1. Make sure you've marked the biggest gaming event of the year in your diary
The Golden Joystick Awards take place on November 16 at London's Bloomsbury Big Top, with none other that UK comedian and Assassin's Creed alumni Danny Wallace as the host. Voting has now closed for all categories, but you'll be want to be sure to set a reminder to tune in for the livestream, and here's how to watch the Golden Joystick Awards 2018 if you're not sure. When the show kicks off you'll be able to see all the big stars from the world of games, and see if your favorites from 2018 managed to take home Ultimate Game of the Year. To stay up to date follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Rachel Weber
What: The Golden Joystick Awards 2018
When: November 16
Where: London, UK and online
- The best games of 2018 (so far)
2. Hitman 2 is a wondrous, murderous fun, but suggests a rushed release
If you're anything like me and find working out various horrific (and hilarious) ways to take out a target utterly thrilling, you're probably going to love Hitman 2. Like the episodic 2016 reboot simply entitled Hitman, you and your old pal Agent 47 are about to go on a worldwide assassination adventure in a variety of ridiculous outfits and disguises. Hitman's trademark tongue-in-cheek humour is all there: whether you're wearing a ridiculous pink flamingo costume, or delivering a tattoo directly to someone's eardrum, there is plenty of silliness to get involved with. That's not to say that Hitman 2 is without problems though. It's clear that this was intended as an episodic release, as the game will ask you to download all levels individually, and the cutscenes feel incredibly rushed, failing to deliver with enough gravitas to suit its interesting, weaving narrative. It also fails to innovate in any way, apart from upping the NPC count to ridiculous numbers, allowing you to blend in when you're being spotted by goons in the bustling streets of Mumbai for example. If more of the same Hitman scares you, steer clear of this one, but if it's exactly what you want then this is the one for you. Sam Loveridge
What: Hitman 2
Where: PS4, Xbox One, PC
When: November 13
- Hitman 2 Ghost mode tips to help you assassinate your way to victory
3. Fallout 76 is out very soon, and having 24 people per server has sold me on its own, S.P.E.C.I.A.L. MMO formula
Well, the Fallout 76 beta is done and dusted (with radioactive nuclear fallout), which means that it’s not long now until Fallout 76 is out. With only 24 people for every Fallout 76 map, and roughly about 16 square miles to explore, the chances of you bumping into another player - especially if you stray from the starter Forest area - are slim. But when you do, it feels damned good. During my time with the beta the most frequent interaction I had with other players wasn’t a tense volley of bullets (okay, there was one occasion), but the mutual exchange of the heart emote. See, all those holotapes, letters, and curiously-positioned skeletons make it all too clear how many people perished in the fairly recent nuclear blast. The world feels fresh and new, but also very quiet - so when you meet another player there’s this elation at the chance of interacting with someone who’s alive and doesn’t want to claw your eyes out (not yet, anyway). And that’s what’s going to keep me coming back to Fallout 76: the players. I hope the same goes for you too. Zoe Delahunty-Light
What: Fallout 76
Where: Xbox One, PS4, PC
When: November 14
4. Snap up Star Trek Discovery on Blu-ray and go behind-the-scenes on one of the best sci-fi shows around
If you’re desperate for Star Trek Discovery season 2 to beam onto our screens, but can’t wait until January 2019 for your next Trek fix, then good news, the first season is getting its home release on Blu-ray and DVD this week. Snap it up and you could own all of Star Trek Discovery season 1 and start rewatching it on a loop until the second season arrives. If you’re based in the UK and wondering why you would bother when it’s all on Netflix anyway, then let me get to the best bit: the bonus features. Not only does the home release include all 15 episodes of the first season, but it also has two more hours of extras, including loads of behind-the-scene featurettes and sneak peeks. Particular highlights include the making of the Star Trek Discovery theme, a look at the make-up and prosthetics of the show, and a chat with the series’ on-set food stylist. With all this and more, there’s no better way to spend your time while you wait for the USS Discovery to warp back onto your screen. Lauren O’Callaghan
What: Star Trek Discovery season 1 home release
When: November 13, 2018 in the US and November 19, 2018 in the UK
Where: Amazon US and Amazon UK
- Star Trek Discovery season 1 ending - 8 questions we need answered
5. Spyro Reignited Trilogy is about to hit you right in the nostalgia glands
It's that time of year where everyone is starting to think about Christmas. Presents, food, trees and all that stuff, but it also makes me want to go back to being a kid again. And part of being a kid was playing the game Mr. Claus had stuffed in my stocking to give my poor parents another couple of hours sleep while I played PSOne in my room in the wee hours of Christmas Day morning. One of those games happened to be Spyro the Dragon, and so the idea of this gloriously remastered Spyro Reignited Trilogy arriving just in time to rocket me back to those days in the '90s where the little purple dragon was king. It's a glorious revamping of all three of the Spyro games, down to the music, levels and even making the dragons you save in the first game have their own personalities, this is a lovingly recreation and anyone who loves Spyro as much as I do, deserves to own this themselves. Sam Loveridge
What: Spyro Reignited Trilogy
Where: PS4, Xbox One
When: November 13
6. Take a break from Arthur Morgan and get more Lara Croft for just $5/£5
The first of seven planned DLC drops for Shadow of the Tomb Raider is The Forge, and its out this week. It is literally hot like lava, with a challenge tomb full of magma. The folks at Square Enix promise "details about a friend’s ancient legacy" - looking at the screenshots it seems like that friend is Abigaile Ortiz - and "a danger long thought to be lost in flame." Complete the DLC and you'll get a new Grenadier skill, a Brocken outfit, and an Umbrage 3-80 weapon, which seems a fair trade for playing an super advanced version of "the floor is lava." Rachel Weber
What: Shadow of the Tomb Raider: The Forge DLC
Where: PS4, Xbox One, PC
When: November 13
- 8 essential Shadow of the Tomb Raider tips you need to know before you play
7. The Sinner season 2 arrives on UK Netflix, with another amazing performance from Bill Pullman as a shambling cop inches from breakdown
The original season of The Sinner was a masterclass in the kind of murder thriller so tense it’s almost horror. While that focused on Jessica Biel's character, Cora Tannetti, and unraveling why she suddenly and without warning stabbed a man to death, the real star was Bill Pullman’s complex and broken Detective, Harry Ambrose. The show was full of twists and teases that kept you desperately trying to figure it all out, but Pullman’s character - barely holding it together through breakdowns and dubious, masochistic relationship choices - was a standout performance. And now he’s back, this time investigating why a thirteen-year-old boy apparently poisoned his parents in a motel room. Again, nothing appears to be what it seems, with the trailer suggesting the parents were up to… something? However it unfolds it’ll be worth watching just to see Bill Pullman’s Detective Ambrose muddle through balancing his sense of justice with continually collapsing attempts to keep his life together. Leon Hurley
What: The Sinner season 2
When: Out now
Where: Netflix UK
8. Act quickly to earn the rare Lil' Kev back bling in Fortnite
If you were playing Fortnite at the right time last Sunday, you would have witnessed the demise of Kevin - the affectionate name given to the giant purple cube that caused so much chaos around the island over the last couple of months. You can watch the full event in the link below, but basically Kevin exploded and transported all players into a floating dreamlike-expanse, before returning them to an updated map featuring a Leaky Lake filled with new islands and sporting a rainbow overhead - aww. If you played during the 24 hours following this event, you unlocked the chance for Kevin to live on forever by completing three Lil' Kev Challenges - play 15 matches, gain 5,000 XP, and outlive 500 opponents and the rare Lil' Kev back bling (complete with googly eyes on the side) will be yours, though you only have until 10am PDT / 6pm GMT on November 11 to hit those targets so get cracking! Iain Wilson
What: Fortnite Lil' Kev Challenges
Where: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, iPhone, Android
When: Now until November 11 10am PDT / 6pm GMT
8 Things to Watch This Week picks the best games, movies and shows of the next seven days every Friday at 9am PDT / 5pm BST.
