The Paper Mario series thrives on a clever irreverence that can be hard to maintain. Its outlandish scenarios mash the absurdist, dreamlike world of the Mushroom Kingdom and the mundanity of the real world. It takes jabs at the very concepts that inspire it, nodding knowingly at the audience and whispering, "This whole thing's kind of weird, right?" It's a fun take on the usually-earnest Mario games, but that kind of slyness turns grating when the bits--or, in the case of a game, systems--that are supposed to prop it up don't work, which is where the last couple of Paper Mario games have struggled. But in surprising course-correction, Paper Mario: The Origami King's most clever trick is how its overhauled combat complements its sharp wit, turning the series' Achilles' heel into one of its biggest strengths.Paper Mario: The Origami King's conceptual gimmick is how its titular origami king, Olly, transforms the flat cutouts of the Paper Mario universe, folding them into subservient, 3D origami figures, and kidnaps Princess Peach along with her entire castle, wrapping both up in a wall of colorful streamers. So now Mario, along with Olly's repentant sister Olivia, need to flatten everything out again. The origami premise adds a nice visual flair to the already-gorgeous papercraft look of the series, and you get to see yet another take on Goombas, Shy Guys, and Koopas, even if this time they're imbued with a slightly creepy energy.Like other Paper Mario games, The Origami King is less about plot and more about throwing a joke at you at every turn, whether it's a smart turn of phrase, one-off bits that reward you for exploring its environments with a gag or item, or extended setpieces that deliver killer moments. Not every joke or bit lands, but they hit far more than they falter: a theater play that quickly takes a turn for the weird, a guessing game that has you desperately looking at a Snifit's face for any sign of emotion, an extended sequences that riffs, of all things, on The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. The Origami King is consistently sharp, using both Mario characters and its interactivity to tell some great jokes.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

There are lots of collectibles to find in Ghost of Tsushima, as well as locations across the island to uncover in order to increase your strength and unlock new abilities. One of the largest groups of things to find are Inari Shrines. These small shrines are hidden on cliffs, in forests, behind rocks, and in caves, and finding them unlocks more slots for equipping Minor Charms, which give you useful passive perks.There are 49 Inari Shrines across Tsushima, and locating them not only earns you new Charm slots, but also some of the better Minor Charms in the game, if you're willing to keep searching. Shrines are always marked by Fox Dens that are marked on your map; meet a fox at its den and it'll guide you to the shrine. Though finding the dens isn't too difficult, there are quite a few of them, and they're easy to miss. Here's a full rundown of all 49 Fox Den locations--honor them all and you'll earn the Favor of the Kami Trophy and a special mask for Jin.We've got a whole lot more coverage to help you fight off the Mongols. Check out our Ghost of Tsushima guide roundup for our full walkthrough, collectibles guides, hot springs locations, side missions rundown, combat tips, and more.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Ghost of Tsushima has no lock-on mechanic, encouraging players to remain in the middle of a fight as opposed to keeping all enemies in front of them, so as to keep an eye on all possible threats. In an interview with Ghost of Tsushima narrative director Nate Fox, I asked him why Sucker Punch chose to not include a lock-on mechanic."Well working on the combat, we watched samurai films, which are of course an inspiration for the feeling of this game," Fox answered. "And the fighters in those movies will often have to switch their attention very fluidly from one incoming foe to another. So the combat is built around dealing with a variety of enemies, a group of them."Though you will face other foes, you will primarily fight against Mongols in Ghost of Tsushima. "We tried to give [the Mongols] a feeling of being like a wolf pack that would surround you," Fox said. "And only through skill, could you fend them off as they came at you from all sides. If we had a lock-on you wouldn't have been able to move as quickly between the different opponents as they came in at you."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Warning: We've ensured that our guides contains minimal spoilers so you can still enjoy the game even if you need help finding and completing all the Mythic Tales. However, if you want to know nothing about the game before playing, stop reading now and consult this walkthrough later when you want to find everything.There are heaps of story-focused side-activities to do in Ghost of Tsushima. As you explore, you'll discover what the game calls Tales of Tsushima, which are vignette-style side-missions that further flesh out the world and its inhabitants. But there's an additional type of side-mission known as Mythic Tales. Completing these extended quests can net you powerful weapons and techniques, further enhancing your ability to take on the Mongol invasion and numerous other threats causing chaos on the island.There's a total of six Mythic Tales to complete, and they're primarily unlocked by completing story and side-missions. Below you can find where each Mythic Tale is located and a walkthrough of how to beat them.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Editor's note: This review evaluates Ooblets based on its early access state. We plan on reviewing Ooblets again once it gets a full release.Ooblets is a charming little game, which is immediately apparent upon booting it up. You're greeted with a loading screen that lets you know the game is taking the time to "delete negative reviews" and "make you wait" before getting blasted with an onslaught of bright colors and an adorable soundtrack that you can really groove to. I've seen firsthand what this game can do to people: My roommate sashays to the beat whenever he walks by my door while I'm playing. I'd make fun of him for it if I didn't catch myself doing the exact same thing.Ooblets maintains its cutesy tongue-in-cheek humor and visuals all throughout. The catchy soundtrack never lets up either, firmly establishing Ooblets as another one of those relaxing life simulator games that will assuredly take an embarrassing amount of hours from my life by the time it's done with me. It's not locked up inside during quarantine with me; I'm very much locked up inside with it. Which isn't to say the game doesn't have its problems--I've run into more than a few throughout my 15 hours with it--but there's definitely an enjoyable gameplay loop here.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Ghost of Tsushima, the last major PS4 exclusive, arrives tomorrow, July 17. For those eagerly waiting for the game to unlock later tonight, you can pass some time by checking out a new lineup of Ghost of Tsushima merchandise, including a Funko Pop of protagonist Jin Sakai, an action figure, and a seriously impressive statue.In addition to the new products revealed below, don't forget PlayStation Gear has a number of Ghost of Tsushima apparel options, including hoodies, T-shirts, and a sling bag. You can also still pre-order The Art of Ghost of Tsushima, a hardcover coffee table book published by Dark Horse. It's currently on sale for $41.49 (normally $50) at Amazon ahead of its September 1 release.If you haven't snagged your copy of Ghost of Tsushima yet, you're running out of time to get pre-order bonuses. Take a peek at our Ghost of Tsushima pre-order guide for all of the details. The open-world samurai game earned a 7/10 in GameSpot's Ghost of Tsushima review, with critic Edmond Tran praising the combat and beautiful open world while lamenting the familiar-feeling quest structure.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Building a PC from scratch can be a fun project, so much so that there's an actual game where you do exactly that. But you know what, it turns out, is even better? Watching Henry Cavill--Superman and Geralt himself--put together a gaming rig in a tank top.This took place over on his Instagram account, where Cavill shares photos of food he's made, him standing next to horses, him painting minifigures, and the occasional promotional image. Cavill is also a fan of games, and his latest post is a five-plus minute video in which he assembles a PC from scratch. There are different camera angles, including a first-person view of him installing the CPU and other components. View this post on InstagramThis kind of material isn't for everyone....viewer discretion is advised. You may see a lot of parts that you haven't seen before. #PC #AllTheParts #AllNightLongA post shared by Henry Cavill (@henrycavill) on Jul 16, 2020 at 5:21am PDT Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

There is a lot to learn from Death Stranding but what Norman Reedus is packing isn't one of them. Thanks to a modder who has implemented a camera hack, we now know that he doesn't have a penis at all in the game.Reedus, who portrays protagonist Sam Porter Bridges in Hideo Kojima's latest title, can be made to pee by the player after drinking too many Monster Energy drinks. Naturally, fans have wondered if the team at Kojima Productions had gone all the way and modeled Reedus' penis ever since the action title released on PlayStation 4 last year.Gamers initially got one step closer to learning the answer when a photo mode was added to the open world title in March. While director Kojima admits that he didn't predict the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, he did realize that players would try to view Reedus' penis. As a result, the in-game photo mode is disabled when Bridges relieves himself.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Rogue Legacy 2, the sequel to one of the biggest indie success stories of 2013, has had its early access release delayed from July 23 to August 18, Cellar Door Games announced. The developer said that the delay is a combination of minor setbacks in stabilizing the game and wanting to complete some features prior to the early access release.An update on the development of Rogue Legacy 2 pic.twitter.com/wjUIoEiiD4 — CellarDoorGames (@CellarDoorGames) July 16, 2020The original Rogue Legacy combined Castlevania-style platforming with the now widely popular roguelike gameplay loop. Rogue Legacy 2 will enter early access on Steam and the Epic Games Store, with a planned release sometime in 2021.Rogue Legacy 2 is currently not announced for other platforms, but the original game eventually made its way to consoles and mobile platforms. Cellar Door Game's last game Full Metal Furies released a little more than two years ago and while the game had a positive reception, ultimately was considered a failure by the developers due to poor sales.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

By now, several months into a pandemic that has shut down production and pushed back the release of more movies and TV shows than any of us can or should be able to remember off the tops of our heads, we've all become a little numb to the concept of delays. They've gone from being a once-in-a-blue-moon oddity to a normal part of pop culture. It no longer feels weird or ominous or even like a punchline.But that wasn't always the case. In the distant, halcyon past a movie getting bumped to a new release date could spark all sorts of speculation, even elevate the movie itself to a sort of meme status amongst fans--and no movie did that better or with more panache than Fox's New Mutants, a movie that is still not out yet, here in 2020, some three years after it's intended premiere. To make matters even more hilarious, Fox (or, well, Disney now, who, in the intervening years, acquired the 20th Century studio) has stubbornly refused to even acknowledge the possibility that something has gone terribly, terribly wrong for the New Mutants. There's even going to be a Comic-Con At Home panel for the movie where, if there's any justice in the world, we'll finally be able to stop pretending it's ever going to hit theaters and get a date for its streaming debut.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Although no release date has yet been given for the upcoming Disney+ Home Alone reboot, information is starting to come out about its cast. The reboot has added Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live), Ally Maki (Toy Story 4), and Chris Parnell (Archer). The news comes from Deadline, who also is reporting that Archie Yates (Jojo Rabbit), Rob Delaney (Deadpool 2), and Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) will star in the film.The film's official synopsis is as follows: "The new Home Alone film will follow a husband and wife who go to war with a young boy, Max, who has stolen from them. Max is an energetic, witty nine-year-old boy with a mischievous side. He feels wise beyond his years and has the personality to easily converse with adults--plus the uncanny ability to relentlessly push their buttons. But, he also displays a sense of innocence and a kind heart, much like the original protagonist."Rumors have persisted but remain unconfirmed that actor Macaulay Culkin, who starred in the original '90s film and its sequel, could make a cameo in this new version of Home Alone.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Assassin's Creed Odyssey completed its extensive DLC roadmap last year, and since then it's been issuing occasional daily challenge updates or extra costumes. With the new Assassin's Creed Valhalla on the way, a small update has hit that lets you get into the Viking mood.The title update 1.5.4 patch notes were posted to Reddit, and it is about 3-4 GB across all platforms. It has some bug fixes but also teases a new item pack in a seeming homage to Valhalla. The Northern Traveler's Set looks very much like Viking armor, complete with furs and an ornate axe. The patch does not mention exactly how or when to obtain them.Valhalla, of course, actually does take place during the Viking Age, as you manage your band of settlers and lay siege to Saxon fortresses. We recently got much more detail about Valhalla, including more information on the hero Eivor, the revised romance mechanics, going fishing, and how you can recruit Viking cats--or just regular cats that happen to hang out with Vikings, but "Viking cats" is so much cuter.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

More details about the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller will be revealed tomorrow, July 17, by Geoff Keighley. The stream, part of Kieghley's Summer Game Fest, will be at 9 AM PST / noon EST on the event's official website.The stream was announced on Twitter by Keighley with a short video of him holding the controller, which you can see below.This is the #PlayStation5 DualSense Controller. Tomorrow at Noon ET / 9 am PT, it's time to go hands on. Can't wait to tell you about my experience. https://t.co/Hp7WuLrjXk #SummerGameFest pic.twitter.com/hvxTouNrc1 — Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) July 16, 2020The DualSense controller features haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and a built-in microphone. The controller will also feature a rechargeable battery, just like the DualShock 4. Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Japanese video game giant Square Enix has established a brand-new studio of sorts that brings internal and external action game developers together under one umbrella.That conglomerate is called Balan Company, an "action game brand" that will unveil its first project in the future--though when remains unclear. The group's official website simply features a red curtain with a white top hat sitting on a stage. The text reads: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the show of wonders brought to you by the Balan Company. We thank you for your patience while we make preparation for the grand opening." Whatever is coming sounds like it may be extremely theatrical.Square Enix has not publicly clarified what Balan Company is, but the studio did share a teaser for the group on its official Twitter account.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Director Christopher Nolan has long been an outspoken advocate for all films, its culture, and also the future of his upcoming new film Tenet. Nolan has steadfastly been pushing for Tenet to be released in theaters this summer and to be viewed by audiences first on the big screen, but the realities of COVID-19 have possibly pushed this release date further back and into the realm of wishful thinking. Although August 12 is still the current, expected, release date, Vulture is now reporting there is growing skepticism Tenet will be released this summer at all.Citing a report from movie-industry analyst Eric Handler, Vulture is speculating that what could do Tenet in is a lack of theaters able to stay open amidst doubts over safety to see movies out in public--and the movie being pulled can only harm theaters further. An anonymous high-ranking executive told Vulture, "The theaters are going to lose the biggest if Tenet doesn't come out next month… They're going to spend $100 million on face masks and [disinfection] sprays. Then the theaters aren't going to open in August? They're most at risk."Further fanning the flames of uncertainty is the fact that industry pundits like Richard Rushfield, who runs the popular entertainment newsletter The Ankler, aren't sure if movie theaters are even able to deliver pre-COVID audience numbers right now. "Between now and the end of the year, 50 percent loss is probably the best-case scenario." Rushfield told Vulture. He estimated that 80 percent is a more likely, realistic number to expect.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com