-
The Last of Us Part II
After five years, The Last of Us sequel has finally arrived. The first gameplay trailer for the Naughty Dog survival series debuted at Sony's E3 event and revealed the return of a more grown-up Ellie and Joel as well as some new characters as they enjoy a community party. But don't let the opening full you, things get violent fast.
Death Stranding
Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding has had one of the strangest, fascinating, most confusing build-ups in the history of video games. The previous teasers focused on a baby and some sort of invisible enemies, and with the release of the E3 trailer, the picture hasn't exactly gotten any clearer. The game looks to feature some of Kojima's trademark gameplay aspects, but the storyline seems as bizarre as ever. Whatever it is, Death Stranding is sure to be huge.
DOOM Eternal
Grab your shotgun and prepare for an epic war against the forces of Hell itself — the sequel to 2016's DOOM reboot is coming. id Software dropped the trailer for latest in the DOOM franchise at the 2018 E3 conference, and it looks like a stunner. Expect to see a host of familiar enemies along with some new gameplay mechanics, according to id.
Halo Infinite
It's brief, but it's there: The best-loved character in the Halo universe is returning with Halo Infinite. While it's more of a demo of the new Slipspace game engine, this glimpse at the next Halo shows a surprisingly peaceful setting that will no doubt get shattered in the first few minutes of gameplay. The design also hints at a return to the original Halo art style and a Master Cheif-centric story. No other details are available but expect more to come out soon.
Fallout 76
Happy Reclamation Day, Vault Dweller. It's 2102, the fallout has settled, and it's time to rebuild society. Bethesda's latest entry in the Fallout series is a prequel to all of the other releases and is their biggest one yet. The story will unfold in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia as the first group of survivors emerge to discover a dystopian wasteland. The game is scheduled for release November 14, 2018, but until then, keep your Pip-Boy at the ready.
Cyberpunk 2077
Game developer CD PROJEKT RED made their name with 2015's high fantasy Witcher 3 RPG. With their latest game, they're going from the past to the future. Cyberpunk 2077 takes the Cyberpunk 2020 tabletop game 57 years forward in Night City. The game hints at a massive open world with possible similar elements to Rockstar's GTA games. Info is scarce at the moment, and don't hold your breath — it will be a while before you can get your hands on it.
-
Casper Wave
The result of three years of research and millions of data points, the Casper Wave is a breakthrough in mattress design. Underneath its handsome exterior, you'll find the new, proprietary Natural Geometry System. It uses five layers of foam to mimic the natural contours of your body at 36 specific points, adjusting naturally to your shoulders and hips without sacrificing support, and keeping your spine properly aligned. Like the original, it uses open-cell foams to keep you cool at night. Designed and assembled in the USA.
Presented by Casper.
Keeps Hair Loss Products
You've noticed it — you've got a little less hair than you used to. You're not sure there's a real solution. It turns out, there are two clinically proven, FDA-approved medications that let you keep your hair. Now, these treatments are inexpensive and easy to get. Enter Keeps: for five minutes now and just $1 a day, you'll never have to worry about hair loss again. Getting started is fast. Just answer a few questions and a licensed doctor recommends a personalized treatment plan. The first month is free, and there's no easier way to keep the hair you still have.
Presented by Keeps.
-
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
It's that time of year again — time for the annual Call of Duty reveal. The series has taken some knocks over the years for being repetitive, but Black Ops 4 looks to have added some interesting features into the multiplayer game. For actual gameplay footage, check out this Black Ops 4 playlist, until the game releases on October 12, 2018.
Red Dead Redemption 2
By 1899, the West had nearly been won. The age of outlaws was coming to a close, and the law was out to break what few gangs remained. A robbery gone wrong forces Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang to make a run for it across the country, pillaging their way to a last stand against the Feds and bounty hunters. Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2 makes its long-awaited debut October 26, 2018 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Evolution of Game Controllers
The controller has been a staple of gaming since the Magnavox Odyssey 100 shipped in 1972. Since then, we've seen paddles, joysticks, an explosion of buttons, trackpads, and controllers with no wires at all. 4096 breaks down the evolution of the game controller, starting with modern-day hardware and going back in time to the 70s.
The History of Nintendo
Nintendo has been gaming for over 127 years. Starting with playing cards, the company got a boost in early years by being the favored card of the yakuza, before branching into hotels, taxis, and instant rice. Those experiments were short-lived, and a manufacturing line manager inadvertently gave the company a new direction that took it back to its roots in games.
Saving Lost Video Games
Frank Cifaldi is on a mission — a mission to save lost video games from disappearing forever. He founded Video Game History Foundation and not only saves games from the trash heap of history, but also the packaging, manuals, and culture of games from the past.
Burnout Paradise Remastered
Burnout Paradise was one of the best arcade racers around. Full drifts, wrecks, and flashy sports cars, it's easily the best in the Burnout franchise. Now you cam relive the glory days with Burnout Paradise Remastered, at 60 FPS, 4k resolution, and all eight DLCs.
Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn
It's been nearly 25 years since we last got to go Shaq diesel on some zombies. And to be honest, it really wasn't that great. But Shaq is back, in a 21-century beat 'em up that's a remake of a game you didn't even know you wanted to be remade. Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn is coming to PlayStation 4 spring 2018.
Super Mario Bros. Hardest Level
If you were going to guess what the hardest, most frustrating level in the original Super Mario Bros. was, no one would say level 4-2 — unless you were one of the world's elite Super Mario Bros. speedrunners. For such a simple level, there's a lot of technique involved. From pixel-perfect jumps to glitches that are humanly impossible to exploit, speedrunners can potentially shave seconds off their time. Summoning Salt has the history of 4-2 and all the ingenious ways speedrunners have figured out to beat the clock.
-
Quip Electric Toothbrush
The ideal brush is one you'll actually want to use (twice) every day. Named one of the TIME's Best Inventions, quip is the slim, simple, and surprisingly enjoyable electric toothbrush designed to help you brush better, from just $25. Its sensitive sonic vibration pulses every 30 seconds for 2 full minutes to guide a full clean in hard to reach places. quip's nifty cover mounts to mirrors at home and hygienically stores your brush for travel in a bag or carry-on. When you subscribe, you'll get fresh brush heads automatically delivered on a dentist-recommended schedule — when your old bristles become dirty and ineffective — starting at $5 every 3 months with free shipping worldwide.
Presented by Quip.
Oars + Alps Wake Up Eye Stick
Most of us don't sleep as much as we should. So instead of turning up with puffy eyes or dark circles, apply the Oars + Alps Wake Up Eye Stick and look like you slept for a full 12 hours. The caffeinated stick is free of any fragrances, parabens, sulfates, and phthalates and is made up of natural ingredients sourced from the Arctic Circle. Use it in the morning before you leave the house, or after lunch for a quick pick-me-up.
Presented by Oars + Alps.
-
God of War
The eighth game in the God of War franchise, titled simply as God of War, is on track for an April 2018 release. While the first three titles were landmarks in the action-RPG genre, God of War is aimed at being far more RPG-like. Kratos has moved north to a time when the gods of the Norsemen walked the earth, so be ready for a heavy dose of Norse mythology and weapon choices.
Aliens: The Ride
It's a movie franchise begging for a roller coaster — Aliens. There have been rumors and reports of stalled projects over the years, but nothing has ever been built. Hin Nya did us all a virtual favor by creating his own Aliens-themed coaster in the Planet Coaster game.
Death Stranding
It's been a year since we last heard from Hideo Kojima and his monumental epic Death Stranding. The third trailer for the game is here and things have only gotten even more surreal. The baby-in-a-bottle is back, as is Norman Reedus, along with some terrifying monsters. And something about explosions. Whatever is happening, it will be hard not to play and finally find out.
The Voice of Mortal Kombat
In order to find the man behind the famous dialogue of Mortal Kombat, you need to go upstairs to the pinball department. Steve Ritchie designs pinball machines — more of them than anyone in history — and downstairs, Mortal Kombat was being developed. When the devs needed a sinister voice for the announcer, they knew just who to ask.
Last of Us Part II
Ellie and Joel are back in the post-apocalyptic setting of the first game — along with a few new characters. The brutal scene depicts a narrow escape and leaves you hanging with something lurking in the dark outside the light of the fire, and no answers as to what's coming next. Last of Us Part II will release sometime in 2018.
Mortal Kombat Scorpion Motion Capture
Get over here — for ten minutes of Scorpion motion capture footage from the first Mortal Kombat. The movements are a slower than in the game, and for some reason, it's absolutely hilarious to watch. From losing costume pieces to the famous Scorpion hook move, this is a great piece of gaming history.
-
The Three-Decade Dungeons & Dragons Campaign
Playing Dungeons & Dragons takes dedication, imagination, and time — sometimes lots of it. But Robert Wardhaugh's campaign makes others look like a 30-second TV commercial. He's been playing the same campaign since he was 14 — over 35 years ago.
Gaming Behind the Berlin Wall
As the personal computer and video game revolution swept the West during the COld War 80s, something similar was happening in the Soviet Bloc countries of the East. Sharing software and purchasing hardware was easy for anyone west of the Berlin Wall, but scarcity and government regulations made it much more difficult on the other side. Here's how gaming was done and the lengths programmers went to to make it happen.
-
How to Make a Pinball Machine
Stern Pinball has been making pinball machines for a long time — back to the 1930s and the founding of arcade game giant Williams. Stern makes some of the biggest themed pinball games in the world, with machines featuring properties like Ghost Busters, Star Wars , and bands like AC/DC and Kiss. The A.V. Club went inside the Stern factory to see what it takes to turn over 3,500 parts into the best game in the world.
The Disappearance of the King of Street Fighter II
Tomo Ohira came like a bolt of lightning into the cutthroat world of competitive Street Fighter II in the early 90s. He was unbeatable, and he proved it against the best there were — and took home a championship trophy. Then he disappeared. This is what happened to Tomo Ohira.
Call of Duty: WWII
It's nearly fall, and what does that mean? Not pumpkins and scary monsters. It means another Call of Duty game and associated cinematic trailers. The franchise is going back to its roots with Call of Duty: WWII, revisiting the great war with new tech, storyline, and multiplayer. Call of Duty: WWII releases November 3, 2017 on all platforms.
The Walking Dead: Our World
The show about walking zombies is about to make people into — walking zombies. The Walking Dead: Our World is an upcoming alternate-reality game based on the TV and comic franchise. Now you have the chance to fight the living dead anywhere from your job to your couch. The Walking Dead: Our World will be available from the App Store and Google Play.
Jurassic World Evolution
Well. Looks like the T-Rex is eating the employees again — except that this time, it's totally your fault. If you've ever thought that you could to do a better job running a park full of formerly extinct, 250 million-year-old, genetically modified animals, you're about to get your chance. Jurassic World Evolution lets you create your own Jurassic World while trying to keep the dinosaurs behind the fences and the guests out of their mouths.
Starcraft Remastered
Start constructing those additional pylons. Blizzard Entertainment is re-releasing the game of galactic combat that put South Korea on the map: Starcraft Remasted. The game that created esports is getting a total makeover in 4k UHD, but everything is else is staying the same. Single player campaigns, expansions and the best multiplayer RTS in history are all returning intact. Practice getting that APM up, as Starcraft Remastered is out August 14, 2017.
