Titan has published a variety of comics based on Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed franchise this past year, but one of the more notable has been Assassin's Creed: Conspiracies, a two-part standalone series previously only available in French. If you missed out on the individual issues and would like to experience the saga in its entirety, Titan has announced it is releasing both parts together as one graphic novel, and it hits comic stores next week.The Assassin's Creed: Conspiracies collection releases on December 18, and it combines both issues of the series into one 104-page graphic novel. Unlike any of the video games, Conspiracies is set during World War II and follows the story of Eddie Gorm, a rookie member of the Assassin Brotherhood who must stop the Templars from unleashing an atomic weapon. Here's Titan's synopsis of the series:"Europe, World War II: On the sidelines of the race for the atomic bomb, discover the story of Eddie Gorm and his integration into the Assassin Brotherhood while he infiltrates the Templars to foil their plan to create a devastating weapon."Assassin's Creed: Conspiracies is written by Guillaume Dorison, with artwork by Jean-Baptise Hostache and Patrick Pion. Ahead of its release, Titan has provided GameSpot an exclusive preview of the upcoming collection. You can click through the gallery below to read a 10-page excerpt from the graphic novel.Conspiracies certainly isn't the only Assassin's Creed comic from Titan this year. The publisher has also released new issues in its Assassin's Creed Origins series, which picks up after the events of the Assassin's Creed Origins game and features historical figures such as Cleopatra. Most recently, Titan published the final chapter of Assassin's Creed Uprising, which concludes the Phoenix Project saga introduced in Assassin's Creed Unity.Info from Gamespot.com

Steam may have revolutionized how PC games are sold, but it's no longer the only big player in town. The latest challenger to Steam's dominance is the Epic Game Store, where you can pick up titles like Fortnite and Ashen, as well as exclusives like Supermassive's early access title Hades. To help spark interest in the new digital storefront, Epic is giving away a different game for free every two weeks. The first freebie is the open-ocean game Subnautica, which is available until December 27.Normally selling for $25, Subnautica kicks off as you crash-land on a submerged alien world. Your first job is to make sure you can survive by finding food, fresh water, and crafting materials you can use to make everything from diving gear to underwater living quarters. As you progress, you'll assemble tools that let you venture further into the depths of the open world, acquiring better materials and finding clues to what made you crash in the first place.In our Subnautica review, critic Brett Todd gave the game 9/10, writing, "Subnautica's story, scares, and beautifully rendered underwater setting make it one of the most fascinating survival games around. You will always have to grind away to a certain extent to gather necessary resources, but the overall experience is both accessible and refined. Subnautica may not make you eager to get back to the beach this summer, but right now there is no better virtual way to experience the beauty, and the terror, of the deep blue sea."After Subnautica goes back to regular price, the Epic Game Store will make Super Meat Boy free to own between December 28 and January 10.Discord also recently threw its hat in the PC game distribution ring, and it's not letting the Epic Game Store off without a fight. The company announced that in 2019, it will undercut every other competitor in terms of revenue sharing with developers. If competition is good for customers, let the games begin.Info from Gamespot.com

Niantic has announced a new holiday event for Pokemon Go. The festivities kick off next week and run into the new year, during which time players will be able to earn bonuses, hatch Eggs more easily, and even encounter more Pokemon originally from the Sinnoh region.The third annual winter event begins on Tuesday, December 18, and once again, it brings back the festive hat-wearing Pikachu for a limited time. On top of that, Niantic says that more Ice-type and Gen 4 Pokemon will appear during the event; the promotional image the developer shared features Snover and its evolution Abomasnow, along with Munchlax, Chingling, and Croagunk.Even more interestingly, the image also features three Legendary Pokemon from the Sinnoh region--Azelf, Uxie, and Mesprit--suggesting the trio will make their debut in Pokemon Go soon. On top of that, Niantic says the rare Ice Pokemon Delibird will also be available during the winter event, as will its Shiny variant.Along with the new Pokemon, Niantic will offer a number of bonuses throughout the event. These will be metered out every few days. From December 18-22, players will earn twice as much Candy for catching and transferring Pokemon; from December 22-26, they'll receive twice the usual amount of Stardust for catching monsters; from December 26-30, players will get double catch XP; and from December 30 to the end of the event on January 2, Incubators will be twice as effective as normal.Rounding out the bonuses, Niantic is giving players one Incubator each day when they spin their first Photo Disc. The developer also says that more types of Pokemon will be able to hatch from 7 km Eggs, and players will have a better chance of hatching monsters like Smoochum and Azurill. You can read more about the event on the official Pokemon website.Before the holiday festivities begin in Pokemon Go, Niantic will host a special Raid weekend event from December 14-17. During that time, Ho-Oh and Lugia will reappear in Raid Battles at Gyms. Players will also have a chance to encounter their Shiny forms.Info from Gamespot.com

Marvel has announced that G. Willow Wilson, co-creator of Kamala Khan's Ms. Marvel, is moving on and passing off the series to a new writer. A new comic for the shapeshifting superhero, titled The Magnificent Ms. Marvel, will begin in 2019 and be written by Saladin Ahmed."In February, I will have written sixty issues of this book--five years of Kamala's story," Wilson told EW. "She is now something much bigger than the miniseries Sana and I planned years ago. She will, in all likelihood, outlive us all. I couldn't be happier about it--and by that same token, it means that my part in Kamala's adventures must eventually come to an end. Great superheroes stay fresh and relevant because they are the work of many storytellers, all of whom bring their unique perspectives and experiences to the character. Earlier this year, I began to have the persistent feeling that I was in danger of repeating myself every time I sat down to write a new script. It was a sign: time to start planning my exit."Saladin Ahmed is no stranger to the comic book industry, being the author behind the popular run for Black Bolt--who, like Kamala, is an Inhuman--that started in 2017. "I was delighted when Saladin said yes to taking over writing duties on Ms. Marvel," Wilson said. "His plans for Kamala are incredibly exciting, and it's been a lot of fun getting an inside look at where the series is headed under his direction."Kamala is the second person to hold the mantle of Ms. Marvel, taking inspiration for the name from her idol and the first Ms. Marvel, Carol Danvers. Carol's transformation into Captain Marvel left her previous title vacant, which the young Pakistani American was eager to fill after discovering she was an Inhuman with shapeshifting abilities. Much like Miles Morales, Kamala Khan has proven to be nearly as popular as the original hero she's reimagined, and since her creation she's gone on to briefly be a member of the Avengers, join the Champions, and found a new incarnation of the Secret Warriors. She was even a part of Marvel's Civil War II storyline.Although Kamala has yet to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, her idol Carol Danvers is about to. Captain Marvel hits theaters on March 8, 2019--just ahead of Avengers: Endgame. Whether or not Carol's movie paves the way for a Kamala appearance remains to be seen, although the Agents of Shield TV series did introduce Inhumans into the MCU.Info from Gamespot.com

The year may be winding down--and your desire to do anything too taxing along with it--but don't kick up your feet and call it a year just yet, there's new Fortnite: Battle Royale challenges to do for Week 2! If you're among the millions that like to hop into Epic's battle royale title to get your hands on Battle Stars and cosmetics on the regular, you'll know how this goes by now, so let's break down the Week 2 challenges of Fortnite Season 7.First up are the challenges that are available to everyone, which aren't very difficult at all. One asks you to search a chest in seven different named locations on the island for five Battle Stars. The second requires you to damage opponents with five different types of weapons--again, for five Battle Stars. The final challenge in the free section is for 10 Battle Stars and, as a result, is a little harder, requiring you to eliminate three enemies in Snobby Shores or Fatal Fields.Meanwhile, for those that have spent money on a Battle Pass, you'll need to visit Snobby Shores and Pleasant Park in a single match for five Battle Stars, and eliminate one enemy from at least 50m away for 10 Battle Stars. However, there are two more that are a little more difficult. One involves playing Sheet Music on the pianos near Pleasant Park and Lonely Lodge, while the other involves competing in a Dance Off at an abandoned mansion. We've assembled guides through those two links to help you know where these are located and what you need to do when you get there.Fortnite Week 2 Challenges (Season 7)FreeSearch a chest in different named locations (7) -- 5 Battle StarsDamage opponents with different types of weapons (5) -- 5 Battle StarsEliminate opponents in Snobby Shores or Fatal Fields (3) -- 10 Battle StarsBattle PassStage 1: Visit Snobby Shores and Pleasant Park in a single match (2) -- 5 Battle StarsPlay the Sheet Music on the pianos near Pleasant Park and Lonely Lodge (2) -- 5 Battle StarCompete in a Dance Off at an abandoned mansion (1) -- 10 Battle StarsEliminate an opponent from at least 50m away -- 10 Battle StarsFortnite Season 7 officially began on December 6, when Epic Games detailed what was new and changed in its Season 7 patch notes. Of course, there was an inaugural set of challenges, and you can see our guides on how to complete the harder ones among them in our full Fortnite Season 7 challenge guide. Since then, we've already gotten another update to add the controversial Infinity Blade sword.Unsurprisingly, the Season 7 update introduced a whole bunch of new cosmetics, ranging from new skins and back bling to sprays and contrails. However, Epic also added in a new type of cosmetic called Wraps, which are essentially skins for guns and vehicles. You can see all of that in our Fortnite Season 7 cosmetics gallery. Info from Gamespot.com

We're in Week 2 of Fortnite Season 7 and there's a fresh crop of challenges for your to reap Battle Stars from. Week 2 challenges are broken up into two categories, as usual. Both the Free and Battle Pass categories have fairly straightforward tasks, but in the latter there's one that could give you a bit of trouble if you don't know where to look. With that in mind, we've put together a handy guide to help you find where to go to play the sheet music on pianos in Pleasant Park and Lonely Lodge. Here's where they're located and how it all works.Unlike previous iterations of this challenge, you don't actually have to hunt down the sheet music this time around, as the notes you need to play are visible when near the pianos. So, all you've got to do it head to the giant pianos and get to playing them. Thankfully, Epic Games has done us a solid and pointed us in the right direction: Pleasant Park and Lonely Lodge.However, those are pretty big areas, so you may require more specific info on where to go. If you're at Pleasant Park, head to the hill just to the west and you'll see the musical instrument. Jump on the keys in the right order and you're good to go. Keep in mind that you'll want to pick the right moment to start playing, as other players who also try to use the same piano will interrupt your progress.At Lonely Lodge, move towards the hill on the north shore and you'll spot the piano. Once again, hop on keys in the right order and you'll complete the challenge. For a closer look at exactly where you need to go, and how to properly play your musical masterpiece, you can watch us complete the challenge in the video at the top of this guide.Fortnite Play Piano Sheet Music LocationsPleasant Park: Hill to the westLonely Lodge: Hill on the north shoreThis is one of two tricky challenges this week, with the other involving a dance off at an abandoned mansion. That requires another player and knowing where to go, so we've put together a guide to help you figure out what to do.Once that's wrapped up, you'll have a few extra Battle Stars that you can put towards unlocking Season 7's new cosmetics and rewards. If you still need some more Battle Stars, you can check out the other challenges from Week 2 here or have a look at Week 1's challenges in our complete Season 7 challenge guide.Info from Gamespot.com

Marvel's Spider-Man has one more planned piece of DLC left to close out "The City That Never Sleeps" storyline. The final chapter, called Silver Lining, will launch on December 21 and introduce new suits. As the name implies, it brings back Silver Sable, and she's not exactly happy that Hammerhead has been stealing her weapons.This looks to wrap up the story that began with The Heist, which left off with a cliffhanger ending regarding the antihero Black Cat. In the second chapter, Turf Wars, the villain Hammerhead continued to consolidate his power over the other New York crime families, with the help of Sable tech left behind by the mercenary. This next chapter will presumably tie up those plot threads, and includes new missions and upgraded enemies, along with new trophies and challenges.Of course, the star of these DLC packs has been the addition of new Spidey suits. Each one has included three more suits, and Silver Lining is no different. This time the three suits are the Peter Parker Spidey suit from the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse film, a Cyborg Spider-Man suit, and the Aaron Aikman Spider-Armor. You can also get a Silver Lining dynamic theme by pre-ordering Into the Spider-Verse from the PlayStation Store.As always you can pick up Silver Lining for $10 individually, or as part of the City That Never Sleeps bundle for $25. A digital deluxe edition bundles together the game and the DLC for $80, though you may be able to build your own discount for cheaper since the base game has gone down to $40 in some areas.Info from Gamespot.com

Fortnite Season 7, Week 2 challenges are mostly straightforward. Among both the free and paid categories, the tasks will be familiar as they've been offered previously in some form. However, in the paid section there are a couple that require a little extra time and effort. The first involves playing sheet music on giant pianos that can be found on the island. The second asks players to find an abandoned mansion and compete in a dance off. Here's where to go and what to do to complete the objective and earn some Battle Stars.This particular challenge is designated as "Hard" in the challenge list, and that's mostly because finding the abandoned mansion can be tricky, if you're not super familiar with the current layout of the island. Thankfully, we are, and we've completed the challenge. That means we can tell you exactly where to go: the Lonely Lodge mansion. Specifically, you'll need to head the basement of this mansion, where you'll find a little dance floor ready to host your battle of moves.The other tricky thing is actually having someone else there because--as with all dance offs--it's a one versus one situation. We recommend doing this challenge first, as most players will be looking to get it done so the dance floor will be heaving with party goers. You only need to partake in a dance off, not necessarily win one--it's the taking part that counts. The swarm of players might lead to some deaths, but you will need someone else to participate in order to get it done, so the sooner you try this, the better.To make things easier, we've put together a video of us doing the challenge. Take a look above and you can see us go through the steps, and you can even play along if you want. Overall, this one shouldn't take you very long at all, so you can switch to other challenges in no time.Once that's done, you can take a look at the full Fortnite Season 7, Week 2 challenge list to see what else you can complete to unlock Battle Stars. If you've completed all the challenges thus far, you may want to peruse our gallery for Season 7's new cosmetics and rewards to see if anything tickles your fancy. Running short on Battle Stars? Don't worry, we've got a complete Season 7 challenge guide that you can use to do last week's challenges.Info from Gamespot.com

Metro Exodus will be releasing a little earlier than previously planned. Deep Silver and 4A Games announced that the game has gone gold and will be coming on February 15, 2019--not February 22 as previously announced. Adjust your calendars accordingly.To celebrate the announcement, the studio has put out the game's title sequence, from the same studio that produced those sequences for the HBO shows Game of Thrones and Westworld. You can check out that very frosty video above."Our fans have been waiting patiently for Metro Exodus ever since we announced the title at E3 2017," said Deep Silver CEO Klemens Kundratitz, in the announcement. "We had previously delayed the release date to ensure 4A Games had the time to deliver their ambitious vision for the game, but now we're delighted to confirm that Metro Exodus has 'gone gold' and we are able to bring the release date forward to the 15th February 2019."Metro Exodus looks to be a bigger take on the Metro concept without going open-world. "I think for Metro fans, it's really important to make it clear that it's not an open world game," Huw Beynon told GameSpot. "It's a series of levels, and you play them in linear order, and you still have traditional Metro-style levels when the game starts; the game will feel very familiar, and then at E3 we showed the first of these new huge levels, we call them sandbox survival levels. Each one of those can take several hours to complete, several days worth of in-game time, that's where we're going to gradually expand the horizons."Metro has a pricey Collector's Edition which comes out to a whopping $235 with the game. A less expensive Limited Edition includes a season pass and art book. It's coming for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Read more details in our pre-order guide.Info from Gamespot.com

Like several other retailers (GameStop and PlayStation Store for example), GOG is currently having a massive winter sale. But to get people's attention, it's doing something the others aren't: giving away a free game. Between now and December 15, you can head over to GOG to get a free copy of Full Throttle Remastered with no strings attached. It normally retails for $15, and it's compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.Full Throttle is a LucasArts adventure game from 1995, and the first project that featured the inimitable Tim Schafer as creative lead. It tells the tale of biker gang leader Ben Throttle as he gets roped into a narrative drenched in mystery, murder, and humor.This edition launched in 2017 and comes with new high-res graphics and 4K support, plus remastered music and audio. Purists--or anyone else who's curious--can switch back to the original mode on the fly, or even mix and match new graphics with old audio, or vice versa. It also comes with audio commentary from the creators and a library of concept art for your perusal.Critic Jeffrey Adam gave the 8.7/10 in GameSpot's original Full Throttle review, comparing it to the movies Easy Rider and Mad Max. "The engaging, film-quality script unfolds with the confidence and grace of its square-jawed main character, Ben," he wrote. "All the ingredients of a great story are here: murder, deception, greed, lust, unrequited love, honor, and of course, motorcycles. Surprisingly, despite all these elements, the plot doesn't ever seem forced or melodramatic; it just flows. Even in the face of adversity, Ben's gravel-voiced one-liners supply laugh-out-loud comedy that Schwarzenegger and Van Damme would envy."So click over to GOG and add the game to your library before Full Throttle goes back up to full price.Info from Gamespot.com

Following their announcement earlier this month, PvP battles have finally arrived in Pokemon Go. The new Trainer Battle system is now live for users level 10 and up, and it gives them the ability to challenge other players directly to three-on-three Pokemon battles.Once users reach the requisite level, they'll be able to face off against other players, either locally or remotely. You can battle any other trainer you meet in-person, whether or not they're registered on your friends list, simply by scanning a QR code in a new battle menu. However, you'll need to be Ultra friends with another player in order to challenge them remotely.Trainer Battles are separated into three different Leagues to make the feature accessible to players of all levels: Great, Ultra, and Master. Each League enforces a different Combat Power limit for your Pokemon: in the Great League, each monster can have a maximum of 1,500 CP; Ultra League's limited is 2,500 CP per Pokemon; and Master League has no CP restriction.Whether you win or lose, you'll receive rewards for taking part in Trainer Battles, including a chance to get the new Sinnoh Stone, which is needed to evolve certain Gen 4 Pokemon. You can also challenge the leaders of Pokemon Go's three major teams--Valor, Mystic, and Instinct--to practice NPC battles. You can read more about how the feature works in our Pokemon Go PvP guide.Trainer Battles are just the latest in a long line of new features that Niantic has rolled out for Pokemon Go this past year, making 2018 a big year for the mobile title. The developer has also recently increased the effects of the Mystery Box, making it easier to find Meltan in the wild. Meanwhile, the game's latest Legendary Pokemon, Cresselia, is scheduled to leave Raid Battles on December 18.Info from Gamespot.com

One of the wildest movies that came out this past year was The Happytime Murders, a very adult movie featuring puppets, directed by none other than Brian Henson, the son of Muppets and Sesame Street creator Jim Henson. The movie is over-the-top with adult humor, but there was one moment that some people found went too far.During the audio commentary on the home release of the movie, Henson recalled one line of dialogue from early on in the film that had to be cut. Phil Philips (Bill Barretta) is talking to his brother Larry (Victor Yerrid)--a former cast member of a popular TV series--when they are approached by a fan of the show (Fortune Feimster). She talks to the two and goes on her way.In the original version of that scene, things were a bit different. "In the long cut, she's brought in a dog with her, and Phil tells her to 'Get that dog out of here or I'll put a f***ing fork in its face,'" explained Henson. "Of everything in the movie, they decided, 'That's too much. You've crossed a line.' It's like, 'Really? Saying I'm gonna put a f***ing fork in its face to a dog is crossing a line?' The whole idea was to establish that dogs are really dangerous."There never would have been any depiction of an animal getting hurt on screen, but the line would have helped for one scene later, when Larry gets torn apart by a few dogs in his own backyard. It was supposed to be an establishing moment that some felt went too far.The Happytime Murders is available digitally and on DVD and Blu-ray now. In addition to the audio commentary from Henson and Phil Philips, the physical release also contains deleted scenes, a gag reel, and behind-the-scenes footage giving the audience more insight into how this adult puppet movie was put together. Info from Gamespot.com

After more than a decade away from the small screen, Star Trek Discovery showed that the long-running sci-fi franchise still had plenty to offer as a regular TV show. It was set 10 years before the original series and presented a darker take on the franchise than previous series, but was still packed with references and links to classic episodes. Season 2 premieres next month, and the first trailer has now been released.The trailer picks up where Season 1 left off. Christopher Pike, the original captain of the Enterprise, is now captain of the Discovery, and is played by Inhumans star Anson Mount. We see all the main characters from Season 1, including Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), Saru (Doug Jones), Stamets (Anthony Rapp), Tilly (Mary Wiseman), and Latif (Ash Tyler), plus the return of Michelle Yeoh as former Terran ruler Captain Georgiou. There's the first footage of the younger Spock (Ethan Peck), and the trailer reveals that the season's main threat will come from some from some unknown entity referred to as the Red Angel. Check it out above.Star Trek Discovery Season 2 will premiere on CBS All Access in the US on January 17, with international fans able to watch it on Netflix. The new season has had a bit of a rocky ride getting to the screen--in June it was reported that producer Alex Kurtzman had taken over as showrunner, following the departure of Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts, who had themselves replaced Bryan Fuller during the production of Season 1.Discovery isn't the only Star Trek series heading to All Access. There is also a show in development that will focus on the later adventures of iconic Star Trek: The Next Generation character Jean-Luc Picard. Patrick Stewart is set to reprise this classic role.The future of the big screen series is uncertain however. 2016's Star Trek Beyond was a commercial disappointment in comparison to its two predecessors, and in August it was reported that pay negotiations had broken down between the studio and Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth, who were set to star in Star Trek 4.Disclosure: CBS is GameSpot's parent company.Info from Gamespot.com

Over the next few days, we will reveal what we believe are the ten best games of 2018, organized by release date. Then, on December 19, we will reveal which of the nominees gets to take home the coveted title of GameSpot's Game of the Year. So be sure to come back then for the big announcement, and in the meantime, follow along with all of our other end-of-the-year coverage collected in our Best of 2018 hub.On paper, Dead Cells is an amalgamation of familiar ideas, some of which have been recycled to the point of overexposure; the exploration, discovery, and gradual empowerment of Castlevania and Metroid, the trial-and-error runs of Spelunky, and the oblique world of Dark Souls. But what truly distinguishes Dead Cells is the harmony it achieves between these individual elements. Developer Motion Twin successfully captures the essence of each of the games it is inspired by and uses them to give life to an experience that is refined and refreshing.Crucially, each of the ideas supporting Dead Cells is dynamic, ensuring that while aspects of its design may be familiar, the challenges they present are unpredictable. Whether it's the shifting layout of the diverse environments you navigate, the weapons you wield to hack and slash enemies, or the abilities that support you, each one ensures that Dead Cells remains surprising in every single play session. Its variables are cards in a shuffled deck; you're dealt a hand and you've got to figure out how to play it.But this doesn't come at the cost of a sense of progression and, most importantly, the feeling of growth and mastery. Dead Cells' masterstroke is giving you the ability to influence these variables just enough to inspire the belief that things could go your way. At first, this is most evident in the route you progress through the game, which starts as a defined linear path but, over time, opens up, inviting you to chart your progress based on the confidence you have in your skills.Death is unavoidable, but where games like Dark Souls, Metroid, and Castlevania reset your progress and ask you to run the same assault course again, using the knowledge of what awaits to inch forward until the next inevitable death, Dead Cells' cycle of life and death is all in aid of bolstering your fundamental competencies. You gather the items, resources, and abilities that will eventually lead to that successful run, so each journey out into its decrepit world is in service of collecting cells to acquire weapons or abilities that flesh out your skillset.While aspects of Dead Cells' design may be familiar, the challenges they present are unpredictable ... Its variables are cards in a shuffled deck; you're dealt a hand and you've got to figure out how to play itThe weapons that are so crucial to success, however, are still subject to the luck of the draw, and buying them just ever so slightly increases the chance they'll drop. You can never grow too attached to one loadout, as it almost certainly won't be the same when your decayed body is given life once again. This is character development in the truest sense of the phrase. Dead Cells, by its very design, forces you to embrace experimentation, to reach for the unfamiliar and form an understanding of it.That inability to truly know where you're going and the way it constantly shoves you out of your comfort zone makes you earn that mastery you so crave. On paper, Dead Cells may seem like Metroid meets Castlevania with some Spelunky and a dash of Dark Souls, but in many ways its design is antithetical to the fundamentals of those games. Dead Cells, then, is an experience that stands on its own; distinct, thrilling, and constantly rewarding. Info from Gamespot.com

Over the next few days, we will reveal what we believe are the 10 best games of 2018, organized by release date. Then, on December 19, we will reveal which of the nominees gets to take home the coveted title of GameSpot's Game of the Year. So be sure to come back then for the big announcement, and in the meantime, follow along with all of our other end-of-the-year coverage collected in our Best of 2018 hub.We ruined our planet. The remains of human civilization now reside on four islands run by mega-corporations, and now those islands are being overrun with enormous insects--the Vek. You're a small, time-and-reality-traveling squad of mech pilots, and it's up to you to do your best to save this timeline from destruction. The odds are overwhelming, there's only so much you can do, and sacrifices will need to be made. You're going to try your best, and if you fail, well, there are always other parallel universes to save.Into The Breach is focused. It is an exceptional distillation of turn-based tactical strategy. The compact, chessboard-sized 8x8 maps mean that confrontations and problems arise immediately. The short missions means there's a constant urgency. The clear transparency of its systems shows you absolutely everything that is going to happen in the next turn--what enemies are targeting, how much damage they will deal, and any effects that will occur. It's a game that tells you everything you need to know, keeps randomness to a minimum, and never wastes your time.Into The Breach is creative. It's a game where your level of success is determined by how well you can use your abilities to manipulate your enemies and the environment. It's not about how many Vek you can kill, but how effectively you can mitigate damage. Your mech might have a pithy cannon that only deals a small amount of damage to a Vek. But that cannon might also have a push effect, meaning your shot can knock aliens into a bottomless pit, slam them into the side of a mountain, or best of all, move them into the path of another Vek's attack. Think outside the box, and that pithy cannon becomes a surgical tool.Into The Breach is meaningful. There is always a threat to counter, and every single turn is a series of tough calculations about how you can make a single action have the greatest effect. You could use a mech to deal some damage to an enemy, or you could instead use it to physically block an emerging one from entering the map. You'll be able to stop the overwhelming forces from becoming even more overwhelming next turn, but can that mech afford the damage it will receive from acting as a weight? When you don't have the resources to save everything at risk, what can you afford to lose? You might decide to sacrifice a civilian building and take one step closer to total failure, let an optional objective be destroyed and deny yourself a coveted reward, or even sacrifice one of your own mechs, killing the pilot, but making sure everything else survives. Every decision matters.Into The Breach has variety. Once you begin to unlock more squads--equating to 27 different mechs with distinct abilities--you start to see the battlefield in completely different ways. You'll learn to use the Blitzkrieg crew to set up chain reactions that might allow you to damage 10 tiles at once. You'll use the Rusting Hulks crew to blanket the map in a debilitating electric smoke that inhibits anyone from attacking. The Ice Mech, whose only ability is to freeze itself and another tile at the same time, is initially inexplicable. But when things click, it becomes the ultimate defensive tool, helping you to complete stages without hurting anyone at all.Into The Breach is a masterpiece. Every single turn is a unique, satisfying mental conundrum of roundabout thinking, prioritizing compromises, and maximizing your capabilities. Every single battle is a wonderfully choreographed ballet, a kinetic push and pull of units, a whirlwind of attack reversals and near misses. The world building from writer Chris Avellone is evocative, the soundtrack from composer Ben Prunty is haunting, and the cohesive design from developers Justin Ma and Matthew Davis is exceptional. Into The Breach is a compulsively replayable tactical gem, whose sharp focus makes every moment feel pivotal. It is one of the best games of 2018.Info from Gamespot.com