Monthly Archives: June 2015
Matt Damon on Why The Martian is a Love Letter to Science
In December of last year, IGN hopped on a plane to Budapest, not to enjoy the beauty and splendour of Bulgaria’s capital at Christmas, but to spend a little time on Mars. Because inside the largest soundstage on the planet, director Ridley Scott and actor Matt Damon were collaborating on The Martian, a sci-fi epic that combines elements of Gravity and Castaway, but has its own gripping survival story to tell.
The film is based on the novel of the same name which Andy Weir self-published in 2011, and which went onto become something of a literary sensation. It tells the story of Mark Watney, a botanist left stranded on Mars and fighting for his life when a storm hits and his crew evacuate the planet thinking him dead.
The 100: Panelists Revealed for Comic-Con
When WBTV announced their huge list of 18 TV shows coming to San Diego Comic-Con, fans of The 100 were wondering which actors would be present, as none were initially specified.
IGN can now tell you who will make up The 100 SDCC panel on July 10th, as the show returns for the third time to the huge convention. Joining the previously announced Jason Rothenberg (Executive Producer) will be several of the show’s cast members: Eliza Taylor (“Clarke Griffin”), Bob Morley (“Bellamy Blake”), Marie Avgeropoulos (“Octavia Blake”), Lindsey Morgan (“Raven Reyes”), Ricky Whittle (“Lincoln”) and Isaiah Washington (“Thelonious Jaha”).
Nintendo Considered Monolith Soft to Develop Star Fox Zero
During an interview with IGN, Star Fox Zero Producer Shigeru Miyamoto told us Nintendo was considering Xenoblade Chronicles developer Monolith Soft to develop the new Star Fox.
“We didn’t really look around at that many different places,” Miyamoto explained. “Our first instinct was to try and find an appropriate team within Nintendo. One place we kind of considered was Monolith Soft.”
Thirteen minutes of Star Fox Zero gameplay.
The Nintendo owned studio is known for role-playing video games Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean and Baten Kaitos Origins, and the Xeno series.
Courtney Love Almost Played Harley Quinn
It might be hard to believe now, but Batman Forever was a monster-sized hit back in 1995. With Joel Schumacher’s success as director, and Batman & Robin already slated for 1997, it seemed the helmer would return for a third turn at the franchise -- titled Batman Unchained -- that almost cast Courtney Love as Harley Quinn.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, I Am Legend screenwriter Mark Protosevich was hired by Warner Bros. to write a third Shumacher Batman movie that had Scarecrow and Harley Quinn as the main antagonists, along with cameos from previous Batman movie villains, played by the films’ original actors.
This Week’s Xbox Live Deals With Gold Include…
Microsoft has revealed this week's Deals With Gold, which feature titles fans of racing games and first-person shooters will no doubt enjoy.
From now until June 22, those on Xbox One can buy Battlefield 4 for 50 percent off. The Premium Edition is also half off on either Xbox 360 or Xbox One. Battlefield Hardline is on sale as well, with the Standard and Deluxe Editions 40 percent off, while the big bad Ultimate Edition is 20 percent cheaper.
Meanwhile, the GOTY edition of Forza Motorsport 5 has received a 40 discount, while Forza Horizon 2 is now 50 percent off on Xbox One and 40 percent off on Xbox 360. Additionally, its Storm Island expansion is half off, too.
Fans of Telltale Games will be pleased to know they can play the first episode in the studio's Game of Thrones series completely free of charge on either Xbox 360 or Xbox One as well. For the full list of deals, check out Major Nelson's blog.
Star Fox Zero May Get Co-op, More Control Options
During an interview with IGN, Star Fox Zero Producer Shigeru Miyamoto told us Nintendo was considering a co-op mode and alternative ways to play the new Star Fox.
During a separate Q&A, Miyamoto said Star Fox Zero would not have an online multiplayer mode. We asked him if Nintendo would consider one-versus-one local ship battles instead. “It’s difficult to have two people playing when you need two screens to play for one person, so it’s definitely something that we’re thinking about," Miyamoto explained.
“We basically created this game as one you need the GamePad to play, but there is a secret," he hinted. "There is another option."
Fumito Ueda Formed a New Studio With Ico/Shadow Devs
The Last Guardian lead Fumito Ueda says he set up a new studio named genDESIGN last summer.
Speaking via Twitter, Ueda says the team is made up of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus developers. The goal? To push the boundaries of what a game can be.
“Last summer, I started a small studio with some of my old collaborators to challenge myself and try something new,” says Ueda. “Since last summer, I've been working from a smaller studio I formed with the original staff who helped make Ico and Shadow of the Colossus.
“Together we hope to challenge our personal creative limits and the possibilities of what games can be, both with The Last Guardian and beyond.”
Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival Bundle Spotted
Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival is getting its own bundle pack.
Details are scarce at the minute but according to the Amazon listing, the bundle includes a copy of the game, two amiibo figures and three amiibo cards – each of which unlock their own party game.
Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival was announced yesterday during Nintendo’s big E3 Digital Event. The game itself bears a vague resemblance to the Mario Party series in that players move around a digital board completing tasks. The big difference between the two being the introduction of amiibo cards, which work exactly like how they sound.
Kerbal Space Program Blasting Onto PS4
Space flight simulator Kerbal Space Program will be coming to PlayStation 4.
It recently had a full release on PC after time in Early Access on Steam, and will now be coming to Sony's console, according to a Tweet from the Kerbal Space Program Twitter account.
There is now an FAQ on the Kerbal Space Program forums detailing what this means for existing and future users. "The PS4 controller has systems that make building and flying rockets just as easy and intuitive as the PC version," it says. Flying Tiger Entertainment will be helping bring Kerbal Space Program to PS4.
Lego Dimensions Builds a Portal Game for Preschoolers
Portal test subject Chell, Gandalf the Grey and Batman walk into the Aperture Science labs accompanied by Doc Brown’s DeLorean... But that’s not the setup for poorly written gag - it’s the beginning of my E3 hands-on with the Portal 2 playset for Lego Dimensions.
While the science facility setting from Valve’s famous first-person puzzle series has appropriately been rebuilt brick by virtual Lego brick, all of the Portal hallmarks remain - from the constant sarcastic sass spouted by the chatty GLaDOS to the depressed tones of the eternally bummed out robot turrets. Even the ‘cake is a lie’ graffiti makes an appearance on the concrete wall behind the lab’s facade, although in typically cheeky Lego series fashion someone has scrawled ‘the cake is in the kitchen on floor 2’ below it.