War of the Worlds - Siberia Trailerhttps://adapt.one/editorial/link/276/War+of+the+Worlds+-+Siberia+Trailer/Watch the gameplay reveal for The War of the Worlds: Siberia, a third-person action-adventure game developed by 1C Game Studios.

Dont fear failure. Fear ignorance.Published inThe Medium BlogSent as aNewsletter4 min readJust now-- Welcome back to the Medium NewsletterIssue #224: your thoughts on the Great Barrington Declaration, and a useful quoteHere are three pieces of practical wisdom to take with you this week:Your biggest fear should not be failure; it should be ignorance. In the words of Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth, the downfall of most organizations is widespread acceptance of the wrong idea misinformed, overconfident assumptions that become so familiar they go unquestioned. This applies on a personal level, too. One way to combat it: seek out, encourage, and reward dissent.A singleminded passion might sustain you briefly, but when it flames out, as novelist and marketer Felicia C. Sullivan recommends, think of your life as a series of rooms you can dip in and out of. Build a house of fulfillment that can sustain you over time, bigger than any individual pursuit.The top 10 movies of 2024 are all sequels, if you count Wicked as a sequel. Reasons for this are cultural and economic: The rise of streaming makes studios more risk-averse because they can no longer earn long-tail revenue on VHS and DVD sales. More data = more obsession with data, and a preoccupation with replicating hits. Rebranding existing IP is cheap and nostalgia sells. Ask yourself: How often are you watching/reading/listening to stories that feel new and challenging v. stories that feel familiar? (Ted Gioia) Harris SockelAlso today: Your thoughts on the Great Barrington DeclarationLast week, we sent a newsletter about the Great Barrington Declaration, a 2020 open letter by three epidemiologists arguing blanket Covid lockdowns would do more harm than good. Many of you responded thoughtfully, disagreeing or adding nuance to the conversation. We love nothing more than reasoned disagreement. Here are a few responses that stood out to us:In retrospect, some of the premises laid down in the GDB actually hold true. There was an impact on mental health, and it was difficult to get access to general medical procedures due to the lockdown.The term herd immunity is usually misunderstood. As defined in the GBD, it implies a steady rate of infection (and cure), similar to what we see with influenza. But the general public took it to mean that well become immune to the corona virus, which can never happen as the virus always mutates. S ChakrabortyI get the point you make in this article, and generally agree with it except that the pushback on the GBD wasnt overblown. The GBD made some claims that have been proven false, and the anti-vax, anti-shutdown, anti-public health political right immediately adopted a black-and-white approach, acting as if they knew what was right and wrong, and ignoring the fact that public health authorities were making the best decisions they could under circumstances of uncertainty. They dishonestly framed the issue in terms of good vs. evil, and that is what the pushback was against. Robert KantnerFrankly, I cant see why you would want to elevate people with a track record of being wrong over those who have a track record of being right. Or how you would think you could justify doing so by saying well, there was a lot of fear and uncertainty at the time. Surely thats all the more reason to back those who made good decisions despite the challenging circumstances? Mark SYou strike the right tone of intellectual curiosity, neutrality, and just practical common sense. Something that has eroded in the last eight years. Nice to see an effort to stimulate healthy, informative dialogue rather than continue the campaign of painting those with a differing opinion as evil. Gpanah in an email to tips@medium.com One more story: on givingSix years ago, Kristine Levine published a Medium essay reflecting on the poverty and hunger she experienced as a child. Levines mom was unemployed, and they rarely ate dinner. One night, they wandered the neighborhood, knocking on doors until a neighbor answered. She immediately packed up her entire dinner table and handed it to them. Levine has been thinking about that moment her entire life not just because of what it meant to her and her mother, but because it contains a lesson that applies to so much in life. When you give the best you have to someone in need, Levine writes, it translates into something much deeper to the receiver. It means that they are worthy.

Hunter x Hunter Nen x Impact banned in AustraliaUpcoming fighting game refused classification for scenes of "implied sexual violence"Image credit: Arc System Works News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Dec. 9, 2024 The Australian Classification Board has banned Hunter x Hunter Nen x Impact due to "implied sexual violence."As reported by Polygon, the Arc System Works title was refused classification due to it containing "a scene of a visual depiction of implied sexual violence, where an adult male exposes himself to persons under the age of 18 years."The game, which has been delayed until 2025, is set to launch on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5.In October, Sony apologised after Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number was accessible in Australia for a year after being banned in 2015 due to themes of sexual violence.Sony was made aware that Hotline Miami 2 had not received "a proper rating from the Australian Classification Board" and refunded customers who purchased the game during that period.

Deck Nine Games lays off more staffIt's unclear how many employees were impacted News by Marie Dealessandri Deputy Editor Published on Dec. 9, 2024 Life is Strange: True Colors developer Deck Nine has made an unspecified number of layoffs.The redundancies were announced over the weekend in a message shared on the studio's social media by CEO Mark Lyons.He said: "Today, we are sad to share the news that we must say goodbye to some of our talented team members. This was an extremely difficult decision and reflects the challenging times many companies in our industry are currently facing. We are extremely grateful to every individual who has dedicated their hard work, passion and commitment to making transformative entertainment with us."He didn't share further details about how many staff members were affected by the layoffs. GamesIndustry.biz has reached out for comment.This is the second round of layoffs at the Life is Strange developer this year, with Deck Nine cutting 20% of its staff in February.An IGN investigation into the studio in April saw staff raise concerns about the firm's culture, with allegations of hate speech, crunch, toxic behavior and management.

Amazon announced at CCXP in Brazil yesterday that season three of Prime Video fantasy series The Wheel of Time will start streaming on March 13th, 2025, writes Deadline. The company also released a new teaser trailer, setting stakes that include the life of at least one main character. The trailer opens with Rand alThor (Joshua Stradowski) and others standing on a hill overlooking a fog-shrouded city. Rand and Moiraine Damodred (Rosamund Pike) are headed to the Aiel Waste to uncover the true fate of the Dragon Reborn in this season, according to the trailers description. If you havent watched the show or read Robert Jordans book series by the same name, Rand is the Dragon Reborn, a prophecied being who could save the world or destroy it if he succumbs to the Dark.I have seen a thousand thousand futures. In every future where I lived, Rand dies, says Moiraine Damodred (Rosamund Pike). And the only way he lives is if I dont, she adds before shes seen being carried, unconscious, by Rand at the end of the trailer.Besides Stradowski and Pike, season 3 will see the return of several characters, including Perrin Aybara (Marcus Rutherford), Nynaeve alMeara (Zo Robbins), Mat Cauthon (Dnal Finn), and al-Lan Mandragoran (Daniel Henney).

Black Friday and Cyber Monday may be over, butSonys ongoing holiday sale lives on, giving you a chance to save on various PlayStation 5 consoles, games, and accessories through January 2nd. Now until December 25th, for example, you can save up to $75 on the newer PS5 slim (now $424 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target) and the PS5 Digital Edition (now $374 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart).RelatedIf you already have a PS5 and are looking for new ways to play, the PlayStation VR 2 is currently on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target with Horizon Call of the Mountain for $349 ($250 off), which may be tempting. The virtual reality headset is easy to set up and offers excellent PC-grade immersion, though its lineup still remains somewhat limited nearly two years after its release.PlayStation 5 slim$424$50015% off$424$424$50015% offSonys new standard PlayStation 5 includes a removable disc drive, dual front-facing USB-C ports, 1TB of storage, and a slightly smaller and lighter design.$349$349$60042% offSony sells a bundle consisting of its PSVR 2, controllers, and a physical copy of Horizon Call of the Mountainfor the PS5.Not into VR? Its also a great time to pick up extra controllers, gaming headsets, and other PS5 accessories. Now until December 13th, Sonys standard DualSense Wireless Controller is on sale for as low as $54 ($21 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target, while the reflective Chroma variants can be had for $59. There arent many PS5 controllers wed recommend over the DualSense, namely because most third-party options lack the adaptive triggers and haptic engine, which add real tension to mirror your in-game actions.You can also pick up Pulse-branded headsets throughout the same period, including the Pulse Elite, which is down to an all-time low of $129.99 ($20 off) at Best Buy, Walmart, and GameStop. The Pulse Explore earbuds are also on sale starting at $169 ($30 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. Both use planar magnetic drivers, which noticeably impact the 3D audio listening experience, along with a proprietary low-latency codec that works natively on PS5 consoles and Windows PCs with the included dongle. If youre looking to change up the look of your PS5, you can also pick up one of several Console Covers starting at $44.99 ($10 off). A number of games are on sale, too, including the collectors editions of Marvels Spider-Man 2 for $149.99 ($80 off) and MLB The Show 24Astro Bot for $49.99 ($10 off).DualSense Wireless Controller $54$7528% off$54$54$7528% offThe controller designed for the PS5, featuring adaptive triggers, a built-in microphone, and haptic feedback technologies. Read our review.PlayStation Pulse Elite$130$15013% off$130$130$15013% offSonys PlayStation Pulse Elite is an over-ear headset with a retractable boom mic. Its designed to filter out background noise, deliver low latency and lossless audio, and work with the PlayStation Portal or the PlayStation 5, PC, and Mac via the PlayStation Link USB adapter. Pulse Explore earbuds $169$20016% off$169$169$20016% offThe Pulse Explore are a relatively new set of PlayStation-branded wireless earbuds from Sony that deliver low latency, lossless audio. Theyre compatible with the PlayStation Portal as well as the PS5, PC, and Mac via the included PlayStation Link USB adapter.More deals to shop this weekendNow through January 2nd, new Mint Mobile customers can get a year of cellular service with unlimited talk, text, and data for $180 (50 percent off), which breaks down to $15 a month. You have to pay for all 12 months upfront, but thats a great value for the T-Mobile-owned MVNO carrier. Just bring your phone, drop in the SIM card (or activate via eSIM), and you can connect to the same 4G LTE and 5G towers that T-Mobile customers do. Just be mindful that youll be slowed after using 40GB of data each month, and your video streaming will be limited to 480p.Its a little nippy out in many parts of the US, but the birds are still cutting through the chilly winds to get their food. Fortunately, you can keep watch on them from the warmth of your home with Bird Buddys smart bird feeder, which is currently available for $199 ($20 off) directly from Bird Buddy. The feeder will alert you when new visitors arrive, take a photo of them, and even detect their species so you can learn more about them. It also uses a detachable solar roof, allowing it to stay powered indefinitely.The Marshall Emberton II, a Bluetooth speaker that resembles a mini guitar amp, is on sale for $99.99 ($50 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Marshalls online storefront. While we havent reviewed the second-gen model yet, the original offered a warm, bassy sound signature with well-balanced mids and highs. The sequel builds on it with IP67 water resistance while retaining up to 30 hours of battery life and the ability to sync with multiple units for an even bigger sound.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of machine learning and artificial intelligence, understanding the fundamental representations within transformer models has emerged as a critical research challenge. Researchers are grappling with competing interpretations of what transformers representwhether they function as statistical mimics, world models, or something more complex. The core intuition suggests that transformers might capture the hidden structural dynamics of data-generation processes, enabling complex next-token prediction. This perspective was notably articulated by prominent AI researchers who argue that accurate token prediction implies a deeper understanding of underlying generative realities. However, traditional methods lack a robust framework for analyzing these computational representations.Existing research has explored various aspects of transformer models internal representations and computational limitations. The Future Lens framework revealed that transformer hidden states contain information about multiple future tokens, suggesting a belief-state-like representation. Researchers have also investigated transformer representations in sequential games like Othello, interpreting these representations as potential world models of game states. Empirical studies have shown transformers algorithmic task limitations in graph path-finding and hidden Markov models (HMMs). Moreover, Bayesian predictive models have attempted to provide insights into state machine representations, drawing connections to the mixed-state presentation approach in computational mechanics.Researchers from PIBBSS, Pitzer and Scripps College, and University College London, Timaeus have proposed a novel approach to understanding the computational structure of large language models (LLMs) during next-token prediction. Their research focuses on uncovering the meta-dynamics of belief updating over hidden states of data-generating processes. It is found that belief states are linearly represented in transformer residual streams with the help of optimal prediction theory, even when the predicted belief state geometry shows complex fractal structures. Moreover, the study explores how these belief states are represented in the final residual stream or distributed across multiple layer streams.The proposed methodology uses a detailed experimental approach to analyze transformer models trained on HMM-generated data. Researchers focus on examining the residual stream activations across different layers and context window positions, creating a comprehensive dataset of activation vectors. For each input sequence, the framework determines the corresponding belief state and its associated probability distribution over hidden states of the generative process. The researchers utilize linear regression to establish an affine mapping between residual stream activations and belief state probabilities. This mapping is achieved by minimizing the mean squared error between predicted and true belief states, resulting in a weight matrix that projects residual stream representations onto the probability simplex.The research yielded significant insights into the computational structure of transformers. Linear regression analysis reveals a two-dimensional subspace within 64-dimensional residual activations that closely matches the predicted fractal structure of belief states. This finding provides compelling evidence that transformers trained on data with hidden generative structures learn to represent belief state geometries in their residual stream. The empirical results demonstrated varying correlations between belief state geometry and next-token predictions across different processes. For the RRXOR process, belief state geometry showed a strong correlation (R = 0.95), significantly outperforming next-token prediction correlations (R = 0.31).In conclusion, researchers present a theoretical framework to establish a direct connection between training data structure and the geometric properties of transformer neural network activations. By validating the linear representation of belief state geometry within the residual stream, the study reveals that transformers develop predictive representations far more complex than simple next-token prediction. The research offers a promising pathway toward enhanced model interpretability, trustworthiness, and potential improvements by concretizing the relationship between computational structures and training data. It also bridges the critical gap between the advanced behavioral capabilities of LLMs and the fundamental understanding of their internal representational dynamics.Check out the Paper. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. If you like our work, you will love ournewsletter.. Dont Forget to join our60k+ ML SubReddit. Sajjad Ansari+ postsSajjad Ansari is a final year undergraduate from IIT Kharagpur. As a Tech enthusiast, he delves into the practical applications of AI with a focus on understanding the impact of AI technologies and their real-world implications. He aims to articulate complex AI concepts in a clear and accessible manner. FREE AI WEBINAR: 'Fast-Track Your LLM Apps with deepset & Haystack'(Promoted)

The following review contains spoilers for the fourth episode of Dune Prophecy, Twice Born.Split in two once again, Twice Born returns Dune: Prophecy to its familiar fronts: Valyas visit to the royal capital to fix the Sisterhoods relationship with the Imperium, and Tulas attempts to wrangle the younger sisters as they spiral out of control with the stress of mysterious omens and Lilas death. Now that the backstory and setup is out of the way, things begin to ramp up in episode 4, but it doesn't always feel as exciting as it should. With a few exceptions, Twice Born is a prime example of whats not working in this series.Whats been obvious from the start but most evident this week is that Dune: Prophecy is attempting to be HBOs next Game of Thrones. (Despite, you know, HBO already having one of those.) At its heart, its a political drama full of noble families with their many issues, one king to rule them all, and everyone vying for the throne. But this half of the story has never been the highlight of the show. That remains true in Twice Born, with the Emperors insecurity driving him into Desmond Harts arms and the plot to bomb the Landsraad never able to evoke the right emotions.Sadly, the lack of drama comes from some stilted acting though, in all fairness, the cast isn't given much to work with. Many of the younger actors in the series struggle to bring out the emotion of whats happening in their performances. Ive said it in previous reviews, but Travis Fimmel also has a hard time making Desmond Hart feel more than wacky. The one standout in Twice Born is Edward Davis, who absolutely nails the squirmy young Baron Harrow Harkonnen, trying his best to feign confidence and regality in front of the Great Houses. Its pitch perfect stuff, making Harrows presence a delight.The other half of Twice Born, as the name implies, is about Tulas dealings on Wallach IX as the omen of Tiran-Arafel slowly consumes the Sisterhood. A shared dream and a creepy arts and crafts sance spin the younger sisters into a frenzy, and Tula being interim Mother Superior while Valya is away means she has to deal with the chaos. Its another showcase of how Dune: Prophecy has good ideas, but ultimately fails to execute them. Despite Olivia Williams portrayal of Tula being as thoughtful as ever, she isnt able to elevate the storyline past its basic level. Its at its most interesting when we see the emotional effects of this collective fear growing within the Sisterhood, like when Emeline is so engulfed in the dream that she almost kills herself (and Jens ability to drown out the noise and stop that from happening). But we only get snippets of the younger sisters, as the focus remains on Tula for most of the time spent on Wallach IX.Dune: Prophecy Episode 4 GalleryIts obvious now that her storyline is leading toward the creation of the Litany Against Fear, the self-affirmation used by Lady Jessica in the books and movies. (Say it with me now: I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. And so on.) This is Dune: Prophecy falling into the prequel trap yet again, one more chance for a previously untold story to live up to (or not live up to) the way weve previously imagined it. So far, the show hasnt convinced me that it wont suck all the mystique out of the Litany Against Fear by showing us how it took root. And with only two episodes left to develop the Litany, it doesnt feel like enough time to flesh it out and make it feel like a rite that will last another 10,000 years.

Welcome back to another week chock-full of cheap games and the gnawing dread of needing to buy presents for people soon. Feels like those two things could be part of some sort of solution. Whatever the case, last week's theme of wall-to-wall freebies seems to have given way to Bundle-o-ramaHumble is determined to overload you with multiple games for less than the price of a single one. Like these ones.In retro news, I'm celebrating the 31st birthday of Kirby's Adventure, an end-of-gen NES game that was polished to an uncommon sheen. Basically, every programming trick and visual technique in the book was used here, and the result was a fantastic 8-bit platformer that transcended its humble hardware. Aside from the usual blast of vacuuming up enemies, a core memory for me was endlessly replaying its mini-game piss-take on Nintendo's own Wild Gunman. It was great, despite me having to use my hands (which made it little more than a baby's toy). This Day in Gaming Aussie birthdays for notable games.- Kirby's Adventure (NES) 1993.- Mortal Kombat Trilogy (PS) 1996.- Rugby League (PC,PS2,XB) 2003.- Sonic Advance 3 (GBA) 2004.- Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse (3DS) 2016.Table of ContentsNice Savings for Nintendo SwitchFire Emblem WarriorsThree Hopes is full of well considered changes and no longer feels like a musou game with references to another series layered on, but a true hybrid of Fire Emblems social gameplay and Warriors battles. 9/10, great.Switch OLED + Mario Wonder (-$40) - A$499Yooka Laylee Impossible Lair (-90%) - A$4.50The Witcher 3 Complete (-65%) - A$27.98Dredge Deluxe (-50%) - A$18.87Oddworld Stranger's Wrath (-16%) - A$37.65Expiring Recent DealsLEGO Ninjago Movie (-56%) - A$39.98AC: Rebel Collection (-39%) - A$48.45Let's Sing 2025 2 Mic Bndl. (-41%) - A$59SuperHot (-60%) - A$13.99Monster Boy Cursed Kingdom (-75%) - A$14.75Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.Switch Console PricesHow much to Switch it up?Switch Zelda: $629 $539 | Switch Original: $499 $449 | Switch OLED Black: $539 $479 | Switch OLED White: $539 $479 | Switch Lite: $329 $299 | Switch Lite Hyrule: $339 $309See itBack to topPurchase Cheap for PCOG Shooters Bndl.Treat yourself to a shotgun blast from the past with Deadlink, Forgive Me Father 2, POSTAL: Brain Damaged - Connoisseur Edition, Prodeus, Quake II, Turbo Overkill and Ultrakill.Humble Choice Dec Bndl. (-97%) - A$16.95Humble 18 LEGO Games Bndl. (-96%) - A$22.95Red Dead Redemption 2 (-67%) - A$29.68Days Gone (-75%) - A$18.73Forza Horizon 4 Ult. (-80%) - A$29.99No Man's Sky (-60%) - A$35.18Expiring Recent DealsOr just get a Steam Wallet CardPC Hardware PricesSlay your pile of shame.Official launch in NovSteam Deck 256GB LCD: $649 | Steam Deck 512GB OLED: $899 | Steam Deck 1TB OLED: $1,049See it at SteamBack to topExciting Bargains for XboxIndiana Jones: Great CircleGC nails nearly everything about the best parts of the storied franchise upon which its based, from the title card and location fonts to Harrison Fords finger waggle, but its successes go way beyond its faithfulness to the films. 9/10, amazing.GTA Trilogy (-81%) - A$19FC 25 (-55%) - A$49NBA 2K25 (-63%) - A$44Shin Megami Tensei V (-56%) - A$43.95Space Marine 2 (-28%) - A$79Expiring Recent DealsBayonetta (-75%) - A$9.36Starfield (-76%) - A$28Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 (-55%) - A$36Logitech G920 Wheel (-33%) - A$371Or just invest in an Xbox Card.Xbox Console PricesHow many bucks for a 'Box? Series X: $799 $671 | Series S Black: $549 $545 | Series S White:$499 $471 | Series S Starter: N/ASee itBack to topPure Scores for PlayStationDragon Age: The VeilguardVeilguard refreshes and reinvigorates a storied series that stumbled through its middle years, and leaves no doubt that it deserves its place in the RPG pantheon. 9/10, amazing.Expiring Recent DealsMy First Gran Tursimo (Free to Play)Elden Ring (-31%) - A$59FF I-VI Col. (-23%) - A$89Astro Bot (-19%) - A$89Gran Turismo 7 (-57%) - A$54Rise of the Ronin (-45%) - A$69The Last of Us Part 2 Re. (-29%) - A$69DualSense Edge (-15%) -A$288Or purchase a PS Store Card.What you'll pay to 'Station.PS5 Slim Disc:$799 $798 | PS5 Slim Digital:679 $529 | PS VR2: $899 | PS VR2 + Horizon: $899 | PS5 Pro $1,199 | PS Portal: $329See itBack to topLegit LEGO DealsX-Men X-JetPair it with the X-Men Mansion for maximum 90s nostalgia overload.Peter Pan & Wendys Storybook (-66%) - A$11.20Technic Dump Truck (-41%) - A$9.59Harry Potter: Triwizard (-31%) - A$48.31Expiring Recent DealsMinecraft: Nether Portal Ambush (-36%) - A$38.40Marvel: Motorcycle Chase (-36%) - A$9.60GotG: The Milano (-34%) - A$199LEGO Advent Calendar Face Off 2024This holiday season, I'm doing something different with the LEGO section. In Mathew Manor, my sons and I are racing LEGO Advent Calendarswe open our respective ones daily and compare the mini-prizes for "Coolness" and "Actual Xmas-ness". Winner gets extra eggnog.If you're also feeling festive, here are the cheapest prices for the three calendars we're using. Or just live vicariously through us.LEGO Star Wars Advent 2024 - A$59.95 $45LEGO Spider-Man Advent 2024 - A$59.95 $45LEGO CIty Advent 2024 - A$59.95 $45Back to top Adam Mathew is our Aussie deals wrangler. He plays practically everything, often on YouTube.

This review contains spoilers for Dune: Prophecy episode 4.After three episodes of plotting in the shadows, Valya Harkonnen (Emily Watson) finally makes her first big move midway through Twice Born, the fourth episode of Dune: Prophecy. A montage shows Truthsayers in Valyas hire whispering suggestions to a trio of heads of the great Houses. The Truthsayers suggest to the heads that Emperor Javicco Corrino (Mark Strong) assassinated Pruwet Richese (Charlie Hodson-Prior). When the heads all express their worry that investigating the claim will bring unwanted attention to their respective Houses, the Truthsayers encourage them to promote an ambitious minor House to their number and make that newcomer launch the investigation. The House in question? Harkonnen.Without question, the scene looks great. Director Richard J. Lewis blocks the conversations well and the costume work by Bojana Nikitovic remains fantastic. Its always striking to see the black clad members of the Sisterhood leaning toward the ornately costumed House heads.At the same time, the plan is thuddingly obvious. Even suspending disbelief to allow for the compressed nature of a story like this, Valya Harkonnens hand in elevating her House to a prominent position and then making it the obvious fall guy for a move against the Emperor is anything but hidden.This problem has been present from the beginning of Dune: Prophecy. As much as the show wants to be about schemers in secret, its in fact about people declaring plot points to one another and pretending that its all quite sneaky. To be clear, the problem here isnt necessarily that this is a talky show instead of an action show. The Frank Herbert novels (and, to a much lesser extent, the prequel novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson) largely consist of ideological debates and philosophizing.No, the problem with Dune: Prophecy is that the ideas characters discuss, much like Valyas plan in Twice Born, written by Kevin Lau & Suzanne Wrubel, is thin and dumb. Dune and Game of Thrones, the latter being the true forerunner to Prophecy, already thoroughly explored the vagaries of power plays in much greater detail. Prophecy rarely has anything to say on the subject beyond People do bad things to keep power!Its not that Prophecy cannot do anything other than exposition. Twice Born begins with a powerful cold open that finds the Sisterhood acolytes all plagued by a nightmare in which they stand in near the well in their home and slice their own throats. The episode returns to the dream in a later sequence in which Tula (Olivia Williams) instructs the acolytes to enter a trance and draw what they see. Their drawings more or less recreate the shows opening credits, but Lewis paces the scene well and Williams anchors the scene by playing Tulas loss of control.The acolytes end their drawing session with an image of two eyes peering out from a black space, which has reappeared throughout the series. God is watching us, declares Sister Emeline (Aoife Hinds). The recokoning is here.Powerful as the moment is, Twice Born doesnt let the audience or the actors sit in it. Worse, it feels the need to include a follow up scene in which Tula and Sister Avila (Barbara Marten) interpret the drawings. For all their discussion (and the actors screen presence), the conversation boils down to Theres something scary out there we dont understand.The conversation underscores the other major problem with Prophecys plot-heavy approach. Instead of letting characters or themes drive the story, it relies upon the mystery of Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel). Who is he? How does he have these powers?Even that mystery seems beyond the shows ability to do well, as it relegates all conversation about Hart to the obvious (why does he have these powers?) to the rich in dense in lore from secondary Dune novels (is he in service of Omnius or Erasmus or the Titans?). By the time the episode ends with the reveals that Lila (Chloe Lea) has been resurrected by the Sisterhoods illegal Thinking Machine Anirul and that a Bene Tleilax face dancer is in House Harkonnen, neither Herbert fans nor casual viewers are shocked or engaged.For that reason, Travis Fimmel proves to be the best part of Dune: Prophecy. Twice Born climaxes at a meeting of the Landsraad, in which Harrow Harkonnen (Edward Davis) enacts Valyas plan by bringing charges against House Corrino for the murder of Pruwet Richese. At the same time, Keiran Atreides (Chris Mason) plants his bombs to destroy the Great Houses. Before either Harrow or Keiran can act, Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina) arrives to make the case against her father.Hart interrupts the proceedings and claims to deliver order. He admits that he killed Pruwet for using a thinking machine and proceeds to produce members of the resistance, including Horace (Sam Spruell) and the Ixian, but not Keiran nor the Fremen Mikaela (Shalom Brune-Franklin). With Javiccos permission, Hart uses his internal burning powers to execute the resistance leaders and the Heads of the houses plotting against the Emperor.It all comes with a monologue delivered with ridiculous theatricality by Fimmel. His lilting voice, his pregnant pauses, his ostentatious poses all feel overly contrived. At no point does Fimmel feel like a real person existing in the world. Hes constantly showing audiences how hard hes acting. And thats exactly what makes him so compelling. When great actors like Williams and Emily Watson must play dumb people pretending to be plotters, Filmmels inability to pretend to be a scheming soldier makes him feel truly chaotic.Harts preening monologue and the spectacular execution that follows proves what Ive feared about Dune: Prophecy from the beginning. Its the exact opposite of what it tries to be. Its a dumb show about people pretending to be smart. Its an obvious show about people who say theyre playing three dimensional chess. As Twice Born demonstrates, that contradiction can have its pleasures, especially with such strong visuals. But the episode, and the series on the whole, feels undercooked.Dune: Prophecy airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.Learn more about Den of Geeks review process and why you can trust our recommendationshere.