The first Happy Death Day was a slasher-tinged riff on Groundhog Day, the 1993 classic in which Bill Murray lives the same day over and over until he learns to be less of a dick. Like that movie, Happy Death Day never explained what caused the time loop in which Tree (Jessica Rothe) woke up every morning hungover in a stranger's dorm room and was murdered every night by a killer in a baby mask. Was an omnipotent being trying to teach Tree a lesson? Did someone put a curse on her, like in the infamous second draft of Groundhog Day's script? The movie provided no answers and few concrete hints.
As in the movie to which Happy Death Day owes its existence, the cause of the anomaly was less important than the journey, and the lessons learned along the way. Happy Death Day 2U throws that out the window and explains everything.
Luckily, though, it doesn't feel like they scrambled to come up with some cockamamey explanation upon learning they'd get to do a sequel. Director Christopher B. Landon even told Insider back in 2017 that he already knew what was causing the time loop, long before a sequel was a sure thing. "It's in my back pocket...if I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to make a sequel, the answer to that question is the premise of my sequel," he said.
I won't spoil what it is, but it doesn't take long into HDD2U until we find out. And as Landon stated in the same interview, the time loop's cause is heavily hinted at in the original--although it's only obvious in retrospect.
So in return for taking out the mystery, what do we get in Happy Death Day 2U? The sequel is a much more potent blend of genres, mixing elements of slashers, comedy, and sci-fi, all with a tongue-in-cheek wit that tells the audience the movie knows exactly what it is. It expands on the cast of characters, introducing some new ones while adding new dimensions to the old ones--literally, the plot this time around involves parallel universes, as anyone who's seen the trailers can surmise.
The movie shifts gears several times, from the opening, in which Carter's (Israel Broussard) hapless roommate Ryan (Phi Vu) finds himself stuck in a death loop of his own, to the out of place narrative cul-de-sac of a comedic heist, to Tree's trip to an alternate universe in which several key parts of her life are different. HDD2U spends a lopsided amount of time on that, and Tree's conundrum ultimately makes up the majority of the film's runtime, which winds up being disappointing after the movie's efforts to flesh out its other characters early on.
Ryan--the douchebag roommate who started every morning of Tree's original loop by referring to her as "fine vagine"--turns out to be an intriguing protagonist in his own right, before the focus shifts entirely back to Tree. And the movie introduces several other students (Sarah Yarkin and Suraj Sharma), as well as the '80s movie-style villainous Dean Bronson (Steve Zissis), all of whom should have been fleshed out more.
Part of the reason they're not may be that Jessica Rothe is so magnetic as protagonist Tree. The ranges of frustration, determination, joy, despair, and fatigue that she displays throughout both movies are justification enough for the series to keep going past number two. The rest of the characters are destined to just be bit players with a protagonist this likable, so it's understandable why the sequel leans into that and keeps the focus mostly on her. The other standout this time around is Rachel Matthews' alpha boss sorority sister Danielle, who winds up playing a fairly different version of the character in Tree's alternate universe.
Ultimately, Happy Death Day 2U works despite the incongruity of its various parts. Jumping between horror, comedy, and sci-fi tones is a difficult balancing act, and HDD2U pulls it off, despite a few stumbles here and there. When it wants to be funny, it definitely is, while there are also legitimate scares that will have some viewers jumping out of their seats. And the sci-fi elements lead to an intriguing--while still hilarious--conclusion that I genuinely hope gets picked up in another Happy Death Day sequel.
The original Happy Death Day easily stands on its own as a complete, self-contained movie. Like Groundhog Day, it didn't need to be explained. But if you're going to expand on a movie like Happy Death Day, this is the way to do it.
The Good
The Bad
Jessica Rothe is an incredibly likable protagonist
Could have spent more time with side characters
Expands on the original without detracting from it
A couple of narrative cul-de-sacs, including an out of place heist section
By Anonymous on Feb 12, 2019 11:28 pm Join us as we dive into Jump Force's story as well as a bunch of versus gameplay with all your favorite anime characters including Naruto, Asta, Luffy, Goku and more.
The upcoming movie Alita: Battle Angel is full of gigantic CG action sequences mixed with live-action locations. Director Robert Rodriguez is bringing James Cameron's vision to life, and along the way, he accidentally made a cameo in the movie.
During the third act of the film, in the Motorball race, Rodriguez has a brief appearance, which he originally voiced until a voice actor came in. "Back then, the voice of the guy who gets kicked, he gets his head knocked off in the Motorball race, and he goes 'Aw, crap,'" Rodriguez explained to GameSpot. "That's still my voice from my original rough version. The crew left it in because they liked how it sounded. I said, 'Hey what's that actor we got?' They said, 'Nah we didn't like him for it. We liked you for it.'"
Cameos aside, Rodriguez accomplished readable, clear action sequences, throughout the film, which includes the Motorball sequence. "That was the most difficult sequence for me because the only way you read a script, an action script or any script, it's not the same writer as who directs it," Rodriguez explained. "So a lot of times, I'll read a script and go 'That's not gonna work,' but not with [James Cameron's] scripts. It's almost like he's seen the whole movie finished in his head, and he's writing down exactly what he's seen. It's so clear, that you can follow it like no other script I've ever read. And so I wanted it to be as clear as that. Where you can follow it, and that was my feeling like I've seen so many of these big movies you just get lost.
"People get lost, so it's great when you hear the audience cheering cause that means they're actually able to follow the action and the drama and Jim had just done such a great job of not making it the sport at all, making it a real character moment where she's actually being hunted down and possibly killed by these guys. Forget the ball game, he's trying to kill them. So you wanted to keep that drama, Jim did it in a very dramatic way, it had high stakes and all the adventures so you just didn't want to lose the audience."
From the major action sequences to the individual characters, Cameron's vision of this world was very specific, and Rodriguez was in awe of the work he put into this world before he came on. This is especially true for the Hunter Warrior Zapan, whose look is very different than how he appears in the manga. "I looked at a painting [Cameron] did," Rodriguez said. "I saw this shot. I think it must be Zapan, and I got a shot of his back, and it had that calendar on it, and it was metal, and I thought that just blew me away. It's like a Ferrari; he puts all of his money into his body and his face. It speaks volumes about his vanity. It's a cool design, and it's sort of a Latin design too which shows that it's a melting pot world world which for sure always had as the graphic novel could.
"You see cultures from all over come around, multiple languages being spoken, different signage. It's a microcosm of what's left of the world. But I just thought that was such a awesome place to start from, to just make him look like a shiny car, and there was a long aspect of design which was finishing it out, finishing the front of him, and how it tied together and yeah it's probably my favorite design but starting with Jim and then it finished… we did the rest of it."
You can see the visually stunning movie, Alita: Battle Angel, for yourself when it opens on Thursday, February 14.
The PlayStation Classic has already had some heavy price drops, but now it's gone lower than we've seen so far. The retailer Walmart has marked it down to $40, which is more than half off the original retail price of $100.
The listing on Walmart.com doesn't signal a limited-time offer, and the last time the mini-console dropped in price it remained roughly at that range for quite a while. Target still has it listed for $60 but may be willing to price match with proof of Walmart's price, while Amazon appears fresh out of new stock, but resellers have used ones for below the $40 price.
The PlayStation Classic was Sony's answer to Nintendo's successful mini-consoles, the NES and SNES Classic. A poor reception led by a spate of bad reviews resulted in quick price drops, though, first hitting $60 just after the holidays, then near $50, and now even lower than that.
"I'd like nothing more than to tell you that the PS Classic is a pleasant surprise, that it will match your excitement and then some," critic Peter Brown wrote in GameSpot's review. "This sadly isn't the case, and short of Sony refreshing it, or the hacking community breaking it open and reconfiguring it, the PS Classic may never be more than a puny PlayStation with good looks."
Red Dead Redemption 2's Online mode may still be in beta, but that hasn't stopped developer Rockstar from updating it with new features. On February 26, more new features will come to Red Dead Online on PS4 and Xbox One, including a new law and bounty system, changes to the mini-map and weapons, and more.
The law and bounty system works similarly to the campaign's equivalent. Essentially, committing serious crimes such as killing other players incur a high bounty and reduce your honor, while minor crimes will reduce your honor only. If your bounty reaches a certain threshold, you will be wanted dead and NPC bounty hunters will attempt to kill you.
Committing dishonorable deeds will also make you stand out to other players. In a set of sweeping changes to the mini-map, players who frequently grief other players--by killing them or their horses outside of a structured mode, free roam mission, event, or competition, for example--will be highlighted to other players by a progressively darkening dot. Blue dots indicate a more honorable player, while redder dots signify a player who has committed more crimes, especially in a short space of time.
Additionally, the visibility of all player dots is to be reduced over long distances. "Your map position won't display to other players unless you are nearby (within 150 meters) and if you are slightly further away you will only appear when firing your weapon," says Rockstar. "Players in other towns or regions, for example, won't be visible. This prevents players from being repeatedly targeted across the map at long distances." Rockstar goes on to say the changes are designed "to minimize certain types of destructive player behavior."
Daily Challenges are also coming in the update, affording players the opportunities to complete tasks--such as foraging for herbs, hunting and skinning animals, clearing hideouts, or winning Feuds--for the rewards of gold nuggets and XP. For more on the update, check out the full list of changes on Rockstar's blog.
Red Dead Online's beta didn't begin until November, though the base game launched in October to critical acclaim. "While Red Dead Redemption was mostly focused on John Marston's story, Red Dead 2 is about the entire Van der Linde gang--as a community, as an idea, and as the death rattle of the Wild West," wrote Kallie Plagge in our Red Dead Redemption 2 review. "It is about Arthur, too, but as the lens through which you view the gang, his very personal, very messy story supports a larger tale. Some frustrating systems and a predictable mission structure end up serving that story well, though it does take patience to get through them and understand why. Red Dead Redemption 2 is an excellent prequel, but it's also an emotional, thought-provoking story in its own right, and it's a world that is hard to leave when it's done."
By Anonymous on Feb 12, 2019 10:30 pm High tier weapons in hand, we embark on the Government Plane Wreck expedition and explore the wreck of the Paladin from Splinter Cell Blacklist while finding a cool surprise along the way! Captured on PS4 Pro.
The Division 2 will have an open beta after all. Ubisoft confirmed the impending beta will run for PC, PS4, and Xbox One from March 1-4, giving you a chance to try it before the full game launch on March 15.
Word of a possible open beta began circulating recently, when the official account mentioned rewards for participation in either the private or open betas. This came just after a community developer mentioned an open beta during a livestream. Participating in the beta will grant you a DC Patriot weapon skin, and completing the Invaded mission will get you a Capitol Hill arm patch.
The private beta was reserved for pre-orders or those drawn randomly, and came with its share of technical hiccups. Ubisoft even recommended restarting every few hours to stave off one bug. It included two main missions, five side missions, open-world activities, a Dark Zone, and an endgame Invaded mission.
The first Division took place in New York City following a pandemic bio-engineered virus that made the social order break down. This sequel moves a few hundred miles south to Washington DC. For more on The Division 2, check out everything we know and our favorite new features. Microsoft recently announced two Division 2 Xbox One bundles. Those will come alongside the game on March 15.
Pokemon Go players have been able to take and share screenshots of Pokemon using the game's improved AR feature, but a dedicated photo mode is on the way soon. Developer Niantic has announced Go Snapshot, a new feature that will allow players to take photos of any Pokemon they have in storage.
The studio hasn't announced when Go Snapshot will launch, but it's slated to roll out "soon." Once it's live, you'll be able to access the feature either by looking at a specific Pokemon in your collection or by selecting the camera in your item bag. After that, you can select a Pokemon you want to photograph and place it anywhere by tapping on the screen.
Any photos you take using the Go Snapshot feature will automatically be saved to your device, allowing you to easily share them with friends and on social media. You can see samples of the kinds of screenshots you can take below; more details about the feature are available on the official Pokemon Go website.
In other Pokemon Go news, Niantic recently confirmed what event-exclusive move players will be able to learn during this month's Community Day. If you can evolve February's featured Pokemon, Swinub, into its final form Mamoswine up to an hour after the event ends, the Pokemon will know the Rock-type attack Ancient Power.
You can only obtain Mamoswine using a new evolutionary item called the Sinnoh Stone, but during this month's Community Day, you'll be able to earn up to 10 of them by battle Team Leaders and other players.
A special Meltan event is also underway in Pokemon Go. From now through March 4, you'll have a chance of encountering Shiny Meltan each time you open the Mystery Box, and the time you need to wait to reopen the item has been reduced by three days.
Destiny 2's weekly reset brings with it Crimson Days, Bungie's Valentine's Day-themed event, as well as a new Ascendant Challenge, which takes you into the strange recesses of the Dreaming City. This is the end of the six-week cycle of challenges, and this one, the Cimmerian Garrison, is one of the spookiest and most involved. Here's where to find the Taken portal and what to do once you're inside.
As always, the first step is to pick up the Ascendant Challenge from Petra--this is what nets you a piece of Powerful gear for completing it. Once that's done, make sure you have a Tincture of Queensfoil. With that in hand, you'll enter the Lost Sector in Rheasilvia, the Chamber of Starlight. You'll need to make your way through the entire thing, as the portal is located just behind the chest that unlocks after killing the boss. While optional, you might as well complete the Lost Sector to make things easier on yourself. With that out of the way, use the Tincture to gain the Ascendance buff, which allows you to see the Taken portal. The exact location can be seen in the video above and map below.
Jump through the portal to head to Cimmerian Garrison, located in the Ascendant Plane. Here, you'll be faced with what amounts to a gauntlet--you'll need to make your way through and kill an enemy at the end. Once you go inside, you'll be chased by three knights. As you progress, you'll have to deal with various enemies, including hobgoblins, shriekers, and thrall with yellow health bars. Take them out as you go, and you'll reach a point where you have to platform across some rocks (because it wouldn't be an Ascendant Challenge without some first-person platforming). Along the way, be mindful of the Taken corruption that will periodically explode with a blast of energy, which can send you falling you to your death if you aren't careful.
Once you're done platforming, you'll have to kill a knight to finish things out, but beware the shrieker that spawns nearby. With the knight dead, open the chest to complete the Ascendant Challenge. There may not be any special rewards inside there, but you'll get a piece of Powerful gear for turning in the associated bounty.
This week's reset marks the end of the Iron Banner as well as The Dawning, and you'll have to wait a bit if you're itching for something new to do. There's one last Forge activity to unlock in Destiny 2's latest expansion, The Black Armory, but it won't become available for to find and unlock until the weekly reset on January 8. In the meantime, though, there's the Izanami Forge, which is the toughest and most involved to unlock yet--check out our guide for help.
It's been nearly 30 years since The Little Mermaid swam into theaters on November 17, 1989, ushering in a new era for Walt Disney animated films. At the time of its production, Disney Studios' animation division was no longer the powerhouse it has once been. Mermaid, however, was just the film the company needed to turn its cartoon division around.
Now, three decades later, The Little Mermaid co-director Ron Clements and directing animator Mark Henn are celebrating the 4K Blu-ray and digital release of the film. To mark the occasion, they sat down with GameSpot to discuss the film's lasting impression on audiences and share a few stories from behind-the-scenes of the production. From creating the film under less-than-ideal circumstances to how legendary composer Andrew Lloyd Webber nearly composed the movie's music, the tales behind the making of The Little Mermaid are fascinating.
The Little Mermaid's 4K released is loaded with a treasure trove of new special features, including a sing-along cut of the film, giving you the perfect opportunity to scream the lyrics of "Under the Sea" at your television. The digital release is out now, with the 4K and standard Blu-ray arriving on February 26.
GameSpot: When you guys were making this movie, many thought the shine had come off of Disney animation in the '80s. What was it like creating in that environment?
Ron Clements: Well, I mean, first I'd say, of the generation, like say the new generation that started to coming to Disney in the '70s when they started the animation training program at CalArts, I would say a lot of the people felt that same way. That felt like after Walt [Disney] died that the films just maybe weren't quite what those earlier films were. And wanting to sort of see a kind of, everybody wanted to work on something like Snow White or Pinocchio or Bambi or the classic films.
So there was a hunger within that group to want to do something that you could really, really feel good about. A movie that sort of worked on many levels. And we built up to Mermaid with several films leading up to it. But in a certain way, Mermaid was a special film that really was all baby boomers really wanting to prove themselves and just wanting to make the best movie that they possibly could. So that created a very, I'd say, dynamic atmosphere. It wasn't necessarily just a totally happy atmosphere because I think everybody felt the stakes were high and still feeling that the whole part was kind of vulnerable, that if we didn't prove ourselves by a certain point that they might stop doing animation all together. That was always kind of a possibility.
GameSpot: Mark, what was the experience like for you as the directing animator?
Mark Henn: There was definitely a feeling of, it was our turn now and we wanted to make sure that this film was as good as it could possibly be. Thankfully, I would say, we were on an upturn. We maybe didn't recognize it at first but we were, things had arguably bottomed out with say Black Cauldron but we had the new regime change and there was an interest in animation. So Great Mouse Detective, Oliver & Company. And if you actually look, just from a box office point of view, you could start to see that upturn until you got to The Little Mermaid and then, of course, we didn't know it at the time, but as it turned out in the end, we really made a big jump from that point of view.
GameSpot: This is essentially the film that introduced a new generation of viewers to Disney movies. How exciting is it for you to look back 30 years later and realize it's a movie that still holds such a special place for people, and now future generations?
Clements: Yeah, it's really cool. I mean, for my generation, for the baby boomer generation, there's no real equivalent of that except I would say the Wizard of Oz in the sense that when I was a kid that was shown every year on TV and it seemed like every kid in America watched it. You couldn't put a video in and watch it over and over again.
But at least you could see it multiple times, and it became ingrained and a part of you. And that was kind of a touchstone for our whole generation. Mermaid was the first new film to actually go out on home video. So it really is unique in that respect from any film that came before it in the sense that kids could watch over and over and over again. They could just wear out the whole video.
So it's even hard for me to really know what that might be like cause I didn't really experience that. But certainly, it's thrilling. I mean, these films are so much work, so many people, they take so long to have them endure and have an afterlife. I mean, that's really, really I think, just the coolest thing. And makes all that work feel like it was totally worthwhile.
GameSpot: Can you speak a bit about collaborating with Howard Ashman on the film? When you look at a documentary like Waking Sleeping Beauty, it becomes clear how big a piece of that creative puzzle he was.
Clements: Oh yeah. Howard brought so much. And with his musical theater background, he was a Disney fan as well, and there was serendipity in terms of how everything worked out at that time. I mean, there's actually a possibility, the first person that was approached to do the music for Little Mermaid was Andrew Lloyd Webber, who turned it down at the time. [Co-director] John Musker and myself, we were big fans Little Shop of Horrors, we loved that, but it wasn't our decision. We heard, we had just written a treatment, and certainly we had our treatment, and then we heard from [then Walt Disney Feature Animation president] Peter Schneider that Howard was gonna be involved with the movie 'cause [The Walt Disney Studios chairman] Jeffrey [Katzenberg] had approached Howard and really wanted Howard to just work for Disney. I mean, to do a live-action film or do whatever. And Howard saw a list of films that were in development in both live action and animation and he said, "Regardless of anything else, I would love to write the songs for Little Mermaid." And then, this was around when John Musker and I were just finishing Great Mouse Detective and we were going to New York to do a little promotion and they sort of worked out the time to meet Howard for the first time at [the] Helmsley Palace [Hotel].
And we spent two days with Howard going over the treatment, talking about the songs, and how the songs would fit into the movie, and a lot of what came out of those two days is the movie. We were saying earlier, before that, music has always been a part of, a big part of Disney films. Of course Fantasia, maybe before that, Silly Symphonies, there's something about music and animation, they're just meant to be together. They really fit. And all the Disney films, pretty much I think, had songs in them.
But Mermaid was different in the sense it was much more like a theatrical musical and the songs were integral to the plot and the storytelling and they advanced things and moved things forward. They carried a lot of weight [and it's] very difficult to take any out. There was some pressure to take certain ones out and certain times, but fortunately, it was constructed in such a way that was really hard to do. But yeah, it sort of transformed I think, a little bit, at least what a musical animated film could be. And since then, it's certainly had a huge influence on all the other films.
Henn: Yeah, it kind of set a new model for us. But I was just thinking as I was listening to you how, in a lot of ways, Howard was fairly new. I mean, he had a big hit with Little Shop, but he was, compared to an Andrew Lloyd Webber, who I think was the king at the time [of] theatrical musicals, so it seemed like that woulda been a no-brainer if you were looking to approach somebody. But Howard kind of grew up with us, in a sense, on this film. But yeah, he really brought this whole idea of storytelling through song, not just stopping the story, having a nice song and then picking up where you left off. I mean, he really felt strongly about the songs telling you something and moving the story along. So where you started at the beginning and where you ended, you were further along.
Clements: And one cool thing that I think people may not think about but, when I was a kid musicals were popular. There were a lot of popular musical films, not just Mary Poppins and West Side Story. But films like The Music Man and The Wizard of Oz and Sound of Music, really popular musical films. At the time of Mermaid, and I was just coming off the '80s, things had changed a lot and even Howard's world of musical theater, I think things were a little bit in a slight decline. And somehow there was a whole generation that had a tendency to reject musicals as a way of storytelling because of that sort of uncomfortable feeling, two people are talking to each other and then they sort of burst into song. And it was like, it became, "I don't buy that!" But animation seemed like a place where you could do it. And Howard felt that way too that, that was a place to bring that kind of storytelling. And in a way now, musicals are popular again and embraced again, and in a certain way, I feel like you could attribute that, even though Howard was kind of unhappy at the time and almost felt like the musical theater was in the decline, but he was actually responsible for a lot of things coming back.
And I know Lin Manuel Miranda is a huge fan of Little Mermaid and of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken and that really influenced him in his whole life. And so there's something very kinda cool about that.
The Little Mermaid is available on 4K Ultra HD Digital now. It will be released on 4K and standard Blu-ray on February 26.
Apex Legends has already hit a whopping 25 million players after just one week. Respawn is keeping that engine moving with an event that will bring together 48 notable streamers as they throw down on the new battle royale game, and you can watch it all unfold right here. The Apex Legends Challenge pits 48 streamers against each other. It will take place on February 12 and February 19.
Only a week after launch, Apex Legends is already a popular game on Twitch. According to Twitch's public viewing data, it has 427,000 viewers as of the time of writing. That's roughly equal to the next four highest-watched categories combined. Those are League of Legends, Just Chatting, Dota 2, and Fortnite, respectively.
Apex Legends is the latest entry in the battle royale genre, though it also mixes up the formula with distinct hero characters who all have their own sets of skills, a la Overwatch. It's a free-to-play game with cosmetic purchases and two additional hero characters not included as the free set. It's also set in Respawn's Titanfall universe, and the studio has said that more Titanfall is on the way.
"Apex Legends is a mix of smart shooter ideas that makes for a competitive, team-based game that gets at all the best parts of battle royale while addressing a lot of the weaknesses," critic Phil Hornshaw said in GameSpot's review. "Respawn's intense focus on team play makes Apex more than just a worthy addition to the genre; it's an indicator of where battle royale should go in the future."
Fortnite's upcoming 7.40 update, as with most Fortnite patches, is sure to change the game's meta with its introduction of new items and weapons. However, developer Epic Games has warned players the game's servers will be brought offline for an as yet unconfirmed duration while the company implements the changes.
Epic confirmed on Twitter that server downtime will begin on February 13 at 1 AM PT / 4 AM ET / 9 AM GMT / 8 PM AET. We already know some of what's included in the update: a new gun called the Infantry Rifle is on its way "soon" and will almost certainly arrive with version 7.40. In addition, Epic is increasing the reload time for Rocket Launchers and reducing the amount of structure damage Hand Cannons deal, while the Stormwing vehicle will no longer be able to crash through structures. The full list of changes will be available after the update drops.
On top of that, a new set of Overtime challenges will be available following the 7.40 update. Epic hasn't shared any details yet on what these missions will entail, but they're part of the recently announced Share the Love event, and they'll give players an opportunity to earn five new Valentine's Day-themed rewards. Battle Pass holders will also be able to unlock new styles of the Trog, Powder, and Onesie skins.
While Epic hasn't announced when Season 8 of Fortnite will begin, the developer has confirmed that Season 7 ends on February 28, so players only have a little more time to complete any remaining challenges. We've put together tips and guides for the trickier ones in our complete Fortnite Season 7 challenges roundup. The developer will also hold two double XP weekends before the season ends to give players another opportunity to level their Battle Pass up; the first is set for February 15-17, while the second takes place February 22-24.
Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and if you're the kind of person who likes to get into the spirit of calendar-mandated love, you'll no doubt be thinking about what gifts you can purchase for that special someone in your life. Sure, you could opt for the ol' low-effort Valentine's Day survival kit of flowers and chocolate, but why not consider something a little more fun? Something video game-related, because there's nothing more fun than video games. NOTHING.
The good thing about this approach is that, between the games, digital store credit, accessories, and plethora of merch, it's pretty easy to find a gift that's either cool, quirky, or useful. So, we've put together a list of potential gift ideas that you can either pick up or use as inspiration. And, to make things a little more worth your while, each entry in this gallery will also include an interesting fact related to Valentine's Day, so you can also give the gift of knowledge. Because there's nothing more attractive than knowledge. NOTHING.
Phwoar Credit
Store credit might sound like a lazy gift but in reality it is anything but. If you think about it, store credit empowers the subject of your affection to pick something that interests them--it's consumer freedom in the form of digital currency. We live in a world where a small but immensely powerful Japanese lady has taught us to seek out the things that spark joy, while politely but ruthlessly casting out everything that does not. With that in mind, you don't want to risk buying a game for someone that they either already have or have no interest in playing--that's a Marie Kondo no-no. Instead, you can do the smart thing by grabbing a gift card and letting your giftee pick something that's certain to spark joy in their life.
Fun fact: Traditionally, it was considered to be bad luck to sign a Valentine's Day card with your name. Play it safe this year and keep it anonymous, even if the other person knows it's you.
It's You And Me, I Know It's My Destiny!
Depending on your perspective, Pokemon can be about many things. To some, it might just seem like it's all about catching and collecting monsters, then battling them against each other in a kind of fantasy dog-fighting scenario that's absolutely fine because it's institutionalized on a global scale and generally accepted by everyone in the world to be an unobjectionable norm, but doesn't truly consider the feelings of the individual monsters in a way that meaningfully factors in their autonomy.
To others, however, Pokemon is about friendship. It's about finding a companion that you can develop a deep bond with. It's about learning to trust and rely on one another and accept them for who or what they are--faults and all. And the same can be said of love, which means a Pokemon-related gift is very appropriate for Valentine's Day
Fortunately, you have a lot of options when it comes to Poke-gifts, but we reckon we've found the perfect one: Hearts Take Flight Pokemon pins. The official Pokemon Center currently has an adorable pack of these pins and greeting card, and they're a cute, low-cost way of showing someone you care. It's Eevee and Pikachu in a hot air balloon along with the phrase, "You lift me up"--it's adorable.
Fun fact: In Finland, Valentine's Day is actually called Friend's Day, and is more focused on remembering and appreciating friends, instead of just people you have a romantic interest in.
It Takes Two To Tango
As storytelling in video games becomes more ambitious so does the subject matter they cover. Take romance, for example. Gone are the days when your love interests and relationships are defined and directed by the creators of a game. Now we get to choose the virtual avatars we shower with our affection, and there are an abundance of video games available for you to pick from if the idea of wooing game characters makes your heart flutter.
You might think this isn't a great Valentine's Day gift idea, but if you treat it as a multiplayer experience where you and another person play together, it becomes a shared experience that will bring you closer. There are few things in this world that inspire affection like watching two pigeons fall in love in Hatoful Boyfriend. Nothing will get your passions fired up like seeing Geralt and Yennefer doing it on a unicorn. You'll never know a high like the one you'll get when you convince Garrus to do some calibrations on you. Do you even know what love is until you've shared a carrot with a horse that has an anime boy's head? No, you don't.
Anyways, here are a few titles that have some good romance-oriented gameplay.
Fun fact: As well as being Valentine's Day, February 14 is also memorable as the day when Alexander Fleming introduced penicillin back in 1929.
Until The End of Time
The Legend of Zelda's Triforce is made up of three triangles representing power, courage, and wisdom. What you may not know is that the middle is empty because it shows that, when you have those three attributes, love emerges from within. You probably didn't know this because we just made it up and it's 100% untrue, but it sounded pretty good, right?
Regardless, since his very first adventure back in 1986, the Triforce has been a symbol of Link's heroism and his unrelenting devotion to Princess Zelda. And although Nintendo is yet to officially confirm whether she's into it, there's still a kind of nice sentiment there. And it's one that you can attempt to explain to your valentine when you present them with 24 karat gold plated necklace of the iconic Triforce.
Of course, if said person is actually a fan of The Legend of Zelda, you're in business, as it's a pretty nice-looking bit of jewelry that represents one of the greatest video game franchises of all time. Alternatively, you can go for a gold version of the legendary Hylian Shield. If they're not into Zelda, maybe they're actually not worth it? Just putting that out there.
Fun fact: Both Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray applied for patents for the telephone on February 14, 1876. They were both too busy trying to revolutionize communication to think about getting laid.
Love D.Va
As those of us who have had to watch a Genji break formation to Swift Strike behind enemy lines and burn his ult in a desperate, poorly timed attempt to get some kills can attest to, communication is the key to any successful partnership.
When people talk there's a meeting of minds, a harmonization of hopes, and a synchronization of ambitions. That might be so that they can build a life together and live happily ever after, or it could be to push the damn payload beyond the first bend on Route 66 without feeding the enemy for half the game.
Communicating is connecting, which makes the Razer Meka Headset a fantastic gift, especially if you're buying for an Overwatch fan. This particular headset is modelled after D.Va's in-game headset, with its angular design and protruding antenna evoking her mech. It has an omnidirectional mic, in-line controls, and leatherette on-ear cushions for comfort--a functional, stylish way to ensure you're always on the same page with your valentine.
Fun fact: The oldest love poem in the world was discovered by archaeologists in Nippur, Iraq. It was etched into a clay and is called "The Love Song for Shu-Sin." It was written by an Ancient Sumerian, and the Sumerians are recognized as being the first people to develop a written language.
The Color Of Love
The best presents are the ones that show you've been thoughtful. Anyone can rock up to a store and pick up something off a shelf, and if you're doing that you should keep a hold of that receipt just in case. However, if you add a personal touch to your gift, you'll have something that is both unique and memorable. One quick and easy way to do this is to get your valentine a custom controller. More specifically, a custom Xbox One controller (also usable on PC) because Microsoft has made getting one of those pretty darn easy.
Xbox Design Labs has quite a robust set of tools that will let you craft controllers suited to the person you're buying for. You can opt for unique color configurations and specify how individual components such as the analogue sticks, buttons, triggers, bumpers, directional buttons, back, and face look. There are solid colours, blends, camo, and various other interesting styles.
Or, if you really want to, you can pick the logo for an NFL franchise and put that on a controller. We recommend really thinking about that one though as NFL logos on a controller are kind of like getting the tattoo of your current partner's name: risky. Anyways, custom controllers are cool. Maybe get one.
Fun fact: February 15, the day after Valentine's Day, is Singles Awareness Day (SAD). We do not recommend you use this information on a date.
Love Blossoms
Flowers are a curse and the fact that we're conditioned to think they're an essential component of Valentine's Day is a conspiracy perpetuated by Big Flower. Sure, they may look pretty, but when you're given them you're effectively having responsibility thrust upon you. Those colorful plants require constant care and attention, and even when you give them that they wither away and die anyway--just like all of my relationships.
Thankfully, there's a way to get a your valentine a flower and not burden them with a month's worth of upkeep-related tasks. How, you ask? Well, why not get them the greatest flower of them all: Piranha Plant. More specifically, get them a Piranha Plant Amiibo, which will require no additional taking care of as it's made of some sort of plastic.
Admittedly, the Amiibo might not smell amazing or whatever, but let's be real, flowers smell okay for at most a day; the Piranha plant is going to look like a badass deadly killer forever. Better yet, when you tap it on your Nintendo Switch you'll probably get something good in the game you're playing. If you smoosh an actual flower onto your screen you'll just leave gross plant residue behind, and who wants that? In summary, real flowers are crap, Piranha Plant Amiibo is better.
Fun fact: Venus, the Roman goddess of love, favoured the red rose, and it is believed this is why it's so closely linked with love.
Soulful Bonds
Sometimes it can feel like your relationship is stuck in a cycle--as if you're stumbling through an unending darkness, not sure of yourself, your purpose, and the place others have within your life. You're desperately searching for just a tiny ember floating in the darkness, a faint light that will guide you the warm embrace of a roaring, life- and love-giving fire. Well, that's basically what Dark Souls is and if any of that made sense to you or you've heard your valentine spout similar nonsense, well then boy do we have a great gift for you.
Fangamer is currently doing a three-pack of Amiibo-like figures for the first entry in From Software's Dark Souls series. The Heroes of Lordran series features Solaire, Oscar, and Siegmeyer. Each one is four inches tall and has a nice amount of detail on the model. They make for fantastic desk ornaments, or you can keep them by your bedside and give them all a little kiss before you nod off like I do.
No comments:
Post a Comment