Pokemon Go's September Community Day takes place this weekend, and shortly after the event, Niantic will roll out the game's third and final wave of Ultra Bonuses. This last batch of rewards will include the first appearance Gen 5 Pokemon, and the developer has been teasing some of the new monsters that players can expect to encounter.The latest teaser features a silhouette of Yamask, an unsettling Ghost-type first introduced in Pokemon Black and White. According to Yamask's Pokedex entry, the Pokemon carries around a mask of the face it had when it was alive, and it would occasionally look at the mask and begin to cry. Yeah.🕵 Reports show that each of these Pokémon carries a mask that used to be its face when it was human. Sometimes they look at it and cry... 🎭 pic.twitter.com/cod7xl1HA0 — Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) September 13, 2019Niantic hasn't confirmed how many Gen 5 Pokemon will initially arrive in Go, although this marks the fourth teaser the developer has dropped in the lead up to the final wave of Ultra Bonuses. Prior teaser images featured the silhouettes of Black and White's three starter Pokemon: the Grass-type Snivy, the Fire-type Tepig, and the Water-type Oshawott. You can take a look at them below.🕵️ Reports show that this Pokémon is very intelligent and calm and can photosynthesize by bathing its tail in sunlight. pic.twitter.com/vk7pesV0DJ — Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) September 10, 2019🕵️ Reports show that this Pokémon can shoot fireballs from its nose. It also uses this ability to roast Berries before it eats them. 🐽🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🍓😋 pic.twitter.com/vqozIuR0dS — Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) September 11, 2019🕵️ Reports show that this Pokémon has a scalchop on its stomach to use in battle and to break open hard Berries. For those who don’t know, a scalchop is a shell-type weapon. pic.twitter.com/p7AcAaT4sS — Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) September 13, 2019The third wave of Ultra Bonuses will arrive on September 16. In addition to the aforementioned Pokemon, we know that Klink and its Shiny form will appear in Raid Battles, while Shiny Patrat and Shiny Lillipup will be available in the wild. Mewtwo will also return to five-star Raids during the final week of Ultra Bonuses, and this time, it'll know the Psychic-type attack Psystrike. Players will also have a chance to encounter Shiny Mewtwo.In the meantime, the second wave of Ultra Bonuses are still available, giving you a few more days to hatch region-exclusive Pokemon from 7 km eggs and encounter all four forms of Deoxys in Raids. This month's Community Day, meanwhile, takes place this Sunday, September 15, and it features the Gen 4 starter Turtwig.Info from Gamespot.com

With Tokyo Game Show 2019 happening, plenty of news has come out of upcoming Japanese games, including Final Fantasy VII Remake. While we got a fresh look at the new combat system, along with seeing Tifa and Aerith in action (and the summoning of Ifrit), we also got details on Classic mode. And series producer Yoshinori Kitase took the stage to show off the game and walk through how Classic mode works.In case you're out of the loop, the standard combat system for FF7 Remake has you attacking in real-time to fill up the ATB gauge, which then allows you to pause the action to execute special attacks, cast spells, and use items. Thus, it plays like an action RPG. However, in Classic mode, standard attacks are automated and the ATB gauge fills up on its own. You won't have to worry about the real-time action aspect, and you would only need to take care of executing commands as if it was a traditional turn-based RPG.The official Final Fantasy VII Remake Twitter account briefly outlined the system in a series of tweets:We got a glimpse at both "Easy" and "Normal" modes from the in-game option menus, and Kitase-san then showed us a new combat mode, named "Classic Mode". pic.twitter.com/MTVKeFgBL6 — FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE (@finalfantasyvii) September 14, 2019Classic mode is a separate gameplay option that's intended to make the combat feel closer to how it worked in the original game's turn-based system. Official footage from the stage show has not been released yet, so if you were not able to catch the segment during the stream, you'll have to wait to see it in action. For more on Final Fantasy 7 Remake, be sure to check out the hot TGS trailer that shows off Shinra's villainous goons known as The Turks or the latest FF7 Remake gameplay. You can also see how the squatting minigame has been recreated or watch our early hands-on impressions of the game from PAX West 2019.Info from Gamespot.com

During its Tokyo Game Show 2019 stream, Square Enix showed off more gameplay from the Final Fantasy 7 Remake. While the majority of the demo was the same as what was shown during E3 2019, the company did surprise viewers by providing a showcase of Aerith, Tifa, and Cloud battling a boss enemy.The gameplay was narrated by Yoshinori Kitase, who served as the director of the PlayStation original and is producer on the remake. Although the explanation was entirely in Japanese, the gameplay allowed fans to glean some new details. The boss in question is Aps, who is encountered in the Midgar Sewers.Aerith, who traditionally occupies the magic-user/healer role in Final Fantasy VII's parties, is shown bolstering the magical abilities of her teammates. In the gameplay, she puts down a magical field which Tifa enters. Once inside the field, Tifa is shown executing a series of Thunder strikes consecutively.Tifa, meanwhile, is still the bruiser, throwing herself at the enemy and delivering brutal rushes of punches and kicks. She still packs a punch and during the gameplay executes some really flashy special combos. At one point a Limit Break move was used and she executed an impressive somersault kick.Perhaps the most exciting reveal was Ifrit, who was summoned into battle through a Materia slotted into Cloud's Buster Sword. Ifrit operate independently, while the player continues to control the three party members. However, the summoned monster seemed to follow Cloud's lead, attacking by launching himself into the enemy and breathing fire on it when Cloud was on the offense, but backing away when his summoner did. Ifrit could also be commanded to use special abilities such as Flare Burst, which summoned hellfire to damage Aps.Before leaving the battlefield, Ifrit summons a swirling cyclone of flames that wrapped up the enemy and, ultimately, dealt the killing blow. It was a flashy, cinematic move that looked very cool.During the presentation Kitase also showed off the new squatting mini-game, which has been fleshed out quite significantly. While the classic Final Fantasy VII version was a fairly simply experience, the remade version has a rhythm game element to it where buttons are pressed in specific timing to ensure the character maintains balance.The PlayStation TGS stream is ongoing and, at the time of writing, the footage hasn't been released online through official channels. However, you can watch fan captures like the one above.Info from Gamespot.com

Tokyo Game Show 2019 is now in full swing. A number of games are being shown at the event and among them is Death Stranding. Over the course of the show game director Hideo Kojima will appear on three streams to showcase gameplay from Death Stranding. The first provided more insight into more of Death Stranding's open-world gameplay, which involves navigating mountainous terrains to deliver goods and even sneaking through bases, which will be a welcome treat for fans of Kojima's Metal Gear Solid titles. The second Death Stranding demo, meanwhile, focused on the safe house; a private area of sorts where players will spend time between missions.As shown in the demo, in this area you don't actually play as Norman Reedus's character, Sam Porter Bridges. Instead, you play as a "soul" that commands his actions. The player has free reign over the camera and Sam will react to your movements. During the presentation, Kojima compared it to a Bishojo Game, where it's about interacting with the character on screen. In the demo Sam was pointing at where he wants to go, such as the shower because he was covered in dirt or the storage area where weapons are kept, where he can stock up and inspect his tools.Since Sam is basically at home in the safe house and you can observe him with less pressure of being set upon by the strange things that occupy the world outside. Opportunists who try and swing the camera around to look at Norman's Reedus, when the chance arises, will find that he covers his bits up. Keep trying to look at his junk and eventually he'll lose his cool and punch you, which results in the lens of the camera cracking.As the soul influencing Sam's action, you can get him to shower. Given that it's a Kojima Production game, it shouldn't come as a surprise to hear that the act of taking a shower has some unexpected gameplay implications too. The biological fluid collected from your showers is converted into a crystal which can then be used to power weapons. This process also happens outside of the shower--it seems Death Stranding takes place in a world where effectively using your pee, poop, sweat, and blood is important to survival.Another interesting element of Death Stranding shown during the demo was Sam's interaction with the enigmatic Bridge Baby, also known as a BB. The child is shown mimicking what Sam does, so when he taps on the glass, BB does the same. But then BB gets a bit too into it and escalates to smashing its head against the glass, eventually breaking through--but it turns out to be a daydream.Death Stranding will also let players return to the game world after the credits roll and help out fellow players by leaving things that will guide them on their journey. As shown in the first gameplay demo, players will be able to rate these.There are a number of other small things revealed in the demo, such as the ability to wear sunglasses and customize aspects of your character. One such thing you can customize is your backpack, which you can add additional pouches or batteries to. Players will have to physically place them and use limited space efficiently. It's reminiscent of the inventory from Resident Evil 4. You can also change the color of the backpack, if you're into that sort of the thing.Eventually, Sam points at the table and directs your attention there. On the table are a number of items, including a jar with some sort of bug in there, which Sam eats. There's also a pretty rad-looking pair of sunglasses, which Sam puts on and models, before giving a thumbs up to the camera. A hat with the Bridges logo can also be found on the table, and the colors of the glasses and hat can be tweaked.On a nearby wall is a holographic map of the world, where players can look at main missions, read important mail--which sometimes feature mission hints, requests, or general correspondence. There's a data archive that contains important documents that will fill the player in on the world and story.Much later in the game demo, we're shown a scene from the viewpoint of a BB, who is seeing Mads Mikkelsen's character drinking wine. He talks to the BB and then toasts it, before taking a sip of the wine--it's a bit weird and out of place, but it's Death Stranding, so to be expected. A quick cut later and we're back in the open-world, customizing voice clips that alert Sam to key information, selecting music, andThere are a number of cool little touches in the location which you can see for yourself in the video. These include a music player, drinkable beer, singing with characters in other dimensions, and a mirror that takes pictures of you when you pose and make funny faces, among other things.Make sure to watch the first presentation too, if you haven't already. It's around an hour of Death Stranding gameplay and showed off a boss battle, bike travel, and more.Death Stranding's release date has been confirmed as November 8, 2019 for PS4.Info from Gamespot.com

The new Joker movie starring Joaquin Phoenix is set for a huge opening weekend at the box office. A box office projection reported by Deadline claims the comic book movie is expected to make around $90 million for its opening weekend to set a new record for best October opening in movie history for the United States and Canada.If it reaches that much money, Joker would surpass the previous domestic October record-holder, Venom, which made $80.2 million over its first weekend. A second tracking service said Joker was lining up to make $82 million over its opening weekend in the Americas. Deadline also reports that it heard earlier in the week, "from those close to Joker," that the film was tracking towards an opening in the range of $65 million to $80 million.Joker was produced on a relatively low budget of a reported $55 million (before marketing spend), so given these estimates (which don't even include any international predictions), it seems like that the movie will be a big success commercially no matter where in the range it lands. That could spell a change for DC movies going forward, as director Todd Phillips spoke at the Toronto International Film Festival that he originally pitched Joker as a movie that exists inside a new label of standalone films. If Joker is a commercial success, you can imagine Warner Bros. looking to make more, though nothing is confirmed at this stage."The original idea when I went to Warners was not just about one movie but a label, a side-label to DC where you can do these kind of character study, low-rent, low-budget movies where you get a filmmaker to come in and do some deep dive into a character," Phillips said.The director added that Joker, and presumably the other movies that would come out of the new DC side-label, would not connect to the wider DC extended universe. That's why Phoenix's Joker is not expected to meet up with Robert Pattinson's Batman.Joker's release on October 3 is still a few weeks off, so box office estimates could change. Keep checking back with GameSpot for the latest.GameSpot's Joker review scored the comic book movie a 10/10. "It might make you uncomfortable, and it will no doubt stay with you long after the curtains close; great movies often do," reviewer Michael Rougeau said.Info from Gamespot.com

Monster Hunter World's big new expansion, Iceborne, is already big commercial success. Capcom has announced that the add-on shipped 2.5 million copies following its release on September 6.This counts copies sold digitally on PS4 and Xbox One, as well as units of the game's Master Edition shipped to retailers and sold digitally. The PC version of Iceborne is slated to launch in January 2020.Monster Hunter World the base game has shipped 13.1 million copies as of June 30, which makes it the most successful game in Capcom's history. It's well ahead of the next biggest game, Resident Evil 5, which has shipped 7.5 million copies, according to Capcom's public sales data. The entire Monster Hunter series, meanwhile, has passed 58 million copies shipped to date.Iceborne is a $40 USD expansion that adds all manner of new things to Monster Hunter World, including more story content and monsters to defeat. For more, check out our Iceborne tips guide.In GameSpot's 9/10 Iceborne review, Ginny Woo said, "Iceborne is a confident step into the future of the franchise, and it's hard not to think about what might come next."Info from Gamespot.com

Pokemon Sword and Shield's release date of November 15 is fast approaching, with new information about the Nintendo Switch games coming all the time. Now, we've got our first glimpse of a new Pokemon who looks a little familiar.The official Pokemon website currently features a fun, intentional glitch whereby an unknown creature moves around the screen, evading your mouse. Once you manage to catch it, you're taken to a Pokedex listing for the monster, but many details, including the image, name, and parts of the description, are obscured.What we do know is that the creature is a Fighting type who weighs 257.9 lbs. It possesses the Steadfast ability, and its description reads: "Only [BLANK] that have survived many battles can attain this [BLANK]. When this Pokemon's [BLANK] [BLANK]ers, it will retire from combat."While the creature's glitchy appearance has drawn comparisons to Pokemon Red and Blue's MissingNo bug, some fans have speculated the unknown creature is actually an evolved form of Farfetch'd. Others say it could be a successor to Marowak. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!My SPECULATION:Only Farfetch'd that have survived many battles can attain this evolution. When this Pokémon's stick/leek shatters, it will retire from combat.The image appears to be something holding up a sword cane. The green and white makes me think a leek. pic.twitter.com/wFRUjMg150 — ⚔️ PLDH 🛡 (@PLDHnet) September 13, 2019Elsewhere, it recently emerged that Pokemon Sword and Shield may utilize autosave for the first time in the mainline series' history. A recent trailer also brought us a glimpse at new Gen 8 Pokemon, trainer customization, camping, and more.Info from Gamespot.com

PES 2020's release date has arrived, and Konami's soccer game, newly rebranded to be called eFootball, is in the hands of both players and critics alike. You've seen all the pre-release talk of Juventus's exclusivity, of the Manchester United partnership, and of the lack of women's football. However, the big question remains: is the game any good?GameSpot's reviewer certainly thought so: Richard Wakeling awarded it a 9/10 in our PES 2020 review, and you can read a snippet of that below. You can also take a look at a roundup of the game's critical reception, though if you prefer, you can head on over to GameSpot sister site Metacritic to get the full picture.Game: PES 2020Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PCDeveloper / Publisher: KonamiRelease date: Out nowPrice: $60 / £45 / AU $85GameSpot -- 9/10"The licensing issue revolving around PES will likely never going go away, and people are still going to download option files to get all of the official kits and badges anyway. Like its predecessors, eFootball PES 2020 continues to do its talking on the pitch, refining and improving on last year's game to present what might be the greatest football game ever made. Sure, it's disappointing that you still can't play as Borussia Dortmund and the majority of the Bundesliga and a few other leagues, and its single-player offering is almost identical to what was included three years ago. But all of this effortlessly drifts to the back of your mind once you step between those white lines and simply start playing the beautiful game." -- Richard Wakeling [Full review]GamesRadar+ -- 4/5"For the most part, eFootball PES 2020 offers up a faithful replication of the beautiful game. It's easily the most realistic PES to date, with various visual tweaks and gameplay enhancements proving key additions. It’s also a more immersive game than last year, particularly in terms of the new TV-style camera and growing number of major licenses, boosting its sense of legitimacy both on and off the pitch. The lack of inventiveness applied to some modes--such as the ever-popular myClub--is a shame, and even Master League isn't yet the finished package. But when the quality of the football is this good, it’s easy to forgive a few own goals." -- Fraser Gilbert [Full review]Game Informer -- 8.0/10"PES 2020's small details create moments that bring into focus the fine margins that determine the results of many soccer games. When compared to the game’s similarities to last year it seems like minutia, but these are the things that elevate it from previous efforts and make PES 2020 look and feel correct. It’s a better game, even if it’s not evolved in every way. It’s like when a manager expresses how pleased they are of the team after a draw: You know they wanted the outright win, but they are also satisfied with the team’s overall performance. PES 2020 can be a familiar experience, but that shouldn’t blind you to its finer moments." -- Matthew Kato [Full review]Trusted Reviews -- 4/5"It's undoubtedly the definitive football sim of 2020. PES 2020 takes what you love about the series and makes it more satisfying and fun, without sacrificing its simulation pedigree. The lack of captivating online and offline game modes hold it back, however." -- Adam Speight [Full review]Metro UK"Issues aside, this is another hugely exciting entry to the series. Minor surgery is needed in some areas and sure, you need an overhaul in others but you have to hope Konami will be going all-guns-blazing into the next-gen console era because the on-pitch quality is so impressive. For matchdays, it is leagues above FIFA." -- Jay Jaffa [Full review]Info from Gamespot.com

By now you might have heard that NHL 20, which is launching today on PS4 and Xbox One, features a battle royale mode. How does battle royale work in an ice hockey context? Not the way you'd expect. GameSpot recently caught up with EA Sports producer Sean Ramjagsingh, and he spoke to us about NHL 20's battle royale mode, called Eliminator, and lots more.Ramjagsingh was careful to point out that Eliminator is not a true battle royale experience like another EA game, Apex Legends, or Fortnite and PUBG. "We don't drop a hundred hockey players on an island to spear each other," he explained, though it's exciting--or actually probably horrifying--to think about that.In the battle royale mode, you can go it alone in Ones or team up with two others in Threes to try to survive four consecutive rounds in a bracket to win the tournament. Like the battle royale games it's inspired by, it's challenging and high-stakes, and it encourages you to keep coming back and improve your skills and eventually get crowned winner.Like a real battle royale game, NHL 20's version of it aims to capture the intensity and the fear of losing and having to start over. In that way, it's highly replayable, and the time investment is never too long. Winning four matches to win the overall tournament takes about 20 minutes.Ramjagsingh also spoke to us about NHL 20's updated pond hockey mode, Ones, which this year features an offline mode for local couch play, as well as four new rinks and other welcome adjustments."It's in the little details that create that different look and feel. The ice is really different when you don't have a Zamboni clean it after every 20 minutes of play," he said. "The lighting is completely natural, creating shadows you don’t see playing under indoor lights. And you'll hear ambient sounds of wildlife and city life that were created specifically for each rink."Pond hockey was introduced to the NHL series with NHL 19, and while Ramjagsingh declined to share player-usage numbers, he said the mode overall surpassed his expectations."I assumed it'd be a casual mode that players would play just to get their feet wet in World of Chel. But what happened was that players found Ones super competitive and came back over and over again, often to fill the time between longer matches in EASHL," he said.You can read GameSpot's full interview with Ramjagsingh below. NHL 20 is out now for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.What's new in pond hockey mode this year?Pond hockey goes much wider this year. We have four gorgeous and memorable outdoor rinks. The Farm captures the nostalgia of the Canadian prairies and mid-western U.S. The Park is an urban oasis where kids anywhere might have dragged their skates and sticks to the local pond. The Canal brings to life the fantasy of playing hockey on the world’s largest skating rink. And The Peak elevates hockey to 20,000 feet above sea level.Also, these outdoor rinks are available in more modes than before: Ones, EASHL 3v3/6v6, and now Threes. That last one looks absolutely incredible at night-time.Specifically on the offline mode feature, can you talk about the decision to introduce offline play this year?We knew that we’d have fans asking for a couch-play version this year. It was just too addictive for many players that it was an easy decision, but we wanted Ones Now to stand on its own offline. So we added a selection of NHL players, icons, and mascots to choose from. Each has its own style of AI to add variety to gameplay. We pulled together the four new outdoor rinks with the four from Carter Lake in NHL 19. And we added stat tracking per controller so you can easily track who has bragging rights, either for the current session for all-time. In short, it’s the ultimate party game for hockey fans.Looking at the feedback from last year, what areas did you want to focus on for pond hockey across all facets like gameplay, presentation, etc.?I think delivering a full-fleshed Ones Now mode was very important, so it could instantly appeal to casual and hardcore fans. Ones was a fast way to play to log lots of wins or to fill time between longer matches. But offline, it’s super-fast to play. There’s no waiting for matchmaking or syncing. And with preset characters to choose from, you don’t need to even create a custom players as you’d do in Ones in World of Chel.One more key change was introducing a more compact format to Ones online. Playing for the Daily Ones Championship meant having to log literally hours on the top rink. And only one player could feel like the champ. In Ones Eliminator, we put you into a tournament quickly with 80 other players without sitting in a Dressing Room. Losing a game means starting over in a new tournament. Stringing together four wins in a row makes you a champ. These changes may sound really simple, but the result is a mode that’s actually easier to get in and harder to put down. Pond hockey was brand-new in NHL 19. Apart from the Winter Classics, it was the first time the series had gone fully outdoors. How do you go about surprising and wowing people a second time?I’m proud of how our artists captured the look and feel of playing outside on a cold winter’s day in NHL 19. But this year, each one of the new outdoor rinks has a very distinct vibe. For example, The Farm and its big sky and light snow make it awesome and quiet at the same time. And playing in the tree-cast shadows of The Canal turn a big city attraction into something that feels so natural. I’m sure our fans will be wowed, and will bring their own hockey memories and fantasies to these great venues.The new locations look terrific and varied. What drew you to these locations specifically?In recent years, EA Sports NHL has embraced the challenge of showing hockey in all of its forms. EASHL is the ultimate cooperative experience. Threes introduced over-the-top action and playing as mascots. Ones captured the freedom and creativity of outdoor pond hockey. We choose the new outdoor locations to bring new visual and emotional depth to this wide variety of game modes.In creating the outdoor environments and replicating the pond hockey experience, what kind of research was involved?Lots of photos, videos, and maps were involved. And the passion of an art team that re-iterated these rinks until everyone in the room was so proud of the results.What kinds of things have you done with NHL 20 to replicate pond hockey culture?It’s in the little details that create that different look and feel. The ice is really different when you don’t have a Zamboni clean it after every 20 minutes of play. The lighting is completely natural, creating shadows you don’t see playing under indoor lights. And you’ll hear ambient sounds of wildlife and city life that were created specifically for each rink.How does progression work in Ones this year relative to last? And what kinds of things can you collect?We split Ones into Ones Eliminator online and Ones Now couch play. In Ones Eliminator, you win your way through a four-round tournament. The further you get, the rarer the vanity items you can win. And in Ones Now, the more you play, the more choices you unlock. You’ll unlock more outdoor rinks, more NHL stars, more NHL icons (like Mario Lemieux), and more mascots (yes, Gritty is one of them). Your version of battle royale is a cool standout feature for Ones this year. Can you talk about why you wanted to get involved with the battle royale phenomenon and how it works in NHL 20?I’d say we didn’t get involved in Battle Royale per se. We don’t drop a hundred hockey players on an island to spear each other. For Ones Eliminator, we included elements that make sense for an online hockey tournament: fast matchmaking, match intensity because of the fear of losing and having to start over, and being able to be a champion within about 20 minutes. Our Ones daily tournament took, well, a day to be crowned champion. I’d say 20 minutes is a lot more accessible! (Note that we still have the daily championship for those dedicated enough to win the most Eliminators in a single day!)Are there any player numbers or datapoints you can provide that speak to the popularity of Ones within the NHL package?We don’t share usage numbers with the public. But what I can say is that Ones surpassed my expectations. I assumed it’d be a casual mode that players would play just to get their feet wet in World of Chel. But what happened was that players found Ones super competitive and came back over and over again, often to fill the time between longer matches in EASHL. The NHL video game package altogether has multiple elements that are all quite different; the standard sim game, Franchise, Ultimate Team, Threes, and Ones. What are some of the challenges of making the overall experience feel cohesive with so many disparate elements?I think it’s the second-to-second re-creation of hockey moments that runs through every mode. In NHL 19, we revamped shooting and hitting to great acclaim. In NHL 20, we revamped just about everything else you do at speed on the ice: passing, pick-ups, and one-timers. While we added better control and animation coverage that is more realistic, it’s also made gameplay more fun no matter which mode or game style you choose. EASHL and Ultimate Team fans benefit from more scoring chances. Threes players get even more end-to-end rushes. In Ones you have even more control to show off your individual skills. So it’s really our increasingly polished gameplay that ties the whole package together.Do you see Ones as an experiment that you tried with '19 and are honing for 20, or rather as part and parcel with the overall NHL game package these days and going forward?I think Ones and also Threes showed that fans want more variations that broaden the skills and strategies you need to win. Having no rules or penalties in Ones is really fun when you also don’t have teammates or zones. Also having a sudden death overtime in which the third place skater can come back to win is really exciting. Moneypuck in Threes makes absolutely every goal meaningful. I think we will continue to search for new variations that leap ahead of real-life hockey, without sacrificing the authentic NHL experience when you want exactly that.Anything more to share about Ones in NHL 20?Check out the skills and styles specific to each skater in Ones Now. And give us feedback on who your favorites are and who you’d like to see in future updates.Info from Gamespot.com

Borderlands 3 follows in its predecessors' footsteps by offering a massive supply of guns to collect. The game lets you cash in special credits that is distributed outside the game for loot, and the store Spencer's Gifts is running a promotion that will let you bank some of those credits early.From September 13-23, you can stop by a Spencer's and pick up a free scratch-off card with a purchase. That scratch card will entitle you to 1500 VIP Diamond Club points, which you can use to claim in-game loot. To use the code you'll need to have registered as a Vault Insider through the official site.1500 points is enough to get 10 Gold Keys, which can be traded for random guns. Or you can save those points toward more expensive items like specific specialty weapons (4000 credits), or cosmetics like new skins and character heads (3000-4000 credits). Points won't expire as long as the VIP program exists, so you can hold onto them for as long as it takes to find something you want.Borderlands 3 is now officially available, so if you're looking for tips, be sure to check our spoiler-free beginner's advice and how to pick the class that's right for you. GameSpot's Borderlands 3 review found it a return to form for the franchise, offering a familiar loot-shooter experience that doesn't take too many wild risks."If you've never been a fan of the franchise, it's unlikely Borderlands 3 does enough things differently to change your mind, as the game best excels at continuing what the series has always done: deliver a humorous tall tale of misfits looting and shooting their way to heroism," wrote Jordan Ramee.Info from Gamespot.com

October is right around the corner, and the focus will be on the world of horror movies. And one such film, which arrives on October 25, is called Countdown.The movie follows a nurse who downloads an app that tells you when you are going to die, only to find out she has three days to live. With others users dying mysteriously, she needs to figure out how to stop her impending doom. Check out the trailer above.Why didn't she read the user agreement? There are plenty of apps on the various mobile stores that do this very thing, except it's a random algorithm and not a real prediction. Interestingly enough, this movie takes that simple premise down a dark path, and that first trailer gives the film a thriller feel while introducing some hideous beast with long, black fingers.The horror movie stars Elizabeth Lail, Jordan Calloway, Talitha Bateman, and Tichina Arnold, and is directed and written by Justin Dec. This is Dec's first feature-length film.If you're interested in more horror content, check out all of our It: Chapter 2 coverage, including the all the Easter eggs in the movie, the differences between the book and the films, and the review of the film itself. As for general horror, make sure to check out the Biggest Horror Movies of 2019 to Look Forward to, where we recommend upcoming movies that will surely scare your pants off.Info from Gamespot.com

In case you haven't noticed, today is Friday the 13th, a day beloved by horror movie buffs and dreaded by those who are superstitious. If you fall in the former category, you'll be interested in today's limited-time deal: an 8-movie Friday the 13th collection on sale for $13, down from its original price of $103.92. That's an incredible deal and perfect opportunity to experience these classic horror films for the first time if you haven't already. The offer is currently available at the Microsoft Store, Vudu, and iTunes.See at Microsoft StoreSee at VuduSee at iTunes StoreThe Friday the 13th movie bundle includes the following films:Friday the 13th Part I (1980)Friday the 13th Part II (1981)Friday the 13th Part III (1982)Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter (1984)Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985)Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)There are some other Friday the 13th deals floating around today, too. Amazon currently has the same 8-movie bundle available on Blu-ray for $19 (down from $25.96). On the game side, you can snag Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle for Nintendo Switch on sale for $7 (down from $20) in the Nintendo Eshop. The Sega store is offering 13% off sitewide with code FRIDAY13.Green Man Gaming is also having a big PC game sale for Friday the 13th, and you can save up to 75% on Steam games like Resident Evil 2, Doom, Dying Light: The Following Enhanced Edition, and more. This sale runs through September 16, so you have a bit more time to claim these deals. Check out the full Friday the 13th sale at GMG.As Halloween draws closer, be sure to check out our updated list of the best horror games to play (or watch someone else play) this season. Plus, check out our definitive ranking of Friday the 13th films--based on Jason's number of kills.Info from Gamespot.com

With Destiny 2's Shadowkeep expansion so close, the weekly visits from Xur don't carry the same magic they will when new content--and the possibility for new Exotics--drops on October 1. But that doesn't mean you should write Xur off entirely. In fact, this week, he has a pretty solid item that's worth your attention. Once again, Titans get the benefit of Xur's largesse, with a version of Hallowfire Heart that's got some pretty solid perks. Here's where to find Xur and everything you need to know about what he's offering.Where Is Xur?Xur is lounging on Titan this week, enjoying the rainy weather of the Rig. Head northeast from the transmat point until you come out from under the overhang. Look for a low building on the left side of the area near the edge of the Rig to find Xur lurking in the shadows within.What Is Xur Selling?Most of Xur's inventory this week is unimpressive, with only one Year Two Exotic, Chromatic Fire, sneaking onto the list. The weapon he offers, Coldheart, is a handy one, but it's probably something you've picked up over the last two years, and this version is identical to every other Coldheart in the game. However, whereas there is no difference between each version of an individual Exotic weapon, armor is a different story. Because armor features randomized rolls, you might find that what Xur is selling offers better perks than the version you might already own. There's one piece of armor you should consider picking up: Xur's version of Hallowfire Heart this week includes two Enhanced Unflinching perks for different weapons. That's extremely rare, so if you're a Titan who favors Solar abilities, Bows, and Linear Fusion Rifles, this is a Hallowfire Heart you probably want to pick up.Beyond the items, Xur also has the Five of Swords challenge card (to modify Nightfall difficulty) and an Invitation of the Nine (which provides you with some objectives and leads to a bit of new story content). And if you're a PC or Xbox One player taking advantage of Cross-Save, you can jump on PS4 and potentially get Wavesplitter from the Fated Engram.Xur Item Lineup (September 13-17)Coldheart (Exotic Shotgun) -- 29 Legendary ShardsHallowfire Heart (Exotic Titan Chest Armor) -- 23 Legendary ShardsThe Dragon's Shadow (Exotic Hunter Chest Armor) -- 23 Legendary ShardsChromatic Fire (Exotic Warlock Chest Armor) -- 23 Legendary ShardsColdheartTrace rifles can be devastating in Destiny 2, especially in PvP, and Coldheart is one of the coolest (ahem). The rifle fires a steady cold fusion laser beam that does more and more damage the longer you leave it on a target--which makes it great for zapping Guardians from long distances before they have a chance to retaliate.Hallowfire HeartThe best Exotic in Xur's bag today, thanks to its rolls, improves the recharge of your Solar abilities--particularly when your Super is fully charged. It also comes with not one but two Enhanced perks, which means it's worth snagging.RollsSlot 1: Unflinching Fusion Rifle Aim; Enhanced Unflinching Bow Aim; Enhanced Unflinching Linear Fusion Rifle AimSlot 2: Auto Rifle Reserves; Scout Rifle ReservesThe Dragon's ShadowFor dodge-happy Hunters, The Dragon's Shadow is a very handy Exotic. The chest armor reloads all your guns whenever you dodge, which means you can use Gambler's Dodge and still get the benefits of Marksman's Dodge. You also get increased movement and weapon handling speeds after a dodge.RollsSlot 1: Unflinching Auto Rifle Aim; Unflinching Energy Aim; Unflinching Machine GunSlot 2: Bow Reserves; Hand Cannon ReservesChromatic FireAll Warlock Kinetic weapons get the benefit of the Firefly perk thanks to Chromatic Fire. With it equipped, your Kinetic precision kills cause your enemies to detonate with elemental explosions that match your subclass.RollsSlot 1: Unflinching Bow Aim; Unflinching Submachine Gun Aim; Unflinching Sniper AimSlot 2: Bow Reserves; Submachine Gun ReservesInfo from Gamespot.com

Just because visual novels tend to lack complex gameplay mechanics and generally use simpler presentation, doesn't mean anyone can make one. In fact, it's much harder to pull off a good visual novel experience than most realize. After all, without a variety of gameplay hooks and dazzling cinematics, the writing has to carry the experience. This means everything from the broader narrative and the characterization, to the underlying themes and message need to be impactful and expertly delivered. And what does the Kentucky Fried Chicken company know about making top-notch visual novels? These days it can barely make good chicken.KFC's decision to develop a visual novel feels like a ploy to cash-in on the recent popularity of the genre by opportunistic mediocre chicken peddler Colonel Sanders. Sure, it might have put out some decent tweets lately, but thinking that means it has the chops to put out a good visual novel is, at best, presumptuous. And at worst it's a severe underestimation of how complex visual novels can be and how difficult it is to make one worth people's precious time.This week on the GameSpot After Dark podcast, Jake Dekker, Lucy James, Jean-Luc Seipke, and Michael Higham are joined by Giant Bomb's Ben Pack, and they have some things to say about KFC's visual novel shenanigans. But why do they feel so strongly? Well, you can listen to find out, but the general message is:Below you'll find all the necessary links to find the GameSpot After Dark podcast on iTunes, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Google Play. We've also included an RSS link so you can put that into your podcast application of choice. Where You Can ListenRSS FeedSpotifySoundcloudiTunesGoogle PlayStick To Chicken, SandersMichael: KFC is making a visual novel and, I thought about it, and it's an American Corporation that's trying to be, "Hey look, we're trying to capitalize on this quirky thing."Ben: Yeah, I'm right there with you, like there's so many good dating sims and visual novels that people probably haven't played that are going to play this and be like, ummmmm...Michael: Yeah, okay it's a marketing ploy and granted we haven't played it yet so maybe there's a broader message that's like, "Oh you know, it's not all about chicken, you know? It's about love and shit."My takeaway is that there are so many other better great visual novels out there because the thing about visual novels is that there's always a message at the end. That's the point because … there's not much traditional gameplay to it so the way it's going to get you is with heart and story and a message like VA-11 Hall-A is a great visual novel you should play. Doki Doki Literature Club…Jake: Speaking of Doki Doki Literature Club, when that game came out and people kind of got really into it for a while. One thing I remember, at least the discussion being around, is that people were very excited about the game, but [were saying], "This is only the tip of the iceberg. There is so much better visual novels that are way more in-depth, way more interesting and Doki Doki Literature Club is almost like a gimmick."I don't know if I agree with necessarily--that it's a gimmick. I think what it does is fairly interesting and I had fun with it ... But I think that's a very interesting point right? That there are so many other visual novels that super well done, fleshed out and meanwhile you got KFC…Ben: We professionally work in video games and have never even heard of half of [the visual novels out there].Michael: My takeaway though was like Dan Salvato who made Doki Doki Literature Club, like, [created] an earnest take on visual novels.Jean-Luc: And so was Hatoful Boyfriend. It was more than just a meme, like it actually had a lot of heart to it and it had this whole hidden story that got really weird in like a good way. Am I expecting to flip the table and be like, "Oh no, actually [the KFC visual novel] is going to be a super deep visual novel"? No, I really don't expect this to be.Lucy: [Reading the synopsis] In I Love You Colonel Sanders: A Finger Licking Good Dating Simulator, Colonel Sanders is your … partner. Will the Kentucky Fried Chicken mogul choose you to be his business partner--oh because you meet in culinary school--or maybe something much more intimate. Throughout your journey you'll be faced with life-changing decisions that will affect your chances of friendship and love. But, be careful, your choices will have real consequences with real animated character's feelings at stake.Michael: So they're putting out a visual novel and who knows how it's going to play out.Info from Gamespot.com

When X-Men: Dark Phoenix arrived in theaters, one of the biggest surprises of the movie had nothing to do with the Phoenix story or Sophie Turner's portrayal of Jean Grey. It wasn't even the major death that was spoiled ahead of the movie's release that gained attention. Instead, it was a cameo by a well-known Marvel Comics mutant that fans of the franchise have been waiting to make an appearance--a cameo they'll be able to watch again and again when Dark Phoenix hits 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD on September 17.In a scene on the Xavier School campus, Dazzler--played by The Orville alum Halston Sage--is seen performing at a party on school grounds, with her power of turning sound vibrations into light on full display. It's a tonal shift from the darkness in the film, which was very much the intention.As writer/director Simon Kinberg explains in a behind-the-scenes featurette from the movie, "Dazzler, as her name indicates as well, is a brighter presence in the film. She brings this sort of vitality and fun and youthfulness. It's just really the energy that Dazzler has."He also openly admits that finding the right person to take on the small role took some time, due to the character's standing as a "fan favorite." Based on how Sage approached Dazzler, though, it sounds like they cast the right person."I have been working with the choreographer on this scene to try to get the vibe of Dazzler down," she explained. "We've been talking to Simon a lot about how we want the light show to respond with her movements and the rhythm of the music. And we wanted to make it something very unique, and new, and modern. Between the hair, the makeup, and the wardrobe, we're pretty true to the comics."The only significant difference Sage notes between her portrayal of the character and her classic comic book appearance is the mask she wears. "The one thing we did change up a little bit is just the shape of the mask around my eyes," the actress admits. "We have amazing makeup artists that do it specifically to my face."Still, seeing Dazzler finally brought into the live-action X-Men is enough to make you wish there would be more to see in upcoming films. At this point, though, the future of the X-Men film franchise remains something of a mystery.In the meantime, you can purchase Dark Phoenix digitally now, or pick it up on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD on September 17. The release comes loaded with special features, which you can take a look at below.Deleted Scenes with Optional CommentaryRise of the Phoenix: The Making of Dark Phoenix (5-Part Documentary)Scene Breakdown: The 5th Avenue SequenceHow to Fly Your Jet to Space with BeastAudio Commentary by Simon Kinberg and Hutch ParkerInfo from Gamespot.com