Starcraft II is over a decade old now, having launched its first installment, Wings of Liberty, in July 2010. Now, Blizzard has given an update on the game's on-going development, and has announced that big content drops for the game have come to an end--from now on, patches will focus on balance and fixes.In a Blizzard news post, executive producer Rob Bridenbecker writes that the big update from earlier this year, which celebrated the game's anniversary, will be the last of its kind. "We’re going to continue supporting StarCraft II in the same manner as we have with our previous longstanding games, such as Brood War, focusing primarily on what our core and competitive communities care about most," Bridenbecker says."What this means is that we’re not going to be producing additional for-purchase content, such as Commanders and War Chests, but we will continue doing season rolls and necessary balance fixes moving forward," he continues. "On that last note, we’re not planning a Q4 balance update given that we did one a few months ago, but as always, we do plan to continue doing them as needed in the future."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Halloween is getting closer, which means it's time for New Releases to get a little spooky. This week, you can run from monsters in Amnesia: Rebirth or face them head-on in the first part of Doom Eternal's The Ancient Gods DLC. You can also take a few runs at rogue-lite The Red Lantern or try the game that started it all with the re-release of Rogue. Finally, Transformers: Battlegrounds rolls out this week, too.Amnesia: Rebirth -- October 20Available on: PS4, PCThis new spin on the Amnesia games is set in the Algerian desert, where you'll have to run from the series' trademark monsters, solve puzzles, and figure out why the desert residents have disappeared. Rebirth is also more about the theme of survival, according to developer Frictional Games. Expect a mix of wide-open and claustrophobic spaces as you try to survive.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

NBA 2K21 has added a new feature--video ads that cannot be skipped. Stevivor is reporting that the game now features ads that will play between matches, and which you cannot skip through. These ads are for the Oculus Quest 2, and they've been spotted in the PS4, Xbox One, and PC versions of the game.This is a tactic we're used to seeing in free-to-play titles, but NBA 2K21 is a full-priced title: and depending on which version you bought, it can cost up to $100.Here's a video recorded by Stevivor of one of the ads playing in the game's MyTEAM mode, which has now entered Season 2.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The 2004 romantic drama The Notebook featured Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in the lead roles, but now we've learned what other actors were potentially going to star in it--and they are big names.The Notebook focuses on two lovers, Noah and Allie, and the story takes place across two timelines--one when they are young and the other when they are elderly. George Clooney told Entertainment Weekly that he was originally attached to play the young Noah, the role that Gosling eventually got, with Paul Newman set to portray the older Noah."I was going to do a movie years ago called The Notebook, that Ryan Gosling actually did, and I was going to do it with Paul Newman. "I was playing the flashback and Paul Newman was the old guy."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Dexter, Showtime's serial killer drama that ended disastrously in 2013, is coming back for a limited series revival. The new series will be handled by showrunner Clyde Phillips, who served as showrunner for the original first four seasons, and who has now opened up about how the revival will treat that infamous last season.In the latest episode of The Hollywood Reporter's TV Top 5 podcast, as reported by Vulture, Phillips has talked about what to expect from the show--and said that he won't undo or overwrite the original ending of the series, no matter how much you hated it."We basically do get to start from scratch," Phillips said. "We want this to not be Dexter Season 9." The series will pick up close to ten years after that finale, and will "have no resemblance to how that original finale was." However, everything we saw still happened in-universe. "We’re not going to betray the audience and say, 'Whoops, that was all a dream.' What happened in the first eight years happened in the first eight years."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Spelunky 2 is meant to be a huge challenge, but many players have felt that the first area is a little too difficult, even compared to later parts. The development team addressed this point in a recent Steam update, and now a new patch has arrived to soften the first area, Dwelling, a bit."We know Dwelling is causing players frustration and I think there's some fair criticism there, so we're testing some changes to the spawn rates of enemies and traps, particularly in 1-1 and 1-2," the update reads. "Some tweaks to 1-4 should make it more interesting, as well! Look for those changes to arrive in a patch some time soon." That patch has now arrived, along with some changes to spawn rates.Spelunky 2 Patch 1.12.1e is mostly a list of fixes, but two changes stand out if you're struggling with this first area. In this patch, the developer has "tuned monsters spawn chances in Dwelling" and "added more room variety in the last Dwelling level." Hopefully this means fewer moles, although it's worth remembering that you don't need to kill everything.Of course, Spelunky 2 is difficult by design, and you're still likely to struggle: check out GameSpot's beginner's guide if you're struggling.Here are the complete patch notes for Spelunky 2's latest update, which contains many changes.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Halo Infinite doesn't release until 2021, and its story remains largely a mystery, but we may soon learn a little more about the narrative. The new book Halo: Shadows of Reach, which releases on October 20, will provide some "connective tissues" that link to the new game.Author Troy Denning said in an interview with 343 Industries that the new book will "whet the appetite" for Halo Infinite, and he was keen to join the project from the very beginning."When Ed [Schlesinger, Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books] asked me to write the book, the first thing he mentioned was that it would be a Blue Team novel with connective tissues related to the Master Chief's role in Halo Infinite--and I was sold," he said. "I just love the Halo universe and characters, so writing a novel that moves the timeline forward–and helps whet the appetite for Infinite–is definitely something I was interested in."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

While we have to wait a while longer for Halo Infinite, Microsoft is releasing a new Halo novel very soon, and the company is promoting it with a special excerpt read by none other than the voice of Master Chief, Steve Downes. You can listen to Downes' famous voice read about seven minutes of Halo: Shadows of Reach in the video below.The book was written by Troy Denning, who has written numerous Halo novels before this, in addition to books in the Star Wars, Planescape, and Forgotten Realms franchises. The story focuses on Master Chief as he takes part in a "covert insertion" on the planet of Reach alongside his Spartan II soldiers.The full audiobook version of Shadows of Reach is narrated by Sean Patrick Hopkins. The book is scheduled to release on October 20, and you can get it through Audible, Google Play, and other digital bookstores.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Editor's note: Ring Fit Adventure first released on October 18, 2019. Because we were unable to review the game back then, we're taking this opportunity--the one-year anniversary of its release--to give it a full evaluation now. In this review, Jenae Sitzes reflects on a full year of on-and-off workouts with Nintendo Switch's premier fitness game.Over the past decade-plus, Nintendo has established itself as the home for fitness games. Wii Fit and its enhanced version, Wii Fit Plus, have together sold over 43 million copies worldwide, so it was only a matter of time before the company attempted to replicate that success on Nintendo Switch. Fortunately, Wii Fit's successor is far more ambitious than many people may have anticipated. Released one year ago on October 18, 2019, Ring Fit Adventure is not Wii Fit 2.0, but rather a full-blown fitness RPG with an overarching story, skill tree, and vibrant, lively landscapes. Not only is it far more ambitious in terms of scope than its predecessor, but it also fosters a healthier attitude toward fitness and a friendly tone that's relentlessly encouraging without a hint of judgment, even when it's been weeks--or even months--since you last logged in.In Ring Fit Adventure, you team up with a magical pilates ring to track down and defeat an evil bodybuilding dragon named Dragaux, who is spreading a dark influence across the land. In your pursuit of Dragaux, you jog through beautiful landscapes and engage in turn-based battles against fitness-themed monsters (such as a feisty dumbbell or mischievous yoga mat). In order to attack or defend, you'll have to perform exercises, and the game eventually introduces type matchups--some monsters will be particularly weak to leg moves, for instance. With four different move types available (leg, arm, abs, and yoga), Ring Fit Adventure provides a great full-body workout, and even though some levels may focus on one muscle group over the other, the option to use different move types keeps workouts balanced and prevents you from tiring out too quickly.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Another new Special Battle event is happening right now in Super Mario Bros. 35, the free-to-play multiplayer Mario game for Switch Online subscribers. This event is called the Limited Course Special Battle, and as its name suggests, it restricts the level selection to a handful of specific stages.During this Special Battle event, players will only play through World 3-1 to 4-4. The latter stage in particular should make this event hectic, as you'll need to follow a specific path through the maze-like castle in order to reach Bowser at the end. This event only runs through the weekend, ending at 11:59 PM PT on October 18 (2:59 AM ET on October 19).The Limited Course Special Battle is coming to #SuperMarioBros35, featuring World 3-1 to World 4-4! Be sure to keep an eye out for those different routes in World 4-4's maze section 👀 pic.twitter.com/h07pE0ZEnd — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) October 15, 2020As previously mentioned, Super Mario Bros. 35 is a free download exclusive for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. The game was released as part of Nintendo's Super Mario 35th anniversary celebration, but much like Super Mario 3D All-Stars, it's not a permanent addition to Switch's library; Nintendo says the game will only be available to play until March 31, 2021.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Following the controversy surrounding the PS5's voice chat functionality--and Sony having to clarify that it would not be recording your voice through the console--the company has offered an apology and a better explanation of how chat is going to work on the system.In a post on the PlayStation Blog, SIE VP of Global Consumer Experience Catherine Jensen said that the voice chat recording function will be used for players to report harassment while playing games. The most-recent five minutes of a voice chat will be available to players to record and send to Sony's consumer experience team to make a decision.The notification players see that lets them know they may be recorded is likely a matter of legality. In certain regions, including some parts of the US, it is illegal to record someone's voice without their consent.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The best day in elementary school was when your whole class went into the computer lab and instead of using some boring science or math program, you got to play The Oregon Trail. The educational game has seen many iterations and has been around for decades, and MinnMax founder (and former Game Informer video producer) Ben Hanson has produced a documentary examining its unusual origins. You can watch the entire thing right here.Trailheads: The Oregon Trail is a free YouTube documentary that examines the game's Minnesota roots, including how it was initially created in college by the three-person team of Bill Heinemann, Paul Dillenberger, and Don Rawitsch and donated to the state's MECC organization.You've almost certainly played some version of The Oregon Trail if you live in the United States, as it has been a staple in schools for years and dates back in one form or another to 1971. It gained particular popularity on the Apple II computer and you can even get a handheld version that resembles that computer. It's the full version of the game, too, with hunting and other mini-games left intact. Be careful, or you'll die of dysentary. Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Megaera, one of Hades' earliest bosses, stood before me for the first time. I had done a handful of runs through the underworldly roguelike but had never made it far. I was determined to change that with this run. I used all of my focus to dash, dodge, and dance around her until both our health bars were nearly depleted. I made one final swing to finish her off. Finally, I had won.The high of victory wouldn't last long though--I died shortly after that boss fight and returned to the House of Hades. But I was surprised to find Megaera waiting for me in the lounge."The next time we fight, you better finish me off," she said in an encounter I hadn't experienced before. I'd run into similar situations in other roguelikes, where I fought a new boss in Slay the Spire or Dead Cells, but had never been rewarded for failing.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge includes an area called Dok-Ondar's Den of Antiquities where you can create your own lightsaber based on one from the films, and the Disney attraction is expanding to video games, as well. In 2021, you'll be able to purchase Cal Kestis' lightsaber from Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.Artwork for Cal Kestis' lightsaberThe first video game lightsaber to be available at Galaxy's Edge, Cal Kestis' lightsaber was damaged late in the game's storyline, and it appears the version available for purchase will reflect this. It will be joined by Count Dooku's curved fencing-style saber this fall, and you'll also get to customize sabers with Ahsoka Tano's hilts and blades from The Clone Wars series.What's interesting about the Cal Kestis saber is that it wasn't limited to a set design. As you progress through the Fallen Order story and collect more items and unlockables, you can change nearly everything on the lightsaber. This includes the hilt as well as the color itself, and this can be swapped at will to change things up. Of course, in Star Wars lore, this isn't actually possible, as the color is tied to the crystal placed inside. You can even switch between having it work as a standard saber, a Maul-style double-bladed saber, or a split saber for dual-wielding. The different configurations suit certain enemies better.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Jeremy Hunter has been performing incredible covers of popular songs reimagined as third-wave ska tunes for the last few years, and we've seen several video game references and nods on their YouTube channel Skatune Network. Hunter's latest project is a full covers album devoted to Toby Fox's Undertale, and the first song is available for all checkered Vans-wearing, upbeat-loving Undertale fans everywhere.Skatune Network's new album cover artFeaturing 10 reimagined versions of tracks from Undertale, the record is called "Despite Everything, It's Still You," and includes a number of collaborations. Patrick from the J-Music Ensemble, which combines J-pop with jazz, is among the musicians Hunter brought on to complete the project.The first single from the record is "Determination," which charges forward from the first beat with a bouncy mix of brass, bass licks, and drums. Hunter plays most of the instruments on the song, with Max Boiko of the VGM Collective playing trumpet and Elwood Bond behind the drums. Boiko even adds a little jazzy flair with a trumpet solo, backed up by Hunter's tenor saxophone.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com