Through Fortnite, console cross-play between Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo is finally possible. SIE Worldwide Studios chairman Shawn Layden has provided additional background on why Sony changed its mind in regards to console cross-play, and has also revealed PlayStation 4's future with cross-play after Fortnite.In episode 308 of PlayStation Blogcast, Layden says that despite Sony's public stance against console cross-play, the company has apparently been considering it for a while. "This is something that has been taking up about 65% of my Twitter feed over the last few months," Layden said. "Now, enabling cross-play isn't as simple as flipping a switch and there you go. It's a very multidimensional attribute or feature."According to Layden, Sony has taken so long to reveal console cross-play because it wanted to make sure the feature would even be feasible. The company has been checking to make sure the infrastructure for customer support and in-game messaging would work with other systems, as well as getting the okay from partners. "It's taken us longer than I would have wanted," Layden admits. But he adds that he thinks it worked out for the best to announce Sony's new stance on console cross-play and the start of the Fortnite cross-play beta at the same time.Layden ended the discussion by reiterating that Sony is approaching the concept of console cross-play as a beta. "Right now, we're in a beta test program, and when you beta test something you try to reduce the number of variables in the equation." Layden said. "So right now, Fortnite is beta testing for cross-play. I think that, certainly, once we can prove that this is holding together sturdy and well, I would anticipate seeing other games in this service over time."There are most likely other factors at play, but it sounds like Sony is looking to see how console cross-play works out with Microsoft and Nintendo based on how well the feature works with Fortnite. This might hint that Sony hasn't completely shifted its stance on console cross-play at this moment, and doesn't want to commit to devoting resources for more cross-play titles, like Minecraft and Rocket League, until it's positive that doing so would be a step in the right direction.Fortnite is available for PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Android, and iOS. The battle royale portion of the game recently introduced plenty of big changes in Season 6.Info from Gamespot.com

With new Kick Off modes and some welcome on-pitch enhancements, as well as the ever-engaging Ultimate Team and now the Champions League license, FIFA 19 is the most complete football video game package available. Sadly, Career Mode and Pro Clubs remain stale and are in dire need of a refresh. Regardless, FIFA is closer to representing Sky Sports' vision of football than ever--for better and for worse.FIFA has struggled on the pitch in its past few iterations, with matches deteriorating to frustrating slogs. For years we've been unable to play FIFA like football is played in real life--instead we've been zig-zagging the ball up the pitch and abusing pacey wingers to breach the opponent's defence to swing in an unstoppable cross for an equally unstoppable header. FIFA 19's matches are more natural and more varied in the way they unfold, in large part because EA finally has all the pieces needed to make it so. Although it introduced a slower pace in FIFA 18, the newest iteration finally makes this work by tightening up players' responsiveness. Through passes work again, and they (along with player pace) seem to be in a good place in terms of balance--neither under- nor overpowered, as has been the case for too long. FIFA 19's ball still doesn't feel as satisfying as PES 2019's, but it does at least feel something like the real-life sphere it's imitating.FIFA 19 includes new tactical options for wannabe managers to fiddle with, such as how many players you want to commit at corner kicks and whether you want your full-backs to over- or under-lap. These are undoubtedly welcome, and tactical changes in your defensive technique--press after possession loss, constant pressure, and drop off are among five options on that front--make a tangible impact in-game, allowing you to further tailor your play style.However, the much-vaunted new feature of game plans is a bit of a mess. You can set up different tactics for various in-game situations before a match and then quickly switch between them on the pitch, but any change to one game plan, including your default starting plan, is not automatically reflected in your other four plans. So say you decide to switch your wingers over for one particular match or tweak your formation to counter an opponent's star player; that change will be lost if you change to attacking or defensive during a match. This isn't a dealbreaker of course, but it inevitably ends with you spending more time in the team management menu, which is exactly the kind of admin work this feature should have eradicated. And despite the added depth of options, the vast majority of AI teams still behave in a broadly similar (and often unrealistic) way--Wigan Athletic managing to pass their way out of my press with sublime one-touch football was a difficult one to take.FIFA's brand of football is more physical this year, with strength becoming a far more important stat and crunching collisions feeling much more realistic. You can see and feel players battling for the ball, and goalkeepers are not quite as invincible from crosses as in previous years. Long ball tactics are slightly more viable than last year as a result--including, mercifully, from free kicks--and it feels satisfying for your target man to knock one down for your striker to smash in from 12 yards. Despite this, and the new tactical options, there's still no way to determine which players go up for corners and free kicks, meaning your 6' 6" center-back will still frequently be found on the halfway line at set pieces rather than getting his elbows out in the box where he should be. Timed finishing attempts to add more depth to FIFA's pitchwork for expert players, and while it can be a little temperamental and fiddly, it does add a nice risk-reward layer to what was an afterthought run on muscle memory.Meanwhile, EA's implementation of the newly-acquired Champions League and Europa League licenses is excellent, with the official branding, specific commentators, and authentic atmospheres adding to the feel of this being club football's biggest event. The competition has its own mode in FIFA 19, as well as implementation in The Journey, Ultimate Team, and Career Mode, and to its credit EA utilizes the license in a much more comprehensive way than Konami ever did.Unfortunately, that's pretty much it in terms of new Career Mode features, and this is where FIFA 19 suffers. Career Mode is the most in-depth single-player mode remaining in FIFA, and yet it has seen almost no meaningful improvements for years. This year the mode has not been touched at all, save for the implementation of Champions League, and the cracks are showing. That means you get the same "Boss, I was hoping you might be experimenting with the team?" messages; the same bugs and problems (such as the inability to loan out newly purchased players); the same typos and grammar errors in news reports; and the same lack of depth when it comes to club strategies like hiring and firing of staff or stadium expansions. Similarly, Pro Clubs is exactly the same this year as it was in FIFA 18, and it's hard not to sympathize with those who speculate around EA's shifting priorities, given how much ongoing attention the microtransaction-driven Ultimate Team receives in comparison. Frankly, two modes as big and popular as these receiving no new features or even any quality-of-life improvements is unacceptable, and EA needs to up its game in this regard next year.Kick Off is where most of EA's offline attention was focused this year, with the introduction of detailed stats and some interesting new sub-modes contained within House Rules. These allow you to turn off fouls and offsides, turn on the battle royale-like Survival Mode--in which a goal results in one of your players being sent off--or disallow any goal not scored from a header or volley. These modes are shallow, and being available in local play only is a baffling decision, but they offer a nice change of pace for when you're playing with a friend. It's surprising how much rewiring of your football-addled brain they require; after 23 years on this planet appealing for offsides, it's quite hard not to scream "REF!!!" at the TV when my brother scores his fourth of the game, even when the traditional rules have been thrown out.FUT's major addition this year is a new sub-mode named Division Rivals, a replacement for the now-cut online seasons mode. It's another, shorter way to qualify for the FUT Champions weekend event, and it adds to the ever-growing and -evolving behemoth Ultimate Team has become. Otherwise, Ultimate Team remains largely the same year-over-year, but the mode's strength lies more in its constant live support over the course of a season, which is shaping up to be exemplary once again. Champions cards, limited-time packs, daily and weekly objectives, special events and tournaments--Ultimate Team has something to draw you in every week, and it is truly the lifeblood of FIFA 19.The Journey's third year sees the conclusion of Alex Hunter's story, but sister Kim and best mate Danny Williams join him in a GTA V-like three-pronged story. You can switch between the trio to play their individual storylines at any point, though there is a recommended path to follow that keeps their narratives vaguely in line with each other. Each character also has their own special features, such as Alex's choice of mentor squad at Real Madrid (spoilers!) or Danny's choice of advert he wants to take part in. The Journey's scripting and acting isn't exactly outstanding, but it remains a unique way to play, and I hope EA continues it after this Champions League special episode concludes.Ultimate Team has something to draw you in every week, and it is truly the lifeblood of FIFA 19.As impressive as FIFA 19's recreation of broadcast football is, there are a surprising number of details that remain inaccurate. You still don't get a fourth substitute in extra time, for example, and the double jeopardy rule--where a red card cannot now be shown inside the penalty area if a player is deemed to have attempted to play the ball--is still not applied in FIFA, despite these law changes having been introduced over two years ago now. Transfer deadline day still comes on August 31 in Career Mode, despite English clubs having the earlier close date of August 9 this season, and many teams that are not deemed one of the "big" clubs do not get third kits or away 'keeper kits. When the rest of FIFA's presentation package is so impressive, it makes these smaller, incorrect details stand out, especially when they appear to require small tweaks to fix.It's promising that EA is listening to its community. FIFA 19 is much more responsive on the pitch than last year, and the company continues to evolve FUT to keep it fresh. However, the lack of progress in Career Mode and Pro Clubs is sorely inadequate. Thankfully, The Journey's continued entertainment, FUT's long-lasting nature, and some inventive new Kick Off modes mean I'll likely still be playing FIFA 19 by the time next year's game rolls around.Info from Gamespot.com

If you've seen any of the images from Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina or even the first trailer, it's easy to see the series is leaning heavily into a classic horror aesthetic, utilizing everything from vibrant warm colors to practical effects when it comes to creating its beastly creatures.In order to figure out the show's biggest horror influence, though, fans may not need to look much further than Clive Barker, whose credits include the Hellraiser movie franchise, Candyman, Nightbreed, and a number of other horror classics. When GameSpot, along with a small group of other outlets, took a tour of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina sets, this was especially evident in the Academy of Unseen Arts--the titular character's witching school.Lining the walls of the red and black room--which can be reconfigured to stand in for many of the rooms at the academy--are some truly haunting works of art that were painted by Barker, himself. What brought him to the show was production designer Lisa Soper, who reached out about the project.Some of Barker's paintings on display in the Academy of Unseen Arts set.Through their discussions, Soper and her team were able to acquire more than 150 of Barker's original paintings to use on a rotating basis within the halls of the academy, giving the series countless ways to recreate the space. His generosity is also something the production designer wanted to thank him for, using a few Easter eggs embedded into the show that keen-eyed fans might discover.For instance, the flooring and wallpaper in Madam Satan's (Michelle Gomez) home are recreated from designs seen in Hellraiser. This is just one of a number of hidden nods to various horror properties littered throughout the show--some of which GameSpot cannot reveal until Sabrina debuts.It's clear, though, that Soper and her team, along with showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, are looking in the right places when it comes to their horror inspiration. Hopefully, it translates well when Chilling Adventures of Sabrina premieres October 26 on Netflix.Info from Gamespot.com

"You are already dead" is a familiar refrain from Fist of the North Star's protagonist, Kenshiro--often said after he effortlessly pokes the death-triggering pressure point of a hulking bandit. It's a hokey yet empowering catchphrase delivered with infectious confidence. Even more satisfying is what follows, as Kenshiro's foe implodes into a bloody mess--a gruesome punishment dealt upon those who harm the innocent. This classic power fantasy has captured the imaginations of anime and manga fans for decades, pulling in countless people with its over-the-top martial arts justice. It's a quality that the Yakuza developer, RGG Studios, captures so well in Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise--and there's plenty for newcomers to FotNS to enjoy, too.From the start, Lost Paradise gives you a wealth of tools to make short work of desert bandits and criminals in a fight, performing devastating executions upon enemies who all clearly underestimate you. All the while, an expert handling of melodrama and absurdist humor ensures the series' epic dramatics are conveyed, while also pushing them in exciting new directions. There's great ambition in Lost Paradise's take on FotNS, and while it may not always realize its full potential, the game is exceptional at placing you in the shoes of its messianic martial artist.Lost Paradise decidedly crafts its own take on the series’ characters and events, telling a story set in an alternate timeline. While its plot is nowhere near as dense or complex as the Yakuza games, there’s more than enough action and intrigue to hook you into the tense drama on display. The supporting cast is endearing, each possessing struggles and aspirations that are easy to empathize with. You're often thrown into moments where you are fighting alongside them and even up against them. As new foes enter the fray, it's difficult not to get caught up in the peril that befalls Kenshiro and his allies--despite some characters and themes not being as deeply explored as they could be.The game doesn’t completely change everything, however, occasionally lifting elements from the series and inserting them into the framework of its narrative. The game feels like a collection of new and old, which sparks excitement when witnessing iconic moments set against the backdrop of a new setting. There’s something special about how Lost Paradise seamlessly incorporates classic characters into its narrative, though it’s difficult not to be disappointed by how little it sometimes develops them. They often exist for the sake of giving Kenshiro a tough opponent to fight rather than fully implementing their arcs into the narrative. Other times, some characters appear to fight and never show up again. This may disappoint fans who desire the context that the series gives these characters and more than likely will leave some newcomers confused.Despite this, there’s still plenty of memorable moments that preserve the series’ signature storytelling for both fans and newcomers. However, where Lost Paradise truly excels (and surprises) is in its use of levity; RGG Studios adds its own style to the mix, including a suite of absurdly comedic substories that regularly poke fun at the source material. This level of self-awareness should come as no surprise to Yakuza fans, but it makes for an amazing fit that helps balance out FotNS’s traditionally dire tone. You might save innocent citizens from local bandits or even join up with Kenshiro's closest allies on a quest to help a nearby village. But it's the less traditional side-activities that delight the most, putting you into light-hearted scenarios that redefine what's possible in the FotNS universe. For example, one substory addresses the morality of Kenshiro's frontier justice in humorous and heartfelt ways, while another jokes about the prevalence of shoulder pads in the series' character designs. Have you ever wondered what it would be like if Kenshiro worked as a bartender? Better yet: how about Kenshiro as the manager of a hostess nightclub? Lost Paradise works in these side-activities for laughs, and it's presented in a way that brings to light just how ridiculous yet endearing Kenshiro can be.To accommodate this shift, Kenshiro is much more expressive than usual. Historically a protagonist of few words, the increase in his dialogue and internal thought process is a welcome change that reshapes him into a more charming and noteworthy presence. While you won't come out of Lost Paradise understanding Kenshiro from a new and meaningful perspective, his more exaggerated personality at least highlights what makes him so captivating and likable.The writing properly sets the stage for the power fantasy of being Kenshiro, but it's Lost Paradise's delivery of his over-the-top fighting style that brings it all home. The Yakuza series' uncomplicated beat 'em up-style approach to combat works well with FotNS, offering you easy access to a flashy and deadly arsenal of attacks and techniques. You'll constantly gain new abilities as you progress that demonstrate Kenshiro's God-like fighting prowess against enemies. The impact of his punching flurries, swift kicks, and graceful acrobatics are all faithfully brought to life. There's a destructive and mesmerizing force to each blow that somehow never manages to grow old no matter how much you exhaust each possible combo.Combat isn't especially difficult, but that's precisely what makes it so gratifying. Enemies are always a combo or QTE away from turning into a crimson fountain. With such power at your fingertips, you’re always encouraged to play with your foes--whether it be launching them into an air juggle or sending them flying across the stage with a well-placed kick. Before long you'll find yourself emulating Kenshiro as you fight, effortlessly dispatching groups of enemies with speed and grace.It helps that every activity feeds into your sense of progression too. The world may be smaller than those from the Yakuza games, but every corner is rich with opportunities that reward you with items and experience points that'll increase your strength. Whether it’s a fun mini-game to play for a while, a shop system you pour resources into stocking, or a bounty-hunting system with its own overarching story arc, there’s usually something worthwhile to tackle. And more often than not, you're pulled into unexpected directions thanks to how random substories seem to trigger.It’s worth noting that Lost Paradise is a little rough around the edges. Despite its cel-shaded art style, low-resolution textures give the game’s visuals a dated look that’s plain ugly at times, while stiff character animations accompany most cutscenes. Not only that, but there are some pacing issues scattered throughout that have you going from point A to B and back again that can be outright laborious. However, these are only minor complaints in the grand scheme of what Lost Paradise ultimately succeeds in, and that’s understanding and capturing what makes FotNS so special.Lost Paradise may replicate the Yakuza series' format, but it's filled with a passion for FotNS that makes it fantastic all on its own. While previous games based on the property have adapted its story and characters with some success, few have managed to not only nail the style and tone but redefine what's possible with its world and characters. RGG Studios has done a splendid job at evoking the justice-fueled power fantasy Kenshiro represents, succeeding in revealing more about the historic and beloved character in amusing and unexpected ways.Info from Gamespot.com

The fall 2018 anime season has officially begun. Starting October 1, a bunch of new series and movies will begin airing on Netflix, Amazon, Crunchyroll, Funimation, and HiDive. With all the new anime, we've outlined what we think you need to add to your watch list.Bloom Into You is a 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 love stories say a young girl should. Bloom Into You is debuting exclusively on HiDive (in both Japanese and English dub) and premiers on October 5. This fall, HiDive is also airing episodes of the English dub of Princess Principal, one of the best anime from 2017.You should also add Crunchyroll's Goblin Slayer to your queue--especially if you're a fan of Dark Souls. Goblin Slayer is a dark fantasy about an inexperienced priestess, called Priestess, who's saved by a male adventurer named Goblin Slayer after her entire party is gruesomely butchered in front of her. Goblin Slayer is a bloody story that repeatedly offers up scenes where its characters are left with eyes full of despair, but the show is not without its charm. The series begins airing on October 6.Other anime to look out for are That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime and SSSS Gridman. The former launches on October 1, with the original Japanese version on Crunchyroll and the English dub on Funimation. The latter comes out on Funimation on October 6. Slime is an isekai--a story where a normal person is transported to another world--that's about pretty much exactly what the name implies, and Studio Trigger's Gridman is an anime remake of Gridman the Hyper Agent, a series about three kids creating a video game superhero. Golden Kamuy and Netflix's Castlevania also return with second seasons this fall, the former on October 8 and the latter on October 26.The 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 JulietSo Many Colors In The Future What A Wonderful WorldOctober 11 Le Cirque de KarakuriCrunchyrollOctober 1 That Time I Go Reincarnated as a SlimeOctober 3 RErideD: Derrida, who leaps through timeOctober 4 Zombieland SagaOctober 5 Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Part 5: Golden WindOctober 6 Goblin SlayerRadiantSword 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

Even three weeks after launch, Destiny 2's Forsaken expansion feels, in some ways, overwhelming. For all but the most dedicated players, it was nearly impossible to be prepared for the Raid in the 10 days between launch and its release. That's partially the fault of now-resolved issues that prevented players from leveling up properly, but it's also indicative of just how far Destiny 2 has swung in the "hardcore" direction. However, a strong foundation of more accessible activities coupled with an engaging new campaign and a fantastic new mode in Gambit help make up for prohibitive level restrictions in the late game. After two disappointing expansions, this is the best shape Destiny 2 has been in--you just have to be patient with it.Whereas the Red War arc in the base game relied on an overtly evil supervillain to drive the story forward, Forsaken's story is built around less noble pursuits. Cayde's death at the beginning of the campaign starts you off on a journey for revenge, which means hunting down and killing those responsible: eight Barons, powerful enemies from the new Scorn race. The boss-focused structure and darker tone make for a more interesting and varied campaign where each mission feels like a necessary step rather than busy work with no clear narrative purpose. That said, it's not so involved that you can't run through the missions with others and talk over some of the dialogue without losing track of what your goals are, either.Most of the main story missions take place in a new destination, the Tangled Shore. Each of the Barons has their own personality traits, with some being especially memorable; the Rider rides around on a souped-up Pike and cackles as she takes shots at you, while the Trickster's mission is littered with bombs that look like engrams. A new vendor named Spider (a Fallen mob boss you're forced into an alliance with against the Scorn) adds more color to these missions, too, manipulating you into doing his bidding around the Tangled Shore as you go.The entry-level portion of the game can take 10 or so hours with some grinding in between, depending on whether you go solo or with a Fireteam of one or two others. Once you finish that campaign, you unlock the second destination, the Dreaming City. The level requirements jump quite a bit, which means a good amount of grinding--completing Weekly Challenges for Powerful gear--to get there. Depending on how dedicated you are, this can either be a laid-back process over time or a grueling one over a few days.As is the case with Destiny 2 in general, the strength of its shooting mechanics and the lure of new weapons and armor help to offset the repetition inherent to the mid-game grind structure. If you don't mind taking things slightly more slowly, you also don't have to do any weeklies you find tedious, like replaying old story missions. It is a bit weird to go back to older content, like Strikes, where Cayde is still alive, but it's easy to overlook in a game where you can kill the same bosses over and over.The standout addition to the rotation is Gambit, a part-PvP, part-PvE mode that has you competing with an enemy team on mostly separate maps. Your main goal is to kill AI-controlled enemies, collect the motes they drop, and bank those motes to summon a final boss before the other team summons and kills theirs. Along the way, members from each team will have the opportunity to invade the other map and score PvP kills to screw with their opponents' progress. It's a creative combination of Destiny's various existing modes, and having to juggle both your side of the map and the other team's progress--and frantically trying to hide when an invader comes--makes for hectic matches that are consistently fun with or without friends, as well as a great way to level up regardless of your commitment.When you complete the campaign, you also get the Cayde's Will quest to unlock the Exotic hand cannon Ace of Spades. The quest takes you from Gambit to the Crucible to Strikes to a few different planets, mostly using hand cannons, and then finally to a story mission. We won't spoil it here, but it's a smart end to the quest, pairs well with the main story, and raises intriguing lore questions. Ace of Spades itself is also just a worthwhile weapon to get; it packs a serious punch and has an entertaining reload animation to top it off.After about a week of playing and leveling daily, I was in good shape to tackle what the Dreaming City has to offer. It's a gorgeous area, with gleaming bridges and sparkling crystal structures. It's also full of Taken, and different portals can take you to different planes--even after three weeks and content that unlocked after the Raid was first completed, it still has an air of mystery about it. There's also more content that was released even after the post-Raid unlocks, and it may continue to refresh as the weeks go on. Even after three weeks and content that unlocked after the Raid was first completed, the Dreaming City still has an air of mystery about itThe Dreaming City's two main activities are the Blind Well and the Ascendant Challenge. The Blind Well is a high-level horde-style public event that comes in a few tiers of difficulty. Even if you're with a Fireteam, you'll likely have to wait around a bit for a few people to show up before you can start the harder tiers, and then you have to hope they know what they're doing. It's frustrating when you're not gelling with randoms and end up failing, but it's extra gratifying when you do sync up with a group and complete the higher tiers. The Ascendant Challenge, on the other hand, is not public and is best tackled with a Fireteam. It changes each week (so far) and can include things like platforming activities or challenging boss fights in a creepy, Taken-filled alternate plane.Completing both nets you a few pieces of high-level gear, which is always a strong incentive this close to the endgame. But even three weeks after launch, it was difficult to get a Raid crew together. Three of us were playing and leveling at a fast pace (the highest was 568, while myself and one other person were hovering just below 550), two were playing relatively often between other work duties (both around 535), and one was splitting time between PC and PS4 (and was severely underleveled at 513 but powering through it admirably). We were able to take on the first encounter of the Raid, but the severe spikes in level requirements nearly made it impossible. Like other Destiny Raids, though, the communication, teamwork, and skill required to succeed makes for an intensely satisfying experience. It's just frustrating that it's been such an uphill battle to get there.There is a lot to do in Forsaken, so much so that it can be difficult to see it all. That also means that, for the average player, this expansion has a much longer tail than previous iterations of Destiny 2. The variety and flexibility of activities established in the base game still work to make grinding a good time, and Gambit adds a consistently entertaining mode to the roster. The endgame, while difficult to reach, is also where the most satisfaction can be found.Info from Gamespot.com

Capcom brought Resident Evil 7 to Nintendo Switch in Japan as a streaming-only game. This seems to have been an experiment of sorts, as the Japanese publisher is now apparently considering bringing some of its other games to the Switch in cloud form in Japan. A spokesperson for the company told the Wall Street Journal that Capcom will make announcements about other cloud games for Switch after it gets a look at the numbers and other metrics for Resident Evil 7.Sources told WSJ that Capcom is already looking at "other titles" to bring to Japan as streaming-only games. However, it's not clear what these other games are or when they might be released. Presumably they will be ports, just like Resident Evil 7, but this is not confirmed.One of the benefits of streaming games from the cloud instead of playing them locally is that it allows the Switch, which is underpowered compared to PS4 and Xbox One, to play more graphically and technically demanding games. However, as with other streaming services like PlayStation Now, the quality of your experience will depend on the strength and reliability of your internet connection.For Resident Evil 7 on Switch, another matter is that Capcom effectively only rents you the game. For that game, Capcom charged about $18 for 180 days of play. It remains to be seen if the same pricing structure would be implemented for future releases.Whatever the case, many are predicting that streaming is going to become increasingly popular in the coming years. Electronic Arts recently acquired a streaming company to help with its own streaming ambitions, while Xbox has already confirmed it is working on a game-streaming service that has not yet been announced. Xbox boss Phil Spencer says Microsoft's streaming service will offer "console-quality" gaming on "any device." And of course, Sony already has its own streaming service in PlayStation Now.Take-Two Strauss Zelnick said recently that he believes game-streaming will truly take off in the next 1-3 years.What do you think about streaming to play games? Let us know in the comments below!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 4Immortal: 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 13Wasteland 2: Directors CutSwitchSeptember 13Shadow of the Tomb RaiderPS4, Xbox One, PCSeptember 14Light Fingers SwitchSeptember 14BlindPSVRSeptember 18Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna The Golden Country DLCSwitchSeptember 21Valkyria 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 DateForza 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 9WWE 2K19PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCOctober 9Call of Duty: Black Ops 4PS4, Xbox One, PCOctober 12The World Ends with You: Final RemixSwitchOctober 12Lego DC Super VillainsPS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchOctober 16Starlink: Battle for AtlasPS4, Xbox One, SwitchOctober 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 26NovemberGamePlatformRelease DateMonster Boy and the Cursed KingdomPS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchNovember 6Overkill's The Walking DeadPS4, Xbox One, PCNovember 6The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 3PS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchNovember 6World 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 14Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu/Let's Go EeveeSwitchNovember 16Battlefield VPS4, Xbox One, PCNovember 20WarframeSwitchNovember 20WreckfestPS4, Xbox OneNovember 20Darksiders 3PS4, Xbox One, PCNovember 27ArtifactPCNovember 28DecemberGamePlatformRelease DateJust Cause 4PS4, Xbox One, PCDecember 4Persona 3: Dancing in MoonlightPS4, PSVitaDecember 4Persona 4: Dancing All NightPS4December 4Persona 5: Dancing in StarlightPS4, PSVitaDecember 4Super Smash Bros. UltimateSwitchDecember 7Dragon Marked for DeathSwitchDecember 13The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 4PS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchDecember 18Big 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.GamePlatformPersona Q23DSChocobo's Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy!PS4, SwitchInfo 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 more recently at QuakeCon 2018. 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: 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?Any 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.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.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

Forza Horizon is a series that has always managed to deftly balance accessibility and complexity. It takes the realistic driving mechanics of Forza Motorsport but ditches the intimidating nature of professional racing and ruthless competition. Instead, it uses vibrant locations and positive vibes to amplify and celebrate the joys of driving--the giddiness of speed, the awe of vibrant scenery, and the spectacle of shiny cars. Forza Horizon 4 upholds this tradition. Meaningful changes add interesting gameplay considerations and improve progression flow, on top of its already accommodating difficulty options, a smorgasbord of vehicles, and a beautiful open world overflowing with activities. With Horizon 4, Playground Games continues to excel at making the act of virtual driving exciting, approachable, and entertaining without sacrificing complexity.Horizon's fourth open-world locale is a version of Great Britain that amalgamates and condenses iconic regions of England, Scotland, and Wales, offering some fantastic terrain to explore. The rolling hills of the English countryside make cross-country driving more thrilling, the Scottish Highlands offer breathtaking highway routes, and the city of Edinburgh's windy, hilly streets serve as an interesting location for street races.But the biggest change to Horizon is the introduction of seasons. Horizon's Britain cycles between summer, autumn, winter, and spring--and the weather in each season affects the world in tangible ways. These range from the obvious, like bodies of water freezing over, to the near-imperceptible, like the change in temperature affecting your tires. But seasons truly require you to adapt both your technique and your vehicle, and this variety produces a unique dynamic--the same dirt course you drive in summer will be boggy after an autumn rain, and asphalt roads will get slicker during the winter snow. In the first few hours of Horizon 4, the seasons will change after you've completed a number of activities, and this quick cycle reveals how necessary it is to consider and adjust your driving. But once you complete a whole cycle, the implementation of seasons changes: They'll then be tied to an online server, synchronized for all players, and will rotate every seven days.Online functionality has a larger emphasis in Horizon 4--when playing solo, the game will discreetly connect you into an online session with up to 72 other players. You can also form a convoy of up to 12 people, as well as compete in ranked or unranked team adventures for seasonal prizes. It's still easy to focus on playing solo at your own pace, and you can still go offline completely and drive against AI. But Horizon 4's expanded online functionality does offer worthwhile activities to encourage you to connect with other people. Head-to-head races are more interesting against actual human beings, and the weekly change in weather comes with a selection of limited-time, season-specific races and championships as well as challenge missions.Horizon also features recurring "#Forzathon Live" public events, which puts the call out to players in a session to gather together and cooperate to hit a combined score pool in a certain activity. You'll earn currency to spend in an exclusive Forzathon shop if you're successful, but these events become tedious quickly, as you'll be running the same activity--like a single drift zone or danger jump--repeatedly until the group hits the score target.But the missed opportunity of Forzathon Live events is just a tiny scuff in Horizon's otherwise comprehensive and inviting gamut of activities. Irrespective of online seasonal events, there are a large number of vehicular disciplines to pursue, the majority of which allow you the great flexibility of shaping a race around your vehicle of choice--though you'll still need to use your best cars to perform well in things like speed and drift challenges. You're also now able to create your own custom courses, and the series' more creative pursuits return with story missions--which feature things like stunt driving and nice homages to other racing games--and the entertaining, if highly choreographed, showcase races against things like planes, trains, and Halo's Warthogs.Progression has changed from Forza Horizon 3--you no longer expand multiple festival sites to uncover activities. Instead, each discipline has its own corresponding progression meter. Participating in a particular kind of activity enough times, win or lose, will eventually level up that discipline, reward you, and unlock more activities of that kind on the map. It's an exciting and friendly system that stretches you out to the furthest reaches of the world quickly, makes it feel like something new and interesting to do is always nearby, and rewards you no matter what you decide to participate in and how you perform. Even after hours and hours of play, Horizon 4 kept revealing surprises by introducing brand-new styles of activities, keeping the game's flow feeling fresh.It always feels like there's a reward in reach, too. With both individual meters for disciplines and an overall progression meter, you're often just a couple more races away from earning a level-up prize. The slot machine-style wheelspins also return, now with a variant that lets you pull for three prizes, and thankfully they still remain siloed from any real-world monetary transactions. Horizon 4 has a larger variety of potential rewards, too. The bigger focus on online interactions means driver customization is a big deal, which throws hundreds of unisex clothing options, quick chat phrases, and dance emotes into the pool. This means you might occasionally get a boring prize like a pair of shoes, but the pace of compensation is steady enough to make this negligible and also makes the rare occasion of nabbing a free car all the more satisfying.Horizon 4 boasts 100 more vehicles over its predecessor, with a total of 450 in the base game. While Japanese car enthusiasts will definitely notice the absence of Mitsubishi and Toyota vehicles (no more Initial D Sprinter), Volkswagen has held over from Motorsport 7 (bringing classic Beetles, Kombis, and Golfs), as have a few new vehicles like racing trucks. Once again, Horizon features an array of tinkering options for enthusiasts, as well as auto-upgrade options and a number of accommodating driving assists for those who'd rather only think about accelerating and turning.Regardless of how you drive, vehicles feel weighty, handle believably, and each one now has its own individual perk tree. Earning skill points while performing both reckless and prudent driving maneuvers will allow you to unlock nodes that add buffs to your skill point accumulation, or earn one-off rewards like wheelspins or influence (the game's experience measure). It's a great change from Horizons 3's global skill tree, because it encourages you to stick with a vehicle, get to know it intimately, and have the advantage of a higher rate of reward. Skill points come readily if you're driving at least somewhat competently, and you're free to use points you earn on any vehicle, which makes swapping your go-to car less of a blow to your progression if you've already banked some extra points.Horizon's global perks have been transferred to another new feature, Properties, which replace festival sites as your garage and customization hubs. Finding and buying properties around the map is relatively expensive, but the perks some contain are useful, and properties all act as valuable fast travel points. Fast travel still costs you in-game currency, at least until you find and break all 50 fast-travel boards, but Horizon 4 does make other very welcome improvements in the interest of accessibility and quality of life, including the ability to change cars for free and at any time.There's such a diverse range of activities stuffed into every corner of Horizon 4, and meaningful changes contribute to smart driving dynamics and a more consistent sense of achievement. Everything you do in Horizon feels valuable, no matter how big or small--from the basic thrills of speeding a fast car down a gorgeous mountain highway to spending time tinkering with your favorite ride to manage seasonal road conditions to just hanging out with friends and strangers online and goofing off in friendly games. The charm of the Horizon series is as palpable as ever, a winning, all-inclusive recipe that celebrates the joy of driving above all else.Info from Gamespot.com

Things haven't been easy for Mega Man fans in the 2010s. Between the cancellations of Mega Man Universe and Mega Man Legends 3 and the disappointing spiritual revival Mighty No. 9, it felt like every hope of seeing the series' beloved, classic action gameplay return was dashed in some way. So it was to great anticipation and expectations that Capcom announced Mega Man 11, the first all-new Mega Man game in over eight years. And while the game does deliver on its promises of being a charming, challenging action game with a rogue's gallery of robots to scrap, it makes a few puzzling choices that keep it from true greatness.Those who have been enjoying our blue buddy's adventures within the last three decades are probably familiar with the gameplay formula here: You go through eight themed levels in the order of your choosing, claiming the weapons of the end-stage Robot Masters you defeat--and which can be used to exploit weaknesses in subsequent boss encounters. Once the eight robots are beaten, you advance to a tiered fortress with a final Dr. Wily showdown waiting at the end.The big new feature this time around, however, is that our hero has been fitted with the Double Gear System, which allows him to increase his weapon power or slow down the environment for a limited time. The Power Gear can increase the output of the standard Mega Buster or enhance special weapons with more potent effects, while the Speed Gear can help you in tricky spots where timing or moving quickly is crucial. However, these effects only last a few seconds, and once time runs out you have to wait for a cooldown period to end or collect a special item before you can use them again, preventing you from relying too heavily on them. You're also not the only one using this new power, as you'll find Wily's machines are also putting it to use.One thing you'll notice right off the bat is how well the game manages to nail the overall feel and charm of the series in its visual presentation. The 3D character models of Mega Man, his friends, and his Robot Master foes are on point, with subtle visual flourishes like Auto's exasperated expressions and robot bird Beat struggling to lift Mega's weight adding a little bit of humor. The stages themselves are packed with the sort of strangely cute, googly-eyed robot enemies that have come to define the franchise, and background elements like Blast Man's self-advertisements or Block Man's strange hieroglyphs add a spark of personality to each of the stages. With visuals this nice, it's easy to overlook the soundtrack, which is pleasant but wholly unmemorable.Unfortunately, the early-game experience in Mega Man 11 is a trying one. Veterans will certainly notice how unusually long each of the stages are. While you might assume that more Mega Man action is good, the stage length serves to make the game far more frustrating than it should be, as checkpoints are sparsely placed and extra lives are few and far between. Making things worse, you often hit the most challenging parts of a stage in rapid succession, affording you little time to catch your breath. The stage design also tends to put trial-and-error areas like a labyrinth of instant-kill spike walls or a series of rapid-fire jumps at the end of these lengthy levels, making game overs especially demoralizing.In other Mega Man games, failure feels more like a learning experience than a setback; here, however, the prospect of redoing a 10-minute level laden with strict checkpoints, instant-kill elements, and a mid-boss brawl often feels painful. The Double Gears help somewhat in navigating the more difficult sections, but they always seems to run out of power too quickly to be reliable. Progress gets better once you manage to build up a repertoire of boss weapons and purchase upgrades with collectible bolts found in the stages, but there's still a small degree of frustration at certain stage design elements, like Torch Man's three stretches of instant-kill flame wall pursuit, that never quite goes away. And while you can play the game on a lower difficulty, giving you more lives and checkpoints to make the stage hazards more manageable, it overcompensates by severely lowering damage to the point where boss battles become a dull pushover.Of course, the levels--overly long as they are--aren't entirely bad, and there are a lot of enjoyable and interesting ideas. Blast Man's stage has you blowing exploding robots into crates and other mechs to create chain blasts, while Impact Man has some reflex-testing areas where you need to dodge a series of drilling robots that fly out in quick succession. The mid-stage bosses are all pretty great, as well; my personal favorite is the robotic, icicle-summoning mammoth skeleton in Tundra Man's stage. The Robot Masters themselves are also a lot of fun to fight, and they'll actually change up their patterns by using their own Double Gears as their health depletes, keeping you on your toes. The collected boss weapons are also tons of fun to use, and the Power Gear variations are a neat touch that calls to mind the Mega Man X series.Still, it's easy to forget how much fun you had in other stages when you're stuck getting nailed by yet another spike trap in the tail end of Acid Man's stage or struggling with the springy walls and obnoxious slappy-hand platforms present in Bounce Man's miserable abode. It culminates in a final set of levels that are both awesome and underwhelming: awesome in that they have some really fun gimmicks and bosses, underwhelming in that it doesn't feel like it's as significant of a skill test because you already dealt with some of the game's biggest obstacles in the stages prior.Mega Man 11 is a good action game that you can easily identify with, but it's far too uneven and bumpy to hold up against some of the best installments in the venerable franchise. At its best, it's a terrific retro romp with exciting boss encounters and unique gimmicks. At its worst, it's a frustrating experience whose too-long levels toss out infuriating obstacles to progress at the worst times. But even with these issues, it just feels good to see Mega Man back in action, and Mega Man 11 will hopefully be the start of many new robotic adventures to come.Info from Gamespot.com

The soft reboot that was Assassin's Creed Origins introduced a new approach to the series' brand of stealth-action gameplay, along with an expansive and vibrant open world with many dynamic systems at work. In this year's follow-up, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, developer Ubisoft Quebec builds upon its predecessor's pillars, and in the process shows greater confidence in the series' new direction.Set in Ancient Greece, Odyssey predates the previous game by several centuries. During the Peloponnesian War in 431 BCE, you take on the role of either Alexios or Kassandra, siblings and former Spartans-turned-mercenaries. In keeping with series tradition, Odyssey features parallel storylines, with the main narrative taking place in the distant past and the overarching plot set in the present day. After pivotal moments dealing with political intrigue and wartime conflict in Greece, you'll jump back to the modern day to continue the story of Layla Hassan, introduced in Origins, who's working to uncover the secrets of the first civilization. Throughout your travels in Ancient Greece you'll uncover lost tombs, engage in naval warfare on the high seas, and assassinate the key members of a shadowy conspiracy seeking control of the known world.In your trek through the Greek mainland and the islands of the Mediterranean sea, you come across diverse locales that showcase lush environments that pay tribute to the old gods, while rubbing shoulders with the many historical figures of the era looking to make their impression in Greek society. The amount of detail packed into each location is impressive, tied together by an active and dynamic ecosystem where local wildlife and civilians keep their territory. But as you dive further, you'll see the many hardships and realities of life in Ancient Greece firsthand, including the horrors of slavery and the ever-present war between the military-driven Spartans and the bureaucratic Athenian army.Featuring a map that's more than double the size of the previous game, Odyssey is built to be explored and has incidental content to reward your wanderlust. You get the sense that your actions will have a lasting impact wherever you go, and Odyssey offers up a wealth of content that fuels your growth at a steady pace. Though the issue of level-gating comes up occasionally, preventing you from actively exploring any region as you wish, you can take a break from the main story and dive into the breadth of side content at your leisure. Several side quests offer a surprising amount of depth and heart and feature some of Odyssey's more standout moments.Throughout the main story and in side-quests, you'll make several key decisions that affect the game's narrative and your character's journey. While many of the choices you make are largely inconsequential and result only in slightly different endings for quests, the fateful decisions that do matter can lead to drastic turns of events, with some storylines and characters meeting their end prematurely. In moments you'd least expect, you'll see the payoff for decisions made early on in the story, for better or worse. With nine different possible outcomes at the main story's conclusion, there's a surprisingly large amount of cause and effect that can make the narrative feel all your own.The different protagonists also offer up some of Odyssey's most endearing and entertaining moments. Despite the grim nature of the game, jokes and fun gags often break the tension, even during serious events. Though both Kassandra and Alexios share the same dialogue and story beats, their differing personalities, gender, and points of view offer unique flavor, making them stand apart--with some scenes and questlines feeling more appropriate with a particular character.The Photo Mode in Assassin's Creed Odyssey allows you to capture some of the game's most breathtaking views.Romancing side characters is also possible in Odyssey. While some of these scenes can be amusing, they're mostly just bizarre shows of affection that have no real purpose. These scenes almost always result in a shallow aside during the conversation, with the characters slinking off-screen before returning to the conversation without skipping a beat. Most often, these awkward romance opportunities appear immediately after (or during) otherwise harrowing events. Aside from seeing some additional scenes with certain characters, there's really no benefit to engaging in romance at all. The inclusion of these scenes feels cheap and can sully otherwise interesting conversations.As you unravel more of the world and advance in the main story, new gameplay mechanics and side opportunities will reveal themselves, adding even greater incentive to explore. When the conspiracy that threatens Greece makes itself known, you'll be able to keep track of the major players through a large interconnected web in the game's menu, showing their connections to other targets and how to find the intel to track them down. But in one of Odyssey's more involved quests, you'll encounter several mythological beasts hidden within the world, offering up some of the game's most inventive and memorable encounters, where brute force isn't always the answer.The world in Ancient Greece feels much more reactive compared to previous Assassin's Creed games, and you get the sense that your actions will have a lasting impact wherever you go. When you start causing too much trouble, you'll attract the attention of rival mercenaries looking to collect a bounty. Similar to Shadow of War's Nemesis system, though not as sophisticated, Odyssey presents a seemingly endless set of antagonists with their own backstories, strengths, and potential loot. If you find yourself with a bounty on your head, mercenaries are often quick to appear--leading to some annoying encounters where they arrive at the worst possible time, even during some story missions. If the heat from the encroaching mercenaries feels too much, you can lay low long enough for the bounty to clear, assassinate another wanted criminal, or pay off your own bounty in the game menu.With nine different possible outcomes at the main story's conclusion, there's a surprisingly large amount of cause and effect that can make the narrative feel all your own.One of Odyssey's more clever features is the new Exploration Mode. With this optional mode enabled, you're challenged to use your observation and deduction skills to find your next target, without the support of icons or waypoints. By engaging with quest-givers and friendly NPCs, you'll learn details about your surroundings and slowly piece together your next steps. Exploration Mode heightens the pride that comes from solving puzzles, and this makes each step of your investigations feel all the more rewarding.When it comes to combat, Odyssey keeps up with the recent trend to incorporate stat-based mechanics into its core gameplay. Compared to previous games, there's now a greater focus on allowing you to customize your character to approach the challenges ahead. You can also build your character to specialize in stealth, long-range, or melee combat, and you're able to respec at any time. If you want to build your character as a powerful Spartan warrior wielding a legendary spear and use your Spartan Kick to boot enemies off cliffs, you can, but you are also free to stick with the traditional Assassin archetype.This opens a lot of opportunities to experiment with special moves and gear, the latter of which can also be customized with special perks that offer unique bonuses. Odyssey no longer features the shields introduced in Origins, and as a result, combat flows at a brisker pace. By placing the emphasis more on dodging and parrying incoming blows from enemies, fighting feels more involved and dynamic. While there are times where Odyssey can run right into the awkwardness of its RPG mechanics clashing with the action gameplay--such as being unable to assassinate enemies outright due to being under-leveled--it makes up for it by giving players the options to avoid such clumsy engagements.Your ship, The Adrestia, can be upgraded to deal greater damage and move faster while out on the open waters.Naval combat and sailing make a return in Odyssey, opening up exploration on the high seas. As you build up resources and find new members to join your crew, you can customize and upgrade your ship, The Adrestia, to take on more daring challenges. Much like in Black Flag and Rogue, seafaring offers up some of the more exciting and visually pleasing moments of the game, finding lost sunken ruins in the oceans depths or facing off against increasingly aggressive rival ships. Over the course of your travels, you'll be able to recruit new lieutenants to add buffs to your ship, giving you more of a fighting chance against the sea's greater threats.The scope of Odyssey is enormous, and for the most part, it's presented well. But some of the new innovations that seek to fit within the scale of the world, however, feel somewhat lost in the grand scheme of the game. With the ongoing war between the Spartan and Athenian army, you can choose to take part in the conflict and dismantle a faction's influence in a region. In these Conquest battles, you'll pick a side and cripple an army's hold by assassinating their leaders and taking their resources--culminating in a large-scale battle against their forces.While this is a solid way of gaining resources and improving your standing with a faction, the mechanics and implementation into Odyssey's general systems make it feel half-baked at best and pointless at worst. In some of the more bizarre cases, the game and its narrative don't seem to take Conquest seriously, especially when the main story has you helping a particular faction, despite the side content in the area actively hurting them. This in turn can create a jarring and noticeable feeling of dissonance throughout your adventures. The game often struggles to make sense of the actual war gameplay within the context of its core narrative, which is disappointing.When looking at Odyssey in the bigger picture, it can often feel like too much game for its own good. There are numerous moments where the loop of exploring, completing missions, and traveling can slow the pace significantly. This is exacerbated by the expansive map, which can sometimes feel excessively big and a chore to travel through. There are also some notable bugs and hitches that crop up throughout, including those that prevent progress in missions to outright crash the game. Several times throughout my journey, progression was somewhat exhausting, which made some of the more impactful and exciting moments in the story feel like a drag.Despite this, Assassin's Creed Odyssey's ambition is admirable, which is reflected in its rich attention to detail for the era and its approach to handling the multi-faceted narrative with strong protagonists at the lead. While its large-scale campaign--clocking in at over 50 hours--can occasionally be tiresome, and some features don't quite make the impact they should, Odyssey makes great strides in its massive and dynamic world, and it's a joy to venture out and leave your mark on its ever-changing setting.Info from Gamespot.com

The first announcement of Fortnite Funko Pops came with the barest glimpse of one of the collectible figurines, the Rex skin. Now Funko has released a slew of other images showing off more than a dozen character skins getting the Funko treatment.The Pops cover some of the most popular characters, like Brite Bomber, Black Knight, and Cuddle Team Leader, along with some holiday-themed ones like Red-Nosed Raider, Crackshot, and Merry Marauder. The full-size Pop figurines are joined by a pair of keychains, featuring Love Ranger and Cuddle Team Leader. All of the Funko collectibles are set to drop in November.The announcement came right alongside the ringing in of Season 6, with new changes to the map, a whole new set of rewards to collect with your Battle Pass, and the addition of Shadow Stones and Pets. Check out our challenge map locations if you need some help scoring all that sweet loot.Arguably one of the biggest changes to Fortnite this season came from outside the game itself. After months of criticism, Sony finally relaxed its policy on cross-play and allowed Fortnite to play nice with other consoles. Epic rolled out a new feature to ease the transition, by letting you link Fortnite console accounts. A separate account merging feature is coming this November. Info from Gamespot.com

After a long stretch of sharing virtually nothing about Red Dead Redemption 2, the floodgates have opened recently. We should be learning even more soon, as Rockstar has announced that the next RDR2 trailer is coming on Monday, October 1.The company shared the news on Twitter, saying our next glimpse at the game debuts in trailer form at 6 AM PT / 9 AM ET / 2 PM BST. It didn't specify what to actually expect to be featured in the trailer--it only said it would be "gameplay video part 2"--but there isn't much longer to wait to find out.With Red Dead Redemption 2's release date coming on October 26, Rockstar recently afforded us an opportunity to go hands-on with the game. We came away impressed with the level of depth to the world, with numerous systems at play. Since then, more screenshots and details on things like hunting and fishing have been shared.Gameplay Video Part 2 coming tomorrow 9am Eastern pic.twitter.com/ZjS3ZUhKHg — Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 30, 2018While the main game itself is coming in just a few weeks, Red Dead Online--the game's online multiplayer component--won't launch until sometime in November. Even then, it'll only be releasing in beta, and Rockstar has warned of "teething problems" as it expects things may not go completely smoothly at launch.Red Dead Redemption 2 will be available in a number of special editions; you can read all about that in our pre-order guide. There's also a PS4 Pro bundle on the way, which revealed--at least on that system--RDR2 will require 105 GB on your hard drive.Info from Gamespot.com

The mysterious island floating above Loot Lake in Fortnite has started moving, though to exactly what end remains unclear. For those that haven't been keeping up with the latest happenings in Fortnite, a strange purple cube appeared in the game and plunged itself into Loot Lake just before the start of Season 6. Once the season kicked off, however, it floated into the air, taking a chunk of land up there with it.Currently, the cube and the attached island seems to be just moving between locations on the Fortnite map. Fans have speculated that the it's moving between the runes that the cube left on the map towards the end of Season 5, before it dropped into Loot Lake.Data miners also seem to have discovered evidence that, in addition to travelling around the map, the cube will grow in size. A folder called "CubeGrowth" has been discovered in game files, which could lend further weight to the speculation that this is all part of upcoming event that developer Epic Games is planning.So, the cube is going to grow this season 👀 pic.twitter.com/LgbjWT27AL — Fortnite: Battle Royale Leaks (@FNBRLeaks) September 28, 2018As previously stated, Season 6 of Fortnite has kicked off and there have been some pretty significant changes to the game. In addition to a few new areas on the map--some thanks in part to the cube, again--Epic has also introduced a number of new items, including Pets. While they are undoubtedly the cutest new addition, you'll probably be wanting to see all the cool new skins and cosmetics, and we have a Season 6 rewards gallery for that. If you need help unlocking these, you can complete Fortnite's latest challenges using our Season 6 challenge roundup.Another surprise fans received alongside the launch of Fortnite Season 6 was cross-play on PS4. On September 28, Sony Interactive Entertainment said it had "identified a path towards supporting cross-platform features for select third-party content," including Fortnite. An open beta that allows for "gameplay, progression, and commerce" across PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, Mac, Android, iOS of the game is currently underway. If you need a hand with linking your console accounts to Fortnite, we've got a guide.Info from Gamespot.com