Monthly Archives: May 2020
Marvel’s Avengers: Devs Discuss Representing Disability
Crystal Dynamics, the developer behind Marvel’s Avengers, and publisher Square Enix have revealed a new wheelchair-using superpowered NPC, which is one of the studio’s many efforts to increase its representation of disability.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/27/marvels-avengers-our-mission-video"]
In a blog dedicated to accessibility, staff from Crystal Dynamics explained how accessibility has increased in importance to the studio since efforts first began in 2013. Last year, the studio earned APXP (Accessible Player Experience Practitioner) certification, signalling that it has staff members that are able to understand the experiences of players who have different needs.
This has influenced several elements in Marvel’s Avengers, including an NPC called Cerise. She is part of the Inhumans, a group of superpowered people who are one of the core teams in Marvel’s comic canon. Her idle animations have been motion captured by Cherry Thompson, an accessibility specialist who has also been providing feedback on the game.
Cerise provides representation for disabled people, but the game’s design also helps cater to disabled players. “One of the examples I am most excited about is a high contrast user interface (UI),” said Meagan Marie, the senior community and social media manager for Marvel’s Avengers. “The high contrast UI feature makes it easier to navigate for low-vision users or people who find some interfaces distracting and difficult to use. The UI team really did a great job on that one.”
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The game will also feature fully remappable controls, character-associated subtitles, campaign-relevant closed captions, and HARM Training Rooms, each of which is helpful for different types of players.
Marvel’s Avengers is due to release this September, after being delayed from a May launch. You’ll be able to see more of the game during IGN’s Summer of Gaming event, where we’ll see the Avengers’ War Table feature and co-op gameplay.
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Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter.
One Shell Straight to Hell Is a Demonic New Twin-Stick Shooter
IGN can exclusively announce One Shell Straight to Hell, a new twin-stick shooter developed by Shotgun With Glitters. The game will be published by Feardemic, an indie label under Bloober Team, the Poland-based publisher behind Blair Witch and The Medium.
One Shell Straight to Hell employs a voxel-based visual style and inventive gameplay that mixes roguelike and horde-mode style base defense. "Descend into our ever-changing dungeons that overflow with demonic enemies and pit your insane skills and over the top weapon collection against the satanic hordes," reads the game's Steam description. "For your entertainment I have personally manifested a collection of monsters that are madder than the Mad Hatter, and to make it even more challenging, this ludicrous bunch will come in endless waves to lay siege on your fortifications." You can check out a reveal trailer below, and our first-look preview video above: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/29/one-shell-straight-to-hell-reveal-trailer"] Indie fans might recognize the game’s protagonist Padre Alexander, who was also the lead in the developer’s previous title, The Padre. Padre is a holy priest, but also a demon slayer with a sarcastic wit. Wearing a traditional black cassock, Padre is heavily armed with deadly revolvers and knives. It’s kind of like a mix between The Exorcist and manga/anime series Hellsing, the latter of which seems to be a heavy source of inspiration for Padre’s character setting and name. One Shell Straight to Hell is due later this year on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. You can wishlist the game on Steam now. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Shin Imai is Deputy Chief Editor at IGN Japan. Follow him on Twitter.Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in Development
A sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog is in the works.
Variety reports that Jeff Fowler, who helmed the 2020 film, is returning to direct the sequel from a script by Pat Casey and Josh Miller. The trade says it's confirmed its scoop with Paramount Pictures and Sega.
Fowler also confirmed the news via Twitter.
"The movie is still in the development stage so decisions have not been made yet regarding casting or a production start date," according to Variety.
[ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/13/sonic-the-hedgehog-review]
The 2020 original starred Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik and Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic. James Marsden and Tika Sumpter.
Despite a rocky production that saw a fan backlash that led to a redesign of the title character, Somic the Hedgehog proved a box office success -- albeit a short-lived one as theaters closed due to the coronavirus and the movie made a quick pivot to VOD.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-video-game-movie-in-development-almost&captions=true"]
To find out what Sonic the Hedgehog 2 might be about, check out our SPOILER-FILLED breakdown of the first film's ending and how it sets up a sequel and learn what Jim Carrey had to say about how Robotnik's look would evolve for the sequel.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in Development
A sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog is in the works.
Variety reports that Jeff Fowler, who helmed the 2020 film, is returning to direct the sequel from a script by Pat Casey and Josh Miller. The trade says it's confirmed its scoop with Paramount Pictures and Sega.
Fowler also confirmed the news via Twitter.
"The movie is still in the development stage so decisions have not been made yet regarding casting or a production start date," according to Variety.
[ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/13/sonic-the-hedgehog-review]
The 2020 original starred Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik and Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic. James Marsden and Tika Sumpter.
Despite a rocky production that saw a fan backlash that led to a redesign of the title character, Somic the Hedgehog proved a box office success -- albeit a short-lived one as theaters closed due to the coronavirus and the movie made a quick pivot to VOD.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-video-game-movie-in-development-almost&captions=true"]
To find out what Sonic the Hedgehog 2 might be about, check out our SPOILER-FILLED breakdown of the first film's ending and how it sets up a sequel and learn what Jim Carrey had to say about how Robotnik's look would evolve for the sequel.
Quentin Tarantino Reveals His Pick for the Best Film of the Decade
Oscar-winning filmmaker and movie buff Quentin Tarantino has weighed in on what he considers the very best films of the past decade (2010-2019), and didn't pick any of his own. Instead, Tarantino has selected David Fincher's The Social Network as the best movie of the decade.
Tarantino explained his choice to Premiere (via The Playlist): “It’s The Social Network, hands down…It is number 1 because it’s the best, that’s all! It crushes all the competition.”
Directed by David Fincher from a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network chronicled the founding of Facebook and the rise of controversial tech mogul Mark Zuckerberg (played by Jesse Eisenberg). The film's stellar cast included Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Rooney Mara, and Armie Hammer.
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Tarantino's No. 2 film of the decade is Christopher Nolan's 2017 war film Dunkirk. Tarantino explained at the time that it took him three viewings to fully appreciate Dunkirk beyond a technical level, and as a result, the film rose from seventh to second place on his personal list of the best films of the decade.
"I liked the movie, but the spectacle almost numbed me to the experience. I don’t think I felt anything emotional. I was awed by it. But I didn’t know what I was awed by," Tarantino told The Ringer’s “Rewatchables” podcast.
"It wasn’t until the third time that I could see past the spectacle and into the people the story is about. I finally could see through the trees a little bit.”
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/31/top-100-movies-of-the-decade"]
Both The Social Network and Dunkirk made IGN's list of the best movies of the decade.
We hailed The Social Network as "a gripping, expertly made and wonderfully performed character study, a very modern story about some very classic themes," while praising Dunkirk for being "able to depict not only the overwhelming, inhuman forces in play but the power of small acts of decency and bravery."
Quentin Tarantino Reveals His Pick for the Best Film of the Decade
Oscar-winning filmmaker and movie buff Quentin Tarantino has weighed in on what he considers the very best films of the past decade (2010-2019), and didn't pick any of his own. Instead, Tarantino has selected David Fincher's The Social Network as the best movie of the decade.
Tarantino explained his choice to Premiere (via The Playlist): “It’s The Social Network, hands down…It is number 1 because it’s the best, that’s all! It crushes all the competition.”
Directed by David Fincher from a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network chronicled the founding of Facebook and the rise of controversial tech mogul Mark Zuckerberg (played by Jesse Eisenberg). The film's stellar cast included Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Rooney Mara, and Armie Hammer.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-movies-of-the-decade-2010-2019&captions=true"]
Tarantino's No. 2 film of the decade is Christopher Nolan's 2017 war film Dunkirk. Tarantino explained at the time that it took him three viewings to fully appreciate Dunkirk beyond a technical level, and as a result, the film rose from seventh to second place on his personal list of the best films of the decade.
"I liked the movie, but the spectacle almost numbed me to the experience. I don’t think I felt anything emotional. I was awed by it. But I didn’t know what I was awed by," Tarantino told The Ringer’s “Rewatchables” podcast.
"It wasn’t until the third time that I could see past the spectacle and into the people the story is about. I finally could see through the trees a little bit.”
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/31/top-100-movies-of-the-decade"]
Both The Social Network and Dunkirk made IGN's list of the best movies of the decade.
We hailed The Social Network as "a gripping, expertly made and wonderfully performed character study, a very modern story about some very classic themes," while praising Dunkirk for being "able to depict not only the overwhelming, inhuman forces in play but the power of small acts of decency and bravery."
You Wont Believe Which Avenger Just Got Beat Up by Moon Knight
With new comic books finally trickling back into stores following the recent Diamond Comic Distributors shutdown, Marvel has finally kicked off the eagerly anticipated "Age of Khonshu" storyline in the pages of The Avengers. It was certainly worth the wait, especially with The Avengers #33 revamping Moon Knight to become a serious threat to Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
Why is Moon Knight suddenly waging war on his former team? Read on to find out, but beware of spoilers for The Avengers #33 ahead!
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Marvel has a tendency to drastically revamp Moon Knight and his place in the Marvel Universe every few years, and this new storyline is no exception. This already psychologically troubled hero has seemingly gone full-villain in 2020. This issue features Moon Knight hunting down and battling several Avengers, with each encounter ending with Moon Knight stealing his opponent's power and storing it within a different ankh pendant he wears around his neck. It isn't long before Moon Knight manages to harness the power of the Iron Fist and Doctor Strange's Eye of Agamotto. He even steals Ghost Rider's demonic car.
In perhaps the most impressive and unlikely upset of the issue, Moon Knight manages to beat the Mighty Thor himself. He reveals to Thor that the enchanted metal that makes up Mjolnir was actually forged from an ancient moon, giving the mortal Marc Spector control over one of the most powerful weapons in the Marvel Universe. Thor is less than thrilled at this latest development.
[caption id="attachment_2358127" align="aligncenter" width="920"]
Art by Javier Garron. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)[/caption]
Why has Moon Knight suddenly become so powerful and so villainous? While the character is often compared to Batman, he does have a certain degree of superhuman power that waxes and wanes with both the moon itself and with Spector's connection to the Egyptian mood god Khonshu. Because Spector has seemingly repaired his dysfunctional relationship with Khonshu, and because the Marvel Universe is experiencing its "biggest supermoon in a million years," both Khonshu and his herald are stronger than they've ever been.
So what is Khonshu's endgame here? This issue reveals the moon god has tasked Spector with absorbing the powers of every hero connected to the "Avengers of 1,000,000 BC" introduced at the beginning of writer Jason Aaron's Avengers saga. Moon Knight now has Odin's hammer, Iron Fist's mystical chi, Agamatto's magic and Ghost Rider's vehicle. Unfortunately, he still lacks the Starbrand, the Phoenix Force and the might of Black Panther (the one hero who manages to successfully resist Moon Knight in this issue). Even so, Khonshu and his herald seem ready to take on their true enemy. Khonshu apparently wants to wage war on the Devil.
[caption id="attachment_2358128" align="aligncenter" width="912"]
Art by Javier Garron. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)[/caption]
Presumably, the devil Moon Knight refers to here is Mephisto. Mephisto appeared in a recent issue of the series, where we learned the demon lord may actually be Iron Man's true father. Mephisto's plans appear to be threatening the gods themselves, hence why Khonshu is taking the advantage of the supermoon and launching a preemptive strike against this threat.
Let us know what you think of this huge Moon Knight revamp in the comments below. And for more on this kooky Marvel hero, check out our Moon Knight Explained feature and find out what we know so far about the upcoming Disney+ series.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/28/logan-director-shares-test-footage-confirms-hugh-jackman-never-wore-wolverine-mask-ign-news"]
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Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
Art by Javier Garron. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)[/caption]
Why has Moon Knight suddenly become so powerful and so villainous? While the character is often compared to Batman, he does have a certain degree of superhuman power that waxes and wanes with both the moon itself and with Spector's connection to the Egyptian mood god Khonshu. Because Spector has seemingly repaired his dysfunctional relationship with Khonshu, and because the Marvel Universe is experiencing its "biggest supermoon in a million years," both Khonshu and his herald are stronger than they've ever been.
So what is Khonshu's endgame here? This issue reveals the moon god has tasked Spector with absorbing the powers of every hero connected to the "Avengers of 1,000,000 BC" introduced at the beginning of writer Jason Aaron's Avengers saga. Moon Knight now has Odin's hammer, Iron Fist's mystical chi, Agamatto's magic and Ghost Rider's vehicle. Unfortunately, he still lacks the Starbrand, the Phoenix Force and the might of Black Panther (the one hero who manages to successfully resist Moon Knight in this issue). Even so, Khonshu and his herald seem ready to take on their true enemy. Khonshu apparently wants to wage war on the Devil.
[caption id="attachment_2358128" align="aligncenter" width="912"] Art by Javier Garron. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)[/caption]
Presumably, the devil Moon Knight refers to here is Mephisto. Mephisto appeared in a recent issue of the series, where we learned the demon lord may actually be Iron Man's true father. Mephisto's plans appear to be threatening the gods themselves, hence why Khonshu is taking the advantage of the supermoon and launching a preemptive strike against this threat.
Let us know what you think of this huge Moon Knight revamp in the comments below. And for more on this kooky Marvel hero, check out our Moon Knight Explained feature and find out what we know so far about the upcoming Disney+ series.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/28/logan-director-shares-test-footage-confirms-hugh-jackman-never-wore-wolverine-mask-ign-news"]
[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.You Wont Believe Which Avenger Just Got Beat Up by Moon Knight
With new comic books finally trickling back into stores following the recent Diamond Comic Distributors shutdown, Marvel has finally kicked off the eagerly anticipated "Age of Khonshu" storyline in the pages of The Avengers. It was certainly worth the wait, especially with The Avengers #33 revamping Moon Knight to become a serious threat to Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
Why is Moon Knight suddenly waging war on his former team? Read on to find out, but beware of spoilers for The Avengers #33 ahead!
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=see-moon-knight-battle-iron-fist-in-avengers-age-of-khonshu&captions=true"]
Marvel has a tendency to drastically revamp Moon Knight and his place in the Marvel Universe every few years, and this new storyline is no exception. This already psychologically troubled hero has seemingly gone full-villain in 2020. This issue features Moon Knight hunting down and battling several Avengers, with each encounter ending with Moon Knight stealing his opponent's power and storing it within a different ankh pendant he wears around his neck. It isn't long before Moon Knight manages to harness the power of the Iron Fist and Doctor Strange's Eye of Agamotto. He even steals Ghost Rider's demonic car.
In perhaps the most impressive and unlikely upset of the issue, Moon Knight manages to beat the Mighty Thor himself. He reveals to Thor that the enchanted metal that makes up Mjolnir was actually forged from an ancient moon, giving the mortal Marc Spector control over one of the most powerful weapons in the Marvel Universe. Thor is less than thrilled at this latest development.
[caption id="attachment_2358127" align="aligncenter" width="920"] Art by Javier Garron. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)[/caption]
Why has Moon Knight suddenly become so powerful and so villainous? While the character is often compared to Batman, he does have a certain degree of superhuman power that waxes and wanes with both the moon itself and with Spector's connection to the Egyptian mood god Khonshu. Because Spector has seemingly repaired his dysfunctional relationship with Khonshu, and because the Marvel Universe is experiencing its "biggest supermoon in a million years," both Khonshu and his herald are stronger than they've ever been.
So what is Khonshu's endgame here? This issue reveals the moon god has tasked Spector with absorbing the powers of every hero connected to the "Avengers of 1,000,000 BC" introduced at the beginning of writer Jason Aaron's Avengers saga. Moon Knight now has Odin's hammer, Iron Fist's mystical chi, Agamatto's magic and Ghost Rider's vehicle. Unfortunately, he still lacks the Starbrand, the Phoenix Force and the might of Black Panther (the one hero who manages to successfully resist Moon Knight in this issue). Even so, Khonshu and his herald seem ready to take on their true enemy. Khonshu apparently wants to wage war on the Devil.
[caption id="attachment_2358128" align="aligncenter" width="912"] Art by Javier Garron. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)[/caption]
Presumably, the devil Moon Knight refers to here is Mephisto. Mephisto appeared in a recent issue of the series, where we learned the demon lord may actually be Iron Man's true father. Mephisto's plans appear to be threatening the gods themselves, hence why Khonshu is taking the advantage of the supermoon and launching a preemptive strike against this threat.
Let us know what you think of this huge Moon Knight revamp in the comments below. And for more on this kooky Marvel hero, check out our Moon Knight Explained feature and find out what we know so far about the upcoming Disney+ series.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/28/logan-director-shares-test-footage-confirms-hugh-jackman-never-wore-wolverine-mask-ign-news"]
[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.
Art by Javier Garron. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)[/caption]
Why has Moon Knight suddenly become so powerful and so villainous? While the character is often compared to Batman, he does have a certain degree of superhuman power that waxes and wanes with both the moon itself and with Spector's connection to the Egyptian mood god Khonshu. Because Spector has seemingly repaired his dysfunctional relationship with Khonshu, and because the Marvel Universe is experiencing its "biggest supermoon in a million years," both Khonshu and his herald are stronger than they've ever been.
So what is Khonshu's endgame here? This issue reveals the moon god has tasked Spector with absorbing the powers of every hero connected to the "Avengers of 1,000,000 BC" introduced at the beginning of writer Jason Aaron's Avengers saga. Moon Knight now has Odin's hammer, Iron Fist's mystical chi, Agamatto's magic and Ghost Rider's vehicle. Unfortunately, he still lacks the Starbrand, the Phoenix Force and the might of Black Panther (the one hero who manages to successfully resist Moon Knight in this issue). Even so, Khonshu and his herald seem ready to take on their true enemy. Khonshu apparently wants to wage war on the Devil.
[caption id="attachment_2358128" align="aligncenter" width="912"] Art by Javier Garron. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)[/caption]
Presumably, the devil Moon Knight refers to here is Mephisto. Mephisto appeared in a recent issue of the series, where we learned the demon lord may actually be Iron Man's true father. Mephisto's plans appear to be threatening the gods themselves, hence why Khonshu is taking the advantage of the supermoon and launching a preemptive strike against this threat.
Let us know what you think of this huge Moon Knight revamp in the comments below. And for more on this kooky Marvel hero, check out our Moon Knight Explained feature and find out what we know so far about the upcoming Disney+ series.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/28/logan-director-shares-test-footage-confirms-hugh-jackman-never-wore-wolverine-mask-ign-news"]
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Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.Resolutiion Review – Asked, Not Answered
Resolutiion constantly implies there’s more going on than you realize. Its strong anti-imperialist messaging pushes you to question the nature of your mission. Its mechanics, including the fact that most enemies fall incapacitated before you kill them, suggests that maybe you should show mercy when given the choice. The concept of scholars studying the world in VR, seeking to understand things without seeing what's in front of them, challenges you to question when knowledge is useful. Walls and signs adorned with intricate symbols and filled with cryptic, interactive elements forces you to consider the possibility that you’ll need to be extremely clever and dig really deep to find the truth.
That truth is extremely hard to come by, though. Even after combing the world and finding out how many of the pieces fit, I walked away feeling that Resolutiion’s big philosophical questions stirred my mind. However, its obtuse attempts to manifest them as a deep, mysterious puzzle beneath the game’s surface-level objectives created a gap between the loose, but entertaining Metroid-style action game I played and the intellectually stimulating action-puzzle I could tell was there but had trouble parsing.
Resolutiion is a stylish game. Its smooth-moving but highly pixelated art style evokes games like Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery, Below, and Hyper Light Drifter at a glance, but it has its own thrown-together mix of cultural influences that create a unique setting. The backdrop of its world, a post-apocalyptic ruin rebuilding in the shadow of a cyberpunk dystopia, permeates every screen. The landscape blends large swaths of concrete and sand with bright, unnatural skies. Its characters range from Buddhist monk laborers to talking deer and bunnies espousing subversive anti-imperialist rhetoric.
Continue Reading at GameSpotResolutiion Review – Asked, Not Answered
Resolutiion constantly implies there’s more going on than you realize. Its strong anti-imperialist messaging pushes you to question the nature of your mission. Its mechanics, including the fact that most enemies fall incapacitated before you kill them, suggests that maybe you should show mercy when given the choice. The concept of scholars studying the world in VR, seeking to understand things without seeing what's in front of them, challenges you to question when knowledge is useful. Walls and signs adorned with intricate symbols and filled with cryptic, interactive elements forces you to consider the possibility that you’ll need to be extremely clever and dig really deep to find the truth.
That truth is extremely hard to come by, though. Even after combing the world and finding out how many of the pieces fit, I walked away feeling that Resolutiion’s big philosophical questions stirred my mind. However, its obtuse attempts to manifest them as a deep, mysterious puzzle beneath the game’s surface-level objectives created a gap between the loose, but entertaining Metroid-style action game I played and the intellectually stimulating action-puzzle I could tell was there but had trouble parsing.
Resolutiion is a stylish game. Its smooth-moving but highly pixelated art style evokes games like Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery, Below, and Hyper Light Drifter at a glance, but it has its own thrown-together mix of cultural influences that create a unique setting. The backdrop of its world, a post-apocalyptic ruin rebuilding in the shadow of a cyberpunk dystopia, permeates every screen. The landscape blends large swaths of concrete and sand with bright, unnatural skies. Its characters range from Buddhist monk laborers to talking deer and bunnies espousing subversive anti-imperialist rhetoric.
Continue Reading at GameSpot