The release of Rockstar's last open-world game, Red Dead Redemption 2, is so close you can almost hear the gunshots and feel the saddle on the horse carrying you down a dusty path. Rockstar operates on its own schedule and releases games only when they're ready. When they come out, they tend to be landmark events in the gaming world. From everything we've seen so far--including our hands-on time with the game--Red Dead Redemption 2 promises to be one of the biggest games of the year.
If you pre-order a digital copy of the game, you can pre-load it now. You might have to delete a game (or 10) off your hard drive first, though, because a game this big has an install size to match.
The game itself stars Arthur Morgan and the Dutch van der Linde gang--whose members include John Marston, the star of the original game. The game releases for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on October 26, 2018. Its accompanying online multiplayer mode, Red Dead Online, will launch in beta at some point in November. All owners of the base game will receive free access to it, and it will not be available separately.
A new gameplay trailer showcased more of the single-player component's open-world gameplay. That includes a variety of heists you can take part in and some of the customization options at your disposal.
You don't have to wait until October 26 to secure your copy--you can pre-order Red Dead Redemption 2 right now from a number of retailers, both in-store and online. Here's all the information you need to know to lock in your Red Dead pre-order.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Pre-Order Bonus
Pre-order Red Dead Redemption 2, and you'll get a couple of digital goodies for your trouble.
War Horse: An Ardennes War Horse with greater courage and stamina than the average steed.
The Outlaw Survival Kit: Contains a collection of key supplies, including items to replenish Health, Dead Eye, and more.
If you pre-order a digital edition of the game, you can begin downloading it on Friday, October 19. You won't be able to play the game until it launches on the 26, but downloading it early means you won't have to wait for the massive download once the game is available.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Digital Pre-Order Bonus
Anyone who pre-orders a digital version of Red Dead Redemption 2 from the PlayStation Store or Xbox Store will get the bonuses listed above, plus a handful of other digital freebies thrown in for good measure.
Cash Bonus for Red Dead Redemption 2 Story Mode
Treasure Map: Gives you a head start on the hunt for hidden riches. Must pre-order by July 31, 2018 to receive.
Bonus GTA$: Immediate download that contains in-game currency for Grand Theft Auto Online. Here's the breakdown of how much GTA$ you get for each edition: Standard Edition - $500,000 | Special Edition - $1 million | Ultimate Edition - $2 million.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Standard Edition
This edition comes with the relevant pre-order bonuses listed above, plus the core game. Here's where you can pre-order it.
The ultimate edition comes with all the content from the special edition, plus the following.
Bonus Outfits: The Blackrose Bounty Hunter Outfit and The Copperhead Enforcer Outfit.
Black Chestnut Thoroughbred: A racehorse and special saddle, both available in online.
Free Access to the Survivor Camp Theme
Free Access to Additional Weapons: Get access to the Volcanic Pistol, Pump Action Shotgun and Lancaster Varmint Rifle, free of charge from Gunsmiths in online.
Rank Bonuses: As a great start for all Ultimate Edition players, you can rank up faster in online, up to rank 25.
Here's where you can pre-order the ultimate edition.
First off, it's important to note that the Collector's Box does not include the game. So if you're going to pre-order it, make sure you also get yourself a separate copy of the game or you'll be very disappointed come launch day. What the Collector's Box does include is a bunch of physical goodies.
Metal Tithing Box with Lock & Key
Collectable Challenge Coin
Double Sided Puzzle
Six Shooter Bandana
Treasure Map
Pin Set
Playing Cards
Wheeler, Rawson and Co. Catalogue
12 Cigarette Cards
Here's where you can pre-order the collector's box.
Fallout 76's release date is quickly approaching. Bethesda's new multiplayer-focused RPG is set to arrive next month, but some players will have a chance to try it out much sooner than that. Following the recent pre-beta stress test, Bethesda is kicking off the first Fallout 76 beta session on Xbox One tomorrow, October 23 (before expanding it to PS4 and PC the following week), and those who've qualified are able to pre-load it right now.
The Fallout 76 beta is open exclusively to those who've pre-ordered the game, so if you want to jump in, you'll need to reserve Fallout 76 on your platform of choice. Not everyone who pre-orders will get into the beta right away, however, as Bethesda will gradually invite more players in waves. You'll also need to have an Xbox Live Gold or PS Plus subscription in order to participate.
As Bethesda details on its FAQ page, to download the beta, you'll first need to find the redemption code on your pre-order receipt or in the email confirmation you received. After that, you'll need to log in to Bethesda's website, then input the code using the link on the FAQ. Once that is completed, Bethesda says it will send an email with further instructions.
The first beta session is scheduled to begin on October 23 at 4 PM PT / 7 PM ET and run until 8 PM PT / 11 PM ET. No further dates and times have been announced yet, but Bethesda says it will be running during "targeted time frames." According to the developer, the purpose of the beta is to "stress test and break the game," so players should expect some hiccups along the way. The beta will go on until shortly before the game's launch next month.
Fallout 76 releases for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 14. Unlike previous installments in the series, 76 is an always-online RPG with an emphasis on multiplayer, which we found makes for a very different kind of Fallout game. You can learn more about the title in our roundup of everything we know about Fallout 76.
For one day only--ending October 23 and available in limited supply--you can get the Sniper: Ghost Warrior Trilogy from Fanatical for just $1. That's three games for a buck, or $0.33 each. Not a bad deal if you're interested in dipping your trigger finger into this series of PC shooters. Once you make your purchase, you'll instantly get a code you can redeem on Steam.
Released between 2010 and 2017, the Sniper: Ghost Warrior trilogy was developed and published by the Polish game maker City Interactive (which also made Lords of the Fallen). The trilogy puts you behind the scope of a sniper rifle and has you take out enemy soldiers across a variety of missions. When you make your kills, the game slows down and zooms in to display a close-up view of the splattering gore. If you turn up the difficulty level, you'll also have to take into consideration real-life sniper considerations like wind speed and direction, your breath and heartbeat, and gravity's pull on the bullet.
Over the years, our reviewers scored these games in the 5-7 range. The first installment got dinged for having odd bullet physics and bad enemy AI, though the online multiplayer mode fared better than the campaign. Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 improved upon the original in nearly every way, with only a handful of minor problems keeping it from a wholehearted recommendation.
Last year's third entry made the move to an open-world environment and offered up three play styles: sniper (with a focus on long-range kills), ghost (emphasizing stealth), and warrior (taking an aggressive approach). From our Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 review: "Sniping is all about being cautious and taking a measured approach, and you're rewarded for your patience with some immensely satisfying killshots. For first-person shooters, it offers a unique approach that sets Ghost Warrior 3 apart from its histrionic contemporaries."
If this sounds like a series you want to try, make sure to head over to Fanatical and grab it before it's gone.
Wonder Woman was a breakout critical success for the often uneven DC cinematic universe, and its sequel set in the 1980s will take the character into the Cold War. We'll have to wait a little longer for the return of Princess Diana, though, as the film has been pushed back to 2020.
Star Gal Gadot, who plays the title character, announced the delay via Twitter. Rather than its planned November 1, 2019 date, it will now release on June 5, 2020. Gadot calls this date its "rightful home," presumably a reference to its placement among tent-pole summer movies rather than a fall release.
No reason was given for the delay other than the "changing landscape." That could mean that next fall is simply getting too crowded or that space has opened up in the following summer. DC has scheduled its Joker movie for October 2019, so keeping Wonder Woman 1984 in the November slot could have overlapped with it.
Super excited to announce that, thanks to the changing landscape, we are able to put Wonder Woman back to its rightful home. June 5, 2020. Be there or be square!!! ✨🙅♀️✨ pic.twitter.com/Wj8ORUQLdg
So far we haven't seen a trailer for WW84, so details are still scarce. Patty Jenkins is returning to direct, and Chris Pine is coming back in some capacity as Steve Trevor. We also know that Kristen Wiig has been cast as one of Wonder Woman's most iconic nemeses, Cheetah.
October is underway, which means The Pokemon Company is giving away a new pair of Legendary Pokemon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. We're now in the penultimate month of the Year of Legendary Pokemon promotion, and this time around, you'll be able to get your hands on the cover mascots from Pokemon Black and White: Reshiram and Zekrom.
Once again, if you live in the US, you'll need to travel to a specific retailer to pick up a download code for the Legendaries. This time, the code is being distributed in the electronics section of Target stores from October 19-28. Those who live in Europe and Australia, meanwhile, will be able to get the Pokemon without leaving the comfort of their home; the Legendaries are being given out over the Nintendo Network in those regions from October 5-21.
As usual, the Legendaries can be redeemed in any seventh generation Pokemon game on 3DS, but which one you receive depends on the version you're playing. Those with Sun or Ultra Sun will get Zekrom, while players who have Moon or Ultra Moon will get Reshiram. The Pokemon will also come with different levels and movesets depending on your game. You can see all of the details below.
Pokemon Ultra Sun
Zekrom -- Level 100 (w/Gold Bottle Cap)
Fusion Bolt
Bolt Strike
Outrage
Stone Edge
Pokemon Sun
Zekrom -- Level 60
Slash
Zen Headbutt
Fusion Bolt
Dragon Claw
Pokemon Ultra Moon
Reshiram -- Level 100 (w/Gold Bottle Cap)
Fusion Flare
Blue Flare
Draco Meteor
Earth Power
Pokemon Moon
Reshiram -- Level 60
Slash
Extrasensory
Fusion Flare
Dragon Pulse
You can redeem your download code for the Legendaries using the Mystery Gift feature from the games' main menu. After selecting it, choose the option to receive your gift with a code/password, then input your download code when prompted. If you live in Europe or Australia, you'll need to select the option to receive your gift via the internet. Once that's done, the Pokemon will be downloaded into your game. You'll then need to pick it up from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center.
Fortnite has exploded into wild popularity thanks to its free-to-play Battle Royale mode, thanks in part to its availability as a free-to-play game. But Fortnite's original Save the World mode will also eventually transition to a free-to-play model. However, those plans have been pushed out of 2018, as developer Epic Games says it needs to progress on some reworks and additional features before it makes the switch.
In an update about its Save the World mode, Epic suggests that the popularity of Fortnite as a whole means it needs to be prepared for a large influx of new users once STW goes free for all.
"We're working on a broad set of features, reworks, and backend system scaling we believe are needed to go free-to-play," it said. "Scaling up for the legions of player heroes who will be joining the fight is key to providing an excellent experience. This applies to all of our players, old and new, so we're taking the time to get this right."
If you just can't wait for it to go free-to-play, Epic is hosting a 50% off sale for the Standard, Deluxe, Standard Deluxe, and Limited Founder's Packs starting later this week. That means that your cheapest option will be $20 soon, until it goes free. Founders will also get a Brainiac Jonesy and Skull Ranger Ramirez for free if they log on during the Fortnitemares Halloween event.
The update also details a big change to the Hero System to give you more flexibility in the loadouts, along with several front-end UI improvements.
The cooperative PvE Save the World mode was the original pitch for Fortnite, and has remained in development as the free-to-play PvP Battle Royale has exploded in popularity. It's fair to say the free version of the game has overshadowed its original vision, especially since the PvE isn't available for some versions, including the Nintendo Switch or mobile games. But at least some of its large audience is likely to jump into Save the World once it's free, so Epic is looking to be prepared.
If you need a hand on earning your rewards in Battle Royale, make sure to check out our challenge guide for this season.
Treyarch has been rolling out updates for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 on a near-daily basis since the shooter launched earlier this month. On top of the title's latest patch, which makes stability improvements to all modes across PS4, Xbox One, and PC, the developer has discussed other aspects of the game it will continue to refine in the coming weeks.
In a post on Reddit, Treyarch shared with fans its plans to further optimize Black Ops 4's network performance. "We're constantly working to optimize the game, and particularly network performance, to ensure the highest quality online experience for our players," the developer wrote. "Now that we're past the initial launch of the game, we are focusing on fine-tuning network performance around the globe, using the real-world data that we have collected.
"Over the course of the next two weeks, we will roll out several updates to our network setup that will continue to improve upon the experience of our players since launch. As we have always said, launch is just the beginning, and we're committed to making Black Ops 4 the best-supported game we've ever delivered."
The latest Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 update resolved crashes and other issues across Multiplayer, Blackout, and Zombies modes. This follows the patch Treyarch rolled out last week, which made various fixes to Zombies mode. The developer says it is also investigating other Zombies bugs and will provide an update on those issues "in the coming days." You can read the patch notes on Reddit.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has been a critical and commercial success for Activision and Treyarch, breaking the publisher's record for "biggest day-one digital release." It has also been well received by critics. GameSpot awarded it an 8/10 in our Black Ops 4 review. Critic Kallie Plagge wrote, "Sure, there isn't a traditional single-player campaign, but with the depth and breadth of what is there, Black Ops 4 doesn't need it."
Pokemon fans now have a chance to get their hands on October's free Legendary Pokemon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, but those aren't the only rare monsters up for grabs this month. To commemorate the release of the upcoming Lost Thunder expansion for Pokemon TCG, The Pokemon Company is also giving away a rare Mythical Pokemon for the 3DS games: the Thunderclap Pokemon Zeraora.
First revealed this past April, Zeraora is a fast, cat-like Electric-type monster debuting in the latest Pokemon movie, The Power of Us. This marks the first opportunity players will have to get their hands on one; like other Mythical Pokemon, Zeraora isn't obtainable within the actual games, so you'll want to add one to your collection while you can.
As usual, the way you'll be able to get Zeraora depends on where you live. In the US, players can pick up a download code for the Mythical Pokemon at GameStop stores from October 19 to November 9; in the UK, The Pokemon Company is distributing codes for Zeraora at Game stores from October 1 to November 15.
Unlike most of the other free Pokemon given out this year, you can only redeem the Zeraora code in either Ultra Sun or Ultra Moon. Regardless of which version you claim it in, the Pokemon comes at level 50 and is equipped with an Air Balloon, an item that negates Ground-type attacks until it is popped. It also knows the moves Plasma Fists, Thunder Punch, Close Combat, and Thunder.
To redeem your download code, first select Mystery Gift from the games' main menu, then choose the option to receive your gift via a code/password. Input your code and Zeraora will be downloaded into your game. You'll then need to pick it up from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center.
In addition to Zeraora, The Pokemon Company is giving away two Legendary Pokemon originally from the Black and White versions this month: Reshiram and Zekrom. The pair will be available in the US via a download code, this one from Target stores. You can see all the free Pokemon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon available right now.
Pacific Rim director Guillermo Del Toro has been associated with Netflix for several years now, having produced three seasons of the acclaimed animated show Trollhunters. It has now been reported that the filmmaker is set to make a new movie version of the classic fairy tale Pinocchio.
According to Variety, Del Toro will write, produce, and direct a feature-length, animated musical adaptation of Pinocchio for Netflix. The movie will be set in Italy in the 1930s, against the backdrop of fascism and the rise of the dictator Benito Mussolini. Del Toro has often set his fantasy films against real life historical backdrops, such as 1940s Spanish setting of Pan's Labyrinth and the Cold War of The Shape of Water.
In a statement, Del Toro explained why he was drawn to this project. "No art form has influenced my life and my work more than animation and no single character in history has had as deep of a personal connection to me as Pinocchio," he said. "In our story, Pinocchio is an innocent soul with an uncaring father who gets lost in a world he cannot comprehend. He embarks on an extraordinary journey that leaves him with a deep understanding of his father and the real world. I've wanted to make this movie for as long as I can remember."
This new version of Pinocchio isn't the only new production that Del Toro is working on for Netflix. In May, it was announced that he was developing a new horror anthology series for the streaming service titled10 After Midnight. In addition, his Trollhunters spin-off series 3 Below will be released in in December.
Epic has begun teasing an apparent Halloween event for Fortnite, titled Fortnitemares. The event will kick off this Wednesday, October 24 and last through Monday, November 26. It promises "spooky rewards" for completing special Fortnitemares challenges, and uses a variation on the Season 6 theme, "Darkness has risen."
One such reward could be a skin that Epic appears to be teasing through Twitter. Three images have been revealed so far, and at least two of them look like they fit together like a puzzle. The Fortnitemares rewards will probably go through both the Battle Royale and Save the World modes, since Epic has announced that you can win a couple of skins by logging onto Save the World during the event.
That same announcement gave word that the Save the World mode, which had been planned for release as a free-to-play mode this year, won't be switching to free after all. That means to earn any Fortnitemare rewards you'll need to be a founder, but the studio is offering those packages at half-price.
The whole season is fairly creepy, and its biggest Battle Pass reward is the Dire Wolf skin that changes you into more and more of a werewolf as you level it up. We've also seen a slow drip of special Halloweenskins. For more Halloween events, check out our Halloween roundup.
Fallout 76 is a very different kind of Fallout game, with a new focus on multiplayer across a massive open world. Bethesda is putting it through its paces with a beta test releasing later this month, and you can join in to help explore the wastes and gather technical feedback before its official launch. There's even a pre-beta stress test that a select number of fans will get access to. Here's everything to know about the beta.
When does the beta start?
The beta for Fallout 76 will begin on October 23 on Xbox One, and then expand to PC and PlayStation 4 the following week on October 30. Pre-loading for the Xbox One version is now available. The first session on Xbox One will begin at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT and end at 11 PM ET / 8 PM PT on October 23.
Even if you've received a code, though, you may not necessarily be invited to the first wave. Bethesda plans to start small to stress test the game and expand slowly, so your actual start date may vary.
A separate pre-beta stress test also took place starting on October 13. That one is exclusive to Xbox One Insiders who have pre-ordered the game, and even then fulfilling those criteria only enters you into the pool of possible participants. Players of this stress test will be under NDA and unlike the beta, game progress will not be saved.
How long will the beta last?
Bethesda has not given a specific end-date for the beta, but it has explained that the servers won't be available 24/7 during the beta period. The studio says it will be running "targeted time frames" to force interested players together at the same time, which in turn will mark a better technical test. The game may be available for 4-8 hours on any given day, with Bethesda making adjustments and fixes during the off periods. This process will repeat until a few days before launch on November 14.
How do I get in?
The beta will be available exclusively for those who pre-order the game across PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Digital pre-orders will be entered into the pool automatically, while physical pre-orders will receive a code to enter into the accounts page once the beta has gone live on your platform of choice.
It's important to note that this code is not the beta code you enter to access the actual game download. Instead, the pre-order code is the one you enter into Bethesda's system to be put into the pool for code distribution. A separate code, which gives you access to the install, will follow at a later time as Bethesda rolls out its invites.
In the meantime, you can be sure you're prepared by creating a free Bethesda.net login. Also, make sure you have an active Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus membership if you're playing on either console, since those will be required to access the online-only game.
Is the beta the full game?
The Fallout 76 beta is the full experience, and Bethesda says it is currently planning to allow players to carry progress over into the full game. However, console players will need to redownload the launch version, whereas PC players will not need to download a new version upon launch. The beta will be 45 GB.
How do I submit feedback?
Bethesda is inviting feedback across its variety of social media channels.
What else will I get for pre-ordering?
Aside from beta access, pre-ordering will get you 500 Atoms--Fallout 76's in-game currency. Atoms allow you to purchase cosmetic items from the shop. Bethesda has indicated that Atoms will be plentiful, but as we haven't seen the shop or prices yet, it's hard to say just how far 500 Atoms will go.
The beta for Fallout 76 is just about ready to get underway, and those who will be playing on Xbox One can being pre-loading. This test won't be available at all times, but with the first of these nearly here, Bethesda has announced the first window during which you'll be able to play. The initial session will take place on Tuesday, October 23 from 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT to 11 PM ET / 8 PM PT. The full schedule for the first test follows below.
As previously detailed, Bethesda will be running individual targeted time frames for players to access the beta. The idea is that this will force more players together at a specific time to stress test and put the game through its paces. Sessions will typically last 4-8 hours in a given day, and then the beta will be inoperable again until the next session. The process will repeat over again until November 14.
A beta code is available to anyone who pre-ordered the game across Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4. Pre-loading is only available on Xbox One for now, since the PC and PS4 betas will begin on October 30. You'll receive a code with your physical pre-order to enter into the accounts page, or you'll be entered into the pool automatically if you pre-order a digital copy. Note that those codes don't grant you access. Rather, they put you into the potential pool of players to get a distribution code later, since Bethesda is rolling out the invites in waves.
Fallout 76 Beta Times (October 23/24)
US Pacific Time: 4 PM - 8 PM (Tuesday, October 23)
US Eastern Time: 7 PM - 11 PM (Tuesday, October 23)
UK BST: 12 AM - 4 AM (Wednesday, October 24)
Australia AEDT: 10 AM - 2 PM (Wednesday, October 24)
Bethesda plans to let to keep your progress from the beta through to the full game. Pre-ordering also will get you 500 Atoms, the in-game currency, for purchasing cosmetic items in the shop.
Fallout 76 is due out on November 14. For more details, check out our guide to everything we know.
With the weekly reset comes another Ascendant Challenge in Destiny 2: Forsaken. However, it appears that we've now seen every different version of this activity included in Forsaken, as we're back to the original Week 1 version of the event. Here's where to go and what to do. [Update: It's now Monday, making this your last chance to tackle this Ascendant Challenge before it cycles through again in just over a month.]
As always, the Ascendant Challenge starts out with acquiring the corresponding bounty from Petra in the Dreaming City. You'll also need a Tincture of Queensfoil, a consumable item you can earn by taking part in certain activities in the Dreaming City (or you can outright buy one). Once you have both the bounty and a Tincture, you'll head to a Lost Sector, Aphelion's Rest, which is located in The Strand, just beneath the area where Petra is sometimes found. Using a Tincture will grant you a buff, Ascendance, that allows you to see a Taken portal. This one is located partway through the Lost Sector, atop a hill--it's hard to miss if you've used your Tincture.
Jumping into the portal takes you to the Ascendant Plane's Ouroborea. There, you'll have to explore the area to find four different blights. Enter the dome and destroy its core; you'll know you've done it when it disappears and the text "a seal breaks" pops up in the bottom-left corner. Once you've dealt with all the blights, you'll go back toward the center to destroy crystals (whose protective shield has been temporarily dropped). Just beware the knights who will chase you around as you do this--your best bet is to keep moving in a circle, which should let you destroy the crystals without allowing the knights to get too close.
Although the chest is unlikely to have any worthwhile rewards, finishing the Ascendant Challenge also completes the bounty you picked up from Petra. That rewards you with a piece of Powerful gear that is highly desirable, making this all worth the trouble, provided you're capable of getting it done. If you want an Exotic, you can head over to Xur.
Although this Ascendant Challenge is not a new one, there is a lot happening in Destiny 2 right now. Iron Banner is back for this week, and a new update has been released. Most importantly, though, Festival of the Lost is now active until November 6, bringing a new Haunted Forest activity, new rewards, and more to take part in.
Any game as big as Red Dead Redemption 2 is probably going to be a system-seller. And if you're in the market for an Xbox One S or Xbox One X, you can save $100 if you buy Red Dead Redemption 2 from GameStop between October 26 and November 3. That's a killer deal for anyone who's looking to buy both of those items anyway.
If you need help choosing between the two console models, you can check out our Xbox One S and Xbox One X reviews to get the full rundown on what features each one includes. We've also done an in-depth comparison of the models. It's worth noting that Red Dead Redemption 2 is an Xbox One X-enhanced game, meaning it runs in 4K and supports HDR when played on an Xbox One X connected to a TV with the corresponding features. (The S also supports HDR, but not native 4K--it's confusing).
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prequel to the 2010 original. It takes place in 1899 and finds the Van der Linde gang on a crime spree in the Old West. You play as a man named Arthur Morgan this time around, though the previous game's protagonist, John Marston, also makes an appearance. The game comes out October 26 on Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
You can check out our Red Dead Redemption story recap to get yourself up to speed from a narrative perspective. We've also gone hands-on with the game, so you can see our thoughts on 90 minutes of playtime. And if you're ready to place your pre-order, we have everything you need to know about the pre-order bonuses, as well as what comes in each edition and how much it costs in our Red Dead Redemption 2 pre-order guide.
2018's new Halloween is now in theaters after the movie initially screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. You can find out what we thought in our review below. Additionally, we have a look at the series' most brutal kills, and we've ranked every Halloween film. But does the new Halloween hold a candle to the original? Read on.
Remember when fans were worried that Danny McBride and David Gordon Green--the guys behind HBO comedy series Eastbound & Down--would ruin the Halloween franchise by trying to make it funny? Well, the newest chapter in the Michael Myers saga--which is technically only the second, since it ignores all other sequels--is definitely the funniest film in the franchise. But surprisingly, it's also the perfect continuation to the story begun in the original Halloween 40 years ago.
Yes, it's been 40 years since Michael Myers put on a mask and terrorized the town of Haddonfield, Illinois as "The Shape," and he hasn't done much since then. Played by the original actor Nick Castle, as well as newcomer James Jude Courtney, Myers hasn't spoken a word in the 40 years he's apparently been incarcerated at the movie's start. Not even when two podcasters--or "investigative journalists," as they refer to themselves--present him with the iconic mask in an attempt to get a reaction does Michael stir. This is a return to form (or shape) for Michael. No longer the brother of Laurie Strode, as was established in sequels to the original, he is back to being a force of pure evil who commits random acts of violence with no cause or reason. Green, who directs with co-writer McBride, treats the character with utmost respect, like a larger-than-life force that deserves your complete attention and fear.
Castle and Courtney, who seamlessly share the role of The Shape, don't miss a beat with their performances, as this is the most terrifying Michael has been since 1978. It helps that Green and McBride have made this one mean and nasty Halloween movie. It surpasses the body count of John Carpenter's original even before Michael gets to Haddonfield, and we see kills involving knives going through throats, lethal headbutts, and more.
Meanwhile, the core of the story focuses on Laurie Strode. Jamie Lee Curtis gives what is perhaps the best performance of her career in the role that first gave her the spotlight. She effortlessly steps back into Laurie's shoes, evolving the trauma and psychological damage Myers inflicted on her all those years ago. Yes, she is a complete and absolute badass in this film, as she is now the hunter and no longer the hunted. However, she is no Sarah Connor. She is a broken woman who hasn't been able to let go of that fateful Halloween night.
Strode now lives in a fortified house in the middle of the woods and spends every day shooting at target dummies, preparing for the day when her paranoia finally bears fruit. Of course, it doesn't take long before Myers escapes and finds his way to Haddonfield, where he obsesses over finishing the job he started 40 years earlier.
Despite the gravity of Halloween's themes, and the gory and violent fun audiences expect from a slasher, McBride and Green infuse the script with their signature sense of humor, and surprisingly, it actually works. Every side character gets a moment to shine, and the jokes never feel out of place, especially when coming from soon-to-be breakout star Jibrail Nantambu. Nantambu plays the only character who has any idea what's going on in the film--he never makes a stupid choice (it's a slasher, so naturally, characters make a lot of stupid choices) and provides insightful meta commentary about the horror tropes on display.
Speaking of meta, Halloween pokes fun at every single film in the franchise, all while paying homage to its predecessors. There are references to Silver Shamrock, tributes to Halloween 2, and a fun cameo or two. The film also comments on this being a pseudo remake of the original, but in modern times. For example, when discussing the original babysitter killings from the first film, a character remarks that five dead people isn't too much "by today's standards." Green has fun with the idea of Laurie being prepared for Michael by playing with role reversal throughout the film. One instance in particular got the audience at the world premiere cheering so hard, the next three lines of dialogue were inaudible.
If there's one problem with Halloween, it's that it never uses Laurie's granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) and Allyson's mom Karen (Judy Greer) to their full potential. Thankfully, it isn't a big issue, as Laurie's story is compelling enough on its own. And those missing the magic Carpenter touch will be delighted to know that the film is keen on using silence to increase the tension, and there is a 5-minute-long single-shot sequence that is a marvel to watch, even if it's quite brutal. Green may not have a ton of experience filming horror, but he sure knows how to create nail-biting tension at the right moments.
John Carpenter returns to score the film with the help of his son, Cody Carpenter, and Daniel Davies. Yes, you do hear the classic Halloween theme, and Carpenter even uses a slower version of the theme at several key moments. Carpenter also uses a whole new style of synth rock that pulsates and beats like a heart and will have everyone in the audience on the edge of their seat while also making them pre-order the soundtrack as soon as they leave the theater.
Halloween doesn't reinvent the wheel or create a new subgenre of horror. What it does is take the best parts of all the films in the franchise, and deliver the ultimate companion piece to Carpenter's 1978 masterpiece. It's a film that not only has something to say about trauma and PTSD, but also delivers a bloody, fun time at the theater. Will Michael Myers return again? Who knows, but we sure as hell welcome him home.
The Good
The Bad
Laurie Strode is a more complex character, yet a total badass
Side characters are slightly underused
Michael Myers is scarier than ever
The fantastic score that will get your heart beating
A much-welcomed sense of humor and meta commentary
Titan Comics has brought some of today's biggest video game franchises to the printed page with its adaptations of Tekken, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, and From Software's critically acclaimed action RPG, Bloodborne, among many others. The first issue of Titan's Bloodborne: The Death of Sleep series arrived back in February, but if you've missed out and would like to catch up on the story so far, you'll soon have an opportunity to pick up the first few issues in one collection.
Bloodborne: The Death of Sleep Vol. 1 goes on sale in comic stores and online tomorrow, October 23. It collects the first four issues of Titan's Bloodborne series into one 112-page graphic novel. Here's Titan's synopsis of the series: "Awakening in an ancient city plagued by a twisted endemic--where horrific beasts stalk the shadows and the streets run slick with the blood of the damned--a nameless Hunter embarks on a dangerous quest in search of Paleblood... his only escape from the endless Night of the Hunt..."
Bloodborne: The Death of Sleep is written by Ales Kot, whose previous credits include Change, Zero, and Wolf. It features artwork by Piotr Kowalski, who has also worked on Titan's Wolfenstein and Witcher comics, as well as Dark Tower, Sex, and Robocop. Titan has provided GameSpot with an exclusive preview of The Death of Sleep Vol. 1; you can read eight pages from the upcoming collection by clicking through the gallery below.
Bloodborne: The Death of Sleep Vol. 1 retails for $17 / £14. You can find more details on Titan's website. A fifth issue in the series, titled Bloodborne: The Healing Thirst, launched last month. Likewise written and illustrated by Kot and Kowalski, The Healing Thirst "delve[s] into the dark underbelly of the Healing Church."
Bloodborne isn't the only From Software series to receive the comic treatment. Titan has also published a comic based on Dark Souls titled The Age of Fire, a four-issue series written by Ryan O'Sullivan (Void Trip, Warhammer). The Age of Fire features "all the main characters" from the game series and is a "dramatic retelling of the Legends of Silver Knights." All four issues are on sale now.
From Software's next title, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, is slated to release for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on March 22, 2019. Meanwhile, Dark Souls Remastered recently launched for Nintendo Switch alongside the GameStop-exclusive Solaire of Astora Amiibo figure after being delayed. While not as visually impressive as the PS4, Xbox One, and PC versions, we thought the Switch edition of Dark Souls Remastered offered a unique way to revisit the landmark title. You can read more in our Dark Souls Remastered Switch review.
You'll notice that there are a lot of characters to unlock in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's Blackout mode. With a total of 29 characters, the battle royale mode features a variety of characters from past Blacks Ops multiplayer, zombies, and story campaigns. If you're vying to get them all, you'll need to do a little legwork.
To unlock most of these characters, you'll often need to complete a specific set of challenges associated to them. After finding a special item for the character on the map, you'll activate this special challenge, which often includes getting kills with a specific weapon, taking out zombies, or using specific support items.
Below you can find a list of all the characters you can unlock. It's worth noting that not every character in the character select menu is unlockable yet; we assume they'll be made available at a later date. We'll be sure to update this feature as that information becomes available, as well as provide more detail on the characters we're currently missing.
If you're new to Blackout mode, be sure to check out guide highlighting tips you should know before starting. You can also read our informative feature that details Black Ops 4 as a whole in all of its modes. For folks more curious about how Blackout compares to Fortnite and PUBG, check out our in-depth comparison feature. Otherwise, be on the lookout for more Black Ops 4 guides in the coming days.
Only a couple of the Blackout characters are unlocked from obtaining their special items and completing their mid-match challenges.
Woods
Obtain the Bandanna by killing zombies or fallen player
Get in a Helicopter during a match
Win a match
Menendez
Obtain the Locket
Kill an enemy with a shotgun
Kill an enemy with a melee attack
Finish the match with the Locket in your inventory
Ranger
Unlocked at Echelon 20
Frogman
Unlocked at Echelon 40
Airborne
Unlocked at Echelon 60
Seal
Unlocked at Echelon 80
Battle Hardened
Unlocked at Echelon 80 Prestige
Zombies Characters
With the exception of Shadow Man--who is unlocked via the Blackout pass--all of the zombie characters are unlocked by discovering a special item on the map and completing the challenge objectives.
Shadow Man
Unlocked with Blackout Pass
Dempsey
Find a Death Machine
Kill Zombies
Finish the match in the top 10
Nikolai
Find a Cymbal Monkey
Kill Zombies
Finish the match in the top 10
Takeo
Find the Katanas
Kill Zombies
Finish the match in the top 10
Scarlett
Obtain the Racing Goggles and Bandanna by killing zombies or looting fallen players
Multiplayer Characters
Characters from the Multiplayer category are unlocked by finding their special item and completing their challenge objectives. It's worth noting that many of their weapons and equipment can be found and used regardless of whether you're playing as them or not. It's more of a cosmetic choice at the end of the day.
Battery
Obtain Battery's Wat Machine
Get kills with the Grenade Launcher
Finish the match in the top 15
Firebreak
Obtain the Burned Doll by looting a supply box or supply drop
Confirm a Kill or Clean up a downed player with fire
Finish the match with the Burned Doll
Ruin
Craft the Grapple Gun from missing pieces
Finish the match in the top 15
Seraph
Find the Annihilator
Get Annihilator Kills
Finish the match in the top 15
Ajax
Loot fallen enemies for Broken Armor Plating
Finish the match with three Broken Armor Platings in your inventory
Crash
Obtain Poker Chips
End the match with 15 Healing Items
Finish the match in the top 3
Finish the match with the Poker Chips in your inventory
Recon
Obtain the I Ching Coins item
Avoid collapse damage
Finish the match in the top 7
Finish the match with the I Ching Coins item in your inventory
Torque
Obtain the Note from Torque from a supply box or supply drop
Deploy two Razor Wires and one Carricade
Place in the top 7
Finish the match with the Note from Torque in your inventory
Battle royale style games took off in popularity last year thanks to PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and reached new heights with Fortnite. Now, the Call of Duty franchise has hopped onto the fray with Black Ops 4's new Blackout mode, which you can read about in our Black Ops 4 review. If you haven't experienced battle royale for yourself, but plan on hopping into Black Ops 4, this is for you. We'll run through some of the basics of the mode and cover the ways in which Call of Duty puts its own spin on it.
Battle Royale 101
First off, you can enter matches either as a lone wolf (solo), with a partner (duos), or a team of four (quads); you'll be matched with up to 100 players who choose the same group size option. Every player gets flown over the map in the same trajectory--visualized when you pull up the map--and it's up to you when and where to drop. Exiting the helicopter has you deploying your wingsuit, and you can glide horizontally to go further out or look straight down to drop faster.
The overall goal is to be the last player or team standing since everyone has one life, which makes combat encounters much more tense and risky compared to traditional Call of Duty multiplayer. Now more than ever, you should be aware of your surroundings; that or have a teammate watch your back. Also keep in mind that you can revive squadmates if they fall, but be sure to do so before they bleed out or take more damage from enemies.
Another basic ingredient of battle royale is the impending pressure of a deadly circle closing in on the battlefield. Every match has the circle contracting on a random area of the map, and it gets smaller as the match goes on to force remaining players into combat. If you get caught outside the circle, you'll take damage until you can get into the safe zone.
A Huge Map To Traverse
Blackout's map is much larger than any previous Call of Duty map since it has to accommodate 100 players. However with size of the map, it also induces a slower pace; so expect plenty of downtime between encounters. This change of pace may take a while for Call of Duty veterans to adjust to, but it also feeds into the high-stakes nature of combat in battle royale games since one small mistake can cost you an entire match.
There are 14 concentrated areas in the Blackout map, many of which pay homage to past Black Ops maps. For example, Nuketown Island, Estate, and Array will look and feel similar to the multiplayer maps they're named after. The in-between of these main locations is interspersed with smaller towns and groups of buildings that can have valuable loot. But vast forestry and open fields make up most of the terrain, so be on-guard when traversing between locations as firefights may break out at any moment.
The full map in Blackout mode.
Luckily, vehicles litter the map. An ATV doesn't provide much protection but it can get up to two players around from point A to point B fairly quickly. The cargo truck fits up to five players and doesn't leave the squad as vulnerable, but it moves pretty slow. Getting through the river that splits the middle of the map is quite easy with a zodiac boat, which holds up to four players. And unlike most battle royales, Blackout features air transportation via the helicopter that has five seats total. That's not the only means of air travel, though; you can deploy your wingsuit by sprinting and jumping off a building and holding the jump button.
Loot Your Loadout
You start each match without anything in your inventory and must loot all your equipment--a stark contrast to Call of Duty's tradition of letting players customize their loadouts. You're allowed to carry two weapons and have to scavenge for the proper ammo type for each as well. The following is a list of all the weapons available to loot in Blackout:
Tactical Rifles: Auger DMR, Swordfish, ABR 223, Essex Model 07
Sniper Rifles: Koshka, Paladin HB50
LMGs: Titan
Explosives: War Machine, Hellion Salvo
Zombie Weapons: Ray Gun, Galil, MP-40, Zweihander
Attachments are crucial for getting the most out of your weapons. A reflect sight or 4x scope will come in clutch for nailing precise shots with ADS, and a grip or stock will help control your recoil, but you need to scavenge for those items and get them onto your gun. Zombie weapons add a twist to combat, which can be found in zombie supply stashes after killing AI-controlled zombie hordes at certain locations in the map, like the Asylum. Even the sillier items find their way into Blackout, like the Ray Gun, Monkey Bomb, Acid Bomb, and RC Car (though it doesn't explode). Look out for blue beacons that shine in the sky as this indicates stash locations where you may get your hands on these rare items.
Inventory management in Blackout mode.
You'll also have to loot armor in Blackout; there are three levels and each one provides better protection (level 3 armor is the only one that'll protect from headshots). Backpacks open up five additional item slots, which comes in handy later in a match as you loot more useful equipment. And it goes without saying that stocking up on health items is important, too; first aid and med kits heal 25 and 50 health, respectively. Trauma kits will fully heal you and tack on an additional 50 health temporarily.
Be on the lookout for supply crates that randomly drop onto the map throughout the match; you're likely to find high-level loot, but creates a hotspot for preying enemies.
The Perks Of Call Of Duty
In another interesting twist, Blackout's take on battle royale also brings in the familiar Perks system, which act as consumable items found across the map. Each perk has a specific effect, usage limit, and duration. While some may be more useful than others, it's important to know what your equipped perk does as it can make the difference between life and death, especially in their most effective situations. The following is a perk list and what they do:
Brawler: Increases melee damage, gain 50 health for each melee attack landed. (Usage: 1, Duration: 4 mins)
Consumer: Health and consumable items activate 50% faster. (Usage: 1, Duration: 5 mins)
Dead Silence: Silent movement and less noise when opening stashes. (Usage: 2, Duration: 4 mins)
Engineer: Reveal all nearby vehicles and enemy equipment. (Usage: 2, Duration: 4 mins)
Iron Lungs: Steady aim with scoped weapons and underwater breathing time increased. (Usage: 2, Duration: 5 mins)
Medic: Health items and team revives replenish more health and with faster activation. (Usage: 2, Duration: 4 mins)
Mobility: Movement and weapon switch is faster, fire and use items while sprinting, move fast while reloading. Fall damage negated. (Usage: 2, Duration: 5 mins)
Paranoia: Audio cues for when you're targeted by an enemy via ADS. (Usage: 2, Duration: 4 mins)
Black Ops 3 introduced Specialists, unique characters that provided a variety of ways to play the game with their own attributes and abilities--akin to a hero shooter. While you can choose to play as a certain Specialist in Blackout, the equipment that was once tied to them are now items found in the field. Those abilities--such as the razor wire, mesh mines, and grappling hook--are hard to find, but they can give you a significant advantage when used in the right situation.
Those are the basics when it comes to playing Call of Duty Black Ops 4's Blackout mode. Battle royale veterans may know how the rules work, but the equipment system and map are still things that need to be experimented with and explored on your own. The most important thing to do is to play more and more matches to get a feel for how Call of Duty's take on battle royale flows. And now that you know what you're getting into, take the next step and check out our Blackout beginner's guide.
Although Call of Duty's popular multiplayer and Zombies modes return in Black Ops 4, it's the new battle royale mode, Blackout, that's making waves. At its core, Blackout utilizes the same basic formula as other battle royale games, like PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and Fortnite, but Black Ops 4 implements some unique mechanics to differentiate itself from the competition.
One of the more notable additions is the inclusion of perks. Perks do have a long-standing history in Call of Duty, but the mechanic hasn't been seen in any of the other major battle royale games yet. In Blackout, you can hold onto the perks you find and use them whenever you want, much like the weapons and items you scavenge throughout the match. However, just as long-range weapons have more value at the start of a battle royale and short-range weapons at the end, each perk in Blackout is best suited for different stages of the game.
In this guide, we break down all of Blackout's perks into three categories: early-game, mid-game, and end-game. If you're new to Call of Duty, or just struggling to figure out when a specific perk should be used, this guide should help.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. In our review, GameSpot reviews editor Kallie Plagge awarded the game an 8/10, describing Blackout as a mesh of both "multiplayer and Zombies for a take on the battle royale genre that stands on its own."
In the beginning of any battle royale, there's not much risk. You might run into an armed opponent before you've found a weapon yourself, but dying so soon isn't too bad. You can just immediately queue up again into another match. So if you do happen upon a valuable perk, save it and don't waste it. Instead, look for and use perks that will get you past the initial scramble for weapons, armor, and health.
Looter: Reveals nearby loot and stashes, which is great for arming yourself if you haven't found a weapon.
Engineer: Reveals all nearby vehicles and enemy equipment, which helps you find transportation for reaching high-level loot areas before other players.
Brawler: Increases melee damage and gain 50 health for each melee attack landed, which is really only ideal if you happen to be unlucky enough to not find a single weapon.
Mid-Game
The mid-game is the slowest portion of any battle royale game. You'll run into small pockets of other players but your biggest concern is staying ahead of the encroaching danger zone. At this point, you and everyone else still alive should already have at least one weapon, so you have to be careful when entering buildings. When trying to survive until the final two circles, you'll want to rely on perks that ensure you can outmaneuver both the danger zone and enemy players.
Outlander: Take less damage and move faster when outside the safe zone, which helps if you find yourself caught in the danger zone and struggling to return to safety.
Squad Link: Teammates become visible through walls, so you can easily find your friends if they're suddenly ambushed while you're all looting.
Paranoia: Creates an audio cue for when you're being targeted by an enemy, which is more valuable now than in the end-game. You'll be contending with more snipers in the mid-game.
Awareness: Makes enemy footsteps louder, which is helpful for identifying threats if you're holed up in a building while you're waiting for the end-game.
Dead Silence: Silences your movements when running and opening stashes, which, like Awareness, is ideal for making sure you can look through a house without fear of ambush.
Skulker: Moving while crouched and prone, which you'll specifically be doing a lot of in the mid-game to avoid snipers, is made faster.
Iron Lungs: Gives you steady aim while scoped and allows you to breathe underwater for longer periods of time. The former makes you a better sniper--which is ideal for mid-game--and the latter helps if you're escaping an enemy player or an approaching danger zone by swimming underwater.
End-Game
The remaining five perks are best saved for the final two circles in Blackout. At this point, there shouldn't be more than 20 players and everyone will be very close together. It's a near constant firefight, and you'll have to suffer more than a couple hits if you haven't found an ideal position to hole up.
With that in mind, you'll want to focus almost exclusively on offense at this point. Blindly running around won't help, but closing the gap on your enemy and dealing quick, powerful damage is key. Grenades come into play a lot more in the end-game, so even if you're not the target, you'll have to contend with flashbangs and splash damage. You always want to be able to see your enemy so you know when to heal and when to fight back.
Consumer: Health and consumable items activate 50% faster, so you can both heal yourself and your teammates more quickly.
Medic: Health items and team revives replenish more health and activate faster, which lets you use your healing items more efficiently and not waste them after taking severe damage.
Mobility: You move and switch weapons more quickly, while also being able to fire, use items, and reload while sprinting. You also don't take any fall damage. Being able to run, gun down an enemy, and quickly reload is invaluable near the end of Blackout.
Reinforced: Reduces explosion and fire damage, as well as the effect of razor wire, flasbangs, and concussion grenades, which is helpful for both dealing with enemy grenades as well as any bad throws on you or your teammates' part.
Stimulant: Increases health cap by 100, which increases your likelihood of surviving more powerful weapons and nearby grenades.
There's much to experience in the massive open-world of Ancient Greece in Assassin's Creed Odyssey. But as is tradition, the Assassin's Creed series has a very strange way of blending historical accuracy with bizarre supernatural elements--and Odyssey is no exception. While you'll mostly take on pirates, foot soldiers, and the sinister members of the Cult of Kosmos throughout the various locales around the world, there are some encounters that will take some extra effort to find--leading to Odyssey's most memorable fights against beasts of legend.
In this feature, we breakdown Assassin's Creed Odyssey's most involved and unique quest-line, which pits you against some various mythological beasts that reference Greek mythology, including the deadly Medusa and the Cyclops. In addition to giving you all the details on how to find them, we also offer up some tips on how to overcome their unique challenges. Obviously, there are some spoilers in this article, which relates to the midpoint of the game. Proceed with caution.
Where To Begin
To start your epic quest to vanquish the four mythological creatures hiding out within Ancient Greece, you'll need to reach the midpoint in the main Odyssey quest, which takes you to island of Thera, just north of Messara. After solving the puzzles to gain entry into the ruins, you'll meet a very important character inside, who will give you a new Odyssey quest-line called Between Two Worlds. This quest tasks you with finding four lost Isu artifacts that have been stolen, which are now hidden across the known world of Greece.
While you may get the urge to drop everything and set out to complete this quest after the cutscene's finish, you're much better off holding off until much later into the main story. Not only will you have the proper gear to take out some of the harder challenges, some of the legendary gear that drops from these quests will also become more powerful. We'd recommend you finish the main story, which will take you through many of the islands and locales that house these lost artifacts. What follows is the best order to take on these creatures, based on level.
The Sphinx And Where To Find It
Marked as level 35 quest, the Lord of the Sphinx mission tasks you with finding an artifact hidden in Boetia. Located on the southern coast of Lake Koapis, you'll find ancient Isu ruins shrouded in fog. At these ruins you'll find a discover a Sphinx statue and an NPC named Gorgias, who's searching for a piece of a medallion to unlock the secrets of the temple. Tasking you to find his apprentice, you'll start the next leg of the quest, which will have you travel to the Tomb of Menoikeus. Located in the northeastern part of the Scorched Rolling Plains region in Boetia, you'll find the remains of the apprentice, killed by a nearby alpha lion--which has also eaten the other half of the medallion. After securing the piece, head back to the ruins to proceed with the next part of the quest.
Once you return, you'll find that Gorgias and the statue are missing. Before proceeding further, be sure to save your progress. Taking the piece of the medallion that Gorgias left behind, you'll be able to place the item on a pedestal in the ruins, which will summon the mythological Sphinx. Surprisingly, you won't engage in an actual fight with the Sphinx, but rather a game of careful wits. After conversing with the beast, the challenge begins. You'll only have one chance to clear this encounter, as offering an incorrect solution to the puzzles will result in instant death. Moreover, each subsequent reload of your save will see a different set of riddles offered up.
Think carefully before giving your responses to the Sphinx's questions, as your answers also apply to several runes scattered around the ruins, which have to be activated after the riddles are complete. If you can't find the rune assigned to your given answers, then you'll meet certain doom. After making it through the riddles correctly, you'll best the Sphinx at its own game and collect your first artifact, along with a legendary Sphinx Figurehead for your ship.
The Cyclops And Where To Find It
You'll likely be aware of the location of this particular mythological beast early on into your adventure. Found on the Isle of Thisvi just south of Phokis (one of the first areas you go to after getting your ship), you'll find the ancient Isu ruins after diving into the Forgotten Isle's inner cove. However, the door leading to the mythical Cyclops is sealed, and will remain so until you take on the necessary quest. At a recommend level of 35, the quest that opens the chambers of the Cyclops is located on Kythera Island, towards the southernmost edge of the map. Head to the region known as Pilgrim Hill to find a quest giver near a statue, opening up the mission A God Among Men. By taking this mission, you'll eventually Empedokles, who believes himself to be a god. After assisting him throughout the Island, he'll venture off to the Isle of Thisvi to meet a fellow god.
Once you head back to the small island, head into the island's underground to find Empedokles outside the door, who's ready to reunite with his fellow god. Suffice it to say, things don't work out for Empedokles, and you're left to do battle against the mythological creature. As one of the largest enemies in the game, the Cyclops--also known as Brontes, The Thunderer--has an advantage when it comes to range and raw strength. However, the boss' slow speed and lumbering movement can be taken advantage of. You can also aim the obvious weak spot of its glowing eye with your ranged attacks, dealing some solid damage. Halfway through the fight, the Cyclops will become more aggressive, resulting in some falling debris throughout the chamber. Keep chipping away while avoiding the falling the rocks to take him down. After the fight you'll acquire the next artifact, and along with the Polyphemos Cyclops Bludgeon, a legendary heavy blade.
The Minotaur And Where To Find It
Located in Messara, on the island in the southeast section of the map, you'll come across a small town in Minotaur Hills that worships the mighty beast. This area serves as a great place to learn more about the history of the region, level up, and gain some new gear--including a replica helmet of the Minotaur (which is just a bull's head fashioned into a helm). Just west of town, you'll find Knossos Palace ruins located in Mino's Legacy. In this area you'll find a child named Ardos, who's trying to rescue his father lost in the chambers of the Minotaur below the palace. Starting the Myths and Minotaurs quest, you'll learn more about the labyrinth and discover that you'll need to find the medallion to open up access.
From here, you'll begin the Of Minotaurs and Men questline, which includes sub-quests around the region including Blood in The Water, Recollections, and Full Circle. Along the way, you'll interact with the allies of Ardos' father, local merchants, and assist the boy's current caretaker. The questline involving the caretaker will have you cross paths with the Swordfish, who just so happens to be a member of the Cult of Kosmos. After completing these tasks, you'll acquire the key to the labyrinth of the Minotaur. While exploring the maze, you'll find the body of Ardos' father, and not long after, encounter the mythological beast.
The battle with the Minotaur can be quite challenging, which requires you to be at least level 40 to make a successful go of it. In this battle, you'll have to dodge many of the Minotaur's attacks and head in for an opening when its vulnerable. Its most powerful move is a ram attack, which you can fortunately see coming. The beast can also stun itself when it rams against an obstruction, allowing you to get some solid hits in. Staying and attacking at a distance is also an effective way of getting the upper hand against the beast. Once you defeat the minotaur, you'll get the next artifact and a new legendary axe known as the Minotaur's Labrys.
The Medusa And Where To Find It
For the final mythological beast, you'll need to travel to the island of Lesbos, located in the northeastern corner of the map. At this point in the game, you'll likely have finished the main story before traveling to this island, which is one of Odyssey's most difficult areas. To start the quest, head to the town of Eresos in the Petrified Valley, which is located on the southwestern coast of the island. In town, you'll find a female NPC named Bryce. After conversing with her, you'll start the quest Romancing the Stone Garden, which tasks you with finding her lover lost in the Petrified Temple. After learning more of the Temple and its mysteries, you'll need to new quest called Shadows of Serpents, along with all of its sub-quests that to open the pathway to the Medusa.
These side-quests will take some time to finish, as they'll have you travel across Lesbos and to the nearby island of Chios. One mission has you infiltrate a village full of female hunters, all of whom are lethal archers and agiles fighters. However, if you already completed the Artemis quest-line involving the hunt for legendary animals, your choices in that mission can allow you to become the leader of the village, letting you come and go without incident. The other quest has you track down an adventurer who's made the dubious claim that he wields the spear that killed Medusa. After completing the necessary steps, head back to the temple to open up the way to Medusa's lair.
The battle against Medusa is Odyssey's most challenging and complex encounter. Choosing to fight at range with a squad of stone mercenaries at her side, the Medusa can petrify targets--namely you--while also calling in aerial attacks that deal heavy damage. In order to remove her protective shield, you'll need eliminate her guards, all while avoiding her petrifying gaze and magic attacks. Throughout the room are several stone pillars, which can offer safe protection from her gaze. After taking out the minions, the beast will become vulnerable, allowing you to deal direct damage to her. During this state, the Medusa will teleport around the arena and immediately follow-up with a ranged energy attack. This will be a long fight, so be patient and stick with a certain rhythm of attacks, both ranged and close-range, and eventually you'll take out Odyssey's most difficult boss--earning you the final artifact and the legendary sword Harpe of Perseus.
If you want to know more about Assassin's Creed Odyssey, check out our full-review, along with our breakdown of some useful tips to help you along your journey in the game.
The Netflix Marvel superhero universe has had its ups and downs, and nothing can really make up for how bad Iron Fist Season 1 was, and what it did to The Defenders. But sometimes when you hit rock bottom, there's a silver lining: There's no direction to go but up. The Punisher was pretty good, Luke Cage Season 2 was a step in the right direction, and even Iron Fist Season 2 was watchable. Now that we've mostly forgotten about Jessica Jones Season 2, it's time to return to where it all started: Daredevil. And you know what? It's good to be back.
Daredevil Season 3 has a lot preceding it, but except where it's relevant to Matt Murdock's story, it mostly ignores what's come before. In the first six episodes, which were sent to press ahead of time, there's no mention of Jessica, Luke, Danny, or The Hand. Even Elektra is just a memory, albeit one that haunts Matt still.
Daredevil Season 3 is about rebuilding. Matt (Charlie Cox) suffered his most emotionally and physically devastating defeat yet when an entire building fell on him at the end of Defenders, and he's forced to find the time and will to heal on multiple fronts. Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio) has a scheme to get out of prison, but he puts himself at great risk to pull it off. Foggy (Elden Henson) and Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) are still dealing with the fact that Matt is gone, trying to put the pieces of their lives together without their best friend. Naturally, his eventual return in Season 3 will only complicate things further.
To fans, it's no secret that Matt survived the events of Defenders. He spends much of Daredevil Season 3's first half recuperating in the basement of the Catholic orphanage where he was raised, tended to by a nun who may or may not be his mother (in the comics she is; it hasn't yet been made clear in the show). At the season's start, his hearing has suffered, and without it his "sight" has also waned. An early season boxing match puts Daredevil's brutality, the actors' impressive physicality, and Matt's threshold for punishment all on display. Daredevil spends plenty of time wallowing in Matt's well earned nihilism, but even then it can be a joy to watch.
Fisk, meanwhile, proves to be the manipulative villain we remember him as from Daredevil Season 1. He flips and turns FBI informant, snitching on New York's Albanian mob and almost getting himself offed in the process. That triggers a transfer out of prison and into a cushy high-rise, "for his own safety," of course. He claims to be doing it all for Vanessa--played by Ayelet Zurer in Season 1, though she's yet to reappear in Season 3--but with the Kingpin, there's always the sense that there's more going on than we're ever made aware of. No doubt that shoe will drop before Season 3 is over.
Fisk's recruitment of crack shot FBI agent Benjamin "Dex" Poindexter--who we know from the comics as Bullseye--only begins to see its full payoff by the time Season 3 is halfway through. But Dex gradually proves himself to be a dangerous presence, an obsessive sociopath with perfect aim who was taught as a child to blend in with society. When the cracks in his "normal" life start to shake his foundations, Fisk knows exactly how to dig his fingers in deep.
The news of Fisk's "release" doesn't go over well in Hell's Kitchen, and protesters keep vigil outside his suite, adding to the feeling that this is all leading somewhere topical. Foggy and Karen fight back in their own ways--still working at the Bulletin, Karen starts investigating what Fisk is really up to, while Foggy attempts to get at him through legal means.
That's all to say that Daredevil Season 3 puts the focus where it belongs: on Matt, Fisk, Foggy, and Karen, the core characters that we originally grew to love or hate back in Season 1. With that re-anchoring comes some really cool stylistic choices; there's an entire sequence that plays out in black and white, half flashbacks, half imaginings, with one character walking back through another's life as he strives to learn everything he might use to his advantage. And there's a single-shot fight scene in these first half dozen episodes that's unbelievably impressive, easily rivaling any action that's come before in the whole Netflix Marvel universe.
So yeah, Daredevil is back. And thanks to its much needed laser focus on the characters and stories fans actually care about, you don't even need to be caught up; If you watched Daredevil Season 1 and then stopped, you could pick up again right at the start of Season 3. That definitely says something about how forgettable much of what came in the interim was. But regardless of where you've been all this time, Daredevil Season 3 is worth returning for.
Jade Raymond has departed EA Motive, the studio she helped found, making way for another executive to take on additional responsibilities. VentureBeat reports that Samantha Ryan is currently running EA's mobile, Maxis, and BioWare studios, and will add Motive to her portfolio. That puts Ryan in charge of all North American studios except Respawn and EA Sports.
EA Motive has been at work on an unnamed Star Wars title, and it most recently helped DICE on development of Star Wars Battlefront 2. That Star Wars game is the same one Amy Hennig had been at work on before leaving the company upon the closure of Visceral. Raymond had said in an interview with Game Informer that her studio was planning to use a lot of the material produced by Visceral, but to pivot more towards "player agency."
"EA Studios is focused on bringing more creative new games and content to players," an EA spokesperson told GameSpot in a statement. "Laura Miele and her team have taken several steps internally to better support our game makers in this pursuit, such as expanding Samantha Ryan's portfolio to lead additional studios, including Motive. Samantha is known for driving creative design and supporting game teams so they can bring their visions to life. She is a deeply experienced game-maker with a gameography that spans from The Sims to Batman: Arkham City to No One Lives Forever to the highly-anticipated Anthem.
"With this change, Jade Raymond has decided to leave Electronic Arts. In her time with us, Jade helped to build great teams, and our projects underway at Motive and other studios continue unchanged. We're appreciative of all of her efforts, and we wish Jade all the best as she moves on to her next adventure. We are driving greater creativity into everything we do across EA Studios, and we'll look forward to sharing more in the months to come."
We're nearing the end of the new month, and there remains plenty of new streaming releases on Netflix. The media giant is launching a plethora of new content on its streaming service throughout the month. Starting on the first of October, new movies, TV series, and Netflix originals will continue trickling out onto the service, with new content being added pretty much daily. It can be a lot to go through, but don't worry, we will be highlighting some choice picks for you to check out. Here's what new on Netflix for October 2018.
Returning for a second season is the adult animated comedy Big Mouth. Comedians Nick Kroll and John Mulaney star as two adolescent boys going through puberty. The raunchy series has the duo trying to understand life, girls, and everything else while dealing with hormone monsters and uncomfortable moments in early sexuality. It's out now.
Speaking of returning Netflix originals, Castlevania comes back for a second helping on October 26. The series follows Trevor Belmont as he fights the evil forces of Dracula. Season 1 writer Warren Ellis returns, picking up on the huge cliffhanger from last year with Alucard. This season will add more episodes for a total of eight, doubling up from Season 1's four.
As far as movies and television go, October 1 saw Netflix release most of its content. Out of everything that hit that day, you'll want to watch/rewatch the classic '80s adventure movie The NeverEnding Story or the first rated-R Marvel movie that matters--sorry, Dolph Lundgren's The Punisher--Blade. Additionally, Blade II will be available as well. Also, Season 4 of Gotham is coming to Netflix as well, and you can see just how crazy this series has become for yourself.
Sadly, there are a few great items leaving the service as well. The fantastic comedy series Freaks and Geeks left on October 1, along with Sin City and The Lost Boys. Even though Halloween is right around the corner, The Babadook is headed out on October 14 and V/H/S 2 leaves on October 24.
Check out the complete list of everything coming and going from Netflix below, and if you're looking for more news from streaming services, we have complete October arrivals lists from Hulu and Amazon Prime Video as well. Netflix hasn't yet announced its November lineup, but that should be coming soon.
Here's what's coming to Netflix in October
Available October 1
Angel Eyes
Anger Management
Billy Madison
Black Dynamite
Blade
Blade II
Blazing Saddles
Empire Records
Gotham: Season 4
Kevin Hart: Laugh at My Pain
Kevin Hart: Seriously Funny
Must Love Dogs
My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rollercoaster of Friendship
Mystic River
New York Minute
Once Upon a Time in America
Pay It Forward
Pee-wee's Big Adventure
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Rumble in the Bronx
She's Out of My League
Sommersby
The Dead Pool
The Devil's Advocate
The Green Mile
The Lake House
The NeverEnding Story
The Shining
V for Vendetta
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Available October 2
Joe Rogan: Strange Times-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
MeatEater: Season 7-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Monty Python: The Meaning of Live
Monty Python's Life of Brian
Available October 3
Truth or Dare (2017)
Avail. 10/4/18
Creeped Out-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Haunting of Molly Hartley
Violet Evergarden: Special: Extra Episode
Available October 5
Big Mouth: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Dancing Queen-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Élite-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Empire Games-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Little Things: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Malevolent-- NETFLIX FILM
Private Life-- NETFLIX FILM
Super Monsters Save Halloween-- NETFLIX FILM
Super Monsters: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Rise of Phoenixes-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL (Streaming Every Friday)
YG Future Strategy Office-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Available October 6
Little Things: Season 1
Available October 8
Disney's Sofia the First: Season 4
Mo Amer: The Vagabond-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Available October 9
Terrace House: Opening New Doors: Part 4-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Available October 10
22 July-- NETFLIX FILM
Pacto de Sangue-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Available October 11
Salt Fat Acid Heat-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Schitt's Creek: Season 4
Available October 12
Apostle-- NETFLIX FILM
Errementari: The Blacksmith and the Devil-- NETFLIX FILM
Feminists: What Were They Thinking?-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
FightWorld-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
ReMastered: Who Shot the Sheriff-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Tarzan and Jane: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Boss Baby: Back in Business: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Haunting of Hill House-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Kindergarten Teacher-- NETFLIX FILM
Available October 15
Octonauts: Season 4
The Seven Deadly Sins: Revival of The Commandments-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Available October 16
Ron White: If You Quit Listening, I'll Shut Up-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Available October 19
Accidentally in Love-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Ask the Doctor-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Best.Worst.Weekend.Ever.: Limited Series-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Derren Brown: Sacrifice-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Distrito salvaje-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Gnome Alone-- NETFLIX FILM
Haunted-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Hip-Hop Evolution: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Illang: The Wolf Brigade-- NETFLIX FILM
Larva Island-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Making a Murderer: Part 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Marvel's Daredevil: Season 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Night Comes For Us-- NETFLIX FILM
Wanderlust-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Available October 21
Robozuna-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Available October 23
ADAM SANDLER 100% FRESH-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Available October 24
Bodyguard-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Available October 25
Great News: Season 2
Available October 26
Been So Long-- NETFLIX FILM
Castlevania: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Dovlatov-- NETFLIX FILM
Jefe-- NETFLIX FILM
Shirkers-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Terrorism Close Calls-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Available October 27
Girl from Nowhere-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Available October 28
Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL (Streaming Every Sunday)
Available October 30
Fate/EXTRA Last Encore: Illustrias Geocentric Theory-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
October is underway, and Amazon Prime Video has a whole slew of brand new content for you to binge, from movies to TV series to original content. There is a long list of new stuff being added, but we have a few suggestions for you to check out. Here's what you have to look forward to in the upcoming month. [Update: We've also now gotten the full lineup for Amazon Prime Video in November.]
Because Halloween is right around the corner, you're probably looking for a few scares, and Amazon Prime has you covered. October 1 brought with it Clive Barker's Nightbreed. Craig Sheffer plays Aaron Boone, a rebel who is drawn to a place called Midian, where deformed monsters live. Boone becomes one of the monsters himself, and a serial killer tries to make Boone a scapegoat. It is Barker's most underrated film as a director or writer. Additionally, the Jim Carrey horror/thriller The Number 23 hits the service, and while it is not a good movie by any means, it is an entertaining movie to watch.
As far as Prime Originals go, The Man in the High Castle has returned for Season 3, and Lore gets a second season on October 19. Also, the Amazon children's series Tumbleleaf gets a Halloween special on October 19.
Below, you'll find a full listing of everything coming to Amazon in October. The vast majority of the service's releases for the month came on October 1. If you're looking for more subscription service releases for October, check out what Hulu and Netflix have in store this month.
Everything Coming To Amazon Prime In October 2018
October 1
Series
Growing Pains, Seasons 1-7
Happily Never After, Season 1
Paradox, Season 1
Pushing Daisies, Seasons 1-2
Ravenswood, Season 1
Scorned: Love Kills, Season 1
Silent Witness, Seasons 1-21
Spaced, Seasons 1-2
The Thick of It, Seasons 1-4
Trust, Season 1
V., Seasons 1-2
Movies
88 (2015)
[REC] 4: Apocalypse (2014)
5up 2down (Getting High) (2006)
A Boy Called Hate (1995)
Adventure Scouts (2008)
Almost Mercy (2015)
America: Imagine the World Without Her (2014)
American Meltdown (2004)
Among Thieves (2009)
An Affirmative Act (2010)
An American Werewolf in Paris (1997)
An Eye for an Eye (1966)
Appetite (1998)
Assassins' Code (2011)
Bad Karma (2002)
Being Canadian (2015)
Beta Test (2016)
Betrayal (Lady Jayne: Killer) (2003)
Bitter Moon (1992)
Blue Ridge Fall (End of Innocence) (1999)
Blue Steel (1989)
Boricua (2004)
Break A Leg (2005)
Bulletproof Monk (2003)
Call Me (1988)
Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995)
Caroline? (1989)
Carrie (1976)
Casting Couch (2013)
Child's Play (1988)
Cold Deck (2015)
Comic Book Villains (2002)
Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Ct (1989)
Counter Measures (1998)
Creator (1985)
Curse of Chucky (2013)
Dark Blue (2003)
Deadly Blessing (1981)
Deadly Closure (Armed and Deadly) (2010)
Death Wish 2 (1982)
Deceptions (1985)
Destination Wedding (2018)
Diabolique (1996)
Dirty Work (Bad City) (2005)
Driving Force (1988)
Duress (2009)
Election (1999)
Extreme Justice (1993)
Flatliners (1990)
Flyboys (2006)
Foreign Fields (2000)
Frank and Jesse (1994)
Frankie & Johnny (1991)
Frauds (1993)
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Funny Money (2006)
Game Changers (2017)
Get Smart (2008)
Go Against the Flow (2016)
Gods and Monsters (1998)
Gone Dark (2003)
Good Enough (2017)
Handsome Harry (2009)
Happy Event (2011)
Henry's Crime (2010)
Homage (1995)
Honeymoon (1997)
Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)
I am Dina (2003)
Il Sogno Nel Casello (2005)
Imagine a School....Summerhill (2008)
Imagine I'm Beautiful (2014)
In Her Defense (1998)
Intimate Affairs (2001)
It Ain't Pretty (2017)
Jackboots on Whitehall (2010)
Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003)
Jigsaw Man (1983)
Jim Norton: Please Be Offended (2012)
Joe the King (1999)
Judgement in Berlin (1988)
Kalamity (2010)
Kalle and the Angels (1994)
Kettle of Fish (2006)
Kicking and Screaming (1995)
La Mission (2009)
Leading Man (1996)
Leave Me Behind (2008)
Legend (1985)
Let Me In (2010)
Life of Significant Soil (2017)
Love & Rage (2000)
Marine Life (2001)
Meeting Spencer (2010)
Men Without Jobs (Planet Brooklyn) (2004)
More Than a Game (2008)
Mulholland Drive (2001)
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys (1991)
My Name is Water (2017)
Nightbreed (1990)
No Vacancy (2004)
Nora (2000)
Once Bitten (1985)
Once Upon A Scoundrel (1974)
Orange County (2002)
Oxenfree (2017)
Pieces of April (2003)
Poltergeist lll (1988)
Ponchao (2013)
Prancer (1989)
Prince Brat and the Whipping Boy (1993)
Psychoanalysis (2015)
Raging Bull (1980)
Rap Sheet: Hip Hop and the Cops (2006)
Reasonable Doubt (2014)
Recipe for Love (A Mi Me Gusta) (2008)
Regresa (2009)
Resurrecting the Champ (2007)
Return of the Living Dead (1985)
Road from Erebus (2000)
Robocop (1987)
Robocop 2 (1990)
Robocop 3 (1992)
Sample People (2000)
Satan's Little Helper (2004)
Saving Banksy (2017)
Second to Die (2001)
September Morning (2017)
Sexting (2011)
Silver Hawk (2004)
Six Weeks (1982)
Something to Cheer About (2002)
Somewhere Slow (2013)
Spin (2003)
Split Image (1982)
Stage Beauty (2004)
Stand Up Guys (2012)
Starship Troopers (1997)
Strange Bedfellows (2004)
Sugar Mountain (2016)
Texas Chainsaw Massacre II (1986)
The Amityville Horror (2005)
The Arrival (1996)
The Black Knight Returns (2008)
The Breakup Artist (2003)
The Cell (2000)
The Eyes of Laura Mars (1978)
The Face of an Angel (2015)
The Fog (2005)
The General (1998)
The Guilty (1999)
The Hard Ride (2011)
The Hustle (2008)
The Illusionist (2006)
The Long Riders (1980)
The Myth of the Male Orgasm (1994)
The Number 23 (2007)
The Peacemaker (1997)
The Perfect You (Crazy Little Thing) (2002)
The President's Mistress (1978)
The Presidio (1988)
The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999)
The Raven (1963)
The Rescue of Jessica McClure (1989)
The Second Arrival (1998)
The Secret Life of Archie's Wife (Runaway Heart) (1990)
The Serpent's Kiss (1997)
The Skeleton Key (2005)
The Strangers (2008)
The Uninvited (2009)
The Way of the Gun (2000)
Threshold (1981)
Throttle (2005)
Tim Tebow: On a Mission (2012)
Train Driver's Diary (2015)
Trees Lounge (1996)
Wild Bill (1995)
Winter Break (2002)
Winter Passing (2005)
Year of the Gun (1991)
Zombies of Mass Destruction (2010)
October 2
Series
Extrano Enemigo (Prime Original series), Season 1
Barbelle, Season 1
Birth Stories, Season 1
Movies
Mighty Good: The Beatles (1977)
Never Goin' Back (2018)
October 5
Series
The Man in the High Castle (Prime Original series), Season 3
October 6
Movies
A Prayer Before Dawn (2017)
Night of the Living Deb (2016)
October 11
Series
Mr. Robot, Season 3
Movies
Monster's Ball (2001)
Strangers: Prey at Night (2018)
October 12
Series
The Romanoffs (Prime Original series), Season 1
October 13
Movies
The Yellow Birds (2017)
October 14
Movies
Bleeding Steel (2017)
October 16
Movies
Devil (2010)
Manieggs: Revenge of the Hard Egg (2014)
October 17
Movies
Donnie Darko (2001)
The Daniel Tiger Movie: Won't You Be Our Neighbor? (2012)
October 18
Movies
Slice (2018)
October 19
Series
Lore (Prime Original series), Season 2
Tumble Leaf Halloween Special (Prime Original series), Special
October 20
Movies
Black Water (2018)
October 25
Movies
Daddy's Home 2 (2017)
October 26
Movies
Bad Samaritan (2018)
You Were Never Really Here (Prime Original movie) (2017)
A new week means you can find a new set of video game deals at Best Buy, available both in-store and online. This week's sale sees temporary price drops on a handful of PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch games, as well as discounts on accessories and $10 rewards for specific purchases and pre-orders. Let's take a look at what deals are available between now and October 27.
For PS4 owners, select DualShock 4 controllers are $5 off this week, bringing them down to $60 each. They come in a variety of colors, which is great for anyone looking to expand beyond the traditional black. Pre-order Fallout 76 this week, and you'll get a special steelbook edition, plus access to the beta. The beta begins October 23 on Xbox One and October 30 on PS4 and PC.
If you trade in select games between now and December 1, you'll get a $10 coupon toward the purchase of Battlefield V in addition to the game's trade value. That's on top of the $10 reward credit you can get for pre-ordering Battlefield V. Speaking of credit, if you pre-order Just Cause 4, which comes out December 4, you'll also get a $10 reward. And buying Dragon Ball FighterZ for Nintendo Switch gets you a free $10 Best Buy gift card.
There aren't that many games on sale this week at Best Buy, but you can same some cash on a few fine titles. Sports fans can grab NHL 19 or NBA 2K19 for $40 each. The open-world shooter Far Cry 5 is on sale for $30, the cheapest we've seen it drop yet on console. And Xbox One owners can pick up Minecraft: Explorer's Pack for $20.
You can find more video game discounts at Best Buy right here.
Destiny 2 players eager to get their hands on some new Exotic items are (possibly) in luck. Xur, the mysterious merchant and servant of the Nine, has popped up once again in Bungie's shooter with a refreshed lineup of Exotic items for sale, and he's got something that may be of use for Titans, Warlocks, and Hunters. Here's what he's selling from now until the next weekly reset on Tuesday, October 23, as well as where to find him. [Update: It's now Monday, giving you about a day as of this writing to get to Xur and pick up some items if you're interested. He'll return again this Friday, October 26, at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST.]
Xur is apparently a fan of moons of Jupiter; he was recently found on Io, and that's again where he's located for this week. Bungie continues to reuse his standard spot for each map, meaning he can be found in Giant's Scar. Spawn in at that landing zone and make your way forward through the building in front of you, and then follow the path to the left. Just up on a hill, you'll find a small cave he's hanging out in.
Festival of the Lost and Iron Banner may be underway, but there's nothing unusual about Xur's lineup of items. He has a piece of Exotic armor for each class, as well as one weapon: Crimson, the hand cannon. This is an excellent gun, firing a three-round burst and featuring the Cruel Remedy perk, which heals you when you get a kill and refills the magazine when you get a precision kill.
On the armor side, Hunters can pick up The Dragon's Shadow chest armor, which reloads your guns and provides a speed and handling buff after a dodge. Warlocks get the Crown of Tempests helmet, which speeds up arc ability recovery when you get arc ability kills. And Titans can get the Ashen Wake gauntlets, which improve fusion grenades by letting you throw them faster and causing them to explode on impact.
The full lineup and prices are as follows:
Xur Exotic Items (October 19-23)
Crimson (Exotic hand cannon) -- 29 Legendary Shards
Crown of Tempests (Exotic Warlock helmet) -- 23 Legendary Shards
Ashen Wake (Exotic Titan gauntlets) -- 23 Legendary Shards
Also from Xur, you can pick up a Five of Swords challenge card for adding modifiers to Nightfall strikes (which is needed to do the weekly Powerful gear challenge to score over 100,000 in the Nightfall). Additionally, he has the Fated Engram, which is pricey at 97 Legendary Shards but is guaranteed to decrypt into a Year One Exotic you don't already have.
As noted above, Xur's lineup may not be thrilling (though Crimson genuinely is great), but there's plenty else happening in the game. You can get curated Iron Banner rewards from taking part in the Crucible mode, and we're still in the first week of the three-week-long Halloween event, Festival of the Lost. This features a new activity called the Haunted Forest that's fun and offers a path to a 600 Power level auto rifle called Horror Story--just be careful when going for the chest at the end.
What was Riot doing for the six months between then and now? Did it go on a killing spree across Malaysia? Was it dormant or hibernating--something the movie never gives any hint that Symbiotes might be capable of? Was it biding its time pretending to be someone's grandma? That blatant plot hole has nothing to do with Venom's general 1990s cheesiness as a character, or the considerable challenge of trying to make a Venom movie without a single reference to Spider-Man. It's just good, old fashioned, avoidable sloppiness.
Don't get me wrong: The lack of Spider-Man does cause problems. Specifically, the entire premise--that Venom chooses to stick around on Earth, attach itself permanently to Eddie Brock, and betray its entire species--doesn't really work in this movie. In the books, Venom's obsession with Spider-Man gives it common purpose with Eddie, and cutting Spidey out of the equation necessitates something take his place as their end goal. The movie tries to get around that by clumsily painting Eddie and Venom as Breakfast Club style lovable "losers" (actual, direct quote: "On my planet, I am kind of a loser, like you"). It's nonsensical, implausible, under-explained, and tonally weird; that line is easily the movie's biggest laugh, but not in a good way.
Venom is surprisingly funny, mostly in the verbal abuse the Symbiote whispers directly into Eddie's brain, usually after Tom Hardy's character does something Venom considers cowardly or embarrassing. When Eddie holds his hands up in surrender to law enforcement, Venom laments that he's "making us look bad;" when Eddie opts to take the elevator rather than jumping from a skyscraper, Venom calls him a "pussy." These moments are deliberately played for laughs, and they land well enough. The bigger problem is why an alien parasite from space talks like a frat bro, or, extrapolating further, why it needs eyes and teeth if its main form is a shapeless, pulsing black goo. These essential curiosities of Venom as a character are never so much as acknowledged, much less explained.
On the plus side, Venom and the other Symbiotes look pretty good in this movie. The CG work is somewhat inconsistent, and it definitely goes through ups and downs when it comes to raw fidelity. But unlike in his other live action incarnations (looking at you, Spider-Man 3), Venom actually looks like Venom here. The alien comes off as both lithe and powerful; it leaps around gracefully, but its hulking form also exudes menace and strength. The visual effect of Venom's vicious visage wrapping itself over Eddie's head is creatively executed, and Symbiote-on-Symbiote fight scenes play out in unexpected ways, with human hosts and alien parasites struggling to remain linked while trying to rip and tear their opponents apart.
Michelle Williams does just fine as Anne, although her attachment to Eddie is really inexplicable, as the two have zero chemistry. Even weirder is the willingness of her new doctor boyfriend (Reid Scott) to administer Eddie multiple MRI screenings, even after Eddie interrupts their fancy lunch date by climbing into a lobster tank (the Symbiote affects him in some truly strange ways).
Riz Ahmed does a great job as the megalomaniacal head of the Life Foundation, totally selling his character's belief that humans will have to mutate themselves using alien parasites if we want to survive climate change. That said, it's a pretty thin motivation, and Dr. Carlton Drake is an utterly one note villain. To be honest, the only character who actually experiences any kind of growth or change is the scientist played by comedian and actress Jenny Slate, who is terrific in this movie--and, unfortunately, underused.
Venom has all the ingredients of a decent superhero movie--10 or 15 years ago. With spotty CGI, poorly drawn characters, tonal inconsistency including forced "edginess" and awkward humor, sidelined female characters, and even cringeworthy licensed musical cues, it feels like a relic from the distant, pre-Marvel Cinematic Universe past. That may in part be attributed to the fact that it's been in production in one form or another since at least 2008. But its problems go way past simply being "old school," and ultimately, Venom lacks the charm, clarity, and ambition superhero fans have come to expect.
Mondo, the company that produces high-quality, limited edition posters, collectibles, apparels, and more, is bring the Castlevania: Symphony of the Night soundtrack to vinyl. The 2XLP will be available on October 24 and is being released in partnership with Castlevania developer and publisher Konami.
"Originally released for the Playstation 2, Symphony of the Night is considered one of the most essential video games of all time, and one of the parents of the genre now known as the 'Metroidvania,'" Mondo says. "The story follows Alucard, the son of Dracula, directly after the events of Rondo of Blood, and his attempt to stop his father's castle's sudden reappearance.
"This double LP features 41 tracks from the game (including seven bonus tracks from the Sega Saturn version of the game) all remastered for vinyl, and featuring all new original artwork by Jasmin Darnell."
The soundtrack will be available on three different colorways: 2x 180 Gram Black, Gold, and Bone. The bone version is limited to 1,000 copies. It's also available in Gram Bone or Silver Swirl with a white splatter, or a Gram Translucent Red colored vinyl, which will be available at record stores. The Black, Gold, and Bone (limited), and Bone/Silver Swirl with white splatter, meanwhile, will be available at MondoTees.com. Each of these vinyls will be priced at $35 and you can see images of them below.
The next few weeks are going to be quite Castlevania heavy, which will no doubt be welcoming to fans of the series, who have been underserved as of late. On October 26, Season 2 of Netflix's Castlevania animated series will be available to stream. It is once more written by acclaimed comic book writer Warren Ellis, with Richard Armitage reprising his role as Trevor Belmont.
Also on October 26, Konami will launch Castlevania Requiem on PlayStation 4. This digital release will have Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Rondo of Blood in one package. Both titles are their original releases emulated for the PlayStation 4, with updates that take advantage of the new hardware. These updates include 4K/1080p upscaling, multiple high resolution backgrounds, different rendering options such as smoothing and full Trophy support.
Sadly, the version of Symphony of the Night included in this package is based on the PSP release that was included in Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles. This version, though faithful to the PlayStation original in most respects, removes the iconic "What is a man?" moment from the game, which has come to be quite beloved in the Castlevania fan community.
Sony's new movie, Venom, has received mostly poor reviews, but that hasn't stopped it from having a strong box office performance in the USS. And although it may also not be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it is a comic book movie--and that means it borrowed some pages of the MCU playbook by including a pair of extra scenes after the credits roll. Its two post-credits sequences feature a surprising reveal, a sequel teaser, and some hype for another Spider-adjacent movie entirely. So technically there is a Spider-Man reference in Venom? Does this count? Obvious spoilers ahead--please consider yourself warned!
The first and most consequential of Venom's credits stingers features a rather abrupt jump to Eddie being escorted into a supermax prison by a guard, apparently on assignment for his newly resumed journalistic career. The actual angle of the piece and the outlet that commissioned it are never revealed, but that doesn't stop the guard from running down a list of intimidating Silence of the Lambs style rules Eddie has to follow upon conducting his interview, as if he's Clarice Starling about to meet Hannibal Lecter for the first time. Venom itself stays hidden and mostly quiet as Eddie approaches the cell, and we see a man painting the word "welcome" in blood on the walls of his cage, which happens to be a lone box in the middle of an otherwise empty room. He's the only prisoner kept here, we can assume for the safety of the other inmates.
As the camera focuses on his face, he's revealed to be played by Woody Harrelson, sitting in a white jumpsuit, done up with an almost cartoonish red wig. He never formally introduces himself but begins to speak as Eddie approaches, warning that when he "gets out of here, there's going to be carnage" before the scene cuts to black.
Though he's never formally named, it's pretty obvious that Harrelson is set to play Cletus Kasady in whatever Venom sequel might be in the works, the serial killing mass murderer who eventually comes into possession of his very own symbiote named--wait for it--Carnage.
In the comics, Carnage is actually one of the Venom symbiote's many offspring, created during a brief stint in which Eddie was incarcerated and kept in a cell next to Kasady, where it eventually bonded to him without Eddie's knowledge. Thanks to Kasady's major homicidal streak and psychopathic tendencies, and some comic book science involving the symbiote bonding to Kasady's blood directly (don't worry about it), Carnage became a massive and powerful threat almost immediately.
Physically, Carnage looks similar to Venom, except it's blood red in color and tends to fight with a bunch of gooey tentacle-like appendages in addition to its standard issue symbiote shape-shifting and brute strength. Unlike Brock, however, Kasady was never interested in trying to reign in Carnage's murderous, cannibalistic side, meaning Carnage basically just gets to cut a swath of destruction and terror wherever it wants, whenever it wants.
We can't be sure based on this scene alone just how the Carnage symbiote will come into play or how Kasady will bond with it. The movie universe hasn't dealt with the symbiotes reproducing so far, so it's likely that the family connection between the two will be changed. And given that Brock himself isn't actively incarcerated, there will probably be some other way for Kasady to come in contact with his symbiote--a rogue Life Foundation experiment, maybe? Some sort of Riot fragment that survived the crash? Alternatively, there's a slight possibility that the movie will posit Kasady already having Carnage inside him (hence the high security prison set up and the "there will be carnage" line) with the intent of building out that backstory somewhere down the line. Really anything is possible at this point.
In an interview with GameSpot, Venom director Ruben Fleischer elaborated on the scene and the casting choice of Woody Harrelson, with whom he has worked in the past.
"We tried at the end of our movie to lay the groundwork for a potential sequel, or a further story. And there's a character that's beloved by all Venom fans that does not appear in the body of our film that I think fans will be really excited to see," Fleischer said. "I found somebody who I have a relationship with and love working with. And I love all the characters that he's played. So to imagine him being an iconic adversary to Venom in the future is really exciting."
The only thing we can be sure of is that, should Venom be greenlit for a part two, Carnage fans will definitely have something to write home about.
Enter Spider-Man
Venom's second post credits segment was actually, technically, not a post credits scene at all, but a promotional clip for an entirely different movie: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which is set for release this December. Heralded by a bright "Meanwhile, in another universe" title card, the clip featured the animated Miles Morales running from an unknown, masked enemy wearing a makeshift spider-style costume before winding up at the grave of the late Peter Parker.
He's then met by a very much alive Peter Parker, who he accidentally knocks out, prompting a Weekend At Bernie's style series of mishaps around New York in which Miles drags the very unconscious Peter around the city. The clip was previously showcased in part at San Diego Comic-Con this year.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse has no direct connection with either Venom or the MCU that we know of yet, and even if it did, it certainly doesn't impact the significance of this particular clip. Instead it's set to build its own multiverse populated by some fan favorite Spider-Man comics characters, hence the "Spider-Verse" title. So, no real hidden meanings or major clues for the future of Sony's superhero line on this one, just a little teaser for another movie headed to theaters this winter.
When players finally complete the new Haunted Forest event in Destiny 2's Halloween-themed Festival of the Lost, they're greeted by the usual: a loot chest that holds all their hard-earned winnings. The trouble is, the walkway between players and the chest gives out almost as soon as their feet touch it, tossing them into a frightening, blood red pit below. Inside: an unkillable Hive Knight called The Invincible Nightmare.
It's a fighting twist to the horror-themed activity. Instead of getting your loot, you get stuck with an unkillable monster, like that moment in every slasher movie when the killer inevitably isn't actually dead, and gets in one final scare. The trouble with the pit, though, is that at first blush, it seems to rob you of everything you fought for in the Haunted Forest, and makes it seem like there's no way to reach the reward chest.
The good news is, even if you don't open the chest at the end of the Haunted Forest, you still get your winnings. They're automatically sent to the Postmaster, just like the stuff from chests in just about any other activity. Once you've earned rewards in the Haunted Forest, they're yours, no matter what condition you're left in by the Invincible Nightmare.
Just because you fall into the Nightmare's pit doesn't mean you're stuck there, though. There's actually a secret escape out of the pit on one of the walls. Look up about midway to one side of the pit and you'll see a small indentation that marks a hole you players can leap through. It takes you out of the pit and onto the side of the bridge under which it hides. Following the narrow pathway from there allows you to climb back up onto the far side of the bridge and claim your loot chest, while also giving you a second to let your heart stop pounding.
It's also possible to avoid falling into the pit altogether, if you're quick. When the stones of the walkway give out beneath Guardians as they cross, they're pulled down thanks to a sort of suction, but it's possible to jump free with the right timing (or, at least, with the triple jump of the Hunter class). You can also stick to the side edges of the bridge and potentially avoid any tricky cobblestones altogether.
If Bungie is following the usual horror movie script with the Haunted Forest, the question now becomes one of how to kill the Invincible Nightmare, like the characters of a Friday the Thirteenth or Halloween movie might try to do. Like all good slasher movies, though, even if players successfully take the Nightmare down, we'll all still be wondering if it's really dead.
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