America is broken, and it's up to you to put it back together again. It's a tall order. A lot of people believe in it, but you're not sure you do. It'll take a lot of lonely, dangerous walks and exceptionally heavy lifting, and it's not really clear what America means in the first place. For some reason, you set out anyway, trudging through wetlands and rocky hills on foot, not fully knowing or understanding where you're going. Other than the monsters you can't quite see, there's not really anyone else around most of the time--just you and your thoughts, one foot in front of the other.On one level, Death Stranding is about America. But your actual goal in setting out across the country is to help people, bring them together, and forge connections, not for the vague concept of America but for the sake of helping the people within it. Death Stranding is unrelenting in its earnestness and optimism--certainly not without its critiques of America, nor without its challenges and setbacks, but inherently hopeful nonetheless. It is a dense, complex, slow game with a plot that really goes places, but at its core, it never stops being about the sheer power and purpose we can find in human connection, and that is its most remarkable achievement.Hands Across AmericaRebuilding the country is as simple as getting every far-flung city, outpost, and individual onto one network, the bones of which were laid down by a pseudo-government organization called Bridges. As Sam Porter Bridges (played by Norman Reedus), all you have to do to win people over is bring them packages; most people never go outside due to mysterious monsters called BTs, but unlike most people, Sam can sense them enough to sneak past them and get important cargo to its destination.Deliveries can be arduous. You're evaluated on your deliveries across a few categories, but the condition of the cargo can make or break a run, and there are a lot of factors working against you. The landscape can be extremely punishing, from expanses of exhaustingly rocky hills to rivers that are too deep and wide to cross unaided. On top of BTs, you also have to contend with Timefall, a kind of rain that rapidly accelerates aging and deterioration for most of the things it touches. Extended exposure to Timefall can damage or completely ruin your cargo, as can slipping and falling, getting hit by an enemy, or, in some cases, just being a little too rough with it. Even the smallest rocks can trip you up, too. In order to keep your footing, you need to pay close attention to where you're stepping, keeping your balance with the triggers while on rough terrain or when carrying a lot of stuff.Once you reach your destination, though, you're showered with praise. The recipient will likely thank you to your face (albeit as a hologram), and then they'll give you a series of social media-style likes. You're inundated with a multi-page results screen itemizing all the likes you received for the delivery and in which categories, plus an overall rating for the delivery itself, no matter how small--it's positive reinforcement turned up to 11. These likes then funnel into each of the delivery categories like experience points, and as you level up, you can carry more weight or better maintain your balance, among other benefits. Deliveries also feed into a connection rating with each city, outpost, or person, and as that increases, you acquire better gear and sometimes gifts to reward your efforts further.In short, you give a lot and get a lot in return. There is a relatively small number of mandatory deliveries to advance the story, but there's a seemingly unlimited number of optional deliveries, and I often found myself picking up orders destined for any place that was on my way. It's a cycle that's easy to get swept up in; no matter how difficult a delivery or how far the distance, you will at least be met with gratitude, likely feel fulfilled from having completed a tough delivery, and often given a tool to make future deliveries a bit easier. Most importantly, though, increasing your bonds with people is how you get them on the network, and the network is what elevates this core loop beyond the simple satisfaction of completing tasks and getting rewards.The chiral network is a kind of souped-up internet that allows you to 3D print objects, which is incredibly useful and a strong incentive in itself. When at a terminal connected to the chiral network, you can print ladders and ropes for traversal, new boots as yours wear out, repair spray for damaged containers, and basically anything else you need to safely deliver cargo so long as you have a blueprint for it. You can also print a portable printer that builds structures for you out in open areas covered by the network--things like bridges, watchtowers, and generators, the latter of which are critical as you start to use battery-powered exoskeletons and vehicles.The chiral network also grants you access to the online component of the game, which is absolutely essential. You never see other players in the flesh, but their impact is all around you; once an area is on the network, you can see structures and objects left behind by other players in the course of their own journeys, plus helpful signs they've put down just for those who come after them. You can pick up someone else's lost cargo and deliver it for them, too, knowing that someone else may find yours at some point and do you the same kindness.In Death Stranding's best moments, the relief and gratitude you can feel toward someone you don't even know is an unrivaled multiplayer experience. At one point in my playthrough, I was being chased by MULEs, human enemies who love to steal cargo. I was on a bike, tasked with a time-sensitive delivery, almost out of battery and totally unequipped to deal with external threats. In my panic, I drove my bike into a ravine. As I slowly made my way up and out of it, I watched as my bike's battery dipped into the red, and I dreaded getting stuck with all my cargo and no vehicle, still quite a ways away from my destination. I rounded a corner and found myself in the charging area of a generator placed by another player, as if they'd known I'd need it in that exact spot at that exact moment. They probably just put it there because they needed a quick charge, but to me, it was a lifeline.You can give and receive likes for these player-to-player structures, and just like with standard deliveries, it's a strong incentive to do something helpful for someone else. In the earlier sections of the game, I was using other people's structures far more than I was leaving behind help for others. But I wanted to pay it forward and know that my help was appreciated, so I started going out of my way to build structures I myself didn't really need; the map shows the online structures in your instance, making it easier to spot areas you could fill in for others. At first, the likes system seems like a pretty obvious commentary on social media and our dependence on external validation. But it's not so much a critique as it is a positive spin on a very human need for acceptance, and the system does a remarkable job of urging you to do your best for those around you, NPCs and real people alike. Feeling truly appreciated can be a rare occurrence in life, and it's powerful in its simplicity here.The Super BB MethodThe first few hours of the game are the slowest, and a large part of that is because you don't have access to the online component right away. It's an incredibly lonely stretch of time during which you mostly just walk; the work you do early on is especially laborious in the absence of advanced gear, and it serves to give you an appreciation for other players and better gear as you move forward.Even as the gameplay opens up, you continue to get a lot of story exposition with almost no explanation. It can all seem kind of goofy at first, and you can get lost in the metaphors; every city you need to add to the chiral network has "knot" in its name, for example, and they are all referred to as "knots" on a strand that connects the country. There's bizarre and unwarranted product placement in the form of Monster Energy drinks and the show Ride with Norman Reedus. Guillermo del Toro's likeness is used for a kind of dorky character called Deadman, and there's a woman named Fragile in a game about delivering packages.But the story really does go deeper than that. In keeping with the theme of human connection, each of the core characters you meet and work with has their own story to tell. They all have a unique perspective on death that lends them an equally unique perspective on life, and unravelling their characters, down to the true origins of their often literal names, contributes to the overall tapestry of Death Stranding's take on the human experience. As they open up to Sam, Sam opens up to them in turn, developing into a distinct character in his own right out of the reserved, emotionless man he appears to be at the start. I grew to love Sam, Fragile, and Heartman especially, and even the characters I didn't like as much add to the game's overall message about hope and love in the face of adversity.By far my favorite character--and the most important one--is BB. BBs are infants in pods that can detect the presence of BTs, and they're issued to porters like Sam to help them navigate dangerous territory. You're told to treat BBs like equipment, not real babies, but it's impossible to think of your BB that way. It's full of personality, giggling when happy and crying when stressed out; it even gives you likes from time to time. There aren't many children left in Death Stranding's isolated, fearful world, but BB is your reminder that the future is counting on you, regardless of how you feel about America itself. The love that grows between Sam and BB is nothing short of heartwarming.Connecting with this story, just as with connecting with NPCs and other players, can take work. It's not a story that immediately clicks on a surface level, and the dramatic mystery and off-the-wall science don't make too much sense at first blush. But it's an emotional story first and foremost, and making sense of things--while entirely possible, particularly if you read the letters and interviews that detail small bits of lore as you go--is not as important as reflecting on how it makes you feel.You have plenty of opportunities to do that, too. In the quiet moments of travel, usually as you near your destination, music might start to play. The soundtrack, which is largely composed of one band--Low Roar--is phenomenal, the kind of contemplative folk-ish music that suits a trip alone through a meadow or down a mountain. Because the act of walking is so involved, it's not a time to detach completely and zone out; it's a time to feel your feelings or at least consider what's next in your travels.Fight, But Not To The DeathYou can just as soon be ripped out of that headspace, though, by a shift to the haunting music that signals BT territory. The otherworldly growls of BTs as they close in on you can be terrifying, and early on, your best bet is to freeze in your tracks and hold your breath for as long as you can so you can quietly sneak by them. But there are times when you have to fight a BT in its true form, and for that, you have specialized weapons to take them down. These BTs aren't the ethereal humanoid shapes that float above the ground but huge eldritch horrors that screech under clouds of blood. The combat is mechanically simple--you mostly have to move around a bit and hit them before they hit you--but the sequences are visually and aurally arresting.You don't get a gun that works on live enemies until 25 or so hours in, but even then, it's non-lethal. You are actively guided away from killing in Death Stranding, because when people die, their bodies basically go nuclear and level cities, leaving nothing but craters and BTs in their wake. On top of that, the main human enemies are MULEs, former porters just like Sam that have been corrupted by an automated world--they've essentially become addicted to snatching cargo in their desperation to have a job and a purpose as more and more people become replaced by machines. They're not evil, and killing them seems like, well, overkill; it's easy enough to knock them out with the nonlethal methods you continue to unlock as the game progresses. I didn't kill a single one in my playthrough, though punching them is satisfying.While BTs and MULEs are a concern when delivering cargo, there's also Mads Mikkelsen's character, a man who's introduced through memories Sam sees when he connects to BB's pod. He gets his own dedicated segments that punctuate hours of simple deliveries, and these highly contained, much shorter sections are striking in their art direction and juxtaposition to the rest of the game. It's not immediately clear what he is, whether it's an enemy, potential friend, or something else entirely, but he's captivating in his ambiguity.The most cartoonish enemy is Troy Baker's Higgs, a terrorist whose depravity seems to know no bounds. Of all the characters, Higgs is the weakest, with far less nuance to him than anyone else in the cast. He's really just there as a Big Bad to motivate you in a more traditional video game sense than delivering packages and helping people, but he and his band of faceless terrorists are more a means to an end than full-fledged villains. He's the catalyst for some of the major BT fights, and in the end, perhaps an extreme reminder that it's possible to stay hopeful even when things are darkest.Death Stranding argues in both its story and its gameplay that adversity itself is what makes things worth doing and life worth living.Death Stranding is a hard game to absorb. There are many intertwining threads to its plot, and silly names, corny moments, and heavy exposition belie an otherwise very simple message. That comes through much more clearly in the game's more mundane moments, when you find a desperately-needed ladder left behind by another player or receive a letter from an NPC thanking you for your efforts. It's positive without ignoring pain; in fact, it argues in both its story and its gameplay that adversity itself is what makes things worth doing and life worth living. It's a game that requires patience, compassion, and love, and it's also one we really need right now.Info from Gamespot.com

The first game from Dragon Age writer David Gaider's new studio is closer to becoming a reality. The crowdfunding campaign for Chorus: An Adventure Musical has now reached 90 percent of its goal.At press time, the campaign on Fig has raised $541,374 of its $600,000 goal. The campaign ends on November 10, so there is just under a week to go before it wraps up.Chorus is a musical adventure game where the key moments play out in song. It's a new concept for a game, and the team at Summerfall Studios bypassed the traditional publisher relationship to bring it to life.Despite not having the funding of a big publisher, the company has secured top talent to work on it. Prolific voice actress Laura Bailey (Gears of War, Halo, Uncharted) is voicing the main character, Grace, while another veteran voice actor, Troy Baker (Uncharted, Far Cry, Batman) is the voice director. Grammy-nominated composer Austin Wintory (Journey) is also working on the music.The story follows Grace in a sweeping narrative involving gods, music, and other-worldly creatures. "In Chorus, we follow Grace's story as she finds herself thrust into a high-stakes world of weary gods and fantastical creatures after her new bandmate dies bleeding in her apartment--but not before granting Grace the divine power of song," reads a line from the game's description. "When the gods accuse her of murdering Calliope, the 'fair-voiced' muse, Grace must discover the truth... before the gods take her life in exchange."Chorus takes its inspiration from a number of different sources, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer's musical episode, "Once More With Feeling," the dialogue and companions of Dragon Age, and the quirkiness of Dream Daddy.In a post to the Chorus Fig page, Summerfall teased that it is preparing "something cool" to wrap up the campaign later this month. While that remains a mystery, the company did release a new song (embedded below) and announced more details on the game's romance options.Gaider explained that romance in Chorus will work similarly to Dragon Age, Baldur's Gate 2, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. In Chorus, the romance choices give players the opportunity to experience a "independent story arc" based on the particular romance. This story arc will culminate in a distinct song."You don't have to romance anyone if you don’t want to, but if you do, know that the romance arcs are tied directly into the main story," Gaider wrote. "They're not a side feature, but rather have a direct impact on how the main story unfolds and particularly how it ends. Grace needs allies to win the day, and nothing would improve her chances more than being able to make her stand at the very end with someone she loves at her side!"Gaider also confirmed the extent of Chorus's romance options--there will be at least two different romance arcs in the game, including the characters Apollo and Persephone. If funding reaches $650,000, Summerfall will add two more romance options: Pan and Freddie.You can read excerpts from the Apollo and Persephone romance options by following these links: Apollo, Persephone.Grace and PersephoneSummerfall also announced new stretch goals for Chorus. At $700,000, the studio will add more songs and voiceover, including one song for each romance. If funding reaches $725,000, the studio will create a "Making Of" documentary that chronicles the development of the game, including interviews with the developers. Should funding reach $750,000, Summerfall will add additional voiceover, while Gaider will play a game of D&D and stream it live. Finally, at $900,000, the studio will add "full voiceover" for the entire game.Finally, Summerfall told hopeful fans to stay patient. The studio has not yet begun the writing process--instead, the team is "still in the preparing, planning, and brainstorming stage." The studio said it takes writing very seriously, and as such, it is taking time to make sure it lays the right foundation."When the time comes, we’ll be seeking out professional consultation as needed and hiring on at least one additional writer to help with the workload," Summerfall said.You can kick in around $25 to secure a copy of Chorus on Fig. Unlike Kickstarter, Fig allows people to invest in Chorus and share in the success if Chorus takes off. More information about investment back and other details are available on the Chorus Fig page.As for the Dragon Age series, BioWare recently teased that it might announce more details on the long-awaited Dragon Age 4 during an event in December.Info from Gamespot.com

Terminator: Resistance is the latest game set within the Terminator universe, and it's going to pit you against the Terminators once again. The game casts players as Jacob Rivers, a character who is taking part in John Connor's resistance against Skynet in the Terminator timeline established by the first two films. It's set shortly after Judgement Day, and technically serves as a prequel to the original film, following events before Kyle Reese is sent back in time.The new gameplay trailer gives us a look at the game's combat, but also hints towards its stealthier elements. Your robot enemies will be impervious against regular weapons; if you're not equipped with lasers, you'll have to hide from the Terminators. The footage below shows Rivers shooting at classic T-1000 exoskeletons, as well as turrets and flying drones, but it also shows moments where you might have to avoid combat, or use an electro-knife to take down enemies.The soundtrack should be familiar to any fans of the action movie franchise. It does not appear that the events of Terminator: Dark Fate, the latest film in the series, will factor in at all.The last console game set in the Terminator universe, Terminator Salvation, released in 2010 to tepid reviews. Meanwhile the T-1000, as played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the films, recently joined the cast of Mortal Kombat 11--he does not appear to feature in this game, though. Terminator: Resistance is releasing for PC, PS4 and Xbox One on November 15 in Europe and Australia, and then later on December 10 in North America. Info from Gamespot.com

Disney CEO Bob Iger has clarified his comments about how the company released too many Star Wars movies too quickly following its acquisition of the franchise in 2012.He doubled down on this in an interview with BBC Radio 1, but clarified that he wasn't disappointed by any of the releases critically or commercially."I have said publicly that I think we made and released too many Star Wars films over a short period of time," he said (via Gizmodo). "I have not said that they were disappointing in any way. I've not said that I'm disappointed in their performance. I just think that there's something so special about a Star Wars film, and less is more."After acquiring the Star Wars franchise from George Lucas in 2012, Disney released its first new Star Wars movie in 2015 with The Force Awakens. Since then, Disney has released one new film, including mainline entries and spinoffs, ever year, and this continues in 2019 with The Rise of Skywalker in December.In September 2018, Iger first spoke about how Disney released too many Star Wars movies too fast. He owned up to the decision--"I take the blame," he said. Looking to the future, Iger said Star Wars fans can "expect some slowdown" as it comes to releasing Star Wars movies.Not all of the Star Wars movies have been successes commercially. The Force Awakens made $2 billion and The Last Jedi pulled in $1.33 billion, but Han Solo-focused spinoff, Solo: A Star Wars Story, made $392 million globally. That was the lowest-ever box office for a non-animated Star Wars movie, and the film ended up losing money, according to reports. The other recent spinoff, Rogue One, made $1.056 billion.The Rise of Skywalker wraps up the Skywalker Saga that began in 1977, and it's unknown at this stage how the series will move forward after it. The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson is making an all-new Star Wars trilogy to come at some point in the future. Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were set to produce their own trilogy of Star Wars films, but they exited the trilogy due to commitments related to their other Netflix projects. No other Star Wars movies have been announced. The Obi-Wan TV series for Disney+ was originally set to be a movie before it was changed to be a TV show. Another upcoming Star Wars TV show is The Mandalorian, which stars Game of Thrones actor Pedro Pascal; it premieres when Disney+ launches on November 12. Yet another Star Wars TV show, a prequel to Rogue One focusing on Cassion Andor (Diego Luna), is also in development.As for the Star Wars video game franchise, Apex Legends developer Respawn is launching Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order on November 15 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. A new Lego Star Wars game, Lego: The Skywalker Saga, is also in the works.Info from Gamespot.com

The latest trailer for the new Guilty Gear shows off two more characters who are coming back for this upcoming release. The game, which was revealed during Evo 2019 with a trailer featuring Sol Badguy and Ky Kiske, has been slowly unveiling its cast across a series of trailers. We found out that May is returning to the series not long after its initial reveal, as well as Axl Low. Now, in anticipation of a playable demo popping up at fighting tournament Arcrevo America 2019, two more fighters have been revealed.First up is Chipp Zanuff, who appeared in the first game in the series as well as numerous sequels. He carries an arm-blade, as well as various ninja tools, such as a kunai and shuriken. He's looking extremely jacked, and he'll be able to divide himself up and attack as multiple copies of himself. Potempkin is also shown off for the first time in this trailer. He's another character who originated in the first Guilty Gear, and while he might look like a robot there's actually a person under all that armor. Based on this trailer, it looks like he'll have a lot of range with his attacks, although his size could also make him an easy target. The most recent game in the Guilty Gear series, Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2, released in 2017. The final name for the new Guilty Gear has not yet been announced, but it will release on PlayStation 4. Info from Gamespot.com

For 35 years, The Criterion Collection has released display-worthy movies from across the world, settling on an eclectic mix of both classics and contemporary hits. The Blu-ray editions of movies in The Criterion Collection are typically pretty pricey, with an average cost of $30 to $40. Right now, Barnes and Noble has hundreds of Criterion Collection movies on sale for 50% off. Following the chain bookseller's lead, Amazon is also offering similar discounts on many of the same movies.It's worth noting that Barnes and Noble's list prices are generally higher than Amazon's, and sometimes you'll find a greater discount at one or the other. Essentially, you'll want to compare the prices at each retailer before buying. Some of the movies, like David Lynch's Blue Velvet, are eligible for buy two, get one free at Amazon.Films in The Criterion Collection are typically the best quality home releases you can find of your favorite films. They also usually have exclusive and intriguing special features. For example, Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove is digitally restored in 4K, features uncompressed audio, and has a number of new interviews with Kubrick scholars and clips of the crew discussing the 1964 classic.As part of the company's global mission, you'll find masterful home releases of classics from abroad such as Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, an epic that follows a samurai's quest to protect a village from bandits. The promotion extends to box sets like Godzilla - Showa-Era Films, a 15-film collection that's $110 right now, down from its $225 list price.You can browse the full list of Criterion Collection movies on sale at Barnes and Noble and Amazon. We've highlighted some of our favorites below, linking to the retailer with the lowest price. See all deals at Barnes and Noble See all deals at Amazon Best Criterion Collection Blu-ray deals The Age of Innocence -- $20 ($40)Barry Lyndon -- $20 ($40)Blue Velvet -- $20 ($40)Dr. Strangelove -- $18.66 ($27.89)Eraserhead -- $19.66 ($40)Godzilla: the Showa-Era Films (1954-1975) -- $110 ($165)The Graduate -- $20 ($40)The Koker Trilogy -- $48.66 ($72.97)The Life Aquatic -- $19.66 ($26.49)The Magnificent Ambersons -- $20 ($40)Notorious -- $20 ($40)Pan's Labyrinth -- $20 ($40)The Princess Bride -- $20 ($40)Seven Samurai -- $25 ($50)The Silence of the Lambs -- $19.66 ($22.97) Info from Gamespot.com

Alongside the BlizzCon festivities and announcements like Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4, Blizzard unveiled a newly revamped version of its game launcher, Battle.net. The new version is now available in beta and makes some significant UI improvements to the app.The most obvious change is to the game selection, which is now represented by icons across a horizontal bar, leaving more vertical space for a friends list and game detail menus. According to the announcement, the increased access to friend chats is a direct response to user feedback. It also shows more recent updates and highlights for new games.The beta is up for anyone who has opted in to test Battle.net updates. If you want to be a part of these tests, you can opt in by going to the Beta menu under Settings in the desktop app.This news came alongside big announcements for many of Blizzard's major franchises. Those included Overwatch 2 with a story campaign and redesigned heroes, the grim return to the world of Diablo, and new expansions announced for both World of Warcraft and Hearthstone. Blizzard president J. Allen Brack also took a moment at the top of the opening ceremonies to address the recent controversies and Hong Kong protests, and expanded on those thoughts in an interview. BlizzCon News BlizzCon 2019 News: Overwatch 2, Diablo 4, And Everything Else Announced New Hero Confirmed For Overwatch 2: Sojourn BlizzCon Schedule: Overwatch 2, Diablo 4 Unveiling, And More Overwatch 2 Announced, Includes PvP And PvE What Overwatch 2 Means For Current Players Diablo 4 Announced At BlizzCon 2019 Diablo 4 Gameplay Trailer Shows The New RPG In Action New WoW Shadowlands Expansion Trailer Released At BlizzCon 2019 Hearthstone Expansion "Descent of Dragons" Announced, Coming In December Here's Every Hearthstone "Descent Of Dragons" Card (So Far) Info from Gamespot.com

Last Friday, after performing in Saudi Arabia for the WWE event Crown Jewel, the company's talent was stuck at the airport for hours after mechanical issues on their plane. Obviously, WWE talent wasn't happy after arriving home.Being stuck on an airplane can be exceptionally frustrating, but being delayed 24 hours, when you just want to get home, is exactly what happened to many WWE superstars on Friday after the company's event in Saudi Arabia, Crown Jewel. Many of the wrestlers on the Smackdown roster missed the Friday night live event because of said delays and had to sit and wait for a ride home. Obviously, people are going to get frustrated and speak out.Never again... — Buddy Murphy (@WWE_Murphy) November 1, 2019At this point and time We need all the prayers... brother. — Rusev (@RusevBUL) November 1, 2019Neither of the tweets from Buddy Murphy or Rusev shed any new light on the situation, but it's a reminder of the rough travel schedule these WWE wrestlers have to face. If you want to see what it looks like to be delayed for 24 hours before you can head home, Luke Harper's Instagram post completely sums it up, especially when you look at Angelo Dawkin's face right behind him. View this post on InstagramLarry, I'm home. I guess I didn't want it enough to pay for my own charter, but I'm home now. #NotTop20A post shared by Luke Harper (@thislukeharper) on Nov 2, 2019 at 4:10pm PDT For some reason, Dawkins' tag team partner, Montez Ford was in very good spirits after arriving home--while Dawkins continued to look extremely tired--dancing his way around the airport.WE MADE IT!GOD IS GOOD.CELEBRATION TIME.@MontezFordWWE @AngeloDawkins #StreetProfits pic.twitter.com/R3g6MD9VOW — 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕋𝕖𝕫 (@MontezFordWWE) November 2, 2019One of the most heartwarming videos to come out of this problem was Karl Anderson posting a video arriving back home, surprising his kids, as he got all the hugs.Home. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/vGSfEIRHZy — Karl Anderson (@KarlAndersonWWE) November 3, 2019While much of Smackdown's roster missed the November 1 live event on Fox, there was a silver lining in all of this for fans of WWE programming. The November 1 episode of Smackdown was very good. It featured NXT invading Smackdown in order to promote Novembers Survivor Series, where Raw, Smackdown, and NXT will all battle for brand supremacy. It will be interesting to see how this plays out on the November 8 episode of Smackdown, with the roster back at full strength. Info from Gamespot.com

Diablo 4 looks to recall classic Diablo in lots of ways, and one of those includes bringing back older customization systems. At a BlizzCon panel detailing the upcoming sequel, game director Luis Barriga announced that some systems that went missing in Diablo 3 are coming back."Customization is back with a vengeance," Barriga said. "We have a trifecta of customization options: talent trees, skill ranks, and rune words. We want you to play the build that's in your head. Your idea of a frost sorceress might be different than mine."Rune words were an element in Diablo 2's Lord of Destruction expansion, letting you combine runes to imbue socketed items with enhancements. Similarly, talent trees let you customize your build in Diablo 2, but Diablo 3 traded that for an Active and Passive skill unlock system."Diablo 4 returns the franchise to its darker roots," wrote Phil Hornshaw in hands-on impressions. "While Diablo helped inspire the slate of loot-chasing games that have recently arisen, it looks like Blizzard is borrowing some ideas from those games to make Diablo 4 something more of a shared-world experience." BlizzCon News BlizzCon 2019 News: Overwatch 2, Diablo 4, And Everything Else Announced New Hero Confirmed For Overwatch 2: Sojourn BlizzCon Schedule: Overwatch 2, Diablo 4 Unveiling, And More Overwatch 2 Announced, Includes PvP And PvE What Overwatch 2 Means For Current Players Diablo 4 Announced At BlizzCon 2019 Diablo 4 Gameplay Trailer Shows The New RPG In Action New WoW Shadowlands Expansion Trailer Released At BlizzCon 2019 Hearthstone Expansion "Descent of Dragons" Announced, Coming In December Here's Every Hearthstone "Descent Of Dragons" Card (So Far) Info from Gamespot.com

It's a whole new month, and that means New Releases has a bunch of games to talk about. November brings the long-anticipated PC release of Red Dead Redemption 2 and PS4 exclusive Death Stranding. Those two platforms are also seeing the return of a cult classic with Shenmue III. Meanwhile, we've got new games for two massive IPs with Pokemon Sword & Shield and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.Red Dead Redemption 2 -- November 5Available on: PCRed Dead Redemption 2 was GameSpot's 2018 Game of the Year, so the PC release is a pretty big deal. This version of the game looks better than ever thanks to better textures and lighting, plus 4K/HDR support on capable PCs. You can also check out new story content, including more Gang Hideouts and Bounty Hunts.More Coverage:Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Launch Trailer Shows Paradise In Stunning 4KRed Dead Redemption 2 PC System Requirements ConfirmedDeath Stranding -- November 8Available on: PS4Hideo Kojima's latest project is still largely wrapped in mystery, but the elevator pitch is this: Sam Bridges (played by The Walking Dead's Norman Reedus) makes delivers across a shattered United States. Also there are shadow monsters, psychic babies, and tons of celebrity cameos. The game was also just announced for PC, in case you want to wait until summer 2020 to play that version.More Coverage:Death Stranding Review - Smash That Like ButtonNorman Reedus Talks Death Stranding, Silent Hills, And Working With KojimaPokemon Sword & Shield -- November 15Available on: SwitchBy this point, you probably know what you're getting with a Pokemon game, but Sword & Shield are mixing things up. The new Galar Region has its own variants of classic Pokemon like Weezing and Ponyta, plus region-specific evolutions for Farfetch'd and Linoone. Sword & Shield also introduce new giant, kaiju-like monsters called Dynamax Pokemon, some of which can even change form, known as Gigantamax Pokemon.More Coverage:Pokemon Sword And Shield: Here Are The Different Exclusive Pokemon Confirmed For Each VersionPokemon Sword & Shield: Pre-Load On Switch NowStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order -- November 15Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PCIt might sound cliche, but Fallen Order's combat really does feel like the Dark Souls games. In fact, if you die, you'll have to defeat the last enemy you fought to regain your lost XP, a la Bloodborne. It's pretty fitting that this original Star Wars story is challenging, since protagonist Cal Kestis is one of the few surviving Jedi Padawans after Order 66.More Coverage:Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order Pre-Orders Now Available On SteamStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Doesn't Break The Mold, But Could Still Be SatisfyingShenmue III -- November 19Available on: PS4, PCShenmue 3 isn't the end of Ryo Hazuki's story, but fans of the Sega Dreamcast classic have been waiting a long time for the next chapter nonetheless. The third game picks up in a small fishing village in China, where Ryo continues to track down his father's killer. Expect the usual dose of minigames and intriguing characters as you explore the open world.More Coverage:Shenmue 3 Dev Responds To Concerns Over Epic Store ExclusivityE3 2019: Shenmue 3 Gameplay Trailer - PC Gaming Show 2019November has only just begun, and it's got plenty more video games on the horizon. We didn't even get a chance to talk about Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games 2020, which comes to Nintendo Switch on November 5 in the US and on November 8 in the UK. Next week, we'll take a look at two anticipated remasters: Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Romancing SaGa 3.Info from Gamespot.com

The internet has largely killed the print strategy guide business, but there's something about holding a physical strategy guide that is still alluring in 2019. A number of major franchises such as Pokemon continue to get weighty strategy guides with each release. And with Pokemon Sword and Shield arriving November 15 on Nintendo Switch, a new strategy guide is also up for pre-order, with the Collector's Edition currently discounted to $24.68 (was $40) at Amazon. Pokemon Sword & Shield: The Official Galar Region Strategy Guide: Collector's Edition -- $24.68 ($40) See at Amazon The Collector's Edition has a slick black cover featuring outlines of Sword and Shield legendaries Zacian and Zamazenta. The 400-page hardcover includes exclusive concept art and a Joy-Con controller skin decal pack.If you're at all interested in a strategy guide for Sword and Shield, the Collector's Edition is the right choice. The 348-page standard edition paperback is only about $2 less at Amazon, and it doesn't come with the concept art or controller decals. With Amazon's pre-order price guarantee, if the Collector's Edition dips even further in price between now and release, you'll only pay the lowest price.There's one downside here: The strategy guide releases November 22, a week after Sword and Shield launch. But if you're the collecting type or buying it as a holiday gift, the delay probably won't matter too much. You may also want to look into The Official Galar Region Pokedex, which is on sale for $19.73 at Amazon (was $25) ahead of its December 20 release.If you're having a hard time deciding which version is right for you, we have a breakdown of the differences between Sword and Shield. After you make your decision, make sure to check out our Pokemon Sword and Shield pre-order guide to see the bonuses from each retailer. Info from Gamespot.com

It's taken a long time to get here, but Bad Boys For Life, the third movie in the hit action series, hits theaters in January. The first trailer for the movie was released in September and a new one will be with us this week.A short teaser has been released that confirms the second Bad Boys For Life trailer drops tomorrow, November 5. The teaser might only 15 seconds, but this being the quickly-cut world of Bad Boys, it actually crams quite a lot in there, including some explosive car chase action, Martin Lawrence putting on a stylish jacket, and Will Smith enjoying a glass of champagne. Check it out below:Trailer tomorrow. #BadBoysForLife @BadBoys pic.twitter.com/CRgL6YGruI — Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) November 4, 2019Bad Boys For Life is directed by Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi. Joe Pantoliano reprises his role as Captain Howard, and the cast also includes Alexander Ludwig (Vikings), Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical), Paola Nuñez (The Purge TV seres), Charles Melton (Riverdale), and Happy Anderson (The Tick). It releases on January 17, 2020.The journey to get this movie made has been a roller coaster. Aside from the massive delays--as the movie was supposed to be released in November 2018--Martin Lawrence was positive the movie would never happen because of Will Smith's other film projects. Then, right when things were getting rolling in the summer of 2018, director Joe Carnahan left the movie. While the movie seemed like it was destined to never come out, Will Smith posted a video from the set, hanging out with Martin Lawrence back in late 2018.At the box office, Bad Boys was a smashing success in 1995, making $141 million worldwide on a $19 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo. 2003's follow-up Bad Boys II was also successful with a $273 million worldwide take on a $130 million budget. Hopefully, this series still has steam, as there was once a planned fourth movie, which was scrapped during the delays.Info from Gamespot.com

Blizzard has confirmed that there are no plans to launch the now-in-development Diablo 4 anytime soon.Before wrapping up a BlizzCon panel, game director Luis Barriga explained that there's no release date attached to Diablo 4 at the moment. "There is much, much more to come. A game of this scope takes time," Barriga said. This is a very, very early first step. We're not coming out soon, not even Blizzard soon. We're just excited to take this first early step in the journey together with you."Diablo has had a staggered release since its inception. The first title launched in 1996 and received the Hellfire expansion a year later. Diablo 2 hit the market in 2000 and, like the original Diablo, received its expansion, Lord of Destruction, a year later. It would be more than a decade, in 2012, when Diablo 3 made its debut. Diablo 3 received one expansion and an additional character class before Blizzard unveiled Diablo Immortal and the newly-announced Diablo 4.Despite Diablo 4 not coming out anytime soon, Blizzard has provided a bevy of information about the upcoming action-RPG title. New to the hack-n-slash experience are mounts, which allow you to travel fast and in style. And it turns out that all versions of the game are online-only. We were able to go hands-on with Diablo 4 during BlizzCon and concluded that the shared-world aspect introduced something new to the franchise. BlizzCon News BlizzCon 2019 News: Overwatch 2, Diablo 4, And Everything Else Announced New Hero Confirmed For Overwatch 2: Sojourn BlizzCon Schedule: Overwatch 2, Diablo 4 Unveiling, And More Overwatch 2 Announced, Includes PvP And PvE What Overwatch 2 Means For Current Players Diablo 4 Announced At BlizzCon 2019 Diablo 4 Gameplay Trailer Shows The New RPG In Action New WoW Shadowlands Expansion Trailer Released At BlizzCon 2019 Hearthstone Expansion "Descent of Dragons" Announced, Coming In December Here's Every Hearthstone "Descent Of Dragons" Card (So Far) Info from Gamespot.com

It's a brand-new week, and that means plenty of content is headed to Netflix. And we have a full list of everything arriving to the service listed below. This includes new movies, TV shows, and a few Netflix originals you may want to check out as part of the full lineup of new arrivals in November 2019.The second season of The End of the F***ing World arrives on Tuesday this week. The first season followed two teenagers, one of which is convinced he's a psychopath. He befriends a young woman, and they search for her father. That synopsis does not really do the show justice. It's a twisted, comedic adventure that's critically acclaimed. You can catch the first season right now on Netflix to prepare for the new episodes.Season 4--that's not a typo--of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power also lands on Tuesday this week. Dreamworks' reimaginaing of the classic animated series has found a legion of fans, as the Princess of Power takes on Hordak and his forces. As someone who loved Masters of the Universe as a kid, I always thought She-Ra's villains were better than He-Man's.Finally, another big release this Tuesday on Netflix is Undercover Brother 2, coming 17 years after the release of the first film. This time around, Michael Jai White stars as Undercover Brother, and he once again has to take down The Man, played by Barry Bostwick for the sequel. Neither the director nor the writers working on the sequel were involved with the first film. Netflix News What's New To Netflix This Week? Movies, TV, And Originals Netflix In November 2019 - Best New Movies And TV Shows To Watch! New To Netflix In November 2019: Movies, TV, And Originals Below, you'll find everything coming to and leaving Netflix in November, and for more streaming news, check out what's coming to Hulu and Amazon Prime Video in November.What's new To Netflix this week?Monday, November 4A Holiday EngagementChristmas CrushDear SantaThe Devil Next DoorDistrict 9Tuesday, November 5The End of the F***ing World: Season 2Seth Meyers: Lobby BabyShe-Ra and the Princesses of Power: Season 4Tune in for LoveUndercover Brother 2Wednesday, November 6Burning CaneSCAMSShadowThursday, November 7The Body Remembers When the World Broke OpenFriday, November 8Busted!: Season 2The Great British Baking Show: Holidays: Season 2Greatest Events of WWII in HD ColourGreen Eggs and HamLet It SnowParadise BeachWild District: Season 2Saturday, November 9Little Things: Season 3 Info from Gamespot.com

Hideo Kojima makes his politics pretty clear in a new documentary, saying Kojima Productions' first title, Death Stranding, is inspired by recent political events and situations.Kojima spoke candidly to BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat about the current political climate, referencing President Donald Trump and Brexit as inspirations for the game's themes. "Trump is building a wall and the UK is leaving the EU," Kojima told BBC Radio 1 reporter Steffan Powell. "In the game, we use bridges to connect things. But destroying those bridges can instantly turn them into walls. So bridges and walls are almost synonymous. That's one of the things I'd like players to think about in the game."Kojima says "the era of today is about individualism" and uses that as a means to examine the increased loneliness in our ever-connected world. "The attacks and violence seen online these days is out of control. So I designed this for people to take a step back and by connecting, relearn how to be kind to others," Kojima said. "After spending dozens of hours in the game you will come back to reality in the end. When you do, I want you to use what you learned in the game. Connecting is one of those things."Kojima also spoke openly about his own battles with loneliness and how he hopes people will empathize with the messaging behind Death Stranding. "I'm very prone to loneliness. I think there are similar people around the world, especially gamers. Even though they're having fun with others outside when they are alone and playing video games in their living room they don't feel like they fit into society or their community. So when those people play this game they realize people like them exist all over the world. Knowing that even though I'm lonely, there are other people like me makes them feel at ease." Death Stranding News Death Stranding Review - Strand And Deliver Guide: Death Stranding Steelbook, Pre-Order Bonuses, Collector's Edition, And More Death Stranding Explained: Story, Characters, Gameplay, and More The reviews have finally rolled in and Death Stranding has received generally favorable praise from critics. In our own review, editor Kallie Plagge said, "Death Stranding is a hard game to absorb. There are many intertwining threads to its plot, and silly names, corny moments, and heavy exposition belie an otherwise very simple message. That comes through much more clearly in the game's more mundane moments, when you find a desperately-needed ladder left behind by another player or receive a letter from an NPC thanking you for your efforts. It's positive without ignoring pain; in fact, it argues in both its story and its gameplay that adversity itself is what makes things worth doing and life worth living. It's a game that requires patience, compassion, and love, and it's also one we really need right now."Info from Gamespot.com