Although 2012's Prometheus was met with a mixed response from both fans and critics, it did well enough for a follow-up, this year's Alien: Covenant. In the lead up to Covenant's release, director Ridley Scott spoke about his plans for more movies, suggesting that the Covenant sequel might start shooting in 2018. However, the movie's disappointing box office performance has cast doubt on these plans, and now Scott has admitted it might not happen.
In a roundtable interview hosted by The Hollywood Reporter, Scott explained that he was working on many projects at the same time as Covenant, and suggested that time was nearly up for the Alien series. "It was a crossfire of too much business", he said. "I'm doing a lot of TV and films, there are six films going out this year. I figured it was a good piece of business to follow through Prometheus, which, from ground zero, had good lift-off. So we went to Covenant to perpetuate the idea and [revive] the franchise of the Alien. [However] I think the beast has almost run out, personally."
While Scott does not mention the movie's financial performance, it was clearly well below what was expected. The movie made $240 million worldwide, much less than Prometheus's $403 million take.
In March, the director suggested that the next movie would be called Alien: Awakening, and that the series would continue for several more films beyond that. "There will be more after this. If this is successful, and then the next one, and then there will definitely be three more," he said. "If you really want a franchise, I can keep cranking it for another six. I'm not going to close it down again. No way."
The other big sci-fi movie that Scott was involved with in 2017 was Blade Runner 2049, this time as producer. The sequel to his 1982 classic has to date pulled in a similar box office take to Covenant--$239 million to date--but on a higher budget. It is estimated that Blade Runner 2049 had a production budget of $150 million, compared to Covenant's $97 million.
One of the most notable releases this week is The Frozen Wilds, the first major expansion for Horizon: Zero Dawn. The DLC introduces a lot of new content to the acclaimed PS4 adventure, including a new storyline, quests, a Traveler skill tree, and most notably The Cut, a beautiful and harsh wintry landscape that serves as the setting for the expansion.
Ahead of its release on November 7, reviews for The Frozen Wilds have begun appearing online. We've rounded up a sample of reviews from other outlets and their scores below to give you an idea of what critics have to say about the DLC expansion. For a wider look at what reviewers think of The Frozen Wilds, be sure to visit GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
Game: Horizon: Zero Dawn - The Frozen Wilds
Developer: Guerilla Games
Platform: PS4
Release date: November 7
Price: US $20 / £16 / AU $30
GameSpot -- 8/10
"[C]oming back to Horizon for The Frozen Wilds alone is still worthwhile for the fights and sights, but it ultimately feels like a missing chapter, rather than an eye-opening extension of what came before. It's easy to imagine how newcomers to Horizon will benefit from its new gear and skills the most, for example. Likewise, its story feels better suited as an interlude than the revelatory companion to the conclusion it tries to be. Yet these are feelings that come up after more than a dozen hours of riveting battles and serene hikes flew by, so it's hard to get too upset at such a captivating experience when it's all said and done." -- Peter Brown [Full review]
IGN -- 8.8/10
"Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds is an excellent addition to an amazing game. Developer Guerrilla has doubled down on the thrill of the hunt with more challenging machines and testing side quests that are added to the original map through an intriguing new storyline that delves into the mystical side of this post-apocalyptic world. It left me wanting start a brand new game, just to wander around the world, marveling at it." -- Lucy O'Brien [Full review]
Polygon -- 8/10
"The Frozen Wilds arrives in time to petition for a spot on Game of the Year lists. The expansion accomplishes this goal with ease, rehashing what worked the first time around. Sure, The Frozen Wilds doesn't add much new, and shares Horizon's flaws, but the expansion operates fine when taken as simply more of a great thing." -- Chris Plante [Full review]
Eurogamer
"If you were captivated by Horizon Zero Dawn, and the prospect of an extra 15 hours of similar adventures sounds perfectly palatable, then you'll find more than enough to enjoy in Frozen Wilds. If not, then it's best to avoid Frozen Wilds as this is in no way a game-changer. Though the enchanting environment is a spectacle to behold, this particular winter wonderland can be quite hard to warm to." -- Vic Hood [Full review]
GamesRadar+ -- 4/5
"The Frozen Wilds makes me remember why I fell in love with Horizon to begin with. A breathtaking new environment, enemies that simultaneously intimidate and fascinate, and characters that prove Horizon Zero Dawn is about far more than fighting robots. It arrives at precisely the right time to catch all of you who'll have rinsed the main game for content and have probably already reached the level cap. But even if you're comfortably sitting at level 50 and can take down a Thunderjaw without breaking a sweat, dear god, don't underestimate the Frozen Wilds. It isn't for the faint-hearted. Mind you… I think we all know one flame-haired person who never shies away from a challenge." -- Zoe Delahunty-Light [Full review]
Destructoid -- 7.5/10
"The Frozen Wilds doesn't feel like a must-play add-on, but it's more Horizon Zero Dawn. It's something you can enjoy once or stack with New Game+ runs when you inevitably play through it again. In other words, an actual expansion." -- Chris Carter [Full review]
Xbox One X is due to hit shelves tomorrow, and one of the US's largest retailers wants to make sure players don't have to wait even a minute longer than they have to. Select Best Buy stories on the east coast will be opening at midnight tonight to start selling the console.
To see which locations are holding the midnight event, you can head over to Best Buy's Xbox One X website to search by location. Stores on the west coast, on the other hand, will be opening at 9PM on Monday. You should call your local store in advance to confirm. Certain stores will also be holding demo days on Friday, November 17 and Saturday, November 18 from 12PM - 7PM, and you can also get a look at those listings on the retailer's site.
Best Buy isn't the only store hosting midnight events for the Xbox One X. More than 2,000 GameStop locations are also opening at 12:01AM to start selling, and players can trade in their existing Xbox One or other items to earn discounts on the price of the new console.
Asher Angel will portray Billy in the film, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The 15-year-old actor is currently best known for his role as Jonah Beck on Disney Channel's Andi Mack, playing the titular character's love interest. He previously appeared as a guest star on an episode of Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders in 2016.
The movie will be directed by David F. Sandberg, whose previous feature credits include Annabelle: Creation and Lights out. Sandberg confirmed the casting himself on Instagram, where he has been documenting Shazam's pre-production process--and all of the Coke Zero he's been drinking while working on the film.
Shazam is scheduled to arrive in theaters in April 2019. Before that, the DC universe will be expanding with the release of Justice League on November 17, uniting Batman (Ben Affleck), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), The Flash (Ezra Miller), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and Aquaman (Jason Momoa). Momoa will then return to the big screen to team with Amber Heard in a standalone Aquaman film, releasing in December 2018.
Like Sony's PlayStation 4 Pro before it, the Xbox One X represents a mid-generational upgrade that offers a significant boost in performance over its predecessor. Microsoft says the console will allow developers to render games natively at 4K, offer high-dynamic range for more accurate colors, improve load times, and bolster framerates. While we encountered issues with some of these enhancements, the Xbox One X has the potential to really soar when its power is leveraged effectively.
The Xbox One X retails for $500 / £449 / AU $649. For that, you get the console, a 60-inch long power cable, a six-foot high-speed HDMI cable (needed for 4K HDR), Xbox One controller, two AA batteries, a 14-day free trial for Xbox Live Gold, and a one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass.
Design
The console measures 30 x 24 x 6 cm (11.8 x 9.5 x 2.4 inches), which technically makes it the smallest Xbox console yet. This is really impressive when you consider the fact that it has an integrated power supply unit, like the Xbox One S before it. This means that you don't have to deal with an obnoxiously large external power brick like with the original Xbox One. Despite its small size, however, it's the heaviest Xbox One at 8.4 pounds.
Aesthetically, it looks a lot like a matte black Xbox One S. Like the S before it, it has a physical power button, which strays away from the original Xbox One's capacitive touch equivalent. This is a welcome tweak considering it was often prone to accidental shutoffs. The front of the console also sports a 4K HDR Blu-Ray drive, one USB 3.0 port, and a controller pairing button. The ports on the back remain identical to the S; from left to right it offers: HDMI out, HDMI in, two USB 3.0 ports, IR out, S/PDIF, and Ethernet. The X is backwards compatible with the existing Xbox One accessories, though you'll need a Kinect dongle if you want to use Microsoft's recently discontinued camera system.
Overall, the design is simple and clean. It has plenty of ventilation through the back and when you couple this with its compact size, you get a sense that Microsoft prioritized function over a flashy design here. Luckily, it still has an unassuming aesthetic that should fit right in with most personal entertainment centers.
Specs
CPU: x86-64 2.3GHz 8-core AMD custom CPU
GPU: 6 TFLOPS, AMD Radeon-based graphics clocked at 1172MHz with 40 compute units
Memory: 12GB GDDR5
Storage size: 1TB HDD
External dimensions: 30x24x6 cm/11.8x9.4x2.3 in
Weight: 8.4 lbs/3.8 kg
Optical drive: 4K UHD Blu-ray
Input/Output: Power, HDMI 2.0b out, HDMI 1.4b in, three USB 3.0 ports, IR out, S/PDIF, gigabit Ethernet
Networking: IEEE 802.11ac dual band (5GHz and 2.4Ghz), 2x2 wireless Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi Direct
Power consumption: 245W
Underneath the hood, there's been a lot of talk about the Scorpio Engine fueling the system. At the heart of it is AMD's x86-based 2.3GHz 8-core CPU, which is clocked 550MHz faster than the original Xbox One's octa-core equivalent.
Arguably bigger gains come from the integrated graphics processor, which uses a custom AMD Radeon-based solution that features 40 compute units clocked at 1172MHz. This provides six teraflops of graphics performance, which is over 4.5 times that of the original Xbox One and over 1.4 times that of the PS4 Pro, its nearest console competitor. This gives it enough horsepower to run certain games at 4K (2160p) with high-dynamic range colors enabled.
The Scorpio Engine is cooled via a vapor chamber cooler, which houses a small amount of water that evaporates into steam when it gets too hot. It then reverts back to liquid when the system cools back down. You typically only see vapor chambers in high-end graphics cards, but they've been known to work effectively, and it's nice to see Microsoft implement it here.
While the original Xbox One and PS4 Pro both use 8GB of shared memory across their respective CPUs and GPUs, the Xbox One X features 12GB of GDDR5 RAM that's capable of delivering 326GB/s of memory bandwidth. This is unprecedented for a console. Microsoft says that games will be able to leverage up to 9GB of it, with the rest going to operating system-related tasks.
While we would have preferred an SSD, Microsoft says that the Xbox One X's 1TB hard drive is 50 percent faster than the original's 5,400rpm solution; though we weren't able to validate this claim in our testing, which we'll discuss below. Like the original Xbox One before it, the X supports external USB drives for added storage.
Graphical Enhancements
The main reason to get excited about the Xbox One X is for the prospect of graphical enhancements. Rather than dictate a certain set of graphical targets for developers to hit, Microsoft lets developers use the console's extra processing power as they see fit. Games that are tuned to take advantage of the Xbox One X will carry an "Xbox One X Enhanced" label.
From what we've seen so far, many developers are opting to render games at 4K, which is four times the 1080p resolution of the vanilla Xbox One. Some are also adding HDR support to provide a wider color gamut and higher contrast ratio between white and black levels.
While the Xbox One X is geared towards users with 4K HDR displays, traditional 1080p TVs aren't entirely left in the dust as some developers may choose to use the extra processing power to improve lighting or to add dynamic shadows. Some games will also run more smoothly on the X. Standard HDTVs will also get supersampling, which renders games at higher resolutions and then down samples or "shrinks" them to a lower resolution display. This acts as an effective form of anti-aliasing that reduces undesirable jaggy effects.
While only Xbox One X-enhanced games will reap some of the aforementioned graphical tweaks, Microsoft says that the Xbox One X has tweaks at the hardware level to implement anisotropic filtering to every game in existence. This can help textures off in the distance look clearer.
Visual Analysis
To analyze the visual enhancements that the Xbox One X offers, I compared it against the original Xbox One, a high-end gaming PC, and Sony's PlayStation 4 Pro with multiple copies of games whenever possible.
I hooked up all the systems to the same TV: a 55-inch 4K HDR Samsung UN55KS8000 and then swapped between the HDMI inputs to conduct visual A/B tests. Because the Xbox One X can also bolster 1080p graphics, I also connected both systems to a 55-inch 1080p TV and similarly analyzed the visual differences there.
While a wide variety of Xbox One X-enhanced games are on the way, unfortunately, at the time of this writing, only a handful of games were patched to take advantage of the new hardware. The available games that we tested include Gears of War 4, Killer Instinct, Super Lucky's Tale, FIFA 18, Rush: A Disney-Pixar Adventure, and Disneyland Adventures. You can expect us to do more graphics comparisons in the future as the Xbox One X enhancement patches are released.
Gears of War 4
Testing the third-person shooter on the 4K HDR TV, the resolution bump is immediately apparent from the initial menu screen, which showcases a real-time rendering of protagonist JD Fenix's face. With the Xbox One X, the pores on his cheeks provide a real sense of depth, almost like you could fall into them...if you were tiny enough. On the original Xbox One, they comparatively look more like fuzzy dust particles.
You really get much better detail overall with less jagged aliasing issues running on the X. This is especially evident around characters' hair or distant items with straight lines. Overall, it amounts to a cleaner, sharper image.
Gears of War 4 also sports arguably the best implementation of HDR we've seen in a game yet. The high-dynamic range allows colors to appear more realistic. The original Xbox One looks much more washed out and muted in comparison. The X's high-contrast implementation also provides really dark black levels, which, again, contributes to a more realistic image that pulls you into the scene.
In terms of pure image fidelity, it surprisingly looked better than our high-end gaming PC equipped with a GTX 1080 running the game maxed out, as it offered extra dynamic shadows that don't seem to be available on the PC. Unfortunately, the game doesn't run at 60 FPS here on the Xbox One X, so a high-end PC will be able to beat it in terms of framerate.
Fortunately, Gears of War 4 also offers a performance mode that eschews the native 4K rendering in favor of a smoother experience. Here, it looks visually closer to its orignal Xbox One counterpart, but often felt like it was running at 60 FPS.
Hooking everything up to the 1080p TV, the Xbox One X does a good job making the display punch above its standard HD resolution. While there are still some jaggies, supersampling effects provide a very potent form of anti-aliasing. While the difference between the Xbox One X and the original Xbox One isn't as prominent on a standard HDTV, the overall image still looks noticeably clearer with less noise. The Xbox One X can effectively make your 1080p TV look as good as it possibly can.
Super Lucky's Tale
When it comes to Playful's platformer, there's much less to analyze. Super Lucky's Tale supports 4K 60FPS with the Xbox One X and 1080p 30 FPS on the original Xbox.
Whether playing on the 4K TV or 1080p display, the frame rate increase with the X is noticeably smoother. The game looks very crisp running on the 4K TV with the Xbox One X. When hooked up to the 1080p TV, the X's supersampling does make it look slightly sharper than its Xbox One counterpart, but it's not super prominent unless you're really looking for it up close.
Killer Instinct
Killer Instinct already runs at a locked 60 FPS on the original Xbox One. The X simply bumps up the resolution to 4K, which mitigates most of the jaggies.
The game doesn't support HDR, and the Xbox One X makes shadows look too dark on our HDR display. We didn't encounter this issue running the game on our traditional (non HDR) 1080p display, however. Here, the original Xbox One looked washed out in comparison to the X. We also noticed improved anti-aliasing and better anisotropic filtering that made details in the background a little more clear.
FIFA 18
FIFA 18 is the only Xbox One X-enhanced game available at the moment that's also enhanced on the PS4 Pro. When we pitted the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro head to head here, it was honestly hard to tell the difference. Both platforms render the game at 4K, but neither system is able to achieve a stable 60 FPS.
The biggest visual difference we could tell between the two consoles was that color on the Xbox One X looked more realistic on our 4K HDR TV. On the PS4 Pro, the grass looked a bit too "nuclear green" in comparison, which gave it a more "videogamey" aesthetic.
Beyond that, if you're looking for more graphical comparisons between the two consoles, you'll have to wait until we have access to more Xbox One X enhanced games post launch.
Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure
This family-friendly mini-game compilation supports 4K and HDR through the Xbox One X. The enhancements allow the game to feature vibrant colors and look sharp, but it clearly isn't able to run at a smooth 60 FPS, as we encountered the odd, occasional hiccup. This is disappointing considering Rush doesn't look very graphically demanding, especially not compared to something like Gears of War 4. This could be due to how the game was originally designed or may speak to the quality of the update.
Disneyland Adventures
Like Rush, Disneyland Adventures supports 4K and HDR through the Xbox One X's enhancements, but, again, the frame rate didn't see an improvement with it running below 60 FPS. Despite the official HDR support, the game ended up looking a little dim on our 4K HDR television.
4K HDR Video Support
To test out the Xbox One X's 4K HDR video playback capabilities, Microsoft provided us with a 4K HDR copy of BBC's Planet Earth II series.
On our 4K HDR TV, the nature documentary looked stunning. The visuals were sharp and crisp, and it was easy to make out every strand of hair on a sloth and every texture of each tree branch.
The color reproduction is equally amazing. The blues of the ocean and the greens of the forest are realistically portrayed. The bright rays from the sun pierced down through tree canopies very convincingly. This is about as good as it gets as far as home theater setups go.
User Interface
Microsoft released its overhauled Xbox One dashboard last month. While there is a small learning curve to new user interface, it's snappier than past iterations. We did encounter some menu slowdown while we were downloading a bunch of games and quickly flipping through all the tabs, but it's certainly not as sluggish as past updates.
The new dashboard also allows you to filter games that are Xbox One X Enhanced, though it doesn't tell you what specific graphical enhancements the console offers.
Noise, Heat, Power Consumption, and Boot Times
Sitting in the dashboard, the Xbox One X runs silently. When we fired up Gears of War 4, a slight hum from the cooler arose, but it's impressively whisper-quiet.
Using Flir One's heat camera, we measured the Xbox One X's temperature.
The console does get a bit warm, however. Just sitting in the OS, we clocked it at 54.3 degrees Celsius. When we fired up Gears of War, it rose to 61.7 degrees C. It's not scorching hot to the touch by any means, but it is significantly hotter than the PS4 Pro we tested last year, which we saw hit 46.1 degrees Celsius when we were gaming on it. Interestingly, the temperature dropped to 57 degrees C when we switched over to Gears of War 4's Performance mode, which optimizes frame rate over visual fidelity.
We also saw this mirrored when we measured the system's power draw. The Xbox One X consumed 144 watts of power under Gears of War 4's Performance mode, but 174 watts in the higher fidelity Visual mode.
In terms of boot times, Microsoft asserts that the Xbox One X's hard drive is 50 percent faster than the original Xbox before it, and while we did see improvements here, they weren't as good as the company's claims. From a cold boot, the X took 7.5 second to turn on. This is just 0.6 seconds faster than the original Xbox One. Loading up Gears of War 4, the X took 50.8 seconds to boot to the main menu, which was roughly seven faster than the Xbox One. When I loaded up the same Act 1 mission, both consoles took 31 seconds.
When I fired up Killer Instinct, the X launched the game in 37.7 seconds, whereas the original Xbox One did so in 44.1 seconds. While there's generally a measurable performance gain when it comes to load times, it's not as significant as Microsoft is claiming thus far.
Conclusion
As Xbox head Phil Spencer has suggested, the Xbox One X shares a lot in common with the company's high-end Xbox One Elite controller. Both devices are designed for enthusiasts through and through, and are priced accordingly. This makes the less cost-prohibitive Xbox One S a better fit for most people.
While the Xbox One X is an expensive box, from a hardware standpoint, you're getting a very powerful and capable machine. You'll be hard pressed to build a comparably powerful PC for $500. On top of that, you get a 4K HDR Blu-ray player, which can cost several hundred dollars on its own.
The Xbox One X isn't perfect. From what I can tell so far, its load times don't live up to Microsoft's claims, and I noticed some poor HDR implementation, but when a developer is able to take advantage of the hardware, you can get sharper visuals, more vibrant colors, better performance, and added graphical bells and whistles. Playing Gears of War 4 on the Xbox One X really feels like it's the way it's meant to be played.
Should you get an Xbox One X? That answer should largely depend on whether you'd be happy with the console's library of games. You can check out a list of all the Xbox One X-enhanced games here. If you're happy with the lineup and are thinking about jumping in, allow me to outline three different scenarios for you. If you game on a 1080p TV and don't have any plans to upgrade to a 4K one, the Xbox One S is going to be a better fit for you. While you will get some graphical enhancements with the X, you don't really get your money's worth if you don't have a 4K HDR TV. But what if you already own a 4K HDR TV and an Xbox One? In this case, I'd only recommend getting the X if you have the disposable cash to spare for the increased visual fidelity and performance benefits. If you have a 4K HDR TV, don't have a current gen console, and are looking to purchase one, however, the Xbox One X is a great choice.
So much for the big surprise. Last week's episode of The Walking Dead ended with the appearance of Morales, a character who hasn't been seen since Season 1. Provided you could remember who he was, it was a genuine surprise, and the episode ended with a cliffhanger between two old allies-turned-enemies. Would Rick and Morales explore their shared past, shifting allegiances, and their different experiences over the intervening years?
The answer is yes, for about five minutes, before Daryl put a crossbow bolt in Morales' neck near the start of Episode 3. It could be argued that it was redundant to introduce this character, only to kill him off minutes later. But his death was as unexpected as his arrival, and to be honest, who could really remember him anyway? Morales' speedy departure was a good way of highlighting the thin line between life and death that all these characters exist on. It also formed a possible subplot about Daryl's willingness to execute potential enemies on the spot--as well as Rick's obvious discomfort with it.
In fact, the lengths to which the show's heroes should go when attempting to defeat the Saviors was one of the biggest themes throughout "Monsters." The conflict between Jesus and both Tara and Morgan was clumsily introduced last week, but for the most part, it was better handled here. The fight between Jesus and Morgan was fun but a bit pointless, and Tara's sudden transformation into a ruthless gun-toting badass is jarring. But the pre-fight conversation between Morgan and Jesus, and the scene in which Jesus persuades Maggie to keep the captured Saviors as prisoners at the Hilltop were well acted and written.
But there is at least the sense that some of these subplots are finding their focus, and the sooner this day of fighting is over, the better the show will be. It was great to see Maggie once more, and her showdown with the cowardly Gregory was a highlight. The way she dismissed him when he was arguing that the Savior prisoners shouldn't be allowed into the Hilltop confirmed that Gregory is no longer in charge there. How long he stays alive remains to be seen.
There were also--finally--some zombie highlights. Season 8 might have been non-stop action so far, but the endless gunfights were growing tiresome. But "Monsters" saw a great sequence in which a group of walkers tumble down a steep embankment on the edge of the forest towards the Savior prisoners, all of whom are tied together. No one can run without dragging everyone else to the ground, and we got some enjoyably gruesome moments of undead mayhem.
The show also ended with perhaps the most abrupt final moment of the entire show, as a sniper opens fire on Ezekiel and his men, cutting them down in what appears to be big numbers. It's rough justice for Ezekiel, who has spent the last couple of episodes going on about an assured victory and literally moments before was congratulating himself about having not lost a single man that day. This could be a turning point for this character, and perhaps this tragedy--presuming he survives it--will allow us to see the real Ezekiel, not the annoying persona he has adopted to lead his people.
Season 8 is still falteringly paced, with the momentum of good scenes frequently spoilt by the decision to cut away to something far less interesting, instead of letting them play out in their entirety. Rick and Morales' encounter was a prime example of this. There are also way too many characters, and the show continues to rely on elements we've seen realized far better in earlier seasons. But there are now at least some interesting dramatic conflicts emerging, and with three episodes remaining until the mid-season break, still time to find some of its earlier form.
Best Kill
The Savior prisoners were rendered completely helpless against the walkers tumbling down the hill towards them. Director (and vfx veteran) Greg Nicotero made the most of the opportunity for some splatter, and the sight of one unlucky Savior having his head chewed on by a zombie was capped by Morgan shooting the walker, its blood spraying all over the camera. Juicy.
Pros
Cons
More plot, less aimless action
Strong dialogue scenes between Jesus, Maggie, and Morgan
One complication of the MCU formula of interconnected, shared universe stories has been the endless need to maintain forward momentum. Each franchise has to push forward into more movies, which, ideally, makes room for more character introductions who will in turn make more room for more movies and--well, you get the idea.
But what happens to that forward momentum when an installment of the MCU comes up against the literal end of the world and loses?
Thor: Ragnarok's dire conclusion, in which all of Asgard is summarily and gleefully demolished by a towering fire demon, poses this question, leaving us with questions of our own--like where, exactly, can the Thor franchise go now that Asgard is no more and her residents are cosmic refugees?
Thankfully, Marvel's extensive backlog of comic book continuity has some pretty strong suggestions for just where the God of Thunder's cinematic doppelganger could end up next, and it just might be a little more mundane than you'd guess.
As Thor and the survivors of Asgard leave the ruins firmly in the rearview, he offhandedly commands the lifeboat make a course of Earth--and, well, let's just say that crazy-sounding idea has some precedent in the comics.
In 2007, a creative team consisting of J. Michael Straczynski and Marko Djurdjevic set about the literal resurrection of Thor both as a character and as an ongoing comic. It was "literal" in the sense that several years prior, in 2004, Thor's last ongoing had ended with--well, Ragnarok, the absolute and total destruction of Asgard at the hands of the demonic Surtur. The finale of Thor volume 2 is one of the most overt inspirations for the ending of Thor: Ragnarok, right down to Thor making the choice to just let the fire elemental destroy his homeworld for the greater good.
In the comics, things immediately got a little complicated. For one, rather than having the luxury of a lifeboat to flee the scene, everyone in Asgard--including Thor--was "killed." Don't worry, it sounds more bleak than it actually was--but the point is that the gods of Asgard were all decidedly off the table for a while.
"A while" in this case meant three years. That's where Straczynski and Djurdjevic came in. They had to figure out a way to restore not just Asgard itself, but everyone in it--after its complete annihilation. Luckily for everyone involved, comics are practically synonymous with complicated resurrection logic, and with the help of some specific continuity deep cuts and loopholes, they were able to pull it off.
Asgard made its triumphant return from destruction, gloriously reconstructed--just outside a small town in rural Oklahoma.
The town of Broxton is actually a real place--you can find it on a map and take a road trip if you like--but for Marvel's purposes it was the new home of Thor comics for the subsequent several years. It started when Donald Blake, the sometimes autonomous human alter ego of Thor (a relic from the age of Thor's secret identity years), summoned Thor's spirit from the "void of nonexistence," or, whatever happens to immortals after they die. With Thor back on two feet and moving freely in Midgard, he set upon summoning his fellow Asgardians into mortal bodies with him.
Then came the big one: summoning Asgard itself. Thor rebuilt the city as, well, a floating castle amidst a bunch of cornfields, a couple of miles away of town. Don't worry, he bought the land legally, using gold left over from the royal treasury. Squatting is unbefitting of the gods, obviously.
With Asgard reconfigured, the comics shifted focus from the grand scale cosmic drama of Thor's bygone days and zeroed in on the personal drama of the daily life of heroes through the lens of small town Americana. The culture clash between warriors and farmers was played as both a running gag and a heartwarming parable--there were love stories, dangerous misunderstandings, political tensions, you name it, until the events of the crossover event Siege in in 2010 brought it to an end.
So what does any of this have to do with the MCU? Well, it's unlikely we'll see a shot-for-shot remake of the Asgard, Oklahoma run of Thor on the big screen any time soon, but as things stand right now? All signs point to Earth for the future of the franchise. Thor volume 3 weaves a story that blends superheroics with the everyday life of Midgardians in a way that could easily match the tone and levity put forth by the increasingly more "auteur" entries into the MCU's lineup--and, uniquely enough, would actually require less focus on Thor himself.
Contract negotiations and tenures have been a hot topic among fans whenever the state of the MCU post-next summer's Infinity War comes up in conversation. Many of the core cast of heroes have either stated outright or hinted at the fact that they're due for contract re-negotiations and will likely be stepping down--or at least pulling back--from their roles in the future. This isn't a huge problem for characters with long legacy statuses like Captain America or Iron Man, but it represents a challenge for Thor--a challenge that's recently gotten even more tangled with Natalie Portman's Jane Foster (the most recent bearer of Mjolnir in the comics) officially exiting the franchise.
A move to Asgard, Oklahoma would make way for an extended cast of Asgardian heroes with Thor himself playing a more supporting role. There would be space for Valkyrie, the return of Sif, and maybe even the introduction of the long absent Balder the Brave to take point for the future of the Thor franchise.
Although, admittedly, this is all assuming that there are any Asgardians left after the MCU's looming encounter with Thanos. Here's hoping.
Horizon: Zero Dawn's first DLC, The Frozen Wilds, is just one day away on PS4. With it comes a new story, new quest lines, errands, weapons, armor, and a new skill tree (which will be available in the main game too). GameSpot has played through The Frozen Wilds and, while much of the DLC's content can have far-reaching effects on the game as a whole, we can tell you roughly how much play time you'll get out of the new features.
We got through The Frozen Wilds in about 12 hours, but the DLC could take you anywhere from 10-20 hours depending on your starting levell--the game recommends you be level 30 before attempting The Frozen Wilds). In the DLC, you'll explore the icy world of the Cut and experience the game's new weather effects; wind and snow particles affect how well you'll see.
Fortunately, there's a new Traveler skill tree to help Aloy tackle the new environment. Many of the skills you can unlock center around abilities used while riding a mount, culminating in one move that lets you leap off and attack enemies with a lethal one-hit-kill spear assault. All those new skills can also be used in the main game, and the DLC also adds the ability to customize Aloy's spear.
The new DLC launches tomorrow, November 7, and will cost $20 / £16 / AU $30. Check out GameSpot's full Horizon: The Frozen Wilds review here and in the video above. If you haven't played Horizon: Zero Dawn yet, The Complete Edition, which includes the base game and the The Frozen Wilds together, comes out for PS4 on December 5.
PS Plus subscribers can download a total of six games for free across all three of Sony's consoles. On PS4, the lineup is headlined by Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, the final Metal Gear Solid title helmed by series creator Hideo Kojima. Additionally, PS4 owners can download Amnesia Collection, which includes both Amnesia: The Dark Descent and Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. A bonus title, the PSVR game RIGS, is also available for free until tomorrow.
Vita's October lineup consists of two titles, Hue and Sky Force Anniversary, both of which can also be downloaded on PS4 thanks to Cross-Buy. The latter is also available on PS3 via Cross-Buy. The PS3 selection is rounded out by Hustle Kings and Monster Jam Battlegrounds.
All of the aforementioned games return to their regular price tomorrow, when they'll be replaced by November's lineup of free PS Plus games. That batch also consists of six titles and includes Worms Battlegrounds, Bound, and R-Type Dimensions, as well as the extra freebie Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, the latter of which will be available for a longer-than-usual period of time. You can grab October's free PS Plus games if you haven't already from the links below.
With its incredible-looking environments and an ornate combat system, Horizon: Zero Dawn is an easy game to slip back into (even if you've ignored it for the better part of a year). The Frozen Wilds expansion makes a return visit even more enticing with new gear and challenges to seek out in the frozen north, with fresh enemies balanced to fit into the game's latter half. There's also a new storyline, which slightly expands your knowledge of the past and hints at events to come. Those revelations alone aren't terribly exciting, but as an excuse to revisit one of the best games of the year, Aloy's new journey hardly suffers from that small disappointment.
The Frozen Wilds primarily takes place in a previously unforeseen stretch of land that encompasses roughly 10-15 hours of new side quests and errands. Snow isn't new to Horizon, but it's never felt as ubiquitous as it does here. Mountain passes, valleys, and forests are choked with snow both on the ground and in the air. And when the sun cuts through the atmosphere just right, individual snowflakes take on gorgeous pink hues that make an already pretty game even prettier.
This scenic territory belongs to a tribe known as the Banuk, who have long lived in isolation from the rest of society. They follow a strict code of conduct that has more to do with self-reliance and pride than it does with justice and order. The constraints therein put pressure on Banuk in various ways, and most of your objectives in The Frozen Wilds focus on helping individuals overcome their personal struggles with tradition.
Your primary task has bigger implications, however, as a Banuk shaman living on the outskirts unknowingly holds the key to a new chunk of historical data and a new facet of the technological powers operating behind the scenes. Both this quest line and personality-driven side quests deliver heaps of dialogue, which, like Horizon's exchanges at large, range from heartfelt scenes to perfunctory filler.
But as excuses to clash with new sparking mechanical beasts, practically every mission in The Frozen Wilds feels valuable. The three fresh monsters are hugely formidable opponents that require considerable effort to defeat, and they are joined by a new power tier for every enemy--one step above "corrupted"--which makes pre-existing machines faster and stronger than ever. As you're shepherded along to new points on the map, you'll also discover strange towers that heal nearby enemies, their loud bellows making stealthy approaches even more stressful than usual.
Of the few new additions, the two grizzly bear machines--one uses ice, the other fire--stand out from the pack. They are capable of running on all fours or standing tall on their hind legs, and employ a wide range of hard-hitting attacks that punish delayed thinking in a heartbeat. Taking them down calls upon expert targeting and intelligent use of elements, the latter of which is linked to the new casting staffs introduced with the Banuk. These purely elemental weapons are perfect for putting enemies into a vulnerable state, to be followed up by attacks from more traditional weaponry. They prove useful beyond the frozen north as well, and it's easy to imagine (as a returning player who's already finished the game) how their capabilities would have come in handy during past trials.
Beyond new weapons, you'll also find a new grade of armor that adds an additional modification slot to standard armor types, as well as the Banuk's new gear, which carries auto-healing properties. Most new gear, if not given to you, is acquired through the usual mix of resources, which also includes the territory exclusive currency, Bluegleam. These gems are rewarded for completing quests and exploring the wilderness, and are in very short supply. You have to work to earn your new toys, but that's OK; the "work" is what makes Horizon so enjoyable.
The biggest and farthest-reaching addition has to be the new Traveler skill tree. Geared towards making your life easier and more efficient, traveler skills include things like disassembling extra items (rather than selling or discarding them), procuring resources while on horseback, and expanding your resource stash at large--all things that would have been immensely useful throughout Horizon. Seeing these new skills having already finished the main game isn't terribly inspiring unless you've got a lot of lingering quests left to hunt in the main map, or if you've been holding off on starting a New Game + run.
That said, coming back to Horizon for The Frozen Wilds alone is still worthwhile for the fights and sights, but it ultimately feels like a missing chapter, rather than an eye-opening extension of what came before. It's easy to imagine how newcomers to Horizon will benefit from its new gear and skills the most, for example. Likewise, its story feels better suited as an interlude than the revelatory companion to the conclusion it tries to be. Yet these are feelings that come up after more than a dozen hours of riveting battles and serene hikes flew by, so it's hard to get too upset at such a captivating experience when it's all said and done.
"Should you get an Xbox One X? That answer should largely depend on whether you'd be happy with the console's library of games. You can check out a list of all the Xbox One X-enhanced games here. If you're happy with the lineup and are thinking about jumping in, allow me to outline three different scenarios for you. If you game on a 1080p TV and don't have any plans to upgrade to a 4K one, the Xbox One S is going to be a better fit for you. While you will get some graphical enhancements with the X, you don't really get your money's worth if you don't have a 4K HDR TV. But what if you already own a 4K HDR TV and an Xbox One? In this case, I'd only recommend getting the X if you have the disposable cash to spare for the increased visual fidelity and performance benefits. If you have a 4K HDR TV, don't have a current gen console, and are looking to purchase one, however, the Xbox One X is a great choice." -- Jimmy Thang [Full review]
IGN -- 8.7/10 (Review-in-progress)
"The Xbox One X is a very impressive collection of hardware crammed into a sleek case. It runs cool and quiet as it delivers impressive performance in the enhanced games we've been able to test out so far. It's hard to believe Microsoft exclusives like Gears of War 4 can look so good and run so smoothly on a box that costs less than half of what you'd pay for a high-end gaming PC. Plus, it caters to home theater enthusiasts with 4K ultra-HD Blu-ray playback and Atmos sound. However, the big question of how it compares to the PlayStation 4 Pro in running third-party games remains, for now, unanswered." -- Brandin Tyrrel [Full review-in-progress]
Polygon -- No score (Pre-review)
"The Xbox One X is undeniably the best console to play multiplatform games; they'll look and run better on it than on the PS4 Pro. For some people, that peace of mind--knowing that they're guaranteed to get the highest image quality and smoothest performance--will be enough to justify the purchase price. And the ancillary benefits of Microsoft's ecosystem, such as Xbox Play Anywhere and backward compatibility going back to the original Xbox, can't be discounted. But I've been floored by plenty of games on the PS4 Pro, like Horizon Zero Dawn. For now, with the limited number of enhanced Xbox One X titles I've been able to test, I haven't seen enough to be able to recommend the console in light of its high price--especially when the audience for these mid-cycle upgrades still seems so specific." -- Samit Sarkar [Full pre-review]
The Verge -- 8.5/10
"Sony really has some impressive exclusives on the way, and it's hard for Microsoft to counter this despite its great job on the hardware. Microsoft promised the best hardware, and it delivered--but that's nothing without games." -- Tom Warren [Full review]
The Guardian -- 4/5
"Multiplatform titles will almost certainly look better on Xbox One X than on PS4 Pro, sometimes very noticeably (and elements like increased draw distance and smoother frame-rates can have a palpable effect on your gameplay experience), but is it worth the extra £100? That's a conversation you need to have with your aesthetic standards and your wallet." -- Keith Stuart [Full review]
Engadget -- 87/100
"Ultimately, the Xbox One X offers some major performance upgrades that gamers will notice--especially if you're coming from an original Xbox One. But it's also a bit disappointing since it's coming a year after the PS4 Pro, and it doesn't offer VR yet. For Microsoft fans, though, none of that will matter. It's exactly what the company promised: the fastest game console ever made." -- Devindra Hardawar [Full review]
Eurogamer -- No score
"Really, it all comes down to whether you own a 4K screen or are considering investing in one. The right ultra HD display with decent HDR support really does offer a huge improvement in many cases over standard 1080p. Forza 7's precision lines and often beautiful lighting are a world apart from the base Xbox One experience, while the richness of detail in Gears of War 4 (or the doubling in frame-rate, if you prefer) are transformative experiences. Work needs to be done on beefing up the lacklustre 4K media support, but as a top-tier games machine, Xbox One X is an excellent piece of kit." -- Richard Leadbetter [Full review]
Wired -- No score
"Microsoft has pulled off something impressive here. 4K gaming previously required a noisy desktop PC with a flamin' hot graphics card, and now it's something you can get for $500 that fits under your TV. That's awesome, even if the benefit is small and only for a select few. For devotees who worship at the altar of Master Chief, the Xbox One X is an offering that optimizes the Xbox experience. It's an opportunity for fans to re-up their membership and prepare for the higher-def, higher-dynamic range future." -- Brendan Nystedt [Full review]
TechRadar -- 4/5
"If you're the kind of gamer who stops to look at the scenic vistas in games like Skyrim, The Witcher or Dragon Age, or a streamer who can point out a 4 frame-per-second difference while looking at two videos side by side, the Xbox One X is a worthwhile investment.
"That said, if you're a gamer who just wants a console that plays great-looking games without digging too deep into your pocket books, the Xbox One X is a bit overkill - save some money and buy yourself an Xbox One S ... preferably the one with a 2TB hard drive." -- Nick Pino [Full review]
CNET -- No score
"Xbox One X lays a credible claim to the title of most powerful game console ever, but it has an uphill battle for your gaming dollar, especially if you already own an original Xbox One." -- Jeff Bakalar [Full review]
Update: GameSpot's Call of Duty: WWII review is now final, so we've updated this roundup accordingly. We've also added a couple more reviews for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy! Original story follows.
Thankfully, with the shooter now out worldwide, reviews have started to go live. GameSpot's own Call of Duty: WWII review-in-progress awarded the game a provisional 9/10--we're waiting to test the game on public servers before we give our final verdict, but you can check out our thoughts so far below. We've also collected a bunch of other critics' reviews for you to read; alternatively, check out Metacritic.
"Ultimately, if every shooter set in the European Theater of World War II is measured by how it depicts its D-Day landing--assuming it has such a mission--Call of Duty: WWII emphatically succeeds in its impactful designs and delivery. The sensation of riding the troop carrier as it approached the beach filled me with depression more than dread, knowing I'd survive eventually while many of my surrounding brothers in arms wouldn't. While not equally emotional, this battle's reinterpretation in War mode proves to be a highlight in a superb suite of competitive modes. Zombies rounds off this stellar return to form, effectively blending the ferocity of online cooperative play with the goal-driven satisfaction of found in the campaign. As one of the most comprehensive and filler-free Call of Dutys in recent memory, Call of Duty: WWII successfully capitalizes on the series' strengths." -- Miguel Concepcion [Full review]
Polygon -- No score (Review-in-progress)
"The prospect of a modern take on World War II is an exciting one. What would the last ten years of gameplay, graphical and storytelling advancement bring to scenes that we've already experienced? Unfortunately the Call of Duty: WWII campaign is not up to the task, falling into rote cliches and overly familiar territory. While it returns to the era of classic Call of Duty, it neither captures the surprise of the early games nor the ambition of modern entries. Rather than serve as a reboot, Call of Duty: WWII is more of a redundancy." -- Russ Frushtick [Full review-in-progress]
Game Informer -- 8.75/10
"While the campaign fails to provide a compelling tale and is often bogged down in uninteresting large-scale slaughter, Call of Duty:WWII nails its multiplayer, new social hub, and zombie modes to provide the back to boot-on-the-ground experience fans have clamored for since the first foray into space." -- Daniel Tack [Full review]
GamesRadar+ -- 4/5
"From moment to moment, though, the campaign is solid, unwavering fun with some great set pieces and moments. Taking a step back really exposes the single player as a collection of good levels and ideas strung together, rather than a narrative. The experience overall though is good and, with such an enjoyable and varied multiplayer offering, everything ultimately balances out." -- Leon Hurley [Full review]
The Telegraph -- 4/5
"It's a Neapolitan ice cream of shooters, essentially, with three very different flavours squashed together in a single serving. They're not always complementary: it's hard to reconcile the fact that you've got a former Doctor Who shouting "twat!" at Nazi zombies in the same game as a haunting glimpse of history's worst genocide. Still, between its moments of good taste and a mode that's more Bad Taste, it hits a consistently high standard – and though it's mostly riffing on ideas we've seen before, it manages to make several of them its own. The series' dwindling popularity has proved a tough nut to crack for its publisher in recent years; CoD: WWII proves that maybe a Sledgehammer really is the right tool for the job." -- Chris Schilling [Full review]
The Guardian -- 3/5
"The way CoD: WWII is packaged seems bizarre, but then these three individual games don't have much to do with one another anyway. Call of Duty is the Golden Goose for Activision, almost its own genre through sheer dint of popularity. This is everything you'd expect. I suppose you could call that praise." -- Rich Stanton [Full review]
PC Gamer -- 70/10
"WWII marks the first time I felt like I could get a grip on Call of Duty's multiplayer since Black Ops II, and the most fun I've had with it since Modern Warfare. It's a familiar feeling, but a comfortable one. If the matchmaking settles and if it can maintain a PC population larger than than a small town in North Dakota, then WWII could be a great Call of Duty for anyone bothered by the direction the multiplayer was going with the complications futuristic warfare rolled in. But a dull, safe campaign has me aching to return to fictional wars, something that at least gives Call of Duty the room it needs to be loud and dumb and free from the responsibility of teaching the kids anything besides no-scope 720s." -- James Davenport [Full review]
With Marvel's Thor: Ragnarok now in theaters, there is one big superhero movie to go before the end of the year. Justice League releases later this month, and a series of new clips from the DC team-up have appeared over the last couple of days.
The latest gives us a proper look at the villainous Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hines) and shows Aquaman (Jason Momoa) saving the day. Check it out below:
Other recent Justice League clips include Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) recruiting Aquaman and The Flash (Ezra Miller), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) in action, and an encounter with Commissioner Gordon (JK Simmons). Check them all out in one video here. We've also revently seen mini-trailers for Aquaman, Wonder Woman, and Cyborg.
"The movie is Zack's DNA," he said. "The cast of the movie, the design of the movie--there's something that people who don't actually work on movies don't understand, which is how much of the work is done in prep--the casting, the sets get built, the story is written. The ship is, in essence, sailing. I found as a director you can maybe change 10%, 15% or something, on the day.
"Zack's ship set sail with us, and we were fortunate that when Zack was not able to continue, we got really lucky in that we got a guy who is very accomplished in his own right, and particularly in this genre, and he kind of sprinkled some of his fairy dust on our movie and finished it."
"I don't think there's any way to go back, to me, and look at those scenes and go, 'That's a Joss scene, that's a Zack scene,'" Affleck continued. "It was more that they were both working together toward a common goal. Debbie [Snyder, who produced the movie] would know better than I would, certainly, but I got the sense that Joss was working from what he had discussed with Zack before he stepped in."
Justice League hits theaters on November 17.
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Erick and Jake take Alloy to the Frozen Wilds in Horizon Zero Dawn's first DLC.
Horizon's Frozen Wilds DLC has a very upset robot bear.
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