Every year on February 27th, the Pokemon Company and fans celebrate the release of the original Red and Green Pokemon versions in Japan. Along with the celebration comes news on the various Pokemon franchises for the year ahead.This year, we got a look at the next Mythical Pokemon, Zarude, who will feature in the next Pokemon movie, Pokemon the Movie: Coco, as well as as appearing in the upcoming DLC for Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Devolver Digital has announced Sludge Life for Nintendo Switch and the Epic Games Store. It's an open-world title set on a sludge-coated island that's rife with corporate branding, and it looks as grimy and goofy as you might expect. You play as Ghost, a graffiti tagger, and depending on how you play you can either rise to be a hero to the people of the island or bring the whole thing crashing down.The trailer, below, shows off the game's unique aesthetic--note, for instance, how the cats have two butts. The game will also carry a dedicated fart button, which is good: in the wake of Untitled Goose Game, dedicated noise buttons are all the rage.Sludge Life will have a very open structure, as you can wander through the island and complete tasks or explore at your own rate--there's an ending (in fact, there are three potential endings), but it's going for a non-linear structure. You can also get sidetracked by the game-within-a-game, Crypt Creeper, shown in the trailer.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is going strong, recently beginning its sixth season of content and adding a new team deathmatch mode, but there are also ongoing issues with the game that have sparked concerns for some players. The developers have taken to the game's website to discuss some of these issues, and explain what they're doing to improve matters for players.The post opens with a brief statement on cheaters, and how dealing with them is a high priority. "We’re utilizing multiple internal teams and external resources to find new solutions for this problem. We’ll be sharing more information regarding these efforts in our upcoming Community Letter and 2020 Roadmap post in early March."One major issue for players has been the game's performance, with FPS stuttering, freezing, and crashing issues making the game harder to compete in. These problems have increased since January, and the team is "conducting ongoing multi-faceted tests and analysis in an attempt to identify and resolve the issues causing this performance loss and causing game crashes." Because some of these crashes have been hard to reproduce, or may be specific to hardware, it's been difficult. Thankfully, many players have sent in replay data to help the team identify issues. The developers encourage players to share issues they face through the game's support page.PUBG has also been the victim of multiple distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, and the team is working on defense solutions for this. "The good news is, our recently developed internal solution has reduced the impact of DDoS attacks by nearly 85%," the post reads. "This is and will remain an ongoing issue, but our dev team will also continue to work on and implement additional measures to mitigate the impact of DDoS attacks when they occur."The post also acknowledges that some players have had matchmaking issues with Team Deathmatch, but that these have largely been resolved through a hotfix, so players should no longer face long wait times and uneven teams. Custom match presets have also been restored after recent updates broke them for some players."We understand there are many other high-priority issues impacting gameplay," the post concludes. "One of our primary goals this year is to be more transparent with what we’re working on, so we wanted to get this letter out to you to address some of the more notable issues we’ve faced recently."PUBG remains very popular, especially its mobile version. Unfortunately, PUBG Corporation recently dropped out of GDC 2020 due to concerns sparked by the coronavirus. Info from Gamespot.com

Have you ever seen an old cartoon where a fight breaks out and the brawlers turn into a cloud of punches that flips tables and breaks everything it touches? Bloodroots, a breakneck action-puzzle game from Quebec developer Paper Cult, lives inside that cloud. A short, speedy tale of mayhem and revenge, Bloodroots dares you stab, bludgeon, squash, and otherwise murder dozens of thugs with the ruthless efficiency of the Wild West’s greatest outlaw and the zany gusto of Bugs Bunny trolling Yosemite Sam. Whether you do this for the sake of its well-written story and/or the thrill of a score chase, Bloodroots can be stylish, graceful (once you know what you’re doing), and surprisingly easy to pick up despite demanding a tremendous attention to detail. In its pre-release state, however, its most elating moments are easily and frequently disrupted by technical issues, keeping you from really hitting your stride as often as you should.Bloodroots puts you on the warpath with the Wild West outlaw Mr. Wolf, who’s out for revenge against his gang, the Blood Beasts. The Beasts, who all wear animal skins and go by Reservoir Dogs-style code names like Mr. Boar and Mrs. Crow, betray and nearly kill him after murdering an entire town in the name of their new leader, Mr. Black Wolf. From the moment he recovers from his attempted assassination, Mr. Wolf has one goal: to kill his former gang and anyone who gets between them.The story, though simple and predictable, is made compelling through strong dialogue that forges complex characters. Though Mr. Wolf rarely speaks, you learn a lot about him; his story and the history of the gang are told in carefully constructed interactive flashbacks and through his encounters with the Beasts. You don’t spend too much story time with any one character--this is an action game and the gameplay comes first--but in tracking down each former partner, you come to understand and savor your time with them. Everyone, and I mean everyone, in Bloodroots is a bad guy, but you come to see that every character has their own perspective on how the gang rose and fell. In hearing about Mr. Wolf’s past from the Beasts, in their own unique voices, you not only understand the situation better, but come to understand that there’s more in their lives than a single act of vengeance. That isn’t to say you won’t have reservations about your mission--they’re bad guys through and through--but you understand why they made their choices, which makes your hunt more satisfying.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

March 3 marks the third anniversary of Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment's release. To celebrate the occasion, Yacht Club Games is offering Specter of Torment for 50% off on Nintendo Switch and PC (via GOG, Steam, and Humble Bundle), dropping the price from $10 to a cool $5. The sale is live now and runs through March 3.Specter of Torment is the third of four Shovel Knight adventures that make up Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove. Sadly, Treasure Trove hasn't received a comparable discount, but it is available as a digital code on Switch at GameStop for $25--$15 less than the Eshop sells it for. GameStop also has PS4, Xbox One, and Switch physical copies discounted to $30 right now as part of its Tax Refund sale that runs until March 7.Specter of Torment is a standalone experience that can be enjoyed by newcomers to Yacht Club's excellent ode to classic 8-bit platformers. Acting as a prequel to the original Shovel of Hope campaign, the game follows Specter Knight on his journey to recruit eight knights to sign up for the Enchantress' Order of No Quarter. As a prequel, it's certainly not a bad place to start.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem has been receiving numerous updates since its launch out of early access earlier this month, addressing multiple technical issues and tweaking endgame content. The patch notes for Patch 1.0.5.0 are here, and it's another sweeping list if ability nerfs, campaign fixes, and a glimpse of what's to come.Developer Wolcen Studio explains in a brief update that it has heard player requests to keep the ability to convert unique items into legendary ones, but has removed the functionality until it can properly rework it. It also acknowledges the shortcomings of unique gear for endgame players, promising that a future patch will rework raw numbers on the items to make them more viable.The current patch addresses large swathes of technical issues, with the most egregious being game-breaking bugs. The most common is a glitch that renders the final boss of the campaign invincible, forcing you to restart the entire three-phase encounter. Other fixes address spotty audio problems, issues with networked matchmaking, and several inventory bugs.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The Pokemon-inspired Temtem is off to a strong start, just in early access on Steam so far. But developer Crema has bigger plans for the full launch, including ports to consoles next spring. The studio shared its plans in the latest content roadmap.Following up on another roadmap that detailed short-term plans through most of 2020, the studio outlined some of its long-term goals. The studio says that it expects to have the console ports (previously announced for Switch, PS4, and Xbox One) ready for the 1.0 release in spring 2021.It also took a moment to address how the versions will interact with each other. Crema says cross-play between versions is technically very simple, and platforms have recently been very open with each other so it seems achievable. Cross-save is more technically challenging, Crema says, but the studio feels confident it can make it work.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The new Tomb Raider trilogy concluded with Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and if you haven't gotten the chance to see the globe-trotting story to its end, then now's an excellent opportunity to do so. The complete Shadow of the Tomb Raider package is currently discounted in this week's Deal of the Week on the PS4's store. You can grab Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition for $18, down from its regular price of $60.The Definitive edition bundles everything you need to get the full experience, including seven additional challenge tombs to raid, and every DLC weapon, outfit, and skill released for the game. However, if you already own the base game, then the Definitive Edition upgrade is $6.In GameSpot's Shadow Of The Tomb Raider review, critic Edmond Tran scored it a 6/10, praising its challenge tombs and great exploration but lamenting its inconsistent stealth gameplay and imprecise platforming.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Up up, down down, left right, left right, B, A, Start. It's a cheat code etched into the DNA of an entire generation of gamers, from Contra on down. The man behind the code, Kazuhisa Hashimoto, has died at the age of 61. His passing was first reported by Yuji Takenouchi, a sound designer who worked on several Konami games, including the much-lauded Metal Gear series."We are saddened to hear about the passing of Kazuhisa Hashimoto, a deeply talented producer who first introduced the world to the 'Konami Code,'" Konami's statement reads. "Our thoughts are with Hashimoto-san's family and friends at this time. Rest In Peace."We are saddened to hear about the passing of Kazuhisa Hashimoto, a deeply talented producer who first introduced the world to the "Konami Code". Our thoughts are with Hashimoto-san's family and friends at this time. Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/vQijEQ8lU2 — Konami (@Konami) February 26, 2020Hashimoto first implemented the cheat code while testing the home port of the arcade game Gradius for the Nintendo Entertainment System, as a way to deal with the game's overwhelming difficulty. Though they never intended to include the code in the final game, it accidentally made it onto store shelves, and the developers opted not to remove it. The rest, of course, is history. Variations of the code have made their way all across the world of games--especially in Konami titles--as well as the greater world of pop culture. You can even try it out here on GameSpot.Info from Gamespot.com

The Division 2's first major expansion, Warlords of New York, launches next week, kicking off Year 2 of Ubisoft's popular loot-shooter. While you wait, you might want to take a look at this awesome deal on the Dark Zone Definitive Collector's Edition. Microsoft's selling the once-seriously-expensive Dark Zone Edition for just $10 on Ebay. The Dark Zone Edition includes a collectible statue and a number of other sweet goodies, but it doesn't include the game itself. That's not really an issue considering how cheap The Division 2 is going for right now. The Dark Zone Edition originally sold for $190, so this is an excellent deal.The Division 2 Dark Zone Collector's Edition (game not included) | $10 ($190) See at Ebay Despite not coming with the game, the Dark Zone Edition is still in new condition. If you don't already own the base game, it's on sale for just $3 right now on all platforms at the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, and Ubisoft Store (PC). Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Longtime Indiana Jones director Steven Spielberg is no longer leading the upcoming Indy 5 installment, according to Variety.While Disney has yet to comment on the matter and no one is confirmed to take Spielberg's place as director of Indiana Jones 5, James Mangold (Ford v Ferrari, Logan) is reportedly in talks to take the job. Spielberg, meanwhile, will remain as a hands-on producer of Indiana Jones 5. Variety's sources said Spielberg chose to step away from directing because he felt "a desire to pass along Indy 5’s whip to a new generation to bring their perspectives to the story."This doesn't change Harrison Ford's attachment to the film, who earlier this month said Indiana Jones 5 was scheduled to start shooting in "about two months."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The team behind Diablo IV have released the first in a series of quarterly blog posts taking a look at some of the changes coming to the series, particularly in the UI department.As part of the game's darker art direction, Blizzard has rejiggered the inventory system to make the individual parts more visible during hectic play, primarily by changing the color spread and contrast levels of the UI. In terms of general UI design, the PC version of Diablo IV will allow players to choose either a center or left-corner configuration for their status bar, while the console version will use the corner option.According to the post, all items in Diablo IV will take up the same number of inventory slots, as the team feels that they don't want to interrupt gameplay with "pockets of inventory management." Diablo IV will also allow the player to bind any skill to any key, including left-click, which was a feature that many fans requested. The game supports either controller or mouse and keyboard on PC, which required the team to unify the UI for ease of use on either control setup.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Modders have had an enjoyable time with Red Dead Redemption 2 since its release on PC in November 2019. Whether it's letting the player fly around as an eagle, turning Arthur Morgan into the Joker, or being able to access freecam and enable a photorealistic reshade. Much like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas before it, there's even a Hot Coffee mini-game now, too. Publisher Take-Two Interactive would prefer that there wasn't, however.Hot Coffee was an inaccessible mini-game in San Andreas where protagonist CJ could have sex with his girlfriend. The simulated intercourse was fully clothed and more humorous than anything else, but it gained infamy in 2005 when the game was released on PC and modders dug it out of the code. There was plenty of furore from lawmakers and the public alike, and San Andreas was quickly re-rated as "Adults Only" by the ESRB until Rockstar patched the content out.Nowadays modders can just make things themselves without having to rely on buried code, which is where Red Dead Redemption 2's Hot Coffee mod comes into the equation. It might not be around for much longer, though, as YouTuber Swegta says in a video that legal representatives for Rockstar and Take-Two have told the mod makers they need to take it down. The video quotes e-mail correspondence from the law firm, stating that the mod violates "the game's End User Licence Agreement and Code of Conduct, as well as a host of other legal violations."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

With Doom Eternal releasing March 20, fans of the series will soon return to slaying the demonic forces of Hell, facing new types of enemies and wielding a bigger arsenal of weapons. Doom Eternal will be the fifth mainline game in the series, and if you want to go back to the franchise's roots before the new game releases, you can easily do so with the Doom Slayers Collection, which is on sale for $18 (down from $30) at Amazon and available for PS4 and Xbox One. That's 40% off, and the bundle comes with free Prime shipping. See at Amazon The Doom Slayers Collection comes with Doom (1993), Doom II (1994), Doom 3 (2004), and Doom (2016). Getting all four games for just $18 is an excellent deal, as buying them all separately on PSN or Xbox Live would cost you $40 at full price. Even with Doom 2016 on sale for $6 on Xbox Live and $10 on PSN right now, you'd pay at least $26, so this is a deal to hop on if you're interested in revisiting classic Doom games in the coming weeks.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

One of Destiny 2's toughest events is making a comeback next season with the return of the Trials of Osiris, but Bungie has confirmed another limited-time event won't be returning anytime soon. That event is its Faction Rally, in which players complete bounties for special gear. While the event isn't returning, the good news is, the loot will soon be making a return.In another big Director's Cut blog post, Destiny 2 game director Luke Smith quickly mentioned a few big changes the developer is looking to make to the game going forward. One is an adjustment to how Destiny 2 handles seasonal content, although details on how seasons will change in the future haven't been hammered out yet. Another is a shift that might make some weapons obsolete in endgame content after a set period, a change that sounds a lot like going back to the days of Destiny 1. And an in a quick aside, Smith addressed Faction Rallies, which haven't appeared in the game since Destiny 2's first year. They won't be coming back anytime soon, Smith said."Lots of folks have been wondering if Faction Rallies will return," Smith wrote. "We have no plans to bring back Faction Rallies. The reward gear hasn’t been used that much, our character cast is growing too large, and crucially, they didn’t drive a bunch of engagement with the game."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com