As is customary for the game, Destiny 2 players know Tuesday is the big day of the week. That's when the weekly reset takes place, refreshing a variety of timed challenges and bounties, and changing what tasks are laid out in front of you. This week is no different at a basic level, although you should be aware before diving in that there isn't a major new piece of content that's been introduced, as in recent weeks. That said, if you didn't speed through Forsaken, there may be something new for you, as the weekly missions offered by Petra in the Dreaming City have started over again. Here's everything you need to know about the Dreaming City, Nightfall, Ascendant Challenge, and more for the current week.
Ascendant Challenge
For players who have advanced far enough in Forsaken, you may be ready for a high-end activity. The Ascendant Challenge is just the ticket, providing a difficult mission of sorts to take part in for some Powerful gear--provided you can find where to go. This time, you'll enter the challenge through a portal located in the Bay of Drowne. This takes you to the Agonarch Abyss, where you'll be platforming (probably to your death at least a few times).
Before starting, you'll need to pick up the bounty from Petra and to secure a Tincture of Queensfoil, a consumable item that provides the Ascendant buff that allows you to see and travel through a Taken portal to enter the Ascendant Plane.
Spider Bounty -- Wanted: Gravetide Summoner
The set of bounties available from Spider have rotated yet again. One of these in particular is worth grabbing, though you'll need five Ghost Fragments to purchase it. Completing the bounty, Wanted: Gravetide Summoner, will reward you with Powerful gear. Yes, this is a repeat of last week, but it's found in a slightly different spot, meaning you're doing a different Lost Sector.
As always, this provides you with an Adventure to do. This one is located on Titan, right next to the Siren's Watch landing zone (rather than The Rig last week).
Nightfall
Another avenue to Powerful gear is the Nightfall Strike. Taking part in the Nightfall allows you to pick from three different Strikes; this week's choices include Lake of Shadows, Tree of Probabilities, and The Arms Dealer. The corresponding bounties for Powerful gear, as usual, ask you to complete a Nightfall and to complete one with a score above 100,000.
Eververse
Tess at Eververse has new weekly bounties, the most expensive of which is Crucible Crux, but it also rewards you with the most Bright Dust based on what you spend on the bounty. This requires you to complete matches in the Crucible, with wins netting you extra progress.
Tess has also cycled in a new wave of items to get your hands on. Most important to grab is the Rise to the Challenge bounty. This only asks you to complete a challenge to receive a Prismatic Facet. This item allows you to activate the Prismatic Matrix, which is just an overly complex term for what is basically a chest with 10 cosmetic rewards inside. The Matrix's items rotate each week; here's what's available right now:
Sanctified Vigilance Shell (Exotic Ghost shell)
Transcendent Geometry (Exotic Warlock ornament for Vesper of Radius)
Aim to Misbehave (Exotic ornament for Malfeasance)
Dragonfly Regalia Greaves (Legendary Titan leg armor)
Smooth Dance (Legendary emote)
Where Stars Collide (Legendary ship)
Endymion Cavalcade (Legendary vehicle)
Mappa Mundarum (Legendary vehicle)
Jeweled Projection (Legendary Ghost projection)
Petra
Petra is the most important vendor and NPC in Forsaken, providing you with bounties in the Dreaming City. She continues to move around the area and this week can be found back in The Strand. She has multiple bounties offering Powerful gear, as well as Gateway Between Worlds, which rewards you with an Offering to the Oracle (which is now an easy ticket to a Seed of Light and third subclass tree).
Additionally, she's again offering a bounty to do the mission Broken Courier; this marks the first reset of the rotation of Dreaming City missions she has. If your Power level wasn't high enough to try this out in September, here's your opportunity to do what you missed. Petra actually has some dialogue to acknowledge that things are back to the way they were three weeks ago.
Clan Bounties
At the Tower, head over to Hawthorne to grab your daily and weekly clan bounties. On the weekly side, this week has you doing the following with clanmates: complete Blind Well at Tier 3 or higher; clear three waves of Escalation Protocol; and do three Heroic Adventures. As per usual, completing enough clan bounties before the weekly reset will net you some Powerful gear, as will completing the standard weekly clan objectives. The weekly Raid challenge has you complete the Which Witch challenge for Powerful gear.
Vanguard Strikes
For standard Strikes, the weekly challenge is to complete three while using the same Light element as a team member. The modifiers for Strikes have rotated, and here's what you can expect to encounter right now:
Arc Singe -- Arc damage increased
Grounded -- Damage taken while airborne increased
Grenadier -- Grenades deal more damage and recharge faster
Daily Heroic Story Missions
Five story missions have been swapped in for you to tackle as part of the daily Heroic story missions activity. Complete your choice of three before the next weekly reset to net a piece of Powerful gear. The modifiers are the same as Strikes, as outlined above. Here are the mission options:
Fury -- 280 Power level
Chosen -- 280 Power level
The Gateway -- 310 Power level
Last Call -- 500 Power level
High Plains Blues -- 500 Power level
Gambit
Gambit was already one of Forsaken's best additions, and it took on greater importance last week as it became a mandatory step in the questline to obtain the Exotic hand cannon Malfeasance. You'll sometimes encounter a special boss in place of the Primeval; defeat that to get an item called Seething Heart that will set you on the difficult path toward unlocking the gun.
For this week, The Drifter is offering a weekly bounty, On the Grind, that asks you to earn points in Gambit. Points are earned by defeating enemies and guardians, and by banking Motes. The reward is a piece of Powerful gear.
Flashpoint
The Flashpoint is not tied directly to the weekly reset, but it has nonetheless been shuffled. At the time of this writing, it can be found on Mercury. Complete Public Events, Lost Sectors, and Heroic Adventures in the zone to fill a meter and earn a piece of Powerful gear.
Where Is Xur?
Xur will arrive once again on Friday, October 5, at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST. There's been no word about changes to him, so you can expect the usual Fated Engram (guaranteeing a Year One Exotic you don't own) along with one Exotic weapon and one piece of armor for each class.
Refreshed activities and Powerful rewards have arrived in Destiny 2 following the latest weekly reset. By now, Forsaken owners know that includes a variety of bounties from Spider, one of which is more expensive and more difficult than the rest, but with the promise of Powerful gear at the end. Curiously, the name of this target is the same as last week, but that doesn't mean you'll be doing precisely the same thing. Here's what to know about Wanted: Gravetide Summoner.
Heading to Spider reveals his new bounty is the same as the previous one, but if you're paying close attention, you'll notice there is a difference. While the target is the same, and you're still headed to Titan, the Adventure is now located near the Siren's Watch landing zone, rather than The Rig.
What this means is you're entering a different Lost Sector to find Gravetide Summoner, a wizard enemy. The overarching mechanics are the same--you'll deal with an ogre before getting to Gravetide Summoner, and you'll need to kill special thrall enemies to receive a buff that allows you to damage the ogre. Defeat all the enemies and you'll complete the bounty.
Don't expect anything significant from the chest at the end--that doesn't tend to reward you with anything special. But cashing in the bounty from Spider will net you a piece of Powerful gear, making this an activity well worth doing.
If you're a bit underleveled, we have a useful video guide above. We managed to beat this with a character with a Power level of only 520; you'll make things easier by utilizing a high-crit Super and having an arc weapon handy to deal with the second phase, when knights spawn in.
For more on what to tackle this week, check out our guide to the latest Ascendant Challenge.
The weekly reset in Destiny 2 has taken place. For this week, we aren't seeing the introduction of a bunch of new content, as has been the case recently. But notably, the missions offered by Petra in the Dreaming City have restarted, meaning we're back to the start of a three-week cycle for the first time--something she acknowledges in her dialogue when you first speak with her. She also has the typical bounty for the Ascendant Challenge, and that is one activity that is completely new for this week. Here's what you need to do and where to find the portal.
Like in past weeks, the Ascendant Challenge involves using a specific item (a Tincture of Queensfoil) to receive the Ascendance buff. This allows you to see a Taken portal that sends you to the Ascendant Plane to do a mission of sorts. But the portal's location and your objective has been different each week, and that's true for Week 5. Before starting, though, be sure to grab the corresponding bounty from Petra, as that's the key to earning a piece of Powerful gear.
This week's portal is found inside a Lost Sector (Bay of Drowned Wishes) located right near Dreaming City's landing zone in Divalian Mists. You'll move to the midway point of the Lost Sector, killing things until a little before you reach a door that's locked. (You can skip the enemies, but killing them will likely be easier.) If you've used your Tincture of Queensfoil, you'll see the portal and can jump through to reach the Ascendant Plane location, Agonarch Abyss.
Unfortunately, there's a good deal of platforming involved here. You'll make your way down to a temple where a large tree is. Blight balls spawn in that slow your movement, and you'll have to deal with a pair of wizards who spawn in additional Thrall enemies. Take out the wizards and you're all done.
The chest that you can then open is, as always, nothing special. But finishing the Ascendant Challenge completes the bounty from Petra, which nets you a piece of Powerful gear.
When you speak to Petra, you'll notice she acknowledges that things have returned to the way they were three weeks ago. She's again offering the first of the three story missions where you rescue her associates. Meanwhile, Bungie has announced there are changes coming for Exotics, Masterwork Cores, and Iron Banner.
The first official image from John Wick 3: Parabellum has been released. The third movie in the series of action thrillers once again stars Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, and Lawrence Fishburne, and it's set to hit theaters in May 2019.
The image comes via the movie's Twitter account. It shows Reeves as reluctant assassin Wick racing through New York traffic on horseback, sporting an injury on his head. On-set footage of Reeves filming these scenes were first revealed back in July, but it's very cool to see the official version. Check it out below:
While this is the first image from the movie, there has been a steady stream of behind-the-scene imagery released over the past few months. In August, McShane and Fishburne were pictured together in their respective roles as Winston and The Bowery King. There's also been an image of Halle Berry, who is playing a new character called Sofia, plus a teaser that marked the start of production.
John Wick 3: Parabellum releases in theaters on May 16, 2019, and the cast also includes Asia Kate Dillon (Orange is the New Black), Mark Dacascos (Cradle 2 the Grave), Jason Mantzoukas (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Good Place), and Angelica Huston (Isle of Dogs).
The film is directed by Chad Stahelski, who helmed John Wick: Chapter 2 and co-directed the first movie. Last year, Stahelski spoke about his plans for Parabellum. "We want, not so much to go bigger on the third one, but to show you more of the intricacies of the world," he said. "I feel like there are all these different subtleties that I skipped over in Part 2, that I'd like to go back to [with Part 3] and show you the inner workings of different parts of New York."
Development of the long-rumored John Wick TV spin-off The Continental was also confirmed by Starz back in January. The channel's president Chris Albrecht said that the show will "include the thunderous fight sequences and intensely staged shootouts between professional assassins and their targets that fans have come to expect in the John Wick movie franchise as well as introducing some new, darkly compelling characters who inhabit this underground world." The Continental does not yet have a premiere date.
Season 6 of Fortnite is live, which means players across all platforms--PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile--have a slew of new cosmetics and other items to earn in Epic's popular battle royale game. Just as in previous seasons, Epic is rolling out a set of challenges every week throughout Season 6. Finishing these will help level up your Battle Pass, which in turn will unlock rewards. If you manage to clear all of the challenges in a given week, you'll also complete a Hunting Party challenge--this season's equivalent of the Road Trip challenges from Season 5.
Just as before, the reward for completing a Hunting Party challenge is a special loading screen, which features a subtle hint pointing to the location of a free Battle Star hidden somewhere around the island. If you complete one week's set of Season 6 challenges, you'll earn the loading screen below, which shows off a group of characters gathered in a farm.
The area depicted in the loading screen is located in the desert directly east of Paradise Palms, and if you peer closely enough, you can notice the faint silhouette of a Battle Star above the tractor in the background of the screen. Fly to the area at the start of the match, head to the lone tractor, and you'll find the Battle Star waiting to be collected. Pick it up and you'll level your Battle Pass up by one tier.
If you need a more visual guide on where to find the Battle Star, you can see the exact location of the farm on the map below. We've also put together a video of us collecting the Star above so you can see exactly where you need to go. However, as was the case with Season 5's Road Trip challenges, the Battle Star will only appear if you've completed the requisite challenges and unlocked the above loading screen; you won't be able to find it if you haven't done the necessary steps.
Nintendo has been regularly holding Splatfest events for Splatoon 2 every month since the game released back in July 2017, but this month's event will be a little different from the usual fare. Next week, the company is kicking off Splatoween, a special global event encompassing a Halloween-inspired Splatfest, themed stage decorations, and some new Halloween headgear.
Unlike most Splatfests, which are typically only around for 24 hours, next week's event will run for a full 48, beginning on October 19 at 3 PM PT / 6 PM ET and ending the same time on October 21. As usual, players will have to join one of two teams and fight for their side by taking part in Turf Wars. Fittingly, the two options this time are Team Trick or Team Treat.
In keeping with the Halloween theme, Inkopolis will be adorned with Halloween decorations for the duration of the Splatfest. Characters hanging around Inkopolis Square will be dressed in costumes, and you'll see Halloween-inspired graffiti scrawled around the stages. You can take a look at some in the gallery above.
Finally, Nintendo is adding four different pieces of Halloween headwear to the game: the Kyonshi Hat, Li'l Devil Horns, Hockey Mask, and the especially stylish Anglerfish Mask. Unlike the team shirt you receive during Splatfests, which need to be returned after the event ends, you'll be able to keep these, even when Splatoween is over.
You won't be able to purchase these masks from the in-game store; rather, you'll receive them through the Nintendo Switch News app. If you follow the Splatoon 2 News channel, you'll soon see an article about the masks. Toward the end of the article will be an option to launch the Splatoon 2; click it and you'll claim the new headgear. If you own a physical copy of Splatoon 2, you'll need to have the game card inserted in order to launch it through the News article.
This week, Nintendo rolled out Splatoon 2's 4.1 update. Along with various tweaks to existing guns, it introduced a brand-new Japanese-style stage to the game called Skipper Pavilion. It also added several more Kensa Collection weapons, some of which come with the new Fizzy Bomb subweapon and Booyah Bomb special. You can find the patch notes for the update on Nintendo's website.
Season 6 of Fortnite is underway, and now developer Epic is readying the second update of the season for its popular battle royale game. Patch 6.01 is slated to roll out for all platforms--PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile--on Wednesday, October 3, with downtime for the update scheduled to begin at 12 AM PT / 3 AM ET / 8 AM BST. [Update] Downtime for the latest Fortnite update is over and the new update is available. You can see everything added and changed in the Fortnite v6.1 patch notes.
As usual, Epic hasn't provided an estimate of how long downtime will last, but previous maintenance periods have typically run for an hour or two. Likewise, the developer hasn't dropped any hints as to what new content players can expect from the update; usually, Epic teases the arrival of a new weapon in Fortnite's News feed, but as of this writing, the feed has no mention of one.
That's not to say we don't have some idea of what could be on the way to the game, however. Fortnite Leaks recently discovered a new type of item called Freeze Traps within the game's code. These are reportedly Rare items and, as their name suggests, will slow down players who trigger them. Epic hasn't officially confirmed they're arriving in the game this week, but full patch notes will be made available when the downtime begins.
We do also know what Fortnite's next limited-time mode will be: Disco Domination. According to the game's News feed, players will need capture and defend dance floors using emotes to score points once the mode is added to the rotation. We don't know much about Disco Domination beyond that, but its accompanying image shows a wild dance party around a disco ball, which looks similar to the dance floors that were available as part of previous challenges.
Season 6 of Fortnite kicked off on September 27, and some unusual things have been happening in the game since then. Most notably, the floating island that rose from Loot Lake has now starting moving around the map, leaving strange craters in its wake. Epic also introduced a slate of new cosmetics to unlock, which you can see in our Season 6 rewards gallery. You can also find tips for the latest challenges in our Season 6 challenge roundup.
Epic Games has released patch 6.01 for Fortnite and, alongside it, the full patch notes detailing everything new and everything that has been changed. While not as significant as the last patch, which kicked off Season 6, this content update does add in a new item for Battle Royale called the Chiller.
"Don't get cold feet! Freeze your foes and slide around for a quick getaway," reads the official description. The Chiller is a large trap that encases an enemy player's feet in ice on contact, causing them to slide around. Check out the video below to see it in action.
[Update: Shortly after the update went live, Epic reported it was aware of and working on partying issues. It's now taken a step toward fixing it by disabling Goalbound skins temporarily. If you have one equipped, Epic says you might need to change it to avoid encountering issues while it's disabled.]
Epic also resolved an issue that caused the Soaring 50s limited-time mode to be temporarily unavailable. It's set to be replaced by another new mode soon that centers around dancing, but we don't yet have an exact launch time for that as of yet. There's also no word on the Halloween skins that leaked.
The other big addition in this update is custom Playground options which allow you to tweak settings such as health, time of day, gravity, and more. Take a look at the full patch notes below, which details the new additions, as well as the other tweaks to gameplay and performance. You can also see how the patch changes Fortnite's Save The World mode here--the major addition is that of a new weapon.
Limited Time Mode: Playground
Playground Custom Options
Added more options to Playground. Allowing you to change settings such as starting health, time of day, gravity, and more!
Weapons + Items
Chiller added.
Common Trap.
Can be placed on floors, walls, or ceilings.
Drops in stacks of 3 in Treasure Chests, Supply Drops, Vending Machines, Supply Llamas, and floor loot.
Applies icy feet to friends or foes, causing them to slide around with low friction.
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue that could cause vehicles to become uncontrollable.
Gameplay
Made improvements to the motion controls for the Switch to make it feel more accurate and responsive.
Bug Fixes
Pets are now hidden along with your character when the camera is too close to you.
Toys now respect the streamer mode setting for player names in minigame messages.
Slightly increased the hitbox size on the Fancy Tomato to match its visual size.
Audio
The following adjustments have been made to Glider audio tells:
Muffled the audio if there isn't a clear line of sight between you other gliding players.
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue where incorrect audio would play when a teammate was eliminated.
UI
Bug Fixes
Added star ratings to the UI elements of all trap items.
Mobile
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue where players occasionally couldn't interact with items.
Fortnite Season 6 began on September 27 and, at the same time, the floating island that rose from Loot Lake began moving around the map. It is leaving strange craters in its wake and, as of yet, we're not sure what this means, though fans are speculating it could be building up to a new event. Epic also added new cosmetics to unlock, which you can see in our Fortnite Season 6 Battle Pass rewards gallery. You can also find tips for all the latest challenges in our Season 6 challenge roundup.
Mega Man 11 is a retro throwback in a lot of ways, including one that may throw you off if you're not careful. It relies on a good old-fashioned manual save system, which means you'll lose progress if you absentmindedly turn it off or switch to another game before saving.
The save options can be found in the main boss menu, and the option appears after completing a stage or hitting the game over screen. It's easy to access and quick to actually save your game, so it's not too inconvenient on the whole. Still, it might surprise players who are more accustomed to the modern convenience of auto-saves.
Mega Man 11 is modeled after classic Mega Man games, but with a fresh new art style that modernizes the look and feel. It's gotten a positive reception from around the industry for its touching up some classic tropes, but this is one area where sticking to the classic formula may confuse players, so just be aware.
"At its best, it's a terrific retro romp with exciting boss encounters and unique gimmicks. At its worst, it's a frustrating experience whose too-long levels toss out infuriating obstacles to progress at the worst times," said Heidi Kemps in GameSpot's Mega Man 11 review. "But even with these issues, it just feels good to see Mega Man back in action, and Mega Man 11 will hopefully be the start of many new robotic adventures to come."
Mega Man 11 is out now for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
It's a brand-new month, and those signed up for Amazon Prime will get a whole new batch of movies and TV series to watch as of Monday, which was October 1. Additionally, one of Amazon's biggest original series returns for a new season.
Those looking for TV series to watch for the first time or binge all over again have quite a few choices now that the new month has begun. Both seasons of the Edgar Wright comedy Spaced will be available to stream. The series follows flatmates Tim (Simon Pegg) and Daisy (Jessica Hynes), two twenty-somethings living together in London. If you're a fan of Shaun of the Dead, this is a must-watch series. Also, every season of the classic sitcom Growing Pains is coming to Amazon for those looking for a nostalgia trip.
There are a ton of movies coming to the service as well on the first of the month, including the sci-fi/action movie Starship Troopers, which surprisingly still holds up. If you're looking for something a bit more scary--since Halloween is right around the corner--you will want to check out [REC] 4, Candyman, Child's Play, Flatliners, and of course, Nightbreed, which is one of the most underrated horror films of the '90s.
Finally, the hit Amazon series The Man in the High Castle comes back for a third season. The series is based on a Phillip K Dick novel from 1962 where the Allies lost World War II. Originally, this season was supposed to come to Amazon sometime in 2017.
Check out the full list of what's arriving this week, and see what's coming to Amazon for the rest of October.
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
It's the first week of October, and the streaming service giant Netflix is dropping quite a bit of content this week. From movies, to original series, to TV series, to stand-up specials, and more, if you're looking for something new to watch, there is a ton to choose from this week.
Kicking things off on Monday were 30 new additions, including the 1984 classic fantasy/adventure The NeverEnding Story. Follow the story of Bastian, as he steps into a fantasy world and rides around on a Luck Dragon, which is dragon that looks suspiciously like a dog. Other movies from October 1 to check out are Billy Madison, Black Dynamite, and Empire Records.
Also, you can check out Season 4 of Fox's Gotham. There is a really fantastic arc during that year featuring Jerome, who is pretty much the Joker. You'll have 22 episodes to get through, so make sure you have a comfortable seat. There is only one other TV series hitting Netflix this week, and that's the webseries Little Things, which is about the life of a young couple. It comes to the service on October 6.
As for Netflix originals, there are plenty to choose from, including Season 2 of the animated comedy Big Mouth, Little Things Season 2, and the movie Malevolent. All of these come to the streaming service on October 5. Check out the full list of things arriving to Netflix this week below, and check out everything coming out 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)
Available October 4
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)
It's a new month, and that means a whole slew of new content is coming to Hulu, from movies you'll want to watch again, to TV series you missed, to brand-new original series you'll want to check out. Because October is the home of the holiday Halloween, there are a few horror movies you might want to watch.
Kicking things off on Monday, October 1 was a ton of new content. Movies of note include the original The Blair Witch Project, American Psycho, Wes Craven Presents: They, and all four movies in the [REC] series. If horror isn't your thing, there are some very funny comedies coming out on the 1st, including Hot Tub Time Machine and both Ace Ventura movies.
Later this week, you can watch The Nightmare Before Christmas and the American remake of The Eye. Because Hulu is more of a TV-centric subscription service, there are a few TV seasons to check out as well, although quite a few are reality series like Hoarders Season 9 and Nightwatch Season 3. As far as originals go, the new horror anthology series Into The Dark: THE BODY starts airing on Hulu on October 5.
Check out everything coming out this week below, and you'll find everything coming out for Hulu in October here.
Available October 1
60 Days In: Complete Season 4 (A&E)
America's Book of Secrets: Complete Seasons 1 & 2 (History)
American Pickers: Complete Season 18 (History)
Ancient Aliens: Complete Season 4 (History)
Bob's Burgers: Season 9 Premiere (FOX)
El Clon: Complete Season 1 (Telemundo)
Escaping Polygamy: Complete Season 3 (Lifetime)
Family Guy: Season 16 Premiere (FOX)
Hoarders: Complete Season 9 (A&E)
Hunting Hitler: Complete Season 3 (History)
Intervention: Complete Season 20 (A&E)
Kingpin: Complete Season 1 (History)
Little Women: Atlanta: Complete Season 4 (Lifetime)
Little Women: LA: Complete Season 6 (Lifetime)
Married at First Sight: Complete Season 5 (Lifetime)
Nightwatch: Complete Season 3 (A&E)
The Simpsons: Season 30 Premiere (FOX)
Storage Wars: Complete Season 11 (A&E)
The Curse of Oak Island: Complete Season 5 (History)
Undercover High: Complete Season 1 (A&E)
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)
American Psycho (2000)
American Psycho 2 (2002)
An Eye for an Eye (1966)
Anaconda (1997)
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004)
The Armstrong Lie (2013)
The Arrival (1996)
Barbie Presents: Thumbelina (2009)
Beacon Point (2017)
Bees Make Honey (2017)
Bitter Moon (1992)
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The Blair Witch Project: Book of Shadows (2000)
Blue Steel (1989)
Bulletproof Monk (2003)
Call Me (1988)
Capture (2017)
Charlotte (2017)
Child's Play (1988)
Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice (1992)
Cinderella Man (2005)
Closer (2004)
Cocaine Godmother (2017)
Comic Book Villains (2002)
Daddy Day Care (2003)
Dark Blue (2003)
Deadly Blessing (1981)
Death Wish 2 (1982)
Double, Double, Toil and Trouble (1993)
Election (1999)
Evangeline (2015)
Extreme Justice (1993)
Flyboys (2006)
Frank and Jesse (1994)
Frank & Johnny (1991)
Frida (2002)
Galaxy Quest (1999)
The Glass Shield (1994)
Gods and Monsters (1998)
Gordy (1995)
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
Heist (2015)
Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)
The House of Spirits (1993)
How to Get Girls (2017)
Insomnia (2002)
Jayne Mansfield's Car (2012)
Jim Norton: Please Be Offended (2012)
Joe the King (1999)
Kicking & Screaming (2005)
Kicking and Screaming (1995)
The Long Riders (1980)
More than a Game (2009)
Mullholland Drive (2001)
Music and Lyrics (2007)
The Music Never Stopped (2011)
The Night We Never Met (1993)
No Vacancy (1998)
Once Bitten (1985)
The Others (2001)
Pawn Shop Chronicles (2013)
The Peacemaker (1997)
Pieces of April (2003)
Platoon (1986)
Prancer (1989)
The Presidio (1988)
The Prophecy (1995)
Raging Bull (1980)
Reasonable Doubt (2014)
Rec (2009)
Rec 2 (2010)
Rec 3 (2012)
Rec 4 (2015)
Robocop (1987)
Robocop 2 (1990)
Robocop 3 (1993)
Rust and Bone (2012)
Scary Movie (2000)
The Second Arrival (1998)
The Simone Biles Story (2018)
Six Weeks (1982)
The Son of No one (2011)
Split Image (1982)
Stage Beauty (2004)
Stand Up Guys (2012)
Starship Troopers (1997)
The Tailor of Panama (2001)
Texas Chainsaw Massacre II (1986)
Trees Lounge (1996)
Valley of the Dolls (1967)
The Way of the Gun (2000)
Wes Craven Presents: They (2002)
Wild Bill (1995)
Zombies of Mass Destruction (2010)
Available October 2
The Nightmare before Christmas (1993)
Available October 3
Dheepan (2016)
Ma Ma (2015)
RBG (2018)
The Eye (2007)
Available October 4
Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card (Dubbed): Complete Season 1 (Crunchyroll)
The Real Housewives of New Jersey: Complete Season 8 (Bravo)
The Gospel According to Andre (2018)
Available October 5
Into The Dark: THE BODY: Series Premiere (Hulu Original)
La Diosa Coronada: Complete Season 1 (Telemundo)
The Real Housewives of Atlanta: Complete Season 10 (Bravo)
WWE is headed down under. Because the company is a global brand, so at times, it will travel overseas for events. Recently, these international shows have become major PPVs, starting with The Greatest Royal Rumble back in April. On Saturday, October 6, WWE is headed to Australia for the Super Show-Down, and it is one packed card, but it's going to be airing in the states super early.
Taking place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia, Super Show-Down will air on the WWE Network at 10 AM BST / 5 AM ET / 2 AM PT. We are currently unsure if there will be a Kickoff Show, as the programming guide for October 6 is not available as of this writing. Nevertheless, for once, WWE fans in the UK will have a PPV not airing extremely late in the evening.
If you don't have the WWE Network but are interested in watching the show, you can sign up for one month free. This promotion is only available to new subscribers, but you're under no obligation to continue using the service. You can cancel anytime, so technically, you can watch Super Show-Down for free. If you choose to continue using the WWE Network, it costs $10 a month, but you get to livestream all WWE PPVs throughout the year, as well as classic PPVs, TV replays, and original series.
So what can you look forward to at Super Show-Down? Well, for the first time in forever, Roman Reigns isn't the main event. However, Undertaker vs. Triple H is, so that's something different. The match is billed as "last time ever," most likely because Undertaker is getting up there in age and isn't as great in the ring as he used to be.
In addition to that, there are nine more matches on the card, four of which are title matches. However, Ronda Rousey and the Raw Women's Championship are nowhere to be found on the card. But there's still time for another match to be added. Check out everything booked, so far, below.
Super Show-Down Match Card:
Cedric Alexander (c) vs. Buddy Murphy (Cruiserweight Championship)
Asuka & Naomi vs. The IIconics
The New Day (c) vs. The Bar (Smackdown Tag Team Championship)
Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz
John Cena & Bobby Lashley vs. Kevin Owens & Elias
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Charlotte Flair (Smackdown Women's Championship)
Ronda Rousey & The Bella Twins vs. The Riott Squad
AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe (WWE Championship)
The Shield vs. Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, & Drew McIntyre
The Undertaker vs. Triple H
Super Show-Down Start Times
7 PM AET
10 AM BST
5 AM ET
4AM C
2 AM PT
Make sure to come back to GameSpot on the morning of Saturday, October 5 for coverage of the PPV. And next week, we'll have predictions as well as interviews with WWE superstars about the event.
Venom and Spider-Man are linked inseparably in fans' minds, and for good reason. In the comic books, Venom's entire characterization, from its motivations to its appearance, revolves around Spidey. So making the Venom movie without any reference to Spider-Man seems like a gargantuan task--a fact Venom director Ruben Fleischer is well aware of.
The most glaring representation of Spider-Man's absence in Venom is easily the lack of the Symbiote's iconic white spider logo that's normally emblazoned across its chest, which Fleischer addressed at Comic-Con. As he rightfully points out, giving Venom a spider logo in this movie "makes no sense." And as he told GameSpot during a recent interview, figuring out how to make up for Spidey's absence in the movie was "the most challenging part" of production.
"That was the only real thing that was a limitation, was the fact that we couldn't feature Spider-Man at all in the movie," he said. "If there's no Spider-Man, then there wouldn't be any reason to have a spider on his chest. And so it did take a lot of time to figure out what to put in its place, and we ended up with that veiny white pattern, which I think looks super cool. But yeah, we did a ton of iterations of different designs for what the chest would ultimately look like.
"That was the most challenging part, because you have something that's so iconic, and anything you put in its place just doesn't look right. So it took a lot of time to find something that was distinctive and subtle."
Naturally, Venom's look wasn't the only aspect of the character that had to be altered for this movie. There's also the question of the Symbiote's motivation--why does it ally itself with Eddie Brock, if not for their mutual hatred of Spider-Man?
"Yeah, we had to manufacture that, because obviously in the comics they bond over the fact that they both hate Spider-Man," Fleischer said. "Since we didn't have that as something for them to connect over, we went with the idea that they're kindred spirits, and that Venom sees in Eddie somebody like himself who--on his planet, maybe Venom's a bit of a loser too, and then on our planet he decides he can be a big fish in a small pond.
"In all honesty, I think we had to ground the relationship in something to justify Venom's betrayal of his own race. And we tried to make it that there was just a real connection between Eddie and Venom, because of their common worldview."
The Venom spin-off movie has been in the works since at least 2008, but it's unclear how much work from earlier versions was incorporated into the latest iteration. According to Fleischer, the version of the movie he's worked on--the draft penned by Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner--never had Spider-Man in it. "So it's not like we had to extract him from it," Fleischer said. "It was always, from its inception, built as an origin story with a new approach. And I thought of it as an Ultimate version of Venom, like an Ultimate movie version of Venom."
Given that they had to change so much about the character, Fleischer tried to stay true to the comics in as many other ways as possible, from the visuals to the writing. Lines of dialogue are ripped straight from the pages, while Fleischer used his favorite comics panels as inspiration for Venom's visual design.
"I think in that first closeup when you see him, when he first appears with Treece, and he's holding him by the throat, he just looks like he's actually there, which I'm really proud of," he said. "I really felt a responsibility, especially since we couldn't put the spider on his chest, that we make Venom be as true to the comics as possible despite that fact."
With the release of Venom finally upon us, the reviews are in. The movie is the first of Sony's planned Spider-Man spin-offs based on heroes and villains from Spidey's Marvel comic books. While a deal between Sony and Marvel allows the wallcrawler to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sony still holds the big screen rights to Spider-Man and associated characters, so if Venom is a hit, we can expect plenty more movies in a new connected Spidey universe.
The film stars Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, a reporter who is taken over by a dangerous alien symbiote, and the cast also features Riz Ahmed, Michelle Williams, and Woody Harrelson. It's directed by Ruben Fleischer, who previously helmed the hit horror comedy Zombieland. Venom's current Rotten Tomatoes score stands at 27%, while Metacritic has the movie at 33%, neither of which are exactly high. But as we've seen many times before--most notably with the DC universe--a poor critical response doesn't mean a commercial failure, and box office predictions for Venom are good. So let's take a look at the reviews...
GameSpot -- no score
"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." -- Michael Rougeau [Full review]
ScreenCrush -- 4/10
"This is epically, fantastically weird stuff. The only thing stopping this movie from becoming an immediate cult classic is that it takes nearly an hour for Tom Hardy to go full Venom. If they'd trimmed 15 minutes out of this thing, cut right to the chase, and just piled on the Hardy, Venom would be unmissable. Once Tom Hardy bonds with this alien "symbiote," and this goo begins to talk to him as a gravelly voice in his head (also performed by Hardy), Venom suddenly becomes hilarious." -- Matt Singer [Full review]
Digital Spy -- 2/5
"The tragedy of Venom is that there are not infrequent flashes of a better film beneath. Inconsistent characterisation aside (is the alien a ruthless killer or Eddie's ally?), the interplay between the symbiote and its host is sometimes incredibly funny, delivering some genuine laugh-out-loud moments. But the movie refuses to choose a tone and stick to it, flip-flopping instead from serious to silly throughout. Had Fleischer committed to the horror-comedy elements of his film, Venom might have been a solidly enjoyable superhero flick." -- Hugh Armitage [Full review]
Mashable -- no score
"The first act of Venom suggests we're in for one of the worst films of 2018. Not in a fun way, mind you, but in that dull, dispiriting way where the lack of effort starts to feel like disrespect. Then Venom gets his man and a movie that initially seemed just-plain-bad becomes so-bad-it's-good. Or maybe it's just plain good. It's been a full day since I've seen it, and honestly, I'm still not sure. Either way, I laughed a lot." -- Angie Han [Full review]
Indiewire -- B
"As much a body-horror thriller as it is a comic-book movie, Venom is also akin to a buddy comedy in which one of the buddies has to prevent the other from wantonly biting people's heads off. If that sounds ridiculous, it is--but Venom both knows it and leans into it, playing up the dark humor until it's pitch black. Not all of Eddie and Venom's exchanges land as intended, but those that do are genuinely funny; over time, their relationship even becomes endearing in its own way, which comes as such a pleasant surprise it's almost enough to recommend the movie on its own." -- Matthew Nordine [Full review]
The Guardian -- 1/5
"Can Tom Hardy play comedy--intentionally? The question remains worryingly unanswered in this clumsy, monolithic and fantastically boring superhero movie-slash-entertainment-franchise-iteration. The supposedly massive final showdown is so anticlimactic and pointless that it was only when it was followed by Hardy ruminatively sipping coffee on a stoop and chatting that I realised… that was it. That was the big finish." -- Peter Bradshaw [Full review]
The Hollywood Reporter -- no score
"The pervasive lack imagination of this film under the auspices of director Ruben Fleischer, in his first feature outing since the dreadful Gangster Squad in 2013, makes one appreciate the thought and care that Marvel has lavished not only on the likes of Black Panther and Captain America but even on more minor-league entries such as the amusing Ant-Man titles. Everything here seems by-the-book, without amusement or surprise, save for Stan Lee's more extensive-than-usual last-minute cameo." -- Todd McCarthy [Full review]
Collider -- C+
"Venom almost gets away with its nonsensical plot in the end thanks to that Eddie and Venom bromance, but then you're reminded of the major missed opportunity here--more than once, actually. Venom should have been a quality start to Sony's own Marvel franchise. This, however, is a film that doesn't earn it and the multiple reminders from the studio saying, "Hey, don't forget we want to make more of these," only makes it worse." -- Perri Nemiroff [Full review]
In terms of scale, scope, gameplay systems, and interactivity, Red Dead Redemption 2 feels like it's shaping up to be more of an in-depth role-playing game than the open-world action game than we expected. As in most RPGs, you'll have a variety of stats to consider when thinking about your character's progression in single-player (Red Dead Online remains more of a mystery). In addition to a traditional health meter, Red Dead Redemption 2 protagonist Arthur Morgan's well being is governed by Cores, which take some explaining to get your head around.
Although health, stamina, and Deadeye meters are separate from Cores, how they perform depends on the state of a corresponding Core. For example, the health Core dictates how quickly health regenerates, and likewise for stamina. If you're low on health but the corresponding health Core is has been maintained well, the rate at which you generate health will be increased.
To keep your individual cores in good shape, you'll need to level up the strength, grit, dexterity, and instinct attributes. Leveling up Cores is reminiscent of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which reflected the way CJ behaved on the character itself; if you ate too much junk food, you'd gain weight, or if you spent a lot of time sprinting around the city, you'd have better stamina. Similarly, in Red Dead Redemption 2 there are activities that you'll do simply by playing the game which, over time, will improve your Core. Running, for example, once again improves your stamina, while taking damage and then restoring health will build your Health core.
This is one of the many ways that Red Dead Redemption 2 aims to provide a more compelling role-playing gameplay experience. Another is affording players the opportunity to interact with people in more meaningful ways. As Arthur Morgan, you'll be able to speak to the various inhabitants and pick the manner you approach a situation. You can choose to be courteous and upstanding, or threatening and confrontational. The way you conduct yourself will have consequence, Rockstar says, and the reputation you build could impact how future events play out.
You can read see more Red Dead Redemption 2 gameplay in the two gameplay trailers. The first is a broad look at the overall experience, while the second is a showcase of some of the action you can get into. If you want to know more about the horses and the benefit of building your bond with them, we've got a breakdown of that too. You can also check out our conversation above about the game's opening hours.
Red Dead Redemption 2 has a confirmed release date of October 26 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The online mode, called Red Dead Online, will launch in November 2018--one month after Redemption 2 itself releases--as a public beta.
As the big video game release season ramps up, you might be tempted to pay full price for new titles. Nothing wrong with that, but you might as well get a little something extra as a bonus. This week's sale at GameStop offers some nice pre-order incentives, as well as savings on excellent games you might have missed. Let's take a look at the best PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch games on sale between now and October 10.
GameStop has a few exclusive pre-order bonuses for some of the biggest upcoming games. Pre-order Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and you'll get a signature gun called Divinity, plus the opportunity to unlock Divine Justice by completing in-game challenges. Pre-order Kingdom Hearts III, and you'll get an exclusive fabric poster. You also get a poster for pre-ordering Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Buying a three-month Xbox Live Gold subscription gets you a code for $10 of Xbox currency. If you have a system to trade in, you'll get 25% extra credit by doing so by October 7. And if you trade in one of these select games, you'll get a $20 discount on any new game or pre-order.
Konami is about to re-release two of the Castlevania series' best games as a bundle, and now we're getting a look at some of the new visual options that will come with the games when they release later this month. Castlevania Requiem will feature both Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, released in one package exclusively for PS4.
In a pair of tweets, Konami showcased the new features. The first feature (in the first two images below) allows you to play with "blackout" enabled. This means players will be able to play the game without wallpapers (which will be enabled otherwise). The last two images show off the game with pixel smoothing enabled for a more updated look. Of course, those who want to stay true to the games' original visual styles can simply avoid turning the feature on.
Both Symphony of the Night and Rondo of Blood are receiving overall updates in this re-release, too. When the bundle was announced last month, Sony said Castlevania Requiem would see "4K/1080p upscaling, multiple high resolution backgrounds, different rendering options such as smoothing, and full Trophy support." It also said the games will utilize the DualShock 4's analogue stick for movement and the speaker to play sounds when you pick up an item. When GameSpot asked Konami about the bundle's PS4 exclusivity, the company responded there were absolutely no plans to bring the games to other platforms.
Symphony of the Night came out on the original PlayStation in 1999, and its effects on game design are still being felt with titles like Dead Cells and Hollow Knight drawing influence from it. Rondo of Blood came out far earlier, for PC Engine CD in 1993, and is also praised as one of the best in the series and one of the best PC Engine games. The bundle releases on October 23, and those that preorder will get a special discount of 15% off on the PlayStation Store.
Red Dead Redemption 2 puts you in the shoes of Arthur Morgan, an outlaw cowboy on the run. He's the key member of a gang and, as all outlaw gangs are wont to do, they commit crimes from time to time. However, given that Rockstar has created a game world that reacts to your behaviour and presents the knock-on effects of your actions to you, getting away with no good is much harder than you'd think.
The people that inhabit Red Dead Redemption 2's wild west are always watching, and while some will turn a blind eye to your misbehaviours, others may feel compelled to do something about what they've seen. This means that if you break the law while people are around, they could narc on you. In our hands-on gameplay session we got a good example of this system in action.
While in a marshy area, we gunned someone down and were immediately informed that there was a witness who had seen the whole thing. As we turned to locate this person, a lady screamed and began running away. Naturally, not wanting to spend the night behind bars or even six feet under, we gave chase to stop her. Once close enough to her we fired Arthur's gun into the air and she stopped in her tracks.
Using the game's new conversation options, we selected the "Threaten" option and she replied by saying she wouldn't tell anyone about what she'd seen. However, there was a boldness to her voice, and her tone and attitude presented her as someone who would do the right thing and tell on us at the next available opportunity. We chose to let her go and, as suspected, a few moments later the incident was reported. When we asked Rockstar if we could have guaranteed that she wouldn't report it, a representative said we could have doubled down on the threat to effectively convince her that we meant business and scare her into staying hush.
Ensuring that things don't escalate when you're engaging in criminal activity feels like it's going to take a fair amount of thought and careful planning. In addition to keeping in mind potential witnesses, there are also other small ways in which things can go awry if you're not careful. For example, if you're not wearing a bandana or covering your face in some other way, witnesses will also remember you and report you to the authorities.
Based on our time with the game, once things devolve into fisticuffs and gun fights it's much harder to de-escalate and return to a neutral state than in previous Rockstar games. In the Grand Theft Autos of old and the previous Red Dead Redemption, calming things down usually involved breaking line of sight from witnesses or lawmen to simply hide out until things blow over. However, since the world is more reactive, even doing that can be difficult in Red Dead Redemption 2. Something like bad hygiene can change the way people behave towards you, so you can bet that walking around covered in blood is going to make escaping a whole lot harder for Arthur Morgan.
Red Dead Redemption 2 releases on October 26 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. There will be a bunch of special editions, and you can get the details on all of them in our Red Dead Redemption 2 pre-order guide. One month after the game's launch, in November 2018, Red Dead Online will become available as a public beta.
The DRM-free PC game retailer GOG has been around for a full decade now. To celebrate the company's tenth anniversary, it's giving away a PC game for free. But what game that is depends on the will of the fans. Between now and October 4, you can vote for the free game to be Shadow Warrior 2, Superhot, or Firewatch. You can cast your vote here, and download the winning game when it's announced on October 4.
Shadow Warrior 2 is a first-person action game that has you shooting and slicing your way through a number of different types of enemies. But unlike many games of that type, it has a comedic tone that relies heavily on puerile humor. If you like jokes about genitals, this may be the one to get your vote. Check out GameSpot's Shadow Warrior 2 review for more information. It normally retails for $40.
Superhot is a first-person shooter about clearing levels of all enemies--but it has an intriguing twist. The in-game time only moves forward when you move your character. That means if you stand still, enemies will pause and bullets will stop in midair, waiting for your next move. Because you can take your time and consider your every action, it ends up feeling less like a traditional shooter and more like a puzzle game. It normally sells for $25, so read our Superhot review if you're unsure if it deserves your vote.
Finally, Firewatch is a game that's much more concerned with telling a story than with delivering thrilling action. You play as a fire lookout in a remote park in Wyoming. Your only companion is your supervisor, who lives in a distant outpost but is reachable by radio during most hours, day or night. It kicks into gear when you begin to notice hints that mysterious happenings have been occurring in the wilderness. Read our Firewatch review for more information about this title that normally sells for $20.
You can vote for your pick and read all about GOG's 10-year history here. While you're there, you can check out the games that are currently on sale.
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon launched for 3DS back in November, marking the mainline series' swan song on Nintendo's dual-screen handheld. As it did for the original Sun and Moon versions, The Pokemon Company is continuing to support the pair in the months following their release with free items and Pokemon. The company has a lot of giveaways lined up for 2018, which it has dubbed the Year of Legendary Pokemon, though those certainly won't be the only freebies players can expect to find this year.
We've rounded up all of the free distributions currently running for Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon below, many of which are also open to Sun and Moon players. We'll be updating this list as more giveaways are announced, so check back often to see what free items and Pokemon you can get. In the meantime, you can learn more about the latest Pokemon games in our rundown of everything new in Pokemon Ultra Sun And Ultra Moon. We also break down the differences between Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, if you're still unsure of which version to pick up.
Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon Free Gifts
Shiny Poipole -- Ends Oct. 7
To celebrate the release of Pokemon TCG's new Dragon Majesty expansion, The Pokemon Company is giving away a Shiny Poipole for a limited time. US players will be able to pick up a download code at GameStop stores from September 17 - October 7, while those in the UK can grab one at Smyths until October 15. Unlike a typical Poipole, this one is white and gold, and it already comes with Dragon Pulse, the move it needs to know in order to evolve into Naganadel.
Decidueye, Incineroar, and Primarina -- Ends Oct. 31
Players who have a Pokemon Bank account can receive the final forms of all three Alola starters--Decidueye, Incineroar, and Primarina--as a free bonus for using the cloud storage service. What sets these three Pokemon apart from the ones you can obtain in-game is that they each come with their Hidden Abilities, which aren't typically available through normal play. You'll receive a notification about the gifts the next time you access Pokemon Bank, and they can be picked up in your game of choice from the deliveryman waiting in any Pokemon Center.
Reshiram/Zekrom -- Ends Oct. 28
Pokemon Black and White's cover monsters, Reshiram and Zekrom, are the free Legendaries up for grabs during the month of October. Players who live in the US will need to pick up a download code from them at the electronics section of participating Target stores from October 19-28, while those in Europe and Australia can download them over the Nintendo Network from October 5-21. If you have a copy of Sun or Ultra Sun, you'll receive Zekrom, while those with Moon or Ultra Moon will get Reshiram.
Zeraora -- Ends Nov. 19
Players will have their first chance to get Zeraora, the new Mythical Pokemon debuting in Pokemon the Movie: The Power of Us, from October 19 - November 19. The Thunderclap Pokemon is being distributed via a download code at various retailers; those in the US can pick up a code at GameStop, while UK residents will be able to get one at Game stores. The Pokemon is level 50 and comes equipped with an Air Balloon, which allows it to avoid Ground-type attacks during battle until the balloon is popped.
Magearna
Unlike most other gift Pokemon, the Mythical Steel/Fairy-type, Magearna, is not available through the Mystery Gift feature, but via a QR code, which is compatible with Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon. After defeating the Elite Four and completing the main story, you can use the QR Scanner to scan the code below. Once you've done that, visit the Antiques shop in Hau'oli City and pick your Magearna up from the deliveryman waiting there.
Past Gifts
Dialga/Palkia -- DONE
Kicking off the Year of Legendary Pokemon are the Space and Time Pokemon, Palkia and Dialga. The two are being distributed in the US at GameStop from February 2-28, while UK residents can pick them up from participating Game stores. The Legendary you receive will depend on which version you have: players with either Sun or Ultra Sun receive Palkia, while those playing either Moon or Ultra Moon get Dialga. You'll need to redeem your download code by May 23 to claim the Legendaries.
Regigigas/Heatran -- DONE
The Year of Legendary Pokemon continues with another pair of Legendaries originally from Pokemon Diamond and Pearl: Regigigas and Heatran. As before, the Pokemon you receive will depend on which seventh generation title you're playing: Sun and Ultra Sun players will get Regigigas, while those with a copy of Moon or Ultra Moon will receive Heatran.
Unlike the Dialga and Palkia distribution, The Pokemon Company is giving away the download code for Regigigas and Heatran in the March Pokemon Trainer Club newsletter, so you'll need to create a free Trainer Club Account here and opt-in to the newsletter before March 1 in order to get the code.
Entei/Raikou -- DONE
The Johto Legendary dogs Entei and Raikou are April's free gift for Pokemon players. The Pokemon are being distributed in the US via a free download code from participating Target stores, and as before, the Legendary you receive depends on which version you're playing: those with Sun or Ultra Sun will get Entei, while Moon and Ultra Moon players will receive Raikou. In Europe, the Legendaries are being distributed as a free online Mystery Gift until April 25.
Xerneas/Yveltal -- DONE
Pokemon X and Y's cover monsters, Xerneas and Yveltal, are the free Legendary Pokemon available in May. From May 4-27, US players can snag a download code for the monsters at no charge from GameStop stores, while those in the UK can grab one from Game. As usual, the Legendary you receive depends on which version you're playing: Sun and Ultra Sun players will get Yveltal, while Moon and Ultra Moon players will end up with Xerneas.
Shiny Zygarde -- DONE
The Kalos Legendary Zygarde is June's free Pokemon. Regardless of which game you own, you'll get the Order Pokemon, although its moveset will differ depending upon which version you're playing. What makes this particular Zygarde special is that it's a Shiny. Players in the US can pick up a free download code for the Legendary at GameStop from June 1-24, while those in Europe and Australia can get it via Mystery Gift over the Nintendo Network.
Tornadus/Thundurus -- DONE
Tornadus and Thundurus from Pokemon Black and White are July's free Legendary Pokemon, and as usual, the one you receive will depend on which version you're playing. Those with a copy of Sun or Ultra Sun will get Thundurus, while players who have Moon or Ultra Moon will receive Tornadus. To get the Legendaries, US residents will need to pick up a free download code at Target stores from July 13-28, while players in Europe can download the Pokemon over the Nintendo Network via Mystery Gift.
Groudon/Kyogre -- DONE
The cover monsters of Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, Groudon and Kyogre, are the two free Legendaries available in August. In the US, the Pokemon are being distributed via a free download code, which can be picked up at a participating GameStop store from August 3-26. As with previous giveaways, the Legendary you receive depends on which version you own; those with Sun or Ultra Sun will get Kyogre, while players who have Moon or Ultra Moon will get Groudon.
Celebi -- DONE
Players who purchase either Pokemon Gold or Silver from the 3DS Eshop by September 21, 2018 will receive a bonus download code for the Mythical Pokemon Celebi. The code can be redeemed in Pokemon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, or Ultra Moon. We've outlined the steps you need to take to find and redeem the code here.
Latios/Latias -- DONE
September's freebies are the twin Eon Pokemon, Latios and Latias. Once again, the Legendaries are being distributed in the US at a specific retailer--this time Best Buy--from September 2-29, and the Pokemon you get depends on which version you own: Sun and Ultra Sun players will receive the more defensive Latias, while Moon and Ultra Moon players will get the more attack-oriented Latios. Players in Europe and Australia can download the Legendaries from the Nintendo Network until September 23.
Pokemon fans will soon 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 this month: 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 19; 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 Fist, 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 will give away two Legendary Pokemon originally from the Black and White versions this month: Reshiram and Zekrom. More details on that distribution will be announced soon. In the meantime, you can see all the free Pokemon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon available right now.
Forza Horizon 4 is the latest in the racing spin-off from Playground Games. As distinguished from Turn 10's main Forza Motorsport series, Horizon has always taken the racing action off the track and into detailed open-world environments. Horizon 4 is set in the United Kingdom and features a new season-changing mechanic.
Forza Motorsport and Horizon have established themselves as some of the most reliable franchises around, and this one is no exception. GameSpot's Forza Horizon 4 review noted that everything you do feels valuable and the package as a whole adds up to celebrate the joy of driving. The critical consensus seems to agree that this one is another winner and a system showpiece for the Xbox One. Read on for a glance at impressions from around the industry, or go to GameSpot's sister site Metacritic for a wider view.
Game: Forza Horizon 4
Developer / Publisher: Turn 10 Studios, Playground Games / Microsoft Studios
Platforms: Xbox One
Release date: October 2
Price: US $60 / £49 / AU $78
GameSpot -- 9/10
"Everything you do in Horizon feels valuable, no matter how big or small--from the basic thrills of speeding a fast car down a gorgeous mountain highway to spending time tinkering with your favorite ride to manage seasonal road conditions to just hanging out with friends and strangers online and goofing off in friendly games. The charm of the Horizon series is as palpable as ever, a winning, all-inclusive recipe that celebrates the joy of driving above all else." -- Edmond Tran [Full review]
IGN -- 9.6/10
"I'll always have a massive soft spot for the down under delights of Forza Horizon 3, but open-world racing has never looked as good as it does in Forza Horizon 4. It combines a beautiful world that's really four hugely distinct maps in one with a constantly rewarding and self-renewing racing experience and I really can't tear myself away from it. Playground Games hasn't just upped the ante once again; it's blown the bloody doors off." -- Luke Reilly [Full Review]
USGamer -- 4.5/5
"You can debate the merits of some of this version's additions, but the same strong core that has pushed Forza Horizon to the top of the driving sim heap remains firmly in place here. It's an incredibly impressive graphical production that puts even its beautiful predecessor to shame, and it's a true pleasure when out on the road. Forza Horizon 4 is one of a handful of showcase games that truly ought to sell you on an Xbox One X and a 4K TV." -- Kat Bailey [Full Review]
Destructoid -- 9/10
"Forza Horizon 4 is another fantastically fun Forza Horizon game even if it's tough to pinpoint Playground's grandest ambition. If it was to reinvent the series with seasons, that falls a bit flat and underwhelming. But, if it was to simply remove the constraints and make everything as open and free as possible, then Playground hit its target in the most impressive way. Regardless, Forza Horizon is still the king of open-world arcade racers, and it really doesn't look like that'll change anytime soon." -- Brett Makedonski [Full Review]
GamesRadar -- 4/5
"Forza Horizon 4 isn't as bombastic as its predecessor, but still a challenging and all-encompassing online racer. And the more introverted moments of driving through autumnal or snow-dusted Britain are beautiful, especially as a showcase for Xbox One X." -- Justin Towell [Full Review]
Latios and Latias aren't the only Legendary Pokemon players can pick up for free this month. To celebrate the release of the newest Pokemon TCG expansion, Dragon Majesty, The Pokemon Company has announced it is giving away a free Poipole in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon--but as usual, the way to claim it will vary by region. [Update: The Shiny Poipole distribution is scheduled to end this week, on October 7, making this your last chance to claim a download code for one if you still haven't.]
Originally unveiled under the codename UB Adhesive, Poipole is one of the new Ultra Beasts introduced in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, meaning you'll need to own one of those two versions to receive it. What makes this particular Poipole special is that it's a Shiny; unlike most of the ones you're likely to encounter in the game, this one is white and gold rather than the usual purple.
In the US, the Shiny Poipole will be given away as a download code at GameStop stores from September 17 - October 7. In the UK, players will be able to pick up a code for the Pokemon at Smyths stores from September 17 - October 15. Poipole will be distributed throughout the rest of Europe in the September Pokemon Trainer Club newsletter.
Unlike most of the other Legendary Pokemon given away this year, this Poipole comes at level 40 and isn't carrying any held items. It also knows the moves Venom Drench, Nasty Plot, Poison Jab, and Dragon Pulse. It needs to know the latter move and level up in order to evolve into the Poison/Dragon Pokemon Naganadel.
The aforementioned Latios and Latias are this month's free gifts as part of the ongoing Year of Legendary Pokemon promotion. The pair are claimable in any seventh-generation Pokemon game, although the one you receive will depend on which version you own. You can read how to get them here. You can also see the other freebies available now in our roundup of all the free Pokemon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
October is here, which means The Pokemon Company is giving away a new pair of Legendary Pokemon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. We're 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 is getting spooky all season with its Darkness Rises theme, but it looks like it will be adding some special Halloween themed cosmetics as well. A new set of skins, back bling, gliders, and pickaxes have been leaked, giving a look at what's presumably to come at some point during October.
From the Twitter account FNBRLeaks come our first looks at the skins Hay Man (Male) and Straw Ops (Female); Hay Nest and Birdhovel back bling; Dark Glyph and Field Wraith gliders; and Thunder Crash and Harvester pickaxes. Plus, it provides a look at the new T-Pose, which goes especially well with the Hay Man skin. You can see them all in the tweets below.
So far Epic hasn't announced any special Halloween events, so we're not sure yet just how you'll earn these new cosmetic items--they could be sold like any others or tied to specific challenges, like the birthday event items released this summer. Whatever the case, these join a whole host of new Season 6 skins, which include some monster-themed ones like the Dire Wolf. That one changes as you level up, becoming more and more like a werewolf.
If you need some help earning this season's skins, check out our challenge guide. Or you can prepare to dance the night away in an upcoming limited-time mode. It'll be a graveyard smash. In the meantime, you can check out the new 6.01 update.
New Outfits! Name: Straw Ops (Female) Desc: The harvest grows near Name: Hay Man (Male) Desc: Scare. Those. Crows Rarities: Epic pic.twitter.com/RwdR7lCJ83
— Fortnite: Battle Royale Leaks 🎃 (@FNBRLeaks) October 3, 2018
New Backblings! Name: Hay Nest (Male) Desc: Hatch a plan Name: Birdhovel Desc: Keep your enemies close Rarity: Epic pic.twitter.com/wou4rkZAFj
— Fortnite: Battle Royale Leaks 🎃 (@FNBRLeaks) October 3, 2018
New Gliders! Name: Dark Glyph (Dark Bomber Glider) Desc: Indecipherable Name: Field Wraith (Scarecrow) Desc: Don't just scare crows, give them nightmares pic.twitter.com/2RXa88pypz
— Fortnite: Battle Royale Leaks 🎃 (@FNBRLeaks) October 3, 2018
The follow-up to Rockstar Games' classic western game Red Dead Redemption is fast approaching. Set 12 years before the events of the original game, Red Dead Redemption 2 will explore an expansive region of the American wilderness, with Dutch Van der Linde's gang on the run from lawmen during the last years of the wild west. Experiencing Rockstar's take on the open-world western from a new perspective, you'll uncover the history of the Van Der Linde gang, which has a young John Marston in its thralls.
We got the opportunity to play Red Dead Redemption 2, and suffice to say, it's shaping up to be one of the most detailed open world games we've ever played. You can find out more in our preview below where you can read about our experiences completing story missions and exploring the game's world. There's also plenty of details below on the game's narrative and all of its trailers. With its release date of October 26 approaching, we've learned a lot more about the base game, as well as the first details about its Red Dead Online mode coming in November.
Set 12 years before the main events of the original game, the prequel focuses on the outlaw life of the Van der Linde gang, led by Red Dead Redemption's main antagonists. After a robbery in Blackwater (one of the original game's major towns) goes bad--the gang finds themselves on the run. Dutch, his right-hand man Arthur Morgan, and several members of the gang have to contend with a life on-the-run while confrontations with rival gangs and the law make their situation grow more desperate.
Rockstar also released a description of the plot:
America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him.
The First Reveal
Debuting on October 20, 2016, the first trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 was a bit of a mood piece that showcased many locales in the game, while also portraying the somber tone of the main narrative. In this trailer, we saw several towns and locales, many of which are teeming with life and activity--such as ranchers rustling up some cattle, huntsmen bringing back their haul, and a group of citizens hanging out in the general store.
Who Are You Playing As?
Though the central character of Red Dead Redemption, John Marston, plays some role in the story--the main protagonist of the prequel is Arthur Morgan. As Dutch's right-hand man and enforcer for the gang, he'll handle much of the daily duties of keeping the gang in-check--which includes a young and less-experienced John Marston. When it comes to keeping the gang and its community afloat, Morgan is quite handy with picking up various jobs to ensure everyone is well fed and in good spirits. But as the story progresses, he'll begin to question his own resolve for Dutch's way of life, and whether he still has a place in the gang.
The Second Trailer
On September 28, 2017, the second trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 debuted. In the new footage, we got to see more of Arthur Morgan and how ruthless he can be while on the job. During some of the story cutscenes, Morgan will use coercion and physical threats to collect money and information, all for the "benefit" of the community. For more info on this particular trailer, check out our detailed breakdown.
Who's In Dutch's Gang?
In Red Dead Redemption 2, we'll see Dutch's gang and its key players in their prime. While the original game had John hunt down and kill the remaining members of the gang, we'll see many of the familiar faces in relatively happier times. From the most recent trailer, we see Dutch Van der Linde, Arthur Morgan, Bill Williamson, Javier Esquela, Sadie Adler, Charles Smith, Micah Bell, Hosea Matthews, and of course John Marston in the roster. We'll also interact with other characters who would have a key role in the gang and in the lives of both Arthur Morgan and John Marston.
The Third Trailer
In the new footage released on May 2, we saw a deeper look into the game's narrative and how the gang functions. Along with the familiar activities like hunting, heists, and side-quests with the region's citizens, rob trains and banks, and take in shows at theaters. For the most part, the trailer focuses on the many connections you'll have with the members of the gang, as well as how your choices will affect them. For more info on the third trailer, check out our detailed breakdown.
First Gameplay Trailer
On August 9, Rockstar unveiled Red Dead Redemption 2's first gameplay trailer. The new footage revealed that the core mechanics from the original game were still intact, but almost everything had received a facelift. Wildlife is smarter and lives within its own ecosystem. Arthur Morgan can interact with the people around him in ways John Marston never could.
Second Gameplay Trailer
On October 2, Rockstar finally showcased the second round of gameplay footage it promised. It dives more deeply into the game's side-activities, as well as the nature of the world and its varying systems. In addition, there's an in-depth look at how the sequel's dead eye system works.
What's New In Red Dead Redemption 2?
While the sequel is largely in the same vein as its predecessor, focusing on exploration, hunting, shoot-outs, heists, and other side-activities where you'll interact with a number of unique characters--Red Dead Redemption 2 features a far more expansive world to dive into. There are a ton of new mechanics in Red Dead Redemption 2. Below you can find a bulleted list of many of the new features in the game, but for all the details on everything new, check out our comprehensive list of all the new features we've discovered so far.
You can play the whole game in first-person
You can disable the HUD
A new cinematic camera is utilized during missions where you're traveling across the world during missions
You can inspect nearly all items in the world
Your weapons are always visible on your person
There's a killcam that changes depending on your honor
You can break enemy weapons
Dead Eye has five levels now
Your guns can degrade and jam
You need to maintain and clean Arthur or else you'll get dirty and disgust people around you
You can gain and lose weight
How It Plays: Our In-Depth Preview
We recently got a hands-on with a near final-build of Red Dead Redemption 2. It plays much like its predecessor, but with a bevy of new features and systems that enhance its storytelling, combat, and overall progression. We got to experience two story missions, as well as a chance to goof around freely in the open world. There's a lot to unpack about how the upcoming sequel looks and feels, so be sure to read our in-depth preview detailing our impressions about how it plays.
How Will Online Multiplayer Work?
Currently, Rockstar hasn't shared any info on how the online play will function. The original Red Dead Redemption featured online free-for-all and team deathmatch style gameplay in the open world, along with several co-op themed missions. While it's safe to assume that these sorts of missions will return, another long-lingering rumor is the appearance of a battle royale mode. Rockstar has recently confirmed that a public beta for the online mode is scheduled for a month after the game's launch.
How Can I Play RDR2? When Is Its Release Date?
Red Dead Redemption 2 is set for release on October 26 for PS4 and Xbox One. There are also plans for a collector's edition of the game called the Special Edition. Priced at $80, the package includes a copy of the game along with special missions, weapons and a physical map of the game world for players to own. There are also two additional packs for Red Dead Redemption 2 for premium prices, The Ultimate Edition and The Collector's Box--both priced at $100. While The Ultimate Edition has all items from the special edition--including additional DLC items to acquire--The Collector's Box does not include any digital items. Instead, it offers special playing cards, artwork, a bandit's bandana, a physical map of the game world, and a collector's coin in the set.
It's worth noting that the PS4 version will have special content that's exclusive to that version for 30 days. There is still no word as to what the PlayStation-exclusive content is, but now we know it's for Red Dead Online and that Xbox One owners will have to wait to check it out.
Though the original Red Dead Redemption never found its way to the PC, there's been some rumors that its sequel might. A mention of Red Dead Redemption 2's appearance on PC found its way online, but it has since been scrubbed.
PS4 Pro Bundle
Although the system itself doesn't sport a unique design, there will be a Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 Pro bundle. Priced at $400 in the US, you're essentially getting a copy of the game for free. However, this doesn't include any of the aforementioned special editions; it's just a standard edition version of the game. The bundle is available for pre-order now.
The first week of Fortnite Season 6 is here, so you have a whole new set of challenges to complete. Along the lines of how thing worked last season, three of these are available for free to all players. The other four require the purchase of this season's Battle Pass, which goes for 950 V-Bucks and allows you to unlock a wide variety of cosmetic rewards.
Despite it being a new season with several major changes, there isn't anything drastically new with what you'll have to do to complete all seven challenges. If you've been keeping up with Fortnite these past few months, then this week's challenges should all be fairly familiar. The first three free challenges will net you a total of 13 Battle Stars, and completing the four Battle Pass challenges rewards you with another 16.
We've listed the seven challenges and their respective rewards below.
Fortnite Season 6, Week 1 Challenges
Free
Pick up a Legendary Item in different matches (3) -- 5 Battle Stars
Regain health from a Cozy Campfire (15) -- 5 Battle Stars
Stage 1: Seach Chests (3) -- 3 Battle Stars
Battle Pass
Apply Shields (500) -- 5 Battle Stars
Stage 1: Land at Junk Junction (1) -- 1 Battle Star
Dance under different Streetlight Spotlights (7) -- 10 Battle Stars
Eliminate opponents in different Named Locations (5) -- 10 Battle Stars
The third Battle Pass challenge will probably take you the most time to complete just because you need to find the seven spotlights to dance under. Each spotlight is pretty easy to spot--look for streetlights that have a speaker playing music--but you'll still need to trek across the entire map to find them all.
Below is our map of the eight spotlights we've found, which should help speed up the process. Remember, you only need to dance under seven of them.
Fortnite is available on Xbox One, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS. Sony has relented on its previous stance against console cross-play with Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, so Fortnite now supports cross-play across all platforms.
Forza Horizon is back for another year, and that means Barn Finds are back too. If you're new to series, all you need to know that as you play through Forza Horizon 4, you'll periodically get a call telling you that there's a beat-up old car somewhere for you to find on the map. This will unlock a particular Barn Find, and you'll be given a rough area to search. But, it's up to you to explore the zone and pinpoint the location of the barn yourself.
Sometimes this is easy, and sometimes it can really tricky--barns can be in plain sight or hidden within a dense forest. But finding them is worth it--the rare and iconic cars will be restored over time and gifted to you for free, adding a nice boost to your Car Collection level. If you're having trouble locating some of these Barn Finds, or just want to save yourself some time, this guide will help you find the exact location of the barns for particular cars.
How To Use This Guide: We've provided screenshots of the barn locations on the world map, a photo of what it looks like in-game, and a shot of the restored car you'll get. We suggest using these images along with Horizon's Drone Mode (use RB to boost!) to quickly track these down.
A Quick Note: Forza Horizon 4 features a version of Great Britain that has rolling seasons, which change every 7 real-world days. As such, there are a small handful of Barn Finds that are exclusive to Autumn, Winter, Summer, and Spring. At the time of writing, we've only experienced Autumn and Summer, but we'll update this guide with information about the other Barn Finds as the seasons change, so come back then!
Additionally, there is one Barn Find that is exclusive to one of the game's Properties, Bamburgh Castle, so you'll have to cough up a cool 10 million Credits to buy and unlock that one. You may also encounter Barn Finds in a slightly different order to our list, but a quick reference of the World Map should let you know what you're looking for.
For more on Forza Horizon 4 be sure to read our review. We said that "Playground Games continues to excel at making the act of virtual driving exciting, approachable, and entertaining without sacrificing complexity."
This B-Class Audi Sport is an All-Wheel Drive built for both road and rally. Its barn is located within a forest just below Derwent Reservoir, as in, literally just below the "Derwent Reservoir" name on the world map.
1986 Ford Escort RS Turbo
This Ford Escort is was limited to just 5000 models when it was released back in the 80's. It's a C-Class vehicle in Horizon 4, and you can find its barn at the peak of a mountain in the Scottish Highlands, west of Glen Rannoch. Make sure you bring an AWD to climb those inclines!
1993 Jaguar XJ220
The XJ220 is built for racing and was the fastest production car from 1992-1993. It's ranked S1, and you'll find its barn tucked away on a private country road east of Ambleside.
1961 Jaguar E-Type S1
This rare Series 1 version of the E-Type roadster is a C-class in Horizon 4. You'll find the barn just off a dirt road in the south of Tarn Hows.
1997 Lotus Elise GT1
Seriously, who left this one to rust? The Lotus GT1 touring car is an S1 vehicle and hidden just west of Horizon 4's slate quarry.
1966 MG MGB GT
A real British classic, the MGB is a D-Class car in a fetching gumboot green that will make you feel like you've gone back in time. This one's hidden on a small hill on the edge of a strip of trees in Astmoor.
1965 Mini Cooper S
Who doesn't love a Mini? Well, anyone who needs luggage space, I guess. Regardless, this D-class version of the classic little car is hidden in a small valley on the far west of the map, on the southern end of Derwent Water.
1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STI
Another classic rally staple, this 90's WRX STI is only a B-class initially but is screaming for an upgrade. It's hidden in a creepy part of Lakehurst Forest, by the side of a dirt road.
1962 Triumph Spitfire
Yet another British classic, the Spitfire convertible doesn't have a lot of grunt, but is perfect for relaxing country drives. This one is hidden very sneakily within a thick patch of bushes and trees just outside the Express Railyard, which we spent far too much time in during our hunt.
1998 TVR Cerbera Speed 12
This high-performance concept car never went into production, but thanks to the magic of video games, you can own and drive one for free! It's an S1 class vehicle, and its barn is located just east of the Greendale Airstrip.
Summer Season Exclusive - 1962 Peel P50
The adorable little D-class Peel micro-car is only available during summer. It's hidden in a forest between Ashbrook and Broadway, and perfect for those quick trips down to the shops.
Autumn Season Exclusive - 1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato
Like the name suggests, this Aston Martin is only available during the autumn season. Another 60's classic, only around 25 of these things were produced. You can pick it up very easily just south of the Horizon Festival Site, in a nice open field.
Property Exclusive - 1930 Bentley Blower
We'll update this article when we can afford to spend 10 million credits on Bamburgh Castle. If you have 10 million credits in Forza Horizon 4... well, that's amazing.
Winter Season Exclusive - ???
We'll update this article when the seasons change and we get access to this seasonal Barn Find!
Spring Season Exclusive - ???
We'll update this article when the seasons change and we get access to this seasonal Barn Find!
What's your favorite Barn Find in Forza Horizon 4, and how do you think it compares to the previous Barn Find selections? Let us know in the comments below.
You can see the natural Hollywood ending of "Maniac" coming from the first episode, just as mentally ill protagonist Owen starts to see the face of drug addicted protagonist Annie on every ad he passes on the street. After all, this is a show that stars Jonah Hill as Owen, and Emma Stone as Annie, and it's clear they're already becoming a part of one another's lives even before they meet. Obviously we're in for a quirky love story, in which the pair find acceptance in one another, even if they can't fit in with the rest of the world. Or not.
The best thing about "Maniac" is that, throughout the entire show, it chooses to avoid that predictable route. "Maniac" is about a connection between two people, but it never becomes a love story. There's even a scene in the final episode of the show in which Annie, confronted with the idea of a romantic relationship with Owen, completely dismisses the idea. That's because the show isn't about two people falling in love--that would be too far along in their respective healing processes. Owen and Annie aren't ready for love yet; they're still figuring themselves out.
Basically, "Maniac" is the about the old breakup cliche, "It's not you, it's me"--except it's true, the characters mean it, and they find ways to actually start dealing with the "it's me" part.
Both Annie and Owen are people with enormous personal baggage. One episode runs down Annie's past indiscretions: She feels directly responsible for the death of her sister in a car accident, specifically because of the way Annie treated her before she was killed. Annie is addicted to the drug "A," which is central to the plot of "Maniac," because it causes the user to relive the worst day of their life. Annie's worst day is her sister's death, but even though revisiting the event is incredibly painful, it also gives her a chance to be with her sister again.
Owen's schizophrenia combines with his strained relationship with his family, in particular his brother and father, and that causes him to struggle to trust people, including himself. In particular, he talks about his "blip," a psychotic episode in which he screamed at a woman he was getting close to, because he came to believe she was being paid by his well-to-do family to be nice to him. Owen's struggle with trust, paired with his illness, conspires to twist his view of his own self-worth.
Both characters find themselves in a clinical drug trial created by the maker of the drug A, Neberdine Pharmaceutical & Biotech, where we learn that A is actually one of three drugs that are meant to work in tandem. A causes the user to relive their worst experience; "B" is meant to break down the person's defense mechanisms; and "C" allows them to confront their trauma and work through it. Basically, the drugs are meant to replace therapy and fix people's problems for them.
Things don't quite go as planned, of course. Annie and Owen's hallucinations continually become linked, causing them to experience several lives together. The drugs create some weird situations for the pair, but the gist quickly becomes that, through their experiences and their connection together, Owen and Annie learn a lot about themselves.
Both characters get something out of the use of the drugs, but their success is more about helping one another than it is about the intended therapeutic effects. The pair's hallucinations together include memories of whole lives to go with them. In one, Owen and Annie are married in the 1980s but seemingly struggling, when they work together to steal an exotic lemur back from a local criminal. In another, Owen and Annie are divorced in the 1920s, both of them sophisticated thieves trying to steal a lost chapter of "Don Quixote" at a cultish seance--and they both betray one another, despite their history. In still another story, Owen is an Icelandic official who discovers (and accidentally kills) an extraterrestrial in the 1950s, and Annie is the secret agent sent to save him from the government.
It's not that every story has a happy ending, or that each one proves Owen and Annie should trust each other--in fact, it's more the opposite, with each experience giving both characters a candid look at the dysfunctions of the other. But the hallucinations Owen and Annie share, and their connection to each other, force them to think about how they treat other people, and themselves, and why. Their connection helps them make changes in themselves--Owen learns about accepting and standing up for himself, and Annie comes to terms with losing her sister and punishing herself for it.
Owen and Annie don't fall in love, because they can't. What they can handle is friendship, and so that's where "Maniac" leaves them. Both characters end the show knowing they have a lot of work to do to be happy, but they also know they have support and acceptance in one another. The entire series is a first step on the path of two characters taking a hard look at themselves and choosing to make changes.
TV star and drag queen RuPaul has a catch phrase that applies amply: "If you can't love yourself, how the hell are you going to love somebody else?" That question, really, is central to the story of "Maniac." Annie and Owen might not love themselves by the end of the show, but they're trying. They're learning. They're growing. And they're helping each other do it. That the story doesn't force them to be in love is a big part of why it's so good. There are other ways people can form relationships without a Hollywood ending.
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