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Control was among the best games of 2019–and one of the most taxing in terms of graphical fidelity. Even on the powerful PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X, Control would sometimes hitch, drop frames, and struggle as protagonist Jesse Faden telekinetically hucked objects at Hiss enemies or smashed through the offices of the Federal Bureau of Control, flinging papers and wood splinters in all directions in her wake.

The high graphical requirements seem like they would preclude Control from ever running on the Nintendo Switch, a less powerful game console than its Sony and Microsoft counterparts. But Nintendo and publisher 505 Games found a workaround: streaming. The release of Control: Ultimate Edition leverages cloud technology to make the game available on Nintendo’s little hybrid console, and the results are surprisingly strong. With a stable internet connection (my Switch said I was getting around 30 mbps down and 8.2 mbps up over WiFi), Control plays very well on the Switch with all its options, and if you haven’t had a chance to check out Remedy Entertainment’s killer title, this is a good way to do so.

If you’re not familiar, Control imbues you with supernatural powers and sets you loose in the Oldest House, a brutalist concrete office building with shifting walls and seemingly impossible scale. It houses the FBC, a government agency dedicated to the study, protection, and containment of “paranatural” objects and entities. If it’s supernatural, weird, or possibly involved with other dimensions, it’s the Bureau’s purview–but the building has been invaded by a spectral force called the Hiss that has possessed many of the Bureau’s employees and turned them against the survivors.

As Peter Brown wrote in GameSpot’s Control review last year, “If you’ve played past works from Remedy Games, you will instantly recognize the studio’s footprint. Control’s story plays with grim truths and strange themes. Everything is a serious matter, except when it isn’t and a dark sense of humor creeps in to offer a momentary respite–which, yes, includes plenty of FMV shorts. The combat system is designed for you to be equal parts agile and destructive, bearing a notable resemblance to the studio’s Microsoft exclusive, Quantum Break. Combat aside, that game felt like a step removed from what Remedy does best. Control feels like Remedy has found its footing again.”

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Like Jesse, the Hiss fight with a mix of guns and telekinetic powers, requiring you to utilize a host of supernatural capabilities–like levitation, throwing objects with your mind, creating shields out of random debris, and even turning the hiss to your side. Combat is always a fun, frenetic combination of gunplay with your shape-changing Service Weapon and deploying your otherworldly abilities, while constantly staying on the move so you’re never overwhelmed.

On Switch, Control comes in two varieties: Enhanced Performance mode and Enhanced Graphics mode. The former favors frame rate over powerful graphical accouterments like ray tracing in the latter, but in practice, both modes capture Control’s impressive visuals without too much in the way of differences. Especially in handheld mode, where the Switch’s small screen helps to hide its lower resolution capabilities, the graphics tend to be pretty gorgeous, even if you aren’t getting the tier of lighting effects, hair detail, and reflections that the enhanced graphics mode can deliver.

The enhanced mode looks pretty great, though, both when the Switch is handheld and when it’s docked. The biggest weakness of the Switch’s graphical fidelity is that, through a combination of either the limitations of streaming or the lower resolution of the Switch in general, the game can look a bit hazier than it does in other versions. It’s a minor weakness, however–Control still turns out multiple beautiful images and high-fidelity faces, especially in motion, in either handheld mode or TV mode. Enhanced mode enjoys some prettier lighting effects and other touches, but while Performance mode is definitely something of a graphical downgrade, it’s a fairly small one. Whether in handheld or on a TV, both modes of Control are pretty.

Frame rate is the place where the two Control modes seem to differ the most. In Enhanced Graphics, frame rate is already a bit lower than the Enhanced Performance mode, and routinely dipped even further, both handheld and on a TV. The lower frame rate never hurt my ability to play the game, even during Control’s tough and hectic firefights, but the slowdown was noticeable when the game worked to render lots of explosions, enemies, gunfire, and other effects.

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It’s worth noting that frame rate issues are probably the biggest problem the game faces among both modes. This is likely a function of streaming, where dropped frames are a fairly common problem–but then again, similar frame rate drops sometimes plague the PS4, Xbox One, and PC versions of Control because of its graphical demands. In any event, Performance mode doesn’t solve the frame rate troubles, but in playing through about four hours of the game, the hitching or slowdowns were always minor and never affected my ability to actually enjoy the game.

Control is a tough game on any platform, requiring fast reflexes and aiming against enemies who will pummel you relentlessly. The Switch’s Joy-Cons don’t always feel up to the task, though. The thumbsticks are notoriously a bit loose and floaty, and precise aiming with firearms can get frustrating. The problem is mitigated by what feels like an increased aim assist that functions very well here–I never felt like playing on Switch was notably tougher than other platforms, and in Control’s difficult battles, Jesse is just as quick and formidable a paranatural combatant as on PC or PS4. But the few moments when you need to be precise with your shots can be frustrating as you swing your targeting reticle too far over a target and have to try to track back, especially as enemies are unloading on you with machine guns, rockets, and floating chunks of concrete.

While it does have some minor issues, Control streaming on Switch is impressive. Even a few rooms away from my WiFi router, the game always handled well, and I was able to fight through battle after battle with the Hiss with nothing more bothering me than a less-than-optimum frame rate. This isn’t the most beautiful-looking version of Control, but it’s also nothing to sneer at, and it’s boosted by the opportunity to play such a big, technically demanding game on a handheld system. Venturing through the Oldest House on the Switch mostly feels great, and this is a solid, convenient way to experience one of 2019’s best–along with all its DLC–if you haven’t already.

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A new trailer for Netflix‘s The Witcher series has arrived, and it contains some secrets that could point to where the show is headed for Season 2 when it comes to its monsters.

Released on Halloween and set to the song “Monster Mash,” the video’s description states that viewers should be on the lookout for a few surprises. “The White Wolf takes Halloween as a personal challenge. But keep your eyes peeled for a few sweet treats… you won’t want to miss what’s hidden,” reads the description.

Collider noticed that there are new monsters and otherworldly beasts that can be seen at around 15 seconds and 30 seconds into the video, and this could be our first look at Season 2 footage. One is a clump of blood and viscera and the other is a group of skeletons connected together.

This new footage comes not long after Netflix published new images that show off Freya Allan as Princess Ciri. She’s wearing new battle garb, and it’s a radical shift from Season 1.

Season 2 is reportedly set to premiere in 2021. For fans who can’t wait, Netflix recently released Making the Witcher, a 32-minute behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of the series.

Netflix has made it clear it wants to make The Witcher its next big franchise. There is already a live-action prequel series in the works taking place 1,200 years in the past called The Witcher: Blood Origin. Additionally, there is a The Witcher anime coming in the near future as well.

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When it comes to box sets, many home releases feature plenty of special features, revamped visuals and audio, or some really cool packaging. For Rambo: The Complete Steelbook Collection, this 4K UHD release comes with a copy of a handwritten note from Sylvester Stallone.

Currently available at Best Buy, the Rambo box set features all five movies in the franchise, including 2019’s Last Blood. Additionally, it comes with digital copies of all the movies, and then a bizarre note from Stallone himself, written in cursive, which you can check out below.

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It’s truly a weird inclusion for this box set. “I’m the luckiest actor to have gotten to play and write for this most incredible character,” Stallone writes. “Please enjoy this extended cut as much as I did playing the part.”

Below, he signed his name. However, this is obviously just a copy of the note, as not every copy of the Rambo collection has a personalized note from John Rambo himself. On the other side of the note is a code for the digital copy of the extended cut of Rambo: Last Blood.

Each movie comes in its own steelbook with some pretty cool art on each case. Of course, each movie also contains some special features, including audio commentaries, deleted scenes, featurettes, and various trailers. The collection is currently on sale at Best Buy.

Rambo: The Complete Steelbook Collection

$120 $95

There are digital copies of all five movies, all in 4K UHD, included in the collection as well. There isn’t a lot going on for the future of this franchise; however, Rambo isn’t remaining quiet. John Rambo was recently revealed as a DLC character for Mortal Kombat 11. Stallone returns to voice the character one more time. So if you were wondering if Rambo could beat up The Terminator, you finally can… in video game form.

The November refresh for HBO Max is especially meaningful for fans of The Lord of the Rings and the wider Middle-earth universe.

The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies joined HBO Max’s streaming library at the start of November, and it adds to the previous two Hobbit movies, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. The three Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings movies are already on the service, so the complete theatrical Middle-earth series is now available to stream.

Additionally, the 1977 Rankin/Bass animated version of The Hobbit is available on HBO Max. However, it doesn’t appear that the Ralph Bakshi version of The Lord of the Rings is on HBO Max.

Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf in the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings films, celebrated the news with a tweet in which he said “Hurrah!” and then wondered which order to watch them in. His verdict? Start with The Hobbit, because that’s what J.R.R. Tolkien wrote first.

More Lord of the Rings entertainment is coming, as Amazon is working on a TV show that is currently filming in New Zealand, while the company is also planning a Lord of the Rings MMO.

In addition to these Middle-earth movies, HBO Max added 13 Going On 30, The Dark Knight, and Free Willy this month, among many others. You can see the full list of new additions here.

For more streaming info, check out the November lists for Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Disney+.

PlayStation 5 releases in November, and with it, a host of accessories unique to the next-generation system. The DualSense controller is Sony’s first move away from the DualShock labeling, and includes new features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. One of the DualSense controller’s other qualities, however, is that it doesn’t work while hooked up to the PS4. Sony’s current-gen console registers the new controller, but you can’t use it to play any games.

It appears that the DualSense controller does work with the Nintendo Switch, however. Twitter user BrokenGamezHDR connected the DualSense controller to Nintendo’s hybrid console by using an adapter. Named the 8BitDo adapter, the third party software allows players to use their preferred handheld controller with the Nintendo Switch and not be limited to Switch’s Pro Controller.

In the video BrokenGamezHDR posted, he successfully uses the DualSense controller to navigate Switch’s menu and play a small portion of Mario Kart. So while players can’t use the DualSense controller with the PS4, they can certainly try mixing and matching with the Nintendo Switch system. How extra features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers would work in that scenario is still uncertain at this time.

The PS5 doesn’t release until November 12, but some DualSense controllers have been available early. Developers have also wasted no time in getting the new accessory work on other systems, like the PC. Shakedown Hawaii’s newest patch allows players to use DualSense controllers.

Other PS5 accessories–such as the Pulse 3D headset, media remote, and camera–will also be available soon. Check our PS5 preorder guide if you’re looking to find any of these before launch.

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The upcoming horror movie and video-game adaptation reboot of Resident Evil films has reportedly just cast Donal Logue (Gotham, Vikings) in an undisclosed role. The news comes via Deadline, and his joining the film’s fold sees him rounding out a cast that also includes previously announced stars Kaya Scodelario (Skins) as Claire Redfield, Hannah John-Kamen (Ant-Man and the Wasp) as Jill Valentine, Robbie Amell (The X-Files) as Chris Redfield, Tom Hopper (The Umbrella Academy) as Albert Wesker, Avan Jogia (Zombieland: Double Tap) as Leon S. Kennedy, and Neal McDonough (Justified) as William Birkin.

The movie, which is reportedly already in production, is directed by Johannes Roberts, who helmed the hit shark thriller 47 Meters Down and its sequel, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged. In a previously released statement, Roberts spoke about what fans could expect from this upcoming Resident Evil film. “I really wanted to go back to the original first two games and re-create the terrifying visceral experience I had when I first played them whilst at the same time telling a grounded human story about a small dying American town that feels both relatable and relevant to today’s audiences,” he said.

There is a bit of a Resident Evil renaissance taking place when it comes to adaptations. There is an upcoming CG series coming in 2021, and also a live-action series that will be directed in part by Bronwen Hughes (Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead). Both those shows are coming to Netflix.

And in the broader Capcom-adaptation world, there is the upcoming Monster Hunter film due out in December and also a Mega Man movie that is trying to get off the ground. On Crackle, you can dip deeper into the catalog of adaptations with Resident Evil Afterlife, Extinction, Final Chapter, and Apocalypse–all are streaming there for free currently.