Game Informer

Ubisoft and Bungie have revealed that crossover cosmetics are coming to both Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Destiny 2. 

The items will drop into both respective games next week on December 6 and it's then that you'll be able to purchase these themed cosmetics from the Assassin's Creed in-game store and the Eververse store in Destiny 2. As for what to expect, the image below includes some looks: 

However, that doesn't seem to feature all of the cosmetics we can expect to see. If you don't feel like waiting until next week to see what makes its way to Assassin's Creed Valhalla, you can check out MAK Moderator's video (as spotted by Forbes) on YouTube below: 

What's interesting is that MAK Moderator's video also features some Monster Hunter-themed cosmetics, meaning there's likely a collaboration with that series set to be announced soon as well. 

This week on The Game Informer Show, Kyle Hilliard steps in as guest host while Alex Van Aken is busy working on secret projects. Brian Shea joins to share his experience with Marvel's Midnight Suns and we force him to choose between it and Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. We also check in again on Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Call of Duty and the new Warzone 2.0 update, and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion. And Finally, Blake Hester shares his controversial opinions about Limb Bizkit with Kyle Hilliard and Charles Harte in a new weekly segment.

Follow us on social media: Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Kyle Hilliard (@KyleMHilliard), Brian Shea (@BrianPShea), Blake Hester (@MetallicaisRad), Charles Harte (@ChuckDuck365)

Frictional Games, the studio behind the Amnesia series and Soma, has revealed Amnesia: The Bunker, a new sandbox open-world horror game.

The Bunker will come to PlayStation and Xbox consoles, as well as PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, sometime in 2023. Frictional says that The Bunker equips players "with high levels of freedom to impact gameplay, choosing their playstyle as they explore at will this semi-open world." The game has hardly any scripted events, Frictional says, resulting in constant tension by way of an ever-present threat. 

Check out the Amnesia: The Bunker reveal trailer below: 

"Amnesia: The Bunker will feature a new kind of horror survival adventure that incorporates emergent gameplay and sandbox elements into the mix," a press release reads. "Players will be in total control of their moment-to-moment decisions. Armed with a revolver gun and a noisy dynamo flashlight, players will walk the course of an ill-lighted WW1 bunker on the shoes of a French soldier troubled by his amnesia and hunted by an otherworldly creature.

Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet hit Switch just a few weeks ago on November 18 and while the game excels at a lot, it struggles on the technical side. Various glitches, bugs, and frame rate drops are present throughout a lot of the game, something we noted in our review, and fans have been vocal about their dissatisfaction with this aspect of their Paldean journeys. It seems Nintendo is taking these frustrations to heart in a rare admission in the latest update for the game. 

The company tweeted last night that a new software update of Scarlet and Violet was going live today alongside the following: "We take the feedback from players seriously, and will continue to work on improvements to the games." 

Nintendo further addresses these issues in the actual patch notes for the update too, stating that it is "aware that players may encounter issues that affect the game's performance." 

"Our goal is always to give players a positive experience with our games, and we apologize for the inconvenience," the patch notes read. "We take the feedback from players seriously and are working on improvements to the games." 

As for the update, which is Version 1.1.0, here's what you can expect: 

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios has released a new trailer for Like A Dragon: Ishin and it features a look at the various combat styles and weaponry we'll be using in the game. 

For the uninitiated, Ishin is a from-the-ground-up remake of a Yakuza spinoff released on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 back in 2014. However, this spinoff never made its way to the West so when Ishin hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in February, it will be the first time a lot of players will be able to play this game. To get prepared, RGG Studios has released a brand new trailer detailing some of the combat and associated mechanics present in the game. 

Check out the Like A Dragon: Ishin combat trailer for yourself below: 

"In 1860s Kyo, a solemn samurai's fight for justice stands to change the course of Japan's history forever," a press release reads. "Draw your blade and join the revolution in this heated historical adventure." 

Capcom has announced that the second closed beta test for Street Fighter 6 will begin later this month and you can register for a chance to check the game out during it right now. 

This second beta will officially begin on December 16 and run through December 19 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam, and it will feature cross-play across all three platforms. As for what's available, Capcom lists ranked matches, casual matches, battle hub matches, open tournaments, extreme battle, the game center, and Street Fighter 6's training mode. 

If you'd like to sign up to potentially participate in this second closed beta, you can do so here. It's important to note, though, that completing Capcom's application process does not guarantee you selection for the beta. Selection is handled via a lottery system, according to Capcom, and not a first-come, first-served basis. You'll need to have a registered Capcom ID to even apply and it must be linked to your platform account so be sure to do that first thing. Other than that, good luck getting in! The response to the first closed beta for Street Fighter 6 a few weeks ago was quite positive so it sounds like this second beta is going to be a great time as well. 

Reviewed on: Switch
Platform: Switch, PC
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Release: November 4, 2022
Rating: Teen

Harvestella wants to be a jack of two trades, but winds up a master of none. Part action-RPG, part farming/life simulation, this combination can sometimes be enjoyable, but the two styles clash more often than not. The result is a sluggish grind more likely to repel fans of each genre than bring them together.

As an amnesiac warrior, you awaken on the outskirts of a quaint village, unaware of your origin and purpose. Four powerful, monolithic crystals called Seaslight govern the environmental stability of the picturesque continent, namely its seasons. However, a deadly fifth season called Quietus occurs between each of the four normal seasons, wiping out crops and endangering humans. This strange normalcy becomes unstable when the Seaslight begin behaving irregularly, seemingly triggered by the mysterious arrival of Aria, a young scientist from the distant future. Like you, Aria is clueless about how she got here, so you partner up to discover your respective origins while also combating a global crisis. Oh, and building a nice farm too. 

Final Fantasy XVI has received a few trailers throughout the year, and it's set to hit PlayStation 5 and PC sometime next summer. But an exact release date is still unknown. However, in recent weeks, speculation about a release date reveal has begun to ramp up, with many predicting a FFXVI appearance at The Game Awards next month. 

Today, the official TGA Twitter account added fuel to that fire by revealing that FFXVI producer Naoki Yoshida, who we interviewed about the game earlier this summer, will be a presenter at the show this year. Plus, he's being welcomed to give "a very special live presentation." What that means remains unknown, but all signs point to something to do with FFXVI. Perhaps he'll be playing the game live, or maybe The Game Awards orchestra will do an arrangement from the title. Regardless, many are speculating that it's during The Game Awards, specifically Yoshida's segment, that we'll finally receive the FFXVI release date. 

When Sonic Frontiers came out at the start of November, it received one of the better receptions from fans and critics of any 3D Sonic the Hedgehog title. In my review, I praised many elements of Sonic Team's first "open-zone" attempt, but my main takeaway was, "I can’t wait to see how Sonic Team iterates on this formula in future entries." While those future entries are likely years away, the developer today gave us a glimpse into how it plans to expand Sonic Frontiers throughout 2023 through a content roadmap.

The Sonic Frontiers 2023 content shows off a series of future content updates to the game. The three updates will roll out to players of Sonic Frontiers over the course of 2023 at no additional cost. While no timeline is given, it's probably safe to assume that Update 2 will hit sometime around June 2023, given that June is the anniversary of the franchise and one of the key parts of that update is simply listed as "Sonic's Birthday," though there's no indication of what that means.

However, before that all kicks off, players can expect a free Holiday Cheer Suit DLC (pictured above) for Sonic to sport as he runs through the Starfall Islands. That free DLC arrives on December 21.

You can see the full 2023 roadmap below.

Narrative dinosaur adventure Goodbye Volcano High has awakened from dormancy with a new gameplay trailer and a 2023 release window. The title, unveiled in June 2020 as one of the first PlayStation 5 titles, will now arrive sometime next summer.

Goodbye Volcano High is a choice-driven teenage coming-of-age story starring Fang, a high school student, aspiring musician, and if you didn’t notice, a pterosaur. Alongside their bandmate Trish and other friends, the dino teens are faced with making the most of their final days together. Developer KO-OP describes the narrative as a tale of “personal growth, acceptance, and the power of community.” A new teaser trailer provides the first look at gameplay, showing off the dialogue interface and rhythm mechanics. 

This month's PlayStation Plus free games lineup consists of Mass Effect Legendary Edition, Biomutant, and a brand new platform fighter called Divine Knockout. 

Because Mass Effect Legendary Edition includes three games, this month's lineup technically consists of five games: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3, and the other two aforementioned games.

Here's what PlayStation has to say about each game: 

Biomutant | PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4

"Mix melee, shooting and mutant ability action in this open-world, post-apocalyptic kung-fu fable RPG. A plague is ruining the land and the Tree-of-Life is bleeding death from its roots. The Tribes stand divided. Explore a world in turmoil and define its fate – will you be its savior or lead it to an even darker destiny? Re-code your genetic structure to change the way you look and play, Mix and match parts to create your own unique slash, crush and pierce melee weapons, revolvers, rifles, shotguns and more. The PS5 version features native 4K and HDR support and three different graphics modes. "

Nintendo and animation studio Illumination shared the latest trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie today. Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto was on hand to introduce the new trailer; Anya Taylor-Joy (who is playing Princess Peach) and Seth Rogan (who voices Donkey Kong) also shared selfie videos of themselves sharing their contractually obligated excitement about participating in the film.

The trailer showed more of the Mushroom Kingdom and primarily focused on Donkey Kong and Princess Peach. We also heard more from Chris Pratt's Mario, Charlie Day's Luigi, and Jack Black's Bowser (who explicitly refers to Mario as being a human). The trailer shows Mario training, fighting Donkey Kong, driving a kart on a rainbow road, traveling with Peach, and there was also one quick moment where we saw the human world.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie arrives in theaters on April 7, 2023. You can see our live reaction to the trailer below.

Season 2 of Overwatch 2 will begin next week on December 6 and the season update brings a new hero to the game alongside a new map, battle pass, holiday cosmetics, and much more. 

This news comes by way of a new Overwatch 2 Season 2 trailer released today, which you can view below, alongside a new blog post from Blizzard. In the trailer, we get a look at the new tank hero joining the roster, Ramattra, as well as the new Shambali escort map going into the game's regular rotation alongside returning favorites. Plus, we see Junker Queen's new Mythic skin available in the new battle pass as well as a look at some of the holiday skins from upcoming holiday events. 

Before the release of Gotham Knights, Warner Bros. Games Montreal revealed that following the game's launch, four-player co-op, a heavily requested feature by fans, would be added in the form of a new mode called Heroic Assault. That mode, as well as a new two-player mode called Showdown, are both live now in Gotham Knights thanks to a new update. 

The base campaign of Gotham Knights allows for two-player co-op play, but getting all four of the knights together wasn't possible. That's still the case while playing through the game's story, but the new online cooperative Heroic Assault mode, which tasks players with defeating enemies and completing challenges across 30 floors, supports four-player play. 

You can get a look at what to expect in the new trailer below: 

As you can see, Starro, who will look familiar to those that watched last year's The Suicide Squad, is the main villain at play here in Heroic Assault. But this alien is not alone – Man-Bat is under their control, so players will need to take down this villain as well. 

Today's update also includes a new mode called Showdown, which will give up to two players the chance to face off against enemies from the base game in a new way. 

Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red has revealed that its upcoming remake of The Witcher will be open-world. 

This news comes by way of a quarterly financial call held yesterday by the company in which CDPR briefly touched on this remake being handled by developer Fool's Theory, as reported by VG247.  While not much was revealed, CDPR did reveal in the slide pictured below that Codename: Canis Majoris, which we now know to be The Witcher Remake, will be a "story-driven, single player open-world RPG" and a "modern reimagining of 2007's The Witcher."

This might come as a surprise because that 2007 game wasn't open-world and instead took players through small hub-like levels in the city of Vizima. 

15 years after its release on PSP, Crisis Core is being remastered for the current generation of consoles. Join Kyle Hilliard and Charles Harte as they took a look at the new, retooled version of the game and reflect on this new era of Final Fantasy VII.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion releases December 13 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC.

Developer Offworld Industries, the studio behind Squad, has revealed Starship Troopers: Extermination, a new 12-player cooperative FPS coming to Steam Early Access next year. 

Offworld is making Extermination in collaboration with Sony Pictures Consumer Products and in the game, players will engage in squad-based FPS combat to exterminate the arachnid threat fans of the 1997 film will know really well. Those squads will need to work together in order to complete objectives, acquire resources necessary to continue the fight, build and defend a base of operations, and ultimately, escape to the one extraction point as a team. 

Check out the Starship Troopers: Extermination reveal trailer for yourself below: 

Sega released Sonic Frontiers earlier this month and while fans have been finding plenty of fun in this new open world-ish take on the blue blur, they've also been running into some bugs. Fortunately, Sega is releasing a new Sonic Frontiers patch on all platforms to address some of these bugs and bring additional optimization to the game. 

This news comes by way of a new tweet from the official Japanese Sonic the Hedgehog Twitter account that reveals update 1.10 "fixes an issue where the boss would sometimes disappear when retrying the boss battle on Chronos Island," as reported by Video Games Chronicle. This update is already live on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 and is expected to begin rolling out to other platforms very soon. 

Other fixes in the 1.10 patch include fixing the Chaos Island map to display properly after clearing the island, fixing crashing bugs and audio issues, adding UI improvements, optimizing stability and performance, and more, according to Update Crazy, as noted by VGC. 

Warner Bros. Discovery revealed last month that it had hired Peter Safran and Marvel Studios alum and director James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker) to lead as co-CEOs of DC Studios, as reported by Variety. Since then, Gunn has been fielding questions about DC Studios, the DCU's future, and what his plans are as a new lead within DC's entertainment output. 

When asked on Twitter yesterday if he and Safran are "planning to give more DC characters TV shows that'll add to the story for the DCEU," Gunn responded, "Yes, most definitely, the DCU will be connected across film and TV (and animation)." In a follow-up tweet, another user asked is there are plans to connect games to this larger DCU canon as well, to which Gunn simply responded, "Yes." 

Yes.

I’ve been excited about developer Flying Wild Hog’s Evil West since its reveal at The Game Awards in 2020. So much about it immediately captured my attention. Despite Red Dead Redemption’s best efforts, I’ve always felt there’s a shortage of wild wests in video games, although some games use a western’s formula to tell a story set elsewhere. Evil West’s premise also feels reminiscent of something you’d see in the PlayStation 2 era: cowboys who protect mere mortals from the secret horrors of the world, such as vampires and other creatures. My mind can’t help but see Darkwatch, a game I played repeatedly as a child, when I see Evil West. 

Even more generally, that era was great for third-person action westerns – Gun, Red Dead Revolver, the aforementioned Darkwatch, and Call of Juarez (although Techland released this during the next generation, its 2006 release year is close enough to the PS2 that it feels at home here). All of this is to say that playing Evil West makes me feel like a child again in the best way.

This week's episode of All Things Nintendo is all about getting into the giving mood. That's right: With this episode of the show landing on Black Friday, Brian invites Game Informer production director Margaret Andrews to give a ton of ideas for crossing off the Nintendo fan on your holiday shopping list.

If you'd like to follow the people from this episode on Twitter, hit the following links: Brian Shea (@brianpshea), Margaret Andrews (@sopheava) 

The All Things Nintendo podcast is a weekly show where we can celebrate, discuss, and break down all the latest games, news, and announcements from the industry's most recognizable name. Each week, Brian is joined by different guests to talk about what's happening in the world of Nintendo. Along the way, they'll share personal stories, uncover hidden gems in the eShop, and even look back on the classics we all grew up with. A new episode hits every Friday!

Be sure to subscribe to All Things Nintendo on your favorite podcast platform. The show is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

As part of our exclusive Street Fighter 6 cover story, we're showing off high-level developer matches captured by Capcom's Fighting Team. These matches feature some of the company's best players competing in head-to-head battles with Ken, Ryu, Luke, and Jamie. Are you taking notes yet? I am.

If you enjoy this video, be sure to watch the rest of our exclusive Street Fighter 6 videos. Subscribe to the Game Informer YouTube channel if you're new here.

​God of War Ragnarök is a world full of scowling gods and monsters butting heads as they each work toward their best interests. The nine realms are dark and dangerous, but through all of that shines a beam of unexpected light, and I am not talking about Brok, the dwarf who seems incapable of finishing a sentence without including some kind of vulgarity before meeting the period at the end. I am talking about Ratatoskr, the eyepatch-wearing squirrel who watches over Yggdrasil, the world tree that holds the realms in place.

Ratatoskr technically appeared in God of War (2018), but he was less of a character and more of an ability. Atreus could summon the translucent blue squirrel to bring health items and sometimes hacksilver. In God of War Ragnarök, Ratatoskr is a physical, non-translucent character with dialogue, requests, and an introductory cutscene. He is also, arguably, the most unexpected character in the game.

As of writing, the fastest runthrough of Neon White’s “Smackdown” level is 9.56 seconds, earned by player “earlobe” on September 6, 2022.

Standing in contrast is the work that went into it. According to designer and creative director Ben Esposito, the earliest iteration was in March 2019, more than three years before its release in June 2022. In that time, there were more than 50 different iterations. Sometimes changes were small. Other times they fundamentally altered the level. Every designer who worked on the game has touched Smackdown in some form. Nevertheless, load into it now; chances are all that labor is invisible to you. Before sitting down to write, I beat it in just 11 seconds.

Neon White is a game built around speedrunning. Levels are short. If you’re playing as intended, you hardly notice your surroundings before moving on. But the only way that works effectively is if levels are meticulously designed to facilitate that movement; they have to be made so that it feels natural for the player to fly through them. Making a level you barely think twice about takes a lot of effort. Read more...

Despite an avalanche of entries since its original release in 1991, many still consider Sonic the Hedgehog 2 the pinnacle of the series. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was showered with praise upon release in 1992 and surprisingly, that sterling reputation hasn't faded decades later. We asked the people behind the game's success to share how Sonic's second outing became one of Sega's driving forces in its fight against Nintendo.

Coming off of the massive success of the Japan-developed Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega relocated development efforts for the sequel to the newly founded Sega Technical Institute in the U.S. Sega tapped Mark Cerny to lead the STI, who has since gone on to help create other mascots like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon. Key members of the original development team, such as series creator Yuji Naka, moved stateside to work on the sequel to Genesis' flagship title.

"The development team moved to San Francisco when developing Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and we were able to recognize the great [power] of our title in the U.S. and hear opinions from children," Naka says. "I think it was good influence for the development team."

The propellers spin down, and I step off the puddle-jumper plane onto the tarmac of the tiniest airport I’ve ever visited. Instantly, I’m overcome by the scent of greenery – lush and humid, with a hint of maybe mint. Jungle surrounds this strip of paved runway in every direction. And I’m here, of all things, to see a video game.

But first, I must explore a place on the other side of the world I hadn’t even heard of a month earlier – a narrow island called Lifou, part of a French territory known as New Caledonia, which sits some 750 miles east of Australia. I’m meeting a small team of game developers who have chosen to find inspiration for their new game in this remote locale. The team is toying with a big idea: Craft a game that’s rewarding in its own right but simultaneously introduces players of the world to a place most of them have never seen. Read more...

In today's New Gameplay Today, your hosts Wesley LeBlanc and Kyle Hilliard jump into Outer Terror, an upcoming pulp action-horror game coming to PC sometime soon. 

The two discuss the game's visual style, how it plays, its similarities to Vampire Survivors, and everything else going on in this exclusive preview. This demo build features a small snippet of one of the game's five volumes and our gameplay showcases how the on-screen action works, the horrors from beyond, and how quests work in Outer Terror. 

Check out Outer Terror for yourself below in this installment of New Gameplay Today: 

As you can see, Outer Terror is shaping up to be a great time, perfect for those moments where you've got 10 or 15 minutes to blitz through hordes of the undead, monsters from beyond, and more. For more about Outer Terror and what to expect from the game, check out our coverage of the game from last month. 

It’s September 13, and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is just over 24 hours away from revealing its big plans for the future.

It’ll be a night of celebrities, game announcements, and an infamous afterparty full of alcohol, confetti, and blaring music. It’ll take over Twitter, and leave more than a few people nursing headaches the following day.

But today, instead of focusing on his big night, studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama is sitting in a conference room talking about why he loves Neon Genesis Evangelion. Read more...

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet sold more than 10 million combined units over its launch weekend, claiming the top spot for most three-day launch weekend software sales in Nintendo's history. The number, which includes physical and downloadable copies as reported by Nintendo, already places Pokémon Scarlet and Violet in the top 15 best-selling Nintendo Switch titles of all time. In this three-day number, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have already outpaced lifetime sales of games such as Splatoon 3, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Nintendo Switch Sports, and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury.

The current overall best-selling Nintendo Switch title is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which has sold just over 48 million units as of the end of September. As of this writing, the Pokémon franchise occupies 3 of the top 10 slots of lifetime Nintendo Switch software sales, with Let's Go, Pikachu and Eevee at number 10, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl at number 8, and Sword and Shield at number 5. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet need to sell just under 5 million more combined copies to crack into the top 10. To date, the Nintendo Switch has sold over 114 million units.

Fighting aliens in video games have been an important part of the medium since its inception. The very first video game, Space War, was about a war in space. Space Invaders was an early cultural phenomenon that was rumored to have inhaled so many coins that it created supply issues for the currency in Japan. Halo, one of the biggest video game franchises ever created, is about an ongoing war with aliens. We enjoy fighting aliens in video games because it’s easy to make creatures from another planet the enemy and they can look like anything.

The smaller, more personal alien invasion story, however, is a specific sub-genre of extra-terrestrial narrative we don’t often see in video games. When we fight aliens, it’s usually a power trip meant to offer a playground of action possibilities, but Somerville tells the story of a family just trying to figure out how to survive in the face of an unknown menace. You’re not trying to find the best weapon to hit the aliens’ weak point. You’re not even taking the time to get a good look at the aliens. You’re just trying to get to the next point of safety.

Somerville is thrilling for this reason, and in its best moments, it reminded me of the last time I experienced a truly great alien invasion in a video game: Half-Life 2.

Over the years, what defines a game as the “action” category has gotten more ambiguous than ever, as many games now include aspects of multiple core genres. However, one thing remains certain – games in this category give the player a polished, exciting experience. So, what is this list all about? This isn’t a Top 10 Action Games of All Time list or a Top 10 Action Games of a Generation list. Instead, we’re tackling this one from the angle of what’s important, what’s incredible, and what’s fantastic right now. As in today. This week. This month. So when you don’t see a Dark Souls game on this list, that’s why even though I’d recommend a fresh playthrough of Dark Souls 3 every day. This ever-shifting list aims to capture the highlights of the now and what we think you’d love to be playing this very moment. Presented in no particular order, this list keeps it fresh. Let’s dive in!

Each time a new Street Fighter entry rolls around, we get introduced to a new cast of characters and reintroduced to some of our favorite series mainstays. Street Fighter 6 is no different in this regard. Amid the new additions like Kimberly, Jamie, and Luke, longtime players can find comfort in the presence of fighters like Ryu, Chun-Li, Guile, and Ken appearing as well. However, even those returning fighters have some changes to their looks, outfits, and personalities for this sixth mainline entry.

During our trip to Osaka, Japan, where we visited Capcom's headquarters, we sat down with Street Fighter 6 art director Kaname Fujioka to learn more about his time at Capcom. "The biggest inspiration for me wanting to join Capcom and work on fighting games was Street Fighter II," he says. "I was eventually able to do character design work for other non-Street Fighter main-series fighting games, whether it be Red Earth, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, and also Capcom vs. SNK, but I never really had the chance to work on a mainline Street Fighter game."

The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes the need to track down great gifts for the people you love. Or perhaps amid all that shopping you’re doing for everyone else, you want to pick something special just for you. Read the full story...

A new Fire Emblem Engage trailer has detailed how players can summon "Emblems," characters from past Fire Emblem games. Units will be able to equip Engage Rings to gain the ability to gain the power of a hero, like Marth or Byleth. When units equip the rings, they become synced with the Emblems, boosting their stats and giving them access to new, Emblem-specific skills. Based on the demonstration in the trailer, this will make a massive difference in a unit’s power level.

Units can also “Engage” with the Emblems, fusing into a new form even more powerful than a synced form. In addition to gaining access to special weapons, the player can use Engage Skills: unique abilities that harken back to the Emblems’ original games. For example, since Byleth was a teacher in Fire Emblem: Three Houses, one of his abilities allows him to teach nearby units, boosting their stats. Meanwhile, Corrin can use an ability called Dragon Vein, which alters the terrain in the same way she was able to in Fire Emblem Fates.

As the holiday season approaches, millions of us will inevitably be stuck inside with our family members looking for the right games to play. Multiplayer is a must, but something competitive might not be the way to go – there are only so many games of Mario Party and Monopoly a group of people can play together before they want to rip each others' heads off.

In this case, co-op is the way to go: specifically, something everyone can play in the same room on the same TV. But with so many games out there, how do you separate a perfect holiday gift from a dastardly holiday grift? Fret not! We've compiled a list of some of the best games to turn that seasonal boredom into wintertime wonderment. Here's a collection of couch co-op games that'll get you crowned as the coolest cousin of the year.

Reviewed on: PC, Xbox Series X/S
Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Poncle
Developer: Poncle
Release: October 20, 2022 (PC), November 10, 2022 (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One)
Rating: Teen

Ever since it hit Early Access on Steam last December, the cult of Vampire Survivors has grown and spread its gospel far and wide. Over the past year, the seemingly simple game has expanded with a steady stream of free updates adding astonishing amounts of depth and content. The fantastic gameplay and compelling progression system combined with a ridiculously low price point made Vampire Survivors extremely recommendable. That tradition continues in the full game release making over 50 hours of pure gaming bliss accessible to a larger audience.

From the Studio:
Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the powers of the gods — and imprisoned just as quickly — Black Adam is freed, ready to unleash his unique justice on the world.

This is your opportunity to own a BLACK ADAM digital movie, yours to keep forever, all you need to do is enter below by 12/6/2022 for your chance to win. We have 10 movies available. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. BLACK ADAM is rated PG-13. Must be a resident of the U. S. Full rules are available below. Good Luck!

Epic Games recently announced that Fornite's Chapter 3 would come to a close in December and now, with under two weeks to go until its end, the studio has released new details about how to participate in the Fracture finale. Plus, the team has a few more goodies for players to earn in the final days of Chapter 3. 

Whether you squad up with up to three more players or play solo, the fate of the battle island is in your hands, according to Epic. While it's still unclear exactly what we'll be doing December 3, we do know how to actually participate now. 

Joining The Fortnite Fracture Event

Epic Games says Fracture is a one-time only, in-game event that begins on Saturday, December 3 at 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET. Thirty minutes prior to the event's start, a new "Fracture" playlist will go live and you can join this at that time until 1:40 p.m./4:40 p.m. ET – after that, the playlist will be closed. 

Reviewed on: Switch
Platform: Switch
Publisher: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company
Developer: Game Freak
Release: November 18, 2022
Rating: Everyone

Each new generation of Pokémon promises changes and iterations to the long-standing franchise formula. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet kick off the ninth generation of Pokémon games, offering some of the biggest changes to date. An open world, four-player co-op, and other additions effectively push the series forward in meaningful ways, but the technical shortcomings often break immersion and temper an otherwise strong Pokémon game.

Update, 11/21/22:

Nintendo announced in September that Wave 3 of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Booster Course DLC was coming this holiday season and now, the company has revealed we'll be getting eight tracks on December 7. Check out the Wave 3 trailer in the tweet below: 

Start your engines! Wave 3 of the #MarioKart 8 Deluxe - Booster Course Pass arrives 12/7! Available for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members at no additional cost, or on its own as paid DLC. pic.twitter.com/lbhHsbpf7L

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) November 21, 2022

As you can see, Wave 3 features some returning classics from prior Mario Kart releases as well as a few from Mario Kart Tour, Nintendo's mobile take on the series. Here's what to expect in this new wave next month: