The CW is getting a new superhero in January. Black Lightning is the latest DC Comics adaptation for the network and a new trailer gives potential fans unfamiliar with the character a look at his backstory. "Black Lightning is back," the trailer declares, as retired superhero Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) once again suits up and puts his powers of electricity to use to save his city.
It's a definite departure for The CW, which usually features much younger actors portraying their star superheroes. Whereas The Flash's Grant Gustin is 27, Williams is 47. Then again, it's also a departure in that the origin of this superhero starts in the middle of his story. The series picks up long after Pierce's first stint as a superhero--a job he gave up for his family.
As the trailer shows, though, he hasn't lost a step. Between his fighting skills and the ability to shoot electrical blasts from his hands with little effort, Pierce is ready to take on the gang attempting to corrupt his community.
Black Lightning was originally created by Tony Isabella in 1977 and was the first black superhero to be given his own comic book. It's only fitting that the character is also the first black superhero to lead his own TV show.
Williams is joined in the series by China Anne McClain and Nafessa Williams, who play his daughters, along with Christine Adams, and James Remar. Black Lightning premieres on Tuesday, January 16, at 9 PM ET/PT, following The Flash. It's important to note that at this point the series does not exist in the same universe as The CW's other superhero shows.
Microsoft has revealed the latest selection of discounts for Xbox One and Xbox 360. This week's Deals with Gold are available now for Xbox Live Gold members and include some notable titles on both platforms, as well as a few Spotlight deals that even those without a Gold subscription can take advantage of.
A few notable Xbox 360 games are on sale this week, as well. Gold members can get discounts on the original Metro 2033 ($2.24/£1.79) and Metro: Last Light ($3/£2.24), Dead Space 3 ($5/£3.74), DuckTales Remastered ($3.74/£2.49), NBA Jam ($5/£4), and Street Fighter IV ($14/£10.49), among other titles.
Most of these offers will be available until 6 AM ET/3 AM PT on December 12, giving you a few days to take advantage of this week's sales. You can find the full list of Deals with Gold discounts on Major Nelson's blog.
The Nintendo 3DS has enjoyed a long lifespan and it's still very much relevant in gaming today. It has a vast library of amazing games at this point and the system itself has had a few iterations. So, if someone on your shopping list has yet to dip into the 2DS/3DS ecosystem, it'd be a good time to gift them a great handheld. Even if they already own one, we have a few pointers for accessories to pair with this Nintendo system. Check out what we rounded up!
New 3DS XL Samus Edition
New 3DS XL Samus Edition
The New 3DS XL systems are equipped with auto stereoscopic 3D which tracks your eyes to adjust the 3D effect properly. It's one of the key features that make the New systems special, but the enhanced hardware and exclusive games make it a worthy upgrade for those who are still on the first-generation 3DS. The Samus Edition in particular features an elegant sketch of Samus Aran on the backplate along with the screw attack logo in a neat two-tone burnt orange and gold color scheme.
Retail price: $200
New 2DS XL Poke Ball Edition
New 2DS XL Poke Ball Edition
The Nintendo New 2DS XL launched earlier this year as another revision to the long-lasting handheld system, a non-3D version with the clamshell chassis design. It's still a great system, and if someone you know still hasn't dug into the 3DS's vast library or has one of the older DS models, now would be a good time to get them a New 2DS XL. And if they are a fan of Pokemon, why not spice things up with the Poke Ball Edition? It sports a red, black, and white color scheme and a little button (non-functional) at the center of the Poke Ball design!
Retail price: $160
SanDisk Ultra 32GB microSDHC Card
SanDisk Ultra 32GB microSDHC Card
New 2DS and 3DS systems come with a 4 GB microSD card, but that's nearly enough to store many of the bigger downloadable games. A 32 GB SanDisk Ultra microSDHC card will do the trick and they're a great value for the amount of storage you get. For reference, Super Smash Bros. For 3DS has a download size of 2.1 GB and and Pokemon Sun / Moon takes up 3.2 GB. That extra space will come in handy.
Retail price: $14 to $20
AmazonBasics Carrying Case
AmazonBasics Carrying Case
There's nothing too fancy about the AmazonBasics carrying case for 2DS XL and 3DS XL systems, but it's a semi-hard case that'll keep your handheld in tact. Inside the case are straps to keep the system from moving around and there are three pockets to store a few games. It's a much better option than having your handheld thrown in a bag.
Retail price: $12 to $15
HC-RET Earbuds
HC-RET Earbuds
Simple earbuds are enough for the 2DS/3DS, but that doesn't mean you should skimp out on quality when gifting a pair. The HC-RET in-ear earbuds provide great value considering that they can be found under $20 and outclass other earbuds in its price range. Good bass and overall audio quality will make sure 3DS sound great.
Retail price: $13 to $20
Hori 3DS XL Screen Protective Filter
Hori 3DS XL Screen Protective Filter
The two screens on the DS systems aren't prone to as many accidents as, say, a Nintendo Switch since both 2DS XL and 3DS XL models feature a clamshell body design. But that doesn't make the displays immune to getting scuffed. A pair of screen protectors can come in handy, and they're pretty cheap. The screen protective filter from Hori fits XL screens just right and comes with a cleaning cloth for application prep.
Retail price: $9 to $13
Hori Game Card Case
Hori Game Card Case
Long-time owners of any of the 3DS family of systems probably have a ton of games by now, and carrying around a bunch of cartridges gets unwieldy. A simple case for all those carts can be a big help for portability and the one from Hori, which holds 24 carts, is only going to run you $10.
Retail price: $10
Amiibo
Amiibo
In addition to looking like really cool figurines, Amiibo grant in-game bonuses depending on the particular Amiibo and game. The New 2DS and 3DS systems have a built-in NFC reader will recognize Amiibo when they're placed atop the lower screen. For example, you'll unlock Fusion Mode from the Metroid Amiibo and exclusive art from the Samus Amiibo in Metroid: Samus Returns once you beat the game. A little research will help you pick the right Amiibo for your giftee!
Retail price: Varies based on specific amiibo
Nintendo eShop Digital Card
Nintendo eShop Digital Card
You can always rely on a Nintendo eShop card if you can't decide on a particular 3DS accessory to gift. These act as currency in the eShop store where you can purchase and download digital games. It'd make for a convenient gift that puts the decision-making burden on the recipient, which is great for you! These come in either $10, $20, $35, or $50 amounts with the cast of Mario characters printed on them.
Destiny 2's latest scheduled maintenance period proved to be briefer than expected, and the game is back online. Along with it, Bungie has released both update 1.1.0 and the Curse of Osiris DLC, marking the launch of the first DLC expansion for Destiny 2 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Update 1.1.0 is a substantial patch. It finally introduces PS4 Pro and Xbox One X enhancements to the shooter; both receive HDR support, while the Pro version gets a dynamic 4K resolution and Xbox One X gets native 4K. There's no indication if HDR support will be added for Xbox One S or PS4 owners.
Elsewhere in the patch, there are numerous changes to balance, bug fixes, and other adjustments. Super abilities now deal more damage to bosses, players begin recovering health sooner even with a low Recovery stat, numerous grenade types deal more damage (while Pulse grenades have been nerfed), and different weapon types have been tweaked. For instance, precision auto rifles see a damage increase but precision modifier reduction.
To compensate for Curse of Osiris's higher level cap, the recommended Power levels for certain activities are now different. The Nightfall calls for a 270 Power level, or 300 for the Prestige version. The Leviathan Raid recommends 300, or 330 for the Prestige version. For Guided Games, the Nightfall still suggests 270, but the Leviathan's Power level suggestion is 310.
Rewards have changed in some cases, with Crucible matches in the Quickplay and Competitive playlists now handing out Rare and Legendary items more frequently. You'll also gain more XP for finishing a match. Other 1.1.0 changes affect specific class abilities and gear, while some are just downright funny. One issue that's been addressed is described as such: "Cabal Gladiators would sometimes have horrific arm elasticity when being defeated during Cabal Drill Public Events."
This is all in addition to what Curse of Osiris brings to the game. Players who purchase the DLC can now visit Mercury and take part in new missions, earn new gear, and more. Additionally, Bungie plans to release another Destiny 2 update next week that revamps and introduces more new systems, such as adding Masterworks weapons. For now, you can check out everything that's changed in the 1.1.0 update here. Also take note that 1.1.0's release marks the beginning of Season 2, which means Bright Engrams' contents have changed, clan levels have reset, and more.
Players will no longer be able to log in from 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET / 3 PM GMT on Tuesday, December 5 (that's 1 AM AEST on December 6 in Australia). An hour later, anyone still playing the game will be booted to the title screen, and Curse of Osiris will become available to download and install. Bungie says the maintenance will end two hours after that--at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM GMT / 4 AM AEST, at which point Curse of Osiris will finally become playable.
In addition, the end of the maintenance period will bring a new Destiny 2 update, though we don't yet know everything the patch will contain. As noted above, you'll be able to pre-load the Curse of Osiris DLC from 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET / 4PM GMT / midnight AEST. However, make sure you have enough storage space. The requirements range pretty dramatically from platform to platform; here's the minimum that you'll need on each system (which we can safely assume accounts for the size of the base game):
PS4: 88 GB
Xbox One: 44 GB
PC: 68 GB
Curse of Osiris costs $20 / £17 / AU $30, and is included in the $35 / £30 / AU $50 Expansion Pass. It introduces a new planet, Mercury, for players to visit, along with new story missions, Strikes, Crucible maps, weapons, armor, and more--you can see some of the new gear in the video above. The expansion's release will coincide with the first of two big December updates. December 5 will also mark a change to Guided Games and the weekly reset schedule, and it will also see the release of PS4 Pro and Xbox One X enhancements for Destiny 2.
Much has been said about EA's planned use of microtransactions in Star Wars Battlefront II, but its approach to post-release downloadable content is far more attractive. All DLC will be released for free, and that starts this month with the first "season" of updates, which will in this case be themed around the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi.
This starts modestly today, December 5, when you'll be able to choose to ally yourself with the First Order or New Republic. Doing so presents you with special, weekly faction quests over the next few weeks with rewards that correspond to your side.
"Completing these will not only reward you with Credits and Crafting Parts, but help edge your faction closer to victory, giving all members of that side a additional rewards," developer DICE explained. "The other faction will get a crate of their own with lesser prizes, but it will hopefully come with a drive to fight back even harder."
For this first challenge, players have to rack up 50 kills with each trooper class. This doesn't need to be completed before the next challenges arrive; you have until the end of the season to finish and can complete them in any order.
The bulk of this month's additions come on December 13. Battlefront II will add two new heroes (Captain Phasma and Finn), a Galactic Assault map (Crait), a Starfighter Assault map (D'Qar), and a new vehicle (Tallie's A-Wing), along with new weekly and daily challenges. All of that comes on the multiplayer side, but there's also something new for single-player, as we'll get an additional mission called Resurrection. This sees you again step into the shoes of Iden Versio, this time "during the days of the First Order's rise to power."
Throughout the month, other new challenges and special events will also arrive, including a holiday playlist on December 27. Everything will be available on all platforms--PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC--and is scheduled to coincide with the release of The Last Jedi on December 15.
It's officially December, and the first Tuesday of the month has brought with it a new batch of free games for PlayStation Plus members. A total of six more games are now available for download to Plus subscribers, including a total of as many as four on PlayStation 4 (or five if you're in Europe).
PS4's lineup is headlined by Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition, a remastered version of the 2012 Zelda-esque action game. This version includes all of the original release's DLC along with a variety of technical improvements. It's free this month alongside Kung Fu Panda: Showdown of Legendary Legends. A PSVR freebie from November, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, remains free throughout this month, and those in Europe can also pick up That's You for free. Additionally, thanks to Cross-Buy, Forma 8 is available on PS4 in addition to Vita.
The PS3 side features Xblaze: Lost Memories and Syberia Collection, the latter of which is a compilation of the two Syberia adventure games. In addition to the aforementioned Forma 8, Vita owners can download Wanted Corp for free.
All of these games are available now for PS Plus members on the PlayStation Store. They'll be free to download until Tuesday, January 2, when Sony will replace them with the next batch of freebies. Claiming these games allows you to play them as much as you want for as long as you have an active Plus membership.
In addition to the free game downloads, PS Plus subscribers receive some other bonuses this month. Plus members get exclusive access to the Monster Hunter World beta, which runs from December 9-12 on PS4. Later in the month, they'll also receive the PlayStation Plus Pack for free-to-play game Smite, which consists of various characters, skins, and voice packs.
Deadpool is not your average superhero, and the marketing campaigns for his movies are equally unconventional. So far for the upcoming Deadpool 2, we've had heartwarming magazine covers, bizarre painting classes, and now a promo slot encouraging fans to get a Brazilian tattoo.
Yes, you heard that right. In this latest clip, the Merc with a Mouth speaks his best, er, Portuguese to ask fans to choose a tattoo design for next year's Brazilian Comic-Con. Check it out below:
Deadpool 2 stars Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, Josh Brolin as Cable and Zazie Beetz as Domino, with Morena Baccarin, TJ Miller, and Brianna Hildebrand reprising their roles from the first movie. David Leitch (John Wick, Atomic Blonde) is directing, replacing Tim Miller, who reportedly clashed with Reynolds over the direction of the movie. It hits theaters on June 1, 2018.
There's also an adult animated Deadpool show on the way. The currently untitled series will be overseen by Atlanta star and creator Donald Glover with his brother Stephen, who will both act as showrunners, producers, and writers. It is being developed for FXX, the sister channel to FX, and the 10-part first season will premiere next year.
By Anonymous on Dec 05, 2017 10:00 pm Join us fellow Guardians as we go through different time eras to try to save the world from the threat of the Vex in Destiny 2's latest DLC The Curse of Osiris.
Acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino has hatched an idea for a Star Trek movie that he could direct as one of his final films. This is according to Deadline, which cites sources saying he shared his idea with Star Trek reboot director JJ Abrams, and that the idea is to get writers together to listen to Tarantino's pitch and then start the process of making a film. Deadline reports that Tarantino may direct, with Abrams onboard to produce.
Deadline points out that Tarantino has never directed an entry in an established film series, so this would be new territory for the Oscar winner. But he has done that on TV, as he directed episodes of CSI and ER. As the site explains, Tarantino is known for his creative control on his projects, so working on Star Trek--which has an established framework and millions of fans--would be an interesting move.
Star Trek is produced by film company Paramount, which is owned by Sony. Tarantino is already working with the company on a film that will focus in part on the Manson murders.
The last movie that Tarantino directed was 2015's The Hateful Eight. In November 2016, Tarantino said he only plans to make two more movies before retiring, so if the Star Trek movie could be his last one.
Taraninto's eight directorial projects have included Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Kill Bill Vol. 2, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained, and The Hateful Eight. Tarantino won Best Writing Oscars for Pulp Fiction and Django Unchained.
2K Sports has announced a release date for the Nintendo Switch version of WWE 2K18. While the wrestling game has been available on other platforms since October, it will finally arrive on Nintendo's hybrid console this week, on December 6.
The Switch edition of WWE 2K18 includes all of the major features and content found in other versions of the title, including the revamped MyCareer mode, expanded character creator, and DLC lineup. Unlike other versions, however, the Switch game will only support six characters on screen at once, rather than eight.
Those who pre-ordered the physical version of WWE 2K18 will get a Kurt Angle DLC pack featuring two versions of the WWE Hall of Famer as a free bonus. Switch owners who opt to purchase the game digitally from the Eshop will be able to download the character pack for free through December 13. However, you'll need a microSD card with 32 GB of space--as well as 1 GB of space on your console--in order to download the title.
WWE 2K18 is the first WWE game to release for a Nintendo console in five years. The title is already available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. In GameSpot's WWE 2K18 review, critic Richard Wakeling said "there are moments of pure pro wrestling enjoyment to be found" in the game, but criticized it for being "compounded by too many frustrating issues, disruptive glitches, and a dearth of engaging single-player modes."
Following up on 2016 was always going to be difficult for Sony, but it was crucial that the platform holder maintain its momentum, especially with its competitors both launching new hardware. With the launch of the PlayStation 4 Pro and PlayStation VR behind it, its focus fell squarely on new games. But was that enough, and is the PS4 heading in the right direction? Let's look back at the year that was for Sony's console.
Exclusives Aplenty
Last year brought what was, at the time, arguably the best exclusive game of the generation so far. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End dragged the Uncharted series into the PS4 era, matured Nate and co. into fuller characters, and came very close to winning our Best Game of 2016 award. Just a year later, we had another new Uncharted game in The Lost Legacy, which ditched our intrepid adventurer and pushed two of the series' supporting characters into the spotlight. And although this expansion-turned-full-release perhaps didn't move the franchise forward as much as its progenitor, it did show that the Uncharted series can survive away from the Drake estate.
Sony's other big exclusive this year brought the return of Guerrilla, the Killzone developer that has for much of its life been criticized for making games that arguably look better than they play. Horizon Zero Dawn, however, at last harnessed the company's outstanding technical and graphical capabilities, and painted them on a distinguished underlying game. Let's hope this is a turning point for Guerrilla and it continues to defy expectations. With an outstanding, non-Killzone game finally under its belt and an owner in Sony known for encouraging development of unique first-party titles, the Dutch company could become the developer of exceptional games it should always have been, and we--the audience--will hopefully reap the rewards in years to come.
The remainder of PS4's exclusive lineup in 2017 was one of the most diverse third-party selections in recent memory. Nier: Automata, Nioh, Yakuza 0 (and Kiwami), Persona 5, and Hellblade (if we're counting console exclusives) were all niche, but superb examples of a platform broadening its appeal. That's in addition to a healthy collection of console-exclusive indie games, which expanded this year with games such as Matterfall, Pyre, and Nidhogg 2. Not only that, but Sony continues to aggressively tie up exclusive content for some of the biggest games around. Resident Evil 7's VR edition, early Call of Duty DLC, and exclusive Destiny 2 maps and gear often make PlayStation the obvious platform to play your games if you own multiple consoles.
All Sony needed was a big hitter for the end of the year to reinforce that PS4 really is "the best place to play." It's a shame, then, that the holiday period has been so disappointing for the platform: the only notable exclusive to launch in the most important season of the year was GT Sport. While by no means panned--it currently holds a 75 rating on Metacritic and earned an 8/10 in GameSpot's GT Sport review--the first PS4 Gran Turismo game launched with little fanfare, especially for a series which was once one of PlayStation's premiere titles. The smaller car roster, heavy-handed approach to online racing, and less-than-perfect reception might be the confirmation that Gran Turismo has been overtaken by Microsoft's more exuberant Forza series.
PSVR Is Under-Supported
GT Sport's lukewarm launch is doubly disappointing for Sony, as Polyphony's racer was billed to moonlight as PlayStation VR's big game for the end of the year. Unfortunately, the virtual reality platform is still awaiting the fabled "killer app." Between Resident Evil 7 in January and GT Sport in October, few big titles launched for PSVR, two promising PSVR games--The Inpatient and Bravo Team--were recently delayed to 2018, and the picture looks bare in 2018. Doom VFR and Skyrim VR help, but will ports of years-old games satisfy those who shelled out $400 / £350 / AU $550 for a then-seemingly groundbreaking new gizmo? More to the point, will they--in the absence of more big, high-profile titles--convince people who haven't yet invested to get out their wallets? This year has been a disappointing one for PSVR, which--if not supported better with landmark releases next year--is in danger of going the way of Kinect.
Nostalgia Is A Powerful Tool, But It Can Only Go So Far
In the gaps between big 2017's releases, especially during the arid summer months, Sony attempted to satisfy gamers with repackaged, repolished versions of older games. We received PS4 remasters of Patapon, LocoRoco, Parappa the Rapper, Wipeout, and the meme-spawning Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, in addition to the announcement of a Shadow of the Colossus remake, coming next year. Sony has realized that many PlayStation gamers--whether lapsed or loyal--who owned and loved that grey brick in the late '90s suddenly, in 2017, find themselves with disposable income, and they're an audience that is a ready-made nostalgia sponge. It was this susceptibility to childhood games being reborn that made the Crash Bandicoot remaster one of the best-selling games of the year, and it's surely a note Sony will play once again next year, especially with PSX just around the corner.
However, the company can only rely on nostalgia for so long. The original Xbox was only a few years behind the first PlayStation, so Microsoft's nostalgia push surely won't be far away--in fact, it might have already begun. For those already wearing green-tinted spectacles, Xbox is doing a more consumer-friendly job at harnessing the power of our childhood memories than Sony with its backwards compatibility program. PlayStation Now allows you to play PS3 games on your PS4, but you have to pay extra for the privilege, and it's no good at all if you have a dodgy internet connection or don't live in a handful of specific countries. Microsoft, on the other hand, allows hundreds of past games available to play for no extra cost on Xbox One, thereby expanding its game library and winning favor with its audience. It's time Sony started doing the same--properly.
If Sony's reluctance to make PS1, PS2, and PS3 games playable on PS4 is a potential sign of arrogance, then its refusal to allow cross-play with Xbox is a definite one. Microsoft wants cross-play to happen, but Sony says it's a "commercial discussion" as to why it won't allow it at present. It's an unfortunate, but understandable decision: in this generation, Sony is on top, so why would it throw its primary rival a lifeline?
Other Matters, In Brief
PS4's 5.0 update arrived this year, in case you'd forgotten. You'd be forgiven for not remembering, too, since so few meaningful changes came out of what was hoped to be a big update. Parental controls aside, the patch failed to address a concern that lingers more than a decade after PSN's launch: why can we still not change our usernames?
2017 appeared to be the year the PS Vita finally died. The underappreciated handheld saw few new games this year, as Sony eventually threw in the towel with first-party support and publishers moved on to bigger and more powerful machines. Rest in peace, my little Spelunky machine.
E3 2017 was disappointing for Sony. The biggest game show of the year brought few genuinely exciting announcements (including, crucially, any update on The Last of Us: Part II).
Last year, the good ship PlayStation sailed into the distance as Sony launched an affordable virtual reality platform, a new, upgraded console, and some of this generation's finest games. In 2017, the company has by no means undone all that hard work, but it has perhaps allowed the ship to coast slightly too far. A continued lack of backwards compatibility and cross play, a PS Plus price increase in some territories, half-hearted PSVR support, and a mediocre E3 showing signify a platform holder that may be a little too comfortable in the lead, and it's a small, but worrying step towards Sony's arrogance we saw post-PS2.
That said, exclusives like Horizon Zero Dawn, Persona 5, and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy don't come along every week, and they exceed anything Microsoft has been able to muster in the past 12 months. So despite a number of stumbling blocks this year, Sony is--for now, at least--proving it's the games that matter.
The Good
The Bad
A broad range of exclusive games, headlined by the impressive Horizon Zero Dawn and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.
Many third-party games still receive exclusive content on PS4.
Nostalgia-fueled games brought the PS1-era memories flooding back.
Lack of backwards compatibility and cross-play.
PS4 Pro's graphical capabilities have been surpassed by Xbox One X, which has stolen Sony's "most powerful console in the world" claim to fame.
Xbox One is now four years old, and its fourth year on the market felt both unsurprising and encouraging. It's difficult to know exactly how the system performed commercially because Microsoft has stopped sharing sales numbers, but Xbox boss Phil Spencer has made it clear that, for him and Microsoft, success is no longer gauged by Xbox One hardware sales. Microsoft has broadened its gaming aspirations, but in many ways, it's doubled down on its recent, user-friendly strategies with Xbox One, which has been promising.
With 2017 coming to a close, let's take a look back at the year that was for Xbox One.
Another Dose Of New Hardware, This Time With Meaningful Changes
Last year's Xbox One S was a solid hardware revision, providing a dramatic reduction in size, HDR support, and 4K Blu-ray playback capabilities. A small performance boost aside, however, it was effectively the same system that had launched back in 2013. The same can't be said of Xbox One X, which released worldwide in November.
Microsoft likes to tout that Xbox One X is the "world's most powerful console." As much as that sounds like a marketing line with little foundation in reality, it is true. Xbox One X is a powerhouse of a console, and one that's also incredibly well designed. That it manages to be so powerful but so quiet--and no bigger than an Xbox One S--is a feat of engineering.
But within those improvements, there has also been some degree of confusion. To its credit, Xbox One X does address one specific complaint about PS4 Pro: It allows you to filter your games to show only those with enhancement updates. However, it's unclear exactly what you're getting from any given game. Microsoft's website hosts a list of X-enhanced games along with indicators for those with HDR and 4K support, but is it native 4K, or a dynamic resolution? Do players have a choice between a mode favoring higher resolutions and one that offers steadier framerates and better effects? Finding out typically involves turning to third-party publications like Digital Foundry. It requires too much research on the part of Xbox One X owners to know what type of experience to expect from a game.
That said, as was the case with PS4 Pro, it's hard to complain about the general approach of a mid-generation hardware refresh, because it's purely optional. There are always going to be those who want better graphics and performance without building a costly PC, while others will prefer to keep playing games on their existing console. The Xbox One X feels like an ideal compromise for this point in time: It provides those who care about playing improved versions of games an option for doing so, but without splitting up the multiplayer userbase or taking anything away from those who are happy with what they have. There is a degree of compromise to this, as games still have to work on Xbox One. At least so far, no developer has shown a willingness to provide meaningfully different gameplay features on X. We don't know of any games that will operate like, for instance, Shadow of Mordor, which offered the Nemesis system on current-gen consoles but an extremely pared-back version on Xbox 360 and PS3. But it's a compromise that is necessary to avoid leaving anyone behind, and it isn't preventing the X from offering some truly gorgeous games.
Among the most welcome aspects of how Xbox One X operates are the improvements it presents across the board. Even without a patch, Xbox One games benefit from anisotropic filtering, as well as--in many cases--shorter load times, framerates that more consistently reach their targets, and improvements to dynamic resolution scaling, which allow games to run at higher resolutions more often. The results vary from game to game, but they are often impressive--and this even extends to Xbox 360 and original Xbox games. And whatever the case, you're getting all of these benefits at no additional cost beyond that of the system itself.
Continued Welcome Improvements To The Xbox Ecosystem
Those improvements to your existing game library play into a broader strategy that Microsoft has been pushing over the past two years. Since the introduction of backwards compatibility, it's felt as if Microsoft decided to listen to what fans want and give it to them. While you might be missing out on some of the exclusives that PS4 owners have access to (more on that later), the company has made owning an Xbox One a more attractive proposition than ever.
That starts with the continuation of backwards compatibility. We've seen more than 145 more games added this year, bringing the total to over 450 games. This allows you to play games you already own on Xbox One, oftentimes with various technical improvements, even on non-Xbox One X systems. It's maybe the single best feature to distinguish the system from the PS4 (whose closest equivalent is the subscription-based PlayStation Now), and it continues to be available for free.
Microsoft has presented Xbox One owners with what feels like a respectful ecosystem that is committed to keeping your game library playable--and better than ever, if you have an Xbox One X.
Backwards compatibility has only improved this year with the added support of original Xbox games. While the selection is limited and will not expand at the same semi-regular pace as the Xbox 360 backwards compatible library, it is nevertheless nice to be able to play Ninja Gaiden Black and company on Xbox One.
2017 also saw Microsoft enter a new space with Xbox Game Pass. For a flat fee, subscribers can play full versions of games from a library with more than 100 games. But unlike Netflix or PlayStation Now, these game are downloaded, rather than streamed. That avoids any potential latency issues, though large download sizes for some games mean slow connection speeds remain a problem.
Game Pass certainly provides value for some--$10/£8/AU$11 per month isn't terribly unreasonable for someone on a tight budget who doesn't care about owning games long-term. However, it still feels somewhat incomplete. Microsoft has spoken about the potential it has to support original game development, much in the same way that Netflix has its own original programming, but six months in, that's something we have yet to see bear fruit. ReCore's Definitive Edition was available right at launch on Game Pass, but that was an update to a year-old game. Whether the service ends up leading to the creation of new games remains to be seen.
Elsewhere, Microsoft has provided more Xbox Play Anywhere games, providing a great incentive to pick up digital copies of select games, which provide access on both Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs at no additional cost. And the company continues to pursue cross-play support. While Sony has refused to open the gates of PSN, Nintendo has acquiesced, allowing Xbox One and Switch owners to play games like Rocket League and Minecraft together. That's good news for everyone involved.
Frequent System Updates--And Finally Making Some Progress
The layout of the Xbox One's menus and dashboard have been a source of complaints since launch. Providing intuitive access to so many features is no easy task, and this has remained a work-in-progress for the past four years. As with Xbox 360, Microsoft has not been shy about overhauling the Xbox One dashboard. 2017 was the best example of that yet, as we saw not one but two major updates to the layout of the dashboard and Guide.
The first of these came in March. It dedicated far less space to the active game or app and provided shortcuts for options related to it, such as its game hub. It also finally made the Guide accessible with a single button press--something that had previously required two. The Guide itself was refined to provide quick access to Game DVR and other functionality. Other additions included an on-screen Achievement tracker, Mixer integration (known at the time as Beam), and the co-pilot accessibility feature.
Incredibly, just over four months later, Microsoft revealed another redesign. Speed and customization were touted as two of the key goals. Aesthetically, it looked nearly identical to the March update, but the main Home screen was changed completely. It now consisted of "content blocks," each of which is dedicated to an item of your choosing, such as a specific game. The Guide (still brought up with one press of the Xbox button) was reoriented to have a horizontal layout. The Fall update officially launched in October.
Xbox One's menus remain complex and intimidating, particularly for newcomers. Introducing such frequent shake-ups leads to confusion; just as you become accustomed to one setup, things are suddenly much different. As you'd expect, opinions vary about any such change, though the Fall update's Guide has at least surfaced frequently used features in an intelligent way. Microsoft has said that "small adjustments" are more likely than "big changes" in the future, which may be wise, though there is still work to be done.
Some Quality Games, But The Exclusives Gap Feels Bigger Than Ever
Xbox One is, ultimately, a machine meant to play games. And indeed, there were tons of great games to play throughout 2017. Microsoft certainly argues as much, but a problem arises when looking at exclusives on Xbox One versus PS4. Sony had a banner year, with Horizon: Zero Dawn, Yakuza 0, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Hellblade, Nioh, and Nier: Automata as its console exclusives. Furthermore, in many cases, third-party games were undeniably better on PS4, whether that was due to hardware (Xbox One lacks VR support to make Resident Evil 7's VR mode playable) or value considerations (Sony paying for timed-exclusive content in games like Destiny 2).
Xbox One owners do have a lot to play, however. Between the exclusives that were released and the numerous third-party games on the market, picking up an Xbox One in 2017 would not leave you without worthwhile games. (The frequent addition of new backwards-compatible games doesn't hurt, either.) And if you pick up an Xbox One X, you're now even getting the best version of these third-party games, with the exception of those with PS4-exclusive content.
Xbox One was not completely devoid of exclusives this year. Forza Motorsport 7 and Cuphead are both terrific, and PUBG's upcoming early access release is likely to be enormous, if the game's performance on PC (and that of Fortnite's Battle Royale update) are any indication. But the gulf in exclusives this year has felt particularly huge, no doubt due to the cancellation of Scalebound and delays of Crackdown 3 and Sea of Thieves (both of which were delayed in 2016, too). Whether it made the right calls or not, the end result was a year that was much stronger for the competition in terms of exclusive games.
Other Matters, In Brief
It was another good, if unspectacular, year for Games With Gold. There were few newly released games (Slime Rancher being a notable exception), but we still got a total of 48 games that are playable on Xbox One, all of which stand to receive at least some benefits when played on Xbox One X.
Xbox One remained the only console with access to EA Access. This remains a nice service for $30 per year, even offering recent games like Battlefield 1, Titanfall 2, and Mass Effect: Andromeda.
500 GB remains effectively the standard hard drive size for Xbox One. That felt small at launch in 2013, and the situation is only worse now. With games like Gears of War 4 and Halo 5: Guardians ballooning in size (the two combine to take up about 200 GB) and less than 400 GB being usable, it's possible to fill the drive with only a few games installed. Xbox One's external hard drive support is great, but the system could use more storage space right out of the box. This problem extends to Xbox One X, despite the 1 TB hard drive, due to the size of 4K assets.
Kinect feels well and truly dead at the end of 2017; like the Xbox One S, Xbox One X lacks a port for the sensor, necessitating the use of a dongle. With little support and its voice commands looking more outclassed than ever by devices like the Amazon Echo, that's for the best.
Verdict
Even in lieu of a headlining game like a Halo FPS, this still has in many ways been a positive year for Xbox. It's unlikely to ever catch PS4 in terms of sales, and it remains to be seen if Microsoft can begin to match PS4's exclusive output. But after it started out this generation by turning off a huge number of people with the Xbox One's initial unveiling, Microsoft has continued to make amends by focusing on fan-friendly initiatives like backwards compatibility, Play Anywhere, and cross-play.
Microsoft says it has unannounced games coming, but there's no telling when; exclusives may remain an issue for the foreseeable future. There's no getting around that, but Microsoft has presented Xbox One owners with what feels like a respectful ecosystem that is committed to keeping your game library playable--and better than ever, if you have an Xbox One X. That may not be as flashy as a long list of exclusives, but it's a compelling argument to consider investing in Xbox.
The Good
The Bad
Xbox One X provides great upgrades, especially on 4K HDR TVs
Original Xbox backwards compatibility
Continued support of cross-play and Play Anywhere
Exclusive game lineup thoroughly outclassed by PS4 and Switch
One of the biggest stories out of gaming in 2017 was the launch of the Nintendo Switch. The console-handheld hybrid has been wildly successful and already has an exceptionally strong library of games only nine months after launch. For the majority of the year, Switch systems have been consistently hard to find, but if someone you know was able to pick one up, there are plenty of accessories we'd suggest getting them this holiday season (if they're on your nice list).
SanDisk Ultra 128GB UHS-1 microSDXC Card
SanDisk Ultra 128GB UHS-1 microSDXC Card
If you're the type of person who primarily downloads their games, the 32GB of storage on Switch won't cut it for long. Zelda: Breath of the Wild has a digital download size of 13.4 GB, and the recent port of L.A. Noire won't fit on the internal storage if you buy it from the eShop. For added storage, the SanDisk Ultra 128GB microSDXC card is an excellent value. And even though it tops out at 80MB/s, that's plenty fast for downloading and playing Switch games.
Retail price: $50
SteelSeries Arctis 3 Bluetooth Headset
SteelSeries Arctis 3 Bluetooth Headset
Since the Switch has a 3.5mm audio jack built in, any headset or pair of headphones with the proper connection will work on it. However, voice chat has been a tough problem to solve on Nintendo's system, which is what makes the SteelSeries Arctis 3 with Bluetooth a great option for Switch owners. It has the standard 3.5mm connection but can also connect to a second device simultaneously through Bluetooth. Ideally, you'd be connected to your voice chat app of choice wirelessly while staying plugged in to get game audio. Not to mention that the Arctis 3 is comfortable, light on the ears, and provides decent sound quality.
Retail price: $130
Official Nintendo Pro Controller
Official Nintendo Pro Controller
There's no better gamepad for Switch owners than the official Nintendo Pro Controller. It can be used wirelessly or wired, lasts around 40 hours on a full charge, includes motion controls, and is ergonomically superior to the Joy-Con. The tactile feel of the triggers and bumpers is a definite upgrade and the precision of the analog sticks will make games easier to control. The Pro Controller has a nice, substantial weight with grippy rubber handles to top off its quality build.
Retail price: $70
PowerA Zelda and Mario Edition Controllers
PowerA Zelda and Mario Edition Controllers
There's a less-costly controller option for Switch that comes from PowerA. One of these will run you $30, but know that modest price tag comes with a few compromises; they only work through a wired connection and do not have motion controls. If neither of these shortcomings are a problem, then these make for great gamepads. The Zelda Edition has a matte black finish with a sketch of Link aiming his bow and the Hylian Crest at the center. The Mario Edition features a red paint job and a mosaic of iconography from the famed franchise.
Retail price: $30
8bitdo SF30 Pro/SN30 Pro Controllers
8bitdo SF30 Pro/SN30 Pro Controllers
Not only do 8bitdo's SF30 Pro and SN30 Pro make a neat gift that will send anyone who had a Super Famicom/Super Nintendo on a nostalgia trip, but they're fully-featured gamepads. While it sports the classic look and build, it has two triggers, two bumpers, dual analog sticks that click downward, and the Switch's home and screenshot buttons. The controllers connect through Bluetooth and charge via USB-C--they can last up to 16 hours on a full charge. Just note that the vibration produces an audible rattle noise.
Retail price: $50
Hori USB Ethernet Adapter
Hori USB Ethernet Adapter
Downloading games and playing online through WiFi might not be ideal, which makes an ethernet adapter worth considering. The Hori LAN adapter plugs into one of the Switch dock's USB ports with an ethernet port on the other end of the device. Wired connections will improve download and upload speeds greatly and offer a more consistent connection for multiplayer games.
Retail price: $30
RDS Game Traveler Carrying Case
RDS Game Traveler Carrying Case
Anyone who takes their Switch places without a case is running a risk. You can prevent a disaster for a Switch owner by gifting them a proper carrying case, and we'd recommend a licensed one from RDS. It's a semi-hard zipper case that straps the console-handheld hybrid into place with room for the Joycons attached. You'll also be getting your giftee two hard shell game card cases and SD card cases since they're all packaged together.
Retail price: $20
PowerA Anti-Glare Screen Protection Kit
PowerA Anti-Glare Screen Protection Kit
The Switch doesn't close up like the 3DS to guard the screen so you'll want to be extra careful not to scuff the system's display. PowerA's anti-glare screen protector two-pack will do the trick; the protector itself is a semi-hard plastic shield that'll fit the screen just right. It also comes with a cleaning cloth to prep the screen and an applicator wedge to make the process easier and help ensure no air bubbles get stuck underneath.
Retail price: $10
Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD Portable Charger
Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD Portable Charger
The Switch makes long trips much more fun by the nature of its portability, but if there isn't an opportunity to dock it or plug into USB-C charger, you'll eventually run out of juice. Anker's PowerCore+ battery pack helps solve that problem and the 26800 mAh version holds enough juice to charge the Switch up from 0 to 100 six times over if the bank itself is fully charged.
Retail price: $83
Hori USB-C Car Charger
Hori USB-C Car Charger
Another solution for charging the Switch on-the-go (if one is traveling by car) is a car charger. The officially licensed one from Hori features a six-foot USB-C cable that plugs straight into the cigarette lighter socket (an antiquated, but proper designation). The DC 5-volt / 3.0A output also offers a speedy charge for the console.
Retail price: $20
Amiibo
Amiibo
Amiibo figures aren't just there to look cool, they also give in-game bonuses depending on the particular Amiibo and game. The Switch's built-in NFC reader will recognize Amiibo when they're placed on top of the system. For example, you'll unlock outfits and costumes in Super Mario Odyssey and specific items in Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Do a little research and see if there's a particular Amiibo your gift recipient would love!
Retail price: Varies based on specific amiibo
Nintendo eShop Digital Card
Nintendo eShop Digital Card
If you can't really decide on Switch accessories for the holiday season, don't worry, a simple eShop digital card would be much appreciated. These are used as currency in Nintendo's digital storefront and your giftee can pick out whatever game or add-on they want. The eShop cards are offered in $10, $20, $35, $50 amounts and are all printed with Mario characters for an aesthetic touch.
Join us fellow Guardians as we go through different time eras to try to save the world from the threat of the Vex in Destiny 2's latest DLC The Curse of Osiris.
Gohan blasts into battle in Dragon Ball FighterZ! Which moves will he bring to the fight?
No comments:
Post a Comment