Category: Games

Pokemon Unite is a match made in heaven: the most successful franchise in the entire world coupled with the gold standard format for competitive gaming. This new MOBA from The Pokemon Company and Tencent brings the tenured series to a whole new world of competition, playing unlike anything with the Pokemon name on it. As such, those fans might have some questions about the fundamentals of Pokemon Unite, specifically ones like, “What the heck is this game?” and, “How does it work?” Fear not, loyal Pokemon trainer, as this is a handy guide that will give you the foundation you need to succeed on Aeos Island, whether it’s your first or 100th Unite match.

MOBA? What’s a MOBA?

First and foremost, let’s address the Phanpy in the room for longtime Pokemon fans: What is this “MOBA” you keep hearing about? MOBA stands for “multiplayer online battle arena,” a highly competitive multiplayer format featuring two teams of (typically) five in a giant arena. Battlefields usually include paths along the top, bottom, or middle called “lanes,” with areas between the lanes populated by monsters or, in this case, Wild Pokemon. League of Legends–the most popular MOBA game in the world–refers to these areas between the paths as “jungles,” but for Pokemon fans, an easy way to think of them is “wild areas” a la Sword and Shield.

A standard MOBA match’s objective is for one team to make its way across the map to the other team’s starting point, destroying checkpoints (or “towers”) in the lanes along the way to gain more access to the map. Eventually, the winning team will force its way into the opposing starting area, destroying a final tower (the “Nexus” in League of Legends terms) to claim victory.

The PokeMOBA Approach

So how does Pokemon Unite approach this MOBA format? While there is an arena with lanes and wild areas in between, the Pokemon Unite arenas are slightly different. First, there are only two lanes, top and bottom, with the entire section between the lanes a wild area populated by AI Pokemon. Second, instead of towers to be destroyed, lanes are dotted with goals in which Pokemon score points with Aeos Energy they’ve collected.

Goals can be destroyed through scoring points–more on the scoring format later–but unlike other MOBAs, victory is achieved by total points scored instead of objective destruction, so matches can technically be won without destroying a single goal. However, there is a good reason to destroy goals, as the area between two opposing goals is called a “Speed Flux Zone.” Any opponents caught in that zone will see their speed slowed until they make their way out of it, making them a prime target for attack while they’re in there. There are some MOBA tropes that aren’t included in Pokemon Unite, such as the lack of AI-controlled minions or “creep” and the removal of buying items mid-match. There are still items, but they are designated to be held by Pokemon before a match begins.

Understanding Pokemon Unite’sTypes

Let’s make one thing clear: This is a MOBA that features Pokemon; this is not a Pokemon game that’s also a MOBA. As such, there are a few conventions that Pokemon fans typically expect that don’t fully translate over. The most notable difference is Pokemon types. When a longtime trainer thinks about types, they typically think Fire, Grass, Water, etc. None of that applies in Pokemon Unite. Instead, Pokemon are split into one of five categories:

• All-Rounder (Charizard, Garchomp, Lucario, Machamp): Pokemon that are evenly skilled in attack and defense.
• Attacker (Alolan Ninetales, Cinderace, Cramorant, Gardevoir, Greninja, Pikachu, Venusaur): These Pokemon excel on offense, bringing the fight to the opposite team.
• Defender (Blastoise, Crustle, Slowbro, Snorlax): These Pokemon sport high defense stats and movesets focused on keeping enemies away from your goal.
• Speedster (Absol, Gengar, Talonflame, Zeraora): Speedsters play like assassins, quickly moving around the arena and strategically attacking.
• Support (Eldegoss, Mr. Mime, Wigglytuff): Supporters are focused on buffing and healing teammates to keep everyone alive and fighting.

Knowing the classes and how each Pokemon fits into that class makes a world of difference when first getting into Pokemon Unite. Knowing how they fit your personal style is paramount to victory, too; those familiar with Assassin classes in other MOBAs probably won’t fare well with Defenders here, for example.

Scoring Goals Is The Key To Victory

Victory in Pokemon Unite goes to the team that scores the most points in ten minutes, and thankfully scoring points is a simple, straightforward process. Players must use their Pokemon to collect energy from wild Pokemon in the arena, with each monster worth a certain amount of energy. Once the player has energy stored–up to a max of 50 energy points–they must head over to one of the opposing team’s goals and hold X to dispense them. The more energy the Pokemon is currently storing, the longer the player must hold X. When the meter fills, the Pokemon will throw the energy through the hoop, and points equal to the amount of energy held will be scored. Some goals limit how many points can be scored on them–80 to 100 are the usual limits–before they are disabled for the rest of the match.

There are ways to manipulate the goal in order to score points faster. If multiple Pokemon on the same team are standing in the same goal zone, the meter will fill faster while holding X. Defeating certain special wild Pokemon in the arena can render the goals “defenseless,” dramatically decreasing the amount of time needed to hold X in order to score. Conversely, there are ways the opposing team can hinder point-scoring, like interrupting the meter by attacking while the enemy is holding X and forcing the player to start again. Furthermore, goals will restore the HP of the Pokemon from that side of the arena, so if you’re approaching a goal and an opponent is standing in it, do not approach until it’s gone.

The best approach on how and when to score points depends on the type of Pokemon you’re using. Speedster Pokemon should focus on fast and frequent scoring, as their mobility gives them the ability to get in and out of opposing goal zones quickly. Defender and Supporter Pokemon, on the other hand, should only score when the opportunity presents itself. If the other team is crowding the top of the map, for example, a Defender or Supporter on the bottom has a chance to score with little resistance. These types will want to try and score eventually, though; getting knocked out with 50 energy could swing the momentum of a match to the enemy team.

Attacker and All-Rounder strategies fall somewhere between Speedster and Defender, depending on the flow of the game. These two types thrive when focused on wild Pokemon, but when the energy is filled, you’ll want to be close to a goal. However, if the team needs extra help defending a goal zone, both can step in and clean house. As long as you don’t get caught in a skirmish with low health and max energy, you’ll be golden.

Going Wild With Wild Pokemon

As mentioned above, multiple wild Pokemon appear throughout the arena, each holding energy that can be turned into points. Aipom, Combee, Vespiquen, Corphish, and Audino are a few examples of the familiar faces you’ll see when walking around the map. Attacking and defeating each Pokemon nets you energy, which eventually becomes points on the board once sent through the goal. A great strategy for defeating these Pokemon is the idea of “kiting” or luring the wild Pokemon to the edge of the area it defends, then attacking it as it walks back to its starting point.

A few wild Pokemon also hold special perks that are passed along when defeated, which could make a huge difference in the heat of battle. Let’s look at Remoat Island, the first arena you’ll play in Pokemon Unite and the arena with the standard 5v5 gameplay. Unique Pokemon on this map include:

• Bouffalant gives the Pokemon that defeats it an orange aura, which grants it the ability to slow down opposing Pokemon with every successful attack.
• Ludicolo gives the Pokemon that defeats it a purple aura, which powers up the Pokemon’s attacks when used against opponents with low health.
• Drednaw gives a temporary shield to the entire team of the Pokemon that takes it down.
• Rotom gives 20 points automatically to the team that defeats it. It then travels to the nearest goal of the opposing team. If Rotom makes it to a goal, it renders it defenseless for a short time.

The prime wild Pokemon targets are the Legendary Pokemon that appear in the Legendary Pit at the very center of the map. Remoat Island’s Legendary Pokemon is Zapdos, appearing only in the last two minutes of a match, and defeating it renders all opposing goals defenseless for 30 seconds. This advantage can turn the tide of battle in the late game, letting a team come from behind or increase its lead to unreachable lengths. However, do not try to take on a Zapdos alone; no matter what level you’re at, you’re going to have a bad time.

This leads to a very important tip before we move on: whether battling wild Pokemon or the opposing team, be mindful of your team’s goals and depend on them to restore health in a pinch. Retreating from a skirmish to heal and fight another day is far more advantageous than overdoing it, getting killed, and then having to wait the lengthy respawn time to get back into the fray. Your absence will leave your team in a huge disadvantage.

Gaining Experience And Leveling Up

You might have noticed that while you selected Charizard on the Pokemon select screen, when the match begins, you’re controlling Charmander. No, that’s not a mistake; along with energy, each Wild Pokemon on the field also gives experience when defeated. As a Pokemon gains experience, it gains access to more powerful moves–which we’ll get into shortly in the battle section–and access to more powerful forms. If a Pokemon evolves in the main Pokemon franchise, it can also evolve here.

Using the Charmander example, the fire dino will evolve into Charmeleon at level five and then to the big bad Charizard at level 9, gaining strength, defense, and HP accordingly. Pokemon with evolutions include:

• Alolan Ninetales (Alolan Vulpix, Alolan Ninetales at Lvl. 4)
• Blastoise (Squirtle, Wartortle at Lvl. 5, Blastoise at Lvl. 9)
• Charizard (Charmander, Charmeleon at Lvl. 5, Charizard at Lvl. 9)
• Cinderace (Scorbunny, Raboot at Lvl. 5, Cinderace at Lvl. 9)
• Crustle (Dwebble, Crustle at Lvl. 4)
• Eldegoss (Gossifleur, Eldegoss at Lvl. 4)
• Garchomp (Gible, Gabite at Lvl. 6, Garchomp at Lvl. 10)
• Gardevoir (Ralts, Kirlia at Lvl. 6, Gardevoir at Lvl. 10)
• Gengar (Gastly, Haunter at Lvl. 5, Gengar at Lvl. 9)
• Greninja (Froakie, Frogadier at Lvl. 5, Greninja at Lvl. 7)
• Machamp (Machop, Machoke at Lvl. 5, Machamp at Lvl. 9)
• Slowbro (Slowpoke, Slowbro at Lvl. 4)
• Talonflame (Fletchling, Fletchinder at Lvl. 5, Talonflame at Lvl. 9)
• Venusaur (Bulbasaur, Ivysaur at Lvl. 5, Venusaur at Lvl. 9)
• Wigglytuff (Jigglypuff, Wigglytuff at Lvl. 4)

Knowing when your chosen Pokemon evolves is just as important to your success as knowing its moveset. Speaking of which…

Learning Attack Strategies

Everything we’ve talked about so far centers around the battles your Pokemon will wage in Pokemon Unite, so let’s take a look at how you’re going to fight. Each Pokemon starts a match with a basic attack on the A button and two special moves on R and ZR. As the Pokemon gains experience and levels up, the special moves can be upgraded, first to a more powerful move and then to enhanced versions of that particular move. Special moves can be aimed by holding the attack button and using the right stick to aim, or they can attack the closest enemy just by pressing the button. Finally, there’s also the Unite Move at ZL, which unlocks at later experience levels and acts as the Pokemon’s “ultimate move.”

For an example of how a moveset shakes out, let’s take Slowbro:

• Slowbro’s basic move is a ranged water attack, with every third consecutive attack being a “boosted” version.. The boosted version damages the target and any Pokemon in the general vicinity, while also decreasing their Special Defense.
• Its R special move is Water Gun, which can be charged for more damage by holding down the button and slows down any enemy it hits. Cooldown is 5 seconds after use. At level 4, you can choose between two more powerful moves to replace Water Gun:
  • Scald lays scorching hot water onto the ground for area-of-effect damage, while also lowering the speed and attack power of any enemies hit. Cooldown is also 5 seconds, and at level 11, the area of effect increases.
  • Surf sends Slowbro charging forward on a giant wave that can throw an opponent backward. Two more waves follow Slowbro, dealing additional damage, but at level 11, those waves do more damage and can knock opponents into the air. Cooldown on this move is 9 seconds.

• Slowbro’s ZR special move is Slack Off, where it lays down and recovers HP. The longer Slowbro can stay motionless, the more health is recovered. Cooldown is 11 seconds after use. At level 6, you can choose to replace Slack Off just like Water Gun, only this time with two different moves:
  • Amnesia restores some of Slowbro’s health, increases its defense, and makes it immune to status effects. It also powers up the next use of Scald or Surf, depending on which you chose. Cooldown is 12 seconds after use, and at level 13, the move also increases Special Attack.
  • Telekinesis makes a Pokemon float in mid-air temporarily, rendering them unable to attack. It also has a 12-second cooldown, and at level 13, the move’s speed and range are increased.

• Slowbro’s Unite move (ZL) is Slowbeam, which targets a single Pokemon and locks them in place, siphoning health over a few seconds. Unite moves are only available when the Unite meter reaches 100%
• Finally, every Pokemon has a Passive Ability that is constantly active during a match. Slowbro’s is Oblivious, which makes damage it sustains gradual instead of instant. Also, any successful attack from Slowbro restores some gradual damage and lowers the opponent’s Special Defense.

Every Pokemon in the game has a moveset that works this way, with more powerful moves at later levels and players choosing which moves to learn. Once you’ve chosen your main Pokemon, take time to understand its moves and the effects they yield. Sticking with the Slowbro example, you could find yourself depending on recovering health with Slack Off, only to lose the health gain by selecting Telekinesis instead of Amnesia. The more knowledgeable you are, the more intentional you can be in the heat of battle, instead of wildly flailing your special attacks around.

Gone shopping!

Not all Pokemon are unlocked when the game begins, as you’ll need to obtain Unite Licenses in order to use them. You’ll receive a few from the jump, but eventually, you’ll need to visit the in-game shops to build not only your Pokemon collection but also items for battle and new outfits for your trainer. The game offers a robust shop menu with multiple currency options, some are earned in-game and one is a premium currency for purchase.

• The Unite Battle Committee is our first stop, and this is where you purchase new Unite Licenses in order to use new Pokemon. Two types of currency can be used to purchase Unite Licenses: Aeos Coins which are earned after every battle, and Aeos Gems, a premium currency sold separately.
• The Aeos Emporium is the place where trainer cosmetics can be purchased. Hats, clothes, shoes, you name it and you can purchase them for your trainer here. There are sets themed after Pokemon–the Snorlax set is particularly cool–or more original pieces if you prefer. The premium currency Aeos Gems can again be used here, but so too can a different in-game currency called Aeos Tickets.
• Zirco Trading is where you purchase cosmetics for your Pokémon, special skins that can be worn into battle. Examples include Cinderace in a pirate captain’s outfit and Talonflame in battle fatigues, among others. Once again, the premium Aeos Gems are accepted here, but another in-game currency called Holowear Tickets can also be found and used with no purchase necessary.

There are microtransactions in Pokemon Unite, focused on the purchase of Aeos Gems, as well as a Battle Pass with 90 levels of content to earn as you play. The Battle Pass can be bought with Aeos Gems and is not sold by itself for real-world money. Make sure to be careful on how you spend those earned Coins and Tickets, though, as the currency flow slows significantly if you progress through the game without spending real money.

Max Payne is officially 20 years old this month, marking a major milestone for the Remedy Entertainment-developed game. To celebrate the occasion, Remedy’s creative director–as well as the co-writer and face of the game–Sam Lake teamed up with Payne’s original voice actor James McCaffrey and a very familiar leather jacket to bring the troubled detective back for a brief monologue.

The first game in the Max Payne trilogy was a groundbreaking experience at the time, as it combined a neo-noir narrative with action that had been inspired by The Matrix and Hong Kong action cinema, particularly the films directed by John Woo. Take-Two purchased the Max Payne IP for $34 million in 2002, and a Remedy-developed sequel to the first game, Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, would arrive in 2003.

Fans would have to wait until 2012 for Max Payne 3, but there was a poorly-received feature film adaptation starring Mark Wahlberg that was released in 2008 that nobody wants to remember.

Developed by Rockstar Games with Remedy serving as consultants, Max Payne 3 also introduced a multiplayer mode to the series that managed to incorporate the trademark bullet-time feature of the game into its competitive online offerings.

Since then, the franchise has been dormant as Rockstar Games focused on Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2, while Remedy worked on other projects such as Alan Wake, Quantum Break, and Control, which also starred McCaffrey.

The studio is busy right now on multiple projects, such as a single-player mode for the online shooter Crossfire, new games that will be connected to both Control and Alan Wake, and a multiplayer Control spin-off.

Grand Theft Auto Online’s big new Los Santos Tuners update was a huge success for the multiplayer game. Rockstar Games said more players joined GTA Online for the launch of the update than any previous update in the game’s history.

Rockstar did not share a specific player figure, which is no surprise given that Rockstar and parent company Take-Two rarely if ever share exact numbers for the game. Whatever the case, Rockstar said it plans to celebrate the milestone by giving all GTA Online players $250,000 in GTA Online cash.

Everyone who signs in to GTA Online and plays the game between today, July 23, and Sunday, August 1, will get the cash deposited into their Maze Bank account within 72 hours. The money will start going out on Monday, July 26.

The Los Santos Tuners update launched on July 20. Focused on cars and car culture, the update introduces new missions and races, along with a new social space called the LS Car Meet. This is just the tip of the iceberg for what’s new in the update–check out the full Los Santos Tuners update details for more.

It’s not just GTA Online that continues to get big updates, as Rockstar also just released the major Blood Money update for Red Dead Online that invites players to be their bad selves.

In other news, GTA V and GTA Online are coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in November. GTA Online will get a standalone release, too, and it’s free on PS5 at the start.

Bungie is built on empowering our people no matter who they are, where they are from, or how they identify.
We have a responsibility to acknowledge, reflect, and do what we can to push back on a persistent culture of harassment, abuse, and inequality that exists in our industry.

— Bungie (@Bungie) July 22, 2021

As of 2022, the Cleveland Indians will be using a new name: the Cleveland Guardians. The change, which we’re sure to see implemented in games like MLB The Show 22, has been in the works for over a year, with the team already saying it was planning to have a new name after the 2021 season.

It’s unclear exactly when this change is going to take place in MLB The Show, but since it’s effective at the end of the 2021 season, it’s possible the game could be updated before next year’s version. We’ve reached out to Sony for comment.

Cleveland took a different strategy than Washington DC, which is temporarily known as Washington Football Team as it seeks a replacement for its previous name, one widely considered offensive for a slur against Native Americans. That temporary name is used in Madden, as well, and it was added almost immediately in the game, with a patch removing the previous name.

The announcement was made with the help of a video featuring narrator Tom Hanks and The Black Keys–the latter is from nearby Akron.

“We are a city of fire and water,” Hanks says in the video, unintentionally referencing the numerous times the city’s Cuyahoga River was set ablaze because of its massive pollution.

“Now it’s time to unite as one family–one community–to build the next era for this team,” Hanks continues. “To keep watch and guard what makes this game the greatest.”

The logo evokes angels, with two wings on each side of a baseball, and even the “C” logo used in the past has been changed slightly, with curves and a white outline. Because MLB The Show allows for you to use throwback uniforms, it’s also not clear yet if you’ll be able to use ones that still say “Indians” on them, or if they will be adjusted for the Guardians now, as well.

Some fans had hoped Cleveland Spiders would be the new name because of a previous baseball team that had played in the late 19th century. This was, however, squashed. The Guardians name is an apparent reference to the Guardians of Transportation on the city’s Lorain-Carnegie Bridge.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a team change its name without moving to a different city. The NBA’s New Orleans Hornets became the Pelicans back in 2013, with Charlotte retaking its Hornets name and an NBA 2K mod letting you implement it in the game. However, the cultural significance of Cleveland’s name–and the team’s longevity in the city–make it particularly noteworthy.

Rebellion’s Sniper Elite 4 has received a free new-gen update on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, which adds a number of visual upgrades to the World War 2 action game. The game runs at 4K and 60 frames per second after the update has been applied, while loading times have been improved dramatically according to Rebellion. The update will also be available on Xbox Series S, although Rebellion didn’t mention anything specific regarding that platform.

If it is similar to how Zombie Army 4 brought its last-gen versions up to speed for the current PlayStation and Xbox Series consoles, the Series S version will likely keep its resolution of 1080p while gaining the 60fps upgrade and quicker loading times.

You can see the changes for yourself in the trailer below, which features plenty of Sniper Elite’s trademark gore.

In case you missed it the first time, Sniper Elite 4 was originally released on PC, PS4, and Xbox One in 2017, with Switch and Stadia ports arriving in November 2020. Taking place on the Italian peninsula, the sequel once again starred elite marksman Karl Fairburne as he was tasked with dismantling the Axis forces so that Operation Overlord could proceed.

While Rebellion has worked on Strange Brigade and Zombie Army 4 in the years since Sniper Elite 4 was released, a new entry in the series was released on July 8 in the form of Sniper Elite VR for PSVR and Oculus devices.

Unlike the main series of games that stars Fairburne behind the sniper’s scope, Sniper Elite VR has players step into the boots of an Italian partisan who fights back against dictator Benito Mussolini’s fascist regime.

Electronic Arts revealed a big new horror game during EA Play Live in the form of a Dead Space remake from EA Motive. American McGee, the director of the Alice games at EA from years ago, responded to the news by saying he and his fans would have liked to see a new Alice game.

That said, the announcement of the new Dead Space helps “move us forward in line” for what franchise EA might bring back next, McGee said. He predicted, perhaps jokingly, that one day executives at EA will one day turn their attention to Alice as a series to revive. “And we’ll be ready,” McGee said (via VGC).

McGee has spoken for years now about wanting to make another Alice game. In 2017, McGee said he was drafting a proposal for a third game, tentatively titled “Alice: Asylum.” The pitch will be sent to Electronic Arts, which has the Alice rights.

“This proposal will include artwork, design outline, and financial/business model. When this proposal is finished (and assuming all the numbers and constraints make sense) it’ll be sent to EA,” McGee said at the time, though it’s not clear if anything ever came of this.

McGee has launched a crowdfunding effort on Patreon to support the development of a new Alice game. He’s also behind the new TV and game series Oz: Adventures.

In 2014, McGee bemoaned EA’s marketing of Alice: Madness Returns. On Reddit, he claimed EA intentionally created trailers for the game that would “trick” gamers into thinking the game was a hardcore horror title.

McGee’s Alice games are set in Wonderland–but a darker version of the one may recall from fairy tales. The series debuted in 2000 with American McGee’s Alice, with the Madness Returns sequel coming out in 2011.

BioWare’s Dragon Age 4 is expected to arrive before its next Mass Effect game, given that it was announced a few years ago and the previous game in the series, Dragon Age Inquisition, is nearly seven years old. However, a new report says it will be at least two more years before we actually get to play the RPG.

According to Jeff Grubb at VentureBeat (and of Giant Bomb’s GrubbSnax!) his sources believe the game is “on track” to come out in 2023, meaning that pending any setbacks in the development timeline, that’s likely when we can expect to play it. EA, for its part, would not confirm any sort of window when asked about this.

Part of the reason for the long development time likely comes down to a change in direction on the project. Earlier this year, EA reportedly decided to remove all multiplayer from the game and may have ditched live-service elements that were intended to keep players engaged with Dragon Age 4 far after its launch. This came after the failure of Anthem and the success of other single-player EA projects, most notably Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

This would seemingly also fall in line with the development and release philosophy being used on the new Dead Space remake, which will not include microtransactions despite Dead Space 3 making heavy use of them.

Dragon Age 4 will be set in Tevinter, and aside from knowing about a few returning characters, details on the project remain mostly under wraps. It’s reportedly still using the Frostbite engine, which has been used for a large number of EA games over the last generation despite originally being designed purely for first-person shooters.