It's a big day for the Halo franchise, as Microsoft has released Bungie's Halo: Reach on PC through Steam and the Windows Store. It is the first Halo FPS to come to Steam, and the launch is going well.Halo: Reach is available to buy individually for $10 USD, or you can spend $40 USD to buy the entire Master Chief Collection which will eventually feature Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, and Halo 4.The Master Chief Collection and Halo: Reach are sitting at No. 1 and No. 2 on the Steam best-seller charts for December 3. Additionally, The Master Chief Collection reached a peak concurrent player count of 139,089 on Steam today, which is No. 4 for the entire Steam platform. It's only behind the free-to-play juggernauts PUBG, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike: GO.Halo: Reach is doing well on SteamThese numbers do not represent or reflect the entire audience for Halo: Reach on PC, as the game is also available on the Windows Store. Check out GameSpot's further coverage to learn more about where Reach is available on PC and how to buy it.Halo: Reach on PC features the 11-mission campaign, multiplayer, and Firefight, as well as things like FOV sliders, variable frame rates, and custom key-binding. The Forge and Theatre modes will be added in 2020.The game has also been added to The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One. You can buy the campaign and Firefight for $10, while the multiplayer is free. Xbox Game Pass subscribers, on Xbox One and PC, get everything for free.2020's Xbox Scarlett launch title Halo Infinite will also come to PC, but a Steam release has not been officially confirmed at this stage--though it seems likely.Halo: Reach, which is a prequel to Combat Evolved, is the final Halo title developed by Bungie before it moved on to create the Destiny series. In Reach you play as a soldier in Noble Team, not Master Chief. The story is gripping and somber, ending in heartbreaking fashion.Info from Gamespot.com

It's becoming more plausible that Cyberpunk 2077's map will be smaller than CD Projekt Red's previous open-world RPG, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt--if a new art book is anything to go by.The World of Cyberpunk 2077, a 192-page art book published by Dark Horse Books, is available now to pre-order on Amazon. The $100 Deluxe Edition, which comes with a bevy of stickers and a Johnny Silverhand poster, seemingly reveals a portion of Cyberpunk 2077's map on its cover. The game's map cuts off at the top, so it's unclear if this is where the world in-game ends or if there is more to explore beyond this point.CDPR has said that Cyberpunk 2077 will feature a "denser" map than The Witcher 3, telling Gamesradar that the upcoming open-world first-person shooter might be a little smaller than the studio's previous games but is packed with much more content."If you look at pure surface, right--square kilometres--then Cyberpunk 2077 might be a little bit smaller than The Witcher 3," said producer Richard Borzymowski. "But when it comes to the density of content, you basically take the world of The Witcher and squeeze it right in, deleting the wilderness between this."In other Cyberpunk 2077 news, CDPR has announced that the game will receive online multiplayer at some point after the game releases. While there's no confirmation on when multiplayer will come to Cyberpunk 2077, the studio did state in an earnings report that some form of microtransactions in the works. Cyberpunk 2077 News Cyberpunk 2077 Photo Mode Possibly Teased In Tweet Cyberpunk 2077's Setting Will Be A "Unique Take" For The Franchise Cyberpunk 2077 Creator Details Two Of The Game's Biggest Gangs The Three Varieties Of Cyberpunk 2077 Weapons Detailed Cyberpunk 2077 lands on April 16, 2020 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It will also launch on Google Stadia at some point.Info from Gamespot.com

Black Friday 2019 saw a ton of deals on Nintendo Switch games--a surprisingly rare occurrence, given Nintendo's hesitance to put its games on sale regularly. We saw some of the lowest prices on major Switch games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Splatoon 2, though they sold out quickly at those prices. Thankfully, some of the best Black Friday game deals have lasted into Cyber Week, and some out-of-stock games are coming back for another round of deals. We've rounded up all of the big Nintendo Switch deals we could find and put them all in one place for your shopping pleasure.Where to find the best Cyber Week Switch game dealsNintendo's official Switch deals are available at a variety of stores, and they're still available past Cyber Monday. This year, retailers like Amazon, Target, Best Buy, GameStop, and Walmart had some of the most popular Switch games for 33% off, dropping the price on games like Mario Tennis Aces, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Super Mario Odyssey from $60 to $40. While physical copies are scarce at this point, you can still snag digital downloads of these games for $40. Meanwhile, Ebay is the only store to offer nice deals on newer Switch games like Link's Awakening and Super Mario Maker 2.Nintendo's holiday Eshop sale is also still live if you prefer to buy Switch games digitally. There's a nice selection of games on sale, like Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition, Celeste, Cuphead, and Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. The Eshop sale includes hundreds of games, so check our roundup for the absolute best deals on digital Switch titles right now. Those deals are available until December 4.Many of the below deals are for digital Switch downloads, so considering checking against the price in the Eshop before buying.Best Cyber Week Nintendo Switch game dealsAI: The Somnium Files - Day One Edition -- $30Ape Out -- $7.49Cuphead -- $15Fire Emblem Warriors -- $26.97Guacamelee: One-Two Punch Collection -- $20Gris -- $8.49Hotline Miami Collection -- $12.49Just Dance 2020 -- $26The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild -- $40The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening -- $47Luigi's Mansion 3 -- $49Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 -- $50Mario Tennis Aces -- $40My Friend Pedro -- $14NBA 2K20 -- $30New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe -- $40Opus Collection -- $25Pokemon Sword / Pokemon Shield -- $48Pokemon Sword + Luigi's Mansion 3 -- $97Resident Evil 4 -- $20Snipperclips -- $10Steins;Gate Elite -- $40Super Mario Party -- $40Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD -- $20Wargroove -- $14Will: A Wonderful World -- $24.65Xenoblade Chronicles 2 -- $40 Cyber Monday 2019 Deals & News Best Cyber Monday Gaming Deals Still Available At Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, And More Cyber Monday 2019 Gaming Deals Still Available Best Cyber Monday Gaming Deals Best Cyber Monday Nintendo Switch Deals 2019 Black Friday 2019: Xbox One S All-Digital On Sale For Lowest Price Ever Best Luigi's Mansion 3 Cyber Monday Deal: Get The Switch Game For $48 Cyber Monday 2019 PS4 Game Deals: Here Are The Best Deals On PS4 Games Amazon Cyber Monday Gaming Deals 2019: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PSVR, And More Walmart Cyber Monday 2019 Deals: Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, PS4 Pro, Xbox One S, Arcade Machines Info from Gamespot.com

With 2019 coming to a close, Apple has now announced the most-downloaded games of the year across iPhone and iPad for both free and paid games. In a press release, Apple announced that Nintendo's Mario Kart Tour was the most-downloaded free iPhone game of 2019.The press release didn't include any specific download numbers, however. Rounding out the top five free iPhone games were Color Bump 3D, aquapark.io, Call of Duty: Mobile, and BitLife - Life Simulator.For comparison, Fortnite was No. 1 in 2018. Call of Duty's mobile version seems to have had a strong start, as it charted at No. 4 this year despite not releasing until October. Mario Kart Tour launched about a week before, on September 25, so its result as No. 1 is quite impressive.Moving on, Minecraft was the top paid iPhone and iPad game, while Roblox was the most-downloaded free iPad game.Apple also handed out editorial awards to a number of titles for 2019. The iPhone game of the year was Journey developer thatgamecompany's Sky: Children of the Light, while Hyper Light Drifter was named the iPad game of the year. The Mac game of the year was Gris, while the Apple TV game of the year was Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap. Finally, the Apple Arcade Game of the Year was given to Sayonara: Wild Hearts.Beyond games, Apple announced the most-downloaded overall iPhone apps of 2019. YouTube was No. 1, with Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Messenger rounding out the top five. You can see the full charts for all categories below.2019 Most Popular iOS Apps: Top Free iPhone AppsYouTube: Watch, Listen, StreamInstagramSnapchatTikTok - Make Your DayMessengerGmail - Email by GoogleNetflixFacebookGoogle Maps - Transit & FoodAmazon - Shopping made easyTop Paid iPhone AppsFacetuneHotSchedulesDark Sky WeatherThe Wonder WeeksAutoSleep Tracker for WatchTouchRetouchAfterlight - Photo EditorProcreate PocketSky GuideToca Hair Salon 3Top Free iPad AppsYouTube: Watch, Listen, StreamNetflixAmazon Prime VideoGoogle ChromeHulu: Watch TV Shows & MoviesMessengerGmail - Email by GoogleFacebookTikTok - Make Your DayCalculatorTop Paid iPad AppsProcreateNotabilityGoodNotes 5Duet DisplayToca Hair Salon 3Toca Life: NeighborhoodXtraMathPDF Expert 7: PDF EditorLumaFusionAffinity DesignerTop Free iPhone GamesMario Kart TourColor Bump 3Daquapark.ioCall of Duty: MobileBitLife - Life SimulatorPolysphere - art of puzzleWordscapesFortniteRoller Splat!AMAZE!!Top Paid iPhone GamesMinecraftHeads Up!Plague Inc.Bloons TD 6Geometry DashRebel Inc.The Game of LifeStardew ValleyBloons TD 5Grand Theft Auto: San AndreasTop Free iPad GamesRobloxaquapark.ioPaper.io 2Color Bump 3DMagic Tiles 3: Piano GameFortnitePolysphere - art of puzzleWordscapesTiles Hop - EDM RushHelix JumpTop Paid iPad GamesMinecraftGeometry DashBloons TD 6Plague Inc.Amazing Frog?Stardew ValleyThe Game of LifeHeads Up!TerrariaBendy and the Ink MachineInfo from Gamespot.com

Half-Life: Alyx, the recently announced Half-Life VR game, is being worked on by several former members of Firewatch developer Campo Santo. The developer became a part of Valve last year, bringing their newly announced project, In the Valley of Gods, with them. While the game was initially announced for a 2019 release, it's been over two years since anything was shown off, and shortly before the next Half-Life was shown off, people started to notice that several developers were removing references to In the Valley of Gods from their Twitter profiles. Fans feared that the game has been cancelled outright. Now, in a statement to Polygon, Campo Santo co-founder Jake Rodkin has confirmed that the game is "on hold" while the team works on other projects. While this means that the game could be returned to, it's not currently in active development, and still might be cancelled in the future."Developers from the former Campo Santo team have joined other projects at Valve, including Half-Life: Alyx," Rodkin's statement reads. "You hear a lot about how at Valve you can work on what you want. It turns out that’s true, and there’s a lot of work available. As we integrated ourselves into Valve it became clear there was a lot of valuable work to be done on Half-Life: Alyx. Some of us starting lending a hand, and have since become full-time on the project as it approaches launch."It's not just Half-Life that the team are working on: several have moved over to Dota Underlords, while others are working on Steam itself. "So to answer your question as of today," Rodkin continues, "In the Valley of Gods development is on hold—but it certainly feels like a project people can and may return to."In the Valley of the Gods sounded ambitious. If it ever happens, it will cast players as Rashida, an explorer and filmmaker in 1920s Egypt, seeking to document the first unveiling of the tomb of Queen Nefertiti alongside their partner Zora. Half-Life: Alyx, meanwhile, will release in March 2020. Info from Gamespot.com

United States congressman Duncan Hunter, a Republican representative from California known for vaping on the job, has pleaded guilty to charges of using campaign funds to pay for things like video games and plane tickets for his pet rabbits. The Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California announced that Hunter admitted to the fact that he "knowingly and wilfully stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign funds that he and his wife used to maintain their lifestyle."Along with his wife, Hunter is said to have used more than $150,000 in campaign funds between 2010 and 2016 on things that benefitted his family's "personal use and enjoyment." Hunter is said to have partaken in "30 or more illegal transactions" related to this money.The Hunters are said to have spent the stolen money on things like video games, Lego sets, fast food, movie tickets, shoes, and groceries. Beyond that, the attorney's office said the Hunters also used the funds on international vacations and even plane tickets for their pet rabbits, whose names are Eggburt and Cadbury.In 2016, it was reported that Hunter spent more than $1,000 on Steam video games. At the time, Hunter said his son made the charges and that the politician was trying to reverse them. "This was a deliberate, years-long violation of the law," assistant US attorney David Leshner said. "Congressman Hunter used the power of his position to fund a lifestyle out of his reach, unwittingly financed by those who put him there. His guilty plea entered today acknowledges and accepts responsibility for his conduct."Hunter was officially charged with conspiracy to steal campaign funds, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing has been set for March 17, 2020.Hunter is known popularly as the politician who vapes during congressional sessions. Info from Gamespot.com

Apex Legends was due to receive a big update today, December 3, and it's now arrived on PC. This means that once you've downloaded the update, you'll experience a level cap increase from 100 to 500, giving you many more levels to climb through. Console owners will have to wait a little bit longer, though, with a delay pushing the update back to an unknown date. Moments before the update was due, the official Apex Legends Twitter account let everyone know that it would now arrive later.Heads up, Legends. Due to a last minute, unforeseen issue, the patch that was originally set to go live today has been postponed to a later date.Once we have more information and an ETA on what that new date is, we'll be sure to update everyone here. — Apex Legends (@PlayApex) December 3, 2019About an hour later, the account announced that the patch was actually now available, but only for the PC version. The console version is still delayed, and hopefully we'll know soon when it will be made available.Huddle up, Legends. The patch we originally communicated to be delayed ended up going live shortly after on PC only. We're still working on an ETA for console and will continue to update everyone here as information comes. We apologize for the confusion. pic.twitter.com/8M7kojW1y4 — Apex Legends (@PlayApex) December 3, 2019The patch notes list a lot of changes, but the big one is the level cap increase. It now takes 5% less XP to hit level 100, and if you manage to hit level 500 you'll hit a total of 199 Apex Packs along the way. From levels 2-20 you get one pack per level, one every two level from 22-300, then one pack every five levels from 305-500. You'll still get 600 Legend Tokens for every time you level up, and Apex Pack rewards will be handed out retroactively. You'll also unlock Level Gun Charms every 100 levels.36 new Gun Charms are being added into Apex Packs, and will also now appear in the Rotating Shop so that you can buy them directly. It will also add friendly fire to the new firing range, which is a fun addition. PC players will be able to experience this right now, but console Apex Legends fans will need to wait just a bit longer.Apex Legends is currently in its third season. Developer Respawn Entertainment also recently launched Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, the first Star Wars action game of this console generation.Info from Gamespot.com

The Steam Controller has sold through all of its stock, with no plan to make or sell more. Four years after it hit the market, the final Steam Controllers have been sold, and you can no longer order one directly from Valve. This effectively brings an end to the PC controller's lifespan.During the Black Friday weekend, the Steam Controller was cut down to $5 as Valve tried to offload the last of them. But, as VG247 has reported, many of the orders placed that day were not fulfilled--Valve overestimated their stock levels, and oversold the controller. Several potential buyers have found that their purchases have been refunded, and the controller is now no longer available to purchase. It follows in the footsteps of the similarly discontinued Steam Link and Steam Machine.Of course, some stock might still exist at retail stores--if you're in Australia, the Steam Controller is still available at EB Games, although it carries a $90AUD pricetag. It's also worth keeping an eye on second-hand stores if you want one.Despite a design that might look unusual, the Steam Controller has its fans, and has made some games easier to play for people with disabilities. Valve, the company behind Steam, is currently busy working on Half-Life: Alyx and Dota Underlords.Info from Gamespot.com

The Planet of the Apes film franchise is coming back. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fox has hired Maze Runner director Wes Ball to create a new Planet of the Apes movie.It is unknown if this will be a continuation of the reboot series, the latest of which was 2017's War for the Planet of the Apes, or a different movie entirely.The Planet of the Apes series is based on the novel of the same name by Pierre Boulle, and was first made into a popular movie in 1968 starring Charlton Heston. That film led to many sequels and extensions on the screen and TV. In 2001, Tim Burton rebooted the series again with Mark Wahlberg and Helena Bonham Carter in starring roles.The franchise returned again in 2011 when Fox released Rise of the Planet of the Apes starring James Franco, along with Andy Serkis as the ape leader Caesar. That movie spawned two sequels, 2014's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and 2017's War for the Planet of the Apes.It sounds like it's still very early days for the new Planet of the Apes movies, so there are no details yet on a cast, writer, or release date.This news about a new Planet of the Apes movie comes as little surprise. Earlier this year, Disney CEO Robert Iger said the Planet of the Apes series was a priority for the company following Disney's acquisition of Fox.It makes sense that Disney would look to continue the Planet of the Apes series, as the newest reboot series that began in 2011 has grossed more than $1.6 billion at the global box office. Info from Gamespot.com

Westeros fans, heed our call! We are celebrating the arrival of Game of Thrones: The Complete Collection by giving away a complete Blu-ray boxset to one lucky Facebook friend. This limited-edition collection comes with more than 15 hours of extra materials, including a reunion of all the cast hosted by Conan O’Brien.The first thing you need to do to enter to win this boxset is to make sure you like GameSpot’s Facebook page. Then you have to like and comment on this post, letting us know your favorite Game of Thrones episode.Remember to enter before Friday December 6 at 4 pm PT. Good luck, everyone! Info from Gamespot.com

Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz HD recently returned the long-dormant series to modern consoles, albeit with a remaster of a Wii launch title rather than a brand new game. In an interview with Crunchyroll, director and producer Masao Shirosaki has said that this was the best option for the "limited time and budget" that they had, but that he's hoping it will do well enough to ensure a future for the series."The Monkey Ball series is a very important IP for our studio," Shirosaki says. He previously worked testing Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz for the PlayStation Vita, and has seen a lot of support for the series from fans since then. "Of course, I am aware that the most favored titles are the first two games," he admits. "If there is enough support for Banana Blitz HD, this will open up doors for remaking the first two games or even a whole new title to the series. But for now, I’d be happy if everyone has fun playing Banana Blitz HD." Super Monkey Ball and Super Monkey Ball 2 remain the pinnacle of the series for many players.Shirosaki directly says that he hopes that next title he works on will be another Monkey Ball, once they're done porting Banana Blitz HD to Steam. "As for my next project, I have many ideas in mind but my hope is to create a new Monkey Ball title," he says. Shirosaki also worked on the Yakuza series, and when asked if those games could ever cross over into Monkey Ball, he says "if there’s an opportunity to create an all-new Monkey Ball title, I wouldn’t mind featuring Kiryu or Majima as guest characters."We gave Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz HD a 5/10 in our review, writing that "a glimmer of what made the series great remains, and it's enough to make us hope that someday we get a new entry that properly returns the series to its roots." Info from Gamespot.com

One upcoming episode of the Star Wars TV show The Mandalorian will carry with it a special look at the next Star Wars movie. Collider has confirmed that the show's upcoming seventh episode will feature a "sneak peek" at The Rise of Skywalker.The episode is being released on Wednesday, December 18, instead of its usual Friday premiere. That's because The Rise of Skywalker launches on a Friday--December 20. Disney has yet to confirm what time exactly Episode 7 of The Mandalorian will release.Episode 7 was directed by Deborah Chow, who also directed Episode 3, "The Sin," and the upcoming Obi-Wan TV show. This episode may introduce Breaking Bad actor Giancarlo Esposito's character, as images of the actor were included in the press materials obtained by Collider.Esposito plays the character Moff Gideon. The Episode 7 synopsis alludes to his arrival. "An old rival extends an invitation for The Mandalorian to make peace," it says.The Mandalorian Episode 5 premieres on December 6, with Episode 6 coming December 13.The Rise of Skywalker premieres December 20, and it's expected to be a box office juggernaut. The film also wraps up decades' worth of storytelling, and some of the main cast recently discussed what to expect from the film. Disney Plus News What's New To Disney Plus This Week? Movies, TV Shows, And Originals The Mandalorian Schedule: When Does Episode 5 Release On Disney Plus? The Mandalorian Episode 4: 18 Star Wars Easter Eggs And References You May Have Missed What's Coming To Disney Plus Late November/Early December Disney Plus: 16 Essential The Simpsons Episodes You Need To Rewatch Right Now Info from Gamespot.com

Diablo IV is still a long way away, but Blizzard has been teasing details about the upcoming RPG, including specific information about how its systems will work together. Now, a new post on the Diablo blog from David Kim, lead systems designer at Blizzard, has dived deep into elements of system design we can expect from the sequel.The post discusses the "easy to learn, difficult to master" approach that Blizzard is taking this time, noting that they believe that in Diablo IV, "itemization should be deep and rewarding." They want the game to take the best elements of Diablo II and III, but also to add its own new systems, and to feel distinct from both games. To that end, some major changes are being planned for several Diablo systems. All of these changes are just in consideration for now.When looking at affixes, Blizzard decided that they wanted item affixes to be "a meaningful part of character power," and that they should make the decision of what items to equip interesting. While previously they've focused on gearing affixes towards builds, they want to give players more freedom to choice what they affix, regardless of build. Here are the changes Kim writes are currently being considered:We’re increasing the total number of affixes on items, including Magic (Blue), Rare (Yellow), and Legendary (Orange). This should raise the overall importance of non-Legendary affixes on your character’s overall level of power.We are also introducing three new stats: Angelic Power, which increases the duration of all beneficial effects (like self-buffs or healing)Demonic Power, which increases the duration of all negative effects (like debuffs or damage over time)Ancestral Power, which increases the chance of on-hit effects (aka increased proc chance)Changes are also being made to how you bulk up your attack and defense. In Diablo IV, weapons will only boost attack, armor will only boost defense, and jewelry will no longer boost either. "The goal here is to better embrace the fantasy of each type of item," Kim says. It simplifies things somewhat, but there will be many other systems dictating your stats, and it's good to have a clear idea if a weapon is an upgrade or not right away. At the same time, picking weapons and armor based purely on strength or defense will not be optimum, as items will contain other powers.The third major point is that Ancient Legendaries are being replaced. A new consumable item will be introduced, although Blizzard isn't ready to talk about it, and ultimately Blizzard is hoping that rare items with good affixes will retain their use and value because of this.Diablo IV will also bring back talent trees and rune words, which were absent from Diablo III, and is aiming to be more replayable than its predecessor. From February 2020, we will receive quarterly updates on changes being made for the fourth game in the series.Info from Gamespot.com

Shenmue III is an anomaly, a game that feels like it doesn't really exist. It's as though it was beamed here from a parallel universe where the Dreamcast was an ongoing success and early-aughts game design remained the norm decades later. The truth is much more banal, of course: It's the result of a (sometimes rocky) crowdfunding campaign and the hopes and dreams of a fervent fanbase. Unfortunately, while it's fascinating as a weird curiosity from a long-gone era of gaming, it's simply not that fun to actually play.Shenmue III picks up right where the last game left off--as though 18 years haven't passed since players wrapped up Ryo Hazuki's last adventure--resolving Shenmue II's cliffhanger in a way that's surprisingly unexciting after such a long stretch. Once that's over with, Shenmue III's story revolves around a small martial-arts village in the middle of China (and later, a larger harbor town), as he investigates various happenings, interacts with the populace, and engages in time-wasting activities like mini-games, gambling, scrounging for herbs, and levelling up his fighting skills. In other words, it's Shenmue.In terms of setting, Shenmue III succeeds quite admirably in making the world pleasant to be in. There are some gorgeous vistas both in and outside of Bailu village, making the day-to-day strolls warm and inviting. The village itself is a charming setting, too; it's filled with interesting landmarks that give it character, like a massive sunflower garden and a small collection of gambling facilities on the riverbed. Niaowu, the port city where the game's latter half takes place, also feels like a real and engaging place, with the massive variety of shops you'd expect from a trading city on the water. The characters who live in these places also give them a nice flavor; NPCs all look distinct, have individual quirks and personalities, and are easy to recognize--which is nice when you have to find and talk to specific people in the absence of quest markers.Shenmue III retains a lot of old favorite activities from previous titles--collecting capsule toys, gambling with games like Lucky Hit and turtle races, simple arcade mini-games like whack-a-mole, and the all-important Shenmue staple of forklifting--while also introducing a handful of new activities. You can wander around the countryside looking for herbs, selling and trading sets for money and valuable scrolls that teach Ryo new attacks, or you can kill a few hours fishing and hope your day's catch will net you some money and a cool prize. If you need some fast cash, you can do manual labor and chop wood in a brief minigame. And if self-improvement is your goal, there's always spots to train and raise your martial arts proficiency.Exploring all of the side activities and enjoying the atmosphere of the locations in Shenmue III is fun, but it highlights one of the game's biggest problems: How utterly boring and unengaging the main story is. Ryo is still a dull-as-dishwater character who we're told is motivated by a sense of vengeance and justice, but his wooden dialogue and complete lack of a personality totally undermine any sense of urgency or intrigue this ongoing martial-arts drama might have. It doesn't help that the main plot moves like molasses, often requiring repeated, tedious wandering and interaction to find the character or place you need to get a tiny sliver of information that moves the plot along ever-so-slightly and unnaturally gating you off from places.For example, It takes hours to find a pair of thugs at the game's beginning that you probably could have chased down in minutes if you were allowed to enter the area they're in from the get-go. Usually games gate off areas in order to better pace out the narrative they're trying to tell, but nothing interesting happens in the hours between the game's beginning and the confrontation with the thugs. I found myself frequently opting to do everything except what I needed to do to advance the story, not because the mini-games were particularly amazing (though they are quite satisfying), but simply because the story itself was so unengaging that I preferred to spend my time doing practically anything else instead of moving it along.It's not just the pacing of Shenmue III that's a holdover from the Dreamcast era, either. There's all sorts of mechanics that, seen through a modern lens, are downright nonsensical and only serve to make the game less fun. For example, there's the stamina system: Ryo has a stamina bar that continuously drains even if he does so much as stands around, falling significantly faster if you choose to do activities like training, working, or even just running to get to a place more quickly (since fast travel is limited). Ryo needs to eat constantly in order to refill it throughout the day, and woe be to you if you stumble into a fight with less-than-ideal stamina, since it doubles as your life bar. In a game where exploration is a focus, it's a baffling mechanic that only frustrates.Then there's the dialogue, which is every bit as unnatural and awkward as it was in previous games. If for some reason you find yourself in a conversation you didn't want to be in, you can't just cancel or even button-mash out of it--you're going to have to listen to someone babble on until Ryo clumsily apologizes for bothering them and escapes. Since you're often in situations where you have to bother everyone you see to find a person with the info you need, you're going to hear a lot of pointless blather. While there are some fun characters with cute personality quirks that are entertaining to engage with, a lot of the dialogue seems like banal filler meant to make conversation seem substantial when it really isn't.The worst element of Shenmue, however, continues to be the combat, which is every bit as clunky and unsatisfying as it was back in the Dreamcast days. You're forced into an awkward angle where it's hard to see everything around you (which is awful when you have more than one opponent), the button combinations needed to perform various skills don't flow together well, and it simply feels laggy and unresponsive as a whole. You can "cheat" somewhat and simply do training exercises to level up your strength and stamina if you want to struggle a bit less with fighting, but it still doesn't serve to make the combat itself any more fun.Shenmue III has its moments. It delivers on the promise of creating interesting and engaging new environments for Ryo and friends to explore and play around in. Yet, I can't help but think that the game's dogged determination to retain the same "feel" of its Dreamcast ancestors at any cost hurts it immensely. The creative team seems determined to not move anything forward substantially when it comes to Shenmue--including the story, which ends on yet another unfinished cliffhanger. Shenmue III is certainly an interesting game thrown out of time, but that doesn't mean that it's always enjoyable to play.Info from Gamespot.com

Halo: Reach is coming to PC on December 3, and now Microsoft has shared a number of key details to help players get ready for launch. Starting with the launch times, they're the same for everyone around the world.Halo: Reach will launches at 10 AM PT on December 3, which works out to 1 PM in New York, 6 PM in London, and 9 PM in Moscow. This also comes out to 3 AM in Tokyo and 5 AM in Sydney on December 4. Check out the chart below to find out when Halo: Reach releases where you live.Halo Reach: Launch TimesHalo: Reach launches at the same time for everyone tomorrow:🇺🇸 10 AM PT🇲🇽 12 PM Mexico City🇺🇸 1 PM ET🇧🇷 3 PM São Paulo🇬🇧 6 PM London🇳🇬 7 PM Lagos🇩🇪 7 PM Berlin🇷🇺 9 PM Moscow🇨🇳 2 AM Beijing (Dec 4)🇯🇵 3 AM Tokyo (Dec 4)🇦🇺 5 AM Sydney (Dec 4)🇳🇿 7 AM Auckland (Dec 4) https://t.co/AZeiHQ0YDa — John Junyszek (@Unyshek) December 2, 2019No Pre-LoadingMicrosoft also confirmed that Halo: Reach on PC will not support pre-loading on Steam or Windows 10. Although there is no pre-loading is available, players can use Steam's remote download feature to get the download started right away if they happen to be at work or school at launch time. You can see some handy instructions below, compiled by Twitter user Moses_FPS.Are you stuck at work/school tomorrow when Reach drops and wanna play as soon as you get home?Take advantage of Steam's remote download feature1. Leave your PC on (awake) + logged into steam2. Download the steam mobile app3. Go to your library and install MCC pic.twitter.com/CKrQp6bOij — Moses FPS (@Moses_FPS) December 2, 2019How To BuyHalo: Reach costs $10 on Steam and Windows 10. The Forge and Theatre modes have been delayed and won't launch on PC until 2020. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, and Halo 4 will follow in the time to come, and they will each be available to buy individually or through a package that includes them all.Those who already own Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One can play the multiplayer, custom games, Forge, and Theatre for free. The campaign and Firefight modes will be available to buy for $10 USD on Xbox One at launch on December 3. Xbox Game Pass subscribers--on Xbox One and PC--meanwhile, get everything for free when it's released.Halo: Reach On Steam | $10 USD See on Steam Halo: Reach on Windows Store | $10 USD See on Windows Store Cross-PlayBack in October, Microsoft announced that Halo: Reach will support cross-play between the Steam and Windows versions. However, there is no cross-play support between PC and Xbox One. "This is something the team will monitor and evaluate over time," Microsoft said. Check out the chart below to find out more about crossplay progression with Halo: The Master Chief Collection (chart via Microsoft).Halo: Reach coming to Steam is a big deal because Microsoft has never released a mainline Halo FPS on Steam before this. 2020's Halo Infinite will also come to PC, but a Steam release has not been officially confirmed at this stage--though it seems likely.Info from Gamespot.com