Monday, November 6, 2017

News:: The most popular Shin Megami Tensei demons in Japan have been revealed

To celebrate the release of Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux in Japan, Atlus has revealed the results of a recent popularity poll held in Japan. The poll ranked all 345 demons that will appear in the game, which is an impressive number. Rather than revealing just the top 10 however, Atlus has the entire results shown in a video that goes for almost three hours.

If you have the time, you can catch the video below. The top ten starts at the 2:49:15 mark.

The most popular Shin Megami Tensei demons in Japan have been revealed screenshot

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News:: Disney considered buying 21st Century Fox

In deeply unsettling news on Monday, CNBC reported that 21st Century Fox was previously in talks to sell all of its movie rights to Disney. The move is rumored to be behind Fox's attempt to pivot to a news and sports-centric company, which they feel works better in the social media age. While sources have stated that talks are dead and the deal is seemingly not going to happen a move like this could have serious ramifications for the entire movie industry.

Some may see this as a good thing because 21st Century Fox is the gatekeeper for all of the X-Men movies which would mean that the Marvel Cinematic Universe would be finally united but without competition in the rapidly changing film climate, Disney taking out another huge competitor could be highly detrimental.

Disney considered buying 21st Century Fox screenshot

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News:: Former Irrational Games developers are making an immersive sim, again

Irrational Games is dead. Well, not really. Earlier this year, the studio known for titles like BioShock and System Shock 2 rebranded itself as Ghost Story Games, the final step in a shift away from its triple-A pedigree towards a tight-knit indie studio. During this process, founder Ken Levine laid off all but 15 employees at Irrational Games in order to pursue the desire to be, "a small team making games for the core gaming audience." It's a tough burden to bear, and tougher still when all your studio has to its name is a talented staff and a mission statement.

Today, we've finally got an inkling of what Ghost Story Games is up to. According to a job listing by the studio, Ghost Story is looking for an experienced Level Builder to craft and create levels for their, "immersive, story-driven video games." The listing states that the upcoming game will be built in Unreal Engine 4, and that applicants must have, "deep knowledge of and experience with development of FPS/Action/RPG/Strategy/Immersive Sim titles." 

This comes as no surprise to anyone familiar with Irrational Games or Ken Levine. After the release of BioShock Infinite, Levine stated that he no longer desired to work in triple-A games, and wanted to shift the focus to small-scale projects that don't require a lot of capital to create.

Given Levine's history at Looking Glass Studios, working on titles like Thief: The Dark Project, and his penchant for semi open-world immersive sims with titles like BioShock and System Shock 2, it's no wonder that Levine and Co. want to return to such an interesting genre of games. I only hope the sacrifices the studio made along the way were worth it.

Former Irrational Games developers are making an immersive sim, again screenshot

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News:: We'll see more of Dreams and Ghost of Tsushima at PlayStation Experience

Sony's annual PlayStation Experience returns December 9 and 10 at the Anaheim Convention Center, and after a very productive Paris Games Week conference, you might be wondering what's left for PSX. I am too. We got surprise sequels like Guacamelee 2 and Splunky 2, a new IP from Sucker Punch in Ghost of Tsushima, numerous PlayStation VR reveals, and fresh looks at games like The Last of Us Part II.

With all that said, I'm expecting updates on many of those same games and some titles we haven't heard or seen much of in a while. Number-one on my list? Media Molecule's Dreams. That's a lock for the convention. Sony name-dropped it in a PlayStation Experience summary earlier today:

"In addition to hands-on gameplay with the next wave of PS4 and PS VR games, attendees will dive deeper into some of PlayStation's biggest games by means of immersive interactive experiences that blend the world of game and reality. I’m dying to say more… but it's a bit too soon to share details. Stay tuned!

In addition, we'll be featuring a new slate of panels that reveal more developer insights into some of the biggest announcements coming out of Paris Games Week and beyond. We're still finalizing the full list of participating developers, but you can count on some of Worldwide Studios’ biggest and brightest making an appearance, including Sucker Punch Productions, Media Molecule, and more. Want to learn more about Ghost of Tsushima and Dreams? Then PSX is where you need to be.

This year, we’ve expanded the overall show floor space by about 50% to accommodate all these new activities, which will also include new competition areas for GT Sport, a larger PlayStation Gear Store with merchandise unavailable online and more."

The company also noted that Early Bird ticket holders will be able to attend the PSX opening presentation which this year is set for Friday, December 8 at 8:00pm Pacific. The normal show hours will run from 10:00am to 10:00pm on Saturday and Sunday at the convention center.

During the opener, Sony's Shawn Layden "will provide an update to attendees" and there'll be "special guests, along with a few surprises and game updates."

PlayStation Experience 2017 Update: Here's the Plan [PlayStation Blog]

We'll see more of Dreams and Ghost of Tsushima at PlayStation Experience screenshot



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News:: The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia coming West next February

The Seven Deadly Sins was one of the more entertaining anime releases of the past couple of years, so to see it's already got a good looking game coming out is just fantastic news. What's even more fantastic, however, is how soon we'll be getting it. 

Cramming yet another release into early 2018, The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia will hit the Americas and Europe February 9. The plot features the new sin of Pride, Escanor, a giant man (who apparently will be introduced in the upcoming season) who gains more strength during the day, but weakens at night. 

Pre-ordering the game gets you a set of formal outfits for the characters if that appeals to you, too. Anyone else keeping an eye out for this? 

The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia coming West next February screenshot

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News:: Here are all of Bethesda's enhancements for Xbox One X

Eight of Bethesda's titles are going to be improved with Xbox One X when it releases tomorrow. Rather than trickling each out individually, Bethesda has opted to hit us with a straight-laced news post that lists them all together. Here it is.

It's mostly the games we'd expect to see -- all the most recent releases and the biggest names. They are Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, Fallout 4, Skyrim Special Edition, Dishonored 2, Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, The Evil Within 2, and The Elder Scrolls Online. Additionally, as was reported a few weeks ago, Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion will also have substantially improved image quality on Xbox One X.

There are a couple of notable omissions from the list, though. Prey released earlier this year (and is a quiet game of the year contender) but won't receive any Xbox One X treatment. The same is true for Doom, although that was already running at 60 frames per second on consoles; maybe that was reason enough to not prioritize it.

Here is Bethesda's full description for the improvements coming to each of its games:

 

Here are all of Bethesda's enhancements for Xbox One X screenshot

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News:: Test out 4K on Xbox One X with Microsoft's Insects demo

Microsoft has come out with a free tech demo for Xbox One X owners to help highlight the system's visual enhancements. Originally created with developers in mind, Insects has been made public as a showcase for 4K, HDR, and spatial audio, complete with toggles for quick comparisons.

This interactive experience is also a way to see supersampling in action on Xbox One X for folks using a 1080p display. And, for that matter, you could use Insects to test HDR with your Xbox One S.

Best of all? Why that'd be Xbox Live's Larry Hryb having to intro the video with "Welcome to Insects."

With Black Friday not too far off, I imagine plenty of people are beginning to look into 4K TVs. For those who end up upgrading (and, uh, also buying an Xbox One X), this will be a useful little tool.

The Xbox One X launches tomorrow, November 7. Catch Chris' review here.

Insects: An Xbox One X Enhanced Experience [Microsoft Store]

Test out 4K on Xbox One X with Microsoft's Insects demo screenshot



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News:: Moonlighter makes working retail seem fun

I spent eleven years in retail. During that time, I worked at a major electronics store and a small independent skate shop. Though the companies couldn't have been more different, the overall experience was the same. Retail sucks. Virtually every shift was stressful, frustrating, and punctuated by long periods of soul-crushing boredom. When I clocked out for the last time this past summer, I swore that I'd never work a day in retail again.

Moonlighter is making me reconsider that promise. Digitally, at least.

Moonlighter makes working retail seem fun screenshot

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News:: Look out PUBG, Fortnite hits 20 million players

The burgeoning battle royale sub-genre of games has gained a new champion in the form of Epic Games' Fortnite. Launching months after the immensely popular PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, it looks like Epic's more cartoony take on a hundred people killing each other is now sitting at the top with around 20 million players having checked it out. While this is across all three platforms (PC, PS4 and Xbox One), that is still a huge number of people checking out an entirely new IP.

Look out PUBG, Fortnite hits 20 million players screenshot

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News:: Xbox is looking to open and acquire game studios

An oft-levied complaint of Xbox is that it doesn't have enough exclusives. The focus over the past few holiday seasons has been to grow the Xbox One install base -- which has worked, and seems set to grow again this year with the launch of the Xbox One X -- but now the attention has to switch to software.

Xbox head Phil Spencer makes that tacit admission in a recent interview with Bloomberg. "We need to grow, and I look forward to doing that," Spencer remarks. "Our ability to go create content has to be one of our strengths. We haven't always invested at the same level. We've gone through ups and downs in the investment."

What he means is that Xbox is planning to open new studios and to acquire existing ones. Spencer didn't mention any sort of details such as how many subsidiaries it's aiming for, what kind of projects they'll have, or when any of this will happen. All we know is that he wants more studios under the Xbox banner.

Microsoft Shifts to Make More of Its Own Video Game Software [Bloomberg]

Xbox is looking to open and acquire game studios screenshot



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News:: Skyrim PlayStation VR bundle announced

Sunrise, sunset. Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly fly the years.
One Skyrim release following another.
Laden with happiness and tears.

Skyrim PlayStation VR bundle announced screenshot

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News:: Pearl brings home the bacon in Splatoon 2's breakfast battle

The ink has dried on the European battle of breakfasts, which took place over the weekend on Nintendo's arena-shooter Splatoon 2. The conflict was declared by messers Pearl and Marina, over which was better: a "warm" breakfast, or a "cold" one.

Pearl bagged herself a narrow 2-1 victory, with Team Warm taking the points from both the public vote and Solo Play. The yoga-loving Marina earned a point from Team Play, at least, something to console herself over as she grumbles into her bran flakes this morning.

Meanwhile, Pearl can dig into her eggs, bacon and beans with pride. Safe in the knowledge that the trans-fat filled feast is the superior breakfast of the European Splatoon community. Nice one, sister.

Pearl brings home the bacon in Splatoon 2's breakfast battle screenshot

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News:: ‘Final Fantasy XV’ multiplayer DLC pushed back to November 15th

Back in September, Square Enix announced upcoming multiplayer DLC titled Comrades for Final Fantasy XV, its blockbuster game that came out a year ago. Unfortunately, the extra content was delayed past its initial Halloween release date, but not for much longer: The publisher tweeted that it's coming out on November 15th.

Via: Niche Gamer

Source: Square Enix (Twitter)



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News:: Are Marvel movies really all the same?

Anyone want to take a wild guess at what movie won the box office this weekend? Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?

Yea, it was Thor: Ragnarok by a long shot. In fact it made over $100 million more than the next movie on the list, A Bad Moms Christmas, which actually had a decent opening relative to films that aren't Marvel movies. It's box office was incredibly good and pushed the 17-film MCU series past the $5 billion mark in domestic box office and the $13 billion mark worldwide.

The moment any Marvel movie gets brought up there is a contingent of folks who speak up about how the films are too codified and feel the same. I understand where they're coming from at some level. There's definitely a look to them, and in order to execute a cinematic universe you need some things thematically that hold them together, but I'd argue that what Marvel does best is deliver variability within a norm.

While many of the films function in the same format Marvel routinely delivers different genres within it. You've got heist movies, war movies, science fiction, buddy cop, that vary what they're presenting nearly every time. They pull in interesting directors to add a bit of flare, and for the most part these partnerships work (*single tear for Edgar Wright*). And it isn't like putting together a successful comic book film is all that easy codified or not as we've seen multiple times with other failed attempts from other studios. 

What do you think? Does Marvel actually make the same movie over and over or are they varying it enough to deserve the success they're reaping?

Are Marvel movies really all the same? screenshot

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News:: VA-11 HALL-A is out for PlayStation Vita next week

The cyberpunk bartender visual novel VA-11 HALL-A is slated for PlayStation Vita on November 14, 2017. It'll be a $15 digital release with PlayStation TV support, and there's also a physical edition on the way from Limited Run Games that's said to be the company's "largest Vita run ever."

Even if you aren't particularly interested in the Vita version, you should watch this unconventional launch trailer. It's half VA-11 HALL-A footage, half jam session, and completely excellent.

I do wonder if this'll make it over to any other platforms. It would probably slay on Switch.

VA-11 HALL-A is out for PlayStation Vita next week screenshot



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News:: Sony's new PSVR bundle includes the apt version of 'Skyrim'

Sony is making up for its dearth of big exclusives this holiday season (expansions for Horizon: Zero Dawn and Uncharted don't count, sorry, and racing sims don't quite have mass appeal) with a concerted focus on PSVR. Come November 17th you'll be able to pick up a new bundle with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR, a pair of Move motion controllers, the PlayStation Camera and updated PSVR headset for $449.99.

Via: VR Focus

Source: PlayStation Blog



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News:: BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle will be Arc System Works America's first release

Last week, we reported on a newly-opened North American branch of Japanese video game developer Arc System Works. The company have since announced that the first game to launch through this new division will be next year's crossover fighter BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle.

As such, all U.S. promotion, sales, shipping and marketing of the chaotic-looking punch-up will be handled by the new branch, situated in Torrance, California. Hopefully this will mean that the dates for the Japanese and Western releases of the title will be comparable, as well as ensuring a high-quality localisation and a good market saturation for the physical edition of the game.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle will launch on PS4, PC and Switch in 2018.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle will be Arc System Works America's first release screenshot



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News:: Fate/Grand Order gets weird with its Guda Guda Honnoji event

One of mobile grindfest Fate/Grand Order's big selling points is its lengthy visual novel-style story and deep connections to Fate franchise lore. That much is on the figurative box, but a somewhat unexpected facet of that appeal is just how weird the game can get at times. The main story is a fairly self-serious tale of time travel and world-saving heroics, but the game is also known for capitalizing on a self-aware sense of humor and going in hard on obscure in-jokes that only genuine Type-MOON fans (or dedicated wiki readers) might get. Folks are about to get their first major serving of that with the English version's new event.

Titled "Guda Guda Honnoji", the event centers entirely on characters from Koha-ACE, a parody spin-off manga targeted at Type-MOON fans that was never released overseas. It was obscure enough that some fans speculated that Aniplex (managers of Fate/Grand Order's English edition) would delay or cancel the event entirely out of concern that players wouldn't be able to connect with it. Thankfully, that's not happening, because Guda Guda Honnoji is the only chance people will have of netting two cool new Servants from that manga. Folks who do want to know more can check out the newly translated Guda Guda Order webcomic, a promo Koha-ACE series drawn just before FGO opened in Japan.

The first, which will be given away free, is a 4-Star Archer based on legendary samurai warlord Oda Nobunaga, rendered here as a narcissistic edgelord with a thing for guns and western clothing. The second, 5-Star Servant, is a limited summon, and was first conceived as a crack on how Type-MOON artist Takeshi Takeuchi can't stop drawing same-faced variations of the original Fate/stay night's Saber. Though based on none other than Okita Souji - a famed swordsman of Japan's Meiji Restoration - she joins FGO as a short blonde cutie with a katana...and character art that is straight-up bait for Sakura Wars fans and foot fetishists. As a Sakura Wars fan, I plan to roll for her, though, so I guess it worked.

Guda Guda Honnoji kicks off on November 8th and continues until November 24th. Folks who want more Guda Guda madness can also check out an animated promo from Fate/Grand Order Japan's New Year festivities.

Fate/Grand Order gets weird with its Guda Guda Honnoji event screenshot

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News:: Injustice 2's PC open beta has started

After a last-minute delay, the PC open beta for Injustice 2 is now up and running. The beta gives access to "all stages and DLC characters up to Raiden" in one-on-one multiplayer.

You'll have until November 10 to test this out. The PC version is in development at QLOC and NetherRealm and planned for a November 14 launch, which also happens to be Hellboy day.

Here are the beta's system requirements, per Steam:

Minimum

  • OS: 64-bit Windows 7 / Windows 10
  • Processor: Intel Core i5-750, 2.66 GHz / AMD Phenom II X4 965, 3.4 GHz or AMD Ryzen 3 1200, 3.1 GHz
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050/ AMD Radeon HD 7850 or AMD Radeon RX 550
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection

Recommended

  • OS: 64-bit Windows 7 / Windows 10
  • Processor: Intel Core i3-2100, 3.10 GHz / AMD FX-6300, 3.5 GHz or AMD Ryzen 5 1400, 3.2 GHz
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 / AMD Radeon R9 290 or RX 570
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection

I don't trust myself to pay full price and get my money's worth for most fighting games, but I do want to play through this eventually for the story. Might as well wait for a comprehensive bundle.

Injustice 2 Online Beta [Steam]

Injustice 2's PC open beta has started screenshot



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News:: Sonic Adventure 1 & 2 soundtracks getting vinyl release

Vinyl soundtrack publishers Brave Wave have announced this weekend that the soundtracks to classic Sega titles Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 are in line for a luscious LP release.

Both titles will receive two records each, with the first-pressing being made on colour-coordinated vinyl. These will reflect each game's design; blue and white for 1998's Sonic Adventure, and blue and red for its 2001 sequel. The releases will also contain a booklet, featuring an exclusive interview with composer Jun Senoue and Sonic Team's Takashi Iizuka.

The current release date is simply listed as "this Winter", nor has a price been announced. The track listing for both releases is available, however, and can be found on the Brave Wave website.

Sonic Adventure 1 & 2 vinyl [Brave Wave]

Sonic Adventure 1 & 2 soundtracks getting vinyl release screenshot



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News:: You can get Watch Dogs for free on PC this week

If you've ever been curious about Watch Dogs -- the 2014 original, that is, not last year's sequel -- then this week is your week, pal. Ubisoft is giving out the Chicago-set open-world hack-'em-up for PC.

You'll need a Uplay account and will have until November 13 at 8:00am Pacific to nab your copy.

This maybe isn't the best time to add Watch Dogs to your backlog with all the shiny new games coming out as of late, but you can have it just to have it. Some people actually prefer the first game.

You can get Watch Dogs for free on PC this week screenshot



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News:: A Shoutout to Monita, Nintendo's forgotten mascot

After getting off the plane on the way home from BlizzCon, one thought was in my mind when I heard the robotic voice that's part of the shuttle from terminal to terminal -- "Monita." Indeed, the AI at my airport sounds like an uncanny replica of the Nintendo Land host, and my wife and I laugh every time we hear it.

For all 10 of us that owned a Wii U, we probably don't have a united front when it comes to this monotone tutorial bot. Sure she could drone on and on about basic remedial info, but she was doing it because she was grateful that we saved her from a lifetime of captivity in a question mark block. Also, her alter egos Dark Monita and Princess Monita, some would say the best versions of Monita, were adorable.

She lives on in a Super Smash Bros. trophy and some YouTube Let's Play videos. And in my heart.

A Shoutout to Monita, Nintendo's forgotten mascot screenshot



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News:: Google built a spatial audio kit for games and VR

Immersive audio is particularly important in an era where games are mainstream and virtual reality is quickly catching on, but there isn't a common framework for it. What works on your PC may be useless on your phone. Google wants to fix that: it's launching Resonance Audio, an open source developer toolkit that brings spatial audio to games, VR, AR and 360-degree video across many devices and platforms: Android, iOS, macOS, Linux and Windows are all covered. The technology borrows from Google's VR Audio kit to spatialize "hundreds" of 3D sound sources in real time, even on low-powered hardware like your smartphone. And depending on where it's running, it can even produce clever effects with a relatively low performance hit.

Source: Google, Resonance Audio



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News:: Shocker: Call of Duty WWII debuts at the top of the UK Charts

In news that will come of zero surprise, Activision's latest release: Call of Duty: WWII, has debuted at the top of the U.K charts, shoving Assassin's Creed: Origins off of the perch after just one week at the premier position.

This sees all of the previous week's releases, such as Super Mario Odyssey and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, shift down a gear. Speaking of gears, racing games populate the back-end of this week's chart, with Forza Horizon 3, Forza Motorsport 7 and Mario Kart 8 all making re-entries. Those paying attention will also notice that perennial chart veteran Grand Theft Auto V is currently not in the top ten, sitting just outside at number eleven.

Call of Duty: WWII
is pretty much the last hurrah for 2017's big gaming releases. Now, as Holiday-shopping hell descends upon us, the real battle begins.

Shocker: Call of Duty WWII debuts at the top of the UK Charts screenshot

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News:: Here's a few closeups of the Sylvanas and Junkrat statues at BlizzCon

When touring Blizzard's headquarters for the first time, I came across several giant statues that adorned the halls that showcased a few of their most iconic characters, including Tracer, which they were immensely proud of given that she was the first Overwatch character they designed. That was in early 2016, and now Overwatch has reached gargantuan heights that it's time for another, and I think Junkrat is a worthy choice.

Of course Warcraft isn't ever going to be left out, so Blizzard also brought a Sylvanas statue to the party to celebrate the new expansion that's heavily centered around her and Anduin. Get a look at both of them in the gallery below!

Here's a few closeups of the Sylvanas and Junkrat statues at BlizzCon screenshot

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News:: Sony will turn your PSN trophies into (a little) real cash

Seems like Sony is throwing a bone to game completionists. The Sony Rewards program will now award points to use in the PSN store for silver, gold and platinum trophies. Not by much, mind you, but isn't it nice to see your hard work (minorly) rewarded?

Via: Kotaku

Source: Sony Rewards



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News:: The Walking Dead Season 8 Recap: 'Monsters'

Three weeks into the eighth season of AMC’s The Walking Dead finds our players fighting the same fight. No, not the war versus the Saviors, but the battle, the same battle, that kicked off the season premiere. In fact, arguably only hours have passed thus far, and the events of all three episodes transpire in one day.

Progression is happening, but ever so slowly.

[Editor's Note: This recap will obviously go into detail about last night's episode of The Walking Dead, so there are going to be a ton of spoilers. Final warning!]

The Walking Dead Season 8 Recap: 'Monsters' screenshot

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