GameSpot Universe got the chance to catch up with The Dark Tower director Nik Arcel last weekend during San Diego Comic-Con 2017. Click here for some excerpts, or check out the full transcript below. The Dark Tower hits theaters August 4.
Dark Tower fans have been into the series for so long, and we're in this age where fans rule the world. I think another director in your spot would maybe be afraid of making these fans mad or doing the wrong thing, but it seems like you're as big a fan as they are. How has that changed your approach?
Oh yeah. So when you say 'the fans,' I'm always like 'You mean me!' Listen, I'm not saying it wasn't a daunting task, and I'm not saying I'm not really wanting to please these people, because I'm one of them. Like, I really want the fans to be happy because I feel so much like I'm part of that community. If I hadn't directed this film I would be on online right now going, 'Where's Eddie and Susannah? Who's that? What the hell's going on?!' Like, I would be so nervous, really. So I know exactly how they're feeling. But that's why I feel comfortable, in a way, because I know that we are true in our hearts and that we actually did everything we could.
I'm not the only fan [working on the movie]. Like, the head of the financing company is a huge Dark Tower fan. Ron Howard, the producers, everybody who's involved is somebody who really can talk it out about the Dark Tower lore. We have all these philosophical discussions about like, what does this mean, and this thing that happens in book 5--so I actually feel quite comfortable that at least we did whatever we could to both feel that we were true to the novels, but also invite everybody who hadn't read the novels into this universe.
I know it's been through a lot of iterations over the years. As a fan, how did you feel when the decision was made to make it a new story rather than a more straightforward adaptation of the books?
Actually, that was a cool thing. When I got onboard there was already a script, and that script was pretty close to the film that we did. And I thought it was so smart. Because I always felt like you can't possibly adapt this. You can't adapt the Dark Tower. It's too dense, it's too sprawling, it's too many different genres. Every book is a different beast.
That's how you felt as a fan?
That's how I always felt. But then when I read the script, I was like oh, that's really smart. It actually is tight, it's lean, it serves as kind of an introduction to the world, the characters. It's really a first kind of film. It's a first film, but it still takes little ideas from some of the other books, and so makes the world feel more rounded in a way. So I felt that that was really smart, and so I thought yes, if we're ever going to adapt The Dark Tower into a film, this is the way to go. It can't be a straight up adaptation, but it can certainly become one the further we get into the series for sure. I mean, let's say we get to make more movies--it can actually be more and more faithful as we go. Because what we had to do on this first one was basically just like: This is the world. These are the characters. This is what this world's about.
Fans get real worked up about where's Eddie, where's Susannah, where's Oy--but for me my favorite book in the series is the first book, and it didn't have any of that. It was just Roland and--
Roland walking in the desert, killing some people, basically.
There's this surrealism and this poetry to that first book, and it's so simple and so lean, and when I hear you talk about this script and this movie, you use a lot of the words that I would apply to that book.
Exactly. And that's also a reason, like, the first book was lean and tight and was kind of simple. And the first book was all about Roland, Walter, and Jake. And so is this film: It's Roland, Walter, and Jake. It's not about--like, Eddie and Susannah, they come later. Oy comes later. So we're actually being kind of true to that. But obviously there's some things in the first book that we couldn't do. I mean, we couldn't have Roland pursue the main villain the entire film for them to just sit down and have a little chat at the end, like, 'Hey, man.' So that's why we've gotta have them have it out at the end instead of just sitting and talking by a campfire.
People are also concerned about the length of the movie, because we're used to our fantasy epics and giant superhero films being two and a half hours long. But it goes back to the first book being so lean. If you can tell a good story in 95 minutes--like, there are great movies that are 90 minutes long. Nobody's mad that they're too short, because they're great.
That's exactly how I feel. And the script was lean, you know? It wasn't like we cut it down or anything. It's pretty much the script.
Not looking at the plot elements and characters, but more at the thematic stuff that Stephen King added throughout the series--the number 19, that kind of thing--how have you approached using those elements and have you tried to include some of that stuff?
Yeah, I definitely have. I think that's just the fanboy in me wanting to include all that stuff, you know, like 19 and some of the world-building elements. But also the whole meta fiction, you know, like, trying to get some of the other--obviously everybody knows that Stephen King used references to his other works, like even characters from his other books.
Because it was his opus.
Yeah, exactly. He even put himself in there at some point, which he doesn't want us to do in the films.
Can you talk about that a little bit more?
He was just like, 'Just don't ever put me in any of the films. No character called Stephen King in there.'
Yeah, so I took that seriously, but I also didn't want to cram too much of it in there. So there's a lot for the fans and for me just to have fun with it, like this and that, from this book or this book, but it's in the details. It's not like a main part. You don't suddenly see like, Pennywise as a character or something. There's references to it. There's a reference to Cujo and Christine and some of the other novels. But it's not--it's in the periphery.
What was it like working with Stephen King?
It was incredible. It's very hard to talk about because I still can't quite believe like, when I get an email from 'Steve' as he calls himself in emails. It's like, I don't understand what I'm reading here. This is like, Stephen King is writing me again. It's awesome. So there's two sides to that: There's the OK, let's see what he wants, let's talk about it, let's figure out--like we would always discuss script things or editing things. But there's also just like the crazy, happy fanboy [in me] like 'Stephen King just emailed me again!' So it's been surreal in a way, but it's been quite cool.
He was always like, here's some ideas, take them or leave them. And usually we would take them, because it's Stephen King and he's really smart.
How much input did he have? Was he like signing off on individual things or was it more like giving him an update once in a while?
He was really happy with the script, and so after that, he stayed a little bit off during the shoot. He really liked the dailies. He was watching stuff. He was part of the casting--he had opinions on the cast. And so later, when we got to editing, he would see versions of the film, he would give some really very good, very sharp, on point notes like 'I think maybe this, or what about this.' He was a very respectful and gentlemanly kind of collaborator, in a way that--if I was him, I would just be all over this thing. I would be like 'Do this! Do that!' But he didn't do that. He was always like, here's some ideas, take them or leave them. And usually we would take them, because it's Stephen King and he's really smart.
Going back a little bit to the people who are concerned about all the stuff you're not fitting into this movie, and I feel like it's forced you to talk about the future maybe more than would normally happen when you're making a first in a potential franchise. You don't know if more movies are going to happen. Hopefully they do.
Well, here's the thing. It's actually odd that people are stressing out about that. Because it must be obvious to them that we're not trying to cram everything in. It's almost like saying in the first Hobbit film, why don't the eagles come and help them? It's like no, that's later. That's at the end of the saga. Like where's Sauron? Where's Smaug? But the thing is, I do actually think most fans know that this is like, this is kind of like the first book. It's those three characters. The others will eventually come.
How much did you focus on making this its own standalone movie that can stand on its own whether or not future movies happen?
I think there was a lot of focus on that in the sense that I wouldn't want to ever do a film that ended on some sort of cliffhanger, you know, 'and here's what's going to happen if you go see this one!' I think it's very important for any first film in any franchise, or in any kind of saga that you're trying to tell, is of course it has to work as a standalone film. Because you never know, and you also want to give people a satisfying film, right? There has to be some sort of conclusion to the film. For me it was just a given, and even in the script when I got onboard, it was like, this is an ending. OK great, but it also allows for further installments.
We're also living in the age of cinematic universes. On the other side of that question, I'm sure you did have to think about that and leave hooks in for future stuff. How much of a challenge was that?
Yeah, absolutely. It wasn't that much of a challenge. It was more like--as soon as we had thought it out, as soon as I had in my mind what is going to happen in the next film, if we do a next one, then it was fairly easy to say OK, if that is supposed to happen, how do we end this one in a satisfying way, that it can feel like it has a real ending, but it also opens up to continuing with the next idea. It wasn't that hard, also because it kind of makes sense from the novels.
There are so many controversial opinions on where the series goes, and the fanbase is so splintered because these books came out over so many years, and they're all so different. For me, when I hear you say the film is more comparable to the first book, and you'll never include Stephen King as a character, that's a good thing.
That's one of the reasons why I think Dark Tower fans are so passionate. Sometimes they don't even like what Stephen King did. They're really like, 'OK, I didn't like this book, but I loved all these books,' like you're saying now. 'I definitely loved book 1, but I didn't enjoy the last ones,' or whatever. There's a lot of that in the fanbase, so yeah, you've got to satisfy a lot of different people.
It's not like Star Wars, where it's trickled into every medium in existence, and been adapted and done different ways over and over again. Dark Tower fans only have the books. What about the show? Are you involved with that as well?
Yeah, I have been involved. I mean, I've been involved with writing the pilot and the sixth episode, and sort of figuring out what the storyline for the first season was. But they're getting a showrunner I think and they're doing all of it. But I've definitely been involved. It's been really fun. But that was a little bit easier in the sense that we could stay more close to the--this is book 4 and parts of book 1, which is about Roland's youth. And so we could adhere a little closer to the actual chronology of how he wrote it, because it was an easier story to tell. So that was kind of fun to do.
It's almost like his origin story right?
It's his origin story, it's when he was young and trained to be a gunslinger.
Right. I just hesitate to use that phrase when we're not talking about superheroes.
Yeah, 'origin story,' right. We should start using that, like just as human beings. 'What's your origin story?'
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Gigantic is a free-to-play strategic hero shooter developed by Motiga. Gorgeously rendered, light-hearted and charming, Gigantic is for all types of gamers, pitting teams of five heroes and their massive Guardians against each other in epic battles across a variety of maps. The game combines explosive combat with fast-paced teamwork, strategy and skill, as players must work together and fight relentlessly to defeat the opposing Guardian with spells, guns and swords.
For more information about Gigantic and to download the game for free, please visit the official website: www.GoGigantic.com.
Developer Techland recently announced that its zombie action game, Dying Light, is getting a ton of free DLC in the next 12 months. To kick things off, it has just released a free content pack on PC that includes new enemies, a weapon, and more.
Called Content Drop #0, it's meant to be a "lead-in" to the frequent DLC drops starting in September. Its most significant additions are a new faction of soldiers and a new type of enemy. According to a press release, the soldiers are "set to cause havoc in the Old Town," while the zombie is referred to as a Mutated Goon. You can check out the content in the video above.
In addition, the DLC adds a "Hunted" player outfit and a weapon, the Harran Military Rifle. The rifle, however, is exclusively available through Techland's new distribution platform, called Gemly. Players can buy games from Techland and other developers through Gemly, and the platform also acts as a community hub and stats system for Techland games.
The studio will release 10 DLC packs over the course of 12 months, with the first one coming in September. Content Drop #0 is currently only available on PC, but it'll come to consoles when the September DLC pack launches. Dying Light is available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Destiny 2's beta has wrapped up, and the full version's release is now just over a month away. Because the beta is based on a months-old version of the game, one complaint about it--a shortage of Heavy Weapon ammo--was revealed to be something that has already been fixed. Now, another problem area for some players has also been confirmed as something that's been resolved.
Among the content available in the beta is the first story mission, Homecoming. This features a segment where you're tasked with overloading a generator by shooting specific spots on it. Despite there being no enemies around, this led to countless deaths and proved to be perhaps the single hardest section of a beta that also features a boss battle at the end of a Strike. This is thanks to two rotating turbine arms that kill you when they come into contact with you. But as it turns out, you won't have to deal with two of them in the full game.
Speaking on the Namek vs. Saiyan podcast (via Polygon), game director Luke Smith was asked about whether Bungie anticipated this area being so difficult. "I was surprised by the turbine, because there's only one turbine in the shipping game," he said. "I was surprised to see two of 'em."
Smith noted that even he had even fallen victim to the turbine in the course of playing. He added, "That's a great example of something that we implemented, we found it to be too challenging--especially for that opening sequence of the game--and in the shipping game, we removed it. There's one spinning turbine instead of two."
Earlier in the interview, Smith reiterated what we had previously heard, which was that this beta was more "a test of of our technology … and less of a test of our game design because the content is a few months old." Perhaps in response to some of the other criticisms of the beta, he also noted that key elements, like progression, were rendered inaccessible, and that certain things--such as the core game loop--have been kept secret.
Fortnite is scheduled to launch in full sometime next year as a free-to-play game, and it was recently released in Early Access on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. However, it's currently only playable if you purchase a paid version of the game. In spite of the fact that it'll be free next year, Fortnite has already sold a lot of copies.
On Twitter today, Fortnite creative director Darren Sugg revealed that over 500,000 people have already purchased one of the game's paid tiers. It's currently available in several packs: the $40 standard version comes with access to the game as well as loot packs and cosmetic items. The $60 Deluxe, $80 Super Deluxe, and $150 Limited Editions include more bonuses like additional heroes, weapon packs, and more.
The long wait for the game appears to not have dampened player anticipation for it; in fact, if anything, excitement and interest seems even higher because of its delays. Fortnite was first revealed way back in December 2011; since then, it's gone through numerous revisions, with Epic's CEO saying in 2016 that "it's a game that takes time to get right."
Fortnite will officially leave Early Access in 2018, at which point it'll become a free-to-play game. At this time, it's unclear how the free-to-play model will work. If you're interested in jumping into the game now, you can read more about Fortnite's Early Access tiers here.
Exotic items are the most desirable in Destiny--players will spend countless hours attempting to hunt them down. So it's perhaps a bit cruel--but certainly effective--that Activision is now offering up a guaranteed Exotic weapon in exchange for a Destiny 2 pre-order.
As featured in the trailer above, anyone who pre-orders the upcoming Bungie shooter will get their hands on Coldheart. This is an Exotic trace rifle, which is a new type of weapon in Destiny 2. It fires a constant beam in a straight line that deals damage to foes.
Thankfully for those who are uninterested in pre-ordering games, this won't be the only way to get the weapon. Fine print shown in the trailer notes that, while it will be available right at launch on consoles and PC, it can be "attained through gameplay" starting on December 5. It's unclear at what point you'll gain access to the weapon by pre-ordering; you presumably won't jump into the first level with one equipped.
By Anonymous on Jul 26, 2017 11:00 pm Sure Splatoon is a fun, colorful game that is a great way to kill time with your pals, but what about it's story? Jake is here to tell you about the darker side of Splatoon.
The map in Playerunknown's Battlegrounds isn't like the ones in other shooters. It's a massive, sprawling arena that has several towns, dozens of buildings, terrain features, and even a tunnel system. Developer Bluehole is currently working on two new maps to add to the game, but given this size and complexity, they're still several months from release.
In an interview with Eurogamer, Brendan "Playerunknown" Greene spoke about the difficulties of making new maps for the game, explaining that the studio still doesn't have a planned release date for them. The developer has a long way to go before the next one is playable.
"We're going to explain these maps are still in early development and we're still working on two at the moment," he said. "We're trying to pick one to focus on. But it's still going to take us many months to get it out."
To give perspective on how long it takes Bluehole to create these levels, Greene revealed that it was no easy feat to get the first one up and running. "Maps are not an easy thing to do; the last map took us about six to nine months to get to a really playable state," he explained. "Maps take time. But we're going to be working hard and we're expanding the team so there's no ETA, they'll come when they're ready."
We've seen very little of the new maps; Bluehole has only released two images so far, both showing a desert location. As Greene explained, those screenshots showed a very early prototype of the level. "What people saw in that is what is called 'a beautiful corner,' an area of the map made to show the art director the overall feel the team want to give the map," he stated.
There's a whole lot more from Greene's interview over at Eurogamer; be sure to check it out.
The console versions will include the base game plus "many" of the content add-ons The Sims 4 received on PC, according to publisher EA. The company went on to say that fans can look forward to "periodic game updates and extra content releases."
Finally, the publisher announced that EA Access subscribers on Xbox One can sample the game a week early, starting November 9, for no extra charge and for a limited time only. Just recently, The Sims 4 joined Origin Access, the PC equivalent of EA Access, and is now playable via that service for no extra charge.
Since the game's launch on PC three years ago, The Sims 4 has seen continued support from EA and developer Maxis. Earlier in 2017 the game received a free update that added toddlers, for example.
"I'm not exaggerating when I say we've been talking about this particular update for years," executive producer Lyndsay Pearson said at the time. "We just had to find the right time, resources, and design to allow us to start the heavy process of actually building and bringing toddlers to life. And believe me when I say it has been really really difficult to not talk about this as we worked to get it right."
In our original PC review, critic Kevin VanOrd called The Sims 4 "a lovely and lively game that elicits constant smirks," but he said a "a decked-out version of The Sims 3 is far more inviting." Read more in our full The Sims 4 review.
By Anonymous on Jul 26, 2017 10:13 pm The Lobby crew recounts their favorite moments from Supergiant's new sports-RPG mashup, and discuss their time in Epic's fort-building tower defense title.
The higher end Sega Genesis Flashback and Atari Flashback 8 Gold are slated to release on September 22--a little over a week before Nintendo's official new micro console, the SNES Classic, launches. Both the Sega and Atari Flashback systems retail for $80 each and come pre-loaded with a selection of classic titles; the Genesis Flashback features 85 games, while the Atari Flashback includes 120. Both consoles also support 720p HDMI output and include two wireless controllers, ports for wired controllers, and a save/pause/rewind feature for every title.
In addition to those, AtGames is offering several other versions of the classic Sega and Atari consoles. The Atari Flashback Portable and Sega Genesis Ultimate Portable, as their name implies, are handheld versions of the classic consoles and come pre-loaded with 70 and 85 games, respectively. These versions retail for $60 each and go on sale on September 1. You can learn more about the consoles on AtGames' website.
Poor Captain Olimar can't catch a break. Seemingly on the same planet as before, the protagonist of the Pikmin series has lost his way yet again in Hey Pikmin. As the series' debut on the 2DS/3DS, it's significantly different than the GameCube and Wii U iterations, but still uses the core game play of throwing adorable little Pikmin creatures at things to solve problems.
Hey Pikmin is very much a side-scrolling adventure that uses a lot of the basic mechanics of the earlier games to decent effect. Like most 2D platformers, the levels are chock-full of shiny things to grab, but you'll get most of those by throwing Pikmin at them. Olimar can collect objects himself, but the levels are generally designed to put your little plant helpers.
While the original Pikmin games focused on the diminutive astronaut gathering various types of Pikmin to find the lost parts of his crashed spacecraft, he's merely after fuel this time around. That fuel, Sparklium, comes in nearly any form--whether it's the myriad golden acorns spread across levels or strange alien artifacts spread across the world. Everything Olimar and the Pikmin uncover helps him reach his goal of collecting 30,000 units of Sparklium.
For the uninitiated: Pikmin come in different varieties, each with their own strengths. Red Pikmin are tough and invulnerable to fire, Rock Pikmin can destroy heavy obstacles, Yellow Pikmin are immune to electricity and can be thrown extra far, Blue Pikmin can swim, and Winged Pikmin will catch Olimar and float him safely to ground. Unlike in other Pikmin games, however, you only use the Pikmin found within an individual level instead of collecting them in a repository and turning them loose as needed.
Hey Pikmin's levels are very puzzle-oriented and offer plenty of hidden secrets, such as areas only Olimar can reach, hidden exits, and several high-value treasures. However, Olimar can't jump like most other platforming heroes; he instead uses a jetpack that you upgrade over time, allowing him to briefly fly. This lets him overcome gaps, but only the Winged Pikmin can follow him during flight.
Hey Pikmin offers no pressure-packed time constraints--and, until the final world, the vast majority of the game is a breeze to conquer.
His only other action is blowing his trusty whistle to call Pikmin. While Olimar is controlled via the D-pad, analog stick, and even the face buttons, all other actions are performed by tapping the touchscreen. This, however, is unwieldy. While tossing Pikmin by tapping the direction you want them to go makes perfect sense, using the jetpack can be frustrating when your tap doesn't register or you accidentally toss a Pikmin instead (especially if it's into a hazard). It's not a huge problem most of the time, but it never feels natural.
A bigger issue is the overall difficulty level of Hey Pikmin. The game is divided into eight different areas, each with around five main levels (counting a boss fight), along with multiple secret and amiibo levels. In direct contrast to the earlier Pikmin entries, however, the game offers no pressure-packed time constraints--and, until the final world, the vast majority of the game is a breeze to conquer. Even the pattern-based bosses are easily vanquished, and normal foes go down with little effort. While some maps contain clever navigation elements, most levels aren't hard to traverse even for Pikmin neophytes.
Hey Pikmin's stages make good use of the 3DS' dual-screen setup.
Hey Pikmin feels as if it's directly aimed at a younger audience. That said, even if the game is easy, it's still absurdly amusing. Each level has a couple of cute interludes of Pikmin antics, and the little buggers are just fun to watch. The impressive graphical quality shines on the 2DS and 3DS and looks very much like its console counterparts. Goofy enemies look fantastic, the levels are detailed and lush, and it's just a beautiful, colorful game. The final boss, in particular, is a high note.
Outside of the platforming levels, Hey Pikmin also has a Pikmin Park. This is where all the Pikmin you rescue during a level go. The park is large, and it's divided into several zones--each of which has treasure that can be mined with specific types of Pikmin. The more Pikmin, the more quickly they mine treasure in the park. The only interaction here is tapping on a type of Pikmin, then on a location in the park, so it's a cute-if-superfluous addition to the gameplay.
The aforementioned amiibo levels can only be accessed with certain figures, but they're disappointingly simplistic. Usually, it's a tiny level with a straight run to an in-game version of the amiibo you scanned. Amiibos give you a hefty sum of Sparklium, though, and even non-supported figures bestow some treasure, so it's worth using them. The actual secret levels range from clever puzzles to treasure-dropping minigames where you must gather as much falling treasure as possible while on the clock.
Overall, Hey Pikmin retains a lot of what makes this series great. The terrific character and art design, fun flinging action, and lovable Pikmin and wildlife all work well on the small screen. However, anyone expecting the surprisingly unforgiving nature of the main series will be shocked at how simple this is in comparison. That might not be a terrible black mark on Hey Pikmin, but it's a little disappointing.
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