Monthly Archives: August 2015
Why The Thing’s Fantastic 4 Action Scene Was Scrapped
A major action sequence centered around The Thing was reportedly planned to be included in 20th Century Fox's Fantastic Four reboot, but for some reason was cut.
According to EW, who spoke to several sources involved with the film, the scene is set after the catastrophic events on Planet Zero in which The Thing is sent hurling toward a Chechen rebel camp. Naturally, the camp mistakes him for some sort of bomb and attacks.
However, instead of including this set piece moment in the film, the story skips ahead a year following Reed Richards' escape. As such, this particular section of the movie ends up feeling rushed and somewhat incomplete.
Final Fantasy 7 Out Today on iOS
The iOS port of Final Fantasy VII is coming out later today.
The mobile version of Square Enix's game was announced back at E3, but we didn't have a release date then. Square Enix released a new launch trailer, as seen below:
Final Fantasy VII marks the latest in a line of FF mobile ports, with I-VI already available on iOS.
PlayStation 4 is getting a port too later this year, as well as getting a full Final Fantasy VII remake, which is still a long way off.
Jurassic World Scribe Takes on Kong: Skull Island
Derek Connolly, the co-screenwriter of Jurassic World, is working on yet another movie centered around massive creatures, as he joins Legendary Pictures and Universal Studios' Kong: Skull Island.
According to THR, Connolly has hopped on the project to do some "late minute work" as the film's cast is nailed down before shooting begins this fall in Hawaii. Several other writers have had a hand in the script, including Godzilla writer Max Borenstein, as well as John Gatins (Flight) and Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler).
Kong: Skull Island is slated to hit theaters on March 10, 2017 and will star Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, and Corey Hawkins, with Jordan Vogt-Roberts directing. Reports suggest Samuel L. Jackson may be up for a role as well.
Lara Croft GO Gets a Release Date
Lara Croft GO will be coming to iOS, Google Play, and Windows Phone on August 27 for $5.
Lara Croft GO is brought to you by Square Enix’s Montreal studio, the same team that gave life to Hitman GO. IGN went hands-on with Lara’s next entry into the mobile market, and we found it to be pretty good.
“As I watched Lara Croft slitting throats and silently taking down henchman during Microsoft’s Gamescom conference, I couldn’t help but yearn for a simpler time,” we said in our preview of the game.
Here’s The Heresy That is Sonic in Super Mario Maker
Here’s your first look at Sonic the Hedgehog in Nintendo’s Super Mario Maker.
The images surfaced earlier today on the Miiverse (spotted by GoNintendo), and also gives us a quick look at both Ink Girl from Splatoon and Pit from Kid Icarus.
How is Sonic in a 2D Mario game? Well, as documented earlier this month, Super Mario Maker features support for 70 amiibo figurines. While each amiibo has its own use in-game, some can unlock costumes for the player, leading to Sonic appearing in a 2D Mario game (!!!).
Galaxy Collision Discovered Close By
Astronomers led by Prof. Quentin Parker at the University of Hong Kong and Prof. Albert Zijlstra at the University of Manchester have discovered the closest ever galaxy collision.
It's 30 million light years away, but that's fairly nearby by astronomical standards. The galaxy has been named "Kathryn's Wheel", partly after the wife of one of the astronomers, and partly because it looks a bit like the firework.
Image credit: Royal Astronomical Society
Mods for Forza 6 Are Like Halo’s Skulls
Turn 10 and Microsoft have revealed Mods for the upcoming Forza Motorsport 6.
According to the Forza website, Mods are "game modifiers, similar to perks in Forza Horizon 2 or Skulls in Halo 4, that you can unlock as you play in Forza Motorsport 6." They come in three categories: Dare, Crew, and Boost.
Dare mods mean you will have to drive under specific requirements in order to hit a target. For example, you might have a power decrease, or you might be forced into using manual transmission with clutch. You'll get a credit bonus if you complete the "dare".
Crew mods are beneficial to the player, and can help you in difficult races. Adding a chassis expert gives you more weight and grip, while a braking engineer improves your brakes and power.
Octodad: Dadliest Catch Gets Xbox One Release Date
Octodad: Dadliest Catch will hit Xbox One on August 26.
The game is set to cost $14.99 and include the previously announced free DLC, titled Octodad Shorts, when it arrives. The Wii U version of the game is complete and currently in certification. Once that's done, the team will announce a release date.
Octodad: Dadliest Catch is the sequel to Octodad, a game where you control an incognito octopus as he tries to blend into human society.
We gave Octodad: Dadliest Catch a 7.8 in our review, saying that while its absurdist nature and humorous elements were genuinely funny, its punatively difficult final level and uneven challenge kept it from becoming a classic.
Amazon UK to Cease Pre-Owned Games Trade-In Scheme
Retailer Amazon UK is closing its pre-owned game trade-in scheme.
The scheme, which permitted users to trade-in games for credit, is set to close at the end of this month.
"You can submit trade-in items as normal up to and including 31 August 2015," says a statement on the retail website. "No Trade-In orders can be submitted online after the closure date. Please ensure your trade-in items are dispatched within 7 days after your submission."
Trade-ins received after this time will not be accepted and will be returned to sender - something to bear in mind given "Royal Mail may take up to 6 business days to arrive before your submission is processed".
Here’s What’s In Smite’s Latest Patch
Hi-Rez Studios has outlined the details of its latest patch for Smite, called Celestial Wedding.
Celestial Wedding adds themed skins for Chang'e, Hou Yi, Odin, and Zeus, as well as new voice packs for Chang'e, Hou Yi, Loki, and Odin.
In addition, Hi-Rez is adding a Training Map to Smite, which will "take players through a series of singleplayer matches intended to ease a new player into the game." The Jungle Practice map has also been updated with new visuals, camps, a reset, and the ability to purchase / sell items anywhere on the map.
Khepri, the most recent God to be added to Smite, is getting some nerfs in this patch. Hi-Rez says that "Khepri was over-performing, but we wanted to be careful about how we brought his strength down. We chose to reduce some of his ability to protect, while