The idea of what the Super Smash Bros. games are, and what they can be, has been different things during the series' 20-year history. What began as an accessible multiplayer game also became a highly competitive one-on-one game. But it's also been noted for having a comprehensive single-player adventure, as well as becoming a sort of virtual museum catalog, exhibiting knowledge and audiovisual artifacts from the histories of its increasingly diverse crossover cast. Ultimate embraces all these aspects, and each has been notably refined, added to, and improved for the better. Everyone, and basically everything, from previous games is here--all existing characters, nearly all existing stages, along with the flexibility to play and enjoy those things in different ways. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a comprehensive, considered, and charming package that builds on an already strong and enduring fighting system.If you've ever spent time with a Smash game, then you likely have a good idea of how Ultimate works. Competing players deal damage to their opponents in order to more easily knock them off the stage. The controls remain relatively approachable for a competitive combat game; three different buttons in tandem with basic directional movements are all you need to access a character's variety of attacks and special abilities. There are a large variety of items and power-ups to mix things up (if you want to) and interesting, dynamic stages to fight on (also if you want to). You can find complexities past this, of course--once you quickly experience the breadth of a character's skillset, it allows you to begin thinking about the nuances of a fight (again, if you want to). Thinking about optimal positioning, figuring out what attacks can easily combo off of another, working out what the best move for each situation is, and playing mind games with your human opponents can quickly become considerations, and the allure of Smash as a fighting game is how easy it is to reach that stage.Complexity also comes with the wide variety of techniques afforded by Ultimate's staggeringly large roster of over 70 characters. Smash's continuing accessibility is a fortunate trait in this regard, because once you understand the basic idea of how to control a character, many of the barriers to trying out a completely new one are gone. Every fighter who has appeared in the previous four Smash games is here, along with some brand-new ones, and the presence of so many diverse and unorthodox styles to both wield and compete against is just as attractive as the presence of the characters themselves. In fact, it's still astounding that a game featuring characters from Mario Bros, Sonic The Hedgehog, Pac-Man, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, and Street Fighter all interacting with each other actually exists.On a more technical level, Ultimate makes a number of under-the-hood alterations that, at this early stage, seem like positive changes that make Smash feel noticeably faster and more exciting to both watch and play. Characters take more damage in one-on-one fights; continuous dodging is punished with increased vulnerability; fighters can perform any ground-based attack, including smash moves, immediately out of a running state; and short-hop aerial attacks (previously a moderately demanding technique) can be easily performed by pressing two buttons simultaneously. Refinements like these might go unnoticed by most, but they help define Ultimate's core gameplay as a tangible evolution of the series' core mechanics.A number of Ultimate's more superficial changes also help Smash's general quality-of-life experience, too. Some make it a more readable game--additions to the UI communicate previously hidden elements like meter charges and Villager's captured items, a simple radar helps keep track of characters off-screen, and a slow motion, zoom-in visual effect when critical hits connect make these moments more exciting to watch. Other changes help streamline the core multiplayer experience and add compelling options. Match rules can now be pre-defined with a swath of modifiers and saved for quick selection later. Stage selection occurs before character selection, so you can make more informed decisions on which fighter to use.On top of a built-in tournament bracket mode, Ultimate also features a number of additional Smash styles. Super Sudden Death returns, as does Custom Smash, which allows you to create matches with wacky modifiers. Squad Strike is a personal favorite, which allows you to play 3v3 or 5v5 tag-team battles (think King of Fighters), and Smashdown is a great, engaging mode that makes the most of the game's large roster by disqualifying characters that have already been used as a series of matches continues, challenging your ability to do well with characters who you might not be familiar with.The most significant addition to Ultimate, however, lies in its single-player content. Ultimate once again features a Classic Mode where each individual fighter has their own unique ladder of opponents to defeat, but the bigger deal is World of Light, Ultimate's surprisingly substantial RPG-style campaign. It's a convoluted setup--beginning as Kirby, you go on a long journey throughout a huge world map to rescue Smash's other fighters (who have incidentally been cloned in large numbers) from the big bad's control. Along the way, you'll do battles with Spirits, characters hailing from other video games that, while not directly engaging in combat, have taken control of clones, altered them in their images, and unleashed them on you.Though there is some light puzzling, the world is naturally filled with hundreds upon hundreds of fights--there are over 1200 Spirit characters, and the vast majority have their own unique battle stages that use the game's match variables to represent their essence. The Goomba Spirit, for example, will put you up against an army of tiny Donkey Kongs. Meanwhile, the Excitebike Spirit might throw three Warios at you who only use their Side+B motorbike attacks.It may seem like a tenuous idea at first, but these fights are incredibly entertaining. It's hard not to appreciate the creativity of using Smash's assets to represent a thousand different characters. Zero Suit Samus might stand in for a battle with The Boss from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater by donning a silver-palette costume and fighting you in a flower-filled Final Destination, but she also stands in for the spirit of Alexandra Roivas from Eternal Darkness by using a black-palette costume and fighting you in the haunted Luigi's Mansion stage, with a modifier that makes the screen occasionally flip upside down (Eternal Darkness was a GameCube horror game whose signature feature were "Sanity Effects", which skewed the game in spooky ways to represent the character's loosening grip on reality). If I knew the character, I often found myself thinking about how clever their Spirit battle was.Defeating a Spirit will add it to your collection, and Spirits also act as World of Light's RPG system. There are two types of Spirit: Primary and Support. Primary Spirits have their own power number and can be leveled up through various means to help make your actual fighter stronger. Primary Spirits also have one of four associated classes, which determine combat effectiveness in a rock-scissors-paper-style system. These are both major considerations to take into account before a battle, and making sure you're not going into a fight at a massive disadvantage adds a nice dimension to the amusing unpredictability of this mode. What you also need to take into account are the modifiers that might be enabled on each stage, which is where Support Spirits come in. They can be attached to Primary Spirits in a limited quantity and can mitigate the effect of things like poisonous floors, pitch-black stages, or reversed controls, or they can simply buff certain attacks.There are a few Spirit fights that can be frustrating, however. Stages that are a 1v4 pile-on are downright annoying, despite how well-equipped you might be, as are stages where you compete against powerful assist trophies. On the flip side, once you find yourself towards the end of the campaign, there are certain loadouts that can trivialize most stages, earning you victory in less than a second. Regardless, there's a compulsive quality to collecting Spirits, and not just because they might make you stronger. It's exciting to see which obscure character you run into next, feel validated for recognizing them, and see how the game interprets them in a Spirit battle. There's also just a superficial joy to collecting, say, the complete Elite Beat Agents cast (Osu! Takatae! Ouendan characters are here too), even though these trophies lack the frills of previous Smash games.Some hubs in the World of Light map are also themed around certain games and bundle related Spirits together to great effect--Dracula's Castle from Castlevania, which changes the map into a 2D side-scroller, and the globe from Street Fighter II, complete with the iconic airplane noises, are personal standouts. Despite the dramatic overtones of World of Spirit's setup, the homages you find within it feel like a nice commemoration of the games and characters without feeling like a pandering nostalgia play. One of the most rewarding homages of all, however, lies in Ultimate's huge library of video game music. Over 800 tracks, which include originals as well as fantastic new arrangements, can all be set as stage soundtracks as well enjoyed through the game's music player.There is one significant struggle that Ultimate comes up against, however, which lies in the nature of the console itself. Playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in the Switch's handheld mode is simply not a great experience. In situations where there are more than two characters on screen, the view of the action often becomes too wide, making the fighters too small to see properly, and it can be difficult to tell what you or your opponent is doing. The game's penchant for flashy special effects and busy, colorful stages doesn't help things at all, and unless you're playing a one-on-one match, you'll likely suffer some blameless losses. This is a situational disadvantage and may not affect all players, but it puts a damper on the idea of Smash on the go.The need to unlock characters also has the potential to be an initial annoyance, especially if your goal is to jump straight into multiplayer and start learning one of the six brand-new characters. In my time with the game, I split my attention between playing World of Light (where rescuing characters unlocks them everywhere) and multiplayer matches, where the constant drip-feed of "New Challenger" unlock opportunities (which you can easily retry if you fail) came regularly. I naturally earned the entire roster in roughly 10 hours of playtime, but your mileage may vary.Super Smash Bros. Ultimate also features online modes, but they were not active during Ultimate's pre-launch period. The game features skill-based matchmaking, private lobbies, and voice chat via Nintendo's smartphone app. It also features a system where defeating another player will earn you their personalized player tag, which can be used as a currency to unlock spirits, music, and costume items for Mii fighters. I'll begin testing these features once the service launches with the game's public release and will finalize the review score once I've had substantial time with the matchmaking experience.Situational downers don't stop Super Smash Bros. Ultimate from shining as a flexible multiplayer game that can be as freewheeling or as firm as you want it to be. Its entertaining single-player content helps keep the game rich with interesting things to do, as well as bolstering its spirit of loving homage to the games that have graced Nintendo consoles. Ultimate's diverse content is compelling, its strong mechanics are refined, and the encompassing collection is simply superb. Info from Gamespot.com

A new Tony Hawk skateboarding game is in the works, but it might not be the one you want. Listings on Google Play and the Apple App Store show that a new free-to-play title, Tony Hawk's Skate Jam, is coming on December 13 to Android and iOS devices.The iOS listing states that Skate Jam will have a "classic career mode," as well as "global skate jam tournaments." What's more, players can expect street, park, and vert skate disciplines, as well as "dozens" of skateboards to collect from Hawk's own Birdhouse brand."Tony Hawk's Skate Jam will set a new bar for authentic tricks, controls, and music in a mobile game, thanks to Tony," reads a line from the game's description.As for playable skateboarders, the game mentions that Skate Jam will let you play as Tony Hawk himself, but no other skaters were mentioned.Skate Jam is in development at Maple Media, a mobile game studio that previously released skateboarding games Skateboard Party and Skateboard Party 2.The iOS store listing shows that Skate Jam is 1.4 GB, and confirms that it will feature microtransactions. The game will sell coin packs, though it's not clear yet what you can buy with them. Some kind of a "Starter Pack" will also be available. The listing states that a full announement of Skate Jam is coming soon.Small Coin Pack -- $2Medium Coin Pack -- $5Large Coin Pack -- $10Extra Large Coin Pack -- $20Jumbo Coin Pack Coin Pack -- $50Legendary Coin Pack -- $100Starter Pack -- $2Tony Hawk worked with Activision on numerous skateboarding games, starting with the 1999 original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. 2015's Pro Skater 5 is the latest entry in the long-running series. A mobile game called Tony Hawk's Shred Session was soft-launched in 2014, but it was never seen through to an official release.In February this year, Hawk said he had stopped working with Activision on skateboarding games. A month before that, he stated that he was working on a new skateboarding game without Activision, and it appears this title is Skate Jam.Info from Gamespot.com

Battlefield V's first free DLC, Chapter 1: Overture, is right around the corner. Developer DICE confirmed on Twitter that, after a short delay, the expansion will arrive on Wednesday, December 5. It was originally targeted to launch a day sooner, but DICE discovered some issues, and as a result, decided to push the release back.DICE said it was "working around the clock" to fix the issues that caused the delay, though the studio hasn't explained what the problems were in the first place. Whatever the case, the good news is that the delay was a short one. DICE apologised for the extra wait and thanked fans for their patience. "The team agreed it was best for the game's health to hold off and fix the issues," DICE said about the delay.Good news! The #Battlefield Chapter 1: Overture update is locked and loaded for deployment tomorrow, December 5th.Our sincerest apologies for the delay. The team agreed it was best for the game’s health to hold off and fix the issues, so thank you for being so understanding! pic.twitter.com/2x3NvbGU7s — #Battlefield V (@Battlefield) December 4, 2018Chapter 1: Overture is the first instalment in Battlefield V's Tides of War live service element. Whereas previous Battlefield games charged players for extra content, DICE is giving it all away for Battlefield V, and instead selling cosmetic items. Microtransactions are not available in Battlefield V yet, but are presumably going to launch soon.In a post on Reddit, DICE revealed some key details on Chapter 1: Overture's rollout schedule. It will start to arrive on December 5 at midnight PT, which works out to 3 AM in New York, 8 AM in London, and 6 PM in Sydney. There will be one hour of downtime on each platform as the patch rolls out; here is the schedule:PC - Wednesday, Dec 5th at 1am PT / 4am ET / 9am UTC / 10am CETPlayStation 4 - Wednesday, Dec 5th at 2am PT / 5am ET / 10am UTC / 11am CETXbox One - Wednesday, Dec 5th at 3am PT / 6am ET / 11am UTC / 12pm CETThe Chapter 1: Overture update adds a new map, Panzerstorm, a new tutorial mode of sorts in Practice Range, a new single-player chapter where you play as a German soldier, vehicle cosmetic customisation options, and a series of gameplay balance changes. You can see the full patch notes here [PDF].On a further-out timeline, Battlefield V will introduce a battle royale mode called Firestorm in March.GameSpot's Battlefield V review scored the World War II shooter an 8/10. The game is available now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Info from Gamespot.com

Rainbow Six Siege's latest update has gone live for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, meaning Operation Wind Bastion's new Operators, Nomad and Kaid, are now available. The update also includes a new map, named Fortress.Operation Wind Bastion is themed around Morocco, with Fortress being set in the north African country and the two new Operators hailing from the GIGR special forces. Kaid, a Defender, comes equipped with three deployable electroclaws, which electrify any metallic object within a small radius. That means, if placed correctly, one electroclaw could electrify multiple reinforcements, deployable shields, or razor wires.Nomad, meanwhile, is an Attacker. Her primary weapons come attached with a device that launches wind-powered proximity mines. When an opponent approaches, the mines blast all enemies back and off their feet. Opposing players are rendered unable to use their weapon for a short duration, and must get back on their feet. The mines can be used defensively to protect your flanks or offensively to flush enemies out.Operation Wind Bastion also includes additional weapon skins and a headgear bundle. In addition, five existing Operators are receiving balancing changes: Mute, Clash, and Smoke are being buffed, while Lesion and Zofia are being nerfed. The full list of changes can be read in Operation Wind Bastion's patch notes.In the Operation's preview stage, we thought Kaid felt overpowered, so it will be interesting to see how the new Operators feel now the game is live for all. Operation Wind Bastion is the fourth and final Season of DLC from Siege's third year, though Ubisoft has stated its plans to continue supporting the game for years to come.Info from Gamespot.com

Nintendo has plugged the upcoming Game Awards, with the implication that we could see something related to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate at the event. The tweet doesn't explicitly promise any reveals, though, so it could just be tying the two together for promotional purposes.The Game Awards will air on Thursday evening, just hours before the launch of Smash Ultimate. This wasn't lost on Nintendo, which told its fans to tune in live before the game launch. It's possible, though far from definite, that the company has a reveal planned for the event. It could be presenting info regarding the upcoming Smash DLC, for example, or another project altogether. The Game Awards itself has teased ten new announcements along with updates on released games.Of course, tying the two together could be completely innocuous, as Nintendo is up for some awards itself. The company may just be promoting a big industry event, with plans to attend.#TheGameAwards are almost here! Make sure you tune in tomorrow night at 5:30pm PT to watch it all live before the launch of Super #SmashBrosUltimate!https://t.co/gZdCzcdHch pic.twitter.com/43AAaq3ybj — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) December 5, 2018The Game Awards will kick off on Thursday at 8:30 PM ET / 5:30 PM PT / 1:30 AM GMT (Friday) / 12:30 PM AET (Friday). You can watch it right here at GameSpot. In the meantime check out the full list of nominees.Info from Gamespot.com

Epic Games has announced Fortnite Creative, a new mode that will give players the opportunity to design games and build unique Fortnite experiences with friends. Fortnite Creative will be available to play on December 13, but those that pick up the Season 7 Battle Pass can check it out from December 6."It's a brand new way to experience the world of Fortnite," Epic says on its website. "Design games, race around the island, battle your friends in new ways and build your dream Fortnite. It's all happening on your own private island where everything you make is saved."Epic has said it plans to add new features and make improvements to Fortnite Creative in coming updates. "Like Battle Royale and Save the World, we're committed to making this bigger and better over time," it explained.As noted in the video above, Epic is expecting initial rollout of Fortnite Creative to be "rough" and is encouraging those interested to get in early via the Battle Pass. Fortnite Season 7 is set to launch on December 6 and, alongside it, the new Battle Pass will be available. In addition to early access to Fortnite Creative, the Battle Pass entitles owners to a special set of challenges every week for as long as the season lasts. In turn, this means they can accrue Battle Stars faster and unlock cosmetics quicker.Fortnite Creative mode is one of the many ways Epic Games is encouraging players to keep returning to the game. The company has made a point of trying to both vary and broaden the kind of experiences it offers, and the successes resulting from this has had a knock on effect on Epic as a business. On December 4 it revealed its own marketplace, which competes directly with Valve's Steam.The Epic Games marketplace seems to be very developer friendly, giving creators 88% of their revenue. There is no profit-sharing and, instead, it's an 88/12 split between developers and Epic for listing on its marketplace. Developers that use Unreal Engine to create their game will have the 5% engine royalty covered by Epic out of its own 12% cut. Although this incentive encourages developers to use Unreal Engine, Epic says games created using other engines are also welcome.Info from Gamespot.com

The Game Awards show is imminent, and we've already seen developers teasing big announcements for the event. The show will boast ten new game announcements along with updates on current games, alongside the awards. But while some companies like Obsidian are eager to tease that they'll be showing new wares, others have taken the opportunity to set expectations by stating they definitely won't.Rocksteady has announced it won't be showing its next game at the show, and also took a moment to dispel some persistent rumors about what that next game actually is. Game director Sefton Hill wrote that the team is looking forward to the show, but they're "still hard at work in [their] development bunker." He ended the statement by flatly stating, "Spoiler: it's not Superman." That marks the first time the studio has openly addressed the rumors that it is working on a Superman game to follow its acclaimed Batman: Arkham series.CD Projekt Red, by comparison, has already announced its next game: Cyberpunk 2077. However, to stave off expectations that we'd get a fresh look at the award show, community lead Marcin Momot said on Twitter that it won't be sharing any new details.Similarly, Naughty Dog has stepped forward to state that The Last of Us 2 won't be appearing at The Game Awards either. This one seemed the most likely of any, because we already know the game is relatively close. Given that Sony bowed out of a PlayStation Experience event this year, the Game Awards seemed like the next most likely venue for another look at the anticipated sequel.We do know that we'll see Obsidian's next game, a Far Cry announcement, and an update for Fortnite at the show. The Game Awards starts at 8:30 PM ET / 5:30 PM PT / 1:30 AM GMT (Friday) / 12:30 PM AET (Friday). You can watch live right here on GameSpot. In the meantime, check out the full list of nominees.Info from Gamespot.com

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds started out as an early-access PC game before coming to Xbox One last year for a period of console exclusivity. That period is officially coming to an end, because PUBG is set to release for PlayStation 4 on December 7. It took a while, but better late than never.The PS4 version will include most of the content the other versions contain, although custom matches and event mode will be arriving later. Publisher PUBG Corp. also notes that "map and mode selection will be turned on after servers fill up to a suitable population that can support these features." You can find more details on the PUBG PS4 FAQ.If you're a PS4 owner who's been jonesing to see what all the fuss is about with this blockbuster battle royale game, you might be wondering where you can get it and what bonus goodies you can expect. Read on, and all your questions will be answered.Pre-Order BonusPre-order PUBG for PlayStation 4, and you'll get some Naughty Dog digital goodies: a Nathan Drake outfit from Uncharted and Ellie's backpack from The Last of Us.Pre-Order PUBG PS4 Disc EditionThis version comes with the pre-order bonuses listed above, and it comes on a disc.Buy from Amazon -- $30Buy from Best Buy -- $30Buy from GameStop -- $30Buy from Newegg -- $30Buy from Target -- $30Pre-Order PUBG PS4 Digital EditionsLooter's EditionSony is offering three digital editions of the game on PSN. The Looter's Edition is the standard edition. Although the game description states it comes with "unknown avatar," it seems safe to assume that means it will come with the Uncharted and Last of Us cosmetic items detailed above. It also comes with a PS4 theme based on the game's Miramar map.Buy the Looter's Edition -- $30_____________________Survivor's EditionThe Survivor's Edition costs an additional $20, and includes everything from the Looter's Edition, as well as the Vikendi Event Pass, 2,300 G-Coins, and 20,000 BP.Buy the Survivor's Edition -- $50_____________________Champion's EditionThe Champion's Edition costs $10 more than the Survivor's Edition and comes with all the same items, except it includes 6,000 G-Coins rather than 2,300.Buy the Champion's Edition -- $60_____________________Info from Gamespot.com

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice was a huge surprise in June when it was revealed on stage at Microsoft's E3 2018 press conference. A From Software Game? Set in 1500s Sengoku Japan? Without "Souls" in the title?Despite the surprises, Sekiro appears to similar to From's previous work in a number of ways. It's a third-person action-adventure RPG, for a start, with a similar combat system to the company's portfolio that includes hit games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne. Shadows Die Twice adds a few new features to the fan-favorite formula, the most notable of which is the ability resurrect yourself after death. This ability will be limited, so you can't just keep resurrecting forever, however it can also be used to your advantage. Allow yourself to be killed and enemies will walk away, pleased with their success, opening themselves up for you to come back to life and stab them in the back.Sword combat has received a few changes by incorporating both Prosthetic Tools, such as the Grappling Hook, and special Sword Arts to supplement regular attacks. Stealth will also play a part, with the player able to skulk around quietly and perform lethal sneak attacks. Without further ado, then, let's get into everything we know about Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Release Date And Collector's EditionActivision announced Sekiro's release date for PS4, Xbox One, and PC at Gamescom in August 2018. The game will launch on March 22, 2019, accompanied by the release of a collector's edition. That special version comes with the full game, a steelbook case, a 7" shinobi statue, art book, physical map, digital soundtrack, and replica game coins.Does Sekiro Have Multiplayer?From's recent games have included a form of multiplayer in which other players can join your game and help or hinder your progress. Sekiro, on the other hand, will not include any way of interacting with other players."This title is designed, from the beginning, to be a single-player experience," From Software's Yasuhiro Kitao said at E3. "As a part of that, one of the focuses of the game is, instead of having a choice between various classes from the beginning, you must play as a ninja. As a result, [the team] has really been able to focus in on what those mechanics are and make them as deep as possible."When GameSpot asked if this means there is no multiplayer of any kind in Shadows Die Twice, Kitao was unequivocal in his answer. "Yes. No online components."Does Sekiro Have Difficulty Options? Will It Be As Hard As Dark Souls?Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne are famed for their difficulty, with ultra-hard bosses and infrequent checkpoints providing a tough challenge for players. This led to some players asking for From's games to include difficulty options, but the developer has declined that particular request for Sekiro."We don't want to include a difficulty selection because we want to bring everyone to the same level of discussion and the same level of enjoyment," director hidetaka Miyazaki told GameSpot earlier this year. "So we want everyone … to first face that challenge and to overcome it in some way that suits them as a player."The creator continued: "We want everyone to feel that sense of accomplishment. We want everyone to feel elated and to join that discussion on the same level. We feel if there's different difficulties, that's going to segment and fragment the user base. People will have different experiences based on that [differing difficulty level]. This is something we take to heart when we design games. It's been the same way for previous titles and it's very much the same with Sekiro."Finally, Miyazaki said Sekiro is "probably even more challenging than previous From games." This is gonna be a tough one.Where Does Sekiro Fit In With Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, And Bloodborne?Despite the similarities between Sekiro and From's previous games, the developer insists this is an entirely separate entity. "Sekiro was not designed as an evolution of Soulsborne, of the Souls series," series creator and Sekiro director Hidetaka Miyazaki told GameSpot. "It was designed from the ground up, from scratch, as an entirely new concept, as a new game. So we don't know if you'd call this an evolution of the series in this sense."The director continued: "Of course with Sekiro, we don't intend to disappoint or turn away fans of previous From Software games, that core fan base. We want to keep the challenge. We want to keep that core experience very much intact for those people."Where Can I Pre-Order Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice?Pre-orders for Sekiro are now live in a bunch of different outlets. Check out our full US pre-order guide for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice for the rundown, including details on that collector's edition.Info from Gamespot.com

There has never been a movie quite like Avengers: Infinity War, and there likely will never be one again. The culmination of ten years of shared universe world building by Marvel Studios, the movie was touted as the "biggest crossover event in history" for good reason--it brought together the casts of no less than six individual franchises from every corner of the MCU, boasting a roster of A-list actors so massive it necessitated a "class photo" style shoot that only barely managed to cram everyone into frame.But beyond its scope and scale, Infinity War also represented something fans of the MCU have been desperately craving for years: payoff. After first being teased in The Avengers back in 2012, Infinity War's big bad, Thanos (Josh Brolin), finally made his real deal cinematic debut, and brought with him the weight of six whole years of anticipation. A masterclass in slow burn narratives coming to explosive boiling points, Infinity War was at once a love letter to the MCU's legions of devoted fans and a bold, unprecedented act of experimentation in filmmaking and franchise building--not only because it was huge and not only because it managed to wrangle an appropriately comic book event sized cast, but because it dared to deviate from Marvel's carefully crafted "the good guys always win" mold in a way that some might even call traumatic.Turns out, we've had good reason to be anxious about Thanos's arrival for all these years--and for as bleak as Infinity War's last shot may have been, it was still oh so worth it.Infinity War managed to take the disparate pieces of Marvel's scattered lore and, against all odds, blend them into one cohesive unit, plucking the humor and irreverence of comedies like Thor: Ragnarok and Guardians of the Galaxy with the high-stakes action of thrillers like Captain America: Civil War and Black Panther. And it did so with the unselfconscious ease of something that knew exactly what it was--there was no time wasted in trying to re-familiarize viewers with who and what they were watching. The movie just expected its audiences to be already up to date. This was a movie with some serious prerequisite reading--which, in any other franchise, probably would have been frustrating. But here, in the MCU, it only managed to make a decade (or more) of fandom feel worth it. It was dense, sure, and packed to the brim with plotlines to track and characters to follow, but it managed to never feel bloated or stagnant.In our review, we singled out the unlikely balance Infinity War managed to strike with it's gargantuan cast. "Incredibly, Infinity War actually manages to do every single one of these characters justice. Some of them only get a few lines in the movie, or just a couple of awesome shots during a huge battle, but that's understandable. The fact that Infinity War actually feels like a well-balanced movie, with time for small, emotional moments between characters in addition to the multiple budget-breaking battles, is undeniably impressive." And it's not just that balance that makes Infinity War stand out--it's the fact that it manage to strike that balance, all while ostensibly focusing on a villain who had, prior to this movie, only lurked in the shadows. Make no mistake: Infinity War is Thanos's movie, the same way movies like Iron Man or Captain America belong to Tony Stark or Steve Rogers, it's as much his origin as it is everything else. The potential for things to go off the rails for that fact alone--the juggling act required to both build up and sell what amounts to be a brand new character in a believable way, while simultaneously showcasing an entire roster of tried and true fan favorites--was so high the fact that the movie came together at all, let alone that it managed to be good, is nothing short of miraculous.It really has all been leading to this. Ten years, eighteen plus films, and the tireless dedication of both fans and filmmakers alike coming together to make a movie experience unlike anything else 2018 had to offer.What do you think was the best movie of the year? Do you agree or disagree with our decision? Let us know in the comments below, then check out our lists of the 10 best TV shows of 2018, the best streaming services we used in 2018, and the best Netflix exclusives of 2018. Info from Gamespot.com

This was truly a year ruled over by horror and, for our money, it got no better than the Netflix original series The Haunting of Hill House. This adaptation of the 1959 novel elevated horror in a way rarely seen on TV, where cable is loaded with shows like The Walking Dead and American Horror Story. What's more, it took horror to a place not unlike films like Hereditary and A Quiet Place, showing just how far this genre can be stretched.While it utilized jump scared to keep viewers on the edge of their seat, The Haunting of Hill House spent its 10 episodes building immeasurable amounts of tension and sympathy as we watched this tale of a family being ripped apart by a force stronger than they were collectively. On the surface, this is a show about the Crain family, a couple and their children who spent a portion of their lives living in a haunted house. That's truly just the beginning, though.Because this isn't a haunted house show, as much as the title might lead you to believe it is. This is a family drama. Yes, it's loaded with horrific scares and some truly disturbing imagery, but The Haunting of Hill House never forgets that the through line of the series is the Crain family and the trauma they continue to experience--and inflict on each other as a result of it--long after they've left the titular home. Watching this show, it's hard not to feel distraught over what life in Hill House have done to the Crain children and how they continue to inform them as adults. Then, when the old house of spirits comes calling again, it's a waking nightmare for each of them.It's not just the story that makes The Haunting of Hill House stand out, though. The casting of the adult Crain children--and the young actors who play them as kids--is remarkable. It's easy to see not only a family resemblance in all of them, but also similarities between the adults and their kid counterparts.Another impressive creative choice comes in the sixth episode, which is set almost entirely in a funeral home. In it, there is a continuous 17-minute tracking shot that goes throughout the mortuary--and even into Hill House--without breaking away once. In this one shot, viewers are shown each individual member of the Crain family present as they grieve the loss of one of their own. It's an incredibly ambitious and impressive feat. And as creator Mike Flanagan has explained, it certainly was no easy task. In the end, though, regardless of how good the cast is or how stellar the directing, cinematography, and camera work turned out, the only thing that's going to hook viewers into The Haunting of Hill House is the Crain family themselves. This is a show that lives and dies on their story. That's why an episode like "The Bent Neck Lady" can rip your heart out and leave you in a ball of tears that have nothing to do with horror. Instead, you're just devastated as you realize that, for some in the Crain clan, all hope is lost.That's a stunning realization that even some of the best shows on TV wouldn't be able to tackle as effectively as Hill House. Yet this series carries it out almost flawlessly, leaving you wanting more from the story of the Crain family of Hill House, but realizing there's no more of their story to tell.Still, while this one season of TV may be all viewers see of the Crain family, there is plenty of incentive to watch Hill House again. The drama may be what engages you during your first time through, but it's the horror Easter eggs that will have you coming back for more. Whether you realize it or not, the ghosts of Hill House were hiding in plain sight all along, and a second watch of the series should show you just how scary life in that creepy old house was.What do you think was the best show of the year? Do you agree or disagree with our decision? Let us know in the comments below, then check out our lists of the 10 best movies of 2018, the best streaming services we used in 2018, and the best Netflix exclusives of 2018. Info from Gamespot.com

One of the benefits you get for subscribing to the Nintendo Switch Online service is access to a growing library of classic NES games. Nintendo has been rolling out new titles for the service every month since it launched this past September, and now the company has confirmed that another batch of titles is scheduled to arrive next week.Three more classic NES games are coming to the service on Wednesday, December 12. This month's lineup consists of the falling block puzzle game Wario's Woods, the notoriously challenging sidescroller Ninja Gaiden, and the puzzle adventure game Adventures of Lolo. You can take a look at them in the trailer below.This marks the third batch of NES games that Nintendo has added to the service since it launched. October's update brought NES Open, Super Dodge Ball, and Solomon's Key to the library, while Metroid, TwinBee, and Mighty Bomb Jack arrived in November. With December's additions, there are now 30 NES games available on Switch.On top of the three new titles added each month, every batch of NES games thus far has come with an additional surprise: a special save data for a game in the library. In October, Nintendo added a version The Legend of Zelda that gives players access to Link's entire arsenal of weapons and a ton of Rupees from the outset, while November's update brought a special save of Gradius that starts you off with a fully-upgraded ship.While Nintendo hasn't confirmed if another special game save will arrive with its latest batch of NES games, the company has previously teased that more "fun new entry points into fan-favorite games" are coming, so we'll likely see another surprise addition next week. The company also says that more NES games will be added in 2019 beginning in January, but it has yet to announce what the next titles will be.NES games on Switch can be played with a special set of NES-style Joy-Con controllers. These resemble the classic NES gamepad and are only available to order through Nintendo's website for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. Each set comes with two controllers and costs $60. Nintendo says the first shipment will be sent out next week.Info from Gamespot.com

Peter Parker met a tragic end in Avengers: Infinity War, but we can all rest easy knowing he's already bouncing back from his Thanos-related injuries and filming the follow up to his MCU solo debut Spider-Man: Homecoming, the playfully titled Spider-Man: Far From Home. While details about the specifics of the plot have remained unsurprisingly vague, the rumors of Jake Gyllenhaal joining the cast to play villain Mysterio were confirmed by on-set photos of Gyllenhaal in costume. Gyllenhaal subsequently confirmed his role with a cheeky Instagram post. That begs the question: Just who the hell is Mysterio, and what does his entrance into the MCU actually mean for Spidey?The name Mysterio actually refers to four different Marvel villains dating all the way back to 1964, and while there has been no official confirmation of which version Gyllenhaal is actually playing, the safest bet is the first and most prolific of the lot, Quentin Beck, who premiered in The Amazing Spider-Man #13 in 1964.Beck's vintage origin story is your typical '60s superhero fare. He was a struggling special effects artist and wannabe actor who eventually realized that his skills as an artist could be used to turn a real profit if he used them to build a villainous alter ego. Of course, after carefully constructing his costume (complete with his iconic fishbowl-style mirrored helmet) and making his debut, Beck was stopped and humiliated by Spider-Man--which, unsurprisingly, led to a life long vendetta. He joined the original incarnation of the Sinister Six, a team that also included Vulture, Dr. Octopus, Kraven the Hunter, Electro, and Sandman.Over the years, Mysterio became a perpetual thorn in Peter's side. Beck has no real superpowers, but his exhaustive knowledge of special effects trickery and illusions make him formidable in his own way--typically he'd set up elaborate gags involving smoke machines, stage magic, and even robotics to pull of his plots. Occassionally, his smoke based illusions are actually laced with hallucinogenic drugs, making him more similar to someone like Batman's Scarecrow than a hoaky magician. He trained in hypnotism, inventing a second alter-ego he called Dr. Ludwig Reinhart, and generally did his best to try and force his victims to lose their minds with elaborate gimmicks and cons designed to make them believe all sorts of wild lies.Sometimes the lies were pretty goofy. Other times, they were considerably less so. he tried to force Peter into believing he'd been shrunk down to action figure size. He later tried to con Aunt May out of house and home using a revolving door of disguises and assumed identities designed to gaslight and confuse her. Eventually, and with the help of Kingpin, he set his sights on Daredevil, trying to manipulate him into insanity using mood altering drugs and by targeting and manipulating his friends. At one point he actually tried to convince Matt that a baby was the biblical antichrist. True story.That particular plan didn't work out all that well and ended with Beck apparently committing suicide after Daredevil unmasked and beat him within an inch of his life. Of course, in typical comic book fashion, the death didn't stick. And although Beck's resurrection was never completely explained in any concrete way, the simplest answer was that he had staged his own death and gone into temporary hiding--though some stories insinuate that he really did die, and in fact spent some time in Hell before being magically revived. Beck resumed his antics, rejoining with the Sinister Six as the need arose. He briefly retired (and built himself a robot daughter--don't ask) in Las Vegas, but was prompted to pick up the Mysterio mantle yet again after getting wrapped up in some complicated, demonic dealings with Ben Reilly, the Scarlet Spider.All told, Mysterio's place in the Marvel universe is malleable. He's a bit less prolific and recognizable than someone like Green Goblin or Doctor Octopus, and that slightly-less-than-top-tier notoriety, coupled with his expansive repertoire of skills, means he can fit into stories in any number of ways. He's been the campy comic relief, the dangerous mastermind, the bumbling gloryhound, and the vicious sociopath, depending on the needs of the moment.Thematically speaking, it seems more likely that we're going to be seeing Gyllenhaal as one of Beck's softer sides in Far From Home, especially considering the multilayered approach Homecoming took to his Sinister Six teammate Vulture. It's certainly not impossible that we're going to see a Mysterio on the big screen who is furious at Spider-Man for ruining his shot at fame and stardom, but it's maybe a bit improbable.There's also the potential for Gyllenhaal's character to borrow from the other incarnations of Mysterio: Daniel Berkhart, a con who temporarily replaced Beck at both Beck's behest and after being hired to impersonate him by J. Jonah Jameson; Francis Klum, a mutant with teleportation powers who briefly took over the mantle while Beck was dead; and Mysterion, a mysterious new incarnation who was brainwashed and forced to join a team called the Superior Six lead by Otto Octavius. While none of the other Mysterio mantle wearers have quite the history Beck does, the MCU's willingness to play fast and loose with classic characters means they probably shouldn't be ignored. Info from Gamespot.com

Ubisoft has teased an impending Far Cry announcement for The Game Awards with a short video that hints at a post-apocalyptic theme. Though the brief look doesn't explicitly say the announcement is connected with Far Cry 5 or that it's explicitly Far Cry 6, the setting of this new game or expansion appears similar to be similar to the latest game in the series. Spoilers for Far Cry 5 follow.The teaser begins with a nuclear explosion over a track of farm land, echoing the ending of Far Cry 5 when the cult leader Joseph Seed was proven right after all. His prophecy came true and the world--or at least a sizable chunk of rural Montana--was obliterated by nukes. The connection suggests this game will follow the events of Far Cry 5.The teaser says the world recovered and vegetation regrew, and the survivors thought the threat had passed. But, in an ominous twist, the narration says they were wrong, as we see a figure picking up a sawblade for an apparent makeshift weapon. This would appear to be a post-apocalyptic Far Cry, complete with scrappy survivors.The brief video doesn't indicate much about whether this will be downloadable content for Far Cry 5, a new standalone spin-off like Blood Dragon, or an entirely new game. Far Cry 5 already had a full season pass of content, complete with zombies, outer space, and Vietnam.We'll know more tomorrow when the full reveal airs live during The Game Awards. It all kicks off starting at 8:30 PM ET / 5:30 PM PT / 1:30 AM GMT (Friday) / 12:30 PM AET (Friday), and you can watch it right here at GameSpot. While some studios are teasing reveals for The Game Awards, others have stepped forward to say they won't be showing their games.Info from Gamespot.com

Seems like it used to take a long time for games to dip down to half price. Battlefield V has only been out a few weeks and it's already available for $30 (or $40 for the Deluxe Edition). The only catch is that you have to own and have access to a recent Battlefield game. But if you don't? You can still get the standard edition for $40 from various retailers.The Battlefield subreddit has been abuzz with people posting that the deal has popped up when they've signed in to games like Battlefield 4, Battlefield Hardline, and Battlefield 1. We tested it out on Battlefield 1 on Xbox One, and sure enough, the deal appeared in the game's start menu. So if you have a previous installment and are interested in trying out the new one, boot it up and grab the deal.Everyone else can get the standard edition of Battlefield V on PS4, Xbox One, and PC for $40 from Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. Just click the appropriate link below.PS4Buy Battlefield V from Best Buy -- $40Buy Battlefield V from Target -- $40Buy Battlefield V from Walmart -- $40Xbox OneBuy Battlefield V from Best Buy -- $40Buy Battlefield V from Target -- $40Buy Battlefield V from Walmart -- $40PCBuy Battlefield V from Best Buy -- $40As for how the game is, critic Michael Higham scored it 8/10 in our Battlefield V review, writing, "The Battlefield series has a winning formula that Battlefield V doesn't deviate far from, at least for now. Conquest and the map roster don't mesh well together, however, Grand Operations--and the other modes within it--steal the show and foster some of the greatest moments the franchise has offered."Battlefield V is scheduled to get numerous free DLC expansions in the coming months, the first of which, Chapter 1: Overture, is available now. A free battle royale mode called Firestorm is scheduled to arrive in March. Info from Gamespot.com