Red Dead Redemption 2’s Black Cowboys Are Important
Red Dead Redemption, released in 2010, instantly became a classic. But while trying to evoke the best parts of an age old genre, the open world Western failed to address some of video games’ worst habits. Rockstar’s sequel, however, looks like it’s already set up to make a positive difference.
Rockstar has always pushed the limits of gaming with absurdity, bravado, and parodic social commentary. They inflate real world social issues to a point that’s comical, and then bury them with snappy dialogue and hyper violence. The first Red Dead Redemption strayed away from that standard and took a more serious perspective – and it worked. It was a gritty, gunslinging, genre-defining game that aced the feel of being a gruff, white cowboy at the end of the chaotic Wild West. The time-altering Dead Eye mechanic and powerful plot combined to create an unforgettable world of dusty desperados – a world that felt like a genuine video game realization of classic Hollywood Westerns.
10 Cool New Map Changes in Fortnite Season 6
Halloween Tracking to Have Biggest Opening in the Franchise’s History
After 40 years and 11 films, it looks like this year’s Halloween staring series mainstay Jamie Lee Curtis is set to have the biggest opening weekend in the franchise’s long history at the box office.
Per Variety, Halloween is tracking to have a huge opening, with low estimates expecting it to bring in approximately $45 million over a three-day period, though some experts expect it could exceed $55 million over its opening weekend. Rob Zombie's 2007 remake of Halloween holds the previous opening record at just over $26 million.
Here’s Why Robin Left Batman in DC Universe’s Titans
By now, you've probably seen the memorable trailer for DC Universe's Titans, in which Robin - after beating up an alley full of thugs - snarkily mutters, "F*** Batman." But why did the Caped Crusader and the Boy Wonder break up?
Our exclusive new character trailer for Robin provides the answer - in the teaser, Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites) explains the circumstances that drove him away from his mentor, Bruce Wayne, and prompted him to strike out on his own as a cop in Detroit.
Outlander Season 4: Inside One of the Most Memorable Scenes from the Books
All September long, IGN is highlighting the best TV coming your way in the 2018-2019 season. Today we're exploring the time-traveling adventures of Starz's Outlander as it enters Season 4. While Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan) are forging a life for themselves in the New World of colonial America, their daughter Brianna (Sophie Skelton) is still in the 20th century with dashing historian Roger Wakefield (Richard Rankin), searching for proof that her parents found each other again when Claire returned to the 18th century.
The future is always informed by the past, and that's especially true of Outlander, which continually explores how a person's loves and losses can have ripple effects throughout their lives. In Season 4, Brianna is trying to come to terms with the fact that she was essentially orphaned when her mother, Claire, returned to the 18th century to reunite with her father, Jamie, while also attempting to make a new life for herself without her family.
Total War: Three Kingdoms Gets a Release Date
Total War: Three Kingdoms, the upcoming real-time, turn-based strategy game set in third century China, is coming out March 7, 2019, and is receiving a Collector’s Edition and bonus preorder DLC.
Developer Creative Assembly revealed today that those who purchase Three Kingdoms before release, or within the first week it’s on sale, will receive the Yellow Turban Rebellion Warlord DLC pack. This pack introduces three new playable warlords to the game’s Grand Campaign, letting players command armies of "bandits, zealots and commoners in a crusade to topple the corrupt Han Dynasty and forge a new future for the people of China.”
The pack introduces three new hero classes: scholars, healers and veterans. The pack also includes new weapons and armor, as well as new character virtues and skills based around frugality, compassion and humility: the three pillars of Taoism.
Yo-Kai Watch 3 Comes to North America and Europe Winter 2019
Yo-Kai Watch 3 is coming to Nintendo 3DS and 2DS in Winter 2019.
Nintendo has confirmed Yo-Kai Watch 3, which released in Japan in 2016, is coming to North America on February 8, 2019, while a European release window is set for "this winter." Yo-Kai Watch 3 will feature a new battle system as well as new locations and characters.
Yo-Kai Watch Blasters: White Dog Squad and Red Cat Corps also received the free Moon Rabbit Crew update today, which adds more missions, areas, Big Bosses, and more. Players who own both Red Cat Corps and White Dog Squad can now link their save data to unlock in-game bonuses.
In other news, Yo-Kai Watch 4 is coming to Switch later this year in Japan, although a western release has not been confirmed.
Fallout 76 Beta Dates Revealed
Bethesda announced Thursday the release dates of Fallout 76's beta ahead of the full game launch on Nov. 14.
The beta will first arrive on Xbox One on Tuesday, Oct. 23, and one week after for PlayStation 4 and PC on Tuesday, Oct. 30.
Bethesda wants players to literally "break the game" and will not have servers running 24/7 for the beta due to that. Instead, the servers will be up during specific timeframes so they can get as many players online as possible, all at the same time to fully test their systems.
The game is set to be up anywhere between four and eight hours. After that, immediate fixes and updates will be made and that will continue daily up until a few days before the actual game launch.
Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales Inherits All the Best Parts of The Witcher 3
Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales began life as little more than the single-player mode for Gwent, CD Projekt Red’s standalone PvP spin-off of the card game from The Witcher 3. But it's grown far past those roots, and you wouldn’t know it’s a spin-off of a spin-off while playing it. I went hands-on the first two and a half hours this week, and it feels like nothing short of a full-fledged Witcher RPG.
Watch the video at the top of the page to see Thronebreaker in action!
The major difference is that instead of having action-RPG combat where you fight monsters in real-time, you’re playing a card game. I’m sure a lot of people have stopped reading right there, but Thronebreaker’s captivating story and fantastic writing and voice-overs make it a game every Witcher fan should be excited for. Simply put, this is way more than just a card game.
What Did You Think of This Week’s Comics?
It was another big week for the comic book industry. Marvel kicked off a new Amazing Spider-Man storyline, DC launched Heroes and Crisis and continued the Doomsday Clock saga and Dark Horse debuted a Stranger Things spinoff.
Scroll down to check out our new reviews, and be sure to let us know your favorite books of the week in the comments below.
The Amazing Spider-Man #6 Review
Written by Nick Spencer | Drawn by Humberto Ramos w/ Steve Lieber