2018-10-24
So you've finished your Daredevil binge. You've sat through 13 episodes and come out the other side feeling hopefully a little victorious, and probably a little confused. Don't panic. We're here to break down exactly what was going on in that final scene for you, and to explain just what it means in the increasingly uncertain future of the Netflix Marvel Universe.Needless to say: spoilers abound after this, so please read with care if you haven't finished this season!As a result of his final confrontation with both Daredevil and Kingpin, Dex winds up paralyzed--specifically after Fisk breaks his spine over a wall corner, a move that Dex should probably be thankful didn't just full on kill him. Instead, he's left mumbling that he can't move as the NYPD storms onto the scene. That very well could have been the end of things for poor Benjamin Poindexter--but it wasn't.After Fisk is put away and Matt, Foggy, and Karen begin regrouping, we're treated to a scene of Dex laying face down on an operating table with his entire back slit open right down the middle. A team of doctors are working on his spine, speaking to one another about the risks of such an experimental procedure, and its less-than-optimistic odds of success. If that wasn't weird enough, just before the final credits roll, we see Dex's eyes are open, his pupils haloed with an irridescent bullseye shape.The target symbol is the easy part. Like Fisk before this season, no one ever called Dex by any codename or call sign--the name "Bullseye" was never uttered in Daredevil Season 3, despite the obvious trajectory of the character. Dex may have completed his arc and wound up a full-on criminal by the end of the season, but his time as a costumed supervillain is presumably still to come (that is, if Daredevil doesn't get canceled like Luke Cage and Iron Fist). Whether he's going to assign the name to himself or get it from somewhere else like Fisk's FBI agents naming him "Kingpin" in secret is still up for debate, but definitely something to keep an eye out for.But what, exactly, is up with the surgery?To really understand what's happening, you'll need to know a little bit about Bullseye's comic book history. After a particularly nasty encounter with Daredevil that ended with Matt literally throwing him off of a telephone wire from several stories up, Bullseye was paralyzed and hospitalized. But things didn't end there. Rather than let things go, Matt repeatedly broke into Bullseye's hospital room and tortured him with a rigged game of Russian Roulette using a gun that was secretly unloaded, just to terrify and humiliate Bullseye as much as possible.Of course, that cruelty comes back to haunt Matt in the end, after Bullseye is sprung from his hospital cell by a mysterious man named Lord Dark Wind, the scientist who invented the adamantium-based procedures that created heroes and villains like Wolverine and Lady Deathstrike. Dark Wind promises Bullseye his mobility if he undergoes the same procedure, lacing his bones with adamantium in exchange for becoming Dark Wind's personal assassin.The procedure actually goes according to plan, but Bullseye promptly betrays Dark Wind and returns to Hell's Kitchen to work with Kingpin instead, complete with his new adamantium bones. They don't help too much, however, and Daredevil is able to best him again and again. Bullseye retained his mobility for years, until he was killed and resurrected by The Hand in a botched ceremony that left him alive but completely paralyzed and confined to an iron lung. His second round with paralysis didn't completely stop Bullseye's quest to destroy Daredevil, however, and he spent his time confined in his own body engineering schemes where other people would end up doing his dirty work for him.So, where does that leave Dex in the show? Well, Lord Dark Wind may not literally be in play for the Netflix MCU, but we do hear the name "Dr. Oyama" used during Dex's surgery, a reference to the name Kenji Oyama, Dark Wind's civilian alter ego. Additionally, the word "adamantium" is never used (probably something to do with the rights, considering it's X-Men connotations) but the doctors do say that they're repairing Dex's spine with "cognium steel," another, less known imaginary metal from the Marvel universe.One thing that's simply unclear is how Dex got to this operating table in the first place. We never actually see him transported from the scene, so we don't know if he was arrested or convicted of the murders he committed while in the Daredevil suit, or if he was just sent directly to a hospital. We also don't know whether or not Dr. Oyama reached out to Dex or if Dex reached out to him. There are a lot of variables left up in the air that could potentially inform the way a hypothetical fourth season pans out.It's important to note that even with the adamantium enhancements, the comics incarnation of Bullseye doesn't actually have any superpowers beyond his uncanny marksmanship, so even if Dex's experimental surgery is a success, he probably won't become all that different than he was. If anything, he'll just get much harder to hurt. But that definitely keeps with the Netflix MCU's efforts to remain as "grounded" as possible while dealing with the most supernatural elements of superheroics. And Dex certainly does have a deep enough personal grudge against both Daredevil and Fisk to really push him over the edge once he's back on his feet.That, or it could be a complete failure and the next time we see Dex he could be encased in a tomb-like iron lung. Somehow, for a character like Bullseye, that seems just as terrifying.Info from Gamespot.com
2018-10-24
Every month, Netflix releases an enormous amount of content to its subscribers, and it can be a daunting task to figure out what to watch every week. It's the end of October now, and the streaming giant has plenty of original movies and series for you to check out.On Tuesday, October 23, Adam Sandler returns to his roots with 100% Fresh. The title obviously takes aims at his ratings from Rotten Tomatoes, as critics haven't been incredibly kind to his film work, but the special itself veers away from addressing that, for the most part. 100% Fresh mixes jokes and songs that will remind fans of his classic 1996 HBO special What The Hell Happened To Me?Netflix is doubling-down on horror series on Friday, October 26 with the second season of Castlevania. In our review of Castlevania, GameSpot's Mike Rougeau said "With eight episodes instead of just four, there was hope that Castlevania Season 2 would feel like more of a complete thing. Instead, it feels more like Season 1 was the first act, and this is simply a continuation, and the extra room has been spent developing new characters while the old ones tread water."Also coming Friday is Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, a darker take on the character than fans may be accustomed to. In our review, Chris Hayner said, "It's hard to find something to dislike about Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. There's a moment or two that might seem like the show is trying too hard to channel the teen angst and melodrama of Riverdale, but given they come from the same creative force, that's not surprising. And if you're going into it expecting incredibly cinematic visuals, you might be disappointed, as the inspiration for the show's looks is clearly older horror films."For a full look at what's coming to Netflix this week, take a look at the list below.Available October 21Robozuna-- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvailable October 23ADAM SANDLER 100% FRESH-- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvailable October 24Bodyguard-- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvailable October 25Great News: Season 2Available October 26Been So Long-- NETFLIX FILMCastlevania: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINALChilling Adventures of Sabrina-- NETFLIX ORIGINALDovlatov-- NETFLIX FILMJefe-- NETFLIX FILMShirkers-- NETFLIX ORIGINALTerrorism Close Calls-- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvailable October 27Girl from Nowhere-- NETFLIX ORIGINALInfo from Gamespot.com
2018-10-24
Hello Games has announced the next titled update to come out for No Man's Sky. It's called The Abyss, and, according to Hello Games founder Sean Murray, it "focuses on some of the eerier elements of No Man's Sky."In a blog post, Murray revealed that while "most of the team have been busy on weekly updates, a handful have been working on [The Abyss]." Like Next, the major titled update that released before it, The Abyss will be free for all No Man's Sky players. Murray reveals the update is releasing "next week" but didn't confirm a specific day or time. Considering the expansion's name and spooky theme, it's probable The Abyss will release prior to Halloween, or the day of.Hello Games hasn't yet revealed the contents of The Abyss either, although it sounds as if the update won't be as large as Next. Next was No Man's Sky's largest update to date, implementing several huge changes, such as dangerous Xenomorph-like aliens, space pirates, fleet building, a true multiplayer experience, and more. Next also changed No Man's Sky economy, transforming how you use certain materials and changing the value of certain elements. Building a reliable income in No Man's Sky has been a bit harder since the launch of Next, but there are plenty of strategies for making money fast.In our No Man's Sky Next review, Justin Clark gave the update an 8/10, writing, "At its absolute best, No Man's Sky is a measured, gentle experience where you are rarely the agent of change, but a perpetual visitor who's constantly dwarfed by the magnitude of a universe neutral to your presence. It is not your job in these stories to colonize the universe. Your job is to comprehend it. Your job is to recognize the spirituality in it. The primary gimmick of No Man's Sky, since day one, has been awe. The best things about the Next update feed that gimmick. While features like multiplayer and base-building certainly put more proverbial asses in seats, they're also the least memorable additions to an otherwise thoughtful experience."No Man's Sky is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.Info from Gamespot.com
2018-10-24
EA has announced that four of the voice actors from Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series will be reprising their roles in Battlefront 2. Each of the four Hero characters will be rolling out separately over the next several months, starting this October.In a blog post on Battlefront 2's website, EA DICE editorial writer Daniel Steinholtz revealed Matthew Wood, James Arnold Taylor, Corey Burton, and Matt Lanter will return to voice General Grievous, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Count Dooku, and Anakin Skywalker respectfully. Grievous comes to Battlefront 2 on October 30, while the remaining three Hero characters don't have exact release dates. As of right now, Obi-Wan is scheduled for November 2018, Dooku for January 2019, and Anakin for February 2019.EA recently revealed its process for how new Star Wars Hero characters are chosen for Battlefront 2. For the developer, every "hero must counter a villain, and vice versa" so after deciding to add Obi-Wan and Anakin to the game, Grievous and Dooku--villains that share a "natural rivalry" with the two Jedi--were also chosen.Grievous, Obi-Wan, Dooku, and Anakin are part of a Clone Wars DLC road map scheduled for Battlefront 2. The updates started in August, first focusing on adding a wider variety of cosmetic appearances for the Republic Army, such as Yoda's 41st Elite Corps and Windu's 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps. A Prequel Era playlist was also added to the game, which limits multiplayer matches to Galactic Assault on Clone Wars era maps. More multiplayer locations, like Geonosis, are scheduled for future updates.Star Wars: Battlefront 2 is available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC. The Clone Wars animated series, once believed to be cancelled for good, is returning with a seventh season that sees Anakin and Obi-Wan once again teaming up with Ahsoka Tano to aid in the Siege of Mandalore.Info from Gamespot.com
2018-10-24
In Update 2.0.4, the most recent patch for Destiny 2, data miners discovered evidence that Thunderlord, an Exotic machine gun from the original Destiny, could be returning. Not only that, but players might be adventuring to the Cosmodrome, the opening area of the first game, to earn the weapon.According to Polygon, the data miners have discovered Feeding Frenzy, one of Thunderlord's original perks, in Destiny 2's database. The perk isn't currently attached to any weapon in the game, which matches up with an earlier pattern established by Destiny 2's Whisper of the Worm, an Exotic sniper rifle. Whisper of the Worm is a renamed variation of Destiny's Black Spindle, a gun with an original perk called White Nail. The White Nail perk appeared in the data of Destiny 2's Warmind expansion prior to Whisper of the Worm being added to the game.The data miners also found audio files that suggest a future Destiny 2 update might send players back to the Cosmodrome, further hinting Thunderlord is on its way to Destiny 2. Thunderlord is the first Destiny Exotic weapon ever revealed to the world, shown off during Destiny's E3 2013 gameplay reveal demo. When Destiny launched, the mission was tweaked so that players wouldn't earn such a powerful weapon right at the game's start. However, these data mine leaks could be hinting that Destiny 2 will allow us to replay that mission as it happened back in 2013, and we'll earn Thunderlord just like the Guardians did in that first demo.Bungie has not revealed whether or not any of this is true, although some players believe that if the Cosmodrome mission and Thunderlord weapon are coming to Destiny 2, it will be a part of the Festival of the Lost, a limited-time Halloween-themed event currently going on right now. As part of the event, on October 30, you'll have access to a new quest line where you can track down Master Ives' killers. Bungie has remained rather coy on what these quests are, simply stating in a blog post that there will be "powerful" rewards.Destiny 2 is available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC. Festival of the Lost continues until November 6 at 10 AM PST / 1 PM EST / 6 PM BST.Info from Gamespot.com
2018-10-24
Microsoft has announced four Xbox One backwards compatible games have been X-enhanced. This means that these Xbox 360 titles run at a higher resolution and nine times the original pixel count on an Xbox One X.All four games--Portal: Still Alive, Half-Life 2: The Orange Box, Left 4 Dead, and Left 4 Dead 2--are developed by Valve. When all is said and done, it's technically five games, as Half Life 2: The Orange Box is a combined collection of Half-Life 2, Portal: Still Alive, and Team Fortress 2. You can buy the games digitally from the Xbox Store or use the original Xbox 360 discs. The addition of these four games brings the number of Xbox One backwards compatible X-enhanced titles to 21, a list that also includes games like Red Dead Redemption and Skate 3.First releasing in 2007--as part of Valve's The Orange Box bundle--Portal: Still Alive is a 3D puzzle platformer that focuses on a battle of wits between the silent protagonist Chell and the psychopathic A.I. antagonist GLaDOS. Half-Life 2 and Team Fortress 2 have had long-standing effects on the video game industry, such as the former playing a huge part in the success of Steam's launch and the latter inspiring titles like Overwatch. The Left 4 Dead series temporarily revitalized interest in zombie video games with campaigns centered around teamwork-based first-person shooter combat and a multiplayer horde mode.Starting today, four more Xbox One Backward Compatibility titles will be enhanced for Xbox One X. Enjoy playing Half-Life 2: The Orange Box, Portal: Still Alive, Left 4 Dead, and Left 4 Dead 2 with enhanced visuals and higher resolutions on Xbox One X https://t.co/7q7myPS0gC pic.twitter.com/bdUjeDvnhG — Larry Hryb (@majornelson) October 18, 2018All of these games have received near perfect scores on GameSpot for their impressive gameplay and well written stories. In our Portal: Still Alive review, we gave the game a 9/10. In our Half-Life 2 review, we gave the game a 9.2/10. In our Team Fortress 2 review, we gave the game an 8/10. In our reviews for Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2, we gave the former an 8.5/10 and the latter a 9/10.Info from Gamespot.com
2018-10-24
Crunchyroll has announced that Funimation has decided to break off the two anime streaming services' partnership. Both Crunchyroll and Funimation have been partnered for the past two years, but the two will officially split on November 9.While partnered, the websites have been working together to simulcast certain anime in both Japanese and English, so that viewers can choose to watch popular series--like My Hero Academia and Attack on Titan--in either language on the same day. Prior to the partnership, most anime released in Japanese with English subtitles first, and anyone who wanted to watch the series in English would have to wait weeks for it to be dubbed.Crunchyroll has confirmed that all currently-airing "simulcasts and series that premiered during the partnership will continue to be available on Crunchyroll" and "all home video releases will be released as scheduled and all pre-orders will be fulfilled." However, after November 9, Funimation will no longer be offered as a part of the VRV bundle--a service which allows you to subscribe to dozens of animation streaming services such as Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, and Machinima.com for a discounted price. Also, certain series will be dropped from Crunchyoll and Funimation.Although an official partnership with Crunchyroll hasn't been announced, Hidive is joining the VRV family. Smaller than both Crunchyroll and Funimation, Hidive has made a name for itself by streaming some of the best anime exclusives from the past two years--and the website shares series in both Japanese and English. 2017's Princess Principal and Land of the Lustrous are especially memorable, and the currently airing Bloom Into You is one of the most gorgeous anime series we've ever seen. The streaming service is owned by Sentai Filmworks so it also shares anime licensed by the company, like the critically acclaimed zombie ecchi Highschool of the Dead and award-winning Made in Abyss.Although we reached out, Crunchyroll declined to comment on whether Hidive's induction into VRV would mean the two websites would start sharing their exclusives. Crunchyroll also declined to comment on whether Hidive would start dubbing some of Crunchyroll's shows. However, the streaming service did tease that more announcements will be shared prior to the end of 2018.If you're looking for anime to watch on Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hidive, check out our Fall 2018 anime watch guide. It includes every anime debuting on the three websites, as well as Netflix and Amazon, and lists the seven series that you should add to your queue.Info from Gamespot.com
2018-10-24
Season 3 of Netflix's Daredevil has released, and viewers have noticed the series is using songs from the soundtracks from a few popular video games. The series recap, for example, uses Mass Effect 3's Leaving Earth. Episode 2 includes an Easter egg that's a bit closer to home--music from Insomniac's Spider-Man, a game that's about another Marvel superhero who operates in the same city as Daredevil.In Marvel comics, each district of New York City is defended by a different hero--a pattern that the Marvel Cinematic Universe copies. Spider-Man defends Queens, for example, while Luke Cage looks over Harlem, and Daredevil primarily operates in Hell's Kitchen. These heroes do cross into each other's jurisdictions from time to time, and even team up--like in Netflix's The Defenders--when their combined strength is needed to protect New York City.In the comics, Daredevil and Spider-Man have regularly teamed up--the former has even helped out the latter with legal issues more than once--so including Spider-Man's soundtrack in Daredevil is a nice little nod to the two heroes' relationship. Although both Spider-Man and Daredevil are a part of the MCU, Peter Parker and Matt Murdock have not met each other on screen yet.In our Daredevil Season 3 review, GameSpot senior entertainment editor Michael Rougeau wrote, "So yeah, Daredevil is back. And thanks to its much needed laser focus on the characters and stories fans actually care about, you don't even need to be caught up; If you watched Daredevil Season 1 and then stopped, you could pick up again right at the start of Season 3. That definitely says something about how forgettable much of what came in the interim was. But regardless of where you've been all this time, Daredevil Season 3 is worth returning for."Info from Gamespot.com
2018-10-24
World War 3, an online first-person shooter developed by The Farm 51, released in early access on October 19. The launch was not a smooth one, though, and the game continues to suffer from severe bugs and connectivity issues. The Farm 51 has continued to roll out patches for World War 3 to address its issues, and the developer has provided regular updates on the game's situation via Twitter and Steam."We've taken it upon ourselves to crush every bug you reported, to iron out every single wrinkle on the canvas of our game--all that to satisfy you and make our game stand out from the early access crowd as a polished, well-cared for and properly managed title," The Farm 51 wrote in a Steam blog post. "Unfortunately our ranks are thin. Despite our dedication and resolve some technical issues prevent us from delivering what we want you to experience."According to Rock, Paper, Shotgun, The Farm 51 has implemented numerous patches over the three days following World War 3's launch. The game remains fairly buggy however, and numerous players are still struggling to get into a match without being dropped.World War 3 is a tactics-based shooter that focuses on modern-day, realistic shooter combat. You aren't able to perform near-superhuman feats, and you're at a disadvantage if you choose to fight solo. Operating as a team is crucial for success. Multiplayer matches host up to 64 players at a time, and each team is forced to work together to both defend their position and overwhelm their opponents'. In Warzone mode, you'll fight in massive Battlefield-like battles. Meanwhile, Recon mode is smaller and tasks players with securing "high-value targets in hostile territory."World War 3 is available on PC in early access. The Farm 51 is considering bringing the game to consoles, but the team has not confirmed anything yet.Info from Gamespot.com
2018-10-24
Capcom has announced three fairly expensive Ultra Limited Edition bundles for Devil May Cry 5. For now, all three bundles are scheduled to release exclusively in Japan.The most expensive Ultra Limited Edition, according to Kotaku, costs 972,000 yen. With tax, that's about $8,600 USD / 6,631 GBP. The bundle includes the game, interchangeable box art, and Dante's leather jacket, stylized off what the character's motion actor wore for the game.There's a cheaper version of the Ultra Limited Edition that comes with Nero's jacket instead and costs 810,000 yen, or about $7,176 USD / 5,533 GBP. You can buy the bundle with Nero's jacket undamaged, like in previous games, or slightly ripped up like how it appears in DMC 5. The version of the bundle that comes with V's jacket has the lowest price tag at 648,000 yen. That's about $5,741 USD / 4,427 GBP.If you don't want to import the game from Japan, or simply wish to avoid dropping a few thousand dollars on a video game, Devil May Cry 5 has a cheaper Deluxe Edition. Only costing $70 USD, the Deluxe Edition includes three Devilbreaker weapons, live-action cutscenes, 12 music tracks from Devil May Cry 1-4, the Cavaliere motorcycle weapon for Dante, and other digital content.Devil May Cry 5 is the first mainline game in the series since 2008's Devil May Cry 4. Both Dante and Nero return in DMC 5 as playable characters, and they're joined by a strange newcomer named V. The story takes place several years after the events of DMC 4, with Nero setting up his own demon hunting agency and Dante and V working together to solve mysterious events happening around the world.Devil May Cry 5 releases for Xbox One, PS4, and PC on March 8, 2019.Info from Gamespot.com
2018-10-24
Titan Comics has announced that the final chapter of Assassin's Creed Uprising is out. Uprising Vol. 3: Finale concludes the Phoenix Project saga, which was first introduced in Assassin's Creed Unity but can be traced all the way back to the original game.The Phoenix Project saga is a present-day Assassin's Creed story that focuses on the return of Juno, the god-like Isu who believes humanity's salvation lies in her ruling over them. In Assassin's Creed III, it was revealed that she had been guiding Desmond Miles towards freeing her from captivity since the first game. Her consciousness returned without a body in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, and when she failed to possess the player's character at the end of the game, her lover--John Standish--went insane and was subsequently killed.Abstergo studied Standish's body and realized he was one of the immortal Sages who is reborn over and over again. In Assassin's Creed Unity, Abstergo started the Phoenix Project, a venture to use what was learned from Standish's DNA to clone an Isu. The present-day Assassins eventually realized Juno was manipulating Abstergo to create her a new, perfect body and set out to stop her--which was Desmond Miles' dying wish. Although the games set this plot line up, and have returned to it several times in recent titles, the story has mostly been told through the Uprising graphic novel.Many of the new present-day characters from Assassin's Creed Odyssey that seemingly came out of nowhere were first introduced in Uprising. The graphic novel is comprised of 12 issues, which have been divided evenly into three volumes. Uprising Vol. 1: Common Ground continues the story of Charlotte de la Cruz--first introduced in Assassin's Creed: Assassins--who's one of the leading members of the modern-day Assassin's Brotherhood.Charlotte discovers what Abstergo is planning with the Phoenix Project in Common Ground, which kicks off the present-day events of Assassin's Creed Unity. Uprising Vol. 2: Inflection Point occurs at the same time as Unity and Syndicate, following Charlotte and her team as they continue to delve into the Phoenix Project and discover there's a third party playing both the Assassins and Abstergo. Uprising Vol. 3: Finale finishes the story, occurring alongside the events of Origins and referenced briefly in Odyssey.Info from Gamespot.com
2018-10-24
The fall 2018 anime season is underway, and there's a bunch of new series airing on Netflix, Amazon, Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hidive. Here are our seven top recommendations you should add to your queue.Of all the anime this season, Bloom Into You is the must watch. This love story between two high school girls also addresses the pressures of living with low self-worth and the struggles of understanding asexual love. Despite the heaviness of the story's drama, there are both brief snippets of hilarity and quiet moments of internal resilience that draw you into the changing dynamic between the second-year student council president--who can't escape her dead sister's shadow--and the young first-year--who dreams of falling in love but doesn't feel the emotions that manga and music say she should.Animated by Troyca, Inc--the studio responsible for the spectacular 2017 anime Re:Creators--and featuring music by Michiru Oshima--who's composed music for anime like Fullmetal Alchemist and video games like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess--Bloom Into You might be the most gorgeous anime this season, both to watch and listen to. The series is exclusively airing on Hidive in both Japanese and English.Zombie Land Saga is about an ordinary high school girl who leaves her house to start her first day of school--only to be struck and killed by a passing truck. She wakes up 10 years later, revived as a zombie by an eccentric young man who wants to manage an idol group entirely composed of the living dead. The story mixes together idol tropes and common zombie story stereotypes to create something truly bizarre, but it's all surprisingly fun to watch. The series airs in English on Funimation and in Japanese on Crunchyroll.A bit more somber, Iroduku: The World in Colors is a series about a teenage witch, named Hitomi, who's colorblind and lives in the year 2078. That is, until her grandmother transports Hitomi 60 years into the past to 2018. Now lost in a world she doesn't completely recognize and lacking the know-how to complete certain tasks--like needing paper money to pay for things--Hitomi struggles to find the teenager who will one day grow up to be her grandmother so she can go home. The anime is already setting itself up to explore similar themes to what we saw in 2016's Orange. Which isn't surprising, as Yuuko Kakihara--who worked on the script for five of Orange's episodes--is the writer for The World in Colors.This season also features a few new isekai--stories where a normal person from our world is transported to another--but the one you want to watch is That Time I got Reincarnated as a Slime. It's pretty much exactly about what the name implies. A dude from our world dies and he's reborn as a cute little blob of sentient goo in a fantasy world of dragons and goblins. The series is a little weird at first, but stick with it--the manga that the anime is based on goes to some charming places. The show is airing in the original Japanese on Crunchyroll and in English on Funimation.Ms. Vampire who lives in my neighborhood is a cute story about a doll-loving middle-schooler moving in with a centuries-old otaku vampire who looks to be no older than a high school first-year. The first episode tackles the "but where are the parents" problem that most anime have with a humorous twist, and flips the regular person meeting a vampire dynamic by having the normal girl be the strange one with habits that are difficult to comprehend. The first episode of Ms. Vampire who lives in my neighborhood possesses tremendous comedic timing and plays off your expectations of slice-of-life tropes in pretty hilarious ways. You can watch the anime on Crunchyroll.Golden Kamuy returns on Crunchyroll and Funimation with a second season, continuing the adventures of our favorite band of ridiculous treasure seekers who are racing to find certain escaped convicts who have strange tattoos all over their bodies. When combined, the tattoos complete map that leads to a massive pile of gold, which pretty much everyone in the anime wants for themselves. Golden Kamuy's first season aired this past spring, and ended fairly abruptly in the middle of the anime's story, so it's good to see the show continue again so quickly.Castlevania is also getting its second season this fall. Once again, the anime is exclusive to Netflix, but that also means you get the whole season up front. Capturing the aesthetic of the video game Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Castlevania the anime portrays the bloody tale of Trevor Belmont's quest to defeat Dracula. Castlevania delves into murder, gore, and heroes and villains that are both right in their own way and also deeply flawed. Think Berserk or Devilman Crybaby. Castlevania can be unsettling at times, but the show captures the essence of the Castlevania video game because of itThe full list of anime series and movies that have been confirmed to premier this fall on Amazon, Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hidive, and Netflix are listed below. We'll update the list if additional titles are announced.Fall 2018 Anime Release Date Schedule (U.S.)AmazonOctober 5 Boarding School JulietIroduku: The World in ColorsOctober 11 Le Cirque de KarakuriCrunchyrollOctober 1 That Time I Go Reincarnated as a SlimeOctober 3 RErideD: Derrida, who leaps through timeOctober 4 Zombie Land SagaOctober 5 Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Part 5: Golden WindOctober 6 Goblin SlayerRadiantSSSS GridmanSword Art Online: AlicizationOctober 7 Ulysses: Jeanne d'Arc and the Alchemist KnightOctober 8 Golden Kamuy (Season 2)October 12 Senran Kagura Shinovi MasterFunimationOctober 1 Space Battleship Tiramisu Zwei (Season 2)That Time I Go Reincarnated as a SlimeOctober 6 Ace Attorney (Season 2)SSSS GridmanOctober 8 Golden Kamuy (Season 2)October 9 Tokyo Ghoul:re (Season 2)HidiveOctober 1 The Girl in TwilightOctober 5 Bloom Into YouOctober 7 Release The SpyceNetflixOctober 3 Violet Evergarden: SpecialOctober 15 The Seven Deadly Sins: Revival of The CommandmentsOctober 26 Castlevania (Season 2)October 30 Fate/EXTRA Last Encore: Illustrias Geocentrism TheoryInfo from Gamespot.com
2018-10-24
The NPD Group has released its monthly report for September, revealing the consoles and games that sold the best in the United States during the month.Starting with games, Sony's PS4 exclusive Spider-Man topped the charts and set a new record for highest launch-month dollar sales for any PlayStation exclusive ever. The game made more money over its launch than any other title across the entire industry this year. To put Spider-Man's success into further perspective, the NPD said first-month sales were 37 percent higher than the combined launch-month sales of every other Spider-Man game released since 1995.NBA 2K19 landed at No. 2 in September, and it enjoyed the highest launch-month dollar sales of any sports game released since NPD started tracking in 1995. NBA 2K19 also had the best launch of any game in the NBA 2K franchise in history.Assassin's Creed: Odyssey made the September chart, landing at No. 3, and it enjoyed double-digit sales growth compared to Assassin's Creed: Origins. The NPD's tracking period for September ran until October 6, just one day after Odyssey launched.Another September highlight was Forza Horizon 4, which had the "highest launch month dollar sales in Forza franchise history, and is the biggest launch for a racing game on any Xbox platform in history. Forza Horizon 4 was the seventh best-selling game of September."September's Shadow of the Tomb Raider debuted at No. 5, but sales dropped compared to the launch month for Rise of the Tomb Raider. Overall, total game sales reached $747 million in September, which is flat compared to last year.On the hardware side, the PS4 was the best-selling console in September in terms of units sold and dollars spent. September was the best month for unit sales of any console (beside a non plug-n-play system) since September 2014. Specifically, the PS4 Slim 1 TB system was the month's best-selling piece of hardware in terms of unit sales and dollar amount.Xbox One sales were strong as well, rising 30 percent compared to a year ago. The Xbox One X 1 TB system is the best-selling Xbox One console for the year for dollars and units sold, which is surprising given the Xbox One S is less expensive. Overall, hardware spending dropped 3 percent to $306 million compared to last year. As mentioned, the PS4 and Xbox One posted gains, but they were not strong enough to offset the declines from other systems.Hardware spending in September 2018 fell 3 percent when compared to a year ago, to $306 million. Significant gains in spending on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One hardware were offset by declines across all other platforms.September 2018 Game SalesSeptember All PlatformsSpider-ManNBA 2K19Assassin's Creed OdysseyFIFA 19^Shadow of the Tomb RaiderMadden NFL 19^Forza Horizon 4Destiny 2^Super Mario Party*NHL 19Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive AgeWWE 2K19Grand Theft Auto VMario Kart 8*Naruto To Boruto: Shinobi StrikerRainbow Six: SiegeCrash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy^Super Mario Odyssey*The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*Minecraft***Year To Date All PlatformsFar Cry 5God of WarSpider-ManMonster hunter: WorldNBA 2K19Madden NFL 19*Grand Theft Auto VCall of Duty: WWII^Dragon Ball: FighterzMario Kart 8*All Platforms Ending September 2018Call of Duty: WWII^Super Mario Odyssey*Far Cry 5Star Wars: Battlefront II^NBA 2K18Assassin's Creed OriginsGod of WarSpider-ManMonster Hunter: WorldNBA 2K19September Xbox OneNBA 2K19Forza Horizon 4Assassin's Creed OdysseyFIFA 19Shadow of the Tomb RaiderDestiny 2Madden NFL 19NHL 19WWE 2K19Grand Theft Auto VSeptember PS4Spider-ManNBA 2K19FIFA 19Assassin's Creed OdysseyShadow of the Tomb RaiderMadden NFL 19Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive AgeDestiny 2NHL 19WWE 2K19September Nintendo Switch (no digital sales)Super Mario PartyMario Kart 8Super Mario OdysseyThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildMega Man 11Mario Tennis AcesSplatoon 2Donkey Kong Country: Tropical FreezeMonster Hunter: Generations UltimateCrash Bandicoot: N. Sane TrilogySeptember 3DS (no digital sales)Pokemon Ultra SunPokemon Ultra MoonMario Kart 7Super Smash Bros.MinecraftSuper Mario 3D LandYo-Kai Watch Blasters: Red Cat CorpsWarioware: GoldMario Party: The Top 100Yo-Kai Watch Blasters: White Dog Squad*Digital sales not included^ PC digital sales not included*** includes 100% of physical and digital on Sony and Microsoft consolesInfo from Gamespot.com
2018-10-24
Battle royale style games took off in popularity last year thanks to PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and reached new heights with Fortnite. Now, the Call of Duty franchise has hopped onto the fray with Black Ops 4's new Blackout mode, which you can read about in our Black Ops 4 review. If you haven't experienced battle royale for yourself, but plan on hopping into Black Ops 4, this is for you. We'll run through some of the basics of the mode and cover the ways in which Call of Duty puts its own spin on it.Battle Royale 101First off, you can enter matches either as a lone wolf (solo), with a partner (duos), or a team of four (quads); you'll be matched with up to 100 players who choose the same group size option. Every player gets flown over the map in the same trajectory--visualized when you pull up the map--and it's up to you when and where to drop. Exiting the helicopter has you deploying your wingsuit, and you can glide horizontally to go further out or look straight down to drop faster.The overall goal is to be the last player or team standing since everyone has one life, which makes combat encounters much more tense and risky compared to traditional Call of Duty multiplayer. Now more than ever, you should be aware of your surroundings; that or have a teammate watch your back. Also keep in mind that you can revive squadmates if they fall, but be sure to do so before they bleed out or take more damage from enemies.Another basic ingredient of battle royale is the impending pressure of a deadly circle closing in on the battlefield. Every match has the circle contracting on a random area of the map, and it gets smaller as the match goes on to force remaining players into combat. If you get caught outside the circle, you'll take damage until you can get into the safe zone.A Huge Map To TraverseBlackout's map is much larger than any previous Call of Duty map since it has to accommodate 100 players. However with size of the map, it also induces a slower pace; so expect plenty of downtime between encounters. This change of pace may take a while for Call of Duty veterans to adjust to, but it also feeds into the high-stakes nature of combat in battle royale games since one small mistake can cost you an entire match.There are 14 concentrated areas in the Blackout map, many of which pay homage to past Black Ops maps. For example, Nuketown Island, Estate, and Array will look and feel similar to the multiplayer maps they're named after. The in-between of these main locations is interspersed with smaller towns and groups of buildings that can have valuable loot. But vast forestry and open fields make up most of the terrain, so be on-guard when traversing between locations as firefights may break out at any moment.The full map in Blackout mode.Luckily, vehicles litter the map. An ATV doesn't provide much protection but it can get up to two players around from point A to point B fairly quickly. The cargo truck fits up to five players and doesn't leave the squad as vulnerable, but it moves pretty slow. Getting through the river that splits the middle of the map is quite easy with a zodiac boat, which holds up to four players. And unlike most battle royales, Blackout features air transportation via the helicopter that has five seats total. That's not the only means of air travel, though; you can deploy your wingsuit by sprinting and jumping off a building and holding the jump button.Loot Your LoadoutYou start each match without anything in your inventory and must loot all your equipment--a stark contrast to Call of Duty's tradition of letting players customize their loadouts. You're allowed to carry two weapons and have to scavenge for the proper ammo type for each as well. The following is a list of all the weapons available to loot in Blackout:Pistols: Strife, MozuSMGs: SAUG-9mm, MX9, GKS, Spitfire, CorditeShotguns: MOG 12, SG12Assault Rifles: KN-57, ICR-7, VAPR-XKG, Maddox RFB, Rampart 17Tactical Rifles: Auger DMR, Swordfish, ABR 223, Essex Model 07Sniper Rifles: Koshka, Paladin HB50LMGs: TitanExplosives: War Machine, Hellion SalvoZombie Weapons: Ray Gun, Galil, MP-40, ZweihanderAttachments are crucial for getting the most out of your weapons. A reflect sight or 4x scope will come in clutch for nailing precise shots with ADS, and a grip or stock will help control your recoil, but you need to scavenge for those items and get them onto your gun. Zombie weapons add a twist to combat, which can be found in zombie supply stashes after killing AI-controlled zombie hordes at certain locations in the map, like the Asylum. Even the sillier items find their way into Blackout, like the Ray Gun, Monkey Bomb, Acid Bomb, and RC Car (though it doesn't explode). Look out for blue beacons that shine in the sky as this indicates stash locations where you may get your hands on these rare items.Inventory management in Blackout mode.You'll also have to loot armor in Blackout; there are three levels and each one provides better protection (level 3 armor is the only one that'll protect from headshots). Backpacks open up five additional item slots, which comes in handy later in a match as you loot more useful equipment. And it goes without saying that stocking up on health items is important, too; first aid and med kits heal 25 and 50 health, respectively. Trauma kits will fully heal you and tack on an additional 50 health temporarily.Be on the lookout for supply crates that randomly drop onto the map throughout the match; you're likely to find high-level loot, but creates a hotspot for preying enemies.The Perks Of Call Of DutyIn another interesting twist, Blackout's take on battle royale also brings in the familiar Perks system, which act as consumable items found across the map. Each perk has a specific effect, usage limit, and duration. While some may be more useful than others, it's important to know what your equipped perk does as it can make the difference between life and death, especially in their most effective situations. The following is a perk list and what they do:Awareness: Louder enemy footsteps. (Usage: 2, Duration: 2 mins)Brawler: Increases melee damage, gain 50 health for each melee attack landed. (Usage: 1, Duration: 4 mins)Consumer: Health and consumable items activate 50% faster. (Usage: 1, Duration: 5 mins)Dead Silence: Silent movement and less noise when opening stashes. (Usage: 2, Duration: 4 mins)Engineer: Reveal all nearby vehicles and enemy equipment. (Usage: 2, Duration: 4 mins)Iron Lungs: Steady aim with scoped weapons and underwater breathing time increased. (Usage: 2, Duration: 5 mins)Medic: Health items and team revives replenish more health and with faster activation. (Usage: 2, Duration: 4 mins)Mobility: Movement and weapon switch is faster, fire and use items while sprinting, move fast while reloading. Fall damage negated. (Usage: 2, Duration: 5 mins)Looter: Reveals nearby loot and stashes. (Usage: 3, Duration: 2 mins)Outlander: Take less damage and move faster when outside safe zone. (Usage: 2, Duration: 3 mins)Reinforced: Reduce explosion and fire damage. Reduce effectiveness of razor wire, flashbangs, and concussion grenades. (Usage: 3, Duration: 4 mins)Skulker: Faster crouch and prone movement. (Usage: 3, Duration: 3 mins)Stimulant: Increase health cap by 100. (Usage: 2, Duration 3 mins)Squad Link: Teammates visible through walls. (Usage: 2, Duration: 2 mins)Paranoia: Audio cues for when you're targeted by an enemy via ADS. (Usage: 2, Duration: 4 mins)Black Ops 3 introduced Specialists, unique characters that provided a variety of ways to play the game with their own attributes and abilities--akin to a hero shooter. While you can choose to play as a certain Specialist in Blackout, the equipment that was once tied to them are now items found in the field. Those abilities--such as the razor wire, mesh mines, and grappling hook--are hard to find, but they can give you a significant advantage when used in the right situation.You can unlock different characters to play as in Blackout, as detailed in our guide on that subject.TipsThose are the basics when it comes to playing Call of Duty Black Ops 4's Blackout mode. Battle royale veterans may know how the rules work, but the equipment system and map are still things that need to be experimented with and explored on your own. The most important thing to do is to play more and more matches to get a feel for how Call of Duty's take on battle royale flows. And now that you know what you're getting into, take the next step and check out our Blackout beginner's guide.For a more comparative look, see how Blackout, Fortnite, and PUBG differ from one another. We've spent a lot of time with the game and working to reach a verdict on it, but check out our Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 early review impressions in the mean time.Info from Gamespot.com
2018-10-24
Although Call of Duty's popular multiplayer and Zombies modes return in Black Ops 4, it's the new battle royale mode, Blackout, that's making waves. At its core, Blackout utilizes the same basic formula as other battle royale games, like PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and Fortnite, but Black Ops 4 implements some unique mechanics to differentiate itself from the competition.One of the more notable additions is the inclusion of perks. Perks do have a long-standing history in Call of Duty, but the mechanic hasn't been seen in any of the other major battle royale games yet. In Blackout, you can hold onto the perks you find and use them whenever you want, much like the weapons and items you scavenge throughout the match. However, just as long-range weapons have more value at the start of a battle royale and short-range weapons at the end, each perk in Blackout is best suited for different stages of the game.In this guide, we break down all of Blackout's perks into three categories: early-game, mid-game, and end-game. If you're new to Call of Duty, or just struggling to figure out when a specific perk should be used, this guide should help.Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. In our review, GameSpot reviews editor Kallie Plagge awarded the game an 8/10, describing Blackout as a mesh of both "multiplayer and Zombies for a take on the battle royale genre that stands on its own."Other Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 GuidesBlack Ops 4 - Overall Tips For Blackout, Multiplayer, And ZombiesBlack Ops 4 - Everything We KnowBlackout - Blackout 101Blackout - Unlocking Every CharacterBlackout - 11 Useful Tips For Before You Start PlayingZombies - Voyage Of Despair Starter TipsEarly-GameIn the beginning of any battle royale, there's not much risk. You might run into an armed opponent before you've found a weapon yourself, but dying so soon isn't too bad. You can just immediately queue up again into another match. So if you do happen upon a valuable perk, save it and don't waste it. Instead, look for and use perks that will get you past the initial scramble for weapons, armor, and health.Looter: Reveals nearby loot and stashes, which is great for arming yourself if you haven't found a weapon.Engineer: Reveals all nearby vehicles and enemy equipment, which helps you find transportation for reaching high-level loot areas before other players.Brawler: Increases melee damage and gain 50 health for each melee attack landed, which is really only ideal if you happen to be unlucky enough to not find a single weapon.Mid-GameThe mid-game is the slowest portion of any battle royale game. You'll run into small pockets of other players but your biggest concern is staying ahead of the encroaching danger zone. At this point, you and everyone else still alive should already have at least one weapon, so you have to be careful when entering buildings. When trying to survive until the final two circles, you'll want to rely on perks that ensure you can outmaneuver both the danger zone and enemy players.Outlander: Take less damage and move faster when outside the safe zone, which helps if you find yourself caught in the danger zone and struggling to return to safety.Squad Link: Teammates become visible through walls, so you can easily find your friends if they're suddenly ambushed while you're all looting.Paranoia: Creates an audio cue for when you're being targeted by an enemy, which is more valuable now than in the end-game. You'll be contending with more snipers in the mid-game.Awareness: Makes enemy footsteps louder, which is helpful for identifying threats if you're holed up in a building while you're waiting for the end-game.Dead Silence: Silences your movements when running and opening stashes, which, like Awareness, is ideal for making sure you can look through a house without fear of ambush.Skulker: Moving while crouched and prone, which you'll specifically be doing a lot of in the mid-game to avoid snipers, is made faster.Iron Lungs: Gives you steady aim while scoped and allows you to breathe underwater for longer periods of time. The former makes you a better sniper--which is ideal for mid-game--and the latter helps if you're escaping an enemy player or an approaching danger zone by swimming underwater.End-GameThe remaining five perks are best saved for the final two circles in Blackout. At this point, there shouldn't be more than 20 players and everyone will be very close together. It's a near constant firefight, and you'll have to suffer more than a couple hits if you haven't found an ideal position to hole up.With that in mind, you'll want to focus almost exclusively on offense at this point. Blindly running around won't help, but closing the gap on your enemy and dealing quick, powerful damage is key. Grenades come into play a lot more in the end-game, so even if you're not the target, you'll have to contend with flashbangs and splash damage. You always want to be able to see your enemy so you know when to heal and when to fight back.Consumer: Health and consumable items activate 50% faster, so you can both heal yourself and your teammates more quickly.Medic: Health items and team revives replenish more health and activate faster, which lets you use your healing items more efficiently and not waste them after taking severe damage.Mobility: You move and switch weapons more quickly, while also being able to fire, use items, and reload while sprinting. You also don't take any fall damage. Being able to run, gun down an enemy, and quickly reload is invaluable near the end of Blackout.Reinforced: Reduces explosion and fire damage, as well as the effect of razor wire, flasbangs, and concussion grenades, which is helpful for both dealing with enemy grenades as well as any bad throws on you or your teammates' part.Stimulant: Increases health cap by 100, which increases your likelihood of surviving more powerful weapons and nearby grenades. Info from Gamespot.com