Bethesda has some big content updates in store for Fallout 76 this year, starting with this month's Wild Appalachia expansion. That is slated to kick off on March 12 and will introduce some new content to the online RPG, most notably a Brewing and Distilling system, which the developer further has further detailed in its latest Inside the Vault post.As part of a new quest called Wasted on Nukashine, players will be able to construct a Brewing Station for their CAMP. As you can imagine, the Brewing Station will give you the ability to craft a variety of different alcoholic drinks, from beer to various wines. These will provide a temporary buff when drunk, but Bethesda warns that they will also "bring a drawback and, just like real life, will result in a mild hangover."Depending on what type of drink you're trying to make, you'll be able to increase their potency by letting them ferment longer. Wines and Spirits in particular will require a longer fermentation time than other drinks, but they can also change from "fresh" to "vintage" if aged long enough, imbuing them with additional properties.In addition to the Brewing and Distilling system, Wild Appalachia will introduce two new quests over the next several months: Shear Terror and Ever Upwards. The former focuses on mythical monsters, while the latter has you join the Pioneer Scouts and earn merit badges.In addition to that, Bethesda is holding the limited-time Fasnacht Parade event beginning March 19, which will give players a chance to earn "unique rewards." The previously teased Survival PvP mode is also slated to arrive on March 26 and will drop all the restrictions around player encounters, making for a much tenser experience.Info from Gamespot.com

There are a lot of super-smart systems and ideas in Apex Legends that improve on the overall battle royale genre. The inventory system makes it easy to navigate the many weapons in the game, the respawn system makes it possible for smart, brave, and lucky teams to save their teammates from the great beyond, and the Legend system gives everyone on a team a specific set of abilities to help out their squad. But the best thing Apex Legends brings to battle royale is its ping system, which allows players an extremely effective way to communicate even without actually speaking to each other.The ping system makes team communication in Apex incredibly easy and fluid, whether you're playing with friends or with random people you squad up with. You can mark enemy locations, suggest where the team should go, and point out weapons and attachments your teammates might need. Having those markers show up in-game makes it easy to get your point across to other players, and in some cases, is even more effective than actually talking to your team. It's also highly accessible to players who might not otherwise have the means or ability to speak to teammates.Others have taken notice of how useful Apex Legends' ping system is. Epic Games introduced a similar system to Fortnite in the game's latest update, making it a little easier for squads to talk to each other in the game. That might be considered an acknowledgment of how popular Apex has become in just a few weeks since its release, as well as how intelligent and useful the system can be.Fortnite isn't the only game that should take a page from Apex's communication capabilities. Another recently released Electronic Arts game could greatly benefit from implementing something similar: Anthem. In fact, BioWare could seriously improve many of Anthem's problems immediately by adding a ping system of its own. It's actually something that should become standard in the shared-world shooter genre.BioWare means for Anthem to be a squad-based shooter in which players are constantly working together to beat hordes of enemies. There's more to it than just shooting: Anthem has four classes of its javelin mech suits you can choose from when you start a mission, and each has its own special capabilities. Using your abilities in concert with other players can create combos that do extra damage, inflict status effects on enemies, and give you special bonuses like dealing extra damage or spreading those effects to even more bad guys. Especially at high levels, combos and team coordination are pretty important.But like most shared-world shooters, such as Destiny 2 or The Division 2, it's very easy to go through most or even all of Anthem without talking to anybody. The game supports matchmaking all the way through it, which means you can drop into any mission with a group of three other randoms. And anybody who's spent even a few minutes in a game like this knows that almost nobody talks to each other. Like most online games, chats are often filled with annoying or even toxic people, so even those players interested in actually cooperating usually remain silent. If you're not in a party chat with other players, chances are, you're not communicating with them--especially since Anthem offers no text chat. Your only options are voice and a few character emotes.That's annoying in most cooperative shooters, but it's especially problematic in Anthem. You can play BioWare's shooter solo, but that's not the way it was designed or intended. Play with other people you don't know, however, and it feels like you're just blasting away at things without any real organization between you and your teammates. It's even worse in those missions when Anthem expects you to solve a puzzle. Nobody talks, nobody knows what anyone else is doing, and everyone just floats around trying different things until, seemingly, someone has the good sense to look up the solution online and input it.It's not hard to imagine how Apex's ping system would instantly mitigate all of these issues in Anthem, and make it a much more fun and cooperative game besides. Even just the ability to call out and mark enemies or call out locations for combos would go a long way. Anthem's combos require a Primer ability, which sets up the combo, and a Detonator ability, which triggers it; a ping system would make it very easy to tell your teammates which kind of ability you need and where. Since the javelin class that does the detonating also matters in executing the combo, pings would make it a lot easier to make a plan and execute it.That's to say nothing of the benefits of being able to ping puzzles to work together on solutions, and its myriad potential uses in Anthem's freeplay mode, when you can just fly around with some pals getting into trouble and searching for loot out in the world. Marking locations, suggesting destinations, warning teammates about threats or showing them things they should stop and pick up--it all could be easily communicated with a system similar to Apex Legends'.Respawn Entertainment has created a pretty major and extremely useful innovation for the shooter genre with its ping system, and it's something that even more games are surely going to emulate. And if the shared-world shooter genre is going to expand, it absolutely should capitalize on this idea. Pings in Destiny 2 or The Division likely would improve them in a lot of the same ways as Anthem could be, and lots of others kinds of games would benefit from similar communication tools. It might be tough to find ways to squeeze a ping button into those games' current control schemes, but the huge benefits of better communication would be worth reshuffling them.Now that Apex Legends has cracked the code, imagining a similar game without a smart, easy, highly accessible way to communicate with other players is a little tougher. Games like Anthem that are serious about teamwork and cooperation should implement something similar as soon as possible. The ping system can make teamwork-based games smarter, more accessible, and most importantly, a lot more fun.Info from Gamespot.com

In the cutthroat world of fighting games, Dead or Alive has consistently proven that it's a solid contender. From its arcade debut in 1996, the series has made a name for itself with striking visuals, fun and memorable characters, and engaging fighting action, carrying the series along through some of the genre's darkest days. Now, Dead or Alive finds itself in one of the most crowded markets the genre has ever seen. Dead or Alive 6 still has the chops to stand out after all this time--though it does slightly stumble along the way.When you first boot up Dead or Alive 6, you're greeted by a close-up of one of the game's many characters, staring you straight in the face as you navigate through the initial set of menus. It's an early glimpse at DoA6's graphical prowess, as you get to see one of the cast members before they step into the ring and turn into a bruised and battered brawler. The way the fighters themselves sustain visual damage during a fight is quite impressive. There's dirt, torn clothing, and flying sweat--even some of the heavier hits leave a little bit of blood, transforming every match into a fierce brawl. Thankfully, if you find these effects distasteful or distracting, there's also the option to turn them off. Combined with the flashy character costumes and colorful, elaborate arenas, DoA6 is a game with a distinct visual flair.But the game's appeal is more than surface-level. DoA6 delivers solid, satisfying combat with its own twists. New to the franchise is a Break Gauge that fills as you deal or receive damage with your blows--a mechanic that's been seen in many other fighting games. There are a few things you can do with this shiny new gauge, thanks to a newly added "special" button that puts it to use: An offensive sidestep into an attack by pressing up or down in tandem with the special button, do a "Break Hold" universal hold counterattack by pressing back and the special button. Finally, you can execute a powerful "Break Blow" by either pressing towards the opponent and the special, or automatically at the end of a four-hit special button auto-combo, assuming the Break Gauge is full. These Break Blows are incredibly flashy, packing a serious punch both in lifebar and visual damage to the opponent. It's hard not to feel a bit demoralized when you're watching your fighter get physically wrecked by a secret ninja skill or a fist to an extremely vulnerable face--but it's super rewarding to push that same humiliation onto your foe.The Break Gauge is a great addition to the game, as it's easy to understand and doesn't require a lot of execution beyond knowing when to use each special technique. All of these techniques are useful; the sidestep attacks can screw up somebody fishing for you to mess up a hold counter, the Break Hold can take some of the guesswork out of hold counters (and counter an opponent's Break Blow), and Break Blows just look cool and satisfying as hell… well, provided you can land them.But the Break Blows aren't the only flashy thing about DoA6's combat. The series is known for having some pretty wild combat arenas, and DoA6's lush battlefields might be some of the craziest yet. They include a dilapidated theme park overrun by dinosaurs, a moss-encrusted battleship being assaulted by an angry kraken, and a multi-car pile-up with some very volatile vehicles that might go kaboom when someone touches them. These stages are littered with specific danger zones that both play an amusing cinematic and deal extra combat damage to an enemy when you send them flying into one with a well-placed blow. In some cases, you can even pull off unique combos with the aid of danger zones; the aforementioned dinosaur stage features an angry pterodactyl mama who will hoist a fighter into the air before dropping them again, setting them up for a big juggle combo. Alas, while the really nutty stages are quite memorable, most are a lot more sedate, and the stage selection as a whole feels somewhat lacking.DoA6 also offers plenty of minor tweaks to the moment-to-moment gameplay, and options to make the game more beginner-friendly (such as simplifying the game's hold counterattack system inputs), but the most important thing is that the fighting just feels good. The rock-paper-scissors element of the holds-throws-attacks balance works nicely into gameplay with smooth animation that feeds into a seamless flow of combat. Every character offers something unique in terms of their fighting style, but once you have the basics down, it's not too hard to learn another character if you're not feeling who you're currently playing with. And while I'm not terribly fond of the designs of the two new characters (street brawler Diego is terribly generic, and blue-haired anime teen scientist NiCO looks like she belongs in a different game entirely), they both bring something new to the table in terms of their combat abilities.Where DoA6 falters, however, is in its single-player content. Story Mode isn't too bad; the cinematics mostly use the in-game graphics engine, further showcasing DoA6's strong visuals, and the game wisely has an optional tutorial feature that teaches you basic strings for each character you'll assume control of so you're not thrust into blind combat. However, the weird multi-timeline presentation is a mess both in terms of interface and storytelling, leading to a confusing series of events that oscillates wildly between serious drama and goofy comedy.Then there's the other big single-player mode, DOA Quest: a series of themed battles that offer in-game rewards, like parts for new character costumes and in-game money used to purchase and view extra story content. By completing sub-objectives in these battles-- like landing a specific attack a certain number of times or beating a quest within a time limit--you earn additional rewards and unlock more quests to attempt.DoA6 also offers plenty of minor tweaks to the moment-to-moment gameplay, and options to make the game more beginner-friendly, but the most important thing is that the fighting just feels good.DOA Quest isn't a bad idea on its own, but the game's grindy, frustrating unlock system turns a fine little challenge mode into an absolute chore. The main thing you'll want to use DOA Quest (and other single-player modes like Arcade Mode) for is unlocking character costumes and customization options, of which there are many. However, you'll soon discover that when you earn points that go towards unlocking new outfits, you have absolutely no say in where they will go. You could earn 300 costume points in a quest featuring Zack, for example, and those points you earn would go towards unlocking a random costume for Hayabusa instead--meaning you invested time and effort to earn partial rewards for a character you potentially don't care about. This happens a lot. To add insult to injury, even when you do get enough points to open up a costume for a character, you still have to pay earned in-game money to actually buy and wear it. It's an extremely ill-thought-out grind that sucks all of the reward out of playing single-player.As of the time of this writing, the game's online servers haven't gone live, so we are waiting to see how the game's netcode and online interface stacks up before finalizing the review. For the time being, though, we can say that DoA6 is a fun, engaging fighter with great-feeling, easy-to-pick-up combat, a strong sense of visual style, and a lot of personality. If you're looking for a new fighting game to learn the ins and outs of--or perhaps a nice entry into the 3D side of fighting games--DoA6 is a fighter of choice.Info from Gamespot.com

Epic Games has kicked off the start of Season 8 of Fortnite: Battle Royale. A huge update, the 8.0 patch, is now live on all platforms, coinciding with the release of a new Battle Pass you can now buy--unless you earned it for free recently through Overtime challenges. There are tons of new Season 8 Battle Pass rewards to now work toward unlocking, the most exciting of which are, as always, new skins to customize your character with. Fortnite typically has some of the coolest skins around and Season 8 maintains that high standard. We've put together a selection of images so you can take a look at the outfits below--and yes, the banana from the teaser images is one of them, and it's somehow much creepier and better than expected.Two of the coolest skins in Season 8 are unlocked simply by purchasing the Battle Pass. This is available in the in-game store for 950 V-Bucks. If you don't have V-Bucks, which is Fortnite's in-game currency, you'll have to spend some real money to get some; in the US, 1,000 V-Bucks go for $10. The two outfits you instantly unlock for buying a Battle Pass are Blackheart and Hybrid, both of which tie into Season 8's theme of pirates and ninjas.Blackheart is described as "the dreaded captain of the stormy season" and is part of the Scallywags set. This is one of the evolving styles of skins, which means it can be levelled up. As you do so, Blackheart goes from being a young, good looking, roguish pirate to an older bearded one that has clearly been on some unusual adventures, and then finally a skeleton that is glowing with various colors of energy.Hybrid, meanwhile, is part of the Brood set. These characters emerged from the volcano, after a powerful figure escaped imprisonment at the hands of the Ice King. The outfit description simply reads, "Become the dragon." Like Blackheart, Hybrid's outfit can be levelled up, and it goes from a traditional ninja look to something more lizard-like. Across the evolutions, more of the beast version slowly becomes visible, tearing through the shinobi outfit before fully transforming into the dragon.Beyond those two skins, there's Peely, the aforementioned banana that ripens over time; Ember, which is a flame-wielder; and Master Key, who better not be vying for the title of Master of Unlocking. There is only one Master of Unlocking, and it's Jill Valentine.The quickest way to get these skins is to have a Battle Pass and complete challenges. If you're unfamiliar with either of these, you can take a look at our Fortnite Season 8 Battle Pass explainer for more information on what that is, how you can get one, the rewards you'll get, and how you can make the most of having one.Since we're now in the first week of Season 8, weekly challenges have begun. You can see everything you'll need to do to get the inaugural set of Battle Stars in our Fortnite Season 8, Week 1 challenge roundup. Among the most notable tasks are those asking you to visit a giant face in the desert, jungle, and snow, and another that requires you to track down pirate camps.Info from Gamespot.com

The transition from one season to the next is rarely a smooth one in the world of Fortnite, as developer Epic Games likes to make significant changes that turns everything that veteran players know on its head. Epic does this through large-scale world events that both develop Fortnite's lore and also rework the island that players spend all their time on. Season 8, which is now live, is no exception.As Season 7 was coming to a close, players reported earthquakes and, eventually, cracks began forming on the island. Now, it has been revealed that an incredibly powerful figure--the Prisoner--being held captive by the Ice King has now escaped. Alongside this enigmatic figure finding his freedom, a volcano has emerged on the island and ninjas have appeared. If the Ice King's Ice Fiends and strange fire ninjas wasn't enough, pirates have also arrived on the island. Each of these factions have their eyes on a treasure, and as the weeks progress, the struggle to acquire said treasure will no doubt get messy.All of this has changed the Fortnite island in significant ways. When looking at the map, it's most noticeable in the northwest corner, where the new volcano can be seen, with a pool of lava surround it. That lava isn't just for show, as touching it will do one point of damage and also bounce the player away. That might not sound like a lot, but when a skirmish gets heated, backing into some lava when your health is low could be the difference between a Victory Royale and coming in second place.Another new gameplay element are Volcanic Vents. These have appeared around the map and shoot out air that can be used to aid traversal. If you or a vehicle you're in gets caught up in an air stream coming out of a vent, you'll be launched into the sky. They work very similar to how the jump pads used to, so they essentially function as a replacement.Around the volcano, two new areas have also appeared. Sunny Steps is to the east and has a distinct Mayan aesthetic, with pyramid structures that look like temples. It's also nestled in the jungle and surrounded by greenery. With the sun beaming down over it, the area looks quite idyllic, though we anticipate it won't be long before it's home to chaotic skirmishes.To the west of the volcano is Lazy Lagoon, which is an area themed after the new pirates that have arrived on the island. A huge pirate ship can be found docked there, and we expect the challenges coming over the next few weeks will have us boarding the ship regularly. Already, a Week 1 challenge sends you to track down pirate camps.But the changes aren't just constrained to the island, as the spawn island, where players gather before boarding the Battle Bus has also changed. It now has a little more of jungle theme, while also having some touches to remind players that there's pirates out there now. You can take a look at the map, as well as the new locations in the images above.Epic Games has released the Fortnite update 8.0 patch notes, so you can see everything that's changed and added for the new season. The new Battle Pass is also available, and we have a comprehensive Fortnite Season 8 Battle Pass cosmetics guide, which has images of every unlock available, so you can check it out before purchasing a pass or figure out what you want to focus on getting. The highlight are the new skins, including the banana from one of the teaser.Info from Gamespot.com

After seven mainline games in the Yakuza franchise, and having grown so close to series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu and his rollercoaster of a life, stepping into his hometown of Kamurocho without him didn't feel right. But Ryu ga Gotoku Studios' new game, Judgment, thrusts you back into the red-light district as Takayuki Yagami, a lawyer-turned-private eye, whose detective sensibilities spin a fresh perspective on a place we've seen so many times. And after two hours of hands-on with the localized version, I've come to appreciate seeing a familiar town in a new light, not to mention investigating the ongoing drama of Kamurocho's criminal underworld.It takes some time to adjust and accept Yagami, especially when I pass by the old Serena bar and Millenium Tower, or stop by the Sega Arcade in Theater Square and Don Quijote off Nakamichi street. These are the spots I've been to countless times as Kiryu, and a sense of nostalgia hit me as I was playing. However, the book's been closed on the Dragon of Dojima and with a heavy introduction to Yagami's own tumultuous life and how he ties into the overarching Yakuza narrative, I can't help but buy into what Judgment is trying to do.Takayuki Yagami (left), Masaharu Kaito (right), two misfits from opposite ends of justice whose circumstances have them caught in the middle.New Stories From An Old CityIn many ways, it's the same old seedy Kamurocho--modeled after Kabukicho in Shinjuku, Tokyo--mainly because it's literally the same map and with several assets from Yakuza 6 and Kiwami 2. Low-level goons trying to flex, shady types looking to swindle you, and thugs ready to fight fill the streets. But that's only the backdrop to Yagami's story. In a flashback, it's established that he'd been a lawyer with Genda Law Firm in Kamurocho, and successfully defended one Shinpei Okubo, who Yagami seems to have a personal connection with. After being found not guilty, Okubo subsequently stabs his girlfriend and burns down their apartment; this is as it appears in the introductory cutscene, but knowing Yakuza games, there's certainly more to this particular story.Fast-forward three years later, Yagami left the life of a lawyer to work as a private investigator, trading in his suit for a sweet pair of skinny jeans and slick leather jacket, if he's not in disguise. He stays close to his former associates at Genda Law who remain integral to the story, even taking on jobs for his old boss. Old cohorts aside, Yagami works alongside his partner Masaharu Kaito--the beefy, well-dressed right-hand-man who can hold his own against mobs of bad guys. He's also ex-yakuza and was previously booted from the Tojo Clan for reasons currently unknown. Two misfits from opposite ends of justice whose circumstances have them caught in the middle.Even the central drama pulls from what we already know; the Kansai-based Omi Alliance encroaches on the Tojo Clan's turf yet again, but Omi goons are found murdered throughout Kamurocho, inexplicably with their eyes gouged out. Thus, the first chapter titled "Three Blind Mice" gets you involved in one of Judgement's deeper mysteries. It leads to another web of characters who all seem to be building up to have roles in a larger conspiracy, setting the pieces for a potential plot twist down the road. One of them being Kyohei Hamura, a captain in the Tojo Clan's Matsugane Family, who's suspected of committing one of the said murders--and Yagami must help defend him.I didn't get to see the conclusion to this particular story thread, but I picked up some interesting bits along the way that painted a clearer picture of where Yagami fits in. He's presented as a stand-up fellow and doesn't appear to have any burning desire or motivation to help either side in this endless gang war, but does some basic (and shady) debt collecting for the Matsugane family to make ends meet. But Prior to Hamura's arrest, it's said that patriarch Matsugane had paid for Yagami's law school tuition to defend Okubo in return; the aforementioned incident three years ago. As I inched closer to the truth in this early chapter and wondered how Yagami will handle the truth, the more complicated pieces started to fall in place.With all the narrative juggling you'll be doing and Yagami's dynamic role as a veteran investigator and hardened fighter, it's a sensibility that also pours into Judgment's gameplay.You Can't Fight Your Way Through Every ProblemCompared to most Yakuza games, Judgment's main story has you doing a bit more than beating dudes to a pulp before reaching an often respectful resolution. The opening hours give you a taste of the different phases of a typical mission. In one phase, you'll follow a suspect in one of those tailing sequences where you fail if you get too close or stray too far from the target. In another, you'll examine your immediate surroundings to gather evidence within a confined location for a case you're investigating. At other times, you'll engage in chases on foot a la Yakuza 3, 4, and 5 where you pursue a suspect and avoid obstacles to catch them before they escape. There's also a phrase of talking to bystanders at key locations to hopefully obtain witness accounts that bring you closer to solving the case at hand.On their own, these in-between sequences haven't been all that great yet, and if anything, simply break up the pace of what we've come to expect. One thing that seems to stand above the rest is the addition of a more dynamic dialogue tree. These don't necessarily influence the story's outcomes the same way many modern RPGs do, but they put you in position to lead conversations and play at least a small part in digging out information and piecing evidence. By nature of taking the role of an investigator, you're more inquisitive about the surrounding environment and the people within it. So much so that you can form bonds with some characters; we're hoping for Persona-style social links, but we'll have to wait to see how far this'll take us.Judgment's added layer of investigation breaks up the pace and makes you think of story events a bit differently.When it's time to throw down, the series' tried-and-true beat 'em up combat resurfaces, using a near identical control scheme. Yagami plays reminiscent of the footloose financier Shun Akiyama (playable in Yakuza 4 and 5), who relies more on agile kicks and acrobatics than haymakers and brutal throws. His high-flying fighting style also feeds into the EX Actions (formerly Heat Actions) in which you'll see Yagami wall-jumping to deliver a devastating knee or follow up a roundhouse with a swinging double kick through a doorway. Although I was only able to mess with the demo's available EX Actions, scrolling through the upgrades menu reveals even more stylish attacks--I get the feeling that Judgment's humorous side may shine here (I mean, we saw Yagami kickflip a skateboard to kick a dude in the face in a previous trailer). Yagami gives off an air of parkour-influenced swagger as opposed to Kiryu's traditional absurd brutality that I, and I suspect many others, will be onboard for.Downtime And MinigamesAs expected, minigames are found around the corners of the sandbox of Kamurocho, mainly at the Club Sega right in the heart of Kamurocho's Theater Square. 'Kamuro of the Dead' delivers a light gun-style experience that throws back to House of the Dead and sparked thoughts of the ridiculous spinoff Yakuza: Dead Souls. And the smaller things like the dart boards and UFO Catcher crane game are still around. But the adorable plushies you pluck out of it serve a slightly bigger purpose: you can now decorate your office space with them. Yagami lives in his office and sleep on the couch as if he (like his fighting style) was pulled straight of the Akiyama template. And in this office, you can put your own flair on it with cute stuffed cats, office plants, and Super Monkey Ball monkeys--a nod to director Toshihiro Nagoshi's pre-Yakuza claim to fame.You'll still find Club Sega down by Theater Square with plenty of arcade games to play!Sadly, karaoke isn't present in Judgment. The rhythm-based minigame that brought so many beautiful and hilarious moments throughout the Yakuza series was said to not be a great fit for Judgment and its characters. It'd also be pretty difficult getting new Yagami's voice actors Greg Chun (English) and Takuya Kimura (Japanese) to sing karaoke songs in the voice over booths in a way that makes sense for both languages.A New Watermark For The Series' LocalizationFor the first time in Ryu ga Gotoku Studios' history, its game will feature dual audio; you'll have the option for the English or Japanese voice track with separate subtitles for each. It's a new challenge for Sega's localization team that's been renowned for its stellar work on bringing the current generation of Yakuza games to the West with their original spirit in tact. While I find the Japanese voice work to be the best fit, the English voices left me pleasantly surprised, especially with the extra effort made to animate proper lip-syncing for a separate script.Prominent anime and video game voice actors were brought on for Judgment; alongside Greg Chun in the lead role are Matthew Mercer, Max Mittelman, Yuri Lowenthal, Cherami Leigh, and SungWon "ProZD" Cho to name a few. Having spent some time with the English track, I began to ease into it and found myself brought into the story all the same. Having this option opens the door for those who've always wanted a dubbed version.Saori Shirosaki works at Genda Law, and isn't one for words, but will gladly scarf down dorayaki.Awaiting JudgmentJudgment is tempered in a way that fits what the game is going for. No longer are you navigating the ranks of a yakuza clan or sorting out your own family drama while taking breaks to hit the dance floor or belt out a few songs at the karaoke bar. I'll miss that, it's what made Yakuza's story and characters full of life. The masterful fluctuation between absurdity and melodrama takes a back seat, at least that's how it appears.There are a lot of new faces, and keeping track of who's who comes part-and-parcel, and even with just two hours with the game, there's still plenty of detail I haven't laid out here. But if I've learned anything from seven Yakuza entries, it's that Ryu ga Gotoku Studios makes good on the details it throws into its games. Judgment provides a fresh perspective of a familiar setting. It may not be a Yakuza game by name, but the spirit seems to still be there. You can investigate Kamurocho's latest crimes as Takayuki Yagami in Summer 2019 when Judgment launches exclusively for PlayStation 4.Info from Gamespot.com

Season 8 of Fortnite has officially started, which means new challenges to do. The way it works hasn't changed from previous season--though developer Epic Games has overhauled the interface so it looks slick and modern. As always, you'll need to complete challenges to unlock Battle Stars, which level up the Battle Pass and give you new cosmetics. Among Season 8, Week 1's challenges is one which asks players to visit all the Pirate Camps. Here's where to find them.These camps are new for the season, as they have just appeared alongside the arrival of the pirates. This means you'll need to spend some time running around the island trying to locate them. All you need to do is visit one to progress towards completing the challenge, but there's a total of seven, so it could take some time and effort.To speed things up for you, however, we've put together a quick guide that will direct you to exactly where these camps are located. Simply use the map below, head to the marked locations, and you'll be done in no time. The fastest way to do it is to jump off the Battle Bus and land at one location, get yourself killed, and then repeat.Fortnite Pirate Camp LocationsNorth west of Lazy LagoonJust south of the volcanoNorth west of Paradise palmsSouth of Salty SpringsWest of Dusty DivotSouth west of Tilted TowersWest of Pleasant ParkEpic Games has released Fortnite update 8.0's full patch notes, so you can get more information on everything that has changed for Season 8, as well as some of the new additions for it. The new season brings with it a fresh Battle Pass and some very cool new skins.We've put together an image gallery that shows off all the cosmetics in the Fortnite Season 8 Battle Pass. Epic Games previously estimated that it will take players between 75 and 150 hours to unlock all the new cosmetics in a Battle Pass, so we suggest taking a loot to see what's included before committing, and doing that will also help you prioritize.Info from Gamespot.com

With live-service shooters where obtaining new weapons and gear is a big motivation for playing long-term, nailing how loot drops work is absolutely essential. But much like games such as Destiny, BioWare and EA's Anthem has struggled in this regard out of the gate. Now, less than a week after its official launch (and about two since its early access release), BioWare has announced plans for some major revisions to loot drops. In a lengthy post on Reddit, the studio summarized the pieces of feedback it has received from the community, as well as what an imminent update will do about them.BioWare identified a few key takeaways from its first week. Players feel inscriptions are too random and not useful for the item they're attached to, which leads to repeatedly seeking different masterwork items to find one with a good matching inscription. This has led to requests for more masterwork drops, or more useful inscriptions.In response, the studio plans to do both. In an update set to drop February 28 or March 1, inscriptions for items will better match the items they're on, and masterworks will come more readily. The better inscriptions will only apply to newly found items, not ones already in your Vault. Crafting materials for a masterwork will reduce from 25 embers to 15, letting players craft them more easily. Finally, uncommon (white) and common (green) drops will be removed from level 30 drop tables entirely.On the whole, these changes seem aimed at getting players better loot faster and easier. That should help ease one of the common complaints about the game, that getting the best gear in the post-game can turn into a grind. Coming just one week after launch, it also shows that BioWare is willing to be pretty nimble with its updates. You can check out the full outline from the developer below; the studio has also shared its roadmap for new content over the game's first 90 days. It includes new freeplay events, missions, cosmetics, quality-of-life improvements, a stronghold, and--in May--a big event called The Catalyst.BioWare's take on the loot shooter has received mixed reviews on GameSpot sister site Metacritic, and in our own Anthem review."Anthem has good ideas, but it struggles significantly with the execution. It's a co-op game that works best with no one talking; it buries genuinely interesting character moments and puts its most incomprehensible story bits at the forefront; its combat is exciting until you get to the boss fights and find your wings have been clipped," wrote critic Kallie Plagge. "Even the simple, exhilarating act of flying is frequently interrupted by the limitations of your javelin, and you never quite shake that feeling of disappointment--of knowing, throughout the good parts of Anthem, that you'll inevitably come crashing back down."If you're just getting started, check out our essential tips and consider playing solo. Or if you haven't picked up a copy yet, it's received a price drop on PS4.Anthem Patch NotesSummary of player feedback:Many inscriptions are not useful to the item they are attached toDue to this, players need to get many masterworks of the same item to find a “good one”Players want the frequency of masterwork drops to increase to help with the above OR…They want us to change how masterwork inscriptions work so that they are more “useful”Plan for changes to go live on February 28th or March 1st (central US time)Inscriptions are now better for the items they are on This applies to new items earned in Anthem (not existing ones in your Vault)If an inscription applies only to the item it is on (gear icon), it will be useful to that item. Otherwise the inscription will provide a Javelin wide benefitFor example, an Assault Rifle will not have an item specific +pistol damage inscription. It may have a +electric damage suit wide inscription (cool for a lightning build)Some more information belowRemoved uncommon (white) and common (green) items from level 30 drop tables This was a highly requested change and we agree, so that’s that.Reduced the crafting materials needed to craft a masterwork from 25 masterwork embers to 15 masterwork embers As you salvage or harvest, you should be able to craft more masterwork items to get the inscriptions you are looking forNow that inscriptions are more relevant to their item, this should yield better results for playersAdditional inscription change detailsCurrent: There are a large pool of inscription options available to roll on items, the inscription pools are generic (e.g. Weapons) Every masterwork item has 4 inscriptions – Major Primary, Minor Primary, Major Secondary, Minor SecondaryChange: Each item type now has a specific set of inscription options for each of their inscription pools. The pools are smaller and are targeted to the specific item type E.g. there used to be a Weapon pool, now there is an Assault Rifle pool and the assault rifle pool has 4 pools for each of the inscription types listed abovePrimary inscriptions are focused on damage or survivability Any item specific inscriptions (gear icon) will always benefit the item they are onJavelin wide inscriptions (suit icon) will benefit damage or survivability across the whole JavelinSecondary inscriptions focus on utility and can be targeted to the item (gear icon) or the entire javelin (suit icon)Info from Gamespot.com

The final season of Game of Thrones is now just over two months away, and while a full trailer is yet to be released, HBO is definitely increasing its marketing in the build-up. Following the new footage from Season 8 that was revealed during the Oscars this week, a series of new characters have been released.Like the character images revealed earlier this month, they don't exactly tell us what to expect from the new season, but they're still pretty stylish. There's 20 of them in total, and show all the main cast sitting on the show's iconic Iron Throne. Check them out below:In terms of what we do know about Season 8, this week's new footage showed Daenerys's lethal Unsullied army of eunuchs arriving at Winterfell, along with her dragon Drogon. A cryptic first teaser was released in January, and while that didn't contain any actual footage, it did hint at the fates of members of the Stark family.We also know the big battle in the new season is the largest in the entire series, and that creator George RR Martin won't have a cameo in Season 8, despite showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff asking him to appear. It premieres on HBO on April 14.Although Game of Thrones is nearing the end, there is a prequel spin-off on the way. X-Men: First Class' Jane Goldman will serve as showrunner and has developed the story with Martin. This week it was revealed that the show will start filming early this summer.While it's yet to receive an official title, Martin suggested last year that it would be called The Long Night. He subsequently walked that back, perhaps due to pressure from HBO that didn't want that name shared yet. In any event, it does provide some insight into what to expect. It is expected to premiere in 2020 or 2021. Info from Gamespot.com

Fortnite Season 8, Week 1's challenges are live now. Among them are a couple that will be tricky, primarily because Season 8's world event has made significant changes to the map and introduced new areas. The first of these difficult challenges is available to everyone and asks players to visit the new Pirate Camps. The other, however, is exclusive to those that have paid for a Battle Pass and involves visiting three giant faces that are hidden around the map. Here's where to find them.Specifically, these giant faces can be found in the desert, the jungle, and the snow. Now, the areas of the map these correspond to are fairly obvious, given that the Fortnite island is split up into distinct biomes. However, each of these locations are pretty big, so you could end up aimlessly running around looking for them. Fear not! We've done the challenge and have put together a map that shows you exactly where to go. Take a look at it below. Remember that you don't have to do anything special when you get there; simply gaze in wonder at it for a brief moment and then move on.Giant Face In Desert, Jungle, Snow LocationsEast of Sunny StepsSouth of Paradise PalmsSoutheast of Happy HamletIf you haven't already seen them, make sure to read the Fortnite update 8.0's full patch notes. This has all the information you need on the new weapon that has been added as well as those that have been vaulted. There's also details on the limited time modes and a new feature that lets players group up with friends to complete challenges together.We also have a Battle Pass explainer, if you need a bit more information on how you can unlock the skins and other cosmetics. You can also take a look at the cool new skins for Season 8, as well as all the other cosmetics in our Fortnite Season 8 Battle Pass cosmetics gallery. Of course, all of these rewards are the primary motivation for completing challenges; doing them allows you to level up more quickly and get your hands on these various items. You can also earn V-Bucks, and if you play enough, it's possible that you can obtain enough by playing in order to buy the inevitable Season 9 Battle Pass.Info from Gamespot.com

Are you running out of new things to watch on Hulu? If so, how? March is almost here, and that means a whole bunch of new content for you to take in. From movies you know and love to brand-new Hulu originals, there is something for you.March 1 is when Hulu has a massive dump of movies, some of which you may have seen and others that may have passed you by, and there are a lot of films dropping you'll want to watch. If you're a Batman fan, then you're in for a treat. Both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight are coming to Hulu. Once again, you can watch Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker in the Batman sequel, and it's still--to this day--the best Batman movie.If you're looking for something a bit more light-hearted, then how about a gentleman talking out of his butt? Both Ace Ventura movies hit the service on March 1, so you can watch Jim Carrey search for animals and make references to The Crying Game. If you want something a tad less silly, but need a Jim Carrey fix, Yes Man also hits the service that day. It's Liar Liar but Carrey's character has to say "Yes" to everything.While there is a lot coming to Hulu in March, there is also a lot leaving. On March 31, Hulu waves goodbye to Hollywood classics like Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. Jokes aside, a bunch of Stephan King movies are leaving, so you may want to check them out before it's too late: Pet Semetary, Graveyard Shift, Silver Bullet, and Thinner.If you're looking for more arrivals from your favorite streaming services, check out what Netflix and Amazon have coming in March. And below, you'll find what's coming to Hulu.Coming to Hulu in MarchAvailable March 1Drifters: Complete Season 1 (Funimation)Into The Dark: Treehouse: Episode 6 Premiere (Hulu Original)Rick Steves’ Europe: Complete Season 10 (PBS)8 Heads in a Duffel Bag (1997)Abduction (2011)Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)Alex & Emma (2003)American Beauty (1999)An American Haunting (2006)Astro Boy (2010)Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction (2006)Batman Begins (2005)Black Sheep (1996)Blast from the Past (1999)Boomerang (1992)Breakheart Pass (1975)Bruce Almighty (2003)Bushwhacked (1995)The Chumscrubber (2005)The Cider House Rules (1999)The Crying Game (1992)The Dark Knight (2008)Death at a Funeral (2007)Deuces Wild (2002)Dirty Work (1998)The Dogs of War (1981)Double Jeopardy (1999)Easy Rider (1969)Edward Scissorhands (1990)Fire in the Sky (1993)The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981)He Named Me Malala (2015)Heaven’s Gate (1981)I, Dolours (2018)The Ice Storm (1997)Impostor (2001)Inventing the Abbotts (1996)Ironweed (1987)It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown (1976)JFK (1991)Jumanji (1995)Legally Blondes (2009)Lego Batman: DC Super Heroes Unite (2013)Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: The Flash (2018)The Mighty Quinn (1989)Nacho Libre (2006)Not Another Teen Movie (2001)Office Space (1999)Open Season (2006)Open Season 2 (2009)Open Season 3 (2011)Open Season: Scared Silly (2016)Ouija House (2018)Ouija Séance: The Final Game (2018)Perfect Creature (2005)The Piano (1993)The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984)Rambo III (1988)Reasonable Doubt (2014)Red Corner (1997)Red Dragon (2002)Regarding Henry (1991)Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993)Return of the Living Dead 4: Necropolis (2006)Return of the Living Dead 5: Rave to the Grave (2007)River’s Edge (1987)S.F.W. (1995)Saved! (2004)Shaolin Warrior (2013)Small Soldiers (1998)Summer Catch (2001)Tapeheads (1988)Toys (1992)Tristan & Isolde (2003)Two Weeks Notice (2002)Vice (2015)W. (2008)Waterworld (1995)What a Girl Wants (2003)What Lies Beneath (2000)What’s the Worst That Could Happen? (2001)Witness (1985)Yes Man (2008)Available March 4American Idol: Season 2 Premiere (ABC)Cosmos: Possible Worlds: Series Premiere (FOX)Good Girls: Season 2 Premiere (NBC)Available March 5A Frozen Christmas 3 (2018)The Closet (“Le Placard”) (2001)Where Hands Touch (2018)Available March 6MasterChef Junior: Season 7 Premiere (FOX)Mental Samurai: Series Premiere (FOX)Available March 7Dudes (1987)Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979)Suburbia (1983)Available March 8A.P. Bio: Season 2 Premiere (NBC)For The People: Season 2 Premiere (ABC)Hang Ups: Complete Season 1 (Fremantle)I Can Only Imagine (2018)Available March 9Keeping Up with the Kardashians: Complete Season 15 (E!)Available March 10Black Clover: Complete Season 1 (Dubbed) (Funimation)Middle Men (2009)Available March 11The Party’s Just Beginning (2018)Available March 12Acrimony (2018)Trigger (2018)Available March 13Free Solo (2018)Available March 14Shoplifters (2018)Available March 15Shrill: Complete Season 1 Premiere (Hulu Original)Like Water for Chocolate (1992)No Way Out (2018)The Fog (2005)Wings of the Dove (1997)Available March 16Tea with the Dames (2018)Available March 17Divide and Conquer (2018)Available March 18Assassination Nation (2018)Available March 19Fear the Walking Dead: Complete Season 4 (AMC)Juda: Complete Season 1 (Banijay)The Fix: Series Premiere (ABC)A Frozen New Year’s (2018)Available March 20The Act: Series Premiere (Hulu Original)The Village: Series Premiere (NBC)Girl Most Likely (2013)Available March 21Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists: Series Premiere (Freeform)The Last Race (2018)Available March 22Cardinal: Complete Season 3 (CTV)Available March 24Catfish: Season 7, Episodes 1-28 (MTV)Available March 26Dr. K’s Exotic Animal E.R.: Season 7 Premiere (National Geographic)A Cam Life (2018)Available March 27Monsters and Men (2018)Available March 29Abby’s: Series Premiere (NBC)The Domestics (2017)Available March 30Chef Flynn (2018)Leaving Hulu in MarchMarch 3154 (1998)10 Years (2011)2 Days in the Valley (1996)9 to 5 (1980)A Fish Called Wanda (1988)A Simple Plan (1998)Babe (1995)Bad Santa (2003)Bangkok Dangerous (2008)Battle for Haditha (2008)Bend it Like Beckham (2003)Brothers (2009)Bulletproof Monk (2003)Cake (2006)Capitalism: A Love Story (2010)Chinatown (1974)Christmas Town (2008)Come Simi (2016)Cujo (1983)Dark Blue (2003)Deep Blue Sea (1999)Dirty Pretty Things (2002)Dream the Impossible (2016)Dreamland (2007)East is East (1999)Extraction (2015)Fifteen and Pregnant (1998)Finding Neverland (2004)Fly Me to the Moon (2008)Forces of Nature (1999)Friday Night Lights (2004)Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)Gimme Shelter (2014)Grizzly Man (2005)Into The West (2005)Kickboxer (1989)Kiss the Dragon (2001)Kurt and Courtney (1998)Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)Mortal Kombat (1995)Mortal Kombat Annihilation (1997)New York Minute (2004)Once Bitten (1985)Pacific Warriors (2015)Patch Adams (1998)Penelope (2008)Pet Sematary (1989)Pet Sematary II (1992)Rain Man (1988)Rent (2005)Right at Your Door (2007)Sabrina (1995)Sahara (2005)Scent of a Woman (1992)Skipped Parts (2001)Stephen King’s Graveyard Shift (1990)Stephen King’s Silver Bullet (1985)Stephen King’s Thinner (1996)Stranger than Fiction (2000)Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999)Three Kings (1999)To Grandmother’s House We Go (1992)Tombstone (1993)Total Recall (1990)True Grit (1969)Tumbledown (2016)Twilight (2008)Valkyrie (2008)Wedding Crashers (2005)What’s Cooking? (2000)Wild Bill (1995)Words and Pictures (2013)Info from Gamespot.com

Fortnite's weekly challenges are back. With Season 8 introducing some big changes to the game, not a lot has changed in terms of what challenges offer or how to complete them, but since they're such a critical part of the overall Fortnite gameplay experience, it's worth taking the time to understand them and what they offer.The weekly challenges are intricately linked to the Battle Pass and the cosmetics that become available through that. Completing challenges awards a player with Battle Stars, which in turn level up the pass and push it through higher tiers. As it ascends through the tiers, more cosmetic unlocks become available to a player. When you complete all of the challenges from a given week, you'll complete a corresponding Discovery challenge (similar to the Snowfall challenges from the previous season). This offers additional rewards and, after doing enough, a special skin that has yet to be revealed.Season 8 has a brand-new Battle Pass, which is available for 950 V-Bucks (1,000 V-Bucks are available for roughly $10/£10 in the in-game store). The Battle Pass has over 100 tiers, which means there's over 100 cosmetics to be unlocked. You can see of them in our Fortnite Season 8 Battle Pass unlocks gallery. You'll get two of the coolest skins--Blackheart and Hybrid--for simply purchasing the Battle Pass. These two particular skins evolve as you accrue experience and level them up. You can see all the new Fortnite Season 8 skins here.There is one significant change of note regarding challenges with the Season 8 patch. Aside from the challenges screen getting a bit of a makeover, Epic has introduced something called Party Assist. This feature allows you and friends in your party to collaboratively work toward making progress on a challenge together. It doesn't let you share progress with random players it adds to your squad, and it doesn't work at all in larger team modes like Team Rumble, but it should nonetheless making it easier to complete challenges.Every week, Epic Games will refresh the challenges, so you'll need to keep coming back to get the necessary Battle Stars needed to upgrade the pass and unlock items. We'll be regularly updating this article with the challenges as they become available. Additionally, any guides that we create to help players complete the challenges will be found here, so think of this article as your Fortnite Season 8 challenges super-guide.Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 8 ChallengesWeek 1FreeVisit all Pirate Camps (7) -- 5 Battle StarsSearch chests at Retail Row or Junk Junction (7) -- 5 Battle StarsStage 1 of 3: Deal damage with a Shotgun and an explosion weapon in a single match (2) -- 3 Battle StarsPremiumVisit a giant face in the desert, jungle, and the snow (3) -- 5 Battle StarsUse a Volcano Vent in a different matches (5) -- 5 Battle StarsGet an elimination with a Shotgun, Assault Rifle, and Explosive Weapon (3) -- 10 Battle StarsDeal damage to a vehicle driven by an opponent (200) -- 10 Battle StarsReward: 4K XP (after completing four challenges, only for Battle Pass owners)Fortnite Season 8, Week 1 Challenge Guide: Pirate Camps, Volcano Vents, And MoreFortnite Challenge Guide: Pirate Camp Locations (Season 8, Week 1)Fortnite Challenge Guide: Face In Desert, Jungle, And Snow (Season 8, Week 1)Discovery ChallengesFortnite Season 8 Week 1 Secret Battle Star LocationInfo from Gamespot.com

Apex Legends reviews have praised the game for a number of features, but one specific detail people like is the battle royale game's ping system, which allows players great versatility when communicating. Fortnite's Season 8 update, which is fresh out of Epic Games' oven, has introduced a remarkably similar feature.Fortnite: Battle Royale players can press middle mouse button on PC or left bumper, L1, or L on Xbox One, PS4, and Switch, respectively to mark various points of interest for teammates. Similar to Apex Legends' system, pressing that button once will simply create a ping towards a location, item, or weapon, while double tapping it will produce a red icon indicating an enemy nearby.Epic could have been working on this since before Apex Legends' launch, of course, but the timing--the feature making its way to Fortnite just weeks after Apex's release--would be a remarkable coincidence. The company was also seen as reacting to the success of Apex when it decided to offer the Season 8 Battle Pass for free to anyone who completed enough Overtime challenges in recent weeks.Fortnite's Season 8 began just recently, which brings with it gameplay changes and tweaks, as well as a brand new Battle Pass. For those not familiar, the Battle Pass allows players to unlock cosmetics and customization features, provided they play Fortnite to accrue experience and level it up. The Battle Pass has over 100 levels, which means over 100 rewards.Beyond that, the most notable change in Season 8 is to the Fortnite island. This time around pirates, ninjas, and creatures from within a newly emerged volcano are all set to tussle over some treasure. Along with the volcano, new locations for Season 8 include Sunny Steps and Lazy Lagoon, while new weapons include the Pirate Cannon, which can be used to destroy structures from a distance.Info from Gamespot.com

When it comes to designing new controllers for classic game consoles, 8BitDo is one of the best. For a lot of Super Nintendo players, the company's line of wireless SN30 controllers are an excellent alternative to original SNES controllers. They come in the same form factor as Nintendo's original 1990 design, and barring any signal interference, they essentially feel the same in action--and if you opt for the Bluetooth versions, you can even translate that experience over to your PC or Nintendo Switch games. Similarly, the 8BitDo Bluetooth adapters let you use a range of controllers, including a DualShock 4, on your Super Nintendo.Ahead of Analogue's high-end Sega Genesis clone console, the Mega Sg, 8BitDo has just released its new line of Sega Genesis controllers and adapters. Available in both black and white color schemes, the M30 controller sports a distinct design that's also slightly more compact compared to the Sega-made originals. In addition to the standard d-pad, six face buttons, and Start button, there's a shoulder button on each side. Three buttons below the Start button in the middle serve varying functions based on the device the controller is paired to--this includes enabling turbo functionality on the fly via a simple button combination.A rare example of a third-party controller that looks better than the original model.Third-party controllers rarely look as good as 8BitDo's, and the M30 is one of the most attractive to date. Beyond the actual shape, the range of materials used gives a premium feel to each individual component--the d-pad being particular pleasing, with its matte finish and just a hint of grip. The top row of buttons wobble the tiniest bit, but it's ultimately a non-issue. The M30's mass is evenly distributed as well, making it a very comfortable to hold for extended periods of time.All of this would be moot if the M30 exhibited latency issues, but in the handful of hours spent playing fighting games, platformers, and arcade shooters--all exacting genres--the Bluetooth version I tested never skipped a beat. When compared side by side to a wired controller it is possible to notice the slightest amount of input delay in some games, but that's typical of wireless controllers in general and it's such a minor distinction that it quickly becomes a non-issue once you're focused on the game at hand. Though the pairing process for each supported device is slightly different, it's all laid out concisely and clearly in the included one-page manual. Due to the six-button design on the face of the controller, it's easy to imagine the M30 becoming your portable retro controller of choice.There is so much about the M30 worth admiring, but it's not perfect out of the box. To give a bit of background: In a small number of cases, certain Genesis games fail to play appropriately when a six-button controller is connected to the console. Capcom's co-op arcade shooter Forgotten Worlds triggers a game over screen immediately after the opening dialogue, and Golden Axe 2 will oddly map the directional inputs to the X, Y, and Z buttons, disabling the d-pad altogether. Sunset Riders, a port of a popular co-op arcade game from Konami, won't let you select the 2-Player mode when two six-button controllers are in use. At present, these are issues that exist when playing with the M30 as well.The original six-button controller by Sega features a Mode button on its top edge that was used to bypass some of these glitches, but there doesn't seem to be a baked-in equivalent for the M30. There's nothing in the manual regarding this setting and 8BitDo has yet to respond to my inquiry for a solution. The two shoulder buttons currently replicate the C and Z buttons, but plugged into a PC, it's clear that they are in fact distinct inputs, meaning they can be remapped however 8BitDo wishes. Assuming there isn't some secret functionality that I've overlooked, it would be great to see a combo of these, or other buttons, used to replicate the functionality of a dedicated Mode button.The original six-button controller by Sega features a Mode button on its top edge that was used to bypass glitches in some games, but the M30 requires a slightly less obvious approach--holding down the "-" button for three seconds when playing games like Forgotten Worlds, Sunset Riders, and Golden Axe II--a few of the more popular games plagued by the six-button controller bugs. This wasn't clear to us at first because there's nothing in the M30 manual regarding this toggle, but it is detailed on the back of the Bluetooth receiver's box.$20 Bluetooth Genesis AdapterDepending on your situation, you may want to consider the 2.4 Ghz M30 over the Bluetooth version. The Bluetooth M30 controller costs $30 and can be used with your PC, Mac, or Nintendo Switch on its own, but to use it with a Genesis, you will need to buy the $20 Bluetooth adapter. Simply using the Bluetooth adapter on its own, you can play Genesis games with a DualShock 4, Switch Pro Controller, or Xbox One controller. If, at the end of the day the only thing you care about is using the M30 on your Genesis, the 2.4 Ghz version and the bundled dedicated wireless adapter will only set you back $25.The M30 isn't the only modern wireless Genesis controller; I also own Krikzz's excellent controller and its dedicated wireless adapter, but at $72 on Amazon, the higher price tag is difficult to ignore--at least it has a dedicated Mode button. The few incompatible Genesis games aside, 8BitDo's $50 bluetooth controller and adapter pairing both left a great impression during my tests. The M30 is a reliable and comfortable controller with enough inputs that you'll appreciate having it available to use on multiple systems, let alone working on the Genesis at such a competitive price point.Editor's note: 8BitDo provided the M30 Bluetooth controller and the Bluetooth adapter for review.Update: 8BitDo clarified the confusion regarding the controller's 6- and 3-button mode switch after publication of this article. GameSpot has adjusted the article and regrets the error. - Feb. 28, 10:00 AM PTInfo from Gamespot.com

This week's Best Buy deals are available through March 2, and there's plenty to choose from whether you're an avid PS4, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch gamer. Since only a few days are left in this sale, let's take a look at what games and bundles are most worth your money.One of the more eye-catching deals is an Xbox One X Fallout 76 bundle that's selling for $400--a pretty sweet deal considering the console on its own has been priced at $500 in the past. While Fallout 76 underwhelmed many long-time fans of the series, this bundle is an excellent chance to snag one of the most powerful consoles on the market for $100 cheaper--and if you're a Fallout fan who, despite the negative reception, is still curious to give 76 a shot, then you'll have that perk as well.There are also several other Xbox One bundles discounted at Best Buy right now--most notably, this Xbox One S Fortnite bundle that includes the Eon cosmetic set, 2,000 V-Bucks, and a one-month trial for both Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold. It's available for $250, down from $300. FYI, Fortnite Season 8 just started, so it's a good time to get in on the action.It's a good time to pick up Red Dead Redemption 2, the critically acclaimed, open-world Western that's so good, we named it Game of the Year for 2018. Red Dead 2's standard edition is $20 off for both PS4 and Xbox One, selling for $40. Unsurprisingly, this is currently the best-selling deal in this week's Best Buy sale.If you have a Nintendo Switch, a Pro Controller is absolutely worth the upgrade, even though they're pricey. Luckily, Best Buy has Switch Pro Controllers discounted from $70 down to $57, so here's a great excuse to snag one and drastically improve your Switch-playing experience.Mortal Kombat 11, which releases April 23, is also up for pre-order at Best Buy right now. While there's no discount on the pre-order, you'll get access to the beta test that will run March 28 through 31 for anyone who pre-orders the game on PS4 or Xbox One.See more discounted games (plus a few price drops) from this week's Best Buy sale below. And remember: these offers are only available through Saturday; a new batch of deals will be posted on Sunday.PS4Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown -- $50Red Dead Redemption 2 -- $40Shadow of the Tomb Raider -- $30Xbox OneAce Combat 7: Skies Unknown -- $50Forza Horizon 4 -- $30Minecraft: Master Collection -- $40PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds -- $15Red Dead Redemption 2 -- $40Sea of Thieves -- $30Shadow of the Tomb Raider -- $30State of Decay 2 -- $20WWE 2K19 Season Pass -- $15Nintendo SwitchThe Banner Saga Trilogy (price drop) -- $30Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 (price drop) -- $30Portal Knights -- $15Sonic Forces (price drop) -- $20Info from Gamespot.com