By Jordan Ramée on Mar 16, 2019 10:30 pm
A Future In The Cloud
How we access video games is changing all the time. Arcades gave way to home consoles with cartridges, before technology evolved to host games on discs. In recent years, the popularity of digital purchases has grown, as Xbox One X and PS4 Pro offer 1TB hard drives and Switch presents an easy way to play through both indie and triple-A titles on the go. Now, it looks like the next step is cloud gaming. Several game publishers and hardware makers have already adjusted their long-term strategies to explore the possibilities that such a service could present--with Sony notably being one of the first which has allowed the company to get ahead of the curve. Cloud gaming puts more titles in front of more players after all, as it removes platform restrictions. If a game is running in the cloud, it can be streamed to consoles, PCs, handhelds, or mobile devices. The only true restriction to cloud gaming is internet speed, as you need a strong and constant connection to run your games without lag or stuttering. In the following gallery, we point out the most prominent companies that are making strides in cloud gaming. Some are further along in developing their respective services in comparison to others, but each seems convinced to explore the technology or, at the very least, adapt their current subscription platforms to incorporate cloud-based support.
Sony / PlayStation
Sony is one of the earlier companies to take a stab at cloud stream gaming. In 2012, Sony bought Gaikai, a company that creates technology designed for streaming video games through a wireless or cloud-based network. Sony used this tech to develop streaming support for its PlayStation consoles. Via Remote Play, you can stream PS3 games through your PSP or PS Vita as well as PS4 titles through PS Vita. Remote Play isn't seen on every PS3 title, but all PS4 games--with the exception of those that utilize additional peripherals--support the service. There's also PlayStation Now, a cloud gaming subscription service which allows users to access certain PS2, PS3, and PS4 games by streaming the titles to their PS4 or PC for a monthly fee. In September 2018, Sony announced and released an update for PlayStation Now which allows subscribers to download PS2 and PS4 titles to the PS4, letting you play games even if you don't have the recommended 5 MB per second internet speed. PS4 also supports Share Play, which allows you to stream a game to a PSN friend, even if they don't own the game themselves. Share Play also allows you and a friend to play the same game together if the title supports local multiplayer. Share Play is free, but both you and your friend need to be PlayStation Plus members to access it. Like PlayStation Now, the recommended internet speed is 5 MB per second, but the service can work with as low as 2 MB. Unfortunately, you can't just game with a friend on Share Play forever. You can stream your game with whomever you want and for as many times as you desire, but each Share Play session can only last up to an hour. You can only stream your game to one person at a time too.
Microsoft / Xbox
Microsoft officially joined the game streaming party with the reveal of Project xCloud in October 2018. The service allows you to stream games directly to your PC, phone, or tablet via hardware in remote data centers. Although it isn't live yet, Xbox's head of gaming cloud Kareem Choudhry has said that public trials will begin this year. A demo of Project xCloud was shown off during the March 2019 Inside Xbox livestream, which showcased Forza Horizon 4 being played on an Android mobile device that was also wirelessly connected to an Xbox One controller. Microsoft has also launched Game Stack, a platform specifically designed to help developers build and launch cloud-connected games. The dev kit combines Microsoft's services and platforms with Azure and PlayFab--giving aspiring creators access to DirectX, Mixer, Power BI, Havok, Visual Studio, Windows, Xbox Game Studios, Xbox Live, and Simplygon. Xbox One doesn't have a streaming service yet, but it has the building blocks in place to do so, with Xbox boss Phil Spencer already claiming the plan is for the console's Game Pass to expand to "every device." During a November 2018 Microsoft earnings call, CEO Satya Nadella also mentioned bringing Game Pass to PC. And through Project xCloud, Xbox's subscription service could become a Netflix-style streaming platform. Xbox Game Pass already offers hundreds of digital titles for download at a monthly fee. For as long as you pay for the subscription, you get access to any of the games offered through the service and can uninstall and redownload titles at your leisure. Much like Netflix, Game Pass' library changes over time, with unpopular titles being replaced with new ones--which include original Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One games.
Nintendo
Nintendo hasn't made huge strides in cloud-based game streaming, but the company is already experimenting with the technology. You just need to live in Japan to experience it. In Japan, you can play a cloud version of Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Resident Evil 7: Biohazard on Switch. You own the game, but most of it is saved on the cloud while a tiny download is on the Switch's SD card. Theoretically (we haven't tried it), with a strong internet connection, you can play either game fairly smoothly, even in handheld mode. Nintendo has made no announcements for whether more games will get this cloud-based treatment for Switch, or whether this service will extend internationally to other countries.
Electronic Arts
EA isn't in cloud stream gaming; not yet anyway. The company's current work on Project Atlas means it will most likely be a part of the conversation one day. During EA's E3 2018 press conference, the company first showcased the then unnamed project, which is designed to bring the publisher's library of games to the cloud. EA ran a demo during the gaming event, and CEO Andrew Wilson promised that the new tech would allow you to play any of EA's games on whatever device you wanted. Back in October 2018, in a blog post, EA chief technology officer Ken Moss announced 1,000 employees had begun work on Project Atlas. "This will be a fully integrated platform, capable of building the scalable, social, and large-scale experiences of the future," Moss wrote. "So, while in the past, features like cloud hosting, matchmaking, marketplace, data, AI, achievements, and social were separate from the development tools in the engine, the Project Atlas platform will be able to implement all of these services natively within a unified solution." Since this announcement, EA has remained rather quiet about Project Atlas. However, Moss has confirmed the project is "already underway" so additional details will most likely come out within the next year.
Verizon
According to The Verge, Verizon is testing its own variation of a cloud streaming service for games. Called Verizon Gaming, the service downloads as an app to a Nvidia Shield and then can stream your cloud-saved collection of games to your PC or mobile device. Verizon, however, has not confirmed the existence of such a service. Supposed testers for the alpha version of the service said, back in January 2019, that Verizon Gaming currently doesn't allow you to save your in-game progress and lags while you play. If Verizon Gaming does exist, it's most likely still in a very early stage of development. Screenshots from the test showcase a wide variety of supported titles, including PS4 exclusives like God of War and console-only games like Red Dead Redemption 2.
Google
Google has already finished beta testing for its cloud-based streaming service for games. Project Stream is designed to stream any game to your PC via the Google Chrome browser. It requires a much stronger connection than the other services listed here--Google advises a 25 MB per second internet speed--but it works pretty well. During Project Stream's public beta testing, we played Assassin's Creed Odyssey and the game ran extremely smooth. There wasn't any perceptible input lag, and although there was some noticeable compression, image quality was still fairly high. Project Stream seems to already be in a playable state, so we wouldn't be surprised to hear additional details about the service this year.
Nvidia
Even if its service is still in beta, Nvidia has been in game cloud streaming since October 2015. Geforce Now offers access to a library of hundreds of games, all of which can be streamed to your PC. Nvidia recommends a 50 MB per second internet connection to play games at 60fps at 1080p, but 10 MB per second is all you need to play at 30fps at 720p. There hasn't been an announcement detailing when Geforce Now will officially launch, but Nvidia has continuously updated the service throughout the years--adding additional features like Twitch streaming support and in-game voice chat.
Amazon
Next to nothing is known about Amazon's upcoming video game streaming service other than that it's being made and, according to The Information, unlikely to launch prior to 2020. Amazon also owns Twitch, though. Admittedly Twitch isn't the same as cloud gaming, but it does offer a form of game streaming by letting you watch an entire video game you don't own be played on your PC, console, or mobile device via an internet connection. There's potential for Twitch to lay the foundation for a new cloud-based gaming platform.
Other Standouts
Though they don't carry large names behind them, there are a few other companies making notable strides in gaming via cloud streaming. We've detailed what they are below. Blade has been expanding its service with its Shadow boxes, which are hardware machines that host its cloud streaming app. What's more convenient is that Shadow can also be used on any device that can run the application (Windows 7, 8.1, 10, macOS, Android, and iOS). It's worth noting, however, that paying the monthly subscription to Shadow allows you to stream a gaming-caliber Windows 10 PC anywhere--which can then be used to access and play your games. You're not streaming the games themselves. The most recent Shadow box, called Shadow Ghost, isn't the best cloud-based game streaming experience we've ever had, but as stated in our review, it "showcases where gaming can go and where gaming hardware could fit into that future." Parsec also offers a means of streaming games to your device, specifically PC. However, like Twitch, it's designed moreso as a means of sharing the experience of a game with another person. Via Parsec, you gain access to many other players' streams, which you can then watch on your PC. Hosts can also invite a viewer to participate in the game they're playing or pass control of the game off to another person whenever they want. With Parsec, you and your friends (or strangers) can play the same game together even when you're miles apart.
By Alessandro Fillari on Mar 16, 2019 09:30 pm
Circa 2009
Throughout the 2000s, the gaming industry saw tremendous growth and innovation. With the continuing rise of online games, the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 reaching broader audiences, and Valve's dominating online marketplace Steam expanding PC gaming even further, 2009 served as a solid capper for a decade that saw great change. However, what made 2009 an especially interesting year was the amount of games that made some bold changes to established genres. For this special feature, GameSpot is taking a look back at the standout games of 2009. Whether it was the PlayStation 3 hitting a stellar stride with exclusives such as Uncharted 2 and Killzone 2, From Software's Demon's Souls offering an uncompromisingly tough approach to online action-RPG gameplay, or Batman: Arkham Asylum aggressively bucking the stigma of bad superhero games--the year that was 2009 had a variety of titles that made it an especially exciting time. In order of their respective western release dates, here are our picks for the games that made 2009 a very special year for gaming. If you want to see our previous roundups focusing on other fantastic years in gaming, be sure to check out our features below.
Skate 2 | January 21
There are a handful of demos that I had a hard time deleting off the already pitifully-sized Xbox 360 20GB hard drive. Blitz: The League, Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter, Dead or Alive 4, Stranglehold, Ninety Nine Nights, Lost Planet, or Just Cause 2 were demos that I could pick up, goof around in for a half hour and put back down without a steep time investment. However, one demo stood above them all. Skate was a game that not only was easy to pick up and play, but if you were willing to invest the time, it proved to have one of the most satisfying skill ceilings in all of gaming to break through. I must've spent over 100 hours replaying the Skate demo over the years, trying out new lines, experimenting with new tricks, and seeing how long I could keep that awesome 3x multiplier going which automatically turned up the music and over-saturated the colors to replicate what it was like to be in the zone. Finding that one perfect stair set and hitting it over and over gave me more satisfaction than the entirety of any Army of Two or Splinter Cell: Double Agent demo ever did. In fact, I never even ended up buying the original Skate, because the demo gave me all I needed, but in 2009, I couldn't help myself when Skate 2 was released. San Vanelona had huge hills to bomb, mega-ramps to conquer, skate-parks to unlock, and this time, you could walk up that 11-stair if you wanted to. Yet, like the original, nothing was more satisfying than skating around until I found that perfect staircase, setting a respawn point, and just hitting it over and over until it looked right--until it looked clean. There's still a fervent fan base out there waiting for Skate 4, but don't forget that just like that elusive stair set, Skate 2--the pinnacle of skateboarding video games--is still out there. You just have to be dedicated enough to look for it. | Nick Sherman
Street Fighter IV (Console Release) | February 17
The wait between Street Fighter III and Street Fighter IV was an excruciating 11 years. In that time, an incredibly passionate community developed around Street Fighter III: Third Strike, and thanks to its incredibly deep, skill-based mechanics, that game remained exciting to play throughout--and still is. However, with each passing year, fans also felt the absence of a new entry in Capcom's fighting game franchise in a more pronounced way. So when the fourth mainline entry in the was announced, it felt like the community sprang back to life, energized and hungry to prove themselves as the best in a new generation of Street Fighter. Street Fighter IV launched for Xbox 360 and PS3 in 2009 and was received as both fresh and modern, as well as true to its roots. It took the tried and true 2D fighting of the classic franchise but presented it with an eye-catching 3D visual style. Characters were bold and chunky, with designs and animations bringing out the unique characteristics of the eclectic cast. Environments were vibrant and dynamic, evoking the same sense of place that Street Fighter II did all those years back. Most importantly, though, it was incredibly fun to play. The mechanics rewarded those fans that had spent years maintaining their skills with Street Fighter III: Third Strike, with demanding combos to master, tricky strategies to develop and employ, and various unique fighting styles to dig into and learn the ins and outs of. Crucially, however, it was also immediately fun for casual players looking to indulge in Street Fighter nostalgia. Mechanics such as the Focus Attack introduced a new kind of tension to the way matches unfolded, while also further increasing the depth of playing by having the ability to dash cancel or bait. Street Fighter IV re-ignited interest in fighting games and, in many ways, kicked off a renaissance for the genre. Fighting games wouldn't be what they are today without it. | Tamoor Hussain
Killzone 2 | February 27
Like many, I was swept up by the hype surrounding Killzone 2. Thanks to that 2005 reveal trailer, showing off bombastic, large-scale battles, I was really enamored with the potential of next-gen gaming--even if it seemed a bit too good to be true. It was a hell of a way to sell people on the game and the upcoming PS3, and at the time, there was a lot of debate if the final version could even come close to it. It eventually came out four years later in 2009, and surprisingly, it managed to live up to the hype. I really adored Killzone 2 for PS3, and it's one of my personal favorite games for the system. When I think back on Killzone 2 today, I still remember all the intense firefights with the Helghast legion, with the orange glow of their helmet goggles and near unintelligible speech making battles feel eerie and hectic simultaneously. However, what really sticks with me now is how much of a jump the sequel was from the original game. Truth be told, I was really let down by the original game when it first came out. Known as the "Halo killer" in the lead up to its 2004 release, the Killzone on PS2 had also had a considerable amount of hype behind it. Unfortunately, that extra attention didn't do it too many favors once it launched. The game turned out to be a janky, technical mess with the campaign's spotlight set on an unlikeable cast of characters. To put it simply, I didn't care for it. So it was surprising to see a game in such stark contrast to the original. In a lot of ways, Killzone 2 was where the series really grew into itself, as opposed to the sketch of concepts and ideas seen in the original game. Not only was I actively engaged in the lore of the world and the plot following the new lead protagonist, but the expanded multiplayer also offered a lot of fun with its take on class-gameplay. Unf Killzone, nor any of its sequels, ever became the "Halo Killer" that it was hyped up to be, and that's OK. I still hang onto the hope the franchise isn't dead, and that we'll see another return to the series on the next PlayStation console. If that happens, I wouldn't be surprised if they re-introduce it in a similar fashion to Killzone 2--with a trailer that seems almost too good to be true. | Alessandro Fillari
MadWorld | March 10
It was the breakout release of Bayonetta in 2009 that gave Platinum Games the reputation it has today as the studio that can deliver on stylish gameplay mixed with an over-the-top story and characters. But Bayonetta wasn't Platinum's first game. That honor goes to the oft-forgotten title for Wii, MadWorld. A brutal romp of blood and violence, MadWorld puts you in the role of Jack, a contestant in DeathWatch, a game show where you score points for murdering people in the most violent way possible. It's as ridiculous as it sounds, with the over-the-top violence that takes a light-hearted comedic tone. Adding to the comedy is the voice talents of Greg Proops and John Dimaggio, who act as Deathwatch's commentators and deliver some memorably raunchy lines. You'll throw people into fans, impale them on the side of a train covered in spikes, and hit them with a nail-covered bat into a giant dart board, to name just a few ways that you'll commit horrible acts of murder. Its simple controls and premise is brought a long way thanks to the creativity of your bloodbath and made more fun by acting moves out with the Wii's motion controls. The gore and bright red blood stands out in a comic book-inspired black and white art style, which gives the game a visual look that still holds up despite having released on the aged Wii hardware. Tying the whole thing together is the game's excellent soundtrack. Platinum brought together local artists to record original songs for each level, and the mix of hip hop and industrial metal really sells the violent yet playful attitude of the game. MadWorld never got an official sequel. Some characters and concepts from the game made their way into Anarchy Reigns, another Platinum joint that is underappreciated (but to be fair, kind of a mess). While Platinum has moved on at this point, with MadWorld's 10 anniversary having just passed, I still hold out hope we can get an HD remaster of this game someday. It deserves at least that much. | Jean-Luc Seipke
Resident Evil 5 | March 13
Arguably, the most successful sequels in video games have been titles that don't deviate too much from what made its predecessors great, but expand upon its originality or gameplay in meaningful ways. Obviously, Resident Evil 5 wasn't the first sequel in the franchise, but it was a continuation of 4's radical departure from the series norm that took it even further away from its survival-horror roots. Resident Evil 5 had huge bosses, bloodier quicktime events, larger enemy variety, but what really sticks out in my mind more than any expansion in gameplay was, of course, the expansion in biceps. In fact, Chris Redfield's biceps could be an apt metaphor for the late 2000s of gaming in general. Resident Evil 5 featured bigger guns, bigger explosions, and bigger set-pieces--all of which were endemic to the then-burgeoning divide between indie games and AAA titles. I can respect that there were those who missed the thrill of bundling themselves up under the covers with the lights out ready to spook themselves silly, but wasn't there something equally as silly as teaming up with a friend to pull off the secret melee moves like Chris's haymaker on 10 enemies at once? What about pulling them off on Wesker's smug face? Don't forget that long before we were pressing "F" to pay our respects, we were pressing "X" to punch a boulder out of the way. While I adore Resident Evil 7, and am thrilled that the Resident Evil 2 Remake was received as well as it's been, I'll always be grateful for the short, but sweet detour we took with Resident Evil 5. Not everything about it worked in its favor, but most of it did, and it still holds up as one of gaming's best co-op experiences. | Nicolas Sherman
X-Men Origins: Wolverine | May 1
They don't make games like X-Men Origins: Wolverine anymore. Mid-tier movie tie-in games used to be much more commonplace in the '90s and early 2000s, but their popularity waned given that most of them simply weren't very good. X-Men Origins: Wolverine was an anomaly--a tie-in that not only was pretty good, but was actually far superior entertainment than the movie it was based on (a movie that was so bad that it was retconned within the wider X-Men movie timeline in one of the post-credit sequences in Deadpool 2). X-Men Origins: Wolverine worked in large part because it embraced the brutal, destructive nature of Wolverine just right. Previous games starring the grumpy Logan sanitized the effects that razor-sharp, indestructible claws would have on his enemies. X-Men Origins: Wolverine embraced the gore, putting up Mortal Kombat levels of blood, dismemberment, and decapitations. It was sick and it was gross, and it was one of the few times the character got to be that destructive in video game form. So while the gameplay itself could get rote, it more than delivered on the power fantasy of being Wolverine--a near indestructible superhero who's only ever one tortured snarl away from slicing someone's stomach open. | Randolph Ramsay
Minecraft | May 10
Among my friends growing up, I was always the pioneer when it came to introducing them to games they may have overlooked. Animal Crossing, Guitar Hero, Final Fantasy VII--these were all titles that at first glance, seemed too shallow, or too deep for them to pass up our nightly bouts over Xbox Live. I'd always considered myself the local trendsetter in that sense, but it wasn't until I finally got around to playing Minecraft after being too intimidated to try it that I realized just how square I was. Originally released in 2009, I didn't play Minecraft until it was released on Xbox 360 three years later. I had just moved, and for two weeks, we didn't have cable or internet at our house. Without much else to do, I explored this new unfamiliar environment. I should clarify though--I went exploring in Minecraft, not my new neighborhood. To this day, I still feel a wry smile come to my face when I think about the first night I spent in that world, buried in a hole in the ground, petrified of the hissing spiders or moaning zombies festering above me. It wasn't long before I had built a three-story mansion, a greenhouse, a minecart track that took me from one side of the world to the other, a full set of diamond armor, a watchtower that overlooked my perpetual burning Netherrack blocks that spelled out "Nick is cool," and of course, my tamed wolf that accompanied my spelunking. More than just a "Lego 2.0," the gaming industry would not be where it is today without Minecraft. I could point to the growth of YouTube, and how Minecraft single-handedly popularized Let's Plays. Public schools have used Minecraft to teach children computer programming. Famous paintings and cities have been recreated 1:1 using the game's Creative Mode. Minecraft took us to the moon, and down to the deepest depths of the netherrealm where the strongest enemies awaited our bravest explorers. One would be remiss not to recognize that a game based around building blocks was so fundamental in laying the foundation for the next generation of gamers. A generation that, even years later, fervently contributes to the cultural acceptance and appreciation of games as a whole. | Nicolas Sherman
Punch-Out!! | May 18
After a major success on the NES, and a well-received sequel on the Super Nintendo, Lil Mac, and the Punch-Out series skipped a generation before finally landing a sequel on the Nintendo Wii. As someone who grew up absolutely loving the Punch-Out!! games and boxing, I was beyond excited to hear a sequel had been announced for the Wii and picked it up immediately to put back on my virtual boxing gloves. You could imagine that one of the difficult things to do with the Punch-Out series was to make a sequel with modern sensibilities. The original game is a product of its time--an era when a small simple design concept could formulate an entire game. And while the simplicity of its design is precisely why I love the series so much, that does make it a challenge to bring something new to the table in terms of a sequel while capturing the original spirit. So, with Punch-Out!! for the Wii, a gimmick was introduced. Similar to Wii-Sports, Punch-Out!! would allow players to use the motion controls of the Wii to box against its opponents. And, upon trying this out, I immediately realized something: This absolutely doesn't work for a game like Punch-Out!!, which requires immediate and precise reactions. Thankfully, the game allows you to play without motion controls, and as a result, I finally got to play a Punch-Out game the way it was meant to be played. I have no idea when or if Nintendo will ever release another sequel, so I'm glad I at least got to live out the dream one last time with Doc Louise at my corner. | Dave Klein
Infamous | May 26
Playing through Infamous for the first time was something of an odd experience for me. I generally enjoy superhero games, especially when set in an open world, but this game, coming from Sly Cooper creators Sucker Punch, felt like it was trying way too hard to distance itself from the developer's past work. In a large contrast to Sly Cooper, which was a very upbeat and family-friendly series, Infamous was a much darker game, and it often felt off-putting in how much it went out of its way to present a gritty superhero origin story. Though its tone matched that of some darker comic book stories, like DMZ or The Dark Knight Returns, its approach initially rubbed me the wrong way.
This really hit me when it came time to explore the setting of Empire City. Following a major disaster, much of the city is left in disarray, which made for an especially depressing time exploring and testing out protagonist Cole McGrath's lighting-infused abilities. After spending some time getting used to the movement and flow of traversal, I slowly started to come around to Infamous. One of the most surprising things I liked about the game was how enjoyable it was to move around, and it was clear that Sucker Punch put their experience working on Sly Cooper's platforming mechanics to good use. Featuring a morality system, I generally stuck with playing the good guy in Cole's story, which made for an especially satisfying arc to see through.
After playing through the game for the first time, and seeing how different the game can be with your different choices, Infamous made for a really fun open-world adventure game that offered some great payoff. Though I feel that the sequels ended up totally surpassing it, thanks in part to its efforts to lighten up the story, the original game still holds up well on its own. | Alessandro Fillari
Red Faction: Guerrilla | June 2
The original Red Faction never seemed to get the level of attention I thought it deserved. Thanks to its GeoMod tech, which allowed you to freely destroy the game's walls, floors, and ceilings--even in multiplayer--the game was an incredible technical achievement. Its sequel dialed that back, and it wasn't until eight years later, in Red Faction: Guerrilla, that the series came back with a game that tries to do something interesting with destruction. Guerrilla's approach to destruction was quite different; whereas the original Red Faction had been about destroying the world, Guerrilla gave you the ability to destroy what was in it. Whether with explosives or your trusty sledgehammer, you were free to destroy buildings, bridges, and other structures. The surrounding open-world third-person shooter gameplay was fine, but it was the freedom to wreck whatever was in front of you--and have it actually collapse into pieces--that made Guerrilla so much fun. The level of destruction found in Guerrilla remains a rarity in games, which made the 2018 re-release, the offensively titled Re-Mars-tered Edition, an exciting proposition. It's not a full-on remaster, and its open-world gameplay has aged poorly, but blowing things up is still wildly satisfying. | Chris Pereira
The Sims 3 | June 2
I struggle to think of a game that has swallowed more of my life than The Sims 3. While The Sims 4 moved in a new direction with some interesting mechanical changes, my biggest disappointment with it was the lack of an open world free of load screens, which was first introduced in The Sims 3 and resulted in a wonderfully seamless experience. Removing discrete lots divided by load screens not only enabled each town to feel more like a real city replete with social spaces, workplaces, and homes, but it also opened the door for my favourite expansion in the Sims series, The Sims 3: World Adventures. World Adventures lets you travel to Sim versions of Egypt, China, and France where you can explore and puzzle your way through tombs, undertake a wide variety of quests, and uncover artifacts which you can store in your home or sell for sweet Simoleons. The joy in playing Sims games is so alive and well in The Sims 3 especially given there are so many ways to play. You can approach it as a home builder, fashion designer, chaos bringer, virtual dollhouse, or the way I do, as an RPG, where I work my little Sims to the bone in order to achieve all of their short- and long-term aspirations in as little time as possible. I still constantly return to The Sims 3 and it astounds me that the game is already ten years old. The simulation genre has seen so many iterations and entries but none compare to the feeling of freedom and joyful variety that can be found in The Sims 3. | Jess McDonell
Prototype | June 9
I was a big admirer of Radical Entertainment's game The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction. As an open world where you play as the giant green bruiser, you get to break, pulverize and smash stuff at your leisure. It was a simple concept, but its setting and surprisingly in-depth mechanics made for a really fun game that was way better than it had any right to be. The developers eventually went on to make another game called Prototype, taking the basic concept of their previous game and fitting it around an original story. When looking at Prototype in the broader sense, it's got a lot of parallels with Infamous, the other open-world superhero game released in 2009. But in stark contrast to its rival game, this one gradually shifts from the initial superhero formula into something of a full-blown monster movie by game's end. Unlike Infamous, there's no morality system in Prototype. You play as the brooding anti-hero Alex Mercer, who possesses bio-organic powers that allow him to shapeshift, form sharp objects with his hands, and generally just wreck stuff around New York City. It plays very similarly to Hulk: Ultimate Destruction; matching its traversal and combat mechanics to a tee. Surprisingly, Infamous is a far more low-key game compared to the wanton destruction and carnage seen in Prototype. I knew going in that I was playing as an anti-hero, who was more than likely making things worse for everyone by simply existing. Though there were a few heroic actions to be found, they were peppered in-between moments where I'd pick up taxis--likely full of innocent civilians--and chuck it at a group of soldiers wielding rocket-launchers in Time Square. By the end, Prototype went from a dark superhero origin story to a creature-feature showing similar shades to The Thing--with tendrils and bio-organic viscera caking much of the cityscape. And honestly, I really respected the game for taking such a turn. Prototype would eventually get a sequel, but it would, unfortunately, be Radical Entertainment's final game; which is a real shame. Throughout 2009, there was a lot of talk about the comparisons between Infamous and Prototype, but in truth, they're totally different games. Whereas the former tries to contextualize its setting and player-agency through its morality system, Prototype chucks all that out in favor of some dumb, guilt-free, anti-hero thrills. | Alessandro Fillari
Shadow Complex | August 19
I've been a longtime fan of games under the metroidvania tag. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night remains one of my favorite games to this day--and I'm always down to replay Super Metroid at any point in time. So, when Shadow Complex was announced for Xbox Live Arcade's Summer of Arcade promotion, I was definitely intrigued. Let's not forget: At this point, Xbox Live Arcade had been absolutely crushing it with titles, and the first Summer of Arcade brought what I felt were some of the best games of its console generation with Castle Crashers, Braid, Bionic Commando: Rearmed, and Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 in 2008. And, to my great joy, Shadow Complex completely held up with the best of them. The game was a fine-tuned metroidvania game with well-placed secrets, interesting power-ups, and balanced gameplay. It also managed to stand out from both Metroid and Castlevania, creating its own style within the sub-genre. Outside of utilizing a more modern day-inspired, militaristic setting, the game also featured a 2.5D perspective, with enemies not just appearing on a flat plane, but also along the player's z-axis. While these games can get repetitive at times with their inherent backtracking, somehow Shadow Complex managed to hold my attention the entire time, and I absolutely loved exploring the map for all of its hidden goodies. It was truly a treat to have a brand-new and well-crafted IP within the metroidvania genre, and it's just a shame we have yet to see a sequel. | Dave Klein
Batman: Arkham Asylum | August 25
No one expected Batman: Arkham Asylum to be anything but yet another mediocre attempt at cashing in on a popular property. Games based on superheroes were notorious for being sub-par--why would Arkham Asylum be any different? Its developer, Rocksteady Studios, had only shipped one title--the unremarkable first-person shooter Urban Reign. Why would anyone expect much out of the studio? How wrong we all were. Batman: Arkham Asylum surprised players like a gunshot in a dark alley. Not only did it exceed expectations, it set the standard for how games based on licensed properties should be. But even that is underselling its achievements, as Arkham Asylum was exceptional in so many ways. It went above and beyond in everything from its storytelling to the way it characterized by iconic DC heroes and villains. It was immediately clear that Rocksteady's developers were fans of the source material and had gone the extra mile to make sure that reverence was represented. They brought back Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill to voice Batman and Joker; worked with Paul Dini, writer of the beloved Batman: The Animated Series to guide the story, and ensured that the core tenets of what makes Batman, Batman was represented. Arkham Asylum is a game in which players get to live out their fantasy of being the Dark Knight, using their wits and physical prowess to stalk bad guys and dispatch them with a cold, calculated precision.
It depicted the universe of Batman in a way no one had before and, to this day, remains one of the most compelling Batman entertainment experience out there. Rocksteady would, of course, push their vision even further with Arkham City and Knight, but the fundamentals of those follow-ups were established--and in many cases perfected--in Asylum. | Tamoor Hussain
Scribblenauts | September 15
I remember when I first heard of the incredibly unique concept behind Scribblenauts. It was a game where you had to solve puzzles, but in order to do so, you had to use a notepad. And anything you wrote, would become conjure up into existence. It was so simple, yet so brilliant. And at the same time, there was hardly a game that could match its originality.
Once I popped in the game, I immediately started scribbling the first things that came to mind. "Ninja!", "Samurai!", "Sword!" (You can see a theme here). What's that, there's a pit in front of me? "Wings!" And, lo and behold, a pair of angelic wings would appear, allowing my character to fly. Or maybe, if I was feeling a little more steampunk that day, I'd give myself a jetpack. It was a beautiful sandbox adventure, and the later games would improve upon it in exciting ways. | Dave Klein
Halo 3: ODST | September 23
Halo 3: ODST felt like the first truly experimental Halo game. Bungie had firmly established a formula by the time of its release in 2009, and while ODST might not have abandoned the core first-person shooter gameplay of past entries, it did represent a fairly bold foray for a game series that was still Microsoft's crown jewel and Xbox's biggest core franchise. ODST has the expected action-packed levels, but they are stitched into an open-world environment, letting you approach enemy positions from multiple angles. Missions can be tackled in any order as part of an investigation into what happened to your squad. You play as a member of the ODSTs, rather than the Master Chief, and are effectively weaker as a result. At the time, it wisely didn't seek to undercut the multiplayer audience of Halo 3 by offering a new, standalone mode, instead delivering a Horde mode in the form of Firefight. Combined with the ability to play the campaign with a friend, ODST was a great co-op package, although I appreciated the solitary feeling of traversing New Mombasa in the rain alone. These were gambles, but they paid off. The deliberate pacing of the campaign helps it to stand out amongst its fellow entries in the series. Its noir-style storytelling and moody soundtrack help distinguish it further. ODST was the first solid indication that a Halo game could work without the Master Chief (even if Halo Reach is the only other game to truly capitalize on that). As the name suggests, ODST is essentially a spin-off, and its campaign is not as lengthy as that of the core entries. But it's nonetheless a game that's more than worthy of the Halo name, and one that's thankfully made easy to check out today; an enhanced version of its campaign is playable through The Master Chief Collection. | Chris Pereira
Demon's Souls | October 7
At this point, it's hard to say anything new about Demon's Souls. GameSpot's 2009 Game of the Year might not have had the same impact as its follow-up Dark Souls, but it's a watershed release for developer From Software and the games industry overall. Demon's Souls was a difficult game. It was incredibly easy to die to basic enemies, monstrous bosses, and hidden traps--and when I went down, I lost all my hard-earned progress. But the loop of finding my corpse, regaining what I lost, and overcoming that same beast that beat me? It led to a sense of triumph that few other games can offer. Demon's Souls passed these traits on to its descendants Dark Souls and Bloodborne, and its DNA is easy to see in pre-release material for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, which I am also very excited to play. The "live, die, repeat" mentality of the game inspired others like Nioh, Salt & Sanctuary, Lords of the Fallen, and The Surge. And let's not forgot how often the term "Dark Souls of X" crops up in games coverage--that wouldn't have happened without Demon's Souls first. Revisiting the game now, however, isn't quite the same experience. I could still try to conquer the Arches alone, but the online servers are shut down. All hope isn't lost though: director Hidetaka Miyazaki said he's OK with another studio remastering the game, a la Dark Souls. | Tony Wilson
Brutal Legend | October 13
Brutal Legend is one of my favourite games of all time. It's not just a wacky and over-the-top adventure game from Double Fine, it's basically a love letter to metal music featuring the voice of Jack Black in what I have no doubt about saying is one of his finest performances to date. All you need to know is that Black's character, Eddie Rigs, gets sucked into another dimension where metal music is everywhere. It's great. The game features a terrific soundtrack featuring classic hard rock songs by Ozzy Osbourne, Motorhead, and Iron Maiden, as well as more contemporary headbangers from the likes of Mastodon and 3 Inches of Blood, among others. The game also features rock legends like Lemmy, Rob Halford, and Lita Ford in cameo roles. I recently went back to Brutal Legend for GameSpot's Extra Life livestream, and while some of the mechanics and presentation are dated, the witty writing and charm--and all the metal music--remain solidly and impressively intact. Go play Brutal Legend. | Eddie Makuch
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves | October 13
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is one of the greatest action-adventure games of all time. While Drake's Fortune was enjoyable, Among Thieves took the Uncharted formula and iterated in subtle but smart ways. Developer Naughty Dog kept the charismatic Nathan Drake and his quips, the globe-trotting adventure, and--somewhat controversially, the supernatural element that only revealed itself toward the end of the first game. However, the developer also tightened up the combat to make it far more satisfying--you were no longer forced to use Sixaxis controls to throw grenades!--and infused some real heart to proceedings. Nate's already complex relationship with Elena is further complicated by the introduction of Chloe--who has of course gone on to star in a new Uncharted game of her own. Sully also returns and cements himself in the player's mind as Nate's most trusted ally. Despite having not played the game for approximately seven years, I can still remember a number of standout moments from Among Thieves. The Istanbul night-time break-in. The tundric climb up a perilously hanging train. Uncharted 2 is also home to that exquisite section in Tibet where Tenzin comes to Nate's aid and--despite sharing not a single word of common language with the all-American hero--escorts him back to civilization. The sequence that follows, exploring Tenzin's peaceful village, is a rare and beautiful moment of tranquility amidst what is otherwise a breathless, relentless roller-coaster. Thanks to 2015's Nathan Drake Collection, Uncharted 2 is now playable on PS4 in all its glory, and its gameplay and visuals have been further improved since 2009. If you haven't already, you owe it to yourself to play this masterpiece of an adventure that remains the most accomplished in the Uncharted series. | Oscar Dayus
Borderlands | October 20
Borderlands represents 2009 to me in many ways. It's a game with attitude, both in its dialogue and its art style. It's a game about working with friends online, taking on different combat roles and tackling big, bad bosses--together. Borderlands launched at the tail end of my high school days, the exact time when I needed these things. I could end the day at home by shooting away at minions, seeing who discovered a crazy new weapon and enjoying the game's irreverence after a buttoned-up school day. Knowing we would all soon part ways for college and the "real world" made us savor the time online even more. The Borderlands experience didn't end when we finally found the Vault. The shooter-looter--a term that has a very different connotation 10 years later--was one of the first games for which I happily purchased all the DLC. My school friends and I ganged up to conquer The Zombie Island of Doctor Ned and Mad Moxi's Underdome Riot, but they weren't online with the same frequency when the other two expansions launched. But those magical moments don't have to be lost forever. A decade later, developer Gearbox continues to tease what is likely Borderlands 3. Now I have a new squad who regularly plays Apex Legends and other online multiplayer games. When the inevitable next Borderlands game drops, I know we'll relive those 2009 adventures all over again. | Tony Wilson
DJ Hero | October 27
There was a time when plastic instruments were the hottest things in the video game market, and anyone's house you'd visit, displayed in front of the TV, would be multiple fake guitars and possibly a fake drum kit. During the chaos, a steady stream of uninspired follow-ups and seemingly easy cash-ins were released to capitalize on the craze. While Harmonix had originated the series, Activision purchased the rights to the 'Hero' games in 2006, and did what Activision does best: Pump out constant sequels. But, one oft missed game during this was DJ Hero. Being a fan of both hip hop and electronic music, DJ Hero was immediately interesting to me as something different enough from Guitar Hero, but still keeping the engaging rhythmic fundamentals that made the series a hit. And what I found upon plugging in my newest piece of plastic was a fantastic game that was far more fresh than Activision's other 'Hero' games. Part of the appeal of these games is feeling like you're actually playing the instrument. But, maybe it's because I play drums and guitar, the fakeness of it was always pretty apparent to me. DJ Hero, on the other hand, for someone who's never used a turntable, instilled the feeling of really mixing the various tracks together to make something great. Similar to the Guitar Hero games, there was a great selection of mixes to choose from, and I honestly think if I had to pick one up on a whim to play today, I'd probably choose DJ Hero. | Dave Klein
Dragon Age: Origins | November 3
I was a latecomer to Elder Scrolls' particular brand of western RPGs, so I was glad to enjoy Dragon Age from the very beginning. Dragon Age: Origins was and remains a rich and rewarding world. The lore is a mixture of dark fantasy tropes and classical swords-and-sorcery storytelling, and the story makes you both an active part in the world's mythology and an observer and influencer of other major events. As a Grey Warden, you're thrust into the world with a heavy burden from the beginning: to stop an Archdemon from bringing about a curse called the Blight. On top of the traditional warrior, mage, and rogue class types, you're able to select from six factional options. This is a rich avenue for world-building, allowing six different prologues that each explore the roles that race and class play in this world. Though I only played to completion with two characters, I made sure to play all six prologues for the sheer joy of seeing how each of their backgrounds differ. Even after the prologue, the choice of race and class is vital and influences how other societies and even individuals perceive you. Elves are looked down upon by humans, while Mages are viewed with a combination of awe, fear, and disdain. The result is a sprawling tale that explores fantasy tropes while upending them, all set within the warm-blanket familiarity of a traditional class-based RPG. By the time Dragon Age: Origins ended--and it does, in spectacular fashion--I was utterly sold on the land of Ferelden and its inhabitants, and I couldn't wait to explore it all over again. | Steve Watts
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 | November 10
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare has been tremendously influential, and with good reason; it was great fun, and I had extremely high expectations going into Modern Warfare 2. And it delivered the goods on many fronts, offering a brand-new co-op experience in the form of Special Ops mode's bite-sized missions, which gave you a way to experience CoD's excellent shooting experience with a friend. Multiplayer also grew in a variety of ways. The vaunted Create-a-Class of CoD4 had new categories to customize, more killstreaks, and just generally more, though it was a relatively minor change that I appreciated most. Infinity Ward tried to overcome its progression system giving experienced players an unfair advantage by offering everyone pre-made loadouts with high-end gear. I love unlocking new weapons and attachments in multiplayer shooters, but it's always off-putting to think that the competition has better equipment just because they've played more than me. While not a perfect solution, the pre-made loadouts helped to mitigate those problems in Modern Warfare 2. As much fun as I had with Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer, it's not what stands out in my memory, nor is the infamous No Russian level, which drew a great deal of negative mainstream attention. The part of Modern Warfare 2 that still sticks with me is essentially the follow-up to CoD4's scene in which a nuclear bomb detonates. Modern Warfare 2 attempts something similar but shifts the perspective to great effect. You help to detonate a nuclear bomb in the atmosphere to create an EMP meant to cripple an invasion of the US. Rather than seeing the entire sequence unfold from the ground, as it first seems, you suddenly assume control of an astronaut outside the International Space Station. In a truly haunting sequence, you helplessly track the missile's approach and subsequent explosion. Your concerns for the impact on the ground quickly become secondary as your communications are cut off; aside from some tense music, you only hear your rapid heartbeat increase as the space station is destroyed in front of you and you're sent hurtling into space to your death. Call of Duty's multiplayer may have evolved beyond what Modern Warfare 2 has to offer, but its campaign remains worth playing today for that moment alone. | Chris Pereira
Assassin's Creed 2 | November 17
Assassin's Creed 2 was one of those cases where the sequel outshined its predecessor. While the original laid the groundwork for what became Ubisoft's incessant push toward open-world games, Assassin's Creed 2 represents the early, idealized version of it. It was a journey through the Italian Renaissance, rich with historical figures and events as a backdrop to the ongoing drama of Assassins versus Templars that transcends time itself. Ezio Auditore is one of most memorable protagonists in the series, with his irreverent and reckless personality in the face of a high-stakes. After his father and brothers are framed for treason and subsequently executed by the state, Ezio falls deeper into the bigger conspiracy and evils of the Templars and takes up the Assassin robes to bring justice across Italy. As Ezio, you travel to a number of Italy's iconic locations, namely Florence, Venice, and Rome. You team up with Leonardo da Vinci and Niccolo Machiavelli, and discover the Pope Alexander VI himself, Rodrigo Borgia, is a Templar grandmaster. It's a wild adventure rooted in a fascinating historical period. While Assassin's Creed 2 was a refinement of the stealth and combat mechanics from the first game, it was the mission structure and variety of side quests that pushed the gameplay forward. Incredible set-pieces laid the foundation for the variety of objectives many of the story missions asked from you and set the stage for you to pull off slick stealth kills and cleverly avoid detection. Tombs were a nice addition that highlighted the series' iconic parkour-style platforming. And the glyphs, oh man the glyphs--these fourth wall-breaking peeks into a chilling, deeper conspiracy throughout history and in contemporary politics that tied the core narrative into something more. I can still remember moving the cursor of fire over a Joan of Arc painting only to hear her scream as image burned down in flames, or examining a Supreme Court photo and seeing a Templar ring on Chief Justice Roberts' hand. Assassin's Creed 2 built a huge world with so much to do and nailed nearly aspect of what it tried. | Michael Higham
Left 4 Dead 2 | November 17
I can say with certainty that I would not be working for GameSpot if not for L4D2. My friends and I formed a Left 4 Dead team that got together every Tuesday night to play through a campaign together. Sometimes we set the difficulty too high to finish, but we would always get together after our session at a local bar to talk about how we did. It was a tradition that lasted a few years, and two of those friends eventually hired me to work for GameSpot. Left 4 Dead is always going to be a very personal game to me for that reason, but it was also a pretty great game with no real comparison at the time of its release. L4D2 improved on the first game's map design and story. Some missions covered so much territory that it was easy to forget that you were not playing an open-world game. The new characters to the series, an unlikely quartet of misfits, were even more charming than their counterparts from the first game. Some of its mechanics were also revolutionary for the time. Long before battle royale swept the gaming scene, Left 4 Dead 2 brought the unpredictability of loot drops and survival to gamers with a penchant for zombie horror. The AI director would always trip you up just enough to put you on your back foot when the inevitable special infected or horde would arrive. You would run into an alley hoping for the health pack that saved your life last time but instead found nothing. Even worse: as the horde of zombies was descending upon you, the alley's back exit that you remembered was gone. L4D2 was so great that it is a terrible shame that Valve has not returned to the series with a legitimate Left 4 Dead 3. | Ryan Schubert
By Matt Espineli on Mar 16, 2019 05:59 am
Like its predecessor, Tom Clancy's The Division 2 is packed with all sorts of powerful guns. There are six tiers of weapons: Worn (white), Standard (green), Specialized (blue), Superior (purple), High-End (Orange), and Exotic (red-orange). The latter four tiers have special Talents assigned to them, which enhance their capabilities. There's a ton of guns to discover with plenty of cool Talents attached to them. We've compiled the best guns we've found so far. Below, you'll find all the ones we've been modding and taking into the game's numerous firefights. Be sure to check back often as we update this feature with more weapons. For more guides, check out our feature highlighting tips you should know before starting. Otherwise, keep an eye out as we put up even more guides in the coming days. GameSpot gave The Division 2 a 9/10 with Senior Editor and Producer Edmond Tran saying in his review in progress: "After spending 30 hours completing the campaign and beginning to dabble in the endgame, I'm still enamored with The Division 2. The range of enemy types continues to keep combat encounters challenging, the equipment I earn and pick up continues to feel different and valuable. The ravaged environments continue to intrigue, and sometimes they're so stunning I find myself needing to take a screenshot before I move on. There is still so much to see in The Division 2, but I want to take the time to see it. I have absolutely no clue why I'm here or what anyone's motivations are, and I wish I had a narrative purpose to my endless hunger for progression. But I'm glad to be here right now." Which cool guns have you found in The Division 2? Let us know in the comments below.
Model 700 Replica (High-End)
Talents - Breadbasket: Landing body shots adds a stack of bonus +5% headshot damage to the next headshot for 10 seconds. Max stack is 10.
- Jazz Hands: +10% reload speed.
- Rooted: While equipped and in cover, all skill damage and healing is increased by 25% for 10 seconds. Buff is lost when exiting cover. Can occur once per 25 seconds.
Police Mk17 (High-End)
Talents - Breadbasket: Landing body shots adds a stack of bonus +5% headshot damage to the next headshot for 10 seconds. Max stack is 10.
- Distance: +15% optimal range.
- Rooted: While equipped and in cover, all skill damage and healing is increased by 25% for 10 seconds. Buff is lost when exiting cover. Can occur once per 25 seconds.
Surplus SVD (High-End)
Talents - Vindictive: Killing an enemy with a status effect applied grants all group members within 15m.
- Stable: +15% stability.
- Greased: While holstered, weapon swap speed is increased by 10%.
Military M60 E4 (High-End)
Talents - Perpetuation: Headshot kills grand +5% skill duration, ammo, and charges to the next skill used. Max stack is 10.
- Optimized: +15% weapon handling.
- Doubly Duty: While holstered, reloading from empty gives you 20% of your magazine back as free ammo. Can occur every 30 seconds.
Police UMP-45 (High-End)
Talents - Outsider: Weapon fire rate is lowered but optimal range increases as the weapon is fired.
- Allegro: +10% Rate of Fire.
- Wascally: While holstered, you are able to resist 2 ensnare attempts.
Custom M870 MCS (High-End)
Talents - Preservation: Killing an enemy repaits 5% armor over 3 seconds. Headshot kills improves the repair.
- Jazz Hands: +10% reload speed.
- Rooted: While equipped and in cover, all skill damage and healing is increased by 25% for 10 seconds. Buff is lost when exiting cover. Can occur once per 25 seconds.
Officer's M9 A1 (High-End)
Talents - Salvage: Killing a target has +50% chance to refill the magazine.
- Extra: +20% magazine capacity.
- Cannon: While equipped, this weapon increases throwing distance by 10%.
Double Barreled Shotgun (High-End)
Talents - Vindictive: Killing an enemy with a status effect applied grants all group members within 15m +20% critical hit chance for 10 seconds.
- Stable: +15% stability.
- Greased: While holstered, weapon swap speed is increased by 10%.
Military M60 E4 (Superior)
Talents - Extra: +20% magazine capacity.
- Killer: Killing an enemy with a critical hit grants +50% critical hit chance for 5s.
Military G36 (Superior)
Talents - Allegro: +10% rate of fire.
- Ignited: Deal +20% weapon damage to burning enemies.
ACS-12 (Specialized)
Talents - Distance: +15% optimal range.
Lullaby (Exotic)*
Talents - Lullaby: Landing a melee attack on an enemy after swapping to this weapon grants 35% bonus armor.
- Evasive: While equipped, dodging reloads 1% of your current weapon's magazine.
*Included with any pre-order of the game.
By Mat Elfring on Mar 16, 2019 03:43 am
After Endgame
Captain Marvel is now in theaters, and the wait is on for the fourth Avengers movie, Endgame, which arrives on April 26. But after the Avengers defeat Thanos, what's next? After Endgame comes out, there will have been 22 movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe--many of which you can watch on streaming services--but we honestly don't know where the Marvel Cinematic Universe is going next. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige is keeping a tight lid on the future of the MCU. "As we've been doing for years, we aren't going to announce anything post Avengers: Endgame or Spider-Man [Far From Home] until post Endgame and Spider-Man," Feige told ComicBook.com. So, as of this writing, we'll have to wait a few more months to know confirmed details about what's to come from the MCU. However, there are a couple of hints as to what's coming down the line, and it's going to be a whole new direction for this universe and probably a lot of rebuilding. Take a look at Marvel's calendar for 2020 and beyond. There are a lot of theatrical dates with nothing attached to them: - May 1, 2020
- July 31, 2020
- November 6, 2020
- February 12, 2021
- May 7, 2021
- November 5, 2021
- February 18, 2022
- May 6, 2022
- July 29, 2022
Piecing together all the information available, let's figure out what's next for the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Endgame comes out--or at least theorize a bit. Keep in mind, we're not discussing any of the X-Men movies or Spider-Man spinoffs--like Venom--as they are not a part of the MCU.
Spider-Man: Far From Home
Release Date: July 5, 2019 The Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel is the only movie in the MCU with a set release date. After the first trailer dropped, we all realized that both Peter Parker and Nick Fury would survive Endgame. However, Tony Stark--who was Parker's mentor in Homecoming--is nowhere to be found. Jake Gyllenhall will be playing Mysterio, who is traditionally a villain in the comic books. However, in the trailer, it looks as though he'll be teaming up with Spider-Man in Europe. Obviously, we have plenty of theories about what happens in Far From Home, and a few of them are pretty out there.
Black Widow
Ever since The Avengers, fans of the MCU have been waiting and waiting and waiting for a solo Black Widow movie, and it's finally starting to come together, but it has been a bit of a bumpy road with not much to report on. Back in July 2018, Marvel approached more than 60 female directors to helm the project, and Cate Shortland was tapped to direct. Ned Branson was brought on to write the film, and it's been in pre-production ever since. There have also been reports that the movie is about to go into production. HN Entertainment has stated that Black Widow will allegedly begin production in the UK in March, but we haven't heard much else yet. Seeing as though this movie could be ready to start shooting, it may be the first Marvel film of 2020. Our guess for release date: May 1, 2020
Black Panther 2
At the 2019 Academy Awards, Black Panther won three Oscars for Best Original Score, Best Costume Design and Best Production Design. The movie made $1.3 billion dollars worldwide. Obviously, it was a huge hit and a cultural phenomenon. Of course, that means a sequel should be coming our way. The only things we know are that Ryan Coogler will return to write and direct the next installment of the franchise. Additionally, it will go into production in late 2019 or early 2020. That being said, we're thinking it will have a summer release at earliest. Our guess for release date: July 31, 2020
Shang-Chi
Marvel is moving forward with Shang-Chi, its first feature film with an Asian lead. Dave Callaham (Wonder Woman 1984, The Expendables) will be writing the upcoming movie, which will follow the titular comic book character. Most recently, Destin Daniel Cretton has been tapped to direct. Shang-Chi is a martial arts expert with no superpowers, but he's really good at defending himself and beating people up. His training has given him the abilities to dodge bullets, focus in on sounds, and have keen reflexes. He's a mortal human who has spent his life training in his craft. Sure, in the past few years he gained the ability to duplicate himself, but the movie will more than likely ignore that. Our guess for release date: November 6, 2020
Doctor Strange 2
Things are slowly coming together for Doctor Strange 2. Director and writer Scott Derrickson will return to helm the film, but there is still a search going for a script writer. Benedict Cumberbatch and Benedict Wong will be returning to play Dr. Strange and Wong respectively. There are no other firm details, but it is believed that the movie will begin production in spring 2020 with a May 2021 release date. Our guess for release date: May 7, 2021
The Eternals
It's a year since The Eternals was teased. Back in April 2018, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige spoke about the upcoming film with The Wrap. "Eternals is one of many many many things that we are actively beginning to have creative discussions about to see if we believe in them enough to put them on a slate," Feige explained. He again teased The Eternals at a press day for Captain Marvel, saying he wanted to introduce an ensemble team to the MCU, like Guardians of the Galaxy, but not tonally. So who, or what, are The Eternals? Out of the legendary mind of Jack Kirby, The Eternals are an evolutionary offshoot of humans. The Celestials--the oldest beings in the Marvel Universe--came to Earth and altered some human genes, a million years ago. These superhumans are not immortal, but they live long lifespans and have incredible superpowers. That's the short and sweet of it, but it goes a lot further than that because Kirby's science fiction work is incredibly complex. This one is still in the earliest phases of pre-production so don't expect it any time soon. Our guess for release date: November 5, 2021
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
The third movie in Marvel's cosmic franchise has been through some trying times. Director and writer James Gunn was fired from the movie, and recently, was rehired by Disney. Gunn took to Twitter to say he was grateful for all the support. As of August 2018, the movie was on hold indefinitely, but with Gunn returning, that will change. However, considering Gunn is writing and directing Suicide Squad 2 for 2021, we don't expect to see Marvel's cosmic team returning to theaters any time soon. Our guess for release date: May 6, 2022
Ms. Marvel
Kamala Khan is better known as Ms. Marvel, an Inhuman superhero who idolizes Captain Marvel. Back in May 2018, Kevin Feige stated that there is a plan for a Ms. Marvel movie, but they wanted to introduce Captain Marvel first. Khan made her debut in 2013 at Marvel Comics and found a legion of fans who loved the character who "embiggens" as her super-power (she can stretch, grow and shrink, and even shapeshift). That's all we know. At this point in time, it's unknown as to whether this is actually in pre-production or not. Our guess for release date: February 18, 2022
Captain Marvel 2
After one week in the theaters, Captain Marvel amassed $569 million dollars worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. It's not slowing down and will continue to make money right up until Avengers: Endgame hits theaters. However, a sequel for this movie is not out of the question. The only MCU movie to not get a sequel--or have one in the works--was The Incredible Hulk because that was a box office flop. There is no confirmation or even a hint that Captain Marvel 2 will happen, but why introduce this huge character and only give her one movie? Our guess for release date: July 29, 2022
February 12, 2021
This was the only date from Marvel's list we couldn't figure out what fit here. Could it be Ant-Man And The Wasp 2, Nova, or a new Blade movie? Maybe, just maybe, we can finally get a proper Fantastic Four movie. Considering it's less than two years away, this date is probably reserved for something already on this list, and one of the movies we just mentioned will pop up in 2022. Is this too soon for another Avengers movie? We'll find out more after the release of Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home.
By Chris E. Hayner on Mar 16, 2019 02:54 am
As long as WWE has been around, so has the opportunity to buy merchandise emblazoned with the images of your favorite wrestlers. Whether it's a T-shirt, foam finger, or those really cool Bret "Hitman" Hart sunglasses, wrestling fans have always had ways to show allegiance to their favorite sports entertainer--at a price. That said, sometimes WWE takes things a bit too far with its merchandising plan. While it's entirely possible you owned an Austin 3:16 T-shirt, can you say the same for WWE's line of festive holiday nutcrackers? Did you actually spend money to own edible pictures of WWE superstars that were meant to be put on pizzas? Hopefully not, because both of these are ridiculous ideas. Honestly, though, those are some of the more tame of WWE's most ridiculous products. How do I know that? Because I went and found 20 of the craziest things WWE ever came up with. So sit back and let's take a ride through the Shopzone as we look at the most bizarre pieces of WWE merchandise ever released. Image: WWE
1. The Daniel Bryan Beard Hat
There was a time when Daniel Bryan's beard was the most popular superstar in all of WWE. Still, this seems a little strange. Why would the bill of the hat be a beard? And who would wear this in public? The answer, I can only assume, is nobody. Image: WWE
2. WWF Maximum Sweat Action Figures
Yeah, regular action figures are okay. But you know what's really cool? Action figures that sweat. Maximum Sweat action figures were ridiculously designed and "sweat" water, which would drop all over your hands and practically everything else. Image: WWE
3. Gingerbread Man Holiday Ornaments
Where do I even start with this one? These holiday ornaments are gingerbread renditions of WWE superstars. Having these on your Christmas tree would be an interesting choice. After all, you would probably be the only person with an Aiden English Christmas ornament, which was designed to look like a cookie. Image: WWE
4. New Day Pops
Yeah, the New Day leads to a lot of weird products, one of which we'll get to later. New Day Pops, though, is a truly bizarre find. It's essentially a popsicle kit, in which the pops are shaped like unicorn horns. What ridiculously unhealthy treat won't New Day sell? And in case you're wondering, this particular gem comes from my personal collection, thanks to a generous gift from my GameSpot wrestle buddy Mat Elfring.
5. CM Punk's Garden Gnomes
The best garden gnome in the world! Nothing says "straight edge" like this weird collection of CM Punk-themed garden gnomes. Surprisingly, WWE released garden gnomes for a few superstars, but this is truly the strangest choice of the bunch, especially given that one of them is holding a steel folding chair. That gnome is threatening us all. Image: WWE
6. WWE Pizza Prints
Pizza is already perfect as it is. Why would WWE want me to put an edible photo of the Undertaker on it? I get that it wants to brand as much as possible with the WWE logo and the company's biggest superstars, but this is way too much. I don't need John Cena staring at me, judging me, while I eat a slice. Image: WWE
7. The Triple H Brass Ring
So many wrestlers try to grab that brass ring to make it to the next level of stardom in WWE. Who knew that the entire time the ring was actually shaped like Triple H's face? Honestly, there's so much skull imagery that's identified with Triple H that would have made for a very cool ring. That this one is just his head is downright creepy. Who wants to wear that? Image: Amazon
8. Punjabi Prison Playset
Hey kids! Want to own a toy version of what is, perhaps, WWE's worst gimmick match of all time? (That is if we're not counting the Kennel from Hell match.) Then step right up and get your own Punjabi Prison playset! It was essentially two bamboo cages that you have to escape. It was also an embarrassment of a match with a structure that was hard to see through. Who needs to see the wrestling during a wrestling match, though? Not surprisingly, the Punjabi Prison match wasn't well-received and very rarely pops up anymore. That is, unless you have this toy rendition to remind you of one of WWE's biggest gimmick match fails. Image: Amazon
9. The Va-Chyna Shirt
Yes, the Attitude Era was a very edgy time for WWE. However, as I've discussed before, it was also kind of awful. How else do you explain this Chyna-centric shirt? With all of the classiness of, well, a D-Generation X sketch, the shirt reads "Va-Chyna" on the front and "Enter at your own risk" on the back. I almost feel bad that Eddie Guerrero had to wear this so often during his storyline with the 9th Wonder of the World. Image: WWE
10. The APA Bar & Grill Shirt
Another item from the Attitude Era shirts file is this APA gem. Keep in mind the Acolytes started as, essentially, the demonic minions of the Undertaker in his Ministry of Darkness. They then went on to become for-hire muscle that would beat up anyone on the WWE roster for a few bucks. This shirt, though, says APA stands for "Always Pounding Ass." We know what they're trying to say, but how did they not figure out what it actually sounds like? Image: WWE
11. The Randy Orton Christmas Shirt
Then there's this shirt, which is too cutesy to ever be part of the Attitude Era. Is Randy Orton giving the RKO to a snowman? What did the snowman do to him? Does Randy hate Christmas? Outta' Snowhere? Really? Honestly, this shouldn't be a T-shirt. It should be the plot of a WWE animated holiday film. Image: WWE
12. WWE Crush House Video Game
Wrestling video games are the best. For better or worse, the latest WWE title is fun to pick up and obsess over every single year. There was one particular game, though, that doesn't stand the test of time. However, that's mostly because this wrestling game isn't a wrestling game at all. WWE Crush Hour was a demolition derby game where the cars were themes of certain wrestlers. So no, you can't play as The Rock. But you can play as The Rock's car if that's the sort of thing you're into. As silly as this all is, though, I still played far too many hours of this title on GameCube, recognizing the entire time how terrible it was. Image: WWE
13. Booty-O's
This is, without a doubt, the most well-known of WWE's completely and utterly ridiculous products. Booty-O's are a bonafide hit because almost anything the New Day touches is gold. Still, do you look to WWE for your morning nutrition? Of course not. Besides, these are just Lucky Charms in a big blue box. There's no telling how many millions of dollars WWE made on them, though. Editor's note: They are delicious. Image: WWE
14. The John Cena Nutcracker
WWE sure has a thing for weird holiday paraphernalia. Their line of collectible nutcrackers are truly baffling, but there's something strangely endearing about a strange wooden statue that thinks we can't see it. Image: WWE
15. Kairi Sane's Pirate Treasure
Honestly, as weird as these are, they're also kind of adorable. The Pirate Princess needs her treasure, and these plastic coins will do the trick. Still, what would you do with these? It's a small sack of fake coins. It's such a pointless way to spend five bucks. Image: WWE
16. Superstar Shootout Table Hockey
For this one, we have to go way back in time. At the height of '80s wrestling, WWE's stable of characters included everyone from the Big Boss Man to the Mission Dollar Man to Sgt. Slaughter to, of course, Hulk Hogan. What's the best way to exploit these wrestling characters? In some kind of wrestling game, maybe? No, don't be silly. They should all be playing hockey in their wrestling gear because nothing says wrestling like guys in tights playing hockey. Honestly, as dumb as this is, I definitely wish I had it. Truthfully, that's how I feel about practically everything on this list, except… Image: WWE
17. The Funkasaurus Piggy Bank
Why does this exist? Piggy banks that look like wrestlers? Why? What's insane is this one isn't even based on the wrestler. It's based on the fictional beast the wrestler wanted to be like, which was a dancing dinosaur. This is a piggy bank patterned after a wrestler that was patterned after a dancing dinosaur. Sure, you might need a place to put your Kairi San plastic pirate coins, but find somewhere better. Image: WWE
18. A Commemorative Undertaker Urn
The Undertaker's WWE career is legendary and unmatched by anyone else who's stepped into the ring. He's deserving of our adoration and thanks, as fans. And I get what WWE is doing with this particular product, given the character of the Deadman. However, an urn that says "Thank You Taker" is a very strange thing to sell. What's more, this isn't an urn. It's a resin model of an urn that's solid, so you can't even use it to hold onto the ashes of your wrestling fandom. With WWE charging $90 for this thing, it needs to be at least a little bit more useful. Image: WWE
19. WWF Cologne: Come Smell Some
What's crazier than action figures of sweating wrestlers? Bottling that scent as a cologne! Alright, so WWF Cologne probably doesn't smell like sweaty dudes rolling around on the ground. Honestly, though, what's even remotely appealing about a WWF scent and makes you want to shell out money to get some of it? Image: WWE
20. The WWE Championship Waffle Maker
This is all you need for a literal breakfast of champions. The WWE Championship waffle maker is such a cool and weird idea, especially given with how detailed the design of the waffles seems to be. In the end, though, it's just way too ridiculous. The waffles are so incredibly detailed in the model and will, in no way, look like this when made in your kitchen. Just stick with your standard waffle maker--you'll be better off. Image: WWE
By Array on Mar 16, 2019 01:50 am
Washington DC is in trouble in Tom Clancy's The Division 2. A civil war has broken out between the multiple factions of cutthroat marauders that rule the city's streets, threatening the safety of those left alive following the pandemic crisis from the first game. As a Division agent, your mission is to take the city back, but if you aren't well equipped with the tactical and mechanical know-how to quell the numerous threats, you won't get far. To help you be the best you can be in The Division 2, we've compiled essential tips you should know as well as important details about the game's myriad systems. For more about Ubisoft's online multiplayer shooter, check out our feature detailing how it feels to play the game solo. We also have a roundup feature compiling our latest news, features, and videos of the The Division 2. Though, be on the looking in the coming days as we'll be posting guides about the best guns and most effective ways to power level. GameSpot gave The Division 2 a 9/10 with Senior Editor and Producer Edmond Tran saying in his review in progress: "After spending 30 hours completing the campaign and beginning to dabble in the endgame, I'm still enamored with The Division 2. The range of enemy types continues to keep combat encounters challenging, the equipment I earn and pick up continues to feel different and valuable. The ravaged environments continue to intrigue, and sometimes they're so stunning I find myself needing to take a screenshot before I move on. There is still so much to see in The Division 2, but I want to take the time to see it. I have absolutely no clue why I'm here or what anyone's motivations are, and I wish I had a narrative purpose to my endless hunger for progression. But I'm glad to be here right now." Got any more handy tips that we didn't highlight here? Let us know in the comments below!
Don't Forget To Return To Settlements
It's easy to want to go from mission to mission without a break but it's important to return to both your Base of Operations and settlements from time to time to unlock new bonuses. Upgrading settlements unlocks new resources like officers who grant you access to things like the crafting bench, Clans, and the Dark Zone. If you're unsure whether or not anyone new can be recruited, look at a settlement on the map and it'll tell you if there's a new officer available to join the cause. Another benefit is you'll see the settlements grow overtime; this includes new rooms and areas for NPCs to hang out, and a cleaner, tidier space that looks more active. This is more of a visual upgrade rather than a practical one but it's pretty cool to see a community thriving thanks to your help.
Invest In Projects
As you explore the world and complete missions, you'll naturally get the materials required to complete Projects. Make sure to offload everything you get towards them, either by accessing the Projects tab in your menu or visiting the proper NPC at any of the Settlements. This is a great way to gain tons of XP, ensuring you're ready for late game play sooner than later. In addition, you're rewarded crafting blueprints, which is a nice perk to help upgrade and customize your gear loadout.
What To Do With Loot and Junk
When you pick up loot, if you're just going to junk it later, remember to "pick up as junk" with the RT/R2. Some of your junk can be donated towards Settlement Projects if they call for it, so check your projects first. The rest can be sold and deconstructed. Speaking of deconstructing, it's generally better to break down junk for materials rather than sell it early on, at least until you have a healthy supply for crafting. It's worth holding onto low level Legendary weapons, chests, backpacks, knee pads, and any high end stuff because you can use them for recalibration later on. That is, sacrificing the item for the talent perk it gives, and then putting it on something you want.
Accept Settlement Side Quests
There's a plethora of side quests in The Division 2 that you can typically just find while exploring. But don't forget there's also several sidequests you can accept from folks at the settlements. Make it a habit to check back often so you don't miss out on cool missions, like a plot to steal back the Declaration of Independence.
Some Skills Are Safe Bets
Choosing Skills can be daunting since you're not able to test them out before spending skill points (or SHD Tech) on them. It's especially disappointing when you choose something you thought would be cool but isn't exactly what you thought it was. So to help out, we have a few good ones that are safe bets early on. The chem launcher offers several variants, but the Firestarter and Oxidizer are great for melting away the armor of tougher enemies--note that the chem launcher does take a few moments to equip, aim, and shoot. The shield variants are all good in certain situations, but the Bulwark was particularly great for getting out of sticky situations, especially if you have a good sidearm to pair with it. And team players will definitely want the Reviver variant of the Hive skill, since you can revive teammates from a distance with it. You'll likely acquire enough skill points and SHD Tech in the late game so you can acquire a majority of the available skills, but the aforementioned skills will certainly help in the early game.
Crafting Station
Once you gain access to the crafting station, you can use all the blueprints you've been collecting to craft new gear. The thing is, as you play the game your gonna be constantly collecting new and better loot. So when it comes to weapons and armor pieces, spending your resources to craft new ones won't really be worth it until you hit max level, when you can then start crafting specific gear for the build you want. What you should do instead is craft mods. They are level-agnostic making them always useful, and it's easy to swap mods from gear to gear. Another thing to keep in mind that while you can't craft exotic gear, you can use the crafting station to upgrade them. For example, if you pre-order the ultimate edition you get the Ruthless, an exotic level 1 rifle. It may quickly become useless early on, but if you save it and then upgrading it after max level, you'll have a dope level 30 exotic.
Rifles Are Your Friends
If assault rifles aren't your thing, semi-auto rifles are a great alternative--particularly the M1A and ACR SS. Don't let their high recoil turn you away, rifles are actually effective at taking down enemies in a few shots at close-range and perfect for mid-long range firefights.
Check Those Safe House Hard Drives
Safe Houses aren't just refuges for you to restock on supplies and sell loot. They actually have computers containing locations of nearby SHD Tech. In addition, checking a Safe House computer informs you of the three objectives you need to complete to liberate the area from enemy control.
Prioritize XP Perks
Focus on spending your SHD Tech on every XP bonus Perk early on. It may not seem like much first, but with perks like Headshot Accolade and Multi-Kill Accolade active, you'll be gaining levels faster than players without them. This is yet another handy way to fast track your way to endgame activities.
Firing Range
One of the nifty bonuses you get from upgrading the Theater Settlement to level 4 is the firing range. Located in the basement of the White House, the firing range lets you try out all your weapons. From simple target practice that tests your accuracy, to finding out how much DPS you can dish out, the firing range is a great way to compare and contrast weapons and will no doubt be very usual for figuring out end-game weapon builds. Another cool bonus is that your exotics will be displayed on the wall for you to appreciate.
Be The Brand
Brand Sets give you extra bonuses on your gear. Equipping three of the same branded pieces can unlock the stat boosts/perks attributed to that overall set. For example, the Providence Defense brand grants you +10% skill power, +8% health, and +5% weapon damage if you equip any three of their gear pieces. Brands are easily identifiable with their transparent logo next to the pictured gear. You wouldn't think brand loyalty would be so important during a post-viral outbreak, but hey, whatever you gotta do to stay stylish.
Support Your Fellow Agents
The Division 2 encourages playing alongside other players. If you're having trouble surviving, don't hesitate to call for help or respond to calls for help from others. If you get a backup request, press the map button on the controller and then use RB/R1 to enter the matchmaking menu. Then choose "answer the call."
Don't Be Afraid To Play With Your High Level Buddies
Don't let your character level get in the way of playing with higher level friends. The game autoscales your level one level under the highest level in your party, making it easy to do later missions with your buddies who have more time on their hands. And once you start the matchmaking process, you can even play while you wait for folks to party up. You don't have to sit on the menu, it's great!
Adjust Your Inventory View
If you find the list view of your inventory cumbersome, you can change it to display as a grid instead by opening the options menu while viewing your loot. Simply toggle the Grid option in the menu and enjoy the benefits of tidy organization!
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