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Anthem: All Hail The Destiny-Killer?

It’s a question that’s popped up on message boards, in YouTube videos, across Discord chats, and likely as the 9:00 a.m. topic of many hushed game developer board room meetings:

“Is Anthem the Destiny-killer?”

Bungie and Bioware (EA), two studios known for mega-hits such as Halo and Mass Effect, respectively, are household names to even casual gamers, drawing in players based on their brand as much as their product. Each has a long history with a respectable record and thousands of devoted fans. So when Anthem was first hinted at in 2014, the question wasn’t whether or not the Bioware title would make a profit, but how high the new IP would sit in the halls of gaming reverence.

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From up on high, Bungie knows those halls quite well. Still running off goodwill from the Halo series, the studio released Destiny in 2014, an ambitious, genre-defining multiplayer epic. The game’s combination team shooter-RPG play style was arguably one-of-a-kind, and while many have attempted to replicate their feel, Bungie’s two titles in this series have kept well ahead of contenders. Despite considerable problems, 2017’s Destiny 2 remains the reigning champ in its weight class, and it’s still evolving and producing.

On Bioware’s end, it was not initially apparent what their new IP was all about – developers are known for being vague in the early stages when a game begins to formulate in a chrysalis of concept and code. Yet, when the first sneak peaks and screen captures were released last year, the community began to see what was brewing inside, and boy, did it seem familiar.

When one begins to describe the ever-approaching Anthem, the parallels become all too obvious. Like Destiny and Destiny 2, Anthem is clearly a loot-and-shoot, open-world MMO dipping into role-playing elements and class dynamics, where persistent characters progress largely through gear acquisition and upgrades – the best of which are acquired through cooperative play. As an in-genre alternative, Anthem checks all the same boxes.

Further, the thematic comparisons are strong, and stronger with each new bit of Anthem info we hear. To be clear, many contemporary game series make use of the post-apocalyptic setting to create an atmosphere of intrigue and mystery, or an environment fraught with danger. Some of these games focus on advanced technology as a means of progression and protection. Some do all of this better than others. But an expansive, post-apocalyptic sci-fi world where players tech-up and team-up to defend humanity against large-than-life otherworldly threats? Well, it’s a niche, but I can think of one popular little game…

And that game is hurting. Micro-transactions from dawn to dusk. Arbitrary, hidden experience barriers. Loot stagnation. Gameplay that is simply boring. (But mostly the micro-transactions.) The problems are almost as popular as the game itself and, according to many, Destiny may have already vacated its throne long before Anthem even arrives:

So, with such a clear path to victory in front of it, and the king crumbling under the weight of the crown, will Anthem succeed to capture a skeptical player base?

As one player put it to us, “Don’t do what Destiny 2 did, and you win.”

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In the EA’s E3 presentation this summer, nothing was done to diminish first-blush comparisons — in fact, they actually seem invited. As player frustration with Destiny 2 goes mostly unanswered, Bioware developers are quick to point out how its new baby very specifically and conveniently lacks all those same frustrations. The studio continues to engage with both content creators and the general public to provide assurances that this game may look like Destiny 2, but let’s be clear that it ain’t:

This kind of pointed messaging may not just be the developers’ playing cute and coy during promotion; it’s rumored that there is a lot riding on Anthem’s success, which necessarily depends on hitting Bungie where it hurts.

Still, make no mistake: Bioware is taking a risk, and they have stumbled before. And while a miss or two won’t sink a company, Anthem is definitely deeper into uncharted territory than Bioware has gone before. A studio that is best known as for producing story-driven, single-player games, with an emphasis on writing, voice-acting and overall plot, has never had to concern itself too greatly with the idea of a competitive twitch gameplay experience, an element that was critical to Destiny’s initial success. Can they prove to be adept at both?

Very possibly. First gameplay impressions have been promising, and the studio itself seems to be ever mindful of who they are. Both will be important. Whether Destiny puts up a fight or fades before Anthem’s arrival on the scene, Bioware will need to learn from Bungie’s mistakes by harnessing the goodwill of the players through delivery of solid, fresh content; keeping to promises made about costs and DLC structure; staying engaged with the community about possible changes; and – above all – creating a game that enthusiasts will legitimately enjoy playing.

How to use endorsements in Overwatch

Overwatch has long made it a point to combat toxic behavior in their community. One of Blizzard’s key goals is to make Overwatch an enjoyable experience for everyone, and that means more than just tweaking maps and adding new characters. With the new endorsements mechanic, Overwatch offers a new point of focus. Now, rather than just calling out toxic players, you can also give shoutouts to players that shine.

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So, what actually are endorsements? Blizzard has them split up into three categories: Shot Caller, Sportsmanship, and Good Teammate.

Shot Callers are players that take charge and coordinate the team. Usually, this means a player who is on mic, communicating and strategizing to make sure that the team is working as one unit.

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Sportsmanship is an endorsement for players who contribute to making the game an all-around positive experience. This is a pretty ambiguous award, so feel free to hand this one out to anyone who you feel made the match better in whatever way that might be. This one can also be handed out to opposing players, like a nod of respect to the Reinhardt that kept you off the point or an enemy Mercy that you noticed working overtime to keep her team at full health.

Good Teammate goes to the shining stars that excel as team players. These are the people that play the objective, switch roles to make sure the team has a strong composition, and work to help the team win, rather than looking out only for themselves.

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If you feel like you’ve encountered a player you want to endorse, you’ll be given the option to do so at the end of the game, during the Play of the Game screen. You can select the type of endorsement you want to give out and the player you want to give it to. You can endorse up to three players per match. As a nice added bonus, you’ll receive 50 XP for giving an endorsement. This means a potential extra 150 XP on top of what you earned in a match. Though this may not seem like much, it can add up quickly, especially for someone who loves giving out compliments.

There are some catches, though: endorsements aren’t available in Arcade modes and can’t be given out to the same player twice in a 24 hour period. You also can’t give out endorsements to players you’re in a group with, so anybody thinking that they could game the system by grouping up with their friends and endorsing each other back and forth is out of luck. Blizzard wants to make sure endorsements are used in as genuine a manner as possible.

Who is Hammond, the next Overwatch Hero?

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Also part of this new mechanic is an endorsement level. Every player has one, and it’s determined by the number of endorsements you receive. Blizzard hasn’t indicated how many endorsements it takes to level up, but we know that the maximum endorsement level is 5. Careful though; even if you make it to the max level, it’ll start to degrade over time and harsh penalties can be incurred if you’re reported for bad behavior. So, if you want to get to a high level and keep it that way, you need to make sure you’re playing in a consistently positive way.

Having a high endorsement level can net some neat little perks. It adds an additional layer of customization when finding a match by allowing players to specify what kind of endorsement roles they want to play with, and can also improve their standing in queues. Blizzard has also hinted at other, more tangible rewards, but is mum on the details. Unique skins, perhaps? Or perhaps other cosmetic items, like sprays or emotes for players with high endorsement levels?

As the old saying goes, “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” It seems that Blizzard has taken this old adage one step further. If you have something nice to say about the people you’re playing Overwatch with, they want you to say it, and say it loud.

Here’s what Fortnite 2 will look like

Honestly? There are no announcements that a Fortnite 2 is even in development or that it will ever be created at all…

That being said, we like to imagine what a Fortnite 2 could look like! Years down the road, what if Epic Games made the decision to create a sequel or a prequel to Fortnite? What type of game would it be? What would it focus on?

Game series tend to follow a few paths: continuation of the story and game mechanics crossover. We’ll go through each of these and see what a Fortnite 2 might have to offer.

What’s new In Fortnite Season 5

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Continuation of the Story

Believe it or not, Fortnite contains a hidden story. This has became more and more obvious over Season 4, which began with meteors crashing into the map, after which the “hop rocks” left at the craters were transported to Snobby Shores and the Villain’s Lair, and recently has continued with the lair firing a rocket towards Tilted Towers and accidentally opening an ever-growing portal over the map.

What does this story mean? Our best theory is the events are a tie-in between Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode and Save the World modes. Basically, the Battle Royale events are leading up to the zombie apocalypse.

In regards to a sequel, this could mean a Fortnite 2 in the vein of Mad Max, which takes places in a desert environment and possibly features a few wandering zombies amongst the Battle Royale landscape. Better yet, there may be a new story mode following a group of humans surviving the apocalypse: something with the run-n-gun excitement of Left 4 Dead with the Fortnite’s signature building shenanigans.

Mechanics Crossover

Sometimes, a sequel carries on the tradition in name and mechanics only.

In this case, we’d naturally expect to see the same Battle Royale style that we’ve come to know and love, along with the build-n-shoot combat from the original. However, this Fortnite 2 could also bring out an entirely new location, a few additional ways to fight, and, most likely, a new apocalypse to overcome.

We love the idea of new locations for Fortnite. Currently, the game features a somewhat hilly and homogenous environment, perfect for the game’s current iteration. However, in a Fortnite 2 there would be great possibility for expansion. Imagine running and building through a desert or a crowded jungle. Or fighting for Victory Royale in a gigantic cave underground or on top of a large, snowy mountain…

Also, there are a number of ways that Fortnite 2 could expand upon the combat. The current game includes a number of interesting items like the hop rocks, but the closest they’ve come to a vehicle was the short-lived jetpacks. The second installation of this game might see the introduction of vehicles and other clever items… space suits, perhaps? Portal guns? Thanks to the tongue-in-cheek way Fortnite currently introduces its updates, anything could be on the table.

Finally, what new apocalypse would Fallout 2 feature? With the rockets and meteors currently heralding the changes between seasons, we’re in the mood for an alien invasion. However, there are other alternatives: a world war? Nuclear fallout? A huge volcanic explosion? A second Ice Age? Time shenanigans? Whatever the case, you can be sure to expect epic battles against a new, interesting backdrop.

But really, a volcanic jungle island would be epic. Cue “Battle of Heroes”, by John Williams, right? (Seriously. Cue it. We’ll wait.)

A Vision

Since Fortnite 2 probably won’t happen, here’s our daydream, combining the best parts of what we’ve already considered:

Fortnite 2 takes place on an island chain being surrounded by encroaching deep-sea lava. This creates the game’s circle, although there are rivulets and streams of lava that must be avoided in other places as well.

By the way, this island is Jurassic World. There are dinosaurs.

Cars are now included, but there are no boats. The only way to get from island to island is by building rafts, which consist of at least one floor panel and a “wall” panel that becomes a sail whenever built on a boat. Falling into the boiling lava water slowly takes away health , so be prepared for epic boat battles, where constructing a strong warship may be the secret to success… especially if the final circle happens to land over a segment of ocean!

Whatever the case, we love Fortnite and are excited to see what new heights the game reaches in the future, whether or not that includes a sequel.

Fortnite: to buy v-bucks, or not to buy v-bucks?

V-bucks are Fortnite’s in-game currency, but can be purchased for real-world money…. which means microtransactions. Now, “microtransactions” shouldn’t have to be a dirty word. In fact, we think some of the perks of buying V-bucks are well worth the cost, especially considering the game is already free-to-play! Still, these small fees are notorious for growing into large costs over time, so the question remains: what can be done to maximize Fortnite’s benefits without racking up a huge bill? We’ve done the math and figured out a few ideas. (Hint: they revolve around working towards a Battle Pass and then earning enough V-bucks for the next!)

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First, we’ll deal with two topics for housekeeping purposes: How to Get V-Bucks, and What They Buy.

How to Get V-Bucks

There are a few ways to get V-bucks.

Buy them. As we’ve mentioned, V-bucks can be purchased starting at $10 for 1,000. Greater quantities are available, and the more you buy the better deal you’ll receive. Fortnite also offers a “Starter Pack”, which comes with a nice combat skin (this changes your player’s appearance), a new backpack, and 650 V-Bucks. We’ll mention this Starter Pack again later.
Gain Battle Tiers. Each day, Fortnite offers players a number of challenges, things like “deal damage with shotguns”. Finishing a challenge helps you level up tiers, which will occasionally award you 100 V-bucks. If you get the Battle Pass, you’ll have access to far more challenges and rewards for gaining tiers.

Warning: There are some scams bouncing around YouTube that suggest if you go to a certain website and download two apps, you’ll get free V-bucks. Epic Games tells Softonic that the two methods listed above are the only legitimate ways to get V-bucks. If you’re seeing someone saying otherwise, they’ve got something malicious up their sleeve.

Next part!

What They Buy

When you get V-bucks you have a choice: buy cosmetics or a Battle Pass. We recommend the Battle Pass.

To grab those cosmetics, go to the “Item Shop” in Fortnite’s main menu and you’ll be met with a number of choices: skins, backpacks, harvesting tools, contrails, dances, and emotes.

Instead of purchasing everything you see with V-Bucks, consider getting a Battle Pass. For only 950 V-bucks, a Battle Pass gives you far more challenges over a 10-week period called a “Season”. Not only do the actual challenges themselves become more interesting, but every tier earned gives you a reward

Specifically, you’ll get a 100 V-buck prize every 7 tiers. With 100 tiers each season, this means at least 1,000 V-bucks… enough to pay for a Battle Pass next season. This is our main goal: buying one Battle Pass allows you to earn all those exciting new cosmetics and enough V-Bucks to keep going with a new battle pass!

Now that the stage is set, let’s get to the suggestions:

The Low Road: Spend Nothing

It’s possible, if very difficult, to earn the 950 V-bucks required for a Battle Pass simply by completing daily challenges. This takes great dedication, but once you achieve the Battle Pass, you’ll have paid nothing and can start reaping the benefits of your hard work.

This approach works great for those who are patient and understand that Fortnite’s perks are purely for looks (hence: cosmetics). You’ll still have the default skin and dance to keep you going.

The Golden Road: A Middle Path

Instead of waiting to earn 950 V-bucks, either buy 1,000 V-Bucks for the Battle Pass or acquire a 650 V-Buck Starter Pack and earn 400 more.

Either way, you’ve only spent around $10 and can maintain your Battle Pass status each following season as long as you earn enough V-bucks the previous season.

Bonus note: with Season 5 coming out, you can start soon!

The Highway: Get Everything

Of course, there are those who still want more than the Battle Pass can offer; admittedly, Fortnite includes a number of items that aren’t available through the Battle Pass.

If this is the case, and you wish to buy something else, we advise thinking carefully about your Item Shop purchases. Do you truly need a new skin or harvesting tool over the ones you have? How much have you already spent? How much are you willing to spend in the future? These choices are yours to make, but we encourage mindfulness. That way, suddenly realizing you spent hundreds of Real-Bucks won’t mar the awesome Fortnite experience!

Bringing back couch play: 5 amazing indie co-op games

Online gaming is so widespread these days these days that it’s easy to forget that multiplayer gaming used to only be local. Even Halo, which used to be one of the most popular couch multiplayer games in the world, didn’t have split screen in its latest entry. While online gaming is fun and accessible, sometimes you just want to invite some friends over, order a pizza, and play Mario Party until 3 a.m. Here are some newer indie games that reinvigorate that couch co-op spirit.

1. Lovers In A Dangerous Spacetime

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The name of this game is hilariously weird, and the game itself is even weirder. The game has you playing as one of many cute space pilots, scouring the universe, fighting hostile aliens, and rescuing helpless animals. Each player has their own character, and you can run around the giant circular ship to the different sections to control different parts. For example, one person could pilot the ship, while another controls the shields, with another on the turrets.

The game supports up to four players, inevitably, leading to a lot of shouting and mayhem. Despite the cutesy art style, the game is actually quite difficult, as every player needs to micromanage their specific role carefully. Amusingly, the end of every level presents a “love meter” that tells you how well you and your partner were in sync.

The game is available for Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC/Mac. The trailer can be viewed here:

2. Overcooked

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Overcooked is a frantic cooperative action game in which players try desperately to run a restaurant without everything going haywire. The game is basically Diner Dash cranked up to 11, as players must balance working quickly with getting the orders right to pass the level and get a high score. Each order that comes in must be made to specification, and your customers will tolerate no mistakes.

The game is both easier and harder when you get more people. It’s easier in the sense that you have more hands on deck to handle the various kitchen tasks, but it’s harder because you have so many people running around the kitchen, and then you get an order wrong, and the steak caught on fire, and there are no clean dishes left, and you’re only 10 points away from winning the level…etc. etc. Overcooked is hilariously stressful and we recommend this one to anybody who loves screaming at their friends. Overcooked 2 was recently announced, so keep a look out for that, too.

The game is out for Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The trailer can be watched here.

3. Don’t Starve Together

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This charmingly creepy Burtonesque game tasks players with surviving a bleak and surreal world starting with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Like the title implies, players need to keep their characters fed, but they also need to worry about managing their characters’ sanity and fighting off an all-powerful but unseen Lovecraftian horror named Charlie. Don’t Starve Together combines the survival and roguelike genres to craft a bleak but endearing adventure. Each death is permanent (barring the use of certain items) so players must work together carefully to avoid the infinite number of things waiting to kill them.

The game is available on iOS, Android, Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch. The trailer can be viewed here.

4. Cuphead

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Cuphead is run-and-gunning at its best. The difficulty is hellishly brutal, with the game being only incrementally easier with a friend on your side. Resist the urge to snap your controller in half and you’ll be treated to a gorgeously animated adventure straight out of a 1940’s Max Fleischer cartoon. While the game is incredibly hard, it is never unfair. Enemies telegraph their attacks clearly, and are so unique and well animated that it’s hard to hate them. With that being said, you will likely let out a primal scream when you finally beat that boss that just killed you 500 times in a row.

The game is out for PC and Xbox One. The trailer can be viewed here.

Why is Cuphead so popular?

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5. Snipperclips

While the other games on this list may be frantic and stressful, Snipperclips is anything but. In this game, players cut each other up into various shapes in order to work together to complete a level. You need to get creative with your snipping, as each level presents a unique problem to solve, such as shooting a ball into a hoop or helping a hamster run across a bridge. The cutesy art style and laid back music make this game feel much more relaxed than other co-op games, and it’s a fine title to wind down and relax with your friends.

The game is available on the Nintendo Switch and the trailer can be viewed here.

This is the best build setting to use in Fortnite

Unfortunately, anyone who has tried playing Fortnite on a console (or watched Ninja) has realized a sad truth: the game can be easier to play on a computer because of faster, more reliable building rates. But don’t worry, there is hope! With the help of a certain build setting you can be as fast or faster than the consoles.

It’s called Builder Pro.

Now, of course, we have to admit: everyone’s play style is different and what works for one person may not be perfect for the next. Therefore, even if one build mode is great for most people, it may not be right for you.

But you should choose Builder Pro.

So, to be fair to the other styles, we’ll give them a good description and run through their pros and cons. Feel free to read through each and see which appeals to you most.

Or just skip down to Builder Pro and see why it’s the best.

A Few Terms

Since console controllers aren’t always the same, here are the terms you may like to keep in mind.

Right and left triggers.
Right and left bumpers: the buttons above the triggers.
Right and left thumbsticks.
T-Pad: generally by the left thumbstick. They are below for the Switch and Xbox controllers, above on the Playstation.
Right buttons: the four buttons by the right thumbstick. They are above for almost all controllers.
Left and right menu buttons: special buttons, generally in the upper middle of the controller, often used to open menus and maps.

Here are some controllers for your reference:

Old School

The Old School build setting allows you to change which building piece (wall, floor, roof, or stair) you are using with the upper right button and confirm the build with the right trigger.

Seems easy? The only issue is, your piece setting remains in the same place when you switch between building and combat. Also, you can only cycle through piece types in one direction. Best of luck building quickly in the heat of combat!

This setting is great for anyone who likes a challenge.

Quick Builder

A better idea than Old School, Quick Builder allows you to file between build pieces with the right and left bumpers and then confirm with the right trigger. However, like the Combat Pro below, this means that whenever you return to building mode you’ll still be on the last piece type and need to mentally remember how to get to another piece.

You may argue that this build setting gets easier over time, and that may be true. However, it’s still often slower and more unreliable than others.

Combat Pro

Highly similar to the Quick Builder, build pieces are cycled through with the right and left bumpers. However, the Combat Pro setting adds a few other benefits like quick-switching between building and combat, or selecting build material with the left trigger (in case you desperately need a metal wall to defend yourself from trigger-happy enemies).

Builder Pro

Builder Pro reigns supreme. This setting mimics the way computer players work: while building, the triggers and bumpers are connected individually to a piece type – wall, floor, roof, or stair. Building becomes as simple as tapping the proper button once to select your piece, and clicking again to confirm.

What does this mean, really? Once you memorize the keys, which are organized for ease of use, you’ll rarely build the wrong thing, even under fire. Also, having a quick mode-change button means you can jump from shooting to building to harvesting in a jiffy. With a bit of practice, your combat ability will improve by leaps and bounds.

One More Thing

Remember, although building helps, other strategies can further increase your chances of winning Fortnite!

This is everything we know about Fallout 76

Dust off your favorite set of power armor; in four short months, you’ll be on an adventure through the rolling, mutant-infested hills of post-nuclear West Virginia as Fallout 76 comes to PC, PS4 and XBOX on November 14, 2018.

Fallout 76 is easily one of the most-hyped entries in Bethesda’s popular series, and also one of the least-understood — both thanks in part to the notable transition from the familiar sprawling single-player RPG to an even larger and dynamic, online world.

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What we know so far:

Since the game’s announcement in late Spring of this year, questions have been flying about what Fallout 76 will be like, and what kinds of changes can be expected from previous games in the series.

Timeline and Premise: From the start, Bethesda has been clear that the game will be a prequel of sorts, taking place in 2102, a short 25 years after the Earth was devastated by nuclear war, and many decades prior to the preceding titles. The residents of Vault 76 (a nigh-sacred place referenced in previous Fallout entries) will leave safety on a mission to rebuild and recolonize the world.

Given that there are four games of post-nuclear hardship that take place after Fallout 76, the jury’s still out on their success with that.

Setting: As stated above, the game world exists in a space approximately four times the geographic size of Fallout 4 and, at least at launch, will be set exclusively among the country roads of John Denver’s West Virginia (the inclusion of this track in the introduction trailer was virtually obligatory).

Single-player or Multiplayer: Both, kind of. Bethesda has clearly (and ambitiously) designed a multi-player romp, while also declaring that single-player adventures are still viable, given that the player maintains an online connection. The proposed small population servers — with an option for private servers — seems reminiscent of the fairly successful GTA Online set-up; albeit, with a bit more environmental impact on the part of the players. Regardless of whether you want to establish a crew to plow through the wasteland or forage alone, the developers have exhibited a real awareness of the potential for griefing and trolling, with several proposed measures to minimize unwelcome interference.

‘Softcore’ Survival: Much about what makes the Fallout series attractive is the setting’s innate danger to human livelihood (see: generous interpretations of radiation poisoning), and yet the games have never truly existed in the survival genre. In Fallout 76, although players will no longer just have to worry about wandering through radioactive muck, but basic food and water needs also. Death itself isn’t so bad, either.

Gameplay: One of the big issues in transferring a single-player game to a multiplayer one is the necessary absence of a pause or turn-speed function. In previous entries, for example, the V.A.T.S. system was a critical aspect of gameplay, allowing players the time to deliberately and tactically target enemy body parts in order to maximize effectiveness. This feature, as well as other time-manipulation-dependent mechanics, will persist in Fallout 76, with the intent of players managing those strategic decision in real-time. The degree to which this will be successful, however, is not clear. Hopefully, any issues in translating these elements will be sorted out in the beta.

Roleplaying: While the series has never truly been at home in the RPG genre, classic elements of character creation and customization have always been a heavy presence. With Fallout 76, Bethesda seems intent on keeping these aspects important, yet fluid, allowing for deliberate-but-changeable traits — meaning players can mold their strengths to their preference as well as the needs of a given group set-up, similar in spirit to the specialization swap of MMOs like World of Warcraft.

Base-building: A favored feature of Fallout 4, base-building makes a limited comeback in the new title, with permanent settlements traded in for more mobile, shareable outposts. While some may mourn the loss of the well-planned settlement, moveable pack-and-go shelters seem a necessary adaptation to the unpredictable nature of online play.

Questing: Bethesda is shooting for dynamic missions and story-telling, with most quests handed out by discovered footage, terminals — even notes. Curiously, there will be no NPCS — it seems every other human you encounter in Fallout 76 will be another player. How this will jive with the RPG-heavy gameplay remains to be seen.

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Recent Developments:

Travel: If you’re excited at the prospect of roaming around West Virginia in a chugging buggy or a trusted steed, Fallout 76 may not scratch that itch. In a recent talk with Bethesda’s Todd Howard, it was made clear that mounted and vehicle travel won’t be a part of the game, though fast-travel options are still planned.

Newbie-cide and Griefing: Low-level players need not worry about being killed by experienced players fresh out of their exit from Vault 76; low-level players will be immune from PVP damage.

Nukes: Nuclear war is a big part of the Fallout lore, and the inclusion of player-generated nuclear strikes in the game itself has led to a lot of understandable debate. According to Bethesda’s Pete Hines, nukes will be tough to launch, come with a fair warning time, and are designed not to target players. Instead, nuclear explosions will change the landscape in favor of further exploration and greater potential for high-quality loot.

Mods: A beloved aspect of Bethesda’s games have been the ability for players to create their own modified game experience. With a persistent online world, the concept of game-breaking mods seems out of the question; however, Todd Howard recently assured us that mods will have a role in private servers.

DLC is DL-Free: Bethesda has expressed a commitment to substantive downloadable content— both large and small— that is free to players who have the base game. Earlier reports remain unchanged; purchases requiring actual dollars will be reserved to purely cosmetic upgrades. In the era of micro-transactions, this news is basically as good as it gets.

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What’s To Come: With only a matter of months to go, the biggest questions unresolved deal with basic questions of how it actually feels to play a multiplayer Fallout game, and how the story of the game can and will be influenced by a prequel edition.

As to the latter question, considerations as to whether or not the game will be the final entry in the franchise are simply too soon to ask— when Elder Scrolls Online came out, it wasn’t clear if we would get an Elder Scrolls VI, but that is now, thankfully, the case.

As to the former; it remains to be seen if the soul of the series is transferable to a cooperative or competitive style of play, but much of what we’ve seen lends itself to optimism. Learning from the mistakes and successes of other studios, Bethesda has demonstrated a conscious appreciation for what makes the franchise great, as well as the potential for players to share in one another’s experiences and story.

And we will be there with them, from start to finish.

This is what to expect in Red Dead Redemption 2

With an anticipated release date of October 26, Red Dead Redemption 2 is mere months away. Despite this looming release date, Rockstar has been surprisingly quiet about the details of this next installment in the series. However, from what we know so far, it appears that Red Dead 2 will be a more than worthy successor to the original, and may even answer some lingering questions that the first game left unanswered.

Several trailers for the game have been released, and they offer some tantalizing hints and clues about what the game has in store. The game is set in 1899, a full 12 years before the events of the first Red Dead Redemption. As a prequel, Red Dead 2 will tell the story of Arthur Morgan, an outlaw running with Dutch van der Linde’s gang in the waning days of the Wild West.

Players who finished the first game will remember van der Linde as one of the game’s primary antagonists. By that point, he had devolved into nothing more than a raving madman, running a gang out of a wilderness hideout and espousing an anti-government, anti-technology philosophy. The trailers appear to show Dutch at the height of his power, and will presumably chronicle the events that eventually led Dutch to abandon society and descend into madness and paranoia.

The focus on van der Linde’s gang means we’ll be seeing some familiar faces return from the first game. Yes, that’s right – John Marston is back. Though we won’t be playing as him this time around, he’ll be a significant presence in the game. Marston spent much of the original Red Dead trying to atone for the crimes he had committed while working for Dutch. Though most of these events were only hinted at, now we’ll get to see these crimes firsthand and witness just how ruthless John Marston was when he was at the top of his game.

Some other familiar characters will also return from Red Dead Redemption. John’s main goal in the first game was to hunt down the members of his old gang, namely Bill Williamson and Javier Escuella. Both of these characters will be making appearances in the second game, and can be glimpsed in a few specific scenes in the trailers. We also know that Marston met his future wife, Abigail, while running with Dutch’s gang, so it’s safe to assume that she’ll be appearing as well.

So, what do we know about Arthur Morgan himself? Not much. From what has been revealed in the trailers and via other sources, he seems to be van der Linde’s right-hand man, or at least a trusted enforcer. We know from Rockstar that the game will see him undergo a crisis of conscience as he starts to question Dutch’s methods; perhaps hinting back at Dutch’s eventual fall from grace. For now though, he appears to be a menacing outlaw, collecting debts for Dutch, shooting up saloons, and beating lawmen to a pulp.

As far as gameplay goes, Rockstar has confirmed that the Honor system will be returning from the first game. This mechanic measures the player’s notoriety in relation to the good and bad deeds they’ve committed. Whether the player has high or low honor affects how NPCs will interact with them. High honor players, for example, were awarded double pay for jobs and bounties, while low honor players were able to bribe lawmen for less. Certain rewards, such as outfits and unique horses, were also made available after reaching certain honor levels.

The trailers also seem to hint at a more robust hand-to-hand combat system than that of the first game. Arthur can be seen using moves that are much more intricate than the simple punches of the first game, such as disarms and tackles. Also returning is the beautiful scenery that characterized the original. Rolling hills, windswept prairies, and bustling towns are all brought to life with gorgeous next-gen graphics.

Arthur can also be seen using a bow in one of the trailers and in official screenshots. Presumably, this means that a stealth mechanic is going to be introduced, with players able to use the bow to silently take down enemies from afar.

Though Rockstar continues to release a tantalizing stream of new details as we near the game’s official release, what we know now is just enough to whet our appetite and leave us hungry for more Red Dead.

Excited? Check out these trailers for the game:

3 ways to get better at Overwatch

Once you get the hang of it, Overwatch is a tremendous amount of fun. Here are three easy tips to help you improve your game and start racking up wins.

Overwatch is arguably the biggest thing to happen to first person multiplayer gaming in years. With distinctive characters and unique gameplay, it’s not hard to see why it’s taken the gaming world by storm. If you’re unfamiliar with class-based multiplayer or objective-based gameplay, Overwatch can be a tough game to jump into. Once you get the hang of it, though, Overwatch is a tremendous amount of fun. Here are three easy tips to help you improve your game and start racking up wins.

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1. Play To Your Strengths

Overwatch has 28 playable characters, all with their own unique play styles and characteristics. Finding the characters that are right for you will take some trial and error. Before you even think about jumping into your first match, head to the practice range and take a few characters for a spin. This map is populated with AI controlled bots and allows you to switch characters at any point, making it easy to figure out which playstyles suit you best. Used to first-person shooters like Call of Duty? Take Soldier 76 for a spin. Fan of fighting games? Try Doomfist. It may take a bit, but such a huge cast of characters means there’s someone for everyone.

How Overwatch raised a jaw-dropping amount of money for breast cancer research

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2. Play What The Team Needs

Once you’ve found a character that suits your style, it may be tempting to stick with that one character. This is a common mistake. Winning matches in Overwatch depends on a solid team composition, meaning a good balance of Damage, Support, and Tank classes. Having too many players in any one class is an easy way to lose, and if you main a single character, you won’t have the versatility that’s necessary for team play. Though specializing in one of these classes is a great way to get into the game, learning at least one character in each class is what separates good players from great players. Whether it be slicing and dicing as Genji, lobbing grenades with Junkrat, holding down the point as Orisa, or rallying your team as Brigitte, you’ll always be prepared to fill whatever role your team needs to win.

Who is Hammond, the next Overwatch Hero?

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3. Play The Objective

Above all else, Overwatch is an objective-based game. Though it may be tempting to simply rack up the kills, unless you’re playing a Deathmatch game type, you won’t actually be helping your team win. Pay attention to your objective, whether that be capturing a point or escorting a payload. Your first priority should be the objective, and although getting kills might help with that, it shouldn’t be at the forefront of how you play. You’re not in this alone; work with your team. If you work well as a unit and keep playing the objective, you’ll find yourself playing better overall and achieving far more wins than lone-wolf players.

6 tips to get started in competitive Overwatch

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Now that you have these tips under your belt, you should be well on your way to becoming an Overwatch MVP. To quote the chipper British-accented words of Tracer, “The world could always use more heroes!”

How Overwatch raised a jaw-dropping amount of money for breast cancer research

Over the past couple of weeks, Blizzard’s Pink Mercy campaign has raised over $12.7 million for breast cancer research. Donations were sent to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in what was the largest corporate donation in the BCRF’s 25-year history. These millions will fund the BCRF’s research into treatment, prevention methods, and the search for a cure for breast cancer.

Blizzard ran the campaign through its hit class shooter Overwatch. For $15, players could purchase an exclusive new pink skin for the hero Mercy, the sales of which went directly to the BRCF. In Overwatch, Mercy is far and away most popular healer in the game, making her thematically fitting for a breast cancer awareness skin.

3 ways to get better at Overwatch

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The runaway success of this campaign is a testament to the generosity of the Overwatch fanbase. For more information on the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, you can check out their website here.

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Who is Hammond, the next Overwatch Hero?

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