While not an RPG, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order feels like it might have a lot to offer to Metroidvania fans, when it launches next month.
source /preview/9095-branching-path-star-wars-jedi-fallen-order-hands-on-impressions
Fortnite: Chapter 2’s launch was accompanied by a set of New World challenges right out of the gate, but the usual weekly batches will also arrive each Thursday during Season 1, as per usual. The first of these–dubbed Open Water–are now available, tasking you with things like hiding inside of hideouts and searching for the hidden letter “O” from a loading screen. Here’s a look at this set of challenges and what you need to know to complete them.
Curiously, despite being called Open Water challenges, you won’t be doing anything water-centric, like making use of the new fishing system or driving a boat. Instead, it’s a fairly standard set of challenges, though there are a few that could prove tricky. Here’s everything you’re asked to do this week, as compiled by Redditor thesquatingdog.
These are largely straightforward and will rely on some luck, though there are certainly strategies that will help you out. We’ll be hunting down hideout locations and where to find that hidden letter “O,” but for now here are some general tips.
This is simple enough to do across three matches, but if you haven’t yet explored the new Chapter 2 map to reveal all of the named locations, you might waste some time. Craggy Cliffs is located at the middle, northernmost part of the map; Salty Springs is in the middle, just to the west of the small island at the center; and Dirty Docks is on the easternmost part of the map in the middle.
Hideouts are a new element of the map in Chapter 2, and there are many of them scattered all around. You’ll often find them in landmarks and named locations, and it so happens that there are ones located in Craggy Cliffs, Salty Springs, and Diry Docks. That gives you a chance to double up with the previous challenge to get this done.
You’ll need to head to Craggy Cliffs for that first challenge, so this is another opportunity to take care of multiple things at once. You’ll need to open seven chests total, and this can be done across multiple matches. If you need to track down Misty Meadows, it’s the southernmost named location in the middle of the map.
This challenge is somewhat luck of the draw, as you’ll need to first track down a sniper rifle. Once you do have one, you can make your way toward some of the areas you know people will be visiting for challenges. Also be sure to check near water for unsuspecting players who are looking to do some fishing.
You’ll need to be quiet to pull off this challenge, but you can once again leverage challenges other players might be doing to get this done. Head towards hideouts and crouch nearby, or make your way to player-built structures that enemies might be hiding inside.
This is as straightforward as they come, and luckily pistols aren’t too difficult to find. You might help yourself by upgrading one using a workbench; just make sure you have enough craft materials to pay the price.
This is also straightfoward but requires you to stay alive. As such, you might consider going far away from the storm. Be sure to check out every room of houses, including garages.
You might be able to double up here with the earlier sniper rifle challenge. Just take your time and ensure you have a good angle before taking your first shot, lest you send your target scrambling.
Simply surviving long enough into matches will get this one done, so be sure to avoid conflict wherever possible and avoid any hot spots where people might be looking to get challenges done.
You should already know where to find a hideout from earlier, and luckily you won’t be the only one going near them due to the Open Water challenge. That should give you plenty of opportunities to attack a player looking to get into a hideout.
As with the New World set of challenges, completing enough Open World challenges will net you a loading screen as a reward (on top of all the XP you’ll have accumulated). Hidden in the loading screen is a letter “O.” Once you have the loading screen, you can spot the letter–it’s near the middle, just below the building–and then hunt down the letter in-game. You’ll find the building and letter in question at Craggy Cliffs.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fortnite-open-water-challenges-and-how-to-complete/1100-6470634/
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order isn’t really the type of game we often see set in a galaxy far, far away. It puts some distance between itself and the spectacle of large-scale online battles in the Battlefront series. The newest game in the landmark sci-fi series takes the route of a narrative-driven metroidvania centered around a masterless Jedi Padawan, and his growth within a galaxy in turmoil. This third-person single-player experience is also a significant pivot for developer Respawn Entertainment, which has a legacy rooted in first-person shooters.
Fallen Order carries a lot of familiar ideas and concepts found in common AAA single-player adventures, particularly the focus on exploring an interconnected environment while engaging in cinematic action-sequences that show off the best of what the protagonist is capable of. However, it’s wrapped within the iconic blanket of the Star Wars series, which certainly gives the game some exceptional gravitas. Getting to explore various planets, familiar and brand new, and using various force abilities and lightsabers skills in a way that makes you feel like your proficiency is growing is certainly enticing on its own, yet Fallen Order’s approach that’s established firmly within the canon had some surprises I wasn’t expecting. After playing about three hours of the game at a recent hands-on event, I’m intrigued by the journey that the newest Star Wars hero Cal Kestis will embark on.
Over the course of Cal’s travels across the galaxy, you’ll find the various planets have their own identity and set of secrets to uncover, which in turn creates a stronger picture of the universe Cal is adventuring in. During an interview with game director Stig Asmussen, he elaborated further on how they tried to balance what fans expect with Star Wars, while still trying to keep things interesting.
“When we first developed this story, we all embraced the idea that this is going to be something that’s authentic to Star Wars lore,” Asmussen said. “But we didn’t want to lean into something that was too out there for fans, so there needs to be a little bit of familiarity in there. As the game evolves, the player will begin to see that we’re kind of carving out a different path. You’ll start to see more of the depth within the characters that they own themselves.”
Set years after the events of Episode III, Fallen Order sees runaway Cal in hiding following the Empire’s Order 66, an operation that purged the Jedi order. After a series of events blows his cover, reawakening his force powers in the process, Cal escapes from Imperial Inquisitors–Elite officers trained to combat force users–and aligns himself with vagabonds Cere and Breez, and a peculiar droid named BD-1. There are many similarities between Cal’s journey and that of the now-forgotten Kyle Katarn from the Jedi Knight series; however, Fallen Order puts more of a focus on the ensuing growth that Cal will see along his journey.
Our hands-on session began with Cal choosing where to go after his crew’s escape from the Empire. Aboard the Mantis, the crew’s ship and home base, you’ll follow the trail of the missing Jedi Master, Eno Cordova. At this point, there are two choices; the mining planet Zeffo and the hostile world of Dathomir–often known as the Rancor planet. While you’re free to head to either one, the safer option is the Imperial occupied planet, Zeffo. It’s one of the new planets created for the game, and there you’ll explore a mining community deep within the mountains, which sits on top of ruins from a lost civilization that have ties to the Jedi.
Now armed with a lightsaber, some force abilities, and with a ship and crew, Cal’s well prepared to tackle what lies ahead. Exploring the vessel gave me similar vibes as classic Bioware games like Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect, which allowed you to chat with your crew and learn more about them between missions. Before flying to Zeffo, I took the time to explore the ship to speak with the team, which can open up some side-missions. You’ll also be able to customize your lightsaber–changing the look of the weapon’s sleeve, crystal color, and the emitter–and examine the galaxy map, showing the current set of planets you have access to.
Throughout his journey, Cal will be able to broaden his skills and enhance his powers. As a Padawan, Cal has to re-learn to use the force and hone his skills by exploring the universe and unearthing ancient Jedi secrets, revealing more of his past. After gaining experience from fallen enemies, you’ll eventually earn a skill point which you can invest into a skill tree divided into three paths–Survival, Lightsaber, and Force. These various skills will unlock Cal’s core combat moves, such as a dash attack, and also extend his existing force powers.
Fallen Order’s combat takes cues from the seminal Souls series, placing considerable attention on maintaining control during a fight instead of mashing buttons and using powers wildly. Like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, you’ll need to break through an enemy’s defenses to get the killing blow. According to Asmussen, they refer to Fallen Order’s battle system as “thoughtful combat.” In Fallen Order, you need to be aware of what’s around you and react according to whichever attacks come your way. Using the Star Wars films as a comparison, the measured combat is much more in the vein of the classic series, as opposed to Force Unleashed’s battles, which took cues from the over-the-top prequel trilogy.
When describing a game’s combat as Souls-esque, that almost always implies that it’s punishing, and during several of my fights on Zeffo I encountered squads of troopers who could have quickly taken me out if I wasn’t careful. In one instance, during a rather hectic fight, a lowly foot-soldier managed to fire off a killing shot against me when I was low on health. There were indeed moments where I felt punished for being reckless–jumping into a battle against eight stormtroopers wielding rifles did not end well at all–yet I can still say that Fallen Order’s early hours are surprisingly forgiving. I often felt in control of a fight, even when outnumbered.
By taking the time to read my enemy’s movement and blocking attacks when the time was right, I was able to get through most basic fights without taking a scratch. It felt very satisfying to use my force push to knock stormtroopers into enemy explosives and parry enemy fire. Combat ramps up, however, when more advanced enemies drop in. One planet that the developers warned us about visiting was Dathomir, which is home to some enemies and puzzles that are a bit out of Cal’s wheelhouse early on. The game still offers you the chance to give it a shot, allowing you to cut your teeth against the Fallen Order’s more sophisticated foes. But still, I was clearly outmatched on Dathomir, so I just hightailed it out of there.
If you die, the enemy that struck the killing blow will steal all of Cal’s current experience points, along with a portion of the force and health meters. To erase the penalties, you’ll need to return to the enemy, now glowing gold, and take it out, which will, in turn, recover lost experience points and restore your meters. But also in familiar Souls fashion, if you die on the way back to that enemy, then you’ll permanently lose that batch of experience points. This can sound harsh, but in practice, I felt it was, again, surprisingly forgiving.
Generally speaking, I felt more invested in fights knowing how easy it was for Cal to meet his end–despite being a Jedi. While your abilities will continue to evolve, and there are several new skills to use, death still comes easy for Cal. Asmussen elaborated a bit further on this approach to combat, and how it ended up having parallels to the overall progression from Cal’s story.
“When choosing the direction that we went with our combat, it’s more of the path of a Jedi coming into his own, understanding, and evolving over time,” said Asmussen. “You know, learning how to become a Jedi. That’s going to take patience from not only Cal, but it’s going to take patience from the player as well too. There are certainly lots of influences from many different games we’ve seen over the years, and we’ve felt very early on that a grounded light-saber game is the way that we wanted to go. To really teach that patience to the player, just like a Jedi would have to learn, was fundamental to our game.”
Exploring the various planets in Fallen Order falls into the familiar loop of combat, platforming, and the occasional side-objective or hidden path that’s tucked away. There’s a golden path to follow, but you’re still free to explore at your leisure. Peppered throughout your adventures are set-piece moments that show off the spectacle, while still telling key moments in the overall story. With each world possessing an interconnected space to explore, you’ll open up new shortcuts and secrets that yield lore about the planet. These hidden areas can also lead to upgrades and cosmetic items for Cal. Accompanying Cal on his adventures is BD-1, who can assist in a fight by offering up heath-stims. The droid comes in handy during exploration, as he can scan objects and fallen foes to reveal details about them. Eventually, you can upgrade BD-1, allowing it to hack Imperial locks that lead the way to more valuable items and customization options.
This approach follows the metroidvania design closely, and it was fun exploring Zeffo and unraveling more of its passages. Even after finishing the primary mission on Zeffo, I still took my time to explore the planet, which still had some areas that were inaccessible due to Cal lacking specific abilities. Taking inspiration from Metroid Prime, Fallen Order also features a full 3D map that gives you an idea of where to go. I even noticed a direct nod to Metroid in one of the ruins on Zeffo; later in the section, when exploring the ruins beneath the surface, you’ll find a room full of statues holding spherical objects, looking very similar to the bird-like Chozo from Nintendo’s series.
From this short section, I genuinely enjoyed exploring Fallen Order’s different worlds. Having said that, I still ran into some annoying issues that commonly plague games of its ilk. For instance, it can be very easy to lose track of where to go next, and in some cases, I felt the 3D map didn’t provide enough information on which areas were accessible, which I worry could be a big problem when looking to find the more tucked-away secrets.
After playing for three hours, it seemed clear that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is taking the right lessons from other games, and using them to its advantage for this new story. During the battle of Kashyyyk, Saw Gerrera made his first appearance in the game, becoming a major ally for Cal after hijacking an Imperial AT-AT. Unlike Jedi Knight and the Force Unleashed series, Fallen Order is canon within Star Wars lore, and those moments are now cemented within the fiction. So far, it’s a familiar Star Wars story, yet I’m curious to see where Cal’s adventure will go from here–what sort of powers he’ll unlock, and which other familiar characters will make an appearance. After the strong opening, I’m excited to see more of where this new game’s plot will go from here and how it will take advantage of that particular spark Star Wars has to the fullest.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-wars-jedi-fallen-order-isnt-groundbreaking-bu/1100-6470625/
So you probably missed out on the 500 Million Limited Edition PS4 Pro when it launched last August. It sold out really quickly because of limited quantities. But if you want a piece of PlayStation history and need a new headset, the 500 Million Edition PlayStation Gold Wireless Headset is on sale at Amazon for $65.97 (was $99).
The stylish translucent design is complemented by great sound quality thanks to 7.1 surround sound. While it’s obviously designed for PS4, Gold headsets work with a variety of platforms, including PC and Mac. It even works wirelessly for audio with Nintendo Switch when docked (no mic support, though). If you have a PlayStation VR, the Gold headset is a far better option than the earbuds that come with PSVR. The included detachable 3.5mm cord allows you to use the Gold headset for audio on mobile devices, too.
If you’re planning on ordering the headset, heads up: Amazon estimates orders won’t ship for one to three weeks.
See 500 Million Gold Headset at Amazon
The 500 Million Gold Headset isn’t the only Sony headset on sale right now. The white version of Gold Headset is currently down to $69.69 (was $100).
See Gold Headset (White) at Amazon
For a step up in quality, take a look at the PlayStation Platinum Wireless Headset, which is on sale for $119 (was $160). The Platinum headset supports 3D audio. While 3D audio is mainly helpful in PSVR games, a number of big PS4 games support it as well, including Monster Hunter World, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End.
See Platinum Headset at Amazon
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/this-limited-edition-ps4-gold-headset-is-on-sale-f/1100-6470632/
Google has set a release date for its Stadia streaming platform, and at the same time outlined what to expect at launch. That includes the new revelation that wireless play with the first-party Stadia controller will be exclusive to the Chromecast Ultra that comes in the Founder’s Edition.
In a video that accompanied the announcement, the company included a disclaimer that read, “At launch, wireless play with the Stadia Controller is only available on TV using a Chromecast Ultra.”
The company further clarified the limitations in response to a question on the Stadia subreddit. A community manager said, “As for wireless gameplay, this is limited to Chromecast Ultra. When plugged in via USB cable, the Stadia Controller acts as a standard USB HID controller and may work on other platforms depending on the game and setup.”
Founder’s Edition owners will have both a controller and Chromecast included with their purchase, which is the only way to play Stadia this year. Google may expand the controller’s wireless options before its full launch next year. But that does mean that for early purchasers, you’ll need to tether your controller to your phones or tablets if you want to swap between devices.
The Stadia controller is touted as the best way to assure low-latency for playing through the streaming service, since it communicates directly to the Stadia service rather than passing through an intermediary device. The Founder’s Edition costs $130 and includes a controller, Chromecast Ultra, a three-month subscription to Stadia Pro, early access to a Stadia name, and a three-month Pro Buddy Pass. It launches on November 19.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/google-stadia-controller-wont-work-wirelessly-with/1100-6470627/
With Halloween looming, it’s the perfect time to play horror and suspense games. If you don’t have anything spooky in your backlog to play, you’re in luck. Observer and Alan Wake’s American Nightmare are the latest free games at the Epic Games Store. Both games are available to claim now and will be free until October 24. Make sure to grab them before Layers of Fear: Masterpiece Edition and Q.U.B.E. 2 take their place next week.
All you need is a free Epic account to get each week’s free offerings at the Epic Games Store. After claiming a game, you’ll have it in your library forever.
Created by Polish developer Bloober Team, psychological horror game Observer released in 2017. Set in the studio’s native Poland in 2084, Observer’s protagonist is a detective that solves cases by hacking into the minds of others to augment his vision. In our Observer review, critic David Rayfield praised the storytelling, sound design, and cyberpunk world, calling it “a haunting and remarkable achievement.” Rayfield gave Observer a superb 9/10 score.
If you’ve been playing Control and want to check out more of Remedy’s games, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare is well worth playing. A spin-off set in the same universe as the original Alan Wake, American Nightmare is set up as an episode of the fictional TV show Night Springs that Alan watches in the first game. In American Nightmare, Alan goes on a journey that’s full of twists and turns to defeat his evil doppelgänger Mr. Scratch. Though not exactly frightening, the spin-off has great, suspenseful writing that carried it to a 7/10 in our Alan Wake’s American Nightmare review.
Get Alan Wake’s American Nightmare free at Epic
While you should definitely grab these two great games (for free!), you should also check out Fanatical’s large sale on Steam games that is currently live.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/these-free-pc-games-will-help-you-get-in-the-hallo/1100-6470629/
Rockstar has released a new trailer for the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2. The trailer showcases how RDR2 will look in 4K at 60fps, and is narrated by protagonist Arthur Morgan.
In a press release, Rockstar said that the PC version of RDR2 will “include increased draw distances, improved shadows and lighting, new grass and fur textures, and much more–complemented by a host of exciting new content additions for the game’s Story Mode.” Your PC is going to need some impressive specs to run RDR2 in full 4K at 60fps though. Prior to the release of the trailer, Rockstar revealed the minimum and recommended specs for running the game on PC–both of which are listed below.
Red Dead Redemption 2 for PC brings the epic story of Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang to life in breathtaking new ways.
Watch it at https://t.co/KEZ3WxtYxm in stunning 4K to see how packed full of new details and greater fidelity every corner of this vast open world is. pic.twitter.com/j2HOstMSGW
— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) October 17, 2019
On PC, RDR2 will include added bounty hunting missions, gang hideouts, weapons, and “more.” Red Dead Online will also be included, and the PC version of the game will support the latest version of the online multiplayer mode. If you pre-order RDR2 prior to October 22, you’ll have the option of downloading two Rockstar games from a preapproved list.
Red Dead Redemption 2 will release on PC on November 5.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-red-dead-redemption-2-pc-gameplay-trailer-is-s/1100-6470628/
Almost every Pokemon game has given you a choice of one of three starter Pokemon with whom you’d set out on your adventure, and almost every Pokemon game gives one of the two Pokemon you didn’t choose to your predesignated rival. Choosing a starter Pokemon is always a big deal, but Pokemon Sword and Shield bring a lot more spectacle to it than previous games–so much so that the process of picking a starter, something I’ve always done based on a mix of aesthetic and mechanical preferences, actually made me kind of emotional (in a good way).
I recently played 90 minutes of Sword and Shield at a demo event. From the start, the newest Pokemon games have more flair than the previous ones; the opening sequence, which was once just the professor briefly talking about what Pokemon are, is now closer to a cinematic cutscene, befitting the mainline games’ transition to Switch. That same upgraded cutscene treatment extends to choosing your starter, and it gives Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble the chance to really show off their personalities before you make a decision.
Like in previous Sword and Shield trailers, the pick-your-starter cutscene shows a curious Grookey hitting things with its stick, an energetic Scorbunny hopping about, and a clearly anxious Sobble being adorably pathetic. I had already narrowed down my choice to either Grookey or Sobble (sorry, Scorbunny fans), and seeing them being cute didn’t really help me make a decision. The three Pokemon then stand around waiting to be chosen, and I felt like I had to pick Sobble, because the poor baby just needs a friend. When my rival, Hop, picked Scorbunny, I was surprised–older Pokemon games taught me that the rival always picks the Pokemon with the type advantage over yours, and while that hasn’t been true for a while, I still wasn’t expecting Hop to take the high road.
So that was all fine, but it left Grookey standing alone, absolutely devastated, because it didn’t get picked. I was very upset. Older Pokemon games also taught me that the third starter just sits in its ball for all eternity, which, again, is no longer true–Professor Kukui in Sun and Moon will take the third starter, for example–but I was, again, not expecting anyone to actually take the third Pokemon. When the Galar Champion, who brought us the starters in the first place, took Grookey, I was incredibly relieved. It was an absolute emotional rollercoaster.
After all this, I remain undecided about my starter Pokemon in Sword and Shield. If I’m honest, I’ll need to see their final forms before I can really make the call. But I could barely stand to see Grookey briefly upset, and I’m afraid to see how Sobble reacts if it doesn’t get chosen–so maybe I’ll have to go with Sobble after all.
Pokemon Sword and Shield release for Nintendo Switch on November 15. During this demo session, we also learned that the characters have British “accents” and that you can skip a key part of the tutorial for the first time in almost 20 years. Be sure to check out our Sword and Shield pre-order guide if you’re looking to get the games at launch.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/in-pokemon-sword-and-shield-choosing-your-starter-/1100-6470621/
At the beginning of every Pokemon game, you can expect two things: a man who loves the power of science and technology, and a person who teaches you the basics of catching Pokemon. The science guy is definitely present in Pokemon Sword and Shield, but the Pokemon-catching tutorial is, for the first time since Pokemon Crystal in 2000, not mandatory.
During a demo of Sword and Shield, I managed to skip the tutorial on accident. After choosing your starter Pokemon (Grookey, Scorbunny, or Sobble), you naturally have to stop by your house to talk to your mum. She gives you some pocket money to start you off, but what she doesn’t tell you is that she slipped five Poke Balls in, too. I caught some Pokemon on my way to meet my rival, Hop, and his brother Leon, the Galar Champion and the person I was told would teach me how to catch Pokemon. But that didn’t happen when I caught up to them, and Leon instead made a comment about how I’d already captured some Pokemon before moving on to the next topic of conversation.
It’s a small thing, but this change–provided it’s not some weird fluke created in the demo environment–makes starting a new Pokemon game just a little bit smoother for those of us who’ve been playing the games for years and know the ropes. Compared to Sun and Moon, which have a notoriously long tutorial sequence, Sword and Shield get you into the action relatively quickly–before my 90 demo minutes were up, I’d already made it to the Wild Area, a large, open space that’s home to powerful Pokemon and the new Raid Battles. (I didn’t get to wander around the Wild Area much, though, so I’m still very curious about the secrets it holds.)
Pokemon Sword and Shield release for Nintendo Switch on November 15. Be sure to read our pre-order guide if you’re interested in getting the games on day one.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-sword-and-shield-you-can-skip-the-pokemon-/1100-6470622/
As you may know by now, Pokemon Sword and Shield take place in a new region called Galar, which is clearly inspired by the United Kingdom. There is a Big Ben-like clock tower, charming countryside and cottages, trains and old-looking brick buildings in the cities, and soccer/football-inspired stadiums for battling Pokemon. We recently played a 90-minute demo of Sword and Shield, and we can confirm that on top of all the other similarities, the characters have British accents.
Well, to be precise, they use British slang, since dialogue in Sword and Shield is text-only. But it is very clearly British. Your mom, a mainstay of every Pokemon game ever? She’s called Mum. Your rival describes someone as being “pants with directions.” Another character refers to a Pokemon as a “little chap.” The list goes on. And, at least from an American perspective, it’s pretty on-point. It remains to be seen whether my British colleagues will agree.
The demo showcased the first few areas of Sword and Shield, including the Wild Area. As we’ve seen in trailers thus far, the countryside is as idyllic as a British postcard, with wild Wooloo–a lovely little sheep-like Pokemon–roaming around causing all sorts of trouble. Compared to previous Pokemon games, the vistas are especially lovely, and the recent 3D art style of the series makes the transition to Switch beautifully from what we played.
During the demo, we also learned that the Pokemon-catching tutorial is skippable for the first time in almost 20 years. On top of that, choosing your starter is more emotional than we’re used to. We’ll know more once Pokemon Sword and Shield come to Nintendo Switch on November 15.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/yes-pokemon-sword-and-shields-characters-use-briti/1100-6470624/
