The Last of Us Part II is one of the most highly anticipated games appearing at E3 2018. As one of the four major games Sony intends to focus on during its press conference, we're expecting to gain a lot of new insights and hopefully see a bunch of fresh gameplay. To prepare for what's ahead, let's breakdown what we already know about The Last of Us Part II, and what we're hoping to see at this year's E3.
What We Know So Far
After Naughty Dog wowed us with The Last of Us in 2013, many naturally yearned for a sequel. But given how conclusive the game's story felt, the chances of a new entry didn't seem likely. Some discussion had surfaced about the possibility of a follow-up, but Naughty Dog ultimately claimed it was focusing on the development of the Uncharted franchise.
So when Sony announced The Last of Us Part II at PSX 2016, fans went wild. The initial reveal trailer confirmed that both Joel and Ellie would be returning as the game's protagonists. According to co-director Neil Druckmann, the game's story will center around the theme of hate, which stands in stark contrast to the original's focus on love. In addition, you'll be playing as Ellie instead of Joel this time around.
A second trailer shown at Paris Games Week 2017 revealed four new characters: Yara, Lev, Emily, and an unnamed character played by actress Laura Bailey (Uncharted 4, Gears of War 4). Aside from what was shown in the trailer, we've heard little about the background of these characters. However, Druckmann has mentioned that they'll play key part in Joel and Ellie's next journey.
In terms of production, Druckmann will be co-directing the game alongside Anthony Newman (Uncharted 4 lead game designer) and Kurt Margenau (Uncharted: The Lost Legacy director). Actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson are both set to reprise their roles as Joel and Ellie. In addition, musician Gustavo Santaolalla is returning to compose the game's score.
What's Confirmed For E3?
Sony has confirmed that it'll discuss The Last of Us Part II in detail at its E3 2018 press conference. It's one of the four games the company had stated it'll be showcasing in-depth at this year's show.
What We Hope To See At E3
Though we've seen two trailers showcasing The Last of Us Part II's new visuals and darker story, the developers at Naughty Dog have avoided sharing too much about the game. At E3 2018, we'd love to see gameplay footage showcasing new combat and stealth mechanics, as well as general improvements over the original. Companion AI was a point of contention in the first game, so it would be great to see how that has been addressed.
Naughty Dog is going for a more darker tone with the The Last of Us Part II's narrative. We're hoping to see how this approach manifests itself in moment-to-moment gameplay. The second trailer drew criticism for its depiction of violence. Hopefully, the latest trailer will offer more context about the game's world and its current state of affairs--or at least something to address people's concerns about the grim direction it's taking.
In addition, we'd love more clarification on the general story and what you'll be doing as Ellie and Joel. Why is Ellie on a hate-fueled quest for revenge? Did Joel tell Ellie about what he did to bust her out of the hospital? We're certain that these questions won't be fully answered at the press conference, but we'd love to hear some more information concerning the aftermath of the original.
The Last of Us' story has often been the center of many people's memories of the game. However, people often forget that it also had a rather unique survival-focused multiplayer mode. We're hoping Naughty Dog confirms that the sequel will include this feature, as well as discuss new modes. With the recent boom in popularity over battle royale games, it would admittedly be interesting to see how that mode might work in a Last of Us multiplayer experience. After all, the game's premise and scavenging mechanics does seem to align with the genre's long-established tenets.
E3 2018 is approaching quickly, and ahead of the big event, BioWare continues to drop more teases for its mysterious new IP, Anthem. Following a cryptic tweet posted earlier this week, the studio has shared a new piece of key art for the game, as well as a brief clip that reveals when fans can expect to see its next trailer.
The clip, which you can watch below, was shared on Twitter. It only lasts for six seconds and doesn't provide a look at any gameplay, but it establishes the tone of the game. "There is something waiting for us beyond the wall..." the accompanying tweet reads, while the narrator of the clip says, "Something is out there... It wants to destroy us all."
The clip ends with with a tease for the game's next trailer, which will be shared on June 9--the day of publisher EA's big pre-E3 event, EA Play. The event is scheduled to begin at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET / 7 PM BST and will shed some more light on BioWare's enigmatic action-RPG, along with other major upcoming titles from EA, such as the recently revealed Battlefield V and this year's Madden game, Madden NFL 19.
In addition to the clip, BioWare shared new key art for Anthem, which you can see below. This follows recent activity on the game's Facebook and Twitter accounts, both of which have lain dormant since last year. Studio boss Casey Hudson also confirmed on Twitter that BioWare will talk more about the game during EA Play and even answer some fan questions live on stage.
Anthem was first announced during last year's E3 and was originally planned to launch for PS4, Xbox One, and PC in 2018; however, EA recently confirmed that the game is now slated to release on the aforementioned platforms in early 2019. The publisher didn't elaborate on why Anthem was pushed back into next year, but it asserted that this isn't actually a delay.
Despite being revealed nearly a year ago, we still know very little about Anthem. It's a Destiny-esque cooperative action game with a heavy emphasis on multiplayer, although BioWare says the game will still be playable solo. You can read more about the title in our roundup of what we know about Anthem and what we hope to learn about it at this year's E3.
Nintendo is famously stingy when it comes to sales and price drops on its first-party games. Until the company releases a Nintendo Selects edition of a game, you can generally expect to pay full price, regardless of how long ago it came out--especially digital versions. So it's nice to see Nintendo offering a pre-order bonus for Mario Tennis Aces, which is set to launch June 22.
If you buy the game on the Nintendo Switch Eshop between now and June 21, you'll get 300 bonus Gold Points, for a total of 600 Gold Points for the purchase. That's worth $6 in Eshop credit you can use on any future purchases.
Granted, this doesn't amount to a huge savings, especially compared to Amazon's 20 percent off game pre-orders with Prime. It's also limited because you have to spend it on future Eshop orders instead of getting an immediate discount. But seeing as this is an unreleased digital Nintendo game, it's surprising to see.
If you're on the fence about pre-ordering Mario Tennis Aces, you can download the beta client from the Eshop now. The beta is limited to a "Pre-Launch Online Tournament" that runs between June 1-3. When you start, it will only feature four playable characters: Mario, Peach, Yoshi, and Bowser. If you play well enough, you'll be able to unlock five additional characters. You'll also be able to unlock a free bonus costume in the full game by participating in the beta. As for the specific times the beta is live, see below.
Amazon and Twitch Prime members can now download their free games for June 2018. To collect your freebies, just click the crown-shaped Prime Loot icon next to the search bar on Twitch. That opens a drop-down menu containing your free games, of which there are a total of five this month.
Kicking off the freebies is Strafe, a gory first-person shooter that wouldn't look out of place in 1996. It's a fast-paced roguelike-inspired game with procedurally generated levels and tons of blood-spilling weapons. Next up are The Banner Saga and The Banner Saga 2, tactical RPGs about a Viking caravan trekking through a world inspired by Norse mythology. The many decisions you'll have to make will determine your success or failure.
Also included is Tumblestone, a puzzle game you can play alone or with friends that involves clearing out columns of colorful blocks. Last up is Treadnauts, a side-scrolling arena battle game in which you and some buddies control nimble tanks trying to blow each other up.
Twitch Prime is a perk for members of Amazon Prime. All you have to do to sign up is link your Amazon Prime account to your Twitch account. Once you do, you can download all five games for no cost between May 31 - July 1. They're yours to keep forever, even if you cancel Amazon Prime down the line. The only catch is that you need the Twitch desktop app to install them.
Other Twitch Prime benefits include free monthly in-game loot for popular games like Fortnite and Heroes of the Storm, ad-free viewing on Twitch, and a channel subscription every 30 days.
By Anonymous on Jun 01, 2018 11:33 pm Join Ben and Jean Luc as they check out the closed beta for the Crew 2 which allows you to drive a car, ride a motorcycle, fly a plane, and steer a boat.
It's June, and that can only mean one thing: a new set of games is now free for Xbox Live Gold subscribers. Two of June's games are available now for Xbox One and Xbox 360, with the next two coming in the middle of the month.
For Xbox One, Gold members can download Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia, the final standalone entry in the side-scrolling sub-series. On the Xbox 360 side of the equation, subscribers can now download Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, a kart racer starring Sonic and friends, who pilot vehicles that can change from kart to boat to plane. Thanks to backwards compatibility, Xbox One owners can also play it on their current-gen systems.
Two other freebies will become available in the middle of the month. On June 16, Xbox One owners will be able to grab the Smite Gold Bundle, a package that normally costs $100 and includes gods, skins, and other extra content for the free-to-play game. The Xbox 360 game going free for Gold members June 16 is Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues. It will also be backwards compatible with Xbox One.
You can see the full list of June's free Games with Gold below. They'll be replaced with a new lineup of freebies on July 1.
June 2018 Games With Gold
Xbox One
Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia -- June 1 - 30
Smite Gold Bundle -- June 16 - July 15
Xbox 360
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed -- June 1 - 15
Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues -- June 16 - 30
UPDATE: Jason Momoa has now released a statement about his departure from the remake of The Crow. Posting on Instagram, he said, "I've waited 8 years to play this dream role. I love you @corinhardy and @sonypictures unfortunately I may have to wait 8 more. Not our team. But I swear I will. James O'Barr sorry to let you down I won't on the next. This film needs to be set free. And to the fans. Sorry. I can't play anything but what this film deserves and it needs love. I'm ready when it's right." The original story follows.
The long-awaited reboot of the classic '90s movie The Crow has stalled once again. The film was only a few weeks away from the start of production in Budapest, with Aquaman actor Jason Momoa set to star as the iconic comic book character. However, it has now been reported that both Momoa and director Corin Hardy have left the project over creative and financial issues.
According to Deadline, Momoa and Hardy quit following disagreements between Davis Films, the company which owns the rights to the property, and Sony Pictures, which was set to distribute it. Sony came on board back in September, but Deadline states that the deal between the two companies was never finalized. With Davis Films boss Samuel Hadida reportedly unable to close the deal, Sony was preparing to leave the project, leading to the departure of Momoa and Hardy.
This is just the latest in a long line of delays and problems for the Crow reboot. The movie was first set to start shooting in 2015, but original rights holders Relativity Media went bankrupt before this could happen. Another attempt to make it followed, but that also stalled, and Davis Films acquired the rights in 2016.
Hardy and Momoa had been attached to the project for several years, and earlier this year a release date of March 2019 was officially announced, leading many to believe that the movie might finally happen. However, with the film now lacking a star, director, and distributor, it is unclear what the cinematic future of The Crow is.
The Crow first appeared on the screen in 1994, and was adapted from James O'Barr's comic book. The film was a critical and financial hit, but it was overshadowed by the accidental death of star Brandon Lee on set. Three critically panned sequels followed--The Crow: City of Angels, The Crow: Salvation, and The Crow: Wicked Prayer.
By Anonymous on Jun 01, 2018 10:37 pm This week, Joey and Jean-Luc attempt to de-master Dark Souls Remastered, and turn the most hideous of monsters into even greater terrors.
In many ways, the first season of Marvel's Luke Cage was about the rift between cousins Cottonmouth Stokes and Mariah Dillard. Now, in Season 2 of the Netflix series, Mariah stands in that spotlight alone and, in doing so, has become the show's most exciting character.
Played masterfully by Alfre Woodard, Mariah is walking the line between good and evil--Dillard and Stokes--throughout Season 2. In many ways, she's a hero to Harlem just like the titular Luke Cage. They both believe they are fighting to save their neighborhood. Of course, their methods are very different. While Luke is constantly trying to live within a moral code, Mariah doesn't mind playing dirty to achieve her goals. For Woodard, getting to further explore this side of Mariah is what excites her so much about Season 2.
"One of the fun things about being an actor is you get to behave in a lot of different ways," she says during a group interview. "And, especially as a woman, especially as a southern woman, from the time you're three years old, everybody says to you, 'Be nice. Be nice.' They never say that to the guys, they can be whatever they want to... I think women actors like to be, you know, not compliant. They like to do what they feel like doing. Sometimes [it's] not legal, sometimes it is. But I really liked finding a woman that answered to her conscience the way a man has always had liberty to do."
And that's certainly how she answers it. Without giving anything away, Season 2 is as violent and brutal as the first year of Luke Cage, and some of that blood falls right at the feet of Dillard.
"Alfre, in some ways, when you get deeper into the season, will prove to be the biggest bad," creator Cheo Hodari Coker explains during a group interview. "You can't really say that Bushmaster or Mariah Dillard is a bigger bad because they both do some pretty heinous things."
In Mariah's own mind, though, what she's doing doesn't make her the villain of the story. "She's a hero," Woodard says. "She doesn't have superpowers, but she has super tenacity. And she is a hero."
Adds Coker, "What I will say is that all of our villains have dimension. The one thing that [head of Marvel Television] Jeph Loeb always says is that the villain's story should be a hero's story from the villain's perspective." Together, he and Woodard have crafted that journey for Mariah in Season 2, even getting to a point where she may outshine Luke Cage himself.
"Alfre's portrayal of Mariah Dillard is as a woman that's conflicted on a moral level, but not paralyzed," Coker teases. "She evolves, she reacts to things. There are very good reasons why she feels the way that she feels."
That doesn't mean she won't pay the price for her actions, though. "When she makes a decision, when she turns a corner, that corner's turned," he explains. "She turns corners here, in the season, that are gonna be very hard for her to turn back from."
What it will all come down to is how the character sees her true identity--which is one of the core stories of Season 2. "The thing is, in terms of Mariah, is that she can be strong for Harlem, but still be at war with herself as to, is she a Dillard or is she a Stokes?" Coker says. "It's that split and her trying to figure that out that becomes the crux of the season. When she finally embraces one or the other."
While he won't reveal what side of the line she'll fall on, Coker warns, "When you see her make her decision as to whether or not she's a Stokes or a Dillard, it sticks. It's a culminating moment; honestly, one of my favorite in all 26 episodes that we've filmed thus far."
You'll be able to see for yourself exactly what Coker is talking about when Season 2 of Luke Cage premieres June 29 on Netflix.
By Anonymous on Jun 01, 2018 10:35 pm The battle royale game is already out on PC, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and iOS, but it was just rated for Switch in Korea, while Assassin's Creed Odyssey got confirmed for E3.
By Anonymous on Jun 01, 2018 10:30 pm In this first of a five-part series, we talk to Blizzard about why esports matter, and how Overwatch League could jumpstart an esports revolution.
Epic has kicked off a new contest in Fortnite: Battle Royale on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and mobile. On top of the two limited-time modes going on now in Battle Royale, players can participate in the game's second competition: Blitz Showdown.
Like the Solo Showdown contest that was held last month, Blitz Showdown is a limited-time competition against other self-selected participants. This time, however, players compete in Blitz matches, meaning each one will be much faster-paced than before. "Circles will be faster, combat more rapid, and eliminations now factor into the final scores," Epic says.
In Blitz Showdown, players vie to earn a spot in the standings; those who rack up a high enough score by the end of the contest will earn a sizable prize of V-Bucks, Fortnite's in-game currency. You must play at least 25 matches in order to be eligible for one of the prizes, and your ranking will be determined by your placements in each match.
The top 100 players in each server region will take home a prize. The player who comes in first will receive 20,000 V-Bucks. Those who come in second through fifth will get 13,500 V-Bucks, while the remaining players within the top 100 will receive 7,500 V-Bucks. You can read the rules for the Blitz Showdown contest on the official Fortnite website.
Blitz Showdown runs from now until 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET / 3 PM BST on June 4. Epic will track the standings for each region throughout the competition on its blog. The developer also teases Showdown competitions will become a regular fixture of Battle Royale. "We'll be exploring different Showdown formats on a regular basis in the future," Epic said.
In addition to the Showdown, players can still participate in squads matches of Blitz v2, as well as the returning Teams of 20 limited-time mode. As its name implies, the latter divides players up into five teams of 20, with the objective being to be the last team remaining. For this iteration of the mode, each time flies in on their own battle bus, and Chests and Supply Drops also spawn extra consumables and ammo.
Start summer the right way: By staying inside and soaking up the air conditioning while you binge the month of June away on Netflix. It's officially June, and the streaming service isn't playing around with its new offerings for the month, serving up a number of TV shows, movies, and originals that should keep you very entertained.
The most notable arrival of the month is the second season of Marvel's Luke Cage. Set in the aftermath of Defenders, the new season of Luke Cage follows the titular superhero (Mike Coulter) as he comes to terms with his newfound celebrity, while also facing off against a foe who can bring the pain in Bushmaster (Mustafa Shakir).
Other originals popping up on the service in June are new seasons of Hyori's Bed & Breakfast, Marcella, The Ranch, and the series finale of Sense8. Additionally, the latest seasons of The CW shows iZombie, Supergirl, and Life Sentence will arrive the week after their finales.
It's not all good news, though. Among the titles departing Netflix in June are Captain America: Civil War, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, all six seasons of Baby Daddy, and Men in Black.
You can take a look at everything coming and going from Netflix in June below.
Arriving on Netflix in June
June 1
Assassination Games
Blue Jasmine
Busted! (Netflix Original)
Disney's 101 Dalmatians
George Balanchine's The Nutcracker
He Named Me Malala
Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth
Just Friends
Miracle
National Treasure
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
November 13: Attack on Paris (Netflix Original)
Outside In
Righteous Kill
Rumor Has It
Singularity
Taking Lives
Terms and Conditions May Apply
The Boy
The Covenant
The Departed
The Prince & Me 4: The Elephant Adventure
June 2
The King's Speech
June 3
The Break with Michelle Wolf (Netflix Original)
June 5
Marvel Studios' Thor: Ragnarok
June 7
Hyori's Bed & Breakfast: Season 2 (Streaming Every Thursday)
The Night Shift: Season 4
June 8
Alex Strangelove (Netflix Original)
Ali's Wedding (Netflix Original)
Marcella: Season 2 (Netflix Original)
Sense8: The Series Finale (Netflix Original)
The Hollow (Netflix Original)
The Staircase (Netflix Original)
Treehouse Detectives (Netflix Original)
June 9
Wynonna Earp: Season 2
June 10
Portlandia: Season 8
June 14
Cutie and the Boxer
Marlon: Season 1
June 15
La Hora Final
Lust Stories (Netflix Original)
Maktub (Netflix Original)
Set It Up (Netflix Original)
Step Up 2: The Streets
Sunday's Illness (Netflix Original)
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
The Ranch: Part 5 (Netflix Original)
True: Magical Friends (Netflix Original)
True: Wonderful Wishes (Netflix Original)
Voltron: Legendary Defender: Season 6 (Netflix Original)
June 16
Grey's Anatomy: Season 14
In Bruges
June 17
Club de Cuervos presenta: La balada de Hugo Sánchez (Netflix Original)
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Season 5
June 18
Encerrados
June 19
Hannah Gadsby: Nanette (Netflix Original)
June 22
Brain on Fire (Netflix Original)
Cooking on High (Netflix Original)
Derren Brown: Miracle (Netflix Original)
Heavy Rescue: 401: Season 2 (Netflix Original)
Marvel's Luke Cage: Season 2 (Netflix Original)
Us and Them (Netflix Original)
June 23
Disney's Tarzan
June 24
To Each, Her Own (Les Goûts et les couleurs) (Netflix Original)
June 25
Hotel Transylvania: Season 1
June 26
Secret City (Netflix Original)
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
W. Kamau Bell: Private School Negro (Netflix Original)
June 29
Churchill's Secret Agents: The New Recruits (Netflix Original)
GLOW: Season 2 (Netflix Original)
Harvey Street Kids (Netflix Original)
Kiss Me First (Netflix Original)
La Forêt (Netflix Original)
La Pena Maxima
Nailed It!: Season 2 (Netflix Original)
Paquita Salas: Season 2 (Netflix Original)
Recovery Boys (Netflix Original)
TAU (Netflix Original)
June 30
Fate/EXTRA Last Encore: Oblitus Copernican Theory (Netflix Original)
While PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is off suing Fortnite for copyright infringement, a new patch has landed on PUBG's PC servers, introducing a host of changes, tweaks, and bug fixes. Some of these changes come in the form of the effectiveness of throwables (i.g. frag grenades, Molotovs, and stun grenades), a nerf of the M24 sniper, and a new anti-cheat mechanism.
With this new patch update, frag grenades see a damage and radius buff, Molotovs have an increased area of effect and will explode when shot mid-air, and stun grenades will impair players more effectively. The M24 was nerfed, removed from care package drops, and added to the world's loot spawn system, making it a viable alternative to the Kar98K bolt action rifle.
In addition to the anti-cheat tech--which is "currently only on the test servers [until] additional testing is complete," according to the patch notes--performance has been improved as well. The rendering of character models have been updated to prevent frame drops, character movement and animations while skydiving have been optimized to increase framerate, and abnormal vehicle physics should be resolved. Most notable, however, is the improvements made to the game's netcode, meaning you should see reduced network latency and improved server responsiveness. You can read the full patch notes here.
In our PUBG review, we awarded the game an 8/10, saying, "Even after hundreds of hours, PUBG continues to inspire rousing tales of victory and defeat."
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is available for Xbox One and PC.
It looks like Borderlands could be getting a new lease on life. The RPG shooter first came out in 2009 on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, but now it may be coming to current-gen consoles as well in the form of a Game of the Year edition.
Gematsu reports the Korean Game Ratings Board has rated a title called Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition. While the game hasn't been officially announced, the news indicates a remaster or re-release is coming on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, in South Korea at least. This would mark the first time Borderlands has been re-released, unlike its sequels Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, which were remastered in Borderlands: The Handsome Collection in 2015.
In GameSpot's review of Borderlands, Chris Watters gave the game an 8/10 and praised its satisfying gunplay, tons of items and rewards, unique playable characters, and distinct art style in a sci-fi setting. "Though the core action doesn't change drastically over the course of the game, it is woven together in such a way that once it ensnares you, you'll want nothing more than to plunge into Pandora at any chance you get," said Watters.
"Combat is satisfying, and upgrading your skills and equipment is engaging. The constant stream of loot and experience is rewarding, and sharing it with some friends makes the experience that much richer and more exciting."
In other Borderlands news, developer Gearbox says, despite rumors, a game called "Borderlands 3" will not be shown at E3 2018. There have been many hints that another Borderlands sequel is in the works, which leaves the statement up for interpretation and the possibility that the game is simply not called that. Here's everything we know and want from Borderlands 3 at E3 2018.
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Join Ben and Jean Luc as they check out the closed beta for the Crew 2 which allows you to drive a car, ride a motorcycle, fly a plane, and steer a boat.
This week, Joey and Jean-Luc attempt to de-master Dark Souls Remastered, and turn the most hideous of monsters into even greater terrors.
The battle royale game is already out on PC, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and iOS, but it was just rated for Switch in Korea, while Assassin's Creed Odyssey got confirmed for E3.
In this first of a five-part series, we talk to Blizzard about why esports matter, and how Overwatch League could jumpstart an esports revolution.
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