The Spider has painted a new target on an escapee of the Prison of Elders with the latest Destiny 2 weekly reset. With the new round of bounties comes Wanted: Eye In The Dark, a wanted target players haven't hunted before. It's a powerful Hive Shrieker hiding in one of the deep places of the Hellas Basin on Mars. You'll need some strong weapons to bring it down, as well as the resiliency to fight off a whole horde of Hive minions. Here's where to find it, and how to take it down to earn a piece of Powerful gear.
Like all of the Wanted Spider bounties, this one will run you five Ghost Fragments, which you can earn from completing public events, bounties, and patrols on the Tangled Shore. Purchase it, and you'll unlock a new Adventure on Mars. Load into Braytech Futurscape area, then head north around the side of the building Ana Bray is in to find some Hive, and the entrance to the Core Terminus Lost Sector. There you'll also find the adventure.
Delve into the cave and you'll find Cabal fighting Hive throughout the area. Clear the path until you get to the back of the Lost Sector, where you'll find the Eye In The Dark hovering over you, closed up. You'll soon find that the Shrieker is invulnerable to your attacks--the only way to hurt it when it is opened is to have the "Wormcursed" buff active, which lets you dish out the damage for 15 seconds.
To get the buff, look for special Wormcursed Thralls, which are glowing Cursed Thralls, hanging around the battlefield. These guys carry orange life bars and are therefore a bit tough to kill, so watch out they don't explode and take you down. Once they pop, they'll spray green goo all over the area. You can catch some from the explosion or walk through it to get it on you, which will give you the buff. As soon as you've got it, turn your attention to blasting away at the Eye.
Doing a certain amount of damage will cause the Eye In The Dark to clam up again, forcing you to fight a whole bunch of Hive enemies that stream into the area. Try to keep moving so you don't get overwhelmed, and watch your six, as enemies will enter behind you along the path you took to reach the Eye. Clearing out all the enemies will cause the Eye to open again, and you'll need to repeat the process of killing a Womrcursed Thrall to get the buff.
If you're at a high level and have strong weapons like Sleeper Simulant, you should be able to take down the Eye on that second buff. Crowd control supers are really helpful here, since the Hive can be overwhelming, as is anything that does powerful direct damage to the Eye, like sniper rifles or linear fusion rifles. Heavy weapons are good for the Eye, while assault rifles and other fast-firing weapons will be good for fighting the Hive that protect it.
Killing the Eye will complete the bounty and net you your Powerful gear drop, which is the gear in Destiny 2 that will push you toward the new Power level cap of 650, thanks to the new expansion The Black Armory. To continue the climb, focus on Daily and Weekly challenges, as well as the Ascendant Challenge in the Dreaming City.
You might also want to check out the Dawning, Destiny 2's holiday themed event, for some new stuff to do. The event fills December with new activities (including a lengthy quest that's all about baking cookies for Destiny 2 characters) and new cosmetic items to earn along the way.
EA has revealed additional details for both of the demos for Anthem, the upcoming multiplayer RPG developed by BioWare. You'll need to fulfill certain requirements to be a part of the first demo, but the second is open for all players.
Anthem's VIP demo goes from January 25-27, 2019. In order to participate in it, you'll need to pre-order Anthem or be a subscriber of either EA Access or Origin Access. If you play in Anthem's VIP demo, you'll unlock an exclusive item in the game when it officially launches. The normal Anthem demo occurs the following week from February 1-3. You don't need to do anything to participate in this demo other than download it.
Speaking to GameSpot, Anthem's lead producer wanted to clarify that these demos are not betas for the game. If you play the demo, you won't be starting from the game's beginning, but instead go through a portion of the middle of the campaign. Progress made in the demo will not carry over to the rest of the game when it launches either.
If you do want to get a head start on Anthem, you'll have to subscribe to either EA Access or Origin Access. Both services allow you to start playing the game on February 15, a full week before it launches for everyone else.
While the new Mythical Pokemon Meltan can be obtained in Pokemon Go through a Special Research quest, the easiest way to get your hands on one is by linking the game up to Let's Go Pikachu or Eevee for Nintendo Switch. When you transfer a Gen 1 Pokemon over to the Switch titles, you'll receive an item in Go called the Mystery Box, which is the key to making Meltan appear in the game. Now the Mystery Box has gotten a little upgrade.
According to the official Pokemon Go Twitter account, it'll be much easier to find Meltan in the wild when the Mystery Box is activated. "The Mystery Box's effect has grown stronger," the account tweeted. "Now when you use the Mystery Box, even more Meltan will appear for you to encounter."
Outside of the aforementioned Special Research quest, Meltan can only be found in Pokemon Go using the Mystery Box. The item will open up after you transfer a Pokemon to either Let's Go Pikachu or Eevee, causing Meltan to spawn in Pokemon Go. However, the Mystery Box will only remain open for 30 minutes, and you need to wait a full seven days before you can activate it again, giving you only a brief window of time to catch as many of the Pokemon as you can.
Niantic hasn't specified how much Meltan spawns have been increased following this update, but it's a welcome change nonetheless, particularly if you're hoping to get a Melmetal. In order to evolve Meltan into one, you'll need to feed it 400 Meltan Candies, which means you need to capture quite a few of them to achieve that feat. You can read more about the process in our Meltan guide.
2018 has been a big year for Pokemon Go, and there are still some features on the way to the game soon. Niantic recently unveiled a PvP Trainer Battle system for the title, which will give you the ability to compete directly against other players. You also still have a little more time to catch Pokemon Go's latest Legendary, Cresselia. The Lunar Pokemon is scheduled to leave Raid Battles on December 18.
Xbox One might not have had a perfect year in 2018 in terms of sheer exclusives, but that doesn't mean some great games haven't launched for the console in the last 12 months. Even ones that haven't made our list of the five best Xbox One games in 2018--which we'll get to in a moment--have offered some excellent experiences.
Sea of Thieves, for example, gave us a great excuse to dig out our fancy dress eye patches back in March and has expanded since then, while PUBG's battle royale mayhem finally left early access this year. In addition, Xbox One enjoyed a great year on the subscription services front, with Game Pass now including every first-party Xbox One exclusive on day one at no extra cost, and EA Access continuing to be a console exclusive. And that's before you mention Microsoft managing to secure ports of some of Sony's 2017 exclusives, such as Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice and Nier: Automata.
But enough of all that. You've come here for one thing, and one thing only. Well, maybe five things. Either way, in no particular order, here are the five best Xbox One games from 2018. For more on the best games to launch this year, check out our takes on the best PS4 games and best Switch games of 2018.
Rockstar's spaghetti western series returned this year with a prequel focusing on a different antagonist to 2010's Red Dead Redemption. Throughout the game's emotional 50-plus hour story, the audience--as Arthur Morgan--experience almost every emotion in the book.
Red Dead Redemption 2's Old West is possibly the greatest game world developer Rockstar has ever created: varied weather patterns, wildlife, activities, and human personalities make this a region that really does feel alive. Even within that, the tiny details--such as real-time facial hair growth and horse bowel movements--are astonishing.
More than anything else, Red Dead Redemption 2 is about amazing relationships. Throughout its campaign you form meaningful bonds with friends, enemies, and even that aforementioned horse. Yee-haw, cowboy.
This surprising indie game is a prime example of the phrase "more than the sum of its parts." At first, the mishmash of influences and homages seem to contradict one another. It's a Metroidvania game--a genre known for its character progression--but this is also a roguelike, meaning it's built specifically around dying and resetting from near-zero. Though Dead Cells does have a handful of permanent abilities tucked away in obscure corners, for the most part you're no more powerful on your 20th run than your first. What truly makes the difference is how you shape the game's economy and weapon selection organically as you progress through each run.
Purchasing a new weapon or secondary gadget from the vendor will also add it to the pool of items you can find in the world during a run. By steering your choices toward the weapons that fit your playstyle, you can increase the chances of finding the right set to progress further than you have before. It's this constant push and pull on the game's economy that creates a meta-strategy running throughout the experience. Do you reserve your hard-earned cash for only a handful of weapons to increase their odds, or do you collect everything you can in an effort to find what works? Over time Dead Cells becomes an experience of tinkering with the game's systems, and then fine-tuning the smaller variables nested inside it, with each passing run.
Hitman 2 also gets rid of the controversial episodic release structure its predecessor launched with. Some fans criticized the release schedule, as it forced them to wait for more levels and environments to become available. This sequel therefore launches complete from day one, though more environments, missions, and limited-time events are in the pipeline as both free updates and paid DLC. Sign us up.
Monster Hunter World launched way back in January, yet it still stands out as one of Xbox One's best experiences this year. With this latest entry in the long-running series, developer Capcom successfully made the game more accessible for new players while keeping its heart and soul intact. Unlike the hearts and souls of the impressive monsters you track down, of course. Once you do track those creatures down, killing them has never been this fun, either, thanks to World's mechanical improvements making its combat a pleasure to engage in.
A blast to play both alone and with friends, World is the most refined game in the franchise--and quite possibly the best one, too.
Forza has never looked so gray. Or so snowy. Or so sunny. Or so... leafy? With Horizon 4, Forza fans get to experience what 60 million Brits have known all their life: you can never predict England's weather.
Fortunately, that makes for an entertainingly diverse racing game, with each of Horizon 4's four seasons presenting different gameplay challenges and changing--but always beautiful--visuals. Playground's condensed version of the British countryside is a joy to explore, constantly offering up new challenges and different race types, as well as public events to take advantage of its multiplayer portions. You can also choose which contests to focus on--goodbye, time trials; hello, hovercraft races!--meaning the world really is your oyster. Top show, old chap!
We're a few years into the rebirth of virtual reality gaming, and while hardware manufacturers continue to iterate on headsets that will one day (hopefully) bring us closer to the promise of untethered, uncompromised VR, game developers are hard at work pouring their creativity into what's possible with today's technology. The best VR games of 2018 represent a variety of different genres, proving that the popularized image of VR being all about realism and physical immersion isn't the sole end goal, but one of many potential avenues with which to take the medium.
In no particular order, the list that follows is a rundown of what we at GameSpot think are the five best VR games to come out in 2018. When you're done reading, be sure to check out our comprehensive look back at the VR landscape as a whole in 2018. And for more roundups focusing on the best games of 2018, be sure to visit our Best of 2018 page for all of our content reflecting on the year that was, and ahead to what we're looking forward to most in 2019.
Beat Saber is a demanding rhythm game that pushes your reaction times and physical perseverance--prepare to sweat! With a VR controller in each hand, you wield virtual lightsabers and cut through incoming colored blocks that arrive in time with the music. It's a simple concept that doesn't need a lot of explaining, but getting good requires a lot of practice, poise, and precision. Beat Saber originally released on PC in early access, and that version may one day see an exclusive, custom track creator, but the PSVR release snuck in before the end of the year with exclusive content all its own. Despite some potential for tracking discrepancies compared to the PC version, the extra content makes the PSVR version the one to get today if you have the option (and a pair of PlayStation Move controllers).
Tetris may be timeless, but it doesn't immediately look like a natural fit for VR. Now that Tetris Effect is out on PS4, you might think twice before assuming what a good VR game looks like at first glance. Designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi and his team at Enhance Games took the standard Tetris formula and molded rhythm-game elements around it. It's still the puzzle game you probably know and love, but it's also a captivating blend of sight and song. Color and rhythm are used to instill a range of emotions, and the connected sound effects that come from rotating a tetromino, dropping it, and clearing a line, help form a connection between your puzzle-solving duties and the tone of a particular stage. It all makes for an engrossing experience outside of VR, but isolating yourself in a headset is the best way to understand everything Tetris Effect has to offer.
Though Tetris Effect lacks any kind of competitive multiplayer, it does feature a rewarding asynchronous co-op mode. Players can participate in a cumulative effort during special event weekends where high-scores from across the globe are tallied up towards a milestone set by Enhance Games. So far, the community's success has resulted in new stages and songs, such as the one themed after the wildly popular Game Boy version of Tetris, pale greens and all. Tetris Effect's main stages are enough of a treat, but this arrangement ensures that you will have new reason to revisit one of the surprise hits of the year on a regular basis, and hopefully enjoy a new set of challenges and rewards along the way.
Astro Bot Rescue Mission
When Sony launched PSVR in 2016 it also handed us the keys to The Playroom. This pack of mini VR games featured scenes filled with expressive little robots. They would jaunt about and play as if that's all they've ever known, and it was their infectious joy that made the rather simple interactive tech demos feel as fun as they did. That said, nobody could have guessed at the time that a full-fledged follow-up game would arrive in 2018, and that Astro Bot Rescue Mission would make for one of the best VR games of the year.
Astro Bot is a 3D platformer where you control a bot, but also a representation of your controller that acts as a Swiss-army knife of useful gadgets. Your Bot friend may be cute, but it's not very capable, so you'll need to help it solve puzzles, free it from danger, and provide a home for the other bots you rescue along the way--who adorably scurry into your controller's virtual representation by way of the hatch-door touchpad. This would all make for a fine game outside of VR, but a big part of its allure is feeling like you're along for the ride with your charming companion in a bustling cartoon world. Astro Bot feels like the product of creators who recognized both the potential of the character at their fingertips and the unique strengths of VR, and the result is a lovely game that remains a delight to play from beginning to end.
Moss can be viewed in the same vein as Astro Bot, but with a different set of qualities that make its third-person, 3D adventure stand on its own four furry legs. The star of Moss is Quill, a mouse packing a sword and shield to defend itself in a fantasy world that immediately brings Brian Jacques' Redwall series of books to mind. You directly guide her during moments of platforming and combat, but you also serve as a deity with the power to manipulate the environment as a means to solve puzzles or open new paths ahead.
Most importantly, you can also interact directly with Quill, giving her high-fives and head scratches for a job well done. And like a true partner, she'll help guide you towards puzzle solutions when it's clear that you're unsure of what to do next. This sometimes involves getting a closer look and peering around environments for hidden items or pathways, giving you a glimpse at life through Quill's eyes. Moss is a great VR game that brings its lead character to life, and in turn leaves you with lasting memories of a friend you only wish you could find in the real world.
Wipeout is the breakneck racing series that helped kick off the PlayStation's popularity way back in the mid '90s. The simple mix of high-speed racing, weaponry, and adrenaline-pumping music remains effective today, over 20 years later. The Wipeout Omega Collection in 2017 offered a massive collection of the game's recent outings under one roof that by and large played and felt great. But with the VR mode update that came in 2018, the experience of steering a speeding-bullet-like racecraft around tight turns amidst incoming enemy fire felt more riveting than ever.
If Tetris Effect is the surprise hit for VR, Wipeout is the no-brainer. Sitting in the driver's seat means that you don't need to worry about pairing your physical movement in the real world to that of a virtual character, and because Wipeout iterates on a winning formula that's worked for decades, you know almost exactly what you're going to get. You may not be prepared, however, for the increased demands of racing at such speeds from the view of a cockpit, but that just means your eventual mastery will be all the more satisfying. Wipeout in VR feels like the realization of a dream that began with the PlayStation brand, and it's a definite selling point when considering PSVR as a whole.
Your PC has the ability to be as powerful as you want it to be, and the flexibility to allow you to use it in the way you want to, which has always made it a great place to play video games. If you wanted to play a multiplatform blockbuster in 2018 and were concerned with making sure it looked and performed the absolute best it could--giant monsters rendered stunningly in 4K resolutions, dense environments filled with hundreds of characters running at a smooth 60 frames-per-second--the PC was still the place to do that.
But it's not all about graphics, of course--the PC's open nature makes it a natural spawning ground for refreshing innovations and never-before-seen ideas. This year, we were reminded that truly great games can be born and refined in early access programs with the participation of players and an open dialogue with developers. The PC also reminded us that sometimes the most cohesive, risky, and brilliant experiences can be executed superbly by just one or two people. The PC had fantastic games both big and small in 2018. Now, in ascending order of development team size, here are our picks for the best PC games of 2018.
Lucas Pope, the creator of Papers, Please, continued his trend of building gripping narrative experiences around menial administrative jobs in 2018. Return of the Obra Dinn sees you in the role of an insurance adjuster, and it's your job to board the titular ship Obra Dinn and investigate the fates each and every one of its 60 crew members. Your tools are limited to an incomplete in-game notebook, your own powers of mental deduction, and a magical pocket watch that shows you the last moment of a deceased person's life.
Return of the Obra Dinn gives you only the briefest glimpses into what happened over the course of the game's narrative, and its potency lies in the trust it puts into you to piece things together using your head. The game gives you broad strokes, but you need to fill in the details by deducing identities and causes of deaths based on faces, accents, movements, probable cause, and more. Obra Dinn excels at making you feel like a real detective, and the thrilling eureka moments you get when you successfully solve even the smallest part of the overall mystery feels nothing of extraordinary.
Return of the Obra Dinn is restrained, yet rich in narrative and characterization, with a cohesion between its haunting visual aesthetic, stirring sound design, and pointed mechanics that must be experienced. It is one of the definitive PC games of 2018.
Justin Ma and Matthew Davis, the creators of 2012's FTL, knocked it out of the park again this year with their elegant isometric turn-based tactics game, Into The Breach. As a time-traveling mech squad, it's your job to counter an ever-growing infestation of giant bugs with your unique skills--but it'll be hard to make sure everything comes out unscathed.
Into The Breach is a masterful piece of game design, thanks in part to its concise, no-frills design and the transparency of its systems--the effects of every enemy action is made visible to you before they happen. Its ingenuity lies in the process of working out the most effective way to mitigate the damage to a number of critical objectives before it happens with the use of your limited toolset. But a lot of the time, not everything can be stopped, meaning each turn is a satisfying conundrum of prioritized compromises that are revolved in a wonderfully choreographed ballet of kinetic push and pull, redirected attacks, near misses, and controlled collateral damage.
A large variety of distinctive squads showcases the breadth of the game's unique and obtuse ideas, and the minimally evocative writing and music from Chris Avellone and Ben Prunty, respectively, tie perfectly into the game's focused aesthetics and design. In a year filled with exceptional PC strategy games, Into The Breach is the one to keep jumping back into again and again and again.
Chances are good that you've already heard a lot about how great Motion Twin's Dead Cells is. The 2D roguelike takes some of the most enticing fundamentals of the Metroid and Castlevania strain of platformers and twists it into its own refreshing package that's difficult to stop playing. There are countless different methods in which to tackle the labyrinth, and with each new randomized run, each life, and each death, you'll come across new surprises and challenges that will test your wits and reflexes. It weaponizes a continual feeling of incremental triumph, progression, and improvement that echoes the most morbidly seductive aspects of Dark Souls and Spelunky. It's a compulsive feeling that causes Dead Cells to stay with you for a long time.
Dead Cells has been particularly good on PC throughout 2018, because of the game's availability in Steam Early Access from mid-2017 right up until its official launch in August 2018. The transparent relationship and dialogue between Motion Twin and the Dead Cells community during this period accomplished implementations of feature requests, bug fixes, and general feedback. In a way, Dead Cells as we have it today is born from the PC platform, but no matter where you decide to play it, there's no denying that Dead Cells is one of 2018's paragons.
IO Interactive might have had to brave some rocky roads during Hitman 2's development (it transitioned publishers from Square Enix to Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment in 2017) but the game as it launched in 2018 was an excellent showing regardless. The game built upon the already strong systems IO had established in their Hitman reboot, but more significantly, Hitman 2 was a brilliant showcase of the team's talent for creating interesting, dense, and multi-layered sandbox levels full of possibilities.
Entertaining mission stories highlighted the environments, their characters, and the big opportunities available to you, but each stage still held dozens of obscure opportunities that invited you to embrace their allowances for flexibility, to break from the mold, experiment and try and achieve things in the most elegant or ludicrous way possible. Regardless of whether you succeed or fail, pushing against the limits of levels, systems, and your own creativity are what Hitman 2 is all about, and the content updates that have occurred since launch have continued to convince us that IO know exactly what makes this game great. Hitman 2 is one of the best PC games of 2018, but expect the magic to continue into 2019.
2018 was the year that Capcom would bring its enormously popular Monster Hunter series to PC for the first time. Monster Hunter World released in January to great acclaim--this was the most accessible the series had ever been, though most of its endearing complexities remained. The result is that a whole new audience was able to discover the thrills of what made this series so beloved to begin with: getting together with friends, tracking down giant beasts, and working furiously to exploit their weaknesses and bring them down with a ridiculous arsenal of enormous weapons.
Monster Hunter World came to PC in August 2018, with improved matchmaking, faster mission onboarding, capable keyboard and mouse controls, and the potential for an even more spectacular visual presentation, making it a platform favorite. On top of being a meaningful and robust evolution for the Monster Hunter series, World is one of 2018's most defining multiplayer experiences that has remained strong since the beginning of the year.
GameSpot will be unveiling our picks for the best games and entertainment of 2018 throughout December. Head to our Best of 2018 hub to see all the winners so far.
This is not an instant win. No purchase necessary. Competition ends at 12:00 PM PT on December 19, 2018, in which 30 winners will be chosen at random and emailed a code for the full game (MSRP: $30).
Sure, 'tis the season to be jolly. But 'tis also the season when retailers have their winter sales, dropping prices on video games of all kinds. Newegg is the latest online store to launch a seasonal sale, which means you can save money on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC games. A number of the deals end on December 15, so don't wait too long to make your purchases or you might miss out.
Some of the biggest games from recent months have gotten the discount treatment, which is good news to anyone who held out through the launch hype. Among those is Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, a game that comes with three robust online modes: multiplayer, Zombies, and a new battle royale mode called Blackout. It's on sale for $40 across all platforms. Now is also a great time to jump into Destiny 2: Forsaken - Legendary Collection, because not only is it packed with endgame content, but it's on sale for $25 on PS4 and Xbox One.
And if you own a Nintendo Switch, you can pick up Diablo III: Eternal Collection for $40, a good deal on one of the best dungeon crawlers ever made. It comes with all the content Blizzard has put out for the game. Switch owners who enjoy polygonal platformers can also pick up Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy for $30.
Speaking of retro platformers, Spyro Reignited Trilogy is down to $30 on PS4 and Xbox One. Sports fans can pick up NBA 2K19 or WWE 2K19 for $30 each, or UFC 3 for $20. Lastly, a handful of digital Xbox One games are on sale, but you have to enter a promo code to get the discounts. You can find the details below to save on games like Forza Horizon 4 and Sea of Thieves.
The latest weekly reset marks the start of Destiny 2's holiday event, the Dawning, and with it comes a bunch of new cosmetic items to earn and the return of the Mayhem Crucible playlist. But in terms of the standard refresh, another Ascendant Challenge is now available, this one returning from the third week of Forsaken. Here's where its portal is located and what to do inside.
If you've done an Ascendant Challenge before, you'll have an idea of how this goes overall. Start out by buying the appropriate bounty from Petra in the Dreaming City. Alongside that, you'll need a Tincture of Queensfoil. Once you consume that, you get the Ascendance buff that allows you to see the Taken portal--after you've found it.
This particular portal is located in the Spire of Keres; you can see its location in the video above. Go through it to visit the Ascendant Plane, where are tasked with climbing a tower made of rocks without dying. Enemies will try to snipe you, and Taken rifts will try to boop you off the tower to your death. Be careful with where you move as you go toward the top; once you're there, kill the boss to complete the Ascendant Challenge.
Your reward is a chest that may not have anything special inside, but you'll also complete the bounty you picked up from Petra. This offers a piece of Powerful gear, making it a task worth tackling. With the recently released Black Armory expansion, the Power cap for characters has been raised to 650, so it's definitely worth revisiting the Ascendant Challenge as you grind up to those new heights.
As noted above, the prerequisite for doing an Ascendant Challenge--aside from access to the Dreaming City, which only comes after finishing the Forsaken campaign--is a Tincture of Queensfoil. These can be obtained through chests and Public Events in the Dreaming City, but that's not the only means.
The video above details a location you can go to trade 50 Baryon Boughs, the planetary material you earn in the Dreaming City, for a Tincture of Queensfoil. If you're desperate to get your hands on one to try the Ascendant Challenge, follow our video guide to help you find your way to the spot where you can trade with Huginn.
It seems like we just wrapped up Destiny 2's Halloween-themed in-game event, the Festival of the Lost, and already the people of the Tower are slapping up their holiday decorations for the game's next celebration. That event is the Dawning, Destiny's version of a snow-covered space holiday season, which is usually marked by players going around giving NPCs gifts.
The Dawning returns with the latest Destiny 2 weekly reset on December 11, and with it comes the usual holiday giving event--but this time, it's all about baking. As Bungie noted in its blog post about the event, the major single-player event of the Dawning will be all about making and delivering cookies to spread holiday cheer. You'll get recipes for certain cookies and earn ingredients as you work through the missions, but you'll have to discover the most delicious cookie combinations on your own.
Facilitating all this cookie-sharing is Eva Levante, a Destiny character who's been missing from the game since the launch of Destiny 2. There are even lore items tied to Eva's story, so visiting her will likely fill in some interesting backstory gaps.
As with every big in-game event, the Dawning comes with a whole new batch of cosmetic items to earn or buy, too. They're mostly winter-themed, but the most interesting additions are two-player emotes, which let you activate a cool animation like high five or fist bump with another player.
The other big activity returning with the Dawning is Mayhem, a Crucible playlist we haven't seen since the first Destiny. As the name implies, this one is pure, hilarious chaos. Power weapon ammo drops much more frequently, and Super abilities charge up super quickly--meaning everyone in the match is constantly zapping, stabbing, hammering, and exploding each other.
Finally, there's a minor patch to Destiny 2 that comes with the Dawning. Update 2.1.2 gives a bit of a fix to Prime Engrams, making them drop more frequently and with higher power levels to help you grind up to the Power cap and get ready for the Black Armory's new raid, Scourge of the Past.
Check out the full patch notes below.
Items and Economy
General
Prime engrams will now drop more frequently and with larger power bumps for players under 600 Power
Misc
General
Fixed an issue where players could not purchase the Annual Pass from the Director node
As promised, Epic has released a new update for Fortnite. Today's new patch 7.01 is now live across PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile, bringing the recently teased sword weapon and a new limited-time mode to Battle Royale, as well as a ton of tweaks and new features to Creative mode and a handful of bug fixes for Save the World.
Headlining this week's update is the aforementioned sword: the Infinity Blade, a callback to Epic's now delisted mobile series of the same name. According to the patch notes on the developer's website, the Infinity Blade is a Mythic melee weapon, making it the first of its kind in Fortnite. Only one of these swords will appear in a match, and it can be found in a pedestal atop Polar Peak.
Fittingly, the Infinity Blade is a powerful weapon that "deals big damage and destroys structures." The player who wields the sword will also be granted additional abilities, including increased max health and shields, increased movement speed, and more. However, if you pick up the Infinity Blade, you'll drop all your other inventory items with the exception of building materials.
Along with the Infinity Blade, the 7.01 update brings back the Close Encounters LTM to Battle Royale. As its name suggests, this mode is all about close-quarters combat. The only weapons available here are shotgun variants and jetpacks. The latter can be found along with Heavy Shotguns in chests and supply drops, while other shotguns can be picked up as floor loot. Partway through the match, the storm will also close in more quickly than it does in a standard round.
Rounding out the 7.01 update are a slew of additions to the new sandbox-style Creative mode, including a fifth island to build on and an Island Code system that allows players to load others' creations--although Epic says this feature will initially be limited to certain players. Finally, the developer is bringing back the Ralphie's Revenge gun to Save the World. You can find the full patch notes for update 7.01 below.
Fortnite v7.01 Patch Notes
General
UI
Players are no longer brought to the Battle Royale lobby when clicking "Creative" in the game mode select screen.
Battle Royale
Limited-Time Mode: Close Encounters
The only weapons in this mode are Shotgun variants.
Jetpacks & Heavy Shotguns can be found in chests & Supply Drops.
Other Shotgun variants are spawned as floor loot.
The Storm moves in more quickly than normal at mid to late game.
Typical match length is about 15 minutes.
Stats are enabled for this mode.
Weapons & Items
Infinity Blade
This Mythic melee weapon can be found on Polar Peak.
Primary Fire delivers a powerful sword slash. It deals big damage to enemies and destroys structures in one blow (75 damage to players).
Alternate Fire allows the player to leap great distances, destroying objects in its path. Upon landing, it delivers damage and a knock-up to nearby players (25 damage).
The wielder of the sword is also granted additional abilities:
An increased pool of max Health and Shields (200 Health/200 Shields).
Regeneration of effective Health over time up to max Health and Shields (1 HP per second).
An instant burst of effective Health upon elimination of an enemy (50 HP).
Increased movement speed (130%).
The first player to pull the Infinity Blade from its pedestal will be instantly healed to full Health and Shields.
If a player picks up the Infinity Blade, all other inventory items aside from building materials will be dropped.
When the wielder of the Infinity Blade picks up an item (aside from building materials), the Infinity Blade will be dropped.
The Infinity Blade will be dropped when the wielder is knocked out or eliminated.
Only one Infinity Blade will appear per match.
Gameplay
X-4 Stormwing
When a plane is shot down, the driver and all passengers of that plane will now take 25 damage from the explosion.
Bug Fixes
Speculative fix for players moving after being eliminated.
Fixed players being ejected from vehicles if they lost the icy feet effect.
Creative
Islands
The Block
New 5th Island to build on. Provides the exact block that appears in Battle Royale where your creation could appear.
Featured Islands
Added 4 featured island Rifts. Featured islands will be changed over time as we feature the communities creations. Featured maps can be played the rules are set by the creator. Also, use the featured rifts to enter codes from other creators.
Island Codes system
Use codes to load creations that have been shared with the Island Code system.
Initially, only a limited number of players in the Support a Creator program will have access to this feature.
Over time we will expand the number of players that can publish islands as we polish this feature.
To use a code, go to a Feature Rift and select "Enter Code" and follow the instructions.
Post your creations to Reddit, Youtube, Twitch, or any of our other social channels! We may reach out and provide you the ability to publish your creation.
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue where respawning on Creative Hub could cause your player to leave the Island.
Fixed various problems with Island Rifts not functioning correctly.
Fixed Island Rifts not showing the correct Island name and player count in some cases.
Fixed an issue that prevented player inventory from being reset when returning to Creative Hub.
Fixed players appearing to fall through the ground in Replays when teleporting between islands.
Fixed bug where the same friend's server could appear multiple times in Creative server select.
Fixed an issue that prevented players from placing building tiles on certain islands.
Fixed an issue where players would not be able to spawn on your island when building tiles or props were in the way.
Prefabs
6 New Lucky Landing Prefabs
Obstacle Course
The Obstacle Course gallery was split into four separate gallery Prefabs: Floors, Walls, Roofs & Stairs and Parts.
New props were added to the Parts gallery.
Indestructible Gallery
This gallery contains props that cannot be destroyed by weapons.
New indestructible props and building tiles were added to this gallery Prefab.
A few other Prefabs were updated with new building tiles and props.
Devices
New: Item Spawner - Drop any item on this device to have it spawn one item at a time during games.
New: Player Checkpoint Plate - Run across the checkpoint during a game and the next time you die you'll respawn there.
Player Spawn device can now be customized to spawn only players on a specific team number. The team number is displayed on the plate (except when in the game is in progress.)
Player Spawn device can now be set to be an Island Start instead of a game start. This can be used to set where players arrive when they visit your island when not in Play mode.
Bug Fixes
Fixed issues with multiple devices able to be placed on top of one another.
Fixed Damage Rails being able to be placed on top of themselves.
Fixed vehicles not being removed when their Vehicle Spawner is deleted.
Fixed a problem that could cause devices to malfunction after being saved and loaded.
Fixed certain devices becoming indestructible after loading your Island on a new server.
Gameplay
New settings in "My Island" menu:
"Starting Health" can now be set to "Invincible."
This prevents players from taking any damage on your island.
"Building Damage in Game"
This can be disabled to prevent island structures from being damaged in game.
Has no effect on structures built by players during the game.
When stopping a game, players are now returned to where they were before the game started.
Bug Fixes
Player inventory is now reset when a game is started and also after it finishes.
Fixed games being called "Minigames" in the UI in some places.
Fixed eliminated players respawning on the same spawn pad in some cases.
Fixed the "Down But Not Out" game setting not functioning correctly.
Fixed players not being able to damage structures in game after editing privileges were revoked by the island owner.
Fixed a bug where disabling falling damage would not be remembered when loading your island.
Creative Tools & Phone
Added Collision option
Collision can now be turned on and off when moving props.
Toggle collision using V (Hold) on a desktop, or D-Pad Left (Hold) on a controller.
When collision is off, props can be freely moved through any other object (but not under terrain!)
Grid Snap
Snap now uses better settings for each individual prop. This allows props to align better to the Fortnite world grid.
Renamed help text for certain actions to be more clear
"Pick up" is now "Cut"
While holding something, "Copy" is now "Paste"
Your phone's settings are now remembered as you move between islands, respawn, or play games on islands.
Vehicles can no longer be deleted while players are using them.
Added some additional sound effects when toggling options on the phone.
Bug Fixes
Fixed props and building tiles being able to be placed outside of the island's saveable area.
Fixed props sometimes not placing exactly where the hologram preview shows it will when the Drops option was enabled.
Fixed an issue with grid snap where props would not actually align to the grid when placing them down quickly.
Fixed various problems when interacting with mirrored building tiles.
Fixed some issues with placement of props being denied unexpectedly.
Fixed an issue where props could vanish after you pick them up.
Fixed some props that were not able to be moved using the Phone.
Fixed hologram animations not playing on certain props when you pick them up.
Fly
You can now switch to Fly while your Glider is deployed by double-tapping the Jump button.
Holding down the Jump button on will now consistently fly upwards, even on a keyboard.
Improved Fly animations, especially when using items or interacting.
Bug Fixes
Fixed Bouncers being destroyed when flying on top of them.
Fixed certain Devices not affecting respawned players who were eliminated while flying.
Teams
Players will now be on the same team (and voice channel) when entering a server.
Players who join a session in progress will now always be added to Team 1.
Players are now spread evenly between available team spawns when possible.
Players on the same team will now see team identifiers during a game.
Removed redundant Team Spawn Pads option.
Bug Fixes
Fixed players not all starting on the same team when first entering an Island.
Fixed players not being on correct teams when starting a game.
Fixed players being able to switch teams while in the middle of a game.
Fixed players not being able to switch to specific teams in some cases.
Weapons & Items
Bug Fixes
Fixed not being able to stack Port-a-Fortress grenades in Creative.
UI & Social
Added a new tutorial pop-up to inform users about changing island permissions when another player joins the session.
Players can no longer join your session in progress when your party is set to private.
Bug Fixes
Fixed wrong Creative server being selected in some cases when choosing a server using a controller.
Interacting with chests and Supply Llamas now takes the intended amount of time.
Fixed the Creative Inventory not being displayed while skydiving or gliding.
Fixed the wrong number of players showing next to names in the friend list.
Fixed friends' servers showing on Creative server select after they become empty.
Fixed various issues with friend status in Creative and player counts.
Fixed being able to access Creative Inventory when in the Creative Hub in certain cases.
Fixed various problems with in-game tutorial pop-ups.
Performance
Improved the load times of island content when first starting a server.
To improve server performance, the maximum number of Vehicle Spawners on an island has been limited to 32.
Reduced memory usage when switching between Islands on the same server.
Improved performance of particle systems with large numbers of placed traps.
Mobile
Added a new button that toggles Collision on the Phone.
Added new states to some creative buttons to make their actions more clear.
Bug Fixes
Fixed the "Memory Used" bar being covered up by other mobile UI.
Save the World
Missions & Systems
Bug Fixes
Storm Shield Defenses no longer grant reduced primary rewards if the 80% health bonus objective is failed.
Weapons & Items
Ralphie's Revenge is returning and will be available in the Weekly Store
Accurate and slow firing air rifle that has a massive headshot bonus. Remember to always wear your eye protection!
Available from December 12 at 7 PM ET until December 19th 7 PM ET.
In the ever-shifting landscape of the video game industry, few franchises have managed to remain as consistently popular over the years as Pokemon. More than two decades after its humble debut on the Game Boy, the series is still one of Nintendo's most beloved and lucrative properties, and that popularity only reached new heights with the release of Pokemon Go. When the game first hit mobile devices in the summer of 2016, it seemed the whole world was once again overtaken by Pokemon fever. Stories of expectant fathers capturing Pokemon while their wives gave birth and athletes referencing the game during competitions dominated news headlines in the weeks and months following its release, and the title itself quickly became one of the most successful mobile applications of all time.
Of course, no game can maintain that remarkable level of popularity forever, and before long, Pokemon Go's began to wane. Thanks in part to the slow rollout of new content and some controversial design changes, the game's active user base declined. It still enjoyed a healthy number of active users in 2017. In June of that year, the game had roughly 60 million monthly players--much fewer than the 100 million it had the previous August, but an impressive number in its own right. Still, it was clear the sway it once held over the public had diminished, and gone were the days when you'd see crowds of people stopping traffic just to capture a nearby Vaporeon.
That wasn't the extent of the problems the game faced in 2017. Its first major live event, Pokemon Go Fest in Chicago, was an unmitigated disaster. The ostensible goal of the event was to encourage players to meet up and capture Pokemon together, but persistent technical issues rendered the game unplayable at the venue. Some attendees even filed a lawsuit against developer Niantic seeking reimbursement for their travel expenses. The entire ordeal prompted the company to postpone several live events that were scheduled to take place across Europe later that summer. Fortunately, future events would go off much more smoothly than the ill-fated Pokemon Go Fest, but it was nonetheless a portentous start for Niantic's plans.
It's remarkable, then, just how much Pokemon Go has been able to rebound in the past year. While it would certainly be an exaggeration to say the game was ever running the risk of becoming a flop--even with its decline in active users, Pokemon Go still had millions of players worldwide and was generating millions of dollars in revenue every month--it was no longer the cultural phenomenon that it was the first few weeks after it debuted. Thanks to a regular stream of new content, features, and events, however, Pokemon Go has enjoyed the most success it's had since launch. This past May, the game had its most active users since summer 2016, and just last month alone, it grossed an estimated $80 million worldwide.
This impressive resurgence can be attributed to the generous slate of updates and new content Niantic has released for the game in 2018. Throughout the year, the developer rolled out new features and hosted numerous events to entice players back to the game. In January, Niantic held the inaugural Pokemon Go Community Day--the first in what would become a series of monthly events that offer players an opportunity to earn in-game bonuses and capture rare Pokemon. Unlike Pokemon Go Fest, Community Days aren't hosted at a particular location, but rather during a specific window of time, meaning players around the world can go to any nearby park or other gathering place during the designated times and participate. Not only is it easier to take part in Community Days than other live events, each also offers players a chance to encounter a highly sought-after shiny Pokemon and even learn a special event-exclusive move that typically can't be obtained by other means, providing a compelling incentive to return to the game each time an event rolls around.
In addition to Community Days, Niantic has been introducing new Pokemon to Go much more frequently this year. The first wave of Gen 2 Pokemon--those that originated in Pokemon Gold and Silver--didn't arrive until February 2017, some seven months after the game launched, while Legendary Pokemon wouldn't be introduced until later that summer. Since then, however, Niantic has been steadily rolling out Gen 3 and, more recently, Gen 4 Pokemon in Go. This year also saw the arrival of Alolan forms--tropical variants of certain monsters from Pokemon Sun and Moon. On top of that, the developer has been releasing new Legendaries on a near-monthly basis, ensuring there's always a reason to fire up the app and see what's new.
Complementing the regular stream of events and Pokemon has been a slew of compelling new features, beginning with a quest system. Now when players spin a Photo Disc at Gyms and PokeStops, they'll collect Field Research tasks along with the usual assortment of items they'd receive. These tasks can range from catching a certain number or type of Pokemon to making a number of Great throws. Not only do these give players structured goals to aim for as they play Pokemon Go, but completing enough will reward them with a chance to capture a rare or Legendary Pokemon. Alongside Field Research tasks, Niantic also added Special Research to the game this year; these are story-based missions assigned by Professor Willow, and they typically culminate in an encounter with a Mythical Pokemon such as Mew or Celebi.
This year also saw the arrival of some features fans have been clamoring for ever since Pokemon Go first launched. This past summer, Niantic finally implemented friends lists and trading in the game. While there are some restrictions in place for the latter--as of this writing, you can only trade Pokemon with friends in-person--it is still a welcome addition. Most recently, the developer revealed that a PvP system is on the way to the game. Before, players were only able to team up and battle against Raid Bosses at Gyms, but the new Trainer Battle system will allow them to finally compete directly against other players--an option the game has been sorely lacking to this point.
Niantic's continual improvements to Pokemon Go have helped it stand out as one of the year's best evolving multiplayer games. But it is its integration into the Pokemon series' latest mainline installments, Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee for Nintendo Switch, that has truly solidified its importance to the franchise. For the first time, players are able to transfer Pokemon over from Go and use them in a proper Pokemon RPG. Moreover, connecting the two games is the key to unlocking a brand-new Mythical Pokemon named Meltan, which was revealed in Pokemon Go following September's Community Day, making it the first Pokemon to debut in the mobile title rather than a main game. Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee themselves also take some cues from Go, most notably incorporating its capture mechanics, opening the gameplay up to players who may have been introduced to the series through the mobile game.
Between the release of Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee for Switch and the generous Year of Legendary Pokemon campaign, which saw The Pokemon Company give away a different Legendary Pokemon for Pokemon Sun, Moon, and their Ultra counterparts nearly every month, the past year has been a strong one for Pokemon. But it's Pokemon Go's impressive string of updates that have defined 2018 for the franchise. With other new features, such as a PokeStop nomination system, on the way to the game and more generations of Pokemon to be added, it doesn't appear Pokemon Go will slow down any time soon. Meanwhile, a "core" Pokemon RPG is on the way to Switch next year, ensuring that 2019 will be another big year for the perennial franchise.
Unlike most weapons in Fortnite, there's only one Infinity Blade. Picking it up from its castle on Polar Peak will give you double health and shields, gain 50 health upon scoring a kill, and let you move faster than other players. It can also destroy players and structures very quickly. As a trade-off, though, picking it up sheds all of your other weapons and inventory items. There's only one Infinity Blade in any given match, and you can kill a player to force them to drop it.
Naturally, this also makes the Polar Peak area extremely dangerous, since the allure of the weapon is bound to attract players and force bottleneck bloodbaths. It's possible that this weapon will only be available temporarily, similar to the powerful Thanos' Gauntlet--though that was in its own limited-time mode, rather than in the main battle royale.
Infinity Blade was Epic's first big mobile release, pushing the power of its own Unreal engine on Apple devices to serve as a showpiece. It was a timing-based fighting game consisting of various boss fights. The name comes from the weapon itself, which is wielded by descendants of a warrior who was killed by the immortal God King. Each playthrough maintains the experience of your previous run, until you've confronted and defeated the God King and beaten him with the Infinity Blade. Later sequels added more RPG elements and a more detailed plot structure.
This weapon addition is the first of its kind and was teased shortly after the Fortnite 7.00 patch released. That season changeover also introduced an aerial vehicle and a snowy makeover for the map. You can check out some pointers on how to complete all the new tasks in our Fortnite Season 7 challenges roundup.
If you're like us and are always on the lookout for great deals on Xbox One games, it's time to head to Xbox Live. This week's Spotlight Sale and Deals with Gold promotion are now live, dropping prices on a selection of Xbox One and Xbox 360 games. You'll need a Gold subscription to take advantage of most of this week's deals, but some are available to everyone. Let's look at the highlights of the sales running between now and December 17.
The headliner this week is Monster Hunter World, on sale for $25. Not only is this one of the best games of 2018, but Capcom isn't done with it yet. A massive expansion called Iceborne is planned for release next year, and everyone's favorite gruff-voiced witcher will also make an appearance in the game. All of which makes now a great time to pick it up on sale to see what the fuss is about.
You can find more of our picks below, or check out all the games on sale on Xbox.com. The discounts are live between now and December 17, so make your purchases by then.
Even NASA is getting in on the Avengers hype. The American space agency wants to help save Tony Stark from his tough situation in the new trailer for Avengers: Endgame.
Writing on Twitter, NASA offered some advice for how to save Stark. He directed the rest of the Avengers to listen for a signal from Stark saying "Avengers, we have a problem." But if Stark's comms are down, what then? In that situation, NASA said it recommends teams on the ground to "use all resources" to scour the skies to find Stark.
Hey @Marvel, we heard about Tony Stark. As we know, the first thing you should do is listen in mission control for "@Avengers, we have a problem." But if he can't communicate, then we recommend ground teams use all resources to scan the skies for your missing man pic.twitter.com/zavXrsPljq
As you can see, Marvel Studios responded to NASA's tweet, saying it appreciates the help. If you zoom in on one of the desks at the back of the picture, you'll see one of the desk clumps is labeled "Thor," with the hammer leaning against it. What's that all about?
NASA explained in another tweet that THOR is an acronym that stands for "Thermal Operations and Resource."
The THermal Operations and Resource (THOR) officer is truly one of Mission Control’s mightiest heroes. They ensure the operation of multiple @Space_Station subsystems which collect, distribute & reject heat from critical equipment and payloads for the success of the mission
Tony Stark is looking like he's in a bad way in the new Endgame trailer. The trailer opens with Stark adrift in space with no food or water, with oxygen about to run out. He's recording a message to Pepper Potts saying he no longer expects to get rescued.
The new Avengers trailer confirmed the movie's name, Endgame, a title that makes a lot of sense given what is expected to happen after the dramatic, cliff-hanger ending of Infinity War. The massively popular Avengers: Endgame trailer also of course raises a lot of questions, like what happened to Captain America's beard, how much time has passed since Infinity War, how Scott Lang seemingly got out of the Quantum Realm, and more. Check out GameSpot's rundown of all the big questions here.
The next big update for Grand Theft Auto Online sounds like an exciting one. The "Arena War" update, as it's called, will add a competitive mode that sounds very intense.
"Enter Arena War, where ruthless gladiatorial combat meets the bleeding-edge of vehicular modification technology in one spectacular--and highly combustible--competition," reads a line from Rockstar's official description.
The event will take place inside the Maze Bank Arena, apparently, and it will see players fighting until the grisly end, apparently. "Sign up and embark on an entirely new career under the stratospheric dome of the Maze Bank Arena, one that involves turning your opponent's brains into pulp on the steering wheel in the name of entertainment, courtesy of Alan Jerome Productions," reads another line from the description.
Arena War will add new vehicle types that were custom made for it (check out the teaser image above to get an idea for what to expect), along with seven "explosive" new modes. In the Arena, you'll earn Arena Points, which you can use to move through the ranks and unlock more "toys," according to Rockstar.
Arena War arrives in GTA Online for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on December 11. GTA Online is the multiplayer mode for Grand Theft Auto V.
As it always said it would, Rockstar Games continues to support GTA Online even though the studio's newest game, Red Dead Redemption 2, is out. The western also has a multiplayer mode, Red Dead Online, but it is still in the early, beta stages of its lifecycle.
Movie giant Disney had another massive year in 2018. With multiple weeks left to go in the year, Disney movies have collectively made more than $7 billion worldwide. Disney hit the milestone on December 9, according to Variety. This is just the second time ever that any movie studio has reached $7 billion in a year. The first studio to do it? You guessed it, Disney set the record with $7.6 billion in 2016.
The movie industry's top movies of the year came from Disney. Avengers: Infinity War ($2 billion) was the No. 1 movie of 2018 based on box office performance, with Black Panther ($1.35 billion) following in second place. Universal's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom ($1.3 billion) was No. 3, with Disney's The Incredibles 2 ($1.24 billion) at No. 4
Another 2018 Disney movie, Ant-Man and the Wasp, made $622 million worldwide to land at Number 6 for the year. The Star Wars spinoff, Solo: A Star Wars Story, currently sits at the No. 18 position with $392 million. Some of Disney's other 2018 movies included Ralph Breaks the Internet (No. 31 / $258 million), Christopher Robin (No. 36 / $197.4 million), The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (No. 41 / $151 million), and A Wrinkle in Time (No. 44 / $132 million). These numbers come from Box Office Mojo.
Disney's movies made the most from international markets, where they collectively pulled in $4.07 billion, with $2.95 billion coming from the domestic market.
Disney has one more very big movie coming up this year, Mary Poppins Returns starring Emily Blunt. The film is due out just before Christmas, and it is tracking to make $65 million in the US for its opening.
Disney looks set to have another big year in 2019. Some of the studio's announced movies for next year include remakes/reboots of The Lion King, Dumbo, and Aladdin, as well as Toy Story 4 and Frozen 2, to name a few. Star Wars: Episode IX is due out in December 2019. Disney also owns Marvel, and some of the biggest releases from Marvel in 2019 include Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame. So yes, we expect Disney to again do very well in 2019 at the box office.
It's finally happened. After months of teases and images, Batwoman has officially joined the Arrow-verse. In the second part of the "Elseworlds" crossover, The Flash (Grant Gustin), Green Arrow (Stephen Amell), and Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) ventured to Gotham City for the first time and met the city's Caped Crusader.
This Gotham is one that no longer has a Batman to keep them safe. Instead, Kate Kane (Ruby Rose) suits up as Batwoman in an attempt to save what she can of a dead city. While, for now, this will be contained to the second piece of the three-part "Elseworlds" event only, a Batwoman TV show is being developed for The CW that would pick up where "Elseworlds" leaves off.
Before they could bring Batwoman to life, though, the writers and producers of the Arrow-verse had to figure out who she was. What's more, they have to create the world she lived in and decide how it would compare to the likes of Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl.
For Caroline Dries, who's responsible for the story of "Elseworlds Part 2" and is developing the Batwoman series, the goal was to give away enough to make you wonder about what comes next. "We all as a group knew who the character was when we were breaking the story so our goal was trying to create a set-up story-wise where we could meet her kind of be intrigued by her, introduce Gotham a little bit, you know, plant a little visual things that are curious and then have people wondering what is this world she's part of," she said during a Q&A with press.
That planning gives viewers some hints about what to expect, should Batwoman go to series. This Gotham is dead and rotting, with even Bruce Wayne leaving town--for reasons that haven't been revealed at this point. However, Kate Kane has no intentions of following suit and is instead renovating the old Wayne tower to be the home of her real estate business--which is pulled from the comics. Likewise, a number of potential villains were teased in the trip Gotham City, including Penguin, The Riddler, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, and Nora Fries.
This was all done with an eye toward expanding the universe in a spin-off. "We created it with a bigger story in mind for sure," Dries explained.
Just as important as teasing what Batwoman and Gotham City could become, though, was grounding it in the Arrow-verse. This version of Gotham is very different from anything else seen on Arrow, The Flash, or Supergirl. This is a city without hope, that wasn't saved by its vigilante the way Oliver has done countless times with Star City.
Instead of using Gotham City as the tread to keep it rooted in the Arrow-verse, it's Batwoman herself that is the link. "It was important for us I think to humanize Kate in a way that made her relatable to the other characters in the Arrow-verse, even though we're creating an enigmatic character we wanted sort of an in to her and in our minds Kara obviously has this cousin who's, you know, she's started in his shadow and her story was getting out of his shadow and that's exactly Kate's story," Dries said.
That's why the moment at the end of the episode when Supergirl and Batwoman admit they know each other's secret identities was included. "It just felt like the right moment, the right movie," she explained.
So what happens next? Now, we wait. The CW hasn't actually ordered Batwoman to series, though it seems like a foregone conclusion at this point. As for when it'll premiere, the best bet is in Fall 2019, allowing Batwoman to once again play a role in the annual Arrow-verse crossover. In the meantime, there's still one more piece of "Elseworlds" to watch Tuesday, December 11, at 8 PM PT on The CW.
Tom DeLonge, one of the founding members of Blink 182 who left the band in 2015, is doing very different things these days. He recently launched a new UFO research company, To The Stars Academy, and one part of the company is a storytelling division. One of the first projects to come of it is a TV show based on DeLonge's graphic novel, Strange Times.
The show has been picked up by American TV network TBS, according to Variety. He told the site that To The Stars aims to create entertainment franchises that amount to a "science fiction Disney," which certainly sounds like a bold prediction.
"We hope to create something that could be described as sort of a 'science fiction Disney,' where our entertainment franchises are worlds that are inspired and informed by our own next-generation science division."
The graphic novel Strange Times focuses on five kids, and they were inspired by the "degenerate skateboarders" that DeLonge grew up with.
"The story is also set in that same town. Charlie, the main character, is a bit of myself. A boy searching for answers, trying to find a way out of suburbia, but laughing with his ridiculous, irreverent friends along the way," DeLonge said.
You can read the full interview here at Variety. In addition to his work with To The Stars, DeLonge is working on new music for his other band, Angels & Airwaves.
Virtual reality gaming has been a tough field to navigate since its public debut in 2016, mostly because it was a brand-new technology that had immense hype leading up to the launch of three major platforms. Over time, we got to see VR experiences evolve from its early stages in terms of scale and ingenuity as developers built upon previous work and implemented new lessons learned. In 2018, there were a few flashes of brilliance that proved VR gaming doesn't need to chase realistic visuals or total physical immersion for a transformative experience, but rather fine executions of creative ideas using the tech that's already in place.
Despite a refined version of the HTC Vive and an entry-level standalone Oculus headset in the Oculus Go, PlayStation VR stole the show late in 2018. It might be bit surprising to think that as time marches on, the more primitive technology was home to the year's best VR games; PSVR still runs on PlayStation 4 hardware (Pro or otherwise), tracks players through the PlayStation Camera, and uses the unsophisticated Move controllers. But it's a testament to Sony's ability to secure exclusivity, establish a wider platform, and have developers deliver unique, compelling experiences. And if it wasn't for a handful of great games, 2018 would've been wholly underwhelming for VR.
Astro Bot: Rescue Mission was a definite highlight of VR gaming in 2018, exclusive to PSVR.
PlayStation VR Comes Out On Top With Games
Japan Studio created something truly special for PSVR with Astro Bot: Rescue Mission. Its initial pitch may not sound like much: a seated 3D platformer where you control an "AR Bot" that was once a mascot for PSVR's Playroom mini-game suite. However, it turned out to be much more than that with one clever idea after another executed to near-perfection. You control the bot itself as you handle the DualShock motion controls to use gadgets and interact with the environment. These two elements effortlessly work in tandem to solve puzzles, navigate challenging platform sequences, and take down bosses. And it all came together thanks to color and charm instilled in the game's world and characters.
In 2018, there were a few flashes of brilliance that proved VR gaming doesn't need to chase realistic visuals or total physical immersion for a transformative experience, but rather fine executions of creative ideas using the tech that's already in place.
Leading up to the release of Tetris Effect, you may have been wondering, "What could Tetris do in 2018?" Well, producer Tetsuya Mizuguchi put that doubt to rest. By merging captivating Rez-like visuals, a momentous soundtrack, and an increasing challenge, the traditional Tetris gameplay was elevated to something greater than piecing a series of blocks together to clear lines, especially when played in VR. Each of its stages presented new visual themes and music genres that brought both an overwhelming intensity at times and a calming pace at others.
Although we've seen tactical multiplayer FPS on PC VR platforms, Firewall Zero Hour showed that this style of game can work on PSVR, despite its relative technical limitations. Zero Hour is a slower-paced, multiplayer-only shooter that pits two teams of four against each other to complete objectives. It may have shortcomings in terms of map design, progression, downtime between matches, but it's a unique PSVR experience that also put the Aim controller to good use.
In August, Sony revealed that the PSVR had sold three million units, which is more than its direct competitors Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. It's not much of a surprise given the lower barrier to entry, and this install base means that VR games could thrive on Sony's console.
Multiplatform Games Made Special On PSVR
Moss first released on PSVR in February before arriving on Vive and Rift in June. The third-person 3D action platformer used a whimsical art style to get you invested in the fate of its cute little mouse protagonist named Moss. Developer Polyarc combined simple, yet clever combat mechanics and challenging puzzles which was a delight. But it used VR to great effect by presenting a grand sense of environmental scale and seamlessly integrating traditional DualShock controls and motion sensor capabilities.
Evasion came out on all three major platforms, but it's one of the few games that put the PlayStation Aim controller to use with its new cooperative FPS experience.
There are few rhythm games like Beat Saber, available on PSVR, Vive, and Rift.
Lastly, you can't bring up VR games without mentioning Beat Saber, an exhilarating rhythm game that has you slicing blocks to the beat of a song. Each block requires you to chop it in a certain direction using the left and right VR controllers, inducing a dance-like flow that feels gratifying regardless of difficulty. Beat Saber had an official release on PS4, but it's in early access for Vive and Rift. Unique to the PC versions however, is the ability to import your own songs for custom tracks in game, though that feature is still in development.
HTC Vive Pro, Wireless VR, And The Price Of Luxury
In May, HTC launched the Vive Pro, which is a higher resolution version of the original hardware with a few welcome ergonomic tweaks. The Vive Pro bumped up the original resolution from 2160x1200 to 2880x1600, which may not sound like much, but this translated to a noticeable improvement in visual clarity. Vive Pro's head strap was a vast improvement over the original design and made it much easier to put on and more comfortable with better weight distribution. And the built-in earphones were a critical addition since it was one less thing to worry about when using the Vive.
The big problem, though: price. The Vive Pro costs $800, and that's just for the headset alone. It really is reserved for the enthusiast that has money to blow since it also requires you to have a Vive setup already, let alone a capable gaming PC. And if you don't, then you'll be shelling out $1400 for the full Vive Pro package. It's an impressive piece of technology, but it wasn't going to transcend what the industry already had, especially for its asking price.
Perhaps more impactful than a higher-res headset is wireless capability. 2018 saw the launch of the Vive Wireless Adapter, and introduced a high-fidelity untethered experience with minimal input lag. But again like most things HTC Vive, it's expensive: the Wireless Adapter currently goes for $300 alone.
Oculus Aims For Wider Markets With Standalone Headsets
Oculus has expanded beyond the Rift platform by launching the Oculus Go. It's a standalone headset that delivers a lighter VR experience, not intended for traditional gaming. The Go is part of the Oculus ecosystem regardless and has a few standout games like Thumper and Republique, but its controller and specs means it's limited in terms of gaming.
It bears repeating: VR gaming is still in its early stages and is still building for the future.
Oculus Go is also indicative of where the company is going in terms of VR tech. During its Oculus Connect 5 event in September, it announced that Oculus Quest (formerly Project Santa Cruz) would launch in Spring 2019 for $400, which is another standalone headset that'll have full range of motion, fully featured controllers, and more powerful hardware. Powered by a Snapdragon 835 processor, Quest isn't quite as powerful as a minimum spec Rift setup, but the prospect of a completely untethered VR experience that makes few concessions is enticing.
Verdict
At least in 2018, VR gaming was about a couple of great ideas coming to fruition. PSVR separated itself from its PC competitors late in the year by offering a platform that gave rise to a few amazing experiences like Astro Bot and Tetris Effect. It also remains the cheapest VR platform with the slimmest hardware requirements, and in turn, a significantly lower barrier to entry. But VR didn't offer much outside of that. Advances were made technologically with HTC pushing higher fidelity and Oculus introducing a standalone headset, but neither was intended to serve a wider gaming audience, at least for now.
It bears repeating: VR gaming is still in its early stages and is still building for the future. As developers continue to push VR forward and new games come out, we'll get closer to seeing VR's full potential in games. 2018 wasn't the best showcase of that, but developers are still investing the time into VR platforms, and we're hoping that comes to light in 2019.
The Good
The Bad
+ A few amazing PSVR games that made the most of the hardware capabilities
- Overall lack in impactful games, especially for PC VR platforms
+ Astro Bot: Rescue Mission is the big game VR needed
- HTC's new hardware, while impressive, is far too expensive
+ Advances in tech this year lay the groundwork for the future
Long before Fortnite, developer Epic Games launched a successful mobile game series called Infinity Blade. The franchise's three games are no longer available, however, as Epic removed them from the iOS App store on December 10 in a surprising and unexpected move. [Update: Following right on the heels of this news, Epic has added a sword in Fortnite's new patch--and it's called the Infinity Blade.]
Everyone who already has Infinity Blade 1-3 installed on their iOS device can continue to play and re-download them (for the "foreseeable future), but all in-app purchases are turned off.
But why is the Infinity Blade franchise getting the boot? In a statement, Epic said it has become "increasingly difficult" to support the franchise "at a level that meets our standards" at the same time as other ongoing projects such as Spyjinx and "other projects." The statement never mentions Fortnite by name, but surely the battle royale game is one of Epic's biggest focuses right now.
"The Infinity Blade series will always hold a special place for me personally and for Epic as a whole," Epic's Donald Mustard said. "It's always bittersweet to say goodbye, but we are excited for Spyjinx and what the future holds!"
Epic will continue to support Infinity Blade III with more Clash Mobs and other "surprises" over the next month. What's more, Epic is giving away the Infinity Blade Stickers app for free.
What's more, Epic teased that you can expect to see the Infinity Blade franchise appear in "places you wouldn't expect." Just today, Epic announced that a sword weapon is coming to Fortnite--and based on the teaser, it sure looks like the sword from Infinity Blade.
The first Infinity Blade launched in 2010, with sequels arriving in 2011 and 2013.
Infinity Blade is not the first Epic title to get scaled back or canceled following Fortnite's massive success. At the start of 2018, Epic confirmed it was shutting down its free-to-play MOBA Paragon, while just recently, the developer confirmed that it was no longer working on its new Unreal Tournament game. The studio is continuing to work on Spyjinx, an action-strategy game that Epic is working on with Star Wars and Star Trek director JJ Abrams. It was originally scheduled to launch in 2016, but that never happened. The statement today confirms Epic is still working on it, but no new release date has been announced.
With comedian/actor Kevin Hart dropping out of hosting duties for the 91st Academy Awards, many are wondering who will replace him. According to a new report, one of the options that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is considering is having no host at all.
Variety reports that in this scenario, the Academy might recruit a number of celebrities and other "buzzy people" to present and send the broadcast to its numerous commercial breaks.
One source told Variety that neither the Academy nor ABC had a contingency plan. The next meeting of the Academy's Board of Governors, which was scheduled before Hart dropped out, will take place this Tuesday. The matter of what to do after Hart's exit will surely be discussed. Having no host sounds like it is just one possibility that the Academy may be considering.
The 91st Academy Awards take place on February 24. For comparison, the Academy announced Jimmy Kimmel as the host of the 2017 show in May 2017, while Hart was only confirmed as the host for this year's show last week before he dropped out days later.
Hart backed out of the hosting gig after people discovered years-old tweets where the comedian and actor made homophobic comments. According to Hart, the Academy gave him an ultimatum: apologize or step down as host. Hart initially said he wouldn't apologize, but he later did, saying he was sorry to the LGBTQ community for "my insensitive words from my past." He said he chose to step down so as not to become a distraction.
The most recent Academy Awards ceremony saw the viewership lowest in history, with only 26.5 million people tuning in. Presumably in an effort to get more people to watch, the Academy announced a "Popular Film" category, but it was scrapped in the wake of some amount of public backlash.
Capcom has been supporting Monster Hunter World with a steady stream of updates and events since the game launched earlier this year, and it appears there's still a lot more in store for it in 2019. In addition to the surprise Witcher 3 collaboration and the game's first major expansion, Capcom has announced it will hold a special anniversary event for Monster Hunter World early next year.
The Appreciation Fest is slated to take place in January 2019. Capcom hasn't shared many details about the event yet, but it will feature a variety of new and returning quests to take part in, as well as new equipment to earn. As with other seasonal events, the Gathering Hub will also be decked out with special decorations during the event. You can take a peek at how it'll look below.
Also coming in early 2019 is the aforementioned Witcher collaboration event, which will bring the Witcher himself, Geralt of Rivia, into the New World. Capcom says that players will "get to utilize his signature fighting style" to take on an assortment of Witcher-inspired quests. According to the publisher, these quests will "offer a unique gameplay experience blending RPG mechanics of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt with Monster Hunter World's game systems."
Then, in Fall 2019, Capcom will release Iceborne, the first major expansion for Monster Hunter World. This "massive" update will introduce a wealth of new content to the game, including new quest ranks, environments, monsters, and gear to craft. The expansion will also feature a new storyline that takes place following the ending of the base game.
In the meantime, you still have a little more time to take part in the ongoing Winter Star Fest. The winter event is slated to end on December 17. Capcom is also bringing the Kulve Taroth Siege back on December 20. This time, it'll feature a more challenging Arch-Tempered version of the monster that'll offer even better rewards.
Activision is losing one of its most senior Call of Duty developers. Glen Schofield, who co-founded the Activision-owned Sledgehammer Games in 2009, is leaving Activision at the end of the month. In a statement posted on Twitter, Schofield said he's enjoyed a "great run" at Activision, but said he now wants to "try something new." Schofield and Sledgehammer's other founder Michael Condrey left the studio in February for new jobs at Activision HQ.
He's taking some time off to rest and relax before jumping into "something else exciting." He didn't share any details on what he might be up to next.
Schofield told GameSpot that he thinks he still has "a couple good games" to make, so you can bet his next gig will be in game development. "I have nothing but good things to say about my time at Activision," he said. "After nine years of CoD (which I love), I just think I need a change. I seriously am going to take my time finding my next gig. Make sure it's exactly what I want to do. I still have a couple good games in me."
According to his LinkedIn page, Schofield got his start in gaming at the now-defunct Absolute Entertainment, where he served as its Art Director from 1991-1994 for Atari 2600 and NES titles. In 1996, he joined Crystal Dynamics as its vice president and executive producer. At that company he worked on a range of titles, including Soul Reaver, the licensed game 101 Dalmatians: Puppies to the Rescue, GEX 2, and more, before leaving in 2002. After Crystal Dynamics, Schofield moved to Electronic Arts where he worked on as the company's general manager of the now-shuttered Visceral Games label. One of his biggest credits there is Dead Space, which he created; he was also the executive producer for licensed games including The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and James Bond: From Russia With Love.
Writing on Twitter back in November, Schofield teased a new project that he wasn't allowed to talk about. It seems likely he was referring to a new game, but Schofield also does a lot of artwork, too. Given that Schofield was promoted to a new VP of Development position at Activision HQ, the project he was teasing theoretically could have been anything from Activision, and not necessarily the next game from Sledgehammer. The Call of Duty series is on a three-year, three-studio development schedule, so Sledgehammer's next game isn't expected until 2020.
Still under the cone of silence but what I'm working on is pretty freaking cool! Hope it sees the light of day. It's special.
We've reached out to Schofield to see if he has any further comment regarding his departure from Activision and what he might do next. Condrey remains at Activision.
Season 7 of Fortnite kicked off with the release of the big 7.00 patch last week, and now the second update of the season is on the way. Developer Epic Games confirmed that Fortnite's 7.01 update is scheduled to roll out for all platforms--PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile--tomorrow, December 11, and it looks like it'll introduce a new type of weapon to the game. [Update: The new patch is out now, and it delivers a significant piece of content in the form of a sword. It's called the Infinity Blade, and and it's likely no coincidence that it launches just as Epic announced that it has removed its Infinity Blade games from mobile app stores.]
The official Fortnite Twitter account confirmed that the new update is scheduled to go live Tuesday morning at 2 AM PT / 5 AM ET / 10 AM GMT. Epic hasn't revealed what will be added to the game in the new patch, but the announcement tweet teases players to "keep sharp," referencing the newly unveiled sword that's on the way.
Epic introduces new weapons and items to Fortnite on a regular basis, but most of those have come in the form of guns or traps, making the recently teased sword the first of its kind in the battle royale game. This also makes it clear that the developer plans to keep up Fortnite's impressive weekly update schedule, despite the new Block area providing a good opportunity to slow down updates.
A number of big changes were made to Fortnite in Season 7. Epic added a new arctic region to the game's ever-changing map, as well as Fortnite's first aerial vehicle: the X-4 Stormwing plane. The developer also introduced a ton of new rewards to unlock through the Season 7 Battle Pass, among them additional pets and Wraps, a type of cosmetic that can be applied to weapons and vehicles to customize their look.
The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson initially said he was not involved with Amazon's billion-dollar show based on J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy series. But now, the Oscar-winning director said he may have some hand to play after all, if only in a consulting capacity.
Speaking to Metro, Jackson said he expects the writers of the new Amazon Lord of the Rings show to send Jackson and writing partner/producer Philippa Boyens some scripts for them to look over and potentially help out with. But Jackson and Boyens have not been involved with Amazon's Lord of the Rings series as of yet because they've been deep at work on the new movie Mortal Engines, which they wrote alongside another Lord of the Rings veteran, Fran Walsh.
"I think they are going to send us some scripts when they have some scripts written, and see if we can figure out a way to help them or not," Jackson said. "It's not something we can jump in and get involved in, because we're obviously busy with [Mortal Engines]. We don't have any time."
Jackson added: "They've been getting scripts written--until we see the scripts we won't really know. But whatever, I wish them all the best. And if we can help them we certainly will try to figure out a way, but it's a big task."
For her part, Boyens stated that it's probably for the best that Jackson and Boyens are not directly involved with Amazon's new show. It's important for Amazon's show to be written by people who have "fresh eyes," she said. The show's writers are JD Payne and Patrick McKay; they have no previous TV writing credits, but neither did Game of Thrones writers D.B. Weiss and David Benioff before they wrote that show, and that seemed to work out pretty well.
Payne and McKay have been writing partners since high school when they were on the debate team together. In addition to the Lord of the Rings show, they are writing the upcoming Star Trek 4 and the new Jungle Cruise movie for Disney.
Jackson and Boyens both won the Oscar for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay for The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, so it makes sense that the writers of the new Lord of the Rings show would seek their input, even if it's only in an advisory capacity.
The new Amazon Lord of the Rings show is based on Tolkien's acclaimed body of fantasy writing. Amazon is making multiple seasons of the show, which will be produced in partnership with the Tolkien Estate, HarperCollins, and New Line Cinema.
Little is known about the story for Amazon's Lord of the Rings show, but it's been confirmed that it's set in Middle-earth and will "explore new storylines" in the time before The Fellowship of the Ring.
One of the storylines in Season 1 could involve a young Aragorn. Given his age, it's also possible that Gandalf could show up, but this is only speculation.
Per the reported terms of the agreement between Amazon and Lord of the Rings rights-holders, the show must enter production within two years, so we're expecting more news soon.
From the accounts of its creators, Atlas is an absolutely sprawling game. It's a survival game. It's an MMO. It's a pirate fantasy with a ton of sailing. It's a government simulator with real-time character aging. It has full support for drawing your own pirate flag and painting your boat, which you construct plank by plank.
Listening to Jeremy Stieglitz, Atlas's director, talk about the game, the amount of stuff that you can do becomes overwhelming. Following the game's reveal at The Game Awards 2018, Stieglitz told GameSpot about what players can expect in the game, which launches in early access on December 13. It might be quicker to talk about what the developers aren't planning on putting in the MMO than what they are.
Developer Grapeshot Games is a spin-off team of Studio Wildcard, the developer of Ark: Survival Evolved, borrowing its co-creative directors Stieglitz and Jesse Rapczak, and others who worked on Ark. So it's no surprise that Atlas borrows a lot from Ark as well, refining and adding onto many of its systems and ideas. But as Stieglitz said, Atlas is more MMO with survival game elements than the other way around.
"One thing we like about Ark is the emergent gameplay aspects--what happens when you get a lot of players together and they start doing things that you don't expect," he continued. "So we figured, okay, if you get interesting scenarios with a hundred players, what will happen if you got thousand players, or 10,000, or when we ultimately did the math, 40,000, into the same world and have them all interact in ways we don't predict? And we think that is frightening for us as developers, but also really exciting, and so with Atlas we've tried to construct systems that facilitate those kinds of emergent gameplay behaviors."
A Fantasy Ocean World
You can play Atlas in both first- and third-person, and the MMO side means that there will be quests and objectives for you to complete, Stieglitz said. You play as a Pathfinder, a descendant of a magical realm that formerly existed in the world of Atlas.
"As a so-called Pathfinder, you are the heir to this legacy--it's actually a fantasy world," Stieglitz explained. "I would say it kind of takes a page from Game of Thrones, where it's like similar aesthetics to real history, but its own fantasy background and magic, and history of the world. And so essentially [the players] are all descendants of the guardians of this magic power from the old world, and that world actually existed in the sky hundreds and hundreds of years ago.
"And then a war happened, and all the continents that were floating the sky, powered by magic, essentially exploded, and created all these islands in the water world that existed below. And hundreds of years after that catastrophe, people are starting to branch out again and explore the reformed world on the water."
That magic power probably explains the Game Awards trailer, which showed a world not only filled with other people, but also fantasy creatures like dragons and krakens. There will be other animals you can find, tame, and breed around the world, too.
Surviving The Seas
So Atlas will have a more traditional MMO questing base, with an overarching story about special people searching after special power. But there's also the survival side of things, inspired greatly by Ark, that pushes you to explore the world of Atlas and start to take it over. As Stieglitz explained, there are a whole lot of systems in Atlas that are aimed at encouraging players to interact, cooperate, and make each other miserable.
The biggest extension of yourself is your ship. Once you build your first vessel, most of your time will be spent exploring the world and becoming more powerful so you can create bigger, better ships. You can also steal ships from other players--after all, this is a game about being a pirate. You'll also need a crew, whether one of other players, or AI-controlled sailors.
"You can actually have AI crew [members] that you can command around your ship," Stieglitz explained. "One of the things we noticed in other games--well, other games being Sea of Thieves--is it wasn't really easy to play by yourself because you had to do every single thing on the ship yourself. And so that kind of limited the scope of the game for small groups of players or a single player. So we made it possible to recruit AI crew who you have to pay in gold and you have to feed, or they'll mutiny. They don't always do exactly what you tell them to do for now, but you can basically put them on your boat at various stations, whether its sails or cannons. And then if you get into the captain's wheel you can issue them orders or you can even like control them en masse."
Banding Together
As you explore the world and lay claims to the lands you discover, you'll be able to set up structures, and those will be things other players can steal as well, just like your ship--although Stieglitz said that since your ship and your territory essentially make up your in-game life, they'll be difficult and time-consuming to capture. Don't expect to be boarded and then marooned on deserted islands every few minutes as you play.
There might be a bigger incentive to work alongside others, in groups called companies, than to plunder other players, though. As your territory expands, you'll be able to control it with NPCs to defend it, and you can even set up taxes and laws for other players who use your territory. Stieglitz said the biggest, most powerful territories and the companies who control them will be featured on a world map on the Atlas website, which may well incentivize other companies to band together to take them on. It's all about creating chances for emergent, unpredictable gameplay interactions.
"We don't just want the game it feel like it static, where everything is always the same all the time," he said. "We want the world to start having its own internal history that the players build."
There are lots of other systems at play in Atlas, so much so that it seems nearly impossible to balance it all.
"That's what early access is for, hee hee hee," Stieglitz laughed. "You get the best testing and balance feedback you could ever have when you have a hundreds of thousands of people tell you their opinion. You just have to find a way to kind of synthesize that into some actual outcome, but it is very useful--it's the only way to do it."
After several delays and a change in distribution company, Andy Serkis's Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle is now out on Netflix. And it's now clear why it didn't get a theatrical release: As stunning and well directed as this adaptation of The Jungle Book is, there is no way parents would have allowed their kids to see this. Andy Serkis was crazy to make a gritty and bloody adaptation, and it is insane that it was rated PG-13, but that's exactly what makes this version entertaining. Prepare for a whole new generation to be traumatized by what looks like a children's movie.
From the opening scene, Mowgli wants us to know this will not be the sweet, funny, sing-along version of the tale you're used to. We begin with the brutal murder of Mowgli's parents at the claws of the man-eating tiger Shere Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch, playing an even more evil version of Smaug the dragon). You thought Khan throwing that wolf over a cliff in Jon Favreau's version was unexpectedly dark? Well how about a tiger jumping at a frightened family and then mauling the mother to death? Worst yet, the murder occurs just barely off-screen to maintain a PG-13 rating, but then when the black panther Bagheera (Christian Bale) finds Mowgli, he's bathed in the blood of his dead mother. This culminates in a brutal battle that challenges Mowgli's moral compass, as the film skips the use of fire and goes straight to a ferocious showdown between a tiger and a knife-wielding child. Nothing says kid-friendly like a knife fight!
From there, any similarity with the previous adaptations is just a bare necessity, as we still get to follow Mowgli's struggle to fit in as a wolf, being bullied by his pack for being different and hanging out with the panther and the bear who talk. Oh, and the kidnapping monkeys are also here, but instead of a jazz number, they try to kill Bagheera and Baloo. Speaking of, this Baloo (voiced by Andy Serkis) has no intention of singing and relaxing by the river, as he is a horribly scarred and droopy-mouthed drill sergeant who mumbles every word like he's drunk. Bale's Bagheera also gets a new backstory that reflects Mowgli's journey, but like everything else in the movie, it's so grim that any children who witness it will likely never want to go to the zoo again.
Where Disney's live-action version emphasized Mowgli's humanity and how it made him special, Andy Serkis and first-time screenwriter Callie Kloves make it a point to show you that Mowgli (wonderfully played by Rohan Chand) doesn't belong with either man or wolf. For the first half-hour, he only walks on all fours, which makes him slower than all the other wolves in his class (Baloo is also a teacher for the cubs) and puts him at risk of expulsion from jungle school.
Kloves not only shows the dark side of the characters, but most specifically the serial killer in everyone. In a disturbing scene, we see Bagheera training Mowgli to hunt, telling him to show respect to his victim by staring straight into its eyes as the soul departs the body. Oh, and the man-eating tiger? He's not only obsessed with killing the man cub before he grows to be a fire-wielding man, but wants to straight up mutilate him. Shere Khan taunts Mowgli by repeatedly telling him how he wants to drink his blood--"The man cub's blood will run down my chin!"--and how he loved the taste of his mother's blood.
Andy Serkis proves he's not only adept at doing motion-capture, but he's also determined to push the limits of technology to tell a story. He moves the camera in impossible angles, down cliffs and through caves. One highlight of the film involves Mowgli hiding in a lake, before looking up at the surface to find a blood-soaked Khan, as the water he drinks turns crimson red. Unfortunately, Serkis pushes too far into showing the performances from his cast of A-list actors. Not only does the CGI often dive into "uncanny valley" territory of real-but-not-quite with the facial animation, but the landscapes look rough at times.
The weakest part of Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle is that it must follow the established plot points we already know by heart. While the tone and some of the characterizations are different enough to justify the retelling, it isn't until the 1-hour mark (Mowgli going to the human village) that the film finally shines and proves that it has something new to say. After Mowgli gets to the village, he befriends a British hunter played by Matthew Rhys, who was hired to hunt down Shere Khan. While the rest of the village teaches him about local traditions, dance and food, the hunter teaches him how to throw a knife. While we have seen previous adaptations dealing with Mowgli being a bridge between two world, this film truly shows us both worlds colliding, and how exactly Mowgli connects and saves both. If only the script had dived into this earlier instead of waiting until the last 40 minutes.
It is baffling that this version of Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle ever got made. It is insane that the film got a PG-13 rating. It is mind-blowing that this is actually getting released. But here we are. This film takes too long to get going, and has some uncanny CGI. But it's also a brutal retelling of a classic story that shows just how dangerous the world is, and how you have to be the same if you want to survive.
The Good
The Bad
Andy Serkis's directing
Takes a while to truly shine
Strong performances by Rohan Chand and the A-list cast
Treyarch has been rolling out a regular stream of updates for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 since the game launched this past October, but its biggest one yet is set to arrive this week. On December 11, the developer is releasing Operation Absolute Zero, a free series of content updates that includes a new playable character, daily Zombies missions, a revamp of the Black Market, and more.
Operation Absolute Zero will arrive first on PS4, with a PC and Xbox One release set to follow a little later. Among other things, it'll introduce a brand-new Specialist to the mix: Zero. She'll be available to use in both multiplayer and Blackout mode once players unlock her by completing tier 1 in the new Black Market, and she can "disrupt and distract enemies with powerful hacking tools."
Operation Absolute Zero will also bring a new location to the Blackout map: Hijacked. Treyarch says the area is inspired by the classic map from Black Ops II. The developer is also added a new armored vehicle to the battle royale mode called the ARAV. Zombies mode, meanwhile, will receive Daily Callings, new daily challenges that players can complete to earn XP and Nebulium Plasma.
On top of that, Operation Absolute Zero will revamp the Black Market. Treyarch says that progression will be "simpler and more rewarding" following the update, and it'll introduce "new types of content that have been commonly requested from the community." Moreover, the developer is adding a new Assault Rifle and a "fast-firing" SMG to the Contraband stream pool.
Shortly after the update, Treyarch is kicking off a holiday event in Black Ops 4, beginning first on PS4 on December 13. The developer is introducing seasonal Special Event tiers and decorations to Blackout mode as part of the event, while Zombies mode will get the limited-time Winter Calling event, which gives players a chance to earn new "seasonal personalization rewards." You can read more details about Operation Absolute Zero on Treyarch's official website.
It may not have been known at the time, but Japan (in July 2008) and North America (in December 2008) received what would be remembered as one of the greatest role-playing games ever made. Over the course of a decade, Persona 4 has become more than just an incredibly fun RPG with a refined battle system and quirky characters, though. A story about Japanese high school students confronting their worst fears, fighting for what's right, and becoming the best of friends spawned a lasting legacy that has empowered the people who played it and continually inspired new games. Our love for Persona 4 has kept it alive for so long with several fighting games, two anime adaptations, an adorable (and difficult) spin-off RPG, and even a rhythm game. And after 10 years, we're still seeing our good friends from Inaba in a new light.
For the uninitiated, Persona 4's foundation closely resembles that of its predecessor, Persona 3. You're a transfer student new to a school surrounded by unusual circumstances; supernatural phenomena that endanger your new hometown is the crux to the overarching mystery. On a typical day, you go to class, do extracurricular activities, and try to grow closer to those around town and at school. Better yourself through hobbies or take on a part-time job, it's up to you how to pass the time. In particular, Persona 4 takes you to a fictional rural town of Inaba where the biggest thing to happen before your arrival was the opening of a Junes department store (think Super Walmart, but with an infectious jingle). Even your little cousin Nanako is utterly convinced that every day's great at your Junes, and begs you and her dad to take her there like it's the greatest place on earth.
Sure sounds like all fun and games until you and your new friends become the centerpiece for a dark murder mystery and an absolutely perplexing world that lives behind TV screens. At first, it's not quite clear why outlandish versions of certain townsfolk inexplicably pop up on TV sets and go missing on rainy midnights. The one way to get to the bottom of this is to actually jump into a TV screen to enter the shadow world where you and your friends of the Investigation Team fight evil with makeshift weapons and the ability to summon powerful magical incarnations of your inner selves.
Aha! Is this our chance? It's time for an All-Out Attack!
While dungeon crawling and sneaking up on shadows through randomly generated floors make up the exploration, an intricate turn-based combat system is where you'll find excellence in gameplay. Most enemies have elemental weaknesses which factor into how you construct your party and devise a tactical approach. Sounds par for the course in an RPG, but the unique press-turn system that Shin Megami Tensei is known for shines brighter than it had previously by giving you full control to pull off flashy, effective attacks. Receiving a bonus attack after targeting a weakness before enemies get a turn is endlessly satisfying, especially as dungeons become inhabited by trickier, stronger shadows.
A story about Japanese high school students confronting their worst fears, fighting for what's right, and becoming the best of friends spawned a lasting legacy that has empowered the people who played it and continually inspired new games.
However, nothing in battle matches the joy of seeing your crew team up for the most adorable, yet devastating All-Out Attacks, a franchise staple. Everyone in the party piles on heavy damage that usually puts an end to the fight, and you sense their ferocity in character portraits that pop up just before everyone jumps in. A cloud of dust erupts as they whale on enemies, sometimes popping out of the chaos only to jump back in for another hit, and all you need to do is watch as they take care of business. If you're lucky, someone will offer a follow-up attack turn-free; and it should be taken as fact that nothing is as absurdly cute as Chie's galactic punt where she literally kicks an enemy into outer space (her kung fu DVDs really paid off). Even in battle, everyone's distinct personality isn't lost or put off to the side, which highlights Persona 4's greatest accomplishment: its commitment to a relentless charm embodied by this cast of misfits.
So effortlessly does Persona 4 merge the two pillars of a social simulation and traditional RPG; nothing feels disconnected, and how days are spent matters. These two realities feed into each other, and Igor--the series-long, omniscient owner of the ethereal Velvet Room--alludes to this up front: true strength is born from the bonds you form. The power of friendship is a prevalent trope in similar stories, but to have that power manifest as a tangible benefit in combat gives us further reason to invest in relationships. I call back to how Rise came in clutch to buff the party or cast healing during tough boss fights, or when Yukiko dealt the final blow casting Agidyne using her final-form persona with the last bit of SP: moments like these solidify the feeling that my companions really do have my back in times of need.
Gas up your scooter 'cause we're going on a road trip!
From the mother who wishes for acceptance from her stepson to your basketball teammate who finds it impossible to live up to his adopted family's legacy, these vignettes serve to tell very human stories. We help Nanako open up to her dad about his lack of presence and break through Uncle Dojima's hard-boiled temperament to reveal an empathetic father who constantly struggles with his wife's death and his job as a detective. In the end, a heartwarming father-daughter scene results in a newfound commitment to family. Other social links struck a more personal nerve.
This cast harbors the painful secrets that so many teenagers and young adults repress, and it carries the perceptions and labels society puts upon them. These are the burdens everyone bears throughout Persona 4, but burdens that no one has to bear alone.
When Yosuke overlooks Inaba, the town he once hated, and realizes that what makes him happy is the people he's surrounded by rather than big city glamour, I felt that. Even though Kanji maintains the tough guy attitude, he eventually embraces his sewing skills and love for cute plushies--as he began to handcraft toys for kids around town, I sensed a big, cathartic middle finger to societal expectations for masculinity. Naoto's strive for justice, as the genius detective, makes a firm statement against workplace gender discrimination. Life as an idol sure sounds great, until Rise decides she needs to walk away from stardom for her own sanity. As endearing as Chie's and Yukiko's friendship, their dynamic evolved and reached new heights after confronting their shadow-selves, leading to more open and honest relationship.
This cast harbors the painful secrets that so many teenagers and young adults repress, and it carries the perceptions and labels society puts upon them. These are the burdens everyone bears throughout Persona 4, but burdens that no one has to bear alone. The TV world and Midnight Channel work not just as metaphors for the fear of what you think everyone sees in you, but to illustrate the sense of imprisonment and helplessness that's born from it. And by navigating the maze-like dungeons and crushing enemies, the crew breaks through obstacles to finally support each other in overcoming their monumental insecurities. Many of the game's pieces sound silly on paper, but they all come together to inspire you before you know it.
When spread across 100+ hours of play-time, spanning an in-game calendar year, you're given room to breathe and let events, big and small, sink in. Moments of levity work alongside the more heartfelt revelations, which creates an ingenious balancing act. To its benefit, the game never takes itself too serious. Persona 4's greatness lies in its execution and presentation; story, gameplay, visual style, and its soundtrack all complement each other to elevate beyond the sum of its parts.
Persona 4 wouldn't be the same game without the masterful composition of series composer Shoji Meguro. A collection of J-pop, J-rock, and catchy instrumentals make for incredible tracks on their own, but the right song at the right time elevates the emotional impact. As soon as I hear the brass horns start up for the track that plays during social links, I can't help but smile and sense the fun being had between characters. The boss battle theme of "I'll Face Myself" instills a feeling of danger, but also the determination to defeat your worst enemies. And the emblematic battle theme "Reach Out To The Truth" is such an uplifting song that brings back all my memories of this game. Sometimes I look outside my own house and "Heartbeat, Heartbreak" pops into my head on cloudy days and "Your Affection" when the sun shines. Music isn't relegated to just the background, and it cannot be overstated how evocative its soundtrack has been throughout the years.
For all Persona 4's inspirational moments and pushes for social progressivism, we can't turn a blind eye to where it gets things wrong; to truly love something is to also recognize its flaws. By no means is it perfect when it comes to the portrayal of certain social groups and character conduct. Teddie himself exhibits unscrupulous behavior that can easily be interpreted as harassment, and it's never really confronted. Despite the personally uplifting story of Kanji, his sexual ambiguity is occasionally used as a punchline, and his shadow self can be seen as too over-the-top. Certain insensitive decisions can be made in relation to Naoto's struggle with gender identity; the interpretation of her character continues to be a point of contention to this day. And as time has gone on, the less amusing the cross-dressing pageant scene has become. To its credit, a Japanese game from 2008 was willing to explore subjects often seen as taboo; it misses the mark in critical moments, but there's value in its earnest effort. Regardless, some jokes weren't necessary to be humorous and it would've been much better without them.
Despite all its absurdity, Persona 4 is grounded with thoughts and feelings that so accurately resemble our own; it's a human experience, one that many games aim for, but rarely come close to capturing.
The sheer number of games that spawned afterward speaks to the love we've shared for this game. A PS Vita exclusive remaster, Persona 4 Golden, launched in 2012 as the definitive version; it refines core mechanics and includes a slew of meaningful additions. Along with new songs that perfectly fit the original soundtrack, Chie's new voice actress (Erin Fitzgerald) brought a whole new life into an already-beloved character and truly captured the spirit of Persona 4's best girl. A whole extra dungeon, an important new character, additional social link events, and new tag-team attacks round out Golden as the best version of an already-amazing game.
An anime adaptation premiered in 2011, and another based on the remastered game released in 2014. Although it's difficult to capture an RPG in a condensed format, the anime offered a new way to experience the journey. Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth brought along our buddies from Persona 3 into the mix in a wonderfully executed dungeon crawler RPG on 3DS--it bursts with charm as chibi versions of these two beloved casts band together to fight evil and have a good time. I'd also say Q features the best introductory theme and video in all the franchise. If the fan service wasn't already good enough, Persona 4: Dancing All Night leveraged the beautiful soundtrack for a delightful (and admittedly ridiculous) rhythm game--hearing my favorite songs remastered and remixed is a real treat. If all that wasn't enough, Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth recently launched in Japan, a 3DS follow-up to the RPG spin-off that unites the Phantom Thieves of Persona 5 with everyone else; there's currently no word on a North American release, however.
BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle brings back our friends at Yasogami High to meet the casts of BlazBlue, Under Night, and RWBY.
Persona lends itself so well to fighting games that Arc System Works took up creating a 2D fighter in Persona 4 Arena, which remained true to both the developer's fighting game philosophy and the spirit of the source material. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax built on that foundation even further. And just this year, ArcSys circled back on Persona 4 by crossing worlds with BlazBlue, Under Night In-Birth, and RWBY in BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle. Each of these fighters introduced new characters and storylines, and were included in the fighting game community's biggest stages. Rarely, if ever, does a single entry in a larger franchise spin off in so many different directions, but thankfully, it's helped keep our Persona 4 love alive all these years later.
After becoming personally invested in their journey that started it all and pouring so much time into seeing them grow, it was genuinely hard to say goodbye as the credits rolled and the ending theme "Never More" began to play. In the decade since the original game, we were fortunate to see the charming crew of knuckleheads time and time again in so many different games. It's almost silly to think that fictional Japanese high school students could empower us to be better, but Persona 4 has given me, and countless others, boundless joy and also an opportunity for self-reflection. Yes, I played an incredible RPG, but what I saw was a group of best friends pulling for each other to become stronger people and make the world a better place. Despite all its absurdity, Persona 4 is grounded with thoughts and feelings that so accurately resemble our own; it's a human experience, one that many games aim for, but rarely come close to capturing.
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