How do you encapsulate the Death Stranding experience in one cutscene? Legendary game developers Hideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa walk us through an early scene from the game.
Death Stranding: Hideo Kojima And Yoji Shinkawa Break Down A Pivotal Scene
Audio Logs is a show all about the magic of making games. It features the people that design and develop the experiences that we love, telling the stories of how they’re made. Making games is a long and difficult process where passionate people work tirelessly to overcome challenges, all so that we can be moved by unique games. We rarely see just how much care, thought, and attention goes into every element of the games we play, but Audio Logs aims to deliver some insight into that by giving creators a platform to tell their stories. This, we hope, will, in turn, let fans to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the games they hold dear.
In Audio Logs Season One, we delved into the creation of God of War, Dead Cells, Cuphead, Devil May Cry V, the Shadow of the Colossus remake, and Overwatch character Baptiste, as well as looking back at the career of Goichi “Suda51” Suda. Season 2 will be equally as exciting, and we’re starting with a big one!
The first episode of Audio Logs Season 2 is all about Death Stranding, a unique game and one of the most interesting of 2019. Discussing it are none other than legendary game developers Hideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa, who break down a pivotal scene from early on in the game. The duo lay out how it was created and reveal the thinking behind its direction, as well as detail how individual elements were designed and depicted.
The scene in question was first shown at The Game Awards in 2017 and, in Kojima and Shinkawa’s own words, encapsulates much of the overall Death Stranding experience. It shows Norman Reedus’s character, Sam Porter Bridges, encountering a BT and having to deal with the fallout of the event. This scene is densely packed with information about the science-fiction world that Death Stranding is set in, but it’s all intentionally placed to give players key information and hint at mysteries that will unfold over the course of the game.
Kojima and Shinkawa unpack the scene, pointing out the smaller details that may not be immediately apparent, explaining why they are important and relevant, and telling the stories of how they were created. For fans of Death Stranding–or Kojima Productions’ previous work–there’s plenty of fascinating insight into things such as why Sam is so frequently shown lying down, the reason the suits look the way they do, and different versions of the Odradek. Kojima also delves into some of the inspirations behind the game, telling stories such as how a bug led to one of the creepiest creatures in Death Stranding, and exploring the message he wants to send through the game.
This episode of Audio Logs is available to watch above, and you can also see it on YouTube, where Season 1 is available to watch. Be sure to subscribe to GameSpot on YouTube to see more episodes as they’re released every Sunday. You won’t want to miss it as the coming episodes will be focused on Control, Persona 5 Royal, Gears 5, and a few more surprises.
In GameSpot’s Death Stranding review, Kallie Plagge said it is a “hard game to absorb,” adding that its quirkier aspects “belie an otherwise very simple message” which becomes more apparent in its mundane moments. Moments such as “when you find a desperately-needed ladder left behind by another player or receive a letter from an NPC thanking you for your efforts are “positive without ignoring pain.” She continues: “In fact, it argues in both its story and its gameplay that adversity itself is what makes things worth doing and life worth living. It’s a game that requires patience, compassion, and love, and it’s also one we really need right now.”
Death Stranding was also highlighted as one of GameSpot’s favorite games of the year. “With our present being rife with political turmoil and a general feeling of angst towards our future, there’s a comfort that can be found in a routine and the positivity from others who come from different backgrounds,” said Alessandro Fillari. “Sam’s routine as a delivery man in a post-apocalyptic setting reveals its larger message of hope and perseverance in the face of depressing circumstances, which is a touching message that resonates deeply.”
Watch Loadout Episode 4: The Rocket Launcher’s Unlikely Origins
Whether it’s video games, movies, or TV shows, entertainment is filled with iconic tools of warfare, and much of the stories we love are defined by them; the Pulse Rifle is synonymous with the Aliens franchise; the Man With No Name’s mystique and effortless cool is heightened by the revolver he whips out in the squint of an eye; and the sound of a bullet from the Intervention hitting an enemy immediately conjures up Call of Duty-flavoured nostalgia.
These weapons are the focus of Loadout, a new show that will identify some of pop culture’s most influential armaments and explore them in-depth. Each week, host Dave Jewitt will tackle a different weapon, delve into its origins, examine how it has been used, and lay out the impact it has had on pop culture.
In Episode 1, Loadout takes hold of the revolver, a legendary weapon that has been present from the earliest days of cinema to the current era of video games. Why is it so popular? For Episode 2, Dave takes a look at The Intervention, a weapon that Call of Duty players will be intimately familiar with and, given its status as arguably the most meme-able video game weapon, you may know it even if you haven’t played the shooter series. For Episode 3, Dave delves into the world of Warhammer 40k to explore the history of an iconic sci-fi weapon.
Episode four delves into the history of the rocket launcher, a staple weapon for video games. Its use spans everything from first-person shooters like Quake and Doom, to fighting games like Smash Bros., courtesy of Metal Gear’s Solid Snake. But the origins of the rocket launcher might surprise you.
New episodes of Loadout will air every Saturday and you can find them on GameSpot’s YouTube channel–make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode.
Episode 4: The Rocket Launcher
Episode 3: The Bolter
Episode 2: The Intervention
Episode 1: Revolvers
The Unlikely Origins Of The Rocket Launcher – Loadout
The Rocket Launcher has been around for the best part of a millennium. From its humble and unstable origins in 9th century China through to its explosive appearance in games like DOOM, Quake and Call of Duty, these ridiculous armaments have made quite the impact. But how did this 1000-year old explosive tool become one of the most quintessential of all video games weapons?
Half-Life: Alyx – David Ahmadi’s Most Anticipated Game Of 2020
2020 is almost here, so we’ve asked GameSpot’s staff to share which games they’re looking forward to most in the new year. New consoles are going to dominate the headlines, but at the end of the day it’s all about the games, and there are a ton of exciting ones to look forward to. When you’re done reading this entry, follow along with all of our other end-of-the-year coverage collected in our Best of 2019 hub and our Most Anticipated of 2020 hub.
In 2019, Valve almost gave Half-Life fans what they wanted with the official announcement of the upcoming prequel Half-Life: Alyx. But when it announced that the next Half-Life game would be a full-length VR-exclusive prequel to Half-Life 2 rather than the concluding story everyone expected, many grew skeptical. I certainly had my doubts at first. After all, I could easily see its exclusivity as a means for Valve to sell more of its recently-released Index headset. However, those concerns were laid to rest with the game’s first trailer. Now I am convinced that Valve is ready to change the way we play virtual reality games, and will shake up the video game industry once again.
Half-Life: Alyx follows the story of Alyx Vance before Gordon Freeman’s arrival in City 17. As fans know, the events of the first game triggered a massive alien zombie epidemic from a lab experiment gone wrong at the Black Mesa facility. Half-Life: Alyx will most likely fill in the blanks between the first and second game with plenty of surprises up its sleeves–if the spirit of previous Half-Life games is to be of any indication.
Every detail in the first trailer had me in absolute shock. The game seems to pull from the best ideas that Half-Life 2 introduced while exploring the lingering questions the franchise left us with. But what most excites me about Half-Life: Alyx is the potential in interaction being explored in the game. The truth is, VR has often left me wanting more since I feel that the medium is still several notches shy of true immersion. Based on the trailer, no such concern has been raised, and truthfully, it’s the pedigree that Valve boasted in how Half-Life 1 and 2 radically shifted how we think of first-person shooters that has me convinced VR might be a great choice. I believe Valve’s implementation of VR will be Half-Life: Alyx’s highlight and pave the way for other developers to follow suit. I can already see how the new gloves Alyx uses is bringing gravity gun tricks back into the fray through intriguing-looking combat, and how immersive it might be to peek out from cover or comb through rubble for scarce ammunition. Most of all, I eagerly await and dread the sheer terror I will probably encounter when I turn around just in time to see a headcrab launch itself right at my face.
The early release date is also too much for me to process fully. Here I was accepting that Half-Life 3 became the gaming world’s favorite meme, and now I’m staring down a March 2020 release date for the only other thing that could get me just as excited. Half-Life: Alyx has its work cut out for it considering the massive expectations fans have from the series, but I’m excited to see what Valve will offer. We are at the precipice of a brand new decade of ground-breaking titles, and it is exciting that Valve seems to be cracking its knuckles, eager to get the first shot.
Where Is Xur? Destiny 2 Location Exotic Guide (12/27 – 12/31)
Xur has returned yet again to cap off the holidays and the rest of 2019! Here’s where to find Xur in Destiny 2 this week before the year is over, and what he has in stock. Don’t forget to get his exotic engram if you’re missing anything from your collection. Happy Holidays!
The Best Superhero Movies And Shows 2019
From grim and gritty to bright and fun, 2019 delivered for capes and cowls.
Ah, superheroes. The gift that keeps on giving. Sure, the MCU may have drawn the curtains on Phase 3 with the release of Avengers: Endgame this year, but that doesn’t mean the superhero movie and TV bubble is showing any signs of popping just yet. In fact, it only seems to be getting stronger with more and more comic book stories being adapted by different studios and networks in increasingly creative ways.
2019 saw the release of HBO’s Watchmen, our 2019 show of the year, alongside other slightly-off-beat favorites like Netflix’s Umbrella Academy, Amazon’s The Boys and the final season of FX’s Legion. Add to that mix animated favorites like My Hero Academia, all-ages treats like Shazam, and quirky action-comedies like Doom Patrol, and you’ve got yourself the recipe for a really strong year for capes and cowls.
Which superhero movies and TV shows were your favorites in 2019?
1. Watchmen
When HBO announced a Watchmen TV show, the reaction was justifiably skeptical. It’s one of the most famous graphic novels in the world in addition to being co-created by one of comics’ most infamously anti-adaptation writers, Alan Moore. We’d already had a live-action movie hit theaters back in 2009 to some extremely polarized reactions from fans and critics alike. So you can absolutely imagine our surprise when, after just one episode, the Watchmen TV show managed to win us over. From top to bottom, Watchmen felt like a breath of fresh air for event TV, providing all sorts of fascinating ways for viewers to play along from digital “backmatter” in the Peteypedia to wild speculation with fellow fans about the show’s biggest and most mind-bending mysteries. It never sought to fully emulate the source material, but to update and adopt it for a new generation, layering world-building and concepts that originated back in 1985 with modern-day sensibilities to create a playground for the insanely stacked cast to tackle some truly impactful issues that are anything but flashy sci-fi superhero fluff. And to top things off, Watchmen pulled it all off like a nine-episode magic trick, delivering a complete story that welcomes continued conversation but doesn’t leave anyone or anything feel left in the lurch. If this is the future of the superhero genre on TV, it couldn’t be brighter. — Meg Downey
2. Umbrella Academy
Even by superhero comic standards, the Umbrella Academy books are eccentric, to put it lightly. They don’t seem like a likely candidate for a successful adaptation to any other medium, much less live-action, given just how surreal things eventually get, from a man with his head sewn onto a giant ape body to a time-traveling adult that looks like a child “married” to a department store mannequin. But somehow, against all odds, Netflix managed to thread the needle and pull it off. Umbrella Academy the TV show wasn’t afraid to play things a little fast and loose with the source material, a gambit that could have had disastrous consequences but instead only served to elevate and update the story into a modern context. That, coupled with a stellar cast, appropriately whimsical art direction, and a grounding emotional core, managed to make Umbrella Academy one of our favorite superhero shows of the year–and one of 2019’s very best adaptations across all genres. – Meg Downey
3. Legion
In the crowded annals of superhero television, Legion stood taller than most. Less cape-and-cowl crusading and more art-house experiment, the FX original series by Noah Hawley (Fargo) ended with a psychedelic, timey-wimey, insanely ambitious, and deeply cathartic bang. Season 3 proved to be one last unapologetically unhinged romp through the mind of David Haller (Dan Stevens), a mentally disturbed mutant telepath who threatened to destroy the world–whether he intended to or not. As the fabric of reality began to fray, a stellar cast including Rachel Keller, Aubrey Plaza, Jean Smart, Jemaine Clement, Navid Negahban, and more battled through time and musical numbers to prevent a toxic man with a god complex from letting himself off the hook. It was one of a kind. – Meg Downey
4. Harley Quinn
Admittedly, the character Harley Quinn, the character, is not my cup of tea, but her animated series on DC Universe was one of my favorite shows of the year–and it’s still airing weekly on the streaming service. Imagine The Venture Brothers but more grotesque and no censors for the cursing, and that’s the show. Harley Quinn is a ridiculous, yet hilarious, series about the titular character moving on from Joker to become a solo supervillain–why does this plot sound familiar? Harley Quinn captures the absurdity of superhero comics and stories and pokes fun at it while telling a great story and not punching down at the audience. – Mat Elfring
5. The Boys
Amazon’s first season of The Boys pulled back on the adult content from the comic book series it was adapted from, believe it or not, and focused more on the main story of people trying to take down corrupt superheroes. The core, the heart, and the characters are still there, but Amazon’s take is much more focused on story rather than trying to go over-the-top with ridiculous moments (although those moments still exist). The Boys is a fresh take on the superhero genre, as those with powers are seen as the enemy by the protagonists. That’s a tough thing to pull off considering the cinematic climate we live in, but the Amazon series does it exceptionally well, and it leaves the viewer wanting more. — Mat Elfring
6. Shazam
In a grimdark world of DC Comics movies that take themselves incredibly seriously, Shazam is a ray of pure sunlight and joy. This is a movie about a kid who’s given superpowers, and it’s treated as such. While there’s a villain to battle and a world to save, what Shazam does so well is making you believe this tough superhero is actually just a kid. He uses his powers to buy beer, impress his friends, and take on bullies. This is, honestly, the lighthearted superhero fare we needed in a 2019 that saw the fallout from Thanos destroying half of the universe. More movies like Shazam, please. – Chris E. Hayner
7. Doom Patrol Season 1
Sure, DC Universe may be a streaming service you don’t have–and possibly have never heard of. But it’s also some to some of the best superhero fare on TV. Take Doom Patrol, for instance. Unlike the typical comic book fare, this show is about a group of lovable and often disturbing misfits and includes some truly bizarre concepts that are absurdly fun to explore. Whether it’s a farting donkey that is home to a pocket universe or a woman with multiple personalities–each of which has its own superpower–Doom Patrol is a truly unique experience. It’s ridiculous in the best way possible, while also managing to tell high-quality stories and exploring interesting characters. Watch it; you won’t be disappointed. – Chris E. Hayner
8. My Hero Academia
It’s not uncommon for something to be lost in the translation from manga to anime, especially with a series as fast-paced and bombastic as the ones found in the Shonen Jump magazine, yet somehow the My Hero Academia anime keeps pulling the transformation from page to screen off flawlessly. 2019 saw the anime enter its fourth season and there’s yet to be a dip in quality or faithfulness to the source material. – Meg Downey
9. Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Endgame brought the long saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to an ending (not the end, but an ending nonetheless). The heroes we’ve come to know and love took on Thanos once and for all, irreparably destroying the series’ timeline in the process. Most of all, Avengers Endgame was a love letter to the entire MCU–the whole thing. It’s messy and confusing, and we spent weeks afterward debating whether the ending even made sense. But holy hell was it an emotional, fulfilling ride. It may not have completely worked, but in the aftermath, as the dust settled, Avengers Endgame felt like a much-deserved victory. – Mike Rougeau
10. Punisher Season 2
The Punisher Season 2 was very much more of the same, as far as Frank Castle’s bloody hijinks go. Season 1, which released in 2017, left Frank in the wind, having maimed but not murdered his rival Billy Russo, and been cut loose by the powers that be. When we caught up with the Punisher in Season 2, he was sort of just drifting, staying in motels and hanging out in bars. It was very un-Punisher like; he even met a nice lady, although predictably, that didn’t last long. You see, the Punisher’s gotta Punish. It’s what he does. It’s too bad the Netflix corner of the MCU is dead, because all in all, it was ultimately pretty enjoyable. – Mike Rougeau
11. Jessica Jones Season 3
The Netflix Marvel shows went through their ups and downs, but now that they’re all canceled for good, at least they went out on a high note with Jessica Jones Season 3. This season was largely concerned with power as a concept–what individuals are willing to do to get it, what they do with it once they have it, and the effect it has on the lives of the people around them. That may sound like typical superhero fare, and in a way, it was–we’ve seen Season 3’s themes and narrative arcs many times before. But when this superhero comfort food is done well, it can resonate with viewers nonetheless. And that was the case with Jessica Jones Season 3. – Mike Rougeau
12. Joker
It was difficult to imagine a Joker without Batman, because the Jokers we’ve grown to love over the years all existed as chaotic evil counterpoints to Bruce Wayne’s unwavering lawful good. 2019’s Joker succeeded, without equivocation, because it transformed the villain into the populist antihero we need him to be now. Joker wears its influences on its maroon sleeves, but it also carves its own gashes through the blood-soaked landscape of contemporary comic book movies, offering something that, despite teetering on the shoulders of 80 years of history, was wonderfully fresh, dangerously exciting, undeniably entertaining, and rock-solid in its artistry. – Mike Rougeau
The 12 Best Horror Movies And Shows Of 2019
The year’s best horror included teeth-clenching psychological terror and hilarious black comedy.
Don’t worry, horror fiends, we didn’t forget about you this year. In fact, horror had one of the strongest showings of any genre in 2019, and we have 12 selections from just about every subgenre to prove it, from hilarious black comedies like What We Do In The Shadows to the visceral psychological terror of Midsommar and everything in between.
And while you’re gathering your nerves to dive into some of the year’s biggest fights, don’t forget to check out our favorite movies, tv shows, and anime as we wrap up our year end coverage.
Don’t see your favorite horror movie or show on the list below? Let us know in the comments what your top picks were!
1. Midsommar
Ari Aster had a lot to live up to following his debut feature, Hereditary, which managed to be one of the most horrifying movies of 2018, but somehow Midsommar managed to pull it off. With a stunning, gut-wrenching performance by Florence Pugh, Midsommar threaded the needle between drama and horror in a way that both thrilled and terrified us, and it all culminated into one of the most absurdly satisfying (and brutal) endings of the year. We can’t wait to see what Aster has up his sleeve next. — Meg Downey
2. Us
Jordan Peele’s follow-up to Get Out was a departure as Us delivered both very real and very unreal scares over the course of the movie. The first half of the film revolved around a family being terrorized by a family in red jumpsuits that looked just like them as they raced around their home to avoid being slaughtered. From there, the film introduced an underground world where doppelgangers live as they rise to the surface and commit heinous crimes on humanity. The combination of a home invasion movie and the world-building from the world of the tethered is an interesting mix, but it works exceptionally well, as the audience has no clue where the movie will head next. Peele’s voice is bringing in a whole new era of horror, and we can’t wait to see where his vision takes us next. – Mat Elfring
3. The Lighthouse
Robert Egger’s debut movie The Witch was one of 2017’s most acclaimed horror movies, and with The Lighthouse he went further into the realms of dark, weird period madness. Shot in stark black-and-white with vintage lenses to truly evoke the era, it starred Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson as two 19th century lighthouse housekeepers who find themselves going slowly insane over the course of a long winter. By turns scary, bizarre, hilarious, shocking, and weirdly moving, the potent atmosphere and incredible performances from its two leads make for utterly compulsive viewing. – Dan Auty
4. Happy Death Day 2U
Happy Death Day was one of the smartest, funniest horror comedies to come along for some time, and full credit to the makers of the sequel for not simply repeating the formula. While Happy Death Day 2U is still basically a horror version of Groundhog Day, it’s actually as much a sci-fi movie as a slasher film, as student Tree and her friends attempt to find out why they’ve been thrown back into the loop that sees a killer picking them off each day. Jessica Rothe gives another fantastically engaging lead performance, and the film finds time for some genuinely emotional moments amongst all the time-jumping mayhem. – Dan Auty
5. Doctor Sleep
Adapting Stephen King’s sequel to The Shining as a film provides all sorts of interesting and complicated challenges, and Mike Flanagan was happy to rise to the occasion. What could have easily been a car crash of conflicting ideas on “canon” between Kubrick and King wound up being the perfect love letter to both incarnations of the story. Doctor Sleep was a thrilling, surprisingly heartwarming look at the aftermath of trauma, the process of healing, and the legacy of one of the most celebrated horror stories of our time. — Meg Downey
6. One Cut of the Dead
Just when you thought that zombie movies and TV shows were running out of ideas, along comes One Cut of the Dead. This Japanese hit takes an inventive approach to the genre and stands as one of the funniest, cleverest, and most enjoyable examples for years. It’s one of those movies that it needs to be seen with little prior-knowledge going in; suffice to say that what you think you’re watching in the first 30 minutes–a one-take horror movie about a group of filmmakers being attacked by zombies–soon turns out to be something else entirely. There are some wonderful performances throughout, and a level of infectious joy in watching the storyline unfold so skilfully. It’s now available on the horror streaming service Shudder, and is highly recommended. — Dan Auty
7. Annabelle Comes Home
The Conjuring universe is undoubtedly one of the most consistent franchises in horror movie history, and the latest entry, Annabelle Comes Home, doesn’t break that trend. The third Annabelle spin-off takes place somewhere in the larger Conjuring timeline, and exactly where doesn’t really matter–you don’t have to know much about the Warrens to appreciate this haunted house full of scary trinkets that terrorize a young girl and her babysitters. ACH is reliably scary, brimming with tense atmosphere and jarring jump scares, with excellent performances from its small cast and several intriguing additions to Conjuring lore. For those who enjoy these movies, Annabelle Comes Home is yet another predictably fun, popcorn-throwing scare fest. – Mike Rougeau
8. Ready or Not
Ready or Not isn’t a straight-up horror film, but it contains all of the tropes you’d see in a movie in that genre. The movie follows a woman who marries into a wealthy family and must play a game of hide and seek on their wedding night. However, this is a deadly version of the game, where the family is trying to kill the bride. Where Ready or Not shines is in the fact that it steps away from traditional horror by mixing things up: the hero of the story has a backbone, the villains can be bumbling fools at times, and the ending comes completely out of left field. While there is a comedic slant to the movie, it doesn’t let the humor overshadow the story, which ultimately is very intense. Ready or Not is a weird and wild movie that ends up being a lot of fun, and we could all use a little bit of fun in our lives. — Mat Elfring
9. Creepshow
Horror TV shows have gravitated towards anthology series recently. With shows like Channel Zero, American Horror Story, and Castle Rock, fans find self-contained stories within a season to be the most appealing. However, the streaming service Shudder did something different this year with its series Creepshow. Each episode consists of two stories by two different directors offering up a variety of stories and elements of horror. Because of the various voices lent to each episode and story, there is something for every horror fan on Creepshow. From gore-driven stories to terrifying monsters to atmospheric scares, there is nothing more dynamic in horror right now than Creepshow, and we couldn’t be more excited for Season 2. – Mat Elfring
10. The Dead Don’t Die
The Dead Don’t Die isn’t so much a scary horror movie, as it is one to simply sit and marvel at. That director Jim Jarmusch (Broken Flowers, Stranger Than Paradise) wrote and directed a zombie movie at all is a wild thought. That he cast Bill Murray, Adam Driver, and Tilda Swinton as the leads is magical. This movie is simply a mundane, yet very funny look at zombies invading a small town. It’s not big on jump scares and the gore is pretty minimal. However, what this movie does is take the horror genre and turn it on its head, instead presenting a quirky independent comedy set against a horror backdrop. It’s fun, not at all what you expect, and is strangely fulfilling to watch. – Chris Hayner
11. What We Do in the Shadows
Is it horror? Is it a comedy? Is it both? What We Do in the Shadows is one of the absolute funniest shows on TV. And while it can get pretty scary, this is a show at its best when it’s deconstructing horror conventions and the very idea of vampires–which is does flawlessly. Plus, any show that can manage to get Tilda Swinton, Evan Rachel Wood, Danny Trejo, Paul Reubens, Kristen Schaal, and Dave Bautista into a single episode of TV deserves to be celebrated.
This is a rare show that–on paper–seemed like a risky bet. The original What We Do in the Shadows film is beloved and crafting some kind of sequel for cable TV could have gone horribly wrong. Instead, it’s turned into one of TV’s most endearing comedies that also happens to play heavily in the horror space. – Chris E. Hayner
12. Castle Rock
Unlike most Stephen King adaptations, Castle Rock doesn’t just take one of his novels and pull it into a different medium. Instead, the series remixes different places, ideas, plots, and characters into something new–a sort of alternate universe take on well-known King elements. The first season of Castle Rock struggled a bit under the weight of its references, but the second season has come back to the same idea with renewed vigor, thanks largely to a phenomenal turn by lead Lizzy Caplan.
Caplan takes on the role of Annie Wilkes, the role originated by Kathy Bates in Misery, but gives the murderous romance novel superfan a new spin in the Castle Rock-adjacent town of Salem’s Lot. Focusing on Annie and her daughter makes for a great new take on a famous character, and Castle Rock adds a whole lot to the mix with a subplot about the local politics of Salem’s Lot. This season of Castle Rock doesn’t just reference well-known ideas from King’s books, like a town taken over by vampires and a writer-obsessed nurse losing her mind–it works those elements together to make something surprising, new, and frightening. The second season of Castle Rock sees the Stephen King anthology show finally attaining its goals, thanks to a great cast and a wealth of smart twists on King’s stories. – Phil Hornshaw
Nintendo Switch Sale Discounts Top-Selling Indies
A sale on the Nintendo Switch Eshop is offering solid deals on top-selling indie games. The sale lasts through midnight PT on December 28, so you only have a little while to take advantage. But it’s a great way to catch up on games you may have missed over the year and spend those eshop cards that were in your stocking.
These are all part of the Indie World library of games, which is also the name of this sale. Some highlights of the sale include Ori and the Blind Forest, Cuphead, and the standout puzzle game Baba Is You. Most of the prices are in the teens, though a few go even lower. The arcade shooter (and perfect use of Flip Grip) Downwell is less than two bucks. Two! You can check out the full listing of games and prices below.
This indies sale is running concurrently with another, even bigger Eshop sale. That one discounts a much broader range of games, including Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy IX, Ultimate Ninja Storm Trilogy, and even some other indies like Bastion and Transistor. On the whole the Eshop is offering some great deals right now so check them out.
See at Nintendo Eshop
Nintendo Eshop Indies Sale
- Baba Is You – $12
($15) - Blasphemous – $20
($25) - Castle Crashers Remastered – $9
($15) - Cuphead – $14
($20) - Downwell – $1.50
($3) - My Friend Pedro – $14
($20) - Ori and the Blind Forest: Remastered – $14
($20) - Slay the Spire – $20
($25) - SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech – $17.50
($25) - Terraria – $21
($30) - Torchlight 2 – $12
($20) - Unravel Two – $5
($20)
Tekken Producer Says A Possible Xenosaga Remaster “Failed Market Analysis”
Despite calling on the community for help revitalizing the Xenosaga series with a potential HD remaster collection, the project has officially fallen through the cracks. A producer at Bandai Namco has confirmed that a remaster of the long-dormant RPG franchise would be “difficult” to do based on current market analysis.
Katsuhiro Harada, a director/producer at Bandai Namco and the producer of the Tekken series, shared on Twitter that an HD Xenosaga remaster collection didn’t make sense from a profitability standpoint. Harada said that the project was progressing as a potential plan but was dropped somewhere along the process. According to Harada, resurfacing the project would be difficult to do.
This actually progressed to the remaster’s plan, but failed in a profitable market analysis.
Sorry guys, This plan will be difficult to resurface… https://t.co/0CRJJDPl5Z— Katsuhiro Harada (@Harada_TEKKEN) December 26, 2019
Harada sent a request to fans on Twitter in 2014, asking the community to band together in the hopes of getting a Xenosaga HD remaster collection off the ground. At that time, Harada said he couldn’t “find the necessary market size” to make bringing the franchise back worthwhile. He said fan voices might chance those prospects.
Though the possible Xenosaga HD remaster collection remains left on the cutting room floor, Harada has kept himself and his team busy with Tekken 7, which received an 8/10 in our review when it launched in 2017 on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
The critically acclaimed fighting game has revealed two new combatants for its third season, one of which is an original character added to the series. Tekken 7’s latest character, Leroy Smith, launched on December 10 for all platforms.