Yearly Archives: 2018
Dying Light 2’s Choices Have Real Consequences
Techland’s E3 demo Dying Light 2 showed off its gunless, scrappy, European-esque city that echoed its vision for a “modern dark age”, and its main focus was how the player can change that city based on their choices. What I saw looked to be an ambitious sandbox with a ton of variations, one that is theoretically completely adaptable to the Dying Light world you want to build.
Of course, it’s still an Infested-filled city that forms our playground for parkour. There are now twice the amount of moves Dying Light 2, but Lead Designer Tymon Smektala reminds us that they’re “very difficult to master”. We were shown off Dying Light 2’s new ‘parkour puzzles’ - areas where you’re tasked with pulling off a number of moves before your stamina runs out - and they looked deliciously challenging.
Yes, Metroid Prime 4 Is Still in Development
Despite an E3 2018 Direct largely dedicated to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and a number of other titles, a reveal from Nintendo's E3 2017 Direct, Metroid Prime 4, was noticeably absent. But for fans concerned that its lack of an appearance is a sign of any troubled development, that is not the case, according to Nintendo.
Speaking to IGN during E3 2018, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said that Prime 4 development continues to go well.
"Metroid Prime 4
in development, progressing well," Fils-Aime said when asked about the absence of Prime 4. He also confirmed what Nintendo of America's Bill Trinen told IGN earlier in E3 — that Yoshi for the Switch, despite also being a Direct no-show, is "still in development." And another major reveal from last year's Direct, a new core Pokemon game for Switch, is set to come next year, as we learned shortly ahead of E3.
From Software’s Sekiro: Shadow’s Die Twice’s World Structure is Similar to Dark Souls 1
From Software's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice will feature a world structure that is most similar to the original Dark Souls. This confirmation came during IGN's E3 2018 live show interview with From Software's Yasuhiro Kitao.
When asked how open the game become, Kitao answered, "If we were to make a comparison...the world structure is closest to Dark Souls 1, in that we have multiple interconnected environments that have all have multiple path to get to each other." Of course, 2011's Dark Souls was laid out like a 3D Metroidvania. Kitao continued, "Additionally, there's not just one path to take. The player will find several areas, and get to make a choice of which one they want to go to first, and have agency on how they go through the game."
Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown Quits Twitter Over Homophobic Memes
Stranger Things actress Millie Bobby Brown has seemingly deleted her Twitter account after various users posted memes that depict her as a violent, homophobic individual.
The memes in question typically consist of photos and selfies of the 14-year-old actress accompanied by homophobic and racist slurs, usually with the hashtag #takedownmilliebobbybrown. Brown is a supporter of LGBTQ rights and an anti-bullying advocate; she publicly displayed a GLAAD Together movement pin to the MTV Movie and TV awards last year. It still isn't entirely clear where the meme originated, although Variety and The Wrap report that the memes have been attributed to members of the LGBT community as an "inside joke" on the social platform.
Sable is an Unlikely Companion to Breath of the Wild
Shedworks’ Greg Kythreotis tells me that the first time that he and his development partner, Dan Fineberg, saw Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the response went something along the lines of: “oh s**t”.
The developers had been kicking around ideas for a game that featured a Ghibli-infused living comic artstyle, non-linear open world exploration, a peaceful outlook, even wall climbing across almost all surfaces. Except Breath of the Wild emerged out of Kyoto’s premier dream factory, and Sable is being made primarily by two men in a shed in north London.
The thing is, once Greg and Dan actually played Breath of the Wild, and saw the reaction to it, that comparison wasn’t a problem anymore. The public’s sheer delight at a game that offered the trappings of an open world without any of the clutter has actually bolstered their resolve - it might be way at the other end of the indie spectrum from Zelda, but Sable already feels less like an imitator and more like it’ll be a worthy member of the same new subgenre.
The Shining Sequel Casts Ewan McGregor as Danny Torrance
Ewan McGregor has been cast as the lead role in the sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep.
Variety reports McGregor will portray an older Danny Torace, the son from the original movie. Stephen King is said to have given his blessing on the casting.
The sequel follows Danny, now in his 40s, who's still haunted by the Overlook Hotel. He's dealing with a similar drinking problem as his father Jack Torrance (played by Jack Nicholson in The Shining).
However, Danny eventually sobers and regains his "shining" powers, and establishes a psychic connection with a young girl, who is being targeted by a group with similar abilities. Doctor Sleep will directly connect to the events in The Shining and the Overlook Hotel.
Comcast Makes $65 Billion Bid for Fox
Comcast Corp. is bidding $65 billion for 21st Century Fox.
The all-cash offer comes after last month when Comcast announced it was considering outbidding Disney for Fox. July 10 is reportedly the date set for Fox shareholders to determine the Disney deal, which is an all-stock transaction valued at roughly $52.4 billion.
Mario Tennis Aces Adding Koopa Troopa, Blooper to Roster
Koopa Troopa and Blooper are coming to Mario Tennis Aces as playable characters.
Nintendo shared the news during Treehouse Live today at E3. Players who participate in the July online tournament and earn enough points can unlock Koopa Troopa early. The character will then be made available to everyone via a free update on August 1.
Koopa Troopa in Mario Tennis Aces, via Nintendo on Twitter
Opinion: Gears 5 Has the Potential to Be Xbox’s God of War
This year's Xbox E3 conference unveiled a trio of new games for the Gears of War franchise, but the spotlight very clearly belonged to Gears 5. Though it’s easy to write off the game as yet another entry in the franchise, it looks as though the series will be using this as an opportunity to give the Xbox One a God of War 2018 of its own. Note: spoilers for Gears 4 ahead.
Gears of War as a franchise has always been the Xbox exclusive equivalent to Sony’s God of War, in that it’s also a game that garnered a reputation for being cartoonishly macho from head to toe. Even with Gears 4 telling a more emotional story, those macho undertones have been baked into the series’ DNA, and the emotion is always juxtaposed with the chainsaw mutilations and blood-soaked executions that dominate the campaign and multiplayer.
Wonder Woman 1984: How Can Steve Trevor Still Be Alive?
Update: The first trailer for Wonder Woman 1984 has arrived.
Ever since Wonder Woman 1984 entered production, fans have been speculating about the plot of this sequel. That's because director Patty Jenkins tweeted a set photo showing Chris Pine's Steve Trevor alive and well in 1984, despite the fact that he sacrificed his life during World War I.
How can Steve be alive? We're not sure, but we have some theories. Read on to see some possible solutions and find out how other versions of the Wonder Woman mythos have handled the Steve Trevor issue.
Chris Pine returns as Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman 1984.