Amazon Games’ PC MMO New World is set to be one of the biggest projects ever produced by the company, and brand-new gameplay and details were revealed during the June 13 PC Gaming Show–including the release date.
It hasn’t been available to the public yet, but New World enters closed beta on July 23 for anyone who pre-orders. These players will also receive special digital items, including a fist bump emote, “Isabella’s amulet,” a guild crest set, and a unique title.
New World will then release just a month later on August 25, and the simultaneous global launch should ensure there are plenty of players right off the bat. The game will feature enormous 100-player fortress sieges, skill-based combat, and the ability to form Companies with each other to operate out of strongholds. The game also does not include character classes, allowing you to customize your hero as you see fit without fitting into a set archetype.
New World was designed with a team that includes veterans from several MMO and shared-world games, including World of Warcraft and Destiny. With few large-scale games released by Amazon Games thus far, it’s set to be one of the division’s early defining moments.
During the PC Gamer show, a new trailer for Weird West was released. The upcoming immersive simulator comes from a studio headed by the co-creators of Dishonored and Prey.
As seen in the trailer, included at the start of the PC Gamer segment that’s embedded below, Weird West takes place in a Wild West-like setting but also features supernatural elements. The game will feature permadeath on its hardest difficulty.
Unlike Dishonored and Prey, Weird West plays in third-person and features multiple protagonists. You’ll play as five different people in Weird West and your decisions with each character can have impacts on the story. If you manage to keep protagonists alive, you can come back and recruit them to your party when the game transitions you to the next character.
Weird West is not the first third-person immersive sim. We’ve seen examples of this style of game before, like 2019’s Disco Elysium–which we named as one of the best games of 2019.
Currently, Weird West is scheduled to release in 2021. A demo is expected soon, but there’s no exact date.
New World, Amazon’s upcoming PC MMORPG will enter a closed beta on July 23. Players who pre-order New World will automatically gain access to the beta, plus a few digital bonuses.
New World is Amazon’s upcoming MMO where players take the role of conquistadors who must set up a colony on land possessed by monsters and demons. Amazon premiered a new gameplay trailer during the PC Gaming Show where it revealed more about the PvP combat experience.
Amazon says New World will set up massive battles with multi-part stages where teams of players can siege enemy fortresses. Up to 100 players can play together on the battlefield at once. There will be additional multiplayer modes including PvE modes and high-level content reserved for players who reach the endgame.
Players who pre-order New World will get access to the beta, plus a few digital items like Isabella’s amulet, the Fist Bump emote, a guild crest set, and the Expedition One unique title.
New World is being developed by an Amazon game developers team based out of Orange County, California. Developers include veterans from other well-known MMORPGs like Destiny, World of Warcraft, and Everquest.
If you’ve ever wanted to become the devil and control an army of classic storybook villains, Rogue Lords is exactly what you need. Developed by Cyanide, the rogue-like turn-based game puts you in control of the prince of darkness, and classic villains from literature–including Dracula–are available to use in combat.
Each run in Rogue Lords will end when your own health bar goes to zero. If one of your minions is damaged, you will become vulnerable, but you can use a special “souls” system to manipulate the game’s own interface. By doing this, you can access little tricks, such as lowering the enemy’s health bar before delivering an attack.
The turn-based combat makes use of cards, and every skill costs action points. If you’re good enough, you can create combo attacks, delivering even more damage.
Rogue Lords will be available for Xbox One, PS4, Switch, and Steam in 2021.
Surgeon Sim 2 brings multiplayer to the world of chaotic and cursed medical procedures, as well as allowing would-be doctors full movement around a brand new and explorable sterile environment.
As well as new gameplay, Bossa Studios is also releasing the same level building tools they used to build Surgeon Simulator 2, allowing players to create their own strange levels and share them for other wannabe surgeons to play.
Surgeon Simulator 2 will be releasing August 2020 for PC, with no news yet on whether the game will make the jump to PS5 or Xbox Series X later on.
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
The 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
Kuro 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 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
This 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
Few 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
For 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
Forget 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
Like 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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