12 Monkeys Renewed for Season 2
Syfy has announced that their adventure series 12 Monkeys has been greenlit for a second season.
Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett (Nikita), co-executive producers and writers of the pilot, will be stepping up to serve as EP/Showrunners for Season 2, which is expected to air in 2016.
"We are absolutely committed to 12 Monkeys, and have been incredibly impressed by the outstanding critical and audience praise the series has earned,” said Dave Howe, Syfy President. “The talent both on and off-screen have delivered a series that has us all on the edge of our seats, providing exactly the smart, exciting storytelling Syfy is known for.”
Jeff Wachtel, President and Chief Content Officer, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, added, “12 Monkeys is a show that has exceeded expectations at every stage. It’s had a great first season creatively, and is building a dedicated audience. We can’t wait to see where – and when! – Terry and Travis will take us next.”
Octodad Stumbling Onto Xbox One This Summer
Developer Young Horses is bringing Octodad: Dadliest Catch to Xbox One this summer via Microsoft's ID@Xbox program.
The developer had been considering bringing Octodad to Microsoft's current-gen console, but now it's official.
The Xbox One version will include the previously announced Shorts DLC, as well as support for 2-4 player local co-op, according to the ID@Xbox blog. The Shorts DLC brings two new levels to the cephalopod simulator, which include forty new objectives, at least 20 breakable plates, and "probably a pizza."
Free Peugeot Concept Car in Driveclub March Update
The March 1.12 update for Driveclub hits next week, and with it comes the chance to take the wheel of Puegeot's "21st century supercar," the Onyx.
Also coming to the Driveclub update will be the Lamborghini expansion pack with four new cars, new events and trophies. The Lamborghini expansion will be a premium download, while the Peugeot Onyx will be a free download.
In addition to slick automobiles available for download, the update will add the Ferrari 599XX Evoluzione as a new Driver Level 50 reward. Photomode will be usable from within a replay at any point, and replays have been added for all single events and tours. "You can now save a replay at the end of any single player event and view it later from the replays section," according to Evolution Studios.
Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur Begins Filming
Now that Guy Ritchie's King Arthur movie has begun filming, Warner Bros. has released an official synopsis and cast list for it.
Warner Bros. reportedly plans to use this movie to kick-start a new franchise of Arthurian films, with the story unfolding over six installments. Check out the official synopsis below:
"The bold new story introduces a streetwise young Arthur who runs the back alleys of Londonium with his gang, unaware of the life he was born for until he grasps hold of the sword Excalibur—and with it, his future. Instantly challenged by the power of Excalibur, Arthur is forced to make some hard choices. Throwing in with the Resistance and a mysterious young woman named Guinevere, he must learn to master the sword, face down his demons and unite the people to defeat the tyrant Vortigern, who stole his crown and murdered his parents, and become King."
Once Upon a Time Execs Tease Whether Emma Will Go Evil
Note: This article contains spoilers for the most recent episode of Once Upon a Time.
Once Upon a Time is a couple of episodes into the back half of Season 4, and the Queens of Darkness are causing trouble. Maleficent (Kristin Bauer van Straten), Ursula (Merrin Dungey), and Cruella De Vil (Victoria Smurfit) have joined forces with Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle) and they're determined to find their happy endings even if they don't deserve them. Their arrival has also stirred up the past. We've learned that back in the Enchanted Forest days, Mary Margaret/Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Charming/David (Josh Dallas) had an encounter with the villainous trio and it did not end well. Specifically where Maleficent is concerned.
Prime Free Game: The Witcher 2
IGN Prime has partnered with CD Projekt Red to give away 50,000 PC copies of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (Enhanced Edition) to IGN Prime members during the month of March.
In the sequel to 2007's hit game The Witcher, you continue your journey as Geralt of Rivia, imprisoned as you stand accused of assassinating the king of Temeria. Escape and explore the world around you while hunting monsters, fighting foes and ultimately, tracking down the true kingslayer. The Witcher 2 adds an updated robust combat system and features a set of abilities, armor and weapons to help you on your way.
In our review, we stated that The Witcher 2 provides "a rich, detailed experience packed with curiosities, creative and flexible quest designs, powerful reasons to explore and deep gameplay mechanics." That still holds true to this day, as The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings stands as an experience that should not be missed.
This Week in the Nintendo eShop
The biggest release this week hits tomorrow in the new 3DS game Code Name: S.T.E.A.M., which is a brand new strategy RPG from Intelligent Systems. But if you're concerned about the here and now, a few interesting games are still coming to the eShops. On 3DS, the latest Sega 3D Classic hits in 3D OutRun and an interesting game from former Namco developers launches in 50 Pinch Barrage!! On Wii U, the biggest release is Trine: Enchanted Edition, which is the first time the original Trine is hitting a Nintendo system.
Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. ($39.99, Available March 13)
Intelligent Systems' latest 3DS strategy RPG is nearly here. Featuring a unique comic book-inspired aestethic that includes Abraham Lincoln voiced by Wil Wheaton in a mech suit, this title bucks the trend of classic Intelligent Systems games such as Fire Emblem and Advance Wars by making it more a turn-based strategy game by way of third-person shooter. Check out IGN's review for more details.
12 Monkeys’ Aaron Stanford on Cole’s Time Travel Struggles
Note: Spoilers for last week's 12 Monkeys follow.
12 Monkeys has continued to deliver a ton of twists and turns in its first season, and that continued in last week's episode, as Cole (Aaron Stanford) was stuck in the rubble from an explosion...
...only for him (and us!) to discover he'd jumped to the year 2017, after the plague he's been fighting to stop had already begun, in what was only the latest clever move the show has taken with its time travel storylines.
Aaron Stanford recently stopped by the IGN office, where I sat down with him to talk about 12 Monkeys, the show's use of time travel and much more - including his time on Nikita and in the X-Men films.
There Came An Echo Review
When I play There Came An Echo, I feel like an idiot. I'm sitting in a room, alone, and talking to my PC. "Miranda, move to alpha three," I say to my squad member in a snippy tone one would use to tell a dog to 'drop it'--in fact, it's the same tone I use to frustratingly say "Xbox, on" before just reaching for its power button. Sometimes, my PC listens, and Miranda chirps an affirmative confirmation before moving into position. At other times, nothing happens, and I have to wait a moment before trying the vocal command again--this time, slightly louder; this time, it's more of a demand. "Miranda. Move. To. Alpha. Three."
"You're a little too loud," the in-game character says, as she fails to react to my command once again. This only amplifies my frustration, making it harder to deliver my next order in a "quiet and collected manner" as the loading screen tips suggest. In There Came An Echo's real-time tactical battles, simply getting characters to move to appropriate spots on the top-down map can be an ordeal. That's because the game can be played almost entirely through voice control--aside from using the mouse or the arrow keys to pan the camera, every order can be spoken into a microphone. You can tell your units to move into position, focus on targets, switch weapons, and even queue up actions by following any command with "On my mark...".
When it all works, the game offers the kind of battlefield commander fantasy that is lost when just pointing and clicking to issue orders with the mouse. In order for it to work, there are so many factors that need to be just right. You need to issue the command at the right volume. You must clearly enunciate every syllable. Your microphone needs to be the correct distance from your mouth. There can't be too much background noise. On top of those, you'll need to spend a few missions calibrating the voice recognition system using the in-game options. Unfortunately, even with all these factors taken into account, the failure rate for voice commands being recognised is high enough to shatter that commander fantasy multiple times each mission.
There Came An Echo feels like it has been designed to allow for a degree of non-responsiveness. Characters exchange fire with futuristic energy weapons, whilst coming equipped with shields that absorb a significant amount of hits before you need to start worrying about their safety. Combat isn't fast and brutal; instead, you'll be whittling down health bars at a slow pace that plays nicely into the time it takes to issue vocal orders.
Your actual tactical freedom, however, is limited. You do not have direct control over your small squad; they can only be ordered to move to pre-determined waypoints on the map. Those waypoints are placed in obvious locations, and serve to dictate the way in which each encounter will play out. You occasionally have the opportunity to flank units and whittle their health down faster, or switch between slightly different weapon types, but by the time you're able to get the voice recognition system to work, the encounter is usually over--the enemies are dead, or all your squad members are down.
The failure rate for voice commands being recognised is high enough to shatter that commander fantasy
Though the voice commands are There Came An Echo's primary method of control, the same orders can also be issued with the mouse. You have no greater direct control over your units, however. Instead, you simply select text versions of the same voice commands from a radial menu. It's evident that there is no deeper quality to the game's tactical engagements when the problematic voice control system is removed. Once the novelty of having your voice recognised by the game wears off, there is little here to propel you through each mission.
The cutscenes that bookend each encounter don't fill that void, either. Though the voice acting is above average, the writing has characters constantly bickering and arguing over nothing, regularly cutting each other off and telling each other to "shut up" both in and out of missions. It feels like a woeful imitation of Archer's screwball character comedy antics. This dialogue also jars with the otherwise dark and serious nature of the convoluted plot, which deals with issues of over-surveillance and paranoia through excessive techno-babble.
Though the plot is poorly delivered, it provides an appropriate context for the role you assume as the omniscient commander. There is an eerie sensation when you realise your PC is actually listening to you. Unfortunately, far too often, it simply isn't.
Homefront: The Revolution Has Been Delayed
Homefront: The Revolution has been delayed until 2016.
It was originally thought Homefront: The Revolution would ship at some point during 2015, but that is no longer the case.
“Dambuster Studios are an extraordinarily talented group,” says Deep Silver CEO Dr. Klemens Kundratitz. “We are giving the team every opportunity to turn Homefront: The Revolution into a best-selling title, and have set a 2016 release date to provide them the time they need to achieve this. You can expect to hear more about the game later this year.”
Back in July, of 2014, Deep Silver revealed the company had purchased all rights to the Homefront IP and assets from Crytek UK. Deep Silver then went on to form a new development team by the name of Dambuster Studios, which is now in charge of seeing Homefront: The Revolution through to completion.