Developer EA DICE has doubled the number of experience points offered in Star Wars Battlefront II on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One until March 27. According to a tweet by the company’s global community lead, DICE will then start giving Battlefront II players triple the experience points for the weekend of March 28-29.
We’re turning on x2 Experience in Star Wars Battlefront II up until March 27, and then it’ll be a x3 Experience weekend. May the Force be with you. pic.twitter.com/ntjR7G9yg3
This news comes as a bunch of companies issue responses and countermeasures to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Many reports suggest self-quarantining for 14 days to minimize possible infections.
Despite its cancellation this year, E3 will return in 2021 as “a reimagined event that brings fans, media and the industry together in a showcase that celebrates the global video game industry,” according to the ESA.
Battlefront II recently received a free major expansion in the form of the Age of Rebellion, an update that adds new playable characters, additional co-op locations, extra maps and weapons, and more. EA DICE also dropped a small patch that addresses a few bugs and implements some community-requested features.
Developer Bohemia Interactive has released a brand-new update for its survival game DayZ that addresses some bugs, adds a new weapon and ammunition, and more. We’ve compiled the full patch notes below.
The headlining feature of DayZ’s 1.07 update is the inclusion of amusement parks, new locations within the game world replete with shooting ranges for target practice and structures to seek shelter from the zombie horde. If you would rather go on the offensive, though, Bohemia Interactive has added the new Repeater Carbine to help you take the scalps off your enemies. There are also two new ammunition types added in the 1.07 update: the Repeater Carbine’s .357 rounds and 12ga Rubber Slugs that can be used with any shotgun.
DayZ’s newest patch also addresses a number of bugs within the game, such as game and server crashes, problems around item duplication exploits, inaccessible items, unregistered bullet discharge, and more.
You can check out the full patch notes below, along with a teaser trailer for DayZ’s 1.07 update.
Full DayZ Update 1.07 Patch Notes
Game Hotfix 3 (16.03.2020)
Fixed
Fixed: A common server crash
Fixed: A common game crash connected to memory
Fixed: An exploit for item duplication
Fixed: Certain items would be inaccessible after placing
Fixed: Tents could be placed half-way in the ground
Fixed: The player was able to dig worms while high above actual soil
Game Hotfix 2 (03.03.2020)
Fixed
Fixed: A common server crash
Fixed: An exploit for item duplication
Fixed: Exploitable collisions in civilian buildings
Fixed: A client error related to the cable reel
Fixed: Occupied wheel slots on vehicles would still display the “Attach” prompt
Game Hotfix 1 (19.02.2020) & (20.02.2020)
Added
Added: Sound for amusement park objects
Added: Repeater Carbine
Added: .357 Rounds
Added: 12ga Rubber Slugs
Added: Amusement park locations throughout Chernarus
Fixed
Fixed: A server crash caused by certain player actions (On Xbox One One)
Fixed: A game crash caused by inventory manipulation
Fixed: A server crash related to dropping large items (reverted the physical dropping until this issue is resolved)
Fixed: A case of bullets not being registered when starting to shoot while the weapon is moved
Fixed: Doors in certain military barracks were disappearing
Fixed: Item description of beige Working Boots
Fixed: An exploit allowing to carry heavy items while running
Fixed: Voice chat could be activated while in the inventory
Fixed: A client error caused by re-encountering the weapon you dropped during a previous death
Fixed: The map always used to open at the top left corner (now remembers the last opened position)Fixed: Disabled “Jump out” action for back seat passengers of the ADA 4×4
Fixed: Action circle was missing while dismantling the oven
Fixed: The player can no longer attach both the suppressor and compensator to the SG5-K
Fixed: Issue caused by starting an action with a different item in your hands between client and server
Fixed: An animation glitch related to throwing
Fixed: Several types of inventory interactions related to item swapping
Fixed: Water bonus from wells was added to early in the action
Fixed: Infected would not cause bleeding as intended
Fixed: Issues with doors in the aircraft hangar, hospital, school, harbor crane
Fixed: Issues with the sounds of doors in the fire station and big ATC buildings
Fixed: Issues with a ladder on the construction site
Fixed: Piles of wooden planks could spawn on top of each other
Fixed: The big doorway of the sawmill had bullet collision
Fixed: Object placement fixes for Enoch and ChernarusPlus terrains
Fixed: A yellow heat comfort was giving a penalty on health regeneration
Fixed: Position of the combination lock widget, LODs, and textures
Fixed: The player could collide with individual ivy parts
Fixed: The Denim Skirt showed the wrong color in 1st person mode
Fixed: Infected could not navigate into the large grey shed
Fixed: The Construction Light behaved weirdly when thrown
Fixed: It was not possible to empty liquid containers in interior spaces
Fixed: Blue Athletic Sunglasses had a green texture
Fixed: The Thermometer would always display 0 degree
Fixed: Night vision was darkened when someone entered the player’s network bubble
Fixed: Base building actions could be mixed up resulting in building the wrong part
Fixed: Barrel with holes was still able to store liquids
Fixed: Missing icon for the night vision goggles attachment slot
Fixed: NVGs were not operable while holding an item in hands
Fixed: Door of the Radio Station would spawn opened half-way
Fixed: Belts with attachments could be put inside clothing items
Changed
Changed: Global lighting changes (ground-lighting addition, brightness of day and night, shadow contrast during clear weather, rain visual tweaks, darker clouds during overcast)
Changed: Updated the inventory attachment icons (missing icons added, some icons tweaked and unused removed to free space for more in future)
Changed: Clean-up of the car damage zones
Changed: Lowered the amount of leaked coolant when the radiator is destroyed in the car
Changed: The open option for the fence gate can be accessed easier
Changed: Removed the collision from Barbed Wire
Changed: Barbed Wire now causes bleeding sources instead of shock damage
Changed: The fence and watchtower kits can be dismantled
Changed: Heavy items (with collision) are dropped using physics
Changed: Rework of the combination lock destruction (requires more time but in shorter cycles)
Changed: Sawing a pile of wooden planks is now a truly continuous action
Tweaked: Decreased range of the night light, and changed its color, position, and brightness for better immersion
Tweaked: The fence gate opens and closes slower
Tweaked: Inventory view of the Assault Helmet Visor
Tweaked: You receive one additional plank when cutting down a wooden log
Tweaked: You receive one more wooden log when cutting down most trees
Tweaked: Base building materials are now placed more clear
Tweaked: Sorted the attachments icons of firearms
Tweaked: The base building build action won’t show up at all when it is being blocked (previously allowed to execute without result)
Tweaked: Adjusted the logic behind obstacle checks when building base building parts
Tweaked: The map is now fullscreen
Tweaked: Removed the collision from tourist trail poles
Tweaked: The pickaxe can build watchtowers and fences again
Server
Added: Access to the server mission files
Added: Admin log parameters to selectively monitor certain player actions
adminLogPlayerHitsOnly = 0; //1 – log player hits only / 0 – log all hits ( animals/infected )
The Legendary Cobalion is returning to Pokemon Go a bit sooner than planned. The Legendary Pokemon was originally scheduled to return for a special Raid Weekend event starting March 20, but that event has since been extended and is now slated to kick off tomorrow, March 17.
Beginning at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET, Cobalion will once again be featured in five-star Raid Battles. This marks the second time the Legendary Pokemon has appeared in Pokemon Go, but there’s a good reason to take part in the event even if you already have one. This time around, Cobalion will know the event move Sacred Sword, and you’ll have your first chance to encounter a Shiny Cobalion.
Remember, Trainers! A Cobalion Special Raid Event will happen from Tuesday, March 17, 2020, at 1 p.m. to Monday, March 23, 2020, at 1 p.m. PDT (GMT −7). These Cobalion will know the event-exclusive attack Sacred Sword. If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny Cobalion! pic.twitter.com/wVpq4GXQT2
The Cobalion Raid event is scheduled to end at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET on Monday, March 23. You can read more details about the event on the official Pokemon Go website.
Cobalion isn’t the only Legendary returning to the game; Niantic is also bringing Lugia back for a special Raid event later this month. That event has likewise been extended and will now run from March 24-31. As with Cobalion, Lugia will know a special event-exclusive move–Aeroblast–and you’ll have a chance to encounter its Shiny form.
Genesect is making its debut in Pokemon Go this week as well. The Mythical Pokemon will be available as part of a Special Research story event called A Drive to Investigate, which will run from March 20-26. However, you’ll need to purchase a virtual ticket to participate in the event. Genesect will also appear in EX Raids starting in April.
A lot of us are spending more time at home this week, and while things are stressful, games are a great way to take your mind off of things. Thankfully, there are plenty of game deals floating around this week, including Best Buy’s regular weekly sale. This week’s deals include some pretty notable offers, including pre-order bundles for Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Doom Eternal; discounts on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch games; and more.
Of course, some of these deals can be found for cheaper elsewhere. While Control is on sale at Best Buy, you can find it even cheaper at Amazon–only $30–although it won’t be in stock for a few days. It’s a great time to pick up the paranormal action thriller, as the first Control DLC drops March 26 on PS4 and Xbox One. Mario & Sonic at the Olympics Tokyo 2020 for Nintendo Switch is cheaper at Amazon as well–the party game is selling for $35.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons with Bell Bag bundle
$65 ($80)
It’s Animal Crossing release week, and there’s still time to pre-order New Horizons. While not a pre-order bonus, Best Buy’s bell bag bundle (try saying that five times fast) might be the best deal still available. For $65, you get the physical game and this adorable plush Bell Bag, which has a value of $15 on its own. Considering how quickly Animal Crossing: New Horizons merch is selling out, it’s amazing this offer is still available.
Free steelbook with Doom Eternal pre-orders (Best Buy exclusive)
$60 (with $10 reward credit)
Of course, Doom Eternal shares a release date with Animal Crossing, and it’s also out on PS4, Xbox One, and PC this Friday. At Best Buy, you’ll get a free steelbook case with any Doom Eternal pre-order. Both the exterior and interior feature some cool art from the game. My Best Buy members will also get $10 reward credit with their purchase (it’s free to sign up).
Elgato HD60 S+ Game Capture Card
$165 ($200)
If you’re looking for a new capture card for game streaming, the Elgato HD60 S+ is an excellent choice and down to $165 in Best Buy’s sale. You’ll be able to capture and stream gameplay in full HD while playing games in up to 4K resolution, and it includes an HDMI cable to easily connect to your PC or console.
Xbox One X Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Deluxe Edition bundle
$300 ($500)
One of Black Friday’s best deals is back, seemingly for good: the Xbox One X bundle with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is on sale for $300, a full $200 off its list price. With Xbox Series X releasing this holiday season, the discount isn’t surprising, but it’s still a fantastic deal that’ll let you play some of the most anticipated Xbox One games coming this year.
The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 wireless gaming headset is always a solid option, but it has a nice discount right now at Best Buy that makes it even more worth it. This PS4 headset holds a charge for up to 10 hours, features comfortable ear cushions that wear well with glasses, active noise-canceling technology, 7.1 surround sound, and more.
Insignia Compact Travel Stand for Nintendo Switch / Switch Lite
$5 ($10)
The Nintendo Switch is a flexible console–you can play it docked through the TV, handheld, or prop it up using a stand and play using its Joy-Cons or Pro Controller. If you’re looking to play your Switch using the third method, you’ll want a sturdy stand, and this particular one is on sale for just five bucks right now. It has six different adjustable angles, and the raised setup allows for a charging cable to run underneath it. It also stores two game cards and can hold both the Switch and Switch Lite.
While social distancing and self-quarantining may be a bit of a bummer–for the greater good–NBCUniversal has some pretty good news. As soon as Friday, March 20, you’ll be able to rent movies from the production company currently in theaters–or future releases on its release date–from the comfort of your own home.
On Monday, NBCUniversal made the announcement that movies under the Universal Pictures banner will be available on-demand of their theatrical release date, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This includes the April 10 release of Trolls: World Tour.
Movies like No Time To Die, A Quiet Place 2, and Universal’s F9 are seeing long delays because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and major cities are limiting the amount of people that can gather in one place, so the worldwide box office will take an immense hit. While theaters themselves will still suffer through this, the move to on-demand will help the global box office while also providing people who are social distancing some entertainment while stuck at home.
While specific details have not been laid out, consumers can rent these movies for a 48-hour period for $20 in the US and the equivalent price in other countries. Universal films that are already in theaters like The Invisible Man and The Hunt will be available on Friday, March 20. This policy does not apply to the entire studio’s catalog of movies coming out this year though. There are still decisions being made, including how long it will last.
“Given the rapidly evolving and unprecedented changes to consumers’ daily lives during this difficult time, the company felt that now was the right time to provide this option in the home as well as in theaters. NBCUniversal will continue to evaluate the environment as conditions evolve and will determine the best distribution strategy in each market when the current unique situation changes,” NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell said in a statement.
“Universal Pictures has a broad and diverse range of movies with 2020 being no exception. Rather than delaying these films or releasing them into a challenged distribution landscape, we wanted to provide an option for people to view these titles in the home that is both accessible and affordable,” said Shell. “We hope and believe that people will still go to the movies in theaters where available, but we understand that for people in different areas of the world that is increasingly becoming less possible.”
The first movies will be available this Friday, but it was not revealed where people can rent them. Stay tuned for more in the upcoming days.
Westworld Season 3 takes Dolores and Bernard out of the confines of the parks and sets them free in the real world. The stakes couldn’t be higher, with Dolores on the warpath and possessing the ability to manipulate modern technology and artificial intelligence, she could be the undoing of the world as we know it.
As well as breaking free from the parks, Season 3 introduces a new main character in Caleb, who is played by Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul. With a traumatic past, Caleb struggles to find his place in society after returning from serving in the military. He is, in a way that is reminiscent of Dolores’s journey, discovering that the system is designed to keep him down. Caleb begins to realize that, to forge his own destiny, he may need to break the ties that bind him.
The first episode of Season 3 certainly feels more like traditional sci-fi fare for Westworld, but it still features what fans have come to expect from the show and love it for. Episode one is dense with religious undertones and complicated concepts of the mind, body, and soul to grapple with. It also plants the seeds for what could grow into compelling narrative and character arcs.
As always, we’re here to dive deep into the episode and break it all down. Resident Westworld experts Lucy and Tamoor–along with special guest Lee Fliesmore–return to guide you through Westworld Season 3. The team will recount key moments from each episode, ponder their significance, theorize on how they could impact the future, and offer their verdicts on each episode.
Our breakdowns are given life by the community, so make sure to get involved and drop your thoughts and theories on each episode in the comments, we’ll be reading them!
Anything from previous seasons of the show that is relevant to the episode is explained, and the ending of Season 2 is also touched upon. However, if you want a reminder of what went down, take a look at our comprehensive Westworld Season 2 ending explainer.
The Matrix 4 is in production. Well, it was until Warner Bros. decided to pull the plug on it because of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic that is currently underway.
The film had wrapped up shooting in San Francisco and was picking back up in Berlin, according to Variety. However, because of President Trump’s travel restrictions, WB executives felt that it was best to postpone shooting for the time being.
The film was set to release on May 21, 2021–the same day as John Wick: Chapter 4. It is unknown at this time as to when production will start back up and whether or not this stoppage will affect the release date of the movie.
Lana Wachowski will return to direct the film, without sister Lilly for this installment. Wachowski will write the script alongside Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell. Keanu Reeves will return to play Neo once more, and he’ll be joined by Carrie-Ann Moss as Trinity and Jada Pinkett Smith as Niobe. The big surprise is that Hugo Weaving will not be returning for the new film. He played the notorious Agent Smith in the first three movies.
The plot to the movie is under lock and key, and that’s probably for good reason, as both Neo and Trinity died in the third installment, Matrix Revolutions, back in 2003.
New to the series is Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Watchmen, Aquaman), and he will take on a lead role in the new film. Additionally, Neil Patrick Harris will be in the film, and so will Iron Fist’s Jessica Henwick, as a “a female-like Neo character.”
Core, the new game/creation tool hybrid coming from Manticore Games, allows players to craft, share, and play within custom worlds designed around different experiences. Core is well situated within an already growing space populated by other games like Fortnite, Dreams, and Minecraft. However, as a free-to-play game on PC, Core does things differently by focusing more on the experience of exploring different player worlds, tying into a more extensive network that is essentially a multiverse of unique player-created landscapes.
Out now in open alpha on PC, newcomers will be able to join the online community that the game has already formed during its closed alpha period, and take many of the player-creations for a test run, or dive into the mechanics head-on to push the limits of the system themselves. But what sets Core apart from games like Fortnite and Dreams is the level of flexibility to explore and experiment with the various constructs. When players dive into the game, they can just stick with one player’s level, such as a standard multiplayer deathmatch with other players set in custom created locales. However, if you want to switch things up without leaving the game, you can seamlessly hop over to different levels via an in-game portal, no matter how different they are.
Much like in games such as Dreams and LittleBigPlanet, you’ll be able to work within a robust level and map editor to design a variety of different spaces and retool various aspects of the core gameplay. In addition to using other player creations as a base, letting you get a grasp of the systems and go from there, you can also make a world from scratch and mold it into any type of experience you see fit. On a mechanic-level, Core feels most accustomed to the mechanics of a shooter, like Fortnite, but players will be able to reshape the game into something else entirely. Instead of being locked into one type of experience until you exit the game, you can portal hop over into a drastically different game and setting–akin to switching over to a different channel.
During a live demonstration with the developers, we got to see this multiverse system in action. The developers at Manticore opened up with a colorful, large-scale map intended for the battle royale game type–which many players in the closed alpha took the time to make. During our time with this map, we saw a few battles that will make players familiar with shooters like Fortnite feel right at home, but then the devs opened a portal leading to a new world, which brought players to a pirate ship battle game, complete with a top-down camera view. These worlds were different from one another, but being able to seamlessly dive into different worlds, without going back to a menu system, is a of the experience of journeying across a vast network of worlds, which is a lot of fun to watch unfold.
Furthermore, players will be able to craft unique hub spaces to feature a set of custom worlds that are tied together, such as a theme park-inspired space that leads to various themed zones. Core carries a lot of the same energy that’s inspired by player-creation centric games like Fornite and Dreams. Still, it puts a surprisingly focus on unifying all the bizarre and unique levels together within its multiverse network. In a lot of ways, Core has the makings of a game that’s tailor-made for the streaming, YouTube, and TikTok era of online entertainment. If you want to find a new game or world to play in a while checking out Core, then you can just hop over to a new level and try it out.
While it’s always fun to see the familiar re-created in unfamiliar games, like a custom-built battle royale game with arcade-style ship-combat interludes, the real excitement comes when crafty players introduce creations that recontextualize many of the systems to make something new. In Core’s case, some players were already at work with more out-of-the-box creations, such as refitting the colorful and cartoony game into a horror experience where players have to use flashlights to avoid knife-wielding killers. With the open alpha open now, it’ll be interesting to see how far players can push the mechanics, and where it can go from here.
To join the Core’s open alpha, you can visit the official website to register and jump in.
Microsoft’s next-generation Xbox Series X arrives later this year, and the company has been gradually revealing new details about it in the lead up to its release. We’ve now learned a wealth of new information about the upcoming system in an Xbox Wire post and Digital Foundry report, including its official specifications and how its Quick Resume function will work. To help catch you up on all the details, we’ve rounded up everything new we’ve learned about Xbox Series X below.
Xbox Series X Full Specs Revealed
We’ve previously known some broad details about Xbox Series X’s hardware, but Microsoft has now revealed the console’s full specs. The system offers 12 teraflops of performance and boasts 16 GB of GDDR6 memory across a variable memory bus. It will also support two types of external memory, allowing you to expand SSD storage with a proprietary drive from Seagate or store games on an external HDD (much as you can with Xbox One).
On top of revealing the system’s specs, Microsoft has given us our first look at Xbox Series X’s Quick Resume and faster loading times in action. The former allows you to suspend up to three Series X titles at once and seamlessly jump between them. To demonstrate the latter, Microsoft showed off how long State of Decay 2 takes to load on its current and next-gen systems. On Xbox One, the zombie game takes nearly a minute to first load you into the world, but this initial load takes only about 10 seconds on the Series X.
Gears 5 Is Coming To Xbox Series X With Improvements
Xbox Series X is backwards compatible with every previous Xbox console, and older games will get a performance boost on the next-gen system. Gears 5 is among the Xbox One titles you’ll be able to play on the Series X, and Microsoft has shown off some of the improvements that game is getting on the new system. On the Series X, Gears 5 will have better textures and volumetric fog, higher particle count, and run at 60 frames per second during cutscenes for a smoother transition to gameplay. If you already own Gears 5 on Xbox One, you’ll get it on the Series X for free via the Smart Delivery system.
Improved Controller
Xbox Series X will also launch with a redesigned Xbox controller. While the design sticks close to the existing Xbox One gamepad, it boasts a few new features like a Share button and revised D-pad. According to senior designer Ryan Whitaker, the goal of these controller tweaks was to fit the hands of an average 8-year-old, with rounded bumpers and parts of the triggers, without impacting those with bigger hands.
Storage Expansion
Unlike the Xbox One, Xbox Series X features a SSD, and you’ll be able to expand it with a proprietary external SSD. The system will also still support standard HDDs–such as the one you might currently be using for your Xbox One–but Microsoft states that for Xbox Series X titles you will be required to transfer the game to the internal SSD to play it.
Animal Crossing is well-known for its leisurely pace of play, and that attitude also applies to its release schedule. Barring a few spin-offs of varying quality, New Horizons–which is set to release this Friday, March 20–is the first core entry in the series since 2012’s New Leaf. This Switch title takes the series in a fresh direction, placing the player in charge of a deserted island, and introducing Minecraft-like crafting systems to the game.
Reviews for the bubbly sim game are in, and they’re overwhelmingly positive, including our 8/10 review-in-progress. “There’s only so much you can do every day in Animal Crossing,” our critic Kallie Plagge wrote. “Part of the fun of its real-time clock is going to bed wondering what you might wake up to in the morning–how your town might change, who might move in, what special visitor might be there tomorrow. So far, I’ve played Animal Crossing: New Horizons for 80 hours over 17 days, and that anticipation hasn’t yet gone away. While I’ve spent a lot of time developing my island so far, I still feel as if there’s plenty left for me to do and see–there’s a lot in New Horizons to occupy your time with.”
We’ve rounded up some more reviews below, with most of them striking a fairly similar tone. In general, critics are impressed by the integration of the new survival-inspired mechanics within the existing framework of the series. On the other hand, some express concerns about the game’s pace and overall longevity. For more reviews, check out our sister site Metacritic to see what even more writers had to say.
Game: Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Nintendo
Release date: March 20
Price: $60 / £50 / $80 AUD
GameSpot – 8/10 (review-in-progress)
“New Horizons certainly has a slower pace than other Animal Crossing games, partially because you have to work to get things up and running on the island at the start. And while I’m impatient to discover what upgrades might be coming my way (and I need to mess around with Island Designer more), I still feel as though I’ve done a lot on my island. I’ve crafted tons of furniture, upgraded my house seven times, picked thousands of weeds, and done far too many drastic outfit changes. I’m as excited to see what random events await me each morning as I am to decorate my island and make it my own, and that’s sure to keep me coming back for the foreseeable future.” – Kallie Plagge [Full Review]
Gamesradar+ – 4.5/5
“But, those gripes do little to detract from the joy I’ve had spending every day with Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The sudden squeals of delight that have emerged from my body over the past month have genuinely scared my partner and my cat, and there’s no denying that every day is a treat with this game. With new faces to meet, old friends to reunite with, fresh features, regular visitors, quirky characters, and no doubt a plethora of incoming events, there’s plenty to keep you coming back, day after day, to New Horizons. And that’s without even being able to take advantage of the game’s increased multiplayer features too.” – Sam Loveridge [Full Review]
USG – 4.5/5
“As I’ve been in this new horizon, I’ve been thinking about what it was that made you move away, Anchovy. Was it the aimlessness of life? Did I not give you enough gifts? Should I have pulled more weeds? Did life just get boring with me? I want you to be my neighbor again. A plot of land is always open for you here on Sunset, and in just a few months (or even a year’s) time, I’m confident the island will be even better. We have more to do now, more to work toward. We can buy and make cool things! We can shake more trees and run away from bees! (Please save me from Curly and Renee!)” – Caty McCarthy [Full Review]
Ars Technica – “Approved”
“People will talk about this game as an ideal escape during uncertain current events, but I’d like to emphasize how much I enjoyed AC:NH even when I had other viable social and outdoor entertainment options. Animal Crossing games have always delivered a compelling version of self-quarantine, and this one overflows with quantity, without sacrificing quality, to do so at a scale series fans have never seen. Consider this a very high recommendation for anyone who thinks shooting the breeze with neon-colored, gym-loving ponies and hot-pink, coffee-chugging kangaroos is a great idea for a video game.” – Sam Machkovech [Full Review]
Eurogamer – “Essential”
“And it’s how, even some 90 hours in, Animal Crossing: New Horizons maintains its ability to surprise. It’s how each day presents a new mystery to unravel, or a new visitor to hang out with – though often it’s satisfying enough just to check in to see how your flowers are doing. I just went for another morning stroll, and spotted Billy the trouble-making goat running arms out through a copse of trees, a look of glee fixed on his face. I can’t bring myself to make him leave; indeed, I think I properly like him now, for all his faults.” – Martin Robinson [Full Review]
