Pokemon Go's final wave of Ultra Bonuses is still live. Not only did it introduce the first Gen 5 Pokemon to the game (as well as a new evolutionary item called the Unova Stone), it also brought the Legendary Mewtwo back to Raids. However, your time to catch the Legendary Psychic-type is running out.Mewtwo is scheduled to leave the game again at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET on Monday, September 23, so you have until then to encounter it in five-star Raids. This time, the Legendary Pokemon knows the move Psystrike, a Psychic-type attack originally introduced in Pokemon Black and White. That's not all; you also have a chance of encountering a Shiny Mewtwo while it is still in Raids.Before it leaves the game once again, Niantic was supposed to hold a Mewtwo Legendary Raid Hour this past Wednesday; due to issues, however, that event had to be postponed. The Raid Hour will now take place on Tuesday, October 8, from 6-7 PM local time, giving you one final chance to catch a Mewtwo that knows Psystrike. Pokemon Go News Pokemon Go: How To Get Unova Stones And Evolve Gen 5 Pokemon Pokemon Go Adding Gen 5 Pokemon And New Unova Stone Item Today Pokemon Go Thousand Year Slumber Research: How To Catch Jirachi Guide Eevee Pokemon Go Guide: How To Get Any Eevee Evolution As usual, before you can capture Mewtwo, you'll first need to defeat it in battle. As a pure Psychic-type, Mewtwo is vulnerable to Ghost, Dark, and Bug Pokemon such as Giratina, Tyranitar, and Scizor, so any of those will prove to be an asset when you challenge it.In other Pokemon Go news, the game's Safari Zone event is now underway in Montreal. To celebrate the event, players around the world have a chance of encountering a Shiny Yanma in the wild. Niantic also recently shared the first details for October's Pokemon Go Community Day. The event takes place on October 12, and the featured Pokemon will be Trapinch, the first form of the Ground/Dragon Pokemon Flygon.Info from Gamespot.com

While creating Night City, the setting for Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red wanted to create a "unique take" on the Cyberpunk franchise. This is why the upcoming RPG takes place in a primarily sunny locale as opposed to the gloomy, rain-soaked settings traditionally seen in the cyberpunk genre."When we showed the demo last year, people were surprised at first that it was so sunny," Cyberpunk 2077 concept art coordinator Marthe Jonkers said in an interview with GamesIndustry.Biz. "They expected rainy, dark cyberpunk but you can make a cyberpunk city in California. Of course, it will rain there, because we have a weather system, and it will also be night, but we are really trying to get this fresh take on cyberpunk."Night City is built on the foundation of four distinct visual styles, each of which details the different ages of cultural and social-economic growth in the Cyberpunk universe between 2020 and the events of the game. This creates a very different world in the Cyberpunk universe, one that allows you to instantly recognize when a car was made or how long a certain building has been around just at a glance. "That was really, really important to us, to make a unique take on Cyberpunk," Jonkers said. "And I really like that when people see screenshots of our game, they recognize it as our style."The first era, Entropism, was one of intense poverty, so anything made from that time looks very plain. "The designs from that era are very practical, more about practicality than whether it looks nice or is decorated," Jonkers said. Entropism was followed by Kitsch, a period of time when the economy recovered in Night City and allowed the low- and middle-class to invest in more colorful and extravagant items. The third era, Neomilitarism, saw the rise of rich corporations, which is where all the tall and sleek skyscrapers come from. Finally, Neokitsch, saw the divide between the rich and poor grow wider--and several members of the wealthy class began adopting the colorful style of the poor, albeit with a more money-centric twist. Think clothes made of animal pelts.Jonkers goes on to explain that this level of world-building allows CD Projekt Red to tell stories about the people that live in Night City without expositional conversations. "There are layers to the design of Night City and all its inhabitants, so when you drive around and you see a building that's sort of pink with these soft edges, and the windows are sort of soft shaped, you know that this is kitsch style, and you know that was built in that period of time where people had more money back then," she said. "It's telling you a story about the background of the city, and gives an extra layer of believability."Cyberpunk 2077 is scheduled to release for Xbox One, PS4, and PC on April 16, 2020.Info from Gamespot.com

It's been a long road for Final Fantasy XIV. Many folks who know Square Enix's MMORPG are aware that it had to reinvent itself back in 2013, which subsequently saved the game and led to overwhelming success. But that wasn't enough. The FFXIV team has outdone itself with the latest expansion, Shadowbringers, which has cemented the game as one of the greatest stories told in the long-running franchise. And it further disproves the perception that FFXIV is simply the MMO that bears the name of a famous RPG series.Having been a few months removed from the launch of Shadowbringers, I had the opportunity to briefly correspond with FFXIV director and producer Naoki Yoshida for a quick look back at how it came to be and what the future may hold. This includes what the Trust system of AI companions has done for the game, what a streamlined version of the base game will look like, and how it fits into the next console generation. But more importantly, he spoke to the vision that the writing team brought to life--namely Natsuko Ishikawa, who led the Shadowbringers narrative and received a standing ovation during the game's PAX West 2019 panel after simply introducing herself--a moment that spoke to how she and the team nailed its storytelling, but also how a long-running MMO can leverage its deep lore to make an impact on its players.Alphinaud and Alisaie playing diplomat for the Scions.We're still in the early days of Shadowbringers as a whole. At Tokyo Game Show 2019, Yoshida-san outlined what you'll be able to do with New Game+ in the upcoming 5.1 patch due in late October. More notably, him and Nier series creator Yoko Taro talked about what you can expect from their collaboration, which will be a 24-player Alliance Raid, directly tied to Nier Automata, as part of the October patch. You may want to check out our full review of FFXIV Shadowbringers to get a better idea of why it's so well regarded, and because having AI companions plays an immense role in the expansion, you'll want to read about why the Trust system matters more than you may think.If there's one takeaway from this exchange, it's that the team gave their all for Shadowbringers. Not only that, Yoshida-san has the utmost confidence that, no, they wouldn't have done anything differently for this expansion. The following interview with Yoshida-san was conducted via email, facilitated and translated through Square Enix.Narrative is one of the most important things in FFXIV, especially for Shadowbringers. How involved were you with the story's creation and what sort of direction did you provide the writing team?The first step is creating the overall game design for the expansion pack. With Shadowbringers, after we had completed the base design phase, I provided three initial directions to the development team:1) The story will be set in the "First." 2) The dark knight will be the “main job.” (i.e. becoming the Warrior of Darkness will be the main objective) 3) We will be implementing the Trust system, so the story should center around an adventure with the members of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn.I suggested a setting in which the world is covered in light, and night will only return when the Sin Eaters are defeated. In that instance, Ishikawa was able to smoothly implement this concept into the story. - Naoki YoshidaWith this direction as the foundation of the narrative, Natsuko Ishikawa, who oversees the main scenario, and Banri Oda, who oversees lore creation, had multiple discussions and created a plot. We then have what I call a “scenario writing camp,” where we take the base plot which was created and add details to it over a period of three days. Aside from Ishikawa, Oda, and myself, we also have two of our more experienced scenario writers join in this writing camp.The overall structure of the story is formed during these three days, but even after that we do make changes. For example, I suggested a setting in which the world is covered in light, and night will only return when the Sin Eaters are defeated. In that instance, Ishikawa was able to smoothly implement this concept into the story. Additionally, Vauthry did not exist in the initial plot; since it felt like we were missing a definitive target to defeat at the halfway point of the story, I asked the team during the scenario writing camp to add a hideous antagonist like Jabba the Hutt to the story.Under my instruction to align our gameplay experience concepts with the main scenario, our scenario lead, lore creation lead, and many other staff give it their all to create the best narrative possible. As a director, I devoted myself to literally just directing the game, but as the development team has shown great growth, I feel that my role in development isn’t as significant as before. :PNow that the Trust system has been widely used, is there anything that has particularly surprised you about reception from players? Is there any feedback that you are looking to take into consideration moving forward?I feel the reaction from the fans is what we were aiming for in creating this system, and it seems players have really embraced it. We have received feedback regarding the Trust system, but unfortunately due to the complexity of the system’s mechanics, it would be difficult to simply add on new functions. Instead of adding new features and functions to the Trust system, our goal at this time is to create additional content that players can enjoy utilizing the Trust system.Are there any aspects to these early days of Shadowbringers that didn't pan out as expected? Anything you'd do differently?No. This is the case for every expansion pack, but the development team, the operations team, and I feel that we have given our all in creating Shadowbringers, and it is the fruit of our labor. I truly believe that we accomplished something great, to the point that I feel karma would strike if I were greedy and asked for anything more. So no, there is nothing I would do differently. Of course, it was a lot of hard work, so in that sense I don’t know if I’d want to go through it again, either...lol.Players will always have something to say in terms of job adjustments and balancing. At launch, Astrologian probably had the most contention. After tweaking things, where do you stand on the current balance between jobs?As the gameplay experience is different for each job, it is difficult to simply compare the jobs side by side; however, as of patch 5.08, I feel that there is more of a statistical balance between each of the jobs in a specific role.There are more adjustments which need to be made when it comes to overall control and feel, especially for Ninja and the Summoner which we are in the process of adjusting in Patch 5.1. I do not feel that the current job balance is perfect as is, and in the end each player will think differently about what the perfect balance is, so in that sense we may never reach perfection.That being said, moving forward we will continue to make adjustments as necessary, so please keep an eye out for future updates.As you recently revealed plans to streamline the main scenario in A Realm Reborn, can you give us any insight as to which parts you’re looking to abridge? Do you have a rough idea of how the streamlined version might compare to the current questline in terms of quest numbers or playtime?I’m aware that there is a great sense of anticipation regarding these adjustments for A Realm Reborn. However, I feel that the community might set their expectations too high no matter what I say this far out, so I would like to refrain from going into any details. In general, we plan to simplify some quest objectives, omit any unnecessary quests, and speed up the flow of the ARR main scenario.How has the success of FFXIV changed the future of the Final Fantasy brand, or changed Square Enix?The best thing to come out of this success is that Square Enix’s relationship with the fans and players has become stronger. I think that many people who previously felt that Square Enix or the Final Fantasy brand were segmented now feel as though things are more open and accessible. I’m glad that FFXIV has become a starting point for us to further expand the Final Fantasy series, together with the fans, as comrades.FFXIV director and producer Naoki Yoshida.I know you're asked this many times, but where are you (and the team) at in terms of bringing FFXIV to other platforms (Xbox One or Google Stadia)?You’re right. I’ve been asked this so many times that maybe we should have a template answer created for this!Joking aside, my direction has never changed from the beginning when we started with A Realm Reborn: strive to have as many people play FFXIV on multiple platforms. Secondly, I want to allow people to play with their friends without any cross-platform limitations. I am still in discussion with Microsoft and Nintendo to make this a reality. If there are any updates, the fans will be the first to know, so please hold on tight.Additionally, we are testing out the game not only on Stadia, but on various cloud streaming services. However, with FFXIV being a server-client MMORPG, it is not as easy to port to a cloud service as other standalone or P2P titles. My impression thus far is that playing the game will still depend heavily on the network environment the player is using.How do you see FFXIV transitioning into the next console generation? Is the nature of the upcoming consoles making that more simple than, say, going from PS3 to PS4?Similar to my previous response, the same concept drives this as well, which is having as many people play FFXIV on various platforms. I hope to be proactive in making the game compatible with next generation consoles. I assume that there wouldn’t be too many issues since we are porting the game to a newer platform.Info from Gamespot.com

While Hitman 2 has already received some new content this month in the form of Escalation contracts and weapon unlocks, developer IO Interactive has revealed a new location coming to owners of the stealth-action game's Gold edition or Expansion pass on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Haven Island, a tropical paradise in the Maldives, will be available on September 24.Haven Island is a brand-new location that sees Agent 47 assume a fake identity to infiltrate the tropical island resort. The DLC will feature new missions and picks up right after the events of the Milton-Fitzpatrick bank in New York. Haven Island will serve as the conclusion to Hitman 2's $40 USD Expansion pass, with the Gold edition running $100 USD. Additional DLC will be available once Haven Island releases, including new challenges, location mastery unlocks, and more. IOI will hold a livestream on Monday, September 23, to detail everything on offer in Haven Island ahead of its global launch.IOI Monthly Livestream Start Time2 PM PT4 PM CST5 PM ET10 PM BSTIO Interactive suggested Hitman 3's possibility back in July. In a NoClip documentary, IOI CEO Hakan Abrak did say, while not exclitly confirming anything, the studio is "looking into the future with new things and potentially new IPs that we might be working on."Info from Gamespot.com

Borderlands 2 and The Pre-Sequel both added more playable characters post-launch, but don't expect the same from Borderlands 3. At a Q&A near the end of the Borderlands Show stream, game director Paul Sage ruled out the possibility and explained his reasoning.According to Sage, Gearbox's data from previous expansions has shown that most people don't stick with additional characters, and so the decision was made to differentiate the four main characters through different kinds of builds."Probably not. No," he answered in response to a question about additional characters. "You were asking me earlier about data that we use. And one of the things we actually saw was that once people have picked their character--not everybody, there are no 'everybodys,' but a lot of people--stick with that character and want to remain. Furthermore, in Borderlands 3, we really concentrated on diversity within the characters themselves and having a lot of different builds. So that was where we put our eggs, in the basket. Now some people might want more but I don't think that's the way to go, not for Borderlands 3."He went on to say that in its data collection from previous games, they "might see people play five levels [with a DLC character] and then back to their main."Borderlands 2 and The Pre-Sequel both added two additional characters in addition to the four starting classes, for six total. Borderlands 3 again has four starting characters, but introduces active skills for each branch of the skill tree, each with their own modifications. This is likely what Sage was referring to as diversity within the existing characters. If you need a hand picking which one is best for you, refer to our Vault Hunter guide.The Borderlands Show stream also detailed the Bloody Harvest DLC, a free piece of Halloween content coming in October. And the show also dropped a Shift Code, so be sure to visit our Shift Codes index to claim it and the rest of your Golden Keys. Borderlands 3 News Borderlands 3 Starter Guide: 17 Spoiler-Free Tips You Should Know Before Jumping In Borderlands 3 Shift Codes: All Active Shift Codes And How To Redeem Them Borderlands 3 Review, Release Date, Preload, Unlock Times, PC Specs, And More Borderlands 3 Golden Chest Guide: How To Get Golden Keys And Shift Codes Info from Gamespot.com

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening remake is finally out, allowing a new generation of players to experience a classic Nintendo game with a fresh coat of paint. The graphics aren't the only new addition, though, as the remake implements several quality-of-life improvements and new collectibles to discover--including more heart pieces.For those new to Zelda, heart pieces are collectibles seen in most games in the series that allow you to earn a larger health pool for Link. Finding one won't cut it, though. As these collectibles are pieces of heart, you need to find a set number to complete a full heart and add on to Link's health. Games have fluctuated between needing four or five pieces, with Link's Awakening falling into the former camp.In the original 1993 Link's Awakening, there were 12 heart pieces to discover. There are 32 in this remake, so you've got your work cut out for you even if you've played Link's Awakening before. If you're having trouble hunting down the pieces, check out the map embedded below. It marks the location of all 32.For those whose entire Zelda experience begins and ends with Breath of the Wild, keep in mind that only a few games in the franchise actually allow you to tackle the content in any direction you want. From 1991's A Link to the Past to 2011's Skyward Sword, the Zelda games--including Link's Awakening--are very linear. So you will not be able to grab all the heart pieces right from the get-go because you will need to unlock certain items to solve specific puzzles to earn a few of the pieces. To help you out, the heart pieces on our map are numbered in the order they can be acquired. In GameSpot's The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening review, Peter Brown wrote, "Though the remake has a couple of blemishes, it's still an easy game to recommend. People speak of Link's Awakening as the secret best Zelda game. That's a tough call to make, but it's definitely one of the best. If you haven't touched a classic Zelda game in a while, Link's Awakening will almost instantly transport you back to the '90s. It's simple, in many ways, but the orchestrated journey still conveys a sense of adventure, and this new version is without question the best way to experience it. And more than anything else, it will put a smile on your face. Remakes are a dime a dozen nowadays and often easy to overlook. Don't make that mistake with Link's Awakening."Info from Gamespot.com

Delivering a little one-two punch, Nintendo has released two big products today: the new Nintendo Switch Lite, and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. The new Zelda game turned out to be a great revival of a game that's otherwise been isolated to the old Game Boy and Game Boy Color handhelds, making this new release the best way to experience the unusual and delightful adventure set outside the Kingdom of Hyrule.If the game is new to you, and your most recent Zelda experience is Breath of the Wild (one of the best Switch games around), then you might want to know how much game there is to Link's Awakening. In my experience, I was able to finish the game and obtain roughly half of the collectible seashells and Pieces of Heart in roughly 15 hours--there isn't a completely accurate clock, so this is going off of my profile's rough hour count.For additional context, you can also consider the fact that I don't have the original game memorized--far from it. If you're a veteran who knows the game like the back of your hand, then you can expect that hour count to shrink as, by and large, the new Link's Awakening is a direct copy of the original.In my review, I thoroughly recommend the game despite having a few minor issues with the technical performance and the new mode, Chamber Dungeons: "Though the remake has a couple of blemishes, it's still an easy game to recommend. People speak of Link's Awakening as the secret best Zelda game. That's a tough call to make, but it's definitely one of the best. If you haven't touched a classic Zelda game in a while, Link's Awakening will almost instantly transport you back to the '90s. It's simple, in many ways, but the orchestrated journey still conveys a sense of adventure, and this new version is without question the best way to experience it. And more than anything else, it will put a smile on your face. Remakes are a dime a dozen nowadays and often easy to overlook. Don't make that mistake with Link's Awakening." For a full breakdown of my thoughts, be sure to check out the full Link's Awakening review.If you're already into the game and need some help along the way, be sure to also check out our Link's Awakening Starter Guide. Info from Gamespot.com

With its new commentary team and updated presentation package, NHL 20 represents the franchise's biggest shakeup in years--and they're mostly positive changes. Combined with excellent controls, fluid gameplay, numerous fun and engaging different modes to play, a fine attention to detail and appreciation for hockey culture, NHL 20 is a step forward that is generally excellent.The biggest change for NHL 20 is its broadcast package. It is almost completely different this year, and the changes--which span commentary, UI, and graphics--are mostly positive but not always for the better. Commentators Mike "Doc" Emerick and Eddie Olczyk are out, while nearly the entirety of the NBC Sports Network license package, including live-action sequences, are gone, too. It's a jarring change, as Emerick and Olczyk have been the voice of EA's NHL games since NHL 15.The new commentators are Canadian sports radio personality James Cybulski and former player and current rinkside analyst Ray Ferarro. They do a mostly adept job at calling plays with style, flair, and personality, and their back-and-forth banter succeeds at capturing the essence of hockey culture with hockey IQ and knack. Some commentary lines are repeated too often, however, and Cybulski in particular sounds at times like he is hamming it up and acting like every game is Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.Outside of the new commentary team, NHL 20's updated broadcast presentation includes more colorful and dynamic graphics that display important information in more eye-catching ways. In addition to brighter colors and sharper fonts, NHL 20 introduces more dramatic, slow-motion highlights of goal scores, as well as Overwatch-style "Play of the Period" and "Play of the Game" highlights. These moments do a good job at breaking down key plays, and, with their unique angles and close-ups, provide nice moments to sit back and revel in your achievements.Part of this updated broadcast package is a new location for the score clock, which is the only major misstep. It's now at the bottom of the screen compared to the top-left in last year's game--and it cannot be moved in the Settings. The new score clock location opens up more space on the screen for action, but I found it positively difficult to quickly and easily see the important information like time left in the game, penalty minutes, and other datapoints while simultaneously keeping my eyes on the action. It's a baffling choice, especially considering many of NHL 20's various other modes keep the score clock where it was. This inconsistency worsens the experience, as you have to train your eyes in multiple ways depending on which mode you're playing.Authentic HockeyNHL 20 succeeds the most with excellent, tight controls that give you the freedom to execute basically any hockey move you can think of. There are also changes to animations and skating mechanics that make the game appear more lifelike. Building off what was already the franchise's best foot forward with NHL 19, this year's entry feels faster and more fluid with better animations that more realistically depict important transitional moments like catching a pass and getting intro stride at a quicker pace. Overall, the on-ice gameplay feels faster and more true to the real NHL experience.There are new shot animations as well, which are contextual in nature and better represent what a shot might look like from a particular part of the ice and depending on angles, power, speed, specific player attributes, and more. In NHL 19, your player would oftentimes still complete the shot animation even if the puck never got to them, which looked very strange, but that rarely happens this year. NHL 20 also introduces "Signature Shots" for a number of the league's best players; one of these is P.K. Subban's booming slapshot and Alex Ovechkin's electric one-timer. It's a treat to see player-specific animations in NHL 20, and it's yet another part of the way NHL 20 faithfully represents the real NHL experience. Additionally, goalie AI appears to be smarter this year, with netminders giving up fewer soft rebounds and making generally smarter decisions during important scenarios.NHL 20's in-game attention to detail and careful consideration of the sport is astounding. Players look and react as you'd expect them to on a TV broadcast, down to the way players subtly peek back toward their teammates during a face-off to the sharp crackle of skates gliding over outdoor pond ice. On the outdoor rinks, the crimson red glow of sunset over the pond is something to behold. On the ice, the physics system is so realistically presented that I found myself wincing after big open-ice hits.Unfortunately, NHL 20 doesn't do much in the area of improving player models. In fact, the character models for players, referees, and the crowd appear largely unchanged from last year. When the replay camera zooms in on fans on the glass, you might be wondering what kind of time vacuum the NHL series exists in for people to never age or look at all different from year to year.Dirty DanglesThe NHL series is known for its tight, precise controls, and this level of excellence continues with NHL 20. No matter what control setup you're using, the controls allow for a complete command of your player with astounding simplicity and a lot of depth at the same time. Puck possession and clever play-making are paramount in NHL 20, and the controls never fail to provide you with many different options to keep the puck, get around defenders, make the extra pass, and light the lamp. You have the freedom to play with as much creativity as you want. The game also features a slick and smart on-ice trainer that reacts to how you're playing and provides dynamic feedback that, for the most part, helps you improve your game.There is such a level of fine precision with the controls that you can determine the specific angle of a poke-check or toe-drag the puck at just the right time to open space up to make a shot on goal. In essence, the controller's analog sticks feel like an extension of your on-ice stick. The excellent baseline controls stand out even more once you move on to trying out more more advanced techniques. It takes time and practice to learn the dirtiest dangles the game has to offer, but it's deeply rewarding to perform spins and dekes that together combine to give you ample opportunities to play with style and pizzazz.In addition to the standard hockey simulation, NHL 20 has an abundance of arcade-style modes. The pond hockey mode, Ones--which sees three players on a small, outdoor rink competing against each other--introduces four new locations, including a rink set on a secluded farm and another inspired by the Rideau Canal in Canada. These new locations, in addition to weather effects like snow coming down during games, make Ones an even more authentic and holistically representative depiction of the outdoor hockey experience.Ones is lots of fun with its stripped-down, back-to-basics recreation of outdoor hockey with fast-paced play and lots of goals. Outside of the new locations, the biggest change for Ones is the introduction of offline play for couch co-op, and this is a very welcome addition after last year's game left it out in a head-scratching move.The Threes mode, meanwhile, remains NHL's flashiest and wackiest mode with completely unhinged commentary, mascots lacing it up, lots of goals, and big hits. It's the mode I found myself coming back to the most due in part to its quick games relative to the standard simulation mode and constant progression rewards in every game played.The social hub, World of Chel, returns with NHL 20 with some noteworthy updates. The biggest introduction is the "Eliminator" mode, which is NHL's spin on battle royale. 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. It's a thrilling, incredibly challenging, high-stakes challenge that, like the battle royale games it's inspired by, encourage you to keep coming back and improve your skills.There is a robust character-creator and you earn XP for everything you do across all of World of Chel's modes. It's rewarding to invest in your character and know that, whatever mode in World of Chel you're playing, you're working towards growing your character with meaningful advancements like new player traits, in addition to nice extras like cosmetic gear. New for World of Chel with NHL 20 are weekly challenges that track your performance and reward you with cosmetics around a particular theme. For example, the launch-week theme is NHL 94, so you can earn all kinds of themed cosmetics like jerseys and other gear. I anticipate coming back regularly.Elsewhere in NHL 20, the career-minded Be A Pro remains a satisfying and rewarding ride to take as you start your character from the ground floor and build them into a superstar, though there are no noteworthy updates to speak of this year. Franchise, meanwhile, features a new system that gives you multiple team coaches who have influence on the direction of your team today and in the future. The system, which also includes a light conversation mechanic where you can gauge the morale and interest of your coaches, adds a further level of strategy to the already robust Franchise mode that helps you feel like you're really the GM of a pro team. Franchise also introduces a trade-finder system that makes it less laborious to find and make trades.Ultimate Team returns as well, and its noteworthy addition is the introduction of Squad Battles. These function the same way they do in Madden and FIFA where you go up against HUT squads created by other players or, after launch, sports stars and celebrities. Hockey Ultimate Team is all about grinding to collect new cards, and it remains a fun experience to build a fantasy team comprised of legends and current stars alike, and compete against others.NHL 20 successfully captures the ice hockey experience from the ponds to big games under the bright lights, with a fine attention to detail and simple yet deep controls that are best-in-class. Once you get over the shock of Eddie and Doc being out of the game, the new commentary team do an adept job of providing informative and playful banter, while the game's multitude of varied modes each have their own distinct feel and appeal that go a long way to make NHL 20 an excellent representation of hockey culture across the board.Info from Gamespot.com

Apex Legends is in the final weeks of its second season, so if you want to earn all the exclusive goodies tied to its battle pass, you're quickly running out of time. For those already looking ahead, Season 3 is about to begin. Like Season 2, it's expected to go on for several months and will see a bunch of new content added to Apex Legends.Below, we detail all the information we have on Apex Legends Season 3, codenamed Meltdown. Every season of Apex Legends brings with it a new battle pass, playable character, and exclusive cosmetic unlocks. Though the first season wasn't all that impressive, other than the addition of the adrenaline junkie Octane, Season 2 has been a wonderful boon for Respawn's Titanfall-themed battle royale game--adding the static defender Wattson, a substantial map transformation, two Legend-themed map takeover events, worthwhile battle pass rewards, two limited-time modes, and ranked play. It's certainly enough to inspire confidence for what to expect in Season 3.Table of Contents [hide]When Does Season 3 Start?Who Is Season 3's New Legend?What Is Season 3's New Weapon?What Is Season 3's Map Change?What Comes In Season's 3 Battle Pass?How Much Will Season 3 Cost?When Does Season 3 Start?Apex Legends: Season 3 is scheduled to begin on October 1. Given that Season 1 began in March and continued through to June, and Season 2 started in July and will continue until the end of September, it's probable that Season 3 will also be about three months long. Respawn hasn't announced an official end date yet, but Season 3 will likely continue until around the holiday season in late December.Who Is Season 3's New Legend?First teased during Season 1 and appearing in-game but unplayable in Season 2, Crypto has been confirmed to be the new playable character coming to Apex Legends in Season 3. This hacker's abilities still remain unknown, although a cinematic short of his backstory does seem to corroborate datamine leaks that point to his passive, tactical, and ultimate abilities being tied to his gadgets.According to the leaks, Crypto's tactical ability allows him to summon a remote-controlled drone that can open doors, loot bins, and pick up teammates' respawn banners. His passive ability allows both him and his teammates to see targets marked with his drone. And his ultimate? It's an EMP grenade that sends out a pulse that does massive shield damage and slows enemies. Supposedly it's like the effect caused by walking through one of Wattson's Perimeter Security fences but on a much larger scale. Again, none of this has been confirmed, but these abilities do match the skills Crypto uses in his cinematic story trailer.What Is Season 3's New Weapon?Season 1 saw the addition of the Havoc, an energy assault rifle that could transition into an energy light machine gun or sniper rifle depending on which hop-up you equip to it. In Season 2, the L-Star was added--providing a brand-new legendary light machine gun for players to look for in supply drops. Season 3 will be adding a new weapon as well, one that should be familiar to fans of Titanfall and Titanfall 2.The Charge Rifle is the first anti-titan weapon to be added to Apex Legends. It's a powerful laser cannon that must be charged before it can fire, but it has a tremendous range. In the Titanfall games, it's the primary weapon used by pilots looking to take down titans from a distance, but it can just as easily be used as a sniper rifle against other pilots--as it downs infantry in a single shot. Respawn hasn't released exact details about Apex Legends' version of the Charge Rifle, but if it's anything like its Titanfall counterpart, it will prove to be one of the strongest sniper rifle-like weapons in the battle royale game.What Is Season 3's Map Change?Respawn hasn't revealed any information concerning map changes coming to Apex Legends' King's Canyon in Season 3. However, there may have been a hint in one of the teasers for Crypto before his official announcement.In the Singh Labs--added during the limited-time Voidwalker event which saw Wraith's town takeover installed in King's Canyon--you can discover Crypto in-game. Upon spotting you, he runs off, but not before you have a chance to briefly see what he's been working on. It looks like he's trying to connect the massive void portal that's in the Singh Labs to a place called World's End.Granted, Respawn seems to enjoy teasing new Apex Legends content months before it actually releases in-game (Octane is in one of the announcement trailers released on the game's launch day, for example, and Crypto has been teased since Season 1). So World's End could just as easily be a clue to something larger we can expect later--like a whole new map. Or maybe it's something else entirely. Or maybe it's nothing. We'll have to wait and see.What Comes In Season's 3 Battle Pass?Respawn hasn't detailed the exact contents of Season 3's battle pass, other than that it will include over 100 items--just like Season 1 and 2's pass. Although Season 1 didn't have a very impressive battle pass, Season 2's included cool-looking emotes you could pull off while dropping in mid-air, music packs, and additional pieces of lore for each character. It was also easier (and thus more fun) to complete, thanks to the addition of daily and weekly challenges that encouraged you to play with characters and fight in areas you might not be accustomed to.How Much Will Season 3 Cost?Although the season itself is a free download that all players will receive on October 1, some of the content included in Season 3 will require you spend in-game currency. Specifically, both the battle pass and Crypto, the new character, will cost money. Everything else though--like the map changes and new weapon--is free.If Respawn holds true to tradition, then the battle pass should cost 950 Apex Coins, which is about $9.50 USD. If you've completed most of the Season 2 battle pass, you should already have that much saved up. If not, you'll need to either buy the Apex Coins with real-world money or earn them by leveling up and unlocking loot boxes.Respawn has previously priced new characters at 12,000 Legend Tokens / 750 Apex Coins, which is about $7.50 USD, so Crypto will most likely be the same. If you're like me and you've been steadily playing Apex Legends throughout Season 2, then you should have almost triple the number of Legend Tokens you need. You probably have more Legend Tokens than you know what to do with. Otherwise, like the battle pass, you'll have to drop real-world money or unlock loot boxes to earn enough Apex Coins.Info from Gamespot.com

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is now on Nintendo Switch in all its remake-y glory. One of the coolest (or weirdest) things about Link's Awakening is that it features various Mushroom Kingdom characters, like Goombas, Chain Chomps, and Yoshi in doll form. The Yoshi doll is of particular significance, as it kicks off a classic Zelda-style item trading quest. Or it would, if you could actually get it.In Mabe Village, there's a building that houses the "trendy game," a UFO catcher mini-game which you can play for a handful of Rupees. There are a lot of great prizes in there, but only one will literally jump out of the claw as if vexing you is its job.In the video below, our own Jake Dekker compiled all his attempts that were foiled by the Yoshi doll. At the suggestion of various GameSpot employees, he has added lovely Yoshi sound effects for, well, effect. There were further attempts before he actually got the Yoshi doll.YoshiEvadingTaxes.mp4 pic.twitter.com/xTLMs5LRRN — Jake Dekker (@jacobdekk) September 20, 2019Anyway, Link's Awakening is a great game despite some claw machine frustrations. In our review of the remake, Managing Editor Peter Brown wrote, "Though the remake has a couple of blemishes, it's still an easy game to recommend. People speak of Link's Awakening as the secret best Zelda game. That's a tough call to make, but it's definitely one of the best. If you haven't touched a classic Zelda game in a while, Link's Awakening will almost instantly transport you back to the '90s. It's simple, in many ways, but the orchestrated journey still conveys a sense of adventure, and this new version is without question the best way to experience it. And more than anything else, it will put a smile on your face. Remakes are a dime a dozen nowadays and often easy to overlook. Don't make that mistake with Link's Awakening."If you get stuck in Link's Awakening, don't worry! We don't have a "trendy game" guide, but we do have a guide to the secret seashell locations, another guide for heart piece locations, and a more general tips guide if you're looking for something more spoiler-free.Info from Gamespot.com

There's religious fanaticism, and then there's Inquisitor Aloysius from Greedfall, a man so excessively villainous his whole schtick borders on farcical. A member of Thélème, one of the game's six factions, he appears when you first step into the town square of the city San-Matheus. What draws your eye is the sight of a hulking woodland beast howling in pain while tied to a stake in an enormous burning pyre, as a captured native islander looks on helplessly. When asked why the creature and his people are subjected to such cruelty, the Inquisitor bellows an odious response about cleansing the corrupt souls of his tribe. Then in one swift movement, he yanks the islander's head, stabs the poor soul with a knife, and yells obscenities about heresies into the sky.That uncomfortable scene is emblematic of the plot in Greedfall; its tales of colonialism and political subterfuge are tackled with such little nuance that it verges on parody. The islanders wear face paint, have heavy accents, and venerate the woodland beasts as deities, while the cardinals, bishops, and alchemists refer to them as savages that need enlightenment or salvation. Greedfall relies heavily on these kinds of blunt narrative tropes for its setting, much in the same way it does on a very familiar open-world RPG structure. And while it's very easy to lose yourself in its competent, if comfortable, formula, it means that Greedfall ultimately feels unremarkable at best. You play as the charming diplomat De Sardet from the Congregation of Merchants, who's in charge of brokering peace between two warring factions: the Thélème, a theocratic nation that preach their gospel heavily and want to convert as many natives as possible, even if it's by force, and the Bridge Alliance, home to a nation of alchemists who wield their vast and incomparable knowledge of science for political ends.Both factions want to colonize a mystical island called Teer Fradee, which is brimming with fantastical flora and fauna. They, as well as the clans of indigenous people who are resisting their incursions, seek your help for their own ends. But that's not all; you also have something you want from the island: the cure for the Malicor, a mysterious plague devastating your home. In short, everyone wants a piece of this enchanted isle, and your task is to navigate through this political minefield for the best outcome--whatever you think that is.Greedfall attempts to tweak certain aspects of its otherwise conventional colonialist plot (the islanders aren't depicted as crazed natives or hungry cannibals, and the factions are somewhat multicultural), but beyond a vague sense of awareness about its oppressive legacy, Greedfall's heavy-handed themes never make way for anything more nuanced or interesting. Sure, it highlights the exploitative behaviors of the Thélème and Bridge Alliance factions, but their actions are so moustache-twirling malicious that they become mere caricatures of evildoers. Even your companions and other characters are cookie-cutter emblems of their group: Siora is the native princess who wishes to seek peace for her clan; Petrus is the religious Thélème advisor with tons of political savvy; and Kurt is the loyal, headstrong mercenary whose stoic demeanour can barely disguise his world-weariness. Most damning of all is your character, De Sardet, who, as the big hero, embodies the "white man's burden" allegory that also plagues other colonial-themed narratives; it's all on you to liberate the natives or unite the factions against them.Greedfall's saving grace is that its role-playing systems are adequate, and the game's greatest strength is how well it sticks to what is tried-and-tested. It features mechanical design that's common in the genre--exploring, looting, questing, etc--but it's also savvy enough to incorporate the best versions of these elements--most notably it feels like it draws inspiration from CD Projekt Red's The Witcher 3, a title I couldn't stop making mental comparisons to.At the beginning, you're given the choice of playing as one of three character archetypes: the melee-focused warrior, the stealthy gunslinger, or the spell-wielding tactician. But you're also given the flexibility to break out of these standard classes through an array of skill trees. As you progress through the game, you can freely invest hard-earned points, which opens up a variety of methods you can approach combat with and even how you resolve quests--be it bludgeoning your way through conflict with a two-handed axe or wearing a horde of rampaging beasts down with poison traps. And, as has become common in open-world RPGs, Greedfall also comes with a crafting system. Materials are in abundance--enemies, from human foes to wild animals, drop them frequently, while crates and jugs across most cities are bursting with goodies you can loot. One constraint, however, is that you can only craft upgrades to armor and weapons you own, rather than cobble brand-new equipment altogether. This streamlines crafting, and it also encourages you to still seek out better equipment. Meanwhile, combat is more than just a frenzied blur of swords and gunplay too; you can make tactical pauses to examine your enemies closely, change your target, consider your combat options, or silently contemplate how stunning your swashbuckling buccaneer looks in the heat of action.Greedfall suffers from some bugs, primitive systems, and even glaring spelling errors, however. Some dialogue is clearly skewed towards a male De Sardet; in my playthrough as a female De Sardet, several characters still referred to me as "he." The stealth mechanism is also unintentionally hilarious. When on a stealth mission, enemies tend to treat companions as invisible; they will not notice two big, oafish men blundering about in front of them, but will jump out of their skins when they notice De Sardet peeking out from behind a nearby crate. Romancing your companions is also another thing you can do in the game, but the moves you need to make to get into their hearts (and under the sheets) are so perfunctory, it’s almost unmemorable. You engage in a three-part companion quest with the lover of your choice, where you'll find conversations that give you the chance to maximize your romance meter. But the game makes it obvious when you've said something wrong (characters will retort back unhappily, accompanied by a numerical drop in your reputation), so it's an easy process to save scum, and the ultimate reward is a not-very-saucy bedroom cutscene. In spite of the game's blundering narrative issues, it's still easy to get hooked into the rhythm of exploring, crafting, brawling, investigating, and interacting with the host of characters and beasts, while getting lost among the beautiful lush greenery of Teer Fradee. Running into more challenging enemies or engaging in boss fights are a particular treat, since it's an opportunity to pit your hard-earned combat abilities against formidable foes. And tucked within the story, as hackneyed as it is, are occasional glimpses of genuine humanity, such as De Sardet's close relationship with their cousin Constantin, who's also the new governor of Teer Fradee.But ultimately, because Greedfall is so cavalier about its colonialist themes, and because it plays it safe by sticking so closely to the template of open-world RPGs, it doesn't really feel revelatory in any way. Instead, it's content to be just another digital playground--just another world filled with magic, riches, secrets, and monsters for players to shoot and loot at will. I did have fun when I got lost in its familiar RPG loop, but its lack of nuance or innovation prevents it from being truly remarkable. Info from Gamespot.com

It's a good week to be a Nintendo Switch owner. This episode of New Releases takes a look at The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening remake, Puzzle Quest: The Legend Returns, and Castle Crashers Remastered--all coming to the hybrid handheld console. Those aren't the only remasters either--Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is also launching this week. Finally, the mischevious indie Untitled Goose Game is also on the way.Castle Crashers Remastered -- September 17Available on: SwitchThe 2008 Xbox Live Arcade classic is out now on Xbox One, and this week Switch owners can enjoy the beat-'em-up action in four-player co-op or take each other on in the arena. This remaster includes the original game, plus all of its DLC, all running at 60 FPS. There's also a new mini-game called Back Off Barbarian.More Coverage:Castle Crashers Remastered Gets A Release Date on Switch; PS4 Version To FollowCastle Crashers Remastered - New Mini-Game GameplayPuzzle Quest: The Legend Returns -- September 19Available on: SwitchFor the uninitiated, Puzzle Quest is an RPG where you battle foes by playing a match-three puzzle game. Once you choose a class, you can cast spells and make attacks based on combinations of colored gems as you clear the board. The Legend Returns includes the original game and all previous expansions, plus a brand-new one titled Attack of the Golem Lord.More Coverage:Puzzle Quest Remastered "The Legend Returns" Announced For Nintendo Switch15 Minutes Of Puzzle Quest: The Legend Returns GameplayThe Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening -- September 20Available on: SwitchThis is a full-on remake of Link's Awakening on the Game Boy. While it offers the same story and dungeons across Koholint Island, there's also a completely fresh art style, reimagined soundtrack, and even a special dungeon editor. Tap an Amiibo, and you can unlock extra mini-games and chambers for that dungeon-builder. Tap the Link's Awakening Amiibo specifically, and you'll summon Shadow Link.More Coverage:Zelda: Link's Awakening - Everything We Know About The Nintendo Switch RemakeGameStop Announces Exclusive Pre-Order Bonus For Link's AwakeningNi no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered -- September 20Available on: PS4, PCNi no Kuni's Studio Ghibli-inspired visuals were already impressive when the original released in 2010--the beloved studio actually animated the game's cinematic cut scenes--but the remaster somehow looks even better, running at 60 FPS. Otherwise it's the same RPG from nearly a decade ago. Speaking of which, the original Ni no Kuni (not the remaster) is also headed to Nintendo Switch on September 20.More Coverage:Ni no Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch Remastered RevealedNi no Kuni PS4 Remastered Breathtaking Gameplay | E3 2019Untitled Goose Game -- September 20Available on: PC, SwitchAs the name says, this game is about a goose, and that goose's mission is to bother the citizens of a small village. You'll do that by running around, flapping your wings, honking, grabbing items, and generally causing mischief. Oh, and this is a stealth game at its core. Why, what were you expecting?More Coverage:Untitled Goose Game Release Date RevealedE3 2019: Why Going Epic Store-Exclusive Was The Right Choice For Untitled Goose Game DevsThere's still more games to come this month. Next week, New Releases will shine the spotlight on some soccer with FIFA 20 and turn up the action with Code Vein and The Surge 2.Info from Gamespot.com

A newly discovered glitch involving one of Destiny 2's Exotic weapons will cause it to be temporarily banned from the game when the game's next Raid hits. Due to concerns that it will impact the race to be the first to complete Garden of Salvation, the new Raid included in Shadowkeep, Bungie will render Jotunn unusable for a period of time early next month.The news was shared by Destiny 2 director Luke Smith on Twitter, who wrote, "Jotunn/Toaster will be disabled for Garden of Salvation. The team has identified the issue with Jotunn and we will release a fix in a future update."Jotunn/Toaster will be disabled for Garden of Salvation. The team has identified the issue with Jotunn and we will release a fix in a future update. — Luke Smith (@thislukesmith) September 20, 2019There's no word on exactly when a fix will be implemented, but given the Raid doesn't go live until October 5, you can expect this bug to exist for at least a few more weeks. Destiny 2 Recent News Where Is Xur? Destiny 2 Xur Location And Items Guide (Sept. 20-24) Destiny 2 Patch Notes: New Update May Have Just Given You More Of The Game For Free Destiny 2: All Shadowkeep Weapons And Armor In Bungie's Latest ViDoc Destiny 2: Shadowkeep Pre-Order Guide: Exotics, Deluxe Edition, And More A bit more detail was shared in a post on Reddit by Bungie community manager Cozmo. He revealed that the current plan is for Jotunn to be disabled for 24 hours, which should cover the period in which players race to be the first to beat Garden of Salvation--the World's First race, as it's known. But because Bungie lacks the ability to disable an item in only a particular mode, Jotunn will be unusable anywhere in Destiny 2 during the period.Jotunn Is GlitchedThe Jotunn bug in question involves using the fusion rifle at short range. Normally, if you're close enough to where its shot detonates, the user takes splash damage. Because of this glitch, that damage is instead dealt to the target, allowing players to melt bosses more quickly than intended.Jotunn is obtainable through the Black Armory, part of Destiny 2's annual pass, which was recently made available for free to anyone who owns the Forsaken expansion. Getting your hands on Jotunn involves some luck, as you'll need to craft powerful weapons at the Bergusia forge and then hope for the best. You can read more about how to get it in our guide on how to get Jotunn.Info from Gamespot.com

Lab Zero Games, the studio behind Skullgirls, has released the full intro cinematic for its upcoming action-RPG Indivisible. The intro, which is animated by Studio Trigger, details some of the major events from the opening arc of Indivisible's story, so don't watch it if you want to go into the game completely unspoiled.That said, it's an awesome video--one that captures the colorful character designs and exaggerated motion of the studio behind anime like Kill la Kill and SSSS.Gridman. Lab Zero also revealed Hiroki Kikuta, the composer for Secret of Mana, is behind the intro's music.SPOILERS! Watch the FULL animated opening to Indivisible by @trigger_inc and @TitmouseInc with music by @Hiroki_Kikuta_E! We are deeply honored to have these titans of the anime and game music industry be a part of Indivisible.Pre-order here: https://t.co/87dKVLMlH6 pic.twitter.com/jacqibYUiZ — Indivisible 🔜 Launches October 8th (@IndivisibleRPG) September 20, 2019After seeing it at Anime Expo, Indivisible is one of my most anticipated anime-like games for 2019. The game tells the story of Ajna, a young girl whose home is destroyed--an action that awakens a mysterious power in her. Part of this power allows Ajna to absorb other people into her to then summon at any time to fight by her side.Gameplay-wise, this translates into a character recruitment-based story with a party management, turn-based battle system. As Ajna unlocks new abilities, she's able to explore new areas of the world. Her journey will take her all over a fully-realized fantasy world, one that is in need of saving from a dark power.Several of the other anime-like games we saw at Anime Expo have already come out, and a few of them are pretty good. If you've been sleeping on River City Girls, you should add the retro-styled 2D beat-'em-up to your list of games to play as soon as possible. If you're looking for more ways to throw down in a video game, read GameSpot's Kill la Kill: IF review and see whether that arena fighter is right for you. We also have an AI: The Somnium Files review for those searching for a more mystery-driven adventure.Indivisible is scheduled to release for Xbox One, PS4, and PC on October 8, with a Switch version coming at a later date.Info from Gamespot.com

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is a trip back to a simpler time, when handheld game systems had monochromatic screens and two buttons were all you needed to go on a grand adventure. The new Switch remake marks the second revival of the Game Boy classic, and it brings the quirky Koholint Island back to life in style. Without taking any wind out of the original game's sails, the revisions drastically enhance the look and feel of the environments and characters, all the while map layouts and puzzle designs remain incredibly faithful to the source material. Nintendo has implemented a few other new features and some new collectibles that will keep veteran players on the hunt, but the renewed presentation is easily the star of the show.Having been transformed from little pixelated people to shiny, cartoony toys come to life, everyone in Link's Awakening brings newfound energy. It's equally true for monsters and bad guys as well. Game Boy games have retro appeal, but the remake casts aside ancient aesthetics for something entirely different that works on its own terms. That which existed only in our imagination before comes through in new animations, accompanied with lively sound effects and music that make you feel like a kid again. It's the sort of look that grows even more attractive over time, and you might, like I did, start to imagine what other Nintendo properties would benefit from a similar visual upgrade.It can, also, be the one thing about the game that irks, as the frame rate takes a noticeable hit when most scenes load into memory. The problem seems to be tied to the game's pronounced depth-of-field effect, which employs an exaggerated blurring effect to enhance the miniature-toy feel of the presentation. Don't get me wrong, this is more of a minor annoyance than anything--which should tell you a lot about the quality of everything else.Link's Awakening will no doubt feel old-fashioned, which is fair considering the original version is over a quarter century old at this stage. It feels wrong to make any comparisons between it and Breath of the Wild, but in the case that 2017's game of the year was your first foray in Link's boots, kiss the open-ended quests and sprawling Hyrule goodbye. Link's Awakening is a tightly designed adventure on a small but dense map. Eight puzzle-filled dungeons comprise the bulk of your journey, but you're also required to meet and greet the inhabitants of the quirky island. Link washes ashore after a calamitous boating accident to find himself stranded in paradise--or it would be, if not for the Nightmares residing in the aforementioned vaults.This setup suggests that Koholint is but a trite land compared to the embattled and sacred Kingdom of Hyrule--an inconvenient pitstop for old Link, if you will. Yet, Link's Awakening never feels like it's trying to butt up against the series' more epic entries. It works, instead, as a fanciful side story, and it ultimately stands out for its playful attitude and moments of bittersweet melancholy.By and large, the flow of the game is managed in a clear fashion. A sage-like owl helps guide Link from one primary task to the next. With each dungeon comes a musical instrument, and with them all, says the wise owl, Link can secure his way off the island. It always appears at just the right time, when one task ends and the other is about to begin, but you're also afforded advice from a shy man named Ulrira. Chat with him at any of the numerous phone-booth trees scattered around the island; just don't bother him in person--he will sheepishly ask that you stick to the phone, anyway. For the remake, you also have the new option of revisiting past conversations via the map menu, and the ability to mark locations on the map using a small selection of different icons.This may prove useful for several reasons, most notably while you're hunting for collectible items like seashells and pieces of heart. There are more of each in the Switch remake than in the original Game Boy game, and though you may have a clear sense of where some are, many will remain inaccessible until you discover new gear that extends Link's capabilities.With the Switch's expanded button count, Link's Awakening is a lot easier to play now because you have access to more items at once without jumping in and out of your inventory. In the past, you could only have two items in hand at any given moment. On Switch, Link's sword, shield, dash, and Power Bracelet strength are always ready to use, and two configurable slots for other items let you juggle even more in any given moment. This greatly diminishes the annoyance of constant menu-flipping and can make certain boss encounters feel easier than ever. For players that want a challenge in battle, a Hero mode exists, where enemies don't drop health replenishments and Link takes twice as much damage as usual.Largely, however, the more manageable enemy encounters aren't to the game's detriment. Link's Awakening is primarily focused on testing you with its circuitous dungeons and an overarching item-trading quest line that requires you to take a closer look at the people who call Koholint home. Their identities and stories aren't all that deep, but your interactions and exchanges help shape the identity of the locale and brighten up your time spent outside of dark and dreary dungeons. Some of the multi-floor dungeons can take the better part of an hour to figure out, with fluctuating obstacles and subtle environmental cues ensuring that the final stages will either test your memory of the original game or your present observation and deduction skills. There are times when you suspect that you've explored every option yet can't find the path forward. As is par for the course, you probably need to take a closer look at your tools and surroundings. Even if it won't test your fighting spirit, Link's Awakening's most challenging puzzles will test your intellect in surprising ways.Like many of the best Zelda games, Link's Awakening gives you a sense of purpose, motivates you with discovery and growth, and delights you with its charming personality. These qualities, unfortunately, don't carry over to the remake's other big addition: the dungeon maker mode. Here, with the help of the series' favorite gravedigger, Dampe, Link can create virtual dungeons derived from rooms seen throughout his adventure. Amiibo can also factor in, either as portable storage for sharing your dungeons with other players--no, you can't upload them online--or as a means of unlocking special additions for your custom dungeons. The Link's Awakening Amiibo, for example, will introduce Shadow Link as a mini boss. Defeating him, or simply playing dungeons, will net you extra consumables, like bombs and arrows, and a bounty of rupees. These are good options to have, and there's some delight that comes with laying out your own dungeon, but because you are limited to premade room tiles and disposable rewards, the dungeon maker mode is easy to dismiss. It's a curiosity at best, and definitely not the Zelda Maker you might be waiting for.Though the remake has a couple of blemishes, it's still an easy game to recommend. People speak of Link's Awakening as the secret best Zelda game. That's a tough call to make, but it's definitely one of the best. If you haven't touched a classic Zelda game in a while, Link's Awakening will almost instantly transport you back to the '90s. It's simple, in many ways, but the orchestrated journey still conveys a sense of adventure, and this new version is without question the best way to experience it. And more than anything else, it will put a smile on your face. Remakes are a dime a dozen nowadays and often easy to overlook. Don't make that mistake with Link's Awakening.Info from Gamespot.com