Gone Home, Tacoma, & Environmental Storytelling
A photograph of a relative, purposely set face down in a drawer. A copy of Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar lying half read on a seat. An empty bottle of hair dye, discarded beside a bright-red splattered bath. A bottle of whiskey, placed on a shelf up high so nobody could immediately spot it, but precariously enough to give away the state of the person who put it there.
These objects in Fullbright’s gameography of two, Gone Home and Tacoma, speak volumes about the people who owned them. Every object in the Greenbrair’s giant Pacific-Northwestern home and the deserted space station Tacoma add to a portrait of the people who owned them, people you never meet but whose spectral presence haunt you as the credits roll.
Mario + Rabbids Dev: Pre-E3 Leaks Were ‘Discouraging’
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle's pre-E3 leaks were quite discouraging for the team behind the project.
Prior to the Ubisoft's official announcement during its E3 2017 press conference, several leaks, including the game's art assets and release window, surfaced online.
In an interview with Eurogamer, creative director Davide Soliani said the developers "were aiming to do a big surprise at E3," which ultimately did not pan out.
I Am Setsuna, Tumbleseed Discounted on Nintendo Switch
The JRPG I Am Setsuna and indie action game Tumbleseed have both received 33 percent discounts on the Nintendo Switch eShop.
This brings I Am Setsuna down to $26.79 USD from $39.99 USD on Nintendo of America's online store, and $40.16 AUD from $59.95 AUD for Australians.
Tumbleseed, which was $14.99 USD should now be available for $9.99 USD for those in North America, however, at the time of writing this article, the eShop hasn't been updated to reflect this. Meanwhile, Australians can pick up the title, which has been discounted to $12.19 AUD from $18.20 AUD, right now.
9 Games We Want Ported to the Switch
With the news that studios may be working on porting a AAA title to Nintendo Switch, there's a lot of room for speculation on what might be showing up - especially considering the breadth of developer and publishers that have been confirmed to be working with Nintendo. Games from big series like Resident Evil are already in the process of being ported, and even Nintendo has brought Wii U bestsellers like Mario Kart 8 over to their new platform.
Dodgeball’s ESPN8 ‘The Ocho’ to Become Real for One Day
It's been over a decade since the movie Dodgeball released, and it still holds a place in our collective pop-culture hearts. In an homage to the film, ESPN is turning ESPN8 "The Ocho" into an actual channel, albeit only for a day.
The sports broadcast giant is turning ESPNU, its channel normally focused on college athletics, into The Ocho on August 8.
It's not just a cosmetic change, either. ESPN is really leaning into the mythical sports channel, "bringing you the finest in seldom-seen sports," just like in the movie.
ESPN8: The Ocho from ESPNFrontRow on Vimeo.
Best Liquid CPU Coolers 2019: Silent and Reliable AIO Liquid Coolers
If you've ever been curious about liquid CPU cooling, but didn't want to deal with the expense, installation, and maintenance of a DIY setup (as well as the possibility of leaks), an all-in-one (AIO) unit provides much of the same benefits as “open-loop” cooling, but without any of the messy set up. They come pre-sealed and the pump is integrated into the cold plate typically, so you just install the radiator in your PC case, bolt the water block onto your processor and you're good to go.
It's not much different than installing an air cooler, and it provides better cooling and less noise (usually). If you’re ready to take the plunge, these are five of the best liquid-coolers for your Gaming PC.
Ex Machina Director’s Next Film Release Date Announced
Annihilation, directed by Ex Machina's Alex Garland, will be released in theaters early next year.
IGN can confirm that Annihilation the adaptation of Jeff VanderMeer's novel of the same name, will hit theaters on February 23, 2018. The film joins a fellow Paramount Pictures release — the next Cloverfield film, previously known as God Particle, which the studio pushed from its packed October 27 release, will also have a February debut.
Annihilation stars Natalie Portman as a biologist who is sent into a mysterious place known as Area X as part of an expedition to explore the strange environment. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, and Tessa Thompson play those joining her on the expedition, while Oscar Isaac, who starred in Garland's Ex Machina, plays the Biologist's husband.
The Best Anakin Skywalker Tales Beyond the Movies
The first six films of the Star Wars saga focus on Anakin Skywalker. From slave to powerful Sith Lord, Anakin carved a unique journey across the galaxy. He got a later start than most younglings to Jedi training, and though Obi-Wan Kenobi did the best he could to teach the boy, he may not have been 100 percent ready to take a Padawan learner under his wing. On top of that, Sheev Palpatine was operating from the sidelines and behind the scenes, pulling every string possible to influence and manipulate Anakin.
Those factors and more affected Anakin's development. Inch by inch, he was pushed; he made the decision to turn away from the light side towards the temptation of the dark side. But before he became Darth Vader, Sith and villain, he was a Jedi -- considered by some to be a hero. And if you want more of prequel era Anakin Skywalker, these are the stories you should read and watch...
Kermit the Frog Goes Super Saiyan in This Ridiculous Dragon Ball Xenoverse Mod
It’s not everyday you get to see a Muppet fight Majin Buu. But the wonderful montage video below from YouTuber Dante’s Gaming shows Kermit The Frog laying down the hurt on most of the Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 roster.
Kermit is playable basically as a custom skin for Trunks, but it’s still a marvelous and strange mod to see in action. The mod itself was made by modders LeonExodia and CaliKingz01, and can be downloaded at xenoversemods.com. I wasn’t even aware Xenoverse had a modding community, but you can also find skins for Fox McCloud, Bugs Bunny, and the Power Rangers.
Voltron LEGO Is Really Happening
Voltron: Defender of the Universe is getting an homage in brick form. A LEGO Ideas submission immortalizing the giant robot has been approved, and will come to retail and online stores.
The LEGO Ideas blog (via Brothers Brick) made the announcement alongside another Ideas winner, modeled after a ship in a bottle. The model from software architect Leandro Tayag is more than 2,100 pieces, and includes the individual lions that can be pieced together to form Voltron. As the design is based on the 1980s Defender of the Universe, it's a slightly different look than that of the current Netflix reboot, Legendary Defender.