Month: November 2019

Grinding Gear Games is confident that the just-announced Path of Exile 2 will be capable of going toe-to-toe with Blizzard’s Diablo IV. Speaking to GameSpot at ExileCon in New Zealand today, founder Chris Wilson described Path of Exile 2 as a “next-generation” action RPG that can stand alongside Diablo IV–which presumably has a larger development budget.

“Yeah,” Wilson said when asked if Path of Exile 2 can go toe-to-toe with Diablo IV. “Path of Exile 2 is one of the next-generation of action role-playing games, and we feel it’s well-positioned there.”

Wilson acknowledged that Blizzard’s status as one of the biggest and most well-funded studios on the planet is helping Diablo IV shine in some departments. However, Wilson argued that Path of Exile 2 has an edge due to its legacy and how it’s connected to Path of Exile 1.

“Any company with a lot of money can make really nice graphics and so on. They have amazing graphics as well and a great storyline and so on,” Wilson said of Blizzard and Diablo IV. “But what we have here [with Path of Exile 2] is bringing across six or seven years of content including all the balance and ecosystem. If you make a new game, maybe it’s bad? You don’t know until you play it. Whereas we know Path of Exile is good, and there are a lot of people out there who like that.”

Path of Exile 2 and Diablo IV aren’t going to square off anytime soon, it seems, as both titles are likely a long time away from release. Neither company is committing to a release date. Research company Cowen & Company said in its post-BlizzCon note to investors that they are expecting Diablo IV to launch no earlier than 2021.

As for Path of Exile 2, Wilson gave a small hint at the release window when he said the game may release at a point when the PS5 and next Xbox are in the marketplace. Both next-generation consoles are due to launch in Holiday 2020, and Path of Exile 2 is expected to be available for them (though not necessarily at launch, of course). The first beta for Path of Exile 2 is scheduled to begin in late 2020 at the soonest.

Both games are already playable. BlizzCon attendees had the opportunity to go hands on with a portion of Diablo IV, while those in attendance at ExileCon can play the beginning of Path of Exile 2.

Another interesting element at play when comparing Path of Exile 2 and Diablo IV is the tone of each title. From what we’ve seen so far, Diablo IV seems to take the series back to its darker, gorier roots. For what it’s worth, Path of Exile has always been a dark and gritty game. Some fans remarked that Path of Exile, with its darker tone, was more a successor to Diablo II than Diablo III was. Path of Exile launched in 2013, which was a year after Diablo III came out.

The dark tone for Path of Exile continues with Path of Exile 2, as the first trailer and gameplay footage demonstrated (watch again in the embed above). Not only that, but the company created a huge prop in the ExileCon hall featuring dead and dismembered bodies hanging from a tree. So yes, the dark tone is still intact for Path of Exile 2.

ExileCon runs November 16 and 17 in Auckland, so keep checking back with GameSpot for the latest.

• Path Of Exile 2, New Expansion, Mobile Game, And All The Other Big Exile-Con Reveals

Disclosure: Grinding Gear Games paid for GameSpot’s flight and accommodation in Auckland, New Zealand to attend ExileCon.

While The Dragon Prince Season 2 slowed down the pace of the overall story to focus on developing its secondary cast, with Season 3, things have really picked up speed. Battle lines are drawn, and it’s clear early on that we’re in for a dramatic and (at least for now) conclusive conflict. Although it feels rushed compared with Season 2, this season manages to stay true to the characters we know (some more than others), continues to impress with its beautiful art style, and ends the original story gracefully, while keeping the door open for more if the opportunity presents itself.

At the end of Season 2, the humans and elves were on the verge of war, while Ezran, Rayla, and Callum continued their journey to deliver Zym, the titular dragon prince, back to his mother in the Elven half of the continent, Xadia. However, when Ezran learned what had been happening back in Katolis without him on the throne, he chose to fulfill his obligation as king over his responsibility to Zym, entrusting Rayla and Callum to finish their journey. Season 3 picks up immediately after their departure, with Callum and Rayla finally entering Xadia, and Ezran taking the throne.

More than ever in The Dragon Prince, almost every character has a sense of urgency to their actions this season. Ezran most of all, who is confronted by the difficult choices a king must face when the nation he leads wants a war with the elves. As a child with no experience as a leader, he’s got a lot of ground to make up, and the writers do an effective job showing how his good heart informs his decisions. Yet just when this storyline is reaching its climax, when he goes up against up-and-comer Prince Kasef, things take a surprising turn. Given how significant his decision to go back home was at the end of Season 2, it’s a letdown.

With the increased pace of the story, many characters jump around from place to place too often. The three heroes journey across the continent took two seasons of harrowing travel, so it comes across as a little too convenient that a bunch of winged creatures appear to transport characters to where they’re needed at that moment in the story. I had some real flashbacks to the last season of Game of Thrones and a certain Dragon Queen crossing the kingdom in record time. Maybe fast traveling is just a perk of being dragon-themed royalty adjacent.

While Ezran’s story is going on, Callum and Rayla race against the clock in an unfamiliar land to deliver Zym back to his mother. There are a couple of scenes dedicated to showing off the beauty of the Elven kingdom, with some absolutely adorable creatures contrasted by some truly terrifying snakes, but overall, it was disappointing how little time was spent showcasing the magic of Xadia. The eastern half of the continent has been built up as this mystical wonderland, and I was excited to see how Callum would react to it being the curious Human he is, but we only spend a handful of episodes experiencing it from his eyes. Much of this season takes place in a singular location, and given how important it is to the story, I wish there was a little more time building up to the payoff of finally reaching it.

Last season, Rayla’s character development was sidelined so that supporting characters like Soren and Claudia had more time in the spotlight, leading to a stall in her story arc. This season, we’re given much more insight into what drives her to see this mission through, and how her clan of Moonshadow Elves played a part in the history of this world. Unfortunately, this focus on Rayla detracts from Callum, and he’s given very little to do on this go-around, with most of his growth tied to helping Rayla further her own. It’s missed potential to not put a focus on Callum’s burgeoning magical pursuits, or how it feels for him to be a Human in a place where people despise you and look down upon your abilities. His flirtatious back and forths with Rayla are as entertaining as ever, but it’s nothing compared to hers, or even Soren’s personal agency this season.

Speaking of flirting, as it ages, The Dragon Prince continues to dance with darker moments and themes. There are some truly evil characters on this show that have no qualms with manipulating, plotting mutinies against, mutating, and even murdering children. Unlike other animated shows, you never get the feeling that any of your favorites possess that untouchable plot armor either, that can plague shows aimed toward younger audiences. There are still plenty of light and fun moments between characters in Season 3, but the humor isn’t quite on the level of the previous seasons (save for one incredible callback to Avatar: The Last Airbender, which this show’s co-creator worked on previously). Some characters are presented as unbelievably unintelligent just for a single joke, and the show has a tendency to devolve into ‘meme-like’ humor a little too often (you’ll know it when you see it).

However, despite those grievances, the tone overall is one of maturity, and as tension increases, characters who have danced with the dark side before (or vice versa) seem to finally pick what side they’ll be fighting for once and for all. Thankfully, The Dragon Prince manages to make these decisions feel earned and genuine with each character.

One consistency throughout every season that deserves continuous praise is the show’s incredible art direction. We’re treated to the best showcases of this team’s talent in terms of its creatures, world design, and the landscapes in particular. The animation seems to have reached a similar level of quality this season as well, with some beautifully choreographed fights between humans, elves, monsters, and mages alike. Season 1’s sometimes stilty, janky animations (even during a simple conversation with two characters) feels like a distant memory.

Season 1 of The Dragon Prince presented what I thought would be a long, magical journey, so it’s a little disappointing that we’ve already arrived at the destination. Season 3 does end on a high note, it just would have been better if it had taken a little longer to get there. As slow as Season 2 sometimes felt, Season 3 swings a bit too far in the other direction. Without spoiling anything, the story definitely isn’t over, despite conclusively ending its current arc, so, for now, it’s time to sit back and wait patiently for the next big adventure.

The Dragon Prince Season 3 hits Netflix November 22.

Your First Partner Pokemon

Pokemon Sword and Shield are now available on Nintendo Switch, and one of the first decisions you make is picking which starter Pokemon you’d like to accompany you on your journey. All three options in Sword and Shield are adorable, at least at first. But they will eventually evolve and change, and that might impact your decision from the outset.

Here’s each of the starters and their second- and third-stage evolutions so you aren’t too surprised later in the game. Regardless of who you pick, though, you can always swap them out for another Pokemon if you aren’t a fan, or trade with friends to complete your collection–so don’t be too worried about it!

In our Pokemon Sword and Shield review, we praised many aspects of the games, but acknowledged that the starters’ evolutions are universally not that great. There are plenty of other great Pokemon, though, so be sure to check out our guide to finding some of the coolest Pokemon in the game if you’re on the hunt for a different one.

We also have plenty of other guides, including how to evolve a few different Pokemon with unconventional evolution methods: Milcery to Alcremie, Galarian Linoone to Obstagoon, Sinistea to Polteageist, and Applin into a different Pokemon based on your version.

Grookey

Thwackey

Rillaboom

Scorbunny

Raboot

Cinderace

Sobble

Drizzile

Inteleon

Pokemon Sword and Shield are finally out on Nintendo Switch, and The Pokemon Company is giving away a few freebies for early adopters. Not only can you pick up a free track suit outfit for your trainer from Walmart starting November 16, but everyone who purchases the game by January 15, 2020 can claim a special Meowth that’s capable of Gigantamaxing. Here’s how to get yours.

How To Claim Your Free Gigantamax Meowth

Unlike the track suit outfit, you won’t need to head to a specific store to get your Gigantamax Meowth; rather, you can claim it using the Mystery Gift function from the game’s menu screen. Select Mystery Gift, then choose the option to get your gift via the internet. Follow the prompts to connect online and your special Meowth will be downloaded in the game. You can then find it waiting in one of your boxes at the Pokemon Center.

Other Free Pokemon

Meowth isn’t the only free Pokemon you can claim in Sword and Shield; you can also get a Pikachu and Eevee that are capable of Gigantamaxing, but only if you have save data from Let’s Go Pikachu or Eevee on your Switch. If you fall in that camp, you can pick up the Pokemon from Wild Area Station fairly early on in your adventure. Neither Pikachu nor Eevee can evolve, but they’re the only variants in their species capable of Gigantamaxing, so you’ll want to add them to your collection if you can.

As for the aforementioned free track suit, you’ll need to head to a participating Walmart store in the US before November 25 to claim a free download code for the outfit. Before you can get the code, you’ll first need to download and install the Pokemon Pass app on your smartphone, then use that to scan a QR code on display at the store. Once you’ve received your download code, you’ll need to input it in your copy of Sword or Shield via Mystery Gift to claim the outfit.

We gave the Gen 8 Pokemon games a 9/10 in our Sword and Shield review. Critic Kallie Plagge wrote, “Sword and Shield cut down on the tedious and protracted elements from previous games in favor of amplifying what makes Pokemon great in the first place. This is the most balanced a Pokemon game has felt in a long time, and with that, Sword and Shield mark the best new generation of Pokemon games in years.” If you’re just getting started on your Pokemon journey, be sure to check out our Sword and Shield guides below.

Pokemon Sword & Shield Guides

• Pokemon Sword & Shield: Essential Tips To Help Get You Started
• Pokemon Sword & Shield: Where To Catch Cool And Rare Pokemon
• Pokemon Sword & Shield: How To Evolve Applin
• Pokemon Sword & Shield: How To Evolve Sinistea Into Polteageist
• Pokemon Sword & Shield: How To Evolve Galarian Linoone Into Obstagoon
• Pokemon Sword & Shield: How To Evolve Milcery into Alcremie
• Pokemon Won’t Drop Its Guard – What Does That Mean?
• Pokemon Sword & Shield: What Are Watts?

Actor Cameron Monaghan gave us a unique spin on the Joker mythos in the show Gotham, and now he’s weighed in on what he thinks of the new Joker movie by director Todd Phillips.

Hear what Monaghan had to say by watching the video in the player above!

“They did a wonderful job of capturing their vision. And visually I thought that the movie was really well done. The cinematography was some of my favorite of the year. It was a wild ride,” Monaghan told IGN during an interview.

Coincidentally, the Joker movie was shooting at a location close to where Monaghan was filming Gotham, so there were two actors doing two different Jokers at the same time.

Continue reading…

In this playthrough, our trainer begins his Gym Challenge to collect Gym Badges from eight gyms around the Galar region. Along the way to the Grass Gym, he is challenged by various Pokemon trainers. This gameplay ends with an epic Dynamax battle versus the Grass Gym’s leader, Milo.

On the way to Motostoke, Jake’s train makes a stop at the Wild Area station. Here, he’s free to roam around and catch a few more Pokemon before he takes on his first Max Raid. After reaching Motostoke, Jake heads for the stadium to take part in the opening ceremony.

Welcome to the beginning of a new Pokemon journey! In part one of this Nintendo Switch walkthrough, Jake begins his quest in the new Sword and Shield Galar Region, where he selects his starter Pokemon. After meeting the local champion Leon and getting through some training, Jake is ready to leave home and start his quest to become a Pokemon champion!

Path of Exile is coming to mobile devices. This morning at ExileCon, Grinding Gear CEO Chris Wilson announced that the popular free-to-play title is coming to smartphones featuring what is described as a fair monetization strategy. Wilson also pointed out that Grinding Gear is developing the title in-house as opposed to shipping it off to a different studio to handle it.

Before you get too excited, however, Wilson cautioned that Path of Exile mobile is only an “experimental” title. Development will continue–or not–based on fan feedback.

Wilson used his keynote address to make a little jab at Blizzard over its own mobile game reveal. He said he’s happy that Grinding Gear announced Path of Exile 2 before revealing Path of Exile Mobile in what was surely a reference to how Blizzard angered fans by announcing Diablo Immortal before Diablo IV.

Disclosure: Grinding Gear Games is paying for GameSpot’s flight and accommodation in Auckland, New Zealand to attend ExileCon.