By Michael Rougeau on May 26, 2018 09:30 pm
Solo: A Star Wars Story spoilers ahead!
Solo: A Star Wars Story tells the tale of famed space scoundrel Han Solo--and we mean the whole story. This movie covers how Han met Chewie, how he met Lando, how he won the Millennium Falcon, how he completed the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs, where he got his iconic blaster, and even how he got his name. If that sounds like a lot of origin to cram into one movie, it's because it is. But those aren't the only Star Wars references in Solo--not by a long shot. In fact, Solo doubtless features more Star Wars Easter eggs, references, inside jokes, and callbacks than we could possibly spot ourselves. There's even one that Dryden Vos actor Paul Bettany was sworn to secrecy over--and we still have no idea what he's referring to. That said, we did our best. Here's every Star Wars Easter egg and reference in Solo we've spotted so far. What's your favorite? Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below. And don't miss our other Solo coverage, including our history of the Millennium Falcon, where Solo takes place in the Star Wars timeline, whether C-3PO gets his usual cameo, and everything you need to know about the Star Wars card game sabacc. And since you're not worried about spoilers, we even have a rundown of Solo's most shocking cameo.
1. The Golden Dice
Han's golden dice were featured prominently hanging in the Millennium Falcon in the more recent Star Wars movies, and they were even present in the originals, though they were less of a focus. The Force Awakens Visual Dictionary originally stated that Han used the dice in the game of sabacc that won him the Falcon, but Solo revealed that he had the dice on a chain as a lucky charm even earlier than that.
2. The Imperial March
The famous Imperial March song is heard at the recruitment center on Corellia. It's a fun meta joke that shows the song was actually used by the Empire for propaganda purposes.
3. "So Low"
Did you think "Solo" was Han's natural last name? A fair assumption, maybe, but it turns out he actually got his name from an Empire recruiter on Corellia.
4. Chewie's Bandolier
Chewbacca gets his signature ammo bandolier in Solo, then apparently wears it for the rest of his life, for some reason.
5. Chewie's name
Han notes in Solo that "Chewbacca" is a mouthful, although it appears to be Woody Harrelson's character, Tobias Beckett, who actually gives the Wookie his famed nickname.
6. What's Old Is New
It's a small design touch, but the few non-hologram screens we see in Solo are what we today would consider "old." Like Rogue One, Solo keeps up the design from the original Star Wars movies, despite technology having advanced in the real world since then.
7. The VCX-100
The fictional ship that Han mentions in his first sabacc game with Lando (fictional in the sense that he doesn't have it) is a VCX-100 model. Fans will know of another famous VCX-100: the Ghost from Star Wars Rebels.
8. Teräs Käsi
Emilia Clarke's character, Qi'ra, is a formidable fighter thanks to her knowledge of the "Teräs Käsi" fighting style. Teräs Käsi has been mentioned in Star Wars before, most notably in the title of the 1997 PlayStation game Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi.
9. Bossk
Thandie Newton's character, Val, mentions a few other bounty hunters early in Solo. One is Bossk, a Trandoshan bounty hunter who's popped up in Star Wars before, including in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
10. Zan Sisters
Val also mentions "the Zan sisters," which is likely a reference to Zan and Zu Pike, twin sisters and masters of the Teräs Käsi fighting style who first appeared in the 1996 novel Shadows of the Empire.
11. "Han," Like "Pan"
When Han finally meets Lando, actor Donald Glover pronounces "Han" just like Billy D. Williams, the original Lando, did back in the day: like "pan." Han initially corrects him, but quickly lets it go, which apparently leads to Lando pronouncing his name wrong for the rest of their lives.
12. "I Know"
The moment when Han replies "I know" to Lando's "I hate you" is a reference to the famous scene in Empire Strikes Back when Han replies the same to Leia's "I love you."
13. Wizard Chess
We learn in Solo that the Millennium Falcon's Dejarik board was already installed by the time Han won the ship from Lando. In Star Wars, Dejarik is a popular two-player game in which teams of holographic creatures battled each other on a circular board.
14. That's Not C-3PO
C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels has appeared as the iconic golden droid in every live action Star Wars movie--until now. However, Daniels does have a cameo in Solo--just not as C-3PO. You can spot him during the droid rebellion on Kessel.
15. Recognize That Blaster?
Han gets his iconic blaster from Tobias Beckett, then apparently never upgrades to a less cobbled together gun for the rest of his life.
16. Who Killed Aurra Sing?
It's mentioned in Solo that Tobias Beckett infamously killed Aurra Sing, a character who first appeared in the background in Phantom Menace.
17. Warwick's Returning Character
Actor Warwick Davis has appeared previously in Return of the Jedi, The Phantom Menace, The Force Awakens, Rogue One, The Last Jedi, and Star Wars Rebels. But we rarely see his face, as he often portrays an alien or droid. Solo, in which Davis plays the "pirate" Weazel, is one of the only exceptions--and it's even more notable because Davis played the same minor character in The Phantom Menace. He even gets a line in Solo.
18. The Gangster On Tatooine
The Tatooine gangster Tobias Beckett refers to toward the end of Solo is no doubt none other than Jabba the Hutt, who Han will go on to work for, and, later, owe money to.
19. A Good Bad Feeling
The line "I've got a bad feeling about this" is uttered in most Star Wars movies (all if you count droid speak). Solo plays with the line a bit when Han says, "I have a good feeling about this," before flying into the storm.
20. She's In The Ship
L3's melding with the Millennium Falcon may seem strange at first--does anyone remember the Falcon having an onboard AI? But it's actually a reference to a C-3PO line in Empire Strikes Back: "Sir, I don't know where your ship learned to communicate, but it has the most peculiar dialect," the protocol droid says. L3's marriage with the ship explains that quite neatly. If that wasn't enough, the scene in Solo is punctuated by what we know to be the classic Falcon start-up noise, implying L3 herself may be the source of the iconic sound effect.
21. The Rebellion Begins
Han Solo may be a scoundrel, but he ultimately makes the right choice and hands the goods over to the "pirates" who've been hounding him throughout the movie. It's implied that these fighters form the seed of what will eventually become the Rebellion, indicating that Han was helping them from the very beginning, whether he intended to or not.
22. Han Shot First
The scene in which Han shoots Tobias Beckett is a direct reference to the scene George Lucas changed in A New Hope. In the original version, Han shot Greedo, but Lucas later altered it so that Greedo takes a shot at him. In Solo, we learn that Han really is the type of person who shoots first.
23. Benthic Two Tubes
As Reddit users pointed out, the extremely minor character Benthic Two Tubes from Rogue One appears in Solo, although he's simply named "Tubes" here.
24. The Kessel Run
The Kessel Run Han and the rest of Solo's characters heroically pull off was, of course, first mentioned in A New Hope. In Solo, we finally got to find out exactly what it is.
25. Holy S*** It's Darth Maul
The leader of Crimson Dawn turns out to be none other than Darth Maul, and if you're confused about that, don't worry--we got you covered.
26. Welcome To Dathomir
At the end of the movie, Maul tells Qi'ra to join him on Dathomir, a planet that's popped up multiple times throughout Star Wars history. The planet has a strong association with the dark side, implying Qi'ra is going full evil should we ever see her again.
27. Fair And Square
At the very end of the movie, Han points out to Lando that he won their sabacc rematch "fair and square," a reference to Lando's earlier cheating. It's also a reference to the original trilogy scene between Han and Lando, where Han once again uses the phrase.
By Dan Auty on May 26, 2018 01:46 pm
Movie sequels are rarely better than the original films, and this is especially true of the horror genre. Horror thrives on sequels, prequels, reboots, and remakes--it's not unusual for a popular franchise to reach double figures, with the basic formula endlessly recycled for maximum profit--but with increasingly unimpressive results. However, there are a handful of horror movies that actually improve on the first films. Some of these were made by the same filmmakers, who used increased budgets to perfect their vision. Others were handed to new directors, who brought fresh, inventive visions to popular formulas. And then there were the accidents--cash-in, knock-off sequels that by some movie magic actually emerged as superior films. So here are the 13 of the best horror sequels, movies that managed to improve on (for the most part) already impressive films to emerge as all-time classics.
13. Maniac Cop 2 (1990)
The first Maniac Cop was an engagingly grimy mix of slasher movie and cop thriller about psychotic undead police officer Matt Cordell causing all sorts of murderous mayhem on the streets on New York. The second movie saw director William Lustig return with a bigger budget, which he made the most of in this slam-bang sequel that far surpasses the original. It's as much an action movie as a horror flick, showcasing a series of increasingly wild stunts as Cordell continues his reign of terror. There's a particularly hair-raising car chase through the streets of NYC, in which an unfortunate woman is handcuffed to the outside of an out-of-control vehicle, plus an amazing final sequence where Cordell fights his way through a prison while on fire. It's also got a great cast of genre faces, including Evil Dead's Bruce Campbell, and a typically sharp script from horror veteran Larry Cohen (It's Alive, Q: The Winged Serpent).
12. Amityville II: The Possession (1982)
Based on the best-selling novel, The Amityville Horror was one of the most successful horror movies of the late 1970s. But unlike many classics of the era, it really hasn't held up very well--it's dated, slow, and distinctly low on scares. The follow-up is another matter however. Like pretty much every Amityville sequel that has followed (and there have been a lot), it has very little to do with the first movie, instead just using the title and haunted house concept. It's written by John Carpenter collaborator Tommy Lee Wallace and directed by Italian filmmaker Damiano Damiani, with Rocky's Burt Young starring as an abusive father whose family becomes the target of evil possession. Amityville II is a genuinely weird and disturbing film, with a variety of intense, gory, and taboo-breaking scenes that had to be cut for its original release and still pack a punch today.
11. V/H/S 2 (2013)
The V/H/S films are a series of found-footage anthology movies that use the concept of VHS tapes to tell a series of dark, scary tales from some of the genre's hottest young filmmakers. The first one was a mixed bag, and while V/H/S 2 still has its weaker sections, the quality is generally higher. The absolute standout is Safe Haven, directed by Timo Tjahjanto and Gareth Evans, who also helmed the acclaimed action movie The Raid and its sequel. This 20-minute masterclass in terror is about a documentary team who infiltrate an Indonesian cult; it starts sinister and goes absolutely insane, with some jaw-dropping, shocking imagery that lingers in the mind long after the end. The other segments are pretty good, but that part alone makes V/H/S 2 a must-see.
10. The Devil's Rejects (1985)
Rob Zombie was already a popular musician when he made his debut movie, 2003's House of a 1000 Corpses. The film was a big hit and there was no looking back for Zombie, who has gone on to make some of the darkest, most brutal films over the last 15 years. The Devil's Rejects was the sequel to 1000 Corpses, and it remains his best film. While that first movie was a ultra-stylised gorefest heavily influenced by Zombie's music videos, The Devil's Rejects has a '70s grindhouse aesthetic, taking influence from such classics as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes. This tale of a trio of depraved killers causing mayhem on the backroads of Texas expertly blends dark humour and intense horror, and expectations are high for the third part of the series--titled 3 From Hell--which is due later this year.
9. REC 2 (2009)
The endless wave of found footage horror movies that followed in the decade after The Blair Witch Project produced many cheap, terrible films. But there were some highlights, and 2007's Spanish zombie thriller REC was one of the best. Two years later, directors Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza returned with an even better follow-up. It starts immediately after the end of the first movie and mostly focuses on a heavily armed special forces team who attempt to take control of a zombie-infected tenement building. It's a blisteringly exciting experience heavily influenced by video games, as we are thrown straight into the mayhem via the cameras worn by the soldiers. Two more movies followed, but neither matched the sheer verve and intensity of this one.
8. Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)
Mike Flanagan has emerged as one of the most talented young horror filmmakers of recent years, with movies such as Oculus and the recent Stephen King adaptation Gerald's Game to his name. In 2016, he was given the task of writing and directing a follow-up to the extremely average, but commercially successful, supernatural possession chiller Ouija. Not only was Ouija: Origin of Evil a better film, it's a genuinely great horror movie. It's a prequel set in the late '60s that works as both a family drama and a scary movie; the influences are obvious--The Changeling, The Exorcist--but Flanagan delivers the scary goods.
7. Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter (1984)
While the original Friday the 13th set the formula for the slasher franchise, it was the fourth movie that perfected it. It was originally intended to be the last movie in the series (hence the subtitle), and director Jospeh Zito brings a level of craft not really seen elsewhere in the series. The plot is standard stuff--Jason vs teens by a lake--but the suspense, characterisation, acting, and gory effects are of a surprisingly high level. Zito wisely keeps Jason off-screen for much of the film, and the movie is notable for early roles from Back to the Future's Crispin Glover and The Lost Boys' Corey Feldman.
6. Bride of Chucky (1998)
The 1988 killer doll hit Child's Play spawned two very average sequels, before seemingly grinding to a halt in the early '90s. When the series returned in 1998, it followed the huge success of self-referential horrors such as Scream, and this was the approach that Bride of Chucky took. The result was a hilarious, over-the-top horror comedy, in which foul-mouthed possessed killer doll Chucky and his bride Tiffany (wonderfully voiced by Brad Dourif and Jennifer Tilly) leave a trail of murder and mayhem as they travel in the possession of a pair of unsuspecting newlyweds. Hong Kong director Ronnie Yu and writer/creator Don Mancini completely revitalised the franchise with this delicious slice of horror lunacy.
5. Blade II (2002)
Guillermo Del Toro wasn't even the first choice to direct the sequel to 1998 superhero vampire hit Blade, but when original director Stephen Norrington turned Blade II down, producers sought out the rising Mexican filmmaker. Del Toro proved to be a perfect choice, his love of the genre and skill at creating a dark, fantastical imagery resulting in a film that exceeded the original, and took the this dark superhero tale into undeniable horror territory. Wesley Snipes proves again that the half-vampire Blade was the role he was born to play, and Del Toro directs a consistently inventive movie, filled with amazing action and a dazzling visual style.
4. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
The original 1931 film Frankenstein is one of the most important horror films ever made, and its influence on the genre can't be overstated. However, the sequel, made four years later, is even better. By introducing the concept of the monster's mate, director James Whale added an extra level of drama and emotion to this classic story, with Elsa Lanchester and Boris Karloff making one of the screen's strangest, most iconic couples. Bride of Frankenstein proved that the genre was more than just monsters and scares and is rightfully remembered as one of the all-time great sequels.
3. The Purge: Election Year (2016)
The Purge movies have a great concept--on one night a year, all crime is legal, enabling the citizens of the United States to get all their destructive, murderous urges out in one crazed, bloody evening. But while the first two films in the hugely successful series were fun, they didn't fully exploit the potential of the the concept. The Purge: Election Year really does though, mixing horror, action, and social satire in a hugely satisfying way. The fourth movie--The First Purge--is out in July, so let's hope they continue to get even better.
2. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
How you do follow one of the greatest and most influential horror movies of all time? Easy: you make another one. George Romero created the modern zombie movie with his 1968 classic Night of the Living Dead, and a decade later directed this masterpiece of modern horror. Dawn of the Dead is both a biting satire of modern consumerism and a gloriously entertaining mix of action and horror, with buckets of inventive gore courtesy of make-up effects genius Tom Savini. It's thrilling, scary, hilarious, and super-smart, and it remains one of the most-loved horror movies of all time.
1. Evil Dead II (1987)
The 1982 classic The Evil Dead was such a wild, intense, scary, funny ride that it was hard to see how director Sam Raimi could possibly top it with the sequel. Raimi wisely took a complete left-turn with Evil Dead II, essentially remaking the first movie as an insane comedy, keeping the basic plot, but lowering the scare level and ramping up the energy, laughs, and gore. Bruce Campbell's brilliant performance as the hapless Ash made him the beloved genre star he remains today, and Raimi's wild, inventive directing style paved the way for his huge Hollywood success a decade later with the Spider-Man movies. Evil Dead II is pretty much the most fun you could ever have watching a horror movie.
By Kallie Plagge on May 26, 2018 05:08 am
Best of the Best
It's been over four years since the launch of Xbox One, which means over four years of games! As such, it can be hard to decide what to play. From exclusives to the top multi-platform games to indies, there's a lot to choose from--and even though people joke that the Xbox One has no games, that's just not true! We've picked out the best Xbox One games so far. This includes many of the games that 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. It also includes Assassin's Creed: Origins, which was one of GameSpot's top Xbox One games of 2017 due to its performance on the Xbox One X. While there are plenty of new games, we haven't included the hundreds of backwards compatible games on Xbox One, which includes many original Xbox and Xbox 360 favorites. Xbox also has a subscription service called which lets you download and play a selection of over 100 games that varies slightly from month to month. 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
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 Kallie Plagge on May 26, 2018 05:07 am
Top Tier
PC gaming has been around for quite a while, but it only continues to improve as technology gets more advanced and as more and more great games come out. But because so many games do come out on PC (especially Steam) all the time, it can be hard to know what to play. To help you out, we went back a few years and rounded up the best PC-exclusive games. For this feature, we included some (but not all) of the PC games that received a score of 8 or higher on GameSpot, with priority going to games that were nominated for awards at the end of their release years. To narrow the scope further, we only picked games that released in 2013 or later--sorry, CS:GO. Many of the games that released during this period are some the best release on the platform. You can spend tons of hours in classic CRPG-style games or immerse yourself in more narrative-driven indie adventure games. Suffice to say it, there's plenty of high-quality options available to you. What PC games from 2013 onward do you love the most? Let us know in the comments below. And for more PC recommendations, be sure to check out our new show, Steam Punks, where we pick out a few hidden gems on Steam for you to try each week. You can also see our list of the biggest PC games to play in 2018 for more of what's to come.
Battletech -- 8/10
"Battletech is a game that selfishly takes its time to be meticulous in every respect, and pushing through the density and idiosyncrasies of its many, slow-moving parts can be tough. But if you have the will to decipher it, albeit, at a deliberate and punishingly plodding pace, you can find yourself completely engrossed in its kinetic clashes. Battletech's intricate components ultimately foster a fascinating wealth of nuanced systems that build a uniquely strenuous, detailed, and thoroughly rewarding tactical strategy game." [read the full review] -- Edmond Tran
Total War: Thrones of Britannia -- 8/10
"Thrones of Britannia is an exciting experience despite the cuts to integral components of the Total War series, such as city planning hinging on military needs, specific building customization, and expanded intrigue options. But this has given Creative Assembly room to focus on enhancing parts of the strategy experience that aren't quite as impenetrable to newcomers, and to allow the series to return to some of the beloved parts of previous historical games to balance out its newer, slimmer form. While there are minor issues with AI, and pacing suffers when you've comfortably gotten the upper hand, this is still a worthy and engaging contribution to the Total War stable that has successfully taken its cues from history's winners and losers alike." [read the full review] -- Ginny Woo
Far: Lone Sails -- 8/10
"Lone Sails is a transfixing, lovely experience, one that takes recurring indie game tropes and does something unique and fun with them. It's short enough that you could play through it in a single two or three-hour session, but it will likely stick with you for a long time. I can see myself going back in a few months just to revisit the ship, like checking in on an old friend." [read the full review] -- James O'Connor
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire -- 8/10
"Deadfire is dense, and it isn't a small game, easily dwarfing its predecessor in terms of scale. There's a lot to do, and it's easier than ever to get lost in the little stories you find, without following the arcs that the game has specially set out for you. Still, it's worth taking your time. The richness of Deadfire takes a while to appreciate, and like the brined sailors that call it home, you'll be left with an indelible attachment to these islands when you do finally step away." [read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
Frostpunk -- 9/10
"Frostpunk is among the best overall takes on the survival city builder to date. Its theming and consistency create a powerful narrative through line that binds your actions around the struggle to hold onto humanity in uncertain times. Hope is a qualified good, but you may not always be strong enough (or clever enough) to shelter that flame from the cold." [read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
Into the Breach -- 9/10
"There is so much strategic joy in seeing the potential destruction a swarm of giant monsters is about to unleash on a city, then quickly staging and executing elaborate counter maneuvers to ruin the party. Into The Breach's focus on foresight makes its turn-based encounters an action-packed, risk-free puzzle, and the remarkable diversity of playstyles afforded by unique units keeps each new run interesting. It's a pleasure to see what kind of life-threatening predicaments await for you to creatively resolve in every new turn, every new battle, and every new campaign. Into The Breach is a pristine and pragmatic tactical gem with dynamic conflicts that will inspire you to jump back in again, and again, and again." [read the full review] -- Edmond Tran, AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
Divinity: Original Sin II -- 10/10
"From lonely farmhouses through pitched battles with gods in far-flung dimensions, Divinity: Original Sin II is one of the most captivating role-playing games ever made. Its immaculately conceived and emotion-wrought fantasy world, topped by brilliant tactical combat, make it one of the finest games of the year thus far, and it has to be regarded as an instant classic in the pantheon of RPG greats." [read the full review] -- Brett Todd Note: Divinity: Original Sin II is coming to PS4 and Xbox One in August.
Total War: Warhammer II -- 9/10
"With Warhammer II, Total War doesn't reinvent anything so much as it iterates on the ideas that made the first so special. At its heart there's still the marriage of Total War's big-scale strategy and Warhammer's precise tactical play. But, through a thousand tiny tweaks, they've refined the experience into one of the most intriguing and exciting strategy games ever." [read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
The Red Strings Club -- 9/10
"From the game's opening piano chords, The Red String Club's futuristic exploration of themes regarding human emotion, strong writing, and exciting situations create an experience that is deeply gratifying. The cast of relatable, three-dimensional characters elevate the stakes of every bullet fired, secret divulged and cocktail poured. They are flawed and dangerous, but also convey admirable human characteristics that feel inspirational. The Red Strings Club is a tense adventure about a cast of characters that endanger themselves for goals that aren't necessarily guaranteed, a rewarding journey into the human soul, and a game that pushes the limits of what a point-and-click adventure can do." [read the full review] -- David Rayfield
Civilization VI -- 9/10
"Civ 6 has a few rough edges, but they're pushed far into the periphery by spectacular strategic depth and intricate interlocking nuances. Any frustrations I experienced were immediately eclipsed by my desire to continue playing. Just one more turn, every turn, forever." [read the full review] -- Scott Butterworth Note: Civilization VI's latest expansion, Rise and Fall, received an 8/10 on GameSpot and adds "several key features that both complement and change up the base game." You can read our full review for more.
Endless Space 2 -- 8/10
"4X space sims have long been known as the territory of the serious strategy gamer, but Amplitude has broken away from the pack here. Outstanding depth and tactical challenge have been preserved, although not at the expense of the strong storytelling needed to emphasize the sense of awe and wonder in galactic exploration that's always been a huge part of the genre's appeal. Amplitude has done a masterful job combining these two elements into a single game, where the quests and strategy and politics and economy are all tied into a whole much greater than the sum of its parts." [read the full review] -- Brett Todd
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III -- 8/10
"An odd chimera of its forebears, there's a lot in this fast-paced RTS that's a little bit off. Parts of the interface don't work sometimes, inter-match army management is half-baked, and the micromanagement needed to use the game's signature hero units effectively doesn't jibe with the extensive base-building you'll need to support them. But those problems fall away when you're in the heat of battle. Dawn of War III builds and maintains an organic tension that yields huge pay-offs, and there's nothing else quite like it." [read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
Hacknet - Labyrinths -- 8/10
"The feeling of playing Hacknet in a dark room with headphones on and being absorbed by its engrossing puzzles and soundtrack--full of heavy beats and filthy synth sounds--feels as close as you can get to the Hollywood hacker experience. The puzzles are uniquely challenging without feeling inaccessible, and the Labyrinths expansion takes the formula further by integrating deeper investigations and adding more puzzle variety. Despite the stumbling climax and steady learning curve, Hacknet - Labyrinths is one hell of a ride that leads you down the rabbit hole and back again." [read the full review] -- James Swinbanks
Orwell -- 8/10
"Orwell is a hard experience to pull back from, even as the dirtiness of your job sinks in. It uses simple mechanics to tell a complex and engaging story, one that feels particularly relevant right now. This is a game where your choices matter and resonate, and which will leave you with plenty to think about once it's over." [read the full review] -- James O'Connor
World of Warcraft: Legion -- 9/10
"With Legion, it's hard to remember when WoW's narrative and questing were ever this strong before. Time will tell if Blizzard will serve up a healthy dose of new content to keep the expansion and game alive (a la Mists or Lich King) or if it will suffer the fate of Warlords of Draenor, but right now (about a month after the expansion's release) Blizzard has proven it can still craft an MMO experience as well as--if not better--than anyone else." [read the full review] -- Don Saas
Quadrilateral Cowboy -- 9/10
"Quadrilateral Cowboy succeeds in astonishing ways: It makes you feel like an incredibly accomplished computer hacker and agent of espionage. It creates an eccentric, thorough world that feels good to exist in and creates characters you can empathise with, despite the lack of a clear plot thread. Quadrilateral Cowboy presents you with a spectrum of moments, and each moment makes you feel great." [read the full review] -- Edmond Tran, AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
Total War: Warhammer -- 9/10
"When you're in the middle of a siege and you're coordinating an assault with a friend, Total War: Warhammer approaches perfection. You'll be tested on all fronts and asked to manage complex battles with broad, nuanced outcomes. Every system and piece feeds into others, and your choices make all the difference. It's a triumph of real-time strategy design, and the best the Total War series has ever been." [read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
Offworld Trading Company -- 9/10
"It's a bit chilling to think that in Offworld you're playing out the same obsessive pursuit of capitalism that led to the fall of its finctional Earth--an event hinted at in tutorial dialogue--yet it's so recklessly entertaining and biting with its satire that I couldn't help but get lost. When combined with truly deep and intricate strategic options, Offworld is a revelation. It's almost unparalleled in the genre. Each and every game is thrilling. Every moment is a challenge. And the brutality of the free market ensures that you can never rest on your laurels, less you be quashed by the invisible hand." [read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
Devil Daggers -- 8/10
"Most of the time, Devil Daggers finds elegance in its simplicity. By stripping the pomp of many modern shooters, it reveals the complexity beneath, molding the fundamentals into something exhilarating, something always worth one more try." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak -- 9/10
"Homeworld was always about loneliness. It was always about clarity and focus. Kharak isn't new in that regard, but it is special. It shows us that when you get things right--and excel--that formula isn't easy to exhaust. Kharak does its part to add to that, though. Its use of voice acting and efficient visuals is a brilliant addition that's far from superficial. It helps narrow the scope of what you need to manage, so that it can load you up with as much as your brain can handle. It's a fast, daunting experience that's tough to shake, making Kharak as intoxicating as Homeworld has ever been." [read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
That Dragon, Cancer -- 9/10
"It's virtually impossible to not bring one's own biases into That Dragon, Cancer, because death and disease are universal. Just as it's impossible to quantify whether the exploration of those two heavy topics is worth the time and considerable emotional energy, it's impossible to truly quantify the immeasurable value of being able to not just forever present the best version of a person to the world, but being able to earn his presence in every way his parents did." [read the full review] -- Justin Clark
The Beginner's Guide -- 8/10
"The Beginner's Guide is an absorbing journey into the thoughts and processes involved during the creation of a video game. It succeeds in helping you understand and sympathize with game developers as artists and people. It equips you with important tools to perceive and think about both video games and other mediums in intelligent ways. It's a game that lives up to its namesake--it's the beginner's guide to the meaning of video games." [read the full review] -- Edmond Tran, AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
Her Story -- 8/10
"We have an intimate level of knowledge about this woman in the wake of her own personal tragedy, and the strength of Her Story as a narrative experience is that even as the right clips put the truth in sharp relief, your ability to uncover it is both satisfying and horrifying. This feat of intelligence and insight sticks with you long after the credits roll." [read the full review] -- Justin Clark
Interloper -- 8/10
"Interloper distills the core elements of every good RTS and adds a little extra to put it over the top. No matter if you love or loathe traditional real-time strategy, the deep tactics and puzzle solving crammed into a nicely condensed package here come highly recommended." [read the full review] -- Brett Todd
The Stanley Parable -- 9/10
"The Stanley Parable is both a richly stimulating commentary on the nature of choice in games (and in other systems, too, like our workplaces and our families) and a game that offers some of the most enjoyable, surprising, and rewarding choices I've ever been confronted with in a game. Going the wrong way has never felt so right." [read the full review] -- Carolyn Petit
Arma 3 -- 8/10
"ARMA III is a game with few modern counterparts. The influence of Operation Flashpoint isn't felt in many current games, even the modern OF, leaving the ARMA series to lead a charge accompanied by Red Orchestra, Iron Front, and too few others. With that uniqueness comes a dedicated community willing to overlook the flaws because they crave a kind of tension and large-scale teamwork unavailable anywhere else. You should consider joining that crowd. ARMA III is a beast. It occasionally flails and moans, but once you learn how to balance yourself upon it, it gives you a marvelous, turbulent, and memorable ride." [read the full review] -- Kevin VanOrd
Dota 2 -- 9/10
"The original Dota was an unexpectedly powerful blend of clashing genres and disparate elements that ended up taking over the world, and Valve's successor retains the original rules and characters while adding in a cheery free-to-play model and slick production values. The experience of playing Dota changes day by day--some evenings will be exhilarating, while others will kick your morale to the curb--but there are few games as worthy of your time investment as this. Those who choose to commit to Dota 2 will find many happy hours within this immaculate update." [read the full review] -- Martin Gaston
Antichamber -- 8.5/10
"There are moments in Antichamber that remain with you long after you've uncovered your last clue and solved your last puzzle. What has been created within its barren walls is supremely intelligent and wildly inventive, and Antichamber doesn't give up its ideals for the sake of accessibility. The few spells of frustration are fleeting and never compromise Antichamber's powerful achievements in design and style. 'Every journey is a series of choices,' you're told at the beginning of your adventure. You should choose to begin yours in Antichamber: it really is quite unlike anything else." [read the full review] -- Mark Walton
Recent Articles:
| 
No comments:
Post a Comment