GameSpot's Best Games of 2017 has finally kicked off, so join us as we unveil what we thought were the 10 best games released this year. At the #7 spot is Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, which is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Read on to see why we chose it as one of the best for 2017.
Nothing captures the spirit of Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus like its Roswell mission. Roswell is sunny and idyllic; you arrive during an exuberant Fourth of July parade, though the holiday has been co-opted by the occupying Nazis. The first three people you see are a Nazi officer and two fully dressed Klansmen, but as you continue down the street, you start to see the ways even the most everyday interactions have been twisted: a young girl telling an officer "I love you" in German, busybody types looking at propaganda in shop windows, a man flying a Nazi-made drone for fun. Our hero BJ Blazkowicz, armed with nothing but a firefighter disguise and a nuke hidden in an extinguisher, can only walk and look at everything in all its unnerving mundanity.
Then, in a tense, Inglourious Basterds-style scene punctuated by a single gunshot, the facade is broken. One dead commandant and a comedic alien conspiracy theory later, Blazkowicz is launched into combat with swarms of Nazi machine-men and on a train to Area 52. If you approach the mission stealthily, you can overhear two soldiers complaining that the resistance's violence is not the correct response to their "different" point of view. If you trip an alarm, you're in for an especially punishing fight. By the end of the mission, you don't feel powerful--the quick tonal shifts and brutal difficulty are disorienting, and you end up feeling like you barely scraped by.
It's a testament to the game's narrative direction that the abrupt changes in tone work at all. The New Colossus is set in a version of 1960s America where the Nazis won WWII, picking up five months after 2014's The New Order. The resistance consists of varied and distinct characters, none entirely relegated to comic relief or too-serious roles; they're relatable even at their most extreme because they're treated with care and nuance. Everything in the New Colossus has been affected by the Nazi takeover, most in more obviously horrific ways than in Roswell. From the irradiated remains of Manhattan to the fiery ruins of New Orleans, the game never lets you forget the evil you're fighting against, even as you're chopping off enemies' legs and blowing half-mechanical heads off in a shower of blood and sparks.
It's a testament to the game's narrative direction that the abrupt changes in tone work.
Of course, you do get stronger as the game goes on, and there's an element of perverse satisfaction in that. Successfully performing a certain number of stealth takedowns will unlock a perk that improves your sneaking ability, and you can collect upgrade parts to add silencers and other attachments to make your weapons more effective. You'll learn how to best read a room and decide how to tackle it. But it's an arduous climb that avoids feeling like a power fantasy, a tenuous balancing act that stands out as one of the game's greatest achievements.
Challenging combat combined with a carefully balanced narrative makes for a powerful story of resistance. The New Colossus never questions whether violence is the correct solution to oppression, giving you the tools to fight back without robbing your success of its meaning. And by staying grounded in present-day political roots, The New Colossus rounds out its most off-the-wall, fantastical elements for an experience that's both memorable and impactful.
Although Sea of Thieves can be played solo, cooperative multiplayer is a major component. Oftentimes, friends can have trouble playing co-op games together if they haven't invested the same amount of time in them, but with Sea of Thieves, developer Rare has its sights set on a progression system that works differently.
Each player's goal in Sea of Thieves is to become a "Pirate Legend," which is done by increasing your reputation with each of the game's factions, known as trading companies. These offer quests--or voyages, as they're called--for you to complete in return for a variety of rewards, including reputation gains and gold, and new titles, cosmetics, and ranks.
You won't, however, receive experience or weapons that put you on an uneven playing field, or make it challenging to take part in a voyage with a friend who has played less than you. All voyages can be shared with other players so you can complete them together, even if they haven't reached the same rank or reputation as you. Teams of players can also vote on the things they want to do next, which may be particularly handy when playing with random players through matchmaking. Rare also points out that you can do things on your own, without pairing up with other players, though you will still exist in a shared world with others.
The video above runs through the basics of how all of this works and provides an overview of the various trading companies you can work for. In addition to those seeking gold and treasure, there are those who will enlist you to secure supplies and make deliveries or hunt down skeleton pirates.
Sea of Thieves' release date was recently announced for both Xbox One and PC: After a number of delays, it's due out on March 20, 2018. The game features cross-play, allowing players on both platforms to take to the high seas together.
More games are out now for Nintendo Switch. It's another busy week for the hybrid console; a total of 20 titles arrive on the Eshop, the bulk of which are available today, December 14.
Among the games releasing today is Yooka-Laylee, the Banjo-Kazooie-style 3D platformer by Playtonic Games. The game makes its Switch debut several months after it released for other platforms, and it comes with all of the updates and improvements Playtonic rolled out recently, such as a new camera system and improved controls. The Switch version also boasts custom achievements, and up to four players can play Yooka-Laylee's mini-games using a single Joy-Con each. You can read more about the title in our Yooka-Laylee review.
Likewise making its Switch debut today is Enter the Gungeon, the 2016 dungeon-crawler/bullet hell game from Devolver Digital. The game features four protagonists, each of whom has their own unique abilities. Up to two players can team up to shoot their way through procedurally generated dungeons in an effort to find the Gungeon's ultimate treasure: a gun that can kill the past.
A number of other noteworthy titles are out today, as well, such as Gorogoa, a beautiful and inventive picture puzzle game which we thought was one of the coolest games you might've missed at E3 2017. There's also Mutant Mudds Collection, a compilation of the fun platformer Mutant Mudds and its sequel, Super Challenge, as well as the Mudd Blocks puzzle game. Other releases include the latest ACA Neo Geo game, The Last Blade; the retro-style style dungeon-crawler Hammerwatch; and the clever bridge-building game Poly Bridge.
Out earlier this week was The End Is Nigh, the harrowing new platformer from the creator of Super Meat Boy. Meanwhile, the remastered classic SNES RPG Romancing SaGa 2 arrives tomorrow, December 15. You can see the full list of this week's Switch releases below.
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 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
Sony's PS4 continued to deliver an array of fantastic experiences this year, amassing an extensive lineup of games that covered a wide range of genres. The library grew even stronger thanks to top-tier multiplatform games and a wealth of quality exclusives, like Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Gravity Rush 2, Nioh and Yakuza 0; timed-exclusives like What Remains of Edith Finch; and console exclusives like Nier: Automata and Pyre. And those are on the top of the best games for the console this year. In no particular order, here are our picks for the best PS4 games of 2017:
Through art, music, and the wings of rebellion, the Persona series continues to distinguish itself among JRPGs and push the genre forward with Persona 5. The game is split between social simulation in modern-day Tokyo and turn-based combat in lavish alternate realities. One day, you're riding the Tokyo Metro to hang out with a friend in Shibuya after school. The next day, you're fighting your way through a dungeon by casting elemental spells on shadowy monsters and interrogating them in order to wield their power; these two worlds constantly intersect and affect each other significantly.
As a Japanese high school student, you round up your crew of Phantom Thieves to right the wrongs of the world and change the worst of society by fighting in the Metaverse, a materialization of people's subconscious. But the premise evolves, it becomes more nuanced, and often induces moments of self-reflection. The questions and conflicts presented in Persona 5 are oddly chilling given everything that's happened in 2017, and this game does not shy away from making social and political statements.
The wildly stylish art direction carries momentum throughout its 100-plus hour adventure; from victory screens and battle animations to outfits and menu art, style becomes part of the narrative framing and character development. What's just as important is the evocative soundtrack that effortlessly bounces between jazz-fusion, funk, metal, and downtempo. These songs aren't just great in their own right; through their structure and lyrics, they become part of the story and perfectly encapsulate each moment. Persona 5 is empowering and endearing from start to finish, which makes it genuinely hard to say goodbye to the friends you make along the way.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice leverages the strengths of video games as a medium and delivers an experience that is unlike anything else released this year. It's a bold game that explores mental health--specifically psychosis--through the lens of a character-action game wrapped in Norse mythology. At the same time, the game tackles an important and often misunderstood illness, and allows you to better understand through visual and aural presentation.
Developer Ninja Theory has a long history in developing action games that are fast and fluid in movement while also being mechanically deep and complex, but for Hellblade, the developer scaled this back somewhat. Playing Hellblade can feel rough and sluggish, but this feeds into the mind-state of its main character, Senua. Returning from self-imposed exile, the young Pict warrior grapples with her inner-demons as she attempts to save the soul of her lover, Dillon.
The act of fighting against demonic apparitions feels like a struggle, as Senua summons every ounce of energy in her body just to keep moving forward, one step at a time. And all the while voices in her head pull her in different directions, some guiding her, while others undermine and belittle her. The result is an experience that feels raw, unsettling, and often frustrating and disempowering. It can be difficult to play but, ultimately, it's also a unique and enlightening experience.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard marks a return to form for Capcom, which reconnected with its survival-horror roots in 2017 to deliver a Resident Evil that is both modern and faithful to the series' legacy.
The game casts aside the third-person perspective for first-person, and in doing so, ratchets up the nerve-wracking tension throughout the campaign. Crucially, however, it leans on the genre pillars that it both established and popularised; bullets and healing items are in short supply, and enemies require strategy and a steady hand to take down.
From the early moments of breathlessly running around the Baker home, hoping and praying not to cross paths with Jack, the psychotic patriarch of the family, to the nail-biting cat-and-mouse game in Marguerite's bug-infested cabin, and the intense fight for survival at the end, Resident Evil 7 is edge-of-your-seat gaming at its finest.
Its tension and scares are elevated on PS4 thanks to PlayStation VR support, which effectively envelops you in the horrors of the decrepit Baker estate. Resident Evil 7's cycle of build and release is coupled with superb audio design, and with the PSVR headset on, it's easy to lose yourself in the experience.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus never lets you forget who you're fighting, and why. Nazi brutality is on full display, from the blown-out, irradiated remains of Manhattan to each of the characters, who all carry mental scars if not physical ones. The far-future technology of the Nazi regime is exhilarating to partake in--high-powered laser weapons are exciting to use, after all--but it's also a grotesque display of their ruthless subjugation of all corners of the world.
That said, a tongue-in-cheek tone reminiscent of Inglourious Basterds strikes the right balance with the game's incredibly heavy subject matter. The New Colossus has a completely bonkers storyline, and it's elevated by satisfying Nazi-killing action and a self-awareness of its own dark humor. It also manages to make combat exciting without becoming a power fantasy--it's straight-up difficult, and its mechanical, heavily armored enemies can seem impossible to take down at times. But regardless of whether you take a stealthy or guns-blazing approach, you'll be rewarded with a thrilling fight once you do emerge victorious.
The most memorable thing about The New Colossus, though, is its direction. Carefully choreographed cutscenes give more gravity to an already great cast of characters, and the timing of specific moments (all spoilers) makes them all the more impactful. Wolfenstein's tense gameplay elevates this further by giving you the power to truly resist--and come out of each battle ready for another fight.
Horizon: Zero Dawn presents a unique twist on the post-apocalypse, where technology and nature have evolved side-by-side. Next to familiar creatures like foxes and rabbits, formidable robotic beasts roam the land. They aren't all violent--some are easily tamed and can be ridden--but many pose a serious threat.
One of the best things about navigating this world is controlling Aloy, the lead character who's uniquely capable of standing her ground against mechanical monstrosities. She's nimble and strong, and can craft arrows, roll out of harm's way, and leap into a slow-motion draw-and-fire of her bow in a single breath. The intricacies of combat come together in an impressive and seamless manner, securing Horizon's position as one of the year's best action games.
Guiding Aloy through Horizon's beautifully rendered world and fending off would-be killers proves to be the glue that holds Horizon together, connecting story beats involving tribal conflicts and sci-fi origin stories. And the revelations you uncover toward the end offer a new perspective on Aloy and her connection to the unusual state of her surroundings. It's a fascinating tale that gets better as it develops, keeping step with Aloy's growth as a warrior, leader, and peace keeper in a world out of control.
GameSpot will be unveiling its picks for the best games of the year throughout all of December. Check out our Best of 2017 hub for even more.
With just days before fans can finally see a new Star Wars movie, the reviews are in. Critics are sharing their thoughts about Star Wars: The Last Jedi and the results are very encouraging. Thus far, the newest installment in the Star Wars saga has a score of 86 on Metacritic. For those keeping track, that's the highest score on the site for any Star Wars movie since 1977's Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, which is rated at a 92.
However, while the reviews for Star Wars: The Last Jediare overwhelmingly positive, that doesn't mean the movie is without its flaws. Still, it charts new territory in this 40-year-old universe. "If 2015's The Force Awakens bent over backward to be like the original movies, The Last Jedi does the same to buck your expectations," GameSpot's Michael Rougeau says in our The Last Jedi review.
Rougeau continues, "There are genuinely shocking moments in this movie. Characters you thought were good have a dark side. Those who should be wise act foolishly, and a single decent act doesn't suddenly make a bad guy good. If you think you know which way this thing will go purely on a narrative level, you're probably wrong. For a Star Wars movie, that unpredictability is refreshing."
And yet, GameSpot's review, along with several others, point out how slow and plodding the middle of the movie can be. "The film simply drags too much in the middle," Entertainment Weekly's Chris Nashawaty says. "Somewhere in the film's 152-minute running time is an amazing 90-minute movie."
One portion of the movie that sticks out is a sequence set on the casino planet Canto Bight. "The sequence looks like something out of the Star Wars prequels, which isn't necessarily an insult as the prequels had an exceptional design, it's just a very different aesthetic from the original trilogy palette," SlashFilm's Peter Sciretta explains. "I suspect the design alone will result in a divisive response, but the story on this planet is probably my least favorite aspect of the film."
Collider's Matt Goldberg agrees. "Where the film struggles the most is on Canto Bight. Taken on her own, Rose isn't a bad addition to the Star Wars mythos, and the movie definitely needs someone to play against Finn," he says. "Unfortunately, they lack the electric chemistry we saw between Finn and Rey in The Force Awakens, and their secret mission in a casino feels like it should be far more entertaining than it actually is."
Still, even though at times the middle of the movie can be slow, there's so much about the film to appreciate. From the arrival of new faces to the galaxy, to the evolution of characters introduced in The Force Awakens, to properly reintroducing Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to the Star Wars universe, The Last Jedi is filled with moments that make the people filling it all the more real. Of course, given the unfortunate death of Carrie Fisher (General Leia Organa) in 2016, these moments give her character even more impact.
"There is a moment in this film that is so pure and so lovely with General Leia that it will break your heart at the same time that it fills it up with joy," Legion of Leia's Jenna Busch says.
ComicBook's Joseph Schmidt adds, "Director Rian Johnson continues the non-stop momentum of the previous film, constantly raising the stakes and opening up possibilities."
In the end, as Justin Chang of the LA Times puts it, The Last Jedi is "the first flat-out terrific Star Wars movie since 1980's The Empire Strikes Back." He continues, "It seizes upon Lucas' original dream of finding a pop vessel for his obsessions--Akira Kurosawa epics, John Ford westerns, science-fiction serials--and fulfills it with a verve and imagination all its own."
While the one review that's going to matter most to fans of the franchise will be their own after sitting down to watch the film, the critical consensus should help put everyone a bit at ease. It sounds as if there's a lot to love in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, even if it's not a perfect film.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is in theaters on December 15. Do your best to avoid spoilers until then.
Disclosure: Metacritic is owned by GameSpot parent company CBS Interactive.
Blizzard has kicked off Overwatch's celebration of the holidays, bringing back the Winter Wonderland event from last year. This isn't a complete retread, however; while you're again able to access what was available last year, there are also new skins and a limited-time mode to check out, among other things.
As with any new Overwatch event, the skins are the big highlight. When Blizzard announced the event's return recently, it teased that Junkrat and Roadhog would be among those to get Legendary skins, while a "long-awaited Hanzo skin" from the comics would also be included. Others with newly added looks include Sombra and Ana. You can see all the new Overwatch Winter Wonderland skins in our gallery.
This update includes a new, winterized version of Black Forest, along with the returning, holiday-themed versions of King's Row and Hanamura. The Mei's Snowball Offensive Brawl also makes a comeback (and is now playable on the themed Black Forest map), while Blizzard has introduced another new brawl that the studio has compared to a boss fight. Mei's Yeti Hunt sees a team of five Meis compete against one player, who assumes the role of Winston with his Yeti skin. Things play out a lot like Evolve, where the Meis hunt down Winston, who roams the map to find power-ups. Once he collects enough, he enters Primal Rage mode, and the Meis have to flee to avoid being killed. Once enough Meis--or Winston--are killed, the game is over.
In a video, Jeff Kaplan explained that Blizzard wanted to try something "fun and different" with this mode. He said the point is "just to be fun and light and refreshing for a short period of time." As such, Yeti Hunt is not intended to be a perfectly balanced, highly competitive mode. You can queue up for this through standard matchmaking or join a match with five other friends, with the game cycling through who plays as the Yeti. When queuing normally, you can set your preference for Mei or Winston, though given the mode's nature, you won't always get to play on the side you selected.
Winter Wonderlands is available from now until January 1 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. It includes all of last year's skins and content, and Blizzard has lowered their costs to make them easier to acquire. Legendary skins from 2016 drop to 1000 credits, Epic to 250, Rare to 75, and Common to 25.
Following not long after the limited-time Game Awards Flash Sale from last weekend, a new set of discounts have arrived on the PlayStation Store. With the holidays drawing near, Sony has kicked off Week 1 of its 2017 Holiday Sale, which offers a ton of discounts on PS4, PS3, and Vita titles.
Many of these deals will be available until December 19, while some will be around until just after Christmas, on December 26. As this is only the first week of the PSN Holiday Sale, Sony will presumably add another selection of discounts next week. Until then, you can see all the deals available right now on the PlayStation Store.
It has you play as Joseph Stallion, a former professional quarterback forced to play soccer by the Nazis. Bethesda says you can use the character's Ram Shackle ability to "smash through hordes of Nazi soldiers from the ruins of Chicago to the vastness of space!" The expansion weighs in at around 4 GB and will set you back $10 / £8 / AU $15. It's also available as part of Wolfenstein II's Freedom Chronicles season pass, which costs $25 / £18 / AU $35 and also includes a previously released bonus chapter called Episode Zero.
Two more expansions are planned for Wolfenstein II. The first of those, The Diaries of Agent Silent Death, will see you "infiltrate Nazi bunkers in California and discover the secrets of Operation San Andreas" as ex-OSS agent Jessica Valiant. The final DLC pack, meanwhile, is titled The Amazing Deeds of Captain Wilkins, and it will task you with dismantling a Nazi operation in Alaska.
We enjoyed the main campaign here at GameSpot. "The New Colossus never lets you forget who and why you're fighting," wrote critic Kallie Plagge. "Nazi brutality is on full display, from the blown-out, irradiated remains of Manhattan to each of the resistance members, who all carry mental scars if not physical ones. You're never given a chance between cutscenes, missions, and even downtime on the U-boat to lose sight of the Reich's cruelty. Wolfenstein's tense gameplay elevates this further by giving you the power to truly resist--and come out of each battle ready for another fight." Read more in our full Wolfenstein II review, or check out why we named it one of the five best Xbox One games of 2017.
In a pivotal Star Wars: The Last Jedi scene, one character urges another to "let it all die." The character is talking about relics of past generations: Jedi, Sith, rebels, empires. At times, this movie feels determined to do just that. If 2015's The Force Awakens bent over backward to be like the original movies, The Last Jedi does the same to buck your expectations. It doesn't "let it all die," but it does clear away enough of the old to set the newest Star Wars trilogy on a surprising path toward its conclusion.
The Last Jedi's determination to move forward comes with good and bad consequences. On one hand, there are genuinely shocking moments in this movie. Characters you thought were good have a dark side. Those who should be wise act foolishly, and a single decent act doesn't suddenly make a bad guy good. If you think you know which way this thing will go purely on a narrative level, you're probably wrong. For a Star Wars movie, that unpredictability is refreshing.
But The Last Jedi treats many of the series' vestiges with equal contempt, no matter how distant or relatively near in the past they are. More than one character or plot established in The Force Awakens gets unceremoniously blown up here. After Episode VII, this trilogy's path felt too familiar; now, it might go anywhere, but that's also made the whole endeavor feel shakier, like the plan might change again before it's all over. The plot being unpredictable is refreshing; axing entire storylines from The Force Awakens before they ever had a chance to pay off seems sloppy.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi picks up more or less right where The Force Awakens left off. Rey has traveled to a distant corner of the galaxy to get Luke Skywalker back in the fight, and General Leia's Resistance alternately flees and fights the much more powerful First Order. Without the need to introduce so many new characters, The Last Jedi does what middle trilogy movies do: It lets us spend more time with those already established.
Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) is still a hot-headed but skilled Resistance pilot. Finn (John Boyega) is struggling to find his place in the Resistance as a First Order deserter. Rey (Daisy Ridley) has quite a job convincing Luke (Mark Hamill) to come out of exile, while Kylo Ren (Adam Driver)--a.k.a. Ben Solo--battles his inner conflict, not to mention Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) and General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson). Leia (Carrie Fisher) leads the Resistance against overwhelming odds. Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) is still pointless. Chewbacca chewbaccas. BB-8 is still great.
Add to this already unwieldy cast: Kelly Marie Tran's Rose Tico, an intensely likable Resistance maintenance worker who gets in above her head; Benicio del Toro's DJ, a thief who toes the line between good and bad; and Laura Dern's Vice Admiral Holdo, an utterly unnecessary addition who takes screen time away from better characters.
What really doesn't help The Last Jedi is how grossly bloated it is with circuitous subplots, narrative cul-de-sacs, and detours that amount to little more than distractions. The movie's main event is actually a drawn out stalemate between Snoke's armada and Leia's pathetic forces, which probably wasn't a smart structural choice for a middle movie that would have threatened to drag even without a lengthy standoff in the middle.
Various characters on both sides give regular reports on the Resistance ships' dwindling fuel supply, which graciously serves to signal to audiences approximately how much more foot-tapping non-action remains before the movie gets good again. There are entire schemes, mutinies, and double-crosses that serve only to tread water while The Last Jedi's many moving pieces all get into place for a finale that is, admittedly, awfully grand.
That sounds grim, but The Last Jedi gets many important things right too. Like The Force Awakens, it's beautiful to behold. It's also just the right amount of funny. Even the Porgs, which drew such a following before the movie had even released, provide the right amount of cute without feeling overused.
Luke Skywalker's decades-long arc pays off in a way that Han Solo's, sadly, did not in The Force Awakens. Yet Luke's scenes never dissolve into pandering or fan service; in fact, his journey provides more surprises than any other plot in the movie. Carrie Fisher's performance comes with surprises too, although the exact details of her plot will surely cause some to wonder how much of the film was changed after the actress's death in late 2016. Regardless of whether we ever find out, The Last Jedi is a beautiful send-off for the iconic character and the actress who played her.
Most importantly, The Last Jedi provides real momentum and growth for its core characters. Poe, Rey, Finn, and Kylo were all right where we left them when the movie started, which made it easy to jump straight into the conflict. By the end, they're in very different places.
Episode VII and, now, Episode VIII have accomplished something as difficult as it is crucial: They've made us care about a new generation of Star Wars heroes. Looking toward the past in these movies has been fun and emotional, but the new trilogy was always going to live or die by what it added to the series, not what it rehashed. And the journeys of characters like Rey and Ben Solo are starting to feel as nuanced and essential as those of Han, Luke, and Leia in the original trilogy. Regardless of where it ends, that's something to admire, and despite its issues, The Last Jedi overall is as enjoyable a Star Wars film as The Force Awakens was before it.
The Good
The Bad
Characters introduced in Force Awakens continue to evolve
Bloated with unnecessary subplots and distractions
Luke and Leia's journeys and payoff
Some new characters add little
Stylistically beautiful and funny
Treads water for much of the middle
Subverts the series' established tropes and provides genuine surprises
Given the game's different take on the series and the lack of Hideo Kojima's involvement, many Metal Gear fans have been skeptical of the upcoming "spin-off episode" of Metal Gear Solid V, Metal Gear Survive. Fortunately, players will have an opportunity to try the game for themselves in advance of its release, as Konami has announced a beta for the game launches next month.
Survive's beta will run from January 18-21 on both PS4 and Xbox One; there's no mention of a PC beta test, although the game is also coming to that platform. According to Konami, it will provide an opportunity "to jump into co-op mode to build, defend, and fight alongside friends online." No further specifics on what's included were shared.
Those who participate in the beta will receive bonus items in the full game. These include a FOXHOUND name plate, a Metal Gear REX head accessory, and a bandana. It's unclear if there will be a way to unlock these without having played the beta, or if they'll be available at all in the PC version.
Coinciding with this news, Konami shared the video above. It opens with producer Yuji Korekado providing an overview of the game before diving into a look at the single-player and the function that the Base Camp serves in single-player and co-op. We get a look at hunting animals, crafting, and combat, as well as how your Base Camp will periodically come under attack, forcing you to plan ahead and then defend it when necessary.
Pokemon Crystal arrives on the 3DS Eshop on January 26 and costs $10. In Europe and Japan, it will receive a limited physical release that comes in a replica Game Boy Color box and contains a download code for the game. You can watch a new trailer for Pokemon Crystal below.
Pokemon Crystal is an enhanced version of Gold and Silver. It features the same storyline and setting as the previous two Gen 2 games, but it's been expanded with some new content, such as a subplot that revolves around Johto's Legendary beast, Suicune. Most notably, Pokemon Crystal is the first game in the series to let players choose a female character as their avatar.
Unlike Gold and Silver, Crystal also features the Mythical Pokemon Celebi; however, it could only be obtained in the original Game Boy Color release if you had the GS Ball, a special item that was only distributed legitimately in Japan. In the 3DS version, all players will have a chance to encounter Celebi "in an event after completing the game."
Other features Pokemon Crystal first introduced include the Battle Tower, a facility where players can take on a series of battles against AI trainers. It's also the first game in the series to feature Pokemon animations during battle. Like the Eshop versions of Gold and Silver, you can transfer any Pokemon you catch in the classic game to the Pokemon Bank service for use in the series' most recent installments, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. The 3DS version also features wireless communication, allowing players to battle and trade with one another locally.
Yet another sale on Destiny 2 has arrived, this time with the best pricing (for most people) we've seen yet. Amazon has discounted both the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the base game for a limited time.
Right now, you can pick up either console version for just $25 (or, more precisely, $24.88) on Amazon. That beats the previous best price on the game, albeit not by much. It's also been on sale for $30 at Best Buy in the past, which meant Gamers Club Unlocked members could pick it up for $24, but this current $25 price is available to everyone; Amazon Prime is not required. There's no word on how long this deal will be available for, so you may want to act quickly if you're interested.
This deal comes just over a week after the release of the game's first DLC expansion. Unfortunately, as our Curse of Osiris review notes, it doesn't meaningfully improve on the base game's shortcomings. Destiny 2 itself is still very fun--you can read about it in our Destiny 2 review--and has expanded through free post-release updates, but in many ways it remains a work-in-progress for developer Bungie.
One other important thing to note for someone just coming to the game is that Curse of Osiris initially locked non-DLC owners out of some content they previously had access to. Bungie has since reversed course on this to some degree, but the harder, Prestige version of the weekly Nightfall remains Curse of Osiris-only. Additionally, there will be weeks where the Trials of the Nine multiplayer activity features an Osiris map, which means only those with the DLC will have access to it.
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Star Wars: The Last Jedi is nearly upon us, and EA is celebrating the occasion by introducing content based on the film into Star Wars Battlefront II. Rey was playable from the start, but now the game has added both Finn and the First Order's Captain Phasma.
In addition, the update brings two new maps: Crait, a mineral-rich planet where Resistance fighters and First Order agents battle in Galactic Assault; and D'Qar, a Starfighter Assault arena based on the Resistance's base from The Force Awakens. The final big additions in the new update are a new vehicle--Tallie's A-Wing--and free campaign DLC titled Resurrection, which adds three more chapters to the story.
Outside of new content, Battlefront II is changing much of its balancing. Heroes such as Lando and Emperor Palpatine have received significant buffs, while Boba Fett's powerful anti-Hero rockets have been nerfed. Finally, the game's online stability has been improved in the patch, says EA, with plenty more bug fixes also included. The update weighs in at approximately 10 GB, depending on platform, and it's out now on PS4 and PC with an Xbox One release coming within a few hours. For more, check out all the patch notes at the bottom of this article, via EA.
Star Wars Battlefront II's Last Jedi celebrations started earlier this week with a new in-game event, which allows you 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 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.
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 and is scheduled to coincide with the release of The Last Jedi on December 15. For more on that, read our The Last Jedi review.
Closing attacks for lightsaber wielders are cancelled while in the smoke
The Hot and Cold Star Card now works as intended
Rey
Mind Control no longer blocks the target's abilities
Survivor Star Card now has the correct description
Yoda
Extra health gained by Presence is no longer removed when going on cooldown, instead health starts depleting after 10 seconds
Increased Presence recharge time from 16 to 20 seconds
Increased Dash damage from 100 to 130
Presence no longer cancels Darth Vader's Choke ability
Jedi Mentor Star Card now has the correct description
Master of the Force Star Card now works as intended
Agility Star Card now correctly grants 1 extra dash instead of 2
Emperor Palpatine
Increased health from 650 to 700
Increased maximum regeneration from 150 to 300
Increased regeneration rate from 50 to 75
Decreased 1-hand Force lightning cost from 15 stamina/sec to 10 stamina/sec
Decreased 2-handed Force lightning cost from 20 stamina/sec to 15 stamina/sec
Chewbacca
Increased Bowcaster's fire rate from 80 to 90
Increased Bowcaster's Power increase per second from 0.9 to 2.5
Increased Bowcaster's number of blaster shot from 1 to 3 on the base power modifier
The middle grenade of Shock Grenade is fired away from Chewbacca and not towards him
Increased Charge Slam's radius from 3 to 6
Multi-Shock Star Card now the correct description
Multi-Shock Star Card now works as intended
Bonus Health Star Card now properly reward health bonus
Enemies defeated by Chewbacca's Charge Slam are now sent flying
Bossk
Increased Predator Instinct's heat per bullet by 0.005
Decreasing Predator Instinct's maximum possible active time while firing by 1 second
Adjusted Bossk's Battle Points cost on certain maps
Boba Fett
Decreased each rank of bonus damage gained from Anti-hero rockets by 4
Decreased each rank of extra rockets gained from Intense Barrage by 1
For the Hunt doesn't give back fuel to the jetpack anymore, instead fuel won't deplete while it is active
The jetpack icon will now turn yellow when Boba Fett uses the For the Hunt ability, indicating that jetpack fuel is unlimited while the ability is active
The Blaster Disabler ability no longer disables Boba Fett's, or his allies', blaster when triggered
Han Solo
Sharpshooting Frenzy Star Card now has the correct description
Leia Organa
Relentless Firing Star Cards now works as intended
High Spirit Star Card now works as intended
Darth Maul
Furious Throw can now damage objectives and vehicles
Arcade
Fixed an issue where players would be invisible to each other in Versus Custom Arcade
Fixed an issue where Darth Vader's Choke ability would instantly kill an enemy who stayed near a wall
Fixed an issue where Bossk's Star Card Trap Arming Speed would not work as intended
Fixed some LOD issues
Fixed some VO issues
Fixed some UI scaling issues
Fixed some clipping issues
Fixed some lighting issues
Fixed some textures issues
Removed an invisible platform on Kamino
General bugfixes and polish
General
Made improvements in reducing game server lag on large game modes
Made improvements in reducing micro-stuttering/freezes during gameplay
Made improvements to the idle-kick logic that detects players who aren't participating in the match
Reduced Flame Trooper damage over time effect and increase direct damage done to enemies in the center of the cone
Adjusted spawn positions on Hoth while playing Strike
Fixed an issue where players could use Jetpack Boost twice in a row, avoiding its cooldown
Fixed an issue where players could not deploy in the LAAT at certain times
Fixed an issue where players could spawn on top of each other at certain times
Fixed an issue where Credits are not rewarded properly to all players at End of Round
Fixed several localization and audio issues
Fixed several collision and traversal issues on Kashyyyk
Fixed several collision and traversal issues on Endor
Fixed several collision and traversal issues on Tatooine
Fixed several collision and traversal issues on Yavin 4
Fixed an issue where the player is unable to zoom in after throwing a Detonite Charge
Fixed an issue where Heroes could be instantly defeated if being run over by a Speeder
Fixed several scoring event issues
Unlocked the 2nd and 3rd Star Card slots for all four Trooper Classes
With these slots unlocked, all new players, and existing players, will receive three Common Star Cards per Trooper Class to fill out their hand
PlayStation 4's latest firmware update is available to download now, but don't expect it to do all that much. According to Sony, system update 5.03 "improves system performance." The patch weighs in at around 375 MB, and it's mandatory to install--just turn your PS4 on and the update should begin downloading automatically.
The new update is minor compared to the latest big patch, version 5.0, which was released in October. That included improvements and new features based around the console's in-built streaming capabilities, as well as an enhanced Friends List, more versatile Quick Menu, and an overhauled parental control features.
For more on the PlayStation celebration, check out the biggest PS4 news from PSX 2017. For more on our end-of-year Sony coverage, meanwhile, keep an eye out for our take on the five best PS4 games of 2017, which is coming in just a few hours.
The sale includes Fox's film and television studios, cable entertainment networks such as cable networks like FX, FXX, Nat Geo, and its international TV businesses. Disney's previous stake in Hulu now becomes a controlling interest, and the studio will also have a 39% ownership of Sky TV in Europe. The statement also notes that Disney CEO Bob Iger will remain in charge through to 2021.
The sale also means that Disney is gaining the film rights to X-Men and the Fantastic Four, two major Marvel properties that have been unable to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It also gives Disney a much bigger library to monetize when it comes to streaming.
In a statement, Iger said: "The acquisition of this stellar collection of businesses reflects the increasing consumer demand for a rich diversity of entertainment experiences that are more compelling, accessible and convenient than ever before. We're excited about this extraordinary opportunity to significantly increase our portfolio of well-loved franchises and branded content to greatly enhance our growing direct-to-consumer offerings. The deal will also substantially expand our international reach, allowing us to offer world-class storytelling and innovative distribution platforms to more consumers in key markets around the world."
The company plans to launch its own streaming service in 2019 to compete with Netflix. With the Disney and Fox film and TV libraries to beef it up, Netflix, the current king of streaming, may not be able to keep up. It would also give Disney many more film franchises under its belt--Die Hard, Alien, and Avatar, just to name a few.
Rainbow Six Siege has a new update out today on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and it adds a small but much-requested feature: the game's server tickrate is being increased to 60Hz on all platforms. This means the servers will refresh the gamestate 60 times per second.
This change should result in more reliable hit registration, which will hopefully mean fewer occasions where you find yourself shouting, "I swear I got a headshot!" after being killed. On the other hand, it does mean one fewer excuse for being bad at the game.
Elsewhere, the update fixes a bunch of bugs, mostly centered around the latest Operation White Noise update. An issue preventing Ash from destroying one specific window in Tower has been resolved, as have further bugs regarding Dokkaebi, Zofia, and Ela. Check out the full patch notes at the bottom of this article, via Ubisoft.
Be aware the patch means Siege's servers will be down for one hour today as the changes are applied. The game will be unavailable to play on PC for one hour from 6 AM PT / 9 AM ET / 2 PM GMT / midnight AEST on December 14; one hour-long PS4 maintenance will follow at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET / 3 PM GMT / 1 AM AEST, followed by Xbox One downtime an hour later.
More DLC will follow in 2018 with a third year of post-release content planned, including new characters, maps, co-op events, and more. You can already buy the Year 3 season pass--it's available now for $30 / £25 / AU $45. Purchasers can expect a bunch of VIP benefits such as extra credits, customization options, and shop discounts. If you grab the pass before March 5, you'll also get a special Damascus Steel weapon skin, and if you owned the Year 2 pass, you'll receive an extra 600 credits.
Rainbow Six Siege Update 4.1 Patch Notes
60hz Servers
Following our testing of the 60hz servers towards the end of the White Noise TTS, we were able to confirm that it is now stable enough to deploy live on all platforms with 4.1. We are excited to fulfill this promise made during Operation Health, and look forward to your feedback.
Bug Fixes
Fixed: Players lose all functionality/control after picking up a deployable shield.
Fixed: Ash's breaching round does not break the wall in 2F Meeting Room on Tower.
Fixed: When a dead Operator is spectating a teammate while on their drone/camera, cycling through Support view modes (drone/camera and Operator views) a third option is available. This view is the First Person point of view of the operator, but the operator is invisible. If the living Operator leaves their camera/drone, the spectating Operator will see a floating gun.
Fixed: Dokkaebi's gadget is not usable while rappelling.
Rodriguez has now commented on the issue, and explained that it had long been the plan to give Alita big eyes in the style of the source material. "It was always [Cameron]'s intention to create a photo-realistic version of the manga eyes that we're so accustomed to seeing," he told Empire. "We really wanted to honor that tradition and see that look standing next to any human character. To have the right person to emote behind it was really essential. Her origins are in the film and you understand why she looks that way.
"If the eyes are the windows to the soul, we have some pretty big windows. You can see a lot going on in there! When it gets to the emotional scenes it's really uncanny and striking. And captivating!"
Cameron intended to direct the movie for many years, but last year handed over the reins to Rodriguez, who is also known for the likes of From Dusk Till Dawn, Desperado, and the Spy Kids movies. It hits theaters on July 20, 2018.
In 2015, Cameron told Variety: "Robert and I have been looking for a film to do together for years, so I was pumped when he said he wanted to do Battle Angel. He's very collaborative and we're already like two kids building a go-kart, just having fun riffing creatively and technically.
"This project is near and dear to me, and there's nobody I trust more than Robert, with his technical virtuosity and rebel style, to take over the directing reins. We're looking forward to learning a lot from each other while we make a kick-ass epic."
Battle Angel Alita is the futuristic story of an amnesiac cyborg who becomes a deadly bounty hunter. It was first published in 1990 and ran for nine volumes until 1995. In 1993, a two-episode anime version was produced, which adapted the first two volumes of the manga.
Lynn Shaye returns as paranormal investigator Dr. Elise Rainier, with a supporting cast that includes Leigh Whannell (Insidious), Angus Sampson (Fargo), Caitlin Gerard (The Social Network), and Bruce Davison (X-Men). Whannell, who created the series with Wan, has also written the screenplay. It's directed by Adam Robitel (The Taking of Deborah Logan).
A synopsis for Insidious: The Last Key has also been released. It reads: "the creative minds behind the hit Insidious trilogy return for Insidious: The Last Key. In the supernatural thriller, which welcomes back franchise standout Lin Shaye as Dr. Elise Rainier, the brilliant parapsychologist faces her most fearsome and personal haunting yet: in her own family home."
The first Insidious was directed by Wan and it released in 2011, making $97 million worldwide from a modest $1.5 million budget. The 2013 sequel was an even bigger hit, earning $161 million, while Insidious: Chapter 3, which made $112.9 million, arrived in 2015.
Update: Winners have been chosen (see the "Winners" tab below) and emailed their code. Look out for more giveaways every week here at GameSpot.
Original: We're giving away one-hundred (100) Xbox One codes for PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and one (1) Grand Prize Pack, which includes a loot box, cast-iron frying pan, ski-mask, illustrated map of Erangel, and customized Xbox One controller. (Scroll down below to enter.)
Competition ends Thursday, December 14 at 9:00AM PT. One-hundred (100) winners will be emailed. Entry is open worldwide.
Enter below (the additional entries are OPTIONAL to increase your chances of winning):
From the makers of the best-selling PC phenomenon, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds drops players into a competitive survival battle where you'll engage in a heart-racing fight to be the last player left alive. Loot supplies, find weapons and gear-up to take on the competition in a solo or team squad match. Emerge the lone survivor in a thrilling game experience full of unexpected, adrenaline-pumping moments.
Game Preview: Game is unfinished and work in progress, may change over time, and may not release as a final product. Game preview information at xbox.com/GamePreview. Xbox Live Gold required to play (sold separately).
The FCC plans to vote tomorrow on a sweeping overhaul of internet regulations that would roll back protections for net neutrality. Today, Twitch became the latest of dozens of tech companies that have come out in opposition to the FCC's plans.
Twitch's parent company Amazon has already expressed its support of net neutrality, but Twitch's own statement more specifically outlines the consequences to video streaming and the streamers who make their living on the platform.
"Net neutrality has played an important role in the history of Twitch," CEO Emmett Shear wrote. "Without it, we might not be here today, and our streamers might not be here tomorrow."
"Because our streamer community --many of which are small business owners --depend on their viewers having easy access to their channels and reliable quality of service, repealing net neutrality will erode the power of the internet to enable and create these types of jobs," he continued. "This is why we are lending our voice to championing a free and open internet."
Net neutrality refers to the set of regulations currently in place that treat internet service as a utility. In other words, internet service providers are not allowed to treat any particular website or service differently than any other. As Twitch is a live-streaming platform that intrinsically uses more internet bandwidth than, say, text messaging, it's widely believed that it and other video companies (like Netflix) are particularly at risk if net neutrality is rolled back.
The FCC's intention to vote on the plan has been controversial, to say the least. In particular, its treatment of comments submitted through its website has garnered quite a bit of scrutiny. According to studies done on the comments, millions were fake--but the FCC nonetheless intends on carrying out the vote.
The latest Final Fantasy XV DLC is out now on PS4 and Xbox One. Called Episode Ignis, it follows the story of Ignis as he attempts to protect Noctis. It includes a new companion, the opportunity to fight Noctis, and new music, as well.
The core of Episode Ignis tasks players with taking control of Ignis as he tries to fight through Altissia to locate Noctis. It takes place at the same time as Chapter 9 in the main game, so it's probably worth finishing the base game first before tackling the DLC. Episode Ignis has a branching storyline with several endings, so your choices along the way will affect how the story plays out.
In addition, the DLC adds a new companion to the game. Ravus is this DLC's guest character, and he'll help Ignis out in the fight. As Square Enix states in a press release, "Ravus will join forces with Ignis, putting allegiances aside in order to save the ones they care about."
There'll also be a bonus fight that you can unlock once you complete the main storyline. This battle pits you against Noctis himself, who can conjure the Armiger and use Ring Magic. Finally, the game's music was composed by Yasunori Mitsuda, who also created the music for Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, and Xenogears.
The DLC is out now on consoles, and it'll cost you $5. In other Final Fantasy XV news, the base game recently received an update that added character swapping--meaning that you can take full control of any of the four main characters.
Even though Hideo Kojima is no longer at Konami, the publisher is working on a new Metal Gear game. Metal Gear Survive is a spin-off from Metal Gear Solid V, and today, Konami revealed a lot more information about the title, including details about its single-player campaign.
Although Metal Gear Survive is being positioned primarily as a cooperative, zombie-killing action game, it also has a full single-player mode. In a new video, game producer Yuji Korekado explained that the mode is based on MGSV gameplay with a bigger emphasis on survival. This will entail building up your Base Camp and ensuring that you collect enough food and water.
In addition, you have to collect materials throughout the world to craft better items needed for combat and exploration. For example, you need to build an oxygen tank so that you can explore outside of Base Camp. There's even a story justification for items scattered across the world: they are sucked through a wormhole from MGSV's world and thrown into Metal Gear Survive.
As seen in the video embedded above, base-building is a big part of the game, and you can build structures, tools, and even farms throughout it. The zombie-like enemies will mount random attacks on the base, so it's important to strengthen it as much as possible.
Today, Konami also announced that a cooperative beta will be available for the game on PS4 and Xbox One that'll run from January 18-21. The full game launches on February 20 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is one of the Xbox One's biggest launches of the holiday season. But now that the game is out on the console, it turns out that it's a bit rough right now. Recently, Digital Foundry did an in-depth breakdown of the Xbox One and Xbox One X versions of the game, and it showed that they've got a long way to go before they're in line with the PC version.
It's not exactly surprising that the game doesn't perform as well on the base Xbox One, since porting a PC-first game like PUBG to a relatively weak platform is a difficult task. In addition, it's currently in Early Access, so it's expected to be less polished. As Digital Foundry notes, when you join a game, "You're instantly besieged by low resolution textures that seem to be failing to stream in properly, combined with performance just above or below the 20fps threshold."
But what's more surprising is that the much more powerful Xbox One X also struggles to run the game. In its testing, Digital Foundry found similar issues sustaining a decent frame rate and dealing with texture pop-in. Overall, across both consoles, the main takeaway is that the game is inconsistent: "An extended journey across the landscape in a jeep can play out smoothly enough, with a flawless 30fps line. Meanwhile, entering a house, opening a toilet door and exchanging fire with a lurking assailant can see frame-rate dip to 20fps for no reason we can readily come up with."
There are some improvements on the Xbox One X, including higher resolution textures, certain improvements in frame rate, and foliage draw distances. Visually, it's a huge improvement over the base console, but in terms of performance, it's just as inconsistent.
For all its issues, Digital Foundry does note that the game is nonetheless in a playable state--and if you're determined to get a PUBG experience on consoles, the Xbox One versions are not broken. But performance and visuals are inconsistent, and with Microsoft providing assistance for the port, it's surprising that the versions launched in their current state. Hopefully, as PUBG's Xbox One Early Access period progresses, developer PUBG Corp will continue making improvements and increasing consistency.
Toy company Build-A-Bear is expanding its catalog to include famous Super Mario characters for the first time, and just in time for the holidays. Beginning today, you can order Mario, Bowser, and Yoshi bears from the Build-A-Bear US and UK websites.
The 16-inch Mario bear ($28) comes with the character's famous overalls, moustache, hat, and Super Mario logo on his foot. You can also buy a sound chip ($7) that plays the Super Mario Mario Bros. theme song. The Bowser bear ($35) stands 15 inches tall and also has the Super Mario logo on his foot; a sound chip that includes five different sounds can be purchased separately for $7. And finally, the Yoshi toy ($25.50) is well, he's just his adorable self, and isn't that enough?
Build-A-Bear is also offering a smaller Toad plushie, along with a Super Mario Wrist Accessory Set that comes with a Yoshi egg, a Super Star, and a Super Mushroom. You can also buy a red Super Mario hoodie for any other bear, while a Luigi costume is also available. Additionally, Build-A-Bear is selling a Princess Peach costume. Go to the Build-A-Bear websites for the US and UK to see a full rundown of products and pricing.
If you'd rather shop in a store, the Nintendo items should start showing up in the US, UK, and Canada this weekend. That's good news if you're looking to buy one of these as a gift for the holidays; it's not too late.
Build-A-Bear also sells a range of Pokemon plushies, as well as bears based on characters from popular franchises such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, My Little Pony, Minions, and Peanuts.
GameSpot News Roundup is a video show about video game news. It features Jess McDonell and Dan Crowd. What more do you need to know?
The Predator Comes To Ghost Recon Wildlands (Yes, That Predator)
No-one could have predicted this one. Ubisoft's 3rd person squad shooter Ghost Recon Wildlands is getting a limited time event where you get to fight 80's action movie icon The Predator, in celebration of the film's 30th anniversary. You don't want to miss out on this one! Get all the details in today's episode.
Three More Characters Join Dragon Ball FighterZ
The flashy Dragon Ball Z fighting game just keeps on getting more and more characters! This time, Namco has announced that three characters from the newest Dragon Ball series, Dragon Ball Super, will be joining the existing cast. Find out who they are!
PUBG On Xbox One Has Performance Issues
PUBG on Xbox One has launched, and though it's proving to be incredibly popular, its Early Access (or Xbox Game Preview) nature means it's hasn't been running in a completely optimised state, especially on base Xbox One consoles and the Xbox One S. Find out how these version stack up against the PC and Xbox One X versions in today's episode.
That's all for GameSpot News today, let us know what you thought about today's stories in the comments! See you tomorrow.
As it does every year, Google has now published its "Year In Search" charts, revealing the top search queries for 2017. Video games made it into one of the mainline categories, Consumer Tech, and the Nintendo Switch outpaced the Xbox One X.
Nintendo Switch is No. 3 overall in the Consumer Tech category, followed by Xbox One X at No. 5. No other video game consoles made the Top 10 list. The top Consumer Tech search for 2017 was the iPhone 8, followed by the iPhone X. Nintendo's console coming in third behind those two massively popular devices is still impressive. This list and the others are based on search terms that spiked in traffic this year as compared to 2016.
It makes sense that the Switch would pace above Xbox One X, given that Nintendo's hybrid console is a completely new device whereas Microsoft's system is a more modest evolution of something that came before it. The Nintendo Switch was released in March while the Xbox One X hit store shelves in November.
Top Consumer Tech Searches On Google In 2017
iPhone 8
iPhone X
Nintendo Switch
Samsung Galaxy S8
Xbox One X
Nokia 3310
Razer Phone
Oppo F5
OnePlus 5
Nokia 6
You can check out Google's full Year in Search charts here. In addition to the overall top searches, some of the other categories include People, Actors, Elections, How To, Losses, Movies, Music, and more.
The latest weekly physical game sales charts for Australia and New Zealand have come online, showing which games sold the best in both countries last week. For the week ended December 10, you guessed it, Call of Duty: WWII was on top in both markets.
The game has been No. 1 on the all-platforms charts since release in early November. The Activision shooter was also No. 1 on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One platform-specific charts.
You can see the full Top 10 charts for Australia and New Zealand below. All figures are based on physical game sales for the week running December 4-10. As always, these charts are released by the Interactive Games & Entertainment Association.
In honor of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, we're giving away a BB-8 Funko Pop! One (1) winner will be chosen after the giveaway closes on Friday, December 15 at 11:59PM PT.
Open to US residents only, void where prohibited.
Enter below (the additional entries are optional to increase your chances of winning):
When Nintendo first unveiled the Switch, the console's unconventional Joy-Con Grip attachment frequently drew comparisons to a puppy's face, due to the way its controller grips hung to the sides like ears. Now, Hyperkin is releasing a new accessory for the system that turns those comparisons into reality.
The Pupper Controller Attachment, as it's called, is scheduled to release next week, and as the name straightforwardly tells you, it's designed to resemble a puppy. It comes with three different mouth stickers, which you can place in the center of the grip. You can see some images of the accessory below.
The Pupper attachment also charges your Joy-Cons when they're inserted into the grip, something the standard Joy-Con grip doesn't do; Nintendo sells a separate Joy-Con Charging Grip for $30. The Pupper features a rechargeable battery and battery status indicator, and it's also USB Type-C compatible.
You can purchase the Pupper Controller Attachment on Amazon. Pre-orders for it are not yet available, but the accessory is listed to release on December 21.
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