Overwatch unveils its Year of the Rooster special event along with a new Capture the Rooster game mode in celebration of the Chinese New Year 

Overwatch seems to be nailing all of its holiday events so far, bringing new cosmetic skins, voice lines, comics and even new game modes with each new celebration. Riding off its well received Christmas event, Blizzard Entertainment has now shown that it hasn’t forgotten about its eastern audience as it unveils its Year of the Rooster event to celebrate the Chinese New Year. 

The new event has brought a host of new skins, with everything from a Sun Wukong themed skin for everyone’s favorite gorilla Winston, to a pagoda-themed mech for the pro gaming hero D.VA. New voice lines, festive firework taunts and even a new Journey to the West comic that lightly explores Winston’s childhood are also included. 

The biggest change is the addition of a brand new game mode: Capture the Rooster, where players compete on familiar maps, such as Lijiang Tower. Teams play with a time limit to see who can reach three captures first, with whoever is in the lead taking the win and having tied scores result in a draw. Players also have to remain motionless and unharmed on the flag to pick it up or return it, adding a genuine Overwatch feel and level strategic depth to the classic capture the flag game mode.

Keep in mind that Blizzard is unsure if the Capture the Rooster game mode will persist into the regular rotation and have previously been reluctant to add a capture the flag style mode to the game. If it does stick around, expect quite a few tweaks and variations before things are said and done; however, as part of a seasonal event, you can still look forward to it for at least a few weeks every year. Nevertheless, you can enjoy this year’s event until Feb. 13.

Additionally, Overwatch recently reached over 25 million unique players across three different platforms, according to the game’s official Twitter page, making it one of Blizzard Entertainment’s most popular games ever. 

View the trailer for the event below:

Crypt of the Necrodancer first DLC goes live for early access on Steam Greenlight

One of the most highly anticipated titles of 2016 was the rhythm-based, rogue-like game Crypt of the Necrodancer. It was the highest rated game on the Steam platform for several months.

After a lengthy tour on Steam Greenlight, the full release Crypt of the Necrodancer was well received by longtime fans and the gaming community at large. It’s no surprise that the game’s first major DLC will be coming out this year, but not until its goes through its own development period through the Steam early access system as it’s developed.

Upon completion and its full release, this DLC will include a new character, the vampiric Nocturna, as well as 20 new tracks, a new zone and several new bosses. More  items, enemies and weapons will make the beat-based dungeon crawler experience that much more complex.

The choice to release the game early is not much of a surprise as many of Steam’s other most successful early access games, such as Don’t Starve, have gone this route to release its work-in-progress content expansions to fans while they are still putting the DLC together as a whole.

The developers further explained their choice in a part of a Q&A section for the DLC’s Steam store page:

“Crypt of the NecroDancer is a MUCH better game because of all the great feedback we received from our community during Early Access, and we know that the same will be true of Early Access for Crypt of the NecroDancer: AMPLIFIED. Also, Early Access permits us to get the DLC into your hands more quickly, and we know that there are many of you who are anxious to start playing!”

The DLC will remain the same price even after its full launch and is expected to have a full release in roughly two months. You can learn more on the game’s official Steam Store page here.

Watch the trailer below:

The post Gaming Week In Review: ‘Overwatch’ Year of the Rooster, ‘Crypt of the Necrodancer’ DLC on Greenlight appeared first on Emerald Media.

Monday, Jan. 9: Japanese Internment and Fight for Social Justice exhibit at the UO Law Library (1515 Agate St.) Library open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. to  5 p.m. on weekends. Free.

The law library’s current exhibit examines the internment camps used to imprison Japanese-Americans during World War II through the life and career of University of Oregon graduate Minoru Yasui. While serving as member of the ROTC, Yasui earned both his undergraduate and law degree from UO. After graduating in 1939, Yasui went on to work for the Japanese consulate in Chicago. He left his position at the consulate following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. He returned home hoping to enlist in the U.S. army to help fight in the war, but he was denied enlistment on nine separate occasions.

Later, Yasui intentionally broke the curfew set by President Roosevelt in order to protest the constitutionality of such laws in court. Eventually, his case would be heard by the Supreme Court where the justices ruled that the U.S. had no right to restrict the rights of citizens, even during wartime. Yasui was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama for his courageous acts.

-Zach Price

Wednesday, Jan. 11: Quack Chats: Heart of the Brain at Falling Sky Pizzeria, Erb Memorial Union (1395 University St.) 6 p.m. Free.

Professor and head of the University of Oregon’s department of psychology Ulrich Mayr will discuss the relationship of altruism and charity. He questions what motivates people to gives to charity, and whether it is true altruism or something else. Based on his research on cognition (how the brain processes information), Mayr will present his work about finding areas of the brain that are active in philanthropic decision-making. Mayr’s lab is part of the Posner & Keele Center for Cognitive Neurosciences. This is one of many Quack Chats held on campus regularly, which features the work of University of Oregon faculty and many other researchers.

-Casey Miller

Friday, Jan. 13: UO Ducks Hockey vs. Washington State University, The Rink Exchange,  (796 West 13th Ave.), 7:00 p.m.

The University of Oregon men’s ice hockey team will battle it out with Washington State University this week during their first game back since early December. Coach Bill Leahy looks to lead the team to victory in his first season as head coach.

The club has been actively competing since 1989 and has been student-led each year along the way. The organization has picked up three PAC-8 Championship wins since its inception. Students can bundle up, throw on some ducks gear and cheer on their team at the Lane County Events Center.

For more information visit the UO Ducks Hockey website.

-Leanne Harloff

Saturday, Jan. 14: See How We Are: John Doe and Exene in an Acoustic Performance at The Old Church, (1422 S.W. 11th Ave. Portland), 8:00 p.m., $23 in advance, $26 at the door, all ages.

John Doe and Exene Cervenka, the songwriters behind Los Angeles punk group X, will be performing an intimate acoustic set at The Old Church, a historical landmark and non profit music venue in Portland. X performed at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland this past December to celebrate their 40th anniversary.  While that set was brash and loud, this upcoming acoustic show offers a quieter alternative. Those looking to see members of the legendary band in a different setting can visit the Ticketfly website for the show here.

-Sararosa Davies

Saturday, Jan. 14: Brian Regan at Hult Center for Performing Arts (7th and Willamette) 8:00 p.m. Tickets $45-$51

Those looking for a hilarious way to get through the weather can look forward to stand-up comedian Brian Regan’s set this Saturday. A Florida native known for his anecdotal style of comedy and self-deprecating attitude, Regan (born with seven siblings) cites Steve Martin and Johnny Carson as his two largest influences. He has been active since 1980, bringing laughs to audiences since he dropped out of college to pursue stand-up.

Regan’s first comedy CD, Brian Regan: Live, was released in 1997. Since then he has starred in five separate specials and acted as a major influence to comedians like Louis C.K. and Jimmy Fallon. His sets take normally depressing or serious subjects (like a trip to the hospital) and turn them into riotous material. Tickets for Regan’s set at the Hull Center for Performing Arts are on sale now.

-Dana Alston

The post Things to do this week: Jan 11-18: Brian Regan, Japanese internment camp Exhibit and John Doe and Exene appeared first on Emerald Media.

Blizzard celebrates the Diablo 20th anniversary with special events and rewards in each of its Battle.net games

Though the Diablo franchise might have fallen out of the spotlight in recent years, Blizzard hasn’t forgotten about the powerhouse franchise’s 20th anniversary. To commemorate two decades of dungeon-crawling, loot-hoarding fun, Blizzard has unleashed a little piece of Sanctuary into each of its other games, as well as a special level in Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls that allows players to journey back to the place it all started: the darkest depths of the Tristram Cathedral.

Until Jan. 9 you can pick up cosmetic rewards and play several special game modes in Hearthstone, Overwatch, Starcraft 2 and Heroes of the Storm, as well as confront the legendary Cow King in World of Warcraft for a chance to earn several hard-to-get rewards.

The Diablo 3 event will continue until the end of January and features a re-creation of the original game in the Diablo 3 engine, with some graphical filters and retro animations to give it an old school look.

Diablo 3 and its expansion are also currently on sale as part of the celebration, and both are available for roughly $20.

Watch Blizzard’s Diablo retrospective below:

Steam has announced the winners of its first ever Steam Awards contest

The months leading up to Steam’s winter sale saw gamers picking nominees for Valve’s first ever Steam Awards, where the game publisher gave the spotlight to several of the Steam platform’s most popular games and franchises. The Steam community also had the opportunity to create its own award category: the Better With Friends award.

The winners are as follows:

Villain Most In Need Of A Hug: Portal 2

I Thought This Game Was Cool Before It Won An Award: Euro Truck Simulator 2

Test of Time: Skyrim

Just 5 More Minutes: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Whoooaaaaaaa, dude!: Grand Theft Auto 5

Game Within A Game: Grand Theft Auto 5

I’m Not Crying, There’s Something In My Eye: The Walking Dead

Best Use Of A Farm Animal: Goat Simulator

Boom Boom: Doom (2016)

Love/Hate Relationship: Dark Souls III

Sit Back and Relax: Euro Truck Simulator 2

Better With Friends: Left 4 Dead 2

You can check out the full list of nominees and winners on the official Steam website here.

Mass Effect: Andromeda release date set for March 21, 2017

Mass Effect fans have been waiting for any tidbit of information they can get on the franchise’s newest title, Mass Effect: Andromeda, since it was announced in June of 2015. Since then we’ve seen trailers, sneak peeks and developer insights drip fed to us every few months. And now we also have a release date for the much anticipated Sci-Fi RPG: March 21, 2017.

According to Aaryn Flynn, General Manager of BioWare, through a blog post on the game’s official website, Bioware developers took home what they call a “holiday build” in order to receive feedback. Based on the reception, the developer has decided they’re comfortable pitching an expected release date.

According to Flynn’s post, creating an entirely new story, environment and gameplay system, as well as changing the game’s basic engine, has been the company’s most ambitious endeavor yet and the developers have been pleased with the positive community reception they’ve received so far.

Watch Mass Effect: Andromeda’s cinematic trailer below:

The post Gaming Week in Review: Diablo 20th Anniversary, Mass Effect: Andromeda in March 21, Steam Awards winners announced appeared first on Emerald Media.

Update: 3:05 p.m. More last minute gift ideas have been added to the list.

Let’s face it: our parents do a lot for us. In addition to being the reason we are in this world at all, our parents spent years loving us unconditionally, providing a home, feeding us, doing our laundry — the list goes on. The @CollegeStudent Twitter page perfectly summed up the dilemma of buying gifts for your parents on a student’s budget with this tweet from 2014:

Christmas shopping is hard when your mom deserves an island and you can afford a candle

— College Student (@ColIegeStudent) December 24, 2014

With the holiday season coming to a close, we figured it might be helpful to share some easy gift ideas for your parents that you can pick up at the last minute. From the materialistic to the sentimental, we have you covered.

Tickets to an event

Just make something

Fill a stocking for your parents

The post Emerald Recommends: Last minute gift ideas for your parents appeared first on Emerald Media.

The winter season is known for many things: spending time with family, the holiday spirit and most recently, really cheap video games. Yes, it’s that time of year again, where the big companies and distributors throw out their greatest deals, and gamers struggle to decide what’s more important — a pile of new games or paying rent.

Luckily, we’ve put together this handy buyer’s guide to help you get the best value for your dosh and hopefully keep food on your table for the rest of the school year. This guide is primarily focused on PC gaming and distributors like Steam and the Humble Store, but plenty of these rules can be applied to console stores as well.

Make a budget going in

The best way to curb your spending is to set a limit in advance. Knowing exactly how much you’re willing to spend can keep you constantly aware of your dwindling resources. It will help you make those big and small decisions that are the difference between half a dozen ‘meh’ games and one or two great ones.

Don’t spend preemptively

If you’re counting on some holiday money from your relatives to pad out your gaming budget, don’t spend it before it’s in your hands. As the gamer in a family, there’s a good chance you’re considered “hard to shop for” and might be used to wads of cash in lieu of actual gifts, but you never know when your family might choose to go the extra mile and try to find something tangible you’ll actually like. Don’t put yourself in the position to be disappointed by their efforts.

Scope out what you want in advance

Make yourself a list of games you know you’ll actually want and stick to it. It’s easy to get a bunch of games that are marked down 90 percent just because they’re cheap, but it adds up and soon you might realize you don’t have enough for that big title that you were actually excited for.

Only get what you know you’ll play

It never fails. You’ll spend a $100 on new games and less than a month later you return to the one you’ve already clocked 300+ hours on. Some of your new acquisitions will be destined to remain unplayed if you make frivolous purchases. Keep a handle on how much time you’ll have to devote to a game throughout the year and weigh that into your decision to pick up a new title. There are few things more cringeworthy than a library full of games with zero hours played.

Don’t get roped into promotional nonsense

Steam is notorious for bogging down its holiday sale with all sorts of unnecessary promotional schemes. From holiday trading cards to team-based spending competitions, it’s all just fluff to get you to spend more money. You’re here for the games, not all the worthless ‘extras.’ Flash sales have already gone the way of the dodo, so there’s a good chance Steam itself has started going with this mentality.

There will be other sales

The winter/Christmas sales might be the biggest of the year for all things gaming, but there will always be more. Distributors like Steam have a big sale every season, as well as weekend and mid-week sales all year round. Humble bundle offers great deals on games both weekly and monthly and GoG.com has cheap classics all the time. With a student’s busy schedule, one or two new games should be more than enough to last until next year comes around.

Reports say that this year’s sales will start on Dec. 22, so good luck and happy hunting.

The post The ultimate winter gaming buyer’s guide appeared first on Emerald Media.

Who says that a hacker needs to be some basement dwelling neckbeard or insufferable know-it-all wizkid who speaks in incomprehensible technobabble? Today’s hackers dress in punk-style, do parkour, drive fast cars and have deep conversations about the latest memes and why Predator could defeat Alien.

More so, they’re not just trying to steal your mom’s credit card. Modern ‘hacktivists’ try to make a difference in the world with their techno-wizardry and otherwise help a disenfranchised generation stick it to the man. At least, that’s Watch Dogs 2’s take on things.

Watch Dogs 2 is an open-world third-person action-adventure game by Ubisoft that follows the exploits of Marcus Holloway, a 24-year-old hacker from Oakland, California who goes by the online alias Retr0. The game takes place in a fictional and scaled down version of San Francisco where every element of the city has been wired into a single unified operating system called CtOS 2.0. This means that if you can figure out how to exploit the system, you can hack almost anything — cell phones, ATMs, cars, streetlights and more.

After hacking into the CtOS database and clearing up an error that causes it to confuse him with a high-profile criminal, Marcus realizes he still is still viewed as a threat because he is a young, unemployed black man that owns a gun. From there he resolves to fight the crooked system and becomes the legman for DedSec, a hacktivist group bent on bringing down anyone who would abuse the new technology and information it collects.

It’s easy to compare Watch Dogs 2 to similar games like Grand Theft Auto, but doing so will undoubtedly hamper your enjoyment of the gameplay. The game’s various gadgets and hacking themed puzzles will generally make up for the game’s comparatively clunky cover-based shooting, forgettable driving and a bare bones stealth system.

(Courtesy of Ubisoft)

The game encourages you to use gadgets and your access to the CtOS 2.0 system to approach missions as puzzles to solve instead of set pieces to shoot your way through. During a mission, you’ll often have to solve a hacking pipe puzzle to connect nodes throughout the area, find the proper access codes or manually hack into certain hardware, while using your arsenal of quadcopter drones, RC jumpers and hackable elements of the environment to neutralize or soften up guards.

As the game progresses, you gain research points that improve your arsenal and gain skills that allow you to hack into more elements of the city. You can unlock abilities like calling in the police or local gang members to attack an enemy. If stealth and subtlety are not your thing, there’s a 3D printer that provides an entire arsenal of weapons at cost, with both lethal and nonlethal options.

Watch Dogs 2 also features a co-op system that is meant to integrate seamlessly into regular gameplay. You can actively search out co-op missions, but you will also experience semi-random encounters that contribute to the game’s progression. For example, while walking through a park after a mission, you might receive a message that someone is stealing your personal data.

(Courtesy of Ubisoft)

With a compelling cast of characters and a story that draws from current events and political issues, Watch Dogs 2 has a lot to offer those who fantasize about changing the system. From an out-there old school veteran hacker to a young autistic coding guru, you’re sure to find someone in the main cast of characters that will make a strong impression. Even the game’s villains are intriguing — the main antagonist is first seen plotting over a Bluetooth while doing yoga in sweatpants.

The game amounts to a pretty good open-world romp with plenty of toys and a detailed, though scaled down, interpretation of San Francisco. It does suffer from weak shooting and stealth mechanics when compared to the genre’s standards, but it provides enough unique features and an interesting enough story to keep players interested. Chances are you won’t feel like such a good guy after gunning down half a dozen security guards, but you’ll still get some satisfaction from exposing fake religions and embarrassing CEOs on live television.

Watch the trailer for Watch Dogs 2 here:

The post Review: ‘Watch Dogs 2’ is a wild ride of memes, gadgets and rebellious youth appeared first on Emerald Media.

Gaming Week In Review is a column in which Emerald writer Mathew Brock covers recent gaming news and releases. Read the last column here. 

After a thorough investigation by the Advertising Standards Authority, No Man’s Sky will not be pursued for the use of deceptive advertising practices by the media regulator.

If you’ve heard of Hello Games’ space exploration game No Man’s Sky then you’ve probably also heard about the volatile controversy that surrounds the ambitious title. To sum up the many voices of the twisting amalgamation that is the disgruntled gamer community of the internet, many people claim the developers lied about what the game really was and used false advertising to sell roughly 840,000 copies of the $60 game.

In light of these allegations and the 23 official complaints regarding the game to the Advertising Standards Authority, a United Kingdoms based independent media advertising regulator, the ASA opened a formal investigation into whether or not the highly anticipated title had used intentionally deceptive or misleading promotional ads to promote their product.

The ads in question were primarily located on the game’s Steam store page, which featured two videos from the game’s development process, 11 images and a text description of the game, all of which were subjects of the 23 aforementioned complaints.

The ASA released a ruling detailing their analysis of the situation and the justification for their decision not to pursue a false advertising case.

“Twenty-three complainants, who believed that some of the game content was not as depicted or described, challenged whether the ad was misleading,” the ruling reads.

During their analysis, the ASA contacted Hello Games to provide sufficient proof that each advertised element was present in the game in one form or another. While many of the features advertised were not 100 percent accurate to how they were portrayed in the advertisement, the ASA felt that all features were adequately present within the game. Additionally, the ASA acknowledged that many features — specifically the overall design of the user interface and the game’s aesthetic — are subject to change within the game’s development process and therefore the advertising of those elements was not meant to be deceptive.

The ruling’s final verdict reads:

“We understood that the screenshots and videos in the ad had been created using game footage, and acknowledged that in doing this the advertisers would aim to show the product in the best light. Taking into account the above points, we considered that the overall impression of the ad was consistent with game play and the footage provided, both in terms of that captured by Hello Games and by third parties, and that it did not exaggerate the expected player experience of the game. We therefore concluded that the ad did not breach the Code.”

Following this announcement and the game’s latest patch, which features base-building, it seems that things are finally looking up for Hello Games.

At the very least, the controversy has inspired many game distribution platforms, like Steam, to change their guidelines when it comes to promotional material.

You can check out the Emerald‘s review of the game here and the trailer for the latest patch below.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive now features skins for gloves in the game’s latest update.

Collectable cosmetic skins in online games can be a serious matter. Certain skins for the popular first-person-shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive go for well over $1,000, with the highest reported sale being $23,850 for a rare virtual knife.

Now you can deck out your virtual gunman with more than just camo pistols and bright pink heavy machine guns covered in banana stickers. The latest patch features the game’s first non-weapon item drops: a wide array of cosmetic gloves.

These gloves are community designed and are already going for as much as $400 on the Steam Community Marketplace. They can currently be obtained from in-game crate drops that are opened with a purchasable key.

To read more about the CS:GO skin trading market and its recent gambling controversy here look here.

The post Gaming Week In Review: ASA finds ‘No Man’s Sky’ did nothing wrong, ‘CS:GO’ glove skins appeared first on Emerald Media.

Friday, Dec. 2: Fall Dance Loft at the Dougherty Dance Theatre (1484 University St.), 8 p.m., students $5, general $10

The University of Oregon Dance Department will host the 2016 Fall Dance Loft, a night of dance showcasing multiple works. The event will include a diverse range of performances and styles. Each piece will be a student work choreographed and performed by current UO students.

This event is an excellent way for those with or without dance knowledge to be introduced to the dance program. Dance classes have been taught at the UO for over a century and the school now offers both a major and a minor.

Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance from the UO Ticket Office (541-346-4363). For more information visit the dance program’s website.

-Leanne Harloff

Saturday, Dec. 3: Sleigh’r Ball 2016 at Ninkasi Brewing (272 Van Buren St), 5-10 p.m.

This December, Ninkasi Brewing is hosting another Sleigh’r Ball to celebrate the three limited flavors of their winter ale, Sleigh’r. The three unique ales served at the ball are Sleigh’r Winter Ale, Imperial Sleigh’r Winter Ale and Imperial Pumpkin Sleigh’r Winter Ale with pumpkin and brown sugar. Music will play from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with live performances from Electric Funeral on the patio at Ninkasi brewing. 

Guests are encouraged to bring new toys for Ninkasi’s toy drive for the Pediatric and Adolescent Unit at Peace Health Sacred Heart Medical Center. Guests are also invited to wear their festive holiday attire — anything from ugly Christmas sweaters to elf costumes. Additionally, the Red Five Hotdog Company will be providing food, and a raffle will be held with prizes from the brewery. Tickets are given for participating in the toy drive, dressing up in festive wear and posting about the event on social media.

Find out more at Oregon Craft Beer’s website.

-Casey Miller

Sunday, Dec. 4: The Steel Wheels at WOW Hall (291 W 8th Ave) 7 p.m., $15 advance and $18 at the door

Fans of soulful Americana and mountain music will find plenty to love in The Steel Wheels when they make their way to WOW Hall this Sunday. Based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, The Steel Wheels specialize in bluegrass, folk and fiddle music, using their commitment to the sounds of the past to help transport their audiences to another time and place.

First formed by lead vocalist and songwriter Trent Wagler and guitarist Jay Lapp, the band began touring steadily in 2009 and have found steady underground success throughout its career. Best known for its 2015 LP Leave Some Things Behind, the band has received great praise nationwide; NPR featured the group with its Song of the Day promotion in 2012, and other publications have heaped acclaim on their soulful sound.

-Dana Alston

Saturday, Dec. 3: Louis the Child at WOW Hall (291 W 8th Ave), 8 p.m., $15 advance, $18 at the door

Louis the Child members Robby Hauldren and Freddy Kennett have been performing together for over two years after meeting at a Madeon concert back in high school. The Chicago-based EDM duo kicked off its first nationwide tour as a headliner earlier this summer. Their singles “Weekend” and “It’s Strange” received national attention after Taylor Swift and Lorde took to Twitter to praise the up and coming electronic DJ group. Along with releasing an album’s worth of remixes last summer, Louis the Child added the duo’s latest single, “Fire,” to their discography.

The show will be opened by Norwegian electronic DJ Bearson, who is known for his single “One Step at a Time” which was released last winter. The mysterious artist Elohim, who keeps her identity a secret by covering her face with a mask during her performances, will be performing a special guest set as well.

-Zach Price

Wednesday, Dec. 7: Cirque du Soleil TORUK – The First Flight at the Moda Center (1 N Center Ct St, Portland) 7:30 p.m., tickets $34-$110

If you’re a fan of James Cameron’s 2009 film Avatar and need a little more of the distant world of Pandora in your life, you can check out one of Cirque du Soleil’s newest attractions, which will take you back to the whimsical world of the Navi for a surreal adventure.

TORUK – The First Flight is a live stage performance based in the Avatar universe before the events of the film. It follows of the exploits two young Navi as they try to save the Tree of Souls, a sacred natural wonder. To do this, they’ll need to tame the Toruk, the flying orange lizard creatures first featured in the film.

The performance will feature an array of high-budget visuals, puppetry and stagecraft to bring the characters of the Avatar universe into the real world. 

Learn more at the Rose Quarter website.

-Mathew Brock

The post Things to do this week: Dec. 1-7: Sleigh’r Ball, Louis the Child and Toruk – The First Flight appeared first on Emerald Media.

Alola isn’t your everyday walk in the Pokepark. This new region is nothing a trainer like you has ever seen before. With brand new Pokemon and reimagined classics, island trials instead of gyms and destructive new Z-Moves, Pokemon Moon is sure to take its place as a unique entry in the franchise. This time around, a regular ten-year-old just isn’t going to cut it. You’re going to need to be at least 11 if you hope to be the champion of this new island region.

Pokemon Moon is a refreshing step in the right direction when it comes to the Pokemon franchise. While Pokemon X and Y succeeded in bringing the aging series into the realm of modern gaming with full 3-D models for the 700 plus roster of virtual critters, the past two iterations of the series were colossal steps backward in terms of the gameplay and storytelling. Pokemon Moon might not stand up to pinnacles of the series like Pokemon Black 2 and White 2, but it does work toward innovating on the two-decade-old formula.

In terms of mechanics and gameplay, the game features the tried and true Pokemon formula with a few interesting novelties. The biggest is the new Z-Move system, which allows Pokemon to use ludicrously flashy and overpowered moves once per battle if they are holding a special stone. These stones replace gym badges and are type specific, or in some cases, move and Pokemon specific.

The difficulty has been noticeably ramped up compared to the two previous games in terms of AI and Pokemon stats. You’ll often face trainers who use rare and unexpected moves. Pokemon several levels lower than yours can still pose a threat. An experienced player likely won’t reach any major roadblocks, but expect more than a few curveballs.

Instead of gym leaders, you face Island Trials that generally involve running through a gauntlet of wild Pokemon and trainers before facing a powered up Totem Pokemon, which is usually gigantic or otherwise special. What’s more, these boss Pokemon will call for help in battle, a tactic also seen from most other wild Pokemon. For example, picking on a poor little Magikarp might have you facing down a Gyarados as well. Each of the four islands also has a Grand Trial, which is closer to the typical gym leader encounters of previous titles.

Start Pokemon Litten facing down the boss Pokemon Totem Raticate. (Courtesy of Nintendo)

The Pokemon Amie feature has been cut down to the new Pokemon Refresh system, which strips some of the more interactive elements, but allows players to cure status effects and otherwise groom Pokemon after battles. Using this feature raises a Pokemon’s affection, which when at higher level causes them to perform better in battle. This can be incredibly beneficial at times, almost to the point of being overpowered.

The game itself suffers graphically on the 3DS with occasional sharp and pixelated edges but is passable with help from its excellent sound design, which contributes greatly to the strong Hawaiian-esque theme. The world feels as alive as it can and the vibrant tropical landscape is pleasant to experience at day or night. This is worth noting because Pokemon Moon advances the clock by about 12 hours, meaning day will be night and vice versa. To add to the immersion, Pokemon will often jump out from nearby trees or burrows unexpectedly to battle, so it’s best to stay on your toes.

There are Alola versions of many classic Pokemon, like Raichu or Sandshrew, that often have different types than their classic counterparts. For example, the Alola version of Vulpix is a white ice type as opposed to a red fire type as it has been in previous games.

Classic Raichu (Courtesy of Nintendo)

Alola Raichu (Courtesy of Nintendo)

A word of warning, the game starts almost unbearably slow, but as soon as the training wheels come off it really picks up and reaches a pretty comfortable pace. The story is pretty entertaining (for a Pokemon game at least), if a little too self-aware at times.

The postgame doesn’t have a whole lot new to offer, but the Alola version of the Battle Tower does have some pretty entertaining cameos from characters like Red and Blue, the protagonists of the original Pokemon games. Another new post-game area is the Battle Royale, which features a four player free-for-all format. It’s introduced early but can really only be played much later in the game. There’s also the Ultra Beasts, a set of powerful not-quite-legendary Pokemon you can battle and capture in a miniature post-game storyline.

You can pick up Pokemon Moon or its sister-game Pokemon Sun for $39.99. It is also important to note the Pokemon Bank feature will not be available for either game until January 2017.

Check out the Emerald’s pre-release Pokemon discussion podcast here and watch the trailer below:

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Why roll dice or tap away on a controller when you can decode the secret message and find the hidden door yourself?

The hostess at Dare Escape Rooms instructs groups of 2-6 patrons to close their eyes as she leads them into the dark and musty room. After the door closes and a few awkward moments of fumbling for the light they’ll see a room that could be straight out of a private eye movie from the ‘50s. There’s a wardrobe, cupboards, a desk and a suitcase in the corner, all locked. The walls are covered with old maps and postcards and it won’t be long before the participants notice the clues.

Some might think this sounds like a good time on a Friday night. Others might a see it as a profitable business venture. Turns out it might be both, depending on your tastes and the local market.

The premise of an escape room is to plant several people in a room filled with puzzles, riddles and clues. The group is given a set of basic instructions. They have 60 minutes to escape, with hints provided as needed. The challenges faced might involve decoding the combination to a lock, piecing together a narrative, finding hidden compartments or any number of mysterious tasks.

“An escape room is an immersive environment in the sense that you are surrounded by a setting that utilizes embedded puzzles. They’re part of the scenery, part of the decorations. You need them to figure things out and escape,” said Jamie Carwile, co-owner of a local escape room.

In August, two escape room businesses opened in Eugene. First came Trapdoor Escape Rooms, created and run by Jamie Carwile and Gabe Billings, two long time friends and former stay-at-home dads. Dare Escape Rooms opened within the same week. It is owned and operated by Michelle Dee.

Michelle Dee’s escape room, Dare Escape Rooms, is one of two that opened in Eugene in August. (Amanda Shigeoka/Emerald)

Dee first learned about escape rooms while visiting her daughter in Colorado Springs, Colorado. While looking for something to do, they came across an escape room called Enter The Room in Manitou Springs. Dee was amazed at how much fun she had, and afterwards the idea of spending her time surrounded by puzzles stuck with her.

“After I left there, all I could think about was puzzles,” said Dee. “Everything I saw was a puzzle, a mystery or a code. I just couldn’t shake it.”

Dee surprised her former co-workers at Grass Roots Marketing, a natural food broker, when she told them she would be leaving to start her own escape room business.

“It seemed to come out of left field,” said Sage Sharer, one of Dee’s former coworkers. “It didn’t seem like something she had been thinking about, but it sounded like she was passionate about doing it.”

Dee quit her job in March and began working to finance her new business.

“After talking to my husband, I told him, ‘I feel like this is my calling; I feel like I need to do this. It’s perfect for me and I want to offer it to Eugene,’” said Dee.

She faced difficulties at first as local landlords were hesitant to rent space to a business venture they hadn’t heard of before.

“Nobody in Eugene knew what an escape room was,” Dee said.

But according to Dee, her business has become popular since opening its doors. Organizations from across Oregon have booked sessions as part of team training and bonding exercises, including local Dutch Bros. store managers and a group of hospital staff members from Roseburg.

Dee currently runs two escape rooms at Dare Escape: the time-travelling World Explorer room and the zombie-infested Crazy Carnival Midway room. Dee designs and creates her own puzzles. She often finds inspiration by browsing local thrift shops and antique stores, looking for props and trinkets to incorporate into her puzzles.

The other location in town, Trapdoor Escape Rooms, is located on the northwest side of downtown Eugene.

Carwile and Billings have known each other since the late ‘90s. Carwile used to work as a middle school science teacher and Billings has a background in computer science, which the pair uses to help design and build their own puzzles using a combination of technology and clever thinking.

After visiting several escape rooms in San Francisco and Seattle, Billings began taking notes and writing down puzzle ideas of his own that he felt would make a good escape room.

“We were trying to find a way to take all these random puzzles and make them into an escape room,” Billings said. “After visiting a few, we felt they work better if there’s some unifying theme.”

Their escape room, The Mystic’s Lair, has a fortune teller theme, where patrons must solve a series of supernaturally themed puzzles.

Escape rooms in larger cities, such as Portland or Seattle, generally receive several bookings each day, but Carwile and Billings are satisfied with their growth so far. Currently, the two get roughly 5-8 groups per week visiting their business and have also been approached by local companies. They recently put together a puzzle-solving competition for the 45-person staff of the local Home Depot.

“As long as we’re not losing, or even just making a little bit of money, I would do this just as a hobby,” said Billings. “There’s some people who think this is a huge a cash cow and make a lot of money doing this, but the room makes enough to pay for itself … and a little more.”

Michelle Dee’s escape room contains a number of odd objects that can help lead participants to an exit. (Amanda Shigeoka/Emerald)

Jeff Richards, a Eugene local and graduate of the University of Oregon, has visited both Dare Escape and Trapdoor’s escape rooms.

“The overall quality of the rooms was fantastic and I enjoyed my time there a lot,” Richards said.

Richards is excited to visit several escape rooms in Corvallis and Salem as well. The only thing he dislikes about escape rooms: “You can really only do each escape room one time. It’s kind of a unique experience and once you’ve solved the puzzles in a room, you’ve solved it.”

But that’s a problem that Carwile, Billings and Dee are working to counter. The three are constantly working on new puzzles and ideas for entirely new rooms. Carwile and Billings are currently planning to expand their business with a sci-fi themed room. Dee is also looking at a new location where she is hoping to open a speakeasy themed room.

Dee plans to stay open over the holidays to provide local Eugene families with a unique way to spend time together.

“We want to be open on Thanksgiving and Christmas when families are just kind of sitting around. When together with my family, I know I’ve wanted something other than just the movies,” said Dee. “Watching people interact with family they haven’t seen in awhile, there’s so many laughs, it’s so rewarding. I love it.”

If you’re interested in visiting one of these local escape rooms, Dare Escape Rooms, located at 2160 W 11th Ave #I, has two rooms for 2-6 people: the Explorer Room for $25 a person and Crazy Carnival Midway for $30 per person. You can learn more at dareescaperooms.com.

Trapdoor Escape Rooms, located at 436 Charnelton St., has one room, The Mystic’s Lair, for 2-8 people at $30 a person or r $150 for the whole room. You can learn more at trapdooreugene.com.

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