In a presentation given during GDC 2019, God of War director Cory Barlog revealed how he actively approached the game as a continuation rather than a reboot, that the game’s script had been rewritten after a year of work, and how he continuously pitched the game during the course of development.
Before writing the game, Barlog wanted to establish that SIE Santa Monica wasn’t rebooting the series, but expanding upon it. He compared the mythologies that exist in God of War to “galaxies spread throughout a complete universe,” saying they all “exist together concurrently, and they are simply separated by geography.” Using that as a basis, he had to figure out how to describe this game, wanting to stay away from calling it a reboot.
Week 4 of Fortnite Season 8 has arrived, and with it a new batch of challenges to complete across PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices. Clear this week’s challenges and you’ll earn more Battle Stars, leveling your Battle Pass up and bringing you another step closer to unlocking Season 8’s new skins and rewards. But there’s another good reason to complete all of the tasks; doing so will also clear one of this season’s Discovery challenges, earning you a special loading screen that points to a free Battle Star or Banner hiding somewhere around the island.
Which of those two items you’ll be able to find depends on which loading screen you’ve unlocked, which in turn is determined by how many weekly sets of challenges you’ve completed this season. If you’ve finished four weeks’ worth of them, you’ll receive the loading screen pictured below. This one features a regal Peely being carried up the volcano while a procession of lowlier bananas trails behind. Look closely at the background, however, and you’ll be able to spot a Banner hanging from one of the torches lining the path.
That torch marks the spot where this week’s free Banner will appear, and it’s fortunately very easy to get to. The quickest way to find it is to glide toward the volcano at the beginning of a match. As you can see on the map below, the torch is along the patch leading to the mouth of the volcano. Make your way to it and the Banner will pop up as you approach. Collect it just as you would any other item then finish the match and the Banner will be yours to use as a new profile icon.
If you need another look at where the Banner is hiding, you can watch us collect it in the video at the top of this guide. However, like other secret Banners and Battle Stars, the item will only appear if you’ve completed enough challenges and unlocked the Peely loading screen; you won’t be able to simply go to the right location and expect to find the Banner unless you’ve fulfilled all the necessary steps.
If you need help completing any of this season’s previous challenges, you can find more tips and guides in our full Season 8 challenges roundup. In other Fortnite news, Epic has recently rolled out the game’s 8.11 update, which introduced a new weapon–the Flint-Knock Pistol–and unvaulted the Impulse Grenade. The patch also adjusted the spawn rater for the Baller–this season’s new vehicle. You can read the full patch notes here.
In Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, From Software takes a step away from the stamina-focused action RPG gameplay it popularized with Demon’s Souls, the Dark Souls trilogy, and Bloodborne. If you think your experience with the Soulsborne games is going to make your journey in Sekiro an easy one, think again.
There are plenty of similar themes to be sure. Even though Sekiro takes place in a more realistic setting in comparison to the likes of Lodran or Yharnam, Ashina is still a society on the edge of complete collapse and home to a host of nightmarish monsters and god-like figures. The playable protagonist, Wolf, is also a stoic, undying figure, whose ability to return from the dead is the only reason he’s able to overcome the powerful enemies he encounters.
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The similarities pretty much end there, though. Combat in Sekiro is focused on posture instead of stamina, for example, so now deflecting enemy strikes is the ideal path to success. New attacks are unlocked via experience as opposed to weapons found as well. There are plenty of other differences–you can even swim in Sekiro. From Software has crafted a completely different game, and it can all be a little overwhelming to get a grasp on it all. Especially since, without any co-op multiplayer, you’ll have to take on most of the game alone.
If you’re struggling in your journey across Ashina and need a little help, read through our collection of guides. We’ve got most of the early game covered, from the prosthetic upgrades you want to find first to the cure for Dragonrot. We’ll update this hub of information with additional guides as we create them, so be sure to check back on GameSpot whenever you run into a seemingly insurmountable hurdle in Sekiro.
In our Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice review-in-progress, Tamoor Hussain gave the game a 9/10, complementing the game’s “exhilarating combat,” intricate environments that “reward exploration,” and satisfying stealth mechanics “that encourage you to observe and strategize.”
Capcom has released a number of updates for Monster Hunter World since it launched last year. Most notably, Dante, Geralt of Rivia, and even Street Fighter’s Ryu have found their way into the game’s expansive world. Ahead of the major Iceborne expansion’s launch this fall, Capcom is planning to release an update that introduces graphical changes to the PC version of the game.
The news comes via a message on Steam. The update, scheduled to go live on April 4, will include a new high-resolution texture pack, and will be available as free DLC through the Steam store. Hunters must make room for 40GB of data on their hard drive and have at least 8GB of VRAM installed to accommodate. Further system requirements will be outlined after the update.
Also in the update is a new “TAA+FXAA” (temporal anti-aliasing and fast approximate anti-aliasing, respectively) option, which will be added to the Advanced Graphics Settings menu. Additionally, when selecting the “Take All” option, all items will display at the rewards screen upon quest completion. Hunters using the “Focus Camera” option should notice smoother, more precise mouse controls. “Friends Can Join” will be included in the Private Session Settings, and, finally, the update will include bug fixes related to localization and more, though Capcom hasn’t specified what other bugs will be ironed out.
Check the full list of updates coming to Monster Hunter World below.
Major New Features/Design Changes:
Added support for High-Resolution Texture Pack DLC.
You can change to high-resolution in-game textures by downloading this pack as free DLC from the Steam store.
Note: The High-Resolution Texture Pack requires at least 40GB of free space and 8GB of graphics memory (VRAM). We will provide more detailed information on the system requirements after the update.
Added a “TAA+FXAA” option to Anti-Aliasing in the Advanced Graphics Settings.
When selecting “Take All” at the rewards screen after completing a quest, a list of all items received will now be displayed.
Added a new mouse control type that is less sensitive to unintentional movement when controlling the Focus Camera with the mouse.
Added a “Friends Can Join” option to the Private Session Settings.
Various bug fixes, including localization-related issues.
In our Monster Hunter World review, Ginny Woo said that the “Monster Hunter formula has definitely honed its claws, [making] Monster Hunter World a meaningful evolution for the series at large.”
EA DICE has revealed the 2019 content roadmap for Battlefield V. The first piece of content drops next week, while the rest is scheduled for the summer and fall. All of the content is free across Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
On March 25, Chapter 3: Trial By Fire begins in Battlefield V. Firestorm, the game’s battle royale mode, launches day one, with additional Combined Arms challenges coming in April and a new multiplayer game mode, called Outpost, coming in June.
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Firestorm is the major piece of new content releasing as part of Trial By Fire. The battle royale mode plays similarly to other games in the genre, but Battlefield V changes up the formula by putting an emphasis on vehicles and including destructible environments. The zone wall is also an encroaching wall of flame that burns down everything in its path.
Chapter 4: Defying the Odds is scheduled for June. The new chapter adds a multiplayer map called Marita and a new multiplayer mode that pits two teams of five against each other in a tight space. In Fall 2019, Chapter 5: Awakening the Giant launches and adds even more content to the game. EA hasn’t announced exact details for this fifth chapter, promising to reveal more at a later date.
In our Battlefield V review, Michael Higham gave the game an 8/10, writing, “The Battlefield series has a winning formula that Battlefield V doesn’t deviate far from, at least for now,” he wrote. “Conquest and the map roster don’t mesh well together, however, Grand Operations–and the other modes within it–steal the show and foster some of the greatest moments the franchise has offered. You might be surprised by the impact of the slight changes made for this entry, especially when you’re deep into pushing or defending objectives in Frontlines alongside teammates fulfilling their roles. That’s when Battlefield V is at its best.”
Alan Wake and Quantum Break developer Remedy has confirmed the release date of its newest project, Control. The action-adventure title will launch for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on August 27.
Remedy confirmed the news to Eurogamer following rumors sparked by a leaked Xbox Store listing. The game was first revealed at E3 2018, where it quickly became one of our most anticipated games.
Control stars Jesse Faden, a woman with supernatural abilities. At the game’s start, Jesse breaks into the Federal Bureau of Control–a fictional government agency that researches ways to explain and exploit paranormal phenomenon–in order to discover the truth about the origin of her powers. Her infiltration, however, runs into a snag, and she’s suddenly thrust into a fight to protect the Bureau as its new director.
Jesse’s powerful supernatural abilities allow her to wield telekinesis to rip apart the environment, or lift herself up and fly through the air. She can also seize the minds of others, bending them to her will and forcing them to fight alongside her.
Game director Mikael Kasurinen compared the atmosphere of Control to the 2018 movie Annihilation, while Remedy creative director Sam Lake loves that Control gives him the freedom to be weird again. For more, check out some Control gameplay from E3 2018 above.
The Final Fantasy Fan Festival 2019 is taking place this weekend in Tokyo, and some news about Final Fantasy XIV is expected. The event kicks off with a keynote address featuring none other than game director Naoki Yoshida speaking to the crowd at the Makuhari Messe in Tokyo and broadcast online around the world. According to Square Enix, you can expect Yoshida to talk about “new announcements” for the game’s next expansion, Shadowbringers, which is due out this year.
The keynote begins March 23 at 10:30 AM JST, which works out to 6:30 PM PT / 9:30 PM ET. You can watch the stream live from the official Final Fantasy XIV Twitch channel in Japanese or with English commentary on the official Square Enix Twitch channel. The commentary will be handled by Final Fantasy XIV’s Michael-Christopher Koji Fox and community director Matt Hilton. They won’t translate in real-time but instead go over and discuss the key takeaways.
The Fan Festival 2019 runs March 23-24, and there is heaps more programming that you can watch. This includes another segment with Naoki called “Naoki’s Room” where he invites special guests to the stage to talk about things that “don’t quite fit anywhere else.” Some of the guests include various voice actors, as well as executive producer and member of the board Yosuke Saito.
There will also be a cosplay contest, where fans will show off their best outfits based on Final Fantasy characters.
Some of the Day 2 programming includes a “Letter From the Producer” segment where Yoshida talks about new details about Final Fantasy XIV as well as a development panel where developers will provide a behind-the-scenes look at how the game is made.
Be sure to visit the Final Fantasy XIV website to see a full rundown of programming for the Fan Festival. GameSpot is on the ground in Tokyo for Fan Festival, so keep checking back all weekend for more coverage from the event.
Disclosure: Square Enix paid for GameSpot’s flight to Tokyo and accomodation.
