By Matt Espineli on May 18, 2016 02:28 am
What to Read After Watching Civil War
Besides the famous arc it's based on, Captain America: Civil War is packed with plot points from other comics. Whether it's an underground Avengers team or the concept of multiple Winter Soldiers, these concepts have appeared in some shape or form in past stories. If you're interested in seeing how these concepts and plot points played out in the past, here are some comics that cover or expand on what you saw on screen. Be wary; there are major spoilers from the film ahead! You can also read our review of Captain America: Civil War. But if you want a spoiler-free look at the film, check out our video discussing our thoughts.
Marvel's Civil War (2006) by Mark Millar
Now that you've seen the film's interpretation of Civil War, you should check out how the comics did it. The crossover event retains the concept of a government legislation overseeing superhero actions, but it tells a different story from the film with completely different plot points. Reading this story is recommended, as it establishes greater context for the stories ahead.
Captain America: Red Menace (2007) by Ed Brubaker
If you're itching to see how Steve Rogers found Bucky after his brainwashing wore off, read the "Red Menace" arc of Ed Brubaker's run on Captain America. It follows Rogers as he tries to foil a terrorist plot by Crossbones, the villain you saw in the beginning of the Captain America: Civil War. The struggle eventually led Cap to Bucky, who at this point is acting covertly to seek vengeance against the men who recently used him as a tool for murder. While it's possible to dive into this one directly, we recommend starting from the beginning of Brubaker's run, beginning with the "Winter Soldier" arc (Issues 1-14).
Black Panther: Who is Black Panther? (2006) by Reginald Hudlin
The film had its own rendition of the Black Panther's origins, but if you're curious to see what that story looked like in the comics, check out Reginald Hudlin's run on the character. It's a modern re-telling of the Black Panther's origins that tells similar story beats, with T'Challa taking on the mantle as he seeks vengeance against Ulysses Klaw, the man who killed his father. Alternatively, you can also check out Stan Lee's and Jack Kirby's classic rendition of the Black Panther's origins in issues 52-53 of Fantastic Four Vol. 1 (1966).
Captain America: No Escape (2011) by Ed Brubaker
Captain America: No Escape is the story to read if you were infatuated with Zemo and his desire for revenge. After the events of Civil War in the comics, Bucky assumes the role of Captain America, leading a successful career as a crimefighter and member of the Avengers. However, Baron Zemo--longtime nemesis of Captain America in the comics--catches wind of Bucky's activity and plots to reveal his history as the Winter Soldier, which could mean a whole lot of trouble for his stint as Captain America. What follows turns into a psychological drama--similar to the one witnessed at the end of Captain America: Civil War--that threatens not only Bucky's future but everything he has ever believed.
Winter Soldier: The Complete Collection (2014) by Ed Brubaker
The film's concept of multiple Winter Soldiers was taken from Ed Brubaker's run on The Winter Soldier solo series. In that story, Bucky has to track down and take out three ex-Russian super soldiers that he helped train during his time as a brainwashed assassin. The espionage drama in this arc is thrilling, capturing the same tone and style seen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
The New Avengers Vol. 6 (2007) and The Mighty Avengers Vol. 1 (2007) by Brian Michael Bendis
Similar to the film, the end of Civil War split the Avengers into two different teams. Where one operates as a government-sanctioned team, the other fights crime covertly, outside the eyes of the law. If you were fascinated by the concept of a rogue Avengers team, Brian Michael Bendis' run on The New Avengers shows what it would look like if the superhero team had to operate in a post-Civil War universe. Alternatively, if you're interested in seeing the Avengers operating as a government-sanctioned team, check out Bendis' The Mighty Avengers.
Iron Man: Civil War (2007) by Brian Michael Bendis
If you came out of Captain America: Civil War more fascinated by Iron Man's point of view, read Brian Michael Bendis' Iron Man: Civil War. The two-issue series expands on Tony Stark's motivations and beliefs, providing more insight on why he chose to side with the government. It also sheds light on his decaying relationship with Captain America throughout the conflict.
Spider-Man: Civil War (2007) by J. Michael Straczynski
Like the film, Tony Stark also took to mentoring Spider-Man during the events of Civil War in the comics. You can see what this relationship looks like in J. Michael Straczynski's Spider-Man: Civil War, where Spider-Man becomes Tony's protege. However, this relationship is deceiving in nature compared to the film, as Tony only mentors Spider-Man to gain the public's favor.
Avengers: Vision and the Scarlet Witch--A Year in the Life (1985) by Steve Englehart
If you enjoyed the romantic vibes between Vision and the Scarlet Witch in Captain America: Civil War, then you'll be happy to know that the two are actually a couple in the comics. Both characters appear in a 12-issue series by Steve Englehart where they embark on crime fighting adventures as a married couple.
By Mat Elfring on May 16, 2016 04:30 pm
Every week, we take a look at some of the most bizarre, exciting, and downright unique things to happen in comics. Check out our choices of the strange and wacky things that shouldn't be overlooked from this week's releases. There may be some tiny spoilers ahead.
The Dark and Bloody #4
Best Nightmare-Inducing Imagery When someone you know turns into a giant, murderous crow, with the intentions of tearing you apart, you're going to have nightmares for the rest of your life.
The Dark and Bloody #4
Most Intense Scene Following that frightening moment, readers are treated to two pages of some intense moments as the human-crow beast attacks. Apparently, a shotgun is still the easiest way to deal with crow people.
Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6
Best Scene We Acted Out With Our Toys as Kids As a child, you probably played with all of your toys, no matter what company the licenses came from. This week, Batman and Shredder had one epic battle, which was a moment stripped right from when we were kids.
Starfire #12
Best Time to Quit Drinking If you're ever wondering when you should call it a night after drinking, just look into the sky. If you see an orange woman riding a flying dolphin, it's time to go to bed.
Vision #7
Best Joke The Vision tries to connect with his ex-wife, Scarlet Witch, in bed by telling a joke, with an incredibly dry delivery. It's still a solid joke though.
Gwenpool #2
Best Way to Get a Hero's Attention If you see Thor in the sky, lots of people are going to be yelling "Thor" to get her attention. However, if you want to make sure she'll turn around, call her by her birth-name.
Earth 2: Society #12
Best Surprise Return There was a huge surprise at the end of Earth 2 this week. One of the oldest supervillains at DC comics, Ultra-Humanite, made his return.
Web Warriors #7
Best Mixture of a '90s Character and an Animal Doctor Doom is pretty cool. Doom 2099 is pretty cool as well. What if you took the concept of Doom 2099 and made him a duck? Well, you'd get Ducktor Doom 2099. It's ridiculous and wonderful all at the same time.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #3
Best Power Rangers Replacement If there's a Putty loose in town, and the Power Rangers aren't available, who are you going to call? Well, Bulk and Skull got all dressed up to try and help some people that needed to be saved from a Putty.
Kennel Block Blues #4
Best Song and Dance Number During a Prison Escape Trying to escape from prison can be intense and nerve-wracking. The easiest way to get back on all that stress is to turn it into a giant musical number.
All-New, All-Different Avengers #9
Best Stern Talking To After a new Wasp meets the Avengers, Jarvis gets pretty upset and gives her a quick history lesson about who Janet Van Dyne was.
Deadpool #11
Best and Weirdest Getaway Deadpool has always been a weird character, but the end of last week's issue was super-weird, as Deadpool found himself on a horse, running from Mounties.
Silk #8
Best Almost Escape Spider-Gwen may have an amazing amount of agility, but she's not perfect. She almost makes an escape in issue #8 of Silk, but gets shocked at the end. That's it this week. Let us know in the comments below what other Best Stuff you dug this past week. If you want to participate or felt we missed some other Best Stuff, don't complain, contribute! Each week you can @reply us on Twitter at @GManFromHeck and @ImMatElfring by Fridays using the hashtag#BestStuffInComics. We'll give you a shout out and I'll think you're pretty groovy.
By Eddie Makuch on May 14, 2016 04:00 pm
Recap!
Weekly Recap: Star Wars Battlefront 2, April NPD, Disney Infinity Canceled
Did you step away this week? Here is a roundup of all the big news and some stories you may have missed. Click "Next Image" to get started.
More Battlefront
EA made it official this week, announcing that Star Wars Battlefront 2 is in development and pegged for release in 2017. The company said it hopes to launch at least one new Star Wars game every year for the next three or four years. [Full story]
PS4 On Top
The NPD Group made its month announcement this week about physical sales from the past month in the United States. The PlayStation 4 was again the top-selling console of the month, while Dark Souls III was the No. 1 best-selling game. For more, check out these stories: hardware, software.
To Infinity And....
Disney Infinity is no more. The House of Mouse announced this week as part of its latest earnings report that it was cancelling Disney Infinity and closing developer Avalanche. The company is taking a $147 million hit as a result of the shut down. Additionally, Disney will no longer make games internally at all, but instead license its games out to other studios, like Electronic Arts. [Full story]
Not This Year
Mass Effect: Andromeda, the latest entry in BioWare's spacefaring RPG series, will not make it out this year as previously expected. The game is now due to arrive in early 2017, BioWare announced this week. The delay was necessary to give the team time to "deliver everything the game can be and should be." [Full story]
Incredible
DICE environment artist Simon Barle has created Bloodborne's Hunter's Dream location in Unreal Engine 4--in his spare. The results are incredible.
Even Arby's
Even fast food chain Arby's is psyched about the next Pokemon games. This week, after the game's release date was announced, Arby's shared this cool photo:
Huge Update
Ubisoft's team-based tactical shooter Rainbow Six Siege received a huge new update this week that made a number of fixes and balance adjustments; oh, and it also added unicorns. Really. Full patch notes.
Big Sale
The PlayStation Network is currently hosting a big sale on games from Ubisoft and Focus Home, among others. The deals are good for all major platforms, including PS4, PS3, and PlayStation Vita. Here is a roundup of some of the best deals.
What Could Have Been
Some footage of an unannounced and unreleased Star Wars RTS has emerged online. The untitled project would have had stylized visuals and was based on the classic-era Star Wars films. Take a look.
Everything Eventually Gets Remade in GTA 5
Battlefield 1's trailer was really cool and ultra-popular. Now, it's been remade in Grand Theft Auto V, where it can be appreciated in a sillier light. Have a look.
Free DLC Alert
Free DLC alert. EA Sports has added a new course, Banff Springs, to Rory McIlroy PGA Tour. Additionally, the update fixes some bugs and adds new audio lines for some PGA Tour golfers. Full patch notes here.
Like A Phoenix
Prey 2 might be announced at E3 2016, according to a new report from Kotaku. The first version of the game was essentially tossed out, so we're expecting to see basically Prey 2.0.
Microsoft Nixed It, Apparently
According to former Lionhead Studios developer John McCormack, the developer wanted to put a black woman on the cover of Fable III--but Microsoft nixed the idea. "They were going, 'You can't have a black person on the cover, and you can't have a woman. And you want a black woman,'" McCormack told Eurogamer. "And I was like, 'Yes, I do, because it's about be whatever hero you want.' [Microsoft said], 'No. It's a white guy. That's just the way it is. We know what sells and that's fucking it. Stop the arguing.' I was like, 'Fuck you!' That was a huge fight. "They said, 'What's the most unsuccessful Disney film?' I was like, 'I don't know.' They went, 'Princess and the Frog. Work it out.' I was like, 'Fuck you, man." I hated it.
Dated
The Banner Saga 2's console versions finally have a launch date. The game will launch on PS4 and Xbox One on July 26, Stoic and publisher Versus Evil announced this week. A new trailer has also been released. Check it out here.
Success!
Consortium sequel The Tower's Fig crowdfunding campaign wrapped up this week. It raised a total of $348,538 from 3,046 backers. The developers only asked for $300,000, meaning it was a big success. The Tower is now Fig's fourth successfully funded game. You can read more about it here.
Coming Soon
Time Machine VR, a new exploration adventure game, will launch on May 19 for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, developer Minority Media announced this week. You play as a time-travelling scientist who is tasked with going back to the Jurassic era to face dinosaurs who to find the answer for a plague that is destroying earth in the modern day. You can get the name now, an Early Access version, on Steam.
Sneak Peak
Want a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Warcraft movie? Director Duncan Jones filmed himself on Periscope walking around the set, showing off props, and more. You can re-watch the video here.
Stumped (Kinda)
Stephen Colbert is something of a wizard when it comes to his knowledge of JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. But now, he's finally been stumped. Actor Ryan Gosling recently appeared on his show and asked him a question that Colbert had no answer to. You can probably imagine there is some trickery going on here. Watch the full video here to find out how it went down.
Lego Dimensions Expands
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment this week released three new fun packs for its toys-to-life game Lego Dimensions. They are for characters include Bane (DC Comics), Slimer (Ghostbusters), and Lego Ninjago. These are Wave 5 Fun Packs. You can learn more about these and others at the Lego Dimensions website.
Say Hello to Riley
The crowdfunding campaign for robot security device Riley, described as the "world's smartest home companion," is entering its final hours. The Indiegogo campaign has already cleared its $50,000 goal (funding stands at more than $163,000 right now), but you still have time to make a pledge, as the campaign ends later today. Head to the Indiegogo page here to learn more.
By Matt Espineli on May 14, 2016 03:36 am
Unboxing Hell
As you'd expect, id Software's Doom launched with a collector's edition. We were recently able to get our hands on one, so you can get a closer look at what it comes packed with. Priced at $120, the set includes the game, a steelbook case, an exclusive demon multiplayer pack, and a 12-inch statue of the Revenant demon. The statue is the centerpiece of the set, sporting great detail and paint application. In addition, it stands on an LED-lit base with an internal slow-moving turbine, which is sure to catch the attention of anyone that passes by. Click ahead for a closer look at the finer details of each item.
By Mat Elfring on May 12, 2016 10:06 pm
The current superstars of the WWE Universe all had to come from somewhere. While many of them have their characters crafted and molded in the developmental system known as NXT, many of these wrestlers have appeared in WWE before as someone completely different. It could have been a trial match or creative trying something that didn't work. Here's some of WWE's current superstars during their first appearances in the company. (Photo:WWE)
Then: Jon Moxley
Dean Ambrose made his debut as Jon Moxley on WWE Velocity back in 2006. It would be five years before he would return to the WWE.
Now: Dean Ambrose
Dean Ambrose, once a member of The Shield, is now a solo act with his own segment, "Ambrose Asylum." It features a potted plant, which was recently smashed. (Photo: WWE)
Then: Husky Harris
Bray Wyatt, the third generation superstar, made his debut when NXT was a contest, teaming up rookies with well-established characters. Harris didn't make it to the finals, in 2010, but he did return in late 2010 to WWE television as a member of Nexus. (Photo: WWE)
Now: Bray Wyatt
After being repackaged in NXT as Bray Wyatt, he and the Wyatt Family took the WWE by storm in July 2012. His backwoods, cultish gimmick has won over fans and creeped out children for four years. (Photo: WWE)
Then: Mike Unabomb/Isaac Yankem, DDS/Fake Diesel
Kane started in 1995 as Mike Unabomb, who spent most of the time in dark matches for Raw. He was quickly repackaged as Jerry Lawler's dentist-turned-wrestler, Isaac Yankem. Afterwards, he was repackaged as "Diesel," after the real Diesel left for WCW. (Photo: WWE)
Now: Kane
Sometimes he's in a business suit, sans mask as "Corporate Kane," but currently, Kane still wanders around the WWE, chokeslamming anyone that gets in his way. He's still going after 20 active years in the WWE, which is pretty crazy when you consider the fact he's Undertaker's brother who supposedly died in a fire. (Photo: WWE)
Then: K-Kwik
Back in 2000, K-Kwik made his debut, helping out Road Dogg, whom he later teamed with. (Photo: WWE)
Now: R-Truth
After a run at TNA, R-Truth came back to the WWE in 2008 and has become known for some of his more ridiculous, comedic antics. This includes entering the 2016 Royal Rumble by grabbing a ladder, setting it up in the ring, climbing it, and quickly realizing there's nothing hanging above the ring. (Photo: WWE)
Then: Dustin Rhodes
Although Dustin Rhodes and his father, Dusty Rhodes, had a quick stint in WCW, under his birth name Dustin Runnels, Rhodes got his start in WWE back in 1990 as his father's tag partner. They had a notable match against the Million Dollar Man & Virgil at the Royal Rumble in 1991. (Photo: WWE)
Now: Goldust
Always bizarre and always interesting, Goldust has been a staple at WWE since 1995. Although he's on-again, off-again with the company, Goldust's character has provided some incredibly entertaining and weird stories at the company. (Photo: WWE)
Then: Kerwin White's Caddy/Nicky from Spirit Squad
Back in 2005, Chavo Guerrero Jr became middle-class golfer, Kerwin White. His caddy was involved in a couple of matches. However, the caddy was repackaged as Nicky in the Spirit Squad, an all-male cheerleader stable that ended up winning the tag team championship. (Photo: WWE)
Now: Dolph Ziggler
In 2008, "Nicky" was repackaged as the show-off, Dolph Ziggler, which fans around the world consider to be one of the hardest working and most underutilized wrestlers on the roster. (Photo: WWE)
Then: Xavier Woods
Xavier Woods made his debut in 2013 as R-Truth's tag partner. From there, he feuded with Brodus Clay after Woods used his entrance music and dancing valets. (Photo: WWE)
Now: Xavier Woods
Although his name stayed the same, his character couldn't be any more different. Woods is now part of the stable "New Day," where Xavier spends most of the time trash talking opponents and playing his trombone, dubbed "Francesca II" (RIP Francesca). The group wore Dragonball-themed outfits for Wrestlemania and Woods once played the Final Fantasy victory music on trombone during a match. (Photo: WWE)
Then: The Prototype
The Prototype made his debut in a Smackdown dark match back in 2000. He later became billed as "John Cena" in 2002, taking on Kurt Angle. Cena was known for his "Ruthless Aggression" in the ring, along with having Marilyn Manson as his entrance music. (Photo: WWE)
Now: John Cena
Now, after a whole rapping gimmick, John Cena is a face known for the words "hustle, loyalty, and respect" as well as his contributions to numerous charities. Much like Xavier Woods, while his name remains the same, the character couldn't be any more different. He's one of the most polarizing characters in the company, which you can notice during his matches, when half the crowd chants "Let's go Cena" while the other half chants "Cena sucks." (Photo: WWE)
Then: Impostor Kane
After the real Kane removed his mask, shaved his head, and slipped on some blue contact lenses, Impostor Kane showed up in the real Kane's old attire. Who was the real Kane? Spoiler: It was the guy with the shaved head, as the feud ended quickly, with Impostor Kane's mask getting ripped off by the real Kane. (Photo: WWE)
Now: Luke Gallows
Luke Gallows is back, but he isn't stealing anyone else's gimmick. He's followed AJ Styles from Japan, with his tag partner Karl Anderson and the three of them are The Bullet Club. (Photo: WWE)
Then: Air Styles
Back in 2001, Air Styles was part of a high-risk tag team called "Air Raid." In 2002, he had a brief tenure at WWE before heading off to TNA and Japan. (Photo: WWE)
Now: AJ Styles
In 2016's Royal Rumble, AJ Styles came out to a sea of ovation from fans, as Styles had become a worldwide icon while wrestling in Japan. Currently, Styles is teamed up with Bullet Club members Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, taking on Roman Reigns and his cousins, The Usos. (Photo: WWE)
By Anonymous on May 12, 2016 04:41 am
39. Fantastic Four
The Marvel universe is vaster than just a team of Avengers. But instead of listing every film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we've taken the liberty of ranking every single Marvel movie in the universe (including those outside the MCU) according to Metacritic's unique score system. Let's start with one we'd rather forget. It's not very often Marvel is involved in a movie that so blatantly swings and misses. Shackled by horrible reviews, bad dialogue and lackluster action scene, 2015's Fantastic Four reboot is the lowest-rated Marvel movie ever. The film received a 27 on Metacritic. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)
38. Punisher: War Zone
The 2008 reboot of The Punisher is filled with a bunch of gratuitous violence, but little else. Punisher: War Zone is still the worst-performing Marvel film at the box office, with a worldwide gross of $10.1 million. War Zone earned a 30 on Metacritic. (Photo: Lionsgate)
37. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
In this 2012 entry, Nicolas Cage reprised his role as Johnny Blaze, the devil's bounty hunter. The sequel to 2007's Ghost Rider was largely panned by critics, but it was a box-office success nevertheless. In 2013, Cage said that he is finished playing the role of Ghost Rider, and a second sequel was subsequently canceled. Spirit of Vengeance received a 32 on Metacritic. (Photo: Columbia Pictures)
36. The Punisher
Back in 2004, the unstoppable vigilante known as The Punisher emerged following the brutal murder of his family. After Thomas Jane, the original Punisher, left for creative reasons, the planned sequel was scrapped for the previously mentioned 2008 reboot, Punisher: War Zone. Jane's Punisher earned a 33 on Metacritic. (Photo: Lionsgate)
35. Elektra
In this Daredevil spin-off, Jennifer Garner reprised her role as the assassin Elektra. The film was so unpopular that a companion video game was never released because developers feared it would fail. Ouch. Garner's Elektra was panned, with a mark of 34 on Metacritic. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)
34. Ghost Rider
Aside from the stellar special effects and usual greatness of Nicolas Cage, this movie a mess, littered with bad jokes and hammy dialogue. That didn't stop Ghost Rider from being a success as the box office, however. Cage's Ghost Rider drew a 35 in Metacritic's rankings. (Photo: Sony Pictures Entertainment)
33. Blade: Trinity
The third entry in the Blade saga is also the most unwatchable. Even with a decent cast that includes Wesley Snipes, Jessica Biel and Ryan Reynolds, Blade: Trinity lacks a much-needed narrative direction. The worst entry in the trilogy earned a 38 on Metacritic. (Photo: New Line Cinema)
32. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
For years, fans of the adamantium-clawed Wolverine were clamoring for a stand-alone film. They finally got one, but this 2009 prequel did not live up to the immense hype. Although Hugh Jackman turned in another top-notch performance as James "Logan" Howlett, the actor expressed how unhappy he was with the film's final product. Wolverine's first solo film was awarded a 40, per Metacritic's score. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)
31. Fantastic Four (2005)
The first feature about Marvel's famed superhero team to actually get a theatrical release had rousing action scenes, but little else. The 31st-ranked Marvel film scored a 40, per Metacritic's rankings. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)
30. Daredevil
This 2003 feature stars Ben Affleck as Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer who fights for justice as the masked vigilante Daredevil. Despite Daredevil's success at the box office, the superhero film was filled with generic dialogue and a lack of character development. But we did get one stellar performance from the late Michael Clarke Duncan. According to Metacritic, Affleck's first superhero film scored a 42. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)
29. Blade
In 1998, Blade became the first Marvel comic-book hero adapted to the big screen. The success of this film also helped popularize both superhero and vampire films, which are two of the most successful movie genres today. Wesley Snipes' first turn as the quasi-vampire earned a 45 on Metacritic. (Photo: New Line Cinema)
28. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Rise of the Silver Surfer is one of the rare sequels that's actually (slightly) better than the original, according to critics. This film still suffers from a failure to maximize the potential of its talented cast, including Laurence Fishburne as the voice of the Silver Surfer. While the film had some box-office success, a follow-up was canceled in lieu of a franchise reboot. According to Metacritic's scores, this flick scored a 45. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)
27. Blade II
Here's another sequel that critics believe is better than the original. And moviegoers agree, as Blade II is both the best-reviewed and the highest-grossing film in the saga. What's more, this flick helped introduce Americans to the talents of director Guillermo del Toro, who would go on to helm Pan's Labyrinth and Hellboy. Blade II received a 52 on Metacritic. (Photo: New Line Cinema)
26. The Amazing Spider-Man 2
While this 2014 film might have been a bit overstuffed with plot lines, set pieces and villains, Amazing Spider-Man 2 was still a commercial success. The movie was originally envisioned as a springboard for a shared universe, but it performed below expectations and all subsequent installments were canceled. Spider-Man will instead join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The final Amazing Spider-Man movie earned a 53 on Metacritic. (Photo: Columbia Pictures)
25. Hulk
Ang Lee's 2003 art-house rendition of the Hulk is one of the most ambitious Marvel films, with its poignant themes and beautiful cinematography. But it wasn't a good match for the source material. Ultimately, this film just needed more HULK SMASHES! Hulk scored a 54, per its Metacritic score. (Photo: Universal Pictures)
24. Thor: Dark World
Poor Thor. The second installment in the god of thunder's saga sits toward the bottom of the Marvel Universe in terms of critical reception. Despite the fact that most of the characters in The Dark World merely seem to be going through the motions of saving the cosmos, when it comes to entertainment value, it could be much, much worse. (Photo: Disney)
23. Iron Man 2
Following the breakout critical and commercial hit Iron Man, this sequel left much to be desired. Mickey Rourke's Whiplash couldn't quite reach the level of Jeff Bridges' Obadiah Stane. The second Iron Man installment received a mark of 57 on Metacritic. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)
22. Thor
This film is quite the rousing action-fest, notable for its imaginative take on the breathtaking world of Asgard. However, Thor is slightly flawed, with a plot bogged down in backstory. But it's worth a watch for fans of the Norse, hammer-wielding god. The first Thor film notched a 57, per Metacritic. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)
21. X-Men: The Last Stand
The final chapter in the original X-Men trilogy is also the worst-reviewed in the saga. The action scenes in The Last Stand were impressive, but the flick was too absurd even for a superhero film. The third X-Men film received a 58 rating, per Metacritic. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)
20. Spider-Man 3
Yes, Spider-Man 3 featured everyone's "favorite" character: Emo Peter Parker. But this film was still somewhat entertaining. Tobey Maguire's final appearance as Spidey was the most successful in the franchise's history, with more than $890 million grossed worldwide. A fourth installment was originally planned, but director Sam Raimi and Sony had creative differences, and a reboot, The Amazing Spider-Man, was developed instead. According to Metacritic, the third Spider-Man film earned a score of 59. (Photo: Columbia Pictures)
19. The Wolverine
Wolverine's second stand-alone film moved at a glacial pace, but it was still a critical and commercial success. The sixth film in the X-Men saga, and the first without the name "X-Men" in the title, ultimately couldn't live up to its immense potential. The Wolverine notched a 60, per its Metacritic score. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)
18. The Incredible Hulk
This reboot came out just five years after Ang Lee's rendition of the Hulk. The new entry did a considerably better job at depicting the spirit of the green Goliath, and, at the time, its visual effects were unrivaled. The 18th-ranked Marvel movie received a 61, according to Metacritic. (Photo: Universal Pictures)
17. Iron Man 3
Following the disappointing Iron Man 2, Marvel bounced back with the third film in Tony Stark's saga. While this movie never quite reached the heights of the original, it definitely injected some much-needed heart that was missing from the previous entry. Robert Downey Jr. has floated the idea that he might reprise his role for a fourth Iron Man film. The third Iron Man movie scored a 62, per Metacritic. (Photo: Disney)
16. Ant-Man
Yes, he's Marvel's smallest superhero, but Ant-Man more than makes up for it with his big heart and super strength. Ant-Man, and the affable Paul Rudd, were easy to root for in this fun popcorn flick. The 2015 film scored a 64 on Metacritic. (Photo: Disney)
15. X-Men
This 2000 film gave the world its first live-action X-Men flick, and it did not disappoint. Director Bryan Singer's first choice to play Wolverine was Russell Crowe. The actor turned Singer down, but Crowe then suggested his friend, Hugh Jackman, for the role. And the rest is history. The inaugural X-Men movie received a 64, per Metacritic. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)
14. Deadpool
The fourth-wall-breaking antihero has been a sensation ever since his film, Deadpool, was released. The foul-mouthed film has set a number of box-office records en route to becoming the highest-grossing R-rated comic book film of all time. And a sequel is already on the way. The Ryan Reynolds-starring movie notched a 65, according to Metacritic. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)
13. X-Men: First Class
First Class represented a fresh revival for a franchise that desperately needed some new blood. The 2011 prequel brought together a perfect combination of stylish directing, a strong script, and powerful performances to create one of the best origin stories in any comic book feature. First Class kicked off a fresh franchise with a score of 65, per Metacritic. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)
12. The Amazing Spider-Man
The reboot of the popular Spider-Man franchise was met with generally favorable reviews from top critics. However, many reviewers believed that The Amazing Spider-Man reused the same plot points from 2002's Spider-Man. Nevertheless, Andrew Garfield's witty one-liners made this one of Marvel's more entertaining films. Garfield's first turn as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man scored a 66 on Metacritic. (Photo: Columbia Pictures)
11. Avengers: Age of Ultron
While the second Avengers adventure couldn't quite top their first film, its genuine sense of fun and camaraderie helped make Age of Ultron one of the better Marvel movies. According to Metacritic, the second ensemble Avengers movie scored a 66. (Photo: Disney)
10. Captain America: The First Avenger
This movie absolutely scratches the itch for those looking for a classic World War II comic-book tale. With a pulpy style similar to Indiana Jones, The First Avenger finds that healthy balance between action thrills and nostalgia. This film earned a 66, per Metacritic. (Photo: Disney)
9. X2: X-Men United
Here's one sequel that is definitely bigger and better than its predecessor. The follow-up to X-Men features a tight script, solid acting, and the best cliffhanger in any comic-book movie. X2: X-Men United received a 68 on Metacritic. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)
8. The Avengers
Director Joss Whedon brings together an all-star cast of fan favorite Marvel characters in this raucous adventure. Not surprisingly, The Avengers is one of the most entertaining Marvel movies to date, with its witty script and playful acting. Marvel's first Avengers soared to a 69 on Metacritic. (Photo: Disney)
7. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The second entry in the Captain America saga barely edges out The Avengers in a surprising upset. The Winter Soldier also has huge ramifications on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the dismantling of S.H.I.E.L.D. The Winter Soldier scored highly, with a 70 on Metacritic. (Photo: Disney)
6. Spider-Man
This 2002 film signaled the beginning of the avalanche of superhero films, which are ubiquitous today. At the time of its release, Spider-Man had the highest-grossing opening weekend ever; it was the only film to eclipse $100 million in its first weekend. And that upside-down kiss between Spidey and Mary Jane Watson is one of the most iconic smooches in recent memory. The sixth-highest ranked Marvel film scored a 73, per Metacritic. (Photo: Columbia Pictures)
5. X-Men: Days of Future Past
It's the best-reviewed X-Men film in the series and one of the rare movies to actually make time travel work. Days of Future Past also has the distinct honor of being the only X-Men film in the series to be nominated for an Academy Award (Best Visual Effects). On top of that, the sequel to First Class serves as a resolution to the original trilogy's messy storyline. The time-traveling feature notched a 74 on Metacritic. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)
4. Captain America: Civil War
An adorable new Spider-Man and a wickedly suited-up Black Panther freshen the MCU lineup, but the fight scenes alone are worth the price of admission. Captain America: Civil War soared to a score of 75 on Metacritic. (Photo: Disney)
3. Guardians of the Galaxy
This fun film delivers a breath of fresh air to the overly serious universe of comic-book franchises. Guardians of the Galaxy features a bevy of lovable losers, along with an upbeat soundtrack that will get your nostalgia juices flowing. This rousing film is simply a Marvel classic. Guardians earned a score of 76, according to Metacritic. (Photo: Disney)
2. Iron Man
Surprise, surprise: The film that kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes up slightly short of the top spot on this list. The first Iron Man simultaneously resuscitated Robert Downey Jr.'s career while helping to make comic book movies super cool once again. The inaugural Iron Man blasted its way to a 79 on Metacritic. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)
1. Spider-Man 2
This Academy Award-winning 2004 sequel to Spider-Man is the best reviewed Marvel film, and it's not particularly close. All the big players reprise their roles in Spider-Man 2, but what elevates this feature is Alfred Molina's brilliantly complex portrayal of Doctor Octopus. The top Marvel film scored big with an 83 on Metacritic. (Photo: Columbia Pictures)
By Matt Espineli on May 12, 2016 02:23 am
A Plastic Civil War
Hasbro has launched a new wave of its Marvel Legends action figure line to include characters from Captain America: Civil War, as well as the universe of Captain America. The line features six characters: Captain America, Iron Man, Black Panther, Nuke, Nick Fury, and Red Guardian. The wave also has a Giant Man "Build-A-Figure," which is a figure you can put together once you collect the entire wave. Recently, we were able to get our hands on them all. Click ahead for a closer look at the details of each character. Otherwise, you can check out our review of Captain America: Civil War.
Captain America
Black Panther
Iron Man
Nuke
Nick Fury
Red Guardian
Giant Man
By Jimmy Thang on May 11, 2016 11:45 pm
Nvidia announced its new flagship GPU last week, and we're currently hard at work taking it through its paces for a full review (which will be live soon). Will it actually run faster than two GTX 980s in SLI, as the company claims? You'll know soon enough! In the meantime, there is nothing preventing us from at least showing off the new $699 graphics card in pictures!
The shroud of the GPU looks both different and familiar. The casing uses a familiar color palette that Nvidia has been using on its graphics cards since its 700-series reference GPUs, but there's a much more sharp, polygonal aesthetic this time around.
The sharp angles carry over to the clear window, which showcase the card's heat sinks.
A close up of the GTX 1080's blower fan.
The iconic green GeForce GTX logo remains intact.
Like the GeForce GTX 980 before it, the two-slot GTX 1080 also features one HDMI, one DVI and three DisplayPorts.
Nvidia is now calling its "reference design" GTX 1080 the "Founder's Edition." Why the name change? Nvidia felt like "reference design" indicated a baseline model and the company wanted to make a more premium version right out of the gate that uses high-quality materials. This card will retail for $699, but Nvidia tells us you should see more affordable versions of the card made by hardware partners that start at $599.
The GeForce GTX 1080 only requires one 8-pin power connector and has a 180-watt TDP. This is impressive considering the GTX 980 Ti before it requires a 6-pin and an 8-pin connector and has a 250-watt TDP.
The GeForce GTX 1080 features a slightly different-looking back plate compared to the GTX 980 before it.
By Matt Espineli on May 10, 2016 09:30 pm
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End In Photos
Like Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Remastered, there's a Photo Mode in Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. The tool is surprisingly robust, allowing you to tweak a variety of qualities in a shot, such as depth of field, filters, and lighting. To showcase all the shots we've taken using Photo Mode, we've compiled them here for your viewing pleasure. Be wary; there are potential spoilers ahead.
By Matt Espineli on May 10, 2016 05:21 am
Filtering the Uncharted Experience
Like its predecessors, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End features an assortment of filters you can enable to alter its visuals. From one that adds a cel shaded style to the game's graphics to another that makes everything appear 8-bit, there are a multitude of filters you can turn on to change up the Uncharted experience. We've compiled them all here for your convenience. Otherwise, click ahead to see each filter here and how to unlock them. If you want to see the filters in action, check out our gameplay footage showing them off.
How to Unlock and Enable Filters
To access filters, pause the game and select Render Modes from the Bonus option screen. You can then purchase any filter you want using Unlock Points, which you earn by collecting treasure in the environment or by reaching specific moments in the single-player campaign. Each filter costs a set number of points; you can find how much each one is in the slides ahead. Once you've purchased a filter, select it to enable its effects.
Cel Shaded
Cost: 5 Unlock Points
8-Bit
Cost: 5 Unlock Points
Rainbow Fun Land
Cost: 5 Unlock Points
Tri-Color
Cost: 5 Unlock Points
Chalk Dust
Cost: 5 Unlock Points
Afterlife
Cost: 5 Unlock Points
Negative Land
Cost: 5 Unlock Points
Thief Vision
Cost: 5 Unlock Points
ASC II Mosaic
Cost: 5 Unlock Points
Black and White
Cost: 1 Unlock Point
Blorange
Cost: 1 Unlock Point
Classy
Cost: 1 Unlock Point
Cool
Cost: 1 Unlock Point
Inferno
Cost: 1 Unlock Point
Noir
Cost: 1 Unlock Point
Sepia
Cost: 1 Unlock Point
Vibrant
Cost: 1 Unlock Point
Vintage
Cost: 1 Unlock Point
Warm
Cost: 1 Unlock Point
By Jimmy Thang on May 09, 2016 11:39 pm
For the uninitiated, building a computer might sound as daunting as building a rocket ship, but assembling a PC is not rocket science. As a matter of fact, if you've ever put together a Lego set, then you've got the chops to build a basic PC. The more challenging part of the process is simply educating yourself on what parts to buy, but planning out your build is also arguably the most fun part. To help you enjoy this process, we've written this PC component shopping starter guide, and by the end of it, you'll be ready to hit the ground running to start building your own custom PC! First things first: Building a PC doesn't have to be expensive. If you plan to do most of your gaming at a resolution of 1080p (which is by far the most common gaming resolution today) and you only want to play less-demanding games like League of Legends, DOTA 2, or Hearthstone, you could spend as little as $400 on your PC. If you want to jump into the deep end to play games like The Witcher 3 at pupil-splitting 4K, then yes, that's where the multi-thousand dollar PCs can come into play. Of course, there's also a middle ground if you want to play demanding games, but aren't concerned with turning up all of the graphical bells and whistles. As we mentioned, there's a ton of flexibility here. Generally speaking, you want to get the most bang for your buck. If you spend more money on a component, chances are you will get slightly better performance, but you'll be paying a high premium for it. Conversely, if you spend too little, you might end up making some compromises down the road, and might be better off with spending a few dollars more for a better long-term experience. Deciphering all of that may seem difficult, but we're here to walk you through it component-by-component. Table of contents: - CPU
- GPU
- RAM
- Motherboard
- Case
- Cooler
- SSD
- Hard Drive
- Power Supply
CPU
Unless all you're planning on playing are non-graphically demanding indie games, we'd recommend a quad-core central processing unit (CPU). While the graphics processing unit (GPU) is often seen as the most important component of one's gaming rig, it is important to not overlook the value of having a good CPU. After all, the CPU is the brains of the operation, and if you go with a poor one, it will only serve to bottleneck your GPU. This means it will hinder your graphics card from going full speed, so to speak. At the moment, Intel is ahead of the CPU performance curve against AMD. Intel's $350 quad-core Skylake 6700K CPU is arguably the best (non-enthusiast) consumer quad-core CPU right now, and the company's $200 quad-core i5-6500 is a great bang for your buck gaming CPU. Don't take this to mean that there aren't good offerings from AMD, however. The company has some good affordable options and AMD's FX-8350 8-core Vishera chip is currently a good mid-tier CPU for around 150 bucks. Wait, if AMD's CPU has 8 cores, why is it inferior to Intel's quad-core offerings? In short, core count only really matters when you're comparing CPUs in the same family. A quad-core Intel CPU will most likely be better than a dual-core Intel CPU, but an octo-core AMD CPU won't necessarily be better than a quad-core Intel CPU, for instance. Perhaps to muddle things up a little more, an octo-core Intel CPU might not be better than a quad-core Intel CPU for gaming, considering most games aren't optimized for anything above four cores. In some cases, opting for a CPU with more than four cores is not only a waste of money for gaming, but can result in poorer performance. Take for instance Intel's $1,000 5960X CPU. This is a great processor for gaming and a dream chip for productivity tasks. The CPU might have eight cores, but it carries a base frequency (speed) of 3GHz, which is slower than the base frequency of the 4GHz quad-core i7-6700K, which retails for $350. Why does the exuberantly more expensive octo-core CPU run at a lower frequency than the cheaper part? When you have to squeeze twice as many cores into the CPU die, you essentially have to make some compromises when it comes to power and heat. If you can't decide between two CPUs, a good online resource is CPUboss.com. The website allows you to compare the specs of any two processors and will provide a score for each CPU. The site also provides comparison benchmarks. Another thing you may want to pay attention to is if the CPU is "unlocked." Unlocked CPUs allow you to overclock them for "free" performance. While pretty much all AMD CPUs made today are unlocked and overclockable, in the Intel world, generally only the more expensive "K" SKUs can be overclocked. While CPU overclocking is very common, every CPU is going to have its own overclocking limit (even with CPUs in the same SKU!). While overclocking isn't necessary, if you did want to overclock your CPU, you'll want to get an "aftermarket" cooler so that you can crank up the heat a little more. We'll talk more about coolers later.
Graphics Card
Provided you have a good enough CPU, your graphics card is going to be the single biggest component affecting your gaming performance. Essentially, the GPU should be the most expensive component of your gaming build. This isn't to say that you should break the bank to get a graphics card. We also want to dispel a myth that you'll need to upgrade your GPU every year or every other year, just because new graphics cards come out at that cadence. A video card that you buy today will not magically get slower in the future (if anything, it may even slightly improve with driver updates). As a matter of fact, the GeForce 8800 GTX, which came out a decade ago, can still play the overwhelming majority of modern games out today with playable frame rates. You just won't be able to crank up the graphical bells and whistles as high as you might like. What GPU should you get, though? That really depends on your budget and desires. As of today, we'd recommend holding off until AMD and Nvidia release their new GPUs, as the company's respective Polaris and Pascal cards should be coming out soon. Nvidia's recently revealed GeForce GTX 1080 and 1070 GPUs look like super powerful graphics cards that are killer deals on paper. Even if you weren't interested in getting a brand new top-tier card, it could lower the price on existing cards. If you absolutely can't wait for whatever reason (and seriously, you should wait), here's what's good today... If you want to max out most of your games on 1080p (the most common gaming resolution) with consistent frame rates above 30fps, get the GeForce GTX 970 if you want to go with Nvidia or the R9 390 if you want to go with AMD. They're also good cards if you wanted to get into virtual reality, which is very graphically-demanding. If you don't need to game with your settings maxed out, a GTX 960 or a R9 380 are great bang for the buck cards for your medium-to-high settings fix. If all you want to play are non-graphically demanding games like League of Legends, DOTA 2, and CS:GO (which are among the most popular-played PC games today), more affordable options like the GTX 950 or R7 370 will do fine. If you wanted to jump into the deeper end of the pool and game at 1440p, you'll probably want a GTX 980 or an R9 Fury. If you wanted to go all in and try your hand at 4K, we'd recommend at least a GTX 980Ti or an R9 Fury X, but to be honest, 4K is extremely taxing on hardware at this point in time, especially on one card. That could change with the aforementioned, upcoming GTX 1080 and 1070 cards, however, but we'll have to wait to test it out ourselves. If you simply want the best graphics card today, the Nvidia GeForce Titan X is the performance king, but it's generally only slightly faster than a 980Ti and costs several hundreds of dollars more. Nvidia also claims that its upcoming 1080 graphics card will outperform the Titan X for considerably less. If you wanted the most powerful card per-square-inch, which is great for when you want to build a tiny, but powerful gaming PC, AMD's Nano is currently your best bet. AMD vs Nvidia: Once you've figured out your GPU price range, the next logical question to ask yourself is, "Do I go with Nvidia or AMD?" As it stands right now, each vendor has their strengths and weaknesses, but the hardware community generally gives Nvidia the nod over AMD for better and more consistent driver updates. Nvidia also currently enjoys a lead in the performance-per-watt architecture category (that is to say, the company is able to deliver greater performance with less power). For you, this means that Nvidia cards are generally able to run cooler and quieter. Nvidia also offers a strong suite of features like GeForce Experience, which allows you to quickly enable optimal playable game settings, and Nvidia ShadowPlay, which allows you to easily capture in-game video. AMD is generally seen as offering a slightly better dollar-to-performance ratio, meaning, you get a pretty good bang-for-the-buck if performance is what you seek. Of course, graphics cards are always evolving and comparisons are going to vary on a situational basis. Like the iOS vs Android debate, both sides are going to have their fervent fanboys and pitchforks. Luckily for you, both companies make great graphics cards and you can't really go too wrong either way. But how do you recognize what makes a great graphics card? There are a couple things to look for. Both Nvidia and AMD use parallel processing cores for their GPUs. Nvidia refers to its cores as "CUDA" cores and AMD calls its cores "stream processors." The higher amount is generally a tell-tale sign of a card's quality. Like what we said about CPU core count, however, you can only compare numbers within the same family. This means you can't compare CUDA cores against stream processors and vice versa. You should also look at a card's base and boost clocks, which generally dictates the frequency, or speed, at which a card runs. The amount of video RAM (VRAM) a card has is generally another tell-tale sign of a card's quality. Again, the more you have, the better the card. Since VRAM, or the frame buffer (as it's also commonly known), is responsible for loading a game's textures, the higher the resolution you're gaming at, the more textures it has to push. The VRAM therefore indirectly dictates what resolution each card should run at. Generally speaking, 1-2GB of VRAM is good for gaming at 1080p (HD), 3-4GB of VRAM is good for 1440p gaming (Ultra HD), and you'll want six or more GB of VRAM to effectively game at 3840x2160 (4K). Like CPUboss.com, if you can't decide between two GPUs, there is a similar website for graphics cards appropriately titled, GPUboss.com. Again, the site allows you to compare the specs between both devices, gives you a score for each, and provides comparison benchmarks.
RAM
8GB is the bare minimum that we'd recommend for a respectable gaming PC and you shouldn't feel the need to go out and buy expensive RAM sticks. If you like to open up multiple tabs using Google Chrome or would like to do video editing/production work on the side, it's not a bad idea to opt for 16GB. In terms of RAM speed, getting 1600MHz and above is going to be fine for your gaming needs. RAM speed matters more if you're running on your CPU's integrated graphics, but since you'll be using a discrete desktop GPU, this won't concern you. We'd also advise you to get your RAM running in dual-channel mode as opposed to single channel. This means that for a total of 8GB of RAM, we recommend going with two 4GB sticks of RAM, as opposed to one 8GB stick. The reason for this is that it offers greater memory bandwidth. When you're shopping, make sure that you get the right RAM for your motherboard. DDR4 is the newest consumer RAM standard, but if you're getting a slightly older motherboard, chances are you might need DDR3 RAM at this point.
Motherboard
You'll want to shop for you motherboard, or mobo, after you've determined which CPU you're going with, since every single motherboard is going to support different CPU sockets. For instance, if you're going to go with Intel's i5-6500 CPU, which uses the LGA 1151 socket, you'll want to get a motherboard that supports that socket. Current Intel sockets include the aforementioned LGA 1151 and LGA-2011 V3, the latter of which is more of an enthusiast mobo socket. Current AMD sockets include AM3+ and FM2, although a new AM4 socket from AMD is on its way for its upcoming Zen architecture. In case you're concerned about socket compatibility, you can use PCPartPicker.com to put together your build online. The website will inform you of any incompatibility issues here. We'd generally avoid getting an older motherboard that supports an outdated socket, since older boards are no longer supported, you won't be able to slot newer, upcoming CPUs into them. You may also miss out on more modern features like USB type-C connectivity or even USB 3.0 support, if you go back far enough. Once you've figured out what kind of socket your motherboard will need, the next big thing to decide is the motherboard's size. Mobos generally come in four form factors. From smallest to largest there is: Mini-ITX, MicroATX, ATX, and Extended ATX. If you go with a small Mini-ITX board, you can get a small, portable Mini-ITX case to go along with it. If you're going to go with a large Extended ATX motherboard, you're probably going to need a big full tower case to house it. Going with an Extended ATX motherboard is likely going to give you the most features and ports, but it will generally be more expensive and you won't be able to squeeze it into a small chassis. Going with Mini-ITX, however, limits you to one video card, and just two RAM slots. The other two options cater somewhere in between. So it's up to you to decide what you want to go for. Some things to consider when looking for a motherboard would be: Does it support Crossfire/SLI for two or more graphics cards. How many PCIe slots does it have? (This will determine how many video cards you can slot into it) Does it have the ports that I want? Does it come with WiFi? Does it offer Bluetooth? There's a bunch of other little details about motherboards, but these are some of the big-picture things to look at.
Case
Arguably the most important thing to look for in a case is its size. It roughly follows the same size guidelines as motherboards. Meaning, Mini-ITX chassis are for Mini-ITX boards, Micro-Towers are good for Micro-ATX boards, Mid-Towers pair well with ATX boards, and full-towers are designed for Extended-ATX mobos. Another thing to look out for is, well, looks. Yes, you can get a cheap case if you're on a budget, and it will do the job, but the case is the shell of your hot rod. It should ideally look sexy. Yes, that's a little shallow, but it's okay to "treat yo self" every now and then. Thankfully, you don't need to spend a ton to get a nice looking case. Take for instance the pictured Fractal Designs R4 here. At $100, the mid-tower offers a sexy, yet minimalist design that isn't outlandishly expensive. Aside from the aesthetics, you'll want to make sure the case can fit all of your components. We're not just talking about the motherboard here. If you're going to be getting a bulky aftermarket cooler, a giant video card, or a large power supply, for instance, you'll want to make sure those parts will fit in that case. The case will often give you height or GPU-length info, but in case it gets too confusing, using a website like PCPartPicker, which informs you of incompatibility issues, can help you solve the problem. Other things to look for in your case is to ask yourself: Does it have any cable management options to keep the innards of your PC tidy? Does it include any fans? Does it offer good airflow with vents at the top and back/sides? Does it include dust filters?
Cooler
Unless you're buying an enthusiast CPU from Intel, most CPUs will come with a stock cooler. If you don't plan to overclock, then sticking with these included coolers is fine. If you did want to overclock a little however, you'll want to get a more efficient aftermarket cooler. If you didn't want to spend too much for one, Cooler Master's Hyper 212 Evo is a great bang for the buck air cooler you can get for around $30. If you wanted to be a little more aggressive with overclocking, it's a good idea to step up to a closed-loop water cooler. These coolers use liquid to more effectively dissipate heat. The most common closed-loop coolers will come in either single-rad or double-rad forms. The most important thing you'll want to look for here is to see if the cooler will fit your case. Another thing to look out for is the size of the cooler's fans. Most cases will support 120mm fans, but some cases will also support 140mm fans. Generally speaking, because larger 140mm fans are able to move more air with less effort (due to their larger blades), you don't need to crank up the rpms as high to achieve optimal cooling. Experientially, this can save your ears from any leafblower-like noises. There are plenty of good closed-loop coolers out there, but a good single rad 120mm cooler is the Corsair H80i and a good 140mm cooler is the NZXT Kraken X41. There are also great double rad versions of both (the Corsair H100i and NZXT X61, respectively). If you wanted even better cooling performance and flashier aesthetics, you'll want to look into installing a custom-loop cooler, but these are much harder to install, and we'd only recommend them for more seasoned PC building vets.
SSD
As far as we're concerned, an SSD for a gaming PC is a must. We'd recommend getting a 240GB SSD or greater. If that's too much for your budget, you can opt for a 120GB SSD for at least the operating system. Having an SSD for your OS will allow you to boot up your PC super fast. We're talking under 15 seconds here. The new hotness in super-fast storage is NVMe drives (such as Intel's 750 PCIe SSD), which will take up one of your motherboard's PCIe slots. While these drives are insanely fast, you will be paying a high premium for them at moment. We're talking roughly a grand for a 1.2TB drive here. Unless you have that kind of cashola just burning a hole in your pocket, we recommend going with a traditional 2.5-inch SATA SSD for the time being.
Hard Drive
While we love SSDs, unless you're going to shell out for something like Samsung's 2TB 850 Pro SSD, which costs roughly a grand, chances are you're also going to want cheaper mechanical hard drives for your mass storage needs. Depending on how many games you play, your needs are going to be different, but we'd recommend getting at least a 1TB hard disc drive (HDD). Just make sure it's a 7,200rpm one, which is the standard HDD speed nowadays. Don't feel the need to opt for anything faster, either, as your SSD is meant to do the heavy lifting when it comes to speed. If you're trying to be economical, a good thing to look out for is price per GB. Also, unless you have a super tiny case, you could always add a secondary hard drive later.
Power Supply
Now that you've picked all your components, you've got to get a power supply unit (PSU) that offers enough juice to power everything. To make your life easier, there are online power supply calculators that will tell you how much wattage you'll need upon plugging in the components you plan to use. Generally speaking, it's a good idea to give yourself a 100-watt power buffer, in case of a power spike or the weather goes awry. You may also want to give yourself a bigger buffer if you think you're eventually going to want to add a second graphics card to your rig. It's also a good idea to get a good power supply made by a reputable PSU manufacturer, since you don't want any of your components getting damaged in the event that a shady power supply keels over. Some reputable power supply vendors include Corsair, EVGA, Seasonic, Enermax, Lepa, Silverstone, and Antec among others. If that's too much to remember, just make sure to get a PSU that's rated "80 PLUS" or better (This means that it's 80 plus percent efficient on any load that is above 20 percent). Another thing to consider with purchasing a power supply is deciding between modular or non-modular. Non-modular power supplies have all the wires and cables dangling out the back of the PSU, whereas modular power supplies allow you to pull out any unnecessary cables you don't need for your build. If you're a neat freak, you may want to opt for the modular PSU, as it allows you to free your PC from clutter (which in turn can slightly assist with airflow). The downside to modular power supplies is that you have to keep track of where you left all the extra cables in the event that you needed them at a later date.
By Mat Elfring on May 09, 2016 04:30 pm
Every week, we take a look at some of the most bizarre, exciting, and downright unique things to happen in comics. Check out our choices below of the strange and wacky things that shouldn't be overlooked from this week's releases. There may be some tiny spoilers ahead.
Amazing Spider-Man #12
Best Crossing the Streams Referencing the classic film, Ghostbusters, both Spider-Man and Iron Man have to work together in order to take down a bad guy. How do they do it? They "cross streams" with Spider-Man's webs and Iron Man's pulse blasts.
Gwenpool #0
Best Way to Make an Entrance Making a great entrance can make a great impression. Gwenpool does so this week by blasting her motorcycle through a door, smashing it into thousands of pieces.
Gwenpool #0
Best Hiding Spot In order to keep a low profile, Gwenpool finds the perfect hiding place: right under Howard the Duck's desk. Obviously, Howard isn't too keen on where Gwen is hanging out.
Midnighter #12
Best Headshot Midnighter isn't a guy you want to mess with. He's one tough cookie with incredible aim. He proves it by shooting a guy's head off in this week's issue.
Punisher #1
Best Reason to Avoid the Punisher It should be pretty obvious that Punisher isn't a guy you want to mess with. That should be common knowledge. However, one guy thinks he can kill the Punisher. That's not a smart idea, since Punisher decides to thumb his eyes out.
Rocket Raccoon & Groot #5
Best Afternoon Reading Who doesn't like sitting on the beach and reading a good book? Groot sure does. What's his book of choice? He likes a series called Tweenlight, which is exactly like it sounds. Rocket isn't too happy about his choice.
Howard the Duck #7
Best Deflection During a Conversation Howard the Duck was trying to inform Captain America what it means to be American. The Captain deflects the whole conversation by informing Howard that his name is just "Steve" now.
Howard the Duck #7
Best Jurassic Park Reference While in the Savage Land, Howard the Duck and company stumble upon Savage Park, which has a font that suspiciously looks like something from a '90s movie.
Uncanny X-Men #7
Best Way to Put on Your Helmet Putting on a helmet is easy, but Magneto does it in a unique way. He liquifies the metal and wraps it into its shape, then solidifies it.
Bloodlines #2
Best Birthday Party (If You're a Sociopath) If you love birthday parties where everyone dies, you're probably pretty messed up, and you'd love the party from Bloodlines this week.
Batman Superman #32
Best Way to Get Someone's Attention (If you want to come off like a creep) Looking to get someone's attention? Try flying up to their apartment window and tapping on the glass. Apparently, that's how Superman likes to do it, like a moderate stalker.
Wicked + Divine #19
Best Way to Get Away for a While You ever want to disappear? This past week's issue of Wicked + Divine shows you how. All you need to do is fall into the darkness, on the floor, and enter a whole world of pitch black.
Weavers #1
Best Nightmare Come to Life While Weavers deals with mysticism and some pretty grotesque moments, what really stood out is when the main character swallowed a live spider. Delicious! That's it this week. Let us know in the comments below what other Best Stuff you dug this past week. If you want to participate or felt we missed some other Best Stuff, don't complain, contribute! Each week you can @reply us on Twitter at @GManFromHeck and @ImMatElfring by Fridays using the hashtag #BestStuffInComics. We'll give you a shout out and I'll think you're pretty groovy.
By Matt Espineli on May 08, 2016 09:30 pm
The Finest Set Pieces
A major highlight of the Uncharted games has always been it's amazing set pieces. From chasing a caravan on horseback across the Rub' al Khali desert to climbing out of a train car hanging off the edge of a snowy cliff, Naughty Dog has captivated us countless times with an assortment of iconic, breathtaking moments. To prepare for the upcoming launch of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, we've decided to rank the best set piece moments in the series. Got a favorite Uncharted set piece that you don't see here? Come share them with us in the comments below.
9. A German U-Boat in the Jungle--Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
The German U-Boat at the edge of a waterfall in Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is a fundamental stepping-stone that establishes the series' sense of scale. Viewing it from afar, you can't help but be taken aback by the ancient vessel, as you ponder how it even ended up there in the first place. But none of that matters, what's important is the fact you're going to explore it. When you do, you discover dead Nazis, more intrigue, and--unfortunately--a still-active torpedo. The resulting escape and explosion made us feel wonder and awe at the excitement of it all; the first of many moments that made us feel this way in the Uncharted series.
8. The Cargo Plane--Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
As Uncharted fans know, Drake has a penchant for getting himself wrapped up in sticky situations. A moment that captures his terrible luck is the cargo plane set piece from Uncharted 3. It begins with what seems like a stealth sequence through a duct, but it soon spirals out of control, nearly throwing Drake out of the plane. The sequence that follows grows from bad to worse, as a resulting firefight wrecks the plane and causes it to plummet to the ground. The pacing here is tight, carrying the action from one misfortune to the next at a breakneck speed. And once it's over, you'll ask, "How can things possibly get worse?" As the excitement behind the recent events wanes, you realize as Drake hangs off the cargo net that there's nothing but open desert surrounding him. Everywhere you look: hills of scorching, white-hot sand as far as the eye can see. Drake's lost, and more importantly, he's screwed.
7. Drake vs. Tank--Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
This set piece sequence fulfills its namesake, throwing you into a tense battle of cat and mouse with a heavily armored tank. Similar to Resident Evil 3's Nemesis, the tank is relentless and it stops at nothing to pursue you. The action here is top-notch, constantly throwing you in and out of firefights as you sprint to get out of the tank's line of sight. And right when you think you've eluded the tank, it finds a way to get to you by crashing through a wall or blowing up your cover. As you stand there about to panic, you probably can't help but recall Drake's initial comment: "Why would he bring a tank?" For this amazing set piece, that's why.
6. Brawl at the Pub--Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Compared to other set pieces in the series, the pub fight during the opening moments of Uncharted 3 is scaled down. It doesn't feature Drake escaping a crumbling building or navigating a towering structure. Instead, it has him and Sully exchanging blows with a group of thugs in an old-fashioned bar brawl. It's a straightforward sequence made rich with a wealth of unique environmental attack animations, most of which you wouldn't know existed until replaying it. Attention to detail rings true in this scene, which is why we love it so much.
5. Waking Up in the Tibetan Village--Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
After surviving the war torn streets of Nepal and escaping from a derailed train, the stroll through the small village in Tibet feels well deserved. Compared to other set pieces, it's quiet, tranquil, and soothing. Despite serving as a bridge to the campaign's latter half, the time spent walking through and interacting with the villagers brings a welcome change of pace. You can shake hands with a farmer, pass a soccer ball over to a couple kids, or pet the local livestock. None of these actions are mandatory, but they are small details that coalesce into a heartwarming moment just as memorable as any of the game's bigger set pieces.
4. Young Drake at the Columbian Museum--Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
In the first two entries of the series, Drake's backstory is always made ambiguous. While those games contain dialogue that reveal small details concerning his past, there's never any explicit scenes showing more. At least, not until Uncharted 3 where there's a flashback with a 15-year old Nathan Drake plotting to steal Francis Drake's ring. This moment is a crowd-pleaser of the highest order, providing a brief glimpse of not only a younger Drake, but how the treasure hunter met Sully.
3. Hotel Nepal--Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
The moment Drake sets foot in Nepal is when Uncharted 2 starts to ramp up. The action in this area escalates wildly, as it throws you across the city's war torn streets and ravaged apartment buildings. There's an army of soldiers to fight and a deadly helicopter looms menacingly above, threatening to unleash a barrage of bullets upon you. But the real standout moment is when a hotel you're in starts to crumble in the middle of a firefight. Furniture and office supplies slide and scatter about the room as the whole place starts to come down. Thankfully, a window in the neighboring building is there for you to jump through to safety. The chaos of this scene is only one of many fantastic set pieces in Nepal, but it's one that we still discuss to this day.
2. The Sinking Boat--Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
It isn't often that you get to escape a sinking cruise ship in a game, but Uncharted 3 lets you do just that. The action in this set piece is tremendous, pushing you through sideways corridors as the cruise ship begins to flood with water. It's enough having to take on an army of soldiers, but to have to do so in such an unstable environment creates an incredible sense of tension. This set piece is the film Poseidon come alive in a video game, and it's by far one of the most exciting situations Drake has been thrown into.
1.The Train--Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
No other set piece in the series can replicate the shock and awe of seeing Drake awaken in a train car hanging off a cliff. The disorientation of the initial shot, the desperate climb up the train car that follows, and the road to how Drake got into that mess to begin with is nothing short of brilliant. While it's technically a glorified climbing sequence, the way in which it's framed gives us context of the scale that Uncharted 2 provides. Seeing Drake battered and bruised instantly pulls us in, as the immediate danger in front of us makes it clear the high stakes of the situation. After all these years, it still gives us chills just thinking about it.
By Eddie Makuch on May 07, 2016 05:24 pm
Recap!
Did you step away this week? Here's a roundup of some of the biggest stories and others you may have missed. Click "Next Image" below to get started.
Infinite Warfare, Revealed
After rumors, reports, leaks, and teasers, Activision officially announced Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare on Monday. One of the biggest differences from past games is that this one is set in space--partially, at least. There is dogfighting, zero-G combat, and more. Coming November 4 for PS4, Xbox One, PC. [Full story]
Battlefield 5 Is Battlefield 1
The sequel to Battlefield 4 is not called Battlefield 5. EA announced this week that the game is called Battlefield 1, as it's set in World War 1. It sounds very cool and very ambitious. [Full story]
New Heights
Windows 10 continues to soar. Microsoft's latest operating system has now reached 300 million installs across all devices--PCs, Xbox Ones, and phones. Additionally, people have spent 9 billion hours playing games on Windows 10 devices to date. One more thing: the free upgrade offer expires on July 29, so upgrade now before it's too late. [Full story]
The World's Best GPU, According to Nvidia
Nvidia this week announced a new GPU called the GeForce GTX 1080. It's the beefiest GPU on the planet, the company said during a news event on Friday night. Thousands of engineers worked on it; altogether, the R&D budget was "several billion dollars," Nvidia's CEO said [Full story].
Dawn of War 3, Detailed
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 3, the first new, numbered entry in the RTS series since 2009, was announced this week. PC Gamer spoke with the development team at Relic about it and there is a lot to know about what is being called Relic's biggest game ever! Check out PC Gamer's story here.
"Recognize All eSports As 'Legitimate' Sports"
People are calling on the White House to recognize eSports as a "traditional" sport so athletes can get a Visa to get into the country. It needs 100,000 signatures to get a response from the White House, and so far, it has 51,000. You can read the petition for yourself here.
Wow
Here's a video of an epic Fallout battle where some 30,000 robots duke it out. My goodness, take a look and be amazed/scared. The action starts a few minutes in. As you might have guessed, YouTube's Cosmic Contrarian, maker of other mass-scale Fallout battle videos, is also behind this one. Go watch it here.
Game Fest
Microsoft has announced a new Xbox One indie game promotion called ID@Xbox Fest. This is a month-long event where Microsoft will highlight some top indie titles; you can get the rundown on what to expect here.
Deadmau5 <3s Video Games
EDM DJ Deadmau5, whose real name is Joel Zimmerman, is a big fan of video games. He even appeared in DJ Hero. So it may not surprise you to learn that video games have affected his music. Check out this cool Rolling Stone story to learn more.
Dishonored, Detailed
Game Informer's June issue has arrived. In it, there is an excellent 14-page story on Arkane's Dishonored 2. Really, it's good. Go read it here.
Mighty Garona
The next character-focused video for next month's Warcraft movie has been released. This one focuses on the character Garona, who is played by Paula Patton. Check it out.
Ark Update
A new update for dinosaur game Ark: Survival Evolved landed this week, introducing, among other things, a prehistoric creature that gives you extra XP when you hug and pet it. Really. Check it out.
"Misinformation"
Ubisoft has spoken up to clear up some "misinformation" about how The Division's online infrastructure works. You can learn all about the technical details in this podcast and blog post, featuring insight and explanations from technical director Anders Holmquist.
Motor Racer 4 Dated
Moto Racer 4, the sequel to 2002's Moto Racer 3 finally has a release date. The game will be out on October 13 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, publisher Microids announced this week. The game, which runs on Unreal Engine 4, aims to provide "stunning graphical quality" and a "robust" featureset.
Taliyah
The next League of Legends champion has been revealed. Her name is Taliyah, and you can learn all about here in this announcement video and this short story, The Bird and the Branch.
A Big Week
This past Wednesday was Star Wars Day (May 4) and Captain America: Civil War came to theaters on Friday. In support of those events, Walmart launched new Star Wars items, including a new 3.75" Black Series line of collectible action figures from The Force Awakens. Among them are new figures for Starkiller Base Han Solo, Captain Phasma, and General Leia Organa available now. As for Civil War, Walmart, has released "hundreds" themed items, including a Funko Pop Onyx Black Panther toy, which is sold only at the store. For more on these items, head to Walmart's website here.
Plot Details
The official descriptions for the fourth and fifth episodes of Game of Thrones sixth season have now been published. They are cryptic and teasing--you can read them here at Mashable.
By Matt Espineli on May 06, 2016 04:41 am
An unboxing fit for a thief's end.
Like past games in the series, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End has also received the collector's edition treatment. Titled the Libertalia Collector's Edition, the set is priced at $120 and includes the following items: the game, a steelbook case, a 48-page hardcover art book, a couple sticker sheets, and a 12-inch statue of Nathan Drake. Click ahead to see the finer details of each item.
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