Monthly Archives: April 2022
TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge Gets Release Window, New Gameplay
Developer Tribute Games and publisher Dotemu have announced that TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, the upcoming spiritual successor to the classic late-'80s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game and NES port, will be released this Summer for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch. They have also confirmed that the voices actors who played the Turtles in the classic 1987 animated TV series will return for this game. Furthermore, Dotemu has confirmed that a physical release will be made available alongside the usual digital marketplaces and that a digital soundtrack will be on offer too. And to top it all off, we have 10 minutes of new gameplay to show off, consisting of the first two stages. See that video above.
TMNT: Shredder's Revenge was announced just over a year ago. It isn't a direct sequel to the legendary four-player co-op arcade game (nor its beloved NES port), but it's being made as if it would've come out then, complete with its pixel-art graphics. And when it releases this Summer, you'll hear the familiar voices of Cam Clarke (Leonardo), Townsend Coleman (Michelangelo), Barry Gordon (Donatello), and Rob Paulsen (Raphael).
For more on Shredder's Revenge, don't miss the recent behind-the-scenes video as well as more exclusive gameplay.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
Sonic Origins Release Date Announced
Sonic retro remaster collection, Sonic Origins will be released on Sonic’s birthday, June 23, 2022.
Sonic Origins is a collection of several 2D Sonic games released on the Genesis including Sonic The Hedgehog 1, 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and Sonic CD. All of these games will be digitally remastered for current platforms.
Along with the release date, Sega announced that Sonic Origins will be released on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC starting at $39.99. Pre-orders will go live starting tomorrow.
A pre-order bonus will net players 100 Medallion Bonus, Mirror Mode Unlocked, and Letter Box visuals, and a more expensive Digital Deluxe Edition for $44.99 will also add Difficult Missions, Letter Box, Characters in Main Menu, Island Camera on Main Menu, Character Animation in Music Playback, and Exclusive Tracks from the Mega Drive Sonic games.
The original Sonic games are 2D side-scrolling platformers where players speed their way towards the end of each level. These games are where players first met Sonic as he blasted through locations like Green Hill Zone and the Chemical Plant.
Sonic Origins will be a good way for fans and newcomers to experience the early days of Sonic, but for folks looking towards the future, Sega is currently developing an open-world Sonic game titled Sonic Frontiers.
A new Sonic movie has also hit theaters, and you can read IGN’s Sonic 2: The Movie review here.
Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.
Dark Souls TTRPG Rulebook Riddled With Errors, Dev Apologizes and Promises Reissue
The Dark Souls tabletop RPG developer will correct and reissue its rulebook after customers pointed out a number of errors.
Steamforged Games has apologised for the state of the book, which is riddled with issues from spelling mistakes to rule-breaking inconsistencies such as Knights not being able to wear their own starting armour.
Steamforged announced in a blog post that it will issue replacement copies to people who've already bought the book (which is currently available in the UK but not the US), alongside a PDF copy to all customers.
Details are still hazy, however, as the developer has asked for "a little patience as we gather more detailed information regarding these reprints, the timescales involved, and how best to ensure we resolve this for each affected customer."
The Dark Souls tabletop RPG book is due to launch in the US on May 16 but it's unclear at this stage if the reported issues will affect this release date.
Steamforged told Polygon last week that the mistakes "shouldn't affect the playability of the game," but "we're always striving to strengthen our processes to ensure our loyal fans continue to enjoy the games we release."
Regardless, customers with this version of the game shouldn't expect a seamless experience, as players have also reported that some terms are completely lacking explanations and other rules appears to contradict each other.
Reddit user arh231201 highlighted that players are told they can make "dynamic manoeuvres", but the book doesn't explain at any point what these are.
Some items also don't appear to make sense, as the Firelink Sword lets you spend two position points to gain one back, while the Soul of Cinder lets you cast spells when certain requirements are met, but it doesn't come equipped with any.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
PC Users No Longer Need a PS5 to Update the DualSense Controller
PlayStation has released an app allowing users who own Windows 10 or 11 computers to update the DualSense controller. Previously, owners of the controller needed a PS5 console to receive firmware updates.
The new app, appropriately titled "Firmware updater for DualSense wireless controller," is available now on PlayStation's website. Installing the app on your computer will allow you to install the latest firmware update for the DualSense controller by plugging in the device via a USB cable.
PlayStation releasing a firmware app for PC comes as no surprise. Alongside the fact that the DualSense was already compatible with PC since its release in 2020, Sony has been slowly shifting to putting more of its first-party IPs on PC, starting with Horizon Zero Dawn in August 2020.
Since then, PC ports of Days Gone and God of War were released in 2021 and 2022, respectively. While Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, a compilation of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, is slated to launch sometime later this year. Additionally, in July, Sony acquired Nixxes, a studio specializing in porting games to PC.
Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
New Ms. Marvel Poster Reveals Kamala Khan’s Family
Marvel Studios has revealed a brand-new poster for the upcoming Ms. Marvel series on Disney Plus, but instead of a focus on her powers or potential villains, this poster instead turns an eye toward the entire Khan family and Kamala's close friends.
Slated for release this summer, Ms. Marvel will feature the version of the hero first introduced back in 2013. Similar to other classic teenage superheroes, Kamala will spend part of her time dodging her family's questions about her hidden heroic exploits.
In the poster, Kamala is front-and-center in her full Ms. Marvel costume, and you can also see a smaller glimpse of her copying Carol Danvers' Captain Marvel look from the first film.
In 50 days, Kamala Khan's journey begins. ⚡️#MsMarvel, an Original series from Marvel Studios, starts streaming June 8 on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/7kz5fR6Zso
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) April 19, 2022
Flanking Kamala on either side are her older brother and best friend. On the left is that best friend, Nakia Bahadir, portrayed by Yasmeen Fletcher. Nakia is a classmate at Kamala's school. Hailing from a Turkish family, Nakia belongs to the same mosque as Kamala's family and social activist. In the comics, the gap between her and Kamala grows as the latter becomes a superhero.
That's in contrast to Bruno Carrelli, who appears to the left of Nakia. Bruno, played by The Walking Dead and The Alienist's Matt Lintz, is Kamala's other best friend. Unlike Nakia, Bruno is brought into Kamala's heroic adventures rather early, acting as her confidant for the Ms. Marvel side of her life.
To the right of Kamala is Amir Khan, her older brother. In the original source material, he avoided getting a job to focus more on religion, much to the annoyance of their parents. It's unclear if that storyline will play out in the show. Amir's future wife, Tyesha Hillman-Khan, also appears just below him on the poster, played by Travina Springer.
Right next to Amir is another major character in the show, Kamran, played by Rish Shah. Shah was last seen as Ravi in To All the Boys: Always in Forever. Kamala has a crush on this young heartthrob who attends her school. There's also a superheroic future for Kamran in the original comics, as he becomes an Inhuman in the same way Kamala does. Her powers seemingly come from a different source in the show, so Kamran's character might also head in a different direction.
Next up, there are Kamala's parents, Muneeba Khan and Yusef Khan. Her mother Muneeba is played by The Big Sick's Zenobia Shroff, while her father is played by Mohan Kapur, a famous Indian host and voice actor. Kamala's parents are both immigrants from Pakistan trying to find a life for their family in New Jersey. Neither knows of her double life as Ms. Marvel, simply thinking her absences and actions spring from more mundane sources.
Underneath Kamala's parents is Zoe Zimmer, played by Laurel Marsden. Zoe is the most popular girl at Kamal's school and bullies her early on. She's also the first person that Kamala saves, prior to fully becoming Ms. Marvel. Later in the original comics, Zoe does become friends with Kamala and eventually even strikes up a one-sided romantic interest in Nakia.
Ms. Marvel will be airing on Disney Plus starting on June 8. You can check back here at IGN for further news and details about the show, including the recent teaser trailer and how it changes up her powers.
Mike Williams is a freelance writer at IGN
New Ms. Marvel Poster Reveals Kamala Khan’s Family
Marvel Studios has revealed a brand-new poster for the upcoming Ms. Marvel series on Disney Plus, but instead of a focus on her powers or potential villains, this poster instead turns an eye toward the entire Khan family and Kamala's close friends.
Slated for release this summer, Ms. Marvel will feature the version of the hero first introduced back in 2013. Similar to other classic teenage superheroes, Kamala will spend part of her time dodging her family's questions about her hidden heroic exploits.
In the poster, Kamala is front-and-center in her full Ms. Marvel costume, and you can also see a smaller glimpse of her copying Carol Danvers' Captain Marvel look from the first film.
In 50 days, Kamala Khan's journey begins. ⚡️#MsMarvel, an Original series from Marvel Studios, starts streaming June 8 on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/7kz5fR6Zso
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) April 19, 2022
Flanking Kamala on either side are her older brother and best friend. On the left is that best friend, Nakia Bahadir, portrayed by Yasmeen Fletcher. Nakia is a classmate at Kamala's school. Hailing from a Turkish family, Nakia belongs to the same mosque as Kamala's family and social activist. In the comics, the gap between her and Kamala grows as the latter becomes a superhero.
That's in contrast to Bruno Carrelli, who appears to the left of Nakia. Bruno, played by The Walking Dead and The Alienist's Matt Lintz, is Kamala's other best friend. Unlike Nakia, Bruno is brought into Kamala's heroic adventures rather early, acting as her confidant for the Ms. Marvel side of her life.
To the right of Kamala is Amir Khan, her older brother. In the original source material, he avoided getting a job to focus more on religion, much to the annoyance of their parents. It's unclear if that storyline will play out in the show. Amir's future wife, Tyesha Hillman-Khan, also appears just below him on the poster, played by Travina Springer.
Right next to Amir is another major character in the show, Kamran, played by Rish Shah. Shah was last seen as Ravi in To All the Boys: Always in Forever. Kamala has a crush on this young heartthrob who attends her school. There's also a superheroic future for Kamran in the original comics, as he becomes an Inhuman in the same way Kamala does. Her powers seemingly come from a different source in the show, so Kamran's character might also head in a different direction.
Next up, there are Kamala's parents, Muneeba Khan and Yusef Khan. Her mother Muneeba is played by The Big Sick's Zenobia Shroff, while her father is played by Mohan Kapur, a famous Indian host and voice actor. Kamala's parents are both immigrants from Pakistan trying to find a life for their family in New Jersey. Neither knows of her double life as Ms. Marvel, simply thinking her absences and actions spring from more mundane sources.
Underneath Kamala's parents is Zoe Zimmer, played by Laurel Marsden. Zoe is the most popular girl at Kamal's school and bullies her early on. She's also the first person that Kamala saves, prior to fully becoming Ms. Marvel. Later in the original comics, Zoe does become friends with Kamala and eventually even strikes up a one-sided romantic interest in Nakia.
Ms. Marvel will be airing on Disney Plus starting on June 8. You can check back here at IGN for further news and details about the show, including the recent teaser trailer and how it changes up her powers.
Mike Williams is a freelance writer at IGN
Obi-Wan Kenobi: Hayden Christensen Binged Star Wars Animated Shows To Prep For Return
Hayden Christensen knows the role of Anakin and Darth Vader better than anyone, but when it came time to once again step behind the mask in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series, he was quite thorough in his research.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Christensen revealed the lengths he went to in order to prepare for the role. Aside from rewatching every single Star Wars movie, Christensen also watched the animated shows, The Clone Wars and Rebels, to gain an additional perspective on the franchise.
“It was interesting,” Christensen said. “They did a lot with these characters in those shows. And they did further explore the relationship. There was interesting stuff there to learn about. It was great fun getting to go back and re-immerse yourself in this world that just continues to grow and become more and more vast.”
Christensen wasn’t the only cast member to dedicate himself to his research. Ewan McGregor, who will play the titular Obi-Wan, also watched every single Star Wars movie for the first time since they released to reacquaint himself with the series, or, as he put it, “just to get back in that world.” McGregor also delved further into the genre by reading science fiction classics by Iain M. Banks.
Obi-Wan Kenobi will air with two episodes on May 27, with the rest of the series premiering on subsequent Wednesdays. This isn’t the only expansion of the beloved Star Wars series that’s currently in the works — The Mandalorian Season 3 is due in late 2022 and Star Wars: Ahsoka is in the works among others.
Amelia Zollner is a freelance writer at IGN.
Jane Foster Thor Coming to Marvel’s Avengers as a New Playable Hero
Crystal Dynamics announced its plans to add Jane Foster: The Mighty Thor to Marvel’s Avengers’ roster of playable characters. This will mark Avenger's first new character since Spider-Man in November 2021.
Jane, who has appeared in the Thor comics since the early 1960s, will join the game in Update 2.5. In a blog post announcing Jane Foster, the developers say that Jane Foster Thor will be a unique hero with her own abilities.
“Our Hero designs are driven first and foremost by their core comic book identities, so, as a fellow wielder of Mjolnir, her suite of abilities will have a lot in common with the Odinson’s, however she will also have elements that are distinctly Jane,” Square Enix said via a development update.
It’s unclear what the rest of this update will include or when it will launch. However, Square Enix plans to reveal more details about Jane’s role in the future as more news regarding Update 2.5 rolls out.
Jane’s announcement arrived alongside details regarding Update 2.4, which is slated to release in May. Update 2.4 focuses on retooling the game’s rotation of events to keep things “fresh and compelling for replays.” This will include more diverse rewards, higher power level gear rewards, and rewards that apply to players’ entire rosters rather than just one hero.
Marvel's Avengers isn't the only place Jane Foster is appearing. She will also be coming to the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder played once again by Natalie Portman.
The update seems to target many of the complaints surrounding the game, which Crystal Dynamics released to mixed reviews. We reviewed the game in 2020 and initially enjoyed the single-player campaign, though the loot-based endgame became tedious and repetitive.
Amelia Zollner is a freelance writer at IGN.
New Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Characters Revealed
Amazon Prime Video has revealed new images for two characters set to be in the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Check below to get a new look at Theo and Bronwyn.
During the Amazon Global All Hands meeting, the company revealed some new images for the two characters. While we see Theo holding what looks like a broken sword hilt or staff, and Bronwyn looking out mysteriously at a river, no other details were revealed for either of these characters.
Theo will be played by Tyroe Muhafidin, while Bronwyn is played by Nazanin Boniadi.
The Rings of Power is a new Lord of the Rings TV series set centuries before the events of The Lord of the Rings, during the Second Age of Middle-earth. There will be some familiar faces such as Galadriel, played by Morfydd Clark. She appeared in the Peter Jackson movies played by Cate Blanchett.
For a full list of known characters, check out IGN’s breakdown of the first Rings of Power trailer from the Super Bowl.
While the trailer shows off the epic scale Tolkein’s works are known for, there are still plenty of mysteries left to uncover before the Rings of Power premiers on Amazon Prime on September 2, 2022.
Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight Is the Blizzard MMO’s Long-Awaited Dragon Expansion
At long last, the rumored dragon-themed World of Warcraft expansion is upon us. Blizzard has announced that the ninth expansion for its long-running MMORPG will be titled World of Warcraft: Dragonflight, and will take place on the mythical Dragon Isles.
Unlike several recent expansions, Dragonflight will open with a much more optimistic tone as explorers and adventurers arrive on the shores of the ancestral home of the dragons, which have recently awakened after being hidden for centuries. Draconic characters who have previously played major roles in World of Warcraft lore — such as Alexstrasza, Kalecgos, Ebonhorn, and Wrathion — will return for major storylines. As usual, there will be new quests, dungeons, and raids tied to this expansion and area, to be revealed at a later date.
Dragonflight expands the level cap to 70 and introduces four new leveling zones to get players there, which they'll explore in order: the lush and lava-filled Waking Shores, the wide Ohn'ahran Plains, the icy Azure Span, and Thaldraszus — the seat of power for the dragons and home of the new player hub, Valdrakken.
The Dragon Isles will also include a fifth zone — a starting area for a brand new hero class, the Dracthyr. The Dracthyr are draconic beings that can switch between dragon and human forms, and who can be part of either the Alliance or Horde. Dracthyr are exclusively tied to a single class, the Evoker, which can specialize either as a healer or a ranged damage dealer.
Not only will the Dragon Isles allow players to be dragons, but every player will be able to ride them as well. Dragonflight will introduce Dragon Riding, a new mount system with far more robust features than typical flight. Players will partner with a customizable dragon that will gain new flight abilities as they work through the expansion, eventually allowing them to fly, dive, spiral, and swoop through the isles. The Dragon Isles are designed with this flight in mind, as it's available from the outset, and thus is a much more vertical zone than we've seen in past expansions.
Alongside these new additions, a number of World of Warcraft systems are being revamped. The UI is getting an overhaul to allow for far more customization than before without having to download extra mods, and the profession system will implement features like work orders, profession-specific equipment and stats, and the return of specializations. Most notably, the talent system is getting an overhaul as well to allow players to allocate points into talent trees both for their class and specialization at every level.
Sign-ups for the alpha and beta for Dragonflight will soon be live on the official WoW website. Blizzard has not yet announced a release window for Dragonflight, though in our interviews with the team they reassured us that they will not launch it on top of the upcoming World of Warcraft Classic expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, which is due later this year.
We chatted in-depth with game director Ion Hazzikostas and narrative director Steve Danuser about the new Dracthyr Evoker hero class, the big changes to fundamental WoW systems in Dragonflight, and rumors of a WoW console port. We also spoke to the WoW Classic leads about some of the changes coming in Wrath of the Lich King Classic, and where Classic might go next.
Activision Blizzard is currently facing serious ongoing allegations of harassment and mistreatment of marginalized workers. To learn more, please visit our timeline as well as our in-depth report on the subject.
Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.