Every January, the Royal Rumble stands out as one of WWE's biggest and more important events of the year. It's the beginning of the road to Wrestlemania and helps to set the tone for how the rest of the year will play out. The annual spectacle has some serious competition this year, though, thanks to NXT. Each time the developmental brand airs one of its TakeOver events on the WWE Network, it has the chance of surpassing the main roster's product in terms of excitement and quality--and the next event, TakeOver Phoenix, is no different.This is the third time NXT has presented a TakeOver the night before the Royal Rumble, and with all of the brand's championship titles on the line, it has the makings of a historic event. Among the high-profile matches on the card is Tommaso Ciampa defending the NXT Championship against Aleister Black, and Bianca Belair attempting to best reigning NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler.Also in action are Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong of the Undisputed Era, defending their NXT Tag Team Championships against the War Raiders, as well as Johnny Gargano fighting Ricochet for the NXT North American Championship. Interestingly, there are some major names missing from the TakeOver card, including Velveteen Dream and Undisputed Era leader Adam Cole. While that might be a hint at their involvement in the Royal Rumble, it's entirely possible they'll make some sort of impact during TakeOver.NXT TakeOver Phoenix airs live on the WWE Network on Saturday, January 26 at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT. A kickoff show will begin one hour prior. Make sure to check out the full card for the event below, as well as our predictions for who will walk out of the Royal Rumble victorious.NXT TakeOver Phoenix Match Card:Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Aleister Black -- NXT Championship MatchShayna Baszler (c) vs. Bianca Belair -- NXT Women's Championship MatchThe Undisputed Era (c) vs. War Raiders -- NXT Tag Team Championship MatchRicochet (c) vs. Johnny Gargano -- NXT North American Championship MatchMatt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno Info from Gamespot.com

Treyarch has rolled out another update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. This week, the developer brings Gauntlets and new Elixirs for Zombies mode to Xbox One and PC following their release on PS4 last week, while Sony's console receives a new event and Black Market loot.On PS4, Treyarch has kicked off a special four-week event stream in the Black Market dubbed Barbarians. As part of this event, the developer has added 25 new tiers of loot below the Operation Absolute Zero stream, meaning players can unlock more loot than usual per tier. Among the new rewards are outfits, gestures, Reactive Camo, and the KAP 45 pistol.The developer has also introduced a new Featured playlist on all platforms: Chaos Domination. This mode features two teams of six players and three-second zone capture time. Team Tactical Moshpit, Mercenary Deathmatch Moshpit, Mercenary Hardcore Moshpit, and Mercenary Capture Moshpit have also been added to the Featured category.On Xbox One and PC, Gauntlets are now available for Zombies mode. These are 30-round challenges that have unique rules for each round, and players can earn medals and rewards depending on how many rounds they're able to complete. There are also three new Elixirs, with even more set to arrive in the coming weeks.Finally, rounding out the update are a handful of improvements and bug fixes across platforms. Among other things, Treyarch has fixed an exploit that allowed players to get a full equipment charge when they switched classes. You can find the full patch notes on Reddit.Beginning January 23, the Down But Not Out limited-time mode in Blackout will expand to Xbox One and PC, following its debut on PS4 last week. Meanwhile, Black Ops 4's ongoing free Blackout trial is scheduled to end on January 24. Info from Gamespot.com

This week marked the all-new number one issue of Marvel's latest Guardians Of The Galaxy series--an ongoing comic that has been ominously teased for the past few months by releasing a roster of extremely eclectic heroes as potential candidates for the roster. It's eclectic even by Guardians' standards, which is certainly saying something. But with the wait finally over and the truth of the new lineup revealed, the new trajectory for everyone's favorite rag-tag space heroes has finally been revealed.Of course, as with most superhero comics, there are some things you should probably be aware of before you pick up this new #1. First, it directly jumps off from the latest crossover event, Infinity Wars--not to be confused with the MCU's Infinity War, though it did involve Thanos and the Infinity Stones--which means some characters have been shuffled around in major ways. The most obvious of the lot is Gamora, who had a rather disturbing heel turn during the Infinity Wars fiasco as she finally found herself more than fed up with her adopted father's antics. It's a bit dicey whether or not she could be called a proper villain right now, but she's certainly not one of the good guys.And speaking of that adopted father, Thanos himself is, well, dead--but that's another semi-complicated thing to understand if you're making the jump from the movies to the comics. Comics Thanos is obsessed with Death--that is Death with a capital D, the personification of mortality--and his insane universe purging with the Infinity Gauntlet is motivated by his desire to impress her. As such, death (lowercase "d" this time) is a little bit tricky for Thanos, even by comic book standards. During Infinity Wars, he was summerily beheaded, leaving him about as "dead" as any one person could be--but things may not be what they seem.That's where the new Guardians come in. Everything kicks off with a massive gathering of cosmic heroes (and villains) to see the Mad Titan's last will and testament when things go a bit awry.It's just turns out that maybe things aren't so final for him after all, and, for as much as Thanos is in love with Death, he's more than happy to try and cheat her, too. So that's really the inciting incident for the formation of the new team--whether they like it or not, Star-Lord and Groot have to join forces with some friends to clean up Thanos' mess, yet again. Hopefully, it'll go a little bit smoother than the time Peter faced off against him on the big screen and basically got everyone killed in the process.The rest of the team has less cinematic baggage to carry. Beta Ray Bill, one of the most eccentric (and beloved) offshoots of the Thor mythology is tagging along with cosmic telepath Moondragon and kree-hybrid Phyla-Vell, who are joined by a newer addition to the Marvel pantheon: Cosmic Ghost Rider, an alternate take on Frank Castle--yes, that Frank Castle--who has all the powers of Ghost Rider and is also based in space. If that all sounds like nonsense to you, think "Deadpool, but different" and you're most of the way there.So, yeah, okay, maybe Frank has had his time in the live-action arena on screens both big and small but not this particular version of Frank. You've never seen anything like this, we promise.At the end of the day, Guardians of the Galaxy #1 manages to serve up a surprisingly accessible on-ramp for one of the Marvel universe's trickiest and most complicated corners by cherry picking just the right of familiarity for new readers and mixing it in with some of the most bonkers deep cuts the cosmic superheroes have to offer. If you're looking for a way to dive into the deep end and you're not afraid of having to do a handful of Wikipedia searches for added context, this is the book for you. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 may be in an endless spiral of development controversy, but the dream of the plucky space heroes is alive and well in the comics. Info from Gamespot.com

After nearly 12 years of operation, Nintendo will be shutting down the Wii Shop Channel next week. The service will officially be discontinued on January 30, after which point it will no longer be possible to purchase any WiiWare or Virtual Console games from the storefront.Prior to the Wii Shop Channel's shutdown, Nintendo removed the ability to purchase Wii Points on the service last March. Unlike the company's current digital store, the Eshop, the Wii Shop Channel didn't allow users to buy games directly with real money; rather, they had to first purchase Wii Points with either a credit card or a pre-paid card and redeem those for digital titles.While it may no longer be possible to add more Wii Points to your balance, you can still spend any remaining points up until the service is discontinued next week. Although many of the Wii Shop's Virtual Console games would later be released on Wii U and 3DS, the service still has a range of legacy and original titles that haven't appeared on other Nintendo consoles, making this your last opportunity to stock up while you can.With the Wii Shop Channel's shutdown imminent, Nintendo says that any remaining video-on-demand apps for Wii will also be discontinued. It will still be possible to redownload any purchased software and transfer content to Wii U, although Nintendo says these services will likewise be shut down "in the future." Any unused Wii Points will also vanish. You can read more details about the termination on Nintendo's website.While the Wii Shop Channel is notable for being Nintendo's first mass market attempt at a digital storefront, it will be best remembered for its wonderful music, which will thankfully live on in the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate soundtrack.Info from Gamespot.com

Most people know Jay Reso for his work in WWE as Christian. Over the years, he became a tag team and world champion with the company, and now co-hosts the E&C Pod of Awesomeness with his former tag partner Edge. Additionally, he's a host and judge of the new History Channel competition series Knight Fight. Although Reso has moved away from in-ring action, he is still a valued voice in the wrestling community.In 2012, Reso inducted his former partner Adam "Edge" Copeland into the WWE Hall of Fame, which was a fantastic moment. However, seven years later, Reso has yet to be honored with an induction of his own, which has many wondering when it will be his time. "I get asked it a lot," he told GameSpot while promoting Knight Fight. "I appreciate that people think of me and hold me in that regard. I honestly don't think about it that much. It's not going away. It's gonna be there every single year. I'm sure at some point, my time will come. I don't think about it; I don't worry about it too much. But I appreciate people feeling like I should be in there."While Reso continues to discuss WWE's product on his podcast and create programming on the WWE Network--like The Edge And Christian Show That Totally Reeks Of Awesomeness--he's still in touch with what's happening with the sports entertainment giant, including the recently announced All Elite Wrestling. "It's pretty ambitious," Reso said. "You have guys like Cody and The Young Bucks, and they've done some pretty big things--outside the box--here in the last year or so. And yeah, I wish them all the luck. I don't ever think it's a bad thing to have a place for performers to go and perform. I wish them all the luck and I hope they do well with it."Reso went on to say he's interested in seeing who Jericho faces. "I think, by far, he's the, internationally, probably the biggest star on the roster, as far as that goes. So it'd be interesting to see who he gets paired up with off the top."You can see more of Reso on Knight Fight, which premieres Wednesday, January 23 at 10 PM ET / PT on the History Channel.Info from Gamespot.com

The remake of Capcom's survival-horror classic, Resident Evil 2, is nearing its release. After the original version launched for PS1 back in 1998, the Resident Evil 2 remake releases on January 25, 2019 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. While still maintaining the same core as the original, it makes a variety of refinements to both its visuals and gameplay but still brings back welcome features like Tofu mode.The most notable and obvious change, graphical improvements aside, is the new camera perspective. Rather than the classic, fixed-view camera of the old games, the remake uses a third-person, over-the-shoulder perspective not unlike that of Resident Evil 4. You can try this out for yourself as part of the 1-Shot Demo that gives you 30 minutes with the game, although it will only be available for download until later in January.Some of the changes are a noted shake-up for the game, but you needn't worry--as you can read about in our Resident Evil 2 review, this remake has turned out quite nicely. Critic Alessandro Fillari writes, "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."Even more is on the way for Resident Evil 2 post-launch, as it will receive a free DLC game mode. If you're eager to get your hands on the game for release day, you can read on for a complete rundown on pre-order bonuses, special editions, and pricing. Or if you want to catch up on the story to be ready for RE2, we have a Resident Evil story recap you'll find handy.Pre-Order BonusesPre-order Resident Evil 2, and you'll receive two bonus weapons: Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine’s signature Samurai Edge handguns.If you pre-order from the PlayStation Store, you'll get a free Resident Evil 2 PS4 theme.Resident Evil 2 Standard EditionThe standard edition just comes with the game. Your best deal on a console version is to buy a physical copy from Newegg.Amazon -- $60 -- PS4 | Xbox OneBest Buy -- $60 -- PS4 | Xbox OneGameStop -- $60 -- PS4 | Xbox OneMicrosoft Store -- $60 -- Xbox OneNewegg -- $50 -- PS4 | Xbox OnePlayStation Store -- $60 -- PS4Steam -- $60 -- PCResident Evil 2 Deluxe EditionThe Deluxe Edition comes with the core game, plus a download voucher for two Leon costumes, three Claire costumes, Samurai Edge - Albert Model, and a classic Resident Evil 2 soundtrack swap. Here's where you can buy Resident Evil 2: Deluxe Edition.Amazon -- $70 -- PS4 | Xbox OneBest Buy -- $70 -- PS4 | Xbox OneGameStop -- $70 -- PS4 | Xbox OneMicrosoft Store -- $70 -- Xbox OnePlayStation Store -- $70 -- PS4Steam -- $70 -- PCResident Evil 2 Collector's EditionThe GameStop-exclusive Collector's Edition comes with everything you get in the Deluxe Edition, plus a 12-inch Leon statue, a collector's art book, and R.P.D. renovation blueprints, all in R.P.D. item box packaging.GameStop -- $200 -- PS4 | Xbox OneInfo from Gamespot.com

BioWare's upcoming third-person shooter RPG, Anthem, is scheduled to release for Xbox One, PS4, and PC on February 22. In Anthem, you can go it alone or take to the skies with up to three friends to tackle story-based campaign missions, fetch quests, and challenging raid-like strongholds.You'll take on the role of a Freelancer in Anthem, one of the soldiers trained to survive the grueling landscape of a hostile world. The city you protect will task you with different types of expeditions, ranging from exploring uncharted caverns to fighting off dangerous monsters. You'll do this with the help of armored exo-suits, called Javelins, that gift Freelancers with superhuman abilities, such as flight.There are four Javelins scheduled to be included in Anthem at launch. All players start with the Ranger, which is designed for those who want to fight with precision or have access to an array of support abilities and grenades. While playing, you'll also unlock--in whichever order you want--the close-combat specialist Interceptor, long-distance and elemental caster Storm, and hulking tank-like Colossus. You'll also find new weapons and craft different pieces of armor for your Javelins, allowing you to shape your exo-suit in whatever way you desire.There are two editions for Anthem, and pre-ordering either one nets you certain bonuses. We've outlined those bonuses, along with each editions' price and where you can pre-order them, below.Anthem Pre-Order Bonuses And Demo AccessRegardless of edition, you'll get two bonuses for pre-ordering Anthem. The first is access to the exclusive VIP demo--which is happening this weekend from January 25 through January 27. The second is a Founders-themed player banner, which you can use to customize your in-game profile when Anthem launches. Certain retailers are offering their own exclusive pre-order bonuses as well.Anthem Standard EditionIf you pre-order the standard edition of Anthem, you'll also get the Legion of Dawn armor skin for your Ranger Javelin, as well as a special weapon.Here's where you can pre-order the standard edition now:Amazon -- $60 -- (digital copy) -- PS4 | Xbox One | PCBest Buy -- $60 (includes $10 reward certificate) -- PS4 | Xbox One | PCGameStop -- $60 -- PS4 | Xbox OneMicrosoft Store -- $60 -- Xbox One ($53 with EA Access)Newegg -- $50 -- PS4 | Xbox One | PCPlayStation Store -- $60 -- PS4Target -- $60 -- PS4 | Xbox One | PCWalmart -- $60 -- PS4 | Xbox One | PCAnthem Legion of Dawn EditionPre-ordering Anthem's Legion of Dawn Edition nets you the armor for all four Javelins, as well as a special legendary weapon and a few more bonuses, such as a Gear Attachment for Ranger and the digital soundtrack of the game.Here's where you can pre-order the Legion of Dawn Edition now:Amazon -- $80 -- (digital copy) -- PS4 | Xbox OneBest Buy -- $80 (includes $10 reward certificate) -- PS4 | Xbox One | PCGameStop -- $80 -- PS4 | Xbox OneMicrosoft Store -- $80 -- Xbox One ($72 with EA Access)Newegg -- $70 -- PS4 | Xbox OnePlayStation Store -- $80 -- PS4Target -- $80 -- PS4 | Xbox OneWalmart -- $80 -- PS4 | Xbox OneInfo from Gamespot.com

343 Studios has teased an upcoming announcement concerning Halo: The Master Chief Collection. The announcement will occur during the HCS Invitational at SXSW 2019.In terms of what the announcement might entail, 343 was pretty vague. "Not only will you be treated to amazing matches and gameplay, but we've also got some exciting MCC news to reveal during the show," 343 wrote in a blog post. The HCS Invitational takes place March 15-17 at SXSW, and begins each day at 10AM PT / 1PM ET / 6PM UK. If you're not at the event, you can watch both it and 343's Halo announcement on either Mixer or Twitch.The HCS Invitational is a large-scale tournament-style event that 343 created to showcase competitions for both recognized esport players and Halo fans. In terms of professionals, the best six teams from the Halo Classic in St. Louis will battle it out onstage in a Halo 3 double elimination competition for a $100,000 prize pool. More casual competitive Halo players have also been invited to participate in a smaller, two-versus-two tournament for a $5,000 prize pool. Fans who attend HCS can also sign-up to join an open free-for-all tournament for a $5,000 prize pool.Halo: The Master Chief Collection includes the anniversary editions of both Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, along with the standard versions of Halo 3 and Halo 4. Halo 3: ODST was added to the collection after release, and fans have long asked for Halo: Reach to get the same treatment. We'll have to wait and see whether 343's announcement is about that, the addition of Halo 5: Guardians to the collection, or something else entirely.Halo: The Master Chief Collection is exclusive to Xbox One. Although the collection released almost five years ago, 343 is still implementing updates to this day. The game was added to Xbox Game Pass in September 2018, making it free for players who are subscribed to the service.Info from Gamespot.com

It's been a very long wait, but the release date of Kingdom Hearts 3 is nearly upon us. It's set to launch on January 29, 2019 for PS4 and Xbox One, and you've got multiple options when deciding how to buy it.Kingdom Hearts 3 takes you and series protagonist Sora on a journey to a variety of Disney-themed worlds, including everything from Toy Story to Monsters Inc. to Pirates of the Caribbean. It marks the conclusion of the story that's been told across the series, but if you're eager for the very end, you'll have a bit of a wait. The video epilogue will be released shortly after launch.For those who have not kept up on the many twists and turns of the Kingdom Hearts story, that's okay. If you want to get caught up, we have a Kingdom Hearts story recap to help you get ready.Reviews have not yet been released, but if you're a diehard fan and eager to pre-order, you can get the full rundown on what to expect in terms of bonuses, special editions, and pricing below. Just be prepared for a lot of options.Kingdom Hearts 3 Pre-Order BonusesAmazon Prime and My Best Buy members get a $10 rewards certificate with every pre-order of the title. Amazon is also offering the Dawn Till Dusk Keyblade DLC for free with pre-order. GameStop offers an exclusive fabric poster, while PlayStation Store is giving away a dynamic Kingdom Hearts 3 PS4 theme.Kingdom Hearts 3 Standard EditionThe standard edition only comes with the game and no extra goodies. Amazon Prime and My Best Buy members each get a $10 reward certificate for buying the game at the respective retailers.PS4Amazon -- $60 (includes $10 reward certificate)Best Buy -- $60 (includes $10 reward certificate)GameStop -- $60Newegg -- $60PlayStation Store -- $60Square Enix -- $60Target -- $60Walmart -- $60Xbox OneAmazon -- $60 (includes $10 reward certificate)Best Buy -- $60 (includes $10 reward certificate)GameStop -- $60Microsoft Store -- $60Newegg -- $60Square Enix -- $60Target -- $60Walmart -- $60Kingdom Hearts 3 Deluxe EditionThe Deluxe Edition will include a steelbook case, artbook, and collectible pin featuring Sora with the Kingdom Hearts 3 logo. It will not come with any digital content.PS4Amazon -- currently unavailable (includes $10 reward certificate)Best Buy -- $80 (includes $10 reward certificate)GameStop -- $80Newegg -- $80Square Enix -- $80Target -- $80Walmart -- $80Xbox OneAmazon -- currently unavailable (includes $10 reward certificate)Best Buy -- $80 (includes $10 reward certificate)GameStop -- $80Newegg -- $80Square Enix -- $80Target -- $80Walmart -- $80Kingdom Hearts 3 Deluxe Edition + FiguresFor $150 more, this Deluxe Edition will come with everything from the base Deluxe Edition and three Bring figures of Sora, Donald, and Goofy. All three figures appear to be in their Toy Story world garbs as each appear to be more toy-like than collectible premium statues. This bundle will be available exclusively from the Square Enix store.PS4Square Enix -- $230Xbox OneSquare Enix -- $230Kingdom Hearts 3 All-in-One PS4 Pro BundleSony has announced a Kingdom Hearts 3 PlayStation 4 Pro bundle. It features the console and the deluxe version of the game, which contains an exclusive Sora pin, steelbook, and full-color hardback artbook alongside the game. This was available for $400 exclusively from GameStop but is sold out at the time of this writing.Kingdom Hearts: The Story So FarIf you could use a refresher on the Kingdom Hearts story, you're in good company. Thankfully, Square Enix has released a collection of nine Kingdom Hearts experiences for PS4 that will get you all caught up and ready to roll once KH3 lands.Amazon -- currently unavailableBest Buy -- $40GameStop -- currently unavailableSquare Enix -- $40Info from Gamespot.com

In his time at Firaxis as the lead designer on Civilization V, Jon Shafer showed he wasn't afraid to uproot a settled and successful series and venture forth in search of something better. With At The Gates, his first release under the one-man studio moniker Conifer Games and his first game proper since Civ V, you get the feeling Shafer challenged himself to pack up the whole 4X genre and find fertile new ground on which to start over again.Connections to the past remain--technologies are researched, resource nodes are exploited, wars are inevitably waged--but Shafer's pioneering vision here is of a genre that is narrower in scope and more concerned with how players respond to the figurative hand of cards they're dealt. At The Gates is a promising starting point that, with a few thoughtful additions, has the potential to develop into a thriving empire.It all starts with a settlement. At first, you play as the Goths on a randomly generated map that represents 400 A.D. Europe. On each map is a number of rival clans, some of whom are always vastly more powerful than you are right from the start, as well as two factions of the fading, but still intimidatingly large, Roman Empire. Your aim is to grow your settlement into an empire and eventually win via one of two victory conditions: by conquering the Romans by military force or by training your own Roman Legion to assume control, i.e. an economic victory. Cleverly, factions other than the Goths are unlocked to play once you’ve met and formed an alliance with them in a previous game.As the early turns tick by, clans of people will join the settlement and you can put them to work extracting resources from the surrounding tiles. Each clan can be trained in a profession drawn from one of six disciplines, all of which are unlocked by generating knowledge to progress through the tech tree. Early decisions are influenced by the mysteries of the randomly-generated map algorithm. If it has spawned you in an area with a lot of mineral deposits you will probably want to focus your efforts on metalworking professions, a couple of diggers to extract the iron, and, say, a dredger to multiply their production.But how should you employ your fourth and final clan? While the map informs your strategy in certain directions, the whims of your population will often be tugging you in the complete opposite direction. Clans are randomly rolled a handful of traits when they arrive at your settlement's door. Some traits are unambiguously beneficial, like a +1 bonus to their movement points or with a few levels already earned in the crafting discipline, while others are downright bad, like a tendency to commit crimes; others yet are merely circumstantial, like preferring an active profession like explorer over a settled one like cheese-maker.These elements quickly start to create compelling conundrums. What do you do when, on the one hand, the mineral-rich starting area of the map might be telling you to invest in mining, but on the other hand the clans you're being sent bear all the characteristics of some really effective soldiers? Or cheese-makers? Clans can, of course, be retrained as the need for new or more advanced professions arises, but it cannot be done instantly and any experience they had accumulated in their previous profession is lost. If you've only got a village of farmers and bards when the bandits turn up, you're quickly going to regret not training at least one of them to wield a spear. Balancing the demands of the map with the skills of your clans is the core strategic concern of the entire game. Along the way--and this is where At The Gates really starts to shine--there are many ways that relationship between the map and your people can change.For one, you're not committed to your starting position on the map. In fact, at any moment you can pack up your settlement, move to a new location, and resettle. For the first 50-odd turns you'll be living something of a nomadic existence, exploring the lands, foraging for food, hunting and trapping animals, and collecting wood before moving on, crossing those mountains to the eastern coast or trekking across the steppes to the lush riverlands of the south. On a mechanical level, all the early technology you have at your disposal depletes resources--send a gatherer to work a fruit tree and they'll keep picking until the tree is exhausted. It's not until the mid to late game that you're able to build structures that don't deplete a resource and, in the case of a fruit plantation, can even replenish it. And it's at this point that you'll want to have found somewhere to make your permanent home.This makes for an early game flow that is fascinating and unusual for the 4X genre. You want to be researching technology and training clans to suit your immediate situational needs, while also identifying (but, crucially, not yet exploiting) a resource-rich region you can later claim for your eventual empire. Sometimes this is straightforward enough--in one game I spawned on a narrow land bridge connecting two continents. I fished and picked berries until I was ready to journey southeast and declare my kingdom in a river valley full of wheat and horses. Other times it's more challenging, like the time I spawned on a tiny peninsula with only a bare handful of tiles separating my settlement from the border of the Huns. The beauty here is that even when the enemy is literally at the gates, you have enough flexibility to find an alternative--in this case, several hundred miles away, preferably.The beauty here is that even when the enemy is literally at the gates, you have enough flexibility to find an alternative...The map itself also intriguingly shifts in fundamental ways thanks to both seasonal and situational changes in weather. During cold months you have to worry about supplying any units traveling outside your territory, or else that scouting party might not make it back home. It's also vital to maintain a surplus of food for the winter as many of your food sources will no longer be operational. Heavy rains, flooding, and even blizzards on specific tiles also keep things interesting, as they can see units immobilized for multiple turns, potentially throwing into chaos your carefully planned assault on a rival settlement or, if you're lucky, delaying that bandit raid on your logging camp.As the environment changes over the years, so do the people. Two clans might get into a feud and you'll be forced to pick a side. Another might be caught stealing and you'll have to decide their punishment. It's up to you to sort things out--retrain clans, shuffle them around to new locations, placate them with alcohol--before morale drops too low and everyone's unhappy. This might seem fiddly and a little prescriptive, but it's rarely as simple as it may sound. Clan Dankward may now hate Clan Waller, but the Dankwards are your best breadmakers and the Wallers your best blockcutters, you can't just send one of them out to run the sheep pasture. Besides which, the Wallers are afraid of animals and refuse to work in livestock. Working out a solution to these problems often means having to make tough decisions and uneasy compromises.None of these clans are fleshed-out characters; they're just a collection of buffs and debuffs attached to a random name and portrait. But the way their traits and desires are expressed through their abilities and little exchanges goes a long way to make you feel like you're ruling a loose collection of real people. They're not people, of course, but they're your people.The same cannot be said of the opponents you face, though. You’re always pitted against the same opponents on every map, but to my mind this is acceptable within the bounds of the scenario Shafer chose to depict. Instead, the more significant problem here is the lack of interaction with those AI opponents. To begin with, they don't particularly care about you--that's how small and insignificant you are in your initial nomadic phase. As you grow they start to take notice, but it's rarely more than a raised eyebrow here and there. Occasionally a dialogue box pops up and you can give a gift or rudely refuse one, and that's pretty much it until you're at war or you form an alliance. Essentially, you're either utterly indifferent to the AI, or you're their best friend or worst enemy, with barely any negotiating in between.Indeed, it feels like the late game in general is underdeveloped. The absence of compelling diplomacy with the AI factions plays a huge part here, as for much of the game it's perfectly possible to adopt an isolationist strategy and focus on the more economically focused victory. Pursuing the military route extends your interactions with the AI to throwing your stacked military units at theirs until you occupy their settlements and structures. Combat will be familiar to anyone who’s played Civ IV and it gets the job done in a similarly efficient, if tactically unspectacular, fashion.Even trade is handled in a curiously neutral manner, having you buy and sell goods through an anonymous caravan rather than through any interaction with the AI factions. Worse still, the concept of religion is relegated to a checkbox that has an unclear effect on an AI faction's disposition toward you. Shafer has admitted that the diplomacy features are still in their infancy and he has plans to continue to work on them post-launch. That's an encouraging sign, and one we hope also applies to these other areas, because the late game in its current form is desperately undernourished.That makes At The Gates difficult to wholeheartedly recommend. What's there right now is undeniably good; however, what's missing makes you yearn for how good it could yet be. It's a fresh, invigorating, more personal take on the grand strategy game. But at the same time, it's lacking in a few areas, and they really do hold it back from greatness. Jon Shafer has found that fertile new ground on which to settle. He just needs to give it a few seasons to grow. Info from Gamespot.com

Overwatch has begun teasing its next in-game event, 2019's Lunar New Year. The annual event focuses on Chinese culture and often introduces new skins based on Chinese historical figures or folklore. Blizzard has revealed its first three skins for the upcoming Year of the Pig, with fresh looks for Reaper, Hanzo, and Reinhardt.The skins were rolled out on the official Twitter account. Reaper gets a new look as Lu Bu Reaper. Hanzo grows a mighty beard as Huang Zhong Hanzo. Reinhardt loses the helmet for Guan Yu Reinhardt. And Torbjorn uses some hair dye as Zhang Fei Torbjorn. Blizzard has been modeling these characters after generals who lived during the Han dynasty, so there's a definite theme to the inclusions so far.Year of the Pig will begin on January 24 and last through February 8. New skins are being debuted daily through Twitter and Facebook. That leaves a few more days for more skin reveals. Some possible contenders include Brigitte, Wrecking Ball, and Ashe, all of which were released after the last Lunar New Year event.Last year's Lunar New Year event was the Year of the Dog, which debuted a host of new skins and a capture-the-flag mode. The most recent Overwatch event focused on Ana and paired with a free skin for the character, right on the heels of the annual Winter Wonderland event.New year, new me.Make your own luck this year as LÜ BU REAPER!Overwatch Lunar New Year begins January 24. pic.twitter.com/jIJc1505Ys — Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) January 19, 2019Marked by the dragon.Snipe down flag runners as HUANG ZHONG HANZO. Overwatch Lunar New Year begins January 24. pic.twitter.com/Zbys5YfWCO — Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) January 20, 2019Respect your elders!Share your wisdom on Capture the Flag traditions as GUAN YU REINHARDT.Overwatch Lunar New Year begins January 24. pic.twitter.com/cHdGpq5sex — Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) January 21, 2019Let’s hear those guns!Protect the flag with your trusty turret as ZHANG FEI TORBJÖRN! Overwatch Lunar New Year begins January 24. pic.twitter.com/QzGshNCW33 — Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) January 22, 2019 Info from Gamespot.com

The DC smash Aquaman is still making serious money in theaters, but the studio's next movie will be with us soon. Shazam! is released in April, and will be a more comedic superhero adventure than most of DC's previous movies. A new teaser containing new footage has now been released.It starts off like many other superhero trailers. Young Billy Batson given incredible powers that transforms him into a full-size adult superhero, enabling him to fight the evil Doctor Sivana. But it quickly changes tone and emphasizes the movie's more humorous aspects, with Shazam attempting to buy beer and purchase a superhero lair from a realtor. Check the trailer out above.Shazam stars Thor actor Zachary Levi in the title role, with Asher Angel as Billy and Mark Strong as Sivana. It's directed by David F. Sandberg and hits theaters on April 5. For more check out, everything we know about Shazam! so far.A big part of the movie is Shazam's distinctive illuminated costume, and in a recent interview, costume designer Leah Butler revealed that the suit came with an extremely high price tag. "Each suit costs, oh boy, upwards of a million? We have ten suits," she said, via SyFy. "There is actually a battery in the back--we luckily had a cape to cover it all up or I don't know where we would have put all that stuff--and it is remotely lit through a switchboard operator. There is wiring throughout the costume. It's a 26-volt AA rechargeable battery. It lasts about two hours at full charge."It took 16 weeks to build the costume. We had to scan Zach's body and start building the costume even before he started his very strict regime--his diet and working out."Shazam! is one of two DC movies arriving in 2019. The Joker prequel movie is released in October, and recently finished production. It stars Joaquin Phoenix as the Clown Prince of Crime, and will reportedly be unconnected to the other movies in the DC universe. Info from Gamespot.com

Marvel has announced a new bi-monthly series from the creator of Deadpool, set to debut this spring. The new series Major X will take place within the X-Men continuity, and he'll clash with popular characters like Wolverine, Storm, and Cable.Comic Book reports that Rob Liefeld will handle the writing and art for the first issue of Major X in April. After that it will be written by Image co-founder Whilce Portacio with art from Teen Titans' Brent Peeples.Major X comes from a different reality, called the "X-istence," which is only populated by mutants. This was a paradise for mutants, but the X-istence was destroyed somehow, and Major X is seeking to bring his home back. Liefeld teases that the book will slowly answer questions about how the X-istence came to be in the first place, and how a portal opened that put Major X into conflict with the rest of the Marvel continuity.Liefeld also said he had the origins of the idea for Major X in 1992, but he held off on the project out of fatigue from other X-Men books and wanting to create more space for new creators to have a voice. He says the mysteriousness of Major X and the slow revelations of his nature is a callback to his favorite character."I still get asked all the time, 'Who's your favorite character?' It's Wolverine," Liefeld said. "It's always been Wolverine. He made me love comics and made me love the X-Men. And the thing about Wolverine also is the mystery. The mystery that they layered him with over multiple years. So with Cable, Deadpool, Domino, X-Force, I felt like I've subscribed to that notion of mystery and reviewing different layers."`Info from Gamespot.com

Festivals are all the rage with this generation: millennials. From Cochella to Burning Man to Lollapalooza, it's a time to get away from all their troubles, which sure does help a lot. When new festivals pop up, asking this demographic, "Wouldn't you like to get away?," thousands of young adults flock to the desert or into the middle of a city to hang among their peers and dance the night away. However, not all of these festivals go smoothly.In 2017, entrepreneur Billy McFarland attempted to put on a fantastical music festival in the Bahamas called the Fyre Festival. This elitist and very expensive event ended up being a total disaster. Now, both Netflix and Hulu have competing documentaries about this moment in history, but which one should you watch?Both of these movies pretty much come to the same conclusion, that event coordinator Billy McFarland is a functioning sociopath, compulsive liar, and a modern-day snake oil salesman. However, how both these films come to that conclusion is very different.Netflix's Fyre and Hulu's Fyre Fraud recount the events leading up to the Fyre Festival and how it all came together, which was way too quickly and without any experienced leader running it all. From having to switch the island where it was going to be held, to FEMA tents being used instead of villas, to the bands dropping out the last minute, it is the story of someone who desperately wants to be something he is ultimately not, a tech billionaire.Fyre, Netflix's documentary about the event, has a bit more of a mature take on the events and presents them as seriously as possible. This is one of director Chris Smith's best documentaries, which is saying quite a lot as he also directed 2017's Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond for Netflix and 1999's cult classic American Movie. The story is delivered as more of a mystery, asking the audience, "What went wrong?" It's apparent, from the get-go, that the problem was lack of planning and trying to rush out a product--which rests squarely on the shoulders of Billy McFarland.The subjects being interviewed for the piece are those who worked on the festival, from the ones who set up the stages and "sleeping" areas to those involved in the planning of the event. As the movie progresses, it becomes clear that it's nothing short of a "clusterf***," with McFarland's response to most problems being something along the lines of, "think positive and it will all work out." It doesn't.Fyre feels like a smashing success as it is a wonderfully engrossing movie from start to finish. It is essentially a rollercoaster ride of a story, for those who are only semi-familiar with what happened at the event.Over at Hulu, Fyre Fraud almost has a comedic bent to the entire piece, especially with the musical cues transitioning between each scene, which is hard to take in when the thesis for the film is that Fyre Media founder Billy McFarland was knowingly defrauding everyone around him. Fyre Fraud lets the audience know that everything about this festival was a part of the malicious intent that McFarland had. It's clearly a leap away from what Netflix's Fyre.It feels as though Fyre Fraud is geared much more to a younger audience, yet at the same time, a chunk of an early portion of the movie focuses heavily on what "celebrity influencers" and "social media" are, so choices like that are a bit bizarre. Additionally, the movie jumps around quite a bit in the Fyre Festival timeline.Fyre Fraud is much more about a Cliffsnotes version behind-the-scenes before and after the event--including from people that attended the event--but the one thing Hulu's documentary has over Netflix's is interviews with Billy McFarland. However, it's not as in-depth as you may hope for. There are even portions left in the movie where McFarland states he refuses to answer questions or simply says, "I don't know." However, the McFarland interviews alone make it worth your while to watch Fyre Fraud. Additionally, the Hulu documentary makes it a point mention that Jerry Media produced the Netflix documentary, and Jerry Media who were behind the social media marketing for Fyre Fest, and needless to say, Fyre Fraud is not kind to Jerry Media, while Netflix's documentary tends to paint them in a much better light.So if you can only watch one of these movies, which one do you choose? Even knowing the fact that Jerry Media had a hand in it, Netflix's Fyre is the way to go. It's not as malicious right off the bat when it comes to the way it represents its subjects--or millenials as a whole--and Smith finds probably the best way to tell this story without getting too in-depth with McFarland's life. However, both movies present different sides of the same story. Fyre Fraud gives the audience more insight into McFarland's life, which the Netflix doc doesn't. So make sure to check out both of the movies, but make sure to watch Netflix's first, as it's the better one. Info from Gamespot.com

Last week the surprise news emerged that there is a new Ghostbusters movie on the way, which will be released in 2020. The film will be directed by Jason Reitman, son of Ivan Reitman, who helmed the 1984 original. The first teaser was also revealed. However, there's one star connected with the Ghostbusters franchise who is not happy with this news.Leslie Jones, who starred in the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot, took to Twitter to express her displeasure over the new movie. Jones appeared alongside Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, and Kate McKinnon in the reboot, which was directed by Bridesmaid's Paul Feig. However, it was a commercial disappointment and plans for a sequel were cancelled.In her tweet, Jones made it quite clear that she was not happy with the decision not to continue with an all-female Ghostbusters crew. She also described it as "like something Trump would do." Check it out below:So insulting. Like fuck us. We dint count. It’s like something trump would do. (Trump voice)”Gonna redo ghostbusteeeeers, better with men, will be huge. Those women ain’t ghostbusteeeeers” ugh so annoying. Such a dick move. And I don’t give fuck I’m saying something!! — Leslie Jones 🦋 (@Lesdoggg) January 19, 2019No official announcement has been made about the cast of the new movie. However, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Reitman is looking to cast four teens in the lead, specifically two boys and two girls. The site also states that the young stars will team up with the remaining members of the original cast--Dan Akyroyd, Bill Murray, and Ernie Hudson. All three actors also had cameos in the 2016 reboot.There were initially plans to make a sequel to the reboot. However, the movie ultimately lost money, and within a few months of release Feig admitted that he would be "very surprised" if another movie with that cast happened.Nevertheless, Reitman was supportive of the reboot when the new one was announced. He told Entertainment Weekly that he would "love to see more stories from [the 2016 cast]," even though his new film "will follow the trajectory of the original film."Info from Gamespot.com