Steelseries retooled its Arctis 3 gaming headset to include Bluetooth functionality in addition to the original wired connectivity. It can use both audio channels simultaneously, allowing users to receive game audio while separately listening to music or taking calls/chat audio.
By making the wired and bluetooth audio distinct, Nintendo Switch users in particular can take advantage of how the platform requires the Nintendo Online Chat application for multiplayer communication. This way, all audio comes through one source. Regardless of the communication app, whether it be Discord or Skype, Bluetooth can be used for wireless voice chat.
The headset is constructed identically to the original Arctis 3 with its ski google headband and breathable woven ear cups. Its retractable bidirectional microphone is found on the left ear along with the volume wheel, while the Bluetooth toggle switch resides on the right ear.
The Steelseries Arctis 3 Bluetooth headset is available now for $130 USD. If you want to read more on gaming headsets and which one might be right for you, check out of gaming headset roundup.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 arrives on Switch in a little less than a month, making it the last major first-party game coming to the console this year. Nintendo revealed a lot more information about it during Xenoblade's dedicated Direct presentation earlier this week, and now the company has given us a closer look at the open-world RPG.
A representative from Nintendo's Treehouse stopped by the GameSpot office and took us through a 30-minute demonstration of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. In the video above, you can watch an early portion of the game set on the Titan Gormott. We also get to witness the humorous scene when the Nopon mechnaic Tora creates his own artificial Blade, Poppi.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 puts players in the role of Rex, a Driver who can wield living weapons known as Blades. When his life is restored by the Blade Pyra, the two set off on a journey together to find the World Tree and the fabled paradise it is said to house, Elysium.
Of the many changes from Star Wars Battlefront to Star Wars Battlefront II, one of the most significant is the inclusion of all eras of Star Wars films. That will only continue next month, as free post-release updates will introduce content from the upcoming Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. We already knew some of the details, but EA and DICE have now revealed more about what it's calling "The Last Jedi season."
The bulk of the new content comes on the multiplayer side. This starts on December 5, when you'll be able to choose your side--First Order or New Republic--and complete special faction quests over the next few weeks. Your choice will make a difference, as the rewards you receive for completing these quests will be specific to your faction.
On December 13, new heroes and maps will arrive. As previously announced, the new hero units are Finn and Captain Phasma. The new maps include the planet Crait (for Galactic Assault) and D'Qar (Starfighter Assault). Throughout December, you'll also encounter new quests and challenges. The exact schedule is laid out in the gallery images above, or you can see it here.
Perhaps most notably, The Last Jedi season introduces a new single-player mission. There aren't many details, but you'll take control of protagonist Iden Versio "during the days of the First Order's rise to power." The mission is called Resurrection and also launches on December 13.
The Last Jedi itself officially releases in theaters on December 15, although the first showings will actually be on December 14. All of this Last Jedi-themed content will be available for free, as is the case with all Battlefront II DLC. EA will compensate for that by offering microtransactions, which have been controversial.
Compared to Rockstar Games' other open-world efforts, L.A. Noire certainly stands out. Set in a post-World War II Los Angeles, Detective Cole Phelps uses his sleuthing skills--along with his underappreciated sketching talents--to solve a set of bizarre cases across his law enforcement career. Instead of the typical open-world hijinks found in Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, Noire was a comparatively subdued and earnest detective's tale featuring remarkable performance capture and acting. Now, L.A. Noire will be making its first appearance on current consoles and take advantage of the new setup in interesting way.
During a special hands-on session with the Switch and VR releases, we learned just what Rockstar Games has in mind for the re-release of its adventure game exploring the sprawling and seedy underbelly of post-war Los Angeles. Coming to PS4, Xbox One, Switch--and a special VR edition for the HTC Vive later in December--L.A. Noire is looking to make a fresh impression for a new audience, while packing a few surprises for returning players.
Rockstar Games is taking the opportunity to update the game in a number of ways. In addition to quality of life tweaks and graphical updates--including 4K support for PS4 Pro and Xbox One X--the remaster also includes all DLC and updates for the game, along with a redesigned interrogation system--replacing the contextually vague Truth, Doubt, and Lie options with Good Cop, Bad Cop, and Accuse. Moreover, there's also set of new costumes and unlockables to find over the course of the game, giving extra incentive to dive back in.
Since its release in March, the Nintendo Switch has been graced with a number of games that make clever use of the console's unorthodox setup, and L.A. Noire puts some of those unique features to use. The Switch version of the game takes advantage of the touchscreen and Joy-Con functionality for greater accuracy when investigating, which interestingly gives it more of an old-school adventure vibe. The touchscreen can be used for gesture controls--such as tapping locations on the screen for Cole to walk to and items to interact with--and also for smaller details like swiping through pages of his journal. Moreover, the Joy-Con motion sensing tech is put to good to use: you're allowed to control the in-game camera by physically moving the right Joycon around a three-dimensional axis, as if it was an analog stick itself.
At first it felt a bit gimmicky, given that a game like this would feel more ideal with a traditional gamepad setup, but there was a surprising level of comfort and precision with the way it felt on Switch. The console unfortunately doesn't match up to its PS4 and Xbox One counterparts in terms of performance, running a little sluggish at 1080p resolution on TV, but with some improvements to overall stability at 720p undocked. But overall, the Switch release uses some clever design tricks that add a lot more to the game than you might expect at first glance. But the Switch release isn't the only new version making some changes to the game.
Releasing in December, L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files is special re-release that reinterprets much of the game for the VR format. Playing in first-person and using the HTC Vive's motion controls creates a more immersive experience with Noire, coming face-to-face with in-game characters while investigating seven of the game's key cases in VR. As a whole, this VR experience felt fresh compared to the other ports, and showed how refined and precise virtual reality controls have become. The VR Case Files is a more streamlined version of L.A. Noire, focusing on the highlights of Cole's career from beat cop to an investigator on arson cases.
Starting off in Cole Phelps' office, you're able to move around and interact with a number of objects and other points of interest. Interaction has a far greater focus in this version of L.A. Noire, and with over 500 objects given new animation and physics, investigations now require you to hold up clues to examine them in full view. Picking up the clipboard on Cole's desk--which you can chuck around the office--allows you to examine the game's mission menu and engage with your next case. While each case follows the same main story as in the original game, the new first-person perspective gives it a whole different feel. For instance, examining the faces of suspects to determine truthfulness suggests you should pay attention more to the character's faces during interrogation--even requiring you to lean in further to examine the micro-expressions that occur when someone lies.
The new movement systems, however, take some adjusting to. Because of this, The VR Case Files allows you to experiment between different control schemes to find one that best suits your style. Such options include a contextual point-and-click command (a la Myst), and a line of sight and jogging motion where you make jogging motion with your hands to run to a desired location. The VR Case Files gives you a number of options to experiment with to find which one bests suits your style. This particular release also features real-time shooting, driving, and hand-to-hand combat with the Vive's motion controllers. This version's take on action is a noticeable improvement overall when compared to the original, which felt somewhat stale, lacking real impact and weight. When squaring off against hostile perps, the action will shift over to the redesigned fighting system, which uses real-time blocking and fist-flying action. Raising up both fists to your face will block punches from the other guy, while straights, swings, and jabs can be carried out by motioning the controllers in your desired direction. Even a regular fight against low-level suspect felt intense, and resulted in a bit of a workout.
Though L.A. Noire shows its age in some areas--with graphical textures and some design decisions coming off a bit dated--the remaster and special VR edition both breathe some new life into the game. Set for launch on November 14 for Xbox One, PS4, and Switch--with the HTC Vive VR release coming in December--Rockstar's return trip to post-war L.A. looks to have a number of exciting things in store for returning fans and newcomers looking to experience darkly intimate take on so-called traditional detective work.
It's another busy week for Nintendo Switch releases. A total of 15 games arrive in the Eshop this week, with one particularly major title on the way tomorrow.
Headlining this week's batch of releases is Doom, which arrives for the system on November 10. The acclaimed shooter originally released for PS4, Xbox One, and PC last year, and despite Switch's more modest hardware compared to the other platforms, it has made a largely faithful transition to Nintendo's system. You can read more about the port in our Doom review-in-progress.
Doom
Also arriving tomorrow is Snipperclips Plus, an expanded version of the Switch launch game. Unlike the original release, Plus will be available both physically and digitally, and it features new shapes, activities, comic book and toy box worlds, and a new stamp mode on top all of the content from the original release. We thought Snipperclips was one of the best Switch games you might've missed this year, so this would be a good chance to pick it up if you haven't yet.
This week's releases also include a number of titles arriving today in the Eshop, most notably Octodad: Dadliest Catch; the latest ACA Neo Geo game, Street Hoop; and the retro platformer Super Putty Squad. Those join the latest Sonic game, Sonic Forces, which released earlier this week, while the action-RPG Cat Quest arrives tomorrow. A Hulu app also launches for Switch today, making it the console's first video streaming app thus far. You can find the full list of this week's Switch releases below.
The Call of Duty series has been around for 14 years now, and in that time it has grown into one of gaming's biggest franchises. Activision's marquee series began life as a comparatively humble PC-exclusive military shooter, and since then it has evolved into an annual blockbuster and spawned several popular sub-series.
This year's installment, Call of Duty: WWII, turns back the clock for the franchise in some notable ways. Activision has touted the game as a return to the series' roots, eschewing the more futuristic setting and weaponry of Black Ops III and Infinite Warfare for the familiar territory of the second World War, which served as the backdrop for the series' earliest installments.
For longtime fans, Call of Duty's return to WWII marks a sort of homecoming, since it has been such an integral component of the series since the beginning. In the video above, we explore Call of Duty's long history with WWII, from its inception as a "Medal of Honor killer" to its breakthrough on consoles with Call of Duty 2 and beyond.
Ahead of Black Friday, a new batch of deals are now available in the US PlayStation Store. This week's selection is fairly slim compared to previous weeks, but PS4 owners can find discounts on a slate of titles from Warner Bros. Interactive.
While there aren't any other special sales going on this week, players can still find a handful of other games on sale in the PlayStation Store. Among them is LawBreakers: Deadzo Deluxe Edition, which is available for $20. Also on sale is Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue; PS Plus subscribers can download it for $36, while everyone else can pick it up for $48.
Most of these deals are available for a limited time and will expire on November 14 at 8 AM PT/11 AM ET. You can find the full list of discounts on the PlayStation Store. This month's free PS Plus games are also now available to download for Plus subscribers and include Worms Battlegrounds, Bound, and other titles.
Star Wars Battlefront II doesn't release for another week, but thanks to EA and Origin Access, a good chunk of the game is now playable on Xbox One and PC. Battlefront II's entire multiplayer component is playable now, as are the first three story chapters (though you're limited to 10 hours of gameplay total in this trial version). If you're eager to see what awaits in the single-player and don't subscribe to EA/Origin Access--or you're on PS4, where that's not even an option--we've got a full gameplay playthrough of the first three missions for you to check out.
The absence of a single-player campaign in DICE's 2015 Battlefront game was often cited as one of its major flaws. For Battlefront II, the studio has crafted a full-fledged story mode that tells an original narrative set between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. Players assume the role of Iden Versio, the leader of an Imperial special forces group called the Inferno Squad.
As you can see in the video at the top of this post, which shows the first mission, she starts out as a captive of the Rebels and has to escape before getting on with the rest of her mission. Although she is the primary playable character, you'll sometimes control others--for instance, a good portion of the first mission has you attempting to break Versio out of jail as her droid companion. The second mission picks up just before the end of Return of the Jedi, as the Battle of Endor is ongoing; you can see that directly above. Footage of the third chapter can be seen below.
Star Wars Battlefront II releases on November 17 for PC, Xbox One, and PS4. Pre-ordering the Deluxe edition gets you in three days early, regardless of platform.
Following its initial announcement, Ubisoft continues to share new details about Rainbow Six Siege's upcoming Operation White Noise expansion. While a full reveal is still to come, we have now gotten a look at its new map, Mok Myeok Tower.
The South Korea-themed expansion brings players to a skyscraper in Seoul that's described as a "high-tech communications tower." As you can see in the trailer above, it features a surprisingly diverse array of areas: There's a bar, office space, vents, a rooftop, and much more. "Our goal was to bring the fear of heights and a sensation of falling," level designer Jacques Wong said in a post on Ubisoft's website. "The verticality and sense of being high-up is felt inside just as much as it is outside."
"The new feature utilizes the Tower's structure and allows players to rappel down and through the access points," he added. "The map itself is pretty large and was designed specifically so that the majority of battles would take place in the center."
As is typical for a Siege expansion, White Noise will also introduce new Operators, although we haven't gotten any details on them yet. There will be a total of three characters included in this update--the standard two, which will be tied to the South Korea theme, and one from the earlier Poland expansion that was canceled. All players get access to the map for free, while Year 2 subscribers get early access to the Operators. Everyone else can later purchase the characters with in-game currency.
Ubisoft plans to announce everything in White Noise as part of the upcoming Pro League finals streams on November 18 and 19. Judging by past rollouts, you can expect some teases of the characters between now and then.
Xbox One X has been released, marking the debut of the most powerful gaming console to date. Provided you haven't already purchased one but are interested in doing so, you can already pick up a freebie alongside the system--so long as you're okay with not getting your hands on one for launch day.
Over on Ebay, where we often see launch-day discounts or promotions, you can still pick up an Xbox One X with a free copy of Ghost Recon: Wildlands right now for $500. This is available through highly rated seller Antonline and features free shipping. It can be shipped to the US, Canada, the UK, and many other countries. The offer has been live for a couple of days now; it's unclear how long it will last, but you should jump on it if you're interested.
As for Xbox One X, there's no denying it's a powerful console. Our Xbox One X review dives into what you can expect. Whether one is right for you will vary depending on your setup (a 4K TV is recommended but not required) and interest in playing improved versions of games that are playable on a standard Xbox One. An increasing number of titles have received free updates to introduce various graphical and performance boosts, and the system is capable of making games look better across the board. You can check out the full list of all the Xbox One X-enhanced games to see which ones are set to receive updates to really take advantage of the system's horsepower.
Star Wars Battlefront II is set to launch in a little over a week, and while the game will give away new characters and maps as free DLC to all players, it will also include microtransactions in the form of loot crates. Now we know how much they'll cost in the full title.
Crates can be acquired in Battlefront II through gameplay or using the game's virtual currency, Crystals, which in turn can be purchased with real money. Crystals are sold in various packs, with EA Access members saving 10% off of them; the cheapest runs for $4.49 (or $5 for non-Access members) and nets you 500 Crystals, while the $90 ($100) pack includes 12,000. You can find the prices for non-Access members on the Xbox Store.
Players can use Crystals to purchase Hero, Trooper, and Starfighter crates. Each one includes "one or two" Star Cards, crafting parts, and an additional item, which can range from emotes, weapons, victory poses, and other kinds of Star Cards. Hero crates cost 110 Crystals each; Starfighter crates cost 120 Crystals; and Trooper crates cost 200 Crystals apiece, which ultimately works out to 60 crates for $100.
"As a balance goal, we're working towards having the most powerful items in the game only earnable via in-game achievements," DICE explained. "You have to earn the right to be able to upgrade Star Cards and unlock most weapons. You can only upgrade or unlock them if you have reached a high enough rank, which is determined by playing the game."
Nearly every one of the 283 episodes of South Park that has aired over the last 20 years started out with an identical disclaimer. If you're ever tuned in before the show's intro, you know the one: the white-text-on-black-background message warning people of poor impressions and foul language, punctuated with the statement, "Due to its content, it should not be viewed by anyone." With the release of the franchise's new mobile game, South Park: Phone Destroyer, we now have a new version of that disclaimer.
Phone Destroyer, which was revealed back at E3, is out now worldwide on iOS and Android. Before you get into the action, however, you're presented with a familiar sight--albeit with a few differences to account for this being a free-to-play, microtransaction-based game.
"This game contains both in-app purchases and the option to watch ads for rewards," it reads. "To disable the ability to make in-app purchases, adjust your device settings. In-app purchases cost real money and are charged to your account and for those reasons, this game should not be played anyone."
Phone Destroyer was developed by RedLynx, the studio best known for the Trials series. This game bears little resemblance to that series; it's a collectible card-based real-time strategy game where you'll do battle by summoning various South Park characters using cards. As in publisher Ubisoft's South Park console games, you play as the New Kid as you work your way through a single-player campaign. There's also a PvP mode where you can use the cards you've unlocked to compete against other players.
Ahead of its release next week, Star Wars Battlefront II is now playable on Xbox One and PC for subscribers to EA and Origin Access. In addition to getting a taste of the full game, it's also given us another opportunity to start hunting for Easter eggs--one of which we already found during our recent time at a review event for the game.
As seen in the video above, where we were playing Battlefront II's new Blast mode on Tatooine, there's a fun secret for fans of the series. Wander into Mos Eisley's famous cantina and head past the bar, toward the band's alcove. Once you're there, you can activate a hologram that allows you to watch the iconic band do its thing. This is accompanied by some music, although the exact tune isn't quite like the version you'll remember. Still, it's a nice touch.
Battlefront II includes more than just content from the original Star Wars trilogy. It spans the prequels and the current trilogy, bringing together characters, vehicles, and maps from all of these films. In addition to what ships with the game, more content is on the way, all of which will be available for free. As a result of giving that all away, however, the game features microtransactions, which has proven to be controversial. The EA/Origin Access trial has given us a look at pricing for Battlefront II's loot boxes, though it still remains to be seen how much of an effect they'll have on the game. For its part, developer DICE has already made changes to how loot crates function.
Star Wars Battlefront II releases on November 17 for PC, Xbox One, and PS4 (which doesn't currently have access to the game, with no EA/Origin Access equivalent available on the platform). Pre-ordering the Deluxe edition gets you in three days early regardless of platform. In the meantime, you can check out some footage of new Battlefront II multiplayer maps.
The first image of the new star of Doctor Who has been released. The picture was tweeted by the show's official twitter account and gives us a first look at the latest Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker.
Whittaker was announced in the role of the 13th Doctor in July. She is the first female star of the long-running sci-fi series, and is pictured on a grassy plain with the TARDIS behind her. Check it out below:
Whittaker replaces Peter Capaldi, who has played the Doctor since 2013. Capaldi will make his final appearance on this year's Christmas Special, and it's likely we'll see Whittaker make her debut in it too. The Christmas episode is titled "Twice Upon a Time," and a trailer was revealed at San Diego Comic-Con in July.
Whittaker's first full season as the Doctor will air in 2018. The show also has a new showrunner, with Broadchurch's Chris Chibnall taking over from Steven Moffat. In a recent interview with the Radio Times, Chibnall suggested the show might take a different approach from previous seasons.
"What the BBC was after was risk and boldness," he said: "I had ideas about what I wanted to do with it. When I went to them and said, 'This is what I would do,' I actually expected them to say, 'Ooh, let's talk about that.' But they said: 'Great!'
"I finally said yes because I love the show to my bones. I resisted it for a very long time, and [the BBC] really had to woo me."
Despite the fact that both Wii and Wii U offered video streaming apps for services like Netflix, Nintendo Switch launched without them. For its part, the company said it was focused on making Switch a solid games system and that such apps could come later, but firm plans were never revealed. Now, the US is finally getting its first Switch video app, some eight months after its initial launch.
As always, Nintendo has sent out its weekly press release detailing the games releasing on the Eshop in the coming days. And it's there, quietly buried toward the end of a bullet point list, that we see Hulu launches for Switch today. At the time of this writing, neither its Nintendo website page or system Eshop page has gone live, so we don't yet know any details beyond that.
Still, its release is notable given that it marks the system's first video streaming app (with the exception of Japan's NicoNico Switch app). There's no indication if this will open the floodgates for Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, and other services to also release their own apps or if this is intended as a test.
The absence of video streaming apps proved to be a confusing decision to some. Just after launch, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime stated, "We built the Nintendo Switch to be a world-class gaming device, meaning we want you first and foremost to play games on the system and have an incredibly fun experience. We're talking to a range of companies about other services, companies like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon--things that will come in time. In our view, these are not differentiators."
"When you think about a new platform, what will define it as a long-term success are the ongoing range of games and experiences that come to the platform--not what's available on day one," he added. "For the Nintendo Switch, we were very deliberate in wanting to make sure, from a Nintendo publish[ing] standpoint, that we had a steady cadence of great games in addition to strong titles at launch."
Beyond feeling it would not help to set the system apart, Nintendo may have wanted to be clear in its messaging that this was a gaming system first and foremost--not something to be confused with a tablet. Whether that has played a part or not, Nintendo has achieved a great deal of success with Switch in its first eight months on the market. It's sold 7.63 million units as of the end of September, and it recently projected that Switch will top Wii U's lifetime sales within its first 13 months on the market.
Currently, we get a new FIFA, Madden, and NHL every year. But EA says there will likely come a time where that is no longer the case and instead we get subscription-based live services.
EA CEO Andrew Wilson responded to a question from Bloomberg about whether this might ever happen by saying, "The short answer is yes." However, don't expect it to happen any time soon: "There's a few things that have got to happen first," Wilson explained. "We do a lot in a FIFA game every year and a lot in a Madden game, and there's a lot of code that we make available as part of the new iterations.
"But [in Korea or China] we don't do it that way: about every four years we release a big new code drop and we offer incremental change over time," he continued. EA and other developers also choose to annually update sports games in the mobile space rather than release a new game every year--FIFA 18 is handled like this on iOS and Android, for example. "I think there's a world where that might also happen in other parts of our business," Wilson concluded.
EA's Sports division is doing well commercially, with a "notable shift to digital … and remarkable growth in Ultimate Team," according to the publisher. Its sports titles are doing well critically, too: our Madden NFL 18 review awarded the game a 9/10 and EA's soccer game got a 7/10 in our FIFA 18 review.
FIFA may not be a subscription-based service just yet, but it has plenty of live content updates throughout the year. Just last week a new FIFA 18 patch dropped, and FUT continues to evolve each week. Would you like to see EA's titles turn into full subscription-based live platforms, or are you happy buying a new game each year? Let us know in the comments below.
Call of Duty: WWII is out now and doing very well, both critically and commercially, but things could have been very different. Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg has said CoD: WWII's developer, Sledgehammer, originally wanted to make a sequel to 2014's Advanced Warfare.
"Sledgehammer wanted to make Advanced Warfare 2," Hirshberg told Newsweek. It's unclear if Activision explicitly denied the developer the chance to make a sequel to Advanced Warfare, but Hirshberg did go on to say he was always confident Sledgehammer could make a great World War II game: "We knew they would become historians, that they would tackle it with authenticity, give it tremendous care, and we also knew they would capture the unspeakable scale of World War II."
It seems the decision to go back to World War II was a good one for Activision--Call of Duty: WWII's launch sales are double those of Infinite Warfare, and critical reception has been positive, too. In our Call of Duty: WWII review, critic Miguel Concepcion wrote: "As one of the most comprehensive and filler-free Call of Dutys in recent memory, Call of Duty: WWII successfully capitalizes on the series' strengths."
Beginning that day, Xbox One players will be able to play PUBG via the Xbox Game Preview program. Bluehole also says that it's "on track" to release the 1.0 PC version in late December. While the developer is working on both PC and Xbox One versions simultaneously, it notes that each has its "own separate roadmaps" and will differ slightly from one another.
"We're approaching development on Xbox One with the same community-driven focus that we've taken with the game on PC," Bluehole VP and executive producer Chang Han Kim wrote on Xbox Wire. "As a result, the ultimate battle royale experience that fans play on Xbox One will be slightly different than what players know today on PC."
Xbox One players will also be able to purchase some exclusive content in the form of special cosmetic packs. Three such packs will be available to purchase for a limited time for the Xbox One version: the PUBG Warrior Pack, Accessory Pack, and Tracksuit Pack. Aside from these three, Bluehole says it doesn't have plans to offer any in-game purchases in the Xbox Game Preview version. You can take a look at a few of the exclusive cosmetic items above.
Call of Duty: WWII is finally out, and along with a new story-driven campaign, the game brings back the series' Zombies experience in the form of Nazi Zombies. This time, however, developer Sledgehammer has made some changes to the popular game mode.
Not only does Call of Duty: WWII's Zombies mode feature a more in-depth class system and abilities, it also gives you more apparent objectives to complete. The mode doesn't feature any objective markers, but you can pull up a small to-do list by pressing touchpad, which will highlight nearby points of interest for you.
While you're free to ignore the objectives in Zombies mode and just mow down undead Nazis to your heart's content, you'll need to clear some if you want to obtain the Tesla gun. In the video above, we show you all the steps you'll need to complete to unlock the powerful weapon and become a more efficient zombie-killing machine.
Call of Duty: WWII is available now for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. In GameSpot's Call of Duty: WWII review-in-progress, critic Miguel Concepcion said the game "successfully capitalizes on the series' strengths" and called it "one of the most comprehensive and filler-free Call of Dutys in recent memory." You can see what other critics are saying about the WWII shooter in our review roundup.
Super Mario Odyssey has been out for just over a week now, but many players are still only scratching the surface of Mario's first Switch adventure. Unlike the more linear level design of Super Mario Galaxy, Odyssey hearkens back to Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine with its many sprawling, sandbox-style Kingdoms, each of which houses a myriad of Power Moons and other collectibles to find.
Mario traverses to each Kingdom in his hat-shaped airship, the Odyssey, but that isn't the plumber's only means of traveling between levels. Scattered about many of the Kingdoms are warp paintings, which will instantly transport you back to a specific world without having to take your ship. Not only are these paintings a convenient way to quickly revisit a previous level, they also drop you off in an out-of-reach area of the kingdom, where you can pick up a new Power Moon.
There are 10 warp paintings scattered about Mario Odyssey, some of which are hidden better than others. In the video above, we take a look at all of the painting locations hidden throughout the game and which Kingdom they transport you to. The video contains some spoilers, so be advised if you'd like to find the paintings for yourself.
Another weekly reset has occurred in Destiny 2, bringing with it the second-ever Faction Rally event to PS4 and Xbox One (or the first, if you're on PC). It also means there is a new Flashpoint on Nessus and a new Nightfall Strike now available, and we've got the full rundown on what to expect from this week's journey to The Inverted Spire.
In terms of Modifiers, you'll be able to gain some additional time to complete the Strike with Timewarp: Rings. This presents Vex rings in certain areas throughout the mission, which you can jump through to extend the time limit by 30 seconds. Momentum is also active, and this causes your health and shield regeneration to cease when you stand still. Sprinting allows you to regenerate both more quickly, meaning you'll need to stay on the move in order to stay alive.
As for Challenges, you'll again be faced with Speed of Dark, which requires at least five minutes to still be on the clock when you finish the Strike. Unbroken asks you to make it through with fewer than three deaths. And The Floor is Lava tasks your entire Fireteam with avoiding Protheon's fire attack; slay it without anyone taking a hit from the ground attack to complete this.
The reward for completing the Nightfall is Powerful gear. This is one of the only ways to obtain such gear, and they're among the best items you can get your hands on. It's also an easy way to increase your Power level past 265, which presents a difficult point to surpass for many players. If you haven't hit 265 yet, you may want to wait until after you've raised your Power level to grab the Nightfall reward. This Nightfall will be available until the next weekly reset, which occurs at 1 AM PT / 4 AM ET / 9 AM GMT / 8 PM AEDT on Tuesday, November 14.
If you haven't yet unlocked the Nightfall, you'll need to complete two Strikes and approach the suggested Power level of 240 before Zavala will allow you to take part in them. Traditional matchmaking is not available, but in its place we have Guided Games, providing players with the opportunity to be matched up with members of a clan for the mission (which requires a Nightfall Ticket). Alternatively, clan members can sign up to serve as guides through the Nightfall. Doing so does not require a Ticket.
It's a big week for Xbox, as the Xbox One X launched, and with it comes a new round of Deals with Gold, offering up to 85 percent off certain games. This week's deals include one that is enhanced for the Xbox One X. Quantum Break is a time-bending action game game that recently received an update that introduces Xbox One X enhancements. For a limited time, it's half off at $20 for Xbox Live Gold members.
If you're looking to get a racing game fix, Forza Motorsport 6 and the Forza Horizon 2 bundle are 50 percent off, among others. You can also pick up Homefront: The Revolution for just $12, and tons of its DLC content is also half off in this week's Spotlight sale.
The next pair of Pokemon games, Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, launch on 3DS this month, marking the series' final installments for Nintendo's dual-screen handheld. The titles are based on last year's Sun and Moon versions but tell an "alternate" story that revolves around the mysterious Legendary Pokemon Necrozma.
While the core adventure remains the same across both versions, each game has some some distinct elements, so you may be unsure of which to pick up. We break down the biggest differences between the two versions below to help you decide which one to play.
Which Version Should You Get?
We recently had the opportunity to interview the developers of Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and one of the topics they weighed in on is which version players should pick up.
"In essence there's no real problem with whichever one you buy, you're going to get a really good experience of Pokemon,"said Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon director Kazumasa Iwao. "But one point users might want to consider is that the Pokedex in Pokemon Ultra Sun is based on the Pokedex in Pokemon Sun and the same for Ultra Moon and Moon. So if something the players are really looking for is Pokedex completion, they might find it better to go for the opposite version this time round in order to help complete their Pokedex. So if they bought Pokemon Sun, they might want to choose Pokemon Ultra Moon this time."
However, those who care more about the games' narrative may want to consider sticking with the same version this time. As producer Shigeru Ohmori explained, "[I]f you're looking for a story-based experience then those who played Pokemon Sun may want to go for Ultra Sun as there are some small details that remain consistent throughout the two that might appeal to people looking for a story-based game."
General Differences
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon tell the same story and feature the same cast of major characters, but there are some slight differences between the two titles that will make the experience unique depending on the version you choose to play. As in the original Sun and Moon, the two games are set 12 hours apart. Ultra Sun will reflect the time that is set in your 3DS clock, while Ultra Moon will be 12 hours ahead--meaning if you play during the day, it will be night in the game.
Additionally, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon introduce a mysterious new group called the Ultra Recon Squad. This team arrives in Alola through an Ultra Wormhole and has some sort of connection to the Ultra Beasts; in one trailer, the group can be seen commanding the new Ultra Beast, UB-Adhesive. You'll encounter different members of the Ultra Recon Squad depending on which version you play. In Ultra Sun, players will cross paths with Dulse and Zossie; in Ultra Moon, players will meet Phyco and Soliera.
Ultra Recon Squad, from left to right: Dulse, Zossie, Soliera, and Phyco
Version-Exclusive Pokemon
As with every pair of Pokemon titles, the primary difference between Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon is the kinds of Pokemon you can encounter in each version. While both games feature most of the same monsters, each one is also home to a handful of exclusive Pokemon that cannot be captured in the other version. Below you'll find a list of all the version-exclusive Pokemon that have been confirmed so far:
Ultra Sun-Exclusive Pokemon
Alolan Vulpix
Alolan Ninetales
Houndour
Houndoom
Cranidos
Rampardos
Cottonee
Whimsicott
Tirtouga
Carracosta
Rufflet
Braviary
Lurantis (Totem-sized)
Passimian
Turtonator
Ultra Moon-Exclusive Pokemon
Alolan Sandshrew
Alolan Sandslash
Electrike
Manectric
Shieldon
Bastiodon
Petilil
Lilligant
Archen
Archeops
Vullaby
Mandibuzz
Salazzle (Totem-sized)
Oranguru
Drampa
Legendary Pokemon
The Alola region is also home to a diverse array of Legendary Pokemon, and thanks to the appearance of Ultra Wormholes in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, players will be able to encounter Legendaries from past regions, as well. Every single Legendary Pokemon from previous gens returns in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, though as is the case with regular Pokemon, some can only be encountered in a specific version. Here's the list of all the version-exclusive Legendaries that appear in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
Ultra Sun-Exclusive Legendaries
Ho-oh
Raikou
Groudon
Latios
Dialga
Heatran
Reshiram
Tornadus
Xerneas
Buzzwole
Kartana
Dusk Mane Necrozma
UB-Burst
Ultra Moon-Exclusive Legendaries
Lugia
Entei
Kyogre
Latias
Palkia
Regigigas
Zekrom
Thundurus
Yveltal
Lunala
Pheromosa
Celesteela
Dawn Wings Necrozma
UB-Assembly
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon release for 3DS on November 17. Along with an expanded storyline, the games introduce many new features and characters, including a new surfing game and Team Rainbow Rocket, a villainous supergroup comprised of the leaders from past teams. Players who purchase either title by January 10, 2018 will receive a free gift: a special Rockruff that evolves into the new Dusk Form Lycanroc.
Black Friday is just around the corner, and many retailers have already begun announcing the deals they'll offer this year on the popular shopping day. Now Best Buy has given consumers a taste of some of the sales it has in store this Black Friday on PS4, Xbox One, and Switch games.
The electronics retailer shared its Black Friday ad today, and it features many enticing deals, particularly on games. You can pick up a 500 GB Xbox One S for $190, or you can get the console bundled with a copy of Madden NFL 18 for $230. Meanwhile, a 1 TB PS4 will be on sale for $200.
Some of this year's major releases will also be on sale for $30, including Destiny 2, Madden NFL 18, NBA 2K18, and Middle-earth Shadow of War. Other notable game sales include:
You don't necessarily need to wait until Black Friday to take advantage of some sales. Best Buy is offering discounts on many items and electronics right now. That includes a handful of titles like Uncharted: The Lost Legacy and MLB The Show 17, both of which are $20 online.
Best Buy's Black Friday deals will begin on Thanksgiving Day. Stores will open at 5 PM local time in states where they're allowed and close at 1 AM, then reopen at 8 AM on Black Friday proper. You can find more Black Friday 2017 deals below.
It's a busy week at Netflix. The streaming service has some interesting additions coming to its library, including the return of the critically acclaimed comedy Lady Dynamite during the week of November 5.
Lady Dynamite, which was co-created by Arrested Development mastermind Mitch Hurwitz and stars comedian Maria Bamford, is back for a second season on Netflix. Based on a trailer for the new episodes, the series will continue its look at mental illness, as told by main character Maria--loosely based on Bamford, herself. Joining the comedian in the new season will be most of the cast from Season 1, along with guest appearances by Judd Apatow, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Jenny Slate, Judy Greer, and more. The new season of Lady Dynamite will debut on November 10.
That day will also see the release of a new season of Glitter Force Doki Doki. The anime, titled Doki!Doki! PreCure in Japan, originally debuted in the country in 2013. The first season of this English-dubbed version premiered on Netflix in August, comprised of 15 episodes. A description of the series reads, "Four girls summon their inner superheroes to defend Earth and the magical kingdom of Splendorius from King Mercenare and his minions."
You can take a look at all of Netflix's new offerings for the week below. You can also see everything the streamer is gaining and losing in November.
November 5
The Homesman
The Veil
November 6
The Dinner
November 7
Dizzy & Bop's Big Adventure: The Great Music Caper
Fate/Apocrypha: Part 1 (Netflix Original)
Killing Ground
P. King Duckling: Season 1
Project Mc2: Part 6 (Netflix Original)
The Journey Is the Destination
November 10
Blazing Transfer Students: Season 1 (Netflix Original)
Dinotrux Supercharged: Season 1 (Netflix Original)
Glitter Force Doki Doki: Season 2 (Netflix Original)
Black Friday 2017 is coming up, and now retailer Target has released its ad for the annual shopping bonanza. If you're in the market for new hardware, Target has a number of options to choose from.
One of the store's doorbuster deals is the 500 GB Xbox One S with a $25 store gift card for just $180. On the PlayStation front, the 1 TB PS4 will be available for only $200. It does not look like the Nintendo Switch is discounted, but Target will sell the Legend of Zelda green 2DS for only $80.
Some of the other deals include $40 Xbox One and PS4 controllers, $10 off subscriptions to Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus, and quite a few solid game deals.
You can see Target's complete, 40-page Black Friday 2017 ad here on Bfads.net. Target will open its doors at 6 PM local time on Thanksgiving Day, closing at midnight and then opening again at 6 AM local time on Black Friday itself.
For more on Black Friday 2017, check out the stories below:
It has now been reported that the two producers in charge of the franchise's creative direction have quit entirely. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Alex Kurtzman and Chris Morgan have left to focus on other projects. Kurtzman is heavily involved with TV, including Star Trek: Discovery, while Morgan is writing the Fast & Furious spin-off which will star Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham.
In a statement, Universal president of production Peter Cramer, said, "We've learned many lessons throughout the creative process on Dark Universe so far, and we are viewing these titles as filmmaker-driven vehicles, each with their own distinct vision. We are not rushing to meet a release date and will move forward with these films when we feel they are the best versions of themselves."
Whatever happens, there is no denying that this situation is a mess for Universal. The launch of the interconnected universe was very high profile, and THR states that the expensively refurbished Hollywood offices designed as a headquarters for the series are now sitting empty. As Cramer's statement suggests, one option the studio is reportedly considering is making standalone monster movies with established filmmakers, and abandoning the connected universe concept entirely.
The first sign that the Dark Universe was in trouble came last month, when Bride of Frankenstein director Bill Condon denied that his film was connected to a wider cinematic universe. "It has nothing to do with anything else. Nothing. Zero," he told Collider. Shortly after this, Universal cancelled pre-production entirely, and removed the film from its release slate.
There has been plenty of news about DC's upcoming Shazam over past few weeks, including confirmation of its release date and cast. One thing we know we won't see in the movie however is Shazam's nemesis Black Adam. The villainous character is to be played in a future DC movie by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, but it has already been confirmed that he won't be part of Shazam.
However, a new rumor suggests that Johnson might make his DC debut in Suicide Squad 2. According to The Wrap's sources, the plot of Suicide Squad 2 will revolve around "members of Suicide Squad [who are] tasked with tracking down a weapon of mass destruction." That weapon is apparenty Black Adam. Johnson himself teased a surprise introduction for the character earlier this year, when he told Fandango: "We have a really cool surprise for Black Adam that I can't reveal, in terms of where we will see Black Adam being introduced."
Even though we are used to seeing Johnson play more heroic characters, he explained to Digital Spy that the more complex nature of the Black Adam role had drawn him to it. "I just felt Black Adam was inherently more interesting to me because I felt there were more layers to [him], starting out as a slave and then ultimately becoming the anti-hero who we enjoy today."
Black Adam first appeared in 1945 as a one-off villain for a comic book called The Marvel Family, published by Fawcett Comics. He was later licensed by DC, alongside Shazam, and revived in the '70s as an ongoing character. In more recent years he has been portrayed as a more complex anti-hero than an outright bad guy, who will sometimes use his powers for good as well as evil.
After a few delays, the Spider-Man spin-off Venom is now in production. Tom Hardy stars as Eddie Brock, a man possessed by an evil alien parasite, and a new on-set video has been released that shows him engaging in some stuntwork.
In the behind-the-scenes clip, Hardy falls onto a mat, then proceeds to run up an alleyway. He stops to look at something and seems horrified--could this be a reflection of Venom, starring back at him? We'll find out in October next year, but in the meantime you can check out the video over at comicbookmovie.com.
The film is the first of Sony's Spider-Man spin-offs; although Spider-Man features in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sony still owns the movie rights to the character. There was initially some confusion about whether Venom will be part of the MCU, and whether Spider-Man could appear in any of the spin-offs. Both Marvel boss Kevin Feige and Spidey actor Tom Holland have stated that the two universes are entirely separate. However, in June, former Sony boss and Spider-Man: Homecoming producer Amy Pascal suggested otherwise, before subsequently switching to Feige's position.
GameSpot News, the show you just love to watch on GameSpot dot com, is back again with Jess McDonell and Dan Crowd. Some big news for fans of magical children today, here's what we cover in today's episode.
Pokemon GO Developers Are Working On A Harry Potter Game
After a number of rumours began circulating around the internet, it looks like Pokemon GO developers Niantic, Inc. are indeed working on an augmented reality Harry Potter game. We go through their official statement and some details about how the game will play.
Star Wars Battlefront 2 Loot Box Cost Revealed
The game that has been in the centre of a bunch of loot box controversy is out in the wild, and now we can all see how the system has been tweaked in response to the public outcry, and how much the game's microtransactions actually cost. Come with us on a digital shopping journey!
PlayStation 5 and Xbox Two (Or Whatever) Are At Least Two Years Away
That's according to Ubisoft boss Yves Guillemot in a recent investor's call. He did have a lot of conditional things to add to that statement though, so find out what else he said before taking his opinions as gospel. Because that's what all smart people do.
That's all for GameSpot News today, tell us what you thought of today's news in the comments below. How about those loot boxes, eh? See you tomorrow.
Recent Articles:
You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website.
No comments:
Post a Comment