Like many games in this genre, The Division 2 plays best with a well-coordinated squad of friends covering each other and using unique abilities to fend off mobs with tactical efficiency. Even a squad of random players simply taking down enemies together is sufficient enough to get through most of the game's missions. But sometimes I just want play as a lone wolf and go at my own pace without the pressure of keeping up with others. And I often ask with these types of games, how viable is it go solo?It's the same question I had recently with Fallout 76 and Anthem, and one I've been asking since jumping into the original Destiny. Naturally, I thought about the same thing going into The Division 2, and I'm glad that more so than other loot shooters, playing by yourself turned out to be an enjoyable experience that still captures many of the game's high points.My Division agent can take care of the evil that's permeated Washington DC on her own.Something about The Division 2 makes the lone wolf approach work. I mainly attribute it to the fact that it revolves around being a cover-based shooter that taps more into a tactical mindset rather than your ability to eliminate enemy hordes and huge bosses that soak up tons of damage. Don't get me wrong, The Division 2 has elements of that, but your ability to control combat scenarios and find clever ways to handle sometimes overwhelming firefights are much more important factors.One particular experience solidified this feeling. The initial firefight in the Air And Space Museum mission proved more difficult than anything before, despite me being the proper level for it. I was downed in short time, twice. In the first attempt, I got caught out of cover for a little too long, and on a second try, flanked by enemies while desperately trying to find safety as my riot shield got torn to shreds. On the third and successful effort, I scouted for higher-level (purple) enemies so I could plan to take them out first before a full-on firefight broke out. With the use of my chem launcher skill and a few well-placed sniper shots, I took out the biggest threats at the outset.I made my way through the rest of the mission consistently challenged, but ultimately relying on smart use of cover and taking advantage of openings. In the final phase of the whole mission, things played out differently; it forced me to think my way out of a heavily-armored boss pressuring me and encroaching on my space of limited cover. With my back against the wall, I pulled out all the stops; grenades, skills, unloading both primary weapons directly on a weak spot, while dancing around a slim pillar to keep changing my cover angle, I finished the fight by the skin of my teeth.After 15 hours spent as a lone wolf, I'm still going, and I think that says a lot about how great it executes the core gameplay loop in a playground of fascinating set-pieces.These moments aren't unique to solo play by any stretch, but they illustrate why The Division 2 works as a single-player experience. You're constantly on your toes, considering your position in these battles and trying your best to take out enemies before they get the jump on you and catch you off guard. Of course, there were a number of cases where I simply took aim and landed precision shots with a semi-auto rifle to get through the many phases of missions, but even fairly standard tactics still have a definite satisfaction thanks to a variety of tools at your disposal that have an effective, impactful feel upon using.Another thing to consider is that playing solo means no one is around to revive you. Missions are usually generous with checkpoints and keeping your progress even when you get killed, but it's not always the case. As a result, the not-so-forgiving phases give combat somewhat higher stakes like 'no respawn zone' phases. Dying in the open world also forces you to respawn at a fast travel point and run back to what you were doing. It's not ideal, but it does play into how carefully you approach combat when you're alone.The Air And Space Museum is rich with detail and real exhibits.The Division 2 makes the lonesome journey worthwhile in another capacity--I had the time and space to embrace the wonderfully detailed--albeit dilapidated and abandoned--environments. This is a fairly accurate rendition of the nation's capital after all, and I'll be damned if I didn't treat it as a little field trip. I found the ViewPoint Museum mission to be utterly fascinating as a display of history, media, and politics just as much as the American History Museum's Vietnam War exhibit. Calling back to the Air And Space Museum, I took the time to actually examine what was on display. It's a testament to the incredible set-pieces featured in several of the game's main quests, real-world locations, and museums and landmarks that communicate a history that eerily complements the dark backdrop of The Division's storyline.Speaking of story, there's unfortunately not much to see here. I often go into these types of games solo in order to soak up narrative bits, reflect on in-game events, and make sure I speak to every NPC possible to get the full picture, but that's certainly not the case. In the original Division, I loved finding ECHOs, which painted a vivid picture of New York was before the Dollar Flu and right when poor folks scrambled to survive, and in turn, tried to understand an entirely new lore. However, The Division 2 falls short in delivering a story worth caring about. The canon has already been built, we know how dire the virus made things, and it rests on that. It's a generic story about rebuilding with perfunctory attempts at emotional stakes. Factions exist to put a name and evil archetype on enemies that you don't feel bad fighting against. And NPCs primarily serve functional purposes at settlements and bases, nothing more. In a way, The Division 2's design flows like it's specifically tuned for the squad that wants to churn through missions at a rapid pace with narrative as an afterthought. If anything, this approach keeps the action moving and places less emphasis on a weaker aspect of the game.It's not an entirely seamless experience on your own; there will be times when waves of Hyenas or True Sons just become too much to handle, and prove more frustrating than challenging. These are often scenarios that would've been easier with a mate or two to pick you up when you get downed, lay down covering fire, or take out imminent threats. Admittedly, I haven't delved too deep into the Dark Zone, so I can't speak to how one of the more captivating features of this game fares with no one to watch your back. But for the majority of The Division 2's main questline, a solo player should be just as excited to engage in the game's satisfying combat system while being able to handle its bigger fights.At some point, you'll inevitably squad up with randoms or friends because, of course, that's what a multiplayer shared-world game is going to push you to do. But overall, the grind of The Division 2 delivers plenty of fun and a challenge that's manageable, especially when incorporating more of your skills and devising ways to move from cover to cover and create your own flanking routes. After 15 hours spent as a lone wolf, I'm still going, and I think that says a lot about how great it executes the core gameplay loop in a playground of fascinating set-pieces.Info from Gamespot.com

Valve has announced it's revisiting user reviews on Steam in order to combat review bombing. In a blog post, Valve wrote it will now "identify off-topic review bombs, and remove them from the Review Score.""We define an off-topic review bomb as one where the focus of those reviews is on a topic that we consider unrelated to the likelihood that future purchasers will be happy if they buy the game, and hence not something that should be added to the Review Score," Valve continued. The company admits there's still a bit of a grey area with this definition, so it's developed a tool that "identifies any anomalous review activity on all games on Steam in as close to real-time as possible."After the tool has identified possibly troublesome reviews, it will inform Valve and the company will then begin an investigation. If Valve decides the user reviews are an off-topic bomb, the company will inform the developer that every review within the time period of the review bomb will be removed from the game's overall Steam score. At this point, however, the user reviews will still be live. It will be up to the developer's discretion over which are deleted.The downside to this process is that every user review during an off-topic review bomb will be removed from a game's overall Steam score, even the good ones. "But as we mentioned back in our first User Review post, our data shows us that review bombs tend to be temporary distortions, so we believe the Review Score will still be accurate, and other players will still be able to find and read your review within the period," Valve wrote. Plenty of negative comments that focus on DRM or EULA changes will also be considered off-topic review bombings as well.Developers who don't want this new tool combing through their games' comments and Valve declaring when an off-topic review bomb is happening can opt out of the process by going into their Steam Store options. Valve is working on a few more changes to user reviews as well, but they'll be shipped out at a later date.Info from Gamespot.com

As Game of Thrones Season 8's April 14 premiere date quickly approaches, one question dominates all others: Who will sit on the Iron Throne when all is said and done? This is the show's final season, after all, and unlike George R.R. Martin's forever-in-progress books, the HBO production will actually have a conclusion.We had that all-consuming question in mind when we recently got the chance to sit down with Harry Lloyd, who's set to play Charles Xavier--Professor X--in the third and final season of FX's X-Men adaptation Legion. Game of Thrones fans, however, will probably know Lloyd better as Viserys Targaryen, Daenerys's abusive brother from back in Game of Thrones Season 1.Lloyd couched his opinion in the fact that he's "not quite up to date, shamefully," though he plans to catch up before Season 8 arrives. But his nomination for Ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, King or Queen of Westeros, and Warmer of the Iron Throne is nevertheless perfectly valid: nobody."I kind of want no one on it, to be honest," the actor said, grinning. "I just want it to become a really nice, kind of democracy."He did offer one more alternative, though: "I'll tell you what, I always wanted Hodor to be in charge," he continued, laughing--clearly aware of the character's fate in Season 6. "But, yeah--maybe with some time travel?"With this line of questioning begun, we couldn't stop at one. To this day, Viserys's gruesome death at Khal Drogo's hands in Season 1--with a pot of molten gold poured over his dome--stands as one of the show's best. We asked Lloyd whether there's been another since then that topped it. Surprisingly, he went all the way back to another Season 1 death. "You know what one of my favorite deaths has always been, was just a couple of episodes after mine, in Episode 8 of Season 1, when Khal Drogo rips that guy's tongue out," Lloyd said. He remembered discussing the scene with Jason Momoa, who played Khal Drogo (and, of course, went on to portray Aquaman in Justice League and his own standalone movie). According to Lloyd, the scene was written as a more straightforward sword fight, but Momoa had other ideas.Momoa apparently got involved personally, asking the art department to whip up a convincing tongue that looked like it had been ripped out root and stem. "And it's Game of Thrones, so the art department, you know, they rustled one of them up--they probably had a couple already on file," Lloyd recalled."I just thought that was a wonderful little sequence, and the fact that it was so collaborative,even in that first [season]," he continued, "I always liked that."Game of Thrones Season 8 premieres April 14 on HBO. Check out our favorite fan theories, the full season's episode run times, and what author George R.R. Martin knows about Season 8.Info from Gamespot.com

You awaken in a city under enemy occupation after neighbouring forces swept in and brutally laid waste to soldiers and civilians alike. You’re separated from your squad, your Wanzer mech heavily damaged and unable to operate, with nothing but the local army’s omnipotent AI, Koshka, to help guide you to safety. Left Alive’s opening salvo shows its certain potential, but while the premise pulls you in, the take away once it’s all over is one of resounding disappointment. Left Alive is an astoundingly infuriating grind that lacks in almost every area, making a wholly unrewarding experience.Set in the same universe as the long-neglected Front Mission series, you alternate between three main characters--a rookie Wanzer pilot, a former military veteran turned beat cop, and a ghosted merc who’s been presumed dead for two years. Each character is on a different path to try and escape the city that’s overrun with enemy mechs and soldiers. Their paths will intertwine over the course of the game’s 14 missions allowing for some occasionally fun interplay between the protagonists, but that’s about as interesting as their story gets. Moments of both political and personal intrigue go for knockout blows with almost no set up, leaving them feeling flat and impactless, and the story never really gets back on its feet.Surviving the numerous open-world sections of the city is the main point of Left Alive, avoiding combat where possible and traversing slowly and silently through the torn up streets littered with abandoned cars and flaming piles of rubbish. As you move from point to point, you’ll scavenge items and components--from empty cans and bottles to stripping parts from destroyed drones--in order to craft traps and projectiles. But even with these tools, progress comes slowly, and arduously, for a variety of different reasons, the chief of which is the game’s stunningly poor combat.Weapons in general feel woefully inadequate and underpowered. Guns are weak and make a lot of noise (inviting any enemy within a block to bear fire down upon your position) and headshots don’t ever result in a one hit kill. Bullet impacts feel scattered and inconsistent, with perfect reticle aim not ensuring a hit--even on the first shot. Melee weapons aren’t much better, you’re more likely to get knocked down yourself before you can them so it’s always a high risk move, and there’s no stealth bonus for sneaky attacks. Projectile weapons are more stealth-oriented as the AI aren’t able to track where a thrown item came from, but they are equally as ineffective at putting the enemy down for good.The stilted and jittery combat sucks the air out of every enemy engagement, but you’re consistently forced into it. Koshka’s incessant reminder of “Caution, the enemy is approaching” on a loop when in close proximity to a guard just adds to the annoyance. Checkpoints and save points are scarce, and more often than not the direct route to each is blocked by a number of patrolling guards or worse, a comparably overpowered Wanzer, meaning a lot of backtracking to save points in safer zones in order to avoid replaying tedious sections. Although the game’s map tries to usefully point out high alert zones, it doesn’t feel like there’s any tangible difference between the two; safe zones are just as likely to be teeming with patrolling guards as alert zones are.Side missions come in the form of other survivors, many of whom only need to be accompanied to the nearest shelter, of which there are a handful strewn about each map. Some will go easily, while others are in distress and need convincing to move via a handful of dialogue choices, though these feel trite--it never felt like it mattered if they were rescued or not. They’re helpless and will quickly go down if fired at, unless you clear their path beforehand they have frustratingly little chance of making it to the shelter safely. But the risk of taking more guards head on just to get survivors out quickly turns into a tiring and unfulfilling routine.Wanzers are the only part of Left Alive that bucks its mediocrity. When moving through the city, these imposing behemoths will patrol along the wider open sections of the map, sweeping the area from on high. Most of the time they can be avoided by finding a clearer route, but sometimes you’ll need to get unnervingly close, creating a palpable sense of fear as you try to sneak by them undetected. Getting noticed by a Wanzer spells almost certain death, unless you can get your hands on a rocket launcher and a good sniping spot, which will take them down with a few well placed shots to the torso.Even better is when you get behind the controls of a Wanzer and give the enemy a healthy dose of their own medicine. Weapons, from rocket launchers and huge assault rifles to shoulder mounted railguns, each has a distinct feel to them. For example, the railgun requires your mech to kneel to make a more stable platform and then a second to warm up before firing, but will cause tremendous damage with a direct hit. All weapons overheat at different times if not allowed to breathe out in between shots, but if you time it right you can easily alternate between your main four to unload continuous fire.Save for Wanzer-related activities, almost no part of Left Alive feels good to play; it’s painfully slow, inconsistent, and looks incredibly dated. Environment textures are muddied and lack detail, animations don’t blend together that well which gives everything a slightly jolting look. Blowing up an enemy vehicle sees it simply disappear into thin air behind a flat, low-res fire texture. When you mix moments like that with the already tiring combat, which is compounded further during some utterly infuriating late-game boss fights, it really hits home how far wide of the mark Left Alive is.Perhaps the worst part is that you can see there’s something here, ideas that have some real potential but never even come close to being realised. The Wanzer combat is genuinely rad, but that’s it. Everything else comes with a heavy caveat; be it how underpowered you feel, the awkward movement, the inconsistent bullet impacts, the ugly environments… the list goes on. There’s almost no joy to be found in playing Left Alive, only bitter disappointment. Info from Gamespot.com

I don't know why I'm in Washington DC; some lady just told me to be here. But there are civilians in distress, armed gangs roaming the streets, and me, my pals, and the second amendment are apparently the only ones who can actually do anything about it. I have no idea what, if anything, is going on with the bigwigs I met in the White House. But so long as I'm helping folks, sending relatively bad people to bed, walking the pretty streets, and picking up a new pair of gloves every so often, I'm very happy to hang around.In the world of Tom Clancy's The Division 2, the USA has been ravaged by a virus and society has crumbled. While those who remain try to survive by banding together in groups of various dispositions, the Strategic Homeland Division activates highly specialized sleeper agents to try and restore order. It's a setting ripe in potential, perhaps to tell a ripping techno-thriller story that scrutinizes the structures of our modern society and government, or perhaps to make a video game that leverages the chaos that occurs when multiple idealistic groups clash in a vie for power in a lawless city. The Division 2 only does one of these things.It's not the story. Throughout the entirety of The Division 2's main campaign, never did the game spend a satisfactory amount of time on any semblance of an overarching plot, or the predicaments of its supposedly important figures. There are no character arcs, only abrupt setups and consequences. Narrative devices, like audio logs found in the world, add nothing of consequence. Even the game's biggest macguffins--the President of the United States and his briefcase containing a cure for the virus--have a minimal amount of absolutely forgettable screen time. The opportunity to use The Division 2 to create meaningful fiction is wasted.Instead, The Division 2 focuses its narrative chops into worldbuilding. The city, a ravaged Washington DC, initially feels a little homogenous in the way most Western cities do. But after some time, the personality of the different districts--the buildings, the landmarks, the natural spaces, and the ways they've been repurposed or affected by the cataclysm--begins to shine through. It's this strength of environment which lays a very strong foundation for The Division 2 as a video game, creating an engrossing, believable, and contiguous open world.Moving from your safehouse to the open world and your next mission area is almost entirely seamless. It's something that was also true of the original Division, but that doesn't take away from the fact that the simple act of going from place to place in The Division 2 is one of the game's more rewarding aspects. One road may lead to a skirmish with a rival patrol or an optional activity, another might simply give you another stirring scene of urban decay in the morning sun. An obscured shortcut through an apartment block might turn up some useful items in an abandoned home, which you might decide to donate to the makeshift settlements where civilians have attempted to rebuild their lives.Visiting those settlements--initially as hovels, before they gradually grow and become more charming, vibrant places thanks to your efforts in the world--becomes a strong motivator in the absence of a plot to chase. Outside main missions, which are dedicated to the weakening of rival factions and achieving indiscriminate objectives, the game's "Projects" are one of the most lucrative means of earning experience to better your character. Projects ask you to donate resources you find out in the world and participate in side activities, encouraging you to spend more time in the world, see new areas, fight new battles, search for new equipment to use, and find enjoyment in that. The Division 2 is, after all, a game devoted to providing you with a continuous stream of gripping conflicts, valuable rewards, and a perpetual sense of progress and satisfaction from doing these things. It does those things very well.You spend a lot of time hunkered behind cover, popping out to fire at any enemy dumb enough to expose themselves. With the large amount of weapon variety available, this familiar facet of combat is solid in itself. Add to that the ability to equip two special abilities from a possible eight--which include tools such as riot shields, drones, and from what I can gather, robot bees of some sort--and combat gets pretty interesting. But the vector that really keeps The Division 2's combat lively for upwards of 30 hours is the behavior and diversity of its enemy types.That time you spend in cover? The Division 2 doesn't want you to just stay there. You can go down very quickly if you're out in the open, but the game has a dozen ways to alway keep you taking those risks and finding better firing positions--aggressive melee units, remote control cars equipped with sawblades, even the regular assault units regularly attempt to outflank you. Those special abilities? You absolutely need to use them to their full potential to survive some encounters, whether by throwing out the seeker mines or the automated turret to keep enemies at bay while you focus on a priority target, or perhaps utilizing the chemical launcher to start a fire and create a zone of denial.The effort needed to take out an adversary is relatively reasonable for a shooter that prioritizes the RPG nature of its combat model, but some of the tougher enemies have additional, visible layers of protection which you need to focus on breaking if you want to land critical hits. On the flip side, some enemies have additional, obtuse weak points which can work to your advantage, but only if you can hit them. The fuel tank on the back of a flamethrower unit might be feasible, but when you start running into the terrifying robotic quadruped in post-campaign activities, whose tiny weak point only reveals itself seconds before it fires its devastating railgun, you have to assess whether you can afford to take on that challenge among all the other things pressuring you. The Division 2 throws a lot of hurdles at you, but also gives you the means to quickly counter and resolve them. Whether you can juggle that many balls at once is what keeps combat tense and exciting.What's also exciting is the treasure at the end of these gauntlets. These Washington locations, refashioned into memorable combat arenas, are often rewarding in their own right (a fight in a planetarium is an early standout). But improving your equipment is the vital, tangible part that keeps you feeling like you're making progress. You receive new gear in generous amounts, some dropped by an enemy or looted from a container found in the world, others rewarded for completing a mission, and the next dose always feels in reach. The weapon variety forces you to consider something completely different to take advantage of a power boost, and the armor variety provides an impressive number of different cosmetic looks. The Division 2 incorporates a microtransaction and loot box system for its inconsequential clothing options, though these can be found in the world and earned of your own accord, too.Like combat, gear remains intriguing throughout Division 2 not just because of the abstract desire to have bigger numbers attached to your person and progress further through the game's challenges, but also through a raft of "talents." These add unique perks that complement particular skills or styles of play, like doing extra damage within a certain range, when enemies are burning, or your armor is depleted. The brands of armor also have a part to play, whereby equipping a number of pieces from a single manufacturer provide additional advantages. These bonuses become particularly attractive to obsess over in the endgame, when the world is retaken by a tougher, more merciless enemy faction called Black Tusk, and you need to ensure your ability to fight them is the best it can be.For the hundreds of pieces you will inevitably want to discard, the ability to sell or dismantle them for parts to either purchase or craft pieces you want gives value to everything you pick up. Or you might retain them in order to move their talents to better gear of the same type, And, as a wonderful convenience, The Division 2 implements numerous features to inspect, mark, dismantle, or equip things you find so quickly and elegantly--sometimes without ever having to enter a menu--that it improves the whole experience of being in its world.The same can be said of the game's multiplayer integration, which allows you to easily group up and progress with friends (the game will scale any underpowered players to match the most powerful). Alternatively, you can join a clan, which opens up a variety of weekly challenges, granting valuable rewards, and which features integrated game-wide group communication options. Even if you're only interested in playing alone (which is more challenging, but entirely feasible), the ability to matchmake with other players at any time, whether that be in the open world, before you start a mission, or when you're at a final boss, is a very welcome feature.And when you beat that final boss of the game's final mission (though, such is the Division 2's lack of plot framing, I honestly couldn't tell you his name to save my life) and you think you've finally run out of treasure to keep luring you through more fights, the metaphorical table gets flipped. Flipped hard. The Washington DC you spent so long liberating from rival factions becomes completely retaken by the aforementioned Black Tusk. You unlock three unique class specializations, each with their own skill trees to work at unlocking. Your focus on growing two-digit numbers on your character (your level) moves to three-digit numbers (the quality of your gear). Even after finishing the campaign, the game still feels enormous.More challenging, remixed versions of campaign missions and open-world challenges featuring Black Tusk become available. The idea might sound trite, but in practice, these "Invaded" missions often leverage the new enemy types to create terrifying new combat scenarios that maintain the steady ramp-up of challenges, and they give you a fantastic reason to revisit the more memorable combat arenas with a purpose. However, there's still a lot I haven't seen. I've yet to dabble in the three Dark Zones, reward-rich areas where players can potentially find themselves up against other, malicious agents as well as the usual enemies. I'm also yet to participate in Conflict, The Division 2's take on traditional team-based competitive multiplayer modes.But after spending 30 hours completing the campaign and beginning to dabble in the endgame, I'm still enamored with The Division 2. The range of enemy types continues to keep combat encounters challenging, the equipment I earn and pick up continues to feel different and valuable. The ravaged environments continue to intrigue, and sometimes they're so stunning I find myself needing to take a screenshot before I move on. There is still so much to see in The Division 2, but I want to take the time to see it. I have absolutely no clue why I'm here or what anyone's motivations are, and I wish I had a narrative purpose to my endless hunger for progression. But I'm glad to be here right now.Note: This review-in-progress will be finalized once substantial time has been spent in The Division 2's endgame content, including Dark Zones and Conflicts. Info from Gamespot.com

Not long after the release of Captain Marvel, the new trailer for Avengers: Endgame is here. The hugely anticipated follow-up to last year's blockbuster Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters next month, and it's directed once more by Joe and Anthony Russo.The trailer starts much the same as the last one, with Tony Stark floating in space, feeling lonely and regretful. It then shows us a black-and-white montage of shots from earlier MCU movies (such as Iron Man and Thor) and the remaining Avengers all mourning the loss of their colleagues following the shocking climax of Infinity War. But our heroes aren't going to stand by and let Thanos claim victory, so set about forming a plan to bring their friends back. It also features an appearance from Captain Marvel, some cool Avengers spacesuits, new hairdos, and more. Check it out above--and see the latest poster at the end of this story and a breakdown of the latest trailer. There's a lot of takeaways to be had regarding what we've learned, although there are suspicions that the trailer could be attempting to mislead us about some of the film's events.Avengers: Endgame releases on April 26, 2019. Virtually all the major actors from the MCU are set to return, so that means Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Ruffalo, Elizabeth Olsen, Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, and so on. It had been rumored that this might be the last Marvel movie for some of the MCU's longest-running stars--in particular Evans--but nothing has been confirmed about their future in the franchise. We do know Endgame will be followed by Spider-Man: Far From Home in July, with Tom Holland's Spider-Man and Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury both returning.In related news, Captain Marvel hits theaters last week. It has proved to be another huge success for the studio--for more, check out the biggest questions we have after seeing Captain Marvel. We've also got a roundup of Captain Marvel Easter eggs and a breakdown of the post-credits scenes. Info from Gamespot.com

This year's British Academy Games Awards are happening soon, and BAFTA has now revealed the full list of nominations for 2019. God of War leads the way with 10 nominations, while there are six nominations each for Red Dead Redemption 2, Florence, and Return of the Obra Dinn. Celeste, meanwhile, is up for five awards.The most prestigious award handed out at the ceremony--which takes place on April 4 in London--is the Best Game award. The nominees for that category are Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Astro Bot: Rescue Mission, and the aforementioned quartet of Celeste, God of War, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Return of the Obra Dinn. British Game, meanwhile, will be contested by 11-11: Memories Retold, Forza Horizon 4, Red Dead Redemption 2, The Room: Old Sins, Overcooked 2, and Two Point Hospital.The awards are voted on by BAFTA membership. The only award decided by the public is Mobile Game of the Year, which you can vote for here. The nominees for that are Brawl Stars, Clash Royale, Fortnite, Old School Runescape, Pokemon Go, and Roblox.You can see the full list of nominees below. Which games do you think should win? Let us know in the comments!BAFTA Game Awards Nominations 2019Artistic AchievementDetroit: Become HumanGrisGod of WarSpider-ManRed Dead Redemption 2Return of the Obra DinnAudio AchievementBattlefield VDetroit: Become HumanGod of WarSpider-ManRed Dead Redemption 2Tetris EffectBest GameAssassin's Creed OdysseyAstro Bot: Rescue MissionCelesteGod of WarRed Dead Redemption 2Return of the Obra DinnBritish Game11-11: Memories RetoldForza Horizon 4Red Dead Redemption 2The Room: Old SinsOvercooked 2Two Point HospitalDebut GameBeat SaberCultist SimulatorDonut CountyFlorenceGrisYoku's Island ExpressEvolving GameDestiny 2Elite DangerousFortniteOverwatchSea of ThievesRainbow Six SiegeFamilyLego The IncrediblesNintendo LaboOvercooked 2Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu / EeveeSuper Mario PartyYoku's Island ExpressGame Beyond Entertainment11: Memories RetoldCelesteFlorenceLife is Strange 2My Child LebensbornNintendo LaboGame DesignAstro Bot: Rescue MissionCelesteGod of WarInto the BreachMinitReturn of the Obra DinnGame InnovationAstro Bot: Rescue MissionCelesteCultist SimulatorMossNintendo LaboReturn of the Obra DinnMobile GameAlto's OdysseyBrawl StarsDonut CountyFlorenceReigns: Game of ThronesThe Room: Old SinsMultiplayerA Way OutBattlefield VOvercooked 2Sea of ThievesSuper Mario PartySuper Smash Bros. UltimateMusicCelesteFar Cry 5FlorenceGod of WarGrisTetris EffectNarrativeFlorenceFrostpunkGod of WarSpider-ManRed Dead Redemption 2Return of the Obra DinnOriginal PropertyDead CellsFlorenceInto the BreachMossReturn of the Obra DinnSubnauticaPerformerChristopher Judge as Kratos in God of WarDanielle Bisutti as Freya in God of WarJeremy Davies as The Stranger in God of WarMelissanthi Mahut as Kassandra in Assassin's Creed OdysseyRoger Clark as Arthur Morgan in Read Dead Redemption 2Sunny Suljic as Atreus in God of WarMobile Game Of The Year (Public Award)Brawl StarsClash RoyaleFortniteOld School RunescapePokemon GoRobloxInfo from Gamespot.com

Battlefield V's take on battle royale has been much anticipated ever since publisher EA first said it would be jumping on the genre bandwagon. Although it did not make it out in time for the game's initial release, following a delay, we've finally gotten our first glimpse at Battlefield V's take on the mode of the moment with a new trailer for Firestorm. Take a look below.It's unfortunately devoid of any gameplay, as the entire thing is showcased from a cinematic perspective. Although the video is our first official look at the mode, another video leaked online just recently, showing off a bunch of the game's modes and the general setup of a match. We now know much of that information was true. Just as in other battle royale games, such as PUBG or Fortnite, you can play in Solos, Duos, or Squads, while each match will begin with players parachuting out of a plane, then scrambling to find weapons and other items to help them survive. The mode will launch on March 25.EA has previously said that Firestorm will support up to 64 players. Unlike the rest of the game, the mode isn't developed by DICE, but rather Criterion, the studio behind the Need for Speed series. The mode derives its name from the ring of fire that gradually closes in on the battlefield as matches progress. Firestorm will arrive for free as part of Battlefield V's third chapter of content, Trial by Fire, which kicks off later this month.In the meantime, the final event of Chapter 2: Lightning Strikes, dubbed Unstoppable Force, is now live. Along with two Weekly Challenges, the event brings back the fan-favorite Rush mode, but it'll only be around until March 20.Info from Gamespot.com

Left 4 Dead and Evolve developer Turtle Rock Studios has announced a new co-op zombie shooter to be published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Back 4 Blood is said to be a premium game that borrows from Turtle Rock's history of making a co-op zombie shooter, while also having a slate of new features and current-gen tech.The studio released a FAQ with some additional details. It shies away from any commitment like post-launch content or microtransactions, and stresses that Back 4 Blood is a new original IP unrelated to Left 4 Dead. It also says that it will have a campaign and PVP, and it is not a battle royale.We can also glean some information from how the key figures are talking about the new project. Creative director Phil Robb said the studio is growing its team and using what it's learned from the past for this new project. Meanwhile, design director Chris Ashton stressed that the team has had this project in mind for a long time."It's hard to overstate what an awesome opportunity this is," Ashton said. "We get to return to a genre that was born in our studio with over 10 years of additional experience and zombie ideas racked up in our brains. We also have some of the best teammates in the business at WBIE, who understand our development process and are equally committed to our player-first mentality. We love being able to announce, so we can start working with the community right away."Following Left 4 Dead, Turtle Rock made Evolve for 2K. Evolve borrowed some ideas from L4D, but added a fifth player as an asynchronous monster. It received a positive reception and gained a respectable audience, but Turtle Rock stopped actively developing it in 2016. Most recently, the studio was said to be working on a dark fantasy game for Perfect World. In the FAQ, it says that project has ended.Info from Gamespot.com

Plenty of unofficial holidays exist purely because of how a particular date looks--we're looking at you, Mario Day--but among these, Pi Day might be the most iconic. Every year on March 14, math nerds everywhere celebrate pi (π), the ratio that defines the circumference of a circle to its diameter and an irrational number that happens to round to 3.14. Even if you're not a huge fan of pi (maybe it just gives you flashbacks to high-school geometry), you should know that ThinkGeek is running a major sale for Pi Day--everything on the site is 31.4% off for today only. All you have to do is use the promo code PIDAY19. Only pre-order items are excluded. The sale ends tonight at 8:59 PM PST / 11:59 PM EST.ThinkGeek positions itself as the go-to destination for collectibles and licensed merchandise around gaming and geek culture, and its range of offerings is expansive. From Rick and Morty action figures and a Legend of Zelda ocarina to a Captain American shield doormat and a giant Snorlax bean bag chair, ThinkGeek has unique offerings for practically every fandom under the sun. You'll stumble across random, wonderful things you never knew you needed, like this glowing Pac-Man lamp that plays Pac-Man music when you plug it in, or Jon Snow's direwolf, Ghost, in plush form. If you're planning an upcoming cosplay, you might just find the accessory you need. And it's all on sale, so now's the time if you've been eyeing any kind of merch, wishing it were cheaper.The size of ThinkGeek's inventory can be overwhelming, so to make things easier, you can shop by interest, including specific video games or brands like Zelda, Dragon Age, Pokemon, and Fortnite. You can also shop within product categories, so if you're looking for something specific like board games or desk decor, it's super easy to find what you need.If you have a ThinkGeek store near you, this Pi Day deal extends to in-store apparel and accessories as well. You can search for any nearby ThinkGeek stores here.Shop ThinkGeek's Pi Day sale » Info from Gamespot.com

With Avengers: Endgame now just over a month away, the Marvel marketing machine is gearing up to hit us with the usual bombardment of promotional material. A thrilling new trailer, which has a lot of new info about the movie, has been released, and it is accompanied by a striking new poster--a new version of which you can now see below after the initial one left out one of the featured characters' actors from the top billing.While the previous poster was really just a teaser, this new one reveals all the heroes in truly cosmic style. Unsurprisingly it only features those Avengers who survived the shocking end of last year's Infinity War, including Captain America, Thor, Iron man, Black Widow, and Ant-Man. It also includes Captain Marvel, and shows the villainous Thanos in the background. The poster credits also confirm both Benedict Wong and Jon Favreau will appear in the movie, as Wong and Happy Hogan respectively. Check it out below.This is actually an updated version of the poster. Despite the appearance of Black Panther's Okoye in the poster, some fans called attention to the fact that actress Danai Gurira's name was the only one absent from the top of poster, leading to an outcry over the omission. Marvel has since rectified the situation, issuing the version you see above and saying in a tweet, "She should have been up there all this time," along with the addition of a Wakanda Forever hashtag.Avengers: Endgame releases on April 26, 2019. It's directed once more Joe and Anthony Russo, and the cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Danai Gurira, and Jeremy Renner. There have been rumors that some of the MCU's longest-serving stars might be leaving the series after this film (in particular Evans), but nothing has been confirmed to date. We do know Endgame will be followed by Spider-Man: Far From Home in July.In related news, Captain Marvel hits theaters last week--for more, check out the biggest questions we have after seeing Captain Marvel. We've also got a roundup of Captain Marvel Easter eggs and a breakdown of the post-credits scenes.Info from Gamespot.com

We're now in Week 3 of Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 8, which means new challenges are cycling in. As always, you'll need to do these to unlock those oh-so-precious Battle Stars, which will in turn level up your Battle Pass and make new skins and other rewards available so you can customize your character. Challenges are split into two categories, with a free set available to everyone playing and a second set exclusive to those that have spent V-Bucks to purchase a Battle Pass. Here's what to look for from Week 3.In the free section, players will need to complete two separate multi-stage challenges. The first begins by visiting Fatal Fields and Salty Springs in a single match, while the second starts by destroying 30 cacti in the desert. The third free challenge asks players to place different Trap Slot items in a match, twice--make sure you to place those immediately upon getting them, before anyone can kill you.In the premium Battle Pass section, the first challenge involves looking at the loading screen and finding where the magnifying glass sits on the treasure map featured in it. Additionally, players will need to search chests at Sunny Steps or Fatal Fields, deal 500 points of headshot damage to enemies, and get an elimination with an SMG, pistol, and sniper rifle (but, luckily, not in the same match).Fortnite Season 8, Week 3 ChallengesFreeStage 1 of 3: Visit Fatal Fields and Salty Springs in a single match (2) -- 1 Battle StarStage 1 of 3: Destroy Cacti in the Desert (30) -- 1 Battle StarsPlace different Trap Slot items in a single match (2) -- 10 Battle StarsPremiumSearch where the magnifying glass sits on the Treasure Map loading screen (1) -- 5 Battle StarsSearch chests at Sunny Steps or Fatal Fields (7) -- 5 Battle StarsDeal headshot damage to opponents (500) -- 10 Battle StarsGet an elimination with an SMG, Pistol, and a Sniper Rifle (3) -- 10 Battle StarsDeveloper Epic Games has released Fortnite patch 8.10, which introduces the new Baller vehicle. On top of that, it has given older skins a bit of a makeover. "We've seen you being vocal about wanting to see the face behind the masks of some of our helmeted outfits," it said in a statement, "so we've done a pass on previous outfits."The skins that have been updated are Scarlet Defender, Elite Agent, Renegade Raider, Waypoint, Overtaker, and Whiteout. Epic has said it will be "working on more outfit styles and other broad stroke improvements" to Fortnite's art in the future.Throughout Season 8 of Fortnite, we'll be creating guides for challenges on a weekly basis. You can stay on top of it all by using our full Season 8 challenges guide.Info from Gamespot.com

The challenges for Fortnite Season 8, Week 3 are now live and, among them, is one that asks you to do some detective work--or perhaps pirate work--before you go off into the island hunting for Battle Stars. The challenge in question asks players to "search where the magnifying glass sits on the Treasure Map loading screen." Here's where to go and what to do.As Fortnite challenges go, it isn't actually all that difficult, though the wording is slightly confusing. What it's asking you to do is take a look at the loading screen artwork, which is of a treasure map. On the map is a magnifying glass, and the area it's focused on is where you need to head to during a match. Specifically, it's southwest of Polar Peaks and east of Frosty Flights.Head to the grid reference C8 and go to the left side of that quadrant, and you'll spot the Battle Star there. Grab it and and get to work on the remaining challenges so you can inch ever closer to getting the cosmetic unlock of your dreams.If you're planning on unlocking everything, or have your heart set on something deep into the Battle Pass, you'll need to spend the time and effort to do challenges each and every week. By doing so, you'll gather Battle Stars and level up the Battle Pass much quicker. To help you along, we'll be creating guides for challenges on a weekly basis. You can stay on top of it all by using our full Season 8 challenges guide.If you're looking for even more challenges to do, Fortnite's The Getaway Limited Time Mode has returned, along with High Stakes challenges. By completing this extra set of challenges, you can unlock a crowbar Harvesting Tool, Llama back bling, a loading screen, spray, and contrail. Challenges generally involve winning matches in The Getaway LTM, using a specific item, or taking out certain enemies. Those are only available until March 19, so if you're interested in the rewards, you should likely focus on knocking those out before any of the standard Week 3 challenges, which will run until the end of Season 8 (likely sometime in May or June). Info from Gamespot.com

We've entered Week 3 of Fortnite Season 8, and a new assortment of challenges are now available to complete on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile. That's not all; following the return of the Getaway limited-time mode earlier this week, Epic has brought back the related High Stakes challenges from Season 5, along with a couple of new rewards to unlock.The High Stakes challenges all tie in to the aforementioned Getaway LTM, which returned as part of Fortnite's 8.10 patch. Getaway is a heist-themed mode that divides players up into teams of four and tasks them with finding safes scattered around the island, extracting the llama-shaped jewel stored inside, and making it safely to the getaway van.The challenges are all fairly straightforward, ranging from playing a certain number of Getaway matches to picking up a jewel and using Grapplers. If you missed out on the event back in Season 5, you'll have another chance to unlock all of the previous rewards, as well as new color variations of the Crystal Llama back bling. You can see the full list of High Stakes challenges below.High Stakes ChallengesWin a match of The Getaway (1)Win matches of The Getaway (3)Win matches of The Getaway (5)Use a Grappler in different matches of The Getaway (5)Deal damage to Jewel-carrying opponents (200)Pick up a Jewel in different matches of The Getaway (3)Complete The Getaway challenges (2)The High Stakes challenges will only be around until Tuesday, March 19, so you only have a limited time to complete the tasks and unlock their rewards. To go along with the challenges, the Wild Card skin and a new Wild Card wrap bundle are up for purchase in Fortnite's in-game store.Week 3's challenges, meanwhile, have you following a loading screen treasure map and destroying cacti in the desert, among other things. Like other weekly challenges, you'll have until the end of Season 8 to complete them. If you need some pointers, you can find guides for this season's trickier challenges in our complete Season 8 challenges roundup.Info from Gamespot.com

It's really satisfying being able to pull off a combo that gets you into the SSS ranking in Devil May Cry 5. Featuring a trio of badass devil hunters--returning favorites Dante and Nero, as well as newcomer V--you'll realize that they each bring a dazzling set of skills that show off a remarkable sense of style and energy in a fight. But there's a lot more to slaying demons than simply firing your gun or swinging your oversized, engine-powered sword. As an action game that possesses the depth of complex fighting games, you'll need to learn and understand the subtle mechanics and nuances of its main cast in order to leave an impression on Devil May Cry 5's enemies.In this guide, we're giving you the rundown on one of Devil May Cry 5's main protagonists--particularly the brash and hot-headed Nero. Whether it's getting a handle of the timing for his Exceed mechanic, or deciding which Devil Breakers you should use, Nero has plenty of options when it comes to taking down demons. If you're willing to take the time and learn how each character functions, you'll be able to get the elusive SSS ranking in no time.So with that, here's our breakdown on Nero in DMC5. Be sure to watch the gameplay video above at the 03:30 mark to see what SSS rank combat looks like for Nero. If you want to know more about Dante and newcomer V, head on over to our guides for those characters, as well as our walkthrough on how to find all the Secret Missions. For more info on Devil May Cry 5, read our full review.OverviewAs one of the more accessible characters, the charismatic and scrappy Nero features a move set that carries over a number of returning mechanics from DMC4, which includes his familiar long-range grapple moves. With a skill set that emphasizes timing and charging up attacks, Nero's playstyle is all about creating opportunities and executing primed up attacks with his Red Queen sword, Blue Rose revolver, and Devil Breakers. Devil Breakers are Nero's newest weapon, allowing him to bring in a customizable set of special arms into battle. This new mechanic can alter his normal attacks and introduce some exciting moves that can slow down time or give him additional projectile attacks.Nero is the most agile and acrobatic character in the game, and he possesses excellent evasive skills and prowess at fighting enemies in the air. With his Table Hopper ability, Nero can execute a series of jukes and careful dodges right when an enemy is about to attack, allowing him to move into their blind spot in incredibly slick fashion. Nero also has several attacks that allow him to stay in the air, including his Roulette and Calibur skills. If there's a good way to describe Nero, he's essentially the brawler of the trio, focusing on fast, heavy hits while being able to slip out with a dodge when he needs to.The Devil BreakersThe Devil Breakers are truly a game-changer for Nero when paired with his basic move set. These special arms allow you to pull off some very powerful, if a bit bizarre, actions for Nero, greatly expanding his repertoire of skills. For instance, the default breaker is the Overture, a close-range arm that conjures up a massive lighting fist that can also be turned into a remote bomb. Also, Gerbera's aerial burst attack--which doubles as a dodge--can be extremely effective when you want to keep yourself and the enemies in the air. Unfortunately, the breakers are very fragile and getting hit while using them will cause it to shatter. So you'll need to carefully pick which moment is best to use them.One of the main mechanical restrictions for the Devil Breakers, however, is that you can't freely switch off between the arms in your magazine. In order to shift over to your next arm, you'll have to break it yourself (creating a small explosion in the process) or use up the arm's charged attack. With this in mind, you'll want to customize your loadout to complement your particular playstyle and approach. Though Gerbera and Overture are always reliable to have, other worthwhile breakers to use are the Punch Line and the Tomboy. Punch Line is an extremely fast rocket arm that can target a single enemy and hit them multiple times, while the Tomboy overcharges Nero's sword and gun, greatly altering its attack pattern and strength.Combat TipsWhen playing as Nero, the best way to build up to the SSS ranking is to keep moving, evade enemy attacks, and rush in with fast hits on a constant basis. One of Nero's most technical combat skills to master is his Exceed mechanic. With his engine-powered sword, you'll be able to tap the left trigger to charge up his attacks for extra damage. Though you can hold and tap the trigger multiple times to build up energy, the more efficient way to get a charge is by tapping the Exceed button as you simultaneously swing your sword. If you can nail the timing, you'll be able to amplify its attack strength instantly. Mastering the timing can be extremely useful during a fight, as you can chain together multiple charged attacks together during a single combo. Unlocking the MAX-Act skill will allow you to fully charge the Red Queen to its limit with a well-timed tap of the Exceed button.Nero is also effective at bunching up enemies with his attacks. The Streak combat skill--a rush attack that drives Nero forward with his sword--is a move to push enemies together, but the Exceed-variant of the move will turn it into multiple hits. With a set of enemies bunched up together, you can use one of his Devil Breakers to damage the stunned group. In this instance, Punch Line's normal attack is a solid move, but the Gerbera's special--either the ground attack or the aerial variant--are great choices to use when the enemies are bunched up or when you're fighting in tight spaces.Nero is extremely proficient in rush-down tactics, but for some extra finesse, he can also use some of his unique taunts--which just so happen to have some advantages in combat. Taunting is normally a good way to build up style ranking, but some of Nero's taunt actions can even charge energy for his sword and gun. In addition to this, Nero is the only character in the game that has an aerial taunt--which is a surprisingly effective way to dodge attacks and get some extra airtime. By taking advantage of Nero's multi-functional arms, his aerial tactics, and his great speed and rush-down potential, you'll be able to work your way up to SSS rank in no time at all. Info from Gamespot.com