro player has caught, bred, and trained all their Pokemon, it's time to practice with that team and tweak it until the competition!
Watching Battles
Once you understand everything that goes into building a team, it becomes a lot easier to follow battles. Competitors aren't just trying to hit the hardest; they're trying to gain supremacy over the field in a number of ways, including speed control, weather, and generally making it difficult for the other player to execute their desired strategy. The fight for control is what makes championship-level battles so exciting.
One big component of control in this year's series is terrain. Legendaries Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu, and Tapu Fini have abilities that change the terrain when they enter the field, and each of the four types of terrain (electric, grassy, misty, and psychic) have certain effects. For example, Electric Terrain increases the power of electric-type moves and prevents sleep, and the popular Tapu Koko's Electric Surge ability introduces it. One way to counter it would be to send out another Tapu and introduce a different terrain. You'll definitely see plenty of Tapus when watching competitive Sun and Moon, so if you see a player switching their Tapu in and out, they're most likely trying to get the upper hand on the terrain.
Going back to the speed control example, someone using Whimsicott would lead with it in order to set up Trick Room or Tailwind and use Whimsicott's other support moves to disrupt the opponent's plan. VGC players often run Encore on Whimsicott, for example, which causes the target to repeat the last move it used for three turns. If the player can predict what that Pokemon might use--something like Protect, which isn't reliable when used multiple turns in a row--Encore can seriously hinder the opposing player's ability to do any damage or impose a strategy of their own.
At last year's World Championships, there was one battle toward the end of the weekend between two identical teams. This isn't uncommon in the VGC, in which only a select number of the 700-plus eligible Pokemon are considered "viable." Knowing how to effectively play those Pokemon gives players the edge, and throwing in a curveball Pokemon with a unique use or running uncommon moves on common Pokemon is another way to avoid being predictable.
When watching the official Pokemon VGC streams, you'll get some context from commentators about what's going on and which Pokemon are surprising or especially effective. For more details on which teams are most successful and why, you can check out the official Pokemon website. If you're interested in trying out competitive battles for yourself, Smogon is a great resource for movesets and team tips.
The Pokemon World Championships run until midday Sunday, August 20.
Square Enix has announced a release date for Dissidia Final Fantasy NT. The PS4-exclusive Final Fantasy fighting game arrives in the US on January 30.
Like most major releases nowadays, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT will launch in several different editions. The standard game retails for $60, but those who pre-order it from participating retailers will receive one of three limited steelbook cases selected at random, which feature different Final Fantasy heroes and villains on the front and back covers. You can see a photo of the three steelbook cases below.
Fans who'd prefer to download the game can purchase a digital copy for $60. Everyone who pre-orders this version from the PlayStation Store will receive a mini soundtrack that consists of five songs, as well as the "Nameless Warrior" skin for the Warrior of Light. In addition to that, Square Enix is offering an $85 Digital Deluxe Edition that also includes the game's season pass.
The most extravagant version is the Ultimate Collector's Edition. This set can only be purchased from Square Enix's online store and runs for $190. It includes a Warrior of Light bust figure, 15-song soundtrack, hardcover art book, the game's season pass, and a unique steelbook case all housed in a collector's box featuring Final Fantasy characters. The season pass will give players access to six DLC characters and other post-release content. You can see a photo of the Ultimate Collector's Edition below.
Players who'd like to try the game early still have a chance to sign up for Dissidia Final Fantasy NT's closed beta. Registration ends on Sunday, August 20. Players can sign up on Square Enix's website, though only a select number will be chosen to participate. The game's closed beta kicks off on August 25 and runs until September 3.
Much as it did last year, Best Buy will host a special 50-hour sale this weekend. Whereas last year's was meant to celebrate the company's 50-year anniversary, this one is apparently just an excuse to sneak in another big sale between its Black Friday in July promotion and Black Friday proper.
Amazingly, this one is not dubbed Summer Is Almost Over So Let's Black Friday or anything else involving that magical term, though the store does describe it as offering "Black Friday-like deals." At this point, most of the sale remains a mystery, though we know select MacBooks, LG 4K TVs, and gaming PCs and monitors are all set to be included. Here's what Best Buy has shared so far:
Save up to $500 on select MacBooks
Save up to $300 on iPhone 7/7+
Save $70 on Samsung Gear S3 Tumi Smartwatch (Only at Best Buy)
Save $200 on Beats Studio Wireless
Save up to $600 on LG 4K TVs
Save $120 on select iPad Mini 4
Save up to $500 on select iMacs
Save up to $350 on gaming PCs and monitors
Save up to $300 on select Windows PCs
The 50-hour sale begins later today, August 18, at 8 PM PT / 11 PM ET and wraps up Sunday night, at 10 PM PT / 1 AM ET. "Nearly all" deals will be available both online and in-stores, with some promotions getting even better if you're a member of the student deals program.
Blizzard has announced a series of big changes to StarCraft II's multiplayer mode. Just as it did with the big 3.8 update last year, it's outlining many of those now in preparation for a long period of testing.
These adjustments were outlined in a new post on Blizzard's website, though the developer describes this as only an "initial list of changes," which are merely being "proposed" at this point. One big tweak concerns a change made with Legacy of the Void that was meant to prevent players from turtling up and playing defensively. Blizzard thinks this went too far and wants to encourage comebacks from players who can't establish more than a couple bases. To facilitate that, it's increasing the amount of resources available from large mineral nodes and Vespene geysers (small mineral nodes will stay as-is).
The bulk of the changes concern specific units. MULEs can now harvest Vespene gas but bring in fewer minerals than before, and if more than one MULE is working at a refinery, it will be less effective. The Raven loses some of its abilities but gains new ones: Scrambler Missile temporarily knocks out weapons and unit abilities, Repair Drone restores nearby mechanic units' health, and Shredder Missile deals damage in an area and temporarily decreases armor. The Infestor is being adjusted so that it operates differently on and off of Creep. The Mothership Core is being removed altogether and changes are being made to the Nexus--Blizzard acknowledges this is a big change and will be watched carefully.
Blizzard outlines these and many other changes, along with the thought process behind them, here. You can check them out for yourself in-game now through StarCraft II's testing section, but you'll likely have to wait a few months to see them arrive in the live game.
"As with last year, this design patch will require a large amount of testing, feedback, and revision before it can go live for everyone to enjoy, so we wanted to get it into your hands for testing as fast as possible," Blizzard said. "The changes in this blog are live on the Testing section of StarCraft II Multiplayer, and we would like to release the final changes after this year's tournament season concludes in November."
Earlier this week, Blizzard launched StarCraft Remastered. Next week, it has a series of announcements planned for Gamescom. While a new Overwatch map reveal is arguably the biggest, we know StarCraft II will get at least some attention with the unveiling of a new co-op commander.
Capcom has released a new trailer for Monster Hunter World, the series' upcoming installment for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. This video gives fans their first look at a new area they'll get to explore in the game, Wildspire Waste.
Unlike the lush, densely wooded Ancient Forest area that Capcom showcased last month, Wildspire Waste is an arid canyon dotted with caves and swamplands. Despite the harsh environment, the Waste has its own thriving ecosystem. Players will encounter a number of exotic monsters here, including the bird-like Kulu-Ya-Ku, which steals eggs from other monsters' nests, and the returning Barroth. You can get a closer look at Wildspire Waste in the trailer above.
Monster Hunter World is the first new home console installment in the series since 2010's Monster Hunter Tri. The game introduces a number of new elements to the series, such as the slinger, a multipurpose tool that allows players to swing across chasms and shoot ammo to distract monsters. Like previous titles, World features the same 14 different weapon classes that have appeared throughout the franchise. Capcom recently released a series of trailers that give fans a much closer look at each unique type of weapon.
Monster Hunter World is releasing for PS4 and Xbox One in early 2018, while the PC version will follow later. Those who attend the Gamescom expo in Germany next week will have a chance to go hands-on with the game. A demo will also be on display at PAX West in Seattle, which kicks off on September 1. We got a chance to interview Monster Hunter producer Ryozo Tsujimoto at E3 2017 about why the series has left handhelds for home consoles and what the move has allowed the developers to achieve.
Nintendo has released a new trailer for Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, the upcoming alternate versions to last year's installments. While brief, the video showcases some of the differences that await players in this version of the Alola region.
Most interesting, however, are the changes that have been made to the region itself. The map of Alola looks a bit different than it did in Sun and Moon; the game's official website says "ominous clouds are spreading in the sky" above the region and players will encounter "new buildings and landscapes" that weren't around in its previous incarnation.
The trailer also teases that "new secrets of the Alola region will be revealed," which will presumably relate to the Ultra Beast Necrozma. The mysterious Pokemon will play a much more prominent role in these installments, and some secrets about the monster that were "undisclosed in the previous games" will be revealed in Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon.
While it wasn't touched on in the trailer, the games' website reveals that Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon will feature new Z-Moves as well. According to the site, players will acquire a Z-Power Ring that allows them to unleash "even more varieties of Z-Moves" than they could in Sun/Moon. The Pokemon Company revealed one of the new attacks at the 2017 Pokemon World Championships: Clangorous Soulblaze, an exclusive Z-Move for Kommo-o. This powerful attack deals damage to both opponent Pokemon in Double Battles and increases each of Kommo-o's stats.
Yesterday, WWE fans got a look at 46 of the superstars and legends who'll appear in WWE 2K18's extensive roster. Today, 2K Sports shared the list of songs that make up the game's soundtrack, which was curated by a notable WWE Hall of Famer.
The publisher revealed that WWE legend and box office star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson served as the executive producer of WWE 2K18's soundtrack. The superstar personally picked 11 songs of various genres. The full list of tracks includes:
Blues Brothers – "Soul Man"
Boston – "Smokin'"
Bruno Mars – "Runaway Baby"
Disturbed – "Down With The Sickness"
Eazy-E – "Boyz-N-The-Hood"
George Thorogood & The Destroyers – "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer"
Joe Walsh – "Rocky Mountain Way"
Kanye West – "Black Skinhead"
Kid Rock – "You Never Met a White Boy Quite Like Me"
Mayday (feat. Tech Nine) – "Last One Standing"
Tech Nine (feat. Krizz Kaliko, Serj Tankian) – "Straight Out The Gate"
The Rock says these songs were chosen because they are "some of [his] personal favorites to workout and get hyped to." Fans who'd like to listen to the soundtrack can stream it now on Apple Music.
2K continues to share more details about the upcoming NBA 2K18. Today, it revealed what's new and different in MyTeam, the card-based mode that resembles Ultimate Team in EA's line of sports games.
2K18's primary additions to MyTeam come in the form of two new ways to play, each of which offers rewards for doing well. Pack & Playoffs allows you to open packs, build a team, and try to come out on top in the playoffs. As you advance through rounds, you'll have to redraft your team (unless you're willing to spend Virtual Currency to maintain your existing one).
Super Max imposes a salary cap on online play, meaning you'll have to take into account the salary of a given player when building out your roster. You'll play through a series of rounds, with each one adjusting the value of cards in response to how much they're being used. Super Max has you first compete against random players online before placing you into a skill-appropriate league depending on your performance.
On the single-player side, Schedule Challenges will provide you with a 30-game schedule for each NBA team. That makes for a total of 900 challenges, and making your way through them will reward you with prizes and MyTeam Points. Separately, you can also take on 33 historic teams that feature players ranging from Kobe Bryant to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Coaching is a more important aspect than before. Regardless of the MyTeam mode you're playing, 2K18 uses a "new system proficiency tech that optimizes teams based on eight different systems." Before assembling a team, you first get a coach--and, with them, a system your team will run. You'll want to cater your player selections to that coach and system. Strategy cards can be employed during timeouts to provide various bonuses.
Other changes of note include reserve bidding and real-time updates on the auction house, an improved collections menu to make it easier to browse the increasing roster of cards, and more Dynamic Duos (along with a way to more easily find matching pairs). Other small refinements are detailed in a developer blog post here.
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