By Anonymous on Oct 21, 2017 08:30 pm (Sponsored by PlayStation) Funhaus's Lawrence Sonntag races against GameSpot's Ryan Peterson in the Semifinals of Gran Turismo Sport's Race On.
Although the Grand Theft Auto series truly rose to prominence when it transitioned to 3D with Grand Theft Auto III, it had already been around for years at that point. From its early days to GTA V's release and subsequent four years of success, GTA has become one of gaming's most influential franchises ever over its 20-year history, helping to redefine open-world design and gameplay.
To commemorate the anniversary of developer Rockstar's much-beloved series, we're detailing the advancements and innovations that each of its entries introduced. From its humble beginnings on PS1 and PC to the staggeringly persistent sales of Grand Theft Auto V, here's a look at the evolution of GTA and how it transformed into the household name it is today.
Following in the huge success of the series, its latest entry Grand Theft Auto V's online mode continues to do well. For the latest news and updates on GTA V's online mode on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, follow our full coverage here, including details on this week's new GTA content.
The first Grand Theft Auto must look archaic to fans of the more modern entries of the series. Its top-down perspective and jagged polygonal graphics are a far cry from the expansive, detailed city spaces we've come to expect. However, the game is still as crime-focused, mature, and violent as the series' subsequent entries.
At the time, Grand Theft Auto was a pioneering game that helped introduce the concept of open-world design to action games with its free-form, objective-based missions. The freedom it gave you to pursue missions and explore laid the groundwork for many of the series' hallmarks. It also introduced the three major fictional cities the series has often used as settings: Liberty City, San Andreas, and Vice City.
Grand Theft Auto: London 1969
Platforms: PC, PS1
Release Date: April 1999
Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 is an expansion for the first game. It introduced a new city to explore and expanded the number of cars to drive and activities to take part in, though it didn't change the formula of the original. Notably, London 1969 was the first standalone expansion pack to ever release on PS1.
Grand Theft Auto 2
Platforms: PC, PS1, Dreamcast, Game Boy Color
Release Date:
PC: September 1999
PS1: October 1999
Dreamcast: May 2000
Game Boy Color: December 2000
While not the genre-redefining step that its successor would become, Grand Theft Auto 2 was a solid step forward that expanded on the groundwork established by the first game.
Its major evolutionary shift came from its mission design. Instead of being forced through a linear sequence of missions, you now had the choice to freely accept missions from different--often opposing--gangs at any time. (Zaibatsu for life.) This created a chain of events that influenced how gangs perceived you.
Also new were side missions, which have since become a staple of the series. When not playing through the story content, you could earn money by being a taxi, bus, or delivery truck driver. In addition, the game saw advancements in pedestrian behavior; people would walk on the street or enter public transportation vehicles, and if they were criminals, steal cars or engage in random fights with the police.
Interestingly enough, Grand Theft Auto 2 released on four different platforms--even receiving a port on the Game Boy Color. The game would be the final core entry in the series to strictly utilize a top-down view--although an optional camera mode resembling it was included in Grand Theft Auto III and served as the inspiration for a GTA Online racing mode.
Grand Theft Auto III
Platforms: PS2, PC, Xbox
Release Date:
PS2: October 2001
PC: May 2002
Xbox: October 31, 2003
While Grand Theft Auto 1 and 2 were both proofs of concept for what an open-world action game could be, it was Grand Theft Auto III that took that idea to the next level. Unlike in its predecessors, you were free to walk from a third-person perspective through a living, breathing 3D city.
This simple shift in perspective increased your immersion within its world. With the open-world structure of its predecessors once again at play, the ability to freely take on missions or simply cause chaos was a satisfying and innovative gameplay loop. Storytelling was also more greatly emphasized this time around, with celebrity voice acting (Michael Madsen, Kyle MacLachlan, and Robert Loggia all played roles) and dramatic cutscenes. The protagonist, however, had little personality or backstory and wouldn't even get a name until a minor moment in San Andreas.
GTA III let you take to the sky for the first time, albeit in inelegant fashion. The Dodo was a biplane that could be found in the airport as a secret of sorts, but flying it took extreme precision and patience. Additionally, this was the first game in the series to add Hidden Packages as a secret collectible for players to hunt down.
While the game first released on PS2 in 2001, it later launched on PC in 2002 and Xbox in 2003. It was the first in a trilogy of Grand Theft Auto games that would come out within the next few years and influenced countless games to come.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Platforms: PS2, PC, Xbox
Release Date:
PS2: October 27, 2002
PC: May 12, 2003
Xbox: October 31, 2003
Released a year after GTA III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was an iterative sequel that expanded on III's framework. It offered an even more detailed city that was packed with new missions and vehicle types, like motorcycles and helicopters. Amid subtle quality-of-life improvements, one of the game's major additions was the ability to purchase businesses and properties, allowing you to increase your revenue stream and feel like you were making a mark on the game world.
The game's narrative presentation also received an upgrade, featuring a protagonist who actually talked (unlike GTA III's Claude) and felt like a proper character. Its story centered on Tommy Vercetti (voiced by actor Ray Liotta), a former member of the mob who was set up and had to take over the city before its violent gangs killed him.
Inspired heavily by Scarface, Vice City is most remembered for its 1980s time period, which it used predominantly in its satire of American pop culture. The game's soundtrack in particular is often considered one of the most iconic licensed video game soundtracks ever and helped the game to nail its '80s atmosphere.
While Vice City was first released as PS2-exclusive in 2002, it would later launch on PC and Xbox in 2003.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Platforms: PS2, PC, Xbox
Release Date:
PS2: October 26, 2004
PC & Xbox: June 7, 2005
The third and final entry in what became known as the GTA series' "3D universe," Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas again built on the previous two games while taking players to another radically different setting. The titular San Andreas was absolutely massive; while III and Vice City allowed players to explore different portions of a single city, San Andreas dramatically expanded on that with full-fledged takes on Los Angeles (Los Santos), San Francisco (San Fierro), and Las Vegas (Las Venturas).
At the time, San Andreas's world was staggeringly large--which is just as well, as it needed that space to facilitate the newly introduced trains and planes. The latter finally provided a more rapid form of air transport, as previous games limited players to helicopters, the hard-to-fly Dodo, and, in Vice City, a single seaplane.
San Andreas's story centered around Carl Johnson, who was a more dynamic protagonist than previous characters. The game introduced a new RPG-style character progression system that allowed Carl to grow in a number of ways--both figuratively and literally. Heading to the gym and taking part in mini-games provided the opportunity to increase his stamina and strength, but he also had to eat. Indulge in too many cheeseburgers and he would gain a substantial amount of weight, which could impact gameplay. As a whole, the game featured a marked shift toward focusing West Coast street gangs and was heavy influenced by 90's hip-hop culture.
As with the two previous games, San Andreas debuted on PS2 before later being ported to both PC and Xbox.
Grand Theft Auto Advance
Platforms: Game Boy Advance
Release Date: October 26, 2004
Grand Theft Auto Advance, which was officially marketed under the name Grand Theft Auto, was the first entry in the series released exclusively on handheld devices. It released alongside San Andreas, but despite the move to 3D in the console games, Advance used the top-down perspective and Liberty City setting of earlier entries.
Advance did mix in some elements of more recent games, adding side missions from GTA III and the ability for cars to flip over. Despite the ambition of bringing GTA to a handheld, the game was maligned for its mediocre story and technical limitations. It marked the only game in the series developed outside of Rockstar, having been created by Digital Eclipse.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Platforms: PSP, PS2
Release Date:
PSP: October 24, 2005
PS2: June 6, 2006
Although it's been forgotten by many, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories was a significant game for the series. It marked the first 3D GTA game released on a handheld, bringing a comparable version of Liberty City from GTA III to PlayStation Portable. It also introduced a six-player local multiplayer mode, marking the franchise's first foray outside of single-player.
Liberty City Stories was a prequel game starring one of the characters you met in the game on which it's based--in this case, GTA III's Toni Cipriani.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Platforms: PSP, PS2
Release Date:
PSP: October 24, 2006
PS2: March 5, 2007
Like the console games, the Liberty City entry on PSP was followed up not long after by a game set in Vice City. Titled Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, the game was less novel than the previous one, as it couldn't pass itself off as the first handheld 3D GTA, nor did it introduce any major features that would become mainstays.
However, it did improve on Liberty City Stories, providing a larger overall experience with longer missions and more memorable characters. There was also a new empire system where you could take over properties, install illegal businesses, embark on missions to upgrade them, and then reap the rewards. Multiplayer also evolved with new competitive modes, but it remained a local-multiplayer-only affair.
Grand Theft Auto IV
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Release Date:
PS3 & Xbox 360: April 29, 2008
PC: December 2, 2008
As the first numbered entry in the series in more than six years and the beginning of what's known as the "HD universe," Grand Theft Auto IV set out to provide some major new innovations--with mixed results. With a shift toward a slightly more mature, darker narrative, it provided players with moral choices--such as whether or not to let a character live--that could impact the story. These didn't radically alter things and were limited in number, but they marked an attempt by the series to try something new.
Similarly, GTA IV emphasized relationships with other characters. Despite being new to the country, protagonist Niko Bellic was able to quickly make friends--but those friends expected not to be ignored. Thanks to the mobile phone in Niko's pocket, you could expect to be contacted for a date with women you were seeing or a round of bowling with dear cousin Roman.
Perhaps the game's biggest new feature was online multiplayer. It allowed up to 32 players to join together online for competitive and cooperative modes or to freely roam the city, albeit with no real objectives.
GTA IV evolved unlike any previous game in the series thanks to downloadable content. Its two DLC expansions, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, introduced new stories and characters set within the same city, as well as new mechanics. The motorcycle-centric Lost and Damned finally added checkpoints to missions, mercifully allowing you to pick up your progress after a failure without starting from the beginning. Gay Tony later added the BASE jumping activity and mission scoring.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Platforms: Nintendo DS, PSP, iOS
Release Date:
DS: March 17, 2009
PSP: October 20, 2009
iOS: December 18, 2014
Years after GTA had moved on from the classic top-down perspective, Rockstar came out with Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, a throwback to the early days of the series. It featured the same sort of open-world gameplay the series was known for but packaged it in a way that we hadn't seen in almost a decade.
The camera angle wasn't the only way Chinatown Wars differentiated itself from past entries. It featured a more stylized, comic book-esque art style (likely to accommodate the hardware constraints of the DS), the series' first asian protagonist, an "online" ordering system for ammo and weapons, and new types of interactions, such as breaking out the glass in a car to escape or turning a screwdriver to start a car. Police, an omnipresent threat to players in GTA, were no longer something to hide from; instead, you were encouraged to smash into police cars to disable them, which led to a reduction in your wanted level.
The game would later be released for PSP, which featured improvements to visuals. An iOS port would also release several years later.
Grand Theft Auto V
Platforms: PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC
Release Date:
PS3 & Xbox 360: September 17, 2013
PC: April 14, 2015
PS4 & Xbox One: November 14, 2015
Grand Theft Auto V is in many ways a culmination of everything the series has been building toward since its inception. The game grew both its single-player and multiplayer portions in significant ways, resulting in an experience that's far more multi-faceted than its predecessors.
In terms of single-player, GTA V took its missions--which had long been unrelated, standalone activities--and tied them together for heists. These multi-part missions feature an escalating story and allow you to build toward something, as you yourself are tasked with putting the pieces in place to pull off a bigger crime. GTA V also adjusted the series' formula by having you play as not one but three different protagonists you can freely switch between, sometimes even during the course of a mission.
GTA V's multiplayer component, GTA Online, continues to evolve to this day and has made the game a long-term moneymaker for Rockstar. It took GTA IV's concept of putting a bunch of players in an online version of a GTA city and ran with it. Up to 30 players can go about their business in a single instance of the city or take part in cooperative and competitive activities. Following a post-launch update, Rockstar introduced online heists, allowing players to collaboratively complete multi-part missions. While load times and matchmaking hurdles can mar the experience, the interlocking parts of four people working together in unison--some in the air, others scattered around on the ground--can be a beautiful thing.
It's through all of the GTA V's advancements to the formula and consistent updates to its online mode that the game remains a massive success and the pinnacle of the franchise's evolution as a whole.
Final Fantasy XV's multiplayer expansion, Comrades, has been delayed. Announced via Twitter, the expansion will be going live sometime in November.
The expansion, which would allow players to make their own avatars and go questing with friends online in Eos, was originally set to launch on October 31. The delay follows a rocky start to its beta in early August, which led to second beta phase being added.
Due to final adjustments & to create the best possible experience, the online expansion #FFXVComrades will now be released in early November pic.twitter.com/0DV08nRpv8
The initial beta was plagued by server issues, and the second beta was meant to fix matchmaking issues that were present in the first round of the beta. Players could make an avatar and get some quests, but couldn't get into a lobby to experience the content.
While the tweet claims the delay is for some final adjustments, we can only hope that the extra polishing time will work out all the kinks when it does finally launch. Final Fantasy XV: Comrades is not a free update. It will be available as part of the title's $25 season pass or for purchase individually.
Each of the three different packs will include three playable characters, three history scenarios, new weapons and costume and new support conversations. All three packs will be available in the $20 season pass or can be purchased individually for $9. Those who purchase the season pass will also receive the bridal costume for Lucina.
Among other things, it could use a way to look at all of the demos that are available for download. Nintendo has relied on its News channel to convey certain Eshop information, but that's just not ideal; if you're picking up a system late or haven't checked in recently, there's no easy way to jump on the store and start downloading demos. There aren't a ton yet, but unless you know exactly which games have a demo and head directly to their Eshop page, you'll have to blindly look for them.
In lieu of an official solution, we've rounded up every game with a demo on the Switch Eshop. We'll continue to update this as more are released, but hopefully Nintendo has a fix on the way--particularly as the store continues to get crowded with more and more game releases. For a look at what Nintendo has improved about the system, check out the details of the latest big Switch system update.
Blaster Master Zero
A remake of the classic game Blaster Master, the demo of Blaster Master Zero allows you to jump into two different stages from the full game.
Disgaea 5 Complete
Disgaea 5's demo on Switch allows you to get a good taste of the full game's early portion, even allowing you to save your progress and return to it later. However, it's important to be aware that you can't transfer that save data to the full game--you'll be starting over from scratch if you decide to purchase it.
Just Dance 2017
Just Dance 2017 features a demo that supports play with the Joy-Cons or mobile devices. If you opt for the latter option, you'll also need to download the Just Dance Controller app (which you can easily grab by scanning a QR code the demo presents) and connect your phone and Switch to the same Wi-Fi network.
Just Dance 2018
Ahead of Just Dance 2018's release, a demo is available... but you can't currently get it on the Eshop. That will likely be resolved once the game is out and it's given an Eshop page, but in the meantime, you'll have to head to Amazon, "buy" the demo, and redeem a code on the Eshop.
The Zelda-like Oceanhorn's Switch demo allows you to play through the game's first full chapter and get a taste of combat and its world.
Pokken Tournament DX
Like Nintendo demos in the past, there are some restrictions on how much you're able to play the demo of Pokken Tournament DX. You're limited to a total of 15 matches, which can be played against the computer or a second player locally. The demo also features a tutorial to help you make the most of those matches.
Project Octopath Traveler
Despite being early enough that it doesn't even have a final title, a demo is out for Square Enix RPG Project Octopath Traveler. You can check out the first chapter of two different characters' stories.
Puyo Puyo Tetris
Puyo Puyo Tetris includes a fairly generous demo, with a tutorial, single-player, and multiplayer components, as well as a manual. Just be aware that the single-player mode is incredibly challenging.
Rayman Legends
The demo for Rayman Legends provides a selection of levels from the very beginning of the game. You can play it on your own or with a co-op companion locally using a pair of Joy-Cons.
Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together
Perhaps the single best co-op game on the platform, Snipperclips features a small demo with a few levels from the full game. As it's critical to the experience, you can play multiplayer locally, with each player using a single Joy-Con.
Spelunker Party
Spelunker Party's demo provides limited access to the full game's features, allowing you to dive into a cave with up to four players locally. There are some restrictions on local multiplayer, however, such as only the first player's gear accumulating experience. This is another game where you're able to play with another Joy-Con, making two-player co-op very easy.
Voez
Voez is a rhythm game where you play using the Switch's touchscreen. This makes it the rare title that can only be played in handheld mode, a limitation that extends to the demo. When first starting out, you'll be presented with a tutorial that helps to explain the controls.
Limited-Time Demos
You may have heard references to ways to try Arms and Splatoon 2 previously, but neither of these games offers a traditional demo. Instead, they have Global Testpunch and Testfire versions, respectively, which allow you to play a limited amount of each game online during very specific periods of time. There's been no word from Nintendo on when or if we will see either of these trial versions made playable again.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is the follow-up to 2014's The New Order. It once again centers around B.J. Blazkowicz and his struggle to overthrow the Nazi regime. This time around he's trying to set up a second American Revolution with the help of a militant group of resistance fighters.
With the game's release date set for October 27 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, we've compiled our most important features and gameplay videos detailing everything you need to know about Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. Check back often as we update this article with our in-depth review, additional articles, and videos.
Features
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus maintains the same action-heavy gunplay of its predecessor. The game features a variety of weapons, most of which can be dual-wielded. New this time around is a cover system to aid your approach in a firefight. For more of our impressions about the game and its provocative depiction of a Nazi-occupied America, check out the features below:
Every Cinematic Cutscene So Far--We collected every cutscene we have seen so far for Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus and put them all into one handy video for you. Be warned, this video is packed with spoilers.
Delivering A Nuke To Area 52 Gameplay--BJ Blazkowicz is back at it again! This time our well armed friend is fighting through a train to deliver a nuke to Area 52.
Super Mario Odyssey is the latest installment of Nintendo's tenured franchise starring the lovable Italian plumber. You once again control Mario as he works to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser. But this time around, he has the help of a new hat sidekick named Cappy, who he can throw at certain objects or enemies to temporarily posses them and use their unique abilities.
With Super Mario Odyssey's release date set for October 27 on Nintendo Switch, we've compiled our most important features and gameplay videos detailing everything you need to know about the game. Check back often as we update this article with our in-depth review, guides, additional articles, and videos.
Features
As a 3D-style Mario game, the emphasis is on exploration in Super Mario Odyssey. The game sports a multitude of open sandbox environments to navigate, which are each packed with enemies and platforming challenges. For more about our impressions about the game thus far, check out the features below:
By Anonymous on Oct 21, 2017 08:30 am Elliot has a new day job, and we say hello and goodbye to a Mr. Robot series regular. Greg breaks down Season 3, episode 2 - "Undo"!
Destiny 2 players have been able to play casual games of soccer at the Farm since the game's launch, and soon they'll also be able to take to the ice and play hockey. Bungie announced today that both hockey and snowballs that you can throw at people are coming to the game in the future.
The game's wintry makeover will be a part of The Dawning event, a limited-time competition that highlights Destiny 2's recently announced Season 2 of content. The first Dawning event took place last year in Destiny 1 and was headlined by Sparrow Racing League; this Dawning sounds like it'll be more focused on winter sports.
New items coming in The Dawning (image courtesy of Planet Destiny)
From our short look at hockey, it seems like it'll be similar to the soccer mini-game at the Farm. You can kick a puck around, trying to score it in the opposite goal. Throughout Destiny 2's playable areas, there'll also be snowballs you can grab, and throwing them at enemies will actually do damage.
The Dawning will also feature a unique set of gear and items to earn, including some cool-looking winter-themed cosmetic items, as well as a full set of Dawning-themed armor. It's likely that this gear will drop from Bright Engrams.
During its stream at Twitchcon today, Bungie revealed a lot of information about the future of Destiny 2. Players can look forward to frequent updates and new events, which come with new game modes, cosmetics, and gear.
First, Bungie announced that Destiny 2's future updates will be organized into four "seasons" per year. We're in the midst of the first season, which has so far featured Faction Rallies and Iron Banner as its main limited-time events. These seasons will feature different "themes", which will be defined by special cosmetic items. This means that some items will vanish once Season 1 ends, however.
New Iron Banner ornaments (image courtesy of Planet Destiny)
Bungie revealed that Destiny 2's second season will be headlined by the return of The Dawning, a big event that first debuted last winter in the original Destiny. The new Dawning will have different competitions. For example, hockey is coming to the Tower, and you'll be able to throw snowballs at other players and at enemies in the world. And yes, they'll actually do damage.
Although last year's Dawning was centered around Sparrow Racing League, Bungie has yet to say if the mode will return. However, there will be a unique set of Dawning armor to pursue.
In addition, Iron Banner will be held again in Season 2, although with some changes. Most notably, you'll be able to buy Iron Banner weapons directly from Lord Saladin. In the last Iron Banner, you could only get Iron Banner gear by earning engrams, which award pieces of loot randomly. Trials of the Nine will get a visual refresh, as well. Finally, a new competitive multiplayer map will also debut during Season 2, but Bungie didn't provide any specific details about it.
There's no word yet on when Season 2 begins, but it'll likely be some time after Destiny 2's launch on PC on October 24. After all, PC players still need a chance to complete Season 1 activities.
GameSpot News with Jess McDonell and Dan Crowd brings you the video game news that matters. Except when Chastity Vicencio and Kallie Plagge are filling in, when they also give you the news that matters, just in a different accent. Here are the top five stories from the week that was:
First Team To Beat Destiny 2's Prestige Leviathan Raid Used An Exploit
Destiny 2's hard-mode Leviathan Raid launched this week, and one team, Clan Redeem, beat it in an hour to become the world's first team to complete it. However, it's been discovered that Clan Redeem used a glitch involving the Wardcliff Coil rocket launcher to become the world's first team to complete the Leviathan Prestige Raid. So far, Bungie has not addressed the situation, though some fans feel Redeem's "world first" status should be disqualified in light of the exploit.
Pokemon Go Halloween 2017 Event And Gen 3 Release Details
A Halloween event has come to Pokemon Go and with it the introduction of third-generation Pokemon to the game! Hoenn Pokemon like Duskull, Banette, and Sableye join other spooky monsters like Cubone, Gastly, and Houndour for the event, during which you can get special rewards (like bonus candy). Plus, there's a Pikachu wearing a witch hat and a Mimikyu hat for your character! And if you like Halloween as much as we do, also check out our roundup of all the Halloween events in games.
Sony Is Publishing Nintendo Switch And PC Games Under New Label
Sony is publishing Nintendo Switch and PC games under a new label called Unties. It's a division of Sony Music Entertainment--not Sony Interactive Entertainment or PlayStation--intended to bring indie games to more players. Upcoming projects include a game called Tiny Metal, a turn-based strategy game inspired by Advance Wars, and two TBD projects. We don't expect exclusives and system-sellers like Uncharted to come to Switch, though; this is a separate deal.
Big Nintendo Switch Update Released, Adds Nice New Features
Yes, we talked about this a lot yesterday, but it's big news! Nintendo Switch got an update this week that adds gameplay capture, save data transfer, and more. With the 4.0 update applied, you'll be able to hold down the capture button and record the previous 30 seconds of gameplay. This currently only works with certain games, including Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Splatoon 2, Arms, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The other major new feature is the ability to transfer save data to a new Switch, similar to how it works with 3DSes.
EA Revamping Star Wars Single-Player Game, Shutting Down Dead Space Dev Visceral
On a much more somber note, EA has announced that it is shutting down Visceral Games, the studio responsible for its upcoming Star Wars game. While the game was supposed to be a linear, story-driven Star Wars experience, EA has said that it wants to change the game's direction to fall more in line with current market trends (which, if you read between the lines, sounds very similar to Destiny). Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the shuttering of Visceral.
Jess and Dan will be back next Monday to catch you up on all the video game news you missed out on over the weekend before they head off to PAX Australia later in the week, in which case the accents will probably change again. Stay tuned!
With Thor: Ragnarok coming to theaters on Friday, November 3, you may be wondering who some of the secondary characters are in the upcoming film. Over the course of the next week, we'll be taking a look at where some of these heroes and villains came from and their comic book origins.
Heimdall, who is played by Idris Elba, has already appeared in the first two Thor films, along with Avengers: Age of Ultron, so most fans have a decent idea of who this character is. However, the character's roots in comic books are a bit different.
Heimdall first appeared in Journey Into Mystery #85 back in 1962. He was created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Larry Lieber and modeled after Norse god Heimdallr. The guardian of the Rainbow Bridge out of Asgard has no direct relation to Thor, Loki, or Odin, but he is the brother of Sif, the one-time lover of Thor. Heimdall appeared quite a bit during the Silver Age of Marvel comics as a loyal servant to Odin and a friend of Thor; however, during the storyline Ragnarok, it seemed that Heimdall died.
After the cataclysmic event, a newly reborn Thor found Heimdall hiding in the body of a mortal man. Thor resurrected him and since then, Heimdall has watched over Asgard, which had been reconstructed on Midgard (more specifically in Oklahoma). Together, Heimdall, Thor, and other Asgardians eventually returned their land to its rightful place.
Heimdall is like most other Asgardians, as he has superhuman strength. On top of that, he can withstand great forces, has excellent stamina, and is extremely agile. What sets Heimdall apart is that he has incredible senses, being able to see and hear almost anything happening within Asgard. He doesn't need sleep as much as everyone else--like Odin, who goes into Odinsleep for months and years on end--and that makes Heimdall the perfect guardian for Asgard. Lastly, he's able to sense life forces and trouble within all Nine Realms; however, there have been times where his powers have betrayed him, like when Loki and Norman Osborn joined forces for the storyline Siege.
Looking for some reading material involving Heimdall? Check out these storylines.
Ragnarok: The world is coming to an end as Asgard faces foes from every realm. Can Thor and his allies stop Asgard from being destroyed? Written by Roy Thomas. Art by John Buscema. The collected edition contains Thor #272-78 and Thor: Ragnarok #1.
Siege: Loki and Norman Osborn join forces and imprison Heimdall to ensure a victory over Asgard. Written by Brian Bendis. Art by Olivier Coipel. Siege #1-4 are available in trade.
If you want to know more about the third Thor film, check out our review of Ragnarok. In it, GameSpot's Mike Rogueau said, "Thor: Ragnarok shines when it's allowed to stray from the formula set by a decade of predecessors in the MCU, and it seems Waititi is to thank for most of what feels fresh and new here. By the movie's end, Thor and co. have left much of their past behind, ensuring the future is exciting in its potential, especially as we approach the Infinity War storyline."
The biggest change is that Roman Reigns will not be able to perform. He was scheduled to join Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins as they reunited The Shield to take on the team of The Miz, Cesaro, Sheamus, Braun Strowman and Kane. Now, the match has even more meaning due to Reigns' replacement.
WWE has revealed that Hall of Famer and Raw General Manager Kurt Angle will step into the ring for the 5-on-3 handicap match, marking his first match for the company since his 2006 departure. Angle returned to WWE earlier this year and has been vocal about wanting to wrestle again in a WWE ring.
Meanwhile, the other change to the card impacts Finn Balor vs. Bray Wyatt--which has been dubbed The Demon vs. Sister Abigail. After missing two weeks of programming, Wyatt has officially been removed from the card. Replacing him will be Smackdown Live superstar AJ Styles, making it his first Raw match since being drafted to the Tuesday night show in 2016.
It's worth noting this match will be the first time Balor and Styles have faced each other in WWE, which is surprising given their history. With both men previously serving as leaders of the Bullet Club stable in New Japan Pro Wrestling, this is a match many fans have been waiting for.
WWE has not specified what precisely caused Reigns and Wyatt to be removed from the card. According to WrestlingInc, it's due to a case of the mumps. Officially, WWE said in a statement to ESPN, "We have confirmed that three of our performers have been diagnosed with a viral infection. As a precautionary measure, we are ensuring in-ring performers and staff are tested and immunized in accordance with recommended medical guidelines."
WWE TLC airs live on the WWE Network on Sunday, October 27, at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT. For some idea of what to expect, check out our TLC 2017 predictions.
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