Today's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate presentation filled out the rest of the roster and revealed all of the fighters that will be in the game upon release. But more are coming, as the presentation also noted that more fighters will be added post-launch as DLC.
Each fighter pack will include one fighter, one stage, and multiple music tracks, for $6. Nintendo is planning to release five packs, and you can purchase a bundle "Fighters Pass" for $25 that will include all five fighters, five stages, and all the music tracks. Nintendo noted that it hasn't begun active development on the fighters yet so it may take up to a year to complete the full Fighter's Pass. Purchasing the Fighter's Pass will also get you an outfit based on Rex from Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
Another piece of post-launch content is coming for free. Piranha Plant will be available for free for early purchasers. If you buy Super Smash Bros. Ultimate digitally or register your physical copy by January 31, 2019, you'll get the fighter at no cost around February 2019. It will be available for purchase separately sometime later.
Today's presentation revealed the final two roster characters: Ken and Incineroar. It also took the wraps off the final mode, Spirits, which allows you to take part in special challenges to earn equippable buffs for your characters. This also serves as the story for the game, as Nintendo teased that there will be a plot explanation for the characters being turned into apparitions. You can read about every announcement and watch the highlights of the Direct in our news round-up.
Smash Bros. Ultimate launches on December 7. Check out our pre-order guide for more details.
As was to be expected from a 40-minute presentation, the new Nintendo Direct centered on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was a big one. It featured a ton of news about the game, and among the most important bits were the final members of the roster being revealed. We now know everyone who will be available on release day, and as you'd probably expect, the lineup will only grow post-launch through DLC. But even that isn't quite as simple as you might have thought.
The Direct started out with the reveal of two new characters. Street Fighter's Ken is an echo fighter of Ryu but is faster and has some other points of distinction. Pokemon's Incineroar also joins Ultimate's full character roster and boasts an array of pro-wrestling-inspired moves.
Although the video stated these two characters rounded out the final roster of 74, it didn't take long for that to prove not to be the case. Later in the stream, it was confirmed that DLC characters are on the way, and that these won't be echo fighters. Work hasn't yet started, so we'll be seeing these new characters added all the way through February 2020.
Nintendo has plans for a total of five DLC fighters, with each one being sold in a bundle alongside a new stage and music for $6 in the US. There will also be a $25 bundle called the Fighters Pass that gets you all five of these. Alongside a small discount over buying them individually, the Fighters Pass entitles you to an in-game outfit based on Xenoblade Chronicles 2 protagonist Rex.
But even that still didn't represent all of the character news we got. As a pre-order bonus of sorts, yet another fighter will be available: Piranha Plant. By purchasing the game digitally or physically (in which case you have to register the game card online) before the end of January 31, 2019, you'll get access to the character for free once it's ready "around" February 2019. A Piranha Plant stage and music are also in the works, and for those who don't qualify for the freebie, it will be available as DLC at some point in the future.
Alongside all of this character news, we learned a lot more about Ultimate, including details on the new Spirits mode and how online multiplayer works. Ultimate is due for release on December 7. There's no word on when we'll learn the identities of the DLC characters, but hey--at least there's reason for hope if you want to see Waluigi or Geno make the cut.
Compared to the previous entries in the series, Fallout 76 is a very different kind of game. It's the series' first online game, with a far more in-depth focus on survival and crafting. This new approach on the familiar post-apocalyptic RPG's mechanics will take some time getting used to--and players will be doing that together in a shared world. In the beta for Fallout 76 on Xbox One, PC, and PS4, those who've pre-ordered will get an early chance to dive into Bethesda's experimental take on the Fallout experience, with all of their progress carried over into the final game.
In this feature, we've come up with several tips and a short list of things to do during your first few hours exploring the ruins of West Virginia. As the earliest game in the Fallout timeline, set only 25 years after the bombs fell, the inhabitants of Vault 76 will explore a world that's still in disarray after the nuclear apocalypse. Though the setting of West Virginia was largely spared from the bombs, radiation and chaos have seeped into the valley, irreparably altering wildlife, and unearthing creatures that many thought to be legend.
The first of Fallout 76's betas is now behind us, but Bethesda has already announced when the next tests will take place. Expect plenty more between now and the full game's release date on November 14.
We recently went hands-on with Fallout 76, and came away with a number of interesting observations. While the main hook is the focus on surviving a violent, irradiated world full of other players online, the familiar aspects of the Fallout experience are alive and well in 76--there are even some surprises for the eagle-eyed fans to uncover. With that, here's a quick survival guide to help you overcome the odds.
For more info on Fallout 76, be sure to check out footage from the first 50 minutes of the game, and along with our chat with Pete Hines about the current state of the game, and what lies ahead.
Explore The Vault
Instead of being rushed out the Vault door like in other Fallout games, with hostile Vault-tec security or irradiated radroaches nipping at your heels, you're afforded the chance to calmly prepare yourself for the expedition on the surface. After creating your character and taking a quick photo of yourself for you nametag, you'll grab your new pip-boy and get to explore the vault at your leisure--and even interact with other players starting out as well.
Once you leave your room, be sure to examine every point of interest on your way up to the entrance. These stops will get you stocked up with new items and supplies, which includes a starting set of Perk Cards, purified water, and the all important C.A.M.P device--allowing you to build structures in the outside world. Around the Vault, you'll find various holotapes that tell you more about the residents of the bunker, which includes the vault Overseer who's gone missing. Once you're ready, make your way towards the exit of the Vault. Though rest assured, if at any time you want to return, the Vault's door will always be open to you--even allowing for fast travel at no cost.
Stick With The Beginning Story Missions
Once outside, you'll start the early missions of the main story. In an interesting approach that's different from past Fallout games, many of the tutorial segments take place in the open world. In a more trial-by-fire approach, you'll gradually learn more about the many systems at work while collecting a set of new weapons and supplies. Despite being given some basic survival items from the bunker, you're still an unprepared Vault Dweller in a new world, and you'll need to get new supplies fast in order to survive.
Though you may have the urge to get started on your adventure and explore on your own, it's really in your best interest to take on the early missions in the main quest. Right outside the Vault door is a Mr. Gusty robot, who will let you know where to go next in your quest to find the Overseer. Within the first 10 minutes of stepping outside, you'll acquire new weapons, armor, and get used to the more nuanced mechanics in Fallout 76. This will go a long way in helping you get your feet wet in the open world, and you'll still come across many side events and opportunities to take on.
Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Building your character up from scratch is one of the hallmarks of the Fallout series, and 76 is no different. However, the early hours of Fallout 76 are not as generous as other games in the series, and it'll take time to gradually build up to the more familiar archetypes of previous games. But before you reach that point, you'll need to understand that you'll often have to work with what you have at your disposal--even if it's mostly scraps of items and word-down weapons that have seen better days. It's important for you to get out of your comfort zone and try out new methods and solutions for survival that you wouldn't normally take on in other games.
Rethink What Makes You SPECIAL
Given the more survivalist nature of Fallout 76, you'll have to be constantly on your toes and adapt to any situation that comes you way. The systems at work in-game allows for more flexibility, letting you refocus your character's strengths at anytime. Once you start leveling up, you'll be able to allocate SPECIAL points and gain new Perk Cards for your character. While all the SPECIAL points you invest are set in stone, the new perks you can set on your deck can be swapped out at any time.
As you increase in power from leveling up and acquiring new gear, you'll be able to flesh out your character in more interesting ways. Players that often favor firearms and explosives may find themselves in a position where they'll have to double down on melee weapons and hacking, and many of the perks you find will offer up some interesting buffs to make builds that were made on the fly seem worthwhile.
Group Up
Just outside of Vault 76, you'll encounter other players who have also started their journey. While you're totally free to explore on your own and take on whatever challenges that come from being a lone wanderer in West Virginia, there are many benefits to exploring in a group. When in a group, you and your squad can communicate with each other through voice-chat--though only in short-range--which will allow you to coordinate quests and how you'll clear our some of the more challenging locations housing Scorched, Ghouls, and Super Mutants. Though this is totally doable on your own, getting a group can lessen the hassle and spare some precious resources that you would end up spending on your own.
Grouping up in a Fallout game is still a new concept, so it's better to get a feel for it sooner rather than later. To team up with others, walk over to another player and invite them into a party. If they accept the invite, you'll partner up instantly. Up to four people can work together, with each member getting their own share of the loot. However, if you want to splinter off from the group and do your own thing, you're free to do so. If you've put a lot of distance between you and your group and want to return to them, you can open up the map and fast travel to a party member, allowing you to great distances without much hassle.
Always Be Collecting
Scavenging for junk items and gear is a normal part of your journey in the post-apocalyptic wasteland. While the cheap desk fans, baseballs, and plastic cups may not seem so valuable, breaking them down to basic materials can lead to crafting new weapons, armor, and support items. The screws from a desk fan for instance can be used to craft higher-end weapon and armor upgrades your paltry starting weapons, which will help even the odds when things get tough. Moreover, items can be gathered from the game world itself, including downed tree logs, which offer wood.
However, it's important not to get too greedy when exploring and junking all these items. With the deeper survival mechanics in place, every item you have in your inventory has a set weight. And with all those items added up, you'll likely find yourself overencumbered at the worst possible time. If you can't find a workbench to scrap items, you can always stay on the lookout for stash boxes, which are often located in residential areas, red rocket stations, or can be built with the C.A.M.P.. Despite this being an online game, you're not racing against others to scavenge the nearby ruins for junk. Every player will get their own haul of items, and you're never left empty handed after seeing another squad of vault dwellers rummage through a place.
Get Crafting and Stay Healthy
While there are plenty of supplies and new weapons to find in the field, these tools won't be in that great of a condition and you're much better off not leaving things to chance. The gear you create and modify with your own hands with the resources are what make the difference between surviving a shootout with Mole Miners or finding yourself face-first in the dirt.
Once you have those materials, it's best to start investing them into better items and supplies. Along with the weapon and armor workbenches, you'll need to utilize the cooking and chem stations to craft food, clean water, and healing items in order to stay healthy. While you certainly able to eat whatever stale food or use worn down weapons and armor, it all has to be done with caution. Poor weapons will breakdown fast, and dirty water and rotten food can lead to diseases and sickness for your characters--including the particularly nasty case of Radworms.
Take In The Sights
Starting out in the Western portion of the map, set in the Appalachian region, you're in a prime spot to branch out into the other parts of the West Virginian wilderness. Your map is one of the most valuable resources you have, which highlights many of the major attractions in the area--akin to an amusement park guide. But in between those major points of interests, there are many different areas that house valuable loot, interesting story details, and some usual monsters to fight. Moreover, you'll often find events and side-missions while exploring, which can open up some interesting diversions.
While the entire map is free to explore at the beginning, it would be best not to branch out too far into other regions. Here are some interesting locations that you can explore in the early hours of Fallout 76, all located in reasonable distance from the Vault
- Top of the World Ski Lodge: Located in the center of the map on top of a mountain, making it one of the highest spots in game. Resembling an old-school, gimmicky resort, this ski-lodge now houses bloatflies and Super Mutants. When exploring this site, you'll also be able to find one of the game's more unusual melee weapons known as the Ski Sword.
- The Greenbrier Resort: Found just south of the ski lodge, this resort is an extremely ritzy location that feels more like a time capsule than a ruin. With an army of Protectrons maintaining the grounds and keeping nasty foes out, the resort is in surprisingly good condition having survived more than twenty years of no activity. While exploring the inside, you will find mobs feral ghouls, all of whom have kept their attachment to the posh lifestyle of their past lives.
- Horizon's Rest: Located just west of the Top of the World ski lodge, this ruined plane has been converted into a multi-level living quarters for survivors. However, the owners have since abandoned it, leaving behind an armory filled with weapons, ammo, and armor for anyone who's able to find the clues to unlock it.
Challenge Another Player
Once you reach level 5, Fallout 76's player vs player gameplay will open up. Despite every character coming from the same Vault, where they shared safety and comfort from the outside elements, all previous friendships formed in the bunker are tossed by the wayside. While you're not committed to taking part in PVP, you may come across a relentless player who's got their eye on you. When another person attacks you, they will only deal chip damage to your character--a small fraction of their actual attack power. However, it does add up over time, and they can kill you if you've lost enough health--or if they just happen to catch you after a nasty scrape with some monsters.
If this happens, you have several options at your disposal; you can fast-travel away from them, block them, or even try to engage them in a fight. The later option can go a number of different ways, especially if you're up against a stronger player, but it lead to interesting results--the winner takes any junk items that their opponent had upon their defeat. Since this is a first for the series, you may want to try out player combat as early as you can to get a feel for it. While you can usually avoid PVP, there may come a situation where dueling could work out for you, especially if they're an underleveled annoyance. However, it's usually in your best interest to keep fights clean. If you ambush others and take them out with chip damage--with the other player not fighting back--you'll be marked as a murderer and left with a large target on your back for others to see.
Take Your Time
To put it bluntly, Fallout 76 features the largest map of the series--there is no way you'll experience many of the game's more defining events during the early hours. With so much ground to cover, it's a good thing to take your time and soak up all the details during the beginning of your journey. While many players will be eager to dive into the questline dealing with the nukes, which Bethesda have been teasing since the game's reveal, this is an event that will take several hours to work up to. Moreover, many of these quests will require high-end gear, such as power armor and high end, as it puts you face to face with some of the game's most dangerous monsters, including 76's new elite foe known as the Scorchbeast.
Once you've amassed an arsenal of weapons, supplies, and strengthened your character to a point where you can handle many of the tougher challenges, you'll be able to venture out into West Virginia's more notorious areas, which includes the Savage Divide and The Mire. But you're better off taking things slow, and enjoying yourself until that time comes.
More than anything, Diablo 3: Eternal Collection proves just how well Blizzard's action-RPG has aged. Six years after its original release, the dungeon crawler remains as rewarding as ever, and despite a few technical concessions, it has found yet another welcoming home on Nintendo's portable console.
For those unfamiliar with Blizzard's 2012 loot fest, Diablo 3 places you in the shoes of a superpowered demon-slayer in a hellish, gothic world. You explore five disparate regions from a top-down view, upgrading your character and earning new loot as you battle the lords of the underworld and their monstrous swarms.
With the Eternal Collection, Diablo 3 includes every expansion, every character, every quality-of-life improvement the RPG has ever added. One of the more notable options is the ability to play Adventure Mode right from the start, eliminating the need to slog through the slower-paced story out of necessity.
Of course, in coming to Nintendo Switch, Diablo 3 has also become a portable game. And it works. It works incredibly well.
In fact, I can think of few games better suited for a handheld port. So much of Diablo 3 plays best in short bursts, from the 10-minute chase for that next legendary item, to the satisfying flow of a challenge rift. I completed bounties on my way to work and organized my inventory on the way back. Of the 50 hours I spent with Diablo 3 on Switch, about half of them played out in handheld mode. It's another testament to the novelty of Nintendo's console, yes, but also the elegance of Diablo 3's design.
Movement still feels natural on the analog sticks--whether you're playing with the Joy-Cons or Pro controller--and custom controls make it easy to maximize your character build at any time. As was the case with Diablo 3's previous jump to PS4 and Xbox One, the mechanical leap to Switch is painless and fluid. It's just as easy to rely on muscle memory while you focus on the kaleidoscopic display of magic and fire. To paraphrase the designer Don Norman: good design is invisible.
When it comes to visual fidelity, Blizzard ensured that Diablo 3 on Switch runs at 60 frames across the board--aside from rare occasions when elemental effects didn't animate, the Eternal Collection is remarkably clean. Even during high-level challenge rifts, with hundreds of demons covering the screen, the dungeon crawler maintained a smooth and steady pace. The framerate is equally stable in handheld mode, and crunching those mobs is just as satisfying as it's ever been.
The Eternal Collection's resolution, on the other hand, is a bit more muddled. In the Switch's docked mode, Diablo 3 looks aggressively fine, or at least, as good as any other isometric game released in 2012. In handheld mode's 720p resolution, however, things get cloudier. I mean that both literally and metaphorically. In Diablo 3's darker areas--of which there are many--I have to crank my console's brightness all the way in order to really see what is going on. Even then, there's a slight haze over everything, making character models look more like mirages than actual figures. Handheld mode's jagged edges and foggy panoramas aren't massive flaws by any means, but after playing for long periods in docked mode, they tend to stand out.
What they don't do, however, is detract from Diablo's thrilling combat. And of course, in true series tradition, that combat is often more thrilling with a friend or two.
Few cooperative experiences compare to a Monk, Demon Hunter, Barbarian, and Wizard working in concert to whittle down mobs down little by little, one demon at a time. It's a special thrill to see my character build factor into a larger group, and an even better one to see how that group dynamic changes how I play. I'm still mainly focused on killing every enemy possible, but I'm also thinking about tanking with my Crusader, or healing with my Monk, or littering the screen with corpses to give my Necromancer ally more ammunition.
As with previous console iterations of Diablo 3, The Eternal Collection allows for up to four players on one console at a time. Item management is less satisfying in this scenario, as you're either quick-equipping new loot without appreciating its subtleties, or pausing the game for the entire party just so you can boost your damage by 100 points. The radial menus are also still as imprecise as ever, but I'm hard-pressed to think of a better solution without a mouse and keyboard.
I came into the Eternal Edition expecting a eulogy for one of my favorite games. Instead, I stumbled upon a celebration.
And although Diablo 3 on Switch gives you the option to use Joy-Cons as individual controllers, be warned: It's counterintuitive and cumbersome, with poor button-mapping and an overreliance on motion controls. Blizzard did the best it could with what the Joy-Con offers, but when in doubt, stick to the Pro controller or the dual Joy-Con rig.
The Eternal Collection brings the additional ease of playing via LAN connection on each player's respective Switch. It's helpful to have the camera focused solely on your character, especially in Diablo 3's more hectic moments. But I still couldn't help preferring local co-op. There's something novel--even nostalgic--about playing on the same screen, watching the same chaos unfold as the person next to you. Diablo 3 on Switch allows for several methods of playing with friends, and whatever your preference, the experience still holds up.
Like the best games, Diablo 3 has gotten better with time. And despite a few setbacks, the Switch is now my preferred home for the extraordinary RPG. It includes every major improvement Blizzard made to the formula, with the added handheld versatility every Switch port offers.
Diablo 3 is a game about long term goals accomplished in short, thrilling bursts. It's rewarding and subtle. It's flashy and boisterous. I have spent six years enjoying it, and will likely spend six years more. As far as video games go, that's a long time--I came into the Eternal Collection expecting a eulogy for one of my favorite games. Instead, I stumbled upon a celebration.
The wait for the eighth and final season ofGame of Thrones is almost too much to handle. A new episode of the series hasn't been seen since August 2017 and there's still plenty of time to wait as Season 8 won't arrive until sometime in 2019. However, in a newly-released interview with showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss, it's revealed that a final season wasn't always in the cards. Instead, they considered releasing three theatrical films to wrap up the series.
A new Entertainment Weekly cover story that dives deep into the final season of the HBO series features a previously unreleased interview with the duo that took place during filming of Season 3 back in 2012, in which they discuss their plan for the finale at the time. Knowing the epic battle the show planned to feature in its final season, neither Weiss or Benioff believed HBO's TV budgets would be able to handle the cost. "We have a very generous budget from HBO, but we know what's coming down the line and, ultimately, it's not generous enough," Benioff said at the time.
That's when the idea of converting the final episodes into three theatrical films to tell the end of the Game of Thrones story occurred to them. "It's what we're working towards in a perfect world," Weiss explained. "We end up with an epic fantasy story but with the level of familiarity and investment in the characters that are normally impossible in a two-hour movie."
If they shot them as films, rather than episodes of TV, the showrunners believed they'd have access to the time and money they needed to make the final season everything they knew it had to be for fans. Of course, there was one major force that disagreed with them: HBO. The network was less interested in releasing movies than serving its customer base, meaning Game of Thrones was destined to end where it began--on TV.
However, according to EW, executives at HBO assured Weiss and Benioff they would get everything they needed to craft their ending. And, in the end, the network came through with its end of the bargain. With a price tag of $15 million on each of Season 8's episodes and nearly two years to complete them, the showrunners are happy with the end product. "They put their money where their mouths are--literally stuffed their mouth full of million-dollar bills, which don't exist anymore," Weiss joked.
Now, with filming wrapped on the final season, fans are eagerly awaiting the show's return. Game of Thrones will return in 2019 for its final season. Still, while we're learning the first details about the last episodes of the series, fans should be prepared for an ending that may not be as satisfying as they are hoping for. That should be fine, though, as the Game of Thrones universe isn't slowing down. HBO has a prequel series in the works, starring Naomi Watts and Josh Whitehouse. It's titled The Long Night. Meanwhile, we all continue to wait for the day that George R.R. Martin, the writer of the novels Game of Thrones is based on, finishes his series.
The beta for Fallout 76 has officially begun, but as you read this, you likely can't actually play it. That's because Bethesda only has its servers available at certain times; trying to get in outside of these specific windows will yield a "login failed" error. Below, we've got all the details you need to know regarding exactly when you can play. At the time of this writing, the next test takes place on November 1 with the next session that will be available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC. Read on for the full schedule (so far).
Fallout 76's debut test was available only on Xbox One for a four-hour window on October 23. That has since passed, with Bethesda deeming it an "amazing start." Additional test periods will continue to be available for a limited time. The purpose of this is to force players together at a specific time to stress test and put the game through its paces. Sessions will typically last 4-8 hours in a given day, and then the beta will be inoperable again until the next session. The process will repeat between now and the game's release date on November 14.
A beta code is available to anyone who pre-ordered the game across Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4. Pre-loading is available on all platforms. You'll receive a code with your physical pre-order to enter into the accounts page, or you'll be entered into the pool automatically if you pre-order a digital copy. Note that those codes don't grant you access. Rather, they put you into the potential pool of players to get a distribution code later, since Bethesda is rolling out the invites in waves.
Upcoming Fallout 76 Beta Times
November 1
US Pacific Time: 11 AM to 8 PM
US Eastern Time: 2 PM - 11 PM
UK GMT: 6 PM - 3 AM
Australia AEDT: 5 AM - 2 PM
November 3
US Pacific Time: 2 PM - 6 PM
US Eastern Time: 5 PM - 9 PM
UK GMT: 9 PM - 1 AM
Australia AEDT: 8 AM - 12 PM (November 4)
November 4
US Pacific Time: 11 AM - 6 PM
US Eastern Time: 2 PM - 9 PM
UK GMT: 6 PM - 10 PM
Australia AEDT: 5 AM - 12 PM (November 5)
Bethesda plans to let to keep your progress from the beta through to the full game. Pre-ordering also will get you 500 Atoms, the in-game currency, for purchasing cosmetic items in the shop. Fallout 76 is due out on November 14. For more details, check out our guide to everything we know.
At the end of the latest Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct event, Nintendo debuted a new cinematic trailer that provided a little tease of its Adventure mode story, known as World of Light. This time around, the excuse for having everyone literally kick and punch each other into outer-space revolves around Spirits, which are characters that have been separated from their physical forms by a mysterious force. It all happened on one fateful day, and the Smash Ultimate will explore exactly how and why, as well as who is responsible.
Accompanying the cinematic was perhaps the biggest surprise of the Direct--a Smash Bros. Ultimate theme song with vocal lyrics. Now, putting lyrics to songs in video games is a tricky endeavour. Sometimes it can go really well, like with Portal's Still Alive, Persona 5's Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There, Metal Gear Solid 3's Snake Eater and, of course, the single greatest video game theme tune of all time, Daytona USA's Let's Go Away (better known as Do-da do-da do-do-do-do do-do-do).
Other times you can get turds like the heavy metal Chocobo theme from Final Fantasy X-2, Eternity from Blue Dragon--which is bad despite the fact that it was sung by Deep Purple's Ian Gillan--or that vocal version of Ryu's theme that is jaw-droppingly bad.
Nintendo has a decent track record, most notably Jump Up! Super Star, the jazzy little ditty that was in Super Mario Odyssey. It absolutely knocked it out of the park with that one, and was no doubt given confidence to take another crack at it by the universal praise it got. The Smash Bros. Ultimate theme, however, doesn't seem like another [pause for impact] smash hit.
While the orchestral arrangement is appropriately epic, the actual lyrics are a bit on the nose--and not in the cheesy but catchy way Snake Eater does it. It sounds like a direct translation of a song that probably sounded way better in Japanese. Take a look at the lyrics (which we've transcribed to the best of our abilities) and listen to the song below for yourself.
Colours weave into a spire of flame,
Distant sparks call to a past still unnamed,
Bear this torch against the cold of the night,
Search your soul and reawaken the undying light,
On that day, when the sky fell away,
Our world came to an end,
In our eyes, did a fading sunrise in the dark, glimmer shadows
Silence grows, in the spaces between,
Stretching out beyond time,
Rising up, as a chorus of souls finds a [voice?],
Flickering through the void,
These little sparks,
Cling onto life, everyone caught in the struggle,
And then the storms of change, they fan the flames scattering ashes to the wind,
Every soul contains a whisper of light, gleaming faint beyond the dwindle from [sight?]
No escape no greater fate to be made,
in the end the chains of time will not break,
Colours weave into a spire of flame,
Distant sparks call to a past still unnamed,
Bear this torch against the cold of the night,
Search your soul and reawaken the undying light
Of course, musical tastes are subjective, so maybe the theme totally rocks your eardrums, in which case, great! Also while you're here why not watch the misheard lyrics video for Super Smash Bros. Brawl's theme, which is a classic.
In related Smash Bros. Ultimate news, two new characters have been revealed for the game: Ken and Inceneroar. Nintendo has also provided a wealth of information on how Spirits work in the game. Inn addition to being a part of the story, they factor into the gameplay in a big way. Although the core character roster is now complete, more characters will also be added to Smash Bros. Ultimate via paid DLC.
While Game of Thrones is like a game of chess, more than anything else, as characters slowly try to take down various regimes and place themselves in positions of power, the series is just as memorable for its large-scale, epic battle sequences. During the upcoming final season of the HBO series, there will be a battle unlike any other fans have seen on the show, the largest in the series' history.
The most notable battle sequence from Game of Thrones is the "Battle of the Bastards" which took place in Season 6, Episode 9. Jon Snow fought Ramsay Bolton, each accompanied with their own armies, in an intense and bloody fight which was the highlight of that season. However, Season 8 has its own war that is going to be even bigger, according to Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister on the series. "It's brutal," Dinklage told Entertainment Weekly for its Game of Thrones cover story. "It makes the Battle of the Bastards look like a theme park."
Originally, the "Battle of the Bastards" fight took 25 days to shoot. This new sequence shot outside for 55 nights, then continued filming in the studio for weeks afterwards. Just how long they filmed in the studio wasn't publicized, but it sounds as if it's easily the largest sequence in the show's history. It's directed by Miguel Sapochnik, who also directed the "Battle of the Bastards" and some of the other top battle sequences in the show, like "Hardhome."
The battle will take place at Winterfell, and while the "Battle of the Bastards" primarily focused on two characters--Snow and Bolton--this next fight will jump between multiple members of the cast. It will feature a giant fight fans have been waiting to see for quite some time. "Part of our challenge, and really, [director Miguel Sapochnik's] challenge, is how to keep that compelling… we've been building toward this since the very beginning, it's the living against the dead, and you can't do that in a 12-minute sequence," showrunner David Benioff explained.
To make the sequence feel grander, Winterfell's set was expanded. A larger courtyard, a tower castle exterior, and more rooms were added. Everything about Winterfell and this battle is turned up to 11. "Everything feels more intense," explained Emilia Clarke, who plays Daenerys Targaryen. "I had a scene with someone and I turned to him and said, 'Oh my God, I'm not going to do this ever again,' and that brings tears to my eyes."
The final season of Game of Thrones, which was almost released theatrically, returns to HBO sometime in 2019. While you may be sad all things are coming to an end in Westeros, don't fret, as the Game of Thrones prequel series is pushing forward, recently casting its lead role.
New details have slowly been trickling out about HBO's first Game of Thrones spin-off series, even as we're finally learning something about the hit fantasy epic's final season. The biggest reveal about the Game of Thrones prequel series, though, is probably its name: The Long Night.
Author George RR Martin, who penned the "A Song of Ice and Fire" books on which Game of Thrones is based, revealed the title on his blog following news that Naomi Watts had been cast as the lead of the new show, which is being run by Kingsman and Kick-Ass writer and producer Jane Goldman. For Game of Thrones fans, the name is a huge piece of information that had previously been the subject of speculation, because it suggests the prequel will hinge on a very specific, and very terrifying, moment in the history of Westeros.
The Long Night refers to a time around 8,000 years before the current events of the show, during what's known in Game of Thrones lore as the Age of Heroes. It was specifically a very long winter--the world of Game of Thrones has weird seasons that can last years, and the Long Night lasted a generation. It was so bad that, according to the Starks' servant Old Nan, "There came a night that lasted a generation, and kings shivered and died in their castles even as the swineherds in their hovels. Women smothered their children rather than see them starve, and cried, and felt their tears freeze on their cheeks."
What was extra awful about the Long Night was the arrival of the Others, or White Walkers, for the first time in Westeros. Descending from the North, the White Walkers led an army of the dead that, Nan says, routed armies, swept through castles and towns, and showed no mercy. According to Westerosi legend, it was only when an unknown figure called the Last Hero sought out and allied with the magical folk called the Children of the Forest that the White Walkers were defeated.
So it definitely seems that The Long Night is going to cover a lot of that legendary ground, likely upending fan expectations by showing a truer version than the stories that were passed down around Westeros. From previous rundowns from HBO, we also know that The Long Night will deal with a few legendary figures, specifically Bran the Builder, the founder of House Stark (who also built Winterfell and the Wall), and Lann the Clever, the founder of House Lannister.
There's also the Children of the Forest, who we know from Game of Thrones were the original creators of the White Walkers. The Children of the Forest made the first of the undead creatures in response to the original humans to settle Westeros, the First Men, basically kicking them off their land and cutting down their forests. The Long Night creates an uneasy truce in the wake of that conflict.
Finally, there's likely to be some interesting things going on across the Narrow Sea in The Long Night, as well. The generation-long winter didn't just befall Westeros, it impacted the entire world, and the eastern civilizations have their own legend about what happened. That's the story of Azor Ahai, the hero in the Lord of Light religion, who used the glowing sword Lightbringer to battle "the darkness." It's not clear what exactly that means, or whether Azor Ahai and the Last Hero are one and the same.
Martin didn't reveal any other information about the show, but he did write that there still are other Game of Thrones prequels in "active development." Without revealing any potential stories for the other shows, he mentioned that "the readers among you might want to grab a copy of Fire & Blood," his upcoming book, when it's released on November 20. That story is also a Game of Thrones prequel, but goes back through the 300 years before the original books to detail the history of the Targaryen family--another fascinating time in Martin's world, filled with intrigue, war, and dragons.
Meanwhile, we do know that Season 8 of Game of Thrones made at least one cast member cry, and that it'll have the biggest and most brutal battle in the series' history. There was also a least a short time when showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss were considering trying to make three standalone movies out of the final season. And while there aren't too many details out there about what to expect from the end of Game of Thrones, a recently released tie-in video game might hold some clues.
The latest Super Smash Bros. Ultimate presentation was chock full of new announcements, including word of a special dedicated service coming next year. Dubbed "Smash World," the free service will let you post and watch videos of your glory moments.
Game director Masahiro Sakurai teased that the service will boast other unnamed features as well, and that it will be given regular updates throughout its lifespan. The brief glimpse at the UI shown during the presentation had a large array of video captures appearing on a mobile device.
Smash World isn't the only extra coming to Smash Bros. in 2019. The presentation also revealed plans for DLC characters, stages, and music to come throughout the year. There will be five packs in all--each of which grants one character, one stage, and some music tracks--for $6 apiece. Nintendo is also offering a Fighter Pass for $25. In addition to those five characters, Piranha Plant is being added as a playable character, and he'll(?) be free for anyone who registers their copy of the game by January 31, 2019.
The onslaught of new content for Fortnite continues, as developer Epic Games has released the game's latest patch. Update 6.21 is now available on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Android (iOS may have a short delay before an update hits the App store), and its headlining feature is a new type of item in Battle Royale: balloons. Here are the patch notes and everything that's new.
[Update: Epic has notified users of issues involving the new update. On Twitter, it wrote, "We are investigating a few issues with the v6.21 patch, including problems with performance and matchmaking. We will post an update as soon as we have more information." There's no word yet on when the issues will be resolved.]
Balloons may sound mundane, but they look as if they could introduce some wacky, tactical fun into the game. As you can see in the brief video below, holding onto balloons allows you to float or rise up into the air. They're classified as Epic rarity, and when you pick them up, you'll get a total of 20 that can be deployed. You can hold as many as six at once; you inflate balloons by hitting the primary fire button and let go of one by hitting secondary fire. Balloons are found in an assortment of places--chests, supply drops, supply llamas, vending machines, or as floor loot--but you'll want to be careful when using them. The patch notes warn, "Don't float too high for too long; balloons only last so long at max build height."
Another significant change involves glider re-deploying, a feature that entered testing with the last patch. Epic won't be removing this after all and has plans to continue monitoring feedback and testing the feature due to the "positive results" that it's seen.
Update 6.21 vaults a number of weapons. In standard matches, you'll no longer encounter the semi-auto sniper, guided missile, and dual pistols. These may return in the future, but for the time being, you'll only be able to use them in Playground mode.
Regarding the grappler, Epic has tweaked it so that when it's used by the passenger of a vehicle, the vehicle's velocity plays a factor in increasing your grapple force. Also, grappling out of a vehicle will no longer cause it to move in an arc; the vehicle will instead continue straight forward.
On the Save the World side, you'll find a new type of cache, a new hero, and an assortment of other fixes. As always, this co-op mode is only available to those who have purchased access; Epic recently revealed it won't be available to everyone as a free-to-play mode (like Battle Royale) until sometime next year.
The release of update 6.21 comes just days before the Halloween event Fortnitemares is set to end in Battle Royale. Coming on Sunday, November 4, is some kind of one-time-only event to cap off the ongoing festivities. In the meantime, new Week 6 challenges will soon be available, and you can check out the full patch notes below.
Fortnite Update 6.21 Patch Notes
General
Gameplay
Added support for newer versions of PS4 and Xbox One controllers on Mac
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue where holding down the left mouse button would block other inputs in certain conditions on Mac.
Battle Royale
Playground
Bug Fixes
Updated Port-A-Challenge grenade names.
Improved clarity of where to throw Port-A-Challenge grenades.
Weapons + Items
Balloons added
Epic rarity
Comes with 20 deployable balloons.
Allows the player to defy gravity by holding up to 6 balloons at a time.
Primary fire button to inflate a balloon, secondary fire button to let go of a balloon.
Can be found from floor loot, chests, Supply Drops, Supply Llamas, and Vending Machines.
NOTE: Don't float too high for too long, balloons only last so long at max build height.
Grappler
When grappling as a vehicle passenger, the velocity of your vehicle is factored into the grapple force.
Only occurs in instances where vehicle velocity will be a net gain to grapple force.
Grappling as a vehicle passenger will now cause the vehicle to travel in a straight line to its destination rather than traveling in an arc.
Vaulted
Semi-Auto Sniper
Guided Missile
Dual Pistols
These items will remain available in Playground Mode.
25% of explosive damage will now penetrate through structures and the environment.
Gameplay
Glider Re-deploy
We've finished our first week of Glider Re-deploy being available in all modes. During this time we've been collecting internal data and monitoring constructive feedback from all of you. We understand that not all players agree with this change, but we would like to continue with this functionality in the game based on the positive results we've been seeing.
As this feature remains available, we'll begin making quality of life changes to its functionality. First of which will be prioritizing Glider audio over weapon audio within certain ranges, this will begin in v6.21. We also plan on adding additional changes in future updates.
Thanks for the discussion and feedback you've provided. Please continue letting us know how we can improve this feature, your thoughts on its effect in matches, and any other feedback you may have as we continue to work on Glider Re-deploy.
Additional Gameplay Changes
Grass updates more frequently resulting in smoother animation.
Added support for Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and newer versions of PS4 and Xbox One controllers on Mac
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue where picking up a trap could cause a hitch.
Certain bindings will no longer override the ability to use the fullscreen map and spectating actions.
Fixed the delay between using multiple Small Shields.
Fixed an issue where inventory could get stuck when using the Grappler while picking up an item.
Map zooming with trigger buttons works on Switch again.
Audio
Intensified Fiend Hunter Crossbow fire sounds.
Reduced volume of Cube Monsters and dynamic spawners.
It's now easier to hear gliders while shooting or harvesting.
Bug Fixes
Fixed sniper projectiles playing the wrong impact sounds when hitting Cube Monsters.
Fixed Boogie Bomb music not playing for Cube Monsters.
Replay System
Bug Fixes
Fixed a bug causing Quad Launcher rocket explosions to reset when scrubbing replays.
Mobile
Optimization to reduce hitching on Android phones using Vulkan.
Snap-to-value slider added to the HUD Layout tool.
Bug Fixes
Widgets that should not have had editable visibility shown will now be properly hidden.
Save the World
Missions + Systems
All rarities of Perk-UP and RE-Perk materials are now distributed starting in mid-Plankerton and beyond.
This applies to mission rewards and Miniboss Mission Alerts.
Perk Caches
New Cache type that can drop both RE-Perk and Perk-UP.
Will start appearing in mid-Plankerton.
These can drop from Mini-bosses and treasure chests.
The Volcanic and Vortex modifiers can now appear on mini-bosses.
The Vortex modifier allows the enemy to use a bolt of energy to pull heroes towards it.
The Volcanic modifier causes the ground to rupture under a player, exploding for huge damage.
Adjusted the Mutant Storm mission table to assure only one of the three modifiers could possibly appear in a mission.
Acid Pools, Smoke Screens, and Slowing Pools.
The Frenzied Deathburst modifier now applies an increase to enemy attack damage as well as a speed increase.
Heroes
Dim Mak Igor - Plague Doctor Ninja.
Available on November 1 at 8 PM Eastern Time.
Bug Fixes
Goin' Commando's perk Boomstick now properly deals energy damage.
Gameplay
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue where upgraded Adrenaline Rush would not revive allies.
When placing traps or using BASE with perks or attributes that increase max health to building pieces, the building pieces no longer get stuck with "Repair 1" instead of letting you Upgrade.
Fixed a possible crash leaving the zone on Xbox
Correct mission info now displays for party members in zone lobby.
Defenses built around storm trap are destroyed when storm trap is placed afterward.
Enemies
Bug Fixes
Taker now properly pushes players out of the way with swoop attack.
The outline for pumpkin headed Husks now appears properly.
UI
Bug Fixes
The zone selected by the party leader is now properly replicated to the other players in the lobby.
The Halloween-themed background is now properly appearing on the Fortnitemares quest map on the Play Tab.
Audio
Added sound updates for vote system with Mission Control.
Bug Fixes
Fixed issue with Disintegrator explosion sounds not playing consistently.
Fixed issue with combat music persisting when completing Fight the Storm missions.
Fixed issue with Husk Bee Hive damage sounds not playing consistently.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate features a whopping 74 playable characters in the base game, with a handful of others coming down the line as DLC. However, players who pre-order or purchase the title soon after launch will be treated to one additional character for free, and it's a very unexpected one: Piranha Plant.
The potted Mario enemy will be added to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a full playable character. It is able spit poison, fire a spiked ball at opponents, and even extend its neck (stem?) to perform a long-range attack. For its Final Smash, Piranha Plant summons Petey Piranha onto the battlefield to attack other players.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai says that Piranha Plant isn't yet finished, but it will be available around February 2019. In order to receive it for free, you'll need to register Super Smash Bros. Ultimate via your My Nintendo account by January 31, 2019. This will be done automatically if you purchase the game digitally from either the Switch Eshop or Nintendo's website. If you opt for a physical copy, you'll need to press the plus button while on the game's icon in the Switch menu and select the My Nintendo Rewards option.
If you register your copy of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate before the cutoff date, you'll receive a download code for the character via email. You'll need to redeem this code by 11:59 PM PT on June 30, 2019. Piranha Plant will also be offered as a paid DLC character separate from those included in the Fighters Pass.
The aforementioned Fighters Pass can be purchased for $25 USD and gives players five DLC fighters, as well as their corresponding stages and music tracks. Nintendo hasn't revealed who these characters will be; Sakurai says development on them hasn't yet begun and that it may take a year for them to all arrive. Each character/stage/music set will also be offered up individually for $6.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate launches for Nintendo Switch on December 7. In addition to Piranha Plant, Nintendo revealed two other new characters for the game during its latest Direct presentation: Ken from Street Fighter and Incineroar from Pokemon. The company also shared more details on the mysterious Spirits mode. You can read about all the announcements and watch the Direct's highlights in our news round-up.
With Diablo III set to make its Nintendo Switch debut later this week to coincide with the start of BlizzCon 2018, Blizzard has revealed another notable piece of news for Nintendo fans. Diablo is getting its very first Amiibo figure, and odds are, it's probably not any of the characters you would guess.
As Blizzard shared on Twitter, the figure is not Diablo himself, nor any off the other Prime Evils. It's also not Tyrael, Malthael, Deckard Cain, or any of the playable classes. Instead, it's the mischievous loot goblin who gets the Amiibo treatment. (Separately, we're also getting some new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Amiibo figures.)
The loot goblin Amiibo launches sometime in December; a specific release date and price wasn't shared. But it's notable for featuring a unique design, both in terms of the figure itself and the box. The box looks more like a Funko Pop than the standard Amiibo packaging we're accustomed to, while the figure has a cartoonish look. It actually appears to be the same design as an earlier Cute But Deadly figurine.
The figure's exact function in the Switch game isn't detailed, but Blizzard teases that you may be able to use it to access The Vault, a secret treasure goblin area filled with loot.
While certainly not imposing foes or significant characters in the lore, loot goblins do embody the loot chase that makes Diablo so enjoyable. Treasure goblins are a type of enemy you can happen upon in Diablo III. When first attacked, these will begin to run away, but as you continue hitting them, they drop various loot--gold, gems, blood shards, weapons, armor--depending on what type they are. It's a real treat, but also an intense race to ensure you kill it and earn the maximum lot before it can summon a portal and jump through.
Diablo III's launch on Switch represents a great new way to play the game, even if it does lose some of the visual fidelity of the PC version. You can read all about what to expect in our Diablo III Switch review.
If it wasn't clear enough that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on Switch was set to be the biggest entry of the series, then the recent Nintendo Direct showcasing the new game modes and massive roster offered the most comprehensive look at the game yet. In addition to the new Spirits gameplay, we finally saw the game's new story mode, which aims to tie together everything that Ultimate offers. In this new adventure called World of Light, players will explore a large world in order to save friends and foes alike from mysterious corruption.
During the closing trailer for the Direct, we saw the entire lineup of 75 fighters preparing to face off against a new threat. However, things don't go over well for our heroes, and every character is overtaken by this new foe--all except for Kirby. After recovering from the chaos, the sole survivor sets out to find his allies and cure them of their newfound corruption, all the while collecting the spirits of many supporting characters and friends who will aid him in combat.
From the trailer, World of Light looks very similar to a board game, a la Mario Party. However, it eventually expands into a broader adventure, where you'll see new sights and face off against evil versions of popular characters. Many of these battles also introduce some strange conditions, like facing off against oversized versions of fighters. These situations will make engagements a bit more challenging, which will gradually escalate into more intense fights.
While similar to the Subspace Emissary mode from Super Smash Bros. Brawl and the adventure mode from Smash Bros on 3DS, World of Light also incorporates the new Spirits gameplay--support characters that offer buffs and other attributes to your main fighter. Over the course of your journey, you'll trek across land, sea, and even the depths of outer space to fight and collect new Spirits and fighters to play as. It definitely aims to showcase many diverse locales and references to several past Nintendo games, including Kid Icarus, Star Fox, and even the Pokemon series.
Over the course of the extended Nintendo Direct, we also got to see the debut of upcoming fighters including Incineroar, Ken--Ryu's echo character--and the surprise appearance of the Piranha Plant, who will be the first post-launch fighter. Furthermore, the Direct also offered a breakdown of how online battles will work, which includes access to elite battles for the more skilled players, and along with a new companion app for the game called Smash World. If you had any worries about Nintendo's upcoming fighter being an update of the previous game, then this Direct should definitely put you at ease.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is set for launch on December 7 for the Nintendo Switch. If you want to know more about the game, including just how the online mode will function, who Incineroar is, and what the upcoming Season Pass for post-launch DLC will offer, be sure to check out our news round-up of the Direct.
Recent Articles:
You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website.
When you prequel the Game of Thrones...
No comments:
Post a Comment