Death Stranding is one of the most exciting upcoming games appearing at E3 2018. The next project from famed developer Hideo Kojima has had us intrigued ever since its provocative E3 2016 reveal trailer. With the game confirmed as one of the four major games Sony intends to primarily focus on during its press conference, our hype and anticipation only continues to build. To prepare you for what's ahead, here's what we know about Death Stranding, as well as what we're hoping to see from it at this year's E3.
What We Know So Far
After a long-standing corporate conflict, Kojima parted ways from publisher Konami in July 2015 and reformed his longtime studio Kojima Productions as an independent developer. During the same month, Kojima announced he was collaborating with Sony to create a new PlayStation game. This ultimately turned out to be Death Stranding, which was first shown at Sony's E3 2016 press conference. Two subsequent teasers were shown at The Game Awards 2016 and 2017.
There aren't many concrete details about Death Stranding's narrative aside from the provocative imagery of its trailers and Kojima's musings on Twitter. It stars actor Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead, The Boondock Saints) as protagonist Sam, and Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale, Hannibal) as a bizarre unnamed antagonist. Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro will contribute his likeness to another unnamed character. In addition, voice actors Troy Baker and Emily O'Brien are confirmed to appear.
Death Stranding is being made with the DECIMA engine, the same game engine used to make Horizon Zero Dawn. Kojima has stated that it will be an action game set in an open world with multiplayer functionality. According to Kojima, the game aims to eschew some of gaming's most time-honored traditions--in this case the mechanics that dictate life and death. When Sam dies, you're sent to an upside-down world submerged in water that you can explore in first-person. But once you return to the world of the living, anything you've done or any damage you've caused in the world persists.
Another major mechanic in Death Stranding involves a type of rain known as "Timefall." This substance has the ability to age or deteriorate whatever it hits. It's likely the reason why the characters in the third teaser trailer are wearing hoods, and why the one who isn't ages rapidly--and quite painfully--in a matter of seconds.
Of course, the most bizarre aspect of every Death Stranding trailer is the baby that Sam and others can be seen holding. Kojima has confirmed that this mysterious infant is more than just a plot device, and that it actually relates to the game's narrative and gameplay mechanics.
What's Confirmed For E3?
Sony has confirmed that it'll discuss Death Stranding in detail at its E3 2018 press conference. It's one of the four games the company had stated it'll be showcasing in-depth at this year's show. According to a recent post on Kojima's Twitter account, it also appears that he's creating another big trailer for the game. In addition, he shared an cryptic image of the game--likely a shot from the trailer.
What We Hope To See At E3
Three trailers in and we're pretty desperate to hear more about what Death Stranding is actually about. So far we've only gotten vague details about the story and how it'll play. While the surreal imagery from the previous footage has piqued our curiosity, we can't imagine that another teaser like that will do Death Stranding any favors--lest it wants to turn out like No Man's Sky, in the sense that intrigue can only take a game so far; we want something more substantial.
We're hoping that Kojima will take to the stage at this year's Sony press conference to go into explicit detail about what you'll be doing in Death Stranding, as well as show off actual gameplay footage. We'd love to see an in-depth demonstration of the life and death mechanic that Kojima discussed late-last year. At the very least, we want to get a sense of how it'll feel to play the game, as well as what its combat and UI looks like.
Aside from gameplay, it would be great to see more story and characters. It's doubtful that Death Stranding's star-studded cast stops at Reedus and Mikkelsen. We'd love to see the presence of other high-profile actors. Rumors and theories have circulated suggesting that Emma Stone, Diane Kruger, Kevin Durand, and even Idris Elba could potentially join the cast. However, none of this has been confirmed and is mostly based on hearsay. Regardless, the possibility of more big-name actors and actresses potentially being in Death Stranding has us excited.
Death Stranding has garnered massive interest due to the sense of mystery that veils its story and gameplay. We're hoping that Kojima and Sony will at least provide some answers to the questions its initial trailers gave us.
You're here for one simple reason: You want to know whether you need to stick around in the theater once the credits start rolling on Solo: A Star Wars Story. Star Wars movies have never had post-credits scenes before now, though, and the answer to this question is simple: No, Solo does not have any post-credits scenes, mid-credits scenes, or stingers of any type. Once the credits start rolling, that's it. Movie over. Go home.
Even as Disney has perfected the art of the credits scene in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they've somehow resisted shoehorning them into Star Wars. Fans might argue that stingers would feel out of place in Star Wars--for decades, these movies have been over when the credits started to roll and the iconic theme music kicked in. The Marvel movies are newer, and they've had post- and mid-credits scenes from the start.
For now, Disney is playing it safe by keeping the Star Wars tradition going. That said, there are a couple of scenes toward the end of Solo that feel like they serve the same purpose in the film--one pays off a loose end from earlier in the movie, and another sets up potential entries in the franchise's future with these characters.
In our Solo review, we said, "It's valid for some fans to wish Disney would devote resources to telling fresher tales that don't rely so heavily on nostalgia and existing plots and characters...But Solo: A Star Wars Story is what we have right now, and if it's simply an enjoyably well-crafted side story, well, is that really so bad?"
The Year of Legendary Pokemon rolls on. With June just around the corner, The Pokemon Company has shared some more details about the next free Pokemon it is giving away for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and it's another Legendary from the Kalos region: Zygarde.
In contrast to previous distributions, which offered a different Legendary depending on which seventh-gen game they're redeemed in, Zygarde is the only Pokemon that players will receive in June, regardless of which version they have. What makes this particular Legendary special, however, is that it's a Shiny variant, which is exceptionally hard to get through normal play.
As usual, players in the US will need to travel to a specific retailer to pick up a free download code for Zygarde. This time, the code will be available at GameStop from June 1-24. Those in Europe and Australia will have an easier time getting their hands on one; the Legendary will be offered as a free Mystery Gift over the Nintendo Network.
The download code you receive can be redeemed using the Mystery Gift feature from the games' main menu. Select the option to receive your gift via a code/password, input your code when prompted, and the Pokemon will be downloaded into your game. (In Europe and Australia, you'll simply choose the option to receive your gift via internet instead.)
Once you complete those steps, you'll then be able to pick it up from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center. As always, you'll need to have a free slot in your party in order to claim the Legendary.
Before Zygarde arrives, players still have a little more time to claim May's free Pokemon: Xerneas and Yveltal. Players can pick up a download code for the Kalos Legendaries from participating retailers until May 27. You can see what other freebies are available right now in our roundup of all the free Pokemon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
Microsoft has announced another set of games to be added to its all-you-can-eat Game Pass service on Xbox One in June. Those will include a brand-new co-op dungeon crawler along with several other games joining the service.
The headliner of the bunch is Next Up Hero, a co-op dungeon crawler that has you gather loot and upgrade your skills. Every time you die you'll leave behind an echo, which can be raised by the next hero to fight as an AI companion. It will come sometime in June, alongside its debut on the store for non-subscribers to purchase.
Microsoft has been adding a handful of new games to the service every month, often with a single headliner new release that's added the same day as it becomes available to purchase for non-subscribers. Microsoft's first-party Sea of Thieves and State of Decay 2 were both the big-ticket items of their respective months.
With nearly $2 billion at the worldwide box office thus far, it's safe to say a lot of people have seen Avengers: Infinity War. Now, nearly a month after its release, the writers of the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, along with its follow up Avengers 4, are tackling some very important questions.
Naturally, they aren't getting into spoiler territory when it comes to the next Avengers adventure. After all, with so many superheroes turned to dust by Thanos (Josh Brolin), even the smallest tidbit about what's to come could give away far too much. Screenwriters Stephen McFeeley and Christopher Markus did have plenty to share about Infinity War on a wide-ranging interview with Collider, though. Here are just a few of the juiciest bits.
Where was Sharon Carter?
After the role she played in Captain America: Civil War, many fans were surprised Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp) didn't appear in Infinity War. However, as Markus reveals, that wasn't always the case. "She was in previous drafts [of the script]," he admits.
"Sharon Carter was a victim of what we came to realize as we were writing it, which was if you are writing scenes that set up people before the story has gotten to them, such as Steve and Sharon trying to make it work in an apartment, they're gonna go because the movie does not have time to catch up to previously on the life of Steve Rogers," the screenwriter elaborates. Truthfully, he's not wrong. Infinity War was already packed to the brim with story and characters. Setting time aside to deal with the personal lives of the characters, for the most part, would have been a distraction.
What about Hawkeye?
The question of Hawkeye's (Jeremy Renner) involvement in Infinity War has been one fans obsessed about. In the end, he didn't appear in the film at all, though there was a mention that he cut a deal with the government to go home. Was that always the case, though?
According to McFeeley, the archer was never going to appear in the film. "We've said this before. Some characters have great stories in the second movie," he explains. "We also gave ourselves permission to tell complete arcs for the characters."
Sorry, Hawkeye fans.
Is Avengers 4 even done?
It turns out, filming on the fourth Avengers movie is not complete yet. Reshoots and pickups are scheduled to film in September. However, the writers aren't revealing how much more shooting is needed or who will be involved.
How are they including Captain Marvel?
Avengers 4 is in a tricky position--and it's one they've never been in. Though the standalone Captain Marvel will hit theaters first, star Brie Larson filmed her scenes as the superhero in the next Avengers film before her solo movie started production.
"We were in the same position as we were with Spider-Man and [Black] Panther, where Brie was going to have to shoot her scenes before she shot Captain Marvel," McFeeley says. "We're trying to set up something that will work for our movie that won't screw up their movie."
Of course, the major difference is while Civil War introduces fans to Spider-Man and Black Panther, that will not be the case for Captain Marvel, whose standalone film releases on March 6, 2019--nearly two months before Avengers 4.
There have to be deleted scenes, right?
There was a bunch of stuff cut from the film, though the writers are careful not to reveal much. Some of it could wind up being used in Avengers 4, while other bits will be included in the home release of Infinity War.
However, Markus does have one moment to share. "We shot an unbelievably long version of Tony and Pepper in the park that features cameos," he says. "It was sort of Robert and his friends' day at the park." According to the writers, the scene featured several MCU characters showing up, as well as Infinity War co-director Joe Russo. "It got kind of out of control and was off-plot entirely," Markus admits.
The Transformers series might be one of the most successful film franchises of all time, but 2017's Transformers: The Last Knight wasn't nearly as big a hit as the previous movies in the series. The spin-off Bumblebee is due out later this year, but plans to continue the series beyond that remain uncertain. It has now been reported that Paramount has removed the Transformers movie planned for 2019 from its release schedule entirely.
As reported by Variety, the film was originally set for release on June 28, 2019. However, it no longer appears on the schedule and has been replaced by the comedy Limited Partners, starring Tiffany Haddish.
This follows the rumors back in February that Habsro, the toy manufacturer which owns the rights to Transformers, is planning to reboot the whole franchise. It was also reported that a new agreement with Paramount means that Hasbro will have greater control over the property, including greenlighting movie projects.
This is something of a change in fortune for the series. In October 2015, Hasbro announced that there would be at least four more movies, and that a "writers room" had been established to map out the next decade of Transformers across movies, TV, and digital.
The Last Knight made $605 million worldwide. This was well below the $1.104 billion haul for its predecessor, 2014's The Age of Extinction, and less than the first movie made back in 2007.
Bumblebee hits theaters on December 21, 2018 and stars Hailee Steinfeld and John Cena. It will be directed by Kubo And The Two Strings director Travis Knight, who is making his live-action debut.
Kulve Taroth is one fierce foe, and now Monster Hunter World players on PS4 and Xbox One will get another chance to take her on. The Elder Dragon returns to the game May 24 at 5PM PT / 8PM ET (1AM BST on May 25). To take on the Siege, you'll need to be a hunter rank 16 or higher.
Kulve Taroth protects herself with a shining coat of metal. Up to 16 people can take part in the Siege, with players being divided into groups of four to track and break off parts of her armor. "Cloaked in a heavy golden mantle, this dazzling threat is fast approaching and it's up to you and your Hunting Squad to work together and repel it at all costs," Capcom said in April, when Kulve Taroth made her first appearance in the game.
Once again, there is lots of golden loot on the line. "The primary goal of this Siege is to repel Kulve Taroth, but its shimmering golden mantle happens to be a collection of shiny weapon relics it has gathered along its journey through the New World," Capcom said.
✨ The Mother Goddess of Gold returns on May 24th 5pm PT / May 25th 1am BST. Team up and rank up to HR16+ to join the Kulve Taroth Siege! ✨ pic.twitter.com/mn1N71GqOi
Kulve Taroth will be sticking around in Monster Hunter World until May 31, and there's no word on whether she will become a permanent monster in the game like Deviljho. Fighting Kulve Taroth will unlock two new High Rank sets of armor at the smithy: Kulve Taroth α and Kulve Taroth β (and a matching Palico armor set and weapon). You'll be able to craft them with materials from Kulve Taroth's armor, along with gems from other Elder Dragons. You can check out our full guide to all of Kulve Taroth's armor and weapons for details, but here are the skills you'll earn by equipping each piece:
Knowing full well that it would leave fans wondering what's to come, Nintendo's E3 2017 reveal that Metroid Prime 4 is in development was short but sweet. All we got was a logo, and Bill Trinen's word that it is due to ship sometime "beyond 2017." We are well into 2018 now and there's still nary a word about what the game will look like, let alone what studio is currently piecing it together. Assuming that Nintendo makes a big show at this year's E3, here's what we hope to find out about the secretive sequel.
What We Know So Far
All we can say about Metroid Prime 4 with absolute certainty is that it could possibly come out this year or later, and that it will be a Switch game--surprise, surprise! It's also been revealed that Retro Studios, the team behind every other mainline Metroid Prime game to date, will not be developing the fourth entry. Trinen has said that longtime Nintendo producer Kensuke Tanabe will lead development with a team of talented individuals, but their identity thus far remains a mystery.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (2007)
Inquisitive fans have discovered hints online, however, and the current theory is that a Bandai Namco team may be involved with development. Nintendo has of course remained silent in the face of these rumors. At the least, Tanabe has said that Prime 4 "returns to the first-person adventure roots of the original Metroid Prime game and introduces a new storyline that ties together the events of the Metroid Prime universe and takes the storyline in new directions."
Nintendo found great success collaborating with a third-party team for Metroid: Samus Returns on 3DS last year, so despite Retro Studios' absence, we're willing to keep our hopes up for the time being.
What's Confirmed For E3?
Nintendo hasn't announced anything regarding Metroid Prime 4 appearing at E3 this year, but there's a strong chance it will be a part of the publisher's annual showcase.
What We Hope To See At E3
Given that Metroid Prime 4 is such a highly anticipated game and that very little is known about it, we'd honestly love it if Nintendo would open the floodgates and answer the basic questions we all have. Gameplay footage is probably at the top of everyone's list. With Retro Studios out of the picture, it's anyone's guess as to what the game will look and feel like. Most fans would agree that the series' previous path worked well and that they'd like to see it return in similar shape, but it's been almost 10 years since Metroid Prime 3: Corruption came out, so I don't think anyone would complain if Nintendo evolved the game in some ways to defy our expectations.
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
We'd also like to learn more about the story and whether or not the rumored involvement of the little-known character Sylux will come to fruition. He appeared at the end of the last two Prime games (Metroid Prime 3 and Metroid Prime: Federation Force) so it would stand to reason that all of those teases were leading to something new and exciting, but only time will tell.
Finally, we want to know who exactly is developing Metroid Prime 4, and when we can expect to play it. It's nice to know that the game is coming, but a solid release date would be most appreciated at this stage. Metroid is a beloved, though somewhat niche series, but its fans are incredibly dedicated and passionate about seeing it continue. The least Nintendo could do is tell us all when we can expect to step into Samus' space boots for her next adventure.
You won't find sabacc games in Atlantic City or on the Vegas strip, but in places like Canto Bight and Cloud City, sabacc is the discerning gambler's game of choice. In Solo: A Star Wars Story, the sabacc table is where Han meets Lando, sparking a friendship that lasts for decades, and it's sabacc that they're playing when Han wins the Millennium Falcon, changing the fate of the galaxy forever.
Sabacc is more than just a plot device, however. It has a complete set of rules, numerous variants, and a long and storied history in the Star Wars universe. With a little bit of work, you can even play it yourself.
The Galaxy's Most Notorious Game
Sabacc actually predates The Empire Strikes Back, but just barely. While sabacc isn't named in the film itself--When talking to Lando, Han simply says that he won the Falcon "fair and square"--the second draft of Empire's screenplay mentioned that the game is called "sabacca."The Empire Strikes Back's novelization, written by Donald F. Glut, renamed it "sabacc." That's what it's been called ever since.
Next came L. Neil Smith's Lando Calrissian and the Mindharp of Sharu, one of the earliest installments in the now non-canonical Star Wars Expanded Universe. Set a few years before Han sat in the Falcon's pilot's seat, The Mindharp of Sharu details Lando's adventures in the Rafa system, where he's roped into hunting for an ancient treasure alongside a tentacled droid named Vuffi Raa. Sabacc plays a big, big role in the story.
Even by Star Wars standards, The Mindharp of Sharu is supremely weird, and later novels more or less ignored it. The book did make one lasting contribution to Star Wars lore, however. The Mindharp of Sharu begins with a sabacc match and quickly lays out the game's rules. That's been the foundation for every version of the game that followed. In fact, sabacc hasn't changed much at all since The Mindharp debuted all the way back in 1983.
Game designers Michael Stern, Douglas Kaufman, and Greg Gorden codified sabacc's rules in Crisis on Cloud City, an adventure module for West End Games' classic tabletop game, Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game. The original version of Crisis on Cloud City included a pamphlet explaining sabacc's ins and outs, a deck of 84 full-color cards, and a side quest that saw players gambling against Lando Calrissian himself by playing an actual game of sabacc. Those rules were used as the foundation for a special (and simplified) version of sabacc released at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim in 2015, the gambling scenes in Solo, the Star Wars Rebels episode "Idiot's Array" (which also features a Billy Dee Williams guest spot), various role-playing games, and many, many spin-off novels.
In-world, sabacc's been a mainstay at criminal hubs and dingy cantinas for years, although it wasn't always around. Before sabacc, people played pazaak. While similar to sabacc, pazaak uses both standard and player-made decks, and includes cards that can change the values of other players' hands. If this sounds familiar, you might've played it before: pazaak was a mini-game in BioWare's popular video game, Knights of the Old Republic.
How It Works
Sabacc itself is like a combination of blackjack and poker, with a little bit of roulette thrown in for good measure. Similar to blackjack, the goal of the game is to put together a hand that's worth 23 points (or negative 23 points), or as close as you can get. You have to be careful, however, because if you break the 23 limit in either direction, or if you end the game with zero points, you'll "bomb out." That's like busting in blackjack: when you bomb out, not only do you lose the hand, but you have to pay a predetermined penalty into the so-called "sabacc pot."
You gain and lose points by collecting cards from the sabacc deck, which is based on real-life tarot cards (in fact, in Star Wars lore, sabacc cards can also be used for fortune telling). A traditional sabacc deck consists of 76 cards, most of which fall into one of four suits: sabres, staves, flasks, and coins. Every suit is made up of 11 regular cards, which are valued at 1 through 11, plus four "ranked" cards--the Commander, the Mistress, the Master, and the Ace--that are worth 12 through 15 points, respectively.
The rest of the deck is composed of 16 face cards. There are eight kinds of those, and every deck has two of each. Those are: the Idiot (0 points), the Queen of Air and Darkness (-1), Endurance (-8), Balance (-11), Demise (-13), Moderation (-14), The Evil One (-15), and The Star (-17).
Unfortunately, a sabacc deck isn't something that you can just walk into any old store and buy. You'll have to get creative. Many people like combining two decks of tarot cards (West End Games' rules are explicitly designed to make that possible), and you can mark up some traditional playing cards by hand, too. You can also print out your own deck or scour eBay for copies of Crisis on Cloud City, although complete editions of the module are both rare and expensive.
The Rules
A sabacc hand starts with every player, including the dealer, receiving two cards, which are dealt face-down. Then, the betting round begins. Starting from the dealer's left, each player looks at their cards and choose whether to match the current bet, raise, or fold. Bets go into the "hand pot," while anyone who folds must pay a penalty into the sabacc pot.
Now, unlike other, low-tech card games, sabacc cards can change during play. This is called the "shifting" phase, during which one of your cards has a 50% chance of changing into something else. In Star Wars, this happens automatically. If you're playing in real life, you can simulate the effect by having every player roll a six-sided die. If you roll a 1, 2, or 3, the player to your left randomly chooses which card you should discard, and you'll draw a new one from the deck in its place.
You can protect your cards from the shift by using the sabacc table's "interference field." Before the shifting phase begins, you can put a single card in the field. That'll keep it from changing, but you'll need to play it face-up, showing everyone at the table what you've got. There's no limit to the number of cards you can put in the interference field, but you can only add one per turn.
From there, the drawing phase begins. Going clockwise around the table, every player can draw one card from the deck and discard one card from their hand. You don't have to do either, of course. As long as there are at least two cards in your hand at all times, you're good. There's no limit to the number of cards that you can hold.
After four rounds of betting and shifting, any player who wants to call the hand can, before the drawing phase begins. When the hand is called, everyone shows their cards. Whoever has the hand closest to 23 or -23 without bombing out wins the hand pot. If no one calls, the cycle repeats until someone does.
Sabacc has two special hands that beat all the others. A "pure sabacc" consists of a hand that totals exactly 23 or -23. An "Idiot's Array," which is even better, is made up of the Idiot, any 2-point card, and any 3-point card. If you manage to win a hand with either of those hands, you'll pick up the sabacc pot in addition to the hand pot. Otherwise, the sabacc pot just keeps growing.
What About The Dice?
If you've been paying attention to the recent Star Wars films, you might remember that Han Solo kept a pair of gold dice hanging in the Millennium Falcon. Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary explained that these are the dice Han used to win the ship from Lando, and he kept them around as a lucky charm. And yet, sabacc is a card game. Dice aren't usually involved. What gives?
Well, like poker, sabacc comes in many different variants. In Empress Teta Preferred, for example, players swap cards before revealing their final hands. Centran sabacc uses a slightly different deck. Regional and house rules often dictate how to break ties, as well as offering new and improved ways to separate opponents from their hard-earned cash.
According to The Visual Dictionary, Han and Lando faced off in Corellian Spike, which uses dice to make the game even more unpredictable. Presumably we'll see that in Solo.
That's it. Other than the cards themselves, you've now got everything you know to gamble like a smuggler, bounty hunter, or any other kind of intergalactic ne'er-do-well. Now go win yourself a starship.
Detroit: Become Human, the latest narrative adventure game from David Cage's studio Quantic Dream, debuts this week. The developer has a history of story-heavy games with mature themes and dramatic cinematography, and Detroit is no exception. Taking place in a near-future setting where androids are treated as second-class citizens, you follow the journeys of three such automatons as they impact the coming revolution.
How does it handle this heady subject matter? Unevenly, judging by the critical response. According to our verdict, the story intertwines gracefully and captures some unforgettable moments, but it appropriates real-life events like the Civil Rights movement clumsily. Our Detroit: Become Human review also concluded that despite being built for multiple playthroughs with branching story paths, going back and seeing another possibility didn't feel fulfilling or worthwhile. Read on for a quick glance at impressions from around the industry, or go to GameSpot's sister site Metacritic for the wider consensus.
Game: Detroit: Become Human
Developer / Publisher: Quantic Dream / Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PlayStation 4
Release date: May 25
Price: US $60 / £49 / AU $78
GameSpot -- 7/10
"Things didn't always go the way I wanted, but that was a burden I chose to bear, and the story benefitted from my commitment, flowcharts be damned. After completing the game, I tried to go back and fight my instincts to see what would happen if I chose a darker path. It never felt justified nor worthwhile. Detroit is well worth playing, but it struggles to strike the right balance between giving you freedom of choice and reminding you that it's all a game in the end. Cage and Quantic Dream are getting closer to nailing this style of game, but it's obvious that there's still room to grow.." -- Peter Brown [Full review]
GamesRadar+ -- 4.5/5
"Detroit: Become Human is a game with grand ideals, wonderful levels of polish, and tiny imperfections. It's an ambitious, wonderfully executed piece of storytelling, and one of the most interesting games of this generation. It will split opinion, and give birth to a litany of opinion pieces--some deep and thoughtful, others half-baked and sensationalist." -- Andy Hartup [Full review]
Guardian -- 4/5
"Detroit: Become Human is a spectacularly crafted game that bends and branches out around the player's choices in an astonishing and unparalleled way. Although hampered by tired central plots and some predictable, occasionally hokey storytelling, the result is a technical feat in video game development and a meticulously detailed cinematic achievement." -- Oliver Holmes [Full review]
Game Informer -- 8/10
"Detroit made me think about topics I've avoided about humanity and our future, and that's a good thing. These are hard issues to explore, and I'm glad Quantic Dream took on the challenge knowing it could result in failure. Detroit both succeeds and stumbles in that area." -- Kimberley Wallace [Full review]
IGN -- 8/10
"Detroit: Become Human is a poignantly pulpy interactive sci-fi drama where your choices can impact events to a greater and more satisfying degree than in most games of this type. Though I wish its story had been handled with a softer touch, especially considering the subtlety that can be conveyed through its tech and performances, its well-written and acted central trio were vital enough to me that I found myself feeling genuine distress when they were in danger and a sense of victory when they triumphed. Most importantly, Detroit offers a multitude of transparent branching paths that entice further playthroughs, and choices have a permanence that raise the stakes throughout." -- Lucy O'Brien [Full review]
USGamer -- 3.5/5
"Detroit: Become Human improves upon its predecessors by having a cast that you enjoy and want to spend more time around. Quantic Dream's visual craft and presentation is top-notch, but the writing hasn't quite caught up yet. It isn't subtle and some of the references to social ills are amazingly on-the-nose instead of being more unique. It's better than Beyond: Two Souls, but there's still room to grow." -- Mike Williams [Full review]
Destructoid -- 7/10
"Detroit: Become Human, like most Quantic Dream games, is filled with muddled symbolism and a spark of hope amidst its most interesting universe yet. It doesn't have anything particular new to say, but it delivers in terms of drama, to the point where I started a second playthrough shortly after my first seven hour-ish run. It's flawed, but coherent, which is an upgrade." - Chris Carter [Full review]
Watching the original Star Wars trilogy, viewers couldn't help but feel like there was a larger galaxy living just off-screen. The things you didn't see--battles, characters, and places only mentioned, never shown--sparked the imaginations of millions. As Star Wars spin-offs, prequels, novels, comics, shows, and games have illuminated more and more corners of that far-away galaxy over the decades, the results have been mixed. Over-explaining things that were only hinted at before can take the mystery away. Solo: A Star Wars Story is no exception to that, but there's good news too: All the references, callbacks, and over-explanations are accompanied by a really fun, solid, and good-looking Star Wars movie.
Solo tells the story of famed space scoundrel Han Solo--and I mean the whole story. It feels like Solo explains or shows every aspect of Han Solo's life that was ever referenced in any previous Star Wars film. This movie covers how Han met Chewie, how he met Lando, how he won the Millennium Falcon, how he completed the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs, where he got his iconic blaster, and even how he got his name. If that sounds like a lot of origin to cram into one movie, it's because it is. Did everything we know about Han's backstory really need to take place in a single movie? It makes Solo feel at times like a greatest hits collection of events from the character's life.
That stuff is all fan service, through and through. And it's ever-present throughout the movie. But Solo: A Star Wars Story works because fan service and references to other Star Wars movies aren't the only thing propping it up. Unlike Rogue One, Solo isn't completely subordinate to the movies that came before it. Solo has the substance of an actual movie underneath the fan service, with stakes and intrigue and characters who matter.
Undeniably the biggest question going into Solo is whether Alden Ehrenreich, a relatively unknown force, will prove in any way capable of filling Harrison Ford's knee-high leather space boots. The reality may be that no one could have. Ehrenreich winds up being a solid balance between a charming presence in his own right, and a decent impression of young Ford himself. It's not a perfect fit, but if you can manage to stop comparing them in your head, it gets much easier to become engrossed in the film. By the end, he may well win you over.
It helps that he's surrounded by a likable cast of additional rogues, scoundrels, and ne'er-do-wells. Emilia Clarke's Qi'ra starts the movie as a damsel, but grows into a very different, much more interesting character by the end. Like Princess Leia herself, Qi'ra proves every bit Han Solo's match, in love and otherwise. Meanwhile Donald Glover is so powerfully alluring as Lando Calrissian that fans who called for a standalone Lando movie will feel totally validated. Even more than Ehrenreich, Glover nails the balance between Billy D. Williams tribute act and the new actor's own undeniable aura.
Woody Harrelson's Tobias Beckett is a scoundrel unto himself, lovable in the way Han Solo is, but with the darker edge of a character who's deeper into that life than the more bright-eyed Han in this movie. The delightfully evil crime lord Dryden Vos is played by Paul Bettany, fresh off still in-theaters Infinity War, who brings real gleeful menace to the role. The droid L3, voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, winds up being both the comic relief and an emotional keystone. Her jokes early in the movie about "equal rights" for robots initially come off as crass--on the writers' part, not the character's, as L3 is always earnest, even when she's unknowingly the butt of the joke. But the movie redeems her storyline when it pays those jokes off in spectacular fashion.
Chewbacca himself, now played by the towering Joonas Suotamo, is as comforting a presence as ever. Chewie even faces some compelling dilemmas that make him feel like more of a character than usual. In fact, Thandie Newton (of Westworld fame) as the ice cool criminal Val is the only character who's criminally underused, to the point that it's actually kind of a problem. She gets about as much screen time as Rio Durant, a throwaway CG alien who for some reason is voiced by Jon Favreau. You get the sense that these two (Newton in particular) might have had more to do in an earlier version of Solo's infamously troubled production.
Rio being the notable exception, most of Solo looks impressively practical, even more so than other recent Star Wars films (the main movies' cartoonish Maz Kanata comes to mind as an example of what Solo mostly avoids). Even more than that, Solo's visual design is simply outstanding. Solo takes us to rich, dense, believable environments ranging from grimy city underbellies to smoky cantinas, and even a warzone scene that's more believable than all the battles in Rogue One combined.
These places are phenomenally detailed, filled with retro-inspired technology and design, matching the look of the original trilogy while adding stylish furs and, in Lando's case, fabulously flamboyant capes and blouses. Solo is easily the best-looking Star Wars movie ever, effortlessly achieving that essential Star Wars aesthetic while augmenting with its own visual flair wherever possible.
Solo may not have been the Star Wars story every fan wanted. Did we really need to see the Sabacc game that won Han the Millennium Falcon, or find out exactly what the Kessel Run is? Definitely not, but it all turned out surprisingly fun, especially if you don't mind the excessive amounts of fan service. And even that isn't all bad--fans will laugh when Donald Glover's Lando mispronounces "Han" just like Billy D. Williams did in the originals, and there are some really juicy surprises and Easter eggs that connect Solo to the larger Star Wars universe in delightfully unexpected ways.
Solo wasn't an essential story to tell, and some of this might have been better left to the imagination. It's valid for some fans to wish Disney would devote resources to telling fresher tales that don't rely so heavily on nostalgia and existing plots and characters. With who knows how many more Star Wars releases planned from now until the end of time, we'll no doubt get those at some point. But Solo: A Star Wars Story is what we have right now, and if it's simply an enjoyably well-crafted side story, well, is that really so bad?
The Good
The Bad
Exceptional cast, particularly Donald Glover as Lando
Too much fan service
Alden Ehrenreich is charming as Han Solo
Crams in too many aspects of Han Solo's backstory
Tells its own story not subordinate to previous films
Niantic has announced a new event for Pokemon Go. For a limited time, the developer will be hosting Adventure Week, an in-game event that features a variety of bonuses, including extra XP, Candy, and increased Pokemon spawns.
Adventure Week kicks off today, May 24, at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET. Among other things, Niantic says the event will feature "unique" Field Research quests to take on, which will offer "exciting rewards." The developer didn't specify what these rewards will be, but it did mention a possible Raid Battle encounter with Aerodactyl.
Additionally, players will have a much easier time finding Rock-type Pokemon during Adventure Week. Monsters such as Geodude, Lileep, Nosepass, Omanyte, and Kabuto will appear more frequently for the duration of the event. Your Buddy Pokemon will also earn Candy four times faster, while spinning Photo Discs at Gyms and Pokestops during Adventure Week will net you extra XP.
Adventure Week runs until June 5, which is the same day the Legendary Eon Pokemon, Latios and Latias, are scheduled to leave Pokemon Go. The pair swapped regions earlier this month, with Latios now appearing across Europe and Asia, while Latias can be found in North America, South America, and Africa. The Legendary bird Ho-Oh also recently returned to Raid Battles and can be fought until June 7.
Shortly after Adventure Week ends, Niantic will host the next Pokemon Go Community Day event. That takes place on Saturday, June 16, and features the rare Rock-type Pokemon Larvitar. Players will also be able to earn triple the normal amount of XP for capturing Pokemon during Community Day. A series of other real-world events will also be held throughout the summer.
Beyond the upcoming events, Pokemon Go players have some new Pokemon to look forward to. Niantic recently announced that Alolan forms will be debuting in the game soon. The developer didn't specify when the Pokemon will begin appearing, but players will have a chance to capture tropical variants of Exeggutor, Raichu, Marowak, and other Gen 1 Pokemon.
There's a lot of excitement around Anthem leading into E3 2018 since it's BioWare's next big project and new IP. Expectations are high given this is a franchise debut from the same studio that brought us a slew of iconic RPGs: Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect, and Baldur's Gate to name a few. To prepare you for what's ahead, here's what we know about Anthem, as well as what we're hoping to see from it at this year's E3.
What We Know So Far
Currently, we know that Anthem isn't going to be structured like the developer's previous story-based RPGs and instead will take on qualities of loot-based online shooters, like Destiny and The Division. However, BioWare boss Casey Hudson said the game "will feel very distinctly BioWare" and is more accurately described as "science-fantasy." While the initial reveal at E3 2017 kicked off with a few minutes of narrative and world-building, it quickly delved into a two-player co-operative PvE gameplay sequence where you fight robotic enemies and wildlife both big and small. Towards the end of the reveal trailer, a shaper storm (where weather turned hostile) formed and two additional players jumped in making a party of four. It has also been confirmed that the game will still be playable on your own.
When it comes to the world of Anthem, we understand that players belong to a faction of operatives known as freelancers who don mechanized suits called javelins--think the Fallout power armor, but much more flexible and with jetpacks. The first descent into a lush, tropical environment showed off the versatility of movement with the player weaving through the terrain. In combat, we saw the javelin suit capable of a lock-on rocket barrage--one of the abilities on cooldown at the bottom of the HUD. And we witnessed a co-op partner execute a sort of ground pound ability for area-of-effect damage.
Given the style Anthem is going for, loot will be the centerpiece for equipment, which we had a glimpse of in last year's reveal; a level 35 legendary volt rifle called Jarra's Wrath was a reward at the end of big firefight. Based on information shown on-screen during the reveal, weapons will have specific statistics like range, damage, accuracy, rate of fire, and ammo count.
BioWare stated that it's solely focused on development for Anthem after making it clear that Mass Effect: Andromeda will not have new content or story-based DLC. Despite the all-hands-on-deck approach, Anthem was delayed from its initial Fall 2018 release window to sometime in Early 2019. As with many EA-published games, there will be a period in which subscribers to EA/Origin Access can play the game ahead of its full launch date. EA CEO Andrew Wilson also stated, "Anthem is a fundamentally social experience, and we will open new ways for fans to join the community and play early, enabling us to shape and refine the game with their input and feedback." This could imply a beta period, which is common for multiplayer-centric games. If anything, EA is anticipating continually tweaking the game with post-release updates and content.
Even though it was specifically showcased during Microsoft's E3 press conference last year, Anthem will release for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Oh yeah, and there was a sweet trailer where game director Jon Warner takes us to a corn maze.
What's Confirmed For E3?
Anthem will be heavily featured at EA Play, which is EA's own off-site E3 event that runs from June 9 to June 11. Alongside the upcoming Battlefield V, Anthem is one of the focal points according to publisher. It hasn't been confirmed if the game will be playable to those who attend, but EA said it'll offer a closer look at the game. And even though Anthem was revealed during Microsoft's stage show in 2017, it's unclear if it'll be part of the Xbox showcase again this year.
What We Hope To See At E3
With this being a new BioWare IP, we hope to see how the developer's knack for storytelling is woven into a multiplayer experience. This could come in many forms; perhaps some backstory to accompany playable sections or a more in-depth showcase of the world that the freelancers inhabit. What exactly is it they're fighting for? What is the prevailing force behind its hostile world? BioWare isn't a stranger to this given its work on the MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic, but it's a whole other challenge when building a franchise from scratch.
Another important aspect we hope to be addressed is the depth and breadth of content that makes up Anthem. That's to say, we hope the game is taking note of where Destiny 2 falls short. It's fair to say that many players are concerned about having meaningful goals to work towards. Almost anyone going into E3 with Anthem excitement wants to know about quest structure, mission types, how progression works, and how it can be more than just compilation of combat sequences. It'd also be nice to know about the loot system and what types of weapons or javelin modifications we can mess with. It appears that javelin suits come with their own set of powers and could be a factor in making combat more complex. The teaser trailer focused a great deal on these suits, which has us thinking that Anthem's progression system is centered around building these suits and customizing their capabilities. We'd love for BioWare to unpack what javelin suits can do seeing as their abilities affect both combat and traversal.
We had a taste of Anthem's world in E3 2017, and its scale, verticality, and varied terrain certainly caught our eye. The ability to fly through the sky and take huge leaps across the environment has piqued our interest, but we want BioWare to tell us more about what there is to see on the other end.
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