The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening was a quirky side-story on the handheld Game Boy when it was first released in 1993. More than a quarter-century later, Nintendo is rolling out the red carpet and making it a major release on its lead platform, the Nintendo Switch. The remastered version sports a new visual style, a revised control scheme, and a new dungeon-editing feature. But does the cult favorite Zelda game hold up?

The critical consensus seems to be that slight technical hiccups aside, the core of Link’s Awakening is as strong as ever, and improved by the Switch interface that allows you access to multiple tools without constant swapping. Response to the dungeon editor is more tepid, with many reviewers agreeing that it’s limited and uninspiring.

“Though the remake has a couple of blemishes, it’s still an easy game to recommend,” Peter Brown said in GameSpot’s Link’s Awakening review. “People speak of Link’s Awakening as the secret best Zelda game. That’s a tough call to make, but it’s definitely one of the best.”

Several other outlets have also published reviews for Link’s Awakening. We’ve gathered a range of them below to give a broader look from around the industry. For even more, check out GameSpot’s sister site Metacritic. If you’re thinking about picking it up, be sure to read up our Link’s Awakening pre-order guide.

• Game: The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch
• Developer: Nintendo
• Release date: September 20
• Price: $60 / £50 / $68 AUD

See Link’s Awakening at Amazon

GameSpot — 8/10

“If you haven’t touched a classic Zelda game in a while, Link’s Awakening will almost instantly transport you back to the ’90s. It’s simple, in many ways, but the orchestrated journey still conveys a sense of adventure, and this new version is without question the best way to experience it. And more than anything else, it will put a smile on your face. Remakes are a dime a dozen nowadays and often easy to overlook. Don’t make that mistake with Link’s Awakening.” — Peter Brown [Full review]

Forbes — 10/10

“Overall, this is a excellent remake of an already faultless Zelda game. If you never played the Game Boy original, then you absolutely need to pick this up. If, like me, you grew up playing this game, then there is a lot of new content to keep you busy. While Breath of the Wild was the game many bought their Switch for, Link’s Awakening has only reinforced that decision for me. So buckle up and let a friendly owl show you what Koholint Island has to offer.” — Ollie Barder [Full review]

US Gamer — 5/5

“The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening remake for the Switch improves most of the flaws from the original game while maintaining (or enhancing) everything that makes Link’s Game Boy adventure a classic. Its shiny new coat of paint suits it well, even if slowdown issues pop up from time to time. A few hours of play is all it takes to remind you why Zelda fans love Link’s Awakening so very much.” — Nadia Oxford [Full review]

Game Informer — 9/10

“This remake beautifully captures the essence of the Game Boy original while adding some quality-of-life upgrades to bring it up to contemporary standards.” — Jeff Cork [Full review]

Kotaku — Unscored

“You may recall that two years ago, Nintendo released The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, an all-time great that revitalized the iconic series. The company’s latest Zelda game is so radically different that they basically feel like different genres, but when taken together, they help explain what makes The Legend of Zelda so special. On one end of the spectrum, there’s the vastness of a polished, beautiful open world full of strange places to explore; on the other, there’s the density of an island packed with secrets. If the two games have one thing in common, and offer one reason to keep playing Zelda all these years later, it’s this: They both make it feel pretty damn incredible to swing a sword.” — Jason Schreier [Full review]

The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-legend-of-zelda-links-awakening-review-roundup/1100-6469952/

As developer DICE prepares Star Wars Battlefront II for its upcoming Cooperation update, publisher EA has confirmed that the first-person shooter will add the planet Felucia to the PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One game on September 25.

According to an EA blog post, Felucia is broken up into five distinct posts, each with a set theme. Command Post Village will feature structures that “almost blend into the environment.” Command Post Sarlacc is a “narrow structure overlook[ing] the now-deceased Sarlacc.” Command Post Farm is a “relatively open [area]” with multiple entrances. Command Post Caves contains a “network of open-air caves” in a fairly secluded location. Finally, Command Post Swamp is “surrounded by fairly open terrain” with an ample amount of cover.

EA says that while Felucia looks captivating, the environment is pretty hostile. Harmless-looking mushrooms will explode and a few of the planet’s flora can leave behind a dangerous gas that will inflict damage on anyone caught in it. Felucia comes packaged in Battlefront II’s Cooperation update, which is scheduled to launch on September 25. Full release notes are expected to arrive early next week.

In June, franchise design director Dennis Brännvall outlined some new content headed to Battlefront II. This includes the Droidekas and the Galactic Republic TX-130 tank from the Clone Wars. Further, DICE revealed a roadmap for Battlefront II that features new single-player content, a four-player online co-op mode, tweaks and changes to certain game types, and more.

Battlefront II is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The game comes included in an EA Access/EA Play subscription on PC/Xbox One.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-wars-battlefront-2-update-adds-new-planet-thi/1100-6469949/

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint launches in October, but you can jump in to an open beta a little sooner than that. Ubisoft has announced that the beta will run from September 26-29 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

The beta will be staggered between platforms, but the times themselves are synced up globally so you can play with other ghosts across the world. Ubisoft also said this open beta will take into account some of the feedback from the recent closed beta, with a blog that details the exact improvements forthcoming.

The open beta will include your first look at the Ghost War PvP, with only Elimination Mode open for the test. It will consist of four maps: Skell Port, PMC Camp, Cold War Bunker, and Deserted Harbor.

In the PvE mode, you’ll have access to two new regions that weren’t available in the closed beta–New Argyll and Infinity–for a total of six. You’ll also be able to play five missions in total, three of which are new from the closed beta: Back to Basics, Skell on the Move, and The Enemy of My Enemy. The skill-testing Drone Areas are back from the closed beta as well.

Ubisoft notes that your progress from the beta won’t transfer to the main game. This will be the first major release in Ubisoft’s Uplay+ subscription, which gives you unlimited access to new Ubisoft releases. If you’re a subscriber as of October 1, you’ll get early access to the Breakpoint Ultimate Edition. The studio also recently revealed Breakpoint’s PC specs.

Ghost Recon Breakpoint Open Beta Pre-Loading (Sept 24)

• PS4, Xbox One, Uplay
  • 3 AM PT
  • 6 AM ET
  • 11 AM BST
  • 8 PM AEST
• Epic Game Store
  • 8 AM PT
  • 11 AM ET
  • 4 PM BST
  • 1 AM AEST (Sept 25)

Ghost Recon Breakpoint Open Beta Start Time (Sept 26)

• PS4, Xbox One, Uplay
  • 3 AM PT
  • 6 AM ET
  • 11 AM BST
  • 8 PM AEST
• Epic Game Store
  • 8 AM PT
  • 11 AM ET
  • 4 PM BST
  • 1 AM AEST (Sept 27)

Ghost Recon Breakpoint Open Beta End Time (Sept 29)

• 7 AM PT
• 10 AM ET
• 3 PM BST
• 12 AM AEST (Sept 30)

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ghost-recon-breakpoint-open-beta-starts-next-week/1100-6469947/

Ahead of its launch next month, developer Nihon Falcom’s The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III has a free demo available now on PlayStation 4. You may need to free up some space as the demo sits at about 13GB, but it seems you can transfer your save file to the full game.

The demo will allow you to experience the “opening moments” of Trails of Cold Steel III as you come to know the next generation of Class VII. The PlayStation store outlines how to acquire the trophy for completing the prologue. Create a save before the final boss encounter, transfer that save file to the full game, and beat the boss in the full game to get the trophy.

Sony’s Trails of Cold Steel III guided demo overview, below, walks through basic combat mechanics, character introductions and lore, gameplay features, and more. Some activities available in the demo include fishing and a new collectible card game called “Vantage Masters.” The demo will also include a “Backstory” tab where you can catch up on the series.

Last month, we sat down with Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo to talk about localization and the future of the Trails franchise. Kondo also said his studio is negotiating with “multiple publishers” on porting its games to Nintendo Switch. For now, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III will launch on October 22 exclusively for PlayStation 4.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-demo-of-legend-of-heroes-trails-of-cold-steel-/1100-6469945/

A figure who appears to be Cryto–long believed to be the eleventh playable character coming to Apex Legends, thanks to datamining and outright leaks–has been spotted in Respawn’s battle royale. If you travel to Singh Labs, added to King’s Canyon during the limited-time Voidwalker event, you can spot the character believed to be Crypto in a secret room.

Crypto disappears once you spot him, so if you want to see him, your squad will have to reach the Singh Labs and enter the secret room ahead of other players. Upon entering the labs, head towards some suspiciously propped open doors, noticed by Reddit user FrozenFroh, and break them down. You can also squeeze by them if you prefer. Inside you’ll see Crypto finishing up a download on one of the labs’ computers. Upon noticing you, he’ll panic, yank out his hard drive, and run out with his drone in tow.

The mysterious hacker has had a presence in Apex Legends for a long time, first teased back in June after Octane’s introduction and before Wattson was even on most player’s radar. FrozenFroh found that teaser too–Crypto’s laptop secretly hidden on the King’s Canyon map. Crypto would then be alluded to again during the start of Apex Legends Season 2, when the cinematic trailer for the season showcased the hacker as the one responsible for destroying the tower that kept the flyers and leviathans at bay.

As Season 2 has wound down, Crypto’s presence in King’s Canyon has grown more noticeable. In the Wraith-focused cinematic short that released alongside the start of the Voidwalker event, you can see the interdimensional skirmisher insert a flash drive into a Singh Labs’ computer, which injects hacking software that’s marked with Crypto’s trademark callsign.

King’s Canyon has experienced strange glitches too, most likely the result of the person who’s attempting to decrypt…the King’s Canyon computers? Maybe? It hasn’t been very clear. All we know is that some of the screens in King’s Canyon have glitched out and begun showing a progress bar for the decryption and the bar has been steadily filling up more each time throughout the Voidwalker event, finally completely filling this past weekend–which coincides with Crypto’s appearance on the map. The announcer’s voice has also been occasionally garbled in the game–the glitch popped up whenever one of Crypto’s decryption attempts failed to fully complete. Crypto wants something, but what he wants remains unclear.

His recent appearance on the map presents the most clues, hinting that Crypto’s hacks have not been malicious against the Legends and he is actually trying to achieve something. The computer Crypto is pulling data from seems to control the massive void portal connected to the labs. Thanks to the Wraith cinematic short, it’s now confirmed that the void portals can connect to other dimensions and someone can travel to them with the right harness. In Wraith’s case, she uses the gauntlet on her forearm and the labs seem to be studying how to emulate this technology so others can do the same.

Before he shuts down what he’s working on, you can see Crypto is trying to redirect the void portal to connect to a place called World’s Edge. World’s Edge isn’t a reference to anything Titanfall-related so it’s difficult to accurately guess what it could be, or if it even matters for Crypto’s official introduction–which is expected to coincide with the addition of a new weapon and map change with the launch of Season 3. Given that it seems to be a new location, however, it could be possible that World’s Edge is in reference to the Season 3 map change or a hint that we’re getting a brand-new, second map for Apex Legends. Only time will tell.

Apex Legends is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/crypto-apex-legends-new-character-is-already-in-th/1100-6469943/