Gears of War, as a series, has always required tactical planning. Understanding how to read a battlefield to find ideal cover and a path to outflanking your opponent is just as essential as your trusty Lancer assault rifle. Still, it's surprising just how well the series translates to a turn-based strategy RPG. Gears Tactics captures the chaotic, gory roller coaster energy generated by the shooters, even as your focus turns from playing a cog to maintaining the machine.Technically, Tactics is a prequel, as it takes place before the events of the original series, but it really feels like a throwaway story from the expanded canon. Though connections to the overarching Gears saga, particularly Gears 5, abound--your unit is led by Gabe Diaz, Kait's dad--Gears Tactics' story is simple and mostly detached from the larger franchise.So while the plot takes a back seat, Gears Tactics cleverly twists the formula of the modern strategy RPG, creating scenarios that fit the Gears mold. All the XCOM-inspired mechanics are there: action points that can be used to move or attack, half- and full-cover, defensive "overwatch" positioning. If you've ever so much as thought the word "tactics game," the flow will feel comfortable.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Combat rarely lasts longer than a handful of rounds in the newest XCOM. In each encounter, XCOM: Chimera Squad kicks in the door, dives headfirst into an intense firefight, then walks out through a pile of bodies a minute or two later, dusting themselves down, a little scarred perhaps but eager to do it all again in the very next mission. XCOM’s turn-based tactical combat now comes in condensed form, relieved of extraneous matter, and for the most part all the better for it.Assuming the human resistance triumphed in XCOM 2, the eponymous Chimera Squad is a special task force composed of human and alien soldiers that also serves as a symbol of a newfound cooperation between species. Dissidents remain, however, and so when the mayor of City 31 is killed in a terrorist attack, it's up to the Squad to track down those responsible. The stakes feel a lot lower than the global emergencies gripping previous XCOMs, yet the smaller scale of the situation dovetails perfectly with the tight-knit group of characters under your control and intimacy of the tactical maps on which they’re deployed. There’s a focus and clarity of purpose here that stands in sharp relief to the sprawling saga of a typical XCOM campaign.Indeed, Chimera Squad feels like it spins the Geoscape and puts just one city under the microscope. Nine districts comprise the strategic map, each day highlighting a few of them with new missions to undertake--some advancing the story, others providing valuable resources and gear. Ignoring one mission in favour of another will raise the level of unrest in the neglected district and contribute to a citywide measure of anarchy that spells game over if it tops out. Despite the lower stakes, there’s still an urgency to your mission, especially as the doomsday clock of city anarchy ticks closer to midnight. And the strategic layer does a decent job of forcing decisions over which missions and districts you need to prioritise, even if it’s mostly a dry game of resource allocation that fails to evoke any kind of emotional response to the lives sacrificed along the way.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The Nintendo Switch is a hot commodity right now, and available stock isn't meeting demands. While the regular Switch is extremely difficult to find at the moment, the Switch Lite is available now in limited supply; Best Buy has turquoise, yellow, and gray Switch Lite models in stock. Switch games, on the other hand, are quite easy to uncover. But deals on first-party titles? Not so much. If you have a Switch or plan on getting one soon, Google Shopping has some great deals on first-party Switch games, including some of the best Switch games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Splatoon 2, and Super Mario Odyssey.All of the Switch game deals at Google Shopping are fulfilled by Target and will arrive at your doorstep in 4-10 days with free shipping. Breath of the Wild is down to $49.49, while Super Mario Odyssey and Splatoon 2 are $50. Breath of the Wild is a grand open-world adventure that moved the classic franchise forward, and Super Mario Odyssey similarly elevated 3D Mario games by offering more freedom and inventive additions to the platforming magic the iconic series is known for. Meanwhile, Splatoon 2 is one of the best multiplayer games on Switch.Those three aren't the only Switch games on sale at Google Shopping. Mario Tennis Aces is discounted to $48, and Pokemon: Let's Go, Eevee, a modern reimagining of the first Pokemon games, is $49. And if you're looking for a fun game to play with the family while social distancing, Super Mario Party is also on sale for $50.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

It's the last episode of New Releases for April, and some war games have been itching to finally deploy. We've got Gears Tactics, Sakura Wars, and the Xbox One and PC versions of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered to check out. It's also the return of a retro classic with Streets of Rage 4. If you've been itching to get behind the wheel of a vehicle recently, you can check out SnowRunner too.Gears Tactics -- April 28Available on: PCGears Tactics turns the Gears of War shooter formula into a tactics game, giving you a squad of customizable COGs who will carry out your orders against the Locust. It's not just cannon fodder they'll be facing, though: expect to encounter big Brumaks and Corpsers during the campaign too. Tactics is coming Game Pass for PC on launch day, but the Xbox One version will launch later this year.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Resident Evil 4 is one of the most beloved games in Capcom's seminal series, and different mod groups have started projects to remaster the game over the years. One such effort is the Resident Evil 4 HD Project, which aims to totally overhaul the survival-horror shooter's visuals to align with modern standards, like as updating its 2D textures for real-world objects into true 3D models.In a recent update, modder Albert said that the duo behind the project remain committed to finishing it despite recent rumors of a total RE4 remake in the vein of the recent Resident Evil 3, which sold quite well. "I don't really care if it's done or not," he wrote. "Capcom's latest remakes are way different from the original versions. The original game will still be unique and worthy of a remastered version."The current release of Resident Evil 4 HD Project only includes the work of the two modders up to July 2018, but it represents a substantial improvement to the original visuals. According to their progress tracker, though the meat of the project is completed, they're a little more than halfway finished with their final revisions to the core game.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Sony has announced new release dates for two of its biggest PS4 blockbusters, both coming within the next few months. The Last of Us 2, which had been delayed indefinitely due to coronavirus, is now releasing on June 19, and Ghost of Tsushima, the next game from Sucker Punch, will follow on July 17--about a month later than previously anticipated.A note on the PlayStation Blog from Worldwide Studios head Hermen Hulst says these dates are possible due to "an ease in the global distribution environment.""I want to personally congratulate and thank both the teams at Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch Productions on their achievements, as we know it's not an easy feat to reach the finish line under these circumstances," Hulst wrote. "Both teams have worked hard to deliver world-class experiences, and we can't wait to see what you think of them when they release in just a few short months."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Over the past few years, Netflix has been trying out interactive specials, from Black Mirror's Bandersnatch to the Bear Grylls special You vs. Wild. The choose your own adventure-esque series allow users to control the fate of the characters on the shows. And now, the lovable Kimmy Schmidt is getting one in May called Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. The Reverend: Interactive Special.While the the special was announced almost a year ago, the first trailer for the show has arrived. You can help Kimmy along on her adventures, like choosing to plan her wedding or make out with her fiance. Or getting an Uber with Titus or walking to her destination. Check it out below.In the new special, Kimmy (Ellie Kemper) is about to get married to the love of her live (Daniel Radcliffw); however, she quickly learns that there is another secret bunker out there, and Kimmy wants to save the girls kept in it. She teams up again with Titus (Tituss Burgess) for the latest adventure.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

If you have a Northern Hemisphere island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, this week is your last chance to catch tarantulas before they go out of season in May. The last day to catch tarantulas will be Thursday, April 30.For many players, the eight-legged critters have been the most valuable bug you can catch since New Horizons launched in March, worth 8,000 bells on their own and 12,000 when sold to special visitor Flick. Crafty players have resorted to tarantula farming on deserted islands to get rich quick, but if you haven't had the chance or you're worried about losing a major income source for your island, don't worry--while the tarantula won't return until November, the nearly-identical scorpion will take its place until then. (If you have a Southern Hemisphere island, you'll be saying goodbye to the scorpion in May, which will be replaced with the tarantula.)Why Catch Tarantulas?There are a few reasons you should be scrambling to catch tarantulas last-minute, if you haven't already. If you're a completionist and haven't caught a tarantula at all yet, it'll be your last chance to log one into your Critterpedia and donate one to Blathers at the museum until they reappear in November. They're also the most valuable bug you can catch this season, if you're trying to make lots of bells. But an easily overlooked reason is Flick's bug model commissions--if you want Flick to craft a tarantula model, you need to bring him three tarantulas, and catching them out in the wild is the only way to obtain them without time travel. Tarantulas don't spawn on friends' islands when you're visiting, you can't trade bugs or fish with friends, and deserted islands won't spawn critters that aren't in season.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Nintendo has released more than a dozen new screenshots of Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, the upcoming Switch remaster of the classic Wii RPG. The screenshots, which we've rounded up below, were shared on the official Japanese Xenoblade Twitter account and showcase the game's core cast of characters, providing a better look at their revamped character models.Originally released in the US back in 2012, Xenoblade Chronicles follows the story of Shulk and his childhood friend Reyn as they set off on a quest for revenge against the Mechon after the robotic invaders attacked Shulk's hometown of Colony 9. The Switch version of the game boasts improved visuals along with some re-recorded music tracks and other touchups.In addition to the visual improvements, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition includes a brand-new epilogue chapter called Future Connected, which is set one year after the events of the main game. The epilogue story will be available right from the outset, so you won't need to first clear the main storyline in order to play the new content.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

505 Games, the publisher of Remedy Entertainment's Control, has unveiled the PC release date for its physics-based World War II game, Total Tank Simulator. It's slated to hit Steam on May 20.Developed by Noobz from Poland, Total Tank Simulator is a casual battle sim in which you take part in "pivotal moments in [WWII] history" from a two-pronged perspective: the commander and the unit. You can deploy your armies and watch the fight play out on "more than 50 totally destructible maps," as well as take control of any individual unit on the battlefield. TTS features three different game modes (Campaign, Sandbox, and Shadow), "hundreds of historical and classified units and weapons," six nations to pick from, and more.The game will retail for $20 when it comes out in May, and you can save 10 percent by purchasing it within its launch week. Further, based on the number of wishlists Total Tank Simulator receives, 505 Games will give away the following rewards:Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

We're all stuck at home due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, but not all of us have access to video game consoles to keep us entertained. For some lucky Japanese youths, however, that might change soon. The Japan Retro Game Association (JARGA) is giving away 100 Super Nintendos (or Super Famicoms, the Japanese equivalent) to children under the age of 16.According to JARGA--a nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of Japanese video game history--participants must be able to pay the shipping costs, and they must not already own a Super Nintendo. The package will include the console, an adapter, one controller, and a copy of Final Fantasy VI and Donkey Kong Country. Applications close on April 27.For those of us who don't have a SNES lying around, some Super Nintendo games are playable on the Nintendo Switch, with new games being added every few months. Several of these games are free for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, with the most recent additions being Pop'n TwinBee and Smash Tennis. If you're looking for some free games to check out while you're in quarantine, games like Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection and Journey are available without cost.Info from Gamespot.com

In these days of social distancing, we're all looking for cheap or free entertainment to keep us from total boredom while stuck indoors--and luckily, there's been no shortage of freebies lately, from free games and free live TV to free manga and comics. On PS4 alone, there are several free games available to claim this month, but for anime watchers, there's another giveaway worth taking advantage of. From now until May 9, you can snag free episodes of three popular anime: My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan, and Black Clover.Most notably, the entire first season of My Hero Academia is currently free to claim on US PSN, compiling the first 13 episodes of the anime. My Hero Academia tells the story of Izuku Midoriya, a young boy who's always dreamed of becoming a superhero despite not having any special powers, or "Quirks," like most of the population. Also up for grabs are Attack on Titan (Season 1, Part 1) and Black Clover (Season 1, Part 1), which include 13 episodes and 10 episodes, respectively.To claim these free anime seasons, you need to search for these shows directly on your PS4 and scroll down to the first season to claim it for free. The other seasons are discounted as well, if you want to keep watching past season 1--all of these anime deals are available until May 9.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

A new type of contract is set to go live this week in Call of Duty: Warzone on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. And it comes with a massive payoff should you survive on the battlefield long enough.In a recent Call of Duty update post, developer Infinity Ward revealed that Most Wanted is Warzone's newest contract type. Once activated, you are tasked with becoming a bounty target and surviving for a set period of time before you get "the ultimate reward" of redeploying your entire team. Most Wanted will be playable on Verdansk across Battle Royale (Solos, Trios, or Quads) and Plunder Trios.A host of other changes are coming to both Warzone and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare this week. This includes some new weapons, Gunsmith updates, tweaks to multiplayer playlists, and more.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The battle royale phenomenon Fortnite might boast impressive player-counts every day, but Epic's special timed events continue to pull in record numbers. The company announced that Fortnite's latest event--a psychedelic in-game concert by popular rapper Travis Scott--pulled in more than 27.7 million unique players who participated 45.8 million times across five showings.Prior to the concert, players could see an under-construction stage at the Sweaty Sands Beach, which eventually led to inflatable gold heads of Travis Scott floating over the water. The concert itself was an interactive experience, with players being submerged underwater and being given the power of flight at different points during the performance.On April 26, Epic announced that 12.3 million players participated simultaneously in the Travis Scott concert. For comparison's sake, the current all-time concurrent peak for Steam's most popular game, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, is only 1.3 million. Previous Fortnite events have drawn a similar amount of attention, particularly its "The End" event from October 2019, where a black hole swallowed the game entirely before a new map emerged days later. If you're looking to complete the Midas' Mission challenges for this week, check out our guide.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The Last of Us 2 is one of the most anticipated games of the year, in part for continuing the acclaimed story that began in the first one. Be warned, though, that spoilers have begun to appear online. Naughty Dog effectively confirmed these spoilers in a statement, expressing disappointment with the situation and urging fans to be cautious."We know the last few days have been incredibly difficult for you," the statement reads. "We feel the same. It's disappointing to see the release and sharing of pre-release footage from development. Do your best to avoid spoilers and we ask that you don't spoil it for others."The Last of Us Part II will be in your hands soon. No matter what you see and hear, the final experience will be worth it."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com