To celebrate Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate coming to Nintendo Switch on August 28, 2018, we're giving away 10 copies of the game and 1 Nintendo Switch!
One (1) Grand Prize winner will receive a Nintendo Switch, plus a copy of the game, and nine (9) runner-ups will receive the game on Nintendo Switch.
Entry is open to United States residents only. No purchase necessary. Competition ends September 9, 2018 at 11:59 PM PDT.
About the game:
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate is the follow-up to Monster Hunter Generations, and marks the Monster Hunter series' debut on Nintendo Switch as an exclusive. Hunters can face off against the largest roster of unique monsters in any Monster Hunter game to date. Players take on the role of a brave hunter challenging larger than life beasts that yield valuable resources used for crafting unique weapons and equipment. Accept hundreds of quests solo or with friends in this nostalgic look back at the series' beginnings and evolutions. Along the hunter's journey, players must defend each of the game's four villages from major threats known as the Fated Four, plus an even more dangerous new Elder Dragon. This game features a blend of classic gameplay and unique new twists, brand new explorable areas and monsters, plus returning fan-favorites like the lightning fast Zinogre and the stealthy long-tailed Nargacuga. Fans will be able to play in tabletop mode or in handheld mode on-the-go with up to three other hunters locally or online when it releases on August 28, 2018.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of controlling Spider-Man in the new PS4 game is the steady flow of new skills, upgrades, and gadgets to incorporate into your superhero repertoire. Peter Parker is a capable combatant from the start but he can move faster, hit harder, and protect himself from harm more easily if you take the time to dress him for success. Understanding when and how to use your gadgets is a great first step in the right direction.
Let's breakdown each of Spider-Man's gadgets, and look at some examples of when you should put them into action.
Web Shooters
The Web Shooter is the most important tool in your kit, and one that you will use most-often throughout the game--unlike other gadgets, an empty Web Shooter only needs a few seconds to recharge. At its most basic, a single web shot is an effective means of momentarily staggering an enemy. A few consecutive shots can also be used to ensnare a target and make them available as a weight to swing around and knock over other enemies, or, if an enemy is close to a wall, a few shots will attach them to it. You'll have fun if you tinker with Spider-Man's more advanced gadgets, but if you're alert enough, you could simply get by with the Web Shooters alone--they're that effective.
Impact Web
The next step up f is the Impact Web gadget. Think of this as a weapon that fires a condensed blast from your standard shooters, one powerful enough to instantly knock back and web up a bad guy. You can only hold a couple of shots until you upgrade the gadget, but even with those added rounds it's not something you can spam on a regular basis.
When fully upgraded, the Impact Web can deploy a blast that causes the initial target to spread Spidey's web to any other enemy they come into contact with. Consider facing a crowd of enemies and treating them like bowling pins just waiting to be knocked down. Do this, and follow-up with a ground-pound attack (unlocked in the skill tree) to add insult to injury. You can also grab hold of the impacted enemies and use them as a projectile to harm or momentarily disable any other nearby enemies.
Spider Drone
The Spider Drone is a handy little sidekick that can float nearby Spider-Man and stun enemies with a beam of electricity. It is a great tool to activate if you find yourself surrounded by enemies, either to open a window of time for an escape, or, to give you a fighting chance of taking on the entire group.
Electric Web
From a tactical standpoint, the Electric Web gadget is one of the most useful and simple-to-understand of the bunch, perhaps only second to the standard Web Shooters. Like the Spider Drone, the Electric Web can stun enemies, but you get to manually pick your target.
The best part? Any enemies standing nearby your initial target will become stunned as well. It's not the only gadget for the job, but if you see a crowd of enemies running at you or simply standing by while you move about unnoticed, the Electric Web is a handy way of gaining the upper hand before entering the fray. After a few upgrades, you'll be able to stock extra electric ammo and enjoy a shocking arc that jumps farther away from your initial target.
Web Bomb
Just like the Electric Web, your Web Bomb gadget is great for crown control (it explodes webs that trap enemies within a small area) though it has a couple of distinct advantages to keep in mind. Unlike the Electric Web, you don't need to fire a direct hit. Simply aim at the environment and the Web Bomb will detonate after a few seconds and entrap anyone that comes close.
More importantly, there are many skills that allow you to manipulate webbed enemies to your advantage, compared to enemies that are simply stunned. A well-placed Web Bomb gives you plenty of vulnerable bad guys to grab with your webbing and swing around to give yourself some breathing room.
Upgrades for the Web Bomb will grant you more ammo, and increase the size of the web explosion.
Trip Mine
If you know an enemy is patrolling a specific route and want to catch them at just the right location, Spider-Man's Trip Mine is the perfect solution. Essentially, when an enemy comes close enough, the mine will explode and ensnare them.
The logical place to put a mine is on the ground or a wall, but consider that they will also stick to enemies and your opportunities get a bit more interesting. An activated mine on an enemy will essentially grab the nearest person and slam them into the original target. It's how you unlock the 'Hug It Out' trophy, and it's worth a laugh the first few times you do it.
Concussive Blast
The Concussive Blast is a useful gadget that emits a powerful sonic wave, causing nearby enemies to tumble backwards. It's useful in a lot of scenarios, but none more so than when fighting on a rooftop. A flick of your wrist is all it takes to send enemies flying over the edge, instantly knocking them out of combat.
Suspension Matrix
One of the best parts of playing as Spider-Man is controlling his antics in mid-air, and that's precisely why the Suspension Matrix is not just a useful gadget, but a fun one to boot. An enemy off the ground is also a vulnerable enemy, and with the quick press of a button you can not only zip up to your next target, but also set yourself up for a new set of combos, such as a series of melee attacks and a final web-grab-and-toss motion that sends them careening into their buddies.
Come October 5, you'll be able to set out on a Greek odyssey of your own as Kasandra or Alexios, but to make sure that odyssey of yours is running at peak performance, you'll want to make sure you've got a setup that can handle your epic, Spartan journey. Especially since Assassin's Creed Odyssey on PC isn't just a port of the console games.
For those with PCs that aren't quite up to date with 4K just yet, you won't have to fear. Assassin's Creed Odyssey can be played in as low as 720p, but it's recommended you're playing on a setup that can handle 1080p.
Because it's not a port of the console games, PC versions of Assassin's Creed Odyssey will have two special settings that you won't find on the console versions. Each set of recommendations in this list says the game will run at 30 FPS--but that's not entirely set in stone. In the PC versions of the game, you'll have access to a set of tools to play with graphics settings, and a toggle option to uncap the framerate.
Minimum Requirements
OS: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (64-bit versions only)
Video: AMD Vega 64, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (8GB VRAM with Shader Model 5.0)
Memory: 16GB RAM
Resolution: 4K
Targeted framerate: 30 FPS
Video Preset: High
Storage: 46GB available hard drive space
DirectX: DirectX June 2010 Redistributable
Sound: DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card with latest drivers
Assassin's Creed Odyssey is out on PC, Xbox One, and PS4 on October 5. For more coverage on this latest iteration of the Assasin's Creed universe, head on over to our Assassin's Creed Odyssey hub.
As one of gaming's most beloved beat-em-ups, the Streets of Rage series was a hallmark of the Sega Genesis' vast library. Popularizing the brawler sub-genre on home consoles in the '90s, the original trilogy centered around a team of street fighters taking matters into their own hands to fight against gangs and corrupt politicians. Even after 24 years of dormancy, the Streets of Rage games have remained highly respected by fans, who've been anticipating the franchise's return. And now with Streets of Rage 4, the next entry in the series shows that it hasn't lost its touch after its long hiatus.
This isn't the first time developers have tried reviving the Streets of Rage franchise. Sega attempted a revival on the Dreamcast, and Ruffian Games--the developer behind Crackdown 2--also tried its hand at a reboot on Xbox 360 and PS3. But now, the next game in the beat-em-up series will be a true continuation of the Sega Genesis games. Coming from developers LizardCube and Guard Crush Games--who've worked on the Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap remake and Streets of Fury EX, respectively--Streets of Rage makes its big return with its predecessor's familiar side-scrolling beat-em-up gameplay, some smooth synth beats, and a brand new visual style for its debut on modern consoles.
We had some hands-on time with the game at PAX West 2018 and came away impressed with how it's shaping up so far. Right from the beginning of the demo, the game reflects its predecessors' history and legacy. Not only does it pay due respects, it also introduces some new ideas--and a style all its own--that feels more like a natural progression for the series than you'd likely expect. Though the plot of SOR4 is still under wraps, it's clear that another crime wave has swept the city sometime after the events of Streets of Rage 3, forcing veteran brawlers Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding back into action. The developers weren't ready to share any details about other returning characters, but the upcoming game does pull from the familiar tropes, enemies, and style that made the previous games stand out during its day.
The core gameplay remains just as it was in the original games, with the developers citing the second and third titles as their touchstones. The team also stated that they were admirers of the unofficial fan game, Streets of Rage Remake, which offered some inspiration for the new entry. Many of the characters' more iconic moves, such as Axel's Grand Upper make a return. One persistent feeling throughout my time with Streets of Rage 4 was that it all felt very familiar. With that said, some of game's more contemporary changes were clearly apparent. One great feature that fans will dig in SOR4 is a modified super move system. Much like in SOR2, using a special move would deplete some of your health, making for a risk/reward system. In the new game, however, that depleted life can be recovered by immediately following up with regular attacks--similar to Bloodborne's health regen system.
One of the most striking things about Streets of Rage 4 is its new visual style, which is apparent in the game's debut trailer. While the original games featured detailed 2D sprite work, SOR4 uses hand-drawn art for its characters and backgrounds--similar to the style employed in LizardCube's Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap. Though some diehards may have reservations about the vastly different look, the new aesthetic still feels consistent with the spirit of past games. Moreover, it offers a much more dynamic look compared to its predecessor's vivid, yet still static cityscape. While brawling against waves of street thugs, we came across several stages in vastly different areas of the city, each showing of a surprising amount of detail and flavor.
The build we got to play at PAX West was early, featuring some placeholder assets and reused music from the original games. However, the developers were quick to state that the final game will have its own unique score and effects to help make it stand out from the original game. While they were tight-lipped about whether the series' original composer, Yuzo Koshiro, was returning to create new synth-rock tracks for the game, they stated that they were in talks with him and the Sega about nailing the game's particular style.
Coming in 2019 to yet unannounced platforms,SOR4 already seems in great shape. Even from the short demo, action felt incredibly The series' impact on the beat-em-up genre, and its endearing style and presentation--which made it a hallmark of early-90s 2D gaming--have earned it a long-held respect among fans, who have waited patiently for a new game to fill in the void that it left behind. While SOR4 definitely has some big shoes to fill, the developers seem to be on the right track.
Originally released in 2005, Capcom and Grasshopper Manufacture's Killer7 was widely regarded as the most subversive and bizarre game of its day. Blending on-rail shooter gameplay, adventure-style puzzles and traversal, and an incredibly strange and surreal storyline involving a group of assassins with seemingly multiple-personalities--the game pulled no punches with its incredibly over the top narrative and gory action. Created by Goichi Suda, otherwise known as Suda51, Killer7 has remained one of his most notable titles, and has amassed a cult following since its release on Gamecube and PS2.
While Grasshopper Manufacture and Suda51 have moved on to other games, which includes the No More Heroes series and Let It Die, Killer7's fanbase has kept interest in the game alive--which prompted the developers to remaster the game for modern platforms. Before its fall release on PC, we sat down with Suda51 to talk about the making of Killer7 and played the first mission of the remaster. During our talk, he spoke candidly about what he learned in the years since he created the game, and some of things he hopes could happen with it in the future. The following interview has been edited for readability and brevity, with Suda's responses interpreted through a translator.
What's it like returning to Killer7 after so many years?
SUDA51: It's a really mysterious feeling. A while ago, we redid The Silver Case and in the same way we redid this game in particular, and a lot of those memories and experiences that I had when I was making Killer7 were revived in my mind--and I kind of re-experienced all of that with this game. I remember that this level we're showing here, one of the early stages of the games, had to be redesigned about ten times. The way it worked back then was that they had to kind of do one level at a time--instead of designing much of the game all at once--so we just had to keep plowing through this and remake it until we felt good about it.
How was it working with Capcom on this game? It's a very unusual and surreal game, so I imagine they had some thoughts about what you had created at the time.
Yeah, it was actually a really good relationship because our producer, Shinji Mikami [creator of Resident Evil] said yes to everything. He didn't really say "no" or shoot down anything. One of the good things about working with Mikami-san, for example, like on this level here, was that he taught me more about level design--how fast the character should move, gameplay and all other things--so it was a really good experience. We were given a lot of freedom, but at the same time when we needed him to step in and give us some advice and guidance, he did.
This game was also a part of the experimental set of titles known as the Capcom Five, which included P.N. 03, Viewtiful Joe, the cancelled Dead Phoenix, and of course Resident Evil 4. What was it like working alongside those games while in development on Killer7?
Yeah, just speaking as a player, seeing those other games from the other dev teams at the time was like a 'whoa'-type experience. I'm just extremely gratified that Capcom allowed me to make a game within that community. I remember those times a lot, and it was a really big honor that I felt I had to pay back. I really put my all into into making this game good.
What actually motivated you to bring the original game to new platforms for the remaster?
Well, one thing that I want to point out is that the release on the GameCube version was the original version that they developed. One thing that is apparent before this remaster was that it hasn't been easy for players to experience the game, unless they had copies on GameCube or PS2--because how many people really have those things hooked up at this point? While more people have probably played the game on the PS2, the version that we fully stand behind is the GameCube version. With the remaster, we pulled from the original source on the GameCube, which is the version I want fans to play. I appreciate that the GameCube version was the original version, because it didn't seem like we had a lot of unique games like Killer7 for the GameCube back then. And beyond that, it's finally on something that's kind of more persistent, [the PC marketplace].
So the style of this game is very unique. Not only in terms of visuals, but also in its tone and focus on western media, particularly the surrealist films of David Lynch, by way of an action-thriller from Shane Black. Was that something that was always clear in regards to your vision--in how Killer7 is western media through the lens of a Japanese developer?
Yeah, in regards to Lynch and other action films, absolutely. I'm a huge Lynch fan, and his influence popped up there in some regards, but by the same token, it was really something where back then you really couldn't really make games as freely as you would have wanted to. And so I felt that this was a really big opportunity. And so, as you know, the game has five chapters to it. And it kind of feels like each chapter could practically be a different game--I tried to cram so much into it.
With Killer7, there's this lineup of radically different characters to play as. Is there a particular person in the roster that's your favorite?
Definitely Coyote Smith, His style, his personality, and all his unique characteristics. Unfortunately in the actual game itself, I didn't have a chance to tell all of his story and get everything I wanted to out there, but even still, I obviously know what I created and what is there for him. I just think he's really cool.
It did seem like there were some character that didn't get their full stories told. Were there any characters in particular you wished you had more time with to flesh out more?
Yeah. Well, basically Dan, Harmon, and Garcian's stories are pretty much told within the game. But with that said, everybody else, especially like Coyote and Kaede, I wished I could have told more. Particularly why Kaede has the blood on her dress. There are reasons for that. I didn't have a chance to put that in the game.
So each act of the game brings its own narrative and style, and while they can be seen as stand alone stories, they're all still connected together. Is there a particular one that sticks out for you as your favorite?
Everyone's favorite seems to the Super Sentai parody [in Mission 4, Alter Ego], but the Cloudman act is my favorite. As we were making the game, we always had an idea of where things were gonna go, but we also had to make sure things were still very interesting along the way. We thought about how we planned to keep things varied across all the acts, and how it would all come together in the end. And so that's why you have things like for example in Cloudman, when you have the last boss character, who's the ring leader, you get to understand him more as a character and see things from his particular perspective. Doing that allowed us to let the players basically see what I wanted do with Killer7, to have these characters, and their presence, sort of seep into the players themselves as they were playing it--and leave an impression on them after the game's finish.
That was kind of the goal for making everything different as well as making the balance of the game good to keep people interested in playing more. We tried to keep it fun for a while, but not all the time.
Yeah, the Curtis Blackburn mission was when the game took an even darker turn. While the game was consistent in its violence and mature themes, it was still mostly dorky and tongue-in-cheek. This chapter however seemed like a major shift towards bleak territory--which at the time of its release in 2005 seemed very unusual for games.
Yeah, it was always about trying to strike that balance and keeping things interesting. The chapter before that is like really weird and funny, kinda silly even. Yet in the same way, again, that has to do with messing with the player and how they're feeling--to really shake things up. We all put a lot of energy into making sure that every experience that the player has is different and beyond what came before.
When you look at Killer7 and how it fits into your history of games, it really sticks out as one of the darker stories, especially when compared to the not so serious No More Heroes. Just as an aside, do you think a character like Travis Touchdown would be able to exist--or even survive--in Killer7?
I think fighting these guys might be a little much for Travis. Plus I think the group of assassins wouldn't get along well with him. They might think he's a little annoying. He's a really nostalgic kind of guy, and his personality wouldn't mesh well with these guys.
It seems like you're being nostalgic for this game now.
Yeah, actually seeing this level being played again, I remembered all the work that went into getting this right. Overall, we probably cut half the puzzles from the game. This level is the Fukushima Situation. Within that, half of the map area was cut because otherwise it was too long. We cut about two hours of content from that, map wise. I would have loved to have kept it in. Maybe we could've unlocked the whole thing after, because the whole thing is actually in the game already. All the puzzles. The whole map. It's already in there. It's just that they cut it from a programming perspective and hit it with a flag.
So if someone were to go into the game's files they would be able to unearth all that cut content?
Probably yeah, actually.
Well, looking back on this game, what would you say was one of the biggest successes you found with the game?
Well, what makes me feel good about this game is that it all actually makes sense and that we were able to finish it to completion. It's a really weird game, but because the amount of care we put into every single location you visit and the thought that went into all the characters--how it looks, how it moves, and all of those things down to the minute detail of it--it still looks pretty good, you know? The fact that we were able to finish it, while still putting all that care into each and every scene, is something that I believe is still really good about the game. There's really no other game like this, or at least there wasn't at the time.
While working on this, the staff I was with really didn't really know what they were making. They didn't really get it for a while. There were actually multiple times during the project where I had to ask myself if what we were making was fun, are people gonna like this, or even if this game would even make it at all. And again there came a point when it all kinda clicked for everybody and it was like, yes, we get it. This is fun. You know? But eventually, there came a point where the staff kinda... got it. They all got on the same vector, and then things really picked up. I was very pleased to see it all come together.
Even after all these years, and after you moved on to other games, Killer7 remains a well-liked title. Would you ever consider a revisit to the Killer7 universe in any way?
Well with this game, I put all of my energy into it and I was kind of burnt out a little afterward. Honestly, I feel it's a really complete work as it is, so trying to revisit this and make a world like this again would be really daunting. I'm pretty happy with where things left off with Killer7. I unfortunately don't have the same amount of energy that I had back then to make a sequel or something, I'm too old for that now. Having said that, Capcom owns the rights to this, so if the company should allow it, what I would really like to do is to restore much of the cut stuff in here. I would like to make a more definitive version of the game that restores all the stuff that was cut. That's something I believe I can do.
What's the one thing you want to say to like maybe long time fans of the game?
Speaking to just the old fans, right now, thanks to the indie games movement, I feel this game, as you kind of mentioned, has a lot to offer for people. There's so many indie games that are out there right now doing cutting edge things, and I feel this is the perfect environment for young gamers to come into the medium. For gamers who have never had a chance to play this game before, and for those that I really want to reach with this. To give them an opportunity to play this game. And see what it's all about, and hopefully fall in love with it.
This isn't our first run-in with the Nun, after all.
The Conjuring Universe might not have the name recognition or the star power of something like the MCU, but that doesn't mean it isn't a self referential web of continuity and call acks that happen across different movies, pulled from different sources, over multiple years. If there's anything the 2010s have taught us about pop culture it's that we just can't get enough of a good shared cinematic universe.
The Nun is the fifth installment in the Conjuring lineup, after two official Conjuring movies, Annabelle, and Annabelle: Creation, meaning it has a ton of room to work in this particular playground. And work it does, as it follows the ill-fated adventure of a vatican employed "miracle hunter," Father Burke, and his newly assigned partner, Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) to investigate a mysterious suicide in a remote Romanian monastery. Of course, things don't go exactly as planned, and what Burke and Irene actually wind up finding is anything but a miracle. The monastery itself had been confining an ancient demonic evil that had since escaped its prison and was beginning to rain death and terror down on anyone who dared cross its path.
This wasn't the first time we'd come face to face with said demonic evil. Valak, the demon nun itself, has been featured in multiple Conjuring Universe installations with a featured role as the Big Bad of the Conjuring 2, and as an ominous and looming presence in Annabelle: Creation. Wheels within wheels of manipulation and deceit have placed Valak at the very heart of the Conjuring Universe's arcane web, and subtly built it up as one of the most destructive and dangerous forces in Ed and Lorraine Warren's life.
But we're not here to talk about the doom and gloom of Valak's spooky apocalyptic desires, ambiguous as they may be. We're here to talk about all the references, nods and Easter eggs The Nun managed to pack into this latest chapter of the Conjuring Universe. We've compiled a list of everything we caught, from classic horror shout outs to historical spooks. Click through the gallery to see them all, and let us know in the comments if we missed anything.
Valak may not actually be named in Annabelle: Creation, but Sister Charlotte owns a picture from her time in the Romanian monastery which, disturbingly, features the demon among a group of Charlotte's friends. You can spot this photo in The Nun as Sister Irene looks through the monastery's rooms.
When questioned about Valak's identity in the photo, Charlotte seems to have no recollection of it or it being present when the photo was taken, which likely means that the monastery was at least relatively functional and normal just ten years before the disastrous events of The Nun. What a difference a handful of years can make.
2. The Farmiga Connection
Though their characters are unrelated--at least as far as we know--Sister Irene is played by Taissa Farmiga, the sister of Vera Farmiga, who plays Lorraine Warren. It's unlikely that their characters will wind up having a major connection, considering the timeline of events and their respective ages, but it is worth noting that both Irene and Lorraine seem to have an unusual and pointed affinity for the supernatural, and both experience prophetic visions when they come in contact with certain objects or entities.
Maybe Lorraine and Irene will wind up being revealed to be distant cousins somewhere down the line, or perhaps something closer to reality: long lost sisters.
3. Sister Irene
Unlike the Warrens, Sister Irene is not based on a real person, but her name doesn't seem to have been picked at random. There is a real life saint, Irene Chrysovalantou, who was known as the "destroyer of demons," for saving a lustful young man named Nicholas from demonic possession. She did this not by official exorcism but by--no joke--confining him to a straight jacket and tying him to the pillars of a church to cast the demon out. So, you know, whatever gets the job done.
4. Maurice's Exorcism
The Nun concludes with a bit of a bookend to bring things full circle. "Frenchie," as he's known for the majority of the movie, turns out to actually be Maurice, who, unfortunately, was one of the cases of possession investigated by the Warrens a few years down the line. After the end of their monastery ordeal, Maurice apparently goes completely off the deep end (no doubt because of his nasty demonic passenger), has a horribly unsuccessful exorcism care of the Warrens, and kills himself.
Though we didn't know it at the time, the unsuccessful exorcism (featured in the first Conjuring film) was actually Lorraine's first encounter with Valak.
5. The Exorcist
Of course we can't have a movie about demonic nuns and exorcisms without at least a couple visual call-backs to the all time classic: The Exorcist.
No, there is no pea soup vomit or rotating heads to be found in The Nun, but there are more than a couple more subtle quotations, specifically in the cinematography that handles Father Burke's introduction, and the camera work that encompasses Burke and Irene's approach to the monastery.
6. David
Father Burke's nightmare vision, the ghost of David, a boy he attempted to exorcise but ultimately failed, may seem like just another creepy horror kid, but there's actually a bit more to him than that. Specifically, the "real" version of Valak actually was represented in ancient grimoires as a cherubic young boy, typically riding on some sort of snake.
Valak in the Conjuring Universe may be best known as a terrifying nun, but David is an extension of that identity and one that actually hits a little bit closer to the--well, are 17th century religious texts considered "source material?" You know what we mean.
7. Miracle Hunters
Father Burke calls his job, unofficially, "miracle hunting," which is surprisingly actually a completely real thing. The Vatican does genuinely employ bishops to search out and test the validity of supernatural events with a religious bent. There are even online databases available to hunt through lists of officially church recognized unexplained phenomena recorded over the last several centuries.
Typically these phenomena aren't related to, you know, demons breaking out of their arcane prisons underneath remote monasteries, however. Sorry to disappoint.
8. Plague Bells
One prominent if still background element of The Nun is a graveyard filled with bells, each of which is tied with a string leading down into their respective coffins. Father Burke explains that they were installed during outbreaks of plague to help prevent the unfortunate circumstance of someone getting buried alive.
While this seems like a bunch of conveniently spooky horror movie flavor, this practice really did exist. They were called "safety coffins" and they became immensely popular in the 19th century, with Germany in particular being a huge proponent of their design and implementation. It was less about victims of the plague, however, and more about people just being really, really scared of being buried alive. And honestly, who can blame them?
9. The "Woman in White" Trope
Throughout the movie, Sister Irene wears almost exclusively white. The in story reason is that she hasn't actually taken her vows yet, so she doesn't have the official black habit--but there's a bit more to it than that. Irene's white outfits put her squarely in the crosshairs of a time honored horror tradition, turned (ever so slightly) on its head--the "woman in white," the ghostly apparition of a forlorn woman, usually lost on the eve of an important event like a wedding.
Of course, the irony of the Nun is that Irene is actually the only woman in the monastery who isn't a forlorn apparition--but the cinematography of the movie does its best to play with that idea, giving us some truly fun and deeply classic gothic horror vibes nonetheless.
By Anonymous on Sep 08, 2018 08:30 pm In Marvel's Spider-Man, Peter's old boss is still at it, this time with his podcast where he shouts everyone's ear off complaining about the webbed menace. Here are some of the best excerpts from his hilarious radio show.
By Anonymous on Sep 08, 2018 07:30 pm With Marvel's Spider-Man finally in our hands, GameSpot staff chat about their experiences with the classic web-swinger, and how their impressions have changed over time. Marvel's Spider-Man is out now exclusively for PS4.
Despite having its own unique interpretation of the web-slinger's established world, Insomniac's Spider-Man is deeply entrenched in Marvel's expansive lore. The game makes reference to several characters and entities from the comics and movies, which includes mentions of the Avengers, Damage Control, Crusher Hogan, and a lot more. If you're an avid comic book reader or even a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you're likely to catch onto these subtle nods and details. But if you're among the many who love the character but may not be familiar with the more obscure facets of his world and those inhabit it, these references might swing over your head.
During our time spent playing the game, we discovered a wealth of references and easter eggs that we'd be remiss not to share. With so many clever details to notice and discover in Spider-Man's bustling world, we've highlighted the most fascinating Easter eggs and Marvel references.
There's a lot of late game story details present in this feature, so if you haven't beaten the game, we recommend you bookmark this page and return once you've cleared the game. If that doesn't bother you, feel free to click ahead.
Spider-Man is out now and it's a fantastic game that exudes passion for the character at every turn. For our full thoughts on the game, be sure to read our review. You can also check out our guides detailing all the tips we wish we knew before starting the game, as well as our in-depth skills guide. And if you're loving what you're playing, you're in luck. The game's first DLC expansion is set to launch on October 23.
In the meantime, were there any Spider-Man or Marvel Easter eggs you discovered that you don't see here? Feel free to let us know about them in the comments below.
Famous Landmarks
There's a ton of landmarks in Insomniac's take of Manhattan. Some are real--like Madison Square Garden and the Empire State Building--but others not so much. After all, this isn't our Manhattan, it's Marvel's version of the famous real-life burrough. As one of Marvel's central superhero (and supervillain) hubs, there are a ton of iconic locations packed in that Marvel fans will recognize.
The first major one folks will notice is likely the Avengers Tower located in the Upper East Side district, but there's so much more scattered around! You can find the Wakanda Embassy in the Midtown district; Peter will make a comment about King T'challa aka Black Panther, wondering if he was bitten by a radioactive panther in order to get his powers. Dr. Strange's home--the Sanctum Sanctorum--is located exactly where it should be in Greenwich Village. And there's even some deeper, like Damage Control HQ, an organization specializing in cleaning up the wreckage of superhero fights. And The Bar With No Name, which is a hidden speakeasy where supervillains can drink and relax in peace.
Spider-Man is littered with Marvel landmarks. We're only scratching the surface here, so we highly encourage you to explore and see the rest for yourself!
Mr. Phillip Chang
One of the side-missions has you helping out a fella named Phillip Chang, an ESU student who has you looking for his missing classmates. He's a resourceful guy, having developed advanced facial recognition technology that allows him to track down people via their social media feeds. Okay, maybe that sounds a bit creepy, but it helped Spidey save the day.
Anyway, Phillip Chang is actually a character from the comics; though, his origins are much different. Peter attended university with Chang and they were even labmates for a time. He was a pivotal character in a story arc involving a deadly gang known as the Tiger's Claw. In his teenage years, Chang lived a troubled life, becoming involved with an underworld organization in China. However, he renounced his ways when the effects of his criminal dealings tragically took the lives of his parents. Chang then moved to the U.S., attending college at ESU where he met Peter Parker. But this peace was soon disturbed by the Tiger's Claw, who noticed Chang's impressive fighting ability and wished to make him their leader. Of course, Chang was reluctant and refused, but this triggered a series of events that ended with Spider-Man saving Chang from the clutches of the Tiger's Claw.
Otto's AIM Contract
After losing their support from the grant committee and having all their resources revoked from them by Norman Osborn, Otto calls in some favors and takes on a few grants in order to fund his research. One of the funding partners should be instantly recognizable to Marvel fans. If you examine some of the new equipment in the lab, you'll discover paperwork detailing a grant from A.I.M. aka Advanced Idea Mechanics. Peter remarks that their reputation is a tad shady, which is a bit of an understatement if we're talking about the very same organization from the comics.
A.I.M. is a privately funded organization of terrorist arms dealers and scientists whose sole mission is to overthrow the governments of the world through the use of technology and scientific advancement. Their list of clientele and allies includes big-name supervillains, like Red Skull, Hydra, General Thunderbolt Ross, and the Serpent Society--which is an enterprise of criminals and mercenaries dressed as snakes. So yeah, pretty shady.
The Taskmaster
About halfway through the game you'll run into a shadowy figure who challenges you to complete some difficult tasks involving beating/sneaking up on goons, disarming bombs, and chasing drones. This menacing foe is none other than Taskmaster, a supervillain who battles Spider-Man every once in a while in the comics. Though, he has also made appearances in the comics of The Avengers, Deadpool, Daredevil, and more. Fighting game fans will likely recognize this skull-faced mercenary, as he was featured several years ago in the roster of Marvel vs. Capcom 3.
As you complete Taskmaster's challenges, you'll start to learn that he has what's called "photographic reflexes," which allows him to duplicate almost any physical activity he sees by simply seeing it performed once. It's literally the reason why he's setup these challenges throughout Manhattan; he wants to take you down by learning your every move. What a creep!
Screwball
In the side-mission, Internet Famous, you get wrapped up in an internet challenge that takes a turn for the worse. After scanning a QR code, you're forced to complete combat and puzzle trials under a strict time limit in order to reveal the location of a kidnapping victim. The individual forcing you to do all this is a social media personality known as Screwball, who is only trying to take advantage of your involvement with the challenge to wrack up more subscribers.
Screwball definitely has some screws loose, that's for sure. Her whole shtick is the same in the comics, committing crimes while a camera crew films her and then uploading the footage on YouTube to earn money. She makes it a point to get Spider-Man in the footage, as she acknowledges that her internet hits are even better with him around. It's worth noting that Screwball was first introduced in 2008 right around the early years of YouTube; her antics are more relevant now than ever before.
Spider-Man 2 Reference
During the latter half of the game, Spider-Man needs to make a quick save in order to stop a speeding subway train after dispatching Mr. Negative. His first attempt should be a familiar one to Spider-Man fans, as it's the same method that he used to save a subway train in Spider-Man 2. The game makes a very clear nod to this, even going as far as to having Spider-Man say "That totally worked the first time!" when it inevitably fails. Nice one, Insomniac, we see watchu doin'.
Backpack Collectibles
The game's 55 backpacks are more than just mindless collectibles you grab to upgrade Spider-Man's abilities. They each represent and inform a little about Peter Parker's life and history as a superhero. For example, you can find the last pair of glasses Peter used before he got his powers and even his Mk I web shooters! But there's a lot of other fascinating references and tidbits in-between, like a business card for Daredevil's law practice, and vials containing the blood of The Lizard and the sand of..well, Sandman--both are iconic supervillains from the comics.
There's even a lovely nod to the past with the Arm Web collectible, which Peter comments he tried to use to glide short distances, but never worked. This Arm Web is an iconic aspect of Spider-Man's early designs in the comic books by artist Steve Ditko, who often drew the character with these underarm webs for aesthetic purposes.
The references don't stop at characters and in-universe lore, though. There's a pin for the Spidey Squad, a real-life Spider-Man fan club. Peter acknowledges their presence in-game as his one and only fan club who always supports him when J. Jonah Jameson attempts to attack his reputation.
The backpack collectibles are rich with narrative details that reference both Spider-Man and Marvel history. Don't hesitate to grab them in your travels!
Yuri Watanabe's Potential Secret
Yuri Watanabe is one of your closest allies in the game. As you'd expect, she exists in the comics, but she has a much more fascinating alter ego that's not yet confirmed to exist in this game's universe. In a similar vein, Yuri is an NYPD captain and ally of Spider-Man, but at night she acts as a ghostly vigilante known as the Wraith. She's technically the fourth person to take on the mantle of Wraith, but we won't go too hard on the specifics of the history of that. What matters is that there exists a possibility that this version of Yuri could very well become the Wraith. But will it happen? Time will tell.
The Black Cat
As you'll gather, the stakeout side activity centers around a thief named Black Cat, who is alluded to have quite the history with Spider-Man. In the comics, Black-Cat is a major character. She started out as a supervillain to Spider-Man, but this ended when the two eventually fell in love. Acting as on-again, off-again romantic partners, the couple worked together on several occasions to fight crime. However, the relationship inevitably ended when Black Cat eventually fell back into her thieving ways.
Black Cat is considered one of Spider-Man's most trusted allies. However, at this point in the game's universe, she appears to be going through that same lapse she experienced in the comics. Though, were they romantic partners in this universe? That much remains unsaid. We imagine these stakeouts are a teaser for the upcoming Spider-Man DLC, titled The Heist, where Black Cat is to be prominently featured.
Dr. Morgan Michaels
In your quest to stop the "Devil's Breath" attack, you meet an Oscorp biochemist by the name of Dr. Morgan Michaels. Aside from showing remorse for his actions, you don't get much more out of him. However, this scientist is a lot more in the Marvel universe. In the comics, Michaels is better known as Morbius the Living Vampire. That's right, a vampire.
A brilliant scientist, Michaels suffered from a rare blood disease, which he attempted to solve with an experimental treatment involving vampire bats and electroshocks. Of course, this didn't work out, instead instilling in him a thirst for blood and an intense aversion to sunlight. The resulting shift in his physiology rendered him into an unstable creature of the night. He would go on to fight Spider-Man a few times, but would ultimately become an anti-hero who preys on the blood of criminals.
Those Spider-Suits!
You unlock a multitude of suits as you progress through the story. A few of them are canonical to the story, but the others are all based on Spider-Man suits from the comics and movies. Some standouts include the Stark Suit from Spider-Man: Homecoming; the Scarlet Spider suit from the infamous Clone Saga arc; and the Spirit Spider suit, which is based on an alternate-universe version of Spider-Man who returns from the dead with supernatural abilities. For the full rundown on where each Spider-Man is from, check out our feature highlighting each one and their background.
Family Guy and its creator, Seth MacFarlane, are ubiquitous today, but it wasn't always so. The show suffered from low ratings in its first three seasons, and Fox, after bumping its time slot around like a pinball, cancelled the show in 2002. But then, Family Guy found new life in college dorms, thanks to Adult Swim, DVD sales, and Kazaa file sharing. Fox revived the animated sitcom in 2005, and it's been high-flying ever since; its 17th season debuts on September 30.
Numerous show clips have gone viral--everything from Giant Chicken Fights, to Cool Whip, to Bird is the Word, to Ipecac Drinking Contests. Put enough of these in a 22-minute running time, and you have a show that will never earn the critical acclaim of its peers, but will always garner the most laughs per minute.
We're celebrating the 20 best Family Guy episodes from Season 1 to Season 16--the episodes with the perfect mixture of pop culture references, blue humor, and non-sequitur storytelling. Nearly all them, not coincidentally, have a generous helping of Brian and Stewie. Here are the episodes, listed in chronological order.
"Da Boom"
Season 2, Episode 3
Timing is key here. This episode originally aired on December 26, 1999, a prime position to goof on Y2K conspiracists. Peter shuttles his family down into the basement of the house to watch the clock strike midnight, and when it does, everyone's worst fears come true: Planes fall out of the sky, trains derail, and scores of nuclear warheads launch into the sky. The rest of the episode is a dystopian dark comedy, in which the Griffins search for other human life and try to rebuild society. "Da Boom" also features the very first Giant Chicken Fight, one of the most famous recurring gags in the show's history.
"Death is a Bitch"
Season 2, Episode 6
In this episode, Death comes for Peter's soul. But when Death sprains his ankle chasing after Peter, Peter must don the black robe and take up Death's scythe. Adam Carolla is the regular voice for Death. But in this episode, Death's first appearance, he was played by former SNL Weekend Update anchor Norm MacDonald, whose laid-back, sarcastic delivery worked perfectly.
"Road to Rhode Island"
Season 2, Episode 13
The first "Road to…" episode, starring Brian and Stewie, was presented as special; instead of beginning with the regular piano introduction, the show began with still shots of Brian and Stewie on various adventures. This was a buddy comedy rather than a family sitcom. And the plot--a road story where Brian and Stewie track down Brian's mother--delves deeper into the characters than before. This, and an earlier Season 1 episode "Brian: Portrait of a Dog," proved the show could be more than just random collection of cutaways.
"Lethal Weapons"
Season 3, Episode 7
This episode had two main intersecting plotlines: rude New Yorkers traveling to Rhode Island to see the leaves change color, and Lois taking martial arts lessons and learning to stand up for herself. In the third act, the episode becomes a critique of violence, which, per Family Guy style, is resolved with an all-out brawl.
"To Love and Die In Dixie"
Season 3, Episode 12
Chris witnesses a crime, and the family is forced into witness protection in the Deep South. Stewie starts a bluegrass band, Peter disrupts a Civil War reenactment, and Chris falls in love with a Southern girl named Sam (who he originally mistakes for a boy). Chris and Sam's inevitable goodbye is sweet and touching.
Chris: "I'll be sure to write."
Sam: "And I'll be sure to learn to read!"
"PTV"
Season 4, Episode 14
When Family Guy returned to the air after its cancellation, it took the new writers a few episodes to find their footing. And "PTV," a clever takedown of the FCC and its weird, draconian prudery, is where the show hit its stride again. It's anchored by one of the best Family Guy songs ever written--so good that Brian and Stewie performed a version of it at the 2007 Emmys.
"Meet The Quagmires"
Season 5, Episode 18
This time travel episode explored an alternate future where Peter blew his chance to marry Lois, and Quagmire married her instead. In later seasons, the humanity in Peter and Lois' marriage is completely sucked dry. This is one of the episodes where their love still feels believable and real. The episode concludes with a tribute to Back To The Future and a Broadway-esque Rick Roll, courtesy of Brian.
"Believe It or Not, Joe's Walking on Air"
Season 6, Episode 4
Joe gets a new pair of legs, can walk again (just go with it), and becomes a complete douchebro as a result. The episode ends with Peter, Cleveland, Quagmire, and Bonnie trying to maim Joe because they liked him better when he was handicapped. A crass and mean-spirited episode overall but funny enough to overlook the worst of it.
"McStroke"
Season 6, Episode 8
Sometimes, a Family Guy episode seems like a collection of random jokes rather than an actual plot. That's certainly the case with "McStroke," in which Peter grows a moustache, has a stroke, and exposes a fast food corporation all in a single, convoluted plot. But the individual parts are so funny that the lack of cohesion matters less. Meanwhile, Stewie attends Chris and Meg's school as Zac Sawyer, and he quickly becomes the most popular boy in school.
"Road to Germany"
Season 7, Episode 3
A time travel episode, "Road to Germany" Brian, Stewie, and Mort Goldman are transported to Warsaw, Poland in 1939--right before the Nazi occupation. Their efforts to return to the present day takes them to both London and Berlin, and Stewie dresses up as Hitler to steal some uranium. The "mirror gag," when Stewie Hitler meets the real Hitler, is an old time vaudeville routine lifted from Marx Brothers classic film "Duck Soup."
"Road to the Multiverse"
Season 8, Episode 1
If there's a single episode to put forward as the best of the entire series--proof of the show's comedic value and creativity--"Road to the Multiverse" is a great candidate. Stewie builds a contraption that allows him and Brian to travel to an infinite number of alternate universes. The funniest is the Disney universe, where every character is reimagined as a squash-and-stretch character from the House of Mouse. It even comes complete singing animals and a Disney-esque ballad titled, "It's a Wonderful Day for Pie."
"And Then There Were Fewer"
Season 9, Episode 1
In Agatha Christie's mystery novel And Then There Were None, ten people are trapped on an island during a storm. They all begin dying one by one, and the surviving guests realize that one of them is the murderer. "And Then There Were Fewer" is Family Guy's tribute to the entire British 'locked room' mystery genre. It also led to the permanent deaths of two main characters.
"Brian Writes A Bestseller"
Season 9, Episode 7
One of the best running jokes in the series is Brian's misadventures as a writer. He's a terrible one, and that forms the main plot of "Brian Writes A Bestseller." Brian deliberately sets out to write a terrible self-help book and in a Producers-esque twist, it becomes a national bestseller. The success goes to his head, and he ends up being humiliated by Bill Maher on Politically Incorrect. Stewie, who works as Brian's manager, is the perfect comic foil as Brian slowly becomes a spoiled diva.
"Road to the North Pole"
Season 9, Episode 7
A bawdy Christmas special with a lot of heart, "Road to the North Pole" stars Brian and Stewie. They find Santa close to death due to exhaustion and excessive demands, and they decide to deliver the presents in his stead. The attempt is, of course, an unmitigated disaster, and it features some of the darkest comedy in the show's history. But the episode manages to bring it back around with a heartfelt message against greed and materialism.
"Back to the Pilot"
Season 10, Episode 5
Family Guy is great when it goes meta, and this episode, where Brian and Stewie travel back in time to the pilot episode of Season 1, serves as a self-analysis of the show's evolution. The episode plays on every time travel paradox and loophole in a late sequence, where hundreds of Stewies and Brians from multiple timelines debate about whether to change the past to alter the future.
"Lois Comes Out Of Her Shell"
Season 11, Episode 6
Lois has a midlife crisis, brought on by the worst imaginable birthday toast by Peter. And although Peter likes the new Lois, he eventually can't keep up. It ends with Peter beating up Justin Bieber, and reasserting his love for Lois. The B-plot, where Stewie adopts a homicidal turtle, is a zany complement.
"Roads to Vegas"
Season 11, Episode 21
The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Second Chances" deals with a transporter accident that creates two William Rikers. "Roads to Vegas" has an identical plotline; Stewie and Brian use a transporter to travel to Las Vegas, and the transporter creates a separate Brian and Stewie. Each set goes to Las Vegas unbeknownst to the other and while one wins big, the other loses all its money and becomes indebted to a loan shark. Well-plotted, clever, and well-resolved, "Roads to Vegas" is further proof that Brian and Stewie are the most fleshed-out, funniest characters on the show.
"Baking Bad"
Season 13, Episode 3
Peter and Lois start a cookie shop that Peter, despite his best intentions, slowly transforms into a strip club. In the B-plot, Stewie gets addicted to cough syrup, and Brian holds an intervention with all of Stewie's stuffed animals. "Baking Bad" features Cookie Monster, who bookends the episode with two well-placed cameos.
"Peter's Sister"
Season 14, Episode 6
After over a decade, we finally learn why Peter constantly bullies Meg. It's because of his professional wrestler sister Karen, who bullied him when he was a kid. And when Karen comes to visit Peter during Thanksgiving, it's Meg who tries her best to support her father. This episode features a rare father/daughter moment near the end, when Meg tag teams with Peter to beat up Karen in the ring.
"Dog Bites Bear"
Season 16 Episode 11
Last season, Family Guy dialed back the cutaways and the crassness; the writers are harkening to an earlier time, when the characters had heart. "Dog Bites Bear" deals with the "death" of Stewie's teddy bear Rupert, and it eventually becomes a deconstruction of Brian and Stewie's long-standing friendship. The two friends climb a mountain to scatter Rupert's ashes, and they end their eulogy with a Boyz II Men cover that strangely works. No matter how crazy the show gets, the Brian and Stewie relationship has always kept things grounded, and "Dog Bites Bear" is a case in point.
By Anonymous on Sep 08, 2018 06:30 pm With so many clever details to notice and discover in Spider-Man's bustling world, you might not have time to see them all. But we've highlighted 7 of the most fascinating Easter eggs and Marvel references just for you!
We're giving away 500 Beta codes for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4Blackout Battle Royale mode. Scroll down to enter below.
This is not an instant win. Five-hundred (500) winners will be selected at random and receive an email with the code. No purchase necessary. Codes are for the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Blackout Battle Royale mode Beta only and do not give access to the full game when it launches officially.
Starting Monday, September 10, players can get their first hands-on experience with Blackout in the Blackout Private Beta, beginning first on PlayStation 4. Xbox One and PC players will have access to the Beta starting Friday, September 14. Those who participated in the Multiplayer Beta previously will automatically have access to the Blackout Beta.
Enter below (the additional entries are OPTIONAL to increase your chances of winning):
The series which has become the most played in Call of Duty history, as well as a cultural phenomenon around the globe returns October 12th with the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, a gritty, grounded, all-out combat experience. Black Ops 4 raises the bar for Multiplayer mode that increases tactical gameplay and player choice, along with the biggest Zombies offering ever with three full experiences at launch, and Blackout, where the Black Ops universe comes to life in a massive battle royale experience featuring iconic characters and locations from all four Black Ops games in a one-of-a-kind offering that is uniquely Black Ops. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 transforms the established universe played by hundreds of millions of fans with the largest gameplay experience ever created in the series.
When you first jump into Marvel's Spider-Man, you're likely going to be taken aback by the complexities of its combat and web-swinging. Developer Insomniac has done a great job at making each system an interesting one that allows you to be creative while also expressing yourself as a player. While web-swinging will undoubtedly be easier to pick up, you're likely going to run into some issues properly executing the right combat moves during the right situations in a fight. There's a lot to the mechanics at work and it might catch you off guard, especially if you're more accustomed to the systems of other superhero games.
Spider-Man is a much more agile and acrobatic character to play as than, say, Batman from the Arkham games. So, if you're thrown off by that, don't worry: we were too. But with enough practice, you can embrace and learn all the skills and abilities that Spider-Man has to offer and more.
To help prepare you for the challenges ahead, we've compiled 11 tips you should know before starting Spider-Man. In this feature, we outline the best practices in combat, the types of skills you should prioritize unlocking in the game's skill tree, and other habits you should follow in order to come out successful.
Spider-Man releases on September 7 on PS4. GameSpot reviewer Edmond Tran said the game is "a superior Spider-Man experience that leaves a lasting impression." You can read more in our full review. As the day goes on, look out for our in-depth guide highlighting the best skills, as well as our feature about the coolest best mods and suits mods in the game. And if you're loving what you're playing, you're in luck. The game's first DLC expansion is set to launch on October 23.
In the meantime, were there any Spider-Man any tips you have that you don't see here? Let us know about them in the comments below.
Repair The Security Towers ASAP
This might seem a given, but the sooner you can repair all of the Oscorp security towers, the better. Otherwise, you're going to be staring at a completely fuzzed out map for a decent chunk of the game. An effective crimefighter needs to have full awareness of their environment, so make repairing the police towers the first thing you do.
Practice The Basics of Combat
While web-swinging is pretty easy to understand and execute, combat takes a while to wrap your head around. Spider-Man has a pretty wide range of attacks and dodges at the start of the game that require quick reflexes to properly execute. Some moves are situational, but others have to be linked together with another move to be effective. For example, the Air Launcher (Hold square) can be combined with Yank Down (Hold triangle) for a powerful slam attack to the ground that knocks back nearby enemies.
Take time to study the move list menu to watch footage of what each one does and the types of situations they're most useful in. It's best not to button mash, as later you'll acquire upgrades that reward perfectly-timed hits and dodges. If you're looking for a great venue to practice, then seek out Thug Crimes and Fisk Hideouts; there are plenty of enemies there you can test your skills against. Mastering the basics puts you in good shape for when you start unlocking gadgets and suit upgrades, which require intimate understanding of Spider-Man's repertoire to find the most powerful combinations (More on that later).
Unlock Enemy-Focused Combat Skills
Your early runnings as Spider-Man can be a bit tough when fighting against brutes and enemies equipped with shields or firearms, as they can easily fluster and overpower you if you're not careful. To help shift the odds in your favor, it's a good idea to unlock combat skills focused on hurting the different enemy types. Do you hate it when shielded enemies knock you back? Bunker Buster allows you to do the same to them and even launch them off buildings. Are you powerless to the Brute's constant pummeling? Wrecking Ball allows you to grab these meatheads and spin throw them, hurting surrounding enemies in the process.
These enemy-focused skills tend to be a bit higher up on their respective skill trees, but they're well worth getting. After all, nothing is more satisfying than dismantling the tactics of the bad guys and showing them what's what.
Web Slinging Skills Are Essential and Cool
While combat skills and defensive maneuvers are essential aspects of your repertoire, there really isn't anything more essential to the Spider-Man Experience™ than web-slinging. So if you're into that kind of thing, we would recommend diving straight into that particular skill tree first. You'll earn some very useful abilities to help you traverse the city more efficiently and make the opening hours of the game much more invigorating. Aim to get the Point Launch, Quick Recovery, and Charge Jump as soon as possible, and you'll be flying through the city in record time.
Don't Forget To Craft Suit Powers And Mods
It can be easy to get lost in the action of Spider-Man's exploits and the ensuing drama of his double life--so much so that you neglect to upgrade his suit's capabilities. There's a wealth of equippable suit mods that each grant you special combat capabilities, like slow down time after a perfect dodge, instantly shock enemies who hit you, or generate Gadget refills after performing Finishers. And suits are more than just cosmetic unlockables, they actually give you access to special suit powers that can you equip no matter which suit you wear. These powers give Spider-Man special attributes, like bulletproof armor or the ability to throw enemies without having to web them up.
All of these upgrades will be completely lost on you if you ignore them or simply stick to the ones assigned to you during the game's tutorial. Take advantage of suit powers and mods to enhance your Spidey tactics and abilities, but just make sure to check in every once in a while to see what you've unlocked for upgrade.
Diversify Your Side Activities
As you complete side activities and nab more of the game's myriad collectables, you'll earn special tokens used to upgrade Spider-Man's gadgets and craft new suit mods and powers. These upgrades require all manner of tokens to unlock, so when you're out in the world, try to diversify the types of activities you do. This way you'll always be racking in enough tokens to unlock the best Spider-Man's arsenal has to offer.
When you hover over an activity on the map screen, it'll tell you the type of tokens you'll be rewarded, as well as how many you'll get. Some activities can even be repeated for additional token rewards. As a crimefighter, you'll want to keep yourself preoccupied, but try to avoid doing the same thing over and over.
Build A One Man Army: Be Creative
As Uncle Ben once said, with new suits, comes new suit powers. Or something like that. Our memory is a bit hazy. But by combining Suit powers with your gadgets, along with the three Suit Mod slots, you're able to create some spectacular combos. For example, if you're fighting a bunch of goons, you could shoot a loaded-up Web Bomb, then let out an ear-splitting solo with the Rock Out power to send them all flying. Maybe you want to take to the skies and pair the suspension matrix with low gravity for some serious hangtime. Or you could just let your robots to do the dirty work for you: use the Spider Drone and Spider Bro for a tag team takedown.
Spider-Man's combat is all about creatively combining the effects of your gadgets, suit powers, and suit mods together for disastrous results. Be a responsible crime fighter and take time to mix n' match to see what works best. That's how Uncle Ben would've wanted it. You don't want to let him down, do you?
Ground Floor
As much fun as it is to swing through the city, there's still a whole world out there on the sidewalks to New York to explore, so take some time out of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Manning to appreciate the details on the ground floor. Give people high fives! Eavesdrop on the chatter! Check out the iconic New York City landmarks! Read the Daily Bugle! And sometimes, folks on the street might inform you about nearby crimes in the area.
Stop The Crime, Or Pay With Time
If you're a completionist and can't possibly imagine yourself NOT getting all of Spider-Man's spiffy new suits, then you're going to want to listen up. In order to unlock the final outfit (which we won't spoil here), you'll need to complete each of Manhattan's nine districts. That means finishing every single side quest, completing all the activities, and finding every collectible. This is why we cannot emphasize enough: do not skip crime activities. If you see a red exclamation icon pop up on your mini-map, make that your top priority. You'll want to complete as many as you can over the course of the main story, otherwise you're going to be spending a whole lot of time wandering the streets, searching for thugs to beat up. See a crime happening? Take 'em down. That's the Spidey way.
Seek Out Challenges
Later on, you'll come across stations that allow you to take on challenges. They might be combat or stealth focused or might have you chasing a drone across the city rooftops. Make sure not to skip these, as they'll reward you valuable tokens needed to acquire high-level upgrades for your gadgets and suit powers, especially when you break the high score record.
You Never Know What Nerdy Stuff You Might Find
Spider-Man is deeply entrenched in the character's extensive lore. As you advance the game's story, you'll notice a variety of references to the comics and movies. But if you take time to explore and look more closely at Insomniac's take on Spider-Man's Manhattan, you'll discover an abundance of Marvel references scattered all around. For example, there are several landmarks that are direct nods to famous Marvel characters and organizations. When you're not out fighting crime, be sure to set aside time to search for these references. It may not benefit your progression directly, but it's well worth doing--if only to be in awe of all the little details packed into the world.
By Anonymous on Sep 08, 2018 06:50 am Watch a bunch of scantily clad women fight it out! Even a gender bender version of Terry Bogard. Are you ok? BUSTER WOLF.
Viz Media has announced the worldwide pre-order for Long Story Short, the first of two novels that add additional context to the story and characters in Nier: Automata. The book is already available in Japan, and its English translation will release on October 9.
Long Story Short is written by Jun Eishima and Yoko Taro--the latter of which is the director of Nier: Automata--and works as both an entry point for those unfamiliar with Automata and as an avenue for those experienced with the game to further explore its lore. The novel includes story details and character thoughts that weren't included in Nier: Automata, some of which change your perception of certain actions taken by the game's protagonists.
In 2019, another Nier: Automata novel, titled Short Story Long, will release. Instead of following the events of the game, Short Story Long is a collection of short stories that take place within the Nier: Automata universe. The original Japanese version of Short Story Long is also already out and includes seven stories, but it has not been confirmed whether the English translation will include the same number. Short Story Long is also written by Jun Eishima and Yoko Taro.
You can pre-order Long Story Short for $15 in the U.S. and $20 in Canada, or nab it at a discount if you buy the digital version.
Nier: Automata was one of our favorite PS4 games in 2017 and we gave it a 9/10. In our Nier: Automata review, we described it as "Taro's most exciting game to date" and praised the combat mechanics and powerful storytelling--all of which remained in the game when it released on Xbox One in 2018.
Recent Articles:
You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website.
In Marvel's Spider-Man, Peter's old boss is still at it, this time with his podcast where he shouts everyone's ear off complaining about the webbed menace. Here are some of the best excerpts from his hilarious radio show.
With Marvel's Spider-Man finally in our hands, GameSpot staff chat about their experiences with the classic web-swinger, and how their impressions have changed over time. Marvel's Spider-Man is out now exclusively for PS4.
With so many clever details to notice and discover in Spider-Man's bustling world, you might not have time to see them all. But we've highlighted 7 of the most fascinating Easter eggs and Marvel references just for you!
Watch a bunch of scantily clad women fight it out! Even a gender bender version of Terry Bogard. Are you ok? BUSTER WOLF.
No comments:
Post a Comment