Editorials
Blizzard World Overwatch Skins I Want to See
My favorite part of BlizzCon’s Overwatch panel was the announcement of the Blizzard World map. Not only is it a theme park based on Blizzard’s different games (we all know how much it deserves to exist in real life), but it will also come with character skins based on various Blizzard properties. Plus, it finally gives Zarya a cool skin. However, we only got a sample of the character costumes Blizzard will include with the map, which got me thinking about what Blizzard World skins I would love to see for the rest of the Overwatch roster. Here’s what I came up with:
Ana — Starcraft’s Kerrigan
I will admit Widowmaker’s Nova skin is something I wanted for a long time, partially because Nova has a Widowmaker skin in Heroes of the Storm, but where does that leave Overwatch‘s other sniper, Ana? Well, I think it’s only fair to dress her up as Starcraft‘s Kerrigan (pre-infestation, of course). Ana has a history with Widowmaker, and Nova has a history with Kerrigan; the more you think about the costume, the more it makes sense.
Bastion — Starcraft Siege Tank
Bastion is Overwatch‘s only playable character capable of transforming, so why not give him a skin of Blizzard’s other iconic transforming robot/vehicle, the Starcraft Siege Tank? That would also give Blizzard’s art staff a chance to flex their creative muscles and imagine how a Siege Tank would look if it could turn into a bipedal robot, not unlike the Starcraft II Viking unit.
D.Va — Starcraft Goliath
Canonically, D.Va was a professional StarCraft player who was recruited by her country’s military to fight invading omnic robots, so a skin referencing her eSports origins would make perfect sense and bring everything full circle. Out of all the Starcraft and Starcraft II units available, few fit more than the Terran Goliath. I mean, just look at it; it already resembles D.Va’s mech. The only wrinkle stopping this skin from being a perfect fit is the possibility that D.Va played as either Protoss or Zerg, in which case a Stalker or Ultralisk skin would be more appropriate.
Genji — Warcraft’s Samuro
Ok, granted Samuro never threw shuriken, but everything else fits: he’s agile, a master swordsman (well, swordsorc), and he has a distinctly semi-ninja/samurai aesthetic. Face it: if Genji is willing to dress up as a Super Sentai member, he would probably jump at the chance to dress up as Samuro.
Hanzo — World of Warcraft Hunter
It might be a little obvious a choice, but Blizzard doesn’t have much in the way of popular characters who wield bows and are male. Honestly, the only thing that comes to mind is World of Warcraft‘s de facto bow-wielding class the Hunter. Just give Hanzo an iconic Hunter armor set like the Dragonstalker or Gronnstalker Armor, and he’ll be ready for anything.
Junkrat — Starcraft Infested Terran
Ok, cheating a bit here: Junkrat wouldn’t look like any Infested Terran we’ve ever seen, but that’s still the costume Blizzard should give him. Not only would Junkrat look great with gross Zerg limbs in place of his prosthetics, but all of his weapons and skills would be replaced by Zerg equivalents, especially his RIP-Tire. If you thought seeing his exploding Mad Max tire roll after you was scary, try picturing it as the world’s fastest Baneling. Yea, pants to be darkened.
Lucio — Elite Tauren Chieftain
Blizzard might never have given World of Warcraft or Diablo players a proper bard class, but the company created the archetypal (and bad ass) bard character with Elite Tauren Chieftain, a Tauren chieftain who uses the power or Rock and Roll to melt faces and sound good while doing it. Since Lucio also uses the power of music, it’s a perfect (and meta) fit.
McCree — Starcraft‘s Jim Raynor
I was this close to suggesting a Demon Hunter skin for McCree, but we basically got that with his Van Helsing skin, so I changed my mind and picked Blizzard’s own space cowboy Jim Raynor. I see a lot of Jim in McCree and vice versa, so it makes sense.
Mercy — World of Warcraft Priest
Priests heal other players, and Mercy heals other players. This is just another example of choosing the most obvious choice because it’s the best choice, but admit it: you also want to see Mercy rocking some Tier 5 Avatar Armor too, don’t you?
Moira — World of Warcraft Forsaken Apothecary
I thought picking a costume for Moira was going to be difficult, but then I realized “sadistic scientist lacking in morals who heals allies while hurting enemies” is a trope Blizzard already did with the Forsaken Apothecaries in World of Warcraft. They worked on a plague to kill their enemies and heal themselves (they are technically undead, after all), and Moira’s skill set focuses on damaging enemies to heal allies, so she seems gift wrapped for a Forsaken Apothecary costume.
Pharah — Diablo‘s Tyrael
I was considering suggesting Mercy get one of Diablo‘s archangel costumes, but then I realized they weren’t much in the healing business. Plus, in many ways, Pharah is an avenging/defending angel in power armor, so it makes sense for her to dress up as the iconic archangel Tyrael. Since he is (or was) the Archangel of Justice, the costume would give new meaning to Pharah’s catchphrase, “Justice rains from above.”
Reaper — Blackthorne’s Kyle Blackthorne
Long before Blizzard created Warcraft, it developed the cinematic platformer Blackthorne for the SNES and MS-DOS. The game stars the titular and bad ass Kyle Balckthorne (who is also the prince of the Planet Tuul) and is an oft-overlooked gem that deserves more attention. Granted, Blizzard is trying to bring Blackthorne to Heroes of the Storm, but he seems to be caught in development hell. But, all that aside, Blackthorne and his shotgun deserve a cameo in Overwatch, and Reaper is the perfect bad ass (dual) shotgun-wielder for the job.
Solder: 76 — Starcraft Terran Marine
Sorry I have so many obvious choices in this list, but we all want to see Soldier: 76 dress up in Terran Marine armor. Even if you didn’t realize it at first, now you can’t stop thinking about it.
Sombra — Warcraft‘s Garona Halforcen
Both Sombra and Garona are professional spies, and both know how to play both sides against one another. What more do I need to say?
Symmetra — Starcraft Protoss Probe
Symmetra specializes in building sentries, shields, and teleportation devices, just like Protoss Probes. Moreover, the Protoss know how to create ornate armor that combines form and function, which would no doubt draw the attention of Symmetra as building that kind of stuff is literally her job. While I would normally suggest a Protoss Zealot or Templar costume, they destroy instead of create, which is why a Protoss Probe skin is the most logical choice for Symmetra.
Tracer — Warcraft‘s Chromie
Traveling through time isn’t something many Blizzard characters do, so it was fairly easy to make a list of characters Tracer, Overwatch‘s resident (accidental) time-traveler, would cosplay as. Granted, Blizzard essentially created a race of time-travelers with Warcraft‘s Bronze Dragons, but gamers don’t interact with them a lot save for their ambassador Chromie. This is another situation where the personalities are a match, as both Tracer and Chromie are very upbeat. Also, I’m sure Chromie’s braided buns would look great on Tracer’s head.
Winston — Warcraft‘s Thrall
Winston and Thrall have a lot in common. They both are uncommonly intelligent members of their respective species; they know how to quickly make friends and lead them into battle, and few can match their sheer destructive power when they’re angry. Furthermore, Thrall and Winstons’ weapons shoot electricity, so dressing up Winston’s Tesla Cannon as the Doomhammer only makes perfect sense.
Zenyatta — Diablo Monk
Zenyatta’s a robo-monk who is famous for healing his allies, and Diablo’s Monk class is known for healing his or her allies. I might be cheating a bit here by having a monk dress up as another monk, but if Zenyatta could chose to dress up as any Blizzard character, he probably would pick the Diablo Monk; he’s just that kind of robot.
And those are my ideas. Do you agree with them? Do you have alternative costume ideas? Comment down below, because I would love to hear your opinion.
After many years of fans begging Square Enix to remaster Final Fantasy VII, they finally listened and did just that. There were numerous excuses as to why the game’s re-release had lagged behind the re-releases of both VII and IX, with the most common excuse being that the game’s original code was lost years ago. However, the company made it happen and the game is finally available for modern audiences to play on modern hardware today. We’re going to give you 5 reasons why you should do just that.
First time available on modern hardware
As we’ve already said, this is the first time that the game is available on modern hardware. While the game originally launched for PS1 back in 1999, it later got a PC port in 2000. That means that is has been a whopping 19 years since a new version of the game has been available for purchase, and that wait was a brutal one. However, it is finally over and you can now play this classic game on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch along with PC. If the lack of modern hardware support was stopping you from checking out, that excuse just got thrown out the window.
The visuals look better than ever
Thankfully, Square Enix did not just slap this port together quickly and throw it out there to shut everyone up. They did a terrific job of putting on a shiny new coat of paint for the game, with the character models in particular looking much better. While things like environment textures didn’t get quite the same amount of attention, this is nevertheless the best that the game has ever looked. It also helps that the game is simply beautiful from a design standpoint, with the game’s world being gorgeous to behold even though we’re dealing with the hardware limitations of 1999.
Quality of life improvements
While those who played the game 20 years ago will still be getting what is essentially the same experience, Square Enix did add some quality of life improvements to put it more in line with current JRPGs. These changes include the likes of increasing battle speed by 3 times, shutting off random encounters completely and even a cheat to give you max HP and limit breaks. While these may seem minor, these will go a long way to ease some of the tedium that many feel after some particularly long gaming sessions. Max HP and Limit Breaks will also make the incredibly tough Ultima and Omega Weapon boss fights a lot easier to deal with.
Triple Triad
The Final Fantasy series is known for having its fair share of enticing side quests and mini games, but there isn’t a single one that is as addicting as Triple Triad. The game is essentially a card game that is played on a 3×3 grid, and each card has a certain number on the top, bottom, left and right sides. You need to place your cards in a manner that the numbers on your cards are higher than your opponents, and seeing as your card can be attacked from four different sides this can be tricky. You’re able to challenge many different characters to a match throughout the course of the entire game, and doing so comes with plenty of nice rewards that will make your quest easier.
The game is awesome
While our previous points focused on specific elements of the game, this one is a simple fact that has been true since 1999: the game is awesome. Unfortunately, releasing immediately after Final Fantasy VII (a watershed moment for gaming) put it under a very cruel microscope, with many knee jerk reactions simply saying it “isn’t as good as VII.” However, in the years that have passed people have revisited the game, and the consensus has definitely changed. This adventure that Square created is unlike any other in the series, being host to an ambitious and bizarre plot filled with some of the best characters the series has ever seen. If you’ve played the game before then this is the perfect time to experience this masterpiece all over again, and if you haven’t then what are you waiting for?
2019 has been yet another good year for gaming so far, with several games releasing that will be big contenders for game of the year once the curtain closes. However, despite the year already being more than halfway over, there are still some huge titles on the horizon that are sure to make their own dents on the coming best-of lists. This article will list the 10 biggest games that are still coming in 2019.
Control
A new game from Remedy Entertainment is always highly-anticipated, and Control is no different. The game is an action-adventure game in the same style as Alan Wake or Quantum Break, but with a supernatural twist. Players will control Jesse Faden, who possesses a variety of supernatural abilities like telekinesis, levitation and more. She will be using her abilities in order to defeat an enemy known only as the Hiss, which has corrupted reality. Control launches for PS4, Xbox One and PC on August 27th.
Borderlands 3
It has been many years since the last game in the Borderlands series released, but the hiatus is finally coming to an end very soon. Those who have played previous games in the series will feel right at home with this game, as it’s once again a loot-driven FPS. The game will offer more zany characters and a charming and insane world to explore, all while dealing with new antagonists Troy and Tyreen Calypso along with their Children of the Vault cult. Borderlands 3 launches for PS4, Xbox One and PC on September 13th, with a Google Stadia port release date being TBA.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon series is returning soon with Breakpoint, which will serve as a continuation of previous game Wildlands. The game is set in an open world environment called Aurora, which is a fictional island in the Pacific Ocean. Players will control Lieutenant Colonel Anthony “Nomad” Perryman, who is a special forces operative that was sent to the island to investigate a series of disturbances in the area. Breakpoint launches for PS4, Xbox One and PC on October 4th, with a Google Stadia port coming in November.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Each new installment in the Call of Duty series is always huge, but Modern Warfare’s release marks a first for the long-running franchise. It will be the first game in the series that is reimagining of a previous game in the series, taking 2004’s original game and updating its mechanics and themes to match today’s world. The game will still have some of the beats that the first game had, but will also incorporate lots of surprises to make it a fresh experience. Modern Warfare launches for PS4, Xbox One and PC on October 25th.
The Outer Worlds
Obsidian Entertainment’s The Outer Worlds is one that will be very highly-anticipated for fans of Fallout: New Vegas, as this game serves as a sort of spiritual successor to that game. It will be an open world RPG that allows you to explore many unique areas crawling with plenty of deadly foes. Players will also be able to encounter and recruit NPCs as companions that have their own personal missions and stories to take part in. The Outer Worlds launches for PS4, Xbox One and PC on October 25th, with a Switch port also being in the works.
Luigi’s Mansion 3
It seemed very unlikely that Luigi’s Mansion would become a recurring franchise for Nintendo following the original GameCube game, but here we are. Luigi’s Mansion 3 is coming to Switch, which also means it will be the first home console release since the original game back in 2003. This time the game is set in a haunted hotel rather than a mansion, and Luigi has some new tricks up his sleeves to take down all those ghosts. Luigi’s Mansion 3 will launch exclusively for Nintendo Switch on October 31st.
Death Stranding
If you’re looking for the most ambitious (and weirdest) game still coming in 2019, then look no further. Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding has perplexed gamers ever since its announcement, and each new trailer that releases just brings more and more questions to the table. It is Kojima’s first game since breaking up with Konami after the release of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phanton Pain (and the cancellation of Silent Hills), and it looks like Kojima has taken the newfound complete creative control to deliver something truly original. Death Stranding launches exclusively for PS4 on November 8th.
Pokemon Sword & Shield
At this point we all know what to expect from a new Pokemon game, and Sword and Shield seems poised to deliver even more cute creatures for players to capture and battle very soon. What sets Sword and Shield apart from its predecessors is that it will be the first home console release for the series, which is saying something considering the series has been around for over 20 years. Pokemon Sword & Shield launches exclusively for Switch on November 15th.
Shenmue III
If you’re a fan of Shenmue then nothing needs to be said for the inclusion of the upcoming third game on this list. Fans of the series have been waiting nearly two decades for a follow-up to the second game, and in just a couple of months that will finally be delivered to them. Brought to life thanks to an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign, the game continues the adventure of protagonist Ryo Hazuki as he hunts down his father’s killer. Shenmue III will launch for PS4 and PC on November 19th.
DOOM Eternal
id Software’s DOOM 2016 was one of the best FPS games to come along in years, so it’s a no-brainer that the follow-up would be on this list. Eternal is set to offer yet another intense FPS campaign for players to plunge into, while also offering a multiplayer component that greatly improves upon the last game’s underwhelming multiplayer mode. There will also be twice as many demon types than there was in the last game, meaning that the chaos level just got that much higher. DOOM Eternal launches for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia and PC on November 22nd.
Microsoft’s Xbox E3 2019 Press Conference has officially come to an end, and with it came plenty of big announcements to get excited about. Some new games were announced, whereas previously-announced games got new footage and/or release dates. In this article we’ve narrowed it all down to the 5 most exciting announcements.
New Xbox “Project Scarlett” Coming Holiday 2020
We’ve known for a while now that a new Xbox was in the works, but now we know when to expect it. Microsoft’s fourth console (which hopefully has a better official name than Xbox One did) will be a big step up from the previous console. Things like much faster load times, an AMD Processor that is four times more powerful than the Xbox One X, 8K Resolution and 120 FPS were all mentioned. A price and exact release date weren’t mentioned. It will also be launching with…
Halo Infinite Coming Holiday 2020, Launching On Both Xbox One and Project Scarlett
The wait for the next Halo game has been longer than ever before for series fans, and the announcement at E3 revealed that the wait will continue. Halo Infinite will not be launching until Holiday 2020, meaning it will have been 5 years since the previous game released with Halo 5. It will also be launching on Xbox One and Project Scarlett, meaning the new console will have a big launch title for fans to get pumped about.
Cyberpunk 2077 Coming April 2020, Stars Keanu Reeves
It’s hard to pick a game that people have been more excited about than Cyberpunk 2077, and after Microsoft’s press conference we’re even more excited. Not only is it coming in April of next year, but Keanu Reeves himself will be playing a “key” role in the game. Everything shown from the game has looked great so far, so hopefully it all pans out and we have another classic from CD Projekt RED come April 2020.
FromSoftware and George R.R. Martin Collaboration Elden Ring Announced
This one was actually leaked prior to the presentation, but Dark Souls developer FromSoftware and Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin are collaborating on a new game. The game is called Elden Ring, and it will be a departure from the developer’s most recent games as it will be open world. Very little information on the game is known at this point, as it is still in the early stages of development.
Phantasy Star Online 2 Is Coming West
It took a very long time, but the popular MMORPG is finally coming west. The game is coming to Xbox One in a free-to-play form in Spring 2020, so the wait won’t be that much longer. “There will be no limitations on game experiences,”says Sega, because they want to “provide all players with a fair and exciting experience.”
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