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The November rush of video games is finally over, but with one notable exception. While the year had started off with gamers marking their calendars for a 2011 release of Mass Effect 3, a subsequent delay means we’ve got a few more months until BioWare reveals what they’ve been up to. In anticipation though, we’ve got another look at the new changes being made for Mass Effect 3’s combat, as well as an explanation of what’s being offered in the collector’s edition of the game....

If you’re a hockey fan, then there’s a good chance that your calendar has already been marked for the release of NHL 12 for months now. While some sports franchises leave fans wondering if each year’s installment changes enough to make a purchase worthwhile, that’s never been the case with NHL. EA Sports has made a habit out of advancing and innovating with each passing year, and NHL 12 is no exception....

Sure, Rock Band is a great party game, but its appeal goes deeper than just having a good time with friends. With a decent group, Rock Band actually captures the rush of playing music in front of a large, adoring crowd. The fast-paced note-matching gameplay helps, of course, but game mechanics aren’t why Rock Band took the world by storm. It all comes down to the fantasy that Rock Band fulfills....

With only a few console exclusives left before the PS4 launches, Sony is taking every opportunity to cross-promote that they can. As part of that initiative, Sony packaged a demo for Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic survival title The Last of Us in with God of War: Ascension. The demo didn’t unlock instantly, mind you, but it has finally become available for public consumption. However, with that demo has come an unexpected byproduct: story spoilers....

While the PS3 may have started its life on a weaker note, by the end of the generation there’s no denying that eventually found its place. One title that showcased its power and is universally viewed as one of the strongest titles of the generation is The Last of Us. For this reason alone, the release of The Last of Us: Remastered on PS4 came as something of a no-brainer. Despite the fanfare surrounding this re-release though, it has recently drawn some ire....

With The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt officially going on sale tomorrow, eager fans of CD Projekt Red’s ground-breaking open world RPG series will finally be free to conjure spells, slay beasts, and bed women at their leisure in Geralt’s last adventure for the Witcher franchise. Coupled with the bevy of gameplay options are stunning and meticulously crafted visuals, of which the Polish-based development team continue to labor over before the game’s release....

There are few things more terrifying to a modern video game publisher than having one of their most nostalgic, iconic, or beloved franchises tarnished by a string of underwhelming games. But don’t tell that to Bethesda, since they seem to be tossing caution to the wind with Wolfenstein: The New Order, the latest game in the series that, so far, is looking to be interesting, if not a guaranteed success....

At one point, Sega was the king of the arcades. Almost all of their home console games originated in the arcades and what is more arcadey than a fast-paced, white-knuckled shoot em’ up? Not much, as they steal quarters quickly, create a lot of noise, and are overall sensory overload. Thanks to the blast processing included in the wonderful Sega Genesis, bringing home excellent shoot em’ ups was easier than ever....

Unlike the Xbox Series X’s UI, which largely stays identical to the recently updated interface from the prior generation, the PlayStation 5’s front end experience brings with it a slew of changes from the last console. Sony loves delineation between hardware generations, so it makes sense for them to make the UI notably different. Some of these changes will take a longtime for PS4 owners to grow accustomed to, however, since old habits die hard....

Cyberpunk 2077 is out after many years of anticipation. While initially announced when the PlayStation 4 was in its infancy, the finished product barely manages to run on Sony’s fourth console. The frame rate crawls, the gameplay stutters, and bugs are abundant. On top of that, the image is soft, making it look like a PlayStation 3 game. CD Projekt Red’s most recent title is not the first game to suffer on consoles in this way....

Around the time of its release, Cyberpunk 2077 was discarded by many gamers as a massive failure for failing to meet their expectations, as well as the game’s poor performance on consoles. Ultimately, it turned out to be a satisfying open-world experience with captivating storylines, some of which have left players with plenty of unanswered questions. Although the writing in Cyberpunk 2077 is right up there with some of the best recent stories in the industry, there were a few missteps made in that department, too....

The 1990s was an interesting time for video games. Game genres were starting to expand, consoles became a main source of entertainment in a steadily increasing amount of households and the general advancements in graphics and gameplay was incredible. The ’90s also gave players things like Sega Channel, which gave players a subscription to a cable based source of games and switched the content up each month. This growth allowed players to experience a vast array of video games, some great, some not so great....

When the Nintendo Switch launched in 2017 it filled an excellent niche with its hyper adaptability, allowing for players to seamlessly switch between portable and home gaming. However, beyond the Switch’s wildly successful core concept, many felt that the console itself lacked many features that players had come to expect, as well as ones that Nintendo had previously innovated with. Now that it’s been four years since the release of the Nintendo Switch it’s unlikely that much will be done to address any of its shortcomings, however, but Nintendo fans can dream....

Some titles are lambasted in their time for one reason or another, but have since found favor with audiences and modern critics. Such situations typically do not follow the same path as movies, books, or albums that were hated upon release and eventually found love. There is usually an objective goodness to game mechanics and controls most reviews see and appreciate. With this in mind, these selections are here for a variety of reasons....

Unfortunately, The Last of Us Part II has been delayed indefinitely, so the stark message is that it’s time to shift our focus to other games. While the following games are not from The Last of Us series, or developer Naughty Dog for that matter, they are similar in some ways. Here is a list of games to tide you over while we wait insufferably for The Last of Us Part II to release....

This article contains spoilers for Destiny 2: Beyond Light’s campaign. A plethora of secrets have been uncovered since Destiny 2’s Beyond Light expansion was released. Collectibles such as Entropic Shards and dead Exos that unlock powerful Stasis Aspects and the Lament Exotic Sword have been discovered by the community. Those secrets are rather well known at this point, but plenty of smaller details were added or altered in this expansion that many players have yet to notice....

Nothing feels better than finding a secret level in a platformer. One may happen upon them by accident or they follow the precise and sometimes obtuse steps needed to access the secrets. Either way, it is incredibly satisfying to unearth them. It feels like seeing something the creators never intended for gamers to see. To celebrate the best of these oddities, the following list will detail ten wild secret areas in platforming games....

The Xbox One boasts some of the most popular games ever created, making it a highly sought-after gaming console. These games garner popularity due to their engaging storylines, high-end graphics, and interesting characters that grace them. More importantly, avid gamers fancy playing games that will keep them glued to their seat for a long time. There’s no dearth of such highly-engaging games in Xbox One. Aside from being incredibly long, these games are incredibly amazing as well....

The Switch has helped Nintendo celebrate one of their most successful years, but it looks like 2020 is far from over for Nintendo. This year has already featured momentous releases for Nintendo’s newest console, whether it’s the introduction of entirely new intellectual properties, or the return of beloved franchises. 2020 has provided plenty for Switch users and even though there are some high profile games that are still on the horizon, there are still lots of other upcoming titles that have had quieter development cycles....

Past and present are intertwined in Armored Core V. While the last main installment in the mech combat franchise — Armored Core 4 — was an attempt to reboot the series in the current generation with a more user-accessible facade, the game debuted to staid, if not scant reviews. But that was five years ago. A lot of gaming has gone by since then, and developer From Software (fresh off a bona fide hit in Dark Souls) and publisher Namco Bandai are back with Armored Core V to reclaim the traditional roots of the 15-year old series — roots that haven’t always been popular with its skeptical but sturdy fan base....