Here, we present some of the most striking images around the world this past week.
En fin de semaine dernière, OpenAI a publié un article de blog expliquant pourquoi elle a dû retirer son chatbot conversationnel ChatGPT le 20 mars. La faute en revient à un bug lié à une bibliothèque open source qui permettait aux utilisateurs de voir les titres de l’historique d’un autre utilisateur actif. Le premier message d’une […]
L’article OpenAI admet qu’un bug a permis à ChatGPT de divulguer les informations relatives aux cartes de crédit est apparu en premier sur BlogNT : le Blog des Nouvelles Technologies.
Le gouvernement français a annoncé qu’il interdirait l’installation de toutes les applications récréatives sur les appareils fournis par l’État. Des applications telles que TikTok, Netflix et Netflix n’ont pas été considérées comme offrant des niveaux suffisants de cybersécurité et de protection des données pour leurs utilisateurs. Plusieurs pays ont déjà interdit l’utilisation de TikTok sur […]
L’article Le gouvernement français interdit les applications récréatives sur les appareils gouvernementaux, comme TikTok est apparu en premier sur BlogNT : le Blog des Nouvelles Technologies.
Apple aurait présenté son très attendu casque de réalité mixte à son principal dirigeant, avant un lancement prévu lors de la conférence des développeurs de l’entreprise en juin. « Les démonstrations ont été soignées, brillantes et passionnantes », affirme Mark Gurman, journaliste à Bloomberg, dans sa lettre d’information PowerOn — un discours qui ne semble pas rejoindre […]
L’article Apple aurait fait la démonstration d’un casque de réalité mixte lors d’une réunion secrète est apparu en premier sur BlogNT : le Blog des Nouvelles Technologies.
Il semble que le conflit entre Nokia, OPPO et OnePlus s’intensifie, car les deux entreprises appartenant à BBK Electronics auraient décidé de retirer leurs smartphones de certains marchés européens. Selon une source fiable, Max Jambor, ces marchés comprennent l’Allemagne, le Royaume-Uni, la France et les Pays-Bas. Si cette information est réelle, j’aurai vraiment le cœur […]
L’article OPPO et OnePlus pourraient quitter la France et d’autres pays d’Europe est apparu en premier sur BlogNT : le Blog des Nouvelles Technologies.
Twitter a connu une fuite d’une partie de son code source, selon un dépôt envoyé à GitHub par le biais d’un avis de violation de droits d’auteur. L’entreprise tente d’identifier les responsables de cette fuite et les personnes qui ont téléchargé le code. Certaines parties du code source de Twitter ont été divulguées en ligne, […]
L’article Le code source de Twitter s’échappe sur GitHub, selon le dépôt de plainte est apparu en premier sur BlogNT : le Blog des Nouvelles Technologies.
La gamme Galaxy S23, le vaisseau amiral de facto de Samsung pour 2023 et l’un des meilleurs smartphones à acheter en ce moment, vient peut-être d’être lancée, mais le géant technologique coréen pourrait avoir bien plus en réserve pour nous cette année que ce à quoi nous nous attendons actuellement. Selon une nouvelle fuite, Samsung pourrait […]
L’article Samsung pourrait lancer trois produits pliables en 2023 et pas de Galaxy S23 FE est apparu en premier sur BlogNT : le Blog des Nouvelles Technologies.
Twitter travaille peut-être sur une fonctionnalité qui vous permettrait de cacher la coche bleue que vous avez obtenue en payant votre abonnement Blue. Un écran trouvé par Alessandro Paluzzi montre que l’entreprise travaille sur un panneau de contrôle pour les paramètres de vérification, l’une des options étant « Afficher ou masquer votre coche bleue sur votre […]
L’article Les abonnés à Twitter Blue pourraient cacher leurs coches bleues est apparu en premier sur BlogNT : le Blog des Nouvelles Technologies.
La marque de caméras d’action Insta360 s’engage sur un nouveau terrain en dévoilant le 29 mars ce qui semble être un nouveau cardan pour smartphone. La vidéo de teasing de 20 secondes ne révèle pas grand-chose, mais il y a quelques indices qui permettent de se faire une idée. Pour commencer, l’appareil sera doté d’un petit écran sur […]
L’article Insta360 prépare un nouveau challenger de stabilisateur nacelle pour smartphone est apparu en premier sur BlogNT : le Blog des Nouvelles Technologies.
Ming-Chi Kuo, de TF International, affirme qu’Apple apportera une modification à la Dynamic Island pour la série d’iPhone 15 de cette année. Avant d’entrer dans le tweet de Kuo, il est important de souligner que le système de notifications multitâche à forme changeante devrait être présent sur les quatre modèles d’iPhone cette année ; des fuites d’images […]
L’article Apple intégrerait le capteur de proximité de l’iPhone 15 dans la Dynamic Island est apparu en premier sur BlogNT : le Blog des Nouvelles Technologies.
On ne dispose jamais de trop d’espace de stockage en ligne, surtout si les membres de votre famille chargent très rapidement leurs smartphones et leurs ordinateurs. Google One, l’abonnement grand public qui vous permet de bénéficier d’un espace de stockage en ligne plus important, ainsi que d’autres fonctionnalités telles qu’un VPN gratuit et des fonctions […]
L’article Comment partager l’espace de stockage Google One avec votre famille ? est apparu en premier sur BlogNT : le Blog des Nouvelles Technologies.
La Guinée a étourdi 2-3 l’Éthiopie ce lundi soir au cours de leur match de la 4e journée des éliminatoires de la Coupe d’Afrique des nations (CAN) 2023. La Guinée […]
Lire l'article Elim CAN 2023 : la Guinée étourdit l’Éthiopie et surclasse l’Égypte dans le Groupe D sur Africa Top Sports.
L’Algérie a aussi gagné son match retour des éliminatoires de la Coupe d’Afrique des nations (CAN) 2023 face au Niger. Les Fennecs s’en sortent 0-1 et se qualifient alors qu’il […]
Lire l'article Elim CAN 2023 : l’Algérie se qualifie avant l’heure ! sur Africa Top Sports.
Soirée décevante pour l’Angola qui a manqué l’occasion de prendre une victoire face au Ghana au Stade du 11 novembre à Luanda lors de leur match de la 4e journée […]
Lire l'article Elim CAN 2023 : l’Angola accroché par le Ghana à Luanda sur Africa Top Sports.
Battu chez lui à Abuja lors de la troisième journée des éliminatoires de la CAN 2023, le Nigeria se rattrape. En déplacement à Bissau ce lundi pour le compte de […]
Lire l'article Elim. CAN 2023 : Le Nigeria prend sa revanche à Bissau et redevient leader du groupe A sur Africa Top Sports.
Le freelance, également connu sous le nom de travailleur indépendant, est un professionnel qui offre ses services à des clients sur une base contractuelle sans être employé à temps plein […]
Lire l'article Les 24 meilleures places de marché de freelances du monde sur Africa Top Sports.
Vainqueur de Madagascar à l’occasion de la troisième journée des éliminatoires de la CAN 2023, la Centrafrique a de nouveau battu les Bareas ce lundi dans le premier des deux […]
Lire l'article Elim.CAN 2023 : La Centrafrique gagne encore et élimine Madagascar de la course sur Africa Top Sports.
L’Angola reçoit le Ghana cet après-midi à partir de 16H GMT au Stade du 11 novembre à Luanda. Il s’agit de leur match de la 4e journée des éliminatoires de […]
Lire l'article Elim CAN 2023 : Angola vs Ghana, les compositions officielles sur Africa Top Sports.
Le Niger reçoit l’Algérie cet après-midi à partir de 16H GMT au Stade de Radès à Tunis. Il s’agit de leur match de la 4e journée des éliminatoires de la […]
Lire l'article Elim CAN 2023 : Niger vs Algérie, les compositions officielles sur Africa Top Sports.
Surpris chez lui par la Guinée-Bissau (0-1) à l’occasion de la troisième journée des éliminatoires de la CAN 2023, le Nigeria, qui a perdu sa place de leader dans le […]
Lire l'article Elim. CAN 2023 : Avec Osimhen, Moffi et Chukwueze, la composition du Nigeria contre la Guinée-Bissau sur Africa Top Sports.
Vainqueur de Madagascar lors de la troisième journée des éliminatoires de la CAN 2023, la Centrafrique s’est relancée dans le groupe E où elle occupe la troisième place. Ce jeudi, […]
Lire l'article Elim. CAN 2023 : Centrafrique vs Madagascar, les compositions officielles sur Africa Top Sports.
Vainqueur chez le Congo (1-2) jeudi dernier à l’occasion de la troisième journée des éliminatoires de la CAN 2023, le Soudan du Sud à l’occasion de terminer le travail ce […]
Lire l'article Elim. CAN 2023 : La composition de départ du Soudan du Sud contre le Congo sur Africa Top Sports.
Walid Regragui ne se cache plus et se montre de plus en plus confiant avec les bonnes performances que réalise sa sélection. Réagissant à la victoire du Maroc contre le […]
Lire l'article CAN 2023 : Le Maroc favori ? Walid Regragui l’assume sur Africa Top Sports.
Battu par le Soudan du Sud à Brazzaville jeudi dernier (1-2) à l’occasion de la troisième journée des éliminatoires de la CAN 2023, le Congo doit absolument faire un bon […]
Lire l'article Elim. CAN 2023 : Le onze de départ du Congo contre le Soudan du Sud sur Africa Top Sports.
Président de la Fédération nigériane de football, Ibrahim Gusau n’a pas caché son mécontentement après la surprenante défaite des Super Eagles à domicile contre la Guinée Bissau à l’occasion de […]
Lire l'article Elim. CAN 2023 – Nigeria : Le discours franc du président de la Fédération avant le match contre la Guinée-Bissau sur Africa Top Sports.
La lourde défaite (5-1) infligé au Mozambique à Dakar à l’occasion de la troisième journée des éliminatoires de la CAN 2023 ne décourage pas la Fédération de football de ce […]
Lire l'article Elim. CAN 2023 – Mozambique : Les joueurs auront une prime spéciale en cas de victoire contre le Sénégal sur Africa Top Sports.
Alors qu’Alex Iwobi promet un bon résultat après la défaite surprise à domicile (0-1) de la troisième journée des éliminatoires de la CAN 2023, la Guinée-Bissau ne compte pas se […]
Lire l'article Elim. CAN 2023 : La Guinée-Bissau espère une nouvelle victoire contre le Nigeria sur Africa Top Sports.
48H BD donne rendez-vous les 31 mars et 1er avril. Seront mobilisés plus de 1700 librairies, 250 auteurs, et ce partout en France et en Belgique. Les éditeurs membres offrent plus de 50.000 ouvrages aux établissements scolaires.
Millie Bobby Brown, l’actrice de 19 ans et icône de la série de sciences-fiction Stranger Things, se lance dans l'écriture avec un premier roman. Elle exhume son histoire familiale et le souvenir de la tragédie de Bethnal Green qui s’est déroulée pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale.
Partout en France, des bibliothécaires se mobilisent contre la réforme des retraites depuis maintenant plusieurs semaines. Si à la BnF on décidait de bloquer l’entrée du site Tolbiac, à l’Université Bretagne occidentale (UBO) de Brest, les bibliothécaires en grève ont installé un stand où ils offrent gracieusement des livres. Et d’en profiter pour expliquer aux curieux et lecteurs les raisons de leur engagement.
Ce 23 mars, un rapport au Parlement sur la langue française a été publié en parallèle de la semaine de la langue française et de la Francophonie qui s’est tenue entre le 18 et le 26 mars. Le document est porté par La Délégation générale à la langue française et aux langues de France (DGLFLF), placée sous l’autorité du ministère de la Culture, dans le cadre de ses missions d’animation et de coordination des politiques dans son domaine spécifique.
Maria Kodama,écrivaine, traductrice, collaboratrice et légataire universelle de l'œuvre de Borges, est décédée à l'âge de 86 ans des suites d'un cancer, a annoncé sa famille à la presse locale.
Le sujet de la légalisation du cannabis continue de faire débat en Europe, et tout particulièrement en France. A l’issue d’un travail d’enquête et de réflexion, le Conseil économique, social et environnemental (CESE) a adopté fin janvier 2023 un avis en faveur d’une légalisation encadrée des usages dits « récréatifs » du cannabis.
Au XVe siècle, l’Église ne plaisante pas avec les hérétiques. Le jeune Rafal, en tant qu’élève brillant, se doit d’étudier la théologie. Mais son monde s’ébranle suite à sa rencontre avec un homme à peine sorti de prison qui lui parle de ses théories sur le mouvement de la Terre et des astres… C’est le début d’une inextinguible soif de savoir et d’une funeste quête de vérité.
#SensDessusDessous – Des auteurs/autrices et expert(e)s (scientifique, historien(ne), paléontologue)… se met au service de la jeunesse pour creuser un thème en profondeur. L'espace, l'écologie, les sports, les dinosaures... Sens dessus dessous propose une diversité d'approche pour explorer un thème passion en profondeur !
La bâtonnière Julie Couturier avait estimé la peine « trop clémente », suite à la décision de première instance condamnant l’avocat. Emmanuel Pierrat a vu la sanction alourdie quand, en appel, la justice a prononcé une interdiction de 18 mois d’exercice – dont 6 avec sursis. Selon l’AFP, l’avocat de l’avocat, Me. Jean-Didier Belot, formera un pourvoi en cassation.
Le groupe Place des éditeurs a remporté une victoire devant la cour d’appel de Paris, après avoir été condamné en première instance. Le contentieux portait sur la propriété des droits audiovisuels pour l’ouvrage de Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, L’Arche de Noé. Un texte originellement paru en 1968, évoquant ses souvenirs de la Seconde Guerre mondiale.
#DemainLeLivre – Découvrir l’industrie et ses métiers — la chaîne du livre, selon l’expression consacrée —, voilà le lot des étudiants de Master 1 en apprentissage. À travers la formation Commercialisation du livre, les voici engagés dans l’édition. Au fil de billets d’humeur, ActuaLitté propose des témoignages de celles et ceux qui seront les professionnels de demain.
La Commission européenne, en collaboration avec le Prix de littérature de l'Union européenne, organise pour la première fois la Journée des auteurs européens, ce 27 mars. Une occasion annuelle de célébrer la littérature des pays de l'Union, et de faire circuler dans les établissements scolaires ceux et celles qui la font.
Storytel continue d’enrichir son catalogue avec de nouveaux titres phares de l’imaginaire (Fantasy, Romance et Science-Fiction) en signant un nouvel accord de distribution avec le label de livres audio Hardigan.
Le Prix Enfantaisie 2023 est attribué à Paul Martin et Antonin Louchard pour leur album Tex la terreur(Seuil Jeunesse) et à Jacqueline Westpour son roman Le secret de Lost Lake (Seuil Jeunesse).
À nous les roses, les étoiles et les allumeurs de réverbères ! Pour célébrer les 80 ans du Petit Prince, La Grande Librairie lui consacre une émission spéciale.
Neuf bourses seront attribuées cette année à de jeunes créateurs et professionnels dans les domaines de l’écrit, de l’audiovisuel et de la musique par la Fondation Jean-Luc Lagardère. Deux d'entre elles seront attribuées à un auteur et un libraire.
La Commission d'enrichissement de la langue française œuvre pour que cette dernière conserve sa pertinence face au développement renouvelé du vocabulaire technique. Dans les domaines de l'information et du numérique, ce travail est permanent, comme en témoignent plusieurs termes nouveaux associés aux données.
À 83 ans, Francis Ford Coppola entend mener à bien le projet de sa vie, intitulé Megalopolis. Ce film de science-fiction, dont le tournage s'est terminé il y a quelques jours, réunit un casting de haut vol et plusieurs années de travail. Le groupe d'édition Image Comics a dévoilé une bande dessinée accompagnant le long-métrage, cosignée Chris Ryall et Jacob Phillips, avec Coppola lui-même pour superviser.
La romancière Gaëlle Nohant est récompensée pour son livre Le bureau d'éclaircissement des destins (Grasset) dont l'héroïne, employée du plus grand centre d'archives au monde sur les persécutions nazies, mène des enquêtes pour restituer aux famillesles objets retrouvés dans les camps. Un livre poignant et lumineux.
BONNES FEUILLES - De ses années passées auprès des peuples autochtones d'Amazonie, l'ethnologue Émilie Barrucand rapporte des leçons de sagesse et des exemples inspirants pour vivre heureux et faire face aux défis environnementaux et sociétaux.
BONNES FEUILLES - Un récit au style incandescent, de l'autrice Emma Santos qui revient sur sa rupture amoureuse, empreinte de domination masculine et de violence, ainsi que sur sa naissance à l’écriture.
BONNES FEUILLES - Liu Cixin propose 15 récits de SF adaptés en BD à l'international. 15 histoires, 15 voyages à la croisée des dimensions scientifiques, géopolitiques et humanistes, pour imaginer les possibles futurs de l'humanité : Les Futurs de Liu Cixin - Le Calcul du papillon étant le dernier en date.
« Elles sont les premières. Cinq filles. Jeunes, timides, heureuses, excités, cœurs battants et prêtes à mourir pour la France. » Nous sommes en 1940. La France vient de perdre la guerre. À Londres, la France libre sous l’impulsion du général de Gaulle fait ses premiers pas. Pour la première fois, les femmes prennent part au conflit sous l’uniforme français. Un Corps féminin de Volontaires de la France libre est créé, dans lequel s’enrôlent les héroïnes de ce roman, ainsi que son autrice, Tereska Torrès. Par Carl Aderhold.
ProcesIA — Ouvert ce 20 mars, le procès opposant l’industrie américaine de l’édition à Internet Archive prend déjà un air de règlement de comptes. Ce 24 mars, le tribunal du district sud de New York a rendu un premier jugement en faveur des plaignants : les éditeurs obtiennent gain de cause. Un premier combat perdu, qui fleure déjà bon la mise à mort prochaine.
BONNES FEUILLES - « Florence joue ainsi un rôle majeur dans le développement de l’humanisme et la création de son équivalent visuel, le style Renaissance. Sa sculpture est une source d’inspiration pour le reste de l’Italie, lui apportant des thèmes universels qui peuvent s’adapter aux conditions locales.
BONNES FEUILLES - Comment la rose est arrivée en France. Le grand roman de sa conquête. « Je m'appelle Morjiane el Sadawi, je suis née à Homs au nord de Damas. Je vis maintenant dans ce pays que l'on appelle la France et qui est froid, à Mortery, sur les terres du seigneur Gatien et du seigneur Thibaut.
L’Europe souhaitait y mettre fin, mais le Covid balaya le vote des députés en ce sens. Présentée comme une économie — et avec la hausse actuelle des coûts de l’énergie, ma bonne dame... – la méthode aurait eu du bon. Cependant, les gains opérés restent dérisoires, sans compter que ces allers-retours bouleversent l'horloge humaine… Alors, maudits changements d'heure ?
Keanu Reeves enchaîne les sorties avec d’un côté John Wick, dernier opus en date de la série de films, et de l’autre Brzrkr, le comics qu’il coscénarise avec Matt Kindt. Deux rôles assez distincts, avec au cœur des histoires, un personnage assez peu enclin aux palabres...
« Raconte-moi… Comment es-tu arrivée au Pays Imaginaire ? » Le roman de Sir James Matthew Barrie ne fut publié qu’en 1911, sous le titre Peter and Wendy. Mais son personnage apparut dès 1902, alors que l’auteur s’imposait comme l’un des dramaturges en vogue. 70 ans après le dessin animé inspiré de la pièce de théâtre de 1904, Disney redonne vie aux personnages…
Pas de plus grand narcotrafiquant du siècle dernier, en la personne de Pablo Escobar, sans crimes... Pas de grands fondateurs d'empire comme Alexandre le Grand non plus. Des univers très masculins que certaines et certains qualifieront de toxiques, comme celui de l'extraction du pétrole dans les sables bitumineux... Tuer, c'est enfin donner naissance à des fantômes...
BONNES FEUILLES - Une prophétesse qui ne s’en laisse pas compter, un prince maudit et une ancienne malédiction. Un conte de fées moderne qui ravira les fans d’Un palais de braise et de ronce, du Prince Cruel et de Serpent & Dove.
BONNES FEUILLES - « Je vous raconte ce que j’ai vu, pour qu’avec moi vous regardiez en face ce que nous sommes en train de perdre et ce qui nous attend, ce qui est déjà à l’œuvre. Il ne s’agit pas de semer la peur, de culpabiliser, d’accuser ou de désespérer. Mais de vous convaincre de passer à l’action. Car j’en ai l’espoir et la conviction, nous sauverons les glaciers, et nous-mêmes. »
En janvier dernier, l’éditeur américain, Penguin Random House, évoquait 3,2 millions de ventes dans le monde de Spare. En France, Le Suppléant a presque atteint les 200.000 exemplaires (199.543, donnée : Edistat). Mais attention : la version parodique approche. Et ce 5 avril, le groupe Hachette publiera en Angleterre de quoi régaler les sujets du roi…
Depuis quelques années, le binôme Denis Olivennes / Daniel Kretinsky va à l’amble. Cette association connut un point d’orgue quand le second signa un chèque de 14 millions € à Libération, dont le premier était directeur général. Avec la perspective du rachat d’Editis, dans son intégralité, le nom du haut fonctionnaire revient, revient, revient…
Arte diffusera à partir du mardi 25 avrilprochain une nouvelle série documentaire. Résistances (2022) est une adaptation du roman de Patrick Rotman, historien, auteur et scénariste-réalisateur. Le roman s'était écoulé à près de 2731 exemplaires, ventes grand format et poche confondues (données : Edistat).
Impossible de parler d’un livre pareil qui, à chaque phrase, à chaque ligne, change de direction et détruit les repères.
Un jeune homme décide, du jour au lendemain, sans aucune préparation ni préméditation, de s’isoler dans la forêt, à l’abris des regards. Il y restera caché durant 27 années, vivant de chapardages dans des cabanes environnantes, parvenant à ne laisser aucune trace derrière lui, seulement le mystère de son geste et son désir d’invisibilité.
BookBanUSA — Sans surprise, l'année 2022 a vu le nombre de tentatives de censure au sein des collections des bibliothèques exploser aux États-Unis. L'association des bibliothécaires américains a ainsi recensé 1269 demandes de retrait, avec 2571 titres concernés.
Née à Dà Lat en 1963, arrivée du Vietnam en France en 1977, Linda Lê est décédée à Paris en mai 2022. Elle publia son premier livre en 1986, mais signa également de très nombreux textes critiques dans des revues. L’armée invisible rend hommage à cette envie de partager des lectures, comme autant de voyages en littérature.
La Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) présente L’art de la marionnette à la Maison des Arts et de la Culture-Villa Médicis de Saint-Maur-des-Fossés (Val-de-Marne). L’occasion de découvrir des pièces exceptionnelles, sélectionnées parmi les 1500 marionnettes du XVIIIe siècle à aujourd’hui conservées à la BnF.
L'histoire d'un homme qui aimait un peu trop lire ? Le procès de Filippo Bernardini, employé d'une maison d'édition s'était procuré illégalement des milliers de manuscrits inédits en usurpant des identités. La procédure s'est conclue, ce jeudi 23 mars, sur une lourde amende. Condamné à verser 88.000 $ à Penguin Random House, il sera également expulsé vers le Royaume-Uni ou l'Italie.
Ian Falconer, décorateur et costumier, cartooniste, auteur et illustrateur, est décédé le mardi 7 mars 2023. Il avait 63 ans. Né à Ridgefield, dans le Connecticut, ainé de trois enfants, il fréquente la Long Ridge School de Stamford puis la Cambridge School de Weston (Massachusetts) dont les principes pédagogiques progressistes lui conviennent parfaitement. Par André Delobel.
Publié en mars 2021 aux éditions Gallimard, le roman de Delphine de Vigan sera adapté en série par la société de production The Walt Disney Company France. Une diffusion sur la plateforme Disney+ est attendue.
À l’heure où la survie des éditeurs indépendants se trouve fragilisée par une logique mercantile brutale, lancer une maison d’édition est un vrai défi. C’est aussi une joie. Traverser des œuvres, les donner à lire dans leur singularité et contribuer à la biodiversité du paysage éditorial français. Au fondement de ce métier, Paul Otchakovsky-Laurens évoque « une vérité» dans son film Éditeur — « une note juste ». Par Ariana Saenz Espinoza.
Il lui restait encore deux ou trois choses à écrire, et, manifestement, il s'est trouvé bien des lecteurs pour l'écouter : Éric Zemmour réalise un décollage fulgurant avec son nouvel essai. Plus de 25.000 exemplaires écoulés en l'espace de quelques jours pour Je n'ai pas dit mon dernier mot, qui prend la tête des ventes en cette 11e semaine.
La Fondation écologique polonaise Arka, créée en 2005, est à l'origine d'une campagne bien spécifique, mise en œuvre depuis le mois de février 2023. « Żyjące książki » (« Livres vivants ») invite les lecteurs à faire don de leurs ouvrages inutilisés à l'organisation, qui s'engage à les vendre. Elle utilise ensuite les recettes pour nourrir les animaux d'un refuge, à Ćwiklice.
BONNES FEUILLES - Châtillon-sur-Indre. L'été 2018 s'annonce mouvementée pour Lisa : tandis qu'elle s'apprête à recueillir sa mère fragilisée par la violence de son ex-compagnon, elle doit également héberger son grand-père, Loulou, dont la maison est en travaux.
Le 20 mars 2003, les États-Unis envahissaient l’Irak sous les ordres de George W. Bush. Après les attentats du 11 septembre 2001, le Président estimait que le territoire se situait sur l’« axe du Mal ». Cette décision a conduit à une guerre qui s'est terminée en décembre 2011. Les écrivains irakiens Sinan Antoon et Feurat Alani ont pris la plume pour dénoncer le colonialisme de cette période, et de raconter les profonds dommages causés par ce conflit.
Chinguetti, surnommée « la ville des bibliothèques », est un carrefour commercial médiéval du nord de la Mauritanie, situé sur le plateau de l'Adrar, à l'est d'Atar. La citée regorge de parchemins historiques qui s’accumulent depuis 1200 ans. Mais ils sont désormais menacés par l’extension progressive du Sahara et les récentes crues. Celles-ci risquent de détruire les infrastructures qui conservent les écrits.
BONNES FEUILLES - C'est ce que nous assure Maria Climent Huguet en nous offrant un livre lauréat du prix Amposta 2019 et du prix Setè Cel 2020.
On le sait, le groupe éditorial Humensis n’est pas dans une grande forme financière. 14,5 millions € de perte en 5 ans, fermeture de la librairie des PUF de Paris, semaine de 4,5 jours pour faire des économies... Dernière affaire en date : Olivia Recasens, directrice des éditions humenSciences, est débarquée par le nouveau directoire du groupe selon La Lettre A, et la maison qu’elle pilote, arrêtée.
L’Association internationale francophone des bibliothécaires et documentaliste (AIFBD) ouvre la seconde édition de son Prix Bibliothécaire/Documentaliste francophone. La récompense vise à « nominer un(e) collègue qui pour vous incarne notre profession aujourd’hui ».
La Véritable Histoire de Gaya Sharpe, un roman d'éveil à l'écoresponsabilité pour premier roman. Et si finalement l’effondrement annoncé n’était pas dû au climat, ni même à l’économie, mais à une tout autre raison ? Publié aux Éditions Exergue.
Michael Reaves, le romancier spécialisé dans La Guerre des étoiles, scénariste et auteur de bandes dessinées, est mort ce 20 mars. Décédé à 72 ans des suites de la maladie de Parkinson, il laisse derrière lui une œuvre prolifique qui a marqué les années 80 et 90.
À la suite de l’annonce de la création du Prix Flaubert, la liste des ouvrages en lice a été dévoilée.
Fin février, un scénario se déroulait faisant de Daniel Kretinsky l’actionnaire majoritaire de Fnac-Darty. Disposant déjà de 20 % du capital, le milliardaire tchèque convoitait les 24 % de l’Allemand Ceconomy. Fin mars, le projet devient réalité, pour partie : l’homme d’affaires est passé à 25,03 %.
L’éditeur à part est né de la volonté de trois amis aux parcours différents et hybrides de casser les codes du monde de l’édition. Christophe Pavlevski, Claire Passy et François-Xavier Bellest sont des personnalités atypiques, engagées et aux expériences variées, qui ont décidé de se retrouver autour d’une ligne commune : déranger sans blesser.
Les deux associations françaises représentant traductrices et traducteurs littéraires – ATLF et ATLAS –, s'inquiètent du recours grandissant aux outils de traduction automatisés. Elles réclament aux éditeurs qu'ils fassent preuve d'un peu plus d'honnêteté dans leur utilisation.
David Groison intègre les équipes Bayard Éditions en tant que Directeur éditorial de Bayard Graphic’, afin de développer la collection de roman graphique nouvellement créée.
Créée en 2014, la chaîne YouTube Petit Ours Brun a passé le cap du million d’abonnés, assure Bayard jeunesse. Les vidéos de l’ursidé anthropomorphique cumulent à ce jour plus d’un 815 millions de vues. Et manifestement, sait faire le show : il sort également d’une comédie musicale récompensée.
BONNES FEUILLES - « Qu’elles soient imprimées, photographiques, cinématographiques, télévisuelles ou numériques, les technologies de l’esprit risquent toujours de devenir des technologies persuasives : en tant que conditions matérielles de la pensée, elles peuvent aussi se transformer en instruments de domination et de manipulation.
À des kilomètres de la civilisation et à bonne distance des projets documentaires habituels, où des bédéistes partent en reportage à la rencontre des travailleurs, Environnement toxique est un témoignage total, englué dans les sables bitumineux. Il donne à lire la réalité de la condition ouvrière au XXIe siècle à travers l'expérience de Kate Beaton, jeune étudiante qui quitte sa Nouvelle-Écosse natale pour se mettre au service de l'industrie du pétrole. Et d'espérer que le bon salaire compensera les conditions de vie déplorables.
BONNES FEUILLES - Récit au jour le jour de la contestation de 2020 au Bélarus par ceux qui l’ont faite. Alors que le Bélarus est comme figé depuis vingt-cinq ans sous l’emprise d’un régime autoritaire dirigé d’une main de fer par Alexandre Loukachenko, naît un espoir de changement à l’approche de l’élection présidentielle de 2020.
Les 19 et 26 janvier derniers, trois libraires, Alan Keung Ka-wai, Cannis Chan Sheung -yan et Alex Lee Lung-yin, étaient accusés par les autorités de Hong Kong de « complot en vue d’accomplir un acte ou des actes avec une intention séditieuse ». En cause : avoir produit et vendu un livre sur les manifestations de 2019. PEN America et PEN International demandent l’abandon des poursuites.
BONNES FEUILLES - « À la lie de la vie / de perfidie en trahison / à la première personne / des vanités pipées / le regard menteur / du sourire ravageur / espoir de feuille morte.» Dans le courant des vers libres, sans ponctuation ni majuscule, des poèmes se succèdent.
BONNES FEUILLES - « Si tu veux savoir une certaine chose et que tu ne puisses y parvenir par la méditation, je te conseille, mon cher et judicieux ami, d'en parler avec le premier homme de ta connaissance que tu rencontreras. Il n'est pas nécessaire que ce soit un esprit subtil ; il ne s'agit pas non plus de l'interroger sur ce qui t'occupe : non ! C'est toi qui dois plutôt commencer par lui conter ton affaire. »
L’Association nationale des éditeurs de livres (ANEL) « se réjouit » que le gouvernement du Québec ait annoncé hier, dans son budget 2023-2024, sa volonté d’encourager l’industrie du livre au Québec, de rehausser le niveau de littératie des jeunes ainsi que de promouvoir et de faire découvrir les œuvres québécoises.
Plusieurs universitaires sont formels : l’intelligence artificielle (IA) ChatGPT rend le plagiat très difficile à détecter, surtout la quatrième et dernière version en date de l’outil d’Open AI. Ce constat a été étayé en mars dans un article académique signé ChatGPT elle-même... Tout le monde s’est fait berner.
Le Conseil économique, social et environnemental (CESE) a présélectionné six romans d’anticipation en vue de son premier prix littéraire FUTURS qui sera remis en avril.
Le Prix du Livre France Musique-Claude Samuel a désormais arrêté sa sélection pour son édition 2023. Le 13 avril se tiendra la remise des prix, à la Maison de la Radio et de la Musique.
L'organisation non gouvernementale PEN International, qui défend la liberté d'expression des auteurs dans le monde entier, dresse un bilan de l'année 2022. À la crise sanitaire succède la guerre en Ukraine, mais bien d'autres pays restent dévastés par des conflits, des régimes autoritaires et des lois liberticides... Les auteurs et les journalistes figurent malheureusement parmi les victimes.
Les 13, 14, 20 et 21 mars 2023 ont, pour la première fois, vu des lycéens plancher sur les épreuves de spécialité du baccalauréat, dès le printemps, comme l'instaurait la réforme de 2019. Différents auteurs ont été étudiés par les élèves, dont deux références de la littérature de genre, Mary Shelley (1797-1851) et René Barjavel (1911-1985). Mais toujours une seule autrice.
Dans 122 rue du Chemin-Vert, la plume d’Anne Vassivière est toujours aussi « vivace et acérée ». Publié aux Éditions La Musardine.
En 2023, le Centre national du livre donne rendez-vous du 22 juin au 23 juillet aux enfants et aux adolescents, partout en France, pour la 9e édition de Partir en Livre, dont le thème est cette année
« la liberté ». Cette année, c’est Mortelle Adèle qui tiendra le haut de l’affiche de Partir en Livre !
Le premier groupe radiophonique enrichira de ses émissions le catalogue numérique de Biblioondemand. Usagers de bibliothèques publiques et universitaires profiteront d'une offre complétant les quelque 2 millions d'ebooks. Suite à l'Emlyon business school, qui servit de pilote à l'expérimentaiton, la région Wallonie-Bruxelles (Belgique) lui emboîte le pas.
Madones et putains regroupe trois nouvelles en bande dessinée, chacune s’enracinant dans l’Italie du XXe siècle, à trois époques différentes, mais relativement concomitantes.
LBF23 – Du 18 au 20 avril se tiendra la foire londonienne, rendez-vous professionnel en Europe qu’abrite la perfide Albion. L’Ukraine en sera le pays phare, assurent les organisateurs, avec une série d’événements mettant en lumière les auteurs, les éditeurs et les oeuvres. En toile de fonds, bien entendu, le conflit déclenché par la Russie...
Le président du Réseau Québec-France/francophonie, Jean-Marie Comeau, a annoncé l’attribution du prix littéraire Québec-France Marie-Claire-Blais édition 2023 à Caroline Hinault, pour son roman Solak paru aux Éditions du Rouergue.
L'édition 2023 de la bourse Arcane permettra à un artiste des arts visuels et un auteur de l’écrit de recevoir une aide à la conception et à la réalisation d’un livre.
Helvetiq confie la distribution de ses livres en Suisse romande à l’OLF à partir du 1er juillet. Tout en maintenant ses équipes de diffusion, l'éditeur fait aussi d'OLF une « base logistique » pour la distribution de ses jeux en Suisse.
L'éditeur japonais Kodansha, référence du manga avec des séries comme L'Attaque des Titans, Tokyo Revengers ou encore le titre Ghost in the Shell, a révélé la sortie prochaine d'une application destinée au marché américain. Kodansha Comics USA, sa filiale sur le territoire, porte ce nouveau support de lecture.
Les chants des ferrailleurs de Gabriel Boksztejn (publié aux éditions unicité) se présente comme une position tenue face au monde doublée d’une tentative (tentation ?) de le respiritualiser. Voire de le « ré-angéliser » à travers ce qui n’est rien moins qu’une mini-épopée sociale. Par Pierre Cormary.
BONNES FEUILLES - « Moi de mon côté, j’ai déjà dans l’idée de passer un an dans un commissariat. À l’heure où la police fait l’objet d’incessants débats, je veux comprendre ce que c’est, qu’être flic.
MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo set yet another Champions League record on Wednesday, scoring in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund to become the first player to find the net in all six group-stage matches.
MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo set yet another Champions League record on Wednesday, scoring in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund to become the first player to find the net in all six group-stage matches.
MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo set yet another Champions League record on Wednesday, scoring in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund to become the first player to find the net in all six group-stage matches.
MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo set yet another Champions League record on Wednesday, scoring in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund to become the first player to find the net in all six group-stage matches.
E3 2023 has taken another hit, as Ubisoft has confirmed it will not have a presence at the show. In a statement to Video Games Chronicle, the publisher reveals that it will instead hold its own live presentation on June 12 in Los Angeles.
The publisher statement to VGC reads “While we initially intended to have an official E3 presence, we’ve made the subsequent decision to move in a different direction, and will be holding a Ubisoft Forward Live event on 12th June in Los Angeles. We look forward to sharing more details with our players very soon.”
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot stated in February that the company would commit to attending “if E3 happens”. If that's the case, this news certainly doesn’t bode well for the fate of what’s supposed to be E3’s big return.
As for what Ubisoft could show at its event, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, The Crew Motorfest, and (maybe) Skull and Bones are slated to release this year. Other announced projects include the long-quiet Splinter Cell and Prince of Persia remakes, a multitude of new Assassin’s Creed games, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. A rumored follow-up to Immortals Fenyx Rising could also make an appearance.
Ubisoft joins Nintendo on the list of major publishers that have declined to participate in this year’s show, following a previous report that Microsoft and Sony plan to follow suit. E3 is largely organized by ReedPop this year and will take place June 13-16 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The event will open its doors to fans and press, with separate attendance days for each. It will be the first in-person event since 2019.
[Source: Video Games Chronicle]
What do you think of Ubisoft skipping E3? Do you expect the event to still take place? Let us know in the comments.
MultiVersus, the free-to-play Super Smash Bros. style fighting game starring an all-star cast of Warner Bros. characters, will be pulled from storefronts next month. The game’s online modes will later become unplayable as developer Player First Games plans for a relaunch early next year.
In a developer blog post, Player First Games CEO Tony Huynh explains that since MultiVersus launched in open beta (yes, open beta) last July, players have offered a ton of feedback. The studio feels that the only way to properly implement improvements based on these fan requests is to shut the game down temporarily. Huynh writes,
“We know there’s still a lot of work to do. As a result, we have a clearer view of what we need to focus on, specifically the content cadence of new characters, maps and modes to give you more ways to enjoy the game, along with updated netcode and more matchmaking improvements. We’ll also be reworking the progression system based on your feedback and looking at new ways for you to connect with your friends in the game.”
As a result, MultiVersus is getting pulled from online stores on April 4. While new players won’t be able to download it, those who already have it in their libraries can still reinstall it after that date. On June 25, the game’s online servers will be shut down, along with any associated features. After that, players will only have limited access to offline modes such as the training room and local matches.
Purchased in-game content, such as characters, items, battle pass tokens, and unused currency, will carry over when MultiVersus returns in early 2024. The Season 2 battle pass will also be extended through June 25. Daily missions will continue to be added, but the weekly seasonal milestones will no longer refresh after March 31. Those seeking refunds will have to take it up with their chosen storefront, as an FAQ states, “This announcement does not change any current refund policies or terms offered by the storefront(s) from which Founder’s Packs or Gleamium bundles were purchased.”
MultiVersus arrived last summer, and despite its vague open beta status (a label not specified in the game’s store description), the game received two seasons of paid content. Several characters have been added to the roster, the last of which was Marvin the Martian. However, communication and support dried up after Season 2 launched in November, which has left many fans unhappy over the lack of meaningful updates. The game’s online player count has also taken a substantial hit in recent weeks, currently sitting at less than 600 players. You can read our review of the open beta version of the game here.
What do you think of this approach to improving MultiVersus? Let us know in the comments!
December 25, 2013, was the day I finally got my hands on a Wii U. It was a special edition that came with a code for Wind Waker HD and a gamepad emblazoned with a golden Triforce. For my brother and I, 11 and 13 at the time, respectively, this was a massive deal; we’d spent the last year seeing Wii Us at friends’ houses, yearning for our own, and struggling to explain the difference between it and our current Wii to our parents.
But while it was valuable to us, the Wii U struggled to sell and has ultimately gone down as one of Nintendo’s most disappointing consoles. Today, the system’s eShop shuts down forever, permanently closing a chapter of Nintendo’s history.
I’ll be the first to admit that the rosy lenses of nostalgia heavily tint my memory of the Wii U. It was a formative time in my gaming life; Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U were the centerpieces of many social gatherings. That said, I think some defense of the Wii U is still warranted. Gamer culture has been so quick to forget the worst parts of the console that the best parts have also been lost in the mix. As much as I love my Switch, there are a lot of lessons it could learn from its older, clumsier brother, especially when it comes to the eShop.
The Wii U had character. On startup, Miis linked to profiles posed and danced. On the home screen, floaty synth pads and bells played arpeggios and echoing harmonies. Miis stood in huddles by (now defunct) Miiverse icons, chatting about their respective games. You could even rotate those icons around, causing the Miis underneath to scramble across to their assigned games. Functionally, that rotation serves no purpose, but that’s not the point: it’s all about a fun, inviting atmosphere.
The vibe continued in the eShop. Even the loading screen is a minigame where your console’s software icons become a puzzle you have to piece together. Once you’re in, you can listen to a whole lineup of bouncy bossa bops while you browse. The music in these menus never reached the iconic status of the Wii’s Mii Channel or Wii Shop Channel, but the influence is clear. It’s an energetic, childlike aura that feels distinctly Nintendo.
By comparison, the Switch’s menus are bland. There’s no music anywhere, and while the “themes” section in the settings seemed to imply a return of the 3DS’ visual themes, six years later our only options are still “black” and “white.” It’s much less charming, something I considered essential to a Nintendo product before its release.
While I’ll certainly miss the Wii U eShop’s fantastic vibes, the real despair I feel is from losing access to its games library. The Wii U’s two-screen setup allows it to run a ton of virtual console games, and to people used to buying these games on the secondhand market, the prices were shockingly affordable. All Game Boy Advance games were under $10, and Metroid Prime Trilogy, which can easily go for over $100 on eBay, was only $20. It was also the only place you could digitally buy DS games, like Pokémon Ranger and Kirby: Squeak Squad.
Older Nintendo fans likely see this as an opportunity to revisit games from their past, but for someone my age, it’s how I experienced many of Nintendo’s classics. Paper Mario, Earthbound, Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, and Super Mario 64 are all games I would never have experienced without the eShop’s virtual console.
In theory, those games exist on the Switch, but because they’re locked behind Nintendo Switch Online’s classics library, you lose access if your subscription ends. You do not own them, and this has always made me uncomfortable. One day, like the Wii U, Nintendo will shut down the Switch’s online features. It’s unclear what happens to the classics library when that happens. While the Wii U’s eShop might be shutting down, I can at least find comfort in the fact that I own the classics I bought, and I always will.
My brother Andre (left) and I (right), the day we got our Wii U.There are many things the Switch does better than the Wii U; at the end of the day, it’s certainly the better console. But the Wii U was a valuable window to Nintendo’s past, both with its charm and its virtual console, and the closing of its eShop is the final nail in its coffin. Nintendo is removing something it doesn’t have a real replacement for. I understand that the Wii U wasn’t the console for everyone, but it was the console for me. And while some people are unbothered by the ending of its final chapter, laughing at its clunky design and mocking the gamepad, I don’t mind. At the end of the day, it’ll always be my childhood Christmas treasure – and for now, the only console that can play Wind Waker HD.
Hey, listen! Nintendo has announced that tomorrow at 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET, they'll be releasing the first proper gameplay showcase of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The presentation will be hosted by Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma, and will last "roughly 10 minutes." Here's the announcement tweet:
Join The Legend of #Zelda series producer, Eiji Aonuma, for roughly 10 minutes of gameplay from The Legend of Zelda: #TearsOfTheKingdom on 3/28 at 7:00 a.m. PT on our YouTube channel.
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) March 27, 2023
▶️ https://t.co/uMUCfVjFQL pic.twitter.com/y49N4jRUTz
To watch the video when it premieres tomorrow on YouTube, just click the Link below:
Despite the fact that we've gotten multiple trailers over the past few months, Nintendo has yet to reveal any clip of gameplay longer than a few seconds, and every new glimpse seems to raise more questions than it answers. What are those strange vehicles? Does Link have a new paraglider? And why does the game cost $70? Whether or not tomorrow's showcase addresses those questions, we'll all find out when Tears of the Kingdom releases on May 12.
We'll be live streaming our reactions to the 10 minutes showcase on Game Informer's Twitch channel.
One of Sea of Star’s most compelling selling points is the involvement of Chrono Trigger composer Yasunori Mitsuda. To know that a game heavily inspired by Chrono Trigger will feature music from the man behind its score is exciting. Still, it is worth being excited for the soundtrack that Mitsuda will not be directly involved with, as well.
The majority of Sea of Stars’ soundtrack is in the hands of the talented Eric W. Brown, who also composed the soundtrack for The Messenger. Brown’s musical history started with playing drums in metal bands. “I've been a drummer since I was a kid and I'm still a drummer now, but, you know, I got into music production via chiptune essentially,” Brown says. Around 2006 he decided to focus on making music on his own in the chiptune genre, primarily on Game Boys. When the opportunity to work on The Messenger came along, he graduated to making NES, Super Nintendo, and Sega Genesis-flavored music.
Brown enjoys working within the confines of the 16-bit era, and even takes advantage of an online database various musicians have coordinated over the years to figure out exactly what sorts of samples and tools video game composers used back in the day. Composers like Brown use it to track down specific sound modules and even specific keyboards used to make the music of the past. With that said, though, Brown is not placing many self-imposed restrictions on himself for Sea of Stars’ soundtrack.
Like the game's visuals, it is undeniably inspired by 16-bit RPGs, but Sea of Stars is not a game that could exist on a Super Nintendo, and the same can be said of the music. “I definitely could have done that, and that's what we did with The Messenger,” Brown says when asked if the music could conceivably come from a Super Nintendo.“For this, during the pre-production phase, I was experimenting, and I think initially, I wanted to do a more hi-fi type of thing. But ultimately, what we landed on was something that doesn't take you out of the moment, in a retro sense. It's the same thing that we're doing with the visuals. None of that would work on a Super Nintendo, necessarily. Not the way that it looks.”
One instance, however, where Brown did go out of his way to simulate the limitations of the Super Nintendo intentionally was with how the sound effects would sometimes interrupt the music. Because the Super Nintendo only had so many sound channels, often when a player activated a sound effect by looking through a menu, for example, that sound would overtake the drum or some other element of the music track. Ironically, it took more work for Brown to implement that sound interruption in Sea of Stars, but he wanted it in the game. “It's really subtle, but I think anyone who would recognize that from Super Nintendo will appreciate it. And that's why I did it.”
For the music, Brown wants it to recall Super Nintendo without faithfully emulating it. Part of that is focusing on making the soundtrack more impactful with melodies and hooks. Most contemporary soundtracks effectively focus on setting a subtle mood in the background, but that wasn’t the case in the past. “I think part of the reason that retro soundtracks were so catchy is because they had so little to work with. The hardware was a very limited sound palette. On the Super Nintendo, for instance, you only had eight channels. Whereas nowadays, you have essentially infinite channels,” Brown says. “To me, it just feels like the compositions were so much stronger because they had such limitations – the classic saying that ‘limitation breeds creativity.’ But yeah, I think that a staple of retro games was just really strong hooks.”
And when it comes to RPGs, the strongest hook is often the battle theme. Arguably the most heard and repeated music. “Well, that's the ultimate question,” Brown says in response to how you make a battle theme not get repetitive. Sea of Stars has several themes for different bosses, but for the core, standard combat, there are only two – one for day and one for night. They are essentially the same, but Brown says the night version features more shiny bells and other subtle rearrangements. “I think. Personally, I had an easier time with battle themes because they're more upbeat and exciting,” Brown says, but the fear of it becoming repetitive was pervasive. Brown toyed with making myriad themes depending on the scale of the fight but acknowledges that writing too much music is its own challenge. Brown says he has composed about 150 tracks for the game, and then there are about ten more coming from Mitsuda.
Along with music, Brown works on the larger soundscape, creating all the game’s sound effects. A deceptively important one for RPGs is the menu beeps. Those sounds end up being heard the most, often more than the combat sound effects. But how do you make an iconic menu sound effect? “To be perfectly honest, I just tried stuff,” Brown says. “My thought process was… I don't want it to sound retro. But I want it to sound pleasing.”
One type of song Brown says isn’t in Sea of Stars yet, but was in Chrono Trigger, is a legally distinct but remarkably similar song to Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up. “[Laughs] Not yet, but I feel like that would be a pretty good opportunity.” I suggested a different 80s hit song that has been similarly involved in many memes: Toto’s Africa.
The combat theme might be the most pervasive music in the game, but Brown’s favorite themes to create are for the bosses. “I think those come the most naturally as like a metal guy,” Brown says. But Brown leaned on his metal roots for more than just making intense, upbeat battle music. He also leaned on his vocalist friends for some of the monster sound effects. “I called up a lot of my vocalist friends, and I got them to just record a voice memo,” Brown says. “I had no direction for them other than, ‘I just want stuff to add to the pile that I can chop up and process.’ And they're like, ‘Yeah, cool.’ So they just send it over, and so I have like a stockpile.” You would never be able to pick them out individually, but Brown says Riley McShane of Allegaeon fame, Patrick "Admiral Nobeard" Henry from Swashbuckle (of which Brown played drums), and others are all mixed into the game in subtle ways.
Sea of Stars is coming to PlayStation consoles, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on August 29. For a lot more on the game, you can check out the most recent issue of Game Informer magazine.
This week on All Things Nintendo, Brian is joined by Sarah Natochenny, who has voiced Ash Ketchum in the Pokémon anime for the last 17 years. With the final episode of Ash's two-and-a-half decade run as the series' protagonist airing in Japan today, Brian and Sarah look back at her early days voicing the character and talk about her emotions leading up to the end of this era in both her career and the Pokémon animated series.
If you'd like to follow Brian on social media, you can do so on his Instagram: @BrianPShea. You can follow Sarah on Twitter: @SarahNatochenny. You can also find her official webpage here.
The All Things Nintendo podcast is a weekly show where we can celebrate, discuss, and break down all the latest games, news, and announcements from the industry's most recognizable name. Each week, Brian is joined by different guests to talk about what's happening in the world of Nintendo. Along the way, they'll share personal stories, uncover hidden gems in the eShop, and even look back on the classics we all grew up with. A new episode hits every Friday!
Be sure to subscribe to All Things Nintendo on your favorite podcast platform. The show is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and YouTube.
00:00:00 – Introduction
00:01:32 – First Nintendo Game/Favorite Nintendo Game
00:04:49 – Sarah's Career and Work on Pokémon
If you'd like to get in touch with the All Things Nintendo podcast, you can email AllThingsNintendo@GameInformer.com, messaging Brian on Instagram (@BrianPShea), or by joining the official Game Informer Discord server. You can do that by linking your Discord account to your Twitch account and subscribing to the Game Informer Twitch channel. From there, find the All Things Nintendo channel under "Community Spaces."
For Game Informer's other podcast, be sure to check out The Game Informer Show with host Alex Van Aken, which covers the weekly happenings of the video game industry!
In December, The Pokémon Company revealed that after 25 years, Ash's time as the main protagonist in the long-running Pokémon anime was coming to an end. He had finally achieved his dream of becoming the Pokémon World Champion and now, it was time for new characters – Loki, Roy, Professor Friede, and Captain Pikachu – to take over.
Today, Ash's journey came to an end in Japan (the dubbed version is coming at a later date) and the English voice actor for him, Sarah Natochenny, released a statement congratulating Ash's Japanese voice actor, Rica Matsumoto, and thanking her for 17 years of inspiration.
"As I continue recording the final episodes of Ash and Pikachu’s journey on Pokémon, I’d like to thank and congratulate the incredible woman who has inspired my performance as the English voice of Ash Ketchum for the last 17 years, Rica Matsumoto. I would also like to acknowledge everyone who has worked on Pokémon in Japan, especially Ikue Ôtani (v/o Pikachu), Shin’ichirô Miki (v/o James), Megumi Hayashibara (v/o Jesse), Inuko Inuyama (v/o Meowth), & the current director Kunihiko Yuyama. Bravo, thank you, congratulations!"Ash has been the protagonist of the mainline Pokémon anime for 25 years and Matsumoto has been the Japanese voice for him the entire time. For the English dub, Veronica Taylor voiced him for the first eight seasons. Natochenny took over the role starting in Season 9 and has remained Ash's English voice since.
With Ash's journey coming to an end today, The Pokémon Company also revealed the title of its new Pokémon anime – Pokémon Horizons: The Series.
You can check out the first official trailer for Pokémon Horizons: The Series below:
Set sail for a new journey in #PokemonHorizons: The Series! 🌅
— Pokémon (@Pokemon) March 24, 2023
Follow Liko and Roy as they unravel the mysteries that surround them and encounter Friede, Captain Pikachu, Amethio, and others during their exciting adventures! pic.twitter.com/HO1J0nAta1
"Set sail for a new journey in Pokémon Horizons: The Series," the trailer's description reads. "Follow Liko and Roy as they unravel the mysteries that surround them and encounter Friede, Captain Pikachu, Amethio, and others during their exciting adventures."
For more about Pokémon, read Game Informer'sPokémon Scarlet and Violet review and then read about the game's upcoming DLC, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero. After that, check out the coolest cards we pulled from the new Scarlet and Violet expansion for Pokémon: The Trading Card Game.
Are you going to tune in for Ash's farewell? Let us know in the comments below!
Capcom's remake of Resident Evil 4 is finally out and to celebrate the day, the company has released a special launch trailer teasing what to expect in the game. This launch trailer also features some exciting news for fans of the original game. That's because at the end of it, the trailer cuts to a screen revealing that The Mercenaries, a mode from the original 2005 release, will be released as free DLC next month.
More specifically, The Mercenaries will hit Resident Evil 4 on April 7. If it's like the original game's mode, you'll need to complete the story of Resident Evil 4 remake before unlocking The Mercenaries. In this mode, you select a Resident Evil 4 character and attempt to kill as many enemies as possible in a given time limit. There's rankings associated with how well you do, weapons to unlock and more.
Check out the Resident Evil 4 remake launch trailer for yourself below:
This remake of Resident Evil 4 is out today on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. We love it and you can find out why in Game Informer's Resident Evil 4 remake review. If you're playing today, be sure to read Game Informer's 13 tips and tricks to know before jumping in.
Are you playing Resident Evil 4 remake today? Let us know in the comments below!
Capcom’s remake of Resident Evil 4 is finally out, and it’s fantastic (read about why in our review here). It features some interesting changes and new additions, sure to keep Resident Evil 4 fans on their toes, and plenty of returning things. Whether you’re new to this game or someone that’s played it a dozen times, here are 13 tips and tricks we think every Resident Evil 4 player should know heading into this remake.
Throughout your journey through the quaint and totally not dangerous at all Spanish country, you’ll encounter hundreds of enemies. Many will utilize standard melee attacks and grabs to stop you, but almost just as many will have projectiles. Enemies can throw axes, torches that light you on fire, Molotov cocktails, dynamite, and more. You’ll want to avoid getting hit by these projectiles (you can parry the axes!), and one way to do that is to kill the enemy before they throw them.
However, that requires some speed, and if you don’t have time to do that, shoot the projectile. In the case of Molotov cocktails and dynamite, doing this can cause an instant explosion, damaging the projectile thrower and potentially other enemies around them.
New to this remake of Resident Evil 4 are requests, which are blue papers typically stuck to walls throughout the game. Collect one to begin the request. They are usually quick and easy – you’ll find a few that task you with killing a handful of rats in a specific area, usually nearby, or others that ask you to shoot down hanging blue medallions, for example. You should complete every one you find because doing so rewards you with special pink jewels called Spinels. You’ll find some of these throughout the game, but the majority will be collected through requests. These are important because you can trade them to the mysterious Merchant for special items.
Here, you can trade Spinels for two extremely important items: Location Maps and Upgrade Tickets (amongst other things). Location maps are, in my opinion, must-buy items, and they only cost five Spinels. They reveal everything on the map – treasures, blue medallions, items you didn’t pick up, and more. Buy them when you can! Upgrade Tickets cost a lot of Spinels, but they’re worth it because they allow you to apply an exclusive upgrade to a weapon early.
In order to purchase this exclusive upgrade, you need to upgrade every other feature of a weapon. But with the Upgrade Ticket, you can get that exclusive upgrade early, giving you, for example, a 1.5x power boost to your pistol or shotgun.
If you’ve followed our advice on the above tip, then you might find yourself searching for a treasure marked on your map. And sometimes, you’ll be right on the icon for the treasure on your map but see nothing resembling treasure around you. That’s because it’s likely hanging above you. Listen, and if you hear the sound of metal swinging, that’s your cue to look up. You should spot something that resembles a metal lamp hanging above – shoot it down to reveal the treasure inside.
For the most part, this remake of Resident Evil 4 is void of the quick-time events from the original game. However, there are button prompts you’ll need to press quickly in combat scenarios. With Leon’s knife or any other knife, like the boot knives scattered about, you can parry any melee attack. You can also hold L1/LB to simply block an attack. But if you press L1/LB right before the enemy’s attack lands, Leon will parry it, which stuns the enemy and leaves them open for a melee attack (read: roundhouse kick) or a takedown kill if you can get behind them quickly enough.
We recommend learning the timing of this parry as soon as possible, and you should practice learning this parry timing on the game’s earlier enemies. The same goes for evade. Certain attacks will prompt Leon to evade, and you’ll need to press Circle/B quickly to execute it correctly. Fortunately, the game tells you exactly when to evade or parry on-screen, so this should make learning the timing of these defensive moves easier.
The shooting range in this remake is a little different from that of the original game. A handful of times throughout Resident Evil 4, you’ll see an elevator behind the Merchant. Head inside, and it takes you to the shooting range. Here, the Merchant has created unique shooting range minigames for you to complete.
Aim for the highest score by killing every pirate cutout down the range, and be sure not to shoot any sailors or you’ll lose 500 points. Also, if you see a pirate cutout with a silver skull token on it, aim directly for the token for a 300-point bonus. You’ll need to do all this to get the highly coveted S rank. Completing these objectives nets you silver and gold tokens, which can be used in the machine by the elevator.
Like those toy dispensers at your Steak n Shake that nobody probably uses, the Merchant’s dispenser will reward you with special ornaments that can be hung on your Attache Case. You can hang up to three, and each ornament gives you a special bonus, like ammo crafting boosts, knife repair discounts, and more. Using gold tokens in the dispenser increases your chances of getting rarer ornaments, so you’ll want to strive to complete the gold token objectives in the shooting range.
Something new in this remake of Resident Evil 4 is that Leon can now stealth his way behind enemies and, using his knife, kill them instantly. Many of the combat encounters in this game simply don’t give you the room for that, as you’ll be amidst a dozen or so enemies intent on killing you. However, if you realize enemies don’t know you’re there, crouch with Circle/B and try to get the jump on them. I especially like to find the high-up crossbow users who will be annoying to deal with while fighting others and take them out stealthily. It’s an easy way to kill an enemy, and it’s quiet. Give it a go!
Flash grenades are very important in Resident Evil 4. Not only do they stun regular enemies, lining them up for a quick and easy stealth kill or a roundhouse kick melee stun, but they also instantly kill any enemy who has transformed into their Las Plagas-version. Sometimes after killing an enemy, or sometimes even before, the enemy’s head will burst open, and a disgustingly gory tentacle arm eyeball thing will shoot out of their neck.
These variants of enemies are tough to take down and deal a lot of damage. Sure, you can waste four precious shotgun shells on them, or you can just toss a flash grenade their way, which will instantly kill them. Now, it’s important to note that flash grenades aren’t super abundant in the game (although you can craft more), so we recommend using them on groups of two or more of these special enemies if you can help it.
As you collect green (restore health), red (boost the effects of other herbs), and yellow herbs (increase maximum health), you might find yourself tempted to use them to heal in tense situations. That’s totally okay and understandable, but if you can help it, maybe use that First Aid Spray you’ve been holding onto instead.
That’s because herbs in Resident Evil 4 are significantly more potent when combined. Ideally, you hold onto herbs until you can create concoctions that restore three times the health as a standalone green herb while also raising your maximum health or something like that. Use the herbs standalone if you have to, but try and combine them when you can.
Throughout Resident Evil 4, you’ll find yourself collecting various jewels and treasures. You’ll find some treasures, like chalices and tiaras, that have empty slots. You can place jewels in these slots to increase the selling price (to the Merchant) for these items with a special boost. And even better, if you can embed same-color jewels into the slots, you’ll get an additional special boost on top of the selling price (there's bonuses for different color jewels as well).
For example, if you have a tiara with four jewel slots, aim to embed four of the same color jewel into these slots to maximize the selling price. This is a great way to maximize your profits throughout the game, which in turn makes it so that you can unlock as many upgrades as possible through the Merchant. Of course, in a pinch, sell a jewel or two, but ideally, hold onto them until you can embed them into a treasure for that special bonus.
Sometimes, critical hits happen on their own, as is the nature of critical hits. It’s why you should always aim for the head of most enemies. But there’s a way to increase your chances of getting one. When aiming, your reticle will be slightly wide, but it’s effective enough to nail shots.
However, wait a few seconds without moving your aim, and the reticle will zoom in just a bit. If you move too much, the reticle will zoom back out, but if you shoot an enemy while the reticle is zoomed in, your chances of landing a critical hit go way up. This is hard to pull off when fighting multiple enemies, but if you’ve got the jump on a few and want to take one out quickly, give this reticle zoom tactic a try.
The best way to know that an enemy is down for good is that they’ll drop an item for you to pick up, indicated by a faint yellow, red, green, or blue light that shoots up out of their body on the ground. If you see that, you’re safe – that enemy is completely dead. But if you don’t see that, that enemy is either going to get back up or transform into a deadlier Las Plagas creature.
This is why it’s important to fully kill every enemy. Sometimes, after an enemy goes down, they’ll begin to writhe on the ground – if you see this, quickly run up to them and press R2/RT to stab a knife into their throat. What you’ve just done is prevent them from transforming into a deadlier variant of an enemy. Yay, Leon!
This one’s simple but useful throughout your time in Resident Evil 4. If you see a crow, shoot it. It will usually drop around 300 Pesetas. Do this throughout the game, and you’ll have collected thousands of Pesetas, making upgrading Leon’s kit even easier. You’ll know crows are nearby because you can hear them. Be careful, though, because you can scare them off with too much movement or if you get too close.
There are all kinds of weapons in Resident Evil 4 and as you play through the game, you'll find different versions of pistols, shotguns, and more. You might be wary of upgrading some of your starting weapons, especially if you're aware that more powerful ones can be obtained or purchased later. But don't be! If you upgrade a weapon and then sell it to the Merchant, they will give you money for the weapon and for the upgrades you put into it. Because of this, you should upgrade whatever weapons you want freely, and when you're ready to part ways with a weapon, you'll get the money you spent on an upgrade back. We haven't determined yet if it's a one-to-one return on your upgrade investment, but it feels pretty close!
What Resident Evil 4 tips and tricks do you have? Let us know in the comments below!
A video game based on the hit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles graphic novel The Last Ronin is in the works, Polygon reports.
The news comes from Polygon's interview with Doug Rosen, senior vice president for games and emerging media at Paramount Global. According to Rosen, The Last Ronin video game will be a single-player action role-playing title in the vein of the Norse-themed God of War series. Like the story it adapts, the game will feature a mature tone. The game’s developer has not been named, and the project is years away from release.
The Last Ronin was published in 2020 as a five-issue mini-series by IDW. It takes place in a dark futuristic New York, where three of the four turtles have been killed. The surviving turtle, whose identity is revealed at the end of the first issue (we won’t spoil it), dons a black mask and seeks revenge by fighting crime using both his and the weapons of his fallen brothers.
It’s a cool (and very grim) story if you haven’t read it, and we’re excited to see it translated into a game. Rosen also mentions in the same interview that Paramount sees opportunities to create different types of TMNT games that target young and adult audiences.
The Turtles are enjoying quite the renaissance lately thanks to the launch of the well-received beat ‘em up Shredder’s Revenge last year, the nostalgia trip of the Cowabunga Collection, a Shredder-themed Call of Duty pack, and even a new animated film coming to theaters this August.
[Source: Polygon]
Daedalic Entertainment revealed The Lord of the Rings: Gollum way back in 2019, announcing that it would be released in 2021. In 2021, however, it was delayed to 2022. In May of last year, Daedalic revealed Gollum would release in September but then, in July, announced it had been delayed once more. Now, today, Daedalic has revealed that Gollum will finally be released this May.
More specifically, Gollum will hit PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on May 25. There will be a Switch version of the game, but Daedalic says it's planned for later this year. Alongside today's news, Daedalic has released a new story trailer. Check it out below:
"The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a story-driven action adventure," a press release reads. "Embark on a perilous journey as Gollum, chasing the only thing that is precious to you. Climb, leap, and sneak your way past dangers or into advantageous spots. Gollum is skillful and sly, and torn by a split personality. It is up to you to decide whether to yield to the darker side of Gollum or trust the kinder gentler hint of Sméagol."
Check out some new screenshots from the game below:
For more about The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, check out this trailer highlighting the game's supporting cast and then check out this trailer featuring some of the game's stealth-based gameplay. Watch this trailer showing off the game's parkour gameplay after that.
Are you excited for The Lord of the Rings: Gollum? Let us know in the comments below!
Arkane Studios, best known for creating the acclaimed stealth series Dishonored, has made a name for itself by realizing game worlds with rich lore, environmental storytelling, and curious, interweaving levels. Its specialty is developing immersive sims, a niche it’s helped cultivate since 1999. On May 2, Arkane releases its next project, Redfall, an open-world first-person shooter.
I’ve been a fan of Arkane Studios’ rich single-player worlds for years. Naturally, I had questions about Redfall’s position in the developer’s portfolio. However, after interviewing Studio Head Harvey Smith and playing the game for 90 minutes, I have the answers I was looking for – and I’m excited to share it all in this week’s episode of The Game Informer Show.
In this week’s episode of The Game Informer Show, Alex returns from New York City to share his thoughts on Redfall after a lengthy hands-on session. Blake breaks down his Resident Evil 4 Remake review, and Marcus shares his thoughts on the Diablo IV closed beta. Then the conversation switches to lighter subjects when Kyle talks about what makes Tchia an open-world game worth exploring. Lastly, the podcast closes with a short interview between Arkane Studios’ Harvey Smith and Game Informer’s Alex Van Aken, who talk about creativity, serialization, and how Redfall morphs into a different experience when playing with friends.
Follow us on social media: Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Kyle Hilliard (@KyleMHilliard), Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7), Blake Hester (@MetallicaIsRad)
The Game Informer Show is a weekly gaming podcast covering the latest video game news, industry topics, exclusive reveals, and reviews. Join host Alex Van Aken every Thursday for a chat about your favorite games – past and present – with Game Informer staff, developers, and special guests from around the industry. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.
Matt Storm, the freelance audio editor for The Game Informer Show, edited this episode. Matt is an experienced podcast host and producer who's been speaking into a microphone for over a decade. You should listen to Matt's shows like the "Fun" And Games Podcast and Reignite, a BioWare podcast.Jump to the timestamps to get to a particular point of discussion:
00:00:00 – Introduction
00:08:32 – Resident Evil 4 Remake
00:24:19 – Tchia
00:38:44 – Redfall Hands-On Preview
00:54:41 – Diablo IV
01:11:24 – Listener Emails
01:24:40 – Harvey Smith Interview
Last year, Sonic Origins celebrated Sonic the Hedgehog's birthday by gathering Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and Sonic CD in one place with new features and some added bonuses. Despite some shortcomings, the compilation remains the best official way to experience those classic games from Genesis and Sega CD three decades following their original releases. Today, Sega announced the bundle is about to get better through Sonic Origins Plus, a premium upgrade that arrives a year after the collection's initial launch.
Sonic Origins Plus brings forward all the features of Sonic Origins delivered last year – Classic Mode, Anniversary Mode, widescreen support, added story animations, a virtual museum, and more – while adding a bunch of new content. First up, Sonic Origins Plus adds all 12 Sonic Game Gear games to the museum.
The full list of Game Gear games getting added is listed below.
On top of that, Amy joins the roster of playable characters in the Genesis and Sega CD titles (Sonic 1, Sonic 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and Sonic CD). One of the strangest exclusions in the original Sonic Origins release is also rectified, as Knuckles will become playable in Sonic CD. Sadly, this first press release does not make any mention of restoring the replaced music in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
Sonic Origins Plus arrives on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on June 23. If you don't already own the initial release of Sonic Origins, the digital version of Sonic Origins Plus costs $40. The physical version, which includes a 20-page artbook and reversible coversheet with new art, also costs $40. If you already own Sonic Origins, you can upgrade to Plus for $10. For more on Sonic Origins, check out our review from the base compilation here.
Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is already home to more than 380 songs, but soon, five more, this time from the Nier series, will be added to the game's playable soundtrack.
The Nier: Automata tracks "Dependent Weakling," "Weight of the World Kowaretasekainouta – Marina Kawano," "Amusement Park," "A Beautiful Song," And "Emil's Shop," will be added to the game on March 29. That's next Wednesday, so you don't have to wait long. Check out Square Enix's trailer showcasing these songs in the Tweet below:
The wait is NieRly over!
— FINAL FANTASY (@FinalFantasy) March 23, 2023
The @NieRGame Series pack for Theatrhythm Final Bar Line will launch on March 29th with the following songs:
- Dependent Weakling
- Weight of the World Kowaretasekainouta - Marina Kawano
- Amusement Park
- A Beautiful Song
- Emil’s Shop pic.twitter.com/4c52rjztKl
These five songs will join the recently-added six songs from The World Ends With You series. That DLC pack added "Someday," "Your Ocean," "World is Yours," "Breaking Free," "Twister," and "Calling." Song packs typically cost $3 to $6 depending on the pack, but you'll get all of these NEO songs and all of these Nier songs if you've purchased Season Pass 1.
We love the game, and you can find out why in Game Informer's Theatrhythm Final Bar Line review.
Are you excited for these Nier songs to hit the game? Let us know which one you're most excited to play in the comments below!
During Summer Game Fest last June, Alien fans were treated to the reveal of a new title called Aliens: Dark Descent. The real-time tactical shooter pits a squad of marines against dozens of deadly xenomorphs, though we hadn't seen any gameplay footage until the release of a new video today.
A gameplay commentary video walks players through the basics, in which players command a team of marines to investigate a xenomorph outbreak on Moon Lethe. You’ll issue commands for teammates to attack or execute skills and can also slow time during firefights to select orders. However, your squadmates can perish permanently, but you can raise your survival odds by outfitting soldiers with various weapons and upgrades to ensure the best team composition.
Aliens: Dark Descent is being devleoped by Tindalos Interactive, makers of the Battlefleet Gothic: Armada series, and will be published by Focus Entertainment. It arrives on June 20 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
The Lego Group and 2K have revealed Lego 2K Drive, a new open-world racing game launching this May.
More specifically, Lego 2K Drive hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on May 19. The game is being developed by WWE 2K and NBA 2K studio, Visual Concepts, and is reminiscent of Forza Horizon's open-world exploration mixed with Mario Kart-like racing. If you're wondering how we know that, it's because we went hands-on with it for a few hours recently, and you can read our preview of the game right now.
Check out the game in action below:
Lego 2K Drive is the first collaboration between the Lego Group and 2K but not the last because it is the start of "a multi-title partnership between 2K and the Lego Group to develop AAA Lego games."
"With 2K's proven expertise in creating high quality and engaging interactive entertainment properties and the Lego Group's unprecedented cultural impact, the partnership will evolve the iconic Lego games experience fans know and love in exciting new ways.
"A world-class team at Visual Concepts with deep experience in the genre will bring AAA quality, depth of gameplay, and stunning visuals to a Lego driving game for the first time. Lego 2K Drive will combine the best elements of open-world driving and fast-paced competitive racing, while introducing a diverse vehicle customization system."
One unique aspect of Lego 2K Drive in the open-world racing genre dominated by the likes of Forza Horizon and Need For Speed is that your vehicle changes (with fun brick-building animations) on the fly, depending on the terrain. There are offroad vehicles, street vehicles, and boats, and your vehicle will automatically transform depending on what you're racing on throughout a track. There's also the Garage, which features hundreds of bricks you can use to create and customize vehicles from the ground up. Different paints and more can be applied individually to each brick as well, and vehicles will control differently depending on the build. Be sure to read more about all that and more in our Lego 2K Drive preview here.
Lego 2K Drive hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on May 19.
Are you excited about Lego 2K Drive? Let us know in the comments below!
Atari has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Night Dive Studios, the team behind the upcoming remake of System Shock, for roughly $10 million.
Night Dive Studios is currently led by Stephen Kick and Larry Kuperman and is both a development studio and a publisher. It has published more than 100 games, and will add its remake of System Shock to that list on May 30 (on PC). Atari says a key to the success of Night Dive Studios is its proprietary KEX engine that makes classic games playable on modern hardware. Considering Atari is a retro company, and one that just acquired 12 classic retro games, it's easy to see what Night Dive Studios can do for it.
"In addition, Atari, SA also announced that it intends to proceed in the near-term with a €30 million bond issue convertible into new shares of Atari in order to meet with its capital needs in the context of the implementation of its new growth strategy and refinancing of its debt," the press release reads.
Atari says, "The studio's reputation and deep industry knowledge have made them a go-to partner for some of the largest names in gaming and media and allowed them to develop a diversified portfolio of titles."
It later adds, "With this acquisition, Atari will enrich its large library of owned IP, be able to leverage Night Dive's proprietary technology, and utilize Night Dive's publishing capabilities to support Atari's retro-focused growth strategy."
Atari chairman and CEO Wade Rosen says, "Night Dive's proven expertise and successful track record in commercializing retro IP is well-aligned with Atari's strategy and I am confident that their combined talent, technology, and IP portfolio will contribute to Atari's future success."
Night Dive Studios leads Stephen Kick and Larry Kuperman write, in a joint statement, that "Night Dive and Atari have a long history together and we know that Atari shares our passion for retro games and our focus on producing high-quality new and remastered games that do justice to the original IP. As we look to grow our business and expand our capabilities, we could think of no better long-term partner than Atari."
This acquisition is expected to be completed next month.
For more, watch the latest System Shock Remake trailer and then check out Game Informer's big list of upcoming video game remakes.
Are you going to play Night Dive Studios' remake of System Shock? Let us know in the comments below!
Arkane was developing a PlayStation 5 version of its upcoming first-person vampire shooter, Redfall, before Microsoft acquired Bethesda in 2020. However, following the acquisition, the PS5 version of the game was canceled by Microsoft, according to Arkane director Harvey Smith in an interview with IGN France (translated by IGN).
Discussing this with IGN France, Smith said, "We got bought by Microsoft and that was a huge sea change. They said, 'No PlayStation 5. Now we're gonna do Game Pass, Xbox and PC.'"
Smith said Arkane didn't mind the decision, even if Redfall was originally meant to release on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
"Support from Game Pass and having to worry about one less platform, one less complexity," Smith told IGN France. "And Game Pass has a ton of people that can play. It could be our biggest game ever because of the 30 million Game Pass [members] or whatever that number is."
News of this canceled PS5 version of Redfall doesn't come as much of a surprise. When Redfall was revealed during a 2021 Xbox and Bethesda E3 showcase, it was revealed as an Xbox console exclusive. And considering it's par for the course for companies like PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo to keep their first-party releases off of competitor consoles, it's also not surprising Microsoft opted to make Redfall an Xbox exclusive after it acquired Bethesda.
A spokesperson for Microsoft responded to this story, providing the following statement:
"We haven't pulled any games from PlayStation. In fact, we've expanded our footprint of games that we've shipped on Sony's PlayStation since our acquisition of ZeniMax, and the first two games we shipped after closing were PlayStation 5 exclusives. We did the same thing since our closing of Minecraft as we extended the reach of that franchise. All of the games that were available on PlayStation when we acquired ZeniMax in March 2021 are still available on PlayStation, and we have continued to do content updates on PlayStation and PC. We have always said that future decisions on whether to distribute ZeniMax games for other consoles will be made on a case-by-case basis."Redfall hits Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC on May 2.
For more about the game, watch the latest Redfall story trailer that introduces some of the vampiric big bass and then watch this gameplay trailer that invites you out to a bloody night on the town.
[Source: IGN France via IGN]
Are you excited for Redfall? Let us know in the comments below!
Publisher CI Games and developer Hexworks have released a new trailer showcasing some of the impressive visual work going into its upcoming Lords of the Fallen sequel, The Lords of the Fallen.
The Lords of the Fallen, previously known as Lords of the Fallen 2, has had a rocky development history thus far, but with Hexworks taking over development back in 2020, the sequel has begun to shape up.
We got a reveal trailer during Gamescom last year that showcased the game's darker, more gothic tone alongside word that this sequel will feature online co-op and a world five times larger than its predecessor. We got another look at the game's grisly world in a new trailer released during The Game Awards back in December, and now, thanks to Epic's State of Unreal presentation today, we get to see more of the game.
Because it's a trailer released as part of today's State of Unreal presentation, it's less cinematic than previous trailers and instead, focuses on some of the visual design work going into the game.
Check it out for yourself below in this new trailer for The Lords of the Fallen:
As you can see, The Lords of the Fallen continues to look great, and fortunately, we don't have to wait too much longer to go hands-on with it because it's due out on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC sometime this year.
For more information about the game, head to our hub for The Lords of the Fallen and then read our thoughts on its predecessor in Game Informer's Lords of the Fallen review after that.
Are you excited for The Lords of the Fallen? Let us know in the comments below!
Ninja Theory revealed Senua's Saga: Hellblade II during The Game Awards back in 2019 and while that initial trailer impressed us with its dark tone and beautiful visuals, not much else has been released about the game. Since 2019, the Xbox-owned developer has released two instances of behind-the-scenes footage, with one revealing the game is not a direct sequel to 2017's Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. We did get some gameplay during a trailer at The Game Awards in 2021 but since then, not much.
Now, thanks to today's State of Unreal presentation highlighting the current state of Epic's Unreal Engine, we get another tease of what's to come in Senua's Saga: Hellblade II; this time, it's a look at the impressive facial animation Ninja Theory has pulled off in the sequel.
Check out this new Senua's Saga: Hellblade II teaser for yourself below:
As you can see, Senua's Saga: Hellblade II continues to look impressive. Unfortunately, we still don't know when we'll be playing the game, though.
In the meantime, read Game Informer's Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice review and then head to our Senua's Saga: Hellblade II hub for more information about this upcoming sequel.
What do you make of this latest look at Senua's Saga: Hellblade II? Let us know in the comments below!
Valve has revealed Counter-Strike 2 and it will be released this summer.
An official release date was not revealed, but Valve says Counter-Strike 2 will be a free upgrade to anyone who owns Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Plus, if you do own Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, you can jump into a limited test for Counter-Strike 2 starting today. During this testing period, Valve says it will "be evaluating a subset of features to shake out any issues before the worldwide release."
The company also says, "Counter-Strike 2 is the largest technical leap forward in Counter-Strike's history, ensuring new features and updates for years to come."
Alongside today's reveal, Valve has released three gameplay videos for Counter-Strike 2. You can check out all three below:
Counter-Strike 2 will run in the Source 2 engine, which has tools and rendering features "available for community map makers to make it easier to build, experiment, and iterate." There will be a Source 2 Item Workshop as well, and it will be available at a later time during the Counter-Strike 2 limited test.
The official Counter-Strike 2 has plenty of more nitty-gritty details about the game so head there if you want more information.
Here are some quick-hit highlights players can expect in Counter-Strike 2:
Counter-Strike 2 hits PC sometime this summer.
Are you excited about this surprise Counter-Strike 2 reveal? Let us know in the comments below!
Editor’s Note: This story’s headline has been changed to better reflect that a voice actor from Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 hinted at a September release date, even though developer Insomniac Games has only said the game will be released this fall.
News on Marvel's Spider-Man 2, the highly anticipated follow-up to Insomniac Games' Marvel's Spider-Man from 2018 and 2020's Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, has been light since the game's reveal in 2021. But back in December, PlayStation did reveal that Marvel's Spider-Man 2 would be out sometime this Fall.
According to the voice actor for Venom in the game, Tony Todd (who we heard briefly in the game's reveal trailer), Marvel's Spider-Man 2 could be out this September. Strangely, Todd responded to a fan excited about the game and spilled the beans.
"Looks like September! Massive publicity coming in august. Commercials start dropping in august so I'm told. Hold on to your...and hold breath! Gonna be necessary"
Looks like September! Massive publicity coming in august. Commercials start dropping in august so I’m told. Hold on to your … and hold breath! Gonna be necessary
— Tony Todd (@TonyTodd54) March 21, 2023
Sure seems like information Todd wasn't supposed to reveal, right? Despite what you might think, though, Todd's tweet is still up at the time of this writing, meaning Insomniac Games hasn't made him take it down (yet).
Once people started to realize that Todd had potentially revealed Marvel's Spider-Man 2's release date, he cheekily tweeted the following:
No more hints about #Spiderman2 it was all a fever dream Blame it on jet lag who knows I might not even b #Venom pic.twitter.com/dKf1EsLFwQ
— Tony Todd (@TonyTodd54) March 21, 2023
Now, it's important to note that just because Todd hints the game is coming this September doesn't mean it actually is. We should remain cautious about an official release date or release month until it comes from developer Insomniac Games. But September lines up with the previously revealed Fall window.
A September release date would put this big PlayStation first-party launch up against Xbox's big first-party launch in Starfield (September 6) so this Fall could be quite busy.
Do you think Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will launch in September? Let us know in the comments below!
A few months ago, Netflix announced it was partnering with Gears of War developer The Coalition to bring a film and TV project to the streaming service. Today, the company announced the writer on the film project will be John Spaihts, known most recently for his work on Duneand Doctor Strange. In a press release, Spaihts had the following to say about the project:
“Gears of War is one of the all-time great action games, with vivid characters, a beautifully designed world, and a combat system that drives home the lethality of war and the importance of standing by your squadmates. It wants to be cinema, and I’m thrilled to have the chance to help that happen.”In the same press release, The Coalition called Spaihts "a master storyteller." The Gears of War developer will also be attached to this project as a producer. You can see their tweet about the announcement below.
🫡
— Gears of War (@GearsofWar) March 21, 2023
It's a hell of an honor to team up with @jonspaihts - a talented writer and fellow Gears fan - to adapt an authentic live action Gears of War film with @netflix. https://t.co/OQ3HtpiJkB
We still have no release window for the project, and given that they've only just attached a writer, it's probably still a few years out. While many are likely excited at the prospect of this movie's existence, there is perhaps nobody more eager to be in on the production details than Dave Bautista. The Guardians of the Galaxy star has been campaigning for years to be cast as the live-action version of Marcus Fenix, and was even available as a playable skin in a post-launch update to Gears 5.
Who do you think should direct or star in the Gears movie? Let us know in the comments!
Activision has revealed that Crash Team Rumble, the 4v4 competitive multiplayer game revealed at The Game Awards last year, will be released this June.
More specifically, Crash Team Rumble hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on June 20, as reported by Video Games Chronicle. Activision has also revealed that a closed beta will take place from April 20 through April 24 and anyone who preorders the game will get access to it. This beta will feature Crash Bandicoot, Coco Bandicoot, Tawna Bandicoot, Doctor Neo Cortex, and Dingodile.
The game will cost $29.99 but a deluxe edition for $39.99 will also be available. Crash Team Rumble will also include a battle pass and both editions include the first season's pass. The deluxe edition will also include the Season 2 battle pass, a free 25-tier boost for Season 1, and the digital proto pack, which brings "Blocky" skins to the game alongside some equippable items, according to VGC.
Previews released today mention three different roles in Crash Team Rumble: Booster, Blocker, and Scorer. Using these three roles in a MOBA-like fashion, players will need to collect as much Wumpa Fruit as possible and bring it to their zone. If you've played 2021's Pokemon Unite, you probably get the gist here.
Crash Team Rumble will feature crossplay. It is being developed by Toys for Bob, the team that developed the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy collection and Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time.
While waiting for Crash Team Rumble to release in June, read Game Informer's Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy review and then read our review of Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time.
Crash Team Rumble hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on June 20.
[Source: Video Games Chronicle]
Are you interested in Crash Team Rumble? Let us know in the comments below!
In our never-ending quest to track down the best tech, toys, tabletop games, and gear, 2023 has already become a standout. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or looking for a gift for that special someone, we’ve got plenty of options. Read the full story...
This chilling and bizarre DC Elseworlds story, adapted from a comic book miniseries by Mike Mignola, is a mash-up of the world of Batman and the cosmic-horror fiction of H.P. Lovecraft.
Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham will be available to own on Digital, 4K, and Blu-ray on March 28th. This is your opportunity to own it, yours to keep forever, all you need to do is enter below by 4/2/2023 for your chance to win. We have 10 movies available. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.
Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham is rated PG-13. Must be a resident of the U. S. to accept prize. Full rules are available below with entry. Good Luck!
MUST REDEEM DIGITAL MOVIE OFFER BY 9/30/2023. Consumer must reside in the U.S. and register for a digital service provider account (go to wb.com/RedeemMovie for a list of digital service providers (e.g., Movies Anywhere). May only include HD Main Feature. NOT COMPATIBLE WITH ALL DEVICES. SOME DISPLAY RESOLUTIONS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR STREAMING OR DOWNLOAD ON ALL DEVICES FROM ALL DIGITAL SERVICES. Consult your digital service provider for compatible devices, available display resolutions, streaming and download capability and Terms of Service. Ultimate display resolution on playback is dependent upon connection and device characteristics, including screen resolution. High-speed Internet connection required. Go to wb.com/RedeemMovie for additional details, requirements and technical support. Neither Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. nor any affiliate is responsible for maintaining any digital service. THIS DIGITAL MOVIE OFFER MAY NOT BE RESOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERREDNo Cookies?? Click here to enter the Batman: The Doom that Came to Gotham Sweepstakes
Cal Kestis’ desperate fight against the Empire is the centerpiece of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and a new story trailer provides a peek into his struggle as well as the allies, old and new, helping him.
The trailer provides glimpses of Cal’s friends and crewmates Ceres Junda, Greez Dritus, and Merrin, all sporting five years' worth of age, strife, and hair (or lack thereoff). We also get a look at a new partner, the mercenary Bode Akuna. Some fresh gameplay clips are sprinkled in, too, as we see the now grizzled Cal duel stormstroopers, bounty hunters, and droids.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor launches on April 28 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. To learn more, check out this story about how the director hopes to turn the series into a trilogy and our interview with star Cameron Monaghan.
Shortly after the launch of Sonic Frontiers late last year, Sega and Sonic Team unveiled a 2023 roadmap that includes three significant content releases over the course of the year. Now that we're three months into the calendar, Sonic Team is ready to release the first of the three updates this week.
This first content release of 2023 is called "Sights, Sounds, and Speed" and adds content across three areas of the game. First up, new challenge modes, which can be accessed after you complete the main story campaign, give you access to Cyber Space Challenge and Battle Rush via the title screen. Cyber Space Challenge is a time-attack mode where you play through several of the game's linear Cyber Space stages in rapid succession with the goal of scoring the best time. Battle Rush is the same concept but applied to battle scenarios involving standard enemies, Guardians, and Titans.
Next up, this content release adds a fan-favorite feature for open-world games these days: photo mode. Players can access the free-roaming camera and snap photos (like the one used in the header of this article) through the pause menu.
Finally, players can gain access to songs to listen to while they speed through the Starfall Islands via a new in-game jukebox. Players can choose from 13 songs instantly, with an additional 40 tracks able to be unlocked through exploration of the Starfall Islands. By hunting down Sound Memories on each island, players can fill out their music catalog. While the press release only mentions players being able to "listen to their favorite Sonic songs all throughout the Starfall Islands," the screenshot above seems to indicate the unlockable tracks include classic tracks like "Live & Learn" from Sonic Adventure 2.
This first 2023 content update releases on Wednesday, March 22, at 5 p.m. Pacific/8 p.m. Eastern across all platforms. Content Update 2 appears to be slated for sometime this summer and will add a Sonic's Birthday feature, Open-Zone Challenges, and new Koco, while Update 3 arrives later this year and will add new playable characters and a new story.
Sonic Frontiers arrived on November 8, 2022, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. To learn why we felt it was the best 3D Sonic game in a long time, head to our review right here.
Respawn Entertainment has opened its third studio.
The EA-owned developer announced this news today, stating that this new studio is based in Madison, Wisconsin, and is led by "veteran AAA battle royale and FPS developers," according to a press release. This Madison-based studio will be focused primarily on creating content for Respawn's battle royale FPS, Apex Legends.
Below is a statement about the studio's opening from Daniel Suarez, the senior vice president of operations at Respawn:
We’re incredibly excited to announce that the Apex Legends team at Respawn will continue to strengthen its development team with the introduction of a brand new studio location in Madison, Wisconsin led by industry veteran Ryan Burnett. Ryan is an extraordinary leader with a proven track record in live service games and as a pillar in the massive mid-western game development community in Madison. With nearly two decades of development experience at places like Raven Software and Epic Games, Ryan has a history of inspiring the sort of creativity and innovation in his teams that is the foundation of games like Apex Legends. It’s been our belief since day one that Respawn is not a singular location but a mindset: when passionate and talented people have creative freedom, they'll achieve the unexpected. This view helped us successfully expand to Vancouver in 2019, and as the workplace evolved, it helped us continue to work with the best that the games industry has to offer, whether at the office, remote, or hybrid. We see that Respawn mindset reflected in Madison, which has cemented itself as one of the great game development cities not just in the United States but the entire world. That’s why we’ve worked closely with and appreciate the assistance of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to help facilitate the studio’s growth in Madison. At its core, this expansion represents Respawn’s commitment to work with the most skilled, curious, and creative minds in the industry. Having just passed its 4th anniversary, our aim is to continue to make Apex Legends the premiere Battle Royale on the market. I cannot think of a better addition than the immensely talented developers in Madison working alongside our Los Angeles and Vancouver teams to help us shape what comes next.This studio's opening comes just three weeks after EA laid off more than 200 Apex Legends quality assurance testers at its Baton Rouge, Louisiana office over a Zoom call.
From Software celebrated the one-year anniversary of Elden Ring last month and now, publisher Bandai Namco has released some fun statistics covering what players have done in 365 days of Elden Ring.
Starting with the least surprising statistic, players have attempted to defeat Malenia, Blade of Miquella, a colossal 329 million times. In second place, players have attempted to beat Margit the Fell Omen 281 million times. In third, Limgrave Tree Sentinel 277 million times, Radagon of the Golden Order in fourth at 148 million, and in fifth, Starscourge Radahn at 139 million. Across all bosses in Elden Ring, players have initiated 5.9 billion attempts.
If you enjoyed those stats, there are all kinds of other ones in the infographic below – enjoy!
For more about the game, read Game Informer's Elden Ring review to find out why we gave it a 10 out of 10, and then read about the game's DLC expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree.
Did you defeat Malenia? Let us know how many attempts it took in the comments below!
Update, 3/23/23:
Another day, another horrifyingly cute and disturbing Resident Evil 4 anime short to watch. Earlier this week, Capcom released Episode 1 of its "Resident Evil 4 Anime – Leon and the Mysterious Village," following it up yesterday with the release of Episode 2. Episode 3 is now available for viewing and it's the most gruesome yet (but also, still very cute).
Enjoy!
The original story continues below...
Update, 3/22/24:
Earlier this week, Capcom released a cute (and disturbing) anime short based on Resident Evil 4 and now, just a couple of days later, the company has released another one. The first saw Leon attempting his way through the Village section of Resident Evil 4 but this time, we see him try to rescue Ashley Graham from El Gigante...and it doesn't go well.
Check it out for yourself below:
Resident Evil 4 hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC this Friday, on March 24. We loved the remake and you can find out why in Game Informer's Resident Evil 4 (Remake) review.
The original story continues below...
Original story, 3/20/23:
The remake of Resident Evil 4 is finally out this week and ahead of the game's launch, Capcom has released a cute (and disturbing) anime short based on the game.
In it, we see protagonist Leon Kennedy attempt to get through the curiously adorable Spanish village that serves as the setting to RE4's opening while searching for the missing daughter of the president, Ashley Graham. Things don't go according to plan for Leon, unfortunately, and well, you can see what happens for yourself in the anime short below:
Let's hope our own journeys through RE4 go better than Leon's did in the short above.
Resident Evil 4 (remake) hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC this Thursday, on March 24.
For more information about the game, be sure to visit Game Informer's exclusive hub for Resident Evil 4, which highlights all of our February 2023 cover story coverage for the game.
Are you picking up Resident Evil 4 this week? Let us know in the comments below!
Developer Angry Mob Games has revealed that its action roguelite platformer, Trinity Fusion, will launch into Early Access next month.
More specifically, Trinity Fusion hits Early Access on April 13. You can access this Early Access launch via both Steam and the Epic Games Store. In Trinity Fusion, you play as Maya, a cross-dimensional warrior who is able to tap into three versions of herself across parallel dimensions.
Check out the action all three versions of Maya must face in the multiverse in the new Trinity Fusion trailer below:
"We have a ton of content in the works for Trinity Fusion," Angry Mob Games' Bogdan Iliesiu writes in a press release. "Given the amazing feedback we received from players throughout Steam Next Fest and events like EGX, releasing in Early Access was an easy decision to make. With the Early Access release, we'll be able to get that same great feedback on our new biomes, enemies, and bosses on an ongoing basis as we keep adding more for players to explore and fight through."
Trinity Fusion hits Early Access on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store on April 13.
While waiting for its Early Access launch, check out our previous coverage of Trinity Fusion.
Are you interested in checking out Trinity Fusion next month? Let us know in the comments below!
Zack Snyder, the director behind "Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice," "Man of Steel," and more, has revealed that his upcoming Netflix movie, "Rebel Moon," is getting the game treatment.
Snyder told The Nerd Queens podcast this alongside word that he was helping with the development of the game, as reported by Video Games Chronicle. As for the type of game, Snyder says it will be an RPG and apparently, it will have a "ridiculous scale."
"The one thing that I'm having a really good time with – and I don't really know if I'm supposed to talk about it – is this RPG that we're doing that is just literally insane, and so immersive and so intense and so huge," he said on the podcast, according to VGC. "There's more coming, but all I'll say is that it was pitched to me – because I've always wanted to do an RPG – like, 'well, we could do it at this scale, or we could do it at ridiculous scale.'
"And I was like, 'ridiculous scale is clearly the scale that we should be doing it.'"
Snyder says the team behind the RPG said, "Well, it's going to take so much time, we've got to do all these brain dumps, you've got to tell us everything in the universe, what's happening, the science." And Snyder said he was happy to do that, telling them, "Let's go all the way."
Snyder wrote and directed Rebel Moon and it hits Netflix this December.
In the meantime, read about how Netflix is developing its own series based on video games, like this live-action Assassin's Creed show and this animated Gears of Wars series (alongside a live-action Gears of War film, too).
[Source: The Nerd Queens via Video Games Chronicle]
Are you interested in playing a Rebel Moon RPG? Let us know in the comments below!
Reviewed on:
PlayStation 5
Platform:
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher:
2K Games
Developer:
Visual Concepts
Release:
Rating:
Teen
WWE 2K23 doesn’t break the mold from last year’s big re-debut, instead offering smaller improvements and additions to the elements that worked.The action feels similar but a little more polished, the modes have more features, and is a more solid package all around. Though there are still some kinks to work out, 2K23 stands as a respectable follow-up.
Control-wise, 2K23 is identical to the previous game’s revamped setup, but is a bit smoother. Legacy issues remain, however, such as how finicky picking up weapons feel. I’ve also become increasingly frustrated having to hit multiple reversal buttons due to the often annoying guessing game of deducing which input your opponent may hit. I’d prefer a single, universal counter since nailing the timing alone is tricky enough in its own right. In a nice touch of accessibility, you can now choose whether pinfalls require you to mash buttons to escape or become the “stop the needle” minigame from WWE 2K games past.
WarGames stands as the big new match type, and it faithfully replicates the fun and chaos of the real-life version. Beyond that, the usual offerings return as you remember them, though a more robust tutorial does a better job onboarding or refreshing players to the combat’s various nuances. The roster is impressively deep this time around, looks great, and is mostly up to date. I also didn’t encounter any significant technical glitches – always a good sign for this series. Overall, the gameplay hasn’t changed significantly, so if you enjoyed 2K22, you’ll slip right into 2K23. If you didn’t, it’s unlikely this entry will change your mind.
The documentary-style Showcase mode has a fun twist, letting you relive cover star John Cena’s career as told through his biggest losses. This is a meatier offering than last year’s Rey Mysterio Showcase, as you’ll beat Cena using a wide assortment of his greatest rivals, from Edge to The Rock to Brock Lesnar. The general framework remains unchanged; you can complete objectives such as performing certain moves to unlock extra goodies like era-specific versions of wrestlers. This can feel like work, but the rewards are generally worth the effort, especially if you’re a diehard member of the Cenation.
I enjoyed Cena’s narrations where he praises his opponents while discussing what he learned from these defeats, though I miss listening to the subject’s commentary during the mid-match transitions to real-life video footage. Watching these clips in relative silence dilutes their effectiveness. The generic music that plays during these matches is outright bad, and it’s even worse that you can’t turn it off within the mode itself. Still, Showcase offers a decently fun trip down memory lane and concludes on a delightfully goofy and unexpected twist that almost makes it worth completing just to see.
I had a better time with MyRise compared to last year’s, which offers two separate story campaigns. As either a newly signed indie darling or a second-generation prospect, both stories offer totally different choice-driven narratives that range from being silly to cringy with humorous inside jokes for smartened-up fans (such as executive VP Shawn Michaels claiming WWE has a “great track record” of repackaging superstars under new gimmicks). Though this adventure unfolds in identical fashion – chat with superstars backstage to engage in main and sidequests while picking fights on your social media feed – MyRise is a stronger package this year.
MyGM remains a fun time sink that offers new match types and other options to help build your chosen brand. Additional GM’s (including Xavier Woods and Tyler Breeze for UpUpDownDown fans), modifiers that change the course of a season, plus the option to compete against up more players, are nice bonuses too. I’ve never been a big fan of the sandbox-style Universe Mode, and though it now offers expanded narrative control for steering a superstar’s career, it’s not enough to retain my interest for very long. MyFaction, in which you collect, build, and customize superstar teams via a trading card game format, is pretty much the same but does include competitive online play. As with everything else, smaller tweaks bolster their respective modes in ways that should please their existing fans but may not be enough to attract new ones.
Creating superstars is a dependable treat, and the increased customization options and larger number of superstar save slots enhances this. Photographic face-mapping is a nice touch that, while tricky to work with, lets you re-create existing wrestlers with greater accuracy than ever. Uploading or downloading custom images to an online database is easy as pie; I have fun making my own superstars, but I get an even better kick simply viewing and downloading thousands of community creations. Creating custom arena (which can now be used online), entrances, videos, and championships isn't markedly different from before, but remain entertaining avenues for flexing my creativity.
As of writing, the online play is, unfortunately, a bit of a disaster. During the game’s early launch for Icon and Deluxe Edition players, I never played a match where my opponent(s) wasn’t immediately disconnected and replaced by an A.I..While that’s a smooth fix to keep players in the game, the inability to play without interruption is very disappointing. As of launch things haven't improved much, so I hope it will be patched up soon.
WWE 2K23’s more incremental bells and whistles means it’s technically an overall stronger package than 2K22. However, unlike last year, it doesn’t benefit from the rose-colored excitement of getting to play a big wrestling sim again after a years-long absence. The similarities to its predecessor means 2K23 feels more formulaic than special, but it still continues the series’ overall positive trajectory. Like watching a returning legend perform their greatest hits night after night, the novelty has faded, but I’m still pleased to have them back – for now.
About Game Informer's review system
PurchaseThis week on All Things Nintendo, Brian is joined by Marcus Stewart to talk about his review of Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon. Prior to that, the two celebrate 30 years of Star Fox by running down the history of the franchise and talking about where to series could go from here.
You can follow Marcus on Twitter: @MarcusStewart7
The All Things Nintendo podcast is a weekly show where we can celebrate, discuss, and break down all the latest games, news, and announcements from the industry's most recognizable name. Each week, Brian is joined by different guests to talk about what's happening in the world of Nintendo. Along the way, they'll share personal stories, uncover hidden gems in the eShop, and even look back on the classics we all grew up with. A new episode hits every Friday!
Be sure to subscribe to All Things Nintendo on your favorite podcast platform. The show is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and YouTube.
00:00:00 – Introduction
00:01:04 – Star Fox 30th Anniversary Retrospective
00:43:08 – Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon Review
If you'd like to get in touch with the All Things Nintendo podcast, you can email AllThingsNintendo@GameInformer.com, messaging Brian on Instagram (@BrianPShea), or by joining the official Game Informer Discord server. You can do that by linking your Discord account to your Twitch account and subscribing to the Game Informer Twitch channel. From there, find the All Things Nintendo channel under "Community Spaces."
For Game Informer's other podcast, be sure to check out The Game Informer Show with host Alex Van Aken, which covers the weekly happenings of the video game industry!
Thanks to various illnesses, this week The Game Informer Show is a two-person affair – The Marcus and Kyle show, if you will. We discuss the fantastic Resident Evil 4 remake and enlist the help of the community to make a list of Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games we want to play on Switch. We also talk about our time with the Exoprimal beta, check in on Wo Long potentially one last time, and Marcus talks WWE 2K23 and Bayonetta Origins: Whatever the Subtitle Is.
Follow us on social media: Kyle Hilliard (@KyleMHilliard), Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7), Game Informer on TikTok (@game_informer)
The Game Informer Show is a weekly gaming podcast covering the latest video game news, industry topics, exclusive reveals, and reviews. Join your normal host Alex Van Aken every Thursday for a chat about your favorite games – past and present – with Game Informer staff, developers, and special guests from around the industry. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.
Jump to the timestamps to get to a particular point of discussion:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:03:27 - Resident Evil 4 Remake Review
00:16:06 - The Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games we want on Switch
00:42:59 - Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty potential final check in
00:48:01 - Exoprimal
00:59:27 - WWE 2K23 review
01:14:16 - Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon review
01:26:53 - Outro
Editor's Note: This article was updated on March 20 to include statements from Bungie, Guerrilla, and Lance Reddick's wife, Stephanie Reddick.
Lance Reddick, perhaps best known for his role in HBO's "The Wire" has died. He was 60 years old.
At the time of this writing, the cause of death is unknown but according to TMZ, "law enforcement sources say it appears to be natural." Deadline was also able to confirm, through the actor's public relations representative, that Reddick has died.
Beyond "The Wire," Reddick also had roles in other shows like "Fringe," "Lost," "Bosch," and even last year's "Resident Evil" series on Netflix. His movie credits include the "John Wick" franchise (he was promoting the latest, "John Wick 4," which hits theaters soon, just this week), "Godzilla Vs. Kong," and more.
On the video game side of things, you might recognize him as the voice actor behind Destiny 2's Zavala. He also provided his voice and likeness to Sylens in PlayStation's Horizon series and Martin Hatch in Remedy's Quantum Break.
Below are statements from Destiny 2 developer Bungie, Horizon Forbidden West developer Guerrilla, and Reddick's wife, Stephanie Reddick:
— Lance Reddick (@lancereddick) March 18, 2023
— Bungie (@Bungie) March 17, 2023
— Guerrilla (@Guerrilla) March 18, 2023
The staff at Game Informer extends their condolences to Reddick's family.
Between The Last of Us, The Mandalorian, and a viral TikTok audio, Pedro Pascal has been on a roll this month. Now, he's branching out into something he's never done before: mobile game ads. Following in the footsteps of actress Kathy Bates, Pascal has recently appeared in a series of promotional shorts for a mobile game called Merge Mansion, and Game Informer can exclusively reveal the latest installment. Check it out below:
In this series, Pascal plays a detective named Tim Rockford, who's trying to figure out what exactly is going on with the mysterious grandma in Merge Mansion. It's an enigma so elusive that he never even says exactly what he is he's investigating, though from the collection of knives he has in his evidence room, it seems an act of violence was committed.
In a press release, Pascal had the following to say about this role.
“Merge Mansion has created a fascinating story centered around family drama filled with mystery and secrets that has captivated fans all around the world through their entertaining and unpredictable video campaigns. Making this short film for Merge Mansion was truly a unique experience and I had so much fun working with Martin to fulfill his vision and bring the lore of Merge Mansion to life. From the first day, it was clear how much love and passion the group at Metacore has for its characters and this game and I’m happy that I got to be a part of their next big moment.”What exactly is Tim Rockford investigating? What is grandma putting in her pies? Will Pedro Pascal become a playable character in-game? You'll have to play Merge Mansion, available on iOS and Android devices, to find out.
Which extremely high-profile actor do you think will appear in a Merge Mansion ad next? Let us know in the comments!
Strayed Lights is out next month on consoles and PC, but you can play it today via a new Steam demo.
Developer Embers announced the news of this demo today during the Mix Direct Spring 2023 Showcase that aired today alongside a new trailer for the game. Strayed Lights continues to look great visually, and the action looks awesome.
Check it out for yourself in the new Strayed Lights gameplay trailer below:
"In Strayed Lights, you travel through otherworldly regions of misty woods, glowing ruins, and corrupted cities while pursued by eerie shadow creatures," a press release reads. "You also take on boss fights with colossal creatures wrought with unbridled emotion. Your tiny light will grow, picking up new abilities and increasing in size, before eventually evolving into a pseudo-mystical entity imbued with vivid powers.
"Meanwhile, you'll get a glimpse at the mysteries of the surrounding world, whether through other strayed lights like yourself, or different creatures entirely. The game is set to an atmospheric soundtrack that reflects states of feeling in creatures you encounter, by Grammy-award-winning composer Austin Wintory – whose previous projects include Journey, Abzu, and The Banner Saga Series."
As for the new Steam demo, Embers calls it a "limited time" experience so if you're interested in checking the game out, do it as soon as you can because there's no word on when the demo will no longer be available.
"We are thrilled to be able to share our new gameplay trailer and demo with fans of Strayed Lights," Embers co-founder and creative director Alexandre Arramon writes in a press release. "We've been working hard to create a game that is both engaging and visually outstanding, and we can't wait for players to experience it for themselves."
Strayed Lights hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on April 25.
Are you going to check out the Strayed Lights demo? Let us know in the comments below!
Super Replay gets injected with a terrifying dose of dino-DNA as we tackle Capcom's most underrated game, Dino Crisis! Join us today on Twitch at 2 p.m. Central as we play the 1999 "panic horror" game from start to finish for two hours each week. Each episode will be uploaded to our Game Informer Shows YouTube channel the next day after airing.
After the success of Resident Evil, Capcom followed it up with a spiritual successor called Dino Crisis. The title follows a similar blueprint to Resident Evil but ditches zombies in favor of blood-thirsty dinosaurs. The game stars Regina, a special ops soldier sent with a team to investigate an island research facility that has been taken over by these prehistoric lizards. Join host Marcus Stewart with Kyle Hilliard on the sticks as the pair get to the bottom of whatever the heck is happening on this island and blast these critters back to extinction.
If you enjoy our livestreams but haven’t subscribed to our Twitch channel, know that doing so not only gives you notifications and access to special emotes. You’ll also be granted entry to the official Game Informer Discord channel, where our welcoming community members, moderators, and staff gather to talk games, entertainment, food, and organize hangouts! Be sure to also follow our second YouTube channel, Game Informer Shows, for to watch other Replay episodes as well as Twitch archives such as Replay, GI Live, and more.
Developer Bloober Team has released a new 11-minute trailer showcasing a heaping dose of Layers of Fear gameplay.
Last year, the studio revealed Layers of Fears, a "psychological horror chronicle built upon the foundations of the original Layers of Fear, Layers of Fear: Inheritance, and Layers of Fear 2." This new game is essentially an Unreal Engine 5 collection of Bloober Team's Layers of Fear series, unified with new elements that tie the overall story together.
Bloober Team revealed last month that Layers of Fears is now called Layers of Fear and will release sometime this June. Now, you can check out the game in action in the new Layers of Fear gameplay trailer below:
"Layers of Fear (2023) is a tribute to our fans," the studio writes in a press release. "The game has shaped the way in which we strive to make the best horror experiences possible, and we're hopeful that our community will enjoy what we consider to be the series' crowning work."
Bloober Team says that Layers of Fear features "the original Layers of Fear, Layers of Fear 2, as well as all DLCs (including a new chapter entitled 'The Final Note' that provides an alternate perspective on the first game's storyline)," and that the game "will also introduce the never-before-told story of The Writer, a harrowing tale that ties each entry in the series together."
Layers of Fear will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC sometime this June.
Here are some additional details about the game, straight from Bloober Team:
The Ultimate Layers of Fear Experience - The series’s crowning work casts an overarching narrative over the entire franchise.
Horror Reimagined - Everything in the Layers of Fear series melds together into a single experience, including all DLCs, so players can find all the answers they seek.
Shocking New Looks - Enhanced with Unreal Engine 5’s improved technology. This version offers a more immersive horror experience with the addition of Ray Tracing, HDR, 4K resolution, and the Lumen system.
Psychological Horror - A grim but gripping first-person psychedelic horror game focused on tense exploration, puzzle-solving, and immersive storytelling. Discover what lies in the depths of the human psyche with this mature, cathartic game.
New tricks - New brand-new core mechanics that will be introduced to Layers of Fear and its sequel, as well as additional features, so all the chapters and stories will blend seamlessly
Horror Through the Many Lenses of Art – Explore the depths of obsession with three different stories of craft-obsessed protagonists (The Painter, The Actor and The Writer) which are interwoven to create a truly immersive experience and gripping storyline
Classical, Ominous Soundtrack - Hauntingly beautiful soundtrack composed by the highly-acclaimed musician Arek Reikowski. He has composed a hypnotic score that adds an extra layer of tension to the game and will leave you on the edge of your seat
Bloober Team is publishing Layers of Fear and co-developing the game alongside Anshare Studio.
While waiting for the game's release this June, read Game Informer's Layers of Fear review and then read our Layers of Fear 2 review.
Are you excited for Layers of Fear? Let us know in the comments below!
Last November, Game Freak released Pokémon Scarlet and Violet on Switch. The game quickly became one of the top-selling games in the history of the popular console, and now, it's time for the new generation to kick off within the popular Pokémon Trading Card Game. The inaugural Pokémon Scarlet & Violet expansion does more than just introduce the ninth generation of Pokémon into the TCG; it also implements a whole host of changes, not the least of which is a higher price tag for most items.
However, along with that price increase come several benefits, including a new guarantee of three foil cards in every booster pack, plus the introduction of the silver border in the U.S. and other quality-of-life improvements with regards to the designs. The Pokémon Company sent over several booster packs for us to crack open and see what we could pull. While I was less frequently blown away by the big cards I pulled, this is one of the most robust galleries of "the coolest cards" articles I've done in a great many expansions. Partially, that is due to me enjoying seeing some of the newer Pokémon from Gen IX getting their first cards, but I can't help but think the increase in foil cards was to thank.
In total, the Pokémon Scarlet & Violet expansion introduces more than 190 new cards, including more than 10 new Pokémon ex cards, more than 30 Trainer cards, new Tera Pokémon, and tons of special-illustration Pokémon and Trainer cards. You can see the coolest cards we pulled from this expansion in the gallery below:
Pokémon Trading Card Game: Scarlet & Violet is available starting on March 31. For all things Pokémon Trading Card Game, head to our special hub by clicking the banner below!
Publisher Perfect World and developer Black Wings have revealed Persona 5: The Phantom X, a new mobile spin-off game for iOS and Android devices. It will be free-to-play and feature in-game purchases.
There's no release date for the game yet, but a playtest will begin March 29 in China, as reported by IGN. The visuals and gameplay look quite similar to Persona 5, which isn't surprising considering Atlus, the original makers of Persona 5, are supervising The Phantom X's development.
You can watch the game's reveal trailer below:
IGN reports that the game focuses on the theme of "desire," and that much like in Persona 5, Phantom X members will be able to enjoy a day at school, take part in after-school activities, and of course, infiltrate various palaces by way of the Metaverse.
Check out the Persona 5: The Phantom X gameplay trailer for yourself below:
As you can see in the trailers above, Persona 5: The Phantom X is shaping up to be a pretty faithful spin-off to Persona 5. Here's hoping we all get to go hands-on with it soon.
In the meantime, read Game Informer's Persona 5 review and then check out our review of Persona 5 Royal. Read our Persona 5 Strikers review after that.
[Source: IGN]
Are you going to check out Persona 5: The Phantom X? Let us know in the comments below!
Reviewed on:
PlayStation 5
Platform:
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation VR2, PlayStation 4, PC
Publisher:
Capcom
Developer:
Capcom
Release:
(PlayStation 5,
PlayStation 4,
Xbox Series X/S,
PC), TBA (PlayStation VR2)
Rating:
Mature
There are two entirely different audiences for the Resident Evil 4 remake: those who have played the original game, perhaps multiple or even dozens of times over the last 18 years, and people who have never played it, but want to know what the fuss is all about. Let's start with the former: unequivocally, if you are a fan of Resident Evil 4, you must play the remake. It's not only one of the best action games in recent memory; it's the best Resident Evil since, well, probably the original Resident Evil 4.
From the jump, the remake overwhelms you with danger. The faithfully recreated "village" section throws dozens of enemies your way, requiring you to handle the numerous combat scenarios or die quickly. As it was in 2005, it's a punch-in-the-face type of opening, the game telling you this is how it will be from here on out; get used to it. Running for my life, terrified of the chainsaw-wielding maniac chasing me through crowds of nasty folks, all the while desperately shooting at enemy kneecaps, parrying incoming projectiles, and running in and out of houses as my scarce ammo count gets closer and closer to zero was tense in a way this level hasn't been since I was a kid. That the game maintains this tight-gripped action until the credits roll is a feat of game pacing. For the first time since 2005, Resident Evil 4 is scary again, and I couldn't be happier. It's incredible.
Gameplay has been expanded – namely, you can walk and aim your gun at the same time now, as well as the aforementioned parrying and new melee options – which makes the already-great bones of RE4 feel modern and fresh. Despite my constant anxiety, I had so much fun that I welcomed every major combat encounter. Especially by the time I unlocked the more powerful weapons – shoutout to my semi-automatic shotgun – blowing through scores of enemies felt fantastic. And don't get me started on the game's brutally gross gore system; blasting off heads and arms and even shooting enemies entirely in half as blood flows like confetti out of a pinata has rarely looked this fantastically disgusting. I am a freak, and the Resident Evil 4 remake indulged my sick love of virtual gore.
From a visual and level design perspective, the Resident Evil 4 remake knows precisely when to be nostalgic and when to be fresh. As a lifelong fan of the original, seeing some of my favorite levels and combat arenas recreated 1:1 on the PlayStation 5 was novel and fun. That the next room might be a complete remix or reinvention of a different area, however, kept me on my toes, as if I knew the subject of the painting, but all the details were in new colors. Nevertheless, I welcomed every new addition as much as I did the old standbys.
Perhaps the most elbow grease went into rewriting the game's story, though the narrative beats are all the same. You play as Leon Kennedy, now a special agent of the United States president sent to a remote Spanish village in search of the president's missing daughter, Ashley Graham. At that village, all hell breaks loose. You're soon confronted by scores of angry locals infected by a parasite, Las Plagas, making them easy for the game's main antagonist to control without completely losing their mental faculties. Leon's nightmare takes him through the remote village, into the bowels of a baroque castle hoarded over by a ghoulish Napoleon wannabe, and then finally onto the shores of a military stronghold. All the while, monsters, gore, and death follow.
It's campy, goofy, and over-the-top. And much of that charm is retained here, but with the addition of much sharper writing and better characterization. Ashley, in particular, has been rewritten as a real character with emotions, intelligence, and charisma. That other characters don't sexually harass her like they did in the original is also a huge improvement. Across the board, the cast has received an overhaul, making the protagonists more likable, the enemies more menacing, and the twisting threads of the plot somewhat more coherent – all the while never losing what made the original story so fun in the first place.
I could write a metaphorical book about all the ways I love the Resident Evil 4 remake, but it might be simplest to tell you to look down at the score at the bottom of this page and sum it up like this: if you loved Resident Evil 4 in the past, you will love this remake. Period. Point blank. It is a love letter to a game that fans know up, down, left, right, and center, a faithful recreation at all the right moments, but with expert refinements and modern sensibilities. It's also a radical reimagining when it needs to be, a wonderfully fun game fully confident in its ability to remake one of the best games of all time.
What it lacks, however, is context. And that's important.
Quickly following any mention of the original Resident Evil 4 is discussion of its camera. Rather than the fixed camera angles of its predecessors, the original game placed the camera behind Leon's back. Most importantly, he was slightly off-center to the left. When he aimed, you looked directly over his right shoulder. This perspective is, of course, the template for almost every third-person video game that came after. Resident Evil 4 changed the shape of the game industry.
As great as this remake is – and let me reiterate, it's incredible – I do not think it will show you why Resident Evil 4 was so groundbreaking. It just can't. There's no universe where this game will ever be as important as the game it remakes. It can't come out in the same time, space, and context as the first Resident Evil 4. Somewhat ironically, it's only as good as it is now because it exists in a post-Resident Evil 4 world. And so, while I think it can show you why Resident Evil 4 was fun, goofy, and endearing, if you're someone interested in just why this old game has such an enduring legacy – especially one strong enough to warrant such a massively expensive remake – your best bet is to still play the original, to try and put your mind in a pre-Resident Evil 4 world to understand how that game could change everything. Or better, you can watch a few minutes of a Let's Play or read one of the thousands of articles about it. That will make playing the remake a much richer experience; you can see decades of lessons learned throughout the game industry about how to make a third-person action game thrilling, fun, and mechanically effective reapplied to the source material. It's a refinement, not a reinvention. And that space is the most interesting place this remake can occupy.
The Resident Evil 4 remake is about everything I could've wanted. But importantly, it doesn't overwrite its predecessor. If anything, this new version reinforces why the original Resident Evil 4 is a game people should still seek out, play, or at least watch and learn about. But as a love letter to one of the greatest games of all time, as a new historical artifact that reinforces why the source material was so landmark in the first place, this new trek through the Spanish countryside is as good as it gets and makes a great game that much better.
About Game Informer's review system
PurchaseSea of Stars, Sabotage Studio’s promising retro-inspired RPG (and our cover story this month), is coming to Xbox consoles. Until now, the game was only slated for PlayStation, Switch, and PC.
The RPG prequel to The Messenger arrives on Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One on August 29 alongside the other versions. The developer made the announcement on its Kickstarter page, writing,
“Since the very beginning, we were secretly hoping to be able to cover all current and previous generation consoles. With production being a world of curve balls, we had to leave the messaging at 'PC and Consoles' to avoid having to walk some things back. With the big unknowns now in the rear view, we are delighted to finally confirm the addition of Xbox to the party!”
Additionally, Sabotage revealed that Sea of Stars’ playable demo, currently available only on Switch, will make its way to other platforms later this year.
You can learn more about Sea of Stars by checking out our cover story. Sea of Stars will also be available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC.
Last year, Dying Light 2 Stay Human studio, Techland, revealed the first look at its unannounced fantasy RPG that's now in development. Now, the studio has released another conceptual look at the game.
Back when Techland revealed it was working on this game in May of last year, it referred to the unannounced game as a "AAA open-world action-RPG in a fantasy setting." Today's new concept art features some additional details, this time with more of a focus on how the game is a narrative-driven epic.
"We never stop improving," Techland's tweet reads. "Our newest game is set to be a narrative-driven fantasy epic with an exotic open world ready to be explored. We strive to create a compelling story-focused AAA title that combines and refines the best aspects of gameplay that Techland is known for."
We never stop improving!
— Techland (@TechlandGames) March 16, 2023
Our newest game is set to be a narrative-driven #fantasy epic with an exotic open world ready to be explored. We strive to create a compelling story-focused #AAA title that combines and refines the best aspects of gameplay that Techland is known for. pic.twitter.com/SuJ8vVWbrI
As you can see in the concept art above, this still-untitled game continues to look intriguing. Here's hoping we learn more soon!
While waiting to learn more, read our thoughts on Techland's latest in Game Informer's Dying Light 2 Stay Human review and then check out this other piece of concept art from Techland's in-development open-world fantasy RPG.
Are you excited for this new Techland property? Let us know in the comments below!
Fireshine Games, the publisher behind titles like Lies of P and Dredge, has revealed Toads of the Bayou, a new turn-based tactical game coming to Early Access on PC next year.
Toads of the Bayou is the first game from La Grange, a new studio based in France, and it brings roguelike deckbuilding, settlement-building elements, and more to the strategy genre. In the game, players will control a band of toads looking for a place to call home in the swamps of the deep south. However, in order to protect your settlement, you'll need to fend off the evil Baron Samedi. Along the way, you'll grow your toad family, create more powerful decks, build a settlement, and more across each run.
Check out the action for yourself in the Toads of the Bayou teaser trailer below:
"Toads of the Bayou is about combining southern gothic spookiness and the sweet taste of cartoon memories into our own take on the turn-based tactical genre," La Grange game designer Alexandre Clement writes in a press release. "The goal for us was to allow the player to establish their place in this cursed environment and make them appreciate how hard they fought and what they stood for. Nothing is ever granted in the Bayou, and thriving against the Baron's evil forces is a real achievement."
Toads of the Bayou will hit Early Access via Steam on PC sometime in 2024.
Are you interested in Toads of the Bayou? Let us know in the comments below!
Publisher Bethesda Softworks and developer Arkane Studios have released a new story trailer for Redfall, and it features four of the vampiric big bads we'll be battling in Massachusetts this May.
Running nearly three and a half minutes long, this trailer shows off quite a bit of the quaint (and vampire-ridden) town of Redfall. We see our heroes in action, utilizing special abilities like invisibility, as well as a healthy dose of vampires. We also get an introduction to The Hollow Man, Bloody Tom, Miss Whisper, and the Black Sun, four vampires who appear to be at the top of the food (blood) chain in town.
Check them out for yourself in the Redfall story trailer below:
As you can see, this new story trailer details quite a lot about what's going on in Redfall. There are hints at the corporation behind it all, the types of vampires we'll be facing off against, many of the locales we'll be shooting our way through, and much more.
For more about the game, check out the Redfall developer deep dive held back in January, and then watch this trailer from October that invites you to a bloody night on the town. After that, read our Redfall preview for details on how you and your friends will take back the city this summer.
Redfall hits Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC on May 2, 2023.
Are you jumping into Redfall on day one? Let us know in the comments below!
Developer Sumo Digital and publisher Gun Interactive announced its asymmetric multiplayer game, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, during The Game Awards in 2021, and we came away impressed with what we played of it back in September. However, when we'd all be able to play the game together remained an unknown – until today.
Sumo Digital announced via an exclusive reveal with IGN that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre will hit PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on August 18, 2023. The studio also announced that a technical test would be held on May 25, 2023, before the game's launch later this year.
Check out the official Texas Chain Saw Massacre release date trailer for yourself below:
Eligibility details for the upcoming technical test will be released by Gun Interactive and Sumo Digital on social media, so tune in there if you're interested.
In the meantime, read Game Informer's Texas Chain Saw Massacre preview to find out our thoughts on the game after going hands-on with it.
Are you excited to jump into The Texas Chain Saw Massacre this August? Let us know in the comments below!
Atari has revealed that it has acquired 12 classic arcade properties, including Berzerk and its sequel, Frenzy.
Strangely, though, Atari did not reveal all 12 properties that it has acquired. In the press release announcing the news, the company only lists Berzerk and Frenzy. Atari simply says it has acquired a "dozen retro arcade games" so it's likely the other 10 properties are from the same era of arcade games as Berzerk and Frenzy.
"Atari...announced today the acquisition of a dozen retro arcade games, including the '80s classics Berzerk and Frenzy," the press release reads. "Atari will seek to expand digital and physical distribution of the classic titles, create new games based on the IPs, and explore brand and merchandising collaborations."
Atari says Berzerk is "a top-down, multidirectional shooter designed by Alan McNeil that was released for arcades in 1980." It's perhaps best known for being the first arcade video game with speech synthesis. Following its arcade release, Berzerk was ported to the Atari 2600 and Atari 5200 by the console maker. Frenzy is actually a sequel to Berzerk first released in 1982.
"Berzerk is one of those foundational games that so many people first encountered playing on an Atari console," Atari CEO Wade Rosen writes in the press release. "Berzerk, and the other titles included in this acquisition, are a perfect fit for our strategy of commercializing classic retro IP."
Who knows if we'll learn what the other 10 retro arcade properties Atari has acquired are – only time will tell. In the meantime, read Game Informer's review of Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration.
Have you played Berzerk or Frenzy? Let us know in the comments below!
Chaque mois, le conteur, dramaturge et romancier Raharimanana nous donne rendez-vous sur son chemin nomade. Des mots et images posés sur des paysages sensibles, imaginaires, et leur résonnance avec le monde en train de se (dé)-(re)faire, avec toujours, quelque part, un regard porté VERS un espace à advenir, l’Utopie. Un rendez-vous mensuel, un carnet de [...]
L’article Revenir, Tisser, tout cela ne semble plus avoir de sens est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Avec Une magie ordinaire, Kossi Efoui signe son roman le plus autobiographique, mêlé de réflexions sur la littérature, sur son parcours de vie jalonné de violence, mais également sur son rapport à son pays, le Togo – du moins celui de ses parents. Une magie ordinaire est la fabrique d’une pièce d’identité, non pas celle [...]
L’article Une magie ordinaire de Kossi Efoui : roman carte d’identité est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Au-delà de sa passion pour les mots et pour la transmission orale des valeurs véhiculées par l’héritage ancestral des contes, l’artiste-conteur camerounais Arthur Angong Zé a fait de son savoir tout un art de vie et une bataille en même temps. Sans ce médium il ne s’imagine exister en tant qu’être pensant et agissant. Parce [...]
L’article Arthur Angong Zé : « Le conte c’est ma routine, c’est mon monde » est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
C’est en 2013 que la franco-béninoise Eve de Medeiros, passionnée de dessin, crée le salon DDESSINParis. L’objectif est ambitieux : faire connaître le dessin sous toutes ses formes comme un medium à part entière en valorisant le travail d’artistes émergents, notamment africains et afro-descendants. Ainsi, le salon accueille – du 24 au 26 mars – [...]
L’article DDESSINParis : tremplin pour les artistes africains est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Encore des massacres dans le nord du pays durant la semaine précédente : le FESPACO 2023 se déroulait du 25 février au 4 mars dans un pays sous tension en raison des attaques terroristes qui s’intensifient depuis 2015. Deux millions de déplacés, des milliers de morts, 6000 écoles fermées[1]… Le festival était forcément marqué par [...]
L’article Fespaco 2023 / 1 : le cinéma face au terrorisme est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Présenté au festival de Cannes de mai 2022 dans la section Un certain regard, où il a obtenu le prix Fipresci de la critique internationale, le nouveau film de Maryam Touzani était également en sélection officielle au Fespaco 2023 où il a obtenu le prix du meilleur scénario. Il sort le 22 mars 2023 sur [...]
L’article Le Bleu du caftan, de Maryam Touzani est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Le Contrat racial du philosophe Charles W. Mills, publié en 1997 aux Etats-Unis, est enfin disponible en français grâce à la traduction de Aly Ndiaye, alias Webster, aux Editions Mémoire d’Encrier. Un livre de référence qui a nourri les mouvements de Black Lives Matter. Il est selon un autre philosophe, Souleymane Bachir Diagne, « un des [...]
L’article « La suprématie blanche est le système politique qui, sans jamais être nommé, a fait du monde moderne ce qu’il est aujourd’hui » est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Le nouvel opus poétique d’Henri-Michel Yéré, Polo kouman, Polo parle, publié en mars 2023 aux Editions d’En Bas, est un texte pionnier. Ecrit en double langue, en nouchi sur la page de gauche, en français sur celle de droite, il porte à deux voix le dialogue du parleur Polo interrogeant Demain. Il s’agit du premier [...]
L’article Polyphonique Polo ou quand le nouchi entre en littérature est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Thomas Boutant a choisi sa mission, ou peut-être l’a-t-elle choisi. Sur son chemin, la musique sème les graines d’une explosion de notes, de biguine, de jazz, d’un jazz caribéen qui doit s’émanciper. Le directeur artistique et programmateur du Big In Jazz Festival nous raconte comment le legs du père devient le legs du fils à [...]
L’article Avec le Big In Jazz festival : révéler notre lieu comme un berceau diasporique est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Ensemble pancaribéen, le Big In Jazz Collective (BJC) naît à l’initiative de Thomas et Manuel Boutant, avec pour ambition de devenir la principale vitrine du Biguine Jazz Festival, du jazz caribéen et de la musique afro-caribéenne à travers le monde. Avec leur premier album, Global, le BJC nous rappelle que la biguine est une des [...]
L’article Big In Jazz Collective : place à la biguine est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Dans son premier essai intitulé Afropolis (Editions Les Indes Savantes), publié en septembre 2022, Cécilia Emma Wilson, propose un historique des mouvements panafricanistes ainsi que des pistes pour la construction d’un panafricanisme transculturel. Afropolis plaide pour un panafricanisme qui, loin de mener à une notion de séparatisme ou à un figement dans une « identité africaine » [...]
L’article Afropolis : pour un panafricanisme transculturel est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Avec son quatrième roman, Le Vent a dit nom (Ed. Apic) le jeune prodige algérien de 25 ans, Mohamed Abdallah, revient sur les événements qui précédèrent la guerre d’indépendance de l’Algérie avec la création en 1954 du FLN et le début de la lutte armée contre la France coloniale. Il succède à Nassuf Djailaïni comme [...]
L’article Prix Ahmed Baba 2023 pour Le Vent a dit son nom de Mohamed Abdallah est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Le bref opuscule titré Décolonial, publié chez l’éditeur indépendant Anamosa donne au sociologue parisien Stephane Dufoix l’occasion de faire le point sur ce concept, conspué ou en usage, en France chez les chercheurs, les médias et les personnalités politiques depuis quelques années. Un texte nécessaire et stimulant. Stephane Dufois situe le parti-pris de ce texte [...]
L’article Décolonial : penser depuis un concept controversé est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
La quinzième Rentrée littéraire du Mali, en réunissant auteurs, éditeurs et programmateurs de manifestations littéraires, donne aussi l’occasion de poursuivre notre série sur les éditions africaines, avec ici un focus sur les livres jeunesse. Lors d’un moment dédié aux enfants, la Malle aux livres au musée Muso Kunda, Africultures a rencontré Laure Bledou, directrice éditoriale [...]
L’article Bayard Afrique : en pleine renaissance est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Il y a des poèmes qui sont faits pour être déclamés, pour quitter le confort des pages et renaître dans l’exercice de l’écoute et du partage. Le dernier recueil du poète et slameur camerounais Marc Alexandre Oho Bambe, paru en août 2022 chez Mémoire d’encrier à Montréal, en fait partie. À la fois « célébration de [...]
L’article La Vie poème de Marc Alexandre Oho Bambe : Manifeste de (sur)vie poétique est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
En quinze éditions, l’enthousiasme n’est jamais retombé. Au contraire, il serait plutôt décuplé et, en dépit d’un climat général dégradé et de la mauvaise santé du secteur du livre, il est important de le souligner et de saluer le travail inlassable d’Ibrahima Aya, le co-directeur et fondateur de la Rentrée littéraire du Mali et de [...]
L’article Quinzième édition de la rentrée littéraire du Mali : la carte de l’ouverture est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
En sortie le 8 mars dans les salles françaises, Nayola, qui suit trois femmes angolaises de trois générations, montre comment l’animation peut évoquer et faire ressentir pleinement l’Histoire. Après des études aux Beaux-Arts de Lisbonne, le Portugais José Miguel Ribeiro se prend de passion pour le cinéma d’animation. Le producteur Jorge Antonio lui fait découvrir [...]
L’article Nayola, de José Miguel Ribeiro est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Présenté à la Quinzaine des réalisateurs au Festival de Cannes de 2022, Le Barrage est le premier long métrage du plasticien Ali Cherri. Politique et fascinant. Né à Beyrouth, Ali Cherri est un plasticien et cinéaste vivant à Paris. Combinant films, vidéos, sculptures et installations d’art contemporain, il explore la construction des récits historiques. Le [...]
L’article Le Barrage, d’Ali Cherri est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Présenté à la Semaine de la critique au dernier festival de Cannes, le dernier film de Clément Cogitore sort le 1er mars 2023 dans les salles françaises. Un chef d’oeuvre. Dans les quartiers à forte population africaine de Paris, de petites publicités sont distribuées à la sortie du métro pour des magiciens et marabouts qui [...]
L’article Goutte d’or, de Clément Cogitore est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Il n’existe de paradis qu’au paradis de Cheick Oumar Kanté est un roman qui peut être considéré comme le deuxième volet d’un duo qui commence 20 ans plutôt avec Fatoba, l’Archipel Mutant. L’auteur y explore, avec une plume sophistiquée, mais d’une manière allégorique, des questions de géopolitique, de philosophie politique et de gouvernance nationale dans [...]
L’article Il n’existe de paradis qu’au paradis : une invitation à visiter le pays de l’intelligence collective est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
La 45ème édition du Festival international du court métrage de Clermont-Ferrand (France) s’est tenue du 27 janvier au 4 février 2023 dans la capitale auvergnate. C’est cette année encore un réalisateur africain qui en emporte le grand prix de la compétition internationale. Considéré comme l’un des plus importants festivals de courts métrages au monde, celui [...]
L’article Clermont 2023 : inégale présence africaine est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Comme la plupart de ses précédents textes, Corps Errants, Cœurs Malades. La Double Peine, le dernier livre de Mohamed Anssoufouddine a été publié en septembre 2022 chez KomEDIT, la principale maison d’édition militante des Comores. Corps Errants m’a tout de suite rappelé Miroirs (1972) du deuxième africain Nobel de littérature : Naǧīb Mahfūz. Comme une [...]
L’article Une poét(h)ique d’accompagnement de « Corps Errants, Cœurs Malades. La Double Peine » est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Dans cette première pièce, Elles disent, de la danseuse Nach, quatre interprètes narrent leur poursuite de nouvelles manières d’être au monde en tant qu’individu au sein d’un groupe. “Elles disent qu’elles ont appris à compter sur leurs propres forces. Elles disent qu’elles savent ce qu’ensemble elles signifient. Elles disent, que celles qui revendiquent un langage [...]
L’article « Elles disent » par NACH : la quête de soi à travers le clan est apparu en premier sur Africultures.
Avec Vous, les ancêtres, Bessora poursuit la dynastie des boiteux. Comme toujours chez Bessora, c’est un livre fait de poésie et baigné de réel merveilleux. Roman d’apprentissage et saga à la fois, on y entre avec l’envol d’un récit d’aventure. Mais Jane est un personnage qui cumule les statures d’héroïne et d’anti-héroïne. XVIIème siècle, Cornouailles. [...]
L’article « Vous, les ancêtres » de Bessora : roman d’apprentissage et saga à la fois est apparu en premier sur Africultures.