Monthly Archives: January 2019
The Next Great Dark Fantasy Saga Is Called Monstress
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Over the last decade, pop culture has been in the throes of an epic fantasy renaissance. From prestige television like Game of Thrones to all-ages cartoons like She-Ra and The Princesses of Power to the explosive resurgence of tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons care of podcasts and livestreams, audiences everywhere are hungry for swords and sorcery -- and even the traditionally cape and cowl dominated world of comic books is taking note of the trend in its own, totally unique way. Writer Marjorie Liu and artist Sana Takeda's award-winning ongoing series Monstress from Image Comics (See it on Amazon) has presented western comics with their very own fantasy epic by weaving the threads of classic superhero tropes, action manga style, and expansive world-building into a brand new cloth.
Vikings Season 6 Will Be Its Last on History
Season 6 of Vikings will be the show's last on The History Channel, but the property might not be finished just yet.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, while the final season of Vikings will air on The History Channel during 2019 and 2020, having already wrapped production, MGM Television and History are discussing the future of the Vikings world with series creator, Michael Hirst.
If the discussions are fruitful, fans of the series might be in store for a spin-off show co-created by Hirst and Jeb Stuart, who wrote the screenplays for both Die Hard and The Fugitive. The new series would continue telling the story told in Vikings' six-season run.
Gotham: No Man’s Land Explained
At the end of Gotham: Season 4, with several giant game-changing explosions, the bridges connecting the city to the outside world fell into the river, isolating everyone left behind and sending the streets spiraling into chaos.
Ra's al Ghul and "Proto-Joker Number Two" Jeremiah Valeska's plot to level Gotham had come to pass and now it was up to Jim Gordon and Bruce Wayne, along with few loyal allies, to protect the remaining citizens from the villains who were about to run roughshod over the entire city.
Welcome to No Man's Land. Which wasn't just the title for Gotham's Season 4 finale, and now the subtitle for Season 5's entire run, but also the name of a famous Batman comic book crossover arc from 1999 created by Jordan B. Gorfinkel. Like most comic book references on Gotham though (like the Court of Owls and Killing Joke), this one will be done with a heaping helping of twists and tweaks, given that Batman himself isn't a character on the show.
The Best Electric Pressure Cookers and Instant Pots
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By now if you don’t already own an Instant Pot (a.k.a electric pressure cooker) you probably know someone who does. And they won’t stop talking about it. Heck, half the staff at IGN has one at this point. “But it’s just a glorified crock pot,” you might say. You're not entirely wrong, but you would be selling practically omnipotent kitchen gadgets short. While crock pots are great for making roasts, stews and carnitas, making something delicious can take an awfully long time, usually between four and ten hours, hence the term “slow cooker.” It's great for having dinner ready when you walk in the door after work, sure, but not so great for preparing dinner after work.
The Nintendo Switch Is Quietly Becoming the Best Platform for Board Games
Carcassonne is a classic board game by any measure. Designed by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, it was published in 2000 and helped to propel the board game industry into the renaissance it is currently enjoying. There’s no mystery behind the popularity: the tile-laying mechanics are easy to learn, and a game rarely lasts longer than half an hour, making it an ideal choice for family game night. To date, there are dozens of versions and expansions of Carcassonne in print, ensuring that there’s a way to play suited to every taste.
Last month, Asmodee Digital launched Carcassonne for the Nintendo Switch. It’s not the first time the game has appeared on a video game platform. In fact, the first digital version released in 2007 on the Xbox Live Arcade. Carcassonne has also appeared on PC, iOS, and Android. What makes the Switch version special is that it represents a larger trend of board games making their way to the handheld/home console hybrid.
31 Big PlayStation Games Coming in 2019
Between IGN’s Best Game of 2018 winner God of War, three other IGN Best Game nominees, and a slew of other great exclusives for PS4 and PSVR, PlayStation had quite the jam-packed 2018.
But of course, with the start of a new year, we’re looking ahead to all the big PS4 games to come in 2019. Read on for our breakdown of some of the biggest titles we expect this year. (One caveat - we haven’t included games without firm release dates or windows, so you won’t see The Last of Us Part II or Death Stranding below.)
This list isn't exhaustive, and for even more titles, be sure to check out our wider list of upcoming games in 2019 to watch out for, and for everything else PlayStation, be sure to tune in to our weekly PlayStation show, Beyond!
Bowsette Won’t Become Official, According to Nintendo
Nintendo has officially revealed, indirectly, that the internet phenomenon known as Bowsette will not be appearing in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe for the Nintendo Switch and that she will not, at least for now, become canon.
Via ResetEra, this news was confirmed on the official New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe website by the description for the new Super Crown item that can only be used by Toadette and will turn her into the "super-powered Peachette."
The 50 Best TV Opening Credits (2008-2018)
The opening credits for TV shows have become more elaborate over the past ten years. HBO's Game of Thrones and AMC's The Walking Dead, among others, are raising the creative bar with impactful music and vivid imagery. The quest for the coveted Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Design has never been more intense. And while the plot and character development remain paramount when it comes to developing a new comedy or drama series, a memorable opening credits sequence can also make a big first impression.
Now that it's 2019, we wanted to look back on our favorite TV opening credits from 2008-2018. Some of our most beloved shows like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Mad Men, and The Sopranos did not make the cut since they premiered before 2008. For a look at which shows made IGN's list, check out the video below:
Hitman HD Collection Announced, Includes Blood Money and Absolution
The Hitman HD Enhanced Collection includes upgraded versions of Hitman: Blood Money and Hitman: Absolution, and is coming out on January 11, 2019.
Developer IO Interactive announced the collection this morning, which will be available digitally for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Improvements coming to both games include 4K visuals at 60 frames per second (presumably for PS4 Pro and Xbox One X players), increased texture resolution and upgraded texture formats, super-sampling and upscale support, heightened shadow map and mirror resolutions, improved lighting and updated controls intended to make the games more fluid. No price has been announced for the collection.
Here’s a First Look at the Mad Box Console
Ian Bell, CEO and founder of Slightly Mad Studios, has revealed the first images of the Project CARS 2 company's new console, the Mad Box.
Bell released these images on Twitter earlier today and they show four color variations of the Mad Box console that all prominently feature the company's monster logo on the side.
Ian Bell, following the release of the images, continued to engage with the community by answering further questions about the upcoming Mad Box, which he says is about "3.5 years" away.
He reiterated that they are going for 180 FPS for VR, that a dedicated controller is in the works, that their "tech will allow developers to basically hit a button and deploy their tech to all major consoles, and PC," and more.