The battle royale trend isn’t slowing down anytime soon, and Battlefield is the latest series to get in on the action–Battlefield V‘s battle royale mode, Firestorm, went live today for all players on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Firestorm is a free add-on for Battlefield V; you must own the base game in order to play.

Luckily, you can grab the base game for up to 50% today: the standard edition is selling for $30, and the deluxe edition is only $40. The deluxe edition includes five sets of paratrooper outfits, special assignments, and 20 weekly Airlifts with customization items. The deluxe edition for PC also includes the Firestorm ranger set, paratrooper gear, and instant access to Battlefield 1 weapons.

Like other battle royale games, Firestorm begins with players dropping from the sky onto a map called Halvøy, which is 10 times larger than Battlefield V’s largest map, Hamada. The 64-player matches can be played solo or in squads up to four players. A ring of fire slowly shrinks around the battlefield, forcing you and other players to move inward. Once you hit the ground, you’ll be searching for resources, weapons, and gear, with the most valuable stockpiles held at Re-supply Points and Vehicle Lockups. Vehicular combat plays a much bigger role in Firestorm than other existing battle royale titles–as of now, there are 17 different vehicles to control, such as choppers and tanks; however, they’re susceptible to anti-vehicle weaponry.

Among Firestorm’s rarest loot are Reinforcements, which you can use to spread destruction with artillery strikes or combat vehicles, or to call in supply drops for you and your squad. Just like any Battlefield game, buildings can be destroyed, so nowhere is truly safe to camp out and hide.

Battlefield V has been out since November, so players have been waiting over five months for the release of Firestorm. In that time, Apex Legends has swept onto the battle royale scene with rapidly growing player counts, and Fortnite continues to thrive, so it remains to be seen whether Firestorm can capitalize on the popular genre and build its own loyal player base.

Buy Battlefield V

PS4

• Standard Edition — $30
• Deluxe Edition — $40

Xbox One

• Standard Edition — $30
• Deluxe Edition — $40

PC

• Standard Edition — $30
• Deluxe Edition — $40

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-5s-firestorm-battle-royal-mode-is-live/1100-6465833/

Sony’s first Nintendo Direct-style State of Play presentation has ended, and it’s given us a look at a number of games on the way to PS4 this year. The broadcast kicked off with the reveal of a new Iron Man VR game, but that was hardly the only announcement; we also learned about a No Man’s Sky VR update and got to see new trailers for Days Gone and Mortal Kombat 11, among other titles.

If you missed out on the presentation, we’ve rounded up all of the biggest news and announcements from it below.

Marvel’s Iron Man VR

Sony started off its State of Play presentation by unveiling Marvel’s Iron Man VR. Developed by Camouflaj in conjunction with Worldwide Studios and Marvel Games, the game puts players behind the visor of the Iron Avenger. No further details were shared beyond that, but Iron Man VR is slated to release for PS4 this year.

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled

The remastered kart racing game Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled launches on June 21, and we learned the PS4 version will include some exclusive content in the form of blocky, PS1-style character skins for Crash, Coco, and Cortex, along with a retro track and karts.

No Man’s Sky VR Update

Developer Hello Games is adding PSVR support to its sandbox space exploration game, No Man’s Sky, this summer as a free update. Rather than being a separate mode, however, players will be able to play through the entire game in VR. Additionally, the PS4 version of No Man’s Sky: Beyond will receive a physical release, and it’ll come with the base game, VR support, and every update through Beyond.

ReadySet Heroes

The isometric dungeon crawler ReadySet Heroes is coming to PS4 later this year. The game features four-player multiplayer and pits you against another team in a race through a monster-filled dungeon. Reach the end of the dungeon and you’ll face off in a winner-takes-all showdown.

Five Nights At Freddy’s VR

Arriving on PSVR (as well as HTC Vive, Oculus, and Steam) next month, Five Nights At Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted is a new VR take on the fan-favorite horror game, featuring remastered levels from the original games along with “all-new nightmares.”

Developing…

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-state-of-play-all-the-announcements/1100-6465834/

No Man’s Sky is getting another large-scale update, and this one is different. A “No Man’s Sky VR” update is scheduled for this summer, which will add free support for PlayStation VR and Steam VR. Hello Games boasts that this is the entire game brought into VR rather than a separate mode.

According to the announcement, this is the second major pillar to the Beyond expansion that Hello Games previously announced. The first pillar is a major overhaul to its online play, and a third pillar is yet to be announced. Though Beyond is scheduled for all platforms, Beyond will get a PS4-exclusive retail release. That will include the base game with all updates, including Beyond and its VR support.

The online update of Beyond is said to add features that will allow players to meet up and play together more easily. Though it will make the game more MMO-like, Hello has cautioned that it won’t be monetized like one. The update will be free, it won’t have microtransactions, and it won’t require a subscription to play online (other than your regular Xbox Live Gold or PS Plus subscription).

Last year, No Man’s Sky issued a large-scale update called Next, which overhauled many of the game’s systems. It was such a major update that we named it one of the best expansions of 2018. Hello has subsequently been issuing regular updates, like the underwater Abyss expansion and tons of new biomes in the Visions expansion.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/no-mans-sky-vr-announced-as-second-pillar-of-beyon/1100-6465837/

As we all know, gaming isn’t one of the cheaper hobbies out there–between games, headsets, monitors, merchandise, and other accessories, it’s a passion you can easily pour thousands of dollars into over the years. Luckily, there’s a sale going on at Ebay right now that can save you hundreds of dollars on games and gaming equipment as part of the website’s 16 Days of Sweet Deals sale. These offers will only be available today (and supplies are selling out fast!), so grab these deals ASAP if you see something you want.

One of the most notable deals is this Xbox One X bundle with NBA 2K19 that comes with an extra Xbox wireless controller. Normally, an Xbox One X bundle sells for $500, and a black wireless controller would cost you another $60, but Ebay’s deal will get you both for only $370.

If you’ve been needing a new gaming headset, this HyperX Cloud II headset with 7.1 surround sound is on sale for $60, a 14% price cut. The well-rated headset comes with a noise-canceling microphone and automatic echo filtering; plus, the memory foam ear pads make it lightweight and comfortable on your head. Its USB surround sound card is compatible with PC, Mac, and PS4; to use it with Xbox One, you’ll need a headset adapter from Microsoft. While many pro headsets will cost you well over $100, the HyperX Cloud II is a solid and affordable option.

Those interested in PC gaming may want to consider the HP N270h 27″ Edge to Edge Full HD gaming monitor, which is on sale for $145 (27% off). The full HD LED display is flicker-free and low blue light-capable to spare your eyes during long gaming sessions, and it’s also energy-efficient to curb your costs. It’s also adjustable in terms of height and tilt so you can set it at the perfect angle to avoid soreness.

Plus, plenty of great games are discounted too, including Titanfall 2 for $5, Red Dead Redemption 2 for $38, and Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee for $50.

Ebay’s 16 Days of Sweet Deals continues now through April 8, with new deals in different categories going live every day.

Shop Ebay’s limited-time gaming deals »

See more of our game and hardware picks from Ebay’s sale below!

• Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Switch) — $49.95
• HP N270h 27″ Edge to Edge Full HD Gaming Monitor — $145
• HyperX Cloud II Gaming Headset — $60
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch) — $46
• PlayStation 4 Pro bundle with Red Dead Redemption 2 — $420
• PlayStation Classic — $40
• Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee (Switch) — $50
• Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4) — $38
• Sea of Thieves (Xbox One) — $22
• Sony DualShock 4 Wireless Controller (Black) — $44
• Super Mario Odyssey (Switch) — $46
• Super Mario Party (Switch) — $46
• Super NES Classic Edition — $70
• Titanfall 2 + Nitro Scorch Pack DLC (Xbox One) — $5
• Xbox One S (White) — $219.95
• Xbox One S bundle with Titanfall 2 and 1 year of Gold membership — $264.95
• Xbox One X bundle with NBA 2K19 — $370

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/today-only-huge-sale-at-ebay-on-games-consoles-and/1100-6465830/

The Blazing Bull is something of an unintuitive enemy for players to run across early in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. After fighting generals and warriors, samurai and spearmen, you come across a giant, thundering bull, whose horns are wrapped in flaming hay. Suddenly, everything you learned about fighting in Sekiro seems to go out the window, and you’re forced to dodge this way and that to avoid getting trampled.

Just because the bull isn’t a sword-wielding foe doesn’t mean your Sekiro fundamentals don’t matter, though. You can, in fact, parry most of the bull’s attacks, and you still want to wear down its Posture so you can deal a deathblow. The major difference is dealing with the bull’s speed, and finding opportunities to inflict some damage so you can drop its Vitality, and thus get to a deathblow sooner. There’s also a key prosthetic than can help in the process that’s easy to have missed up until now.

Here’s what you need to know to take down the Blazing Bull. We’ve got plenty of other Sekiro guides to help you master From Software’s latest title, including a list of must-grab early prosthetics and some tips on where to find additional Snapseeds for fighting Lady Butterfly.

Keep To The Flank And Stay Close

The Blazing Bull hits hard when it lands a blow, but it’s bad at cornering and its size means it can’t adjust to your movements quickly. Don’t dodge backward or sideways, but instead try to move in and under its horns, which are high off the ground. You can also try holding the dodge button to sprint, allowing you to quickly get around the sides of the bull. If you can stick near the Bull’s hindquarters–specifically, close to and beside its back legs but not directly behind it–you can wail away on the bull while it struggles to reposition and attack you. Keep moving, but try to stay close to places the bull can’t easily reach.

Don’t Forget To Parry, And Bring Dousing Powder

It’s counterintuitive because the Blazing Bull is a giant marauding monster, but Sekiro is a game about parrying enemy attacks, and that hasn’t changed just because you’re facing an angry, flaming animal. You can still block incoming attacks if you feel like you can’t dodge them–in fact, it’s essential to keeping yourself alive. Parries will knock down the bull’s Posture, same as with anyone else, and give you chances to get into better position or strike back with counter-attacks. It’s the fire that’s most concerning, since even though you’ll be able to block or parry many attacks, you can still take fire damage and get pushed toward the Burning status effect. Dousing Powder can help in case you come aflame. You should still avoid what attacks you can, but generally, if in doubt: block.

Be Aggressive

The Blazing Bull is one of those enemies with high Vitality, which means its Posture recharges pretty quickly, even if you go on a parrying tear. You’ll need to do some damage in order to get it closer to taking a deathblow, and really, the best way to take it down is with relentless attacks. As mentioned, you should try to get in close to the bull’s hindquarters and stay around there, where it has trouble hitting you and which will cause it to spend most of its time attempting to wheel around to get you in front of it again. Nail it a bunch with your sword from this position to knock down its health, which makes its Posture recover more slowly. Eventually you should be able to do enough Posture damage just by wailing away to finish the bull off.

Use Firecrackers

One of the most useful Shinobi Prosthetic tools in the game is the Shinobi Firecracker attachment, but it’s also an easy one to miss. The Firecrackers stun enemies and are particularly effective on animals, and against the Blazing Bull they make the fight quite a bit easier. Use the Firecrackers on the bull and it’ll rear up, allowing you a bunch of chances to slice away at it.

You can’t find the Firecrackers in the world, though–you have to purchase them from the Memorial Mob, which you can do in two places before you hit the bull. The first is in the Ashina Outskirts section, in the Gate Path area. When you find the house where you can speak to the old woman who gives you the bell, head forward on the path and look to the left, just before crossing under a wooden gateway. You should see a spot where you can grapple upward. From there, look for more chances to go vertical up to the left, which will put you on something of a stone tower. Climb it to the top and you’ll find the merchant, where you can purchase the Firecrackers attachment for 500 sen.

If you missed that merchant, there’s a second chance to buy the Firecrackers right after fighting Gyoubu the Demon. Use the Ashina Castle Gate Sculptor’s Idol to warp to the arena where you fought Gyoubu, then head back toward where you first dropped down into the area. You’ll see a staircase that leads up toward a building; go around the right side to find a Memorial Mob merchant who will sell you the Firecrackers.

We’ve got plenty more Sekiro guides, including some essential beginner tips and some more expert-level items to help you stop dying, so be sure to check out our full list if you’re still struggling.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sekiro-how-to-beat-the-blazing-bull-boss/1100-6465831/