DC Comics is launching a new series set in the world of Batman: The Animated Series. The comic is called Batman: The Adventure Continues, brought to you by the same folks who worked on the beloved ‘90s cartoon, series writers and producers Paul Dini and Alan Burnett. The comic will be drawn by Ty Templeton, a name that fans will recognize as the artist of 1992’s Batman Adventures comic, which also told stories set in the B:TAS universe. The series will feature DC characters never before seen in the original show, using designs from the recent action figure line. These characters were designed by Templeton in the signature Bruce Timm art style. While DC's press release doesn't name which new characters will appear, the line includes the likes of Deathstroke, Azrael, Red Hood, and The Batman Who Laughs, so any of them are fair game. Check out the designs of those characters along with some artwork from the comic series in the slideshow gallery below. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=batman-the-adventure-continues-art-and-toys&captions=true"] “Fans familiar with the Batman of The New Batman/Superman Adventures will be right up to speed,” Dini said in a statement. “Alan and I approached the writing with the idea that we were doing the season you might have seen if we had not put the series aside to do Batman Beyond.” “Tim Drake is still a very young Robin,” Templeton said of the timing of the series. “Batman isn’t middle-aged or anything, and we’re not even close to the events of Batman Beyond.” “What is different, however, is that we’re going back to cover certain gaps in the original series, events that didn’t have a bearing on the series at the time, but now do,” Burnett added. “In other words, there will be secret histories that will turn Batman’s world upside down. Things that no one knew were out there, until now.” “Perhaps the most intriguing character in the run will be [a] young man whose story threads through most of the issues,” Burnett said. “He’s a smart, super-elusive loner who knows way too much about the Dark Knight. How this mystery man fits into the world of Batman Adventures and what he means to accomplish should, I hope, be a real jolt for old fans.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/01/31/the-10-best-batman-animated-movies"] Batman: The Adventure Continues #1 will see Wayne Enterprises attacked by a giant robot that makes off with an entire laboratory in its gargantuan hands. It's up to Batman to find out who is controlling the robot, how he's going to stop it, and what the recently-arrived-in-Gotham-City Lex Luthor has to do with it. The series will be released online in digital chapters first, and then every two chapters will be combined and sold as a print issue. The first digital chapters will hit in April, while the first print issue will be released on May 6. This isn't the first time DC has used comics to further explore the world of B:TAS where fans fell in love with the performances of Batman/Bruce Wayne Kevin Conroy and the Joker Mark Hamill. The others were The Batman Adventures (vol. 1, 1992–1995), The Batman and Robin Adventures (1995–1997), The Batman Adventures: The Lost Years (1998), Batman: Gotham Adventures (1998–2003), and Batman Adventures (vol. 2, 2003–2004). [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-greatest-batman-graphic-novels-of-all-time&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joshua is Senior Features Editor at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Game of Thrones are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.

PlayStation 4 owners will have a chance to try out Nioh 2 before the game launches on March 13. Sony revealed through a post on the PlayStation Blog that Nioh 2 will have a free trial that runs from Friday, February 28 at 12 a.m. PT to Sunday, March 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT. PlayStation Plus is not required to access the demo. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nioh-2-story-screenshots&captions=true"] The demo includes chances to try character customization, the Yokai summoning mechanics, and a new transforming weapon called the Switchglaive. Summoning Yokai is a new feature in Nioh 2 that opens the door to powerful attacks. Team Ninja producer Fumihiko Yasuda said that Yokai play a big part in the game because the team, "wanted to share that Japanese tradition with the world." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/23/nioh-2-story-trailer"] For more on Team Ninja's upcoming action title, read how Nioh 2 is more challenging than the first. Plus, learn about Nioh 2's post-launch DLC plan. If you want to prepare for the sequel, check out IGN's Nioh guide for tips and tricks. Nioh 2 doesn't launch for another month, but Team Ninja is already thinking about its next game, and Yasuda said that Team Ninja is well aware that fans want another Ninja Gaiden game. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Logan Plant is a news writer for IGN, and the Production Assistant for Nintendo Voice Chat, IGN's weekly Nintendo show. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant.

Valve has announced that Half-Life: Alyx, the new VR Half-Life title set between the first and second games, will be available on March 23, 2020. Valve revealed the news on Twitter and also confirmed that pre-order bonuses for anyone who purchased a Valve Index will start to roll out on March 2nd, including "Steam VR Home environments inspired by locations in Half-Life: Alyx." Half-Life: Alyx was unveiled in November 2019 and will be a full-length Half-Life game that is played entirely in VR. This title marks Valve's first return to the Half-Life series since 2007's Half-Life 2: Episode 2. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/21/half-life-alyx-reveal-trailer"] Available on all PC-based VR headsets, Half-Life: Alyx puts players in the shoes of Alyx Vance instead of Gordon Freeman, and sees Alyx working with her father Eli to organize a resistance against The Combine. “Everyone at Valve is excited to be returning to the world of Half-Life,” Valve founder Gabe Newell said. “VR has energized us. We’ve invested a lot of ourselves in the technology. But we’re also game developers at heart, and to be devoting ourselves to a VR game this ambitious is just as exciting.” Half-Life: Alyx is built on the Source 2 engine, will support mods, and will cost $59.99 USD. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=half-life-alyx-first-screenshots-4k&captions=true"] In preparation for this brand-new Half-Life adventure, all previous Half-Life titles are free on Steam until April 1, 2020. For more on Half-Life: Alyx, check out Valve's comments on the possibility of it heading to PlayStation VR, every confirmed and rumored voice actor, and our breakdown of the announcement trailer. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN who can't wait to jump back into the Half-Life universe. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Sonic the Hedgehog is racing back into theaters on February 14, 2020, and the review embargo has lifted for the Blue Blur's latest adventure. While many claim it to be a bit unimaginative, critics have praised Jim Carrey's Dr. Robotnik and how it allows him to channel some of his greatest performances from the '90s. Also, there are a ton of Easter Eggs and things to find for those fans of the franchise, while also offering a fun, family adventure for all. IGN's own 7-score review of Sonic the Hedgehog by Akeen Lawanson says that "While this family-friendly action-comedy suffers from a simplistic story and leans too heavily on tired visual cliches, Sonic the Hedgehog is nevertheless boosted by solid performances from Ben Schwartz as Sonic and Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik. Their ongoing cat-and-mouse game is entertaining, and passionate fans of the Sega franchise should appreciate all the nods to Sonic’s history." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/13/sonic-the-hedgehog-review"] Here's our roundup of the first critic reviews for Sonic the Hedgehog. [poilib element="accentDivider"]

The Hollywood Reporter

"While Fowler keeps the story moving efficiently, Marsden's easy geniality prevents the simple narrative from feeling rote. Carrey gets a moment or two to cut loose — an evil-genius happy-dance in his lab will likely be mimicked by young viewers on the way out of the theater. But the actor's adult fans may hope he's not as ready to commit to a sequel as closing scenes suggest. Better to cast about looking for the next strange vehicle, like Kidding, than to clown around for a generation of viewers who weren't born when Ace Ventura came out. Leave it to the made-of-pixels hedgehog to keep racing around the same track year after year and pretending it's new." - John DeFore (Source)

The New York Times

"Indeed, other than product placement, the movie’s primary goal seems to be delivering 1990s nostalgia. To that end, Jim Carrey gives his most spry, “Ace Ventura”-like performance in years as the know-it-all villain, Dr. Robotnik. Only his physical and verbal contortions (“I was spitting out formulas while you were spitting up formula”) make the film feel remotely animated." - Ben Kenigsberg (Source)

Variety

"A review like this one should probably come with a disclaimer: For all the borderline tedium I felt at “Sonic the Hedgehog,” I do realize this is a picture made for 8-year-olds. And they’ll probably like it just fine. Yet I would also call the overly kiddified tone of the movie a mistake. The protesters who rallied for the changes in Sonic’s design by treating it as a line-in-the-sand issue, thereby demonstrating at least one reason why Donald Trump will probably be re-elected (we now have a generation that thinks this is a cause), were not 8-year-olds. As a movie hero, Sonic could (and should) have been hipper and sharper, less megaplex arrested. Even as they fixed his face, the filmmakers strove so hard to make him “likable” that they never figured out a way to make him cool." - Owen Gleiberman (Source)

GameSpot - 8/10

"As video game adaptations go, Sonic the Hedgehog is among the stronger ones. It's smart enough to stand on its own, making use of longstanding aspects of Sega's supersonic mascot and his franchise, while making sure that what really shines through are its characters. That restraint goes a long way to making Sonic the Hedgehog a light, funny movie, and while it definitely skews young, longtime Sonic fans should have just as much fun finally seeing the Blue Blur on the big screen." - Phil Hornshaw (Source) [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/12/jim-carrey-on-the-evolution-of-dr-robotnik-and-a-sonic-sequel"]

New York Post - 3/4 Stars

"Carrey is back in peak comedic form playing the villainous Dr. Robotnik in “Sonic the Hedgehog,” a pleasant new family film based on the old Sega video game. If the title makes you wince, know the movie is a lot better than it deserves to be. You’ll actually care about what happens to the prickly blue dude, even if you never cared about getting to zone seven. - Johnny Oleksinski (Source)

The Washington Post - 3/4 Stars

"There are a couple of misses: It’s probably time to retire the Queen song “Don’t Stop Me Now” as the Official Tune of Action Montages. And we could do with one fewer Sonic-is-so-fast-that-everyone-else-looks-frozen-in-place scene. Fans of the video games will find a host of allusions, but there’s plenty to please any moviegoer who can’t tell a Sega from a Switch. In the end, “Sonic” is quippy without being mean, and sweet without being sappy, making this a trip that’s well worth taking." - Kristen Page-Kirby (Source)

Collider - C

"Sadly, the rest of Sonic the Hedgehog doesn’t share the manic energy that Sonic and Robotnik bring to the picture. They’re off in something that’s sillier and goofier, but the overall movie demands that they play by the beats of a standard buddy picture/road trip comedy. That formula is fine for what it is, and it gets the job done here, but I wish the filmmakers had taken a bigger, more imaginative swing than settling for just using the Sonic IP, stuffing him into a one-size-fits-all narrative, and calling it a day." - Matt Goldberg (Source)

TheWrap

"The entire cast knows what film they’re in, providing the perfect blend of energy and charm needed to sell this wacky story about a little blue alien hedgehog. But I couldn’t contain my glee at watching Jim Carrey operate in peak early-’90s form. Robotnik is definitely a villain, but you can spot elements of “Ace Ventura” and “The Mask” whipped into this tech-savvy, egotistical, psychopath. There’s a dance sequence to “Where Evil Grows” that shows off Carrey’s genius." - Yolanda Machado (Source) [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=sonic-the-hedgehog-the-movie-image-gallery&captions=true"]

USA Today - 2/4 Stars

"It’s like Sonic got stuck somewhere between hand-drawn "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" territory and the photorealistic “Lion King” animals, though there are some eye-popping sequences with him doing his speed-demon thing, especially a chase between Sonic and Robotnik that hits various international landmarks and uses the Great Wall of China as a racetrack. The film is fine, familiar fare for gamers and children: Sonic sprints, Carrey mugs, but the creative juices run out quickly." - Brian Truitt (Source)

CinemaBlend - 3.5/5 Stars

"Rather than throwing the audience into an inter-dimensional adventure straight away, the buddy comedy that Ben Schwartz and James Marsden engage in, with Jim Carrey chasing them at every turn, feels like a classic blockbuster adventure rather than a hard edged “extreme” version that’s trying so hard to play to the kids. This video game movie does what others don’t. Playing in a sandbox that wears its heart on its sleeve, but isn’t afraid to go big and goofy, this is a starter film that has its eyes on the future, but doesn’t forget to do the job right in the here and now." - Mike Reyes (Source)

CNN

"The bottom line is not every piece of intellectual property really has the heft to merit such big-screen treatment, and if there was a way to build a viable cinematic franchise around the game, this doesn't feel like it. Sonic the Hedgehog might move like a bolt of lightning once his feet start flying, but even with the orthodontia done to correct his chompers, the movie bearing his name still goes nowhere, fast." - Brian Lowry (Source)

The Guardian - 2/5 Stars

"Sonic the Hedgehog’s big Hollywood entrance was swiftly followed by undignified retreat last year, when the first trailer for this movie prompted online reactions of ridicule, puzzlement and horror at its CGI star’s unsettlingly creepy appearance. The cast of Cats were adorably cuddly by comparison. Now, after a quick redesign, the speedy video-game character is back: less weird-looking, more overtly cartoonish, ready to tear out of the uncanny valley and into our hearts. By the looks of it, though, they should have spent longer in the workshop. Few but diehard fans and young children will be charmed by this predictable, derivative caper." - Steve Rose (Source) [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/12/how-much-does-sonic-know-about-sonic"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN who can't wait and is so excited he just can't hide it. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

This week in GTA Online, get double rewards in four different Adversary Modes and three Heists, and claim bonus cash when completing The Diamond Casino Heist.

Sony is developing a film adaptation of Crossfire, the mega-popular online shooter that boasts over 1 billion registered users worldwide. The Crossfire movie will be produced by Neal H. Moritz (Fast and Furious, Sonic the Hedgehog), with a screenplay from Chuck Hogan (13 Hours, The Strain), according to Variety. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-video-game-movie-in-development-almost&captions=true"] Sony has partnered with Crossfire developer Smilegate for the film adaptation. Tencent, the media conglomerate that published Crossfire in China, is co-producing and -financing. The companies did not release details on plot or casting, nor did they announce a release window at this time. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/15/crossfirex-brings-a-beloved-worldwide-franchise-to-a-new-audience-ign-live-x019"] The first-ever console version of the first-person shooter, CrossfireX, is coming "first to Xbox One" in 2020. Remedy Entertainment, the studio behind Control and Alan Wake, is assisting in development. In other Sony film adaptation news, the company's Tom Holland-led Uncharted movie was recently pushed back from December 2020 to March 5, 2021. The delay came shortly after the film lost its sixth director in Bumblebee's Travis Knight. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan is a freelance writer for IGN.

Square Enix has released new images for Final Fantasy VII Remake that showcase Tifa's moves in battle, a look at the game's side quests, and introduce a new character called Chadley.

First up, Chadley can be found in the Sector 7 slums and is described as "a 15-year-old Research trainee, working under Professor Hojo." He researches new types of Materia and employs Cloud to help him out with that pursuit.

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This involves completing Battle Report quests, which task you to meet certain requirements, such as making enemies burst. Complete these quests and Chadley will develop more Materia for you to buy. Chadley isn't the first new character in the remake as we previously got to meet Roche.

Hoji, the Shira scientist that Chadley works under, is also on show in the images. You can also get a closer look at the beastly Red XII, who previously showed up in the most recent Final Fantasy 7 Remake trailer. You can also see the upgraded looks of the Mako Reactor as well as the Corkscrew Tunnel, which connects the slums of Midgar to the city's better living areas.

The new images also showcase Tifa using her martial art style in combat. She's shown doing the moves Whirling Uppercut, Omnistrike, as well as Rise and Fall. Fill her ATB bar and you can have Tifa unleash True Strike for devastating damage, along with a powerful dive kick.

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Also related to battles are the Materia in the screenshots. The Healing Materia does as you'd expect, letting you use abilities that heal friendly targets in combat. While the Deadly Dodge Materia lets you hit back immediately after evading an attack with a powerful melee strike.

Square Enix shows it's been listening to what fans want with a show of the nail bat. Finally, we get to see the summons, including the Chocobo Chick, Carbuncle, and Cactuar. These are available to those who pre-order the game at different tiers - hit up our Final Fantasy 7 Remake pre-order guide to find out how to get each summon.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake is now due to launch on April 10, 2020 for PS4 after its delay last month.

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Chris Priestman is a freelancer who writes news for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Disney has put a call out for more game developers to make games that reimagine its famous stories and characters.

This comes from Sean Shoptaw (via Hollywood Reporter), senior VP of games and interactive experiences at Disney, who spoke in front of a crowd of game developers at DICE Summit 2020 in Las Vegas on February 12, 2020.

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"I'm here for one specific reason: to empower you to do really unique things with our [catalog]," Shoptaw said. "We want to tap into the power of creatives across the industry."

He specifically invited game developers to "come and play" with Disney's franchises, calling for more games like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Marvel's Spider-Man, both of which told original stories in those universes and attracted plenty of praise.

Shoptaw also mentioned that Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox, means that the likes of Aliens, Die Hard, The Simpsons, Avatar, Bob's Burgers, and many more are possible franchises for game developers to use.

Before now, Disney has mostly worked with only two game developers on a long-term, those being EA and the many Star Wars games since Disney started publishing them in 2013, and Square Enix for the Kingdom Hearts series.

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It came out this week that the Gears of War creator was in talks to create an Aliens game only a couple of years ago. That fell through, but as far as is still known, there's at least one other Aliens game being made by Cold Iron Studios.

With this open invitation from Disney we may see many more games like those in development soon enough.

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Chris Priestman is a freelancer who writes news for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Fox has handed out a pilot order to an untitled TV drama about a group of students who attempt to reenact the 1985 movie The Goonies. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the series will follow the story of Stella Cooper, a woman who returns to her dilapidated hometown to become a substitute teacher after failing to make it in New York. Feeling hopeless, she finds new focus as she agrees to help three students pursue their filmmaking desires by creating an ambitious shot-for-shot remake of The Goonies, described as a "love letter to the power of cinema, storytelling and dreams." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/07/27/the-10-best-steven-spielberg-movies-of-all-time"] Fox has enlisted The Bold Type creator Sarah Watson to pen the script for the untitled film re-enactment project, which is coming from Warner Bros. TV, Fox's content accelerator SideCar and Amblin TV. Both Warner Bros. and Amblin produced the original swashbuckling adventure film about a rag-tag band of kids in search of hidden treasure. Superbad helmer Greg Mottola is attached to direct and executive produce the pilot, while Richard Donner, who directed and produced the 80s film, is set to executive produce the potential series alongside Lauren Shuler Donner and SideCar's Gail Berman, as well as Amblin TV's Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-tv-shows-of-the-decade-2010-2019&captions=true"] As the report notes, the newly-announced project is Fox's eighth pilot order overall and fourth drama of the season, marking a significant shift in the network's push towards original content in the age of reboots and revivals. In recent years, the TV landscape has been loaded up with several takes on popular movie franchises, to varying degrees of success. For more on these film-to-TV concepts, take a look at our rundown of 23 modern series that took their inspiration from the big screen. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

NASA has confirmed that an asteroid larger than the tallest man-made structure in the world is currently travelling towards Earth at a speed of almost 34,000 miles per hour. According to International Business Times, NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) identified that the "potentially hazardous" asteroid could come close to intersecting with our planet's path on February 15, 2020, at 6:05 a.m. (EST). [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/07/26/disaster-movies-cinefix"] "Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) are currently defined based on parameters that measure the asteroid's potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth," NASA said in a statement. The colossal space rock, which is expected to pass over our planet from a distance of around 3.6 million miles, is estimated to have a diameter of around 3,250 feet, making it large enough to potentially "trigger a nuclear winter and mass extinction events" should it collide with Earth. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-best-sci-fi-movies&captions=true"] For decades, films have dealt with the subject of potentially dangerous asteroid collisions. In fact, mankind was nearly destroyed by a giant space rock not once, but twice, in the 90s with Mimi Leder's Deep Impact and Michael Bay's Armageddon - but which of these apocalyptic flicks has stood the test of time? Check out our Armageddon vs. Deep Impact comparison feature to find out. Alternatively, take a look at our list of Top 10 best disaster movies ever made. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.