By Chris Reed on Aug 31, 2018 12:19 am
Rockstar is gearing up to release what promises to be one of the biggest games of the year. Red Dead Redemption 2 is slated to come out on October 26 for PS4 and Xbox One (you can pre-order it here). But a game this big doesn't go out into the world alone. Rockstar announced it will release a series of Red Dead Redemption 2-themed limited-edition collectibles to go along with the game. It's called the Outlaw Essentials Collection. The Outlaw Essentials Collection is made up of 30 items you can use in everyday life, from T-shirts and blankets to shot glasses and 3D puzzles. All this Red Dead gear either is or will be available soon for pre-order at GameStop and the Rockstar Warehouse. In the pages ahead, we've assembled a photo gallery with each piece in the collection, along with links to pre-order when possible. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prequel that takes place 12 years before the main events of the previous game. It follows the Van der Linde gang as they go on the run after an attempted robbery goes wrong. John Marston, the original game's protagonist, is in the gang, but he's not the main character. That role is served by Arthur Morgan, the right-hand man of gang leader Dutch Van der Linde. Here's Rockstar's description of Red Dead Redemption 2's plot: America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him. You can find a lot more information, including all of the trailers Rockstar has released so far, in our everything we know about Red Dead Redemption 2 article. Some links to supporting retailers are automatically made into affiliate links, and GameSpot may receive a small share of those sales.
Dynamite USB Charger
Pendleton Blanket
Domino Set
Bottle Opener
Collapsible Shot Glass
Brass Zippo Lighter
Engraved Matchbox Slipcase
Pin Set
Barrel Candle by Joya
Dynamite Candle by Joya
Glass Candle by Joya
Vintage Rockstar Glass Decoupage Trays by John Derian Co.
Metal Earth Maxim Gun 3D Puzzle
Metal Earth Sawed-Off Shotgun 3D Puzzle
Metal Earth Train 3D Puzzle
Leather Valet Tray
Leather iPad Case
Leather iPhone Cases
Rockstar Games Logo Keychain
Linocut Rockstar Games Logo Tee -- Black on Red
Linocut Rockstar Games Logo Tee -- Red on Black
Rockstar Games T-Shirt -- White on Red
Vintage Rockstar Logo T-Shirt -- Black on Gray
Outlaws for Life T-Shirt -- Red on Black
Outlaws for Life T-Shirt -- White on Red
Redemption T-Shirt -- Red on Black
Redemption T-Shirt -- White on Red
Red Dead Redemption 2 Logo T-Shirt -- Red on Black
Red Dead Redemption 2 Logo T-Shirt -- White on Red
Rockstar Logo Stickers
By Mat Elfring on Aug 31, 2018 12:11 am
The WWE 2K19 roster reveal has begun. In a recent video, Raw and Smackdown superstars Bo Dallas, Curtis Axel, Rusev, and Lana revealed over 70 superstars for the upcoming October game. Each WWE star discussed the revealed roster members as they were announced, while Rusev joked about the table they were sitting at--which he said his grandfather made from the forests of Bulgaria, a point made numerous times during the 40-minute video. You can learn everyone that was revealed in the most recent batch of announcements by clicking the August 30 link below. Fans of both Daniel Bryan are going to be very happy as 2K is bringing back Showcase Mode for WWE 2K19, which follows the career of the superstar. From his first match as Bryan Danielson to his feuds with The Miz, it will be covered in the upcoming game. One of the selling points for WWE 2K series is the gigantic roster, which WWE 2K19 will have. This year's edition will undoubtedly have a plethora of superstars to choose from when the game releases on October 9, 2018. Last year's WWE 2K18 ended up with over 180 wrestlers--the largest in the history of the series--and while 2K isn't boasting this year's edition will topple that, yet, it should still be more than any player can handle. It's early, and there still aren't specific details about gameplay, aside from the Million Dollar Challenge, which takes place within a yet to be announced new mode in 2K19. However, there have already been a few announcements for characters on the roster, including cover star AJ Styles and pre-order bonus characters Ronda Rousey and Rey Mysterio. Additionally, the $130 Wooooo! Edition of the game has been announced which comes with a bunch of exclusives including a season pass, exclusive roster additions, a piece of Ric Flair's robe, early access to play, and more. This year's edition will be skipping Nintendo Switch, after last year's port featured a bevy of problems from frame rate issues to resolution dropping down to 540p, even in docked mode. However, the game will still be released in early October for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. If you're interested in pre-ordering WWE 2K19, check out our pre-order guide, with all the info about what each edition contains, where to buy it, and pricing. Over the course of the next few months, we'll keep you updated with all the newly confirmed superstars in the game, as well as a breakdown of which shows these wrestlers are from and how many new additions will be playable. You can find links to the latest updates below as well. Confirmed playable characters breakdown (so far): - Total wrestlers: 88
- New to the series: 18
- Raw superstars: 51
- Smackdown superstars: 8
- Legends: 7
- NXT superstars: 20
- 205 Live: superstars: 0
- Men's division: 70
- Women's division: 18
Jump ahead to the latest updates:
AJ Styles (Smackdown)
Cover star.
Ronda Rousey (Raw)
New to the series. Pre-order bonus character.
Rey Mysterio (Legend)
New to the series. Pre-order bonus character.
Ric Flair (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains exclusive Wrestlemania 24 attire.
Charlotte (Smackdown)
Deluxe edition contains exclusive Wrestlemania 32 attire.
Dusty Rhodes (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains '80s-inspired character.
"Macho Man" Randy Savage (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains '80s-inspired character in his Wrestlemania VIII attire.
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains '80s-inspired character.
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains '80s-inspired character.
Undertaker (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains the character in his 2002 Bikertaker outfit.
Daniel Bryan (Smackdown)
2K announced that the Daniel Bryan's career will be the subject of WWE 2K19's Showcase Mode. There will be 11 different models of Bryan, each with its own unique moveset and look. Additionally, GameSpot talked to Bryan about his longtime feud with WWE superstar The Miz.
Randy Orton (Smackdown)
John Cena
Kane (Smackdown)
Kofi Kingston (Smackdown)
Tyler Bate (NXT UK)
Pete Dunne (NXT UK)
Adam Cole (NXT)
Akam (Raw)
Aleister Black (NXT)
Alexa Bliss (Raw)
Alicia Fox (Raw)
Angelo Dawkins (NXT)
Apollo Crews (Raw)
Baron Corbin (Raw)
Bayley (Raw)
Bianca Belair (NXT)
Big Show (Raw)
Bo Dallas (Raw)
Bobby Fish (NXT)
Bobby Roode (Raw)
Braun Strowman (Raw)
Bray Wyatt (Raw)
Brock Lesnar (raw)
Chad Gable (Raw)
Curt Hawkins (Raw)
Curtis Axel (Raw)
Dana Brooke (Raw)
Dash Wilder (Raw)
Dean Ambrose (Raw)
Dolph Ziggler (Raw)
Drew McIntyre (Raw)
Elias (Raw)
Sasha Banks (Raw)
Ember Moon (Raw)
Fandango (Raw)
Finn Balor (Raw)
Goldust (Raw)
Heath Slater (Raw)
Jason Jordan (Raw)
Jinder Mahal (Raw)
Johnny Gargano (NXT)
Kairi Sane (NXT)
Kassius Ohno (NXT)
Kevin Owens (Raw)
Konnor (Raw)
Lana (Smackdown)
Lars Sullivan (NXT)
Liv Morgan (Raw)
Matt Hardy (Raw)
Mickie James (Raw)
Mojo Rawley (Raw)
Montez Ford (NXT)
Sarah Logan (Raw)
Natalya (Raw)
Nia Jax (Raw)
Nick Miller (NXT)
No Way Jose (Raw)
Oney Lorcan (NXT)
Otis Dozovic (NXT)
Rezar (Raw)
Titus O'Neil (Raw)
Rhyno (Raw)
Roderick Strong (NXT)
Roman Reigns (Raw)
Ruby Riott (Raw)
Rusev (Smackdown)
Sami Zayn (Raw)
Scott Dawson (Raw)
Seth Rollins (Raw)
Shane Thorne (NXT)
Shayna Baszler (NXT)
Triple H
Tucker Knight (NXT)
Tyler Breeze (Raw)
The Velveteen Dream (NXT)
Viktor (Raw)
Zack Ryder (Raw)
By Array on Aug 31, 2018 12:09 am
After Cyberpunk 2077's stunning E3 2018 trailer, folks have been clamoring to see gameplay of the upcoming sci-fi RPG. Much to our surprise, developer CD Projekt Red hosted a livestream that finally gave everyone a glimpse of what the game will play like by showcasing combat, customization, dialogue choices, and more. Suffice it to say, Cyberpunk 2077 is shaping up to be a beast of an RPG. You can upgrade your character's augmentations (aka cyberware), and modify weapons and equipment to tailor to whatever playstyle you want to pursue. For example, you can take on upgrades that increase your level of maneuverability, allowing you to perform a double jump and the ability to bounce off walls. There's plenty more in store in the game's high-level skills, which seem to allow for some exciting and unexpected moments during a firefight. Aside from your abilities, the world itself--Night City--displays an astounding level of detail with a host of different factions and inhabitants to interact with. Not only that, the world will be completely seamless, allowing you to run around and drive across its map without interruption. There seems to be a great degree of choice and possibility embedded into just about any route you take in the game's missions. The debut footage was loaded with talk of mechanics and narrative, so we understand if you missed anything in the show and awe of it all. To help run you down on everything that was shown and discussed, we've compiled this feature containing all the interesting things the demo showed you can do in Cyberpunk 2077. Though, if you're clamoring to watch it all again, we've broken out debut gameplay in full for you. The footage has been making the rounds for quite some time at this year's E3 and Gamescom. "What we're releasing today was recorded from a game deep in development," explained game director Adam Badowski. "Since many of the assets and mechanics in the current version of Cyberpunk 2077 are most likely to be modified, we initially decided to show this gameplay only to media. Elements like gunplay (both in terms of visuals and how RPG stats influence it), netrunning, car physics, or the game's UI--everything's pretty much still in the playtest phase and we felt uneasy about publicly committing to any particular design. Animation glitches, work-in-progress character facial expressions, early versions of locations--all this made us hesitant to release what you're about to see." "However, we are also well aware that many of you want to see what the media saw," Badowski said. "Although this is probably not the same game you'll see on your screen when we launch, we still decided to share this 48-minute video with you. This is how Cyberpunk 2077 looks today. Let us know what you think!" Cyberpunk 2077 is expected to launch on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. No release date has been announced, but in a recent interview, producer Richard Borzymowski said Cyberpunk 2077 is playable from start to finish, so hopefully that bodes well for details concerning a date being shared sometime soon. If your excitement for the game is reaching high levels, be sure to check out our in-depth feature discussing Cyberpunk 2077's ambition and scope, as well as our interview with Borzymowski about the game's world. What did you like most about the Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay reveal? Let us know in the comments below.
Creating A New You
In Cyberpunk 2077, players will be able to customize their own take on the central protagonist V. In addition to male/female options, ethnic background, and stylistic options--including tattoos and hair color--you'll can also select a particular background for your version of V. Some of these backgrounds include being a newcomer to Night City, or a long-time resident, all of which add more flavor to your character.
Partner in Crime
The beefier fella from the E3 2018 trailer of Cyberpunk 2077 is actually your AI partner in-game. His name is Jackie, and he'll help you out during certain missions, providing you cover fire in a gunfight and just being an all-around tough guy.
A Place To Call Home
In Night City, you'll have a place to call your own. While at V's apartment, players can examine emails and messages from other characters, and also customize their look and switch up their loadout from the armory. With your closet full of jackets, you can gain unique stat boosts and additional Street Cred, which act as the experience needed to interact with some areas of Night City. Your pad is a great place to unwind and take yourself away from the hustle and bustle of big city living, even letting you listen to some of the game's original tunes, which includes music from Rockerboy Johnny Silverhand, a returning character from Cyberpunk 2020--the tabletop RPG the game is based on.
Seamless and Sophisticated Open-World
Unlike The Witcher 3's Northern Kingdoms, Cyberpunk 2077's Night City is a seamless open world with no loading screens. Crowds and AI systems have been upgraded, as all characters you come across have a specific title and role in the world's hierarchical structure (Corpo Rat, Slacker, Dirtgirl, Dirtboy, Street Vendor, etc). Characters also have their own programmed routines that shift and change throughout the day.
Factions Of Night City
There are several different factions throughout Night City. A few that are specifically named in the video were the Maelstrom Gang, Militech, Scavengers, and more. The Maelstrom Gang appeared as neon-lit ghouls, and they seemed to be a formidable force that would be tough to take down directly. It looks like you'll be worming your way through the game interacting and aligning yourself with certain factions when the situation calls for it, but then discarding them for others to accomplish your bottom line.
Visiting the Ripper Doc For Some Upgrades
In Night City, there are several places where your character can acquire some new hardware, or as the game aptly calls it: cyberware. While the guns are fairly plentiful, you'll eventually have to visit a Ripper Doc to apply new cybernetic upgrades, which can open up some interesting new gameplay opportunities. While some of these modifications include enhancements to weapons handling and sight--allowing you to view stats from NPCs and scan targets--some of the upgrades are far more substantial, taking you further into the black market territory.
Hot Wheels
Considering how massive Night City is, you'll need a reliable way to get around. While you'll initially have access to Jackie's car, a sports vehicle with impressive handling and speed, you'll also be able to find other vehicles to take for a spin. Along with other cars, you can also hop onto fast bikes as well.
Random Encounters Influenced By Your Decisions
As you'd expect from an RPG, there are repercussions for you actions. In Cyberpunk 2077, this shows up in the decisions you make in the game's narrative, but they can also manifest themselves as random encounters out in the open world. For example, the Scavengers that V and Jackie messed with in the beginning of the reveal came back to fight them in a high-speed car chase.
Hack Your Enemies
You can hack into enemies and link into their base's internal network. By placing a backdoor into their system, you can hack into enemy weapons and other devices--in the reveal, we saw them hack enemy weapons, rendering them useless. While it was made apparent that this feature was still in the works, we're pretty excited to experiment with the possibilities of manipulating and hacking foes.
You Can Get Hacked Too!
You can hack enemies, but they can hack into your systems too. In the reveal, a corporate agent hacked into V's head in order to see if she was lying. This provided an extra layer of tension to the dialogue choices, as it was possible for them to see through your deception. The other ways in which you can get hacked remain to be seen, but we're crossing our fingers that enemies might be able to mess with our sight a la the Batou convenience store shootout scene from Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence.
A More Personal Approach
Based on your choices, you can open up lethal and non-lethal options for missions. For example, in the encounter with the Maelstrom gang, you could choose the diplomatic route and enter their base and buy a military-grade spiderbot with the money given to you by the corporate agent. However, it's totally possible for you to go in guns blazing, steal the spiderbot, and keep the corpo credits for yourself. CD Projekt Red promises loads of possibilities, so we're eager to see what other approaches we could've taken.
Upon Closer Inspection
Unlike The Witcher 3, you can more closely examine items in Cyberpunk 2077. More than just pretty 3D assets to peruse, inspecting items allows you to learn more about them and find clues that'll help you accomplish missions.
Serious Hardware Found On The Streets
While V can find all sorts of gear after completing missions or by purchasing some of the local gunsmith's merchandise, certain items will be found while out in the field. Starting out with a standard automatic pistol, you'll eventually move up to weapons like shotguns and machine guns--all of which have various modifiers and upgrades attached to them. In addition to street-level weapons, which includes a shotgun that can fire through walls, the protagonist can also acquire special Tech and Corporate weapons that have their own bizarre modifications--which includes homing bullets.
Awesome High-Level Upgrades And Mods
By the end of the reveal, there was a glimpse of some of the high-level upgrades and modifications you can get. A notable weapon upgrade was the ricochet targeting system, which allows you to shoot enemies around corners hiding behind cover. But the coolest one of them all was the Mantis Blades. These are literal blades that spawn out of your arms that you can use to slice up enemies or dispatch non-violently. You can even stab them into the walls for a makeshift perch you can use to get the jump on any unsuspecting guards. These were but two of of the upgrades you can nab later on, but we're already clamoring to hear about more.
Living For The City
Much like CD Projekt Red's pedigree of work, Cyberpunk 2077 is an RPG at its core, and one of its strongest pillars will be focused on player choice. Throughout your many dealings with characters like Dexter Deshawn, the Maelstrom leader Royce, and the mysterious Corporate Agent, you'll make several key decisions on how best to proceed with their requested assignments. While you can simply do what they ask, sometimes it may be best to look out for yourself and make some deals behind their backs. While this can certainly pay off in big ways, this can also lead to some serious consequences further down the line. But of course, that seems to be the norm in Night City.
By Matt Espineli on Aug 30, 2018 11:54 pm
Switch Games That You Need To Play
The release of the Nintendo Switch marked the beginning of a new generation for Nintendo. After the lukewarm reception of the Wii U, many were beginning to wonder if the company would be able to survive in today's console market. However, it defied all expectations with its hybrid console/handheld console. Alongside the Switch's release was the universally praised The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, giving it the killer app it needed to quickly rise to the top of console sales charts and dramatically increase Nintendo's revenue. In the year since its launch, there has been no shortage of amazing games coming, from huge first-party games like Mario and Splatoon to indie darlings like Owlboy and Celeste. There's even great third-party games, like Octopath Traveler and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. The library only seems to be expanding and improving with every consecutive release. In this feature, we're taking a look back at the best Switch games so far. This includes games that have received a score of 8 or higher on GameSpot since the console's release, as well as reviews for new games and updates to reviews of older games that were ported to Switch. Check out our choices for the best games released on the Switch. 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 an analysis of Nintendo Switch's first year, be sure to read our retrospective feature discussing the console's various successes and failures. In addition, you can also check out our features detailing all the Wii U games we ported to Switch, 13 things we want to see from the console. The Switch already has hundreds of games, so many that some are bound to fly under our radar. The games covered here are only a small handful of the experiences out there. Which games do you think are some of the Switch's finest? Let us know in the comments below.
Into the Breach -- 9/10
"There is so much strategic joy in seeing the potential destruction a swarm of giant monsters is about to unleash on a city, then quickly staging and executing elaborate counter maneuvers to ruin the party. Into The Breach's focus on foresight makes its turn-based encounters an action-packed, risk-free puzzle, and the remarkable diversity of playstyles afforded by unique units keeps each new run interesting. It's a pleasure to see what kind of life-threatening predicaments await for you to creatively resolve in every new turn, every new battle, and every new campaign. Into The Breach is a pristine and pragmatic tactical gem with dynamic conflicts that will inspire you to jump back in again, and again, and again." [Read the full review] -- Edmond Tran
The Messenger -- 8/10
"The Messenger takes the best parts of the action-platformers it takes influence from and reinterprets them well. With clever writing, well-designed levels, and balanced difficulty curve, the game continuously hooks you with enticing skill-based challenges and satisfying payoffs. Your character might have an immediate imperative to delivering a world-saving scroll, but the journey there is definitely one to savor." [Read the full review] -- Alexander Pan
Dead Cells -- 9/10
"Dead Cells is a fascinating amalgam of several of today's most popular indie genres. It juggles elements of tough-as-nails action games and Metroid-inspired exploration platformers, with the procedurally generated levels and random item allotments found in roguelikes. It's impressive how it all comes together without a hitch, especially given that the persistent character growth found in games like Dark Souls or Metroid squarely conflicts with the randomized resets emblematic of Rogue-inspired games." [Read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 + 2
"In a way, the entire collection itself is the museum--an entire series, with all its beauty and its blemishes, on display for its audience to judge and assess years later. Parts of this legacy have aged horribly, but they're still undeniably a piece of Mega Man X history. We've been told that the upcoming Mega Man 11 was greenlit thanks in part to fan interest in the original Mega Man Legacy Collection. If Capcom follows with a proper sequel to Mega Man X, this compilation provides valuable lessons on what the series is, what it isn't, and what it can be when given the chance." [Read the full review] -- Steve Watts
Octopath Traveler -- 8/10
"Despite the lackluster stories that pull you through the world, Octopath thrives on its character progression and the temptations of high-level challenges and rewards. The promise of new jobs, exciting boss fights, and powerful gear will inspire you to poke around every corner, and there are no shortage of discoveries to strive for. And all the while, you're treated to one of the most interesting and effective re-imaginings of a retro aesthetic around. Octopath will likely be a divisive game due to its fractured storytelling, but it's one worth playing despite its lesser qualities. Its high points are simply too good to ignore." [Read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Managing Editor
Captain Toad
"Despite a smattering of minor complaints, Captain Toad stands as a pint-sized version of Nintendo's stellar first party pedigree. It's among the best Mario spin-offs around and a delightful iteration on old ideas." [Read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus -- 8/10
"As long as you're able to play the entire game in docked mode, The New Colossus is the same fantastic game it is on other platforms. It runs well and, despite some minor visual compromises, it still looks pretty good. Handheld mode is unfortunately far less optimized, and the Joy-Cons simply don't feel as good to use as the Pro Controller. If Switch is your only way to play it, The New Colossus is absolutely worth your time--just not on the go." [Read the full review] -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
West of Loathing -- 8/10
"There are a few minor issues--inventory management on Switch becomes cumbersome as you collect an increasing amount of things, fights with a lot of enemies can obscure some pertinent information, and the stakes sometimes feel a little too low to be completely motivating. But West of Loathing's focus on maintaining a flexible, open-ended nature and lighthearted, humorous feel keeps you engaged in what feels like an imaginative pen-and-paper Dungeons and Dragons campaign, led by a game master whose only goal is to make sure you're laughing and having a fun time. West of Loathing's visuals are monochromatic, but there's enjoyable comedy painted between every line, a pitch-perfect Spaghetti Western soundtrack, and a full spectrum of role-playing possibilities to choose from that make it a consistently enjoyable madcap cowboy jaunt." [Read the full review] -- Edmond Tran, Editor and Video Producer
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
Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection -- 8/10
"That's more or less the story of the 30th Anniversary Collection. It won't satisfy every specific demand, but it's still a big collection of awesome games and behind-the-scenes content that no Street Fighter fan should miss. Street Fighter is a series worth celebrating and Digital Eclipse has managed to do so in a manner that feels respectful to the series and to the people who keep the spirit of arcade battles alive." [Read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Managing Editor
Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition -- 8/10
"Those returning to the fray will likely be a little disappointed as there just isn't enough new content to rouse fresh excitement. For newcomers, though, Hyrule warriors is a delightful, bizarre outing that opens up the Zelda series, taking us places we've been before, just with thousands of monsters and awesome, screen-clearing magical attacks." [Read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
Battle Chasers: Nightwar -- 8/10
"Beyond the challenge of combat, Battle Chasers is sustained through the strength of its story, a rollicking tale that takes our heroes literally to hell and back. It's bolstered by some sharp dialogue, gorgeous artwork, and an ensemble that plays extremely well off of each other. Lots of work has gone into Nightwar since its first release, and the balancing improvements make it an easy game to recommend on all platforms." [Read the full review] -- Justin Clark
Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze -- 9/10
"Tropical Freeze isn't a heavy-hitter from Nintendo in the same way Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Odyssey are, but it's a fantastic platformer that's bursting with creativity and expertly designed challenges. It's tuned just right--always tough but rarely frustrating--to ensure that even the most common moments feel great. If you missed out when the game first debuted back in 2014, give it a shot today. It easily stands the test of time." [Read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Managing Editor
Bayonetta 2 -- 10/10
"But it's a challenge you'll want to experience again as soon as you put down the controller. Bayonetta 2's combat is so expertly constructed, and its presentation so joyously insane, that you'd have to try so very hard to get bored of it all. In a year filled with the promise of ever more elaborate experiences on all the shiny new hardware, that Bayonetta 2--a homage to classic game design and escapism--should be the most fun I've had playing a game all year is unexpected. But maybe it shouldn't have been. After all, its predecessor still stands as one of the finest games of its genre. To have surpassed that with Bayonetta 2, and to have created a game that will be remembered as an absolute classic, is nothing short of astonishing." [Read the review] -- Mark Walton
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
Dragon Quest Builders -- 8/10
"The excellence of Dragon Quest Builders illustrates the versatility of this 30-year-old franchise as much as it speaks to the engrossing appeal of Minecraft-inspired creation. The story-advancing draw of quests goes hand-in-hand with the depth of a crafting system that cleverly uses monster drops as some of the game's building tools. Whether you want to focus on completing assignments or build with no specific purpose, the game is feature-rich enough to suck up untold hours, even if this happens to be your first Dragon Quest experience." [Read the review] -- Miguel Concepcion, Editor
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim -- 8/10
"The original version of Skyrim is still an immense, engrossing RPG, and the quality, number, and variety of its quests makes it as easy to become lost in its world as ever. With the addition of Zelda-themed gear that's actually useful--and the fact that you can play anywhere--the Switch version of Skyrim is a great excuse to revisit a much-loved RPG." [Read the full review] -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
Golf Story -- 8/10
"It can take a little while for the narrative to ramp up in Golf Story and for you to feel like you've really cultivated the skills of a champion, but based on the sheer scope of what the game delivers, there's likely something for everyone to enjoy whether their shtick is mini-golfing or terrorising delinquents with frisbees. It has successfully captured the trappings of yesteryear's RPGs, and the witticisms and idiosyncrasies of the characters you encounter are a great palate cleanser between rounds. Switch has had a swathe of indies hit its eShop recently, but if you're looking for something that'll give you satisfaction in terms of an interesting story and a rewarding mechanic, then Golf Story is certainly par for the course." [Read the full review] -- Ginny Woo
Gorogoa -- 8/10
"Few games take the concept of altering reality to as artistic a level as Gorogoa. This labor of love made chiefly by one developer is a gorgeous and intriguing puzzle game that works because of its stunning art and intelligent puzzle design. Far from a traditional game, Gorogoa is a slow and methodical trip into the surreal." [Read the full review] -- Jason D'Aprile
Kirby Star Allies -- 8/10
"Star Allies is yet another Kirby game, but it's up there with some of the best. It's an artistic showcase, and a great opportunity for co-op platforming. The one real complaint you can levy at it is that it gates off its more challenging aspects, but the fact that they are present to begin with will please anyone who's grown weary of the series' painless platforming." [Read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Managing Editor
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild -- 10/10
"No matter how gorgeous its environments are, how clever its enemies are, and how tricky its puzzles get, the fact that Breath of the Wild continues to surprise you with newfound rules and possibilities after dozens of hours is by far its most valuable quality. It's a game that allows you to feel gradually more and more empowered yet simultaneously manages to retain a sense of challenge and mystery--which, together, creates a steady, consistent feeling of gratification throughout the entire experience. Breath of the Wild is a defining moment for The Legend of Zelda series, and the most impressive game Nintendo has ever created." [Read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Managing Editor
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle -- 9/10
"Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle exudes off-beat optimism that never dissolves. It's a consistent delight, no matter how challenging the road becomes, because Kingdom Battle's unique turn-based tactics system is in every way a pleasure to engage with. Coupled with the annoyingly infectious allure of Rabbids, and the always delightful, colorful world of the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is an implausibly engrossing formula that is positively challenging and endlessly charming." [Read the full review] -- Edmond Tran, Editor
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe -- 9/10
"For Mario Kart fans, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe might look like more of the same with small Double Dash-inspired tweaks. But thanks to a series of updates both big and almost unseen, it's the version of Mario Kart to get. If you don't own a Wii U or skipped out on Mario Kart 8 the first time around--or even if you've played it before--Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is worth your time. It plays beautifully on Switch in both handheld and docked mode, and its core racing is as exciting as ever. And, most notably, it completely revamps the original's lackluster Battle Mode, rounding out an already great racing game." [Read the full review] -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
Mr. Shifty -- 8/10
"Mr. Shifty isn't a huge game in terms of length, but the three- to four-hour campaign is ample. It's like a shot of adrenalin, offering an exciting, intense experience, and it's easy to forgive the game's performance flaws when it so consistently makes you feel like a badass." [Read the full review] -- James O'Connor
NBA 2K18 -- 8/10
"NBA 2K18 is a hardcore sports simulation. If you want to get good, you have to put in the work. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to improve your skills no matter how you want to play. And the fact that there's so much to do is a bonus, because on the court, NBA 2K18 is also an amazingly well-crafted experience." [Read the full review] -- Seth Macy
Night in the Woods -- 9/10
"From beginning to end to epilogue, Night in the Woods is ultimately open to individual interpretation. How you relate to it depends on your own experiences and choices, including Mae's dialogue and who you decide to spend time with. Though its charming and angsty story works well on its own merits, it's special because of how it prioritizes conveying emotion over telling a straight narrative." [Read the review] -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
Owlboy -- 9/10
"Owlboy is consistently charming and surprising, and when its final act doubles down on every front, it's bittersweet to see it end. As you relish the outcome of the final battle and watch the closing cutscene, you can't help but reflect on the beginning of your adventure and how far the world and its inhabitants have come. You'll never be able to play Owlboy for the first time again, but the memories of its magic moments stick with you. This is more than a treat for fans of old-school games; Owlboy is a heartfelt experience that will touch anyone with an affinity for great art and storytelling." [Read the review] -- Peter Brown, Managing Editor
Pac-Man: Championship Edition 2 Plus -- 8/10
"Pac-Man: Championship Edition 2 creates an exciting dynamic where ghosts are still dangerous, but the overall game is more forgiving than the original--and it's more entertaining as a result. Arcade ports tend to be games we play in short bursts--mostly for the nostalgia factor. Pac-Man: Championship Edition 2 certainly relies on that nostalgia to a point, but it handles the classic game in a way that plays with expectations to surprise you. It's the same game enhanced in the right directions to be make an old concept fun, innovative, and challenging all over again." [Read the review] -- Jason D'Aprile
Puyo Puyo Tetris -- 8/10
"Overflowing with colorful personality, Puyo Puyo Tetris revels in its weirdness. It provides solid versions of both puzzle games and merges the two in bizarre, frantic ways that adds a fresh dash of style to these long-running series. With an array of game variations spanning single-player, along with on- and offline multiplayer, it's an incredibly meaty package that should satisfy gamers for a long time to come." [Read the full review] -- Jason D'Aprile
Rive -- 8/10
"Rive is demanding, but it pushes the kind of near-thoughtless play that shoot-em-ups strive to achieve. When faced with an onslaught of enemies and environmental hazards, you'll have to think fast or die. Rive also doesn't run all that long, but what's here is excellent, top-notch action, and the game delivers some of the most memorable moments in a shoot-em-up in years." [Read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
Rocket League -- 9/10
"For people new to the game, they have a lot to look forward to regardless, as it's one of the most fascinating sports games in memory. Nevermind if you don't like soccer or couldn't care less about the growing esports community. Rocket League is a unique game that redefines the concept of what a sports game can be, and Psyonix continues to support it with new content on a regular basis. It's been around for a while, but now that it's on Switch, there's no better time to give it a shot." [Read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Managing Editor
Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment -- 8/10
"Specter of Torment is a finely-crafted 2D platformer that is satisfying in all respects. Simply controlling Specter Knight--flying through the air and slicing through enemies--is a joy in itself, and being able to push your ability to control these skills in overcoming the game's cleverly-designed and challenging levels is always an exhilarating feeling. Specter of Torment is a focussed, polished, and satisfyingly challenging game that's well worth experiencing whether or not you've had the pleasure of playing Shovel Knight." [Read the full review] -- Edmond Tran, 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
Splatoon 2 -- 8/10
"At first glance, Splatoon 2 seems very similar to the first game. But all the small changes, and even the bigger ones in single player and League Battles, make for a fresh take on the already unique shooter. If you played a lot of the original, the sequel has enough to keep you coming back, and if you're new to the game, it's a fantastic place to jump in." [Read the full review] -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
Stardew Valley -- 9/10
"The sheer number of things to accomplish in Stardew Valley can keep you interested beyond the original three in-game years you need to reach the end of your story--you may just want to start over rather than continue on. You'll work quite hard to gather enough money for your first horse, so that you can quickly move to the mines to get a mineral to complete a bundle at the community center. It's all centered around whatever it is you want to accomplish that day. And that's truly what makes Stardew Valley such a lovely experience, it encourages you to go out and be the best you can be, in whichever task that brings you the most joy. Stardew Valley motivates naturally, with blissful optimism." [Read the full review] -- Mary Kish
SteamWorld Dig 2 -- 9/10
"Every advancement Dig 2 makes to its story and mechanics strengthens your initiative to progress. There's an overwhelming sense of momentum that runs through the adventure; as if developer Image & Form sifted the original in a pan, removing its redundancies while expanding upon what made it so fun to persistently play. In your quest to acquire every upgrade and explore every nook and cranny, there's no shortage of hidden collectables to discover. And with post-game content that unlocks after you unearth every secret, the desire to keep digging intensifies. Dig 2 manages to not only be an exceptional successor, but a great adventure in its own right. Where the first game was a diamond in the rough, Dig 2 is a polished jewel." [Read the full review] -- Matt Espineli, Associate Editor
Super Mario Odyssey -- 10/10
"Odyssey is sustained beyond its major milestones not only through colorful worlds and hidden challenges, but through the sheer joy of controlling Mario, who's never felt more responsive or dynamic in action. Even with everything new that's been introduced, Nintendo's forward-thinking platformer retains the series' classic handcrafted appeal, which is even more impressive when you realize how densely packed each kingdom is. Mario's latest outing is big, bold, and bursting with new ideas, and like Breath of the Wild, is another instance of Nintendo going above and beyond to redefine our expectations. It's a shining example of refined creativity, and another crown jewel for Switch that is without equal." [Read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor
Lumines Remastered -- 8/10
"Lumines is the kind of game that temporarily rewires your brain, splicing together its ability to recognize visual patterns and audible rhythms simultaneously and forcing you to do the hard but delightful work of putting that ability to use. Having that experience so lovingly presented--and on the Switch, having Lumines handheld again for the first time in six years--is an occasion worth celebrating." [Read the full review] -- Justin Clark
By Jordan Ramée on Aug 30, 2018 11:52 pm
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. Be sure to check out our list of the best cheap PS4 games to find the best deals on some of these exclusives, including top-tier titles like The Last of Us Remastered and Bloodborne. Think you've got an insane amount of GameSpot knowledge? Put it to the test. We've reviewed a lot of PS4 exclusives since the console's debut in 2013, but only one of them has gotten a perfect 10/10 review score. Do you know what it is? Click ahead to find out, and we'll send a virtual high five your way if you happen to know the answer. If you also happen to know which PS3 game released again on PS4 with a perfect 10/10 GameSpot score (but couldn't make this list because it's not a remaster), then we offer you a virtual salute. Also, let us know what your favorite PS4 exclusive is in the comment section down below. Doesn't matter if the game was critically acclaimed or criminally underrated. Be sure to check out our list of the best Nintendo Switch console exclusives and best Xbox One console exclusives as well.
Alienation
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Alientation review, Jason D'Aprile wrote, "Alienation is a refined and intense shooter that looks and sounds great, and offers fantastically chaotic and violent action. While the game sometimes feels a little too eager to kill players and lacks local play, with a full troop online, it's easily one of the best all-out action multiplayer games in recent memory."
Alone With You
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Alone With You review, Jason D'Aprile wrote, "This is a game that warrants repeated playthroughs to see both endings and experience other relationship choices. Alone With You bears some heavy thematic overlap with [games] like SOMA, Everyone's Gone to Rapture, and other story-centric releases that focus on the nature of what makes you human, the importance of relationships and contact, and mortality. It's different enough to feel new despite its retro roots, delivering impactful scenes that shine thanks to a stellar script that brings its few, but emotionally charged, characters to life."
Bloodborne
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Bloodborne review, Kevin VanOrd wrote, "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."
Dariusburst: Chronicle Saviours
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Dariusburst: Chronicle Saviours review, Heidi Kemps wrote, "Even with [its issues], Darius Burst is one of the best traditional shooters to come out in years. The visual design is excellent, the music is avant-garde and memorable, the boss encounters are thrilling, and it's chock-full of challenges to keep you coming back and playing more. If you enjoy these sorts of games at all and are craving a finely-crafted, intense shooting experience that will keep you hooked for a long time, then Darius Burst: Chronicle Saviours is a worthy."
Everybody's Golf
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Everybody's Golf review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "Ultimately, [bothersome NPCs] are the only notable blemishes in an otherwise splendid and activity-loaded sequel, which also happens to be the best golf game on the PlayStation 4. Longtime fans will find comfort in the familiar controls and deep progression system, while newcomers will find the on-boarding experience easy and welcoming. Between the lengthy career mode and online play, you are never short of competition to test your nerves. And no matter how ridiculously superhuman your linksman skills become--there are awards for getting a hole in one on a par-5, after all--Everybody's Golf's strict adherence to the sport's strategic underpinnings is never compromised."
Everybody's Gone To The Rapture
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Everybody's Gone to the Rapture review, Alexa Ray Corriea wrote, "Everybody's Gone to the Rapture uses subtle cues to guide you through its world and then gives you the space to digest what you find. It's a wonderful example of what games can achieve narratively while presenting minimal physical engagement and tasking player imagination with the rest. That sense of futility never leaves you, but whether or not you cling to the story's threads of hope is entirely up to you; no happy ending is forced on you--just an ending. The moral of the story is whatever you think it is, and there's no wrong way to feel as you sift through its bright, empty world. And while I had my moments of frustration in navigation, that didn't stop it from dazzling me. I left Shropshire exhausted, spent, and utterly impressed by The Chinese Room's magnificently crafted journey, both in how it brought me to its conclusion and the conclusion itself."
Fighting EX Layer
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Fighting EX Layer review, Heidi Kemps wrote, "On a pure gameplay level, Fighting EX Layer is an absolute treat. What it lacks in bells and whistles it delivers in pure, fun combat. This is a game made for the sort of people who will spend hours perfecting an impractical, extremely-precise combo in training mode simply for the satisfaction of having done it. If that describes you, then Fighting EX Layer will be worth everything you put into it."
Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "While its enhancements do not translate into a brand new game for existing fans, [Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age] is nonetheless invigorating. For an experience that can last over a hundred hours, the subtle tweaks therein go a long way in showcasing Final Fantasy 12's grand trek in a new light. Its epic, lore-abundant story and its time-tested Gambit System should also appeal to those who missed out on the mainline series' trip to Ivalice the first time around. And thanks in part to the new audio and speed options, The Zodiac Age is an ideal definitive edition: one that improves the game over its original version across the board.
Final Fantasy 14 Online: A Realm Reborn
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Final Fantasy 14 Online: A Realm Reborn review, Pete Davison wrote, "There's no traditional PVP, and at times the grind can grow tedious, but if you press on, you find a vast and charming supporting cast, complex classes with plenty of interesting augmentations along the way, and a reworked MMORPG that combines new and old elements to weave together a satisfying and modern Final Fantasy that does its part to cater to longtime franchise fans and MMO enthusiasts alike. This is an admirable redesign, especially on the PlayStation 4, which very well may be considered the best venue to experience the staggering world and cornucopia of additional content. Even if you're still trekking through Vana'diel, consider making yourself a new home in Eorzea--we'd love to have you."
Galak-Z: The Dimensional
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Galak-Z: The Dimensional review, Mike Mahardy wrote, "But in the end, [Galak-Z: The Dimensional] is about learning as you go, and making the best of what you have. It's a layered, complex system, and even now, 20 hours after I started it, there are upgrades I haven't found, techniques I haven't practiced, and possibilities I haven't considered. Galak-Z pummelled me, knocked me to the ground and kicked me when I was down. But when I finally got the upper hand, and beat the final season with only a sliver of health left, the victory was all the more rewarding.
God Eater 2: Rage Burst
We gave the game an 8/10. In our God Eater 2: Rage Burst review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "Good sequels strike a balance between reproducing familiar systems and introducing new features. Rage Burst shares many similarities with Resurrection, to the degree that you wouldn't be blamed for mistaking the former for an expansion pack of the latter at a glance. But Rage Burst is bolstered by a beefed-up combat system and scores of stylish, powerful loot, making frequent, sometimes repetitive questing, more enjoyable than it was in Resurrection."
God Of War (2018)
We gave the game a 9/10. In our God of War review, Peter Brown wrote, "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."
God Of War 3 Remastered
We gave the game an 8/10. In our God of War 3 Remastered review, Kevin VanOrd wrote, "Then again, this is not a series known for its sophisticated storytelling. Kratos is the vessel for an instinctive kind of gameplay that is rarely this successful. Your rewards for following God of War III's linear trail are genre-defining combat, excellent pacing, and the innate joy of watching enemies spew forth clusters of glowing red orbs when they fall. It's the ever-compelling quest for shinies, accomplished by slamming your cestus into the ground, then gutting a centaur and watching its viscera spill onto the floor. Your reward is more power, which you use to earn more shinies and to see more entrails. That the game finds so many ways to stay consistently fresh within this traditional structure is a feat worthy of the gods."
Gravity Rush 2
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Gravity Rush 2 review, Peter Brown wrote, "With a wealth of stories big and small to chew on, Gravity Rush 2 fulfills the needs of both a sequel and a prequel. The first Gravity Rush had enough going for it, but Gravity Rush 2 is stuffed with things to love. While its stealth missions are lame and it's disappointing to experience camera issues from time to time, Gravity Rush 2 excels in almost every other respect, making its predecessor seem quaint by comparison. This is easily one of the best video game sequels in recent memory, and an adventure truly worthy of its excellent lead character."
Gran Turismo Sport
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Gran Turismo Sport review, James Swinbanks wrote, "Ultimately, where you fall on GT Sport will mirror how you feel about racing games in general. If you're looking for a highly focused console racing sim, GT Sport is excellent, but don't come looking for a robust 'Gran Turismo' experience. You won't find it. Casual fans will feel the pinch of the scaled-down offering and the intimidating push towards racing online. But for sim-racers with a competitive spirit, it's easy to look past the smaller car and track roster and appreciate the incredibly detailed and responsive driving model, which is better than anything the series has offered before."
Grim Fandango Remastered
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Grim Fandango Remastered review, Kevin VanOrd wrote, "Grim Fandango's greatest triumph, however, is that you needn't overflow with nostalgia to appreciate its greatness. There is only this boisterous world and the unionized bee-demons that inhabit it, which you see through the eyes of one Manny Calavera, an everyday hero that has rightfully earned a place in video game history. Even if you don't know what happens at the end of the line, you're guaranteed to enjoy the trip."
Here They Lie
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Here They Lie review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "Here They Lie pulls you in by appealing to your curiosities of what's around the corner--but you're also motivated to stick to the main path, because a part of you just wants to get the hell out of this urban nightmare. As a dark, well-crafted psychological journey in VR, the game captures the distinct duality of being a curious observer--and, conversely, a participant who simply wants to survive and escape. Its enigmatic visuals, choice-driven narrative, and provocations on morality are the driving forces that warrant multiple playthroughs, and all of those aforementioned elements combine to make Here They Lie one of the standout offerings among the PSVR's launch lineup."
Horizon Zero Dawn
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Horizon Zero Dawn review, Peter Brown wrote, "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 [Horizon 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.
Iconoclasts
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Iconoclasts review, Matt Espineli wrote, "When Iconoclasts' end credits begin to roll, it's bittersweet to see the journey come to a close. After solving every puzzle and witnessing the finale of its poignant narrative, you can't help but reflect on the growth of its characters and your impact onto the world. The game will shock and surprise you with how gripping its story is, and it's likely to do so again in subsequent playthroughs of New Game+ with your expanded knowledge of character histories and events. Iconoclasts may be a callback to the style and mechanics of old-school games, but it's also a sincere and compelling adventure that anyone with respect for fantastic storytelling and 2D-action can enjoy."
I Expect You To Die
We gave the game an 8/10. In our I Expect You To Die review, Mike Mahardy wrote, "But the annoyances caused by these hiccups pale in comparison to the thrills I Expect You to Die delivers. Through well designed puzzles, intense escape room scenarios, and a kineticism absent in video games on standard screens, I Expect You to Die knows exactly how to leverage the magic of VR, and proves it almost every step of the way."
Infamous: Second Son
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Infamous: Second Son review, Tom McShea wrote, "[Infamous: Second Son] focuses on pure enjoyment. It communicates that through the excellent combat that forces you to concoct crazy tactics to overthrow the invading forces. It draws you in further through its incredible visuals that not only hint at the PlayStation 4's impressive power, but employ a sensible artistic touch that makes Seattle a place you want to explore. It uses a complementary score to underline dramatic moments, and the sound effects pop with flair. And yet, for all of the elements in which Second Son excels, the narrative fails to carry its share of the weight. Still, don't become mired in the negativity as Delsin so often does. Instead, just laugh at the cheesy dialogue and chortle at how extreme the morality system is. Second Son is a great game that knows exactly what it is, and sucks you in with its unfiltered fun."
The Inpatient
We gave the game an 8/10. In our The Inpatient review, Justin Clark wrote, "The Inpatient doesn't just do right by Until Dawn, but stands right alongside it as one of the strongest horror experiences on PlayStation 4. It's a game far less concerned with pushing you towards what's lurking down every corridor than feeding you the worst ideas of what could be."
Invisible, Inc. Console Edition
We gave the game an 8/10. In out Invisible, Inc. Console Edition review, Kevin VanOrd wrote, "Nonetheless, this emotional distance is merely a minor issue. I don't care much about Invisible, Inc.'s throwaway story and its last-minute grasps at meaningful themes, or about my agents' personal backgrounds. Like the game, my efforts are focused on getting the job done, emotionally disengaged but intellectually centered. I bask in the stylish cutscenes and the sharp voiceover, but my attachment is not to the agency or its people but to the sheer pleasure of a successful heist."
The King Of Fighters XIV
We gave the game an 8/10. In our The King of Fighters XIV review, Matt Espineli wrote, "With plenty of opportunities available online or off, [The King of Fighters XIV] is a well-executed addition to the revered fighting series. Those disappointed in its new visuals may be unwilling to give it a chance, but if you remain steadfast in parsing through the multiple layers of its mechanics, you'll be rewarded with one of the most accessible, satisfying entries in the series to date."
The Last Guardian
We gave the game a 9/10. In our The Last Guardian review, Peter Brown wrote, "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."
The Last Of Us Remastered
We gave the game an 8/10. In our The Last of Us Remastered review, Carolyn Petit wrote, "In addition to the visual enhancements and the inclusion of map packs and story DLC, The Last of Us Remastered has other nice little features, like a photo mode that lets you stop the action at any time, position the camera to your liking, and share the screenshot with others, applying frames and filters if you choose. And there are commentary tracks on in-game cinematics featuring the creative director and principal actors. The Last of Us is a great action game that you should play if you haven't already. And if you have played it before, the improvements here aren't so dramatic as to make the game feel like a new experience, but it is definitely one worth revisiting. In the world of The Last of Us, as in our own world, love might destroy you, but it's also one of the only things worth fighting for."
MLB The Show
For review, we gave: MLB 14: The Show an 8/10 MLB 15: The Show an 8/10. MLB The Show 16 an 8/10. MLB The Show 17 an 8/10. MLB The Show 18 a 9/10.
Moss
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Moss review, Alessandro Barbosa wrote, "It's a testament to just how well Moss understands PlayStation VR and works with the device instead of trying to bend it to a will it was never designed for. Moss wouldn't feel right without it at all, and its many strengths are married to the interactions that only full immersion can manufacture. Unsurprisingly, then, Moss is easily one of PlayStation VR's best titles to date, even if it's a little too eager to get you in and out of its world."
Nex Machina: Death Machine
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Nex Machina: Death Machine review, Jason D'Aprile wrote, "Limited multiplayer options aside, [Nex Machina: Death Machine] is a game that confidently meets expectations. It's difficult, intensely satisfying, and packed with enough secrets and lofty secondary objectives to keep you enraptured for hours. It's a classic game at heart, but with refined challenges and exacting mechanics, it feels right at home in the modern era."
Nioh
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Nioh review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "Although the spectre of potential failure hangs heavy over any play session, dying in Nioh is never genuinely disheartening. This is thanks in part to the various avenues of character growth and many approaches you can utilize to tackle a difficult section or boss fight. It shouldn't be surprising that the foresight and patience needed to survive a battle in Dark Souls translates well to the fundamentals of samurai combat here. Nioh's most invigorating and intimidating moments occur when you feel you're at equal footing with your opponent. And it's during these encounters that one careless move can result in your demise or the right string of thoughtful actions can make you feel invincible."
Persona 5
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Persona 5 review, Lucy James wrote, "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."
Pyre
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Pyre review, Peter Brown wrote, "And thus it's all too easy to fall in love with Pyre. It's immediately attractive. Its songs dance in your head long after they debut. And before you know it, you find yourself driven to get better at rites and perform at the top of your game. Likewise, you can't help but reflect on your partners in the Downside--those you trained, as well as those you neglected. Supergiant Games has created something special that lives on in your heart. And against great odds, it's invented a sport that could have stood on its own without the story it's attached to--but it's so much better because it is."
Ratchet & Clank (2016)
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Ratchet & Clank review, Cassidee Moser wrote, "Ratchet & Clank is every bit as dynamic and fun as the 2002 original. It's endearing and entertaining, a veritable power fantasy fueled by rockets and carried by specialty gadgets. Re-introducing a classic franchise to a new generation is a difficult task indeed, but Ratchet & Clank is a shining example of how it can be done."
Republique Remastered
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Republique Remastered review, Justin Clark wrote, "Needless to say, despite its mobile game roots, the world of [Republique Remastered] is meant to immerse, to beckon the player's curiosity, and to involve them enough in the city-state's ins and outs enough to get Hope out of danger. In transitioning to consoles, the game remains largely successful at that."
Salt And Sanctuary
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Salt and Sanctuary review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "Salt and Sanctuary is wholly engrossing from every angle, from its happy marriage of combat and exploration to its ominously gripping art direction. Its world is rich in ambiguity, well designed to fill up message boards with discussions on the theoretical histories of its bosses to the origins of the seven Creeds. For as much as it unabashedly borrows from Dark Souls, it's an achievement that Ska Studios managed to give its homage an identity of its own that can be appreciated on its own merits."
Shadow Of The Colossus (2018)
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Shadow of the Colossus review, Edmond Tran wrote, "Shadow of the Colossus is a tremendous journey, and one well worth taking and retaking. The visual overhaul is stunning, thoroughly enhancing every facet of Wander and Agro's excellent adventure. Galloping through the tranquil world is always breathtaking; felling a monumental colossus is always humbling. Shadow of the Colossus is a beautiful reconstruction of an already exceptional title. It continues to be a modern classic and is an extraordinary game that everyone must experience."
Super Rude Bear Resurrection
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Super Rude Bear Resurrection review, Chris Pereira wrote, "For all of these minor gripes, none of them stand in the way of enjoying nearly every second of playtime. On the strength of its pacing and basic mechanics alone, Super Rude Bear Resurrection would make for an extremely engaging platformer. The addition of its corpse mechanic elevates it to something greater, allowing it to simultaneously serve as an extreme challenge for the most diehard platforming fans as well as a game that can be enjoyed by the novice crowd. Super Rude Bear Resurrection demands a lot from you, but the satisfaction of success is immense in the end."
Tearaway
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Tearaway review, John Robertson wrote, "Tearaway's most lasting feature is not within the game itself, but through the inclusion of printable blueprints. Through standard progression and by taking photographs of certain objects, you earn blueprints that allow you to create your own origami editions of your favourite elements from within the game. Be warned, though, that even when you follow the instructions, some of these are incredibly tricky propositions, but if you've got the patience, it's worth the effort to take the theme of connecting worlds to that next step. The fact that it's so tempting to spend time creating these paper models is a testament to how appealing and attractive Tearaway is. It's just a shame that one of the Vita's best experiences feels as long as a piece of paper is thick."
Tooth And Tail
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."
By Matt Espineli on Aug 30, 2018 11:52 pm
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 best 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.
Guacamelee 2 -- 9/10
"Everything about Guacamelee 2 comes off as smarter and more thoughtful than the first game, even while indulging in its self-aware shenanigans and Rick & Morty-esque dimensional hijinks. The game never stops finding new ways to hook you in, to the point that even the most painstaking and intensive playthroughs feel like they just fly by. Saving the numerous timelines in Guacamelee 2 is just as much about partaking in a marvel of devious, meticulous game design as it is about saving Juan and his family from peril." [Read the review] -- Justin Clark
Dead Cells -- 9/10
"Dead Cells is a fascinating amalgam of several of today's most popular indie genres. It juggles elements of tough-as-nails action games and Metroid-inspired exploration platformers, with the procedurally generated levels and random item allotments found in roguelikes. It's impressive how it all comes together without a hitch, especially given that the persistent character growth found in games like Dark Souls or Metroid squarely conflicts with the randomized resets emblematic of Rogue-inspired games." [Read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
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
"Dark Souls III is a game of valleys and peaks, down through dungeons and up over castle walls. It's a plummet into places we shouldn't be--an escape from places we don't belong. But of course, we fight our way through the darkness, and find our way out. There are a few stumbles along the way, but in the end, Dark Souls III is well worth the riveting climb." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt -- 10/10
"Where the Witcher 2 sputtered to a halt, The Witcher 3 is always in a crescendo, crafting battle scenarios that constantly one-up the last, until you reach the explosive finale and recover in the glow of the game's quiet denouement. But while the grand clashes are captivating, it is the moments between conflicts, when you drink with the local clans and bask in a trobairitz's song, that are truly inspiring." [read the full review] -- Kevin VanOrd
Rise of the Tomb Raider -- 9/10
"Rise of the Tomb Raider's first shot pans over the vast, foreboding landscape we'll soon come to know. In many ways, it functions as a promise on the part of Crystal Dynamics: there are big things ahead of us. And at the end of Lara's journey, after we've seen her through this adventure, and experienced everything the world has to offer, it's clear that promise was kept." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain -- 10/10
"There has never been a game in the series with such depth to its gameplay, or so much volume in content. The best elements from the past games are here, and the new open-world gameplay adds more to love on top. When it comes to storytelling, there has never been a Metal Gear game that's so consistent in tone, daring in subject matter, and so captivating in presentation. The Phantom Pain may be a contender for one of the best action games ever made, but is undoubtedly the best Metal Gear game there is." [read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor
Fallout 4 -- 9/10
"Fallout 4 is an engrossing game that lures you in with mystery and the promise of adventure. Its wretched wasteland can be captivating, and you never know what odd person or settlement lies around the next bend. Fallout 4 uses its dark world as a canvas for exciting combat and gripping stories, and when you dig deeper into its post-nuclear-apocalypse version of Boston--defending yourself from violent scavengers and using your wits to climb social ladders--you become attached to the new you, and ultimately invested in the fate of your new world." [read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor -- 8/10
"This is a great game in its own right, narratively disjointed but mechanically sound, made up of excellent parts pieced together in excellent ways. I already knew what future lay in store for Middle-earth as I played Shadow of Mordor; I'm hoping that my own future might one day bring another Lord of the Rings adventure as stirring as this one." [read the full review] -- Kevin VanOrd
Dragon Age: Inquisition -- 9/10
"Inquisition's characters and world recall the grand gestures of the original Dragon Age, even though the game as a whole is so structurally different to its predecessors. It offers the thrill of discovery and the passion of camaraderie. It features a glee club called The Sing-Quisition, and a dwarf with writer's block. It establishes connections with its world in big ways and small, with the sight of a titanous temple and the smirk of an Orlesian commander in love. Dragon Age: Inquisition is a wonderful game and a lengthy pilgrimage to a magical world with vital thematic ties to one we already know." [read the full review] -- Kevin VanOrd
NBA 2K17 -- 9/10
"Despite its few drawbacks, NBA 2K17's excitement for basketball is contagious, and it's hard not to get wrapped up in it. Apart from the lacking 2KU mode and stiff recreations of commentators, the rest of the game looks great and plays even better. After finally devoting a significant amount of time to one of these games, I now see why it's such a well-regarded series, and it makes me wish that every sport got the same treatment that basketball does in NBA 2K17." -- Mat Paget
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag -- 9/10
"There's an incredible scope to what you can do in Black Flag, with a level of harmony between its component parts that encourages you to try it all, and a story that keeps you invested throughout the whole thing. If there was ever any question that Assassin's Creed needed something ambitious to get the series back on track, Black Flag is that game and then some." [read the full review] -- Shaun McInnis
Until Dawn -- 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
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 + 2
"In a way, the entire collection itself is the museum--an entire series, with all its beauty and its blemishes, on display for its audience to judge and assess years later. Parts of this legacy have aged horribly, but they're still undeniably a piece of Mega Man X history. We've been told that the upcoming Mega Man 11 was greenlit thanks in part to fan interest in the original Mega Man Legacy Collection. If Capcom follows with a proper sequel to Mega Man X, this compilation provides valuable lessons on what the series is, what it isn't, and what it can be when given the chance." [Read the full review] -- Steve Watts
No Man's Sky Next -- 8/10
"At its absolute best, No Man's Sky is a measured, gentle experience where you are rarely the agent of change, but a perpetual visitor who's constantly dwarfed by the magnitude of a universe neutral to your presence. It is not your job in these stories to colonize the universe. Your job is to comprehend it. Your job is to recognize the spirituality in it. The primary gimmick of No Man's Sky, since day one, has been awe. The best things about the Next update feed that gimmick. While features like multiplayer and base-building certainly put more proverbial asses in seats, they're also the least memorable additions to an otherwise thoughtful experience." [Read the full review] -- Justin Clark
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes Of An Elusive Age -- 9/10
"Innovation in games is talked about a lot, but it's also great to see traditional gameplay formulas that have been around for decades presented exceptionally well. Dragon Quest XI is one of the best modern examples of this; its beautiful presentation, both visual- and story-wise, combines with a tried-and-true gameplay formula for a journey that's full of heart and soul. Once you find yourself sucked into the world of Dragon Quest XI, it's going to be hard to put down until you reach the grand finale." [Read the full review] -- Heidi Kemps
By Phil Hornshaw on Aug 30, 2018 03:52 am
If there was one element of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers that captured the imaginations of kids in the early 1990s, it was probably their giant, animal-inspired robots. Though the idea of giant robots people could drive and use to fight monsters was a longstanding part of Japanese culture, it wasn't something that had made its way much into the imaginations of kids in the U.S., apart from a few imports like Voltron. The Power Rangers took an idea that was mostly relegated to cartoons, and one that was new to a lot of kids and added it to a live-action superhero show. Each episode saw the Rangers calling their zords and then combining them all together to make a super-powerful robot Megazord, and every episode culminated in a guy in a robot suit beating the snot out of a guy in a monster suit, complete with sparks and explosions. It was pretty cool. An essential element of what made the robots work in the early seasons was their theme: prehistoric animals. At a time when kids everywhere were very excited about dinosaurs (thanks, Jurassic Park), the Power Rangers had dinosaur robots that they used to fight giant monsters in Godzilla-style battles. They weren't just robots. They were robots based on cool animals, each with unique abilities. The Power Rangers series recently celebrated its 25th anniversary--25 years of combining footage of American actors with stock footage of Japanese superhero shows to make something that, apparently, has spoken to more than one generation of viewers. But over 25 years, the Power Rangers have also gone through a ton of iterations, becoming ninjas, shoguns, astronauts, aliens, and even 1700s-style pirates. All those changes in theme also brought about changes to the zords to adapt those themes. There have been a huge number of new zords over the years, and while they always combine to make a cool giant robot, the individual robots aren't always winners. For every sabretooth tiger, shark, or Godzilla-looking dragon, there's a frog zord or an armadillo zord. We've dug through 25 years of huge Power Rangers robots to identify the very best--and the very worst.
1. Best: Sabretooth Tiger
Appearance: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The original cool zord. It's a great choice of intimidating animal and it actually moves according to the laws of physics, unlike some other zords. Additionally, it occasionally gets to rip bad guys without just becoming some bigger robot's leg.
2. Worst: Mastodon
Appearance: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The Mastodon wouldn't be so bad under most circumstances. It shoots super-cold air that freezes stuff. But it looks dopey every time it's summoned, thanks to its idiotic little feet that move even though the thing is clearly on wheels. Just make it a tank like the Triceratops Zord. Stop humiliating the poor Mastodon.
3. Best: Dragonzord
Appearance: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The Green Ranger showed up not long into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and basically completely usurped all coolness from the Power Rangers' leader, the Red Ranger. The Green Ranger has a better sword and a better costume, and his zord is better than a T-Rex--it's a dragon. In fact, it's basically Mecha-Godzilla.
4. Worst: Unicorn
Appearance: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season 2 The Thunder versions of the Power Rangers' zords became all new animals, but a few of them were serious steps back from their dino counterparts. The blue Unicorn was the foot of the Thunder Megazord when the zords combined, and its designers didn't even try to make it look like anything but a shoe with a head sticking out of it. (See also: Griffin, who is also a shoe.)
5. Worst: Griffin
Appearance: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The griffin is just like the unicorn, except yellow, and is also a shoe.
6. Best: White Tiger Thunderzord
Appearance: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The Red Ranger kept up with the Green Ranger when they got their Thunderzords, upgrading from a T-Rex to a Chinese dragon. Finally, even footing with the Green Ranger's dragon--or so it seemed. Not to be outdone, the Green Ranger wound up becoming the White Ranger, and he took a page from Siegfried and Roy and upgraded to an even cooler zord than his Godzilla knockoff.
7. Worst: Frog Ninjazord
Appearance: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Literally a frog, and not even a cool or poisonous frog.
8. Best: Ninja MegaFalconzord
Appearance: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers We're mostly avoiding the different Megazords on this list, because huge robots made up of smaller robots would completely dominate it. But the Ninja MegaFalconzord deserves a mention for nothing other than its phenomenal name, and its glorious wings.
9. Worst: Red Shogunzord
Appearance: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The Shogunzords were a far cry from the earlier zords, mostly eschewing the animal theme in favor of just being big robot people. Each of the other zords got an animal head, though, adding at least a hint of theme coolness. The Red Ranger's Shogunzord, on the other hand, just has a big weird mannequin face that is not at all intimidating.
10. Best: Pyramidas
Appearance: Power Rangers Zeo The zord of the Gold Ranger takes everything over the top. He literally just drives an Egyptian pyramid into battle. Few people are cool enough to battle interstellar monsters with a huge ancient building. It also transforms into the most ridiculous possible robot--basically, they just flipped the pyramid sideways and stuck a head and arms on it.
11. Best: Zeozord III Sphinx
Appearance: Power Rangers Zeo While the concept of the Zeozords being based on ancient myths is an interesting one, in practice most of the robots look kind of dopey. The sphinx, though, at least has some rip-off-monster-faces attitude.
12. Worst: Red Battlezord
Appearance: Power Rangers Zeo All the zords in Power Rangers Zeo are a bit weird, but the Red Battlezord just looks like the kind of bad knock-off robot costume you'd encounter on Hollywood Blvd., worn by a guy pretending it's a character from a popular movie to grift tourists.
13. Best: Wildcat Galactazord
Appearance: Power Rangers Lost Galaxy The seventh Power Rangers season had a nature theme but also was in space for some reason. The zords were based on space creatures (that were mostly suspiciously like Earth creatures), and the Wildcat Galactazord looks like weird deadly alien that might also make for a fun pet.
14. Worst: Thunder Loader Rescuezord
Appearance: Power Rangers Turbo It's bad enough that the zords in Power Rangers Turbo were just dumb cars--a colossal step down from mythological creatures and prehistoric animals. Later, the Power Rangers traded up for first response vehicles like a police car, an ambulance, a fire truck and ... a dump truck, for some reason. This is also not the last time a dump truck would be one of the zord options over the history of Power Rangers.
15. Best: Quantasaurus Rex
Appearance: Power Rangers Time Force It might have a terrible name, but the Q-Rex is a robot dinosaur with lasers that travels through time, and it doesn't even look like a malformed plastic toy from the Wal-Mart bargain bin like most of the other zords.
16. Best: Blue Shark Wildzord
Appearance: Power Rangers Wildforce Finally, a shark! It took nine whole series until we finally got a shark zord. Sure, a shark zord seems like it'd have limited applications, but it's a freakin' shark. Just use one of the other zords to heave it at bad guys.
17. Worst: Parasaurzord
Appearance: Power Rangers Dino Thunder It's nice to see the return of dinosaur zords to Power Rangers, but it seems there was a shortage of cool ones pretty much right off the bat. Tyrannosaurus and triceratops got recycled, to start with. Added to the ranks: the illustrious parasaurolophus. It's every kid's dream to drive a giant duck into battle.
18. Best: Tyrannozord
Appearance: Power Rangers Dino Thunder It only took forever, but Power Rangers eventually came up with a cool Tyrannosaurus zord that's not a weird knock-off creature, and that doesn't look like it belongs in a '50s sci-fi B movie.
19. Worst: Zoom Zord
Appearance: Power Rangers Ninja Steel A maglev train because you can only do so many dump trucks, apparently.
20. Best: Super Mega Skyship
Appearance: Power Rangers Super Megaforce It's one thing to have zords that are vehicles, like spaceships or even cars. But this is a zord that is a literal pirate ship. The Power Rangers are making robots out of warfare technology from centuries ago basically for novelty value. That's ballsy.
21. Best: Kodiak Zord
Appearance: Power Rangers Ninja Steel The Power Rangers Ninja Steel zords are all over the place--there's a train, there's a dump truck, there's a dragon. And then there's this good robot boy.
By Chris E. Hayner on Aug 30, 2018 02:38 am
Children of the 1980s and 1990s were really, truly lucky. It was a golden age where there was an action figure for just about any situation and most of them seemed to come with cartoons designed to promote them. Even Transformers, one of the biggest cartoon and film franchises of all time, started life as a glorified commercial to sell toys. But with so many options at the toy store, back in the day when Toys 'R' Us reigned supreme, there are definitely some items not remembered quite as fondly as G.I. Joe, Cabbage Patch Kids, and the Nintendo Entertainment System. For every He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, there's a Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light. Every Micro Machines has a Ring Raiders sitting in its shadow. GameSpot jumped in the wayback machine to once again get up close and personal with some of the coolest forgotten toys of a bygone era. While in 2018, everything seemingly has to have a computer in it to make it worthy of play, there's something special about an action figure in which its defining characteristic is a holographic sticker with the image of a lion on it. Take a look at these forgotten gems then sound off in the comments with your favorite toys!
1. Dino-Riders
Dinosaurs are pretty intimidating by themselves. Now imagine them retrofitted with missiles and lasers guns and ridden by aliens into battle. That's what Dino-Riders was. You must be thinking, "Wow. That sounds like the greatest toy line of all time." You're not wrong. Everything about these figures and the dino vehicles they came with was so insane and over-the-top that it's surprising they're not still being made today. Alas, after three years of production (1988-1990), the line was discontinued. That's two years longer than the cartoon created to promote it, though.
2. M.A.S.K.
Mobile Armored Strike Command, otherwise known as M.A.S.K., was one of the most clever toy lines of the 1980s. Channeling Transformers, M.A.S.K. featured vehicles that transformed into battle machines--imagine a Camaro that becomes a flying fighter jet--and came complete with figures to drive them all. It even got a cartoon meant to promote toy sales. Its only major misstep was having figures be a different scale than G.I. Joe. It made making your own crossovers very difficult. Thankfully they were the same scale as Dino-Riders, so that made for some very interesting battles.
3. Mighty Max
Given the success of Polly Pocket, Mattel decided to make a version marketed toward young boys. Mighty Max was essentially a pocket-sized Indiana Jones playset, featuring a kid as the hero. Like many other toys of the era, a cartoon was produced to promote it.
4. My Buddy and Kid Sister
Were you an only child in the 1980s? If so, you probably had My Buddy or Kid Sister. It was essentially the sibling stand-in every parent thought their kid needed--including mine! And, somehow, it worked. Sure, it's just a doll, but wherever I go, he goes. My Buddy and me.
5. Pound Puppies
Pound Puppies were a lot like My Buddy and Kid Sister dolls. Except, instead of standing in for non-existent siblings, they made for good imaginary pets. These stuffed dogs came in a variety of colors and, thanks to an animated series, even introduced some characters. The best, of course, was Cooler. He was the leader of the pack and wore a members only jacket.
6. Action Max
Did you have a Nintendo or Sega Master System in the '80s? Of course, you did. What you probably didn't have was an Action Max, AKA possibly the worst video game console of all time. It wasn't so much a console as it was a light gun you used to shoot at ghosts, jets, and whatever else was used as targets in various Action Max "games." In reality, these games were VHS tapes you played in your VCR. Still, if you remember The Rescue of Pops Ghostly, you're one of the few and proud.
7. Super Naturals
There was a period in the 1980s where holographic images were all the rage. Based on what angle you looked at the image, you might see something different. The undisputed king of this gimmick was Super Naturals, which printed some seriously haunting imagery on these ghost and demon toys.
8. Battle Beasts
These little figures that were essentially weaponized animals wearing body armor--a trend in the '80s--were fun, but not much of a breakaway hit. After all, the coolest thing about them was the tiny holographic square on each, which paled in size compared to what Super Naturals had to offer.
9. Centurions
Centurions were a bizarre line of action figures. While the base figures themselves left a lot to be desired, the entire gimmick was everything you could attach to them. From body armor to wings to weaponry to helmets, just by swapping parts around you could construct your own custom figure. Sure, they were big and bulky, but who cares? They looked awesome.
10. Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light
Another toy that, more or less, existed just to cash in on the holographic image craze. Visionaries were a line of mystical knights that fought against the Darkling Lords on the planet Prysmos. Yes, it sounds like I made that up. No, I didn't. If you don't remember them, you're not alone. The toy line bombed and led to the cancellation of the cartoon series and comic book associated with it.
11. Food Fighters
"Don't play with your food!" It's something everyone heard as a child at some point. Food Fighters were the exception to that rule, though. These actions figures looked like pizza slices, hamburgers, and chicken drumsticks--but were packing some serious heat. They might not have lasted long after being introduced in 1989, but they were definitely a blast to play with. FOOD FIGHT!
12. Sky Commanders
Sky Commanders deserved to be much more popular than they were. These action figures, and the vehicles they traveled in, essentially traveled via a variety of zip lines that came with the toys. If you ended up with a decent collection of Sky Commanders, chances are your bedroom was a tangle of strings that sent them flying everywhere. While G.I. Joe may have been the gold standard of action figures and vehicles, these were just so different and fun to play with.
13. Ring Raiders
Ring Raiders were essentially Micro Machine airplanes that attached to plastic rings you could wear. It was a weird idea and, just like Micro Machines, you couldn't help but want to collect them all.
14. M.U.S.C.L.E.
These tiny flesh colored figures couldn't be posed, but looked like someone had mashed together anime and pro wrestling into a fantastic hodgepodge. One question that never seemed to be answered, though, is what M.U.S.C.L.E. is an acronym for. It turns out it's short for Millions of Unusual Small Creatures Lurking Everywhere.
15. The Incredible Crash Dummies
How did a PSA for auto safety become a line of action figures? It's a question for the ages, but somehow the misadventures of Vince and Larry--the crash dummy characters-- became action figures that would explode into pieces on contact, making for many fun car crashes, falls, and just about anything else you could do to them.
16. Barnyard Commandos
What Food Fighters did for slices of pizza and chicken drumsticks, Barnyard Commandos did for sheep, pigs, and the like. One of the cardinal rules of the '80s seemed to be that if all else fails, strap guns to it and kids will love it. In this toy line--and the accompanying cartoon series--it was the R.A.M.S. (Rebel Army of Military Sheep) facing off against the P.O.R.K.S. (Platoon of Rebel Killer Swine) in the farm war to end all farm wars.
17. Computer Warriors
Computer Warriors were essentially Transformers if Transformers turned into things far less exciting that jet fighters and fast cars. Instead they transformed into items like a soccer trophy, a can of Pepsi, and a pencil sharpener. Try to contain your glee.
18. Floam
Everyone remembers Gak. Thanks to Gak, everyone could practically bring home their own vat of Nickelodeon slime. Sure, it made a mess, but it was so cool. Less memorable was Gak's cousin, Floam. Originally called "bubble gak," Floam was less slimy and more like little beans of foam that clung together. Not as messy or fun, but still cool in its own right.
19. Crossfire
Crossfire! You'll get caught up in the...Crossfire! All it takes is that one line to immediately implant the commercial for this strange board game in your mind once again. While the real deal wasn't quite like the space fight club the commercial promised, it was still a lot of fun.
20. Eliminator TS-7
What's better than one toy weapon? Seven toy weapons. What's better than seven toy weapons? Seven toy weapons built into a single toy weapon. The Eliminator TS-7 is the very definition of overkill. And just in case you think it's an amazing Nerf gun, it doesn't actually shoot anything. It's just blinking lights.
By Chris E. Hayner on Aug 30, 2018 02:38 am
These are the most ridiculous and useless X-Men characters.
The X-Men were first introduced in 1963 and have given comic book fans some of the greatest Marvel superheroes of all time. From Wolverine to Jean Grey to Cyclops to Storm, and so many more, the X-Men stands the test of time as one of the best superhero teams ever. Still, that doesn't mean every X-Men decision is a home run. While characters like Gambit, Nightcrawler, and Beast remain some of the most popular in the Marvel universe, there are plenty of mutants that are utterly ridiculous. Like these. Image: Marvel.
Eye-Scream
This particular mutant only appeared once, in a 1983 comic book. His mutant power is an ability to transform himself into any ice cream flavor. Image: Marvel
Goldballs
What power does Goldballs have? It's all in his name. He can shoot gold-colored balls from his body -- just don't ask what they're made of. Image: Marvel
Glob Herman
While some heroes can become invisible, this mutant's powers are limited to translucent skin. His bones, muscles and organs are still visible, though, so his foes know where to aim. Image: Marvel
Tag
Tag's secret power? He tags people, which causes them to emit a signal that makes everyone else run away. Image: Marvel
Beak
He's essentially a bird--hollow bones, lots of feathers, and a beak. What good is that, honestly? Image: Marvel
Ugly John
How do we put this delicately? Ugly John's power is that he has three faces, all of which are ugly. It's literally the only "power" he has working in his favor. Image: Marvel
Cypher
Cypher's power is the ability to translate any language -- both human and alien. It may not come in too handy during a fight, but at least he's got jokes. Image: Marvel
Longneck
Go ahead and guess what Longneck's mutant power is. If you guessed anything other than having a long neck, you're clearly not paying attention. Image: Marvel
Zeitgeist
Vomit. That's what Zeitgeist is good at. He has an acidic vomit that can burn through just about anything. He's definitely not the kind of guy you want to go on a pub crawl with. Image: Marvel
Kylun
Kylun sure looks scary. As far as powers go, though, not so much. He has the ability to mimic any sound he hears using his vocal chords. Yes, he's essentially Michael Winslow from the Police Academy films. Image: Marvel
Jazz
This mutant's one and only power is that his skin is blue. This is not a joke. Image: Marvel
Jubilee
Anyone who's seen the X-Men animated series from the '90s loves Jubilee, no doubt. That said, her ability to create explosive light blasts with her hands essentially means she shoots fireworks at people. It looks cool, but it's not very intimidating. Image: Marvel
Skin
Try to contain your surprise when we tell you that Skin's mutant power is his skin. More specifically, it's the elasticity of his skin. He has roughly six extra feet of skin on his body. Image: Marvel
Layla Miller
On the surface, Layla's power to resurrect the dead is incredibly useful. However, they come back without their souls. That complicates matters quite a bit. Image: Marvel
Maggott
He can't eat, however, two creatures that can devour anything live in his digestive system. They leave his body, eat, then return to impart the energy they've gained to Maggott. It's...complicated. Image: Marvel
Mimic
While more useful than Kylun's, Mimic's power isn't that original: He can mimic anybody near him. That said, it essentially leaves Mimic only as useful as those in his vicinity. Image: Mimic
Broo
Broo's big power is -- wait for it -- compassion and the ability to think for himself. Honestly. He's a mutant Brood, an alien race that works as a hive-mind that wants to protect its queen. But Broo makes his own choices, can make friends, and also happens to have genius-level intellect. Image: Marvel
Rogue
In the comics and cartoons, Rogue has some cool powers--like flight. In the movies, though, her power absorption ability is more of a hindrance than a help. She drains mutant powers with a touch, which is a real bummer for her boyfriend Iceman. Image: 20th Century Fox
Adam-X
Adam-X can essentially make an enemy's blood combust, burning them alive from the inside-out. To do that, though, he has to get oxygen into the blood by cutting his opponent open. So, in order to inflict harm, he must first inflict harm... to the X-treme. Image: Marvel
Karma
Karma has a pretty strange form of telepathy as a power. Not only can she read minds, but she can also possess other beings to take control of them temporarily. She can even tune into their thoughts and feelings so she can feel them herself. Truth be told, that sounds like more of a burden than anything else. Image: Marvel
Stacy X
A former prostitute, Stacy X has the power to control pheromones--meaning she can control your bodily functions like orgasms, nausea, and vomiting with a touch. Let that sink in. Image: Marvel
Toad
Toad, like Beak, has animalistic powers. That includes superhuman leaping abilities, an elongated tongue that can dart out, and a flexible bone structure. Still, it's hard to look past the fact that he's essentially a frog. Image: Marvel
Ink
Ink's powers are actually due to his tattoos. He's not a mutant, but instead gets tattoos from a mutant that give him powers. Image: 20th Century Fox
Marrow
While Marrow's ability to control the growth and strength of her bone structure does earn her a spot on this list, it's pretty useful. She can make spikes and bones grow on-demand, creating a litany of armor and weapon possibilities. Image: Marvel
Callisto
What powers does Callisto have? Her senses are enhanced. That means she can smell things from far away, has great vision, and her sense of touch is second-to-none. How useful is that on the battlefield, though? Image: 20th Century Fox
John Wraith
While John Wraith's primary ability is to phase from one location to another, it's another of his powers that is utterly ridiculous. He has anti-aging capabilities, meaning he ages slower than others. While that might sound cool in theory, keep in mind what little aging comic book characters normally do. Image; 20th Century Fox
Lifeguard
Lifeguard's powers are peculiar in that she can detect danger to human life and automatically gains any powers needed to save those at risk. Definitely take her when you go hiking or swimming. Image: Marvel
By Chris E. Hayner on Aug 30, 2018 02:36 am
When Arrow returns for Season 7, it's going to be a very different show. After all, the hero is now locked up in prison and the team has, for all intents and purposes, been pulled apart. After Oliver (Stephen Amell) turned himself into the FBI in the Season 6 finale, along with the reveal that big bad Ricardo Diaz (Kirk Acevedo) had survived his plunge from a rooftop, a new season looked promising. Now, with Season 7 in production, there's quite a bit about the new episodes that remains unknown. How can the Green Arrow fight crime behind bars--and what becomes of the team left behind? Furthermore, what becomes of his wife and son? The cast of the CW series descended upon San Diego Comic-Con to spoil as much as they could without giving too much away--new showrunner Beth Schwartz made sure of that, labeling herself "the spoiler police." While most of the big secrets remain just that, speaking to GameSpot and a small group of reporters during a roundtable, Schwartz and her cast shared some very interesting information about what to expect from the new season. Take a look at the spoilers and teases they were able to reveal, then sound off in the comments with your hopes for Season 7! Arrow returns October 15, when it moves to its new timeslot of Mondays at 8 PM ET. San Diego Comic-Con 2018 Coverage - Best Cosplay From Comic-Con 2018
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Jail isn't treating Oliver well.
At the end of Season 6, Oliver Queen publicly revealed himself as the Green Arrow and faced the consequences. Season 7 will find him in prison for his vigilante crimes, and it's not going smoothly. "All there is in prison is a bunch of people [he] put in prison," Amell tells GameSpot of his character, during a group interview. "It's not good. It's bad." Among those people, as seen in the first teaser for the new season, is Danny Brickwell (Vinnie Jones) and Derek Sampson (Cody Rhodes. "There's nothing about him in the premiere. There's nothing about him that's heroic," the actor continues. "It's kinda the opposite, actually. It's really tough. I've enjoyed it. I'm having a good time playing it, but it's been tough." Schwartz is excited for viewers to see what's become of Oliver behind bars. "I just think the fans are gonna go nuts," she says. "You see Oliver like you've never seen him before. All of our characters are kind of in a new role and trying to figure out how to save the city and honor Oliver's request at the end of Season 6."
Oliver and Felicity are not in contact.
With Felicity taking care of Oliver's son, Amell reveals that his character hasn't actually spoken to either of them during his imprisonment. "[Oliver is] trying to keep his head down, trying to just manage his time," he teases. "Day-by-day, step-by-step. He hasn't had any contact with Felicity or his son. He's just trying, again, head down, press on."
While Oliver has had no contact with Felicity or William in the Season 7 premiere, the same cannot be said for Diggle (David Ramsey). With his closest friend out of commission and behind bars, Dig may be Oliver's only link to the outside world. "Diggle at the very top, we see there's been a routine over the past several months of him visiting Oliver," Ramsey says. "So you see that at the beginning of 701, that Oliver and Diggle have a lovely relationship, if you can say that. As lovely as you can visiting someone in jail. So yeah, these guys they're, for all intents and purposes, back together."
Diaz is still the big bad.
Arrow has always had something of a routine when it comes to its major villains. By the end of each season, the villain was defeated to make way for whatever comes next. That didn't happen in the Season 6 finale, though. Instead, Ricardo Diaz managed to get away, keeping him as a problem needing to be dealt with. "We've never done that before, where we're continuing a villain from Season 6 as an unfinished story to Season 7," Schwartz teases. "What I can tell you is he's gonna be different than when we saw him last season, which is exciting." While she wouldn't elaborate on how he'll be different, it'll be the same actor in the role. Meanwhile, with Oliver in jail, Diggle is the one keeping the hunt alive. "He's still in the trail," Ramsey teases. "He's still on Diaz's trail, which has gone a bit cold. But he's using Argus resources for it."
There are more villains from the comics on the way.
Diaz won't be the only villain what's left of the team comes up against in Season 7. "I'll tell you that we've heard of Longbow Hunters at the end of Season 6 with Diaz," Schwartz says. "I can't really tell you that much more about it. There definitely will be more. There'll be some more comic book characters, definitely, that we'll see this season. I can't tell you which ones." Let's all hope Arrow finally introduces Onomatopoeia.
Team Arrow will not be donning their masks anytime soon.
Thanks to Oliver's deal with the FBI--the one that sent him to jail while the rest of the team remained free--they're going to be fewer costumed vigilantes roaming the streets in Season 7. "We can't do anything," Ramsey says. "We can't put on our masks anymore. So that was part of the deal with Watson was that we give up these aliases, and we don't have to do any time. And he will really be the sacrificial lamb."
That's where ARGUS comes in.
With Team Arrow essentially shut down, Diggle is taking advantage of a new role at ARGUS to help with the team's search for Diaz. Unfortunately, they might push the government organization too far. "I think we use some ARGUS resources to try to track down Diaz," Ramsey says. "And there are some repercussions of that. There are some governmental repercussions of that. ARGUS is a government agency, and they have to answer to some people. So we have to play that story out of just what limits we can place on ARGUS in terms of tracking down Diaz."
Felicity is ready for a fight.
While Felicity and William are in witness protection, that doesn't make them safe. This is Arrow, after all. Still, though Felicity is usually stationed at a computer hacking into anything and everything, this time she's ready to fight. "I think just like Oliver is watching his back, Felicity is tired of watching hers and might take some action," Rickards teased during the show's Comic-Con panel.
You just might meet Diggle's parents this year.
Though he's been with the show since the beginning, viewers haven't met much of Diggle's family, outside of his wife and brother. That looks to be changing this season, however. "From what I'm understanding, we are going to get into Diggle's extended family even beyond Lyla," Ramsey hints. "They've been talking about that every season, but there's been real talk about that this season."
By Chris E. Hayner on Aug 30, 2018 02:36 am
The 2018 San Diego Comic-Con was a massive event for fans of Doctor Who. For the first time ever, fans were introduced to Jodie Whittaker as the newest Doctor--and the first woman to take on the role. Whittaker's arrival comes hand-in-hand with Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall taking over as showrunner on the long-running BBC series. Both were on-hand, along with the rest of the cast and executive producer Matt Stevens, to speak with the press and meet fans at Comic-Con. Beyond that, they also introduced the first full trailer for Season 11, which showed fans the Doctor, her new "best friends," and some of the trouble they'll all be getting into. Of course, they were also there to give a few hints as to what Season 11 of Doctor Who will entail. However, Chibnall made sure not too many spoilers were shared. However, it sounds like there are some major changes ahead for Doctor Who, which will attempt to refresh the series with a new creative team and cast driving it forward. As the Doctor, herself, says in the trailer, "All of this is new to me. New faces. New worlds. New times." What can you expect from the new season of Doctor Who? GameSpot attended the show's press conference at San Diego Comic-Con to see what, exactly, the cast and producers had to say. Doctor Who Season 11 will premiere later this year on BBC America.
Every version of the Doctor is quite different from the one that came before it and the 13th incarnation will be no different. "Being the first woman to play the Doctor is incredibly liberating," Whittaker said. "Ask any of the previous Doctors, the rules are out of the window, because the most wonderful thing is you regenerate. So you can bring everything new, everything from previous, you can make it your own and stay loyal to it, and casting a woman doesn't change that." One major difference will obviously be the Doctor's accent. While Capaldi used his Scottish accent in the role, Whittaker speaks with a Yorkshire accent that will carry over to the Doctor. Image: BBC America/Getty Images
2. The show will not avoid historic gender issues.
In many of the Doctor's adventures, the Time Lord ends up visiting a period where women aren't exactly treated equally. Should such a situation arise, the show's creative team won't ignore it. "The Doctor's still the Doctor and in some situations, I would agree there's gender issues, and I think particularly when we go into history that might come up," Chibnall teased. "But I think generally, in contemporary worlds, alien worlds, stuff like that, the Doctor's still the Doctor and the Doctor's very capable of walking into a room."
3. A companion by any other name...
You might have noticed that promotional materials reference the companions as the Doctor's "friends." For Chibnall, that choice is a very conscious one that speaks to who the new Doctor is. "It just feels a bit more natural to me and to us," the showrunner said. "I'm sure you wouldn't walk into a room and go, 'Hello. I'm so-and-so and these are my companions!'' You'd walk in and say, 'This is me and me mates.'' And it probably speaks a little bit to the 13th Doctor's kind of egalitarian[ism]. She's got a gang of mates with her. But it just feels a bit more emotionally connecting contemporary language. But it's in no way rule for Whovians from now on."
4. The 11th season won't be relying on old villains.
While there is still plenty of time for Whittaker's Doctor to encounter Daleks, the Ood, and any number of other classic Doctor Who villains, Season 11 is striving for originality. "It's pretty much all new stories, all new monsters, all new villains," Chibnall said. "I think we're working on two weeks from the end of filming? I haven't come across any old villains yet."
5. Season 11 is mostly standalone episodes.
If you're hoping for massive cliffhangers and story arcs taking place over multiple episodes, this might not be the season for you. "This is gonna be for the fans, for the Whovians, Season 11 is for them," Chibnall promised. "But it's also for anyone who hasn't seen it. You don't need encyclopedic knowledge and a history of Doctor Who to be included in this journey, and we've got ten standalone episodes that have huge character arcs for all of those guys. But if you came in at Episode 4, this is an adventure in Episode 4. You don't need the fifty-odd year history to go with it, which I think is exciting for us, and often less daunting for us, because we know what's going on." Image: BBC America/Getty Images
6. What if there isn't a TARDIS?
As you might remember from the Season 10 finale, the TARDIS blew up. What does that mean for the new Doctor's adventures? While the blue phone box can be seen in promotional materials for the show, Chibnall remains steadfast that it's been destroyed and can't be part of the show. "The TARDIS exploded," he exclaimed when asked how its design would change for the new Doctor. Let's be honest, though. The Doctor without a TARDIS? It'll never happen.
7. The diversity isn't just in front of the camera.
While the Doctor is being portrayed by a woman for the first time ever, and actors of color are filling the roles of the Time Lord's companions, the diversity isn't just on-screen. "We have the [series'] first writers of color," executive producer Matt Stevens says of the writing team. "We've two female writers and three male writers in the guest writers' slots. And we have a split as well. We have two female directors and two male directors across the series." Image: BBC America/Getty Images
8. Of course, there's a Christmas special in the works.
While it hasn't been announced, what's Doctor Who without an annual Christmas special? Thankfully, Chibnall heavily hinted at a holiday installment of the show. "Well, we seem to be filming 11 episodes, man. But we're talking a series of ten," he joked. "I would definitely think there's another episode after the end of the series."
By Chris E. Hayner on Aug 30, 2018 02:35 am
When The Flash returns for its fifth season, there's going to be a strangely familiar new face taking up residence in Central City. At the end of Season 4, the mysterious girl that popped up around nearly everyone on the team revealed herself to be the daughter of Barry (Grant Gustin) and Iris (Candice Patton) from the future. Her arrival will present the team with an entirely new set of problems, as she reveals exactly what's made her come back in time to confront her parents. On top of that, though, there's also a new villain coming to town, a new Wells on the way, and plenty of other issues to deal with. To figure out what, exactly, is going to happen, GameSpot was part of a small group interview with showrunner Todd Helbing and the cast of The Flash at San Diego Comic-Con. While they remained tight-lipped about many aspects of the season to come, the Flash gang was surprisingly open about how the first few episodes of the season are going to play out. Take a look at the spoiler and teases we managed to get out of Team Flash about what's to come in Season 5, then sound off in the comments with your own hopes for the new episodes. Also make sure to check out all of the Arrow Season 7 spoilers we were able to find out. The Flash returns Tuesday, October 9, at 8 PM ET on The CW. San Diego Comic-Con 2018 Coverage - Best Cosplay From Comic-Con 2018
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The theme for this season.
After introducing the time-traveling daughter of Barry and Iris from the future, Nora West-Allen (Jessica Parker Kennedy), Season 7 will focus a lot on The Flash's legacy and what that means to practically everyone on the team. None more than Barry and Iris, though, as they are confronted by their own personal future. "Our theme this year is legacies," Helbing says. "There's a lot for Barry and Iris, and everybody has their sort of thematic challenge with this, but with them, it's truly like, what's more important? Is it more important to be a great father? Is it more important to be the Flash? Are you friends with your kids? Are you parents? You know, when can you be either? All those questions that new parents grapple with, we're playing with Barry and Iris. It's a lot of fun."
What Nora's arrival means for the show.
In its first few seasons, Barry was constantly screwing up the timeline by going back in time. Now, his daughter has done the exact same thing, which is going to have an impact on the show. "She clearly messed up something majorly," Helbing teases. "In the first episode, you'll find out a lot of what that is. We're not doing Flashpoint again, but there's certainly a ripple effect." For Barry, her arrival makes him immediately question himself as both a speedster and a parent. "Was he around to teach her?" Gustin wonders. "Did he not want her to be a speedster as all? What? We're going to answer those questions in the first couple episodes though, and see Barry and Iris' kind of different takes on her being here."
Nora's relationship with her parents is strange.
Now that Nora has made herself known to her parents, she's going to be a bit distant from Iris--an idea introduced last season. That's something the show is going to confront early on. "She's a little standoffish with Iris," Gustin explains. "We don't know why. And she's like extra clingy with Barry." Candice Patton, who plays Iris, adds, "We'll get into that in Season 5, why they don't have the best relationship and why Nora is so much more of a daddy's girl."
Nora's arrival makes Barry feel robbed of his life.
While the idea of meeting your future child might sound exciting, it's not for Barry. After all, this is a man who had his parents taken from him at a young age, and now, he's losing the opportunity to first meet his daughter when she's born. "Something we touched on in the first episode is, it's kind of hard for him because he's always wanted a family. He's always wanted a kid and now getting her like this. He almost feels like he's having another kind of thing stolen from him," Gustin admits. "His mom was killed because of his powers. He grew up with his dad in prison because of his powers and time travel, and now he doesn't even get to meet his daughter the normal way, he meets her at mid-20s… We'll see him deal with it in stages but it is kind of tough, kind of weird for him at first because he does feel like he's been robbed of a lot, and this is a gift at the same time its like, what is this going to affect? How will this affect the future?"
A tease for this season's big bad.
It was revealed that this season Team Flash will face off with a villain named Cicada, played by American Pie alum Chris Klein. In the comics, Cicada leads a cult of people that kill those the Flash has saved, using daggers shaped like lightning bolts. It won't play out exactly like that on the show, though. "What we do on our show is always inspired by it," Helbing says. "So we've changed a lot of it to create a story that, or a villain that's formidable in a way that we haven't done before." As the trailer makes it clear, though, the lightning bolt daggers are still being used.
Get ready to meet more than one new Wells.
With Harry gone, it's time to bring in another new Wells for Tom Cavanagh to play. However, the actor teases that there will likely be more than one this season. The Wells we will first meet is a strange one, though. "This year I thought, we'll add a little flair, and this guy is going to be called [Sherloque Wells], following along with the myth and the legend of Sherlock Holmes-ian type, but we might turn that a little bit on its head, the way they did with Iron Man," the actor says. How Sherloque will be like Iron Man remains to be seen, but Cavanagh seems to have big plans. "What was nice about Iron Man, I thought, was they took the superhero trope and kind of turned it on its head a little bit," he explains. "He had so many weaknesses, and when I say that, I mean that in a good way. It humanized him. He was quick. He was funny. I guess one of the great ways of describing him, one of the things that I'm drawn to when I see the superhero characters, are flawed people doing extraordinary things, because it sort of humanizes them to me."
There might not be a Wells and Cisco friendship this year.
Though it's too early to know for sure, Carlos Valdes (Cisco) is championing the idea of Wells finding a new BFF on Team Flash. "Well, I'm not going to lie. I've loved playing opposite Tom for any and all iterations of Wells," the actor says. "I think we work really well together and I love that and I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world, but I think, I mean, I have to be honest, I would love to see him explore that kind of dynamic or that close or entertaining of a dynamic with somebody else. Do you know what I mean? Just, I'm a big fan of change and changing things up, so I don't know, that's my hope. We haven't really gotten into too much Wells stuff yet, but yeah, that's my hope."
Get ready for a new suit.
As revealed in the first trailer for Season 5, Barry is wearing the Flash ring. With that ring will come an upgraded suit--finally. What it will look like has yet to be seen, but given how constant the Green Arrow has changed up his look, it's good to know Flash is getting something new.
Iris might get to actually be a journalist this year.
One of the biggest issues The Flash grapples with every season is whether Iris is a journalist or not. In the first two seasons, her journalistic pursuits were central to the character. At a certain point, though, that side of her got buried as she became integrated into Team Flash. Now, though, it sounds like she may be putting her reporter hat back on. "I have been told that that is the plan," Patton says. "To get Iris kind of back on track being a journalist. I don't know how in depth they'll get with that. I'm always a little skeptical 'cause there's always so much going on but the plan is to kind of move in that direction. I mean, have you seen that article from 2024? Iris wrote that article so we do have to get to a place where that is possible to some degree. So I think we're moving that direction."
Is Cisco developing a drinking problem?
With the Thinker dominating so much of Season 4, the show didn't get to spend a lot of time with Cisco in the aftermath of his relationship with Gypsy (Jessica Camacho). That will be addressed in Season 5, though it sounds like Cisco may be spending too much time drinking to get over his heartbreak. "I think that party that we end at in Season 4, where they're all at the West House, I think that was his first opportunity to start processing things and his only tool, the only tool at his disposal there was some champagne," Valdes hints. "So you can expect that to play a part, in terms of how he processes that break-up… Champagne plays a big part."
Caitlyn isn't giving up on Killer Frost.
It was revealed in Season 4 that Caitlyn had some form of Killer Frost inside of her before the particle accelerator explosion in the show's first episode. Now, armed with that information, she's going to dig deeper into her other half in a quest for answers. "I think we're gonna see at the top of this season Caitlin really trying to get more information about Killer Frost and how she came to be and understanding that a little bit more," Danielle Panabaker says. "Which is exciting and I think that'll help us understand her motivations as well."
By Chris E. Hayner on Aug 30, 2018 02:34 am
It's that time of year again, when Universal Studios theme parks around the world gear up for the spookiest time of year. Every Halloween, the theme parks present haunted mazes and scare zones based on some of the scariest movie and TV franchises in an effort to terrify those who dare enter Halloween Horror Nights. Thankfully, 2018's version of the annual event is no different. While there are a handful of original maze concepts and scare zones, especially at Universal Studios Orlando, there are also some very exciting movie and TV show adaptations being presented. If you're wondering about the difference in mazes and scare zones, the former is a walkthrough experience meant to guide you through a particular story, while the latter are themed areas within the parks where monsters and ghouls are on the loose. In past years, a wide variety of modern and classic franchises have been brought to life, including The Shining, American Horror Story, The Cabin in the Woods, Resident Evil, Freddy vs. Jason, and The Exorcist. This year, there are eight different properties being adapted, promising a creepy and fun time with some of the most recognizable titles in horror, including the first-ever Stranger Things maze, which will be seen at multiple parks. And if you're a true completist, it's important to note that no two mazes are identical. Each park has it's own creative team, meaning Orlando's Stranger Things maze will be quite different from the one in Hollywood. Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights kicks off at the Universal parks in Hollywood and Orlando on September 14 and runs through November 3. Singapore's take on the event launches on September 27 and ends on October 31.
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
Location: Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Orlando Type of haunt: Maze
Trick 'r Treat
Location: Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Orlando Type of haunt: Maze and scare zone
Stranger Things
Location: Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Orlando, and Universal Studios Singapore Type of haunt: Maze
Poltergeist
Location: Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Orlando Type of haunt: Maze
Revenge of Chucky
Location: Universal Studios Orlando Type of haunt: Scare zone
Killer Klowns from Outer Space
Location: Universal Studios Orlando Type of haunt: Scare zone
The Walking Dead
Location: Universal Studios Hollywood Type of haunt: Maze *This maze is open year-round at Universal Studios Hollywood.
The First Purge
Location: Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Orlando Type of haunt: Maze *Orlando's maze is part of The Horrors of Blumhouse
Happy Death Day
Location: Universal Studios Orlando Type of haunt: Maze *Part of The Horrors of Blumhouse.
Truth or Dare
Location: Universal Studios Hollywood Type of haunt: Maze *Part of The Horrors of Blumhouse.
Unfriended
Location: Universal Studios Hollywood Type of haunt: Maze *Part of The Horrors of Blumhouse.
Universal Monsters
Location: Universal Studios Hollywood Type of haunt: Maze *Monsters in the maze will include The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, The Phantom of the Opera, Dracula, Dracula's Bride, Frankenstein's Monster, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Mummy, and more. The original score for the maze will be created by Slash.
By Chris E. Hayner on Aug 30, 2018 02:34 am
With The Meg swimming into theaters, it's important to remember the long history of sharks on film. Granted, most of that long history isn't very good, but it certainly is memorable. As long as sharks have been the subject of movies, they've been involved in plots and scenes that make so little sense that it's hard not to wonder who agreed to pay for it in the first place. Whether it's the time a shark went on a rampage at SeaWorld or when a tornado whipped up a series of sharks to throw at a city and a franchise was born, there really is no limit for the situations sharks find themselves in on the big screen. In fact, one movie even turned a shark into something of a psychopathic stalker. GameSpot dug back through the history of sharks on film to find 16 that deserve another look due to just how crazy they can be, and The Meg is absolutely included. So when you head to theaters this weekend to check it out, make sure you track down these other films as well. And make sure to check out GameSpot's The Meg review in case you're wondering just how ridiculous this movie is going to be.
16. Shark Tale
This might seem like a strange entry on a list of crazy shark movies, but Shark Tale is a super bizarre film to watch. In it, great white sharks are actually a mafia and the shark expected to take over leading the family is a vegetarian with a heart of gold that happens to be voiced by Jack Black. That's pretty strange.
15. The Shallows
What makes The Shallows such a scary and thrilling film is the realism. So many shark movies go about 20 steps too far in portraying the shark as a killer, and that's usually what makes them so great. This film, though, is simply one woman vs. a shark that wants to eat her. In terms of sheer insanity, though, it's pretty tame. That's not a knock against it, The Shallows is just very grounded.
14. Great White
What's so strange about this particular film is that it was pulled from theaters in the United States after a month because it's believed to plagiarize Jaws. Truthfully, Universal Pictures does have a point. It follows a group of men who go hunt a dangerous shark while the local government refuses to believe there's a problem. Sounds pretty familiar.
12. The Reef
The Reef is the kind of movie that should keep you off of a boat until the end of time. While there's nothing overtly bizarre about this movie, the terror it creates from what started as a simple vacation will leave an impression.
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, Jaws 2 is here to prove it's not. To be clear, this is nowhere near as exciting and inventive as the original Jaws. Still, between the shark eating a water skier, a boat exploding, and the heroes winning by electrocuting the shark, this movie is intense.
11. Mako: The Jaws of Death
In the aftermath of Jaws, there were many pretenders to the throne. However, Mako: The Jaws of Death puts an interesting spin on the shark tale. In it, the real victims are the sharks being exploited. Meanwhile, it's the stupid humans that are the real villains that are ultimately defeated.
10. USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage
What's so crazy about this 2015 movie that completely bombed at the box office? First and foremost, it's based on a true story of a World War II ship that is sunk in shark-infested waters, leading to all kinds of maulings. What's more, this movie stars Nicolas Cage. It is, sadly, the only shark movie Cage has made for some reason.
9. Open Water
Yes, this is an incredibly low-budget movie and it shows. For a shark movie, there's surprisingly little shark to be seen. However, that's where Open Water truly embraces how terrifying it can be. It's simply two people stranded in the ocean alone as a shark is on the hunt. By keeping the scale so small, Open Water is frighteningly realistic.
8. Jaws 3
Is Jaws 3 a better movie than Jaws 2? Absolutely not. The last of the original cast is gone and Amity Island has been left behind. However, this time the shark attacks SeaWorld. That's not a typo. The entire premise of Jaws 3 is that a shark sneaks into SeaWorld and stalks prey via an underground system of pipes. It's so utterly ridiculous, it deserves to be remembered for how insane it is. What's more, this movie was shot in 3D, the only entry in the franchise to get that treatment. And no, it was not good 3D.
This movie stars LL Cool J. That's really enough of a qualifier to be on this list. The rapper even included two songs on the movie's soundtrack, including one where he raps, "my hat is like a shark's fin." How does that make sense? What makes Deep Blue Sea so insane though is that it's about genetically modified sharks. If there's anything science needed to do, it's to make sharks more efficient killers.7. Deep Blue Sea
6. Jaws: The Revenge
The fourth Jaws movie makes no sense whatsoever. It takes its subtitle "The Revenge" very seriously as the shark hunts the wife of the recently deceased Sheriff Brody. The shark kills her son and follows her to the Bahamas, which is something a shark absolutely would not do. How did this movie get made, we'll never know. Thankfully, we can just sit back and bask in how weird Jaws got by the end.
5. 47 Meters Down
This is what Open Water would be like with a better budget and cast. This time it's Mandy Moore and Claire Holt stranded in the water with sharks ready to attack. What 47 Meters Down does to put its own twist on things, though, is these women are stuck in a shark cage on the ocean floor, with their oxygen running out. This movie is like a ready-made panic attack.
4. Shark Night 3D
While Jaws 3 might have been the first 3D shark movie, thank goodness for Shark Night 3D. It put modern 3D technology to use in a very creepy movie filled with vicious shark kills. What's so over-the-top about this film, though, is it's not set in an ocean. Instead, someone has filled a lake with sharks. It seems incredibly unlikely, but just go with it.
3. The Meg
The newest shark movie is also one of the craziest. The Meg goes prehistoric by putting a megalodon at the center of the insanity. These massive beasts are as scary as they come and delight in chomping through anything in sight, whether it's a massive ship or a beach filled with people who don't know any better.
2. Sharknado
What's scarier than a shark or an army of sharks or a shark seeking revenge or a shark mobster? A tornado filled with sharks, of course. Yes, Sharknado is a TV movie, but it was impossible to leave it off of this list. It's Sharknado! The crazy movie that spawned a crazy franchise is filled with moments that will be hard to forget. They throw bombs into the sharknado, for crying out loud.
1. Jaws
The one that so many ripped off is still the best. Jaws is a fantastic movie and watching it in 2018, as opposed to when it was released in 1974, doesn't change that. What's so crazy about this particular film, though, is the restraint it shows. You don't actually see the shark in this film until 80 minutes in, though that doesn't keep you safe from the carnage it spreads. While the films that followed may have taken the idea of a shark movie to new extremes, with megalodons, tornadoes, LL Cool J, and more, none of them will ever compare to Jaws--not even the sequels to Jaws. What's more, it's likely they wouldn't even exist without this film.
By Chris E. Hayner on Aug 30, 2018 02:33 am
When Deadpool 2 hit theaters, you might have assumed it would be impossible to somehow load in more dirty jokes or gratuitous violence. How wrong you were, though. While the film is certainly raunchy, perhaps even more so than the first Deadpool, there's always room for more. That's proven by the Super Duper cut of the movie, which has been released on Digital HD. This version of Deadpool 2 first debuted at San Diego Comic-Con and will arrive on Blu-ray on August 21. The new cut of the film adds 15 minutes to the running time. That includes not only scenes completely omitted from the theatrical cut of the film, but alternate lines of dialogue, new and longer fight scenes, and even some new music choices. Of course, the new material also includes the fabled "kill baby Hitler" deleted scene that the film's writers discussed back when the movie hit theaters--and it's even more bizarre than you might have imagined. There's a lot more to be found in the over two-hour running time, though. Finding every single little difference is a difficult task, though. Thankfully, GameSpot has done the work for you. After studying both versions of the film closely, we've found every change made in the Super Duper cut. Save yourself some time and let us guide you through this new cut of Deadpool 2.
The first change comes when Deadpool faces off with the Chinese gangsters at the beginning of the film. Upon crashing through a window, he apologizes and says he thought this bar full of villains was an "anal bleaching party." In the theatrical cut, he simply counts the men in Spanish before they open fire.
After being pumped full of lead by the gangsters in the theatrical version, he quickly jumps up to fight back. In the extended cut, though, he plays dead for a bit.
He also tells the bartender that smoking is bad for her, because Deadpool cares.
This is where the changes get more difficult to point out. Different angles and takes are used throughout this fight scene, showing Deadpool dealing even more mayhem.
The scene at the funeral in Sicily is extended, as Deadpool says "Let's see Captain America do that" after firing a ton of bullets.
Additionally, the fight in a Tokyo bathhouse is also much longer in this cut, featuring far more carnage. And when he comes face to face with a massive man's groin, an alternate line is used. "Looks like you left a little landing strip there," Deadpool says. "I like it." In the theatrical cut, he made a joke about being molested by his Boy Scouts leader.
The strip club scene is also extended and includes nudity that was cut from the theatrical version.
After reuniting with Dopinder, the cab driver asks if it was a mission accomplished. "In a George W. sort of way," Deadpool jokes, referring to the former US president.
Deadpool's pep talk with Dopinder, who wants to become a contract killer, is also quite a bit longer in the new cut.
In the theatrical version, Weasel says Wade smells like someone "s*** in a Civil War wound." In the new cut, he instead says, "You smell like sour kraut left in the warm rain. Like wet garbage and hot urine. You smell like a dog ate kitty litter and farted his way out of the living room. You smell like Rush Limbaugh's couch cushions after shark week."
When Wade says he's happy David Bowie is alive, Dopinder almost spoils that particular celebrity death for him, before being waved off by Weasel. In the theatrical cut, the two simply nod at each other, agreeing not to tell Wade about Bowie's demise.
After being made to mop up Deadpool's urine, Dopinder questions Weasel's contract killer lessons, which he doesn't do in the theatrical version.
While Deadpool attempts commit suicide by blowing himself up in the theatrical cut, the extended version includes two other failed attempts. In one, he takes a dive into a polar bear habitat at the zoo.
The other attempt shows Deadpool drinking a bottle of drain cleaner on a building, before hopping off to his hopeful death--which fails.
A scene removed from the theatrical version shows Russell's arrival at the evil mutant school.
The dialogue between Deadpool and Colossus when they first get to the X-Mansion is altered.
As Deadpool explores the mansion in Charles Xavier's wheelchair, he makes a different joke after noticing all of the painting that are hanging. "All these old guys on the wall," he says. "Who lives here, Calista Flockhart?" In the theatrical cut, he says, "All these elderly white men on the walls, should've brought my rape whistle."
There is also an additional joke when Deadpool gets mad at the lack of X-Men cameos. "You'd think the studio would throw us a bone--one that doesn't end up in my mouth," he says. "The first movie made more money than the guy who invented pants."
Cable's arrival in the current year is moved up quite a bit in the film, and that scene plays much longer as the two rednecks--played by Matt Damon and Alan Tudyk--go on at length about the paper products they use in the bathroom.
Back at the X-Mansion, there is a new scene of Colossus working out in the yard.
Meanwhile, Deadpool is going through the X-Men refrigerator and replacing the paper labels on foods with velcro. It's all an attempt to show Colossus he's become nicer--he hasn't.
While the theatrical cut shows flashbacks to Russell being tortured at the mutant school, that scene plays out in its entirety in this version of the film.
In the theatrical version of the film, Wade is wearing Cerebro when Colossus comes to tell him they have a mission. In the new cut, he's actually reading an erotic novel titled "The Canadian Mounted" and smoking.
Once at the mutant school, Deadpool calls the creepy employee a long list of names. However, the extended cut adds one more: Miguel.
When consoling Russell, Deadpool had a different line in the new cut. Harking back to the words of Blind Al earlier, he tells the kid, "A wise woman once said to me, 'Speak up, I can't hear you with the pity dick in your mouth.'"
When told Russell would be sent to the Ice Box detention facility, Deadpool had some unkind words for the location. "That place makes Hitler's anus look like Waikiki," he jokes. As we'll learn later, he's kind of hung up on Hitler.
After being tackled by Colossus for firing on the mutant school staff, Deadpool calls the metal giant "Shiny Gandhi" when told he's not X-Men material.
The scene in which Wade is shown to his cell in the Ice Box is extended, giving the Merc plenty of time to joke about his new home. "I see myself as more of an east coast Hufflepuff," he says. "I've made a critical error on my Airbnb reservation. This is not what the website looked like at all. I love the decor, though. I had no idea hopeless was a color."
There's also an alternate line once Russell enters the cell. In the theatrical version, Wade says, "Another disgusting mutant off the streets. We'll sleep well tonight. Let's get a taco." In the extended cut, he says, "Another disgusting minority off the streets. We'll sleep well tonight. Let's get a bagel."
After getting his powers back in the Ice Box, Deadpool looks at the camera and says, "Donde esta la biblioteca," which he believes means "I don't bargain." It does not. This is a callback to his fight with Chinese gangsters earlier in the film.
During his first fight with Cable, Wade asks the soldier different questions about the future. "Is Dubstep still a thing?" he wonders. "Do people still homebrew? Does Dopinder ever find love?"
When talking to Deadpool about building a team of heroes, Weasel has some big plans for who they should pick. "A team of some highly-skilled motherf**ers," he says. "I'm talking some Ocean's 14 s**. Rogue Two, John Wick 3, but with the original directors."
Domino's introduction is extended to include more of her and Deadpool fighting over whether luck is a superpower.
Peter also gets more of an introduction, in which we learn he has both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Cable explaining people's threshold for pain to Weasel is extended. Weasel still has no threshold whatsoever.
After the massive failure of the X-Force skydiving entrance, Deadpool has a very funny line. "Whoever planned this stunt was smoking a lot of jazz cabbage, I'll tell you that much," he jokes.
While fighting on the prisoner transport truck, Cable tells Deadpool, "There's nothing I can't kill." In the extended cut, the response calls back to the Tokyo bathhouse fight. "As Scoutmaster Kevin used to say, there's a first time for everything, son," he jokes.
After Cable unloads a clip into Deadpool, the Merc gets an alternate line where he simply says, "Whoa, those bullets are super fast."
In the alternate cut, when Cable asks Wade if he'd stop those who killed Vanessa if he could go back in time, he says, "No, I'd buy them all a bouquet of handjobs." Then he says, of course, he would. But he wouldn't kill a kid. The scene also includes Wade farting after he and Cable come to an agreement. Who doesn't love a good fart joke?
Another scene dropped entirely from the theatrical cut finds Russell and Juggernaut after they destroyed a big and tall store while looking for matching outfits. Sadly, there was nothing in Juggernaut's size.
When the movie returns to Deadpool and the team in the car, headed to the X-Mansion looking for help, an alternate line is given. "And that is just the first five steps to a prostate-assisted orgasm," Deadpool jokes.
The entire sequence in the cab is also extended, as Deadpool continues to rail against what he believes is Cable's racism, while Domino gets a few more lines of dialogue about what a mistake this all is.
Once at the mansion, it's revealed that the X-Men are still using the velcro labeling system he implemented in an earlier deleted scene.
Meanwhile, back at the mutant school, Russell and Juggernaut arrive. While the scene is almost identical, it gives the headmaster the line, "They will not replace us."
When Deadpool and company arrive, there's an alternate line when the Merc sees the teddy bear attached to Cable's belt. Staring at it, he says, "I've been meaning to ask you, what's with the dirty, disgusting hobo bear?"
As the team begins their attack on the school, the hip-hop song in the theatrical version if replaced by Steve Miller Band's "Fly Like an Eagle."
The scene of Domino fighting Juggernaut is extended in the new cut, showing her putting the playground to good use.
When Colossus rescues Deadpool, the Merc does more than make dirty hand gestures as thanks. He also attempts to perform oral sex on him, before Colossus stops him.
Colossus and Juggernaut's battle is set to a different song in the new cut. The new track is "Fight Dirty" by Guignol & Mischief Brew.
As he's dying, after taking a bullet from Cable, an alternate take of Deadpool's goodbye to Negasonic Teenage Warhead is used. In it, he tells the teenager that he liked her hair better in the first movie. "I think everyone did." Additionally, Yukio offers a different "Hi Wade" than the one used in the theatrical cut.
During his goodbye to Russell, Deadpool says he can have his superhero suit. "You might want to get it steam cleaned, especially around the pants," he says. "And let it out a little in the waist."
When Wade is reunited with Vanessa after his death, the cover of A-Ha's Take Me On isn't used. Instead, the song Ashes, which Celine Dion recorded for the film, plays.
In an alternate take, Vanessa gets new lines when explaining heaven to Wade. "It's pretty f***ing awesome up here," she says. "I can have anything I want!" He wonders, "Can every day be International Women's Day?" She quickly shoots back, "It is heaven."
Before they part, sending Wade back to the world of the living, he asks her not to have sex with Elvis. In the theatrical version, she asks the same of him and Colossus. In the new cut, though, she simply says, "Ooo, too late!"
After going back in time and saving the day without dying, Deadpool says goodbye to Negasonic. In a rare moment of appreciation, she replies, "Our door is always open." Naturally, he can't have actual feelings and fires back, "That's kind, but I'm not ready to date again. Let alone two women."
There are a few changes in the post-credits, as well. The first happens when Deadpool goes back in time to save Peter from dying with the rest of the X-Force. In the alternate take, he tells his Sugar Bear, "X-Force is just a marketing tool designed by Fox executives to keep Josh Brolin employed."
After killing the Deadpool from X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the Merc had a lot more to say to Logan in the new cut. "Look, eventually you're going to hang up the claws and it's going to make a lot of people very sad," he tells Wolverine. "But one day your old pal Wade's going to ask you to get back in the saddle again. And when he does, say yes."
Ryan Reynolds, the actor, gets an alternate line after reading the Green Lantern script--before Deadpool puts him out of his misery. Looking at the script, he says, "God d***, that's beautiful." It was not.
The last major addition is an all-new sequence in the credits, in which Deadpool goes back in time to kill baby Hitler, though it proves to be more difficult than he expected.
One final scene revisits Deadpool trying to kill baby Hitler. Instead, he says he'll just send Cable back to do it and changes the baby's diaper. He really is a kid person.
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