How Half-Life: Alyx Teases the Series’ Future
SPOILER WARNING for Half-Life: Alyx. We’ll be avoiding all story spoilers that aren’t relevant to the tease itself, but know that we ARE discussing a scene from the very end of Alyx if you plan to keep reading.
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[poilib element="accentDivider"]Half-Life: Alyx launched Monday morning, but it may already be setting up another Half-Life game – and it could be the proper sequel we’ve all been waiting for for over a decade.
As mentioned above, we are about to dive into spoiler land here, so turn back now if you don’t want to know anymore!
Also, if you DO plan on playing Alyx, I'd highly recommend holding off on reading this. It's a pretty awesome surprise to experience yourself.
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Avoiding any specific details that relate to Half-Life: Alyx’s story, the post-credits scene is likely a setup for a new Half-Life game to pick up almost exactly where Half-Life 2: Episode 2 left off 13 years ago.
In the scene, the player sees through the eyes of Gordon Freeman instead of Alyx Vance. It takes place just after the final moments of Episode 2, and Freeman is handed his signature crowbar as a character tells him “we’ve got work to do.”
It’s unclear if this is a setup for a Half-Life 2: Episode 3, a proper Half-Life 3, or – if it’s another VR-only game – something along the lines of “Half-Life: Gordon” in the same way we just got Alyx. Regardless, the message that Valve plans to finally continue this story feels fairly unambiguous – something they’ve even said in interviews recently.
If you do want all the spoiler-filled details (maybe you don’t have VR and just want to know what happens), then we have a full ending explanation here. Also be sure to check out our review of Half-Life: Alyx, and read Valve explaining why it never made Episode 3 13 years ago. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Tom Marks is IGN's Deputy Reviews Editor and resident pie maker. You can follow him on Twitter.Zombieland Writers Reveal Mark Hamill, Sylvester Stallone Cameos That Never Happened
Zombieland screenwriters Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese have uploaded script pages from the original movie featuring celebrity cameos that never happened.
The writers of the film always envisioned a celebrity cameo during the scene where the four main characters break into a Hollywood mansion. Bill Murray ended up with the role, but Wernick says they wrote out "a dozen or so" scenarios for that scene with different celebrities. Wernick mentions Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Kevin Bacon, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Joe Pesci, Matthew McConaughey and more on Twitter. So far, script pages for Patrick Swayze, Sylvester Stallone and Mark Hamill have been uploaded.
"Since we’re all currently living in #zombieland, @rhettreese & I thought it’d be fun to take you behind the curtain, back to the early days," Wernick said in a post on Twitter. "The role Bill Murray played started in the original draft as Patrick Swayze. Patrick tragically got sick and we never had the opp [sic] to offer him the part. But we did WRITE IT. Along with a dozen or so [for different celebrities]. @rhettreese and I are going to post a new scene every day, as written, just, well, just because…"
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/10/15/zombieland-double-tap-cast-rewatch-zombielands-best-scenes-10-years-later"]
The Swayze script was uploaded by Wernick in four parts on Thursday. Wernick notes that most of the characters had different names at this time. Jesse Eisenberg's character was originally Flagstaff, Woody Harrelson's character was once named Albuquerque and Abigail Breslin's character was Stillwater. And, Swayze is already a zombie when the characters pull up to the mansion whereas Bill Murray was pretending to be one.
The scene starts off with Harrelson's character imitating Road House and ends with Harrelson performing a move from Dirty Dancing that sends Zombie Swayze head-first into a pillar.
— Paul Wernick (@paulwernick) March 19, 2020Reese uploaded the Stallone version to Twitter on Friday. "We sent this to Mr. Stallone... but his schedule / better judgment thwarted our plans," Reese said. In this version, all of the characters' names match the ones from the final movie and Stallone is also a zombie from the very beginning. Hamill's version was posted on Wernick's Twitter on Saturday. Hamill is also a zombie the whole time and eventually has his arm cut off in a moment that mimics his dismemberment from The Empire Strikes Back. "So a no-go on Swayze & [Stallone]. Our fearless leader, [producer Gavin Polone,] called: ‘Fire up the [Mark Hamill] draft' We would not be deterred," Wernick wrote on Twitter. "#BillMurray hadn’t yet been mentioned, for we would have never in our wildest imagination thought we could get him." "So we used the force. And got a forceful f*** no," Wernick wrote. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=zombieland-columbuss-full-list-of-rules-to-survive-the-zombie-apocalypse&captions=true"] All's well that ends well. The Zombieland crew eventually attracted Murray to the role and the rest is history. The movie received critical praise on its release in 2009 and ended up making over $100 million at the box office on a budget of $23.6 million, according to The Numbers. A sequel was released in October 2019. The Numbers says the sequel grossed $122 million at the box office on a budget of $48 million. Did you know that Ryan Reynolds almost ended up as a celebrity cameo in Zombieland 2? Also, check out a side-by-side comparison of the original Zombieland cast with themselves 10 years later. For more Zombieland goodness, here are 6 details you may have forgotten about the original movie. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Petey Oneto is a freelance writer for IGN who LOVES Zombieland and will gladly be in the theater every 10 years for a sequel.
Zombieland Writers Reveal Mark Hamill, Sylvester Stallone Cameos That Never Happened
Zombieland screenwriters Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese have uploaded script pages from the original movie featuring celebrity cameos that never happened.
The writers of the film always envisioned a celebrity cameo during the scene where the four main characters break into a Hollywood mansion. Bill Murray ended up with the role, but Wernick says they wrote out "a dozen or so" scenarios for that scene with different celebrities. Wernick mentions Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Kevin Bacon, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Joe Pesci, Matthew McConaughey and more on Twitter. So far, script pages for Patrick Swayze, Sylvester Stallone and Mark Hamill have been uploaded.
"Since we’re all currently living in #zombieland, @rhettreese & I thought it’d be fun to take you behind the curtain, back to the early days," Wernick said in a post on Twitter. "The role Bill Murray played started in the original draft as Patrick Swayze. Patrick tragically got sick and we never had the opp [sic] to offer him the part. But we did WRITE IT. Along with a dozen or so [for different celebrities]. @rhettreese and I are going to post a new scene every day, as written, just, well, just because…"
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/10/15/zombieland-double-tap-cast-rewatch-zombielands-best-scenes-10-years-later"]
The Swayze script was uploaded by Wernick in four parts on Thursday. Wernick notes that most of the characters had different names at this time. Jesse Eisenberg's character was originally Flagstaff, Woody Harrelson's character was once named Albuquerque and Abigail Breslin's character was Stillwater. And, Swayze is already a zombie when the characters pull up to the mansion whereas Bill Murray was pretending to be one.
The scene starts off with Harrelson's character imitating Road House and ends with Harrelson performing a move from Dirty Dancing that sends Zombie Swayze head-first into a pillar.
— Paul Wernick (@paulwernick) March 19, 2020Reese uploaded the Stallone version to Twitter on Friday. "We sent this to Mr. Stallone... but his schedule / better judgment thwarted our plans," Reese said. In this version, all of the characters' names match the ones from the final movie and Stallone is also a zombie from the very beginning. Hamill's version was posted on Wernick's Twitter on Saturday. Hamill is also a zombie the whole time and eventually has his arm cut off in a moment that mimics his dismemberment from The Empire Strikes Back. "So a no-go on Swayze & [Stallone]. Our fearless leader, [producer Gavin Polone,] called: ‘Fire up the [Mark Hamill] draft' We would not be deterred," Wernick wrote on Twitter. "#BillMurray hadn’t yet been mentioned, for we would have never in our wildest imagination thought we could get him." "So we used the force. And got a forceful f*** no," Wernick wrote. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=zombieland-columbuss-full-list-of-rules-to-survive-the-zombie-apocalypse&captions=true"] All's well that ends well. The Zombieland crew eventually attracted Murray to the role and the rest is history. The movie received critical praise on its release in 2009 and ended up making over $100 million at the box office on a budget of $23.6 million, according to The Numbers. A sequel was released in October 2019. The Numbers says the sequel grossed $122 million at the box office on a budget of $48 million. Did you know that Ryan Reynolds almost ended up as a celebrity cameo in Zombieland 2? Also, check out a side-by-side comparison of the original Zombieland cast with themselves 10 years later. For more Zombieland goodness, here are 6 details you may have forgotten about the original movie. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Petey Oneto is a freelance writer for IGN who LOVES Zombieland and will gladly be in the theater every 10 years for a sequel.
God of War: New Comic Bridges the Gap Between GoW III and PS4 Game
There's a large time gap separating the events of God of War III and 2018's God of War, and now fans will finally learn what happened to Kratos during that lost era. As revealed by CBR, Dark Horse Comics is bridging the gap between the two games in the form of a new series called God of War: Fallen God.
Unlike Dark Horse's previous God of War comic, which takes place shortly before the events of the PlayStation 4 game, Fallen God is set further back in the franchise's timeline. The series will trace Kratos' journey after defeating Zeus, Athena and the remaining Greek pantheon in God of War III. Even as Kratos attempts to move on and start a new family, he finds himself grappling with mental instability and the realization that he's his own worst enemy.
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God of War: Fallen God #1 cover by Dave Rapoza. (Image Credit: Dark Horse)[/caption]
Dark Horse's official solicitation teases:
God of War: Fallen God #1 cover by Dave Rapoza. (Image Credit: Dark Horse)[/caption]
Dark Horse's official solicitation teases:
God of War: Fallen God follows Kratos after conquering Zeus and thwarting Athena. Believing himself to be finally free of his bondage, he sets sail for the desert in an attempt to distance himself from his home and his shame only to find his rage and guilt follow close behind. Kratos rages against the one foe that has proven to be unconquerable—himself. But a war against oneself is unwinnable, and only invites madness.Fallen God reunites the creative team behind the previous God of War comic, writer Chris Roberson and artist Tony Parker. They'll also be joined by colorist Dan Jackson, letterer John Roshell and cover artist Dave Rapoza. Look for the first issue to release on June 24, 2020. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-god-of-war-review&captions=true"] Fallen God should help tide over fans hungry for a sequel to the 2018 game. Currently we only know that Sony has named a new head of its Santa Monica Studio to oversee a mystery project. Here's a breakdown of what each of Sony's first party studios are working on right now, and our picks for the nine sequels that could make the PlayStation 5 a force to be reckoned with. Let us know whether you'll be reading God of War: Fallen God in the comments below. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/07/5-ways-god-of-war-2-could-be-better-than-the-first"] [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.
God of War: New Comic Bridges the Gap Between GoW III and PS4 Game
There's a large time gap separating the events of God of War III and 2018's God of War, and now fans will finally learn what happened to Kratos during that lost era. As revealed by CBR, Dark Horse Comics is bridging the gap between the two games in the form of a new series called God of War: Fallen God.
Unlike Dark Horse's previous God of War comic, which takes place shortly before the events of the Playstation 4 game, Fallen God is set further back in the franchise's timeline. The series will trace Kratos' journey after defeating Zeus, Athena and the remaining Greek pantheon in God of War III. Even as Kratos attempts to move on and start a new family, he finds himself grappling with mental instability and the realization that he's his own worst enemy.
[caption id="attachment_232441" align="aligncenter" width="696"] God of War: Fallen God #1 cover by Dave Rapoza. (Image Credit: Dark Horse)[/caption]
Dark Horse's official solicitation teases:
God of War: Fallen God #1 cover by Dave Rapoza. (Image Credit: Dark Horse)[/caption]
Dark Horse's official solicitation teases:
God of War: Fallen God follows Kratos after conquering Zeus and thwarting Athena. Believing himself to be finally free of his bondage, he sets sail for the desert in an attempt to distance himself from his home and his shame only to find his rage and guilt follow close behind. Kratos rages against the one foe that has proven to be unconquerable—himself. But a war against oneself is unwinnable, and only invites madness.Fallen God reunites the creative team behind the previous God of War comic, writer Chris Roberson and artist Tony Parker. They'll also be joined by colorist Dan Jackson, letterer John Roshell and cover artist Dave Rapoza. Look for the first issue to release on June 24, 2020. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-god-of-war-review&captions=true"] Fallen God should help tide over fans hungry for a sequel to the 2018 game -- currently we only know that Sony has named a new head of its Santa Monica Studio to oversee a mystery project. Here's a breakdown of what each of Sony's first party studios are working on right now, and our picks for the nine sequels that could make the Playstation 5 a force to be reckoned with. Let us know whether you'll be reading God of War: Fallen God in the comments below. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/07/5-ways-god-of-war-2-could-be-better-than-the-first"] [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.
Animal Crossing Players Are Recreating Scenes From The Lighthouse
Animal Crossing: New Horizons comes with a built-in photo mode, and some fans are using it to recreate a memorable scene from The Lighthouse.
The Lighthouse, which stars Williem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, depicts two lighthouse keepers who begin to go insane while stranded at their post. At one point, Defoe's character tells Pattinson's that it is "bad luck to kill a seabird," and now Animal Crossing fans are staging that moment within New Horizons.
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Gulliver the seagull frequently washes up onto player's beaches in New Horizons, and players are supposed to help him repair his communication device so he can get in contact with his crew. Before waking him up, however, some players are using his washed up appearance as an opportunity to reference The Lighthouse.
Using the photo mode's black and white setting, and equipping a tool to pose next to Gulliver with, fans are turning New Horizon's charming, friendly art style into a chilling recreation of Robert Eggers' film.
I seen you sparring with a gull. Best leave them be. Bad luck to kill a seabird. #AnimalCrossing #ACNH pic.twitter.com/xAYMviQJNs
— Skeleton McGhee (@SkeletonMcGhee) March 23, 2020
For some friendlier news on Animal Crossing: New Horizons, check out IGN's New Horizons review, where we call the game "amazing." Or, if you want help improving your new deserted island home, check out our Animal Crossing: New Horizons wiki, including essential tips and tricks to get started in New Horizons. Story originally reported by Polygon. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/20/animal-crossing-new-horizons-how-to-unlock-everything"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Logan Plant is a news writer for IGN, and the Production Assistant for Nintendo Voice Chat, IGN's weekly Nintendo show. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant.bad luck to kill a seabird pic.twitter.com/oCWcyDLbh6
— Sarah (@damainwayne) March 22, 2020
Animal Crossing Players Are Recreating Scenes From The Lighthouse
Animal Crossing: New Horizons comes with a built-in photo mode, and some fans are using it to recreate a memorable scene from The Lighthouse.
The Lighthouse, which stars Williem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, depicts two lighthouse keepers who begin to go insane while stranded at their post. At one point, Defoe's character tells Pattinson's that it is "bad luck to kill a seabird," and now Animal Crossing fans are staging that moment within New Horizons.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="legacyId=20089295&captions=true"]
Gulliver the seagull frequently washes up onto player's beaches in New Horizons, and players are supposed to help him repair his communication device so he can get in contact with his crew. Before waking him up, however, some players are using his washed up appearance as an opportunity to reference The Lighthouse.
Using the photo mode's black and white setting, and equipping a tool to pose next to Gulliver with, fans are turning New Horizon's charming, friendly art style into a chilling recreation of Robert Eggers' film.
I seen you sparring with a gull. Best leave them be. Bad luck to kill a seabird. #AnimalCrossing #ACNH pic.twitter.com/xAYMviQJNs
— Skeleton McGhee (@SkeletonMcGhee) March 23, 2020
For some friendlier news on Animal Crossing: New Horizons, check out IGN's New Horizons review, where we call the game "amazing." Or, if you want help improving your new deserted island home, check out our Animal Crossing: New Horizons wiki, including essential tips and tricks to get started in New Horizons. Story originally reported by Polygon. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/20/animal-crossing-new-horizons-how-to-unlock-everything"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Logan Plant is a news writer for IGN, and the Production Assistant for Nintendo Voice Chat, IGN's weekly Nintendo show. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant.bad luck to kill a seabird pic.twitter.com/oCWcyDLbh6
— Sarah (@damainwayne) March 22, 2020
2020 Tokyo Olympics Reportedly Postponed
A member of the International Olympic Committee has reportedly revealed that the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games will be postponed until 2021.
According to USA Today, International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound revealed that a postponement has been decided upon. All that’s left is to iron out the details for the temporary halt.
“On the basis of the information, the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” Pound said. “The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going tos tart on July 24, that much I know.”
The IOC has not officially confirmed any postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but countries already concerned about the outbreak of COVID-19 started making preparations to not send athletes if the games were still being held this summer. Canada and Australia’s official Olympic committees announced they would not send athletes to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
Developing...
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Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. You can reach him on Twitter.
Olympics Postponement Won’t Delay NBC’s Peacock Launch
Update 03/24, 10:01am: IGN has learned that as of now, the postponement of the Olympics will not have any effect on the launch of NBCUniversal's upcoming Peacock streaming service, which was initially announced to launch on July 15 to coincide with NBC's coverage of the Summer Olympic Games. Peacock will still launch with an early preview for Xfinity X1 subscribers and owners of Comcast Flex devices on April 15, before launching wide on July 15. NBC has held the US broadcasting rights to the Summer Olympics since 1988 and the Winter Olympics since 2002.
Update 03/24, 8:41am: The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games have been postponed until 2021 as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
In a joint statement, the organizers of Tokyo 2020 and the International Olympic Committee said: "In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today [Tuesday], the IOC president and the prime minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community."
This is the first time the Olympic Games have ever been delayed in 124-years of modern history. Games in 1916, 1940, and 1944 were cancelled completely due to world wars, but this is the first delay the games have seen.
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Original story: A member of the International Olympic Committee has reportedly revealed that the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games will be postponed until 2021.
According to USA Today, International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound revealed that a postponement has been decided upon. All that’s left is to iron out the details for the temporary halt.
“On the basis of the information, the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” Pound said. “The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know.”
The IOC has not officially confirmed any postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but countries already concerned about the outbreak of COVID-19 started making preparations to not send athletes if the games were still being held this summer. Canada and Australia’s official Olympic committees announced they would not send athletes to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
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Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. You can reach him on Twitter.
Half-Life: Alyx Review – A Future In Your Hands
Naturally, monumental expectations accompany the first Half-Life game in 13 years, and for the iconic franchise's return to come in the form of a VR exclusive is undoubtedly bold. But at each step of the way, Half-Life: Alyx proves that almost everything the franchise did best is elevated by VR: the environmental puzzles that require a keen eye, the threat of a headcrab jumping for your face, the cryptic storytelling. The series' staples are as great as ever here, and in its most powerful moments, Half-Life: Alyx confidently shows you why it couldn't have been done any other way.
What's a day in the life of Alyx Vance? In true Half-Life form, the entire game goes from morning to night in a single shot of first-person action in which you, as Alyx, trek through the undergrounds and abandoned zones of City 17. At first, it's to save your dad Eli Vance from the clutches of the Combine. However, you're subsequently led to uncover the nature of that massive floating structure that hovers over City 17, referred to as the Vault. With a cheeky sidekick Russell in your ear, and a trusty, prophetic Vortigaunt who comes in clutch, Alyx is more than prepared. A basic premise for sure, but the journey is thrilling, and the payoff is immense.
There's a newfound intimacy captured in doing the things that Half-Life always asked of you. Because it's a VR game, the way you look at and process your surroundings fundamentally changes, thus making the solutions to environmental puzzles more of a personal accomplishment than before. Simply finding the right objects to progress was fine with a keyboard and mouse, but when it's your own hands turning valves, moving junk to find critical items, pulling levers, or hitting switches while turning your head to see the results of your actions, these become enticing gameplay mechanics rather than means for breaking up the pace. Without waypoints or objective markers to guide you, subtle visual cues and calculated level design lead you to the solutions, and progress feels earned because of that.
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