Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Down To $45 On PS4, Xbox One (US)

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is barely a month old, but as usual your patience has already been rewarded if you waited for a deal. It’s already down to $45 on Amazon in the US, for the PS4 and Xbox One versions. Amazon’s sale prices come and go rather quickly, so if you want in on the deal you should probably grab it to be on the safe side.

This marks the lowest price we’ve seen on consoles so far, and even cheaper than a recent Newegg sale price. Some brick-and-mortar retailers have also been known to price-match Amazon, if you’d rather pick it up yourself, but call ahead first.

GET SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE FOR $45 AT AMAZON »

Sekiro is the latest From Software title, following up on hits like Dark Souls and Bloodborne. The studio has gained a reputation for the genre it helped shape–nicknamed “Soulsbornes.” Their games (and now, many imitators) make a point of tough combat and resource scarcity to instill a feeling of accomplishment. Sekiro is in the same vein as its predecessors, so be ready to die a lot if you take the plunge.

The game had a strong start in sales, hitting 2 million copies in just its first ten days. That’s a big accomplishment for a new franchise in a genre that is known for being niche and putting off some players. While From is committed to maintaining its challenge, it did recently issue a balance patch aimed at encouraging use of the full suite of tools.

“The orchestration of intense one-on-one boss encounters that truly test your mettle, and slower-paced stealth sections that let you take on battles at your own pace, is masterful,” Tamoor Hussain said in GameSpot’s review. “More so than in previous games, From Software has honed in on the inherent tension found in the challenging nature of its games, and uses it to incredible effect. Sekiro marries the developer’s unique brand of gameplay with stealth action to deliver an experience that is as challenging as it is gratifying.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-down-to-45-on-ps4-xbox-on/1100-6466570/

Mortal Kombat 11 Community Thank You Gift Now Available

Mortal Kombat 11 received some criticism for its in-game economy and grind, but NetherRealm has started to address those progression issues with a series of patches. As part of the make-good effort, the studio has also bundled the latest patch with a thank you gift, awarding a big dose of currency to players.

The bundle includes 500,000 Koins, 500 Hearts, 1,000 Souls, and 1,000 Time Crystals. Time Crystals are the premium currency, and so the amount here equals about $10–enough for two of the premium skins. The rest of the currency types are used in the Krypt, to unlock various rewards. It’s only available on PC and PS4 so far, with Xbox One and Switch incoming.

You’ll have to claim the reward through your notifications area. Make sure you claim it by May 6, 2019 at 6 AM PT.

That injection of kash came alongside a big update for MK11. It fixes several exploits and makes changes to matchmaking, but the bigger adjustment for the player grind will be that it’s softened the edges for the Towers of Time. The patch notes say it adjusts the AI difficulty curve for the Towers, tweaked elements like health reductions in high-level Towers or Koin rewards, and adjusted some daily modifiers. All of that seems aimed at making a smoother ramp for players to enjoy the Towers, which were a common criticism among reviews and early player impressions.

“Streamlined mechanics keep the act of fighting furiously exciting no matter what your skill level, and comprehensive tutorials encourage you to dig into the nitty-gritty,” Edmond Tran said in GameSpot’s review-in-progress. “There’s a diverse roster of interesting characters and playstyles, and the story mode is an entertaining romp. The unfulfilling approaches to the game’s dynamic single-player content and progression may feel like they’ve totally whiffed (at least at this early stage), but Mortal Kombat 11 hits where it matters.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-11-community-thank-you-gift-now-avai/1100-6466566/

Pokemon Go Adds Wild Legendary Pokemon For The First Time

Origin Forme Giratina may no longer be available in Pokemon Go, but some new Legendaries have taken its place in the hit mobile game. The Lake trio from Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum–Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie–have begun appearing around the world–and this time, you won’t need to battle them in Raids.

Unlike most of the other Legendaries to appear in Pokemon Go, Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie aren’t available as Raid bosses; rather, the Legendaries are spawning in the wild like typical Pokemon. However, as befits their status, the Pokemon are quite rare, so the odds of running into one are fairly low.

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Moreover, it appears that each Pokemon is currently only available in a specific part of the world. According to Serebii, it seems Azelf is only appearing in America; Mesprit is available in Europe; and Uxie is currently spawning in Japan. Just as in the mainline games, the Legendaries are also reportedly appearing near bodies of water.

It’s unclear how long the new Pokemon will appear in Go, but Legendaries typically hang around for approximately a month before Niantic cycles them out for new Pokemon. With the reports that each one is only available in a certain area, it seems likely that the Legendaries will swap regions before they leave the game entirely.

Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie aren’t the only Legendaries currently available in Pokemon Go. Groudon has also returned to the game for a limited-time as one of the game’s Earth Day bonuses. On top of that, Ground-type Pokemon are spawning more frequently than normal, and Shiny Diglett is appearing for the first time. However, these Earth Day bonuses will only be live until May 2.

Shiny Meltan is also appearing once again Pokemon Go until May 5; be sure to check out our guide on how to catch one while it’s still available. Meanwhile, Pokemon Go’s next Community Day is scheduled for Sunday, May 19. The featured Pokemon this month will be Torchic, the Fire-type starter from Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-go-adds-wild-legendary-pokemon-for-the-fir/1100-6466562/

Valve Index VR Headset, Controllers, And Base Revealed; Pre-Orders Open Soon

Following a leak or two, Valve has now formally debuted its virtual reality hardware solution, named Valve Index. The official site promises high-fidelity VR with superior comfort and control. Pre-orders begin on May 1, and pricing has been announced for the full set along with the a la carte pieces of it.

The centerpiece of the VR kit is the headset, which boasts two 1440×1600 RGB LCDs, promising more pixels and less screen door effect than OLED displays. It also runs at 120Hz (with optional 90Hz and 144Hz modes) for higher framerates. Valve promises a greater field-of-view than other devices, and the headset itself sports two off-ear near-field speakers to balance comfort and sound quality. It also has an adjustable head band for head size, ear placement, and angle, and swappable face pads for sharing the kit. Finally, the headset has room for expansion and mods with cameras and a front expansion slot.

A pair of custom-built controllers strap onto your hand and respond to natural movements like throwing or dropping held objects. Valve boasts that each controller has 87 sensors to help determine your movements and intent. The grip input helps determine how you’re holding objects and finger tracking, and the controllers sport a full range of standard buttons along with a track button. A pair of base stations have a 160º x 115º field-of-view range, and are expandable to up to four stations.

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The full Valve Index set costs $1,000, while the headset and controllers alone are $750. The headset is the most expensive single part at $500, and a pair of controllers are $280 by themselves. A single base station costs $150. Each of these are planned to ship by June 28, 2019.

This gives PC users another option for their VR support, as the race for headset dominance continues with other companies like Facebook and HTC having gained a following with their own devices. Consoles are looking to support VR as well, and Sony has hinted that its next console will continue to support PSVR.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-index-vr-headset-controllers-and-base-reveal/1100-6466563/

Nintendo Switch Eshop Launches Golden Week Game Deals (US, UK, AU)

As those living in Japan enjoy the annual week-long vacation period known as Golden Week, those of us living in other parts of the world are enjoying some perks of our own in the form of game deals across several digital stores. The PlayStation Store and Steam have both launched Golden Week sales recently, and now Nintendo is getting in on the fun with a publisher sale from Nippon Ichi Software, the developers behind games like Disgaea and Phantom Brave. It’s a small sale, with only 18 games, but there are some decent deals here worth checking out.

Disgaea 1 Complete and Disgaea 5 Complete are marked down–the classic strategy RPGs are currently selling for $40 and $30, respectively. Disgaea 1 Complete has been remastered to match the quality of Disgaea 5 for the Nintendo Switch, with improved sprites, character portraits, and backgrounds, as well as a new playable character and a few other UI tweaks. Disgaea 5 Complete comes with all DLC content, including eight bonus scenarios and more characters and classes.

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You can grab Yomawari: The Long Night Collection for just $30 on Switch; the bundle includes both Yomawari: Night Alone and Yomawari: Midnight Shadows. Each game has a unique story, but in both you’ll play as young girls making their way through a bizarre, spooky rural Japanese town at night. Another solid deal: The Longest Five Minutes, a game about a hero who loses his memories in the last five minutes of a final boss fight, which is available for 50% off ($20).

Nintendo’s Golden Week Sale is running through May 7 at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET / 3 PM GMT (1 AM AET on May 8), so you have about a week to claim these deals. According to an NIS America blog post, the sale is available in the US, Europe, and Australia Eshops (prices may vary).

SHOP NINTENDO’S GOLDEN WEEK ESHOP SALE »

And see the full list of game deals below:

Switch

  • Disgaea 1 Complete — $40 (20% off)
  • Disgaea 5 Complete — $30 (25% off)
  • Fallen Legion: Rise to Glory — $30 (25% off)
  • God Wars: The Complete Legend — $30 (25% off)
  • Happy Birthdays — $30 (25% off)
  • Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk — $40 (20% off)
  • The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince — $15 (25% off)
  • The Longest Five Minutes — $20 (50% off)
  • The Lost Child — $25 (50% off)
  • Penny-Punching Princess — $20 (50% off)
  • Touhou Genso: Wanderer Reloaded — $30 (40% off)
  • Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle — $12 (40% off)
  • Yomawari: The Long Night Collection — $30 (25% off)
  • Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana — $42 (30% off)

3DS

  • Culdcept Revolt — $21 (30% off)
  • Rodea the Sky Soldier — $10 (50% off)
  • RPG Maker Fes — $21 (30% off)

3DS deals exclusive to UK/AU

  • Etrian Mystery Dungeon — 25% off
  • Etrian Odyssey Untold — 25% off
  • Etrian Odyssey II Untold — 25% off
  • Legend of Legacy — 50% off
  • Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker — 25% off
  • Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers — 25% off
  • Stella Glow — 50% off

Wii U

  • Rodea the Sky Soldier — $10 (50% off)

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-switch-eshop-launches-golden-week-game-de/1100-6466555/

Borderlands 3 Gameplay Reveal Stream: Start Time And Watch It Here

Gearbox is soon giving fans another look at its upcoming loot shooter, Borderlands 3. The developer is livestreaming a “worldwide gameplay reveal” tomorrow, May 1, starting at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET, which will showcase “the first hands-on gameplay of Borderlands 3.”

Gearbox hasn’t shared many details about what the stream will entail, only that fans will be able to potentially earn some in-game loot by watching Twitch streamers play the game via a new Echocast extension. The stream will be broadcast on the Borderlands website and Twitch channel. You’ll also be able to tune in right here on GameSpot and watch the stream above.

Borderlands 3 Gameplay Reveal Stream Start Times

  • 10 AM PT
  • 1 PM ET
  • 6 PM BST

Borderlands 3 had long been rumored, but Gearbox officially announced the title last month in a rather…memorable livestream presentation during PAX East 2019. A few days later, the developer shared another trailer for the game. This one introduced its cast–including its four new playable Vault Hunters–and confirmed its released date: September 13, 2019.

The latest Borderlands 3 trailer also gave us our first look at the game’s antagonists, the Calypso twins, and confirmed a handful of returning characters. You can read more about the upcoming game in our roundup of what we know about Borderlands 3.

Borderlands 3 is coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC. However, players hoping to pick it up on the latter will need to do so from the Epic Games Store, as the game will be exclusive to Epic’s storefront until April 2020. That move certainly wasn’t met without controversy, however, and users began review bombing previous Borderlands games on Steam in response.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-3-gameplay-reveal-stream-start-time-an/1100-6466553/

Team Sonic Racing And Crash Team Racing Signal A New Age Of Kart Racers, But Can They Keep Up With Mario Kart?

Kart racing games are back, baby. By the time Team Sonic Racing launches on May 21, it will have been almost seven years since the last game in the series, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, graced our consoles. In that time, only one kart racing franchise of note has stuck around: Mario Kart.

Compare that with the glory days of the early 2000s and you can see the contrast: Looney Toons Racing, Toy Story Racer, Digimon Racing… I could go on, but you get the point. Around this time, every major franchise had a kart racing spinoff, and while these attempts persisted half-heartedly into the early 2010s–ModNation Racers and LittleBigPlanet Karting, we hardly knew ye–the genre has all but died off save for Nintendo’s frontrunner, which continues to dominate. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the best-selling game on Nintendo Switch with nearly 17 million copies shifted. Mario Kart 8 was also the best-selling game on Wii U with 8.5 million units sold.

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That’s all well and good, but it’s a five-year-old game, and there’s only so many times I can go round Mario Kart Stadium (and only so many times I can bear getting hit by a blue shell). I need some new challengers.

Luckily, Sumo Digital and Beenox are entering the fray with their own respective kart racers: Team Sonic Racing and Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled. They’re each their own experiences, of course, but it’s encouraging seeing more developers and publishers greenlight these kinds of projects. As Mario Kart’s success shows, there’s a huge audience for kart racing games out there.

Derek Littlewood, studio design director at Sumo, agrees. “I don’t think the market for great karting games has ever gone away,” he tells me. “I think part of the success we had with a game like [Sonic & All Stars Racing] Transformed was … because it was a cracking game, but it was also because those people were there, and they wanted that game. And they didn’t have Nintendo systems and they weren’t playing Mario Kart. [Transformed] did really well on Nintendo systems as well, which just says even those people who are playing Mario Kart are still saying, ‘I want more of this.'”

Still, it’s strange–though pleasing–to see two big names in the genre returning so close to one another: Crash Team Racing’s remaster will launch just exactly a month after Sonic’s new car-focused adventure. That’s before you get to Mario Kart Tour, Nintendo’s first mobile kart racer, which is also scheduled to launch this summer.

Of course, each game offers different flavours, and Team Sonic Racing’s distinguishing features offer a surprising amount of depth. The game is centered around team play–even if you play alone, you’re put into a team with two other Sonic heroes. Each team member contributes to a shared ultimate meter, which when filled can be activated to accelerate your team and sharpen up their handling. You fill the ult meter by performing team-oriented actions, such as helping them up when they spin out–passing close to them will get them back in the race more quickly–or slipstreaming behind teammates to gain a small boost.

This focus, Sumo says, was decided by Sonic Team head Takashi IIzuka, who wanted a game he could play with his kids where they could all contribute to a shared success. Littlewood, however, says Team Sonic Racing isn’t just family-friendly fodder: “I think the unique thing that the team play allows us to do is make the game more accessible for less skilled players, because you can play with someone who is better than you at the game, and they can help you be better at it, rather than you always competing with each other. But at the same time, we’ve added a lot of depth to the different team actions and team play in general that allow high-level players to get more out of it.”

Sumo clearly believes this is enough to set Team Sonic Racing apart from its competition. The inclusion of such iconic characters also helps, of course, but there’s no doubting TSR’s team play and kart customization, which allows you to tweak the stats of each character to make them quicker or easier to handle, for example, provide a decent amount of depth. The different classes–speed, technique, power–and their respective strengths of speed, handling, and offroading, do the same.

Tracks are a joy to race around, too, with some beautifully diverse styles and different optimal routes depending on which class you opt for. Sonic, for example, is best staying on smoother roads and racing in straight lines wherever possible. Tails, as a technique character, can slalom around obstacles, but Knuckles is best equipped to power straight through them.

However, at the preview stage at least, Sonic Team Racing lacks the shine of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Power-ups don’t feel quite as fun to play with, and handling is currently less satisfying thanks to a somewhat loose-feeling drift. There is a story mode–which is the justification for excluding non-Sonic characters after Transformed–but is a text-based narrative much of an attraction for players, or would they rather skip it and get back to the racing?

I’m skeptical the game can unseat Mario Kart as the reigning champion of the kart racing genre, but perhaps overtaking Nintendo isn’t the point. “For people who are fans of that kind of game, they each offer something different,” says Littlewood. “The moment-to-moment gameplay of our game is different enough from Crash or Mario Kart that we don’t really think about it in terms of competition. In my mind they have completely different pace and feel. We’re happy there’s more for fans to play.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/team-sonic-racing-and-crash-team-racing-signal-a-n/1100-6466537/

Here’s Why Team Sonic Racing Doesn’t Have Other Sega Characters

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, like Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing before it, contained a number of characters from outside the Sonic universe. Wreck-It Ralph, Football Manager Man, and others all battled for racing supremacy with the titular blue hedgehog and his friends, but the next game in the series, Team Sonic Racing, eschews these supplementary characters.

“The reason we [dropped non-Sonic universe characters],” explains Sumo Digital’s studio design director, Derek Littlewood, “was so we could dive into the Sonic universe in more depth, and tell a canon Sonic universe story, with our team adventure mode. That was very important for us.

“It was a difficult decision for us, but we feel like that was the right direction to go in. Because it’s allowed us to create a very new kind of unique experience for Team Sonic Racing that I think people won’t have had with the previous titles.”

The move has other advantages, too. Ben Wilson, designer on Team Sonic Racing, says it has made team interaction more viable: “Because this game’s set in a universe with characters who have relationships already, it’s let us do a dialog system where they’re on track and they’re yelling at each other, and they have familiarity with each other and make references to history, which we wouldn’t have been able to have done really [had other franchises’ characters been present]. Or at least, not in as smooth a way. So it’s let us do some additional stuff as well.”

Later in the interview, Littlewood says many members of the Sumo team are “old-school Sega fans [who] are really keen to continue doing the All-Stars aspect of the game.” When pressed by GameSpot on whether there’s more All-Stars content in the pipeline, Littlewood was coy: “There’s nothing we have to announce, or even anything that is currently on the cards. But it’s something that we would love to be able to go back to.”

Team Sonic Racing launches for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC on May 21. For more, check out our feature on how, with Crash Team Racing and Mario Kart Tour also on the way, kart racers are making a comeback. You might also be interested in the new Sonic the Hedgehog live-action movie trailer.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/heres-why-team-sonic-racing-doesnt-have-other-sega/1100-6466556/

May Xbox One Game Pass Lineup Revealed

May is almost upon us and Microsoft has announced a new slate of Xbox Game Pass titles joining the subscription line-up over the course of the month. As usual this initial burst of announcements covers the first half of May, with more announcements likely to come later and fill out the remaining days.

First, on May 2, Game Pass subscribers will get access to Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus. The first-person shooter inserts you deep into Nazi-occupied America with a cast of colorful characters at your side. That same day the service will also add Wargroove, the retro turn-based strategy game reminiscent of Advance Wars.

On May 9, the service will add the resource management sim Surviving Mars and Tacoma, the sci-fi narrative adventure game from the makers of Gone Home, along with the MMORPG Black Desert. The strategy RPG For the King is being added as well, and while it officially launches on May 10, Game Pass subscribers get it three days early on May 7. As detailed in a separate announcement, the rogue-like Descenders will also leave early access and launch on Game Pass (and Steam) on May 7 as well.

Finally, on May 16, Game Pass will add tough sci-fi Souls-like The Surge along with the notably more family-friendly Lego Batman 3.

This month will also get a little bonus benefit outside of the slate of included games. Rocket League, which is already included in Game Pass, is launching an Xbox Customization Pack with in mid-July. Game Pass members get the pack early, and free.

Xbox Game Pass is an all-you-can-eat subscription service for $10 / £7.99 / AUD $10.95 per month, offering full game downloads. This is separate from Xbox Live Gold, which just outlined its own free games for the month of May. The two also recently got an “Ultimate” bundle that packages them together. If you haven’t tried out Game Pass yet, you can sample it for cheap for a limited time. The offer gives you 3 months for just one buck.

Xbox Game Pass Games For May

  • Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus (May 2)
  • Wargroove (May 2)
  • For the King (May 7)
  • Surviving Mars (May 9)
  • Tacoma (May 9)
  • Black Desert (May 9)
  • The Surge (May 16)
  • Lego Batman 3 (May 16)

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/may-xbox-one-game-pass-lineup-revealed/1100-6466554/

Fortnite Adds Another Marvel Skin, Star-Lord, And Other Items

Epic’s popular free-to-play battle royale game Fortnite has added another Marvel skin. Joining the Black Widow skin is the new Star-Lord Outfit based on Chris Pratt’s appearance as the Guardians of the Galaxy superhero.

The Star-Lord outfit and related Back Bling are sold together in a bundle for 1,500 V-Bucks. There is also the Dance Off emote (500 V-Bucks), the Guardian Axe (500 V-Bucks), and the Milano glider (1,200 V-Bucks) that are also available to buy. Here’s a video of the outfit and the dance, while you can see more in the image gallery below.

In other Marvel/Fortnite news, Fortnite has a new “Endgame” mode available now where players can side with Thanos and his Chitauri Invaders or the Heroes trying to stop them. There is also a set of Fortnite Endgame challenges to complete, which will unlock more Avengers-inspired cosmetics.

Additionally, Season 8, Week 9’s challenges are available now, which means the current season is likely coming to an end soon. If you need any help, we’ve rounded up tips for the trickier tasks in our complete Season 8 challenges guide.

Star-Lord Outfit Set

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from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fortnite-adds-another-marvel-skin-star-lord-and-ot/1100-6466547/