Nostr notes by IGN

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead Review ...

2024-10-22T06:30:15Z

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead Review

It’s terrifically tense, but A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead doesn’t quite have the story surprises or enough substantial changes to its simplistic stealth-based gameplay to allow it to completely go the distance.

https://www.ign.com/articles/a-quiet-place-the-road-ahead-review

Target Has a Massive Buy One Get One 50% Off Book Sale Going on ...

2024-10-22T03:15:10Z

Target Has a Massive Buy One Get One 50% Off Book Sale Going on Right Now

Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, and more are BOGO 50% off.

https://www.ign.com/articles/target-buy-one-get-one-50-off-book-deals-game-of-thrones-and-lord-of-the-rings

How to Watch What We Do in the Shadows Season 6 – Air Dates and ...

2024-10-22T01:15:10Z

How to Watch What We Do in the Shadows Season 6 – Air Dates and Streaming Status

Here's how to watch the sixth and final season of the cult-favorite vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows.

https://www.ign.com/articles/how-to-watch-what-we-do-in-the-shadows-season-6-final

This 10,000mAh MagSafe Wireless Power Bank for Your iPhone 16 ...

2024-10-21T23:30:15Z

This 10,000mAh MagSafe Wireless Power Bank for Your iPhone 16 Drops to $22

Triple your iPhone 16's battery life.

https://www.ign.com/articles/10000mah-magsafe-wireless-power-bank-deal-for-your-iphone-16

What We Do in the Shadows Season 6, Episodes 1-3 Review ...

2024-10-21T22:15:10Z

What We Do in the Shadows Season 6, Episodes 1-3 Review

Some previously untapped sources of horror-comedy novelty and the versatility of its once-in-an-eternal-lifetime cast give What We Do in the Shadows’ final season a winning start.

https://www.ign.com/articles/what-we-do-in-the-shadows-season-6-episodes-1-3-review

Alan Wake 2 on PS5 Pro Is 30 FPS on Quality Mode With Ray ...

2024-10-21T20:15:12Z

Alan Wake 2 on PS5 Pro Is 30 FPS on Quality Mode With Ray Tracing, But Performance Mode Gets Some Big Boosts, Too

Remedy Games detailed its approach to Alan Wake 2's PS5 Pro update in a new post on its official site, explaining that Quality Mode will add ray tracing at the expense of running at 30 FPS, but that the patch will also include big improvements to Performance Mode.

https://www.ign.com/articles/alan-wake-2-on-ps5-pro-quality-mode-30-fps-remedy-games

Save 42% Off the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Noise Cancelling ...

2024-10-21T18:45:09Z

Save 42% Off the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Noise Cancelling Headphones

Factory refurbished model with the same warranty as buying brand new.

https://www.ign.com/articles/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-noise-cancelling-headphone-deal

The Best Dell & Alienware Deals and Coupons: Gaming Laptops, ...

2024-10-21T17:15:12Z

The Best Dell & Alienware Deals and Coupons: Gaming Laptops, PCs, Monitors, and More

The deals include PCs for different needs and budgets.

https://www.ign.com/articles/the-best-dell-alienware-deals-and-coupons-gaming-laptops-pcs-monitors-and-more

Amazon’s Warhammer 40,000 Secret Level Animation Is a Sequel to ...

2024-10-21T16:15:10Z

Amazon’s Warhammer 40,000 Secret Level Animation Is a Sequel to Space Marine 2

Amazon and Games Workshop have revealed fresh details about their Secret Level Warhammer 40,000 episode, confirming it’s a sequel to the recently released Space Marine 2.

https://www.ign.com/articles/amazons-warhammer-40000-secret-level-animation-is-a-sequel-to-space-marine-2

Sonic X Shadow Generations Review ...

2024-10-21T15:15:10Z

Sonic X Shadow Generations Review

Since this is a Sonic review I’ll go fast and cut to the chase: Sonic X Shadow Generations is a fantastic combination of one of the Blue Blur's classics and a new helping of smartly designed Shadow levels built around his own abilities, and after spending some time with it has become one of my favorite Sonic games I've ever played. Sega and Sonic Team have learned from their recent attempts, Frontiers and Superstars, and have found clever ways to weave the best ideas of those games into a major refresh of a fan favorite. And certainly, when it comes to Shadow the Hedgehog, this is his definitive game.

Half of the content of Sonic X Shadow Generations is remastered from 2011’s Sonic Generations, which we gave an 8.5 In our review back then. It does have a few new bells and whistles, like the adorable Chao hidden in each 2D and 3D stages, but other than their level designs are mostly unchanged because they hold up just fine. I'd like to imagine that the Chao are a hint that we’ll see the return of the Chao Garden from Sonic Adventure 2 in a future Sonic game, but for now they’re just a nice homage.

If you never played the original, it’s definitely worth experiencing it for the first time here: Sonic Generations is a stellar combination of 2D and 3D gameplay that celebrated what was at the time a 20-year history by curating and recreating some of the best and most iconic Sonic levels that had come before. Shadow Generations wastes no time showcasing its creativity with multiple stand-out moments. The very first stage, or instance, transforms into fractals and looks like the alternate dimensions we've seen in Dr. Strange or Spider-Man: No Way Home.
The levels from Sonic Generations also get a slight but noticeable graphical boost thanks to the current generation of consoles: environments look more polished and the colors are more vibrant, making enemies, hazards, and springs just a bit more noticeable when you’re moving at high speed. So by default this is the best way to play it, even if the difference isn’t night and day.
This is the best way to play Generations, even if the difference isn’t night and day.
However, the real reason you’d want to play Sonic X Shadow Generations is the all-new campaign filled with creative reimaginings of Shadow’s stages from his past appearances throughout the Sonic series. Shadow's five-hour campaign is separate from the Generations storyline but plays out in a similar way, in that each stage has one part in 2D and another in 3D. Shadow’s stages have all the fast-paced appeal you’d expect to get when playing as Sonic, similar to when new paths open up when replaying a stage after Sonic has gained the light dash ability. Shadow starts with a similar skill called the Chaos Dash, and then goes on to open up even more pathways when returning to stages with abilities like the Doom Wings that let you fly short distances and skip whole sections of levels, making them play very differently.

Shadow’s Chaos Control ability also creates fantastic moments where he does things like freeze time to destroy a missile flying at him in a flashy mini cutscene. And, unlike in the 2D Sonic stages that play like classic Sonic with no homing attack or boost gauge, Shadow keeps all his abilities for his 2D sections so they feel just as fast as his 3D stages.

Besides the main stages there are various challenge stages with objectives like requiring you to destroy enough targets before reaching the goal, or finish a hazard-filled level with a single ring to unlock bosses and the next set of stages. It’s similar to Sonic Generations, with the main difference being that you need to complete all of the challenges to acquire the keys you need, instead of just one. I do miss the collecting of the Chaos Emeralds you get in Sonic Generations, because some of them had fun rival boss battles against characters like Metal Sonic and Silver, but since Sonic is collecting them in his portion of the story it wouldn’t make much sense for Shadow to be collecting them at the same time in his.
With both campaigns combined, the total number of stages is now over 150.
With both campaigns combined, the total number of stages is now over 150, including traditional, challenge, and boss stages. That would take even an avid Sonic fan about 15 to 20 hours to burn through. And for those looking for even more challenges, completing the Shadow campaign will unlock a new option that increases the difficulty of bosses and challenge levels when replaying them.

Though minimal, there are some new storylines that creatively weave between games where Shadow has appeared, tying them into big moments we've seen in past games, like Sonic and Shadow's duel in Sonic Adventure 2. There is also a healthy dose of new scenes filling in Shadow's past that reunite him with friends and foes, and offer more context to his storylines in games like Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic Adventure 2. These moments ranged from fascinating to kickass, and they always left me wanting more.

Like Sonic’s, Shadow's is made up of fun reimaginations of some of his best stages across past Sonic games. We’ve got new versions of levels like Radical Highway, Rail Canyon, and the Space Colony Ark, and each stage is packed to the brim with creative routes that make good use of Shadow's old and new abilities.

What We Said About Sonic Generations (2011)

It feels refreshing to be able to say that Sonic is good again. His upward trajectory over the last year continues and he’s only gaining momentum. Sonic Generations is largely a game for the most hardcore of Sonic fans, but for the millions who have fond memories of narrowly dodging spikes, grinding on rails, or even that time he was a pinball, Sonic Generations is a game made for you. – Jack DeVries & Brian Altano, October 28, 2011
Score: 8.5
Read the full Sonic Generations review

He begins with his iconic Chaos Control ability, which stops time (including the stage timer) and allows you to outrun hazards like a runaway train, stop groups of enemies in their tracks so you can dispatch them with ease, or use the new Chaos Dash to reach strategically placed shortcuts.

From there, you unlock Doom abilities that give you new options for movement and combat. Without going into spoiler territory, one of my favorites that you get about midway through his story is Doom Surf. This power makes water levels a lot more fun by giving you a shadowy manta ray that can spin-attack through enemies and objects. These abilities are handed out after finishing a group of stages or an area’s boss, and they come at a fast enough pace to keep things consistently interesting and different from what came before.
Doom Surf makes water levels a lot more fun.
There are also some creative and enjoyable new versions of boss fights, like a metallic dragon that has you chasing him on the water, knocking trash into him, and charging up so you can unleash Chaos Control and land some real damage with a homing attack. I wish there were more of those, but those that are here make excellent use of the most recent Doom abilities and are all fantastic additions to the collection of egg robots and various other bosses from Sonic history.

In fact, the only stage that broke my momentum and reminded me of the missteps of modern Sonic games was the Sonic Frontiers 3D stage. It feels empty compared to most of Sonic X Shadow Generations and had an overreliance on a new sludge-based upgrade for Shadow that reminded me of one of my least favorite Wisp powers from Sonic Colors. Other than that, though, I enjoyed replaying every stage to find optimal paths, gather collectible keys to unlock secrets in the hub world, and improve my runs until I earned the coveted S-rankings.

Sonic X Shadow Generations also evolves the all-white hub world of Sonic Generations by taking it from a 2D plane to a three-dimensional one that expands outwards as you complete all the stages in a section and its accompanying boss. In between stages, I'd spend some time exploring the hub world to see what chests I could open using the keys I'd collected, as well as completing various optional activities like collecting 100 rings in a short amount of time to unlock multiple rewards like artwork, music, or journal entries about characters and the events of Shadow's life.

Similar to his blue counterpart, Shadow also has stages that are entirely locked to the old-school 2D perspective, and they feel right at home as he races his way to the goal. Besides a McDonalds toy called the Shadow Grinder from 2003 and a DLC stage in Sonic Forces: Episode Shadow, this is the first time we've gotten multiple full-2D Shadow levels, and it was interesting to see how his expanded move set impacted their designs. Abilities like Chaos Spears allowed me to hit switches from a distance to open up alternate paths, while Doom Surf meant no longer having to deal with those underwater sections of Sonic games that a lot of people don’t enjoy – you can just surf right on top of the water until reaching land.

Finally, I have to call out that the music accompanying our favorite hedgehogs as they race to the goal line is excellent, the guitar riffs for stages like Radical Highway and Space Colony Ark return, and are joined by some fantastic tracks like Crush 40's All Hail Shadow and Sonic Heroes Rail Canyon theme. One of my favorite elements of the Generations games is the selectable background music for every stage and challenge, so if you only want to hear Live & Learn across every stage like the Crush 40 sicko you are, you can do that! The only catch is that you have to find some music tracks in chests scattered across the Shadow’s hub world or by collecting the musical notes and Red rings in Sonics to unlock them, but that’s a price I’m willing to pay.

https://www.ign.com/articles/sonic-x-shadow-generations-review

Silent Hill 2 Remake Gets First Major Update in Patch 1.04 ...

2024-10-21T13:15:13Z

Silent Hill 2 Remake Gets First Major Update in Patch 1.04

Bloober Team has released the first major update for the Silent Hill 2 remake in Patch 1.04, addressing myriad gameplay issues as well as improving the survival horror game's technical performance.

https://www.ign.com/articles/silent-hill-2-remake-gets-first-major-update-in-patch-104

Emperor-Blessed Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Player Solos the ...

2024-10-21T11:15:09Z

Emperor-Blessed Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Player Solos the New Bio-Titan on Lethal Difficulty Using a Cheese That Takes 45 Minutes

After Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s latest patch made pretty much everything about the PvE Operations mode harder, one heroic player has done the Emperor proud by coming up with the game’s ultimate cheese.

https://www.ign.com/articles/emperor-blessed-warhammer-40000-space-marine-2-player-solos-the-new-bio-titan-on-lethal-difficulty-using-a-cheese-that-takes-45-minutes

Alien: Romulus Is Getting an Official Release on VHS ...

2024-10-21T09:30:12Z

Alien: Romulus Is Getting an Official Release on VHS

20th Century Studios has announced a VHS release of Alien: Romulus.

https://www.ign.com/articles/alien-romulus-is-getting-an-official-release-on-vhs

The Penguin Episode 5 Review – “Homecoming” ...

2024-10-21T04:00:16Z

The Penguin Episode 5 Review – “Homecoming”

The Penguin is cut loose in an episode full of chaotic action and high-tension drama

https://www.ign.com/articles/the-penguin-episode-5-review-homecoming

A Jamboree of 65 Buck Mario Must Owns, Historic Lows on Top-Tier ...

2024-10-21T02:00:16Z

A Jamboree of 65 Buck Mario Must Owns, Historic Lows on Top-Tier RPGs and Racers, Plus More!

Some of Nintendo Switches greatest plumber-starring adventures are on the cheap. Get 'em before they're gone.

https://www.ign.com/articles/a-jamboree-of-65-buck-mario-must-owns-historic-lows-on-top-tier-rpgs-and-racers-plus-more-au-deals

Daily Deals: Resident Evil 4, LEGO Super Mario, College Football ...

2024-10-21T01:15:10Z

Daily Deals: Resident Evil 4, LEGO Super Mario, College Football 25, and More

The weekend is officially here, and we've rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Sunday, October 20, below:
Resident Evil 4 for $19.99

Resident Evil 4 was one of the biggest games of 2023, with Capcom recreating one of the highest-praised action titles ever. As Leon S. Kennedy, it's up to you to travel to Europe and rescue the President's daughter, Ashley Graham. With the Separate Ways DLC also available, the Resident Evil 4 remake is simply one of the best action games ever. There's never been a better time to jump in, with this price acting as an all-time low.
EA Sports College Football 25 for $42.99

EA Sports College Football 25 is available on sale for $42.99 this weekend. This game marked the first college football title from EA since NCAA 14, as a lawsuit regarding player NIL (name, image, and likeness) prevented the company from producing further entries. Many of the older modes have returned to College Football 25, including Dynasty, Team Builder, and Road to Glory. Of course, dozens of new features have been added, including Stadium Pulse, which creates challenging road environments in college football's biggest stadiums.
Save on Popular LEGO Sets This Weekend

There are quite a few LEGO deals available on sale today. This includes the LEGO Super Mario Piranha Plant set, the LEGO Ideas Jazz Quartet set, the LEGO Walt Disney Tribute Camera, and more. If you're preparing to start shopping for the holiday season, these are solid gift ideas!
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Woot! (owned by Amazon) is offering The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for Nintendo Switch for only $39.99 after you apply a $10 off promo code "ZELDAWELCOME" during checkout. This promo will only work for first orders. Amazon Prime members get free shipping, otherwise there is a $6 flat fee. You'll be getting a physical copy, which also includes a 90-day Woot! warranty. Woot! mentions that copies may or may not be imported, but all Nintendo Switch games are region-free so you'll be able to play the game regardless. You won't have to worry about language either since that setting is determined by your Switch console.
Disney Classic Games Collection

Next up, you can save on the Disney Classic Games Collection for Nintendo Switch on Amazon. This package includes multiple different versions of Aladdin, The Lion King, and The Jungle Book that released over the years. You can use new features like Rewind, which allows you to retry any difficult areas, or start the game from any point with access to full game playthroughs. Additionally, there is even a CRT filter that is designed to mimick displays from the original releases!
Xbox Series X|S Seagate Expansion Card

Today, you can save $50 off the Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S. This is the 2TB model, which will allow you to increase your total storage on Xbox Series X to almost 3TB. Since neither Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S supports a standard NVME SSD slot like the PlayStation 5, you will need to purchase an Expansion Card to increase your console's storage.
Luigi's Mansion 3 for $39.99

Luigi's Mansion 3 is available this weekend at Woot for only $39.99. This is one of the best games available on Nintendo Switch, filled with charm and all sorts of fun puzzles. With Halloween right around the corner, there's never been a better time to pick up the game if you haven't already!
Kingdom Hearts All-in-One Package for $35

Kingdom Hearts is one of Square Enix's best series, and it's a must-play for any RPG fan. The series mashes together the worlds of Disney and Square Enix to tell the tale of light and darkness. This All-in-One package contains a total of ten games, with everything up to Kingdom Hearts III included. Now is the perfect time to get caught up before Kingdom Hearts IV, so pick up the All-in-One bundle today and jump into Sora's journey.
Mario Party Superstars for $39.99

If you're waiting for Super Mario Party Jamboree to go on sale, Woot has a great deal on Mario Party Superstars that can hold you over for the time being. Superstars features five boards from the Nintendo 64 era, recreated with new twists. You can hop online and play with friends anywhere in the world, with 100 different minigames to discover. While its content offerings are not as good as Jamboree, this is still a great Mario Party game and well worth picking up.
Metaphor: ReFantazio Collector's Edition Available

Metaphor: ReFantazio has quickly become one of the hottest games of 2024. Katsura Hashino, known for directing Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5, has led ATLUS' Studio Zero on this project, with illustrator Shigenori Soejima serving as Character Designer on the project. Metaphor is the first step into the world of fantasy for ATLUS, and it's been a massive success. In our 9/10 review, we stated, "Metaphor: ReFantazio is poetic, and at times, idealistic, but it also understands its complexities and that change requires action, and that even far-fetched fantasy stories can serve as inspiration to make our world a better place."

https://www.ign.com/articles/daily-deals-resident-evil-4-lego-super-mario-college-football-25-and-more

Daily Deals: Resident Evil 4, LEGO Super Mario, College Football ...

2024-10-20T23:45:09Z

Daily Deals: Resident Evil 4, LEGO Super Mario, College Football ...

2024-10-20T22:45:10Z

Daily Deals: Resident Evil 4, LEGO Super Mario, College Football ...

2024-10-20T21:00:16Z

DC Comics Announces Batman: Hush Sequel and the Return of Vertigo ...

2024-10-20T14:15:10Z

DC Comics Announces Batman: Hush Sequel and the Return of Vertigo | NYCC 2024

DC dropped several big announcements at NYCC, including the news that Batman: Hush is getting a sequel and the fan-favorite Vertigo imprint is returning.

https://www.ign.com/articles/dc-comics-announces-batman-hush-sequel-and-the-return-of-vertigo-nycc-2024

Creature Commandos NYCC Trailer Reveals First Look at Clayface ...

2024-10-20T02:00:17Z

Creature Commandos NYCC Trailer Reveals First Look at Clayface and Circe

Creature Commandos received a brand-new trailer at NYCC, and it reveals an extended preview of the show that will officially kick off the DCU. Oh, and it gave us our first look at Clayface and Circe in the series!

https://www.ign.com/articles/creature-commandos-nycc-trailer-reveals-first-look-at-clayface-and-circe

Creature Commandos NYCC Trailer Reveals First Look at Clayface ...

2024-10-19T22:00:16Z

Star Citizen Dev 'Confident' of Releasing Standalone ...

2024-10-19T20:15:10Z

Star Citizen Dev 'Confident' of Releasing Standalone Single-Player Story Game Squadron 42 in 2026

Star Citizen developer Cloud Imperium Games has said Squadron 42 launches at some point in 2026. If the game does indeed launch then, it'll come out an incredible 14 years after CIG first launched Star Citizen's crowdfunding drive.

https://www.ign.com/articles/star-citizen-dev-confident-of-releasing-standalone-single-player-story-game-squadron-42-in-2026

Best New Anime to Watch (Fall Season 2024) ...

2024-10-19T18:15:09Z

Best New Anime to Watch (Fall Season 2024)

https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2024/10/17/kdww5rag2angxqpyrlo-na8gxsyudzee544upz-jbxi-1729180763384.jfif

This is the best new anime to watch for the fall season of 2024.

https://www.ign.com/articles/best-new-anime-to-watch-fall-season-2024

Daily Deals: Tears of the Kingdom, College Football 25, ...

2024-10-19T16:45:09Z

Daily Deals: Tears of the Kingdom, College Football 25, Luigi's Mansion 3, and More

We've rounded up the best deals you can find for Saturday, October 19.

https://www.ign.com/articles/daily-deals-tears-of-the-kingdom-college-football-25-luigis-mansion-3-and-more

The Best Call of Duty: Black Ops Maps, According to the Devs ...

2024-10-19T14:15:09Z

The Best Call of Duty: Black Ops Maps, According to the Devs

Call of Duty developers pick the best Black Ops multiplayer maps of all time.

https://www.ign.com/articles/the-best-call-of-duty-black-ops-maps-according-to-the-devs

Marvel Comics Reveals Star Wars: Jedi Knights Series Set Before ...

2024-10-19T13:15:10Z

Marvel Comics Reveals Star Wars: Jedi Knights Series Set Before The Phantom Menace | NYCC 2024

Marvel's newest Star Wars comic will focus on the Jedi Order in the period before The Phantom Menace. Find out what to expect from Star Wars: Jedi Knights.

https://www.ign.com/articles/marvel-comics-star-wars-jedi-knights-series-phantom-menace-nycc-2024

Kraven the Hunter Opening 7 Minutes Revealed as Director Teases ...

2024-10-19T00:15:09Z

Kraven the Hunter Opening 7 Minutes Revealed as Director Teases the Inclusion of More Marvel Characters

Kraven the Hunter director J.C. Chandor took the stage to reveal the first seven minutes of the upcoming Marvel villain film starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, part of an NYCC 2024 showcase featuring Sony's upcoming slate of films.

https://www.ign.com/articles/kraven-the-hunter-opening-7-minutes-revealed-as-director-teases-the-inclusion-of-more-marvel-characters

This Flexispot 55" Electric Standing Desk Has a Solid Bamboo ...

2024-10-18T22:15:09Z

This Flexispot 55" Electric Standing Desk Has a Solid Bamboo Top for Under $200

Two stackable coupons take over 40% off the original price.

https://www.ign.com/articles/flexispot-55-bamboo-electric-standing-desk-deal

Blumhouse Unveils Wolf Man Trailer and First Five Nights at ...

2024-10-18T21:00:16Z

Blumhouse Unveils Wolf Man Trailer and First Five Nights at Freddy's 2 Poster at NYCC Panel

Blumhouse had plenty to show off at its New York Comic-Con panel Friday, revealing the first trailer for Wolf Man along with the first Five Nights at Freddy's 2 poster and more.

https://www.ign.com/articles/blumhouse-unveils-wolf-man-trailer-first-fnaf-poster-m3gan-2-message

Sony's Spider-Man Universe: How to Watch the Venom and ...

2024-10-18T20:00:15Z

Sony's Spider-Man Universe: How to Watch the Venom and Spider-Man Movies in Chronological Order

With Venom: The Last Dance about to drop in theaters, we break down how you can watch every Sony's Spider-Man Universe movie in chronological order.

https://www.ign.com/articles/sony-spider-man-universe-in-order

Gandalf Involved in 'Most' New Lord of the Rings Film ...

2024-10-18T18:45:10Z

Gandalf Involved in 'Most' New Lord of the Rings Film Ideas, May Star in More After Hunt for Gollum

Gandalf is involved in "most" of Warner Bros.' new The Lord of the Rings film ideas and may even return in the second incoming live action film after The Hunt for Gollum.

https://www.ign.com/articles/gandalf-involved-in-most-new-lord-of-the-rings-film-ideas-may-star-in-more-after-hunt-for-gollum

Silent Hill 2 Remake Dev Bloober Team Open to Making More Silent ...

2024-10-18T17:00:16Z

Silent Hill 2 Remake Dev Bloober Team Open to Making More Silent Hill Games

Silent Hill 2 Remake developer Bloober Team is open to making more remakes in the franchise or even a new Silent Hill game altogether.

https://www.ign.com/articles/silent-hill-2-remake-dev-bloober-team-open-to-making-more-silent-hill-games

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Dev Responds to Steam Review ...

2024-10-18T15:15:10Z

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Dev Responds to Steam Review Bomb Campaign Over Nerf Patch

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 publisher Focus Entertainment has responded to the backlash against this week's nerf update and subsequent Steam review bomb campaign to promise a follow-up patch that fixes the game balance.

https://www.ign.com/articles/warhammer-40000-space-marine-2-dev-responds-to-steam-review-bomb-campaign-over-nerf-patch

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Campaign Dev Raven Didn’t React to ...

2024-10-18T13:30:12Z

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Campaign Dev Raven Didn’t React to Modern Warfare 3 Campaign’s Terrible Reception: ‘We Were Already Pretty Locked In’

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 campaign developer Raven Software didn’t react to the Modern Warfare 3 campaign’s terrible reception, it's told IGN.

https://www.ign.com/articles/call-of-duty-black-ops-6-campaign-dev-raven-didnt-react-to-modern-warfare-3-campaigns-terrible-reception-we-were-already-pretty-locked-in

Best Nintendo Switch Deals Today (October 2024) ...

2024-10-18T10:30:13Z

Best Nintendo Switch Deals Today (October 2024)

There are some incredible new Nintendo Switch deals happening right now, so we handpicked our absolute favorites to share with you. Here's what we found.

https://www.ign.com/articles/best-nintendo-switch-deals

New York Comic Con 2024: Everything Announced So Far ...

2024-10-18T08:45:09Z

New York Comic Con 2024: Everything Announced So Far

NYCC 2024 has begun and we'll be gathering all the biggest news and reveals from the weekend right here, including the trailer and release date for Dune: Prophecy, a new look at upcoming MCU projects, and so much more.

https://www.ign.com/articles/new-york-comic-con-2024-everything-announced-so-far

NBA 2K25 Dunked to $69, 59% Off a Spidey, Uncommonly Cheap Mario ...

2024-10-18T01:15:09Z

NBA 2K25 Dunked to $69, 59% Off a Spidey, Uncommonly Cheap Mario Games, and 80 Bucks Off an Elite Controller!

Let's close this week out with a ton of savings on the things that matter the most—video games!

https://www.ign.com/articles/nba-2k25-dunked-to-69-59-off-a-spidey-uncommonly-cheap-mario-games-and-80-bucks-off-an-elite-controller-au-deals

Tom Holland Says Spider-Man 4 Script 'Lit a Fire in Me' ...

2024-10-17T23:15:09Z

Tom Holland Says Spider-Man 4 Script 'Lit a Fire in Me' and Reveals His Dream for an MCU Miles Morales

It seems Tom Holland is feeling pretty optimistic about Spider-Man 4 after reading a draft of the script, which he says still needs work but "lit a fire in me." The actor also has his own ideas about his character moving forward, including how he might relate to an MCU version of Miles Morales.

https://www.ign.com/articles/tom-holland-says-spider-man-4-script-lit-a-fire-in-me-and-reveals-his-dream-for-an-mcu-miles-morales

The Fantastic Four: First Steps' Little Robot H.E.R.B.I.E. ...

2024-10-17T21:45:09Z

The Fantastic Four: First Steps' Little Robot H.E.R.B.I.E. Revealed at NYCC Along With Fresh Looks at Red Hulk and Daredevil

Marvel is kicking off NYCC 2024 with sneak peeks at upcoming MCU projects like The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Daredevil: Born Again, and Captain America: Brave New World.

https://www.ign.com/articles/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-little-robot-herbie-revealed-at-nycc-along-with-fresh-looks-at-red-hulk-and-daredevil

Disney Plus Plans: How Much Does a Subscription Cost? ...

2024-10-17T20:30:12Z

Disney Plus Plans: How Much Does a Subscription Cost?

Considering a subscription? Here's what you need to know.

https://www.ign.com/articles/how-much-does-disney-plus-cost

Control Multiplayer Game Officially Revealed in First Gameplay ...

2024-10-17T18:15:11Z

Control Multiplayer Game Officially Revealed in First Gameplay Trailer With the Title FBC: Firebreak

Remedy's new multiplayer game set in the Control universe has been fully revealed for the first time under the name FBC: Firebreak. Billed as a three-player co-op experience, it features a somewhat more colorful take on Remedy's popular universe.

https://www.ign.com/articles/control-multiplayer-game-officially-revealed-first-gameplay-trailer-xbox-partner-showcase

LEGO's Marvel X-Men: The X-Mansion Is Hitting Shelves in ...

2024-10-17T16:00:17Z

LEGO's Marvel X-Men: The X-Mansion Is Hitting Shelves in Early November

LEGO Marvel X-Men: The X-Mansion releases in early November with an exclusive window for LEGO Insiders.

https://www.ign.com/articles/lego-marvel-x-men-x-mansion

DSTLRY Teases 11 Star-Studded New Comics for 2025 | NYCC 2024 ...

2024-10-17T14:30:13Z

DSTLRY Teases 11 Star-Studded New Comics for 2025 | NYCC 2024

As New York Comic-Con kicks off, up-and-coming publisher DSTLRY is teasing no fewer than 11 new series launching in 2025.

https://www.ign.com/articles/dstlry-teases-11-star-studded-new-comics-for-2025-nycc-2024

DSTLRY Teases 11 Star-Studded New Comics for 2025 | NYCC 2024 ...

2024-10-17T14:15:11Z

Silent Hill 2 Remake Sells 1 Million Copies in Less Than a Week ...

2024-10-17T13:15:13Z

Silent Hill 2 Remake Sells 1 Million Copies in Less Than a Week

It looks like Konami and developer Bloober Team have successfully revived the Silent Hill franchise after the Silent Hill 2 remake hit an impressive sales milestone.

https://www.ign.com/articles/silent-hill-2-remake-sells-1-million-copies-in-less-than-a-week

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Launch Multiplayer Maps, Modes, and ...

2024-10-17T11:45:10Z

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Launch Multiplayer Maps, Modes, and Operators Confirmed

Activision has finally confirmed the Multiplayer maps, modes, and Operators available at the launch of Call of duty: Black Ops 6.

https://www.ign.com/articles/call-of-duty-black-ops-6-launch-multiplayer-maps-modes-and-operators-confirmed

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s First Major Post-Launch ...

2024-10-17T10:45:12Z

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s First Major Post-Launch Update Out Now, Adds New PvE Map and Lethal Difficulty

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has launched its first major update, adding a new PvP map, Tyranid enemy, and the Lethal difficulty for free to all players across all platforms.

https://www.ign.com/articles/warhammer-40000-space-marine-2s-first-major-post-launch-update-out-now-adds-new-pve-map-and-lethal-difficulty

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s First Major Post-Launch ...

2024-10-17T10:30:12Z

Bohemia Used a Live Concert to Announce Arma 4 Coming in 2027 ...

2024-10-17T09:45:10Z

Bohemia Used a Live Concert to Announce Arma 4 Coming in 2027

Bohemia Interactive chose an unusual venue to announce Arma 4 is coming out in 2027: a concert.

https://www.ign.com/articles/bohemia-used-a-live-concert-to-announce-arma-4-coming-in-2027

The Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 4070 Super Gaming PC Is Down to ...

2024-10-17T02:30:12Z

The Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 4070 Super Gaming PC Is Down to $1499.99

The RTX 4070 Super is the best graphics card for most people.

https://www.ign.com/articles/dell-alienware-aurora-r16-rtx-4070-super-gaming-pc-deal

Former One Direction Star Liam Payne Dies After Fall From Hotel ...

2024-10-16T23:30:13Z

Former One Direction Star Liam Payne Dies After Fall From Hotel Balcony

Musician and former One Direction member Liam Payne has died at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony.

https://www.ign.com/articles/former-one-direction-star-liam-payne-dies-after-fall-from-hotel-balcony

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Teaming Up With JJ Abrams For ...

2024-10-16T22:30:12Z

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Teaming Up With JJ Abrams For What Some Fans Think Is a New Superhero Project

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is teasing a mysterious new project involving JJ Abrams, taking to Instagram to share a photo of himself at dinner with Abrams, X-Men writer Zak Penn, and producer Hiram Garcia.

https://www.ign.com/articles/dwayne-the-rock-johnson-and-jj-abrams-teasing-a-new-project-years-in-the-making

FTC New 'Click to Cancel' Rule Will Make it Easier to ...

2024-10-16T21:15:09Z

FTC New 'Click to Cancel' Rule Will Make it Easier to Cancel Subscription Services

A new rule established by the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) aims to stop companies from misleading consumers into signing up for services, and make it easier for consumers to cancel services they're not interested in anymore.

https://www.ign.com/articles/ftc-new-click-to-cancel-rule-will-make-it-easier-to-cancel-subscription-services

Save 50% Off This Sky Cipher Xbox Controller and Fire TV Stick 4K ...

2024-10-16T20:15:14Z

Save 50% Off This Sky Cipher Xbox Controller and Fire TV Stick 4K Max Bundle

Everything you need to play Game Pass games without an Xbox or PC.

https://www.ign.com/articles/xbox-wireless-controller-deal-for-cloud-gaming-prime-day-2024

The Best TV for PlayStation 5 Pro Is on Sale Today ...

2024-10-16T18:00:16Z

The Best TV for PlayStation 5 Pro Is on Sale Today

The LG C3 OLED is one of the best TVs on the market.

https://www.ign.com/articles/the-best-tv-for-playstation-5-pro-is-on-sale-today

Hunger Games Prequel "Sunrise on the Reaping" Synopsis ...

2024-10-16T16:30:13Z

Hunger Games Prequel "Sunrise on the Reaping" Synopsis and Cover Revealed

A new cover and synopsis have been revealed for the upcoming Hunger Games prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping.

https://www.ign.com/articles/hunger-games-prequel-sunrise-on-the-reaping-synopsis-and-cover-revealed

BioWare Confirms Dragon Age: The Veilguard PS5 Pro Enhancements ...

2024-10-16T15:15:10Z

BioWare Confirms Dragon Age: The Veilguard PS5 Pro Enhancements

Dragon Age: The Veilguard developer BioWare has revealed exactly how the game will benefit from PS5 Pro.

https://www.ign.com/articles/bioware-confirms-dragon-age-the-veilguard-ps5-pro-enhancements

Eagle-Eyed Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Fans Spot Chapter ...

2024-10-16T14:30:13Z

Eagle-Eyed Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Fans Spot Chapter All-but Confirmed to Get Cosmetic Pack After the Dark Angels

Eagle-Eyed Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 fans spot the Chapter all-but confirmed to get a cosmetic pack after the Dark Angels, and even an unannounced new Thousand Sons enemy type.

https://www.ign.com/articles/eagle-eyed-warhammer-40000-space-marine-2-fans-spot-chapter-all-but-confirmed-to-get-cosmetic-pack-after-the-dark-angels

EA Takes Plants vs. Zombies 3 Offline for ‘Major Overhaul’ ...

2024-10-16T12:00:16Z

EA Takes Plants vs. Zombies 3 Offline for ‘Major Overhaul’

EA has pulled Plants vs. Zombies 3 offline for what it called a “major overhaul” as it works to once again improve the game before a worldwide launch.

https://www.ign.com/articles/ea-takes-plants-vs-zombies-3-offline-for-major-overhaul

XDefiant Dev Says ‘We Have Done Very Little Marketing So Yes ...

2024-10-16T10:15:09Z

XDefiant Dev Says ‘We Have Done Very Little Marketing So Yes Our Numbers Are Down,’ Denies Support Could End After Season 4 if Player Count Doesn’t Improve

The executive producer of XDefiant, Ubisoft's Call of Duty rival, has responded to rumors that the game may be ditched after Season 4 if player numbers fail to improve.

https://www.ign.com/articles/xdefiant-dev-says-we-have-done-very-little-marketing-so-yes-our-numbers-are-down-denies-support-could-end-after-season-4-if-player-count-doesnt-improve

The Most Super Prices For Mario Party Jamboree, Space Marine 2, ...

2024-10-16T01:45:10Z

The Most Super Prices For Mario Party Jamboree, Space Marine 2, Persona GOTYs, and More!

The week continues with the finest gaming discounts, price-slices, and bargains available! Get 'em before they go.

https://www.ign.com/articles/the-most-super-prices-for-mario-party-jamboree-space-marine-2-persona-gotys-and-more-au-deals

Walmart Drops the 55" LG C4 OLED to $1097: The Best TV for ...

2024-10-16T00:30:13Z

Walmart Drops the 55" LG C4 OLED to $1097: The Best TV for Your PlayStation 5 Console

The LG C4 OLED is our favorite gaming TV.

https://www.ign.com/articles/55-lg-c4-4k-oled-tv-deal-2

Blitz Review ...

2024-10-15T22:30:12Z

Blitz Review

A scattered, overly saccharine World War II drama

https://www.ign.com/articles/blitz-review-saoirse-ronan-steve-mcqueen-apple-tv

Asmongold's Twitch Channel Banned Following Racist Rant About ...

2024-10-15T20:15:10Z

Asmongold's Twitch Channel Banned Following Racist Rant About Palestinians

Zack Hoyt, the popular streamer best known as Asmongold, has had one of his channels temporarily banned from Twitch after garnering backlash for a racist rant about Palestinians and the conflict in Gaza.

https://www.ign.com/articles/asmongolds-twitch-channel-banned-following-racist-rant-about-palestinians

The Upcoming Disney+ Price Increase Forced Me Into the Hulu and ...

2024-10-15T18:45:10Z

The Upcoming Disney+ Price Increase Forced Me Into the Hulu and Max Bundle

The best deal in streaming.

https://www.ign.com/articles/the-upcoming-disney-price-increase-forced-me-into-the-hulu-and-max-bundle

PlayStation: The Concert World Tour Coming With Music From God of ...

2024-10-15T16:45:11Z

PlayStation: The Concert World Tour Coming With Music From God of War, The Last of Us, and More

Sony has announced PlayStation: The Concert, the world tour of a "state of the art production" with music from games such as God of War, The Last of Us, Horizon, Ghost of Tsushima, and more.

https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-the-concert-world-tour-coming-with-music-from-god-of-war-the-last-of-us-and-more

How to Watch Alien: Romulus – Where to Stream Online ...

2024-10-15T15:30:13Z

How to Watch Alien: Romulus – Where to Stream Online

Wondering how to watch Alien: Romulus? We have all the information on where to stream the sci-fi/horror movie online now.

https://www.ign.com/articles/how-to-watch-alien-romulus

How to Watch Alien: Romulus – Where to Stream Online ...

2024-10-15T15:15:13Z

Don’t Look at the Dragon Age: The Veilguard Trophy / ...

2024-10-15T13:45:09Z

Don’t Look at the Dragon Age: The Veilguard Trophy / Achievement List if You Want to Avoid Spoilers

Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s Trophy / Achievement list is online in full, and contains spoilers you might want to avoid if you’re looking to go into BioWare’s next big game when it comes out later this month.

https://www.ign.com/articles/dont-look-at-the-dragon-age-the-veilguard-trophy-achievement-list-if-you-want-to-avoid-spoilers

PlayStation Plus Game Catalog Additions for October 2024 Now ...

2024-10-15T11:30:13Z

PlayStation Plus Game Catalog Additions for October 2024 Now Available

Sony has now released the full line-up of PlayStation Plus Games Catalog additions for October 2024, meaning subscribers of the Extra and Premium tiers can download the likes of Dead Island 2, Two Point Campus, and more at no additional cost.

https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-plus-game-catalog-additions-for-october-2024-revealed-by-sony

$270 off a Restocked Erdtree Collector's, Hottest Prices for ...

2024-10-15T02:15:10Z

$270 off a Restocked Erdtree Collector's, Hottest Prices for Dragon Ball Sparking, Mad LEGO Deals, and More!

Nothing but the finest gaming deals available in Australia today!

https://www.ign.com/articles/270-off-a-restocked-erdtree-collectors-hottest-prices-for-dragon-ball-sparking-mad-lego-deals-and-more-au-deals

Where to Watch Every Family Guy Halloween Episode in 2024 ...

2024-10-14T22:15:09Z

Where to Watch Every Family Guy Halloween Episode in 2024

The new Family Guy special just dropped on Hulu

https://www.ign.com/articles/where-to-stream-family-guy-halloween-episodes

A Death Note Game Has Been Rated for PS4 and PS5 in Taiwan ...

2024-10-14T21:15:10Z

A Death Note Game Has Been Rated for PS4 and PS5 in Taiwan

An unannounced Death Note game has been rated for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in Taiwan, with Bandai Namco listed as the publisher.

https://www.ign.com/articles/a-death-note-game-has-been-rated-for-ps4-and-ps5-in-taiwan

Xbox Partner Preview Announced for This Week, Featuring Alan Wake ...

2024-10-14T19:15:10Z

Xbox Partner Preview Announced for This Week, Featuring Alan Wake 2 Expansion and More

Microsoft has announced its latest Xbox Partner Preview for this Thursday, featuring looks at Alan Wake II expansion The Lake House, Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, and more.

https://www.ign.com/articles/xbox-partner-preview-announced-for-this-week-featuring-alan-wake-2-expansion-and-more

Destiny: Rising Is a Free-to-Play Mobile Spin-Off From the ...

2024-10-14T17:30:12Z

Destiny: Rising Is a Free-to-Play Mobile Spin-Off From the Developer of Diablo Immortal, Bungie 'Providing Oversight and Approvals'

NetEase Games has announced its long-rumored Destiny mobile game, Destiny: Rising. Bungie is “providing oversight and approvals of the game's development.”

https://www.ign.com/articles/destiny-rising-is-a-free-to-play-mobile-spin-off-from-the-developer-of-diablo-immortal-bungie-providing-oversight-and-approvals

Destiny: Rising Is a Free-to-Play Mobile Spin-Off From the ...

2024-10-14T17:15:10Z

UK Retailer "Unable to Fulfill" Every PS5 30th ...

2024-10-14T15:15:10Z

UK Retailer "Unable to Fulfill" Every PS5 30th Anniversary Preorder, Cancellation Email Informs Disappointed Buyers

https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2024/10/14/dsc07285-1726876782042-1728915156454.jfif

UK retailer Argos has begun to cancel PS5 30th Anniversary preorders, stating it is "unable to fulfill" every order.

https://www.ign.com/articles/argos-cancels-ps5-30th-anniversary-preorders-uk

I, Robot Director Accuses Elon Musk of Stealing His Designs for ...

2024-10-14T13:45:11Z

I, Robot Director Accuses Elon Musk of Stealing His Designs for Tesla Products

The director of the Will Smith-starring 2004 film I, Robot has accused Elon Musk of stealing his film's ideas for Tesla designs.

https://www.ign.com/articles/i-robot-director-accuses-elon-musk-of-stealing-his-designs-for-tesla-products

James Gunn Assures Every Announced DCU Project Is Still Coming ...

2024-10-14T12:45:10Z

James Gunn Assures Every Announced DCU Project Is Still Coming Despite Lack of Updates

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has assured fans that the wealth of announced projects in the DCU's Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters are still in development despite a lack of updates on most.

https://www.ign.com/articles/james-gunn-assures-every-announced-dcu-project-is-still-coming-despite-lack-of-updates

The Penguin: Episode 4 Review - “Cent’anni” ...

2024-10-14T11:00:19Z

The Penguin: Episode 4 Review - “Cent’anni”

The following review contains spoilers for the fourth episode of The Penguin, “Cent’anni.”

As gritty and grounded as 2022’s The Batman was, “grounded” is a relative term. Yes, there aren’t any super-powered people (and there won’t be, according to writer/director Matt Reeves) and Robert Patinson’s Batmobile is just a souped-up muscle car without rocket engines or James Bond-like gadgets, but that world is still full of wacky, heightened characters that don’t quite feel like real people.In The Penguin, though, the most fantastical element – Bruce Wayne himself – has been removed from the equation, allowing for a story that’s even more realistic… up until this week’s episode, “Cent’anni.” A flashback trip to Arkham finally lets loose the comic-book craziness in an episode that brings the series to an abrupt halt for a focussed, chilling look at Sofia Falcone’s last 10 years, but it’s one that takes both feet off the ground and leans into the inherent weirdness of a world where Batman exists.

Her stay in Arkham State Hospital (Asylum would be too outlandish) is a tragic tale of betrayal by the ones she trusted most. The episode drives home just how cruel the Falcone family was to her, which sets up a satisfying final sequence really well. But it also drives home just how cartoonishly exaggerated some of the characters in this show can be. Not only in Sofia, who we obviously see a lot more of in “Cent’anni,” but characters like Doctor Ventress (in name alone, even), Dr. Rush, and Magpie, as well as the unnamed prisoner who takes her own life. It’s truly a nightmare, what happens in Arkham, and it’ll definitely give you cause to rethink whether Batman’s doing the right thing by sending addled criminal minds there. Some might say that this is where the series jumps the shark, moving away from the pure mob movie vibe it’s had so far, but I don’t think that’s what The Penguin was ever really going for. It may be more grounded than other recent adaptations, but just like the movie it’s spun off from, it’s found its own balance of the two.

My complaint is more that “Cent’anni” doesn’t always feel like it’s placed properly in the overall story the series is telling. It has to be super tough to pace out a show, especially in today’s age of eight to 10-episode seasons and limited series (both of which The Penguin is an example of). Any amount of introductions to new characters you have to do, and any flashbacks that feel necessary, have to be positioned strategically so as to not mess with the balance of the series.
Some might say that this is where the series jumps the shark.
Last week, Victor got his time to shine in an episode that deftly wove in and out of flashbacks to show us his past while relating his life before The Riddler’s attack to what’s happening in his present. “Cent’anni,” by contrast, goes for a more Inception-like structure, where an unconscious Sofia goes on a magical mystery tour through her past – but then, within that flashback, we get another time jump to the day her mother died. On the surface it sounds like a lot to manage, and it kind of is, but every step backwards in time feels necessary to tell Sofia’s full story and is smoothly executed, as is getting back to the present.

What We Said About The Penguin Episode 3 - "Bliss"

Laser-focussed on digging into the minds of Victor, Sofia, and Oz, “Bliss” saves the excitement for next time, and is better for it. A well-scripted and well-paced episode, it delivers a long-awaited backstory for Vic that was always going to be devastating, but uses the details to hit even harder. That, alongside the disappointing-yet-inevitable decision he makes towards the end, makes this a great origin story for the show’s most interesting character. – Tyler Robertson, October 6, 2024
Score: 8
Read the full The Penguin Episode 3 review

As clean as it’s able to make those transitions, it’s still jarring to have two flashback episodes in a row at a time when the third episode left so much going on in the present-day, where Victor and Oz sped off and left Sophia to die. Where that was able to move Oz’s power grab forward while laying down groundwork for Victor’s character arc, this time the sole focus on Sofia makes it work as a standalone piece but it fails to do the same service to what’s happening in the now, save for the climactic sequence at the end.

I do like that as the pieces come together in The Penguin, previous conversations start to make more sense. In the moment of the second episode where Oz tells Sofia that he owes her, we’re completely unaware of what he might be referencing. Now, knowing how everything went down 10 years ago, those conversations are recontextualized in a really satisfying way. It’s an attention to detail in the writing that fleshes out the characters and makes the passage of time feel real, which is often a sticking point for me in movies and shows that span decades. If there’s a big time skip but the characters are seemingly unchanged and it feels like nothing happened in the years between, then why even have a jump? But The Penguin has rooted itself in this one specific time jump, and that helps keep things stable, especially as we get to see some of what happened during those years (or at least the start of it) in “Cent’anni.”

https://www.ign.com/articles/the-penguin-episode-4-review-centanni

The Penguin: Episode 4 Review - “Cent’anni” ...

2024-10-14T10:30:13Z

The Penguin: Episode 4 Review - “Cent’anni” ...

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The Penguin: Episode 4 Review - “Cent’anni” ...

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The Penguin: Episode 4 Review - “Cent’anni” ...

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The Penguin: Episode 4 Review - “Cent’anni” ...

2024-10-14T04:00:16Z

Score a Free Doom Eternal, Ghostbusters, and BioShock, plus the ...

2024-10-14T02:00:15Z

Score a Free Doom Eternal, Ghostbusters, and BioShock, plus the Best Deals of the Week!

Let's start this week right--with a bunch of free games in the (rough) spirit of Halloween.

https://www.ign.com/articles/score-a-free-doom-eternal-ghostbusters-and-bioshock-plus-the-best-deals-of-the-week-au-deals

One Piece Anime to Take a Six-Month Hiatus, Remastered Fish-Man ...

2024-10-13T21:15:09Z

One Piece Anime to Take a Six-Month Hiatus, Remastered Fish-Man Island Saga to Take Its Place

Toei Animation has announced that the One Piece anime will be taking a six-month hiatus starting today, October 13, and that it will return with new episodes from the Egghead arc in April 2025. In its place, fans will be able to look forward to a remastered version of One Piece's Fish-Man Island Saga and a special 25th anniversary episode.

https://www.ign.com/articles/one-piece-anime-to-take-a-six-month-hiatus-remastered-fish-man-island-saga-to-take-its-place

One Piece Anime to Take a Six-Month Hiatus, Remastered Fish-Man ...

2024-10-13T20:45:09Z

Sony Warned 2024 Would Be Light But PS5 Still Has The Best Games ...

2024-10-13T19:30:12Z

Sony Warned 2024 Would Be Light But PS5 Still Has The Best Games

This is the latest guest column from Push Square, the voice of the PlayStation community, offering passionate, in-depth coverage and insight into the world of Sony. Its goal is simple: to keep you informed, engaged, and part of the conversation surrounding all things PlayStation.

Sony sparked discontent among the PlayStation fandom in February this year when it said during an earnings call there’ll be no sequels or updates to “major existing franchise titles” on the PS5 before March 2025. With the platform holder keeping its content roadmaps close to its chest, the comments were largely taken out of context and many assumed this would be a lean year for the company’s new-gen console.

While it’s true this has been a fairly quiet year for PS Studios, it’s been anything but light on the games front. At the time of writing, my three Game of the Year frontrunners are Astro Bot, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and Metaphor: ReFantazio and the PS5 is the only platform where you can play all three. Other possible contenders for awards include Silent Hill 2, Helldivers 2, and Black Myth: Wukong – all console exclusives.

There seems to be a sentiment on social media that a game doesn’t count unless it comes from a wholly owned first-party studio, but PlayStation has done a particularly good job of working with partners to keep its portfolio packed this year.

Stellar Blade is a great example. It collaborated with Korean developer Shift Up to help bring the NIKKE: Goddess of Victory creator’s console debut to market and in my opinion is another game in contention for an end of year gong. Rise of the Ronin, a similar partnership with legendary studio Team Ninja, may have received a cooler critical reception but it’s currently ranked 17th in IGN’s ongoing Game of the Year user poll, proving it was a hit with fans.

The nauseating number of remakes and remasters may not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s easy to forget The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered launched this year and tagged a 90 critical average on aggregators Metacritic and Open Critic. And while many rolled their eyes at the rumours around Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, a $10 upgrade fee and re-recorded dialogue and motion capture mean it’ll almost certainly attract positive reviews as well.
Not everything PlayStation has touched has turned to gold. Its complete misreading of the market with first-person shooter Concord will go down in history
Of course, not everything PlayStation has touched this year has turned to gold. Its complete misreading of the market with first-person shooter Concord – a competent albeit uninspiring affair – will go down in history after getting axed after two weeks. And yet for all the talk of its live service initiative stumbling, it launched the fastest-selling game in PS Studios history with Helldivers 2, an online co-op smash that, despite benefitting from a simultaneous PC launch, has outpaced juggernauts like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and God of War Ragnarok.

It’s been a quietly colossal year for PS5 then, and you get the sense the best is yet to come. The company’s largely kept its blockbusters close to its chest but 2025 should see the release of Ghost of Yotei and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, with Marvel’s Wolverine waiting in the wings. These are the “major existing franchise titles” the Japanese giant was referring to in that aforementioned investor call.

Many may still argue this has been a light year for PS5 but the catalogue of content Sony has amassed paints a very different picture. The most exciting thing is that it’s successfully filled the time while its first-party teams continue to cook. A huge second-half to the generation now awaits.

Sammy Barker is the Editor of Push Square. He’s been living and breathing the wonderful world of PlayStation for decades now – and has the tattoos to prove it. You can find him on @_get2sammyb.

https://www.ign.com/articles/sony-warned-2024-would-be-light-but-ps5-still-has-the-best-games

Sony Warned 2024 Would Be Light But PS5 Still Has The Best Games ...

2024-10-13T19:00:15Z

Sony Warned 2024 Would Be Light But PS5 Still Has The Best Games ...

2024-10-13T17:00:15Z

Sony Warned 2024 Would Be Light But PS5 Still Has The Best Games ...

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Sony Warned 2024 Would Be Light But PS5 Still Has The Best Games ...

2024-10-13T15:15:11Z

Sony Warned 2024 Would Be Light But PS5 Still Has The Best Games ...

2024-10-13T15:00:15Z

Sony Warned 2024 Would Be Light But PS5 Still Has The Best Games ...

2024-10-13T14:45:10Z

Pokémon Developer Game Freak Reportedly Hacked, Stolen Data on ...

2024-10-13T11:30:12Z

Pokémon Developer Game Freak Reportedly Hacked, Stolen Data on Unannounced Games as Well as Nintendo Switch 2 Codename Leaked Online

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https://www.ign.com/articles/pokmon-developer-game-freak-reportedly-hacked-stolen-data-on-unannounced-games-as-well-as-nintendo-switch-2-codename-leaked-online

Forgotten Gems: Shadow Complex ...

2024-10-13T08:15:10Z

Forgotten Gems: Shadow Complex

Forgotten Gems is a regular column about notable games that have moved out of the public eye and may not be easily accessible anymore. To see all the other games I've covered so far, check out the previous issues of Forgotten Gems in our Columns section.

Metroid-like games and their roguelike off-shoots are everywhere today. Not a week goes by without an indie game announcement promising “metroidvania” gameplay elements – and even Nintendo returned to making new Metroid titles after a near six year hiatus following Metroid: Other M in 2010. And that’s me being generous and counting Metroid Prime: Federation Force as a Metroid game…

But it wasn’t always so. After a Metroid renaissance in the early 2000s with Fusion, Prime, and Zero Mission (what a run!) exploring the series in both 2D and 3D, there was a clear shift away from these classic side-view explorative shooters. Konami stuck it out longer with the “vania” part of the equation and cranked out several quality 2D Castlevanias. But despite the critical success of many of these games, I think it’s fair to say that the genre was diminishing.

So it was with much excitement that I read on IGN back then that designer Donald Mustard and the ChAIR Entertainment team were planning to make a game based on Orson Scott Card’s dystopian novel, Empire. The two had previously collaborated on the underrated Advent Rising, and early coverage on IGN in 2006 – including whispers that it was going to be a bit of a love letter to Metroid – sounded promising.
When Metroidvanias Roamed the Earth
“The 2D Metroid and Zelda games were some of my favorite games of all time and to me represented the pinnacle of 2D game design, specifically when it comes to making a non-linear ‘onion layer’ world where exploration and discovery is the core design pillar,” Donald Mustard, former CCO, Epic Games and Co-Founder of ChAIR told me last week.
"…mostly, we had some awesome and innovative ideas and I just wanted to make it and play it." - Donald Mustard

“Our team felt like the genre had been largely abandoned for over a decade, since the advent of 3D gaming, and we really missed playing them. We thought maybe other people missed them as well, or that even a whole new generation of gamers could discover them. I know it’s weird to consider now, but it was also a time when non-physical – aka digital – distribution was ‘just’ becoming viable and games were no longer limited to being put in a box on a store shelf at a cost of $60 or more. It felt like the possibility of what a game ‘had’ to be was ripe for disruption, and it was the perfect moment to try and do something unique. But mostly, we had some awesome and innovative ideas and I just wanted to make it and play it.”

Selecting a genre other than first-person shooter or RPG already meant swimming against the current, but releasing Shadow Complex as a digital exclusive in 2009 made it an even bigger wager. At the time, console gamers vocally defended their preference to buy physical media over digital downloads.

Living in a Material World
Selling a game like Shadow Complex as a digital exclusive was a big deal back then. While Steam, Google Play, Apple App Store, and console digital stores game sales now dwarf the amount of physical games sold in the US, Statista estimates that in 2009, 80-90% of all game purchases were physical.

I’ve pulled this slide from our 2012 Gamer Segmentation Study (from the dusty corners of my hard drive) for another look at console gamers’ buying habits back in the Xbox 360/PS3 era. Even in 2012, the majority of console gamers didn't just prefer to buy physical games, they relied on retail purchases for most of them, too.

While it cut down on the publisher’s gamble with a non-franchise, niche game potentially gathering dust on store shelves, a digital-only release also risked alienating its potential core fanbase. Luckily, Shadow Complex made a great first showing. The polygonal, 2.5D presentation avoided the game looking like a relic of a bygone era. For ChAIR, going with polygons over sprites was all part of wanting to push the classic 2D Metroidvania formula as far as they could – and that included advanced lighting and effects.

Shadow Complex is at its core a side-scrolling action-adventure that’s heavy on exploration and platforming, but there are moments where it swings the camera around for third-person action sequences and lets players fire into the background. In a bit of serendipity, perhaps, that approach found its way into the very series that inspired Shadow Complex. The Team Ninja-developed Metroid: Other M similarly mixed 2D sequences with third-person perspective interaction – to its detriment, I’d argue in that case, as it was also tied to a clumsy control scheme.
Colonel Mustard, in the Lab, With the Foam Gun
One my favorite things about every new Zelda, Mario, or Metroid game is to discover what new powers the designers came up with. Being able to unlock, say, a magical vacuum cleaner, and then figuring out how to use it to solve puzzles is the sort of hook that has me coming back for more time and time again. I just 100-percented Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom this week – and while it didn’t quite live up to the peak combat and dungeon design of the best Zelda games past, it takes and runs with the "multi-use tool" concept in impressive ways. Whether it’s grabbing a water-based enemy to put out flames or building stairways out of beds, getting creative with objects that unlock exploration is half the fun in action-adventure games. Which brings me back to one example of why Shadow Complex stuck with me for so long: the Foam Gun.

Turns out, Mustard is also on Team Foam Gun: “I love the Foam Gun too! One of the things that most Metroid games have is a freeze mechanic you can use to freeze enemies in place. You can then use the frozen enemy as a platform to land on or jump off. We loved that mechanic and wanted to extend on the idea – what if you could use a ‘quick hardening Foam’ to ‘freeze’ an enemy or an object but then could stack Foam to build structures or walls or platforms, and then go further and add combinatorial effects like ‘what happens if I shoot foam onto something and then throw a grenade into it?’ We wanted to allow for more emergent and unexpected forms of gameplay. The more we prototyped and played with it, the more exciting it became, and the more we leaned into it as a core mechanic. That kind of philosophy and design heavily influences everything I’ve made since then.”

The Foam Gun wasn’t just fun to use. It also became an integral way to sequence-break Shadow Complex. At a runtime between five and 13 hours, according to HowLongtoBeat, the ability to create yourself your own platforms provided those who knew where to look a way to blaze through the game even faster. There is a moment in Metroid Fusion where the game sort of breaks the fourth wall to acknowledge when a player creatively “breaks” the game and gets to an area in record time. It’s a fascinating bit of meta commentary because it reminds players that for as smart and crafty as they think they are, the designers were actually one step ahead after all. They didn’t just figure out the same trick, they may have designed it in the first place.

“I love emergent gameplay, and rewarding players for trying to push the edges of what the game world or a game system can be. As we discovered crazy sequence-breaking opportunities, we decided to lean into them as opposed to ‘fixing them’ as much as possible,” Mustard told me when asked about the Foam Gun shortcuts. “We were very lucky to have Ken Lobb at Microsoft Games give us some incredible advice. It was great working with him. He was part of Nintendo when the original Metroid games were being made and shared some techniques they used to deliberately allow people to find ways to sequence break very very early into the game. It’s a design lesson I’ll never forget. Cough. Fortnite Rocket Riding. Cough. Cough.”

When Shadow Complex released in August of 2009, the reception was unanimously favorable. Not only did players love the game, it brought back fond memories of an increasingly underserved genre.

Naturally, ChAIR started work on a sequel. Mustard: “Finishing the game almost felt like ‘okay now we actually know how to make a game like this’ so now we can be much more ambitious with the next one. Our goal can be to really move the genre forward!”
Mobile Blade Killed the Console Star
While not much is known about the actual project, designers at ChAIR and its parent company, Epic Games, acknowledge that they were working on a Shadow Complex sequel. As late as September 2011, Cliff Bleszinski (then Epic Games design director) commented that Shadow Complex 2 was “largely designed” and that Epic needed to find a partner to help finish the game and publish it. But sometimes, better – or perhaps, bigger – is the enemy of the good – and a pioneering mobile game hit led ChAIR into a new direction.

“We immediately began working on a sequel. Like with Shadow Complex, we designed the entire game map on paper first, then quickly stood it up in a very rough but completely playable form. We got pretty far into preproduction, and in my opinion, it probably would have been the best game I’ve ever made,” Mustard shared. “But… in late July of 2010 we had a very unique opportunity to partner with Apple to make the very first game ever using Unreal Engine on mobile devices. We decided to pause development on SC2 to investigate that opportunity and 4 1/2 months later released Infinity Blade on iOS.”
"Shadow Complex 2 probably would have been the best game I’ve ever made" - Donald Mustard

Infinity Blade blew up – in part because it showed core gamers that mobile games could be for them – and was quickly followed by a sequel. The two games grossed over $30 million at a time when established publishers and developers alike were still trying to figure out a “there” for them on Apple’s expanding mobile gaming marketplace. Infinity Blade III was unveiled in late 2013 and launched at the same time, complete with an Imagine Dragons song tie-in. It rocketed to #1 in the App Store within hours. But there was an even bigger distraction on the horizon that made a return to the world of Shadow Complex very unlikely.

Mustard says that creating Shadow Complex was one of the great joys of his life. The team’s goal was to see if they could make something that would live up to the games that inspired it – and then expand upon them and help bring something new to the genre.

“The right timing to return to Shadow Complex just never presented itself as we soon became very busy with what became Fortnite,” said Mustard.
I've Seen the Future and it Will Be
As for the future, Mustard left Epic in 2023 to join the Russo Brothers, the directors of Winter Soldier, Civil War, and Avengers Infinity War and Endgame, at multimedia studio AGBO. “I am very satisfied with the work I’ve done in games over the past 20+ years and for now I feel like I have done everything I wanted to do -- with one possible exception,” he told me.

The good news for fans of metroidvanias – including Mustard who calls out this year’s Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and Animal Well as new favorites (I agree!) – is that the genre is now clearly here to stay. Gone are the days of having to pick between the two flavors “sci-fi” and “gothic” bounty hunter or having to wonder if Metroid: Dread would ever see the light of day. We now have granddaddy Castlevania crossing back into the very roguelike spin-off it inspired in the first place, Dead Cells. We have forgotten Atari 2600 shooter Yars’ Revenge serving as the inspiration for a 2D metroidvania reboot in Yars Rising. And we even have the absolutely delightful shmuptroidvania Minishoot’ Adventures that basically crosses The Legend of Zelda with Galaga. If you want to play a metroidvania, you no longer have to dig in the past. I know, ironic – because that’s what this very column is about.

But I’m greedy, so I asked Donald Mustard if he would come back to work on a game like Shadow Complex – or if he was ready to deputize someone else out there who could carry on the legacy and continue the series.

“The opportunity to become a partner at AGBO with Joe and Anthony Russo and the absolutely incredible team that has assembled there is a dream come true for me. We are creating some truly incredible stories that will allow us to push storytelling further across different mediums. I can’t wait for people to experience some of these things,” he said.
“But that ‘possible exception’ I mentioned? If I was to ever direct another video game someday, it would absolutely be a game like Shadow Complex.”
"If I was to ever direct another video game someday, it would absolutely be a game like Shadow Complex.” - Donald Mustard
Where Can You Play it Now
Shadow Complex wasn’t entirely forgotten after ChAIR turned to Infinity Blade. The developer brought back a Remaster of Shadow Complex for an encore outing in 2015 for PC, with a console release on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One the following year.

If there is a silver lining in the story of a potential game series cut short, it’s that Shadow Complex is easy to track down – and it still holds up well in both editions. The Remaster is available for $15 on the Epic Games Store and Steam and the PlayStation and Xbox Stores. Annoyingly, the original Xbox 360 game sells for the same price. If you want to splurge, there’s even a small physical release of 7,500 PS4 copies of the Remastered version, courtesy of Limited Run, which unfortunuately now commands upwards of $100 on eBay. The remaster is definitely the version to play – and I highly recommend going back to it if you’re a fan of metroidvanias in general.

Peer Schneider heads up Game Help & Tools across IGN, Map Genie, Eurogamer, RockPaperShotgun, and VG247 and would love to fill a pool with metroidvanias and go swimming in it.

https://www.ign.com/articles/forgotten-gems-shadow-complex

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