Author: Trafficblast

A new Tony Hawk skateboarding game is in the works, but it might not be the one you want. Listings on Google Play and the Apple App Store show that a new free-to-play title, Tony Hawk’s Skate Jam, is coming on December 13 to Android and iOS devices.

The iOS listing states that Skate Jam will have a “classic career mode,” as well as “global skate jam tournaments.” What’s more, players can expect street, park, and vert skate disciplines, as well as “dozens” of skateboards to collect from Hawk’s own Birdhouse brand.

“Tony Hawk’s Skate Jam will set a new bar for authentic tricks, controls, and music in a mobile game, thanks to Tony,” reads a line from the game’s description.

As for playable skateboarders, the game mentions that Skate Jam will let you play as Tony Hawk himself, but no other skaters were mentioned.

Skate Jam is in development at Maple Media, a mobile game studio that previously released skateboarding games Skateboard Party and Skateboard Party 2.

The iOS store listing shows that Skate Jam is 1.4 GB, and confirms that it will feature microtransactions. The game will sell coin packs, though it’s not clear yet what you can buy with them. Some kind of a “Starter Pack” will also be available. The listing states that a full announement of Skate Jam is coming soon.

• Small Coin Pack — $2
• Medium Coin Pack — $5
• Large Coin Pack — $10
• Extra Large Coin Pack — $20
• Jumbo Coin Pack Coin Pack — $50
• Legendary Coin Pack — $100
• Starter Pack — $2

Tony Hawk worked with Activision on numerous skateboarding games, starting with the 1999 original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. 2015’s Pro Skater 5 is the latest entry in the long-running series. A mobile game called Tony Hawk’s Shred Session was soft-launched in 2014, but it was never seen through to an official release.

In February this year, Hawk said he had stopped working with Activision on skateboarding games. A month before that, he stated that he was working on a new skateboarding game without Activision, and it appears this title is Skate Jam.

What’s another oppressive dictatorship to series protagonist Rico Rodriguez? Not much. He does encounter a new kind of enemy in Just Cause 4, however: extreme weather. It’s the common thread that runs through both the story and new mechanics and tops off the explosive spectacle the series is known for. And alongside new gadgets to send objects (and people) flying across the world, Just Cause has become a physics playground. Unfortunately, there just aren’t enough opportunities to put these features to good use; underwhelming mission structure and a world slim on enticing activities makes Just Cause 4 a short-lived blast with untapped potential.

The best and most prevalent piece of Just Cause games is at the forefront once again. An exceptional traversal system lets you propel Rico across the beautiful landscapes of Solis and effortlessly soar through the skies. With the combo of a grappling hook, parachute, and wingsuit, Rico can basically go wherever, whenever (and often more efficiently) without a vehicle. Like past games, you build momentum and essentially catapult yourself using the combination of these tools and hardly ever have to touch the ground. It’s tough to overstate how satisfying it is to escape enemy hordes and hook onto the underside of a helicopter to hijack it and tear them all down, or slingshot yourself out of harm’s way toward the next target you’ll blow to bits.

Rico isn’t only built to move fast, however: if you aren’t causing explosions on a regular basis, you might be doing something wrong. Fuel tanks, red barrels, and vehicles are unusually explosive, and set the stage for over-the-top action. Since the grappling hook can also be used to tether objects together, you have lots of opportunities to get creative outside of exhausting your arsenal of firearms–some of which have their own wacky practical applications, like the wind cannon or lightning gun. Some weapons just wreak havoc such as the railgun or burst-fire rocket launcher, and even modest small arms like the SMG have impactful alternate fire modes. This may be the expectation for Just Cause, but it still pulls you in for a wild ride.

It’s tough to overstate how satisfying it is to escape enemy hordes and hook onto the underside of a helicopter to hijack it and tear them all down, or slingshot yourself out of harm’s way toward the next target you’ll blow to bits.

Its identity as a destructive playground is further emphasized by grappling hook mods, three of which you customize: air lifter, retractor, and boosters. All three devices coincide with the new physics engine. Air lifters (essentially mini hot air balloons) let you launch things into the sky, and they can be further customized in terms of velocity, behavior, and altitude. Retractors pull targets together violently, and boosters work like jet engines that’ll send objects into a speeding frenzy, whether it be an attack helicopter or a poor enemy soldier. Multiple permutations of these contraptions are made possible, since their effects can be stacked into a single tether and three loadout settings let you switch between loadouts on the fly. These gadgets are unlocked through side activities, and you’re given plenty of avenues to make them work as you desire, which leads to the most disappointing part. Just Cause 4 gives you so many shiny new toys to play with but seldom a reason to use them.

Mission structure is uninspired, as you are continually asked to escort NPCs, defend a specific object for a set duration, activate (or destroy) inconspicuous generators, or hit a number of console panels to activate some sort of process. The worst offender has to be the timed missions that ask you to sink bomb-rigged vehicles into the ocean; they’re tedious and prone to mishaps at no fault of your own. These are tied to Region Strikes, which are required to unlock territories on the map and progress to main story missions. While blasting through waves of enemies and their military-grade vehicles offers some great moments, you’re often asking yourself: okay, what else? Shielded heavies, snipers perched from a mile away, and flocks of attack helicopters can become enjoyably overwhelming, since you have to rapidly make use of your diverse toolset. But several missions are designed in such a way that’s oddly restricting, limiting the game’s strongest assets. Enemies simply swarm and act as basic obstacles rather than clever challenges, and that leaves you with objectives that rarely bring out the best in the mechanics and systems of Just Cause 4.

At a time when open-world games sometimes overstay their welcome, Just Cause 4 is at the other end of the spectrum, where you wish there was more to experience because it has so much going for it.

There are a few stellar moments in the main story missions that make proper use of the extreme weather system that is the core of Just Cause 4’s premise. Specifically, the conclusion to a stormchaser-themed questline funnels you through a number of battles while a tornado rips through your surroundings. Your ability to parachute and glide are drastically affected by the wind velocity and turbulence, which throws some welcome unpredictability into the mix. One particular sequence is also indicative of what the grappling hook mods are capable of; destroying massive wind cannons that impede progress with boosters wasn’t only the most efficient method, but watching these heaps of steel frantically spin out of control was a sight to behold. The last stand in this mission, a sequence of rooftop firefights amid the harsh weather, brings the many great pieces of the game together.

The same can’t be said about the other extreme weather conditions, however. Sandstorms challenge you with violent winds and obscured vision, and thunderstorms bring torrential rain and lightning strikes that make for a visual treat. But they’re not game-changing in the way tornadoes are since they have a minimal effect on gameplay. Even then, the questlines tied to these weather conditions and their respective biomes are over before you get to fully experience their unique qualities.

All the while, a vaguely coherent story about family and a rebellion against an evil regime serves as the platform for Rico’s wild ride. Stories in Just Cause haven’t been more than excuses for environmental destruction and a way to make you feel comically powerful, and the same holds true here, though you may find the ties to previous entries somewhat endearing. The harsh forecasts are justified by villain Oscar Espinoza’s high-tech devices that control the weather and oppress the people of the fictional South American country Solis. Rico remains the plausible one-man army who has the capabilities of a superhero with the air of a grounded, unassuming protagonist. If there’s anything that Just Cause does well story-wise, it’s convincing you to accept the absurdity of it all.

Throughout the game, you’ll be building a revolution across Solis, bolstering what’s called the Army of Chaos. It’s a fundamental piece to progression and the key to taking down Espinoza and toppling The Black Hand private military again. The Army of Chaos serves as a tool to controlling territories across the map since you need to accumulate squad reinforcements to overtake regions, which also gates your ability to take on story missions. Cause destruction and raise your chaos level, and get squads to progress. It boils down to a numbers game, and once you understand the structure of this system, you can easily snowball squad numbers and control all of Solis without having to grind your chaos level. Side activities from three minor characters litter the map as well; Sargento has you teaming with NPCs to destroy enemy infrastructure, Garland makes you do stunts, and Javi provides a bit more context to Solis by asking to do a few easy puzzles. It’s more things to do, and they unlock the aforementioned grappling hook mods, but they’re simple in nature and aren’t enough to compensate for the shortcomings of other missions.

Just Cause 4 has incredible moments where beauty and destruction cross with Rico’s ability to zip around the world at a moment’s notice. It’s gratifying and easy to grasp, especially when you’re able to string a series of wingsuit fly-bys, vehicles hijackings, and fiery explosions all in the name of revolution, but those moments are either short-lived or tied to rudimentary missions. You’re given an awesome toolset that paves the way for creativity in a world with too few problems to solve. At a time when open-world games sometimes overstay their welcome, Just Cause 4 is at the other end of the spectrum, where you wish there was more to experience because it has so much going for it.

Making is to 100 episode of TV in the modern landscape is no easy feat. So many shows last only a season or two before meeting an untimely end. That’s what makes The Flash‘s achievement so special and worthy of celebration. What you might not have expected, though, was an episode that also served as a game changer for not just this season, but the series as a whole. Warning: The following contains spoilers for The Flash’s 100th episode, “What’s Past is Prologue.”

While visiting the past was a nice way to honor all that the show has become, what was especially important is how it shaped the future–namely how it involves Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy). “I really didn’t think I’d have a big part of it because I always sort of felt like the 100th episode should represent everyone that had been in the show so I was so surprised when I knew I was going to be such a huge part of it,” Kennedy told GameSpot on The Flash 100th episode red carpet.

She did play a massive role, though, which involves her own future. After meeting the Eobard Thawne (Tom Cavanagh) that tormented her father throughout Season 1 of the series, it was revealed she’s actually working with him–or some version of him–in the future, long after her father disappeared. What her goal is, though, has yet to be revealed.

“There’s something going on but we don’t understand it exactly what it is,” she said. “Obviously, as the season goes on, that will make sense but I think the biggest thing is, is Norah good when there’s a part of Norah that’s bad? What are the reasons she’s there?”

That’s the question on the minds of every fan after realizing Barry Allen’s (Grant Gustin) daughter is working with his most dreaded enemy in some way. What would bring her to it and what happens now that she sees the man he truly was?

Of course, looking at it from Cavanagh’s point of view, bringing back Thawne is an exciting challenge. How do you revisit a former character but keep it fresh and new?

“I always think if you’re fortunate enough to be on a long-running TV show, maybe you don’t necessarily have to reinvent but it’s best not to get too staged in, you know, what you present to the viewership because I think they know you know an occasional ignition in one way or another,” he explained. “I think that with taking the classic villain, keeping him the classic villain, but showing a different error or different side or different aspect, if you will, with it was enjoyable.”

That was also the route showrunner Todd Helbing and his writers wanted to take when it came to penning the script for the episode and deciding where it would lead as the season goes on. “We don’t wanna just do the same villain over and over and if we had the exact same attitude with Eobard Thawne, that we’ve seen this whole time, that’s not going to be interesting either,” he said. “So, he was part of the pitch from the beginning and I think what we really wanted to do was just see a different attitude from Thawne that we hadn’t, see him in a different light and, you know, there’s a big theme of legacy this season. And so, when we started talking about that with every other character and then we got to Thawne, it’s like, ‘What does legacy mean to him?’ So that’s what we start to touch on in the background.”

What does this mean for Sherloque, though? The version of Wells helping the team out in current day was certainly teased to show a connection to Eobard. In the 100th episode, they both refer to Nora as a “clever girl,” referencing Jurassic Park. However, as Helbing revealed, the two are not the same person.

“I’ll just say he’s has a different agenda than Thawne.” the showrunner teased. As for what that agenda is, and whether it’s good or evil, you’re going to have to wait for the season to play out. We’ll also have to wait to see whether Barry and Nora traveling back in time will have any impact on the timeline. “I feel like towards the end of the season is where we’re going to see what kind of repercussions episode 100 had,” Gustin said. Helbing, meanwhile, teased, “There’s something that will happen probably way down the line that you realize but, no, right now we’re not playing it in the same way like that we do.”

With such a massive episode that featured so many major moments, you’re going to have to wait for any kind of immediate follow-up. Next, The Flash–along with Arrow and Supergirl–head into the massive “Elseworlds” crossover. The event kicks off on December 9. Make sure to check out our “Elseworlds” photos and spoiler teases so you’re ready to take it all in.

It’s been a long time coming, but Kingdom Hearts III is almost here. Set for a worldwide release on January 29, 2019 for PS4 and Xbox One, the next game in the incredibly complicated yet whimsical action-RPG series will conclude the main story with Sora, Donald Duck, Goofy and other friends as they face off against the evil Organization XIII and the swarming blight known as the Heartless. Since its debut, the Kingdom Hearts series blended together the exuberance and wonder of a Disney spectacle with the mechanics of an JRPG, offering something that really shouldn’t have worked as well as it did.

There’s a lot anticipation for Kingdom Hearts III, but at the same time there’s a number things that will be important to clear up. Just ahead of the game’s release, we’ve compiled a number of important details regarding Kingdom Hearts III, when it first debuted, the platforms it will launch on, and whether it’ll be safe to dive into this game if you’re a first timer. Here’s everything we know about Disney and Square Enix’s upcoming action-RPG spectacle.

What Is Kingdom Hearts III?

Kingdom Hearts III is the next game in the long-running series that debuted in 2002 on the PlayStation 2. Created by Tetsuya Nomura, Kingdom Hearts is an action-RPG amalgamation of the memorable movies and games from both Disney and Square Enix (particularly the Final Fantasy series). Over the course of the series, Sora and his allies have travelled across the expansive multiverse, forming bonds with many familiar characters such as Aladdin, Mulan, and Hercules, while also facing off against foes such as Scar from The Lion King and Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII.

Kingdom Hearts III will continue the tradition of offering richly realized worlds to explore, with each locale having a set of iconic characters to team up with. Though technically not the third game in the series–it’s really the eighth–KHIII will be the conclusion of the main storyline focusing on Sora and his friends and their travels across the Disney/Square universe. During their adventure, they’ll encounter many returning characters and explore new worlds, which have a greater level of freedom and advanced combat mechanics.

Can I Start With KH III?

While the Kingdom Hearts series is known for its incredibly involved and complex plot, possessing an interconnected web of character relationships and timelines, it’s still possible to jump into Kingdom Hearts III fresh. Much like other games, KHIII will offer a way for newcomers and fans who need to brush up on the story an opportunity to get up to speed with the new game. There will be numerous text files and docs that detail the major events throughout the series, key characters, and how it all led up to this point.

Debut And The First Trailer

Kingdom Hearts III made its debut during Sony’s E3 2013 press conference, revealing new visuals and designs for Sora, Donald, Goofy, and the locations they would visit–all powered by Unreal Engine 4. In this trailer, we saw some familiar scenes with the key characters before witnessing Sora fight off swarms of Heartless in a reimagined Twilight Town from KHII.

Where Does It Fit In The KH Timeline?

KHIII is the latest game chronologically on the series timeline. Though the numbered entries are seen as the core entries in the series, several important events have happened in the spin-off games that are vital for anyone looking to get the full story. While Kingdom Hearts Union X [Cross] (yes, that’s the actual title) is a mobile/browser title, it also expands the overall plot. It shows off the events prior to the Keyblade War–one of the more notable events referenced throughout the series.Aside from the main games, the side-stories in Birth By Sleep and Dream Drop Distance not only reveal the backstories for many key side-characters, they reveal events that have come to shape the present story in Kingdom Hearts III. Here’s a list of every KH game in chronological order.

The Second Trailer

Debuting at E3 2015, the next trailer revealed footage of the Kingdom of Corona world from Tangled, along with Olympus Coliseum from Hercules. In the trailer, we also got to see footage of the new combat mechanic known as Attraction Flow, and saw two new characters exchange in cryptic dialog discussing the fate of other characters.

What’s New In Kingdom Hearts III?

The gameplay in Kingdom Hearts III is very similar to how it was in Kingdom Hearts II, albeit with a much larger scope. In addition to larger environments to explore, players will now be able to have five characters in a party at once, with two guest characters joining the trio. Continuing from Kingdom Hearts II, Sora will be able to call upon his allies and trigger special combination attacks and special moves. Summoning also makes a return as well, allowing you to call forth famous Disney characters like Wreck-It-Ralph and Ariel from The Little Mermaid.

However, Kingdom Hearts III tosses in several new abilities, which helps to bring combat to the next level. One of the new combat abilities is known as Attraction Flow, allowing Sora to conjure up a vehicle that’s based on a famous Disneyland ride–such as Splash Mountain or the teacups from the Mad Tea Party attraction. By taking control of these rides, Sora can quickly deal heavy damage to multiple enemies. Another new twist is the addition of the various Keyblade transformations. While the previous games had you collect a whole assortment of special keyblades, many of which referenced classic Disney films and Final Fantasy games, KHIII takes things further by having each weapon possess its own signature move–giving you another new skill to use in battle.

All The Confirmed Worlds (So Far)

With every Kingdom Hearts game comes an assortment of levels that strongly contrast with each other. Kingdom Hearts III is no different, and we’ve already gotten a taste of where we’ll be able to travel to in the upcoming game. Though the final game still has a number of worlds that have yet to be revealed, here’s a quick rundown of the worlds we know of so far.

• Kingdom of Corona (Tangled)
• Olympus Coliseum (Hercules)
• San Fransokyo (Big Hero 6)
• Monstropolis (Monsters Inc.)
• Toy Box (Toy Story)
• Arendalle (Frozen)
• The Caribbean (Pirates of the Caribbean 3)
• Hundred Acre Wood (Winnie the Pooh)
• Twilight Town (Kingdom Hearts)

The Third Trailer

During D23 2017, Square-Enix and Disney released a new trailer showing off a first look at the Toy Box world from Toy Story. During the footage, Sora, Donald, and Goofy are transformed into action figures and have to battle Heartless in Andy’s room. They eventually meet up with Woody and Buzz Lightyear, and soon find themselves exploring the outside of Andy’s room and towards a massive toy-store where they control large mecha toys and confront another member of Organization XIII.

What Systems Is It On And What’s Its Release Date?

Kingdom Hearts III will be available for PS4 and Xbox One on January 29, 2019. Though the series has mostly been a fixture of the PlayStation consoles, with a few appearances on Nintendo’s handhelds, this game will mark the first time that the series will be available on a Microsoft console. Kingdom Hearts III will be available worldwide for PS4 and Xbox One on January 29, 2019. However, the game will be out in Japan nearly a week before on January 25.

Will It Come To PC?

As of now, there is no word on a PC release for the game. Though it’s not outside the realm of possibility for it to make its way to PC, since Kingdom Hearts III will be the first multi-platform release, Square Enix have been quiet about a PC launch for the series.

How Can I Catch Up?

If you find yourself with the urge to revisit the previous games, or you simply want to see what all the hype is about, then you’ll be pleased to know that Square Enix has re-released both the previous core Kingdom Hearts games in the 1.5 + 2.5 Remix edition for PS4. Originally released on PS3, these collections remaster the two games with new visuals and add in some new content.

Featuring the Final Mix versions of Kingdom Hearts I and II, along with remasters of Birth By Sleep, Chain of Memories, Dream Drop Distances, and Recoded–ReMIX on PS4 also include a brand-new epilogue episode for Birth By Sleep [Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A fragmentary passage], running on the same engine as Kingdom Hearts III, giving many a brief taste for what’s to come in the next game. Unfortunately, this edition is only available on PS4, so Xbox One owners will have to wait for the digest in Kingdom Hearts III or play the ReMIX on PS4.

Will there be a Theme Song?

Much like other mainline entries in the series, there’s always an opening number to kick off the new adventure–and KHIII is no different. In the new song, Face Your Fears, series vocalist Utada Hikaru returns for the main theme. In an interesting twist, the theme song is also produced by Skrillex, who made a name for himself over the last decade with his work in the dub-step sub-genre. The song will be released shortly before the launch of the game on January 18.

The Fourth Trailer

During E3 2018, we saw the next trailer for Kingdom Hearts 3–revealing the first look at the worlds for Frozen and the return of Pirates of the Caribbean. First shown during Microsoft’s E3 press conference, Sora and friends encounter Elsa in the frozen wilderness, who’s under attack from Heartless. We also saw a return visit to the Pirates of the Caribbean world, adapting the events from the third film At World’s End.

Is There A Special Edition?

Square Enix plans to release a deluxe version of the game on both PS4 and Xbox One for $230. The bundle comes packed with Sora, Donald, and Goofy action-figures based on their appearances in the Toy Box, along with a steelbook and an artbook. There are also plans to release a special PS4 Pro bundle for Kingdom Hearts III, which is available for pre-order on the official Square Enix online store.