Microsoft has announced that two more games and their corresponding expansions are now backwards compatible on Xbox One. All four titles are a part of EA's Command and Conquer franchise.As is the case with most new backwards compatible games, the announcement was made via a tweet by Xbox Live director of programming Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb. The two new games are Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars and Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3. The former's expansion, Kane's Wrath, as well as additional content for the latter, titled Commander's Challenge, are also now backwards compatible.In our Tiberium Wars review, Kevin VanOrd gave the game an 8.7/10, writing, "Not only is [Tiberium Wars] a great game, but it's a great example of a console RTS done right. If you've never played a Command & Conquer game before, there's no better time than the present." VanOrd did not offer as much praise in our Red Alert 3 review, but also remarked that the Xbox 360 version of the game has "enough good, crazy fun that it might just charm you into forgiving its flaws."EA is currently in works with Petroglyph Games in development of a Command and Conquer Remastered Collection, which will include new versions of 1995's Tiberian Dawn, 1996's Red Alert, and both games' expansion packs. EA stressed that the collection would launch "without microtransactions" on PC, and will attempt to recapture the "authenticity" of the original games. No exact timeframe has been announced for when the Command and Conquer Remastered Collection will launch, but EA has hinted it will release on the franchise's 25th anniversary in 2020.If you're curious as to what games are backwards compatible on Xbox One, we've compiled the full list. We've also highlighted our personal favorites if you want to know the best games to play.Info from Gamespot.com

A second season of She-Ra and the Princesses Of Power has been announced. The Netflix exclusive will be returning this year on April 26.She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is a reboot of the 1980s She-Ra: Princess of Power, which is a spin-off of the popular He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series. The new Netflix animated series is helmed by Noelle Stevenson, with protagonist Adora and antagonist Catra respectively voiced by Elena of Avalor's Aimee Carrero and Steven Universe's AJ Michalka.Who wants more #SheRa and the Princesses of Power? pic.twitter.com/ESbKrg2ESJ — She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (@DreamWorksSheRa) January 24, 2019In Season 1, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power follows the adventures of Adora, a young woman raised by the Evil Horde. Adora leaves behind all she knows after meeting and befriending rebel fighters Glimmer and Bow, both of whom show Adora the horrors that the Horde have enacted on the rest of the world of Etheria. Armed with a magical sword that can transform her into an amazonian warrior known as She-Ra, Adora sets out with Glimmer and Bow to create an alliance amongst Etheria's princesses to defeat the Horde. All the while, Adora's childhood friend Catra--feeling betrayed after being left behind--enacts a plan to rise within the ranks of the Horde and destroy the Princess Alliance.Although the first season ended with the immediate threat thwarted, there are still several storylines that have yet to be addressed. Hopefully Season 2 continues most of these lingering threads. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power developed a fierce fanbase with its first season, with most critics pointing to the show's diverse cast of characters and portrayal of Adora and Catra--whose relationship fluctuates between friendship, bittersweet love, and murderous intent--as the highlights.Info from Gamespot.com

Asobo Studio has released the first video in a web series to promote its upcoming game, A Plague Tale: Innocence. At the end of the video, Asobo announces that A Plague Tale will release on May 14.The video also details the backstories for its protagonists, as well as how their journey will change them. As the name of the game implies, the core theme of A Plague Tale is innocence, and the game's young heroes will face the loss of theirs as they overcome numerous hardships, such as the act of needing to kill other people. In order to make this theme come through the game, Asobo made sure to recruit actors that closely matched the age of the characters they voiced, and tried to incorporate phrases and words that a teenager and child might use as opposed to an adult.A Plague Tale is a puzzle survival game that has you control Amicia, a teenage noblewoman, as she and her younger brother, Hugo, try to survive 14th century France--a time when the Black Death was sweeping across Europe. How far Amicia is willing to go to both survive and protect Hugo is up to you, with the noble girl able to use her trusty sling to knock out enemies or kill them in gruesome ways. One of the more horrifying means of dispatching enemies is using fire to redirect plague rats at them, as the hungry mass of rodents will eat anything, whether it's alive or dead.Asobo Studio's A Plague Tale is one of the big new games coming out that we think you should look out for. The developer behind the game has been responsible for contributing to a wide variety of titles, including the Xbox 360 port of The Crew and the creation of both the world and enemies in ReCore.A Plague Tale: Innocence is scheduled to release for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.Info from Gamespot.com

Season 7 of Fortnite may be winding down, but a lot has been happening in the lead up to Season 8 of Epic's popular battle royale game. On top of the ongoing Ice Storm event, which introduced its own set of daily tasks to complete, Epic has now rolled out Week 8's challenges across all platforms, the trickiest of which has players searching between a hatch, giant rocky lady, and a precarious flatbed. Per usual, completing these tasks will reward you with Battle Stars, which in turn will level your Battle Pass up and unlock Season 7 cosmetics and rewards.Getting your hands on this season's new items is a good incentive to complete as many challenges as you can, but if you manage to finish all of the tasks from a given week, you'll also complete a Snowfall Challenge. Doing so will unlock another bonus: a special loading screen that features a subtle clue pointing you to a free Battle Star or Banner--depending on how many weekly sets of challenges you've completed--hiding somewhere around the island.If you've finished eight weeks' worth of challenges, you'll receive the loading screen pictured below. This one depicts the Ice King, who recently emerged from the mysterious icy sphere above Polar Peak and blanketed the entire map with snow, standing atop a tower overlooking the island. If you look closely just beneath the Ice King's right leg, you'll see a set of coordinates--A8, B8, A9, and B9--etched into the tower.The spot where the coordinates meet is where you'll find the secret Banner. A quick look at the map reveals that the area in question is a snowy field just south of Frosty Flights. Make your way to the location and the Banner will appear. Collect it as you would any other item, finish the match, and you'll be able to use the Banner as a new profile icon. You can see its exact location on the map below.Of course, the usual caveats apply when it comes to this free Banner. The item will only appear in the game if you've completed the requisite number of weekly challenges and unlocked the special loading screen above; you won't simply be able to go to the right area and find it unless you've first put in the necessary work.Only a few weeks remain in Season 7 of Fortnite, which means there's only a little time left to complete any remaining challenges from this season. If you need some assistance, we've put together helpful tips on the trickier tasks in our complete Season 7 challenges guide. You can also use the links below to see where all of this season's other free Battle Stars and Banners are hiding.Fortnite Season 7 Snowfall Challenge GuidesFortnite Secret Battle Star Location: Week 1 Snowfall Challenge GuideFortnite Secret Banner Location: Week 2 Snowfall Challenge GuideFortnite Secret Battle Star Location: Week 3 Snowfall Challenge GuideFortnite Secret Banner Location: Week 4 Snowfall Challenge GuideFortnite Secret Battle Star Location: Week 5 Snowfall Challenge GuideFortnite Secret Banner Location: Week 6 Snowfall Challenge GuideFortnite Secret Battle Star Location: Week 7 Snowfall Challenge GuideFortnite Secret Banner Location: Week 8 Snowfall Challenge GuideInfo from Gamespot.com

Overwatch has kicked off its Lunar New Year 2019 event, marking the Year of the Pig. It brought the usual spate of nifty new skins and the return of a favorite game mode, while at the same time introducing a set of balance changes. As detailed in the latest patch notes, these mark some significant changes to particular characters.First, though not tied to any changes, armor will now reduce damage to 3 instead of 5, capping at half. Blizzard notes that this will mostly impact heroes who fire in bursts. As an example the studio cites Soldier 76's Heavy Pulse Rifle, which will do 16 damage per shot instead of 14. It says that armor was just "a bit too strong overall, especially when heroes were being healed quickly and often."Meanwhile, two characters have had their abilities slightly tweaked to nerf them. The armor from Brigitte's Rally has been capped at a maximum duration of 30 seconds. D. Va's Defense Matrix cooldown has been increased from 1 second to 2 seconds. In both cases, the change is aimed at giving opponents a chance to respond around the triggering of the abilities.The one character to have gotten a buff was Reaper, whose passive life steal ability has gotten a big boost from 30% to 50% of damage dealt. "This change allows him to keep the pressure up while he's dishing damage to his enemies," Blizzard notes. "The added life steal is particularly effective against tanks, as they tend to do less damage than other heroes, and also take more damage from his Hellfire Shotguns due to their larger hit volumes."These changes come along with a wide array of bug fixes. The Lunar New Year event brought back the capture the flag mode and older Lunar New Year cosmetics, along with a bunch of new skins for this year. Those include the Legendary skins Lu Bu Reaper, Huang Zhong Hanzo, Guan Yu Reinhardt, Zhang Fei Torbjorn, Zhuge Liang Zenyatta, and Hong Gildong Tracer, plus the Epic skins Sanye Orisa and General Brigitte.Info from Gamespot.com

Bethesda has a number of new features in the works for Fallout 76 this year, including a more competitive type of PvP mode. The developer has shared some new details about this mode in its latest blog post, along with an early glimpse at what's coming in the game's next update.Dubbed Survival, the new mode was devised to offer players a much more challenging PvP experience. "Since the launch of Fallout 76, we've received lots of feedback from some of our more competitive players who requested greater challenge, fewer restrictions, and more incentives when it comes to PVP combat," Bethesda wrote. "With this in mind, we began developing Survival mode, which will bring a new way for you to engage in even more demanding, high-stakes, and deadly adventures in Fallout 76."When Survival launches in beta later this year, players will be able to choose between it or Adventure mode--the standard Fallout 76 experience--when they boot up the game. Both modes will feature the same quests, events, and story, but Survival eschews the restrictions that previously governed PvP encounters. All players outside of your teammates will automatically be flagged as hostile, and you won't need to retaliate against another player to initiate a battle.There will also be some steep penalties and rewards in this mode. Bethesda says it will continue to tweak these rules based on player feedback, but when Survival first launches, players won't be able to use the "seek revenge" respawn option; instead, they'll only be able to respawn at their CAMP or Vault 76. If you kill another player, you'll receive twice as many Caps, and there's a chance they'll drop their Aid alongside their junk.Bethesda is planning to roll out the Survival beta in March. In the meantime, the developer has another patch coming at the end of January. This one will fix another "massive round" of bugs and make a handful of gameplay and quality-of-life tweaks, like the addition of a "(Known)" tag for recipes and plans that you've already learned. You can read more on Bethesda's website.Info from Gamespot.com

Kingdom Hearts III director Tetsuya Nomura has announced that he's reconsidering whether or not to do simultaneous worldwide releases for his future games. This decision comes as a result of Kingdom Hearts III leaking outside Japan, an incident that Nomura does not wish to see happen again with other titles.In an interview with Famitsu, which was translated by Siliconera, Nomura confirms that only four copies of Kingdom Hearts III leaked prior to the game's official release. "That being said," he continued, "the only thing that really disappointed me about everything is that it brought sad thoughts to people who were looking forward to Kingdom Hearts III. The risk is higher with simultaneous worldwide releases, and because of this incident I can't help but reconsider what I'll do for my next games, including simultaneous worldwide releases of physical copies at the very least."Kingdom Hearts III is already out in Japan, but the game releases for the rest of the world next week. The practice of two release dates is not unheard of, with many past Japanese developed games releasing in their native country just prior to a worldwide release. However, if a title's release dates are close together--like how it is for Kingdom Hearts III--then the game typically ships out to worldwide distributors all at once. In these instances, miscommunication can cause international copies to leak before they're supposed to officially release. In order to avoid that, some developers release their games staggered, with different launch dates that are separated by anywhere from several weeks to a few months.If you're on the fence about picking up Kingdom Hearts III, consider reading our review. Tamoor Hussain gave the game an 8/10, calling the game "enjoyable, if uneven" and promoting its combat and diverse worlds while criticizing how its preoccupation with fan service occasionally bogs down the story and lore.Kingdom Hearts III releases worldwide on January 29 for Xbox One and PS4.Info from Gamespot.com

Hi-Rez has announced that Paladins: Champions of the Realm will support cross-platform play. The update is now live in the game with the 2.02 patch.Currently, the update does not add cross-platform play to PS4, and only implements support for cross-play on PC, Xbox One, and Switch. If you play on both PC and Xbox One, your progression will be saved across platforms as well, allowing you to jump back and forth between the two systems. There are currently no announced plans for also implementing cross-progression on Switch, but Hi-Rez did write in the update's patch notes that support for other platforms is already ready to go if the opportunity were to suddenly arise.If you don't want to face off against people on other systems, there is an option to turn cross-play matchmaking off. However, Hi-Rez writes that "you will find higher quality matches more quickly with cross-play matchmaking enabled." Patch 2.02 also takes advantage of Xbox One's November 2018 update, and adds keyboard and mouse support for Paladins to the console.Paladins: Champions of the Realm is a free-to-play online shooter that's drawn comparisons to both Overwatch and Team Fortress 2 with its art style, team-focused game modes, and unique hero-based champions. Much like Fortnite, a battle royale mode--titled Battlegrounds--was added to Paladins after launch when the game type started becoming more prominent across the industry. Battlegrounds became as popular as, if not more than, the original four modes, so it was spun off into its own standalone game called Realm Royale, which is also free-to-play but still in early access.Realm Royale follows the same basic concept as other battle royale games, with 100 players battling it out across a massive map. However, there are a number of key differences as well. Realm Royale introduces classes into the mix, allowing players to start with one of five different assortments of unique perks and abilities. For example, if you play as a Mage then you can cast spells and do damage from far away, while choosing to be an Engineer lets you create defensive barriers. In the spirit of the original Paladins, Realm Royale is also entirely team-focused, with matches always pitting four-person squads against one another without an option for free-for-all. Finally, scavenged items can be disenchanted into shards, which can be collected and brought to a forge on the map to craft legendary-level armor, weapons, and abilities.Paladins: Champions of the Realm is available for Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Switch. Realm Royale is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.Info from Gamespot.com

There are plenty of items you might miss during your first run through Resident Evil 2, but there's one in particular you'll want to take the time to find. That's the Magnum, the series' quintessential endgame firearm typically reserved for its toughest baddies. Resident Evil 2 Remake's iteration of the weapon is known as the "Lightning Hawk." It's a sweet name, I know.Sealed behind an electronic lock in the RPD's S.T.A.R.S. Office, you can easily miss the Magnum if you're not careful. The way to obtain it involves solving a rather simple puzzle using several key items you pick up along your adventure. The Magnum can only be acquired by Leon, but it's important to note these are also the exact steps to follow in Claire's run to acquire the sub-machine gun and all of its upgrade parts.Below we detail exactly how to get this overpowered hand cannon, as well as pointing you to the locations of its various upgrades. For more Resident Evil 2 guides, be sure to check out our feature highlighting all sorts of useful beginner's tips. Otherwise, be sure to read our Resident Evil 2 review.How To Get The MagnumIt's interesting to note that you get a small clue early on that leads you down the road towards getting the Magnum. This comes in the form of the Commemorative Photo, which you get after developing the Film Roll you can get from Locker 106 in the Safety Deposit Room. You're by no means required to get this to get the Magnum, but it helps direct you towards what you need to do.You encounter the stone statue pictured in the photo in the Art Room on the second floor of the RPD's eastern side. However, it's missing the Red Book seen in its left hand. Lucky for you, it's actually nearby. Head to Library on the western side, just opposite of the waiting room entrance on the second floor. You should see the book on a desk beside the door marked with the Ace insignia.Once you've got the Red Book, head back to the Art Room, grab the stone arm beside the statue and combine it with the book. Then take the completed arm and insert it back into the statue to unlock the scepter from its right hand. Examine the scepter to obtain the Red Jewel.The Red Jewel is meant to be used on a special Bejeweled Box you can grab in the Interrogation Room on the eastern side of the first floor, which you can only access using the Spade Key. If you can't get into this area yet, try progressing further in the story. Once you've gained entry, you should find the Bejeweled Box on a desk near the broken two way mirror.Combine the Red Jewel with the Bejeweled Box two to reveal its contents: the S.T.A.R.S. Badge. This unassuming item may seem like worthless at a glance, but it has all the value in the world. It's your key to obtaining the Magnum.Head back to the S.T.A.R.S. Office with the badge in tow, but before you use it on the computer, first examine the back of the badge to reveal a hidden USB. This can then be inserted into the computer tower to open the armory containing the Magnum.How To Get The Upgrade Parts: Long Barrel And ScopeYou can nab the Long Barrel part in the Underground Stairs located in the Middle section of the Underground Facility. This area is opened after using the three Medallions to reveal the "escape route." You can get there by going through the statue in the Main Hall and taking the elevator down. Use the S.T.A.R.S. Badge to unlock the white case holding the parts.The Scope requires a bit more work. It can only be obtained by developing a Film Roll that points you to its location. You find the Film Roll found in the Work Room in the Upper section of the Sewers; you'll see it in between a cardboard box and tool kit on a small table. Develop the roll in the Dark Room at the RPD to reveal a photograph showing you two locations.The location on the first photograph is the one you care about. It points to Captain Wesker's desk in the S.T.A.R.S. Office on the second floor. Open the drawer to get a wooden box containing the Magnum Scope. Info from Gamespot.com

Netflix is currently developing a Resident Evil TV series, according to a Deadline report. There has been no confirmed announcement for the series though, or any indication as to when it might premiere.According to the report, Constantin Film, the same studio behind the Resident Evil movies, is at the helm for this new series. However, a showrunner has not been selected yet. Details are seemingly still rather vague, with the show supposedly being made to further expand upon the games' lore and deepen the mythology of the expanded Resident Evil universe. It seems, much like the movies, this series is only using the Resident Evil games as a loose template, although signature elements and Easter eggs will be included to tie back to the source material.On the game side of things, Resident Evil 2 has gotten a remake that comes out tomorrow. In our Resident Evil 2 review, Alessandro Fillari gave the remake a 9/10, writing, "Resident Evil 2 is not only a stellar remake of the original, but it's also simply a strong horror game that delivers anxiety-inducing and grotesque situations, topping some of the series' finest entries. But above all, the remake is an impressive game for the fact that it goes all-in on the pure survival horror experience, confidently embracing its horrifying tone and rarely letting up until the story's conclusion. Though Resident Evil 2 has its roots firmly in the past, it reworks the familiar horrors into something that feels brand new and all its own."Free DLC has already been confirmed for the remake, as has the return of the fan-favorite 4th Survivor and Tofu Modes from the original Resident Evil 2. If Capcom's new remake is your first step into Resident Evil, check out our guide of beginner's tips that will help you survive the zombie apocalypse.Resident Evil 2 is coming to Xbox One, PS4, and PC on January 25.Info from Gamespot.com

Funimation has announced that Dragon Ball Super: Broly has earned more than $24 million USD in the US within the first five days of its premiere. This makes the movie the third highest-grossing anime film in the US of all time."Response to Dragon Ball Super: Broly has been nothing short of overwhelming. Earning a spot among top three highest-grossing anime films of all time in the US in just five days has been extremely gratifying," said Funimation CEO and president Gen Fukunaga. "Our goal for this release was to honor both its iconic franchise and its incredibly diverse fanbase. I believe we are well on our way with the film's historic box office to date."In terms of worldwide numbers, according to Box Office Mojo, DBS: Broly doesn't even break the top 10 for anime movies, coming in at number 12 behind films such as Your Name, Spirited Away, Pokemon: The First Movie, and Pokemon: The Movie 2000. It's still fairly impressive to see an anime movie do so well in the US though. DBS: Broly is currently number three in the US box office, according to Comic Book, coming in behind Glass and The Upside.Dragon Ball Super: Broly is only in select theaters for a little while longer. If you haven't seen it yet, we recommend trying to catch a screening before it leaves theaters. This original movie takes place after the final arc of the last season of Dragon Ball Super, offering a rebooted origin for Broly, a fan-favorite Saiyan who possesses an incredibly high power level. His battle with both Goku and Vegeta is one of the best animated fights ever seen in Dragon Ball, and the reemergence of Gogeta is pretty cool too.If you're looking for more anime to watch, check out our Winter 2019 anime guide. It outlines every series and movie scheduled to releases on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hidive, and VRV, as well as in select theaters, between January and March.Info from Gamespot.com

Earlier this month, Project Cars 2 developer Slightly Mad Studios announced its plans to create its own standalone game console called the Mad Box. While the system is still very much in the early phases of development, company CEO Ian Bell shared some of its possible designs, and now he's given us a look at its potential controller.On Twitter, Bell shared several mock-ups of one potential design for the Mad Box gamepad. This concept bears a cursory resemblance to an Xbox controller, albeit with more angular grips and a display in the center of the pad. In a follow-up tweet, Bell shared another image that showed off rear paddles. You can see the mock-ups below.When the Mad Box was first announced, Bell claimed it would be "the most powerful console ever built" and feature specs that "will be equivalent to a very fast PC two years from now." He also said the system will offer 4K visuals, support "most major VR headsets," and allow up to 90 frames-per-second "per eye" for virtual reality play.Beyond that, not much else has been revealed about the Mad Box. Bell says the company is in the process of making deals with component makers, and he estimates the system is still three years away from release, assuming the project makes it that far.To drum up excitement for the Mad Box, Bell has asked fans to come up with a slogan for the console, offering money and free games to the person who comes up with the best one. He also said the company will provide a free game engine to studios who want to develop games for the system.Info from Gamespot.com

Reliving familiar frights can often make for a less-than-exciting horror experience. But with the remake of Resident Evil 2, Capcom shows respect for the original while also going to great lengths to give the macabre atmosphere and tense gameplay a noticeable upgrade. In doing so, this revamp of the classic survival horror game shows that the series can still offer a terrifying experience like no other.You once again play as either Leon Kennedy or Claire Redfield. A viral outbreak has unleashed hordes of zombies and other grotesque monsters upon Raccoon City, leading to a series of dangerous and nightmare-inducing encounters for the two characters. While both protagonists' storylines have similar plots and take place in the same locations, there are different supporting characters and unique challenges in each that set the two playthroughs apart.In traditional Resident Evil fashion, you're tasked with surviving through the night and overcoming the nightmarish creatures and devious puzzles found throughout the infested streets of the city, the tight, dimly lit halls of the Police Station, and in the subterranean passages below. RE2 is a great mix of the understated survivalist approach from the original games and the tactile, reflex-oriented gameplay from more recent entries. It's very much a game about escalation; as your resources dwindle and the monsters become fearsome and more elaborate, the pressure is always mounting as the story progresses, and each moment feels just a bit more desperate than the last. Even the smallest of victories can feel like major wins in RE2, and you'll often find yourself onto the next struggle before you know it.While those who played the original game will enter with an idea of what's to come, the remake does a lot to refresh certain encounters and locations. Though many locales and their layouts are similar--save for the addition of a brand-new area and a new monster to deal with--the events therein are new. Jump scares don't trigger when you expect them to, or a room that once spelled certain doom in your head is now a safe haven--but then the question arises: if this room is safe, which room is the real dangerous one?Early Resident Evil games have a reputation for being melodramatic, often unintentionally, but the RE2 remake a more serious tone that makes for a more evocative story. While there is still the undercurrent of the hokey tone from the classics, with the characters cutting the tension with humor when appropriate, the remake's narrative is far more convincing, propped up by some impressive writing and strong performances that help convey urgency and despair. This is especially evident during the more quiet moments, when the protagonists will try to psych themselves up for what's to come. Even minor characters are given additional substance in the remake, with poignant moments given to the doomed police lieutenant Marvin Branagh and gun shop owner Robert Kendo.Both Claire and Leon have two different versions of the campaign, and after finishing the first run for one, you'll be prompted to start a follow-up with the other. Called Second Scenarios, they allow you to see the larger story from a different perspective. Both scenarios are totally isolated from another, and choices therein won't impact the other, but what makes these second runs worthwhile are the different encounters and sub-plots that don't occur in the first. It's a very interesting way to experience the narrative, and with four versions of the campaigns between the two leads--with the first two averaging 12-15 hours--you constantly uncover new details and events that weren't present in the previous playthroughs.Resident Evil 2's more serious tone is further enhanced by the renewed, fantastically atmospheric presentation, which gives familiar details from the classic game more of a pronounced look and feel. Moving away from the static camera angles of the original, everything has been redesigned with over-the-shoulder gameplay in mind, giving more of a palpable and invasive sense of dread when exploring. This is heightened even more by the impeccable audio and visual design of the game, creating an eerie, isolating vibe throughout. In a number of cases, you'll only have the illumination of your flashlight as you walk the dark hallways of the bloody and ruined police station, with the ambient rain and distant monster sounds ramping up the tension. You rarely feel safe in RE2, even when you actually are.The remake's impressive level of detail is consistently noticeable, but especially so during gorey moments. These gruesome encounters channel the same macabre and staccato approach from the classics, but are now honed through the visual luster of modern rendering and animation. As the zombies are the one constant threat throughout, you quickly become accustomed to seeing flesh chip away as you fire off pistol shots, along with watching the undead torn in half by well-placed shotgun blasts. Though RE2 easily proves to be the goriest game of the series, it never comes off as excessive, and the grizzly details all serve to highlight the grim circumstances of the desperate situation.Resident Evil 2's more serious tone is further enhanced by the renewed, fantastically atmospheric presentation...At the beginning, your meager selection of weapons doesn't seem like a match for the game's most intimidating horrors, but there are means available that can give you the upper hand in a lopsided fight. In addition to dismembering enemies with well-aimed shots hindering zombies' speed and offense, you can barricade certain windows to block ravenous undead from entering from outside. While many of these options are simply a temporary solution to a long-term problem, which can make it seem like they're not all that worth taking advantage of, they are helpful in a pinch.While you will no doubt settle into tactics that work well, RE2 throws in some fresh challenges. In one of the game's more tense encounters, you cross paths with the Tyrant, a hulking presence whose footsteps echo throughout the environment. Though it was a serious foe shown in small doses in the original, this imposing force of nature is now more of a persistent threat that actively stalks you during key periods in the story. Simply ducking into another room isn't enough, as it'll quickly follow you in to keep the chase going--similar to the RE3's Nemesis in that regard. If you manage to create enough distance and it loses line of sight, it'll disengage, but will remain lurking throughout the halls. With this dynamic, the Tyrant also makes the common foes you've gotten a handle of become genuine threats once again. As you find yourself trying to stay focused on the stalking figure, it's all too easy to round a corner and run into a group of zombies.Though the Tyrant offers a nerve-wracking surprise during some of these key moments, which makes the feeling of getting the best of it all the more satisfying, there are other times when it can disrupt Resident Evil 2's pacing. This is especially frustrating when you're simply trying to acquire an item or solve a puzzle in a room that the Tyrant and zombies frequent. What should be tense encounters can sometimes become annoying exercises in trying to lure it away, and in some cases it comes off like you're taking advantage of the Tyrant's rather limited AI to do just that. The Tyrant can overstay its welcome, but in most cases, its presence is a constant reminder of the looming threat throughout the game.While RE2 often keeps things serious, it's not all doom and gloom. In addition to occasional references that break the tension, there's also a suite of unlockable content available to the delight of RE fans, including the classic RE2 outfits for both Leon and Claire. After completing the campaign for both characters, you'll unlock a set of bonus modes starring fan-favorites Hunk and Tofu, the later of which is a sentient knife-wielding block of coagulated soy. Both of these extra modes take you on timed gauntlets battling through many intense encounters, with Tofu's mode being the most difficult scenario in the entire game. They also allow for a chance to cut loose against hordes of monsters without the worry of the larger survival-horror mechanics during the main game.Resident Evil 2 is not only a stellar remake of the original, but it's also simply a strong horror game that delivers anxiety-inducing and grotesque situations, topping some of the series' finest entries. But above all, the remake is an impressive game for the fact that it goes all-in on the pure survival horror experience, confidently embracing its horrifying tone and rarely letting up until the story's conclusion. Though Resident Evil 2 has its roots firmly in the past, it reworks the familiar horrors into something that feels brand new and all its own.Info from Gamespot.com

Like every game in the series before it, Kingdom Hearts 3 begins by playing its theme, Dearly Beloved, over the title screen. Composed by acclaimed musician Yoko Shimomura, it perfectly captures the sentimentality at the heart of the series. The song is at once tender and melancholic, wistful and adventurous, somber and uplifting--a reminder of a history that'll leave longtime fans dewy-eyed. I wish I could properly convey the impact of hearing it, but the best I can do is to say that it is overwhelming.The only way to really understand the emotions Dearly Beloved stirs is to have connected with the franchise and its characters; to have followed their journeys over its 17-year history, for better or worse. The nostalgia for and investment in Kingdom Hearts as a franchise is incredibly powerful, so much so that it helped me push through the rougher patches in what is overall an enjoyable, if uneven, third entry in the core series. Kingdom Hearts 3 is preoccupied with fan service to a fault, and it also struggles to stay coherent under the weight of its own convoluted lore. But it's also everything fans love about the series: a thrilling action-RPG that celebrates Disney and Pixar, all the while ensuring themes of friendship, heroism, and pure-hearted goodness shine bright.At times, those themes can be difficult to discern, particularly when the game is intent on telling the grander story of Kingdom Hearts as opposed to the smaller tales centered around Disney's iconic characters or Sora’s innocent idealism. Given it's the concluding chapter in a massive story arc, it can't be faulted for having this fixation, but the execution is frustrating nonetheless. Kingdom Hearts 3 is bogged down in the finer details of its lore, so much so that--for all but the most clued-in fans--it can be difficult to get a sense of what our three main heroes are actually trying to accomplish.At its broadest, the story of Kingdom Hearts 3 involves Sora, Donald, and Goofy preparing for an upcoming war against the forces of darkness by gathering the Guardians of Light. This is oversimplification to its most extreme, but to delve into the finer details would require lengthy explanations of numerous confounding concepts and characters. It is undoubtedly messy, but for fans who have committed to playing all the games and been studious enough to join the dots along the way, it makes sense. For those that aren't as well-versed in Kingdom Hearts, the essentials of the story aren't laid out nearly as clear as they need to be.The bloated state of Kingdom Hearts’ lore is the result of numerous spin-offs and sequels that introduced new characters to explore back- and side-stories. Contained in their own games, these characters had the room to breathe, establish themselves, and have full narrative arcs. However, when united in one game, each is diminished in both characterization and impact. Kingdom Hearts 3 attempts to take all the disparate narrative threads from across its many games--and the characters tied up in them--and weave them together into one concluding story, and the result is incoherent to say the least. It doesn’t help that numerous characters look the same, or that some are time-travelling versions of themselves. Others, meanwhile, are reincarnations that have taken on a new form or exist inside the heart of yet another character. There are also a few that used to have one name, but now have another, but both names are used depending on who is talking about them. Before long all of these characters are elbow to elbow, vying for screen time and pulling the story in so many different directions that it becomes difficult to find its center again. The handful that are critical to the plot inevitably become lost among the many bit-parters that feel like they're in the game as fan service, instead of being meaningful to the story.If Kingdom Hearts 3 had stronger writing it may have been possible to highlight key details and figures for the player to latch onto; a chance to see through the crowd of faces and pick out the ones most important. However, the writing largely makes proceedings even harder to follow. The villains in particular--many of which are members of Organization XIII--spout inane lines that are purposefully vague. Presumably this was to build mystery, but it only serves to muddy motivations and further obscure the crux of the story. Otherwise, they're delivering cheesy dialogue that feels at odds with the sincere melodrama happening around them.At its core, Kingdom Hearts 3 is a heartfelt tale of enduring friendship, and the narrative is at its strongest when it narrows its focus to just thisThis is a shame because, at its core, Kingdom Hearts 3 is a heartfelt tale of enduring friendship, and the narrative is at its strongest when it narrows its focus to just this. Sora, the hero of the series, continues to be plucky and lovably naive. His greatest facets are his strength of heart, his ability to make friends with anyone, and his devotion to them--he is the archetypal wholesome good boy. Joining him once again is Donald Duck, stuffy and prone to outbursts but a trustworthy companion; and Goofy, slightly dimwitted but also the emotional anchor of the group.The endearing trio's adventures through the Disney and Pixar worlds featured in Kingdom Hearts 3, as well as the interactions they have with the characters within them, are a reminder that beneath the tortuous lore are smaller stories that resonate. By keeping the bigger Keyblade Wars story in the periphery and having minimal involvement from all those involved with it, these stories are clearer and more concise. The underlying themes of Kingdom Hearts harmonize with those of Disney's own properties so well that each new world Sora journeys to delivers an impactful moment of storytelling. In Toy Box, Sora helps Woody, Buzz, and the gang find their missing friends, as they also grapple with the idea that they live in a world where Andy doesn't exist. In Arendelle, he meets Anna, who is desperately trying to reconnect with her sister, Queen Elsa, and gets caught up in the family drama. In San Fransokyo, Sora assists Hiro and the Big Hero 6 team as they battle Microbots and find a forgotten friend. Admittedly, some of these stories retread old ground, but whether it's Tangled, Pirates of the Caribbean, Winnie The Pooh, Monsters Inc., or Hercules, experiencing them again through the lens of Kingdom Hearts 3 still packs an emotional punch. It's hard not to get swept up by the exaggerated displays of heroics or earnest reminders that your friends exist in your heart.One of the strengths of Kingdom Hearts 3 is the care and attention it pays to bringing Disney's worlds to life, which, in turn, makes being in them all the more exciting. You get to wander around Andy's bedroom as a diminutive toy version of Sora, scaling his walls and jumping on his toys, before making a trip to the mall. There you visit various toy shops, leaping on top of display units and between shelves as you battle the enemy Heartless. Returning to Kingdom Hearts 2's Twilight Town comes with a wave of nostalgia, as you hang around in the square watching a Mickey Mouse movie projected on a wall or visit the mansion where Namine stood at the window all those years back. Venture to the Pirates of the Caribbean world and the game adopts a striking, realistic visual style, swapping Sora and friends from their usual vibrant visages to a muddier tone in line with the movies' color palette. It then gives you command of your own ship with Jack Sparrow at your side. 100 Acre Wood shifts to the warmer pastels of a storybook aesthetic, as you help Rabbit tend to his garden so that Pooh can get some honey. San Fransokyo makes great use of verticality and Sora's ability to effortlessly run up buildings and glide between rooftops. At night it transforms into a blinding neon cityscape, inviting you to fly between floating blimps and grind rails with Baymax flying in tow. Monsteropolis has you working with Sully and Mike to stop Randal seizing control of Monsters Inc., and all the while Boo adorably potters along next to you.Many of the worlds offer extra gameplay activities to engage with after the story within them is wrapped up. Toy Box puts you in a Final Fantasy XV parody where you're in a mech destroying enemies and chasing high scores. Traverse Town has a cooking mini-game which involves collecting ingredients from across the worlds and then bringing them to Ratatouille's Remy to make meals. Pirates of the Caribbean lets you sail the open sea in search of treasure and do battle with enemy ships, or defend Port Royale in a wave-based mini-game. The amount of gameplay variety in Kingdom Hearts 3 is impressive, and although the extras may be short-term distractions, for those who want to spend more time in their favourite worlds, they're a fun reason to make the return trip.Not all worlds maintain that high bar, however, as some feel either empty or lacking in what they offer. Arendelle's snow-covered terrain, for example, feels quite bland, and the main mission involves climbing a mountain multiple times. Port Royale is an entire location used primarily for an item hunt. Toy Box's mall is devoid of life beyond the toys and enemies--it would have been nice to have people around to make it feel more alive, instead of like an after-hours shopping center. The same can be said of San Fransokyo which, on ground level, feels eerily deserted for a metropolis.The bulk of Kingdom Hearts 3's gameplay, however, is in its sword-swinging, magic-conjuring combat, which feels fast, frenetic, and spectacular in its cinematic flourishes. Its combat mechanics are an evolution of Kingdom Hearts 2's, which themselves have been tweaked and refined in the various spin-off titles. The most noticeable change is in its fluidity; Sora moves between enemies quickly, delivering a barrage of attacks, seamlessly transitioning into casting Fira to set enemies ablaze or Cura to recover health. There's a pleasing forward momentum to all the battles, as you zip around dispatching enemies in quick succession.There are numerous layers on top of the basic combat mechanics which, while not adding a great deal of depth or strategic considerations, make for more exciting skirmishes. Keyblades now come in a number of flavours to match the Disney worlds they're unlocked from. As part of this, they also have Formchanges, which are exactly what they sound like. As you land attack buttons, a meter builds up, and you are eventually given the option to transform your Keyblade into more over-the-top forms, where more powerful attacks and abilities become available. The game shows creative flare in these transformations too; Wheel of Fate, unlocked in the Pirates world, becomes an oversized spear and then the mast of a ship with the flag attached. Happy Gear, found in Monsters Inc., transforms into a set of high-speed claws and then a pair of yo-yos. Hunny Spout morphs into a pair of twin pistols and then a launcher, both firing honey at enemies.The amount of gameplay variety in Kingdom Hearts 3 is impressive ... for those who want to spend more time in their favourite worlds, [mini-games] are a fun reason to make the return tripMagic works similarly, with repeated use of a spell eventually making a Grand Magic version available at no additional mana cost. Throughout, Donald and Goofy will call to Sora for a team-up attack. For the former this could be a salvo of colorful fireworks that damage everyone in your vicinity. For the latter you can leap into the sky and throw Goofy at an enemy, with his shield causing an explosion on impact. These are characters that have fought many battles side by side, so having these back and forths are a nice representation of the camaraderie between them and their growth across the series--not to mention they're eye-catching cinematic moments.Feeding into the Disney milieu further are attractions such as tea cups, water rafts, bumper cars, and a rollercoaster that can be summoned to dish out damage. Each one controls differently, either through timed button presses, using the analogue stick to guide their path, or becoming a first-person shooter to pinpoint specific enemies, injecting a different style of combat gameplay into the action at regular intervals. Other Disney characters such as Simba, Stitch, and Ariel can also be called into battle, functioning similarly to Final Fantasy's summons to unleash devastating special attacks. Their inclusion is welcome, in lieu of giving them their own worlds, as some have had in past games. Beyond that there's Flowmotion, which builds a sense of speed by encouraging you to dash into objects in the environment to swing around, or at walls to parkour along. It can be tricky to get a handle of, but once you're able to work these moves into the flow of combat, you build a sense of prowess over the battlefield.Watching battles unfold, you'd be forgiven for thinking that combat is a complicated dance of fingers across buttons, but everything is actually achieved with one or two taps. Kingdom Hearts 3 is simple to play, which works in its favour. It prioritizes spectacle above all else and delivers tremendously. Instead of having to focus too much on what you're pressing and when, you can enjoy the madness unfolding on screen. This is a game that shows off and wows you with dazzling lights, explosive sounds, and high-octane action, and you don't want to miss a second of it. That's not to say it's completely devoid of strategic considerations, but you'll need to play on the harder Proud difficulty level if you want the game to challenge you. Otherwise--barring a few end game bosses--the enemies are pushovers.Another feature that makes its return from Kingdom Hearts of old is the Gummi Ship. Sora and his crew are able to pilot a spaceship as they travel to new worlds, at which point the game becomes a shoot-em-up of sorts. While Gummi Ship segments in the past were on-rails, this time you have full freedom to fly where you please, using wormholes and boost pads to explore quicker. Space is littered with treasures to find, but you'll often have to battle enemies to acquire them. The shooting in the Gummi Ship, while serviceable, isn't satisfying. The combination of lackluster visual and auditory feedback makes it hard to tell whether you're actually doing any damage, and for the most part I found myself absentmindedly holding the fire button down and waiting for things to explode. It is possible to create your own ships and outfit them with more weapons and augmented support abilities, but the fundamental shooting remains unchanged and uninteresting.As the game reaches its conclusion, the balance shifts heavily in favour of non-Disney worlds, where the main story of Kingdom Hearts can play out and resolve itself. Many of the environments this happens in are striking, from a pristine white city to strange modular arenas that can be turned upside down at the whim of an enemy. But in these locales the game trades the heart and whimsy of the worlds up until that point for heavy-handed storytelling that inevitably culminates in battles that are impressive set-pieces but feel cheap and spammy to play. With the finish line in sight, the game disrupts the pace with one arduous boss fight after another--not challenging in any way, just more of slog. The payoff, meanwhile, isn't entirely worth it, as Kingdom Hearts 3 wraps up its story in an incredibly unfulfilling way.But the story of Keyblade wars, time-travelling villains, body-hopping also-rans, and world-ending darkness isn't what I'll remember about Kingdom Hearts 3 or the series as a whole. What sticks with me is the exciting battle against elemental titans with Hercules, taking Rapunzel out into the unfamiliar wide world for the first time, snapping selfies with Winnie the Pooh, and going toe to toe with Davy Jones. In 2002, as Sora, I left Destiny Islands to travel across the universe and make new friends. In 2019 I brought old ones home, and I had so much fun doing it. Info from Gamespot.com

Nintendo UK has announced it is airing a new Switch-focused presentation tomorrow, January 23. The broadcast is scheduled to begin at 6 AM PT / 9 AM ET / 2 PM GMT and will showcase a number of indie games coming to the hybrid console in 2019. [Update: The Indie Highlights presentation has ended; here is every game that was featured in the video.]Nintendo UK will stream the presentation on its website, YouTube, and Twitch channels. GameSpot will have an embed of the stream up tomorrow as well, so you can tune in to it right here. We'll also have a recap of all the biggest news and announcements from the broadcast.Tomorrow at 14:00 (UK time), watch a new #IndieHighlights video showcasing some of the indie games arriving on #NintendoSwitch in 2019!Visit Indie Highlights hub: https://t.co/7soZe1r5fo pic.twitter.com/CiGaqc3CBc — Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) January 22, 2019Nintendo hasn't revealed how long the indie highlight stream will be, but the company's previous indie-focused presentations have typically run for about 20 minutes. Likewise, Nintendo has not discussed which games will be shown off, but we already know of a number of indie games coming to Switch this year, including Windjammers 2 and Inti Creates' Dragon Marked for Death.The indie highlights broadcast marks the first presentation Nintendo is airing in 2019. The company typically streams a big Nintendo Direct sometime in January to outline some of its new releases in the first part of the year, but so far no proper Direct presentation has been scheduled for this month.Info from Gamespot.com