Monthly Archives: February 2021

Blizzard Arcade Collection of Enhanced Retro Classics Announced

At BlizzCon 2021, Blizzard announced the Blizzard Arcade Collection, a set of three enhanced editions of some of Blizzard’s earliest, pre-Warcraft games. The collection is available today on PC and consoles. The Blizzard Arcade Collection contains The Lost Vikings, Rock N Roll Racing, and Blackthorne. The collection provides these classic games in both their ‘Original Editions’ and newly enhanced ‘Definitive Editions’. The Original Editions of all three provide the games as they were when first published, but do include a few modern tweaks such as custom key mapping and the ability to rewind up to ten seconds. The Lost Vikings and Blackthorne also have a ‘Watch Mode’ that allows you to watch the game being played and then take control at any point. You can also save progress anywhere in these original editions. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/02/19/blizzard-arcade-collection"] The changes added for the Definitive Editions vary for each game. The Lost Vikings was originally released on various different consoles, each with differences, and so the Definitive Edition collates all these versions together to produce the best version of the game. This means extra stages, cutscenes, and support for three local co-op players. For Blackthorne, a fog of war map that uncovers as players explore the levels has been added. Rock N Roll Racing’s definitive edition adds environmental effects such as snow and rain, and has support for up to four players instead of just two in local multiplayer. The racetrack count is increased to 384 variations, and the whole game can be played in 16:9 resolution. There’s also new songs on the soundtrack and voiceover clips for race commentator Loudmouth Larry. Playing all three games in Definitive mode also unlocks new localisation translations in Italian, Korean, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Russian, and simplified and traditional Chinese. These languages come in addition to the French, German, Japanese, and European Spanish that was part of the original release. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2011/08/02/rock-n-roll-racing-round-the-bend"] The Blizzard Arcade collection is available for $19.99 on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch online stores, or as part of the larger Blizzard 30-Year Celebration Collection bundle. On PC via Battle.net, it comes as part of the The Celebration Collection, and is not available separately. PC players who already own The Celebration Collection will find these games are automatically added. If you're unfamiliar with Blizzard's pre-Warcraft history, both The Lost Vikings and Rock N Roll Racing were released back when Blizzard was known as Silicon & Synapse. The Lost Vikings is a puzzle platformer in which you control three Vikings with different abilities each, while Rock N Roll Racing is a combat demolition derby-like racing game. Blackthorne was the second game released by the newly renamed Blizzard Entertainment, and is a 2D platformer in which players control Kyle “Blackthorne” Vlaros and his increasingly powerful shotgun. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

Blizzard Arcade Collection of Enhanced Retro Classics Announced

Blizzard has announced the Blizzard Arcade Collection, a set of three enhanced editions of some of Blizzard’s earliest, pre-Warcraft games. The collection is available today on PC and consoles. The Blizzard Arcade Collection contains The Lost Vikings, Rock N Roll Racing, and Blackthorne. The collection provides these classic games in both their ‘Original Editions’ and newly enhanced ‘Definitive Editions’. The Original Editions of all three provide the games as they were when first published, but do include a few modern tweaks such as custom key mapping and the ability to rewind up to ten seconds. The Lost Vikings and Blackthorne also have a ‘Watch Mode’ that allows you to watch the game being played and then take control at any point. You can also save progress anywhere in these original editions. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/02/19/blizzard-arcade-collection"] The changes added for the Definitive Editions vary for each game. The Lost Vikings was originally released on various different consoles, each with differences, and so the Definitive Edition collates all these versions together to produce the best version of the game. This means extra stages, cutscenes, and support for three local co-op players. For Blackthorne, an additional area has been added that was previously only available in the 32-bit version of the game, as well as a fog of war map that uncovers as players explore the levels. Rock N Roll Racing’s definitive edition adds environmental effects such as snow and rain, and has support for up to four players instead of just two in local multiplayer. The racetrack count is increased to 384 variations, and the whole game can be played in 16:9 resolution. There’s also new songs on the soundtrack and voiceover clips for race commentator Loudmouth Larry. Playing all three games in Definitive mode also unlocks new localisation translations in Italian, Korean, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Russian, and simplified and traditional Chinese. These languages come in addition to the French, German, Japanese, and European Spanish that was part of the original release. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2011/08/02/rock-n-roll-racing-round-the-bend"] The Blizzard Arcade collection is available for $19.99 on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch online stores, or as part of the larger Blizzard 30-Year Celebration Collection bundle. On PC via Battle.net, it comes as part of the The Celebration Collection, and is not available separately. PC players who already own The Celebration Collection will find these games are automatically added. If you're unfamiliar with Blizzard's pre-Warcraft history, both The Lost Vikings and Rock N Roll Racing were released back when Blizzard was known as Silicon & Synapse. The Lost Vikings is a puzzle platformer in which you control three Vikings with different abilities each, while Rock N Roll Racing is a combat demolition derby-like racing game. Blackthorne was the second game released by the newly renamed Blizzard Entertainment, and is a 2D platformer in which players control Kyle “Blackthorne” Vlaros and his increasingly powerful shotgun. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

We Need to Talk About That Nintendo Direct

Welcome back to Game Scoop!, IGN's weekly video game podcast. This week your Omega Cops -- Daemon Hatfield, Sam Claiborn, Justin Davis, and Mark Medina -- are discussing the latest Nintendo Direct, Zelda, Skyward Sword, Breath of the Wild 2, Mario Golf Super Rush, Project Triangle Strategy, Super Mario 3D World, and more. Watch the video above or hit the link below to your favorite podcast service. Listen on: Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Stitcher   Find previous episodes here!

Mythic Quest Returns in May, Leaving Raven’s Banquet Behind

The Ubisoft-produced video game development comedy, Mythic Quest, is coming back in May -- but it appears to be leaving the world of "Raven's Banquet" behind. In a new trailer for the Apple TV+-exclusive show, we see show co-creator Rob McElhenney return as the fictional MMORPG Mythic Quest creative director Ian Grimm alongside Charlotte Nicdao as Poppy pitching ideas for a new expansion to Mythic Quest. They don't get very far -- stopping abruptly at an impasse as to whether the new expansion should take place at sea, or on land. The trailer concludes with a release date for the show's second season: May 7, 2021, exclusive to Apple TV+. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/02/19/mythic-quest-season-2-teaser"] This teaser doesn't give much else away (though a whiteboard in a later scene indicates that the group may have, successfully or not, landed on the name "Sea of Nails" for a potential expansion), though we do know returning cast members will also include F. Murray Abraham as C.W. Longbottom, Danny Pudi as Brad Bakshi, Imani Hakim as Dana, David Hornsby as David Brittlesbee, Ashly Burch as Rachel, and Jessie Ennis as Jo. Mythic Quest's first season didn't fully land with us, and in our review we struggled to connect with the characters or find a consistent sense of comedy throughout. However, the cast did put together a rather clever standalone quarantine episode of the show filmed entirely on an iPhone in the middle of last year. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

Tom Hardy Is Making a Netflix Movie With the Director of The Raid

Tom Hardy is teaming up with Gareth Evans, the director behind the critically acclaimed action films The Raid and The Raid 2, for a new crime thriller on Netflix titled “Havoc," THR reports.

Evans is writing, directing, and co-producing the new project, with Hardy also co-producing.

Havoc follows Hardy as a detective making his way through the criminal world after a botched drug deal, tasked with rescuing a politician’s son while also discovering how deep the corruption in his city runs. Familiar stuff for Evans, who previously explored the Indonesian crime world in both Raid films.

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Filming is being eyed to start in June, possibly in Wales, where Evans filmed his 2018 cult horror Netflix movie Apostle.

Evans is known for his action-packed directorial style, both choreographing and editing his films personally. The Raid films also helped launch the career of martial arts star Iko Uwais, who starred in both Raid films as well as Evans’ 2009 debut Merantau. Those films helped introduce Pencak Silat, an Indonesian form of martial arts, to the world of cinema.

Are you a massive fan of Evans' work on The Raid films? Check out these other martial arts action flicks we think Raid fans will love.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/11/17/the-raid-2-berendal-teaser-trailer"]

Hardy is also set to star in the upcoming Venom: Let There Be Carnage, due out on June 25.

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Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/bat boy for IGN.

Hideo Kojima Is Writing a Book About His Creative Process

Hideo Kojima, creator of Metal Gear Solid, Death Stranding, and noted cinephile is writing a book.

The book, published by VIZ Media and titled “The Creative Gene,” is due out in Fall 2021 and focuses on exploring Kojima’s artistic influences and inspirations.

Longtime fans of Kojima games will recognize the influence classic action cinema has had on the developer’s work. Kojima’s early career was focused on getting into film production before changing track to game development. The original Metal Gear on MSX was influenced heavily by The Great Escape, encouraging the player to avoid conflict and use stealth rather than go into battle guns blazing. Solid Snake, Metal Gear’s protagonist, is seen as a clear homage to Escape From New York’s Snake Plissken, even going so far as to give himself the alias Iroquois Plissken, among countless other cinematic tropes throughout Kojima's work.

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Kojima Productions has also previously announced its plans to make films in the future, with Kojima saying he's interested in the possibilities that streaming will bring to the medium.

Kojima isn’t the only iconic developer having their work explored in book format. A new book featuring words of wisdom on game design from the late Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata, who died in 2015, is getting an English release in April this year.

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/cliff for IGN.

Blue Fire Review

It's easy to identify many of Blue Fire's potential inspirations. Its platforming, combat, and overall structure harken back to the sprawling maps and challenges of Hollow Knight, its handful of dungeons could pass for shorter versions of those in most Legend of Zelda titles, and its progression mixes many elements synonymous with From Software's Souls series. But developer ROBI Studios struggles to bring all of these elements together in a cohesive fashion, and the addition of the studio's own ideas to the mix weighs down Blue Fire's otherwise exceptional platforming.

Blue Fire's most prominent focus is its platforming, which permeates every action you take across its 12-hour adventure. You start with just a jump and a dash, and Blue Fire immediately makes great use of these limited mechanics by giving you a satisfying amount of control over your movements. The length of each jump or dash is tied to the length of a respective button press, which means you can easily cancel either action in mid-air and have greater control over your aerial movements. This in and of itself isn't unique to Blue Fire, but the fine-tuned feel of movement makes leaping around each varied biome in its world a treat.

Blue Fire captured on PC
Blue Fire captured on PC

These basic movements are coupled with a growing repertoire of moves that you acquire as you progress, including movement speed boosts, wall-running, and double jumps. Blue Fire introduces these new mechanics gracefully; you have plenty of time to get to grips with one before being tasked to learn another. Eventually, stringing them all together feels like you're conducting an elegant ballet in mid-air, accurately timing and weighing each button press with care to make sure you're making pin-point jumps around areas designed to challenge these skills.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Blue Fire Review

It's easy to identify many of Blue Fire's potential inspirations. Its platforming, combat, and overall structure harken back to the sprawling maps and challenges of Hollow Knight, its handful of dungeons could pass for shorter versions of those in most Legend of Zelda titles, and its progression mixes many elements synonymous with From Software's Souls series. But developer ROBI Studios struggles to bring all of these elements together in a cohesive fashion, and the addition of the studio's own ideas to the mix weighs down Blue Fire's otherwise exceptional platforming.

Blue Fire's most prominent focus is its platforming, which permeates every action you take across its 12-hour adventure. You start with just a jump and a dash, and Blue Fire immediately makes great use of these limited mechanics by giving you a satisfying amount of control over your movements. The length of each jump or dash is tied to the length of a respective button press, which means you can easily cancel either action in mid-air and have greater control over your aerial movements. This in and of itself isn't unique to Blue Fire, but the fine-tuned feel of movement makes leaping around each varied biome in its world a treat.

Blue Fire captured on PC
Blue Fire captured on PC

These basic movements are coupled with a growing repertoire of moves that you acquire as you progress, including movement speed boosts, wall-running, and double jumps. Blue Fire introduces these new mechanics gracefully; you have plenty of time to get to grips with one before being tasked to learn another. Eventually, stringing them all together feels like you're conducting an elegant ballet in mid-air, accurately timing and weighing each button press with care to make sure you're making pin-point jumps around areas designed to challenge these skills.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

The Flash: Sasha Calle Cast as Supergirl in the DCEU Movie

The upcoming Flash movie will be introducing Supergirl to the DCEU. Director Andy Muschietti revealed Sasha Calle (The Young and the Restless) has been cast as the Girl of Steel. Muschietti made the reveal on Instagram, posting a two-minute video chat with Calle. Deadline also confirms the Supergirl casting. [caption id="attachment_247605" align="aligncenter" width="2658"]46th Annual Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards - Red Carpet Calle will be the first actress to play Supergirl on the big screen since Helen Slater in 1984's Supergirl. (Image Credit: Getty)[/caption] In the video, Muschietti reveals that more than 400 actresses auditioned for the Supergirl role, though most were unaware for what role they were actually trying out. Muschietti says Calle participated in a chemistry test with star Ezra Miller, suggesting the dynamic between Flash and Supergirl will be critical to the plot of the movie. With Kiersey Clemons also set to appear as Iris West, is there a love triangle brewing in Central City? According to Deadline, Warner Bros. is hoping to repeat the success it found casting Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, bringing a relative unknown into the DCEU and making her a pillar of this cinematic universe. his could also mean the studio is pushing ahead on the previously announced Supergirl movie. It's currently unknown whether Calle is playing the Kara Danvers version of Supergirl or another incarnation of the character. There have been several different versions of Supergirl in DC's comics, not all of whom hail from Krypton. It's also worth remembering Supergirl featured in a comic book tie-in to 2013's Man of Steel, though whether or not that comic is part of official DCEU continuity is anyone's guess. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-flash-movies-possible-dceu-cameos&captions=true"] Currently, Melissa Benoist plays the lead role in The CW's Supergirl series, which is set to return for a sixth and final season in 2021. It's unknown whether Supergirl's appearance in the Flash movie had any bearing on the decision to end the TV series. Calle's Supergirl isn't the only major DC hero to be teaming up with Miller's Barry Allen in The Flash. Both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton are expected to reprise their respective Batman roles, with the latter Dark Knight opening the doors to DC's live-action multiverse. Unfortunately, it appears Cyborg won't be reuniting with his new friend. The character has reportedly been written out of The Flash, and actor Ray Fisher had strong words for Warners. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/20/ben-affleck-will-play-batman-in-the-flash-movie-ign-now"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

The Flash: Sasha Calle Cast as Supergirl in the DCEU Movie

The upcoming Flash movie will be introducing Supergirl to the DCEU. Director Andy Muschietti revealed Sasha Calle (The Young and the Restless) has been cast as the Girl of Steel. Muschietti made the reveal on Instagram, posting a two-minute video chat with Calle. Deadline also confirms the Supergirl casting. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/20/ben-affleck-will-play-batman-in-the-flash-movie-ign-now"] In the video, Muschietti reveals that more than 400 actresses auditioned for the Supergirl role, though most were unaware for what role they were actually trying out. Muschietti says Calle participated in a chemistry test with star Ezra Miller, suggesting the dynamic between Flash and Supergirl will be critical to the plot of the movie. With Kiersey Clemons also set to appear as Iris West, is there a love triangle brewing in Central City? According to Deadline, Warner Bros. is hoping to repeat the success it found casting Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, bringing a relative unknown into the DCEU and making her a pillar of this cinematic universe. his could also mean the studio is pushing ahead on the previously announced Supergirl movie. It's currently unknown whether Calle is playing the Kara Danvers version of Supergirl or another incarnation of the character. There have been several different versions of Supergirl in DC's comics, not all of whom hail from Krypton. It's also worth remembering Supergirl featured in a comic book tie-in to 2013's Man of Steel, though whether or not that comic is part of official DCEU continuity is anyone's guess. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-flash-movies-possible-dceu-cameos&captions=true"] Currently, Melissa Benoist plays the lead role in The CW's Supergirl series, which is set to return for a sixth and final season in 2021. It's unknown whether Supergirl's appearance in the Flash movie had any bearing on the decision to end the TV series. Calle's Supergirl isn't the only major DC hero to be teaming up with Miller's Barry Allen in The Flash. Both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton are expected to reprise their respective Batman roles, with the latter Dark Knight opening the doors to DC's live-action multiverse. Unfortunately, it appears Cyborg won't be reuniting with his new friend. The character has reportedly been written out of The Flash, and actor Ray Fisher had strong words for Warners. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.