Month: June 2020

One Piece: The 8 Best Fights in the First 130 Episodes

One Piece is finally on Netflix! Or at least, the first 130 episodes anyway. Compared to any other anime, that may seem like a lot, but for One Piece, that only scratches the surface, covering just the first two major arcs of the series and a couple of smaller ones here and there.

There are a ton of important moments nestled in those first 130 episodes, but today we’re looking specifically at the best fights. So, with that said, here are our picks for the best One Piece fights up to the end of the Alabasta arc.

Slight spoilers ahead!

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8. Luffy vs Don Krieg

8 Luffy vs KriegThe climactic final battle of the short but sweet Baratie arc featured an equally short but sweet battle between Luffy and the seemingly impervious Don Krieg. While Don Krieg is pretty bottom of the barrel as far as One Piece villains go, this fight is still memorable for two main reasons: 1. It firmly established Luffy’s tendency to recklessly attack regardless of the potential harm to himself (see Luffy punching a cape of spikes in order to crush Krieg’s face). And 2. It shows Luffy’s unshakeable willpower and persistence that led to him shattering Krieg’s armor.

7. Luffy vs Captain Kuro

7 KuroKuro was Luffy’s first real adversary, and as such, Luffy was never really pushed to any sort of limit like he normally is, but what makes this fight great is how Luffy finally turns up the intensity once he sees Kuro indiscriminately tearing up his own crew. One of the main reasons why fights in One Piece are so great is because as much as they are about the action, they’re often more so about the emotions brought forth from the action. This was one of the first times we get to see Luffy drop his cheerful happy-go-lucky demeanor and get down to business, which is what makes this fight stand out.

6. Sanji vs Bon Clay

Sanji vs Bon ClaySanji vs Bon Clay is great because it’s a battle of contrasting personalities, but very similar fighting styles. Both Sanji and Mr. 2 are hand-to-hand (or more specifically foot-to-foot) combat experts, which leads to what is probably the closest One Piece ever gets to a straight-up martial arts fight, which is still admittedly not very close at all. However, this fight is nonetheless great because of its balance between humor and action. Bon Clay is hilarious in general, but pairing him up with Sanji and having him use his power to put on Nami’s face in order to essentially turn Sanji into a love-struck Looney Tunes character is perfect.

5. Zoro vs Mihawk

5 Zoro vs MihawkThis fight is noteworthy more so for it being a character-defining moment for Zoro than the actual fight itself. Zoro’s ultimate goal is to become the world’s greatest swordsman, and wouldn’t you know it, early on in his adventure he actually runs into the man who currently holds that title: Dracule Mihawk. Zoro challenges Mihawk to a duel and is absolutely humiliated when Mihawk defeats him using a weapon he believes accurately represents Zoro’s current strength level: a tiny dagger. Despite Zoro’s lack of strength, Mihawk respects his will and does Zoro the honor of leaving him a gigantic scar with his trusty Black Sword. It’s a loss that’s permanently etched not only in Zoro’s mind, but his body as well.

4. Usopp and Chopper vs Ms. Merry Christmas and Mr. 4

UsoppFew anime series are able to match One Piece in terms of its ability to put on extremely entertaining unconventional fights, and as far as those unconventional fights go, Usopp and Chopper vs Ms. Merry Christmas and Mr. 4 is up there with the best of them. This fight is just such a great show of how Usopp’s ingenuity makes up for his lack of physical strength. It’s funny, it’s brutal to watch at times, and most importantly, it helps to firmly establish one of the best friendships in all of One Piece: that of Usopp and Chopper.

3. Zoro vs Daz Bonez

Zoro Mr 1For the most part, Zoro gets the heck beaten out of him throughout this fight. Daz Bones, aka Mr. 1, seems like the rare opponent that Zoro would stand no chance against. Zoro, of course, only uses swords to attack, while Daz Bones is able to literally turn his whole body into steel, making him virtually impervious to swords. Which is one of the reasons why this fight is so great. It represents a turning point for Zoro. His own “Super Saiyan” moment, so to speak, where he’s finally able to push past his limits, allowing him to finally cut through steel. After taking an absurd amount of abuse, Zoro stands up, calmly reminds us of how much of a badass he is by letting Mr. 1 know that he won’t be taking anymore of his attacks, and then proceeds to execute what is one of the coolest one-hit-knock-outs of the whole series: his Shishi Son Son technique.

2. Luffy vs Arlong

Luffy ArlongForget the first 130 episodes, Luffy vs Arlong is quite simply one of the best fights in all of One Piece. Arlong is one of the most despicable villains in the series, and all throughout the Arlong Park arc, we’re just waiting for that moment where Luffy’s finally able to get his hands on him. And once he does, it doesn’t disappoint. The bulk of the fight itself is great, but what really seals the deal and makes it unforgettable is the final moment where Luffy not only stomps Arlong’s head into the ground, but brings Arlong’s entire castle along with it, symbolizing the destruction of Nami’s traumatic past and releasing her from his grasp for good.

1. Luffy vs Crocodile 3

Luffy vs CrocLike Arlong, Crocodile is another one of those villains that you’re just waiting for Luffy to finally beat the crap out of. Unlike Arlong though, it actually took Luffy three tries to finally prevail, which made this moment all the sweeter. There’s just something inherently badass about Luffy coating his punches with his own blood in order to deal damage to Crocodile, but beyond that, this fight is just filled to the brim with excellent shots of Luffy beating the hell out of Crocodile, culminating in one of the most iconic moments of the whole series, where Luffy punches Crocodile through the ceiling with a Gomu Gomu no Storm, all to the tune of Dvorak’s New Age Symphony.

What’s your favorite fight in One Piece? Let’s discuss in the comments. And be sure to also check out the Best Anime Series on Netflix Right Now!

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Every PS5 Game Confirmed So Far

Sony’s Future of Gaming PS5 reveal event brought with it a lot of new game announcements, including Horizon: Forbidden West, Gran Turismo 7, and Spider-Man: Miles Morales. And that’s just the first-party exclusives! In a new video, Jess rounds up all of the PS5 games announced so far–and there are plenty to know about and getting excited for.

In addition to the Horizon sequel, Gran Turismo 7, and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Sony is working on a new Sackboy game, called Big Adventure, along with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. On the third-party side, Rockstar is bringing GTA V to PS5, while you can also expect to play Fortnite on your shiny new PlayStation 5. This is just the tip of the iceberg as it relates to newly announced PS5 games, so be sure to watch the full video to get up to speed on everything.

There have been fairly confident murmurings that games including Battlefield 6, Cyberpunk 2077, Warframe, and others are making their way to next-gen, but we’re yet to get an official announcement on any of those games as yet. Stay tuned to GameSpot and you’ll know everything you’ll be able to play on your shiny new console of choice as soon as we do.

Valorant Review – For Your Tactical Consideration

Think Counter-Strike with hero elements. That’s the elevator pitch for Valorant, Riot Games’ debut on the competitive first-person shooter scene. I say that not to disparage Valorant, though. In fact, that’s what I love most about it, especially since it executes on the formula extremely well. Valorant thrives because of tight, tactical gameplay and a mix of character-based abilities that provide a necessary strategic layer. Although it’s a slim package with limited features and barren presentation, Valorant has the potential to be great.

The core mode of Valorant revolves around five-on-five matches in a best of 25 rounds with two teams of attackers and defenders of bomb sites, switching sides about halfway through. The stakes are high as everyone gets only one life per round, and the focus on precise gunplay with low time-to-kill leaves little margin for error. Teams must account for buying guns, armor, and ability charges based on money allocated (depending on performance) on a per-round basis. In turn, each round maintains a high level of intensity as the tide of advantage can shift at any moment.

Agents introduce an essential X-factor to the mix with their unique abilities as well. While it’s easy to compare them to heroes/classes from other games, Valorant’s Agent abilities function more like gear in a loadout. Two are subject to limited uses per round (but thankfully carry over even if you’re killed) while a default ability subject to cooldown or replenish upon kills. Knowing how and when to execute these abilities, including Ultimates that can come in clutch, is key especially for highly competitive matches.

I love playing as Raze, an offensive Agent who wields a variety of powerful explosives and a devastating rocket launch as an Ultimate. Another personal favorite, Jett, has the gift of mobility that can either throw off opponents, get better vision of the action, or simply charge the enemy aggressively. As Sage, the revive Ultimate can be a game-changer, while her ice barrier can cut off dangerous sightlines at key moments. And her healing spell could just be the difference in whether or not a teammate comes out alive in a firefight.

Flawless round win. Coordinating, positioning, and communication are just as important as sharp aim.
Flawless round win. Coordinating, positioning, and communication are just as important as sharp aim.

It’d be tough to break down the abilities of all 11 agents, but their purposes are easy to parse through the four different roles. Each Agent has the capacity to be effective without feeling like a chore to play. Understanding their use cases will put you in a better position to win, even more so when used in conjunction with teammates. For a common example, Sova’s motion sensor arrows can easily set up an aggressive push and create an opportunity to get the most out of an offensive Agent’s Ultimate. Familiarity with all these mechanics will also inform you on how to react when you see your opponent using similar tactics–it all seems well-balanced at this point.

Valorant’s dynamics are enough to sustain it as a competitive shooter worth investing time into because winning itself is an intrinsic reward built on the merits of strong gameplay.

Now, this isn’t your typical shooter. Every gun has a specific recoil pattern you’ll need to understand before being able to handle them properly. And you’ll need to get in the habit of effectively peeking around corners as you move into firefights and holding specific sightlines to anticipate enemy activity. There’s a distinct, tempered pace to how it’s played, further emphasized by the importance of sound. Footsteps, gunfire, and abilities going off will tip you on enemy positions and strategies. This is all to say that Valorant maintains a certain calculated design that ushers in the fun mental aspect you’d expect from a good tactical shooter.

Phoenix is one of the offensive Agents with flashbangs and fire spells.
Phoenix is one of the offensive Agents with flashbangs and fire spells.

Valorant’s dynamics are enough to sustain it as a competitive shooter worth investing time into because winning itself is an intrinsic reward built on the merits of strong gameplay. The time-tested demolition mode remains an enticing context for thrilling FPS moments because of how much it stresses skill and strategy, just like Counter-Strike or Rainbow Six Siege.

However, it cuts both ways as the experience can sometimes devolve into frustration. It’s not necessarily Valorant’s fault; rather, it’s inherent to this style of game. Being stuck with a poorly coordinated team will make these long-winded matches feel like a drag. You’ll be understandably punished for leaving, and the team will proceed with one less player who won’t be backfilled, compounding the disadvantage. It’s one area we expect the Valorant experience to improve with ranked matchmaking. Squadding up with friends mitigates the problem, of course, and at least in my experience, random teammates have been willing to work together and coordinate more often than not.

But outside of the standard demolition-style mode and the modified Spike Rush, it’s quite barebones.

Full matches are a considerable time investment, but there’s a bite-sized mode called Spike Rush. It’s a best-of-seven that runs about 10 minutes, so you can get your fill without the long-term commitment. The buy phase is dropped in favor of randomized loadouts, all attackers carry bombs, and Agent abilities are charged at the start of the round. Power-ups are scattered on the map to play it up as an arcade-style mode. It’d be nice to have other variations on this mode since Spike Rush negates some core strategic elements and feels a bit too short for the time it takes to get started, but it offers a welcome change of pace when you want it.

Some neat gun skins to flaunt when you're racking up kills.

Currently, Valorant features four maps to play at random. They’re designed with balance and symmetry in mind, so they make for proper competitive battlegrounds. Some have key map features like Haven’s third bomb site and Bind’s cross-map teleporters that accelerate site rotations. But otherwise, each map feels quite similar; flat in detail and sterile in its aesthetic.

A lot of this sentiment can be attributed to Valorant’s bland art style. I understand it’s meant to be a low-spec game that can run on old hardware, and the visuals make it easy to distinguish what’s happening on screen. Given Riot’s emphasis on esports, the direction of prioritizing function over flash makes sense. But it doesn’t negate the fact that Valorant isn’t particularly exciting to look at whether spectator or player.

To its credit, Valorant’s character designs bring in a touch of charisma to the game (although some Agents seem similar to heroes we’ve seen before). It’s a somewhat diverse roster with slick-looking Agents, but the game loses out on their potential by mostly relying on generic personalities or tired character tropes. There isn’t much of a world around Valorant, and in the age of games like Apex Legends, Overwatch, and even Riot’s own League of Legends, an element of fanfare is missing.

Planning your moves before the round commences is important for victory.

As for progression, you’ll earn XP through completing matches and daily goals. Then you have Contracts tied to specific Agents, which are essentially progression tracks that your XP gets applied toward; these will unlock an assortment of cosmetics. You start with five Agents in the base roster, and can unlock the rest through earning enough XP or paying for them. Since I used a reviewer’s account, several gun skins and 10,000 VP (premium currency) were included to unlock all Agents. However, gun skins can be pretty expensive. As an example, you can spend $50 USD to get 5,350 VP, yet the Prime Collection that includes five weapon skins goes for 7,100 VP. At least there’s no pay-to-win or loot box elements here, and it’s worth keeping in mind that Valorant is a free-to-play game at the end of the day.

Overall, Valorant has a strong foundation in its gameplay, and of course, that’s the most significant part for an FPS of this style to succeed. Although it doesn’t break new ground, the dynamic of sharp gunplay and Agent abilities would make Counter-Strike and Overwatch proud. Valorant easily captures the competitive highs of a good, intense match at the risk of pigeonholing you in a bad one. But outside of the standard demolition-style mode and the modified Spike Rush, it’s quite barebones. It is important to note that these types of games are always evolving. Regardless, Valorant’s in a good state–it’s not great, but it certainly can be.

Now Playing: Valorant Video Review

AHS Hotel Episode 2 “Chutes and Ladders” Breakdown

There’s something about Room 64 in Hotel Cortez that isn’t quite right including visions of The Addiction Demon, vampire children and other haunting images. Regardless, John Lowe has no plan to check out.

The Countess’ vampire children teach us that not all human blood tastes the same, and quite frankly, some of it tastes absolutely horrible. To help take that bad taste out of our mouths, the Hotel Cortez’ new owner Will Drake puts on an AHS fashion show! Even Naomi Campbell makes a cameo!

Is this the case of an Oscar-award-loving-copy-cat killer? Or is all of this in John Lowe’s head? What we do know is that the work of James March is far from over and the murders at this nightmare-inducing hotel are just beginning.

Wonder Woman 1984, Godzilla, And Matrix 4 Release Dates Delayed

While theaters are slowly opening across the country, including in California, with new guidelines for cinemas, Warner Bros. is shifting around many dates for upcoming movies. And most of these films are getting pushed back.

Christopher Nolan’s Tenet has already seen a delay–now hitting theaters in late July–and three other major Warner Bros. films are being shifted, including Wonder Woman 1984, which moves to October 2, 2020 from August 14, as Gal Gadot revealed in a tweet.

Additionally, Godzilla vs. Kong and Matrix 4 will be shifted, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Matrix is being pushed back 11 months and has a new release date of April 1, 2022, primarily because of production shut-down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Godzilla vs. Kong–originally hitting theaters this Thanksgiving–will arrive in Matrix 4’s old spot of May 21, 2021.

The kid’s film Tom & Jerry gets bumped back six month and the upcoming Robert Zemekis film Witches was supposed to release on October 9 of this year, but has now been removed from the release calendar for the time being. Check out the new release dates below.

New release dates:

  • Tenet – July 31, 2020
  • Wonder Woman 1984 – October 2, 2020
  • Tom & Jerry – May 21, 2021
  • Godzilla vs. Kong – May 21, 2021
  • Matrix 4 – April 1, 2022
  • Robert Zemekis’s Witches – No new release date

While you wait for those movies to hit theaters, consider listening to GameSpot’s weekly TV series and movies-focused podcast, You Should Be Watching. With new episodes premiering every Wednesday, you can watch a video version of the podcast over on GameSpot Universe or listen to audio versions on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, and Apple Podcasts.

HBO GO Is Getting Axed to Simplify HBO Max Transition

When WarnerMedia’s new streaming service launched in the US back in May, our HBO Max review praised the “impressive library of beloved shows and movies.” But there were also some glaring missteps in HBO Max’s launch, including a lack of 4K HDR support, confusion over how to sign up for HBO Max and the difference between HBO Max, HBO Go, and HBO Now.

If you’re still confused about the last point, the streamer is attempting to make life a bit easier in the coming months. According to a WarnerMedia spokesperson, the HBO Go app will be removed on July 31, 2020, while the HBO Now app will be simply renamed “HBO.”

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In an official statement from WarnerMedia, the company outlines why it’s decided to make these changes:

“Now that HBO Max has launched and is widely distributed, we can implement some significant changes to our app offering in the U.S. As part of that plan, we will be sunsetting our HBO Go service in the U.S. We intend to remove the HBO Go app from primary platforms as of July 31, 2020. Most customers who have traditionally used HBO Go to stream HBO programming are now able to do so via HBO Max, which offers access to all of HBO together with so much more. Additionally, the HBO Now app and desktop experience will be rebranded to HBO. Existing HBO Now subscribers will have access to HBO through the rebranded HBO app on platforms where it remains available and through play.hbo.com. HBO Max provides not only the robust offering of HBO but also a vast WarnerMedia library and acquired content and originals through a modern product.“

WarnerMedia did not give any update on the future availability of HBO Max on Roku or Amazon’s Fire devices, since the company has still not made deals with those companies to allow them to integrate HBO Max into their existing offerings.

For more on the streamer, here’s why you can’t watch HBO Max on a Roku or Amazon Fire Stick streaming device, our reviews of the best and worst HBO Max original shows, and a list of the major DC movies and TV shows missing from the HBO Max library. Watch the trailer for HBO Max’s upcoming Doom Patrol Season 2 debut below:

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David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He’s also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.

CastleStorm 2 Gets July Release Date, Demo Out Today

CastleStorm 2 will be released on July 31 for Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One and PC via Epic Games Store. A free Epic Games Store demo is available today, until June 30.

Announced exclusively at today’s IGN Expo, the game follow the original’s mixture of tower defense, castle destruction and hack ‘n’ slash elements, but adds a new real-time and turn-based strategy element, built around conquering a kingdom.

Check out a Monty Python-flavoured trailer below:

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Choosing from good and evil factions and taking over a procedurally generated map piece by piece, the game also features two story-driven campaigns set within its skewed, cartoony take on a medieval world at war.

There’s much, much more to see from today’s IGN Expo, and we’re running the Summer of Gaming throughout June – here’s the Summer of Gaming full schedule. All month, we’re supporting some incredibly important causes – the World Health Organisation and The Bail Project – if you are able, help us support them too at donate.ign.com.

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter.

Guilty Gear Strive Reveals Returning Character, Ramlethal

The latest character in the Guilty Gear Strive line-up has been revealed, and it’s the returning Ramlethal Valentine.

Announced exclusively as part of today’s IGN Expo, Ramlethal specializes in controlling the mid-range, and uses two large swords as her primary weapons (carried by her flying Luciferos partners). Strive marks Ramlethal’s second appearance as a playable character in the series.

Check out a reveal trailer below:

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The trailer also announces that we’ll see the next playable character reveal for the game in August 2020.

Billed as a reboot for the fighting game series, Guilty Gear Strive currently includes a roster of Sol Badguy, Ky Kiske, May, Faust, Potemkin, Chipp Zanuff, Zato-1, Millia Rage, Axl Low alongside Ramlethal. It’s due out in 2021, following a delay due to production issues stemming from the current pandemc outbreak and subsequent lockdowns.

There’s much, much more to see from today’s IGN Expo, and we’re running the Summer of Gaming throughout June – here’s the Summer of Gaming full schedule. All month, we’re supporting some incredibly important causes – the World Health Organisation and The Bail Project – if you are able, help us support them too at donate.ign.com.

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter.

Bungie Disables Destiny 2’s Trials Of Osiris After A Bug Breaks It

If you were looking forward to jumping into the first Trials of Osiris weekend of Destiny 2‘s new Season of Arrivals, we’ve got some bad news. Bungie has disabled the mode in order to deal with a bug that’s broken the rewards for the mode, and it’ll stay offline for the rest of the inaugural weekend of Season 11.

According to Bungie, the bug messes things up for players who achieve a flawless “Trials Passage,” the card that tracks wins in the highly competitive multiplayer mode. In Trials, your goal is to win seven multiplayer matches before losing a total of three, but you get the best rewards come if you manage seven wins and no losses–a flawless run.

When that happens, you get access to a special social space called the Lighthouse, where you get some of the best rewards in Destiny 2. But the new bug plaguing the game is disrupting things for players who go flawless, preventing them from reaching the Lighthouse.

Trials is definitely off the table this weekend, but according to Bungie’s tweet, it might stay down for longer. The developer seemingly hasn’t identified the bug messing up Trials yet, so we don’t know how long it might take to fix it. That means that Trials could stay down for future weekends as well while Bungie figures out what’s wrong. That’s a bummer for all the competitive Destiny 2 players who were looking forward to taking on the challenge with the start of the new season, and presumably, a fresh crop of players looking to test their luck in the mode.

We’ll update this story if Bungie shares any more details about when Trials might be re-enabled. In the meantime, if you’re still confused about the new activities in the Season of Arrivals, check out our guide running down how Contact and Umbral Engrams work.

Now Playing: Destiny 2 Beyond Light Expansion, Season 11, & Next-Gen Launch: Everything You Need To Know

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PS5 Reveal Event: All The Game Trailers From The PlayStation 5 Debut

The PlayStation 5 reveal event was our first look at the next-gen console from Sony, in more ways than one. Though it did feature a short introduction from CEO Jim Ryan, and occasional brief statements from studio heads and other developers, it was mostly a trailer showcase. As Ryan said, the company wanted to let the games speak for themselves, and they did.

What followed was nearly an hour of trailer after trailer showing Sony’s next-gen lineup. It included first-party exclusives like Horizon Forbidden West and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and served as the debut for some big third-party games like Hitman 3 and Deathloop. It all ended with a trailer showing off he hardware design itself, finally answering the outstanding question of what the PlayStation 5 looks like.

You can catch up with all of the PS5 games shown, but if you just want to watch the trailers, we’ve compiled them all below. Many of these are in 4K, while the stream itself was limited to 1080p/30FPS due to technical considerations stemming from Sony working from home. As such, here’s your chance to see them in all their glory.

Grand Theft Auto 5 / GTA Online

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Gran Turismo 7

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Returnal

Pragmata

Stray

Solar Ash

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

Project Athia

Oddworld: Soulstorm

Little Devil Inside

NBA 2K21

Ghostwire: Tokyo

Kena: Bridge of Spirits

Hitman 3

Astro’s Playroom

Bugsnax

Demon’s Souls Remake

Godfall

Goodbye Volcano High

Destruction Allstars

Deathloop

Jett: The Far Shore

Resident Evil 8: Village

Horizon Forbidden West

PlayStation 5 Hardware Reveal