Month: October 2018

More than anything, Diablo 3: Eternal Collection proves just how well Blizzard’s action-RPG has aged. Six years after its original release, the dungeon crawler remains as rewarding as ever, and despite a few technical concessions, it has found yet another welcoming home on Nintendo’s portable console.

For those unfamiliar with Blizzard’s 2012 loot fest, Diablo 3 places you in the shoes of a superpowered demon-slayer in a hellish, gothic world. You explore five disparate regions from a top-down view, upgrading your character and earning new loot as you battle the lords of the underworld and their monstrous swarms.

With the Eternal Collection, Diablo 3 includes every expansion, every character, every quality-of-life improvement the RPG has ever added. One of the more notable options is the ability to play Adventure Mode right from the start, eliminating the need to slog through the slower-paced story out of necessity.

Of course, in coming to Nintendo Switch, Diablo 3 has also become a portable game. And it works. It works incredibly well.

In fact, I can think of few games better suited for a handheld port. So much of Diablo 3 plays best in short bursts, from the 10-minute chase for that next legendary item, to the satisfying flow of a challenge rift. I completed bounties on my way to work and organized my inventory on the way back. Of the 50 hours I spent with Diablo 3 on Switch, about half of them played out in handheld mode. It’s another testament to the novelty of Nintendo’s console, yes, but also the elegance of Diablo 3’s design.

Movement still feels natural on the analog sticks–whether you’re playing with the Joy-Cons or Pro controller–and custom controls make it easy to maximize your character build at any time. As was the case with Diablo 3’s previous jump to PS4 and Xbox One, the mechanical leap to Switch is painless and fluid. It’s just as easy to rely on muscle memory while you focus on the kaleidoscopic display of magic and fire. To paraphrase the designer Don Norman: good design is invisible.

When it comes to visual fidelity, Blizzard ensured that Diablo 3 on Switch runs at 60 frames across the board–aside from rare occasions when elemental effects didn’t animate, the Eternal Collection is remarkably clean. Even during high-level challenge rifts, with hundreds of demons covering the screen, the dungeon crawler maintained a smooth and steady pace. The framerate is equally stable in handheld mode, and crunching those mobs is just as satisfying as it’s ever been.

The Eternal Collection’s resolution, on the other hand, is a bit more muddled. In the Switch’s docked mode, Diablo 3 looks aggressively fine, or at least, as good as any other isometric game released in 2012. In handheld mode’s 720p resolution, however, things get cloudier. I mean that both literally and metaphorically. In Diablo 3’s darker areas–of which there are many–I have to crank my console’s brightness all the way in order to really see what is going on. Even then, there’s a slight haze over everything, making character models look more like mirages than actual figures. Handheld mode’s jagged edges and foggy panoramas aren’t massive flaws by any means, but after playing for long periods in docked mode, they tend to stand out.

What they don’t do, however, is detract from Diablo’s thrilling combat. And of course, in true series tradition, that combat is often more thrilling with a friend or two.

Few cooperative experiences compare to a Monk, Demon Hunter, Barbarian, and Wizard working in concert to whittle down mobs down little by little, one demon at a time. It’s a special thrill to see my character build factor into a larger group, and an even better one to see how that group dynamic changes how I play. I’m still mainly focused on killing every enemy possible, but I’m also thinking about tanking with my Crusader, or healing with my Monk, or littering the screen with corpses to give my Necromancer ally more ammunition.

As with previous console iterations of Diablo 3, The Eternal Collection allows for up to four players on one console at a time. Item management is less satisfying in this scenario, as you’re either quick-equipping new loot without appreciating its subtleties, or pausing the game for the entire party just so you can boost your damage by 100 points. The radial menus are also still as imprecise as ever, but I’m hard-pressed to think of a better solution without a mouse and keyboard.

I came into the Eternal Edition expecting a eulogy for one of my favorite games. Instead, I stumbled upon a celebration.

And although Diablo 3 on Switch gives you the option to use Joy-Cons as individual controllers, be warned: It’s counterintuitive and cumbersome, with poor button-mapping and an overreliance on motion controls. Blizzard did the best it could with what the Joy-Con offers, but when in doubt, stick to the Pro controller or the dual Joy-Con rig.

The Eternal Collection brings the additional ease of playing via LAN connection on each player’s respective Switch. It’s helpful to have the camera focused solely on your character, especially in Diablo 3’s more hectic moments. But I still couldn’t help preferring local co-op. There’s something novel–even nostalgic–about playing on the same screen, watching the same chaos unfold as the person next to you. Diablo 3 on Switch allows for several methods of playing with friends, and whatever your preference, the experience still holds up.

Like the best games, Diablo 3 has gotten better with time. And despite a few setbacks, the Switch is now my preferred home for the extraordinary RPG. It includes every major improvement Blizzard made to the formula, with the added handheld versatility every Switch port offers.

Diablo 3 is a game about long term goals accomplished in short, thrilling bursts. It’s rewarding and subtle. It’s flashy and boisterous. I have spent six years enjoying it, and will likely spend six years more. As far as video games go, that’s a long time–I came into the Eternal Collection expecting a eulogy for one of my favorite games. Instead, I stumbled upon a celebration.

If you’re going to survive in Red Dead Redemption 2‘s world, you’re going to need cash. Previously we’ve highlighted several ways to earn money relatively quickly by working many of the game’s core systems and mechanics, but there exists a secret method that can give a significant bump to your wallet without much effort.

The method in question is none other than the Poisonous Trail treasure map side mission, which by its end rewards you with four gold bars that equate to about $2,000 when sold. As you explore, you’ll often find treasure maps that lead you to all manner of valuable items, but none are as lucrative as the Poisonous Trail maps, which you can complete early on. Of course, if you’re more into cheating the system, you can try out this newly discovered glitch that can net you 30 gold bars. But we all know that’s nowhere near as fun!

Below are directions leading you to all the treasure maps in the Poisonous Trail side mission. We’ve also included screenshots to aid you in your journey. It’s worth noting that you cannot simply head to the final location to cash in on the gold. You need to find every single treasure map first before the gold appears in its associated location.

If this guide was helpful to you, be sure to check out our features highlighting all the tips you should know before playing and things the game doesn’t tell you. We also have guides on more specific subjects, like top horse breeds and fishing. Though, if you want to have some extra fun instead, be sure to read our feature detailing the game’s cheat codes.

Treasure Map 1: Cairn Lake Cabin

The first map is found at Cairn Lake, which is located north of Valentine up in the mountains. It’s snowy up there, so make sure to bring a thick jacket with you before heading up that direction. If you’ve triggered “The Noblest of Men, and a Woman” Stranger mission, you’ll notice that this is the exact location of legendary gunslinger Flaco Hernandez.

Once you make it to Cairn Lake, you should find a small abandoned cabin–the one that Hernandez is staying in. Approach the bed to the right and uncover the lock box underneath it, which holds the first treasure map along some extra valuables.

Treasure Map 2: Face Rock and an Unassuming Tree Trunk

The first treasure map is attempting to clue you in on a location with a rock that seemingly resembles a face. If you haven’t spent much time exploring, this natural formation may seem a mystery to you. Fortunately, we know exactly where it is. Simply proceed down to the Lemoyne region, which is located just South of New Hanover. You can find the rock just north of the “E” in “Scarlett” on the map; check the screenshot in the gallery above for visual clarification.

You’ll spot Face Rock on a hill. To find the map, go past the tree directly next to Face Rock. You’ll want to run further back to the hill’s rear where there’s a thin tree trunk right beside a fallen tree. The map is located in this thin tree trunk.

Final Treasure Map: The Mysterious Snake Mound

The second treasure map has you searching for a snake-like land formation. Yet again, an oddity that you’re likely to have missed if you haven’t spent significant time taking note of every curiosity out in the world. This bizarre mound is located southeast of Van Horn, a reasonable distance south of the “R” in “New Hanover” on the map.

As the treasure map indicates, you’re going to want to search for a pile of rocks near the snake-like mound. It’s pretty easy to spot as it’s literally just a clumped-up pile of rocks with a hole at the center. Search the hole to find the final treasure map. Onward to the treasure!

The Treasure: Gold! Gold! Gold!

The final treasure map points to a waterfall and what appears to be a pathway in a cave. You’ll find this waterfall at the Elysian Pond, which is located directly northeast of the “E” in “Hanover” on the map. When you arrive, walk through the waterfall to discover the entrance of a hidden cave.

It’s dark in the cave, so bust out your lantern. Proceed through the cave until you find a section in the path where you can drop down. When you land, proceed through the crawl space on the right, which will lead you to the fork in the road pictured on the map. Take the right path, but before you do hug right to find a makeshift camp with a lockbox containing a Large Jewelry Bag.

Continue the path forward until you reach what appears to be a pit into certain doom. Instead of falling to your death, proceed left until you reach another edge. If you look closely, your lantern will illuminate some solid ground below that you can land on. But take a few steps back; you’re going to want a running start in order to make this jump. If you’re acrobatics are sufficient, head down the slope to the left. You’ll slip down into some water; once you gain your balance, look to your left for a rock platform to climb up. Search this area and you’ll be rewarded with four bars of gold.

If this is the first time you’ve obtained gold, know that you can sell them at Fences for direct profit. Though, if you’re feeling particularly generous, it’s possible to donate it directly to your camp.

During an event today Apple announced a new iPad Pro model, and it apparently is incredibly powerful. Vice president of hardware engineering John Ternus maked the claim at one point that it’s as graphically powerful as the Xbox One S. The system boasts a new A12X Bionic chip that Apple claims delivers “2X faster graphics.” It has an eight-core CPU and seven core GPU.

“To put it another way, the iPad Pro delivers Xbox One S-class graphics performance in a product that’s 94 percent smaller. And there’s no AC cord required.”

Ternus said the new iPad Pro represents the “biggest change” to the family of devices since it was introduced. He said this new model is the one Apple engineers dreamed about making from the beginning.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer responded to Apple’s claim, saying he enjoyed Apple’s reference during their presentation. He added that the device, with its new, better graphical capabilities, should make for better cross-play matches between Xbox and iPad for games that support it.

The new iPad Pro is priced at $799 (£769, AU$1,229) for the 11-inch model and $999 (£969, AU$1,529) for the 12.9-inch edition. For lots more on the device and its capabilities, as well as all of Apple’s announcement today, go to GameSpot sister site CNET.

Action movie fans have long known to look to Southeast Asia for the most exciting examples of the genre. The success of 2011’s The Raid: Redemption and its 2014 sequel The Raid 2 revealed that there is a wealth of talent in Indonesia, and the new Netflix release, The Night Comes For Us, raises the stakes even higher. It’s directed by Timo Tjahjanto, a filmmaker who collaborated with Raid director Gareth Evans on the terrifying Safe Haven, part of 2013’s anthology film V/H/S 2, and has previously worked in both horror and action. It takes several stars from the Raid movies and places them in an even more insanely violent context. You won’t see a more brutal action movie this year, and providing your tolerance for broken limbs and spraying arteries is high, you’re unlikely to see a better one either.

Like most movies of this type, the plot is extremely simple. Joe Taslim plays Ito, a gangster who is part of an elite group known as the Six Seas, whose job it is to enforce the smooth running of organised crime within the Golden Triangle, the area that borders Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar. But Ito is pushed too far when he is asked to murder a young girl, so he takes the girl and goes on the run, reconnecting with his old gang. Inevitably, his former bosses want both Ito and the girl dead, so they send a seemingly never-ending army of heavily armed killers after them, including Ito’s old friend Arian (The Raid’s breakout star, Iko Uwais).

The story of a former killer seeking redemption and being hunted by his old employers is nothing new; most recently, we’ve seen Keanu Reeves play this role in the John Wick movies. But what makes The Night Comes For Us stand out is the sheer level of intense, bloody action that Tjahjanto unleashes. It’s ostensibly a martial arts movie–while there is some gunplay, most of the fighting is hand-to-hand (or knife-to-throat) combat in small spaces. But this is a world away from the stylised kung fu of Wuxia or Jackie Chan movies. Taslim, Uwais, and the other actors (including The Raid 2‘s Hammer Girl, Julie Estelle) might be unbelievably skilled martial artists, but they also sell the brutality of this fighting, as limbs are snapped, throats are cut, and heads are crushed.

The Night Comes For Us is two hours long, and in lesser hands, the frequency and intensity of the action might become boring. But Tjahjanto understands exactly how to pace the movie. He’s careful not to give us too much too soon, introducing the characters and their relationships first, as Ito rejoins his old friends and we learn of his old rivalry with Arian. When the action does explode, Tjahjanto is equally careful never to give us the same scene twice, whether it’s the grisly fight scene in a butcher’s shop, the sequence in which Ito’s gang face down dozens of machete-wielding bad guys in a cramped apartment, or the showdown between Estelle’s mysterious assassin and the two deadliest members of the Six Seas. The sheer range of weaponry employed is also impressive–there’s guns and knives, but also saws, bones, wires, wine glasses, nails, and pool balls. Basically, if you can hold it, you can kill someone with it.

It’s refreshing to watch a modern action movie that doesn’t feel the need to bombard us with fast editing; Tjahjanto lets us enjoy the skill of his performers and only cuts to a new shot when he needs to crank the excitement even further. The film doesn’t have the gliding camerawork of many Asian action movies; much of it is handheld, ensuring we get up close to the mayhem. Uwais might have the second billing in the cast, but he and his stunt team were responsible for the film’s insanely dangerous-looking stunt choreography, and this, combined with Tjahjanto’s experience in the horror genre and obvious love of gore, results in a movie that will satisfy fans of both genres.

Beyond the violence–and let’s face it, there’s not that much beyond it–the plot is no more than competently told and acted. Uwais and Taslim are not subtle actors, but they have plenty of screen charisma and fully commit to their roles. There are the expected twists and double-crosses, some clichéd villains, and characters whose motivations are left deliberately vague (Tjahjanto is planning another two movies). And ultimately, viewers who like their action movies funnier, slicker, and less gory might find this one a bit much. But for those who want an action movie that pushes the genre and delivers some of the most jaw-droppingly violent fight scenes ever filmed, The Night Comes For Us more than delivers the bloody goods.

EA has announced that Respawn–the developer behind the critically acclaimed first-person shooter Titanfall 2–is scheduled to launch multiple games prior to the end of 2019. Neither EA nor Respawn has confirmed what those games might be.

The announcement came about during a quarterly earnings call, when EA CEO Andrew Wilson stated, “Across multiple studies, we have new projects underway, including games from Respawn that are slated to launch by next holiday season.” Respawn is currently working on three titles, so Wilson’s reference to “games” as opposed to just “a game” implies at least two are coming out next year. As of right now, Respawn is working on Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, another Titanfall game, and an unnamed VR title.

Details concerning all three games are fairly vague, but Respawn CEO Vince Zampella was able to confirm a few details about Jedi Fallen Order at E3 2018–including that the game is scheduled for 2019’s holiday season. So it’s safe to say that Jedi Fallen Order is one of the games in question, but whether Respawn is also close to finishing its third Titanfall game, the unnamed VR title, or both remains unknown.

Zampella has spoken to GameSpot about Titanfall before, admitting that Titanfall 2’s sales should have been much better and citing the game’s launch window between Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare as a serious detriment. With that being the case, it would be a little odd for EA to have Respawn launch another Titanfall game during the normally busy holiday season. So if the next Titanfall is coming out in 2019, we imagine it would be coming out earlier in the year. But we’ll have to wait and see.

Although it’s not much, we do have a bit more info about Jedi Fallen Order. The game takes place between the events of Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope and puts players in the role of a Jedi Padawan who escaped Order 66. Zampella describes the game as taking place during one of Star Wars’ darkest periods, and promises players will be able to use a lightsaber.

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