Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino will bring his upcoming western Django Unchained to next month's San Diego Comic-Con.
SDCC announced today that the Weinstein film will have a panel at Hall H on Saturday, July 14, from 11:30am-12:30pm. Tarantino and unspecified cast members will be on hand to present fans with a sneak peek at Django Unchained, which opens Christmas Day 2012.
What if actor Michael Fassbender and director Christopher Nolan made a James Bond movie together? One that co-starred Leonardo DiCaprio, Gary Oldman, Marion Cotillard, Liam Neeson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt? Well, it might look a little something like this mash-up fan-made video below:
Thanks to Movie City News for the head's-up!
UPDATE: Activision has now confirmed Nuketown 2025 in a post on the official Call of Duty site. According to the post, Nuketown 2025 will be offered at "most retailers worldwide" and will be available for download on November 13th, the day Black Ops II is released.
The map will be for all platforms and will also be available for players who pre-order via Steam. It will still apply for pre-orders that were placed before the bonus was announced.
Activision specifically noted that Nuketown 2025 is not already on the disc and will need to be downloaded.
Original story follows:
A futuristic version of popular Call of Duty: Black Ops map Nuketown will be offered as a free bonus for customers who pre-order Black Ops II.
IGN reader Archie submitted a picture taken at Irish retailer Xtravision in which the map is shown to be called Nuketown 2025. According to the image, the map has been “re-imagined for the future.”
The image also calls Nuketown 2025 “the biggest incentive in Call of Duty history” and says it will be “driving pre-orders…and day one.” The map would be an update to the old-fashioned Nuketown made famous by Call of Duty: Black Ops, which the image describes as the game’s “most popular map.”
Details including specific stores offering the map and which platforms it will be available for are currently unknown. During E3, Microsoft confirmed that all Black Ops II downloadable content will hit Xbox 360 first, but it’s unclear if this pre-order bonus will be an exception. We’ve reached out to Activision to clarify and will update with any additional info we receive.
Call of Duty: Black Ops II is set to hit stores on November 13, 2012. When we last heard about Black Ops II pre-orders, Amazon noted that the game was tracking ahead of Modern Warfare 3 and the original Black Ops.
Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following him on Twitter or IGN.
Next month's San Diego Comic-Con will include a panel on Saturday, July 14, for After Earth, the upcoming sci-fi film starring Will Smith and Jaden Smith and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The panel description in SDCC's schedule includes new plot details for the secretive film.
Here is the plot synopsis provided by SDCC, so be advised of spoilers:
"In After Earth, one thousand years after cataclysmic events forced humanity's escape from Earth, Nova Prime has become mankind's new home. Legendary General Cypher Raige (played by Will Smith) returns from an extended tour of duty to his estranged family, ready to be a father to his 13-year-old son, Kitai (played by Jaden Smith). When an asteroid storm damages Cypher and Kitai's craft, they crash-land on a now unfamiliar and dangerous Earth. As his father lies dying in the cockpit, Kitai must trek across the hostile terrain to recover their rescue beacon. His whole life, Kitai has wanted nothing more than to be a soldier like his father. Today, he gets his chance."
The SDCC panel will include the film's screenwriter, Gary Whitta, and cinematographer Peter Suschitzky, as well as the team behind the tie-in comic book After Earth: Innocence, artist Beni Lobel and writers Robert Greenberger and Michael Friedman. Peter David, author of the After Earth prequel novel, will also be there.
Last year, there were over 100 TV show panels at San Diego Comic-Con (yes, you read that right). Will that number be met this year? We'll find out. But here's what we know so far. Check back for frequent updates as Comic-Con gets closer.
Update (6/30): The full Saturday schedule has been revealed, and with it the additions of Mythbusters, a Marvel Television panel and Grimm, plus times added for Futurama, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Person of Interest, Revolution and more.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 11th:
Pilot screenings for 666 Park Avenue, Arrow, Cult, The Following, Revolution
THURSDAY, JULY 12th:
11am-12pm T.U.F.F. Puppy / The Fairly OddParents (Room 7AB) Panelists: Butch Hartman, Jerry Trainor, Grey DeLisle, Daran Norris, Tara Strong, Susanne Blakeslee, Matthew Taylor, Carlos Alazraqui
11am-12pm X-Play (Room 25ABC) Panelists: Morgan Webb, Blair Herter, Kristin Adams, Wade Beckett
12:00pm-1:00pm Dreamworks Dragons: Riders of Berk (Room 6A) Panelists: TBA
12:45pm-1:45pm MAD (Room 6DE) Panelists: Kevin Shinick, Mark Marek
2pm-3pm Power Rangers (Hilton Bayfront, Indigo Ballroom) Panelists: Elie Dekel, Paul Schrier, Tony Oliver, Brian Ward (moderator)
2:15pm-3:15pm PSYCH (Ballroom 20) Panelists: James Roday, Dule Hill, Corbin Bernsen, Maggie Lawson, Timothy Omundson and Kirsten Nelson
2:30pm-3:30pm Teen Wolf (Room 6A) Panelists: Tyler Posey, Dylan O'Brien, Crystal Reed, Tyler Hoechlin, Holland Roden and Colton Haynes, Jeff Davis
3:30pm-4:35pm Beauty and the Beast (Ballroom 20) Panelists: Kristin Kreuk, Jay Ryan; Jennifer Levin, Sherri Cooper, Brian Peterson, Kelly Souders
4pm-5pm How Stuff Works (Room 5AB) Panelists: Josh Clark , Chuck Bryant
4pm-5pm Wilfred (Hilton Bayfront, Indigo Ballroom) Panelists: Elijah Wood, Jason Gann, Fiona Gubelmann, Dorian Brown, David Zuckerman, Randall Einhorn
4:40pm-5:45pm Elementary (Ballroom 20) Panelists: Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu, Robert Doherty, Carl Beverly
5:00pm-6:00pm Archer (Hilton Bayfront, Indigo Ballroom) Panelists: Adam Reed, H. Jon Benjamin, Aisha Tyler, Chris Parnell, Judy Greer, Amber Nash
6pm-7pm Nikita (Room 6BCF) Panelists: Maggie Q, Shane West, Lyndsy Fonseca, Craig Silverstein
6:00pm-7:15pm Dexter Ballroom 20 Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, Yvonne Strahovski, John Goldwyn, Sara Colleton, Scott Buck.
6:30pm-7:30pm Workaholics (Room 24ABC) Panelists: Blake Anderson, Adam Devine, Anders Holm, and Kyle Newacheck
8:30pm-9:30pm Holliston Panelists: Adam Green, Joe Lynch, Corri English, Laura Ortiz, Oderus Urungus
FRIDAY, JULY 13th:
10am-11am Community (Ballroom 20) Panelists: Joel McHale, Alison Brie, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, Gillian Jacobs
10am-11am: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Room 23ABC) Panelists: TBA
10:15am-11:15am Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Room 6BCF) Panelists: Jason Biggs, Sean Astin, Greg Cipes, Rob Paulsen, Ciro Nieli
10:30am-11:30am Dan Vs. (Room 6A) Panelists: Curtis Armstrong, Dave Foley, Paget Brewster, Chris Pearson, Dan Mandel, Brian Sheesley, Tom Kenny (moderator)
11am-11:45am The Venture Bros (Hilton Bayfront, Indigo Ballroom) Panelists: Jackson Publick, Doc Hammer
11:15am-12:15pm The Legend of Korra (Ballroom 20) Panelists: Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, Joaquim Dos Santos, Janet Varney, David Faustino, P.J. Byrne, Seychelle Gabriel, Andrea Romano
11:30am-12:30pm Cult (Room Room 6BCF) Panelists: Matt Davis, Jessica Lucas, Alona Tal, Robert Knepper, Rockne S. O’Bannon
11:45am-12:45pmAnnoying Orange (Room 6A) Panelists: Dane Boedigheimer, Toby Turner
12pm-12:45pm NTSF:SD:SUV (Hilton Bayfront, Indigo Ballroom) Panelists: Paul Scheer, Jonathan Stern, Curtis Gwinn, Martin Starr, Rebecca Romijn, Brandon Johnson, June Diane Raphael, Rob Corddry (moderater)
12:05-1:05 The Big Bang Theory (Hall H) Panelists: TBA
1:00pm-2:00pm Regular Show (Room 6A) Panelists: JG Quintel, Bill Salyers, Sam Marin
12:30pm-1:30pm Firefly (Ballroom 20) Panelists: Joss Whedon, Tim Minear, Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Adam Baldwin, Sean Maher, Michael Fairman, Summer Glau, Morena Baccarin, Gina Torres
12:45pm-1:45pm 666 Park Avenue (Room 6BCF) Panelists: Terry O’Quinn, Rachael Taylor, Dave Annable, David Wilcox, Matthew Miller
1pm-1:45pm Childrens Hospital (Hilton Bayfront, Indigo Ballroom) Panelists: Rob Corddry, Jonathan Stern, Lake Bell, Erinn Hayes, Rob Huebel, Megan Mullally, Henry Winkler, Ken Marino
1:25pm-2:25 The Walking Dead (Hall H) Panelists: Andrew Lincoln, Sarah Wayne Callies, Laurie Holden, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohan, Danai Gurira, David Morrisey, Glen Mazzara, Gale Anne Hurd, Robert Kirkman, Greg Nicotero, Chris Hardwick (moderator)
1:45pm-2:45pm Bones (Ballroom 20) Panelists: Hart Hanson, Stephen Nathan, David Boreanaz, Emily Deschanel
2pm-2:45pm Aqua Something You Know Whatever / Squidbillies (Hilton Bayfront, Indigo Ballroom) Panelists: Dave Willis, Jim Fortier, Matt Maiellaro
2:15pm-3:15pm Tron: Uprising (Room 6A) Panelists: Elijah Wood, Bruce Boxleitner, Charlie Bean, Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Tricia Helfer
2:45pm-3:45pm Game of Thrones (Hall H) Panelists: Alfie Allen, Emilia Clarke, Michelle Fairley, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Richard Madden, Carolyn Strauss, George R. R. Martin (moderator)
2:30pm-3:15pm American Dad (Ballroom 20) Panelists: Seth MacFarlane, Wendy Schaal, Scott Grimes, Rachael MacFarlane, Dee Bradley Baker, Mike Barker, Matt Weitzman
3:00pm-4:00pm Arrow (Ballroom 20) Panelists: Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, David Nutter
3pm-3:45pm Robot Chicken/Robot Chicken DC Comics Special (Hilton Bayfront, Indigo Ballroom) Panelists: Seth Green, Matthew Senreich, Tom Root, Matthew Beans, Breckin Meyer, Geoff Johns
3:00pm-4:00pm Monster High (Room 24ABC) Panelists: Garrett Sander, Rebecca Shipman, Natalie Villegas, Eric Hardie, Ira Singerman, Debi Derryberry, Erin Fitzgerald
3:30pm-4:30pm Disney Channel Television Animation (Room 5AB) Maxwell Atoms, Justin Roiland, Kari Wahlgren, Alex Hirsch, Michael Rianda, Jason Morgan Ritter, Craig McCracken, Lauren Faust.
4pm-4:45pm Black Dynamite (Hilton Bayfront, Indigo Ballroom) Panelists: Carl Jones, Michael Jai White, Tommy Davidson, Kym Whitley, Byron Minns,Debra Wilson, Orlando Jones, Cedric Yarbourgh, Gary Anthony Williams (moderator)
4:00pm-5:00pm Bob's Burgers (Room 25ABC) Panelists: Loren Bouchard, Jim Dauterive, H. Jon Benjamin, John Roberts, Dan Mintz, Eugene Mirman, Kristen Schaal
4:30pm-5:30pm Falling Skies (Room 6BCF) Panelists: Noah Wyle, Moon Bloodgood, Will Patton, Drew Roy, Connor Jessup, Colin Cunningham, Sarah Carter, Remi Aubuchon, Wil Wheaton (moderator)
5:45pm-6:45pm Spartacus: War of the Damned (Room 6BCF) Panelists: Liam McIntyre, Manu Bennett, Steven DeKnight
6:00pm-7:00pm Optimus Prime: Up Close and Personal (Transformers Prime) (Room 23ABC) Peter Cullen, Larry King (moderator)
6:00pm-7:00pm Brickleberry (Room 6A) Panelists: Waco O’Guin, Roger Black, Daniel Tosh, David Herman, Tom Kenny, Jerry Minor, Kaitlin Olson
6:45pm-7:45pm Breaking Bad (Ballroom 20) Panelists: Vince Gilligan, Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt, RJ Mitte, Jonathan Banks
6:45pm-7:45pm Defiance (Room 6DE) Panelists: Grant Bowler, Julie Benz, Tony Curran, Jamie Murray, Kevin Murphy, Nick Beliaeff, Rob Hill, Mark Stern
7:00pm-8:00pm Kaijudo (Room 24ABC) Panelists: Scott Wolf, David Sobolov, Phil LaMarr
7:15pm-8:15pm Dark Matters: Twisted But True (Room 6A) Panelists: John Noble
8:00pm-9:00pm The Aquabats! Super Show! (Room 7AB) Panelists: Ricky Fitness, Jimmy the Robot, Crash McLarson, EagleBones Falconhawk, and The M.C. Bat Commander
8:00pm-9:00pm Strike Back (Room 6DE) Panelists: Sullivan Stapleton, Philip Winchester, Rhona Mitra
SATURDAY, JULY 14:
10:00am-10:45am Warehouse 13 (Ballroom 20) Panelists: Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly, Saul Rubinek, Allison Scagliotti, Jack Kenny
10am-11am Attack of the Show! (Hilton Bayfront, Indigo Ballroom) Panelists: Candace Bailey, Sara Underwood, Matt Mira, Blair Butler, Vinny Rutherford, Joshua Brentano
10:30am-11:30am Marvel Television Presents (Room 6BCF) Panelists: Jeph Loeb
11am-11:45am Once Upon a Time (Ballroom 20) Panelists: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla, Josh Dallas, Meghan Ory, Emilie de Ravin, Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz
11:15am-12:15pm Adventure Time (Room 6A) Panelists: Pendleton Ward, Jeremy Shada, Tom Kenny
12:00pm-12:45pm Futurama (Ballroom 20) Panelists: Matt Groening, David X. Cohen, Billy West, Katey Sagal, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche
12:30pm-1:30pm Phineas and Ferb (Room 6A) Dan Povenmire, Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, Vincent Martella, Alyson Stoner, Dee Bradley Baker
12:45pm-1:30pm The Simpsons (Ballroom 20) Panelists: David Mirkin (moderator), Matt Groening, Al Jean, Mike Anderson, Yeardley Smith
1:45pm-2:30pm Family Guy (Ballroom 20) Panelists: Seth MacFarlane, Alex Bornstein, Mila Kunis, Seth Green, Mark Hentemann, Steve Callaghan
2:00pm-3:00pm Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Room 6DE) Panelists: Dave Filoni, Matt Michnovetz
3:00pm-4:00pm Grimm (Room 6A) Panelists: David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby, Bitsie Tulloch, Silas Weir Mitchell Reggie Lee, Sasha Roiz, Bree Turner., David Greenwalt, Norberto Barba, Sean Hayes, Todd Milliner
3L00pm-4:00pm Being Human (Hilton Bayfront, Indigo Ballroom) Panelists: Sam Witwer, Meaghan Rath, Sam Huntington, Anna Fricke
3:30pm-4:30pm Disney Channel Television Animation (Room 5AB) Maxwell Atoms, Justin Roiland, Kari Wahlgren, Alex Hirsch, Michael Rianda, Jason Morgan Ritter, Craig McCracken, Lauren Faust.
3:30pm-4:15pm The Vampire Diaries (Ballroom 20) Panelists: Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Michael Trevino, Zach Roerig, Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec
4:00pm-5:00pm The Following (Room 6BCF) Panelists: Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy, Kevin Williamson, Marcos Siega
4pm-5pm Shameless (Hilton Bayfront Indigo Room) Panelists: William H. Macy, Emmy Rossum, Justin Chatwin, Jeremy Allen White, John Wells, Mike O’Malley (moderator)
4:30pm-5:15pm True Blood (Ballroom 20) Panelists: Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Alan Ball, Ryan Kwanten, Rutina Wesley, Nelsan Ellis, Deborah Ann Woll, Kristin Bauer van Straten, Joe Manganiello. Chris Meloni
5:15pm-6:00pm Person of Interest (Room 6BCF) Panelists: Jim Caviezel, Michael Emerson, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Chapman, Jonathan Nolan, Greg Plageman
6pm-7pm Glee (Hilton Bayfront Indigo Room) Panelists: Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Darren Criss, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Naya Rivera and Executive Producer Brad Falchuk
6:00pm-7:00pm Revolution (Room 6BCF) Panelists: Billy Burke, Giancarlo Esposito, Tracy Spiridakos, Eric Kripke, Jon Favreau
7:15-8:15 Mythbusters (Room 6BCF) Panelists: Adam Savage, Jamie Hyneman, Tory Belleci, Grant Imahara, Kari Byron
7:15pm-9:15pm Kevin Smith/Comic Book Men (Hall H) Panelists: Kevin Smith
8:15pm-9:15pm Lost Girl (Room 6BCF) Panelists: Anna Silk, Kris Holden-Ried, Ksenia Solo, Jay Firestone, Emily Andras
SUNDAY, JULY 15:
10:30am-11:30am Merlin (Room 6BCF) Panelists: Colin Morgan, Katie McGrath, Johnny Capps
11:15am-12:15pm Supernatural (Hall H) Panelists: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Jim Beaver, Mark A. Sheppard, Jeremy Carver, Ben Edlund
2:15pm-3:15pm SpongeBob SquarePants (Room 6A) Panelists: Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke , Mr. Lawrence, Vince Waller, Seamus Walsh, Mark Caballero
2:45pm-3:45pm Sons of Anarchy (Hall H) Panelists: Kurt Sutter, Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal, Ron Perlman, Maggie Siff, Kim Coates, Mark Boone Junior, Tommy Flanagan, Theo Rossi, Ryan Hurst, Dayton Callie
Ben 10: Omniverse (Room 6DE) Panelists: Yuri Lowenthal, more TBA
The Cleveland Show Panelists: Seth MacFarlane, Mike Henry, Sanaa Lathan, Kevin Michael Richardson, Reagan Gomez, Rich Appel
DC Nation (Room 6BCF) Panelists: Glen Murakami, Mitch Watson, Michael Jelenic, Aaron Horvath, Jeff Prezenkowski,
Fringe (Hall H) Panelists: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown, Jasika Nicole, John Noble
Level Up (Room 6A) Panelists: Peter Murrieta, Gaelan Connell, Connor del Rio, Jessie T. Usher, Aimee Carrero, Lonny Ross, David Schneiderman, Derek Guiley
There's a religious element to this week's entries as one game offends an adherent to Hinduism while another -- made by some students in Iran -- will likely offend the rest of us.
Elsewhere, there have been some strong interviews with leading players in the biz including Peter Molyneux, Dave Cox, Trip Hawkins, Warren Spector, and Tim Sweeney.
You can discuss these issues in comments below or get in touch directly via Twitter. The best comment gets featured in next week's column. If you enjoyed this feature, we run it ever week. Google 'IGN Games Quotes'.
"Hinduism, being one of the world's oldest, largest and most diverse traditions, also provides inspiration toward deities in our game. In fact, given Hinduism's concept of a single truth with multiple physical manifestations one could validly interpret ALL the gods within Smite to be Hindu. And all gods outside of Smite as well. Ponder that for a minute. Anyway, going forward Smite will include even more deities, not fewer."
Hi-Rez chief operating officer Todd Harris responding to criticisms of Smite’s use of Hindu characters.
(IGN will be running an interview and editorial on this subject on Monday July 2)
"We felt we should find a way to introduce our third and fourth generation to the fatwa against Salman Rushdie and its importance.”
Mohammad-Taqi Fakhrian of Iran’s Islamic Association of Students on a new game called The Stressful Life of Salman Rushdie and Implementation of his Verdict. 23-years ago, Iran’s leaders called for British author Rushdie to be murdered.
“One shudders to imagine what inhuman thoughts lie behind that mask.”
Cracking line from The Spy in Valve’s Team Fortress 2 Meet the Pyro Video, setting up one of the funniest shorts ever.
Image: Edge
“I believe the biggest real triumph was my decision to aggressively pivot to the Sega Genesis and to make a bigger commitment by reverse-engineering it. This was an episode similar to Lawrence of Arabia taking Aqaba after crossing the uncrossable Nefud desert. It took tremendous courage, leadership, determination and execution, and I will never forget what brave souls, like my hero Jim Nitchals, joined us on that perilous journey.”
EA founder Trip Hawkins looks back. Boy, that fellow knows how to tell a story.
"No mercy, no respite, no 'freeports', just brutal conquest. Conquest which will not stop until this threat to our bloc is extinguished."
Eve Online character Mittani's rallying cry for a huge war currently taking place in that world.
"The problem was that the game's success caught everyone by surprise. It caught senior management by surprise and they wanted us to do DLC. We never planned to do DLC, so we ended up doing DLC after the fact and in hindsight that was a mistake. It was rushed. We had to rush it to market."
Konami's Dave Cox talks Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.
“‘One Sony’ is the mantra: it’s about pulling together the resources of the company in the best way possible, and with no fiefdoms and no infighting to be tolerated. There’s a sense that Kaz is a change-agent: he has absolutely set out his mantra that Sony will change and he will change Sony.”
Worldwide PlayStation chief Andrew House on a new era at Sony.
TVLine.com has learned some details about the upcoming Dwight-centric Office spin-off, The Farm.
Dwight, after inheriting a large family farm/bed and breakfast, will leave Dunder Mifflin behind and in the first episode/potential pilot (which will air as an episode of The Office in Season 9) Dwight will have to convince his brother and sister to run the B&B with him. Right now casting is underway for an entire new set of supporting characters. Here are the descriptions of Dwight's Farmers and Farmettes.
FANNIE SCHRUTE - "Attractive, urban and in her late 20s/early 30s, Dwight’s younger sister fled the Schrute farm life for Boston as soon as she could, and has had little to do with her roots for quite some time. Now divorced with one son, Fannie is 'a bit of a pseudo-intellectual lefty' with an ironic sense of humor and a great heart."
JEB SCHRUTE - "Dwight’s easygoing thirtysomething brother hasn’t done well in any of the career paths he’s followed – worm breeder and Bigfoot hunter among them — but has found some success with a pot farm. He’s got none of Dwight’s dedication or work ethic, but he has made an exercise video about things you can do with a knife and a canoe."
CAMERON WHITMAN - "Dwight’s smart and slightly weird 9-year-old nephew (Fannie’s son) is a cosmopolitan lad who nevertheless feels the pull of his Schrute heritage, especially when he’s around someone — his uncles, perhaps? — who can offer the fatherly guidance he lacks."
HEINRICH MANHEIM - "The Schrute siblings’ great uncle is charming, greedy, manipulative… and just may have had to spend time in Argentina following World War II, thanks to his German National Socialist roots. Oh, and he vows to kill Dwight by the end of the first episode."
Since the once-in-a-while Office role of Dwight's cousin Mose was played by former Office co-EP Michael Schur (who now runs Parks and Recreation), it's not known at this time if the character will appear on The Farm.
Masahiro Sakurai promised the world that change would come to the Wii U and 3DS versions of Super Smash Bros., but few would have interpreted that to mean Project Sora wouldn’t develop the game entirely on its own.
In the aftermath of the announcement that a core team from Namco Bandai will assist in executing Sakurai’s vision, many wondered if developers responsible for the likes of Tekken and Soulcalibur could bring the appropriate tone and feel to Smash Bros. Those games, though technically all existing in the fighting genre, are worlds apart in virtually every respect. That’s to say nothing of the folks involved with other Namco franchises like the Tales of RPG series and Mobile Suit Gundam.
Change can be feared, or it can be embraced. What Smash Bros. fans should understand is the series has been developed in an environment of constant change. Though the first installment was technically developed by HAL Laboratory, both Melee and Brawl were created by completely different ad hoc teams assembled specifically for those projects. Those teams technically don’t exist anymore. This situation with Namco Bandai is no different. In fact, the developer is doing its own version of a team scramble, pulling not only from its Tekken and Soulcalibur veterans, but Tales, Ridge Racer and Mobile Gundam developers as well.
Namco and Sakurai appear to be seeking balance in the Smash Bros. team, pulling in folks responsible for a wide range of genres, skillsets and ideas. And in the end, that could be the best thing for the Smash Bros. franchise, which has increasingly tried to do more yet incrementally achieved less innovation and, some might argue, quality.
Take the single-player Subspace Emissary mode in Brawl. It not only suffered in terms of storyline but a feeling of progression and achievement as well. Don’t give us stickers and a bizarre plot featuring subspace goblins. Give us something more meaningful that has a strong sense of purpose, with mechanics to support that. Bringing in members of the Tales team, including series producer Yoshito Higuchi, who will be directing the upcoming Smash games, is the perfect way to address some of these issues. Developers responsible for 60-plus hour RPGs understand how to sustain a lengthy campaign, and the idea that Smash Bros. will benefit from that experience is reassuring.
While most of the focus of Tekken and Soulcalibur developers working on Smash Bros. has been on tone, my immediate reaction is that the series will now have the combined experience of two groups responsible for highly technical, highly competitive fighting games. Smash Bros. has grown as a competitive fighting series, yet as most dedicated fighting game enthusiasts will tell you, Brawl isn’t exactly the most balanced game. In fact many have taken to developing their own mods to attempt and bend the game to have a more technical edge to it. While Tekken and Soulcalibur no doubt have their fair share of issues, most fighting games evolve over time through patches and adjustments. The key, however, rests in the fact that Tekken and Soulcalibur rest on core concepts that have a great deal of depth and nuance when executed properly. Though Smash never needs to get too complicated, a solid foundation is something that any fighting game ought to have.
Namco’s cherry-picked team doesn’t end there, even looking to projects such as Ridge Racer and Mobile Gundam for assistance. Developing two Smash Bros. games at once, and attempting to design them to interact with each other, is a massive undertaking the likes of which Nintendo has rarely seen. It’s the sort of ambition that Sakurai is no doubt used to, having developed Melee and Brawl under extreme, last-minute conditions.
The news of Namco Bandai assisting with development of Smash Bros. should highlight several important things. First, the game is going to be made faster. In his statement released alongside the Nintendo Direct broadcast, Sakurai mentioned his new team has already developed a prototype that “looks pretty good, and [is] working great.” Had Sakurai attempted to build a team from scratch much in the way he did for Melee and Brawl, he’d likely still be figuring out the pieces to his own development puzzle.
Additionally, the larger implication of Nintendo’s willingness to work with outside partners is something that should be embraced by fans. While there is a risk that a team won’t capture Nintendo’s magic, we’ve seen time and time again that the publisher’s mentorship and collaboration can bring considerable benefits. Look at projects with Rare, Retro, Square and Capcom. Look at how incredible Project X Zone looks. Consider some of the more subtle partnerships we’ve seen, such as the case of Monolith Soft assisting with Skyward Sword development. Best of all, Namco’s teams have years of experience working in HD, meaning their skills can immediately help Sakurai’s Sora crew cross many hurdles.
Nintendo partnering with other developers isn’t exactly new. This work with Smash Bros. is one of the most high profile examples of that kind of development deal, but with Masahiro Sakurai watching over development, implementing his razor-sharp vision as he always does, it would seem premature to be anything but optimistic. We’re likely still years from seeing Smash Bros. arrive on the 3DS and Wii U, but thanks to Namco, that’s far closer to becoming a reality than before.
Rich is an Executive Editor of IGN.com, and the leader of the network's Nintendo team. He also covers all things Assassin's Creed, Resident Evil, WWE and more. You can follow him on Twitter and IGN, if you dare.
This week Justin Davis, Mark Ryan Sallee and Nic Vargus talk about the big Google news out of this year's Google I/O, from Android 4.1 to the the Nexus 7. Awesome things are afoot in the science world as well, from organs on chips to water on distant planets. We received tons of great reader feedback, so thanks, and keep them coming!
Justin also sounds a little less like a wizard than last week.
Tech Fetish Podcast - Episode 133 (Must Right Click to Save)
Subscribe to IGN's Podcast Series
Email us questions, feedback and topic suggestions!
SideQuest Studios may be an unknown quantity to most gamers, but for the hardcore PlayStation Network audience, the small German developer has made a name for itself. Its two previous titles -- side-scrolling shooters known as Soldner X and Soldner X-2 – were popular forays into a retro genre. And for its third outing, SideQuest Studios decided to throw a curveball in the form of an equally retro RPG called Rainbow Moon.
Rainbow Moon may have a deceptive name suggesting that it’s more of an ‘80s cartoon than a hardcore role playing experience, but rest assured that it’s very much the latter. Taking inspiration from a variety of games from the past, Rainbow Moon combines obsessive grinding, equipment and character upgrading with strategy-based battling. While it doesn’t quite soar to the heights occupied by the best RPGs ever created, it’s still a worthwhile purchase for those looking to dump scores of hours into something that we don’t see too much of today: a bona fide old-school RPG.
The plot of Rainbow Moon is simple and, like many old-school RPGs, largely unimportant. The game’s protagonist, Baldren, finds himself stranded on a mystical satellite aptly known as Rainbow Moon. The same dimensional rip that deposited him there also brought a plethora of monsters to the once serene moon, and it’s up to him, along with the various characters that join him on his adventure, to rid the moon of its unwelcome new inhabitants before getting back home. Don’t expect a story in the vein of Final Fantasy VI or Wild Arms here; Rainbow Moon emphasizes mechanics and gameplay far more than plot. Mountains of roughly-translated (yet strangely endearing) text and an almost complete lack of character development affirm this fact.
As soon as the game begins, it becomes impossible to ignore Rainbow Moon’s crisp graphics and vivid colors. Sure, the character designs leave something to be desired, but the enemies you fight might as well have been lifted straight out of Dragon Warrior on your NES. Battle a poison-hurling scorpion here, a laser-firing mech there, or a fast-moving zombie in another locale; the variety of enemies is fairly vast, but expect palate swaps as enemy types get stronger (no doubt a nod to the RPG glory days of yore). Rainbow Moon also benefits from a strong soundtrack with some truly catchy tunes and a limited voice track that gives virtually all characters you speak with quirky “hello” and “goodbye” sound bytes bound to put a smile on your face with their ridiculousness.
But let’s get down to the nitty-gritty: gameplay and, more succinctly, combat. As you explore, you’ll run into enemies both directly (like in Chrono Trigger) and via random battles (like in Final Fantasy IV). Regardless of how an enemy party is engaged, things typically play out the same way. Your party – which can consist of up to three characters at a time – will be pitted against a hostile crew that may only contain a single enemy, 20 enemies, or anywhere in between. Even if the way you initially get launched into battle proves conventional, the actual fights themselves are anything but.
Don’t assume you’re going to get a deep combat experience like Final Fantasy Tactics here, but you’ll still get something very much inspired by that kind of game. Turn-based combat plays out on a grid, forcing you to think more tactically than many other games in the genre. Your characters will have various skills at their disposal, varying speeds at which they move, and even a certain amount of moves they get to execute each turn. Enemy and character strengths and weaknesses also play a huge part in combat. Fighting is only marginally deep, but still exceptionally satisfying and quite different from what you’d find in other likeminded games.
Outside of battle, Rainbow Moon assaults players with all manner of options, upgrades, equipment and more. The game’s two currency types – Rainbow Coins and Rainbow Pearls – serve different purposes that make your party stronger in equally different ways. Coins purchase items, weapons, armor, skill scrolls and more, while Pearls upgrade specific character traits ranging from strength and defense to speed and luck. Purchased equipment can be further upgraded by using items found during and after battle. These items provide varying types of permanent statistical boosts to your gear that can make a strong character setup even stronger.
All of these features mix seamlessly with a fairly straight-forward questing and side-questing system that’s shallow on story but still fun to work your way through. The main quest often sends you from character to character for brief conversations, an occasional fetch quest or a foray into a deadly dungeon. Side quests have you doing all kinds of activities, from retrieving lost items to killing devious enemies. Combined with Rainbow Moon’s vast map to explore – rife with geographic diversity and plenty of territory to cover – the game is dense. For the audience that this game is aimed squarely at, that’s a good thing.
Japanese hardware numbers have been released chronicling how things have been selling both overall, as well as in the last six months. These figures and the details surrounding them have been translated and provided by Andriasang.
The story is a fairly predictable one. The Nintendo DS has dominated the handheld market, with PSP coming in second. In the realm of the console, Nintendo Wii has been the strongest seller this generation, with PlayStation 3 coming in second. You can see the total number of each current generation console and handheld sold in Japan below.
In the last six months, Nintendo 3DS has by far been the best-selling handheld, with PlayStation 3 selling the most consoles.
Colin Moriarty is an IGN PlayStation editor. You can follow him on Twitter and IGN and learn just how sad the life of a New York Islanders and New York Jets fan can be.
Everybody loves a good ghost story, especially one that not only gives us a fright, but shakes the creative juices and inspires the imagination. The world of ParaNorman should do just that for audiences when the Focus Features stop-motion animated film hits theaters at the end of the summer.
So what exactly is ParaNorman? “The film is very much, intentionally, John Carpenter meets John Hughes,” director Chris Butler suggests. “It's kind of like throwing the kids from The Breakfast Club into the story of The Fog and seeing how things unfold around them.”
ParaNorman focuses primarily on a young horror-film obsessed kid named Norman. Having grown up watching horror cinema at a very young age, he's become obsessed with B-movies, sci-fi and gritty horror films, from zombies to monsters, ghosts, killer dogs – you name it. This is embodied in Norman's own bedroom. It's a place of ghoulish delight, filled with bold, vivid colors, loving homage and surprising realism.
“The biggest influence to ParaNorman is my childhood, quite sadly,” Butler remarks. “When I was a kid, I loved the sorts of movies that I wasn't supposed to watch. And I would rent these movies, probably when I really shouldn't have been allowed, and they exposed me to all kinds of things. Gory horror films, sci-fi pictures, Italian B-movies, Dario Argento or Mario Bava's films – stuff like that. Norman is sort of drawn from those films, using their imagery.”
“We even got to make one of those movies,” co-director Sam Fell adds. “The film actually opens with a snippet from a crappy old zombie movie, circa 1981 – color, with a synthesizer soundtrack. It was great fun to do that.”
But to help paint a more realistic light on what a child's sanctuary is like, directors Chris Butler and Sam Fell and production designer Nelson Lowry traveled to the most logical place they could go – real bedrooms.
“We wanted it to be a very real place, so people from the production company sent us photos of their child's rooms.” said Butler.
“We also asked them not to clean them up for us,” noted Lowry. “We wanted to capture their rooms in their natural state. And we learned that almost all of the rooms were just a mess – crap all over the place – toys, games, clothes, junk. We ended up building on that.”
“I think, even at one point, I took photos of my child's room to help create a sense of realism to Norman's environment.” adds Fell. “Everyone was always moving things around to get it just right. We wanted it to be as real as possible, like live-action.
“While the room was art directed with a focus on real world influence, there was also the sort of garish color you'd see in Italian horror cinema. There's a lot of great fanboy stuff there, too. You've got an illuminating zombie head. We even have this zombie alarm clock where a hand pops out of the grave when the alarm goes off. It's rather wild.”
Fell also noted that virtually everything in Norman's room paid homage to vintage horror cinema. “All the posters and artwork came from us sort of racing through the libraries of vintage posters, with stuff that we loved or used to watch being our influence. We ended up making that the basis for Norman's room, with zombie posters and all kinds of crazy movie posters spread throughout his room.”
But Norman's room isn't the only place of horror cinema inspiration. “At one point,” comments Butler, “we go to a bar and it's called The Bargento. A few people thought it was too obscure, but I refused to change it.”
“There's lots of little bits and homages like that,” remarks Lowry. “We reference dozens of directors and other horror films throughout. There was a fun challenge in figuring out all the pieces and fitting in as much as we could.”
Like Coraline, the previous film from stop-motion production house Laika, ParaNorman was shot in 3D, not only to take advantage of 3D's depth, but also to add some flavor to the zombie mayhem.
“With stop frame animation there's a tactile quality to it,” Butler suggested. "You can see that it's a real object, and you want to reach out and touch it. 3D just adds to that. It gives depth to those hand-made sets or hand stitched costumes and all the craftsmanship that goes into the film. With ParaNorman, the film is a bit of a roller coaster ride. We want to draw you in with lurid colors and depth, but having said that, we would have been remiss if we didn't have zombie hands sticking out of the screen. We are, after all, tipping our hat to all these really in-your-face types of movies, so sometimes we have to go there. But it's always done with a wink. It's always very knowing.”
Obviously, between the ghostly imagery and horror-inspired narrative, ParaNorman isn't your usual watered-down horror film, either. And those behind the lens wouldn't have it any other way.
“Things are pushed,” suggests Lowry, “but not in a very provocative way. We never take the film to any sort of gratuitous place, or anything like that. But it does have an edginess that attracted a lot of people to the project.”
“The best kids’ stories have always been challenging,” adds Butler. "They make children think. They introduce dark things that may present themselves during their lives.I hate the idea that kids literature and entertainment has to be dumbed-down or sanitized. It's not what we're about, and it really shouldn't be what filmmaking is about.”
ParaNorman opens on August 14, 2012 in the U.S., September 22 in the UK, and September 20 in Australia.
"Loneliness will sit over our roofs with brooding wings." Become a friend of R.L. Shaffer on Twitter, Facebook or MyIGN for quotes, rants, reviews, news and more!
The Artist is a victim of circumstance. The very minute it won Best Picture during the 2012 Academy Awards, the backlash against the film began. And while there's plenty of reason to be fuming over the choice (many of the nominees were worthy of the golden statue), most of the complaints really had nothing to do with the film itself.
Rather, much of the frustration was geared at the Weinstein Company, an indie powerhouse known for winning a great many Oscars throughout the years. They turned an otherwise harmless, cute, spirited comedy into something of a sideshow, painting it with as much hyperbole as they could throw on the film. And really, no film should have to undergo such misguided hype.
At its core, The Artist is just an enormously pleasing, if superfluous, ride down memory lane, to an era of great transition, and great depression. It's a silent film, shot much like the films of the era, and driven by its lovely score, terrific silent performances and an entertaining narrative.
In the film, we follow George Valentin (Oscar winner Jean Dujardin), a silent film star whose career is shaken with the birth of talking pictures. His go-to studio doesn't want to keep making pictures with him, and in a matter of years, he's a washed-up has-been with nothing to his name. Enter Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), a young starlet he met during his heyday, who's quickly transformed into a superstar of talkies. Having long had a crush on Valentin, she attempts to awaken his spirit.
Let me pause for a moment to note the film's amusing similarity to the narrative template of Doug Liman's Swingers. In that film, the main character is in a state of self-loathing following the breakup with his longtime girlfriend. Despite his best friends telling him how great he is, he continues to wallow and fall apart. Eventually (spoiler alert), he meets a young girl and bonds with her over dancing, finally escaping the clutches of a tragic fate.
In The Artist, our hero is a self-loathing man overcoming a breakup with the studio. Despite his friends (mostly Peppy Miller, who also acts like Vince Vaughn's character) telling him he's great, he continues to wallow and fall apart, losing his home and livelihood in the process. Eventually (spoiler alert, though the Blu-ray box art already spoils this) he bonds with Peppy over dancing, reclaiming his former stardom, escaping one possible, and very tragic, doom.
See the similarity? That's not really a complaint against the picture, just an observation. If the film has any faults, though, it's in the pacing. At 100 minutes, The Artist has a tendency to drag on, especially considering the simplistic, and silent, narrative.
The story also falters with the logic behind Valentin's forced retirement. If you know anything about the tragic transition from silent films to talkies, you'll know that most silent actors didn't make the leap not because the studio wanted “fresh meat,” but rather, because those stars were not trained in subtle acting, but exaggerated expression. And, in some cases, these actors couldn't even speak English. The motivation for Valentin's exit from cinema is certainly tragic, but it's not as truthfully tragic as the real story.
But don't hold these faults against the picture too much. The film is delightfully charming, riddled with wonderfully amusing performances, a terrific score (from Ludovic Bource), a great sense of nostalgia, and some of the best cinematography of the year. Director Michel Hazanavicius does a great job making the film look and feel like it was a product of the era, too. And Valentin's cute little dog steals the show more often than Snowy did in Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin.
The Artist is a touch superfluous, and some might find it lacking when it comes to depth and true meaning. But the film should provide 100 minutes of fun for anyone with a fondness and affection for silent cinema, with a dash of melodramatic romance and dancing. Is the film Best Picture worthy? That's debatable, but it's hard to debate that The Artist isn't a solid piece of classy movie-making.
The film comes to Blu-ray courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The Blu-ray/UltraViolet combo pack is presented in full frame (the intended aspect ratio), mixed in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio.
Shot with Super35, The Artist has an intentionally nuanced appearance. The black-and-white image has been matted to 1.33:1, and degraded to look like dated film. Alas, despite some great cinematography, this transfer doesn't really look like vintage (cleaned up) silent film, but boasts a softer, less detailed melodramatic look, similar to B&W films of the '50s, not the '20s and '30s. Also a bit troubling are the hard edges noticeable on text, both on the opening logos and text within the film. It's hard to say exactly why this happened, but it renders a transfer that simply isn't its very best.
The film's sound mix, presented in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, is equally disappointing. Silent cinema was often accompanied by a live orchestra who would score the film while the action played on screen. One would assume this mix would match that level of enveloping power a live orchestra brings, providing a mix that plays like a live concert. Unfortunately, this track does nothing of the sort. Instead, it's a front-locked, shockingly soft mix that's disappointingly subdued and overly quiet for no good reason. It's possible director Michel Hazanavicius was going for a more mono-like listening experience, but it's a puzzling decision that dampens the overall presentation.
Extras include a series of explorative making-of featurettes (totaling roughly 40 minutes, in HD). There's also a lengthy, 45-minute in-depth Q&A with Missi Pyle, James Cromwell, Jean Dujardin, and Bérénice Bejo; director Michel Hazanavicius and producer Thomas Langmann. Rounding out the disc, there's a series of trailers and a blooper reel. The disc also comes with an UltraViolet cloud streaming digital copy of the film.
It's hard to fully recommend The Artist, as some will inevitably find the film boring, simplistic or just too “artsy,” and that's partly the fault of the Best Picture label – it attracts an audience who might not appreciate the film for what it is. That said, there's plenty to adore about The Artist, and the film should manage to win over many film goers, especially longtime lovers of cinema. If only the Blu-ray looked a bit sharper and sounded more lively. Regardless, this disc is worth a spin.
Remedy, the development studio behind Alan Wake and the first two Max Payne titles, has decided to bring its popular mobile game Death Rally to PC. Alongside enhanced graphics and controls tuned for mouse and keyboard, this version of Remedy's racer also includes a new track called "Savo" and sees the return of the 1996 Death Rally character, "Shadow Man." Also stated in today's press release, multiplayer and single player progress will now be integrated.
Death Rally PC releases on August 3rd for $9.99, a price point quite a bit higher than the 99 cents you'd pay on iOS at the time of this post.
Today, The Walking Dead: Episode 2 launched on PlayStation Network. But unfortunately for many players trying to get into the experience, they’re unable to. IGN users rhoadesclark informed us of a thread on Telltale Games’ message boards chronicling the issue. As of the time of this story’s publish, the thread spans 14 pages.
The problem is associated with trying to launch the game. From dozens of accounts on Telltale’s message boards, when the game is downloaded, installed and launched, the game refuses to load and kicks gamers back to the CrossMediaBar (XMB). So the problem isn’t somehow in-game; the problem literally doesn’t let people play the game at all.
Telltale Games employees are trying to get to the bottom of the problem by asking users on the message boards questions, including if the game was deleted and then reinstalled and by which method the game was purchased (either individually or as part of the season pass). But there’s still no word on a fix, or when it might be forthcoming.
The problem isn’t only concentrated on Telltale’s forums. I put out a Tweet asking if any of my followers were having issues. They are. We’ve reached out to Telltale Games for official comment and, hopefully, a word on when these issues may be fixed. We’ll update when we hear back. In the meantime, let us know in the comments if you're having issues with The Walking Dead Episode 2 on PSN, and what the nature of your particular problems are, if any.
Colin Moriarty is an IGN PlayStation editor. You can follow him on Twitter and IGN and learn just how sad the life of a New York Islanders and New York Jets fan can be.
There are some very odd things going on in director Jonathan Liebesman's Wrath of the Titans. For starters, the film doesn't really feel like a direct follow-up to the surprise smash-hit, Clash of the Titans. Rather, it boasts a totally different feel and tone to the previous chapter, and in some ways represents a refinement of the ideas presented in the 2010 remake.
In the film, 10 years have passed since Perseus (Sam Worthington) defeated the mighty Hades (Ralph Fiennes) and the Kraken. His wife, Io, has passed away, leaving him to care for his son. But when Zeus (Liam Neeson) comes to Perseus in the night, warning him of his impending doom at the hands of Cronos, the father of Zeus, Perseus must decide if he will stay behind and ignore his fate, or prove himself worthy of the title of Demigod.
If Clash of the Titans represented the height of the power of the Gods, Wrath of the Titans represents the tragic end, when the once towering, armored, threatening beings of unlimited power are worn out, shriveling and dying, forced to stare fate in the eye. As such, Wrath is a surprisingly low-key experience, despite boasting far more visual effects and action than the previous chapter.
The narrative is more intimate, with a broken, decaying world surrounding our heroes. No more do we see the glistening hall of Olympus. No more does the eagle of Zeus fly free. And no more do the Gods seem like creatures to fear.
Focusing largely on the tumultuous, complex relationship between Zeus and his brother, Hades, Fiennes and Neeson provide the true heart and spirit of the picture. Fiennes is eons better than he was in Clash, borrowing less from Voldemort, and offering a slight Shakespearean twist to the character's inner-turmoil as he stares down his inevitable fate.
Neeson does the same, playing both the worried father of Perseus, and the regretful brother to Hades. There's an absolutely wonderful scene between Hades and Zeus where Zeus pleads with his brother, calmly and lovingly asking for forgiveness. It's a surprisingly rich scene that delves into the death rattle of these dying Gods, and it's a prime example of how the Titans franchise has evolved into its own being, far removed from the 1981 cult classic (though at least one amusing reference still remains).
Sam Worthington is actually a bit better this time around, too, dropping his infamous 'New York cabbie' accent for his homeland Australian accent. It's a jarring switch at first, but it also seems to free the actor to deliver a richer, more complicated performance.
Of course, the film is not without its faults. After all, it's pretty much just one big excuse for high-flying CG action and adventure, and the film provides a near-nonstop experience on that front. Unfortunately, it's at the cost of character.
While Perseus, Zeus and Hades are fairly well-drawn, Andromeda (now played by Rosamund Pike) has absolutely no purpose in the film, other than to play the token love interest. Bill Nighy and Danny Huston also chime in with quick one-note roles, adding a little color to the narrative, but not much else.
Edgar Ramirez and Tobey Kebbell play the sons of Zeus and Poseidon, respectively, but neither performer really captures their characters with any depth. Ramirez is forced into the tired mindless villain role, while Kebbell is a competent Demigod we're only told is not very competent.
F/X sequences are downright marvelous, though the Titans themselves are far less interesting or developed as those seen in the first film, though admittedly, Medusa and the Kraken were a hard act to follow. Also, the film's somewhat intimate character structure does limit set pieces, rendering a film that feels far smaller and cheaper, despite costing more and featuring even more impressive visuals and engaging action.
Wrath of the Titans is a great follow-up to Clash. It's still pretty dumb at times, even a little rough around the edges. The characters are fun, though, the visuals are awesome, the action is entertaining and there's plenty of replay value, especially for those with a taste for B-movies and Greek mythology. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes bring a lot to the table, too. Wrath is in no way a masterpiece, but it seems to be trying harder than most to be something more than just popcorn junk.
Wrath comes to Blu-ray courtesy of Warner Home Video. The film is available on DVD, Blu-ray (a movie-only edition and a combo pack), Blu-ray 3D (combo pack) and digital download. The version we'll be looking at for this review is the Blu-ray/DVD/UV combo pack.
Presented in 1.78:1, encoded in 1080p/AVC and mixed in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, Wrath of the Titans looks and sounds quite extraordinary. Shot on film and digital, the transfer provides a sharp, textured appearance, painted with a sandy palette. The only major issue here is a hint of noise and grain, present during a few low-light sequences, and during a few action set pieces, too. It's not too distracting, nor does it last for very long, but it's noticeable nonetheless.
Audio is incredibly engaging, rich with aggressive surround cues that aide in the film's exciting action sequences. But even during the down time, the track is atmospheric and immersive. Dialogue is clean and crackle-free, and bass is hefty and impacting, without overpowering the rest of the mix.
Extras include a series of deleted scenes (presented in HD), Warner's tightly edited, insightful Focus Points featurettes (35 minutes, HD) and two equally fascinating Maximum Movie Modes, one that explores the mythology of the series, and one that examines the production itself. While extras appear limited on the surface, there's quite a bit here to explore. The Maximum Movie Modes alone are filled with a wealth of trivia to explore.
Much like Clash, Wrath of the Titans plays better on home video, where the rough edges aren't as noticeable, the sometimes sloppy story is far more forgivable, and the film's strengths come to the surface. It helps that the Blu-ray looks and sound terrific, and extras are pretty great, too. If you liked the first film, give Wrath a spin.
"Enough! You are, all of you, beneath me! I am a god, you dull creature, and I shall not be bullied..." Become a friend of R.L. Shaffer on Twitter, Facebook or MyIGN for quotes, rants, reviews, news and more!
With the Blu-ray of Star Trek: The Next Generation - The First Season on its way in July, fans are already chomping at the bit, eagerly awaiting future seasons of the hit show. TrekMovie.com managed to dig up an interesting tidbit about the forthcoming second season of TNG on Blu-ray, which is expected to hit shelves this winter.
Writer Melinda M. Sodgrass has confirmed, via her Twitter account, that she's currently prepping an extended cut of the episode "Measure of a Man" which will run 20 minutes longer than the current broadcast version. Fans will get a sneak peek at this episode during the one night Fathom Event, where episodes of the first season Blu-ray will screen at select cinemas.
It's not known just yet if "Measure of a Man" is the only episode getting an extended cut. Even if it's the only episode to be extended for these Blu-rays, it's a welcome addition. "Measure of a Man" is a fan-favorite that illustrates just how smart, intelligent and awesome The Next Generation series really was.
Be on the lookout for a review of Star Trek: The Next Generation - The First Season on Blu-ray in the coming days. If you haven't already, you can pre-order the Blu-ray on Amazon. Also, check out our review of Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Next Level, the first TNG Blu-ray -- a sampling of great things to come.
R.L. Shaffer wants you to "make sure that history never forgets the name...Enterprise." Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and MyIGN for quotes, rants, reviews, news and more!
Technically speaking, Sylvester Stallone isn't really carrying a weapon in this new clip from this summer's The Expendables 2. And yet, he's still able to get the job done… with a little help from his friends. Just like Ringo always said!
Watch the clip below:
Follow Movies Editor Scott Collura on Twitter at @ScottIGN, on IGN, and subscribe to his Facebook updates.
Who would have thought the iPhone would be a $150 billion goliath five years after its introduction, with more than 250 million handsets sold around the world?
Certainly not the competition, which in 2007 included heavyweights like Nokia, Research in Motion and the now defunct Palm. These smartphone rivals had six months to prepare for the iPhone after its debut at Macworld Expo, finally hitting retail stores on June 29 - five years ago today.
The competitors left standing are feeling the pain of their inaction today as Apple remarkably continues to sell three out of the five models, with a sixth generation handset likely on the way this fall.
Apple is also leaving no stone unturned, with the iPhone 4S and previous generation iPhone 4 finally available at prepaid carriers across the United States.
The second in what's sure to be a long list of pay-as-you-go carriers to land the iconic handset is Virgin Mobile, the Sprint subsidiary who rolls out the iPhone on Friday, perhaps not so coincidentally timed with the handset's fifth anniversary.
In addition to being available wherever Virgin Mobile products are sold -- which includes Target, RadioShack and Best Buy, among others -- the company has opened 10 of its own branded retail stores across Chicago today. If successful, Virgin plans to roll out the red carpet at retail nationwide in the months ahead.
"This month marks Virgin Mobile USA's tenth birthday," said Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group. "And what better way to thank our fans for ten years of loyalty than by giving them exactly what they want: the perfect plan for the perfect phone. That is the essence of 'A Higher Calling.'"
Virgin Mobile now offers the 16GB iPhone 4S for $649 or the 8GB iPhone 4 for $549, with three unlimited text and data plans ranging from $30 to $50 per month, depending on how many voice minutes are required.
Note: Full spoilers for the episode follow.
Imagine that everything you know, every memory, everything that makes you you, was contained on an external storage device. Now imagine that device was stolen. That's the situation Beck finds himself in when he's duped by a small-time thief and nearly loses everything. You have to feel sorry for him as his memory begins to fade, but it was a pretty dumb mistake for someone who is supposed to be a freedom fighter in the mold of Tron. And considering how important identity discs are in the world of the Grid, and the dire consequences of being without one for any length of time, they're surprisingly easy to steal. But let's overlook that little plot convenience and get right to the heart of the story. Which, as it happens, had a lot to do with matters of the heart.
Since the beginning, Tron has kept Beck at a distance, relating to him solely as the cool, reserved mentor, even at times when Beck really needed a friend. As he explains in a rather exposition-y scene near the end of the episode, Tron once let his friendship with Clu cloud his judgement, and that experience has made him cautious about forming new emotional ties. But in "Identity" he puts it all on the line and risks exposure to bring Beck back from the brink of oblivion. It's an important turning point in their relationship. It's also worth noting that Tron's knowledge of strays and the process of memory loss was too thorough not to have come first-hand. We've seen in the first few episodes that Tron is badly damaged physically, now we know he's got some internal scars to match.
What the creators of this series seem to understand in developing Tron: Uprising so far is that you can have all the ultra cool light cycle chases through spectacular digital landscapes you want, but none of it is going to connect with an audience unless they care about the programs riding those bikes. I appreciate that the writers are taking the time to explore the characters' motivations, even one-shot characters like Lux. Her sacrifice wouldn't have meant as much without the insight that her actions were rooted in her love for Cobol. That she would betray him after learning of Tron's survival is a testament to Tron's power as a mythical figure.
Zed is also turning out to be more than just a minor character whose only purpose is fill out the B story of each episode. Though he hasn't yet had much impact on the greater story arc, he has had some difficult choices put before him. His desire for recognition and respect from guys like Bartik and Hopper clash directly in this episode with his feelings for Mara. Luckily for Beck, love wins this round, but I was a bit disappointed that Zed walked away from the chance to join Paige's task force. I would have liked to have seen him go up against Beck as the Renegade.
All of this character stuff goes hand in hand, of course, with the slick visual design, which continues to impress. By now, it's easy to take the look of the show for granted, but the style is really distinctive from anything else on television. In "Identity" we got more thrilling action, including a cool sequence that climaxed in Beck jumping through a window, and some pretty fluid fight scenes. We also visited a new location, Pergos. It wasn't quite as gritty as I expected from Tron's description as a rundown "garbage heap," but it did have a different aesthetic from Argon City and the other locales we've seen so far.
In just four episodes, we've had a chance to explore more of the Grid than in either of the films, and I look forward to more of that world expansion in the show's future. Based on past experience, I fear that Tron: Uprising is bound to let me down sooner or later, but I'm happy to say that it hasn't happened yet.
Director George Miller and company have finally started shooting Mad Max 4: Fury Road in Namibia, Africa, but they have made a major last-minute change to their plans.
As Twitch Film notes, Miller has always been very adamant about filming the movie in 3D and even developing custom rigs from Dalsa Corporation. However, those plans have now fallen through, and although the film will still be screened in 3D, it will no longer be shot that way. Instead, the production team will be using a blend of Alexa digital cameras and Canon and Olympus DSLRs (for the trickier, more dangerous shots). The film will be converted to 3D in post-production.
Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron star.
The IGN staff joked recently that 2012 might be -- despite absolutely incredible games like Fez, Diablo III, and Mass Effect 3 -- the worst year in the history of games.
Eventually it stopped sounding like a joke. For every awesome, forward-thinking gem, we reviewed something abysmal, embarrassing, or downright unplayable. 2012 is a victim suffering from some serious games industry abuse right now, and we're only halfway through the year.
Here's hoping the next six months brings us better games than these piles of hot, smelly garbage. These are the worst of the worst, the least likable games IGN reviewed in 2012 so far.
Brian Altano is IGN's Senior Features Editor. He secretly wishes somebody would combine something from every game on this list and make the greatest worst video game ever made. Mitch Dyer is IGN's Xbox Associate Editor and he secretly wishes that Brian's wish never comes true because he'd end up having to review it.
