Early on in the pandemic, John Krasinski made wholesome headlines with his home-made web series, Some Good News. Then, he sold it to Viacom CBS. The show went on hiatus for the summer and fall, but it’s back in time for Christmas with a holiday special featuring a special cameo from Dwayne “Dwanta Claus” Johnson.
The episode features the usual nice news the show is known for, including George Clooney stepping into the recurring “weatherman” role on the show, but the real news is about Johnson and why he dropped by.
Widowed father Jay Abel tweeted at Johnson. Abel was selling a bunch of his comics memorabilia so that he could afford Christmas presents for his kids, and asked Johnson for a retweet. Johnson, though, was having none of that. Johnson joined the call wearing a Santa hat labeled “Dwanta,” and told Abel that he should hang onto his collectibles, because Dwanta is going to buy everything on the kids’ Christmas lists, including an Xbox Series X for Abel’s 11-year-old son.
Johnson wasn’t done, though. He invited Abel out to California for a post-Pandemic visit to the set of his upcoming comic book movie, Black Adam, and promised his working script to Abel, signed and leatherbound.
Cyberpunk 2077 has been mired in controversies since launch, but a brand-new Nexus Mod aims to bring some much-needed levity to the experience by giving PC players the ability to change their in-game hairstyle whenever and however many times as they want.
The mod, created by user woodbricks, grants players access to all the hairstyles available in Cyberpunk 2077. Once installed, players can swap between the 39 haircuts for both male and female characters. However, those who’ve customized their V with a totally bald cut cannot change it to any of the other 38. Additionally, while the mod is compatible with both genders, hairstyles won’t neatly swap between the two due to head shape and character model.
There are specific instructions for changing V’s hairstyle with this Nexus Mod. PC players will have to locate their save file, download and install a Hex editing program like this one, edit the file in question by changing V’s hair to the corresponding Hex code of their choosing, and save. Relaunching the game after completing the steps is not necessary; players can simply load their save file and continuing playing Cyberpunk 2077 with their freshly cut V.
The absence of hair customization is curious since Night City is rife with other establishments that reflect real-world activities and places, including clothing stores and restaurants. That developer CD Projekt Red didn’t set up hair salons is puzzling, so this mod is a welcomed inclusion.
2020 is finally coming to a close, wrapping up what was certainly an unprecedented year for the video game industry. While Sony and Microsoft both ushered in next-generation consoles, the Nintendo Switch marched into its fourth year on the market with some great releases that helped sustain its impressive sales momentum.
Although 2020 turned out to be fairly light in terms of Nintendo’s first-party output, that certainly didn’t mean that there wasn’t anything to play on the system. A huge assortment of stellar third-party titles graced the hybrid console this year, including a variety of critically acclaimed indie gems like Hades and Spiritfarer. Nintendo also put out some great titles this year, from an original Switch entry in the Paper Mario series to the record-smashing Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Below, we’ve rounded up all the best-reviewed games to hit the Switch in 2020. This list covers every title that has scored an 8 or higher on GameSpot. For more of our end-of-year coverage, be sure to check out our Best Games of 2020 and GameSpot’s top 10 nominees. And for a look ahead at what the future has in store for the hybrid system, check out our roundup of the biggest Switch games to play in 2021 and beyond.
“Many games often aspire to deliver more, sometimes bartering in dizzying excesses–be it in high-octane action or through big, sweeping narratives that thrust you into a heroic position. But it’s the diminutive tales and everyday experiences of A Short Hike that give the game its comforting, even pastoral allure. It’s about seeking quiet communion with nature even as you make your umpteenth hike towards the peak, or finding contentment in stumbling upon tinier, quaint scenes. It proposes that even the smallest and most mundane of vignettes can be as enthralling as grandiose universes and narratives of more ambitious games. As I embark on yet another leisurely trek after ascending the summit of Hawk Peak, I can’t help but heartily agree.” — Khee Hoon Chan, Freelance Reviewer
“New Horizons has a slower pace even than other Animal Crossing games, and at times, that can feel unnecessarily restrictive. But there’s still plenty to do, and each of those activities feeds into the next brilliantly for a rewarding and relentlessly cheerful experience. New Horizons certainly came at the right time, and its strengths are particularly comforting right now. I’m as excited to see what random events await me each morning as I am glad to have it during hard times, and that’s sure to keep me coming back for the foreseeable future.” — Kallie Plagge, Reviews Editor
“[L]ike so many challenging score chases, Bloodroots is still incredibly satisfying when you’re eventually successful. At its highest heights, you’ll find your way around, bouncing from weapon to weapon, kill to kill, to string together a perfect run. Better yet, there are so many ways to approach each area that, no matter how well you do, you can always do it better, faster, crazier. Even when playing Bloodroots is painful–like throw your controller so hard it bounces off the ground, hits you in the head, then breaks your TV painful–there’s always a wildly fun run within reach.” — Mike Epstein, Freelance Reviewer
“The first thing you should know about Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 is that it features a playable corgi named Hachi who pilots an enchanted mecha-tank. The second thing you should know is that the classic Castlevania homage is in every way a marked improvement over the first Curse of the Moon. In fact, silly and meme-able as it is, the corgi represents a more playful spirit in this sequel that makes the whole experience richer.” — Steve Watts, Associate Editor
“[Y]ou never really ‘win’ Disc Room. You just survive it adequately enough to move onto the next thing. The light, mysterious plot has a weird but worthwhile end, but the real reward that Disc Room gives you is learning how to appreciate your own small achievements. The game is fraught with dangers and failure, but it frames the handful of seconds you are able to hang on as something exciting, something to be proud of. Disc Room helps you feed on those tiny bursts of success, in addition to providing success in failure, to keep you moving and pushing through all its trials. Maybe we could all learn something from these… rooms full of discs. Like all great twitch-action games, Disc Room is at once exciting and stressful, challenging and fulfilling, and its spinning saw blades can seep into your everyday thoughts.” — Edmond Tran, Editor
“Evergate surprised me. It looked at first to be slightly derivative of Ori and the Blind Forest, and I became interested in it because of those similarities, not in spite of them. In actuality, its common traits with Ori are superficial, and its strong focus on the puzzle part of the puzzle-platformer genre makes for a rich and wholly distinct experience.” — Steve Watts, Associate Editor
“Like in the Greek myths Hades takes inspiration from, endings aren’t tidy, and they’re almost never final. They’re protracted, often unsatisfying, and are hard to find real closure in, and the fact that Hades understands this is its greatest strength. I’m sure there’s a point where, after running through hell enough times, I’ll have seen all Hades has to offer, both in its clever and endless fights and its many alluring characters, intimate moments, and rewarding quests. The story does end. But what matters so much more are all the moments between the start and end of a story, and the people who help us see those climactic moments but also stick with us between them. They’re the reason we keep trying, and the reason we keep coming back.” — Suriel Vazquez, Associate Editor
“Minor shortcomings aside, Project DIVA MegaMix is a wonderful representation of why so many of us cherish Vocaloid-based music and, by extension, these rhythm games starring Hatsune Miku and friends. Sure, there might be a silly aspect to personifying virtualized characters like pop idols, but the music behind it is very real. Vocaloid has given a voice to the voiceless, letting incredible multi-instrumentalists create songs with actual lyrics even if they themselves don’t have the ability to sing. And those of us who don’t have their level of talent can at least take part in playing some of their best songs through the Project DIVA rhythm game series, which now lives on Switch in excellent form.” — Michael Higham, Associate Editor
“As you trek toward the conclusion, Kasio’s mental health is tested in a swirl of panic. But ever since the start, what she’s really been yearning for is acceptance and empathy, which might just be what saves us from denying ourselves happiness, and possibly even our own lives. And when we find both, only then are we able to take full control and begin writing our story for ourselves. That’s not the sole takeaway from If Found, but it’s one that’s powerfully contextualized throughout its affecting, humanizing story.” — Michael Higham, Associate Editor
“Kentucky Route Zero is ultimately a story about America’s ghosts, literal and metaphorical. It’s a story about entire ways of life coming to one singular place to die quietly, hopefully with dignity. In all of its oddity, it never backs down from the fact that all that is now dead will stay dead, and for those who have settled in along the Zero, that includes the American dream.” — Justin Clark, Freelance Reviewer
“[W]hen The Last Campfire captivates–which it does so often–it’s difficult not to sink into its breezy pacing and satisfying puzzle-solving. It never overstays its welcome or stretches puzzle ideas beyond their limits, letting each one leave an impression despite their brevity. The Last Campfire’s narrative contextualizes each of these with small anecdotes, letting your imagination fill in the blanks of its world between worlds to the backdrop of its colorful imagery. It’s a consistently relaxing and pleasant experience.” — Alessandro Barbosa, Freelance Reviewer
“Despite being almost 25 years old, Moon remains a thoughtful, beautiful experience that has a lot to say about the static nature of video games, how the way stories are presented affects our perceptions of reality, the rewarding nature of kindness and stewardship, and how simply being a part of the world makes us important and valuable. I don’t think I’ll forget my experience in Moon World anytime soon, and should you embark on this journey and see it through to its conclusion, I doubt you will, either.” — Heidi Kemps, Freelance Reviewer
“Mr. Driller Drill Land is the kind of game you can play for 10 minutes on a lunch break or for an entire afternoon. It’s the sort of game where you’ll be in a groove… only to screw up a section catastrophically and ruin a run. But you’ll only be bitter about it for a minute before eagerly diving back in to try again. If you’ve never played Mr. Driller–or if it’s been a while since you and Susumu went excavating together–Mr. Driller Drill Land is one relic that deserves a spot in your gaming museum.” — Heidi Kemps, Freelance Reviewer
“Ori and the Blind Forest was a delight in 2015–a tough-as-nails combination of a metroidvania structure and Meat Boy-like demands with a surprising amount of heartfelt heft. Five years later, Moon Studios’ followup, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, is every bit as graceful and lovely as its predecessor, even if some of the emotional beats and exploration feel a little less novel the second time around.” — Steve Watts, Associate Editor
“The variety of classes and abilities make for a wide range of strategies, but no matter your team composition, the Daughters work together beautifully to take down their enemies. Boss fights are by far the most memorable and really showcase the reaction and combo system, but they also feed into the game’s unique and engrossing story. While Othercide’s maps and missions leave something to be desired, it’s still a blast to cut your way through hordes of Others and pull off deadly combos that look cool as hell. With an exceptional story, atmospheric horror visuals, and tense, rewarding combat, Othercide offers a challenge you’ll want to rise to, again and again.” — Jenae Sitzes, Commerce Editor
“Making a good retro-style game is hard–balancing old-fashioned play mechanics with newer advancements in game design is a tough tightrope to walk. But Panzer Paladin manages that balancing act with few slip-ups, delivering solid platforming action, fierce weapon duels, epic boss fights, and a cool weapon-sacrifice mechanic, all dressed up in an immensely charming classic-robot-anime wrapping. While it might have its brief moments of annoyance, the amazing globe-trotting, alien-smashing adventure of Flame and Grit proves to be a delight from beginning to end.” — Heidi Kemps, Freelance Reviewer
“With a newfound combat system that steals the show and offers a novel take on turn-based combat, its winking, nodding, and adventuring shine all the brighter. Its world and characters might not be the series’ best, but it’s still able to consistently throw left turns, good gags, and smart surprises at you. Each piece of The Origami King elegantly fits into its whole, taking its irreverent flair to new heights. The Paper Mario series has recently shown that being clever and being smart are two different things, but thankfully, it’s once again managed to be both.” — Suriel Vazquez, Associate Editor
“Paradise Killer is a singular, exemplary experience. It’s a detective game that feels like real detective work in a way few games do, and it makes its extremely complex worldbuilding feel effortless. I put off the final trial for as long as I can not only because I wanted all the evidence I could find, but because I did not want to leave the island or the game. Paradise might have been killed, but when you’re deep into untangling the game’s conspiracies, it feels very much alive.” — James O’Connor, Freelance Reviewer
“PGA Tour 2K21 improves on the mostly stellar foundation of The Golf Club series, offering the most realistic and pure golf experience in a game to date. There are still some minor annoyances that can temporarily take you out of the experience, but it offers a closer approximation of the actual PGA Tour schedule and a relaxing, streamlined approach to MyPlayer. For the most part, PGA Tour 2K21 admirably captures the peculiar magic of the game of golf.” –Steven Petite, Associate Commerce Editor
“Although Pikmin 3 Deluxe may not offer much in the way of substantial new content, the game still holds up wonderfully thanks to its unique gameplay and carefully constructed levels, and the tweaks and additions that have been implemented here help smooth over the whole package for newer players. Even three installments in, there is no other series quite like Pikmin, which helps Pikmin 3 still feel fresh seven years after its original release.” — Kevin Knezevic, Associate Editor
“Whether or not you’re an old-school Mystery Dungeon aficionado or a total newcomer to the long-derelict spin-off series doesn’t necessarily matter: Mystery Dungeon on Switch improves upon the originals with some valuable quality-of-life tweaks, making it a worthwhile play regardless of your familiarity with the series. It features a distinct combat system that provides an intriguing alternative to the mainline Pokemon formula with tile-based strategizing, humanizes the Pokemon you’ve fallen in love with over the years, tells a riveting and emotional story that will make you view the franchise in a totally different light, and does so with a stylish suite of visuals and music.” — Cian Maher, Freelance Reviewer
“Ring of Pain is interesting and enjoyable in ways that can keep you enthralled despite doing almost the exact same thing for hours. The quick runs are really nice for just jumping in and having a few goes rather than oversaturating yourself with this world. It nails the creepy aesthetic from the art and sound design right down to the way it plays. It can make you feel a bit unsettled no matter what stage of the game you’re at and how confident you’re feeling. Ring of Pain swings between frustration and satisfaction but thankfully leans heavily to the latter most of the time. It’s a delightfully disturbing mix of roguelike and card game genres that’s worth stumbling in the darkness to discover.” — Hope Corrigan, Freelance Reviewer
“Risk of Rain 2 is lo-fi beats to relax to with the bass boosted until the subwoofers catch fire. And explode. And bleed? What begins as a chill loot-shooty time quickly escalates to a frantic fight for your life where everything is burning and there’s a big red target on your back. The lack of any strategic layer between the action did leave me feeling burned out. But the additive nature of the game’s builds give Risk of Rain 2 the feeling of a pebble skittering along a rocky cliff. When the avalanche begins, enemies would be well advised to get out of your way.” — Andrew King, Freelance Reviewer
“Spiritfarer is somehow a game with no risk but all reward. There’s no death, no pain, no rush on any task, and yet I don’t think I’ve ever felt this complete. You’re allowed to totally take your time, play on your own terms, and even though your tasks are easy, they are incredibly fulfilling. If the game had kept giving me quests, I feel as if I would have kept doing them for eternity, just because I wanted to. All of Spiritfarer’s novel mechanical variations kept potentially repetitive actions from ever growing old. Its gleeful little islands got more exciting to explore as new platforming abilities were unlocked. The characters, even small ones with funny little quips of dialogue that you encounter, were friends that I cherished. I absolutely adored existing in Spiritfarer’s beautifully animated, compassionate world so much that it genuinely came to feel like home.” — Hope Corrigan, Freelance Reviewer
“No matter how many hours I spent in Star Renegades, every run, every battle, every turn felt like a new captivating puzzle to solve. In my experience, roguelites lose their luster when the runs start to feel the same no matter how you change things up. Even after playing for dozens of hours and having seen the vast majority of what there is to see, I never lost interest in picking apart each battle to dismantle an opponent for a turn, then another one, and another until the battle is finished. The satisfying feeling of living in the moment and conquering it never gets old.” — Mike Epstein, Freelance Reviewer
“Streets of Rage 4 is an admirable comeback for this long-dormant series. It looks great, sounds great, and plays very well. Even if the experience is relatively short, it’s the sort of game you and your buddies can easily enjoy playing and re-playing. If you’re craving some classic brawling action with a modern edge, these rage-filled streets are calling your name.” — Heidi Kemps, Freelance Reviewer
“Taken all together, Mario 3D All-Stars is a worthwhile collection, featuring the best versions of Mario 64, Sunshine, and Galaxy to appear on a Nintendo system. Although the individual games have been sparingly touched up and there’s little in the way of ancillary material to pore over, the titles themselves hold up well and are a delight to revisit. Despite their age, the games are still rife with inventive ideas and surprises, which more than makes up for the collection’s presentational shortcomings.” — Kevin Knezevic, Associate Editor
“Superliminal is a great puzzle experience, full of smart ideas that are richly realized. The game’s playful use of the first-person camera and clever perspective manipulation puzzles take video game tropes and mechanics most players will be familiar with and wring something truly fresh out of them. Superliminal achieves its clear central aim–it offers up some genuinely fresh perspectives on what first-person puzzle games can do.” — James O’Connor, Freelance Reviewer
“Treachery in Beatdown City uses humor skillfully as a tool to deal with contemporary issues with the gig economy, insidious tech company ploys, and obnoxious bigots. It has some lulls and a bit of an abrupt conclusion, but that’s overshadowed by how especially fun the conversations and combat are. The mechanics stand out and push against the standards of the brawler genre, injecting a strong tactics twist that lets you make some freestyle combos in the blink of an eye. In the end it was a short, satisfying playthrough that maintained its action movie aura the entire time. Treachery in Beatdown City is all about fighting, but it shines because at its core it’s about fighting back.” — Funké Joseph, Freelance Reviewer
“What the Golf was already excellent on PC and mobile, but the Switch version is the definitive one, especially if you have another player handy. It’s still wildly funny, weird, and lots of fun, and if it was just the campaign again, it would still be the best version of the game thanks to the ability to switch between touch and stick controls–but the addition of Party Mode really elevates the whole package. In my original review I said, “Like all great jokes, you’ll want to share it,” and now that’s easier than ever.” — James O’Connor, Freelance Reviewer
“Although not every aspect of Xenoblade Chronicles has aged as well as others, Definitive Edition proves that Xenoblade Chronicles is still a fantastic JRPG with an immense amount of strategic depth that’s still impressive in 2020. Its bevy of improvements and additions, as well as its fantastic epilogue, make this an adventure worth embarking on a decade later.” — Jake Dekker, Video Producer
One of the final weeks of the year finds the new offerings on Netflix, for better or worse, starting to dry up. By week’s end on December 26, there will likely be tons of presents under the tree–but there’s only eight new programs dropping on the streaming service overall.
We would be remiss to not highlight The Midnight Sky, George Clooney’s sci-fi adventure epic, which debuts December 23 on Netflix. Clooney directs and stars in this adaptation of the acclaimed novel Good Morning, Midnight, which tells the story of a father and daughter racing to stop astronauts from returning to a planet which is now an absolute frozen tundra. Should be just the thing to cozy up with as winter takes hold and the holidays begin.
All jokes aside, Clooney himself remarked as soon as he laid eyes on it, this seemed like it would be an unfortunately timely film: “I got the script way before the pandemic, but still there were all these other elements… There’s the denying of climate change but also the idea of how hateful it’s become, how race and all these other things that are tinderboxes in our country really just require anybody to throw a match in it. That’s why I was drawn to the story because if you play that kind of hatred out over a 20-year period of time, it’s not inconceivable that we destroy ourselves.”
Much more inspiring is another Netflix film adaptation of a novel–this time,The White Tiger. Adapted from Aravind Adiga’s 2008 novel of the same name, the movie tells the story of an “ambitious driver for a rich Indian family [who] uses his wit and cunning to escape from poverty and become an entrepreneur.” It lands December 22.
If you’re looking for an out and out laugh, comedian London Hughes will be releasing her stand-up special, To Catch a D*ck, on December 22. Executive produced by Kevin Hart, Hughes recently told Variety that her special finds her “explor[ing] the complete mystery of why the world is full of desirable [and] brilliant but single women–who definitely don’t need a man but wouldn’t mind the option.” Based on the name alone, this probably isn’t one to watch with the kiddies.
Last week, Amazon debuted its first look at Eddie Murphy’s return as Prince Akeem in Coming 2 America, and on Monday, it debuted the first poster for it as well as announced the first teaser will be coming the next day.
The sequel will be set in the African nation Zamunda, where newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new adventure that has them traversing the globe from their home country to the borough of Queens, New York – where it all began.
Coming 2 America reunites a lot of the original cast including Murphy and Hall, James Earl Jones, Shari Headley, but also introduces Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, KiKi Layne, and Wesley Snipes into the fold. Murphy also co-produced the film as well.
Coming 2 America comes exclusively to Amazon Prime on March 5, 2021. For more, check out GameSpot’s guide to the biggest movies to watch in 2021.
The last year has been unprecedented in a lot of ways as the world continues to deal with a global pandemic. The ride has been pretty wild in the games industry as well, as the reality of COVID has changed the way games are made, along with every other aspect of life. Despite the big changes, though, 2020 saw a number of top-tier game releases–many of which have helped people deal with on-going stay home orders and greatly diminished social interactions.
As 2020 draws to a close, we’re doing what we always do around this time and highlighting the year’s best games. You can check out the peak of what 2020 had to offer with our Best Game of 2020 nominees list, although that’s just the tip of the iceberg of great titles the GameSpot crew enjoyed over the last year. For PC players, 2020 was filled with great games, and below we’ve compiled a list of all the titles we reviewed this year that scored better an 8 out of 10 or better. If you’re looking for a list that’s platform-agnostic, check out our complete list of every game that received an 8 or higher in 2020.
For more of the year’s best, be sure to check out our Best Games of 2020, but if you’re more of a forward-thinking individual, jump into our hub for the Most Anticipated Games of 2021, which contains features highlighting the biggest games coming out next year.
“Despite its strong connection to past games, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is more than capable of standing on its own. It takes a little while to build momentum, but when it hits its stride, Valhalla is a confident Assassin’s Creed title that takes a few narrative risks which, as a whole, pay off. Eivor is a good hero with an identity that drives the mystery behind the main narrative, and she shines in the self-contained arc structure of Valhalla’s story. The supporting cast may not shine as brightly, but it’s easy to forgive that when exploring England and discovering new nuggets of worldbuilding is so rewarding.” — Jordan Ramée, Associate Editor
“Still, Amnesia: Rebirth feels like the culmination of Frictional Games horror titles up to this point. It refines the ideas and mechanics that have been central to the developer’s games since Penumbra: Overture in 2007, it hones in on effective scares while avoiding the frustrations of failure, and it tightens the focus on character-driven storytelling. Rebirth is an unsettling, strange, tragic story that deepens the Amnesia mythos in a lot of cool ways, while managing to be just as creepy and frightening as its beloved predecessor.” — Phil Hornshaw, Editor
“And yet, like so many challenging score chases, Bloodroots is still incredibly satisfying when you’re eventually successful. At its highest heights, you’ll find your way around, bouncing from weapon to weapon, kill to kill, to string together a perfect run. Better yet, there are so many ways to approach each area that, no matter how well you do, you can always do it better, faster, crazier. Even when playing Bloodroots is painful–like throw your controller so hard it bounces off the ground, hits you in the head, then breaks your TV painful–there’s always a wildly fun run within reach.” — Mike Epstein, Freelance Reviewer
“That Easter egg owes both its story justification and its level of meta weirdness to Hachi, which is really what sets Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 apart. It’s still a classic Castlevania homage at heart, but it has an eccentricity that feels right at home alongside the giant kitty-cats of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. When a game seems to be having this much fun at its own expense, it’s hard not to join in.” — Steve Watts, Associate Editor
“In a sense, Crusader Kings 3 is all over the place. It doesn’t always work perfectly, and at times it really makes you work for it, but there’s something amazing in that any of it works at all. Strategy games can tell interesting stories as their empires rise and fall, but their procedural narratives are rarely as affecting and poignant as they are here.” — David Wildgoose, Freelancer Reviewer
“Desperados 3 is a superb package. It’s a clever, cunning game of stealth and tactical thinking that, thanks to a generous quick-save system and wealth of informative visual cues, entices you to tinker with all the toys it has on offer and fully explore the possibility spaces of its elaborate levels. There’s no need for a do-over here; Desperados 3 is a dead-eye shot on the very first try.” — David Wildgoose, Freelance Reviewer
“Beyond Light might not be the biggest expansion, but it does feel like we’ve entered a new chapter in the game’s life, with new priorities and an approach that makes the game more resonant in a way that goes beyond satisfying shooting. On the whole, Destiny 2 might be more of the same than it is different, but what’s the same about it–like its phenomenal raids and tight, satisfying gameplay–is still largely pretty great, and what’s different is mostly making the game all the more worthwhile.” — Phil Hornshaw
“But you never really “win”‘ Disc Room. You just survive it adequately enough to move onto the next thing. The light, mysterious plot has a weird but worthwhile end, but the real reward that Disc Room gives you is learning how to appreciate your own small achievements. The game is fraught with dangers and failure, but it frames the handful of seconds you are able to hang on as something exciting, something to be proud of. Disc Room helps you feed on those tiny bursts of success, in addition to providing success in failure, to keep you moving and pushing through all its trials. Maybe we could all learn something from these… rooms full of discs. Like all great twitch-action games, Disc Room is at once exciting and stressful, challenging and fulfilling, and its spinning saw blades can seep into your everyday thoughts. But moreover, Disc Room feels like a pleasantly positive take on difficulty-first games–you didn’t die after 10 measly seconds, you managed to survive for 10 whole seconds. And that’s good enough for Disc Room. Thanks, Disc Room.” — Edmond Tran
“Though it can take a bit to get the hang of it, the intricacies of Doom Eternal’s combat, combined with its enhanced mobility and option-heavy level design, create a ton of white-knuckle moments that elevate everything that made Doom 2016 work so well. Its combat is just as quick and chaotic, but requires you to constantly analyze everything that’s happening in order to come out victorious. Once you get the hang of the rhythm of Doom Eternal, it’ll make you feel like a demon-slaying savant.” — Phil Hornshaw, Editor
“Dota Underlords is a diverse and constantly captivating experience where no match plays out the same way twice. Having been with the genre since it was a custom map mod, it’s heartening to see it executed as well as it has been here. Outwitting your opponents and the odds through clever thinking is always immensely satisfying, and the game’s complexity means that there are plenty of interesting strategies to try. Dota Underlords is a wonderfully robust and well-crafted strategy game that is very easy to lose yourself in.” — Joab Gilroy, Freelance Reviewer
“On the whole, though, Evergate is remarkably clever. It’s a short and sweet treat of a game that constantly invents new ways to interact with the world and to blend game elements together, making for a satisfying test of brainpower and reflexes.” — Steve Watts, Associate Editor
“Career mode is still a mixed bag, then, but it’s reassuring that EA has made some additional moves to try and freshen it up. If you do grow tired of simming through training sessions and managing sharpness, FIFA 21 is still chock full of other stuff to do, whether you want to head to the streets of Paris to show off your skills, hop into Ultimate Team with a friend, or play through a season on Pro Clubs. This is a substantial package that’s propped up by exciting gameplay that puts the onus squarely on attacking football. There are moments of frustration on defense when the balance doesn’t feel quite right, but then you’ll go down the other end and score a Puskás Award contender that makes you forget why you were mad in the first place.” — Richard Wakeling, Freelance Reviewer
“Though Gears Tactics wears itself a little thin by the end of its protracted campaign, the rush of pulling together a victory from the jaws of defeat carries an exciting, chaotic energy. Unlike most strategy games, playing well doesn’t necessarily make you feel like a mastermind, so much as though you’ve cheated death. Every successful plan, even a last-ditch effort, feels like a small stroke of genius. That’s no small feat.” — Mike Epstein, Freelance Reviewer
“I’m also thinking about how much I still have left to learn about Hades, both the character and the game, even dozens of hours in. Like in the Greek myths Hades takes inspiration from, endings aren’t tidy, and they’re almost never final. They’re protracted, often unsatisfying, and are hard to find real closure in, and the fact that Hades understands this is its greatest strength. I’m sure there’s a point where, after running through hell enough times, I’ll have seen all Hades has to offer, both in its clever and endless fights and its many alluring characters, intimate moments, and rewarding quests. The story does end. But what matters so much more are all the moments between the start and end of a story, and the people who help us see those climactic moments but also stick with us between them. They’re the reason we keep trying, and the reason we keep coming back.” — Suriel Vazquez, Freelance Reviewer
“Not only has Half-Life: Alyx made good on its shift to VR, it has elevated many of the aspects we’ve come to love about Half-Life games. It may not be as bombastic as previous games, but the intimacy of VR brings you closer to a world you might have thought you knew over the past 22 years. Even when familiarity starts to settle in, its gameplay systems still shine as a cohesive whole. And as it concludes, Half-Life: Alyx hits you with something unforgettable, transcending VR tropes for one of gaming’s greatest moments.” — Michael Higham, Associate Editor
“As you trek toward the conclusion, Kasio’s mental health is tested in a swirl of panic. But ever since the start, what she’s really been yearning for is acceptance and empathy, which might just be what saves us from denying ourselves happiness, and possibly even our own lives. And when we find both, only then are we able to take full control and begin writing our story for ourselves. That’s not the sole takeaway from If Found, but it’s one that’s powerfully contextualized throughout its affecting, humanizing story.” — Michael Higham, Associate Editor
“In Other Waters develops its central mysteries in expert fashion, drip-feeding its revelations in a way that feels natural, and dispatching you to inspect the corners of its map in a way that doesn’t feel contrived. As you steadily learn more of what Vas’ partner was up to on this strange planet, and you yourself begin to grasp humanity’s plight, the mystery builds to a confident conclusion–one that satisfies yet remains aware that some questions are more enticing when left unanswered. In this sense, its story echoes the restraint that runs through the entire game to deliver a stylish, assured, and utterly absorbing adventure that demonstrates again and again it knows how to do a lot with seemingly very little.” — David Wildgoose, Freelance Reviewer
“The game doesn’t so much resolve all the seething tensions and unfulfilled promises seen prior, but demands that you shoulder some of the weight of remembering and honoring what you’ve seen and heard. The overall point of the game is that not everyone’s life will be paid off in a way that provides catharsis, or comfort, or satisfaction. Sometimes it just ends, sometimes it keeps going whether we’re there to see it or not, and sometimes it’s just disappointment. Conway has debts to pay, and there is a chance he drops dead working to pay them back. That is as American as it gets in the 21st century. What Act V does, though, is give everyone one last chance to rail against that fact, mourn it, continue to have hopes regardless which, too, is what it is to live here. Kentucky Route Zero has been priming us for seven years to recognize that life isn’t fair, though we’d gain so much if it was, and sometimes we’re lucky enough to make it as fair as it can be. But just as often, we’re not. Kentucky Route Zero is ultimately a story about America’s ghosts, literal and metaphorical. It’s a story about entire ways of life coming to one singular place to die quietly, hopefully with dignity. In all of its oddity, it never backs down from the fact that all that is now dead will stay dead, and for those who have settled in along the Zero, that includes the American dream.” — Justin Clark, Freelance Reviewer
“But when The Last Campfire captivates–which it does so often–it’s difficult not to sink into its breezy pacing and satisfying puzzle-solving. It never overstays its welcome or stretches puzzle ideas beyond their limits, letting each one leave an impression despite their brevity. The Last Campfire’s narrative contextualizes each of these with small anecdotes, letting your imagination fill in the blanks of its world between worlds to the backdrop of its colorful imagery. It’s a consistently relaxing and pleasant experience.” — Alessandro Barbosa, Freelance Reviewer
“Whether you’re playing Expeditions, drafting a wild deck in traditional PvP, or picking apart a previously successful strategy, Legends of Runeterra finds a way to reward you for it by always having something for you to gain experience toward. Spending time in the game is investing in your future success, and the gains are often represented quite immediately in the form of new cards to toy with, bringing the most avid players back to the drawing board for more. While balance changes are undoubtedly on the horizon and the state of the game will evolve over time, Legends of Runeterra currently does a good job of introducing players to a colorful world popularised by League of Legends, and it’s a rollicking good time to boot.” — Ginny Woo, Freelance Reviewer
“My wife first used the phrase “chore game” when I bought her Stardew Valley several years ago. “Why did you get me this chore game?” she lamented. Weeks later she was busy filling out the community center with all kinds of weird and wonderful items. I feel much the same way about Littlewood. At heart it’s a checklist of chores. But it’s such a wonderfully warm, endlessly charming checklist of chores that when they’re all done, I’m not going to want to leave.” — David Wildgoose, Freelance Reviewer
“Still, Mortal Shell succeeds more often than not at capturing the specific feelings intrinsic to Souls-like games. The twists it adds to From-inspired mechanics do well to help this sort of game become more approachable than most, while maintaining the same air of mystery and foreboding that makes the genre itself so intriguing. Mortal Shell makes for a strong introduction to Souls-likes, a demonstration for new players of what so many have found so interesting about From Software’s games and those like them. But Mortal Shell is also a lovingly crafted, weird, and deceptively deep game in its own right that rewards you for wandering its twisted paths and challenging its deadliest foes.” — Phil Hornshaw, Editor
“Mr. Driller Drill Land is the kind of game you can play for 10 minutes on a lunch break or for an entire afternoon. It’s the sort of game where you’ll be in a groove… only to screw up a section catastrophically and ruin a run. But you’ll only be bitter about it for a minute before eagerly diving back in to try again. If you’ve never played Mr. Driller–or if it’s been a while since you and Susumu went excavating together–Mr. Driller Drill Land is one relic that deserves a spot in your gaming museum.” — Heidi Kemps, Freelance Reviewer
“It’s a game that gives me anxiety about having to upgrade my computer. But it’s also a game that gives me a great sense of calm as I cruise through clouds far above the Earth. Microsoft Flight Simulator is a tremendous experience that makes you appreciate natural beauty and man-made ingenuity in equal measures. Being encouraged to dive into the rabbit hole of learning how to operate genuine, complex machines to perform amazing feats of science is giddying, as is being able to journey across a realistic, mostly accurate depiction of our entire, beautiful planet. Microsoft Flight Simulator is a spectacular technical achievement and a deeply inspiring experience filled with glorious possibilities.” — Edmond Tran
“That finality could signal that this is the last Ori game, a farewell to the fantastical world and memorable characters that made Moon Studios such a standout developer from its very first effort. If that is the case, you could hardly ask for a better send-off. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a remarkable synthesis of artful design and beautiful moments.”— Steve Watts, Associate Editor
“Despite those unfortunate technical issues, Othercide is still a great tactics game. The variety of classes and abilities make for a wide range of strategies, but no matter your team composition, the Daughters work together beautifully to take down their enemies. Boss fights are by far the most memorable and really showcase the reaction and combo system, but they also feed into the game’s unique and engrossing story. While Othercide’s maps and missions leave something to be desired, it’s still a blast to cut your way through hordes of Others and pull off deadly combos that look cool as hell. With an exceptional story, atmospheric horror visuals, and tense, rewarding combat, Othercide offers a challenge you’ll want to rise to, again and again.” — Jenae Sitzes, Commerce Editor
“Making a good retro-style game is hard–balancing old-fashioned play mechanics with newer advancements in game design is a tough tightrope to walk. But Panzer Paladin manages that balancing act with few slip-ups, delivering solid platforming action, fierce weapon duels, epic boss fights, and a cool weapon-sacrifice mechanic, all dressed up in an immensely charming classic-robot-anime wrapping. While it might have its brief moments of annoyance, the amazing globe-trotting, alien-smashing adventure of Flame and Grit proves to be a delight from beginning to end.” — Heidi Kemps, Freelance Reviewer
“Paradise Killer is a singular, exemplary experience. It’s a detective game that feels like real detective work in a way few games do, and it makes its extremely complex worldbuilding feel effortless. I put off the final trial for as long as I can not only because I wanted all the evidence I could find, but because I did not want to leave the island or the game. Paradise might have been killed, but when you’re deep into untangling the game’s conspiracies, it feels very much alive.” — James O’Connor, Freelance Reviewer
“PGA Tour 2K21 improves on the mostly stellar foundation of The Golf Club series, offering the most realistic and pure golf experience in a game to date. There are still some minor annoyances that can temporarily take you out of the experience, but it offers a closer approximation of the actual PGA Tour schedule and a relaxing, streamlined approach to MyPlayer. For the most part, PGA Tour 2K21 admirably captures the peculiar magic of the game of golf.” — Steven Petite, Associate Commerce Editor
“Ring of Pain is interesting and enjoyable in ways that can keep you enthralled despite doing almost the exact same thing for hours. The quick runs are really nice for just jumping in and having a few goes rather than oversaturating yourself with this world. It nails the creepy aesthetic from the art and sound design right down to the way it plays. It can make you feel a bit unsettled no matter what stage of the game you’re at and how confident you’re feeling. Ring of Pain swings between frustration and satisfaction but thankfully leans heavily to the latter most of the time. It’s a delightfully disturbing mix of roguelike and card game genres that’s worth stumbling in the darkness to discover.” — Hope Corrigan, Freelance Reviewer
“Risk of Rain 2 is lo-fi beats to relax to with the bass boosted until the subwoofers catch fire. And explode. And bleed? What begins as a chill loot-shooty time quickly escalates to a frantic fight for your life where everything is burning and there’s a big red target on your back. The lack of any strategic layer between the action did leave me feeling burned out. But the additive nature of the game’s builds give Risk of Rain 2 the feeling of a pebble skittering along a rocky cliff. When the avalanche begins, enemies would be well advised to get out of your way.” — Andrew King, Freelance Reviewer
“At least, that seems to be the case right now. The original Spelunky’s proc-gen depths hid secrets that took time for its avid community to discover, so it’s possible that Spelunky 2 has secrets of its own that I have yet to find, and they could push the game in a different direction from its predecessor. Spelunky 2 is a successful evolution of what made the original Spelunky work; the tight controls, impressive use of procedural generation, expressive art style, and interesting stage themes are better than ever here. But the more notable changes in how we play and talk about this game will likely happen in the coming months as players discover the heart of the game in the deep, dark depths we aren’t yet even aware exist.” — Andrew King, Freelance Reviewer
“Spiritfarer is somehow a game with no risk but all reward. There’s no death, no pain, no rush on any task, and yet I don’t think I’ve ever felt this complete. You’re allowed to totally take your time, play on your own terms, and even though your tasks are easy, they are incredibly fulfilling. If the game had kept giving me quests, I feel as if I would have kept doing them for eternity, just because I wanted to. All of Spiritfarer’s novel mechanical variations kept potentially repetitive actions from ever growing old. Its gleeful little islands got more exciting to explore as new platforming abilities were unlocked. The characters, even small ones with funny little quips of dialogue that you encounter, were friends that I cherished. I absolutely adored existing in Spiritfarer’s beautifully animated, compassionate world so much that it genuinely came to feel like home.” — Hope Corrigan, Freelance Reviewer
“No matter how many hours I spent in Star Renegades, every run, every battle, every turn felt like a new captivating puzzle to solve. In my experience, roguelites lose their luster when the runs start to feel the same no matter how you change things up. Even after playing for dozens of hours and having seen the vast majority of what there is to see, I never lost interest in picking apart each battle to dismantle an opponent for a turn, then another one, and another until the battle is finished. The satisfying feeling of living in the moment and conquering it never gets old.” — Mike Epstein, Freelance Reviewer
“All in all, though, Streets of Rage 4 is an admirable comeback for this long-dormant series. It looks great, sounds great, and plays very well. Even if the experience is relatively short, it’s the sort of game you and your buddies can easily enjoy playing and re-playing. If you’re craving some classic brawling action with a modern edge, these rage-filled streets are calling your name.” — Heidi Kemps, Freelance Reviewer
“Superliminal is a great puzzle experience, full of smart ideas that are richly realized. The game’s playful use of the first-person camera and clever perspective manipulation puzzles take video game tropes and mechanics most players will be familiar with and wring something truly fresh out of them. Superliminal achieves its clear central aim–it offers up some genuinely fresh perspectives on what first-person puzzle games can do.” — James O’Connor, Freelance Reviewer
“Through the Darkest of Times paints what feels like an accurate portrait of life in Nazi Germany. Cherry-picking major events, like the Reichstag Fire or the opening ceremony of the Olympics, it convincingly places you at the scene, putting you in the shoes of a regular German trying to come to grips with how one person–or even five people–can respond in the presence of evil. It depicts everyday life, and everyday people, both those seduced by ideology and those finding the strength to rally against it. I’m not sure it offers any answers–indeed, I suspect my frustrations with futility were intentional. One person alone can’t change the world. But that’s no reason not to fight for it.” — David Wildgoose, Freelance Reviewer
“Because it nails so much about that original Tony Hawk experience, it’s really hard to be mad at Pro Skater 1 + 2 for any of its downsides. The load times aren’t enough to keep you away from the plethora of satisfying combos, and the lack of level goals for every skater isn’t enough to keep you from jumping back in with a new character. Playing through the newly remade levels is immensely enjoyable, and that on its own is enough to call Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 a success. However, smart additions and an engaging challenge system make it an experience that’s more than just a brief skate through Tony Hawk’s past.” — Mat Paget, Tech Commerce Editor
“Treachery in Beatdown City uses humor skillfully as a tool to deal with contemporary issues with the gig economy, insidious tech company ploys, and obnoxious bigots. It has some lulls and a bit of an abrupt conclusion, but that’s overshadowed by how especially fun the conversations and combat are. The mechanics stand out and push against the standards of the brawler genre, injecting a strong tactics twist that lets you make some freestyle combos in the blink of an eye. In the end it was a short, satisfying playthrough that maintained its action movie aura the entire time. Treachery in Beatdown City is all about fighting, but it shines because at its core it’s about fighting back.” — Funke Joseph, Freelance Reviewer
“In one poem called “War Photographer” by Carol Ann Duffy, the effects of war are explored through the eyes of a war photographer. He trembles as he recalls his experiences during combat, replaying vivid memories as he develops his pictures in a dark room, his reaction a stark contrast to the apathetic readers that see his pictures on the Sunday papers. Even though readers may be momentarily moved by these images, they were ultimately unable to empathize, having been sheltered from the horrors of war, with reading the news becoming a simple activity to pass time between meals. Umurangi Generation wants to incite its players into taking up a more active role in this fictional crisis–not as a transhuman supersoldier with cybernetic implants, but as a photographer who’s trying to make a living in this hellish, urban landscape. Not only is the game a realization of our anxieties about our current, looming future, it’s also a powerful evocation of the corporatist state that threatens to overrun our lives, and a startling statement of resistance against them. For a game that’s ostensibly about photography, Umurangi Generation achieves so much more.” — Khee Hoon Chan, Freelance Reviewer
“Watch Dogs: Legion is an anti-fascist game, and it’s admirable that it sticks to that message and sees it through to a satisfying and affirming conclusion. It also bolsters the franchise’s clever hacking gameplay to offer more creativity than ever. One of Legion’s more profound messages is about what it means to be a true Londoner, and by the game’s end, you’ll have a DedSec crew made of wildly diverse and disparate citizens from unique cultural, ethnic, and economic backgrounds–all united in their goal to restore their home. If anything, that’s as powerful a message for the game as you can get.” — Alessandro Fillari, Editor
“By stripping back XCOM combat to its bare minimum, Chimera Squad is able to make nearly all your choices vital. This isn’t a series of small choices that slowly accumulate into something interesting; it operates more like a one-two punch of big decisions. You don’t spend any time in an encounter here patiently edging forward, stationing your squad on overwatch and wearing down the enemy. Instead, the enemy is right there in your face from the jump, and you’ve got to act now and act decisively. Luckily the Chimera Squad is there to back you up.” — David Wildgoose, Freelance Reviewer
According to the Black Girl Gamers Twitter account, a Black Panther skin is coming to the game. This has long been rumored and was previously leaked by dataminers.
Epic Games hasn’t formally announced the skin yet, and it’s not available on the in-game store at the time of writing. However, Epic has announced a new trailer is slated to go live later today, which will likely reveal the skin. For now, there’s no word on how much it may cost or if it’s part of any in-game bundle. The Black Girl Gamers Twitch channel will be one of several streaming a watch party for the trailer, and it will be giving away codes to unlock the new skin.
This isn’t Fortnite’s only homage to the late actor Chadwick Boseman, who unexpectedly passed away earlier this year due to colon cancer complications. Epic also included a Black Panther statue, to which many fans paid their respects following Boseman’s untimely death.
The fine print on McDonald’s China site features the Spam trademark, but Oreo does not appear as a trademark or in an official mention. Ahmad does note that the wording says Oreo, but it could also be another brand that makes its way into the sandwich.
