By Array on Oct 11, 2018 11:45 pm
'Tis The Season
The annual Overwatch Halloween Terror event returns for 2018, and it's live right now. As always, its release means Blizzard has added a variety of new cosmetic rewards to obtain. The highlight, of course, are the nine new skins--including six Legendary ones--for the game's vast array of heroes and villains. While some of these simply dress someone up in a Halloween costume, a few transform their corresponding character into a frightful monster. Undead McCree and Spider Widowmaker--both Epic skins--are among the new options introduced for Overwatch's 2018 event. There are also Legendary skins, such as Jack-O'Lantern Wrecking Ball and Swamp Monster Doomfist. Like previous years, skins can be found in limited-time loot boxes or be bought for 3000 credits. The Halloween-themed skins from previous years, meanwhile, are offered at a discount. Halloween Terror 2018 is now live and continues until October 31. Once it's over, you'll have to wait for next year to unlock any skins you missed. Click through the images above to see all the new skins that have been released for this year's event. You can also check our video showcasing all the new skins. If you're eager to get your hands on some, buying a bundle of 50 loot boxes will net you 10 bonus ones for free. Halloween Terror's PvE mode, Junkenstein's Revenge, has also r eturned. Taking place in an alternate reality, Junkenstein's Revenge tells the story of Dr. Junkenstein (Junkrat) and the Witch of the Wilds (Mercy) attempting to take over the fictional kingdom of Adlersbrunn. Their schemes are thwarted by a team of heroes composed of the Alchemist (Ana), the Gunslinger (McCree), the Archer (Hanzo), the Soldier (Solder 76), the Countess (Widowmaker), the Swordsman (Genji), the Monk (Zenyatta), and the Viking (Torbjorn). Alongside this, there's an alternate version called Junkenstein's Revenge: Endless Night that mixes up the formula. For 2018, there are now 10 options for who you can play as. The new additions to the rotation are Tracer and Brigitte. The update introducing the event also makes a variety of changes to characters, as detailed in the patch notes--most notably, it reworks Torbjorn.
Jack-O'-Lantern Wrecking Ball (Legendary)
Undead McCree
Enchanted Armor Pharah (Legendary)
Spider Widowmaker (Epic)
Banshee Moira (Legendary)
Swamp Monster Doomfist (Legendary)
By Chris E. Hayner on Oct 11, 2018 11:09 pm
It's a Halloween miracle! For the first time since 2003's Freddy vs. Jason, Robert England is slipping back into his glove of knives to reprise his iconic A Nightmare on Elm Street role as Freddy Krueger one more time. Englund will guest star on a special Halloween episode of ABC's The Goldbergs, titled "Mister Knifey-Hands." A synopsis for the episode reads, "Despite Beverly's wishes, Jackie's parents allow Adam to watch A Nightmare on Elm Street and a disagreement between the families ensues. But Beverly dreams of facing off with horror icon Freddy Krueger, which teaches her an important lesson about her son's relationship with Jackie." The photos from the episode find Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) in a rather foggy dreamscape, where she encounters Freddy, of course, as well as a trio of creepy girls skipping rope--imagery that should look very familiar to A Nightmare on Elm Street fans. The images show that even though Englund has aged, Freddy is truly eternal. The actor looks as at home as ever in the glove, burned skin, and trademark sweater and hat of the monster. This may just be a one-off appearance on The Goldbergs, but hopefully, someone will see England back in his old costume and take a hint that it's time for Freddy to be back on the big screen. After all, Michael Myers is back, why not Freddy Krueger? The "Mister Knifey-Hands" episode of The Goldberg airs Wednesday, October 24, at 8:00 PM ET on ABC. For more fall TV you should keep an eye on, check out our must-see shows.
By Dan Auty on Oct 11, 2018 10:46 pm
The new Netflix Original Series Maniac is one of the most complex, challenging shows of 2018. It's a sci-fi comedy drama, loosely based on a Norwegian show of the same name, with The Leftovers' Patrick Somerville acting as showrunner and True Detective Season 1's Cary Fukunaga directing every episode. Maniac is set in alternative retro-futuristic New York, where advanced technology is realised using designs from the '70s and '80. It stars Jonah Hill and Emma Stone as Owen and Annie, two damaged people who submit themselves to a mysterious pharmaceutical trial for different reasons--Owen needs money, has delusions of grandeur about saving the world, and is looking for anything that will help with his schizophrenia, while Annie is addicted to one of the pills being tested in the trial. The trials involve the subjects entering hallucinatory states--known as reflections and simulations--and almost immediately Annie and Owen's start to overlap, suggesting some unique bond between these two strangers. As the series continues we see them in a variety of imagined situations--from a 1940s heists caper to a Tolkien-esque land of elves and fairies. But the boundaries between reality and fantasy frequently break down, with dialogues, faces, music, and events occurring in different contexts and Annie and Owen attempt to traverse the inner worlds of their damaged psyches. As a result, Maniac is one of those shows that demands a second viewing. The compelling nature of the drama means that it's easy to miss many of the references and callbacks that Fukunaga and Somerville have scattered across its ten episodes. There are many moments that seem strange at first, and only make sense when viewed within the context of later events. But there are also breadcrumbs dropped by the show's creators that can help viewers on their journey through this fascinating show. And there are small jokes that have little to do the with the plot but are highly amusing when spotted--in particular the references that Fukanaga has placed to his other movies and TV shows. So here is our guide to the key callbacks, Easter Eggs, references, and hidden clues in Maniac. This list is by no means comprehensive, and we haven't listed every single actor that appeared in multiple roles throughout the series. And, of course, there are many spoilers ahead. But these will provide a helpful guide if you are going back for a second view of the show. So sit back, take Pills A, B, C--and don't forget to let us know any hidden clues and callbacks that you've spotted. Utangatta!
1. Mantleray's Monologue (Episode 1)
The first episode opens with a monologue from Dr Mantleray: "Two billion years ago, an amoeba..." We hear him begin this exact same monologue at the very end of the final episode.
2. One and nines (Episodes 1-10)
The numbers one and nine are the numbers that Owen and Annie are assigned in the experiment, and they recur throughout the show. References include Owen and Annie's names being anagrams (OwEN and aNNIE), Bruce's car registration plate (O19-A91), the one on Bruce's football shirt, the nine of Hearts that Owen pulls out during Episode 5's magic trick, Bruce and Linda's street number (901), and that of the mobster mortuary in Episode 7 (1101).
3. Bladdergate (Episode 1)
Annie steals quarters from a New York Post box, and we see the front page. It's the Milgrim family, with headline: 'Bladdergate Milgrim Poopbot Empire In Peril', hinting at Jed's court case and revealing that the Milgrim fortune is down to the manufacture of Poopbots, the show's robotic dog poop collectors.
4. Not All Hugs Are Created Equal (Episode 1)
Annie walks past a poster advertising Greta Mantleray's latest book at the same moment we hear her son, in the monologue, say: "It's quite terrible to be alone."
5. Milgram (Episode 1)
Owen's surname is Milgrim, a reference to Stanley Milgram, a social psychologist who performed controversial behavioral experiments in the 1960s.
6. Solving The Cube (Episode 1/Episode 9)
Annie stops outside the Milgrim Industries building to look through a pile of discarded junk. She picks up a Rubik's cube and throws it on the ground. Owen stops to pick it up before headings into the building. He fiddles with the cube throughout multiple subsequent episodes. Finally, in Episode 9, Owen (as Snorri) rescues the test subjects from GRTA by solving a Rubik's Cube-like puzzle.
7. Don Quioxte (Episode 1/Episode 4/Episode 5)
Annie also picks up Miguel de Cervantes' classic book Don Quixote from the junk. References to Don Quixote occur throughout the show. In a recent interview with Time, Fukanaga explains that "Don Quixote does relate to both of [Annie and Owen's] characters. His break from reality and the lessons learned within Cervantes' book mirrors a lot of what we're doing." In Episode 4, we see Annie/Linda reading the book to Nan, while in Episode 5, Annie tells Owen that it was her sister's favorite book and that it led her father to believe Ellie was smarter than her.
8. "Not much of a difference, authority-wise." (Episode 1/Episode 4)
When the Milgrim Industries security guards tries to move Annie along, she asks him if he's a cop. "Not much of a difference, authority-wise," he replies The same actor, Jojo Gonzalez, appears in Episode 4 as a Fish and Wildlife Officer searching for Wendy the lemur and delivers the same line--in two different scenes.
9. Popcorn problems (Episode 1/Episode 9)
Popcorn is a recurring theme. The term "popcorn problems" first occurs as a joke when Owen is on the phone to Neberdine--he asks the woman taking his details to repeat the phrase and she says "prostate problems." Later in the same episode, we see kernels popping as Owen feeds pigeons, shortly after Grimsson tells him "the pattern is the pattern." In Episode 9, the small metal "recall trigger" that Annie removes from Owen/Snori's nose pops into a kernel of corn.
10. Snorri Agnarsson's Icelandic Fish (Episode 1/Episode 9)
We see a neon sign on a bridge advertising Snorri Agnarsson's Icelandic Fish. In Episode 9, Owen becomes Snorri Agnarsson during the Pill C trial.
11. "Exactly Like You" (Episode 1, Episode 4, Episode 5)
We hear this 1930s dance song at several points during the series. It is playing in Episode 1 in the background while Owen walks with his dad, at the end of Episode 4 when Bruce and Linda return to their house, and in Episode 5 it is described as Owen and Annie's song shortly before they dance to it at the seance. It is also the title of Episode 5.
12. Annia and Ellia (Episode 2/Episode 7)
During Annie's Pill A reflection, she remembers the events that led up to her sister Ellie's death. The pair of them are seen watching a fantasy movie, during which Ellie pretends to be an Elf and calls herself and her sister "Annia" and "Ellia". This entire fantasy scenario plays out in Episodes 7 and 8.
13. Dancing Lemurs (Episode 2/Episode 4)
There's a large picture of a dancing lemur on the wall of Annie's dad's house, foreshadowing the hunt for Wendy in Episode 4.
14. Windmills (Episode 2)
Episode 2 is titled "Windmills". This is another reference to Don Quixote, who fights Windmills in the book, believing them to be ferocious giants. In the scene where Annie refuels her car, we see a windmill in the background.
15. Every breathe You Take (Episode 3)
During Owen's possibly-faked Pill A reflection, we see Jed serenade Adelaide with the Police song "Every Breath You Take," which, lyrically, is a very creepy song about a stalker. Muramoto asks Owen "So Sting was at the party?" Owen's mom is played by Trudie Styler, who is Sting's wife in real life.
16. Floppy Discs (Episode 3)
The VR porn floppy discs that Azumi sees in Mantleray's apartment are named after Fukunaga's previous shows and movies, including Sin Number 3 (Sin Nombre), True Erection (True Detective), Beasts of Urination (Beasts of No Nation), and Jane Derriere (Jane Eyre).
17. JC and Lance (Episode 4)
Sebastian's two dancer sons are called JC and Lance--members of '90s boyband *NSYNC. They talk about rehearsals the next day with Joey, another member of that group.
18. Paula Nazlund (Episode 4)
Nan's estranged daughter is Paula Nazlund. She tells Annie/Linda that she is pregnant with a son she plans to call Greg "F*** U Nan" (F.U.N.) Nazlund--which is the name of the truck driver who killed Ellie. As Paula is telling Annie this, an 18-wheel truck thunders by in the street outside. Annie then turns to her and says: "Maybe you shouldn't have children."
19. Olivia (Episode 4/Episode 3)
While Owen/Bruce waits in the car outside the Nazlund house, he starts to read a Greta Mantleray book. We see Olivia, the girl Owen was once obsessed with, that he has told Annie about in Episode 3. Olivia is pictured in the book and described as his "emotional poltergeist." The memory of Olivia will return to haunt him throughout the show.
20. Owen's cars (Episode 4/Episode 7/Episode 10)
Owen drives two cars in separate simulations--Bruce's Volvo in Episode 4 and his flaming gangster Mercedes in Episode 7. We see both of these cars next to each other in the garage towards the end of Episode 10.
21. Searching for Quixote (Episode 5)
Ollie and Arlie Hightower (ie. Owen and Annie) are both searching for the legendary lost final chapter of Don Quixote at the Nerberdine mansion seance. Legend has it, reading this chapter will allow you to live in your fantasies forever.
22. "I don't do partners." (Episode 5)
Olivia is attending the seance as a girl desperate to team up with Ollie/Owen on his missions of intrigue. Owen tells her he works alone and leaves her sadly on the mansion doorstep. "I keep my fantasies to myself," he tells her.
23. McMurphies (Episode 6)
We hear Azumi mention the need to avoid creating McMurphies--ie. test subjects left in a permanently catatonic state. The reference derives from the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, in which Jack Nicholson's character Randle McMurphy is lobotomised near the movie's end.
24. Ceci N'est Pas Une Drill (Episode 7)
The title of Episode 7 translate as This Is Not A Drill. It comes from a painting by Belgian surrealist painter Magritte titled The Treachery of Images. The painting depicts a pipe, under which a caption reads: "Ceci n'est pas une pipe"--translated to mean This is not a pipe. We see a version of the painting on the wall of the basement, with a drill replacing the pipe--the drill being the favoured tool of torture and murder used by Owen's father (in this simulation, depicted as a psychotic mob boss). But of course there's a double meaning here too--the phrase "this is not a drill" can also be seen to refer to the fact the fact that Owen is now onto the Pill C stage of the trial and there's no going back from where it will ultimately lead him.
25. Heatwaves (Episode 7)
In Owen's Pill C simulation, Olivia appears as a waitress who is attracted to his character, a sensitive gangster-turned-FBI-informant. She tells him that she has chronic hyperthermia, with a skin temperature of 106 degrees--the same temperature that the subjects trapped in the testing room by GRTA are currently suffering under. As she stands there, shimmering heat waves are visible all around her body.
26. "Annie, I'm a hawk!" (Episode 8)
If you've stayed to the end of every episode, you'll have heard Owen yell "Annie, I'm a hawk!" over the Paramount logo. In Episode 8 we finally see Owen deliver that line as a hawk, as he races into her fantasy world to rescue her.
27. 5-6-7-8 (Episode 9/Episode 4)
The mainframe code is 5-6-7-8, which is the same number as the updated door code in the fur shop in Episode 4, as well as the count that leads into the brothers' dance in the same episode.
28. Big Hug Mug (Episode 10)
In the pre-trial conference, Jed sits with a Big Hug Mug in front of him. In Fukunaga's True Detective, Matthew McConaughey's character Cohle drinks from the same mug.
29. Signing In (Episode 10)
When Annie signs into the hospital in which Owen has been committed, she enters a pair of fake names--Bruce Marino (Owen's character from Episode 4) and Wendy Lemuria (ie. Wendy the Lemur).
30. "This is it." (Episode 10/Episode 5)
Owen and Annie escape from the hospital, laughing together, which is exactly the fantasy that he describes to her in Episode 5. Owen seems to realise this and joyfully delivers his final line in the show to her as they speed away: "This is it."
31. Movie References
There many movie references throughout the entire series. These include Alien (the clinic dining area, plus the extremely similar ULP/Nostromo patches), The Graduate (Annie's and Owen's final escape), Dr Strangelove (the United Nations scenes), Lord of the Rings (the fantasy sequences), and Raising Arizona (Bruce and Linda's lemur adventures).
By Mat Elfring on Oct 11, 2018 10:13 pm
The release date for WWE 2K19 has arrived. One of the most exciting aspects of any new entry in the WWE 2K series is its enormous roster of playable characters, and 2K19 will not disappoint in that regard. 2K has announced the full lineup of wrestlers, and it offers a sizable plethora of superstars to choose from. Last year's WWE 2K18 ended up with over 180 wrestlers--the largest in the history of the series to that point--and 2K19 has already comfortably topped that. Here's a detailed look at every member of the 2K19 roster announced so far. More WWE superstars were added to the roster for WWE 2K19 toward the end of September, as 2K revealed its DLC for the upcoming game. This batch added 11 wrestlers to the game, none of which were playable in previous versions. It includes Raw superstar Bobby Lashley, and NXT superstars Lacey Evans, Ricochet, and EC3. Alongside this news, we were able to go hands-on with MyCareer and found that overall, 2K19 is fun again. During another recent roster reveal from 2K, Rusev and Lana revealed more WWE 2K19 playable superstars with Cesaro and Sheamus, also known as The Bar. The focus for this batch was legendary WWE wrestlers. The large reveal had a few new additions to the game, including Ted DiBiase, who has been only a manager in previous games. Additionally, fan favorites and former WCW stars like Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Booker T will be included in the new game. Fans of both Daniel Bryan are going to be very happy as 2K is bringing back Showcase Mode for WWE 2K19, which follows the career of the superstar. From his first match as Bryan Danielson to his feuds with The Miz, it will be covered in the upcoming game. Among the new features are the Million Dollar Challenge, which takes place within the new Challenge Mode. Cover star AJ Styles headlines the roster, while those who pre-ordered got bonus characters Ronda Rousey and Rey Mysterio. Additionally, the $130 Wooooo! Edition of the game has been announced which comes with a bunch of exclusives including a season pass, exclusive roster additions, a piece of Ric Flair's robe, early access to play, and more. This year's edition will be skipping Nintendo Switch, after last year's port featured a bevy of problems from frame rate issues to resolution dropping down to 540p, even in docked mode. However, the game is now available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. If you're interested in picking up WWE 2K19, check out our buying guide, with all the info about what each edition contains, where to buy it, and pricing. We'll keep you updated with all the newly confirmed superstars in the game, as well as a breakdown of which shows these wrestlers are from and how many new additions will be playable. You can find links to the latest updates below as well. Above, you can find every playable character we know about so far. Confirmed playable characters breakdown (so far): - Total wrestlers: 200
- New to the series: 40
- Raw superstars: 52
- Smackdown superstars: 50
- Legends: 54
- NXT superstars: 28
- 205 Live: superstars: 12
- Men's division: 159
- Women's division: 41
Jump ahead to the latest updates:
AJ Styles (Smackdown)
Cover star.
Ronda Rousey (Raw)
New to the series. Pre-order bonus character.
Rey Mysterio (Legend)
New to the series. Pre-order bonus character.
Ric Flair (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains exclusive Wrestlemania 24 attire.
Charlotte (Smackdown)
Deluxe edition contains exclusive Wrestlemania 32 attire.
Dusty Rhodes (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains '80s-inspired character.
"Macho Man" Randy Savage (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains '80s-inspired character in his Wrestlemania VIII attire.
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains '80s-inspired character.
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains '80s-inspired character.
2002 Undertaker (Legend)
Deluxe edition contains the character in his 2002 Bikertaker outfit.
Daniel Bryan (Smackdown)
2K announced that the Daniel Bryan's career will be the subject of WWE 2K19's Showcase Mode. There will be 11 different models of Bryan, each with its own unique moveset and look. Additionally, GameSpot talked to Bryan about his longtime feud with WWE superstar The Miz.
Randy Orton (Smackdown)
John Cena
Kane (Smackdown)
Kofi Kingston (Smackdown)
Tyler Bate (NXT UK)
Pete Dunne (NXT UK)
Angelo Dawkins (NXT)
Braun Strowman (Raw)
Finn Balor (Raw)
Kairi Sane (NXT)
Liv Morgan (Raw)
Montez Ford (NXT)
Sarah Logan (Raw)
Ruby Riott (Raw)
The Velveteen Dream (NXT)
Adam Cole (NXT)
Akam (Raw)
Aleister Black (NXT)
Alexa Bliss (Raw)
Alicia Fox (Raw)
Apollo Crews (Raw)
Baron Corbin (Raw)
Bayley (Raw)
Bianca Belair (NXT)
Big Show (Raw)
Bo Dallas (Raw)
Bobby Fish (NXT)
Bobby Roode (Raw)
Bray Wyatt (Raw)
Brock Lesnar (raw)
Chad Gable (Raw)
Curt Hawkins (Raw)
Curtis Axel (Raw)
Dana Brooke (Raw)
Dash Wilder (Raw)
Dean Ambrose (Raw)
Dolph Ziggler (Raw)
Drew McIntyre (Raw)
Elias (Raw)
Sasha Banks (Raw)
Ember Moon (Raw)
Fandango (Raw)
Goldust (Raw)
Heath Slater (Raw)
Jason Jordan (Raw)
Jinder Mahal (Raw)
Johnny Gargano (NXT)
Kassius Ohno (NXT)
Kevin Owens (Raw)
Konnor (Raw)
Lana (Smackdown)
Lars Sullivan (NXT)
Matt Hardy (Raw)
Mickie James (Raw)
Mojo Rawley (Raw)
Natalya (Raw)
Nia Jax (Raw)
Nick Miller (NXT)
No Way Jose (Raw)
Oney Lorcan (NXT)
Otis Dozovic (NXT)
Rezar (Raw)
Titus O'Neil (Raw)
Rhyno (Raw)
Roderick Strong (NXT)
Roman Reigns (Raw)
Rusev (Smackdown)
Sami Zayn (Raw)
Scott Dawson (Raw)
Seth Rollins (Raw)
Shane Thorne (NXT)
Shayna Baszler (NXT)
Triple H
Tucker Knight (NXT)
Tyler Breeze (Raw)
Viktor (Raw)
Zack Ryder (Raw)
Kyle O'Reilly (NXT)
Aiden English (Smackdown)
Akira Tozawa (205 Live)
Alexander Wolfe (Smackdown)
Andrade Cien Almas (Smackdown)
Ariya Daivari (205 Live)
Asuka (Smackdown)
Becky Lynch (Smackdown)
Big E (Smackdown)
Billie Kay (Smackdown)
Brie Bella (Smackdown)
Carmella (Smackdown)
Cedric Alexander (205 Live)
Cesaro (Smackdown)
Chris Jericho (Legend)
Drew Gulak (205 Live)
Epico Colon (Smackdown)
Eric Young (Smackdown)
Gran Metalik (205 Live)
Harper (Smackdown)
Hideo Itami (205 Live)
Jack Gallagher (205 Live)
Jeff Hardy (Smackdown)
Jey Uso (Smackdown)
Jimmy Uso (Smackdown)
Kalisto (205 Live)
Karl Anderson (Smackdown)
Killian Dane (Smackdown)
Lince Dorado (205 Live)
Luke Gallows (Smackdown)
Mandy Rose (Smackdown)
Maryse (Smackdown)
The Miz (Smackdown)
Mustafa Ali (205 Live)
Naomi (Smackdown)
Nikki Bella (Smackdown)
Noam Dar (205 Live)
Paige (Smackdown)
Peyton Royce (Smackdown)
Primo Colon (Smackdown)
Rowan (Smackdown)
R-Truth (Smackdown)
Samoa Joe (Smackdown)
Sheamus (Smackdown)
Shelton Benjamin (Smackdown)
Shinsuke Nakamura (Smackdown)
Sin Cara (Smackdown)
Sonya Deville (Smackdown)
Tamina (Smackdown)
TJP (Smackdown)
Tony Nese (205 Live)
Tye Dillinger (Smackdown)
Xavier Woods (Smackdown)
Alundra Blayze (Legend)
Andre The Giant (Legend)
Bam Bam Bigelow (Legend)
Batista (Legend)
Beth Phoenix (Legend)
Big Boss Man (Legend)
Booker T (Legend)
Bret "Hit Man" Hart (Legend)
British Bulldog (Legend)
Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake (Legend)
Christian (Legend)
Diamond Dallas Page (Legend)
Diesel (Legend)
Eddie Guerrero (Legend)
Edge (Legend)
Goldberg (Legend)
Greg "The Hammer" Valentine (Legend)
Ivory (Legend)
Jacqueline (Legend)
Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart (Legend)
Kevin Nash (Legend)
Kurt Angle (Legend)
Lex Luger (Legend)
Lita (Legend)
Mr. McMahon (Legend)
Mr. Perfect (Legend)
Papa Shango (Legend)
"Ravishing" Rick Rude (Legend)
Razor Ramon (Legend)
Sycho Sid (Legend)
Rick "The Model" Martel (Legend)
Ricky Morton (Legend)
Rikishi (Legend)
Robert Gibson (Legend)
Tatanka (Legend)
Ted DiBiase (Legend)
Scott Hall (Legend)
Shawn Michaels (Legend)
Stephanie McMahon (Legend)
Sting (Legend)
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin (Legend)
The Godfather (Legend)
The Rock (Legend)
Trish Stratus (Legend)
Ultimate Warrior (Legend)
The Undertaker (Legend)
Vader (Legend)
Bobby Lashley (Raw)
DLC
Candice LeRae (NXT)
DLC
Dakota Kai (NXT)
DLC
EC3 (NXT)
DLC
Hanson (NXT)
DLC
Lacey Evans (NXT)
DLC
Lio Rush (205 Live)
DLC
Mike & Maria Kanellis (Smackdown)
DLC
Ricochet (NXT)
DLC
Rowe (NXT)
DLC
By Edmond Tran on Oct 11, 2018 05:45 am
Red Dead Redemption 2: All The New Features
A number of GameSpot staff were able to play a near-final build of Red Dead Redemption 2 recently, which releases in a few week's time (October 26) on PS4 and Xbox One. Despite some initial familiarity as a Rockstar game, we discovered a wealth of new features and systems once we scratched the surface. There are a lot of mechanics to tell you about, a lot of stuff that we haven't seen the full scope of, and potentially a lot of things we haven't even seen yet. And that's without diving into Red Dead Online, which largely remains a mystery and won't launch until November (and even then, only as a beta). Rockstar recently released a second gameplay trailer that shows off a few other new features that we didn't get the chance to see first hand, but it's easy to imagine how they might fit into the game based on our experience. We'll continue to update this gallery as Rockstar releases new details up to launch. Please note that due to the limited amount of available media, not all images will be completely representative of the features they're depicting. If you haven't already seen our primary Red Dead Redemption 2 preview covering the story missions we saw, make sure you read: Red Dead Redemption 2: We Played It, Here's Everything We Saw. What do you think of all these new additions? Lets us know in the comments below, and check out all of our coverage through the following links. Red Dead Redemption 2 News And Details
You Can Play The Whole Game In First Person
The entirety of Red Dead Redemption 2 can be played in first-person, much like Grand Theft Auto V when it was released on PS4, Xbox One, and later, PC. Like GTA V, this feels like a much more involved first-person experience than a conventional FPS because your actions feel more weighty, and animations are more confronting. We were trampled by a horse at one point, and it felt awful.
You Can Disable The HUD
The HUD is minimal by default, only showing the mini-map in the bottom left corner, with meters fading in as it becomes necessary. An expanded HUD option shows you a larger minimap, but there's also the option to turn everything off, as well as an option to only have a compass on the screen.
Cinematic Camera Has A New Implementation
If you're familiar with Rockstar open-world games, then you're probably familiar with the cinematic camera mode, which can be triggered while you're driving and activates when you're fast-traveling in a cab. In Red Dead Redemption 2, the cinematic camera will now automatically trigger in certain instances, like the long journey to a mission location, and will frame the journey with a montage of shots that emphasize the landscape and traveling group. You can break out of it at any time, but it's a nice touch, an enjoyable filmic framing of what might have otherwise been a standard journey. As long as you hold X on PS4 or A on Xbox One to keep pace with the pack (like RDR1), you can just sit back and enjoy the naturally-flowing conversation and scenery. This feature can also be triggered manually during gameplay.
You Can Inspect Everything
We spent a lot of time in town exploring stores, where items could be examined and purchased off the shelf individually, or via a catalog at the front counter. Switching to first person, you can make Arthur manipulate the object in his hands as he takes a close look at it. This is also how you'll interact with environmental narrative objects like notes and photographs. You can also inspect your weapons, which is great for appreciating any customizations you've made to them.
There Are A Variety of Business, Activities, and Secret Stores
We spent time in town browsing the gunsmith and general store, sitting down for a bowl of oatmeal and playing some Five Finger Fillet. Rockstar told us that some stores would have more illicit secret businesses in back rooms.
You Can Discover Secret Passages
The latest trailer showed Arthur moving a bookcase to reveal a secret stairwell. Could this be how you get to the aforementioned secret shops, or could it lead to some a secret stash of riches?
Your Weapons Are Visible On Your Person
Drawing on learnings from Max Payne 3, all of the weapons Arthur carries will be visible on his body. You'll be limited to carrying two long guns (or one long gun and one bow), two sidearms, a knife, a lasso, and a bunch of throwables. When we switched weapons in the demo, Arthur would carry his rifle in his left hand while he used his pistol in the other.
There's A Kill Cam That Changes Depending On Your Honor
Visible weapons aren't the only Max Payne 3 DNA in the game--when you take out the final opponent during a gunfight, a kill cam will frame that final blow. This will change depending on Arthur's moral standing: If you've been a naughty cowboy, these kill cams will be gorier. If you've been upstanding and honorable, they'll be framed in a more heroic fashion.
You Can Break Enemy Weapons
Speaking of heroic behavior, if you want to go the more non-lethal route, it's possible to shoot weapons out of enemy hands. Not only that, but you can even shoot directly at their weapons and break them. This seems like a handy technique if you're looking to be an outlaw with a heart of gold as opposed to a straight-up cold-blooded killer.
Dead Eye Has Five Levels Now
Red Dead Redemption's version of bullet time-style slowdown returns in the sequel, and it has more levels to it. We were able to deduce that Level 1 allows for slowdown, Level 2 allows you to paint targets and unleash a barrage of shots, and Level 3 allows you to manually pick your shooting points. However, Rockstar also mentioned that you had the ability to highlight critical hit points with higher levels, which will come in very handy for making clean kills when hunting animals.
You Can Customise Your Guns
In Red Dead Redemption 2, you're able to examine environmental objects in great detail, and you can do the same to your weapons, by clicking the right analog stick from the weapon wheel. That's handy because it lets you admire the customizations you can perform on them at gunsmiths, like personalized engravings and leather wraps.
You Can Craft Weapons
Aside from gun customization, you can craft special kinds of weapons and ammo. For example, you can craft molotovs and split-point bullets. This should make the going easier when caught up in firefights.
Your Guns Can Degrade And Jam
You need to take care of your weapon in Red Dead Redemption 2. You have the option to clean it, which is incredibly important to do regularly because guns can rust and jam due to disrepair and environmental conditions. This one's sure to be a controversial feature, if Far Cry 2, which also featured gun jamming, was anything to go by.
You Can Fire Warning Shots
By having your gun unholstered and holding Up on the d-pad, you can fire warning shots into the air. This is handy for intimidating people, scaring off animals, or generally being a rowdy buffoon while you're riding around.
Shooting Is Not Your Only Option, Try Talking
Aiming at people with your gun holstered will give you access to a contextual menu, which lets you chat to people in the world. You'll often find the option to verbally defuse or agitate situations with other inhabitants in the world, and these interactions seemed quite fluid and natural during our short time with the game. For example, when a carriage rode past us, we had the option to call out to them to stop, greet them in a friendly manner, or antagonize them. We called out to the carriage and were then given the option to hitch a ride among other things, but we took too long to make a decision and the driver rode off. We called out again, and Arthur's dialogue was more unsure and desperate.
You Can Donate Money To Those In Need
About halfway through the second gameplay trailer, we can see Arthur donating money to a beggar on the sidewalk, following a button prompt. Odds are that this will impact Arthur in some way, whether it be related to his reputation stats or a potential quest down the road.
The Eyewitness System Returns
The eyewitness system means that nearby onlookers to a crime can report you to lawmen, and like the first Red Dead Redemption, the effect of eyewitnesses can be mitigated if you manage to catch up with them and either kill or bribe them before they report the crime. In the sequel, however, you have more options. You can speak to them in various temperaments in an attempt to intimidate or convince them not to report you, or you can beat them like a heartless jerk.
Melee Combat Has Been Expanded
We weren't able to get into the mechanical intricacies of this one during our demo, but Rockstar reps mentioned that melee combat had been expanded. We were shown a fistfight where Arthur used grapple moves, blocks, and a variety of different punches to knock out his opponent.
Hunting Is More Realistic, Laborious, And Confronting
The ability to hunt animals and sell their meat and pelts returns, but with a more realistic (and therefore more confronting) presentation. Once you successfully kill an animal, you can skin it. But where Red Dead Redemption's skinning animation didn't focus on the animal, Red Dead Redemption 2's most certainly does. You'll see Arthur pull his knife out, get on his hands and knees, plunge his knife into the poor beast, carve the pelt from its flesh, peel it off the body, and roll it up into a bundle. You'll almost certainly wince the first time you see it. Arthur actually carries the pelt now, and he'll need to store it on his horse to free up his hands. Similarly, to get the meat off a hunted animal, you'll manually have to pick up the bloodied carcass and carry it to a butcher. We had to load a hunted deer on our horse and ride it into the nearest town, where we had the option of getting it chopped up into cookable components or simply selling it whole.
You Can Fish
If the gruesome realities of hunting and cleaning your kill are too much for you to stomach, you can opt to fish instead.
You Can Herd Cattle
Life in the old west isn't all about looting and shooting and running away from bounty hunters. Sometimes you need to take in some fresh air and get to work on some good, old-fashioned chores. Herding cattle could be the relaxing respite from hard livin' we need. After all, what's a cowboy without cows?
Time Is Cruel
Rockstar reps wanted us to know that these meat components had an expiration date--time would eventually take its toll and both the fresh pelt and carcass would start to rot and attract vermin, reducing its value and making us generally unpleasant to be around.
Time To Shave
Time also has an effect on Arthur's hair, which will grow longer over time. Customizing Arthur's haircut and facial hair styling is also dependent on length since you're allowed to cut things shorter, but won't have access to anything that requires more hair--a more realistic take on personal grooming compared to GTA V.
Time To Open
Time will also affect towns over the course of the game. While exploring, we noticed a half-constructed building and were told that these would eventually become new storefronts as days passed.
Stay Clean
NPCs will certainly react to the stink of your rotting deer corpse if you've been around it too long, or just haven't taken a bath in a while. Arthur needs to get clean and change his clothes every once in a while, since townsfolk may refuse to talk or serve him based on his appearance--having a lot of blood on your jacket doesn't attract the best reactions.
You Can Layer Your Clothes
Rockstar reps explained that the game's clothing customization options will be comprehensive--each character will have different sets to coincide with weather conditions, while customizations would allow layering and minor adjustments, like the option to roll up your sleeves or tuck your pants into your boots. It's unclear whether outfits will have perks like RDR1, but we know that the type of clothes you wear will affect Arthur's performance. For example, if you wear a weighty jacket during a hot summer day, your running stamina will take a big hit.
You Get A Camera. Yes, You Can Take Selfies
We started a side quest during our time with Red Dead Redemption 2, and the mission giver handed Arthur a camera. This camera could be used at any time via your inventory, and yes, the first thing we did was take a selfie. These aren't arm-out handheld selfies, though. The mode is titled "self-portrait" and will frame Arthur's whole body as if the camera was set up on a tripod. You'll be able to adjust expressions and poses, too--expect to see a whole bunch of self-portraits depicting Arthur squatting in front of various things.
You Need To Eat
Arthur's core meters are health, stamina, and dead eye, and you'll need to keep him fed with snacks and meals to keep his well-being topped up. If your health or stamina falls below a certain level, Arthur will experience dizziness--he'll have trouble walking, and his vision will be blurry. Arthur can carry snacks on him for a quick boost, but eating meals in town areas and in camp are more effective.
You Can Gain And Lose Weight
Sure, you need to eat. But don't overdo it! Arthur can both lose and gain weight, much like Carl Johnson in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Presumably, you'll also lose weight by performing strenuous physical activities like sprinting.
Get Better By Doing
In our demo, we noticed that stamina limit could be raised by running. This suggests a similar progression system to previous Rockstar Games where your skill with something increases the more you perform that action. This manifests itself in a new way via what's known as the Core system. Although health, stamina, and Deadeye meters are separate from the Cores, how they perform depends on the state of a corresponding Core. For instance, the health Core dictates how quickly health regenerates, and likewise for stamina. If you're low on health but the corresponding health Core has been maintained well, the rate at which you generate health will be increased. To keep your individual cores in good shape, you'll need to level up Arthur's strength, grit, dexterity, and instinct attributes. Leveling up Cores is reminiscent of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which reflected the way CJ behaved on the character itself; if you ate too much junk food, you'd gain weight, or if you spent a lot of time sprinting around the city, you'd have better stamina. Similarly, in Red Dead Redemption 2 there are activities that you'll do simply by playing the game which, over time, will improve your Core. Running, for example, once again improves your stamina, while taking damage and then restoring health will build your Health core.
Horses Are Complex Creatures
Your horse will have its own set of health and stamina meters, and like Arthur, you'll need to keep it fed as well. You'll also need to keep it clean and brushed, since it can become less effective, and you can pet your horse, which acts as a mechanism to calm it down after it's been spooked. We were told that bonding with your horse by caring for it and riding it regularly can unlock additional skills and improve responsiveness. During our hands-on, we were able to rear our horse on its hind legs, perform drifts to change direction quickly (apologies to equestrian enthusiasts), and move our horse precisely by performing dressage techniques. You can bond with multiple horses and stable them in different locations around the world, as different breeds will be better suited to certain situations. A Clydesdale warhorse, for example, would be more suitable in a battle than the Tennessee walking horse, which is more of an all-rounder. And yes, they poop.
Your Horse's Saddlebags Hold Everything
Because Arthur can only carry a limited amount of weapons, your horse also acts as your storage. Being in close proximity to your horse will give you access to your entire arsenal, but you'll need to transfer guns onto your person if you decide to stray. You can move your horse without mounting it, thankfully, by grabbing the reins and leading it on foot. This gamut of horse interactions is accessed by Red Dead Redemption 2's new contextual menu, by holding L2 with your gun holstered and aiming at your horse. Also, you can also rob other people's saddlebags. Just make sure no-one is watching.
Side Missions Are Potentially More Involved
The aforementioned side quest was a multi-part mission that we weren't allowed the time to pursue. In it, a biographer fed up with his drunken subject asked Arthur to track down a number of famed gunslingers to ask them about who was the best, with the strong insinuation that we would have to duel them ourselves. We were handed a number of photographs of the targets, each with some handwritten notes on the back. Physically analyzing these notes and photographs was likely the key to narrowing down our search, reminiscent of the Treasure Maps from the first Red Dead Redemption.
Camps Are Complex And Affected By Time
Your camp will not wait for you. We were told that the members of your gang who reside at camp will come and go, and finding out where exactly they've gone from others will be the basis of a number of quests and side quests. We found that the day and night cycle will also affect who you're able to interact with at camp. For example, we looked for our gang's cook to try and fix up some of the deer we had prepared earlier, but he was sleeping, and though we prodded him awake, we didn't feel mean enough to make him cook. The stockpiling of supplies like these is just one of the ways you can affect camp morale. We're told camp morale is an optional mechanic, but keeping this raised can provide Arthur with additional supplies and bonuses.
You Can Dance (If You Want To!)
If you find yourself at camp and the mood strikes you, you can break a leg and dance with your gang. The simple moves in the trailer seems fairly traditional, but we'll put good money on there being sillier options whenever Red Dead Online launches.
Catch A Stage Show
Assuming he isn't too stinky to make it past the ushers, Arthur can kick back and catch a show at the local theater.
Gang Members Can Join You In Free-Roam
Rockstar told us that if available, gang members will offer to join you on free-roam activities, giving you access to the same kind of assistance saw in the story missions, like asking them to go ahead and take out an enemy. You can also spend time talking to gang members at camp, including Read Dead 1 protagonist John Martson, and even butt into conversations midway to add your two cents. Unfortunately, due to the time of day in our demo, we didn't have many of these opportunities to explore.
You Can Swim
Unlike John Marston, it's possible for Arthur to swim. Though, it's worth noting that he isn't all that great at it.
You Have An Instinct Vision Called Eagle Eye
When you're tracking and hunting animals, you can activate what's called the Eagle Eye system. This displays key details in the environment that can help you close in on nearby game. It can also be used to see the scent coming off your body; a handy detail you can use to determine whether or not you should approach animals who might catch onto your presence.
You Can Swap Your Hat
Last, but certainly not least, we noted that while you can easily lose your hat in the midst of a shootout, Arthur can swap his hat for any other hat that just happened to fall off someone else's head by no doing of your own. Because at the end of the day, if you can't wear the hat you want, what is the point of even playing? We'll continue to update this gallery as we discover more things about Red Dead Redemption 2. If you haven't already seen our primary Red Dead Redemption 2 preview covering the story missions we saw, make sure you read Red Dead Redemption 2: We Played It, Here's Everything We Saw.
By Matt Espineli on Oct 11, 2018 05:36 am
As you play Assassin's Creed Odyssey, you'll inevitably come across several battles and conflicts that'll test your wits and reflexes. As a Spartan-turned-mercenary/proto-Assassin, you'll need to rely on every tool at your disposal to fight against the warring armies and mysterious cults that seek to take over Ancient Greece. Like last year's Assassin's Creed Origins, Odyssey blends together RPG elements within the framework of an open-world action-adventure game, allowing you to explore and uncover resources at your leisure, while strengthening your character in the areas that you wish. However, the level of customization for your character in Odyssey is far more flexible, giving you more room to specialize the protagonist across several different archetypes. Centering around the Warrior, Hunter, and Assassin archetypes, these areas are tied to melee, long-range, and stealth respectively. Each archetype possesses its own set of abilities and passive skills that add new options for you to take advantage of, many of which can be used in clever ways for some effective combos. With the amount of skills to choose from, you're free to respec your character at any time, allowing you to rebuild them to make a stronger and more refined adventurer. In this feature, we've come up with several tips to help you out in battle, and along with our selection of the most useful abilities to overcome the deadly foes of Ancient Greece. Of course, this is all spoiler free, and only focuses on the core skills that can be unlocked from general progression. For more info on the series' new entry, check out our full Assassin's Creed Odyssey review along with our look back on every Assassin's Creed game we've reviewed over its 11-year history.
Critical Assassination
When sneaking up on your foe to pull off an assassination, you may discover that they're more powerful than you estimated as they survive your would-be killing blow To avoid this common occurrence, it's good to invest in the Critical Assassination skill. With this enabled, you can spend a single bar of Adrenaline to put some extra force into your silent attacks, allowing you to take out enemies that are more powerful than usual. When fully upgraded, this skill can deal three times as much Assassin damage than normal.
Sixth Sense
When performing stealth, there's the occasional chance that a guard may catch you in the corner of their eye. As a precaution, the Sixth Sense ability in the Hunter tree would be a valuable skill to have. With this enabled, you'll be given a short grace period after being noticed by guards, slowing down time and allowing you to get a shot off from your bow. If your aim is sharp, you might be able to land a headshot, keeping you in the clear. Upgrading this ability further can extend the slow-mo duration and increase your Hunter damage.
Spartan Kick
As one of Odyssey's most useful and versatile abilities, the Spartan Kick is a fast and vicious strike that can push foes back several feet--and it's also a lot of fun to use. As one of the first abilities you can acquire in the Warrior tree, the kick is especially effective for forcing an overly aggressive enemy back, or sending an unsuspecting foe flying. However, elite enemies are able to resist the pushback from this move, only resulting in normal damage. When upgraded to its max potential, the Spartan Kick will also let out a shockwave, stunning nearby enemies. You'll occasionally find enemies standing at the edge of cliff, and you'll find that it's difficult to resist the urge to kick them off and see them fly off into the distance.
Arrow Master
As a hunter, you may find yourself in situations that can make you rethink how you'll want to engage enemies at long-range. The Arrow Master skill will grant you the ability to craft different arrow types, opening up new ways to take on opponents. After the initial unlock, you can create flame and paralyzing arrows. Fire arrow are pretty self-explanatory--they ignite targets. The paralyzing arrows, however, can knock out and stun enemies. This is useful when you want to clear through locations without getting any blood on your hands, or when you want to recruit some elite enemies to your ship's crew. Upgrading the Arrow Master ability will allow you to craft Poison and Explosive arrows, which can be extremely effective in both stealth and combat.
Shield Breaker
While you can't use shields in Odyssey, the many foes you come across take advantage of them readily. While you can parry strikes and dodge their attacks, sometimes it's better to get rid of their shield altogether. With the Shield Breaker move, you can yank an enemy's shield out of their hands and bash them with it. However, Elite enemies wielding shields will require a bit more force to strip. Upgrading Shield Breaker to its max will not only deal more damage to the single target, it will also shatter the shield outright--harming nearby foes in the process.
Devastating Shot
When using the bow, you're most effective when you can fire off quick and powerful shots. With the Devastating Shot ability, one of the most useful skills in the Hunter tree, you can charge up a powerful shot to take out enemies in a single blow--at the cost of an Adrenaline bar. If you have the Arrow Master skill unlocked, the special arrows will also have increased effectiveness. Upgrading this ability further will increase the damage done from a single shot, with the max level hurling enemies back with incredible force. While this is useful for getting a clean kill while simultaneously pushing a body into some bushes, it's also invaluable during combat when dealing damage from a distance.
Second Wind
You'll often come across fights that get overwhelming quickly. With this in mind, it's useful to have a skill at the ready when you need a pick-me-up. As the closest thing to a healing potion, the Second Wind ability will regain a portion of your health at the cost of some Adrenaline. When upgraded to maximum, this ability can restore up to half your life, while also negating the effects of fire and poison damage outright. This is especially useful when fighting against foes that use special elemental weapons.
Overpower Attacks
Similar to Origins, you can use up a significant portion of your adrenaline to unleash a deadly attack. By pressing both the light and heavy attacks, the Overpower Attack will cause massive damage to a single enemy, with some light damage done to surrounding targets. This can be especially handy when up against elite and legendary foes with lots of health and plenty of skills to dish out. Depending on your weapon type, you'll see different types of Overpower Attacks.
Rush Assassination
During your infiltration missions, there may come a time when you need to take out a set of foes quick and quietly. Using the Rush Assassination, you can launch a series of quick assassinations. You'll immediately take down the first tagged enemy by throwing your Spear of Leonidas which activates a slow-mo effect to give you time to pick your next target. While the first rank of Rush Assassination only allows for two quick kills, upgrading it further can extend the chain to up to four different enemies. Though bear in mind, just like normal assassinations, some enemies are more powerful than they appear--resulting in heavy damage instead of an instant kill.
Hero Strike
As a blend between the Warrior and Assassin skill-sets, the Hero Strike executes a fatal multi-hit move. While it seems like a more elaborate version of an assassination (that's not too far off,) this skill is also usable during combat. The Hero Strike is an incredibly powerful ability that gets in quick damage, and when fully upgraded, it uses maximum Assassin strength to deal greater damage--which is especially deadly to foes in combat encounters.
Stealth Master
With the amount of bases and enemy compounds you'll need to sneak into, it's important that you know how to move undetected. With the Stealth Master skill, noise made during traversal will be minimized, and enemies will have a more difficult time seeing you while in the crouched position. Upgrading the skill further will make your stealth traversal more efficient and also increase your Assassin and Hunter attack power during night time.
Battlecry Of Ares
When you're up against multiple enemies, you may need to call upon your inner strength to even the odds. After you've invested points into the Overpower Attacks skill, you can acquire the Battlecry of Ares ability to amplify your base damage for a short period of time, while also increasing your defense against enemy attacks. As the peak ability in the Warrior tree, this ability is at its best when used with other skills like Overpower, Spartan Kick, and Shield Breaker. When fully upgraded, this special buffs becomes even more useful, with repeated attacks boosting damage power and activation that requires no Adrenaline.
By Matt Espineli on Oct 11, 2018 05:33 am
Assassin's Creed Odyssey further develops the RPG-stylings of its predecessor. Not only is the game's world much larger than ever before, but there's a wealth of new mechanics and systems added to mix things up. A territory system has you aligning yourself with the competing powers of the Peloponnesian War to carve out the land. Dialogue choices give you more freedom to guide the direction of your journey in subtle yet meaningful ways. And this is all in addition to a slew of improvements that have been made to Origin's pre-existing systems. If you're a returning Assassin's Creed player or a newcomer entirely, much of the new features and mechanics may confuse you. To help you wrap your head over all the new systems in Odyssey, we've gathered 11 useful tips that should help you become the best spartan mercenary/proto-Assassin you can be! Assassin's Odyssey is out now for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. As an interesting aside, the game will also be available to play on Google Chrome thanks to a new test the search giant is conducting to measure the strength of its game streaming technology. However, Google will only be choosing a select few users from those who sign up via its official website. For more Assassin's Creed Odyssey guides, check out our guide highlighting the best skills you can unlock, as well as our recap of the franchise's story so far. If you're curious about our thoughts on the game, be sure to read our Assassin's Creed Odyssey review. GameSpot editor Alessandro Fillari said in his review: "While its large-scale campaign--clocking in at over 50 hours--can occasionally be tiresome, and some features don't quite make the impact they should, Assassin's Creed Odyssey makes great strides in its massive and dynamic world, and it's a joy to venture out and leave your mark on its ever-changing setting." In the meantime, got any handy beginner's tips you don't see here? Let us know in the comments below.
Play Exploration Mode
This isn't so much a tip as a strong recommendation. One of the most meaningful features added into Odyssey is Exploration Mode, a navigation option that strips away markers and quest objectives, forcing you to rely on your investigative and observation skills instead. The mode offers a more challenging experience that's well worth the effort.
What Are The Best Side Quests?
Odyssey has some great side quests that offer stories that range from tense and serious, to funny and light-hearted. Some even tie back into the main narrative. With so much content in Odyssey you might be wondering which side quests are worth your time. You'll find two types of quests in the world. First are quests indicated on the map by these gold and black diamonds. These are the major side quests that are the most involved and in our experience are always worth your time. The other kinds of quests are much smaller, usually consisting of a simple task. You can find these on the map with white and black diamond markers or at Message/Bounty Boards. The quality of these quests vary with some being fun small objectives like defending a philosopher, and others being noticeably lame, like this one where you just need to walk a couple hundred meters and talk to an NPC to complete it. If you're the kind of person who isn't interested in doing everything possible and just wants to see the good stuff, we recommend avoiding these smaller quests completely and only doing the major side quests with the gold and black markers.
Finding And Upgrading Weapons And Armor
Weapons and armor play an even greater role in Odyssey, allowing you to customize your look. There are several ways to get awesome new gear. Completing major side quests is a pretty straightforward option, and the quest menu even shows what reward you will earn. Mercenaries are another great way to earn loot. You can check the mercenaries menu to see a detailed description of the loot each has, and then track the one you want to find. This is the most reliable way to search for something specific. There are also conquest battles, which reward you with a random piece of Epic loot. If you find a piece of armor that has stats you like or just looks cool, you can always upgrade it at a blacksmith, bringing it up to your current level. This is an awesome way to ensure Legendary gear you get early on remains viable in the late game. You can enhance gear further with engravings, which give you bonuses like increased damage against certain enemy types or boosts to specific abilities.
Don't Forget Engravings
The best way to find engravings are from the puzzle tablets that contain riddles on them similar to Origins' Papyrus puzzles. Following the clues to the treasure rewards you with a new engraving. Engravings can be upgraded by completing an associated goal or challenge so keep an eye on those to maximize their potential. Engravings aren't just one-time use items either so don't worry about saving one for later, and just put it on. You can also swap engravings whenever you want, but it will cost you a small fee.
Sell Your Stuff And Break It Down
If you're the sort of person who likes to pick up everything that comes your way, you're liable to start stockpiling weapons and armor really quickly. Don't hold on to that stuff! Make sure to break it down for resources in the inventory menu or to visit merchants to sell them for a reasonable profit. You never want to be hoarding items, as you'll need the money and resources from selling or dismantling to better your current loadout and ship. You'll also accumulate a bunch of items that serve no purpose other than to be sold at a shop. Make sure to offload these under the option of "Sell All Trade Goods" in the Sell menu.
Get These Abilities!
Unlike Origins, Odyssey allows you acquire and swap abilities. You get a skill tree for Hunter, Warrior, and Assassin, and you start with eight slots to equip abilities--four for ranged attacks, and four for melee attacks. If you're looking for some suggestions, we've got them. Shield enemies can be a real pain in a large fight so pick up Shield Breaker, which lets you rip their shields off and hit them with it for damage. If you want to take care of captains or enemies with large health bars quickly, get Hero Strike, which uses the damage statistic normally used for assassin attacks. If you prefer the stealthy approach, Rush Assassination lets you break the laws of physics by throwing your spear and then basically teleporting next to the target. You can also chain this attack, making it a handy way to take out a base in a quiet and efficient manner. Critical Assassination is also key as it lets you deal more damage, allowing you to assassinate high-level enemies. Finally you should get Spartan Kick, which is perfect for knocking enemies off cliffs or walls and is also just really fun.
You Can Restat At Any Time
Being able to respec at any time is a useful new feature that lets you experiment with different character builds. So if at any moment you think you've dumped too many points into one category over another, simply hold down the left stick in the skills menu to reallocate all the points you've earned thus far.
How To Get Materials
Collecting resources and materials is a major component of Odyssey. You need them to upgrade your equipment and ship. Thankfully it's not much of a headache to collect these resources. For starters, you always want to dismantle unused equipment for materials. You also have the option to sell equipment to vendors, but the resources are much more valuable than the money, which you'll still earn in other ways You'll find common resources like wood in forests and iron in caves, but you if you really need more, vendors will also sell them. A hot tip is to always loot War Supplies before you burn them in an enemy camp. These carry large quantities of materials and you don't want to miss out on them.
Earn Loot With Conquest Battles
As a mercenary, you are a soldier for hire in the war between Sparta and Athens and can use this to your advantage. Every region is controlled by one of the two factions. You'll first need to lower the occupying nation's grip by burning War Supplies, pillaging nation chests, killing their soldiers, and assassinating their leader. Once you've lowered the meter enough, a conquest battle becomes available. You can fight for either side by visiting their camp. Yes, you can side with the army whose supplies you just spent the last few hours burning down--I guess they're a forgiving bunch. Siding with the defending army presents you one piece of Epic gear, while siding with the invading army nets you two pieces of Epic gear, but the battle will be tougher. In our experience it's always worth siding with the invading army for that extra loot. When participating in the battle itself, always keep an eye out on the two meters up top and make sure you're staying ahead. It's best to ignore the basic soldiers and focus on the captains and hero units who show up since eliminating them is the quickest way to win. Because of how easily multiple soldiers can overwhelm you, it's a good idea to pick abilities that deal damage to multiple enemies at once, such as Rain of Destruction. Our final tip is not to wait too long to start the conquest battle once it's available, as the opportunity can be lost if you wait too long. Thankfully, you can repeat this process in a region as many times as you want, keeping the war going forever and your inventory filled with loot.
Quick-Save And Manual Saves Are Your Friend
If you're a traditional Assassin's Creed player, chances are you might not notice there are a manual and quick-save options in Odyssey. Given the more pivotal choices you'll have to make as the game progresses, you may want to backpedal a few times. Fortunately, the game is not too brutal when it comes to autosaves, but make sure to utilize this feature in order to give yourself a proper backup plan when events go south on account of a horrible decision you made.
A Moment Of Meditation
Like Origins, you can advance time of day by simply holding the map button. Previously this was an ability you had to acquire via the skill tree, but you're given it early on this time around without having to spend a skill point; though, the game doesn't make a big show of it so you might even notice it's there. Regardless, advancing time is handy when you want to attack camps at night since the majority of guards tend to sleep, making it easier for you to sneak about.
By Matt Espineli on Oct 11, 2018 04:37 am
The Armor Legends Are Made Of
Among the biggest new additions to Assassin's Creed Odyssey are armor sets that have individual pieces with their own unique defense values and stat bonuses. This contrasts the more outfit-centric armor sets from Origins, which were more there for cosmetic purposes. The new armor system often has you actively paying attention to the specific sets you're wearing, constantly pushing you towards swapping one piece for one that benefits your stats or playstyle the most. But as you push forward in your journey across Ancient Greece, you'll ultimately ask yourself: "Where can I find the best armor?" Odyssey has more than a few sets that it deisgnates as top-tier. The game calls these sets are colored gold in your inventory and are named appropriately as "Legendary." Unlike most sets--which you typically loot from chests and enemies or purchase from stores--Legendary sets must be unlocked by completing specific questlines or by finding them in special chests scattered across the game's massive world. Currently, there are 12 Legendary sets to collect, each with their own unique statistics and characteristics. What sets them apart from Rare or even Epic armor sets is the fact they have a special bonus that triggers upon equipping every piece. For example, the Spartan Hero set's bonus offers you +15% Damage to Warrior Abilities. The set bonuses vary from armor to armor, offering special perks that benefit some playstyles more than others. To help you discover some of the best Legendary sets in the game, we've compiled details on where to find them, what their special bonuses are, and some insight towards the type of player they benefit the most. Be wary, there are some minor spoilers ahead! For more Assassin's Creed Odyssey guides, check out our beginner's guide and our feature highlighting the best skills you can unlock. You can also read our recap of the franchise's story so far. Though, if you're curious about our thoughts on the game, don't forget to read our Assassin's Creed Odyssey review. GameSpot editor Alessandro Fillari said in his review: "While its large-scale campaign--clocking in at over 50 hours--can occasionally be tiresome, and some features don't quite make the impact they should, Assassin's Creed Odyssey makes great strides in its massive and dynamic world, and it's a joy to venture out and leave your mark on its ever-changing setting." In the meantime, tell us which Legendary armor sets you love the most. Jump into the comments and have at it!
Artemis Set
Location / How To Unlock: You get the Artemis Set by defeating all of the Legendary beasts in the Daughters of Artemis quest-line. Full Set Bonus: +15% damage to all Hunter abilities If your focus is on picking off enemies with a bow, the Artemis set is what you'll want to be wearing at all times. Many of its pieces enhance bow-related statistics, such as bow charging speed, Hunter damage, headshot damage, and more. A suitable set for those who'd rather avoid getting up close and personal.
Demigod Set
How To Unlock: Defeat Deimos at the end of the game. Full Set Bonus: +10% damage to all abilities The Demigod set is a nice all-around set for those who don't specialize in anything in particular. While it mostly boosts Warrior damage, all of its pieces also offer decent boosts to all damage types. It's a decent set to equip if you're more interested in enhancing your base damage to a level that makes you well-equipped for any combat approach.
Amazonian/Achilles Set
How To Unlock: Defeat all Cultists in the "Heroes of the Cult" branch, which is located at the top right of the Cultists web. Each of these members drops a piece of the set. Full Set Bonus: 2% damage dealt restored as health The Amazonian/Achilles set is all about dealing consistently high damage. It mainly emphasizes Warrior damage, but its pieces enhance other statistics that elevate your ability to deal defeat enemies quickly and efficiently. Your critical damage and chance is increased, increasing your opportunity to dole out devastating hits. You also gain +15% Adrenaline with every hit, constantly fueling your supply in which to use abilities. All the while, you'll be earning health back with each subsequent hit that you land on your opponents. *Pictured above is Kassandra's Amazonian set. For Alexios, this set is called the Achilles set.
Immortal Set
How To Unlock: Defeat all Cultists in the "Worshippers of the Bloodline" branch, which is located in the mid-right portion of the Cultists web. Each of these members drops a piece of the set. Full Set Bonus: 20% health restored upon death (Can be reactivated after two-minute cooldown) If you're all about seeing those high damage numbers, then the Immortal set is for you. Aside from a boost in Warrior damage, every single piece increases your critical damage. This is heightened when you're about to die, bumping your chance of critical damage up by 60%. And with the ability to automatically resurrect upon death, the Immortal set is definitely the one to wear if you lack restraint and would rather go gung-ho during a fight.
Agammemnon Set
How To Unlock: Defeat all Cultists in the "The Silver Vein" branch, which is located in the mid-left portion of the Cultists web. These members drop four of the five pieces of the set with the exception of Epiktetos. The fifth piece (Agamemnon's Gauntlets) can be found in a Legendary Chest in the Silver Mine of Attika region. Full Set Bonus: +50% Burning Rate The Agammemnon set is all about fire damage, inflicting consistent DPS (damage per second) against foes. This is the set to wear if you're a frequent user of the Flaming Attacks ability. Every single piece increases the potency of fire damage, as well as its duration and buildup.
Spartan War Hero Set
How To Unlock: Defeat all Cultists in the "Peloponnesian League" branch, which is located in the bottom portion of the Cultists web. Each of these members drops a piece of the set. Full Set Bonus: +15% Damage with Warrior Abilities The Spartan War Hero set is fitting of its namesake. It's all about Warrior damage, increasing the overall power of your critical damage and Overpower abilities. It even has a funny (though, not entirely useful) narrative-related perk that increases your damage dealt to Athenian soldiers. This is a set designed for those who have gone all in on the Warrior branch of the Abilities tree.
Pirate Set
How To Unlock: Defeat all Cultists in the "Gods of the Aegean Sea" branch, which is located in the right-bottom portion of the Cultists web. Each of these members drops a piece of the set. Full Set Bonus: +15% Assassin damage The Pirate set is for all the sneaky players out there. Its specialty is Assassin damage with many of its pieces increasing your ability to deal critical damage. It's the right set to equip if you want to ensure that every soldier you sneak up on can be insta-killed. There's some extra boost to your adrenaline upon each successful assassination--a handy perk for those who also often utilize abilities, like Rush Assassination and Hero Strike, during their infiltrations.
Snake Set
How To Unlock: Defeat all Cultists in the "Eye of the Kosmos" branch, which is located in the top-left portion of the Cultists web. Each of these members drops a piece of the set. Full Set Bonus: +10% intoxicated damage and weakening effect There's a reason why the Snake set looks the way it does. It's all about dealing poison damage (like a snake) and ensuring that it lasts as long as possible--whether inflicted by the Venemous Attacks ability in a fight or from afar with a poison arrow. The Snake set's full set bonus only enhances the poison's potency, making it perfect for those who desire a more sneaky and roguish approach to racking up DPS.
Pilgrim Set
How To Unlock: Each part of the Pilgrim can be found in Legendary chests hidden across the world. - Hood: Eleusis Telesterion in the Attika region
- Gauntlets: Akropolis of Argos in the Argolis region
- Garment: Temple of Athena in the Lakonia region
- Belt: Temple of the Golden-Bowed Goddess in the Malis Region
- Boots: Temple of Britomartis in the Messara Region
Full Set Bonus: -40% less Adrenaline depletion when using Shadow of Nyx ability The Pilgrim set is great if you're all about being stealthy, but don't mind getting into a fight every now and then. That said, the set is more designed for hit-and-run encounters thanks largely to its full set bonus, which allows you stay invisible longer with the Shadow of Nyx ability. The pieces offer some significant boosts to your Adrenaline upon each general hit and successful assassination, supplying you the fuel needed to any of your Assassin abilities should you need it in a fight or when sneaking about.
By Michael Rougeau on Oct 11, 2018 03:52 am
More glorious Funko Pop insanity at New York Comic Con 2018
Earlier this year, we here at GameSpot Universe discovered all the most shockingly expensive Funko Pops for sale at San Diego Comic-Con 2018. Naturally, now that New York Comic Con has come around once again, we were eager to recreate that journey--and not just for our benefit, as you lucky readers get to come along with us. This event once again reminded us that whether we're talking about Beanie Babies, Pokemon cards, or--of course--Funko Pops, there's always someone willing to pay more for a "holy grail" than what you might happen to consider reasonable. And once again, the results of our latest Comic-Con Funko Pop hunt were shocking and incredible. Just how rare is rare when it comes to Funko Pops? As we discovered on this amazing journey, some Pops are rare because they were only ever released at a single event, while others were produced in hyper-limited quantities. Among those you'll see are Funko Pops based on Dragon Ball, The Walking Dead, DC's comics, and many others. At the end of the day, these Funko Pops are just cheap chunks of colored plastic. Their only actual value is the imaginary worth we assign to them. But as with any popular collectible, that doesn't stop Pop hunters from dropping hundreds--and even thousands--of dollars on them. And in the end, if they bring someone happiness, isn't that worth it? Read on to see discover the craziest, rarest, and most expensive Funko Pops we found at New York Comic Con 2018. New York Comic Con 2018 Coverage
1. Funky Phantom ($450) and Beast Boy ($200)
Dimension Decals
2. Majin Vegeta signed ($400) and not signed ($285)
Dimension Decals
3. The Creators ($135)
Dimension Decals
4. Cylon Commander ($115)
Dimension Decals
5. Bunny Suit Ralphie ($225)
Dimension Decals
6. Geoffrey flocked ($100)
Dimension Decals
7. Steve ($125)
Dimension Decals
8. David S. Pumpkins with Skeletons ($100)
Videogames Hiphop & Sports LLC
9. Ragnar Lothbrok ($175)
Lost 4 Toys
10. Darkwing Duck and Harley Quinn signed ($65)
Capital Sports & Decor
11. Piccolo signed ($65)
Capital Sports & Decor
12. Winnie the Pooh signed ($65)
Capital Sports & Decor
13. Animaniacs signed ($65 each, $150 set)
Capital Sports & Decor
14. Super Saiyan Goku signed ($75)
Capital Sports & Decor
15. Killer Croc ($50) and Dapper Jack Skellington ($75) signed
Capital Sports & Decor
16. White Ranger signed ($100)
Collector Cave
17. Batman Beyond ($115) and White Phoenix ($230)
Collector Cave
18. Bebop and Rocksteady no box ($70)
Collector Cave
19. Beerus ($300)
Collector Cave
20. Twilight Sparkle signed ($80)
Collector Cave
21. Adam Bomb ($150)
Plastic Empire
22. La Muerte ($220)
Plastic Empire
23. Bigfoot ($250)
Plastic Empire
24. Spikor ($100)
Plastic Empire
25. Bigfoot flocked ($325)
Plastic Empire
26. Winter Soldier masked ($145)
Plastic Empire
27. Indiana Jones ($110)
Plastic Empire
28. Dr. Doom ($130)
Plastic Empire
29. Beast Boy ($150)
Plastic Empire
30. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 8-Bit Foot Soldiers set ($400)
Plastic Empire
31. Super Saiyan Vegeta gold ($150)
Plastic Empire
32. Fudo Myo-O ($100) and Green Goblin ($250)
Plastic Empire
33. The Beatles set ($350)
Plastic Empire
34. Captain American ($125) and The Demon ($150)
Plastic Empire
35. Legolas Greenleaf ($230)
Plastic Empire
36. Freddy Funko ($90) and Spartan Warrior Blue ($100)
Plastic Empire
37. Daryl Dixon signed ($100)
Plastic Empire
38. Ghost Face ($100) and Twelfth Doctor ($120) signed
Plastic Empire
39. Superman signed ($175)
Plastic Empire
40. Star-Lord signed ($175)
Plastic Empire
41. Golden Frieza ($300)
Galactic Toys
42. Winter Soldier masked ($140)
Galactic Toys
43. Robb Stark ($200)
Galactic Toys
44. Majin Vegeta ($250)
Galactic Toys
45. Planet Arlia Vegeta custom ($200)
Myth Global
46. Mayor ($700)
Undiscovered Realm
47. Holographic Darth Vader ($600)
Undiscovered Realm
48. Chewbacca ($1,500)
Undiscovered Realm
49. Looney Tunes Mr. Hyde and Bugs Bunny ($850)
Undiscovered Realm
50. The Thing ($1,300)
Undiscovered Realm
51. Batman blue metallic
Undiscovered Realm
52. Planet Arlia Vegeta ($2,200)
Undiscovered Realm
53. Ned Stark
Undiscovered Realm
54. Lincoln As Reaper ($400)
Undiscovered Realm
55. DMC, Run, and Jam Master Jay set ($1,000)
Undiscovered Realm
56. Ghost Rider ($750)
Undiscovered Realm
57. Dr. Doom ($300) and Leonidas ($500)
Undiscovered Realm
58. Jollibee ($400)
Undiscovered Realm
59. Orange Bird flocked ($300)
Undiscovered Realm
By Kevin Wong on Oct 11, 2018 02:49 am
"They're coming to get you, Barbra!"
Fifty years ago, filmmaker George Romero debuted Night of the Living Dead, a groundbreaking horror film that led to dozens of imitators. The monsters in these films weren't called "zombies"--Romero referred to them as "ghouls"--but they created the zombie archetype that's been used in the half century since. They reanimate. They shamble. And the only way to permanently kill them is to destroy their brains and burn them. Romero would go on to create other acclaimed films in his "Dead" franchise, such as Dawn of the Dead (1978), Day of the Dead (1985), and Land of the Dead (2005). But Night of the Living Dead remains the scariest; even its black and white graininess adds a documentary feel to the whole thing. The film has been interpreted as an allegory for various historical events, from the Vietnam War to the Civil Rights Movement. There was a sense, due to its realism, that this film meant to do more than make its audience jump. And that gave other horror filmmakers an inspiration to strive for more--to frame their narratives as social satire rather than pure pulp. Today, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Night of the Living Dead, we scoured old interviews and articles to find 10 obscure facts about the film. How many of these are you aware of? Let us know in the comments.
10. Romero began filming without the money to finish the movie.
The budget for the movie was $114K, and Romero didn't even have that when the movie started shooting. Romero started with $6K; ten investors, including Romero, each chipped in $600. George Kosana, who played the sheriff (the one with the ammo belt at the end of the film), was one of those people. The plan was to shoot until the money ran out, interest outside investors on the strength of that footage, and then use that money to shoot some more. The plan worked, although it was stop-and-go; the shoot took nine months. even though they only filmed for 30 days. Romero also confined his shooting schedule to the weekends and evenings, in between his day job directing commercials.
9. Barbra and Johnny's car belonged to the producer's mom.
Romero did everything he could to save money. He cast locals as the zombies, and he cast members of the crew in bit roles. Producer Russell Streiner played Johnny. And Johnny's car--the one you see on the winding road at the beginning of the film--belonged to Russell Streiner's mother; she was also one of the film's original ten investors. When the car wasn't being used on set, Streiner's mother drove it back and forth to work. And on one of those days, she got into a car accident, which dented the driver's side, Streiner told her to not get it fixed, and the crew worked a crash into the script to explain the damage. That's why Barbra wrecks the car against a tree while running away from the Cemetery Zombie.
8. It rained during the cemetery scene, which forced some improvisation.
The film was shot in Philadelphia in real locations; you can even visit the cemetery where Romero shot the opening scene. On-location shooting can be tricky; the director is at the mercy of outside factors (like passersby and inclement weather) beyond his or her control. And because it started began raining on the morning of the cemetery shoot, Romero filmed the character close-ups with the lights turned up, so the rain wouldn't show up on film. This became "lightning"—Romero later added thunder sounds in post-production to create the illusion of an approaching storm.
7. Ben was originally scripted as a rough-spoken truck driver.
Romero originally scripted the role of Ben as a tough, truck driver. Here's a snippet of the original script for Ben, as originally intended: "Don't you mind the creep outside. I can handle him. There's probably gonna be lots more of 'em. Soons they fin' out about us. Ahm outa gas. Them pumps over there is locked. Is there food here? Ah get us some grub. Then we beat 'em off and skedaddle. Ah guess you putzed with the phone." And here's the same dialogue done by Duane Joes, who was eventually cast as Ben: "Don't worry about him. I can handle him. Probably be a whole lot more of them when they find out about us. The truck is out of gas. The pump out here is locked--is there a key? We can try to get out of here if we get some gas. Is there a key?" [Ben tries the phone.] "'Spose you've tried this. I'll see if I can find some food." The changes were made by Jones himself, who refused to say the lines as written.
6. Judith O'Dea (Barbra) ad-libbed her monologue.
There was a lot of improvisation; before shooting, the actors would talk about what they wanted to portray, and then they would improvise when the cameras were rolling. Judith O'Dea, who played Barbra, remembered a specific time that she improvised heavily: "The sequence where Ben is breaking up the table to block the entrance and I'm on the couch and start telling him the story of what happened... it's all ad-libbed. This is what we want to get across... tell the story about me and Johnny in the car and me being attacked… We filmed it once. There was a concern we didn't get the sound right, but fortunately they were able to use it."
5. Duane Jones (Ben) didn't want to punch Barbra.
As a black man in 1960s America, Jones was concerned about how he would be viewed by the public after the film's release—specifically because of the scene where his character, Ben, punches Barbra in the face, knocking her out. "Duane said, 'You're asking me to hit a white woman. You know what's going to happen when I walk out of the theater?,'" Romero said. "We kept saying, 'Come on--it's a new day.'" Romero maintained, in every interview, that the racial commentary in the film was a happy accident; he cast Jones not because he was black, but because he was the best person who auditioned for the role. In fact, in the original script, Ben was supposed to be white.
4. The actor who killed Ben didn't find out until he saw the movie in theaters.
The posse member who killed Ben was played by Vince Survinski, who was also the production manager for the film. Survinski had no idea about his key role; he thought he was just another gunman. "I shot the hero without knowing it," Survinski said. "I didn't know what I was shooting at in that scene until I saw the picture. The first time I saw it with an audience of kids at a matinee, I was afraid to leave the theater! I waited until they all left and snuck out a back door!"
3. Duane Jones fought for the infamous, sad ending.
It's the ultimate downer ending: After locking himself in the basement and surviving the worst night of his life, Ben is shot by a gun-toting posse that mistakes him for another zombie. Romero considered changing the ending, but Jones fought to keep things the way they were. "I convinced George that the black community would rather see me dead than saved, after all that had gone on, in a corny and symbolically confusing way," said Jones in a rare interview. "The heroes never die in American movies. The jolt of that and the double jolt of the hero figure being black seemed like a double-barreled whammy." And the decision to keep the ending cost Romero early on. "We went to four or five distributors before going with Reade," said Romero in a separate interview. "Columbia showed a great deal of interest. In fact, they told us their main reason for turning it down was that it was in black and white. And AIP then said it was too unmitigated. They said, 'Well, if you shoot a happy ending to the thing, or shoot the guy surviving, or develop a romantic interest, then maybe we'll talk about it.'"
2. There's a 30th Anniversary recut of the film that utterly butchers it.
Night of the Living Dead is in the public domain, thanks to an error by film distributor Walter Reade. They forgot to put a copyright notification on the print when they changed the title card from Night of the Flesh Eaters to Night of the Living Dead. This meant that numerous filmmakers and would-be directors could remade and remix the film without paying Romero a dime. And although the film's public domain status helped cement its popularity, it's also led to a fair amount of embarrassing crap. Take, for example, the 30th anniversary edition of the film, created by co-writer John Russo, which swaps out the original soundtrack for a different one by Scott Licina. It also cuts footage, such as the the car drive during the opening credits, and replaces it with brand new footage. These new scenes, which bookend the film, flesh out the story of the Cemetery Zombie (who is performed by his original actor Bill Hinzman!), and star Licina as Reverend Hicks. They are awful to watch, and you can see them here.
1. The cast members got some left field fan requests.
Kyra Schon, who plays the little girl zombie that eats her father and stabs her mother to death at the end of the film, has a website called The Ghoul Next Door, where she answers a lot of questions about her role in the film. Buried deeply in the FAQ is this little gem about fans: "One guy asked me to bite him on his arm so he could have my teethmarks inked over by a tattoo artist. Another guy asked me to bleed on his photograph (I cut my hand at a convention and was bleeding at the time). I obliged in both instances. I won't do either one again, so don't ask. I recently had a request for a lock of hair. Saliva - blood - hair." Schon is active in the fan community and attends conventions, as do the other remaining members of the crew and cast.
By Kevin Wong on Oct 11, 2018 02:47 am
You thought the Venom movie was cool?
Critics may not have enjoyed Venom, but Venom fans sure did. They spoke with their wallets, which we all know is the language Hollywood speaks most fluently. The new Venom movie broke box office records and outperformed expectations this past weekend. It made $80 million in the United States and Canada and $125 million internationally against a $100 million budget. With a Venom sequel now all but assured, let's take a look at some of the source material from which they might draw next time. For many comics fans, this movie was a palette cleanser after the much-derided Venom storyline from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3. The marketing campaign revolved around Eddie Brock's anti-hero, brutish persona, separate from the Spider-Man mythos. And the Venom Symbiote itself looked phenomenal--a twisted, writhing, bluish-black, semi-solid mass, all bulging muscles, salivating tongue, and glistening fangs. The Symbiote is one of the most visually impressive characters in the Marvel comics canon. By day, Eddie Brock wears it as an inconspicuous black coat. But when duty calls, the Symbiote encases itself around its host and becomes living, organic armor. In the Venom comics, the "transition" panels, where the artist shows the host half in, half out of "disguise," are some of the most creative. We're highlighting ten of the best drawn, most visually memorable Venom comics panels. Unsurprisingly, the majority of them feature the Venom Symbiote in scenarios that highlight its fluid, alien nature. Want more on the Venom movie? Check out our official Venom movie review, our explanations of Venom's post-credits scenes, the references and Easter eggs you might have missed, and the challenges of making Venom without Spider-Man.
10. The Venom Power Pose
Issue: The Amazing Spider-Man #378 Artist: Mark Bagley Date: 1993 The Maximum Carnage arc was a massive early '90s crossover event, where Spidey and Venom partnered up to take down Carnage, Shriek, and a host of supervillains. This particular panel, from when Venom first hears the news that Carnage escaped the asylum, is iconic and oft-imitated. The massive, idealized musculature, along with the lewdly snaking tongue, depict Venom as a dangerous, wild force, only temporarily under control.
9. We Are Free!
Issue: Spider-Man #37 Artist: Tom Lyle Date: 1993 Late in the Maximum Carnage storyline, Carnage imprisoned and tortured Eddie Brock and his Symbiote in the Statue of Liberty. But Venom escaped by putting a part of his Symbiote in Reed Richards' sonic gun. He then goaded Carnage into discharging the weapon at him, reuniting the Symbiote with its host. This panel captures that moment of reunification, and it also gives us a look at the teeth and tongue inserting themselves into Brock's mouth.
8. A Repulsively Sexy Symbiote
Issue: The Bride of Venom--Sinner Takes All #3 Artist: Greg Luzniak Date: 1995 Although the Venom Symbiote's most famous host is Eddie Brock, he's not the only one. Spider-Man was its host before Brock, and in 1995, Anne Weying, Eddie Brock's ex-wife, became a host. Under the influence of the Symbiote, this "She-Venom" was far more brutal and violent that Brock had ever been. Like many Symbiote hosts, Weying continued coveting the Symbiote's power after it left her; she eventually killed herself when she was unable to reconcile her two sides.
7. A Father/Son Relationship
Issue: Venom--Carnage Unleashed #3 Artist: Andrew Wildman Date: 1995 The Venom vs. Carnage storylines are fraught with Freudian allusions; Carnage hates his "family" for abandoning him, but since the Carnage Symbiote is the offspring of the Venom symbiote, Venom is the closest thing he has to family. The Carnage Symbiote's human host, Cletus Kasady, is an orphan raised in an abusive foster home, which increases Carnage's feelings of resentment and abandonment. This comic cover from 1995 captured the anger that Carnage feels towards the Venom Symbiote, separate from Eddie Brock, when he literally separates the two.
6. The Symbiote Gets Angry At The Scorpion
Issue: Thunderbolts--Volume 2: Caged Angels Artist: Mike Deodato, Jr. Date: 2008 Not everyone is cut out to host the Venom Symbiote. Take, for example, Mac Gargan, better known as iconic Spider-Man villain The Scorpion. He became the third, long-term Symbiote host, and mentally, he couldn't deal with the violence, the killing, and the eating of people. And the Symbiote chewed him out in one, cruel panel: "Stop complaining. Always complaining. It's too cold. Stuff hurts. I didn't mean to eat that guy's arm. Whining little maggot. You don't deserve me. You never did. Did I actually hear you say you didn't want to be the scary guy? You used to be the Scorpion. You used to be a hard man. Why did you turn into a schoolgirl as soon as you tasted some fresh meat?"
5. Venomsaurus Rex
Issue: Wolverine--Volume 3, #71 Artist: Steve McNiven Date: 2009 This alternate timeline gave us a Symbiote pairing that we never knew we needed. After being eaten by a Tyrannosaurus Rex in the Savage Land, the Symbiote bonded with the giant lizard and chased Hawkeye and Logan on foot. "Holy $#%@" was the right reaction.
4. The Symbiote Meets Reed Richards
Issue: Spider-Man / Fantastic Four--Volume 1, #2 Artist: Mario Alberti Date: 2010 One of the more inspired Venom transformations, this was when the Venom Symbiote attached itself to Mr. Fantastic, also known as Reed Richards. Richards' superpower is stretchy elasticity, and so of course, the Symbiote took some time to test out its newfound powers. One can imagine how fun these sorts of crossovers must be for the artists, who get to reimagine two iconic characters in a new way.
3. The Symbiote Gets Sacked By Six Savages
Issue: Venom--Volume 2, #21 Artist: Tony Moore Date: 2012 In the vast majority of his appearances, Venom looks frighteningly strong; the host might look shot to hell, but the Symbiote almost never does. And that's why this cover, where Venom is beaten down by the Savage Six, is so striking. Everything hangs off of Brock's body like it's dead; even the signature tongue and teeth are drooping by the wayside. This is how comics covers sell copies. How can you look at this, and not wonder what brought Venom so low, so quickly?
2. Venom Takes The Wheel
Issue: Venom--Volume 2, #36 Artist: Pepe Larraz Date: 2013 In this storyline from 2013, the Symbiote possesses a car. There's never been a memorable scenario, prior to this, where Venom possessed an inanimate object--complete with massive teeth and tongue--and took it on a high speed chase. But now, apparently, that's a thing. The implications of this are incredible. If a Venon-Mobile is a possibility, what about a Venom Tank? Or a Venom Missile? Or a Venom ceiling fan? This is so absurd, so canon-breaking and weird, that it loops back around to awesome.
1. I AM VENOM!
Issue: Guardians of the Galaxy--Volume 3, #21 Artist: Valerio Schiti Date: 2014 The most recent, memorable Symbiote pairing came in 2014, when Venom clashed with the Guardians of the Galaxy; it made a lot of sense, since the Symbiote is of alien origin. Over the course of the multi-part storyline, it bonded with Drax and Rocket Racoon. But its best pairing was with Groot. It yells out "I AM VENOM!" instead of its signature "I AM GROOT," ending Volume 3 on a cliffhanger. The punchline was simultaneously dark and funny--a perfect merging of the two comics' sensibilities.
By Array on Oct 11, 2018 02:46 am
We're now well into Season 6 of Fortnite, and it introduces a brand-new Battle Pass full of items to unlock. As in the past, a free tier exists that allows you to earn a select number of rewards, but to unlock the full customizable potential of Epic's Battle Royale title, you'll need to spend 950 V-Bucks to get the premium Battle Pass. If you own that, all you've got to do is sink time into the game and complete challenges, which in turn level up the pass and unlock the corresponding rewards. As the Battle Pass ranks up, new items will unlock that you can equip. There's over 100 rewards to get and, if previous seasons are any indication, it'll take you between 70 to 150 hours of play to get it all. If you're new to it all, we've got a rundown of how the Battle Pass works to get you up to speed. For the Fortnite veterans, we've put together a look at everything that's included in the Battle Pass. Over the next few pages you'll see all the skins, emotes, bling, and pretty much everything available. The start of Fortnite Season 6 brings with it a big new update and numerous changes to the game. As detailed in the Fortnite update 6.0 patch notes, there's a bunch of new things to keep an eye out for in-game. Perhaps the most exciting is the introduction of Pets, which tag along with you in game and will react to things that happen around you. In battle, for example, they growl, and if you're leaping great distances they'll hang on for dear life--and look adorable while doing it. You can get your hands on all three Pets through the premium Battle Pass; you can see them above. In addition to that, a number of items and weapons have been put into the Vault, meaning you'll no longer find the through regular play. These include the Impulse Grenade, Suppressed Submachine Gun, Light Machine Gun, Bouncer, and Remote Explosives. Although they're not usable in the core gameplay mode, you can jump into Playgrounds if you miss them. The update also makes some changes to the Island by introducing new map locations to Fortnite. The patch notes name the Floating Island, Corrupted Areas, Corn Fields, and Haunted Castle as being among them, but also tease players with more by saying "drop in and find the rest in-game," so there's bound to be plenty more. The Floating Island is actually moving, so it seems the story of the cube will continue into this season.
DJ Yonder Outfit (Epic)
Calamity Outfit (Epic)
Spiderweb Spray (Uncommon)
Pickaxe Spray
Calamity Loading Screen (Uncommon)
Bang Emoticon (Uncommon)
Calamity Spray (Uncommon)
Regal Wave Emote (Uncommon)
Picnic Glider (Uncommon)
Campfire Spray
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Ghost Spray
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Giddy-Up Outfit (Epic)
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Dire Outfit (Legendary)
By Dan Auty on Oct 11, 2018 02:05 am
While horror movies have never really gone out of style, their popularity has never been higher than it is right now. 2017 saw the release of the most successful horror movie of all time--the blockbuster Stephen King adaptation It--while the Oscar-winning satire Get Out was the year's most profitable movie in terms of the budget to box office ratio. This year has already had one massive horror hit in the shape of A Quiet Place, with a worldwide gross of $214 million to date, and a sequel is already in the works. In all, it's a great time to be a horror fan, and there are plenty more terrifying treats to follow over the rest of the year. So from serial killers and sinister cults to ghosts, zombies, and witches, here's a look at the must-see chillers heading our way over the remaining three months of 2018...
1. Apostle
Welsh filmmaker Gareth Evans delivered two of the best, most exciting action movies of the past decade when he made the incredible Indonesian-set The Raid: Redemption and The Raid 2. For his next film, Evans swaps bone-crunching action for unnerving horror with the spooky-looking period mystery Apostle. It's a Netflix Original that hits the service in October and stars Legion's Dan Stevens as a man who sets about trying to rescue his sister from a cult. The synopsis describes the movie as a "harrowing occult fable where the only thing more horrifying than madness is the sinister reality behind it." Yes please. Release date: October 12
2. Halloween
The Halloween series might be one of longest-running and most profitable horror franchises in movie history, but most fans would agree that every entry hasn't necessarily been a good one. The last time Michael Myers stalked the screen was in Rob Zombie's hugely divisive remakes a decade ago, but now, on the 40th anniversary of John Carpenter's original movie, the killer also known as The Shape is back. It's directed by acclaimed indie auteur David Gordon Green, with a script co-written by actor/comedian Danny McBride, and original star Jamie Lee Curtis has returned to the role that made her famous. The movie is a direct sequel to the original movie, and if that wasn't enough, Carpenter himself is providing another iconic soundtrack. Could this be the Halloween reboot that finally gets it right? Release date: October 19
3. Overlord
There were rumours earlier this year that this JJ Abrams-produced World War II horror film would form the next part of the Cloverfield universe. After all, 10 Cloverfield Lane and this year's The Cloverfield Paradox started life as unconnected movies with different titles before being rewritten to form part of Abrams' loose sci-fi series, so it wouldn't be surprising if he had the same thing in mind for Overlord. Abrams has subsequently denied this is the case, but either way, the movie sounds like a chilling treat, and it arrives just in time for Halloween. Last month, Variety got an early look at some footage and stated that the movie features "eerie shots of dead soldiers hanging from trees, genetically modified Nazis, and disembodied and fanged heads." Count us in. Release date: October 26
4. Suspiria
Halloween isn't the only late-70s horror classic getting a remake from an acclaimed director in 2018. Dario Argento's supernatural masterpiece Suspiria has been updated by Luca Guadagnino, the Italian filmmaker behind last year's Oscar-nominated Call Me By Your Name. This is a tale of a ballet school run by ancient, evil witches, and it stars Dakota Johnson and Chloë Grace Moretz as students who uncover the school's dark secrets. Argento's original movie is noted for its incredible visual style and thunderous soundtrack; we already know that Radiohead's Thom Yorke is providing the score for the remake, and hopefully Guadagnino will deliver something just as stylish. Release date: November 2
5. The Clovehitch Killer
The question of what makes a serial killer commit such terrible crimes has long fascinated filmmakers, and Lars Von Trier's The House That Jack Built will attempt to answer it before the year is out. Before that, however, we have The Clovehitch Killer, which focuses on a teenage boy (rising star Charlie Plummer) who must come to terms with that fact his beloved father (American Horror Story's Dylan McDermott) might be the notorious murderer of the title, who has been responsible for at least 10 grisly killings. The movie is written by Christopher Ford, whose credits include Spider-Man: Homecoming, but don't expect much wise-cracking or wall-crawling. Release date: November 12
6. Anna and the Apocalypse
Holiday horror has long been a staple of the genre, but Anna and the Apocalypse might just be the first holiday comedy horror musical. It's yet another zombie movie, but this time the undead action is punctuated by rousing song-and-dance numbers, as a young woman called Anna fights to save her loved ones. Based on an award-winning short film, Anna and the Apocalypse has been picking up rave reviews at various festivals over the past year and it looks like the perfect good-time Christmas zombiefest. Release date: November 30
7. The House That Jack Built
Lars Von Trier remains one of the most provocative directors in the world, best known for such controversial, divisive films as Dogville, Nymphomaniac, Dancer In The Dark, and The Idiots. Von trier has made one horror movie to date--2009's harrowing Antichrist--and he returns to the genre in 2018 with The House That Jack Built. This is a '70s-set serial killer movie that follows the gory exploits of a man named Jack over the course of a decade. Matt Dillon plays the killer, and his victims include characters played by Uma Thurman and Riley Keough. Von Trier has said that the movie celebrates "the idea that life is evil and soulless," and its first screening at the Cannes Film Festival in May reportedly caused multiple walkouts. Expect something truly shocking. Release date: December 28
By Chris E. Hayner on Oct 11, 2018 12:38 am
The Flash is back, and he's not alone. After his daughter Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) traveled back through time from the future, there are now two speedsters tearing through Central City, saving the world from metas. In the second episode of the new season, though, there's something much more devious at play. In the next installment, "Blocked," Barry (Grant Gustin) and his team will come face-to-face with this season's big bad, Cicada (Chris Klein). Viewers briefly met him in the Season 5 premiere when he seemingly murdered Gridlock (Daniel Cudmore). In the comics, Cicada leads a cult-like group that kills those The Flash saves. It seems the TV series is switching that up by having him kill those Team Flash is after, including Vanessa Jansen (Erin Cummings), a new meta being introduced in the episode. If the photos from the episode are any indication, it's not just evil doers that Cicada is hunting, though. In one of the image, even Cisco (Carlos Valdes) finds himself at the mercy of one of Cicada's lightning bolt daggers--the same weapon he used to take out Gridlock. What remains unknown is the villain's motivation. What is it that is driving Cicada to kill those around The Flash? It's a little suspicious that he showed up right as Barry's daughter inserted herself into his life from the future. Perhaps this is happening because the timeline is being altered? Then again, The Flash constantly alters the timeline. Whatever the case, it'll be interesting to see who Cicada continues to strike out against as The Flash Season 5 rolls on.
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