Monthly Archives: December 2018
The Year’s Biggest Gaming Disappointments
Even the greatest years for games are not without their disappointments. While 2018 delivered masterpiece after masterpiece and saw the continued growth of games that will go down in history as some of the most popular of all time, there were also some moments that made us wonder what the heck went wrong.
Below are some of our biggest gaming-related disappointments of 2018.
Metal Gear Survive Was a Predictable Mess
Though nobody expected Metal Gear Survive to be good after Kojima and Konami parted ways, its thunderous averageness and lack of awareness of what made the series so great in the first place was still, somehow, a disappointment. 11 months later, it’s still hard to fathom how far the series has fallen since its Kojima-lead heydey (with 2004’s Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater arguably being the peak); if the future of the series is mediocre games and pachinko machines, we’d rather Konami let it rest in peace.
Daily Deals: £50 off MekaMon Gaming Robot, 20% off Everything at Leesa Sleep UK Store
If you buy something through this post, IGN may get a share of the sale. For more, read our Terms of Use.
Like me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter for the latest deals.
Looking to get a TV for your gaming? Find the best 4K TVs for Gaming here.
NASA’s InSight Spacecraft Took a Selfie
NASA's InSight spacecraft has taken its first selfie on the planet of Mars. The lander used its robotic arm to take 11 images that are combined together to make up the photo.
According to NASA, the same imaging process is used on the Curiosity rover mission. The photo shows InSight's solar panel, science instruments and its entire deck.
Image courtesy of NASA.
Along with the selfie, a first look at InSight's "workspace" has been shown to Mission team members, which is comprised of a 17 x 7 foot space of terrain in front of the lander that was captured in 52 individual photos.
There’s an Unexpected Marvel Cameo in Christian Bale’s New Movie
Some spoilers ahead for Vice.
Even before he did some script writing on Ant-Man, writer-director Adam McKay (Anchorman, Step Brothers) was fond of making Marvel Comics references in his movies ("Great Odin's raven!"), but his new movie Vice actually features a brief appearance by a classic Marvel character.
There's an extended shot of the planet-consuming Fantastic Four villain Galactus in one sequence, narrated by Jesse Plemons' character, recounting some of the political machinations of Vice President Dick Cheney (Christian Bale) and the Bush administration.
Galactus' appearance is momentary but notable for seeing a Marvel Comics character in a non-Marvel movie. (Vice is distributed by Annapurna Pictures.)
How Phantasm Made Batman the Most Important Character in His Own Story Again
Twenty five years later, and there's still a big reason why Batman: Mask of the Phantasm not only stands tall as the best Batman animated movie, but as one of the greatest Batman movies period.
Before Christopher Nolan treated us to a fantastic film all about Bruce Wayne's early tragic life, subsequent inner turmoil, and ultimate decision to become a gadget-laden vigilante dressed like a bat, Mask of the Phantasm, a springboard from Batman: The Animated Series that received a theatrical release, made its mark as the Bruce Wayne-centric story we both needed and deserved.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this Christmas, Mask of the Phantasm isn't just a stellar standout because of its dynamic action, genius work from Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, and Shirley Walker's soaring score, but because it was the first big screen Batman story to focus on Bruce and his conflicted feelings about self-sacrifice.
Get the Latest Gaming Mice and Keyboards by Logitech
KFC’s New Yule Log Smells Like Fried Chicken
Kentucky Fried Chicken announced the fried chicken-scented 11 Herbs & Spices Firelog just in time for the holidays.
The log, which can be found on KFCfirelogs.com, is produced by Enviro-Log and is made of 100% recycled materials (just hopefully not chicken gizzards). With no shelf life, it can be burned for up to 3 hours, though KFC warns that it “may attract bears or neighbors who are hungry.” KFC also insists that, no matter how great the log smells, you cannot eat it.
Introducing the 11 Herbs & Spices Firelog from Enviro-Log®, the best way to make a fire smell less like fire and more like fried chicken. Get yours today at https://t.co/u2baCmHQYF. pic.twitter.com/y4TRf4cqQs
The Best TV Shows You (Probably) Didn’t Watch in 2018
With over 500 TV shows currently on the air, it's easier than ever to miss the true gems. It's impossible to keep up with all the shows we know about and want to watch, much less the ones out there we may have never heard of. So with everyone's hectic lives and busy schedules in mind, we've comprised a humble year-end list for some of the best TV shows of 2018 that might have flown under your radar.
A few of these series are, yes, more notable than others, and on popular premium networks, but - again - with the glut of programming out they might need another call out to wind up on your must-watch list. The rest of the shows are honest to goodness sleepers and it's more than understandable why they've gone relatively unnoticed.
Nintendo Switch Setup Guide, Helpful How Tos, Troubleshooting Tips, and More
If you're just setting up a new Nintendo Switch or trying to transfer your data over to a new one, these helpful Nintendo Switch guides should make that process much easier. In this article, you'll find quick links to popular Switch setup guides (as determined by traffic, user questions, and popular searches) and troubleshooting wiki pages.
IGN's Nintendo Switch guide has plenty of great hardware information, but if you're looking for more guides on Nintendo Switch games, be sure to check out these popular game wikis:
Jordan Peel’s Debuts a New Movie Monster in the First Us Trailer
Jordan Peele, after spending years making a name for himself in comedy, wrote and directed Get Out, a horror movie that wound up breaking the box office and earning Peele the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. It was such an intelligent, subversive and frightening motion picture that his follow-up film, the mysterious thriller “Us,” is one of the most anticipated movies of 2019, and has been since the day the production was announced.
In a special preview on the Universal Lot, Jordan Peele introduced the first trailer for Us, which debuted Christmas Day. Peele described the film as “a labor of love” and clarified, for anyone who was still unsure, that Us is definitely a horror film. Watch the trailer below: