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SHARE Year-end lists are a wasted opportunity, a relic from the heyday of magazines and newspapers, a recap of the recommendations you missed because an issue got lost in the mail or consumed by the family dog. They tend to be a bit foggy (why did I like this game, again?) and incomplete (what came out in January?). Worse, they arrive when we’re too busy with the holidays to put the lists to their intended use. A list of the best games of the year is more useful, more thoughtful and more complete, we believe, if it accumulates all year long. That’s why we made a change. Throughout the year, the Polygon team collected its game of the year list in real time. We updated the list as new games made the cut. Now, with 2018 in the books, we’ve reorganized that list, ranking entries into a Top 50. In January, we’ll start the process over with a new rolling list. You may notice the inclusion of games that were either fully released or made available in Early Access prior to 2018. Because many games change from update to update, let alone year to year, we will include previously available games that receive a significant update within the year or become available on a platform that substantially impacts how that game is experienced. For example, Fortnite Battle Royale is included, ranked No. 13, because we feel its recent seasons were the first great game of 2018. Don’t worry too much about the ranking. It’s a fun and light exercise. Ultimately, we recommend all of these games. That’s why we’ve included a bit on what makes each one special: so you can find the best games of 2018 for you. 5- NI NO KUNI 2: REVENANT KINGDOM No, you needn’t have played the first Ni no Kuni to enjoy its sequel, a feverishly optimistic (and welcomingly naïve) Japanese role-playing game inspired, in part, by the works of Studio Ghibli. Its colorful animation conceals a rich but not overly complicated kingdom-management system that gives the adventure a grand sense of scope. A fairytale storyline gives its motley band of heroes a playful pep that feels anachronistic, if not flagrantly in conflict with our times. Here’s Cameron Kunzelman’s take from our review: “There’s not a wasted breath or a plot point that doesn’t manage to pay off in a significant way. Ni no Kuni 2 is a solid contemporary JRPG that brings a lot of design ideas that I love into sharp, clear focus while staying entertaining and engaging throughout.” —Chris Plante Available on PlayStation 4 and Windows PC. 4-CAPTAIN TOAD: TREASURE TRACKER When Nintendo released Super Mario 3D World on Wii U — you know, the console that barely anybody owned — the game maker included a handful of experimental levels starring perennial Mario sidekick Toad. They were wonderful little puzzle boxes in which players guided the waddling Toad through diorama-like levels to collect stars. Nintendo later expanded that idea into a full game, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. Unfortunately, it too was doomed on the Wii U. Now available on Switch, one of Nintendo’s most underappreciated projects is getting the audience it deserves. Treasure Tracker is a puzzle-adventure game that’s relaxing at times and confounding at others, thanks to Nintendo’s smart, sometimes devilish level designs. It is also consistently charming, as Captain Toad (and Toadette) light up the screen with beaming smiles and chirps of success as they hunt down golden treasures. It’s an accessible game with easy-to-understand rules, but it will regularly surprise you. Like a lot of Nintendo games, it’s also great for kids and co-op play, with little in the way of frantic action or combat. (It’s also on Nintendo 3DS and it’s great there too.) —Michael McWhertor Available on Nintendo 3DS and Switch. 3- LUMINES REMASTERED None of the many sequels and ports for 2004’s Lumines stack up to the PlayStation Portable original, a marriage of high-fidelity graphics, pumping Japanese dance tracks and bright charm. That the original Lumines was portable made it all the more enjoyable. Lumines Remastered, the franchise’s latest entry, is available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and most importantly, the Nintendo Switch. The Switch version captures and in some ways bests the feel of the original, with improved visuals and better controls on the Switch’s comparably more spacious Joy-Cons. All versions feature “trance vibration,” a term that series creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi po[CENSORED]rized with another of his beloved games, Rez. Additional controllers can be paired to Lumines Remastered and turned into vibrating nodes, humming in rhythm with the game. The Joy-Con controllers fit in your pockets or underneath your toes, providing a subtle vibration that adds a little extra texture to the experience without feeling too weird. If “trance vibration” isn’t your cup of ayahuasca tea, Lumines Remastered stands on its own as one of the best rhythm games ever made. We’ve waited over a decade for an experience to rival the original Lumines on PSP. It’s finally arrived. —Jeff Ramos Available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. 2- FROSTPUNK Frostpunk gives me a deep sense of dread and satisfaction I didn’t think a city management sim could deliver. Unlike its contemporaries, which might include fiddling with a city’s economy, zoning and the happiness of its citizens, in this game, all my decisions have life and death consequences. Because in this world, resources are limited and there’s hardly any safety nets to be found. Mismanagement could mean folks might starve, freeze or beat each other to death. While I enjoy the leisurely pace of similar sims, I really love how Frostpunk always manages to keep me on edge. Keeping a society alive, stable, and most importantly hopeful, in the darkest of scenarios is reason enough to keep playing. Not every decision I have to make is easy — many of which are the toughest I’ve ever been asked to make in a virtual world — but being the pillar of a crumbling society is a task I couldn’t help taking on time and time again. There’s something about crawling from the depths of despair to find hope over the horizon that keeps me coming back, even when all I could see ahead was an approaching storm. —Jeff Ramos Available on Windows PC. 1- OCTOPATH TRAVELER Octopath Traveler’s plot certainly doesn’t shy away from the stereotypical JRPG confusion, but its eight parallel stories highlight how much the entire game feels like an ode to the genre. The gorgeous sprites and lighting effects emphasize Octopath’s pop-up book aesthetic and fill it with joyous nostalgia. The combat is what really sets Octopath apart. The break and boost mechanics convert boss battles into long-form puzzles, where a misplaced hit or a well-timed spell can turn the tide of the entire fight. And these elements aren’t the only thing keeping random battles from becoming a chore; Yasunori Nishiki’s score is a delight and makes spending hours in this world all the more worthwhile. —Brian Gilbert Available on Nintendo Switch.

Strategy games have been making a welcome comeback in recent years. After so long with only genre juggernauts keeping things afloat, we now see an explosion of creative brilliance across many platforms. The revival of XCOM especially has led to many innovators and imitators, with Into The Breach and Frostpunk being just a couple of shining examples. If the world of strategy has ever felt overwhelming to you in the past, worry not, as Trusted Reviews has compiled some of the biggest and best you can play right now. Many of these are friendly to newcomers while still offering a staggering amount of depth for veterans ready and willing to dedicate themselves. Regardless of your knowledge with this long-running genre, it’s time to get started! Into the Breach Ingenious combination of block puzzle and tactics Creates stories through its gameplay systems Beautiful musical score Cons: Won’t necessarily convert those who don’t enjoy the genre Latest Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701 cof Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701 – First look cof Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX – First look Samsung 75-inch MicroLED first look Into The Breach takes the world of turn-based tactics and shrinks it down into something small, digestible and immensely satisfying. Confined to an 8×8 grid, you control a series of mechanical robots doing battle with evil insects amidst myriad different environments. You’ll also need to take surroundings into constant consideration, as the buildings being attacked by our creepy crawling enemies are the very same that power our only means of the defense. This leads to a melodic sequence of movements, attacks and strategic thought that isn’t afraid to challenge the player at every conceivable turn. Upon failure, you’ll need to start again, although select upgrades and modes of progression will be carried over as you embark on another run. Into The Breach is an addictive marvel, and one of the best strategy games to emerge in 2018. XCOM 2: War of the Chosen Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac, Linux Pros: Tight tactical gameplay Dynamic and unpredictable Wider strategy full of tough, meaningful decisions New stealth options work well Strong cinematic presentation Cons: Views don’t always provide necessary information Where Into the Breach is a tiny perfect snack of tactics, XCOM 2: War of the Chosen is an all you can eat buffet. It’s a gigantic, globe spanning game with dozens of systems layered on top of each other, all combining to make you break your keyboard when your favourite soldier gets nailed with a poorly thrown grenade. While the first game had you defend earth against alien invaders, the second presumes you’ve already lost, and are now mounting a resistance against an occupying force. The fantastic War of the Chosen DLC adds more to this, with various resistance groups and recurring villain aliens hampering your fightback. Simply the best execution of the venerable XCOM concept yet. Company of Heroes Platforms: PC, Mac Pros: Incredible micro-management depth The best RTS to play co-op vs AI Amazing levels of tension Cons: Sometimes overwhelming The genius of Company of Heroes is to scale the RTS right down. Every squad of soldiers has a massive range of micro-management options, but there are few enough of them that those of us who aren’t professional Starcraft players can use them properly. When encountering a machine gun a rifle squad will dive to the deck, suppressed by the hail of fire, but by carefully maneuvering them around cover and tossing a grenade, they can take that emplacement out. The Opposing Fronts DLC is a must have, adding two exciting new factions, while the Soviet themed sequel isn’t quite as good as the original.

Kids love video games, but not all games or consoles are suitable for the little ones. We help you choose the right games machine for family-friendly fun. Video games are one of the most immersive and rewarding forms of entertainment out there. Yet choosing the right games console or game for your children or grandchildren can be something of a nightmare. If it wasn’t hard enough already, games today seem to be designed solely for either adults or extremely young children and finding the line between the two can be incredibly difficult, especially if you don’t know your Xbox from you Nintendo 3DS. [Read more: Is the Nintendo Switch safe for my child?] To help you cut through the noise and decide which console is best for you and your family here’s our handy guide: Child-friendly games Nintendo is the clear winner when it comes to making games specifically for children. The Nintendo 2DS XL is a perfect starting point for young children. It’s portable, has a huge catalogue of games that kids can save up for and it has limited internet access. Great starter games on the 2DS include Mario Kart 7, New Super Mario Bros. 2, Pokemon Yellow, Luigi’s Mansion and Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Beyond that, the Nintendo Switch is a fantastic games console for the whole family. The console’s unique feature is that it can be used in portable mode or connected to your big-screen TV in docked mode. While the selection of games can include some very adult choices (Doom, Wolfenstein: The New Colossus) Nintendo has created a superb companion app that lets parents control their children’s experience on the console. Using the app you can set time limits for certain games and even remotely stop them playing if they go over the allocated limit. The Switch also has a comprehensive selection of both big-budget video games and smaller more family-focused titles including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, FIFA 19, Fortnite, Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu, Just Dance 2019 and the charming team-based cooking game Overcooked. The Xbox One S is a great starter console for slightly older children and teens, combining a good selection of fun titles with all the big-budget blockbuster titles that you would expect from a state-of-the-art games console. Games that are perfect for teens include Sea of Thieves, Forza Horizon 4, Fortnite. WWE 2K19 and the vast sci-fi epic No Man’s Sky. The PlayStation 4 similarly offers games designed for a slightly older audience, but again that doesn’t mean there isn’t a really solid selection available for those who are heading into their teens. Choice titles for teens on the PS4 include: Fortnite, FIFA 19, Rocket League, Spyro Reignited and the brilliantly dazzling Tetris Effect. Affordability The Nintendo 2DS XL takes the crown for affordability thanks to its £135 starting price tag. There are also loads of different styles to choose from so you can let your child pick one that best suits their tastes. Coming in a close second is the Xbox One S which offers up blockbuster gaming for the living room at around £200. Today’s video games take up a lot of memory so make sure you select the 1TB version. At around the same price range is the PS4 although it does come with only half the storage space of the Xbox. If you want the same amount of space you’ll need to spend around £230. The Nintendo Switch is the newest of the video games consoles and as such comes with one of the highest price tags. The basic Switch costs £279 and there are some extra costs you’ll have to consider as well. The Switch only has enough storage space for a few games, so you will probably need to increase the storage by buying a memory card. The type you will need is called a microSD card and we would recommend getting a size of 100GB or higher. You could also pick up a mini retro console like the NES Classic Mini or the SNES Classic Mini. These come preloaded with games, which means you can't buy extra titles for them, so they're a bit more limited. They're also less powerful than modern consoles, don't connect to the internet, and are designed with retro-loving big kids in mind. Still, little ones will probably still find them fun too. Family fun The Nintendo Switch is by far the best games console for getting the entire family involved. Thanks to its design, the Switch’s controls actually detach from the console to create two separate controllers. You can then buy another pair, giving you four controllers for the price of two. The Switch also has a huge range of team-based games that encourage the whole family to get involved. Mario Kart offers up cartoon racing while the brilliant Overcooked sets families the challenge of preparing and making meals in bizarre scenarios. If you have more than one Switch then players can easily connect them without wires, allowing kids to play against each other even without the need for a wi-fi network. The PlayStation 4 comes in a close second thanks to a new type of video game called PlayLink. PlayLink lets families and friends play a new and exciting range of video games by using their phones as the controller. Games like That’s You offers a unique take on the quiz show, challenging players to demonstrate just how much they know about each other. Frantics, on the other hand, consists of a selection of fun, quirky mini-games that’ll see you using your phones in new ways in order to compete. The Xbox One S does support multiple players on the same console however it is more focused on online video games which means that while your child will be playing with other people, they won’t be in the same room as them. One rather nice feature with the Xbox One is something called Copilot. This allows a parent and child to have two separate controllers but still be controlling the same character so that the parent can jump in and help if their child is struggling without having to physically take their controller away from them. Entertainment extras The modern video games console can do a lot more than just play games. As well as playing DVDs and Blu-ray discs they can stream TV shows and movies from services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video. Both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 get the top prize for offering extra entertainment as both support a huge range of streaming apps including BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon Prime, 4OD and even Sky and Now TV. The Xbox One and PlayStation both support a technology called HDR. This drastically improves the picture quality of what’s on the screen and if you family has a HDR-compatible TV it’ll make your games and films looks even better. For parents who want the latest and greatest sound systems in their living rooms the Xbox One also supports a new sound technology called Dolby Atmos. This new technology creates a highly-realistic surround sound effect that can make you feel like you’re actually in the scene that’s on the screen. Spotify users can also create their own soundtracks on Xbox and PlayStation by playing their music in the background while enjoying their games. While the Nintendo Switch lacks many of these apps, it does have YouTube.

What are the best shooting games on PC? From the classic physics chaos of Half-Life 2 to Overwatch’s incredible guns, these are the finest first-person shooters. For more than two decades, the best FPS games have been the driving force of the PC games industry. They’ve let us travel from the depths of Hell in Doom to the outer reaches of space in Titanfall 2. Others have taken us on a detour through the likes of Half-Life 2’s zombie-infested Ravenholm, while some have embraced futuristic cities. Some of these shooters are old, others are new, all are great. Wolfenstein 2’s amazing campaign; Rainbow Six Siege and its tight tactical multiplayer; Overwatch and its vast array of amazing heroes. No matter what sort of virtual gunplay you’re after, the following FPS games will satisfy your itchy trigger finger. So crack those knuckles, get ready to make all the headshots, and keep in mind that guns will solve all your problems in the following shooty gems. These are the best FPS games on PC. We hope your aim isn’t off… The best FPS games are: -Titanfall 2 -Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus -Doom -Call of Duty: WWII -Overwatch -Counter-Strike: Global Offensive -Half-Life 2 -Rainbow Six Siege -Left 4 Dead 2 -Team Fortress 2 -Unreal Tournament -Far Cry 3 TITANFALL 2 EA and Respawn built on everything the first game got right and balance this shooter sequel’s multiplayer so well it became one of the best PC games of 2016. There’s nothing quite like Titanfall2’s juxtaposition of crunchy, industrial mech brawling and nimble pilot combat. As you’ll see in our Titanfall 2 campaign review, the solo portion of this FPS also serves as both an excellent intro to the game’s mechanics and a charming, self-contained narrative. The campaign never tries to outdo the gameplay with epic setpieces or blockbuster bombast. Instead, the raw mechanics serve up all the thrills: wall-running at a group of enemies and blowing them away with a few, unnervingly satisfying blasts of your shotgun feels exhilarating every time. What’s more, the PC version holds up wonderfully as we saw in our Titanfall 2 PC port review. Respawn have not only added depth to single-player; a four-player co-op wave mode is an excellent companion to the competitive multiplayer that contains a wide varitey of Titanfall 2 classes. Titanfall 2 is a bigger and better beast than before, and a breath of fresh air for the genre as a whole. WOLFENSTEIN 2: THE NEW COLOSSUS Wolfenstein: The New Order effectively made the case that a good dose of Nazi-bashing and a decent yarn are not mutually exclusive. MachineGames had their work cut out with the sequel, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus, but they certainly delivered. As you can find out in our Wolfenstein 2 PC review, this is an incredible follow-up to a very strong reboot… even if some sections can get a little gun-heavy. MachineGames once again show that they can tell an engaging story to match the copious shooty slaughter. Blowing out the brains of Wolfenstein 2’s Nazis offers constant punchy thrills, and every setpiece has been turned emphatically up to 11. Rudely awakened from your hospital bed after the defeat of the subtly-named Wilhelm “Deathshead” Strasse, you return once more as the bellicose B.J. Blazkowicz to try to trigger a Second American Revolution. With the infamous swastika adorning the US, you’ll want to look at our Wolfenstein 2 weapons guide to familiarise yourself with Blaz’s arsenal. A breathless, high-octane thrill ride from start to finish, Wolfenstein 2 is undoubtedly one of the best shooting games on PC. Oh, and don’t forget to check out our Wolfenstein 2 perks guide. With the right powers equipped, those despicable digital Nazis don’t stand a chance.

Role-playing games have a long and fascinating history. From its humble tabletop origins, the RPG has grown and evolved over the years into the most dominant and ambitious game genre, boasting a catalog as critically acclaimed as it is diverse. The best RPGs embrace a rich storytelling tradition as well as deep and engaging gameplay to create universes that are as exciting to explore as they are thrilling to quest and do battle in. And we’ve sunk hundreds — sometimes even thousands — of hours immersing ourselves in those incredible universes, whether that be stunning high fantasy kingdoms full of knights and dragons, exciting sci-fi realms brimming with possibilities, or even extraordinary versions of our own world. EverQuest CHRIS REEDIt wasn’t the first MMO, but EverQuest was the first to bring the genre to widespread po[CENSORED]rity and become a household name. Featuring a gorgeous open world, po[CENSORED]ted with fantasy creatures and real-life players alike, it gave gamers an expansive chunk of real estate to explore for days, months, and years on end. And once you reached the level cap, you could roll a new kind of character with a different play style to tide yourself over until the next expansion arrived. The MMO genre eventually evolved and branched off in many directions, leaving EverQuest feeling rooted in the past. But that doesn’t take away from the memories EverQuest created, or the impact it had on the industry. Wizardry 8 CHRIS REEDRPG franchises don’t get much older than Wizardry, a series that kicked off back in 1981. The final game, Wizardry 8, launched 20 years later. It mixes sci-fi trappings with traditional fantasy fare, so you have a smattering of guns and aliens alongside swords and spells. One of the best things about Wizardry 8 is its robust character creation tools. You can choose among 11 different races, ranging from Humans and Elves to Faeries, Mooks, and Hobbits. Layer on a choice of 15 classes, and you end up with a stunning number of combinations to try in your party. Unlike The Elder Scrolls, which offers similar character options, Wizardry 8 lets you customize six party members instead of just one. Titan Quest CHRIS REEDTitan Quest is often shrugged off as just another Diablo clone. And while there’s something to that argument, it also ignores the interesting things Titan Quest adds to the formula to create a wholly enjoyable action RPG. Instead of a well-trodden fantasy setting, Titan Quest looks to myths for inspiration. To that end, it has you travel across China, Egypt, and Greece, slaying beasts likes centaurs and gorgons, while collecting ever more powerful gear. The gameplay is highly customizable, thanks to its deep class and mastering systems, which provide plenty of replay value for anyone looking to try different combat styles. And when you finish the game, you can make your very own campaign, thanks to a robust level editor. Fable II CHRIS REEDIt’s safe to say Peter Molyneux’s games often fail to live up to the hype he sparks for them. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case with Fable II, a delightful action RPG that offers players a bit of nearly everything. The game weaves an epic story that spans your character’s life from childhood on. Combat feels like a fluid dance, thanks to the melee, magic, and ranged attacks you can string together with ease. To top it off, the whole thing is rife with humor and charm. So whether you want to amass a real estate empire or simply woo a spouse, you can. And let’s not forget the real star of the show: your lovable canine companion. Torchlight II CHRIS REEDWhen done right, dungeon crawlers create a sense of momentum as you hack through monsters, pick up the loot they drop, equip any high-level gear, and move on to do it again. This is a gameplay loop Torchlight II completely nails. Story and character tend to fall to the wayside here, but you’re too busy wreaking ultra-violence and collecting shiny new things to care. The four character classes are stocked with skills that are satisfying to use, the environments pulse with color, and playing co-op with friends makes it even more of a chaotic joy to play. The craving for loot is real, and Torchlight II delivers it in the best way.

25. Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown This Bandai Namco title is more than just a flight simulator. Reaching its seventh main entry, Skies Unkown dips you into world of airtight anime-like storytelling and action-packed airplane combat. Usually dubbed the metal of gear of the skies, stealth and VR are on its way in this sequel coming out to the PC on February 1st. 24. Frozen Flame Fans of Runic's Torchlight might also love this survival ARPG from Magisterion. Currently on early access in Steam, Frozen Flame puts you in the open world of a slowly freezing planet wrapped in darkness. Letting you choose your own unique character classes and build your own shelters, it'll be an enveloping 3D adventure. Coming out on the PC on February 1st. 23. The Occupation on the PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One A first person indie adventure, this unreal engine 4 powered title from White Paper Games is oozing with Bioshock Infinite feels. With a clear focus on atmosphere, its non-linear storyline puts you in the shoes of a whistleblowing journalist that's working against and through time itself. It's set to release on the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on February 5th. 22. Etrian Odyssey Nexus Already released in Japan, Atlus' sixth mainline title to their award-winning RPG series is finally coming to the West. Another story revolving around the world tree, Yggdrasil, we get to pick from 19 playable classes with which to unveil Princess Persephone's grand standalone story. It's coming to the 3DS on February 5th. 21. Away: Journey to the Unexpected on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One This indie 3D roguelite is a colorful treat. Inspired by the anime of the 90s, AWAY teaches you the value of getting lost. Roam around their vibrant landscapes, meet each of their unique characters, and see the world their eyes as you bring along your unexpected journey. It's set to release sometime next month on the PC, with release dates of February 5 on the PS4, and Feb 8 on the Xbox One. 20. PRO FISHING SIMULATOR on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 A fishing simulator that tries to bring the relaxing sunday activity to the comforts of the living room. First released on the PC, though, it was mostly panned for its high price tag, bugs, and underwhelming features. Still, crafted with good intentions, it has 9 different fishing areas, 79 fish types with realistic behavior and hundreds of equipment to collect. It's coming to the PS4 and Xbox One on February 5, 2019. 19. God Eater 3 on the PlayStation 4 and PC Another one of Bandai Namco's JRPGs, God Eater reaches its third installment with a grand battle against Kirby-like alien creatures. Called the Aragami, the monsters become what they eat, so to speak, and the last hope to defeat them is the God-Arc-wielding eaters. Released in Japan last December, it's coming out on PC and PS4 in the West on February 8th. 18. Catherine: Full Body on the PS Vita and PS4 An enhanced port of the PlayStation 3's Catherine in 2011, Full Body makes Vincent Brooks' sexy love affairs available to players on the current gen PlayStation consoles. It will also include new sexy events, patrons, swimsuit costumes, Persona 5 cameos, as well as a brand new girl called Rin. Coming out on the PS4 and PlayStation Vita this valentines. 17. Code:Realize - Wintertide Miracles on the PS4 and PS Vita Aksys Games’ otome dating simulator takes you to the life of Cardia as she chooses love from a wide selection of men. Yes, that’s what Otome games are. Set in 19th Century Steampunk London, lead Cardia as she ventures into a mysterious world looking for answers, and of course, LOVE. It comes out this February 14 on the PlayStation 4 and PS Vita. 16. Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm The Civilization series takes us home to Hawaiki in this second expansion to their latest installment. It welcomes the Maori civilization and its expressive leader Kupe to their diverse list. That's along with 8 other new leaders, 7 new civilizations. All that, with new 21st Century tech and civics as well some fancy engineering projects. Coming to the PC on February 14th. 15. Crackdown 3 on the Xbox One and the PC Very important information: Terry Crews is in it. The complete opposite of mild mannered, he ushers us into the colorful open world of all out destruction. Reaching new heights in terms of unadulterated chaos, get wrecking in multiplayer arenas or go big budget against skyscrapers and criminal syndicates. It's set to release on the PC and Xbox One on February 15, 2019 14. Jump Force on the PC, PlayStation and Xbox One Featuring the most po[CENSORED]r characters in the Weekly Shonen Jump Magazine, watch all your favorite anime and manga characters come alive in the fighting arena. It currently has a roster of 28 fighters, with four brand new faces by the master Akira Toriyama himself. It's coming out on the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on February 15th. 13. DEAD OR ALIVE 6 on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC Adding in more high-flying fighters to their lineup, this 19th installment to the long running series rounds it up to 20 fierce fighters. Mostly known for their fanservicey battles, this entry marks a move towards esport viability with its deeper and more instense strategic gameplay. Shake off valentines with the roster as it comes to the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on February 15th. 12. Far Cry: New Dawn on the PC, PS4 and Xbox One With the success of Far Cry 5, this standalone spin-off title takes place in a vibrant post-apocalyptic world set in Hope County, Montana. Fight for survival and retain your humanity in a planet covered by madness. Take up arms, or find a partner in its co-op mode as you brave through this post-apocalyptic playground. They’re giving this spin-off the Blood Dragon treatment. So that’s something huge. It comes out this February 15 on the PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. 11. Metro Exodus on the Xbox One, PS4 and PC Deep Silver’s third and latest Metro entry takes us once again to irradiated Russia in the hopes of a brighter future for humanity. Exodus literally ascends the Metro experience by placing you outside of the underground looking for hope. Wipe your masks, fend off mutated creatures, and survive the nuclear winter in this atmospheric first person shooter. It comes out this 15th of February on the PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. 10. Elle L. Stotch’s simple indie adventure game takes you to the life of Elle. There’s no fancy tutorials to take, dangerous game decisions taken, and big-budget development spent. It’s just an addicting puzzle game reminiscent to the old Game Boy days. With over 50 levels, help Elle make it to each of them. It comes out this February 16 on the PC. 9. Steins;Gate Elite 5pb's upcoming visual novel game will be a fully animated adventure game. Injecting the vibrance of their anime version of 24 minute episodes, this latest entry will also feature new routes never before seen in the anime. It's a fully remastered version of the first Steins Gate title, creating a fully immersive world with various endings depending on your choices. Fate is at your hands when it comes out on February 19, 2019 on the PS4. 8. Anthem on the PC, PS4 and Xbox One Bioware returns with a huge sci-fi RPG shooter that could rival Bungie’s Destiny, or Microsoft’s Halo. Get ready to suit up and enter a dangerous planet filled with freaks of nature. Bioware seems to be doing things right with the game's lush graphics that form a fitting backdrop to their MMO action. Hopefully, they won’t be pulling another disappointing entry full of microtransactions and underwhelming content. It comes out this 22nd of February on the PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. 7. Anno 1800 Lead your society to the Industrial Age in this city building game from Ubisoft. It’s the most exciting entry of the series yet. Rivaling Sid Meier’s revolutionary Civilization series, Anno 1800 showcases fast-changing time periods alongside their new technologies, continents and societies. It’s a culmination of the years of Anno history with improved AI and better gameplay. It comes out this 26th of February on the PC. 6. Trials Rising on the PS4, Xbox One and PC This the first new title in the Trials series since 2014's Trials Fusion. Opening new horizons with its move to the 2.5th Dimension, conquer trials anew in scenic and exotic locations around the globe. Hoping to add to their unique brand of enjoyment is their new Tandem Bike mode. Hilarity ensues as you and a friend control a single bike together. Coming this February 26 on the PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. 5. DiRT Rally 2.0 on the PC, PS4 and Xbox One Enjoyed by critics and gamers, the game has confidently bagged the top spots in many of our past rankings. As new as the title was, it's shaping up to become one the leading Rally games on the market. Now with a looming release from the veterans of racing, Codemasters is looking to impress once more. Dirt Rally 2.0 is taking us on an immersive ride through 6 real life locations, developing our teams, and riding around with french co-driver, Stéphane Prévot. It's set to release on the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on Feb 26th 2019. 4. The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame on the PC, PS4 and XBox One A sequel of sequels. This videogame adaptation of Warner Bros awesome animated comedy is back for more LEGO hijinks. Set after the events of the second movie, Emmet and friends go beyond their world to save their friends from alien monsters. Use the game’s signature LEGO building gameplay and be a master builder. It comes out this February 26 on the PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. 3. Degrees of Separation on the PC, PS4 and Xbox One Dealing with the highs and lows of temperature, Moondrop's 2D puzzle adventure challenges you to harness the elements. Play as the starcrossed lovers, Ember and Rime, and use their special powers to navigate their fantastical universe. It's set to release on the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on February 2019. 2. Path Of Exile Not Diablo 4 but a worthy successor to Blizzard’s failing franchise. Grinding Gear Games’ enormous action RPG is packed with deep character customization, strong item economy and competitive PvP. If you could just look at that insane skill tree. Travel to the world of Wraeclast in an effort to survive its ever-changing environment. Explore, make new friends, and develop your character to its most formidable. It comes out this February 2019 on the PS4. 1. Ghost Of A Tale An action RPG that lets you play as an adventurous mouse named Tito. SeithCG’s hybrid of role playing and stealth makes up for a cute and wonderful experience akin to fantastic tales like Despereaux and American Tale. If not for its atmospheric world, its adorable main character and its huge lore makes up for it. It’s set to release this February 2019 on the PS4.

Natural Grocers, America’s Nutrition Education ExpertSM, surveyed more than 70 of the company’s nutrition experts and pored over the latest research to identify the expected top 10 breakout trends in nutrition and health in 2019. Here are the top 10 hottest nutrition trends in 2019: Mitochondrial optimization will keep healthy fats in focus Five years ago, the buzzword was microbiome. This year it is mitochondria. Mitochondria are our cells’ “power plants,” converting oxygen and food into the energy our body needs to stay alive and thrive. When your mitochondria are dysfunctional, not only will your energy reserve decrease, resulting in fatigue and brain fog, but you can also become vulnerable to degenerative diseases like heart disease, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. The best way to support healthy mitochondria function is to eat more fat! Healthy fat, that is. Mitochondria function at their best when fueled by fat, not carbs. One tool to support mitochondria is the trending ketogenic diet. In 2019, expect to hear more about mitochondrial health and look to see brands embracing more high-fat focused and ketogenic products to support optimal mitochondrial function. Collagen and bone broth are easier than ever Scoop by healthy scoop, collagen has gained mainstream interest over the past year as everyone adds it to their smoothies, matchas and lattes in the quest for glowing skin, healthy joints and gut healing. In 2019, as more collagen and bone broth products enter the market, so will convenient opportunities for consumers to take collagen on a daily basis. Supplement companies will continue to offer an array of collagen products, including collagen powders, gummies and drinks; marine collagen powders; and even vegan-friendly collagen precursors. Bone broth is one of the richest food sources of collagen, and it will continue its expansion into the mainstream as well. Companies are looking for unique and simple ways for consumers to try out bone broth, including bone broth protein bars, pre-made soups and even bone-broth infused coffee! Sorry sugar, we’re breaking up with you In 2019, consumers will continue to become aware of how much sugar is insidiously added to almost everything we eat. Look in your pantry and refrigerator and you’re likely to find the major culprits— ketchup, barbecue sauce, flavored yogurts, coffee creamers, chips, breads, cereals, spaghetti sauce, fruit juice, sports drinks and even bacon! This year, learn how to break up with sugar. Once you become a savvy monitor of added sugar, it will become easier to for you to avoid it and enjoy the health benefits you’re bound to experience. The shroom boom In the last several years, the amount of scientific research published on mushrooms has exploded. Turns out, mushrooms hold the power to support the immune system, blood sugar balance, brain health, liver health, respiratory health, hormone balance and can even boost energy levels. In response to the growing mountain of research promoting the health benefits of mushrooms, the supplement, grocery and even body-care industries are introducing more ways to try out these fungal superheroes. Supplement companies are turning out a variety of mushroom-centric supplements, geared toward everything from brain health to immunity. The stunning benefits of mushrooms are influencing new grocery products as well. We’ll continue to see the category grow, with more mushroom teas, tonics, broths and coffees making an appearance in 2019. Nootropics + neuroplasticity Neuroplasticity is the now proven principle that we can change the structure and function of our brains throughout our lives and that our thoughts, emotions and behavior are the primary means of doing that. Supplements help too. Best. News. Ever. Right? The discovery of neuroplasticity has led to the explosion of natural nootropics. Nootropics are substances that can be taken to improve mental performance in healthy people (one of the most well-known nootropics is the caffeine found in the beloved cup of morning coffee) and they are most often used to boost memory, focus, creativity, intelligence and motivation. Nootropics may also reduce age-related declines in brain function. Look for more brain-boosting formulas on the supplement shelves in the coming year. Promoting the body’s ability to heal itself We will see companies meet the demands of consumers who want to swap their use of over-the-counter (OTC) meds and prescription drugs for natural remedies that support the body in healing. Instead of opening the medicine cabinet, people will use a combination of lifestyle choices, herbal remedies and vitamin supplementation to support the body in times of discomfort. Immune support remedies like mushrooms, elderberry, manuka honey throat sprays and natural zinc lozenges will dominate. Additionally, we’ll see more alternatives to common OTC remedies and prescription drugs for digestive discomfort and general pain management. 2019 will be the year of supporting the structure and function of the body in a multitude of ways with beneficial natural remedies. Green beauty boom A recent study revealed that the products we slather on our bodies daily, like shampoo and deodorant, can create plumes of petrochemical emissions. The researchers, who originally set out to record emissions around the city of Boulder, Colorado, discovered strange spikes in the data, especially during the morning commute, that weren’t coming from cars. Instead, the compounds were from personal care products that emit D5 siloxane, a chemical emollient found in certain body care products. That’s right, your deodorant and lotion are potentially as toxic as your vehicle’s tailpipe! Consumers are becoming more aware about the slew of chemicals that come from body care products, including ubiquitous endocrine disruptors, and are looking for products with ingredient lists that don’t require a chemistry degree to understand. In 2019, expect companies to offer a wide variety of clean body care products with simple, natural ingredients that work! Ingredient lists over nutrition facts We’ve likely all grappled with counting calories and grams of fat, but in 2019, a new paradigm is bound to free us from some of the struggles we’ve formed around food, nutrition and our everyday health. Nutrition labels will be demoted and instead, consumers will read and make food choices based on ingredient labels. The days of counting every single calorie are nearing an end. Rather than glorifying macronutrient logs and adhering to extremely strict dietary guidelines, 2019 will foster a friendlier relationship with food that focuses on simple, clean ingredients in products made with whole, real foods. Lutein reigns supreme over blue light Blue light—from our smart phones, tablets, computers, TVs and even light bulbs—has become ever-present, and a growing body of research is showing that all of this blue-light exposure can damage the retina of the eye and can lead to age-related macular degeneration1 (i.e., the leading cause of blindness in older adults).i Excessive blue light also disrupts the circadian rhythm, which plays many roles in health, including regulating the sleep-wake cycle, hormone balance, digestion and body temperature.2 Enter lutein. Lutein preferentially accumulates in the macula, the part of the retina responsible for central vision, where it filters damaging blue light and increases macular pigment density.3 And because the health of the retina is directly related to how well our brains age,ii lutein also benefits the brain (see nootropics above). In 2019, lutein will solidify its role as protector of the eyes and the brain. Love your liver While it shouldn’t be “trendy” to have fatty liver disease, unfortunately the disease is trending. In 2018 we were shocked to learn that millennials are getting fatty liver disease faster than any other age group. According to the National Institutes of Health, up to 40 percent of U.S. adults have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.4We believe that loving your liver will be a trend in 2019. Consumers will clean up their diets, ditching culprits like high fructose corn syrup and vegetable oils and will embrace “mocktails” to reduce alcohol consumption. We also predict an increase in sales of herbal supplements that support liver health, like milk thistle and berberine, as well as MCT oil, which has been shown to reduce fat in the liver.

Charlie Austin has been given a two-match ban for an obscene gesture Southampton striker Charlie Austin has been given a two-match ban by the Football Association for an obscene gesture during the match against Manchester City on December 30. Austin has admitted making the gesture - which appeared to be aimed at the City fans - as he was substituted during a 3-1 defeat at St Mary's. An FA statement read: "Southampton's Charlie Austin has been suspended for two matches with immediate effect following an independent regulatory commission hearing. "The striker admitted his gesture in or around the 68th minute of the game against Manchester City on 30 December 2018 was abusive and/or insulting." The forward will have to miss Saturday's Premier League game at Leicester and an FA Cup third-round replay against Derby next week. Austin's absence will be a blow to the Saints, who will be desperate for three points at the weekend as they continue their fight against relegation. His absence adds to manager Ralph Hasenhuttl's problems in attack, with Danny Ings and Michael Obafemi both set to miss the match against Leicester due to hamstring injuries.

Ford will unveil its new flagship Explorer SUV at the Detroit motor show next week, ahead of an expected UK launch in April. The sixth iteration of America’s best-selling SUV of all time receives new styling, a more diverse model range, new engines and, for the first time, a rear-wheel-drive powertrain on entry-level models. The company claims that the shift from front to rear-wheel drive for entry-level variants of the Explorer has allowed for a roomier and more versatile interior layout, as well as more “athletic” exterior styling. Blacked-out A and D-pillars are carried over from previous generations of Explorer, while a sloping roofline and shorter front overhang lend a sportier appearance to the Jeep Grand Cherokee rival. Starting from $400 more than the previous Explorer, the new model is equipped with an electronically assisted tailgate, an 8.0in infotainment touchscreen, in-car wi-fi and the FordPass Connect intelligent navigation technology as standard. Parking and braking assistance systems can be equipped with the Platinum trim package. OUR VERDICT Ford Edge Ford Edge Ford tops its range line-up with an Americanised, big Ford for the 21st century. But can it make a large enough impact to upset its premium rivals? Find an Autocar car review Driven this week Suzuki Swift Sport 2018 long-term review hero front 10 JANUARY 2019 FIRST DRIVE Suzuki Swift Sport long-term review The Japanese hot hatch is all grown up in terms of character, technology and... Skoda Karoq Scout 2019 first drive review - hero front 10 JANUARY 2019 FIRST DRIVE Skoda Karoq Scout 2019 UK review New rugged-looking crossover derivative is practical, versatile and entirely... Lexus ES 2019 first drive review - hero front 10 JANUARY 2019 FIRST DRIVE Lexus ES 300h 2019 review Our first European drive of Lexus' GS replacement reveals an improved... Also fitted as standard is the Ford Co-Pilot360 package, which comprises active safety technology that helps the driver stay in lane, avoid pedestrians, see through blindspots and take evasive action. Chris Billman, Co-Pilot360 engineering manager, said the Explorer’s abundance of autonomous technology is not about “filling the vehicle with technology for technology’s sake". He explained: “It’s about improving the experience, making driving less stressful and helping the driver to feel more confident behind the wheel.” New engines for the Explorer include a tuned variant of the turbocharged 2.3-litre petrol Ecoboost unit used in the entry-level Mustang and a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol V6 - the most powerful engine ever fitted to an Explorer. As part of its restructuring programme for Europe announced today, Ford has said that a new SUV for Europe, expected to be the Explorer, will be revealed in April. It will also shift its focus away from MPVs, axing models such as the C-Max and Grand C-Max in favour of new models like the Fiesta-based compact SUV that is set to replace the Ecosport.

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Iată cele mai bune jocuri ale anului, conform The Game Awards 2018 În această dimineaţă, în Los Angeles, s-a desfăşurat ceremonia de decernare a premiilor The Game Awards 2018. Titlurile nominalizate pentru fiecare categorie pot fi găsite aici. Iată lista completă a câştigătorilor: Game of the Year • God of War Best Action Game • Dead Cells Best Action/Adventure Game • God of War Best Role Playing Game • Monster Hunter: World Best Game Direction • God of War Best Narrative • Red Dead Redemption II Best Ongoing Game • Fortnite Best Art Direction • Return of the Obra Dinn Best Score/Music • Red Dead Redemption II Best Audio Design • Red Dead Redemption II Best Independent Game • Celeste Best Performance • Roger Clark în rolul lui Arthur Morgan, Red Dead Redemption II Games for Impact • Celeste Best Mobile Game • Florence Best VR/AR Game • ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission Best Fighting Game • Dragon Ball FighterZ Best Family Game • Overcooked 2 Best Strategy Game • Into the Breach Best Sports/Racing Game • Forza Horizon 4 Best Multiplayer Game • Fortnite Best Student Game • Combat 2018 Best Debut Indie Game • The Messenger Best eSports Game • Overwatch Best eSports Player • Dominique “SonicFox” McLean Best eSports Team • Cloud9 Best eSports Coach • Bok “Reapered” Han-gyu Best eSports Event • League of Legends World Championship Best eSports Host • Eefje “Sjokz” Depoortere Best eSports Moment • revenirea C9 în tripla OT vs FAZE Content Creator of the Year • Ninja

From real-time classics to modern turn-based favorites, these are the best strategy games on PC. When it comes to the best strategy games, we look for a variety of elements. We like a mix between explosive, large-scale action and more complex games of difficult decisions. In this list, you'll find everything from fast-paced and competitive FPS games to long burn 4X games. In the case of series with multiple entries, we've picked what we feel was the best game to play now. We might feature more than one entry from the same series if we think they're different enough that you might benefit from playing both. These are the best strategy games on PC. Battletech Like an adaptation of the tabletop game crossed with the XCOM design template, BattleTech is a deep and complex turn-based game with an impressive campaign system. You control a group of mercenaries, trying to keep the books balanced and upgrading your suite of mechwarriors and battlemechs in the game's strategy layer. In battle, you target specific parts of enemy mechs, taking into account armor, angle, speed and the surrounding environment, then make difficult choices when the fight isn't going your way. It can initially be overwhelming and it's undeniably a dense game, but if that's what you want from your strategy games or you love this universe, it's a great pick. Northgard Viking-themed RTS Northgard pays dues to Settlers and Age of Empires, but challenged us with its smart expansion systems that force you to plan your growth into new territories carefully. Weather is important too. You need to prepare for winter carefully, but if you tech up using 'lore' you might have better warm weather gear than your enemies, giving you a strategic advantage. Skip through the dull story, enjoy the well-designed campaign missions and then start the real fight in skirmish. Into the Breach A beautifully designed, near-perfect slice of tactical mech action from the creators of FTL. Into the Breach challenges you to fend off waves of Vek monsters on eight-by-eight grids po[CENSORED]ted by tower blocks and a variety of sub objectives. Obviously you want to wipe out the Vek using mech-punches and artillery strikes, but much of the game is about using the impact of your blows to push enemies around the map and divert their attacks away from your precious buildings. Civilian buildings provide power, which serves as a health bar for your campaign. Every time a civilian building takes a hit, you're a step closer to losing the war. Once your power is depleted your team travels back through time to try and save the world again. It's challenging, bite-sized, and dynamic. As you unlock new types of mechs and mech upgrades you gain inventive new ways to toy with your enemies. Total War: Warhammer 2 The first Total War: Warhammer showed that Games Workshop's fantasy universe was a perfect match for Creative Assembly's massive battles and impressively detailed units. The second game makes a whole host of improvements, in interface, tweaks to heroes, rogue armies that mix factions together and more. The game's four factions, Skaven, High Elves, Dark Elves and Lizardmen are all meaningfully different from one another, delving deeper into the odd corners of old Warhammer fantasy lore. If you're looking for a starting point with CA's Warhammer games, this is now the game to get—and if you already own the excellent original, too, the mortal empires campaign will unite both games into one giant map. XCOM 2/War of the Chosen Advertisement The game cleverly uses scarcity of opportunity to force you into difficult dilemmas. At any one time you might have only six possible scan sites, while combat encounters are largely meted out by the game, but what you choose to do with this narrow range of options matters enormously. You need to recruit new rookies; you need an engineer to build a comms facility that will let you contact more territories; you need alien alloys to upgrade your weapons. You can’t have all of these. You can probably only have one. In 1989 Sid Meier described games as "a series of interesting decisions." XCOM 2 is the purest expression of that ethos that Firaxis has yet produced. The War of the Chosen expansion brings even more welcome if frantic changes, like the endlessly chatty titular enemies, memorable nemeses who pop up at different intervals during the campaign with random strengths and weaknesses. There are also new Advent troopers to contend with, tons more cosmetic options, zombie-like enemies who po[CENSORED]te lost human cities, the ability to create propaganda posters and lots more. War of the Chosen does make each campaign a little bloated, but the changes are so meaningful and extensive that XCOM 2 players need to check it out regardless.

We've come a long way from the days when you only had one or two consoles to choose from - and usually distinct enough gaming libraries to make the choice relatively easy. Mario fans go Nintendo, Sonic fans go Sega. Done! These days picking out the best console from the current lot is hard. Sure, there are still exclusives, but the overwhelming majority of all new games are multi-platform. Add to that mid-generation upgrades and technological advancements that promise 4K HDR with some apps and games but not others, and it can be confusing to figure out which console is worth buying. The good news for gamers is that there are sites (just like the one you're on now) to help you narrow down the options. We don't play favorites and we don't have a preference for one set of titles over another. We're just here to play by the numbers and give you all the details on the best and brightest new hardware. That said, we have a few questions to get the ball rolling: Do you need or want 4K? Is there a franchise you feel particularly close to? Do you want something you can play on the go? What's your budget? Gamers who want 4K should consider the Xbox One X, PS4 Pro and Xbox One S, while HD gamers can stick to the PS4 Slim and Nintendo Switch. If you're a racing or a shooting game fan, Xbox has a lot of first-party titles that cater to that genre while Sony has tons of great action-adventure and RPG titles. Nintendo has a mix of everything, but you should go for Nintendo if you can't live without an annual Pokemon and Mario title in your life. To help make things a little less complicated, we've compiled this guide to the latest consoles on the market and weighed up their most notable pros and cons – with links to other dedicated pages and reviews if you want to dive even deeper.

The best RPGs on PC guarantee hundreds of hours of adventure in one of the PC's essential genres. Welcome to our round-up of the best RPGs on PC. Since tabletop RPGs first started getting the digital treatment, the genre has grown into an intimidating, massive beast. Sure, you'll still find plenty of D&D-style, fantasy romps, but you can also head out into space, explore gothic underground oceans and even vacation in the town of South Park. Whenever we sit down to argue our way through a list of the best games, our first step is deciding what “best” even means. In this case, we’re identifying which RPGs are fun right now. It's the same approach we take without our overall list of the best games to play today. We don’t ignore a game’s impact completely—innovation and influence just has a lesser weight under our criteria. The RPG genre is tough to boil down: by the most literal definition, every game is a role-playing game. This list represents our best definition of the canonical RPG—games that likely emphasize story; that let you inhabit a customizable character through skill points, inventory, and dialogue decisions; that include complex, controllable relationships with companions or non-playable characters. Drawing these kinds of lines helps us provide a better service to you, we hope—though we've made some exceptions where we think it's worth it. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Release date: 2015 | Developer: CD Projekt Red | Humble Store, Steam Many RPGs focus on tales of lone, wandering adventurers, but few if any pull it off it with such artistry as The Witcher 3. That artistry is most apparent in the setting itself, which is so packed with breathtaking sunsets and wind-tossed groves of trees that, months later, I still find myself opting to go to destinations on foot rather than taking the fast travel points. But the true strength of The Witcher 3 is that it po[CENSORED]tes these memorable landscapes with NPCs doling out humble but memorable quests (by the dozen) that help create one of the most human RPG experiences on the market. In decaying wayside towns, the witcher Geralt might find impoverished elves struggling in the face of local racism; elsewhere, he might help a self-styled baron reunite with his long-estranged daughter. These quests deftly navigate moral issues without being heavy-handed or offering obvious solutions Through it all, much as in The Witcher 2, Geralt usually plays the role of just another character on this troubled world's stage. In the process, this tale of monster slaying and inter-dimensional raiders becomes strangely and poignantly relatable. Divinity: Original Sin 2 Release date: 2017 | Developer: Larian Studios | Steam, GOG Outside of tabletop games, there are few RPGs that boast the liberating openness of Larian's humongous quest for godhood. If you think you should be able to do something, you probably can, even it it's kidnapping a merchant by using a teleportation spell and then setting fire to him with his own blood. Almost every skill has some alternative and surprising use, sometimes more than one, whether you're in our out of combat. You can enjoy this game of madcap experimentation and tactical combat with up to three friends, to boot, and that's where things start to get really interesting because you're not forced to work together or even stay in the same part of the world. Indeed, there are plenty of reasons to work against each other. The player is always in the driving seat, and with four players, collisions are inevitable. Just remember: if you freeze your friends and then start poisoning them, at least apologize after. Pillars of Eternity Release date: 2015 | Developer: Obsidian Entertainment | Humble Store, Steam There's very little about Pillars of Eternity that's actually innovative; in fact, its whole Kickstarter-funded existence is based on appealing to the nostalgia for aging Infinity Engine CRPGs like Baldur's Gate II. That usually matters little, though, since Pillars of Eternity pulls it off so damned well. The graphics lean a little too heavily on the 1990s, but the writing itself is masterful. Obsidian Entertainment uses it to weave a wonderful (if bleak and usually humorless) narrative that brilliantly touches on everything from religious conflicts to social struggles. It doesn't hurt that Obsidian infused almost every step of the world with its own story and smidge of lore, and a new patch introduced hours of additional voice work that make the experience even more enjoyable. It's also brutally difficult in parts, and even its easier modes demand a dance of pausing and barking out orders to multiple party members that many contemporary RPGs shy from. That's not such a bad thing, though, as Pillars of Eternity is a stark testament that such unforgiving designs still have widespread appeal in this age of accessibility. Sunless Sea Release date: 2015 | Developer: Failbetter Games | Humble Store, Steam There's nowhere like the Unterzee. Sunless Sea's foreboding underground ocean is an abyss full of horrors and threats to the sanity of the crews that sail upon it. In your vulnerable little steamboat, you have to navigate these waters, trading, fighting and going on bizarre adventures on islands filled with giant mushrooms or rodents engaged in a civil war. It's often strikingly pretty, but text drives Sunless Sea. Like Failbetter Games' browser-based Fallen London, it's drenched in beautifully written quests, dialogue and descriptions. And it's not restricted to gothic horror, though there's plenty of it. Your journey across the black waters is just as likely to be whimsical and silly. Always, though, there's something sinister lurking nearby. Something not quite right.

To see the complete ranking, visit our dedicated listing of the top third-person shooter pc games of all time. 25. Opening our list of the Top 25 Best Third-Person Shooters on the PC is Lost Planet: Extreme Conditions One of the more polarizing series of the third-person shooter genres, Capcom's Lost Planet hasn't seen much in the way of positive critical reviews, often panned for their boring and unoriginal gameplay. Despite, thousands of their loyal fanbase continue to stand by it. With their arcade-style mechanics, it harkens back to the days of 2D shooters with a 3 dimensional twist. And when they say extreme conditions, they weren't lying. Set in a newly discovered planet at the height of the ice age, get ready to brave the biting arctic temperatures as you fight against the alien Akrid. While it used to offer an enjoyable online multiplayer, we doubt it's still in use ten years after. It has a PlayScore of 7.25. 24. Fortified Imagine a game where Ghostbusters meets Mars Attacks!, Clapfoot’s multiplayer indie game takes you to the shoes to a heroic bunch of heroes protecting their planet from a Martian attack. Set in the 1950’s, unleash your powerful experimental weapons and classic World War weapons to take contain these extraterrestrial mayhem. The game combines third-person elements and tower defense, making it a completely different experience. It’s a genre-bending adventure that forces you to team up with your friends, or do it alone. Feel the retro-style action. How well can you defend Earth? It has a PlayScore of 7.30 23. Monday Night Combat A game that suddenly came out on Steam charts. Mixing third person shooting and MOBA, prepare for a Monday Night filled with explosions and shenanigans. Unfortunately, the game has seen better days and it feels kinda dead right now. Nevertheless, it’s a fun multiplayer action with your friends. Choose from a focused team of six unique classes and go in an objective-based battle with the enemy team. It’s 6 versus 6 action shares the similar vibrance to Team Fortress’ and VALVE’s Dota 2. It’s such a shame no one plays it again. Well, might as well try. It has a PlayScore of 7.31 22. Binary Domain SEGA has its fair share of hidden gems. This game is one of it. Released during 2012, this third-person shooter takes you to a futuristic Tokyo in the year 2080. Follow Dan Marshall as he regains control over a robot-controlled city. Badass as he may be, this requires a team-effort. With the help of your friends, go on a co-op action-spree and tear these machines down with a huge armory of weapons. Be warned, the robots are adaptive and they change their weakness given the circumstances. Additionally, its Consequence Sequence adds layers of cause and effect for your actions. It has a PlayScore of 7.37 21. Sniper Elite V2 One bullet is all it takes to change history. Be the best marksman in all Berlin in this second entry to Rebellion’s third-person sniper game. Set during the dark days of World War 2, follow US Sniper Kurt Fairburne as he prevents a powerful weapon from going into the wrong hands. Returning to this entry is the iconic X-Ray Kill-cam. Embrace satisfying sound of balls exploding, head popping, bone snapping and more. Gory as it may be, at least you did your job right. Keep your head down low, and hide in plain sight. Killing Nazi’s couldn’t be more fun. It has a PlayScore of 7.49. 20. Stranglehold A decade old. This third-person shooter calls for John Woo’s aid to create an action-packed adventure worthy of Hollywood proportions. In this thrilling game, be a good-cop or a bad-cop as you play Inspector “Tequila” Yuen. This is a direct sequel to Woo’s Hard-Boiled and reprises Chow Yun-Fat’s role. With Woo’s touch, expect a ton of guns-blazing action from top to bottom. Players can override time by entering a semi “bullet time” mode to take enemies with style. For a 2007 game, it was really ahead of its time. Too bad Midway has seen better days too. A sequel would be great. It has a PlayScore of 7.51 19. Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare As if PopCap’s army of badass plants and zombies are done. A huge upgrade from its tower defense original, Garden Warfare takes the battle to Krazy Dave’s entire neighborhood. Now set in a third-person over the shoulder fashion, choose from a wide selection of Plants vs. Zombies in fun objective-based gameplay. The game takes backyard warfare to another degree. With over 24 players in multiplayer mode, customize your favorite botanical soldier and survive an onslaught of undead hijinks. The game also supports split-screen which is rare on most games. We haven’t even started talking about its sequel yet. It has a PlayScore of 7.51 18. Tom Clancy’s: The Division After a terrible smallpox epidemic, New York has crumbled into a barren city filled with rogue humans vying for survival. Players must lead their Division to investigate the source of the virus. Upon its release, it was met with positive acclaim. It shares the similar elements from Bungie’s Destiny which involves resource-collecting and world-sharing. Aside from its single-player campaign, the game’s biggest selling point is its multiplayer option. Go with your squad and enter the Dark Zone, a competitive arena built for intense fighting action. Climb the leaderboards and prove your might to the desolate city of New York. It has a PlayScore of 7.60 17. Loadout The PC gained so many third-person shooters during its course and up until today, it’s still making more. Loadout was one of the most-played games during its time. Unfortunately, many games have overshadowed this third-person shooter and it failed to stand against the test of time. It was a fast-paced shooter that could rival Team Fortress 2. Instead of Valve’s first-person mayhem, Loadout offers features to create a sense of competition to players. Customize your loadouts, upgrade your hero and step into the arena. It has a PlayScore of 7.62 16. Quantum Break From the developers that gave us Alan Wake comes again for another exhilarating third-person adventure. Packed with a star-studded cast, follow X-Men’s Shawn Ashmore and Game of Thrones’ Aiden Gillen as they race against time. Packed with Remedy’s cinematic-action sequences, expect pulsating actions with time-bending capabilities. A Microsoft exclusive, this game gained positive acclaim due to its fun combat and a thought-provoking story. However, the game’s combination of a Live Action show and cinematic cutscenes make it unappealing to most players. It has a PlayScore of 7.68 15. Warframe Space ninjas. If there’s two words that sums the entire game in a nutshell, that’d be space ninjas. Digital Extremes’ ever-growing MMO Action Game takes you to the vast galaxy. Pick a frame, don it with cool weapons and travel planets after planets to cleanse the galaxy from evil. As Tenno, forge your own path. Eliminate robotic threats, menacing humans and infested creatures in this fast-paced third-person action. With gun, magic, and sword, you are literally an overpowered being. However, it’s not easy. With the help of friends, scour the game’s huge content by raiding dungeons together and killing bosses. Just recently, they announced their new open-world feature. The game keeps getting better and better. It has a PlayScore of 7.95 14. Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon A cult-favorite, humanity is infested with huge-ass insects and it’s the job of Earth’s mighty Defense Force to tear them apart. With over 300 weapons to choose and collect, dismember each of their limbs in glorious arcade-style fashion. Wear the right armor, and experience the game’s massive replayability. Originally a Japanese Arcade Game, it made its way to the PC. It was praised for its fun multiplayer feature that enables you and your friends to survive an onslaught of giant insects. Talk about the dream. It has a PlayScore of 7.95 13. Watch Dogs 2 San Francisco beckons in Ubisoft’s latest tech-fueled series. Step into the shoes of Marcus Holloway, a man part of a deadly hacking organization. Use your wide range of technological feats to infiltrate San Francisco’s cyber world. Hack anything from cellphones, cars, and more. It’s an open-world playground that redeems the first games’ mishaps. Lauded for its graphical feat, the game is swirling with content. Explore the city and bask in Ubisoft’s attention to detail. It’s definitely a big step up compared to the first game. It has a PlayScore of 8.07 12. Resident Evil 5 CAPCOM’s seventh major installment of their acclaimed franchise takes you to the a fictional place in Africa. Follow BSAA Agent’s Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar as they embark on a mission to investigate a mysterious new epidemic. It’s a story that weaves the series’ biggest villain and Chris’ former partner. Continuing with its newfound third-person action similar to Resident Evil 4, players can engage the enemies with your weapons and Chris’ huge arms. It’s the first of the series to feature a co-op mode where players can use Sheva in split-screen. It has a PlayScore of 8.10 11. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine Straying away from the series' usual real-time strategies, Space Marines brings you the thrill of real-time, third person combat. It's set in the same Warhamme 40k universe established by Games Workshop, and even features the strongest and most honored Space Marines chapter, the UltraMarines. As the second Company Commander, Captain Titus, help the world of Graia defend against the looming two-fold invasion. With your regenerative abilities and righteous fury, fight tooth and nail against the brutish Orks, and the demons of the Forces of Chaos. With its polished execution and faithfulness to the original lore, it's truly a worthy introduction to the world of Warhammer. It has a PlayScore of 8.11. 10. Red Faction: Guerilla Before they decided to close their beloved company (May it rest in peace), THQ’s long list of memorable games remain a classic to veteran gamers. The Red Faction series was among their iconic games. Set 50 years after the events of the original Red Faction, embrace the beauty of destruction in a game that redefines guerilla warfare. This third-person open-world adventure takes you to the life of a resistant fighter as he opposes the oppressive Earth Defense Force on Mars. This science-fiction journey is fueled with emergent gameplay, making every encounter brimming with experimental delights. It’s your choice on how you take your enemies, sometimes smart, sometimes crazy. It has a PlayScore of 8.20 9. Vanquish Keep the adrenaline pumping in PC fastest third-person shooter. Developed by Platinum Games, Vanquish pioneered many of the innovations we now enjoy in the 3D shooting genres with its bullet hell inspirations, beat em up elements, and sliding boost mechanics. Take on the role of American soldier, Sam Gideon, as he battles for the country's future. Using his state of the art Augemented Reaction Suit, the fast-paced world slows to a halt, giving you the opportunity to strike a deadly last blow. A heart-pumping delight, it has a PlayScore of 8.31. 8. Spec Ops: The Line Yager’s third-person shooter hits all the right stuff. From narrative, action and character. It’s a game where substance meets form. After delays and delays, the game finally made it to the shelves. This serves as a reboot of the Spec Ops series. Moral grounds aside, it’s gameplay was a stuff for criticism. Third-person combat may feel like it needs improvement, but Yager won’t be making a sequel anytime soon. Throughout the course of the game, choices will be made. Difficult as it may be, it stands as a clever groundwork for the endgame. It has a PlayScore of 8.37 7. Mafia II A game that's practically a love letter to the old souls out there. The second in a well-loved trilogy, it takes place in the fictional New York city called Empire Bay at the height of the Mafia takeover. This time, hitman Vito Scaletta takes center stage, chronicling his entrance to a life of crime. Like Grand Theft Auto but set in the jazzy 1940s era, it's picturesque open world is a feast for the eyes. Steal some classic cars, appreciate the architecture, and take down goon after goon to tune of Chuck Berry, Bing Crosby, Buddy Holly and so much more. A little lacking in exection with its sparse interactions, but amazing nonetheless. It has a PlayScore of 8.42. 6. Gears of War Epic Games and The Coalition have had a series of remarkable sequels since their debut in 2006. But, it's time go back to their roots, with their very first title. Headed by the hardy Marcus Fenix, help him and his part of Delta Squad members destroy the oncoming Locust Horde in a last ditch effort to save humanity. Enjoy its lengthy five-act campaign along with a friend, or compete for victory in its four vs four competitive arena. Considered the pinnacle of cover-based shooters, Gears of War continues to stand against the test of time. It has a PlayScore of 8.43. 5. Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron Activision’s very own Transformers game takes you to the epilogue of the war that started it all. Before humanity was a problem, Hasbro’s alien robots tells you the plight of their races. From the Decepticons, to the Autobots. It’s one big robotic skirmish that changes the franchise forever. Divided into two separate campaigns, follow the story of the Decepticons under Megatron’s perspective and Autobots with Optimus’ and find out the aftermath of the war. Engage in fun third-person action with these transforming species. The game has shown its age, and 2012 was a long time ago. But for the love of Transformers, roll out and play the game. It has a PlayScore of 8.46 4. Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne They gave us Alan Wake and Quantum Break, and now, Remedy takes us on a compelling neo-noir tale with their highest-rated shooter. Play as detective Max Payne as he reunites with Mona Sax in the series' darkest tale of death and betrayal. Known for its matrix-like bullet time mechanics, jump past doorways, ready your aim, and eliminate enemies lurking in every corner. With satisfying gun play, outstanding writing, and an amazing soundtrack, Max Payne was and still is one of the most entertaining shooters in recent history. It has a PlayScore of 8.64. 3. Grand Theft Auto V Before Rockstar boomed with this fifth major GTA installment, there was Grand Theft Auto III. It shows how capable the third-person action genre is to the gamers. With today’s technological advancement, the third-person action and open-world element is greatly improved. Providing a fun playground for players who just wants to mess around. Grand Theft Auto V stands as one of the greatest games in history. Explore Los Santos like never before and do anything at your heart's content. Shoot, ride, fly, solve alien conspiracies or whatever. This is Rockstar at its finest. It’s a shame they removed modding tools. The game has a PlayScore of 8.69 2. Dead Space 2 Step into the suit of Isaac Clarke. A simple space engineer trying to find meaning in his life after a traumatic event during the first game. In this second installment, the horror continues as a new Necromorph threat rises from Saturn’s moon. Using its signature over the shoulder camera, tear the limbs of these ugly creatures with the use of customizable plasma guns. With the help of Isaac’s space-suit or RIG, fend off these diabolical beasts with all your might. Combat is enhanced immensely, making Isaac shoot deadly lasers at ease. Critics and fans loved how the game injects their usual survival-horror formula. It proves as a challenge for new players, and veterans. It has a PlayScore of 8.70 1. And the best PC Third-Person shooter is none than Mass Effect 2 BioWare outdid themselves in this sequel to the po[CENSORED]r space-opera adventures of Commander Shepard. There’s no doubt Mass Effect 2 broke so many records including Game of the Year and of course, our top spot on this list. After the events of the first game, follow Shepard and his crew stop a new threat from emerging. The Reapers are the least of their concerns at the moment. This 2nd entry of the trilogy packs a massive upgrade in terms of combat, storytelling and choices. Other than that, its additional content adds more space flavour to the mix. Bringing in a whole new story for their third installment. It’s darker, deeper and full of replay value. It has a PlayScore of 9.28

The world of best FPS games is a busy one. This list was never going to be easy to compile because there are so new many FPS games that arrive it can be different to parse what's good... and what's not so good. So, to thin things out a bit, here are our rules to decide the best FPS games. Read them before you move on. Number 1: The games have to be first person, and shooting has to be the predominant game system (hey, the clue is in "FPS"). So no Gears of War, and no Resident Evil 7. Number 2: This list is about currently best, not historically most important. To keep this list accessible, we're only including games you can play right now on current-generation consoles, PCs and gaming laptops, instead of having to hunt down a PS2 at a garage sale. Have no fear: we haven’t forgotten the influential games that came before. They have their very own slide that explains their importance to the genre before we get started. See if you agree with our choices, as we progress toward revealing. Best MMORPGs Best co-op games Best Xbox One games Best PS4 games 1. Honorable mentions Let's start with the influential FPS games that didn't quite secure a place on the list. If you side-step the genre's wireframe origins – expanded in our 43-year history of first-person-shooters – let's start with the granddaddy: the original, 1993 Doom. While not the first FPS, developer id's shooter is a masterclass in intelligent, cleverly-paced level design, alongside deceptively strategic gunplay - while also establishing id as the premier gun 'feel' craftsmen in the industry. In terms of its mainstream appeal and cultural crossover, the next most influential shooter was probably Goldeneye, which proved that FPS could truly work on a console, delivering the most cinematic action game of its era. Rare's shooter hosts one of the most legendary multiplayer modes in history. Oddjob is still banned, though. The split-screen multiplayer template evolved with Goldeneye's unofficial, next-gen follow-up, TimeSplitters 2. Headed up by key members of Rare’s Goldeneye team, TS2 is a history-spanning, thematic pick 'n’ mix campaign skewering movies - and even Goldeneye itself - with endless, brilliantly observed pastiche. Add another terrific multiplayer offering plus the staggering depth and imagination of its Arcade challenge leagues, and you have a game way, way ahead of its time. A less obvious choice, but a game that expertly stole – and re-assembled – the genre's greatest mechanics, is PS3's Resistance 3. With echoes of Half-Life 2, Chronicles of Riddick and Halo, this overlooked sequel is like a greatest hits package of FPS gaming's 40-year-history. A brilliantly structured campaign journey, fueled by inventive, satisfying weapon design, and serious fun. David Houghton 2. The Darkness 2 Release date: February 7, 2012 Format: Xbox 360, PS3, PC What is it? A love story. A wonderful, touching tale of a former mobster who is trying to come to terms with the loss of his girlfriend while murdering his enemies using a combination of chunky automatic weapons and demonic tentacle powers. Often both at the same time. How many other games, for example, let you pick up a goon by his feet and blow him in half with a shotgun? Or to rip him in half with your tentacles like you’re pulling the wishbone at Christmas? Or shove your tentacle down an enemy’s ass and pull out his spine? Not many. Not many at all. But yeah, The Darkness 2 is a love story at heart. And it’s still playable on PC, so you have the chance to play one of the most creative, touching, and utterly sickening shooters ever made. Go do that. Best for: The creative kills. While the story is lovely and all, you can’t beat the feeling of grabbing an enemy by the head with a tentacle and popping off his head, before lobbing it away like an apple core. Andy Hartup 3. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Release date: November 6, 2015 Format: Xbox One, PS4, PC What is it? Call of Duty began as WW2-era shooter focused on recreating the tense drama of war. Since then, we've had CoD games set during the Cold War, Vietnam War, modern day, even the far future and outer space. Black Ops 3 is the current Goldilocks of the CoD legacy, which is to say it sits somewhere in the middle and manages to feel juuuust right. Not too futuristic, not too held back by the past, Black Ops 3 infuses smart design with fluid gameplay to create something that feels unique and powerful without straying too far from its roots. Choosing a specific character gives competitive multiplayer a slight MOBA feel, while the campaign re-introduces four-player co-op to the series. And of course, let's not forget our undead friends lurking in the Zombies mode, which gets an entire city in Black Ops 3. Best for: A night (or week, or month) of fast-paced, highly-competitive running and gunning, or anyone who wants to see Jeff Goldblum as a zombie-slaughtering magician. Sam Prell 4. LawBreakers Release date: August 8, 2017 Format: PS4, PC What is it? A Vs. multiplayer FPS that takes into account a detailed, working knowledge of the last 20 years of arena shooters, so that it can understand all of the rules and conventions before tearing them up and reimagining them into something new. Its nine asymmetric character classes deliver radically contrasting gameplay experiences - each feels like they could be the protagonist of a different (brilliant) game - but all are bonded by their scope for fantastic, unexpected, tactically kinetic gameplay. LawBreakers is a shooter as deep and clever as it is immediately, air-punchingly exciting, dense with possibility and scope for player growth, while also immediate, gratifying, and easy to initially pick up. And that growth certainly doesn't begin and and with the player. LawBreakers is also one of the best-maintained 'live' games we've seen in a long time. Developer Boss Key is taking a refreshingly pro-active, communicative, community-minded approach to the game's upkeep, pouring constant updates, tweaks and additions into it alongside its already revealed roadmap of (free) expansions for LawBreakers' opening months. Best for: When you need an immediate, incendiary burst of 'Holy crap I can't believe that just happened' multiplayer FPS action. Whether you play for 20 minutes or three hours, LawBreakers will give you plenty to holler about. David Houghton 5. Far Cry 4 Release date: November 18, 2014 Format: PS4, Xbox One, PC What is it? In essence; Far Cry 3 goes to the Himalayas. Switching out the sunny not-so-perfect tourist destination of Rook Island for the vertiginous Kyrat, Far Cry 4 adds even more deadly bells and whistles to an already solid foundation of murderous exploration. Even more flora and fauna is ready to be plucked and skinned, and entire ecosystems are just waiting to be ruined as you quest for a new wallet. The story of Ajay Ghale is almost incidental to the combination of stealth and action on offer in Ubi’s intimidatingly huge open world. Whether you want to send a drone hovering over an enemy camp and tag all enemies individually before picking them off one by one with brutal melee takedowns, shoot a tiger out of its cage from a safe distance to watch it tear your foes to pieces, or literally crash down the gates on the back of an angry tusked Babar, it’s entirely up to you. However you play, Far Cry 4 is a heady cocktail of death and destruction. Drink up. Best for: A singleplayer that’ll involve you obsessively collecting every animal skin for accessories before charging an elephant into a camp of unsuspecting foes. Sorry PETA…. Louise Blain

In most of the rape cases, the accused were known to the complainant, police said. (Representational) NEW DELHI: Five women were raped and eight were molested everyday on an average in the national capital last year, Delhi Police said on Wednesday. According to Delhi Police data, 2,043 cases of rapes were registered last year as compared to 2,059 cases the year before that and 2,065 cases in 2016. Last year, 3,175 cases of molestation were reported as compared to 3,275 cases the year before and 4,032 cases in 2016. In most of the rape cases, the accused were known to the complainant, police said. According to Delhi Police analysis, 43 per cent of the accused in rape cases were either friends or family friends, 16.25 per cent were neighbours, 12.04 per cent were relatives, 2.89 per cent were co-workers, 22.86 per cent were other known persons. Just 2.5 per cent of the accused were not known to the victim, police said, adding that this was a decline from the previous years. In 2017 and 2016, strangers comprised 3.36 and 3.57 per cent of those arrested for rape. As many as 2,290 arrests were made in rape cases last year as compared to 2,275 in 2017 and 2,072 in 2018. Police have requested the Delhi government for improving last mile connectivity and also requested the Social Welfare Department for initiating programmes for awareness and education in slums and places recording higher incidents of crime against women. Delhi Police has also requested the city government for installation of lights on dark stretches, including self-defence as part of school curriculum. As safety of women in the national capital continues to remain a cause of concern, police have laid emphasis on po[CENSORED]risation of 'Himmat Plus'', creating gender sensitisation and mindset reformation as a part of 'Sashakti''. Identification of dark stretches and sharing information with civic agencies is also on the fore. COMMENT Some of the sensational rape cases reported from the national capital included the rape of an employee of a multinational company by two of her colleagues in southwest Delhi's Vasant Kunj in October and the rape of a visually-impaired woman by her neighbour in central Delhi's Deshbandhu Gupta Road area in May last year.

The Living in Digital Times news conference at CES gives us a preview of the digital health and fitness trends for 2019. At the Living in Digital Times press conference at CES 2019, we saw a preview of the trends in lifestyle tech that we will see in 2019, everything from digital health products to children's technology in the form of toys and educational outcomes. The lifestyle field has grown considerably as people have gotten more comfortable with technology in their lives, everything from living their lives through smartphone apps to wearables that monitor steps taken and heart rate. This growth is set to accelerate in 2019 as technology begins to reach into areas of our life that have so far escaped technological solutions, as exemplified by the featured speakers at the news conference. ElderTech The first thing that was discussed was the improvement in digital health technology over last year. Alzheimer's disease, in particular, was given special attention, which isn't surprising as the costs associated with the disease are expected to soar over the next decade, reaching 1 trillion dollars by 2030. The focus for several start-ups is on the caregiver, those who will need to monitor and attend to the needs Alzheimer's patients. The development of VR systems that simulate the experiences of Alzheimer's sufferers is of particular interest, as its part of a larger trend we've seen for a few years now. The CEO of MobileHelp, Rob Flippo, discussed LifePod, a virtual caregiver that proactively interacts with a user to provide everything from simulated socialization for the infirm to monitoring for a potential health crisis detectable in the voice of the user, a development that Eric White, the CEO of Miku, a so-called BabyTech company, has developed to monitor infants in their cribs. Both promise to alert users to potentially dangerous conditions before the users themselves could even possibly be aware of them. VoiceTech Technology harnessing the advances in voice recognition is a significant trend for 2019. Including MobileHelp and Miku, several companies are joining together voice recognition and artificial intelligence to provide companionship for the elderly and the young alike, stimulating their brains to either develop their mental capabilities or to arrest their decline.

A WADA team returned to Moscow in a bid to obtain elusive laboratory data concerning the Russian doping scandal The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) team is in Moscow in a bid to obtain elusive laboratory data which could help them file doping charges against numerous Russian athletes. Three WADA officials in charge of operations are making their third visit at the Moscow laboratory data attempting to finally extract the data as a condition to re-instate the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) in September after a three-year ban. However, the agreement was plunged into doubt when a five-man team was prevented from carrying out its mission by the December 31 deadline because its technical equipment had not been certified by the local authorities. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced on Wednesday that the Russian sports authorities and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had reached an agreement on accessing the data. Peskov denied suggestions that Russia had violated obligations to WADA by blocking access to the laboratory where doping samples and data have been stored since 2011. Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, refuted suggestions Russia had refused to hand over data "There were some working disagreements which arose last time related to which storage devices (the data) will be transferred onto and how, and so on. I would say these are not so much substantial matters as issues of logistics," he said. "As far as we know via our sports authorities, there are intensive contacts under way and now understanding has been reached with the WADA representatives regarding how the work will continue." WADA spokesman James Fitzgerald confirmed a three-person team returned to Moscow after leaving empty-handed last month. He said WADA estimates the team will stay three days, but "it could be longer, could be shorter." WADA said it could still accept Russian cooperation before a committee meeting rules on RUSADA next week, while Russia must also make stored lab samples available for analysis by June 30.