Monthly Archives: March 2020
Baldur’s Gate 3’s Story Confirmed to Connect to Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2
Baldur's Gate 3 might be a sequel to the beloved RPG series, but it hasn't been entirely clear that it would be a story sequel, and the community has been asking about that ever since announcement. Today, fans got a far more definitive answer, as developer Larian revealed it would feature direct connections to the first game, including returning characters.
In a Reddit AMA on r/baldursgate, Larian founder Swen Vincke answered a question asking if the upcoming game's story will follow on from the first two games:
"We really don’t want to spoil anything but we wouldn’t call it Baldur’s Gate 3 if there wouldn’t be a link", he explained. "Let me just say that we touch upon the story of [Baldur's Gate] 1 & 2 in meaningful ways, there are returning characters and what happened in BG 1/2/[Throne of Bhaal] leads to what happens into BG3. You won’t necessarily see that at the start of the adventure but you will quickly understand once you get further into the game."
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It's proven a very popular answer, with multiple commenters saying it was the best one given in the AMA.
While it might seem clear that the third game in a series would follow up on the story of the first two games, the question arose from the Dungeons & Dragons setting it's based on, Forgotten Realms. In the two decades since the last game's release, Forgotten Realms has canonically shifted a century into the future - meaning Baldur's Gate 3 has too.
Initially, some wondered whether that meant BG3 would simply share a gameplay style and setting with the original games, but it seems that's not the case. Vincke didn't go into any more detail about connective story in the AMA, but we can assume that the likes of Minsc and Boo - who appeared in the original Baldur's Gate, and have since appeared in recent Forgotten Realms media - could be popping up along the way.
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We recently saw 2 hours of the game played, and that was enough to sell us on the (extremely complex) concept. If you're a D&D fan, we've got a guide to how the game is adapting the tabletop experience, and a rundown of how some Larian's coolest feature ideas are Stadia-exclusive.
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Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News, and he remembers playing Baldur's Gate 1 mainly because of the fact that he had absolutely no idea how to play it when he was 9. Follow him on Twitter.
Dreams Developer Exploring How Creations Could Be Used ‘Off PlayStation’
Dreams developer Media Molecule is looking into ways that Dreams creations can be used for business purposes beyond PS4.
In a Dreams update post released Friday, March 13, the developer answered a few questions it's received from the community, one being how players could potentially use their own creations for business purposes. Media Molecule had a lengthy answer for that and it seems the company is working on a way to allow users to use their creations outside of PlayStation.
"We've had lots of questions from creators about using Dreams for viable business opportunities off PlayStation such as concept work," the update post reads. "We welcome and encourage creators to do this, but it's new territory for us. We've been busy behind the scenes mapping out how we can make it easier for creators to do this in the future. We are kicking this off with a beta evaluation, where creators can submit an application to use Dreams for a specific project."
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You can view that beta evaluation here, should you want to apply. The update continues to explain that the evaluation is only available to Early Access Members in "good standing." Media Molecule asks that those who apply have published creations that can be viewed or have a showreel that showcases their work made in dreams viewable to the studio.
As far as what kind of projects this evaluation applies to, Media Molecule said basically any Dreams creation, as long as its value 'off PlayStation' is demonstrable. The update post also answered a few other questions regarding original creations in Dreams. Media Molecule said the creator of an original idea in Dreams is the IP owner for that creation, and that said person is free to use their IP in artwork, music portfolios, collages, or even a T-shirt design.
"In other words, for your own personal use," the post reads.
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Dreams has been out for just under a month and Media Molecule is looking into ways to improve its systems to highlight more original content rather than remakes. That's not to say remakes or non-original IPs aren't worth checking out - just take the unofficial Avatar: The Last Airbender game that already has millions of admirers.
We thought Media Molecule's latest was amazing, giving Dreams a 9 out of 10.
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Astronomers Discover 139 New ‘Minor Planets’ in the Outer Solar System
Astronomers have found 139 new "minor planets" in the far reaches of our solar system just beyond Neptune's orbit, which could potentially boost scientists' continued searches for the putative Planet Nine.
A new study published in The Astrophysical Journal revealed how data from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) helped researchers to detect a new cluster of Trans-Neptune objects, from which 139 out of 316 minor planets had not been documented before.
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The DES operation, spanning across six years, mapped the southern skies to observe galaxy clusters and supernovae in an effort to understand astrological patterns, particularly in relation to dark energy, which is thought to be behind the accelerated period of expansion in our universe.
However, the journal entry explains the study provided more information than anticipated, as data from the first four years of the DES project helped to uncover hundreds of small objects - ranging in distance from 30 astronomical units, close to Neptune's orbit, and 90 astronomical units (AU) away from the sun.
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According to Space.com, scientists hope to adapt this new methodology to aid in their mission to find the theoretical Planet Nine and other undiscovered planets.
"There are lots of ideas about giant planets that used to be in the solar system and aren't there anymore, or planets that are far away and massive but too faint for us to have noticed yet," said physicist and astronomer Gary Bernstein from the University of Pennsylvania.
"Making the catalog is the fun discovery part," Bernstein added. "Then, when you create this resource, you can compare what you did find to what somebody's theory said you should find."
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This new study puts astronomers on an exciting path towards discovering even more about the galaxy far, far away.
As we know, the Star Wars fictional universe has been steadily evolving for years. From the battle-strewn wastes of Jakku to the lush beaches of Scarif, the recent sequel trilogy and franchise spin-offs have introduced many new planets to the Star Wars solar system.
For more on these galaxy-building worlds, check out our rundown of every new planet Introduced in the Disney Star Wars movies or read about The Rise of Skywalker's hidden planet Exegol and find out more about the classic Star Wars planet that appeared in Episode IX.
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Alternatively, for more on the real-world discoveries, check out the new method MIT engineers have identified to deflect asteroids, read about the mini-moon that was found to be orbiting Earth, and find out more about the sad fate that an asteroid belt may face in six billion years.
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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Dynamic PS4 Themes Revealed
Square Enix has revealed the three dynamic Final Fantasy 7 Remake themes coming to PS4s soon.
We've known about the dynamic themes for some time now but before Friday, March 13, we didn't know what the themes looked like beyond just a screenshot. The official Final Fantasy 7 Remake Twitter tweeted out previews of each of the three themes revealing the art associated with each and the music as well.
The first theme will be available April 10th for anyone that downloads the free Final Fantasy 7 Remake demo before May 11. It features our main cast looking out at the horizon just as the sun goes down. You can check it out below.
The second theme shared on Twitter was a dynamic Midgar theme coming to all PS+ users "soon." It features an expansive wide shot of Midgar and a cool shot of Cloud. The game's main battle theme plays too. The third Final Fantasy 7 Remake dynamic PS4 theme prominently features Sephiroth and is a theme available only to those who preorder the game through Amazon in the U.S. or various retailers throughout Europe. You can check out both below.Today we're giving you a closer look at three dynamic #PS4 #FinalFantasy VII Remake themes!
These aren't the only themes available, and we'll be posting more over the coming weeks. First is a free theme available from April 10th if you download the #FF7R demo before May 11th! pic.twitter.com/0LC89hwNRW — FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE (@finalfantasyvii) March 13, 2020
The third theme's tweet says, "Stay tuned for a closer look at some other #FF7R themes in the future," so it would seem we could be seeing even more Final Fantasy 7 Remake dynamic PS4 themes soon. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=final-fantasy-7-remake-over-100-screenshots&captions=true"] In the meantime, if you haven't played the Final Fantasy 7 Remake demo, you should at least download it to get the free theme coming April 10. Check out our walkthrough of the demo's Midgar Mako Reactor section to ensure you find every secret within. We've also got a guide showing you how to get the demo's secret ending. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.We've shown off two dynamic #PS4 themes today and here's a third. This Sephiroth theme is available as a pre-order bonus with https://t.co/ThA10iWA8z in the US, and at various retailers throughout Europe.
Stay tuned for a closer look at some other #FF7R themes in the future. pic.twitter.com/mp48OvNC2c — FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE (@finalfantasyvii) March 13, 2020
Our Doom Eternal Review Is Coming on Tuesday
Brace yourselves: IGN's Doom Eternal review, which is currently being composed by our own Ryan McCaffrey, will land on this very website on Tuesday, March 17 at 7am Pacific time, when the embargle lifts. Well, specifically, it'll be our review of the single-player campaign only, because the new 2v1 Battlemode multiplayer won't be switched on until launch on March 20. So our multiplayer-specific review and our final, overall score will follow a couple of days after that, as an ASAP kind of thing.
We know: the anticipation is killing us, too. In the meantime, you should absolutely check out our vast library of Doom Eternal gameplay video and previews. Will it make the urge to play it immediately easier to bear? Well... no. Probably worse, actually. But it's a good kind of hurt, you know? And if there's anything you want to know about Doom Eternal, leave your questions below – Ryan won't be able to say a peep until Tuesday but after that, it's all fair game (except spoilers).
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Tops NPD Charts for February 2020
The Nintendo Switch was the best-selling hardware platform and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was the best-selling game of February 2020, according to NPD.
Revealed by NPD's VG industry analyst Mat Piscatella, February 2020's spending on video game hardware, software, accessories, and game cards totaled $755 million USD, which is a 29% decline from 2019.
Year-to-date 2020 spending for the same parameters totaled $1.4 billion USD, which is a 28% decline from 2019.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare topped the list of best-selling games, followed by NBA 2K20 and Grand Theft Auto V.
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February 2020's Best-Selling Games
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
- NBA 2K20
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
- Tom Clancy's The Division 2
- Mario Kart 8
- Ring Fit Adventure
- Madden NFL 20
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- Minecraft
- Luigi's Mansion 3
- Red Dead Redemption II
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Pokemon Sword
- Just Dance 2020
- FIFA 20
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege
- Need for Speed: Heat
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
UEFA Champions League Postponed Indefinitely
The UEFA Champions League, professional soccer's most prestigious club tournament, has been postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19 or the novel coronavirus. Its sister tournament, the Europa League, and the UEFA Youth League have also been delayed.
In an official statement, UEFA explained that all matches scheduled to take place this weekend have been postponed, and quarter final draws for both the Champions and Europa Leagues had also been called off for the time being, effectively suspending the tournaments until further notice.
The Champions League is currently in the knockout round of 16, with at least four matches in their respective second legs left to be played: Manchester City vs. Real Madrid, Juventus vs. Lyon, Barcelona vs. Napoli, and Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea.
Other professional sports leagues that have been delayed due to COVID-19 include the National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), and the National Hockey League (NHL).
On the movie front, Fast 9's theatrical release has been delayed almost a year, A Quiet Place 2 is delayed indefinitely with no new release date announced, and the James Bond film No Time to Die will now be released in November 2020. For more information on COVID-19, here's an explainer on how the virus could affect the entire film industry, according to experts.
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David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He's also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.
Real-Life NBA Team to Continue Suspended Season Inside NBA 2K
Real-life NBA team Phoenix Suns will continue to play the current season that has been suspended due to the COVID-19 virus… in the NBA 2K video game.
In a post on Twitter, Phoenix Suns revealed that they plan to continue to play the Suns season games in the popular basketball video game, and fans can watch them live on Twitch.
“Saturday’s game will be moved to tomorrow,” says the tweet. “Join us live on Twitch as we take on the Dallas Mavericks!” The tweet doesn’t make it clear who will be hosting the stream and if they will be playing against AI or online against the actual Mavericks. However, the Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker is a known Twitch streamer, who was actually streaming Call of Duty: Warzone at the moment he discovered that the NBA season had been suspended, so it’s possible that he’ll be involved. NBA commissioner Adam Silver placed the league on a minimum 30-day hiatus on February 12. With the Suns playing their scheduled games for the rest of the season in NBA 2K, there will be at least some action for basketball fans, even if the results are technically meaningless for the season. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/09/nba-2k20-review"] For more on how COVID-19 is affecting the world, you can read our stories on the MCU’s Shang-Chi production being paused, Universal Studios and Disney parks closing, New Mutants being delayed, and many video games events being cancelled. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter.The season isn’t over yet...
We will continue to play the Suns season games on @NBA2K! Saturday’s game will be moved to tomorrow. Join us live on @Twitch as we take on the @dallasmavs! pic.twitter.com/745QIuvCMc — Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 13, 2020
Marvel’s Shang-Chi Pauses First-Unit Production as Director Self-Isolates
First-unit production for Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has been suspended as director Destin Daniel Cretton self-isolates pending the results of a test for the coronavirus COVID-19, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Cretton has apparently self-isolated under a doctor’s recommendation. The film is currently shooting in Australia.
According to The Hollywood Reporter’s sources first-unit production will be temporarily halted “in an abundance of caution” but second unit and off production “will continue as normal.” Cretton’s results will be available next week.
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Shang-Chi is the second Australian-based film production affected by a COVID-19-related delay this week, with work on Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming Elvis biopic also stalled after Tom Hanks tested positive for the virus.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, starring Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Tony Leung as the real Mandarin, and Awkwafina is scheduled to hit cinemas in February 2021. Head here for everything you need to know about Marvel’s Master of Kung Fu.
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Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter every few days @MrLukeReilly.
Nioh 2 Review – Another Walk Among the Tombstones
Nioh 2 is not to be trifled with. Building on the original's tough-as-nails reputation, Team Ninja's second samurai action-RPG brings back the original's penchant for punishing and highly nuanced combat. The sequel hones the original's distinctive take on the Souls-like without completely reinventing itself. The result is a long, tough slog that will push even the most challenge-hungry players to their breaking points as they fight for every inch of ground and become master samurai.
Despite the title, Nioh 2 is a prequel, revealing the secret history of a decades-long period of war in medieval Japan. As the silent, customizable hero Hide, you fight to uncover the secret nature of "spirit stones," which grant supernatural power, and defeat hordes of Yokai across the country. The plot, which you mostly hear through cutscenes and exposition between missions, has an interesting historical bent, but it is really just glue to hold the levels together. Historically relevant names like Nobunaga and Tokugawa play into the saga, but whatever flavor they add in the moment fades the second you take control and it's time to start killing demons.
But that's okay. Nioh 2's story gives just enough context for you to follow along and make you feel like you're making progress without getting in the way of the gameplay. Nioh 2's definitive feature is its challenge. With core mechanics refined from the bones of Dark Souls, Nioh 2 boils down to a series of battles and duels in all kinds of situations. These battles demand intense precision: Not only are your attacks and skills limited by a stamina meter--called Ki--but any extra attack or mistimed movement will leave you exposed, often to an attack that will cost you a substantial amount of health. Like other Souls-like games, there is a painful pleasure in mastering whatever opponents the game throws your way.
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