Last month, the upcoming standalone Batman movie was finally given a release date and official title of The Batman. The one thing that wasn't announced by Warner or director Matt Reeves was who will be playing Batman. It has long been rumored that Ben Affleck is quitting the role, and now the star has confirmed the news.As reported by comicbook.com, Affleck appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where he was asked if it was true he is stepping down at Batman. "Yeah, I am," he said. "I have decided... I tried to direct a version of it, worked with a really good screenwriter, but couldn't come up with a version. Couldn't crack it. So I thought it was time to let someone else take a shot at it and they got some really good people."The Batman was first announced back in 2016, with Affleck attached to star, co-write, and direct. He initially stepped down as director when Reeves came on board, and soon after it was reported that Affleck's script had been abandoned. While Affleck never stated that he was leaving the role, last year it was reported that Reeves' movie will feature a much younger Bruce Wayne. In addition, last month Affleck retweeted Deadline's story that he would no longer play the role.The Batman hits theaters on June 25, 2021. Last month, Reeves hinted at what fans could expect from the film. "It's very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale," he said. "It's told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it's going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional. It's more Batman in his detective mode than we've seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He's supposed to be the world's greatest detective, and that's not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been."In related news, DC also recently announced the release date of the next Suicide Squad movie. It's simply titled The Suicide Squad, and is not a sequel to the 2017 movie, but a new version written by James Gunn. Gunn was hired by DC to work on the script in October, following his departure from Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gunn is also in negotiations to direct, and that it will "take the franchise in a new direction with a mostly all-new cast of characters and actors." Info from Gamespot.com

Anthem isn't officially in wide release until next week, but members of EA's various membership programs can play it starting today, February 15. If you're a member of EA Access on Xbox One, or Origin Access on PC, you can access the game in one way or another right now--it's a bit confusing, hence the chart below outlining when and how you can play on each platform. You can check out some gameplay from us livestreaming the game in the video above.With the game now being live, some players reported server issues earlier today, and EA Help's Twitter account has responded that it is aware of the problem and working on resolving it. Specifically, the errors include those telling players that matchmaking has failed and that no server has been found or is currently unavailable. In a further update, the EA Help account says it's "cleared up the connectivity issues," so things should now be working correctly for everyone. We'll continue to keep an eye out for any other problems that pop up.EA has also outlined the slightly convoluted steps to finding the trial itself on the EA Access hub. You'll need to go through the hub, rather than the EA Access area of the My Games and Apps section.Open the hub and refresh it (LT, RT, and Y).Go to Anthem.View the game.Click the 3 dots and select Play Trial.Both Access programs offer a 10% discount for purchases, but the two offer a different level of early access. The EA Access program offers only a 10-hour trial with progress that will carry over into the main game if you choose to purchase it. Origin Access also offers a 10-hour trial, but if you're a Premier member you can just begin playing the full game right now. PlayStation 4 has no Access program--at least not yet--and thus must wait until next week to start playing.As part of the lead-up to Anthem's release, EA partnered with District 9 director Neill Blomkamp to create an original short film that takes place in the universe. If you're curious how Anthem will last you in the long-term, check out BioWare's roadmap for endgame content. And if you just need help navigating the world of pre-orders, bonuses, and special editions, read our pre-order guide. Anthem will be available for everyone on February 22.Info from Gamespot.com

Friday in Destiny 2 means the arrival of Xur, Emissary of the Nine, with a slate of super-rare Exotics to sell. This week we find Xur hanging out in the solar system in the middle of the Crimson Days Valentine's Day event, and he brought a few items you might want to take with you into the Crucible for its special Doubles mode.You can locate Xur this week on Earth in the EDZ, in the Winding Cove region. Drop at the Winding Cove spawn point and head north to the edge of the area, where you can climb up to a crashed fallen ship. Xur is standing by and waiting for you just beside it.And as always, Xur is packing four items from the Year One collection of Exotics: a weapon and three pieces of armor, one for each character class. For weapons this week, you can nab Sunshot, a powerful Solar hand cannon whose shots explode on impact. Enemies that get damaged by Sunshot are highlighted to make them easier to take down, making it handy for blowing up multiple enemies in the Crucible--something you might want to consider if you're working on Doubles matches for Crimson Days this weekend.For armor, Xur brought the Actium War Rig chest armor for Titans, which is another handy Crucible item. It reloads your auto rifles from your reserves as you fire, allowing you to fire away at those unlucky enemy Guardians for longer. Hunters get the Lucky Raspberry chest armor, which enhances your Arc Bolt grenades' chaining ability and comes with a chance to recharge your grenades when you use them. Finally, for Warlocks there's the Skull of Dire Ahamkara helmet, which is useful for players who like to throw Nova Bombs. It makes you more resilient while executing your Nova Bomb super, while kills with Nova Bomb recharge super energy. Check out the full slate of what Xur's offering below: Sunshot (Exotic hand cannon) -- 29 Legendary ShardsLucky Raspberry (Exotic Hunter chest armor) -- 23 Legendary ShardsSkull of Dire Ahamkara (Exotic Warlock helmet) -- 23 Legendary ShardsActium War Rig (Exotic Titan chest armor) -- 23 Legendary ShardsAlso available from Xur is the Fated engram. This costs a whopping 97 Legendary shards but will decrypt into a Year One Exotic you don't already own (assuming you haven't collected them all). While pricey, it's a reliable way to fill out your Exotic collection. Additionally, Xur has the Five of Swords challenge card that lets you add modifiers to Nightfall Strikes.This week's Crimson Days event focuses on two-player activities in the Crucible, where you can snag a few spiffy rewards, including a new Sparrow, a new Legendary bow, and a chocolate ghost shell. The event wraps up with the next weekly reset on February 19. It gets replaced by another Iron Banner competitive mode for the Crucible, and if you're still looking to grab some of Season 5's Iron Banner armor, you'll want to get busy starting Tuesday--it's the last Iron Banner of the Season of the Forge. Destiny 2's next season, the Season of the Drifter, starts on March 5.Info from Gamespot.com

The latest PlayStation Store sale offers discounts on games that are critically acclaimed. The Critics Choice sale gives you a chance to catch up with some highly rated triple-A PS4 games you may have missed, or smaller gems that were given accolades. As usual, PlayStation Plus members get a little extra off the discounted prices.Some of the games listed come from just last year, like Battlefield 5, Celeste, Spyro Reignited Trilogy, and Red Dead Redemption 2. Others, like Grand Theft Auto 5, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus give you a chance to catch up on older games. Plus there are a handful of indies that like What Remains of Edith Finch and Tacoma going for cheap.For those still using Sony's older hardware, this sale even features a handful of deals on PS3 and PlayStation Vita. This comes as Sony is offering its last PlayStation Plus freebies for those two systems, though it is giving away increased cloud save storage for Plus members on PS4 instead.This sale will last through March 1 at 8 AM PT, so get your final purchases in by then. Check below for some of our picks for the best deals, and head to the PlayStation Store to make your purchases.Abzu -- $12 / $10 with PlusBanner Saga Trilogy -- $35 / $30 with PlusBattlefield 1 & Titanfall 2 bundle -- $20 / $15 with PlusBattlefield 5 -- $30 / $24 with PlusBurnout Paradise Remastered -- $8 / $6 with PlusCall of Duty WW2 Gold -- $30 / $24 with PlusCeleste -- $14 / $12 with PlusCrash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy -- $28 / $24 with PlusDiablo 3 Eternal Collection -- $30 / $20 with PlusGrand Theft Auto 5 -- $18 / $15 with PlusGuacamelee 2 -- $14 / $12 with PlusRed Dead Redemption 2 -- $44 / $40 with PlusShadow of the Tomb Raider -- $36 / $30 with PlusSpyro Reignited Trilogy -- $34 / $30 with PlusTacoma -- $10 / $7 with PlusThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt -- $16 / $12 with PlusUnravel 2 -- $10 / $8 with PlusValkyria Chronicles 4 -- $42 / $30 with PlusWatch Dogs 2 -- $21 / $15 with PlusWolfenstein 2: The New Colossus -- $30 / $20 with PlusInfo from Gamespot.com

It's not hard to draw up comparisons when you're talking about Netflix's Umbrella Academy. Its ten episode season is going to call to mind all sorts of things--FX's surrealist X-Men show Legion for one, Wes Anderson films for another, some Bryan Fuller-flavored flair with just a dash of Tim Burton--and while those comparisons are all earned in their own ways, none of them do the full picture justice. The bottom line is Umbrella Academy really is just that weird--which probably isn't a huge surprise to anyone who's read the multi-part comic book source material by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba. There was no way this show was ever going to angle for your typical superhero fair, which is really what makes it so much fun.In lieu of villain punching or day saving, this is a superhero show with full on dance montages, hidden in-scene title card reveals, and CGI effects that are just-this-side of retro. The story hopscotches back and forth between past, present and future, sometimes by way of literal time travel, sometimes by way of flashbacks. There's a talking chimpanzee in a suit who wears a monocle and a robot nanny called "Mom" who resembles a prototypical 1950s housewife (designed by a man, naturally). It can be a lot to keep track of, but don't let that put you off--Umbrella Academy throws a lot at the wall, but most everything sticks.It's difficult to really distill exactly what the show is about in any specific sense without giving too much away, but here's the short version. It's set in a world where several dozen children were born around the world at the same time on the same day to women who were, until that moment, not pregnant. An eccentric billionaire adventurer named Reginald Hargreeves adopted seven--they turned out to have superpowers, and he molded them into a sort of trainee superhero team called--you guessed it--the Umbrella Academy. There's Luther (Tom Hopper), a muscle bound strong man with a leadership complex; Diego (David Castaneda), a Batman-like knife thrower; Klaus (Robert Sheehan), an addict who can speak to the dead; Allison (Emmy Raver-Lampman), an actress who can warp reality; Number Five (Aidan Gallagher), a time traveling teleporter stuck in a child's body; and finally Vanya (Ellen Page) an outsider who thinks she's a normal girl; and Ben, who died as a child.Unfortunately, Hargreeves lacked skills in the fatherhood department and only really managed to produce a group of horribly adjusted, dysfunctional adults rather than a well oiled team of heroes. That's where the show picks up: with the kids all grown up and having long since gone their separate ways only to be brought back to their childhood home after Sir Reginald's untimely and mysterious death, forced to confront their traumatic childhoods and rebuild bridges with one another.Oh, and the world might be ending in less than a week. There's that, too. So there's a bit of a ticking clock on the whole "reconciliation" thing.Page's Vanya and Gallagher's Five are ostensibly the "main" characters, but Umbrella Academy is at its best when it focuses equally on every Hargreeves protege, giving them a chance to stand in the spotlight--which happens in a pretty balanced way across all ten episodes. Sheehan in particular manages to steal scene after scene by pouring unexpected layers and emotion into the typically flakey, over-the-top Klaus.And then there are the villains, a set of time traveling assassins named Hazel (Cameron Britton) and Cha-Cha (Mary J. Blige) who serve to add a whole new level of eccentricity to the mix, peppering in gleeful ultraviolence with sci-fi absurdity. They kill without remorse while wearing cartoon animal masks and are usually flanked by hordes of anonymous foot soldiers as cannon fodder. It really is just chaos whenever they're around--but Britton especially is a grounding force to prevent things from going too far off the rails. Hazel's hilarious, almost Charlie Brown-like depression is a total delight.Umbrella Academy stumbles a few times in the pacing department, teasing reveals too long before paying them off, tipping hands a bit too soon, allowing certain story beats to occupy moments while other, more interesting beats should be given precedence. Coupled with the already experimental tone and look, that means it probably won't be a show for everyone--but for the people who are down for the ride, it's well worth the time. The GoodThe BadA strong, unique lookPacing could be betterIncredible soundtrackSome unanswered questions are frustratingGreat charactersCGI sometimes looks cheap and datedA fresh but authentic take on the source material Info from Gamespot.com

The Dragon Prince is a show that started strong, but left a lot to be desired given the short length of its first season. It introduced an intriguing world and some fun characters, but spent so much time establishing its lore that the plot took a back seat until the last few episodes. Season 2 turns out to be much the same: Once again, after a slow, but promising start, The Dragon Prince seems like it will finally start gaining some momentum--next season, that is.When we last saw Prince Callum, Prince Ezran, and the elven assassin Reyla, they were on the run from the kingdom of Katolis to return the magical dragon egg when it suddenly hatched. Hot on their trail were Claudia, a dark magic user, and Soren, her bone-headed brother who intended on returning the two princes back home against their will. It was an action-packed finale to what was otherwise a slow burn of a first season, and while Season 2 picks up immediately after, it feels like the show immediately hits the brakes, focusing on establishing character motivations as opposed to pushing the plot forward.While that’s certainly a disappointment, it’s not such a bad thing this time around. With another set of nine episodes focused on more buildup, almost every character was given a chance to begin a unique arc for themselves. Callum, for example, dealing with the repercussions of breaking the Primal stone, cannot cast magic anymore and struggles with whether or not he’ll turn to the dark arts to compensate. Ezran, a child himself, must act as the main guardian of the recently hatched dragon, Zym, while he reels from the news that he is next in line to become king. They don’t make too many strides forward in their quest to bring Zym back to his mother, but they make up for it with character growth that sets up their goals and challenges for the seasons to come.Extra attention was even given to some of the side characters as well, in particular the siblings, Claudia and Soren, who were tasked with tracking down the two princes last season. We spend a good amount of episodes with them, which is fantastic because their chemistry together rivals that of the main characters. Soren is still as burly and brash as ever, but time is taken to show us a bit more about what drives him to be the best, while Claudia begins to face the repercussions of her proclivity with dark magic. Viren, the main antagonist of the series so far, also gets mixed up in his own side story, showing us his insecurities and reasons for wanting to go to war with the elves. There’s some disturbing implications that come with it, and considering the season begins with Aunt Amaya literally smacking two elves into a pit of lava, I can’t wait to see if the show will continue to get darker.One highly requested (and much needed) change to The Dragon Prince was adding more frames of animation to its quieter, dialogue focused scenes. While it could still use some work, I’m happy to say that there isn’t one scene this time around that reminded me of the sometimes borderline stop-motion animation that plagued the first season. Fight scenes are still as exciting and creatively choreographed as ever, and just like last season, scenes of serenity give us some beautiful vistas showcasing the lush world these characters inhabit. Just like the first season, it wasn’t uncommon for me to pause the show and just stare at some of the visuals. Its sense of humor is still very much intact as well, occasionally catching me off guard with that trademark Avatar: The Last Airbender-esque humor. There are a couple of issues lingering on from the first season that continue to hold the show back, however. Ezran is still an extremely underdeveloped character. He’s given more to do this season, which helps, but he’s still criminally underused as one of the show’s three main characters. His contributions to conversations usually amount to no more than naivete as a form of comic relief, and don’t give any insight into his feelings until the last episode. That grievance can be amplified by some of actor Sasha Rojen’s dialogue delivery as well, which sometimes comes off as flat. On that same note, Reyla, who arguably experienced the most growth in Season 1, was given very little to do this time around. She gets into all the fights and can clash with the best of them, but we already knew that about her. While I can respect that her spotlight was taken away to give other characters a chance to shine, it’s a shame the only thing we learn about her this season is that she’s working on overcoming her aversion to boats.While there have been missteps here and there while The Dragon Prince begins its journey, I can’t fault it too much this time around considering the amount of care the writers are putting into each character. When the first season ended, I wasn’t sure whether or not I would be excited to continue watching because it wasn’t quite enough to get me fully invested. While I’m still patiently waiting to see where the story takes the characters, I can’t wait to see where the characters will take the story. Yes, it’s disappointing that the characters have barely gotten any closer to completing their goal, but the quality time we spent with them this season was anything but filler. With battle lines being drawn and allegiances tested, everything is poised to fan the flames of the plot. It still hasn’t taken off quite yet, but when The Dragon Prince returns, I’m confident it will soar.Info from Gamespot.com

The Internet was pleasantly surprised at the first trailer for Detective Pikachu, but at the same time the realistic take on the classic creatures was slightly unsettling. The latest spot for the upcoming film has revealed another pokemon done up in its realistic style, and it's equally odd.The 30 second spot is mostly an abridged summary of the first trailer, filling us in on the major details: unlikely friendship, talking Pikachu, etc. It has a few new gags mixed in, but it's the new pokemon around the halfway mark that really turns heads.Lickitung, the gen-1 pocket monster with a tongue that's way too large to fit in its weird little lizard head, can be spotted on a bus or train doing what can only be described as "unfurling" with his massive mouth muscle. It comes complete with a wet plopping sound, just to accent the grossness. Behold:Just afterwards, we get the barest glimpse of the much cuter tiger-like pokemon Growlithe sitting in the background of a restaurant, and a closer look at a Bulbasaur. And of course, Ryan Reynolds as the title character continues to show his voice-acting chops. Check out the trailer above, just maybe not while eating.Detective Pikachu hits theaters May 10, 2019.Info from Gamespot.com

Now that Netflix has released the first season of Umbrella Academy, adapted from comic books by My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way and artist Gabriel Bá, some things have become very clear. First and foremost, executive producer Steve Blackman has taken some very large swings away from the comic's canon to create a show that is very similar, but can also stand on its own. More importantly, though, Season 1 ends on a massive cliffhanger that practically demands Netflix renew the series immediately. If you have yet to watch all of umbrella Academy Season 1, stop reading now, because we're going to talk spoilers.The season ends with the end of the world, in one particularly surprising twist. Though Season 1 is based largely on the Apocalypse Suite graphic novel, it ends pretty differently. They don't stop the end of the world, Vanya (Ellen Page) isn't shot in the head after going full-on White Violin, and they all jump back in time to some point that has yet to be revealed.This all sets up some very interesting possibilities for Season 2, as the team--one can only assume--tries to stop the world from ending (again). Of course, that's all going to depend on what time period they end up in.Why make such a drastic change to the Apocalypse Suite ending, though? As Blackman told GameSpot, it's all about setting up a story that's still to come. "From a purely TV point of view, I wanted to leave you with a cliffhanger that you would have to come back to see what happens; you have to know what happens to this family," he said. "You've seen [Episode] 10, so they zap out just before the apocalypse with no idea where they are or what's happened to them. So that was a big part of it."Just as important as the Umbrella Academy recruits hopefully saving the world, though, is what they're going to do with their sister. Vanya is far more powerful than any of them could dream of being. And after she embraced that power and unleashed it on the world, becoming the White Violin, her journey from here becomes an interesting one because it's new territory.In the comics, this is essentially where Vanya's story ends. She was left paralyzed after Apocalypse Suite and didn't play a major role in the stories that followed. Blackman, though, chose to keep her in play by instead having the gun simply fired next to her head, with the sound knocking her unconscious. "I wanted to see her make it to the very end and then see what happens to her after into hopefully Season 2," he explained. As for what Page sees her character doing in potential future episodes, she's excited by both possibilities for Vanya--good and evil. "I'm really excited for whatever. I've loved both," she said of the two sides of the character's personality. "I'm not quite sure the certain ideas of what's going to happen, if there's potential for another season and whatnot. But I just really love the character. So I'm happy with whatever that turns into. But it was fun just walking around and blowing up s***."And while the end of Season 1 may have veered far away from the comics, that doesn't mean it's going to disregard the rest of the show's canon. As Way explained of the three graphic novels thus far, "Those exist for Steve to have material to draw from and kind of do what he wants to do with them."For Blackman, those stories that have already been told, like Apocalypse Suite in Season 1, are a good launching pad for what they want the TV show to become. "I mean, that's a lot of material around to use," he admitted. "It's great because it just adds to the color of the show. It's fun to take their stuff and springboard off of it to translate to TV."What do you want from Umbrella Academy Season 2? Sound off in the comments!Info from Gamespot.com

Anthem is live for those with early access through one of EA's paid services, which means you may have some of your pre-order or special edition loot there for the taking already. This only goes for those who have full access to the game through Origin Access Premier, though, so other services will have to wait.An EA help page details the steps for claiming various rewards. For the time being, only Legion of Dawn rewards are available, and only to Origin Access Premier members. In a tweet, EA explained that this is because the 10-hour trial available through Origin's basic tier or EA Access on Xbox One can be played without owning the game.The process for unlocking your Legion of Dawn loot seems simply enough. It's just a matter of gaining access to Prospero's store and then claiming your loot from the helpfully named "Rewards" tab. To reach that point you just need to complete the tutorials, followed by Prospero's mission. You'll have to go to the Forge to equip them, or to the Squad screen to equip your banner.Pre-order bonuses won't be available until the official launch day, February 22, on all platforms. Those can be equipped in the Forge (for equipment) or the Squad menu (for banners). The digital soundtrack CD on Origin should download automatically, but if not, you can find it under Extra Content in your Game Library.The rolling access to Anthem is a bit more complex than you might expect. Right now, Origin Access Premier members on PC can play the entire game. The basic tier of Origin Access PC and EA Access on Xbox One instead offers a ten-hour trial that can carry over progress to the main game. If you're on PS4, there is no Access program. The game will release widely for everyone on February 22.While you're waiting for launch, check out the original Anthem short film from District 9 director Neill Blomkamp. You can also read up on BioWare's roadmap for endgame content and check out our pre-order guide. Info from Gamespot.com

The annual toy convention, Toy Fair, is well underway at the Javits Center in New York City. Many of the reveals from the show have been action figures, but there are other interesting products tied into your favorite franchises. Hasbro has announced Star Wars Lightsaber Academy, which allows you to train to become a master of the light sword.Available this fall, the Lightsaber Academy toys allow the user to interact with an app to learn official Star Wars moves and train with Jedi or Sith masters. Additionally, you can battle with your friends to prove who is the real Jedi master.Pictured above is the top tier of the Lightsaber Academy toys, priced at $50. This lightsaber interacts with the app via Bluetooth and tracks your movement--and is the only one in the line that does so. In turn, you will be evaluated and scored based on your performance. The lightsaber features lights, sounds, app connectivity, and character voices from the movies.On the lower-pricing tier are the Level 1 assortment lightsabers--pictured above. Priced at $8 each, the toys come with a code that accesses content in the Lightsaber Academy app. However, they do not have the motion tracking the $50 set has.Finally, there are the Level 2 Lightsabers, and you can choose between Luke Skywalker's or Darth Vader's weapon. Priced at $20, these lightsabers light up and make sounds, and there is a button you can press to hear the characters speak. Additionally, it comes with codes to unlock content in the app. While you can still learn all the moves from the movie, it does not have the same interactivity as the $50 one.All of the Lightsaber Academy toys will be available this fall.Check out our other Toy Fair stories so far:New Kingdom Hearts 3 Figures RevealedNew Lego Movie 2 PlaysetsFunko Pop Anime RevealsFunko Pop Music RevealsFunko Pop TV RevealsDC's Batman And Wonder Woman Wrestling FiguresStay tuned to GameSpot over the weekend for more Toy Fair reveals.Info from Gamespot.com

We're giving away one (1) Metro Exodus Xbox One Bundle, and two (2) Metro Exodus Spartan Collector's Edition games to (3) lucky fans. Entering into our Instagram giveaway below is easy -- just like and follow for a chance to win! View this post on Instagram🔥GIVEAWAY! We're giving away one (1) free Metro Exodus Xbox One Bundle, and two (2) Metro Exodus: Spartan Collector’s Edition game codes to three (3) lucky fans. ------ To enter: 1. Follow @GameSpot + @deepsilver 2. Like this post 3. Tag your friends in separate comments below to gain additional entries 👇 (Max 5 friends) ------ Giveaway ends February 25 at 12 PM PT. Three (3) winners chosen. No purchase necessary. USA only, void where prohibited. Good luck! Rules: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/free-metro-exodus-console-and-spartan-edition-give/1100-6465026/A post shared by GameSpot (@gamespot) on Feb 15, 2019 at 12:00pm PST Metro Exodus Console and Spartan Edition GiveawayOfficial Sweepstakes RulesNO PURCHASE OR WIRELESS DEVICE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. OPEN TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES, WHO ARE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD OR AGE OF MAJORITY, WHICHEVER IS OLDER IN YOUR STATE OF RESIDENCE, AT DATE OF ENTRY INTO SWEEPSTAKES. VOID IN ALL U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. IF YOU ARE ACCESSING THIS SWEEPSTAKES VIA YOUR WIRELESS DEVICE, DATA RATES MAY APPLY.Administrator & Sponsor: GameSpot, a Division of CBS Interactive, Inc. ("CBSI"), 235 Second Street, San Francisco, California 94105.Prize Provider: Deep Silver Inc., 900 Larkspur Landing Circle, Suite 103, Larkspur, CA 94939Sweepstakes Entities: CBSI and Deep Silver Inc.THIS SWEEPSTAKES IS NOT SPONSORED, ENDORSED OR ADMINISTERED BY INSTAGRAM.1. Acceptance of Rules. By entering the Metro Exodus Console and Spartan Edition Giveaway (the "Sweepstakes") operated on the CBSI social web site accessible at the domain "instagram.com/GameSpot" (the "CBSI Service"), you hereby accept and agree to these official rules (the "Official Rules") of this Sweepstakes and the decisions of the Administrator in connection with this Sweepstakes, whose decisions are final.No purchase, entry fee or use of wireless device is necessary to enter or win. If you are a wireless service subscriber and have a smartphone, tablet or other wireless device that allows you access to the Internet, you may also enter the Sweepstakes via any of those devices during the Promotion Period (as defined below). If you chose to access this Sweepstakes via any of those wireless devices, you may be charged data rates according to the Terms and Conditions of the Service Agreement with your wireless carrier.2. Eligibility. This Sweepstakes is offered and open to persons who are: (a) Registered Users (as defined below); (b) legal residents of the United States; and (c) at least 18 years old or age of majority, whichever is older in their state of residence, at the date of entry in this Sweepstakes. For purposes of these Official Rules, "Registered User(s)" means a person who has successfully completed the registration form, obtained a user identification, an associated password on the social website Instagram and follow GameSpot (@gamespot). There is no fee associated with becoming an Instagram Registered User. Employees, directors, and the immediate family members of the Sweepstakes Entities and their parents, affiliated and subsidiary companies, advertising and promotion agencies and legal and financial advisors are not eligible to participate in this Sweepstakes. For purpose of the foregoing, "immediate family" means parents, spouses, children, siblings or any members of the same households of such employees and directors. This Sweepstakes is void in all U.S. territories and possessions and where prohibited by law.3. Entering the Sweepstakes: To enter the Sweepstakes, if not already, become a Registered User (as specified above), and enter, during the Promotion Period (as defined below), by following the instructions below:1. Follow @deepsilver2. Like the post related to the Sweepstakes on the CBSI ServiceParticipants can gain additional entries by Tagging their friends in separate comments on the CBSI Service. Participants may receive a maximum of five (5) additional entries to the Sweepstakes via this action; one (1) per each unique friend tagged.Limit of six (6) entries per person during the Promotion Period.4. Promotion Period. The Sweepstakes begins on February 15, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time ("PT") and ends at 12:00 p.m. PT on February 25, 2019 (the "Promotion Period").5. Prizes. The Sweepstakes will award one (1) grand prize (the "Grand Prize") and two (2) runner-up prizes (the "Runner-up Prizes"). The Grand Prize consists of one (1) Metro Exodus Xbox One Bundle. The Grand Prize has an approximate retail value ("ARV") of Five Hundred Dollars (US$500.00). The Runner-up Prize consists of one (1) Metro Exodus: Spartan Collector's Edition game. The ARV of each Runner-up Prize is One Hundred Fifty Dollars (US$150.00). The Grand Prize, the Runner-up Prize, collectively, the "Prizes"). The ARV of Prizes to be awarded is Eight Hundred Dollars (US$800.00).6. Prize Restrictions. No assignment, transfer, conversion to cash or cash redemption or substitution of a Prize is permitted, except Administrator reserves the right to substitute a Prize with a prize of comparable or greater value, should a Prize or part of a Prize become unavailable. Prize is solely for personal use and may not be used in conjunction with any other promotion. All Prize details are at the sole discretion of the Sweepstakes Entities.7. Odds/Drawings/Winner Notification. Odds of winning a Prize depends on the number of eligible entries received during the Promotion Period. On or about February 25, 2019, after the conclusion of the Promotion Period, the Prize drawings will be conducted at random by Administrator, whose decisions are final and binding in all respects. The potential Prize winners (the "Winners") will be notified by Administrator, via a message to their Instagram Service account. Potential Winners will be asked to provide their personal information, such as their name, physical address, date of birth and phone number in order to confirm eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules. For purposes of clarity, each Prize has its own standalone drawing. In the event a Winner does not respond within the allotted time frame, a new drawing will be conducted in attempt to fulfill that Prize and the Runner-up Prize Winner will not be eligible for the Grand Prize. Administrator will select up to two (2) alternate Winners per Prize. If no contact has been made with the alternates after a reasonable effort has been made during three (3) business days from the first notification attempt to the last alternate, such Prize shall not be awarded.8. Prize Taxes. All federal, state, local and other tax liabilities arising from this Sweepstakes, including, without limitation, winning a Prize, will be the sole responsibility of each Winner.9. Affidavit of Eligibility/Liability Release and Publicity Release. Winners may be required to complete, execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility/Liability Release, and where lawful, a Publicity Release (collectively, the "Release Forms"), as well as a W-9 tax form within five (5) days of notification of winning. Failure to return Release Forms timely, or if a Prize notification or a Prize is returned as non-deliverable, or if a Winner is found not to be eligible or not in compliance with these Official Rules, may result in disqualification with an alternate Winner selected in accordance with these Official Rules.10. Publicity Release Terms. Except where prohibited by law, a Winner's acceptance of a Prize constitutes permission for the Sweepstakes Entities to use Winner's name, photograph, likeness, statements, biographical information, voice, and address (city and state) worldwide and in all forms of media, in perpetuity, without further compensation.11. Improper Conduct. Administrator, in its sole discretion, may disqualify any entrant from participation in or use of any or all portions of this Sweepstakes, and refuse to award a Prize, if a Winner engage(s) in any conduct Administrator deems to be improper, unfair or otherwise adverse to the operation of the Sweepstakes or detrimental to other entrants of the Sweepstakes. Such improper conduct includes, without limitation, falsifying personal information required during entrant registration or Prize claim, violating any term or condition stated herein, accumulating entries through methods such as automated computer scripts or any other programming techniques, allowing others to use entrant's personal information for the purpose of accumulating entries, or intentionally trying to defraud, reverse engineer, disassemble or otherwise tamper with the computer programs in connection with this Sweepstakes. Winners agree that Administrator may void a Prize or any part of a Prize that a Winner may have won and/or require the return of a Prize or any part of a Prize that a Winner may have won as a result of such improper conduct. Winners further acknowledge that any forfeiture of a Prize and/or return of a Prize shall in no way prevent Administrator from pursuing other avenues of recourse, such as criminal or civil proceedings in connection with such conduct. WARNING: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THIS SWEEPSTAKES MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS, AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, EACH OF THE SWEEPSTAKES ENTITIES RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES OR OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.12. Integrity of Sweepstakes. If, for any reason, the Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned by reason of infection by computer virus, worms, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which Administrator, in its sole opinion believes could corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this Sweepstakes, Administrator reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend this Sweepstakes and select the Winners from entries received prior to the action taken or in such other manner as Administrator may deem fair and appropriate.13. Lost or Corrupted Entries. The Sweepstakes Entities and their parents, affiliated and subsidiary companies and advertising and promotion agencies, assume no liability and are not responsible for, and you hereby forever waive any rights to any claim in connection with, lost, late, incomplete, corrupted, stolen, misdirected, illegible or postage-due entries or mail, if applicable; or for any computer, telephone, cable, network, satellite, electronic or Internet hardware or software malfunctions, unauthorized human intervention, or the incorrect or inaccurate capture of entry or other information, or the failure to capture any such information. The Sweepstakes Entities and their parents, affiliated and subsidiary companies and advertising and promotion agencies, are not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by registration information submitted by end users or tampering, hacking or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Sweepstakes, and assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to the Sweepstakes.14. Damaged Property. The Sweepstakes Entities and their parents, affiliated and subsidiary companies and advertising and promotion agencies, assume no liability and are not responsible for, and you hereby forever waive any rights to any claim in connection with, injury or damage to any entrants or to any other person's computer or property related to or resulting from participating in this Sweepstakes or downloading materials from this Sweepstakes.15. Sweepstakes Errors. The Sweepstakes Entities and their parents, affiliated and subsidiary companies and advertising and promotion agencies, assume no liability and are not responsible for, and you hereby forever waive any rights to any claim in connection with errors and/or ambiguity: (a) in the Sweepstakes; (b) in any related advertising or promotions of this Sweepstakes; and/or (c) in these Official Rules. In the event of any ambiguity(s) or error(s) in these Official Rules, Administrator reserves the right to modify these Official Rules for clarification purposes or to correct any such ambiguity(s) or error(s) without materially affecting the terms and conditions of the Sweepstakes.16. Prizes and Winners. The Sweepstakes Entities and their parents, affiliated and subsidiary companies and advertising and promotion agencies, assume no liability and are not responsible for, and you/entrant hereby forever waive any rights to any claim in connection with, the selection and announcement of the Winners, the distribution of the Prizes, the acceptance/possession and/or use/misuse of any part of a Prize and/or any injury or damage to any entrant's or third person's property related to or resulting from any part of a Prize or any part of this Sweepstakes.17. Release and Indemnity. Each entrant in this Sweepstakes, including, without limitation, the Winners, hereby releases and agrees to hold harmless the Sweepstakes Entities and their parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies and their respective directors, officers, employees, representatives and agents from any and all liability for any injuries, loss or damage of any kind to person, including death, and property, arising in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, use or misuse of a Prize, participation in this Sweepstakes and participation in any activity related to this Sweepstakes.18. Limitation of Liability. IN NO EVENT WILL THE SWEEPSTAKES ENTITIES, THEIR PARENTS, AFFILIATES, SUBSIDIARIES AND RELATED COMPANIES, THEIR ADVERTISING OR PROMOTION AGENCIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES AND AGENTS, BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR LOSSES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE SWEEPSTAKES OR THE DOWNLOADING FROM AND/OR PRINTING MATERIAL DOWNLOADED FROM THE SWEEPSTAKES. SOME JURISDICTIONS MAY NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO SOME OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. CHECK YOUR LOCAL LAWS FOR ANY RESTRICTIONS OR LIMITATIONS REGARDING THESE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS.19. Disclaimer of Warranties. THE SWEEPSTAKES AND PRIZES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.20. Identity Disputes. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of the winner based on an email address, the winning entry will be declared made by the Authorized Account Holder of the email address and/or wireless phone number submitted at time of registration into Instagram and/or entry into the Sweepstakes. For purposes of these Official Rules, "Authorized Account Holder" is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational, institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address.21. Binding Arbitration. The parties waive all rights to trial in any action or proceeding instituted in connection with these Official Rules and/or this Sweepstakes. Any controversy or claim, arising out of, or relating to, these Official Rules and/or this Sweepstakes shall be settled by binding arbitration in accordance with the commercial arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association. Any such controversy or claim shall be arbitrated on an individual basis and shall not be consolidated in any arbitration with any claim or controversy of any other party. The arbitration shall be conducted in the State of New York, in the City of New York and judgment on the arbitration award may be entered into any court having jurisdiction thereof.22. Governing Law and Jurisdiction. This promotion is governed by U.S. law and is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited by law. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of entrant and Administrator in connection with this Sweepstakes, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, U.S.A., without giving effect to the conflict of laws rules thereof, and any matters or proceedings which are not subject to arbitration, as set forth in Section 21 of these Official Rules and/or for entering any judgment on an arbitration award, shall take place in the State of New York, in the City of New York.23. Winner's List/Official Rules. For the name of the Winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope for receipt by March 15, 2019 to "Winner List, Metro Exodus Console and Spartan Edition Giveaway" 1401 W. Cypress Creek Road, Suite 200, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309. For Official Rules, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the above address marked "Official Rules: Metro Exodus Console and Spartan Edition Giveaway" for receipt by March 15, 2019. Residents of VT may omit postage on the self-addressed envelope. The name of the Winners may be posted, and the Official Rules will be posted on GameSpot.com.Info from Gamespot.com

Beyond the dark, oppressive tunnels and radioactive surface of Moscow are the societies that emerge from a nuclear apocalypse and prospective lands habitable for new life. It's a sensible change in setting that broadens Metro's horizons, though it sometimes loses the focus the series is known for. Still, the firefights and stealth deliver a familiar and incredible tension, complemented by streamlined survival mechanics necessary to face terrifying threats. But with Artyom and friends punching a one-way train ticket in hopes of greener pastures, Metro Exodus becomes a journey more about the enduring relationships and ties that bind an earnest crew of survivors.In the opening hours, returning protagonist Artyom is shown with a tenacious insistence that human life exists outside the metro. It gets him into serious trouble, and it's further revealed that a larger conspiracy is at play. Your departure seems all too sudden and a bit of a disservice to the hardships endured in the previous games, but the heat of the moment and gut instincts of your companions help ease you into the premise of a year-long expedition to wherever the railroads lead.The way the map works in Metro Exodus is a nice touch.Thus, Metro Exodus takes the franchise in a bold direction by having a few significant chapters dedicated to open sandbox-style environments where you're free to roam, explore non-critical points of interest, and follow the main story path. Exploration tends to not be a reward in itself as these open areas are sparse and struggle to incentivize you to venture far off. Doing so pits you against mutants that force you to expend valuable resources for very little in return. Navigating isn't entirely enjoyable whether it be because of the sluggish rowboats in the Volga or empty lands of the Caspian. It sometimes feels as if Metro's methodical movement was thrown into much larger spaces it wasn't meant for. Thankfully, the game reins it in for its other chapters, especially when you make it to the lush forest of the Taiga that masterfully guides you to and from open areas and confined spaces at a tempered pace.During your time in the open areas, optional side quests will organically populate your map by way of environmental hints or characters mentioning a point of interest in dialogue. These aren’t traditional side quests that get logged into a checklist; instead, they're opportunities to experience more of Metro’s tense combat scenarios and lead to potentially finding new equipment, scavenging additional resources, or extracting smaller stories that feed into the bigger picture.Despite the addition of open environments, Exodus primarily plays similarly to previous games, and for the majority of the time it channels the series existing strengths. Carefully laid out levels strike a balance between freedom of approach and linear, focused paths to objectives when you face human enemies, creating a fine flow within missions. Sure, some guards will have their backs conveniently turned or make silly moves in combat, but the overarching thrill that you can swiftly kill or be killed lingers. Another Metro staple of fighting mutated beasts delivers a different style of tension. Irradiated spiders, nimble mutants, and lurking amphibians strike fear as you brace for their attack in ravaged pitch-dark corridors and flooded buildings. Even the harmless spiders that crawl on your arm and across your face further build a terrifying atmosphere. It's a state of vulnerability covered in a layer of dread that Metro gets right yet again.Hardly do you ever feel either unfairly disadvantaged or overpowered, as weapons fire with impact and can be a challenge to handle. Each firearm has a roster of modifications that you'll scavenge from enemy weapons--sights, scopes, barrels, loading mechanisms--which give you control of how you want to fight. This wide variety of customization options can turn a dinky revolver into a formidable long-range weapon or a janky Kalashnikov into a devastating assault rifle--it's a satisfying system that gives gunplay an additional layer of depth. Modding can also be done using your backpack at any time, giving you the chance to adapt to situations as they arise.Workbenches and your backpack are saving graces in Metro Exodus, since there are no longer any shops to buy equipment and items. Gone is the clever system of trading in military-grade bullets for critical items; in its place is a crafting system that's both manageable and fitting for the survivalist mentality Exodus instills. You'll accumulate scrap metal and chemicals to craft medkits, filters, and ammo, and maintain weapon condition. Even when you're juggling systems such as keeping your flashlight charged and changing out gasmask filters, it never becomes overbearing and adds an enjoyable challenge of gear management even as you're fending off foes throughout.For the most part, Metro Exodus does away with the supernatural by leaving the clairvoyant Dark Ones in the past. In venturing into the unknown, the game tends to rely on familiar post-apocalyptic tropes. You have the cultists who've brainwashed locals to shun technology, a society of cannibals who put up an orderly front, and slavers who exploit and abuse others. But Exodus uses them to lay the groundwork for its better moments between characters and the struggles they endure. And despite the story being less centered around Artyom--who oddly remains a silent protagonist outside of loading screen monologues--Exodus unfolds in a much more personal fashion. The broader examinations of humanity and psychological twists have been dialed back to make room for a more grounded story about the necessary sacrifices you make for the ones you love.These characters are brought to life with an impressive amount of dialogue that seems to go on forever, but because the moments of levity have a degree of charm and earnestness, you’ll want to stay and listen.The best parts of the story are found in chapters between the action where you simply hang out aboard the Aurora, the train that functions as headquarters. Here you have the chance to tune the radio to eavesdrop on transmissions that play off of in-game events or listen to some sweet tunes, but more importantly, it's your opportunity to unravel the endearing personalities that make up your crew. These characters are brought to life with an impressive amount of dialogue that seems to go on forever, but because the moments of levity have a degree of charm and earnestness, you’ll want to stay and listen. It's not without a few lines that feel contextually out of place, though the natural flow of dialogue and interactions between the team communicates just as much about them as the stories they tell.Anna shares her thoughts about the life she hopes to build with you as she rests her head on your lap. Damir's commitment to his ethnic roots and what remains of his homeland of Kazakhstan leads to a bittersweet exchange. Stepan, the big softy, is an uplifting presence who also fills the air with his acoustic guitar. And Miller is the hardened leader exemplifying the tough love of a father figure who wants the best for you and his daughter Anna. These are just a few of the characters that represent the best in Metro Exodus' narrative.Anna is one of the several great characters in Metro Exodus' story.The exact narrative threads can change, however; Metro's morality system makes a return, subtly judging your actions without explicitly revealing itself. What's important is that it doesn't always force you into a non-lethal approach; if you want to cut the throats of the heartless slavers or take a shotgun to a cannibal's head, by all means do so, and as long as you don't hurt the innocent, you're in the clear. And with a keen eye or sharp ear, you may also come across unexpected events that'll pay off depending on your course of action. Consequences don't make themselves immediately apparent, but can lead to fascinating results as the story progresses.It's worth noting that technical issues are strewn throughout Metro Exodus. In one playthrough (pre-day one patch), I've fallen through the game world just after an auto-save, inexplicably lost upgraded equipment I couldn't get back at a workbench, and had some rare, but noticeable framerate drops at modest settings with a fairly high-end PC. They didn't break the game, but can frustrate and negate hard-earned progress. In the few hours spent with the PS4 version, the game was stable, and as expected it ran on a lower framerate than a capable PC. It's not always a smooth ride, though it doesn't take away from the gripping journey that the game takes you on.You may miss the mystery and intrigue of the previous games, but Exodus puts together a charismatic crew of friends and family that you'll want to follow to the ends of the earth.At first glance, Metro Exodus gives you that wide-open, free, and dangerous world unbound by tunnels, though the scope of its tale focuses on what drives you personally and the lengths you're willing to go to protect what matters most. The open sandboxes may not be strongest addition, but the game still embraces the sense of vulnerability and post-apocalyptic terror alongside impactful weapons used in refined combat and stealth scenarios. You may miss the mystery and intrigue of the previous games, but Exodus puts together a charismatic crew of friends and family that you'll want to follow to the ends of the earth.Info from Gamespot.com

Star Wars: Episode IX has wrapped filming, marking the end of what Disney has dubbed the "Skywalker saga." In an emotional pair of tweets, director JJ Abrams and actor John Boyega shared a photo and thanked the cast and crew.The photo in both tweets shows actors Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac having a good hug in costume on what appears to be a desert backdrop. The three play the principal characters of the new trilogy: Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron, respectively."It feels impossible, but today wrapped photography on Episode IX," said Abrams. "There is no adequate way to thank this truly magical crew and cast. I'm forever indebted to you all."Boyega expressed similar sentiments.That’s a wrap on Star Wars episode 9 and the end to a chapter of my life that I couldn’t be more thankful for. What a process! It really has been a joy to be in these movies surrounded by amazing people. JJ thank you for making my dreams come true. pic.twitter.com/8b83vQKKDc — John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) February 15, 2019Abrams directed the first film of the new trilogy, The Force Awakens, and helped set the course for Disney's ownership of the franchise. Rian Johnson directed the second film, The Last Jedi. Episode IX (title yet to be revealed) was set to be helmed by Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow, but that fell apart due to creative differences and Abrams returned to close out the trilogy.With the end of the Skywalker saga coming later this year, it's unclear exactly what direction Disney will move with the franchise afterward. The company has pumped the brakes on its spin-off anthology films, after Solo disappointed at the box office and Disney CEO Bob Iger has suggested fans got fatigued by too much Star Wars. The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson is still preparing to direct his own trilogy of films, but we're not sure where in the universe those take place.Meanwhile, the company is preparing to launch its own streaming service, Disney+, which will have its own slate of original shows: The Mandalorian, a Rogue One prequel starring Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), and a new season of The Clone Wars.Info from Gamespot.com

Jump Force is a celebration of 50 years of Weekly Shonen Jump manga, featuring nearly four dozen fighters from 16 of the magazine's most iconic stories. Bandai Namco's arena tag-team fighting game borrows plenty of elements from its source materials, for better and worse. Although Jump Force's campaign story drags on for way too long and ignores what could have been interesting character interactions in favor of repeated excuses for everyone to punch the crap out of each other, its combat is an enjoyable dance between two teams of fighters--thanks to the game's excellent mechanics and flashy visuals.In Jump Force, you're an ordinary human who's caught up in a warzone when the Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Naruto universes collide into our world and bring their assortment of heroes and villains with them. After being mortally wounded by Frieza, you're resurrected as a hero capable of learning the powers, skills, and abilities of Shonen Jump's characters, and you decide to join Goku, Luffy, and Naruto's Jump Force of allies in order to fix everyone's broken world. What follows is a fairly stereotypical shonen affair, with your character growing stronger over time, enemies and friends switching sides, and a mysterious evil working behind the scenes. Like most fighting games, there's not a single problem you don't ultimately just fix with your fists, from deciding team leader to knocking sense into those who have been corrupted by the same evil forces responsible for everyone's worlds colliding with one another.There's a decent story in Jump Force, but it's buried beneath a second act that goes on for far too long. After getting acquainted with your new allies, the game tasks you with responding to threats around the globe, as well as the recruitment of any additional heroes who've managed to stumble into our world from their respective universes. Character models during cutscenes are all rather cookie-cutter, as everyone stands in the same position throughout the story, only stiffly moving their mouths and occasionally blinking. The actual story moves with the same awkwardly slow pace, and it doesn't explain what's going on with everyone's worlds or what the villains' motivations are until the third act, so you play through most of the game without any idea as to what you're really fighting against. Not being able to skip cutscenes is also rather annoying, as exiting out of a mission for any reason--such as buying more items to use in combat--has you watch the same 40- to 90-second scene again.There are brief snippets where you can see how a side story might have helped flesh out the characters, which in turn could have been a good incentive to keep pushing forward through the campaign. For example, Boruto recognizes a sadness behind the eyes of My Hero Academia's Midoriya and confides with the young hero that he knows how hard it is to live up to the ideal of father figures. But the game breezes past moments like this in order to get to the next fight.Thankfully, those fights are a blast to play. Every combatant comes equipped with an assortment of attacks, blocks, grabs, counters, and dodges that operate in a rock-paper-scissors system. Combat is fairly accessible, and it doesn't take long to understand how the basic mechanics work. However, with over 40 playable fighters, it takes time to get a handle on the entire roster's assortment of strengths and weaknesses, giving you plenty of reason to keep playing. Each fighter has four distinct and unique special attacks as well. Even though these special moves can be broken down into one of seven different types--short-range, dashing, counter, area-of-effect, long-range, shield, or buff--each fighter handles quite differently. If you've read the manga that these characters come from, you already have a fairly good idea as to what most of these iconic moves are and how they behave, but you'll still have to practice with each fighter to get a grasp of what every move can do.Every attack, basic or advanced, can be avoided in some way--whether via blocking, dodging, or countering--so most fights are tense, with each side looking for a way to bait their foe into opening themselves up for attack without putting themselves at a disadvantage. I've had fights where, after 30 seconds of back-and-forth, both sides are one strike away from defeat, and the battle continues for another full minute of counters, perfect dodges, and last-second blocks. It's empowering to finish off your foe with a perfectly executed combo or snag a victory when all hope seems lost. Each win feels like it needs to be earned, and this encourages you to explore the varied movesets of each fighter, experiment in how attacks might be chained together, and deduce your go-to characters' weaknesses in order to avoid defeat.This is especially true in regards to the campaign, as you're allowed to customize your character with any four special abilities you want. You can also choose your character's gender, body type, voice, and skin tone, as well as dress them with an assortment of hairstyles, make-up, jewelry, and clothes, allowing you to build your perfect protagonist. Completing campaign missions earns you in-game currency, which you can use to buy new outfits and items. Cosmetics won't affect your character, but it's still fun to put together outfits and it's a welcome distraction when you need a moment to step away from the steep challenge of the late-game battles.Once you're done with Jump Force's campaign, there's still plenty to do--even if not all of it is worthwhile. Free Missions are the game's version of a challenge mode, but it's not all that different from the handicaps placed on you in late-game story missions. The same can be said for Extra Missions mode, which you can play if you need a little extra in-game cash for that smokin' pair of black pants you've been eyeing for your character or if you want to expand your level cap.However, a lot of fun can be had in Jump Force's competitive modes. You can play online or off, with both friendly and ranked matches in the former. Online is where your skills will be put to the test, meaning it's also where you'll find the game's best fights. Jump Force also allows you to practice against a computer while you wait for the game to find you an opponent, so you're not just waiting on a loading screen, which is a welcome touch. Ranked Play provides the most challenging combat in Jump Force by far, but earning higher titles--and thus bragging rights--by defeating more skilled opponents is a compelling goal to work towards.Each win feels like it needs to be earned, and this encourages you to explore the varied movesets of each fighter.It's awesome to see Jump Force's roster of playable fighters include so many characters from Shonen Jump's history, even the ones from manga that aren't as mainstream but no less important, like JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and Saint Seiya. That said, there's a disappointing disparity in the number of male and female characters, especially when Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Naruto contribute to nearly half the roster and only have two women between all three of them. Shonen Jump has always been geared towards young boys, but that doesn't mean its manga hasn't had great female fighters. Including Dragon Ball's Piccolo over Android 18 and Naruto's Gaara over both Sakura and Hinata is odd, as is leaving out Black Clover's Noelle, Yu-Gi-Oh's Anzu, My Hero Academia's Uraraka, and Boruto's Sarada.Jump Force is a worthy celebration of the legacy of Shonen Jump manga, but it honors its source material a little too well with how filler-heavy the middle of its story arc is. However, even if the game rarely provides a clear motivation for stopping evil other than good must always oppose it, the act of stomping out villains in Jump Force's frantic bouts of tag-team arena combat is an enjoyable test of strategy. And with over 40 characters to master, there's ample opportunity to develop new strategies and reach greater feats of combat prowess in online multiplayer.Info from Gamespot.com

Apex Legends is a battle royale game centered around the concept of surviving as a team. You can wordlessly ask for weapons and equipment or point out enemy locations with the game's ping system. Downed teammates can be revived, and you can respawn dead allies if you grab their banner in time. Everything in the game revolves around your squad working together, and that starts with knowing how to use your chosen Legend's unique abilities to benefit the team.Wraith is one of the six Legends unlocked in Apex from the start (with two more you can earn or purchase), and this interdimensional skirmisher is one of the most versatile characters in the game. Although she's designed to excel as a hit-and-run tactician, Wraith can fit into Mirage's role as a trickster or handle Bloodhound's recon duties in a pinch. In this short guide, we're going to take a look at Wraith, and explain how this Legend can open up new avenues towards victory for you and your squad.If you're still on the fence about picking up Apex Legends, check out our review. If you're already playing Respawn's battle royale game and you're looking for a few extra tips, we have a guide on becoming a champion, as well as a gallery of the best weapons in the game.Other Character GuidesLifeline Guide: Tips On How To Be The Best Combat MedicMirage Guide: Tips On How To Be The Best Holographic TricksterWraith's General OverviewWraith is one of the three offense-focused fighters in Apex Legends, so she's specifically designed to be one of her team's major damage dealers. Her abilities make her an ideal candidate for your squad's point person, so don't expect to hang back when it's time to move out. That doesn't mean you should go off on your own though. Wraith may be able to take care of herself, but she's a force to be reckoned with when she's using her portals to help her entire team get the drop on an enemy.Confusing the enemy should be your main concern as Wraith, but if need be you can use her skills to aid downed allies, scout ahead, get your team out of a losing firefight, set ambushes, or trick an enemy into killing themselves. Regardless of how you use Wraith, it's important to keep moving during a fight. Wraith is most useless when she's standing still and trying to snipe an enemy from afar, where her abilities can really only be used defensively. Because you'll usually be in the thick of things as Wraith, you'll want to nab at least one weapon with a decent fire rate that packs a punch at close range. The EVA-8 and Mastiff shotguns are your best bets, but the Peacekeeper, Wingman, and Flatline are all excellent choices as well. Also, try to avoid executing enemies. Wraith has some really cool execution animations, but you want to keep moving to kill the enemy team as quickly as possible.Wraith's SkillsPassive Skill: Voices From The Void - A voice warns you when danger approaches. As far as you can tell, it’s on your side.With this passive, voices warn of any incoming threat that might harm Wraith, so stick close to your teammates to defend them as well. The voices are whispered, so for the best results, play Apex Legends with headphones, subtitles on, or both. On very rare occasions, this passive makes enemy footsteps louder as well, so headphones might be the way to go, since you don't get an audible warning for those. Don't forget to hit the button prompt when the voices speak up, so you can alert your teammates as well. Knowing an enemy has spotted you, that a grenade is fast approaching, or that one of Caustic's Nox Gas Traps is waiting for you around the corner or behind a closed door can make a difference between victory and defeatTactical Skill: Into The Void - Reposition quickly through the safety of void space, avoiding all damage.When Wraith journeys into the void, she becomes untouchable and nearly invisible. She also moves a lot faster too, so you can use this skill to escape an approaching ring wall. Wraith can't interact with anything while in the void, though, meaning she can't pick up weapons or items, see enemies or allies, attack, or open or close doors.Ultimate Skill: Dimensional Rift - Link two locations with portals for 60 seconds, allowing your entire team to use them.Wraith has one of the most useful Ultimate skills in Apex Legends. She can drop portals next to downed allies so they can crawl through and teleport to safety, or use the massive speed boost she gets from placing her first portal to escape an approaching zone wall. If you don't have a Bloodhound on-hand, you can use Wraith to drop one portal, run ahead to scout some buildings, and escape through a quickly placed second portal if any enemies are hiding inside.Tips To Play As WraithOnce you've gotten a knack for Voices From The Void, Wraith can become nearly untouchable at long range. Not only are you warned when someone tags you, the voices speak up when you're in a sniper's scope. The second you hear that you've got a sniper on you, warn your teammates and use your tactical skill, Into The Void. You'll disappear and become untouchable, much to your enemy's chagrin.Speaking of Into The Void, because of its drawbacks, it's best used defensively to escape a firefight or ambush. However, you can also use the ability to reach downed allies or safely flank an enemy's position. If your team has another pinned down, you can use Into The Void to get the drop on someone, but that's much easier to do if you're chatting with friends and they guide you to where an opponent is hiding. To truly master Into The Void, learn all the tiny details of Apex Legends' map, so you know what you're doing and where you're going when you blink out of existence.As a final note, pay close attention to the shadows that populate the void. They aren't enemies or allies. They're actually Wraith. Because she's caught between dimensions, Wraith can see every outcome she's ever made, making, or will make, in both this universe and others. Those shadows mark where she'll come out of the void if she heads in that direction, so they're basically marking her possible futures.Above, we listed how Wraith can support her team with Dimensional Rift, but as an offense-focused character, this skill is best used for killing enemies. If Wraith uses Dimensional Rift, she can follow up with Into the Void to speed across the battlefield unscathed before placing her second portal. With this strategy, you can teleport your entire team into a flanking position behind another squad. To safeguard your first portal, you can have Gibraltar throw his Dome Of Protection over it, or have Bangalore's Smoke Launcher hide its location.If you really want to mess with an enemy, have your squad wait behind cover with grenades, before rushing forward and placing a portal next to an another team. The second it's set, teleport back to safety while your allies step through to the enemy squad, drop their grenades at their feet, and then transport back. If you have a Caustic on your squad, his Ultimate can do insane damage with this technique, especially within enclosed spaces. If you're in the midst of a firefight, drop one portal and run to the nearest map edge to drop your second. With any luck, in the confusion of battle, your enemies will think you escaped through the portal and "follow you" through it to kill you, only to appear in open air and fall to their deaths instead. You can trick people into teleporting outside the ring wall too. If the edge of the map and ring are far away, having a waiting Caustic Nox Gas Trap or a Gibraltar with a Spitfire or Devotion and his Gun Shield up can work too. We've done a lot experiments with what Wraith's portals can and can't do if you need any more combat strategies.How To Counter Wraith's WeaknessesDespite the wide range of attacks Wraith can pull off with her skills, she can be easily countered by a Bloodhound. The technological tracker can tell where Wraith has gone, and see her through walls. If you're playing Wraith and see a Bloodhound, taking them out should be your first priority.Wraith is also at her best when she is the one causing the confusion, not the other way around. Disorienting Wraith with Bangalore's Smoke Launcher, Caustic's Nox Gas Grenade, or Mirage's Psyche Out or Vanishing Act are the best ways of knocking her off her game once she's within killing range. If you're playing Wraith and your enemy responds with any of these attacks, don't panic. Use Into The Void and get out. Remember, your abilities are best used to surprise the enemy. If you're the one being surprised, you need to retreat and try again. Info from Gamespot.com