Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath Review – Friendship Never Ends
When the credits roll at the end of Mortal Kombat 11's excellent story mode, the slate has been wiped clean. After a variety of entertaining time-travelling hijinks, everyone's second-favourite Shaolin monk, Liu Kang, has ascended into godhood and is ready to begin writing an all-new chapter in Mortal Kombat history. It's as close to a perfect ending as you can get to the almost 30 years of convoluted lore this series has. But now, there's Aftermath, Mortal Kombat 11's optional expansion that tacks on a handful of new chapters to that narrative. And while the idea of a story-focussed add-on to this fighting game is an exciting prospect--and it certainly has its high moments--when the credits roll for the second time there isn't that same sense of gratification.
At the beginning of Aftermath, which immediately follows the end of Mortal Kombat 11, Liu Kang is interrupted by the nefarious sorcerer Shang Tsung. Along with the righteous wind god Fujin and badass indigenous shaman Nightwolf, the trio stops Liu Kang from proceeding with his rebuilding plans with the warning that they need to go back in time, again, to retrieve a MacGuffin in order to stop the process from going to shit. Over five chapters and a cinema-appropriate two-and-a-half-hour running time, the five Mortal Kombat characters that have now been introduced to MK11 as post-release content get to make their mark in the story. The chapters cover the hijinks of Shang Tsung, Nightwolf, and the banshee queen Sindel from the Fighters Pack 1 DLC, as well as two characters newly introduced in Aftermath: Fujin and the four-armed Sheeva.
The relatively brief running time of the whole thing allows it to be mostly filled with great moments. The blockbuster flair present in the original story mode is again in full force, as is the excellent fight choreography that makes you want to leap out of your chair. There's still that weird disconnect when an extravagant fight cinematic transitions into the more rigid nature of the game's actual one-on-one fights, but there are some good moments that lie in the gameplay portions too, like the handful of battles where you have an assist character to call on.
Continue Reading at GameSpotPlanet of the Apes Director to Fans: ‘You’re in Good Hands’
Given how beloved Rupert Wyatt and Matt Reeves' Planet of the Apes trilogy is, fans may be a little wary now that a new Apes movie is in the works at Disney. But director Wes Ball is seeking to reassure fans that the series remains "in good hands" and will honor the legacy of that trilogy.
Ball teased the new Planet of the Apes movie with Discussing Film, reiterating earlier comments that the movie isn't a reboot, but is set within the same universe as 2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes and its two sequels. In fact, many of the same writers and crew members from the previous movies have carried over to the Disney project.
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Ball said, "We were using the same material, the same kind of technology, we were using a lot of the same people involved – I had asked Andy Serkis to join Mouse Guard [Bell's previous film, which wound up being a casualty of the Disney/Fox merger]. So it was kind of [a] natural fit. I understand where it came from and my big thing was: what do you do for a Planet of the Apes sequel? One, those last three movies are one of the great trilogies we have in modern movie history. They are just so well done. They honored the original movies they sprang from, the Charlton Heston movies, but they grounded it in a modern sensibility and it just worked. Caesar is one of the great movie characters that we’ll have throughout time. So what do you do to follow that up, right? At the same time, I wasn’t interested in doing a part four either. We want to also do our own thing."
Ball elaborated on what sets the new movie apart from the Apes trilogy, saying, "We have a take. We have a way of staying in the universe that was created before us, but we’re also opening ourselves up in being able to do some really cool new stuff. ... I’m trying to be careful here. I’ll say this, for fans of the original three don’t worry – you’re in good hands. The original writers and producers that came up with Rise and Dawn, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, they’re also on board with this. Josh Friedman is writing this thing, a lot of the same crew is kind of involved. We will feel like we’re part of that original trilogy, but at the same time we’re able to do some really cool new stuff. It will be really exciting to see on the biggest screen possible."
As you might expect, Ball is unsure when exactly filming will begin given the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he seems optimistic the film will continue taking shape in the months to come. If anything, the series' continued reliance on motion capture and computer effects may be an asset in 2020.
"Planet of the Apes is moving forward and we have a giant art team cranking away on some incredible concept art," Ball said. "We’ve got the screenplay continuing to move forward, that will take the time that it takes and so that’s all good. Planet of the Apes is moving forward baby! Not only that, but we could actually be in virtual production relatively soon because it’s largely a CG movie."
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/07/15/craziest-planet-of-the-apes-twist-endings"]
It was first rumored in December that Ball would be directing a new Planet of the Apes movie. The filmmaker confirmed that news via Twitter that same day and said, "I would only do this if I felt I could offer something special while still honoring what’s come before."
While the last Planet of the Apes movie hit theaters in 2017, the franchise has seen plenty of life elsewhere. There's been a cinematic adventure game, "an often infuriating VR game," and a graphic novel based on Rod Serling's early screenplay drafts of the original movie.
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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.
Planet of the Apes Director to Fans: ‘You’re in Good Hands’
Given how beloved Rupert Wyatt and Matt Reeves' Planet of the Apes trilogy is, fans may be a little wary now that a new Apes movie is in the works at Disney. But director Wes Ball is seeking to reassure fans that the series remains "in good hands" and will honor the legacy of that trilogy.
Ball teased the new Planet of the Apes movie with Discussing Film, reiterating earlier comments that the movie isn't a reboot, but is set within the same universe as 2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes and its two sequels. In fact, many of the same writers and crew members from the previous movies have carried over to the Disney project.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-quickest-movie-franchise-reboots&captions=true"]
Ball said, "We were using the same material, the same kind of technology, we were using a lot of the same people involved – I had asked Andy Serkis to join Mouse Guard [Bell's previous film, which wound up being a casualty of the Disney/Fox merger]. So it was kind of [a] natural fit. I understand where it came from and my big thing was: what do you do for a Planet of the Apes sequel? One, those last three movies are one of the great trilogies we have in modern movie history. They are just so well done. They honored the original movies they sprang from, the Charlton Heston movies, but they grounded it in a modern sensibility and it just worked. Caesar is one of the great movie characters that we’ll have throughout time. So what do you do to follow that up, right? At the same time, I wasn’t interested in doing a part four either. We want to also do our own thing."
Ball elaborated on what sets the new movie apart from the Apes trilogy, saying, "We have a take. We have a way of staying in the universe that was created before us, but we’re also opening ourselves up in being able to do some really cool new stuff. ... I’m trying to be careful here. I’ll say this, for fans of the original three don’t worry – you’re in good hands. The original writers and producers that came up with Rise and Dawn, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, they’re also on board with this. Josh Friedman is writing this thing, a lot of the same crew is kind of involved. We will feel like we’re part of that original trilogy, but at the same time we’re able to do some really cool new stuff. It will be really exciting to see on the biggest screen possible."
As you might expect, Ball is unsure when exactly filming will begin given the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he seems optimistic the film will continue taking shape in the months to come. If anything, the series' continued reliance on motion capture and computer effects may be an asset in 2020.
"Planet of the Apes is moving forward and we have a giant art team cranking away on some incredible concept art," Ball said. "We’ve got the screenplay continuing to move forward, that will take the time that it takes and so that’s all good. Planet of the Apes is moving forward baby! Not only that, but we could actually be in virtual production relatively soon because it’s largely a CG movie."
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/07/15/craziest-planet-of-the-apes-twist-endings"]
It was first rumored in December that Ball would be directing a new Planet of the Apes movie. The filmmaker confirmed that news via Twitter that same day and said, "I would only do this if I felt I could offer something special while still honoring what’s come before."
While the last Planet of the Apes movie hit theaters in 2017, the franchise has seen plenty of life elsewhere. There's been a cinematic adventure game, "an often infuriating VR game," and a graphic novel based on Rod Serling's early screenplay drafts of the original movie.
[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.
Ryan Gosling Is Universal’s New Wolfman
Blade Runner 2049 star Ryan Gosling is reportedly in talks to star in Universal's upcoming reimagining of the horror classic, Wolfman, which is being written by Orange Is the New Black's Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo.
Per Variety, Universal has been meeting with potential directors for the project and a decision could be made soon. Variety goes on to say that one of the filmmakers in contention for the job is Cory Finley, who recently directed HBO's Bad Education starring Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney.
It's important to note that while Gosling originally pitched the idea for this new Wolfman tale, he has not officially closed a deal with the studio. At present, Gosling's next role will be in Phil Lord and Chris Miller's adaptation of Martian author Andy Weir's upcoming novel, which is due for publication in Spring 2021.
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Universal's first attempt at launching its very own Monsterverse (dubbed "The Dark Universe") did not go according to plan after 2017's The Mummy starring Tom Cruise failed to make a lasting impact at the box office. However, the studio has recently found success with The Invisible Man starring Elizabeth Moss, which earned an impressive $98.3 million on a budget of only $7 million.
For more on Universal's upcoming monsters movies, there's a new Dracula film that will be directed by Destroyer's Karyn Kusama, and find out what Brendan Fraser had to say about the possibility of returning for another Mummy movie.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/25/the-invisible-man-review"]
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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.
Ryan Gosling Is Universal’s New Wolfman
Blade Runner 2049 star Ryan Gosling is reportedly in talks to star in Universal's upcoming reimagining of the horror classic, Wolfman, which is being written by Orange Is the New Black's Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo.
Per Variety, Universal has been meeting with potential directors for the project and a decision could be made soon. Variety goes on to say that one of the filmmakers in contention for the job is Cory Finley, who recently directed HBO's Bad Education starring Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney.
It's important to note that while Gosling originally pitched the idea for this new Wolfman tale, he has not officially closed a deal with the studio. At present, Gosling's next role will be in Phil Lord and Chris Miller's adaption of Martian author Andy Weir's upcoming novel, which is due for publication in Spring 2021.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-best-horror-movies&captions=true"]
Universal's first attempt at launching its very own Monsterverse (dubbed "The Dark Universe") did not go according to plan after 2017's The Mummy starring Tom Cruise failed to make a lasting impact at the box office. However, the studio has recently found success with The Invisible Man starring Elizabeth Moss, which earned an impressive $98.3 million on a budget of only $7 million.
For more on Universal's upcoming monsters movies, there's a new Dracula film that will be directed by Destroyer's Karyn Kusama, and find out what Brendan Fraser had to say about the possibility of returning for another Mummy movie.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/25/the-invisible-man-review"]
[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.
Sega ‘Working Closely’ With Microsoft to Fix Phantasy Star Online 2 PC Bugs
Update:
In an additional statement to IGN, Sega has confirmed that in regards to the installation issues, there are several different factors that require the help of Microsoft to solve. Sega says it's working closely with Microsoft on the matter and are planning to notify players.
Here's the full statement below:
"Yes, we are aware of some issues. Among them, we have investigated the issue of not being able to install. We've determined that this is caused by a number of different factors, some of which we believe cannot be addressed by our side alone. We are currently working with Microsoft about this issue in order to resolve it. We are preparing to put out a notice about measures to avoid some of the causes. We will continue to work with Microsoft to investigate and implement measures in order to resolve the situation.
We are also aware of the fact that the Windows10 version may run slower in the lobby. We have found a bug that seems to be the cause of this issue and will implement a fix in an update coming soon.Original story follows. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Sega has responded to players who are currently struggling with the PC version of Phantasy Star Online 2, the popular MMORPG that recently received a long-awaited North American release. The launch has been plagued with issues when it comes to downloading and installing the game from the Windows Store. “We deeply apologize for the inconvenience and the negative experience some of you have had when trying to download and install [Phantasy Star Online 2],” says the North American Phantasy Star Online 2 team in a series of tweets published late last night. “Please know that we are working hard to solve these problems and that we appreciate your patience.” The team says it’s “working closely” with Microsoft to help solve some of the issues when trying to launch the game on Windows 10. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/08/phantasy-star-online-2-the-first-18-minutes"] Phantasy Star Online 2 is a long-running, free-to-play MMO that was released in Japan back in 2012. After eight years, an official North American release was announced at E3 2019 for PC and Xbox One during the Microsoft press conference. However, since its official release on May 27, 2020 players have encountered a variety of problems trying to get the PC version up and running from the Windows Store. Rather than a single issue, there appears to be a variety of different problems affecting different players. According to an extensive bug list compiled on Reddit, the launcher suffers from read/write install issues that can clog up PC storage space, corrupted downloads, non-functioning settings menu, and other random errors. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/13/21-minutes-of-phantasy-star-online-2-exploration-gameplay"] One issue I’ve personally encountered with the PC version is being unable to select which drive to install Phantasy Star Online 2. Instead, the installation will only default to my primary drive without offering me a choice to select a different storage solution. Some players have taken the matter into their own hands. The developers behind the Arks Layer fan launcher — which is what allowed international players to access the Japanese version of Phantasy Star Online 2 these past eight years — have announced plans to update their launcher to support updates and patches for North American servers. They are also looking into solutions that could potentially bypass the Windows Store.
IGN previously reached out to the Phantasy Star Online 2 team to ask whether the developers were aware of the complaints and what plans there might be to address them. The developers eventually sent us a link to the publicly available statements released over Twitter.
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Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.
Sega ‘Working Closely’ With Microsoft to Fix Phantasy Star Online 2 PC Bugs
Update:
In an additional statement to IGN, Sega has confirmed that in regards to the installation issues, there are several different factors that require the help of Microsoft to solve. Sega says it's working closely with Microsoft on the matter and are planning to notify players.
Here's the full statement below:
"Yes, we are aware of some issues. Among them, we have investigated the issue of not being able to install. We've determined that this is caused by a number of different factors, some of which we believe cannot be addressed by our side alone. We are currently working with Microsoft about this issue in order to resolve it. We are preparing to put out a notice about measures to avoid some of the causes. We will continue to work with Microsoft to investigate and implement measures in order to resolve the situation.
We are also aware of the fact that the Windows10 version may run slower in the lobby. We have found a bug that seems to be the cause of this issue and will implement a fix in an update coming soon.Original story follows. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Sega has responded to players who are currently struggling with the PC version of Phantasy Star Online 2, the popular MMORPG that recently received a long-awaited North American release. The launch has been plagued with issues when it comes to downloading and installing the game from the Windows Store. “We deeply apologize for the inconvenience and the negative experience some of you have had when trying to download and install [Phantasy Star Online 2],” says the North American Phantasy Star Online 2 team in a series of tweets published late last night. “Please know that we are working hard to solve these problems and that we appreciate your patience.” The team says it’s “working closely” with Microsoft to help solve some of the issues when trying to launch the game on Windows 10. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/08/phantasy-star-online-2-the-first-18-minutes"] Phantasy Star Online 2 is a long-running, free-to-play MMO that was released in Japan back in 2012. After eight years, an official North American release was announced at E3 2019 for PC and Xbox One during the Microsoft press conference. However, since its official release on May 27, 2020 players have encountered a variety of problems trying to get the PC version up and running from the Windows Store. Rather than a single issue, there appears to be a variety of different problems affecting different players. According to an extensive bug list compiled on Reddit, the launcher suffers from read/write install issues that can clog up PC storage space, corrupted downloads, non-functioning settings menu, and other random errors. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/13/21-minutes-of-phantasy-star-online-2-exploration-gameplay"] One issue I’ve personally encountered with the PC version is being unable to select which drive to install Phantasy Star Online 2. Instead, the installation will only default to my primary drive without offering me a choice to select a different storage solution. Some players have taken the matter into their own hands. The developers behind the Arks Layer fan launcher — which is what allowed international players to access the Japanese version of Phantasy Star Online 2 these past eight years — have announced plans to update their launcher to support updates and patches for North American servers. They are also looking into solutions that could potentially bypass the Windows Store.
IGN previously reached out to the Phantasy Star Online 2 team to ask whether the developers were aware of the complaints and what plans there might be to address them. The developers eventually sent us a link to the publicly available statements released over Twitter.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.
3 Boys Hospitalized for Trying to Gain Super Powers Via Spider-Bite
Three Bolivian boys ended up hospitalized after they let a black widow bite them in the hopes they would gain super powers a la Spider-Man.
"The Marvel-loving siblings — ages 12, 10 and 8 — found the spider while herding goats in Chayanta," according to the New York Post (via Telemundo). "Thinking it would give them superhero powers, they prodded it with a stick until it bit each of them in turn."
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The reports, citing local Bolivian officials, say the boys' mother found them crying.
The boys were hospitalized with "fevers, tremors and muscle pains" before ultimately being discharged almost a week after they were bitten by the non-radioactive, non-power-granting spider.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/06/28/ranking-the-spider-man-movies-2019-edition"]
Black widows are among the most venomous spiders but generally only pose a threat to humans when disturbed.
As ill-advised as it is for kids to let a deadly arachnid bite them, at least they didn't surgically alter their faces to look like Red Skull.
3 Boys Hospitalized for Trying to Gain Super Powers Via Spider-Bite
Three Bolivian boys ended up hospitalized after they let a black widow bite them in the hopes they would gain super powers a la Spider-Man.
"The Marvel-loving siblings — ages 12, 10 and 8 — found the spider while herding goats in Chayanta," according to the New York Post (via Telemundo). "Thinking it would give them superhero powers, they prodded it with a stick until it bit each of them in turn."
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-top-25-best-spider-man-comics&captions=true"]
The reports, citing local Bolivian officials, say the boys' mother found them crying.
The boys were hospitalized with "fevers, tremors and muscle pains" before ultimately being discharged almost a week after they were bitten by the non-radioactive, non-power-granting spider.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/06/28/ranking-the-spider-man-movies-2019-edition"]
Black widows are among the most venomous spiders but generally only pose a threat to humans when disturbed.
As ill-advised as it is for kids to let a deadly arachnid bite them, at least they didn't surgically alter their faces to look like Red Skull.
As Next-Gen Approaches, Switch Still Has ‘Great Potential,’ Witcher 3 Port Dev Says
When games like The Witcher 3 are ported to Nintendo Switch it highlights just how capable a system Nintendo’s hybrid console is. And according to The Witcher 3 port developers, Saber Interactive, the Switch is capable of much more.
In an interview with WCCTech, Saber founder Matthew Karch says that the studio’s upcoming Switch version of World War Z “is actually more challenging than the port of The Witcher 3” and that there is “still a lot of great potential in the hardware and the platform.”
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When Witcher 3 was announced for the Nintendo Switch there was some commotion considering the sheer size of CD Projekt Red’s RPG. In IGN’s review of The Witcher 3 on Switch, we were surprised by just how capable the port was, though the visual fidelity and resolution obviously fell short of its PC or PS4/Xbox One counterparts.
Karch also teased that upcoming Switch ports will be similarly impressive saying that he feels there is still “more developers can get out of the Switch hardware, and we think fans will be surprised at some of the upcoming titles for it.”
The comments are especially notable as the games industry prepares for the launch of next-gen systems like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. While the Switch has shown to be capable of playing current-gen games like Doom Eternal, there are some questions about what the transition to next-gen means for the Nintendo Switch. Among other things, the question has fueled speculation about the rumored, but unconfirmed, Switch Pro.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/06/11/the-witcher-3-nintendo-switch-trailer-e3-2019"]
Saber is a developer best known for supporting studios on ambitious ports. Saber helped develop ports for The Witcher 3, Vampyr, and World War Z. The studio is also assisting Crytek on Crysis Remastered, which will also come to the Nintendo Switch.
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Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.