The scene sees Rey, Finn, Poe, C-3PO, BB-8, Chewbacca, and brand-new droid Dio spying the wreckage, while the voice of Luke Skywalker says, "No one's really gone." The screen then cuts to black, and the laugh of Sheev Palpatine, aka Darth Sidious, can be heard.
Although nothing has been confirmed, what Rey and company most likely discover is the partial remains of the second Death Star--last seen exploding at the end of Return of the Jedi. And although Luke's words are seemingly meant to be reassurance for Rey, they can also be interpreted as a warning that the Force allows all manner of beings to remain even after they've died. Considering this line is spoken while looking out at the wreckage of what appears to be the second Death Star, the final resting place of Darth Sidious, and immediately followed by the laugh of said Sith Lord, it's implied that Palpatine might not be really gone after all. His body may have died, but his evil endures.
Of course there's another theory: Sidious never really died, and the laugh we hear is from the man himself. Sidious' master Darth Plagueis used the dark side of the Force to both prolong his life and mask his presence from the Jedi. We know Sidious mastered the latter before he killed his master--it's how he managed to hide his true nature from the Jedi Council for so long--so he might have also learned the former too. And much like his first apprentice, Darth Maul, who was seemingly killed by Obi-Wan, perhaps Sidious isn't really dead. He's just been in hiding for years, biding his time to take revenge and using the Force to both mask his presence and extend his natural life.
At Star Wars Celebration we learned the next entry in the Star Wars movie series will be called "The Rise of Skywalker," and got an exciting teaser trailer that confirms the return of an iconic series villain. During the panel, which was chaired by noted Star Wars fan Stephen Colbert, director J.J. Abrams and multiple members of the cast provided information on the movie and their characters.
Asked about when The Rise of Skywalker takes place in relation to The Last Jedi, Abrams confirmed that some time had passed since then. "The movie doesn't pick up immediately after. Some time has gone by," Abrams explained. "In this movie, and you can tell by that picture [shown at the start of the panel], this is an adventure that the group goes on together. I think one of the great things about the movie--and getting to work on it--is the dynamic between the characters."
The picture that Abrams is referring to can be seen above and depicts Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewie, BB-8, and C-3PO standing in a jungle environment in front of the Millennium Falcon. This, according to Abrams, speaks to one of the big themes of the movie, the idea of these characters that have been thrown together under the banner of the Resistance going on an epic journey together.
For longtime fans of Star Wars, it may come as a comfort to learn that Abrams opted to stick close to the series' tradition of shooting in real locations, to give the places fans will be taken to during the film a sense of authenticity. "As with The Force Awakens, despite this being an epic space adventure on many worlds and places, [we built] exterior and interior sets ... [we went to] locations around England and Jordan. We did everything we could to have it in-camera. We tried to keep it as real and as physical as possible--it was better for the actors and the movie."
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is set to hit cinema screens on December 19. It stars Daisy Ridley as Rey, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, John Boyega as Finn, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata, and Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux. New cast members include Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, and Keri Russell.
A number of Star Wars veterans including Mark Hamill as Luke, Billy Dee Williams as Lando, and Carrie Fisher as Leia, will also be part of the story. Fisher died before production began, but will appear in footage originally shot for 2017's The Last Jedi. Discussing this, Abrams said the team discussed how they would move on and came to the realization that "it was impossible," which is why they used cut footage.
"The miracle of having scenes from Force Awakens that went unused, and looking at them and seeing that they could be used, is the idea of saying, 'Well, what if we could write scenes around her?' The crazy thing is, emotionally, every day it hits me that she's not here, but it's surreal because we're working with her. Leia lives in this film in a way that is kind of mindblowing to me."
Star Wars Celebration will continue throughout the weekend, and we're expecting to learn more about Respawn's Jedi Fallen Order and the Disney+ series, The Mandalorian. Make sure to keep an eye on GameSpot, where we'll have all the news as it breaks. You can also use our Star Wars Celebration roundup to stay on top of everything.
By Anonymous on Apr 12, 2019 11:39 pm Scour the solar system for Xur, or let us show you where he's at! Stop by for some old exotics with interesting new rolls and see what he has in stock during Arc Week! Destiny 2: Forsaken is out on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
The Nintendo Switch may cost only $300, but the pricing of its accessories is no joke. The Pro Controller, which is an essential upgrade for the best Switch experience, can cost a whopping $70 on its own. It's an excellent controller that's worth the investment, but for those on a tight budget, there's an alternative option that'll save you some cash and add a little color to your gaming setup: PowerA's officially licensed controllers for the Switch.
PowerA has been making third-party controllers for years and has released wired Switch Pro Controllers in the past, but the company recently started producing enhanced wireless controllers with Bluetooth connectivity that sell for $20 less than the first-party controllers.
The enhanced wireless controllers cost $50 and come with two AA batteries that provide up to 30 hours of gameplay. The officially licensed controllers have a similar ergonomic design to the first-party Pro Controllers, and they come in a range of stunning designs, with some featuring iconic Nintendo characters like Zelda, Link, and Mario. There's no rumble or NFC reader, but the wireless controllers do have motion controls. PowerA also still sells wired Switch Pro Controllers for just $30, and those are available in various designs as well. You can buy some of PowerA's Switch controllers on Amazon for slightly cheaper; others you can buy directly from PowerA's website.
While we haven't had a chance to review the enhanced wireless controllers, we tried out PowerA's wired controllers when they first released in 2017 and found them to be a great, affordable alternative to the first-party Pro Controllers.
"I can't say enough about how smooth the analog sticks are. They're effortless to use and consistent in terms of resistance. It's definitely a huge improvement over using the Joy-Cons," said Michael Higham in our video review (above). "We tend to think that cheaper controllers means a cheaper build, but aside from the wired limitations and the lack of motion controls, PowerA's controllers are the best option when you factor in price, and if you don't mind being plugged in all the time."
With wireless Bluetooth capabilities and motion controls, PowerA's new enhanced controllers will provide a gaming experience that's truly comparable to the first-party Pro Controllers (and still at a discount). And $50 (or less) for a licensed wireless controller designed for the newest console on the market? Can't argue with that.
The Star Wars Episode IX panel at Star Wars Celebration brought some big revelations, including a title for the upcoming film: The Rise of Skywalker. But the biggest surprise may have come at the end of the first teaser-trailer, with a none-too-subtle implication at the return of Emperor Sheev Palpatine.
The teaser-trailer shows a series of action scenes, with voice-over from Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) seeming to pass the Jedi legacy on to Rey. "We've passed on all we know," he says. "A thousand generations live in you now. We'll always be with you. No one's ever really gone."
But that hopeful final line immediately turns sinister, with audio of Palpatine's identifiable cackle. As if to confirm the return of the Emperor, actor Ian McDiarmid briefly appeared on-stage as well. This pairs with some hints the cast and director JJ Abrams had dropped during the QA session of the panel, when they mentioned that the heroes gather together to take on the greatest evil in the galaxy.
Luke Skywalker passed away in the previous film, The Last Jedi, so presumably any advice he lends to Rey in this one will be as a Force Ghost. It's unknown how Palpatine is returning, but in the now non-canonical Expanded Universe fiction, the character was known for cloning himself to be functionally immortal. Star Wars: Battlefront 2, which is canon under the new Disney continuity, did suggest that the Emperor had contingency plans in place in the event of his death.
The title of the hugely-anticipated next Star Wars film has been revealed: The movie is called Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker. The title was revealed during a panel discussion at the franchise's annual Star Wars Celebration convention, which is currently underway in Chicago. Alongside this, Lucasfilm shared the movie's first poster, which you can see below--rather than featuring the broad cast of characters, it simply consists of the logo on the traditional space backdrop.
One of the biggest bits of information we learned from the Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker teaser trailer was that Ian McDiarmid would return and reprise his role as Emperor Sheev Palpatine/Darth Sidious. Despite his death at the end of Return of the Jedi, he'll apparently be back in some capacity; we hear him laugh at the end of the trailer, and McDiarmid himself appeared on stage at Celebration to reaffirm that it was indeed him.
At the end of The Last Jedi, Supreme Leader Snoke, who had been positioned as the main antagonist in The Force Awakens, was defeated, leaving fans wondering who would replace him as the big bad. While many expected Kylo Ren to fill the role, the return of Palpatine indicates Kylo's role in the movie could be more ambiguous, which makes sense given the internal struggle the previous movies have depicted him as having.
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker hits theaters on December 19. The film stars Daisy Ridley as Rey, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, John Boyega as Finn, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata, and Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux. New cast members include Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, and Keri Russell.
The film will also see appearances from a number of Star Wars veterans including Mark Hamill as Luke, Billy Dee Williams as Lando, and Carrie Fisher as Leia. Fisher died before production began, but will appear in footage originally shot for 2017's The Last Jedi.
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker isn't the only new Star Wars release that fans have to look forward to this year. It has also been confirmed that the live-action TV show The Mandalorian will be available on the streaming service Disney+ when it launches on November 12.
Star Wars Celebration also promises news and reveals for the new Star Wars game Jedi Fallen Order from the developers of Apex Legends and Titanfall. Go to GameSpot sister site CNET to see a full rundown of what to expect from the show.
By Anonymous on Apr 12, 2019 10:30 pm Come on in and meet the cast of Fuel House in what might be the best theme song of all time. Shoes off, please. New episodes Sundays.
Star Wars: Episode IX is still shrouded in mystery, but the panel at Star Wars Celebration started to unwrap some of the first details. One moment focused on British actress Naomi Ackie, who shared some of the first details about her character.
The character is named Jannah, and a still showed her in full costume. She mentioned offhand that she crosses paths with the rest of the protagonists, who are said to be on an adventure together, but didn't share more details.
Ackie also addressed the rumors that she would be playing Lando's daughter. Sort of. Asked about the suggestion, she declined to give a straight answer, but did say, "Lando is a very charming man, he could have children all over the universe."
Lando Calrissian himself, Billy Dee Williams, also appeared on stage accompanied by an image of his character's return. He had his own interview moments on the panel, including one in which he defended Lando's shady decision-making in Empire Strikes Back. Ultimately, he says, it's okay because nobody died.
In early March, PlayStation's Great Indoors Sale knocked the price of one-year PS Plus member down to $45 (it usually sells for $60), and while that sale has long since ended, anyone who didn't stock up on another PS Plus subscription has another chance to get it for that price. Right now, a one-year PS Plus membership is discounted to $50 at Newegg, and if you use the promo code EMCTYUV58, another $5 will be slashed from the price, marking it down to $45.
As a reminder, you can stack PS Plus subscriptions, so even if you're already a member, here's a great chance to renew your subscription at a discount. Newegg is limiting this deal to two per customer, but you'll still walk away paying $90 for two one-year subscriptions instead of $120 (or $45 instead of $60, if you opt for just one). A PS Plus membership not only extends to PS4, PS3, and Vita systems, but will most likely roll over to PlayStation's next-generation console, too.
The deal ends Sunday, so act fast, especially if your PS Plus subscription is scheduled to expire soon.
PS Plus is PlayStation's premium monthly subscription that grants access to online multiplayer, free monthly PS4 games, and exclusive discounts. April's games for PS Plus members include science-fiction RPG The Surge and open-world survival game Conan Exiles, both of which are free to download for the rest of the month. Another new perk of PS Plus: Sony recently rolled out the PSN ID change feature, and while the first time you change your ID is free, subsequent changes carry a $10 fee--except for PS Plus members, who will only have to pay $5 each time.
Niantic has a couple of big events lined up for Pokemon Go next week, from a special Latios Raid to the return of the annual Eggstravaganza. Before that, however, the developer is holding April's Community Day. The monthly event returns this Saturday, April 13, giving players around the world another chance to earn bonuses and capture some rare Pokemon--including a new Shiny.
Just like previous months, April's Community Day will only run for three hours, during which you'll be able to find increased spawns of this month's featured Pokemon. While the duration period is always the same, the particulars of each Community Day--such as what time it starts and what other bonuses you'll be able to earn--typically vary month by month, so we've rounded up all the important details you need to know about this month's event below.
What Is The Featured Pokemon?
Each Community Day, Niantic designates one "featured" Pokemon that'll serve as the star of the event. Throughout the Community Day, the featured Pokemon will spawn more frequently in the wild than it normally does, making it a good opportunity to stock up on them. On top of that, Community Days typically offer players their first opportunity to catch the Shiny version of that month's featured Pokemon, and the monster can learn a special move if it fully evolves by the end of the event.
The featured Pokemon for April's Community Day is Bagon, the first form of the fan-favorite Dragon Pokemon Salamence. Throughout the event, Bagon will be much more common than it normally is, and you'll have your first chance to capture a Shiny Bagon. Moreover, if you manage to evolve Bagon all the way into Salamence up to an hour after the event ends, it'll automatically know the powerful Dragon-type attack Outrage.
What Time Does It Start?
Up until last month, Niantic traditionally held each Community Day during a specific window of time, which varied depending upon your region; in North America, for instance, the event would always run from 11 AM - 2 PM PT, while Europe's Community Day would take place from 10 AM - 1 PM UTC.
Beginning in March, however, Niantic changed the schedule for Community Days. Rather than holding the event during specific times in each region, it will now take place everywhere from 3-6 PM local time. This should make it much easier to remember when the Community Day is happening, as you no longer need to convert the event hours to your time zone.
What Other Bonuses Are There?
Along with increased Pokemon spawns, Niantic offers a few other bonuses during each month's Community Day as an extra incentive to go out and participate in the event. This month, you'll earn triple the usual amount of XP for capturing Pokemon throughout the Community Day. Additionally, Lure Modules--which typically only last 30 minutes--will remain active for three hours when used during the event.
By Anonymous on Apr 12, 2019 07:12 pm Here's 10 minutes of brand new gameplay for Patrice Désilets' new game, Ancestors, which is coming to PS4, Xbox One and PC!
Star Wars Celebration is finally here, and there are several noteworthy panels poised to announce details about upcoming games, movies, and TV shows. This expansive event looking at everything happening in the Star Wars Universe is scheduled for the full weekend, so we'll keep updating this hub of information with additional announcements as they occur.
The panel for Star Wars: Episode IX kicked things off, revealing both the Episode IX trailer and title: The Rise of Skywalker. While there wasn't much insight provided during the panel's discussion, the two-minute trailer provided a ton of details about what to expect, although the overall plot remains a mystery ahead of its release in December.
Panels for TV shows The Mandalorian and The Clone Wars animated series are also coming this weekend. Respawn is also set to have an official reveal for its scheduled Star Wars video game, Jedi Fallen Order. The full schedule is available for anyone to see, and many of the panels will be live streamed. So if you can't make it out to Chicago this weekend, you can still follow along online.
Star Wars Celebration is an annual event for fans of the stories told a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away. Although there are several exhibits, panels, and viewings that celebrate the Star Wars universe's vibrant past, most of the event is devoted to teasing tidbits of the franchise's future, whether that's new movies, television shows, books, or comics.
One significant piece of news that came out just before the start of Celebration, aside from what we learned about Disney+, concerns the post-Episode IX Star Wars movies. According to Disney boss Robert Iger, there will be "a bit of a hiatus" after that movie. Subsequent films are already in development, but it seems like the recent, rapid-fire pace of new movies will slow down somewhat as Lucasfilm focuses on its Disney+ shows.
There are two major panels at Star Wars Celebration this year. The first is devoted to Episode IX and is occurring today at 11 AM CDT, which works out to 12 PM ET, 9 AM PT, 5 PM GMT, and 4 AM AEDT in Australia on Saturday. The second is scheduled for the reveal of Respawn's upcoming Star Wars game, Jedi Fallen Order, and happens on Saturday at 1:30 PM CDT, which works out to 2:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM PT, 7:30 PM GMT, and 6:30 AM AEDT in Australia on Sunday.
You can watch the Episode IX panel here. That has now concluded, having consisted of a lengthy discussion with the cast and crew, hosted by Stephen Colbert. The end of the panel delivered the major goods: the title and trailer.
Star Wars: Episode IX had been without a name, but with its release now just eight months away, the Celebration panel delivered the goods on this newest adventure. The latest movie in the Star Wars saga is officially called The Rise of Skywalker, and we got the first trailer showcasing all of the returning characters from the current trilogy, as well as fan favorites from the original trilogy like Lando Calrissian. Perhaps most notably, there was voiceover from Luke Skywalker suggesting that no one ever completely disappears, which set the stage for the trailer to close out with the iconic laughter of the Galactic Empire's sinister leader, Emperor Palpatine.
Completing the third Star Wars trilogy that started with J.J. Abrams' The Force Awakens, Episode IX is scheduled to release on December 20, 2019. Initially, Jurassic World's Colin Trevorrow was directing the final major act of Rey, Finn, and Poe's story, but Disney fired him over creative differences. Abrams was brought on as his replacement.
Little is known about the plotline for Episode IX. The Last Jedi dismissed several of the more notable plotlines surrounding the characters from The Force Awakens--such as the importance of Snoke and Captain Phasma, as well as the identity of Rey's parents. However, The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson has said he'd be okay if Abrams chooses to retcon Rey's parentage in Episode IX. The new trailer, however, raises many interesting questions. With Palpatine's laughter closing off the trailer, does that mean the Empire of the original trilogy is back along with the evil Sith lord? Is that the ruin of the Death Star we see in the ocean of that unknown planet? How exactly does Lando come back to pilot the Millennium Falcon (the ship he famously lost to Han Solo? What role will that cute new droid that's with BB-8 play? And after so many adventures, how will the saga of the Skywalker lineage finally end?
When Does Episode 9 Take Place?
While the precise answer to this question remains under wraps, both JJ Abrams and Daisy Ridley provided some insight into how much time has passed since The Last Jedi. The two suggested that a fair amount of time has gone by and that this movie will see the core group reunite for an adventure.
What Does The Title Mean?
This is one question we surely won't get a definitive answer to until we can see the full movie. But we've got theories about what the title means.
Lando And Episode 9's New Character, Jannah
British actress Naomi Ackie was among the actors to come on stage during the Episode IX panel. She revealed she'll be playing a new character Jannah, who might be the daughter of Lando (whom we also got a look at in costume).
Palpatine Is Back
As noted above, it appears ol' Sheev, aka Darth Sidious, is making a comeback of some sort, as reinforced when actor Ian McDiarmid appeared on stage at Celebration and demanded (in the Emperor's voice) that the trailer be rolled a second time. We don't actually see the former Emperor in the flesh, so it's unclear what form he might take--perhaps he's just a Force ghost, like what we've seen with Yoda and Obi-Wan previously. Previous Star Wars stories have dived into Palpatine's attempts to
Is That The Death Star?
At one point in the trailer, we see Rey and company overlooking the wreckage of...something. We can't be entirely positive, but it certainly looks like the wreckage of the Death Star II, which was destroyed at the end of the Return of the Jedi (not long after Palpatine perished).
Episode 9 Release Date
The previously announced release date for what we now know is The Rise of Skywalker is still in place: Episode 9 hits theaters on December (with the first showings on the night of Thursday, December 19).
Jedi Fallen Order
Like Episode IX, little has been confirmed about Respawn's Jedi Fallen Order. A brief teaser of a broken lightsaber's glowing hilt accompanied by the message "Don't stand out" has been released, and, during E3 2018, Respawn boss Vince Zampella announced Jedi Fallen Order would take place after Revenge of the Sith. The game puts players into the boots of a Jedi padawan that escapes Order 66, and will release during 2019's holiday season. Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords writer Chris Avellone has also announced he's finished his portion of Jedi Fallen Order.
Additional details are expected to be revealed during the Jedi Fallen Order panel during Star Wars Celebration. "Join the head of Respawn Entertainment, Vince Zampella, and Game Director, Stig Asmussen, along with many special guests, to be the first to learn about this holiday's highly anticipated action adventure game, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order," the panel description reads. "Hear how Respawn and Lucasfilm collaborated on this original Star Wars story, following a young Padawan's journey in the Dark Times following Order 66. And of course, we'll have a few surprises in store."
The Clone Wars Animated Series
Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series is getting a surprise seventh season, which sees the reunion of Anakin Skywalker and his padawan learner, Ahsoka Tano, after she left the Jedi Order at the end of Season 5.
Based on the Season 7 San Diego Comic-Con trailer--which can be seen above--the show's return picks up mere moments before the start of Revenge of the Sith. Anakin and Obi-Wan are called in to take a hologram call, only to see that it's Ahsoka and Mandalorian warrior Bo-Katan Kryze. In the novel Ahsoka, we learn that Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka reunite on Mandalore after Ahsoka leaves the Jedi Order--just prior to the former two being called away to save Chancellor Palpatine from being kidnapped by General Grievous. However, before then, the three, along with Clone Captain Rex and Commander Cody, go on to fight in one last battle: the Siege of Mandalore.
The Mandalorian
The Mandalorian is one of the TV series to launch with Disney+, the company's new streaming service. The series takes place prior to the events of The Force Awakens, and a panel during Star Wars Celebration is scheduled to reveal additional details.
The first season consists of eight episodes and showrunner Jon Favreau believes it will serve as a good entry point for those unfamiliar with Star Wars. "Since we're starting with new characters in a new time period, it's a great way to bring new fans in," he said.
Anticipation is sky-high for Star Wars: Episode IX, which releases in December and will complete the current trilogy that kicked off with 2015's The Force Awakens. But fans will have to wait for the next movie in the franchise, with Disney boss Bob Iger revealing that Star Wars on the big screen will soon be going on "hiatus."
In an interview with Bloomberg to mark the launch of the annual Star Wars Celebration this weekend, Iger stated that the studio plans to take some time off after Episode IX hits theaters. "We have not announced any specific plans for movies thereafter," he said. "There are movies in development, but we have not announced them. We will take a pause, some time, and reset, because the Skywalker saga comes to an end with this ninth movie. There will be other Stars Wars movies, but there will be a bit of a hiatus."
At a panel during Star Wars Celebration, the cast and director JJ Abrams shared more details on this final installment of the Skywalker saga. The title will be The Rise of Skywalker, and it appears to bring the franchise full circle: the Emperor is back. You can check out the first teaser-trailer here to see it all for yourself.
Iger told Bloomberg that the studio plans to focus on Star Wars TV projects for the time being. It has been confirmed that the live-action TV show The Mandalorian will be available on the streaming service Disney+ when it launches in November. In addition, there is a series focused on the Rogue One character Cassian Andor in the works, plus a new season of the animated show The Clones Wars.
Episode IX will be the fifth Star Wars movie to be released in four years. While The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and Rogue One were big box office hits, last year's Solo: A Star Wars Story was the first commercial failure in the series. After the movie only grossed $392 million worldwide, there were reports that Disney's plans for more spin-off movies had been cancelled.
In terms of the Star Wars movies that we know about, there are separate trilogies in development from Last Jedi director Rian Johnson and Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss. It was recently rumored that Benioff and Weiss's films will be set in the Old Republic, several thousand years before the events of the current movies.
For more on Star Wars Celebration, go to GameSpot sister site CNET to see a full rundown of what to expect from the show.
Patrice Désilets is no stranger to pitching video games. During his illustrious career at Ubisoft he was a key creative force behind Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and multiple Assassin's Creed titles. Standing in front of a room of people and delivering his vision for a game is, you'd think, second nature at this point. And yet, in a small hotel in Paris, he's breathlessly rattling through his journey post-Ubisoft, displaying the kind of nervous energy more commonly seen with indie developers revealing their first ever game.
It makes sense, however, when he comes to a grinding halt and very deliberately says, "This is an indie game," pausing to let that sink in. His new game, Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey, has been shrouded in mystery since it was first revealed, and he's setting expectations. He may be the guy that helped make Assassin's Creed, but Ancestors is the start of a new journey. It's a game where the player begins as a simple ape that must forage and fight for survival; venture into the unknown in search of knowledge and experience; develop the skills necessary to place it and its tribe in a position of safety; and evolve so that it can stand shoulder to shoulder with the other species inhabiting the jungle. They say you should write what you know, and it's hard not to draw parallels to the very real challenges Désilets and his newly established studio are facing, overwrought though the comparison may be.
Click image to view in full screen
It becomes apparent why setting expectations is important to him the moment I get my hands on Ancestors. It's an ambitious idea that is incredibly interesting but is realized with mechanics that I found myself unexpectedly tangled up in. In that respect, it has a distinctly indie feel to it.
At its heart, Ancestors is a survival game, but one that ties almost everything you do to the development of your ape avatar. It wants to inspire curiosity and experimentation in a natural way, and to that end is devoid of any sort of quest system. The exception is the opening, where I was tasked with finding an adorable young ape that was stranded in the wild and bringing it back to my shrewdness (fun fact: A group of apes is called a shrewdness, as I learned while writing this). I did this by using my natural senses, hitting a button to focus my hearing and then honing in on soundwaves coming from a distant tree.
The act of traveling there is undoubtedly the most recognizable representation of Désilets' design history, with a kind of simple traversal system built around holding and releasing a button to grab onto trees, branches, and thickets. Momentum can be used to swing from position to position around the jungle environment, and while it's not quite as slick as something Altair or Ezio would pull off, there was a kinetic quality to the movement that felt satisfying. With the infant ape returned, I was then free to head back into the jungle and do as I please.
Although the game doesn't make a big deal of it, there's a line that it throws up during the intro that serves as the drive behind the gameplay. It challenges you to defy science and evolve faster than the rate history states apes transformed at. Doing this involves indulging that curiosity and exposing your ape to the unfamiliar as much as possible. This, in turn, leads to it learning and growing. Items and objects in the environment initially have a black fog around them, indicating they are unfamiliar and should be examined. I picked up tree branches to figure out what they are, explored surroundings to develop a familiarity with the world around me, and leapt around to advance motor skills.
In doing so, I was rewarded with Neuronal Energy. When resting at Sleep Spots I was able to access the ape's mind and build neural pathways that improved my capabilities and unlocked new ones. After picking up enough things, my ape realized it could hold things in two hands, and then switch between them. With ample use of my visual and aural instincts, which are represented in-game by a kind of special overlay that highlight points and objects of interest, the range at which I could see and hear things could be extended.
Seeking out the unknown, learning, and evolving as a species is the core of Ancestors' gameplay loop, but there are additional considerations. Perhaps the most important is growing in number. Out in the wild there are other apes that can be found and added to your shrewdness. With more apes, the opportunity to procreate arises, which is also a key part of advancing ape-kind. You can approach other apes and groom them to build a relationship, and once it's intimate enough, you're able to mate and have children--provided you grab a few comfy leaves and put together a makeshift bed to get it on in.
"Survive the elements, teach your family, and build a home," the game says. However, for the two hours I played, simply surviving was such a challenge that I was barely able to even think about teaching or building. Ancestors holds out on a lot of information, so I found myself frantically trying to figure things out before my ape died and I was given control of another one to, effectively, start over. At one point something in the jungle cut me, I'm not sure if it was a narrow miss with a bird of prey that got the jump on me as I was scoping out the jungle from atop a tree, or if it was the needles of a bush I was trying to investigate, but either way I could see blood leaking out of me. The clock was ticking and the game offered no indication of what to do to stop the bleeding beyond finding something with clotting properties. My first thought was to grab a leaf, use my new ability to run my hand along it and strip off the leaves, and then try to apply it to myself. However, after I did this, there was no indication that I had some new material I could use. Ancestors doesn't have an inventory system and my hands were empty, so I clearly had the wrong idea. Except, I had the right idea. The leaf residue was in my hand, but that just wasn't made clear to me. Had I known that, I would have sought out a rock to break it down and apply the clotting material to my wound.
Ancestors holds out on a lot of information, so I found myself frantically trying to figure things out before my ape died and I was given control of another one to, effectively, start over
This is representative of the overall obtuse nature of Ancestors and, according to its developers, this is by design. Ancestors is a game about trial and error, experimenting to find out what works. After all, that's what the apes are doing, so why should it be any different for you? There are solutions to the questions you want to be answered, and once you come upon them the knowledge fundamentally changes how you perceive the world around you, the tools available to you, and your chances of surviving. If the developers were to lay out all the answers, there would be no challenge. And without the satisfaction of figuring out how to solve a problem, it'd become a hollow experience.
Their reasoning makes sense and, on occasion, it worked. At one point I consumed berries to stave off starvation and found myself poisoned. I looked around and, not seeing any obvious plant remedy, I decided to just see if drinking lots of water would help wash it out of my system. Lo and behold, the poison indicator drained quicker as I hydrated myself and I became poison-free. But for every situation where it clicks, there's one where just a little bit of guidance would have been helpful. Having made a spear by stripping branches, I used the action button and my ape stabbed into the ground. Naturally, I thought this would be perfect for fishing, so I walked into a nearby stream to try and gather some food but walked away empty handed. It wasn't until much later, when I found a fishing spot, that I realized that there are specific locations that yield fish.
Ancestor's biggest challenge, to me, is walking the line between creating that sense of trial and error that leads to finding solutions and developing a knowledge base that smooths out survival, and providing enough guidance so that players don't become frustrated and walk away before have that kind of meaningful experience. Although Désilets and his team are aware of this, he was very committed to sticking to his vision, saying the ambiguity is core to the experience.
"That line, and I had multiple discussions with the team and the other game designers, where it was like, 'What is too much and what is not enough?'" he said. "You're right, we're always on the line. I was asked before, 'Could you tell us what's the solution for bleeding?' If I tell you, it's over. It's not like there are 48 different solutions to bleeding. There's one or two, and if I tell you the one there's only one left.
"If you did it, then you know it's difficult, but as soon as you find a solution the game world will change. Because suddenly you see opportunities that you didn't see at first. We did a playtest in November, and there was a guy who came in, and he told me he had an epiphany while playing it. He said, 'At first I thought there was nothing, then I pick up something, I transformed it, and I went holy f**k, there's everything. Everything is already there, and it's neat.'
"Once you understand the rule set, and you know how to get rid of your bleeding, or your broken bones and whatnot, you'll start to go on the other side of the fence, of like okay, now I get it. Then from the second to second struggling, you'll go to the minute to minute, then hour to hour. Then it's a different fun."
As Désilets rightly pointed out, the strict time conditions we played under somewhat alter the experience of Ancestors. I had just two hours with the game and so, naturally, I was trying to get a feel for it at an accelerated pace, delving deep into the jungle as quickly as possible, attempting to battle snakes and escape alligators well before I was probably ready to. Having finished my playthrough, I came away slightly frustrated but also feeling like, under the right circumstances--namely that I had more time--I could take a more considered approach and have the experience Désilets and his team envisioned.
"There's a part of me says, yes, you may feel frustrated because you feel like it won't let you play the game the way you may want it. I saw all of you just went in the jungle crazy running, and this is where a little bit I'm like, 'Okay, that's your choice, not mine. I didn't say to you go in the jungle and run. You went, and because there is you can have a lot of fun and pleasure not exploring that far.
"But also take your time, don't rush it. This is where I say [your character is] not like the other video game characters out there where it's all about you can do it, you're superior. No, you're that little prey at first. Take your time, slow down, stop. Then our job is to make sure you understand, well, this is the pace of this game.
"But you're totally right, though. It is a fine line, and sometimes we're not on the right side. It's about balancing at the end of the day. But it is a game about that, about you as a gamer, can you go through your own evolution of play? Maybe in a way that will let me survive."
Despite my minor frustrations with it, Ancestors has definitely piqued my interest. That loop of learning and evolving felt compelling, even among the frustration of not knowing what to do and repeatedly dying. It has sparked a curiosity in me, and I do have questions that I want to see answered. While the game's title indicates players will be able to evolve from simple ape to homo sapien, the game actually only goes for eight million years of human history, up to the Australopithecus stage of evolution. However, whether or not I make it that far will depend on the balancing, and Désilets admits that it's something that the team is working on in the lead up to release.
The teaser trailer for Star Wars Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker is here. The first look at the hugely-anticipated next Star Wars film was revealed at the franchise's annual Celebration convention, along with its title. It was introduced at the end of a panel discussion by director JJ Abrams and Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy.
The trailer opens with Rey (Daisy Ridley) in the desert, a lightsaber in her hand, as she stares down a First Order fighter coming right at her. We hear Luke Skywalker's (Mark Hamill) voice tell her, "We've passed on all we know. A thousand generations live in your now, but this is your fight." She then runs at it, leaping to attack.
The teaser also shows brief glimpses of many characters, from Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) cutting down foes with his lightsaber to Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) laughing while piloting the Millennium Falcon. The short tease also includes footage of Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher)'s role in the film, which looks to include a touching moment with Rey. Though Fisher died before production of the film began, unused footage from Star Wars: The Force Awakens is incorporated to complete her story.
The final image of the trailer sees Rey and her friends together, as Luke's voice is heard once more, saying, "We'll always be with you. No one's ever really gone." Then, creepily, Emperor Palpatine's (Ian McDiarmid) laugh is heard cackling as the title is shown. Check out the teaser above. McDiarmid even appeared on stage at Celebration following the debut of the trailer to demand it be shown again.
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters on December 19. Abrams returned to direct after helming 2015's The Force Awakens, although he wasn't the first choice of director. Jurassic World's Colin Trevorrow was initially hired, but he left the movie in September 2017.
The film stars Daisy Ridley as Rey, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, John Boyega as Finn, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata, and Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux. New cast members include Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, and Keri Russell. The film will also see appearances from a number of Star Wars veterans including Mark Hamill as Luke, Billy Dee Williams as Lando, and Carrie Fisher as Leia. Fisher died before production began, but will appear in footage originally shot for 2017's The Last Jedi.
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker isn't the only new Star Wars release that fans have to look forward to this year. It has also been confirmed that the live-action TV show The Mandalorian will be available on the streaming service Disney+ when it launches on November 12.
Star Wars Celebration also promises news and reveals for the new Star Wars game Jedi Fallen Order from the developers of Apex Legends and Titanfall. Go to GameSpot sister site CNET to see a full rundown of what to expect from the show.
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