Monthly Archives: May 2019
Why Game of Thrones’ ‘The Long Night’ Was a Disappointment
This article contains full spoilers for Game of Thrones' latest episode, "The Long Night." It also includes discussion around key plot points from The Lord of the Rings. For more on Game of Thrones, be sure to read our Season 8, episode 3 review.
After seven seasons and two episodes of build up, the Army of the Living finally had its last stand against the Army of the Dead, and in the course of 80 minutes (and one "long night"), the Night King, at long last, was finally defeated.
There are three more episodes to go in Game of Thrones' eighth and final season, and if the preview for episode 4 is any indication, the battle against Cersei Lannister for the Iron Throne (what Daenerys Targaryen calls the "last war") will be the key conflict resolved in this last stretch before the end. Sure, there's every opportunity for Game of Thrones to throw in one last surprise about the White Walkers before this whole thing comes to a close -- is Bran actually the Night King? I sure hope not! -- but if there's one thing this season has done so far as we pass its midpoint, it's streamline its story to a definitive, if almost too tidy plot resolution.
Borderlands 3 Fast Travel Explained
As part of today’s Borderlands 3 blowout, IGN had the opportunity to sit down and talk with creative director Paul Sage about how how fast travel will help players traverse planets in the biggest Borderlands yet.
In Borderlands 3, players can use their ship, the Sanctuary 3, to travel to planets for the first time. Players can continue to use the ship to travel between planets thereafter, but fast travel can be used to travel between points on these planets, and to other planets players have already visited.
“It is similar
, except one of the things we looked at is ‘what would make fast travel more convenient?’ So we want to remove those barriers of people
retreading space,” said Sage.
Borderlands 3 Includes Loot and Level Scaling, but Can Be Turned Off
As part of today’s Borderlands 3 blowout, IGN had the opportunity to sit down and talk with creative director Paul Sage about how the loot and level scaling works for the game’s co-op play.
“If a level 30 player comes in and plays in a level 20 player’s game, there’s level 30 loot dropping for them: that’s the loot-instancing,” said Sage.
"But also there’s got to be challenges... so imagine you’re level 20 and I’m level 30 and I come into your game and you’re fighting a level 25 enemy, for me that’s gonna feel like a level 35 enemy, so it’s all relative to how we’re actually playing and what we’re actually doing.”
A Gearbox representative told IGN that with this loot-instancing, everyone playing will receive their own unique stream of loot relevant to their character’s level and players can fight enemies relative to their own level when playing co-op. However both loot and level scaling can be turned off for those who prefer the classic Borderlands experience.
Everything We Know About Valve’s Index VR Kit
VR is still in its relative infancy, but the industry hasn’t been completely resting on its laurels. Valve has finally announced its next-gen VR headset, known as the Index, which pushes the boundaries of PC-based VR just a little bit further. Here’s everything we know so far.
Valve Index Price and Release Date
The Index will be available for pre-order starting May 1st (today!) on the Steam hardware store, and it’s targeted to ship on July 1st. Get your basements ready.
GOT: Does a New Prophecy Spell a Dark End For One Character?
Warning: this article contains spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 3!
Melisandre was one of several major Game of Thrones characters to die during the Battle of Winterfell. After the battle and her purpose was complete, The Red Woman removed her magical necklace and allowed herself to wither away of old age outside Winterfell's walls. But before Melisandre died, she invoked an old prophecy about Arya. And that prophecy could very well spell the end of Cersei Lannister.
Back in Season 3 when Arya and The Red Woman first met, Melisandre delivered this ominous prediction to the youngest daughter of Winterfell: “I see a darkness in you, and in that darkness, eyes staring back at me. Brown eyes, blue eyes, green eyes, eyes you’ll shut forever. We will meet again.”
DC’s Zombie Outbreak Claims These Heroes and Villains
DCeased #1 introduces a devastating zombie plague to the DC Universe, and some major heroes and villains have already joined the ranks of the undead.
Warning: this article contains spoilers for DCeased #1!
DCeased takes place in an alternate version of the DC Universe, but one almost identical to DC's current comic book universe. Those two universes diverge when Cyborg is captured by Darkseid and becomes patient zero in a deadly zombie plague. Darkseid attempts to unleash the Anti-Life equation by combining Cyborg's Apokoliptian technology with the essence of the Black Racer. Instead, he rewrites the equation, creating a deadly virus that spreads through technology.
SHIELD’s Gabriel Luna Will Return as Ghost Rider in New Hulu Series
Hulu has greenlit two new Marvel TV shows: Ghost Rider, featuring the Robbie Reyes version of the character rather than Johnny Blaze, and Helstrom. The streaming service announced the news at its upfront presentation on May 1.
As Variety first reported, Gabriel Luna will reprise his role as Robbie Reyes after playing him in Marvel's Agents of SHIELD, but the show isn't being treated as a SHIELD spinoff, per Marvel - this will be a new iteration of the same character with a completely unconnected story. Luna announced the news via Twitter.
Sega Refocusing on Existing IP in Response to Falling Profits
Following an earnings slip, SEGA is gearing up to refocus on its existing IP like Persona, Sonic, and Yakuza and avoid developing too many new ones.
As reported by Tweaktown, SEGA's fiscal year 2018 earnings saw profits drop 70% to $23 million and its "road to 2020 roadmap of games earnings has fallen apart due to market miscalculations, too many games in development, lack of sales performance, and game delays."
In response, SEGA will focus on the previously mentioned IP and may also throw in "a remaster/re-release or two and potentially bring over more of its "key franchises and games overseas.""
PS Plus Games for May 2019 Announced
The free PlayStation Plus games for May 2019 are the original Overcooked and What Remains of Edith Finch.
Revealed on the PlayStation Blog, both titles will be added on May 7. Overcooked is a cooperative cooking game designed for local play where up to four people have to work together to assemble and put out orders before burning everything to a crisp. What Remains of Edith Finch is a mysterious adventure game where you visit your old family’s home to discover more about your relatives and their untimely deaths.
In our review of Overcooked, we called the game “Great” saying "It’s a perfect blend of strategy and chaos, asking you and your teammates to think on your feet as its smart and strange levels do everything they possibly can to make sure you are shouting at each other."
Toy Story 4 Director on the Joy of Casting Keanu Reeves
When it was announced that Woody, Buzz, and the crew would be returning for a fourth entry almost a decade after what fans thought would be the final part of their stories, Toy Story lovers were elated. But when it was revealed that Keanu Reeves would be bringing his instantly recognizable voice and talents to the beloved franchise, the excitement reached a peak. During a visit to the San Francisco Pixar campus, IGN was treated to the story of just how Keanu Reeves came to play action figure and stuntman extraordinaire Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4.
The character was introduced to the journalists in attendance during a footage presentation. The sequence saw the red-and-white-hued hero regale Woody and Bo with his tragic backstory. Based on Canada's most famed stuntman and motorcycle daredevil, Duke Caboom, the action figure was advertised as a superstar toy that could achieve incredible feats. But, alas, he didn't live up to the hype, leaving him cold and alone in the wilds of Canada.