Monthly Archives: December 2020
The Xbox Series S Can Play PS2 Games, Apparently
The Xbox Series S Can Play PS2 Games, Apparently
The Huge Radio Telescope From GoldenEye Has Collapsed
The Arecibo Observatory was already planned for closure last month over fears it would collapse. One of the cables holding up the platform failed previously, and the NSF, which oversees the telescope, planned to retire the radio telescope after the incident.
The world’s largest single-dish radio telescope (Until the FAST telescope built in 2016) was built in 1960 was used to research radio astronomy, atmospheric science, and search for extraterrestrial intelligence. The observatory and telescope were used as backdrops in many blockbuster films, most notably in the James Bond movie GoldenEye. But the Observatory made other appearances as well such as in the films Species, Contact, and The X-Files TV episode “Little Green Men.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/03/goldeneye-official-trailer"] Originally the plans were to keep the observatory's visitors center operational, but plans for the observatory are now in flux following the collapse. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN. (Header Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)The instrument platform of the 305m telescope at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico fell overnight. No injuries were reported. NSF is working with stakeholders to assess the situation. Our top priority is maintaining safety. NSF will release more details when they are confirmed. pic.twitter.com/Xjbb9hPUgD
— National Science Foundation (@NSF) December 1, 2020
The Huge Radio Telescope From GoldenEye Has Collapsed
The Arecibo Observatory was already planned for closure last month over fears it would collapse. One of the cables holding up the platform failed previously, and the NSF, which oversees the telescope, planned to retire the radio telescope after the incident.
The world’s largest single-dish radio telescope (Until the FAST telescope built in 2016) was built in 1960 was used to research radio astronomy, atmospheric science, and search for extraterrestrial intelligence. The observatory and telescope were used as backdrops in many blockbuster films, most notably in the James Bond movie GoldenEye. But the Observatory made other appearances as well such as in the films Species, Contact, and The X-Files TV episode “Little Green Men.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/03/goldeneye-official-trailer"] Originally the plans were to keep the observatory's visitors center operational, but plans for the observatory are now in flux following the collapse. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN. (Header Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)The instrument platform of the 305m telescope at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico fell overnight. No injuries were reported. NSF is working with stakeholders to assess the situation. Our top priority is maintaining safety. NSF will release more details when they are confirmed. pic.twitter.com/Xjbb9hPUgD
— National Science Foundation (@NSF) December 1, 2020
Twin Mirror Review
With Twin Mirror, Dontnod abandons the episodic model it has experimented with since 2015's Life is Strange in favor of a six-hour standalone release. The result is a focused crime thriller with some great character work. However, Twin Mirror's exploration of its story and mechanics suffers somewhat from its brevity, relative to Dontnod’s recent work. It's longer than an episode of Dontnod's serialized games but still shorter than what it needed to be to explore characters with depth and tackle the heavier subject matter and themes its narrative alludes to. Twin Mirror comes to a conclusion just as the plot and gameplay are really beginning to gain momentum.
In Twin Mirror, players take on the role of Sam Higgs, a tenacious investigative reporter returning to his hometown of Basswood, West Virginia, after a period of self-imposed exile. Two years prior, Sam published a damning investigative piece on unsafe practices at the Basswood mine, which employed a huge portion of the town. As a result, the mine closed, putting a huge swath of Basswood out of work and pushing the town into an economic depression. In the midst of this firestorm, Sam proposed to his girlfriend Anna, another writer at the paper. She turned him down and, struggling with the personal and professional devastation, Sam left town without a word. In the time since, Anna has started dating Sam’s longtime best friend, Nick.
The pain of all this is still fresh for Sam. But, when Nick dies in a car accident, he finally feels he must return to Basswood. Though the local police have ruled the death an accident, Nick's preteen daughter, Bug, suspects foul play, and Sam agrees to investigate. In classic Dontnod fashion, that investigation mostly plays out via dialogue with the locals--some of whom hate Sam for the problems his reporting caused, and some of whom are old friends. You'll investigate densely packed areas, read documents, and analyze objects to get to know the cast of characters and uncover clues to the cause of Nick’s death. Dontnod is great at this kind of environmental storytelling, and Twin Mirror is no exception. Discovering objects evoke memories of Sam's past, and hearing his thoughts on the people that he once called neighbors is especially enjoyable. There’s even some fun Bandai Namco brand synergy in Sam recalling his and Nick’s childhood Pac Man competitions.
Continue Reading at GameSpotTwin Mirror Review
With Twin Mirror, Dontnod abandons the episodic model it has experimented with since 2015's Life is Strange in favor of a six-hour standalone release. The result is a focused crime thriller with some great character work. However, Twin Mirror's exploration of its story and mechanics suffers somewhat from its brevity, relative to Dontnod’s recent work. It's longer than an episode of Dontnod's serialized games but still shorter than what it needed to be to explore characters with depth and tackle the heavier subject matter and themes its narrative alludes to. Twin Mirror comes to a conclusion just as the plot and gameplay are really beginning to gain momentum.
In Twin Mirror, players take on the role of Sam Higgs, a tenacious investigative reporter returning to his hometown of Basswood, West Virginia, after a period of self-imposed exile. Two years prior, Sam published a damning investigative piece on unsafe practices at the Basswood mine, which employed a huge portion of the town. As a result, the mine closed, putting a huge swath of Basswood out of work and pushing the town into an economic depression. In the midst of this firestorm, Sam proposed to his girlfriend Anna, another writer at the paper. She turned him down and, struggling with the personal and professional devastation, Sam left town without a word. In the time since, Anna has started dating Sam’s longtime best friend, Nick.
The pain of all this is still fresh for Sam. But, when Nick dies in a car accident, he finally feels he must return to Basswood. Though the local police have ruled the death an accident, Nick's preteen daughter, Bug, suspects foul play, and Sam agrees to investigate. In classic Dontnod fashion, that investigation mostly plays out via dialogue with the locals--some of whom hate Sam for the problems his reporting caused, and some of whom are old friends. You'll investigate densely packed areas, read documents, and analyze objects to get to know the cast of characters and uncover clues to the cause of Nick’s death. Dontnod is great at this kind of environmental storytelling, and Twin Mirror is no exception. Discovering objects evoke memories of Sam's past, and hearing his thoughts on the people that he once called neighbors is especially enjoyable. There’s even some fun Bandai Namco brand synergy in Sam recalling his and Nick’s childhood Pac Man competitions.
Continue Reading at GameSpotHere’s How to Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas
Where to Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas Special
Just in time for the holiday season, the beloved classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas special, will stream exclusively on Apple TV+ beginning on December 4, and on PBS and PBS Kids on December 13 at 7:30/6:30 pm CT.How to Stream A Charlie Brown Christmas Special For Free
A Charlie Brown Christmas will be available to stream for free (without a subscription) on Apple TV+ from December 11 through December 13. Apple TV+ is currently available in over 100 countries and costs $4.99 per month for a subscription. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/20/apple-tv-plus-review-2019"] You can use the streaming platform on a variety of services, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch, Mac, select Samsung, LG, Sony, and VIZIO smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV and Roku devices, PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and at tv.apple.com.Where to Watch All Other Peanuts Holiday Specials
Back in October, Apple TV+ teamed up with WildBrain, Peanuts Worldwide, and Lee Mendelson Film Productions to become the home for "all things Peanuts," including A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Both of the aforementioned titles are currently available to stream on Apple TV+. In other Apple TV+ news, be sure to check out the delightful first season of Ted Lasso, which we called "immensely likable" in our full review. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=best-holiday-movies-and-specials-on-netflix&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] 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.Here’s How to Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas
Where to Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas Special
Just in time for the holiday season, the beloved classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas special, will stream exclusively on Apple TV+ beginning on December 4, and on PBS and PBS Kids on December 13 at 7:30/6:30 pm CT.How to Stream A Charlie Brown Christmas Special For Free
A Charlie Brown Christmas will be available to stream for free (without a subscription) on Apple TV+ from December 11 through December 13. Apple TV+ is currently available in over 100 countries and costs $4.99 per month for a subscription. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/20/apple-tv-plus-review-2019"] You can use the streaming platform on a variety of services, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch, Mac, select Samsung, LG, Sony, and VIZIO smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV and Roku devices, PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and at tv.apple.com.Where to Watch All Other Peanuts Holiday Specials
Back in October, Apple TV+ teamed up with WildBrain, Peanuts Worldwide, and Lee Mendelson Film Productions to become the home for "all things Peanuts," including A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Both of the aforementioned titles are currently available to stream on Apple TV+. In other Apple TV+ news, be sure to check out the delightful first season of Ted Lasso, which we called "immensely likable" in our full review. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=best-holiday-movies-and-specials-on-netflix&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] 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.Elliot Page, Umbrella Academy and Juno Star, Announces He Is Trans
— Elliot Page (@TheElliotPage) December 1, 2020Page added, "I also ask for patience. My joy is real, but it is also fragile. The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared." In his statement, Page brought attention to violence against transgender people. “The statistics are staggering. The discrimination towards trans people is rife, insidious and cruel, resulting in horrific consequences. In 2020 alone it has been reported that at least 40 transgender people have been murdered, the majority of which were Black and Latinx trans women.” “Enough is enough. You aren’t being ‘cancelled,’ you are hurting people. I am one of those people and we won’t be silent in the face of your attacks.” Page is best known for a variety of roles, most recently in the Netflix hit series The Umbrella Academy, but also in blockbusters like the X-Men franchise and Inception, and even video games like Beyond: Two Souls. Page broke out into the mainstream with indie hits like Juno, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award among other accolades. Update 12/01 1:39 pm PT: Netflix confirmed that Elliot Page will continue playing the role of Vanya Hargreeves in The Umbrella Academy, according to Variety. The streamer also confirmed that while there are no plans to change Vanya's gender in the show, Netflix will update Page's name in past credits and in the metadata across all titles he appears in. Page ends his statement by writing, “I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer. And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive.” [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.
Elliot Page, Umbrella Academy and Juno Star, Announces He Is Trans
— Elliot Page (@TheElliotPage) December 1, 2020Page added, "I also ask for patience. My joy is real, but it is also fragile. The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared." In his statement, Page brought attention to violence against transgender people. “The statistics are staggering. The discrimination towards trans people is rife, insidious and cruel, resulting in horrific consequences. In 2020 alone it has been reported that at least 40 transgender people have been murdered, the majority of which were Black and Latinx trans women.” “Enough is enough. You aren’t being ‘cancelled,’ you are hurting people. I am one of those people and we won’t be silent in the face of your attacks.” Page is best known for a variety of roles, most recently in the Netflix hit series The Umbrella Academy, but also in blockbusters like the X-Men franchise and Inception, and even video games like Beyond: Two Souls. Page broke out into the mainstream with indie hits like Juno, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award among other accolades. Update 12/01 1:39 pm PT: Netflix confirmed that Elliot Page will continue playing the role of Vanya Hargreeves in The Umbrella Academy, according to Variety. The streamer also confirmed that while there are no plans to change Vanya's gender in the show, Netflix will update Page's name in past credits and in the metadata across all titles he appears in. Page ends his statement by writing, “I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer. And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive.” [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.