Divinity: Original Sin 2 Is Getting A Sequel Called Fallen Heroes

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Larian Studios has announced Divinity: Fallen Heroes, a new standalone game that acts as a sequel to Divinity: Original Sin II. Fallen Heroes has been developed in co-production with Logic Artists, a studio known for creating strategy RPGs such as Clandestine and Expeditions: Vikings.

According to a Larian Studios press release, in Fallen Heroes, you’ll delve “deeper into the world of Rivellon as you command your troops aboard the Lady Vengeance. Explore new lands and wield new weapons and skills. Build your squad and vanquish never-before seen corners of Rivellon.” The game will feature both single player and two-player coop.

Several characters from Original Sin II return to help you fight on your quest, including Malady, Fane, Ifan, Lohse, Sebille, Red Emperor, and Beast. Combat is tactical, forcing you to make calculated decisions on the battlefield and challenging you to strategize prior to every encounter. The hub you’ll return to between missions is a flying battleship called Lady Vengeance. It’s there you’ll manage your crew, influencing their relationships in how you interact with them.

Fallen Heroes introduces gun powder into the world of Divinity, allowing characters to wield firearms for the first time in the franchise. A new surface, called Sulfurium, has been introduced as well. Read more about the game from Larian Studios’ synopsis below.

  • Play with mysterious hero character Malady for the first time in a Divinity game, as well as an all-new character. Or take control of the famous Godwoken.
  • Select from 30+ different unit types to create the perfect squad and equip them with over 200 skills
  • Decide which technology to research and what artifacts to obtain to give your troops that extra oomph
  • Unlock devastating source powers for your flying battleship, The Lady Vengeance, that will turn the tide of battle
  • Recruit unique veteran troops but be careful: if you lose them in battle, they are gone for good!

Divinity: Fallen Heroes is scheduled to release on “multiple platforms” later this year. If you haven’t played it yet, consider picking up Divinity: Original Sin II. In our review, we gave the game a 10/10, and the title went on to be one of our favorites of 2017. It’s definitive edition is also one of our best reissued games of 2018.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/divinity-original-sin-2-is-getting-a-sequel-called/1100-6465876/

PS Plus April 2019: The Latest Free PS4 Games Have Been Announced

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We’re in the final days of March, which means two things for PlayStation Plus members: March’s free PS4 games will soon disappear, and another two free games will be available to download in April. Unfortunately, PS3 and Vita games are no longer part of the monthly package, and the latest free pair of games aren’t quite on the same level as March’s fantastic offerings. April’s PS Plus games are The Surge and Conan Exiles, and they’ll be available to download starting April 2.

The Surge is a science-fiction RPG heavily inspired by the Dark Souls series and takes place in a grim, dystopian future where the world has been ravaged by war and environmental diseases. Robots and clones make up a majority of the workforce, so the humans who are left must fight to survive while wearing exoskeleton implants intended to boost speed and strength. Critic Daniel Starkey gave the game a 7/10 in GameSpot’s The Surge review.

“Not everything hits, but The Surge works far more often than it doesn’t, and what it does change is mostly better executed here than in its forebears,” Starkey wrote. “Deck 13 has crafted a satisfying adventure that breathes new life into a flooded sub-genre.”

Then there’s Conan Exiles, an open-world survival adventure set in the universe of Conan the Barbarian. You play a customizable character who has been rescued by Conan and must now explore the harsh world known as The Exiled Lands. Resource gathering, item crafting, and shelter building all play a role in your quest for survival. However, the game received a 3/10 in GameSpot’s Conan Exiles review–critic James Swinbanks took issue with the game’s multiple bugs, confusing AI, and unexciting combat.

“Ultimately, Conan Exiles is one of the most unsatisfying games I’ve ever played,” he wrote. “Its crafting and resource systems may be dense enough that the ultra-patient could find something to enjoy here, but anyone else would likely walk away with their hands thrown up in defeat.”

That said, both of these games are totally free, so if they sound interesting to you, be sure to download and try them out while they’re available next month. In the meantime, you can still download March’s free PS Plus games until April 2 at 8 AM PST / 11 AM EST / 3 PM GMT (and 2 AM AET on April 3). The two freebies are Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, the 2016 revamp of Activision’s critically acclaimed shooter, and The Witness, a gorgeous puzzle game set on a mysterious island. Both titles have been enhanced for the PS4 Pro.

Download March’s free PS Plus games:

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps-plus-april-2019-the-latest-free-ps4-games-have-/1100-6465873/

Sekiro Guardian Ape Boss Guide: How To Beat The Brutal Beast

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Most of the tough bosses in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice are sword-wielding warriors, forcing you to fight through their blows and take them down when their guard is broken. Occasionally, though, you’ll face some huge, mythic beasts, like the Blazing Bull or the Great Serpent. The Guardian Ape is another such ridiculous monster, and its wide variety of moves and effective ranges make it a difficult beast to best.

You’ll find the Guardian Ape on your road through the poisonous swamps of the Sunken Valley. The boss guards a flower you need to advance Sekiro’s story, so you’ll have to deal with it sooner or later–although if you can bulk up with Prayer Beads or by finishing off other bosses first, you might want to do so. Amping your attack power against the Guardian Ape is very useful, since you’ll have to do a lot of damage to it during the fight.

We’ve got everything you’ll need to know to deal with the Guardian Ape, from its poop-throwing antics to its sword-swinging mayhem. For more Sekiro guides, check out our giant (and growing) knowledge center about the game.

Slash Away To Do Damage

The Guardian Ape isn’t a boss you’re going to parry away at to knock down his posture. Instead, you need to deal damage to lower its Vitality, which means looking for openings to wail away at it with your sword. A lot of those openings are tough to find, and you won’t be able to do much damage. You’ll want to balance between being close to the Guardian Ape, so you can get in and do damage, and staying clear of some of its tougher moves. Stay at mid-range, and use the whole arena to get away from moves you can’t handle, while staying away from the walls so you don’t get hemmed in.

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Be Sure To Parry

Just because the Guardian Ape isn’t using a blade doesn’t mean you can’t parry its attacks. In fact, the Guardian Ape is too quick and its arms too long for you to avoid most of its strikes; parrying is the only real way to stay in the fight and to keep close enough to do damage. The best time to attack is after the Ape’s big four-move combo–it starts with a swing from each arm, followed by an attack that’ll push you pretty far away, and ending with the Ape leaping in from above. Parry all of them, but especially the last two, and you’ll open up the Ape for a counterattack. This is one of your best opportunities to deal damage. Another is after the vertical swing the Ape does, in which it follows through to land on its back and flail around like it’s throwing a tantrum. Sprint around toward its head and get in a few attacks as it finishes rolling around, then get clear.

Grapple In And Go For The Face

One of the best opportunities for damaging the Guardian Ape comes from using your grappling hook. When the Ape stops to roar, it’ll expose the sword in its neck that lets you grab it to swing in. If you have it unlocked, use the Ashina skill that lets you attack after a grapple and you can come in and get two good swings at the boss’s face before you even hit the ground. You can also sometimes grapple in when the Ape is walking around the battlefield. You’ll need to stay relatively close, though, so you don’t miss the grapple opportunities, which are basically free damage.

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Stay Away From The Back And Dodge That Poop!

One set of moves will have the Guardian Ape swinging away at you, then coming around into a sitting position with its back to you. That makes a tempting target, but keep your distance, because the Ape has two ways of responding to your presence. The first way is to quickly spin around, pound the ground, and open up with a big swinging attack, all of which you’ll need to block or parry to stay alive. The second is to stand up more slowly and rip off a huge fart that drops green gas all over the area, which is poisonous. It’s better just to stay away.

The fart move is almost always followed by the Ape’s dangerous ranged attack, in which it poops in its hand, leaps into the air, and throws the giant turd in your direction. This is a tough attack because it’ll do quite a bit of damage, as well as potentially hit you with poison. If your poison meter is low, the most reliable way to handle the attack is to block it and take the poison hit. But if you’re risking poison affliction, try sprinting away and hitting the dodge button just as the turd would hit you to avoid it. Be aware that if you stay too far away from the Ape, you’re likely to trigger this attack as well, so it’s better to stay relatively close.

Use The Firecrackers

Most enemies are distracted by the Firecrackers prosthetic, and it’s very effective against animals like the Guardian Ape. That doesn’t mean it’s foolproof, but you can often interrupt the Guardian Ape’s attacks with Firecrackers, giving you a chance to get in close and knock out a few slashes. Like any boss, be careful not to use the Firecrackers when you’re already vulnerable, as they won’t always stop an attack animation that’s already started. They’re great for getting in a few good hits or for getting a little breathing room to heal.

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Watch That Head

Once you lop off the Guardian Ape’s head, you’re actually not done fighting it–you’ll face it in a second round as a headless, sword-wielding monster thanks to its status as an Infested. The head is still dangerous, though. If you stay too close to the Guardian Ape, it’ll smash its head back against its neck and start screaming. The scream is a visible shimmer around the ape and if you’re too close, you’ll take damage–and you’ll experience Terror. If the Terror bar fills up, it’ll kill you, so make sure you get away from the Ape as fast as you can when you see the Perilous symbol appear. The best way is to just sprint directly away; look for the start of the move, which is the Ape starting to bring the head up toward its neck.

The Vertical Slash Gives You An Opening

A few moves are worth parrying to protect yourself or to get an opening, but there’s one key attack that you absolutely want to parry every single time you see it. That’s the vertical smash strike the boss does with its sword. You’ll know it because it’s a bit of a dancerly move, with the Guardian Ape raising the sword into the air and sort of wavering back and forth. It’s a bit of a delayed attack and takes a try or two to get the timing right, but parrying it is essential. A perfect parry on that move will cause the Guardian Ape to pitch forward and fall, lying on the ground for a few seconds so you can slash away at it. If you don’t go for any other attack opportunities, make sure you go for this one. The massive damage you can do will make the fight go pretty quickly.

(Spoilers!) Guardian Ape Redux

Once you’ve beaten the Guardian Ape, you can continue through the Sunken Valley to the poisonous Ashina Depths, where you’ll eventually find a giant cave. Inside is your old pal Guardian Ape, now seemingly forlorn because he has to carry his head around with him everywhere, and yet cannot die. You can fight the ape one last time to get another Memory to increase your attack power.

The fight is broken into two phases. The first proceeds the same as your last fight with the headless version of the Guardian Ape did, and is generally pretty easy–especially if you remember to block the vertical attacks that stagger the boss and let you get in a bunch of free hits.

The second half of the fight is the tough one. Once you land a deathblow on the Guardian Ape, it’ll roar and call in its mate, a smaller brown ape that fights with many of the same moves the original, headed version of the Guardian Ape did. You’re now fighting two enemies at once, but it’s not as bad as it sounds. Target the brown ape, which is much weaker than the Guardian Ape, but try to keep both on your screen as much as you can. Focus on killing the brown ape as fast as possible. You should be able to do it pretty quickly, since the brown ape’s Posture doesn’t recover as fast as the Guardian Ape’s did, and it has much less health. Just do your best to keep the Guardian Ape in your peripheral vision so it doesn’t hack you up while your back is turned.

Once the brown ape is down, it’s a simple matter to finish off the Guardian Ape and land that final deathblow to sever its immortality.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sekiro-guardian-ape-boss-guide-how-to-beat-the-bru/1100-6465875/

Journey To The Savage Planet Is A Weird Satire Of Late-Stage Capitalism In The Interstellar Age

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First revealed at The Game Awards 2018, Journey to the Savage Planet takes a decidedly more strange and self-aware approach to the premise of the lone space adventurer exploring a distant world. Instead of seeking knowledge and charting new areas of the universe for the betterment of humanity, it’s your job as an interstellar adventurer to make way for the inevitable push of capitalism by prepping the planet for your employer–a mid-tier corporation that has an endless flow of products to sell.

We spent some time with Journey to the Savage Planet during GDC 2019 and spoke with Typhoon Studios co-founder and creative director Alex Hutchinson about the developer’s approach to the familiar premise, why he’s proud the game features no procedurally generated content, and how players will always be within reach of consumerist tendencies, even in the furthest reaches of space.

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Playing as an unnamed planetary settler for Kindred Aerospace–the fourth-best interstellar corporation in the universe–you’ll explore a distant planet housing strange wildlife and plentiful resources. With the intent on making the planet ready for colonization, you’ll quickly find that the creatures of the planet are more than capable of defending their territory from invaders. To make things more complicated, the planet possesses signs of intelligent life, and prominently features some ominous ancient ruins hinting at something hidden deep within the planet. In order to complete your lonely mission, you’ll need to collect as much data as you can and uncover the secrets of the ruins, and this is all while enduring constant advertisements for Kindred products.

In a similar vein to the adventurous jaunts found in No Man’s Sky, the key to accomplishing your goals in Savage Planet is to explore as much as you can, scan everything in sight, and collect resources. But in contrast to the scale and breadth of procedurally generated content found in the former game, Typhoon Studios’ self-aware take on the space-adventure is set entirely on one planet, allowing you to get acquainted with all the bizarre sights found within. Your only safe haven on the planet is your makeshift base. If you die, a 3D-printed copy of yourself will respawn here, allowing you to continue your mission.

Typhoon Studio worked to present a setting that shows personality and nuance, Hutchinson said, setting Savage Planet apart from other games that rely heavily on tech that creates content on the fly.

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“It’s kind of like we’re a hipster game, we made all of the content in-game by hand,” said Hutchinson while explaining Typhoon’s approach to world design. “Personally, I don’t think anything made by an algorithm is worth looking at. The meaning of anything creative for me is why you did it and how you did it. If no one did, then I don’t really find it that meaningful. It’s like you’re missing the point by relying on that technology too much. Also, we made a very funny game, and there really aren’t a lot of games like that out there. I remember growing up with games like the Super Nintendo and the Amiga 500, and playing these new games you’d see these bright blue skies, and it had an optimistic outlook in them where you would actually like to be in those cool worlds. That was really attractive to me, and it’s something that’s somewhat absent now.”

In keeping with those retro roots, Savage Planet has a lot in common with games like Metroid and Castlevania, focusing on the exploration of an interconnected environment. Over the course of your expedition, you’ll gradually find some rare materials to upgrade your suit and weaponry. With the planet divided into four distinct biomes, each area requires certain gadgets to traverse. For instance, the grappling hook upgrade can open up new shortcuts and sections of the planet, and is surprisingly useful when trying to evade certain enemies.

Just when you think you’ve gotten used to the strange wildlife, such as non-hostile creatures that howl with an ear-piercing screech if provoked, you’ll encounter some of the more dangerous critters. During the demo, we came across a larger beast that could fire out mortar strikes from its back.

Personally, I don’t think anything made by an algorithm is worth looking at. The meaning of anything creative for me is why you did it and how you did it.

One of the more interesting twists on the larger plot is that your character is an extension of the larger corporation that’s come to colonize the planet. Though the game doesn’t outright refer to you as a colonizer or an invader, it’s not hard to see that you’re clearly encroaching upon territory that isn’t yours, especially when it’s your job to disrupt the environment for a company that can just as easily clone you as it tries to sell you on more of its products. With no means of two-way communication, your only link back to civilization is with constant live-action advertisements that mimic late-night ’90s infomercials. These ads all praise the corporation’s mid-tier achievements while hawking bizarre goods that are mostly useless for your mission–even more so in the grander scheme of trying to find ancient life on the planet.

“We often joke that you’re basically coming to this alien world to ruin it,” said Hutchinson. “But everything we’ve placed in this game has a point. When a game says ‘you’re on an adventure!’ it’s usually not for no reason, there is a broader point to be made, a payoff. You have your goal and your core missions to find and accomplish, and you can accomplish those goals at any time in your own way. But also, we’re going to bombard you with weird advertisements along the way.”

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What I found most interesting about Journey to the Savage Planet is how it managed to blend satire with the experience of an isolating exploration game, which felt surprisingly more intimate than expected. That feeling of isolation is often punctuated with the obnoxious live-action advertisements, which are the closest connection you have to civilization and a friendly face. Though it’s still a ways out from launch, planned for a Q1 2020 release, Typhoon’s new game seems to be striking a particular tone that aims to be more thoughtful with the pulpy premise than it initially lets on.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/journey-to-the-savage-planet-is-a-weird-satire-of-/1100-6465868/

Best Buy Just Launched A Flash Sale On Games, PC Accessories, Computers, And More

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If you’ve been keeping your eyes peeled for deals on gaming computers and accessories, today’s a great time to stock up on whatever you need: Best Buy is running a flash sale for today only on some great hardware, including laptops, desktops, TVs, tablets, headphones, keyboards, and way more. Plus, some Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One games are included as part of the sale, as well as Xbox One bundles. The sale ends tonight at 9:59 PM PT / 12:59 AM ET, so these deals will be gone by tomorrow.

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PC gamers should definitely check out the discounts on PC accessories, like this Corsair mechanical gaming keyboard with back lighting–it’s built with an aircraft-grade aluminum frame to last you for years. It’s also $60 off, selling for only $110 now. This Corsair laser gaming mouse has 4.7 stars and over 1,000 reviews–and it’s marked down 50% at only $30. Need a new headset you can wear comfortably for hours? The Razer Kraken Pro V2 headset is marked down to $60 and has great sound quality at an affordable price. A couple of Gamdias Talos mid-tower PC cases on on sale too–one with three dual-ring RGB fans that’s discounted at $140, and another with two fans you can get for only $75. There are also some gaming chairs available, like this Gamdias Achilles gaming chair that comes in multiple colors–it’s $30 off, so you can get it for $240 instead of $270.

On the games side, the most notable deals include Red Dead Redemption II for $40, Battlefield V for $30, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle for $20, Far Cry 5 for $20, and FIFA 19 for $30. Browse all of the discounted games here.

There are also some console deals–if you buy one of these Xbox One bundles, you’ll get a $50 e-gift card for free from Best Buy. The bundles eligible for the free gift card include the The Division 2, Fortnite, NBA 2K19, Battlefield V, Anthem, and the Metro Saga. Even better: choose among these select consoles (many of them overlap with the aforementioned bundles), and you’ll also get $20 off a controller and $10 off a 3-month or 6-month Xbox Live Gold card in addition to the $50 gift card. Not bad!

Shop all the deals in Best Buy’s flash sale »

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/best-buy-just-launched-a-flash-sale-on-games-pc-ac/1100-6465872/

Wolfenstein: Youngblood Release Date Announced For PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch

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Wolfenstein: Youngblood was unveiled at E3 2018, promising a co-op trip through Paris, set in the 1980s. Now, publisher Bethesda has announced the game’s release date of July 26.

In addition, the company has revealed more details about its cooperative play. Specifically, it stated those who purchase the deluxe edition can invite one friend at a time to play with them online for no extra cost using the game’s Buddy Pass. The chosen friend can download and play as much as they like, for free, as long as they play with the deluxe edition owner. They can then upgrade to the full game to play whenever they like and with friends of their own. Alternatively, if you don’t like the thought of playing online with a friend, you can utilise the help of an AI teammate.

The deluxe edition also comes with an array of cosmetic items as part of the Cyborg Skin Pack, while players who pre-order any version of the game will receive a different selection of cosmetics called the Legacy Pack. Pricing for either edition has yet to be announced.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood is coming to PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. It stars sisters Jess and Soph, who are searching for their lost father and series stalwart, BJ Blazkowicz.

Bethesda recently confirmed Youngblood–as well as Rage 2, Doom Eternal, and more titles from the publisher–will still release on Steam, despite the recent trend of PC games skipping Valve’s store for Epic’s equivalent.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/wolfenstein-youngblood-release-date-announced-for-/1100-6465871/

Borderlands 3 Seemingly Confirmed, Watch First Teaser Here

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After numerous teases, Gearbox Software has seemingly announced a new Borderlands title and released a short teaser for it. While the video, which you can watch below, doesn’t outright state it is the third numbered entry in the series, it certainly looks to be an entirely new entry in the series. The teaser, which is titled “Mask of Mayhem,” takes the viewer through a kind of diorama in which characters and familiar looking enemies are posed in a way that builds intrigue around what the game could be about. It also teases some of the high jinks players will get into.

It opens with a shot of Psychos prostrating before a very large gun-wielding character, who himself is flanked by a statue of an angelic figure holding an upside down version of Borderlands’ iconic Vault symbol. As the camera moves seamlessly through and around other scenarios we get to see a dragon, a character shooting from a buggy, a bunch of figures giving each other jumping high-fives, a robot ninja, and plenty undercut swept-over hairstyles.

As the teaser reaches its conclusion, it pulls out from the madness to reveal that it was all the tapestry on the iconic mask the Psycho enemies wear. Although there’s no gameplay, Gearbox is expected to show more of this new Borderlands at its PAX East panel on March 28. The panel is set to be streamed at 11 AM PST / 2 PM EDT / 6 PM GMT / 5 AM on March 29 AEDT, and of course GameSpot will be at hand to bring you the news from the panel.

In the past, Gearbox has confirmed that a new Borderlands is in development, but added that it may not necessarily be called Borderlands 3. “Obviously, there is going to be another Borderlands,” CEO Randy Pitchford said in 2016. “We don’t even know if we’re going to call it that.” Since then, Gearbox has been very open about a new Borderlands existing. On Twitter, Pitchford shared this new teaser with the message, “It’s happening.”

Over the past few weeks, Gearbox has been tweeting teases for a new Borderlands announcement, one of which was a pixelated photo of a character staring at a structure in the distance. Prior to that, there was an image of some kind of robotic creature on an operating table. Gearbox has promised “never-before-seen reveals, exclusives, and surprises” at the panel, so we’ll have more information on what the developer has cooking soon.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-3-seemingly-confirmed-watch-first-teas/1100-6465870/

Fortnite Patch 8.20 Detailed: Poison Dart Traps, Floor Is Lava LTM, Baller Tweaks, And More

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Epic Games has released Fortnite patch 8.20, making a number of tweaks to how the game plays as well as introducing some new content. The big new feature for the update is a new Limited Time Mode called The Floor is Lava. As you can probably guess, this involves players avoiding rising lava while gathering loot and taking on enemies.

Epic has also introduced the Poison Dart Trap, which can be placed on floors, walls, ceilings. It can be triggered from three grid cells away and, when activated, while fire darts horizontally. Anyone hit by a dart will get damaged over time. The damage is applied directly to health, as poison bypasses shields.

The patch also makes changes to the way the Baller vehicle works and introduces new foraged items, among other tweaks and changes. Take a look at the full patch notes for Battle Royale below. You can head to the official Fortnite website to see how the update changes the Creative mode and Save the World.

Limited Time Mode: The Floor Is Lava

Summary

Lava gradually rises from the lowest parts of the map, and it’s hot! Drop in and quickly loot and gather materials so you can be the first to reach the high ground.

Mode Details

  • A few minutes into the match, the lava will begin to rise.
  • The lava moves at a steady speed until the entire map is covered.
  • Touching the lava will apply damage directly to your health and bounce you up in the air.
  • You can build on the lava.
  • Players will be given a small number of materials every second, to help out in those “entire map is on fire” situations.

Weapons + Items

  • The Baller no longer applies damage to players on collision.
    • The knockback/bounce effect will remain unchanged.
  • Future Baller Iterations
    • We’ve noticed a lot of discussion around the Baller, so here’s an update!
    • We’re not satisfied with the current use of Ballers, specifically in the late game. With the v8.30 update, we will release a change that will allow players to shoot through the glass of The Baller.
      • Non-glass parts will still have collision and block damage from bullets.
  • Siphon/Material Changes
    • In v7.40 we implemented a few Pop-up Cup settings as a test in core modes. After monitoring a combination of gameplay, data, and feedback, we’ve gathered necessary info to conclude this initial test. We feel it has resulted in an unhealthy level of aggressive play, diminishing other viable strategies. The following changes have been reverted in all core modes:
      • 50 Health (or Shield) based on your health when the Elimination occurs.
      • 50/50/50 materials dropped on Elimination.
      • 500/500/500 Cap on materials.
      • Harvest rate increased by 40%
      • That said, these mechanics have proven to be positive in our competitive playlists. All changes above remain enabled in the new Arena Game Mode.
  • Infantry Rifle
    • Converted to hitscan, meaning this weapon no longer fires projectiles (snipers) and now fires the same as other Assault Rifles.
    • Base damage reduced from 45/42 to 42/40.
    • Uses the same damage fall off profile as existing assault rifles.
  • Poison Dart Trap
    • Available in Uncommon Rarity.
    • Can be placed on walls, floors, and ceilings.
    • Found from Floor Loot.
    • Can be triggered up to three grid cells away.
    • Fires Poison Dart projectiles a distance of three horizontal grid cells (four vertical grid cells).
    • Targets hit by darts will receive a damage-over-time effect that applies damage directly to health, bypassing any shields.
      • 10 health damage per tick.
      • 8 total ticks over 7 seconds for a total damage of 80.
      • Subsequent hits will refresh the duration of the effect, but the amount of damage per tick does not change.
  • New Foraged Items
    • Bananas
      • Instantly grant 5 health when consumed.
      • Can be found in the tropical biome.
    • Coconuts
      • Foraged by damaging palm trees.
      • When consumed, Coconuts grant 5 points of effective health over a short time. That means it will replenish shields if the player is at max health.
      • Can be found in tropical and desert biomes.
    • Peppers
      • When consumed, peppers instantly grant 5 health and also increase the player’s movement speed by 20% for 10 seconds.
      • Can be found in the desert biome.
  • The Buried Treasure directional indicator is now attached to the player and emanates from the area of the treasure map in order to improve visibility, especially while moving.
    • The indicator will continue to pulse every 3 seconds while the item is equipped.
  • Pirate Cannon adjustments
    • Adjusted the collision of the Pirate Cannon to ensure the driver’s seat is always enterable without needing to nudge the cannon.
    • Moved the seat prompt locations for easier entry into the cannon.
    • Increased the radius of cannonballs and player land explosions from 200 units to 250 units.
    • Reduced cannon impulse/knockback when firing a cannonball while driving or when launching a player. This is unchanged when coasting.
  • Adjusted the equip time of the Epic / Legendary Pump Shotgun to match the Uncommon / Rare versions.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed an issue where Clingers were damaging players through walls when stuck to another player.
  • Fixed an issue preventing Glider item pickups from displaying their stack count.
  • Smoothed out the motion of grenade projectile trajectories, which were lagging behind by a tick.
  • Balloon Fixes
    • Entering a vehicle no longer plays the release sound of balloons if you have no balloons.
    • The balloon rope will no longer remain on your back when you run out of balloons.
  • Pirate Cannon Fixes
    • Fixed an issue where players were flying out of a Pirate Cannon in a different direction than expected.
    • Fixed an issue preventing the ability to enter a Pirate Cannon when close to other geometry.
    • Fixed the ability for players to finely tune Pirate Cannon’s ability to aim side to side.
  • Fixed an issue causing Buried Treasure to spawn loot on the Starting Island.

Gameplay

  • Marker pings are now allowed while DBNO.
  • Added a unique elimination message when eliminated by a Lava surface.
  • Increased relevancy distance for players being able to see explosions.
  • That’s not all! Increased infinite dab from 13 hours to 14 hours in the lobby.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed an issue with the icy feet effect remaining on indefinitely while emoting.
  • Traps now do damage directly to The Baller vehicle instead of dealing damage to the driver.
  • Fixed issue causing some traps to be inside thicker structures, making them hard to see.
  • Fixed a rare occurrence of a player being invulnerable while DBNO.
  • Fixed the camera sometimes traveling too far when cycling to another player.

Events

  • New Feature: Arena Game Mode (Solo & Duos)
    • Compete any time and gain ‘Hype’ to advance to higher leagues and unlock exclusive tournaments, such as the Fortnite World Cup Online Opens.
    • Each League is broken up into several Divisions, with players working their way from Open League to Contender League to Champion League.
    • Scoring will update from division to division, with an increasing amount of Bus Fare lost with each match at higher divisions.
    • Note: Matchmaking in Arena is based on players with similar Hype. As a result, players in higher divisions may experience longer than normal wait times before a match is found.
  • New Tournament: Luxe Cup (March 30th & 31st) [$100,000 in Cash Prizes!]
    • Duos Game Mode
    • Participation in this event requires players to have reached Contender League in Arena play prior to the start of the event.
    • The prize pool will be distributed across all server regions, with official rules and details released later this week.
    • Format:
      • March 30th – Round One: All Eligible Players
      • March 31st – Round Two: Top 3000 Players from Round One

Performance

  • Fixed an issue where poor server performance could cause undesired effects on clients such as unnecessary movement corrections.
  • Added a fix for a rare server crash.
  • Made a small server performance improvement related to the Baller vehicle.
  • Updated animation budgets to be more performant on higher scalability settings.
  • Improved file I/O performance on PS4, this reduces the occurrence of late streaming buildings.
  • Improved file I/O performance when skydiving on all platforms by changing what data we prioritize loading first.

Art + Animation

  • Adjusted lighting in Battle Royale.
    • Increased lighting contrast in areas with shadows.
    • Increased vibrancy in colors.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed a bug where the destruction effects were not playing on the Baller when it’s destroyed.

Audio

  • Re-scaled audio volume settings to avoid clipping artifacts.
    • What used to be the 0.5 setting is now mapped to 1 (maximum loudness)
    • If your volume was previously above 0.5 you will need to adjust the volume on your television or whichever device you’re playing on to achieve the same level of loudness.
  • Footsteps from spectated players’ teammates are now played at a reduced volume.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed an issue where some items didn’t have proper audio when dropping them from inventory.

UI

  • Changes to the ping graph for the net debug HUD.
    • Red vertical lines added that indicate packets were reported lost that frame.
  • There’s now a setting to control if pinging while ADS/Targeting places a danger marker.
  • On the Battle Pass page, scrolling down on the mouse wheel moves the contents right and scrolling up on the mouse wheel moves the images left.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed issue with Main Menu icons becoming off-center.
  • Fixed a bug that was causing a player’s Squad Fill preference to reset to “Fill”.
  • Fixed an issue where scopes would be missing reticle lines on low settings.

Spectating

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed an occasional awkward camera movement that would occur when switching to different view targets while spectating.

Mobile

  • Dedicated use buttons now support hold to swap.
  • Voice Chat has been reactivated on iOS.
  • Emote button now supports hold to replay last emote.
  • Updated the Baller button icons.
  • Updated the battery icon to indicate the device is charging. Refreshes visibility every 2 seconds.
  • Cycle left button added to the HUD layout tool.
  • Added loot pickup stream UI.
    • This is the part of the UI that tracks how many resources and ammo you’re picking up.
  • Net Debug Stats is now movable in the HUD Layout Tool.
  • Enabled Squad Communication and Emote buttons while DBNO.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed field of view on 21:9 devices.
  • Fixed an issue with quickbar and extra buttons that made it possible to cause fire state to be stuck on a continuous loop.
  • Fixed an issue causing the camera to jump on initial touch input.
    • This will also fix the issue where HUD control buttons are missing when starting a match on some Android devices.
  • Fixed an issue causing incorrect building pieces to gain focus when editing.
  • Fixed missing outline effect for squad members.
  • Fixed minimap remaining on screen during Victory Royale sequence.
  • Fixed not being able to select building material while being a passenger in a vehicle.

If you’re still working on completing any of this season’s previous challenges, make sure to check out the tips and guides in our full Season 8 challenges roundup. The Battle Pass is full of cool unlocks, but to get them you’ll need plenty of Battle Stars. Our guides will help you get the trickier challenges done very quickly.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fortnite-patch-820-detailed-poison-dart-traps-floo/1100-6465869/

Sekiro Headless Boss Guide: How To Beat Them And What Divine Confetti Does

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To those who did not heed the cryptic warning near the Underbridge Valley of the Ashina Outskirts in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, you probably found yourself in for quite the surprise. The notorious and enigmatic mini-boss known as the Headless makes its home in a nearby cave and the first time you clash swords with him might have left you feeling dejected and possibly outright confused.

If you’re eager to test your mettle against this mini-boss, we’ve got all the tips you need in this handy guide. We’ve also got plenty more guides for Sekiro, including a rundown of where to find every Shinobi Prosthetic, 14 tips to stop dying so much, and how to beat the Chained Ogre, Jozou the Drunkard, and the Blazing Bull.

How To Beat A Headless

The hardest yet most satisfying way to defeat a Headless is to parry all his attacks. However, he’s a bit more tricky because some of his moves are slower than most enemies, and it’s difficult to dodge or maneuver to run around with the fog that manifests around him.

The best way to defeat a Headless is to use Divine Confetti, which greatly stacks their posture. It can even break the fog spell if you hit him enough times; though, it will recast fog after a time. Of course, Divine Confetti is somewhat of a limited commodity, so make sure to use them wisely. We recommend taking out the Headless’ first life bar normally and then using Divine Confetti to easily destroy their second life bar.

Understanding a Headless’ various attacks is key to dispatching them, but its surprise attack after performing a big sweeping attack can be a nuisance. The best advice we can give is to try not to get trapped in a corner after the Headless performs a sweep or it’ll be tough to escape its devastating rear attack; as long as you’re facing in the direction it’s coming from, it won’t be able to grab you. Another method to deal with this is jumping away after its sweep in order to give yourself some distance and time to reorient and prepare.

One final tip would be to have Pacifying Agents on hand or to make sure to buy the Mottled Purple Gourd, which helps reduce terror build up and also helps remove terror–a status ailment that likely killed you the first time you tried doing this all by yourself. These items can be purchased from the merchant near the Mibu Village Sculptor’s Idol.

How To Defeat Underwater Headless

This might sound ridiculous, but there are Headless you can fight underwater too. Don’t be intimidated by them, as they’re actually quite easy to defeat compared to their landlocked brethren. Simply watch out for its two ranged attacks–one being a wave projectile and the other homing missile-like projectiles. When you see these coming at you, sprint swim to get in close to do some damage. Again, Mottled Purple Gourd or Pacifying Agents are helpful in preventing Terror.

Watch out for the one big sweeping attack it does, which is followed up by a big vacuum vortex it charges up that can wreck you pretty bad. But won’t worry, this attack is pretty easy to avoid and it’s actually a great opening for you to inflict a good three to four swings. With only one life bar to deplete, the underwater Headless should be no problem for you, especially if you’ve already mastered defeating normal Headless.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sekiro-headless-boss-guide-how-to-beat-them-and-wh/1100-6465866/

Sekiro Headless Boss Guide: Locations And Rewards

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After encountering and killing your first Headless in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, you’ll likely have felt a wave of exhilaration. But like all great threats, it doesn’t stop at once. That’s right, there’s actually multiple Headless in the game. And if you’ve taken it upon yourself to eliminate every single one, you’re likely going to need help finding them all.

Below we detail the locations of each of the Headless, but if you’d like more a visual reference, refer to our guide video above (coming soon). We also highlight the rewards you get upon successfully vanquishing them. However, if you need help defeating Headless of any kind, be sure to check out our guide on how to take one down. We’ve also got plenty more guides for Sekiro, including a rundown of where to find every Shinobi Prosthetic, 14 tips to stop dying so much, and how to beat the Chained Ogre, Jozou the Drunkard, and the Blazing Bull.

Ashina Outskirts

This is probably the first Headless you’ll meet; there are two ways to get to it. The Ashina Outskirts Stairway Sculptor’s Idol will take you down one of these paths, past the Chained Ogre, and into the Pit area where you can normally press onward towards the Underbridge Valley. Instead of going this direction, take a right where you’ll notice the cryptic sign pinned to a wall. Grapple ahead onto a few tree branches overlooking the cliff and you’ll see an area with markings indicating there is a ledge you can grip onto. Jump down from your branch and land on the ledge and shimmy your way over to solid ground. You’ll find a tunnel that you need to crouch through, and the tunnel will grow suspiciously dark where a lone light can be seen that upon closer inspection is the blade of the Headless.

The other route to the same exact Headless starts from the Shugendo Sculptor’s Idol near the Demon Bell in Senpou Temple, which will have you journey past a small tunnel into a building with a burnt outline of a person against the wall. This is actually a secret trap door that you can access by hugging the wall and fitting your character into the outline which will grant you passage into a dark tunnel into the Ashina Outskirts. If you have this idol unlocked, this path may be the quicker option if you need to attempt the mini-boss multiple times.

Reward: Ako’s Spiritfall – “Fallen headless spirit of Ako that increases Vitality and Posture Damage for a time, Consume Spirit Emblems to use repeatedly. Headless are the ruined form of corrupted heroes who once fought for their country. Seize the power of an inhuman spirit by laying it to rest, but risk going quite mad unless something is offered in return.”

Ashina Depths

This Headless is located in the Ashina Depths and is hidden by the mist. We suggest taking this one on after you’ve defeated the Mist Noble boss, which clears the area of any spirits and mist, allowing you to focus solely on the Headless. To get to it, simply grapple from the buddha statue and drop below to the Hidden Forest.

Reward: Gachiin’s Spiritfall – “Fallen, headless spirit of Gachiin. Suppresses sound and presence, making the user harder to detect, Consume Spirit Emblems for use repeatedly. Headless are ruined form of corrupted heroes who once fought for their country. “I’m falling to pieces,” said the man to himself, drifting deep into the forest.”

Ashina Castle Tower Lookout

First and foremost, this Headless requires the Mibu Breathing Technique Latent Skill to reach. You can find this one by going near a pool of water close to a bridge by the Old Grave Idol. Dive underwater and you’ll be lead right to it.

Reward: Ungo’s Spiritfall – “Fallen headless spirit of Ungo that reduces Vitality damage taken from physical attacks. Consume Spirit Emblems for use repeatedly. Headless are ruined form of corrupted heroes who once fought for their country. This warrior lost his mind in defense of the state. His attempted mutiny was met with a swift beheading, and the lifeless body sunk to the bottom of the moat.”

Sunken Valley

From the Under-Shrine Valley Sculptor’s Idol you will want to grapple across a chasm that you will see, and continue through some platforming before needing to hug a wall and gradually make your way across the corresponding ledge. Next to that you’ll find a small pool of water that you can dive into that’ll lead you to a cave to a Headless. It should be noted that to fight this particular Headless also requires the Mibu Breathing Technique Latent Skill.

Reward: Gokan’s Spiritfall – “Fallen, headless spirit of Gokan. Reduces posture damage taken for a time. Consume Spirit Emblems for use repeatedly. Headless are ruined form of corrupted heroes who once fought for their country. Dedicated burial mounds quietly appease the spirits with several heads, though none call upon them for long.”

Fountainhead Palace

This last Headless location is in the Fountainhead Palace, and there’s actually two. You can find them them near the big pool of water past the Flowerhead Sculptor’s Idol. One may even appear to be a bit more non ethereal, and in our experience, killing the non-ethereal Headless first caused the second to disappear, so we suggest prioritizing that one.

Reward: Yashariku’s Spirtfall – “Fallen Headless spirit of Yashariku. Briefly sacrifice max Vitality and Posture while gaining a large Attack Power Boost. Consume Spirit Emblems to use repeatedly. Headless are ruined form of corrupted heroes who once fought for their country. This brave soul’s twin was lost in utero. He may not have fallen to the palace nobles had his sibling been at his side…”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sekiro-headless-boss-guide-locations-and-rewards/1100-6465867/