This week, Facebook announced its Instant Games platform that allows Messenger users to play games against one another via the chat app.

Currently only available in 30 countries and to the latest versions of Android and iOS, Instant Games is made using HTML5, which according to Facebook's blog on the subject allows you to "play games without having to install new apps."

Players tap on the controller icon in a chat conversation, and then choose from a list of games. Once a game is selected, it's loaded and the fellow chat participant is challenged to beat your high score.

Once you've played your round of the game, your high score is shared with the other chat participants, and you can draw over a screenshot of the leaderboard to taunt your friends.

It seems that games are part of Facebook's current strategy for engaging its users, with the social media giant launching its Gameroom platform and launcher earlier this year.

Instant Games currently offers the following list of games, sorted by quality by TechCrunch:

• Galaga (Bandai Namco) – Classic arcade vertical space ship shooter, rebuilt so you only get one life for short sessions
• Space Invaders (Taito) – Classic arcade space shooter
• EverWing (Blackstorm) – 1942-style vertical scrolling space ship shooter with impressive graphics and speed
• Endless Lake (Spilgames) – Gorgeous Temple Run meets Monument Valley runner game with funky art
• Arkanoid (Taito) – Classic arcade brick-breaking paddle game with decent mobile controls
• Words With Friends Frenzy (Zynga) – Rapid-fire Scrabble game that takes some practice
• Hex FRVR (FRVR) – Tetris meets Candy Crush-style puzzler where you form lines until you're out of moves
• Pac-Man (Bandai Namco): Classic arcade game but with poor mobile swipe controls so you miss tunnels and die
• Shuffle Cats Mini (King) – Card-flicking shooting gallery game that utilizes touch for speed and direction
• Wordalot (MAG Interactive) – Scrabble meets crossword puzzle timed competition, fun and different though frustrating
• ZooKeeper (Kiteretsu) – Timed Candy Crush with cute 8-bit graphics but too long of game sessions
• Track & Field 100M (Konami) – Alternating button mashing speed trial with computer opponents who are too fast
• Brick Pop (Gamee) – Dots-style puzzle game that feels too random
• Bust-A-Move Blitz (Taito / Blackstorm) – Bubble-matching puzzle shooter that feels too slow
• 2020 Connect (Softgames) – Candy Crush meets Threes puzzler that feels too stodgy for Messenger
• Templar 2048 (Vonvon) – Threes-style timed matching puzzle that's a bit confusing
• The Tribez: Puzzle Rush (Game Insight) – Candy Crush Clone with lame dinosaur theme

A press release sent today confirms an Australian exclusive collector's edition for Sniper Elite 4, available for purchase from EB Games.

The Sniper Elite 4 Collector's Edition includes:

• The game! Thank goodness for that.
• A steel box case! Double the packaging, double the fun?
• A 4GB bullet-shaped USB key! In case you want to store and transport only small amounts of data, and definitely not through airports.
• Four Sniper Elite 4 postcards! To send to people you're cool with knowing how much you enjoy watching bullets smoosh people's insides.
• The in-game Karabiner 98k Origami model rifle! To invalidate whatever early-game unlock progression you might otherwise enjoy.
• Seven in-game camo rifle skins! Add some shrubbery to your murder stick.
• The Target Führer campaign mission! In which—you guessed it—you get to shoot Hitler, presumably right in the gonads.

During Target Führer, players will be tasked with handling a secret Nazi U-boat facility. Upon finding the base commander, agent Karl Fairburne finds him already executed, by a shadowy visitor.

Sniper Elite 4 from Rebellion is slated for release on February 14, on PS4 and Xbox One.

Want an early taste of internal ballistic trauma? Subject yourself to 10 minutes of sniping we captured during Gamescom, or 15 minutes we captured during E3 2016, or an entirely different six minutes we also captured during E3 2016.

Toward the end of Conan O'Brien's Clueless Gamer segment on Final Fantasy XV, he skipped ahead to a quest about investigating unnaturally occurring earthquakes. As it turns out, those earthquakes were being caused by Adamantoise, one of Final Fantasy XV's colossal post-end-game bosses, a tortoise so large it carries a mountain on its back.

During the segment, O'Brien's handler claimed "that was just to suss him out - when you actually battle him it takes three real days." Understandably, O'Brien and guest Elijah Woods appeared scandalized by this news, at which point the handler reaffirmed "it takes 72 real-time hours to beat it, like in a row."

Seventy-two hours. Real-time. Actual hours.

In an earlier interview with Final Fantasy XV director Hajime Tabata (who would like nothing more than for you to cry at the ending of his game) as reported over at Square Portal, the Adamantoise battle should take around 15 real-time hours to complete. These are very different numbers.

So how long does it really take?

YouTuber PowerPyx has a video on their channel, reports Polygon, which shows how to trigger the fight, and records the full process of taking down the mountain-tortoise. The entire video takes around 50 minutes, with a character at level 69, and using a buffs and maxed-out combo attacks.

"Unless you go afk for 71 hours, there's no way the fight will last that long," PowerPyx claimed in a comment reply on the video.

So while it didn't take three real-time days to defeat Adamantoise, it did take a fairly tedious 50 or so minutes. Was this a miscommunication? Did it perhaps take 72 in-game hours? For their efforts, PowerPyx received 50,000 gil, a trophy, and an adamantite bangle, which if it operates like other bangles in the game, should increase the player's max HP.

Unsure whether hour-long tortoise slaying is your thing? Check out our Final Fantasy XV review.

Marvel's Agents of SHIELD returns this week. We were left with a cliffhanger in Episode 6 when Robbie's Uncle Eli revealed his true motives and some of the Agents paid the price for his actions. With everything going on, there's going to be some big changes for Ghost Rider.

Warning: Spoilers for Season 4, Episode 7 of Marvel's Agents of SHIELD, "Deals With Our Devils," will be discussed below.

Coulson, Fitz, and Robbie Are Stuck in Between Dimensions

When Eli Morrow put his plan into action, the shockwave from the experiment in the old facility sent Coulson, Fitz, and Robbie somewhere else. They're still in the facility, but they can no longer communicate or interact with anyone. Fitz theorizes they're in a state similar to when the ghosts were locked in the boxes. They're trapped in between dimensions and are getting pulled down to somewhere. He figures they're further down than Lucy and the other ghosts since they can't interact with others.

Uncle Eli Is Completely Evil

Uncle Eli seemed like a good guy that did one bad thing. That's what Robbie thought. Now that the experiment has been completed, he can create Dark Matter. As he decides to leave the facility, agents attempt to stop him. Eli creates huge spikes that pop out of the ground and kill the agents. Robbie tried stopping his uncle and warning the others but no one could hear him.

Simmons Investigates the Terrigenesis Cocoon Guy

Simmons was sent to investigate and analyze a person undergoing Terrigenesis. She's surprised because it's a quick process. She gets an even bigger surprise when she's told this person has been in this state for seven months. When she asks who is inside, she's told it's classified. The concern is what will he become after the process is complete?

Simmons hears a heartbeat within the cocoon. She orders everyone out and removes her hazmat suit. She talks soothingly to reassure that they're trying to help. Her approach works and the cocoon begins to crumble. She asks him what his name is, but before he can answer, a bag is thrown over her head and she's removed.

Mack Turns Into Ghost Rider

Everyone assumes Coulson, Fitz, and Robbie died. Daisy tells Robbie's brother, Gabe, that she doesn't believe they're gone. In his current state, Robbie can't transform into Ghost Rider. He feels it fighting him and begins to get cold and weak. He calls out, but Ghost Rider goes into Mack. Mack goes after the gang members Eli worked with in order to figure out where he went. While fighting them, Ghost Rider takes over and he flames up.

Daisy took Robbie's car in order to follow Mack. Robbie, in his ghost state, got in as well. When they find Mack/Ghost Rider, Robbie is finally able to talk to the spirit, face to face. He says they had a deal about getting vengeance. Robbie asks for a new one. If Ghost Rider settles Robbie's desire for vengeance, he'll help Ghost Rider settle all of his.

Aida Reads and Uses the Darkhold

May had her doubts about the disappearance of the others. With the Darkhold in her possession after Coulson told her to hide it, she takes it to Dr. Radcliffe. He glances inside and immediately shuts it, sensing its power. Aida suggests she reads the book. This forces Radcliffe to reveal to May that Aida is an LMD.

Aida processes the book and creates a gateway that allows Coulson and Fitz to return.

Mack Lost "Hope"

There's likely to be some repercussions for Mack being a vessel for the Ghost Rider. Sitting alone, he stares at a photograph with "Hope 4/18/06" written on the back. Robbie appears through the gateway and asks Mack if he wants to help him settle his last score.

Our Thoughts

This episode delivered a lot of action. Some questions were answered, and new ones were introduced. It was interesting to see Ghost Rider enter Mack so easily. Being separated from Ghost Rider, it appeared Robbie was dying. Because he was revived in order to seek vengeance and become a vessel for Ghost Rider, it's possible that once they go their separate ways, Robbie will return to being dead. If having a need for vengeance is a factor, what are Mack's needs? We didn't see who was in the picture. With the date, it's likely it was a child. Perhaps it was his kid or a niece. If the child was killed or taken from him, that could lead to his repressed hunger for vengeance.

We finally saw Senator Nadeer's brother in the Terrigenesis cocoon. We'll have to wait to find out why he was undergoing the process for so long and what abilities he may have gained. Will he be based off an existing comic book character or a new one created for the show?

We'll also have to wait to see if Robbie's car will heal from the damage Daisy caused while driving it when he was separated from Ghost Rider, and how Aida is affected after reading the Darkhold. It looks like she's taking on a project of her own while Radcliffe was in the other room.

Final Fantasy XV sports an ability unlock system called the Ascension Grid, where you can spend Ability Points (AP) to earn special moves and bonuses for Noctis and his party. There are tons of different options to spend your precious AP on. With so many to keep track of, we've compiled a guide to help you understand what's available to you. Below you can find 10 skills worth obtaining first, as well as a comprehensive list of every single one you can unlock in the game.

10 Recommended Starting Skills to Unlock

There are a multitude of different skills to unlock from the Ascension Grid. Below we've detailed 10 worth saving up for in the beginning of your journey. For more details on each, refer to the comprehensive list below.

1. Rapid Regen (Recovery)
2. Enhancement (Techniques)
3. Dawnhammer (Techniques)
4. Airstep (Combat)
5. Light Phase (Combat)
6. Warp Factor (Combat)
7. Stalker (Combat)
8. Link-Up (Teamwork)
9. Accessory Slots for each character (Stats)
10. Magic Action (Magic)

Armiger

These skills affect Noctis' Armiger ability, a special state you can trigger that allows him to unleash a flurry of devastating attacks with his arsenal of weapons.

Armiger Perks

• Iron Armiger - Reduce Armiger bar depletion during Armiger by 30%. (24 AP)
  • Armiger Action - Gain 1 AP every time you conjure Armiger. (48 AP)
  • Armiger Harvester - Boost Armiger bar gain from attacks by 30%. (24 AP)

Armiger Chain Perks

• Armiger Warchain - Boost Armiger Chain damage by 50%. (24 AP)
  • Armiger Chain Reaction - Gain 1 AP every time you unleash Armiger Chain. (48 AP)
  • Armiger Freechain - Gain unlimited MP for 60 seconds after executing Armiger Chain. (72 AP)
  • Armiger Sagechain - Boost experience gained from Armiger Chain kills by 100%. (99 AP)

Magic

These skills affect Noctis' ability to absorb magical elements from the environment and craft spells.

Elemental Absorption and Magic Power

• Elementalism - Absorb more energy from elemental deposits (24 AP)
  • Elementality - Absorb even more energy from elemental deposits (72 AP)
  • Enhanced Elementality - Absorb much more energy from elemental deposits (99 AP)
  • Elemagnetism - Enhance energy absorption rate of elemental-absorbing weapons (48 AP)
  • Magic - Enhance the magic of each party member by the number of levels gained. The effect of similar abilities do not stack. (48 AP)
  • Magic Level II - Enhance the magic of each party member by the number of levels gained. The effect of similar abilities do not stack. (99 AP)

Spell Potency and Crafting Perks

• Powercraft - Enhance potency by 10 when crafting spells. (20 AP)
  • Extra Powercraft - Enhance potency by 30 when crafting spells. (99 AP)
  • Super Powercraft - Enhance potency by 50 when crafting spells. (555 AP)
  • Ultimate Powercraft - Enhance potency by 100 when crafting spells. (999 AP)
  • Magic Action - Gain AP for using elemancy. (24 AP)
  • Bonuspell - Receive an extra spell when crafting. (333 AP)
  • Bonuspell II - Receive two extra spells when crafting. (999 AP)

Recovery

Upgrading Recovery skills enhances Noctis' and his party's ability to recover HP, MP, Stamina, and more in battle.

Noctis Recovery Perks

• Hang In - Increase HP recovery rate while hanging after point-warp. (12 AP)
  • Sprinter - Boost Stamina (24 AP)
  • Distance Runner - Further enhance stamina. (99 AP)

Prompto/Gladiolus/Ignis Recovery Perks

• Rapid Regen - Raise HP and MP recovery rate while in cover. (10 AP)
  • First Aid - Recover a bit of HP with a first aid kit when HP is low. (24 AP)
  • Advanced First Aid - Recover a little HP with a fancy first aid kit when HP is low. (99 AP)
  • Expert First Aid - Recover HP with a fully-stocked first aid kit when HP is low. (333 AP)

Party Recovery Perks

• Savior's Fortitude - Boost an ally's defense after taking them out of danger. (20 AP)
  • Savior's Force - Boost an ally's attack after taking them out of danger. (48 AP)
  • Comeback - Fully restore an ally's HP after taking them out of danger. (99 AP)
  • Savior's Vengeance - Boost an ally's critical hit rate after taking them out of danger. (48 AP)

Techniques

Upgrading Techniques grants Noctis and his party special attacks and enhancements to bring into battle.

Noctis Techniques

• Tech Strike - Add to tech bar when Noctis lands attacks. (48 AP)
  • Tech Damage - Add to the tech bar when Noctis suffers damage. (99 AP)
  • Quick Tech - Accelerate tech bar replenishment rate for entire party. (333 AP)

Prompto Techniques

• Starsshell - Draw enemy attention across a wide area with a firearm. Weakens daemons. Depletes the tech bar by one. (8 AP)
  • Gravisphere - Draw enemies in an area closer together with machinery by creating a gravitational field. Depletes the tech bar by two. (18 AP)
  • Trigger-Happy - Unleash a barrage at multiple enemies with a pair of firearms. Depletes the tech bar by three. (72 AP)
  • Limit Break - Break limit on damage from Prompto's techniques. (999 AP)
  • Recoil - Deal heavy damage with machinery by overloading its energy output. Depletes the tech bar by two. (18 AP)

Ignis Techniques

• Regroup - Bring all allies together in stalwart defense. Rescues from danger and restores Hp quickly. Depletes the tech bar by two. (8 AP)
  • Enhancement - Imbue Noctis's weapon with the element gis target is weakest to. Depletes the tech bar by one. (18 AP)
  • Sagefire - Unleash a devastating fire attack with daggers. Depletes the tech bar by three. (72 AP)
  • Limit Break - Break limit on damage from Ingis's techniques. (999 AP)
  • Overwhelm - Concentrate ally attacks on a foe with devastating Deathblow strikes. Depletes the tech bar by two. (18 AP)

Gladiolus Techniques

• Dawnhammer - Deal heavy damage to a single enemy with a powerful greatsword slash. Depletes the tech bar by two. (8 AP)
  • Royal Guard - Move quickly to guard Noctis with a shield. Depletes the tech bar by one. (18 AP)
  • Impulse - Ambush enemies with a frontal sweeping greatsword area attack. Depletes the tech bar by three. (72 AP)
  • Limit Break - Break limit on damage from Gladiolus's techniques. (999 AP)
  • Cyclone - Deal damage to nearby enemies with a fearsome shield shockwave. Depletes the tech bar by two. (18 AP)

Combat (For Noctis Only)

These combat skills focus purely on Noctis' offensive and defensive skills, attributes, and abilities.

Aerial Maneuvers

• Airstep - Use left stick and O to take a step in midair after attacking (costs MP), one time only. (6 AP)
  • Airsplip - Dodge enemy attacks in mid-air by holding square. (16 AP)
  • Airstride - Perform a second Airstep after a second midair attack. (52 AP)
  • Airdance - Airstep after midair attacks an unlimited number of times. (333 AP)
  • Death Drop - From afar press O in midair to warp into range and strike down from above. (28 AP)
  • Osmostrike - Recover MP when an aerial attack connects. (52 AP)

Phasing Cost

• Light Phase - Reduce MP cost of phasing. (8 AP)
  • Ultralight Phase - Further reduce the MP cost of phasing. (32 AP)
  • Experimagic - Increase Noctis's MP by the number of levels he has gained. The effects of similar abilities no not stack. (99 AP)

Warpstrike and Blindside Strike

• Chained Fury - Boost damage dealt when unscathed during chain attacks. (10 AP)
  • Warp Factor - Boosts warp-strike damage. (24 AP)
    • Daemon Destroyer - Warp-strike to break daemon appendages. (24 AP)
  • Warp Factor Level II - Further boost warp-strike damage. (52 AP)Point-Blank Warp-Strike - Deliver a critical hit when warp-striking at close range. (333 AP)
  • Stalker - Boost blindside damage. (28 AP)
  • Super Stalker - Further boost blindside damage. (64 AP)

Evasive Maneuvers

• Blink - Phase through an enemy's attack without using MP by pressing square at the last second. (16 AP)
  • Blink Boost - Recover a bit of MP by blinking through attacks at the last second. (32 AP)
  • Impervious - Negate damage by pressing square immediately after being hit. (333 AP)
  • Warp Decoy - Leave a hologram to divert enemies after warping. (99 AP)
  • Static Edge - Significantly increase damage dealt after entering stasis. (34 AP)

Teamwork

Teamwork skills enhance Noctis' party, providing them with a wide range of perks and damage bonuses.

Prompto Cooperative Perks

• First Shot - Gain first strike against a nearby enemy with a firearm. Adds to tech bar. (6 AP)
  • Shock Drop - Electrocute an enemy with machinery when Noctis attack it in midair. (24 AP)
  • Sharp Shock - Boost Shock Drop damage. (99 AP)
  • Scintilla - Deliver a counterattack and stun enemies with a firearm. (18 AP)
  • Ballistic - Swiftly unleash damage on an area with a firearm. Makes enemies flinch. (64 AP)

Gladiolus Cooperative Perks

• Reflex - Deliver a powerful counterattack with a greatsword. Makes enemies flinch. (6 AP)
  • Engage - Gain first strike by delivering a powerful greatsword slash. (18 AP)
  • Intercept - Protect Noctis from enemy attacks with a shield. (64 AP)
  • Antagonize (Gladiolus) - Make an enemy flinch with a paralyzing kick while Noctis is defending. (24 AP)
  • Acute Antagonism - Boost Antagonize damage. (99 AP)

Ignis Cooperative Perks

• Analyze - Automatically scan most enemies weaknesses at the onset of battle. (6 AP)
  • Lancet - Deliver a counterattack and drain an enemy's HP with a polearm. (18 AP)
  • Regenerate - Heal an ally with a hidden recovery item. (99 AP)
  • Vemon Fang - Poison an enemy with daggers when Noctis chain attacks it. (24 AP)
  • Virulent Venom - Boost Venom Fang damage. (64 AP)

Party Cooperative Perks

• Link Up - Boost link strike damage. (8 AP)
  • Super Link Up - Further boost link-strike damage. (32 AP)
  • Critical Link - Always deliver a critical hit when link-striking. (333 AP)
  • Limitless Link - Break limit on link-strike damage. (999 AP)
  • Deathblow (All except Noctis) - Deliver a devastating blow to a vulnerable enemy. (16 AP)
  • Ultimate Deathblow (All except Noctis) - Deliver an utterly devastating blow to a vulnerable enemy. (99 AP)

Stats

These skills affect the stats of Noctis and his party by increasing their health, spirit, vitality, and accessory slots.

Base Stats

• Health Level I - Increase HP of each party member by 2x the number of levels gained. The effects of similar abilities do not stack. (10 AP)
  • Health Level II - Increase HP of each party member by 5x the number of levels gained. The effects of similar abilities do not stack. (99 AP)
  • Health Level III - Increase HP of each party member by 10x number of levels gained. The effects of similar abilities do not stack. (333 AP)
  • Spirit Level - Increase spirit of each party member by the number of levels gained. The effects of similar abilities do not stack. (99 AP)
  • Vitality Level - Increase vitality of each party member by the number of levels gained. The effects of similar abilities do not stack. (99 AP)

Accessory Slots

• Accessory Slot (Noctis) - Equip two accessories. (16 AP)
  • Accessory Slot (Noctis) - Equip three accessories. (333 AP)
  • Accessory slot (Gladiolus) - Equip two accessories. (16 AP)
  • Accessory Slot (Gladiolus) - Equip three accessories. (333 AP)
  • Accessory Slot (Ignis) - Equip two accessories. (16 AP)
  • Accessory Slot (Ignis) - Equip three accessories. (333 AP)
  • Accessory Slot (Prompto) - Equip two accessories. (16 AP)
  • Accessory Slot (Prompto) - Equip three accessories. (333 AP)

Exploration

Upgrading Exploration Skills enhances the special talents of Noctis and his party.

Survival Skills (Gladiolus)

• Happy Camping - Increase AP gained for making camp. (20 AP)
  • Happier Camping - Further increase AP gained for making camp. (48 AP)
  • Fitter Survival - Occasionally double the items from Gladio's survival skill. (99 AP)
  • Fittest Survival - Receive double the items from Gladio's survival skill. (999 AP)
  • Roadrunning - Gain AP for long trips in the car. (32 AP)
  • Roadlife - Gain experience for long trips in the car. (99 AP)

Fishing Skills (Noctis)

• Angler Action - Gain AP for catching a fish. (18 AP)
  • Item Angler - Double the items gained from fishing. (84 AP)
  • Sportfishing - Gain more AP for reeling in a big catch. (99 AP)
  • Expert Item Angler - Triple the items gained from fishing. (Angler 555 AP)
  • Reel Experience - Gain experience for catching fish. (333 AP)

Photography Skills (Prompto)

• Snapshot - Take photos in battle. Up to five can be saved. Depletes the tech bar by one. (12 AP)
  • Aperture - Chance of gaining AP through Snapshot. (333 AP)

Cooking Skills (Ignis)

• Aftertaste - Extend the status boost time from meals eaten at camp. (18 AP)
  • Lingering Aftertaste - Further enhance status boost time from meals eaten at camp. (99 AP)
  • Persistent Aftertaste - Greatly enhance status boost time from meals eaten at camp. (333 AP)
  • Appetize - Gain AP for cooking someone's favorite food. (20 AP)

Chocobo Riding

• Chocojockey - Gain AP for winning chocobo races. (32 AP)
  • Chocoracer - Gain experience for winning chocobo races. (99 AP)
• Chocobump - Gain AP for long trips by chocobo. (32 AP)
  • Chocobonus - Gain experience for long trips by chocobo. (99 AP)

Wait Mode

Wait Mode is a special battle mode you can trigger from the options menu. It allows you to pause the action in a fight after halting your movement, giving you time to decide what to do next. These skills are only worth obtaining if you use this mode.

Wait Mode Warp Strike Perks

• Warp Ambush - During Wait Mode, warp-strike an enemy not targeting Noctis to increase the likelihood of breaking its appendage. (18 AP)
  • Warp-Punish - During Wait Mode, warp-strike an enemy with half or less of its HP remaining to increase damage inflicted. (99 AP)

Wait Mode Recovery Perks

• Presto Libra - Scan enemies even faster when using Libra. (12 AP)
  • Time-Restore - Restore the Wait Timer by defeating an enemy. (48 AP)
  • Time-Freeze - Stop the Wait Timer from depleting. (99 AP)

Wait Mode Damage Perks

• Elementalist - Boost damage inflicted by a scanned enemy's elemental weakness. (32 AP)
  • Sage - Boost damage inflicted by allies for each enemy scanned. (99 AP)

For more on Final Fantasy XV, check out the news and features below.

• Final Fantasy 15 Review
• Beginner's Guide
• Money Making Guide
• Final Fantasy 15's 10-Year Graphical Evolution

Overwatch's test servers have been updated again on PC, this time introducing the shooter's newest map.

Oasis, as it's called, was first revealed back at BlizzCon. It's a Control map with some unique elements, including moving traffic that can kill you and jump pads, which director Jeff Kaplan has suggested introduce some new wrinkles when combined with certain characters' Ultimates.

"Oasis is one of the world's most advanced cities, a shining jewel rising from the Arabian Desert," reads Blizzard's official description. "A monument to human ingenuity and invention, researchers and academics from around the region came together to found a city dedicated to scientific progress without restraints. The city and its inhabitants are governed by the Ministries, a collection of brilliant minds who possess many secrets that have attracted the interest of powerful organizations from around the world."

Anyone with a PC copy of the game can check out the map for themselves now. To do so, you'll need to make sure you've downloaded the PTR version of the game (accessible through Blizzard's launcher), which is free to PC owners. Alongside the new map, you can check out some other upcoming content and changes--most notably, the reworked version of Symmetra.

There's no word on when Oasis (or any of the other changes currently on the PTR) will go live in the proper game. Blizzard previously said Oasis wouldn't be out on the PTR until December, so the company is slightly ahead of schedule with today's release.

The latest update to Titanfall 2 is now available, and adds a remastered favourite Titanfall map to the rotation, Angel City.

For those that wish to spend some time getting to know Angel City, a new 24/7 playlist is available for preorder customers only, unlocking for everybody else on December 2. The playlist will remain available "as long as it remains popular," according to the patch notes.

Non-preorder customers can also get early access to the Angel City 24/7 playlist if they are invited into a match by a fellow network member.

A brace of new titan kits have been added, including but not limited to:

• RONIN: Phase Reflex - When doomed, Ronin phases out of danger.
• TONE: Burst Loader - Aiming allows the 40mm to store up to 3 shots to burst fire.
• ION: Refraction Lens - Splitter Rifle splits 5 ways.

There are also a bunch of new titan art, callsign, and camo packs added to the store for purchase.

Features-wise, all platforms now have an FOV slider, a slider to adjust film grain, a series of fine-tuning options for gamepad players, and more.

To see the full list of new content, features, and balances changes, take a look at the patch notes over on the Titanfall 2 forums.

Advance tickets for Star Wars: Rogue One went on sale on Monday--and they were popular. Variety is reporting that the spinoff netted the second-highest first day of pre-sales in US box office history.

As you might have guessed, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the only movie to make more from its first day of ticket pre-sales.

There is no word yet on how many tickets were sold on Monday, though leading ticket sites Fandango and MovieTickets.com reported that Rogue One had the biggest first day for pre-sales all year.

Rogue One's story follows a group of rebels led by Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) as they attempt to steal the plans to the Death Star. On the Imperial side, Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones) appears in the Gareth Edwards-directed movie, while the villainous Grand Moff Tarkin seems to be in the film. Additionally, Ben Mendelsohn plays the evil Orson Krennic, who will be a different kind of villain, according to the Dark Knight Rises actor.

In other news about Rogue One, box office estimates peg the film at making $130 million or more for its December 16-18 opening weekend in the United States. That would be the second-biggest December US opening in history, behind only 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Star Wars Battlefront is getting Rogue One-themed DLC before the movie's premiere next month. It's called Rogue One: Scarif and adds Erso and Krennic as playable hero characters.

."

What a long, strange trip it's been.

After 10 long years, Final Fantasy 15 is finally out, ready for intrepid explorers looking for epic battles and valuable treasure. There's a lot to consider at any moment in battle, and if you want to be efficient and successful in the open world, there are best practices that will help you save time, earn money, and quickly level up your party. To give you a leg up, these are some of the best tips and tricks to get you started.

Generate infinite stamina and run forever.

We know you want to dive into Final Fantasy 15 as soon as you can. But before you do, consider hopping into the Options menu. Beyond adjusting control and audio preferences [not a fan of the english voice actors? Give the Japanese track a spin] there are other settings that can have a big impact in the long run.

Though you travel most of the world by car, you spend a lot of time on foot when you unbuckle and explore wild habitats and dungeons. Noctis can sprint until his stamina meter runs out, at which point he will jog until his meter refills at least halfway. The best way to manage this process is to make sure the stamina meter is visible in the first place, which can be set within the options menu.

Monitoring your stamina meter is also a critical part of executing the game's hidden infinite stamina trick. It works like this: the moment before your stamina runs out, quickly let go and re-press the run button. This causes to Noctis dash forward, glow green for an instant, and then his stamina bar will instantly refill.

Adjust the battle camera.

By default, the in-game camera sticks fairly close to the action during combat. This isn't usually a problem, but as battles grow in scale over time, adjusting the camera ultimately feels more like a requirement than an option. It simply makes your life easier when the going gets tough. To set this up, head into the camera settings menu and adjust the distance to the far setting.

Warp regularly in combat.

When the going gets tough, you can usher Noctis to safety mid-battle by taking advantage of nearby warp-points, a tactic the game teaches you early on. Attaching yourself to a warp-point not only gives you a chance to catch your breath and assess the battle at hand, it instantly refills your MP meter--used for warping and phasing through enemy attacks.

These are easy principles to understand, but given the pace of combat, you may not think of halting your flow, but you should; when you run out of MP, Noctis enters stasis and moves sluggishly, incapable of tapping into his innate powers.

Warping thus gives you an easy means to keep the action going by constantly having a fresh source of power. Noctis can also warp-attack enemies, and the further the distance, the greater the damage multiplier that's applied to his attack. Given that warp-points are typically set up high on the edge of an arena, they are the perfect place to warp-attack enemies for maximum damage.

Pay your compliments to the chef.

When you pull over at roadside rest stops and outposts, look for the fork and knife icon to locate a restaurant or food merchant. Eating food is one way to give yourself an advantage in battle as the game's numerous dishes boost your party's HP, attack and defense ratings, and other stats, depending on what you eat. Be careful not to rest at camp or a motel after eating, however: it will negate your buffs by the time you wake up.

Be sure you don't dine and dash: the people selling food are valuable sources of information. A quick chat with service staff will pinpoint local shops, item procurement points, and treasure locations on your map. It's easy to waste time by accidentally wandering around a map in search of any of the above, so the best way to save yourself the trouble is to take advice whenever and wherever you can. Do this at every location the first time you visit and you'll be thankful in the long run.

Take on bounties to earn money.

Money is difficult to come by in Eos, in part because--unlike past Final Fantasy games--enemies no longer drop gil in battle. To earn extra gil and have enough on hand to purchase restorative items before a big battle, make sure to speak to the same cooks we mentioned earlier to sign up for monster bounties. These side quests send you out into the field to kill a particular group of monsters, and there are bounties for players of all levels, so you don't have to wait to get started. Completing a bounty usually results in a four-figure payout and an expensive or hard-to-get restorative item.

Avoid travelling at night until later in the game.

After a hard day in the field, you may find yourself out and about at nightfall, but be careful. Once the moon rises, high-level enemies can rise from the earth at a moment's notice, putting your party and your progress in serious danger--you can only apply earned-XP by sleeping, after all. There will come a day when you are strong enough to wander freely after dark, but when you see the sun begin to set, consider heading to a nearby outpost or campsite to catch your breath and wait for sunrise. Besides: Eos is not only its safest in the daytime, it's also when it looks its best.

Rack up XP and stay at a trailer, motel, or a fancy hotel.

The added benefit of calling it a day and heading in for the night is that you get to cash in your party's experience points and--hopefully--level up. To get the most out of your hard-earned XP, consider staying in a camper, motel, or a hotel, rather than a campsite. While campsites give you a chance to eat food and temporarily buff your stats, the aforementioned options come with valuable XP multipliers, albeit in exchange for gil. At 30 Gil per night, campers come with a 1.2x multiplier. For 300 gil, roadside motels offer 1.5x your earned-XP. In Galdin Guay, for a whopping 10,000 gil, your XP is doubled. Motels are your best bet to make progress without, so keep track of where they're located and you will level up fast without breaking the bank.

Examine the map for curious landmarks.

When you think you've seen everything in Eos, think again. There are many hidden dungeons and secret items strewn about the world. They aren't always easy to find, but if you examine your world map and keep an eye out for structures or anything that looks curiously tucked away in nature, examine it first-hand and you may be surprised what you find.

Use accessories strategically.

Every member of your party comes with different strengths and weaknesses, and it's important to manage your equipment accordingly to ensure that you're getting the most out of your allies in battle. To give them a fighting chance, consider bolstering Prompto and Noctis' HP with bangle accessories. Prompto has low HP anyway, and Noctis--being the leader of the pack--can use all the health he can get. Ignis is a great magic user, so focus on boosting his magic stats, and of course, put spells in his secondary weapon slot. Even though Gladiolus is strong, he attacks slowly; focus on accessories that boost his attack rating to get the most out of every hit.

Study the Ascension Grid and plan ahead.

The Ascension Grid is where you spend valuable ability points earned while leveling up and performing various tasks around Eos. The one problem: AP belongs to your entire team, not individual characters. To plan ahead and avoid buyer's remorse, study every panel and pinpoint the short- and long-term abilities you want the most.

To get you started, consider focusing on abilities that boost Noctis' warp attack and ones that increase the your chances of performing link-strikes with teammates.

Take your time and enjoy everything Eos has to offer.

It may sound simple given the open-world nature of the game, but take your time when running between story missions and be sure to sample the various types of side-quests that come your way. Final Fantasy XV's story moves fast towards the end, and it's easy to get swept up in the chain of events and lose sight of the opportunities that surround you. Diversifying your efforts across Eos will not only give you multiple chances to earn extra money and XP, but it will help you uncover the game's biggest secrets to boot.