With Metro Exodus launching early next year, your interest in the series might be piqued right about now. If you haven't checked it out and you have a gaming-capable PC, you can pick up the first game in the series right now without spending a dime. For just 24 hours, you can head over to Steam and grab Metro 2033 for free. Just make sure you hurry, because the deal goes away October 26 at 10 AM PT (1 PM ET / 6 PM BT).
In the world of Metro 2033, nuclear war has wiped out the vast majority of humanity and made the earth's surface uninhabitable. Survivors in Moscow have fled to the underground, where they struggle to survive. And as a result of the toxicity in the atmosphere, mutant beasts roam the upper world.
This is a bleak first-person shooter, with an unrelentingly harsh atmosphere. In addition to the hideous mutant creatures you'll have to put down using an array of weaponry, you'll also face off against various human enemies--though a stealthy approach is often the best tactic.
In our Metro 2033 review, Chris Watters wrote, "The pervasive atmosphere fuels your whole experience, creating a grim, enthralling world that you feel compelled to explore. Metro 2033 is a very worthwhile game for anyone craving a uniquely rewarding journey into man's dark future."
If nothing else, playing a free copy of Metro 2033 could help ease the pain PC players feel over Red Dead Redemption 2 being only available on consoles, at least for the time being.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is due out in mere hours, and those who haven't put down their pre-order may still be wondering which platform to play it on. To that end, tech specialists have completed their analysis and concluded that pound for pound, Xbox One X delivers the most picturesque version of the Old West.
According to the Digital Foundry analysis, the Xbox One X runs natively at 4K while the PlayStation 4 Pro uses a reconstruction technique to output in 4K. If you don't own either of those high-end machines, though, the PlayStation 4 runs at standard 1080p, versus 864p for the Xbox One S. The lower-end Xbox is the worst performing console in the test, with textures that are said to be blurry and grainy.
The frame-rate for Red Dead 2 also stands out on Xbox One, with a locked 30fps that outpaces the occasional dropped frames in busy areas like towns. Both of the base consoles are said to hit the low 20s at times when visiting high-density cities. In this respect a base PlayStation 4 performs slightly worse than Xbox One. The two more powerful consoles deliver higher quality textures on characters and clothing, and there doesn't appear to be a difference in terms of foliage and landscapes. On the whole the analysis concludes that the Xbox One X wins by a "considerable margin."
Meanwhile RDR2 reviews have started to roll into town. GameSpot's Kallie Plagge praised the prequel as surprising all on its own. "Red Dead Redemption 2 is an excellent prequel, but it's also an emotional, thought-provoking story in its own right, and it's a world that is hard to leave when it's done," she wrote.
Ubisoft has announced a limited-time Halloween-themed event for Rainbow Six: Siege. Called Mad House, the event is going on right now and will continue until October 31.
The Mad House event adds a new haunted variation of the House map to Siege. It gives the classic map a ghoulish glow and covers the walls in Halloween-themed decorations, such as spooky paintings and cobwebs. The event also adds special skins that transform 10 of Siege's Operators--Finka, Jager, Vigil, Thermite, Valkyrie, Pulse, Hibana, Mira, Buck, and Ash--into monstrous versions of themselves. Jager becomes a living skeleton, for example, and Vigil transforms into a possessed nun with demonic eyes.
Playing on the haunted House map allows you to unlock up to two Crimsonveil packs through Ubisoft Club Challenges. The first pack is unlocked for killing 30 enemies in the haunted House, while the second is for killing 60. You'll also unlocked a pack just by logging in during the event, and additional packs can be purchased with R6 credits. Opening packs unlocks one of the 10 special Operator skins, or one of the 12 Halloween-themed weapon skins and unique charms.
Ubisoft has confirmed that Crimsonveil packs will not offer duplicates. So after unlocking your one free pack, buying the 21 Crimsonveil pack bundle for 6300 R6 credits will be enough to unlock everything. It will be more than enough if you get the two packs from completing the haunted House map's challenges. If you can't earn enough credits to unlock all the packs you need prior to Halloween, you can purchase R6 credits with real money. 6300 R6 credits translates into $50 USD.
Rainbow Six: Siege is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
Red Dead Redemption 2's release date is almost upon us. After years of anticipation and multiple delays, fans will be able to get their hands on Rockstar's new PS4 / Xbox One open-world game very soon, with launch set for Friday, October 26. But there's one question on everyone's lips: is it any good?
GameSpot's Red Dead Redemption 2 review awarded the game a 9/10. Critic Kallie Plagge called the open-world title an "excellent prequel" and an "emotional, thought-provoking story in its own right." For more on the game's critical reception, take a look at GameSpot sister site Metacritic or scroll down for a selection of other outlets' reviews. Its Metacritic average stands at 97 on PS4 and 98 on Xbox One at the time of this writing, either tying or breaking the existing record for the two platforms.
"While Red Dead Redemption was mostly focused on John Marston's story, Red Dead 2 is about the entire Van der Linde gang--as a community, as an idea, and as the death rattle of the Wild West. It is about Arthur, too, but as the lens through which you view the gang, his very personal, very messy story supports a larger tale. Some frustrating systems and a predictable mission structure end up serving that story well, though it does take patience to get through them and understand why. Red Dead Redemption 2 is an excellent prequel, but it's also an emotional, thought-provoking story in its own right, and it's a world that is hard to leave when it's done." -- Kallie Plagge [Full review]
CNET
"Red Dead Redemption 2 has undoubtedly raised the bar for narrative open-world games and will likely have a lasting impact on how they are made in the future. It pushes the envelope of what we understand is possible in a video game. It seems that every time we get something new from Rockstar, things inevitably change. With Red Dead 2 it feels like this shift will be defined by an experience that works hard to convince the player they aren't necessarily inside a video game, or beholden to a set of rules that a specific genre dictates." -- Jeff Bakalar [Full review]
USGamer -- 4.5/5
"Is Red Dead Redemption 2 better than the first game? Very much so. Is Red Dead Redemption 2 perfect? No. Rockstar Games has crafted this huge, beautiful world with an attention to detail that's astounding. There's a high level of craft here, but that's also why some of those small annoyances or more obtuse systems stick out more. Despite those small issues, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a fantastic game that should keep players satisfied for another eight years." -- Mike Williams [Full review]
Eurogamer -- Recommended
"Is this Rockstar's greatest game, a new masterpiece alongside the original? There are one too many caveats, and one too many flaws at its heart, to leave me totally convinced. Is this its richest, most beautiful open world? Of that there's not a single doubt." -- Martin Robinson [Full review]
IGN -- 10/10
"Red Dead Redemption 2 stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Grand Theft Auto V as one of the greatest games of the modern age. It's a gorgeous depiction of an ugly period that's patient, polished, and a huge amount of fun to play, and it's combined with Rockstar's best storytelling to date. Even after finishing the lengthy story I can't wait to go back and play more. This is a game of rare quality; a meticulously polished open world ode to the outlaw era. Looking for one of this generation's very best single-player action experiences? Here's your huckleberry." -- Luke Reilly [Full review]
GamesRadar+ -- 5/5
"Just how good is Red Dead Redemption 2? Over the past few years, I'd argue the only games that deserve to be considered at this same ultra elite level are GTA V, Metal Gear Solid V, and The Witcher III. This is a stone cold 5/5 classic that combines brilliant writing--Rockstar's Houser brothers deliver another affecting, scythe-sharp script--amazing tech, and one of the most boldly structured plots to ever grace a triple-A title. The story is so well told, you'll emotionally invest more in a horse during one crucial scene than you did even for Kratos in this year's stellar God of War revival. If you only buy one game this year, it absolutely has to be this wondrous Wild West quest." -- David Meikleham [Full review]
The Guardian -- 5/5
"There can be no doubt that this is a landmark game. It is a new high water-mark for lifelike video game worlds, certainly, but that world is also home to a narrative portrait of the wild west that is unexpectedly sombre and not afraid to take its time. With very few exceptions, the many stories that Rockstar's writers have set out to tell about this group of outlaws land perfectly, the enjoyable twists and turns of individual missions and chapters feeding into an exciting, sophisticated and absorbing larger narrative--and the stories that you discover yourself within its world are no less compelling. Around 2,000 people worked very hard (probably too hard, in some cases) to make this game possible. Every last one of them should be proud of their contribution." -- Keza MacDonald [Full review]
Update #2 is now live in the Xbox version of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. The new update implements several features and items that are already live in the PC version of the battle royale game, but it adds limited-time Halloween-themed skins as well. Because the maintenance period around the update went on longer than expected, PUBG is giving away free items and BP to players who log into the game in the next week.
The update adds two new weapons to PUBG. The first, the MK47 Mutant, is an assault rifle that can be found on Erangel, Miramar, and Sanhok. It takes 7.62mm bullets and can be fired in single shot or two-round burst modes. It's ideal for mid- to long-range combat. The new Beryl M762 is also an assault rifle that can be found on all three maps. It also uses 7.62mm ammo but has much lower bullet damage. It does have a much higher fire rate, though--even faster than the AKM--making it ideal for close-range combat.
New vehicles have been added to Sanhok as well. The scooter is a two-seat vehicle that offers an increased turning circle in comparison to the motorcycle, at the cost of overall speed. The new Tukshai is even slower, but it sits three people and is specifically designed to maneuver through Sanhok's hill and forest covered terrain.
Update #2 includes seven Halloween-themed items and costumes as well, which will only be available until November 20 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET / November 21 at 2 AM BST. One of the items, a haunted pumpkin mask, is available for free when you log into the lobby, but only until November 6 at 4 PM PT / 7 PM ET / November 7 at 12 AM BST. The other six items and costumes will need to be bought from PUBG's in-game store. We've listed them, and their prices, below.
Purchasable PUBG Halloween Items
Maniacal Butcher Set – 10,000 BP
Killer Clown Set – 1,800 G-Coin
Ancient Mummy Set – 1,600 G-Coin
Bloody Nurse Set – 2,100 G-Coin
Sinister Skull Mask – 7,000 BP
Pumpkin RIP-cord – 500 G-Coin
The new update also implements several general gameplay changes and bug fixes. The full patch notes can be found on PUBG's main website, but we've listed the highlights below.
PUBG Xbox One Update #2 Patch Notes
Training Mode
Added a Training Mode where you can practice all aspects of PUBG gameplay
The Training Mode map is 2×2 in size
You can join through matchmaking by clicking on the "Training Mode" button in the lobby.
When there are more than 5 players in the matchmaking queue, the session will start immediately. Players will continue to join open sessions for up to 5 minutes after they start. (Up to 20 per session)
If there are less than 5 players in the matchmaking queue, matchmaking will continue for 5 minutes
If there are still less than 5 players after 5 minutes, the session will start with the original number of players present and other players cannot join the session.
Total play time is 30 minutes (e.g. in case of number 1, where you immediately enter a session, you have 5 minutes where other players can join the session + regular training mode playing time of 25 minutes)
Players cannot drop below 1hp in Training mode
Gameplay
Bluezone effect has been changed
Added "TPP Aim Camera Position" to options
Reset to Right Shoulder (default setting)
Camera will always be positioned above the character's right shoulder
Reset to Left Shoulder
Camera will always be positioned above the character's left shoulder
Latest Peek Shoulder
Camera position automatically moves to the direction you last leaned
Latest Aim Shoulder
Camera remains in the last ADS direction
In this setting, the camera position won't be changed by leaning while not in ADS or scoping
Bug Fixes
Lost Connection to Host
We are testing out some potential fixes related to the "Lost Connection to Host" error, and in this update we rolled out a fix for an issue with data loading with skins that was causing this bug. Please leave us your feedback and reports if you continue to experience this bug. Thank you for your patience as we actively work to fix this issue.
Fixed an issue where tooltips for the stun grenade did not accurately reflect its in-game effects
Fixed an issue where characters were seen moving fast while prone when moving on slopes a certain way
Fixed an issue where item mesh is sometimes difficult to distinguish from the floor in the police station in El Azahar in Miramar
Fixed an issue where a dead player's loot box is sometimes buried in certain locations in Miramar
Fixed an issue where characters can sometimes get stuck between the wall and vehicle while leaving the passenger seat when the vehicle is touching a wall
Fixed an issue where in some situations in FPP, players could see through walls
Fixed an issue where the sawed-off wasn't listed in the attachable weapon list tooltip of the shotgun choke
Fixed an issue where sometimes players would not get transferred to the starting plane, and instead start the match from the initial spawn location
Fixed an issue where the under certain conditions, character models could appear stuck in the crouch position
Fixed an issue where sometimes the fuel gauge of vehicles wasn't in sync with the visual display on the dashboard
Fixed an issue where in rare instances, players could be teleported to an entirely different location while on Sanhok
Fixed the issue where a character on board a vehicle would sometimes be shown as immobile in a very different location
Fixed the issue where a character who is driving in a vehicle is created in an unspecified location
Fixed the issue where the gun of the person you are spectating is sometimes not rendered, causing problems when the gun goes into ADS mode
Fixed the issue where weapons are sometimes shown in locations different from where the character is holding them
Fixed the issue where approaching a window with glass and throwing a throwable could sometimes cause the camera to temporarily zoom in and out
Fixed the issue where approaching a corpse while lying down could sometimes cause the camera to zoom in
Fixed the issue where sometimes a character standing at the very edge of the sea on Sanhok would be shown as falling out of the sky
Fixed the issue where the Bluezone UI timer occasionally decreases by 2 seconds
Fixed the issue where an underwater character is unable to move to land because the terrain is shown as stuttering
Fixed the issue where colliding with an object while driving in a UAZ deals comparatively more damage than other vehicles
Fixed the issue where the firing mode of a gun that has been dropped and picked up again is reset to default settings
Fixed the issue where the vaulting action was not working properly with certain building windows in Sanhok
Fixed the issue where an afterimage sometimes remains on other players' screen when repeatedly arming/unarming
Fixed the issue where the AR compensator on the SLR was not reducing the horizontal recoil
Fixed the issue where a character cannot peek while over a gas can
Fixed the issue where frame drop occured when the weather was rainy and the character was swimming in the water when the perspective changed from under to above water
Fixed the issue where the HP gauge was displayed red in certain conditions
Fixed an issue where grenade impact sounds were not played when interacting with certain surfaces on Sanhok
Fixed an issue where in some specific situations there was less weapon recoil than intended
Fixed the issue where after exiting the game while armed, the character model would appear to shake
Fixed the issue where picking up sound was output, but was not able to pick up the item from a certain distance
Fixed the issue where the exact direction of other player's footstep sound was hard to comprehend
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a big game, both in terms of scope and file size. As the release inches closer, it turns out that file size has made it one of the few modern games to span multiple discs. Two discs, to be exact.
Our own physical copies at the GameSpot offices show just how it works. The first disc is a "Data Disc" to install necessary files before playing. The other is the "Play Disc" that you'll have in your PlayStation 4 or Xbox One system while actually playing. That could make for some hefty install times, so be prepared to wait if you pick up a physical copy.
Dual-layer Blu-ray discs tend to cap at 50 GB of storage space. Given that the file size of Red Dead 2 is roughly 100 GB, it's not too surprising that Rockstar Games would have to split it up in this way. On top of that, the game has a day-one patch that's recommended for last-minute bug fixes. You can get your hands on the game early, but by the time it finishes installing you could begin playing around the same time those who pre-installed the digital version gain access at midnight.
As long as you're preparing yourself for the release, you can read up on some beginner's tips along with tips and cheats. Or if you're still on the proverbial fence, you can read our Red Dead Redemption 2 review to find out why you shouldn't be.
Ahead of Red Dead Redemption 2's release, Rockstar has confirmed a day-one update will be available at launch. Although it isn't technically required, it recommends you download the patch to receive "a number of last minute tweaks, bugs, and fixes." And with the game being so expansive, we've begun assembling guides and tips to help you make the most of your experience. Read on for our full Red Dead 2 review.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game about consequences where you have only the illusion of choice. Yes, there are some decisions to be made, and those decisions will shape your character and the world around you. But some of the most disastrous choices were made for you before the game even begins, leaving you to deal with the fallout. And because it's a prequel to Red Dead Redemption, you also (probably) know how the story ends. All that's left is discovering what happens in between and making the most of it. To that end, you fight against the repetitive nature of missions, frequent moral dilemmas, and the inconvenience of doing what's right. For the most part, the frustration that tension can cause is also what makes the story impactful, and when it all comes together, your effort is not wasted.
At the beginning of Red Dead Redemption 2, the Van der Linde gang is already on the decline we know from the previous game is coming. After a heist gone wrong in Blackwater, they're on the run, down a few members, and on the verge of capture, starvation, and succumbing to a snowstorm. There are familiar faces--Red Dead Redemption protagonist John Marston chief among them--as well as new ones. As senior member Arthur Morgan, you're in the privileged position of being Dutch Van der Linde's right hand, privy to his machinations and included in the most important outings. Once the gang escapes the storm and settles into a temporary campsite, you're also put in charge of the camp's finances, meaning you pick out all the upgrades and supplies. If Dutch is the center of the gang, Arthur is adjacent to all its vital parts at once, and that gives you a lot of power.
With that power, you're encouraged to do as you see fit and at your own pace. A lengthy series of story missions early on introduces you to some of the ways you can spend your time, including hunting, fishing, horse-rearing, and robbery. There are a lot of systems, and covering the basics takes several hours. While they're not so cleverly disguised as to not feel like tutorials, the actual learning is paced well in its integration with the story, and the missions also acquaint you with the characters and the surrounding area. For example, the fishing "tutorial" has you taking young Jack Marston out for the day, since John is not exactly great at fatherhood. Jack is pure and sweet--and incredibly vulnerable to all the gang's wrongdoings--and the mission is memorable for it.
In addition to the mechanics of various activities, you're also presented with a few elements of semi-realism you need to contend with. Mainly, you need to eat to refill your health, stamina, and Dead Eye ability "cores," which deplete over time. Eating too much or too little results in weight changes and stat debuffs. Eating itself isn't a problem, and neither is maintaining cores in general, but eating enough to maintain an average weight is intrusive; despite experimenting with what and how often I ate, I couldn't get Arthur out of the underweight range, and eating any more frequently would be too time-consuming to justify. You don't have to sleep (though you can to pass time and refill your cores), and surviving hot or cold temperatures comes down to choosing the right outfit from your item wheel, so managing your weight sticks out as superfluous rather than conducive to immersion.
Limited fast travel options are the better-implemented side of Red Dead 2's realism, perhaps counterintuitively. There's next to no fast travel at the beginning and few methods in general, so you have to rely on your horse to get around. It can be slow, but there's no shortage of things to do and see along the way. Chance encounters are plentiful and frequently interesting; you might find a stranger in need of a ride to town or a snake bite victim who needs someone to suck the venom out of their wound. You can stumble upon a grotesque murder scene that sets you entirely off-track, or you can ignore someone in danger and just keep riding. And just as you can decide to rob or kill most anyone, you'll also run into people who will do the same to you. Even the longest rides aren't wasted time, and it's hard not to feel like you're missing something if you do opt for fast travel.
Red Dead Redemption 2's version of America is vast and wide open, stretching from snowy mountains and the Great Plains down to the original game's New Austin in the southwest. Further to the east is the Louisiana-inspired Deep South, which is still feeling the effects of the Civil War after nearly 40 years. There's a distinct shift when traveling from region to region; as grassy hillsides become alligator-filled swamps, Union veterans give way to angry Confederate holdouts, and good intentions and casual racism turn into desperation and outright bigotry. The variety makes the world feel rich, and it both reacts to you and changes independently of your involvement; new buildings will go up as time goes on, and some of the people you talk to will remember you long after you first interacted with them (for better or worse).
Incidental moments as you explore make up a large part of the morality system, in which you gain and lose honor based on your actions. "Good" morals are relative--you're a gang member, after all--but generally, it's more honorable to punch up rather than down. Helping an underdog, even if they're an escaped convict and even if you need to kill some cops or robbers to do it, can net you good guy points. In these situations, it's easier to be noble than a true outlaw. Committing a dishonorable crime is hard to do undetected, even in remote locations, and usually requires you to track down and threaten a witness, run and hide from the law, or pay a bounty down the line. While you'll earn money more quickly doing "bad" things, high honor gets you a pretty discount at shops, and you'll make good money either way through story missions.
In many ways, you're nudged toward playing a "good" Arthur. The gang members he's closest to from the beginning are the more righteous, principled ones who are motivated by loyalty and a desire to help others, while he insults, argues with, and generally reacts negatively to those who are hot-headed and vicious. The most rotten of them is Micah, who's so easy to hate that it's hard not to follow Arthur's lead and take the higher road. Unlocking camp upgrades like one-way fast travel and better supplies also essentially forces you into being honorable; although everyone donates, you have to invest hundreds of dollars yourself if you want to afford anything, and that automatically gets you a ton of honor points whether you like it or not.
One of the best, most understated details in the game is Arthur's journal, in which he recaps big events as well as random people you've met and more mundane, everyday things. He sketches places you go, doodles the plants and animals you find, and writes out thoughts he barely speaks out loud. The journal changes with your level of honor, but at least for a relatively honorable Arthur, the pages are filled with concerns and existential crises--inner turmoil over being either good or evil, for instance--that make you want to see him become a better person.
Like any good prequel, there's an incredible amount of tension in knowing what happens without knowing exactly how.
It's a lot harder to feel like a good guy when doing the main story missions, though. Arthur, along with nearly everyone else, is loyal to the gang first and foremost. This means following Dutch into trouble, busting friends out of jail, and committing a number of robberies in the interest of getting money for the gang. Even if you're trying your hardest to be good, you'll inevitably slaughter entire towns in mandatory story missions--stealth and non-lethal takedowns aren't always an option, and the snappy auto-lock aim makes shootouts a far easier option anyway. The dissonance is frustrating to play through in the moment, but it's incredibly important to Arthur's arc as well as your understanding of the gang as a whole. To say any more would venture into spoiler territory.
That extends to the structure of story missions, which start to get predictable around halfway through the game. It's not that they're boring--the opposite is true, actually, and you see a lot of action from beat to beat. But after a while, a pattern emerges, and it's easy to figure out how any given heist or raid is going to unfold. This too becomes frustrating, partially because you often have no way of significantly affecting the outcome despite any decision-making power you thought you might have had. But your weariness is also Arthur's, and that's crucial. The mid-game drags in service of the narrative, which only becomes apparent much later. There's also enough variety between missions and free-roam exploration to prevent it from dragging to the point of being a chore to play.
Like any good prequel, there's an incredible amount of tension in knowing what happens without knowing exactly how. If you played Red Dead Redemption, you know who survives and as a result who probably won't make it to the end of the game. Even during the slower parts, you're waiting for betrayals and injuries and other events you've only vaguely heard mention of before. You're waiting for characters to reveal their true selves, and watching as everything unravels is riveting and heartbreaking if you know what's to come.
You can still enjoy the story in its own right without that background knowledge, though. Some of Red Dead Redemption 2's best moments have almost no relation to its predecessor. One mission takes you to a women's suffrage rally, and a painful side mission has you facing a woman whose husband you killed and life you ruined. The new characters are among the best, too; Sadie Adler is a personal favorite for reasons I won't spoil. Another, a young black man in the gang named Lenny, mentions how the Southerners treat him a little differently; Arthur says that he hasn't noticed anything weird, to which Lenny replies, "All respect, Mr. Morgan, you wouldn't notice."
Generally, Red Dead 2 tackles pertinent issues of the era with care. Rather than defining any of its characters by the bigotry they may experience, it allows them the room to be well-rounded individuals while still not ignoring that things like racism and sexism exist. One arc focuses squarely on a very serious issue, and here, the lack of real choice in the story's direction--and your resulting involvement in what transpires--will likely make you uncomfortable in a powerful way.
While Red Dead Redemption was mostly focused on John Marston's story, Red Dead 2 is about the entire Van der Linde gang--as a community, as an idea, and as the death rattle of the Wild West. It is about Arthur, too, but as the lens through which you view the gang, his very personal, very messy story supports a larger tale. Some frustrating systems and a predictable mission structure end up serving that story well, though it does take patience to get through them and understand why. Red Dead Redemption 2 is an excellent prequel, but it's also an emotional, thought-provoking story in its own right, and it's a world that is hard to leave when it's done.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is just around the corner. Rockstar's open-world western launches for PS4 and Xbox One tomorrow, October 26, but like many other big releases nowadays, Rockstar has revealed that the game will come with a day-one update.
According to the developer's official website, the update will address "a number of last minute tweaks, bugs, and fixes." You aren't required to download and install the patch before you can begin playing the game, although Rockstar strongly advises that you do "to ensure the best possible gameplay experience."
Those who've pre-ordered RDR2 digitally can already begin pre-loading the game ahead of its release, but you'll need to clear up a lot of space to install it; after much speculation over its file size, Rockstar recently confirmed that RDR2 weighs in at roughly 100 GB on both platforms. You can read more details on Rockstar's support page.
Players who have already pre-loaded the game will be able to start playing tonight at 9 PM PT (12 AM ET on October 26). You'll also be able to get it a little early if you pick up a physical copy from certain retailers; both Best Buy and GameStop have announced they'll begin selling the game at 9 PM local time. RDR2 comes in a variety of different editions; you can learn more about each in our pre-order guide.
Reviews are out for RDR2, and critics have had very good things to say about it. GameSpot awarded the title a 9/10 in our Red Dead 2 review, calling it "an excellent prequel, but it's also an emotional, thought-provoking story in its own right." Before jumping into the game, be sure to check out our Red Dead 2 tips and guides.
The vast obsession with Epic Games' Fortnite has already spilled into real life in the form of children everywhere frantically performing the floss dance. Soon, they'll be able to reenact their favorite Fortnite moments with foam darts, using the first Nerf blaster modeled after one of the weapons that appears in the game.
Nerf announced on Instagram that it'll soon sell a dart-flinging version of Fortnite's AR-L assault rifle. The orange and yellow toy gun has flip-up sights and a 10-dart magazine, according to Hasbro's website. It should also be pretty formidable in dart-based warfare, on account of it's motorized to shoot darts rapidly, like the in-game gun after which it's modeled.
According to Hasbro's website, the AR-L will run players $50 when it's released on June 1, 2019. It'll be the first Fortnite-based Nerf blaster the company releases, which is the result of a partnership between Epic Games and Hasbro. No other guns have been announced yet, but presumably they'll eventually run at least some of the gamut of what's available in game, which includes pistols, sniper rifles, shotguns, and more.
Creating Nerf battles with friends isn't the only way fans can bring Fortnite competition into their regular lives. Hasbro also released a Fortnite-branded version of Monopoly at the start of October. Epic Games' Worldwide Creative Director Donald Mustard showed off the art for the game on Twitter back in September, and described it as "a unique spin on the classic game mashed up with last player standing Fortnite."
If you'd rather actually play the video game version of Fortnite, there's a lot going on right now with the game's Halloween-themed event. Check out our guides for tackling Fortnite's new challenges: finding all the Flaming Hoops, and speeding past Radar Signs.
If your relationship with 2K's pro wrestling series has been as fractured as a bickering tag team over the past few years, WWE 2K19 is unlikely to patch up old wounds. All of this to say: if you didn't like how it played then, you're probably not going to like how it plays now. Some minor quality of life refinements improve upon the in-ring action in a couple of specific match types, but beyond this the core system of strikes, grapples, and reversals has remained relatively unchanged. Instead, WWE 2K19's most notable additions appear outside of the squared circle; developers Yukes and Visual Concepts introduce a deluge of new content and game modes to satiate an aspect of the series that has been sorely lacking in recent years.
The first of which is a redesigned MyCareer mode. It ditches the grindy, glitch-ridden, personality vacuum of the series' previous career modes in favour of a linear storyline akin to those found in 2K's own NBA games. Your created wrestler begins his rollercoaster journey with a fictional indie promotion known as BCW, competing in front of roughly 30 people in high school gyms and parking lots. It doesn't take long before the WWE comes knocking, but this isn't the typical rags-to-riches tale we've come to expect from a sports game's career mode. You immediately blow your shot at the big time due to outside interference and a little sabotage. This forces you back to the indie scene for a short while before you eventually return to the WWE via some unconventional methods that earn you more than a few enemies.
It's far fetched and more than a little corny at times, but the writing by former WWE writer Sean Conaway is self-aware enough to poke fun at the frequent ridiculousness of pro wrestling, and every story-driven aspect of MyCareer is elevated by full voice acting. Each WWE superstar (with the exception of John Cena) lends their vocal talents to the game, while indie wrestler AJ Kirsch brings your created character to life with an enjoyable level of authenticity. There are more than a few wooden performances that reveal these guys are much better at playing off a crowd than they are sitting alone in a recording booth, but just having the likes of AJ Styles, Braun Strowman, and Triple H cutting promos and interacting with your character backstage injects WWE 2K19 with more personality and individuality than the series has ever had before.
The structured nature of this linear narrative also allows Yukes and Visual Concepts to delve into the tropes and familiar storylines that comprise a week's worth of WWE programming. You'll find yourself engaged in believable feuds and back-and-forth promos; you'll clash with authority figures, get screwed out of titles, form unlikely alliances, and win when the odds are stacked in your opponent's favour. The illusion of choice in certain scenes is an unnecessary facet, but this curated experience is much more enjoyable and reflective of the product we watch on TV every week. It's a substantial improvement over the dull, haphazard career modes of the past.
That's not to say MyCareer is without its faults, however. The lack of a women's career mode is still disappointing--a crudely ironic stance when you consider the three-man commentary team mistakenly spends the entire mode referring to every character as she and her. The women's division is large enough now to encompass all of the feuds and storylines you would ever need, so it feels like WWE 2K19 is still stuck in the past when it should be latching onto the recent resurgence in women's wrestling, particularly when the WWE itself is finally putting on its first ever women's only pay-per-view, Evolution, at the end of this month.
Character progression is also a tad too lethargic in MyCareer. By the time you're facing off against 80+ rated superstars in the WWE, your character will be hovering somewhere around the 50-rated mark. This doesn't make as much of an impact as you might imagine--there's never really a tangible sense that your character is substantially improving--but you do spend an awfully long time restricted to only two reversal slots that need time to recharge. For a game that's stringently built around its reversal mechanics, this is a needlessly frustrating decision, especially when you're forced to win three-on-one handicap matches and eight-man battle royals, leading to repetitive moments of trial-and-error.
The way you level up has at least been streamlined, with three different skill trees that pertain to your chosen fighting style, plus one extra sub-style. You can improve everything from strength, agility, momentum, grapple speed, and so on, but aside from choosing whether you want to be a high-flying cruiserweight or strong-style striker, among others, your customisation options are incredibly limited early on due to the much-maligned inclusion of loot boxes.
There are no microtransactions for purchasing loot boxes with real-world money--even with three different in-game currencies involved.
There are no microtransactions for purchasing these loot boxes with real-world money--even with three different in-game currencies involved. But everything from hairstyles, beards, wrestling tights, single moves, entrance music, taunts--right down to incremental cosmetic items like eyelashes and eyebrows--are stuffed into various kinds of loot boxes. This is disheartening because the creation suite is as comprehensive as ever, allowing you to create almost anything you put your mind to, but it's been needlessly limited in MyCareer due to this focus on randomised loot. You can spend one of the in-game currencies on any of these items directly--casting further bemusement over the inclusion of loot boxes--but the prices are so extortionate that you're better off bowing to the gods of the RNG. Maybe this strategy makes sense in other sports titles, but pro wrestling games have always been highly customisable, and limiting your options with a game of luck just feels wrong. No one wants to spend hours with a character they're not happy with.
Outside of MyCareer, the beloved Showcase mode makes its return after a two-year hiatus. WWE 2K19's charts the endearing, heartbreaking, and triumphant story of fan favourite, Daniel Bryan. You couldn't pick a better superstar for Showcase's return: he's not only a phenomenal wrestler, but an incredibly likeable guy with one of the most fascinating stories in the sport. Before each match, Bryan himself will set the stage and provide context for why each match is so noteworthy, taking you on a journey from one of his earliest contests against an up-and-coming John Cena, to his recent return to the ring after miraculously coming back from an early retirement. The matches themselves revolve around completing objectives to set up the moves and big spots that comprised each match. This can be fiddly at times when the AI doesn't want to co-operate, but the joy of Showcase mode has always come from recreating memorable moments in WWE history, and it achieves that here.
2K Towers riffs on Mortal Kombat X's Living Towers, challenging you to complete a series of themed matches that chart a rambunctious course through various opponents, with myriad match types and modifiers keeping things fresh. You might find yourself in a gauntlet involving British wrestlers that culminates in a match with the British Bulldog, before moving onto another that pits you against supernatural characters like Bray Wyatt and The Undertaker. It's a fun way to run the gamut of match types, and the modifiers keep things interesting by occasionally altering the way you would usually play. There are also some outlandish twists like big head mode and an 8-bit filter to contend with.
Of those match types, both steel cage and Hell in a Cell matches have seen some welcome tweaks. The latter introduces more options for escaping the cage, including yelling at the referee to simply open the door, and new animations let you scale the structure and navigate across it in ways that make for more exciting matches. Meanwhile, Hell in a Cell has been reworked so that it's much easier to break through the steel edifice to the outside, with context-sensitive actions removing a lot of the awkwardness.
Beyond this, Payback is a new mechanic that gives each superstar two powerful abilities. These might grant an immediate finisher, offer the ability to utilise dirty tactics like low blows and poison mist, or let you play possum to catch an opponent off guard. On paper, each ability sounds like a potential game-changing move that can alter the flow of a match, but WWE 2K19 is still far too dependent on reversals for them to have a significant impact. The timing on reversals is a little easier this year, but it would still be nice if there were more dynamic defensive options on-hand. The only other mechanical change comes from an incremental increase in speed. This isn't immediately palpable, but the faster animations do give each hard-hitting move some extra heft and impact.
The net code, while not always perfect, is good enough that your timing for reversals and pins is never compromised, while commentary is as egregious as it usually is. The interactions between the three-man booth are stilted and regularly out of context. During Showcase, for example, they regularly reference events years in the future when you're playing matches from the past. There are also some notable absences from the roster, which can be rectified to some degree by downloading the community's fantastic creations. Yet you're currently out of luck if you didn't pre-order and want to play as Rey Mysterio or the current Raw Women's Champion, Ronda Rousey. Glitches are a semi-regular occurrence, too, though they're not as bad as in previous years, often resulting in moments of physics-based hilarity rather than anything game-breaking.
Despite its flaws, WWE 2K19 is a step in the right direction for the long-running series. After two years toiling away with a dearth of interesting single-player content, the introduction of an engaging career mode is a welcome sight that finally captures some of the personality pro wrestling is partly built upon. The in-ring action is still inconsistent and will be as divisive as ever, but it's easier to stomach when the game surrounding the wrestling action gives you more reasons to play. WWE 2K19 might not reach the lofty heights of wrestling video gaming's heyday--or maybe that's just the nostalgia talking--but it's 2K's best effort so far. Maybe next year we'll be on to a true title contender.
Niantic continues rolling out new features for Pokemon Go. On top of trading and friends list, both of which were introduced to the mobile game earlier this year, the developer recently announced it is working on a PokeStop nomination system. Now, it has revealed another new feature on the way to the game: Adventure Sync.
With Adventure Sync, you'll be able to keep track of your walking distance even when Pokemon Go is idle. This should prove to be a handy addition, particularly for hatching Eggs; previously, Pokemon Go only tracked your walking distance while the game was launched, so if you were trying to hatch a Pokemon, you'd need to leave it running as you walked.
On top of that, Niantic says Adventure Sync will provide a weekly summary that displays your Incubator and Candy progress, along with other activity stats. You'll also be able to earn rewards each time you cross a certain milestone and set push notifications for when an Egg is about to hatch or your Buddy Pokemon discovers a Candy.
Niantic hasn't announced when it will roll out the Adventure Sync feature, but the developer says it is "coming soon." The feature will also be able to connect with Apple Health on and Google Fit depending on which handset you own. You can read more about it on the Pokemon Go website.
October has been a particularly busy month for Pokemon Go. The first wave of Gen 4 Pokemon rolled out recently. The game's third annual Halloween event is also underway, bringing the first Gen 4 Legendary, Giratina, to Raid Battles. Meanwhile, the next Community Day event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 10, and will feature the Gen 2 starter Cyndaquil.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a massive game, both in terms of its file size and sheer scope. On top of its sprawling map, the title features a variety of side activities to steal your attention, from hunting and fishing to old-fashioned robberies. Even if you plan on ignoring these ancillary tasks and just focusing on the story, however, you're going to need to devote a lot of time to the game.
We've been playing through Rockstar's western for our Red Dead 2 review, and we now know how long its main campaign is. By our estimates, it takes approximately 45-50 hours to clear the story, if you focus primarily on completing story quests and largely ignore its side activities. Of course, individual playtimes will vary, so you can expect to sink considerably more time into the game if you plan on pursuing its many side missions.
Red Dead Redemption 2 casts players in the role of Arthur Morgan, one of the members of the Van der Linde gang, who are traveling across the American frontier to escape the law. During the journey, Arthur will encounter many new and familiar faces, including the protagonist of the first Red Dead Redemption, John Marston. He'll also be able to wield more than 50 weapons, each of which has a range of customization options that affect their performance and appearance.
On top of that, Arthur will be able to visit many of the same areas featured in the previous game; an image of RDR2's full map leaked ahead of the game's release, showing that the world encompasses a fair chunk of the original Red Dead Redemption's map. As a result, the game will require quite a bit of storage space on your console of choice, as it weighs in at approximately 100 GB.
Red Dead Redemption 2 launches for PS4 and Xbox One on October 26. The game will be available in several different editions, many of which come with various bonus items; you can learn more in our Red Dead Redemption 2 pre-order guide. Those who pick the game up on PS4 will also receive early access to some items 30 days before they arrive on Xbox One. The first batch of timed-exclusive content includes an outfit, horse, and gun.
The beta for Fallout 76 has officially begun, but right this very moment, you can't actually play it. That's because Bethesda only has its servers available at certain times; trying to get in outside of these specific windows will yield a "login failed" error. Below, we've got all the details you need to know regarding exactly when you can play. At the time of this writing, the next tests take place on October 27 and 28 (October 29 for some regions), again only on Xbox One.
Fallout 76's debut test was available only on Xbox One for a four-hour window on October 23. That has since passed, with Bethesda deeming it an "amazing start." Additional test periods will continue to be available for a limited time. The purpose of this is to force players together at a specific time to stress test and put the game through its paces. Sessions will typically last 4-8 hours in a given day, and then the beta will be inoperable again until the next session. The process will repeat between now and the game's release date on November 14.
A beta code is available to anyone who pre-ordered the game across Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4. Pre-loading is only available on Xbox One for now, since the PC and PS4 betas will begin on October 30. You'll receive a code with your physical pre-order to enter into the accounts page, or you'll be entered into the pool automatically if you pre-order a digital copy. Note that those codes don't grant you access. Rather, they put you into the potential pool of players to get a distribution code later, since Bethesda is rolling out the invites in waves.
Upcoming Fallout 76 Beta Times
Test 2
US Pacific Time: 2 PM - 4 PM (Saturday, October 27)
US Eastern Time: 5 PM - 7 PM (Saturday, October 27)
UK BST: 10 PM - 12 AM (Saturday, October 27)
Australia AEDT: 8 AM - 10 AM (Sunday, October 28)
Test 3
US Pacific Time: 9 AM - 11 AM (Sunday, October 28)
US Eastern Time: 12 PM - 2 PM (Sunday, October 28)
UK BST: 5 PM - 7 PM (Sunday, October 28)
Australia AEDT: 3 AM - 5 AM (Monday, October 29)
Bethesda plans to let to keep your progress from the beta through to the full game. Pre-ordering also will get you 500 Atoms, the in-game currency, for purchasing cosmetic items in the shop. Fallout 76 is due out on November 14. For more details, check out our guide to everything we know.
Previous Fallout 76 Beta Times
US Pacific Time: 4 PM - 8 PM (Tuesday, October 23)
US Eastern Time: 7 PM - 11 PM (Tuesday, October 23)
UK BST: 12 AM - 4 AM (Wednesday, October 24)
Australia AEDT: 10 AM - 2 PM (Wednesday, October 24)
Rockstar Games' Red Dead Redemption 2 is jam-packed with things you can do, and you can read all about it in our Red Dead 2 review. You'll sink hours upon hours into exploring the vast American wilderness and enjoying the many scenic vistas it presents, hunting animals to provide for your friends and family, or robbing trains to--well, provide for your friends and family in a less wholesome way.
For the most part, Red Dead Redemption 2 explains the majority of the gameplay systems that you'll be interacting with across all these hours. However, since it's so big, some of the information can be doled out over the course of multiple hours. This is a smart decision that means players aren't overwhelmed from the outset, but you may find yourself asking questions that the game isn't ready to answer yet.
So, to help you hit the ground running we've put together a number of tips that that'll help you get along better earlier in the game. These should serve as a primer to jumping into the world of Red Dead Redemption 2, so we've included a bunch of some of smaller things that, once we realised them, made for smoother play sessions. Alongside those, there's information that the game tells you, but perhaps doesn't stress upon as much as it should. Crucially, this is all spoiler free, so you're in no danger of hearing about that moment where [REDACTED].
Red Dead Redemption 2 gets surprisingly in-depth with information on the health and well being of its main character, Arthur Morgan. And to really make the most of these you should head into the "Player" menu in the pause screen and select "Arthur." You'll be presented with information cards that clue you into the state of your Health, Stamina, and Dead Eye cores, which dictate how quickly each of these attributes regenerates. To guarantee you're operating at peak performance you need to maintain your Cores by eating, resting, and generally keeping Arthur in good shape. You'll also get information on the actual numerical percentage of how much core you have remaining.
Temperature and weight impact stats for health and stamina respectively, so if you're layering up in the heat or walking around in the chillier parts of the world as if it's a warm summer's day, you'll see Arthur's health drain faster. Similarly, if your Arthur is thick with two Cs, stamina will take a hit but your health will be boosted slightly. However, if he's on the thinner side, health will be impacted negatively, but your stamina will improve a bit. All outlaws are beautiful in our eyes, but if you have a specific playstyle in mind it's important to watch your weight and manage it to suit you.
Mapped Shortcut
This is a very small quality of life improvement that has a big impact. You'll spend a whole lot of time going into and out of the map in Red Dead Redemption 2. Its world is vast and although there are key locations that you'll travel to, along with waypoints to guide you there, the game also cultivates a wanderlust. Sometimes, this may mean going out into the wild west to hunt, and if you're looking for a specific animals you'll need to head to particular spots. Other times you may just want to trot around to see what strange situations and scenarios present themselves to you. Initially, getting the map up can seem like a two-step process: pressing the start button to bring up the pause menu, then selecting the map option. However, you can expedite this by instead holding the start button down, which will take you straight to the map. This is a common thing in modern open-world games but it isn't explicitly mentioned so it can be an easy to miss detail.
Circle of Life
Hunting is a crucial part of Red Dead Redemption 2. It brings in resources for you and the rest of your gang to survive off, but also lets you build a deeper connection with the world around you through study and observation.
When you come across an animal to hunt, don't just go all Yosemite Sam on it. Instead, be more Elmer Fudd and take it slow. Be sure to use the study prompt as you'll get an entry in the "Animals" section of the Compendium that tells you a little more about it. This includes details on how they behave, the best weapons to use to bring them down cleanly (and thus increase their value), and what they can be used for.
Early in Red Dead Redemption 2 you're taken out on a hunt and given a runthrough of how it works. It's all fairly simple, but there are two main tricks that help considerably. The first is masking your own scent. Press in the analogue sticks to activate Eagle Eye and you'll see an aura emanating off you--that's your own body funk, don't be ashamed, you're a rough and ready outlaw living off the land and farting into the winds whenever it suits you--this is the good life.
You'll need to make sure those wisps of B.O. aren't being carried towards the animal, as they're super judgemental about odors and will bolt. If you're out on a tricky hunt we recommend heading to a vendor first, as they'll usually sell you an item to mask your smell, or you can craft one. Also hit the baths regularly; there's a limit to how much you can smell like sun baked horse poop.
The other tip is to attract the attention of an animal locking on to them and then pressing square (on PS4) or X (on Xbox One). This causes the animal to raise its head and leaves it in the perfect position to be brought down cleanly. We recommend trying to use a bow as often as possible when hunting, as it's quieter and better for getting clean kills. Don't forget to give your pelts to Pearson back at the camp, or one of the Trappers that appears. They will hold on to them them for you to come back and use for crafting later.
Hop The Fence
At a certain point in the game you'll complete a mission and meet a Fence. No, we're not talking about a wooden partition typically used to enclose outside areas and made of posts connected by either boards, rails, or wires, we're talking about the criminal variety of Fence. These folk will buy stolen goods from you, which is handy if you've just five-finger discounted a carriage or horses. However, they'll also more than happily take small ticket items off your hands, so if you're the robbing and heisting type, Fences will be your best buddies. However, if you're fresh off committing a crime and have a bounty on you, you'll need to first pay off this off at the Post Office, as Fences won't chat to you otherwise.
Pistols At Dawn
The basics of shooting in Red Dead Redemption 2 are familiar, simple, and intuitive. However, your gun has more uses than filling folks with lead. In fact, it can also be used to get what you want out of a person without killing them. The thundering clap of gunfire has a way of persuading people to be more compliant, so if you take out your gun, hold the aim button, and then press up on the directional pad, Arthur will point his gun into the air. When you fire, you may find people a little more deterred from acting out.
While many will usually comply for fear of losing their lives, others may ignore you. You can usually tell whether it's going to work based on the other person's demeanour. The cowardly types tend to stop dead in their tracks, but if you're robbing someone and they have a defiant attitude, you may be out of luck. Nevertheless, it's worth a shot into the sky.
For those after a gun-focused tip that's useful in combat, hit the square or X button while aiming to execute a dolphin dive. The game has a cover system to keep you safe when the bullets are flying, but the dive is a handy way of minimizing risk when moving point to point.
Wicky Wicky Wild Wild West
For those who enjoy exploring the nooks and crannies of far-off virtual lands, Red Dead Redemption 2 provides plenty to uncover. One of the most immersive ways to experience it all is to turn off the in-game map and rely on your own sense of direction and navigational skills to get around. If you hold down on the directional pad and opt for turning off the minimap, characters that you ride with will be more forthcoming with directions, which makes for a more natural--and authentic--form of discovery. If you find yourself struggling, however, you can always just tap down again to briefly bring up the map to get your bearings.
While you're out and about, keep your eyes peeled for smoke in the sky; where there's smoke, there's usually a (camp)fire, and this more often than not will either lead to a side-mission or a memorable random encounter. Similarly, listen for things happening in your environment, as you may hear someone shouting for help or beckoning you to come over as you pass by.
Sometimes it's easier to just use public transport to get where you need to, and to make use of fast travel you can hop on a taxi coach or a train. These are usually only available in towns, but if you upgrade Dutch's quarters in the camp, you can then also purchase a map for Arthur that allows him to return to certain previously visited locations.
Gimmie The Loot, Gimmie The Loot
Money makes the world go round, and you'll need to keep a constant influx of cash to get by. While exploring the world and doing missions, it's common to come upon abandoned camps with lots of items up for picking. Sometimes you'll have to walk up to individual items and snatch them up, but you may also stumble upon a bunch of goodies in close proximity to each other. In these situations, simply hold down the loot button and Arthur will pocket the valuables as smoothly as one of Fagin's boys.
One of the most consistent sources of cash and goods is the bodies of your fallen enemies. Naturally, you'll be taking out a whole lot of people, and you should make it a point of stripping them of their valuables while you're at it. As with the previous game, enemies you've killed are marked on the map with a small 'x', so once battles have subsided, ensure you head over to all the corpses and recover your spoils.
Horseplay
As the saying that we just made up this second goes, "A cowboy is only as good as the horse he or she rides in on," so you'll want to spend time strengthening your bond with your noble steed. The easiest way to deepen your bond with your horse is through positive reinforcement. When you're moving at a *checks Google* "two-beat trot," press in the left analogue stick and Arthur will tell his horse how much he values it and how it's the bestest and bravest. From our experience, the cooldown on this is around 14 seconds, so you could min-max wholesome horse compliments to build your bond quicker.
As your bond grows, your horse's health and stamina will improve, you'll be able to whistle for it from further away, and it'll come to you even if you're in combat. It'll also cross deeper water and rougher terrain, and if someone tries to steal it, they'll have a much harder time. Other abilities such as rearing, skid turning or stopping, and even dressage also become available.
There's also some tricks to riding a horse properly, as well as best practices. If you tap the X or A buttons in time with your horse's gallops you'll reduce the rate at which it uses stamina, which means you can run faster for longer. Make sure to also give it regular breaks and feed it often. As the other saying we just made up goes, "A healthy horse is the wind beneath a gunslinger's feet."
When you're riding long distances you also have the option to use the cinematic camera. If you set a waypoint on the map and there's a direct line along a defined route there, then switch to the cinematic camera, your horse will stay true and all you've got to do is hold the run button down.
The Right To Bear Arms
Red Dead Redemption 2 has a diverse range of weaponry available for you to implement in your cowboying ways. For quite a few hours you'll find yourself limited to the basics: six-shooters, rifles, and shotguns--and the more basic versions of them at that. If you're the kind of person who finds themselves frequently staring down the barrel of a gun with another poor soul in your crosshairs, you may be tempted to save up some cash to try and get new, more powerful weapons. If that's what you want to do, go ahead; it's the wild west and you're an outlaw so be the master of your own destiny and all that.
However, if you want to save yourself a bit of cash and get your hands on some powerful weaponry, spend time focusing on doing the main story missions. Unsurprisingly, the game is very generous in giving you useful rewards when completing these missions, so if you follow the critical path you'll get showered with new guns, items, and equipment. Resisting the urge to ride out into the wild lands of America with nothing but a gun and your horse to make a name for yourself may be difficult, but stick with the gang for a bit in the early game and it'll be worth your while in the long run.
Wish You Were Here
Finally, here's a quick tip that will keep FOMO at bay. Make sure to do the missions that appear as white icons around your camp. These are usually activities that you undertake alongside other members of the Van der Linde gang, and provide some nice characterization moments. These will disappear after a while, either because they're time sensitive or because narrative advancements wipe them away. If one of these pops up, make sure to prioritize them over the yellow, core missions. Those will always be there, waiting for you.
Epic Games has rolled out Fortnitemares, a spooky, Halloween-themed Fortnite event that is now available in both the Battle Royale and Save The World modes. In the former, players will have a new set of challenges to complete (with more still to come as the event continues), and in return will receive loot and cool new cosmetics, including a special skin. [Update: If you were quick to jump into these new challenges, you may have found it impossible to complete certain ones due to a bug. According to a new tweet from Epic, that issue should now be resolved: "We've released a fix that solved the issue preventing players from being able to fully complete certain challenges. Jump in and grab those rewards!" Standard Week 5 challenges have also now debuted in the game.]
"During Fortnitemares, you'll face off against Cube Monsters in a whole new way of playing Battle Royale," Epic explains. "There are new weapons to fight back against these creepy creatures, like the Six Shooter and Fiend Hunter Crossbow. Take out the Cube Fiends and Fragments to pick up loot, and survive against enemy players."
As part of the event, the new Deadfire Outfit is available and is described as a "new type of reactive outfit" that changes as you progress in a match. This, Epic says, will let players "show off [their] skills in style." The changes to the outfit are dependent on the damage you deal to your enemies and also how long you're able to stay alive. The skin also comes with the Shackled Stone Back Bling and the Dark Shard pickaxe is also available in the store. These are also reactive cosmetics.
In terms of challenges, Fortnitemare will gift players with cosmetics for completing them. However, Epic is planning to refresh the challenges and the rewards "every few days." Those that stick it through and complete the final set of challenges will get the Dark Engine glide, which you can see below, along with the Deadfire skin and the first batch of Fortnitemare challenges. The most difficult of this first batch of challenges involves dancing with gargoyles--the location of which are not provided in-game.
Click image to view in full screen
Fortnitemares Challenges (Set 1)
Destroy Cube Monsters (200) -- 500 XP
Deal damage with Assault Rifles or Pistols to Cube Monsters (5,000) -- 500 XP
Visit a Corrupted Area in different matches (7) -- 500 XP
Dance at different Gargoyles (5) -- 500 XP
In Save The World, meanwhile, Hexsylvania has returned. Players will be able to check out "multiple sets of story quests and earn new rewards as you fight the fright alongside your friends." You can learn more about these on Epic's website.
Epic Games has also detailed the contents of Fortnite update 6.20 which, along with giving players Fortnitemares, adds the new Six Shooter weapon to the game. It also gives players the ability to redeploy Gliders after they've landed on the Island. This feature is something Epic is testing, so it's available in all Battle Royale game modes.
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