A Bob Marley biopic is on the way from Paramount Pictures and his son Ziggy Marley. Hollywood news site Deadline reported that the film is happening, but no other details about it are available.
Bob Marley is a legend in the music world, having written reggae classics like "No Woman, No Cry," "Jammin," "Redemption Song," and so many more. He died in 1981 at the age of 36 from cancer.
His son Ziggy is an accomplished singer-songwriter, too, having won eight total Grammy awards. He also produced movies about his father including Bob Marley Legend Remixed and Bob Marley & The Wailers: Easy Skanking in Boston '78.
There is no word yet on who may play Bob Marley in the biopic, but it is sure to be a highly sought-after role. According to Variety, the biopic is only in the early stages of development; no director or writers have been hired.
Though he died young, Bob Marley left behind a lasting legacy in part for the work he did to promote and popularize Rastafarianism, while his songs about slavery have been impactful and will never be forgotten.
Wrestler turned movie star Dave Bautista visited GameSpot Universe to do a Q&A with some of his fans on Twitter to discuss his career as well as his upcoming film, Hotel Artemis. He also revealed his desire to play Marcus Fenix in Universal's upcoming Gears of War film. Bautista has appeared in many sci-fi, fantasy, and action roles recently, perhaps most famously as the tough and lovable Drax in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.
Happy and humble as usual, Bautista was first asked what his ideal acting job would be. Funny enough, the user who wrote the question also wrote "I'm hoping they ask you to play Marcus Fenix in the Gears of War movie!" to which Bautista replied, "I've been pursuing Gears of War for years now. I believe it's in the hands of Universal Studios. And I've been knocking on their door and badgering them and they are so sick of me (laughs), phoning in and asking them where they are with that project. But, yes, Marcus Fenix is absolutely a dream role for me. I want that role."
The Gears of War movie, which has been in the works for a few years now, got the official go-ahead from Universal after acquiring screen-writer Shane Salerno, who is also credited with writing scripts for Shaft and Armageddon and being on the writing team for James Cameron's Avatar. Fans have been waiting for this film for a long time and it seems that many people are enthusiastic about the idea of Bautista as Marcus Fenix.
"I've been pursuing Gears of War for YEARS now... Marcus Fenix is absolutely a dream role." pic.twitter.com/p9iSLA9TcD
In discussing his new role as Everest in Hotel Artemis, Bautista describes the character as coming from a violent background and says that he is "a product of his environment but that's not the person he wants to be. He actually wants to help people, he wants to heal people and that's why he takes such pride in being a healthcare professional." This comment references a snippet from the trailer where the character points to his ID and proclaims proudly, "This means I'm a healthcare professional." He goes on to discuss the intricacies of the role in more depth and seems very excited about the role and about the film as a whole. Bautista also discussed his transition from WWE into acting, which was apparently an entirely unexpected move for him but one he was happy to make. He says that he "caught the bug" and that he only ever aspired to be a working actor.
Bautista seems to be enthusiastic about his past and upcoming roles and hopefully we'll hear from Universal soon on whether Bautista will actually play Marcus Fenix in its Gears of War movie. Hotel Artemis will be in theaters June 8.
Star Wars: Battlefront II is adding even more Han Solo content, including new outfits that let you play as Alden Ehrenreich's Solo and Donald Glover's Lando Calrissian from Solo: A Star Wars Story.
All the new content rolls out beginning on June 12. In addition to the outfits, a new multiplayer map set on the planet Kessel--the site of the iconic 12-parsec Kessel Run--is being added to the hopper. The map supports Blast, Hero Showdown, Heroes vs. Villains, and the new Extraction mode. Extraction is an asymmetrical mode where teams fight to steal loot and return it to their base.
Also coming to Battlefront II on June 12 is Lando's Millennium Falcon before Han won it from him. The ship is faster and more agile than Han's, but it's not as strong because Han hadn't made his modifications for it yet. You can get the ship by spending credits, which you unlock via gameplay. The new cosmetic options are for Ehrenreich's Solo and Glover's Calrissian, as well as Chewbacca wearing goggles, all of which are based on how they appear in Solo. You can buy these with credits or crystals, the latter currency of which you can buy with real money.
The new update will also change the hologram-style look for the spawn screen and the end-of-round MVP screen in Battlefront II. The new look will be more in line with the main menu, which itself had the hologram look removed back in May. Additionally, developer DICE is adding the ability to more closely inspect character models by way of rotating, panning, and zooming.
Also new for Battlefront II with the update is a change to the Jetpack Cargo mode that adds a six-minute timer. Additionally, the UI is updated and will now display the score and time remaining. The map itself has also been changed, and you will now select a weapon to use instead of a character upon respawn.
There will also be general bug fixes, tweaks, and improvements in the June 12 update. You can see a full rundown of these on the Battlefront II website.
Looking ahead, EA further teased that it will share more details on "what's next" for Battlefront II during the EA Play briefing at E3 2018 on June 9. The new Extraction mode on the planet Kessel will be shown for the first time during the event.
This is just the latest wave of Han Solo content for Battlefront II, as DICE already released an update that added content based on the scoundrel's original trilogy days with Harrison Ford.
Update: The first of Sony's reveals has happened, and it's for an unexpected new Tetris game from the creator of Rez and Lumines. It's called Tetris Effect and is headed to PS4 with optional PSVR support. Stay tuned for more details on the upcoming announcements. The original story follows.
E3 2018 starts in a little under a week, and ahead of the massive showcase, Sony has released an announcement schedule on the PlayStation Blog leading up to its press conference on Monday, June 11. Starting Wednesday, June 6, Sony plans to announce three new games, a release date for an upcoming game (more than likely a PlayStation 4 exclusive), and details of "An Eagerly Anticipated Game [Coming] to PS VR," each being offered once a day for the next five days, effectively concluding on Sunday, June 10. From Wednesday to Sunday, each announcement will be held at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET (4 PM BST), as we join Sony for its countdown to E3 2018.
It's difficult to say what those three new games could be, as a few of Sony's studios are already working on named projects: Bend Studio is working on Days Gone, Japan Studio is supposedly working on Astro Bot: Rescue Mission, London Studio is working on Blood & Truth, Media Molecule is working on Dreams, Naughty Dog is working on The Last of Us Part II, and Sucker Punch is working on Ghost of Tsushima.
However, in the past four or so years, Sony has opened four new studios: PixelOpus, established in 2014; Manchester Studio, established in 2015; ForwardWorks, established in 2016; and San Mateo Studio, also established in 2016. PixelOpus is currently working on Concrete Genie, which is slated for a 2018 release, but there's no official confirmation of what the other studios are working on, so Sony could have these three studios announce their projects.
Sony's E3 2018 press conference is Monday, June 11 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET (2 AM BST / 11 AM on June 12). Be sure to check our E3 2018 page for coverage of all the latest games, including interviews, previews, trailers, and more.
If you've had your eye on any item on Ebay, today could be the day you finally pull the trigger. That's because, to help you prepare for Father's Day, Ebay is running a promotion that knocks 20% off the price of any item over $50. The deal applies to anyone in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean, and it makes lots of purchases much more palatable--particularly game consoles. So if you've been thinking of buying a new PS4, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch, now could be the time to buy. To get the savings, you have to enter promo code PICKDADSGIFT at checkout. But hurry--the offer ends at 7 PM PT / 10 PM ET.
Xbox One X
So what consoles are exceptionally good deals today? Let's start with Xbox One. The Ebay retailer Ant Online usually offers appealing Xbox One X bundles. But if you're not ready to jump into the realm of 4K gaming, you can also save money on an Xbox One S. Here are some Xbox One deals to consider.
If it's a PS4 Pro you're after, you can grab one of those for $320. Or perhaps you're interested in trying out Sony's virtual reality headset. The Doom bundle below comes with a PSVR headset, a camera, and Doom VFR. The Skyrim bundle adds a pair of Move controllers and swaps out Doom for Skyrim.
Maybe you'd prefer a gaming device you can take with you on the go. Nintendo makes a couple of those, and you can save 20% off of them today on Ebay as well. Here are some great deals on Nintendo 2DS XL, 3DS XL, and Nintendo Switch.
As Amazon continues to develop a Lord of the Rings TV series for its Prime Video streaming service, not a lot is known about the project. However, it was rumored that someone very familiar with the franchise was getting involved.
It was previously reported that Peter Jackson--who directed the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films--was one of the people Amazon was looking to as a possible writer, director, or showrunner on the series. Jackson, on the other hand, says that is definitely not the case.
Speaking to French outlet Allocine (via The Playlist), Jackson confirms he has nothing to do with Amazon's show. "I'm not involved at all in the Lord of the Rings series," he says. "I understand how my name could come up, but there is nothing happening with me on this project."
It doesn't get any more clear than that. While it's unknown who Amazon is looking at to fill the creative roles on their Lord of the Rings show, it's definitely not Peter Jackson. It's possible the streamer may have approached him at some point, but the story goes no further.
Another rumor the producer of the upcoming Mortal Engines is dispelling is the notion that he may be lining up a comic book movie to direct. "That's not true. I had no discussions about that," he says. "I'm not a fan of comics, I've never read any, so I'm not particularly interested in adapting one for cinema. That's not true at all."
Truth be told, that's probably a great idea. There are so many comic book adaptations happening every year now. Does the world need one from someone who has zero interest in comic books as a whole?
By Anonymous on Jun 06, 2018 10:42 pm Operation Para Bellum comes to PS4, Xbox One, and PC very soon with some changes, as new social features head to Overwatch.
2D anime fighters like the BlazBlue series are often intimidating for their elaborate movesets and demand for precise execution. However, BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle breaks from tradition by simplifying its gameplay systems, and bringing in characters from three other franchises to join the fight. By no means does the simplification make Cross Tag shallow--the dynamic tag system and the clever ways you can mix mechanics are where Cross Tag shines. Factor in the charm of these distinct worlds and you'll have plenty of reasons to consider this fast, flashy, and endearing fighter.
Across four mainline games, BlazBlue developed a complex fighting system, while Persona 4 Arena and Arena Ultimax distilled the formula and captured the charisma of the eponymous RPG. Under Night In-Birth (from developer French-Bread in collaboration with Arc System Works) had its own twist on a deep, yet accessible fighting game. The RWBY animated series makes its fighting game debut, and the cast's talents and flair make the transition incredibly well. Cross Tag Battle unifies all four series as a five-button fighter with two main attack buttons, a universal overhead attack that can also function as an EX attack, a tag button, and the partner skill. While it may seem a bit too straightforward, even the most historically complex characters on the roster remain true to form where it counts. By distilling classic fighting mechanics, the focus is shifted from performing elaborate directional inputs to creating openings for sweet high-damage combos through easy-to-execute attacks.
You'll recognize familiar moves with similar properties from respective games, but the conditions for execution have changed. Basic attacks, smart combos, and even Supers (called Distortion Skills) are easy to pull off, though the number of techniques mapped to the limited controls can cause some inadvertent activations of very different moves--particularly throws and Distortion Skills. Auto-forward dash on most characters may also be jarring to fighting game veterans. But it doesn't take much effort to adjust to this game's quirks and pace.
Partner skills will take time to grasp; every character has unique back, forward, and standing assist attacks where they fly in from off screen to lend a hand. Cross combos take the tag system one step further by letting your duo pile on damage simultaneously; pulling these off will make short work of opponents if you can expertly control your tandem. These are key to maximizing the effectiveness of combos, creating openings, or pulling yourself out of a rut. With this in mind, you're encouraged to either experiment using different duos or form your own collaborative attacks with the pair you love most. It's chaotic and tough to nail down in live matches, and it's where the depth of combat comes from.
Most of your advanced moves require you to expend meters that charge during the course of combat and it's critical that you keep an eye on them at all times. Meter management requires you to think about using up the skill gauge for distortion skills, laying down EX moves, or saving up for back-to-back supers with your tag partner. Cross combos and tag counters to get out of combos use up the two-bar cross gauge. And when you're down a fighter, the Resonance Blaze (the comeback mechanic) kicks you into overdrive for 15 seconds by regenerating health, adding chip damage, automatically filling the skill gauge, and strengthening Distortion Skills--be sure to use that time wisely.
All the pieces of a fast, smooth, and endlessly fun fighting game exist within Cross Tag, but it truly shines by channelling and fusing the personality and charisma of each franchise.
Cross Tag Battle has a lot to absorb, and it'll take time to get comfortable with the fighting system and unravel all its intricacies. Thankfully, the onboarding process is top-notch. Tactics Mode walks you through the basic terminology, mechanics, and their use-cases, and each character has a tailor-made tutorial that gives you the opportunity to perfect specific combos. On top of that, there's a slew of missions in Tactics Mode that pit you in difficult challenges to build awareness of the more specific situations you'll encounter in matches.
All the pieces of a fast, smooth, and endlessly fun fighting game exist within Cross Tag, but it truly shines by channelling and fusing the personality and charisma of each franchise. Whether it's the stylish super moves, battle cries, or fluid animations, this large cast is bursting with charm. While many of the assets have been repurposed from previous games, this is the first time we see members of RWBY in 2D with anime-inspired models. Under Night's cast also gets redrawn portraits to better fit the BlazBlue aesthetic. Despite their differences, the combination of worlds works so well that each fanbase will find something to love about seeing their favorite characters in unexpected scenarios.
Mixing up teams brings about collaborations I've always wanted to see. Sure, Hyde, Ragna, and Narukami may play like the standard sword-wielding boys from their respective worlds, but having either of them work together makes for a badass team. As a die-hard Persona fan, having the Investigation Team reunited at Yasogami High for a hectic brawl while bumping the Arena mix for Reach Out To The Truth warms my heart. Especially smaller moments, like the unique chatter and interactions between two characters before fights commence, makes this feel like more than a rehash of multiple assets or collection of characters thrown together all willy nilly. When I'm hopping from Under Night's Riverside stage in one fight to BlazBlue's Cathedral the next, using my favorite duo of Chie and Ruby while listening to Hyde's battle theme, Cross Tag Battle evokes and amplifies the fondness I have for this roster.
The crossing of worlds primarily plays out in the Episode Mode, where the four factions of fighters are forced to fight in a fake realm by a mysterious, omnipresent AI that creates arbitrary rules. By obtaining color-coded keystones, and eventually uniting to fight this AI, they'll be able to return home. The overarching plot sounds ridiculous, and it's borderline nonsensical. Each of the four campaigns play out as a visual novel with static character portraits and fully voiced dialogue; actual fights are embedded within each chapter to keep you an active participant. It's all quite trite, sometimes eye-rolling.
Cross Tag Battle has a lot to absorb, and it'll take time to get comfortable with the fighting system and unravel all its intricacies. Thankfully, the onboarding process is top-notch.
Some character appearances feel shoehorned for the sake of making an appearance, but despite its absurdity, moments of cross-franchise fan service stick the landing. Ruby's obsession with fancy weapons permeates her encounters with the likes Ragna and Hyde. References to Chie's obsession with steak, and Yukiko's inability to make curry call back to the moments I first met them in Persona 4; even Noel gets caught up in the mix as she's completely oblivious to how bad it'll taste. And as each episode concludes, I was rewarded with heartfelt scenes that reminded me of why I'm invested in these characters.
Story mode highlights something odd, though. DLC characters take part in the story as opponents despite not being available in the playable base roster. Their movesets, character models, theme songs, and voice lines are in the game, but they're gated as add-on content. Half of RWBY's cast is offered for free, but to see several Persona, BlazBlue, and Under Night folks so obviously withheld feels unfair.
Taking the fight online is where you'll spend most of your time after getting your feet wet in single-player. Cross Tag online component consists of multiple lobbies for different skill levels where players walk around as chibi versions of their favorite character. Customizing your player card with character portraits and familiar catchphrases is another avenue to express your love. It's cute and lighthearted, magnified by the adorable batch of emotes that often take the edge off exhilarating fights. And thankfully, jumping into matches works seamlessly. After hundreds of rounds online, both in the casual lobby and ranked matchmaking, we can say that netcode is solid and that latency is a non-issue with a decent connection.
Players that want a more competitive environment should be happy to know that we had little trouble finding a fair fight in ranked matchmaking. In both victory and defeat, memorable moments abound. Although it can be frustrating, I'm always taking note of how high-level players get the better of me. I'll also never forget making a comeback from being down a teammate, activating resonance blaze and perfectly timing both Chie's power charge and God Hand super while my opponent was in mid-tag to take them both out in one hit.
Whether playing through the story mode alone or against hardened opponents online, Cross Tag Battle is an absolute joy with a surplus of possibilities within its wide roster and versatile fighting system. Even with all the ridiculousness of the overarching plot, I reveled in the charm of my favorite characters and embraced the many moments of fan service. It's a masterful unification of styles and mechanics from four different universes that compels you to dig deeper and dedicate the time to getting the most out of the beloved members of this cast.
If you thought Lara Croft was the Tomb Raider in the two previous games in the series, you were apparently mistaken. When Shadow of the Tomb Raider releases on September 14 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, the developer says, we will finally experience the "defining moment as she becomes the Tomb Raider." This rebooted series has been terrific, though, so let's hope Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a fitting end to the beginning of Lara Croft's story.
Let's say you're ready to pre-order Shadow of the Tomb Raider. You'll probably want to know about the pre-order bonuses, special editions, where you can buy it, and how much it will cost. Below, you'll find all the information you need to make an educated purchasing decision.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider Pre-Order Bonuses
You'll get a few bonuses if you pre-order Shadow of the Tomb Raider. For one, you get access to the game two days early if you order any version except the standard edition. If you pre-order a physical copy of the standard edition at most retailers, you'll receive a limited-edition steelbook version that comes with three art cards. If you pre-order a digital version of the game, you'll get a skills booster pack that unlocks one skill in each of the three skill tree paths. Aside from those bonuses, many retailers are offering exclusive pre-order bonuses.
PlayStation Store: Shadow of the Tomb Raider PS4 theme
Steam: Exclusive Steam wallpaper
Now onto the various editions and where you can pre-order them.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider Standard Edition
In addition to the core game, this edition comes with the pre-order bonuses listed above. Unless you're an Amazon Prime member, Newegg is offering the best pre-order deal on this edition.
Amazon -- $60 ($48 with Amazon Prime) -- PS4 | Xbox One | PC
The digital deluxe edition of Shadow of the Tomb Raider comes with the game, plus an additional weapon and outfit, and the game soundtrack. Note that Newegg has the lowest pre-order price for this edition.
If you're sure you'll enjoy Shadow of the Tomb Raider enough to buy the season pass, the Croft Edition is for you. It comes with the game, the season pass, three additional weapons and outfits, plus the soundtrack. Once again, Newegg's aggressive pricing make it the cheapest place to pre-order the Croft Edition.
This edition is exclusive to the Square Enix Store, and the best you can do is put yourself on a waiting list to buy it. But if you do manage to snag a copy, you'll get the game, a statue, bottle opener, flashlight, plus a bunch of digital goodies.
There are now a few reasons to believe a new Hitman game may be on the way. The official Hitman account sent out a cryptic tweet today that points to some kind of reveal on June 7, which is the same day that publisher Warner Bros. is holding a pre-E3 2018 reveal event.
A tweet from the WB Games account shows a race car with the brand "Hamsun" on it; that could be a reference to the fictitious oil company referenced in Hitman Season 1. A more direct indication that Hitman 2 is coming is that a logo for Hitman 2 was found on WB's official website. So yeah.
The Hitman series was created and continues to be developed by IO Interactive, which was owned by Square Enix before the Japanese company sold it off. As part of the sale, IO Interactive kept the rights to the Hitman franchise. Given how well the game was received and the profile of the brand overall, it's no surprise that another big studio would come along to work with IO on more games.
IO previously talked about three seasons' worth of content for Hitman, and the studio continued to work on new Hitman content even amid the sale process.
For now, this is just a rumour, even if it's a believable-sounding one. You can check out GameSpot's E3 2018 rumour roundup to find out more about what's rumoured ahead of the big show.
By Anonymous on Jun 06, 2018 10:12 pm Moonlighter and Yoku's Island Express offer some great action-adventures with unique twists, Golem features thoughtful puzzling and Vampyr has, well, vampires.
Just a week before E3 2018, Bungie revealed new information about the upcoming expansion Forsaken for Destiny 2. Set for release on September 4, and available for pre-order now, it looks to channel the same rejuvenative energy that the original Destiny's The Taken King DLC offered--which overhauled leveling and loot mechanics. During their livestream, the developers stated that it's the largest Destiny expansion to date, there was certainly a lot of important details to parse through.
Along with a number of major quality-of-life updates, such as improvements to the user-interface, bulk shader deletion, collection menus to keep track of all gear items in-game, and increased vault space--there's now a greater focus on making sure all the upgrades to your guardians matter in the long-run. We singled out the five biggest changes coming to Destiny 2 this year, and what it means for returning players.
New Story And Our Return To The Reef
Described as a Western-revenge storyline, the main story of the Forsaken expansion brings players back to The Reef to fight against a new threat. After a mass prison-break, the Guardians will team up with Cayde-6 as he hunts down the rogue Fallen faction known as the Skorn--who look to be using a number of makeshift weapons and items, which they scavenged overtime. The Skorn are also led by a Baron who evidently led the breakout.
During the expansion, Guardians will explore the new Reef location known as the The Tangled Shore. The Reef was a location from the original game which, aside from some story missions and a home space, was underutilized. In Destiny 2, the returning location is much more fleshed out, taking place across a cluster of asteroid and debris floating in space, where you can take on a number of story missions and side-events. Eventually, you'll venture off to other planets and locations as you push back the Skorn, and take out their leader.
Rebalanced Weapons And Gear
Over the last year, Bungie stated that they've received feedback from fans regarding the current kinetic, energy, and power weapon system--which many felt somewhat limited players options. In the upcoming expansion, players will no longer be limited to three distinct weapon-classes, and you'll now be able to equip any weapon in any slot you wish (regardless of their type or makeup). In addition to this, the current masterwork system, where players can upgrade and essentially prestige specific weapons, will also see an upgrade. In Forsaken, players will be able to strengthen masterwork weapons, and even add in new mods for their favorite gear--placing in new perks and special buffs.
Gambit: The New Competitive Mode
Teased for the last few weeks, Bungie stated that Forsaken would have an all-new gametype not seen an online shooter before. During the livestream they revealed the Gambit mode, which blends together standard PvE and competitive mulitplayer gameplay. Pitting two teams of four against one another in horde-style scenarios, they'll have to fight off waves of enemies and monsters as they acquire more resources for their team. Eventually, they'll be able to place their acquired resources into a designated bank. While this will score the team some points, it will also send special enemies towards the other side, increasing the challenge on the opposing team's side.
As the game because more hectic over the course of the match, the team with the most resources can choose to send one member of their team to the enemy team's area, where they can go on the offensive for a limited time. While this incorporates many concepts and features that are commonplace in Destiny 2, the Gambit mode looks like one of the more interesting takes on multiplayer gameplay, which can offer a nice change of pace from the standard Crucible and Iron Banner game-modes.
New Weapon Type And Super Moves
Much like The Taken King expansion from Destiny 1, the Forsaken expansion will also add in new super moves for Guardians, along with a brand new weapon type not seen in the game before. During the livestream, we got a first look at the new bow weapon, which aims to offer a far more precise and tactical approach to gameplay. While they're slower and less reliable in close-quarters engagements, they make up for that by allowing for quick and quiet kills at a distance, while also offering some unusual buffs--such as electrifying nearby surfaces that shock enemies.
The three Guardian classes will also see a set of new skills and powers for their unique sub-classes. For instance, the Titan will be able to summon a large hammer made of solar energy to use as a melee weapon, while the Warlock's voidwalker class can use new teleporting moves to dash across the battle and field and unleash a large blast of void energy. While it's unclear how these new skills will work or how they can be acquired, it does look to offer some exciting new ways to play the familiar classes.
Dreaming City: The New Raid
It's finally happening. After the previous two expansions, players will finally be able to move on from the Leviathan Dreadnought raid and take on an entirely new raid. Taking place in the Dreaming City--the homeland of the Awoken race--Guardians will be able to explore a new free-roam area where they can take on the Raid mission, along with some other side-activities. Described as a mix between the Vault of Glass and the Leviathan raid, the makeup of the Dreaming City raid will change over time with new updates and weekly events. Many of the challenges of the raid follow a similar set-up to previous missions, such as puzzle solving, platforming challenges, and other combat encounters--but the developers stated that there will be more boss encounters and variety to be had in this Raid compared to the previous ones.
For More on Destiny 2's upcoming expansion and all things coming out during E3 2018, stay tuned to GameSpot for updates as they come.
Sony is taking the plunge and jumping into the Marvel Ultimate Universe. For the non-Marvel nerds out there, the Ultimate Universe--also known as Earth-1610--is a separate universe from main continuity, featuring most of the characters you know and love with a twist to them. Additionally, death is relatively permanent in the 1610, so if you die, you're not coming back. You hear that, Jean Grey?
The first trailer for Sony's upcoming animated feature Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse was just released, and it dives into quite a bit of Marvel lore, including the Ultimate Universe and beyond. We looked at the new trailer and are breaking it down to see what we know about the movie and its connection to the comics.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse comes out on December 14, and if you want more Spider-Man, we recently learned Jake Gyllenhaal was in talks to play a villain in the Homecoming sequel, and there's a new trailer for the upcoming Venom movie, starring Tom Hardy.
Meet Miles Morales And His Father
We are first introduced to Miles Morales as he gets a ride to school from his father, Jefferson Davis. Miles is still in high school, and his father is an NYC police officer. This sticks close to the source material, although Davis has a pretty crazy backstory--in the comics--that involved secretly working with Nick Fury in his younger years, to help SHIELD keep an eye on the underworld. Additionally, Davis has a brother, Aaron, who is very much a part of that criminal element.
Fun fact: Aaron Davis appears in Spider-Man: Homecoming. He's played by Donald Glover, who also voiced Miles Morales on the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon.
Spider-Man Is Alive
It's established early on that Spider-Man is alive and well in New York City. In the comics, Miles Morales makes his first appearance in Ultimate Fallout #4, a mini-series that revolves around the aftermath of Peter Parker/Spider-Man's death. Miles Morales and Ultimate Spider-Man didn't cross paths, until Marvel decided to bring Ultimate Peter back from the dead, right before the Ultimate Universe was destroyed.
This Is Not Our Universe
It's well-established that the universe featured in the movie is not the one we live in nor the MCU. There's a shot of what looks like a Coca-Cola billboard, but it says "Koca-Soda." It seems Miles, who is narrating the trailer, knows there are multiple universes as well.
Green Goblin Is Here
There are a few shots of the Green Goblin in the trailer, and yes, this look is a big departure from what most people are familiar with, but it matches up exceptionally well with the Ultimate Green Goblin version. In that comic, Norman Osborn tries to recreate the Super Soldier Serum, but an accident turns him into this monster, who also has pyrokinetic powers.
Spider-Senses
Although Spider-Man has spider-sense powers in Homecoming, there wasn't a clear indication of how it works--Infinity War gave us a better idea. In Into The Spider-Verse, we get a clear indication that Miles' spider-senses are tingling, alerting the hero to danger. It is very reminiscent to the classic Steve Ditko-era of comics with the wavy lines next to Miles' head.
Your Inner-Monologue Is Showing
There is a brief scene where Miles is running down the street and caption boxes appear behind him. One of the boxes is "It was a normal spider." It seems like we're getting a full origin story for the film, which is fine. What's really cool is the incorporation of the caption boxes into the movie.
That Doesn't Look Like A Normal Spider
Is this the spider that bit Miles? More than likely, yes it is, and it totally doesn't look like a normal spider. In the comics, Miles gets bitten at his Uncle Aaron's apartment, and Aaron just happened to have one of the enhanced spiders in his bag because he's a thief.
Electro-Proof Suit
On the left is the Electro-Proof Suit. In the comics, Spider-Man created it to protect himself from Electro while Parker and the X-Men had a team up.
Secret War Spider-Man
On the right is the Secret War Spider-Man costume. In the 2004 miniseries, Spider-Man joined Nick Fury, Wolverine, and Captain America to overthrow the government in Latveria. This is the costume Parker wore during that event.
Peter Parker Is Older
The Into The Spider-Verse version of Peter Parker is a bit older than the Ultimate version. In the diner scene, Parker's hair is starting to grey, and he looks like he's in his early-40s. It seems like he's been Spider-Man for decades.
A Different Spider Suit
This is the first time we see Miles in the Spider-Man costume, and it's a bit of a departure from the comics. It looks a little more homemade; just look at the spider-emblem on Miles' chest. It still has the same color scheme as the comic book version. It's just a bit more DIY.
Uncle Aaron, Is That You?
We see a quick fight between a man in a purple mask and Peter Parker. That is Prowler, Aaron Davis. Yep, Miles' uncle is a super-villain. The costume is a mixture of the 616 and Ultimate versions.
Kingpin Is Real Big
Very briefly, we see an explosion and one gigantic person being affected by the blast. That's Kingpin, who is voiced by Liev Schreiber (X-Men Origins: Wolverine). At this time, it's unknown how big Kingpin's role in the film will be.
Camo-Time!
Miles Morales has all of Peter Parker's powers, plus a few extras. The most notable is his camouflage. Miles can make himself and his clothing blend into his surroundings. In the comics, he doesn't go completely invisible, but it's pretty close.
Spider-Gwen?
Towards the end of the trailer, Spider-Gwen pops up, which--for fans of the comic series--is a little confusing as Spider-Gwen comes from her own, separate universe. So has she just been mashed into the Ultimate Universe or--like the title suggests--is this going to follow or allude to the Spider-Verse storyline? Wait... we're not going to get into the whole Morlun thing, are we? I can't watch that guy eat Spider-Men again.
Golem often feels at odds with itself. This gorgeous puzzle-filled adventure successfully wraps you in a mystical world, where bright hues and cheerful melodies set the mood. But beneath this inviting exterior lie disjointed challenges that no amount of whimsy can sugarcoat. Even with smart mechanics that are introduced at a sensible pace, Golem's rhythm is regularly disturbed by jarring difficulty spikes and obtuse solutions.
A vague narrative tells of a lost civilization that once upon a time used magical stone creatures to build and maintain its structures. These beings, or golems, are practically extinct, save for one you're tasked to rebuild throughout ten puzzle-filled stages. Starting as a lifeless ball, the golem feels like a nuisance at first, which only serves to make its eventual evolution that much more gratifying.
As your golem is slowly pieced back together, new mechanics are introduced to allow for more complex puzzles. When it gains the ability to walk on its own, for example, you will have to accurately predict its movement while manipulating the environment to clear pathways at the right moments. Later, it evolves into a dog-like creature that you can command to move to specific locations, and will eventually grow strong enough to carry you across treacherous tracts of land that are otherwise impassable.
Golem's ten stages act as large puzzle rooms, each with the objective of going from one end to the other. This traversal is restricted by your golem's growing moveset, which puts the onus on you to chart an appropriate course. This can be as simple as moving a rock pillar to close a gap, or as complex as activating a series of switches to resuscitate an old, aging turbine that in turn spins up other nearby mechanisms. Regardless of the conceit, the goal remains the same but with shifting responsibilities. Your golem will sometimes, for example, need to be precisely placed to apply pressure to a switch, giving you access to a new area via a now moving railcar. In turn you might need to ensure that your ally has a clear path to the next hurdle. If you've gone one step too far without a clear solution in sight, backtracking and starting from scratch may be your only option.
Herein lies one of Golem's most frustrating aspects. Puzzles ought to require intricate solutions that make you second guess your instincts, and the best of them give you that "aha" moment, when you recognize that the blueprint to success was evident from the start--you just hadn't yet learned how to see a certain number of steps ahead. Golem instead obscures your view of many puzzle elements, forcing you to succeed through trial and error as opposed to relying on foresight and analysis. Golem also regularly fails to make some unique interactive objects standout from the background, which forces you to tediously move your mouse around the screen to determine what is or isn't useful. Basic switches and levers, on the other hand, are clearly marked; an inconsistency that makes it hard to trust that the game is always playing fair.
Moving about a stage isn't a fast or free-flowing affair, but instead a point-and-click style dictation. This systematic process and your character's slow movement speed is mercifully compensated for with the inclusion of a fast-forward button, which you'll use frequently. And just like the indiscernible key items throughout each stage, walkable pathways are often indistinguishable from off-limits areas. The inconsistency of Golem's visual language leads to tiring efforts of just clicking on possible destinations in the hopes of finding one that's actually accessible.
Golem confuses size with ingenious puzzle design, which just dilutes the euphoria it aims to generate on completion. Yet it still conjures infrequent moments of bliss that re-establish a sense of wonder. Golem's vast, mysterious world is ultimately inviting to poke and prod around in, even if its stringent mechanics don't allow for looking further beyond the stage at hand. There's an underlying drive to discover what this world is about, what secrets its lost inhabitants might have held, that prevent temptations to just leave it entirely. Golem's puzzles might feel shallow, but its saving grace is the captivating setting it desperately latches them onto.
It's the fizzle at the end of the fuse that encompasses a disappointing journey into an otherwise visually captivating world. Golem attempts but fails to find harmony in bringing a vague tale together with any sort of emotional resonance. That might have been easier to forgive if the journey itself was exceptional. Instead Golem's inconsistent puzzles and jarring difficulty spikes will infuriate you more than they infatuate.
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