The PlayStation Essentials sale may be over, but a new selection of game discounts are now available on the US PlayStation Store. This week, Sony is holding a PS Plus Specials sale that's available exclusively to PS Plus subscribers, and it offers discounts on a variety of PS4, PS3, and Vita titles.
PS3 owners have a much slimmer selection to choose from, as only two titles are included in the PS Plus Specials sale: BlazBlue: Central Fiction ($25) and R-Type Dimensions ($3). While those discounts are only available to PS Plus subscribers, all PS3 owners can also pick up Demon's Souls for $10, Space Hulk for $14, and FIFA 18 Legacy Edition for $30 ($27 for Plus members).
Most of these deals will only be available until 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET on February 6, so you should take advantage of any that may interest you soon, before they're replaced by next week's discounts. You can find the full list of this week's deals on the PlayStation Store.
Production on the new Halloween movie has officially started. The film sees Jamie Lee Curtis returning to the role of Laurie Strode for the first time since 2002's Halloween: Resurrection. The new Halloween film, which is a direct sequel to the 1978 original and ignores other entries in the franchise, also finds original writer and director John Carpenter returning as an executive producer.
Curtis shared the first image from the new movie on Twitter, which not only includes her in a costume similar to Laurie's from the original movie--because denim never goes out of style--but director David Gordon Green has an important piece of movie history in his hands. "First shot! First day. Same slate. Same Laurie," Curtis writes. "David Gordon Green directing from his script. Happy Halloween 2018 everyone." That's right, the slate he's holding is the same one Carpenter used in the original film. You can even see the original director's name still attached to it with tape.
The new film is written by Green and Danny McBride (Eastbound and Down), along with help from Carpenter. The original film's director will also once again provide a score for the movie.
A plot for the new Halloween has yet to be revealed. However, a synopsis from Universal Studios and Blumhouse--which are producing the movie--reads, "Jamie Lee Curtis returns to her iconic role as Laurie Strode, who comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago."
The new Halloween film, which could end up being the final one in the franchise, hits theaters on October 19.
By Anonymous on Jan 30, 2018 11:56 pm Join us as we check out the new Resistance DLC multiplayer maps, new War Mode map, and hopefully the new Nazi Zombies Mode on Darkest Shore in Call of Duty WWII.
Bungie has concluded its server maintenance routine, and Destiny 2 servers are back online. The first Iron Banner event of Season 2, which began in early December with Curse of Osiris's release, is now live for a limited time, and a major new update has been released on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Here's exactly what it does.
As Bungie detailed previously, update 1.1.2 introduces Masterwork armor. This is a rare quality that all Legendary armor can take on, and it operates similarly to the Masterwork weapons system added in December. Essentially, Legendary armor can drop as (or be upgraded to) a Masterwork version, which provides you with an additional stat bonus that can be re-rolled. Each piece of Masterwork armor also offers a 3% damage resistance bonus while your Super is active; this effect stacks, offering a maximum of 15% if all five of your armor pieces are Masterworks. These items can be obtained through all of the normal means, though Trials of the Nine and Raid activities are more likely to drop them. Dismantling them provides you with materials that can then be used to upgrade a Legendary item into a Masterwork.
Drops related to the Raid have also changed in a number of ways. By completing a corresponding activity in a given week, you'll be able to purchase a rotating selection of armor or weapons from Benedict 99-40. Raid encounters are now guaranteed to drop a piece of armor or a weapon, and completing a Prestige Raid encounter before doing the normal version will get you rewards from both the Prestige and normal versions. A new Exotic Ghost exclusive to Leviathan can now be found during Raid activities' final encounter. Finally, Raid armor all now have unique mods with new perks that only work when on the Leviathan. These can be rotated in and out by spending a Raid Token, and even existing Raid armor will have a spot to equip these mods.
This patch kicks off the Iron Banner event, which features new gear to earn, some of which you can see above. Other notable changes include a reduction in the amount of XP needed to receive an Illuminated Engram; it now takes 120,000, rather than 160,000. Both the Gleaming Boon of the Crucible and Vanguard have seen their Bright Dust prices slashed. And several individual items have seen balance fixes or changes; Prometheus Lens, for instance, which was a major problem in Crucible after its release and was later nerfed, has seen its damage increased. Additionally, its Flame Refraction perk no longer pulls ammo from your reserves; instead, it generates fresh ammo to use.
There are a ton of other tweaks made in this update too, and the patch notes are quite long. You can see them in full on Bungie's website.
Call of Duty: WWII expands today with the addition of a new map pack. The add-on is called The Resistance, and it's out now on PS4. Xbox One and PC players, however, will have to wait.
The pack comes with three normal multiplayer maps, called Valkyrie, Anthropoid, and Occupation. It also features a new War mode map, titled Operation Intercept, which requires one side to rescue Resistance fighters and escape. Finally, the pack comes with a new Nazi Zombies mode, The Darkest Shore.
We don't yet know when The Resistance will launch on Xbox One or PC, but those platforms typically have to wait approximately one month for Call of Duty DLC thanks to Sony's timed exclusivity deal with Activision. We do know the pack will set you back $15 / £11.59 / AU $20.45; it's also included with Call of Duty: WWII's season pass, which costs $50 / £40 / AU $65.
Ahead of the expansion's launch, a new limited-time Call of Duty: WWII event has begun for everyone. Also called The Resistance, the event is free and runs through February 27. It adds new weapons, gear, and a new Division, and it marks the return of the ridiculous Prop Hunt game mode.
We're giving away 5 PS4 codes and 5 Xbox One codes for Railway Empire! (List Price: $59.99, scroll down below to enter)
In Railway Empire, you will create an elaborate and wide-ranging rail network, purchase over 40 different trains modeled in extraordinary detail, and buy or build railway stations, maintenance buildings, factories, and tourist attractions to keep your travel network ahead of the competition.
Competition ends Sunday, February 4 at 9:00PM PT. Ten (10) winners will be emailed. Entry is open to USA residents only on PS4 and worldwide on Xbox One. No purchase necessary.
Enter below (the additional entries are OPTIONAL to increase your chances of winning):
In a crossover that might have seemed incredibly unlikely in the past, Xbox's most well-known character, Master Chief, can now appear on your Nintendo system's screen. Thanks to the arrival of a new DLC pack for the Switch and Wii U versions of Minecraft, skins from Xbox-exclusive game series like Halo, Gears of War, and Fable are now available.
Minecraft developer Mojang, which is owned by Microsoft, announced last year that it was "still working on" bringing custom skins to the console versions of Minecraft. It's now made good on that promise, announcing that Skin Pack 1 and a new DLC skin pack themed around Moana release today for both the Switch and Wii U versions, as well as those available on Xbox One, Windows 10, and mobile. Notably, the PlayStation versions are absent from that list.
Skin Pack 1, which is priced at $2 / £1.59 / AU $ 2.65 on Xbox 360, consists of skins based on Halo (including Master Chief and the grunt), various Fable characters (such as Jack of Blades), Banjo, 'Splosion Man, and Gears of War's Cole Train. You can see these and the Moana skins in the gallery below.
This is obviously most notable for the presence of Xbox-exclusive IP on Nintendo's systems, but it could also pave the way for the Better Together update to make its way to Switch. As it stands, the new cross-platform multiplayer support introduced to Minecraft last year is not yet available on Switch. The same is also true of PS4, PS3, and Vita, though Microsoft is still interested in making Xbox One/PS4 cross-play happen.
Destiny 2 servers have been taken offline for previously scheduled maintenance. They'll remain down for the next few hours as Bungie prepares to roll out the game's next update on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and it's shaping up to be one of the biggest so far, with Masterwork armor, Iron Banner, and Raid armor perks all being introduced. [Update: Maintenance is complete and servers are back online. Destiny 2's big new update is now available.]
Maintenance is now underway, preventing anyone from logging in. Players who were already online when it began can continue playing until 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 5 PM GMT, at which time everyone will be booted offline. Bungie expects the process to wrap up by 12 PM PT, although that's merely an estimate; servers may come back sooner or later depending on how things go.
Whenever they are back online, update 1.1.2 will be available. This will kick off the first Iron Banner event of Season 2, which introduces a variety of new items to earn. There will also be an option to directly purchase items, rather than having to rely on Engrams to grant you what you're looking for. But there's also a lot more in this update.
Much as we got Masterwork weapons in a December patch, this update introduces Masterwork armor. Legendary armor can drop as a rarer Masterwork version, which grants damage resistance while using a Super (stacking up to a total of 15% if all five armor pieces are Masterworks). They can also be reworked to roll for a chance at a different stat bonus, just like Masterwork weapons.
Raid drops also become more interesting, as Bungie will add perks to Raid armor that work when worn on Leviathan. Both new and existing Raid armor pieces will have reusable mods that make players more powerful during the Raid. In order to ensure these would be useful in all encounters, the perks take the form of things like dealing extra damage after a melee kill or recharging your grenade after using a Super.
We'll report back once maintenance has concluded and the update is available. Bungie should also be releasing the patch notes for the update at some point today, which will provide us with a complete look at what's changed.
When the first clip of Black Panther was released, it gave fans some idea of the powers King T'Challa's (Chadwick Boseman) suit was capable of. In a new TV spot, though, it looks like it's far more powerful than anyone could have expected.
As previously explained by T'Challa's sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), not only is the suit bulletproof, but it absorbs kinetic energy. The Black Panther can then use that energy to deliver a devastating blow to an enemy. However, as seen in this new video, it's able to handle more than a single baddie. Instead, the superhero can punch the ground, creating a pulse that can take out a number of foes at once.
Powers and technology like this are one of the exciting things about the upcoming Black Panther movie. It was well-established in Captain America: Civil War that T'Challa's home country of Wakanda is very isolated from the rest of the world. That gives this movie the room to explore incredibly advanced technology that might seem crazy, even for a Marvel Cinematic Universe that includes aliens, green rage monsters, and a rich guy in a flying metal suit.
It's enough to make you wonder what else Black Panther and his adversaries can do in the movie. If these are the powers being given away in teasers and trailers, there's bound to be some very interesting tricks up this movie's sleeve.
Luckily, you won't have to wait long to find out all of Black Panther's secrets. The movie opens in theaters on February 16.
For as long as there have been two Bill & Ted movies, it seems like people have been talking about a potential third in the series. Even stars Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves--who also wants to keep making John Wick films--have been optimistic in recent years that the long-awaited sequel would actually happen. However, thus far nothing has actually been filmed.
Now, speaking with Digital Spy, writer Ed Solomon--who co-wrote the first two films with Chris Matheson--is shedding some light on the long-gestating project. "We have been working for almost 10 years to get this thing made; Alex Winter, Keanu Reeves, Chris Matheson, me," he says. "We have a director--Dean Parisot, who did Galaxy Quest--Steven Soderbergh is one of our producers. We have a wonderful assembly of people."
There's even a completed script that Solomon says the team is proud of, which was written on spec--meaning it was written unsolicited and nobody was paid for it. "We spent years working on it because we wanted to get it right, creatively," he explains.
The movie they want to make is called Bill & Ted Face the Music and finds the titular metalheads now middle-aged family men. In the story, they will go back in time to visit themselves and Rufus (George Carlin), their mentor from the future. According to Solomon, this will be done using footage from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.
Of course, given Carlin's death in 2008, it would be impossible to film new Rufus scenes without recasting. Instead, Solomon says the movie is "not just an homage to him, it's more than that. His absence is a part of the whole movie."
So what's keeping the movie from getting made? It simply can't find the necessary funding. "We are having issues raising money for it, getting it financed, because what we get all the time--all the time---is people wanting to reboot it," he explains. "It's 'Let's do Bill & Ted with new teenagers,' but what we wanna do is the story of Bill and Ted as middle-aged men, and tell what we think could be a really funny, and actually really moving, story about their lives and where they are now."
Still, Solomon and the rest of the Bill & Ted team aren't giving up yet. While there's still no telling if it'll happen one day, keep your fingers crossed in hopes that eventually Bill and Ted will indeed face the music.
The first images from the set of the Detective Pikachu movie have arrived and, at first glance, this might not be the live-action Pokemon movie you were expecting. Instead of a colorful universe filled with massive battles against strange-looking creatures, this film looks to be set in a world similar to our own.
The photos come from a Twitter user who stumbled upon the Ryme City police department set in London. According to the images, Ryme City is a place in which humans and Pokemon coexist. While the plot of the movie is unclear at this point, what's known is that Ryan Reynolds will voice the titular Pikachu, who is a police detective.
There is no information on who the movie's villain will be. However, several missing posters are seen at the Ryme City Police Plaza set, including those looking for Pokemon such as Machoke, Graveler, and Pancham. Outside of the creatures adorning the posters, though, the world looks very realistic.
Granted, this is a very small look at what Detective Pikachu is building. Still, it's a far cry from what previous Pokemon games and animated movies have looked like. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though. After all, there might be nothing more entertaining and absurd than seeing Pikachu solve crimes in a realistic world.
Detective Pikachu is based on a Japanese video game of the same name, in which the popular Pokemon is a master detective in the vein of Sherlock Holmes. Joining Reynolds in the film are Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, and Ken Watanabe, with Rob Letterman (Goosebumps) directing. The movie will arrive on May 10, 2019. Meanwhile, the video game will arrive in the United States on March 23 when it releases on Nintendo 3DS.
There may not be a title for the third Cloverfield movie just yet, but the fourth film in the anthology series is already in the can. That's right, though it has no release date or official announcement, Cloverfield 4 has already been filmed.
That bit of news comes from Slashfilm, which reports that the working title for the film is Overlord and it's set during World War II--far different from the space station setting of the third Cloverfield movie that's coming later in 2018. A synopsis for Overlord reads, "On the eve of D-Day, American paratroopers are dropped behind enemy lines to carry out a mission crucial to the invasion's success. But as they approach their target, they begin to realize there is more going on in this Nazi-occupied village than a simple military operation. They find themselves fighting against supernatural forces, part of a Nazi experiment."
Like Cloverfield 3, which was originally titled God Particle, Overlord started out as a film not set in this franchise's universe. It's possible that aspects of the movie were changed to line up with the Cloverfield universe.
Overlord is directed by Julius Avery and stars Wyatt Russell and Jovan Adepo. According to Box Office Mojo, the film is currently set for a theatrical release on October 26, but there's no telling if that is official.
As for the next Cloverfield movie, Netflix is in talks to acquire the film previously known as God Particle, according to The Hollywood Reporter. All that's been announced thus far is an April release--following several delays. Whether it ends up in theaters or on Netflix remains to be seen.
Mute is the latest movie from Duncan Jones, the director of acclaimed sci-fi films Moon and Source Code, as well as 2016's big-budget video game adaptation Warcraft. It's a futuristic thriller that arrives on Netflix next month, and the first trailer has been released. Check it out above.
The movie stars Alexander Skarsgård (The Legend of Tarzan, True Blood), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), and Justin Theroux (The Girl on a Train). It's set to premiere on Netflix on February 23.
A synopsis has also been released, which reads: "Berlin, the future, but close enough to feel familiar: In this loud, often brutal city, Leo (Alexander Skarsgård)--unable to speak from a childhood accident--searches for his missing girlfriend, the love of his life, his salvation, through dark streets, frenzied plazas, and the full spectrum of the cities shadow-dwellers.
"As he seeks answers, Leo finds himself mixed up with Cactus Bill (Paul Rudd) and Duck (Justin Theroux), a pair of irreverent US army surgeons on a mission all their own. This soulful sci-fi journey from filmmaker Duncan Jones imagines a world of strange currencies in which echoes of love and humanity are still worth listening to."
Jones previously revealed that Mute is part of a trilogy, alongside Moon, his highly acclaimed 2009 debut, and an as-yet-unmade third movie. It has been in development for many years; back in 2010, Jones revealed that Sam Rockwell, the star of Moon, would reprise his role in Mute. While it is unknown whether Rockwell does cameo in Mute, we do know that the film references the events of Moon.
The battle royale game mode isn't exactly new, but its current mainstream spotlight can be attributed to the virality of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. After it sold tens of millions of copies on Steam during its early access period alone, there was bound to be a wave of games trying to capitalize on the genre's exploding popularity. As of now, though, Fortnite: Battle Royale is the frontrunner in challenging PUBG's dominance. And while many have dubbed Fortnite's rendition a PUBG clone, there are just as many stark differences as there are similarities between the two.
A drastic contrast in presentation will hit you first. PUBG has a realistic, military-inspired look that's layered on top of the already nerve-racking concept. Fortnite looks like a cartoon; it's bright, colorful, and animated in a way that takes the edge off the imposing battle royale mode. Oddly enough, both games use Epic's Unreal Engine 4 despite the divergent graphical styles. These games were also born out of disparate foundations.
At its core, PUBG shares much of the same DNA as its predecessors. Brendan "PlayerUnknown" Greene himself helped create the original battle royale mods for Arma, and through several iterations these mods eventually led to H1Z1: King of the Kill, which became the premiere battle royale game just before PUBG came onto the scene. However, PUBG offers a more accessible and streamlined experience than its forebears while retaining the military sim framework that taps into your tactical instincts.
This begs the question: How did Fortnite, of all games, become the one to go toe-to-toe with PUBG? Fortnite has its own tumultuous development history, but its initial vision was a mashup of Gears of War's Horde mode and Minecraft's construction mechanics, driven by a loot grind to hook players. At first, a game that controls fast and loose, almost like an arena shooter, doesn't seem ripe for battle royale. However, Epic was able to adapt Fortnite into its own battle royal mode early on and capitalize on the trend, carving out its own piece of the pie.
There are number of things that make each game unique, but the ultimate goal is to be the last one standing.
Fortnite also had two key advantages over PUBG when its battle royale mode launched: it was both free to play and available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. PUBG recently hit the Xbox One in an early access phase, but it has a long way to go to match how smooth and stable Fortnite runs. Even on PC, you're likely to run higher framerates and have a lower chance of experiencing game-breaking bugs.
When it comes to the overall concept, PUBG's influence on Fortnite is clear. In both games, a 60-second warm-up takes place on an isolated island off the shore of the main island. 100 players are crammed into an air vessel and parachute down to the main island where a single-life deathmatch takes place. You're continuously forced into smaller zones at random via a lethal circle as the match progresses; you'll never know exactly where the final firefight will take place, either. Everyone scrambles for weapons, ammo, and health items across the map's numerous towns and structures. You can either do this alone, as a duo, or with a squad of four, but it ends the same: the last person or squad standing is declared the winner. Conceptually, these games are the same, but in practice, they play very differently.
Regardless of your weapon of choice, you have to be precise. PUBG is all about precision.
Most noticeably, PUBG's rules of engagement are in sharp contrast with Fortnite's. When it comes to PUBG, player movement and the act of firing a gun are very deliberate and calculated. Tactical situations rely on positioning and working the given environment to your advantage; lying prone in brush to stay concealed in a open field, peeking around rocks or trees to take shots, and checking corners when entering houses are just a few of the basic (and best) practices. Guns fire with impact and have distinct recoil patterns and damage models in relation to the armor your target has equipped. Regardless of your weapon of choice, you have to be precise. PUBG is all about precision. You can't say the same about Fortnite, at least to the same degree.
Fortnite's building mechanics are remarkably easy to use and crucial to master.
Of course, aiming is key to winning in Fortnite, but the way assault rifles and shotguns work is closer to Unreal Tournament than it is to Arma. Rocket and grenade launchers are also part of Fortnite's arsenal, and traps give players a chance to exercise a different type of cleverness. Because of the nature of its style, Fortnite feels much more chaotic and kinetic, and you can't overlook the importance of building structures to stay competitive.
Players can build structures and change a game of Fortnite: Battle Royale.
Fortnite retains crafting from its original Save the World mode, and getting a grasp of it is essential for victory. A pickaxe that functions as your only melee weapon is also used to destroy structures and vegetation which turn into wood, brick, or steel. With these elements, you build walls, stairs, or a roof, and can then be altered with windows and doors. It's almost a guarantee that firing upon an enemy in an open field will lead to them throwing up a wall out of instinct to protect themselves and heighten their chance of survival. Scaling mountains and seemingly hard-to-reach places is made possible with an ad-libbed staircase. Fortnite's building mechanics are remarkably easy to use and crucial to master.
On the other hand, part of PUBG's appeal is that the clumsy crafting elements of its predecessors are gone, allowing players to focus on gearing up and executing tactics to survive each firefight. Ditching granular mechanics helps keep a relatively fast pace and lower barrier to entry while maintaining the realistic tactical shooter vibe. You need to strap on an armored vest and helmet to protect yourself, and weapon attachments help get the most out of the deep roster of firearms. Inventory management is relatively streamlined in PUBG, but Fortnite simplifies it to such a degree that you only have to worry about five inventory slots instead of a managing a weight limit.
Both games have large, sprawling maps, but PUBG incorporates vehicles that are of utmost importance to reach advantageous positions without getting swallowed up by the circle of death or gunned down by a preying squad. However, close-quarters encounters are a microcosm of how much PUBG and Fortnite diverge. If you fight in and around the buildings and towns of PUBG as if it were Rainbow Six--scouting enemy movement, peeking for sightlines--you'll improve your odds of survival. In Fortnite, destruction is around every corner; if you know an enemy is on the second floor of a building, you can blow apart the floor beneath them for a surprise. You rack up kills by getting the jump on opponents in either game, but you can't play PUBG like Fortnite, and approaching Fortnite like PUBG will only get you so far.
In Fortnite's late-game, when it comes down to a single-digit player count, you'll often see enemies creating their own fort-like structures in the safe zones, essentially building makeshift houses to leverage their resources and wit. It's not much of a mystery where the last players are when you see them exercising their architectural prowess. Often times, PUBG's final moments boil down to a waiting game, who gets spotted first, or a risky push with smoke grenades as your last bit of cover; it's about seizing a short window of opportunity where things go from 0 to 100 real quick. It's intense and frightening.
The more you dig into both games, the more you'll see how their takes on battle royale offer unique experiences and tap into different skills, even though one is closely modeled after the other. The thirst can be quenched with either PUBG or Fortnite (or both), because the thrill of besting 90-plus other players is rewarding in a way unlike other multiplayer shooters. If you have to choose one over the other, keep in mind that Fortnite is best for those who want to engage in a form of base-building within a chaotic shooter that doesn't rely so much on precision and realism, whereas PUBG has the look and feel of a tactical shooter to drive home the uneasy tension of battle royale.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus has new DLC out now, as The Diaries of Agent Silent Death launches on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The add-on has you exploring a Nazi's version of Hollywood, and it's available for $10 / £8 / AU $15.
You play as former OSS agent Jessica Valiant, and you'll get to visit film studio-turned-Nazi propaganda machine Paragon Pictures. It sounds as if this expansion will be stealth-focused, as publisher Bethesda says you'll "stalk, shoot, and stab from the shadows in pursuit of your prey."
As well as being available by itself, The Diaries of Agent Silent Death is included as part of Wolfenstein II's Freedom Chronicles season pass, which costs $25 / £18 / AU $35. This also includes a previously released bonus chapter called Episode Zero and the first proper expansion, The Adventures of Gunslinger Joe. A third and final DLC pack is still to come: it's titled The Amazing Deeds of Captain Wilkins, and it will task you with dismantling a Nazi operation in Alaska.
We enjoyed the game's 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.
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Join us as we check out the new Resistance DLC multiplayer maps, new War Mode map, and hopefully the new Nazi Zombies Mode on Darkest Shore in Call of Duty WWII.
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