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In the 07/15/2018 edition:

Game Sequels That Fell Short Of The Original
Fortnite Skins From Season 5's Battle Pass: See All Outfits, Back Bling, Contrails, Gliders
Best Xbox One Console Exclusive Games (July 2018 Update)
New Battle Royale Games Of 2018: Battlefield 5, Call Of Duty Black Ops 4, And More
Best PS4 Games Out Now (July 2018 Update)
11 People, Places, And Plot Points We Want In Respawn's Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order
The 21 Biggest PC Game Exclusives Confirmed For 2018: Quake Champions, Pillars Of Eternity 2
The 19 Biggest Nintendo Switch Exclusives Confirmed For 2018: Smash Bros. Ultimate, Mario Tennis Aces
The 10 Biggest Xbox One Exclusives Confirmed For 2018: Forza Horizon 4, Sea Of Thieves
The 24 Biggest PS4 Exclusive Games Confirmed For 2018: God Of War, Spider-Man, And More
The Best PS4 Console Exclusive Games Since 2013
The 11 Best Switch Console Exclusive Games
WWE Extreme Rules 2018 Match Card Predictions: Almas And Sanity Rule The Kickoff Show
21 TV Appearances Featuring WWE Wrestlers You Probably Missed
Xbox One's 36 Best Backwards Compatible Games

Game Sequels That Fell Short Of The Original

By Alessandro Fillari on Jul 14, 2018 07:30 pm

Learning often requires failure.

There can be a lot of pressure involved in trying to release a follow up to a much-loved game. When making a sequel, oftentimes creators have to follow the vague mantra of "bigger and better"--but as it turns out, that's not always the way to find success. Over the years, there have been many game sequels that managed to let fans down, leaving us all to wonder what went wrong.

No developer is immune from missing the mark, unfortunately. With the likes of Blizzard, EA, Capcom, Sega, and even Nintendo releasing games that didn't quite land the way we wanted, not every game in a series can be a winner. But in some cases, those missteps would eventually lead to other entries that not only surpassed the previous game, but also allowed the series to grow in ways that fans least expect.

In this feature, GameSpot dug deep and picked some titles which we believe were some of gaming's more notable stumbles when trying to make a worthy sequel. Whether it was ambition going beyond the developer's means, or an ill-advised vision that drastically changed from what worked before, some sequels just weren't able to rekindle the magic that the original title had. We've chosen a few games for this list, and broke down exactly why we think they didn't quite live up to their predecessors. While not all of these games are total flops, these particular games lacked a certain something that's noticeable when placed next to its predecessor.

For more features on upcoming sequels that may live up to expectations, be sure to read everything we know Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, The Last of Us 2, and Fallout 76.

Assassin's Creed III (October 30, 2012)

Assassin's Creed III has always been a tough game for me to settle. Back when I first played the game, I was in love with its historical setting, the cultural authenticity of its protagonist Ratonhnhaké:ton, and its courage to step away from the urban environments of previous entries. However, Assassin's Creed III's overall execution proved to be lackluster--which was embodied in its opening hours. What began as an ambitious beginning by putting you in control of the protagonist's father, Haytham Kenway, inevitably turned into a rote trip down all too familiar ground. Laced in those early hours were derivative storytelling and mechanics that fans have known for years. And new additions to the formula, like naval combat, hunting, and tree free-running, were split too few and far in-between, making the whole introduction a slog. For every great aspect it had to offer, there was a caveat that took away from its impact.

After six or so hours, Assassin's Creed III eventually picks up, throwing you headfirst into the American Revolutionary War's most iconic events. Seeing a grounded, more honest depiction of George Washington was fascinating, while participating in the Battle of Bunker Hill proved to be one of the adventure's most exciting set pieces. But these moments were accompanied by inconsistent stealth, patchy AI, and inflexible mission design. Its fragmented world never did justice to the openness of its frontier premise, with activities split apart across too many different areas.

Back then I wanted very much to enjoy Assassin's Creed III, but it would often disappoint me more than satisfy. Today, I'm happy that I can better appreciate its ambition; the game proved to be a proper springboard that would inevitably set up the framework for the franchise's later entries. However, no matter which way you cut it, Assassin's Creed III failed to live up to the legacy of quality set by its predecessors. | Matt Espineli

Bioshock 2 (February 9, 2010)

BioShock is rightfully considered a classic for its eerie atmosphere and unsettling story twist. Descending into Rapture and hearing a Splicer scuttle across your biosphere still gives me a shiver down my spine, and feeling the lumbering thud of a Big Daddy is possibly the only thing from the franchise that causes me more anxiety than hearing the jaunty tune that summons BioShock Infinite's Songbird.

But before we soared above the clouds in Columbia, we returned to the depths of Rapture for BioShock 2. Despite the improvements made to the shooting mechanics, this sequel ultimately falls short in comparison to the original game. BioShock 2 is just too similar to the original. For some genres, sticking to what you know is fine, but the tone of Rapture is so closely tied to discovering its hidden horrors that it's best experienced as a stranger who's trying to understand a nightmare. You're no longer a stranger to Rapture in BioShock 2, and that makes everything far less terrifying.

As a result, Rapture just lost a lot of its mystique in BioShock 2. Most of the characters we encountered and enemies we fought are a little too similar to the deranged assortment of damaged souls we met the first time around. I have plenty of qualms with BioShock Infinite as well, but I'll admit that the new setting at least offered interesting changes to the original game's mechanics. BioShock 2 could have been way better if it had just done more to distance itself from the first BioShock. | Jordan Ramee

Crackdown 2 (July 6, 2010)

I adored the original Crackdown; it offered a take on the open-world action game that no game at the time (and very few since) have provided. A playground where you can jump high into the air, climb skyscrapers, and pick up cars over your head to throw at enemies made for a very enjoyable sandbox. The game was perhaps a bit shallow overall, with repetitive objectives and dumb enemies, but it was still great fun--just the sort of setup that makes for a strong sequel.

Rather than being developed by the same studio, Realtime Worlds, Crackdown 2 went to another developer, Ruffian Games. While there's nothing wrong with that, it felt as if Ruffian was too busy trying to recreate the basis of the first game to provide any meaningful innovations. Crackdown 2 was set in the same location, Pacific City, and made few real advancements in terms of gameplay. The story remained an afterthought, there was little variety in objectives, and the new Freak enemies did nothing to impact the game.

While the core gameplay remained enjoyable, and the addition of four-player co-op was very welcome, Crackdown 2 nevertheless felt like a disappointing retread. | Chris Pereira

Crysis 2 (March 22, 2011)

While history remembers Crysis as a benchmark for PC gaming performance, I like to think back on the original game as more of a fun solid sandbox FPS. With plenty of weapons and different powers channeled from your nanotech infused armor, you could wreak havoc across a tropical island filled with North Korean military and alien invaders. Its story was forgettable, and the characters even more so, but the game was all sorts of dumb fun, and even in 2018--nearly 11 years after its release--Crysis is still quite easy on the eyes.

Coming from Crytek, the developers behind the original Far Cry, Crysis felt like a spiritual successor to their previous game's focus on exploring and battling through a dense jungle environment. But for the follow-up, Crysis 2, the developers opted for a change in scenery and some revisions to the core gameplay, which unfortunately took away the heart of what made the original so fun. Now set in future-New York City, and armed with a more streamlined nanosuit, you're tasked with taking out a rogue military force and deal with another alien invasion. On the surface this sounds all well and good; the original game certainly didn't win any points for originality, but in practice Crysis 2 lost me when it focused on far more linear-style action with fewer options. This was all made worse by a more simplified power-up system, where certain powers were only contextual and never on command.

The original Crysis was far from a masterclass in FPS gameplay, but it still managed to let players go about missions in the way they saw fit. This was a game, regardless of tone, that let players grab chickens and throw them at enemies with "maximum strength"--as the nanosuit's AI said. The sequel, while not an awful game, lost sight of that--instead going for a more traditional FPS experience. While Crysis 3 was Crytek's attempt at offering the best of both worlds--even re-introducing jungle environments in a ruined NYC--it still never reached the same heights that the original game managed to meet. What I remember most about playing Crysis 1 was figuring out the best ways to go through several of the game's major set-pieces, which resulted in some of my favorite moments playing it. I can't recall having anything even close to those moments in both of the sequels, which is a real shame. | Alessandro Fillari

Deus Ex: Invisible War (December 2, 2003)

Believe me when I say that Deus Ex: Invisible War was a perfectly fine game. The original Deus Ex is, without a doubt, one of the greatest games of all time, and with such a high bar to clear, Invisible War had an incredibly tall order to fulfill. And because of that, it felt like a step back during the earlier years of immersive sims. At first, I noticed the RPG elements that were stripped away and the simplified (to a fault) inventory system. Spec-ing your character to a specific playstyle was entirely relegated to an either-or situation with augmentations since there were no stats or skill trees to tinker with. I couldn't shake the feeling of being funnelled through a narrow path despite having options to tackle objectives through either stealth and hacking or sheer force.

The cast was considerably less charismatic and the conspiracy aspect of the story didn't hit quite as hard as the original. And the one aspect that stood out to me the most was an unshakeable sense of claustrophobia. Deus Ex's world felt open, with space to work, but Invisible War didn't provide the same level of freedom in its level design.

Deus Ex: Invisible War did do some things right, though. The game still had its own sense of place and distinct atmosphere. Neon lights beamed across environments that served as playgrounds for emergent moments when messing with physics or the set of tools you're given. Getting tangled in a web of factions still evoked a tension that was felt throughout. However, Alex Denton's journey just didn't live up to JC's. | Michael Higham

Devil May Cry 2 (January 25, 2003)

If there's one thing to be said about the Devil May Cry series, it's that it always tries to keep things interesting. Known for its fast-paced and stylish approach to action, with an assortment of seriously cheesy moments throughout, Capcom's self-assured brawler franchise offers some of the most satisfying combat and thrills around. However, there's one entry in the series that's universally regarded as the black sheep--and no, it's not Ninja Theory's misunderstood and grossly underrated DmC: Devil May Cry.

Releasing only 16 months after the original game, Devil May Cry 2 was Capcom's attempt at capitalizing on the surprise success of DMC1, and it almost immediately became the quintessential example of how not to do a sequel. I was a big admirer of the original game, and watching the early trailers and previews for DMC2, which showed off more stylish moves, a cooler outfit for Dante, and a new secondary campaign with newcomer Lucia--in her first and only appearance--made me very excited for what was to come. However upon release, the game's more serious tone and revisions to gameplay ended up rubbing fans, myself included, the wrong way. The game's combat also saw a noticeable downgrade from DMC1's sharp and responsive mechanics, made worse by the glaringly subdued difficulty. When stacked up with its predecessor, the sequel showed a stark drop in overall quality, which made clearing through its two campaigns a chore.

While it did have some bright spots, which include real-time weapon swapping, mission select, and the Bloody Palace mode--all of which are now mainstays of the series--DMC2 was a poor attempt at chasing after the original's success, which ultimately resulted in a game that was far too easy, muddled in its approach to stylish combat, and, well, boring. Personally speaking, I was more annoyed that I wasted a weekend and some allowance powering through the game over the course of a weekend.

Though the sequel missed the mark, the Devil May Cry series would eventually find its footing again with the release of Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening, which reaffirmed its status as a top-tier action game. While fans have had many intense debates about what their personal rankings are for the series, one thing is rarely disputed--Devil May Cry 2 was where the series hit rock-bottom. | Alessandro Fillari

Diablo 3 (May 15, 2012)

Blizzard rarely rushes to release new games, and Diablo III was no exception. It came 12 years after its predecessor, yet--long wait or not--proved to be a huge disappointment. Diablo II was not known for having a terrific endgame--I spent a huge chunk of my adolescence doing Baal runs, where you endlessly repeat the same final boss fight--but Diablo III likewise failed to provide anything worth doing once the credits rolled.

The lack of PvP hurt in that regard further, but worse than anything was the way the item economy worked. High-quality items were handed out at a ridiculously infrequent pace, and the best way to obtain good gear was the game's controversial auction house where you could spend real-world money. For a game all about the loot grind, it was hugely off-putting (as was an always-online requirement preventing offline single-player).

While I didn't share every complaint others had--I enjoyed the change in art style--it was undeniable that I was not just disappointed, but I wasn't even having fun. For the follow-up to what was at the time my favorite game ever, that was astounding.

Thankfully, unlike many of the other games on this list, things did turn around. The shutdown of the auction house and release of the Reaper of Souls expansion and a major free update all paired to turn the game around. Quality items were no longer rationed out at a snail's pace, an Adventure mode provided variety in the endgame, and years of further updates have ultimately turned Diablo III into not only a worthwhile sequel, but one that in many ways surpasses its predecessors. | Chris Pereira

Dragon Age 2 (March 8, 2011)

The acclaimed RPG developer BioWare has gone through many changes over its 20+ years in the business. With games like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and the Mass Effect franchise pushing it to the forefront, many diehard fans longed for a return to its classic CRPG titles like Neverwinter Nights and Baldur's Gate. 2009's Dragon Age: Origins ended up being the happy mix of its modern design sense it developed working on Mass Effect, with the old-school sensibilities of its early hits. In the framework of a traditional fantasy-RPG, you would create a unique character, become one of the last Grey Wardens, and have their choices shape the land of Ferelden forever. Truth be told, the first Bioware game I played was KOTOR, and I mostly followed their modern movement since then. I ended up getting into their CRPG beginnings sometime later.

I did, however, play the original Dragon Age, which I ended up liking far more than I thought. After the game's completion, I was already looking forward to seeing more from the series. And just two years later, BioWare's sequel Dragon Age II was released--but it ended up making some big changes that I couldn't get over. While you could import your saves from the original game to carry over important decisions--which was very important to me--the sequel focused on the exploits of an entirely new character named Hawke, a human exile traveling to the city of Kirkwall, far away from the original's main setting. By and large, Dragon Age II was a much more cinematic and action-focused game, a big shift from Origins' more traditional fantasy adventure.

By focusing on a more defined character--even removing options for backstories and different races to choose from--it resulted in a game that took the role-playing aspect of the original game less seriously, which ironically was what placed BioWare on the map. Moreover, the action-focused gameplay ultimately didn't mesh well with the original's tactical framework, which felt like busywork when coupled with the new system. Coming off of Origins, I found getting into Dragon Age II to be quite jarring. Throughout Hawke's story, you could see moments where the developer struggled to balance the expectations of a more accessible action-RPG with its traditional role-playing style.

After its release, Dragon Age II received several updates and expansions that sought to refine the game further. But eventually, BioWare cut its losses and moved on, even cancelling the final DLC episode, The Exalted March. The developer then began work on the next installment in the series, Dragon Age Inquisition, which ended up being a better evolution of the studio's role-playing lineage, and even justifying Hawke's place in the overarching story. Still, Dragon Age 2 comes off more like an odd diversion in the grand scheme of things, that feels a bit too inconsequential for the series it's a part of it. It certainly makes me feel like I won't miss much by skipping out on it during my eventual revisit of the series. | Alessandro Fillari

Final Fantasy Tactic Advance (September 8, 2003)

Final Fantasy Tactics wasn't a great game solely because of its deep tactical combat; it also told a great story that featured more backstabbing and heroics than a season of Game of Thrones. The setting of Ivalice was so notable and well beloved that it graduated into something bigger: a mainstay of the Final Fantasy series at large.

Games like Final Fantasy XII and XIV gave the concept of Ivalice room to grow, but the basis for their version of Ivalice more closely resembles the Final Fantasy Tactics follow-up game, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. It's medieval, it's got decent tactical combat, but it also sets itself up as an imaginary dream world living between the pages of a modern children's fantasy novel.

That's all well and good in isolation, but as a "sequel" to a game that thrived in part because of its characters, many of whom were sadistic adults hell-bent on accruing power by any means necessary, a children's fantasy hardly fits the bill. Oh and that tactical combat? Every battle has some limitation decided at random by a judge. It's not awful, but it strips away the sense that you're playing tightly orchestrated battles that are being fought for an unavoidable purpose in service of the plot. | Peter Brown

Mass Effect: Andromeda (March 21, 2017)

We waited a long time for Mass Effect: Andromeda--five years to be exact, so expectations were high. BioWare promised an ambitious science-fiction adventure fit for the current generation of consoles, one that would allow you to explore an uncharted galaxy with an entirely new cast of characters.

What we got was underwhelming to say the least. Considering we saw very little of the game until a month before release, we shouldn't have been surprised. The characters were dull, the worlds were barren, the story fell flat, and the game was rife with bugs. Many of the glitches have been ironed out at this point, but Andromeda's problems run much deeper.

The one thing Andromeda had going for it was the combat. Zipping around combat zones with your jetpack while mixing and matching different abilities felt fantastic. Unfortunately, for a franchise known for its characters and storytelling, it takes more than flashy gameplay to leave a lasting impression. | Jake Dekker

Metroid II: Return of Samus (November 1991)

Metroid II suffers the same fate as Zelda II--it tries to be great by doing something different, but loses the appeal of the original title. Its one saving grace is its legacy: giving Samus her iconic Varia suit design. But it's not like we knew that suit was going to stick around back in the day.

Pretty much every Metroid game focuses on one of Samus' missions where she has to traverse dangerous environments and find different types of weapon and suit upgrades to explore new areas and take on more formidable threats. Metroid II is the one exception, where Samus acts as a bounty hunter instead of a super soldier. It's an ideal mission on paper--Samus is a bounty hunter after all--but it's ruined in practice by Metroid II's repeated use of the same type of prey. Sure, the Metroids come in five different forms, but you'll face each of those forms numerous times in the exact same type of fight. Metroid II's 3DS remake, Samus Returns, works so well because the game implements new bosses to break up the humdrum of hunting the same thing for hours on end.

Metroid II was also just limited by technology when it first released in the early 90s. Launching on the original Game Boy meant Metroid II lacked the vibrant color palette of its NES predecessor, and the musical score couldn't be as complex either. | Jordan Ramee

Perfect Dark Zero (November 22, 2005)

Rare had some expectations to live up to with Perfect Dark Zero; it had been five years and two console generations since the original game by the time Zero came around. Perfect Dark was a spiritual follow-up to the iconic Goldeneye 007 and certainly took console shooters to new heights during the N64's lifecycle, but games had evolved drastically in that five-year period, and the franchise didn't feel like it changed with the times. That didn't necessarily sour the entire experience, though.

Perfect Dark Zero released right around the launch of the Xbox 360, and it was exciting to see Joanna Dark back in action with an incredibly fun cooperative mode and some good single-player moments. The game was also a decent showcase of the console's graphical prowess at the time, and really leveraged that shiny-surface look of this era. However, it lacked a compelling narrative and fluid gameplay seen in some of the top-tier shooters from Microsoft's previous console. While many other games honed in on smooth movement and shooting mechanics, Perfect Dark Zero seemed like it adopted the antiquated feel of older games and stayed true to its roots to a fault. | Michael Higham

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (January 8, 2008)

The original Sonic Riders remains one of my favorite racing games to this day. It knocked the blue blur and the rest of his friends off their feet and onto Extreme Gear--a collection of hoverboards, skates, and bikes--which they'd use to race against the avian Babylon Rogues. I had a blast weaving between traffic on Metal City or careening through the sky on Babylon Ruins. The story isn't the best, but the campaign challenges you to master balancing your speed against fuel consumption.

A sequel, Zero Gravity, made way too many changes to the original game's winning formula. Taking shortcuts became dependent on which Gear a character was riding, not the character themselves. The Extreme Gears also used an upgrade system that relied on rings, but since rings took such a long time to respawn, whoever was in first place would get all their Gear upgrades first. Made their lead even bigger. If I'm in first place by the end of the first lap on a race, it's practically impossible for anyone to catch up to me. And that's no fun. I want a race, not a blowout.

Zero Gravity's worst offender is the gravity mechanics. In the original Sonic Riders, deciding when to give up a massive chunk of fuel for a speed boost made for some of the closest, most stressful competition I've had with my friends. In Zero Gravity, boosts are replaced with Gravity Dives, which let a player careen ahead at breakneck speeds. However, each course only has one place where players can really use a dive (the game even lets you know when to use it). There's no strategy to fuel consumption in Zero Gravity, so the game just can't produce the same heart-pounding races I love in the original. | Jordan Ramee

Star Craft 2 (July 27, 2010)

By no means is StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty a bad game; its expansion packs, Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void, were welcome additions to the base game. But having to be a sequel to the most iconic real-time strategy game ever, StarCraft 2 was more of a victim of circumstance. The sequel had a healthy competitive scene for a while and the community was very active in the game's heyday. However, it's near impossible to match the impact of StarCraft and StarCraft: Brood War (both released in 1998), which still get competitions to this day.

StarCraft 2 had sensible modernizations for how you command units so you weren't held to the same limitations from all those years ago. There was considerably less emphasis on micromanagement, which gave newcomers an avenue to jump into an RTS franchise that was often seen as intimidating, but there was still substantial depth to strategy. Regardless, it wasn't able to maintain the same competitive scene as its predecessor; many factors, like the rise of MOBAs or the attachment to the purity of Brood War's gameplay, are part of the equation. High-level players also had frustrations with some of the more intricate changes with balance and unit abilities. | Michael Higham

Valkyria Chronicles 2 (August 31, 2010)

Valkyria Chronicles on PS3 (now remastered on PS4 and PC) remains a console strategy treasure, a unique take on turn-based tactics that melds top-down sandtable strategy with the satisfying real-time component of third-person positioning and attacking. Its signature watercolor-style visuals are gorgeous and understated, a timeless look that perfectly serves the game's somber tone and wartime themes.

Valkyria Chronicles 2 was a great game too--it was proof that the tactical system was stalwart, and it was one of those games that I sunk dozens and dozens of hours into. But it failed to reach the same kinds of heights as the original game, and despite some positive tweaks in gameplay, fell short in many respects.

A lot of that boiled down to the fact that the series had moved onto Sony's PSP handheld, and the limitations that came with that. Superficially, the visuals just couldn't compare. Without the crispness of textures and 3D fidelity, its interpretation of the game's art style didn't have the same impact. The large battlefields were now split into smaller maps, presumably to reduce the strain on hardware resources, requiring you to capture encampments before being able to continue on. It was fine, but another chip away at the grandeur established in the original.

But the big disappointment for me personally was its decision to crank the anime knob to 11. The narrative turned away from the human effects of political and international warfare, and towards the dynamics of a military academy--basically, a high school, featuring an increased number of obvious character archetypes, loud personalities, and even more fanservice (though that felt more at home here than in the original). It's the kind of Japanese-style teenage drama that you've likely seen a ton of before, which isn't the worst thing in the world, but a bit of a shame after I was so impressed with the tone of the original.

I enjoyed Valkyria Chronicles 2 a lot--it's the perfect series for a handheld system--but the thing I remember most about my time playing it is how much I wanted to go back and play the original Valkyria Chronicles once I was done. A lot of time has passed since then, and I still revisit Valkyria Chronicles every so often. Its sequel? Not so much. | Edmond Tran

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (January 14, 1987)

The original Zelda is fun to play today, but in the 1980s it was a revelation. For a generation of gamers who were used to playing repetitive arcade games, The Legend of Zelda was an almost unimaginably epic adventure. With its vast open world rife with secrets and Link's expanding set of abilities, this game exploded our sense of what a video game could be. What new wonders could its sequel possibly bring? I could hardly imagine.

Zelda II: The Adventures of Link didn't bring unimaginable wonders. Instead of polishing the almost perfect gameplay of the original, it made big, sweeping changes, nearly all for the worse. In place of a fully open world is one in which your progress is gated to make for a more linear adventure. Instead of the satisfying top-down action of the original, we get awkward side-scrolling combat hampered by Link's toothpick-sized sword. And don't even get me started on the knights who can block your every attack, no matter how fast you duck and stab.

But let's end on a high note: at least the music is rad. | Chris Reed

Fortnite Skins From Season 5's Battle Pass: See All Outfits, Back Bling, Contrails, Gliders

By Tamoor Hussain on Jul 14, 2018 05:31 pm

The much-anticipated launch of Season 5 of Fortnite: Battle Royale has arrived. This brings a ton of new content to PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, and mobile, and among the highlights is a new Battle Pass that consists of challenges and a variety of rewards to earn. These primarily come in the form of cosmetics, ranging from Outfits (what Fortnite calls skins skins) and Back Bling to Gliders and Contrails (the trail you leave behind you while skydiving). This means it's time to start the unlock grind all over for hardcore players, but is it worth the time and effort? We'll let you decide for yourself.

Above, you can take a look at all of the skins, bling, trails, and gliders that have been added in the 5.0 update. This way, you see everything that's available this season and decide whether you want them enough to purchase the Battle Pass and invest the many hours it takes to unlock everything. If you're new to Fortnite (where have you been?) and are unfamiliar with how the Battle Pass works, here's what you need to know courtesy of developer Epic Games:

"Play to level up your Battle Pass. The more you play, the more rewards you earn. Level up faster by completing Weekly Challenges. Earn up to 100 rewards worth over 25,000 V-Bucks (typically takes 75 to 150 hours of play). You can purchase the Battle Pass anytime during the season for 950 V-Bucks."

So, to get the rewards, all you've got to do is buy a Battle Pass in-game and then play as much as you can. If you're interested in these rewards, you're better off buying the Battle Pass soon, as you'll receive XP bonuses that will speed up your progression throughout the season. As mentioned above, you can also boost the process by doing weekly challenges, which net you bonus Battle Stars. The first week of Season 5's challenges are up, and you can find a guide on where to find the Risky Reel treasure map and where to search floating lightning bolts.

These items featured in this gallery are just a few of the unlocks available in the Battle Pass, there's also sprays, emotes, and more. You can see everything in the Fortnite Season 5 Battle Pass here. Free V-Bucks are among the rewards, and it's possible to more than make back the cost of the Battle Pass if you play enough. Those can then be spent on the skins and cosmetics that are regularly sold through Fortnite's in-game store or saved for the Season 6 Battle Pass that we'll likely be seeing in September.

Finally, the 5.0 patch that ushered in the new season introduces new gameplay mechanics, changes some of the map, and makes a number of tweaks to the way the game plays and performs, so make sure to read the full Fortnite Season 5 update patch notes. You'll find a new, golf kart-style vehicle that lets you drive around with a full squad, while the map adjustments see a number of significant changes; most notably, there's a huge desert area that replaces Moisty Mire.

Best Xbox One Console Exclusive Games (July 2018 Update)

By Matt Espineli on Jul 14, 2018 06:08 am

The Xbox One launched in November 2013 and Microsoft has managed to secure a fair amount of quality exclusives for the console. With games like Halo 5: Guardians, Cuphead, and Forza Motorsport 7, the console offers a wide variety of fantastic experiences you can only get on Xbox, as well as PC thanks to Microsoft's Play Anywhere program. And thanks to the Xbox One X, the Xbox One family features the most powerful console on the market.

Microsoft has been criticized often for its lack of exclusives, which Xbox boss Phil Spencer has acknowledged in the past, saying "We need to grow, and I look forward to doing that. Our ability to go create content has to be one of our strengths. We haven't always invested at the same level. We've gone through ups and downs in the investment."

He commented further: "That meant we had to stop doing some other things in order to create room for that. And that's just kind of the nature of running a business," Spencer said. "One of the things that I wanted to do when I came into this job ... one of the things was our first-party and how I thought about needing to--this is an unfair word, but I'll say 'rework' our first-party. Regretfully, that meant certain things that we were doing, I thought we needed to do something different. It meant getting back to what I think is a core and building from that." However, Microsoft recently took action at E3 2018, announcing it has acquired or established five new studios to work under the Microsoft Studios umbrella.

We gave the game an 8/10.

In our Rare Replay review, Peter Brown wrote, "Much of Rare Replay is old material, but that's OK when so many of Rare's games easily stand the test of time. Getting the chance to play its classics in an easily accessible package is worth celebrating, whether you've played them before or always wished you could. And you should, if you haven't had the chance. Rare's games have a way of speaking to you with respect. They embrace video game conventions and rarely take themselves too seriously. Expressive characters warm your heart and catchy and complex soundtracks stick with you long after you turn off your console. Rare Replay is a great way to experience some of the best games from the studio's past, and the new videos that document Rare's storied history are the icing on the cake; it's just a shame that you can't access them from the start."

New Battle Royale Games Of 2018: Battlefield 5, Call Of Duty Black Ops 4, And More

By Matt Espineli on Jul 14, 2018 06:07 am

Going Battle Royale

Both PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and Fortnite have experienced massive success. As a result, battle royale games are quickly evolving, moving past the genre's humble beginnings as mods for large-scale survival games, like Minecraft and ARMA 2, and into fresh new territory. More and more new games in the genre are getting released every week; this year alone is packed with a slew of new battle royale games that aim to push the genre further by expanding its foundational elements and mechanics.

To ensure you're kept up to date on all the latest battle royale games, we've compiled 19 of the biggest battle royale games releasing in 2018. Below you can find a full list releasing this year. In addition, you find out more details on each game in the feature ahead by clicking through to their game pages.

Battle Royale Games Of 2018

While there's plenty of battle royale games out there, we've decidedly narrowed it down in our list above to the ones most worth looking into this year. Many of the latest battle royale games are expanding upon it by throwing new mechanics into the mix. Some games add in spectator elements and dynamic environmental effects, while others are taking the experience to VR. It's exciting to see how some developers are pushing the genre to entirely new directions.

There are also battle royale games this year are opting for a more traditional approach. Games like Europa and Mavericks: Proving Grounds are sticking to the last person standing approach but across different scales and with additional mechanics, like dynamic environmental effects and higher player counts. These games offer veteran players fascinating situations to test their skills.

Even the biggest gaming franchises are incorporating battle royale into its repertoire. The upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and Battlefield 5 have battle royale-like modes. We can only imagine what other popular franchises plan to introduce the mode at E3 2018.

Regardless of what you prefer, it's safe to say that there is likely a new battle royale game for you. But which one are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments below. And be sure to check back often as we update this feature with even more new battle royale games as they get announced.

The Culling 2

The Culling 2 approaches the battle royale formula with real-world weapon ballistics, a more complex melee combat system, and customizable perks. It supports up to 50 players.

Release Date: Available July 10

Battlefield 5 | PS4, Xbox One, PC

During EA's E3 2018 press conference, Battlefield V developer DICE confirmed that a battle royale mode will be available in the game at some point. DICE creative director Lars Gustavsson stated that games like Fortnite and PUBG are popular among the developer's employees. The idea to add a battle royale mode to Battlefield V came from conversations DICE developers were having about the game inside the studio as opposed to being a directive that EA handed down to the studio, he suggested.

Release Date: TBA (Mode expected to release sometime after October 11 launch)

Fear the Wolves | PC, PS4, Xbox One

Fear the Wolves is a battle royale game set in an apocalyptic Chernobyl-like wasteland. It brings an interesting twist to the formula by introducing unpredictable weather cycles. In addition, there are radioactive zones that players can only explore with the proper gear.

Release Date: PC Early Access TBA 2018 (Console version expected to launch in 2019)

Rapture Rejects | PC

Rapture Rejects is an upcoming battle royale game set in the popular Cyanide & Happiness cartoon universe. Unlike its contemporaries, the game sets players in a hellish otherworld where God has abandoned humanity, and the only option left is to kill until only one person is left standing.

Release Date: TBA 2018

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 | PS4, Xbox One, PC

The upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is going to feature a battle royale mode. Dubbed Blackout, the new mode pits players against each other in a fight to be the last one standing. Where it differs from other battle royale games, however, is that it draws heavily on previous Black Ops titles. Developer Treyarch says it wanted to create a battle royale mode "the Black Ops way," and to that end, it has incorporated elements from the entire series into the mode.

Release Date: October 12

Battlerite Royale | PC

Battlerite Royale is an upcoming mode for the team-based arena brawler where 20 players fight on a map 30 times larger than the game's standard arena mode map. You can play solo or as a pair, with 27 distinct heroes to choose from. The rules are standard fair as a battle royale game: drop in, gather supplies, kill people, and come out as the last person alive.

Platforms: PC | Release Date: Summer 2018 (Standard Game is Available Now)

Maelstorm | PC

Maelstorm offers an interesting spin on the battle royale genre. Rather than take on the format of a first-person or third-person shooter, the game focuses on naval combat in a fantasy setting. You're pitted against 15 other players in a a battle to be the last "ship" standing. While you fight off other players and NPC ships, there are also sea monsters to worry about that'll attempt to sink you. And if the game's premise isn't enough to pull you in, it also offers progression and loot systems to keep you invested in and outside of battle.

Release Date: Available Now via Steam Early Access

Egress

Egress is an RPG battle royale game with a Soulsborne-like combat system. It's set in an alternate universe that combines visuals elements from Victorian-era architecture, Lovecraftian mythology, and Retrowave.

Release Date: TBA 2018

H1Z1 | PC (PS4 and Xbox One Versions Coming Soon)

Formerly known as H1Z1: King of the Kill, H1Z1 is the battle royale version of the zombie-survival sandbox game, Just Survive. It pits 150 players against each other in a last-man-standing deathmatch; players can choose to play solo, with a partner, or in groups of five. In addition to the game's standard battle royale mode, H1Z1 features a mode called Auto Royale, where four players drive a car into battle, collecting power-ups in order to emerge the last team driving.

Platforms: PC | Release Date: Available Now

Proxima Royale

Proxima Royale is a sci-fi-themed battle royale where up to 60 players duke it out in a last "robot" standing conflict on an alien planet. The game is in early access, having had a few closed alphas over the past month or so.

Release Date: TBA

SOS | PC

SOS offers something unique: it requires a microphone, and your social skills and sense of showmanship will be put to the test. Each player has to present themselves in an interesting way to stand out and earn the favor of a live audience. Each game is broadcast live online via the social gaming platform Hero, with spectators voting on possible in-game events like supply drops or bombing runs. The main goal is to find one of four relics spread across the map, and then signal for extraction and make it onto a helicopter. This sounds simple on paper, but 15 other players are also striving to accomplish the same goal, and with only a few seats on the helicopter, you're going to need to be clever and ruthless if you want to survive.

Release Date: Available Now via Steam Early Access

Realm Royale | PC, PS4, Xbox One

Realm Royale is a 100-player battle royale spin-off of Paladins: Champions of the Realm. It takes on qualities similar to other battle royale games, but attempts to redefine them by introducing mechanics from hero shooters, with myriad playable characters, each with their own unique skills and abilities. In addition, it emphasizes cooperative play, as it's designed to be played primarily in four-person squads.

Release Date: Available Now via Steam Early Access

The Darwin Project | PC, Xbox One

The Darwin Project is a third-person competitive multiplayer battle royale game with more of an emphasis on survival than its competitors. In order to win, you must endure extreme weather conditions, while tracking opponents and setting up traps in order to be the last one left alive. It's most noteworthy quality is that it incorporates reality TV show elements into its gameplay, like spectator interaction and a show director who controls varying aspects of the arena.

Release Date: Available Now via Steam Early Access and Xbox One Game Preview program

Mavericks: Proving Grounds | PC

Mavericks: Proving Grounds is an first-person battle royale game where up to 400 players do battle in a highly dynamic environment. For example, you can set fire to a map, tactically spreading it to others parts of the map to either damage other players or cut them off. In addition, the game promises more intelligent mission systems, social hubs, and a player-driven narrative that informs your experiences playing the game.

Release Date: TBA 2018 (Beta opens Summer 2018)

Islands of Nyne | PC

Islands of Nyne is a sci-fi-themed first-person battle royale game that's more skill-driven than its competitors. Based on how well you play, you'll earn special armor sets and weapon skins for your character. There's also a player betting system, which allows you to use in-game credits to place bets on individual players or teams during a match to win more equipment or skins.

Release Date: TBA 2018 (Currently in Closed Alpha, which you can get into by pre-ordering the game)

Dying Light: Bad Blood | PC, PS4, Xbox One

Dying Light: Bad Blood is a standalone battle royale-esque expansion of the critically acclaimed Dying Light. It seems an almost unexpected release, but apparently it was made by developer Techland due to numerous fan requests. In Bad Blood, six players are dropped into random locations around the map in a race to acquire enough samples from several powerful infected zombies. As you take down these special zombies, you'll collect samples and potentially level up your character--boosting their health, agility, and attack power. The first one to acquire all the samples and escape in the evac chopper wins.

Release Date: TBA 2018 (a Global Playtest is schedule for sometime this year, which you can sign up for via the Dying Light website)

Europa | PC

Europa is Chinese publisher Tencent's contribution to the battle royale genre. Unlike its competitors, the game will feature real-time weather, underwater exploration, environmental kills, and destructible cover. Whether Europa releases anywhere besides China remains to be seen.

Release Date: TBA 2018 in China only

Survival Games: Battle Royale | PC

Survival Games: Battle Royale retains the genre's tried and true premise, but provides some twists of its own. Maps are procedurally generated and you must keep track of your stats and hunger as you fight to be the last one standing. In addition, the game sports a map editor that allows you design your own custom battle royale arenas.

Release Date: Available Now via Steam Early Access

Stand Out: VR Battle Royale | PC (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive)

Playing a battle royale game in VR sounds like a huge challenge, but developer raptor lab is looking to make it happen with Standout: Battle Royale VR. In order to survive a match, you'll literally have to crouch down to avoid enemy and lean in and out of cover to get a clear line of sight on opponents; you can even reach out and snatch a magazine from a player's hands.

Release Date: Available Now via Steam Early Access

Fractured Lands | PC

Fractured Lands sets the 100-player battle royale formula in a Mad Max-inspired post-apocalyptic wasteland. The game features classic genre mechanics, like resource management and tactical first-person shooting. However, it also sports an emphasis on car combat and vehicle customization.

Release Date: Available Summer 2018 via Steam Early Access (Available now in Closed Beta)

Best PS4 Games Out Now (July 2018 Update)

By Matt Espineli on Jul 14, 2018 06:02 am

The Best Around

It feels just like yesterday, but PS4 launched over four years ago, and a ton of games have come out in that time. As such, it can be tough to sort through all of them and decide what to play. Luckily, we at GameSpot have played tons of PS4 over the years and have more than a few recommendations to start you off with--whether you're a new PS4 owner or have had the console and are just looking for something you might've missed.

In this feature, we've collected the best PS4 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 end-of-year Best PS4 Game lists. Check out our choices for the best games released on the PS4. And with the console's library continuing to expand, make sure to check back often as we update this feature over the coming weeks and months.

For more PS4 games on a budget, see our roundups of the best cheap games on PS4, and make sure to check out our gallery of the PS4 exclusive games confirmed for 2018 as well as the biggest PS4 games of 2018 for everything coming to the console.

There are heaps of amazing PS4 games out there. Which PS4 games do you love the most? Doesn't matter if it's popular or incredibly underrated. Let us know in the comments below.

The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit -- 8/10

"Life is Strange gained a huge cult following, and whether you're a veteran or a newcomer, Captain Spirit captures a lot of the original game's appeal. Regardless of how you classify The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit--whether it's a standalone adventure, a demo, or a prologue--it's a beautiful game, and one that leaves you all the more excited about Life is Strange 2." [Read the full review]

-- James O'Connor

Onrush -- 9/10

"When it comes to crumpling metal and high speed thrills, not all of Onrush's game modes are on equal footing in terms of consistent excitement. Yet its foundations are so strong, and so unique, that it's easy to lose hours upon hours barreling around these disparate tracks. The question of longevity will, of course, depend on post-release support, with new classes, game modes, and tracks potentially on the horizon. Considering you need 12 players to fill a full room, it would be a shame if Onrush doesn't find the kind of audience that will give it the lifespan it deserves. Part of this will depend on how Codemasters iterates on the game from here on out, but they've shown a proficiency in knowing how arcade racing games click, and Onrush is such a bold, refreshing twist on the genre that there should be little hesitation in putting your faith in them to succeed."

-- Richard Wakeling

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life -- 8/10

"Yakuza 6 reins in its scope, but doubles down on what has made the series great. It's a unique and fascinating representation of the modern Japanese experience, worth playing even if you're a newcomer. The narrative is dramatic and sincere, and the game's endearing characters--coming from all walks of life--are interesting studies. The world is dense and rewarding to exist in, the dynamic combat system stays exciting even after you've kicked the crap out of five thousand enemies, and perhaps most importantly, Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life serves as a fulfilling conclusion to the turbulent, decade-long saga of its beloved icon, Kazuma Kiryu." [read the full review]

-- Edmond Tran, Senior Editor and Video Producer

God Of War -- 9/10

"In many ways God of War is what the series has always been. It's a spectacular action game with epic set pieces, big-budget production values, and hard-hitting combat that grows more feverish and impressive as you progress. What may surprise you is how mature its storytelling has become. Like Kratos, God of War recalls the past while acknowledging the need to improve. Everything new it does is for the better, and everything it holds onto benefits as a result. Kratos is no longer a predictable brute. God of War is no longer an old-fashioned action series. With this reboot, it confidently walks a new path that will hopefully lead to more exciting adventures to come." [read the full review]

-- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor

Bloodborne -- 9/10

"The finest treasures are found within the city of Yharnam and the forests, lakes, and purgatories beyond it. Only Bloodborne would be so bold as to bury an entire factional player-versus-player mechanic within an optional region, which is in turn buried within a series of oblique steps you might miss if you aren't exploring every nook and cranny, or ignore the game's enigmatic hints. I finished Bloodborne in less time than I did Dark Souls II, yet I treasure it more in spite of its few missteps. In death there is life, and in blood, there is redemption. More hyperbole, yes, but for a game this theatrical, only hyperbole will do." [read the full review]

-- Kevin VanOrd

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

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

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End -- 10/10

"Uncharted 4's gameplay pushes the narrative forward, the narrative feeds off its gameplay, and every detail coalesces to create something bigger. Uncharted 4 bounces between set pieces and personal moments with such grace, with such skill and poise and affection for its characters, that you don't mind when the guns stop firing, and the smoke clears, and Nathan gets a moment to breathe." [read the full review]

-- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer

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

Dark Souls III -- 8/10

"I didn't expect to have so much fun with Until Dawn, and the depth with which my choices mattered and affected the final outcome encouraged repeat playthroughs. The visuals can be wonky at times, but in the end Until Dawn succeeds in being a thoughtful use of familiar mechanics, a great achievement in player-driven narrative, and a horror game you shouldn't miss." [read the full review]

-- Alexa Ray Corriea

The Last Guardian -- 9/10

"It isn't clear whether or not The Last Guardian means to be frustrating at times--if it's a concerted effort to test your patience for a lovable-yet-stubborn creature. Your affection for Trico and sympathy for both characters blossom nonetheless, culminating in an enrapturing series of revelations that cements your attachment to their personalities. Trico is the undeniable star of the show, exhibiting believable physicality and emotional range, but the boy is a valuable lesson in how to be patient and resilient when faced with unforeseen challenges.

When the book closes on their story, it's hard not to open it up again and begin anew. The trials you overcome endear you to both characters, but the emotions Trico elicits make you want to give it another chance--to be the patient, effective partner it truly deserves." [read the full review]

-- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor

Rocket League -- 9/10

"The joy of Rocket League rests on the countless plans that are conceived and discarded every other second in any given match. Trying to predict where and how the ball will bounce next is a game within the game. Despite the use of cars, Rocket League emulates the emotional surges typical of The Beautiful Game, such as the rush of an unexpected fast break or a well-timed header into a goal. With Rocket League, the promising concept of combining two wonderful things--cars and soccer--is equally magnificent in execution. You can't say the same thing about, say, combining cake and fruit to make fruitcake, as the comedian Jim Gaffigan observed." [read the full review]

-- Miguel Concepcion

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice -- 8/10

"Hellblade's most notable achievement is the handling of an incredibly sensitive subject matter within an engaging and well-crafted action/adventure game. At its heart, the story is about Senua's struggle to come to terms with her illness. In the process, she learns to find the strength within herself to endure, and to make peace with her past. And in a profound and physical way, we go through those same struggles with her, and come away with a better understanding of a piece of something that many people in the world struggle with." [read the full review]

-- Alessandro Fillari, Editor

MLB The Show 18 -- 9/10

"Sony's flagship baseball franchise has never been better. With its best-in-class controls and visuals, and impeccable attention to detail for the small stuff, MLB The Show 18 is worth catching for any baseball fan." [read the full review]

Horizon: Zero Dawn -- 9/10

"This is the first departure from the Killzone series for developer Guerrilla Games, and though you might think the team took a risk by stepping out of its FPS comfort zone to create a third-person open-world action game, you'd never know it was their first rodeo. For every minor imperfection, there's an element of greatness that recharges your desire to keep fighting and exploring Zero Dawn's beautiful and perilous world. Guerrilla Games has delivered one of the best open-world games of this generation, and redefined its team's reputation in the process." [read the full review]

-- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor

Nier: Automata -- 9/10

"Thanks to Platinum Games' knack for riveting and gratifying combat, Automata is Yoko Taro's most exciting game to date. The combat mechanics click after hurdling a low learning curve, and the end result is a skillful dance where balletic dodges complement wushu-inspired aggression. Moreover, this multi-ending trip is generously peppered with surprises and revelations, as well as easter eggs that call back to the first game and the Drakengard series from which Nier spun off. It's a meaty, often exhilarating trek that showcases Platinum Games' and Yoko Taro's unique blend of genius." [read the full review]

-- Miguel Concepcion

Persona 5 -- 9/10

"Within Persona 5 is a complex set of interconnected gameplay mechanics, and in almost every aspect Atlus has executed on its vision exceptionally, barring the pacing issues towards the end. At every turn, it presents something to marvel at, whether it's the fluid combat, vibrant world, or the many memorable characters. It's a game I could talk about for hours; I haven't mentioned the ability to connect to the Thieves Guild, which lets you see how other players spent their day or ask them for help answering questions at school. Or the thumping acid-jazz-infused soundtrack that I've not been able to get out of my head. Or even just the joy of seeing how it stylishly transitions between menus. But that encapsulates why Persona 5 is a game that shouldn't be missed. It's stuffed to bursting point with gameplay ideas and presentation flourishes--there's an overwhelming level of artistry in every part of Persona 5, making it a truly standout entry in the series. It's a refined, effortlessly stylish RPG that will be talked about for years to come." [read the full review]

-- Lucy James, Video Producer

Unravel Two -- 8/10

"With its charming yarnlings and a newfound style of platforming, Unravel Two remains welcoming even at its most foreboding. Sure, a forest fire breaks out in one of the latter stages, but even then, the race to keep ahead of the blaze is fun and frantic instead of stressful. In almost every moment you're given ample time and space to breathe and take in the stunning photorealistic world from the viewpoint of the tiniest creatures. It's a game with boisterous birds, chases through meadows, and most importantly a cheerful partnership with a companion who's always got your back. With only six chapters that run roughly 30 minutes apiece, Unravel Two doesn't last long, but it's a game where the time you have is meaningful, memorable, and downright pleasant from beginning to end."

-- Justin Clark

Madden NFL 18 -- 9/10

"Overall, Madden 18 marks an unusually large shakeup in a series that, due to its annualized releases, rarely features much more than small, iterative changes. The Frostbite engine allows the game to reach new levels of realism in its visuals, and EA has put a lot of effort into constantly evolving the game to keep it in line with real-world events. But it is the Longshot story mode that defines Madden 18. Some of Longshot is unnecessary spectacle, but its lasting value comes from the humanity that it brings to the game. The moments of vulnerability and sincerity between Devin Wade and Colt Cruise during the story are worthy of celebration and give the overall game a weight that Madden hasn't had before. And if that's not enough to entice you, it's also simply a terrific football game." [read the full review]

-- Alex Newhouse

Far Cry 5 -- 9/10

"Despite some brief irritations and missed opportunities with its narrative, spending time in the world of Hope County remains absolutely delightful. Far Cry 5 boasts a wonderfully harmonious flow to its adventure, with its smart changes to exploration, discovery, and progression distinctly bolstering the enjoyment of creatively engaging and experimenting with its spectacular open world." [read the full review]

-- Edmond Tran, Senior Producer/Editor

Transistor -- 8/10

"Transistor is always a good-looking game, but in these instances, it demonstrates a rare knack for combining its visuals and music to powerfully convey both narrative information and tone, driving the story forward with Red's own unwavering resolve. So in the end, yes, Transistor is a fun action role-playing game with a neat combat system, but beautiful moments like these make it more than that. They make it a game with a soul." [read the full review]

-- Carolyn Petit

Yakuza 0 -- 8/10

"Unless you have a strong aversion to violence, sex, or middling graphics, you owe it to yourself to give Zero a chance. Its story will surprise you, its inhabitants will make you laugh at every turn, and its ambitious scope will redefine how you think about open-world games. It's a fascinating adventure no matter how you approach it, and it's proof positive that a game can be wildly inconsistent yet remain a great experience." [read the full review]

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

Blazblue: Cross Tag Battle -- 9/10

"Whether playing through the story mode alone or against hardened opponents online, Cross Tag Battle is an absolute joy with a surplus of possibilities within its wide roster and versatile fighting system. Even with all the ridiculousness of the overarching plot, I reveled in the charm of my favorite characters and embraced the many moments of fan service. It's a masterful unification of styles and mechanics from four different universes that compels you to dig deeper and dedicate the time to getting the most out of the beloved members of this cast." [Read the full review]

-- Michael Higham, Associate Editor

The Crew 2 -- 8/10

"I'm annoyed by the game's lack of public interaction and meaningless gear system, but I'll fondly recall both the tension of flinging sprint boats back and forth through the narrow, artificial canals of The Venetian in Las Vegas, and the easygoing satisfaction of an hour-long hypercar race from New York to San Francisco, where I listened to a podcast and enjoyed the rolling scenery. Despite its shortcomings, The Crew 2 still displays admirable strengths, which lie in its player-friendly features, freedom of movement, and its willingness to bend the rules in order to make things exciting and varied for an accessible, American-themed thrillride." [Read the full review]

-- Edmond Tran, Senior Editor and Video Producer

11 People, Places, And Plot Points We Want In Respawn's Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order

By Jordan Ramée on Jul 14, 2018 06:01 am

At Last, The Jedi Are No More...

We don't have much information on Respawn's Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, but here's what we do know. The game will star a young Jedi Padawan who escaped Order 66 after the events of Revenge of the Sith when, as Respawn CEO Vince Zampella puts it, the galaxy was at its darkest. As a Jedi apprentice, you will have access to a lightsaber. It's not much to go on, but it's enough to make an educated guess as to who and what we might see in Jedi Fallen Order.

By the events of Star Wars Rebels (5-1 years prior to A New Hope), the Rebellion is already on the rise and large populations of the galaxy are already turning away from the Empire. Hope is beginning to spread; not exactly the galaxy's darkest moment. Even in Solo, which takes place approximately eight years before Rebels, the first seeds of rebellion are beginning to sprout.

That leaves the six years between Revenge of the Sith and Solo. The Empire may still be young, but it's quickly sweeping across the galaxy, along with the Emperor's "humans above all" propaganda. Remnants of old Clone Wars' feuds still rage, and some worlds, like Geonosis, face planet-wide genocide. The Jedi Order has been hunted to near-extinction, and Force-sensitive children are either killed or raised as psychopathic agents of the Emperor. We think it's within this six-year period that Respawn's Jedi Fallen Order takes place.

So now that we have a more exact period of time to work with, here's who and what we want to see in Respawn's Star Wars game.

Ahsoka Tano's Early Years As A Rebel Informant

Ahsoka "Snips" Tano, the apprentice of Anakin Skywalker, first appeared in 2008's Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated film. She went on to become a main character in the The Clone Wars animated series, before reappearing in Star Wars Rebels and starring in her own novel.

Ahsoka is one of Star Wars' most well written characters, debuting as a naive 14-year-old teen, slowly growing to understand the galaxy at large through her adventures with Anakin and Obi-Wan, and choosing to leave the Jedi Order at 17 without becoming a Jedi Knight. She's nearly 20 in the Ahsoka Tano novel and closer to 30 by Rebels. She's one of the few Star Wars characters we've seen grow up. Jedi Fallen Order could earn some major points with fans by including Ahsoka, and it would really make us happy if Ashley Eckstein returned to voice her.

About 18 years prior to A New Hope, Ahsoka endures an Imperial occupation that inspires her to become an intelligence agent that redistributes the balance of power back to the people. We see Ahsoka again in Star Wars Rebels as the covert operative known as Fulcrum, but it's still unclear how she went from deciding to spy on the Empire to becoming one of the galaxy's best informants. Jedi Fallen Order could be the perfect way to catch us up to speed.

Ahsoka's early career as Fulcrum could be the creation of a Jedi "underground railroad" that shepherds Jedi who escaped Order 66 into seclusion. It would be a clever way for her to meet the protagonist. If Ahsoka/Fulcrum is a major part of Jedi Fallen Order, she could be the one talking into the protagonist's ear throughout the game and offering hints, tutorials, and mission objectives.

Ahsoka/Fulcrum could easily be the protagonist for Jedi Fallen Order too.

Imperial Inquisitors

Star Wars fans got their first good look at the Empire's Inquisitors in Star Wars Rebels. These Jedi hunters are the result of Vader turning ten Jedi to the dark side. Most beings with a talent for the Force were killed under the Empire's watch, but those who showed an aptitude for channeling their hate were allowed to live to hunt anyone who escaped the Order 66 purge.

A large part of being a Jedi after the events of Order 66 is being consumed by fear. If Respawn wants you to constantly worry about looking over your shoulder or keeping a low profile, introducing an Inquisitor who's hunting the protagonist could be an effective way to do it. The jaunty tune that summons Songbird in BioShock Infinite and echoing footsteps that signals the arrival of the SA-X in Metroid Fusion are still terrifying to this day. Both of those enemies hunted players relentlessly throughout their respected games. Even if the encounters were scripted, you still had no way of knowing when you'd be plunged into another life-or-death chase. Imagine that same unsettling unease permeating every fiber of Jedi Fallen Order.

Because Jedi Fallen Order most likely takes place so close to the end of Revenge of the Sith, it's unlikely we'd see all ten of the monstrous hunters that Vader groomed. However, the Jedi Temple guard who became the first Inquisitor would still prove a terrifying menace, especially if Respawn can get Jason Isaacs to voice him again. And even if we don't fight them all, it would still be absolutely horrifying to be sneaking through an Imperial facility only to stumble upon Vader cutting body parts off and out of the young Inquisitors during their lesson on the meaning of loss.

A True Display Of The Destructive Power Of The Force

The Force has been used by Jedi and Sith alike to perform spectacular feats throughout the Star Wars films. But these moments are nothing more than mere party tricks when compared to the destructive power Galen "Starkiller" Marek has at his disposal in The Force Unleashed. One of the most notable examples is when he uses the Force to rip an Imperial Star Destroyer out of the sky.

Despite their differing ideologies, both the Jedi and Sith preach control over the Force. The Jedi suppress emotion to temper themselves, while the Sith focus their powerful emotions as a conduit. The Force Unleashed showed players what the Force can do when its wielder abandons control. Instead of simply being pushed away, enemies are flung like ragdolls. Force lightning isn't just blocked by lightsabers, it can be infused into the blade. Massive shockwaves, called Force Repulse, destroy almost everything.

The Force connects everything, but that means it can be used to destroy everything too. Marek happened to be particularly adept at doing so, but we've seen Darth Vader and Kylo Ren perform similar feats. We have no idea how powerful the protagonist of Jedi Fallen Order is, but it could be pretty cool to play as a powerful Force user who hasn't mastered how to control the Force yet and brandishes it as a heavy club instead of wielding it like a scalpel.

Coruscant 1313

We only got a glimpse of one of Coruscant's deepest levels in the gameplay trailers for Star Wars: 1313 before the game was canceled. But what we saw offered a side of the city planet that's absent from the movies. Gone are the towering skyscrapers and brilliant lights. In the belly of Coruscant, it's dirty and violent and the only inhabitants are survivors and criminals. There's no law, and firefights are a common occurrence.

Not even a Jedi would dare call attention to themselves by using a lightsaber within such a hotspot of scum and villainy. Despite the risk of fighting without one, a lightsaber creates too much unwanted attention. Considering Coruscant is the center of the Galactic Empire, it's not a place Jedi Fallen Order's protagonist would want to stand out. Level 1313 is a great location to hide out from the authorities, but Palpatine and Vader are close enough to easily respond to rumors of a lightsaber user.

Visiting Coruscant 1313 would be a great mission for Jedi Fallen Order to test the player's ingenuity and creativity. Without the use of a lightsaber, players would need to rely on a blaster and fancy tech to get past enemies, circumnavigate obstacles, or survive deadly traps. Plus, the level would be a nice nod to the Star Wars bounty hunter game we never got to play.

A Nightmarish Darth Vader

The ending to Rogue One is one of the most terrifying scenes in any Star Wars movie. Watching Darth Vader effortlessly swat aside rebel fighters like they're nothing was a clear reminder that the Sith Lord is one of the most feared beings in the galaxy. He might have been evil in the original trilogy, but in Rogue One he was the rebellion's fear given physical form.

In Star Wars, Darth Vader is supposed to be the boogeyman. You never want him to be the one who's sent after you. Unfortunately, we have few examples of how scary Vader can be. He chokes people all the time, but we rarely see him inspire genuine fear in everyone around him. We want to see what it's like for Vader to be hunting his prey.

Vader has had more chances to prove how monstrous he is in Rebels, when his mere presence made Kanan and Ezra feel cold, and again when he fought his former apprentice Ahsoka Tano in one of the most heart-wrenching lightsaber duels in the franchise. It's the sort of face-off we'd like to see more of, especially given that Vader is a bone-chilling monster at this point.

If Jedi Fallen Order would rather go hot than cold, then the game could cover the immediate aftermath of Revenge of the Sith when Vader is wallowing in his sorrow over killing Padme. We imagine Vader would have been especially viscous during this part of his life, as he buries his pain for his dead wife under the bodies of his victims. Imagine facing a Vader like that in Jedi Fallen Order. He'd probably fight like a demented animal with nothing to lose.

A Broken Jedi Order

One of the best aspects of Star Wars The Force Unleashed was witnessing how the surviving Jedi coped with the destruction of their order. Rahm Kota resists the Empire through guerrilla tactics in a desperate bid to draw Darth Vader to him for a final showdown. Kazdan Paratus goes insane and builds a mock Jedi Temple with a council composed of discarded pieces of junk. Shaak Ti, much like her fellow council members Obi-Wan and Yoda, retreats into hiding on an unimportant planet.

The Force Unleashed is no longer canon, but these examples of the Jedi's decay is no less memorable. With a few exceptions, like Qui-Gon and Anakin, the Jedi Order seems mostly uniform in mind and spirit during the prequel trilogy. The Force Unleashed let you see the members of the Jedi Order as individuals who needed to survive on their own. It highlighted just how much the Jedi need to rely on others to survive, as opposed to the Sith who can endure on their own for centuries.

There are no true examples in Disney's recent Star Wars films of Jedi living on their own without friends, family, or any sort of support. Luke Skywalker, who's both broken and ashamed of his failure as a teacher in The Last Jedi, comes close. But he can return to a sister and friends if he wanted to. His exile is his choice, not one brought about by necessity.

To See The Weirder Aspects Of The Force

The Force has been able to pull off some pretty weird stuff in the Star Wars films, like creating ghosts, but that only scratches the surface of what it can do. A vast majority of the stranger parts of the Force come from holocrons, Sith sorcery, and locations where the Force pools together. With the exception of that last one, we haven't seen many of those examples in the films, as most have passed into noncanon.

We have seen a few of these examples reintroduced in The Clone Wars and Rebels though, and it could be cool to see Jedi Fallen Order expand on any one of them. The Clone Wars reintroduced us to The Ones: The Father, a god-like being with unprecedented control over the Force; The Son, the living embodiment of the dark side; and The Daughter, the living embodiment of the light. Perhaps Jedi Fallen Order could touch upon The Servant/The Mother, the mortal woman who became the monstrous Abeloth prior to the events of the prequel trilogy. An immortal shapeshifter with a mastery over both the light and dark sides of the Force, Abeloth's incessant need for companionship has put her into direct conflict with both the Jedi and Sith for centuries. Exploring her lore would make for an excellent collection of side quests.

Rebels reintroduced time travel into the Star Wars canon with the world between worlds, a mystical plane where every moment exists in tandem and Force users can both travel to and change any event from the past or future. The world between worlds has already been used to explain how Ahsoka Tano survived until the events of Return of the Jedi, and could be used as a scapegoat for Respawn to tell an original story. The world between worlds dismisses any inconsistencies in Star Wars lore by separating certain events and characters into different timelines. Even if Respawn chooses not to create a story separate from Disney's Star Wars Universe, we'd love to see the world between worlds used to pull off a time traveling mission similar to Titanfall 2's stellar "Effects and Cause" level.

To See How The Rebellion Came Together

The original creation of the Rebellion was a part of The Force Unleashed. Galen Marek's sacrifice made him a martyr to several freedom fighters, who united under Marek's old family crest. This origin was lost when The Force Unleashed became noncanon.

Even if Jedi Fallen Order primarily takes place during one of the galaxy's darkest moments, there's nothing to suggest the entire game stays in that specific sphere of time. Time skips could place later chapters closer to the events of A New Hope and the start of the Rebel Alliance. Both Rebels and Solo touch on how the Rebellion started as a system of rebel cells that eventually came together, but leaves out what exactly transpired to unite them. Jedi Fallen Order would be a great way for Respawn to tell that story.

No Skywalkers

Most of the canonical Star Wars stories revolve around a Skywalker or someone related to a Skywalker. But the Star Wars universe is vast, and there are plenty of other characters Jedi Fallen Order could focus on.

At the time of Jedi Fallen Order, Luke and Leia are the only Skywalkers. Anakin has been "killed" by Darth Vader. Although it could be a cute Easter egg to toss in a mission or two that puts the protagonist into contact with a young Luke or Leia, the game shouldn't. Leia's story begins in Star Wars Rebels and Luke's arc starts in A New Hope. Jedi Fallen Order shouldn't bend over backwards to show us a toddler Leia running around her palace, or a teenager Luke learning to pilot a speeder. We've got enough Skywalker stories and don't need another.

To Play As A Woman

When Disney erased most of the Star Wars Expanded Universe from the canon, the company wiped out pretty much every notable women who's been a Jedi. Across all three Star Wars trilogies, Rey is the only woman who's earned the title of Jedi and been a main character. Other women, like Shaak Ti and Aayla Secura, were present in the prequel trilogy but pushed to the background and given zero scenes to actually speak.

It's not like women can't be Jedi. Before the Expanded Universe was made noncanon, Han and Leia had twins, one of which was Jaina Solo. She would go on to be one of Luke's greatest students. Jaina's brother would fall in love with Tenel Ka Djo, a princess who rejected her royal title to focus on body building and training as a Jedi. Even losing one of her arms didn't stop her from becoming a formidable warrior, as she rejected a prosthetic arm and developed her own style of combat that incorporated kicks instead of Force pushes. Jedi Knight Etain Tur-Murkan fought for clone trooper rights during the later years of the Clone Wars, even giving her life to protect troopers during the Jedi Purge.

Many women could be reintroduced into Star Wars canon if Jedi Fallen Order were to tweak their backstories. Mara Jade would be perfect. Mara is a fiercely sarcastic and cunning Force-sensitive assassin who vows to avenge the Emperor by killing Luke Skywalker. Eventually she comes around to the light, becomes a Jedi Master, and marries Luke. Though it would make her about 10 years older than how she was originally written, Mara could be the protagonist of Jedi Fallen Order. She was introduced in the same book as Admiral Thrawn, who was recently given a slightly different backstory so he could be a regular antagonist in Rebels. No reason Mara can't undergo the same treatment.

Imagine playing as the young padawan Mara Jade who's slowly corrupted throughout the events of Jedi Fallen Order before becoming an agent to Palpatine in the final moments of the game. Reintroducing her back into the canon would add another level of tragedy to Kylo killing off most of Luke's new Jedi Order as well. Disney wouldn't need to confirm or deny it, but there would always be the lingering question of whether one of the Jedi that Kylo killed was Mara, someone Luke would have been particularly close to.

Explain What The Emperor Wanted With Maul

"Do not worry. I'm not going to kill you. I have other uses for you." These are the last words Palpatine says before maliciously electrocuting Maul in the final season of The Clone Wars animated series. We don't see Maul again until a brief cameo in Solo. He's seen again in Rebels, now free of the Emperor and filled with hatred for the man who was once his master.

According to the Ahsoka Tano novel, Maul fled from the public eye during the confusion of the Jedi purge. Where he went and what he did after that is still a mystery. Palpatine had plans for his former apprentice but it seems like Maul was able to escape before those plans bore fruit. It would be nice to learn what Palpatine had in mind and whether or not he enacted his machinations through someone else.

Viewers were pleasantly surprised when The Clone Wars revealed Maul survived his injuries in A Phantom Menace, and were ecstatic to see the former Sith warrior return in Rebels to engage an elderly Obi-Wan in a old western-style duel on Tatooine. Seeing Maul again, and possibly even facing him, in Jedi Fallen Order would be some stellar fan-service.

Those are the 11 characters, places, and themes we want to see in Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order. Let us know if you've figured out how Jedi Fallen Order could allude to Knights of the Old Republic's Darth Revan, deduced how Respawn can give Jar Jar Binks the heroic death he rightly deserves, or thought of any other Star Wars characters or places that need to be in this game. Comment down below with what you want (or definitely don't want) to see.

The 21 Biggest PC Game Exclusives Confirmed For 2018: Quake Champions, Pillars Of Eternity 2

By Matt Espineli on Jul 14, 2018 05:55 am

This Year's Exclusives.exe

PC is one of the best platforms to play games. Not only does it allow access to an immense library of games across multiple generations, but it also offers the potential to play them at their best. But if you're looking for some new games, there's an abundance of great-looking ones coming exclusively to PC this year alone.

On consumer platforms like Steam and GOG, there are hundreds of exclusive PC games released every day. Since rounding them up would prove unwieldy, we've narrowed the field down to this list of some of the most high-profile exclusives.

Below you can get a glance at some of the biggest PC exclusives releasing in 2018. We'll be updating this list throughout the year as more games get announced, as well as tinker our placeholder entries with confirmed release dates and additional information when new announcements are made.

PC Exclusive Games Of 2018

If you're curious about other platforms, you can check out our features on PS4 exclusives, Switch exclusives, and Xbox One exclusives. In the meantime, which PC games are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments below.

Rust

Facepunch Studios' Rust is a multiplayer survival game where players are tasked with satiating their in-game needs, such as hunger, thirst, and warmth, with items and materials that can be scavenged from the expansive world or stolen from other players.

We gave the game a 3/10. Read our Rust review.

Developer: Facepunch Studios | Release Date: February 8

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II: Kai

Although this remaster is available for PS4 in Japan, the rest of the world can only play The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II: Kai on PC. Like the original game, Trails of Cold Steel II is a traditional JRPG with turn-based battles. Unlike the original, this sequel is focused on traveling across a fantastical world as opposed to attending a magical combat school.

Developer: Nihon Falcom | Release Date: February 14

Age of Empires: Definitive Edition

Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is a remaster of the iconic history-based real-time strategy game from 1997.

We gave the game a 6/10. Read our Age of Empires: Definitive Edition review.

Developer: Forgotten Empires | Release Date: February 20

Hunt: Showdown

Hunt: Showdown is a competitive first-person PvP bounty hunting game with heavy PvE elements. It takes the thrill that comes with survival games and combines it with the action heavy combat of a match-based shooter.

Watch a trailer.

Developer: Crytek | Release Date: February 22 (Early Access), Winter 2018 (Official Release)

Chuchel

Chuchel is a puzzle game developed by Jaromir Plachy & Amanita Design, the creators of Botanicula, Machinarium, and the Samorost games.

Developer: Amanita Design | Release Date: March 7

Long Gone Days

Long Gone Days is a 2D RPG that follows the adventures of Rourke, a soldier who decides to abandon his post, which leads him on a journey where he'll collaborate with allies from different parts of the world to overcome the peril of an inescapable war. While a traditional RPG at its core, the game also features elements from visual novels, puzzlers, and shooters.

Developer: BURA | Release Date: March 28 (Early Access)

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is the successor to the critically acclaimed 2015 original. It features an expansive multiclassing system, which allows players to build unique characters that tie both into personal playstyles and stories. It also gives you access to a ship that you can use to sail across the game's world. You'll need to continually upgrade it to better survive perilous encounters.

We gave the game an 8/10. Check out our Pillars of Eternity II review.

Developer: Obsidian Entertainment | Release Date: April 3

Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia

Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia is the latest spin-off game in the popular Total War franchise. In contrast to the mainline games, Thrones of Britannia is a turn-based strategy game that takes place in the aftermath of the Viking invasion of Britain.

We gave the game an 8/10. Read our Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia review.

Developer: Creative Assembly | Release Date: April 19

Frontpunk

Frostpunk puts players in charge of a city that's trying to survive a volcanic winter. This city-building survival game comes with three different scenarios. Each has its own story and will test the morals and decision making skills of the player in different ways.

We gave the game a 9/10. Read our Frostpunk review.

Developer: 11 bit studios | Release Date: April 24

BattleTech

BattleTech is a turn-based strategy game based in the universe of the popular tabletop and science-fiction franchise of the same name. You assume the role of a mercenary commander leading a team of powerful giant robots called battlemechs.

We gave the game a 9/10. Read our Battletech review.

Developer: Harebrained Schemes | Release Date: April 24

Dauntless

Dauntless is a free-to-play action-RPG that plays similarly to Capcom's popular Monster Hunter series. It takes place in a world where a cataclysmic event has torn the world apart, releasing monster-like Behemoths that prey on the surviving humans. You play as a Slayer, a special warrior tasked with taking down the Behemoths.

Watch a trailer.

Developer: Phoenix Labs | Release Date: May 24 (Open Beta)

Underworld Ascendant

Underworld Ascendant is an action-RPG made by developers that worked on the Ultima Underworld series. Like those games, it focuses on player choice while taking you on a journey across a fantasy realm packed with danger and intrigue.

Watch a trailer.

Developer: Otherside Entertainment | Release Date: September 2018

MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries

MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is the first numbered mainline entry in the once popular mech-sim series to be released in nearly 16 years. In keeping with MechWarrior tradition, you customize and pilot your own personal BattleMech across a new conflict set within the universe of the popular BattleTech franchise.

Watch a trailer.

Developer: Piranha Games | Release Date: Winter 2018

Anno 1800

An isometric RPG, Pathfinder: Kingmaker is a spinoff to the original Pathfinder franchise. The game takes place in the Stolen Lands, which is a part of Golarion, the default setting of 2009's Pathfinder.

Watch a trailer.

Developer: Owlcat Games | Release Date: TBA 2018

The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep

The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep is a party-based dungeon crawler with traditional RPG elements.

Watch a trailer.

Developer: inXile Entertainment | Release Date: TBA 2018

The 19 Biggest Nintendo Switch Exclusives Confirmed For 2018: Smash Bros. Ultimate, Mario Tennis Aces

By Jordan Ramée on Jul 14, 2018 05:51 am

Nintendo's Newest

In 2017, Nintendo soared back into the limelight with the Switch--the fastest selling console in US history. Incredible exclusives like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey proved Nintendo still remembered the strengths of its franchises and the importance of taking risks. For an overview of all the Switch games we reviewed last year, head over to our Switch review page.

Already, Nintendo is using 2018 to build upon the company's successes and produce more fantastic-looking follow-ups to fan-favorite franchises, like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Kirby Star Allies. A number of new IPs, like Octopath Traveler, round out Switch's library of exclusives for 2018 library. You won't find these titles anywhere else.

There are plenty of exciting exclusives for Switch this year. Below is a full list of the biggest ones, and for more information on each game, click through to the slides ahead to find out what each game is and its release date.

Nintendo Switch Console Exclusive Games In 2018

We've compiled every one we know of so far here, and will continue to update this gallery with new games as they get announced. Be sure to check back often as we update this gallery with more exclusives. And if you're curious about other platforms, you can check out our features on PS4 exclusives, Xbox One exclusives, and PC exclusives. In the meantime, which exclusives are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below.

Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2

When Nintendo revealed Bayonetta 3 at The Game Awards, the company also confirmed a popular rumor: Bayonetta 2 and the original Bayonetta were on their way to Switch. The sequel headlines the physical packaging of the game, but every copy of Bayonetta 2 includes a download code for the original.

We gave the original Bayonetta an 8/10. Check out our Bayonetta review.

We loved the follow-up even more, giving it a perfect 10/10. Check out our Bayonetta 2 review.

Developer: PlatinumGames | Release Date: February 16

Kirby Star Allies

Kirby made his debut on Switch in Kirby Star Allies. This title provides a multiplayer twist on traditional Kirby action, allowing four players to party up and tackle platforming stages and boss battles together. Like Kirby, his allies use powers absorbed from lesser enemies.

We gave the game an 8/10. Check out our Kirby Star Allies review.

Developer: HAL Laboratory | Release Date: March 16

Nintendo Labo

Nintendo Labo is a series of kits that include cardboard cut-outs and other materials that are assembled in combination with the Switch and its Joy-Cons to be played with special game software and vice versa. The series' first two kits--the Variety Kit and the Robot Kit--released in April.

We gave the Nintendo Labo and its first two kits a 7/10. Check out our Nintendo Labo review.

Developer: Nintendo | Release Date: April 20

Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze

Continuing the tradition of updated Wii U games that get Switch ports like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Pokken Tournament DX, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze launched on Switch in May. The game adds a new playable character, Funky Kong, who introduces his own unique twist on the original's platforming gameplay.

We gave the game a 9/10. Read our Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze review.

Developer: Retro Studios, Monster Games | Release Date: May 4

Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition

The revamped version of Hyrule Warriors comes to Switch with all of the maps, missions, characters, and DLC from both the original Wii U release and the expanded 3DS version. Even Yuga and Ravio from A Link Between Worlds joined this Dynasty Warriors-style game. Both Link and Zelda get new Breath of the Wild-themed costumes as well.

We gave the game an 8/10. Check out our Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition review.

Developer: Omega Force | Release Date: May 18

Runner3

The Bit.Trip games from developer Choice Provisions rank among some of the best throwback experiences of the past decade. Nintendo Switch owners have exclusive access to the series' newest game, Runner3, which continues the tradition of linking rhythmic timing and platforming, while also promising plenty of new tricks to stump returning players.

We gave the game a 7/10. Read our Runner3 review.

Developer: Choice Provisions | Release Date: May 22

Pokemon Quest

The original 151 Pokedex returns in Pokemon Quest, a free-to-play spin-off to Nintendo's popular pocket monster franchise. The game differentiates itself with its blocky art-style. Gameplay for Quest is separated into four parts: catching Pokemon, training your team, managing your base camp, and adventuring into the unknown in story missions.

Watch some gameplay.

Developer: Game Freak | Release Date: May 30

Mario Tennis Aces

Mario Tennis Aces from developer Camelot--the team behind the GBA game Golden Sun as well as numerous other Mario sports titles--launched on Switch this past spring. Mario's newest run at tennis includes a challenging story, three tournaments, and new special abilities.

Our review of the game is still in progress, but we're currently giving it an 8/10. Check out our Mario Tennis Aces review.

Developer: Camelot | Release Date: June 22

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

The incredibly adorable puzzler, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is finally on Switch. It includes an added Super Mario Odyssey-themed level modeled after that game's New Donk City location. You can also play with a friend--each using one joy-con--where one controls Toad and the other can shoot turnips to attack enemies.

We gave the game an 8/10. Check out our Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker review.

Developer: Nintendo | Release Date: July 13

Octopath Traveler

Square Enix and developer Acquire's Octopath Traveler is a retro RPG that mixes 2D and 3D graphics in an effort to bridge the gap between 16-bit and HD. They game encompasses eight different main characters who each have their own personal story.

We gave the game an 8/10. Check out our Octopath Traveler review.

Developer: Square Enix, Acquire | Release Date: July 13

Code Of Princess EX

Originally for 3DS, Code of Princess is coming to Nintendo Switch in July. This hack and slash game features a few RPG elements you can explore with its cast of over 50 playable characters. There are two multiplayer modes as well: co-op missions and a Versus mode.

Back in 2012, we gave the 3DS version of the game a 7/10. Read our Code of Princess review.

Developer: Studio Saizensen | Release Date: July 31

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate

Monster Hunter Generations new HD port is already available on Switch in Japan, and it comes to the rest of the world later this year. With no sign of Monster Hunter: World coming to Switch, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate will have to satisfy your need for a new hunting experience on the go.

We gave the original game a 7/10. Read our Monster Hunter Generations review.

Developer: Capcom | Release Date: August 28

Super Mario Party

Super Mario Party marks the 11th time Mario and his friends have gotten together to beat each other up, steal from one another, and willingly participate in a diverse assortment of tiny death traps. Or as they like to call it: a party. Like the Mario Party titles that released for Wii and Wii U, Super Mario Party will feature mini games and challenges that utilize both traditional button controls and motion controls.

Developer: Nd Cube | Release Date: October 5

Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu! / Pokemon: Let's Go, Eevee!

Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokemon: Let's Go, Eevee! are the first Pokemon RPGs to come to Switch. The two titles take gameplay inspiration from Pokemon Yellow and Pokemon GO. Choose whether you want to be followed by an adorable Pikachu or lovable Eevee and then start your quest to catch 'em all!

Developer: Game Freak | Release Date: November 16

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Super Smash Bros. is finally coming to Nintendo Switch, and you won't have to wait all that long for it: it's coming this holiday season. Every fighter from every previous Smash Bros. game is coming to duke it out in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and a few newcomers like Daisy, Ridley, and Inkling are joining them.

Watch Ridley's creepy reveal trailer.

Developer: Nintendo | Release Date: December 7

Light Fingers

Light Fingers is a turn-based multiplayer board game where your goal is to gather loot and progress across the board, all while your opponents play cards and manipulate mechanical obstacles in an effort to trip you up. The game is coming to Switch sometime this year.

Developer: Numizmatic | Release Date: TBA 2018

Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes

The third game in the No More Heroes series from infamous developer, Goichi "SUDA 51" Suda, is scheduled to land on Switch later this year. Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes is a revenge tale against frontman Travis, who finds himself confronted by Badman, father of Travis' first assassination target, Bad Girl. Before they get into a scuffle, both characters are drawn into a video game system. From within, they will have to confront a handful of fictional video games, supposedly inspired by real-world hits like Hotline Miami.

Check out some gameplay.

Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture | Release Date: TBA 2018

Dragon Marked For Death

The latest game from the team behind Mega Man Zero, Mega Man 9, Mega Man 10, and Azure Striker Gunvolt is coming exclusively to Switch this year. Dragon Marked for Death looks like another action-packed 2D side-scroller with intricate sprites, but Inti Creates is experimenting by adding in four-player local co-op and progression systems that give the game an action-RPG feel.

Developer: Inti Creates | Release Date: TBA 2018

The World Ends With You - Final Remix

The hi-res version of Square Enix's The World Ends with You is coming to Switch, along with a "sizable" new story scenario. This anime-inspired game is set in modern day Tokyo and created by the same team behind Kingdom Hearts III. The Final Remix version was announced during January's Nintendo Direct Mini, and is due sometime this year.

When we reviewed the original game on DS, we gave it a 9/10. Read our The World Ends with You review.

Developer: Square Enix | Release Date: TBA 2018

The 10 Biggest Xbox One Exclusives Confirmed For 2018: Forza Horizon 4, Sea Of Thieves

By Matt Espineli on Jul 14, 2018 05:45 am

A Growing Library Of Exclusives

In 2017, Microsoft managed to enhance its latest and a few pre-existing games with upgraded visuals thanks to the release of Xbox One X. However, the publisher's roster of exclusives last year was small. There were a few noticeable standouts, like Everspace and Cuphead, but Microsoft just couldn't compete against Sony and Nintendo's larger libraries. Fortunately, Microsoft kicked off this year with a solid array of exclusive triple-A and independent games.

We expected to see titles like Sea of Thieves and State of Decay 2, but Microsoft managed to surprise us with sequels to fan favorite franchises, like Forza Horizon 4, and phenomenal new experiences, like Full Metal Furies. And that's only the beginning. Microsoft's E3 2018 press conference revealed the company has plenty of exclusives on the way. With so many great-looking games coming to the console that you won't find anywhere else, we've compiled a list of all the exclusive games coming to Xbox One in the coming months.

Xbox One Console Exclusive Games In 2018

Make sure to check back often, as we'll continue to update our entries with specific dates and info when new announcements are made. If you're curious about other platforms, you can check out our features on PS4 exclusives, PC exclusives, and Switch exclusives.

It's worth noting that there are a few games in this feature that are also on PC. Given Microsoft's Play Anywhere program and the company's hand in both console and PC gaming, these games have been included. But which Xbox One games are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments below.

Full Metal Furies

This action adventure places an emphasis on teamwork. You and three friends each take control of one of four different heroes and adventure into a world filled with deadly enemies, vicious traps, and mind-boggling puzzles. You might want to grab a fifth person to keep track of all the clues and puzzles with pen and paper. For Full Metal Furies, you'll need it. Trust us.

Developer: Cellar Door Games | Release Date: January 17

Deep Rock Galactic

Deep Rock Galactic is a first-person cooperative sci-fi shooter where up to four players explore procedurally generated, destructible environments to complete in a variety of missions. As a team of Dwarven space miners, you work together to blow up cave walls and mow down enemies.

Watch the trailer.

Developer: Ghost Ship Games | Release Date: February 28 (Early Access)

Pit People

Pit People is an action-RPG developed by indie game developer The Behemoth. It released in Early Access last year, and officially launched this past March. The game continues the wacky humor of The Behemoth's previous titles and unites Alien Hominid, Castle Crashers, and BattleBlock Theater into one shared universe.

We gave the game a 7/10. Read our Pit People review.

Developer: The Behemoth | Release Date: March 2

Sea of Thieves

Sea of Thieves is the first original, non-Kinect game by iconic developer Rare in years. It's a first-person multiplayer action-adventure game that allows you to live out the life of a pirate with your friends. You work together to navigate the sea by ship while hunting down treasure and fending off competing players.

We gave the game a 6/10. Check out our Sea of Thieves review.

Developer: Rare | Release Date: March 20

State of Decay 2

State of Decay 2 is a multiplayer zombie survival game featuring an open-world environment and co-op gameplay with up to three other players. Unlike the original, the game allows you to control anyone in your crew of survivors, who each have their own unique strengths and weaknesses.

We gave the game a 5/10. Check out our State of Decay 2 review.

Developer: Undead Labs | Release Date: May 22

Forza Horizon 4

Forza's popular spin-off returns for another installment in Forza Horizon 4. The open world racing game is doubling down on the weather effects this time around and implementing drastic changes to each track depending on whether the race occurs in the spring, summer, fall, or winter. The game will feature 450 licensed cars.

Watch the trailer.

Developer: Playground Games | Release Date: September 28 (Ultimate Edition), October 2 (Deluxe and Standard Editions)

Black Desert Online

The incredibly popular PC MMORPG Black Desert Online is making its way onto Xbox One this year as a timed-exclusive. Thanks to the power of the Xbox One X, the upcoming console port can be played in 4K.

We gave the original PC version of the game a 7/10. Reach our Black Desert Online review.

Developer: Pearl Abyss | Release Date: TBA 2018

Ashen

Ashen is an action-RPG where you play a wanderer in search of a place to settle. However, the game's hostile world is filled with malicious scavengers and deadly creatures who ensure you won't stay in one place for long. Ashen challenges you to explore, create settlements, and seek out other adventurers to improve your chances of survival.

Watch the trailer.

Developer: Aurora44 | Release Date: TBA 2018

Darwin Project

Darwin Project is a free-to-play third-person competitive battle royale with an emphasis on survival. In order to win, you must endure extreme weather conditions, while tracking opponents and setting up traps.

Developer: Scavenger Studio | Release Date: TBA 2018

The Last Night

The Last Night is a 2.5D cinematic platformer where you play as Charlie, a lower-class citizen in a society where computers and machinery have taken over menial work. You explore the city, talk with its various inhabitants, and discover its secrets.

Watch the trailer.

Developer: Odd Tales | Release Date: TBA 2018

The 24 Biggest PS4 Exclusive Games Confirmed For 2018: God Of War, Spider-Man, And More

By Peter Brown on Jul 14, 2018 05:42 am

Only on PlayStation 4

2017 was an amazing year for the PlayStation 4. On top of a well-rounded selection of multi-platform games like Prey, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, and What Remains of Edith Finch, the console also had fantastic exclusives like Persona 5, Gravity Rush 2, Nioh, and Horizon: Zero Dawn. And for any with an interest in virtual reality, the release of PlayStation VR offered a few more excellent titles.

2018 has been a pretty good follow-up. The PS4's library has some excellent new multi-platform games, such as Celeste and Monster Hunter: World. However, it's the exclusive indies, like Iconoclasts, and triple-A titles, like God of War, that separate the PS4 from its competition. Insomniac's Spider-Man is primed to close out the PS4's 2018 roster of console exclusives, but maybe we'll be treated to a surprise or two.

Below is a full list of the PS4's biggest exclusives for 2018. For more information on each game, click through the slides ahead to find out what each game is and its release date.

PS4 Console Exclusive Games In 2018

We've compiled every big exclusive we know of so far here, and will continue to update this gallery with new games as they get announced. Be sure to check back often as we update this gallery with more exclusives. And if you're curious about other platforms, you can check out our features on Xbox One exclusives, PC exclusives, and Switch exclusives. In the meantime, which exclusives are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below.

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth - Hacker's Memory

The latest game in the long-running Digimon series presents the mysterious backstory to the events that transpired in the first Cyber Sleuth game, and features 320 Digimon from the animated series.

Watch some gameplay.

Developer: Media.Vision | Release Date: January 19

Iconoclasts

Iconoclasts is a Metroidvania-inspired action puzzler where you play as Robin, an unlicensed mechanic in a world ruled by a corrupt theocracy that rules the world by controlling technology. When Robin's actions inevitably provoke the powers that be to hunt down everyone she loves, she becomes embroiled in a conflict that threatens not only the safety of her family but the entire world.

We gave the game a 9/10. Read our Iconoclasts review.

Developer: Joakim Sandberg | Release Date: January 23

The Inpatient

The Inpatient is an unlikely prequel to Supermassive Games' 2015 horror gem, Until Dawn. It's a PSVR experience set 60 years prior to the first game, inside the foreboding halls of Blackwood Sanatorium.

We gave the game a 8/10. Read our The Inpatient review.

Developer: Supermassive Games | Release Date: January 23

Dissidia: Final Fantasy NT

The Dissidia games found a lot of fans back during the PSP's heyday, and more recently in Japanese arcades. The latest in the series released on PlayStation 4, courtesy of Team Ninja, and promised wild mid-air battles between Final Fantasy's most beloved and infamous characters.

We gave the game a 5/10. Check out our Dissidia: Final Fantasy NT review.

Developer: Team Ninja | Release Date: January 30

Shadow of the Colossus

The magical PS2 game Shadow of the Colossus was given a new lease on life with a PS4 remake. Bluepoint Games completely rebuilt every aspect of the game's world while leaving the underlying structure and mechanics intact, making Shadow of the Colossus even better than before.

We gave the game a 9/10. Check out our Shadow of the Colossus review.

Developer: Bluepoint Games | Release Date: February 6

The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia

The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia lets you enjoy the destructive action and excitement from the anime. Battle your friends in memorable fights that feature the likes of Meliodas, Elizabeth, Ban, Hawk, and the other colorful assortment of characters that live in Britannia.

Watch some gameplay.

Developer: Bandai Namco Games | Release Date: February 9

Moss

Moss is a fetching adventure in a magical world starring a daring and capable mouse named Quill. This game has a lot of heart, but its storybook whims can only be experienced through a PSVR headset.

We gave the game a 8/10. Read our Moss review.

Developer: Polyarc | Release Date: February 27

Frantics

Frantics hopes to entertain you and a few of your closest friends with 15 oddball mini-games. Designed for PlayLink support, you use your smartphone, rather than a DualShock, to participate.

Developer: NapNok Games | Release Date: March 6

Bravo Team

Supermassive's PSVR game, Bravo Team, is a tactical shooter designed for two-player co-op, either locally or online; teamwork and communication are key to your success.

We gave the game a 4/10. Check our Bravo Team review.

Developer: Supermassive Games | Release Date: March 6

Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom outdoes its predecessor. An ambitious title, it's a character-driven RPG that doubles as a kingdom simulator and even occasionally becomes a real-time strategy game.

We gave the game a 8/10. Check out our Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom review.

Developer: Leveil-5 | Release Date: March 23

MLB The Show 18

The most recent addition to Sony's annual baseball series features the formidable New York Yankee, Aaron Judge. MLB The Show 18 pushes the franchise's visuals, mechanics, and authenticity to new heights.

We gave the game a 9/10. Read our MLB The Show 18 review.

Developer: Sony San Diego Studio | Release Date: March 27

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life

Sega's serious-meets-slapstick open-world series continues its onslaught on the West with Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. It's also the first game to take advantage of the new Dragon Engine, which helps the game's lifelike renditions of Tokyo and famous Japanese actors look more convincing than ever.

We gave the game a 8/10. Check out our Yakuza 6: The Song of Life review.

Developer: Ryu ga Gotoku Studios | Release Date: April 17

God of War

With the pantheon of Greek gods behind him, Kratos' latest adventure takes him to the frozen Norse wilds. Though the series' familiar action remains intact, Kratos must now also care for his son, Atreus, as the two work together to overcome brutal obstacles and new opponents.

We gave the game a 9/10. Check out our God of War review.

Developer: Sony Santa Monica Studio | Release Date: April 20

Dragon's Crown Pro

The sumptuously illustrated beat-em-up from Vanillaware is making a comeback, and the Pro version of the game will feature new support for 4K (on PS4 Pro) and a newly recorded orchestrated soundtrack.

In Concrete Genie, players take on the role of Ash, a troubled teen who's bullied. Ash escapes his problems by painting beautiful landscapes and creatures, but when he finds some magical paint, his artwork begins to come to life.

We sat down with the PixelOpus at E3 2018 to talk about Concrete Genie.

Developer: PixelOpus | Release Date: TBA 2018

The Best PS4 Console Exclusive Games Since 2013

By Jordan Ramée on Jul 14, 2018 05:38 am

The PlayStation 4 launched in November 2013 and Sony's done a phenomenal job making sure a stream of excellent exclusives continues to launch on the platform. That trend isn't slowing down in 2018, with the phenomenal God of War releasing earlier this spring and Insomniac Games' Spider-Man on its way in just a few months.

Click ahead to view GameSpot's highest-rated PS4 exclusives since the console's launch. The titles are in alphabetical order and don't reflect our own personal ranking of each game. The list only includes games we've awarded an 8/10 or higher. We've also limited the gallery based on console exclusivity, so you'll see a few games in this gallery that are also available on PC or PS Vita. This means games that originally released for PS2 or PS3 and launched again on the PS4 without any additional content (like Beyond: Two Souls) are not included. Remasters, remakes, and reboots are all fair game though.

For review, we gave:

MLB 14: The Show an 8/10

MLB 15: The Show an 8/10.

We gave the game an 8/10.

In our Tooth and Tail review, Daniel Starkey wrote, "Rotating through the band of 20 fighters will offer plenty of depth on its own, too. There's plenty of room to fake out foes by overbuilding one type and feinting a foe into countering that so you can sweep them with your own reserves. If you don't have quite the squads you need to deal with enemies in the best way, you'll have to adapt -- and strong variety will give you the tools to come up with unique combinations and tactics on the fly.

When all of that comes together in a tight, four-player battle royale, it is a thing of beauty."

Transistor

We gave the game an 8/10.

In our Transistor review, Carolyn Petit wrote, "Transistor is always a good-looking game, but in [certain] instances, it demonstrates a rare knack for combining its visuals and music to powerfully convey both narrative information and tone, driving the story forward with Red's own unwavering resolve. So in the end, yes, Transistor is a fun action role-playing game with a neat combat system, but beautiful moments like these make it more than that. They make it a game with a soul."

Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection

We gave the collection an 8/10.

In our Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection review, Mike Mahardy wrote, "At various times throughout the Uncharted games, our protagonist carries the ring of Francis Drake on a leather band around his neck. The ring's inscription reads: "Sic Parvus Magna," or, "greatness from small beginnings."

I can't imagine a better way to encapsulate this collection. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was a fine game in 2007, but its wrinkles are deeper now, its age more apparent.

With Uncharted 2 and [Uncharted 3], though, Naughty Dog transcended Drake's own small beginnings. The Nathan Drake Collection is a firsthand account of Naughty Dog's growth as a storyteller, and this collection is the best way to relive that history, and witness its transformation up close."

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

We gave the game a perfect 10/10.

In our Uncharted 4: A Thief's End review, Mike Mahardy wrote, "And most of all, as its final moments make clear, this is a story about storytelling--the importance we lend our idols, legends, and myths. How we pass down the ones that inspire us. How an old photo of three friends sitting on a pile of gold can unleash a flood of memories. Uncharted 4 is a challenge to the medium. In its writing, in its design, in its understanding of what makes games unique, Uncharted 4 is something to aspire to. It's a shining example. And we'll be talking about it for years to come."

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

We gave the game a 9/10.

In our Uncharted: The Lost Legacy review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "The Lost Legacy doesn't signify a new era for Uncharted so much as it presents an opportunity to show the series from new perspectives, for which Chloe and the AI-controlled Nadine are perfectly capable. With a new playable treasure hunter comes new settings and character motivations, wrapped in a comfortingly familiar Uncharted package. The thrill of playing through set pieces that call back scenes from the earlier games is all the more enhanced when seen through the gameplay mechanics introduced in A Thief's End. The initial hours of The Lost Legacy give an "Uncharted Greatest Hits" vibe, but it grows into a more nuanced, clever experience, ranking among the best in the series while also making its own mark as a standalone Uncharted that isn't anchored to Nathan Drake's harrowing exploits."

Until Dawn

We gave the game an 8/10.

In our Until Dawn review, Alexa Ray Corriea wrote, "I didn't expect to have so much fun with Until Dawn, and the depth with which my choices mattered and affected the final outcome encouraged repeat playthroughs. The visuals can be wonky at times, but in the end Until Dawn succeeds in being a thoughtful use of familiar mechanics, a great achievement in player-driven narrative, and a horror game you shouldn't miss."

Wipeout Omega Collection

We gave the game a 9/10.

In our Wipeout Omega Collection review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "By focusing on this specific era of the series, Wipeout Omega Collection maintains a level of cohesion you wouldn't get if this compilation included, say, Wipeout Pure or Fusion. While each of the three games exude style and stimulation in their own distinct ways, they collectively showcase the best elements of franchise's engrossing racing and silky smooth visuals. And even though it doesn't completely scratch the itch that only a completely new PS4 sequel can offer, this collection is easily the next best thing."

Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life

We gave the game an 8/10.

In our Yakuza 6: The Song of Life review, Edmond Tran wrote, "Yakuza 6 reins in its scope, but doubles down on what has made the series great. It's a unique and fascinating representation of the modern Japanese experience, worth playing even if you're a newcomer. The narrative is dramatic and sincere, and the game's endearing characters--coming from all walks of life--are interesting studies. The world is dense and rewarding to exist in, the dynamic combat system stays exciting even after you've kicked the crap out of five thousand enemies, and perhaps most importantly, Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life serves as a fulfilling conclusion to the turbulent, decade-long saga of its beloved icon, Kazuma Kiryu."

The 11 Best Switch Console Exclusive Games

By Jordan Ramée on Jul 14, 2018 05:22 am

The Switch launched in March 2017 and Nintendo's done a pretty stellar job getting exclusives onto the company's newest console. Within its first year, the Switch had incredible triple-A exclusives like Super Mario Odyssey and smaller surprises like Golf Story. That trend isn't slowing down in 2018, with games like Super Mario Party and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate scheduled to launch before the year is up.

Click ahead to view GameSpot's highest-rated Switch exclusives since the console's launch. The titles are in alphabetical order and don't reflect our own personal ranking of each game. The list only includes games we've awarded an 8/10 or higher and we've limited the gallery based on console exclusivity, so you'll see a few games that are also available on PC.

This means titles that are on both Wii U and Switch without the Switch version being a remaster are not included. That's why Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition made the cut, while titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild did not.

By Mat Elfring on Jul 14, 2018 04:51 am

It's time for another WWE PPV, and dual-branded events have taken away the PPV fatigue we've been feeling the past year. This time around, things are going to get extreme on Sunday, July 15 when WWE's latest PPV, Extreme Rules, comes to the WWE Network. The show will take place at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA, and there are plenty of crazy stipulations during the evening that should make this an event to remember, like James Ellsworth hanging from a shark cage.

This will be the eighth major WWE event of the year, including the bizarre Greatest Royal Rumble PPV back in April. Last year, WWE produced 16 PPVs, but only four of them were dual-branded--meaning both superstars from Raw and Smackdown appeared on them. Now, in 2018--post-Wrestlemania 34--all WWE PPVs are dual-branded, which will cut down on the amount of events the company holds, which was every two weeks at times. WWE will be holding special events, like the previously mentioned Greatest Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia and October's Super Show-Down in Australia. In total, WWE has 14 PPVs planned for 2018.

Extreme Rules

This PPV may give WWE fans some insight as to what's happening August 19 at Summerslam, which will once again take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. A few of the matches that happen here may even happen again next month. One of the newest rivalries that has legs to carry into next month is Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens. While their steel cage match is the first, big, sanctioned match for their rivalry, it won't be their last, regardless of the outcome.

In addition to the Monster Among Men taking on Owens in a cage, the rivalry between former Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins and and current title holder Dolph Ziggler continues at Extreme Rules and has a good chance to carry into Summerslam as well. The two wrestlers have put on stellar matches in their previous meetings with each other, and a 30-minute iron man match is the perfect way to showcase both of their talents and build on the stories WWE has been setting up the past couple of months.

Start Time

12 AM BST (July 16)
7 PM ET
6 PM CT
5 PM MT
4 PM PT

Per usual, a Kickoff Show will air on the WWE Network--and most likely YouTube--one hour prior. As of this writing, there are eleven matches on the card for the evening, one of which will be on the Kickoff. Everyone who's getting ready for Extreme Rules has their favorites to win each match, and GameSpot is no different. We've gone through the upcoming card and decided with great certainty who will win each of these matches. There may be a few title changes for the evening, but one thing is for sure: it's going to be a Happy Rusev Day, no matter who wins.

Make sure to come back to GameSpot on Sunday, July 17 for live coverage of WWE's Extreme Rules as well as some followup pieces as well. If you're looking for more wrestling, check out some rumors about the PPV and these WWE movie cameos you might have missed.

Sin Cara vs. Andrade "Cien" Almas (Extreme Rules Kickoff)

WWE fans should be happy to see that there will be two matches on the Kickoff show. Veteran Sin Cara takes on former NXT Champion and Smackdown newcomer Andrade Almas. The two recently had an incredible match against each other, so why not have this one again on Extreme Rules? Personally, I'm really into Almas and glad to see him on the roster. He's new to the Tuesday night show and could use a push, so I'm giving the win to him. Whether or not Zelina Vega helps him win is a whole other question.

Our prediction: Almas wins

The New Day vs. Sanity (Tables Match) (Extreme Rules Kickoff)

Kicking off the whole Extreme Rules event is New Day vs. newcomers Sanity in a tables match. The two have been at each other's throats for the past few weeks, so they'll have a chance to put each other through tables in the opening match of the evening. Sanity is still new and could use a good push, so I'm giving the win to them.

Our prediction: Sanity wins

Second prediction: Nikki Cross shows up

Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens (Steel Cage Match)

For months, I was waiting for Strowman to enter the main event picture and take the title off of Brock Lesnar. Additionally, after Chris Jericho left WWE, I was waiting for a storyline that was worthy of Kevin Owens' talent. The WWE Creative Gods have finally answered my prayers. After being trapped inside a port-a-potty and flipped over--which is Strowman's specialty--Owens found himself on the Extreme Rules card with the Monster Among Men in a steel cage match. This is perfect for this storyline, and it's easily one of the best-built matches on the card. No matter the outcome, the audience will be the winner. However, this is a rivalry I want to see continued into Summerslam, especially since Lesnar isn't going away any time soon, so an Owens win makes sense here to have him continuously taunt Strowman, who will demand a rematch.

Our prediction: Owens wins

Roman Reigns vs. Bobby Lashley

In the continuing saga of "Who Does Vince Think The Audience Will Buy As Brock's Next Opponent?" Bobby Lashley has stepped up to the plate. However, he has to get through Roman "I'm Always The #1 Contender Regardless Of My Win/Loss Record" Reigns. As much as I don't care for Lashley, I'd much rather see him in a main event picture over Reigns, if those are our only choices right now. Do we really need to see Lesnar/Reigns again? At least with Lashley, we'll get to see more than just six Superman Punches for 15 minutes. And Lashley has the build, strength, and durability to last against "The Beast."

Our prediction: Lashley wins

Finn Bálor vs. "Constable" Baron Corbin

Maybe it's just me--I hope not--but Baron Corbin dropping the "Lone Wolf" gimmick and becoming the "Constable" for Stephanie McMahon has reinvigorated his career. This should be a fun match and maybe even one of the surprises of the evening. While I want Balor back in the main event picture, this rivalry has legs, and because of that, I'm giving the win to Corbin in hopes it continues into Summerslam.

Our prediction: Corbin wins

Deleters of Worlds (c) vs. The B-Team

(For the Raw Tag Championship)

Raw's tag team division is a bit of a mess. It feels like it's in this weird holding pattern, and there's just not a lot of hype around it. Something needs to change, and while a win for The B-Team may not be the kick in the butt the division needs, it's a push in the right direction for now.

Our prediction: The B-Team wins

The Bludgeon Brothers (c) vs. Team Hell No

(For the Smackdown Tag Championship)

Smackdown's tag division isn't much better than Raw's. The Bludgeon Brothers have run through the entire division on the Tuesday night show, and it's made all attempts at someone else winning the title futile in the process. Luckily, Team Hell No is back and provided some hope for Smackdown's tag team scene. While I'm hoping this is all another stepping-stone to get Bryan to take on Miz at Summerslam, I think Bryan and Kane have a chance to win the titles.

Our prediction: Team Hell No wins

Carmella (c) vs. Asuka (with James Ellsworth suspended above the ring in a Shark Cage)

(For the Smackdown Women's Championship)

After more wacky James Ellsworth antics on the July 10 episode of Smackdown, General Manager Paige decided that his meddling had gone far enough, and during Extreme Rules, he will be suspended above the ring in a shark cage, so Carmella and Asuka can have a fair fight. Originally, I assumed Ellsworth would accidentally help Asuka. However, the stipulation will still affect the finish in some way. My new prediction is that Ellsworth will somehow find a way to cheat--maybe he has brass knuckles he tosses down to Mella--getting her disqualified and giving Asuka the win. However, Asuka won't win the belt, and the two will have a rematch at Summerslam.

New prediction: Asuka wins by DQ

See original prediction below.

Hopefully, I'm not the only person who is excited James Ellsworth is back, even though Carmella doesn't need him around anymore. Obviously, Ellsworth will be involved, even though Carmella and Asuka could easily have a great match on their own. In a perfect world, this would be a great match to showcase Carmella and have her look like a champion who could stand on her own. However, I have a feeling Ellsworth is going to ruin it for her, and Asuka will somehow get the win.

Our prediction: Asuka wins after Ellsworth interference goes wrong

Dolph Ziggler (c) vs. Seth Rollins (30-Minute Iron Man match)

(For the Intercontinental Championship)

Remember when Dolph Ziggler won the United States Championship and abandoned it? Well, now he's the Intercontinental Champion, and I'm surprised he didn't walk away from this one as well. Ziggler and Seth Rollins have been putting on some stellar matches, so an Iron Man bout feels like the perfect fit. This is going to be a close one, but I'm giving Ziggler the win.

Our prediction: Dolph Ziggler wins

Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Nia Jax (Extreme Rules match)

(For the Raw Women's Championship)

Nia Jax will get her rematch for the Raw Women's Championship after Alexa Bliss cashed in her Money in the Bank contract last month. Jax, as champion, didn't work exceptionally well the first time, primarily because she was switched from face to heel in order to take on Ronda Rousey, which made no sense. Until her character can get back on track, Bliss should and will remain champion.

Our prediction: Alexa Bliss wins

Jeff Hardy (c) vs Shinsuke Nakamura

(For the United States Championship)

After spending the past couple months kicking AJ Styles in the groin, Shinsuke Nakamura has moved on to challenge Jeff Hardy for his United States Championship. This has to be a turning point for Nakamura. His character is working so well as a heel, and he's got to win a title sooner or later. A long-term rivalry between these two would be great, but it needs to start with a Nakamura win.

Our prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura wins

AJ Styles (c) vs. Rusev

(For the WWE Championship)

Happy Rusev Day! Anyone else feel like this match came out of left field? Sure, Rusev has a huge following behind him as of late, and at some point, he should be back in the title picture, but this feels a little too quick. AJ Styles has been a phenomenal champion for Smackdown, and it's just not time for the title to go to someone else yet.

Our prediction: AJ Styles wins

21 TV Appearances Featuring WWE Wrestlers You Probably Missed

By Mat Elfring on Jul 14, 2018 04:44 am

Many WWE superstars make the transition into movies and television because they're all playing characters while bodyslamming their opponents. It's pretty easy for someone with good mic skills to cameo on the big or small screen or even have a recurring role like Adam "Edge" Copeland on Vikings and Haven.

Not everyone goes on to the same level of success as Copeland or Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Sometimes, wrestlers get a bit part here or there on a television series to essentially play themselves: a professional wrestler. Throughout the years, there have been tons wrestler cameos, but we picked out a few really worth mentioning from Vader playing a bully's father to Roddy Piper playing an immortal.

Additionally, wrestlers tend to make a lot of cameos in movies, and we have 27 movie cameos you might have forgotten as well as every wrestler cameo from the Netflix series Glow.

Make sure to stay tuned to GameSpot on July 15 for live coverage of the WWE PPV, Extreme Rules. If you're interested in more, check out the full match card, our predictions, and rumors for the upcoming event.

Smallville: Ashley

Playing a combatant named Athena, former WWE star Ashley Massaro appears throughout the Smallville episode titled "Combat."

Smallville: Kane

During the episode "Combat," Glenn "Kane" Jacobs plays a super powered fighter named Titan.

Charmed: Buff Bagwell

In the very weird episode of Charmed titled "Wrestling with Demons," Marcus "Buff" Bagwell plays a wrestler in the underworld in which the losers of each bout lose their souls.

Charmed: Booker T & Scott Steiner

In the same "Wrestling with Demons" episode, Booker T and Scott Steiner also play demonic wrestlers named Thunder and Mega-Man, respectively.

Parks And Recreation: John Cena

During the Parks and Recreation episode "The Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show," John Cena appears on the final episode of Andy's TV show.

Boy Meets World: Vader

Leon "Vader" White has a recurring role on Boy Meets World, playing Frankie The Enforcer's father. He first appeared in the episode "Sixteen Candles and Four-Hundred-Pound Men," where Cory and Shawn had to help Vader win a WWF match.

Boy Meets World: Mankind

Speaking of wrestlers on Boy Meets World, later on in the series, Mick "Mankind" Foley pops up in the episode "For Love and Apartments," where the boys take on the girls in a wrestling match to see who gets to keep the apartment.

The Flash: Edge

While Adam "Edge" Copeland had recurring roles on a few series mentioned earlier, he got to play Atom Smasher on The Flash, in the episode titled "The Man Who Saved Central City."

Desperate Housewives: Goldberg

One of the weirdest appearances in a TV show comes from Bill Goldberg, who played a chivalrous inmate on Desperate Housewives in the opening of the episode titled "My Heart Belongs to Daddy."

Law & Order: SVU: Goldberg

Goldberg also appeared on the episode "Loophole" on Law & Order: SVU as "Cupid," a guy who gets tased in the opening moments of the show.

That '70s Show: The Rock

That '70s Show had a whole episode revolving around the gang going to a wrestling match. Dwayne Johnson appeared in the episode as his father, Rocky Johnson.

That '70s Show: Ken Shamrock

Ken Shamrock also appeared in the wrestling episode of That '70s Show.

That '70s Show: The Hardy Boyz

While Matt and Jeff Hardy didn't have any moments with the cast, they did have a match in the ring on That '70s Show.

The Thundermans: Chris Jericho

You probably missed Chris Jericho on kid's show The Thundermans, in the episode "Beat the Parents." That also means you missed him with this sweet mullet.

NTSF:SD:SUV: John Morrison

On the Adult Swim series NTSF:SD:SUV, John Morrison showed up at an anti-robot rally inside a church.

Sabrina, The Teenage Witch: Kevin Nash

Outside of wrestling, he's most known for his role in Magic Mike; however, Kevin Nash appeared as The Giant on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch in the episode titled "The Crucible."

Supernatural: The Miz

The Miz played wrestler Shawn Harley in the episode "Beyond the Mat" on the series Supernatural.

Star Trek: Voyager: The Rock

While he's not playing a wrestler, per se, Dwayne Johnson did play the alien warrior named The Champion in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Tsunkatse."

Highlander: The Series: Roddy Piper

Roddy Piper--best known outside the ring for They Live--showed up as the immortal Anthony Galen in the Highlander episode "Epitaph for Tommy." The episode kicks off with a sword fight on a roller coaster track.

The X-Files: Rob Van Dam

WWE/ECW's Rob Van Dam played--you guessed it--a wrestler on an X-Files in the episode titled "Fight Club."

Downtown: Undertaker

In the shortlived MTV animated series Downtown, The Undertaker played himself in the episode "The Con." During the show, Undertaker beat up convention goers with ease.

Xbox One's 36 Best Backwards Compatible Games

By Array on Jul 14, 2018 03:02 am

The Best Xbox One Backwards Compatible Games

One of the best things Microsoft has done with Xbox One is make good on its commitment to backwards compatibility. New backwards compatible games are being added all the time. As with the most recent additions--Overlord and Overlord II--these are shared by Major Nelson on Twitter at 9 AM PT on Twitter, although there's no particular schedule for how many are released (if any) on a given day. It's always a mystery as to when we'll get more; we only know what time it'll be and that it'll come on a weekday, but the next batch of games usually isn't far off.

Even without a proper schedule for new releases, the past few years have seen the list of backwards compatible games grow quite long--and, as a result, it can be extremely difficult to find those that are worthwhile. Not only are there 400+ Xbox 360 games that can be played on Xbox One, but more than 30+ original Xbox titles are also supported.

Beyond the consistent rollout of games, Microsoft has publicly made it clear that backwards compatibility is a real priority for the company. "I see games as an art form," Xbox boss Phil Spencer said last year. "Console games can get lost when hardware generations go away. It can become more challenging to play the games of our past ... There's something to be learned from experiencing what I played as a kid. There's good business there for the content owners, but as players, it's nice to be able to understand how our art form has progressed."

Spencer subsequently made it clear that backwards compatibility is--despite reports suggesting it's ignored--a feature that people do use. He wrote off data that said otherwise and pointed to an example of strong sales for an old Call of Duty game when it was added to the service: "I think the best signal we had so far is when Black Ops II landed and that month it hit NPD's Top 10 that month for game sales. An Xbox 360 game that's years old, that shows that people care."

The feature has only gotten better with the release of the Xbox One X, as it offers much sharper visuals in these old games; some even have specific enhancements on top of a resolution increase. But whether you play on an X, an Xbox One S, or even the standard Xbox One, you're treated to a feature that is currently unmatched by both PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

While not providing access to everything available on Xbox 360 and the original Xbox, the supported backwards compatible games from the two include classics ranging from expansive RPGs and thrilling adventures to XBLA gems and old arcade games refined for the big screen. Among these are all-time greats like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, the Mass Effect Trilogy, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion to name a few. But if you want a challenge that's faster to jump into, the likes of Ikaruga or Super Meat Boy will do the trick.

To help you parse through the giant list of supported games, we've compiled a list of our personal favorites to highlight which backwards compatible titles are worth your time. If you want to pick something out yourself, you can peruse the entire list of Xbox One backwards compatible games. Which Xbox One backwards compatible games do you love the most? Are there any games would you like to be added in the future? Let us know in the comments below.

Alan Wake

Unfortunately, Alan Wake has been removed from all digital platforms, which includes the Xbox Store. However, if you can snag yourself a physical copy of it (or already own it digitally), then Alan Wake will take you on an adventure that you won't soon forget. Set in the Pacific Northwest town of Bright Falls (and taking significant inspiration from the television series Twin Peaks), Alan Wake features the titular character taking a vacation with his wife, who hopes the break will help her husband with his writing block. Things quickly take a turn for the worse, as Alan's wife disappears, and he's forced to confront the darkness that shrouds Bright Falls and ultimately question his own sanity. It's a compelling narrative that'll have you aching for a proper sequel. Thankfully, the two DLC story expansions are now free, so you'll at least have something to tide you over. | Mat Paget

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

Desmond Miles' trip through time ended with Assassin's Creed III, and Ubisoft's follow-up title put players into the role of a nameless Abstergo employee. It was a clean slate for the franchise, offering a great point for new players to jump in without having to start from Altair's story. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag steps back from the grand ideologies of the Assassins and Templars, as well as the convoluted Those Who Came Before storyline, to deliver a relatable tale of one man's quest for redemption. Edward Kenway isn't all that different from a young Ezio; he has a good heart but he's brash and selfish. Over the course of Black Flag, Edward grows from a greedy pirate into a humbled hero. The inclusion of both traditional assassination missions and new naval combat along with the lush islands and open seas of the Caribbean made for one of the best games in the franchise. | Jordan Ramee

Bully: Scholarship Edition

Rockstar constantly refines its open-world action games, which we've seen through the Grand Theft Auto series and Red Dead Redemption. But the one that always stands out to me is Bully, because it traded gratuitous violence and adult stories for the rough-and-tumble fisticuffs and hijinx of a rambunctious high school. I vividly remember the theme song that plays while walking Bullworth Academy, rushing to make it to class on time, and scrapping with the bullies in missions to become the most respected student on campus. Bully expands beyond that with loads of fun mini-games, silly characters based on high school stereotypes, and an expansive open world. While it may be a bit wonky in terms of controls and technical performance compared to modern games, everything it does right comes together for a game worth playing today. | Michael Higham

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Countless so-called Metroidvania games have drawn inspiration from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, but more than two decades later, few can approach its greatness. It evolved the well-established Castlevania series in numerous ways, offering a non-linear castle to explore and RPG-style progression while maintaining the satisfying side-scrolling action of earlier titles. I came to it years after its original release and still thoroughly enjoyed it, and it's something that I still routinely find myself booting up. Exploring Castle Dracula is one of the great pleasures in gaming, and it's a testament to its design that fans of the game still have its layout memorized so many years later. I'll spare you a reference to the twist in case you've managed to avoid it all these years, but whether you're a fan of more recent Metroidvania-style games who missed out on this progenitor of the genre or someone who's never dabbled in these types of games, you owe it to yourself to see why Symphony of the Night is regarded as an all-time classic. | Chris Pereira

Crackdown

Despite initially being written off by many as "that game with the Halo 3 beta," I was immediately taken with the concept of Crackdown--an open-world game where you play as a superhero special agent who can pick up and throw cars or leap over buildings. A decade later, the fairly basic set of goals you're given leave something to be desired, but the core gameplay remains extremely fun. Hunting down agility orbs and dealing with villainous gangs is still tremendously satisfying, particularly with a friend online. Its cel-shaded art style still looks good, and with backwards compatibility introducing some impressive Xbox One X enhancements to the visuals, Crackdown is a game that's well worth picking up. | Chris Pereira

Dead Space

Let's face facts: there's practically no chance that EA will bring back Dead Space, at least not as we know it. While it's sad to think that one of the most intriguing sci-fi horror series out there has been pushed to the sidelines, the fact that Dead Space is backwards compatible on Xbox One is at least worth celebrating. I know, it's also on PC, but if you're in a console-only household, Xbox One is the only current-gen console you can look to. And why should you play Dead Space? In short: it's a spooky-as-hell third-person action game with fantastic art direction, and features one of the coolest "guns" in gaming. The enemies you face are drastically distorted humans with malformed and elongated limbs that make great targets for your Plasma Cutter--a maintenance tool that fires energy beams, making it an equally effective sidearm. Dead Space manages to juggle cool tech and a scary setting unlike any other game out there, and if you haven't tried it in the past, you really should if you have an Xbox One at home. | Peter Brown

Fallout 3

Fallout 3 kicked off the series' modern era and helped cement Bethesda Game Studios' reputation as a leader in the field of open-world RPGs. The open-ended structure allows you to freely roam a post-apocalyptic wasteland (so long as you can survive) and seek out stories in the most unlikely and dangerous places. The dialogue choices are numerous, allowing you to shape the story and your character with a great amount of freedom, staying true to the series' RPG roots. Likewise, despite the shift to a first-person perspective, Bethesda implemented the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System, better known as VATS, to allow for strategic menu-based combat. It was an unusual mechanic but one that quickly gained favor for how it effectively bridged the gap between Fallout old and new. Fallout 3 was hugely ambitious at the time of its release, and persists as one of the all-time great open-world RPGs 10 years later. | Peter Brown

Fallout: New Vegas

Obsidian has the magic touch when it comes to RPGs, and Fallout: New Vegas is a prime example. The vast brown deserts of Nevada might not sound very appealing, but New Vegas shines through incredibly clever writing and masterful quest design. Vaguely aligned factions and active societies fill the world with distinct charisma. I'll never forget the high-class casino that acts as a front to a secret bourgeois cannibalistic society and the reveal of Mr. House's true identity while overlooking the entirety of New Vegas. Quests like these are plentiful, and they're surrounded by such intricate lead-up and dialogue sequences that plant genuine curiosity in your head to see them to the end. Fallout can easily drop in swing tunes and old-time jazz for a great soundtrack, and it's all the more fitting with the Vegas theme. But since this is a post-apocalyptic wild west, classic country-western songs diversify the tracklist and are burnt into my memories of trekking the dangerous deserts with a big iron on my hip. | Michael Higham

Far Cry: Blood Dragon

While I've personally grown tired of the franchise formula that was established with Far Cry 3, the one post-Far Cry 2 game in the series that I'm still quite taken with is Blood Dragon. The spin-off infuses Far Cry 3's gameplay with a dystopian '80s flavor. Despite being set in 2007, the game boasts a unique look, as it's essentially made to imitate the way '80s movies tended to imagine the future; there's fog everywhere, with neon colors and lasers paired with a matching synth soundtrack. You play as a stereotypical action hero named Rex "Power" Colt, who's voiced by Terminator and Aliens star Michael Biehn. It's all very over-the-top, satirical in nature, and it pairs quite nicely with Far Cry's gameplay. Blood Dragon's distinct enough to make it worth a try even if you find the Far Cry games somewhat rote. | Chris Pereira

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

If I had to pick a favorite Grand Theft Auto game in the series, I will always point to San Andreas. As a sort of ode to '90s hip-hop culture and satire of Southern California street gangs, San Andreas was an odd reflection of home. Sure, it's a GTA game, violent and absurd overall, but the way characters talked, the music that played, and just the way the city streets looked were all too familiar. In addition, Rockstar layered some light RPG elements that made the streets of Los Santos feel more lived-in. Sometimes I wouldn't even do missions, and instead hit the gym or shop for clothes.

Of course, San Andreas includes an expansive open world beyond Los Santos with Las Venturas, the Vegas stand-in, and San Fierro to imitate San Francisco. Some of the mission designs are dated and the shooting mechanics aren't refined like modern entries, but San Andreas is still a ton of fun and has a unique personality that few games can match. Carl Johnson (CJ) still stands as one of the best GTA characters, ever. | Michael Higham

Halo: Reach

After Halo 3: ODST took a detour from John-117's story to focus on the mission of one squad of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, Halo: Reach took that same format of working within a squad and reapplied it to a group of Spartans. Taking place prior to the events of Halo: Combat Evolved, the story of how the planet Reach fell is a rollercoaster of empowering firefights and emotional sacrifices. It was Bungie's last Halo title before handing the reins over to 343 Industries, and it shows. Halo: Reach takes the best online multiplayer and single-player campaign elements that Bungie spent perfecting over Master Chief's original trilogy and combines it into one incredible game. I'll still boot up Halo: Reach from time to time, and the servers for SWAT are still loaded with thousands of players waiting to vote to play on Sword Base. | Jordan Ramee

Hitman: Blood Money

Before the 2016 franchise revival, Hitman: Blood Money was the peak of Agent 47 hijinx. At its core, Blood Money succeeds because of expertly designed missions; everything from creating a specific atmosphere for each level to weaving all the variables that can play out were on point. So many clever assassinations stand out to me, like loading a prop gun with real ammo that's supposed to be fired during an opera play or strangling a target with the handy fiberwire during mardi gras wearing a big yellow bird costume. This is where Hitman got its dark sense of humor, and it breathes life into an otherwise stoic assassin.

Because it nails down the Hitman formula that's been refined with the recent entry, Blood Money has aged well and very much feels like a modern game. It's a little less forgiving and doesn't have the slew of interesting challenges from 2016's game, but Blood Money has some of the series' most memorable missions--and they remain just as fun today. | Michael Higham

Ikaruga

Japanese developer Treasure has another game on this list that's also a vertical-scrolling arcade shooter, but Ikaruga's reputation is unlike any of its peers'. Where so many games of this type bank on nuanced mechanics and subtle differences to standout in the eyes of enthusiasts, Ikaruga's big mechanic is so well known that it's gone on to inspire other developers who make games in entirely different genres. I'm talking about the black-and-white color switching mechanic, which both gives you the ability to absorb incoming enemy shots of the same color and alter your affinity to impart greater damage to enemies of the opposite color. Getting to the end of a stage in a game with one-hit deaths is challenging enough, but if you are after the top spot on a leaderboard you also have to know how to maximize your score by chaining together attacks as the appropriate color. It's tough, but Ikaruga is also a beautiful game that showcases an amount of maturity that feels unique compared to the rest of Treasure's output. While it's not everyone's cup of tea, Ikaruga is still an easy game to appreciate. | Peter Brown

Jet Set Radio

Jet Set Radio is a series that Sega may never bring back, but at least the HD port of the original Dreamcast hit is playable on Xbox One. It combines rollerblading and graffiti in a goofy cel-shaded metropolis, and apart from its sequel (which sadly isn't backwards compatible), there's no game like it. Jet Set Radio's expressive characters are only matched by the eclectic soundtrack that ranges from hip hop to Japanese rock, and it's so beloved that the lead composer, Hideki Naganuma, is regularly berated on Twitter to bring the series back, despite simply being in charge of music. Its reputation hasn't faded in 18 years, and if you don't know why, you owe it to play it and find out for yourself. | Peter Brown

Mass Effect Trilogy

BioWare's famed trilogy is defined by choice, and you'll make hundreds across all three games. Some of these decisions will be incredibly difficult, even heart-wrenching; I've spent many an evening thinking through the possible moral ramifications of my decisions. The trilogy really begins to show your impact when choices you made in the first game snowball into increasingly dire situations across the next two entries. I've only played the original Mass Effect once, but poured close to a thousand hours into the second and several hundred in the third. Each title is a masterpiece in its own right, and the latter two are mechanically sound third-person RPG-shooter hybrids that still hold up years after release. Mass Effect 2 is my favorite video game of all time, mostly because it's the best interstellar dating sim on the market. Over the course of three games, you'll fall in love with these characters and the rich sci-fi universe of Mass Effect. | Jordan Ramee

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Most people love Metal Gear for the series' stealth-centric games, but that doesn't mean the action-packed Rising should be ignored; far from it! Not only does it manage to fit right into the timeline and (in a roundabout way) the series' overall attitude, it is an excellent action game that, like Bayonetta and Vanquish, perfectly showcases why Platinum Games is so beloved. The standout feature of the blade-based combat system is Raiden's ability to literally slice through enemies--a process you can control, lopping off limbs or bisecting torsos with laser accuracy. It's an impressive feat of programming, and a unique mechanic that (as far as I know) has never been truly replicated. Worry not if you've always been turned off by Metal Gear's confusing storyline. Rising is all about over-the-top katana mayhem, and when it does make an effort to tell a story, it delivers goofy melodrama that anyone can appreciate. | Peter Brown

Mirror's Edge

When Mirror's Edge released, the gaming world had never seen anything like it. First-person platforming was practically a no-no, but EA DICE proved it's possible under the right set of circumstances. The trick, at least the one that made Mirror's Edge such a revelation, was to simplify pathfinding by using clever visual cues and implement contextual animations to create a sense of flow. In one stage you will leap across rooftops, wall run, smash through windows, and slide under enemy fire before taking the aggressor out. It's basically Parkour: The Game. While its sequel, Mirror's Edge Catalyst, tried to go for a more open-world design, the original game is focused enough to be tackled in small sessions, which also encourages you to attempt run after run through a single level, chasing your best times and most stylish performances. It's an endlessly cool game that may never get old. | Peter Brown

Ninja Gaiden Black

The original Ninja Gaiden reboot was something to behold back in 2004. As one of the fastest and most challenging action games of its era, Ryu Hayabusa's revenge mission where he fights ninjas, demons--and pretty much everything in between--was a knockout when it came to delivering thrills and moments of white-knuckle challenge. I'll even admit that I earned the lowly title of Ninja Dog on occasions, which was Ninja Gaiden's not-so-subtle way of saying 'git gud' back in the day. The game consistently delivered fast-paced action, and in the months after its release, it managed to get even better. As one of the early games on the original Xbox to use downloadable content, new weapons, monsters, and challenges were eventually added in, making the game even more of a stellar title. This culminated in the release of Ninja Gaiden Black, essentially the definitive edition of the core game. While Ninja Gaiden (2004) was remade again in the form of Sigma on PS3, I still think of Black as the best way to play Ryu Hayabusa's gory and over-the-top descent through the demonic underworld. Even after the releases of Bayonetta, Metal Gear Rising, and several installments Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden Black hasn't lost its touch, and it still stands still one of the greatest action games ever made. | Alessandro Fillari

Panzer Dragoon Orta

I've always had a deep respect for Sega's strange shooter series Panzer Dragoon, and the last entry, Panzer Dragoon Orta, remains a stellar tribute to its bizarre world. The series' otherworldly presentation--along with its own fictional language--gave it a sense of depth and wonder that felt all its own. While much of the series had its home on the short-lived Sega Saturn, 2003's Panzer Dragoon Orta was released on the original Xbox, showing a noticeable visual and technical upgrade over its predecessors. Diving back into the game after all these years made me appreciate how much thought and craft went into the game, which has held up spectacularly. Along with a wealth of hidden lore and concept art to find, it also comes with an unlockable version of the original game--which stands as one of the greatest game rewards of all time. If you're at all curious about the Panzer Dragoon series, Orta is the most accessible point of entry, and it still brims with that sense of otherworldly wonder that the series is all about. | Alessandro Fillari

Peggle

Peggle has received a sequel you can and should play on Xbox One, but more Peggle action is still a good thing. Fortunately, the original game is playable through backwards compatibility, and it holds up nicely. The basic Peggle formula--a sort of take on pachinko and pinball, but with tremendous sound design--is still as delightful as ever. You launch balls into a board filled with pegs and various obstacles in the hopes of hitting them and removing them from play. Finishing a round hilariously causes "Ode to Joy" to play as your ball sails across the screen one last time in slow motion, but the euphoric build-up of sound effects when you pull off an exceptional shot is one of the most satisfying experiences I've ever had in a game. | Chris Pereira

Radiant Silvergun

Remember Sega Saturn? While not a powerhouse in the US or Europe, it found great success in Japan where arcade ports were plentiful. One of the most well-known Japanese-exclusive Saturn games is Radiant Silvergun, and thanks to Microsoft's effort years ago to pump up the Xbox Marketplace with Japanese games, westerners finally got an official release on Xbox 360 and can still enjoy the game on Xbox One today. The most notable feature of this vertical-scrolling shooter is the large number of weapons you can pick from, which differ more in behavior than you might expect. Like many games by developer Treasure, Radiant Silvergun is a technical showcase (for its time) that also manages to be a great game with timeless appeal. | Peter Brown

Rainbow Six Vegas 1 and 2

In between its old-school tactical shooter phase and the current competitive multiplayer focus, Rainbow Six took a trip to Vegas and balanced its military sim roots with some more approachable shooter gameplay. Both Rainbow Six Vegas 1 and 2 captured the gaudy spectacle of the city's nightlife with bright lights and rows of slot machines, which often served as cover from enemy fire. I've had so many memorable multiplayer matches; taking cover and having the camera switch to third-person, rappelling down skyscrapers to crash through windows, or turning upside down on a rappel line to pop shots are a few of the amazing moments in competition. Servers are still online, so if you can get a group of dedicated players to play a few matches or terrorist hunt missions, you're guaranteed a great time. | Michael Higham

Red Dead Redemption

Of all the games that are backwards compatible on Xbox One, Red Dead Redemption tops the list as the most exciting. When it was added to the program earlier this year, not only did people finally have a way to replay one of the best games of the last generation on a current-gen console, they also got the option to play it in 4K on Xbox One X. This open-world western proved that Rockstar Games is capable of more than just Grand Theft Auto, and with the sequel on the way, now is the perfect time to see why Red Dead Redemption is such a big deal. | Peter Brown

Saint's Row: The Third

Saints Row was always a little silly, but The Third is clearly the point where Volition realized the franchise could no longer compete with Grand Theft Auto and chose instead to double down on the ridiculous. Saints Row: The Third is non-stop parody of open-world action games and pop culture references, and I love every second of it. There's something positively magical about playing as a loud-mouthed crime boss who's weaving between traffic on her motorcycle to save her friends from a ticking time bomb as government soldiers try to stop her while Bonnie Tyler's "I Need a Hero" plays over the radio. All of which occurs in what might be the most normal level in the game. Saints Row: The Third also does a good job recapping the events of the previous two games and introduces franchise favorite Kinzie Kensington, so it's a nice jumping on point if you're looking to play Saints Row IV or Agents of Mayhem. | Jordan Ramee

Shadows of the Damned

Shadows of the Damned was a match made in heaven for me. The quirky Suda 51 brought his comedic writing chops and teamed up with Resident Evil 4 director Shinji Mikami and Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka to make a shooter that, at the time, felt more like a Resident Evil 4 sequel than any game before it, including Resident Evil 5. The buddy-demon hunter adventure saw Garcia Hotspur and Johnson, the trusty skull sidekick that also turns into a number of different guns, venture into Hell to rescue Hotspur's love. There is quite the variety of enemies, levels, and crude jokes. While a sequel is what I truly want, I'll gladly play through it again for the umpteenth time to revisit it all. | Mat Paget

Skate 3

The Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series may go down as having the "best" skateboarding games of all time, but none of them capture the sport quite like the Skate series does. And while the first two Skate games had a more structured campaign the open-world skateboarding sandbox of Skate 3 is still as fun to flip, grind, and bail in as it was the day it came out. Tackling a specific spot over and over again in Skate 3 mirrors what real-life skateboarding is like, though I can actually pull off a darkslide or a benihana in Skate 3. And with its surprisingly breathtaking 4K enhancements on the Xbox One X, I can't recommend it enough. | Mat Paget

Spec Ops: The Line

Six years after release, I'm still reeling from the emotional fallout of Spec Ops: The Line. This unsettling game tackles the mental and emotional cost of war, and its moral quandaries stick with you long after you've put the game down and had a good cry. Despite having third-person shooter mechanics that are okay at best, Spec Ops: The Line kept me playing. Long after it forced me to kill innocent civilians, I was frantically shooting enemy combatants in a desperate attempt to justify my own in-game atrocities. But war doesn't work that way. I don't think I'll ever forget what white phosphorus does to a person, and if you play this game, you won't either. | Jordan Ramee

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a gaming classic, and it was one of the best-written stories in the Star Wars canon prior to Disney neutering its relevance. The game utilizes similar combat, squadmate recruitment, and morality mechanics that BioWare would eventually use for both Mass Effect and Dragon Age: Origins. The game lets you fulfill your fantasy of living as a Jedi or a Sith, as you explore a galaxy far, far away, four millennia before the events of A Phantom Menace. I loved exploring ancient Tatooine and Kashyyyk on the Jedi path, but not nearly as much as seeing brand-new planets, like the ancient Sith homeworld Korriban, or flirting with Bastila. | Jordan Ramee

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords is one of the best Star Wars video games of all time. Although its gameplay is largely untouched from its predecessor, KOTOR II implements elements of grey to the previously black or white morality system. New lightsaber styles also add a level of strategy, and there's twice as many people you can try to smooch. My favorite Star Wars droid, HK-47, also returns from the original KOTOR, and he continues to deliver unparalleled levels of sarcastic murder puns and sass. Despite its removal from the Star Wars canon, if you love Bioware's RPGs and the adventures of a galaxy far, far away, you need to play this game. Its incredible narrative will hook you in 15 minutes. | Jordan Ramee

Star Wars: Republic Commando

Prior to The Clone Wars animated series, the only hint that the clone army was more than a faceless batch of characters was Star Wars: Republic Commando. This video game moved past the uniform helmets to reveal each clone had their own personality, likes and dislikes, and skill set. I fell in love with the troopers through Republic Commando, and the clones have remained my favorite Star Wars characters ever since. Taking the lead of Delta Squad as the dependable Boss and directing the demolitions expert Scorch, computer-savvy Fixer, and weapons specialist Sev offered a more tactical experience than 2004's Star Wars: Battlefront. New enemy types and weapons keep the game fresh across its three different locations, and the story is one of the best in the Star Wars Legends universe. | Jordan Ramee

Super Meat Boy

Super Meat Boy has become something of a reference point for games that have come after it--and with good reason, as it's an exceptionally well designed game. It's a tough platformer where death can come at any instant--and you will die many, many times. And as heartbreaking as those deaths can sometimes be, it's invariably your own fault; SMB offers extremely tight controls and a deeply satisfying wall-jumping mechanic (made all the better by the way Meat Boy leaves behind a trail of meat wherever he moves). With hundreds of levels and numerous secrets to uncover, there's a lot to enjoy here. But most importantly, playing this original Xbox 360 version means you get to enjoy the brilliant original soundtrack by Danny Baranowsky that's missing from SMB's most recent re-releases. | Chris Pereira

Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition

Capcom managed to do a lot of awesome things for Street Fighter V, but Street Fighter IV is still relevant for a lot of fighting game fans due to its massive roster and years' worth of competitive refinement. Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition marks the penultimate upgrade for the game, but you can also download the Ultra Street Fighter IV DLC to convert it into the ultimate version of the game on Xbox One. Whether you are a serious competitor or a casual fighting game fan who just likes to mash out a few combos with friends on the weekends, SFIV has loads of great characters to experiment with, and tons of personality to keep you entertained along the way. | Peter Brown

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind takes me back--to six-years-old Aiden. Even though I was far too young to be playing such an intense RPG, and 90 percent of the story went right over my head, I couldn't help but get utterly consumed in how fantastical and insurmountable Vvardenfell seemed. Maybe it was my child-like wonder, or maybe it was just Bethesda's magic. At the time, I hadn't really played anything like it, and boy were the giant mushroom houses and terrifying Cliff Racers just as cool as kicking tail during Lara's Tomb Raider adventures. Morrowind was the first RPG that really made me fall in love with the more serious and immersive side of gaming, and even though its graphics haven't aged particularly well, it still holds that obnoxiously special place in my heart that I can't let go of, a place where I forge my own story, and escape into some far-off land. And, you know, knock the daylights out of some cultists. That too. | Aiden Strawhun

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

"Stop right there, Criminal Scum! You've violated the law!" Once you get past the potato faces, Oblivion's hyper-saturated graphics really are something special. Oblivion also took a lot of the annoying mechanics in Morrowind and made them just a little bit better. Any race could wear any armor, birthsigns could be changed, vampirism was part of the main game, the list goes on. One minute you have the incredibly lush, almost ethereal expanses of Cyrodiil, the next, there's an actual demon invasion. It's a wonderful contrast that I don't think the other Elder Scrolls games quite capture, as they're dark and morose, and somewhat brooding--but Oblivion is brimming with energy and color. | Aiden Strawhun

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

The beautiful thing about The Witcher series is that if you're looking to hop into the latest entry, you don't need to play the previous titles. However, they do add a considerable amount of context to the expansive cast of characters, and particularly to every one of Geralt's relationships. The Witcher 2 is a mostly on-rails, linear RPG. That doesn't stop it from being an incredible, dramatic, and enticing adventure, however. The world is detailed and lush, as you'd expect from the series, and the choices you make throughout the story determine some pretty major outcomes. Just make sure to spend some time between story missions to smell the roses--er, the monsters, rather. | Aiden Strawhun

Viva Pinata

Rare's output under Microsoft has been uneven, but one bright spot shines above the rest. Viva Pinata is a sweet refuge from the norm--a sim that defies easy categorization. It bears a lot in common with farming sims like Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley. Instead of standard livestock, though, you're raising up beautifully designed candy-animals with punny names like "fudgehog" and "chewnicorn." The look is distinctly family-friendly, but under the surface the gameplay is surprisingly deep. I lost many nights to converting "sour" pinatas, facilitating my animals' feeding and mating habits, and even managing the food chain. (Some pinatas eat others, you see.) I'm partial to the first, but the semi-sequel Trouble in Paradise is mostly a revision for the better. Either way you can't go wrong, and they're both available on Xbox One. | Steve Watts

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Saturday, July 14, 2018

Images from GameSpot Image Galleries On 07/15/2018

GameSpot Image Galleries

Game Sequels That Fell Short Of The Original

Learning often requires failure.

Assassin's Creed III (October 30, 2012)

Bioshock 2 (February 9, 2010)

Crackdown 2 (July 6, 2010)

Crysis 2 (March 22, 2011)

Deus Ex: Invisible War (December 2, 2003)

Devil May Cry 2 (January 25, 2003)

Diablo 3 (May 15, 2012)

Dragon Age 2 (March 8, 2011)

Final Fantasy Tactic Advance (September 8, 2003)

Mass Effect: Andromeda (March 21, 2017)

Metroid II: Return of Samus (November 1991)

Perfect Dark Zero (November 22, 2005)

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (January 8, 2008)

Star Craft 2 (July 27, 2010)

Valkyria Chronicles 2 (August 31, 2010)

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (January 14, 1987)

Fortnite Skins From Season 5's Battle Pass: See All Outfits, Back Bling, Contrails, Gliders

Best Xbox One Console Exclusive Games (July 2018 Update)

#IDARB

Cuphead

Dance Central Spotlight

Fantasia: Music Evolved

Forza Horizon 2

Forza Horizon 3

Forza Motorsport 6

Forza Motorsport 7

Halo 5: Guardians

Sunset Overdrive

Ori and the Blind Forest

Rare Replay

New Battle Royale Games Of 2018: Battlefield 5, Call Of Duty Black Ops 4, And More

Going Battle Royale

Battle Royale Games Of 2018

The Culling 2

Battlefield 5 | PS4, Xbox One, PC

Fear the Wolves | PC, PS4, Xbox One

Rapture Rejects | PC

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 | PS4, Xbox One, PC

Battlerite Royale | PC

Maelstorm | PC

Egress

H1Z1 | PC (PS4 and Xbox One Versions Coming Soon)

Proxima Royale

SOS | PC

Realm Royale | PC, PS4, Xbox One

The Darwin Project | PC, Xbox One

Mavericks: Proving Grounds | PC

Islands of Nyne | PC

Dying Light: Bad Blood | PC, PS4, Xbox One

Europa | PC

Survival Games: Battle Royale | PC

Stand Out: VR Battle Royale | PC (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive)

Fractured Lands | PC

Best PS4 Games Out Now (July 2018 Update)

The Best Around

The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit -- 8/10

Onrush -- 9/10

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life -- 8/10

God Of War -- 9/10

Bloodborne -- 9/10

Monster Hunter: World -- 8/10

Celeste -- 9/10

What Remains of Edith Finch -- 9/10

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus -- 9/10