A new week means another round of game deals on Xbox Live, and for the next six days, some pretty major titles are discounted on Xbox One. There's an EA publisher sale that just kicked off with huge discounts on some of its best titles, including Dragon Age: Inquisition, Battlefield V, and A Way Out.
Dragon Age: Inquisition won over 130 Game of the Year awards in 2014, and in our review, GameSpot's Kevin VanOrd gave the game a 9 for its relatable cast of characters, compelling story, emphasis on player choice, and huge, diverse map to explore. You can pick up Dragon Age: Inquisition's Game of the Year Edition, which includes all DLC and add-ons, for only $10 (75% off!) this week.
If you've been looking for a story-driven co-op game to play with a partner or friend, A Way Out is an intense, emotional adventure you won't soon forget. Through local or online co-op, you'll play as two prisoners who work together to break out of prison, and as you follow their unpredictable journey, you'll have to make difficult decisions that ultimately determine each of their fates. If you're playing with a friend online, they can play along for free by using the game's Friend Pass. A Way Out is just $18 (40% off) this week on Xbox One.
Battlefield V doesn't stray far from the series' winning formula, and with the deluxe edition discounted at $40 (50%), the well-received shooter is worth picking up this week. Hit the court and become a basketball champion in NBA Live 19: All-Star Edition, which is just $6 (85% off). Cute, physics-based platformers Unravel and Unravel Two are on sale as a bundle for $9 (70%) as another great couch co-op option. And while we're talking about local multiplayer games: The Jackbox Party Quadpack, which features 20 hilarious party games from their first four party packs, is available for $75 (25% off).
Check out more of our picks from Xbox Live's weekly sale below, and see the full list in the Microsoft store. These deals will expire March 12 at 3 AM PT / 6 AM ET / 12 PM BST.
The best Xbox One weekly game deals (March 5 - 12)
Rockstar has rolled out another update for Red Dead Redemption 2's multiplayer component, Red Dead Online. This week, the developer has brought back a popular weapon from the first Red Dead Redemption and kicked off a new Free Roam event, Fool's Gold.
In Fool's Gold, players vie over control of a ridiculous-looking suit of Golden Armor. The one wearing the armor will receive a defense boost and earn points for gunning down other players, while everyone else will compete to bring them down and take the armor for themselves.
In addition to the Fool's Gold event, Rockstar has added a new gun to Red Dead Online: the Evans Repeater, one of the rifles John Marston wielded in the first Red Dead Redemption. Rockstar describes the gun as "a powerful long-range rifle" that is "deadly at medium and long distances." It can be purchased from Rawson, Wheeler & Co. or other gunsmiths.
Finally, everyone who logs into Red Dead Online this week will receive a special "care package." This can be redeemed either at your camp's lockbox or one of the post offices dotting the game, and it contains an assortment of ammo and other helpful items. The full contents are as follows:
60x High Velocity Pistol Ammo
60x High Velocity Repeater Ammo
2x Fire Bottles
8x Fire Arrows
2x Jolly Jack's
2x Potent Horse Medicine
1x Lake Lure
Rockstar still has many more updates planned for Red Dead Online. The developer will also introduce Target Races, which have players racing on horseback and shooting at targets. On top of that, the game will receive new fishing challenges as well as a trio of Showdown Modes--Up In Smoke, Spoils of War, and Plunder--in the near future.
By Anonymous on Mar 05, 2019 10:46 pm The latest weekly reset brings a new Ascendant Challenge for Destiny 2: Forsaken players in the Dreaming City. Here's where to go and what to do complete it and earn Powerful gear.
The latest weekly refresh of Destiny 2 brings the release of the next content expansion in the game's Annual Pass, Joker's Wild. That means there's a new season--the Season of the Drifter--new activities, and new loot. It also means the Power level cap has been raised, requiring even more grinding to get up to max level--and another Ascendant Challenge is now available to help you earn Powerful gear to climb toward the new cap. This week's challenge is the third of six that repeat in Forsaken. Here's where its portal is located and what to do inside.
If you've done an Ascendant Challenge (or several at this point) before, you'll have an idea of how this goes. Start out by buying the appropriate bounty from Petra in the Dreaming City. Alongside that, you'll need a Tincture of Queensfoil. Once you consume that, you get the Ascendance buff that allows you to see the Taken portal--after you've found it.
This particular portal is located in the Spire of Keres; you can see its location in the video above. Go through it to visit the Shattered Ruins in the Ascendant Plane, where are tasked with climbing a tower made of rocks without dying. Enemies will try to snipe you, and Taken rifts will try to boop you off the tower to your death. Be careful with where you move as you go toward the top; once you're there, kill the boss to complete the Ascendant Challenge.
Your reward is a chest that may not have anything special inside, but you'll also complete the bounty you picked up from Petra. This offers a piece of Powerful gear, making it a task worth tackling. With the recently released Black Armory expansion, the Power cap for characters has been raised to 650, so it's definitely worth revisiting the Ascendant Challenge as you grind up to those new heights.
As noted above, the prerequisite for doing an Ascendant Challenge--aside from access to the Dreaming City, which only comes after finishing the Forsaken campaign--is a Tincture of Queensfoil. These can be obtained through chests and Public Events in the Dreaming City, but that's not the only means.
The video above details a location you can go to trade 50 Baryon Boughs, the planetary material you earn in the Dreaming City, for a Tincture of Queensfoil. If you're desperate to get your hands on one to try the Ascendant Challenge, follow our video guide to help you find your way to the spot where you can trade with Huginn.
The Season of the Drifter brings two new activities--Gambit Prime, a tougher version of the Gambit competitive mode we've seen since Forsaken, and The Reckoning, a new pinnacle-level activity related to the Drifter. It also seems set to expand on the Drifter's story and what we saw in the last new activity in Destiny 2, The Draw. Stay tuned for more guides and coverage as we dig into the new content this week.
No one wished upon a star for these Disney sequels.
There's a dark period in Disney animated history, near the end of Michael Eisner's tenure as Chairman and CEO and after the company had run out of animated classics to release on VHS, that the studio began to cannibalize itself by making direct-to-video sequels to its films.
The first movie to take this approach was The Return of Jafar, a sequel to Aladdin. And it was financially successful enough that Disney did the same to their other contemporary movies. We got The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, starring Simba's daughter Kiara. We got The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, starring Ariel's daughter Melody. And eventually, Disney started going even back further into the archives. They made Cinderella II: Dreams Come True. They made Bambi II, and they were even in the process of making a Pinocchio II before upper management put a stop to it.
John Lasseter (formerly of Pixar) became the chief creative officer of Disney Animation in 2006, and he saw the sequels as detrimental to the company's brand. And Steve Jobs, who founded Pixar and at one point was Disney's biggest shareholder, said in a 2003 conference call, "We feel sick about Disney doing sequels. If you look at the quality of their sequels...it's pretty embarrassing."
Today, we're looking at these oddities in Disney's animated canon. To clarify: Movies like The Little Mermaid II and Mulan II are not that weird; it makes perfect sense that Disney would attempt them. The movies on this list are more in the "WTF" category; they're bizarre for even existing in the first place.
At the end of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Esmeralda falls in love with Phoebus, and although Quasimodo doesn't get his dream girl, he does get the love and acceptance of Paris. It was a bittersweet ending that made sense, while keeping with the overall dark tone of the film.
But for some people at Disney, maybe it was too much of a downer. For Hunchback of Notre Dame II, the animators decided to give Quasimodo a girlfriend: Madellaine (Jennifer Love Hewitt), the daughter of a circus troupe owner. She's initially put off by Quasi's appearance, but she comes to learn about his inner beauty.
Along the way, we learn about a convoluted plot to steal Notre Dame's most prized bell, and we watch more cartoony gargoyle antics than you can shake a stick at.
2. Pocahontas II: Journey To A New World (1998)
This felt like compounding controversy with more of it. When Pocahontas was released in 1995, Disney caught a lot of flack for creating fictionalized versions of real historical figures, and for making Pocahontas an adult woman rather than a young girl. It was one thing to revise fairytales, myths, and fables. It was quite another to change relatively recent history and sell it to young, impressionable kids.
Pocahontas II compounded the historical inaccuracies of the original by having Pocahontas go to England to broker peace (she was actually kidnapped and held for random by the English), scandalize the royal court, and be rescued from captivity by John Smith. The only thing the movie got right is that she and John Rolfe ended up together, although they conveniently left out the part where she died on the voyage back to Virginia.
3. The Lion King 1 ½ (2004)
This movie, which is set during the events of the first Lion King film, stars Timon and Pumbaa, who we learn were present at nearly every single major event of the first movie.
It would be one thing if this were a fanciful take on Mystery Science Theatre, with Timon and Pumbaa providing commentary from a distance. But the comedic pair get actively involved in many of the first film's major events.
Remember when all the animals bowed to Simba at the end of The Circle of Life? It turns out that Pumbaa farted, some of the animals fainted, and the other animals followed their lead. Somehow, that doesn't seem quite as majestic.
4. Cinderella III: A Twist In Time (2007)
The third Cinderella movie is bonkers; rather than being some standard sequel about Cinderella's married life or wedding planning, the filmmakers took a risk. They had Lady Tremaine use the Fairy Godmother's wand to go back in time and change the glass slipper to fit her daughter, Anastasia. She also uses the wand to brainwash the prince into going along with the marriage, and later transfigures Anastasia to look like Cinderella. Again, it's up to the talking mice in clothes to save the day.
Who knew that Cinderella could have such a sci-fi twist?
5. Belle's Magical World (1998)
Originally, this was supposed to be an animated TV spin-off of Beauty and the Beast. But when those plans fell through, the animators cobbled together the footage into a single sequel and released it as Belle's Magical World. It has four unrelated plotlines, which probably would have composed four individual episodes. The first one is about an enchanted dictionary. The second is a love story starring Lumiere and his feather duster girlfriend. The third is about throwing a party for Mrs. Potts. And the fourth is about a bird with an injured wing, and how the Beast apparently hates birds.
It's disposable entertainment, but the most jarring parts are the ones that involve the Beast, who acts like a spoiled, selfish jerk, only to learn the same lesson at the end of his conflicts.
Timewise, Belle's Magical World takes place between Christmas and the famous ballroom scene in the original movie, when the Beast was already well on his way to becoming a good person. This feels like a major step backward.
6. The Fox and the Hound II (2006)
The original Fox and the Hound movie, a sad, dark tale about two friends who can't be friends anymore, was a rare highlight in early to mid '80s Disney animation.
The film sequel is about when Copper--the fox--becomes enamored with a country band made of up dogs called the Singin' Strays. Tod becomes jealous and feels like his friend is abandoning him. Not surprisingly, Kurt Russell (Copper) and Mickey Rooney (Todd) chose not to reprise their roles.
7. Mulan II (2004)
The original Mulan was based on a Chinese legend that dates back to the sixth century, about a woman who disguised herself as a man to take her father's place in the Chinese army. The 1998 Disney adaptation took the basics of that myth and expanded on them, resulting in one of the prettiest Disney features to date.
In Mulan II, every quality takes two steps backwards. Every character has bizarre, hammy facial expressions. The musical numbers are plain bad. And the plot, about Mulan and Shang transporting three princesses to marry three princes (to forge a kingdom alliance and defeat the Huns), seems a lot less consequential than the original's high stakes.
But the worst, most left-field aspect of Mulan II is how it changes Mushu's character. No longer needed as a family guardian of Mulan, he decides that the best way to get his job back is to break up Mulan and Shang. Really? It's just so mean-spirited and so anti-Disney to have a beloved sidekick make such a dramatic turn. That we're still supposed to find Mushu somewhat funny and likable despite this makes it even more repellent.
The first real trailer for the final season of Game of Thrones is finally here. It may be a total bummer knowing that this is the last time we'll see this cast of characters embarking on their journey toward the Iron Throne--or continuing to rule over it like jerks--but Season 8 promises to be nothing short of epic.
Coming in at a little more than two minutes, the trailer is jam-packed with characters we've come to know and love in vastly different situations than we're accustomed to seeing them in. From what's left of the Stark family fighting for their lives to Cersei Lannister relaxing, drinking while pregnant, and plotting, we have a decent idea of what's going down in the final season.
So we went through the trailer, frame by frame to breakdown what we think is going to happen in Season 8 of Game of Thrones. However, we won't know for sure until the series returns to HBO on Sunday, April 14.
Arya Is In Trouble
The trailer opens with Arya Stark, beaten and exhausted in what looks to be Winterfell. Her face is bloodied, and she is running for her life. She says, "I know death. He's got many faces."
Hiding In Winterfell
During Arya's couple lines of dialogue, we cut to the crypts of Winterfell, and very briefly, we see people huddled in there, looking up, including Varys. It seems as though there is a battle happening in the city. We're assuming that the White Walkers have reached the city during their battle with Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen's armies.
The Key To Winning
"I look forward to seeing this one, " Arya says as she holds up a Dragonglass dagger. As we learned in previous seasons, Dragonglass is one of two things--the other being Valyrian steel--that can kill the Night King and White Walkers, which is why Jon Snow went to Dragonstone to form an alliance with Daenerys--there's a lot of Dragonglass there.
However, seeing Arya running through Winterfell in the previous shots, leads us to believe the war between the living and dead does not go very well, and the humans are losing.
Send In The Navy
House Greyjoy's fleet is setting sail. Euron Greyjoy is currently in command, and at the end of Season 7, Euron headed to Essos to bring the might of Golden Company to Westeros to assure Cersei stays on the Iron Throne.
Who Is This?
The one thing the Game of Thrones fans at GameSpot can't stop asking is, "Who is this guy?" We debated that it could be Jaime Lannister, but you can briefly see a right hand in the shot, so it's not him. We also debated it was Jorah Mormont, but that didn't click either.
Photo Enhance
We also spent way too much time trying to research this character's sword, which we couldn't find anywhere. So who is this person? Is this Euron in fancy armor (probably not)? More than likely, this is a character from the Golden Company headed back across the Narrow Sea, someone we haven't met yet. He's got a pretty rad sword though.
More Flaming Swords, Please
"Everything you did put you where you are now. Where you belong," Bran Stark says as we see Bronn, Tormund, and Beric--with his awesome flaming sword--exit a building. There is then a quick shot of Bran talking to Samwell. It's a nice, quick shot to remind people these characters are still alive and kicking. Also, there is a sweet flaming sword.
Cersei Is Probably Still A Monster
Back at King's Landing, Cersei is still awful. Sure, she's not doing anything horrific here, but she's probably thinking about it. The Mountain is still guarding her, even though he took a quick break recently to kill the Bud Knight. Next to her is the Hand of the Queen, Qyburn.
An Incestual Power Couple
Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow--the lovers who are also aunt and nephew--ride off to war with Daenerys' personal army, the Unsullied. There are two major battles that will happen during this final season: the battle against the White Walkers in the north and the battle for the throne at King's Landing.
There Be Dragons
We briefly see Sansa Stark at Winterfell, as Daenerys' two dragons, Drogon and Rhaegal, fly overhead. If you remember from Season 7, the third dragon, Viserion, died and was resurrected by the Night King, and he used it to destroy the Wall.
The Battle
From what we can make out, a man is engaged in battle. Then, very quickly, there is a shot of Jaime screaming, who parted ways with Cersei at the end of Season 7. We're led to believe that this is at King's Landing. It's not.
Jaime Joins The Fight
However, after you watch the entire trailer, it seems more than likely this battle is happening at Winterfell because of what Jaime says, "I promised to fight for the living. I intend to keep that promise." Jaime has headed to Winterfell to fight the White Walkers.
Are They Going To Ride Dragons Together?
It's the moment you've been waiting for. Jon and Daenerys are going to ride dragons together. We're not sure exactly where in the Season 8 timeline this could take place, but it may be for the battle at King's Landing, for the Iron Throne.
The Final Battle
There are a few shots of the army, which includes the Unsullied, Jorah, Brienne, and Podrick. They're ready for battle, standing outside of Winterfell.
Undead Horsie
The final shot of this trailer is two horse legs entering the shot. The camera focuses on them to reveal rotted away flesh and bones. This is the Night King's horse, and boy oh boy, I cannot be more excited to see how this battle turns out.
We'll get to see all the intense action for ourselves when Game of Thrones returns to HBO on April 14.
After an intriguing tease in a post-credits sequence of Avengers: Infinity War, Captain Marvel has finally arrived. One of the most powerful characters in Marvel continuity is one of only two MCU films serving as a bridge between Infinity War and the conclusion against the murderous Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. As a result, fans have high expectations of Carol Danvers, both as a trump card to tip the scales in the heroes' favor, and as the first female-led superhero film in the Marvel universe.
The results are mixed. Reviews agree that Captain Marvel is a fun and enjoyable movie, but it has less of a clear identity than some other movies in the MCU. Our own Captain Marvel review from Michael Rougeau suggests that the issue is timing, and how the film's placement between the two halves of the biggest Avengers story yet does it a disservice.
"Captain Marvel feels like a forced cul-de-sac we have to drive impatiently around to get where we really want to go," he wrote. "To be clear: Captain Marvel is not a bad movie. It's just being released at the wrong time."
Check out more from GameSpot's review, along with a sampling of other reviews, below. For even more on Captain Marvel, check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
GameSpot -- No Score
"Captain Marvel hits all the right notes, but it feels like it was released at the wrong time. There's too much anticipation and dread right now to fully enjoy this heroic cul-de-sac. It doesn't quite set up the twists you might want it to, and its many expansions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe feel like fodder for future movies, not the impending Endgame itself. Carol Danvers would have been better served with an explosive entrance in Endgame, then her own standalone to kick off the MCU's next phase. Right now this movie is an obligatory addendum to the Avengers story, when it deserved to be an essential opening chapter." -- Michael Rougeau [Full review]
Chicago Sun-Times -- 3.5/5
"Amidst all the scenes with intergalactic warships and fireball-flinging, co-directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck wisely find plenty of room to take the foot off the accelerator and cede center stage to Larson, Jackson and the rest of the greatly talented cast. It's a real treat to see Carol Danvers find her footing and her wings, so to speak, while at the same time Nick Fury is taking the first steps toward becoming Nick Fury." -- Richard Roeper [Full review]
Den of Geek -- 3.5/5
"Captain Marvel continues to prove just how good the MCU is at expanding its universe in new ways that still feel integral to the larger world. Experiencing the film's final moments is not unlike the experience of watching the final moments of Rogue One, so cleverly does the film weave its way into existing canon, informing what has already happened in the franchise (and what will eventually happen in the world of the MCU) in emotionally-resonant ways. After Captain Marvel, the MCU feels more complete." -- Kayti Burt [Full review]
The Guardian -- 3/5
"I wanted a clearer, more central story for Captain Marvel's emergence on to the stage, and in subsequent films – if she isn't simply to get lost in the ensemble mix – there should more of Larson's own wit and style and, indeed, plausible mastery of martial arts. In any case, Captain Marvel is an entertaining new part of the saga." -- Peter Bradshaw [Full review]
We Got This Covered -- 3/5
"Captain Marvel is a recorded mixtape of familiar MCU beats that sets Carol Danvers up for success, but as a period standalone, struggles to be anything we haven't yet seen from superhero cinema." -- Matt Donato [Full review]
Collider -- B-
"Taken on its own merits, Captain Marvel comes up short as a superhero origin story. By trying to find a fresh approach, the screenplay deprives its lead character of an arc and some of her humanity. The film itself lacks the energy and vision of Black Panther or even Captain America: The First Avenger. But when it comes to making you root for its superhero and eager to see her in more Marvel movies, Captain Marvel passes with flying colors." -- Matt Goldberg [Full review]
New York Post -- 1.5/5
"What's said to be Marvel's most powerful superhero ever is served Melatonin by Larson. There is precious little texture or detail, ups and downs, or emotions of any kind in her performance. The character, even when kicking ass, is a total bore. The film's best moments are provided by Jackson and a hilarious cat." -- Johnny Oleksinski [Full review]
Variety -- No Score
"It's a prequel that casts its gaze way forward. Yet in its sturdy and standard-issue way, it invests Carol Danvers with a heroic majesty and heft that moves her, as a presence, right to the forefront of the series." -- Owen Gleiberman [Full review]
The Protoype Missions demo, as it's dubbed, gives players a chance to test out the game's controls and mech customization options. It features four separate missions followed by a boss battle. Afterward, select players will receive a survey to provide their feedback directly to the development team.
If you've yet to, you can grab the Daemon X Machina: Prototype Missions demo either from the Switch Eshop or Nintendo's website. The full game is still slated to release this summer and is directed by Kenichiro Tsukuda, who previously worked on the Armored Core series.
In Daemon X Machina, players pilot high-powered mech suits called Arsenals, which can be outfitted with a variety of different weapons. Players will need to use their Arsenals to take on missions and defend humanity against armies of rouge AI-controlled robots. Nintendo says the game will also support local and online multiplayer.
Daemon X Machina wasn't the only Switch game to receive a free demo following last month's Nintendo Direct; a demo of Yoshi's Crafted World is also available to download from the Eshop. The full game is scheduled to launch on March 29.
THQ Nordic's parent company has issued another apology for the publisher's decision to hold an 'ask me anything' session on infamous message board 8chan last week. The website is known for hosting threads relating to subjects such as child pornography and white supremacy, so THQ Nordic's AMA there drew criticism from across the industry.
"This letter is to offer my sincerest apologies and regret for THQ Nordic GmbH Vienna's interaction with the controversial website 8chan last Tuesday, February 26," said the company's group CEO, Lars Wingefors. "I condemn all unethical content this website stands for. Even if no one within the THQ Nordic Group would ever endorse such content, I realize simply appearing there gave an implicit impression that we did.
"As co-founder and group CEO of [parent company] THQ Nordic AB, I take full responsibility for all of THQ Nordic GmbH's actions and communications. I have spent the past several days conducting an internal investigation into this matter. I assure you that every member of the organization has learned from this past week's events. I take this matter very seriously and we will take appropriate action to make sure we have the right policies and systems in place to avoid similar mistakes in the future."
The statement follows an earlier apology from the company's PR and marketing director, Philipp Brock, during which he was forced to say he "does not condone child pornography, white supremacy, or racism in any shape or form."
THQ Nordic first announced the AMA in a tweet, saying "we're doing an 8chan AMA and we have no idea why. Come join us!" After industry figures criticized the company for this move, it then replied to its initial tweet and stated "the opportunity was here and we took it, we got apporached [sic] in a very friendly and polite manner and were assured, said person (shoutout to Mark) will take care of the nasty stuff. So, here we are." The tweets have since been deleted.
8chan content was blocked from appearing in Google searches in 2015. Google also warned 8chan contains "suspected child abuse content." Since then, 8chan has become embroiled in various controversies surrounding gamergate, swatting, racism, and white supremacism.
Microsoft, founded by Bill Gates, was--and still is--a hardware and software developer and distributor. Largely known for its Microsoft Suite of tools, the company ventured into the nascent gaming scene in 2001 with its Xbox home console. While it went on to sell a total of 24 million worldwide, former Microsoft senior vice president Don Mattrick didn't believe in the hardware.
According to a tweet posted by original Xbox creator Seamus Blackley, Mattrick "nearly blocked" Blackley "from addressing the company." Blackley, who was hired by Microsoft in February 1999, saw Sony's PlayStation introduction in the same year and came up with a console proposal for Microsoft: the original Xbox.
I’ve never talked about this before, but the irony of Don Mattrick as Xbox Chief was huge for me: when I first came to EA Canada to present the idea of a Microsoft console, he nearly blocked me from addressing the company because he didn’t believe it was possible. It was tense. pic.twitter.com/3pqRq4rGBL
While Bill Gates approved the idea, Mattrick didn't seem to buy in. As tweeted by Blackley, Mattrick "didn't believe it was possible" and "it was tense," Blackley explained. He didn't go into further detail, other than replying "Yes" to a Twitter user praising Phil Spencer, who is currently heading up Microsoft's Xbox division.
Mattrick had a storied history in the games industry. After kicking his career off in the '80s, he began gaining traction in the early 2000s after joining Electronic Arts as the company's president of worldwide studios. Mattrick left EA in February 2007 and became Microsoft's senior vice president, overseeing the Xbox 360 and PC divisions. He remained at Microsoft, jumping between roles throughout his tenure, until July 2013, two months after the company's Xbox One reveal. In the same month, Mattrick left Microsoft and joined Zynga as the company's CEO, where he stayed until his swift resignation from the San Francisco-based mobile game developer in April 2015.
Phil Spencer, who started at as an intern at Microsoft in 1988, gained his first prominent role at Microsoft as the general manager of Microsoft Game Studios EMEA. After working there for nearly 30 years, Spencer became Microsoft's executive vice president of gaming in 2017.
The full trailer for Game of Thrones Season 8 is here. After several months of build-up via teasers, images, and posters, we finally have a good look at what to expect from the last season of HBO's long-running fantasy hit.
The trailer is all about setting up the epic battle against the Night King and his army of the dead at Winterfell. Most of the main characters feature, including Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, and Arya Stark, together with a taste of the epic battles that we've been promised this season. Check it out above.
Although Game of Thrones is nearing the end, there is a prequel spin-off on the way. X-Men: First Class' Jane Goldman will serve as showrunner and has developed the story with creator George RR Martin. This week it was revealed that the show will start filming early this summer.
While it's yet to receive an official title, Martin suggested last year that it would be called The Long Night. He subsequently walked that back, perhaps due to pressure from HBO that didn't want that name shared yet. In any event, it does provide some insight into what to expect. It is expected to premiere in 2020 or 2021.
In 2010, Kirby's Epic Yarn spun the traditional formula of Dream Land's favorite hero on its head, reimaging Kirby stuck in a world made entirely of yarn, buttons, and zippers. Extra Epic Yarn ports Kirby's sidescrolling platforming adventure from Wii to 3DS and stitches on a few new features and modes for good measure. Most of Extra Epic Yarn plays as you might remember the original game--and it still looks just as good--but the port's additions craft new, enjoyable ways for you to approach its content.
Kirby does not have his trademark abilities in Patch Land, so you need to rely on his new knitted form to find unorthodox ways of overcoming obstacles and vanquishing foes. To attack, for example, Kirby throws out a whip of yarn to unravel enemies before wrapping the material up into a ball that can be thrown. There are also moments within levels where Kirby will take on a new shape, which briefly alters gameplay--when Kirby is a fighter jet, for example, Extra Epic Yarn becomes a fixed shooter.
Epic Yarn recaptures the charming simplicity of Kirby's earliest adventures, while also reimagining Dream Land's hero in a fun new way with its yarn-based aesthetics. The game retains the franchise's focus on simple platforming challenges populated throughout cleverly designed levels as well. Extra Epic Yarn adds on to this formula by including craft-focused variations of some of Kirby's traditional transformations in the platforming sections. Certain items on each stage transform Kirby if you manage to whip them up, allowing him to attack and occasionally navigate a stage in a new way. For instance, Nylon (Tornado) Kirby can spin at high enough speeds to pull apart any enemy or damage bosses, but the attack can also be used to briefly hover through the air. These new abilities are not necessary to completing any level, but several of them allow Kirby to more easily attack and jump at the same time, which adds a nice flow to the platforming. And like previous Kirby titles, you can stick with one you enjoy and bring it from one stage to the next.
It would have been nice to see Kirby's transformations inspire new puzzles in Extra Epic Yarn. Every stage--as far as I can tell--has been faithfully replicated, so there's not one puzzle you can't figure out without a transformation. It feels like a lost opportunity to implement a more creative application of Kirby's new powers.
On top of new transformations, Extra Epic Yarn also adds Devilish mode, which is the game's version of a hard difficulty. In Devilish mode, a small devil will follow Kirby and try to attack him. Striking back will cause the devil to scurry off, but it will return eventually and you'll have to hit it again if you want to get rid of it. And you do want to get rid of it. Unlike Normal mode, Kirby can be unwound in Devilish mode from taking too many hits, which forces you to start a stage from the very beginning. Devilish mode can present quite the challenge on later stages, where longer levels present more opportunities for a misplaced jump or slow attack. The new mode never becomes frustrating, though, thanks in large part to the implementation of the aforementioned transformation abilities. Devilish mode might not have worked in the more methodical Epic Yarn, but the ability to do quick, sweeping attacks while on the move with Kirby's transformations allows for Extra Epic Yarn to be more action-oriented. It's still tough at times, but as someone who thought Epic Yarn was too easy, Devilish mode introduces the challenge I want in a second playthrough.
Extra Epic Yarn also adds two new minigames which put you in control of either Meta Knight or King Dedede. Meta Knight Slash & Bead has you cut your way through stages as you collect beads, doing your best to slice through as many enemies as quickly as possible to earn more time. Dedede Gogogo is a much faster-paced variation of the same formula, pushing you to sprint through a stage instead of fight your way through it. Each minigame only has four stages, all of which only last a few minutes. Both work as enjoyable distractions when you want to take a break from the campaign--similar to Samurai Kirby and Megaton Punch in previous titles.
Epic Yarn recaptures the charming simplicity of Kirby's earliest adventures, while also reimagining Dream Land's hero in a fun new way with its craft-focused aesthetics.
One last change that comes in Extra Epic Yarn is the loss of motion controls, which were used in certain story levels in the original game on Wii and Wii U. You only notice the motion controls are gone in a few infrequent instances: the sections where Kirby turns himself into a train. Before, you laid out the train's path by pointing at the screen and dragging where you wanted the track to go. In the 3DS port, you use the control stick or d-pad, which is just harder to do. It's possible, sure, but I can't help but think incorporating stylus support in those sections would have made them easier.
Extra Epic Yarn brings new life to a Kirby game that's nearly a decade old. Everything there is to love about Epic Yarn is still here, but the addition of traditional transformation abilities and challenging Devilish mode provide options for anyone looking for a different or more difficult platforming experience. The two new minigames aren't game-changing additions, but they're both fun to complete and provide a change of pace if you ever need a break from the campaign. Whether you're looking to relive Kirby's adventure into Patch Land or want to pick up the game for the first time, Extra Epic Yarn provides hours of good fun, all wrapped up in charming, craft-influenced visuals. This 3DS port is the best version of the game, hands down.
Ever since the first poster for the upcoming Sonic The Hedgehog movie was released back in December, there has been much speculation about what the iconic character will look like on the big screen. While everyone knows how the video game version appears, the posters so far suggest that Sonic will have a more humanoid appearance than we are used to. Now images of what could be the full movie Sonic have leaked.
The images were reportedly posted by advertising agency Hamagami/Carroll, and appear to be part of a branding guide for the movie. The pictures show Sonic in various action-packed poses, and while his legs are a little less muscular than the early pictures suggested, there are a couple of noticeable changes to his appearance.
Sonic's iconic white gloves have now become furry hands, and his sneakers aren't the red-and-white-striped design we're used to seeing him in. The images have now been removed from the agency site, and there has been no comment from Paramount about whether they are legit or not. Nevertheless, they still exist in other places--check out the image below, and the rest over at Polygon.
Sonic the Hedgehog releases on November 8. It's set to star Westworld's James Marsden, with comedian Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic and Jim Carrey as the evil Dr. Robotnik. It's directed by Jeff Fowler, who is making his feature debut, but won an Oscar in 2005 for his animated short Gopher Broke. It's produced by Deadpool director Tim Miller.
2016 marked the 25th anniversary of the Sonic franchise. The latest instalments in the series were Sonic Mania and Sonic Forces, both of which were released in 2017. A new Sonic racing game, Team Sonic Racing, is due out this year.
Netflix has responded to film legend Steven Spielberg's comments about the Oscars that drummed up a lot of debate and controversy recently. In a statement that doesn't mention Spielberg or the Oscars by name, Netflix listed some of the reasons why the streaming network's role in the distribution of film is important.
"We love cinema," the statement starts off by saying. It then lists off some of the ways Netflix's unique distribution model that bypasses theatres helps the film industry overall.
"Access for people who can't always afford, or live in towns without, theatres. Letting everyone, everywhere enjoy releases at the same time," it said. "Giving filmmakers more ways to share art."
"These things are not mutually exclusive."
Netflix's statement came after Spielberg reportedly plans to request a change to the Oscars eligibility rules that would block movies that air exclusively on streaming services or only come to theatres for a limited time from winning an Oscar. Under the proposed new rules, such films could qualify for an Emmy but not an Oscar. This has understandably generated a lot of debate and discussion.
We love cinema. Here are some things we also love: -Access for people who can't always afford, or live in towns without, theaters -Letting everyone, everywhere enjoy releases at the same time -Giving filmmakers more ways to share art These things are not mutually exclusive.
Spielberg's production company, Amblin, told IndieWire in a statement, "Steven feels strongly about the difference between the streaming and theatrical situation."
Spielberg will reportedly lobby the Academy to make changes as part of the upcoming Academy Board of Governors meeting in April. We'll report back when more details become available.
Last April, Spielberg said Netflix movies should not qualify for the Oscars and that platforms like Netflix represent a "clear and present danger" to traditional film. Spielberg has been nominated for 17 Oscars, and he's won three.
The new Sherlock Holmes movie starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law won't be out on time. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the third chapter was previously expected to hit theatres on Christmas Day 2020, but now it's coming to cinemas on December 22, 2021.
No reasoning for the delay was provided.
In the film, Downey Jr. returns to play the famous fictional British detective Sherlock Holmes, with Law reprising his role as the sidekick Dr. Watson. Chris Brancato (Narcos, Hannibal) wrote the script, while Guy Ritchie--who directed the first two Sherlock Holmes films--is rumoured to return for the third.
The first one, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, premiered in 2011 and made more than $545 million at the global box office. The second one, simply titled Sherlock Holmes, came out in 2009 and made $524 million worldwide.
Another movie based on the detective and his sidekick, Holmes and Watson, was released in 2018 starring Will Ferrel and John C. Reilly. It was bashed by critics, and it made only $40 million against a reported production budget of $42 million.
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