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8 things to watch out for this weekend

By Feature 

Assassin's Creed Origins' free god battles, Black Friday accelerates 4K gaming, and the new Netflix Original to binge

(Left to right) Assassin's Creed Origins' giant crocodile god, Sobek, PS4 Pro Black Friday bundles for sub $399, and new Netflix original Godless.

(Left to right) Assassin's Creed Origins' giant crocodile god, Sobek, PS4 Pro Black Friday bundles for sub $399, and new Netflix original Godless.

1. Assassin's Creed Origins is doing post-release content the right way

Chances are that you’ve finished Assassin’s Creed Origins and are now wandering Ancient Egypt taking pictures of beautiful vistas and the odd selfie with a camel. While AC Origins is a single player, finite world, Ubisoft's reason to return delivers a free timed event featuring a fantastical battle against a giant Egyptian crocodile god. If you’re nearing level 40 and looking for a challenge, the limited time Trials of the Gods event pits you against Egyptian deity, Sobek until November 28. The second of the four free post release gods, Sobek hands over an exclusive loot item and a chance at an exclusive Anubis suit once you’ve beaten all of them into submission. Easy as it is to criticise publishers' oft token and expensive post-release plans, it's refreshing to acknowledge a gesture of a different scale. Louise Blain

What: Trials of the Gods
Where: Assassin’s Creed Origins
When: Until November 28

2. Is Black Friday the right time to make the leap to 4K gaming?

So many of us have been on the fence about 4K and this Black Friday weekend / Cyber Monday is, for those on more attainable budgets, the right time to make the jump to 4K. You can pick up good quality TVs that offer HDR and proper 4K for less than $500 / £400, the PS4 Pro is getting bundled for under $350 / £300, and you can always pick up Xbox One X for a little more. Netflix Ultra (£9.99 a month) is widely available and the price of 4K Blu-ray is coming down too. If you don’t jump in now… hey, that’s fine, but the cost is no longer prohibitive, and the games, movies, and TV shows are there for the taking. Treat yourself - Christmas You, who is playing Assassin’s Creed Origins in 4K will thank you for it. Andy Hartup

What: Black Friday / Cyber Monday
Where: Pretty much all online and high-street stores
When: Until November 27

3. Planes, Trains and Automobiles is still the best Thanksgiving weekend movie

Now 30 years old, Steve Martin and John Candy’s (anti) buddy-movie race across America to make it home in time for Thanksgiving is as brutally funny – and perhaps even more socially acute – than it was in 1987. Martin’s successful(ish) businessman predates modern entitlement culture, as he rages against travel company failure, bureaucracy, and customer service complicity. Candy’s lovable, socially disastrous, travelling salesperson inhabits the other end of the corporate spectrum… and it’s genuinely heartwarming to see them acknowledge their dependency on each other and mutual deficiencies. Planes, Trains and Automobiles is the best Thanksgiving movie ever, argues Salon, noting: “A story that reframes the ritual of Thanksgiving itself as a homecoming, not to one's family but one's self”. A must-watch this weekend. Dan Dawkins

What: Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Where: Stream it on Amazon Starz or rent it from Amazon for $2.99 (SD) in the US or stream it on Now TV, watch it on Sky Cinema, or rent it from Amazon UK for £2.49 (SD) in the UK.
When: Now

4. Animal Crossing Pocket Camp is doing microtransactions right

Turns out Animal Crossing Pocket Camp is using microtransactions in a surprisingly fair way thanks to their Leaf Tickets. Who would have thought it? Once you’ve downloaded the (free) game on your smartphone, you can shell out for Leaf Tickets. They’re traded for crafting materials, or used to speed up the time it takes to build things. Basically they cater towards us impatient individuals (*averts eyes awkwardly*). But they’re by no means essential for every single player: most of us can simply while away the time finding crafting materials by fishing, catching bugs, or befriending animals. Which sounds suspiciously like, y’know, playing the game. Plus even if you don’t pay for Leaf tickets, you sometimes get given them as rewards. Nifty, right? Zoe Delahunty-Light

What: Animal Crossing Pocket Camp
Where: On your iOS or Android
When: Now

5. Netflix’s new TV western might be the antidote to a sci-fi and fantasy heavy year 

With Game of Thrones and Stranger Things over for another year, Star Trek Discovery on its mid-season break, and The Walking Dead… well, finding new ways to fill time with every passing week, chances are you’re looking for a new TV show to binge. If you’ve already watched all of The Punisher (it hit Netflix last week), I’d suggest spending this weekend checking out Netflix’s new TV Original, Godless. It jumps on the western revival started by Westworld and, just like the HBO show, it gives the genre a twist without the use of sci-fi or fantasy elements. After a tragic mining accident kills all the men in the small town of La Belle, New Mexico the women learn to look after themselves. Something outlaw Frank Griffin learns the hard way when he comes a-calling. Lauren O’Callaghan

What: Godless
Where: Netflix
When: Now

6. Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves is taking on The Batman (and might win)

With War for the Planet of the Apes out on DVD and Blu-ray this coming Monday, this weekend is the perfect time to reacquaint yourself with director Matt Reeves. You know, the guy currently in charge of The Batman movie… With Warner Bros. getting a little bit too involved in Justice League, you could be forgiven for thinking Reeves has no chance at making The Batman movie work, but he’s proven he’s a clever filmmaker already with the likes of the Planet of the Apes franchise (that many mo-cap performances can’t be easy) and found-footage film Cloverfield. Despite Ben Affleck’s ‘Will he? Won’t he?’ involvement, Reeves might be the one to save the caped crusader’s solo film, so what better time to refamiliarize yourself with his work and marathon to the Planet of the Apes movies? Plus, they’re just really good. Lauren O’Callaghan

What: The Planet of the Apes trilogy
Where: You can get the whole set on Blu-ray for £25 from Amazon UK in the UK and $29.99 from Amazon in the US.
When: From November 27, 2017

7. South Park remains relevant and blisteringly offensive

The latest season of South Park continues to show that nothing is off-limits for Trey Parker and Matt Stone, as they take swipes at the recent decline in NFL viewing figures, online witch hunts, and (of course) Harvey Weinstein. If you’ve drifted away from the show, it's worth giving it another go, especially if you’re a fan of the recently released South Park The Fractured But Whole. Mainly because episode 4 is a prequel to the game – impressive given that the game was delayed multiple times during development. By the end of the season we should know just what the hell is going on with Cartman and Heidi but as long as he keeps making that face when he get’s annoyed with her (which is ALL the time) I’ll keep watching. James Jarvis

What: South Park season 21
Where: Airs every Wednesday in the US and every Friday in the UK on Comedy Central, or alternatively you can buy each episode on Amazon and Amazon UK.
When: Now

8. Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier on PS4 brings a new perspective to couch co-op play

Out this week, Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier is the latest PS4 release to take advantage of Sony's PlayLink tech, using mobile phones as controllers to allow you to play through with a group of friends. You won't find many action sequences over the course of this 2-3 hour cinematic adventure, as instead you'll mainly be choosing between two dialogue or action options to continue the narrative. Because these choices are voted on by all players, the story can spill from the game to your living room once the moral implications of your decisions start becoming clearer. If you want your desired faction to emerge victorious, or you're pushing for a peaceful resolution, then you'll need to convince your friends to vote the same way, sparking the sort of debate not normally found in your average multiplayer session. Mobile phone interactivity is oft dismissed as shallow, but Last Frontier – and the highly promising live-action adventure Erica where you can *literally* wipe character's tears – point to a more intuitive, nuanced, way to broaden gaming's appeal. Iain Wilson

What: Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier
Where: PlayStation 4
When: Now

8 Things to Watch This Weekend is published every Friday at 16.00 GMT / 11.00 ET / 08.00 PT. Follow @gamesradar on Twitter for the latest updates.

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