Each Monday night, Microsoft drops prices on a selection of Xbox One and Xbox 360 games. This week's sale has nice discounts on some fantastic games across a variety of genres. So whether you're into action games, fighting games, survival games, racers, or something else, you can probably find something that appeals to you. Read on for some of our picks of the best deals available between now and September 10.
With Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice coming in March, you might want to try out From Software's previous game, Dark Souls 3. It offers a serious challenge, but its finely tuned gameplay usually keeps your failures from feeling cheap. And when you win, victory is that much sweeter. It's on sale for $15 / £13. Or, if you want to see where the story began, you can pick up Dark Souls Remastered on sale for $28 / £25.
Conan Exiles is a recent survival game that starts when the Cimmerian frees your personalized character from being crucified in The Exiled Lands. Which would be great if you didn't have to fight tooth and nail to survive. It's on sale for $30 / £25.
Rainbow Six Siege Year 3, Season 3--called Operation Grim Sky--launches today and adds a bunch of new updates into the first-person shooter game. The most notable addition is two new operators, codenamed Clash and Maverick, but Operation Grim Sky implements several multiplayer improvements as well.
Both Defenders and Attackers get a new operator in Operation Grim Sky, and each shakes up Siege's meta in different ways. Clash is the first Defender to come equipped with a shield, which fully extends in front of her and fires a taser. She's perfect for crowd control and holding off a team of Attackers while her teammates regroup and come up with a new strategy. Maverick uses a custom blowtorch to breach through any surface. He can't easily create a man-sized entry point, but Maverick can cut a hole large enough for his teammates to shoot through. Given that his torch is nearly silent, this allows Attackers to quietly get eyes on the opposing team through a reinforced wall.
New cosmetic changes have also being implemented into Rainbow Six Siege. Four new UK-themed weapon skins can only be unlocked during this season. Once unlocked, these skins carry over into later seasons. Canadian operator Frost also now has a new Elite set, which dresses her in her Huntress uniform, unlocks a new victory animation, and provides new skins for her Sterling MK2 LHT, Super 90, 9mm C1, and MK1 9mm.
Operation Grim Sky adds a map rework for Hereford Base. The base is now much larger and includes more avenues for Attackers to get to the Defenders--ranging from new staircases to destructible hatches in the floor. Although certain aspects of Hereford Base remain the same, most of the floor plan has been completely reworked. Consulate is getting a few changes too. Attackers will now have an easier time getting into the building, as the police line has been extended to provide more cover on approach and a wall near the gas station spawn point--that Defenders often used to spawn kill their opponents--has been removed. A fourth site for the bomb placement in the Bomb game mode has also been added, so both Attackers and Defenders will need to come up with new strategies on the map.
The full list of general tweaks and improvements implemented via Operation Grim Sky can be found on Rainbow Six Siege's website. The update also fixed many of the bugs in the game, which we've outlined below.
Rainbow Six Siege is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
Operation Grim Sky Bug Fixes
Gameplay
Fixed - Players who join in a game in progress during the action phase will negatively impact the key bindings for the observation tools of teammates.
Fixed - Players can sometimes pass through reinforced walls using a deployable shield.
Fixed - The framerate drops when going to the tactical map in prep phase.
Fixed - Receiving damage while crouching with a shield will result in the weapon wielding hand to clip through the shield.
Fixed - Operators clip through barricades. Enabling them to be seen and shot in some cases.
Fixed - It is possible to place a barricade or reinforcement while standing far away from the door/wall.
Fixed - Longer delay than intended when switching from BOSG 12.2 to secondary weapon.
Fixed - The color filter of an observation tool goes away if you are brought to low health while watching in it.
Fixed - If the walk option is set to toggle, the player will walk after alt-tabbing.
Fixed - It is possible to prone and melee simultaneously with a shield.
Fixed - Weapons can clip through the floor if a player goes prone and leans.
Fixed - Corrupted animations happen while switching weapons or throwing gadgets in prone.
Fixed - Players receive no damage if they rappel into Smoke's Gas Grenade cloud.
Fixed - Kill info is not displayed if the player dies from the gadget of a dead enemy.
Fixed - Defuser animation resets when switching views.
Fixed - Textures between reinforceable and indestructible walls allow bullets to pass through.
Operators
Bandit
Fixed - Players are able to use Shock Batteries on Castle's Armored Panels using a deployable shield.
Dokkaebi
Fixed - Ice textures cover the Logic Bomb interrupt screen when one is performed while a defender is looking at cameras.
Tachanka
Fixed - Tachanka's LMG shield is inconsistent and players can be shot through it.
Fixed - After rapidly switching between his gadgets and weapons, Tachanka will look broken on 3rd person when mounting his Mounted LMG.
Twitch
Fixed - Shock Drone is unable to pass over some props that have a climbable height.
Vigil
Fixed - The reload animation of the BOSG 12.2 is incorrect.
Lesion
Fixed - GU mines will get triggered if they are placed beneath a reinforced hatch.
Mira
Fixed - A gap between two reinforcements can be created by Mira's Black Mirror
Montagne
Fixed - Shield extending animation resets when switching views.
Fixed - Players are able to vault over Montagne's shield.
Hibana
Fixed - In some instances, reinforced wall debris will remain floating when the reinforced wall is being destroyed by Hibana's X-KAIROS Launcher.
Finka
Fixed - Right hand becomes offset on the weapon when Finka activates her Adrenal Surge.
Fixed - The fire rate for the Spear .308 is listed in menus as 780 RPM, but it is only 700.
Blitz
Fixed - Blitz's shield's hit boxes do not match the curves of his shield.
Blackbeard
Fixed - Head hit box clips through the Rifle Shield when standing against some surfaces.
Level Design
Border
Fixed - Clipping occurs for players hiding under a desk in 2F Offices and they can receive damage.
Fixed - Frost traps clip through the cable protectors located in 1F Server Room making them partially invisible.
Fixed - Operators can clip through the desk in 2F Archives, 1F Server Room, and 1F Ventilation Room.
Bartlett
Fixed - Frost's Welcome Mat clips through the table in 1F Dining Room and becoming invisible.
Hereford Base
Fixed - Dynamic Clipping is not present with some indestructible objects or walls.
Tower
Fixed - Drone can be placed inside the ceiling from 2F Elevator.
Consulate
Fixed - Drone can be placed inside the ceiling from B Cafeteria, giving drone view over multiple objective sites.
Fixed - Clipping issues in multiple spots.
Skyscrapper
Fixed - Multiple floating debris are present after destroying the wall between the 2F Work Office and the 2F Lounge locations.
Villa
Fixed - Fuze's cluster charges remain stuck and explode inside the ceiling if placed close to the middle of the 4th wooden tile.
Fixed - Defenders can hide on top of cabinet in B Old Office.
House
Fixed - Character model will become invisible if standing under the staircase in B Laundry Room.
Fixed - Shield operators can melee defenders through metal blinds.
Kanal
Fixed - It is possible to hide inside the panel in Electric Room on Kanal.
Fixed - In some spots, Fuze's Cluster Charge backfire killing the player that placed it.
Yatch
Fixed - Attacker can place a drone into the ceiling at 2F Engine Utility.
Coastline
Fixed - A wall from the 2F Hallway disappears when looking at it with a Valkyrie camera from the other side of the hallway.
Fixed - Players are able to reach the purple tarp in EXT Pool.
Clubhouse
Fixed - Drones can clip through 1F Kitchen Entrance rooftop.
Fixed - Attackers can throw a drone inside the wall of Clubhouse from EXT Eastern sub-roof.
Fixed - The Operator is clipping through the floor when prone on the toilet.
Fixed - Operator model can clip through stair fence from 2F Central Stairs 1F Central Stairs and B Central Stairs.
Theme Park
Fixed - Players can go outside through the wall during the preparation phase.
Chalet
Fixed - Players can shoot enemies through the stairs in 1F Great Room.
Kafe
Fixed - Valkyrie can place cameras inside the wall between 1F Cold room and 1F Kitchen.
Oregon
Fixed - Drone can fall out of the map from multiple locations.
Fixed - Clipping issues in multiple spots.
Fixed - There is space between the window frame and wall at EXT Junkyard and the player can see inside the building.
User Experience
Fixed - Infinite loading time when using the name sorting option in the charms menu.
Fixed - Pack collection Icon flags are present on Operator cards with non-elite uniforms.
Fixed - Gold Vigil Chibi charm position makes it clip through shields.
Fixed - The smoke effect is no longer colored from the second opened Alpha pack onwards.
Fixed - Some black collection icons are attached to random weapon skins.
Fixed - Graphic options are not applied when accepting the apply changes on popup.
Fixed - A slight delay can be seen when scrolling through uniforms.
Fixed - Players cannot hear voice chat from his teammates.
Fixed - Players is returned to main menu instead of next situation after completing the previous one.
A new DLC expansion for Destiny 2, Forsaken, has finally arrived. It's much larger than the last two, being positioned as the equivalent of the previous entry's game-changing Taken King expansion. Whether it'll add the long-term legs players crave remains to be see, but in the meantime, there is a lot of new stuff to take in--including Exotics.
Following the recent changes made as part of the 2.0 update, among the many additions and changes in Forsaken and the 2.0.0.1 update are a new Power level cap, Strikes, story missions, areas to explore, a Raid (launching September 14), Gambit mode, Crucible maps, and much more. But players take part in many of these activities with one goal: to secure new gear, and specifically Exotic weapons and armor.
No doubt there are many hidden Exotics to uncover, some of which may not be available right away. But already we've either gotten our hands on or been able to preview a ton of the Exotic weapons and armor included, and you can see them above, including one of the new weapon type, bows. We'll continue to expand this as we come across more.
One thing to bear in mind is that there are a select number of items that you'll only find on PS4. As with previous Destiny content releases, Sony has a timed exclusivity arrangement that sees certain things released first on PS4. With Forsaken, that includes a Strike called Broodhold, an Exotic weapon called Wavesplitter (pictured above), an Exotic ship (Great Beyond), and an armor set for each class: Thorium Holt (Warlock), Red Moon Phantom (Hunter), and Mimetic Savior (Titan). All of this will eventually release on Xbox One and PC, but not until at least Fall 2019.
Forsaken is now live on all platforms. We've got some early impressions, a guide to activating a new Heroic Public Event, and we'll have a Gambit guide soon on how to compete effectively in the new PvE/PvP hybrid mode. Look for much more in the coming days.
A week before Forsaken's release, Bungie rolled out Destiny 2's huge 2.0 update, which overhauled numerous areas of the game. Now, coinciding with the launch of the Forsaken DLC, it's released another update, version 2.0.0.1. Despite the number suggesting it's a minor one, it's more than 7 GB in size, and the patch notes are quite lengthy. Here's what's new.
Many of the changes here are expected ones that implement things tied to Forsaken. The level cap is now 50 for Forsaken owners, and Year 2 weapons come with random perks--an aspect of the original Destiny that Bungie abandoned in Destiny 2 until now. That's a major change, as it gives players a reason to hang on to duplicates of the same items. The mod system has also been overhauled, depreciating all existing mods and introducing new ones.
A new Vanguard Strike playlist is now available that will have a different Power level recommendation based on your current Power, and Nightfalls again have scoring. On the Crucible side, Iron Banner will feature Power level advantages once it comes back on September 18, while Trials of the Nine has been shelved for the time being. When playing Rumble, placing in the top 3 will register as a win, and various tweaks have been made to Competitive (such as the removal of loss streaks from Glory rank).
Some balance changes have been made to certain abilities (Hunter's Golden Gun now deals more damage to base and elite enemies) and Exotics (Riskrunner's magazine size has been increased). Masterworks and shaders are now handled differently. Rewards and challenges have been changed significantly, and there are new bounties and challenges to take on each day or week. Various quality-of-life changes have been implemented, such as being able to dismantle shaders in bulk by talking to Rahool.
This is only a very small sampling of what's changed--the combination of this update and Forsaken's release have shaken up Destiny 2 dramatically. You can check out some new Forsaken Exotics and hear what we think so far in the video above.
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds first arrived on Xbox One late last year with its release on the Xbox Game Preview program, and now the popular battle royale game has officially launched on Microsoft's console. PUBG's big 1.0 update is now available, bringing the title out of early access and introducing a slew of new content to it, including a third map, new weapons, and more.
The most significant addition is Sanhok, the tropical-themed map introduced in the PC version of PUBG earlier this year. Unlike the game's first two stages, Erangel and Miramar, Sanhok measures only 4km x 4km (as opposed to 8x8), making it much smaller than PUBG's previous maps. As a result, matches contested on Sanhok are much quicker and more intense than normal.
Arriving alongside Sanhok are a handful of items. First is a pair of new guns: the QBZ and the QBU, the latter of which can only be found on Sanhok. PUBG Corp. has also added a new map-exclusive vehicle to Sanhok: the Rony, a pickup truck that can hold up to four players. You can take a look at images of them below.
With a third map now available, PUBG Corp. has introduced two new playlists: Battle Royale and Mini Royale. The former will randomly drop players onto either Erangel or Miramar, while the latter will only feature Sanhok for the time being. You can select both playlists to be randomly matched up on one of the three maps.
You can find the full patch notes for PUBG's 1.0 release on the game's official website. Also coming to the game are War Mode and custom matches, but these will arrive a little later "to let everyone enjoy and delve into each contents with time." War Mode is expected to launch later this month as a weekend event, while custom matches will be added in October.
PUBG is available on Xbox One for $30. You also have the option to purchase the "Sanhok Edition." This runs for $50 and includes the game, the Sanhok Event Pass that adds missions to complete and rewards to earn, the Fire in the Hole skin set, and 2,300 G-Coin.
Destiny 2's new DLC, Forsaken, has finally arrived on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. It introduces a wealth of new content, including missions, Gambit mode, Crucible maps, and a whole lot more. On the PvE side, you can also expect to happen upon a new Public Event (Secure the Wanted Enemy) while exploring the new Tangled Shore zone. As with existing ones, it's possible to activate a Heroic version of the event, as seen in the video above--here's how.
In typical fashion, you'll need to fulfill several objectives that aren't explained in-game--if you simply do what you're told, you'll only complete the standard version of the event. To activate the Heroic version, you'll start out by locating the cryo-pod, which is a sort of prison cell that crashes on the map (and is marked by the usual Public Event icon). You'll then neutralize the nearby defenders, which involves clearing out two waves of enemies, and then proceed to stop the Wanted enemy who emerges from the pod.
Once you've done enough damage to this enemy, the cryo-pod begins venting a freezing gas that does damage to anything nearby. Once this begins, look for a vent on the side of the pod and begin shooting it. You can then grab the Core (a glowing ball) from inside the vent and throw it at the Wanted enemy. Do this enough times and you'll freeze the enemy in place, creating a circle around them. You then need to stand in the circle and fight off waves of enemies until the Wanted can be recovered.
Opting for the Heroic version of this event--while more difficult--also provides you with better rewards. It may prove to be too challenging if you're early in the DLC, but once you've raised your Power level (or simply have enough nearby players to attempt it), you'll want to do the Heroic version whenever possible.
If you haven't yet jumped in, you can watch the opening mission from Forsaken, which features some key story developments. The expansion is out now and requires both the base game and the first two DLC packs.
When Sons of Anarchy ended in 2014, fans knew it wouldn't be the permanent end of this world infused with outlaw gangs, murder, mayhem, and a never-ending parade of custom motorcycles. Creator Kurt Sutter even teased future spin-offs and prequels to the series.
Now, nearly four years later, the first continuation of the franchise is ready for its debut. Mayans MC is set three years after the series finale of Sons of Anarchy and follows a chapter of the Latino gang first introduced on the original show. At its center is a member named Ezekiel "EZ" Reyes (JD Pardo). It's certainly not the same show, though. The location has moved south to the California border between the United States and Mexico and most of the faces, both in the club and otherwise, are new. Of course, that's not to say you won't see any characters from Sons of Anarchy make the jump toMayans MC.
The most notable is Marcus Alvarez (Emilio Rivera), the founder of the club and president of its Oakland chapter.
"Thank God for Emilio Rivera," showrunner Elgin James told GameSpot at the Television Critics Association (TCA) press tour. "If it wasn't for that dude, we wouldn't be here."
Still, just because faces from Sons of Anarchy could make their presence felt doesn't mean Mayans is a retread of the original. "What's really interesting is it's actually Kurt who asked [us to] the police that line," he said. "We're so in love with the mythology, and we're so in love with the world. While realizing that we have to stick our flag in the ground as a new show, we're also just such fans of what happened in the past."
Still, as much as they love the original show, there was one rule Sutter insisted on from the beginning. "The mythology couldn't be messed with," James admitted. "Like whatever happened with Sons, whatever happened there, there's no changing that. We couldn't do anything that would in any way have an effect on that universe."
Given that the series deals extensively with flashbacks to prior years, some of which will undoubtedly feature characters from Sons of Anarchy, that may prove to be a tricky line to walk. It's an important one, though, as Mayans MC strives to stand out from its predecessor.
One major change is the lack of a strong matriarch character. In Sons of Anarchy, Gemma Teller Morrow (Katey Sagal) essentially served as a mother to the entire club, though she was a twisted and vindictive one at times.
Mayans, too, featured a woman at the head of the Reyes family in its original pilot. However, after reshoots changed several details about the show, that character is now deceased. According to James, having that presence missing from the show and family makes for a more interesting story to tell.
"By removing that, we created this huge vacuum in a beautiful way," he said of the remaining members of the Reyes family. "We have these three men just clumsily trying to communicate with each other."
Another major difference is EZ himself. On Sons, Jax was introduced as the vice president of his club. In that position of power, his words carried a lot of weight with his brothers. The same can't be said of EZ, who is a mere prospect in the Mayans club, working to become a full member.
"There's nothing more American than for someone who starts as a bar back here in the Beverly Hilton and then in ten years owns a Beverly Hilton," James continued. "You know, that's the American dream. So that's what we're gonna have with our prospect. He's the lowest of the low and he's got quite a climb for him."
And it's a climb filled with twists and turns. After all, this isn't the life EZ imagined for himself. He at one point had a promising life ahead of him, but after several years in jail, he's simply trying to put the pieces of his life together. Thanks to his brother, that includes joining the Mayans MC.
"It's about being stuck between two worlds," James explained. "That's something we really wanted to do. Like EZ doesn't belong there, but he's from there. You know? We're actually on the border stuck between two worlds. He's not a club member, but he is."
The showrunner continued, "It's not the death of the American dream. But it's definitely the death of an American dream. And we're gonna get to see that and then realize that now he's gonna go on to the most American of dreams, which is the dream of becoming an outlaw."
Whether that dream is fully attainable, though, remains to be seen. Mayans MC premieres Tuesday, September 4, at 9 PM ET on FX.
By Anonymous on Sep 04, 2018 10:30 pm Grab your Malfeasance Exotic, head to the Tangled Shore, and watch how to make this Destiny 2: Forsaken public event heroic. Captured on PS4 Pro.
By Anonymous on Sep 04, 2018 10:30 pm The latest expansion releases for Destiny 2 with new exotics, Gambit mode, and new areas to explore: The Tangled Shore and The Dreaming City. We played in advance on PS4 and here's what you should know.
Destiny 2's Forsaken DLC isn't so much an expansion as much as it is a journey through the underpinnings of the franchise and a look back at the evolution of its mechanics over the last four years. Many of its tweaks are aimed at hardcore players and min/max weapon enthusiasts. Forsaken's first few hours explore areas that have been underserved thus far, such as The Reef, and it also builds up a revenge story that encompasses the motivations of friends and enemies alike.
At a recent hands-on session, I played through the campaign missions, hunted Barons, and explored two expansive zones: The Tangled Shore and Dreaming City. Despite being underleveled, I also took a crack at the Blind Well, which is a high-level, wave-based event. Bungie is aiming to feed players with content for a long time, and while I can't say if it will succeed in hooking both casual and hardcore players again, I was initially overwhelmed with the amount of exploration opportunities the DLC provided.
The early progression path through Forsaken seems clear: Play the main campaign at the Tangled Shore and hunt Barons in the 380-500 power level range. Then, open the 550 power level Dreaming City zone, grind the Blind Well, raid on day 10, and then figure out the secrets at the center of the Dreaming City.
The Tangled Shore, where the story starts, is a medium-sized zone located on a flotilla of asteroids. It has plenty of underground areas to explore, including Lost Sectors, and each of these areas is used to deliver story and lore in a way not previously seen, such as wandering into a socially active Fallen prison block. It's also home to Spider, a Fallen ally of Petra Venj and the only law in town. Spider's friendly porcupine-looking units fight alongside you on your hunt for Barons. The story that leads you to Tangled Shore isn't just a nod or regurgitation of Prison Of Elders, it's a full-on exploration of the famed penitentiary and surrounding area around the Reef. Between the two story missions and a Strike I played, I was able to finally get into the mechanisms that keep the prison running, meet its inmates outside of the arena, and see some familiar characters in a new light.
The story itself sees multiple characters seeking revenge in ways that we won't spoil but tie into the new enemy faction, the Scorn. From a gameplay perspective, The Scorn aren't hugely different from other races but they do succeed at pushing and pulling at your personal space. The Scorn are an interesting mix of rushing, shielded, and hit-and-run units. Aggressive enemies such as Screeb and Ravagers charge at you employing explosives or area-denial fire lanterns. Lurkers have small shields that block damage, forcing you to aim for knees. One standout unit drifts around the map like a Wraith, taking potshots. The Scorn also reworked some familiar foes such as the Fallen Walker by outfitting it with a flamethrower and a shield to give it some protection when in a vulnerable state. The end result is that now you have to get up close to hit critical spots, which means hanging back and relying on Whisper Of The Worm or Polaris Lance is less viable.
[Combat in Forsaken involves] exciting and highly mobile firefights that favor smart loadouts, effective use of new subclass abilities, and accurate shooting.
Initially, I was worried that the aggression of these enemies was designed to force players into open spaces where only their power level would matter, but Forsaken offers plenty of cover, so strategic movement and using the environment to your advantage is as important as being able to dish out big damage. The result is exciting and highly mobile firefights that favor smart loadouts, effective use of new subclass abilities, and accurate shooting.
In areas like the The Blind Well, where you're more likely to be pinned in place without cover to retreat behind, Forsaken gives players gameplay options to help them out. The nine new subclass trees include some powerful support abilities, and our play session focused on the Warlock's new Dawnblade Super, which turns the class into a damage sponge. With defense bolstered, we were able to equip multiple short-range weapons such as shotguns and melt high-level bosses in heroic public events and strikes without having to dodge incoming fire.
The new Dawnblade Super is also essential for activating the heroic version of one of the new public events. The Warlock's other two supers still feel more like minion-clearing abilities. The Stormcaller subclass tree, Attunement Of Control, was probably the least interesting of the bunch. It fires a long range electric beam and seemed to do an unimpressive amount of damage to larger foes. The Attunement Of Fission tree lets a Warlock charge up and self explode multiple times while teleporting at rapid pace. It behaves like a bunch of mini Nova Bombs and is more surgical. We were able to use this Super to dodge past enemies fifty levels above us while exploring high-level zones.
The main Exotic we had time with was Malfeasance, a hand cannon affectionately compared to the Needler from Halo. This kinetic hand cannon causes explosions on the fifth round landed on the same target but that rarely happened because our Warlock equipped the Exotic chest piece Chromatic Fire, which caused targets to explode on precision kills from any weapon in the kinetic slot. The two exotics working together created so many explosions that it was often hard to tell which exotic had caused it to happen. It was an excellent minion-clearing loadout.
The final noteworthy addition to the Destiny 2 arsenal is bows, which come in a wide variety and have different effective ranges, draw times, and perks. Our favorite included an explosive payload and fast draw time. Bows have a specific cadence to them and sit somewhere between sniper rifles and scout rifles. In the few hours of our demo, bows came across as novel but non-essential. They are another notch in an already expansive weapon rework and will probably be loved by people looking for something new to shoot.
By the end of our session my biggest takeaway is simply that there are a lot of new mechanics, activities, places to explore, and things to do that should keep players occupied for some time to come. Those looking for deeper storytelling in Destiny will find some emotional plotlines and fun mysteries in the first few hours. If you're looking to keep your Destiny 2 habit, Forsaken looks like it could provide plenty of reasons to stay involved, and you fell off Destiny 2 it may be the Taken King-esque expansion that reignites a passion for it.
PlayStation Plus members can now head to the PSN to pick up their free PS4, PS3, and PS Vita games for September. This month has some excellent games on offer, including most notably Destiny 2. God of War III Remastered is the other big PS4 game, though this month every game is playable on PS4 thanks to Cross Buy.
With the release of Forsaken, Destiny 2 gets its major year-two expansion. You don't get Forsaken with the free version of Destiny 2 for PS Plus members, but at least you can get your feet wet in the game and decide whether or not you want to buy the DLC. God of War III Remastered is the upscaled version of the epic PS3 brawler.
Moving down the line, PS3 owners can pick up the classic action platformer Another World - 20th Anniversary Edition, which lets you switch between the new and original graphics on the fly and adjust the difficulty settings. The other PS3 game is the first-person puzzle game QUBE Director's Cut. Vita owners can grab the puzzle game Sparkle 2 and the co-op brawler Foul Play.
We're not done yet. Sony is offering another pair of PS4 games for free to PS Plus members. You can grab download the smart phone-controlled trivia game Knowledge is Power between now and November 6 and the PSVR horror game Here They Lie through October 2.
You can add all of these games to your account here.
September 2018 PS Plus Games
PS4
Destiny 2
God of War III Remastered
Another World - 20th Anniversary Edition (Cross Buy with PS3 and Vita)
QUBE Director's Cut (Cross Buy with PS3)
Sparkle 2 (Cross Buy with PS3 and Vita)
Foul Play (Cross Buy with Vita)
PS3
Another World - 20th Anniversary Edition (Cross Buy with PS4 and Vita)
Marvel's iconic comic book hero Spider-Man has starred in numerous video game adaptations over the years, and while some of his outings have been excellent, the results haven't always lived up to the webslinger's reputation. His latest title, Marvel's Spider-Man, arrives exclusively on PlayStation 4 later this week, and judging by the game's early reception, it's one of his best video game adventures yet.
Developed by Insomniac Games (the studio behind Ratchet & Clank and Sunset Overdrive), Marvel's Spider-Man is set in an original, standalone universe separate from the comic series. The game casts players in the role of an older, more experienced Peter Parker, who must use his powers to save New York from some of his most memorable villains, including Electro, Rhino, Scorpion, Vulture, and Silver Sable.
GameSpot's Edmond Tran praised Insomniac's take on the comic book hero for its excellent narrative and satisfying web-swinging mechanics. "Swinging around New York as Spider-Man is endlessly fulfilling. It's a relatively straightforward system that isn't overly demanding on inputs, but the minor adjustments and variables in terrain you need to consider while in motion (webs require tangible attach points), as well as the weighty feeling of Spidey makes the process feel satisfyingly manual--there's just enough effort required to make you feel as if it's all on you," he wrote in GameSpot's Spider-Man review.
With its release only a few days away, reviews of Marvel's Spider-Man have begun appearing online. We've rounded up a sample of them below to give you a quick overview of what critics have to say about Spider-Man's latest outing. For a broader look at Marvel's Spider-Man's critical reception, be sure to visit GameSpot's sister site, Metacritic.
Game: Marvel's Spider-Man
Developer: Insomniac Games
Platform: PS4
Release date: September 7
Price: $60 / £45
GameSpot -- 9/10
"Minor shortcomings don't detract from Insomniac's achievement in creating a game that feels like an authentic interpretation of a beloved creation. The feeling of embodying Spidey and using his abilities is astonishing, and the time spent on exploring its major characters help make its story feel heartfelt, despite superhero bombast. There have been open-world Spider-Man games before, but none so riveting and full of personality, none that explore and do justice to this many facets of the universe. Insomniac has created a superior Spider-Man experience that leaves a lasting impression, one that has you longing for just one more swing around New York City, even after the credits roll." -- Edmond Tran [Full review]
IGN -- 8.7/10
"I wanted Marvel's Spider-Man on PS4 to make me feel like Spider-Man: To sail between the highrises of New York City, to nimbly web up hordes of enemies, and tussle with familiar, animal-themed villains. Insomniac Games' first foray into the world of Marvel handily delivers on all of that. But what I didn't expect from Spider-Man was to come away feeling just as fulfilled to have inhabited the life of Peter Parker. Aside from a few odd pacing issues, which momentarily took me out of the experience of being a superhero, and a world of optional missions that don't always quite live up to the heft of the main story, Insomniac has delivered a Spider-Man story that both surprised and delighted me, coupled with gameplay that made me feel like Spider-Man nearly every step of the way. The Wall Crawler's open world doesn't consistently deliver the thrilling moments of its main campaign, but the foundation laid here is undoubtedly a spectacular one." -- Jonathon Dornbush [Full review]
Eurogamer -- Recommended
"What I love more than anything, is that behind the traversal and combat, Insomniac is a wonderfully controlling developer. For the entire length of the campaign they won't hand the city over to a day/night cycle or randomise the weather because they want total command of the atmosphere for the beats big and little to play out in. Just like they want those webs to attach to buildings in a convincing manner, they don't want to leave too many other details to be ground up in the cogs of an open-world. Somebody, in other words, is looking out for Spider-Man, a superhero whose pleasing vulnerability means that he needs looking after now and then--just as he could do with a little help getting his belongings out of the trash." -- Christian Donlan [Full review]
US Gamer -- 4.5/5
"Insomniac Games takes Marvel's most popular character for a spin and the results are fantastic. The developer establishes its own Spider-Man with a unique supporting cast and a beautiful recreation of New York to play around in. This is an absolutely beautiful game, with solid combat and a great story. Most of all, it really sells the feeling of being Spider-Man. The gaming history of Spider-Man has been uneven, but this is an amazing entry in that history. Pun intended." -- Mike Williams [Full review]
Game Informer -- 9.5/10
"Like Batman: Arkham Asylum before it, Spider-Man raises the bar for one of the world's most beloved heroes. You feel like you're doing everything he's capable of. Insomniac succeeds in making Peter and the supporting cast just as memorable and engaging as the wall crawler. Excitement is delivered consistently from the outside of play right up to the last story frame, which is a real shocker that contains a reveal that will make the wait for the sequel almost unbearable." -- Andrew Reiner [Full review]
GamesRadar+ -- 4.5/5
"Spider-Man is still a hugely enjoyable adventure full of great characters and moments, and just about one of the best videogame realisations of superheroing to date. Insomniac are a studio with nearly 25 year's experience of producing slick, tactile action adventures that feel great to play, and seeing that expertise turned to a licensed game has created an impressively, polished and crafted experience." -- Leon Hurley [Full review]
Mission Impossible: Fallout actor Henry Cavill will star in the upcoming adaptation of The Witcher. The actor, also known for playing Superman in DC's movies, hinted last month that he would like to play Geralt in the Netflix show. Now the streaming giant has confirmed that he will indeed take on the role.
Cavill will play Geralt in the eight-part show, which is based on the fantasy novel series written by Andrzej Sapkowski, on which the games are also based. Sapkowski is set to work on the English language drama series as a creative consultant.
The star gave fans the first clue that he was in line for the role in August. IGN asked him about other projects he would like to be involved in, and he expressed his love of the Witcher games. "Love that game. Really good game," he said. Cavill was then asked specifically about playing the lead character of Geralt in Netflix's adaptation. "Absolutely," he said. "Yeah, that would be an amazing role." Cavill also dropped some hints when he reposted fan art imagining him in the role on Instagram.
The show is being developed by Lauren S. Hissrich, who previously worked on Daredevil, The Defenders, and the upcoming Netflix drama Umbrella Academy. The show was announced in May, but it is not expected to hit the service until 2020. "We're moving quickly ahead with everything--like, my head is spinning around Exorcist-style, except with enthusiasm, not evil possession--but one thing is certain: quality comes before speed," Hissrich said at the time.
A Polish TV series based on The Witcher aired in 2002, but that has been the only adaptation of the franchise for TV so far. A Witcher movie with some big-name talent behind it was was announced for 2017, but that never happened.
As for the Witcher game series, the newest instalment was 2015's The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. No new projects in the series have been announced, and developer CD Projekt Red is now working on the much-anticipated Cyberpunk 2077.
Like many retailers, Best buy releases a new weekly ad every Sunday, showing off what's on sale in the coming week. Since video games are among Best Buy's offerings, a new set of games gets discounted as well. This week finds some good deals on individual video games (see the list below), as well as some conditional discounts for buying things like a Nintendo Switch or a game over $30. Let's dive in.
Purchase a Nintendo Switch at Best Buy, and you'll get $30 off Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 2, or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. That's a great deal, considering you'll almost certainly want at least one of those games on your new system.
The PS4 exclusive game Spider-Man is also out this week (September 7, to be exact), and Best Buy currently has pre-order stock of the limited edition Spider-Man-themed PS4 Pro. It costs $400 and comes with a red 1 TB PS4 Pro emblazoned with the Spidey symbol, a red controller, and a copy of the game.
Destiny 2 got its major year-two Forsaken update this week, and if you spend $30 on any game or Turtle Beach headset, you'll get a copy of the base game for free. It's worth noting that you'll have to shell out extra money for the Forsaken content, so you might be better off just buying the $60 release Destiny 2: Forsaken Legendary Collection if you don't already have the game and the first two expansions (which you'll need to play Forsaken).
For the sports fans out there, you can pre-order NBA 2K19 to get one of three Funko Pop figures for free while supplies last. A number of other gaming deals area available at Best Buy this week, so take a look at the list below to see if anything catches your eye.
Grab your Malfeasance Exotic, head to the Tangled Shore, and watch how to make this Destiny 2: Forsaken public event heroic. Captured on PS4 Pro.
The latest expansion releases for Destiny 2 with new exotics, Gambit mode, and new areas to explore: The Tangled Shore and The Dreaming City. We played in advance on PS4 and here's what you should know.
Destiny 2's new Forsaken DLC expansion releases soon on PC, PS4, and Xbox One; see gameplay from it in action.
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