The live action Netflix adaptation of Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba's original graphic novel series Umbrella Academy has been given an official release date: February 12, 2019.A "twisted, dysfunctional" take on superheroes, Umbrella Academy centers around the lives of six individuals, part of a group of mysterious kids, part of a group of 43 kids, all born on the same day at the same time of apparently immaculate conception. Each of the children had some sort of superpower, but only seven of them were adopted by a mysterious and wealthy benefactor named Sir Reginald Hargreeves seventeen years later. Hargreeves founds "the Umbrella Academy" where he plans to train and support his new superpowered children.Fans at New York Comic Con were treated to an exclusive first look trailer showcasing the show's unique and surreal tone. Set to a plucky, instrumental cover of The Turtles' "So Happy Together," the trailer was a collection of clips that established the world of the show with a voice over about the birth of the 43 children, their adoption, and the founding of the Academy. With the world building out of the way, the trailer began hopping around to brief clips of each character in action, building tension after the apparent death of Hargreeves.The show will kick off in 1989 with the birth of the kids, a setting that's actually unique to the show. The bulk of the graphic novel is set in 1977, in an alternate timeline where John F. Kennedy was never assassinated. Details about the plot and other liberties the show may take are still vague. However, actor Aiden Gallagher (No. 00.06 'The Boy'), a fan of the original books, offered assurance, "I think we do a good job of honoring the comic, but we've got some surprises for you."Umbrella Academy stars Ellen Page (Vanya Hargreeves aka The White Violin), Tom Hopper (Luther Hargreeves aka Spaceboy), David Castañeda (Diego Hargreeves aka The Kraken), Emmy Raver-Lampman (Allison Hargreeves aka The Rumor), Robert Sheehan (Klaus Hargreeves aka The Seance), Aiden Gallagher (The Boy), Mary J. Blige (Cha-Cha), and Cameron Britton (Hazel).Info from Gamespot.com

The fall 2018 anime season has officially begun. As of this week, a bunch of new series and movies have begun airing on Netflix, Amazon, Crunchyroll, Funimation, and HiDive. With all the new anime, we've outlined what we think you need to add to your watch list.Bloom Into You is a must watch. This love story between two high school girls also addresses the pressures of living with low self-worth and the struggles of understanding asexual love. Despite the heaviness of the story's drama, there are both brief snippets of hilarity and quiet moments of internal resilience that draw you into the changing dynamic between the second-year student council president who can't escape her dead sister's shadow and the young first-year who dreams of falling in love but doesn't feel the emotions that love stories say a young girl should. Bloom Into You is debuting exclusively on HiDive (in both Japanese and English dub) and premiers on October 5. This fall, HiDive is also airing episodes of the English dub of Princess Principal, one of the best anime from 2017.You should also add Crunchyroll's Goblin Slayer to your queue--especially if you're a fan of Dark Souls. Goblin Slayer is a dark fantasy about an inexperienced priestess, called Priestess, who's saved by a male adventurer named Goblin Slayer after her entire party is gruesomely butchered in front of her. Goblin Slayer is a bloody story that repeatedly offers up scenes where its characters are left with eyes full of despair, but the show is not without its charm. The series begins airing on October 6.Other anime to look out for are That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime and SSSS Gridman. The former launched on October 1, with the original Japanese version on Crunchyroll and the English dub on Funimation. The latter comes out on Funimation on October 6. Slime is an isekai--a story where a normal person is transported to another world--that's about pretty much exactly what the name implies, and Studio Trigger's Gridman is an anime remake of Gridman the Hyper Agent, a series about three kids creating a video game superhero. Golden Kamuy and Netflix's Castlevania also return with second seasons this fall, the former on October 8 and the latter on October 26.The full list of anime series and movies that have been confirmed to premier this fall on Amazon, Crunchyroll, Funimation, HiDive, and Netflix are listed below. We'll update the list if additional titles are announced.Fall 2018 Anime Release Date Schedule (U.S.)AmazonOctober 5 Boarding School JulietSo Many Colors In The Future What A Wonderful WorldOctober 11 Le Cirque de KarakuriCrunchyrollOctober 1 That Time I Go Reincarnated as a SlimeOctober 3 RErideD: Derrida, who leaps through timeOctober 4 Zombieland SagaOctober 5 Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Part 5: Golden WindOctober 6 Goblin SlayerRadiantSword Art Online: AlicizationOctober 7 Ulysses: Jeanne d'Arc and the Alchemist KnightOctober 8 Golden Kamuy (Season 2)October 12 Senran Kagura Shinovi MasterFunimationOctober 1 Space Battleship Tiramisu Zwei (Season 2)That Time I Go Reincarnated as a SlimeOctober 6 Ace Attorney (Season 2)SSSS GridmanOctober 8 Golden Kamuy (Season 2)October 9 Tokyo Ghoul:re (Season 2)HiDiveOctober 1 The Girl in TwilightOctober 5 Bloom Into YouOctober 7 Release The SpyceNetflixOctober 3 Violet Evergarden: SpecialOctober 15 The Seven Deadly Sins: Revival of The CommandmentsOctober 26 Castlevania (Season 2)October 30 Fate/EXTRA Last Encore: Illustrias Geocentrism TheoryInfo from Gamespot.com

Only a couple years after Fallout 4's release, Bethesda surprised fans by officially announcing Fallout 76, the next entry in its beloved post-apocalyptic RPG franchise. The new game was revealed in a trailer after a series of teases, and Bethesda discussed it in more detail at E3 2018 and more recently at QuakeCon 2018. While there's still so much we do not yet know about Bethesda's upcoming game, the company has offered some clarity on Fallout 76's most curious features and additions to the Fallout formula.To ensure you're kept up to date on everything there is to know about Fallout 76, we've compiled all the information we have on the game so far: the platforms it's on, its online functionality, its anti-griefing features, and where the game falls in the series' timeline.Table of Contents [hide]What is Fallout 76?Who's Developing It?Is It An Online Survival Game?How Big Is The World?What Can You Do?How Does Character Creation And Progression Work?How Does PvP Work?Any Voice Chat?When's the Beta?Release DateWhat is Fallout 76?Fallout 76 is a prequel to all of the previous Fallout games. Set in 2102, you play an inhabitant of Vault 76 who emerges from the shelter 25 years after the bombs fell on America. Your task is simple: explore what remains of post-apocalyptic America and rebuild civilization.Longtime fans will likely recognize Vault 76; although it's not a place we've visited before, this isn't the series' first mention of it. Both Fallout 3 and 4 reference it and, according to the Fallout Wikia, this West Virginia-based vault was occupied by 500 of of America's best and brightest minds. Unlike the more grotesque experimental vaults in the Fallout universe, Vault 76 is a control vault intended to be opened 20 or so years after a nuclear war. But if the Vault was supposed to open 20 years after the bombs fell, why have 25 years gone by? The story likely has a few surprises in store.Fallout 76 uses the Creation Engine, the same engine used to make Fallout 4, but it will purportedly feature much more graphical detail than its predecessor. Game director Todd Howard has said that Fallout 76 has new rendering and lighting technology, which allows for "16 times" the detail.Who's Developing It?Bethesda Game Studios, the Maryland-based developer responsible for the Elder Scrolls series and both Fallout 3 and Fallout 4, is at work on the game. In addition, Bethesda Game Studios Austin--formerly BattleCry Studios--assisted in fine-tuning the Creation Engine to support multiplayer functionality.Is It An Online Survival Game?Fallout 76 is a much different sort of game from its predecessors. It's "entirely online," but don't worry, you'll be able to play it solo too. According to Bethesda, the idea to take this approach to open-world survival came four years ago, when it started to work on building a multiplayer Fallout experience. Howard described the game's approach to survival as "softcore," which means death doesn't equal loss of progression.You can form a party with up to three other players. You won't be able to manage your placement in servers when you login, as you'll automatically be inserted into a session with others upon booting up the game. Of course, you also have the option simply join alongside your friends and play together.Howard commented that Fallout 76 will have dedicated servers that will support the game "now and for years to come." At launch, there will only be public servers, but Bethesda plans to introduce private servers that will allow players to invite friends to play in order to prevent undesirable behavior.Some classic mechanics from past games will be changing to accommodate the shift to online play. For example, V.A.T.S has been reconfigured to work in real time, while still allowing players to target specific enemy body parts. But this time around, it has been updated to be more of a tool that allows you to spot out dangers in the environment.How Big Is The World?According to Howard, Fallout 76's world is four times the size of Fallout 4. There are six different regions to explore, and each has its own unique style, risks, and rewards. Confirmed areas include the West Virginia State Capitol, The Greenbrier, Woodburn Circle, New River Gorge Bridge, and Camden Park. Contained within each area is a variety of new creatures to encounter, some of which are based on West Virginian folklore.What Can You Do?Like previous games, players will spend the majority of their time exploring and completing quests. However, Fallout 76 will not feature any human non-player characters, as all surviving humans will be controlled by active players. Instead, the game will use combination of robot NPCs, collectible recordings, and environmental storytelling in order to give players what they need to piece together quests and the story at large.Given the game's premise of rebuilding the world, there will be base-building elements similar to Fallout 4. You will be able to set up a bases anywhere using an item called the Construction and Assembly Mobile Platform, or CAMP. These can be placed down in the world and allow you to construct an impromptu camp. At E3, we got to see the player laying down walls and decorating the base with pool tables, toilets, and other household objects. As the "mobile platform" part of the name implies, your CAMP can also be picked up and relocated, allowing you to move your base anywhere in the world.While you can help build the world, you can also destroy it. If you have the necessary nuclear launch codes, it's actually possible to access a missile silo to fire a nuke at any point on the map. Doing so irradiates the chosen area, but it also allows for the opportunity to discover rare weapons, gear, and items. Be wary; nuking an area also causes more powerful enemies to show up, making it more difficult to survive. But don't be discouraged by this, the CAMP blueprint system makes it easy for players to quickly rebuild their homes, and if they're privy to an incoming threat, they can pack their things and move to a new location.As an online experience, player choice is said to be incredibly important, going as far as giving players the freedom to choose who are the heroes and who are the villains. Early footage showcased multiple players engaging in combat and participating in friendly activities, which seems to indicate that players have the freedom to choose their paths in the world of Fallout 76.How Does Character Creation And Progression Work?You'll have similar character creation tools as Fallout 4. However, you're free to change your appearance at any point. In addition, you can also utilize the game's new photo mode during the creation process to better see how your character looks, as well as snap some shots you can share on social media.The SPECIAL system returns and it's a bit different. Like previous games, SPECIAL encompasses the following stats: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, Luck. You're given one point to put into any of those stats every time you level up. The first thing you do when you emerge from the vault is pick a SPECIAL and then you pick a perk in that particular SPECIAL. Essentially, every SPECIAL is a pool of points for your perks.But unlike previous games, perks are now cards you can equip and unlock as you rank up in a given SPECIAL; though, you're free to swap cards out at any time if you want to alter your build. Each SPECIAL characteristic you develop has a perk card cap of 15. These perk cards can be enhanced further from one to five points to increase their power.You can obtain additional perk cards via Perk Card Packs (four random cards), which you earn every two levels initially (1-10), and then every 5 after that. You can also pick one perk card per level, usually from your SPECIAL choice. There are hundreds of Perks cards you can unlock, so naturally SPECIAL ranks cap out after a while (you gain a rank up in a SPECIAL each time you level up). At level 50, you'll stop increasing SPECIAL ranks, but you'll still get card packs.How Does PvP Work?When you shoot someone you do a little bit of damage, which can be equated to lightly slapping them in order to challenge them to a duel. In response to this, the other player can choose to ignore or engage. If they engage in a battle with you, they'll start to take full damage. The one who is killed in this consenting PvP match has the option to seek revenge. Doing so gives that person the opportunity to get double the rewards granted they're successful.If you'd rather choose to ignore a PvP match, there's no way to escape being killed--despite the small damage dealt to you during the initiation phases. However, if you are killed by a player under these circumstances, that player becomes a Wanted Murderer and will receive no rewards from having killed you.A Wanted Murderer is marked on the map as a red star and a bounty is placed on their head. Players looking to cash in on this bounty aren't visible on the Murderer's map. If the murderer is killed, the money from that bounty is taken out their stock.In order to give players time to properly acclimate to how Fallout 76 plays, PvP won't be available to players until level five. And if you perish from any PvP encounter, the only thing you'll lose is the junk you've been collecting, which can be reclaimed after death if not already picked up by other players. You can always store junk in stashes found around the world, so as to safeguard a portion of your stock. Armor and weapons are retained in your inventory after death.Any Voice Chat?It's possible to chat with your teammates and even strangers you discover out in the world. It's area-based so your ability to hear other plays will vary. But if you want nothing to do with strangers, it's possible to mute their voices entirely.When's the Beta?Fallout 76's beta will be available exclusively to those who preorder the game. Bethesda said that it will begin selecting participants from the pool of pre-orders on October 23 on Xbox One first. The plan is to start small and expand over time with PS4 and PC to follow on October 30. For more details, you can check out Bethesda's Fallout 76 FAQ for more details on how to redeem your code.Release DateFallout 76 is being developed for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and is currently scheduled to be released on November 14. Unfortunately, there's no word about a Nintendo Switch release, which didn't seem out of the question after the Skyrim re-release made it to that platform.Info from Gamespot.com

With new Kick Off modes and some welcome on-pitch enhancements, as well as the ever-engaging Ultimate Team and now the Champions League license, FIFA 19 is the most complete football video game package available. Sadly, Career Mode and Pro Clubs remain stale and are in dire need of a refresh. Regardless, FIFA is closer to representing Sky Sports' vision of football than ever--for better and for worse.FIFA has struggled on the pitch in its past few iterations, with matches deteriorating to frustrating slogs. For years we've been unable to play FIFA like football is played in real life--instead we've been zig-zagging the ball up the pitch and abusing pacey wingers to breach the opponent's defence to swing in an unstoppable cross for an equally unstoppable header. FIFA 19's matches are more natural and more varied in the way they unfold, in large part because EA finally has all the pieces needed to make it so. Although it introduced a slower pace in FIFA 18, the newest iteration finally makes this work by tightening up players' responsiveness. Through passes work again, and they (along with player pace) seem to be in a good place in terms of balance--neither under- nor overpowered, as has been the case for too long. FIFA 19's ball still doesn't feel as satisfying as PES 2019's, but it does at least feel something like the real-life sphere it's imitating.FIFA 19 includes new tactical options for wannabe managers to fiddle with, such as how many players you want to commit at corner kicks and whether you want your full-backs to over- or under-lap. These are undoubtedly welcome, and tactical changes in your defensive technique--press after possession loss, constant pressure, and drop off are among five options on that front--make a tangible impact in-game, allowing you to further tailor your play style.However, the much-vaunted new feature of game plans is a bit of a mess. You can set up different tactics for various in-game situations before a match and then quickly switch between them on the pitch, but any change to one game plan, including your default starting plan, is not automatically reflected in your other four plans. So say you decide to switch your wingers over for one particular match or tweak your formation to counter an opponent's star player; that change will be lost if you change to attacking or defensive during a match. This isn't a dealbreaker of course, but it inevitably ends with you spending more time in the team management menu, which is exactly the kind of admin work this feature should have eradicated. And despite the added depth of options, the vast majority of AI teams still behave in a broadly similar (and often unrealistic) way--Wigan Athletic managing to pass their way out of my press with sublime one-touch football was a difficult one to take.FIFA's brand of football is more physical this year, with strength becoming a far more important stat and crunching collisions feeling much more realistic. You can see and feel players battling for the ball, and goalkeepers are not quite as invincible from crosses as in previous years. Long ball tactics are slightly more viable than last year as a result--including, mercifully, from free kicks--and it feels satisfying for your target man to knock one down for your striker to smash in from 12 yards. Despite this, and the new tactical options, there's still no way to determine which players go up for corners and free kicks, meaning your 6' 6" center-back will still frequently be found on the halfway line at set pieces rather than getting his elbows out in the box where he should be. Timed finishing attempts to add more depth to FIFA's pitchwork for expert players, and while it can be a little temperamental and fiddly, it does add a nice risk-reward layer to what was an afterthought run on muscle memory.Meanwhile, EA's implementation of the newly-acquired Champions League and Europa League licenses is excellent, with the official branding, specific commentators, and authentic atmospheres adding to the feel of this being club football's biggest event. The competition has its own mode in FIFA 19, as well as implementation in The Journey, Ultimate Team, and Career Mode, and to its credit EA utilizes the license in a much more comprehensive way than Konami ever did.Unfortunately, that's pretty much it in terms of new Career Mode features, and this is where FIFA 19 suffers. Career Mode is the most in-depth single-player mode remaining in FIFA, and yet it has seen almost no meaningful improvements for years. This year the mode has not been touched at all, save for the implementation of Champions League, and the cracks are showing. That means you get the same "Boss, I was hoping you might be experimenting with the team?" messages; the same bugs and problems (such as the inability to loan out newly purchased players); the same typos and grammar errors in news reports; and the same lack of depth when it comes to club strategies like hiring and firing of staff or stadium expansions. Similarly, Pro Clubs is exactly the same this year as it was in FIFA 18, and it's hard not to sympathize with those who speculate around EA's shifting priorities, given how much ongoing attention the microtransaction-driven Ultimate Team receives in comparison. Frankly, two modes as big and popular as these receiving no new features or even any quality-of-life improvements is unacceptable, and EA needs to up its game in this regard next year.Kick Off is where most of EA's offline attention was focused this year, with the introduction of detailed stats and some interesting new sub-modes contained within House Rules. These allow you to turn off fouls and offsides, turn on the battle royale-like Survival Mode--in which a goal results in one of your players being sent off--or disallow any goal not scored from a header or volley. These modes are shallow, and being available in local play only is a baffling decision, but they offer a nice change of pace for when you're playing with a friend. It's surprising how much rewiring of your football-addled brain they require; after 23 years on this planet appealing for offsides, it's quite hard not to scream "REF!!!" at the TV when my brother scores his fourth of the game, even when the traditional rules have been thrown out.FUT's major addition this year is a new sub-mode named Division Rivals, a replacement for the now-cut online seasons mode. It's another, shorter way to qualify for the FUT Champions weekend event, and it adds to the ever-growing and -evolving behemoth Ultimate Team has become. Otherwise, Ultimate Team remains largely the same year-over-year, but the mode's strength lies more in its constant live support over the course of a season, which is shaping up to be exemplary once again. Champions cards, limited-time packs, daily and weekly objectives, special events and tournaments--Ultimate Team has something to draw you in every week, and it is truly the lifeblood of FIFA 19.The Journey's third year sees the conclusion of Alex Hunter's story, but sister Kim and best mate Danny Williams join him in a GTA V-like three-pronged story. You can switch between the trio to play their individual storylines at any point, though there is a recommended path to follow that keeps their narratives vaguely in line with each other. Each character also has their own special features, such as Alex's choice of mentor squad at Real Madrid (spoilers!) or Danny's choice of advert he wants to take part in. The Journey's scripting and acting isn't exactly outstanding, but it remains a unique way to play, and I hope EA continues it after this Champions League special episode concludes.Ultimate Team has something to draw you in every week, and it is truly the lifeblood of FIFA 19.As impressive as FIFA 19's recreation of broadcast football is, there are a surprising number of details that remain inaccurate. You still don't get a fourth substitute in extra time, for example, and the double jeopardy rule--where a red card cannot now be shown inside the penalty area if a player is deemed to have attempted to play the ball--is still not applied in FIFA, despite these law changes having been introduced over two years ago now. Transfer deadline day still comes on August 31 in Career Mode, despite English clubs having the earlier close date of August 9 this season, and many teams that are not deemed one of the "big" clubs do not get third kits or away 'keeper kits. When the rest of FIFA's presentation package is so impressive, it makes these smaller, incorrect details stand out, especially when they appear to require small tweaks to fix.It's promising that EA is listening to its community. FIFA 19 is much more responsive on the pitch than last year, and the company continues to evolve FUT to keep it fresh. However, the lack of progress in Career Mode and Pro Clubs is sorely inadequate. Thankfully, The Journey's continued entertainment, FUT's long-lasting nature, and some inventive new Kick Off modes mean I'll likely still be playing FIFA 19 by the time next year's game rolls around.Info from Gamespot.com

Anyone who's played a Mario Party game in the past 20 years has a good idea of what to expect from Switch's Super Mario Party, but Nintendo's latest offers a few new modes that each add their own creative spin on the tried-and-true formula. In many ways, Super Mario Party feels smaller than previous games in the series, but added layers of strategy and clever, fun minigames help keep it lively and fresh.The fierce competitive nature of the series' earliest titles is back, as Super Mario Party ditches Mario Party 9 and 10's cooperative car mechanic and once again pits players against each other in a race for Stars. The overall goal in Super Mario Party is to earn five Gems, which you get after completing each of the game's five major offline modes: Mario Party, Partner Party, Challenge Road, River Survival, and Sound Stage.Mario Party mode features the series' classic formula of bite-sized games interspersed between rounds of board game hijinks. Your character is still placed on a board with three others where you'll all race after Toadette and her collection of Stars. The biggest change is the introduction of character dice blocks; while previous Mario Party games utilized virtual 10-sided dice, now every character has two dice blocks, one six-sided and the other unique to them, and you have to decide which one to use each turn. The six-sided die rolls a one through six, while each character die comes with its own set of strengths and weaknesses.For example, Mario's has a number three on three of its sides, while the remaining three sides are one, five, and six. In comparison, the devilish gambler Wario has a special die where two of the sides cause him to lose two coins, but the other four sides are sixes. For the first time in a Mario Party game, your choice of character is more than just aesthetic, and figuring out the best time to use a specific dice block adds a level of strategy to what's typically been an act of randomness.Each of the game's four boards requires slight tweaks to your strategy for reaching the Star, but they're all small, and most don't take advantage of their unique makeups. Whomp's Domino Ruins, for example, features Whomps who will block your path down certain shortcuts. The board only has two Whomps, though, so you don't encounter them very often, and even when you do, the board is small enough that taking the long way around won't put you at much of a disadvantage. Super Mario Party's four boards don't feel distinct, so your strategy for each one won't be all that different. And since there are only four boards in total to pick from, Mario Party mode grows stale fairly quickly.There are a total of 80 minigames in Super Mario Party, putting it just behind Mario Party 6, 7, and 9 in terms of quantity. Of the 80 minigames, nearly half rely on the motion control or rumble features in the Switch's Joy-Cons. Don't fret; both the motion and rumble features work surprisingly well, and it makes for some of the most cleverly designed games in the Mario Party series. For example, in Fiddler on the Hoof, you and three others race horses, and making a pulling back motion with the Joy-Con to simulate whipping the reins increases your score if you move with the beat of the song that's playing. In Nut Cases, you and a partner need to outwit the other team by claiming the five boxes that have the most walnuts inside them. You get an idea as to a box's contents by picking it up and measuring the severity of your Joy-Con's vibration. As Super Mario Party only supports motion control with a single Joy-Con, you won't be able to play the game in handheld mode or with a Pro Controller.Partner Party mode is Super Mario Party's reimagining of Mario Party 6's Team Battle mode. The rules are similar to Mario Party mode, but there are more paths around the board, and you need to actually land on Toadette's spot to get a Star instead of just collecting it while passing by. The minor obstacles from Mario Party mode become trickier to get past in Partner Party because you need to remain mindful of both you and your partner. Paying to move Whomp out of the way might get you to the Star more quickly, but doing so could trap other players, including your teammate. There's the possibility of winning the next minigame and earning enough coin to buy an item to free them, but that's no guarantee. This type of consideration and amount of forethought simply doesn't exist in Mario Party mode.Two of the other major modes, River Survival and Sound Stage, are new to the Mario Party franchise. The former has you working together with three others to survive a trip down a dangerous river while playing Co-op minigames, while the latter is an energetic dance competition where you solely play Rhythm minigames. Both River Survival and Sound Stage offer fun, albeit brief, alternatives to the staple Mario Party formula. The Co-op and Rhythm minigames are also some of the best in the Mario Party series, especially the Rhythm ones like Fiddler on the Hoof, that have you actually standing up and moving around to match the groove of the game's characters. Both Co-op and Rhythm minigames lack the heated competition of other head-to-head minigames, but they do pump up a room.Super Mario Party's final major mode, Challenge Road, is the closest the game has to a single-player campaign, but it only opens up once you've unlocked all 80 minigames. The mode has you play through every single minigame with specific handicaps placed on you to make each one harder. For example, a racing minigame might challenge you to get first place without running into any of the track's hazards. This mode comes very close to giving Super Mario Party just the amount of challenge the game would need to increase its longevity, but unfortunately it buckles. If you fail at a challenge three times, the game asks you if you'd like to just skip it. You can always come back and beat the challenge later if you want, but the mode never punishes you for skipping any of the minigames. As long as you get to the end of the road, regardless if you skipped a dozen challenges to get there, you'll still earn one of the five Gems you need.Super Mario Party also has several smaller modes and features that aren't tied to earning the Super Star title. In Mariothon, you compete in five minigames where outlasting your opponents in time-based games earns you extra points on the tournament ladder. There's an online version of Mariothon too, and you can either play in a private lobby with your friends or compete on a worldwide stage and fight to climb up in the rankings. We had no connectivity issues when playing online, but the private lobby did load faster. Square Off is also a minigame-based tournament, but after each win, you're allowed to claim a territory space. Owning the pieces of territory on either side of another player's territory nets you their space too, and the game continues until every space is filled. The winner is whoever owns the most spaces at the end of the match. Both modes give you a goal to strive for while playing minigames, which creates extra levels of competition amongst a group of friends.The new Partner Party, River Survival, and Sound Stage modes add enjoyable alternatives to Mario Party mode--which at least returns to its competitive roots.There's also Toad's Rec Room, where you can play unique games that change based on how you position your Switch, and a Stickers room, where you can cover a wall in a mural of stickers you've collected. Both seem tacked on to Super Mario Party; the former to justify putting the game on a console that can be played on a horizontal plane, in kickstand mode, or in a dock, and the latter to give you a reason to go out and buy some Amiibos to scan and get special stickers that aren't earnable within the game. Although the option of changing perspectives in Toad's Rec Room--such as looking at a baseball field from a bird's eye, laid-back, or pitcher's view--is an interesting gimmick, none of the games are really made better by adjusting how you look at them. The Stickers room is not worth getting invested in at all.Everything about Super Mario Party feels smaller in comparison to previous titles in the series. Both Mario Party and Partner Party mode play on small boards, and certain modes, like Challenge Road, have clear tier points to make it easy to play through in small chunks. So it's all the more puzzling that you can't actually play Super Mario Party on the go in handheld mode. Given you need a seperate Joy-Con to perform the motion-based actions in the game, it makes sense, but it's still odd to see a game on Switch that actively prevents you from making use of the console's portability.Most of Super Mario Party's varied assortment of 80 minigames are fun, especially if you've got a full group of four players, as the NPCs aren't smart or skilled enough to pose much of a challenge until you unlock Master difficulty. The new Partner Party, River Survival, and Sound Stage modes add enjoyable alternatives to Mario Party mode--which at least returns to its competitive roots. And even if the unique character dice blocks don't shake up Super Mario Party's four boards enough to give Mario Party mode some longevity, they implement small moments of strategy into a series that has for too long solely relied on randomness to determine a winner.Editor's note: This was originally a review in progress. Now that the game has launched, we have updated and finalized this review to reflect our experience with the online functionality. Info from Gamespot.com

The soft reboot that was Assassin's Creed Origins introduced a new approach to the series' brand of stealth-action gameplay, along with an expansive and vibrant open world with many dynamic systems at work. In this year's follow-up, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, developer Ubisoft Quebec builds upon its predecessor's pillars, and in the process shows greater confidence in the series' new direction.Set in Ancient Greece, Odyssey predates the previous game by several centuries. During the Peloponnesian War in 431 BCE, you take on the role of either Alexios or Kassandra, siblings and former Spartans-turned-mercenaries. In keeping with series tradition, Odyssey features parallel storylines, with the main narrative taking place in the distant past and the overarching plot set in the present day. After pivotal moments dealing with political intrigue and wartime conflict in Greece, you'll jump back to the modern day to continue the story of Layla Hassan, introduced in Origins, who's working to uncover the secrets of the first civilization. Throughout your travels in Ancient Greece you'll uncover lost tombs, engage in naval warfare on the high seas, and assassinate the key members of a shadowy conspiracy seeking control of the known world.In your trek through the Greek mainland and the islands of the Mediterranean sea, you come across diverse locales that showcase lush environments that pay tribute to the old gods, while rubbing shoulders with the many historical figures of the era looking to make their impression in Greek society. The amount of detail packed into each location is impressive, tied together by an active and dynamic ecosystem where local wildlife and civilians keep their territory. But as you dive further, you'll see the many hardships and realities of life in Ancient Greece firsthand, including the horrors of slavery and the ever-present war between the military-driven Spartans and the bureaucratic Athenian army.Featuring a map that's more than double the size of the previous game, Odyssey is built to be explored and has incidental content to reward your wanderlust. You get the sense that your actions will have a lasting impact wherever you go, and Odyssey offers up a wealth of content that fuels your growth at a steady pace. Though the issue of level-gating comes up occasionally, preventing you from actively exploring any region as you wish, you can take a break from the main story and dive into the breadth of side content at your leisure. Several side quests offer a surprising amount of depth and heart and feature some of Odyssey's more standout moments.Throughout the main story and in side-quests, you'll make several key decisions that affect the game's narrative and your character's journey. While many of the choices you make are largely inconsequential and result only in slightly different endings for quests, the fateful decisions that do matter can lead to drastic turns of events, with some storylines and characters meeting their end prematurely. In moments you'd least expect, you'll see the payoff for decisions made early on in the story, for better or worse. With nine different possible outcomes at the main story's conclusion, there's a surprisingly large amount of cause and effect that can make the narrative feel all your own.The different protagonists also offer up some of Odyssey's most endearing and entertaining moments. Despite the grim nature of the game, jokes and fun gags often break the tension, even during serious events. Though both Kassandra and Alexios share the same dialogue and story beats, their differing personalities, gender, and points of view offer unique flavor, making them stand apart--with some scenes and questlines feeling more appropriate with a particular character.The Photo Mode in Assassin's Creed Odyssey allows you to capture some of the game's most breathtaking views.Romancing side characters is also possible in Odyssey. While some of these scenes can be amusing, they're mostly just bizarre shows of affection that have no real purpose. These scenes almost always result in a shallow aside during the conversation, with the characters slinking off-screen before returning to the conversation without skipping a beat. Most often, these awkward romance opportunities appear immediately after (or during) otherwise harrowing events. Aside from seeing some additional scenes with certain characters, there's really no benefit to engaging in romance at all. The inclusion of these scenes feels cheap and can sully otherwise interesting conversations.As you unravel more of the world and advance in the main story, new gameplay mechanics and side opportunities will reveal themselves, adding even greater incentive to explore. When the conspiracy that threatens Greece makes itself known, you'll be able to keep track of the major players through a large interconnected web in the game's menu, showing their connections to other targets and how to find the intel to track them down. But in one of Odyssey's more involved quests, you'll encounter several mythological beasts hidden within the world, offering up some of the game's most inventive and memorable encounters, where brute force isn't always the answer.The world in Ancient Greece feels much more reactive compared to previous Assassin's Creed games, and you get the sense that your actions will have a lasting impact wherever you go. When you start causing too much trouble, you'll attract the attention of rival mercenaries looking to collect a bounty. Similar to Shadow of War's Nemesis system, though not as sophisticated, Odyssey presents a seemingly endless set of antagonists with their own backstories, strengths, and potential loot. If you find yourself with a bounty on your head, mercenaries are often quick to appear--leading to some annoying encounters where they arrive at the worst possible time, even during some story missions. If the heat from the encroaching mercenaries feels too much, you can lay low long enough for the bounty to clear, assassinate another wanted criminal, or pay off your own bounty in the game menu.With nine different possible outcomes at the main story's conclusion, there's a surprisingly large amount of cause and effect that can make the narrative feel all your own.One of Odyssey's more clever features is the new Exploration Mode. With this optional mode enabled, you're challenged to use your observation and deduction skills to find your next target, without the support of icons or waypoints. By engaging with quest-givers and friendly NPCs, you'll learn details about your surroundings and slowly piece together your next steps. Exploration Mode heightens the pride that comes from solving puzzles, and this makes each step of your investigations feel all the more rewarding.When it comes to combat, Odyssey keeps up with the recent trend to incorporate stat-based mechanics into its core gameplay. Compared to previous games, there's now a greater focus on allowing you to customize your character to approach the challenges ahead. You can also build your character to specialize in stealth, long-range, or melee combat, and you're able to respec at any time. If you want to build your character as a powerful Spartan warrior wielding a legendary spear and use your Spartan Kick to boot enemies off cliffs, you can, but you are also free to stick with the traditional Assassin archetype.This opens a lot of opportunities to experiment with special moves and gear, the latter of which can also be customized with special perks that offer unique bonuses. Odyssey no longer features the shields introduced in Origins, and as a result, combat flows at a brisker pace. By placing the emphasis more on dodging and parrying incoming blows from enemies, fighting feels more involved and dynamic. While there are times where Odyssey can run right into the awkwardness of its RPG mechanics clashing with the action gameplay--such as being unable to assassinate enemies outright due to being under-leveled--it makes up for it by giving players the options to avoid such clumsy engagements.Your ship, The Adrestia, can be upgraded to deal greater damage and move faster while out on the open waters.Naval combat and sailing make a return in Odyssey, opening up exploration on the high seas. As you build up resources and find new members to join your crew, you can customize and upgrade your ship, The Adrestia, to take on more daring challenges. Much like in Black Flag and Rogue, seafaring offers up some of the more exciting and visually pleasing moments of the game, finding lost sunken ruins in the oceans depths or facing off against increasingly aggressive rival ships. Over the course of your travels, you'll be able to recruit new lieutenants to add buffs to your ship, giving you more of a fighting chance against the sea's greater threats.The scope of Odyssey is enormous, and for the most part, it's presented well. But some of the new innovations that seek to fit within the scale of the world, however, feel somewhat lost in the grand scheme of the game. With the ongoing war between the Spartan and Athenian army, you can choose to take part in the conflict and dismantle a faction's influence in a region. In these Conquest battles, you'll pick a side and cripple an army's hold by assassinating their leaders and taking their resources--culminating in a large-scale battle against their forces.While this is a solid way of gaining resources and improving your standing with a faction, the mechanics and implementation into Odyssey's general systems make it feel half-baked at best and pointless at worst. In some of the more bizarre cases, the game and its narrative don't seem to take Conquest seriously, especially when the main story has you helping a particular faction, despite the side content in the area actively hurting them. This in turn can create a jarring and noticeable feeling of dissonance throughout your adventures. The game often struggles to make sense of the actual war gameplay within the context of its core narrative, which is disappointing.When looking at Odyssey in the bigger picture, it can often feel like too much game for its own good. There are numerous moments where the loop of exploring, completing missions, and traveling can slow the pace significantly. This is exacerbated by the expansive map, which can sometimes feel excessively big and a chore to travel through. There are also some notable bugs and hitches that crop up throughout, including those that prevent progress in missions to outright crash the game. Several times throughout my journey, progression was somewhat exhausting, which made some of the more impactful and exciting moments in the story feel like a drag.Despite this, Assassin's Creed Odyssey's ambition is admirable, which is reflected in its rich attention to detail for the era and its approach to handling the multi-faceted narrative with strong protagonists at the lead. While its large-scale campaign--clocking in at over 50 hours--can occasionally be tiresome, and some features don't quite make the impact they should, Odyssey makes great strides in its massive and dynamic world, and it's a joy to venture out and leave your mark on its ever-changing setting.Info from Gamespot.com

Good news, PlayStation Plus subscribers. Although September's PS Plus games have gone back to regular price, you can now download October's free PS4, PS3, and PS Vita games from the PlayStation Store. As Sony revealed late last month, the free games are Friday the 13th: The Game and Laser League for PS4, The Bridge and Master Reboot for PS3, and Rocketbirds 2: Evolution and 2064: Read Only Memories for Vita. Between now and November 6, you can download the freebies here.Thanks to Cross Buy, you can play five of the six games on PS4. These include the online multiplayer game Friday the 13th, in which one player controls serial killer Jason Voorhees, who's tasked with hunting down hapless teens in various environments from the film series. The other players control the potential victims, who must escape with their lives to win. Laser League is also an online multiplayer game for PS4, but with considerably less gore.The PS3 puzzle game The Bridge is also playable on PS4, as are the two Vita games, the dual-stick shooter Rocketbirds 2: Evolution and the throwback adventure 2064: Read Only Memories. The one game that's not available on PS4 is the PS3 game Master Reboot, a first-person adventure game that's set in a digital afterlife. All of these titles will be available for free until November 6, when November's PS Plus games arrive.One additional game is also free for PS Plus members this month. It's Knowledge is Power, a trivia party game that supports up to six players who must enter their answers using the PlayLink app on a phone or tablet.PlayStation Plus Games for OctoberPS4Friday the 13th: The GameLaser LeagueThe Bridge (also on PS3 and Vita)Rocketbirds 2: Evolution (also on Vita)2064: Read Only Memories (also on Vita)PS3Master RebootThe Bridge (also on PS4 and Vita)PS VitaRocketbirds 2: Evolution (also on PS4)2064: Read Only Memories (also on PS4)The Bridge (also on PS3 and PS4)Info from Gamespot.com

In addition to the PlayStation Store's standard weekly PS4 game sale, Electronic Arts is having a publisher sale on the digital store this week. That means you'll find lots of PS4 games to pick up for cheap between now and October 9. And as usual, if you're a PlayStation Plus member, you'll get a bonus discount on some of the items. Let's look at a few of the highlights.If you like games from the '90s--or good games in general--you can get a pre-order discount on Castlevania Requiem: Symphony of the Night & Rondo of Blood. This spooky bundle launches October 26, but you'll save 15% if you lock down your copy right now (PS Plus members save 20%). Sports fans can also get a massive discount on NBA Live 19: The One Edition, which is 50% or 60% off, depending on your PS Plus status.If you're looking to spend as little as possible, you'll find a number of games on sale for under $10 each this week. Racing fans can pick up Need for Speed and Need for Speed Rivals for $7 apiece. The gorgeous platformer Fe and the open-world parkour game Mirror's Edge Catalyst are both on sale for the same price. Other cheap games include Peggle 2 Magical Masters Edition for $4.50 and Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 for $6.The Sims 4 is down to $30, with many of its expansions seeing similar price cuts. RPG enthusiasts can grab Mass Effect: Andromeda for $10.50 and Dragon Age: Inquisition - GotY Edition for $13 this week. If you've missed out on the recent shooters from a galaxy far away, you can pick up Star Wars Battlefield Ultimate Edition for $9 and Star Wars Battlefront II for $14.You'll find more discounts below, and you can see the full list of sale items here.Absolver -- $15Battlefield 1 -- $10Battlefield 1 Revolution -- $18Burnout Paradise Remastered -- $12Castlevania Requiem: Symphony of the Night & Rondo of Blood -- $17Dragon Age: Inquisition - GotY Edition -- $13Fe -- $7Knights of Pen and Paper +1 Deluxier Edition -- $12Mass Effect: Andromeda -- $10.50Mirror's Edge Catalyst -- $7NBA Live 19: The One Edition -- $30Need for Speed -- $7Need for Speed Payback -- $16Need for Speed Rivals -- $7Peggle 2 Magical Masters Edition -- $4.50Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 -- $6The Sims 4 -- $30Star Wars Battlefield Ultimate Edition -- $9Star Wars Battlefront II -- $14Titanfall 2: Ultimate Edition -- $12Unravel -- $12Unravel Two -- $12Info from Gamespot.com

Assassin's Creed Odyssey doesn't come out until October 5, but you can already secure yourself some nice in-game loot--if you're an Amazon / Twitch Prime member, that is. The giveaway is only available until launch day, Friday, October 5, so don't wait too long or you'll miss out.What you get is the Aegean Pirate Pack, which contains a rare armor set, pirate ship skin, pirate crew theme, and an Atoll horse mount. To get the freebies, head over to the Twitch Prime page, where you'll find every free game and loot pack you haven't unlocked yet. Also available now are four free PC games for October, along with in-game gear for PUBG, Overwatch, Rainbow Six Siege, and more.Assassin's Creed Odyssey brings players back to ancient Greece where, over dozens of hours, you can seduce lovers, slice through enemies, complete missions, and level up your character in true action-RPG fashion. In GameSpot's Assassin's Creed Odyssey review, Alessandro Fillari wrote, "Assassin's Creed Odyssey's ambition is admirable, which is reflected in its rich attention to detail for the era and its approach to handling the multi-faceted narrative with strong protagonists at the lead."The game is coming out in a number of special editions, some of which include physical collectibles like statues and an art book. In fact, the gold steelbook edition is already out and available to play. You can find a full rundown of your buying options in our Assassin's Creed Odyssey pre-order guide. And if you'd like some advice before you begin, check out these Assassin's Creed Odyssey tips, which can help you started on the right foot.If you're not an Amazon Prime member, you can sign up or start a 30-day free trial here. Then just link your Twitch account and you're good to go. In addition to free digital gaming content from Twitch, a Prime membership gets you free two-day shipping on many items from Amazon, as well as access to Prime Video and Prime Music.Info from Gamespot.com

One of the benefits you receive for subscribing to the Nintendo Switch Online service is access to a library of classic NES games, all of which support online play. 20 titles are currently available on the service, with Nintendo promising to add more to the library regularly. It turns out we won't have to wait too long for the first new batch of titles to arrive.Nintendo confirmed on Twitter that three more vintage games are coming to Nintendo Switch Online's NES library next week, on October 10: Solomon's Key, Super Dodge Ball, and NES Open Tournament Golf. All three titles will be available in each region.Solomon's Key is a puzzle game in which players control a wizard who can conjure up and remove blocks, and they must use that ability to collect the key in each room while avoiding enemies. Super Dodge Ball, as its name suggests, is an NES take on the sport, while NES Open is a spiritual precursor to the Mario Golf series.If you're a subscriber to the Nintendo Switch Online service, you'll be able to download the NES - Nintendo Switch Online app for free from the Eshop or Nintendo's website. More titles will be added to the library each month. In November, Nintendo will introduce Metroid, Mighty Bomb Jack, and TwinBee; in December, Wario's Woods, Ninja Gaiden, and Adventures of Lolo will be added.As previously mentioned, all NES games on the service support some form of online play, though in traditionally single-player titles like The Legend of Zelda, it's limited to screen sharing and "passing" control of the game back and forth. However, it might not be readily apparent how to set that up, so we've outlined how to play Switch's NES games online.Info from Gamespot.com

As the big video game release season ramps up, you might be tempted to pay full price for new titles. Nothing wrong with that, but you might as well get a little something extra as a bonus. This week's sale at GameStop offers some nice pre-order incentives, as well as savings on excellent games you might have missed. Let's take a look at the best PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch games on sale between now and October 10.GameStop has a few exclusive pre-order bonuses for some of the biggest upcoming games. Pre-order Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and you'll get a signature gun called Divinity, plus the opportunity to unlock Divine Justice by completing in-game challenges. Pre-order Kingdom Hearts III, and you'll get an exclusive fabric poster. You also get a poster for pre-ordering Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.Buying a three-month Xbox Live Gold subscription gets you a code for $10 of Xbox currency. If you have a system to trade in, you'll get 25% extra credit by doing so by October 7. And if you trade in one of these select games, you'll get a $20 discount on any new game or pre-order.In terms of specific game deals, RPG fans can pick up the recently released Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age for $50 or Persona 5 for $30. Anyone who wants a refresher on the complex plot of Kingdom Hearts before the third installment hits early next year can grab Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 Remix and Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue for $20 each. Or you can soar through the cosmos in the Xbox One version of No Man's Sky, which is on sale for $40.We have more deals listed below, or you can view GameStop's full weekly ad here.The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ -- $25Dark Rose Valkyrie -- $20Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age -- $50Gravel -- $20Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 Remix -- $20Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue -- $20Life is Strange: Before the Storm -- $10No Man's Sky (Xbox One) -- $40Onrush -- $30Persona 5 -- $30Pokemon Sun/Moon -- $20Sonic Forces -- $20 ($25 on Switch)Info from Gamespot.com

Halloween is approaching, and that means it's time to buy a costume. You might be going to a costume party, handing out candy, shopping for a kid, or just looking for some new duds to wear on the spookiest holiday of all. If you dabble in gaming, you might want to consider dressing up at a character from one of your favorite games. From Fortnite and Mario to Star Wars and Overwatch, we've gathered some of the best (and most ridiculous) video game character costumes of the season below. Let's get to it, shall we?FortniteFortnite is one of the most popular games on the planet right now, so you know costumer makers want in on the action. Sure enough, they're riding that wave of battle royale popularity by giving Fortnite players what they want: all kinds of silly costumes. From Beef Boss to Skull Trooper, you can take your pick from these selections.AdultsBeef Boss MaskCuddle Team Leader MaskFox MaskRexSkull TrooperKidsBright BomberCuddle Team LeaderFox MaskSkull TrooperNintendoYou can hardly find a more wholesome collection of games than Nintendo's first-party franchises like Mario and Zelda. Dressing up as Princess Peach, Link, or other characters from the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond is good fun for people of all ages.AdultsMarioMario on YoshiLuigiPrincess PeachKidsMarioLuigiBowserMario Riding YoshiMario KartLinkStar WarsStar Wars and video games have gone hand-in-hand practically since George Lucas first conceived of the sci-fi franchise. And with games like Star Wars Battlefront II and Respawn's upcoming Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, the relationship isn't likely to slow down anytime soon. Why not celebrate your fandom for the sci-fi franchise this Halloween by dressing up as your favorite character from the films?AdultsDarth VaderHan SoloKylo RenPrincess LeiaStorm Trooper (Men's)Storm Trooper (Women's)KidsDarth VaderHan SoloKylo RenStorm TrooperOverwatchOverwatch's in-game Halloween Terror event runs October 9-31, but you can celebrate your favorite characters outside of the game as well. All you have to do is buy a costume of your Overwatch main and wait for Halloween.AdultsD.VaHanzoReaperSombraTracerWidowmakerKidsD.VaGenjiReaperSoldier 76BatmanThe Dark Knight has a long history in video games dating all the way back to the pre-NES days. More recently, Rocksteady's Arkham series revitalized superhero video games in a big way, and Telltale's Batman adventure games offered a fresh take on the heroes and villains of Gotham. This Halloween, you can dress as your favorite character from DC's beloved comic property.AdultsBatmanCatwomanJokerPoison IvyKidsBatmanCatwomanJokerLego BatmanMisc.Overall, kids have a wider selection of video game-based costumes than adults. Here are some more from a variety of popular video games. (And before you ask, the T-rex above is definitely from Jurassic World Evolution.)AdultsT-RexSpider-ManKidsLego NinjagoMaster ChiefMinecraft CreeperMinecraft's StevePokemon's Ash KetchumPikachuSquirtleSpider-ManMortal Kombat's Sub ZeroSpider-ManInfo from Gamespot.com

Just as predicted, a new Nintendo Switch model is coming next year to help keep sales going strong. This is according to a report from The Wall Street Journal, which sources the information to suppliers and other people with "direct knowledge" of Nintendo's plans."Nintendo is still debating what new hardware and software features to include in the upgrade and weighing the cost of the features, people with knowledge of the discussions said," WSJ reported.One possibility is that Nintendo will improve the Switch's display with the update, sources said. As WSJ points out, the display on the current edition of the Switch lacks some of the tech found in modern smartphones. A new display could make the tablet smaller and more energy efficient.Sources told WSJ that the updated Switch model could launch as soon as summer 2019. It is expected and normal for platform holders to update their consoles over time in part due to new technology becoming viable and to drive interest and spur sales.WSJ reported in March that Nintendo would wait until 2019 or later to release the first Switch hardware revision, with the company instead focusing on beefing up the Switch's online features. That is precisely what happened, as Nintendo recently launched its Nintendo Switch Online paid membership.Importantly, the new Switch model does not appear to be a generational change like the one from Wii U to Switch, but instead a smaller-scale upgrade of components such as potentially the display and other elements. WSJ's report specifically states that the new Switch model will share "many features" with the original model and play existing games.Back in January, Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima teased that the Switch will have a longer lifecycle than previous Nintendo consoles. "Up until now, the hardware lifecycle has trended at around five or six years, but it would be very interesting if we could prolong that life cycle, and I think you should be looking forward to that," he said.As of June 30, Nintendo has sold 19.67 million Switch units and 86.93 million games worldwide.One of the Switch's next big games is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which launches in early December and is sure to be a big-time system-seller.Info from Gamespot.com

If you enjoy digital entertainment made by Capcom--we're talking series like Mega Man, Monster Hunter, Resident Evil, and the like--then you'll want to take a look at these deals. Right now, Fanatical is running a Capcom publisher sale that sees prices dropped up to 80% on tons of Capcom PC games. The games come in the form of Steam codes, and the sale ends on October 7. Let's pick out some of the best deals.With Mega Man 11 having just launched, it's no surprise to see this long-running series of action platformers get the discount treatment. The new game is already 20% off ($48), and you can get the rest of the core series with Mega Man Legacy Collection and Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 for just $16 total. The Mega Man X Legacy Collection games are down to $16 each as well.The Resident Evil series is on sale for cheap as well, with Resident Evil 7 ringing in at $17.40 and the previous games for much cheaper than that. You can even get a 20% discount by pre-ordering the upcoming Resident Evil 2 Remaster right now, bringing it down to $48.Fighting game fans can grab Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition for $27 or Street Fighter: 30th Anniversary Collection for $23. And if you're looking forward to next year's release of Devil May Cry 5, you can catch up on the series with Devil May Cry HD Collection for $17.40 and Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition for $10.You'll find more Capcom PC game deals below, or you can head over to Fanatical to view the full sale.Bionic Commando: Rearmed -- $2Devil May Cry HD Collection -- $17.40Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition -- $10DuckTales: Remastered -- $5Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite -- $18Mega Man Legacy Collection -- $5Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 -- $11Mega Man X Legacy Collection -- $16Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 -- $16Mega Man 11 -- $29Okami -- $12Monster Hunter World -- $47Resident Evil 4 -- $5Resident Evil 5 -- $5Resident Evil 6 -- $7Resident Evil 7 -- $17.40Resident Evil 2 Remaster (pre-order) -- $48Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition -- $27Street Fighter: 30th Anniversary Collection -- $23Info from Gamespot.com

Here's some good news for bargain-hunting PC gamers: You can download a free game on Steam right now, and it's yours to keep and play forever. The game is Orwell: Keeping an Eye on You, and it's only free for today, October 4. You can add it to your account here.As its title suggests, Orwell: Keeping an Eye on You is set in a surveillance state similar to the one depicted in George Orwell's classic novel 1984. The Party, as the authoritarian government is called, has created a surveillance system called Orwell that tracks citizens' social media posts, private communications, and other information. You play as a government employee tasked with sifting through people's data to find anything suspicious.A bomb goes off in a park on your first day on the job, so you set about trying to find who's responsible. To do that, you use Orwell to look at people's blog posts, bank accounts, emails, and other data. The game is episodic, so the story plays out across five chapters.In GameSpot's Orwell review, James O'Connor particularly praised the writing and the characters you get to know by looking at their data. He wrote, "Orwell is a hard experience to pull back from, even as the dirtiness of your job sinks in. It uses simple mechanics to tell a complex and engaging story, one that feels particularly relevant right now. This is a game where your choices matter and resonate, and which will leave you with plenty to think about once it's over."A sequel, Orwell: Ignorance is Strength, came out earlier this year. You can purchase it on sale here for 40% off ($6 / £4.31) until October 8.Info from Gamespot.com