Netflix isn't having the best of luck with its recent genre-focused original movies. Bright--starring Will Smith and Joel Edgerton as buddy cops, one of which is an orc--was shredded by critics upon release. Still, the streaming service claims the movie is a success and ordered a sequel. After that, the streamer released The Cloverfield Paradox with little warning, and it suffered a similar critical fate.
Many were hoping this course would change with the arrival of Mute, the new film by Moon, Source Code, and Warcraft director Duncan Jones. Both Moon and Source Code received critical acclaim upon their release. Given that Mute had been positioned as something of a spiritual sequel to the former, it seemed like a home run.
And yet, somehow, things went horribly wrong. The first Mute reviews are in and they aren't exactly glowing. With a score of 35 on GameSpot sister site Metacritic, it's hard to find anyone who loved the movie. Before you decide whether to invest the time yourself, take a look at a sampling of reviews below.
Movie: Mute
Studio: Netflix
Release date: February 23
GameSpot
"From Netflix and Duncan Jones, Mute promised to be a return to form for the director and writer behind the instant classic 2009 mind-bender Moon (and, more recently, the less-than-classic Warcraft). Unfortunately, Mute is a cartoonish, nonsensical, tone-deaf, derivative, outrageously awful nightmare without a single redeeming quality. Bummer, right?" -- Michael Rougeau [Full review]
IGN
"The main problem with Mute is that it doesn't use its technologically-advanced backdrop to say anything new. There are hints of a war in Kandahar via a news video, problems with cloning, and a large number of American soldiers going AWOL, but other than those brief glimpses, co-writer/director Duncan Jones (Warcraft, Moon) has created a world that feels empty." -- David Griffin [Full review]
The Guardian
"In the parallel universe where everything's gone right for Jones, this long-labored-over passion project would have been his magnum opus, an idiosyncratically imagined futuro-fantasia worthy of the Blade Runner comparisons it so shamelessly courts. But while Jones has never been lacking in ambition, here that quality seems more like a willingness to 'go for it'. The depth of his creative commitment hasn't turned shallow, but it has been applied to a collection of perilously bad impulses." -- Charles Bramesco [Full review]
Uproxx
"Here's where I should be clear that Mute isn't a good movie. It manages to be both bizarre and boring. While I admire Jones' inventive details like a bowling ball that looks like a giant die, or a severed cow cartoon shilling for steak, or the way cell phones have advanced to where people don't acknowledge they've answered a ring before screaming hello into a startled room, the film simply looks cheap." -- Amy Nicholson [Full review]
The Wrap
"A dystopian noir that's neither especially compelling as a vision of the future nor as a hard-bitten mystery — much less as a quirky tale about a woodwork-gifted anti-hero — its arrival on Netflix this weekend suggests that the content-ravenous streaming service add a new category alongside 'Trending Now' and 'See It Again': 'Because You Literally Have Nothing Else To Watch.'" -- Robert Abele [Full review]
Slashfilm
"Mute is a disjointed, nihilistic trip through two distinct storylines that have almost nothing to do with each other--save for the fact that they inhabit the same world. Slowly, these storylines do come together, but never in a convincing or satisfying way. The end result is a frustrating film--one loaded with potential, but lacking distinction." -- Chris Evangelista [Full review]
Variety
"Got an old screenplay in your bottom drawer that's been rejected by practically everyone in town? Now's your chance: Netflix seems to be greenlighting second-rate 'content' like cinema was going out of style (and if the company's stream-at-home strategy succeeds, it just might). The latest beneficiary is Moon director Duncan Jones, who dusted off a 15-year-old idea, attached a few name actors, and delivered the latest disappointing Netflix Original with alliterative Mute, an over-designed but otherwise uninspired slice of sci-fi noir." -- Peter Debruge [Full review]
Season 3 of Fortnite's Battle Royale mode is underway on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, which means players can now pick up a new Battle Pass. As before, the Season 3 Battle Pass can only be purchased for 950 V-Bucks and lets players unlock items the more they play the game, including a slew of new outfits, gliders, emotes, and more.
For this season, Epic has added 30 more tiers to the Battle Pass, bringing the total number of tiers to 100. Despite this sizable increase, the studio says that players will still be able to unlock everything in the same amount of time it took to complete the Season 2 Battle Pass--roughly 75-150 hours of playtime by Epic's estimates. Players can also purchase tiers using V-Bucks to unlock items faster, and those who own the Season 2 Battle Pass will unlock five free tiers as a bonus in Season 3.
The Season 3 Battle Pass includes 76 items to unlock in all. Among the new one that players can earn this season are Back Blings--customization items for your character's back. Epic has also introduced new loading screens, skydiving effects trails, pickaxes, and more. You can see all the Season 3 Battle Pass rewards in our gallery.
Those who purchase the Season 3 Battle Pass will automatically gain access to a batch of free items, including the Mission Specialist Outfit. Epic is also offering a Battle Bundle, which includes the Season 3 Battle Pass and 25 tiers' worth of items, for 2,800 V-Bucks. Individual tiers, meanwhile, can be purchased for 150 V-Bucks each. You can read more about the Season 3 Battle Pass on the official Fortnite website.
Fortnite: Battle Royale is free to download and play on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, while the Save the World mode is currently still in paid early access. If you've yet to give the game a try, Xbox Live Gold members can purchase Fornite's various Founders Packs at a discount on the Xbox Store as part of this week's Deals with Gold.
One of the many challenges with creating a hero shooter like Overwatch is ensuring that each character is distinct and unique. Blizzard has done an admirable job in this regard, drawing on different cultures and inspirations to create the members of the roster. Zenyatta is particularly notable in this regard, as he's the only character to never set foot on the ground. Thanks to Blizzard, he's finally done so, and it's unsettling, to say to the least.
Zenyatta is different from all other Overwatch characters in that he floats in a zen-like position in mid-air; he never physically walks anywhere. A fan in attendance at a recent Overwatch League event brought with him a sign that called for Blizzard to finally let him walk, and so the company has obliged, as you can see below.
Now that you've got that image stuck in your brain forever, there is potentially more meaningful news on the Overwatch front. Blizzard has released a teaser in the form of an "after-action report" for something called Operation White Dome. It remains to be seen what this will actually turn out to be, but the speculation is that it could be setting up the reveal for a new Overwatch character. Game director Jeff Kaplan previously said that the game's next hero was already in testing back in January. He didn't offer any specifics but did say the character is "very needed."
We're currently in the midst of the game's new Lunar New Year event. That brought back a revamped CTF mode and introduced a lot of new Year of the Dog skins and cosmetics that you can still get your hands on for a limited time.
Since its release in late January, Dragon Ball FighterZ has suffered from issues relating to online multiplayer. These are still present almost a month later, but Bandai Namco has reassured fans that it's both aware of the problems and working on updates to resolve them--the first of which should be out quite soon.
In a video discussing the upcoming roadmap for FigherZ patches, producer Tomoko Hiroki states, "We've heard all of your feedback since the release, and we're fully aware of the online issues that you're having, such as the matching in Ring Match or being disconnected from the lobby. We're aware of the situation, and keen to resolve them with all our might."
The first step toward fixing the problems will come before the end of February, when a new update is scheduled for release. Hiroki doesn't specify what this will do precisely or which of the problems it will address, nor was a specific release date provided--she only says it'll be out in "late February."
"Please bear in mind that this first patch might not fix everything at once," she continues. "Therefore, we're also planning to release another patch in mid-[to]-late March to gradually resolve the issue. Rest assured that we will not stop until the fix has been completed."
As it does occasionally, Rockstar is providing a welcome freebie to players of Grand Theft Auto V. Players will be able to get some free money in GTA Online for a limited time, and in a roundabout way, everything available for sale will be discounted.
Attributing this to a move by the fictional San Andreas Treasury Department, Rockstar has announced a stimulus package for all players on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. By logging into GTA Online between now and February 26, you'll qualify for $250,000 of in-game cash. This won't be handed over immediately--you can expect it to reach your Maze Bank account sometime between February 27 and March 6.
In addition to that, Rockstar has kicked off a promotion that requires you to have GTA money now but will save you some in the long haul. Any in-game cash you spend from now until February 26 will get you a 10% refund (for example, spend $500,000, and you'll get $50,000 back in the bank.) The most you can earn back through this promotion is $1 million, though that'd require you to spend a whopping $10 million. The refund will be delivered on February 27.
You can stack this offer with this week's new sales, which include 25% off Executive Offices, all 10-car properties, and the Nagasaki Buzzard attack helicopter, among other vehicles. It's also not too late to take advantage of some of the other bonuses going on in GTA 5 this week, which coincided with the release of a new vehicle, the Vapid Hustler.
Following the release of its first DLC pack, The Hidden Ones, another Assassin's Creed Origins DLC is on the way, this one called The Curse of the Pharaohs. With its launch on PS4, Xbox One, and PC drawing near, we recently got to check it out.
In the video above, you can see about half an hour of gameplay from two different main story missions. These feature totally new locations you won't have ventured through previously, and they're home to some notable encounters. Those include one with some giant scorpions and a boss fight against an undead Nefertiti.
The Curse of the Pharaohs differs from The Hidden Ones in that it introduces a totally new storyline that is separate from that of the main game. You'll take on a variety of Egyptian beasts and famous pharaohs as you try to figure out why the dead are being brought back to life. In addition to the new areas, story, and enemies, you'll be able to acquire new outfits, gear, and weapons. Furthermore, it raises the level cap to 55.
Curse of the Pharaohs is due out on March 6 and is included in the $20 season pass or as a separate purchase. Before its release, everyone will be able to take part in an introductory quest called Lights Among the Dunes, which will be added as part of a free Origins update on February 27. [Update: The DLC itself has been delayed slightly and is now due out on March 13.]
This DLC comes not long after the release of Discovery Tour, a free update that allows you to play through the game without any quests or combat. It effectively transforms the game into a learning experience as you're able to explore ancient Egypt and even take part in guided tours that will teach you about the world. If you'd prefer something different, Ubisoft has also released a New Game Plus mode for Origins.
With the second Pokemon Go Community Day approaching, developer Niantic has announced another, unrelated event that is now underway. And if you missed out on the opportunity to catch two of the previous Legendary Pokemon that were available in the game, you're in luck, as they're back for a limited time.
As part of Pokemon Go Legendary Week, which is now underway, both Kyogre and Groudon have returned to Raid Battles, where they can be found alongside Rayquaza. Groudon was the first Gen 3 Legendary added to the game and was available to face during December and January. Kyogre then took its place until mid-February, when it was replaced by Rayquaza, which will stick around until March 16.
Despite the name, Legendary Week will last more than a week--it runs from now until March 5, giving you a total of about 10 days to get your hands on the returning Legendaries. To further mix things up, the specific Legendaries that are taken down during that period will have an additional effect. Should Rayquaza be defeated more than Kyogre and Groudon combined, eggs hatched from March 5-16 will be more likely to contain "Pokemon that typically prefer windy weather," such as Bagon. Alternatively, Pokemon who like sunny or rainy weather (Trapinch or Lotad, for example) will be more likely to hatch.
Starting on February 24, Niantic will offer a new special box for purchase that contains Raid Passes "to help you prepare." No further specifics were shared. February 24 is also the date of the next Community Day event. This three-hour event will provide various bonuses and, more notably, the opportunity to catch or evolve a rare Pokemon with a special move. For this event, it'll be the Dragon-type Dragonite, who can learn Draco Meteor.
Curious about Call of Duty: WWII? Activision is hosting a free trial weekend for the game's multiplayer on PC this weekend. The free play weekend started today and runs through February 25, ending at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET.
Activision explained in a Steam post that all of your progression from the free weekend, including inventory items and unlockables, will carry forward if you purchase the full game. Activision made no mention of any limitations of the free trial like a level cap or restrictions on maps or modes.
Now is a good time to pick up Call of Duty: WWII on PC, as it's marked down to $39 for the standard edition and $75 for the digital deluxe version. The free weekend and sale are only available on PC, not PlayStation 4 or Xbox One.
Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto V continues to receive new content for its online mode. The newest weekly update for GTA Online is out now, and it adds a new vehicle and offers sales and discounts on a number of items. Starting with the new vehicle, you can now purchase the Karin 190Z from Legendary Motorsport.
As you can see in the video below, it's a classic-looking sports car that has a classic, cheeky Rockstar description. "As elegant as the most refined Grotti and as classy as the suavest Ocelot, this Sports Classic is a cup of piping hot sake in the face of fifty years of complacency," reads a line from the description.
In terms of sales, Rockstar is offering 25 percent off Biker Business upgrades and supplies, while Special Cargo create are marked down by 25 percent this week. The sales go further still, with discounts available on vehicles, clothing, tattoos, yachts, and more.
Here is a rundown of what's on sale in GTA Online this week:
YACHTS, MOCs & MORE
All Yachts – 30% off
Yacht Renovations – 30% off
Mobile Operations Center Cabs – 30% off
Mobile Operations Center Renovations – 30% off
Bunker Renovations – 30% off
Aircraft Workshop – 25% off
HIGH-END VEHICLES
Ocelot Pariah (Sports) – 30% off
Ocelot XA-21 (Super) – 30% off
Coil Raiden (Sports) – 30% off
CLOTHING & TATTOOS
The Doomsday Heist clothing – 25% off
Import/Export tattoos – 25% off
GTA Online is also offering double GTA$ and RP for some Smuggler's Run missions, while Biker Business sales will pay out 25 percent extra GTA$ this week. We have also learned this week's Premium Race and Time Trial event; the Premium Race is "Damned," featuring the Ruiner 2000 vehicle, while the Time Trial is "Calafia Way." As always, the Premium Race rewards the top three finishers with GTA$, while everyone gets triple RP. For the Time Trial, you will earn double GTA$ and RP if you beat the par time.
Hulu isn't playing around in February. The streaming service is adding a long list of movies and TV shows to its ever-expanding library, including the premiere of the original drama limited series The Looming Tower.
The series is set before the September 11 attacks and follows the rivalry between the CIA and the FBI as the threat rises. The series stars Jeff Daniels, Peter Sarsgaard, Wrenn Schmidt, and Tahar Rahim. The show will contain 10 episodes, which will premiere weekly beginning February 28.
In the realm of movies, classics like Sin City, A Fish Called Wanda, and The Cutting Edge all arrived on February 1. Other films being added to the service are Mystic Pizza, Manhunter, TheHurt Locker, and Red Dawn.
On the TV front, the complete collections of Parenthood and One Tree Hill will become available to stream. They'll be joined by new seasons of Broad City, Archer, Brockmire, and The Long Road Home.
You can take a look at everything Hulu is adding below. For a complete look at new streaming in February, you can also check out Netflix and Amazon Prime Video's additions.
February 1
A Date for Mad Mary
A Fish Called Wanda
Agent Cody Banks
Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London
Akeelah and the Bee
Amelie
American Idiots
The Animal
An Officer and a Gentleman
Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra
The Benchwarmers
Black Spurs
Blazing Saddles
Casi Divas
Charm School
Confessions of A Dangerous Mind
Cougar Town: Complete Series
The Cutting Edge
The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold
Daybreakers
Dirt: Complete Series
Everwood: Complete Series
Face Off: Complete Seasons 1-10
Gang Related
The Good the Bad and the Ugly
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard
Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds
Harsh Times
The Haunting
He Said, She Said
Hoodlum
The Hurt Locker
Intersection
Keeping Up with the Steins
Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector
Lulu on the Bridge
Manhattan
Manhunter
Mermaids
Michael
Mystic Pizza
Nightcap: Season 2
Nine Queens
One Tree Hill: Complete Series
Perfect Stranger
Real Humans: Complete Seasons 1 & 2
Red Dawn (1984)
Redline
Rollerball (1975)
Rollerball (2002)
Frailty
Running Scared
Rustlers' Rhapsody
Sabrina (1995)
Sin City
Slow Burn
The Spirit
The Swan Princess: Royally Undercover
The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale
The Swan Princess: Princess Tomorrow, Pirate Today
As Netflix adds more and more original content every week, the streaming service is also removing a lot of popular titles from its library. March is no different, with dozens of films and TV shows being removed.
Among the most notable departure is the Jaws franchise of films. All four movies will disappear from Netflix on March 1. Likewise, the movies Less Than Zero, Baby's Day Out, and Ferngully: The Last Rainforest will be removed at the beginning of the month. Later in the month, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, The Good Son, and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou will go away, as well.
When it comes to TV, seasons of Archer, The Killing, Life In Pieces, The Carmichael Show, and The Finder will no longer be available to stream. You can take a look at everything leaving Netflix in March below. After that, check out every title the service is adding next month. Arrivals on the service include new seasons of Marvel's Jessica Jones and Santa Clarita Diet. Additionally, you can see what both Hulu and Amazon Prime are debuting in March.
Leaving Netflix in March
March 1
A Gang Story
Anastasia
Baby's Day Out
Eyewitness
FernGully: The Last Rainforest
First Response
Forget and Forgive
Hitch
Jaws
Jaws 2
Jaws 3
Jaws: The Revenge
Less Than Zero
Memento
Slums of Beverly Hills
The Chase
The Craft
The Panic in Needle Park
Trigger Point
Two Wrongs
xXx
March 4
Chloe
Safe Haven
March 6
The Finest Hours
March 8
Victoria
March 11
Believe
Glitch
March 12
Standby
Disney's The Santa Clause
Disney's The Santa Clause 2
Disney's The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
March 13
Breakout Kings: Season 1
City of God: 10 Years Later
London Has Fallen
The Killing: Seasons 1-2
March 14
Archer: Seasons 1-7
March 19
V/H/S: Viral
March 20
Zootopia
March 22
Steve Jobs: One Last Thing
March 24
Voltron 84: Season 1
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
March 26
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
March 29
The Gates: Season 1
March 30
Life in Pieces: Season 1
March 31
Awake: Season 1
Bordertown: Season 1
Breakout Kings: Season 2
Brickleberry: Seasons 1-3
Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life: Season 1
In the video above, we've highlighted five such games. One of these, Celeste, is actually already available; the stellar platformer is out now on Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. It's well worth a look--as our Celeste review states, "[Madeline's] tale is delicately told and beautifully illustrated, confidently coalescing with the satisfying, empowering game it lies within. Not bad for a game about climbing a mountain."
Looking further ahead this year, games like Donut County, Way of the Passive Fist, Wattam, and The Gardens Between look like exciting releases. We've spent time with each of these previously, and the video above dives into what makes each of them notable. If that's not enough, we have an even more extensive rundown on the biggest hidden gems of 2018, which covers a wide variety of genres and styles.
As with the previous On the House titles, once you download Dead Space it is yours to keep forever. The only catch is that EA doesn't say when On the House titles cycle out, so if you're interested, you may want to grab the game right now instead of putting it off until later.
Dead Space was already in the Origin Access free game library on PC, so if you subscribe to that service you have been able to play the game at no cost for a while now. The game was also released on Xbox 360, and it is playable on Xbox One through backwards compatibility. The Xbox 360 edition is in the Xbox One EA Access library.
Dead Space was in fact the very first EA On the House freebie, kicking off the freebie campaign back in 2014. It appears to be the first title to have two runs in the On the House hopper.
In Dead Space, you play as a space engineer named Isaac Clarke who must fight all manner of ghastly creatures on a spaceship. Sequels Dead Space 2 and Dead Space 3 were released in 2011 and 2013, respectively. Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey, who now lead Call of Duty studio Sledgehammer Games, worked on Dead Space before starting their own studio.
PS4 owners have two new games to download this month: the PS4 launch title Knack and the Ico-esque adventure game Rime. Additionally, one of last month's freebies, the PSVR shooter Starblood Arena, is also still available at no cost for PS Plus subscribers until March 6.
PS3 owners likewise have two games to choose from this month: the 2D platformer Spelunker HD and the turn-based RPG Mugen Souls Z. Those with a Vita, meanwhile, will be able to download the side-scrolling adventure game Exile's End and the tactical RPG Grand Kingdom for no cost. The latter is also playable on PS4 thanks to Cross-Buy, giving PS4 owners three potential freebies to download this month.
There's good news and bad news. The bad news is Amazon is raising the prime of their prime service for those that subscribe monthly. The current $10.99 monthly cost will now be $12.99. The good news is that annual subscribers will see no increase, and there's plenty of new additions coming to Amazon Prime Video in February to make up for the extra money.
First and foremost, the new month will see the arrival of the rest of The Tick's first season. Guardians of the Galaxy's Peter Serafinowicz returns as the strange superhero, with six more installments debuting on February 23. The Tick is just one of several shows adding episodes to Amazon Prime, along with The Expanse and Mozart in the Jungle.
As for movies, 2009's Star Trek, directed by JJ Abrams, will be available to stream in February. Additionally, the original Red Dawn film, Mystic Pizza, both versions of Rollerball, and The Warriors will all be added to the service, among many other titles.
A major new update for Fortnite has been released on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The 3.0.0 patch kicks off Season 3 for Battle Royale--which includes the release of a Battle Pass with a slate of new rewards--and makes a variety of improvements and additions to both that mode and the PvE Save the World component.
Battle Royale now runs at 60 FPS on consoles, and not just for those with a PS4 Pro or Xbox One X--this is also true of the base PS4 and Xbox One versions. This takes the place of the existing uncapped framerate mode, although developer Epic has added a 30 FPS mode as an option if you'd prefer an improvement to visual quality at the expense of framerate.
Across consoles and PC in Battle Royale and Save the World, Fortnite's building has been improved in a variety of ways; there is now an option to continuously build by holding a button, and another to have the game auto-switch between materials when you run out. Additionally, you can build right through most objects now, which should make the building process even easier. (We've got Fortnite building tips if you still need help.)
Also new in Battle Royale is the Hand Cannon. This weapon uses Heavy ammo and features Epic and Legendary versions, and it can be found in treasure chests or supply drops or as floor loot. It's one of several changes on the weapon front, as grenades lose the ability to do critical hits, an exploit involving the pump shotgun and quickly switching weapons has been removed, and drop rates for various versions of the basic pistol have been changed. Additionally, the recently added crossbow has had its Valentine's Day-themed skin removed.
With this patch kicking off Season 3 of Battle Royale, the new Battle Pass has been introduced. This is purchasable only for 950 V-Bucks, rather than directly with money, and has even more rewards tiers than previous incarnations. Epic says it should still take a similar amount of time to unlock everything--you'll just get more rewards for doing so. Among the items available are the Back Bling cosmetics. You can see all the Season 3 Battle Pass rewards in our gallery.
Other small, Battle Royale-specific changes and additions include the ability to see the path of the Battle Bus on the map at the start of the round and 10 seconds of control being given to players after winning a match.
Improvements to building aren't the only things that affect both Battle Royale and Save the World. Epic has introduce a new orchestral score from Marco Beltrami (Logan) and Pinar Toprak (Krypton). This replaces the music in Save the World and plays while in the menus of Battle Royale. Additionally, optional colorblind support has been added, though Epic says it is a work-in-progress and is open to feedback from users. Other visual upgrades have also been made, including those to lighting and shadows.
On the Save the World side, the Hoverboard has been added as a new means of transport; it can be obtained through a tutorial and requires no energy to use, though it takes three seconds to summon and any damage suffered will knock you off. A new chapter of the Spring It On event is also now available, which includes new quests, activities, and the previously announced Dragon weapons.
The last full week of February brings a bunch of new shows and movies to watch on Netflix. From talk shows to original movies to animate adaptations, there's more than enough to binge if you've got the time. Likely the biggest addition of the week is the live-action movie adaptation of Fullmetal Alchemist. The film, based on the popular anime, was released in Japan back in December. In lieu of a theatrical release in the United States, it will instead stream on Netflix. You can read all about it in our Fullmetal Alchemist review.
Joining it are new seasons of Netflix originals Marseille, Seven Seconds, and Ugly Delicious. Additionally, February 18 saw the premiere of the streamer's new weekly talk show, The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale. Based on what's been revealed about the series thus far, it sounds like a hybrid of a traditional talk show and McHale's former E! series The Soup.
Rounding out the week is Mute, the new film from Moon and World of Warcraft director Duncan Jones. The sci-fi movie stars Alexander Skarsgard as a mute bartender searching for his missing girlfriend in the near-future. Joining Skarsgard on the project are Paul Rudd, Justin Theroux, and Sam Rockwell. For more, check out our Mute review.
You can take a look at what is coming to Netflix this week below. After that, go ahead and take a look everything added in February.
February 18
The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale (Netflix Original)
February 19
Dismissed
FullMetal Alchemist (Netflix Original)
February 20
Bates Motel: Season 5
The Frankenstein Chronicles: Season 1 and Season 2 (Netflix Original)
Rainbow Six Siege has enjoyed an incredible comeback, as Ubisoft's strong support for the game has not only kept players coming back but actually increased the size of its player base over time in a way we rarely see. That support will continue in the upcoming Year 3 of Siege, with two new Operators set to shake up the game's meta once again. But perhaps more exciting than the more traditional additions we're seeing in the Operation Chimera update is Outbreak, a limited-time PvE game mode.
Ahead of its release next month, we got to go hands on with Outbreak and found it to be a great deal unlike anything else in Siege. Ubisoft has delivered an update to the PC version's technical test servers, giving players an early look at not just the new Operators, but also Outbreak. In the video above, you can check out the opening cutscene for the mode, as well as three others where Ash talks to another of the game's characters. Her conversation with Doc shows him wanting to find a cure, while Tachanka is looking for a Russian connection. Thermite, unsurprisingly, just wants to blow things up.
Outbreak is played out on three new maps that have been made specifically for the mode. They're more open than the standard PvP maps and feature some degree of progression, while still seeking to provide multiple paths and ways for Operators to use their respective gadgets. Only certain Operators can be used in this mode--including Recruit, if you don't have access to any of the supported ones. This is because Ubisoft limits players to Operators whose gadgets make sense in the context of these maps. That presumably explains why Chimera's new Operators--both of which are usable in Outbreak--are attackers, rather than the usual arrangement of each new expansion adding one attacker and one defender.
The Chimera update--and Outbreak along with it--debuts on March 6. Outbreak is accompanied by a new set of loot boxes you can purchase to gain exclusive cosmetic gear. These will only be available for the duration of the event, which runs until April 3. After that, the mode will disappear.
As part of an investigation into Russia's interference with the United States' 2016 election, special counsel Robert Mueller indicted a number of Russian citizens and companies. The indictment itself is an incredible read, but why do so yourself when one of Metal Gear Solid's most memorable voices can do it for you?
Voice actor Paul Eiding has provided a voice to numerous characters in games, TV shows, and movies. Among his most famous roles is that of Colonel Roy Campbell, a recurring character from throughout the Metal Gear Solid series. He's often shared much of the political intrigue in those games, which have dealt at times with information warfare. That makes it particularly surreal to hear that very same voice reciting lines from the aforementioned indictment.
As seen in the YouTube video below, which Eiding shared on Twitter, he--as Campbell--recites about a minute of the indictment. This is all addressed to Snake, and Campbell starts out his first statement by stating the character's name. Aside from that, he's reading it all verbatim, and it's striking to see just how natural this fits what you'd expect to hear from Campbell, perhaps save for the references to YouTube and Facebook.
Eiding's last Metal Gear Solid appearance came in 2008's Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots; he wasn't present in The Phantom Pain or Ground Zeroes. As far as we know, he's also not present in the newly released Metal Gear Survive, which is set in an alternate dimension just after the events of Ground Zeroes. You can get a look at that game in the video above.
The Curse of the Pharaohs, the second and final expansion for Assassin's Creed: Origins, is not going to launch on time. Ubisoft announced today that the expansion has been delayed by a week, shifting from March 6 to March 13.
A spokesperson for Ubisoft told GameSpot that the delay was necessary so as to "deliver the best experience possible to our players." The expansion is included in Origins' $20 season pass or as a separate purchase on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Before its release, everyone will be able to take part in an introductory quest called Lights Among the Dunes, which will be added as part of a free Origins update on February 27. It is unclear if this date is still accurate given the delay for The Curse of the Pharaohs, but we've followed up with Ubisoft to try to find out.
The Curse of the Pharaohs adds completely new locations, including Aaru, which is the heaven-like paradise filled with beautiful reed fields...and giant scorpions. Players will also face off against an undead Nefertiti in a boss battle of sorts. You can see all of that in our Curse of the Pharaohs 4K gameplay video.
The Curse of the Pharaohs differs from previous DLC, The Hidden Ones, in that it introduces a totally new storyline that is separate from that of the main game. You'll take on a variety of Egyptian beasts and famous pharaohs as you try to figure out why the dead are being brought back to life. In addition to the new areas, story, and enemies, you'll be able to acquire new outfits, gear, and weapons. Furthermore, it raises the level cap to 55.
This DLC comes not long after the release of Discovery Tour, a free update that allows you to play through the game without any quests or combat. It effectively transforms the game into a learning experience as you're able to explore ancient Egypt and even take part in guided tours that will teach you about the world. If you'd prefer something different, Ubisoft has also released a New Game Plus mode for Origins.
Rather than being a part of E3 proper, Electronic Arts will once again host its own dedicated event just prior to the start of the gaming industry's major event in June. EA has confirmed the first details about EA Play 2018, including the fact that the next Battlefield will be playable there.
As you'd expect, there are virtually no details on what the game will be; EA simply says that EA Play attendees will "have a chance to play the next Battlefield experience." The publisher had previously confirmed the next entry in the series would release later this year, so we'd expect to have learned the first details by the time June rolls around. However, we've learned nothing yet about what to expect from the game, including what era it will take place in after Battlefield 1 went to World War I.
EA Play 2018 will take place in Los Angeles' Hollywood Palladium from June 9-11; E3 begins the following day, on June 12, also in LA. A press conference will take place on June 9 and will be streamed online.
Aside from Battlefield, EA teases that the upcoming slate of EA Sports games will be playable. Attendees will also "get an inside look" at BioWare's new game, Anthem, though it's unclear if it will be playable. Although EA claims it's not a delay, the publisher recently moved its release date from this year to early 2019.
Tickets to EA Play will be distributed for free, though you'll obviously need to be able to make it to LA if you secure one. You'll be able to get a ticket sometime this spring through a new system intended "to give players better hands-on access to their favorite games." Further specifics on tickets and the event's schedule will be shared in the "coming weeks."
At first glance, Kingdom Come: Deliverance bears more than a passing resemblance to other medieval RPGs, particularly the Elder Scrolls series. Both share a first-person viewpoint and take place in a sprawling, European-inspired world inhabited by an extensive cast of characters going about their daily lives. Beyond those superficial similarities, however, Kingdom Come is an entirely different experience, carving out its own identity by removing fantasy elements entirely in favor of a historically accurate setting and gameplay.
Where most other medieval RPGs populate their worlds with magic and dragons, Kingdom Come eschews all of the fantasy trappings typically associated with the genre for a story that's firmly rooted in history. The game takes place in 15th century Bohemia, with players assuming the role of a lowly blacksmith's son as the country becomes embroiled in a brutal civil war. This emphasis on realism extends into the gameplay systems; combat has a steep learning curve, and you must learn how to bandage up wounds to keep from bleeding out if you happen to get struck by an arrow.
Unfortunately, as is often the case with such ambitious titles, Kingdom Come is also burdened by its share of bugs, which will undoubtedly turn some players away. In the video above, GameSpot's Peter Brown, Jean-Luc Seipke, and Rob Handlery discuss their experience with the title, particularly their initial impressions and how, despite its many technical issues, they eventually came around on the game after spending more time with it.
Kingdom Come is available now for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Critic Brett Todd called it "a rewarding, one-of-a-kind game" in GameSpot's Kingdom Come review. "It's an impressive and unflinching look at the medieval era that transports you inside the compelling story of a real person caught in the middle of a civil war. As such, this is one of those rare, memorable games that stays with you long after you stop playing," he wrote.
With Crimson Days now wrapped up, the next event is already live in Destiny 2. Bungie has kicked off the second Faction Rally of Season 2, giving you the opportunity to get your hands on some exclusive, faction-only gear--including some new weapons.
New rewards have been added to the special Engrams you receive for cashing in Faction Tokens. This includes the weapons that would have been sold as the Winner's Offering had Dead Orbit or Future War Cult won the previous Faction Rally event. Those weapons are now available for the first time and can be obtained like any other Faction reward.
In their place, there's also a new batch of Winner's Offerings for this Faction Rally. Each faction has one weapon that it will sell during Victory Week if it comes out on top during the Faction Rally. Dead Orbit and New Monarchy will each offer up their own pulse rifle, while Future War Cult will have a scout rifle. The winning faction will sell its gun for 50,000 Glimmer to all players, while members of the group will be able to buy it for only 1,000. The two losers won't offer their gun at all until it's added to the Engram lineup during a subsequent event. You can see these along with some of the other Faction Rally rewards below.
New rewards aside, this Faction Rally will operate like any previous one. You pledge your allegiance to one of the three factions, and by playing the game normally, you'll earn Faction Tokens. These can then be cashed in for the aforementioned Engrams, with the faction that earns the most Engrams being declared the winner. What is notable about this Faction Rally is that it's the first since the most recent patch, which paved the way for farming Lost Sectors. Doing so, however, will require you to kill the boss located inside each time.
The Faction Rally event runs from now until the weekly reset on February 27. That will then see the start of Victory Week, during which time you can cash in any of your remaining Tokens and purchase the Winner's Offering. Alternatively, you can save those Tokens for the next Faction Rally event, when even more new weapons will be up for grabs.
Between Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, and Altered Carbon, we've had a pretty good run of science fiction entertainment over the last few years. One of the most memorable modern sci-fi movies is Ex Machina, written and directed by Alex Garland. Three years after its release, Garland's next movie, Annihilation, is gearing up for release, and it looks to be just as ambitious.
Based on the novel of the same name, Annihilation follows a biologist, an anthropologist, a psychologist, a surveyor, and a linguist as they investigate a strange, uncharted stretch of land. What they find there, however, promises to take viewers on a mild-melting sci-fi journey.
Garland, who video game fans may also know for his work on Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and DmC: Devil May Cry, recently visited the GameSpot offices and sat down with us to discuss his film, specifically the approach to adapting the book for the big screen, and what attracted him to the story.
On top of that, he also takes the time to address a controversy surround the movie's production relating to the whitewashing of a character. Garland discusses his feelings on the issue of whitewashing as a whole and the issue as it pertains to his movie. There's also a chat about the rise of Netflix as a distribution service for movies, and how it fits into the type of entertainment he makes and we consume.
Star Wars Episode IX was originally set to be directed by Jurassic World's Colin Trevorrow, but in September last year, Trevorrow was replaced by Force Awakens director JJ Abrams. The movie's release was pushed from May until December of 2019 as Abrams worked on a new script, but the director has now revealed that it is finished and the movie will begin production this summer.
Abrams appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and was asked about progress on Episode IX. "We have a script, which is a big deal for me," he said. "It starts shooting end of July. Sometimes having the script in advance is something I haven't always been lucky enough to have. But I'm writing this with Chris Terrio, who's a genius, and I'm having a great time."
In October, Abrams hinted that he wouldn't play it safe with his second Star Wars film. "I feel like we need to approach this with the same excitement that we had when we were kids loving what these movies were," he said. "But at the same time, we have to take them places that they haven't gone, and that's sort of our responsibility."
Most of the key actors from both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi are expected to return for Episode IX, including Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac. Ridley has already stated that this will be her final Star Wars movie. "I am really, really excited to do the third thing and round it out, because ultimately, what I was signing on to was three films," she said in December. "So in my head, it's three films. I think it will feel like the right time to round it out."
According to Deadline, Boyle is working on a script for Bond 25 with John Hodge, who wrote the screenplays for several of the director's movies, including Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, and 2017 sequel T2 Trainspotting. Boyle had an idea for "a very specific 007 movie," and that this script is separate from the one by veteran Bond writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade.
The site states that Hodge's script won't be complete for a couple of months, at which point it will be delivered to MGM. The studio will then make a decision about which script to go with; if the Hodge script is chosen, then Boyle will direct it. If not, he will step away and a new director will be hired to direct Purvis and Wade's screenplay.
Earlier this week, Christopher Nolan ruled himself out of directing the next 007 film. Despite meeting with producers last year, the Dunkirk and Dark Knight director stated: "I won't be the man. No, categorically. I think every time they hire a new director I'm rumored to be doing it. They don't particularly need me. But I've always been very inspired by the films and would love to do one someday."
Sometimes a sci-fi movie just barely misses the mark. Maybe it didn't hit quite the right tone, or it failed to provide satisfying answers to the thought-provoking questions it proposed. There are plenty of science fiction films that we enjoy despite their flaws, because there's some good in them, too. And then there's Mute.
From Netflix and Duncan Jones, Mute promised to be a return to form for the director and writer behind the instant classic 2009 mind-bender Moon (and, more recently, the less-than-classic Warcraft). Unfortunately, Mute is a cartoonish, nonsensical, tone-deaf, derivative, outrageously awful nightmare without a single redeeming quality. Bummer, right?
From beginning to end, Mute is simply hard to watch. It starts when a young Amish boy named Leo suffers a terrible boating accident that leaves his vocal cords permanently shredded. As an adult, Leo (Alexander Skarsgard) has emigrated to Germany. A brief fly-by on a newspaper clipping clumsily tells us that the German chancellor invited American Amish to relocate there en masse to bring a sense of "tradition" back to the country, and that's all the explanation we ever get for that.
After several early scenes of drippy, melodramatic flirting that would make Tommy Wiseau cringe, Leo sets out on a mission to find his missing girlfriend, a blue-haired cocktail waitress named Naadirah (Seyneb Saleh, whose acting is ridiculously, terribly over the top). Meanwhile, Cactus Bill (Paul Rudd, sporting an absurdly huge handlebar mustache) is an AWOL American soldier who does under-the-table surgeries for the mob in the hopes of getting papers for him and his daughter to return home. His friend Duck Teddington (Justin Theroux in an insanely bad wig) is also around, for reasons that become horrifyingly clear as the movie progresses.
Let's get one thing out of the way: Leo being Amish has absolutely no bearing on the story whatsoever, and so boils down to a pointless, distracting, silly quirk. He works as a bartender, where he doesn't hesitate to skillfully beat up drunk guys who hit on Naadirah. He uses technology, albeit reluctantly. In other words, he could have been any random schmuck and the only thing about him they'd need to change is his suspenders.
Leo being mute doesn't really affect the story either; it just makes many scenes unnecessarily long as we wait for him to scribble his side of each conversation on a notepad. His lack of speech carries no thematic weight, and it never even hinders him plot-wise. It does have one positive effect, though, at least for Skarsgard: He doesn't have to say any of the lines in this terrible script.
Here's a small sampling of actual lines from this movie, all from relatively early on since the entire thing is like this and at a certain point you have to stop transcribing every single thing that every single character says:
"That's a real sexy hood ornament you've got dancing up there tonight."
"If my mom tried to stop me talking, I would f*** her up. And she's in a wheelchair."
"He doesn't need words. He's kind. Why wouldn't I love him?"
"School girls, babe. Itty bitty titties and smooth little p***ies. Then they grow up."
That last is said with a big sigh by Justin Theroux's character, a pediatric surgeon who's also a pedophile. The line is accompanied by an actual upskirt shot of a nearby school girl, the camera lingering on her behind as she bends over to pick up a bowling ball.
Mute treats Duck's preference for young girls as a joke for the movie's first half, like Matthew McConaughey's famous quote in Dazed and Confused about how high school girls always stay the same age, no matter how old you get. Except Theroux's character is literally filming pre-pubescent young girls in their underwear at his practice. The only thing that will make your stomach turn more than that fact is the flippant way the movie plays these scenes, almost as if it's supposed to be funny.
Halfway through, this subplot seems like it's about to take a major turn. Cactus--who has a young daughter--confronts Duck about his pedophilia, telling him firmly that he has just got to cut it out. Then they go to the mall, where they get drunk and steal some peanuts, like the previous scene never happened. As they leave, Cactus screams a homophobic slur at a security guard who confronts them.
Go ahead and re-read those sentences a couple more times and let them sink in. Now consider for a second that the entire movie is this bad. The biggest mystery is how Jones convinced these actors to go along with any of it.
Mute's futuristic setting itself has some promise, but it's utterly squandered. The movie doesn't have a single original idea, simply ripping shamelessly from great sci-fi and cyberpunk films that have come before it. Flying cars? Grungy neon? Sexy robots? Drones? A seedy city underbelly populated by prostitutes in crazy pseudo-futuristic outfits? Check, check, and check--although Mute could have easily been set in the present, or even in the past, since not one of these shallow sci-fi trappings has a single tangible effect on the story.
As Mute's plodding, meandering two-hour length comes to a close across multiple increasingly nonsensical climactic showdowns, nothing else will strike you so much as the baffling, swirling, inexplicable, disgusting mess of it all. Nothing anyone in this movie does makes a shred of sense, either logically or emotionally. Every single character is a one-dimensional caricature with no redeeming qualities. The effects look cheap. The score is forgettable. It's casually offensive, vulgar, gross, and mean for absolutely no reason. And it's unabashedly unaware--or uncaring--of the fact that you shouldn't play scenes about pedophiliac pediatricians and domestic abuse with the same weightless flippancy as a joke about robot strippers or a less-than-subtle cameo from Moon's Sam Rockwell.
And by the way, the fact that Mute and Moon apparently take place in the same "universe" doesn't make Mute any better (although this movie's existence may retroactively make Moon seem worse).
Mute is a bad joke about itself, the movie version of a Weird Al Yankovic song (an "Amish Paradise" sequel set in the future?), only if the filmmaker wasn't aware it was supposed to be a parody. It's like Mute underwent so many rewrites that the scenes and characters no longer match up--or like it's a first draft that never underwent a single edit, though considering how long Jones was trying to get this made--12 years!--the former seems more likely. At least now we have an idea why he had such a hard time.
The Good
The Bad
Paul Rudd is kind of funny once or twice
Nonsensical, stupid plot
Poorly written script filled with cringe-inducing lines
Ugly, unoriginal world
Cartoonish, one-dimensional characters
Totally derivative without a single original thought
[UPDATE] The PlayStation Network's issues have now been sorted out, it seems. The PSN Status page shows that all PSN services are now back up and running normally.
The original story is below.
The PlayStation Network, the online service that powers PlayStation products, is running into some problems right now. The PSN's official Status page shows that "Gaming And Social" elements of the service are experiencing some hiccups currently.
"You may have some difficulty launching games, applications, or online features," reads a line from the page. "Our engineers are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible, and we thank you for your patience."
The service interruption is affecting PlayStation 4 alone, the page says. All other PSN services, including Account Management, PlayStation Now, PlayStation Vue, PlayStation Store, and PlayStation Music, are working normally, the support page says.
We'll report back with more details on this latest PSN service interruption as new details become available. It is unclear how widespread the issues may be or how long the interruption will last. As always, your mileage may vary. Keep checking back for more.
2017 may be over, but the video game industry is not yet finished celebrating the year's best games. The 21st DICE Awards took place this evening in Las Vegas, and Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild took home the highly coveted Game of the Year award.
Breath of the Wild won four awards in all tonight. In addition to Game of the Year, it won Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction, Outstanding Achievement in Game Design, and Adventure Game of the Year.
In addition to these awards, DICE honoured Nintendo's Genyo Takeda with a Lifetime Achievement Award. He was instrumental in the development of the Nintendo 64, GameCube, and Wii.
You can see a full rundown of DICE Awards categories, nominees, and winners below. The winners are in bold.
21st D.I.C.E. Awards Winners
Game of the Year
Cuphead
Horizon Zero Dawn
PUBG
Super Mario Odyssey
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Outstanding Achievement in Animation
Cuphead
For Honor
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Horizon Zero Dawn
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction
Cuphead
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Horizon Zero Dawn
Little Nightmares
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Outstanding Achievement in Character
Assassin's Creed Origins - Bayek
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice - Senua
Horizon Zero Dawn - Aloy
Star Wars Battlefront II - Iden Versio
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy - Chloe Fraiser
Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition
Retailer GameStop has announced a big new sale coming up this weekend. On February 24, GameStop will hold its "Pro Day Sale," with discounts on consoles, games, and more. The big catch is that you have to be a Pro or Elite Pro member to take advantage of the offers.
If you're in the market for an Xbox One X, GameStop is selling the console with a free copy of PUBG and an extra controller for $500. Additionally, all new Xbox One S consoles are marked down by $50, while controllers are up to 50 percent off when you meet certain trade requirements.
Other hardware deals include a nice discount on the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim PlayStation VR bundle, which is going for $350 instead of $450 during the sale. Additionally, GameStop is offering 50 percent off the game Invisible Hours when you buy any PlayStation VR headset bundle. On top of that, the HTC Vive bundle is marked down to $500.
GameStop's Pro membership costs $15/year, while Elite Pro subscriptions cost $30/year. You can learn more about the packages and their benefits here on GameStop's website. You can see the full GameStop Pro Day Sale flyer here on GameStop's website.
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