By Dan Auty on Nov 27, 2018 06:02 pm
Before the modest, low-budget boxing drama Rocky hit theaters in 1976, Sylvester Stallone was just another an unknown actor with a few small B-movie roles to his name. Stallone's big advantage was that he could write as well as act, and the strength of his Rocky script--written in just a few days--allowed him to create a starring vehicle for himself. The huge box office and Oscar success of Rocky changed Stallone's career forever, and created one of the most influential sports movies ever made. Inevitable sequels followed, and while they were never as popular with critics as the first movie, they continued to dominate the box office through the first half of the '80s. The failure of 1990's Rocky V seemed to end the run, and as Stallone moved on to the likes of Demolition Man and Cliffhanger in the '90s, it appeared that Rocky Balboa, like John Rambo, would remain a character only associated with the past decade. Except that wasn't the end of the story. In 2006, Stallone decided to bring Rocky back for one last round. Rocky Balboa was his attempt to return the series to its roots as a gritty drama, rather than the ludicrous sports fantasies the '80s sequels had become. The movie was a hit, and was accepted by most fans as a welcome final chapter. But like the veteran boxer himself, the series refused to stay down. In 2014 it was announced that rising filmmaker Ryan Coogler, who had received much acclaim for his powerful indie drama Fruitvale Station, was to write and direct Creed, a movie focusing on the son of Apollo Creed, Rocky's great friend and rival. And not only that, but Stallone himself would return to play Balboa, taking a supporting role in the series he created. The result--Creed--were better than anyone expected. With Steven Caple Jr.'s Creed II now in theaters, the franchise is as strong as ever. Coogler and Caple Jr. have created movies that are vibrant, relevant, and designed to appeal to an audience who weren't around for the original films, but that also honor their legacy. Stallone deserves much credit too, for knowing to step aside and allow young, exciting filmmakers to take his creations and put their own spin on the formula he helped establish. Whether Adonis and Rocky return for Creed III or not, this remains one of the all-time great Hollywood series. And never bet against the Italian Stallion returning for another round. So here's our look at the entire Rocky series, ranked worst to best.
8. Rocky V (1990)
Everyone has their favorite Rocky movie--some folks love the heartfelt drama of the original, others the big commercial thrills of Rocky III and IV. But you'd be hard-pressed to find a fan who didn't think Rocky V was the franchise nadir. The movie is so bad it killed the series for over 15 years, and offered only fleeting glimpses of what made the previous films so successful. It's not so much the plot--which was always simplistic--but the attempt to return Rocky to his early life as a struggling boxer on the streets of Philly is so badly handled that what is meant to seem as gritty and moving just comes across laughable and sentimental. From the terrible performances and the plodding direction (by John G. Avildsen, who helmed the first film) to the horribly dated soundtrack, almost nothing here works.
7. Rocky II (1979)
Rocky II is curious movie viewed today, knowing the direction the series was about to take. It starts as a continuation of the first film, with Rocky coming to term with the fame that his bout with Apollo Creed has brought. But it quickly becomes a wish-fulfillment fantasy about Rocky's second chance to claim a glorious victory. The heartfelt love story between Rocky and Adrian is now a cheesy soap opera, while the recreation of the legendary Philadelphia run is just as silly, as Balboa leads dozens of excited kids through the streets. But despite Rocky II's uncertain tone, it's still an entertaining movie, and the final fight is one of the best of the series.
6. Rocky IV (1985)
Rocky IV is a weird movie. By 1985, Stallone had dropped all pretence at setting these films in the "real" world--and while he was at it, dropped traditional narrative convention. Rocky IV is essentially the longest movie montage ever. The movie opens with Apollo Creed's death at the hands of Soviet powerhouse Ivan Drago, and for the next hour we see Rocky train for the inevitable showdown with Drago in Moscow. There's no character development, just montage after montage, interrupted occasionally by a flashback. The movie is a ludicrous celebration of American power, and Stallone's final monologue, as Rocky addresses the Soviet Politburo (complete with Gorbachev lookalike) has to be seen to be believed. But as long you can get into its ridiculous comic book vibe, Rocky IV is entertaining nonsense. Oh, and Paulie has a robot.
5. Rocky Balboa (2006)
Stallone expressed his unhappiness with Rocky V, so more than a decade later returned to give Balboa a more fitting send-off. The results are a mixed bag. While Rocky Balboa gets much closer to the feel of the original movie, Stallone doesn't quite have the sensitivity of John Alvidson or Ryan Coogler, and some of the drama comes across as a bit clunky. But it's great to see some old faces back--from Burt Young's final appearance as Paulie to Spider Rico from the first movie--and the film does hit some impressive emotional beats, as Rocky mourns Adrian's death. As for the boxing, Rocky is of course lured back into the ring with young upstart Mason "The Line" Dixon, and the final showdown is predictable but exciting. Most fans were happy with this as Rocky's final outing, until Creed showed us how it's really done.
4. Creed II (2018)
Creed II is to the original Creed what Rocky II was to the movie that started it all. By this point in the series, the story has become intimately familiar, but it's so well-executed that the story's inevitability really doesn't matter. Like the original Creed, Creed II is about legacy, as Dolph Lundgren returns as Ivan Drago, who killed Apollo Creed in the ring but has been living disgraced for decades in his home country after Rocky defeated him. As a result, the inevitable showdown between Adonis Creed and Drago's son Viktor is breathtakingly personal, and Capel Jr.'s camera often stays uncomfortably close to the action to deliver perhaps the most realistic fights of the series. Creed II is Rocky sequel comfort food: exactly what you want, executed with amazing finesse.
3. Rocky III (1982)
In terms of pure popcorn entertainment, it's hard to top Rocky III. Sure, it has none of the powerful drama of Creed or the first movie, but it doesn't even try for those things. Stallone, who also wrote and directed, delivers exactly what fans wanted--a slick, loud, fast-moving, hugely enjoyable crowd-pleaser. It's light-hearted, with some great training scenes between Rocky and Apollo Creed--now best pals--and Mr T's Clubber Lang makes for a wonderfully memorable adversary ("Pity the fool!"). Plus, Survivor's 'Eye of the Tiger' remains one of the greatest movie songs of all time. Rocky III was a huge box office success, and paved the way for the even more ludicrous Rocky IV.
2. Rocky (1976)
The Rocky series changed so quickly after the first movie that it now seems like a film from a different franchise. Even Creed, which got the closest to recapturing it's gritty, street-level feel, has its foot in the slick, triumphant sports action of the later movies. Without any idea as they made it that the movie would become the era-defining blockbuster, Stallone and John G. Avildsen crafted a simple, small-scale underdog story that never feels clichéd, driven by believable characters, and a sweet love story. Despite loving the script, the studio didn't even want Stallone to star, and only agreed when the budget was reduced. But it's hard to imagine another actor inhabiting the role in the same way, and the fact that it mirrored Stallone's own struggle for years as a bit-part actor who could never get a break adds to its poignancy. The boxing scenes are great, but it's the one movie in the series where they are way less important than what is happening outside the ring. And while there had obviously been sports movies before Rocky, it set a template for the genre that is still used today.
1. Creed (2015)
Rocky Balboa felt like such a final round for the character, the idea he might return again for the best movie in the entire series a decade later seemed ludicrous. And had Creed just been Rocky 7, the world might have shrugged and moved on. But all credit to Stallone for allowing a talented, rising filmmaker to take series from his hands; the end results was a movie that worked brilliantly as a tremendous standalone for younger audiences who didn't grow up with Rocky, and was yet a clever, respectful continuation of the series. Michael B. Jordan delivers a star-making turn as Adonis Creed, son of Rocky's great rival Apollo, and Ryan Coogler returned the movie to its roots as a character-driven drama with some incredibly well-shot action. Stallone, freed from the extra pressures of writing and directing this one, delivers perhaps his greatest performance, resulting in well-deserved Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. The movie follows the formula laid down by the original, but brings it right up to date to deliver a movie with brains, heart, and air-punching thrills.
By Oscar Dayus on Nov 27, 2018 07:24 am
Every PS4 Game Coming In 2019 And Beyond
We're right in the thick of 2018's busy season of games. Already there are so many fantastic PS4 games, but there are still plenty releasing next year that are worth getting excited about. Heck, there's more than enough heavily anticiapted games coming out well beyond that too. While the current year has its share of great games that you should play, there's always something further off that has us even more excited. Based on how 2019 and beyond's roster is stacking up, there's already starting to be a lot. In this feature, we're going to take a look at all the biggest games that we know are coming to Sony's flagship console in 2019 and beyond. That list includes big games like BioWare's new multiplayer RPG, Anthem; Ubisoft's pirate game Skull & Bones; and Sucker Punch's Infamous: Second Son follow-up, Ghost of Tsushima. Other big-name games we're expecting to be released in 2019 or beyond include The Witcher developer CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077, the much-anticipated The Last of Us: Part II, and Life is Strange developer Dontnod's Twin Mirror. For more details on those games, click through this feature to see brief descriptions of all the big games coming next year or later. There's a plethora of exciting new games releasing in 2019 and beyond. We'll be updating this feature in the coming months as we find out more release dates and whop off any games that might be coming out sooner than we thought. While we're excited about several games on this list, we're curious which ones you're looking forward to the most. Voice your opinions in the comments below!
Anthem
Anthem is possibly BioWare's most ambitious title. Focusing on the exploits of heavily armored freelancers in on a hostile alien planet, you'll work together with other players online to take on dangerous missions while exploring the furthest reaches of the world. While this sounds a lot like Destiny, BioWare's approach to the concept of the shared-world shooter looks like an interesting change of pace from other games in the genre, and we can't wait to see more. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC | Release Date: February 22, 2019
Babylon's Fall
Babylon's Fall is the latest game by famed studio, Platinum Games. Based on the reveal trailer, the upcoming project appears to be fantasy-themed action game. You appear to play as a knight with unique magical abilities. Platforms: PS4, PC | Release Date: TBA 2019
Beyond Good And Evil 2
We saw a teaser of Ubisoft's spunky new space adventure, Beyond Good & Evil 2, at E3 last year. What we know now is that it will be a prequel to the 2003 game and that players can choose a male or female character and explore different planets. Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC (Expected) | Release Date: TBA
Control
Control is the latest game by Remedy Entertainment, the studio behind Alan Wake and Quantum Break. The debut trailer showcased a strangely shifting world, with a protagonist who can fly and control objects using telekinesis. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC | Release Date: TBA
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Final Fantasy VII Remake is the long-awaited remake of the fan-favorite RPG. Announced at E3 2015, there has been few details about the game since. Platforms: PS4 | Release Date: TBA 2019
Cyberpunk 2077
The next game from the creators of The Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077, is set in a dystopian, sci-fi future world. The game now appears more bright and vibrant than how it did during its initial tease a few years back. It appears to take place in a dazzling city of dreams, a metropolis of giant buildings adorned with dazzling screens, where organic skin is meshed with futuristic tech. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC (Expected) | Release Date: TBA
Days Gone
Days Gone takes players to a post-apocalyptic open world, set in the Pacific Northwest. The action-adventure/survival-horror game puts you in the shoes of Deacon St. John, once an outlaw and now trying to survive in a devastated world. While on the road, Deacon must battle Freakers, zombie-like humans and animals that have become mindless and violent and travel in fast-moving hordes, much like the zombies in World War Z. Platforms: PS4 | Release Date: April 26, 2019
Devil May Cry 5
After years of waiting, we're finally getting a brand new Devil May Cry game. And in a rather surprising twist, it's a direct continuation to the first four Devil May Cry games. The debut trailer mainly focused on returning protagonist, Nero, who appears to be accompanied by an unnamed woman. However, the last few seconds indicated that Dante will return too. Platforms: Xbox One, PC | Release Date: March 8, 2019
Death Stranding
Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima no longer works for Konami, but his new studio's game looks significantly weirder than that often-bizarre series. We don't know much about Death Stranding's gameplay other than it's an open-world action game. But it'll feature The Walking Dead's Norman Reedus and what appears to be a very important baby. Platforms: PS4 | Release Date: TBA
Dead or Alive 6
Kasumi, Hayate, Helena, and plenty of other familiar faces return to the arena in Dead or Alive 6. This fighting game will continue to utilize the franchise's staple complexity when it comes to combos and counters, while upping the realism of its visuals. Two new mechanics, Fatal Rush and Break Gauge, shake up the combat by introducing an easier way for beginners to compete. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC | Release Date: February 15, 2019
Doom Eternal
Doom Eternal is the upcoming sequel to the critically-acclaimed Doom reboot from 2016. The game takes everything that the previous game did and pushes it forward: the Doomslayer is more powerful than before, the number of enemies have doubled, and it takes place on Earth. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC (Expected) | Release Date: TBA 2019
Dying Light 2
In the sequel to the first-person apocalyptic survival shooter, players will have plenty more chances to practice their sweet parkour while killing zombies. However, this time around, player's choices will have real effects on the world and push the story down different paths. Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC | Release Date: TBA
The Elder Scrolls VI
Bethesda finally announced the next game in the Elder Scrolls series: The Elder Scrolls VI. No other details about the game were provided outside of a short teaser. It shows a mountainous region and some fog accompanied by a version of the iconic Dovahkiin music. A setting wasn't specified, although fans are sure to do some sleuthing to narrow down the list of possibilities. Hopefully, we'll get more details sooner than later. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC (Expected) | Release Date: TBA
Ghost Of Tsushima
Ghost of Tsushima is the latest game by developer Sucker Punch Productions, the studio responsible for Infamous and Sly Cooper. The game is set on the island of Tsushima during the Mongol invasions of Japan in 1294. You play as a lone samurai turned vengeful assassin--likely fighting to drive out the Mongol army from Japan. Platforms: PS4 | Release Date: TBA
Kingdom Hearts III
We've gotten sneak peeks at some of the worlds and characters that Kingdom Hearts III will contain, including Hercules, Monsters Inc., and Toy Story. We're not sure exactly where the story will specifically take Sora and friends, but we do know it is the direct sequel to Kingdom Hearts 2 and an end to the saga. Platforms: Xbox One, PS4 | Release Date: January 29, 2019
The Last Of Us: Part II
There is a huge amount of hype for Naughty Dog's next big game, The Last of Us: Part II, and hopefully we'll be learning a potential release date for the game soon. You play as Ellie this time around, not Joel. It appears she has some sort of vendetta this time around. Based on its most recent gameplay, it's likely from the death of a loved one. Platforms: PS4 | Release Date: TBA
Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus puts players back in control of Artyom. Even though Artyom will be venturing above ground this time, there will still be plenty of mutated creatures to gun down and unsettling environments to explore. Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC | Release Date: February 22, 2019
Nioh 2
In a rather surprising announcement, Sony announced the sequel to the critically-acclaimed samurai-action game, Nioh. Not much is known about the game's story or if you'll be playing as the original's protagonist, WIlliam Adams. Platforms: PS4 | Release Date: TBA
Rage 2
Rage 2 is perhaps the most unlikely sequel to be announced, but with id Software bringing Avalanche Studios along for the ride there's plenty of reason to be excited about its potential. Avalanche has years of experience crafting large and chaotic worlds in games like Mad Max and Just Cause, with vehicle combat and special effects chief among their notable talents. Id, of course, is the studio that pioneered first-person shooting and continues to deliver hard-hitting games like 2016's Doom. It could be a match made in heaven, but we won't know until it ships sometime in 2019. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC | Release Date: June 2019
Resident Evil 2 Remake
Resident Evil 2 Remake takes the 1998 survival-horror game of the same name and remakes it from the ground up. While it faithfully recreates the game's environment and story beats, it takes liberties with the appearance and gameplay of the original. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC | Release Date: January 29, 2019
Skull & Bones
Ubisoft's Skull & Bones sets sail in the Indian Ocean, setting you on a quest to become a pirate of the ages. The game will feature single- and multiplayer options and is centered around naval warfare. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC | Release Date: TBA 2019
Sea of Solitude
Sea of Solitude is an upcoming EA Originals game about a lonely girl whose emotions manage to turn her into a monster and the world into a flooded post-apocalyptic world. She must explore this world in order to find a way to turn back into a human. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC (Expected) | Release Date: TBA 2019
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is the long-awaited new game from acclaimed studio, From Software. It appears to be expanding upon the classic Dark Souls formula by introducing stealth-action elements and more acrobatic maneuvers. Platforms: Xbox One, PC (Expected) | Release Date: March 22, 2019
Starfield
For the first time in 25 years, Bethesda is creating a new IP. We don't know much about Starfield. However, based on the game's title and brief teaser trailer, it's probably safe to say that this RPG will take place in space. Platforms: The next generation of consoles, PC (Expected) | Release Date: TBA
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order is the upcoming Star Wars game created by Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind the well-received Titanfall series. It takes place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope during the Jedi hunts. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC (Expected) | Release Date: Holiday 2019
Tom Clancy's The Division 2
Ubisoft Massive is at work on The Division 2, a follow-up to its open-world shooter, as it looks to build upon the foundation established in the previous game. This time around it's set in Washington D.C. and deals with the exploits of the Division attempting to reclaim the capital. Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One | Release Date: March 18, 2019
Twin Mirror
Dontnod Entertainment is partnering with Bandai Namco to bring Twin Mirror, a new psychological thriller, to PC, PS4, and Xbox One in 2019. Based on the E3 2018 trailer, the story focuses on a character named Sam who wakes up one day to discover a shocking amount of blood on his clothing with no memory of the cause. As Sam attempts to piece together the events from the night before, he will explore both the real world and surreal manifestations of his own psyche. Twin Mirror looks intriguing so far, but being one big mystery, we'll have to wait until we see more of the game to get a grasp of how we ultimately fit into Sam's harrowing investigation. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC | Release Date: TBA 2019
Wolfenstein: Youngblood
Wolfenstein: Youngblood is set in an alternate 1980s Paris and follows the events of Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. It stars series protagonist BJ Blazkowicz's twin daughters, who are working together to continue the fight against the Nazis. The game can be played solo or co-op. Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch (Expected) | Release Date: TBA 2019
By Kallie Plagge on Nov 27, 2018 07:21 am
Best of the Best
Xbox One launched over four years ago, which means over four years of games! As such, it can be hard to decide what to play. From exclusives to the top multi-platform games to indies, there's a lot to choose from--and even though people joke that the Xbox One has no games, that's just not true! We've picked out the best Xbox One games so far. This includes many of the games that received an 8 or higher on GameSpot, and we've prioritized games that were nominated for our Best Xbox One Game list in the years those games released. It also includes Assassin's Creed: Origins, which was one of GameSpot's top Xbox One games of 2017 due to its performance on the Xbox One X. While there are plenty of new games, we haven't included the hundreds of backwards compatible games on Xbox One, which includes many original Xbox and Xbox 360 favorites. Xbox also has a subscription service called which lets you download and play a selection of over 100 games that varies slightly from month to month. For more Xbox One games, see our roundups of the best cheap games on Xbox One, and make sure to check out our gallery of the Xbox One exclusive games confirmed for 2018 as well as the biggest Xbox One games of 2018 for everything coming to the console.
Red Dead Redemption 2 -- 9/10
"While Red Dead Redemption was mostly focused on John Marston's story, Red Dead 2 is about the entire Van der Linde gang--as a community, as an idea, and as the death rattle of the Wild West. It is about Arthur, too, but as the lens through which you view the gang, his very personal, very messy story supports a larger tale. Some frustrating systems and a predictable mission structure end up serving that story well, though it does take patience to get through them and understand why. Red Dead Redemption 2 is an excellent prequel, but it's also an emotional, thought-provoking story in its own right, and it's a world that is hard to leave when it's done." [Read the review] -- Kallie Plagge
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice -- 8/10
"Hellblade's most notable achievement is the handling of an incredibly sensitive subject matter within an engaging and well-crafted action/adventure game. At its heart, the story is about Senua's struggle to come to terms with her illness. In the process, she learns to find the strength within herself to endure, and to make peace with her past. And in a profound and physical way, we go through those same struggles with her, and come away with a better understanding of a piece of something that many people in the world struggle with." [read the full review] -- Alessandro Fillari, Editor
Valkyria Chronicles 4 -- 8/10
"Ultimately, this is a return to form for the Valkyria Chronicles series as a whole. It stays so true to the franchise's first iteration that it'll feel as if almost no time has passed in the decade or so since the original game first came out. In revisiting the concerns and the environments of the first, it makes the most of those parallels and invites comparison in a way that highlights its strengths. Valkyria Chronicles 4 doesn't necessarily tell a new tale, but it doesn't have to; for all of its clichés and expected twists, there's a charm to the game's unwillingness to let up as it drives you and your friends forward at a rapid clip towards its bittersweet end." [Read the review] -- Edmond Tran
Divinity: Original Sin II Definitive Edition -- 10/10
"From lonely farmhouses through pitched battles with gods in far-flung dimensions, Divinity: Original Sin II is one of the most captivating role-playing games ever made in both its original and Definitive incarnations, with the latter proving that even the most complicated role-players can be ported successfully to gamepad-limited consoles. This immaculately conceived and emotion-wrought fantasy world, topped by brilliant tactical combat, make it one of the finest games of recent years, and it remains an instant classic in the pantheon of RPG greats." [Read the review] -- Brett Todd
PES 2019 -- 9/10
"For as long as EA continues to develop FIFA and hold a monopoly over official licences, PES will be the scrappy underdog just hoping for a surprise upset, even when it's fielding the likes of London Blue and PV White Red. The lack of licences for top-tier leagues remains a disheartening sticking point, but PES continues to make brilliant strides on the pitch, building on what was already an incredibly satisfying game of football to produce one of the greatest playing football games of all time. It might be lacking off the pitch, but put it on the field against the competition and a famous giant killing wouldn't be all that surprising." [Read the review] -- Richard Wakeling
Dead Cells -- 9/10
"Dead Cells is a fascinating amalgam of several of today's most popular indie genres. It juggles elements of tough-as-nails action games and Metroid-inspired exploration platformers, with the procedurally generated levels and random item allotments found in roguelikes. It's impressive how it all comes together without a hitch, especially given that the persistent character growth found in games like Dark Souls or Metroid squarely conflicts with the randomized resets emblematic of Rogue-inspired games." [Read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
Far Cry 5 -- 9/10
"Despite some brief irritations and missed opportunities with its narrative, spending time in the world of Hope County remains absolutely delightful. Far Cry 5 boasts a wonderfully harmonious flow to its adventure, with its smart changes to exploration, discovery, and progression distinctly bolstering the enjoyment of creatively engaging and experimenting with its spectacular open world." [read the full review] -- Edmond Tran, AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
Monster Hunter: World -- 8/10
"Ever since the title was first announced last year, it was clear that Capcom was gunning for something grander than Monster Hunter Generations. It has succeeded, and this is likely the biggest and best that the franchise has ever been. It's not just the comparative depth of the narrative; it also boasts almost seamless integration between combat systems that were previously incomprehensible for amateurs. The Monster Hunter formula has definitely honed its claws, and all the above factors play their part in making Monster Hunter World a meaningful evolution for the series at large." [read the full review] -- Ginny Woo
Celeste -- 9/10
"It's a testament to convincing writing and ingenious design that after playing Celeste I felt like I'd been on the same journey as Madeline. Her struggle is one made easy to empathize with, her low points painful to watch, and her high notes exhilarating to experience. Her tale is delicately told and beautifully illustrated, confidently coalescing with the satisfying, empowering game it lies within. Not bad for a game about climbing a mountain." [read the full review] -- Oscar Dayus, Staff Writer
What Remains of Edith Finch -- 9/10
"Developer Giant Sparrow managed to strike the delicate balance between joy and sorrow in 2012's The Unfinished Swan, but What Remains of Edith Finch transcends even the latent sadness of that game, finding the beauty--even sometimes the fun--in what's always fundamentally a tragedy. It's not often that a game's plot slips past the bitterness of grief to finally get to the acceptance, but that's the triumph in What Remains of Edith Finch. Ultimately, if the game has any resemblance of a moral, it's that the bravest, most beautiful thing every one of us does is choose to keep going, despite knowing what's coming." [read the full review] -- Justin Clark
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus -- 9/10
"The New Colossus never lets you forget who and why you're fighting. Nazi brutality is on full display, from the blown-out, irradiated remains of Manhattan to each of the resistance members, who all carry mental scars if not physical ones. You're never given a chance between cutscenes, missions, and even downtime on the U-boat to lose sight of the Reich's cruelty. Wolfenstein's tense gameplay elevates this further by giving you the power to truly resist--and come out of each battle ready for another fight." [read the full review] -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
Sonic Mania -- 9/10
"Sonic Mania methodically uses its sentimental appeal to great effect, but in the process, it heals the wounds inflicted by its most disappointing predecessors and surpasses the series' best with its smart and interpretive design. An excellent 2D platformer, Sonic Mania goes beyond expectations, managing to be not only a proper evolution of the series' iconic formula, but the best Sonic game ever made." [read the full review] -- Matt Espineli, Associate Editor
Cuphead -- 8/10
"Everything you've heard about Cuphead is true. It is a difficult side-scrolling shooter with relentless boss battles that demand rapid-fire actions and reactions. Think for too long, and you won't stand a chance against the game's toughest enemies. Battles may only last three minutes at most, but they feel far longer when you know that you can only absorb three hits before you have to start from scratch. When you are navigating your way around bullets, smaller enemies, and pitfalls, while simultaneously trying to damage your primary target, toppling Cuphead's imposing bosses is both a monumental and rewarding task." [read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor
Assassin's Creed Origins -- 7/10
"Assassin's Creed has undergone many changes in its long and storied history, and Origins feels like the first step in the start of a new journey. It has its fair share of problems, but the vision for its future is one worth pursuing." [read the full review] -- Alessandro Fillari, Editor
Stardew Valley -- 9/10
"On the surface, Stardew Valley is a game about farming, but there are more adventures awaiting curious players beyond cultivating a rich and bountiful garden. From mining and fishing to making friends and falling in love, Stardew Valley's Pelican Town is stuffed with rewarding opportunities. As modern day woes give way to pressing matters on the farm and within your newfound community, Stardew Valley's meditative activities often lead to personal reflection in the real world. It's a game that tugs at your curiosity as often as it does your heart." [read the full review] -- Mary Kish
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard -- 8/10
"By the end of the campaign, I was ready for the game to be over, but that's okay. RE7 ends just as it starts to outstay its welcome, and after the fact, I felt like I'd survived a truly harrowing journey. The boss fights may be slightly inconsistent and certain sections might drag after a while, but RE7 is still a remarkable success. It has a clear vision and executes it with impressive patience and precision. By returning to horror, Resident Evil has once again become something special." [read the full review] -- Scott Butterworth
Night in the Woods -- 9/10
"Both intensely personal and widely relatable, Night in the Woods doesn't just tell a story--it gracefully captures complex, often unpleasant feelings and experiences. From the quiet melancholy of doing nothing on a rainy day to the emotional vacuum of severe depression, I felt deeply, sometimes too deeply, while wandering through the cartoon-animal version of a small Midwestern town. Its witty writing and character development keep its crushing existential themes grounded, making Night in the Woods one of the most evocative games I've played in a long time." [read the full review] -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
Overwatch -- 9/10
"Overwatch is an exercise in refined chaos. There are multitudes of layers hiding beneath the hectic surface, and they emerge, one after another, the more you play. This is a shooter that knows how to surprise, one that unfolds at a frantic pace, one that takes a handful of great ideas, and combines them into something spectacular." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
Battlefield 1 -- 9/10
"EA DICE splendidly interprets the early 20th century as a world in technological transition while humanizing the war's participants through well crafted, albeit fictional, narrative vignettes. Combined with an enthralling multiplayer component, the overall result is the studio's best work since Battlefield: Bad Company 2." [read the full review] -- Miguel Concepcion
Titanfall 2 -- 9/10
"Titanfall 2 demonstrates a vitality that its predecessor couldn't. Whereas the first Titanfall kept up its breakneck pace throughout the entirety of every match, Titanfall 2 understands that sometimes, dialing things back for a few moments can make the long run much more enjoyable. In many ways, Titanfall 2 feels like the game Respawn should have made in 2013. It's a fantastic sequel. It's a fluid shooter. It's a spectacular game." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
Dishonored 2 -- 8/10
"Any time I'm given a choice between stealth and action, I go stealth. I love the hold-your-breath tension of hoping a guard didn't spot you and the hard-earned triumph of executing a perfectly timed plan. Dishonored 2 delivers that sneaky satisfaction, arming you with stealth essentials like hiding bodies, peering through keyholes, and silent takedowns. But it's also an incredible engine for gleeful chaos, one so engrossing and amusing that I kind of accidentally beat the entire campaign raining hilarious, elaborate death on my enemies." [read the full review] -- Scott Butterworth
Forza Horizon 3 -- 9/10
"With Forza Horizon 3, Turn 10 and Playground Games affirm the series' status as the driving game for everyone. The new emphasis on off-road options isn't at the expense of traditional races, thanks to the sheer volume of activities. All the while, Playground Games' calculated kitchen-sink design philosophy and rich reward system persistently tempt you to explore beyond your comfort zone, whether it's gifting your first Ariel Nomad buggy or reminding you that stunt races can impress thousands of fans. Enhancing your own brand might feel like a strange motivation to hit the road, but pulling off sick e-drifts on a mile-long series of curves makes the PR work worthwhile." [read the full review] -- Miguel Concepcion
Inside -- 8/10
"This is a beautiful, haunting, and memorable game, a worthy follow-up to Limbo. Its puzzles, although rarely difficult, are engaging complements to the story. The real achievement of this game, though, is the way that it crafts its narrative: detailed environments convey the bizarre world that you travel through; introspective moments are filled with minimalist sound design and just the barest touches of music; and the things you must do to complete your journey force you to confront the realities of humanity, freedom, and existence." [read the full review] -- Alex Newhouse
Dark Souls III -- 8/10
"Dark Souls III is a game of valleys and peaks, down through dungeons and up over castle walls. It's a plummet into places we shouldn't be--an escape from places we don't belong. But of course, we fight our way through the darkness, and find our way out. There are a few stumbles along the way, but in the end, Dark Souls III is well worth the riveting climb." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt -- 10/10
"Where the Witcher 2 sputtered to a halt, The Witcher 3 is always in a crescendo, crafting battle scenarios that constantly one-up the last, until you reach the explosive finale and recover in the glow of the game's quiet denouement. But while the grand clashes are captivating, it is the moments between conflicts, when you drink with the local clans and bask in a trobairitz's song, that are truly inspiring." [read the full review] -- Kevin VanOrd
Halo 5: Guardians -- 8/10
"Halo 5: Guardians is fueled by new ideas and propelled by some of the boldest changes to this storied franchise yet. Some of these changes fail, but others succeed, and although Halo 5 falters at times, it whisks us through black holes and across war torn tropical islands at a rapid pace. We can only surrender to its velocity." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
Rise of the Tomb Raider -- 9/10
"Rise of the Tomb Raider's first shot pans over the vast, foreboding landscape we'll soon come to know. In many ways, it functions as a promise on the part of Crystal Dynamics: there are big things ahead of us. And at the end of Lara's journey, after we've seen her through this adventure, and experienced everything the world has to offer, it's clear that promise was kept." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
Ori and the Blind Forest -- 9/10
"It consistently surprises you with new tricks: gravitational divergences, new ways to move through its spaces, and carefully designed levels that require you to think quickly and respond. It is not as snappy as, say, a typical Mario platformer, seeking instead a broader gameplay arc stretching across a single, interconnected world. It's a superb and thematically consistent approach that allows Ori and the Blind Forest to build joy on a bed of heartache, adding a new layer of mechanical complexity with each ray of hope." [read the full review] -- Kevin VanOrd
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain -- 10/10
"There has never been a game in the series with such depth to its gameplay, or so much volume in content. The best elements from the past games are here, and the new open-world gameplay adds more to love on top. When it comes to storytelling, there has never been a Metal Gear game that's so consistent in tone, daring in subject matter, and so captivating in presentation. The Phantom Pain may be a contender for one of the best action games ever made, but is undoubtedly the best Metal Gear game there is." [read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor
Fallout 4 -- 9/10
"Fallout 4 is an engrossing game that lures you in with mystery and the promise of adventure. Its wretched wasteland can be captivating, and you never know what odd person or settlement lies around the next bend. Fallout 4 uses its dark world as a canvas for exciting combat and gripping stories, and when you dig deeper into its post-nuclear-apocalypse version of Boston--defending yourself from violent scavengers and using your wits to climb social ladders--you become attached to the new you, and ultimately invested in the fate of your new world." [read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor -- 8/10
"This is a great game in its own right, narratively disjointed but mechanically sound, made up of excellent parts pieced together in excellent ways. I already knew what future lay in store for Middle-earth as I played Shadow of Mordor; I'm hoping that my own future might one day bring another Lord of the Rings adventure as stirring as this one." [read the full review] -- Kevin VanOrd
Dragon Age: Inquisition -- 9/10
"Inquisition's characters and world recall the grand gestures of the original Dragon Age, even though the game as a whole is so structurally different to its predecessors. It offers the thrill of discovery and the passion of camaraderie. It features a glee club called The Sing-Quisition, and a dwarf with writer's block. It establishes connections with its world in big ways and small, with the sight of a titanous temple and the smirk of an Orlesian commander in love. Dragon Age: Inquisition is a wonderful game and a lengthy pilgrimage to a magical world with vital thematic ties to one we already know." [read the full review] -- Kevin VanOrd
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition -- 8/10
"Lara herself is so well crafted that I grew attached to her exploits and was sad to say goodbye when the credits rolled. And the exquisite visual design is so breathtaking that I continually found myself staring at the scenery instead of pushing onward. Tomb Raider is a great reinvention of this enduring franchise that made me eager to see where Lara goes in her future." [read the full review] -- Tom McShea
Forza Motorsport 5 -- 9/10
"All of this combined makes Forza Motorsport 5 an outstanding improvement to an already excellent racing franchise. It's far more than just a great racing sim, or a gorgeous showcase for the types of feats the Xbox One hardware is capable of. This is a game built on the romantic thrill of motorsport in all its forms, and that love for its subject matter is all but impossible to resist." [read the full review] -- Shaun McInnis
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag -- 9/10
"There's an incredible scope to what you can do in Black Flag, with a level of harmony between its component parts that encourages you to try it all, and a story that keeps you invested throughout the whole thing. If there was ever any question that Assassin's Creed needed something ambitious to get the series back on track, Black Flag is that game and then some." [read the full review] -- Shaun McInnis
Assassin's Creed Odyssey -- 8/10
"Despite this, Assassin's Creed Odyssey's ambition is admirable, which is reflected in its rich attention to detail for the era and its approach to handling the multi-faceted narrative with strong protagonists at the lead. While its large-scale campaign--clocking in at over 50 hours--can occasionally be tiresome, and some features don't quite make the impact they should, Odyssey makes great strides in its massive and dynamic world, and it's a joy to venture out and leave your mark on its ever-changing setting." [Read the review] -- Alessandro Fillari, Editor
Forza Horizon 4 -- 8/10
"There's such a diverse range of activities stuffed into every corner of Horizon 4, and meaningful changes contribute to smart driving dynamics and a more consistent sense of achievement. 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." [Read the review] -- Edmond Tran, Senior Editor and Producer
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 -- 8/10
"Black Ops 4 isn't short on content, and its three main modes are substantial. Multiplayer introduces more tactical mechanics without forcing you into them, and it largely strikes a good balance. Zombies has multiple deep, secret-filled maps to explore, though its returning characters don't hold up and prove distracting. Finally, Blackout pushes Call of Duty in an entirely new direction, making use of aspects from both multiplayer and Zombies for a take on the battle royale genre that stands on its own. Sure, there isn't a traditional single-player campaign, but with the depth and breadth of what is there, Black Ops 4 doesn't need it." [Read the review] -- Kallie Plagge
Spyro the Dragon: Reignited Trilogy -- 8/10
"The Reignited Trilogy is the best kind of collection that not only brings a beloved series up to current visual standards but also proves just how well-built the original titles were. Granted, the originals were done by a little studio called Insomniac, and it's not exactly surprising something that team did is a fine example of the genre. But the Reignited Trilogy's developer, Toys for Bob, deserves major kudos for bringing Insomniac's vision to life in the way we could've only dreamed in 1998." [Read the review] -- Justin Clark
Hitman 2 -- 8/10
"The addition of other minor mechanical changes--like concussive weapons, a picture-in-picture enemy activity alert, and visible security camera sightlines--help to improve Hitman 2 overall as a dense and accessible stealth assassination game. But the new locations are the real stars, impressive and inventive sandboxes ripe for picking apart with exciting experiments. Hitman is about experiencing the anticipation of seeing whether a plan will work when you try it for the first time. It's about feeling the tension of briskly walking away from a bad situation, hoping you can lose the suspicious guards. It's the satisfaction of knowing the machinations of a level so well that when a target moves into a particular place at a particular time, you have the perfect way to intervene. Hitman 2 is a familiar experience, but in the Hitman world, familiarity is an incredible strength." [Read the review] -- Edmond Tran, Senior Editor and Producer
Battlefield 5 -- 8/10
"The Battlefield series has a winning formula that Battlefield V doesn't deviate far from, at least for now. Conquest and the map roster don't mesh well together, however, Grand Operations--and the other modes within it--steal the show and foster some of the greatest moments the franchise has offered. You might be surprised by the impact of the slight changes made for this entry, especially when you're deep into pushing or defending objectives in Frontlines alongside teammates fulfilling their roles. That's when Battlefield V is at its best." [Read the review] -- Michael Higham, Associate Editor
By Matt Espineli on Nov 27, 2018 07:21 am
Switch Games That You Need To Play
The release of the Nintendo Switch marked the beginning of a new generation for Nintendo. After the lukewarm reception of the Wii U, many were beginning to wonder if the company would be able to survive in today's console market. However, it defied all expectations with its hybrid console/handheld console. Alongside the Switch's release was the universally praised The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, giving it the killer app it needed to quickly rise to the top of console sales charts and dramatically increase Nintendo's revenue. In the year since its launch, there has been no shortage of amazing games coming, from huge first-party games like Mario and Splatoon to indie darlings like Owlboy and Celeste. There's even great third-party games, like Octopath Traveler and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. The library only seems to be expanding and improving with every consecutive release. In this feature, we're taking a look back at the best Switch games so far. This includes games that have received a score of 8 or higher on GameSpot since the console's release, as well as reviews for new games and updates to reviews of older games that were ported to Switch. Check out our choices for the best games released on the Switch. And with the console's library continuing to expand, make sure to check back often as we update this feature over the coming weeks and months. For an analysis of Nintendo Switch's first year, be sure to read our retrospective feature discussing the console's various successes and failures. In addition, you can also check out our features detailing all the Wii U games we ported to Switch, 13 things we want to see from the console. The Switch already has hundreds of games, so many that some are bound to fly under our radar. The games covered here are only a small handful of the experiences out there. Which games do you think are some of the Switch's finest? Let us know in the comments below.
Dragon Ball FighterZ -- 9/10
"FighterZ is complex and distinct enough to be enjoyed by fighting game competitors, but there's no question that it's been designed to tap into the hearts of Dragon Ball's most dedicated fans, and no doubt those same qualities will win people over who've never given the series a chance. Where past games attempted to get there through huge character rosters and deliberately predictable trips down memory lane, FighterZ has bottled the essence of what makes the series' characters, animation, and sense of humor so beloved and reconfigured it into something new: a Dragon Ball fighting game that can go toe-to-toe with the best of the genre." [Read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Managing Editor
Undertale -- 9/10
"Three years after its initial release on PC, Undertale has found its way to the Nintendo Switch--and of course, the game is every bit as charming, challenging, and harrowing as it was the first time around. Undertale may seem like a straightforward retro-style RPG, but it subverts player expectations every chance it gets, which never gets stale because of clever writing and an evocative chiptune soundtrack. Thankfully, it plays just as well as it does on other platforms without any performance hitches or bugs after putting about four hours into this version. Like its console counterparts, you can fill the screen with an adaptive border that thematically fits with the location you're in (Undertale plays in a 4:3 aspect ratio). Dodging enemy attacks in the bullet hell-style defensive phase in combat works just as well with the Joy-Con analog sticks. Undertale isn't afraid to break convention, and because it does so in a way that's thoughtful and humorous throughout, the result is an emotional rollercoaster that fills us with determination." [Read the full review] -- Michael Higham
Into the Breach -- 9/10
"There is so much strategic joy in seeing the potential destruction a swarm of giant monsters is about to unleash on a city, then quickly staging and executing elaborate counter maneuvers to ruin the party. Into The Breach's focus on foresight makes its turn-based encounters an action-packed, risk-free puzzle, and the remarkable diversity of playstyles afforded by unique units keeps each new run interesting. It's a pleasure to see what kind of life-threatening predicaments await for you to creatively resolve in every new turn, every new battle, and every new campaign. Into The Breach is a pristine and pragmatic tactical gem with dynamic conflicts that will inspire you to jump back in again, and again, and again." [Read the full review] -- Edmond Tran
The Messenger -- 8/10
"The Messenger takes the best parts of the action-platformers it takes influence from and reinterprets them well. With clever writing, well-designed levels, and balanced difficulty curve, the game continuously hooks you with enticing skill-based challenges and satisfying payoffs. Your character might have an immediate imperative to delivering a world-saving scroll, but the journey there is definitely one to savor." [Read the full review] -- Alexander Pan
Dead Cells -- 9/10
"Dead Cells is a fascinating amalgam of several of today's most popular indie genres. It juggles elements of tough-as-nails action games and Metroid-inspired exploration platformers, with the procedurally generated levels and random item allotments found in roguelikes. It's impressive how it all comes together without a hitch, especially given that the persistent character growth found in games like Dark Souls or Metroid squarely conflicts with the randomized resets emblematic of Rogue-inspired games." [Read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 + 2
"In a way, the entire collection itself is the museum--an entire series, with all its beauty and its blemishes, on display for its audience to judge and assess years later. Parts of this legacy have aged horribly, but they're still undeniably a piece of Mega Man X history. We've been told that the upcoming Mega Man 11 was greenlit thanks in part to fan interest in the original Mega Man Legacy Collection. If Capcom follows with a proper sequel to Mega Man X, this compilation provides valuable lessons on what the series is, what it isn't, and what it can be when given the chance." [Read the full review] -- Steve Watts
Octopath Traveler -- 8/10
"Despite the lackluster stories that pull you through the world, Octopath thrives on its character progression and the temptations of high-level challenges and rewards. The promise of new jobs, exciting boss fights, and powerful gear will inspire you to poke around every corner, and there are no shortage of discoveries to strive for. And all the while, you're treated to one of the most interesting and effective re-imaginings of a retro aesthetic around. Octopath will likely be a divisive game due to its fractured storytelling, but it's one worth playing despite its lesser qualities. Its high points are simply too good to ignore." [Read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Managing Editor
Captain Toad
"Despite a smattering of minor complaints, Captain Toad stands as a pint-sized version of Nintendo's stellar first party pedigree. It's among the best Mario spin-offs around and a delightful iteration on old ideas." [Read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus -- 8/10
"As long as you're able to play the entire game in docked mode, The New Colossus is the same fantastic game it is on other platforms. It runs well and, despite some minor visual compromises, it still looks pretty good. Handheld mode is unfortunately far less optimized, and the Joy-Cons simply don't feel as good to use as the Pro Controller. If Switch is your only way to play it, The New Colossus is absolutely worth your time--just not on the go." [Read the full review] -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
West of Loathing -- 8/10
"There are a few minor issues--inventory management on Switch becomes cumbersome as you collect an increasing amount of things, fights with a lot of enemies can obscure some pertinent information, and the stakes sometimes feel a little too low to be completely motivating. But West of Loathing's focus on maintaining a flexible, open-ended nature and lighthearted, humorous feel keeps you engaged in what feels like an imaginative pen-and-paper Dungeons and Dragons campaign, led by a game master whose only goal is to make sure you're laughing and having a fun time. West of Loathing's visuals are monochromatic, but there's enjoyable comedy painted between every line, a pitch-perfect Spaghetti Western soundtrack, and a full spectrum of role-playing possibilities to choose from that make it a consistently enjoyable madcap cowboy jaunt." [Read the full review] -- Edmond Tran, Editor and Video Producer
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle -- 9/10
"Whether playing through the story mode alone or against hardened opponents online, Cross Tag Battle is an absolute joy with a surplus of possibilities within its wide roster and versatile fighting system. Even with all the ridiculousness of the overarching plot, I reveled in the charm of my favorite characters and embraced the many moments of fan service. It's a masterful unification of styles and mechanics from four different universes that compels you to dig deeper and dedicate the time to getting the most out of the beloved members of this cast." [Read the full review] -- Michael Higham, Associate Editor
Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection -- 8/10
"That's more or less the story of the 30th Anniversary Collection. It won't satisfy every specific demand, but it's still a big collection of awesome games and behind-the-scenes content that no Street Fighter fan should miss. Street Fighter is a series worth celebrating and Digital Eclipse has managed to do so in a manner that feels respectful to the series and to the people who keep the spirit of arcade battles alive." [Read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Managing Editor
Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition -- 8/10
"Those returning to the fray will likely be a little disappointed as there just isn't enough new content to rouse fresh excitement. For newcomers, though, Hyrule warriors is a delightful, bizarre outing that opens up the Zelda series, taking us places we've been before, just with thousands of monsters and awesome, screen-clearing magical attacks." [Read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
Battle Chasers: Nightwar -- 8/10
"Beyond the challenge of combat, Battle Chasers is sustained through the strength of its story, a rollicking tale that takes our heroes literally to hell and back. It's bolstered by some sharp dialogue, gorgeous artwork, and an ensemble that plays extremely well off of each other. Lots of work has gone into Nightwar since its first release, and the balancing improvements make it an easy game to recommend on all platforms." [Read the full review] -- Justin Clark
Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze -- 9/10
"Tropical Freeze isn't a heavy-hitter from Nintendo in the same way Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Odyssey are, but it's a fantastic platformer that's bursting with creativity and expertly designed challenges. It's tuned just right--always tough but rarely frustrating--to ensure that even the most common moments feel great. If you missed out when the game first debuted back in 2014, give it a shot today. It easily stands the test of time." [Read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Managing Editor
Bayonetta 2 -- 10/10
"But it's a challenge you'll want to experience again as soon as you put down the controller. Bayonetta 2's combat is so expertly constructed, and its presentation so joyously insane, that you'd have to try so very hard to get bored of it all. In a year filled with the promise of ever more elaborate experiences on all the shiny new hardware, that Bayonetta 2--a homage to classic game design and escapism--should be the most fun I've had playing a game all year is unexpected. But maybe it shouldn't have been. After all, its predecessor still stands as one of the finest games of its genre. To have surpassed that with Bayonetta 2, and to have created a game that will be remembered as an absolute classic, is nothing short of astonishing." [Read the review] -- Mark Walton
Celeste -- 9/10
"It's a testament to convincing writing and ingenious design that after playing Celeste I felt like I'd been on the same journey as Madeline. Her struggle is one made easy to empathize with, her low points painful to watch, and her high notes exhilarating to experience. Her tale is delicately told and beautifully illustrated, confidently coalescing with the satisfying, empowering game it lies within. Not bad for a game about climbing a mountain." [Read the full review] -- Oscar Dayus, Staff Writer
Dragon Quest Builders -- 8/10
"The excellence of Dragon Quest Builders illustrates the versatility of this 30-year-old franchise as much as it speaks to the engrossing appeal of Minecraft-inspired creation. The story-advancing draw of quests goes hand-in-hand with the depth of a crafting system that cleverly uses monster drops as some of the game's building tools. Whether you want to focus on completing assignments or build with no specific purpose, the game is feature-rich enough to suck up untold hours, even if this happens to be your first Dragon Quest experience." [Read the review] -- Miguel Concepcion, Editor
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim -- 8/10
"The original version of Skyrim is still an immense, engrossing RPG, and the quality, number, and variety of its quests makes it as easy to become lost in its world as ever. With the addition of Zelda-themed gear that's actually useful--and the fact that you can play anywhere--the Switch version of Skyrim is a great excuse to revisit a much-loved RPG." [Read the full review] -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
Golf Story -- 8/10
"It can take a little while for the narrative to ramp up in Golf Story and for you to feel like you've really cultivated the skills of a champion, but based on the sheer scope of what the game delivers, there's likely something for everyone to enjoy whether their shtick is mini-golfing or terrorising delinquents with frisbees. It has successfully captured the trappings of yesteryear's RPGs, and the witticisms and idiosyncrasies of the characters you encounter are a great palate cleanser between rounds. Switch has had a swathe of indies hit its eShop recently, but if you're looking for something that'll give you satisfaction in terms of an interesting story and a rewarding mechanic, then Golf Story is certainly par for the course." [Read the full review] -- Ginny Woo
Gorogoa -- 8/10
"Few games take the concept of altering reality to as artistic a level as Gorogoa. This labor of love made chiefly by one developer is a gorgeous and intriguing puzzle game that works because of its stunning art and intelligent puzzle design. Far from a traditional game, Gorogoa is a slow and methodical trip into the surreal." [Read the full review] -- Jason D'Aprile
Kirby Star Allies -- 8/10
"Star Allies is yet another Kirby game, but it's up there with some of the best. It's an artistic showcase, and a great opportunity for co-op platforming. The one real complaint you can levy at it is that it gates off its more challenging aspects, but the fact that they are present to begin with will please anyone who's grown weary of the series' painless platforming." [Read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Managing Editor
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild -- 10/10
"No matter how gorgeous its environments are, how clever its enemies are, and how tricky its puzzles get, the fact that Breath of the Wild continues to surprise you with newfound rules and possibilities after dozens of hours is by far its most valuable quality. It's a game that allows you to feel gradually more and more empowered yet simultaneously manages to retain a sense of challenge and mystery--which, together, creates a steady, consistent feeling of gratification throughout the entire experience. Breath of the Wild is a defining moment for The Legend of Zelda series, and the most impressive game Nintendo has ever created." [Read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Managing Editor
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle -- 9/10
"Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle exudes off-beat optimism that never dissolves. It's a consistent delight, no matter how challenging the road becomes, because Kingdom Battle's unique turn-based tactics system is in every way a pleasure to engage with. Coupled with the annoyingly infectious allure of Rabbids, and the always delightful, colorful world of the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is an implausibly engrossing formula that is positively challenging and endlessly charming." [Read the full review] -- Edmond Tran, Editor
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe -- 9/10
"For Mario Kart fans, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe might look like more of the same with small Double Dash-inspired tweaks. But thanks to a series of updates both big and almost unseen, it's the version of Mario Kart to get. If you don't own a Wii U or skipped out on Mario Kart 8 the first time around--or even if you've played it before--Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is worth your time. It plays beautifully on Switch in both handheld and docked mode, and its core racing is as exciting as ever. And, most notably, it completely revamps the original's lackluster Battle Mode, rounding out an already great racing game." [Read the full review] -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
Mr. Shifty -- 8/10
"Mr. Shifty isn't a huge game in terms of length, but the three- to four-hour campaign is ample. It's like a shot of adrenalin, offering an exciting, intense experience, and it's easy to forgive the game's performance flaws when it so consistently makes you feel like a badass." [Read the full review] -- James O'Connor
NBA 2K18 -- 8/10
"NBA 2K18 is a hardcore sports simulation. If you want to get good, you have to put in the work. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to improve your skills no matter how you want to play. And the fact that there's so much to do is a bonus, because on the court, NBA 2K18 is also an amazingly well-crafted experience." [Read the full review] -- Seth Macy
Night in the Woods -- 9/10
"From beginning to end to epilogue, Night in the Woods is ultimately open to individual interpretation. How you relate to it depends on your own experiences and choices, including Mae's dialogue and who you decide to spend time with. Though its charming and angsty story works well on its own merits, it's special because of how it prioritizes conveying emotion over telling a straight narrative." [Read the review] -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
Owlboy -- 9/10
"Owlboy is consistently charming and surprising, and when its final act doubles down on every front, it's bittersweet to see it end. As you relish the outcome of the final battle and watch the closing cutscene, you can't help but reflect on the beginning of your adventure and how far the world and its inhabitants have come. You'll never be able to play Owlboy for the first time again, but the memories of its magic moments stick with you. This is more than a treat for fans of old-school games; Owlboy is a heartfelt experience that will touch anyone with an affinity for great art and storytelling." [Read the review] -- Peter Brown, Managing Editor
Pac-Man: Championship Edition 2 Plus -- 8/10
"Pac-Man: Championship Edition 2 creates an exciting dynamic where ghosts are still dangerous, but the overall game is more forgiving than the original--and it's more entertaining as a result. Arcade ports tend to be games we play in short bursts--mostly for the nostalgia factor. Pac-Man: Championship Edition 2 certainly relies on that nostalgia to a point, but it handles the classic game in a way that plays with expectations to surprise you. It's the same game enhanced in the right directions to be make an old concept fun, innovative, and challenging all over again." [Read the review] -- Jason D'Aprile
Puyo Puyo Tetris -- 8/10
"Overflowing with colorful personality, Puyo Puyo Tetris revels in its weirdness. It provides solid versions of both puzzle games and merges the two in bizarre, frantic ways that adds a fresh dash of style to these long-running series. With an array of game variations spanning single-player, along with on- and offline multiplayer, it's an incredibly meaty package that should satisfy gamers for a long time to come." [Read the full review] -- Jason D'Aprile
Rive -- 8/10
"Rive is demanding, but it pushes the kind of near-thoughtless play that shoot-em-ups strive to achieve. When faced with an onslaught of enemies and environmental hazards, you'll have to think fast or die. Rive also doesn't run all that long, but what's here is excellent, top-notch action, and the game delivers some of the most memorable moments in a shoot-em-up in years." [Read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
Rocket League -- 9/10
"For people new to the game, they have a lot to look forward to regardless, as it's one of the most fascinating sports games in memory. Nevermind if you don't like soccer or couldn't care less about the growing esports community. Rocket League is a unique game that redefines the concept of what a sports game can be, and Psyonix continues to support it with new content on a regular basis. It's been around for a while, but now that it's on Switch, there's no better time to give it a shot." [Read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Managing Editor
Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment -- 8/10
"Specter of Torment is a finely-crafted 2D platformer that is satisfying in all respects. Simply controlling Specter Knight--flying through the air and slicing through enemies--is a joy in itself, and being able to push your ability to control these skills in overcoming the game's cleverly-designed and challenging levels is always an exhilarating feeling. Specter of Torment is a focussed, polished, and satisfyingly challenging game that's well worth experiencing whether or not you've had the pleasure of playing Shovel Knight." [Read the full review] -- Edmond Tran, Editor
Sonic Mania -- 9/10
"Sonic Mania methodically uses its sentimental appeal to great effect, but in the process, it heals the wounds inflicted by its most disappointing predecessors and surpasses the series' best with its smart and interpretive design. An excellent 2D platformer, Sonic Mania goes beyond expectations, managing to be not only a proper evolution of the series' iconic formula, but the best Sonic game ever made." [Read the full review] -- Matt Espineli, Associate Editor
Splatoon 2 -- 8/10
"At first glance, Splatoon 2 seems very similar to the first game. But all the small changes, and even the bigger ones in single player and League Battles, make for a fresh take on the already unique shooter. If you played a lot of the original, the sequel has enough to keep you coming back, and if you're new to the game, it's a fantastic place to jump in." [Read the full review] -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
Stardew Valley -- 9/10
"The sheer number of things to accomplish in Stardew Valley can keep you interested beyond the original three in-game years you need to reach the end of your story--you may just want to start over rather than continue on. You'll work quite hard to gather enough money for your first horse, so that you can quickly move to the mines to get a mineral to complete a bundle at the community center. It's all centered around whatever it is you want to accomplish that day. And that's truly what makes Stardew Valley such a lovely experience, it encourages you to go out and be the best you can be, in whichever task that brings you the most joy. Stardew Valley motivates naturally, with blissful optimism." [Read the full review] -- Mary Kish
SteamWorld Dig 2 -- 9/10
"Every advancement Dig 2 makes to its story and mechanics strengthens your initiative to progress. There's an overwhelming sense of momentum that runs through the adventure; as if developer Image & Form sifted the original in a pan, removing its redundancies while expanding upon what made it so fun to persistently play. In your quest to acquire every upgrade and explore every nook and cranny, there's no shortage of hidden collectables to discover. And with post-game content that unlocks after you unearth every secret, the desire to keep digging intensifies. Dig 2 manages to not only be an exceptional successor, but a great adventure in its own right. Where the first game was a diamond in the rough, Dig 2 is a polished jewel." [Read the full review] -- Matt Espineli, Associate Editor
Super Mario Odyssey -- 10/10
"Odyssey is sustained beyond its major milestones not only through colorful worlds and hidden challenges, but through the sheer joy of controlling Mario, who's never felt more responsive or dynamic in action. Even with everything new that's been introduced, Nintendo's forward-thinking platformer retains the series' classic handcrafted appeal, which is even more impressive when you realize how densely packed each kingdom is. Mario's latest outing is big, bold, and bursting with new ideas, and like Breath of the Wild, is another instance of Nintendo going above and beyond to redefine our expectations. It's a shining example of refined creativity, and another crown jewel for Switch that is without equal." [Read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor
Lumines Remastered -- 8/10
"Lumines is the kind of game that temporarily rewires your brain, splicing together its ability to recognize visual patterns and audible rhythms simultaneously and forcing you to do the hard but delightful work of putting that ability to use. Having that experience so lovingly presented--and on the Switch, having Lumines handheld again for the first time in six years--is an occasion worth celebrating." [Read the full review] -- Justin Clark
The Missing: JJ Macfield and the Island of Memories -- 8/10
"The faltering plot twist doesn't detract from the overall experience. The Missing is smaller and more mechanically conventional than Deadly Premonition or D4, but its components remain focused on distinctly a Swery game: a dark, idiosyncratic experience that tells a deeply personal story that's as confronting as it is sincere. It is absolutely not for everyone, but as the game reminds us, there is nothing wrong with that." [Read the review] -- David Wildgoose
Diablo 3: Eternal Collection -- 9/10
"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." [Read the review] -- Mike Mahardy
Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu / Eevee -- 8/10
"Despite these concessions, Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee are delightful reimaginings of the series' origins and a deep RPG in their own right. It makes a lot of smart improvements on the original Red, Blue and Yellow while holding on to what made them so special in the first place. Fans of the series might be let down by the lack of features they've come to expect, but Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee take the Pokemon formula in some exciting new directions." [Read the review] -- Jake Dekker
Full Metal Furies -- 8/10
"So yes, Full Metal Furies is primarily a brawler, and a good one that promotes teamwork instead of button-mashing. But it's also a very hard puzzle game, one that challenges you to perceive each level, as well as the game's mechanics and characters, in new ways. It's a shame most of the Furies are so two-dimensional throughout the main campaign--especially Meg, who's arguably the most lovable of the bunch--but the story is consistently witty with its humor and an absolute joy to watch unfold. And while coming up with strategies to handle new enemies and piecing together the clues for each puzzle is fairly difficult at times, it's a rewarding and deeply satisfying challenge." [Read the review] -- Jordan Ramee, Associate Editor
By Jordan Ramée on Nov 27, 2018 07:19 am
The PlayStation 4 launched in November 2013 and Sony's done a phenomenal job making sure a stream of excellent exclusives continues to launch on the platform. That trend isn't slowing down in 2018, with the phenomenal God of War releasing earlier this spring and Insomniac Games' Spider-Man on its way in just a few months. Click ahead to view GameSpot's highest-rated PS4 exclusives since the console's launch. The titles are in alphabetical order and don't reflect our own personal ranking of each game. The list only includes games we've awarded an 8/10 or higher. We've also limited the gallery based on console exclusivity, so you'll see a few games in this gallery that are also available on PC or PS Vita. This means games that originally released for PS2 or PS3 and launched again on the PS4 without any additional content (like Beyond: Two Souls) are not included. Remasters, remakes, and reboots are all fair game though. Be sure to check out our list of the best cheap PS4 games to find the best deals on some of these exclusives, including top-tier titles like The Last of Us Remastered and Bloodborne. Think you've got an insane amount of GameSpot knowledge? Put it to the test. We've reviewed a lot of PS4 exclusives since the console's debut in 2013, but only one of them has gotten a perfect 10/10 review score. Do you know what it is? Click ahead to find out, and we'll send a virtual high five your way if you happen to know the answer. If you also happen to know which PS3 game released again on PS4 with a perfect 10/10 GameSpot score (but couldn't make this list because it's not a remaster), then we offer you a virtual salute. Also, let us know what your favorite PS4 exclusive is in the comment section down below. Doesn't matter if the game was critically acclaimed or criminally underrated. Be sure to check out our list of the best Nintendo Switch console exclusives and best Xbox One console exclusives as well.
Marvel's Spider-Man -- 9/10
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Marvel's Spider-Man review, Edmond Tran wrote, "Minor shortcomings don't detract from Insomniac's achievement in creating a game that feels like an authentic interpretation of a beloved creation. The feeling of embodying Spidey and using his abilities is astonishing, and the time spent on exploring its major characters help make its story feel heartfelt, despite superhero bombast. There have been open-world Spider-Man games before, but none so riveting and full of personality, none that explore and do justice to this many facets of the universe. Insomniac has created a superior Spider-Man experience that leaves a lasting impression, one that has you longing for just one more swing around New York City, even after the credits roll."
Alienation
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Alientation review, Jason D'Aprile wrote, "Alienation is a refined and intense shooter that looks and sounds great, and offers fantastically chaotic and violent action. While the game sometimes feels a little too eager to kill players and lacks local play, with a full troop online, it's easily one of the best all-out action multiplayer games in recent memory."
Alone With You
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Alone With You review, Jason D'Aprile wrote, "This is a game that warrants repeated playthroughs to see both endings and experience other relationship choices. Alone With You bears some heavy thematic overlap with [games] like SOMA, Everyone's Gone to Rapture, and other story-centric releases that focus on the nature of what makes you human, the importance of relationships and contact, and mortality. It's different enough to feel new despite its retro roots, delivering impactful scenes that shine thanks to a stellar script that brings its few, but emotionally charged, characters to life."
Bloodborne
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Bloodborne review, Kevin VanOrd wrote, "The finest treasures are found within the city of Yharnam and the forests, lakes, and purgatories beyond it. Only Bloodborne would be so bold as to bury an entire factional player-versus-player mechanic within an optional region, which is in turn buried within a series of oblique steps you might miss if you aren't exploring every nook and cranny, or ignore the game's enigmatic hints. I finished Bloodborne in less time than I did Dark Souls II, yet I treasure it more in spite of its few missteps. In death there is life, and in blood, there is redemption. More hyperbole, yes, but for a game this theatrical, only hyperbole will do."
Dariusburst: Chronicle Saviours
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Dariusburst: Chronicle Saviours review, Heidi Kemps wrote, "Even with [its issues], Darius Burst is one of the best traditional shooters to come out in years. The visual design is excellent, the music is avant-garde and memorable, the boss encounters are thrilling, and it's chock-full of challenges to keep you coming back and playing more. If you enjoy these sorts of games at all and are craving a finely-crafted, intense shooting experience that will keep you hooked for a long time, then Darius Burst: Chronicle Saviours is a worthy."
Everybody's Golf
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Everybody's Golf review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "Ultimately, [bothersome NPCs] are the only notable blemishes in an otherwise splendid and activity-loaded sequel, which also happens to be the best golf game on the PlayStation 4. Longtime fans will find comfort in the familiar controls and deep progression system, while newcomers will find the on-boarding experience easy and welcoming. Between the lengthy career mode and online play, you are never short of competition to test your nerves. And no matter how ridiculously superhuman your linksman skills become--there are awards for getting a hole in one on a par-5, after all--Everybody's Golf's strict adherence to the sport's strategic underpinnings is never compromised."
Everybody's Gone To The Rapture
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Everybody's Gone to the Rapture review, Alexa Ray Corriea wrote, "Everybody's Gone to the Rapture uses subtle cues to guide you through its world and then gives you the space to digest what you find. It's a wonderful example of what games can achieve narratively while presenting minimal physical engagement and tasking player imagination with the rest. That sense of futility never leaves you, but whether or not you cling to the story's threads of hope is entirely up to you; no happy ending is forced on you--just an ending. The moral of the story is whatever you think it is, and there's no wrong way to feel as you sift through its bright, empty world. And while I had my moments of frustration in navigation, that didn't stop it from dazzling me. I left Shropshire exhausted, spent, and utterly impressed by The Chinese Room's magnificently crafted journey, both in how it brought me to its conclusion and the conclusion itself."
Fighting EX Layer
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Fighting EX Layer review, Heidi Kemps wrote, "On a pure gameplay level, Fighting EX Layer is an absolute treat. What it lacks in bells and whistles it delivers in pure, fun combat. This is a game made for the sort of people who will spend hours perfecting an impractical, extremely-precise combo in training mode simply for the satisfaction of having done it. If that describes you, then Fighting EX Layer will be worth everything you put into it."
Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "While its enhancements do not translate into a brand new game for existing fans, [Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age] is nonetheless invigorating. For an experience that can last over a hundred hours, the subtle tweaks therein go a long way in showcasing Final Fantasy 12's grand trek in a new light. Its epic, lore-abundant story and its time-tested Gambit System should also appeal to those who missed out on the mainline series' trip to Ivalice the first time around. And thanks in part to the new audio and speed options, The Zodiac Age is an ideal definitive edition: one that improves the game over its original version across the board.
Final Fantasy 14 Online: A Realm Reborn
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Final Fantasy 14 Online: A Realm Reborn review, Pete Davison wrote, "There's no traditional PVP, and at times the grind can grow tedious, but if you press on, you find a vast and charming supporting cast, complex classes with plenty of interesting augmentations along the way, and a reworked MMORPG that combines new and old elements to weave together a satisfying and modern Final Fantasy that does its part to cater to longtime franchise fans and MMO enthusiasts alike. This is an admirable redesign, especially on the PlayStation 4, which very well may be considered the best venue to experience the staggering world and cornucopia of additional content. Even if you're still trekking through Vana'diel, consider making yourself a new home in Eorzea--we'd love to have you."
Galak-Z: The Dimensional
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Galak-Z: The Dimensional review, Mike Mahardy wrote, "But in the end, [Galak-Z: The Dimensional] is about learning as you go, and making the best of what you have. It's a layered, complex system, and even now, 20 hours after I started it, there are upgrades I haven't found, techniques I haven't practiced, and possibilities I haven't considered. Galak-Z pummelled me, knocked me to the ground and kicked me when I was down. But when I finally got the upper hand, and beat the final season with only a sliver of health left, the victory was all the more rewarding.
God Eater 2: Rage Burst
We gave the game an 8/10. In our God Eater 2: Rage Burst review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "Good sequels strike a balance between reproducing familiar systems and introducing new features. Rage Burst shares many similarities with Resurrection, to the degree that you wouldn't be blamed for mistaking the former for an expansion pack of the latter at a glance. But Rage Burst is bolstered by a beefed-up combat system and scores of stylish, powerful loot, making frequent, sometimes repetitive questing, more enjoyable than it was in Resurrection."
God Of War (2018)
We gave the game a 9/10. In our God of War review, Peter Brown wrote, "In many ways God of War is what the series has always been. It's a spectacular action game with epic set pieces, big-budget production values, and hard-hitting combat that grows more feverish and impressive as you progress. What may surprise you is how mature its storytelling has become. Like Kratos, God of War recalls the past while acknowledging the need to improve. Everything new it does is for the better, and everything it holds onto benefits as a result. Kratos is no longer a predictable brute. God of War is no longer an old-fashioned action series. With this reboot, it confidently walks a new path that will hopefully lead to more exciting adventures to come."
God Of War 3 Remastered
We gave the game an 8/10. In our God of War 3 Remastered review, Kevin VanOrd wrote, "Then again, this is not a series known for its sophisticated storytelling. Kratos is the vessel for an instinctive kind of gameplay that is rarely this successful. Your rewards for following God of War III's linear trail are genre-defining combat, excellent pacing, and the innate joy of watching enemies spew forth clusters of glowing red orbs when they fall. It's the ever-compelling quest for shinies, accomplished by slamming your cestus into the ground, then gutting a centaur and watching its viscera spill onto the floor. Your reward is more power, which you use to earn more shinies and to see more entrails. That the game finds so many ways to stay consistently fresh within this traditional structure is a feat worthy of the gods."
Gravity Rush 2
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Gravity Rush 2 review, Peter Brown wrote, "With a wealth of stories big and small to chew on, Gravity Rush 2 fulfills the needs of both a sequel and a prequel. The first Gravity Rush had enough going for it, but Gravity Rush 2 is stuffed with things to love. While its stealth missions are lame and it's disappointing to experience camera issues from time to time, Gravity Rush 2 excels in almost every other respect, making its predecessor seem quaint by comparison. This is easily one of the best video game sequels in recent memory, and an adventure truly worthy of its excellent lead character."
Gran Turismo Sport
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Gran Turismo Sport review, James Swinbanks wrote, "Ultimately, where you fall on GT Sport will mirror how you feel about racing games in general. If you're looking for a highly focused console racing sim, GT Sport is excellent, but don't come looking for a robust 'Gran Turismo' experience. You won't find it. Casual fans will feel the pinch of the scaled-down offering and the intimidating push towards racing online. But for sim-racers with a competitive spirit, it's easy to look past the smaller car and track roster and appreciate the incredibly detailed and responsive driving model, which is better than anything the series has offered before."
Grim Fandango Remastered
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Grim Fandango Remastered review, Kevin VanOrd wrote, "Grim Fandango's greatest triumph, however, is that you needn't overflow with nostalgia to appreciate its greatness. There is only this boisterous world and the unionized bee-demons that inhabit it, which you see through the eyes of one Manny Calavera, an everyday hero that has rightfully earned a place in video game history. Even if you don't know what happens at the end of the line, you're guaranteed to enjoy the trip."
Here They Lie
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Here They Lie review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "Here They Lie pulls you in by appealing to your curiosities of what's around the corner--but you're also motivated to stick to the main path, because a part of you just wants to get the hell out of this urban nightmare. As a dark, well-crafted psychological journey in VR, the game captures the distinct duality of being a curious observer--and, conversely, a participant who simply wants to survive and escape. Its enigmatic visuals, choice-driven narrative, and provocations on morality are the driving forces that warrant multiple playthroughs, and all of those aforementioned elements combine to make Here They Lie one of the standout offerings among the PSVR's launch lineup."
Horizon Zero Dawn
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Horizon Zero Dawn review, Peter Brown wrote, "This is the first departure from the Killzone series for developer Guerrilla Games, and though you might think the team took a risk by stepping out of its FPS comfort zone to create a third-person open-world action game, you'd never know it was their first rodeo. For every minor imperfection, there's an element of greatness that recharges your desire to keep fighting and exploring [Horizon Zero Dawn's] beautiful and perilous world. Guerrilla Games has delivered one of the best open-world games of this generation, and redefined its team's reputation in the process.
Iconoclasts
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Iconoclasts review, Matt Espineli wrote, "When Iconoclasts' end credits begin to roll, it's bittersweet to see the journey come to a close. After solving every puzzle and witnessing the finale of its poignant narrative, you can't help but reflect on the growth of its characters and your impact onto the world. The game will shock and surprise you with how gripping its story is, and it's likely to do so again in subsequent playthroughs of New Game+ with your expanded knowledge of character histories and events. Iconoclasts may be a callback to the style and mechanics of old-school games, but it's also a sincere and compelling adventure that anyone with respect for fantastic storytelling and 2D-action can enjoy."
I Expect You To Die
We gave the game an 8/10. In our I Expect You To Die review, Mike Mahardy wrote, "But the annoyances caused by these hiccups pale in comparison to the thrills I Expect You to Die delivers. Through well designed puzzles, intense escape room scenarios, and a kineticism absent in video games on standard screens, I Expect You to Die knows exactly how to leverage the magic of VR, and proves it almost every step of the way."
Infamous: Second Son
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Infamous: Second Son review, Tom McShea wrote, "[Infamous: Second Son] focuses on pure enjoyment. It communicates that through the excellent combat that forces you to concoct crazy tactics to overthrow the invading forces. It draws you in further through its incredible visuals that not only hint at the PlayStation 4's impressive power, but employ a sensible artistic touch that makes Seattle a place you want to explore. It uses a complementary score to underline dramatic moments, and the sound effects pop with flair. And yet, for all of the elements in which Second Son excels, the narrative fails to carry its share of the weight. Still, don't become mired in the negativity as Delsin so often does. Instead, just laugh at the cheesy dialogue and chortle at how extreme the morality system is. Second Son is a great game that knows exactly what it is, and sucks you in with its unfiltered fun."
The Inpatient
We gave the game an 8/10. In our The Inpatient review, Justin Clark wrote, "The Inpatient doesn't just do right by Until Dawn, but stands right alongside it as one of the strongest horror experiences on PlayStation 4. It's a game far less concerned with pushing you towards what's lurking down every corridor than feeding you the worst ideas of what could be."
Invisible, Inc. Console Edition
We gave the game an 8/10. In out Invisible, Inc. Console Edition review, Kevin VanOrd wrote, "Nonetheless, this emotional distance is merely a minor issue. I don't care much about Invisible, Inc.'s throwaway story and its last-minute grasps at meaningful themes, or about my agents' personal backgrounds. Like the game, my efforts are focused on getting the job done, emotionally disengaged but intellectually centered. I bask in the stylish cutscenes and the sharp voiceover, but my attachment is not to the agency or its people but to the sheer pleasure of a successful heist."
The King Of Fighters XIV
We gave the game an 8/10. In our The King of Fighters XIV review, Matt Espineli wrote, "With plenty of opportunities available online or off, [The King of Fighters XIV] is a well-executed addition to the revered fighting series. Those disappointed in its new visuals may be unwilling to give it a chance, but if you remain steadfast in parsing through the multiple layers of its mechanics, you'll be rewarded with one of the most accessible, satisfying entries in the series to date."
The Last Guardian
We gave the game a 9/10. In our The Last Guardian review, Peter Brown wrote, "It isn't clear whether or not The Last Guardian means to be frustrating at times--if it's a concerted effort to test your patience for a lovable-yet-stubborn creature. Your affection for Trico and sympathy for both characters blossom nonetheless, culminating in an enrapturing series of revelations that cements your attachment to their personalities. Trico is the undeniable star of the show, exhibiting believable physicality and emotional range, but the boy is a valuable lesson in how to be patient and resilient when faced with unforeseen challenges."
The Last Of Us Remastered
We gave the game an 8/10. In our The Last of Us Remastered review, Carolyn Petit wrote, "In addition to the visual enhancements and the inclusion of map packs and story DLC, The Last of Us Remastered has other nice little features, like a photo mode that lets you stop the action at any time, position the camera to your liking, and share the screenshot with others, applying frames and filters if you choose. And there are commentary tracks on in-game cinematics featuring the creative director and principal actors. The Last of Us is a great action game that you should play if you haven't already. And if you have played it before, the improvements here aren't so dramatic as to make the game feel like a new experience, but it is definitely one worth revisiting. In the world of The Last of Us, as in our own world, love might destroy you, but it's also one of the only things worth fighting for."
MLB The Show
For review, we gave: MLB 14: The Show an 8/10 MLB 15: The Show an 8/10. MLB The Show 16 an 8/10. MLB The Show 17 an 8/10. MLB The Show 18 a 9/10.
Moss
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Moss review, Alessandro Barbosa wrote, "It's a testament to just how well Moss understands PlayStation VR and works with the device instead of trying to bend it to a will it was never designed for. Moss wouldn't feel right without it at all, and its many strengths are married to the interactions that only full immersion can manufacture. Unsurprisingly, then, Moss is easily one of PlayStation VR's best titles to date, even if it's a little too eager to get you in and out of its world."
Nex Machina: Death Machine
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Nex Machina: Death Machine review, Jason D'Aprile wrote, "Limited multiplayer options aside, [Nex Machina: Death Machine] is a game that confidently meets expectations. It's difficult, intensely satisfying, and packed with enough secrets and lofty secondary objectives to keep you enraptured for hours. It's a classic game at heart, but with refined challenges and exacting mechanics, it feels right at home in the modern era."
Nioh
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Nioh review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "Although the spectre of potential failure hangs heavy over any play session, dying in Nioh is never genuinely disheartening. This is thanks in part to the various avenues of character growth and many approaches you can utilize to tackle a difficult section or boss fight. It shouldn't be surprising that the foresight and patience needed to survive a battle in Dark Souls translates well to the fundamentals of samurai combat here. Nioh's most invigorating and intimidating moments occur when you feel you're at equal footing with your opponent. And it's during these encounters that one careless move can result in your demise or the right string of thoughtful actions can make you feel invincible."
Persona 5
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Persona 5 review, Lucy James wrote, "Within Persona 5 is a complex set of interconnected gameplay mechanics, and in almost every aspect Atlus has executed on its vision exceptionally, barring the pacing issues towards the end. At every turn, it presents something to marvel at, whether it's the fluid combat, vibrant world, or the many memorable characters. It's a game I could talk about for hours; I haven't mentioned the ability to connect to the Thieves Guild, which lets you see how other players spent their day or ask them for help answering questions at school. Or the thumping acid-jazz-infused soundtrack that I've not been able to get out of my head. Or even just the joy of seeing how it stylishly transitions between menus. But that encapsulates why Persona 5 is a game that shouldn't be missed. It's stuffed to bursting point with gameplay ideas and presentation flourishes--there's an overwhelming level of artistry in every part of Persona 5, making it a truly standout entry in the series. It's a refined, effortlessly stylish RPG that will be talked about for years to come."
Pyre
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Pyre review, Peter Brown wrote, "And thus it's all too easy to fall in love with Pyre. It's immediately attractive. Its songs dance in your head long after they debut. And before you know it, you find yourself driven to get better at rites and perform at the top of your game. Likewise, you can't help but reflect on your partners in the Downside--those you trained, as well as those you neglected. Supergiant Games has created something special that lives on in your heart. And against great odds, it's invented a sport that could have stood on its own without the story it's attached to--but it's so much better because it is."
Ratchet & Clank (2016)
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Ratchet & Clank review, Cassidee Moser wrote, "Ratchet & Clank is every bit as dynamic and fun as the 2002 original. It's endearing and entertaining, a veritable power fantasy fueled by rockets and carried by specialty gadgets. Re-introducing a classic franchise to a new generation is a difficult task indeed, but Ratchet & Clank is a shining example of how it can be done."
Republique Remastered
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Republique Remastered review, Justin Clark wrote, "Needless to say, despite its mobile game roots, the world of [Republique Remastered] is meant to immerse, to beckon the player's curiosity, and to involve them enough in the city-state's ins and outs enough to get Hope out of danger. In transitioning to consoles, the game remains largely successful at that."
Salt And Sanctuary
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Salt and Sanctuary review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "Salt and Sanctuary is wholly engrossing from every angle, from its happy marriage of combat and exploration to its ominously gripping art direction. Its world is rich in ambiguity, well designed to fill up message boards with discussions on the theoretical histories of its bosses to the origins of the seven Creeds. For as much as it unabashedly borrows from Dark Souls, it's an achievement that Ska Studios managed to give its homage an identity of its own that can be appreciated on its own merits."
Shadow Of The Colossus (2018)
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Shadow of the Colossus review, Edmond Tran wrote, "Shadow of the Colossus is a tremendous journey, and one well worth taking and retaking. The visual overhaul is stunning, thoroughly enhancing every facet of Wander and Agro's excellent adventure. Galloping through the tranquil world is always breathtaking; felling a monumental colossus is always humbling. Shadow of the Colossus is a beautiful reconstruction of an already exceptional title. It continues to be a modern classic and is an extraordinary game that everyone must experience."
Super Rude Bear Resurrection
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Super Rude Bear Resurrection review, Chris Pereira wrote, "For all of these minor gripes, none of them stand in the way of enjoying nearly every second of playtime. On the strength of its pacing and basic mechanics alone, Super Rude Bear Resurrection would make for an extremely engaging platformer. The addition of its corpse mechanic elevates it to something greater, allowing it to simultaneously serve as an extreme challenge for the most diehard platforming fans as well as a game that can be enjoyed by the novice crowd. Super Rude Bear Resurrection demands a lot from you, but the satisfaction of success is immense in the end."
Tearaway
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Tearaway review, John Robertson wrote, "Tearaway's most lasting feature is not within the game itself, but through the inclusion of printable blueprints. Through standard progression and by taking photographs of certain objects, you earn blueprints that allow you to create your own origami editions of your favourite elements from within the game. Be warned, though, that even when you follow the instructions, some of these are incredibly tricky propositions, but if you've got the patience, it's worth the effort to take the theme of connecting worlds to that next step. The fact that it's so tempting to spend time creating these paper models is a testament to how appealing and attractive Tearaway is. It's just a shame that one of the Vita's best experiences feels as long as a piece of paper is thick."
Tooth And Tail
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Tooth and Tail review, Daniel Starkey wrote, "Rotating through the band of 20 fighters will offer plenty of depth on its own, too. There's plenty of room to fake out foes by overbuilding one type and feinting a foe into countering that so you can sweep them with your own reserves. If you don't have quite the squads you need to deal with enemies in the best way, you'll have to adapt -- and strong variety will give you the tools to come up with unique combinations and tactics on the fly. When all of that comes together in a tight, four-player battle royale, it is a thing of beauty."
Transistor
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Transistor review, Carolyn Petit wrote, "Transistor is always a good-looking game, but in [certain] instances, it demonstrates a rare knack for combining its visuals and music to powerfully convey both narrative information and tone, driving the story forward with Red's own unwavering resolve. So in the end, yes, Transistor is a fun action role-playing game with a neat combat system, but beautiful moments like these make it more than that. They make it a game with a soul."
Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection
We gave the collection an 8/10. In our Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection review, Mike Mahardy wrote, "At various times throughout the Uncharted games, our protagonist carries the ring of Francis Drake on a leather band around his neck. The ring's inscription reads: "Sic Parvus Magna," or, "greatness from small beginnings." I can't imagine a better way to encapsulate this collection. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was a fine game in 2007, but its wrinkles are deeper now, its age more apparent. With Uncharted 2 and [Uncharted 3], though, Naughty Dog transcended Drake's own small beginnings. The Nathan Drake Collection is a firsthand account of Naughty Dog's growth as a storyteller, and this collection is the best way to relive that history, and witness its transformation up close."
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
We gave the game a perfect 10/10. In our Uncharted 4: A Thief's End review, Mike Mahardy wrote, "And most of all, as its final moments make clear, this is a story about storytelling--the importance we lend our idols, legends, and myths. How we pass down the ones that inspire us. How an old photo of three friends sitting on a pile of gold can unleash a flood of memories. Uncharted 4 is a challenge to the medium. In its writing, in its design, in its understanding of what makes games unique, Uncharted 4 is something to aspire to. It's a shining example. And we'll be talking about it for years to come."
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Uncharted: The Lost Legacy review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "The Lost Legacy doesn't signify a new era for Uncharted so much as it presents an opportunity to show the series from new perspectives, for which Chloe and the AI-controlled Nadine are perfectly capable. With a new playable treasure hunter comes new settings and character motivations, wrapped in a comfortingly familiar Uncharted package. The thrill of playing through set pieces that call back scenes from the earlier games is all the more enhanced when seen through the gameplay mechanics introduced in A Thief's End. The initial hours of The Lost Legacy give an "Uncharted Greatest Hits" vibe, but it grows into a more nuanced, clever experience, ranking among the best in the series while also making its own mark as a standalone Uncharted that isn't anchored to Nathan Drake's harrowing exploits."
Until Dawn
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Until Dawn review, Alexa Ray Corriea wrote, "I didn't expect to have so much fun with Until Dawn, and the depth with which my choices mattered and affected the final outcome encouraged repeat playthroughs. The visuals can be wonky at times, but in the end Until Dawn succeeds in being a thoughtful use of familiar mechanics, a great achievement in player-driven narrative, and a horror game you shouldn't miss."
Wipeout Omega Collection
We gave the game a 9/10. In our Wipeout Omega Collection review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "By focusing on this specific era of the series, Wipeout Omega Collection maintains a level of cohesion you wouldn't get if this compilation included, say, Wipeout Pure or Fusion. While each of the three games exude style and stimulation in their own distinct ways, they collectively showcase the best elements of franchise's engrossing racing and silky smooth visuals. And even though it doesn't completely scratch the itch that only a completely new PS4 sequel can offer, this collection is easily the next best thing."
Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Yakuza 6: The Song of Life review, Edmond Tran wrote, "Yakuza 6 reins in its scope, but doubles down on what has made the series great. It's a unique and fascinating representation of the modern Japanese experience, worth playing even if you're a newcomer. The narrative is dramatic and sincere, and the game's endearing characters--coming from all walks of life--are interesting studies. The world is dense and rewarding to exist in, the dynamic combat system stays exciting even after you've kicked the crap out of five thousand enemies, and perhaps most importantly, Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life serves as a fulfilling conclusion to the turbulent, decade-long saga of its beloved icon, Kazuma Kiryu."
Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise
We gave the game an 8/10. In our Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise review, Matt Espineli wrote, "Lost Paradise may replicate the Yakuza series' format, but it's filled with a passion for FotNS that makes it fantastic all on its own. While previous games based on the property have adapted its story and characters with some success, few have managed to not only nail the style and tone but redefine what's possible with its world and characters. RGG Studios has done a splendid job at evoking the justice-fueled power fantasy Kenshiro represents, succeeding in revealing more about the historic and beloved character in amusing and unexpected ways."
By Matt Espineli on Nov 27, 2018 07:18 am
The Best Around
It feels just like yesterday, but PS4 launched over four years ago, and a ton of games have come out in that time. As such, it can be tough to sort through all of them and decide what to play. Luckily, we at GameSpot have played tons of PS4 over the years and have more than a few recommendations to start you off with--whether you're a new PS4 owner or have had the console and are just looking for something you might've missed. In this feature, we've collected the best PS4 games so far. This includes many of the games that have received an 8 or higher on GameSpot, and we've prioritized games that were nominated for our end-of-year Best PS4 Game lists. Check out our choices for the best games released on the PS4. And with the console's library continuing to expand, make sure to check back often as we update this feature over the coming weeks and months. For more PS4 games on a budget, see our roundups of the best cheap games on PS4, and make sure to check out our gallery of the best PS4 exclusive games confirmed for 2018 as well as the biggest PS4 games of 2018 for everything coming to the console. There are heaps of amazing PS4 games out there. Which PS4 games do you love the most? Doesn't matter if it's popular or incredibly underrated. Let us know in the comments below.
Red Dead Redemption 2 -- 9/10
"While Red Dead Redemption was mostly focused on John Marston's story, Red Dead 2 is about the entire Van der Linde gang--as a community, as an idea, and as the death rattle of the Wild West. It is about Arthur, too, but as the lens through which you view the gang, his very personal, very messy story supports a larger tale. Some frustrating systems and a predictable mission structure end up serving that story well, though it does take patience to get through them and understand why. Red Dead Redemption 2 is an excellent prequel, but it's also an emotional, thought-provoking story in its own right, and it's a world that is hard to leave when it's done." [Read the review] -- Kallie Plagge
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 -- 8/10
"Black Ops 4 isn't short on content, and its three main modes are substantial. Multiplayer introduces more tactical mechanics without forcing you into them, and it largely strikes a good balance. Zombies has multiple deep, secret-filled maps to explore, though its returning characters don't hold up and prove distracting. Finally, Blackout pushes Call of Duty in an entirely new direction, making use of aspects from both multiplayer and Zombies for a take on the battle royale genre that stands on its own. Sure, there isn't a traditional single-player campaign, but with the depth and breadth of what is there, Black Ops 4 doesn't need it." [Read the review] -- Kallie Plagge
Marvel's Spider-Man -- 9/10
"Minor shortcomings don't detract from Insomniac's achievement in creating a game that feels like an authentic interpretation of a beloved creation. The feeling of embodying Spidey and using his abilities is astonishing, and the time spent on exploring its major characters help make its story feel heartfelt, despite superhero bombast. There have been open-world Spider-Man games before, but none so riveting and full of personality, none that explore and do justice to this many facets of the universe. Insomniac has created a superior Spider-Man experience that leaves a lasting impression, one that has you longing for just one more swing around New York City, even after the credits roll." [Read the review] -- Edmond Tran, Senior Editor and Producer
Divinity: Original Sin II Definitive Edition -- 10/10
"From lonely farmhouses through pitched battles with gods in far-flung dimensions, Divinity: Original Sin II is one of the most captivating role-playing games ever made in both its original and Definitive incarnations, with the latter proving that even the most complicated role-players can be ported successfully to gamepad-limited consoles. This immaculately conceived and emotion-wrought fantasy world, topped by brilliant tactical combat, make it one of the finest games of recent years, and it remains an instant classic in the pantheon of RPG greats." [Read the review] -- Brett Todd
Guacamelee 2 -- 9/10
"Everything about Guacamelee 2 comes off as smarter and more thoughtful than the first game, even while indulging in its self-aware shenanigans and Rick & Morty-esque dimensional hijinks. The game never stops finding new ways to hook you in, to the point that even the most painstaking and intensive playthroughs feel like they just fly by. Saving the numerous timelines in Guacamelee 2 is just as much about partaking in a marvel of devious, meticulous game design as it is about saving Juan and his family from peril." [Read the review] -- Justin Clark
Dead Cells -- 9/10
"Dead Cells is a fascinating amalgam of several of today's most popular indie genres. It juggles elements of tough-as-nails action games and Metroid-inspired exploration platformers, with the procedurally generated levels and random item allotments found in roguelikes. It's impressive how it all comes together without a hitch, especially given that the persistent character growth found in games like Dark Souls or Metroid squarely conflicts with the randomized resets emblematic of Rogue-inspired games." [Read the full review] -- Daniel Starkey
Onrush -- 9/10
"When it comes to crumpling metal and high speed thrills, not all of Onrush's game modes are on equal footing in terms of consistent excitement. Yet its foundations are so strong, and so unique, that it's easy to lose hours upon hours barreling around these disparate tracks. The question of longevity will, of course, depend on post-release support, with new classes, game modes, and tracks potentially on the horizon. Considering you need 12 players to fill a full room, it would be a shame if Onrush doesn't find the kind of audience that will give it the lifespan it deserves. Part of this will depend on how Codemasters iterates on the game from here on out, but they've shown a proficiency in knowing how arcade racing games click, and Onrush is such a bold, refreshing twist on the genre that there should be little hesitation in putting your faith in them to succeed." -- Richard Wakeling
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life -- 8/10
"Yakuza 6 reins in its scope, but doubles down on what has made the series great. It's a unique and fascinating representation of the modern Japanese experience, worth playing even if you're a newcomer. The narrative is dramatic and sincere, and the game's endearing characters--coming from all walks of life--are interesting studies. The world is dense and rewarding to exist in, the dynamic combat system stays exciting even after you've kicked the crap out of five thousand enemies, and perhaps most importantly, Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life serves as a fulfilling conclusion to the turbulent, decade-long saga of its beloved icon, Kazuma Kiryu." [read the full review] -- Edmond Tran, Senior Editor and Video Producer
God Of War -- 9/10
"In many ways God of War is what the series has always been. It's a spectacular action game with epic set pieces, big-budget production values, and hard-hitting combat that grows more feverish and impressive as you progress. What may surprise you is how mature its storytelling has become. Like Kratos, God of War recalls the past while acknowledging the need to improve. Everything new it does is for the better, and everything it holds onto benefits as a result. Kratos is no longer a predictable brute. God of War is no longer an old-fashioned action series. With this reboot, it confidently walks a new path that will hopefully lead to more exciting adventures to come." [read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor
Bloodborne -- 9/10
"The finest treasures are found within the city of Yharnam and the forests, lakes, and purgatories beyond it. Only Bloodborne would be so bold as to bury an entire factional player-versus-player mechanic within an optional region, which is in turn buried within a series of oblique steps you might miss if you aren't exploring every nook and cranny, or ignore the game's enigmatic hints. I finished Bloodborne in less time than I did Dark Souls II, yet I treasure it more in spite of its few missteps. In death there is life, and in blood, there is redemption. More hyperbole, yes, but for a game this theatrical, only hyperbole will do." [read the full review] -- Kevin VanOrd
Monster Hunter: World -- 8/10
"Ever since the title was first announced last year, it was clear that Capcom was gunning for something grander than Monster Hunter Generations. It has succeeded, and this is likely the biggest and best that the franchise has ever been. It's not just the comparative depth of the narrative; it also boasts almost seamless integration between combat systems that were previously incomprehensible for amateurs. The Monster Hunter formula has definitely honed its claws, and all the above factors play their part in making Monster Hunter World a meaningful evolution for the series at large." [read the full review] -- Ginny Woo
Celeste -- 9/10
"It's a testament to convincing writing and ingenious design that after playing Celeste I felt like I'd been on the same journey as Madeline. Her struggle is one made easy to empathize with, her low points painful to watch, and her high notes exhilarating to experience. Her tale is delicately told and beautifully illustrated, confidently coalescing with the satisfying, empowering game it lies within. Not bad for a game about climbing a mountain." [read the full review] -- Oscar Dayus, Staff Writer
What Remains of Edith Finch -- 9/10
"Developer Giant Sparrow managed to strike the delicate balance between joy and sorrow in 2012's The Unfinished Swan, but What Remains of Edith Finch transcends even the latent sadness of that game, finding the beauty--even sometimes the fun--in what's always fundamentally a tragedy. It's not often that a game's plot slips past the bitterness of grief to finally get to the acceptance, but that's the triumph in What Remains of Edith Finch. Ultimately, if the game has any resemblance of a moral, it's that the bravest, most beautiful thing every one of us does is choose to keep going, despite knowing what's coming." [read the full review] -- Justin Clark
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus -- 9/10
"The New Colossus never lets you forget who and why you're fighting. Nazi brutality is on full display, from the blown-out, irradiated remains of Manhattan to each of the resistance members, who all carry mental scars if not physical ones. You're never given a chance between cutscenes, missions, and even downtime on the U-boat to lose sight of the Reich's cruelty. Wolfenstein's tense gameplay elevates this further by giving you the power to truly resist--and come out of each battle ready for another fight." [read the full review] -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
Sonic Mania -- 9/10
"Sonic Mania methodically uses its sentimental appeal to great effect, but in the process, it heals the wounds inflicted by its most disappointing predecessors and surpasses the series' best with its smart and interpretive design. An excellent 2D platformer, Sonic Mania goes beyond expectations, managing to be not only a proper evolution of the series' iconic formula, but the best Sonic game ever made." [read the full review] -- Matt Espineli, Associate Editor
Stardew Valley -- 9/10
"On the surface, Stardew Valley is a game about farming, but there are more adventures awaiting curious players beyond cultivating a rich and bountiful garden. From mining and fishing to making friends and falling in love, Stardew Valley's Pelican Town is stuffed with rewarding opportunities. As modern day woes give way to pressing matters on the farm and within your newfound community, Stardew Valley's meditative activities often lead to personal reflection in the real world. It's a game that tugs at your curiosity as often as it does your heart." [read the full review] -- Mary Kish
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard -- 8/10
"By the end of the campaign, I was ready for the game to be over, but that's okay. RE7 ends just as it starts to outstay its welcome, and after the fact, I felt like I'd survived a truly harrowing journey. The boss fights may be slightly inconsistent and certain sections might drag after a while, but RE7 is still a remarkable success. It has a clear vision and executes it with impressive patience and precision. By returning to horror, Resident Evil has once again become something special." [read the full review] -- Scott Butterworth
Night in the Woods -- 9/10
"Both intensely personal and widely relatable, Night in the Woods doesn't just tell a story--it gracefully captures complex, often unpleasant feelings and experiences. From the quiet melancholy of doing nothing on a rainy day to the emotional vacuum of severe depression, I felt deeply, sometimes too deeply, while wandering through the cartoon-animal version of a small Midwestern town. Its witty writing and character development keep its crushing existential themes grounded, making Night in the Woods one of the most evocative games I've played in a long time." [read the full review] -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
Overwatch -- 9/10
"Overwatch is an exercise in refined chaos. There are multitudes of layers hiding beneath the hectic surface, and they emerge, one after another, the more you play. This is a shooter that knows how to surprise, one that unfolds at a frantic pace, one that takes a handful of great ideas, and combines them into something spectacular." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End -- 10/10
"Uncharted 4's gameplay pushes the narrative forward, the narrative feeds off its gameplay, and every detail coalesces to create something bigger. Uncharted 4 bounces between set pieces and personal moments with such grace, with such skill and poise and affection for its characters, that you don't mind when the guns stop firing, and the smoke clears, and Nathan gets a moment to breathe." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
Titanfall 2 -- 9/10
"Titanfall 2 demonstrates a vitality that its predecessor couldn't. Whereas the first Titanfall kept up its breakneck pace throughout the entirety of every match, Titanfall 2 understands that sometimes, dialing things back for a few moments can make the long run much more enjoyable. In many ways, Titanfall 2 feels like the game Respawn should have made in 2013. It's a fantastic sequel. It's a fluid shooter. It's a spectacular game." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
Dishonored 2 -- 8/10
"Any time I'm given a choice between stealth and action, I go stealth. I love the hold-your-breath tension of hoping a guard didn't spot you and the hard-earned triumph of executing a perfectly timed plan. Dishonored 2 delivers that sneaky satisfaction, arming you with stealth essentials like hiding bodies, peering through keyholes, and silent takedowns. But it's also an incredible engine for gleeful chaos, one so engrossing and amusing that I kind of accidentally beat the entire campaign raining hilarious, elaborate death on my enemies." [read the full review] -- Scott Butterworth
Dark Souls III -- 8/10
"Dark Souls III is a game of valleys and peaks, down through dungeons and up over castle walls. It's a plummet into places we shouldn't be--an escape from places we don't belong. But of course, we fight our way through the darkness, and find our way out. There are a few stumbles along the way, but in the end, Dark Souls III is well worth the riveting climb." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt -- 10/10
"Where the Witcher 2 sputtered to a halt, The Witcher 3 is always in a crescendo, crafting battle scenarios that constantly one-up the last, until you reach the explosive finale and recover in the glow of the game's quiet denouement. But while the grand clashes are captivating, it is the moments between conflicts, when you drink with the local clans and bask in a trobairitz's song, that are truly inspiring." [read the full review] -- Kevin VanOrd
Rise of the Tomb Raider -- 9/10
"Rise of the Tomb Raider's first shot pans over the vast, foreboding landscape we'll soon come to know. In many ways, it functions as a promise on the part of Crystal Dynamics: there are big things ahead of us. And at the end of Lara's journey, after we've seen her through this adventure, and experienced everything the world has to offer, it's clear that promise was kept." [read the full review] -- Mike Mahardy, Video Producer
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain -- 10/10
"There has never been a game in the series with such depth to its gameplay, or so much volume in content. The best elements from the past games are here, and the new open-world gameplay adds more to love on top. When it comes to storytelling, there has never been a Metal Gear game that's so consistent in tone, daring in subject matter, and so captivating in presentation. The Phantom Pain may be a contender for one of the best action games ever made, but is undoubtedly the best Metal Gear game there is." [read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor
Fallout 4 -- 9/10
"Fallout 4 is an engrossing game that lures you in with mystery and the promise of adventure. Its wretched wasteland can be captivating, and you never know what odd person or settlement lies around the next bend. Fallout 4 uses its dark world as a canvas for exciting combat and gripping stories, and when you dig deeper into its post-nuclear-apocalypse version of Boston--defending yourself from violent scavengers and using your wits to climb social ladders--you become attached to the new you, and ultimately invested in the fate of your new world." [read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor -- 8/10
"This is a great game in its own right, narratively disjointed but mechanically sound, made up of excellent parts pieced together in excellent ways. I already knew what future lay in store for Middle-earth as I played Shadow of Mordor; I'm hoping that my own future might one day bring another Lord of the Rings adventure as stirring as this one." [read the full review] -- Kevin VanOrd
Dragon Age: Inquisition -- 9/10
"Inquisition's characters and world recall the grand gestures of the original Dragon Age, even though the game as a whole is so structurally different to its predecessors. It offers the thrill of discovery and the passion of camaraderie. It features a glee club called The Sing-Quisition, and a dwarf with writer's block. It establishes connections with its world in big ways and small, with the sight of a titanous temple and the smirk of an Orlesian commander in love. Dragon Age: Inquisition is a wonderful game and a lengthy pilgrimage to a magical world with vital thematic ties to one we already know." [read the full review] -- Kevin VanOrd
NBA 2K17 -- 9/10
"Despite its few drawbacks, NBA 2K17's excitement for basketball is contagious, and it's hard not to get wrapped up in it. Apart from the lacking 2KU mode and stiff recreations of commentators, the rest of the game looks great and plays even better. After finally devoting a significant amount of time to one of these games, I now see why it's such a well-regarded series, and it makes me wish that every sport got the same treatment that basketball does in NBA 2K17." -- Mat Paget
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag -- 9/10
"There's an incredible scope to what you can do in Black Flag, with a level of harmony between its component parts that encourages you to try it all, and a story that keeps you invested throughout the whole thing. If there was ever any question that Assassin's Creed needed something ambitious to get the series back on track, Black Flag is that game and then some." [read the full review] -- Shaun McInnis
Until Dawn -- 8/10
"I didn't expect to have so much fun with Until Dawn, and the depth with which my choices mattered and affected the final outcome encouraged repeat playthroughs. The visuals can be wonky at times, but in the end Until Dawn succeeds in being a thoughtful use of familiar mechanics, a great achievement in player-driven narrative, and a horror game you shouldn't miss." [read the full review] -- Alexa Ray Corriea
The Last Guardian -- 9/10
"It isn't clear whether or not The Last Guardian means to be frustrating at times--if it's a concerted effort to test your patience for a lovable-yet-stubborn creature. Your affection for Trico and sympathy for both characters blossom nonetheless, culminating in an enrapturing series of revelations that cements your attachment to their personalities. Trico is the undeniable star of the show, exhibiting believable physicality and emotional range, but the boy is a valuable lesson in how to be patient and resilient when faced with unforeseen challenges. When the book closes on their story, it's hard not to open it up again and begin anew. The trials you overcome endear you to both characters, but the emotions Trico elicits make you want to give it another chance--to be the patient, effective partner it truly deserves." [read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor
Rocket League -- 9/10
"The joy of Rocket League rests on the countless plans that are conceived and discarded every other second in any given match. Trying to predict where and how the ball will bounce next is a game within the game. Despite the use of cars, Rocket League emulates the emotional surges typical of The Beautiful Game, such as the rush of an unexpected fast break or a well-timed header into a goal. With Rocket League, the promising concept of combining two wonderful things--cars and soccer--is equally magnificent in execution. You can't say the same thing about, say, combining cake and fruit to make fruitcake, as the comedian Jim Gaffigan observed." [read the full review] -- Miguel Concepcion
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice -- 8/10
"Hellblade's most notable achievement is the handling of an incredibly sensitive subject matter within an engaging and well-crafted action/adventure game. At its heart, the story is about Senua's struggle to come to terms with her illness. In the process, she learns to find the strength within herself to endure, and to make peace with her past. And in a profound and physical way, we go through those same struggles with her, and come away with a better understanding of a piece of something that many people in the world struggle with." [read the full review] -- Alessandro Fillari, Editor
MLB The Show 18 -- 9/10
"Sony's flagship baseball franchise has never been better. With its best-in-class controls and visuals, and impeccable attention to detail for the small stuff, MLB The Show 18 is worth catching for any baseball fan." [read the full review]
Horizon: Zero Dawn -- 9/10
"This is the first departure from the Killzone series for developer Guerrilla Games, and though you might think the team took a risk by stepping out of its FPS comfort zone to create a third-person open-world action game, you'd never know it was their first rodeo. For every minor imperfection, there's an element of greatness that recharges your desire to keep fighting and exploring Zero Dawn's beautiful and perilous world. Guerrilla Games has delivered one of the best open-world games of this generation, and redefined its team's reputation in the process." [read the full review] -- Peter Brown, Reviews Editor
Nier: Automata -- 9/10
"Thanks to Platinum Games' knack for riveting and gratifying combat, Automata is Yoko Taro's most exciting game to date. The combat mechanics click after hurdling a low learning curve, and the end result is a skillful dance where balletic dodges complement wushu-inspired aggression. Moreover, this multi-ending trip is generously peppered with surprises and revelations, as well as easter eggs that call back to the first game and the Drakengard series from which Nier spun off. It's a meaty, often exhilarating trek that showcases Platinum Games' and Yoko Taro's unique blend of genius." [read the full review] -- Miguel Concepcion
Persona 5 -- 9/10
"Within Persona 5 is a complex set of interconnected gameplay mechanics, and in almost every aspect Atlus has executed on its vision exceptionally, barring the pacing issues towards the end. At every turn, it presents something to marvel at, whether it's the fluid combat, vibrant world, or the many memorable characters. It's a game I could talk about for hours; I haven't mentioned the ability to connect to the Thieves Guild, which lets you see how other players spent their day or ask them for help answering questions at school. Or the thumping acid-jazz-infused soundtrack that I've not been able to get out of my head. Or even just the joy of seeing how it stylishly transitions between menus. But that encapsulates why Persona 5 is a game that shouldn't be missed. It's stuffed to bursting point with gameplay ideas and presentation flourishes--there's an overwhelming level of artistry in every part of Persona 5, making it a truly standout entry in the series. It's a refined, effortlessly stylish RPG that will be talked about for years to come." [read the full review] -- Lucy James, Video Producer
Unravel Two -- 8/10
"With its charming yarnlings and a newfound style of platforming, Unravel Two remains welcoming even at its most foreboding. Sure, a forest fire breaks out in one of the latter stages, but even then, the race to keep ahead of the blaze is fun and frantic instead of stressful. In almost every moment you're given ample time and space to breathe and take in the stunning photorealistic world from the viewpoint of the tiniest creatures. It's a game with boisterous birds, chases through meadows, and most importantly a cheerful partnership with a companion who's always got your back. With only six chapters that run roughly 30 minutes apiece, Unravel Two doesn't last long, but it's a game where the time you have is meaningful, memorable, and downright pleasant from beginning to end." -- Justin Clark
Madden NFL 18 -- 9/10
"Overall, Madden 18 marks an unusually large shakeup in a series that, due to its annualized releases, rarely features much more than small, iterative changes. The Frostbite engine allows the game to reach new levels of realism in its visuals, and EA has put a lot of effort into constantly evolving the game to keep it in line with real-world events. But it is the Longshot story mode that defines Madden 18. Some of Longshot is unnecessary spectacle, but its lasting value comes from the humanity that it brings to the game. The moments of vulnerability and sincerity between Devin Wade and Colt Cruise during the story are worthy of celebration and give the overall game a weight that Madden hasn't had before. And if that's not enough to entice you, it's also simply a terrific football game." [read the full review] -- Alex Newhouse
Far Cry 5 -- 9/10
"Despite some brief irritations and missed opportunities with its narrative, spending time in the world of Hope County remains absolutely delightful. Far Cry 5 boasts a wonderfully harmonious flow to its adventure, with its smart changes to exploration, discovery, and progression distinctly bolstering the enjoyment of creatively engaging and experimenting with its spectacular open world." [read the full review] -- Edmond Tran, Senior Producer/Editor
Transistor -- 8/10
"Transistor is always a good-looking game, but in these instances, it demonstrates a rare knack for combining its visuals and music to powerfully convey both narrative information and tone, driving the story forward with Red's own unwavering resolve. So in the end, yes, Transistor is a fun action role-playing game with a neat combat system, but beautiful moments like these make it more than that. They make it a game with a soul." [read the full review] -- Carolyn Petit
Yakuza 0 -- 8/10
"Unless you have a strong aversion to violence, sex, or middling graphics, you owe it to yourself to give Zero a chance. Its story will surprise you, its inhabitants will make you laugh at every turn, and its ambitious scope will redefine how you think about open-world games. It's a fascinating adventure no matter how you approach it, and it's proof positive that a game can be wildly inconsistent yet remain a great experience." [read the full review]
Inside -- 8/10
"This is a beautiful, haunting, and memorable game, a worthy follow-up to Limbo. Its puzzles, although rarely difficult, are engaging complements to the story. The real achievement of this game, though, is the way that it crafts its narrative: detailed environments convey the bizarre world that you travel through; introspective moments are filled with minimalist sound design and just the barest touches of music; and the things you must do to complete your journey force you to confront the realities of humanity, freedom, and existence." [read the full review] -- Alex Newhouse
Blazblue: Cross Tag Battle -- 9/10
"Whether playing through the story mode alone or against hardened opponents online, Cross Tag Battle is an absolute joy with a surplus of possibilities within its wide roster and versatile fighting system. Even with all the ridiculousness of the overarching plot, I reveled in the charm of my favorite characters and embraced the many moments of fan service. It's a masterful unification of styles and mechanics from four different universes that compels you to dig deeper and dedicate the time to getting the most out of the beloved members of this cast." [Read the full review] -- Michael Higham, Associate Editor
The Crew 2 -- 8/10
"I'm annoyed by the game's lack of public interaction and meaningless gear system, but I'll fondly recall both the tension of flinging sprint boats back and forth through the narrow, artificial canals of The Venetian in Las Vegas, and the easygoing satisfaction of an hour-long hypercar race from New York to San Francisco, where I listened to a podcast and enjoyed the rolling scenery. Despite its shortcomings, The Crew 2 still displays admirable strengths, which lie in its player-friendly features, freedom of movement, and its willingness to bend the rules in order to make things exciting and varied for an accessible, American-themed thrillride." [Read the full review] -- Edmond Tran, Senior Editor and Video Producer
No Man's Sky Next -- 8/10
"At its absolute best, No Man's Sky is a measured, gentle experience where you are rarely the agent of change, but a perpetual visitor who's constantly dwarfed by the magnitude of a universe neutral to your presence. It is not your job in these stories to colonize the universe. Your job is to comprehend it. Your job is to recognize the spirituality in it. The primary gimmick of No Man's Sky, since day one, has been awe. The best things about the Next update feed that gimmick. While features like multiplayer and base-building certainly put more proverbial asses in seats, they're also the least memorable additions to an otherwise thoughtful experience." [Read the full review] -- Justin Clark
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes Of An Elusive Age -- 9/10
"Innovation in games is talked about a lot, but it's also great to see traditional gameplay formulas that have been around for decades presented exceptionally well. Dragon Quest XI is one of the best modern examples of this; its beautiful presentation, both visual- and story-wise, combines with a tried-and-true gameplay formula for a journey that's full of heart and soul. Once you find yourself sucked into the world of Dragon Quest XI, it's going to be hard to put down until you reach the grand finale." [Read the full review] -- Heidi Kemps
Assassin's Creed Odyssey -- 8/10
"Despite this, Assassin's Creed Odyssey's ambition is admirable, which is reflected in its rich attention to detail for the era and its approach to handling the multi-faceted narrative with strong protagonists at the lead. While its large-scale campaign--clocking in at over 50 hours--can occasionally be tiresome, and some features don't quite make the impact they should, Odyssey makes great strides in its massive and dynamic world, and it's a joy to venture out and leave your mark on its ever-changing setting." [Read the review] -- Alessandro Fillari, Editor
Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise -- 8/10
"Lost Paradise may replicate the Yakuza series' format, but it's filled with a passion for FotNS that makes it fantastic all on its own. While previous games based on the property have adapted its story and characters with some success, few have managed to not only nail the style and tone but redefine what's possible with its world and characters. RGG Studios has done a splendid job at evoking the justice-fueled power fantasy Kenshiro represents, succeeding in revealing more about the historic and beloved character in amusing and unexpected ways." [Read the review] -- Matt Espineli, Associate Editor
Spyro the Dragon: Reignited Trilogy -- 8/10
"The Reignited Trilogy is the best kind of collection that not only brings a beloved series up to current visual standards but also proves just how well-built the original titles were. Granted, the originals were done by a little studio called Insomniac, and it's not exactly surprising something that team did is a fine example of the genre. But the Reignited Trilogy's developer, Toys for Bob, deserves major kudos for bringing Insomniac's vision to life in the way we could've only dreamed in 1998." [Read the review] -- Justin Clark
Hitman 2 -- 8/10
"The addition of other minor mechanical changes--like concussive weapons, a picture-in-picture enemy activity alert, and visible security camera sightlines--help to improve Hitman 2 overall as a dense and accessible stealth assassination game. But the new locations are the real stars, impressive and inventive sandboxes ripe for picking apart with exciting experiments. Hitman is about experiencing the anticipation of seeing whether a plan will work when you try it for the first time. It's about feeling the tension of briskly walking away from a bad situation, hoping you can lose the suspicious guards. It's the satisfaction of knowing the machinations of a level so well that when a target moves into a particular place at a particular time, you have the perfect way to intervene. Hitman 2 is a familiar experience, but in the Hitman world, familiarity is an incredible strength." [Read the review] -- Edmond Tran, Senior Editor and Producer
Battlefield 5 -- 8/10
"The Battlefield series has a winning formula that Battlefield V doesn't deviate far from, at least for now. Conquest and the map roster don't mesh well together, however, Grand Operations--and the other modes within it--steal the show and foster some of the greatest moments the franchise has offered. You might be surprised by the impact of the slight changes made for this entry, especially when you're deep into pushing or defending objectives in Frontlines alongside teammates fulfilling their roles. That's when Battlefield V is at its best." [Read the review] -- Michael Higham, Associate Editor
By Alessandro Fillari on Nov 27, 2018 07:08 am
The Wild, Wild West
Red Dead Redemption 2 presents players with what it easily Rockstar's most dynamic open-world adventure to date. Featuring a number of sophisticated systems and countless NPC characters to interact with, there are all sorts of encounters that await you in the game's expansive wild west setting. However, with a game of this scale, there are bound to be features that aren't stated clearly, even during the opening hours that serve as a tutorial of sorts. We've come up with a list of details and tips that Red Dead Redemption 2 keeps somewhat hidden from players, which we found from our time experimenting with the many mechanics at work. Though much of overarching gameplay pillars are explained in the abstract during the game's tutorials and relevant missions, there always seems to be a bit more information that's set aside for later. And more often than not, you're bound to uncover these details when you least expect it. We've got much more info and coverage on Red Dead Redemption 2 in the works. In the meantime, be sure to check out our full Red Dead 2 review on Rockstar's biggest open-world game to date, along with guides on how to make money and the best tips for new players. GameSpot is also currently running a new weekly series called QuickDraw, which highlights the series' impact on gaming, while also showing off just how in-depth Red Dead Redemption 2 gets.
Savor The Story
While the main story in Red Dead Redemption 2 has many exciting and heartfelt moments, we recommend indulging in as much of the side content and activities as you can before tackling the next major event. Over the course of the game, you'll see changes to the gang's camp, and several characters, including Charles, Lenny, and Javier, will have some missions for you to handle. These side-quests show up as white markers on your map--with the main missions showing up as yellow--and can lead to great rewards or interesting encounters for you to take part in. Unfortunately, several of these diversions are only available for a limited time, so make sure to do them as soon as you can. Some of the game's most heartfelt and humorous events can come from these missions, which you'll miss out on if you focus on the story. So take some time away from the main plot and chat with your comrades--you'll be glad you did.
Look To The Skies
When you're exploring the wilderness, you'll likely see smoke trails from campfire at a distance. These serve as an indicator for points of interests in the area, so heading to the source can open up unique encounters with the game's many strangers and traveling vagabonds. Most often the lone individuals you can find are friendly, even giving you supplies and tips on some locations you should keep an eye on, but other encounters can lead to violent stand-offs with rival gangs or disgruntled travellers. Regardless, there will always be something interesting to uncover once you reach a campsite.
Weight Watchers
When you're living a life as an outlaw--where sleeping in the dirt and getting into intense gunfights are the norm--it can be easy to lose track of Arthur's personal disposition. This becomes apparent when you notice that you're taking more damage than normal. Early on, the game introduces you to the concept of building up your health, stamina, and dead eye cores. However, depending on what Arthur eats, how often he does so, and what sort of physical exercise he gets, his base stats and cores will see some changes. These gains or losses are reflected by three distinct body types; average, underweight, and overweight, all of which have their own unique pros and cons.
When you're of average weight, your health and stamina cores will stay even. However if you find yourself underweight, you'll take slightly more damage, but gain a boost to stamina to compensate. If Arthur eats often and gets less exercise, which includes running, swimming, and getting into fist fights with the local ruffians, he'll become overweight, resulting in less stamina but an increase in damage absorption. Though you can keep track of Arthur's physical status in the Player menu, you can also watch Arthur during his idle animations. Depending on what his weight is, his posture and demeanor will adjust to reflect his current build.
With all that said, Red Dead Redemption 2 is all about letting you build out the protagonist how you see fit. So if you want a skinny or plump character, then you go ahead and make sure Arthur lives his best, most indulgent life.
High Risk, High Rewards
Whether it's from ransacking a homestead or scavenging from dead animals, you'll likely stumble upon some items that the local merchants will refuse to take off your hands. These items can fill up your satchel fast--giving you the impression that they may better placed in the dirt-but they may fetch a high price from a select set of merchants happy enough to buy them from you. To offload these items of dubious origins, you'll need to visit a Fence--essentially a black market dealer who sells and trades some of Red Dead Redemption 2's most valuable items.
In a variety of locations across the map--including Rhodes, Emerald Ranch, and Saint Denis--these merchants can be found in their own shops, tucked away from the popular areas of town. These Fences will also sell support items, throwable weapons, and recipes, and can also craft rare talismans and trinkets from Legendary Animal materials, which offer unique perks to Arthur's main cores. Moreover, there are also Fences that deal primarily in stolen wagons and horses, which also yield a solid cash return. So when you arrive to a new area, make sure you know where to find the local shady dealer.
Do A Barrel Roll
During combat, there may come a time where you need to get out of the line of fire fast. While aiming your weapon, press the action button (Square on PS4, or X on Xbox One) to perform an evasive dodge. Depending on which direction you hold the control stick while pressing, Arthur will dive or roll away from danger. While this can evoke some flashbacks to the Max Payne series' iconic gun battles, the dodge roll is purely an evasive maneuver--so no shooting while diving, unfortunately.
When Horses Attack
Red Dead Redemption 2 is essentially a Wild West Grand Theft Auto, but hijacking a new transport will take a bit more effort than simply pressing a button. The horses in Red Dead Redemption 2 can be very temperamental and get stirred up very easily--especially in the presence of predators in the wilderness. When approaching a new steed, you'll need to calm it down in order to safely get near it. Horses aren't afraid to defend themselves, and if you try approaching a wild mare or someone else's animal from its backside, it won't hesitate in readying a fierce kick to keep you at bay.
Your Guns, Your Style
The members of the Van der Linde gang are all capable gunslingers, and this is especially true of Arthur. With some impressive handling of all sorts of firearms, which includes pistols, revolvers, rifles, and shotguns, the main character isn't shy about showing off more of his particular style. While at a weapon shop, you can customize your weapons in a number of ways, including adding new barrels, paint work, wrapping--to decrease degradation--and even place some stylish decals on your firearms. Though some of these customization options won't offer any tactical advantage whatsoever, they can go a long way in helping you define your own take on Arthur and his legend. And if you really want to show off some flair after an intense gunfight, double tap the holster button (L1 on PS4, LB on Xbox One) to put your pistol away in style.
Relive The Glory Days
Much like the original Red Dead Redemption, the prequel features a number of main missions that will show off many exciting and emotional moments. But in Red Dead Redemption 2, you're given the ability to replay these pivotal moments and re-experience the game's most interesting encounters at any time. After the end of each mission, you'll receive a ranking on your performance based on how long it took and whether or not you completed the side objectives. If you feel you can do better, or if you just want to see a badass moment again, you can do redo the mission by going into the Progress sub-menu and selecting the Story option. You'll see your current place in the main plot, along with a listing of previously completed missions from each chapter, which can be replayed at your leisure.
Hunting The Best Game
Though the hunting gameplay in Red Dead Redemption 2 takes many cues from the original, it now requires a far more thoughtful and careful approach. In addition to the 178 animals featuring their own backgrounds and unique methods to take them down in a hunt, the wildlife comes in three different ranks--poor, good, and perfect. While you'll often get the basics from any animals regardless of quality, you'll need to ensure that you're hunting above average prey in order to get the best pelts possible. To see whether the animal you're hunting is worth the effort, make sure to study it at a distance first, which will give you clues on how best to hunt it. After doing so, you'll see a set of stars next to its name on the HUD. If you find yourself on the trail of an animal with only one star, you should look elsewhere in the area for something better.
A More Immersive Experience
If you're itching for a more personal Red Dead Redemption 2, you can adjust the game and its look to offer a more involved experience that will keep you on your toes. Along with the game's first-person view mode, which allows players to experience the entire game in this perspective, you'll also be able to customize aspects of the HUD and gameplay, stripping away most on-screen indicators and tweaking the controls to your liking. With no HUD, you'll have to pay attention to more details in the environment, as well as remember the clues that NPCs give you. Though if you still want to use an aid to get around, Rockstar has a companion app for Red Dead Redemption 2 to offer players additional help.
Takedown The Big Targets With Ease
When hunting, you may find some larger targets that are more difficult to get a bead on. If you're having a difficult time getting a clear shot or keeping your prey from moving, you can always try lassoing it up. Despite this going counter to stalking and hunting prey the old-fashioned way, it's still a surprisingly effective way to get a hold of your target. If you're able to get close enough it, you'll also be to use your hunting knife to give it a quick death, which counts as a clean kill. However, this is only effective on medium to larger sized animals, as smaller game will be able to slip out of the rope easily.
Showing Your True Colors
In Red Dead Redemption 2, every choice you make with Arthur feeds back into the game's overarching Honor system. Depending on the type of character you play, whether as a likeable outlaw or a ruthless gunslinger, you'll witness changes to Arthur's behavior and to the game's presentation. If you're of high honor, not only will you receive some discounts from stores, the tone of your journal entries will be more upbeat, and the style of killcams you'll get will be more in the style of old-school westerns. If you're a particularly decent fellow, and want to make some solid gains on the honor system, take a stroll down the street in a populated area of town and greet the locals. You'll quickly earn some positive vibes from the townsfolk.
However, if you find yourself playing more of a cutthroat, kill-cams will be more violent, your responses to NPCs will be more snide, characters will always be on the lookout for you, and the tone of your journal will be more cynical and off-putting. Each side has its own set of advantages, and it's all up to you in how you want others to view Arthur.
Look After Your Loot
As you're exploring the wilderness on your horse, it's all but inevitable that you'll take a nasty spill. While these brutal wipeouts can often be humorous, they can result in some serious consequences. In addition to causing harm to both Arthur and his mare, you'll also drop all items that placed on the back of your trusty steed--which temporarily holds pelts and small game. This won't be an issue that often, but there may be some cases where you'll crash out on a hill or in a rocky place, which will make it easy to lose track of those precious supplies. This can be especially devastating if you spent a great deal of time hunting animals, only to have lost the pelt and bodies when crashing head-first into a tree. So if you crash your horse, make sure to collect yourself and all your belongings before you ride off.
Taking In The Sights
Red Dead Redemption 2's cinematic camera mode can offer you the chance to view the sweeping vistas of the game's world in a different light. With a dynamic camera, you'll get to see Arthur and his crew ride across the landscape with some breathtaking sights in the backdrop. However, controlling the character during the cinematic mode can be somewhat problematic, thanks to the shifting camera. Thankfully, Rockstar included a subtle feature to make movement much easier in the cinematic mode. By holding down the X/A button in this special camera mode, Arthur and his horse will stick to the trail, automatically turning and making corners when needed. If you have a particular destination set on the map, either for a story mission or a waypoint, the game will guide Arthur to that location as well.
Prime Fishing Time
When taking up the fishing activity, there may be some cases where you won't get many bites. While it's important to make sure you're using the correct bait and lures for the location you're in, and that your fishing technique is correct, another factor to consider is the current time in the day. Depending on when you decide to head out, you'll see a different amount of activity in the lake, pond, or river. To get the best results during a fishing activity, try to stick with early morning and afternoon time in-game. Also, fishing during a rainstorm will increase the activity of the aquatic animals a bit further.
By Alessandro Fillari on Nov 27, 2018 07:07 am
Lost And Legendary Arms
Red Dead Redemption 2 on PS4 and Xbox One features a massive arsenal of weapons, from basic six-shooters and lever-action rifles to powerful shotguns and sniper rifles. In addition to the weapons you can buy from a gunsmith or pick up from run-of-the-mill fallen enemy, there are also many special weapons hidden in the world for you to find. Much like the side missions you come across, it's very easy to permanently miss out on some of these weapons, especially if you don't take the time to examine an area further or loot a dead bandit's corpse. After spending many hours roaming the wilderness and towns of Red Dead Redemption 2's depiction of late-1800s America, we've amassed a large amount of melee weapons and firearms for Arthur to use when fighting against rival gang members and angry vagabonds. There's a surprising amount of items to find, some of which break away from the Western setting and reference cultures that have since disappeared in the face of the new century. To avoid spoilers, we've omitted some mentions of weapons that you can acquire late in the game, though we plan to update this feature in the coming weeks. So for now, here's an extensive list of weapons along with their locations. If you just can't get enough of Red Dead Redemption 2 and want more info, be sure to check out our galleries and features focusing on Fishing, the many legendary animals, and an extensive breakdown of the Core systems. You can also check out GameSpot's new weekly show Quickdraw, where we highlight and examine some of the game's most fascinating and impressive details each Friday.
Firearm: Flaco's Revolver
In-game description: A rare Cattleman Revolver, featuring delicate engravings and a carved ivory handle. Previously owned by the late gunslinger Flaco Hernandez, defeated in a duel at Cairn Lake, this gun has an ammo capacity of six rounds, and a can use Regular, High Velocity, Split Point, Express and Explosive revolver ammo.
Location: Flaco's Revolver
After accepting the Gunslinger mission in Valentine--The Noblest of Men, and A Woman--you can examine the photos of the various characters. To find Flaco Hernandez, examine and read his photo to unlock his mission, which is located near Cairn Lake, southeast of Colter to the northern section of the map. Pick up the gun near his body to acquire his revolver.
Firearm: Granger's Revolver
In-game description: A rare Cattlemen Revolver, with a dark metal finish and covered in custom engravings. Previously owned by the late gunslinger Emmet Granger, defeated in a dual near Flatneck Station, this gun has an ammo capacity of six rounds, and can use Regular, High Velocity, Split Point, Express and Explosive revolver ammo.
Location: Granger's Revolver
After accepting the Gunslinger mission in Valentine--The Noblest of Men, and A Woman--you can examine the photos of the various characters. To find Emmit Granger, examine and read his photo to unlock his mission. Just east of Flatneck Station, you can find him at his pig farm. After completing his tasks, you'll engage in a duel. Afterwards, you can pick up his signature firearm.
Pistol: Midnight's Pistol
In-game description: A rare Mauser Pistol, this weapon features gold-plated engravings and a black wooden grip. Previously owned by the late gunslinger Billy Midnight, defeated in a duel on a train departing Rhodes, this gun has an ammo capacity of ten rounds, and can use Regular, High Velocity, Split Point, Express and Explosive pistol ammo.
Location: Midnight's Pistol
After accepting the Gunslinger mission in Valentine--The Noblest of Men, and A Woman--you can examine the photos of the various characters. To find Billy Midnight, examine and read his photo to unlock his mission. At the post office in Rhodes, talk to the clerk to figure out where he is. After boarding the train, talk to Billy Midnight, which will lead to a quick chase. Eventually, you'll engage in another duel. Pick up his firearm from his body, and you'll acquire his gold-plated Mauser Pistol.
Shotgun: Rare Shotgun
In-game description: A rare Double-Barreled Shotgun with faded brass tarnish and adorned with carvings. Previously owned and cherished by a lonely woodsman living in solitude amongst the trees and wildlife of Roanoke Ridge. This gun has an ammo capacity of two rounds, and can use Regular Buckshot, Incendiary Buckshot, Slug and Explosive Slug shotgun ammo.
Location: Rare Shotgun
Though it's known as the Rare Shotgun, you can find this weapon in a couple locations. The first is north of Annesburg, located at a small cabin in Manito Glade. Take out the angry recluse and pick up his gun. The second can be dropped from cave hermit directly west of Hanging Dog Ranch, just north of the Little Creek River near Wallace Station.
Melee: Ancient Tomahawk
In-game description: A traditional native Tomahawk with a striped bound shaft and polished sharp blade. Although showing some signs of its age, this weapon has been well maintained by one of the locals. This melee weapon was found lodged in a broken wooden target, overlooking Calumet Ravine in the Grizzlies.
Location: Ancient Tomahawk
Can be found sticking out of a broken target on the east side of Calumet Ravine, overlooking the river below. This is located east of the Wapiti Indian Reservation.
Melee: Antler Knife
In-game description: A rare knife, with a handle manufactured from the antler of a stag, and part of the blade snapped off near the crossguard. This weapon was taken from the scene of a fight between a large bear and hunter, which occurred near Hanging Dog Ranch in Big Valley. Neither side won.
Location: Antler Knife
Found on a dead bear who was killed by the hunter he crushed. Located directly northwest of Hanging Dog Ranch near Little Creek River.
Melee: Broken Pirate Sword
In-game description: An old and rare pirate cutlass, with a long snapped blade and decorative golden handguard. This relic was found lodged inside an abandoned boat, run adrift in the swamplands surrounding Saint Denis. With a longer range than most bladed melee weapons, this is still practical combat weapon despite its age.
Location: Broken Pirate Sword
On a wrecked boat located on the small islands southwest of Saint Denis, you'll find a skeleton with an old pirate sword.
Melee: Civil War Knife
In-game description: An old Bowie knife with a solid blade, worn wooden handle and large D-shaped handguard for protection. This weapon was commonly used by Civil War soldiers, and is covered in rust. It was found in a storage room underneath the ruined Fort Brennand in Roanoke Ridge, New Hanover.
Location: Civil War Knife
Found in the basement of Fort Brennand, an abandoned fort southwest of Van Horn. To find the basement, go into the building to the right of the entrance of the fort and go down the ladder inside.
Melee: Hewing Hatchet
In-game description: This old and worn Hatchet has a flat edge along one side of the blade and is designed for hewing, the process of converting logs into lumber. This melee weapon was found in a tree stump near Moonstone Pond in the Grizzlies, next to an abandoned shack. This Hatchet can also be thrown.
Location: Hewing Hatchet
On the south shore of Moonstone Pond, you'll find the hatchet resting in a tree stump.
Melee: Rusted Double Bit Hatchet
In-game description: A rare Hatchet, featuring a rusted double-bladed head: one razor-sharp side for chopping and cutting; and a dull side for splitting wood. This melee weapon was found in a tree stump near Annesburg Mine in Roanoke Ridge, and has been worn by the elements over time. This Hatchet can also be thrown.
Location: Rusted Double Bit Hatchet
Found in a tree stump outside a shack between Elysium Pool and O'Creagh's Run.
Melee: Viking Hatchet
In-game description: A rare ancient Hatchet, engraved all over with Nordic patterns and bound with leather. This melee weapon was found at an old stone altar in the Roanoke Valley area of New Hanover, lodged into a skull. This Hatchet can also be thrown.
Location: Viking Hatchet
Northeast of Beaver Hollow you'll find a small ruin made by ancient Vikings. While you can find the hatchet resting on a stone table, heading into the tomb will also lead you to the Viking Helmet, one of the game's more unusual items to find.
By Tamoor Hussain on Nov 27, 2018 07:05 am
Red Dead Redemption 2 is out now, and it explains the majority of its gameplay systems that you'll be interacting with across the many hours you can play it. However, since it's so big, some of the information can be doled out over the course of multiple hours. This is a smart decision that means players aren't overwhelmed from the outset, but you may find yourself asking questions that the game isn't ready to answer yet or that you simply missed. Just as you'd expect, the open-world game is overflowing with things you can do, as you can read about in our Red Dead 2 review. Should you choose, you can sink a huge number of hours into exploring the vast American wilderness and enjoying the beautiful environments it presents, hunting animals to provide for your friends and family, or robbing trains to--well, provide for your friends and family in a less wholesome way. To help you hit the ground running we've put together a number of tips that that'll help you get along better earlier in the game. These should serve as a primer to jumping into the world of Red Dead Redemption 2, so we've included a bunch of some of smaller things that, once we realised them, made for smoother play sessions. Alongside those, there's information that the game tells you, but perhaps doesn't stress upon as much as it should. Crucially, this is all spoiler free, so you're in no danger of hearing about that moment where [REDACTED]. For more Red Dead Redemption 2 tips we've got spoiler-free guides on how the morality and honor systems work, the best way to make money, and some information on how weapon customization functions. If you're planning to spend a bunch of time fishing, we've got a guide for that too. Make sure to also watch Quickdraw, our weekly Red Dead Redemption 2 video series. In the first episode we looked at previous Rockstar games that have influenced RDR 2. The second episode, meanwhile, is a story recap of the original Red Dead Redemption.
Fit As A Fiddle
Red Dead Redemption 2 gets surprisingly in-depth with information on the health and well being of its main character, Arthur Morgan. And to really make the most of these you should head into the "Player" menu in the pause screen and select "Arthur." You'll be presented with information cards that clue you into the state of your Health, Stamina, and Dead Eye cores, which dictate how quickly each of these attributes regenerates. To guarantee you're operating at peak performance you need to maintain your Cores by eating, resting, and generally keeping Arthur in good shape. You'll also get information on the actual numerical percentage of how much core you have remaining. Temperature and weight impact stats for health and stamina respectively, so if you're layering up in the heat or walking around in the chillier parts of the world as if it's a warm summer's day, you'll see Arthur's health drain faster. Similarly, if your Arthur is thick with two Cs, stamina will take a hit but your health will be boosted slightly. However, if he's on the thinner side, health will be impacted negatively, but your stamina will improve a bit. All outlaws are beautiful in our eyes, but if you have a specific playstyle in mind it's important to watch your weight and manage it to suit you.
Mapped Shortcut
This is a very small quality of life improvement that has a big impact. You'll spend a whole lot of time going into and out of the map in Red Dead Redemption 2. Its world is vast and although there are key locations that you'll travel to, along with waypoints to guide you there, the game also cultivates a wanderlust. Sometimes, this may mean going out into the wild west to hunt, and if you're looking for a specific animals you'll need to head to particular spots. Other times you may just want to trot around to see what strange situations and scenarios present themselves to you. Initially, getting the map up can seem like a two-step process: pressing the start button to bring up the pause menu, then selecting the map option. However, you can expedite this by instead holding the start button down, which will take you straight to the map. This is a common thing in modern open-world games but it isn't explicitly mentioned so it can be an easy to miss detail.
Circle of Life
Hunting is a crucial part of Red Dead Redemption 2. It brings in resources for you and the rest of your gang to survive off, but also lets you build a deeper connection with the world around you through study and observation. When you come across an animal to hunt, don't just go all Yosemite Sam on it. Instead, be more Elmer Fudd and take it slow. Be sure to use the study prompt as you'll get an entry in the "Animals" section of the Compendium that tells you a little more about it. This includes details on how they behave, the best weapons to use to bring them down cleanly (and thus increase their value), and what they can be used for. Early in Red Dead Redemption 2 you're taken out on a hunt and given a runthrough of how it works. It's all fairly simple, but there are two main tricks that help considerably. The first is masking your own scent. Press in the analogue sticks to activate Eagle Eye and you'll see an aura emanating off you--that's your own body funk, don't be ashamed, you're a rough and ready outlaw living off the land and farting into the winds whenever it suits you--this is the good life. You'll need to make sure those wisps of B.O. aren't being carried towards the animal, as they're super judgemental about odors and will bolt. If you're out on a tricky hunt we recommend heading to a vendor first, as they'll usually sell you an item to mask your smell, or you can craft one. Also hit the baths regularly; there's a limit to how much you can smell like sun baked horse poop. The other tip is to attract the attention of an animal locking on to them and then pressing square (on PS4) or X (on Xbox One). This causes the animal to raise its head and leaves it in the perfect position to be brought down cleanly. We recommend trying to use a bow as often as possible when hunting, as it's quieter and better for getting clean kills. Don't forget to give your pelts to Pearson back at the camp, or one of the Trappers that appears. They will hold on to them them for you to come back and use for crafting later.
Hop The Fence
At a certain point in the game you'll complete a mission and meet a Fence. No, we're not talking about a wooden partition typically used to enclose outside areas and made of posts connected by either boards, rails, or wires, we're talking about the criminal variety of Fence. These folk will buy stolen goods from you, which is handy if you've just five-finger discounted a carriage or horses. However, they'll also more than happily take small ticket items off your hands, so if you're the robbing and heisting type, Fences will be your best buddies. However, if you're fresh off committing a crime and have a bounty on you, you'll need to first pay off this off at the Post Office, as Fences won't chat to you otherwise.
Pistols At Dawn
The basics of shooting in Red Dead Redemption 2 are familiar, simple, and intuitive. However, your gun has more uses than filling folks with lead. In fact, it can also be used to get what you want out of a person without killing them. The thundering clap of gunfire has a way of persuading people to be more compliant, so if you take out your gun, hold the aim button, and then press up on the directional pad, Arthur will point his gun into the air. When you fire, you may find people a little more deterred from acting out. While many will usually comply for fear of losing their lives, others may ignore you. You can usually tell whether it's going to work based on the other person's demeanour. The cowardly types tend to stop dead in their tracks, but if you're robbing someone and they have a defiant attitude, you may be out of luck. Nevertheless, it's worth a shot into the sky. For those after a gun-focused tip that's useful in combat, hit the square or X button while aiming to execute a dolphin dive. The game has a cover system to keep you safe when the bullets are flying, but the dive is a handy way of minimizing risk when moving point to point.
Wicky Wicky Wild Wild West
For those who enjoy exploring the nooks and crannies of far-off virtual lands, Red Dead Redemption 2 provides plenty to uncover. One of the most immersive ways to experience it all is to turn off the in-game map and rely on your own sense of direction and navigational skills to get around. If you hold down on the directional pad and opt for turning off the minimap, characters that you ride with will be more forthcoming with directions, which makes for a more natural--and authentic--form of discovery. If you find yourself struggling, however, you can always just tap down again to briefly bring up the map to get your bearings. While you're out and about, keep your eyes peeled for smoke in the sky; where there's smoke, there's usually a (camp)fire, and this more often than not will either lead to a side-mission or a memorable random encounter. Similarly, listen for things happening in your environment, as you may hear someone shouting for help or beckoning you to come over as you pass by. Sometimes it's easier to just use public transport to get where you need to, and to make use of fast travel you can hop on a taxi coach or a train. These are usually only available in towns, but if you upgrade Dutch's quarters in the camp, you can then also purchase a map for Arthur that allows him to return to certain previously visited locations.
Gimmie The Loot, Gimmie The Loot
Money makes the world go round, and you'll need to keep a constant influx of cash to get by. While exploring the world and doing missions, it's common to come upon abandoned camps with lots of items up for picking. Sometimes you'll have to walk up to individual items and snatch them up, but you may also stumble upon a bunch of goodies in close proximity to each other. In these situations, simply hold down the loot button and Arthur will pocket the valuables as smoothly as one of Fagin's boys. One of the most consistent sources of cash and goods is the bodies of your fallen enemies. Naturally, you'll be taking out a whole lot of people, and you should make it a point of stripping them of their valuables while you're at it. As with the previous game, enemies you've killed are marked on the map with a small 'x', so once battles have subsided, ensure you head over to all the corpses and recover your spoils.
Horseplay
As the saying that we just made up this second goes, "A cowboy is only as good as the horse he or she rides in on," so you'll want to spend time strengthening your bond with your noble steed. The easiest way to deepen your bond with your horse is through positive reinforcement. When you're moving at a *checks Google* "two-beat trot," press in the left analogue stick and Arthur will tell his horse how much he values it and how it's the bestest and bravest. From our experience, the cooldown on this is around 14 seconds, so you could min-max wholesome horse compliments to build your bond quicker. As your bond grows, your horse's health and stamina will improve, you'll be able to whistle for it from further away, and it'll come to you even if you're in combat. It'll also cross deeper water and rougher terrain, and if someone tries to steal it, they'll have a much harder time. Other abilities such as rearing, skid turning or stopping, and even dressage also become available. There's also some tricks to riding a horse properly, as well as best practices. If you tap the X or A buttons in time with your horse's gallops you'll reduce the rate at which it uses stamina, which means you can run faster for longer. Make sure to also give it regular breaks and feed it often. As the other saying we just made up goes, "A healthy horse is the wind beneath a gunslinger's feet." When you're riding long distances you also have the option to use the cinematic camera. If you set a waypoint on the map and there's a direct line along a defined route there, then switch to the cinematic camera, your horse will stay true and all you've got to do is hold the run button down.
The Right To Bear Arms
Red Dead Redemption 2 has a diverse range of weaponry available for you to implement in your cowboying ways. For quite a few hours you'll find yourself limited to the basics: six-shooters, rifles, and shotguns--and the more basic versions of them at that. If you're the kind of person who finds themselves frequently staring down the barrel of a gun with another poor soul in your crosshairs, you may be tempted to save up some cash to try and get new, more powerful weapons. If that's what you want to do, go ahead; it's the wild west and you're an outlaw so be the master of your own destiny and all that. However, if you want to save yourself a bit of cash and get your hands on some powerful weaponry, spend time focusing on doing the main story missions. Unsurprisingly, the game is very generous in giving you useful rewards when completing these missions, so if you follow the critical path you'll get showered with new guns, items, and equipment. Resisting the urge to ride out into the wild lands of America with nothing but a gun and your horse to make a name for yourself may be difficult, but stick with the gang for a bit in the early game and it'll be worth your while in the long run.
Wish You Were Here
Finally, here's a quick tip that will keep FOMO at bay. Make sure to do the missions that appear as white icons around your camp. These are usually activities that you undertake alongside other members of the Van der Linde gang, and provide some nice characterization moments. These will disappear after a while, either because they're time sensitive or because narrative advancements wipe them away. If one of these pops up, make sure to prioritize them over the yellow, core missions. Those will always be there, waiting for you.
By Array on Nov 27, 2018 06:47 am
It's hard to believe that Red Dead Redemption 2 has been out for a couple weeks now. To think we were all desperately awaiting its launch only some time ago. It's even crazier to think that Rockstar only spoonfed us small details about how the game would play in the two or so months before its launch. But now we've got the game and everyone is slowly learning all there is to know about its story and myriad gameplay systems. Some have even been fortunate enough to beat the roughly 50-hour game. In our time spent playing Red Dead 2, we've grown to love so much about it. This adventure across the sprawling frontier of the Old West is packed with all sorts of thrilling and emotional moments, as well as an attention to detail across its systems and locations not often seen anywhere else. Our love for Rockstar's latest effort only continues to grow with every hour we spend in its world. In this feature, you'll find 20 things that we at GameSpot adore about Red Dead 2. Contained are brief musings on all the tidbits we enjoyed, such as the game's night sky, spending time at the Van der Linde camp, or just the way Arthur twirls his revolver back into his holster. If you haven't already read our Red Dead 2 review, be sure to read it! GameSpot's Kallie Plagge wrote: "While Red Dead Redemption was mostly focused on John Marston's story, Red Dead 2 is about the entire Van der Linde gang--as a community, as an idea, and as the death rattle of the Wild West. It is about Arthur, too, but as the lens through which you view the gang, his very personal, very messy story supports a larger tale. Some frustrating systems and a predictable mission structure end up serving that story well, though it does take patience to get through them and understand why. Red Dead Redemption 2 is an excellent prequel, but it's also an emotional, thought-provoking story in its own right, and it's a world that is hard to leave when it's done." Though, if you're more in the market for guides, we've got you covered. Be sure to check out our guides roundup containing features highlighting all the tips you should know before playing and things the game doesn't tell you. And if you want to have some extra fun, read our feature detailing the game's cheat codes. Anyway, what do you love most about Red Dead 2? Don't hesitate to write your dissertations in the comments below!
Staring at the Night Sky
One of my favorite activities in any good-looking video game is to spend time admiring the sky, and in this regard, Red Dead 2 does not disappoint. In particular, the nighttime skies are breathtaking. As a kid, I wanted to be an astronomer, but having always lived in areas where light pollution is unavoidable, it was difficult to fully appreciate what the sky really looks like at night. Plenty of other games offer a nice night sky to take in--even something like Skyrim, which was never an especially good-looking game, has gotten me to strain my character's neck to look up at the stars. But Red Dead 2 (which I'm lucky enough to be playing on Xbox One X) is a visually stunning game, and there are few, if any, sights in it that I love to sit and admire more than the skies at night. Whenever nighttime rolls around, rather than let Arthur catch some Zs or do some thievin', I try to find an elevated or isolated area where I can take it all in. Whether it's trying to spot constellations or simply taking in the gorgeous nebulae, it's one of the most peaceful, serene, and enjoyable ways to take a break from the the regular outlaw life. At least, until a bear or wolf catches you off-guard and mauls you to death. But hey, there are worse ways to die than under that beautiful night sky. -- Chris Pereira, Engagement Editor
You Can't Take Anything For Granted
I'm sure you've heard many variations of why so-and-so loves Red Dead 2's open world, and for good reason. It's unquestionably gorgeous, varied, and bustling with life in ways that lend credence to the sense of time and place. But enjoying the wilderness and taking advantage of more civilized distractions requires you to take care of Arthur, which is sometimes easier said than done given all that he goes through. He has to regularly eat or sleep, and if he wants to be in the good graces of those around him, he must also bathe and dress to fit in, not to mention visit the barber once in a while. Though we are privileged to be able to see all that is Red Dead 2's amazing open world, there's a level of responsibility that comes with every choice. That give-and-take relationship makes each step along the way feel like the small piece of a grand adventure where nothing can be taken for granted. -- Peter Brown, Managing Editor
How Hostile Nature Is
A thing I love to do in Red Dead 2 is watch nature take place around me, either hidden away in a bush or from afar with binoculars--just watching to see what the animals of the world do when Arthur isn't shooting arrows or bullets at their vitals.I was looking around inside a shack near a frozen lagoon to the north of the map and heard roaring and commotion outside, which was pretty stark against the relative silence of the frigid northern area. On the ice there was a huge grizzly bear guarding a freshly killed white-tailed deer, with three wolves circling the carcass and the hairy behemoth above it. Keeping my distance I watched as one brave (stupid) wolf lunged forward before being crushed in between the bear's jaws and tossed aside. The rest of the wolves were actually visibly perturbed by seeing what was likely the alpha of the pack get completely crunched by a blood-covered beast the size of a stagecoach.Each turned their tail and ran and I was left viewing this magnificent creature savor the meal it so viciously defended. It was really one of the most memorable scenes I've had in the game so far--at least until I put a bolt action round through its eye because I needed its pelt, that is. -- Dave Jewitt, Video Producer
The Amazing Soundtrack
A lot of noise (sorry) has been made about Woody Jackson's score for Red Dead 2. It dynamically lifts and accentuates the game's poignant moments, amps up during combat, and is a comforting partner while you're roaming the plains. There's no shortage of catchy ditties ("I got a girl in Valentine, who likes to drink that fancy wine" is a real earworm), and sitting around a campfire as Arthur and the rest of the Van der Linde gang sing along is always a memorable, yet completely missable, activity that brings you ever closer to the members of the ragtag troupe. I encourage you to go check it out every time you hear someone drunkenly belt out a few bars. Josh Homme's crooning Cruel, Cruel World is a perfect ending song to the long, emotional journey, and just as Far Away by Jose Gonzalez will forever be associated with crossing the border into Mexico in the first game, so will D'Angelo's Unshaken be intrinsically linked to key moments in Red Dead 2. -- Lucy James, Video Producer
Arthur's Diary: Musings Of A Desperado
Arthur Morgan's struggles are constant. If lawmen, bounty hunters, and other bandits weren't enough, the world has become a mudslide beneath his feet. As an outlaw, he's desperately trying to find footing in an age trying to bury him and his kind. His life is a tempest of clashing ideologies, foolhardy ambition, and questionable schemes. Arthur Morgan is a man in turmoil. So much so that, at times, it can be hard to get a sense for who he is and who he wants to be. However, for each noteworthy moment of his life (of which there are many) there's an entry in his diary, and this is easily my favourite part of Red Dead 2. The memoirs scribbled into the leatherbound notebook provide the raw, honest truth of his experience. It chronicles everything from train heists and bank robberies to fleeting encounters with odd folk and ventures into unfamiliar parts of the world. In charming prose and surprisingly good sketches, Arthur lays himself bare on page. He spends so much of the game caught in the crossfire of other people's words and bullets that his perspective is often lost. The diary is a place where his voice is the loudest, and it's a heartfelt one, sometimes speaking of happiness and hope, other times of doubt and frustration. Games regularly stumble with humanizing their heroes and making them relatable, especially when those heroes are doing morally questionable things. But Arthur's diary gave me an honest, personal insight into the mind of a very complicated man. -- Tamoor Hussain, Editor
You Can Let The Horse Drive
There are a lot of things I like about Red Dead 2, but there are plenty I also find frustrating. The game's overall pace can be grating, with a lot of activities and systems feeling more like working a fairly irritating job than escaping into the Old West. That's why the system that lets you turn on horse autopilot is my favorite thing in the game. Set your destination on your map, get your horse up to speed on the trail, and activate the cinematic camera, and you can just set the controller down and relax. The ability to leave the driving to the horse made Red Dead 2 so much better for me, fixing what was honestly among the most tedious parts of the game. Horse autopilot, as I like to call it, is an essential feature. It changes something about Red Dead 2 that at first felt like it was completely disrespectful to players' time--guiding your horse down endless trails with nothing much but scenery to look at--into a chance to relax between gunfights and hunting sessions. -- Phil Hornshaw, Editor
Everything That Happens At Camp
It's possible to wander around the world of Red Dead 2 and rarely drop by the Van der Linde gang's camp, but those stops between missions to drop off supplies and money are always my favorite. It started with a party that kicked off after one of the story missions, but every visit back to camp holds some hidden gems if you just listen and look around. The interactions between other members of the gang can be telling looks into their characters--or just tidbits of ongoing animosity between them. Still, those small character moments are often when Red Dead 2 is at its best, giving you a sense that the gang is a realistic group of people who rely on each other, clash with each other, and have history with each other. Getting a glimpse of John Marston's troubles with Abigail, Hosea's creeping worries that maybe Dutch really doesn't have a plan, Charles' struggles with his identity--they all make the world a lot more realistic than painstaking animations of brushing your horse or skinning animals ever could. -- Phil Hornshaw, Editor
Horses Nuzzle Each Other!
You spend a lot of time on horseback in Red Dead 2, as well as feeding, brushing, and generally caring for your steed. Rockstar has done a pretty good job of making the animals feel realistic and natural--they get scared of gunfire and predators and require calming under stress. They'll rear up and toss you when they don't like what nonsense you're getting up to, and an agitated horse will definitely kick you halfway across the West if you get too close at the wrong time. Like a lot of things in Red Dead 2, though, the best thing about horses is how they act when nobody's messing with them. The game is full of elements that make horses seem more realistic, and we're not just talking about how they poop sometimes or how their balls shrink in response to weather. Specifically, horses are nice to each other. It's moments like watching two horses nuzzle each other that makes it all the more heart-wrenching when yours falls down a ravine because you're an idiot of a rider and you have to put it out of its misery. -- Phil Hornshaw, Editor
A House Robbery That Takes Some Turns
There are a lot of secretly great missions in Red Dead 2, but one that stuck with me in particular had some ridiculous emotional swings. It starts in Rhodes, where you can meet a homeless old man named Compson who has fallen on some seriously hard times. He asks you to go to his repossessed house, break in, and steal some important items out of it before the bank gets to them. What follows is a Gone Home-style meandering through the detritus of the old man's life. You find a variety of notes, letters, pictures, and even drawings by little children, that allow you to track the man's life from relative wealth and prominence, to destitution. Part of what makes the story work is that, unlike most notes found in games like this one, Red Dead 2 provides voice-over narration for each one that add a lot of character. The mission starts as a sad story about Compson's decline as his wife dies and child disowns him, until you find the hidden room beneath the house and the ledger that reveals his former trade: tracking down escaped slaves. It's Arthur's eventual, disgusted confrontation with Compson that elevates the whole thing, though, as you realize that Compson has gotten what he deserves, but he'll never understand why that's the case. For a mission that's largely walking through a house and finding objects, this one is definitely one of Red Dead 2's heavier moments and features a great bit of writing. -- Phil Hornshaw, Editor
An Awkward Bath
It's little things in Red Dead 2 that make it stand out. You can change clothes, shave, and add pomade to your hair at your tent, for instance. And if you head into town, you can get yourself a bath, just like a real cowboy. It's lucky that Red Dead 2 isn't so realistic that you can smell Arthur Morgan, because the experience would probably not be present. At one point, I wandered into a building in one of Red Dead 2's towns, where a man offered me the opportunity to bathe. Why not, I figured, since I was flush with cash and not doing anything in particular at that moment, in true Wild West fashion. And when the game prompted me again to ask if I wanted a "Deluxe Bath," I again thought, why not? What results from that decision is a scene in which a woman physically bathes Arthur and the pair make small talk. The scene isn't a sexual encounter, but it comes off as one in which both parties are feeling pretty awkward the entire time. At one point, Arthur remarks, "Some parts of me might never have been this clean." The woman bathing him laughs and replies, "I'm not really sure what to do with that!" The bath really doesn't escalate into anything more than a bath, but it was good for a laugh and a moment that made me feel almost as uncomfortable as Arthur for initiating it. Those little moments make RDR2 a lot of fun to explore--and it was enough to send me googling to find out what hygiene in the Old West was actually like (spoiler: not great). -- Phil Hornshaw, Editor
The Start Of A New Day
There are many special touches throughout the story that show off Arthur's personality. However, some of the most impressionable moments that gave me pause happened when starting up the game. Upon loading the save file, you'll find Arthur waiting around in the last place you left off, usually passing the time in his own sort of way. In some cases, you'll see him leaning against a lamppost outside a saloon, sleeping against a rock, or resting atop his horse as he admires the scene around him. You'll never know where things will pick up with him when loading up the game. What makes these scenes so noteworthy is how they often frame Arthur against the backdrop of the environment. Not only does this give him and the setting a proper sense of scale, but it also presents a feeling of isolation, which is in keeping with his outlaw lifestyle. The game often presents these moments as lonely periods of reflection, wistfully taking in the scenery before getting back to when you assume control. These little moments, however brief they are, offer a surprising amount of humanity to the character and his place in the world, which is a nice reminder to have when starting up your next session in his boots. -- Alessandro Fillari, Editor
Jack Marston Is A Precious Angel
There's a lot to take in around camp in Red Dead 2, but one of my absolute favorite ways to spend time is watching, eavesdropping on, and interacting with Jack Marston. At around four years old, Jack is by far the youngest member of the Van der Linde gang and as such is the main beacon of hope, purity, and innocence in everyone's lives. In an early mission, you take Jack fishing as a favor to his mother, Abigail, and he gets bored and instead makes a necklace out of flowers for her. He's the perfect child, really. Even just helping him on and off your horse is adorable. He also looks really dapper in 1899 clothing and sometimes stands with his arms behind his back like he's thinking really hard about the world, but he's probably thinking about the storybook he accidentally left at the gang's previous camp. In short, I would kill or die for Jack Marston. -- Kallie Plagge, Reviews Editor
You Can Pet Dogs
What is the point of putting dogs in games if you can't pet them? The dogs in Red Dead 2 are just doing their best with their short lives and we owe it to them to give pats at every opportunity. In addition to petting dogs, you can also praise them (or scold them, but you can ignore that prompt). You can't pet cats, which is unfortunate and suggests some kind of animal hierarchy, but it's nice to give love to dogs in addition to your trusty steed. Sometimes the dog will even follow you around a bit. Also, without spoiling anything, be sure to study dogs the way you would wild game. Some of them have very good descriptions. -- Kallie Plagge, Reviews Editor
Getting Drunk With Lenny
Early on in Red Dead 2, there's a story mission that comes out of nowhere. It seems more like the kind of side mission you'd do toward the end of a game when you're just messing around, but nope--this one's required. In it, you go out with Lenny, one of the best members of the Van der Linde gang, for a drink. One drink quickly turns into many, many drinks, and pretty soon you're both hammered and having a fantastic old-timey night. Eventually, you lose Lenny somewhere in the saloon, at which point you have to stumble around looking for him. The normal prompts you'd see elsewhere in the game--greet, antagonize, calling someone's name--are scrambled, resulting in Arthur shouting things like "Lemmy" or in you picking the option to "gret" someone. It's truly one of the funniest missions I've done in a long time. -- Kallie Plagge, Reviews Editor
You Can Just Stumble Upon A Serial Killer's Murder Scenes
This is kind of a weird one, sure, but I really geeked out over it. I was riding in the bayou, minding my own business, when I spotted an eerily lit tree just off the main road. I did what anyone alone at night would do: I got off my horse to investigate. I then discovered a headless torso hanging from the branches, intestines spilling out onto the ground. Around the back of the tree, I found the head and part of a map (which was in its mouth, something Arthur wasn't too pleased about). And then I realized what I had found: a serial killer. Well, a clue to finding the serial killer, anyway. Now, Red Dead 2 is set in 1899, shortly after Jack the Ripper in London and H.H. Holmes in Chicago, so I appreciated the realism. I was also completely not expecting anything like it, and to find a crime scene like this totally at random in an enormous open world was exciting. It's a weird, obtuse mission to solve, and it's the perfect combination of gruesome, creepy, and a little bit cheesy. Basically, I like solving murders. -- Kallie Plagge, Reviews Editor
Arthur Doesn't Know All the Words to Songs
Arthur and the Van der Linde gang are big fans of music. You can often hear them singing together while sitting by a campfire, rowing a boat, or riding drunk on horseback. It's a pleasant quality of the gang that never stops being endearing--especially speaking from the perspective of someone who loves impromptu singalongs among friends. What adds to this is how Rockstar has curated a selection of songs for the game that are either contemporary to the time or even much older. The attention to detail helps cement a sense of authenticity to the world and its inhabitants' exposure to popular music. However, this believability in music is elevated in how the game's characters sing these songs. One thing you'll notice during the big celebration in camp during Chapter 2 is the fact that Arthur doesn't know all the words to the songs sung by the campfire. I loved this little detail, as it expressed a sincerity to Arthur, showing that while he may not know all the words, he at least cares to join alongside his friends and share in that moment. It's fun hearing the great joy Arthur feels singing certain lyrics. It's delivered so infectiously as to bring a smile to your face--in that same way you feel when you sing along to a song you love with your friends. Red Dead 2 does a splendid job of showcasing the eternal unifying power that music can supply in these intimate moments shared amongst its characters. You don't need to know the words to participate. You need only surrender and come together as family for those short yet sweet few minutes. -- Matt Espineli, Editor
You Can Twirl Your Pistol Back Into Your Holster
If you've watched enough Western films, you'll likely be a fan of all the tense yet elegant quickdraw duels that often take place. But the best is what follows after the bullets stop flying, when the lone gunfighter on-screen twirls their revolver back into the holster of their gun belt. As if their near effortless accuracy wasn't already enough to cement their dominance in a gunfight, they gotta go on and add that stylish flourish at the end. It's almost cocky, but gosh, don't I just love it. That's why it brings me such joy to see this maneuver made available to you in Red Dead 2. Sure, you can just holster your gun with the simple press of L1/LB, but if you press it twice, you'll twirl it right back into your gun holster just like the best of 'em. I love Western films with nearly every fiber of my being, so to be able to twirl your gun at the end of every gunfight is a dream come true. If Rockstar decides to release DLC, my one wish would be for them to add different twirling animations. Heck, what if they end up adding more in Red Dead Online? Don't even get me started. -- Matt Espineli, Editor
Greeting NPCs
One aspect that makes Western films so captivating to viewers is how they capture a simpler, more personable time in American history where towns were small and folks were just trying to eke out a living in the wild countryside. There was a self-determined freedom there that is ever-so-distant from the aloofness of modern civilization--one that appeals to countless generations of American audiences. As a modern viewer, I found these settings charming despite their romanticized depictions often acting as a means to express an idealized vision of American identity and politics. To see a chaotic world where hospitality remains paramount often gives warmth to the dramatic proceedings taking place between gunfighters, outlaws, and those caught in the crossfire. Red Dead 2 offers you access to this geniality with the ability to greet NPCs. While the system isn't overly complex, I can't help but love taking the time to just walk up to someone in town and greet them. A simple "howdy" allows me to participate in the cheeriness of that hospitality, to express a kindness to folks who probably have it just as tough as Arthur--if not harder. After all, living out in the West wasn't easy no matter what version of it you look at. Not everyone responds in kind, but to be able at least give them the time of day is an aspect of Red Dead 2 that makes its world all the more believable and enchanting. -- Matt Espineli, Editor
Highway Robbers Can Appear at Random and Pull You Over
After spending enough time riding across the world on horseback, you're inevitably going to have to deal with some of society's more lawless inhabitants. Imagine my surprise being pulled over by some highway robbers for the first time. It occurs seemingly at random, and you're given a couple options towards how to react. You can either shoot first and ask questions later, or even comply with their demands only to turn the tables at an instant with some precise quickdraw. Whatever you choose to do, one thing is clear: These moments are awesome. The story offers you plenty of opportunities to feel like a stoic and graceful gunslinger, but it's in these confrontations that spring out organically in the world that you get to enact those moments with your own tilt on Arthur's morality. There's nothing pushing you any which way; just your own instincts and your own philosophy in that moment. Of course, they're wonderful for reenacting some of your favorite Western film moments too, but let's not get into that--unless you want another 600 words on all the quickdraw holdup scenes I'm hopelessly trying to act out (to varying degrees of success). -- Matt Espineli, Editor
The Bar Brawls: Let's Dance, Raccoon Man
My love for Red Dead 2 was solidified after a bar fight. Not the Valentine bar fight everyone runs into with Tommy, but coincidentally, it would be my second fight in that bar. I figured I'd revisit that rowdy watering hole to soak in the atmosphere on my own time. I'm instantly drawn to what appears to be the town drunk rambling loudly, wearing a raccoon-skinned hat. I listen to Raccoon Man's rant about how only real men defecate indoors, and how he once "killed a pack wolves with [his] bare hands." His only audience is an unimpressed bartender, so I walk closer to the drunk, showing that I am in fact interested. Raccoon Man gets one look at me and decks me across the face. What follows is an intense two-minute bar fight that leaves me barely alive, but victorious. Bloody faced with the entire bar watching, I walk over Raccoon Man's unconscious body, pick up his staple hat, and wear it as I walk out the bar. Roughly 10 real-time hours later, I go back to Valentine and find myself visiting the bar again. Sure enough, Raccoon Man is there, tucked away in the far back corner of the bar at a table, mumbling to himself. I approach him, curious if he was too blacked out to remember me. He does not react to me, and I'm bummed… until I notice he's bald. The idea pops instantly. I sprint out of the bar, grab his raccoon hat from my horse, bust back through the swinging doors wearing the man's prized headwear with one ultimate question on my mind: "Will he notice me now?" The second I step into his eyesight, from across bar packed with people, he stands up, and beelines towards me. We fight once more, gloriously, till sundown. And once again, he stays down. -- Rob Handlery, Senior Video Producer
By Kallie Plagge on Nov 27, 2018 06:42 am
Be The Best
Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee are more accessible than most mainline Pokemon RPGs, but that doesn't mean everything in the them is obvious. There are both returning mechanics from previous games and significant changes to the well-established Pokemon formula to contend with, so whether you're an experienced player or a total newcomer, there are a few things you should know before you get started with the new Nintendo Switch game. The Let's Go games are reimaginings of 1998's Pokemon Yellow, in which you started the game with Pikachu instead of Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. Because they're based on a Gen 1 game, Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee include only the first 151 Pokemon and the Alola forms introduced in Pokemon Sun and Moon, with the addition of Meltan. We'll have more information on how to get Meltan in Pokemon Go and Let's Go soon. One of the biggest changes introduced in Let's Go shakes up how you catch Pokemon. If you've played Pokemon Go, you'll be familiar with how it works. Instead of battling a wild Pokemon to whittle down its health before catching it, you simply have to toss a Poke Ball. Your chance of successfully catching the Pokemon goes up with a more accurate and better-timed throw, among other factors. On top of that, there are semi-hidden stats, strategies, and more to familiarize yourself with as you play. This feature covers our best tips for beginners, so you won't find anything spoilery or super-advanced here. Let us know in the comments what your best Let's Go tips are, and be sure to read our Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee review for our full thoughts on the game.
Catch Everything
If you've played previous Pokemon games, you might be used to catching a Pokemon once just to get it in your Pokedex, then battling the rest for experience. But in Let's Go, catching tons of the same Pokemon has its benefits. It's the best way to get experience points for your whole team, and you can transfer the extra Pokemon to Professor Oak for candies that can be used to improve your Pokemon's stats. Plus, it's a lot quicker and easier than in other Pokemon games, since you don't have to go through the hassle of battling them.
Get Catch Combos
The biggest benefit to catching a ton of Pokemon, though, comes from catch combos. To get a combo started, just catch the same species of Pokemon multiple times in a row. As your combo increases, you'll have a greater chance of finding rare Pokemon--even ones you normally wouldn't find in the wild, like evolved forms--and the ones you catch will have better and better stats. High combos can even cause Shiny Pokemon to spawn, which is never not exciting. And if you accidentally run into a different Pokemon, just run from the battle to avoid breaking your combo.
Know Your Stats
Once you've registered 30 different species of Pokemon in your Pokedex, head to the building connecting Route 11 to Route 12. Go upstairs to find one of Professor Oak's assistants, who will give you the Judge function in your Pokemon Box. This allows you to see the base stats of your Pokemon at a glance. These are also called individual values, or IVs, and they play a large part in how well your Pokemon performs in battle. As a bonus, your partner Pikachu or Eevee has perfect IVs!
Talk To Everyone
As you travel around Kanto, be sure to talk to every NPC you see. A lot of them say random things, but many others will give you helpful hints, items, or even Pokemon. You can trade with NPCs in different Pokemon Centers to get the Alolan forms of certain Pokemon, like the super-tall Exeggutor, for example. There's even someone in Vermillion City who will give you a Pokemon that's exclusive to the other version of the game. And speaking of NPC gifts...
Get The Original Starters
Like in Pokemon Yellow, NPCs in Let's Go will give you the three original starters from Red and Blue as long as you meet certain requirements. In this case, you have to have caught a certain number of Pokemon total--they can be the same Pokemon, so it's just about quantity. Get Bulbasaur in Cerulean City once you've caught 30 Pokemon total; head to Route 24 to get Charmander after you've caught 50; and get Squirtle from Officer Jenny in Vermillion City once you've caught 60. You can also catch the three starters in the wild, but any Pokemon you get from an NPC will have good stats automatically.
Make EZ Money
The more Pokemon you catch, the more Poke Balls you'll use. And Poke Balls aren't cheap. Luckily, there are a few ways to make a quick buck. Your best bet is to sell stuff like Nuggets, Pearls, and Stardust, since their only purpose is to be sold. There are also NPCs who will give you items like these once per day. If you're early in the game, a woman in the northwest corner of Pewter City will give you a Big Pearl if you watch her Slowpoke for a bit; if you're a bit further along, use Strong Push on the block in the warden's house to get a Nugget from his Diglett.
Watch Your Partner's Tail
In Pokemon games, you can find items in Poke Balls throughout the world. But there are also hidden items strewn about, and they're easy to find if you know where to look. Specifically, watch Pikachu or Eevee's tail--it'll start to wag as you get closer to a hidden item, and when it's going really fast, press A. You can find rare and valuable items this way, so always keep an eye out.
How To Change Your Partner's Hairstyle
If you watched any of the pre-launch trailers for Let's Go, you might have seen that you can change your partner Pokemon's hairstyle. We had a hard time figuring out how to do it, though, so to save you the trouble: In handheld mode, rub Pikachu's or Eevee's head with two fingers instead of one to muss up their fur. You'll get different hairstyles by playing around with it for a bit.
Befriend Your Pokemon
"Friendship" in Pokemon is a somewhat hidden stat in Pokemon, but as long as you treat your Pokemon well--heal them in battle, avoid letting them faint, and so on--they'll grow to love you. In Let's Go, you can also pick one Pokemon at a time to follow you around the world. This is in addition to your Pikachu or Eevee, which you can play with to increase your friendship. As you bond with your Pokemon, they'll sometimes make clutch moves in battle, like healing their own status conditions or avoiding attacks entirely. Maybe it's cheating, but hey, it makes the Elite Four a little less stressful.
By Alessandro Fillari on Nov 27, 2018 06:24 am
Welcome To West Virginia
Fallout 76 is a much different from previous games in the franchise. First off, it's the first online game in the series' history, 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. You won't be alone out in the wasteland, which should bring some comfort in the path ahead, though, rogue players are more than likely to give you a hard time if you aren't careful. In this guide feature, we've come up with a handful of 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. 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. If you've been playing the beta, you'll be happy to know that all of your progress is transferring over to the full game. But if you're new to the game, 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. If you're more curious about how the game is, read our Fallout 76 review.
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.
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.
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.
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.
By Array on Nov 27, 2018 06:17 am
Surviving West Virginia
After months of waiting, a new Fallout game has finally arrived. As you'd expect from the series, Fallout 76 is a massive game that's packed all manner of RPG systems and mechanical details many of which aren't explained in detail. Add that onto the new multiplayer functionality and it's more than likely you've got myriad questions that you need answers to. Fortunately, we're here to help with our collective knowledge having each played the game for a couple dozen hours. Many of the series' classic idiosyncrasies remain in Fallout 76. You'll wander the land, gather resources, craft items, kill a super mutant or two, and get involved in all sorts of questlines. In this feature, we go over tips you should know about the game's survival and progression systems, as well as call out important details to keep at the forefront of your mind as you play--whether it's taking time to build up your C.A.M.P. or pilfering whatever Power Armor you see. If you're keen for a more basic rundown of what to expect when you first jump into the game, be sure to check out our Fallout 76 survival guide. In that feature, we offer recommendations of cool places to check out, as well as a few beginner's tips. Fallout 76 is out now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, but be sure to read our Fallout 76 review to see how it turned out! For more guides, you can check out our survival guide, as well as our feature highlighting where to get some easy Power Armor sets. If you've still got questions about how Fallout 76 plays, be sure to check out our feature highlighting everything you need to know about the game. In the meantime, what are some of the craziest discoveries you've made in Fallout 76? Got any useful tips to offer, too? Let us know in the comments below.
Tackle the Main Story Early On
Once you leave Vault 76, you are free to go anywhere you want. But don't let that freedom go to your head, as you most definitely lack the resources needed to survive. If you're not careful, you're likely to end up somewhere high leveled and dangerous. We strongly recommend at least doing the first couple quests in the main story, which act as an extended tutorial and also provide you with a ton of important supplies and blueprints. The story missions in the Overseer's Camp, the town of Flatwoods, and the Morgantown Airport teach you about workbenches, diseases, and how your C.A.M.P. works. You also gain a ton of basic weapons, ammo, aid supplies, recipes, and plans for building. After Morgantown, you'll be in much better shape to start exploring freely. Keep in mind that the main story is in general a great way to get new stuff and learn the game, so it's a good idea to hop back in and do it every once in a while.
Use the C.A.M.P
The C.A.M.P. is a new feature in Fallout 76 that acts as your own personal base that you can use to rest, repair equipment, and eventually build your own home. Because it's technically a camp, that means you can move it to anywhere you want on the map--for a small fee, of course. But don't fret, as stuff you've already crafted is stored and can be replaced at no cost, so you only have to worry about building something like a workbench once. Traveling to your C.A.M.P. is always free, so try to place it strategically. That means putting it near resources, existing crafting benches, and water until you have unlocked crafting stations and water purifiers to do the work for you. Even if you aren't interested in building up your C.A.M.P., it's worth creating a basic one that has all the stuff you need, like a cooking station, workbenches, and a stash. It's also worth noting that you can't just set up your C.A.M.P. anywhere you please. It needs to be in a location that isn't named. In addition, if you want to preserve your stuff from the elements, make sure to store your stuff in your Stash (more on that in the slide ahead) before leaving. There's a lot to the C.A.M.P., so be sure to check out our separate video that goes over all the nitty-gritty details.
Build a Stash
Like previous Fallout games, your character's inventory limit is going to be a consistent obstacle, because when you're carrying too much stuff, your Action Points are sapped just from moving around--compared to past games where you just became incredibly slow. Because of this, your Stash at homebase is one of your most valuable assets. Always have a Stash in your camp and use it store stuff to make space for yourself. Only you can access your Stash, so anything you place in there is safe from the hands of unfriendly players. You'll notice other Stash boxes throughout the world and in other people's camps, but using them will only access your Stash and not anybody else's. If you're far away from your camp and need to know where to look for a Stash, there will usually be one at a Train Station or Red Rocket. Always throw whatever junk you've picked up into your Stash; there's actually a command that instantly offloads all your junk in the Stash menu. Once all your junk is in your Stash, you have access to all of it at any workbench for crafting, so you don't need to worry about carrying it around everywhere you go. Do keep in mind that the Stash does have an item limit. It's not possible to build a second one, so eventually you're gonna have to start getting rid of stuff. You can't put off Spring cleaning--not even in Fallout 76!
Repairing Weapons and Armor is Different!
Weapon and armor conditions return for Fallout 76 after having been absent from Fallout 4. However, unlike Fallout 3 and New Vegas, where you could use another weapon or armor of the same type to improve the first's condition, you need specific junk to repair your gear in Fallout 76--much like how you upgrade mods. If you're missing materials, you can tag them for search just like in Fallout 4 to help you find what you need when scavenging. While armor takes a little time to bust, weapons can degrade rather quickly, so make sure to keep an eye on them--lest they break in the middle of combat.
Beware of Diseases
One of the newest additions to Fallout 76 are diseases, and they can really harm you if you're not careful. You can get them from pretty much anything. The obvious comes from enemies labeled as "diseased," such as a Diseased Radroach, which can easily infect you by simply touching you. When you see an enemy marked as "diseased," it's always best shoot them from a distance. You wouldn't think it, but beds have a high chance of giving you disease, specifically any bedding that's not raised off the ground. You also also catch diseases from eating rotten or raw food, swimming in water, or even just walking in certain areas that contain airborne diseases. That last one can be avoided by wearing certain equipment, like Hazmat or Space Suits, or Gas Masks like the Fire Breather Helmet. If you're unfortunate enough to catch a disease, your options are to either to wait it out, or cure it with medicine. Waiting for a disease to go away on its own can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the disease. Curing a disease is obviously the prefered method, but Cure Disease (actually what the item is called) can be tough to find. Alternatively, if you're in a real pinch, you can set up your camp and wait to die and then respawn, which will cure your disease.
Pilfer Power Armor
Power Armor is high-level equipment that comes in handy later on. But in your early runnings, you'll come across plenty of Power Armor chassis out in the world, but they'll only have a few pieces of armor on them. These pieces are usually around level 40, so you can't even use them most of the time. But don't ignore these just because you're at a low level, as you can still take advantage of them. Remove all the armor pieces attached to the Power Armor, and if you have the space, bring them with you to store in your Stash. After that, hop into the Power Armor chassis, as even without any armor plates attached, it'll give a defense bonus and a boost to your carrying capacity. It's worth noting that once you hop into a Power Armor chassis, it's yours, which means you can store it in your inventory or place it in your Stash. Taking the time to scavenge Power Armor pieces early on will put you in a better place when you reach the appropriate level to actually use fully decked-out Power Armor.
Pay Attention To The Verdant Season
Regions will gain what the game calls a "verdant season" where resources like plants will be more abundant. It cycles through different regions, so pay attention to the tip messages on the right of the screen so you know where to visit if you want to collect extra resources. Pay special attention for ingredients needed to cure diseases such as blood leaf, which is found near streams.
You Can Change Your Look At Any Time
If you're you're the type to spend an hour or two in the game's character creator, know that you're not locked into your choices after you confirm your appearance. Unlike previous games, Fallout 76 lets you change your appearance at any time. Simply bring up the map, tap R1 or RB to access the menu, and choose the "Change Appearance" option. Resort to this if you're in a rush to play the game and want to think about your looks later.
Don't Forget To Unlock Plans And Recipes In Your Inventory
Crafting is an important part of the Fallout experience. After all, if you're going to survive out in the Wasteland, you'll need to leverage all that useless junk you grab into functional items. As you explore, you will find new plans and recipes that'll expand your repertoire of craftable items. You might think these will get added to the workbench recipe list upon picking them up, but you'd be mistaken. To unlock them in your crafting list, simply pull up your Pipboy and confirm them in the Notes section of your inventory.
Make It A Point To Scavenge Bobby Pins And Radaway
Classic necessities from previous games, like Bobby Pins and Radaway, are much harder to come by in Fallout 76. Make it a point to investigate every nook and cranny of an environment, as these items are often tucked away in the most unexpected places. And if you've got enough money or resources, make sure to stock up by buying, trading, or crafting them. Work at it enough and before long these won't be so hard to keep in constant supply.
Interact With Others!
Fallout 76 is a multiplayer game so interacting with other players is major component. But you must be wondering: "What's possible?" First off, there is in-game voice chat that's area-based, letting you hear people close by. Direct communication is a useful tool for asking players if they want to trade or help you out. If you don't want to to hear other players you can always turn this off in the audio settings, and it's still possible to communicate with visual emotes. Trading with other players is as simple as walking up to them and pressing a button. You can get a full look at someone's inventory and request specific items you're interested in. Of course, there's also PVP. You can't attack or be attacked by other players until you're level 5, which is meant to prevent spawn camping outside Vault 76 and killing all the newcomers. Once you can attack others, you'll notice that when you first start shooting players, you will actually be inflicting a reduced amount of damage. Again, this is meant to prevent random people from just killing you, or you from killing them. If the other player attacks back, the two of you have officially engaged in combat with the damage safety turned off. While it's difficult, it's possible to kill a player who isn't fighting back, but doing so is considered murder. That puts a bounty on your head and replaces your icon on the map with a bright shiny red star, letting everyone know where you are. Any player can then murder you and be rewarded with a bounty of caps, which comes out of your personal supply. You'll get some rewards from the bodies of dead players, but looting them isn't gonna score you their armor or weapons. Instead, you only get their junk and crafting supplies. While this may not seem like much, scoring a large supply of junk can be a nice boost for you, while losing a lot of junk you just spent the last hour collecting can be pretty devastating. Luckily, your dead body will be marked on the map, so you can recover your stuff regardless of what killed you. When an encounter stops being fun and games, you can block a player by finding them on the social menu and then flagging them.
How Parties Work And Some Useful Tips
Teaming up as party comes with its own benefits. Party members can share Perks with each other (more on Perks later), as long as your Charisma stat is three times the rank of the Perk. It's best to work together with your party and figure out which perks to share to maximize the benefits of the group. When you're in a group, the questline the party leader has active is shared with the whole party, and completing the quest gives everyone the reward--even if party members have already beaten that specific quest. Party members can also fast travel to each other without needing to pay caps. You aren't tethered to each other, so you're free to split up and travel separately and then rejoin as a group whenever you want. In fact, if you're friends with someone and in the same server, you can fast travel to them for free even if you aren't in a party together. If you have a large group that needs to be broken up into multiple teams, this is a great way to stick together and form a supergroup.
Good Perk Cards To Get
Fallout 76's new leveling system is quite a bit different from previous games. This time it's based around Perk cards. Every time you level up, you can put a point into one of the seven S.P.E.C.I.A.L. skills that make up your character's stats, and then pick a card to equip for the skill. The number of points you have in that skill determines how many cards you can have. For example, if you have four points in a particular skill, you can unlock four Rank 1 cards, or two Rank 2 cards, or one Rank 3 card and one Rank 1 card. A Perk card always starts at Rank 1. If you want to upgrade its rank, you need to combine it with duplicates of the same card. There are dozens of Perk cards, many of which we've yet to find. You generally earn them by leveling up, opening up Perk card packs, or by completing challenges. Below is a rundown of which cards you should look out for. As you probably know, the Charisma skill is based around working with other players. If you're in a team, you want to use Charisma Perk cards that provides team bonuses. A useful one is Inspirational, which nets you bonus XP when in a team. But make sure to share the card if you want your whole team to get the XP boost rather than just you. Even if you aren't in a team, Charisma still has Perks, like Lone Wanderer, which reduces damage and boosts AP regen for solo players. As you play, an important factor to consider is your weight limit. Running out of space is a problem you'll face often. The Strength Perk card, Pack Rat, can reduce the weight of your junk items up to 75% at max rank. However, in our experience two of the most unexpected sources of weight are food and first aid supplies. The Agility Perk card Thru-hiker can reduce food and drink weight to a max of 90% and can easily clear up to 60 lbs from your inventory. Another good Agility Perk card is Action Girl/Boy, which lets you regenerate your AP faster. This is incready useful as it ties into your sprint, which tends to run out quickly early on. Endurance cards are useful in managing the game's survival requirements, such as reducing radiation, not needing to eat or drink as much, or preventing diseases. Make sure you and your party always have lockpick and hacking perks handy so you can unlock safes or hack terminals. Gunsmith is an incredibly useful Intelligence Perk card that makes slows gun degradation and lets you crafter higher tiers of guns as you rank it up. There's also First Aid, which increases the amount of health gained from stimpacks. These are only few examples of cards we found useful during the early parts of the game. Remember you can swap your perks at anytime, so always take the time to set them up to fit your current playstyle.
Complete Challenges to Earn Atoms
Fallout 76 has an in-game microtransaction store called the Atomic Shop you can access from the main menu. Everything it offers is purely cosmetic, like new outfits, paint jobs for you Pipboy or Power Armor, photo mode poses, and player emotes. It all costs Atoms, a currency that you can buy with real-world money. But chances are you'd rather earn those Atoms by completing in-game challenges. There's a series of set challenges you can complete along with a rotating set of daily and weekly challenges. You'll naturally complete a lot of these just from playing, but if you're itching to get more Atoms, check out the challenges page in the menu to find some of the easy ones to complete.
Rapid-Fire Tips (Other General Tips)
There's a lot of small stuff packed into the game that's worth being mindful of. Below are some tips we didn't think would suffice as their own slides, but are important to mention nonetheless: - Holotapes still play when you enter a loading screen but you no longer hear them. So if you have a tape playing wait until you leave or enter a building or fast travel until you're done listening to it.
- Always carry a Hazmat suit with you. There are tons of areas with heavy radiation that can quickly kill you the more you spend time there, so a Hazmat suit is essential. That, and they can prevent airborne and waterborne diseases.
- If you find an instrument, take 30 seconds to play it and receive the Well-tuned status, which grants you a bonus +25% AP regeneration for 1 hour.
- Be warned, if you murder someone while in a party, your teammates can start attacking you right away. You won't be able to attack them, however, because you're on the same team.
- Use a Tinker's Workbench to bulk your materials, which will condense them and reduce the weight, freeing up more space in your inventory or Stash.
- If your meat, veggies, or fruit spoil, don't eat them but also don't throw them away. You can convert them into fertilizer.
- Sleep at the start of every play session until you get the well rested icon. It means you get more XP on your adventures.
- You can swap your Pip-Bboy between two viewing modes: the standard one takes up your entire view, but the alternate version lets you see what's around you while you navigate menus.
- When building the CAMP, many objects in the world block larger saved bases from being placed. Fortunately you only really need one point of contact and can float your entire base on a single set of stairs. Minimizing your base's footprint will reduce your chances of not being able to deploy it.
- Even if you don't like VATS, it's still very good for quick shots with bolt action weapons.
- Remap the grenade button if you play on PC and plan on using ShadowPlay. Its currently set to Left ALT, and trying to start and stop ShadowPlay will have you accidentally throw a grenade. Also it's just an awkward key to put melee/grenade on anyways.
By Alessandro Fillari on Nov 27, 2018 05:33 am
Tales of the Wild West.
It's incredibly easy to miss out on Red Dead Redemption 2's most interesting side-events and secret encounters. With the involved main story taking well over 50 hours to complete, it can often be challenging to pull yourself away from the plot to venture off to places that house strange and fascinating side events. In addition to many callbacks to the original game, featuring the return of key locations and characters, several of these moments showcase Red Dead 2's weird and morbid side. In this feature, we've rounded up a number of side events, Easter eggs, and references that speak to the amount of diversity and sheer attention to detail that Red Dead Redemption 2 has hidden in its world. A word of warning, however: Given that some time has passed since the release of the game, we've decided to include things from later part of the story--particularly some events of the epilogue. Spoilers follow. Whether it's chance meetings with ghosts, a UFO, or even a vampire, the open world Western always tries to keep things interesting for those that want to dive a bit deeper. If you want to know more about what you can find in the world of Red Dead Redemption 2, including many of the hidden weapons and the legendary animals, or if you just want to hear more of our thoughts on the finer details of the game, be sure to check out our continuing coverage--which includes our weekly show Quickdraw, highlighting many of Red Dead 2's important details and features.
The Meteorite
In one of the more short encounters, you can stumble upon the aftermath of small meteorite impact. Located just northeast of Roanoke Valley and Annesburg, you'll find an isolated home with smoke seeping out of a hole in its roof. Once inside the house, you'll find a group of corpses near a small crater in the center of the room. Approaching the crater will allow you to pick up a meteorite, which evidently killed the unsuspecting people inside. After leaving the home, Arthur will make a note of the event in his journal. While you're free to hang onto this rock from outer space, you can also sell it for cash.
The Ghosts of Lemoyne
While each region has its own fair share of oddities, the area of Lemoyne is particularly rife with supernatural activity--which you can witness when walking around in the late hours of the night. In the western part of Bluewater Marsh at approximately 2 AM, you'll hear hysterical ravings from a person in the wild. As you venture deeper in, you'll see a glowing figure wearing a white gown off in the distance. This ghost will relive her last moments alive, shouting out into the darkness for help. If you try approaching the ghost, she'll vanish into thin air. With three different stages, each encounter will become progressively more morbid, revealing how she died and why she continues to haunt the area.
In addition to the wandering ghost, there's also a runaway phantom train that haunts the tracks in the early morning. While exploring the area around the tracks just northwest of Scarlett Meadows at around 3 AM, you can hear the faint sound of a train echo through the night. But instead of an actual train, you'll see the ghostly image of one racing through the dark. Unlike the other ghost, this train can be approached, and you can even ride through it on your horse. The train won't stay around for long, however. After riding on the tracks for some time, the phantom train will disappear before your eyes.
The UFO And The Cult
There is a ruined chapel located in the eastern section of New Hanover. If you enter around 2 AM, you'll find a morbid scene with several dead members of a cult. Together, they sought to commune with an otherworldly being who only showed at night. After reading the diary of the cult leader, you're given some hints on how you can trigger one of the game's most bizarre events, which manages to push Red Dead 2's weirdness up by several degrees.
You can learn more details on where you can find the church, and how you can trigger this close encounter by checking out our video on this particular event.
The Plague Town
To the northwest of the Lagras swamp, you can find an abandoned town named Pleasance. With some callbacks to Tumbleweed in Red Dead Redemption 1 and to the viral horror in Undead Nightmare, Pleasance is a town with a lot of history behind it, but we're left with only minor details to piece together what happened in this tucked-away town. On the doors of the town barn, you'll find a large message stating "Stay Out, Plague." Nearby, you can also find the town graveyard, offering up some details on the lives of the former residents. Aside from a note shedding some light on the town's past, there isn't much else to uncover--leaving the rest to your imagination.
The Elusive Bigfoot
As something of a running joke from previous open-world Rockstar games, encountering Bigfoot has been something that many fans have expected since the first hoax in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Though Red Dead Redemption's Undead Nightmare DLC finally offered a chance to meet the fabled creature, it didn't end particularly well for the Sasquatch, resulting in one of the more tragic missions in the game. However, Red Dead Redemption 2 features some nods to those encounters, leading up to a surprisingly bittersweet moment. Though you can find several sets of Giant bones throughout the world which strongly resemble the fabled creature, it's possible to meet with one of the last remaining Sasquatch. In order to have a meeting with Bigfoot, make sure you have examined over 30 animals, which you can check in your compendium. After that's done, head to the Calumet Ravine, located just east of the Wapiti Reservation. On the west side of the ravine, you'll see a flock of birds near the water. They'll immediately fly off in unison after you get close enough, and you'll need to follow them as best you can. Eventually, they'll take you to a remote cave to the east. Once you arrive, you'll hear voice echo out from a nearby cave which is inaccessible to you. While conversing with the cave-dweller, who is no doubt the reclusive Bigfoot, you'll learn more about why they're in isolation. After finishing your chat, you can return several days later to check up on him and pick up where things left off. You'll never actually see Bigfoot in-game, though it is refreshing to have a surprisingly human chat with the Sasquatch, who just longs for friendship.
The Scientist and His Creation
Like in Red Dead Redemption 1, you'll encounter peculiar individuals who toy with machines that inevitably lead to their downfall. Once you arrive in Saint Denis during Chapter 4, you'll come across a character named Marko Dragic, a foreign inventor who seeks to master the forces of life and death through electricity. Starting up the Stranger mission The Bright Bouncing Boy, you'll complete several tasks for him in the area before he returns to his lab located northwest of Annesburg. If you meet him there, he'll give you another mission where you'll have to help him harness lighting to give life to his ultimate creation--a walking, talking robot.
If you return later, you'll find Dragic's lab in shambles and the robot missing. In the lab, you'll find an electric lantern, which will help you track the walking machine. In order to find the machine, return to Colter--the abandoned town from the opening chapter--and head up the mountains to the west. The lantern will glow orange when facing in the direction of the lost robot. Once you reach the top of the cliff overlooking Colter, you'll find the the lost machine sitting alone--calling out for his "papa."
The Vampire of Saint Denis
Saint Denis is an incredibly dense and populated town, offering up a lot of interesting opportunities to uncover in the back alleys. However, there's one terrifying encounter that will take some work to find, leading to a surprising confrontation with a creature of the night. Throughout the city are clues written on the sides of structures. These clues will eventually point you towards the location of a vampire. Though this event may seem like it's totally out of place in Red Dead 2, the build up to this moment, where you learn more about the location and the residents of Saint Denis, makes it an incredibly tense and satisfying event to see play out.
For more details, be sure to check out our guide on finding the vampire of Saint Denis.
The Shack in the Woods
Though this is a very brief encounter, this isolated shack in the woods has a very tragic history to it. Just west of Braithwaite Manor in Lemoyne, you'll come across a small community near the water. While in the village, you'll hear incensed ranting from someone in the nearby forest. Heading slightly south, you'll come to a shack with chains wrapped around it. The voice inside becomes louder when you approach, and when you decide to examine it, a hand will reach out and try to grab Arthur.
If you take the time to listen to her dialogue, you'll find out that she's one of Braithwaite family's long held secrets--they abandoned her due to her mental illness and physical deformities. Unfortunately, there's no way to free her from her confinement. If you encountered the woman prior to the epilogue, returning again during the end-game will see the woman dead in the shack, long forgotten after the fall of the Braithwaite family.
The New Hanover Serial Killer
In the game's most gruesome encounter, you'll come face-to-face with one of Red Dead 2's most ruthless villains. Just southeast of Valentine, you can find the first location of a ritualistic murder, displaying the mutilated corpse with the words "Look upon my works" written on the nearby rock. From here, you'll be able to uncover other clues to uncover the identity of the serial killer roaming New Hanover and nearby regions. Solving the mystery eventually leads to a shocking confrontation with the murderer.
For a more in-depth guide on how to track and take down this Wild West serial killer, be sure to check out our guide.
The following slides include late-game spoilers. Proceed with caution.
[Spoilers] John Can't Swim
Anyone who's played through Red Dead Redemption 1 can attest to John Marston's incompetence in large bodies of water. When he would get too deep, he'd die instantly. Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2, however, is a far more reliable swimmer, and he's very quick to remind John of that while speaking with him. During some story missions and while hanging out at camp, Arthur and other gang members will tease John for his inability to swim.
While this can be seen as a subtle nod to the original game, there's a bit more to it than just a throwaway joke. During the game's Epilogue chapters, you'll shift perspective to John Marston, and you'll likely figure out during the worst possible time that John still can't swim. If you ever find yourself in deep water, John's stamina cores will drain instantly, putting him in immediate danger. Though this can come off as bit of a hassle, especially after many hours playing as Arthur Morgan, it is still a humorous--if cruel--reminder of a real danger from the first game.
[Spoilers] I Know You
Throughout Red Dead Redemption 2, you'll see many callbacks to some memorable locations and people from the first game. Aside from the members of the Van der Linde gang, you can hear some characters speak about Landon Ricketts--the legendary gunslinger from RDR1--and even Bonnie MacFarlane, referenced in a letter found in Annesburg. Though New Austin and the town of Blackwater are barred off from the Van Der Linde gang for much of the game, you'll eventually return during the Epilogue chapters when playing as John Marston. John and his family will get accustomed to living a normal life on their ranch at Beecher's Hope. You can even visit many areas from the previous game to see just how different they were in the time before his next adventure.
While visiting the town of Armadillo in New Austin, you'll be able to run into several characters whom you might know from Red Dead Redemption 1. In the general store, you'll meet up with Herbert Moon, the abrasive and anti-semitic owner of the place. Behind him on the shelf is a picture of another familiar fellow, the Strange Man from Red Dead 1's infamous "I Know You" side mission. John will even make a comment about knowing him, but can't quite place exactly from where.
By Jordan Ramée on Nov 27, 2018 05:11 am
PlayStation 4's Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2018 Deals
Black Friday 2018 is gone but not forgotten, as the vast majority of deals on PS4 consoles, games, and accessories are still available to take advantage of, and Cyber Monday deals are rearing up to replace them. We've already compiled all of these deals, spanning retailers like GameStop, Walmart, Best Buy, and Target, but this gallery is designed to bring together what we think are the best of those deals all in one place, making it easier for you to pick out what you want and get it. If you're eager to start shopping, the PSN Black Friday sale is live, and the PS4 Spider-Man bundle that will be on sale seemingly everywhere is discounted to $200 in a lot of cases. We thought Fallout 76 wasn't going to be on sale, which would be no surprise considering it only just released, but it turns out that it will go for $35. PlayStation has seen more acclaimed triple-A console exclusives this year than Xbox, and many of them are on sale this Black Friday. This includes games released earlier in the year--like Detroit: Become Human and God of War--as well as more recent titles. Like last year, the PS4 Slim is also being sold at a discounted price, but surprisingly there are fewer deals for the more powerful PS4 Pro. This Cyber Monday, third-party titles are also on sale, like Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and Assassin's Creed Odyssey. PSVR is also getting a discount, and with the recent release of Tetris Effect and upcoming addition of Beat Saber to the system's game library, there's never been such a good time to invest in a headset. Specific pricing on some deals may fluctuate depending on where you choose to shop this year. We've listed all the discounted prices for each product at each store, so you can have a back-up plans. We will update this gallery if better deals become available. Best Cyber Monday/Black Friday DealsAll The Game Deals
PlayStation 4 Consoles
There are currently two versions of the PS4 console being sold in stores, the Slim and the Pro. The Slim is essentially a thinner variation of the original PS4, while the Pro is a more powerful console that can support 4K for certain games. Most of the Black Friday deals on the PS4 Slim have evaporated, but there are still a few deals out there if you can snag them before they're sold out. If you do decide to go for a PS4 Pro, regardless if it's on sale or not, consider taking advantage of a Black Friday deal on a TV or computer monitor that supports 4K. It really makes a difference with games like God of War and Marvel's Spider-Man. PlayStation 4 Slim 1TB and Spider-Man PlayStation 4 Pro 1TB
PlayStation VR
VR hasn't been able to reach as many people as some other forms of gaming tech, most likely because of the high price tag and lack of quality games. However, PSVR library's now includes titles like Tetris Effect--one of the best games of 2018--and Beat Saber. Plus, you save $100 if you decide to buy a PSVR bundle from Best Buy or Target this Black Friday. There's an even cheaper PSVR bundle at Walmart if you don't want Creed: Rise to Glory and Superhot VR, two games that come included in the bundle at Best Buy and Target. PlayStation VR Bundle with Camera and Move Controllers + Creed: Rise to Glory and Superhot VR PlayStation VR Astro Bot and Moss Bundle
Detroit: Become Human
In our Detroit: Become Human review, Peter Brown gave the game a 7/10, writing, "I played with my best intentions. Things didn't always go the way I wanted, but that was a burden I chose to bear, and the story benefitted from my commitment, flowcharts be damned." This PS4 exclusive currently sells for $40 on the PlayStation Store, and while the game was seriously discounted on Black Friday, most of those deals are over. Walmart's Black Friday price persists--$25, the best deal on Cyber Monday. You can also take advantage of Target's 15% off sale for Cyber Monday, which applies to Detroit, bringing the price down to $33. If you happen to miss out on this deal, both Target and Walmart also have a fairly large discount on the game.
Doom VFR
In our Doom VFR review, Justin Clark gave the game a 7/10, writing, "For the most part, shooting your way through Hell's armies feels just as brutal as it does in the 2016 game. Demons explode into bloody, fleshy messes. ...The big missing element here is the Glory Kill system, where hitting the melee button on a blinking enemy let you demolish them with a quick, gruesome fatality." In Doom VFR, you experience the pulse-pounding first-person shooter action of one of 2016's best shooters in an immersive VR experience. The game at a discount but the sales end with Cyber Monday, so hurry on over if you're looking for another title for your PSVR.
Dragon Ball FighterZ
In our Dragon Ball FighterZ review, Peter Brown gave the game a 9/10, writing, "FighterZ is complex and distinct enough to be enjoyed by fighting game competitors, but there's no question that it's been designed to tap into the hearts of Dragon Ball's most dedicated fans, and no doubt those same qualities will win people over who've never given the series a chance." The Black Friday sales on Dragon Ball FighterZ are over for the most part, unfortunately, but you can still grab the game for $20 at Gamestop.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes Of An Elusive Age
In our Dragon Quest XI: Echoes Of An Elusive Age review, Heidi Kemps gave the game a 9/10, writing, "Innovation in games is talked about a lot, but it's also great to see traditional gameplay formulas that have been around for decades presented exceptionally well. Dragon Quest XI is one of the best modern examples of this; its beautiful presentation, both visual- and story-wise, combines with a tried-and-true gameplay formula for a journey that's full of heart and soul." You can purchase Dragon Quest XI from Best Buy at half price through Cyber Monday, which is quite the deal for one of 2018's longest and best RPGs. Target has the game down to $35 with another $5.25 knocked off for its Cyber Monday sale, which makes it slightly cheaper than Best Buy's price.
F1 2018
In our F1 2018 review, James Swinbanks gave the game a 9/10, writing, "F1 2018 is brilliant, and the most complete Formula One game to date. The changes to career mode make it the strongest and most appealing it's ever been thanks to the revamped upgrade system, while the simulation-like additions to the driving model bring you closer than ever to the feeling of sitting on the grid with 1000+ horsepower at your feet, without overwhelming those who just want to jump in and drive." Just as Xbox One has Forza Horizon 4, PS4 has F1 2018. Both racing games are on sale this Black Friday, and Best Buy and Target are offering the latter at half price. With Target's Cyber Monday sale, you can save another four bucks.
God Of War (2018)
In our God of War review, Peter Brown gave the game a 9/10, writing, "In many ways God of War is what the series has always been. It's a spectacular action game with epic set pieces, big-budget production values, and hard-hitting combat that grows more feverish and impressive as you progress. What may surprise you is how mature its storytelling has become." God of War continues Kratos story in one of the most well-written video games of 2018, and its major discounts persist through Cyber Monday.
MLB The Show 18
In our MLB The Show 18 review, Eddie Makuch gave the game a 9/10, writing, "Sony's flagship baseball franchise has never been better. With its best-in-class controls and visuals, and impeccable attention to detail for the small stuff, MLB The Show 18 is worth catching for any baseball fan." If you haven't gotten the chance to play the newest title in the MLB The Show series, Walmart is offering the game at a major discount through Cyber Monday. Target's Cyber Monday sale also affords some additional savings.
Monster Hunter World
In our Monster Hunter World review, Ginny Woo gave the game an 8/10, writing, "Ever since the title was first announced, it was clear that Capcom was gunning for something grander than Monster Hunter Generations. It has succeeded, and this is likely the biggest and best that the franchise has ever been." Monster Hunter World brought a new generation of players into the Monster Hunter series, with its accessible gameplay. If you've ever wanted to play a Monster Hunter game, then try World. It's on sale through Cyber Monday at a fraction of its normal price.
Nier: Automata
In our Nier: Automata review, Miguel Concepcion gave the game a 9/10, writing, "Thanks to Platinum Games' knack for riveting and gratifying combat, Automata is Yoko Taro's most exciting game to date. The combat mechanics click after hurdling a low learning curve, and the end result is a skillful dance where balletic dodges complement wushu-inspired aggression." The less you've been told about Nier: Automata before going into it, the better. Just know that this phenomenal 2017 RPG is on sale this Cyber Monday at Best Buy and Gamestop.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2019
In our Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 review, Richard Wakeling gave the game a 9/10, writing, "The lack of licences for top-tier leagues remains a disheartening sticking point, but PES continues to make brilliant strides on the pitch, building on what was already an incredibly satisfying game of football to produce one of the greatest playing football games of all time." If you're tired of FIFA and Rocket League, but still want to play a soccer video game, then these Cyber Monday deals on PES 2019 might interest you.
Shining Resonance Refrain
Shining Resonance Refrain originally released on PS3 in Japan, before coming to the west on current generation consoles and PC. The game mixes together action-based combat and relationship forming conversations. If you're at least interested in Refrain, but are wary of paying full price for something you've heard little about, then take advantage of these Cyber Monday deals on the game.
SoulCalibur VI
In our SoulCalibur VI review, Tamoor Hussain gave the game an 8/10, writing, "SoulCalibur VI is a fighting game that's easy to recommend. Like all the best titles in the genre, it has a low barrier to entry and high skill ceiling. For those looking to get in a few games with friends it's welcoming and immediately enjoyable. For those committed to ploughing the depths of its systems to get tournament ready, it has plenty to unpack and understand." You can buy SoulCalibur VI for almost half off this Cyber Monday, with a little more thanks to Target's Cyber Monday sale.
PlayStation Plus
For Black Friday, Best Buy is selling a 12-month subscription to PlayStation Plus for $40, which is one of the lowest prices the service is sold at these days. Subscribing to PS Plus both allows you to play games online with others and provides you with new free digital games to download every month.
Fallout 76
Fallout 76 is the series' first foray into online multiplayer. It's a major shift for the franchise, as this is an online-only game. The critical reception has not been especially warm, but regardless, those interested will be able to pick it up for cheap despite it having only just released last week. PS4
Marvel's Spider-Man
There aren't many in the way of discounts for Spider-Man PS4--the PlayStation exclusive mostly appeared in hardware bundles this holiday season to encourage fans to pick up the PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim. Still, it's a game you shouldn't miss in 2018. Edmond Tran wrote in his review that Spider-Man is "a fantastic experience that completely absorbs you into its unique slice of the Marvel universe." You can take advantage of Target's 15%-off Cyber Monday sale to lessen the sting of paying full price for Spider-Man, which knocks $9 off the price. It's also on sale at Amazon.
Tetris Effect
Tetris Effect is another game so new that it isn't seeing much in the way of discounts for Cyber Monday. The game, which supports both standard TVs and PlayStation VR, is worth your attention, though. In his review, Pete Brown wrote, "Give Tetris Effect your complete, undivided attention, and you'll form a sympathetic bond to the notes and puzzle pieces alike and lose yourself in the flurry of color and energy that permeates every stage." You can take advantage of Target's Cyber Monday 15%-off sale to knock the price of Tetris Effect down a few bucks. $34 -- Target
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