By Jimmy Thang on Mar 30, 2018 11:50 pm
Beat Saber
Beat Saber feels like the next-generation rhythm game. Developer Hyperbolic Magnetism released a teaser trailer back in January that went viral on YouTube, which is a rare accomplishment for a VR game. As the name implies, the game combines lightsabers with music. In Beat Saber, you wield a blue lightsaber with your right hand and a red lightsaber with your left. Blocks fly towards you that have blue or red triangles, which dictates which color lightsaber you should use and the direction you'll need to slash through them. Beat Saber has high energy electronic audio tracks that were composed just for the game. Hyperbolic Magnetism asserts that its tailored music allows it to fine tune the beats to the rhythmic gameplay it wants to achieve. The game will offer four different difficulty levels. The easiest mode should be a cakewalk for most, but at the higher difficulties, Beat Saber can feel pretty overwhelming. In addition to hitting beats, the game also has sound blocks with Xs on them that you need to avoid. There are also large red laser-like columns that fly towards you, which you need to physically step away from to avoid. Beat Saber shows a lot of promise and could be VR's DDR.
In Death
Many have described In Death as the Dark Souls of VR. Both games have similar art styles and feature challenging roguelike gameplay. The premise behind the game is that you're dead and have to fight your way through purgatory. You'll face undead knights, ghouls, and archers within procedurally generated levels. Combat is primarily focused on archery, which works well in VR. One controller acts as the bow, and the other hand allows you to pull back on the string to shoot. You'll be able to pick up different types of arrows that offer unique abilities. Fire arrows, for instance, can inflict more damage. You can pull out a shield from your back to defend yourself against knights or ghouls when they get too close. You can also use it to bash them to create some distance. The game is currently in early access, and developer Sólfar Studios tells us it's experimenting with incorporating melee mechanics as well. In Death supports artificial locomotion, so you can move about the world via a joystick or trackpad, but the game also supports a unique teleportation mode that allows you to throw a lightning bolt on the ground to teleport through the world.
Budget Cuts
Budget Cuts is one of the most anticipated VR games in development. It's a stealth action game that requires you to sneak your way through a deadly robot-infested office. The robots can use their blasters to instantly vaporize you. Luckily, you can throw scissors and knives to kill them. You can also pick up and throw random office trinkets away from your trajectory as a distraction so you can make your escape. The game relies on teleporting mechanics, but rather than using it as a crutch, teleporting is a key element of the game's design. With your teleporting gun, players can project an orb to a nearby location. The orb will serve as a preview window for the surrounding landscape before players decide to commit to the teleportation. Using this mechanic, you can survey the landscape for deadly robots before you make your next move. Whether or not you own a VR headset, Budget Cuts is one to watch out for if you're a fan of stealth-action games.
Museum of Other Realities
From the studio that developed Fantastic Contraptions comes Museum of Other Realities. Like the name suggests, it's more of a VR museum than a game. When you first enter the Museum of Other Realities, its layout looks very similar to other museums. Many of the 3D pieces of artwork within, however, were created with VR apps like Tilt Brush, Medium, and tools from Unity and Epic's Unreal Engine. Many of them feature subtle animations or project sounds and music depending on how you interact with them. One of the coolest set pieces is being able to crawl into a tree to enter a massive Stranger Things 2 landscape with the kids from the show looking at a humongous Mind Flayer monster shrouded in darkness. It's very ominous and awesome. Some of the artworks within The Museum of Other Realities feel like you're hopping into a portal to a different dimension. One exhibit lets you escape the museum to hop into outer space to explore a floating spaceship surrounded by little asteroids that you'll need to hop on to traverse the terrain. Users will also be able to customize their own floating polygonal avatars. The developers intend the Museum of Other Realities to be a place where users can meet up, chat, and hang out.
Vacation Simulator
Vacation Simulator comes from Owlchemy Labs, the developers who made Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality and Job Simulator. It's a sequel of sorts to Job Simulator, because according to the developers, "after you job, you vacation." The demo we played took place at a beach and featured similar gameplay and cartoonish humor to its predecessor. Floating cartoon robots talked to us and gave us different little mini-games to play. One game had us shooting balls at a net against a robot goalie. Another game presented three 2D images of the same sand castle from different angles and tasked us to recreate it using different 3D blocks.
Electronauts
Electronauts is more of a music creation tool that lets you be a VR DJ than a game. Your motion tracked controllers act as digital drumsticks that you can use to interact with the unique UI. Electronauts starts out by allowing you to hit virtual tonal drums to create a base melody, which then forms a loop in 4/4 time. From there, you can layer additional beats on top. The game also has sequencers and tools that allow you to change tempo, alter pitch, add sound effects, and more. The way the game digitizes its music makes it difficult to create a song that sounds bad. If you're at all interested in being a electronic music producer, Electronauts is a game worth keeping your ears on.
Creed: Rise To Glory
From the developers of Raw Data and Sprint Vector, Creed: Rise To Glory is a boxing game inspired by the Ryan Coogler-directed film. The game attempts to be part-simulator and part-arcadey boxer. One interesting VR problem the game tries to solve is melee combat occlusion. Typically, if you were to punch an opponent in VR, your hand would clip through them. Developer Survios, however, has implemented what it calls Active Ghosting Technology. It detaches your in-game arm from your real arm when you punch through an opponent so you don't see a boxing glove clip through them. Once your retract your arm, your virtual limb syncs back into place. It's an interesting mechanic that prevents players from simply flailing their arms to inflict damage. Survios also says that its system takes into account how much force you put behind your punches. So if you're playing Creed: Rise To Glory, you certainly don't want to pull your punches.
By GameSpot Staff on Mar 30, 2018 10:14 pm
PlayStation 4 is now more than four years old, and in that time it's amassed a substantial library of games. It was difficult to keep up with all of the quality releases even if you were onboard from day one; for those who have picked up a PS4 late, the number of games now available can be positively overwhelming. You're unlikely to ever play everything PS4 has to offer, but we're here to help you ensure you play some worthwhile games without breaking the bank. As is to be expected from a system that's now several years old, there's a wide array of games that can be picked up for quite cheap. We're highlighting many of the best games that can be had for no more than $20 on the US PlayStation Store. Be sure to let us know your recommendations in the comments below. 2018 is poised to grow the PS4's library even further, with high-profile releases like God of War, Spider-Man, and Red Dead Redemption 2 on the way alongside a variety of lesser-known hidden gems that you should be excited for this year.
Nex Machina
Nex Machina developer Housemarque has been focused almost exclusively on twin-stick shooters for the last decade. Starting with Super Stardust HD and running through games like Resogun and Dead Nation, it's experimented with different spins on the genre. Nex Machina feels like the culmination of those efforts, offering intense, high-octane action that constantly has you analyzing your surroundings and your options for disposing of enemies. It's an incredibly fun and satisfying experience to pick up and play, but it also features a variety of wrinkles and secrets for high-score chasers. Add in the gorgeous, neon-infused visuals, and you've got the finest output of Housemarque to date--which makes it all the more upsetting that the studio has decided to shift gears and go in a different direction. Still, you won't find a better example of its work than Nex Machina. | Chris Pereira
Journey
Plenty of games have stunning graphics, or heart-wrenching stories, or interactivity that stands head and shoulders above other offerings. Journey manages to have all of those and still amounts to more than the sum of its parts. Between traversing glittering sand and soaring to new heights with the help of your mystical scarf, you'll uncover hidden murals that hint at the game's story. For all that it does, Journey is also commendable for the conventions it abandons. The game does away with traditional dialogue and narration, preferring instead to let players interpret the adventure for themselves through sights and sounds. You won't need to experience it alone, though. In most cases you'll share your journey with another player-controlled character who you communicate with only through audible chirps. While the turmoil of accidentally losing your new friend hits hard as the environment becomes more threatening, finding them again and keeping them close in times of hardship is an unforgettable emotional experience. The unmistakable style in developer Thatgamecompany's design colliding with Austin Wintory's enchanting soundtrack makes Journey a unique experience that can't be missed. | Jess McDonell
Sonic Mania
Created by members of the Sonic fan-hack community under Sega's watch, Sonic Mania exudes passion and reverence in its recreation of nostalgic visuals, sounds, and level designs. But the game isn't content with senselessly regurgitating the past; rather, it expands upon the familiar with new ideas of its own and delivers plenty of inventive concepts that diversify and build upon the series' fast-paced level design. Sonic Mania is smart and interpretive in its approach, leveraging the strengths of its design and visuals to craft not only the best Sonic game ever made, but an amazing platforming experience overall. If you've enjoyed Sonic at any point in your life, you owe it to yourself to play Sonic Mania. And even if you're not a longtime fan, the fast-paced platforming on display is a fantastic introduction to Sega's beloved blue blur. | Matt Espineli
Fez
Despite being nearly six years old, Fez is still worth playing today. While it initially presents itself as a 2D game, it quickly reveals a third dimension and unfolds into something truly special as a result. You can rotate the game's seemingly 2D environments in 90-degree increments, which allows you to bring elements from the background into the foreground, often to reveal a hidden path. It's a tricky system to wrap your head around at first, but with a simple selection of puzzles to get you going, you can pick it up in no time. From this point on, Fez pushes you to contort your problem-solving techniques as it escalates to truly complex brain teasers that introduce cryptic symbols to match the ever-more-mysterious atmosphere. It's one of the few truly unique games around, and with the sequel cancelled long ago, it seems that will be the case for the foreseeable future. | Peter Brown
Axiom Verge
Axiom Verge is another take on the Metroidvania style, but it distinguishes itself through its wide variety of weapons and tools--most notably, the Address Disruptor, which affects the environment and each enemy type in different ways. It's also a game with an impressive sense of scale and no shortage of secrets to uncover, encouraging multiple playthroughs. Add in an excellent soundtrack and tantalizing story, and there's a lot to like here. | Chris Pereira
Bloodborne
The beauty of video games is how you're able to set foot in worlds you'd never want to visit in real life. Such is the case with Yharnam, the central locale of From Software's Bloodborne. You're a visitor and a hunter in a land without hope. Practically all its inhabitants are possessed with a zombie-like affliction and they want you dead. Still, every locale is inviting in its own haunting and disturbing ways; the more oppressive the environment, the more engrossing Bloodborne feels. The surrounding European-inspired architecture is as thoroughly pervasive as it is detailed. Between the gothic spires and array of imaginative melee weapons, Bloodborne often feels like an unofficial successor to Castlevania. Its enemies range from spectral maidens to more frighteningly supernatural creatures that bear much of the game's H.P. Lovecraft influence. And even if its gameplay and brutal combat borrows heavily from the studio's marquee series, Dark Souls, Bloodborne still manages to stand on its own. Bloodborne's backstories are less opaque than that of Dark Souls' mysteries, but that doesn't make this PlayStation 4 exclusive any less intriguing. | Miguel Concepcion
Undertale
Undertale watches you. It knows you through your actions. You don't have to hurt anyone, but you can hurt everyone. The consequences are hardly laid bare, but they are always alluded to in this retro-style RPG by independent developer Toby Fox. Undertale is both a culmination of the most chilling creepypasta and the most adorable, lovable characters you could imagine. It's all wrapped into a throwback turn-based RPG that incorporates dialogue trees in combat with elements of the bullet hell style for its combat. One of Undertale's greatest achievements is its ability to portray emotion and frame scenes through writing and an old-school art style. However, the most impactful piece of the puzzle is music: Its soundtrack evokes such a strong emotional response that very few games capture. The cozy, heartwarming jingle that plays in Snowdin town makes you wish you could chill at the local bar Grillby's with its diverse community of monsters. Papyrus' theme is equal parts silly and catchy, perfectly encapsulating the character himself. Hotland's tense, foreboding rhythm gets an electronic remix in a later stage that empowers you to push forward. The list goes on, but the point is that Undertale's masterful use of music becomes inseparable from the story it tells. It's a sort of love letter to Earthbound, but Toby Fox crafted a game that should be respected in its own right. Very few games evoke heartbreak, terror, and joy as powerfully as Undertale in such a short period of time; and in that regard, it's one of the best independent games ever made. | Michael Higham
Overcooked
Overcooked is like a Mario Party mini-game blown up into its own standalone experience in the best way possible. It's a game that becomes exponentially better when played with at least one other person. What starts out as a relatively tame game where you help each other chop some vegetables and get them served on a plate becomes a frantic rush to put out fires, get ingredients distributed between two moving vehicles, and other ridiculous scenarios. | Chris Pereira
Iconoclasts
There's no shortage of Metroidvania titles out there, but Iconoclasts stands tall as much more than a simple game about exploring the world while solving puzzles and fighting bosses. Sure, you swing a wrench that can interact with objects and whack enemies over the head, but the magic of this game goes far deeper than the tools at your disposal. Iconoclasts is a story about conflict: science vs. religion, nature vs. technology, old vs. young. And that serves as an incredible backdrop for dynamic characters that extend far beyond their 16-bit look. It's worth playing just to see where they--and you, as the mechanic Robin--end up. | Tony Wilson
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
You may have heard that Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, the final Metal Gear game to feature the involvement of series creator Hideo Kojima, has flaws. The last chunk of the game involves replaying earlier missions with small tweaks, and certain late-game story content was consigned to a special edition bonus feature. Despite all of that, The Phantom Pain stands as a seminal example of what an open-world action game can be. While still retaining much of what makes a Metal Gear game so distinct, it presents players with a vast open world and the ability to tackle its challenges in many, many ways. The mechanics of Ground Zeroes have been fine-tuned, and you can leverage them in a multitude of ways as you take part in the game's consistently excellent, thrilling missions. Just as enjoyable are the emergent hijinks you'll encounter along the way, and all of this is made better by the consistent progression of building up your own personal army. Although it's undoubtedly an experience best played after playing making your way through the prior games, The Phantom Pain is a game that everyone should ultimately try. It holds up now, even after a few years; all that's changed is the price tag. | Chris Pereira
Celeste
Celeste may look like another pixelated platformer with a youthful protagonist, but it quickly transforms into a brutal, tightly orchestrated gauntlet of death that only the best players can master. It challenges you to traverse spike-lined caverns with a modest selection of skills, with alternate pathways that push your mettle even further as you strive to acquire every last hidden item. You will die hundreds of times, but with quick restarts and a catchy soundtrack, there's never any downtime to wallow in defeat, only a new opportunity to show the game what you're made of. The action and difficulty curve are accompanied by a surprisingly engaging story that adds just the right amount of context to make your arduous journey feel justified, and to solidify Celeste as one of the biggest surprises so far of 2018. | Peter Brown
Shovel Knight
This is admittedly a bit of a cheat, as you're best off buying Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, which includes all three of the campaigns released so far (and more content to come) for $25. But just $10 will get you a single campaign which is more than worth the price of entry. Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment puts you in the shoes of one of the main game's antagonists, Specter Knight, as he takes his own unique journey through the same levels featured in the original game. As with Plague Knight's campaign, the unique mechanics at play here (like the dash attack) make for a much different experience. You would be best-served by starting with the base Shovel Knight campaign, but whichever version you play, you'll be treated to a modern take on retro platformers that bests many of the classics it draws inspiration from. | Chris Pereira
Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection
If there was one first-party PlayStation 3 series that was deemed essential, Uncharted would be it. The Tomb Raider-inspired mix of treasure hunting, puzzle solving, and gunplay was a fitting match for Naughty Dog's penchant for character-driven action-adventure games. Every installment has it share of large set-piece moments, but these dramatic sections do not overshadow the games' engaging journeys of Nathan Drake and his many collaborators. And even though Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is considered by many as the series' high point, the first and third games are nonetheless rich in delightful archeological discoveries and engrossing battles. Experiencing the first three games remastered on the PlayStation 4 is a no-brainer, especially when Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection was handled by Bluepoint Games, the studio responsible for the recent Shadow of the Colossus remake. Upgrading this trilogy to 60 frames per second alone is enough to command the attention of any Uncharted fan, let alone any fan of the genre. The addition of a photo mode, improved textures, and new Trophies only sweetens the deal. | Miguel Concepcion
Bastion
Supergiant Games' debut, Bastion, set the stage for everything else the developer created. This isometric action RPG tells a gripping story of a world destroyed by a catastrophic event referred to as The Calamity in the city of Caelondia. You control Bastion's protagonist, The Kid, who is led by the charismatic narrator named Rucks in a journey to piece the city back together. Very few survivors are left, and hostile monsters litter Caelondia, which is the impetus to put a varied arsenal of melee and projectile weapons to use. The Bastion acts as a sort of home base that slowly comes together as you progress and collect cores at the end of each level. Rucks' deep, instantly recognizable voice (that of Logan Cunningham) adds a level of grandeur to the story that's superbly supported by a truly remarkable soundtrack (by Darren Korb) that's vaguely Celtic, Western, and trip-hop all at the same time. Bastion's fantastical hand-painted art style (by Jen Zee) breathes life into a world nearly devoid of it, torn apart by a conflict of different cultures. These elements came to be staples of Supergiant's work, and Bastion is still a sterling example of the team's ability to craft a game that's both fun and heartfelt. | Michael Higham
Transistor
Transistor, the follow-up to Bastion, would take many of the striking features of that game (like the hand-painted art style, for one) but twist them for a sci-fi, cyberpunk tale. Red was a singer who had her voice physically stolen in an attack on the city of Cloudbank, and she's the one you control in this unique isometric action RPG. The Transistor, a sword-like weapon that killed a man in the attack, becomes Red's tool for fighting back against an army of robots known as The Process, controlled by an evil collective known as The Camerata. Yes, it has a lot going on, but that's how it is with Supergiant's games. The Transistor glows and speaks; it trapped the consciousness and voice of the man it was used to kill, which means this dead man becomes Red's companion throughout the game, similar to the narrator in Bastion (also voiced by Logan Cunningham). What sets Transistor apart is that it incorporates a layer of strategy on top of the action RPG gameplay. There are countless permutations to Red's movesets since each individual move, or functions, can be mixed with another to create an attack which can be used to make short work of enemies that took over your neon-lit city. You also get to pause the action for a limited timeframe to craft a plan of attack and come up with clever ways to string together functions. Not only does Transistor's soundtrack stand out for its folk-tinged electronica, but it's the focal point for characterization and acts as a driving force from start to finish. Music is at the forefront and Darren Korb's vision for complementing the futuristic world is fully realized, which makes Transistor an absolute joy to play. | Michael Higham
Pyre
Pyre, the latest from Supergiant Games, diverges from the action RPG gameplay the studio is known for. The fantastical, hand-painted art by Jen Zee returns. A western, electronic, trip-hop fusion soundtrack from Darren Korb also makes a comeback. But instead of controlling a single protagonist who destroys the enemies in their path in search of answers, Pyre revolves around a mystical sport that's played in an underworld populated by those who've been exiled from the normal world. You are The Reader, found in Purgatory (where reading is forbidden) by a band of exiles who befriend you. The Rites are rituals of sport that determine your worth, and this is where the meat of the gameplay happens. In a Rite, you assemble a team of three from a pool of allies you meet along the way. You face another team of three and fight for the single orb placed in the contained arena with the objective of dunking or shooting the orb into the other team's goal (or Pyre). Only one player from each team can move at any given moment. Each type of player has a varied skillset that can make the sport easier, depending on your playstyle. It sounds like a bit much at first, but once you get a hang of the flow, there's just nothing quite like it. Many have described it as Rocket League meets Dota meets Transistor. Outside of sick orb dunks is the intriguing visual novel-style story about sacrifice and the ties that bind. | Michael Higham
Jamestown+
Vertical arcade shoot-em-ups typically deal with far-flung futures where an ace pilot is defending Earth from a swarm of technologically advanced aliens. By taking place in an alternate timeline where Mars was colonized by England in the 17th Century, Jamestown immediately sets itself apart from its peers. The unique, tongue-in-cheek setting goes a long way to make the game enjoyable, but it's the excellent gameplay that makes Jamestown easy to recommend. You have multiple attack ships to choose from, each with their own weapon loadouts and special abilities. They are easy to control and feel distinct enough that you won't mind replaying levels to extend your time with the game, all the while combatting cleverly constructed swarms of enemy ships that gradually escalate from level to level. It's not as punishing as most games in its genre, but the progress you make as you inch your way towards the conclusion feels rewarding nonetheless. | Peter Brown
Thimbleweed Park
Point-and-click adventure games have experienced something of a renaissance in recent years, and Thimbleweed Park--from adventure game legends Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick--is a prime example. The X-Files-inspired journey puts you in the role of two FBI agents that bear more than a passing resemblance to the classic TV show as you relive the glory days of adventure games. Playing on any console means dealing with a gamepad-based control scheme (as opposed to the more natural mouse controls on PC), but Switch makes up for this with touchscreen support when played in handheld mode. | Chris Pereira
Thumper
Although it's a game arguably best-suited for VR, Thumper is an incredible experience however you play it. It provides a unique blend of rhythm-based gameplay and action--what the developer calls "rhythm violence"--that provides a far more intense version of the basic mechanics you see in other rhythm games. With an incredible soundtrack and levels well-suited to chasing high scores, Thumper is a game with the potential to stick around on your home screen for a long time. | Chris Pereira
Inside
Playdead games won the admiration of its now-large audience when it released Limbo, a slow-paced puzzle-platformer that relied heavily on the use of light and negative space. For the studio's follow-up, Inside, it delivered yet another somber world to explore. It presents a tale that unfolds effortlessly before your eyes as you advance from one scene to the next, with nary a word from any of its characters. Through the power of inference and suggestion, you realize the infiltration of a malicious organization and bear witness to its sinister deeds. Inside will test your ability to think creatively, but it's the narrative--and the way it's delivered--that makes it a game worth playing. Inside reinforces the notion that, sometimes, less is more. | Peter Brown
Crypt of the NecroDancer
Roguelikes (or at least roguelike elements) have been one of the most popular trends in gaming over the past handful of years, but few have taken as interesting of an approach to the genre as Crypt of the NecroDancer. It tasks players with navigating a dungeon to the beat of the music. Rather than simply move in the direction you wish or attack the enemy that's in your path, you and your enemies' actions are tied directly to the (always excellent) soundtrack. It's essential that you always be doing something--not taking an action at the next beat resets your combo, meaning you'll earn less gold or deal less damage, depending on the items you've acquired. Particularly as the music becomes more fast-paced, this lends a real sense of tension and excitement to every moment: you need to constantly be considering your next action while accounting for how nearby enemies will react to your movements. It's an experience with few points of comparison, but it's nonetheless one that you'll certainly want to try. | Chris Pereira
SteamWorld Dig 2
The first SteamWorld Dig was most notable for its distinct blend of mining mechanics and Metroid-style exploration, but it ended right as it began to come into its own. Its sequel is twice as long and puts that added runtime to good use, as both the story and mechanics are given time to flourish. The game put you in control of a steambot named Dorothy searching for her missing friend, Rusty--the protagonist of the first game. There's a surprising sense of momentum that runs through the adventure; it's as if developer Image & Form sifted the original in a pan, removing its redundancies while expanding upon what made mining treasure and exploring so fun in the first place. The result is a brilliant and varied evolution of the first game that not only expands upon its hybrid formula but presents it in its best light. Where the first game was a diamond in the rough, SteamWorld Dig 2 is a polished jewel. | Matt Espineli
By Kallie Plagge on Mar 30, 2018 02:51 am
Best of the Best
Xbox One launched over four years ago, and a ton of games have come out in that time. As such, it can be hard to sort through all those games and decide what to play. Luckily, we at GameSpot have played tons of Xbox One games over the years. In this gallery, we've collected the best Xbox One games so far. This includes many of the games that have received an 8 or higher on GameSpot, and we've prioritized games that were nominated for our Best Xbox One Game list in the years those games released. For more Xbox One games, see our roundups of the best cheap games on Xbox One, and make sure to check out our gallery of the Xbox One exclusive games confirmed for 2018 as well as the biggest Xbox One games of 2018 for everything coming to the console.
Monster Hunter: World -- 8/10
"Ever since the title was first announced last year, it was clear that Capcom was gunning for something grander than Monster Hunter Generations. It has succeeded, and this is likely the biggest and best that the franchise has ever been. It's not just the comparative depth of the narrative; it also boasts almost seamless integration between combat systems that were previously incomprehensible for amateurs. The Monster Hunter formula has definitely honed its claws, and all the above factors play their part in making Monster Hunter World a meaningful evolution for the series at large." [read the full review] -- Ginny Woo
Celeste -- 9/10
"It's a testament to convincing writing and ingenious design that after playing Celeste I felt like I'd been on the same journey as Madeline. Her struggle is one made easy to empathize with, her low points painful to watch, and her high notes exhilarating to experience. Her tale is delicately told and beautifully illustrated, confidently coalescing with the satisfying, empowering game it lies within. Not bad for a game about climbing a mountain." [read the full review] -- Oscar Dayus, Staff Writer
Fortnite -- no score
The exploding popularity of the battle royale game mode (where 100 players fight in a single-elimination deathmatch) reached new heights with Fortnite. It's the game nearly everyone is talking about and over 45 million have played. Fortnite strikes a great balance between being accessible and fostering a high skill ceiling. The core gameplay is simple enough; scavenge for weapons and items while gathering resources to build. The game feels fast and loose and a lot less like its military sim counterparts, but still offers the intense, high-stakes combat the genre is known for. It's free-to-play and has an inviting aesthetic akin to a Sunday morning cartoon. However, players soon realize the depth of Fortnite's construction mechanics and how the few structures you can build have to be pieced together in clever ways to stand a chance of winning. -- Michael Higham, Associate Editor
What Remains of Edith Finch -- 9/10
"Developer Giant Sparrow managed to strike the delicate balance between joy and sorrow in 2012's The Unfinished Swan, but What Remains of Edith Finch transcends even the latent sadness of that game, finding the beauty--even sometimes the fun--in what's always fundamentally a tragedy. It's not often that a game's plot slips past the bitterness of grief to finally get to the acceptance, but that's the triumph in What Remains of Edith Finch. Ultimately, if the game has any resemblance of a moral, it's that the bravest, most beautiful thing every one of us does is choose to keep going, despite knowing what's coming." [read the full review] -- Justin Clark
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus -- 9/10
"The New Colossus never lets you forget who and why you're fighting. 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 the full review] -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
Sonic Mania -- 9/10
"Sonic Mania methodically uses its sentimental appeal to great effect, but in the process, it heals the wounds inflicted by its most disappointing predecessors and surpasses the series' best with its smart and interpretive design. An excellent 2D platformer, Sonic Mania goes beyond expectations, managing to be not only a proper evolution of the series' iconic formula, but the best Sonic game ever made." [read the full review] -- Matt Espineli, Associate Editor
Cuphead -- 8/10
"Everything you've heard about Cuphead is true. It is a difficult side-scrolling shooter with relentless boss battles that demand rapid-fire actions and reactions. Think for too long, and you won't stand a chance against the game's toughest enemies. Battles may only last three minutes at most, but they feel far longer when you know that you can only absorb three hits before you have to start from scratch. When you are navigating your way around bullets, smaller enemies, and pitfalls, while simultaneously trying to damage your primary target, toppling Cuphead's imposing bosses is both a monumental and rewarding task." [read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor
Assassin's Creed Origins -- 7/10
"Assassin's Creed has undergone many changes in its long and storied history, and Origins feels like the first step in the start of a new journey. It has its fair share of problems, but the vision for its future is one worth pursuing." [read the full review] -- Alessandro Fillari, Editor
Stardew Valley -- 9/10
"On the surface, Stardew Valley is a game about farming, but there are more adventures awaiting curious players beyond cultivating a rich and bountiful garden. From mining and fishing to making friends and falling in love, Stardew Valley's Pelican Town is stuffed with rewarding opportunities. As modern day woes give way to pressing matters on the farm and within your newfound community, Stardew Valley's meditative activities often lead to personal reflection in the real world. It's a game that tugs at your curiosity as often as it does your heart." [read the full review] -- Mary Kish
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard -- 8/10
"By the end of the campaign, I was ready for the game to be over, but that's okay. RE7 ends just as it starts to outstay its welcome, and after the fact, I felt like I'd survived a truly harrowing journey. The boss fights may be slightly inconsistent and certain sections might drag after a while, but RE7 is still a remarkable success. It has a clear vision and executes it with impressive patience and precision. By returning to horror, Resident Evil has once again become something special." [read the full review] -- Scott Butterworth
Night in the Woods -- 9/10
"Both intensely personal and widely relatable, Night in the Woods doesn't just tell a story--it gracefully captures complex, often unpleasant feelings and experiences. From the quiet melancholy of doing nothing on a rainy day to the emotional vacuum of severe depression, I felt deeply, sometimes too deeply, while wandering through the cartoon-animal version of a small Midwestern town. Its witty writing and character development keep its crushing existential themes grounded, making Night in the Woods one of the most evocative games I've played in a long time." [read the full review] -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
Overwatch -- 9/10
"Overwatch is an exercise in refined chaos. There are multitudes of layers hiding beneath the hectic surface, and they emerge, one after another, the more you play. This is a shooter that knows how to surprise, one that unfolds at a frantic pace, one that takes a handful of great ideas, and combines them into something spectacular." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
Battlefield 1 -- 9/10
"EA DICE splendidly interprets the early 20th century as a world in technological transition while humanizing the war's participants through well crafted, albeit fictional, narrative vignettes. Combined with an enthralling multiplayer component, the overall result is the studio's best work since Battlefield: Bad Company 2." [read the full review] -- Miguel Concepcion
Titanfall 2 -- 9/10
"Titanfall 2 demonstrates a vitality that its predecessor couldn't. Whereas the first Titanfall kept up its breakneck pace throughout the entirety of every match, Titanfall 2 understands that sometimes, dialing things back for a few moments can make the long run much more enjoyable. In many ways, Titanfall 2 feels like the game Respawn should have made in 2013. It's a fantastic sequel. It's a fluid shooter. It's a spectacular game." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
Dishonored 2 -- 8/10
"Any time I'm given a choice between stealth and action, I go stealth. I love the hold-your-breath tension of hoping a guard didn't spot you and the hard-earned triumph of executing a perfectly timed plan. Dishonored 2 delivers that sneaky satisfaction, arming you with stealth essentials like hiding bodies, peering through keyholes, and silent takedowns. But it's also an incredible engine for gleeful chaos, one so engrossing and amusing that I kind of accidentally beat the entire campaign raining hilarious, elaborate death on my enemies." [read the full review] -- Scott Butterworth
Forza Horizon 3 -- 9/10
"With Forza Horizon 3, Turn 10 and Playground Games affirm the series' status as the driving game for everyone. The new emphasis on off-road options isn't at the expense of traditional races, thanks to the sheer volume of activities. All the while, Playground Games' calculated kitchen-sink design philosophy and rich reward system persistently tempt you to explore beyond your comfort zone, whether it's gifting your first Ariel Nomad buggy or reminding you that stunt races can impress thousands of fans. Enhancing your own brand might feel like a strange motivation to hit the road, but pulling off sick e-drifts on a mile-long series of curves makes the PR work worthwhile." [read the full review] -- Miguel Concepcion
Inside -- 8/10
"This is a beautiful, haunting, and memorable game, a worthy follow-up to Limbo. Its puzzles, although rarely difficult, are engaging complements to the story. The real achievement of this game, though, is the way that it crafts its narrative: detailed environments convey the bizarre world that you travel through; introspective moments are filled with minimalist sound design and just the barest touches of music; and the things you must do to complete your journey force you to confront the realities of humanity, freedom, and existence." [read the full review] -- Alex Newhouse
Dark Souls III -- 8/10
"Dark Souls III is a game of valleys and peaks, down through dungeons and up over castle walls. It's a plummet into places we shouldn't be--an escape from places we don't belong. But of course, we fight our way through the darkness, and find our way out. There are a few stumbles along the way, but in the end, Dark Souls III is well worth the riveting climb." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt -- 10/10
"Where the Witcher 2 sputtered to a halt, The Witcher 3 is always in a crescendo, crafting battle scenarios that constantly one-up the last, until you reach the explosive finale and recover in the glow of the game's quiet denouement. But while the grand clashes are captivating, it is the moments between conflicts, when you drink with the local clans and bask in a trobairitz's song, that are truly inspiring." [read the full review] -- Kevin VanOrd
Halo 5: Guardians -- 8/10
"Halo 5: Guardians is fueled by new ideas and propelled by some of the boldest changes to this storied franchise yet. Some of these changes fail, but others succeed, and although Halo 5 falters at times, it whisks us through black holes and across war torn tropical islands at a rapid pace. We can only surrender to its velocity." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
Rise of the Tomb Raider -- 9/10
"Rise of the Tomb Raider's first shot pans over the vast, foreboding landscape we'll soon come to know. In many ways, it functions as a promise on the part of Crystal Dynamics: there are big things ahead of us. And at the end of Lara's journey, after we've seen her through this adventure, and experienced everything the world has to offer, it's clear that promise was kept." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
Ori and the Blind Forest -- 9/10
"It consistently surprises you with new tricks: gravitational divergences, new ways to move through its spaces, and carefully designed levels that require you to think quickly and respond. It is not as snappy as, say, a typical Mario platformer, seeking instead a broader gameplay arc stretching across a single, interconnected world. It's a superb and thematically consistent approach that allows Ori and the Blind Forest to build joy on a bed of heartache, adding a new layer of mechanical complexity with each ray of hope." [read the full review] -- Kevin VanOrd
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain -- 10/10
"There has never been a game in the series with such depth to its gameplay, or so much volume in content. The best elements from the past games are here, and the new open-world gameplay adds more to love on top. When it comes to storytelling, there has never been a Metal Gear game that's so consistent in tone, daring in subject matter, and so captivating in presentation. The Phantom Pain may be a contender for one of the best action games ever made, but is undoubtedly the best Metal Gear game there is." [read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor
Fallout 4 -- 9/10
"Fallout 4 is an engrossing game that lures you in with mystery and the promise of adventure. Its wretched wasteland can be captivating, and you never know what odd person or settlement lies around the next bend. Fallout 4 uses its dark world as a canvas for exciting combat and gripping stories, and when you dig deeper into its post-nuclear-apocalypse version of Boston--defending yourself from violent scavengers and using your wits to climb social ladders--you become attached to the new you, and ultimately invested in the fate of your new world." [read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor -- 8/10
"This is a great game in its own right, narratively disjointed but mechanically sound, made up of excellent parts pieced together in excellent ways. I already knew what future lay in store for Middle-earth as I played Shadow of Mordor; I'm hoping that my own future might one day bring another Lord of the Rings adventure as stirring as this one." [read the full review] -- Kevin VanOrd
Dragon Age: Inquisition -- 9/10
"Inquisition's characters and world recall the grand gestures of the original Dragon Age, even though the game as a whole is so structurally different to its predecessors. It offers the thrill of discovery and the passion of camaraderie. It features a glee club called The Sing-Quisition, and a dwarf with writer's block. It establishes connections with its world in big ways and small, with the sight of a titanous temple and the smirk of an Orlesian commander in love. Dragon Age: Inquisition is a wonderful game and a lengthy pilgrimage to a magical world with vital thematic ties to one we already know." [read the full review] -- Kevin VanOrd
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition -- 8/10
"Lara herself is so well crafted that I grew attached to her exploits and was sad to say goodbye when the credits rolled. And the exquisite visual design is so breathtaking that I continually found myself staring at the scenery instead of pushing onward. Tomb Raider is a great reinvention of this enduring franchise that made me eager to see where Lara goes in her future." [read the full review] -- Tom McShea
Forza Motorsport 5 -- 9/10
"All of this combined makes Forza Motorsport 5 an outstanding improvement to an already excellent racing franchise. It's far more than just a great racing sim, or a gorgeous showcase for the types of feats the Xbox One hardware is capable of. This is a game built on the romantic thrill of motorsport in all its forms, and that love for its subject matter is all but impossible to resist." [read the full review] -- Shaun McInnis
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag -- 9/10
"There's an incredible scope to what you can do in Black Flag, with a level of harmony between its component parts that encourages you to try it all, and a story that keeps you invested throughout the whole thing. If there was ever any question that Assassin's Creed needed something ambitious to get the series back on track, Black Flag is that game and then some." [read the full review] -- Shaun McInnis
By Kevin Wong on Mar 30, 2018 02:08 am
There are a lot of WWE rumors, especially around Wrestlemania each year. It's good to keep fans a little off-balance and a little curious. Not knowing the how, why, and what allows fans to suspend their disbelief about the onscreen action. Rumors elevate their subjects and make men into superheroes and otherworldly monsters. Here are some of the most persistent urban legends in professional wrestling. Some of them are false, which is a relief. And some of them are true, which is terrifying. If you're looking for more WWE awesomeness, make sure to check in with our Wrestlemania coverage, including rumors leading up to the event. We have a full match card for your to check out as well as our predictions for the upcoming event. And come back on Sunday, April 8 for live coverage of Wrestlemania 34.
The Ultimate Warrior Was An Impostor
From 1987 to 1992, the Ultimate Warrior ran roughshod over the WWE locker room. An intense, muscle bound man, Warrior would squash most of his opponents in under five minutes, if not less. And he was largely seen as the inheritor of Hulk Hogan's throne. But due to a combination of A) being difficult to work with and B) the ongoing WWE steroid investigation, Warrior left the company in 1992. When he returned to WWE in 1996, he had golden blonde, wavy hair and a slimmer figure, which spurred rumors that this new Ultimate Warrior was an impostor, and that the old, original one was either dead or otherwise unavailable. Of course, this wasn't true; it's always been the same man since the very beginning. Is this urban legend true? No
Mr. Fuji Once Cooked A Co-Worker's Dog
Most WWE fans probably know Mr. Fuji from his management stints; he cheated for both Demolition and Yokozuna, and he guided the latter to the WWE Championship. But before that, Fuji was a tag team specialist who fought in multiple territories, including WWE, in the 1970's. Fuji was also known for his "pranks"' which were often times sick and sadistic. His most infamous, legendary one was when he cooked and fed a dog to his fellow wrestlers. Multiple wrestlers have different accounts of what actually happened. Roddy Piper recalled that Fuji pulled this stunt on Toru Tanaka. Hulk Hogan recalled that Tor Kamata was the victim, and he ate a cat, not a dog. Mr. Fuji recalls that he pulled the prank with assistance from Don Muraco, and they targeted Billy White Wolfe and Skandor Akbar (Fuji's memory is hazy on this). At the end of the meal (teriyaki dog, according to Fuji), Muraco revealed the dog's severed head, which caused Wolfe and Akbar to throw up. Is this urban legend true? Yes
Andre The Giant Once Drank Over 100 Beers In One Sitting
Andre the Giant was a walking urban legend--the Eighth Wonder of the World. Everything was exaggerated about him; his height, for example, was cited in various publications as 7'4, or 7'5, or even 7'7. When you're a massive giant in the pre-internet era, you can get away with a little fibbing. But all of Andre's colleagues seem to be united on one point: his drinking prowess. According to multiple people, Andre the Giant could drink over 100 beers in a single sitting. And there's so many witnesses who claim to have seen this, firsthand, that it's probably true. According to Hulk Hogan, Andre drank 108 beers while waiting with him at an airport. At a WWE Legends roundtable which included Dusty Rhodes and Michael Hayes, Andre's colleagues told multiple Andre drinking tales: Once, Andre drank 156 beers in a single sitting. Pat Patterson also recalled a time that a drunk Andre fell asleep in a hotel lobby. Because none of the wrestlers could move him, Patterson took Andre's keys and wristwatch for safekeeping, and they left Andre lying there until morning. Indeed, the truth can be stranger than fiction. Is this urban legend true? Yes
Joey Styles Punched JBL Backstage
Yes, we're talking about JBL again. Only this time, WWE's resident frat boy gets his comeuppance. On WWE's tour to Iraq in 2008, JBL was mercilessly hazing newcomer Joey Styles, WWE's new director of digital content and the former commentator for ECW. And Styles, who weighs over 100 pounds less than JBL, punched his tormentor, leaving JBL with a cut and a black eye. This might be easily dismissed as wishful thinking, but multiple eyewitnesses have confirmed it. RVD told this story on a podcast, and Simon Dean heard the story secondhand from Triple H himself. Is this urban legend true? Yes
The WrestleMania III Attendance Figure Is A Lie
It's a heavily touted figure, especially when Mania season rolls around. WrestleMania III--the one with the Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant main event--broke the indoor attendance record, with 93,173 fans. Or did it? According to longtime wrestling journalist David Meltzer, who spoke with promoter Zane Bresloff, the actual figure was closer to 78,000 fans, WWE had misrepresented the attendance figure to break the record. WWE, of course, denies this. And several months later, the Pope also drew over 93,000 people, so it is possible that that the Pontiac Silverdome could physically hold that many people. But without first-hand, concrete documentation, we'll probably never know the truth for sure. Is this urban legend true? Unknown, but most likely not
Two Different Wrestlers Portrayed Kane
This was nearly identical to the Ultimate Warrior urban legend, only this time, it concerned Kane. Somehow, word got around that two different people played Kane full-time: one while he was masked and the other after he was unmasked. Conspiracy theorists analyzed the two Kanes' contrasting body types to support their supposition. And as with Warrior's rumor, this is not true, at all. Aside from short-lived exceptions, which were exposed as impostors or inferiors in their respective storylines, Kane has always been performed by one man, Glenn Jacobs. And as for the differing body type? Jacobs aged! No one can be expected to maintain the same build and the same musculature over a 20-year career. But fans did have reason to distrust wrestlers with masks and makeup on their faces. Vince McMahon owned the legal rights to gimmicks, which meant he could replace the performers if he wanted to. Doink the Clown, for example, was originally performed by Matt Osborne, and Ray Apollo replaced Osborne in 1993. Is this urban legend true? No
Ric Flair Had 25 World Title Reigns
According to WWE, Ric Flair and John Cena are tied for the record number of world title reigns: 16 reigns apiece. Many Cena storylines are built around this premise; all he needs is one more title reign to be the winningest champion in wrestling history. But according to wrestling statisticians, this doesn't hold up. There's a Reddit thread that has an excellent summary of this conundrum; including his NWA, WCW, and WWE title reigns, Flair actually has 19 world titles. Add in six more world title reigns from smaller, less prestigious promotions, and that brings the total to 25. So whenever Cena does 'break the record' and clinch his 17th world title reign? He's actually got a ways to go before he can call himself the greatest. To be the man, you gotta beat the man. WOOOOOOO!! Is this urban legend true? Yes
Wrestling Is Fake
We're only half-kidding with this last one. But it's getting old. How many times do we have to deal with this refrain from endless haters: "You know it's fake, right? First of all: It's not fake. It hurts when you toss yourself off the roof of a steel cage, even if you brace your fall. And a punch to the face, delivered at 30% power, is still a punch to the face. Let's put a finer point on it than "fake." Professional wrestling is scripted and pre-determined; it's a postmodern, theatrical presentation. And everyone is in on it. No one, outside of the young children, thinks this is legitimate competition, and no adult has thought that way since the late '80s. Of course, fans suspend their disbelief. But we know that none of it is real. Well, except for the Undertaker's urn. That's real. Is this urban legend true? Mixture of yes and no
By Meg Downey on Mar 30, 2018 01:37 am
Who's going to survive Avengers: Infinity War?
With the arrival of Thanos looming just over the horizon, one question seems to be nagging at the forefront of just about everyone's brain: Out of the MCU's seemingly endless roster of heroes, who's going to die in Avengers: Infinity War? The threat is pretty legitimate. Thanos represents the biggest, baddest villain any of the Marvel Cinematic Universe superheroes have yet to face, and the marketing campaign hasn't been pulling any punches when it comes to emphasizing just how dire things are looking. With the Infinity Stones at his disposal, Thanos can wipe out "half the galaxy" with a snap of his fingers, meaning that the odds are pretty firmly stacked against the Avengers and their allies. That, coupled with the behind-the-scenes negotiations regarding contract expiration and renewal that we know are going on, mean Infinity War is prime time for some changing of the metaphorical guard. It's time to take a closer look at the totally mathematical, theoretically sound, extremely clinical, and not at all anxiety fueled probabilities behind some of the MCU's biggest heroes making it out of Avengers: Infinity War alive.
31. Black Panther
Likelihood of death: 0.1% While anything could technically happen, it's a pretty safe bet that T'Challa isn't going anywhere. Not only did he just star in his own record-shattering solo movie this year, but Wakanda's arc in the MCU is only just beginning. Rest easy, the King is sitting pretty right now.
30. Shuri
Likelihood of death: 0.1% Just like her brother, Shuri is sitting pretty comfortably in this one. Not only has she already proven to be a huge fan favorite, but it's abundantly clear that her story has plenty of fuel left in the engine. She's not going anywhere.
29. Valkyrie
Likelihood of death: 1% Seeing as it's actually pretty doubtful Valkyrie will be on screen for more than just a brief cameo this time around, killing her off right now wouldn't make a ton of sense--at least not when she's only just getting started.
28. Okoye
Likelihood of death: 1% Though her role as a general puts her closer to the front lines, and therefore, more at risk, Okoye--like the rest of the Black Panther crew--is very likely sitting pretty for this one. The Dora Milaje are one of Wakanda's big breakouts for fans so it absolutely wouldn't make much sense to cut them off at the knees by killing their leader.
27. Spider-Man
Likelihood of death: 2% Peter Parker already has a solo movie sequel confirmed with a release date of July 5th, 2019, meaning unless there's some sort of cosmic time-warping involved, everyone's favorite web slinger is skating through this one just fine.
26. Ned Leeds
Likelihood of death: 2% Peter's best pal Ned is, for all intents and purposes, just as safe as Peter himself. He may not be as critical to the continuation of the Spider-Man line, but killing Ned would be pretty pointless and strangely cruel. He's going to be alright.
25. Mantis
Likelihood of death: 2% As the latest official addition to the Guardian's lineup, killing Mantis wouldn't accomplish much beyond leaving a gap that will need to be filled for their next solo film. Anything can happen, of course, but probably not this.
24. Groot
Likelihood of death: 2% C'mon, even if Groot does "die," we've already seen that he can just come back. If anything winds up happening to him, it'll probably be to revert back to the very merchandise friendly Baby Groot rather than anything permanent.
23. Rocket
Likelihood of death: 3% Similar to Groot, Rocket's status a fan favorite mascot-style character in the Guardian's lineup is very likely going to keep him safe for this one. It's kind of hard to replace a talking raccoon.
22. Ant-Man
Likelihood of death: 3% There's been some debate about where, exactly, in the MCU's timeline Ant-Man and The Wasp actually takes place, but even if it's something designed to slot into the time between Civil War and Infinity War, it's still pretty unlikely that Scott Lang is going to kick the bucket here. It just wouldn't make a whole lot of sense from a marketing standpoint.
21. The Hulk
Likelihood of death: 3% Mark Ruffalo has been extremely open about the Hulk's version of a "solo movie" being a three part arc across three movies. The first part of that story happened in Thor: Ragnarok, so it goes to follow that the second will come in Infinity War, and the finale will likely be in Infinity War's unnamed sequel. Consider him pretty safe, at least until next year.
20. Black Widow
Likelihood of death: 5% Natasha Romanoff's standalone Black Widow movie has all but been confirmed. Of course, we don't have a release date or any real information yet, so that could potentially change in the future--and it might be an origin story or something set in the past, to be sure--but it's definitely a lot less likely that she's going to bite the dust any time soon with those rumors swirling around.
19. War Machine
Likelihood of death: 6% Rhodey just came out of a near-miss moment in Civil War, so might feel a little redundant to have him put at risk again so soon. Also, War Machine's status as one of the major, active Iron Man replacements keeps him pretty safe.
18. Pepper
Likelihood of death: 6% Pepper's been a tertiary character in the MCU for as long as Tony's been a star and, though Tony's future may not be all that certain right now, Pepper's death wouldn't gain all that much for the shared universe. It's pretty safe to say the thing more likely to bench Pepper Potts than death is Gwyneth Paltrow renegotiating her contract.
17. Star Lord
Likelihood of death: 6% Until more of Marvel's space-based heroes make their live action debuts, it's pretty unlikely that Peter Quill is going to go anywhere. After all, those Adam Warlock teases from Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 are going to need someone to follow up on them at some point.
16. Thor
Likelihood of death: 15% It's pretty hard to kill a god, but as we've seen more than once it's definitely possible--and, by the look of things in the most recent trailer, Thor is about to undergo some truly rough treatment. However, the Thor franchise is largely without an heir as of right now and, considering its position as one of the MCU's most light hearted lines, a major heroic death would probably be pretty counterproductive. Thor may end up benched, but he probably won't die.
15. Bucky Barnes
Likelihood of death: 25% Not only is Bucky very recently rehabilitated from his stint as the brain washed Winter Soldier, he's also spent the duration of his time on screen in all three Captain America movies getting relentlessly teased as a potential successor to the mantle after Steve Rogers. Sure, there's always a chance that those shield-holding moments were just Easter eggs for the sake of Easter eggs, but let's not count Bucky out just yet.
14. Falcon
Likelihood of death: 25% Similar to Bucky, Sam Wilson's MCU story has been heavily intertwined with the Cap movies in a way that made room for a potential solo spin off. If Bucky isn't the one to pick up the Cap mantle, Sam's the next most likely candidate. Of course, he's also a non-powered, non-serum'd, non-armored human being running into battle with Thanos here in Infinity War, so he might not be all that safe.
13. Scarlet Witch
Likelihood of death: 35% Wanda Maximoff has an interesting relationship with the Infinity Stones, considering her superpowers were the result of experiments on the Mind Stone. That said, we really don't know all that much about how those experiments actually affected her or what will happen when Thanos takes the Stone back. Killing Wanda wouldn't be much of a narrative power move, but it's certainly a possibility.
12. Gamora
Likelihood of death: 45% Though they're just supporting characters in their own Guardians of the Galaxy corner of the MCU, the "daughters" of Thanos are headed toward a major spotlight as dear ol' dad makes himself known. Gamora even narrated the majority of the second trailer, which confirmed we'd get a closer look at her origin story which featured Thanos himself abducting her as a child. It's not super likely, considering the popularity and franchise power of the Guardians as a unit, but if a member of that team is going to get benched this time around, Gamora is probably the most likely--it would certainly be an emotional gut punch.
11. Drax
Likelihood of death: 55% If a Guardian of the Galaxy is marked for death that isn't a Daughter of Thanos, let's face it, it's probably Drax. He may be a great bit of comic relief but his actual narrative arc hasn't gone all that far since his debut and with so many teammates who could clearly pick up the slack as the bruiser of the bunch (Groot's growing up pretty fast, after all), if that herd needs to be culled, Drax is likely the one to go.
10. The Collector
Likelihood of death: 65% It's actually strangely likely that The Collector is going to bite the dust here. Not only is he sitting on one of the Infinity Stones, which puts him right in Thanos's crosshairs, he's also a tertiary enough character played by a big enough actor (Benicio del Toro, lest we forget) that he sits in a "fat trimming" area.
9. Wong
Likelihood of death: 65% The mystical arm of the MCU is a strange animal. With no real franchise plans on the horizon that we know of, Wong's role is teetering on a knife's edge between expanding or collapsing entirely. It'll depend on just how things shake of for Strange.
8. Hawkeye
Likelihood of death: 70% Fans of Clint Barton have been clamoring about his lack of inclusion in the marketing material since the Infinity War campaign dropped. We know he'll be taking on a new identity--Ronin--at some point in this movie, but other than that, it's been pretty tricky to pin down any information about him at all. As one of the few totally non-powered, non-metahuman, non-armor clad Avengers, Clint's more at risk this time around than others.
7. Doctor Strange
Likelihood of death: 70% Things started looking a little dicey for Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) in the latest Infinity War trailer, where we got a brief but up close and personal look at Ebony Maw's torture techniques, prompting no shortage of speculation from fans. In the Infinity comics event, a similar scene takes place which winds up with Ebony Maw parasitically infecting Strange's brain and using him as something of a double agent for Thanos's plans--something which probably won't translate directly to screen, but leaves the good doctor with a pretty ominous shadow hanging over him. On top of that, Strange is one of the few solo superheroes introduced to have no confirmed plans for a sequel, meaning he can be taken off the board without much concern for franchise building.
6. Nebula
Likelihood of death: 75% Nebula, however, has been pretty absent from a lot of promotion and, given the tumultuous relationship she and her adoptive sister have shared on screen as of late, that might be a bad sign. Her redemption arc could be completed by a big moment of sacrifice that would arguably provide the same kick as Gamora's potential doom but at half the narrative (and future merchandising) cost. If one of the daughters of Thanos is going down, it's probably going to be her. Sorry, Nebula.
5. Nick Fury
Likelihood of death: 78% Samuel L. Jackson's been pretty candid about not really knowing or understand where Nick Fury slots into Infinity War, which could be seen as a pretty bad omen for the character's continued presence in the MCU. Increasingly it feels like the movies are moving away from both Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D, which means we may see the end of Fury here pretty soon.
4. Iron Man
Likelihood of death: 80% Tony Stark sits near the very top of the "Most Likely To Die" list in this one, unfortunately. Not only has Robert Downey Jr. been playing the character for a full decade, he's been pretty open about his desire to scale Tony's role in the franchise back "before it gets embarrassing." Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Iron Man has been earmarked for death, but if Infinity War is looking to make a powerful statement with an extremely beloved character, Tony is obviously and definitely the lowest hanging fruit. Of course, things get complicated when you think about Tony's overall lack of a real on-screen successor. War Machine has only recently started prominently featuring alongside any of the Avengers ensembles with Captain America: Civil War, and Peter Parker, Tony's only real protege (for now) has a mantle of his own to bear--so, maybe, just maybe Tony could make it through this one in one piece--at least long enough to hand the keys to the Iron Man armor over to someone new. Someone like Black Panther's sister Shuri, maybe?
3. Captain America
Likelihood of death: 85% All things considered, Steve Rogers has been living on borrowed time in the MCU since his surprising survival through Civil War--a movie based on the comic event that famously killed him in its aftermath. Now visibly hardened, shieldless, and world weary, Captain America's Infinity War look and feel is unlike anything we've ever seen from our Star Spangled Avenger in the past--and no matter how much a fan favorite the beard and the scowl may be, when looked at in context, it all feels pretty ominous. Add to that the fact that Cap has not one but two potential on-screen replacements in Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), both of whom have expressed interested in doing their own solo or duo spin off movies and--this is painful to type--things aren't looking all that great for Steve's future.
2. Loki
Likelihood of death: 85% In a similar boat as Gamora, Loki's on-again-off-again role as a villain has put him on some thin ice moving forward in the MCU. His heartwarming turn at the end of Thor: Ragnarok certainly won him some brownie points, but after the latest Infinity War trailers confirmed that he did indeed steal the cosmic cube from Odin's vault, it's clear that Loki hasn't completely changed his heart or his ways. This means things are getting a little complicated for him these days. Nabbing the cosmic cube (which contains the Space Stone) puts him right in the crosshairs of Thanos and the Black Order, something that opens the doors for him to execute yet another one of his classic backstabbing moves on his brother or sacrifice himself for the greater good. Sure, it might be a shockingly altruistic move for someone like Loki to make at the literal 11th hour, but it would be a pretty satisfying (and emotionally devastating) end to his MCU journey.
1. Vision
Likelihood of death: 90% Another Avenger high up on the potential chopping block is Vision (Paul Bettany), and he has an extremely literal target painted right on his forehead. Given life by the Mind Stone, Vision has been all but invincible through his movie appearances in Age of Ultron and Civil War, but we've already seen in Infinity War's marketing material that Thanos does, indeed, manage to get his hands on the yellow Infinity Stone at some point during the course of the movie. Of course, that begs the question: What exactly happens to a robot powered by a cosmic rock when the cosmic rock is taken from him? Is there a way he could survive? Or will it be like his batteries have been popped out for good? His romantic relationship with the immensely powerful Scarlet Witch might be the thing to save him--but with Wanda's abilities so loosely defined on screen, this one is too close to call.
By Array on Mar 30, 2018 01:12 am
Sea of Thieves is a pirate-themed multiplayer action game that gives you a taste of what it's like to pillage treasure and explore remote islands while sailing across dangerous waters. While the main loop of the game is relatively straightforward, it offers minimal insight into its most noteworthy mechanics. To help you become a confident and successful sailor, we've gathered nine useful tips that we wished we'd known before starting. You can also watch our Sea of Thieves guide video highlighting other essential beginners tips. Are there any important tips that you don't see here? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to check back often for more guides. Otherwise, check out our Sea of Thieves review. Sea of Thieves is the latest game from Rare, a studio best known for its work on classic games, like Donkey Kong Country, Banjo Kazooie, and Perfect Dark. It's a console exclusive on Xbox One, though digital copies enjoy Play Anywhere support, meaning you can play it on both Xbox One and PC. More notably, it's the first game to launch day and date through Xbox Game Pass. In other words, you don't actually have to purchase the game to play it--for as long as you're a Game Pass member, you'll be able to play. The game's launch has unfortunately been less than smooth for many people. Numerous launch issues have impacted the game, including those which prevent players from getting online to play and some that cause a delay before receiving rewards. Rare has acknowledged the problems on its website and says it's working to resolve them, but fixes may take some time.
Gather Supplies
When you first enter a session, your ship-of-choice is automatically stocked with a pre-set number of bananas, cannonballs, and planks. However, you won't have a lot. Before you leave the outpost you spawn in, you should check nearby barrels for more supplies, so you don't need to worry about running out as quickly. When you're cornered by an aggressive crew of pirates, you'll be glad to have the extra supplies.
Maneuvering Your Ship
It can be tricky maneuvering your ship at first; it requires some finesse and quick management of its various parts. If you ever need to turn your boat around, raise the anchor with the sails up and you can turn your ship without it moving forward. You can even do a 180 degree turn if you drop anchor. However, if you want to keep moving after performing a 180 degree turn, then raise the anchor immediately while the wheel is turned to one side.
Speedy Sails
On Galleons, if you have two people adjusting the sail length and direction, you can move around much quicker. You can also lower and turn sails much faster if you have two people adjusting the sails on each side of the boat at the same time.
You Can Check Your Map From Your Sloop's Top Deck
When manning the wheel of your sloop (the smaller ship in Sea of Thieves), you won't be able to simultaneously keep an eye on the map below deck. But rather than head downstairs when you need to judge your trajectory, you can let go of the wheel, turn around, and look over the rear side of the balcony for a glimpse of the map; this especially useful when sailing solo.
How To Dodge
You wouldn't think it, but there's actually a dodge maneuver in the game. If you jump while blocking, you'll dodge in the direction you're holding. This is a handy way to swiftly get out of the way of an incoming enemy attack.
Be Wary Of Enemy Crews During Raids
Be careful when engaging with other crews during a Raid, as it can be difficult to manage the fight with both skeletons and other pirates. As a rule of thumb, it's good to park the boat with cannons facing the island you're raiding on, just so someone can rain cannon fire upon any unsuspecting foes.
Aim For The Mast When Cannonballing To Other Ships
One of the coolest things you can do in Sea of Thieves is launch yourself out of cannon; it can be a handy way to reach far off locations or even an enemy's boat. If you're raring to do the latter, aim for the mast. If you hit it properly, you should drop straight down to the deck.
Take Advantage Of Explosives
Explosive barrels are useful tools found throughout the world, and knowing how to use them can give you an advantage during an otherwise overwhelming fight. You can place them on the ground and blow up groups of skeletons by kiting them near the barrel and firing a well-aimed shot. You can drop them in the water and strike them with a cannon blast as an enemy ship passes by. They are powerful, so be careful; it's easy to hurt yourself if you handle them carelessly.
Swimming 101: The Charge Attack Boost
If you climb onto the top of your ship and do a charged attack (by holding down the attack button), the momentum of the ensuing lunge will launch you straight into the water and give you a boost that covers a large distance. It's a simple technique, but it can help you get to dry land quicker than simply diving into the water and swimming normally.
By Array on Mar 30, 2018 01:09 am
While Far Cry 5 remains loyal to the series' most well-established tenets, it manages to make some big changes to exploration, progression, and combat. When you first start the game, some of these new elements may seem disorienting--a pleasant surprise for more hardcore fans of the series. To help clear the initial confusion, we've gathered nine essential tips on how to best play Far Cry 5. Got any tips that you don't see here? Let us know in the comments below. If you're looking for a beginners tips-focused guide, you can watch our video guide discussing general starter tips to follow. But if you are more interested in Far Cry 5's Arcade Mode, then watch us discuss how to use it in our guide video. Otherwise, check out our feature detailing the game's most intriguing Easter eggs. Far Cry 5 is out now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Be sure to read our Far Cry 5 review for our full thoughts about the game. In other news, Ubisoft recently announced Far Cry 5's Season Pass, which takes you to settings like Mars and the Vietnam War. We also recently learned more about the game's microtransactions and the game's single-player campaign playtime.
If You Explore the World, More Activities Will Open Up
A lot has changed since the days of Far Cry 3 and 4, when you climbed towers in order to populate the map with dozens of activity icons and collectibles. In Far Cry 5, you now discover everything by simply exploring. In addition, the 3D map is now detailed enough that you can clearly see major landmarks and locations, which makes it easy to identify and mark new areas to explore. And as you're traveling, keep an eye out. Road signs reveal hunting spots, maps found inside building mark nearby buildings for you, and magazines tell you about fishing and hunting areas. If you talk to nonplayer characters, they'll tell you about nearby missions, outposts, and prepper stashes. Far Cry 5 is game that wants you to live in its world--so make sure to explore every interesting landmark or curious detail. You never know what you'll find!
Complete the Side Missions for Special Unlockables
Far Cry 5 ditches the repetitive, activity-based open-world structure of previous Far Cry games. For the first time in the series' history, Far Cry 5 brings in actual side missions, each with their own unique dialogue, narrative arcs, and gameplay. From simple missions like saving people from drugged up bears, to letting cows have sex to Marvin Gaye music so you can chop off their testicles for the annual Testicle Festival (yeah, that's a real thing in this game), you'll find plenty of mini-adventures to embark on. If you ever stumble upon any side missions, make sure to complete them, as you can also get some pretty sweet rewards -- like new weapons or beefed-up vehicles with guns attached to them that you can't normally find anywhere in the world.
Get the Weapon Slot Skill Upgrades ASAP
As in past games in the series, you want to prioritize expanding the number of weapons you can carry as soon as possible. These upgrades are acquired via the game's skill tree, as opposed to the crafting system. The sooner you can unlock these skills, the sooner you can start wreaking havoc with a more diverse set of weaponry.
Get the Lockpick and Repair Torch Perks
Far Cry 5 has plenty of locked doors and safes for you to open. Most times, you can find a key or combination hidden nearby, or blow a safe open with explosives. But if you want to avoid the trouble, try investing in both the Lockpick and Repair Torch skills. Both are handy for accessing hidden stashes containing weapons, ammo, or money. Heck, you can even use the Repair Torch to repair broken-down vehicles.
Make Money Quickly by Hunting or Uncovering Prepper Stashes
Money doesn't naturally accumulate as quickly as it does in previous Far Cry games, but you can still make a lot of money if you know what to focus on. A go-to method is hunting and skinning animals. No longer are skins used to craft things like a new wallet; instead, you sell them for direct profit. If you kill an animal with arrows or melee attacks, you'll obtain double the skins that you normally would by killing it with a gun. And when used in conjunction with the Harvest Master perk (which doubles your rewards from animals), $200 worth of feathers becomes $400, and $450 worth of cougar skins nets you $900. This comes highly recommended if you're going to resort to hunting as your main source of money-making. Aside from hunting, you should also keep an eye out for safes, which are usually inside buildings. With the Repair Torch or Locksmith perk, you can easily open them to access their valuables... but in a pinch, placing an explosive on them will also do the trick. The final method is Prepper Stashes, which are side missions that task you to solve some light environmental puzzles in exchange for a pile of loot. Whether it's by swimming across a river, shooting the lock off a door from afar, or navigating a barn full of beehives, your reward is a stack of cash, a couple of magazines that give you free Perk Points, and other goodies like new weapons. We highly recommend pursuing Prepper Stashes; not only are the rewards well worth it, but they're some of the best missions in the game.
Keep an Eye on Your Vehicle's Health
It's difficult to tell how much damage a vehicle can take before it's completely undrivable. A plane or truck is liable to go up in flames after a few bumps, so be prepared to abandon the driver's seat at a moment's notice. And if you can bail in time to launch your vehicle straight at an encampment of enemies, all the better. If keeping track of a vehicle's health is too much trouble, you can take a perk that allows you to make vehicles auto-repair as you drive. Otherwise, you'll have to resort to the Repair Torch perk for repairs.
Mark Enemies and Place Waypoints with Your Binoculars
Situational awareness is essential to your navigation through the hostile territory of Hope County. The binoculars are a useful tool, as you can use them to tag enemies, animals, and even notable interactables in the environment. If you're ever uncertain about what you can use in your immediate area to benefit your approach, your binoculars can shed light on the possibilities. You can also use them to place a waypoint onto a location in the distance--it's similar to placing beacons or stamps in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Take Advantage of Specialists
Expanding upon the buddy system from Far Cry 2, Far Cry 5 features a robust cast of Specialists, which are AI-controlled allies that you can call in for combat assistance. You'll find nine Specialists throughout Hope County; to unlock them, you need to complete their associated story missions. All of their missions are marked on the map from the beginning of the game, so it's relatively easy to find them. Each Specialist has two abilities associated with them. For example, Boomer the dog can tag all nearby enemies and fetch their weapons for you, making him a both a useful scout and a very good boy. The Specialists all sport a variety of skills, so pick the ones who best support your playstyle. And if you acquire the the Leadership perk, you can have up to two Specialists following you at any given time. Lastly, each Specialist has their own perk that decreases their cooldown time, so be sure to upgrade your favorites.
Utilize Guns for Hire
Outside of the Specialists, you have three slots that you can fill up with Guns for Hire, which are civilians that you can save and hire. Like Specialists, they have two abilities; however, these can only be unlocked by increasing their kill count as they fight alongside you. It's also important to note that the abilities they receive are random, so if you end up not liking what they earn, you can always dismiss them and hire someone new.
By Gajan Kulasingham on Mar 30, 2018 12:47 am
WonderCon is always home to amazing cosplay where fans dress up as their favorite characters from both video game and entertainment properties. And 2018's iteration of the event was no exception. We attended the recent event, which ran March 23-25 in Anaheim, CA. We saw people dressed up as everyone from Spider-Man to X-Men's Colossus to Captain America to Overwatch's Reaper and so many more. Above, we've rounded up many of the best cosplayers we saw over the weekend; be sure to let us know in the comments below which ones were your favorites. And for more amazing cosplay, check out the outfits we saw at New York Comic-Con and BlizzCon. WonderCon is an annual fan convention that celebrates all things comics, movies, and sci-fi. It's been going on for more than 30 years, and we already know it'll be back in 2019. Next year's event will again be held at the Anaheim Convention Center, where it'll run from March 29-31.
@erickloosterman
Bucky - @nathonegiordano ; Spider-Man - @captain.novastar
@mohawkmetalhead
Venom - @comicjohn ; Drax - @biglerfitness ; Colossus - @zipenstien
Jason Biser (biserbuilds)
LoPan - @bananasteve.cosplay ; @paneltopanelpodcast
Reaper - @the_cosplay_knight
Bucky - @stephenvandoom ; Captain America - @captaincosplay
Bombshell Superman - @supermanthony ; Death - @jenasiscosplay ; Bombshell Batwoman - @brookeemelia ; Bombshell Supergirl - @barelynormalfay ; Bombshell Wonder Woman - @pretendprincess ; Bombshell Canary - @theroguesiren
Tsunade - @riotswimbananas
Beast - @damjerry ; Bellepool - @missybeedoesthings
Ciri - @ashm0nstertv
Reno - @possiblei_ ; Vincent - @roc_cosplay ; Yuffie - @justagh0stgirlcosplay ; Tifa - @stephstonecos ; Cloud - @lorentz_iwood
Gladiator She-Hulk - @bbbfineart ; Hela - @nekomuneca
Link - @leonhartcosplay ; Zelda - @tokiaii
Wonder Woman - @msbernadetteb
Chuckie - @without_a_doubt_me
@kaboomalala ; Karolina - @echoscosplay ; Spider-Woman - @jgjenna12
Dumbledore - @starburnercouriers
Jon Snow - @con.snow
Flora - @grannythegrey ; Merryweather - @lollypop588 ; Fauna - @airie86_books
Black Panther - @assassinforte
Jet Girl - @little_ewok ; Tank Girl - @nicholafynn
Joker - @johnniereno
Kira - @smashingleigh ; Han Solo - @bryanmortonart
Night King - @housestarkramsey
Weeping Angel - @zebraangelcosplay
Pharah - @france_scah
@petersenparker ; @jimperial_march
Mercy - @jinxed_techniques
Blankman - @yearofthevet ; Storm - @notoriousarp
Cuphead - @ghoulcosplay, @kiwi_cosplay
Katamari - @mobilesuit101
Alien - @alienmatt
Thirteenth Doctor - @abbytoir
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