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In the 10/30/2018 edition:

13 Horror Comics To Terrify You This Halloween
WWE Evolution 2018: Review And Recap
Destiny 2: 10 Essential Tips For Surviving In The Haunted Forest
Venom References And Easter Eggs You Might Have Missed
Red Dead 2 Guide: 15 Tips & Details The Game Doesn't Give You
Red Dead Redemption Full Story And Character Recap
Red Dead 2 Clothing Guide: Outfits, Locations, And Customization
Red Dead 2 Guide/Beginner's Tips: Essential Things To Know Before Starting
Red Dead 2: The Influence of Max Payne 3, GTA 5, Bully, And More
Red Dead Redemption 2: 15 Brilliant Western Movies To Watch Before Playing RDR 2
WWE Evolution Predictions And Match Card: Toni Storm Wins The Mae Young Classic
The Amazing Cosplay Of PAX Aus 2018
Netflix's Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina: Easter Eggs: Every Tribute To Classic Horror Movies

13 Horror Comics To Terrify You This Halloween

By Meg Downey on Oct 30, 2018 12:28 am

So you've worked your way through all your favorite horror movies. You've binged the latest and most terrifying shows on Netflix--maybe more than once. You've played through all the best and most disturbing horror video games around. What's left to do for someone still jonesing for a little terror this Halloween season?

Time to pick up some comics, of course!

We've compiled a list of 13 of our favorite comics and graphic novels that cover the whole spectrum of delightfully harrowing Halloween favorites, from serial killers to eldritch monsters, from the classic to the modern. We've got cannibals, haunted houses, demons, and witches. We've got ghosts and superheroes, vampires and heist crews, cursed towns and conspiracy theories. Body horror? Check. Human sacrifice? Yeah, that too. What more could you ask for?

So kick back, turn down the lights (but not too low, don't strain your eyes) and prepare yourself to be deeply disturbed, or delighted, or both by thirteen spine-tingling horror comics to cap off your spookiest Halloween season.

Severed

What ought to be a charming coming-of-age story about a twelve year old boy finding his mysterious biological father turns into a harrowing tale of monsters and murders in Scott Snyder and Scott Tuft's Severed. Set in 1916, young Jack Garron entrusts his search to a strange man who is, secretly, a monster that feeds on children. Things go just about as well as you could probably imagine.

Ghosted

Joshua Williamson and Goran Sudzuka's Ghosted is part horror story, part heist, focusing on a recently convicted criminal tasked with a very unusual job: to steal a ghost from a supposedly extremely haunted house. Think Ocean's 11, but a whole lot more violent. Also, there are cults. And murder. You know, the works.

Through the Woods

Artist and writer Emily Carroll has been terrifying the internet with her eerie webcomics for years with stories like The Groom and Some Other Animal's Meat. In Through the Woods, she's created and published four original horror stories and collected a fan favorite, His Face All Red, in print for the first time. Come for the haunting, ominous atmospheres, and stay for the supernaturally beautiful art.

Gideon Falls

Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino's Gideon Falls is as ominous as they come. Partly about a small town with a secret, partly about an otherworldly, teleporting structure called the Black Barn, this is the comic to turn to if you're looking for looming threats of danger, extra-dimensional gateways, and unreliable narrators. Told across multiple perspectives with the Black Barn's murky influence never too far out of mind, Gideon Falls is one part cosmic horror and one part mystery.

Infidel

A totally unique spin on the tried and true haunted house genre, Pornsak Pichetshote and Aaron Campbell's Infidel tells the harrowing story of a Muslim woman and her neighbors being terrorized by monstrous entities that feed of xenophobia. With stunning art that evokes equal parts disturbing surrealism and grit, Infidel is as much a bone chilling horror story as it is a brilliantly topical commentary.

Redlands

If Southern Gothic is more your speed, Jordie Bellaire and Vanessa R. Del Rey's Redlands is for you. A brutal, contemporary look at the folktale-tinged world of witch covens, this is the comic to read if you're looking to covens of witches, brutal human sacrifices, and swampy, magic-coated atmosphere.

Uzumaki

A classic horror manga by modern master Junji Ito, Uzumaki is the book for you if the disconcerting, skin crawling world of J-horror is more up your alley. Uzumaki is an anthology-style story about a small town enduring a truly horrifying curse that involves a repeated spiral ("uzumaki" in Japanese) pattern showing up again and again. It's as grotesque as it is beautiful.

Clean Room

If psychological horror is more your speed, Gail Simone and Jon Davis-Hunt's Clean Room is for you. The story of a journalist who uncovers a life threatening secret--otherworldly creatures hiding in plain sight, sneaking onto Earth to kill, maim, and control humanity--that pulls her into a spiraling world of cover ups and deadly secrets. Think X-Files, think They Live but with a considerably darker and more monstrous bent.

The Saga of Swamp Thing

Want something a little more cape-and-cowl leaning? Alan Moore and Stephen Bissette's The Saga of Swamp Thing is a famously beautiful reconstruction of one of DC's most off-the-wall properties, Swamp Thing, a plant-based entity who is connected in one way or another to all green life on Earth. If you like your superheroes with a side of gothic-flavored, monster-based horror, this one's for you. Also, Swamp Thing's getting his own James Wan produced live action show on DC Universe in the next year, so consider this some required reading if you want to prepare.

Nailbiter

Slashers more your style? Joshua Williamson and Mike Henderson's Nailbiter is the place to go. The story follows investigators looking into a town where the majority of the country's serial killers originate from, and they enlist the help of a brutal serial killer, obsessed with chewing off the nails of his victims (get it? Like in the title?) to get answers about the town and other murderers. Nailbiter brings a different style of horror to the forefront, forgoing monsters and magic and highlighting the most basic, no-frills fear: people killing other people.

American Vampire

We'd be totally remiss to not include some of your traditional Halloween monsters on this list, but rather than going for your standard issue Draculas and Werewolves, we're going to put something else on the table. Horror legend Stephen King joined comics mainstays Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque for American Vampire, a historical reimagining of the vampire legend as a secret, branching subspecies with unique traits and skills.

Wytches

If you haven't already guessed by now, writer Scott Snyder has a bit of a predisposition towards horror. He and artist Jock teamed up for Wytches, another monster-based splatterfest focusing on a species of cannibalistic creatures known as "wythches" who can grant power to the people who serve them--but, as you could probably guess, that power usually comes at a horrible, horrible price.

Locke & Key

It's hard to really categorize Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez's Locke & Key into any one definable horror subgenre. It's got demons, monsters, and a haunted house. It's got magic and mystery and the looming threat of the apocalypse. But most importantly, it's got keys. Centered around a collection of mystical keys forged from demonic iron and told anthology style with "miniseries" story arcs, Locke & Key is a horror epic worthy of every one of its many accolades.

WWE Evolution 2018: Review And Recap

By Array on Oct 29, 2018 10:46 pm

The sports entertainment giant WWE held its first-ever all-women PPV on the evening of October 28. This landmark event featured only the women competitors from the company. There are seven matches on the card for the event, which took place at NYCB Live in Uniondale, New York, and you can check out the full results here.

While the show is all said and done now--and you can check out the results here--GameSpot's wrestling buddies, Chris E. Hayner and Mat Elfring had a few opinions about the matches and PPV as a whole. They reviewed every match for the evening, and here were their opening remarks before Evolution started.

Mat Elfring: I am extremely excited for this PPV. The booking of the card is dynamite, with only a couple of weak spots lingering, mainly the Battle Royal. I really wish Smackdown got another bout on the card though. Regardless, it will be great to see Becky Lynch get another PPV win and finally, people who don't watch NXT will get to see how great the Kairi Sane/Shayna Baszler battles have been.

Chris E. Hayner: This is the PPV we've deserved for a while now. It's the PPV the women of WWE deserve. I'm so glad it's finally happening, and the card alone makes it one of the better WWE shows of the year, on paper at least. It would be great if there was more Smackdown representation or the legit Sasha Banks vs. Bayley feud we all want, but what we're getting is still incredible. I also want to point out that WWE has made this event feel extra special by giving it a unique stage design, rather than the repurposing of the Raw and Smackdown sets we get every month. Like Wrestlemania, this is a massive show--it deserves to be treated that way.

Trish Stratus & Lita vs. Alicia Fox & Mickie James

Chris: This went from two singles matches I couldn't wait for to a tag team match I was excited by to another tag team match that was disappointing, thanks to an untimely injury to Alexa Bliss. That said, this match beat my expectations by a long shot. Trish and Lita don't look like they've lost a step in their years away from the ring, and their opponents--Mickie James and Alicia Fox--more than held up their end of the bargain. At least, until they didn't. I spent most of the match thinking how much Fox has improved in her time hanging out with Bliss and James. However, she was too slow in breaking up a pinfall, leading the ref to claim a three-count was only a two.

Outside of that though, this was a hot opener to the show. Would I have preferred Alexa to be competing in the match? Absolutely, she's--for my money--the best heel in all of WWE. But, for the most part, Fox, James, Trish, and Lita worked hard and put on a decent match with one badly blown spot.

6/10

Mat: I'd like to say first that I'm very much about Alicia Fox's recent hat choices. However, they really don't affect the outcome of the match. Anyway, this started out like a "greatest hits" record. Trish and Lita hit their familiar spots, while Mickie and Alicia played the "fall guys" to the heroes of the story. But who didn't enjoy watching Trish and Mickie go at it one more time? Anyways, it--pun intended--evolved from there, and we got a pretty solid match. There wasn't as much ring rust from Lita this go around, which was real nice. There was a rough moment at the end with Alicia mistiming a spot, which should have led the ref counting to three. Regardless, it was a solid way to open up the show, but it would have been even better if Alexa Bliss has not of gotten injured.

6.5/10

Battle Royal

Mat: I'm so happy everyone got an entrance for this, even if they were shortened. The IIconics delivered one of their patented "we're rad, you suck" promos before stepping into the ring. Thank you, Billie and Peyton. However, from there, it was more of the same for a Battle Royal, and much like Battle Royals before, everyone got a fun little spot. Sometimes, things were a bit… less than perfect. For me, one of the highlights was seeing Nia Jax and Tamina team up to toss people around the ring and dominate everyone. While I was heavily pulling for Asuka to win, the outcome was fine and dandy. I waited for Nia to turn heel, like a dope, after her win. Why was I waiting for that though? Maybe I just want Nia and Tamina to beat everyone up, together. Like, how cool would it be if they came out on Raw together and decided to just roll through the entire division, like two Braun Strowmans. That would be so rad. Wait… What was I talking about? Oh yeah, the Battle Royal was fine. Better than I thought it would be.

5.5/10

Chris: This match was stacked, and so much of the joy for me came from the entrances. Seeing Molly, Alundra, Ivory, and the rest make their way to the ring was exciting. Plus, WWE was smart enough to give the IIconics microphones, so they could talk their way to the ring. As for the match itself, it was a battle royal. Some good stuff, a few sloppy spots, a couple of moments where people waited around for something to happen. If you ever doubted Nia was going to win this one, seek help. It was pretty clear, I thought. In the end, a serviceable battle royale that won't be remembered as anywhere near the match of the night--but battle royals never are. Still, it was good to see the likes of Michelle McCool, Ivory, and the rest still being able to deliver--at least on a limited basis like this--in the ring.

5.5/10

Toni Storm vs. Io Shirai (Mae Young Classic 2018 Finals)

Chris: It's rare that we get wrestling matches in WWE that are not WWE-style. WWE tends to spotlight those that have gone through the system and work more mainstream styles of wrestling, rather than indy. That's what this was, though. Noth Toni and Io are now signed to WWE, but they threw out the best they had for this match and it was the exact kind of match I love. Hard-hitting, lots of throws, not based on a silly storyline. I wish WWE would give us this type of match more often, but I'll take whatever I can get.

8.5/10

Mat: This match was a gateway drug to indie wrestling. It felt like something you'd seem more in NJPW or ROH rather than a WWE event. Additionally, this is going to be a bout that's tough to follow, as Storm and Shirai put on one hell of a clinic. Even though the match barely broke the 10-minute mark, it filled up its slot with a ton of amazing spots. Because of how WWE was promoting this match, Storm winning was pretty predictable, but nonetheless, I would love to see more matches paced like this one and featuring a more non-WWE style.

8/10

Sasha Banks, Bayley & Natalya vs. The Riott Squad

Mat: After riding the high of the Mae Young Classic final, you're going to need a bit of a palate cleanser before moving on to another big match. That's exactly what this match was. You have your fan favorites taking on the villains. Question: Was Natalya in this match? I only remember seeing Bayley and Sasha in the one corner. This 100% felt like it was building up the Riott Squad. They worked really well as a team in this one while Sasha, Bayley, and Natalya were just three people who happened to be in the same corner. The match was also a bit too long for my liking. Plus, Natalya spent nearly half the match laying on the ground, outside of the ring. I would have rather had five more minutes added to the Mae Young Classic final. Now, can Sasha just turn heel already and fight Bayley again?

3/10

Chris: This is as close to a "filler match" as you're going to get on Evolution. Yes, there should be Women's Tag Team Championships on the line. Yes, we should be witnessing an epic Sasha vs. Bayley feud coming to a head. Yes, Liv Morgan has gotten better, and the Riott Squad is fun to watch. Yes, Natalya is… there? She's definitely there, even if she spent most of the match getting knocked down on the outside. Unfortunately, there's nothing about this match that screams must-see. Instead, it feels like a match loaded with people who are being misused. If the crowd reaction to Bayley's entrance doesn't tell you all you need to know about how WWE is dropping the ball with her, nothing will.

3/10

Kairi Sane (c) vs. Shayna Baszler (NXT Championship)

Chris: The thing about Shayna Baszler is I never expected her to be all that good. She arrived in the wake of the Ronda Rousey hype machine and it felt, to me, like WWE was trying to capitalize on that. She's more than proven herself in NXT, though, and did so again tonight on a bigger stage. This match with Kairi Sane was their best yet and was the perfect showcase of what's happening down in NXT for those who aren't watching--seemingly everyone in the live audience. There's something special happening on that show and you're all missing out. Both of these women are going to be amazing additions to the main roster one day.

9/10

Mat: That was one hell of a match. It was obvious from the get go that the audience in attendance doesn't watch NXT as they weren't excited about Sane revealing her NXT Women's Championship from a treasure chest. Oh well, their loss. This match played out near perfectly and was the most entertaining match of the evening, thus far. While I am a huge Sane fan, Baszler stole the spotlight here. She worked Sane's arm the entire match, many times in a very brutal fashion that was hard to watch. Baszler is an intimidating and scary force, and that played out exceptionally well throughout the match. Even though the finish involved outside forces--Baszler's friend kicked Sane--it was still an incredible match.

9/10

Becky Lynch (c) vs. Charlotte Flair (Last Woman Standing Match for the Smackdown Championship)

Mat: This is the first time--in this piece--I get to mention my love for Becky Lynch. There, now that's out of the way. I'm not always the biggest fan of a Last Man (or Woman) Standing matches as they tend to get a bit too ridiculous. And this contest had a bit of a slow start, with a couple of sloppy spots, but then something magical happened: this match got bonkers as hell. Charlotte and Lynch are damned maniacs, hitting each other with chairs, throwing a ton of chairs into the ring, slamming each other onto chairs, and just creating a beautiful, chaotic mess. I thought following the NXT Women's Championship match was going to be new impossible, but somehow, Charlotte and Lynch did the impossible. This was one of the best women's matches in the history of WWE.

9.5/10

Chris: Wow. I don't know what else to say but wow. The feud between Charlotte and Becky has been a bit stunted due to the crowd's inability to boo Becky Lynch, which is a shame. She's really come into her own as a heel and deserves the vitriol. Thanks to this match, though, none of that matters. These two delivered a completely insane bout that was easily the best of the night thus far, which is saying something on a card this great. Everyone in WWE--men and women--could learn something from this match. The fact that these two are still relatively new to the main stage blows my mind because this is the kind of match you'd expect to ring veterans to work hard on. Is it the best women's match in WWE history? No, my vote still goes to Sasha vs. Bayley at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn. But this gave it a run for its money.

9.5/10

Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Nikki Bella (Raw Championship)

Chris: It was what it was. This was the exact match I think most of us expected. These two put on a fine match with plenty of shenanigans thanks to Brie Bella, and closed the show with another strong win for Rousey. What's unfortunate is that this was the main event. There were two other title matches that blew it out of the water and deserved that slow. WWE views the Bellas and Rousey as their biggest female stars, though. So there's only so much you can do. That said, I'm ready for Ronda and Nia Jax to go at it again.

6/10

Mat: There was no way Rousey and Nikki Bella were going to top the two previous matches, simply because they're not on the same level as the previous four competitors. The battle between Nikki and Ronda is exactly what you'd expect. Brie jumped in plenty of times to help Nikki out, but in the end, Ronda won. It needs to go that way, so Ronda can face Nia Jax for the title. Anyway, Rousey isn't the most gifted in-ring performer, but she's getting there, and she's fun to watch, and that's all that matters. I'm not expecting her to put on Becky Lynch or Charlotte-level matches. She delivers a good in-ring story here, overcoming the odds, and it's was a fun watch. It shouldn't have been the main event though.

5.5/10

Destiny 2: 10 Essential Tips For Surviving In The Haunted Forest

By Phil Hornshaw on Oct 29, 2018 10:22 pm

The Haunted Forest is Spooky--and Tricky

There are a few things you're going to want to know to excel in the Haunted Forest.

Destiny 2's big Halloween-themed event, the Festival of the Lost, is live until November 6 and is going to keep players busy this year. While there's the usual crop of special Halloween-themed cosmetic items and masks players can get for their characters, this year also sees the addition of a new special activity called the Haunted Forest. It recasts the Infinite Forest from Destiny 2's Curse of Osiris expansion as a horror-themed spook-zone, where players try to take down as many enemies as they can, as fast as they can, to earn special Festival rewards. That includes Horror Story, a level 600 auto rifle with some extremely solid perks.

You'll first unlock access to the Haunted Forest as part of the Festival of the Lost quest line picked up from Amanda Holliday on the Tower. She provides players with their first masks, which they'll need to wear when they venture into the forest. Completing the quest line opens up the forest for entry, accessible from the Tower map. It comes in two varieties: the first includes matchmaking with other players, and the second is locked, allowing players to venture in with their own fireteams or alone.

The Haunted Forest seems pretty straightforward at first, but it carries key differences from the Infinite Forest players are used to seeing. It's dark and scary, which make it difficult to navigate, and the Haunted Forest version contains special enemies that don't show up regularly in the Infinite Forest. It also has different requirements for success than usual that can trip up new players.

There's also a new, special currency in the Haunted Forest: Fragmented Souls, which can be returned to Holliday to buy more masks and other special rewards. Those include the Festival's level 600 auto rifle, Horror Story. Like other activities, you'll need to complete bounties and get as far as you can in the Haunted Forest to earn it, as well as to complete the special Festival of the Lost Triumphs Bungie has added to the game.

Here are 10 tips to help you overcome the terror and maximize your survivability in the Haunted Forest.

It's Not About Speed, It's About Speedy Kills

Don't race through the Haunted Forest; taking down enemies is how you advance

The Haunted Forest differs from the regular Infinite Forest in that your progression isn't about distance covered. You'll often see players sprinting through Strike missions that take place in the Infinite Forest, hoping to reach the far end of the area quickly in order to progress to the Strike's boss. You have the opposite goal in the Haunted Forest--you want to kill as many enemies as you can, as fast as you can. Moving forward through each new area of the forest is just a means of finding new baddies to blast, so try to balance pushing forward and clearing out enemies. Whatever gets you more targets faster is the better plan.

When you're trying to gauge how far into the Haunted Forest you've delved, look for the "Branch" number on your screen. Along with the branch you're currently on, you'll find a percentage that shows how many enemies you need to kill to get to the Nightmare, or boss, of that branch. It seems you're responsible for killing 50 enemies per branch to move on to the Nightmare.

Know Which Modifiers Are Messing With You

Each new branch gets its own modifiers, and knowing how they affect you will save your life.

The deeper into the Haunted Forest you get, the more difficult it becomes, specifically because of the modifiers applied to each new branch after the first. Knowing what modifiers you're facing is key to staying alive, because you'll need to change your fighting styles accordingly. You'll see the Glass modifier on Branch 2, which makes you much easier to kill, but comes with faster recovery; Attrition on Branch 3, which means your health and shield won't recharge on their own, but get restored by Light drops from enemies; Grounded on Branch 4, which greatly increases the damage you take while airborne; and Blackout on Branch 5, which disables your radar and makes enemy melee attacks much more deadly. From there the Haunted Forest will start doubling up modifiers to make things even more ridiculous.

Stick With Your Team

You're unlikely to make it far as a lone wolf in the Haunted Forest.

An essential part of surviving the Haunted Forest is staying together, especially in the later levels. Efficiently taking down bad guys is how you advance through the forest, and while it might feel like splitting up is the better way to go about that, it mostly just makes it easy to get overwhelmed. Do your best not to get too far ahead of your team; you're better off supporting each other if you want to get to the really hard branches of the Haunted Forest.

Don't Resurrect Yourself If You Can Avoid It

You can lose a ton of time by resurrecting yourself, rather than letting teammates revive you.

One big reason you'll want to stay with your team: you want them to revive you. As you work through a branch of the Haunted Forest, you'll open more and more areas with enemies in them and physically move deeper into the forest. If you die and resurrect yourself, rather than be revived by a teammate, though, you'll be transported all the way back to the beginning of the area and be forced to walk all the way back to where your team is. That can eat up a ton of critical time, so avoid resurrecting yourself unless you absolutely have to, or if you're early in a branch. Otherwise, you'll probably cost your team the ability to get to one of the later branches for all the time wasted.

You're Free to Resurrect in the Nightmare Arena

Make it to the battle against a Nightmare, though, and you're free to resurrect as often as you need.

Every time you hit 100 percent on a branch, you'll be transported to a special room where you'll face a Nightmare boss, as well as a handful of its minions. This room is always the same no matter what branch you're on, and once you're here, you're free to resurrect yourself without fear of getting sent back to the beginning of a branch. The Nightmare room is also the same for every branch, meaning ammo dropped in previous Nightmare fights will likely still be around in later ones if you need it. Remember that the timer is still running when you fight the Nightmare, so try to focus on the boss and take it down as fast as you can; you get nothing for clearing out the little guys harassing you while you fight.

Keep Your Masks Upgraded

Masks have perks of their own, and you can upgrade them as you advance through the Haunted Forest.

Though the Haunted Forest is only supposedly a 200-Power-Level area, you'll take a significant hit to your Power when you run it, since you'll have to be wearing one of Holliday's Festival of the Lost masks. Those masks do have benefits, though, apart from being hilarious: they get special perks that only apply in the Haunted Forest. You can apply one of three perks to each mask you get, although choose carefully, because they're permanent. Once you've applied a perk, killing Nightmare bosses in the forest will allow you to upgrade them, unlocking better and better benefits. You get a new perk upgrade with every 10 Nightmares killed, so don't forget to apply them.

Beware the Invincible Nightmare!

You're being haunted by the Invincible Nightmare in the Haunted Forest, and it is not very nice.

Stalking the Haunted Forest like a slasher movie villain is the Invincible Nightmare, a towering Hive Knight much like those that keep showing up in the Dreaming City's Ascendant Challenges. Like Jason Voorhees or Freddy Krueger, though, this one can't be killed. It'll just hunt you through the forest, trying to wreck you and your teammates, which is particularly problematic when you're working through branches with Glass and Blackout modifiers. If you see the Nightmare, avoid it at all costs, because you can't do anything against it. Try to keep a lookout for it, too, because it likes to hide motionless in the dark until your team gets close, and it can ravage players in just one or two hits on later branches.

Watch Your Step To Stay Alive

It's easy to wander off a ledge in the Haunted Forest, so move carefully.

This one might go without saying, but it's easy to rush around the Haunted Forest, trying to beat the timer, and forget that it's full of easily missed edges and drop-offs that can kill you. It's especially easy to overlook those drops because the Haunted Forest is largely very dark and spooky. In an activity where death can be a major pain, either because it requires a teammate to help you or because it can cost you a ton of valuable time, it's best to avoid your usual paths through the Haunted Forest that require big jumps or daredevil approaches. In fact, sticking to the clear path through the forest is often a better way to get to enemies more reliably, and to stay close to your team so they can revive you when you do die. Avoid the unnecessary risks of tempting fate over the Haunted Forest's pits.

Don't Panic When the Timer Runs Out, But Play Smarter

When the timer runs out, dying will end your Haunted Forest run--but you can still finish your current branch if you're careful.

Eventually, the 15-minute timer on your Haunted Forest run will expire, with a message that the forest will be collapsing on you. That makes it tempting to rush, but when the timer runs out, you should do the opposite: slow down, take your time, and play smarter. The Haunted Forest lets you stay and complete whatever branch you're currently working on through to the Nightmare at the end, provided your whole team isn't killed. Without the timer, you have no reason to rush and every reason to stay alive, so it's best to change tactics, especially on higher branches where you can get taken out in one shot by the Invincible Nightmare, or even enemies like snipers. Note also that you'll have much longer timers on your self-resurrection ability once the Haunted Forest timer expires--a full 30 seconds.

The Invincible Nightmare's Pit is Scary, But It Won't Cost You Anything

Don't worry if you get trapped in the Invincible Nightmare's pit--even if you meet your fate there, you still get your loot.

This is a spoiler for the best part of the Haunted Forest, so if you want to be surprised, quit reading. If not, know that once the timer has expired and you've died, you'll be zapped to a place where you can claim a chest and collect all the Fractured Souls you've earned for fighting through the forest. Bungie has one more trick up its sleeve, though: a hidden pit beneath the bridge you have to cross to reach the chest, which traps you with the monstrous Invincible Nightmare. It's a funny joke, but don't worry too much if you're panicked that this horror movie twist just cost you your winnings. If you can't open the chest, you'll find them at the Postmaster. There's also a secret exit from the pit hidden toward the ceiling on one of the side walls that will let you avoid becoming another slasher victim.

Venom References And Easter Eggs You Might Have Missed

By Meg Downey on Oct 29, 2018 08:51 pm

Venom has already broken box office records

Venom is now in theaters, and although it may not be officially part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that doesn't mean it's lacking in comic book shout outs. Eddie's symbiotic alien adventure isn't as crammed full of Easter eggs and nods as his web slinging pals over in the MCU proper, but there are certainly some. So, of course, we're going to count them down. Be advised, Venom spoilers abound here, so proceed with caution.

Venom is a totally reimagined origin story for Spidey's obsessive alien enemy, set in Sony's isolated Spider-Man free Spider-Man universe. It focuses on Eddie Brock as an intrepid investigative journalist in San Francisco as he tries to uncover the truth about a shady biochemical firm known as The Life Foundation. Unfortunately, in the process of digging for dirt, Eddie crosses some lines and winds up disgraced, alone, and desperate for a break. Thankfully, one comes in the form of a Life Foundation scientist, Dr. Skirth, who finds herself in a crisis of consciousness over her job's unethical methods. Eddie becomes embroiled in the strange, parasitic world of the Life Foundation's alien pet projects: the symbiotes, tar-like aliens that require a biological host to survive.

It doesn't take much effort to start connecting the dots from that point. Eddie winds up saddled with a symbiote named Venom who can engulf him in black goo and puppeteer him around for all sorts of wacky, violent hijinks. Naturally, the Life Foundations' shady motivations become clear and the whole thing culminates in a full on oozified splatterfest as Venom clashes against a fellow symbiote for the fate of humanity.

Look, the Venom story is a weird one even in the comics, OK? If you were expecting high stakes moral quandaries, you're looking in the wrong place. That doesn't mean it's not worth seeing--as Venom's box office results clearly show, fans are eating it up. Now read on for all the Easter eggs and references you might have missed.

1. Eddie's New York Past

One of the first things established about Eddie Brock in Venom is that he was, effectively, pushed out of New York City after losing his job at The Daily Globe, which just so happens to be the The Daily Bugle's biggest rival over in the comics. He's currently living and working in San Francisco. This is a directly indirect nod to Eddie's comic book history with the one and only Spider-Man, who he developed a powerful grudge against while working as a photojournalist in NYC. After Eddie bonds with Venom and the two of them set some of their differences with Pete aside by coming to a tenuous agreement and they return to San Francisco to act as the "lethal protector" of the city.

2. Yellow Symbiote

While Venom and Riot may be the only two named symbiotes in the Life Foundation's possession, they're experimenting with one that is distinctly yellow in color. This is a reference to one of the comic book Life Foundation symbiotes called Phage, who set himself apart from his siblings with his bright color and--well, not much else.

3. Blue Symbiote

Like Phage, another original comic book Life Foundation symbiote made a stealthy cameo during the experimentation scenes. The blueish green blob that goes on to kill Dr. Skirth is, we can assume, a nod to Lasher, another one of the original five creatures who Carlton Drake hoped to reverse engineer.

4. She-Venom

During her very brief stint bonded with the symbiote, Anne becomes a female version of Venom known in the comics as--wait for it--She-Venom. She-Venom was introduced in the comics back in 1995 during the awesomely named "Sinner Takes All" arc. She and Venom bond when Anne was fatally shot, which wound up saving Anne's life--though not for long. She eventually killed herself in the comics as a direct result of her life's Venom-related chaos.

5. Carnage

Venom's first post credits scene reveals Woody Harrelson playing a prisoner in a maximum security facility. He never properly introduces himself, but comics fans will clock right away--even before he utters the telling "there's gonna be carnage" line--that he's playing Cletus Kasady, the insane killer who goes on to become Carnage. As one of Venom's most iconic foes, Carnage is a hulking bright red symbiotic beast who has none of the moral qualms Venom does about Eddie's general resistance to killing. As a serial killer and sociopath, Cletus and his symbiote are only interested in spilling as much blood as they can.

6. Eating Brains

Venom's cannibalism is a pretty prominent feature of the film, sometimes as a joke, sometimes as an earnest threat. This isn't a new thing, however, nor is it live action sensationalism--but it's probably a weirder callback than you might expect. The real origin of Venom's brain-eating isn't the comics, but the Venom action figure released in the 1990s shortly after Venom's introduction. The cannibalism eventually did make the leap to comics, but it was always a bit of a non sequitur (why does an alien blob want to do the zombie thing, anyway?)

Now, some 20 years later, the brain eating tradition continues in full color on movie screens everywhere.

7. Eyes, Lungs, Pancreas

The line "eyes, lungs, pancreas--so many snacks, so little time!" may be cheesy, but it's also a direct reference to the comics. And not just a reference--that exact dialogue was lifted straight from Amazing Spider-Man #374. Naturally, this was after the whole "eating brains" thing became pretty well established.

8. Spider-Eyes

As you could probably imagine, a blob of black alien goo could basically look like anything at any time, so over in the comics, Venom's humanoid form is based entirely upon his origin in which he spent some time disguised as Peter Parker's black costume.

Of course, in the live action universe, Venom hasn't actually met Peter so he has no real reason to riff on the look. That's why he doesn't have a big white Spider-logo on his chest--but there's still one major Spidey shout out in the design, and it's all in the eyes. Venom's eye shape subtly implies a Spider-Man connection--whether or not there really is one.

9. The Life Foundation

Carlton Drake's Life Foundation isn't an arbitrary plot piece for the movie, it's actually one of the biggest comics call-backs Venom has to offer. The Life Foundation has some deep roots in the Marvel Universe, but they're most famous for being the first organization to purposefully create symbiote spawns. They were responsible for the propagation of five Venom "children" named Agony, Scream, Phage, Lasher, and Riot who they then bonded to Life Foundation volunteers to create their very own symbiote task force. Sound familiar? That's because they do basically the exact same thing in Venom with only a few little tweaks to make it work in the movie universe.

10. Eddie the Journalist

Eddie's career as a journalist was anything but an arbitrary choice for the film. Eddie Brock's comic book origin story revolves around his career as a journalist who broke a bad story and, naturally, decided his mistake was all Spider-Man's fault. His career was ruined and he was forced to sink to tabloid levels just to make a living, all while bodybuilding to reduce the stress. The end result was a super jacked, super angry ex-journalist who just so happened to be the perfect host for a vengeful alien symbiote.

11. Carlton Drake

While Jenny Slates' Dr. Skirth isn't actually a direct reference to any comic book character, Riz Ahmed's Carlton Drake definitely is. He was lifted directly from Marvel's pages as the ethically questionable leader of the Life Foundation. His comics counterpart never bonds with the symbiote Riot, so there are certainly some differences, but Carlton's name and corporate role are as true to the source as can be.

12. Down with the Sickness

If any motif, you know, aside from tar-y black goo, is repeated over and over in Venom it's Eddie having to go in and out of medical facilities. He's put through MRI machines, he's sweaty and feverish, he's worried about having a "parasite," he's talking with doctors--you get the idea. While this isn't an explicit reference to any one particular thing, it is potentially a shout-out to Eddie's rather unpleasant history with doctors back in the comics. In the early 2000s, a story called "The Hunger" retconned Eddie's origin story to give him deadly cancer prior to his bonding with Venom. It was the symbiote that kept Eddie alive and rid him of his disease--which sort of plays out on screen. It's just that in the movie, Eddie's not actually sick, Venom is the thing that is both hurting him and saving him.

13. John Jameson

This one is blink-and-you-miss-it, but if you're paying close enough attention to the beginning of Venom, you might catch a name dropped in reference to the catastrophic crash that brings the symbiotes to Earth. One of the scientists in the clean up crew mentions that the craft had been piloted by "Jameson," which, in any other circumstance would probably just be a throwaway line--but not here. The name Jameson is actually a shout-out to comics character John Jameson who, in addition to being the son of J. Jonah Jameson (yes, that J. Jonah Jameson) was also the astronaut famous for bringing the symbiotes to Earth.

14. Meanwhile, in another universe…

The second of Venom's post-credits scenes doesn't actually have much to do with Venom at all. It's a teaser for Sony's other Spider-Man movie, the fully animated Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, which is heading for theaters this fall. Though Eddie and Venom have nothing to do with Miles Morales and his cartoon adventures, the title card does put Venom the movie into an interesting context within Sony's not-actually-shared universe of movies. If the "Spider-Verse" encompasses any and all forms of Spider-Man stories, then Venom is most definitely part of that web somewhere, right? We're not recommending you hold your breath for a Tom Hardy shout-out or cameo in Into The Spider-Verse, but hey, stranger things have happened.

Red Dead 2 Guide: 15 Tips & Details The Game Doesn't Give You

By Alessandro Fillari on Oct 29, 2018 04:30 pm

The Wild, Wild West

Red Dead Redemption 2 presents players with what it easily Rockstar's most dynamic open-world adventure to date. Featuring a number of sophisticated systems and countless NPC characters to interact with, there are all sorts of encounters that await you in the game's expansive wild west setting. However, with a game of this scale, there are bound to be features that aren't stated clearly, even during the opening hours that serve as a tutorial of sorts.

We've come up with a list of details and tips that Red Dead Redemption 2 keeps somewhat hidden from players, which we found from our time experimenting with the many mechanics at work. Though much of overarching gameplay pillars are explained in the abstract during the game's tutorials and relevant missions, there always seems to be a bit more information that's set aside for later. And more often than not, you're bound to uncover these details when you least expect it.

We've got much more info and coverage on Red Dead Redemption 2 in the works. In the meantime, be sure to check out our full Red Dead 2 review on Rockstar's biggest open-world game to date, along with guides on how to make money and the best tips for new players. GameSpot is also currently running a new weekly series called QuickDraw, which highlights the series' impact on gaming, while also showing off just how in-depth Red Dead Redemption 2 gets.

Savor The Story

While the main story in Red Dead Redemption 2 has many exciting and heartfelt moments, we recommend indulging in as much of the side content and activities as you can before tackling the next major event. Over the course of the game, you'll see changes to the gang's camp, and several characters, including Charles, Lenny, and Javier, will have some missions for you to handle. These side-quests show up as white markers on your map--with the main missions showing up as yellow--and can lead to great rewards or interesting encounters for you to take part in. Unfortunately, several of these diversions are only available for a limited time, so make sure to do them as soon as you can. Some of the game's most heartfelt and humorous events can come from these missions, which you'll miss out on if you focus on the story. So take some time away from the main plot and chat with your comrades--you'll be glad you did.

Look To The Skies

When you're exploring the wilderness, you'll likely see smoke trails from campfire at a distance. These serve as an indicator for points of interests in the area, so heading to the source can open up unique encounters with the game's many strangers and traveling vagabonds. Most often the lone individuals you can find are friendly, even giving you supplies and tips on some locations you should keep an eye on, but other encounters can lead to violent stand-offs with rival gangs or disgruntled travellers. Regardless, there will always be something interesting to uncover once you reach a campsite.

Weight Watchers

When you're living a life as an outlaw--where sleeping in the dirt and getting into intense gunfights are the norm--it can be easy to lose track of Arthur's personal disposition. This becomes apparent when you notice that you're taking more damage than normal. Early on, the game introduces you to the concept of building up your health, stamina, and dead eye cores. However, depending on what Arthur eats, how often he does so, and what sort of physical exercise he gets, his base stats and cores will see some changes. These gains or losses are reflected by three distinct body types; average, underweight, and overweight, all of which have their own unique pros and cons.

When you're of average weight, your health and stamina cores will stay even. However if you find yourself underweight, you'll take slightly more damage, but gain a boost to stamina to compensate. If Arthur eats often and gets less exercise, which includes running, swimming, and getting into fist fights with the local ruffians, he'll become overweight, resulting in less stamina but an increase in damage absorption. Though you can keep track of Arthur's physical status in the Player menu, you can also watch Arthur during his idle animations. Depending on what his weight is, his posture and demeanor will adjust to reflect his current build.

With all that said, Red Dead Redemption 2 is all about letting you build out the protagonist how you see fit. So if you want a skinny or plump character, then you go ahead and make sure Arthur lives his best, most indulgent life.

High Risk, High Rewards

Whether it's from ransacking a homestead or scavenging from dead animals, you'll likely stumble upon some items that the local merchants will refuse to take off your hands. These items can fill up your satchel fast--giving you the impression that they may better placed in the dirt-but they may fetch a high price from a select set of merchants happy enough to buy them from you. To offload these items of dubious origins, you'll need to visit a Fence--essentially a black market dealer who sells and trades some of Red Dead Redemption 2's most valuable items.

In a variety of locations across the map--including Rhodes, Emerald Ranch, and Saint Denis--these merchants can be found in their own shops, tucked away from the popular areas of town. These Fences will also sell support items, throwable weapons, and recipes, and can also craft rare talismans and trinkets from Legendary Animal materials, which offer unique perks to Arthur's main cores. Moreover, there are also Fences that deal primarily in stolen wagons and horses, which also yield a solid cash return. So when you arrive to a new area, make sure you know where to find the local shady dealer.

Do A Barrel Roll

During combat, there may come a time where you need to get out of the line of fire fast. While aiming your weapon, press the action button (Square on PS4, or X on Xbox One) to perform an evasive dodge. Depending on which direction you hold the control stick while pressing, Arthur will dive or roll away from danger. While this can evoke some flashbacks to the Max Payne series' iconic gun battles, the dodge roll is purely an evasive maneuver--so no shooting while diving, unfortunately.

When Horses Attack

Red Dead Redemption 2 is essentially a Wild West Grand Theft Auto, but hijacking a new transport will take a bit more effort than simply pressing a button. The horses in Red Dead Redemption 2 can be very temperamental and get stirred up very easily--especially in the presence of predators in the wilderness. When approaching a new steed, you'll need to calm it down in order to safely get near it. Horses aren't afraid to defend themselves, and if you try approaching a wild mare or someone else's animal from its backside, it won't hesitate in readying a fierce kick to keep you at bay.

Your Guns, Your Style

The members of the Van der Linde gang are all capable gunslingers, and this is especially true of Arthur. With some impressive handling of all sorts of firearms, which includes pistols, revolvers, rifles, and shotguns, the main character isn't shy about showing off more of his particular style. While at a weapon shop, you can customize your weapons in a number of ways, including adding new barrels, paint work, wrapping--to decrease degradation--and even place some stylish decals on your firearms. Though some of these customization options won't offer any tactical advantage whatsoever, they can go a long way in helping you define your own take on Arthur and his legend. And if you really want to show off some flair after an intense gunfight, double tap the holster button (L1 on PS4, LB on Xbox One) to put your pistol away in style.

Relive The Glory Days

Much like the original Red Dead Redemption, the prequel features a number of main missions that will show off many exciting and emotional moments. But in Red Dead Redemption 2, you're given the ability to replay these pivotal moments and re-experience the game's most interesting encounters at any time. After the end of each mission, you'll receive a ranking on your performance based on how long it took and whether or not you completed the side objectives. If you feel you can do better, or if you just want to see a badass moment again, you can do redo the mission by going into the Progress sub-menu and selecting the Story option. You'll see your current place in the main plot, along with a listing of previously completed missions from each chapter, which can be replayed at your leisure.

Hunting The Best Game

Though the hunting gameplay in Red Dead Redemption 2 takes many cues from the original, it now requires a far more thoughtful and careful approach. In addition to the 178 animals featuring their own backgrounds and unique methods to take them down in a hunt, the wildlife comes in three different ranks--poor, good, and perfect. While you'll often get the basics from any animals regardless of quality, you'll need to ensure that you're hunting above average prey in order to get the best pelts possible. To see whether the animal you're hunting is worth the effort, make sure to study it at a distance first, which will give you clues on how best to hunt it. After doing so, you'll see a set of stars next to its name on the HUD. If you find yourself on the trail of an animal with only one star, you should look elsewhere in the area for something better.

A More Immersive Experience

If you're itching for a more personal Red Dead Redemption 2, you can adjust the game and its look to offer a more involved experience that will keep you on your toes. Along with the game's first-person view mode, which allows players to experience the entire game in this perspective, you'll also be able to customize aspects of the HUD and gameplay, stripping away most on-screen indicators and tweaking the controls to your liking. With no HUD, you'll have to pay attention to more details in the environment, as well as remember the clues that NPCs give you. Though if you still want to use an aid to get around, Rockstar has a companion app for Red Dead Redemption 2 to offer players additional help.

Takedown The Big Targets With Ease

When hunting, you may find some larger targets that are more difficult to get a bead on. If you're having a difficult time getting a clear shot or keeping your prey from moving, you can always try lassoing it up. Despite this going counter to stalking and hunting prey the old-fashioned way, it's still a surprisingly effective way to get a hold of your target. If you're able to get close enough it, you'll also be to use your hunting knife to give it a quick death, which counts as a clean kill. However, this is only effective on medium to larger sized animals, as smaller game will be able to slip out of the rope easily.

Showing Your True Colors

In Red Dead Redemption 2, every choice you make with Arthur feeds back into the game's overarching Honor system. Depending on the type of character you play, whether as a likeable outlaw or a ruthless gunslinger, you'll witness changes to Arthur's behavior and to the game's presentation. If you're of high honor, not only will you receive some discounts from stores, the tone of your journal entries will be more upbeat, and the style of killcams you'll get will be more in the style of old-school westerns. If you're a particularly decent fellow, and want to make some solid gains on the honor system, take a stroll down the street in a populated area of town and greet the locals. You'll quickly earn some positive vibes from the townsfolk.

However, if you find yourself playing more of a cutthroat, kill-cams will be more violent, your responses to NPCs will be more snide, characters will always be on the lookout for you, and the tone of your journal will be more cynical and off-putting. Each side has its own set of advantages, and it's all up to you in how you want others to view Arthur.

Look After Your Loot

As you're exploring the wilderness on your horse, it's all but inevitable that you'll take a nasty spill. While these brutal wipeouts can often be humorous, they can result in some serious consequences. In addition to causing harm to both Arthur and his mare, you'll also drop all items that placed on the back of your trusty steed--which temporarily holds pelts and small game. This won't be an issue that often, but there may be some cases where you'll crash out on a hill or in a rocky place, which will make it easy to lose track of those precious supplies. This can be especially devastating if you spent a great deal of time hunting animals, only to have lost the pelt and bodies when crashing head-first into a tree. So if you crash your horse, make sure to collect yourself and all your belongings before you ride off.

Taking In The Sights

Red Dead Redemption 2's cinematic camera mode can offer you the chance to view the sweeping vistas of the game's world in a different light. With a dynamic camera, you'll get to see Arthur and his crew ride across the landscape with some breathtaking sights in the backdrop. However, controlling the character during the cinematic mode can be somewhat problematic, thanks to the shifting camera. Thankfully, Rockstar included a subtle feature to make movement much easier in the cinematic mode. By holding down the X/A button in this special camera mode, Arthur and his horse will stick to the trail, automatically turning and making corners when needed. If you have a particular destination set on the map, either for a story mission or a waypoint, the game will guide Arthur to that location as well.

Prime Fishing Time

When taking up the fishing activity, there may be some cases where you won't get many bites. While it's important to make sure you're using the correct bait and lures for the location you're in, and that your fishing technique is correct, another factor to consider is the current time in the day. Depending on when you decide to head out, you'll see a different amount of activity in the lake, pond, or river. To get the best results during a fishing activity, try to stick with early morning and afternoon time in-game. Also, fishing during a rainstorm will increase the activity of the aquatic animals a bit further.

Red Dead Redemption Full Story And Character Recap

By Array on Oct 29, 2018 04:27 pm

It's been the better part of a decade since the release of Rockstar's last Red Dead game, so you can certain be forgiven for forgetting some of the specifics of it story. With the release of Red Dead Redemption 2, we're finally now returning to Rockstar's take on the Old West. The title of the game suggests it's simply a sequel to its predecessor, but it in fact serves as both a prequel and companion piece to the original. That means there's never been a better to time to revisit the plot of 2010's excellent Red Dead Redemption. After all, you'll see many familiar faces in Red Dead Redemption 2, so it's a good opportunity to refresh yourself on the happenings with John Marston, Dutch, Bill Williamson, and all the rest.

If you haven't finished the original Red Dead Redemption, there are going to be major spoilers in the slides ahead. While it's not required to enjoy Red Dead Redemption 2, knowing the plot of the first game could potentially enhance your enjoyment of the sequel. That said, we highly recommend that you play Red Dead Redemption anyway. Did we not mention that it's excellent?

In this feature, we summarize all the major events, starting from protagonist John Marston's first attempt to reason with former ally Bill Williamson, and rolling right into his journey to Mexico and eventually his confrontation against Dutch Van der Linde.

Once you're finished reading up on the first game's story, be sure to check out our Red Dead 2 review. The game is adding a bunch of exciting new mechanics, so be sure to check out our in-depth feature showcasing them all. Though, if you're more intrigued about the game's development and some of its major inspirations and influences, you should read our feature discussing how previous Rockstar games, like Bully, Max Payne 3, and L.A. Noire, impacted its mechanics.

In the meantime, what's your favorite moment from Red Dead Redemption? And what are you excited about most in the upcoming sequel? Let us know in the comments below.

America In 1911

Red Dead Redemption takes place in 1911, and America is undergoing huge changes. The wild frontiers are being tamed by new technologies and the burgeoning ideals of "civilization", while the outlaws that once roamed free are slowly being snuffed out, one by one. And in Red Dead Redemption, you play as John Marston, a character whose story truly embodied those changing times.

Enter John Marston

After his parents died, John Marston grew up under the care of Dutch Van der Linde: a gang leader who revelled in the cruelty and brutality of the Old West. Marston rode alongside Dutch for years, but he was gravely wounded during a botched robbery, and the gang, who he called family, left him behind to die.

This acted as a wake-up call for John, so he took his wife Abigail, their young son Jack, and fellow gang member Uncle (no relation) to set up a ranch where they lived a quiet, honest life for five years.

That is, until the Bureau Of Investigation comes knocking. Ordered to clear out the remaining gangs and bring order to the land using any means necessary, its lead agent, Edgar Ross, decides to use John to find the people he needs. Ross has Abigail and Jack kidnapped and held to ransom: They'll be released if John assists the Bureau in tracking down former members of his old gang, starting with Bill Williamson.

Hunting Bill Williamson

John and Bill frequently butted heads while riding together in the gang, so it doesn't take long for their reunion at Fort Mercer to go sour. Despite John pleading with Bill to surrender, Bill has one of his men shoot John instead. Before he can bleed out, John is found by a local rancher: Bonnie MacFarlane.

A Friend In Bonnie

Bonnie pays for a doctor to treat Marston's wounds, and he does odd jobs around the ranch to repay the debt. But Bill Williamson, hearing that John survived his gunshot wound, sends some men to the MacFarlane Ranch to flush him out. John saves the ranch workers, but realizes that he'll need some assistance in tackling the heavily fortified Fort Mercer.

Building A Team

John gets involved with some of New Austin's more… colourful characters. They include snake oil salesman Nigel West Dickens, who points him towards Irish, a drunkard with a hookup to get John access to a Gatling Gun, and Seth, a grave robber slash treasure hunter who has "methods" to sneak into Fort Mercer.

John also assists the local US Marshal, Leigh Johnson, and his dimwitted deputies, but in doing so, captures one of Williamson's men. Williamson, in return, kidnaps Bonnie MacFarlane. After rescuing her, the time comes to take the fight to Bill.

Fort Siege

Using West Dickens' armoured stagecoach, Irish's Gatling Gun, the Marshal's men and Seth's distractions, the ragtag gang storms the Fort, only to find that Williamson isn't there. He has fled to Mexico to seek aid from another ex-gang member, Javier Escuella.

Journey to Mexico

Beginning with one of the most iconic moments in modern gaming, the second act of Red Dead Redemption takes us South of the border into Mexico. In order to gain information on Williamson and Escuela's whereabouts, Marston must help Colonel Allende and Captain De Santa of the Mexican Army as they struggle to quash a rebellion lead by the charismatic and amourous "man of the people," Abraham Reyes.

Playing Sides

There's one issue, though; Marston isn't exactly loyal to the Mexican Army. He's there for one reason, and one reason only: to find Bill and Javier. So he ends up playing both sides, teaming up with not only Reyes and his paramour Luisa, but also legendary gunslinger Landon Ricketts.

Ricketts, incidentally, would be a perfect character to explore more in RDR2, especially as he was the lone survivor of a massacre in Blackwater in 1899--y'know, the same year the second game is set. A game that starts with an incident in Blackwater.

The End of Bill

Allende cottons on that John isn't necessarily in his corner, and orders his execution. The rebels arrive in the nick of time, and together, they kill Captain De Santa. They storm the Army stronghold of El Presidio and capture Escuela, before killing both Allende and John's mark, Bill Williamson. Sadly, Luisa dies during the attack, not that Reyes noticed. But with John's business in Mexico over, he heads back to America to meet with Edgar Ross and get his family back.

The Hunt For Dutch Van der Linde

Unfortunately, Ross refuses to release John's family until he tracks down and kills Dutch, who's making trouble after forming a new gang. This new gang is made up of young Native Americans, angry at the US Government for taking their land and livelihoods.

John works with Yale Professor and cocaine enthusiast Harold MacDougal, who is on sabbatical after some kind of cocaine-related meltdown in which he attacked a man. He's studying the Native Americans, and the Bureau enlisted his help in tracking down Dutch's new gang.

The Final "Duel"

While MacDougal is of some help, John finds a more reliable lead in the form of Nastas, a member of Dutch's gang who's working as an informant for Ross and the Bureau. After a cat and mouse game with Dutch, eventually John tracks down his hideout, and storms the place with the US Army.

John confronts Dutch, who realizes the world is changing and that he can't keep fighting it, so chooses to kill himself rather than be captured or killed by John.

Returning Home And False Promises

Believing that his journey is over, John finally goes home, and is reunited with his family. However, Ross doesn't keep his end of the promise. He brings members of the Bureau and the US Army to attack the Marston Ranch. Uncle is shot and killed. John makes sure that Abigail and Jack escape by horseback, before sacrificing himself.

Epilogue: Jack's Revenge

The game's epilogue takes place three years after John's last stand. Abigail has also died, and Jack, now on his own, decides to take his revenge on Ross. He tracks down the now-retired agent, who is living in a cabin near a lake with his wife. Jack confronts Ross and challenges him to a duel.

Looking To The Past In Red Dead Redemption 2

In Red Dead Redemption 2, we'll be getting a closer look at the early years of the Marston family as they rode with Dutch's gang. But will there be other familiar faces we should be looking out for? Well, we don't have long to wait; the game finally launches on October 26. For more Red Dead Redemption, make sure to tune into GameSpot every Friday for Quickdraw, our show all about the wild, wild, west. See you, space cowboy.

Red Dead 2 Clothing Guide: Outfits, Locations, And Customization

By Matt Espineli on Oct 29, 2018 04:26 pm

Just like its predecessor, Red Dead Redemption 2 has a ton of outfits for you to wear. Instead of fulfilling certain conditions to unlock them, you can now walk into any of the general shops scattered throughout the world and purchase some new clothing from their catalog. While you grab a certain outfit set as a whole, you can also purchase their parts to mix-n'-match the pieces you like best.

Another new mechanic relating to clothing is the ability--or requirement--to manage your temperature. There are varying climates in Red Dead Redemption 2's world, so you'll have to outfit yourself with the appropriate attire--or else Arthur's health will be affected. If the weather is hot, you'll need wear light clothes in order to prevent your Health Core from draining; the same occurs during colder climates where you need to wear heavier jackets to withstand the intense climate conditions.

There's a wealth of clothes you can purchase and even craft throughout your journey. If you're curious about all the different sets you can get and where you can find them, then you're in the right place. We've gathered together every outfit we've found so far, their locations, what you need to craft them, and details on the weather conditions they can worn in. We'll be adding to this guide in the coming days with even more outfits and details, so be sure to check back often.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is out on October 26 for PS4 and Xbox One. For our full thoughts on how Rockstar's latest open-world adventure turned out, read our RDR 2 review. Though, if you've never played the original Red Dead Redemption and are curious if you're going to be able to jump into this sequel with no problems, be sure to read our feature answering that question. On the guide front, check out our feature offering beginner's tips you should know, as well as our money guide. We've also got articles detailing how long the game is and how gun customization works.

But before you jump into all that, tell us which outfits you think are the coolest! Go ahead and voice your opinions in the comments below.

Brawler's Outfit

Location: Included in your initial outfit selection

Wearable Climates:

Average Weather
Hot Weather

The Grizzlies Outlaw

Location: Included in your initial outfit selection

Wearable Climates:

Average Weather

The Gunslinger

Location: Included in your initial outfit selection

Wearable Climates:

Average Weather
Hot Weather

The Innocent

Location: Included in your initial outfit selection

The Pursuer

Location: Included in your initial outfit selection

Wearable Climates:

Average Weather
Hot Weather

The Rebel

Location: Included in your initial outfit selection

Wearable Climates:

Average Weather

The Ruffian

Location: Included in your initial outfit selection

Wearable Climates:

Average Weather
Hot Weather

The Summer Gunslinger

Location: Included in your initial outfit selection

Wearable Climates:

Average Weather
Hot Weather

The Winter Gunslinger

Location: Included in your initial outfit selection

Wearable Climates:

Cold Weather

The Chevalier

Location: Rhodes General Store

Wearable Climates:

Average Weather
Hot Weather

The Corson

Location: Rhodes General Store, Saint Denis Tailor, Strawberry General Store, Velntine General Store, Wallace Station General Store

Wearable Climates:

Average Weather
Hot Weather

The Earl

Location: Rhodes General Store

Wearable Climates:

Average Weather
Hot Weather

The Gambler

Location: Rhodes General Store

Wearable Climates:

Average Weather
Hot Weather

The Heartlands

Location: Rhodes General Store

Wearable Climates:

Average Weather
Hot Weather

The Bretagne

Location: Saint Denis Tailor

Wearable Climates:

Average Weather
Hot Weather

The Deauville

Location: Saint Denis Tailor

Wearable Climates:

Average Weather
Hot Weather

The Saint Denis

Location: Saint Denis Tailor

Wearable Climates:

Average Weather
Hot Weather