Xtreme Gaming

Here’s a look at the Cerberus+1 Exotic Auto Rifle in Destiny 2: Forsaken

2018-09-08T15:27:00.001-07:00

The Cerberus+1 Exotic Auto Rifle has started to drop in Destiny 2: Forsaken, and for those looking for a fun weapon to cut through enemies, this may just be the exotic for you.

In Destiny 2: Forsaken, the Cerberus+1 Exotic Auto Rifle is obtained through a random drop. While there’s always an element of RNG to obtaining drops, this particular weapon can be earned from the weekly bounties in Gambit. It comes from one of the two Engram drops, and can also be obtained through packages.

The weapon goes in your Kinectic slot and is classified as an Auto Rifle. It packs a punch when used in PvE activities, and it also tears through other players in PvP.

On the surface, Cerberus+1 isn’t much to look at, because it’s basically a collection of four gun barrels strapped together. But what it lacks in aesthetics, it makes up for it in absolute carnage.

How the Cerberus+1 Exotic Auto Rifle handles

The first Exotic perk is Four-Headed Dog which, as the name suggests, is based on Cerberus from Geek mythology. We all know the beast sported three heads, not four, but that’s where the +1 comes in. This common, intrinsic perk shoots erratic bullets from all gun barrels at the same time.

Three of the four barrels feature different legendary perks. One is a Rifled Barrel which increases range, but on the flip side greatly decreases handling speed. Another is the Fluted Barrel which greatly increases handling speed, and lightly increases stability. It also sports a Full Bore barrel optimized for distance that greatly increases range, but decreases stability and handling speed.

Spread Shot Package is the Exotic Perk which reduces the spread of projectiles when aiming.

No tracker is displayed on this weapon, but it does feature a Kill Tracker which will keep a record of the number of enemies killed. It also tracks the number of Crucible opponents defeated.

Is the Cerberus+1 Exotic Auto Rifle worth using?

In a word: yes.

Cerberus+1 is an interesting and rather unique weapon. It’s great fun when used in either PvE or the Crucible.

Given the spread nature of the shots, even when aiming down sights, players will still want to be a little closer to the target. Because of the wide spread, players naturally won’t be landing crits on every single shot.

Focusing on the target, single bullets will still crit while the surrounding spread shots provide additional damage. Because of the spread, and the fact it shoots 360 rounds per minute, Cerberus+1 is a great weapon to use when burning down trash mobs. It is also useful for taking down enemy shields given the constant barrage of bullets.

Crucible players using the Auto Rifle will find out how useful it is – quickly. In a similar vein to the exotic shotgun Lord of Wolves, Cerberus+1 will rip through opponents making it worth using – if you get it on a drop.

If you’re looking for more help with Destiny 2: Forsaken, check out our guide on how to obtain Seeds of Light and open up new subclass paths. We also have a guide which shows you how to complete Oracle Engine Offering and Corsair Down quests. Need help activating the Rift Generator Public Event on The Dreaming City? We’re here to help with that too.

The post Here’s a look at the Cerberus+1 Exotic Auto Rifle in Destiny 2: Forsaken appeared first on VG247.

Microsoft: there’s “more than enough” content this holiday, “we didn’t need Crackdown 3”

2018-09-08T13:27:00.001-07:00

It appears the Crackdown 3 delay into 2019 was probably for the best.

The release season this year is stacked with big names, and it’s possible Crackdown 3 would have gotten lost in all the noise.

That is, if it were to have released during the period. Microsoft only recently announced a firm release window. Prior to E3 2018, Microsoft only provided a ballpark figure so to speak.

With the fall release schedule packed and the holiday shopping season approaching, there will be plenty of games to help move consoles. Going by comments made by Xbox marketing boss Aaron Greenberg, Microsoft didn’t need to throw Crackdown 3 into mix – or any of its titles for that matter.

Speaking with GI.biz, Greenberg said Microsoft has a steady stream of content is planned for 2019. The holiday season will instead focus on third-party partners, and available first-parties such as Forza Horizon 4, which is out early next month.

“We’re going to get [Forza Horizon 4] out early [October 2] and before the blast radius,” Greenberg said. “We didn’t need Crackdown or any of our titles in this holiday window. We’re planning to launch that in February, and then after that we will launch Ori and the Will of the Wisps.

“We like to have a steady cadence of content throughout the year. But there is more than enough content this holiday. That’s why we’re working with so many third-party partners to showcase their games and help drive our platform during that window.

“I can’t think of a holiday that had more AAA games in such a tight time period.”

Makes sense. Should Microsoft have released Crackdown 3 during quarter four, it would’ve had to contend with Red Dead Redemption 2, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Black Ops 4, Battlefield 5, Fallout 76, and plenty more third-parties hitting Xbox One.

Plus, Microsoft also plans to go big on Xbox Game Pass this shopping season. Greenberg feels those purchasing an Xbox One for Christmas will find it to be “the best holiday gift” for the recipients.

Microsoft already offers console bundles which include a one month sub to Xbox Games Pass and Xbox Live Gold. There’s also the rumor of a new service, Xbox All Access.

Similar to phone leases through mobile carriers, it’s said Xbox All Access will run $22 per month and comes with an Xbox One S, Xbox Live Gold, and Xbox Game Pass. At the end of the two-year contract, customers will have full ownership of the console.

Reports state there’s also and Xbox One X tier which runs at $35 per month. If rumors prove true, the contract servuce could be a system seller for shoppers who don’t have $260+ to spend on just one present.

So, yes, Greenberg is right. Microsoft doesn’t need Crackdown 3 this shopping season. There will be plenty of incentives without it.

Crackdown 3 is slated for release in February.

The post Microsoft: there’s “more than enough” content this holiday, “we didn’t need Crackdown 3” appeared first on VG247.

Pokemon Ultra Sun and Moon players can grab a code for Shiny Poipole this month

2018-09-08T11:27:00.003-07:00

Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon players are being handed a Shiny Poipole this month.

Nintendo and The Pokemon Company are distributing an extra Pokemon this month to Pokemon Ultra Sun and Moon players.

Most of the Trainers who encountered the Ultra Beast Poipole in the games found it with its usual violet color. Later this month they will be able to add the Shiny version to their Pokemon collection.

This special Poipole will already know the move Dragon Pulse, which allows it to evolve into Naganadel as soon as it levels up. The Pokemon’s other moves include Venom Drench and Nasty Plot.

Players in North America can pick up a Shiny Poipole code at participating GameStop stores September 17 – October 7.

Those who reside in Europe should visit their local Smyths Toys store September 17 -October 15.

How to get Shiny Poipole for Pokemon Ultra Sun and Moon

Open your Pokemon Sun and Moon or Ultra Sun and Moon game.
Select Mystery Gift on the main menu.
Select Receive Gift.
Select Get with Code/Password, then Yes, then Yes again to connect to the internet.
Enter your code.
Watch as you receive your Pokemon.
Resume the game, make sure you have an empty space in your party, and speak to the delivery person in any Pokemon Center to receive your Pokemon.
Be sure to save your game.

Don’t forget: Legendary Pokemon Latias and Latios are also being distributed this month for both versions of Pokemon Sun and Moon .

Codes are available through Nintendo Network in Europe until September 23. North American residents can pick one up at their local Best Buy until September 29.

The post Pokemon Ultra Sun and Moon players can grab a code for Shiny Poipole this month appeared first on VG247.

Immortal: Unchained now available for PC and consoles- check out the launch trailer

2018-09-08T11:27:00.001-07:00

RPG sci-fi shooter Immortal: Unchained is now available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Immortal: Unchained, developed by Toadman Interactive has been released, and you can watch the launch trailer below.

Announced in August last year, the tactical, RPG shooter blends both ranged gunplay and melee combat.

Players will go up against rather formidable bosses to acquire powerful weapons which can be used for various builds.

Here’s the synopsis:

Unleashed from your eternal prison, you are an ultimate weapon tasked with saving the Cosmos from a cataclysmic event. Annihilate legendary bosses and engage in brutal, tactical combat as you explore dark sci-fi interconnected worlds in your quest for truth and salvation. Expect no mercy.

The studio is currently working on additional content and updates for the game, including further enhancements for PS4 Pro and Xbox One X.

A New Game Plus mode and other features will be announced at a later date.

Immortal: Unchained runs £39.99/$49.99/€49.99 on all platforms.

The post Immortal: Unchained now available for PC and consoles- check out the launch trailer appeared first on VG247.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – here’s the minimum and recommended PC specs

2018-09-08T09:27:00.003-07:00

Minimum and recommended PC specs have been released for Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.

Those planning to pick up Assassin’s Creed Odyssey for PC might wish to give minimum and recommend specs the once over.

Recommended 4K configuration was also provided.

Ubisoft said the PC version of will also include benchmark tools to test graphics settings, and a toggle option for dynamic resolution rendering to uncap the framerate (thanks, Blue).

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey PC specs

Minimum

OS: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (64-bit versions only)
Processor: AMD FX 6300 @ 3.8 GHz, Intel Core i5 2400 @ 3.1 GHz, Ryzen 3 – 1200
Video: AMD Radeon R9 285 (2GB VRAM with Shader Model 5.0) or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660
Memory: 8GB RAM
Resolution: 720p
Targeted framerate: 30 FPS
Video Preset: Low
Storage: 46GB available hard drive space
DirectX: DirectX June 2010 Redistributable
Sound: DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card with latest drivers

OS: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (64-bit versions only)
Processor: AMD FX-8350 @ 4.0 GHz, Intel Core i7-3770 @ 3.5 GHz, Ryzen 5 – 1400
Video: AMD Radeon R9 290X (4GB VRAM or more with Shader Model 5.0) or better or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 (4GB)
Memory: 8GB RAM
Resolution: 1080p
Targeted framerate: 30 FPS
Video Preset: High
Storage: 46GB available hard drive space
DirectX: DirectX June 2010 Redistributable
Sound: DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card with latest drivers

Recommended 4K Configuration

OS: Windows 10 (64-bit versions only)
Processor: AMD Ryzen 1700X @ 3.8 GHz, Intel Core i7 7700 @ 4.2 GHz
Video: AMD Vega 64, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (8GB VRAM with Shader Model 5.0)
Memory: 16GB RAM
Resolution: 4K
Targeted framerate: 30 FPS
Video Preset: High
Storage: 46GB available hard drive space
DirectX: DirectX June 2010 Redistributable
Sound: DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card with latest drivers

Supported video cards at time of release:

AMD Radeon R9 285/R9 380/RX 460/RX 560 or better
AMD Radeon 200/300/Fury X/400/500 series
Radeon Vega series: RX Vega 56 or better
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660/760/950/1050 or better
GeForce GTX 600/700/900/10-Series

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey releases October 5 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

For more information on Assassin Creed Odyssey, check out our previous coverage through the link. You can also read over Alex’s hands-on impressions.

The post Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – here’s the minimum and recommended PC specs appeared first on VG247.

Some games won’t support cloud saves through Switch Online to “ensure fair play”

2018-09-08T09:27:00.001-07:00

Cloud saves will be part of Nintendo’s Switch Online service when it launches in later this month, but not all games will support the feature.

Nintendo has explained why some games won’t support cloud saves through Switch Online.

Games which do not support cloud saves include Splatoon 2, and Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu and Eevee. Nintendo said it has to do with “fair play.”

Game Informer noticed some games listed on the Nintendo website included the disclaimer “This game does not support Save Data Cloud backup.” One such title was Dark Souls Remastered, which is rather odd considering cloud saves are supported on other platforms.

After reaching out for comment, Nintendo told the site cloud saves for certain games “would make it possible to regain items that had been traded to other players.” It could also cause a game to “revert to a higher online multiplayer ranking that had been lost.”

Cloud saves in Splatoon, for example, could affect online multiplayer rankings, said Nintendo.

We’ve posted the disclaimer for you below, It was been zoomed and darkened for better viewing.

The vast majority of titles will, however, support cloud saves through Switch Online.

Nintendo was expected to discuss Switch Online during its Nintendo Direct presentation this week.

It was delayed due to the earthquake in Hokkaido, Japan. Reports state it has been rescheduled for Thursday, September 13 but Nintendo has yet to confirm a new date.

Nintendo Switch Online will run $3.99 per month, $7.99 quarterly, and $19.99 annually.

The post Some games won’t support cloud saves through Switch Online to “ensure fair play” appeared first on VG247.

Twin Mirror video focuses on how the town and its inhabitants set the tone

2018-09-08T07:27:00.001-07:00

Bandai Namco and Dontnod have released a new developer diary for Twin Mirror.

Psychological thriller Twin Mirror has a new developer diary available for viewing focusing on the town of Basswood, West Virginia.

The video provides a look into how the rustic town and its inhabitants play a major role in setting the tone.

Sam is the protagonist of the game, who after returning home, wakes up to find his shirt bloodied. He also has zero memory of how or why such a thing happened.

During the game Sam will try to recover his memories by travelling into his Mind Palace and speaking to his inner voice, the Double.

Twin Mirror was announced at E3 2018 and will be released episodically.

Lost on Arrival is the first of three episodes, and releases in 2019 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

The post Twin Mirror video focuses on how the town and its inhabitants set the tone appeared first on VG247.

Pokemon Go Moltres Day: raid tips to get a Shiny Moltres with Sky Attack

2018-09-08T03:27:00.001-07:00

Pokemon Go trainers today have a rare chance to catch themselves a Shiny Moltres on the appropriately named Moltres Day, September 8. On this page we’re going to tell you everything you need to know – tips for taking down that Moltres Raid boss and netting a shiny legendary.

Moltres Raid Day – will give Pokemon Go players the chance to catch the fire-type Legendary Bird Pokemon that made its debut in Pokemon’s first generation (Red/Blue/Green/Yellow). There’s even a chance for a Shiny Moltres to appear, making this a unique opportunity to catch something really, properly rare. These don’t come around often!

Players have earned the right to Moltres day by completing community challenges out in the world over the last few weeks. Players all around the world have worked towards this in the wake of Pokemon Go Fest in Yokosuka, Japan – and now this is their chance to net a reward. Here’s how it all works…

Pokemon Go Moltres Day Start Time and End Time

Thanks to the successful completion of the tasks set by Professor Willow, Moltres Day is a go today, Saturday 8 September. Beware, however – this is a mere three-hour event. There’s small three-hour window where players will be able to find Moltres in raids and have a chance at catching a Shiny Moltres, plus the other rewards. Here are the start times for the event:

Asia/Pacific: 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Japan Standard Time
Europe/Middle East/Africa/India: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. UK Time (FMT), 11:00am to 2:00pm Centeral European Time (CET)
US/Canada: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time, 2:00pm to 5:00pm Eastern Time

Be sure to have Pokemon Go updated and be in a location where you’ll be close to gyms at these times in order to get yourself a chance to battle in one of these raids. They’re your only chance to nab yourself one of those Shiny Moltres beasts… other than relying on the pure low-chance luck for a Shiny Legendary at other times.

Pokemon Go Moltres Day: how to get extra free raid passes

Usually Pokemon Go is happy to charge you for Raid Passes, but since Moltres Day is a special event, the developers are loosening things up a bit, giving players an opportunity to get in on the raids even if they’re typically free-to-play Pokemon Go players who are starved of Raid Passes. All you have to do is head to PokeStops out in the world on Moltres Day. It’s that simple – when you spin them, there’s an increased chance you’ll be able to nab up to five free raid passes, which will in turn help you get in on the raids.

Beyond this if you run out you can of course head to the in-game store and pick up more raid passes that way – but be sure to grab your free raid passes, as even if you don’t use all five on Moltres Day they’ll come in handy later on.

Pokemon Go Moltres Day rewards: Shiny Moltres, candy bonuses and Guaranteed Sky Attack

There’s a lot of good reasons to take part in Moltres Day. The main reward is of course a guaranteed chance to encounter and catch a Moltres via a raid battle. There are a few other important key bonuses, however. The most important of these is the chance to encounter a Moltres that’s a Shiny Moltres is hugely increased. You can see the difference in a shiny Moltres, with its unique, bright color scheme, pictured above.

In order to get a shiny Pokemon Go Moltres, you’ll just need to participate in some of the event day raids to catch some of the legendary birds and hope for the best – it’s ultimately still down to random chance, but you have a much better shot at it happening today in that three-hour period. If you do catch a Moltres during this Pokemon Go event one thing is guaranteed, however: shiny or not, your new Moltres will have a unique move, Sky Attack.

Sky Attack is a really interesting reward. It’s a flying-type move, but one that’s extremely powerful. Typically, the best charged move for Moltres would be the fire-type Overheat, but Sky Attack is so powerful it broadly speaking has the same damage output and damage-per-second when used in an optimum fashion – around 24 DPS. While Overheat is still very desirable for a Moltres too, Sky Attack can make the creature more viable in a number of different scenarios, including for battling Fighting-type Pokemon – who are weak to flying-type.

Finally, Moltres Day also has a candy boost on – so if you catch a couple of Moltres you’ll get some bonus candy that you can use to level up and boost whichever your best Moltres stats-wise is. This is vital for if you want to take these legendary Pokemon into battle.

It’s important to note that aside from being a rare and desirable legendary Pokemon, Moltres is actually one of Pokemon Go’s Best Pokemon. It ranks seventeenth on our list of the best and most powerful Pokemon in terms of raw attack power in Pokemon Go, and though a few other legendary types are above it, it’s definitely one of the best fire-type Pokemon in the game. Its defense and stamina stats are nothing to sniff at, either, though they’re not high enough to chart.

The fire-type is really useful, too – it clears out Ice, Grass and Bug type Pokemon like it’s nothing, though it does have weaknesses to beware of. We’d generally describe fire-type as situational in terms of its usefulness, but Moltres being part bird-type certianly helps its battle viability. You can read more about that in our Pokemon Go Type Chart and guide.

Moltres Day Raid Strategy: Best Counters, Weaknesses and Other Tips

The Moltres raid battle won’t be easy, so you’ll need to approach it with caution and consider the team you use against it carefully. Your victory will be determined by choosing the best Pokemon for the battle in a team – and ultimately, the aim will be to battle with a team of Pokemon who act as the best possible counter to Moltres and its natural strengths and weaknesses.

Moltres is weak to Ground, Rock and of course Water-type attacks. There’s a laundry list of Pokemon who’ll work well, but probably the best and most powerful option is Tyranitar (you can get one of these through Pokemon Go egg hatching and evolution if you’re lucky). Golem is a great second bet, and is evolved from one of the most basic, common Pokemon evolutionary lines (Geodude).
If you’re attacking with Water-type Pokemon, Kyrogue is a great high-impact water option, while Omastar is a great non-legendary water-type that can exploit those weaknesses.
Because Moltres is also part flying-type, it’s also surprisingly weak to electric-type Pokemon. You should’ve recently had the chance to catch a Zapdos and a Raikou – both are great electric legendary options to deploy. Jolteon is also a solid bet if it’s been boosted and powered up enough.
Moltres is strong against Bug, Steel, Fire, Grass, Ice and Fairy-type Pokemon. Leave those in your Pokedex.
Dodging is absolutely key. Perfect your dodge timing, as Moltres has such powerful attacks that if you’re not on it with your dodges you’re going to end up down and out all too quickly regardless of how strong your team is.
Remember that Raid Pass access lasts for a whole hour, and you can absolutely heal up and head right back in to help the others around you.
Coordinate with the other members of your team to ensure at least one person is in the raid at all times. If the raid is empty, a damaged Moltres will begin to heal itself and undo your hard work.

Moltres Move List: every move your Moltres could have

Aside from how it’ll definitely have Sky Attack, there’s a few other moves that Moltres can have in Pokemon Go – and these are also the moves you’ll see crop up being used against you when facing a Moltres in a Raid Battle:

Fire Spin: Moltres’ only fast move, a fire-type
Fire Blast: a charge fire move with a potential DPS of 22
Overheat: a charge type fire move with a potential DPS of 24
Heat Wave: a charge electric type move with a potential DPS of 20
Sky Attack: a charge electric type move with a potential DPS of 24

The post Pokemon Go Moltres Day: raid tips to get a Shiny Moltres with Sky Attack appeared first on VG247.

How To Open MidFirst Bank Savings Account

2018-09-08T02:54:00.001-07:00

If you are someone who is worried about his future in terms of managing expenses, then you can open a bank savings account today. It is an interest-bearing deposit account that is at a financial institute like a bank. A...

source http://www.eguidesservice.com/how-to-open-midfirst-bank-savings-account/

GTA 5, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Rainbow Six Siege were the best-selling PS Store titles in August

2018-09-07T14:36:00.005-07:00

Grand Theft Auto 5 was once again one of the most downloaded games on the PlayStation Store in August.

Sony has released its monthly download charts for the PlayStation Store, and GTA 5 topped the list in Europe. Madden NFL 19 was the most popular title in North America.

Many of the same titles charted in the top 10 for both regions: Rainbow Six Siege, Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War, Minecraft, and Rocket League to name few.

Robinson: The Journey was the best-selling PS VR title in Europe, and Firewall Zero Hour took the top spot in North America.

The Fortnite Battle Royale Ace Pack and Wingman Starter Pack took first and second on the DLC charts in Europe, respectively. In North America once again, Fortnite Battle Royale was the most downloaded free-to-play title, followed by H1Z1: Battle Royale.

The top 10 best-selling PS4 games for both regions are below. To look over the rest of the charts, hit up the EU PS Blog and the US PS Blog.

PS4 Top Downloads for August – Europe

Grand Theft Auto 5
Gang Beasts
Rainbow Six Siege
Horizon Zero Dawn
God of War
No Man’s Sky
EA SPORTS UFC 3
Pro Evolution Soccer 2019
Rocket League
Minecraft

PS4 Top Downloads for August – North America

Madden NFL 19
Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition
Grand Theft Auto 5
Rainbow Six Siege
God of War
Battlefield 1
Minecraft
The Walking Dead: The Final Season
Battlefield 4
Rocket League

The post GTA 5, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Rainbow Six Siege were the best-selling PS Store titles in August appeared first on VG247.

Overkill’s The Walking Dead will have a closed PC beta in October

2018-09-07T14:36:00.003-07:00

A closed PC beta for Overkill’s The Walking Dead will be held next month.

Overkill’s The Walking Dead will go into closed beta October 9 on PC. Guaranteed access is granted to pre-order customers.

News of the closed beta was announced in a developer livestream today, which also showcased footage of the Underpass level previewed at gamescom. It can be watched on-demand below.

Those interested in participating in the tester can pre-order the game now through Steam and the game’s official website.

Customers who purchase the standard edition will be given one invite to the closed beta. Deluxe Edition pre-orders will come with four closed beta keys to share with friends.

Additional closed beta details will be shared at a later date.

Overkill’s The Walking Dead releases globally November 6 on PC. The game was initially announced in 2014 with a 2016 release date. It was pushed back to 2017 and then delayed a second time and set for release in 2018.

In August, a delay was announced for the console version. It will now release for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on February 6 in North America and February 8 everywhere else.

The post Overkill’s The Walking Dead will have a closed PC beta in October appeared first on VG247.

Overwatch is one of the new Humble Monthly games for October

2018-09-07T14:36:00.001-07:00

Humble Monthly subscribers are being handed Overwatch for the month of October.

If you have yet to subscribe to Humble Monthly, and want Overwatch, it will only run you $12.

Once you subscribe to October’s bundle, bonus Overwatch Loot Boxes will be handed out to those who stay subbed through November and/or December.

But it’s not just Overwatch. Subscribers are handed nine games total each month.

In September, subs were given Little Nightmares, Darksiders 2: Deathfinitive Edition, Sniper Elite 4, Tales of Berseria, Battle Chef Brigade, Staxel, Zombie Night Terror, Figment, and Ethereal.

They were also given the option to trade Sniper Elite 4, Tales of Berseria, and Staxel for Rise of the Tomb Raider instead.

There are more benefits to subscribing. Hit up the link to Humble Monthly for more information.

The post Overwatch is one of the new Humble Monthly games for October appeared first on VG247.

Destiny 2: Forsaken daily challenges will reset every four days

2018-09-07T12:36:00.003-07:00

Daily challenges in Destiny 2: Forsaken are a new way for players to acquire rewards, and will feature its own reset.

Bungie has explained how daily challenges in Destiny 2: Forsaken will reset, and it will occur separately from the weekly reset.

The weekly reset in will maintain its Tuesday schedule at 10am PT, 1pm ET, 6pm BT.

Daily challenges, however, will reset every four days. Below is an explanation from Bungie on how the resets are scheduled.

The first daily strike challenge was offered on Tuesday, September 4. So, the next daily strike challenge will arrive with a reset on Saturday, September 8.
The first daily Gambit challenge was offered on Wednesday, September 5. So, the next daily Gambit challenge will arrive with a reset on Sunday, September 9.

Players will retain daily challenges until they’re completed. Here’s how that will work.

If a player completes the daily strike challenge on Friday, September 7, the challenge will be offered once more on Saturday, September 8.
If a player does not complete the daily strike challenge by Saturday, September 8, they will not receive a duplicate challenge. Instead, the challenge will be reset and progress will be cleared.

In order for players to keep track of the daily challenges, Bungie will post a calendar on its help page soon.

Destiny 2: Forsaken was released this week on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

If you’re looking for help on unlocking some of the new subclass paths, info on how to complete the Corsair Down quest or anything else, check out the respective guides.

The post Destiny 2: Forsaken daily challenges will reset every four days appeared first on VG247.

PC users can play Disgaea 2 free this weekend on Steam

2018-09-07T12:36:00.001-07:00

The Division isn’t the only game free to play all weekend on Steam. If shooters aren’t your bag, give Disgaea 2 a try.

Nippon Ichi’s Disgaea 2 is a rather great strategy-RPG, and you can play it for free until September 10.

If you like what you played, you can continue where you left off by purchasing the game. It’s rather inexpensive at the regular price of $19.99, but for the rest of the weekend, it’s 55% off.

This means you’ll only pay $8.99. Pretty sweet deal.

Disgaea 2 PC released in January 2017, and includes all content from the PlayStation 2 and PSP versions, along with an updated interface and keyboard/mouse support.

Black Desert Online is also free to play all weekend, and is 50% off the price $9.99. The MMORPG will run you $4.99 until September 10.

The post PC users can play Disgaea 2 free this weekend on Steam appeared first on VG247.

Battlefield 5’s battle royale mode is being developed by Criterion Games

2018-09-07T10:36:00.011-07:00

The ‘mysterious’ studio developing Battlefield 5’s Firestorm battle royale mode is none other than Criterion Games.

It’s been revealed which studio is behind Battlefield 5’s battle royale mode, Firestorm: it’s Criterion, as you already noted by the headline and byline.

Global community lead for EA’s Star Wars games, Ben Walke, revealed in August DICE wasn’t working the battle royale mode.

Firestorm features vehicles, so it’s fitting the Burnout developer would be involved. It has plenty of experience in that area, after all.

We’ve told you all of this previously, but here’s a bit of a recap.

In Firestorm players will “wage war in a ring of fire” that slowly shrinks the battlefield. Players will fight until there is only one squad standing of 64 players in 16 squads on the “biggest Battlefield map to date.” The map can also be transformed with Destruction.

Securing objectives will grant better and rare gear, and matches are tied to Company and Battlefield 5 progression.

Battlefield 5 will be released in November, and there is a beta currently going on. Firestorm will be released at a later date.

Sherif has participated in both the alphas and the betas for Battlefield 5. You can read his impressions so far through the link.

The post Battlefield 5’s battle royale mode is being developed by Criterion Games appeared first on VG247.

Red Dead Redemption 2 goes beyond anything Rockstar’s done “in terms of depth, interactivity and persistence”

2018-09-07T10:36:00.009-07:00

In Red Dead Redemption 2, players will learn more about the Van der Linde gang and the events leading up to its demise.

The storyline in Red Dead Redemption 2 will center around the Van der Linde gang at the height of their notoriety.

Along the way, things will start to fall apart. This provides the player with a full background to the events which occurred 12 years prior to the original starring John Marston. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prequel after all, as previously reported.

Rockstar Games said going back 12 years in the timeline will provide insight into Dutch van der Linde, the gang, and the events leading up to Marston seeking revenge. Rockstar posted artwork for each member of the Van der Linde gang yesterday along with biographies. To get a better idea of who the characters are, you can look back over that post.

Part of the plot focuses on how modernization in the west changed the group’s way of life, and how it acted as a catalyst for fissures forming between gang members. All of this unfolds through the perspective, Arthur Morgan. Unlike Grand Theft Auto 5 and its multiple protagonists, Morgan will be the only playable character.

While the gist of the story in Red Dead Redemption 2 is already known, Rockstar provided added color to The Hollywood Reporter in a recent interview.

“Things are changing — there’s not much room in a rapidly modernizing world for the gang’s way of life,” Rockstar San Diego’s Josh Bass told The Hollywood Reporter. “Through Arthur’s eyes, you see events begin to take a toll on the gang as they are forced to flee across America, while at the same time, Dutch’s hold on the gang begins to slip.”

“We’ve aimed to capture a wide slice of American life in 1899, a rapidly industrializing nation that would soon have its sights on the world’s stage — and would do whatever possible to ‘modernize,'” added Rockstar North’s Aaron Garbut.

“It’s a brutal landscape with a sordid history, but also one that’s full of opportunity. One of the most satisfying aspects of creating a world of such scope and scale is the ability to experience a whole range of stories and characters in your journey across that world.

“The gang’s journey and the game’s epic scope makes room to touch on all aspects of turn of the century America in a meaningful, substantial way.”

Current-gen hardware also allowed Rockstar the ability to expand on the “epic scope,” and create a living, breathing world. Towns and homesteads alike feel alive, societal differences are evident, and the contrast between civilization and the wilderness is prominent.

“Red Dead Redemption 2 is our first game for the latest generation of hardware,” said Bass. “It was an opportunity for our teams to upgrade every single aspect of our approach to game design at once.

“We have used that power to create a world that goes far beyond anything we have ever done in terms of depth, interactivity and persistence.”

Its main goal with the story and the world, though, is making players “forget they are playing a game.”

“It’s the sense of life the game has that most sets it apart,” added Garbut. “When you first enter a town and you see the townspeople going about their business, you can instantly tell that we’ve never experienced this detail in an open world game before.

“Where you see a a shack on a hill and you know there is something interesting for you there, maybe you will break in and stumble onto a mystery, or meet the owner and end up getting tangled in something.

“I think that’s when you can tell that its new territory, when you are not even sure if what you’ve done was a mission or not. When all the systemic parts of the world come together with our scripted content in the right ways, it’s kind of incredible.”

You can read the entire interview with Bass and Garbut on The Hollywood Reporter.

Red Dead Redemption 2 releases October 26 for PS4 and Xbox One.

What to know more? Here’s everything there is to know about Red Dead Redemption 2 so far.

The post Red Dead Redemption 2 goes beyond anything Rockstar’s done “in terms of depth, interactivity and persistence” appeared first on VG247.

Pokemon Go Eevee Evolution: how to evolve Eevee into Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Espeon or Umbreon

2018-09-07T10:36:00.007-07:00

With so many evolutions to choose from, you want to make sure that you get your favorite – so let’s talk about how to evolve Eevee in Pokemon Go.

For our money, Eevee is one of the coolest Pokemon. It’s one of the cutest of the original Red/Blue/Green generation of Pokemon games, yes, and it’s just been promoted to starter status for Pokemon Let’s Go – but the coolest thing about Eevee is how it evolves. Eevee can evolve into more different Pokemon than any other species discovered so far – and of course that carries over to Pokemon Go.

In the original Pokemon games, Eevee evolves based on factors like using special items (like the evolutionary stones in Pokemon Sun and Moon), its happiness level, moves or the time of day. Over in Pokemon Quest, stats influence your evolution. In Pokemon Go, Eevee Evolution is handled in an entirely different way still.

As Pokemon Go players know, evolution in that game is all about candy – all you need to do is farm candy through walking with, catching and transferring Pokemon in order to get the right amount of candy to ‘buy’ the evolution. For Eevee, that’s 25 Eevee Candy – and with candy being the sole method of evolution, that means special items or stats-based influencing of your Eevee’s evolution isn’t possible. Eevee also hatches from 5km Pokemon eggs and this weekend there’s an Eevee Community Day Event – an ideal time to stock up on Eevee and candy for getting every Eeveelution.

Once you’ve walked with your Eevee, hatched, caught and transferred enough Eevee to get the candy you need, stop! Don’t evolve yet. First, you need to decide which Eevee Evolution you want. There’s currently five in the game – Vaporeon, Jolteon and Flareon from generation 1 and Umbreon and Espeon from generation 2 (Gold/Silver/Crystal).

Which do you want? You’ll want to carefully consider this – each evolved form of Eevee is a different type, so you’ll want to consider strengths and weaknesses with our Pokemon Go Type Chart – and you might also want to consider which some of the Best Pokemon in Pokemon Go are – since some of the Eevee Evolutions rank quite highly there.

Eevee Evolutions explained: how to evolve Eevee into Umbreon, Espeon, Vaporeon, Flareon and Jolteon

Eevee Evolution is meant to be a random process in Pokemon Go, though there are some lovely, useful shortcuts and cheats – of a sort – to get around the random factor and guarantee yourself the Eevee Evolution you really want. Here’s how that works:

First off, if you evolve an Eevee ‘raw’ by spending 25 candy, it’ll just evolve into one of the different available evolutions at random. However, you can actually force a specific evolution by renaming your Eevee of choice to a special nickname – and the whole thing is an easter egg nod to a classic set of Eevee evolutions found in the Pokemon anime TV show.

So, basically, all you have to do is rename your Eevee to a specific name and then evolve it the regular way by spending 25 candy. Here are the names and the Eevee Evolutions:

Pokemon Go Eevee Evolution Nicknames

Eevee Evolution	Name to Evolve	Type
Eevee (#133)	Original Form..	Normal
Vaporeon (#134)	Rainer	Water
Jolteon (#135)	Sparky	Electric
Flareon (#136)	Pyro	Fire
Espeon (#196)	Sakura	Psychic
Umbreon (#197)	Tamao	Dark

An important note about this little cheat: it only works once per Eevee Evolution. Once you’ve renamed one Eevee as Tamao to get Umbreon, for instance, you’ll only be able to get another Umbreon through random chance. This is why you should check your CP values and IV values before evolving an Eevee – make sure it’s a good one, as you only get one shot.

For Espeon and Umbreon, you can also evolve into them based on their in-game method in Gold and Silver – based on the time of day. You’ll need to first build a relationship with that Eevee by walking with them as your Buddy Pokemon – 10km should do the trick. Once that’s done, evolve in the day for Espeon and night for Umbreon – and this isn’t limited!

Which is the best Eeveelution? Eeevee Evolutions Ranked

If you’ve got your hands on only one or two Eevee, you’re thus faced with a difficult choice: which of the five Eevee Evolution forms you can currently get is the best one to have? Several of the Eevee Evolutions rank decently in our list of the Best Pokemon for battles in Pokemon Go – in Attack Espeon is ranked 13th and Flareon 18th, while in Defense Umbreon clocks in at 16th. Vapoeron ranks a respectable 10th in HP and Stamina, too – but those are just basic stats. What about beyond that?

Pokemon Types are of course absolutely vital in Pokemon Go, and an important thing to consider is how each Eevee Evolution ranks when compared to other Pokemon of its type – and also how easy they are to obtain compared to their powerful peers. Let’s take a look at that:

Flareon isn’t as powerful as Moltres or Entei, but those two are legendary Pokemon that can’t be found, caught or powered up as easily. It’s still definitely the best non-legendary fire Pokemon option in the game, all things considered.
Vaporeon is beaten by both Kyogre and Gyarados. Kyogre is another legendary, and Gyarados – which is far more difficult to evolve from the lowly Magikarp – is only a hair more powerful overall. It’s a great water Pokemon option alongside something like a Blastoise with a good IV.
Jolteon doesn’t rank on the best Pokemon list but finds itself in a similar situation to Flareon – it’s a great, viable electric-type Pokemon that’s only really hand-over-fist beaten by Zapdos and Raikou, legendary beasts.
Espeon has fewer rivals in the Psychic-type category, but it still has two legendary Pokemon to compete with – Mewtwo and Latios. It is predictably worse than this pair, but is on the whole superior to most other Psychic Pokemon in the game.
Umbereon finds itself as one of the best Dark-type Pokemon in the game. In fact, it’s only really bested in super effective damage output by Tyranitar, a third evolution and one of the best Pokemon in the game in general. Any other Dark-type Pokemon can’t hold a candle to it.

The story behind Pokemon Go’s Eevee Evolution names

If you’re wondering where the above names come from, they’re actually a deep-cut nod to fans of the Pokemon anime – a nice little easter egg for players who have been particularly dedicated in their following of the series.

Rainer, Sparky, Pyro, Sakura and Tamao are actually the names of the ‘Eevee brothers’ that appear in the Pokemon anime. The first three Eevee evolutions and their owners – all siblings – show up in episode 40 of the show, meeting Ash and Pikachu. Each brother has a unique Eevee of his own, and it’s after the brothers that the Eevee take their names. Sakura later has an Espeon of her own later on in the series – thus that nickname – and Tamao, one of the five Kimono sisters, uses an Esepon – that’s all the names explained!

Of course, these aren’t all the Eevee evolutions either…

The missing Evolutions: Leafeon, Glaceon and Sylveon

There’s actually three more types of Pokemon that Eevee can evolve into – ice-type Glaceon, grass-type Leafeon (pictured above) and Fairy-type Slyveon. These are Pokemon numbers #470, #471 and #700 respectively – so basically, they’re Pokemon from way later in the series.

Pokemon Go is currently only the first three generations of Pokemon – so while these Eevee evolutions will surely show up eventually with their own unique methods of evolving, for now only the first five evolutions are available to players. It’ll likely feature similar methods to get them to evolve, to. In the anime Virgil, May, Cynthia and Sara Lee all have a Glaceon, Zoey, Virgil and Sara Lee have a Leafeon and finally Penelope, Valerie and Serena all have a Sylveon – making any of these candidates for those Pokemon’s evolution names. Be sure to keep your eyes on this page, since as soon as new methods of evolution and new Pokemon become available, we’ll update this page with the details.

The post Pokemon Go Eevee Evolution: how to evolve Eevee into Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Espeon or Umbreon appeared first on VG247.

Pokemon Go Field Research quests: September missions and rewards, Special Research and Breakthroughs explained

2018-09-07T10:36:00.005-07:00

One of the best ways to progress in Pokemon Go is to stay on top of the Pokemon Go Research Quests – constantly changing missions and activities that players can pick up and complete for bonuses and rewards.

Pokemon Go’s research quests are split into two categories: Field Research and Research Breakthroughs.

Field Research items are picked up from Pokestops and are essentially random, though the given quests and rewards change from month to month. Completing these can lead to Research Breakthroughs which provide further unique rewards that also rotate over time. Special Research is less random – it’s a series of missions set for you by Professor Willow which push towards giving you access to potential catch especially rare, mythical Pokemon. Let’s go over how each works in detail…

How Pokemon Go Research: How Field Research Quests work

Field Research are essentially missions that you collect when you spin PokeStops. Each PokeStop gets one specific field research mission assigned to it each day, and though you can complete a quest more than once per day you’ll only ever pick up the same mission from any given PokeStop.

You can complete as many field research quests as you, and the rewards for any given quest will vary a little depending on the quest you get. Generally speaking, you’ll want to aim to complete at least one quest per day in order to work towards your research breakthrough, however – but more on that in a moment.

Quests range across all aspects of Pokemon Go and in a sense exist to get players to experience all aspects of the game. Field research quests might ask you to battle in a raid, battle in a gym, hatch Pokemon eggs, catch certain Pokemon types or even spin Pokestops – and these are just a few examples. Sometimes a task will reward you with the items, but other times you’ll be rewarded with a rare Pokemon encounter – field research is the only way to encounter and catch Spinda, for instance – the encounter with a Spinda you need to catch one only comes as the result of a Pokeball-throwing related field research mission. As an aside, these encounters are really useful since Pokemon encountered in this way can’t flee.

The quests and rewards on offer rotate in a monthly manner for the most part, meaning at the end of one month Niantic will retire quests and rewards and replace them with new ones. Sometimes they’ll keep a quest but replace its reward – it really varies from month to month, and often there’s a theme to a month – like how August 2018 features Raikou as a potential reward and a range of other electric Pokemon likewise. With that said, let’s talk about your biggest reward for field research…

Research Breakthroughs in Pokemon Go: earning the big reward

As you can see in the screenshot above – and in game – the field research screen has a series of stamps adding up to seven stamps. You can only earn one stamp per day even if you complete multiple missions – so basically, this series of stamps is designed to last a week. When you reach the seventh day you’ll unlock a Research Breakthrough, represented on the screen by the big wrapped-up parcel from Professor Willow.

Exactly what will be inside these packages varies from month to month alongside the other research bonuses and rewards. The big thing, however, is that every month this tends to feature a Pokemon encounter. These are usually with high-end, rare Pokemon – sometimes even legendary Pokemon – some of the best Pokemon in Pokemon Go. That means you’ll have an unlimited amount of tries to catch them since Pokemon encountered in this way can’t run away. So long as you have patience and Pokeballs, you can keep trying until they’re caught.

Pokemon caught this way will also have naturally high stats – the same sort of stats that you might find on Pokemon encountered as part of raid battles. All in all, this is a great way to catch rare Pokemon. Here’s how past months have gone:

2018 Research Breakthrough rewards in Pokemon Go:

April: Moltres (fire-themed research)
May: Zapdos (electric-themed research)
June: Articuno (ice-themed research)
July: Snorlax (Kanto research)
August: Raikou (electric-themed research)
September:Entei (fire-themed research)

September Field Research Rewards: current field research missions and rewards

As we previously explained, everything around the field research system is on rotation – every month brings around a different set of events with different goals, and we’re going to keep this page current with whatever the current mission set is. For August 2018, this is an electric-themed month with electric-type legendary dog-like beast Raikou as the Breakthrough Reward once you rack up seven days worth of stamps.

Here’s the quests that you’ll find in your Field Research section during August 2018 – but remember, these quests are rewarded at random from PokeStops, so which you see is entirely down to chance. There’s a lot of quests that give you basic rewards too, like Pokeballs, Stardust and other items – but these are the ones that reward those all-important Pokemon encounters:

Battle Field Missions & Rewards

Battle in a Gym: Mankey encounter
Win a Gym Battle: Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle encounter
Win 3 Gym Battles: Jynx encounter
Win 5 Gym Battles: Machop encounter
Use a Super-Effective Charge Attack 7 Times: Electabuzz encounter

Catch Field Missions & Rewards

Catch a Rattata or Pikachu: Phanpy encounter
Catch 5 Fire-type Pokemon: Silver Pinap Berry
Catch 10 Pokemon: Magikarp encounter (shiny chance)
Use 10 Berries on Pokemon: Growlithe encounter
Catch 5 Pokemon with Weather Boost: Vulpix or Poliwag encounter (shiny chance)
Catch a Dragon-type Pokemon: Dratini (shiny chance)

Raid Field Missions & Rewards

Win a level 3 raid or higher: Dratini (shiny chance)

Pokeball & Throw Field Missions & Rewards

Make a Great Curveball Throw: Spinda encounter
Make 5 Nice Throws: Voltorb encounter
Mike 3 Great Throws: Gastly encounter
Make 3 Great Throws in a row: Onix encounter
Make 3 Excellent Throws in a row: Larvitar encounter (shiny chance)

Pokemon Management Field Missions & Rewards

Power up a Pokemon 3 times: Koffing encounter
Power up a Pokemon 5 times: Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle encounter (shiny chance)
Transfer 10 Pokemon: Misdreavous encounter
Earn 1 Buddy Candy: Numel encounter
Send 5 Gifts: Roselia encounter

Pokemon Egg Hatching & Evolution Field Missions & Rewards

Evolve a Pokemon: Eevee encounter
Evolve 5 Fire-type Pokemon: Ninetales encounter
Hatch an Egg: Exeggcute encounter
Hatch 3 Eggs: Magmar encounter
Hatch 5 Eggs: Chansey encounter

Special Research Quests & Tasks in Pokemon Go: a quick introduction

A little swipe across your field research menu will also take you to the Special Research Tasks. These work a little differently, and mercifully for my fingers (and your eyes) don’t require so much assistance or explanation on this page. Still, for avoidance of confusion, let’s talk about them a bit.

The Special Research Quests are essentially the closest thing Pokemon Go has to a ‘story mode’ – these are fixed quests with fixed objectives and, ultimately, fixed rewards. Each ‘stage’ of the Special Research Quests requires you to complete three missions each with a smaller individual reward in order to unlock the larger reward for that phase of the quest. Once you’ve done that, Professor Willow will then introduce the next phase to you.

The first Special Research Quest in the game is ‘A Mythical Discovery’, and it’s not much of a spoiler to say it leads to your ability to unlock mythical 151st Pokemon Mew in the game – and now, it can also unlock mythical creature Celebi. Getting there requires completion of a range of missions, however, doing everything from gym battles and raids to catching rarer, difficult-to-locate Pokemon like Ditto. It’s likely this is also how other super-rare ‘final’ legendary Pokemon like Celebi, Jirachi and Deoxys will be unlocked in the future, too.

The post Pokemon Go Field Research quests: September missions and rewards, Special Research and Breakthroughs explained appeared first on VG247.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 – here’s a look at the Blackout battle royale map ahead of beta

2018-09-07T10:36:00.003-07:00

Here’s a look at the Blackout map for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.

Treyarch provided a look at the map for Blackout, the battle royale mode in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.

No additional information came alongside the image, but it still provides a bit of scope for the largest map in Call of Duty history.

The Blackout beta kicks off September 10 on PS4, before it opens up to more players on PC, and Xbox One. Players will not only contend with others in the mode, but zombies too. If you played the multiplayer beta you’ll automatically have access to the Blackout tester.

Black Ops 4 Blackout map

More information on the beta, and prior betas can be found through our beta news hub, including start and end times, and how to get on it.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Blackout mode will support 80 players. If you missed the short Blackout teaser from July, just give that a click.

The game releases October 12 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

The post Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 – here’s a look at the Blackout battle royale map ahead of beta appeared first on VG247.

Red Dead Redemption 2: release date, gameplay, story, PC, guide, Ultimate Edition, characters and more

2018-09-07T10:36:00.001-07:00

It feels like we’ve been waiting forever, but the cowboy hat-wearing silhouette of Red Dead Redemption 2 has finally appeared on the horizon.

As it slowly gallops towards us, we’re going to attempt to make the final hours of that wait a little less painful. With that in mind, here’s everything we know about Red Dead Redemption 2.

Red Dead Redemption 2 release date

The Red Dead Redemption 2 release date is October 26, 2018, for PS4 and Xbox One. Originally, the game was due out this Spring, but it was pushed back because Rockstar needed more time to get it up to standard.

Red Dead Redemption 2 gameplay

This is the first look at six minutes of pure Red Dead Redemption 2 gameplay. In it we see Arthur Marston getting into fistfights, hunting, playing poker minigames and grooming his horse. We also get a good look at the gunplay and firepower at Arthur’s disposal as well as a glimpse of the Dead Eye targeting system which returns for Red Dead 2.

Red Dead Redemption 2 PC

Is Red Dead Redemption 2 coming to PC? We’re not entirely sure, but one of the game’s developers did list a PC version of the open-world game on their LinkedIn profile recently. It was removed once sites reported on it.

Rockstar had previous success by releasing GTA V towards the end of a console generation. Red Dead Redemption 2 is coming out just as rumours on the PS5 and next Xbox are heating up. We won’t be surprised if a PC version comes out a year or so later, alongside a next-gen version of Red Dead Redemption 2, in the hopes that people double dip.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Ultimate Edition and Collector’s Box Edition

If you’ve got a spare £179, the Red Dead Redemption 2 Collector’s Box Edition comes with a metal lockbox stuffed with merch, but the game comes separately. It’s only available at GAME, and the UK retailer has an offer on now where you can get the box and the game bundled together. Here’s what you get:

Metal tithing box with lock and key
Collectable challenge coin
Double-sided, 100-piece jigsaw puzzle
Six shooter bandana
Treasure map for in-game goodies
Pin set
Playing Cards.
Wheeler, Rawson and Co. catalogue
12 cigarette cards

If you buy the Ultimate Edition, you get access to all these in-game goodies:

Talisman and medallion gameplay bonuses
Gameplay boosts, cash bonuses and discounts
The Nuevo Paraiso Gunslinger outfit
Free access to additional weapons: the Volcanic Pistol, a Pump Action Shotgun and the Lancaster Varmint Rifle.
Two bonus outfits for online:
Black chestnut thoroughbred horse for online
Free access to the Survivor Camp theme for online
The same free weapons as in single player
Rank bonuses

Red Dead Redemption 2 characters

Dutch van der Linde pic.twitter.com/JChjsu6Ba5

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Dutch van der Linde: “They’re chasing us hard, because we represent everything that they fear.”

The leader of a sizeable gang of outlaws and misfits. Idealistic, anarchic, charismatic, well-read, well-lived, but possibly starting to unravel under the pressures of the encroaching modern world.

Hosea Matthews pic.twitter.com/1fVEimJAeZ

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Hosea Matthews: “I wish I had acquired wisdom at less of a price.”

A master con artist, gentleman and thief, Hosea has been Dutch’s closest friend and right-hand man for over twenty years. Intelligent and quick-witted, he can talk his way into, or out of, just about anything.

Molly O'Shea pic.twitter.com/SDpQQ3L0TF

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Molly O’Shea: “You’re playing a dangerous game.”

A Dublin girl and the object of Dutch’s affection, for now at least, Molly is too high-strung for a life on the run and it’s all starting to take a toll on her.

Susan Grimshaw pic.twitter.com/65ru13ZaKG

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Susan Grimshaw: “I swear half of you would just rot in your own filth, if nobody kept you in check.”

The undisputed boss and arbiter of justice in the camp, everything would have fallen apart years ago without Susan in charge. Tenacious and iron-willed, she stands for no nonsense.

Pearson pic.twitter.com/AyRM3x5mME

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Pearson: “The people are happy and well fed. I think perhaps we’ll be okay.”

The camp’s butcher and cook, Pearson served a short stint in the navy that he likes to talk about at length. A loud, jolly degenerate who is somewhat in denial about the turn his life has taken.

Micah Bell pic.twitter.com/UEq2HzaoPS

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Micah Bell: “I believe there’s winners and losers… and nothing else besides.”

A career criminal and hitman. Wild and unpredictable but he lives for the action.

Charles Smith pic.twitter.com/e3CXmtgmLG

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Charles Smith: “The amount of hell we’ve raised, we’re owed some back.”

A relatively recent recruit to the gang, Charles is quiet and reserved but extremely competent in everything he does and virtually unbeatable in a fight. A decent, honest man who also happens to be deadly.

Bill Williamson pic.twitter.com/uEL8iYR3J6

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Bill Williamson: “Don’t try anything stupid and we won’t do anything unkind.”

An ex-soldier discharged from the army, possibly dishonorably. Hot headed, he tends to act first and think later but is tough, dedicated and always ready to fight.

Leopold Strauss pic.twitter.com/TLc6PEHBmf

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Leopold Strauss: “It’s a nasty world out there, and it’s catching up with us…”

Originally hailing from Austria, Herr Strauss is responsible for keeping the gang’s books and running their money lending operation. A serious, somewhat shifty and unemotional man, he has all the qualities a loan shark needs.

John Marston pic.twitter.com/C6RvC42FnV

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

John Marston: “Guess about all I got left now is doubts. Doubts and scars.”

Once an orphaned street kid taken under Dutch’s wing at the age of twelve, John has always had to live by his wits. Shrewd, fearless and strong-willed, he and Arthur are Dutch’s proudest protégés.

Abigail Roberts pic.twitter.com/opWWjtTysu

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Abigail Roberts: “If they so much as put one bruise on him I swear, I’ll bring the fires of hell on them myself.”

An orphan who grew up scraping out a living in dive bars and brothels in the West, Abigail is a strong, straight-talking woman who has seen a lot of life and knows what it takes to survive against the odds.

Jack Marston pic.twitter.com/4eYK05ju01

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Jack Marston: “Did you catch the bad guys?”

Young Jack has grown up with the gang, although everyone has done their best to shield him from the more nefarious elements, especially his mother Abigail. He loves everything about nature and the outdoor life, and is carefully watched over by his many aunts and uncles.

Karen Jones pic.twitter.com/cdiaFuKgYN

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Karen Jones: “Running scams, robbing banks, screwing over the rich and horrible.”

A consummate scam artist and trigger woman who can drink pretty much anybody under the table. Bold and full of fun, she loves the outlaw life and wouldn’t have it any other way.

Javier Escuella pic.twitter.com/uqWXFDcblf

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Javier Escuella: “If we have to fight, we fight. If we have to run, we’ll run. If we must die, we’ll die, but… we’ll stay free.”

A notorious bounty hunter and Mexican revolutionary. Javier immediately had a strong connection to Dutch’s ideals. Very committed, passionate and loyal.

Tilly Jackson pic.twitter.com/cnx5GSpAc8

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Tilly Jackson: “Most of us grew up hungry and scared and alone, one way or another.”

An outlaw from the age of 12, Tilly ran with another gang before joining up with Dutch. Savvy, resilient and dependable, she can more than handle herself and isn’t afraid to speak her mind.

Uncle pic.twitter.com/Te6JagHPvP

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Uncle: “People call me lazy. I’m not lazy. Just don’t like working. There’s a difference.”

A hanger-on and good-time guy, Uncle is always around when the whiskey is open and never around when there’s any work to be done. If he wasn’t so entertaining, Dutch would have cut him loose years ago.

Mary-Beth Gaskill pic.twitter.com/FyNwqCoCqk

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Mary-Beth Gaskill: “Gentlemen, I think I’ve got something good.”

A kind, good-natured young woman, which makes her the perfect criminal. By the time people realize they’ve been duped, Mary-Beth is already on her way home with the money.

Lenny Summers pic.twitter.com/hFLWPHxpui

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Lenny Summers: “Living free out here, like this… I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Young Lenny has been on the run since he was 15 years old after killing the men who murdered his father. Smart, educated, competent and ambitious, he is always ready to do his part.

Josiah Trelawny pic.twitter.com/TambuqgpRi

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Josiah Trelawny: “How can romance ever be silly? It’s all we have.”

A flamboyant conjurer, conman and trickster, Trelawny is a very hard man to pin down but he’s always able to bring good leads.

Reverend Swanson pic.twitter.com/LbpyfPl7As

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Reverend Swanson: “I had real suffering and I lost everything, my vocation, my faith, my family…”

An ex clergyman now lost to debauchery, Swanson has fallen a long way from the standards he once set himself. If he hadn’t saved Dutch’s life in the past, it’s unlikely the gang would have kept him around for this long.

Sean Macguire pic.twitter.com/JeXhmDESIo

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Sean Macguire: “Just leave it to me. I can talk a dog off a meat wagon.”

A cocky young Irish thief and stick-up man who comes from a long line of criminals and political dissidents. He always wants a piece of the action and believes in himself…perhaps a little too much.

Sadie Adler pic.twitter.com/ce0btUIoka

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Sadie Adler: “Nobody’s taking nothing from me ever again.”

A widow who is hellbent on taking revenge upon those who killed her husband. Relentless and afraid of nothing and no one. The wrong woman to cross, but very loyal to those she loves.

Arthur Morgan pic.twitter.com/dDEZOceEBf

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 6, 2018

Arthur Morgan: “We’re thieves, in a world that don’t want us no more.”

Dutch’s most dependable and capable enforcer since he was a boy, the outlaw life is all Arthur has ever known. Sharp, cool-headed, and ruthless, but with his own sense of honor. A man who gets the job done.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Bank Robbery and Gang Hideout

Included in the Special Editions of the game, Bank Robbery and Gang Hideouts are exclusive content and will not be available for people who buy Red Dead Redemption 2 vanilla. These story missions were created specifically for people who shell out more cash for the Special Editions of the game, according to Rockstar.

Red Dead Redemption 2 story and setting

Red Dead Redemption 2 takes place in America, 1899, at the end of the Wild West – outlaws are hunted across the country as the old makes way to the new. As Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang, you must try survive this transitionary period while attempting to make your fortune.

Morgan and the rest of the gang are forced to flee across America following a botched robbery. The group is falling apart, and it’s up to you where your loyalties lie.

It’s a prequel to the first game and will feature familiar faces, including the first game’s protagonist, John Marston, who himself is a member of the Van der Linde gang. Considering Arthur Morgan isn’t mentioned in the first game, we’re not expecting a happy ending to his story.

Red Dead Redemption 2 will feature some of the locations from the first game, including Blackwater and Armadillo, but the map is much larger and more varied.

Red Dead Redemption 2 survival mechanics

You are escaping from the law. It makes sense, then, that you have to live off the land. Red Dead Redemption 2 features survival elements and you have to keep yourself and your camp fed.

You can do this by hunting and turning the sustenance back in at your camp. Be careful, though – that food won’t last forever. Red Dead Redemption 2 features a degradation system where dead things slowly rot and attract carrion. There weren’t any freezers in the Old West.

Red Dead Redemption 2 battle royale

According to rumours, Rockstar is adding its own take on the battle royale phenomenon to Red Dead Redemption 2’s online portion. The alleged leak places Battle Royale mode next to modes called Revive, Survive, and Money Grab.

It works with the survival mechanics mentioned above. Perhaps a steam train drops everyone off. After all, I don’t think they had parachutes back then either.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Honor System

Rockstar confirmed that the Honor System from the first RDR will return, and will affect how Morgan is treated by the NPCs and merchants in towns and settlements. The scale ranges from honorable to outlaw, and it’ll be interesting to see how this morality manifests itself in the final game. As reformed outlaw John Marston, it made sense that you could either try to maintain your integrity or relapse into lawless rebellion. As Arthur Morgan though, it seems like you’re still waist-deep in the degenerate lifestyle of a renegade. How “good” can a righteous playthrough be if you’re still robbing banks and killing people?

We also know that, based on your reputation from the Honor System, shopkeepers with alter their pricing and people will treat you differently. It’s possible that certain quests will only be available to upstanding members of the community, while others will require a less discerning gentleman, so to speak.

You’ll also be able to approach different situations in different ways, which will contribute to your reputation. The example used in previews has been where Morgan is looting a fishing settlement. When a fisherman appears and asks if Arthur would kindly put back the things he’s knicked, you can either whip out your six-shooter and gun him down, take the shoelace express and hightail it out of there, or menace the man into keeping schtum.

The time of day, location and any partners you choose to bring with you can also affect the outcome of quests.

Red Dead Redemption 2 guide

If you’re afraid of missing anything in Red Dead Redemption 2’s huge world, there’s an official guide available. Acting as a companion on your journey, the guide will talk you through all the quests, sidequests, and collectables.

The Rockstar-endorsed guide comes in two variations; Standard Edition and Collector’s Edition, with the former having nicer paper and an “exclusive character art gallery”. Check out our dedicated post for pre-order details and price.

Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA Online crossover

GTA Online will feature crossover events with Red Dead Redemption 2, allowing you to unlock weapons for taking part in missions. The most recent allows you to unlock a stone hatchet in Red Dead Redemption 2 for completing certain activities in GTA Online.

The post Red Dead Redemption 2: release date, gameplay, story, PC, guide, Ultimate Edition, characters and more appeared first on VG247.

Monster Hunter World’s Autumn Harvest Fest kicks off later this month

2018-09-07T08:36:00.017-07:00

The Autumn Harvest Fest will go live in Monster Hunter World later this month, and it features Halloween-themed gear and items.

Monster Hunter World players will find the Celestial Pursuit decked out with Halloween-themed decor when the Autumn Harvest Fest goes live.

During the festivities, players, their Poogie and the Handler will also have special costumes.

For the duration of the event, almost all previously released event quests, including exclusive Autumn Harvest Fest quests, will be made available.

Daily login bonuses, limited bounties and more will feature some “special surprises,” along with a chance to earn Autumn Harvest Fest gear.

Seasonal platters will be present in the Gathering Hub, and items or services at all facilities will be available at reduced costs.

Here’s what Monster Hunter World players can expect during the festivities:

Players will get two Lucky Vouchers with their Login Bonus, as well as a complimentary Autumn Harvest Ticket
Limited Bounties will change on a daily basis, and will reward you with Harvest Fireworks or Autumn Harvest Tickets
Sales at all facilities
The Mischievous Dress outfit will be available for the Handler for a limited time
The Poogie’s Pumpkin’s Revenge outfit will be given to players as a special present

Also of note: on September 20 the second part of the Universal Studios Japan quest will go live, allowing players to earn the Azure Starlord Armor set.

It is a set worth obtaining, as Arekkz explains in his latest video.

The Monster Hunter World Autumn Harvest Fest will run September 21 through October 4.

The post Monster Hunter World’s Autumn Harvest Fest kicks off later this month appeared first on VG247.

Spider-Man PS4: Tips and Tricks for your mission to save Manhattan

2018-09-07T08:36:00.015-07:00

Spider-Man has a lot of moves and a lot of enemies to take down in his latest PS4 adventure. Here’s some tips for staying alive in this newly dangerous Manhattan.

While Peter Parker thinks that he’s about to finally crack crime in New York at the onset of Marvel’s Spider-Man for PS4, things don’t quite go to plan for him. Needless to say he ends up having to deal with a lot of enemies all at once – and juggling all of those bad guys can be challenging to say the least.

Luckily, Spider-Man has a lot of skills and tricks up his spidey-sleeves for surviving – though you have to know how best to approach those skills and his adventures in New York. On this page, we’re going to list our top tips for players about to start Spider-Man on PS4 – the things which, after many hours with the game, we think you should keep in mind…

Complete the Police Security Towers as soon as you can

If you’ve played an open world video game in something like the last ten years, you know all about towers – points of the map where you clamber them and sync-up with the world, downloading map and mission data that’ll then help you out around the world. How pressing these towers are depends on the game – in something like Zelda Breath of the Wild you can really take your time, not clearing some towers until you’re twenty-plus hours into the game. In Spider-Man, however, you’ll want to get your map filled out completely as soon as possible.

The map starts out in a blurry, unreadable state, and the only way to clear it is by hacking and repairing the police towers, as shown to you in the game’s earliest tutorials. Once you first get control of Spidey in the open world, we suggest taking him on a little tour of Manhattan to sync up with every tower and reveal the map in full. This will allow you to fast travel (more on that later), but also to effectively navigate and see side activities properly from the very start, since new side missions pop up often as you head through the main story missions. In line with that…

Plan out your side quest completion to avoid burn-out

As we noted in our review of Spider-Man for PS4, the side missions in Spider-Man vary a great deal. There’s a few specifically-designed side quests that show up on the map with blue mission markers – these are more unique, curated experiences – but then there’s more samey side activities spread throughout the world. They break into a few categories:

Crimes – spontaneous-feeling moments on the street where you can stop a crime in progress
Backpacks – collectibles of classic Spider-Man memorabilia
Bases – base missions where you have to take down an enemy stronghold
Landmarks – iconic pieces of New York for you to photograph
Research – unique tasks assigned to research stations throughout the city – usually around swinging
Challenges – combat and stealth challenge missions

Here’s our advice: try to decide what you can and can’t stomach doing and when. The back-end of the game is combat heavy both in terms of the main content and the side missions that newly unlock towards the end of the game, so you may want to save some non-combat side missions such as Backpacks, Landmarks and Research for the latter half of the game to break up the combat. Those mission types all unlock early, but if you complete them all as they unlock you’ll be far more combat-focused later on. You need to decide if that’s agreeable to you.

Completing side activities is important because it rewards you with tokens that can then be spent on upgrading gadgets as well as buying suit powers and all-new suits and outfits for Spider-Man as they unlock.

As another aside, remember this about Crimes and Bases – when you think you’ve finished them all, you probably haven’t. As new factions of enemies show up later in the game, more crimes and more bases will appear across the map. We also recommend you do always crimes when they crop up, since they spawn at random and you might find yourself desperately trying to force them to spawn for completion’s sake later on.

In combat, dodging is everything

Spider-Man’s greatest asset is arguably his spider-sense. When he lost it in the comics, Peter Parker had to build an Iron Man style suit of armor to even survive gunfire (that armor is in the game as an unlockable Spider-Man suit, even). As such, you should play and make use of Spidey sense – by which I mean dodge often, whenever the icon warning you of something appears above your head. Don’t mash buttons, and don’t think you can take an enemy down before the punch or bullet incoming lands – dodge first, then lay down the law.

This links up to Spider-Man’s skills in the game, too – one of the first skills you should grab is Perfect Dodge, found early on in the Defender skill tree. There’s a blue flash in the Spidey sense notification above Spider-Man’s head that indicates the best moment to dodge, and with the Perfect Dodge skill you’ll then automatically web up enemies you dodge perfectly, taking them out of the fight for a moment. Perfect Dodge also leads to another skill, Dodge Window, which widens that window for perfect dodges. These skills can be real life-savers, so grab them early and dodge liberally.

As an aside, it’s also worth pointing out that friendly fire exists for Spider-Man’s enemies – so if you dodge out of the way of gunfire and it leaves an enemy in the line of fire, that will damage them. In late-game encounters when powerful experimental weapons are involved this can actually take enemies out for you.

Remember to mix-and-match Suits and Suit Powers

There are a bunch of different upgrades to remember in Spider-Man on PS4 – suit mods, gadgets, your character skills – and thanks to this it can be easy to forget one of the less immediately pressing options in the menu – Suit Powers. You’ll probably want to unlock new suits and costumes for Spider-Man just for the look alone, but most suits in the game also have an associated suit power attached to them – a special skill that’s related to the design or origin of that suit.

The game points this out, but it’s easy to forget so we’re going to reiterate it here as a tip – remember that you can mix-and-match your suit and suit power. A suit you might not be a fan of the look of might well be worth unlocking in order to get its great power and use it on another suit – and you should definitely experiment with suit powers and suit mods in order to find a load-out that goes well with your play-style.

For example, the ‘Rock Out’ skill, unlocked with the Spider-Punk suit, is probably the best area-of-effect crowd control move in the game. Eye up suits and their skills and base your unlock order not just on the visual design but also the skills.

In stealth sections, don’t forget ceiling hangs and environmental hazards

Let’s be fair: the influence of Batman Arkham Asylum and its sequels on Spider-Man for PS4 is pretty obvious, though that’s no bad thing. It’s from here the game gets many of the ideas around its snappy combat, dodges and counters, but Spider-Man absolutely feels most like Arkham when you decide to keep things quiet and take down enemies in a stealthy manner.

This is actually incredibly fun, especially when you’re trying to clean out as much of an enemy base as possible before inevitably having to engage in a couple of waves of heavy combat. However, there are two things it’s really easy to forget you can do here – I got a good halfway through my play-through before I really started using these skills in stealth segments.

First, don’t forget you can hand from ceilings. Dash to a ceiling by aiming at it then pulling R2. Once you’re up there, you can hold the L2 to actually hang from the ceiling upside-down in classic Spider-man fashion – and this will allow you to more easily get to enemies to take them out. You don’t have to necessarily be up on a girder in the rafters this way!

Also, don’t forget environmental hazards, like shelving that can be pulled down and the like. This is useful in combat, too, but enemy patrols quite often tend to hang around things like this, and if you’re careful you can sneak up on them, web it to pull it down, then zip back up to a point of safety before anybody else notices.

Keep in mind that using R3 to ping enemies will reveal if taking them out will alert enemies to your presence – anyone marked ‘DANGER’ is obviously unsafe for you to stealth takedown.

Crowd Control is important, so assess your options for breaking up groups

Spider-Man is just one guy when all is said and done, and the factions of bad guys you’ll face in Spider-Man for PS4 have access to a lot of foot soldiers. You’ll want to be careful to keep yourself from getting overwhelmed, and we’ve a few absolutely key tips for that to take in.

First off, examine your crowd control possibilities. There are a few skills that can help with this. The Electrified Web gadget and Electric Punch suit power are useful – the electric shocks they deliver can jump from one enemy to another if they’re close together. The Web Bomb is also useful for obvious reasons, and we mentioned the Rock Out suit power can also help to clear groups of enemies with ease, stunning them.

Don’t forget, too, to pick things up and throw them with your webs. Web Throws are decent to begin with, but there are two skills that can make them really useful – Hazard Zone and Spin Cycle. These two skills combine to ensure enemies can’t close in on you when you’re winding up a swing, and the wind-up will even damage enemies that it hits.

You can also web up enemies and then throw them, or – and I like this best – take weapons from enemies and use them like projectiles, spinning them and throwing them back at your foe. Some skill upgrades are required to do this to all weapon types, but there’s nothing more satisfying than yanking an assault rifle or rocket launcher from an enemy before sending it flying back at them – and again, the wind-up is great crowd control.

For speed swing low, and for height swing high – and don’t underestimate wall runs

This may seem obvious, but if you want to go faster you should release your grip on web slings through the city at their lowest point. This’ll give you a huge speed boost, though not as large as some of those available by unlocking extra swinging moves in the skill tree.

Releasing later on in a swing will significantly dent your speed of a swing, but it will also give you a lot more height. Mix and match the two to keep up the speed and height you want, but also keep in mind that if you need to regain height it’s pretty quick to point-zip to a higher point or just run up the side of a building. When you’re chasing something – a pigeon, a research station drone, villains in a vehicle – you’ll want to keep those swings shallow.

Also, don’t forget wall runs. If you need to take a tight corner (as you often might when chasing people), one of the easiest ways to do it is to start running alongside a building’s wall and take the corner on foot. This is often easier than trying to control a wild swing at a sharp angle.

Fast Travel isn’t just through menus – it exists in the world… sort of

Once you progress Spider-Man’s missions to a certain point you’ll unlock the ability to Fast Travel to police stations and research stations around the map. That’s not the only way you can fast travel, however: Spider-Man’s representation of Manhattan actually has a fully-fledged subway system running underneath it. No, really.

It’s not any faster than opening the menu, but if you want to keep yourself that little bit more realistic, the answer is pretty simple – just head to a subway entrance on street level and head down into the subway. You won’t be able to do this during missions, but outside of missions you’ll be asked where you want to head and then see Spidey heading there on the subway like every other New Yorker.

The post Spider-Man PS4: Tips and Tricks for your mission to save Manhattan appeared first on VG247.

For all of its exciting innovations, Battlefield 5 borrows Star Wars: Battlefront 2’s worst feature

2018-09-07T08:36:00.013-07:00

For a game that doesn’t take any existing shooter mechanic or feature for granted, a game that’s reinventing much of its core, Battlefield 5 somehow ends up borrowing from DICE’s worst game.

With well over a dozen hours with the Battlefield 5 alphas and the currently active beta, I have no doubt that Battlefield 5 is shaping up to be the most interesting entry in the 16 year-old series.

If the drastic, immediately noticeable changes like dropping 3D spotting, the renewed focus on refining gunplay, or the abundance of animations for every in-game interaction aren’t proof enough, you need only look at the attrition system, redesigned tank combat or any of the other considerable innovations Battlefield 5 brings to see just how distinct it is from any other Battlefield.

The effect these systems have on gameplay can be felt the moment you get your first kill, just as it can be plainly spotted from watching some gameplay footage. Whether or not players end up liking any of that is another story, but there is no denying that things have changed.

Which is why it was perplexing to see the current weapon and vehicle upgrade system in Battlefield 5. At least in this beta test, weapons and vehicles have unique upgrade trees that open up the more time you spend using them. Frustratingly, the majority of these are objective, clear upgrades.

Upgrade paths split after the first one or two are purchased, but the different branches each offer an increase in weapon power or versatility, you only choose which area you want buffed.

Taking the StG 44 as an example, you can either make the assault rifle more accurate over range when firing stationary, or boost its hip fire accuracy, making hip fire viable for longer ranges. For tanks, you’re looking at things like enhanced armour and increased firepower.

The stench of Star Wars: Battlefront 2 somehow ended up emanating from the Battlefield 5 beta, because the more you examine this upgrade system the more it’ll become clear which game it was inspired by. I argued at the time when everyone was busy being outraged over Battlefront 2 microtransactions that Battlefront 2’s biggest problem isn’t paid loot boxes, it’s that the game’s entire progression is based around time investment.

This may be interesting in a game like Destiny where it’s mostly PvE-focused, but it has no place in a competitive shooter. Yet here we are less than a year later, and we’re looking at essentially the same horrid upgrade mechanic that rewards time spent with objective performance upgrades.

I find myself repeating the same argument again, the same one countless other players presented at Battlefront 2’s launch. If you must have weapon progression, make unlocks side-grades that players have to weigh the pros and cons of, not straight upgrades.

It’s almost funny that I have to write this at all, but there’s a reason why you can’t have 20 attachments on your weapon in most shooters. It’s always been a balancing act, taking a heavy barrel over a suppressor or a grip over a laser sight. Call of Duty has Pick 10, and Battlefield 3, and 4 had traditional weapon customisation systems that were entirely built around managing trade-offs.

Common sense in this instance is evidently thrown out the window, and we’re left with this baffling, archaic system. It’s likely too late now to see a major change in the shipping version, at least if you’re planning to play Battlefield 5 at launch.

The simplest solution to this mess would be to limit upgrade slots to two or three per weapon/vehicle. Keep the unrewarding progression, if you must, keep the branching upgrade trees, but don’t allow players to have more than three equipped at any one time.

That way, they will be forced to live with some downsides in order to gain an upgrade that gels better with their play style.

I imagine DICE is under a lot of stress these days, as pressure mounts from the higher-ups to create the first live service-based Battlefield. EA no doubt wants its own Rainbow Six Siege, a game capable of staying relevant, and one that’ll be making the publisher a lot of money for months and years after launch.

I can see how keeping players engaged through hollow upgrade systems that reward time spent – read: grind – was what DICE went with. It’s the one that springs to mind immediately. Time sinks are proven moneymakers.

All time spent in-game is playtime, after all, and it boosts players’ chances of spending money on one thing or another. Setting aside philosophical or ideological reservation one may have about a Skinner box loop designed to condition players in that way, this particular approach hurts the game in the long run.

Months from release, the core player base will have likely accumulated a big assortment of weapon and vehicles for all situations, simply because they’ve been playing for longer than anybody else. It’s unquestionably frustrating for a new player to pick up a game and find that they not only have to contend with a wide skill gap, but they’ll also be starting off with a handicap across their entire tool set.

It’s one thing to have to grind a bit for a weapon sight, and another to have one that shoots slower, has less accuracy and lacks whatever other upgrade existing players will use against you right from the off.

Seeing this Battlefront 2-style progression system in action makes me wonder if Battlefield 5 is being developed by two different teams. If nothing else, it’s at odds with everything else the game aspires to be, and ultimately goes against the innovative vision leading the rest of the game.

The post For all of its exciting innovations, Battlefield 5 borrows Star Wars: Battlefront 2’s worst feature appeared first on VG247.

This week’s best gaming deals: Two Point Hospital, PSVR bundles, Dragon Ball FighterZ, and more

2018-09-07T08:36:00.011-07:00

It’s that time once more! Time to take a look back over the past seven days and pick out this week’s best gaming deals from around the internet.

As usual, we’ve got deals that’ll work in the UK, deals that’ll work in the US and some deals that will work in both the UK and US, as well as presumably many other places. Let’s get started.

UK & US Deals

The Humble Unity Bundle offers up a whopping $1593 worth of games, software and assets for $15. The games included were all created with Unity and the assets and programs included are designed for Unity users of all levels in order to help you get a leg up. Here’s what you’ll be getting.

Pay $1 or more
Oxenfree
AER Memories of Old
Inventory Pro
UFPS: Ultimate FPS
FlowCanvas

Pay more than the average
Wasteland 2 Director’s Cut
The Final Station
Last Day of June
Realistic Effects Pack 4
Ultimate Game Music Collection
GameFlow

Pay $15 (about £11.68) or more
Torment: Tides of Numenera
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun
Discover Unity Game Development – From Zero to 12 Games
uMMORPG
Heroic Fantasy Creatures Full Pack Volume 1
Universal Sound FX
Gai

Pay what you want for the Humble Unity Bundle

The folks over at Voidu are offering up an exclusive code to get an extra 25 percent off a purchase of Monster Hunter World, Football Manager 2019 or NBA 2K19 right now. You’ll need to enter the code VG247 at checkout and the offer expires at 5 PM (CEST) on September 10th.

Two Point Hospital is a wonderful game that I have spent a, frankly disgraceful amount of time playing over the past week. It’s everything you could ever want a Theme Hospital sequel to be only with a legally distinct name and brand. It’s also available for £15.29 as a Steam key from Voidu when you enter the code PLAYHARDER at checkout.

Two Point Hospital for £15.29 using code PLAYHARDER from Voidu

Despite its rocky launch, the PC version of classic JRPG Chrono Trigger has been patched multiple times and, for the most part, is a fairly solid port of the game by now. If you wanted to give it a try, you can use code BIGINJAPAN to get a Steam copy of the game for £4.78 / $5.98 at Green Man Gaming.

Chrono Trigger on PC for £4.78 / $5.98 using code BIGINJAPAN from Green Man Gaming

Green Man Gaming’s 50-game charity bundle is still in stock and going strong, offering you 50 games for £50 / $50 / €50 including Metal Gear Solid 5, The Little Acre, This War of Mine, and more.

50 Games for £50 / $50 / €50 Bundle from Green Man Gaming

UK Deals

If you’re looking to shortcut your way to a high-range gaming PC and you have a stack of cash burning a hole in your pocket, you can save £400 off the cost of this setup featuring an AMD Ryzen 2700X 4.35Ghz, GeForce GTX 1080, 8GB RAM and more. It’s down to £999.95, down from £1400, currently.

Gaming PC with AMD Ryzen 2700X 4.35GHz, GTX 1080, 8GB RAM for £999.95 from AWD-It

If you’ve wanted to expand your horizons in more ways than one, you can pick up a 25-inch LG Ultrawide gaming monitor, discounted down to £150 right now, at Amazon.

LG 25-inch ultrawide IPS gaming monitor for £149.97 from Amazon UK

In a move that’s equally baffling as it was inevitable, there is now an officially licensed Fortnite edition of Monopoly. The board game Monopoly has now officially also made a Battle Royale mode. You can pre-order it now, too, if you like – releasing in November.

Fortnite Monopoly for £26.99 from Zavvi

Dragon Ball FighterZ might have a slightly cringe-inducing title but it also happens to be the best Dragon Ball fighting game released in about a decade and arguably one of the best fighting games of recent memory. You can pick up a PS4 copy this week at its cheapest ever price – £23.95 from TheGameCollection.

Dragon Ball FighterZ on PS4 for £23.95 from TheGameCollection

Insert Coin is offering up a bundle of six randomly chosen T-shirts for £50 in what it’s calling the ‘Season Pass box’. Sure, you won’t be able to pick specific shirts, but you are getting a bunch of shirts for well under £10 per shirt.

Season Pass box (Six random shirts) for £50 from Insert Coin

Micro SD cards! They’re good for Nintendo Switch, they’re good for PC storage, they’re probably good for DSLR cameras. At least I think they are. Anyways, you can get yourself a 200GB card this week for under £41.

SanDisk Ultra 200GB Micro SD for £40.99 from Amazon UK

This year, Nintendo made good on its promise to bring the Nintendo Classic Edition Mini back into stock in a big way – case in point, you can now buy one of these for under £48 from Base, which is a far cry from the eBay prices shortly after it launched.

NES Classic Mini for £47.85 from Base

Logitech is no stranger to gaming accessories and if you’ve heard the name before, you already know this. At the moment, you can save £41 off the cost of the company’s G433 wired 7.1 headset, compatible with PC, Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch. It’ll cost you £68.47 right now.

Logitech G433 wired 7.1 gaming headset for £68.47 from Amazon uK

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a surprisingly stellar strategy title in the vein of XCOM, only instead of a grim alien-infested future of oppression, it’s filled with bright colours, shouting rabbits, and a tiny robot vacuum that acts as your guide. The Gold Edition – which comes with the base game as well as the season pass – is down to £29.95 right now.

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle Gold Edition for £29.95 from TheGameCollection

US Deals

Whether you’re an Xbox One owner or you just like having a decent PC gaming controller, you can now grab an Xbox One Wireless Controller (the newer kind, with Bluetooth) for just shy of $40 at Walmart.

Xbox One Wireless Controller (Black) for $39.99 from Walmart
Xbox One Wireless Controller (White) for $39.99 from Walmart

Over at Amazon this week, you can pick up a PlayStation VR starter pack (including the PS4 Camera and two motion controllers), along with copies of Superhot VR and Creed: Rise to Glory, all of which will cost you $350 for the time being.

PlayStation VR with Creed: Rise to Glory, Superhot VR, camera and motion controllers for $349.99 from Amazon US

After many months of holding onto its original RRP, Dragon Ball FighterZ is finally seeing a decent discount over at Amazon US right now, with the FighterZ Edition of the game – which comes with the FighterZ Pass and the Season Pass – down to $34.99, it’s cheapest ever price.

Dragon Ball FighterZ with FighterZ pass and Season Pass on PC (Steam) for $34.99 from Amazon US

Dissidia, despite sounding like the absolute worst kind of intestinal disease, is in fact the fighting game side of the Final Fantasy franchise and got itself a PS4 entry in the form of Dissidia Final Fantasy NT at the beginning of the year. That game is currently discounted down to $13.49 for a limited time so if you’ve slept on a purchase up until now, you’ve got another chance to jump in.

Dissidia Final Fantasy NT on PS4 for $13.49 from Amazon US

One of the quirkiest and most tragically overlooked Nintendo Switch games to date, Battle Chef Brigade, is down to $12 and lets you finish quests and hunt monsters before coming back to the kitchen and serving the whole thing up in a kind of twisted Great British Bake Off meets Battle Royale mash-up.

Battle Chef Brigade on Nintendo Switch for $11.99 from Amazon US

Wolfenstein 2 remains one of my favourite games of last year and still one of the first titles I recommend to anyone asking for something new to play, which has been made all the easier with the current Amazon discount, bringing the PS4 copy down to $19.99 for the time being.

Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus on PS4 for $19.99 from Amazon US

Putting a pre-order down on one of next month’s release of Dark Souls Trilogy on Xbox One or PS4 at Best Buy will get you an bonus copy of Destiny 2 at no extra cost. The whole package will cost you $79.99, which is technically for four games.

Dark Souls Trilogy on Xbox One with free Destiny 2 for $79.99 from Best Buy
Dark Souls Trilogy on PS4 with free Destiny 2 for $79.99 from Best Buy

Those of you who have recently indulged yourselves with one of Nintendo’s newest 2DS XL consoles and are looking for a fancy case to go with it can take a look at this Pikachu branded case from Hori, which is currently down to $15.85.

New Nintendo 2DS XL Pikachu Premium Protector for $15.85 from Amazon US

If you happen to own a Fire HD, Kindle or – at the very least – the Kindle app, you can save up to 50% on the vast majority of Marvel’s digital comic offerings this week over at Amazon US.

Up to 50% off Marvel digital comics from Amazon US

With that, we’re done for another week. Keep in mind that deals, prices and availability can change at the drop of a hat, so apologies if you miss out on something you wanted. I’ll be over at Jelly Deals, scouring the world wide web for more deals. Feel free to visit, or follow us on Twitter and give us a like on Facebook.

Did you know that Jelly Deals has a newsletter? It lets us bring the best deals directly to you each day. Subscribe here, if that seems like your kind of thing.

The post This week’s best gaming deals: Two Point Hospital, PSVR bundles, Dragon Ball FighterZ, and more appeared first on VG247.

Spider-Man Suits: how to unlock every outfit and costume in Parker’s PS4 adventure

2018-09-07T08:36:00.009-07:00

Any good super hero needs a good costume, and over the years Spider-Man has had a lot of them. Marvel’s Spider-Man on PS4 features a variety of suits for Spidey – but you’ll need to know how to unlock them. Luckily, we’ve already found ’em all.

We won’t waste any time getting down to brass tacks here: most of the Spider-Man suits are locked behind your player level. As you progress Spider-Man himself levels up, and while that suit governs things like your melee damage output, it also controls your suit unlocks. Once a suit is unlocked either through leveling up or another method, as listed below, it’ll have a crafting cost associated with it using tokens gathered by completing side activities.

Once a suit is unlocked and crafted you can use it and its unique suit power as and when you wish. We’ve listed every suit, suit power, unlock method and crafting cost below. Handy!

Naturally, this guide contains SPOILERS for every outfit in the game – and some outfits might reveal some spoiler details, too. Read at your own risk.

Marvel’s Spider-Man: how to unlock every suit

Once a suit is unlocked through leveling up, most of them typically have to then be crafted from Spider-Man’s suits menu in game. The crafting costs Tokens – and these tokens are based off the various side activities in the game.

They come in a few flavors: Crime tokens from small crimes, Base tokens from defeating enemy strongholds, Landmark tokens from photographing New York landmarks, Research tokens from research station missions and Challenge tokens from completing task challenges. All of these are marked on your map to find. Simple!

A couple of other Spidey suits also unlock naturally through story progression, while a couple of others are tied to completing side quests. Three are available through a pre-order bonus, but can also be unlocked through naturally leveling up.

Each suit also comes with a Suit Power. This is a skill unique to that suit, but once unlocked you can mix-and-match suits and powers as you wish. All of that is listed below in detail, anyway, plus a screenshot giving you a look at what each suit is like. So, here’s how to unlock all the Spidey suits in Spider-Man for PS4:

Advanced Spider (White Spider) Suit

Unlocks naturally throughout the progression of the main story of Spider-Man.

Unique Ability is Battle Focus – “Hybrid biomembrane rapidly generates Focus for a short time” – press L3/R3 to activate.

Classic Suit (Repaired)

A classic-looking, iconic Spider-Man look. Just like the comics you remember!
Suit skill unlock is the Web Blossom – a skill that makes Spidey leap into the air and web everything in sight.
Available once you get the White Spider suit, but costs 2 Backpack Tokens and 2 Crime Tokens to unlock.

Classic Suit (Damaged)

The same suit as above, but bearing the rips, tears and scars of an intense battle against the Kingpin.
Available after the opening section of the game, with no unlock cost.

Noir Suit

A special Spidey suit based off the appearance of the character in the Spider-Man Noir comic series.
Unlocks the ‘Sound of Silence’ skill, which means that enemies no longer call for backup once they’re alerted. Shhh…
Available for crafting unlock from the very start.

Scarlet Spider Suit

In the comics the Scarlet Spider was at first the secret identity of a Peter Parker clone known as Ben Reilly, but later several others would don this uniform.
Unlocks the ‘Holo Decoy’ suit skill, which uses Experimental Augmented Reality tech to spawn hologram decoys that enemies will attack – and it stuns them when they do!
Unlockable with tokens from Level 4 and up.

Spider Armor MK II Suit

At one point in Marvel History, Peter loses his Spider sense – and that leaves him very vulnerable to bullets. He created this armor to be more survivable.
Appropriately this armor comes with the ‘Bullet Proof’ armor skill, where the armor plating of the suit can be used to make the suit bullet-proof against all enemies – even sniper shots.
Available at Level 5, and costs 1 Base Token, 1 Landmark Token and 2 Research Tokens to craft.

Secret War Suit

Worn by Spider-Man during the much-loved Secret War phase of the comics – and let’s be fair, this suit looks amazing.
Unlocks the ‘Arms Race’ suit ability. This discharges an amplified EMP build-up which then stuns enemies and disables their weapons.
Available from level 7 and up. The Secret War suit costs 2 Backpack Tokens, 1 Base Token and 2 Research Tokens to unlock.

Stark Suit (MCU Homecoming Suit)

This suit has been all over the place in recent years – it’s the suit designed by Tony Stark and worn by Spider-Man in Captain America Civil War, Spider-Man Homecoming and briefly in Avengers Infinity War by the MCU’s Peter Parker.
Unlocks the ‘Spider Bro’ ability – which calls in a Spider-Bro bot that temporarily aids you in combat.
Once available from Level 9 and up you can grab this suit with 1 Base Token, 1 Research Token and 3 Crime Tokens.

Negative Suit

The closest comic counterpart of this suit is known as the Negative Zone costume, and was gained when Spider-Man traveled to the Negative Zone. With Mr. Negative being such a large part of this game, it’s a natural fit…
Suit skill is ‘Negative Shockwave’, which when unleashed lets rip with a huge wave of negative energy.
From Level 11. Costs 1 Base Token, 1 Research TGoken and 2 Landmark Tokens to build once unlocked.

Electrically Insulated Suit

Back in the Amazing Spider-Man issue #425, Spider-Man deployed this suit to battle Electro… and it does exactly what you’d expect to electrical currents.
This suit’s skill is the ‘Electric Punch’ – which electrifies your gauntlets to shock enemies you hit.
Unlocked at level 13, or after when you first battle Shocker. Once it’s available, it costs 1 Base Token, 1 Research Token and 3 Crime Tokens to create.

Spider-Punk Suit

In one Marvel universe Hobart Brown took on the role of the Anarchic Spider-Man – AKA Spider-Punk. This was his costume.
Unlocks the ‘Rock Out’ suit ability, which appropriately blasts enemies with ‘waves of righteous sound’.
Available via pre-order bonus or at Level 16. Once available unlocked with 2 Backpack Tokens, 3 Crime Tokens and 2 Landmark Tokens.

Wrestler Suit

The earliest iteration of Spider-Man’s suit in the comics was as a Wrestling Suit that Parker then adapted into his first costume – and this suit is a tribute to that.
Suit skill is ‘King of the Ring’ – granting the useful ability to throw enemies without first webbing them up
Once unlocked at Level 19, requires 2 Backpack Tokens, 2 Base Tokens and 2 Research Tokens to use.

Fear Itself Suit

The Stark Suit isn’t the only one made by Iron Man on this list – the Fear Itself suit also was, back in the comics. It features a very unique blue, black and neon look.
Grants the ‘Quad Damage’ suit skill, allowing Spidey to deal absolutely huge damage briefly.
From Level 21. Requires 2 Base Tokens, 6 Challenge Tokens and 3 Research Tokens to use.

Stealth (“Big Time”) Suit

In the comics the Stealth Suit was first created by Spider-Man to combat the Hobgoblin’s Sonic Screams. It appears here in its neon green design.
The ‘Blur Projector’ suit skill creates a distortion field that obscures you from any non alerted enemy’s vision – a stealth mode.
Costs 2 Base Tokens, 4 Challenge Tokens and 3 Landmark Tokens to create once unlocked at Level 23.

Spider Armor – MK III Suit

Comic book Peter Parker would occasionally make back-up plans, and that’s what the MK 3 Spider-armor is – a contingency plan for fighting the Sinister Six.
Unlocks the suit skill ‘Titanium Alloy Plates’, which when activated reflects all bullets but sniper rounds back at the enemy that fired them. That’s karma.
Once available at Level 26, you’ll need to spend 2 Base Tokens, 4 Challenge Tokens and 4 Crime Tokens to get this suit.

Spider-Man 2099 Black Suit

In the year 2099, Miguel O’Hara is Spider-Man. He wears a unique costume that is replicated here for Peter.
Unlocks the super cool and future-appropriate ‘Low Gravity’ skill – which when activated decreases gravity for better aerial acrobatics.
Once it’s available from Level 28 and up, you can unlock it properly with 2 Base Tokens, 4 Crime Tokens and 4 Research Tokens.

Iron Spider Suit (Avengers Infinity War)

The Stark Suit isn’t alone – the current cinematic Peter Parker’s other suit gets a look-in here too, with the Iron Spider design from Infinity War.
Grants you the ‘Iron Arms’ ability, which – you gussed it – temporarily gives you those extra Iron arms. They’re only used in combat, however.
Available via pre-order bonus, or at Level 31 and up.

Velocity Suit

Designed by Adi Granov, this is an all-new suit for Spider-Man for PS4 – and it’s nothing to do with the story.
Grants you the ‘Blitz’ ability, which allows for faster sprinting and easier knock-down of enemies – just web ’em up when they’re down.
A pre-order bonus, or appears for crafting at Level 33. Once you can access it, unlock it with 2 Backpack Tokens, 4 Challenge Tokens and 2 Landmark Tokens.

Spider-Armor MK IV Suit

A suit so good that Parker once suggested Stark would lose control of his bladder if he saw it, the 4th Spider-Armor iteration is a powerful one, and it’s the armor that looks most like the traditional suit.
Comes with the ‘Defence Shield’ suit power unlock. This basically makes you invulnerable for the duration of the skill – super useful, obviously.
Once you can grab it from Level 35, it’ll be purchasable with 4 Base Tokens, 4 Challenge Tokens and 3 Landmark Tokens.

Spirit Spider Suit

The mysterious, creepy Spirit Spider Suit comes with the ‘Spirit Fire’ ability, which unleashes waves of damaging energy. It looks a little familiar to another Marvel character, right?
Requires 6 Base Tokens, 6 Challenge Tokens and 6 Crime Tokens to create and use once unlocked – it does so at Level 37.

Spider-Man 2099 White Suit

Also known as the All-New, All-Different Spider-Man 2099 Suit, this white, red and grey suit was again worn in the comics by Miguel O’Hara.
Unlocking the suit gets you the ‘Concussion Strike’ ability, which sends enemies flying with every attack when active.
Once the suit is made available at character Level 39, you can buy it for 4 Base Tokens, 4 Challenge Tokens and 4 Crime Tokens.

Vintage Comic Book Suit

This is an absolutely classic-looking Spider-Man suit with a twist – it features a special shading that makes it look comic book accurate. It’s cool.
This has a great suit power – ‘Quips’. This does exactly what you’d expect when active – unleashes classic Spidey quips, jokes and adomishments.
Once available from Level 41, unlock the Vintage Comic Book Suit with 4 Backpack Tokens, 4 Challenge Tokens and 4 Crime Tokens.

Last Stand Suit

In one alternate history in the comics, Peter Parker took another path, killing his enemies and eventually being expelled form the Avengers as a criminal. His story has a dark ending – but you can now dress up as him.
The suit power is ‘Unrelenting Fury’, which renders enemies unable to block – even if they have shields.
This suit appropriately costs 20 crime tokens to unlock once it’s available, and it appears at Level 45.

Undies

This outfit makes the briefest (pun unintended) of appearances in the main story of the game, but that doesn’t actually unlock it.
It has a brilliant suit power: ‘Equaliser’. This power makes enemies go down in one hit… but so will you, if they hit you. Keep hitting that dodge button.
This suit is unlocked by hitting 100% district completion in the game.

Homemade Suit

The Homemade Suit is the third and final Marvel Cinematic Universe inspired suit in the game, this one based on Spidey’s home-made outfit used in some of Spider-Man Homecoming.
This suit doesn’t have a power. It is home-made, after all.
To unlock this suit, Collect All Backpacks.

Anti-Ock Suit

The last of the original Spider-Man suits for PS4, the Anti-Ock suit will be unlocked in a pivotal scene later in the game.
Its suit power is ‘Resupply’ – a great power that makes your gadgets all recharge uses very quickly.
To unlock it, progress the story.

Dark Suit

The Dark Suit is associated with Black Cat, and so a skin-tight, black number seems rather appropriate.
This suit doesn’t have a power.
Unlock this suit by photographing Every Black Cat toy in the game world, thus completing her side mission.

The post Spider-Man Suits: how to unlock every outfit and costume in Parker’s PS4 adventure appeared first on VG247.