The Outer Worlds plays just like a Fallout game. That's a pretty tepid description and an obvious comparison. It's easy to take one look at the game, which strongly echoes the mechanical form of the Bethesda RPGs, and think you know what to expect. The developer, Obsidian Entertainment, was responsible for the cult-favorite Fallout: New Vegas after all. But The Outer Worlds doesn't just play like a Fallout game. It is, surprisingly, the best possible version of a Fallout game--a potent distillation of what made that series so beloved in the first place.The Outer Worlds adopts the most compelling innovations of modern Fallout games, emphasising immersive exploration and impactful, action-oriented combat in a game engine (Unreal Engine) that actually makes those things feel good by contemporary standards. It shares Fallout's satirical but incredibly bleak look at the future, but is free of its tired tropes. Critically, The Outer Worlds exhibits the same depth of soul as the early Interplay and Black Isle Fallout games (as well as other games in the '90s PC RPG genre) with a genuinely complex, interconnected narrative web of relationships and events that feel like they can change in a seemingly infinite number of ways based on the character you want to be, the variety of choices you can make, and the actions you take.Given the studio and the key people responsible (original Fallout creators Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky), that last trait isn't surprising. But it's not the only element that makes The Outer Worlds an excellent space Western adventure--that's just the incredibly sound foundation that elevates the game's great world-building, wonderful characters, and multi-layered quest design, on top of punchy combat and consistently sharp writing.In The Outer Worlds, you are just one of the thousands of people left in hibernation on an abandoned colony ship, when a scientist of possibly ill repute frees you and enlists your help in saving the rest of your frozen peers. After a rigorous character creation process--involving a slew of variable attributes, perks, and aesthetic customization--you crash-land on a planet, alone, and from there, how you make your mark on the Halcyon system is up to you.The crux of this sci-fi setup is that, among other things, the Halcyon system is owned and run entirely by a board of corporations, and their presence is a big deal. Whole planets are owned by corps looking to use their ecosystems as part of a larger supply chain, and numerous vending machines from different companies populate towns, trying to attract you with their bright logos and jingles. In fact, The Outer Worlds is saturated with strikingly colourful locales; the planets you'll visit are impressively varied and sometimes beautiful, flaunting an H.G. Wells-like retro-futuristic aesthetic, the antithesis of grimdark cyberpunk.On the first impression, corporations appear as a mostly aesthetic layer folded into the world. A number of the companies mentioned seem to mostly just exist as manufacturers of weapons and consumables--a piece of flair to keep the tone light in the same way that the Circus of Values exists in BioShock, but it's far more ingrained than that. Corporate capitalism so deeply affects everything in The Outer Worlds, and explorations into how it can affect society on a variety of levels is a surprisingly well-considered constant, despite the semblance of parody. You'll meet sympathetic workers whose livelihoods are only made possible by offering themselves to exploitation and indentured servitude, white-collared outlaws who are more bureaucrats than pirates, and well-meaning middle-managers who are trying to change the corporate machine from the inside. You'll find moderates, idealists, extremists, and most things in between and around the fringes, all of which have their own feasible ideas about how to best serve the colony or themselves. By the time the climax hits, it's clear that The Outer Worlds has its own stance on this bleak future, but that doesn't stop the world it creates, the sojourns you take, and characters you meet along the way from being any less fascinating.There are plenty of characters in The Outer Worlds who I didn't like. Reed Tobson, for example, is a snivelling factory chief in the early hours of the game who I didn't have to think twice about undermining, and Felix, one of your potential companion characters, had such an annoyingly naive personality I avoided talking to him as much as possible. The Outer Worlds allows you to kill any character in the game (bar one), and the world will reshape and move on without them, but there's something to be said for game's depiction of its unappealing people, whose portrayal I admired despite my distaste. You'll talk to a lot of people in The Outer Worlds. How much you do is up to you--you're allowed to cut straight to get to the point or dive deeper--but chatting to the game's entire supporting cast of non-player characters is something that never gets tiring, even if you don't care for them, purely because of how strong the game's writing and vocal performances are.I never felt like I had to endure stretches of pointless or overly dramatic exchanges, both because of how focussed and subtle the script seemed to be, as well as the variety of response options for my player character which kept conversations flowing in largely natural ways. Numerous considerations for the world state let conversations take into account things you may or may not already have done throughout your campaign; brief and subtle injections of worldbuilding and lore stop conversation from being too matter of fact without losing the game's identity, and some exceptional low-key wit works very well in sparking a periodic laugh without humour feeling like a sticking point. Solid, consistent voice direction helps keep the tone firmly measured, meaning the hours you spend absorbing the world through its people are always engaging.Nowhere does the strength of the game's characters shine more strongly than in your companions, however (except for Felix; that guy is a weenie). You have the option to recruit six predetermined characters to accompany and assist you in your adventures, though the game does have tools to bolster a lone wolf character too. But having companions along for the ride is a delight, and that's, again, because of the strength of the character writing. Companions instantly feel like fleshed-out characters of their own accord, not like they simply exist to revolve around you. They'll converse privately with each other and chime in on conversations you have with other characters in the world, acting as sounding boards during key moments. They can, in extreme situations, leave you of their own accord if they strongly disagree with a course of action. It's all mechanically conditional, of course, but the illusion the game builds is so endearing--spending time with these folks feels just as valuable as your pursuing the overarching goal.Companions have their own customisable skill trees, equipment loadouts, combat tactics, and special abilities you can command them to use, which, with their cinematic camera angles, inspired battle cries, and useful status effects, never become unsatisfying to initiate. The other major tool at your disposal in combat, provided your character's weapon skills are high enough to use it, is Tactical Time Dilation (TTD)--a time-bending mechanic that slows the action to a crawl, allowing you to give yourself some breathing room in order to analyse enemies and take the time to execute precision attacks. Hitting certain locations on enemies will let you do things like cripple or maim them, or inflict weapon-specific effects like bleed damage or knocking them unconscious. Using TTD tactically to take out key targets and attempt to control the flow of battle makes it an entertaining and useful tool, but its availability is limited and not something you can rely on entirely until you get to meaningfully upgrade it much later in the game.Despite having strong RPG foundations, the combat in The Outer Worlds is very much focussed on first-person action, incorporating things like parries, blocks, and dodges on top of an array of melee weapons and firearms. There's a hectic and fast-paced fluidity to combat that feels very good, however. That's aided by some enthusiastic sound design, which does most of the heavy lifting in giving all weapons some satisfying feedback. A range of "Science weapons" bring some creative diversity in your arsenal, and features guns that have unique, entertaining properties like shrinking enemies or turning them against each other.The only problem with combat is that on the game's recommended Regular difficulty, it eventually turns into a cakewalk. This is satisfying in a way, of course--all the points I pumped into maxing out my handgun skills, thus becoming best gunslinger in the galaxy, did actually make me feel utterly invincible. But, it also meant I didn't feel pushed to explore the game's slew of combat-adjacent mechanics nearly as deeply as I would have hoped. Things like elemental damage, equipment modding, companion synergies, and the special effects allowed by consumables (which, by the way, are incredibly difficult to parse in the game's icon-heavy menu), could all be safely ignored. The Outer Worlds has a "flaws" system that lets you purposefully shoulder restrictive debuffs in certain situations in exchange for an extra perk point, but it's completely optional and rarely worth the tradeoff. Jumping into the "Supernova" difficulty level in a subsequent playthrough changes all that, however--combat danger increases, your ability to save your game becomes restricted, and survival mechanics like hunger and thirst are introduced, making all of the game's mechanical considerations feel far more vital. The game is more challenging and interesting because of it, but its demanding nature definitely makes it more of a second-run option.Toe-to-toe combat is not the only solution to your problems. The Outer Worlds allows for a variety of avenues for alternative and passive solutions--stealth, hacking, and speech-related options are available throughout the game, provided you pass the skill checks. It's nigh impossible to complete the game without getting into at least some combat, unfortunately, but to the game's credit, virtually every quest in the game, big or small, features branching options in terms of their paths to success and how you deal with the big, final choices you have to make to resolve disputes, which are often deliciously grey. It's at the level where you'll always be considering the additional ways you could have achieved something, whether that be taking a different route, finding more information out in the world, or killing the quest giver and everyone else in the town. When you hit the end, the game runs through a whole slew of epilogues that describe how you resolved the game's numerous major variables and what became of them, and being shown all your exploits after some 30 hours makes the whole journey and your unique path through it really feel quite meaningful. It's difficult to know the full extent of just how many directions something can go, and the end result of many quests can likely only ever differ in a small handful of ways, but this perception of freedom and possibilities on your first run is inspiring.I finished The Outer Worlds wanting more, eager to jump back into the world to see extra things. It's not a short game, but it's one packed with such a steady stream of wonderful characters to meet, interesting places to explore, and meaningful, multi-layered quests to solve, that it didn't feel like there was any room to get tired of it. I wanted to rewind the clock and do everything in a completely different way. The Outer Worlds is consistently compelling throughout, and it's a superb example of how to promote traditional RPG sensibilities in a sharp, modern experience. Info from Gamespot.com

Microids has released an extended gameplay video of Blacksad: Under the Skin ahead of its release next week.The game is a spin-off from Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido's beloved ongoing French comic, and will cast players as the titular John Blacksad. It's an adventure game, but it will not feature an inventory or a point-and-click interface. Instead, Blacksad: Under the Skin will give you direct control over the character and focus on observation and conversational choices, as well as your success or failure in quick time events.The trailer below is an extended gameplay sequence, although it's not clear whether this is from the final version of the game, due to release digitally on November 5 for PC, PS4 and Xbox One--there's a distinct lack of sound effects throughout the footage.John Blacksad will be able to use his heightened senses to hunt down clues in the game, which will be integral to forming conclusions and working through the game's mysteries.The story is set between the second and third books in the series, and will see John Blacksad investigating the death of a boxing club owner who died under mysterious circumstances. And, yes, the entire cast is made up of anthropomorphic animals.In his preview of the game earlier this year, Jordan Ramée said that the game will have a heavy focus on morality, and examining the reasoning behind your own choices. Info from Gamespot.com

okemon Sword and Shield will invite players into the new Galar region next month. The location is packed with both brand new and returning Pokemon (albeit not all of them). It marks the beginning of the eighth generation of Pokemon games, and some fans might be wondering where these new games fit within the nebulous Pokemon timeline.It's never been properly clarified how much overlap there is between the various games in the series. While Gold/Silver are a direct sequel to Red/Blue, the timeline gets more confusing the longer you think about it. But according to the team at Game Freak, you shouldn't look too deeply into how they all fit together.In an interview with Game Informer, producer Junichi Masuda admitted that there's no definite timeline for the Pokemon series, and that it's best not to get too caught up trying to untangle it. "It starts to get a little complicated if you pay too much attention to timelines," he said. "Like, there might be a professor that appears and it wouldn’t make sense at all if we applied that kind of timeline logic. So we try not to apply it too rigorously."Masuda says that the world of Pokemon has grown, even if a strict linear narrative across the series is hard to land on. "The approach that Pokemon takes is expanding the world, like what the regions are, and making it richer as we go. Rather than a timeline, it’s more of a physical space thing."In that same interview, Masuda and director Shigeru Ohmori spoke about the game being of comparable length to past entries in the series. Meanwhile, in our own hands-on report, Kallie Plagge found that picking a starter Pokemon in Sword and Shield is a surprisingly emotional experience.Pokemon Sword and Shield launch for Nintendo Switch on November 15. Check out our preorder guide to ensure that you get your hands on the version you want on day one.Info from Gamespot.com

The brand-new trailer for Disney's new Star Wars TV show, The Mandalorian, showed off more of the sci-fi world and offered tantalizing teases for what to expect. The trailer also provided the first look at comedian Bill Burr's character--and he looks fearsome.Burr can be seen near the end of the trailer as the character who is firing not one, but three blasters at some enemy in front of him. He is dual-wielding blaster pistols, while he has a third blaster attached to his shoulder. We don't know who his character is, but he looks fierce.This is not Burr's first acting gig, as he had a recurring role on AMC's award-winning drama Breaking Bad where he played one of Saul Goodman's henchmen.Burr's involvement in a Star Wars show may come as a surprise to many as the comedian and actor has been open about how much he does not like Star Wars. In 2015, Burr spoke to Conan O'Brien about his disdain for Star Wars, saying the movies feel like a "cheesy self-help book put in outer space with, like, Muppets."He also made fun of people standing in line for Star Wars movies. He's a comedian so he's definitely hamming it up for laughs, but whatever the case, he's now officially in a Star Wars movie--and that's a dramatic turn of events.How did it happen? In an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, Burr said he happened to meet up with The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau, who asked if he would be interested in joining the project. Burr said he wondered why Favreau might want him given his stance on Star Wars. But according to Burr, Favreau thought it would be funny for Burr--a man who does not like Star Wars--to be in a Star Wars show.When Burr got to set, he saw that The Mandalorian was being filmed like a spaghetti western and he was "immediately so psyched to be a part of it," he recalled.Burr was actually in the first big trailer for The Mandalorian back in August, but seemingly no one noticed. He's the bald guy in the shot below.Bill Burr's bald headThe Mandalorian follows the titular character, played by Pedro Pascal, a lone gunfighter working outside of the authority of the New Republic. The series also features Gina Carana as Cara Dune, Carl Weathers as Greef Carga, and Taika Waititi as IG-11. Star Wars News Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Runtime Makes It The Longest Star Wars Movie Ever New Star Wars 9 Trailer Arrives Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Tickets On Sale Now Disney+ is also working on an Obi-Wan Kenobi series where Ewan McGregor will reprise his role as the Jedi Master. And if you're looking for more Star Wars adventures in the real world, Disney is launching some Rise of the Skywalker content to their parks starting this December.Star Wars: The Mandalorian arrives on Disney+ on the streaming service's launch day, November 12. That's just a few days before Apex Legends developer Respawn releases its new Star Wars video game, Jedi Fallen Order. Info from Gamespot.com

Afterparty's version of hell is less fire and brimstone and more cocktails and ennui. Sure, its human inhabitants are still damned for eternity and demons still flagellate them for their sins, but that's just the nine-to-five. To escape the drudgery of everlasting torment, demons and humans alike flock to bars and other seedy hangouts between the days' torture. It isn't the flashiest take on the afterlife, but that's kind of the point. Afterparty revels in the small, personal acts of cruelty and kindness that define us, and while the ways it imparts lessons aren't always up to task with the material, it nonetheless treads exciting ground as a story about the work it takes to be a better person.Developed by Oxenfree creators Night School Studio, Afterparty follows Milo and Lola, a pair of recent college grads who've just found out they face eternal damnation. After some quick onboarding on how they're to be tortured for the rest of eternity, the pair get a break when their turn in line comes just as the workday ends, giving them a night's reprieve. They then learn there's a way out of their predicament: If they can outparty The Prince of Darkness himself, they can return to the world of the living.Mechanically, Afterparty keeps things simple. As you walk across rich and detailed 3D backgrounds along a 2D plane, most of your interactions involve talking to the right person at the right time. This puts the spotlight on Afterparty's strongest asset: incredibly verisimilar conversations. The dialogue is lifelike in a way you don't find in most games; characters restart their sentences, which often have a fantastically ad-libbed quality to them; the main voice cast features whip-smart performances from Janina Gavankar, Khoi Dao, Ashly Burch, and Dave Fennoy, who all sell their cartoonish characters' maladjustments without making them overbearing.Afterparty touches on several topics, including the layout, structure, and the underpinnings of its underworld, which pull heavily from the Bible and Paradise Lost. It makes easy connections between businesspeople and demons, or social media platforms and hellscapes, though the comparisons are all coated in a thick veneer of simmering snark and clever turns of phrases that make the comparisons fun, even if they're not the most imaginative ones.Afterparty is most at home and most cutting when it delves into more intimate topics. Sister May Wormhorn, a personal demon created to harass Milo and Lola as they try to get the approvals necessary to outparty Satan, torments the pair by sifting through their rougher memories. These end up being not one-off, traumatic events, but rather the kinds of smaller slights and moments that bring out their various hangups: Lola's ostracization from her family due to not only her complex family situation, but her skepticism in the face of her sisters' faith; Milo's demanding parents and search for an identity as the child of an immigrant family. These points come through in ways that are direct, but not didactic, and they make for some of the game's strongest moments.The aloof but clear sense of resignation that permeates throughout hell's inhabitants also sells Afterparty's vision of the underworld not as a prison for the world's most violent criminals, but as the banal hangout spot for those who simply failed to do enough good. In an early exchange, Milo asks Satan what he and Lola could have done to deserve eternal damnation. Satan cuts back with a pithy anecdote about a man who will ask him the same question 50 years from now, after having set out a dress for his girlfriend knowing it would be too revealing to keep her warm in a movie theater. "The real question, Milo, is, what did you do to deserve anything else?" The way Afterparty imparts this lesson both explicitly, in the moral quandaries its explores in its characters, and in its vibrant-but-benumbing clubs, parks, and sights, makes for a powerful atmosphere.Not every beat lands, however. The main plot, the one about trying to drink Satan under the table, ends in somewhat anticlimactic fashion, and the threads leading up to that finale are underwhelming. That's in part a result of how the quandaries its characters tackle don't have solid, definable solutions that could make for a more exciting conclusion. But it's also because the overarching plot acts as more of a vehicle for characters to vent their frustrations with the world, the underworld, and each other than a real compelling story on its own. The snarky tone also keeps things from getting too dark, and while I appreciated the lighthearted approach, there were times I wish it would have delved into the darker, riskier territory a game set in hell might invite.Most of Afterparty has you simply taking in and reacting to conversations, but the ways you interact with those conversations break immersion more often than they deepen it. You interact with conversations largely by deciding when to butt in and when to say nothing. You have a limited but generous timer on how long you can respond to something before it's no longer an appropriate response, though I did find a few spots where dialogue would skip inadvertently. The conversation choices are fairly limited, and in the instances where I was able to play through a section of dialogue a second time through, my choices didn't actually alter the plot all that much, which made the conversation more interactive as a way to keep the game from being one long monologue than anything else.As you hash out the various problems of demons and humans alike, you're going to want to drink. Imbibing one of the underworldly cocktails you find at bars unlocks new dialogue options; chugging a Blue Devil (potato vodka, cigarette butts, the wailing of injured children, and a melted antoninianus coin) will make you more of a rich jerk, while a Grand Exhibitionist (bourbon, mint, sugar, and a frog's vocal sac) will make you more of a "witty vaudevillian." Many of these are for kicks (you can sound like a pirate while making a point if you really want), but often, you'll need them if you want to branch a conversation a different way or build up the courage to perform certain actions to progress.Afterparty is most at home and most cutting when it delves into more intimate topics.It's a neat hook that ties into the themes of the story, but it lacks depth as a central conceit. You get a flourish here and there as you affect different octaves or do impressions as you try to get two lovers to get back together, but none of the branches I went down seemed particularly influenced by my drink of choice. On a couple of occasions the game slyly hints that you should replay it to see different effects for all of your choices, but never really earns it. It highlights the larger choices you make, such as whether you turn in one of two suspects who may be a human sneaking into hell for the fun of it, in review sessions with Wormhorn (who belittles you regardless of what you pick). But aside from one major choice, I wasn't too compelled to see other ways situations could have happened.Beyond that, Afterparty is fairly straightforward; its puzzles are barebones (the most complicated one involved talking someone into giving me their trenchcoat so Milo and Lola could sneak into a club), and most of the drinking and club mini-games that pop up when it's time to earn a demon's approval are disappointing. That Afterparty keeps its interactions light is mostly to its benefit, but when it tries for something else, it doesn't offer the kinds of powerful moments that come from a game's mechanics and story working together to drive home a point.Thankfully, Afterparty sticks mostly to unpacking its characters, world, moral quandaries, and how we may not always see those quandaries for how they define us. When it hits those strides, it's a novel look at what hell might look like for most of us, a vision that turns the concept of eternal damnation into something more palpable and threatening. It fumbles when it reaches outside its comfort zone, and the focus on small moments means it lacks the grandiose ones that make our lives feel more meaningful than they might otherwise be. But again, that's kind of the point: After all, what did we do to deserve anything else? Info from Gamespot.com

Luigi's Mansion may directly trace its lineage to the Super Mario franchise, but the series is in many ways its complete antithesis. Whereas Mario's adventures whisk players through vibrant worlds laden with pits, lava pools, and other platforming challenges to overcome, Luigi's have been decidedly more methodical, trading the colorful backdrops of his brother's titles for cobwebbed corridors, and emphasizing careful observation over quick reflex. Luigi's Mansion 3 very much continues this tradition, but the tightly crafted set pieces developer Next Level Games has assembled here illustrate just how compelling this style of gameplay remains, and the new mechanics and freer structure make it perhaps the best installment in the series yet.Once again, Mario's cowardly brother finds himself unwittingly thrust into the role of hero when Mario, Princess Peach, and her entourage of Toad attendants are kidnapped shortly after the group checks into the ominously named Last Resort hotel. Luigi narrowly avoids this same fate by escaping down a laundry chute and landing in the hotel's basement, where he soon reunites with eccentric paranormal researcher Professor E. Gadd and his trusty Poltergust--a modified vacuum cleaner that can suck up ghosts.The Poltergust serves as the basis of Luigi's entire range of actions in Luigi's Mansion 3. Despite being a more adept jumper than his brother, Luigi doesn't display any of his leaping prowess here; the lanky plumber's feet are planted firmly to the floor throughout nearly the entire adventure. His primary means of interacting with the environment instead comes through the Poltergust's numerous abilities. On top of being able to suck up debris and blow out air, the vacuum comes equipped with both the Strobulb and Dark-Light from Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon; the former releases a blinding flash of light that can stun ghosts and activate certain switches, while the latter reveals invisible objects and enemies.Complementing these is a handful of satisfying new abilities. The Suction Shot fires a plunger that can attach to certain objects, allowing Luigi to swing or pull them, while the Burst releases a gust of air that knocks crowds of enemies back and lifts the plumber momentarily off the ground. The most vital addition to Luigi's ghost-hunting repertoire, however, is the ability to slam ghosts. Latch onto a spectre with the Poltergust and you'll charge up a meter that lets you bash them repeatedly on the floor, inflicting extra damage.Not only do these new abilities feel like natural extensions of Luigi's skill set, they inject a welcome bit of action to the gameplay. They also open up new approaches for taking on adversaries. In past games, ghost encounters typically amounted to first stunning them with your flashlight, then vacuuming them up. You'll still rely primarily on the Strobulb to control crowds of enemies, but now you can slam one ghost into any others that are nearby, damaging multiple foes at once. Later encounters will force you to use the other skills at your disposal as well, making battles consistently enjoyable.Outside of combat, the Poltergust's most significant new feature is the ability to summon Gooigi--a gooey doppelganger of Luigi originally introduced in the 3DS remake of the first game. Gooigi's role has been expanded here, opening up a new range of puzzles to overcome. The goopy clone retains the same abilities as Luigi, but his gelatinous body can slip through fences, grates, and even spike traps, allowing him to bypass seemingly insurmountable obstacles and discover hidden corners of the hotel. Moreover, certain enemies and objects will be much too large for Luigi to swing on his own, requiring the extra set of hands Gooigi provides, and a number of rooms feature pressure-sensitive tiles that one character will need to stand on while the other vacuums up whatever emerges.Once you unlock Gooigi, you can play through almost the entire adventure cooperatively with another nearby player, and the game lends itself well to either co-op or solo play. Many of the puzzles you'll encounter require Luigi and Gooigi to work in tandem, which makes exploring the hotel with a friend enjoyable. Solo players, meanwhile, can swap between Luigi and Gooigi by pressing the right thumbstick in, allowing you to quickly take control of either character as the situation demands. You'll never encounter a scenario that cannot be overcome solo, although a handful of bosses and puzzles are clearly designed with a second player in mind. While these are still very much beatable on your own, they are a bit more cumbersome when you're juggling control of both characters.Much like Dark Moon, Luigi's Mansion 3 makes clever use of your small clutch of abilities. Every puzzle you encounter while exploring the Last Resort can be surmounted by observing your surroundings and employing some combination of these skills, although it certainly won't seem that way for many. You'll frequently come across puzzles that offer no obvious solution, which makes finally sussing out the answer all the more satisfying. The game rarely reuses ideas as well, so each challenge you face feels fresh.On top of that, the hotel houses a wealth of collectibles to find. Coins, pearls, bars of gold, and other valuables are copiously tucked away in treasure chests, drawers, toilets, and any other compartment you can imagine, encouraging you to poke around. Most enticing, however, are the six unique gems on each floor. Many of these are deviously hidden, and you'll need to study your surroundings carefully to figure out how to uncover them. Even the gems that are in plain sight will often require an outside-the-box solution before you can actually collect them, which makes taking the time to explore every nook and cranny of the building constantly rewarding.Each floor of the Last Resort acts as its own self-contained level and adheres to a different theme, running the gamut from typical hotel amenities like restaurants and gift shops to more outlandish lodgings such as medieval castles and ancient Egyptian pyramids. Despite these disparate themes, the floors all feel of a piece, and the variety keeps the adventure pleasantly surprising throughout. Gaining access to a new floor is always a delight because you never quite know what to expect when the elevator door opens. Moreover, the game eschews the mission-based nature of Dark Moon in favor of a much looser structure. Barring a few instances, most of which occur early on in the adventure, Luigi won't be recalled to E. Gadd's lab after completing objectives, allowing you to explore the hotel at your leisure.When you first begin your quest, however, you'll only have access to the basement and main lobby; to reach the rest of the hotel, you'll need to track down elevator buttons to the other floors, and these are typically in the possession of a boss ghost. These boss encounters are another highlight; each one has a distinct personality that's charmingly conveyed through their animations, and you'll come across all manner of characters, from a film director melodramatically mourning the loss of his beloved director's cone to a skittish security guard who is just as startle-prone as Luigi. These personalities help elevate the bosses above the rather forgettable ones from Dark Moon, and each battle makes use of Luigi's skill set in clever ways.The controls, however, will occasionally get in your way. To shine the Dark-Light, you need to hold the X button, which means you can't move the right analog stick to adjust your aim while using that ability. The game compensates for this by letting you aim using motion controls, but it isn't a proper replacement for dual analog; you're limited to aiming up and down, making it an inelegant solution. The Suction Shot suffers from a similar issue; you'll often need to hold the button down to line up your shots, making it likewise difficult to aim, particularly during high-pressure situations. None of these issues are severe enough to detract significantly from the game, but they are an occasional annoyance.Rounding out the package are two dedicated multiplayer modes: ScareScraper and ScreamPark. The former plays out much as it did in Dark Moon, challenging up to eight players--either locally or online--to complete successive floors of a tower within a strict time limit. Each floor has a specific objective, such as defeating every ghost or collecting a certain amount of money, and you'll need to work together to clear the challenges. ScreamPark, meanwhile, is a local-only party mode in which two teams compete against each other in mini-games. There are three different mini-games to choose from; one has teams vying to suck up the most ghosts within the time limit, while another has them floating around a pool, collecting coins while avoiding mines. Both modes can be fun diversions, particularly ScareScraper, which straddles the line between competitive and cooperative. As they stand, however, they're comparatively shallow and lack the same appeal as the main game.But while the multiplayer modes may not hold your attention for long, the strength of the Luigi's Mansion series has always stemmed from the satisfaction of exploring its carefully constructed settings, and in that regard Luigi's Mansion 3 certainly succeeds. The game may not radically diverge from the series' formula, but it offers up another meticulously crafted set of challenges to overcome while smoothing out some of the issues that held Dark Moon back, and the sense of accomplishment you feel when you clear a particularly head-scratching obstacle is just as potent now as the first time Luigi unwillingly strapped a vacuum to his back and stepped into a haunted mansion. Info from Gamespot.com

If you watched the first episode of HBO's Watchmen series and felt somewhat lost, it's probably not only because Damon Lindelof is at the helm (co-creator of Lost and The Leftovers). The TV series takes place 34 years after Alan Moore's and Dave Gibbons' original comic series. Though not a direct sequel, it certainly helps to have an understanding of the source material while watching, and it just so happens that the Watchmen graphic novel is available for an excellent price at Amazon right now.Watchmen (2019 Edition)See at AmazonDC Comics released a new 2019 edition of the incredible graphic novel earlier this year. Amazon currently has it for $15, a full $10 off the list price. While books in general typically go for lower than the list price at Amazon, Watchmen was a couple bucks more just the other day; so the $15 price is in fact one of the best prices we've seen.Watchmen (Deluxe Edition)See at AmazonIf you prefer a hardcover edition, the Watchmen Deluxe Edition is also on sale for $24.98 (was $40). The Deluxe Edition is 32 pages longer thanks to bonus material such as sketches.Originally a 12-issue limited series, DC Comics turned Watchmen into a single-volume in 1987. Watchmen has been celebrated by both those in and outside of the comic book world. It received the Hugo award and was the only graphic novel to appear on Time Magazine's list of 100 best novels.Set in 1985, Watchmen follows six retired superheroes in an alternate history United States on the brink of World War III. In this universe, the US won the Vietnam War and the public never found out about Watergate. When one of the heroes is murdered, the others come out of retirement to investigate. The seemingly straightforward plot is enhanced by an innovative panel structure, a nonlinear arc, and a side story that's spliced into the narrative.Whether you want to read it for the first time or feel like revisiting it because of the show, Watchmen is a masterpiece that's well worth your time.Info from Gamespot.com

On the latest episode of True Fiction, we put the life of one of the most beloved movie stars of all time, Jackie Chan, under the microscope. The acclaimed martial artist has put his body through the kind of punishment few others could recover from. Time after time, Jackie Chan endured painful injuries and it was all in service of entertaining us.But the question is: Why? The answer to that may lie in his upbringing and history. And we delve into Jackie's early life, his education, and rise through the movie industry to find out why.You can check out True Fiction on the GameSpot Universe YouTube channel, where new episodes will be released every Sunday. You'll also find a little more about the process of making the episode from host and writer Kurt Indovina.Kurt: When I was five years old I destroyed the backyard patio furniture of my childhood home pretending to be Jackie Chan.I punched my arms rapidly into thin air as I fought off imaginary thugs. They kicked back, sending me over the picnic table. I launched to my feet, grabbing a chair and swung it around like a weapon, before throwing it across the yard.My older brother--who was "babysitting" me at the time--watched safely from the kitchen window. I remember him make a half-hearted attempt yelling for me to stop; I replied by hurling myself into a plastic birdbath, shattering it into pieces.His threats didn't mean anything to me--I was Jackie Chan. My parents came home, however, and to say the least, I wasn't praised for my actions.I grew older, and, well, things haven’t really changed. I still have bursts of fluttering kicks in the GameSpot office; I've leaped from my seat rolling across the floor, launching myself into a battle pose, only to then calmly fill my water bottle; and currently, on my desk are not one, but two Jackie Chan auto-biographies prominently on display.It goes without saying that Jackie Chan has had a deep influence on my life. But it goes beyond just the thrill of throwing myself into imaginary danger. As I grew up, and the more I learned about Jackie, the more I began to appreciate his unrelenting dedication to his craft. Beyond the punches he's thrown and the injuries he's endured, Jackie is an artist of many traits, and that is what's most inspiring to me about him.So when the opportunity arose to write an episode of True Fiction about Jackie Chan, it was as though my entire life and career had led to this moment.In previous episodes, the truth has been much darker than the fiction it's inspired, making some of the subject matter a little tough to sensitively approach. And even in the case of Jackie Chan, a figure known for his mix of comedy and martial arts, the task wasn’t any easier.Given the scope of Jackie's highly disciplined childhood, I feared that we’d be glorifying what could be viewed as child abuse, which can be subjective depending on the culture.I don't view what Jackie went through as child abuse, but some others certainly may. It was a hurdle to handle his story properly and respectively, without praising what he went through. But I think we handled it right.When it came to filming the episode, I wanted to try and capture a glimmer of five-year-old Kurt who destroyed his patio furniture and broke many windows pretending to be the illustrious filmmaker and martial artist. But, of course, maybe a little less destructive.If it weren’t for the logistics of my health and well being, and the necessary barriers of GameSpot's human resources and legal department, I would have thrown myself through a window. Since we couldn't go to those lengths, I settled for sugar glass bottles. The end result, still, is something I’m very proud to share. Info from Gamespot.com

This episode of New Releases is getting into the Halloween spirit, thanks to Luigi's Mansion 3 and Resident Evil 5 & 6 coming to Nintendo Switch. Meanwhile, PS4, Xbox One, and PC gamers can celebrate the devil's birthday with Afterparty. This week is also your chance to revisit some cult classics with Yakuza 4 and Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD.Resident Evil 5 & 6 -- October 29Available on: SwitchTwo more Resident Evil titles hit Switch this week, and both include co-op play and all previously released DLC. RE 5 sees Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar stopping a terrorist threat in Africa, while RE 6 features an ensemble of RE favorites all across the globe. You can also pick up the physical Resident Evil Triple Pack if you want to grab RE 4 as well.More Coverage:Resident Evil 5 ReviewResident Evil 6 ReviewAfterparty -- October 29Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PCThis is the next game from the makers of Oxenfree, featuring best friends Milo and Lola trapped in hell. To escape, they'll have to out-drink and out-party the devil himself. Afterparty also sports Night School Studio's signature dialogue system, which changes your relationships with the other denizens of hell, affecting the overall story.More Coverage:Afterparty - First 20 Minutes Of Gameplay5 Upcoming Xbox One Games To Keep On Your RadarSuper Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD -- October 29Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PCYou can also party with Super Monkey Ball's 50 minigames and 100 obstacle courses. The cult classic platformer has never looked better, and this edition includes Sonic the Hedgehog as a new playable character. It's coming to consoles this week, with a PC version coming later this year.More Coverage:Super Monkey Ball Remake Coming To PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, And PCSuper Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz Review Yakuza 4 -- October 29Available on: PS4This one might need some explaining. For $59.99/£49.99, you can purchase the complete Yakuza Remastered Collection; that includes Yakuza 3, 4, and 5, but the three games have staggered release dates. This week, Yakuza 4 is upon us, bringing another healthy dose of gang life intrigue, street brawls, and minigames. The game stars fan-favorite Kazuma Kiryu alongside three other playable protagonists.More Coverage:Yakuza Remastered Collection - Announcement And Release Date TrailerYakuza 4 Review Luigi's Mansion 3 -- October 31Available on: SwitchLuigi's Mansion 3 drops on Halloween, the perfect time to explore the Last Resort hotel, where each spooky floor has its own theme. You can play solo or team up with a friend in co-op, where the second player controls a gelatinous version of Luigi named Gooigi. There's also competitive multiplayer to enjoy with the returning ScareScraper mode and the new ScreamPark mode.More Coverage:Luigi's Mansion 3's Co-Op Is A Blast | PAX West 2019Luigi's Mansion 3 Will Get Some Kind Of Paid DLCNovember is near, so next week's New Releases will take an overall look at the biggest video games coming in the new month. Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding, Respawn Entertainment's Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Nintendo Switch's Pokemon Sword & Shield are all on the way.Info from Gamespot.com

Usually when Xur visits Destiny 2's solar system on the weekend, you're lucky to see him carrying one Exotic from Year Two--everything included with the Forsaken expansion and the annual pass that followed it. Hunters and Warlocks are lucky this week, though: Xur has two Year Two Exotics, and they're both pretty solid. Picking up some new top-tier weapons and armor is a great way to hold yourself over between the Leviathan's Breath Exotic quest this week and the Xenophage Exotic quest next week, and while you wait for the start of Destiny 2's Halloween event, the Festival of the Lost. Here's where to find Xur today and what Exotic items he's selling.Where Is Xur?Head to the Tower to find Xur this week. You'll need to go down to the Hangar; turn left at the doorway and take the stairs up to the catwalk near the edge of the area where Xur is waiting.What Is Xur Selling?For his weapon this week, Xur is packing Suros Regime, an auto rifle that packs a serious punch when you get near the bottom of the magazine and can even heal you. It's great for both PvE and PvP thanks to its adjustable fire and damage rates. Both Hunters and Warlocks can grab Year Two Exotics--Liar's Handshake and Geomag Stabilizers--which can give you some powerful build options for each class if you don't already have them. Destiny 2 Recent News Where Is Xur Today? Destiny 2 Exotic Location, Weapon, and Armor (October 25-29) Destiny 2: How To Get Into Banshee's Workshop For Make Bows, Not War Quest Destiny 2 Exotic Bow: "Make Bows, Not War" Quest Steps For Leviathan's Breath Destiny 2 Shadowkeep Raid Guide: How To Beat The Garden Of Salvation If you want some other Year Two Exotics to fill out your collection, try Xur's Fated Engram. It awards you one Exotic you don't already have per week, which now can include all the random Year Two Exotic drops from the Annual Pass. That means Exotic armor from last season, the Season of Opulence, is now available from the expensive engram. If you're a PC or Xbox One player taking advantage of cross-save, you can now potentially get Wavesplitter from the Fated Engram as well.Xur Item Lineup (October 25-29)Suros Regime (Exotic Auto Rifle) -- 29 Legendary ShardsSynthoceps (Exotic Titan Gauntlets) -- 23 Legendary ShardsLiar's Handshake (Exotic Hunter Gauntlets) -- 23 Legendary ShardsGeomag Stabilizers (Exotic Warlock Leg Armor) -- 23 Legendary ShardsSuros RegimeAn old Exotic, Soros Regime is another of those guns that's pretty useful in the Crucible. The auto rifle does extra damage with the bottom half of its magazine, and scoring kills has a chance to give you health back. You can also set the gun to increase its rate of fire the longer you hold down the trigger, or to slow down when aiming down the sights for extra damage.SynthocepsTitans who love punching things can snag a set of Synthoceps. The gauntlets give you increased melee lunge range--great for taking people down with a shoulder charge in the Crucible--and gives you additional melee and Super damage when you're surrounded.Stats:Mobility: +10Resilience: +11Recovery: +3Discipline: +6Intellect: +6Strength: +12Total: 481 EnergyLiar's HandshakeIn terms of newer Exotics, it's Hunters who luck out this week. Liar's Handshake is from the Season of Opulence, and it's great for melee-heavy builds. The gauntlets give you a second, more powerful punch when you follow up your Arc melee attack, or after you take a melee hit from an enemy. The counterpunch has an added bonus as well: It heals you. Try getting in close and wailing on a few bosses with it.Stats:Mobility: +12Resilience: +6Recovery: +6Discipline: +6Intellect: +6Strength: +12Total: 481 EnergyGeomag StabilizersThe Warlock Super Chaos Reach is greatly improved thanks to Geomag Stabilizers. The leg armor extends the duration of the Super as you deal damage with it, which makes it great in a lot of situations. You also can top off your Super energy when it's almost full by sprinting, allowing you to zap more people more often with Chaos Reach.Stats:Mobility: +12Resilience: +7Recovery: +8Discipline: +6Intellect: +10Strength: +6Total: 491 EnergyInfo from Gamespot.com

GameSpot is once again hosting its annual 72-hour Extra Life livestream. For three days, GameSpot's teams will take turns hosting a livestream where staff members play all types of video games and help raise monetary donations for UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.Every cent that GameSpot raises will be donated to the San Francisco-based hospital, which has a dedicated and passionate team of doctors, nurses, and other staff devoted to helping kids. By donating, you will be helping them and the children they care for. You'll also be helping GameSpot reach certain stretch goals that unlock a wide variety of rewards--many of which are at our expense and all of which are for your amusement.Below are details on how Extra Life is going to work this year, including the new loot box microdonations and battle pass. There's also an outline for the overall schedule for the event and a list of the approximate times for when certain GameSpot staff members will be on the stream and the segments they'll be doing.Table of Contents [hide]Extra Life 2019 Start TimeWhere To Watch GameSpot's Extra Life LivestreamHow To DonateUncommon And Epic Donation IncentivesLegendary Donation IncentiveDonation Stretch GoalsGameSpot Extra Life 2019 ScheduleFriday, October 25Saturday, October 26Sunday, October 27Monday, October 28Livestream Segment ExplainersExtra Life 2019 Start TimeThis year, the worldwide Extra Life marathon begins on November 2. And, like always, GameSpot will be hosting its livestream the weekend before--so October 25. As per our tradition, we'll be upping the usual 24-hour long gaming marathon to a 72-hour one.Specifically, GameSpot's Extra Life livestream will begin airing on October 25 at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET / 8 PM BST, which is October 26 at 6 AM AEST. The stream will continue until October 28 at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET / 8 PM BST, which is October 27 at 6 AM AEST.Where To Watch GameSpot's Extra Life LivestreamYou can watch this year's GameSpot Extra Life marathon on YouTube, though we'll be streaming through the website as well--just go to our homepage and you'll see the stream in one of the top promo slots. GameSpot's Twitter and Facebook accounts will be promoting links to the stream all weekend too, and they will also alert you to which GameSpot staff members are playing on the stream next.Though it won't be hosting the stream, GameSpot's Instagram account will be capturing behind-the-scene looks all weekend, allowing followers to see what mischief the GameSpot staff members are getting up to once off-camera. We're a strange bunch and we'd love for you to come join us in our tomfoolery.Extra Life Livestream (YouTube)Extra Life Livestream (GameSpot Website)GameSpot TwitterGameSpot FacebookExtra Life Behind-The-Scenes (Instagram)How To DonateTo donate, simply go to GameSpot's Extra Life page. At the top is a big green "Donate" button. Click it, and then fill out how much money you're willing to give. You can donate as many times as you'd like, and the page accepts payments from Credit/Debit cards, PayPal, and Amazon Pay.Unless you would prefer to remain anonymous, please also add your name or preferred online handle to the donation. This makes it easier for us to thank you for the donation and for your help in supporting UCSF Benioff.Also, it will help us know who to blame if you're specifically giving money to unlock one of the many donation incentives that will force GameSpot staff to participate in any manner of embarrassing or painful activities. And speaking of incentives...Uncommon And Epic Donation IncentivesWe've added a new type of incentive to this year's GameSpot Extra Life marathon: microdonations. You can buy a loot box with a $30 USD donation, allowing you to randomly unlock one of several different rewards. These aren't physical items that we'll be sending to you though. The prizes within these loot boxes are commands for GameSpot staff to do something that's dumb and/or embarrassing--like calling someone's mom or forcing two people to switch accents while speaking.For $15 USD, GameSpot staff will spin a wheel on the stream. Like the loot boxes, the wheel offers several different stream rewards for you all to enjoy. The main difference is that the wheel's offerings will likely change with each segment, as the rewards are either tied to the game being played or the people who are playing. The loot box rewards are constant throughout the stream.Legendary Donation IncentiveAs you most likely know, not all loot box rewards are created equal. Our loot boxes are the same, with uncommon and epic prizes making up the bulk of the rewards and one legendary prize that is harder to win--a chance to be featured on GameSpot.We have our first winner: Reyna Olegario--who actually is an ex-GameSpot employee funnily enough. So thanks Reyna! You're still helping GameSpot, even from afar. We appreciate your donation to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.We'd like to also thank Kadithd, who was kind enough to donate to raise money for the kids. Kadithd was also one of the lucky few to earn the Legendary donation and will be honored on the GameSpot site for the duration of the event.If you want to be featured on GameSpot, you'll have to buy a loot box and nab the legendary reward. Remember all loot boxes are $30 USD apiece.Donation Stretch GoalsBuying microdonations isn't the only way to unlock special prizes though. This year, GameSpot's Extra Life marathon will also have a battle pass, and donating money--regardless of how much--will work towards unlocking the marathon's largest prizes. Unlocking the battle pass is a GameSpot community team effort.Our initial goal is to raise $1,500 USD for UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. But we've created 10 stretch goals that are unlocked at different tiers in the battle pass--leading all the way up to $15,000 USD. At $6,000 USD, the GameSpot staff will temporarily stop playing games to take a class to learn how to floss (a very important life skill to have), for example, and at $12,000 USD Peter and Tamoor will shave each others' beards.GameSpot Extra Life 2019 ScheduleUnfortunately, GameSpot's UK office will not be participating in Extra Life this year, but staff members from the San Francisco and Australia offices (as well as contract workers from other locations, like Canada) will be on camera to entertain you with some of their favorite games. As the stream is around the clock, you can tune in anytime throughout the weekend. If you can show up, please stop by and say, "Hi!" Even if you can't donate, we enjoy spending time with you all.This year, we have a jam-packed schedule. After a year of writing articles and producing videos for incredible, but lesser-known games--like the mobile titles that make the platform worthwhile for gaming and the story about a plague that manages to capture what it feels like to be an older sibling--Edmond, Eddie, and Jess from the Australia office are playing through a collection of games that you probably haven't gotten around to yet but should definitely check out. They've left room for more mainstream games too, though, like The Sims 4 and Mortal Kombat 11.The San Francisco office is primarily tackling mainstream titles this time around, such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Bloodborne, Rocket League, Destiny 2, and Pokemon Ruby. Be sure to check out at least parts of the larger blocks, like Michael leading a raid in Final Fantasy XIV or Tamoor and Jake having a speedrunning competition through Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. You can find all the times in the schedule below. Keep in mind, all times are listed in PT.Friday, October 2512 PM - 2 PM -- Jack Box Party Pack 6Lucy James, Tamoor Hussain, Michael Higham, and Mat Paget kickstart the stream with the roster of minigames included in the newest Jack Box Party Pack.2 PM - 4 PM -- Metal Gear Solid Challenge RunTamoor Hussain, Jake Dekker, Ben Janca, and Matt Espineli take a nostalgic trip through the original Metal Gear Solid. Viewers can weaponize their donations to make the experience more difficult (and way more fun to watch).4 PM - 6 PM -- Lynel HuntingMax Blumenthal, Peter Brown, Evan Langer, and Rob Handlery participate in a competition to see who can hunt down the most Lynels in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.6 PM - 8 PM -- Monetize MikuMichael Higham and Ben Janca steal away Hime's girlfriend to host a Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Future concert. Viewers can request songs by donating.8 PM - 12 AM -- The FFXIV Raid Block PartyMichael Higham, Ben Janca, Matt Rorie, and Jan Ochoa embark on a 24-player Final Fantasy XIV raid with members of the GameSpot and Giant Bomb community. Afterward, viewers can donate $10 USD to enter into a Glamour Competition for the chance to win 1 million gil.Saturday, October 2612 AM - 3 AM -- Rock(et) BandRob Handlery, Peter Brown, and Jordan Ramée dunk on fools in Rocket League. Viewers can donate to unlock the trio's true power: using musical instrument video game controllers to control their supersonic acrobatic rocket-powered battle-car.3 AM - 5:30 AM -- Destiny 2 Dungeon Speed RunningDestiny 2 veteran David Ahmadi leads novice Jordan Ramée and newbie Evan Langer through some of the loot shooter's dungeons. Viewers can donate to make the experience more difficult for the fireteam.5:30 AM - 8 AM -- Becoming A LegendJordan Ramée, David Ahmadi, and Evan Langer jump into ranked Apex Legends to raise their respective rankings to Gold tier or higher. Viewers can donate to unlock penalties that will make that journey much more difficult.8 AM - 11 AM -- Competitive SekiroJake Dekker and Tamoor Hussain face off in competitive Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, with points allocated for killing enemies and bosses. To ensure fairness, the competition will be overseen by Lucy James, Mat Paget, Peter Brown, and Kallie Plagge.11 AM - 1 PM -- Spooky Dreamcast GamesTake a walk down memory lane with Peter Brown, Mat Paget, and Jean-Luc Seipke as they play through some of the scarier games found on the Sega Dreamcast: Illbleed, Zombie Revenge, and Nightmare Creatures II.1 PM - 3 PM -- Devil May Cry 5 Stylish RunAlessandro Fillari shows off some of the coolest combos in Devil May Cry 5 while Jean-Luc Seipke, Ben Janca, and Matt Espineli cheer him on. Viewers can mess with Alessandro's flow by donating and unlocking in-game debuffs.3 PM - 5 PM -- Battle For The GridSamantha "Persia" Hancock is joined by the combat developers for Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid. Viewers are encouraged to boot up the game and challenge us--by donating, they can force the devs to play with certain restrictions.5 PM - 6 PM -- Let It Rip! The Beyblade HourTamoor Hussain, Lucy James, and numerous other members of the team break out the ol' plastic stadiums to oversee the first inaugural GameSpot Beyblade Battle Tournament.6 PM - 9 PM -- Pokemon Ruby Nuzlocke RunThe SF office's resident Pokemon expert Kallie Plagge embarks on a journey through the Hoenn region, with the stipulation that she can only catch the first Pokemon she encounters in each area and must abandon any that faint. Lucy James, Jake Dekker, Ben Janca, and Tamoor Hussain will commentate and viewers can donate to add rules and make the run harder. See how far she can get!9 PM - 10 PM -- Vine TheaterGameSpot meme Slack channel leaders Lucy James, Ben Janca, Tamoor Hussain, Kallie Plagge, and Jean-Luc Seipke showcase some of their favorite Vines and try and get to the bottom of why they love them.10 PM - 12 AM -- The Definitive Smash Bros. Cop RankingJake Dekker, Jean-Luc Seipke, Kallie Plagge, and Ben Janca discuss how much of a cop each of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's characters is, and then decide on a definitive, completely correct tier list.Sunday, October 2712 AM - 8 AM -- GameSpot After HoursChastity Vicencio, Ben Janca, Evan Langer, and Alessandro Fillari amp up the stream all through the night with intense multiplayer sessions of Killer Queen Black and Tekken 7, followed by an energizing Just Dance competition and Deadly Premonition spooks.8 AM - 10 AM -- More Rocket LeagueRob Handlery and Peter Brown return to play some more Rocket League. This time, they're joined by Ben Janca.10 AM - 12 PM -- Fortnite Tips From A 10-Year-Old And Ninja's BookRandy Ramsay brings in his kids who will first explain how adults are playing Fortnite incorrectly and then delve into how you can use Ninja's Tips For Influencer Success to become a pro gamer. If there's time, there will be a special follow-up makeup tutorial segment.12 PM - 2 PM -- The Bard's Tale SingalongAs GameSpot's Australia office takes over, Jess McDonell kicks things off with The Bard's Tale. There will be singing too. Donate for a solo or donate for them to stop, totally up to you.2 PM - 5 PM -- Gaming MashupEddie Makuch dives into a trio of games, switching things up every hour. He'll first play the opening hour of Strange Brigade, then show off some of the wacky challenges in What the Golf, and finish his time with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, the latest entry in the shooter franchise. Ask him to eat an onion like it's an apple--he'll do it! (If you donate).5 PM - 7 PM -- Sims 4 Speed RunJess McDonell is going to get her Sim famous as fast as possible. Or get them to the top of the career ladder. She hasn't decided--but one thing is for sure: she has a system and a plan. Viewers can influence said plan by donating and helping or hurting her track to Sim stardom.7 PM - 8 PM -- Some Very Dangerous, Life-Threatening KombatEdmond Tran plays an hour of Mortal Kombat 11.8 PM - 9 PM -- Spin RhythmEdmond Tran plays an hour of brand new rhythm action game, Spin Rhythm XD.9 PM - 11 PM -- Taking On The Blair WitchEddie Makuch dives into the creepy world of Blair Witch while Jess McDonell tries to keep the shrieks to a minimum. Every big scare comes with a reward for those who donate so come for the laughs and the spooks!11 PM - 12 AM -- SpyPartyJess McDonell, Eddie Makuch, and Edmond Tran rotate roles in SpyParty, a two-player game where one person must guide characters through a mission at a party filled with NPCs and the other person is a sniper who must figure out who the player-controlled characters are and kill them.Monday, October 2812 AM - 2 AM -- Siege The DayJean-Luc Seipke, Mat Paget, and Evan Langer jump into some Rainbow Six: Siege online multiplayer matches as the stream reverts back to the San Francisco office.2 AM - 4 AM -- Luigi's MansionIn preparation for the release of Luigi's Mansion 3, Jean-Luc Seipke and Evan Langer play the opening hours of the original GameCube game.4 AM - 8 AM -- Jackie Chan StuntmasterKurt Indovina and Evan Langer play through True Fiction-related video games, make balloon animals, shoot confetti, and reveal strange facts about one another's lives. Things get weird at four o'clock in the morning.8 AM - 10 AM -- Baby's First BloodborneRob Handlery has never played Bloodborne, but he hears it's a decent game so he's going to try it out. Bloodborne fanatics Tamoor Hussain, Jake Dekker, Kurt Indovina, and Mat Paget are on standby to make sure he doesn't make any significant blunders.10 AM - 12 PM -- More Call of Duty: Modern WarfareMichael Higham concludes this year's Extra Life with more online multiplayer matches in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Kallie Plagge (who's reviewing the game) and Jake Dekker will be joining him to commentate on his performance or take over if he needs a break.Livestream Segment ExplainersSome of the segments in this year's Extra Life marathon are a bit more complex than the others. Below, you'll find a list of articles that expound on certain Extra Life segments in a bit more detail.Monetize Miku: Hatsune Miku And Persona Rhythm Game Jukebox SegmentThe FFXIV Raid Block Party: Final Fantasy XIV Alliance Raid Party SegmentInfo from Gamespot.com

The Modern Warfare series has always been about the messiness of modern war--the fundamentally different rules of engagement that come with a battle that has no set battlefield. When the fight could be anywhere at any time, where do you draw the line between doing what's right and doing what has to be done?Throughout Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's campaign, that line is chemical weapons. It's a safe line to draw; people are largely in agreement that chemical weapons are beyond horrific. But there are other horrors of war, some of which Modern Warfare depicts, starkly, in strong but uncomfortable missions. Just when it could really make a point about any other aspect of modern war, it pulls back. Modern Warfare makes old observations and presents them with new flourishes. Those new flourishes do make for a good campaign and solid multiplayer. But it's when Modern Warfare asks you to think harder that it falls short.CampaignIn one of the game's most distressing levels, you play Farah, a young girl in a fictional war-torn Middle Eastern country as she hides from both a Russian terrorist and the deadly gas his cohorts have unleashed on her town. To escape, you have to kill a man twice your size with his own gun. It's a deeply uncomfortable experience. But the flashback serves to illustrate why Farah, now the leader of a group of freedom fighters, refuses to use chemical weapons or associate with anyone who does. It is a hard line she won't cross, even though she's had to face a lot of ugliness in the course of defending her country.In many ways, Farah is Modern Warfare's moral compass. There are a few key players in Modern Warfare's proxy war, and everyone you play as--Sgt. Kyle Garrick from the UK, rogue American soldier Alex "Echo 3-1," and sometimes Farah herself--abides by her one rule. Outside of that, though, the rules are much murkier. In getting pulled into a war between the Russian terrorists, a separatist group from Farah's country, and the freedom fighters, US and UK military personnel disagree on how best to proceed with the situation--matters of disobeying orders, sacrificing some lives to save others, taking civilian hostages, and even torture. And on these matters, the moral compass is Captain Price.A returning face from the original Modern Warfare and undeniably a problematic fave, Captain Price is the seasoned badass who takes the lead in most Garrick missions. Early levels with Price are among the best. As a rash and impatient Garrick, you follow Price's directions in order to save as many people as possible from terrorists--though more than once that means watching as innocent people die while you wait to make the best possible move.These missions range from large-scale, high-octane firefights to a carefully planned raid on a terrorist hideout with less than a dozen enemies total. You direct a woman through an embassy under siege using security cameras to make sure her path is clear. You quietly search a compound for an enemy using night vision goggles as Price watches overhead, shooting out lights to keep you hidden. Price guides you through the different approaches you need for each mission, and his mentorship--both in the mechanical skills you need to be successful and the hard choices you have to make along the way--makes these missions memorable.While Alex's missions don't stick out quite as much in a gameplay sense, he gets a sniping level reminiscent of the original Modern Warfare's "All Ghillied Up"--though with more enemies--and otherwise a few cool gadgets. His dynamic with Farah is strong, though. He follows Farah's lead on her turf and on her terms because he believes in the cause, and they share mutual respect.It's disappointing, though, that Farah doesn't play more of a role. While she is a key part of Alex's missions and the driving force behind much of the story, you only play as her a few times. On top of the childhood flashback, there is an even more disturbing flashback later on in which you see the full extent of Farah's resolve. Experiencing her suffering this way borders on unnecessary, as it's already established in Alex's missions that she's a respected leader and a strong-willed person in general. While I liked Alex, I would have rather just played as Farah in those missions than get to know her character largely through her trauma.I already liked and respected Farah without that context, and despite some questionable decisions, I liked each of the main characters and their small but crucial differences in working toward the same goals. Farah and Alex are principled, whereas Garrick and Price are results-driven. Alex goes so far as to disobey orders in favor of doing what's right, and when he's told that would be illegal, he responds, "I'm pretty sure everything we do is illegal." To Alex, it's a criticism; to Price and Garrick, it's an excuse.That tension builds up over the course of the campaign, and because the characters are likable, it's easy to at least consider each one's view of what's right. But in the end, all you get is a vague "we all did what we had to do" sentiment rather than anything more substantial or interesting. Quite a bit of what you had to do--as Garrick, as Alex, and as Farah--was unpleasant or distressing, but the questions raised by your actions aren't interrogated further, especially the questionable side of Price's approach. Modern Warfare's ending isn't bad, but it is a safe one, leaving you to think on the harder questions yourself.If anything, Modern Warfare lets Farah down with the bizarre and much-discussed inclusion of white phosphorus as a killstreak in multiplayer. Given how strong the campaign's emphasis is on chemical weapons being a reprehensible war crime, it's tone-deaf to include one in multiplayer, even though one could argue--much like Alex does--that pretty much all of it is illegal at the end of the day.MultiplayerOutside of any thematic contradictions, Modern Warfare's multiplayer is up to par, with a variety of game types for different kinds of players. Across all the modes, maps move away from the obvious three-lane structure in favor of nooks, crannies, and tons of cover; there's generally a balance of close-quarters and long-range approaches. The standard, highly customizable toolkit for your chosen loadouts returns, with a good selection of perks to suit different game types and playstyles. Modern Warfare largely stays within the strong foundations of Call of Duty multiplayer without pushing them much, with the exception of the excellent Realism mode.Undeniably the highlight of Modern Warfare's multiplayer, Realism mode is somewhere between the familiar Core and Hardcore modes, bridging the gulf between them. Oddly enough, in a mode called "Realism," you can take more damage than in Hardcore, and your health regenerates like it does in Core. But Realism removes the HUD entirely, going beyond Hardcore to strip out the kill feed on top of everything else. In order to confirm a kill, you have to listen for the sound effect that plays upon death, and you also have to listen for NPCs over the comms alerting you to available killstreaks and enemy intel. It's a fantastic balance for those who want more of a chance to survive a scrap, rather than dying in one or two shots like in Hardcore, but with the rest of the challenge intact. It's a smart, satisfying evolution, and as a stubborn Hardcore-only player, it's one I could see myself playing exclusively going forward.While none of the new game types are earth-shattering, some are better additions than others. TDM 20, a 10v10 version of the classic 6v6 Team Deathmatch mode, is the least inventive or warranted of them, instead functioning as a more bloated version of regular TDM with bigger maps that can make getting back into the action an overly long process. One of the two maps I've tried, Euphrates Bridge, also suffers from balance problems on top of that; of the two spawns, one is much closer to the bridge dividing the map, and the closer side was almost guaranteed victory in every match I played. My team once managed to flip the spawn mid-match after struggling against snipers on the bridge for a while, and from there we were able to gain the lead relatively easily.Gunfight is the antithesis of TDM 20. It's a one-life, 2v2 mode in which your loadout rotates each round, and the goal is to kill your two opponents with the means available to you before they get you first. Gunfight features small maps with two main routes on each, and quick coordination with your partner--a "you go left, I'll go right" at the beginning, plus callouts over voice chat if things go haywire--can make or break the fight. With a relatively level playing field, battles are often exhilaratingly close, and it's hard to get discouraged by a loss since rounds go by so quickly. There's also a version where you start without any weapons and have to find a gun in the map, which is a fun scramble before the frenzy of Gunfight itself. Either way, the more arcadey bent to Gunfight keeps things light and makes both versions a great addition to the multiplayer suite, if not a huge draw.Ground War is somewhere in the middle. Maps are sprawling, with five control points to capture and one safe zone for each team on either end. Unlike in TDM 20, you can pretty easily get back to the fight after dying by respawning at any capture point your team owns, or on vehicles or your teammates (provided they're not actively in a fight). Having objective points is also helpful for keeping such a large game type--it supports 64 players currently--more structured than the free-for-all of TDM. That said, matches can drag on a bit too long, as there isn't anything to break up the constant tug-of-war for capture points.There's also a night vision mode, NVG, for a different take on the same maps, and by its nature it makes things a bit more tense. It pretty much plays the same as the other game types, but you don't aim down sights in night vision--you have a laser, and that laser is easy to spot. You have to be extra cautious when lining up your shots, paying close attention to sightlines and who might see where your beam is coming from. Like in the campaign, the threatening glow of these beams cutting through the darkness looks excellent, and the slight change of pace NVG affords is enough to keep it interesting and distinct from the daytime modes. Editor's note: As of October 24, Infinity Ward has removed NVG maps from the rotation and has said it will add them in at a later time. Stay tuned for updates.Spec OpsAs of this writing, Spec Ops is the mode I've had the least experience with, though it's not one I particularly want to play much more of. On paper, it's a co-op mode where you and a team complete a set of objectives and are rewarded with some story. You can choose one of several roles at the onset, each with its own ultimate ability--there's a medic, for instance, that can revive fallen teammates--and as a group, you have to work together to overcome enemies while gaining intel, heading to specific objective points, and so on.In practice, my team of four could barely complete a handful of the objectives on both of the missions we attempted. This was largely due to frustrating enemy spawning--enemies seem to generate endlessly from all directions, and it's all too easy to get overwhelmed by them. To add insult to injury, there are also no clear waves. It's just enemies, from everywhere, at all times. After struggling to fight them off, reviving each other was we each inevitably died, we would end up running out of ammo and dying for good.We tried a few different approaches on each of the two missions to try to figure it out. Splitting up was a disaster; stealth seemed to have no impact whatsoever on the number of enemies; different loadouts with PvE-friendly perks helped marginally. No matter what we did, it didn't help our understanding of the mode itself. It's just frustratingly, inexplicably hard. That said, I will be trying it again in the coming days to see if there was anything we were missing, and I also have to play the PS4-exclusive Survival mode as well as Spec Ops' Classic mode.But the pitfalls of Spec Ops don't detract from what Modern Warfare does well. Realism mode is an excellent addition to the slate, and although not all the new multiplayer modes are great, Gunfight and the Night Vision playlist are refreshing standouts. And while the campaign ends up playing it safe in the end, it's still a memorable one, and it lays a strong foundation for where the Modern Warfare series could go from here.Editor's note: This review, including the score, will be finalized once we've tested multiplayer on live servers and played more Spec Ops. Info from Gamespot.com

As the launch of Disney+ gets closer, Marvel shows on other networks are winding down. The latest causality is the Freeform show Cloak and Dagger, which has been cancelled after two seasons.As reported by Variety, Cloak and Dagger Season 2, which premiered in April this year, was the final season. The show launched in June 2018, and starred Olivia Holt and Aubrey Joseph as a pair of runaway teenagers who are given super powers after they are fed a dangerous drug. It was based on the Marvel characters that first appeared in comic books in 1982.Cloak and Dagger's cancellation means that there are now only two active Marvel shows left--Runaways, which returns to Hulu for Season 3 in December, and Agents of SHIELD, the seventh and final season of which is due next year. All of Netflix's Marvel shows were cancelled over the past year, and it was recently reported that a new Ghost Rider series was scrapped at Hulu before production had even started.However, Marvel TV fans have plenty to look forward to. There are a number of new shows in the works for Disney+, which launches next month. These include Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, Hawkeye, and the Scarlet Witch and Vision series WandaVision. There's also the supernatural-themed series Helstrom in development at Hulu.There have been a few behind-the-scenes changes at Marvel recently. Earlier this week it was reported that Marvel TV boss Jeph Loeb is about to leave his role, with Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige now in charge of all Marvel creative platforms, including movies, TV, and animation.For more check, check out GameSpot's guide to everything that will be available on day one of Disney+.Info from Gamespot.com

Earlier this year, Capcom announced that Monster Hunter World: Iceborne would be coming to PC in January, five months after it was initially released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. That timeframe has now been narrowed down to a specific date: January 9, 2020.A new trailer showcases what PC players can expect from the Nergigante-sized expansion to the critically-acclaimed Monster Hunter World. The PC version will include high-resolution texture pack support, 4K and an uncapped framerate, support for ultra-wide screens, DirectX 12 support, and improved mouse and keyboard controls. Those who pre-order the game on Steam will also receive a Yukomo layered armor set, while the deluxe digital edition includes gestures, sticker sets, a Silver Knight layered armor set, and more.The trailer does an excellent job showing off all the visual enhancements available on PC. The extra time was clearly put to good use. Back in September, Ginny Woo praised the expansion in GameSpot's Monster Hunter World: Iceborne review, saying "There's no more fussing about with new systems or worrying about ruffling the feathers of hardcore fans with a direction change in the series; those teething problems have already come and gone. Iceborne is a confident step into the future of the franchise, and it's hard not to think about what might come next."You can preorder Iceborne on Steam now ahead of its release on January 9.Info from Gamespot.com

Starbreeze will resume work on Payday 2, with some changes, in an effort to get the company back on track financially. A message from CEO Mikael Nermark posted to the Steam Community frankly outlined the company's current struggles and how it's aiming to make changes to its roadmap ahead.To start, Nermark explains the background of Starbreeze going into reconstruction, a process similar to US Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It has remained afloat despite being very short on funds, but now the company is making changes to assure it can keep going. And part of that includes going back to developing content for its successful game, Payday 2. But in the process, Nermark also recognizes openly that the studio is "breaking a promise," which he says they do not take lightly.The Payday 2: Ultimate Edition was proposed as a way to get forever-free DLC, and that commitment is being broken. Nermark says, "We want to move forward and make more of Payday 2, and to do so we need your support to continue producing content."The Ultimate Edition is being replaced by a new Payday 2: Legacy Collection. The studio is also adding back an a la carte option for individual DLC. More Payday 2 content is coming as well, said to be coming soon.Starbreeze has been struggling since late last year, when it filed for reconstruction amid low sales of its Walking Dead game. Shortly after, its office was raided as part of an insider trading investigation. Nermark was named acting CEO in December 2018.≈Info from Gamespot.com