Only a couple years after Fallout 4's release, Bethesda surprised fans by officially announcing Fallout 76, the next entry in its beloved post-apocalyptic RPG franchise. The new game was revealed in a trailer after a series of teases, and Bethesda discussed it in more detail at E3 2018 and at QuakeCon 2018. We even got an opportunity to play the game at a recent hands-on preview event. While there's still so much we do not yet know about Bethesda's upcoming game, the company has offered some clarity on Fallout 76's most curious features and additions to the Fallout formula.To ensure you're kept up to date on everything there is to know about Fallout 76, we've compiled all the information we have on the game so far: our in-depth preview, the platforms it's on, its online functionality, its anti-griefing features, and where the game falls in the series' timeline.Table of Contents [hide]What is Fallout 76?Who's Developing It?Is It An Online Survival Game?How Big Is The World?What Can You Do?How Does Character Creation And Progression Work?How Does PvP Work?How It Plays: Our In-Depth PreviewAny Voice Chat?When's the Beta?Release DateWhat is Fallout 76?Fallout 76 is a prequel to all of the previous Fallout games. Set in 2102, you play an inhabitant of Vault 76 who emerges from the shelter 25 years after the bombs fell on America. Your task is simple: explore what remains of post-apocalyptic America and rebuild civilization.Longtime fans will likely recognize Vault 76; although it's not a place we've visited before, this isn't the series' first mention of it. Both Fallout 3 and 4 reference it and, according to the Fallout Wikia, this West Virginia-based vault was occupied by 500 of of America's best and brightest minds. Unlike the more grotesque experimental vaults in the Fallout universe, Vault 76 is a control vault intended to be opened 20 or so years after a nuclear war. But if the Vault was supposed to open 20 years after the bombs fell, why have 25 years gone by? The story likely has a few surprises in store.Fallout 76 uses the Creation Engine, the same engine used to make Fallout 4, but it will purportedly feature much more graphical detail than its predecessor. Game director Todd Howard has said that Fallout 76 has new rendering and lighting technology, which allows for "16 times" the detail.Who's Developing It?Bethesda Game Studios, the Maryland-based developer responsible for the Elder Scrolls series and both Fallout 3 and Fallout 4, is at work on the game. In addition, Bethesda Game Studios Austin--formerly BattleCry Studios--assisted in fine-tuning the Creation Engine to support multiplayer functionality.Is It An Online Survival Game?Fallout 76 is a much different sort of game from its predecessors. It's "entirely online," but don't worry, you'll be able to play it solo too. According to Bethesda, the idea to take this approach to open-world survival came four years ago, when it started to work on building a multiplayer Fallout experience. Howard described the game's approach to survival as "softcore," which means death doesn't equal loss of progression.You can form a party with up to three other players. You won't be able to manage your placement in servers when you login, as you'll automatically be inserted into a session with others upon booting up the game. Of course, you also have the option simply join alongside your friends and play together.Howard commented that Fallout 76 will have dedicated servers that will support the game "now and for years to come." At launch, there will only be public servers, but Bethesda plans to introduce private servers that will allow players to invite friends to play in order to prevent undesirable behavior.Some classic mechanics from past games will be changing to accommodate the shift to online play. For example, V.A.T.S has been reconfigured to work in real time, while still allowing players to target specific enemy body parts. But this time around, it has been updated to be more of a tool that allows you to spot out dangers in the environment.How Big Is The World?According to Howard, Fallout 76's world is four times the size of Fallout 4. There are six different regions to explore, and each has its own unique style, risks, and rewards. Confirmed areas include the West Virginia State Capitol, The Greenbrier, Woodburn Circle, New River Gorge Bridge, and Camden Park. Contained within each area is a variety of new creatures to encounter, some of which are based on West Virginian folklore. You can take at the full map in the image below.What Can You Do?Like previous games, players will spend the majority of their time exploring and completing quests. However, Fallout 76 will not feature any human non-player characters, as all surviving humans will be controlled by active players. Instead, the game will use combination of robot NPCs, collectible recordings, and environmental storytelling in order to give players what they need to piece together quests and the story at large.Given the game's premise of rebuilding the world, there will be base-building elements similar to Fallout 4. You will be able to set up a bases anywhere using an item called the Construction and Assembly Mobile Platform, or CAMP. These can be placed down in the world and allow you to construct an impromptu camp. At E3, we got to see the player laying down walls and decorating the base with pool tables, toilets, and other household objects. As the "mobile platform" part of the name implies, your CAMP can also be picked up and relocated, allowing you to move your base anywhere in the world.While you can help build the world, you can also destroy it. If you have the necessary nuclear launch codes, it's actually possible to access a missile silo to fire a nuke at any point on the map. Doing so irradiates the chosen area, but it also allows for the opportunity to discover rare weapons, gear, and items. Be wary; nuking an area also causes more powerful enemies to show up, making it more difficult to survive. But don't be discouraged by this, the CAMP blueprint system makes it easy for players to quickly rebuild their homes, and if they're privy to an incoming threat, they can pack their things and move to a new location.As an online experience, player choice is said to be incredibly important, going as far as giving players the freedom to choose who are the heroes and who are the villains. Early footage showcased multiple players engaging in combat and participating in friendly activities, which seems to indicate that players have the freedom to choose their paths in the world of Fallout 76.How Does Character Creation And Progression Work?You'll have similar character creation tools as Fallout 4. However, you're free to change your appearance at any point. In addition, you can also utilize the game's new photo mode during the creation process to better see how your character looks, as well as snap some shots you can share on social media.The SPECIAL system returns and it's a bit different. Like previous games, SPECIAL encompasses the following stats: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, Luck. You're given one point to put into any of those stats every time you level up. The first thing you do when you emerge from the vault is pick a SPECIAL and then you pick a perk in that particular SPECIAL. Essentially, every SPECIAL is a pool of points for your perks.But unlike previous games, perks are now cards you can equip and unlock as you rank up in a given SPECIAL; though, you're free to swap cards out at any time if you want to alter your build. Each SPECIAL characteristic you develop has a perk card cap of 15. These perk cards can be enhanced further from one to five points to increase their power.You can obtain additional perk cards via Perk Card Packs (four random cards), which you earn every two levels initially (1-10), and then every 5 after that. You can also pick one perk card per level, usually from your SPECIAL choice. There are hundreds of Perks cards you can unlock, so naturally SPECIAL ranks cap out after a while (you gain a rank up in a SPECIAL each time you level up). At level 50, you'll stop increasing SPECIAL ranks, but you'll still get card packs.How Does PvP Work?When you shoot someone you do a little bit of damage, which can be equated to lightly slapping them in order to challenge them to a duel. In response to this, the other player can choose to ignore or engage. If they engage in a battle with you, they'll start to take full damage. The one who is killed in this consenting PvP match has the option to seek revenge. Doing so gives that person the opportunity to get double the rewards granted they're successful.If you'd rather choose to ignore a PvP match, there's no way to escape being killed--despite the small damage dealt to you during the initiation phases. However, if you are killed by a player under these circumstances, that player becomes a Wanted Murderer and will receive no rewards from having killed you.A Wanted Murderer is marked on the map as a red star and a bounty is placed on their head. Players looking to cash in on this bounty aren't visible on the Murderer's map. If the murderer is killed, the money from that bounty is taken out their stock.In order to give players time to properly acclimate to how Fallout 76 plays, PvP won't be available to players until level five. And if you perish from any PvP encounter, the only thing you'll lose is the junk you've been collecting, which can be reclaimed after death if not already picked up by other players. You can always store junk in stashes found around the world, so as to safeguard a portion of your stock. Armor and weapons are retained in your inventory after death.How It Plays: Our In-Depth PreviewWe recently got a hands-on with a build of Fallout 76. It plays similarly to Fallout 4, but it features some new additions that subtly shift the paradigm established by past entries in the series. We got to experience three hours of the game, exploring a decent chunk of the opening area while taking on quests and generally working cooperatively with the players around us. There's a lot to unpack about how the upcoming multiplayer open-world RPG, so be sure to watch the video above and read our full thoughts in our in-depth preview detailing what we got to play.Any Voice Chat?It's possible to chat with your teammates and even strangers you discover out in the world. It's area-based so your ability to hear other plays will vary. But if you want nothing to do with strangers, it's possible to mute their voices entirely.When's the Beta?Fallout 76's beta will be available exclusively to those who preorder the game. Bethesda said that it will begin selecting participants from the pool of pre-orders on October 23 on Xbox One first. The plan is to start small and expand over time with PS4 and PC to follow on October 30. For more details, you can check out Bethesda's Fallout 76 FAQ for more details on how to redeem your code.Release DateFallout 76 is being developed for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and is currently scheduled to be released on November 14. Unfortunately, there's no word about a Nintendo Switch release, which didn't seem out of the question after the Skyrim re-release made it to that platform.Info from Gamespot.com

The follow-up to Rockstar Games' classic western game Red Dead Redemption is fast approaching. Set 12 years before the events of the original game, Red Dead Redemption 2 will explore an expansive region of the American wilderness, with Dutch Van der Linde's gang on the run from lawmen during the last years of the wild west. Experiencing Rockstar's take on the open-world western from a new perspective, you'll uncover the history of the Van Der Linde gang, which has a young John Marston in its thralls.We got the opportunity to play Red Dead Redemption 2, and suffice to say, it's shaping up to be one of the most detailed open world games we've ever played. You can find out more in our preview below where you can read about our experiences completing story missions and exploring the game's world. There's also plenty of details below on the game's narrative and all of its trailers. With its release date of October 26 approaching, we've learned a lot more about the base game, as well as the first details about its Red Dead Online mode coming in November.Table of Contents [hide]Where Is RDR2 Set, And Is It A Prequel?The First RevealWho Are You Playing As?The Second TrailerWho's In Dutch's Gang?The Third TrailerFirst Gameplay TrailerSecond Gameplay TrailerWhat's New In Red Dead Redemption 2?How It Plays: Our In-Depth PreviewHow Will Online Multiplayer Work?Launch TrailerHow Can I Play RDR2? When Is Its Release Date And When Does Pre-Loading Start?PS4 Pro BundleWhere Is RDR2 Set, And Is It A Prequel?Set 12 years before the main events of the original game, the prequel focuses on the outlaw life of the Van der Linde gang, led by Red Dead Redemption's main antagonists. After a robbery in Blackwater (one of the original game's major towns) goes bad--the gang finds themselves on the run. Dutch, his right-hand man Arthur Morgan, and several members of the gang have to contend with a life on-the-run while confrontations with rival gangs and the law make their situation grow more desperate.Rockstar also released a description of the plot:America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him.The First RevealDebuting on October 20, 2016, the first trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 was a bit of a mood piece that showcased many locales in the game, while also portraying the somber tone of the main narrative. In this trailer, we saw several towns and locales, many of which are teeming with life and activity--such as ranchers rustling up some cattle, huntsmen bringing back their haul, and a group of citizens hanging out in the general store.Who Are You Playing As?Though the central character of Red Dead Redemption, John Marston, plays some role in the story--the main protagonist of the prequel is Arthur Morgan. As Dutch's right-hand man and enforcer for the gang, he'll handle much of the daily duties of keeping the gang in-check--which includes a young and less-experienced John Marston. When it comes to keeping the gang and its community afloat, Morgan is quite handy with picking up various jobs to ensure everyone is well fed and in good spirits. But as the story progresses, he'll begin to question his own resolve for Dutch's way of life, and whether he still has a place in the gang.The Second TrailerOn September 28, 2017, the second trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 debuted. In the new footage, we got to see more of Arthur Morgan and how ruthless he can be while on the job. During some of the story cutscenes, Morgan will use coercion and physical threats to collect money and information, all for the "benefit" of the community. For more info on this particular trailer, check out our detailed breakdown.Who's In Dutch's Gang?In Red Dead Redemption 2, we'll see Dutch's gang and its key players in their prime. While the original game had John hunt down and kill the remaining members of the gang, we'll see many of the familiar faces in relatively happier times. From the most recent trailer, we see Dutch Van der Linde, Arthur Morgan, Bill Williamson, Javier Esquela, Sadie Adler, Charles Smith, Micah Bell, Hosea Matthews, and of course John Marston in the roster. We'll also interact with other characters who would have a key role in the gang and in the lives of both Arthur Morgan and John Marston.The Third TrailerIn the new footage released on May 2, we saw a deeper look into the game's narrative and how the gang functions. Along with the familiar activities like hunting, heists, and side-quests with the region's citizens, rob trains and banks, and take in shows at theaters. For the most part, the trailer focuses on the many connections you'll have with the members of the gang, as well as how your choices will affect them. For more info on the third trailer, check out our detailed breakdown.First Gameplay TrailerOn August 9, Rockstar unveiled Red Dead Redemption 2's first gameplay trailer. The new footage revealed that the core mechanics from the original game were still intact, but almost everything had received a facelift. Wildlife is smarter and lives within its own ecosystem. Arthur Morgan can interact with the people around him in ways John Marston never could.Second Gameplay TrailerOn October 2, Rockstar finally showcased the second round of gameplay footage it promised. It dives more deeply into the game's side-activities, as well as the nature of the world and its varying systems. In addition, there's an in-depth look at how the sequel's dead eye system works.What's New In Red Dead Redemption 2?While the sequel is largely in the same vein as its predecessor, focusing on exploration, hunting, shoot-outs, heists, and other side-activities where you'll interact with a number of unique characters--Red Dead Redemption 2 features a far more expansive world to dive into. There are a ton of new mechanics in Red Dead Redemption 2. Below you can find a bulleted list of many of the new features in the game, but for all the details on everything new, check out our comprehensive list of all the new features we've discovered so far.You can play the whole game in first-personYou can disable the HUDA new cinematic camera is utilized during missions where you're traveling across the world during missionsYou can inspect nearly all items in the worldYour weapons are always visible on your personThere's a killcam that changes depending on your honorYou can break enemy weaponsDead Eye has five levels nowYour guns can degrade and jamYou need to maintain and clean Arthur or else you'll get dirty and disgust people around youYou can gain and lose weightHow It Plays: Our In-Depth PreviewWe recently got a hands-on with a near final-build of Red Dead Redemption 2. It plays much like its predecessor, but with a bevy of new features and systems that enhance its storytelling, combat, and overall progression. We got to experience two story missions, as well as a chance to goof around freely in the open world. There's a lot to unpack about how the upcoming sequel looks and feels, so be sure to read our in-depth preview detailing our impressions about how it plays.How Will Online Multiplayer Work?Currently, Rockstar hasn't shared any info on how the online play will function. The original Red Dead Redemption featured online free-for-all and team deathmatch style gameplay in the open world, along with several co-op themed missions. While it's safe to assume that these sorts of missions will return, another long-lingering rumor is the appearance of a battle royale mode. Rockstar has recently confirmed that a public beta for the online mode is scheduled for a month after the game's launch.Launch TrailerRockstar released the game's launch trailer, which shows Dutch and Arthur talking about one more big score, before life can improve for their gang. Soon there's scenes of explosions, gunfire, and internal strife, set against talk of loyalty. It's a fairly short, but very sweet trailer. How Can I Play RDR2? When Is Its Release Date And When Does Pre-Loading Start?Red Dead Redemption 2 is set for release on October 26 for PS4 and Xbox One; you can begin pre-loading on Friday, October 19. In terms of file size, Red Dead Redemption 2 is about 99 GB on PS4. You'll need to have even more room if you're going digital, as the installation process will require an additional 50 GB on top of that. Xbox One owners, meanwhile, will need to have 107 GB to install the game.There are also plans for a collector's edition of the game called the Special Edition. Priced at $80, the package includes a copy of the game along with special missions, weapons and a physical map of the game world for players to own. There are also two additional packs for Red Dead Redemption 2 for premium prices, The Ultimate Edition and The Collector's Box--both priced at $100. While The Ultimate Edition has all items from the special edition--including additional DLC items to acquire--The Collector's Box does not include any digital items. Instead, it offers special playing cards, artwork, a bandit's bandana, a physical map of the game world, and a collector's coin in the set.It's worth noting that the PS4 version will have special content that's exclusive to that version for 30 days. There is still no word as to what the PlayStation-exclusive content is, but now we know it's for Red Dead Online and that Xbox One owners will have to wait to check it out.Though the original Red Dead Redemption never found its way to the PC, there's been some rumors that its sequel might. A mention of Red Dead Redemption 2's appearance on PC found its way online, but it has since been scrubbed.PS4 Pro BundleAlthough the system itself doesn't sport a unique design, there will be a Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 Pro bundle. Priced at $400 in the US, you're essentially getting a copy of the game for free. However, this doesn't include any of the aforementioned special editions; it's just a standard edition version of the game. The bundle is available for pre-order now.Info from Gamespot.com

After the amazing gaming year that was 2017, many wondered how well 2018 would turn out. Fortunately for everyone, it has been great. The first half of the year has yielded a wealth of fantastic games, and there's more on the horizon. Upcoming games for the rest of this 2018 include slew of hotly anticipated new games, like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Red Dead Redemption 2, Spider-Man, and a whole lot more. To help you keep track of all the games coming out and what has already released, we've compiled a list of all the noteworthy release dates for the biggest ones confirmed to come out in 2018 so far.Game release dates change all the time and new ones arrive every month. Be sure to bookmark this page, as we'll be updating this article with more release dates or any potential changes to any of the dates below. And if you're eager to figure out the release dates from games next year, you can also reference our feature on the game release dates of 2019.JanuaryGamePlatformRelease DateThe Escapists 2SwitchJanuary 11Forged Battalion PCJanuary 16Kerbal Space Program: Enhanced EditionPS4, Xbox OneJanuary 16Street Fighter V: Arcade EditionPS4, PCJanuary 16Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth - Hacker's MemoryPS4, VitaJanuary 19Kirby Battle Royale3DSJanuary 19IconoclastsPS4, VitaJanuary 23Lost SphearPS4, Switch, PCJanuary 23OK KO: Let's Play HeroesPS4, Xbox One, PCJanuary 23The InpatientPSVRJanuary 23My Time at PortiaPCJanuary 23Velocity 2X: Critical Mass EditionPS4, VitaJanuary 23CelestePS4, Switch, PCJanuary 25Dust and SaltPCJanuary 25Dragon Ball FighterZPS4, Xbox One, PCJanuary 26Monster Hunter WorldPS4, Xbox OneJanuary 26Railway EmpirePCJanuary 26Dissidia: Final Fantasy NTPS4January 30Railway EmpirePS4, Xbox OneJanuary 30FebruaryGamePlatformRelease DateBatallion 1944 (Early Access)PCFebruary 1Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac AgePCFebruary 1Night in the WoodsSwitchFebruary 1SteamWorld DigSwitchFebruary 1EA Sports UFC 3PS4, Xbox OneFebruary 2Shadow of the ColossusPS4February 6Civilization VI: Rise and Fall (Expansion)PCFebruary 8Dragon Quest BuildersSwitchFebruary 9The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of BritanniaPS4February 9Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late[st]PS4, PS3, VitaFebruary 9Crossing Souls PS4, PCFebruary 13Dynasty Warriors 9PS4, Xbox One, PCFebruary 13The Fall 2: UnboundPS4, Xbox One, PCFebruary 13Kingdom Come: DeliverancePS4, Xbox One, PCFebruary 13OwlboySwitchFebruary 13The Longest Five MinutesSwitch, Vita, PCFebruary 13Monster Energy Supercross: The Official VideogamePS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCFebruary 13Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology3DSFebruary 13Secret of ManaPS4, PS Vita, PCFebruary 15Bayonetta + Bayonetta 2SwitchFebruary 16FePS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCFebruary 16Age of Empires: Definitive EditionPCFebruary 20Metal Gear SurvivePS4, Xbox One, PCFebruary 20Xenon Valkyrie+Xbox OneFebruary 20Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 PlusSwitchFebruary 22Stellaris: ApocalypsePCFebruary 22Past CurePS4, Xbox One, PCFebruary 23Sword Art Online: Fatal BulletPS4, Xbox One, PCFebruary 23Yume Nikki: Dream DiaryPCFebruary 23GravelXbox OneFebruary 26De Blob 2PS4, Xbox OneFebruary 27Immortal RedneckXbox OneFebruary 27Payday 2SwitchFebruary 27Riftstar RaidersXbox OneFebruary 27MarchBravo TeamPSVRMarch 6Final Fantasy XV: Royal EditionPS4, Xbox One, PCMarch 6FranticsPS4March 6Scribblenauts ShowdownPS4, Xbox One, SwitchMarch 6Fear Effect SednaPS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchMarch 6Devil May Cry HD CollectionPS4, Xbox One, PCMarch 13GolemPSVRMarch 13Pure Farming 2018PS4, Xbox One, PCMarch 13Burnout Paradise RemasteredPS4, Xbox One, PCMarch 13Kirby Star AlliesSwitchMarch 16Assassin's Creed Rogue: RemasteredPS4, Xbox OneMarch 20Attack on Titan 2PS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchMarch 20Sea of ThievesXbox One, PCMarch 20Titan QuestPS4, Xbox OneMarch 20A Way OutPS4, Xbox One, PCMarch 23Detective Pikachu3DSMarch 23Ni no Kuni II: Revenant KingdomPS4, PCMarch 23Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious PaintingsPS4, PC, SwitchMarch 27Far Cry 5PS4, Xbox One, PCMarch 27MLB The Show 18PS4March 27Outlast 2SwitchMarch 27AgonyPS4, Xbox One, PCMarch 30AprilGamePlatformRelease DateExtinctionPS4, Xbox One, PCApril 10OwlboyPS4, Xbox OneApril 10Hellblade: Senua's SacrificeXbox OneApril 11Wild Guns ReloadedSwitchApril 17Yakuza 6: The Song of LifePS4April 17Metal Max XenoPS4, VitaApril 19God of WarPS4April 20Nintendo Labo Variety KitSwitchApril 20Nintendo Labo Robot KitSwitchApril 20FrostpunkPCApril 24South Park: The Fractured But WholeSwitchApril 24MayGamePlatformRelease DateSuper Mega Baseball 2PS4, Xbox One, PCMay 1Killing Floor: IncursionPSVRMay 1Total War Saga: Thrones of BritanniaPCMay 3City of BrassPS4, Xbox One, PCMay 4Donkey Kong Country: Tropical FreezeSwitchMay 4AO International Tennis (originally AU, NZ only)PS4, Xbox One, PCMay 8Conan ExilesPS4, Xbox One, PCMay 8Destiny 2: WarmindPS4, Xbox One, PCMay 8Pillars of Eternity II: DeadfirePCMay 8Raging JusticeSwitch, PS4, Xbox One, PCMay 8Tacoma (first released on Xbox One, PC)PS4May 8Immortal RedneckSwitchMay 10One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3SwitchMay 11Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – MartyrPS4, Xbox One, PCMay 11Battle Chasers: NightwarSwitchMay 15Dragon's Crown ProPS4May 15Horizon Chase TurboPS4, PCMay 15Little Witch Academia: Chamber of TimePS4, PCMay 15OmensightPS4, PCMay 15Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux3DSMay 15Far: Lone SailsPCMay 17Hyrule Warriors: Definitive EditionSwitchMay 18Little Nightmares: Complete EditionSwitchMay 18State of Decay 2 (Ultimate Edition)Xbox One, PCMay 18Ancestors LegacyXbox One, PCMay 22Mega Man Legacy CollectionSwitchMay 22Mega Man Legacy Collection 2SwitchMay 22Runner3Switch, PCMay 22Space Hulk: Deathwing - Enhanced EditionPS4, PCMay 22State of Decay 2 (Standard Edition)Xbox One, PCMay 22Tennis World TourPS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCMay 22Dillon's Dead-Heat Breakers3DSMay 24Dark Souls RemasteredPS4, Xbox One, PCMay 25Detroit: Become HumanPS4May 25AgonyPS4, Xbox One, PCMay 29EverspacePS4May 29Legend of Kay AnniversarySwitchMay 29Sega Mega Drive ClassicsPS4, Xbox OneMay 29Street Fighter 30th Anniversary CollectionPS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCMay 29JuneGamePlatformRelease DateBlazBlue: Cross Tag BattlePS4, PC, SwitchJune 5The Elder Scrolls Online: SummersetPS4, Xbox One, PCJune 5OnrushPS4, Xbox OneJune 5Shaq Fu: A Legend RebornPS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCJune 5VampyrPS4, Xbox One, PCJune 5MotoGP 18PS4, Xbox One, PCJune 7Sushi Striker: The Way of SushidoSwitch, 3DSJune 8Unravel TwoPS4, Xbox One, PCJune 9Fallout ShelterPS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchJune 10Jurassic World Evolution (Digital)PS4, Xbox One, PCJune 12Fortnite: Battle RoyaleSwitchJune 12Hollow KnightSwitchJune 12Moss (Physical)PS4June 12Super Bomberman RPS4, Xbox One, PCJune 12LEGO The IncrediblesXbox One, PS4, Switch, PCJune 15The Lost ChildPS4, PS VitaJune 19Mario Tennis AcesSwitchJune 22New Gundam BreakerPS4, PCJune 22The Awesome Adventures of Captain SpiritPS4, Xbox One, PCJune 26Crash Bandicoot N.Sane TrilogyXbox One, PC, SwitchJune 26De Blob RemasteredSwitchJune 26Far Cry 3 Classic EditionPS4, Xbox OneJune 26Lumines RemasteredPS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchJune 26Nier: Automata Become As Gods EditionXbox OneJune 26The Crew 2PS4, Xbox One, PCJune 29MXGP ProPS4, Xbox One, PCJune 29Wolfenstein II: The New ColossusSwitchJune 29JulyGamePlatformRelease DateJurassic World Evolution (Physical)Xbox One, PS4, PCJuly 3Red Faction: Guerrilla RemasteredPS4, Xbox One, PCJuly 3Mushroom Wars 2SwitchJuly 5Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – MartyrPS4, Xbox OneJuly 5Shining Resonance RefrainPS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchJuly 10Captain Toad: Treasure TrackerSwitch, 3DSJuly 13EarthfallPS4, Xbox One, PCJuly 13Octopath TravelerSwitchJuly 13Adventure Time: Pirates of the EnchiridionPS4, Xbox One, PCJuly 17Sonic Mania PlusPS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCJuly 17Mega Man X Collection 1+2PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCJuly 24No Man’s SkyXbox OneJuly 24The Banner Saga 3PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, MacJuly 24Hello NeighborPS4, Switch, iOS, AndroidJuly 27ChasmPS4, Xbox One, PCJuly 31Code of Princess EXSwitchJuly 31Titan QuestSwitchJuly 31AugustGamePlatformRelease DateYakuza 0PCAugust 1WarioWare Gold3DSAugust 3Dead CellsPS4, Xbox One, PC SwitchAugust 7Flipping DeathPS4, Xbox One, PC SwitchAugust 7Overcooked 2PS4, Xbox One, PC SwitchAugust 7Monster Hunter WorldPCAugust 9Okami HDSwitchAugust 9Madden NFL 19PS4, Sbox One, PCAugust 10We Happy FewPS4, Xbox One, PCAugust 10Death's GambitPS4, PCAugust 10The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 1PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCAugust 14World of Warcraft: Battle for AzerothPCAugust 14Guacamelee! 2PS4August 21Shenmue I & IIPS4, Xbox One, PCAugust 21Gone HomeSwitchAugust 23F1 2018PS4, Xbox One, PCAugust 24Little Dragons CafePS4, SwitchAugust 24Night Trap: 25th Anniversary EditionSwitchAugust 24Blade StrangersPS4, Switch, PCAugust 28Donut CountyPS4, PC, iOSAugust 28Into the BreachSwitchAugust 28Monster Hunter Generations UltimateSwitchAugust 28Pro Evolution Soccer 2019PS4, Xbox One, PCAugust 28Yakuza Kiwami 2PS4August 28The MessengerSwitch, PCAugust 30Two Point HospitalPCAugust 30Divinity: Original Sin 2PS4, Xbox OneAugust 31Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi StrikerPS4, Xbox One, PCAugust 31Wasteland 2 SwitchAugust TBA 2018SeptemberGamePlatformRelease DateDestiny 2 Forsaken DLCPS4, Xbox One, PCSeptember 4Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive AgePS4September 4Player Unknown's BattlegroundsXbox OneSeptember 4Gone Home SwitchSeptember 6Immortal: UnchainedPS4, Xbox One, PCSeptember 7NBA Live 19PS4, Xbox OneSeptember 7SNK Heroines: Tag Team FrenzyPS4, SwitchSeptember 7Spider-ManPS4September 7Yo-kai Watch Blasters: Red Cat Corp and White Dog Squad3DSSeptember 7NBA 2K19PS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchSeptember 11BastionSwitchSeptember 13Cities: Skylines SwitchSeptember 13Final Fantasy XV: Pocket EditionPS4, Xbox One, SwitchSeptember 13Wasteland 2: Directors CutSwitchSeptember 13Nintendo Labo Vehicle KitSwitchSeptember 14Shadow of the Tomb RaiderPS4, Xbox One, PCSeptember 14Light Fingers SwitchSeptember 14BlindPSVRSeptember 18Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCSeptember 18UndertaleSwitchSeptember 18Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna The Golden Country DLCSwitchSeptember 21South Park: The Stick of TruthSwitchSeptember 25Valkyria Chronicles 4PS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchSeptember 25The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 2PS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchSeptember 25Life Is Strange 2 -- Episode 1PS4, Xbox One, PCSeptember 27Towerfall SwitchSeptember 27Dragon Ball FighterZSwitchSeptember 28FIFA 19PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Switch, PCSeptember 28OctoberGamePlatformRelease DateAstro Bot Rescue MissionPSVROctober 2Forza Horizon 4Xbox One, PCOctober 2Fist of the North Star: Lost ParadisePS4October 2Mega Man 11PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCOctober 2Assassin's Creed OdysseyPS4, Xbox One, PCOctober 5Super Mario PartySwitchOctober 5Disgaea 1 CompletePS4, SwitchOctober 9Mark of the Ninja: RemasteredPS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCOctober 9WWE 2K19PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCOctober 9Child of LightSwitchOctober 11Call of Duty: Black Ops 4PS4, Xbox One, PCOctober 12Luigi's Mansion3DSOctober 12The World Ends with You: Final RemixSwitchOctober 12Lego DC Super VillainsPS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchOctober 16Starlink: Battle for AtlasPS4, Xbox One, SwitchOctober 16Valkyria ChroniclesSwitchOctober 16Warriors Orochi 4PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCOctober 16Syberia 3SwitchOctober 18Dark Souls RemasteredSwitchOctober 19Soulcalibur VIPS4, Xbox One, PCOctober 19 Just Dance 2019PS4, Xbox One, SwitchOctober 23My Hero One's JusticePS4, SwitchOctober 26Red Dead Redemption 2PS4, Xbox OneOctober 26Call of Cthulhu: The Official Video GamePS4, Xbox One, PCOctober 30NovemberGamePlatformRelease DateThe Quiet ManPS4, PCNovember 1Diablo III: Eternal CollectionSwitchNovember 2DéracinéPSVRNovember 6Overkill's The Walking DeadPS4, Xbox One, PCNovember 6The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 3PS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchN/AWorld of Final Fantasy MaximaXbox One, SwitchNovember 6Ride 3PS4, Xbox One, PCNovember 8Hitman 2PS4, Xbox One, PCNovember 13SNK 40th Anniversary CollectionSwitchNovember 13Spyro Reignited TrilogyPS4, Xbox OneNovember 13Fallout 76PS4, Xbox One, PCNovember 14Underworld AscendantPCNovember 15Civilization VISwitchNovember 16Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu/Let's Go EeveeSwitchNovember 16Battlefield VPS4, Xbox One, PCNovember 20WarframeSwitchNovember 20WreckfestPS4, Xbox OneNovember 20Darksiders 3PS4, Xbox One, PCNovember 27ArtifactPCNovember 28Katamari Damacy RerollSwitch, PCNovember 30DecemberGamePlatformRelease DateJust Cause 4PS4, Xbox One, PCDecember 4Monster Boy and the Cursed KingdomPS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchDecember 4Persona 3: Dancing in MoonlightPS4, PSVitaDecember 4Persona 4: Dancing All NightPS4December 4Persona 5: Dancing in StarlightPS4, PSVitaDecember 4Super Smash Bros. UltimateSwitchDecember 7Earth Defense Force 5PS4December 11Dragon Marked for DeathSwitchDecember 13The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 4PS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchN/ABig Games Confirmed for 2018Below you can find a list of the biggest games that don't have explicit release dates but are confirmed to release sometime this year. There are also games listed that we expect to launch in 2018. We'll be moving each of these games into the release date sections above as soon as official dates are announced.GamePlatformChocobo's Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy!PS4, SwitchInfo from Gamespot.com

As a continuation of the Black Ops subseries, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 both benefits from and is limited by its past. All three of its major modes--multiplayer, Zombies, and the new battle royale mode Blackout--pull from and build upon previous games. Multiplayer is largely successful in its mix of old and new, while Zombies struggles more with dated elements. Blackout, though, strikes an excellent balance, putting a clever Call of Duty spin on a genre entirely new to the series.While Black Ops 4 doesn't have a traditional single-player campaign, it does have a helpful set of character-focused tutorial missions. Called Specialist HQ, it introduces you to each of the 10 multiplayer Specialists one by one, taking you through their unique abilities and a practice multiplayer match. It does have a bit of a story and some gorgeous (and gory) cutscenes threading each mission together, but it's all in service of getting you acquainted with the new Specialist mechanics--which is well worth the three or so hours it takes, since some of those mechanics appear in Blackout as well. One mission even weaves in a bit of general Zombies training, an unexpected but welcome touch that helps make the largely separate modes feel a little more cohesive.MultiplayerMultiplayer is the most straightforward of the modes, and Black Ops 4 attempts to be more tactical than previous entries. The wall-running and thrust-jumping of Black Ops 3 is gone, replaced with weighty, grounded movement, and healing is now manual and on a cooldown timer. The combination forces you to be more thoughtful about your positioning, since you can't just jet and dodge enemy fire until your health regenerates--you need to make sure you have adequate cover and time to heal yourself in your immediate vicinity. This encourages a slightly slower, more cautious pace on an individual level, and it's refreshing to play it smart instead of just fast. But time-to-kill is still low and respawning still near-instant, ensuring that matches don't stagnate.The more tactical feel extends to the Specialists, which build upon those introduced in Black Ops 3. Each has a unique weapon and equipment with a specific combat focus, like area control or high damage output. Each Specialist's weapon is tied to a longer cooldown and functions as a superpowered attack (or defensive ability, in some cases), while their equipment varies from a special grenade to trip mines and other gear with a clear strategic purpose. This includes roles other than offensive ones--there's even a pseudo-healer Specialist, Crash--and it's a change that gives multiplayer more variety.Certain Specialists and strategies are more useful in some game types than others, though. Area control is best for objective-based modes like Domination, for example, and far less effective in the more scattered Team Deathmatch. Generally, your choice of Specialist and your team's composition won't matter in any mode if you aren't skilled in basic shooting and positioning, even if you're in a more defensive or supporting role. This means you can play selfishly and still emerge victorious, which works well for those of us who often solo queue and would rather not risk trying to communicate with randoms. But it can also make playing support-focused Specialists less rewarding if you aren't working as a team, since your efforts are useless if your teammates don't take advantage of them. It's a surprisingly good balance overall, though, giving you the flexibility to be only as tactical as you want or are able to be and enjoy the match regardless.The map design, too, facilitates that flexibility. Each map has areas perfect for different Specialists to take advantage of, like blind corners where Nomad's trip mines can take enemies by surprise or high ceilings where Recon can shoot and hide his Sensor Dart that reveals enemies on your radar. But the long and narrow three-lane structure each map is built on is a strong foundation for more traditional shooting as well, with both long sightlines good for sniper and tactical rifles and tight spaces for close-range automatic weapons.The Specialist strategies are best showcased in the new Control, an objective-based mode in which each team, one attacking and one defending, shares 25 lives. You win by either exhausting all of the enemy team's lives or gaining or maintaining control of the two objectives. A defensive Specialist like Torque, who has Razor Wire perfect for placement under windows and a Barricade "weapon" for extra cover, is a great option if you're trying to hold an objective, for example. An offensive Specialist, on the other hand, can aim to wipe out the enemy team.ZombiesBlack Ops 4's Zombies is as broad as it is deep, with two separate storylines across three maps (or four if you have the Black Ops pass included in the game's special editions). The first two, IX and Voyage of Despair, are part of the brand-new Chaos story, while Blood of the Dead and Classified round out the selection of maps to make up the returning Aether story. All of them follow the familiar Zombies formula--fighting waves of the undead, saving money to access better weapons and new areas, and uncovering wacky secrets and puzzles along the way--but each has its own quirks that take time and effort to discover.The Chaos maps are strong aesthetically, with rich level design and clever puzzles to match--draining water that has seeped into the Titanic's depths so you don't drown while searching for other secrets, for example. Like previous Zombies maps, a lot of the fun comes from figuring out how the map ticks while also trying not to die, and both IX and Voyage of Despair have the complex layouts that lend themselves to thorough yet hectic exploration. Voyage is a personal favorite, with narrow, creepy hallways and presumably drowned zombies that have water gushing from their heads.On the Aether side, Blood of the Dead is based on Black Ops 2's Mob of the Dead, while Classified is a reimagination of Black Ops' Five. Although they're definitely familiar, there are still surprises to entertain returning players--some puzzles don't unlock what you expect them to unlock, for example. However, the Ultimus crew hasn't aged particularly well, even considering that each of them is stereotyped to the extreme. The jokes just don't land anymore, especially Takeo's overdone Japanese accent where Ls are replaced with Rs at every opportunity. In Blood of the Dead it's distracting, but in Classified, lines about the Emperor and eating sushi are just plain offensive. You'll also hear these same lines every time you start a new run, which doesn't help.On top of the already hefty amount of Zombies content, Black Ops 4 introduces a new mode of fighting the undead, Rush. It's a much faster-paced version of Zombies where you don't have to do any thinking or puzzle-solving; you're just there to kill them horde-style. There's no money, so you don't need to save up to buy a weapon or unlock a door. You're instead told which area will have the next Rush wave, and you're directed from room to room as you go. It's too intense to be a tutorial, per se, but it's a great way to familiarize yourself with the map, test weapons, and plan where to go next if you get stuck in Classic mode.BlackoutThe third and most exciting of Black Ops 4's three main sections is, of course, Blackout. Like other battle royale games, Call of Duty's take puts 100 players on one map with the goal of being the last person or squad standing, and a collapsing circle of death forces you in closer and closer proximity. It's unlike anything Call of Duty has done before, and slight alterations to its mechanics, like the addition of bullet drop on some weapons, help it adapt to the very different gameplay style.Brilliantly, experience in both multiplayer and Zombies benefits you in Blackout. Perks and Specialist equipment can be looted during a match, and knowing how to both use and counter them can give you an advantage. There are also zombie-infested areas that offer powerful loot at the risk of attracting human players to your position, and that PvE twist in particular helps distinguish Blackout from the likes of PUBG. A successful Blackout round can last over 20 minutes, so if you're impatient or more used to Call of Duty's shorter multiplayer formats, seeking out zombies and causing a ruckus mid-match is a great way to see more action.The map itself is also distinctly Call of Duty, filled with references to previous games, including the fan favorite Nuketown. Vibrant and varied design makes each region stand out from the next, and the map as a whole is easy to navigate as a result. That in turn facilitates the strategic movement and positioning necessary to succeed; it's easy to pivot if a lot of other people are nearby, for example, if you know where you are in relation to the next-best loot area.The combination of Call of Duty-specific mechanics with PUBG-style health, loot, and shooting systems is executed well, with quality-of-life improvements to UI--notably, you can quick-equip weapon attachments without going into your menu. The twists are balanced, too, and the Specialist equipment in particular doesn't make things feel unfair. Like in multiplayer, you can ignore anything you don't want to bother with, and survival ultimately comes down to your situational awareness, your skill with various weapons, and a bit of luck with looting and the circle. That makes victory feel earned and, as a result, immensely gratifying--Blackout definitely captures the tense, shaky excitement that makes battle royale such a popular genre.Black Ops 4 isn't short on content, and its three main modes are substantial. Multiplayer introduces more tactical mechanics without forcing you into them, and it largely strikes a good balance. Zombies has multiple deep, secret-filled maps to explore, though its returning characters don't hold up and prove distracting. Finally, Blackout pushes Call of Duty in an entirely new direction, making use of aspects from both multiplayer and Zombies for a take on the battle royale genre that stands on its own. Sure, there isn't a traditional single-player campaign, but with the depth and breadth of what is there, Black Ops 4 doesn't need it.Info from Gamespot.com

What truly distinguishes SoulCalibur from its genre contemporaries is a pervading sense of adventure. It tells a grand tale of knights and ninjas, axe-wielding goliaths and pirate warriors, all struggling over mythical weapons of good and evil. It accents this with a rousing orchestral score and grandiose narrations about entwined destinies and inescapable fates. Sure, deep and rewarding mechanics are at the heart of every good fighting game--and SoulCalibur VI certainly has that--but for this series, adventure has always been the soul.That spirit of adventure is most evident in SoulCalibur VI's two story modes. Libra of Souls is the meatier of the two and takes inspiration from SoulCalibur II's beloved Weapon Master Mode. It's part fighting game, part role-playing game, part Dungeons & Dragons campaign; you create and customize your own unique fighter using options that, while serviceable, aren't nearly as robust as the ones in Bandai Namco's other fighter, Tekken 7. From there you embark on a journey that will take you across the world, and along the way you'll cross paths--and swords--with both named characters and generically named bit-parters.Libra of Souls tells its story primarily through text, but it's all surprisingly engaging, with dialogue and descriptions setting the stage for the inevitable fight and giving even its throwaway opponents a bit of flavour. The story's conceit for making you travel around the world is that you're "malfested" with an evil energy and must absorb Astral Fissures to stay alive. Although you're ushered between main quest missions, various side-quests pop up around you, with NPCs asking for a hand solving their problems. Naturally, the solution each time is a sword-swinging contest, but the game does a valiant job of world building along the way to give texture to its fantasy universe. You'll learn that Ceylon is a major producer of cinnamon, which is favoured by royalty and thus very precious, and that hamlets are being decimated by a rampaging Azure Knight with a thirst for souls. You'll meet a would-be entrepreneur who, while affable, is mostly after handouts; a weaponsmith who is looking to impress the royal family to win a contract; and a priestess who doubts her abilities, among others.Completing these missions rewards you with experience that levels you up, and this is where the RPG hooks are strongest. As you grow, you'll be able to use stronger weapons that have different visual styles and properties. Enemies also become hardier and, on top of that, special battle conditions spice up fights. These may make one type of attack more effective while decreasing the strength of others, thus forcing you to diversify your skillset within the battle system. Another wrinkle to the RPG mechanics is the ability to select a food item to take into battle. These bestow bonuses such as increased counter damage, a boost to health at the start of a new round, or extra experience for a win, to name a few. If you’d rather let someone else do the dirty work, you can visit the Mercenaries Guild and hire a fighter, outfit them with a weapon and food, then send them into battle. At best the AI will secure a victory; at worst they’ll knock off some health from the enemy before you step in.There are also little touches in Libra of Souls that reinforce the idea that you're a wandering warrior on an epic journey. One of them is an indicator at the top of the world map that ticks down the years as you progress, establishing a passage of time as you bounce between locations and fights in rapid succession. Another is the decision-making moments, some of which will simply dictate how you act towards a character, while others will weigh your soul towards good or evil, impact the story, and decide how the ending battle plays out. The eventual consequence of your actions is small, but it's a neat way to give you a tiny bit of authorship in the story.The main issue with Libra of Souls is the ratio of storytelling to actual gameplay. The mode is very text-heavy, which would be less of a problem if its battles weren't so quick. In the hands of a capable fighting game player, many enemies can be dispatched within as little as 10 seconds, which means time spent in Libra of Souls is heavily skewed toward reading over fighting. And although the loading screens before and after battles are quite short, they can become increasingly tedious. The mode is also lacking in variety, so beyond the occasional battle condition, it does very little to keep you on your toes. For the most part, applying an aggressive strategy will see you emerge victorious.The second mode, Soul Chronicles, is a more typical take on a fighting game story but is still expansive and has an interesting approach to laying out its narrative. It features a main story that chronicles what happens with the legendary Soul Edge but supplements this with 19 character-specific campaigns, drilling down on what they're doing while the broader story takes place. Although they're heavily reliant on static artwork, they're fully voiced and the artwork itself has an eye-catching, sketch-like style. There's a microcosm of Libra of Souls' issues here too, though, as battles can be over in the blink of an eye, and that means more hitting buttons to advance text.Nevertheless, Libra of Souls and Soul Chronicle make for a satisfying single-player offering, with the former lasting upwards of eight hours and the latter taking around four. Idiosyncrasies aside, both give you plenty to do and provide a comprehensive, engrossing story throughout. By the time it's over, you'll have travelled the world, met a variety of colorful characters, and fought all manner of strange creatures. Quite the adventure.SoulCalibur VI doesn't demand hours of study and experimentation ... you can pick up a controller and feel like you're competent in no timeThe beauty of SoulCalibur's gameplay is its simplicity, and in that respect SoulCalibur VI is a bit like rock-paper-scissors. At its most superficial, the rules of engagement are simple and the pace of battles means decision-making is based on instinct as much as considered tactics and being reactive. Admittedly, the same can be said of most fighting games, but unlike them SoulCalibur VI doesn't demand hours of study and experimentation to do this; you can pick up a controller and feel like you're competent in no time. Although there are complicated systems and techniques to consider, an inability to interact with them doesn't loom over you. Before long vertical attacks will reveal themselves as powerful but slow, you'll quickly realise that horizontal attacks interrupt sidesteps and are a safe way to apply pressure, and kicks are a nice balance of the two but with limited range. It takes little time to internalize those fundamentals, and so their intricacies become apparent quicker than in most fighting games. Throw in blocking and movement, both of which are intuitive, and the pick-up-and-play factor becomes a key strength of SoulCalibur VI.The surface simplicity belies more complex systems beneath, and SoulCalibur VI is mechanically dense. It layers systems from throughout the series on top of each other so even veterans will need to examine the individual pieces and figure out how they fit together. Although each character has a relatively limited range of attacks, the eight-way run movement lets you modify them. Attacks also land at different heights--high, mid, and low--and in turn blocking becomes a three-tiered system. More confident players can react to an attack by executing a last-second Guard Impact to repel and leave their opponent open, but a staggered player can retaliate with a Reversal Impact--a reversal reversal.From there it only gets more complicated. Reversal Edge is a special stance that will counter incoming attacks at any height. It's executed with a single button and the longer it's held the more attacks it can absorb. This makes defending against an onslaught of attacks really easy, but the ease of execution means it also steps on the toes of the more skill-based Guard Impact. Reversal Edge seems to be aimed at casual players as, while a successful Guard Impact places the initiator in a more advantageous position, Reversal Edge establishes a neutral playfield by initiating a clash. Here the action slows, the camera swoops in close, and the two fighters effectively bet on what the other player will do and counter it. This is a useful way to create some breathing room when being smothered, but the guessing game leads to a feeling of randomness that can be frustrating. The workaround here is to land an unblockable break attack to stop a Reversal Edge.Beyond that there are Critical Edges, which are the game's equivalent of super moves. These are governed by the Soul Gauge, which is built up by attacking, defending, and taking damage. Once one level is attained, it can be spent on executing an incredibly powerful and outlandish cinematic attack. A Soul Gauge can also be spent on a Soul Charge, a comeback state of sorts that opens a separate set of moves up for a character to use, powers up normal attacks, and makes them cause damage to blocking opponents for a brief period.Click image to view in full screenThose are just a few of the systems in SoulCalibur VI, so for those that want to become students of the game, it offers plenty to learn. However, at times it can also feel needlessly complex. This is likely a symptom of creating a collection of systems that give the hardcore fighting game players the depth they crave while also enabling casual players to stand their ground against them. On paper that might seem like a good approach, but the end result is a construction that is at odds with itself, as if built out of both K-Nex and Lego--the simpler parts undermine the complex ones, and although it works, it's inelegant. A good player with an understanding of all the systems will almost always triumph over someone only making use of the basic ones, so the biggest issue this superfluousness presents is that it makes the path from casual to expert a little less appealing to walk. That complexity is overwhelming when it doesn't need to be, and if there are simpler and easier options there's less incentive to dig beneath the surface.As with most fighting games, it'll be some time before overly powerful characters or dubious strategies emerge online, if at all. However, from a network perspective SoulCalibur VI's online modes are stable. We played a number of matches online in ranked and casual and had no trouble finding other players, connecting, and having smooth fights. In casual mode, you can search for a room based on customizable parameters such as skill level, round count, region, and language. You can also specify if custom characters are allowed. Alternatively, you can establish your own room and invite others to join or have it open to anyone.In ranked mode you select your character and style from a pop-up menu, forgoing the need to go into the game's normal selection screen. There's also the option to pick connection status, region, and preferred starting side, for those that want it. If you're looking to learn and refine your skills, the replay channel is handy for rewatching your own saved matches, as well as finding recent replays from the community to favorite and watch. A nice touch is the ability to see who won the match, so if you want to see how to play a character successfully it's easy to do so. Overall, SoulCalibur VI's online suite is fairly no-frills, sticking to the basics but doing them well.SoulCalibur VI is a fighting game that's easy to recommend. Like all the best titles in the genre, it has a low barrier to entry and high skill ceiling. For those looking to get in a few games with friends it's welcoming and immediately enjoyable. For those committed to ploughing the depths of its systems to get tournament ready, it has plenty to unpack and understand. Better still, those that want to play alone will find SoulCalibur VI has some of the most substantial single-player content in any fighting game today. Info from Gamespot.com

When it comes to delivering a memorable and tense experience, not many games can match up to the original Dark Souls. Many fans swear by the approach From Software takes with its stoic and uncompromisingly bleak action-RPG series where one wrong move can cost you dearly, and it's become one of the most challenging and anxiety-inducing franchises in recent memory. Coming off the recent release of Dark Souls Remastered on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, the Souls series now brings its particular style of high-pressure gameplay to the Switch--marking its first appearance on a Nintendo console.While this new release isn't as visually and technically impressive as the other current-gen versions, it is an admirable port that reinforces what makes Dark Souls memorable. It effectively makes use of the Switch's capabilities as a portable console, which in turn offers a slightly different feel to the Souls experience that's surprisingly refreshing.As a recap, Dark Souls Remastered is an enhanced port of the original 2011 game. On PC, PS4, and Xbox One, the remaster runs at 4K and at 60 FPS and features a much sharper visual look, along with a suite of quality-of-life improvements--such as improved matchmaking with dedicated servers and a variety of gameplay tweaks. The Switch version is very much in line with what came before. However, due to the limitations of the system's hardware, it's seen some clear downgrades compared to the previous Remastered releases.While playing through the Switch version, it felt closer to the original PS3 and Xbox 360 releases, albeit far more stable. Running at a consistent 30 FPS, the docked version of Dark Souls on Switch displays at 1080p, with the handheld mode set to 720p (the same resolution as the original game). Aside from the drop in resolution, general frame-rate between docked and handheld is largely consistent, which is great when swapping between the two modes during a session.If you're used to Dark Souls Remastered running at 60 FPS on the other platforms, the Switch version will take some time adjusting to. In addition to some fairly short draw-distances on environmental details, the audio quality sounds far more subdued and quiet compared to other releases. While this doesn't happen often--and most times isn't that noticeable--it can create odd moments where some sound effects get drowned out by others, or when there's a slight delay in hearing a sound effect. Moreover, playing in docked mode with the Joy-Cons can often induce some lag with the camera controls, which can be a dire issue during careful platforming or an intense combat encounter. Fortunately, the Day One patch does work to address these issues to success, but some of the technical hiccups still linger.Despite these rough edges, Dark Souls on Switch is an impressive port that manages to keep the Souls experience intact for its new platform. In a surprisingly neat feature, it's possible to pause the game when playing in the offline mode by backing out to the Home menu or setting the system to sleep. If you're planning to take Dark Souls mobile, then you'll more than likely make use of the offline mode often, and the Switch feels much more suited to.To properly put this version through its paces, we journeyed to one of Dark Souls' most notorious levels, which frustrated and unnerved many players upon its original release. Blighttown, the derelict shanty town full of diseased creatures, was a nerve-wracking descent into a grotesque atmosphere filled with narrow walkways and an infamously unstable frame-rate. Many years later, it's still among one of the most game's most memorable and feared areas. The Switch version is fortunately able to keep a stable 30 FPS throughout, which includes the depths of Blighttown. While there are noticeable dips during some encounters, particularly during bosses and set-pieces that have lots of action, the Switch handles the true Dark Souls experience quite well. The most notable success that Dark Souls Remastered has on the Switch--aside from the sheer fact that it runs properly on the hardware--is how it can feel like more of an involved journey. This is mostly due to how it works in handheld mode, allowing you to play Dark Souls on the go. As a returning player, it often felt like I was bundling up with an engrossing book, voraciously exploring and unearthing the game's many locations.In an interesting way, playing in handheld mode can make for a more personal experience with Dark Souls, which is something that's entirely exclusive to the Switch release. While the portability feature of the console can often feel overstated for other games, it truly does amplify the core of what Dark Souls is all about. Over the course of your personal story in-game--which is on a road paved by defeat, small victories, and occasional humiliation--you'll eventually come to a major win, making the challenging journey feel worthwhile.While Dark Souls Remastered on Switch possesses some odd quirks and isn't as technically impressive as its current-gen counterparts, it still retains the heart of what the original game is all about. To this day, Dark Souls remains a watershed moment for the action-RPG genre. Getting to re-experience many of the game's most nerve-wracking and iconic moments can be satisfying in its own right, but coupled with the Switch's flexible playstyle, this equally haunting and triumphant game becomes an even more involved journey.Info from Gamespot.com

This week, a ton of Netflix Original series and movies arrive on the streaming service. You won't be able to see many of them before Friday, but there are a few new shows to watch while you wait.The second season of Netflix's popular anime about the seven cursed knights who protect the fictional land of Britannia is back. The Seven Deadly Sins: Revival of The Commandments sees the demon Meliodas, giantess Diane, fairy King, immortal Ban, wizard Merlin, and living doll Gowther reunite with Escanor, the Sin of Pride, to once again defend the kingdom with the help of the princess Elizabeth and talking pig Hawk. No longer criminals, the Seven Deadly Sins use their newfound freedom to fulfill promises they each made to friends and family long ago, as well as battle the group of demons that represent the ten Biblical Commandments. For more anime coming to Netflix this month--as well as Crunchyroll, Funimation, Amazon, and HIDIVE--check out our fall 2018 anime guide.A huge assortment of series and movies are coming to Netflix on Friday. Most notable is Marvel's Daredevil Season 3, which sees Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil, once again go up against Wilson Fisk. Although he was the major villain of Season 1, Fisk was regulated to a background role in Season 2. Vincent D'Onofrio has already provided chilling performances as the Kingpin of Crime in Season 3's trailers, and his return seems to plunge Matt into one of the darkest MCU stories told yet. Charlie Cox and Deborah Ann Woll return to reprise their roles as Matt Murdock and Karen Page respectfully, and Wilson Bethel joins the cast to portray Bullseye, one of Daredevil's most iconic villains.Below, you'll find the list of every new series, movie, and Original coming to Netflix this week, and you can check out the full list of October add-ons if you want a peek at what's to come--it includes Castlevania Season 2.Netflix: October 14 - October 20 (US)Available October 15Octonauts: Season 4The Seven Deadly Sins: Revival of The Commandments-- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvailable October 16Ron White: If You Quit Listening, I'll Shut Up-- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvailable October 19Accidentally in Love-- NETFLIX ORIGINALAsk the Doctor-- NETFLIX ORIGINALBest.Worst.Weekend.Ever.: Limited Series-- NETFLIX ORIGINALDerren Brown: Sacrifice-- NETFLIX ORIGINALDistrito salvaje-- NETFLIX ORIGINALGnome Alone-- NETFLIX FILMHaunted-- NETFLIX ORIGINALHip-Hop Evolution: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINALIllang: The Wolf Brigade-- NETFLIX FILMLarva Island-- NETFLIX ORIGINALMaking a Murderer: Part 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINALMarvel's Daredevil: Season 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINALThe Night Comes For Us-- NETFLIX FILMWanderlust-- NETFLIX ORIGINALInfo from Gamespot.com

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

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

We're now in Week 4 of Season 6 in Fortnite, which means a new set of challenges has arrived on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, and mobile. As per usual, if you manage to complete all of the missions from a given week, you'll check off one of this season's Hunting Party challenges as well, which rewards you with a new loading screen containing a clue to the whereabouts of a free item somewhere around the island.In the past, this item would typically be a free Battle Star, which levels your Battle Pass up by one tier if you can find it. However, Epic has been doing something a little different for Season 6, alternating between Battle Stars and Banners, which can be used as your profile icon, each week thus far. That continues to be the case, so if you've managed to complete four weeks of challenges, you'll be able to add another free Banner if you know where to find it.Complete the requisite number of challenges and you'll unlock the loading screen pictured above, which shows a character dressed in the new Little Red Riding Hood-inspired Fable skin exploring what looks to be a grim crypt as another demonic characters lurks behind her. This time, the clue is fairly obvious; you can spot the Banner design in the picture frame hanging on the background.The area hinted at in the loading screen is located to the northwest of Junk Junction, near the northern edge of the island in quadrant B1. Glide there at the start of a match (which should be quicker than before thanks to the speed boost the Battle Bus received) and you'll find the Banner waiting to be collected it. Pick it up and you'll be able to use it as your new profile icon. If you need more help finding it, you can see its exact location on the map below. You can also watch us collect it in the video at the top of this guide.Before you head off to find the Banner, be aware that it will only appear if you've completed four weeks of challenges and unlocked the aforementioned loading screen. As is the case with previous Hunting Party challenges, the item won't show up on the island unless you've met all of the requirements, so you can't simply skip ahead to its location and pick it up if you haven't done the necessary work.Week 4's challenges consist of the usual mix of free missions and those reserved only to players who've purchased the Battle Pass. The latter are also the trickier of the bunch, tasking you with dancing on a Clock Tower and getting a score of three or more at Shooting Galleries, among other things. If you need help, you can find tips for all of the challenges to date in our Fortnite Season 6 challenge guide. Also check out our Season 6 rewards gallery for a look at all the items you can earn by completing the challenges.Info from Gamespot.com

The follow-up to Rockstar Games' classic western game Red Dead Redemption is fast approaching. Set 12 years before the events of the original game, Red Dead Redemption 2 will explore an expansive region of the American wilderness, with Dutch Van der Linde's gang on the run from lawmen during the last years of the wild west. Experiencing Rockstar's take on the open-world western from a new perspective, you'll uncover the history of the Van Der Linde gang, which has a young John Marston in its thralls.We got the opportunity to play Red Dead Redemption 2, and suffice to say, it's shaping up to be one of the most detailed open world games we've ever played. You can find out more in our preview below where you can read about our experiences completing story missions and exploring the game's world. There's also plenty of details below on the game's narrative and all of its trailers. With its release date of October 26 approaching, we've learned a lot more about the base game, as well as the first details about its Red Dead Online mode coming in November.Table of Contents [hide]Where Is RDR2 Set, And Is It A Prequel?The First RevealWho Are You Playing As?The Second TrailerWho's In Dutch's Gang?The Third TrailerFirst Gameplay TrailerSecond Gameplay TrailerWhat's New In Red Dead Redemption 2?How It Plays: Our In-Depth PreviewHow Will Online Multiplayer Work?Launch TrailerHow Can I Play RDR2? When Is Its Release Date And When Does Pre-Loading Start?PS4 Pro BundleWhere Is RDR2 Set, And Is It A Prequel?Set 12 years before the main events of the original game, the prequel focuses on the outlaw life of the Van der Linde gang, led by Red Dead Redemption's main antagonists. After a robbery in Blackwater (one of the original game's major towns) goes bad--the gang finds themselves on the run. Dutch, his right-hand man Arthur Morgan, and several members of the gang have to contend with a life on-the-run while confrontations with rival gangs and the law make their situation grow more desperate.Rockstar also released a description of the plot:America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him.The First RevealDebuting on October 20, 2016, the first trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 was a bit of a mood piece that showcased many locales in the game, while also portraying the somber tone of the main narrative. In this trailer, we saw several towns and locales, many of which are teeming with life and activity--such as ranchers rustling up some cattle, huntsmen bringing back their haul, and a group of citizens hanging out in the general store.Who Are You Playing As?Though the central character of Red Dead Redemption, John Marston, plays some role in the story--the main protagonist of the prequel is Arthur Morgan. As Dutch's right-hand man and enforcer for the gang, he'll handle much of the daily duties of keeping the gang in-check--which includes a young and less-experienced John Marston. When it comes to keeping the gang and its community afloat, Morgan is quite handy with picking up various jobs to ensure everyone is well fed and in good spirits. But as the story progresses, he'll begin to question his own resolve for Dutch's way of life, and whether he still has a place in the gang.The Second TrailerOn September 28, 2017, the second trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 debuted. In the new footage, we got to see more of Arthur Morgan and how ruthless he can be while on the job. During some of the story cutscenes, Morgan will use coercion and physical threats to collect money and information, all for the "benefit" of the community. For more info on this particular trailer, check out our detailed breakdown.Who's In Dutch's Gang?In Red Dead Redemption 2, we'll see Dutch's gang and its key players in their prime. While the original game had John hunt down and kill the remaining members of the gang, we'll see many of the familiar faces in relatively happier times. From the most recent trailer, we see Dutch Van der Linde, Arthur Morgan, Bill Williamson, Javier Esquela, Sadie Adler, Charles Smith, Micah Bell, Hosea Matthews, and of course John Marston in the roster. We'll also interact with other characters who would have a key role in the gang and in the lives of both Arthur Morgan and John Marston.The Third TrailerIn the new footage released on May 2, we saw a deeper look into the game's narrative and how the gang functions. Along with the familiar activities like hunting, heists, and side-quests with the region's citizens, rob trains and banks, and take in shows at theaters. For the most part, the trailer focuses on the many connections you'll have with the members of the gang, as well as how your choices will affect them. For more info on the third trailer, check out our detailed breakdown.First Gameplay TrailerOn August 9, Rockstar unveiled Red Dead Redemption 2's first gameplay trailer. The new footage revealed that the core mechanics from the original game were still intact, but almost everything had received a facelift. Wildlife is smarter and lives within its own ecosystem. Arthur Morgan can interact with the people around him in ways John Marston never could.Second Gameplay TrailerOn October 2, Rockstar finally showcased the second round of gameplay footage it promised. It dives more deeply into the game's side-activities, as well as the nature of the world and its varying systems. In addition, there's an in-depth look at how the sequel's dead eye system works.What's New In Red Dead Redemption 2?While the sequel is largely in the same vein as its predecessor, focusing on exploration, hunting, shoot-outs, heists, and other side-activities where you'll interact with a number of unique characters--Red Dead Redemption 2 features a far more expansive world to dive into. There are a ton of new mechanics in Red Dead Redemption 2. Below you can find a bulleted list of many of the new features in the game, but for all the details on everything new, check out our comprehensive list of all the new features we've discovered so far.You can play the whole game in first-personYou can disable the HUDA new cinematic camera is utilized during missions where you're traveling across the world during missionsYou can inspect nearly all items in the worldYour weapons are always visible on your personThere's a killcam that changes depending on your honorYou can break enemy weaponsDead Eye has five levels nowYour guns can degrade and jamYou need to maintain and clean Arthur or else you'll get dirty and disgust people around youYou can gain and lose weightHow It Plays: Our In-Depth PreviewWe recently got a hands-on with a near final-build of Red Dead Redemption 2. It plays much like its predecessor, but with a bevy of new features and systems that enhance its storytelling, combat, and overall progression. We got to experience two story missions, as well as a chance to goof around freely in the open world. There's a lot to unpack about how the upcoming sequel looks and feels, so be sure to read our in-depth preview detailing our impressions about how it plays.How Will Online Multiplayer Work?Currently, Rockstar hasn't shared any info on how the online play will function. The original Red Dead Redemption featured online free-for-all and team deathmatch style gameplay in the open world, along with several co-op themed missions. While it's safe to assume that these sorts of missions will return, another long-lingering rumor is the appearance of a battle royale mode. Rockstar has recently confirmed that a public beta for the online mode is scheduled for a month after the game's launch.Launch TrailerRockstar released the game's launch trailer, which shows Dutch and Arthur talking about one more big score, before life can improve for their gang. Soon there's scenes of explosions, gunfire, and internal strife, set against talk of loyalty. It's a fairly short, but very sweet trailer. How Can I Play RDR2? When Is Its Release Date And When Does Pre-Loading Start?Red Dead Redemption 2 is set for release on October 26 for PS4 and Xbox One; you can begin pre-loading on Friday, October 19. In terms of file size, Red Dead Redemption 2 is about 99 GB on PS4. You'll need to have even more room if you're going digital, as the installation process will require an additional 50 GB on top of that. Xbox One owners, meanwhile, will need to have 107 GB to install the game.There are also plans for a collector's edition of the game called the Special Edition. Priced at $80, the package includes a copy of the game along with special missions, weapons and a physical map of the game world for players to own. There are also two additional packs for Red Dead Redemption 2 for premium prices, The Ultimate Edition and The Collector's Box--both priced at $100. While The Ultimate Edition has all items from the special edition--including additional DLC items to acquire--The Collector's Box does not include any digital items. Instead, it offers special playing cards, artwork, a bandit's bandana, a physical map of the game world, and a collector's coin in the set.It's worth noting that the PS4 version will have special content that's exclusive to that version for 30 days. There is still no word as to what the PlayStation-exclusive content is, but now we know it's for Red Dead Online and that Xbox One owners will have to wait to check it out.Though the original Red Dead Redemption never found its way to the PC, there's been some rumors that its sequel might. A mention of Red Dead Redemption 2's appearance on PC found its way online, but it has since been scrubbed.PS4 Pro BundleAlthough the system itself doesn't sport a unique design, there will be a Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 Pro bundle. Priced at $400 in the US, you're essentially getting a copy of the game for free. However, this doesn't include any of the aforementioned special editions; it's just a standard edition version of the game. The bundle is available for pre-order now.Info from Gamespot.com

Only a couple years after Fallout 4's release, Bethesda surprised fans by officially announcing Fallout 76, the next entry in its beloved post-apocalyptic RPG franchise. The new game was revealed in a trailer after a series of teases, and Bethesda discussed it in more detail at E3 2018 and at QuakeCon 2018. We even got an opportunity to play the game at a recent hands-on preview event. While there's still so much we do not yet know about Bethesda's upcoming game, the company has offered some clarity on Fallout 76's most curious features and additions to the Fallout formula.To ensure you're kept up to date on everything there is to know about Fallout 76, we've compiled all the information we have on the game so far: our in-depth preview, the platforms it's on, its online functionality, its anti-griefing features, and where the game falls in the series' timeline.Table of Contents [hide]What is Fallout 76?Who's Developing It?Is It An Online Survival Game?How Big Is The World?What Can You Do?How Does Character Creation And Progression Work?How Does PvP Work?How It Plays: Our In-Depth PreviewAny Voice Chat?When's the Beta?Release DateWhat is Fallout 76?Fallout 76 is a prequel to all of the previous Fallout games. Set in 2102, you play an inhabitant of Vault 76 who emerges from the shelter 25 years after the bombs fell on America. Your task is simple: explore what remains of post-apocalyptic America and rebuild civilization.Longtime fans will likely recognize Vault 76; although it's not a place we've visited before, this isn't the series' first mention of it. Both Fallout 3 and 4 reference it and, according to the Fallout Wikia, this West Virginia-based vault was occupied by 500 of of America's best and brightest minds. Unlike the more grotesque experimental vaults in the Fallout universe, Vault 76 is a control vault intended to be opened 20 or so years after a nuclear war. But if the Vault was supposed to open 20 years after the bombs fell, why have 25 years gone by? The story likely has a few surprises in store.Fallout 76 uses the Creation Engine, the same engine used to make Fallout 4, but it will purportedly feature much more graphical detail than its predecessor. Game director Todd Howard has said that Fallout 76 has new rendering and lighting technology, which allows for "16 times" the detail.Who's Developing It?Bethesda Game Studios, the Maryland-based developer responsible for the Elder Scrolls series and both Fallout 3 and Fallout 4, is at work on the game. In addition, Bethesda Game Studios Austin--formerly BattleCry Studios--assisted in fine-tuning the Creation Engine to support multiplayer functionality.Is It An Online Survival Game?Fallout 76 is a much different sort of game from its predecessors. It's "entirely online," but don't worry, you'll be able to play it solo too. According to Bethesda, the idea to take this approach to open-world survival came four years ago, when it started to work on building a multiplayer Fallout experience. Howard described the game's approach to survival as "softcore," which means death doesn't equal loss of progression.You can form a party with up to three other players. You won't be able to manage your placement in servers when you login, as you'll automatically be inserted into a session with others upon booting up the game. Of course, you also have the option simply join alongside your friends and play together.Howard commented that Fallout 76 will have dedicated servers that will support the game "now and for years to come." At launch, there will only be public servers, but Bethesda plans to introduce private servers that will allow players to invite friends to play in order to prevent undesirable behavior.Some classic mechanics from past games will be changing to accommodate the shift to online play. For example, V.A.T.S has been reconfigured to work in real time, while still allowing players to target specific enemy body parts. But this time around, it has been updated to be more of a tool that allows you to spot out dangers in the environment.How Big Is The World?According to Howard, Fallout 76's world is four times the size of Fallout 4. There are six different regions to explore, and each has its own unique style, risks, and rewards. Confirmed areas include the West Virginia State Capitol, The Greenbrier, Woodburn Circle, New River Gorge Bridge, and Camden Park. Contained within each area is a variety of new creatures to encounter, some of which are based on West Virginian folklore. You can take at the full map in the image below.What Can You Do?Like previous games, players will spend the majority of their time exploring and completing quests. However, Fallout 76 will not feature any human non-player characters, as all surviving humans will be controlled by active players. Instead, the game will use combination of robot NPCs, collectible recordings, and environmental storytelling in order to give players what they need to piece together quests and the story at large.Given the game's premise of rebuilding the world, there will be base-building elements similar to Fallout 4. You will be able to set up a bases anywhere using an item called the Construction and Assembly Mobile Platform, or CAMP. These can be placed down in the world and allow you to construct an impromptu camp. At E3, we got to see the player laying down walls and decorating the base with pool tables, toilets, and other household objects. As the "mobile platform" part of the name implies, your CAMP can also be picked up and relocated, allowing you to move your base anywhere in the world.While you can help build the world, you can also destroy it. If you have the necessary nuclear launch codes, it's actually possible to access a missile silo to fire a nuke at any point on the map. Doing so irradiates the chosen area, but it also allows for the opportunity to discover rare weapons, gear, and items. Be wary; nuking an area also causes more powerful enemies to show up, making it more difficult to survive. But don't be discouraged by this, the CAMP blueprint system makes it easy for players to quickly rebuild their homes, and if they're privy to an incoming threat, they can pack their things and move to a new location.As an online experience, player choice is said to be incredibly important, going as far as giving players the freedom to choose who are the heroes and who are the villains. Early footage showcased multiple players engaging in combat and participating in friendly activities, which seems to indicate that players have the freedom to choose their paths in the world of Fallout 76.How Does Character Creation And Progression Work?You'll have similar character creation tools as Fallout 4. However, you're free to change your appearance at any point. In addition, you can also utilize the game's new photo mode during the creation process to better see how your character looks, as well as snap some shots you can share on social media.The SPECIAL system returns and it's a bit different. Like previous games, SPECIAL encompasses the following stats: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, Luck. You're given one point to put into any of those stats every time you level up. The first thing you do when you emerge from the vault is pick a SPECIAL and then you pick a perk in that particular SPECIAL. Essentially, every SPECIAL is a pool of points for your perks.But unlike previous games, perks are now cards you can equip and unlock as you rank up in a given SPECIAL; though, you're free to swap cards out at any time if you want to alter your build. Each SPECIAL characteristic you develop has a perk card cap of 15. These perk cards can be enhanced further from one to five points to increase their power.You can obtain additional perk cards via Perk Card Packs (four random cards), which you earn every two levels initially (1-10), and then every 5 after that. You can also pick one perk card per level, usually from your SPECIAL choice. There are hundreds of Perks cards you can unlock, so naturally SPECIAL ranks cap out after a while (you gain a rank up in a SPECIAL each time you level up). At level 50, you'll stop increasing SPECIAL ranks, but you'll still get card packs.How Does PvP Work?When you shoot someone you do a little bit of damage, which can be equated to lightly slapping them in order to challenge them to a duel. In response to this, the other player can choose to ignore or engage. If they engage in a battle with you, they'll start to take full damage. The one who is killed in this consenting PvP match has the option to seek revenge. Doing so gives that person the opportunity to get double the rewards granted they're successful.If you'd rather choose to ignore a PvP match, there's no way to escape being killed--despite the small damage dealt to you during the initiation phases. However, if you are killed by a player under these circumstances, that player becomes a Wanted Murderer and will receive no rewards from having killed you.A Wanted Murderer is marked on the map as a red star and a bounty is placed on their head. Players looking to cash in on this bounty aren't visible on the Murderer's map. If the murderer is killed, the money from that bounty is taken out their stock.In order to give players time to properly acclimate to how Fallout 76 plays, PvP won't be available to players until level five. And if you perish from any PvP encounter, the only thing you'll lose is the junk you've been collecting, which can be reclaimed after death if not already picked up by other players. You can always store junk in stashes found around the world, so as to safeguard a portion of your stock. Armor and weapons are retained in your inventory after death.How It Plays: Our In-Depth PreviewWe recently got a hands-on with a build of Fallout 76. It plays similarly to Fallout 4, but it features some new additions that subtly shift the paradigm established by past entries in the series. We got to experience three hours of the game, exploring a decent chunk of the opening area while taking on quests and generally working cooperatively with the players around us. There's a lot to unpack about how the upcoming multiplayer open-world RPG, so be sure to watch the video above and read our full thoughts in our in-depth preview detailing what we got to play.Any Voice Chat?It's possible to chat with your teammates and even strangers you discover out in the world. It's area-based so your ability to hear other plays will vary. But if you want nothing to do with strangers, it's possible to mute their voices entirely.When's the Beta?Fallout 76's beta will be available exclusively to those who preorder the game. Bethesda said that it will begin selecting participants from the pool of pre-orders on October 23 on Xbox One first. The plan is to start small and expand over time with PS4 and PC to follow on October 30. For more details, you can check out Bethesda's Fallout 76 FAQ for more details on how to redeem your code.Release DateFallout 76 is being developed for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and is currently scheduled to be released on November 14. Unfortunately, there's no word about a Nintendo Switch release, which didn't seem out of the question after the Skyrim re-release made it to that platform.Info from Gamespot.com

As is to be expected from a new project that Rockstar has been working on for years, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an incredibly dense open-world game that's jam-packed full of details. We recently got to go hands-on with the high-anticipated sequel, and while playing we discovered numerous mechanics and details that go above and beyond those from the original Red Dead Redemption. While the game features improvements to pre-existing mechanics, there are light survival systems this time around. These require you to pay attention to things like your body temperature, gun maintenance, and meat expiration. As fans of the original, all of these new details are surprising and unexpected. But what has us the most enthused about it all is how these mechanics are likely to foster tons of ridiculous shenanigans in the game's world--especially once Red Dead Online releases.We got to experience many of the new systems at work--most of which you can read about in our comprehensive feature compiling them all. But there were some fascinating standouts we wanted to highlight that we feel will contribute to some of the game's most memorable and entertaining moment-to-moment experiences. Included in this feature are nine of the most unexpected mechanics and details in Red Dead Redemption 2.If you haven't already seen our Red Dead Redemption 2 preview covering the story missions we saw, make sure to read it for our in-depth impressions on the game. Though, if you want to get caught up with everything there is to know about Red Dead Redemption 2, check out our roundup of everything we've learned about RDR2. In the meantime, what details are you most excited to experience in Red Dead Redemption 2? Let us know in the comments below.Clothes Make The OutlawThe game's clothing customization options are comprehensive--each character will have different sets to coincide with hot and cold weather conditions. The type of clothes you wear will affect Arthur's performance. For example, if you wear a weighty jacket during a hot summer day, your running stamina will take a big hit.Other customizations will allow layering and minor adjustments, like the option to roll up your sleeves or tuck your pants into your boots. Whatever you end up choosing, you're free to craft Arthur into the high plains drifter you want him to be.You Can Fire Warning Shots And Whistle For FunBy having your gun unholstered and holding Up on the d-pad, you can fire warning shots into the air. This is handy for intimidating people, scaring off animals, or generally being a rowdy buffoon while you're riding around.Speaking of possible buffoonery, you can even whistle at people to get their attention or call your horse. And if you keep holding down the button, you can keep whistling until Arthur runs out of breath. Imagine combining both warning shots and whistling; you'll become the countryside menace you've always dreamed of being.Your Guns Can Degrade And JamYou need to take care of your weapons in Red Dead Redemption 2. You have the option to clean them, which is incredibly important to do regularly because guns can jam mid-fire due to disrepair and environmental conditions. You don't want to be caught with a rusted gun--lest you seek to dig yourself an early grave.Hunted Materials Can Rot And Be DamagedThe components you acquire from hunting all have an expiration date. If you're not careful, time will eventually take its toll and both the fresh pelt and carcass you've acquired will start to rot and attract vermin, reducing its value and making you generally unpleasant to be around. Not only that, but if you use a firearm to kill an animal as opposed to an arrow or knife, its pelt will be damaged and will sell for less at local stores.Cleaning, Grooming, And Feeding YourselfSpeaking of unpleasantness, NPCs will react not just to the stink of your rotting deer corpse, but also if you haven't taken a bath in a while. Arthur needs to get clean and change his clothes every once in a while, since townsfolk may refuse to talk or serve him based on his appearance--having blood on your jacket doesn't attract the best reactions.Time also has an effect on Arthur's hair, which actually grow longer. Customizing Arthur's haircut and facial hair styling is also dependent on length since you're allowed to cut things shorter, but won't have access to options that require more hair--a more realistic take on customization compared to GTA V. Of course, you're welcome to not pay attention to grooming. In fact, you can totally rock the mountain man look by just letting Arthur's hair and facial hair grow to its max.Arthur will need to eat to keep his health and stamina meters up, but will also lose and gain weight depending on his food intake. He'll have to stay active in order to keep in top shape.You Will Get A CameraWe started a side quest during our time with Red Dead Redemption 2, and the mission giver handed Arthur a camera. This camera could be used at any time via your inventory, and yes, the first thing we did was take a selfie.These aren't arm-out handheld selfies, though. The mode is titled "self-portrait" and will frame Arthur's whole body as if the camera were set up on a tripod. You'll be able to adjust expressions and poses, too--expect to see a whole bunch of self-portraits depicting Arthur squatting in front of various things on Twitter once the game releases.You Can Lose Your HatIf you're not careful, you can easily lose your hat in the midst of a shootout. If you drop your hat, you need to physically pick it back up to get back to looking like a proper outlaw. Though, if you ride away from your hat, it'll appear as an icon on the map. However, it will reappear back on your horse if you go too far away. Alternatively, Arthur can swap his hat for any other one that just happens to fall off someone else's head. Sometimes you just have to adjust your style on the go.There's A Killcam That Changes Depending On Your HonorWhen you take out the final opponent during a gunfight, a killcam will frame that final blow a la Max Payne 3. This will change depending on Arthur's moral standing: If you've been a naughty cowboy, these kill cams will be gorier. If you've been upstanding and honorable, they'll be framed in a more heroic fashion like those from the classic film Westerns of old.You Can Break Enemy's WeaponsSpeaking of heroic behavior: if you want to go the more non-lethal route, it's possible to shoot weapons out of enemy hands. Not only that, but you can even shoot at their weapons and break them. This seems like a handy technique if you're looking to be an outlaw with a heart of gold as opposed to a straight-up cold-blooded killer.Catch A Stage ShowAssuming he isn't too stinky to make it past the ushers, Arthur can kick back and catch a show at the local theater. We're curious the sorts of genre of theater you'll be able to see or what Arthur like watching. You Can Dance (If You Want To!)If you find yourself at camp and the mood strikes you, you can break a leg and dance with your gang. The simple moves in the trailer seems fairly traditional, but we'll put good money on there being sillier options whenever Red Dead Online launches.Horse Dressage And Drifting TechniquesHorses are an important part of Red Dead Redemption 2, but it seems like they're far more capable creatures than they've ever been in previous games. During our hands-on, we were able to rear our horse on its hind legs, perform drifts to change direction quickly (apologies to equestrian enthusiasts), and move our horse precisely by performing dressage techniques.Info from Gamespot.com

While the Halloween films are most identified with the masked killer Michael Myers, there's another character just as intricately tied to the franchise. Laurie Strode, played throughout the original films by Jamie Lee Curtis, first appeared in 1978's Halloween and went on to define everything a final girl--the last surviving female horror movie victim that becomes the hero--could be.While Curtis appeared in a number of films throughout the franchise, many wondered if she'd ever return to Halloween when it was announced Blumhouse was resurrecting the series. Interestingly, it sounds as if the movie wouldn't have happened without her.When asked if it would have been possible to do a new Halloween without Curtis reprising her role, producer Bill Block is blunt. "It's a ten-second business conversation, and the answer is, 'you can't,'" he said.After all, it's not as if you can simply recast someone else in such an iconic role. "We needed her or what else you're going to do?" director and co-writer David Gordon Green wondered. "I mean, you could make a cast list, but you'd just roll your eyes at it. She's the only Jamie Lee, so she's the only Laurie Strode."For Jason Blum, another producer, as important a piece as Curtis was of the puzzle, there was one person's involvement he found more necessary. "We weren't going to do the movie without John [Carpenter]," he explained. "I hoped that Jamie was going to do the movie and prayed. But if she didn't, if she had said no, we would have."However, according to Blum, there was a stipulation on Carpenter's involvement--Curtis signing on. "John said something interesting when we were talking before," Blum added. "He said he might not have, and if he dropped out, we would have dropped out. So maybe it would have been a whole different thing if she had said no."In the end, fans should be thankful that Curtis loved the script and was willing to return to the role one more time. After all, if Blumhouse hadn't been the ones to bring Halloween back, someone would have eventually. And instead of what reviews are calling a great entry into the larger franchise, we could have ended up with another Halloween: Resurrection.Halloween is in theaters on October 19.Info from Gamespot.com

When horror fans think of the Halloween movie franchise, the name John Carpenter always comes to mind. After all, he directed the original movie and served as a co-writer on the first three installments--even stepping in as a producer on Halloween II and Halloween III: Season of the Witch.Now that Carpenter is returning to the franchise with the newest Halloween film, there's something missing--a name that's been next to his in the credits of various Halloween films. Debra Hill may not be as closely associated with Michael Myers and his never-ending battle with Laurie Strode as Carpenter, but according to star Jamie Lee Curtis, she's as important to the movies as he is."Halloween wouldn't be Halloween without Debra Hill," Curtis told GameSpot and a small group of press at the junket for the new film. "The voice of those girls is all Deborah Hill."The girls in question are Laurie Strode (Curtis), Lynda Van Der Klok (PJ Soles), and Annie Brackett (Nancy Kyes). "John is a talented man, but he's a, you know, guy from Kentucky," the actress explained. "He doesn't speak teenage girl like Debra Hill. I think those three women are Debra Hill. That intellectual side, the snarky, smart-aleck side, and the [frisky side]."And in writing them how they did, Hill and Carpenter created a trio of women viewers cared about--especially with Strode. Halloween was the beginning of the slasher craze that went on to view victims as disposable chunks of meat, simply waiting to be slaughtered by whatever maniac was on the prowl. Laurie was never treated that way, though, and her friends were fully-formed humans. It hurt when they were killed by Michael."I think she was all three of those young women, and she, therefore, is responsible," Curtis said.Halloween, which sees Curtis return to the franchise as Laurie one more time, hits theaters on October 19. Make sure to read our review of the film, as well as the franchise's most brutal kills, and why the new film could not have happened without Curtis.Info from Gamespot.com