Author(s): Towards AI Editorial Team Originally published on Towards AI. What happened this week in AI by LouieAI model releases remained very busy in the run-up to Christmas, with DeepMind taking center stage this week with a very strong Gemini Flash 2.0 release and its Veo 2 video model. The Flash 2.0 model illustrates the progress made in inference efficiency and model distillation over the past year, together with Geminis progress in competing at the top of the leaderboards. For example, Flash 2.0s MMMU image understanding score of 70.7% compares to 59.4% achieved by the far larger and more expensive Gemini 1.0 ultra almost exactly one year before. We also saw a strong update to Grok-2 this week, together with free access to everything on x.com. Microsoft also delivered an impressive update with Phi-4 its model family focussed on pushing synthetic data generation to its limits. The 14bn parameter Phi-4 model achieved an MMLU Pro score of 70.4 vs Phi-3 14B at 51.3 and even beat the recently upgraded Llama 3.3 70B model at 64.4. OpenAI also continued its 12 days of announcements with focus on ChatGPT including features such as Canvas, Projects, video input in advanced voice mode and integration with iPhones.Gemini 2.0 Flash Experimental is an updated multimodal model designed for agentic applications, capable of processing and generating text, images, and audio natively. In benchmark comparisons, it shows strong progress over its predecessors. For example, on the MMLU-Pro test of general understanding, Gemini 2.0 Flash Experimental achieves a score of 76.4%, a slight improvement over Gemini 1.5 Pros 75.8% (despite being a smaller and faster model) and a substantial gain compared to Gemini 1.5 Flashs 67.3%. Similarly, on the MMMU image understanding test, Gemini 2.0 Flash Experimental reaches 70.7%, surpassing Gemini 1.5 Pros 65.9% and Gemini 1.5 Flashs 62.3%.Gemini 2.0 Flash Experimental supports a range of input/output modalities, offers structured outputs, and integrates tool use, including code execution and search. It can handle large input lengths (up to 1 million tokens) and produce outputs with up to 8,192 tokens while maintaining a high request throughput. The models native tool use and code execution features are intended to enhance reliability and adaptiveness, though current feedback shows some inconsistencies in accuracy and voice naturalness. Gemini also released a new Multimodal Live API with real-time audio and video-streaming input.In a busy week at Google Deepmind, the company also announced Deep Research (a tool for researching complex topics within Gemini advanced), Veo 2 (text to video model) and Imagen 3 (text to image). Veo 2 is a video generation model capable of producing realistic motion and high-quality outputs, including 4K resolution video with reduced artifacts. It interprets and follows both simple and complex textual instructions accurately, simulating real-world physics in a variety of visual styles. Veo 2 supports a range of camera control options and maintains fidelity across diverse scenes and shot types, enhancing both realism and dynamic motion representation. In human evaluations on the MovieGenBench dataset, Veo 2 outperformed other top models in terms of overall preference and prompt-following capability.Why should you care?As the first release from the Gemini 2.0 family, Flash 2.0 may be the first glimpse we have of the next generation of LLMs using larger compute clusters (TPUs in this case) and compute budgets. This model likely benefits from model distillation from larger models in the 2.0 family and shows the huge progress made in inference costs this year. This new model aligns with a strategy focused on agentic experiences and interoperability with various inputs and tools. Gemini noted how it fits into agentic research prototypes like Project Astra, which examines the use of video input AI assistants in mobile and potential wearable devices, and Project Mariner, which explores browser-based agents. The strong capability now possible in low latency and low cost smaller tier models is particularly valuable for these agentic applications where many tokens may be used in large chains of prompts and where real-time responses can be key. These low costs are also important for reasoning models that scale inference time compute; this is now the key area where Gemini still lags behind OpenAI, and we expect to hear more from Gemini here in the future.Hottest News1. Google Launched Gemini 2.0, Its New AI Model for Practically EverythingGoogle released Gemini 2.0 Flash, a multilingual and multimodal AI model capable of real-time conversation and image analysis. In addition to advances in multimodality like native image and audio output, it allows native tool use, enabling developers to build new AI agents.2. OpenAI Brings Video to ChatGPT Advanced Voice ModeOpenAIs ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode now supports video and screenshare features, enabling users to interact visually through a phone camera. This update, previously audio-only, demonstrates ChatGPTs ability to identify objects and guide tasks. It is currently available to ChatGPT Plus and Pro users.3. Microsoft Launches Phi-4, a New Generative AI Model, in Research PreviewMicrosoft introduced Phi-4, a 14B parameter small language model (SLM) that excels at complex reasoning in areas such as math and conventional language processing. It surpasses larger models, excelling in mathematics and outperforming GPT-4 in science and tech queries. Available soon on HuggingFace, Phi-4 achieved 91.8% on AMC tests, leading all models but showing practical limitations despite strong benchmarks.4. Apple Releases Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT Integration in SiriApples iOS 18.2 update enhances iPhones, iPads, and Macs with Apple Intelligence features. The new update brings a whole host of Apple Intelligence features, including ChatGPT integration with Siri, Genmoji, Image Playground, and Visual Intelligence to the iPhone. It also adds language support for other regions, such as the UK and Australia, officially launching Apples AI in those countries.5. Cohere AI Releases Command R7BCommand R7B is the smallest, fastest, and final model in the R Series. It is a versatile tool that supports a range of NLP tasks, including text summarization and semantic search. Its efficient architecture enables enterprises to integrate advanced language processing without the resource demands typically associated with larger models.6. Google Unveiled Willow, a Quantum Computing ChipGoogle announced Willow, a new quantum chip that outperformed even the worlds best supercomputer on an advanced test. The new chip can complete a complex computation in five minutes that would take the most powerful supercomputer 10 septillion years more than the estimated age of the universe. Google researchers were also able to prove for the first time that the chips errors did not increase proportionately as the number of qubits rose.7. OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Projects, Letting You Organize Files, Chats in GroupsOpenAI is rolling out a feature called Projects to ChatGPT. Its a folder system that makes it easier to organize things youre working on while using the AI chatbot. Projects keep chats, files, and custom instructions in one place.8. Grok Is Now Free for All X UsersGrok is now available to free users on X. Several users noticed the change on Friday, which gives non-premium subscribers the ability to send up to 10 messages to Grok every two hours. TechCrunch reported last month that Musks xAI started testing a free version of Grok in certain regions. Making Grok more widely available might help it compete with the already-free chatbots like OpenAIs ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Anthropics Claude.9. OpenAI Released the First Version of SoraOpenAI is releasing Sora as a standalone product at Sora.com to ChatGPT Plus and Pro users. Sora, OpenAIs text-to-video AI, enables users to create 1080p videos up to 20 seconds long. Sora features include video remixing and storyboards. However, videos carry watermarks.Five 5-minute reads/videos to keep you learning1. The Epic History of Large Language Models (LLMs)This article breaks the evolution of RNN architecture into five stages: traditional encoder-decoder architecture, addition of attention mechanism in our traditional encoder-decoder architecture, transformers architecture, addition of techniques like transfer learning into the NLP domain, and finally, large language models (like ChatGPT).2. Building Multimodal RAG Application #5: Multimodal Retrieval From Vector StoresThis article dives into the essentials of setting up multimodal retrieval using vector stores. It covers installing and configuring the LanceDB vector database, demonstrates how to ingest both text and image data into LanceDB using LangChain, and concludes with a practical walkthrough of performing multimodal retrieval, enabling efficient searches across both text and image data.3. How To Build a Truly Useful AI ProductThe traditional laws of startup physics like solving the biggest pain points first or supporting users getting cheaper at scale dont fully apply when building AI products. And if your intuitions were trained on regular startup physics, youll need to develop some new ones in AI. This article shares a set of four principles for building AI products that every app-layer founder needs to know.4. Run Gemini Using the OpenAI APIGoogle confirmed that its Gemini large language model is now mostly compatible with the OpenAI API framework. There are some limitations with features such as structured outputs and image uploading, but chat completions, function calls, streaming, regular question/response, and embeddings, work just fine. This article provides examples of Python code to show how it works.5. AI Tooling for Software Engineers in 2024: Reality Check (Part 1)A survey asked software engineers and engineering managers about their hands-on experience with AI tooling. This article provides an overview of the survey, popular software engineering AI tools, AI-assisted software engineering workflows, whats changed since last year, and more.Repositories & ToolsMarkItDown is a Python tool for converting files and office documents to Markdown.HunyuanVideo is a systematic framework for a large video generation model.DeepSeek-VL2 is an advanced series of large Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) Vision-Language Models.TEN Agent is a conversational AI powered by TEN, integrating Gemini 2.0 Multimodal Live API, OpenAI Realtime API, RTC, and more.Top Papers of The Week1. Phi-4 Technical ReportThis is the technical report for phi-4, a 14-billion-parameter language model. By strategically integrating synthetic data during training, it excels in STEM-focused QA capabilities. Despite retaining the phi-3 architecture, it outperforms its predecessors due to enhanced data quality, a refined training curriculum, and advanced post-training innovations. It surpasses GPT-4, particularly in reasoning-focused benchmarks.2. ReFT: Representation Finetuning for Language ModelsThis research develops a family of Representation Finetuning (ReFT) methods. ReFT methods operate on a frozen base model and learn task-specific interventions on hidden representations. The research also defines a strong instance of the ReFT family, Low-rank Linear Subspace ReFT (LoReFT). Both are drop-in replacements for existing PEFTs and learn interventions that are 15x 65x more parameter-efficient than LoRA.3. Training Large Language Models To Reason in a Continuous Latent SpaceThis paper introduces Coconut, a novel reasoning paradigm for LLMs that operates in a continuous latent space. Coconut enhances reasoning by utilizing the last hidden state as a continuous thought, enabling advanced reasoning patterns like breadth-first search. It outperforms traditional chain-of-thought approaches in logical tasks with substantial backtracking, demonstrating the promise of latent reasoning.4. GenEx: Generating an Explorable WorldThis paper introduces GenEx, a system for 3D world exploration that uses generative imagination to generate high-quality, 360-degree environments from minimal inputs like a single RGB image. GenEx enables AI agents to perform complex tasks with predictive expectations by simulating outcomes and refining beliefs. By advancing embodied AI in imaginative spaces with real-world applications, GenEx advances embodied AI in imaginative spaces.5. FlashAttention on a Napkin: A Diagrammatic Approach to Deep Learning IO-AwarenessThis paper proposes a diagrammatic approach to optimizing deep learning algorithms with IO-awareness, achieving up to sixfold performance improvements like FlashAttention. By efficiently managing data transfers and harnessing GPU features, their method generates pseudocode for Ampere and Hopper architectures. It enhances energy efficiency and performance by reducing GPU energy costs from transfer bandwidth, which currently consumes 46%.Quick Links1. Harvard and Google to release 1 million public-domain books as AI training datasets. This dataset includes 1 million public-domain books spanning genres, languages, and authors, including Dickens, Dante, and Shakespeare, which are no longer copyright-protected due to age.2. Meta is releasing an AI model called Meta Motivo, which could control the movements of a human-like digital agent, potentially enhancing the Metaverse experience. The company said that Meta Motivo addresses body control problems commonly seen in digital avatars, enabling them to perform more realistic and human-like movements.3. Pika Labs has launched Pika 2.0, the advanced AI video model that is a new step towards creative AI video production. This forward-looking release combines crisp text alignment with freshly introduced Scene Ingredients in the Pika Labs web application. Compared to earlier versions, it adds deeper flexibility and sharper detail.Whos Hiring in AIMachine Learning & Computer Vision Engineer @Corning Incorporated (Remote)Research Instructor @University of Colorado (Hybrid/Colorado, USA)Artificial Intelligence Engineer @Fortive Corporation (Hybrid/Bengaluru, India)Sr. AI Linguist @LinkedIn (Hybrid/Mountain View, CA, USA)Lead AI Engineer @Capital One Services, LLC (Multiple US Locations)Senior Generative AI Data Scientist, Amazon SageMaker @Amazon (Seattle, WA, USA)Machine Learning Research Engineer Intern @Texas Instruments (Dallas, TX, USA)Software Engineer, Generative AI Engineering (Internship) @Woven by Toyota (Tokyo, Japan)Interested in sharing a job opportunity here? Contact [emailprotected].Think a friend would enjoy this too? Share the newsletter and let them join the conversation.Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. Published via Towards AI

Its December 1994. The Santa Clause, Miracle on 34th Street, Pulp Fiction, and Forrest Gump are duking it out at the global box office. Boyz II Mens On Bended Knee is about to (temporarily) cede the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 to Here Comes the Hotstepper by lyrical gangster Ini Kamoze. In video games, the original PlayStation has just launched in Japan.But forget the PlayStation for a moment, because December 1994 also marked the arrival of another interactive icon: The Need for Speed, on the ill-fated 3DO home game console. The 3DO, despite being lauded as Time Magazines 1993 Product of the Year, was ultimately a flop. There was no '3DO II'. The Need for Speed, however, was not a flop. There was a Need for Speed II. And III. And a fourth, fifth, sixth, and so on.In fact, 30 years later the Need for Speed series is still with us.And its become one of the best-selling game series of all time.1994's Road & Track Presents The Need for Speed.3DOh YeahNeed for Speed is actually one of the most successful game franchises ever, notes Criterion Senior Creative Director John Stanley. Stanley has been with Criterion for 14 years working across multiple EA series, from Battlefield to Battlefront, but his predominant focus is Need for Speed. So its a very big honour and mantle to be lifted each time.15 years ago, sales figures for the franchise hit 100 million copies. A decade ago theyd rocketed past 150 million. Precisely what they sit at today is not known, but whats clear is Need for Speeds success and longevity make it a monster within the racing genre.Need for Speed is actually one of the most successful game franchises ever.It certainly got off to a flying start. The original Need for Speed was an immediate critical hit, despite the 3DOs own particular woes. Fortunately, subsequent ports to PC, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn would go on to make The Need for Speed a commercial smash as well.Presented by Road & Track Magazine and developed by EA Canada, The Need for Speeds 3DO debut boasted just eight cars a modest mix of European exotics and 1990s sports icons from the US and Japan. It also featured a total of three tracks. Yes, thats paltry by later standards, but its worth keeping in mind that this was entirely typical for the time at least, until the original Gran Turismo arrived several years later with a garage pumped up to unprecedented proportions.Its also important to note that EA Canada had previously been known as Distinctive Software. Prior to its acquisition by EA in the early 90s, Distinctive Software was responsible for the influential original Test Drive, its follow-up The Duel: Test Drive II, and cult, early 3D racing favourite Stunts (known as 4D Sports Driving in some regions). That high-speed experience was abundantly evident in The Need for Speed. Like the early Test Drive games that came before it, The Need for Speed asked players to dodge traffic as fast as they dared while outrunning the pursuing police. Electronic Gaming Monthly called it the racing game to beat on the 3DO. Edge Magazine declared it featured the richest 3D environment ever seen on a home system. GamePro was similarly full of praise, positing that [i]f you dream of racing exotic sports cars, it doesnt get any better than this incredible game.The Need for Speed featured cabin views for all vehicles.Raising the (High) StakesOf course, it did get better. Need for Speed built itself into a true racing juggernaut throughout the remainder of the 90s, and it lapped Test Drive as the premier purveyor of playable police pursuits and illegal street racing. The series became the place to find the greatest exotics of the era: the Lamborghini Diablo and Ferrari 512TR. The Jaguar XJ220 and McLaren F1. Down in my own native Australia, the games were even localised with their own, regional-exclusive covers, and injected with the hottest homegrown sports sedans of the time. That was truly something, as a teenager; to be stalking a games store and see the sickest Australian cars on the street staring back at me from the shelves. That was unique to Need for Speed during this era.Regional-exclusive cars and covers made Need for Speed unique.But perhaps more than anything, Need for Speed carved itself out a reputation as a series that celebrated not just racing, but risk.I argue its the forerunner, or has been and still is the forerunner, in the only franchise really delivering on consequence, says Stanley. That thrill of the chase. I think nothing else out there in the racing game genre does that.By asking people to outrun police, and eventually even place their pink slips on the line, Need for Speed was a series that pushed its players to take risks. For clarity, by the time Need for Speed came around, wed admittedly already faced the long arm of the law in 1987s Test Drive, and many of us wouldve already lost rides to rivals after racing for slips in 1989s Street Rod. But even if it wasnt the first, Need for Speed was an extremely early adopter of these philosophies of risk and it certainly became the most recognisable. 1999's Need for Speed: High Stakes.Tuna, No CrustAs the years went on, the property eventually found itself taking risks of its own. Firstly, with 2003s radically reinvented Need for Speed: Underground, and then with 2005s Need for Speed: Most Wanted which is still the best selling game in the whole series.Oh man, theyre my beloved, grins Justin Wiebe, who jokingly describes himself as the old fossil EA dug up for this chat. Currently Studio Design Director at Ripple Effect, Wiebes history with the Need for Speed series dates back to Hot Pursuit 2 in 2002. Theyre like my crown jewels, to be honest with you, he continues. Ive had a long career here and boy am I proud of having a chance to work on those games.On Underground, Wiebe explains the team didnt quite know what they had on their hands at the time, but they were all hooked.It was so addictive to play, he says. It was the introduction of things like drag racing for the first time, where it was a completely new way of playing at high speed. And we were starting to explore other new, emerging racing genres like drift racing and stuff like that and starting to bring all of these new and cutting edge ideas, and then mixing in customisation. We were pioneering at that time.2003's Need for Speed: Underground arrived in the slipstream of The Fast and the Furious.EA followed Underground with a direct, open-world sequel the first open world in the series but the bigger question was where to take it next.We kept asking ourselves, Well, what do we do now? How do we one-up this? What are we gonna do? says Wiebe. And we had an exceptional executive producer at that time, Mike [Mann], who came in and he basically said, I want to make it the most elicit experience that weve done to date. I want to bring in the cops, and I want to make them feel so threatening, like they are the real world.So that was the mandate to me: take these cops and make everyone absolutely terrified of them.So that was the mandate to me: take these cops and make everyone absolutely terrified of them. And I said, Then, Mike, I gotta take away peoples cars that they earned; Im gonna impound them, and theyre gonna lose them for a while. And hes, like, Do it.[Need for Speed is] a franchise which is big, but its also unafraid to try to take risks. To do things differently. To challenge the norm. And thats what I love about working on the franchise.In an entertaining twist, Wiebe even found himself in Need for Speed: Most Wanted as the racer Taz number 14 on the Blacklist after one of the actors failed to show up for a photoshoot.They started wandering around the office trying to see, like, Whos the most shifty-looking person we have here?, and then theyre, like, You! chuckles Wiebe, stabbing his finger in the air. So yeah, they just grabbed me and did a couple of shots and there I am. It was a good time.Vince Kilic, aka 'Taz', was number 14 on Need for Speed: Most Wanted's famous Blacklist.According to Stanley, within the corridors of Criterion, Most Wanted remains a revered example of the series at the peak of its power.I cite Most Wanted so much within the studio, he says. Just around the way that it managed to weave together the narrative, the gameplay, the progression. Everything comes together in this.A term that I use a lot, and now Ill have to drink a shot for this: ludonarrative harmony. Because actually executing on that in a game? So important. And Most Wanted is a masterclass in that, and something that I definitely cite a lot.On: The RunIts been almost two decades since Need for Speed: Most Wanted, and the series has continued to evolve.If you look at it, Need for Speeds never remained the same, says Criterion Producer Patrick Honnoraty, whos worked on every Need for Speed since 2012 from Criterion to Ghost and back to Criterion. From one iteration to the next, its always had something that was different.For good and for bad because those things dont always work and they dont always resonate with players but we guarantee that well always be doing something different.Things dont always work and they dont always resonate with players but we guarantee that well always be doing something different.For good and for bad is a great example, says Wiebe. For example, my experience on creating Need for Speed: The Run. We really tried to break some new ground there. We talked about getting out of the car, and we had all these grandiose visions for how it was going to be more than just racing; the characters going to get out of the car. But then we realised very quickly, Well, we cant really do that, so we introduced some quicktime events.Yeah, we all love quicktime events, right? he adds with an ironic smile.PlayHowever, Wiebe believes they ultimately created a grand racing adventure.We wanted it to feel like your life is on the line, he says. That its more humanised than ever before about the character and the story that theyre in, racing from coast to coast. Ill be the first to stand up and say that didnt really work, but Im proud of the fact that we tried it.I was actually on a fan forum a few months ago and I actually was shocked at how highly-rated some of the fans actually made that game. I had thought, Well, thats a bit of a lump of coal in my resume. But it turns out that it actually has a massive cult following, and there are certain people that absolutely adore that game. And that brought a little joy to my heart; that we took a risk and there are some people that really found something to love about it.That brought a little joy to my heart; that we took a risk and there are some people that really found something to love about it.Honnoraty has noticed the same thing.I think every Need for Speed Ive worked on, when its come out its been, Oh my god, it was no good; it was rubbish, he says. People didnt like it. And then years pass and its, like, Ah, it was so good! It had these great elements to it. It was the best Need for Speed. Why dont you go and make one back like that?Need for Speed is always too ahead of its time, is my thing. Every time we bring one out. Every time we bring one and it doesnt strike, people look back on them so fondly.Defining the Series30 years on, building a Need for Speed game is an exponentially more complicated task than it ever was, and more challenging than ever. For Senior Vehicle Artist Frankie Yip the work required is significant, but he wouldnt have it any other way.The cars in Need for Speed are far more intricate now compared to the earlier days of the franchise, explains Yip, who has worked on the franchise for the entirety of his 20-year career in the gaming industry. After picking up a copy of Need for Speed: Underground for PlayStation 2 as a teenager, Yip got so hooked he took a 3D modelling course and was soon living his dream, making cars for Need for Speed: Underground 2.I actually thought I was going to fail in the 3D school, says Yip. All the assignments? All I did was just model cars. And theyre, like, Thats not part of the assignment. I dont care; I like cars. So my portfolio was just all cars.I actually thought I was going to fail in the 3D school. All the assignments? All I did was just model cars.According to Yip, dealing with the vast amount of content produced for each car is not as straightforward as it may seem.Ill give you an example, just to break it down, he begins. Bodykits, for example. Say a car has three bodykit designs. Thats three front bumpers, three rear bumpers, three sideskirts, three front fenders, so on and so on. That tallies up to 15, 20 individual parts. But allowing the player to seamlessly and smoothly mix and match those parts? Yeah, it sounds simple, but it actually involves a significant amount of work. You run into issues; like, this part doesnt fit with this. This part doesnt fit with that.Theres different variations in bumper widths, fender shapes, fender sizes; the list goes on. Panel lines, shut lines; nothing lines up. So, how do we make this all work? We actually have to build out every single part combination out there. You take that 15 to 20 individual parts I mentioned, and you multiply it to an additional 60, or well over a hundred. It depends on the car. Like, every car is a different shape. It is a ton of work, but what this does allow is it allows the player to have thousands of part combinations. And who doesnt want that?So now you know why, in earlier Need for Speed titles, we just restricted the body kit to be equipped as one whole unit. But honestly, wheres the fun in that?PlayFor Criterion Vehicle Art Director Bryn Alban, theres a bigger-picture challenge; that is, what defines Need for Speed to its massive and multi-generational audience.It means so much to so many people, and everybodys got a different opinion as to what a good Need for Speed is, says Alban, whos been around since the days of Need for Speed: Shift and brings the experience of building his own Skylines over the past 20 years to his role on the franchise. So trying to appease everybody at all times is super difficult. Even down to the nitty gritty details of what customisation we put on our cars; its so divisive a subject for our players that its almost impossible for us to get it a hundred percent right, all the time.So when we do get things somewhat correct, its great. But when you see those comments where youve missed something, it really hurts. It hurts to your core. Youre, like, Oh yeah, I forgot that we shouldve added that to the game. So, yeah, its really tricky and tough to get that balance of making the perfect Need for Speed, really.So when we do get things somewhat correct, its great. But when you see those comments where youve missed something, it really hurts. It hurts to your core. For what its worth, Ive been missing Australian cars in the Need for Speed series since they stopped featuring back in the early 2000s, and Alban agrees it could be time for the series to circle back and include them again.Yeah, thats a very valid point, and I think its true that Australian cars have been underrepresented in Need for Speed in its most recent history, he says. I cant give you a reason why that is the case, but its definitely something that we should take a look at in the future moving forward, to see if we can redress that balance a little bit.When you look at things like Holden, theyre very iconic within Australia, adds Honnoraty. Theyre very interesting things; the utes that you have. So I think those are interesting examples for us to look at. And Im sure, Bryn, youd tell me theres plenty of them in the drift scene as well?Yeah, you see them crop up, Alban responds with his finger clearly on the pulse. I mean, just this last week theres the Drift Matsuri thats happening in Japan, and I saw that there were a couple of Ford Falcons over there in Japan doing their thing. So theres definitely opportunities to tap into that, I think.Its obvious Alban knows his cars. Theres also a fun synergy in the fact that the first Instagram video Id watched of the very Falcons Alban is referencing features one cruising through a Tokyo tunnel to Get Low by Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz. It should go without saying that anyone who played Need for Speed: Underground has that song seared into their synapses.Redress away, team!To the Window, to the WallNeed for Speed itelf has cruised both high and low over the last three decades but, while the team seems conscious that the series hasnt always been at its best, theres a clear feeling that its always remained faithful to being fun and approachable above all else.I think the trajectory has been bumpy, actually, in some cases, admits Honnoraty. But whats happened and I think whats been most important is if you think about the first inception of what The Need for Speed was, it was really accessible.I remember going to what was probably the local video game shop, or computer shop, at the time, and me and my friends saw it on the 3DO. We were like, Whats this? We all jumped on it, on the 3DO, and you felt badass. Being able to drive it, being chased by the cops; there wasnt an experience that was really like it at the time. I think today the biggest challenge we face is literally the age of the franchise, and what it's been.I think its really tried to stay true to that formula. Its still accessible today; a lot of car racing games are not so easily accessible, so people still have the option to jump in and have fun with a Need for Speed game. It makes you feel like youre just a bad-arse... Its really inside of the DNA; its always there.For Honnoraty, what makes handling Need for Speed tricky today are the side effects of how long the series has survived.I think today the biggest challenge we face is literally the age of the franchise, and what it's been, Honnoraty continues. Its been so many different things and appeals to so many different people.We even see the debates between players: which is the best game, and why is it the best game? You look at [Underground and Most Wanted]. The divisive debate that happens between which one of those is better and why and how different they really are and what they were looking at means that we sit in a place where Need for Speed means many different things to many different people.PlayHonnoraty gives an example where, after speaking to attendees of the Need for Speed Payback booth at EA Play, some players compared the demo to Most Wanted, and others were adamant it reminded them of Underground.And Im, like, How? What? Theyre completely different! he says. So I think its just that people carry with them the feeling that they had when they played those games I think thats the hardest thing today; its honestly reconciling what Need of Speed means to players. And youve seen it; when we go in one direction with something that doesnt quite work, and it doesnt appeal to certain sorts of players. Or we go in another direction, so its a real thing that we have to tackle with, day in and day out. But John [Stanley] and I work with it constantly. We think weve nearly cracked it, so well see.Dont forget the Porsche Unleashed crowd that would argue that that is the number one Need for Speed of all time! adds Wiebe.Exactly! Exactly! smiles Honnoraty. We have a very vocal member in our player council thats very vocal on Porsche Unleashed.And then the Carbon crowd, the ProStreet crowd, lists Stanley.The list goes on, replies Honnoraty.The list goes on indeed. So too, we hope, will Need for Speed. To the window, to the wall, til the sweat drop down well, you get the idea.Luke is a Senior Editor on the IGN reviews team. You can track him down on Bluesky @mrlukereilly to ask him things about stuff.

Bethesda and MachineGames have just released a new update for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle that appears to have dramatically improved the lighting effects on Xbox consoles.In a blog post, MachineGames announced the release of Update 2 for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle that among other things includes general gameplay and bug fixes. However, an Xbox-specific fix seems to have added big improvements to how Global Illumination appears in game.Here are two images MachineGames released highligthing the before and after differences of the udpate.BeforeAfterAs you can see from the Before and After pictures, the update appears to have removed some of the washed out look of the pre-patch version. With the update and improvements to Global Illumination, Indiana Jones looks much more natural, with deeper shadows, and more accurate colors.Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is one of the best Xbox games to have come in some time, and evokes the feeling of a truly great Indiana Jones movie, while also providing the excellent gameplay MachineGames is known for with games like Wolfenstein. The new update looks to make a great looking game even better.Here's a full copy of the Update 2 patch notes below. Be sure to check out IGN's Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review for our full take on the new Xbox game.GeneralFixed an issue where users Game Slot may be reported as being damaged, or may appear to be completely missing, when no actual problem had occurred.GameplayFixed an issue where player may be unable to equip Indys whip.Fixed an issue where a player may end up with Indys camera permanently equipped.Fixed an issue where player may drop and lose their camera if they use the quick-equip (key item) prompt to equip their camera while they are inspecting another nearby pick-up item.GraphicsFix to prevent Double vision getting stuck on screen when Indy has almost drowned. To players who have already encountered this issue, repeating the near-drown should clear the issue.Some further improvements to reduce stutter from duplicated frames during cutscenes.Missions and quests Please note this section contains some small spoilersFixed an issue where Gina may not approach the secret entrance to the Vatican Treasure Chamber, blocking the mission from progressing.Fixed an issue where Gina may go to pick the lock to the exit from the Vatican Treasure Chamber as soon as you enter the room, meaning you may miss some very important story developments.Fixed a big hole in the floor collision around the edge of the wall around the Ziggurat in Sukhothai that the player could fall through.PC Specific fixesFixed an issue where Nvidia DLSS may cause performance problems when enabled.Fixed an issue where Nvidia Frame Generation wasnt activated properly if HDR is in use.Fixed an issue where Nvidia Low Latency Mode could cause performance problems when used with Frame Generation.Fixed an issue where global illumination may be completely disabled when playing with below minimum VRAM graphics cards.Fixed an issue where Lighting may be over bright in interior spaces if Path Tracing (Full Ray Tracing) is set to Medium or High Quality.Known Issue: Nvidia Frame Generation may be temporarily disabled if HDR is activated for the first time. To work around this issue, disable and then re-enable DLSS. This only needs to be done once.Xbox Specific fixesImprovements to Global Illumination on Xbox, to fix issues where shadowed areas had appeared brighter than expected.Matt Kim is IGN's Senior Features Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

If you're shopping for last minute video games for the holidays, surprisingly you're not too late. There are plenty of deals on PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch video games that can still be delivered to you before December 25. Many (but not all) of these deals are actually as good as the ones we saw during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. They're mostly limited to retailers that have nearby retail locations like Best Buy and Target, but you should still be able to choose delivery and receive it with time to spare.Nintendo Switch Video Game Deals (Arrives by 12/25)SwitchSuper Mario RPGSwitchSuper Mario OdysseySwitchSuper Mario Maker 2SwitchPikmin 4SwitchYoshi's Crafted WorldSwitchNew Super Mario Bros. U DeluxeSwitchKirby and the Forgotten LandSwitchRing Fit AdventureSwitchLEGO Horizon AdventuresSwitchShin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Steelbook EditionSwitchBayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost DemonSwitchMarvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade ClassicsSwitchUnicorn OverlordPS5, Xbox, SwitchSonic X Shadow GenerationsPS5, Xbox, SwitchPrince of Persia: The Lost CrownSwitchAtari 50: Anniversary Celebration EditionSwitchDisney Epic Mickey RebrushedSwitchNBA 2K25Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary EditionSwitchJust Dance 2025 Limited EditionPS5, Xbox, SwitchBalatroPS5, SwitchMetal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1SwitchMario + Rabbids Sparks of HopePS5, Xbox, SwitchRabbids: Party of LegendsPS5 and Xbox Video Game Deals (Arrives by 12/25)PS5, XboxDragon Age: VeilguardPS5, XboxStar Wars OutlawsPS5, XboxMetaphor: ReFantazioPS5, Xbox, SwitchSonic X Shadow GenerationsPS5Persona 3 ReloadPS5Astro BotPS5Stellar BladeGod of War: Ragnarok (PS5)PS5, XboxWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2PS5Gran Turismo 7PS5Final Fantasy VII RebirthPS5, XboxEA Sports Madden 25PS5, XboxEA Sports College Football 25PS5, XboxNBA 2K25PS5, XboxEA Sports FC 25PS5Marvel's Spider-Man 2Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles MoralesPS5, Xbox, SwitchHogwarts LegacyPS5Final Fantasy XVIPS5, XboxVisions of ManaPS5, Xbox, SwitchBalatroPS5Octopath Traveler IIPS5, SwitchMetal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1PS5, Xbox, SwitchPrince of Persia: The Lost CrownPS5, XboxAvatar: Frontiers of PandoraPS5, XboxAssassin's Creed MiragePS5, XboxThe Crew MotorfestSuper Mario RPGSwitchSuper Mario RPGSuper Mario RPG is a remake of the 1996 SNES classic. It was one of the best games to grace the console back then amidst a sea of other incredible titles, and Nintendo did a great job of staying faithful to the game's charm and fun factor. A whole slew of improvements have been implemented to bring this game up to modern day standards, including updated visuals, music, gameplay mechanics, and several small yet welcome quality-of-life UI improvements. In our Super Mario RPG review, Tom Marks wrote that "Super Mario RPG is considered a classic for a reason, and this faithful remake makes it easy for anyone who missed it in the SNES era to see why."Pikmin 4SwitchPikmin 4Pikmin 4 for the Nintendo Switch is the latest in the Pikmin franchise and arguably the best one. Pikmin 4 is incredible, and feels like the full realization of where the Pikmin franchise started heading in Pikmin 3. It has tons of content, is insanely charming, and is just overall a blast to play. In our Pikmin 4 review, Jada Griffin wrote that "Pikmin 4 adds variety to the series' traditional gameplay by offering options other than the grab-and-throw formula of the past, and brings an extra helping of top-tier levels after the credits roll."Super Mario OdysseySwitchSuper Mario OdysseySuper Mario Odyssey is still one of the best games available on Nintendo Switch. From the stunning Kingdoms to the numerous new gameplay elements, this is a title any Switch owner should have in their collection. Odyssey is best known for its Capture mechanic, which allows Mario to use Cappy and take over different enemies and objects in the environment. In our Super Mario Odyssey 10/10 review, Ryan Mccaffrey wrote that "Super Mario Odyssey is a brilliant adventure and love letter to the series that made Nintendo a household name."Ring Fit AdventureSwitchRing Fit AdventureDo you want to work out but simply don't enjoy working out? Ring Fit Adventure is one way to get around this hurdle. Ring Fit incorporates a huge variety of excellent workout exercises disguised as an RPG game. An epic adventure awaits you slaying monsters and dragons, tackling new levels, traversing different environments, acquiring powerups and skills, all the while toning your abs and burning calories. In our Ring Fit Adventure review, Jonathon Dorbush wrote that "Ring Fit Adventure is a marathon, not a sprint, just like adapting a healthy lifestyle should be. The last couple of weeks havent altered my life or made me look like The Rock all of a sudden, but as a way of getting into (or back into, in my case) a pattern of healthy living, its been a solid push in the right direction."Star Wars OutlawsPS5, XboxStar Wars OutlawsStar Wars: Outlaws was released only three months ago and it's already 33% off for Black Friday. Maybe Ubisoft is trying to boost sales after a lackluster launch, but that means you get to enjoy a AAA title at a great discount. IGN's Tristan Ogilvie gave it a 7/10 review, which is still good, but I've beaten the game and immensely enjoyed it, so I would have given it an 8. It definitely has an "Assassin's Creed game in a Star Wars skin" vibe, and there's nothing wrong with that.Metaphor: RefantazioPS5, XboxMetaphor: ReFantazioMetaphor: ReFantazio is the latest game from Persona 3, 4, and 5 Director Katsura Hashino and the team at Atlus' Studio Zero. For the first time since launch, you can score the game at a discount, saving $20 this Black Friday. In our 9/10 review, Michael Higham wrote that "Refining the Atlus RPG formula of weaving tough turn-based combat into compelling social sim mechanics, Metaphor: ReFantazio doesnt just send a powerful message across its political drama, it becomes a beautiful expression of the real impact storytelling can have on all of us."Sonic X Shadow GenerationsPS5, Xbox, SwitchSonic X Shadow GenerationsSonic X Shadow Generations is easily one of the best Sonic games in recent history. In our 9/10 Sonic X Shadow Generations review, Jada Griffin wrote that "Sonic X Shadow Generations takes an already excellent game and spring jumps it to new heights with a creative Shadow campaign and an appreciable graphical upgrade." This game is actually a collection of two games in one: a remaster of the 2011 Sonic Generations and - the highlight - a brand new, original campaign starring Shadow the Hedgehog.Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN's Deals account on Twitter.Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Den of Geek senior editor David Crow was invited to a spooky Nosferatu dinner beneath a real New York City crypt courtesy of Focus Features and TikTok. He has not been since in the office sinceA new batch of LEGO Minecraft sets have been revealed, highlighted by baby pigs, armadillos, and Mooshrooms!Several new Minecraft sets have been added to LEGO.com today, five of which will be released on the 1st of January, with a sixth on the 1st of March.Find out more at BricksetHot Ones, the popular chicken wing-based YouTube show, has sold for a price you wouldnt believe.Hot Ones is going independent. Buzzfeed has officially announced that it will be selling the First We Feast studio for $82.5 million USD. The studio is best known for the popular YouTube hot sauce and chicken wing celebrity talk show hosted by Sean Evans. The group acquiring First We Feast is a consortium of investors including founder of First We Feast Chris Schonberger, Hot Ones host Sean Evans, Mythical Entertainment the media company company created by YouTube stars Rhett and Link, podcast company Crooked Media and Soros Fund Management. Read more at HypeBeastOne of the best action movies of the 1990s was disguised as an animated Disney princess flick, Mulan.One of the biggest rallying cries of the last decade of pop culture discourse has been the call for more strong female characters to inspire young girls. But whats funny is that I actually felt like I already had a lot of them growing up. As a child of the 90s, I was obsessed with animated action shows like Sailor Moon, The Powerpuff Girls, and Princess Gwenevere And The Jewel Riders. I found aspiring female knights in Tamora Pierce novels and animated films like Quest For Camelot. And I loved the heroines of live-action sci-fi and fantasy TV specials like Zenon: Girl Of The 21st Century and The 10th Kingdom.Read more at The A.V. ClubThe Karate Kid universes are combining! Check out the trailer for Karate Kid: Legends, featuring both Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio.In a crossover nobody expected, McDonalds in selling Squid Game-themed Happy Meals.Squid Game, a Korean show about people fighting to the death for money, took the world by storm upon its release in September 2021. Its exploration of wealth inequality and capitalism inspired audiences to learn Korean and sparked special events worldwidefrom a Red Light, Green Light game in Paris to a race in Los Angeles. Recently, McDonalds Australia launched what may be the most head-scratching promotion of the ultra-violent show yet: a Squid Game-inspired Happy Meal.Read more at Mental Floss

Lin-Manuel Miranda has heard the criticism before. As some cynics onthe internet have repeated, the songwriter and actor who gave the world In the Heights and Hamilton supposedly cannot write a villain song. Its an odd take since he previously submitted the delightfully decadent Shiny in Moanaand wed argue Aaron Burrs jazzy barnburner, The Room Where It Happens, isnt exactly an epiphany for good deedsyet the critique persists. And like a certain North Carolina basketball player, Miranda chose to take that personally.And in Mufasa: The Lion King, the Tony winner might just have his slam dunk of a baddie anthem. Written for a sadistic snow white lion laying in wait in the Pride Lands, Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen), Bye Bye has the playfulness and rapid wordplay Miranda is known for, as well as a real wicked sense of humor that seems tailor-made for countless TikToks to come. Also as revealed to Den of Geek during an interview at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, the banger was one Miranda had to lobby for and push to get in the movie.The villain song was my pitch, Miranda says when we ask if there were any musical scenes not earmarked in the script for a showtune. They already had such a great villain in Kiros, whos voiced by Mads Mikkelsen, one of our great Bond villains, one of our great movie villains. Hes like an Indiana Jones Nazi! [Laughs] Hes a great villain! So I just wanted a chance to write to his voice and take advantage of the fact they already had this great villain. Lets lean into it.It is indeed the first time we can think of where we hear Mikkelsen, the charismatic but often severe Danish actor who has played everyone from Hannibal Lecter to Casino Royales Le Chiffre, break into a rap. But the tune has a real purpose in Mirandas mind other than to get that voice purring rhymes.Says Miranda, I think my favorite villains have their own reasons, and theyre just antithetical to our protagonists reasons. So to get to write a line like, The Circle of Life is a lie, it is [attacking] the central tenet of what Dad James Earl Jones tells us, may he rest in peace. Its pretty much the best way to do a heel turn for a Disney villain. Miranda even notes the similarities to his previous Disney villain song, which also had a dark sardonic streak.It was similar to when I was writing Shiny for Moana, Miranda explains. Youve got Gramma Tala saying, You have to listen to the voice inside, and then you have Tamatoa being like, It doesnt matter! The outside is the only thing that matters! So its really about having just a really strong opposing force.The role of villainy, and what makes one villainous, matters greatly in Mufasa: The Lion King, a movie which introduces the idea that Scar was not always a bad guy himself. In fact, hes not even called Scar for most of the picture. He is instead known as Taka, a kind, young lion who rescues an orphaned cub named Mufasa before things pull them apart. For the actor playing the cat who would become Scar, Luces Kelvin Harrison Jr., it was also a creative opportunity.I think no ones a villain without having a heart, Harrison tells us in a separate interview. A villain has been hurt at some point, and upset and hurt for so long, it made them angry. So my job was to figure out where all the arrows were pointing to. Theres an arrow pointing at his Dad, theres an arrow pointing to Mufasa, theres an arrow pointing at a lack of community and support, theres an arrow pointing to just the way the politics work in the Pride Lands. Theres an arrow pointed at Sarabi. So all these people were complicit in his confusion, but at the same time, he has to start to understand what accountability means.For Harrison its a chance to dabble in legacy, complete with eventually some Jeremy Irons-like flourishes. But legacy looms large over the whole film. Rebel Ridges Aaron Pierre performed the role of a young Mufasa before James Earl Jones passing earlier this year, however Jones shadow has tracked Pierres mind since well before Mufasa came along.I study James Earl Jones, period, Pierre tells us. Whether it be his extensive filmography or his extensive work in the theater, or his voice work. He is a guiding light for me and my artistry, point blank. So of course that resulted, when being gifted with this opportunity, to being guided by the original portrayal of Mufasa, this iconic, cherished, celebrated character he originated. That was my guiding light that kept me on the path whenever I was unsure, whenever I didnt have the answers. And actually the nerves that I had were perfect, because I was portraying an adolescent version of this great king, and certainly in my experience of being an adolescent, I was unsure. I didnt have it all figured out, and I was searching for answers to questions. So hopefully I served him, and hopefully I served his character.Of course the legacy of The Lion King remains immense, especially to any Millennial 90s kid (hi, there) who will tell the next generation that the 94 classic is still the best Disney movie. Yet there also needs to be some realistic acceptance that if youre going to tackle this world in 2024, things will be different. For his part, Miranda did not try to emulate what Elton John and Tim Rice did while writing the songs of the original classic, often with the help of South African composer and vocalist Lebo M. (whose voice you hear throughout all film versions of The Lion King).I think the fun thing about songwriting is I feel like its a pretty envy free zone, Miranda notes, because the way we write, it just comes out of us different. If you gave me and Elton and Tim the same assignment, wed write totally different things. We cant help it, its just how it comes out of us. Were more filters than anything else. What I did know was that I needed Lebo M. to help with the arrangements and his incredible quality there, because to me that is the secret sauce of Lion King. Its his voice, his musical harmonies. So when I was writing, I just made a lot of space for that. I knew Lebo would come in, and it would be an iterative process where he would add a lot of his own things to it.Still, Miranda admits it helps that he is not the first person to musically revisit the 1994 film in 30 years.I think I probably would have been more intimidated if only the 1994 film existed and this was the next thing, but I feel like a lot of amazing composers have gotten to play in this space. Not only Elton John and Tim Rice and Hans Zimmer, but also Lebo M. and Mark Mancina did such amazing work in adapting the Broadway musical, which expanded the sonic palette, and then Beyonc came out with that album that kind of expanded the notion of what a Lion King song could sound like with The Gift.So making something like Mufasa, at least in Mirandas mind, is not about baton-passing; its a pool that a lot of really cool people are swimming in. I want to jump into the pool.Mufasa: The Lion King invites your family to join in when the movie opens only in theaters on Friday, Dec. 20.

Despite the singular event suggested by its title, Day of the Fight features a lower stakes match earlier in the film, hours before prizefighter Irish Mike Flannigan (Michael Pitt) has his title bout. Visiting the gym to check in with his trainer, Mike overhears a young fighter mocking the sparring partner he just trounced. Mike, who has spent the past several years in prison for reasons not immediately clear, is a man whos visibly lived with shame, guilt, and the loss of his once illustrious acclaim. So the cocky contender running his mouth doesnt object when Mike climbs into the ring. Nonetheless, and outside of the arrogant mans opening cheap shot, Mike has total control of what transpires. He dodges each of the loud mans blows and lands a few jabs. But before landing a knock out hook, Mike stays his hand.Next time have a little grace, Irish Mike tells his opponent. You never know whos watching.On first glance, Day of the Fight has a lot in common with the great boxing pictures throughout cinema history. The black and white photography and a cameo from Joe Pesci immediately brings to mind Raging Bull. Michael Pitt plays a Mike by another name who is a sweet mook with more heart than brains, not unlike Rocky Balboa. The story of a former champ trying to clean up his life follows in the footsteps of King Vidors 1931 Oscar nominated, The Champ.But where so many boxing pictures emphasize the individual spirit of the central fighter, Day of the Fight takes a more communal approach, minimizing the climactic title bout to show the many people who make Irish Mike his best self.Directed by Jack Huston, grandson of John Huston and former co-star with Pitt on Boardwalk Empire, Day of the Fight is unabashedly an actors movie. Most of the movie consists of Mike checking in on various people throughout his life, making peace with them before his title bout. Mike spends time with everyone from his supportive uncle (Steve Buscemi) to his ex-girlfriend Jessica (Nicolette Robinson), and even his abusive father (Pesci), silent while in the throes of Parkinsons.Each of these interactions give the actors space to deliver big monologues and chew on meaty lines. Sometimes the work plays into the actors established strengths. Ron Perlman barks and curses his way through the movie as Mikes hard-driving trainer. Buscemi layers soft respect under his sarcastic lines as the uncle encourages Mike.The best of these supporting turns comes from John Magaro, who is quickly becoming one of American cinemas most reliable character actors. As Mikes best friend turned priest, Patrick, Magaro makes the character at once wise enough to give guidance and relatable enough to let loose with some foul-mouthed comments. Magaro melds both tones so effortlessly that viewers may not even notice the incongruity.Likewise, Robinson stands out as the less complex, but no less compelling Jessica. Robinson doesnt shy away from letting Jessicas love for Mike show, but she tampers the feelings with practical needs. Robinson takes advantages of pauses and spaces in the dialogue to let Jessica reset and ground herself, moderating the way she talks with Mike.Unsurprisingly, the most notable performance comes from Pesci as Mikes father. The film establishes Mikes father as abusive and distant, suggesting that the kindhearted man weve followed throughout the movie learned about fighting from his dad. So its shocking to watch as Mike enters a hospital room and find his father there, looking small and vulnerable as he shakes. Pitt does all the talking as Mike, spilling his guts about his anger and frustration with the older man, but Pescis glances, defensive at some moments and pleading at others, unable to reach out with his trembling hand.The train of monologues does sometimes become overbearing, making the movie feel like a series of audition clips more than believable words one person would say to another. But by the time Mike seeks absolution from another old friend, sincerity overtakes our cynicism.The Ring of RedemptionSincerity drives Day of the Fight. For as much as it builds to a match in which two people punch one another in the face, for as much as its black and white imagery and working class characters suggest gritty realism, Day of the Fight doesnt have an ounce of cynicism. It believes whole-heartedly in the possibility of redemption and forgiveness.Again, that sounds like familiar stuff for movies about fighters. With his pretty face atop a severe and muscular body, Pitt resembles Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler. But whereas Darren Aronofsky used Rourkes Randy The Ram Robinson as a Christ metaphor, in which the main character sacrifices his body for our entertainment/sins, Day of the Fight has nothing so nihilistic in mind. Instead its Mikes honesty and bravery that inspires. As such, he finds meaning in the way he relates with other people.The connection to others is what separates Day of the Fight from most boxing films. When Huston films the fighters jabbing at the camera, or cuts away from the match to show how other people respond, he shows that its not all about Mike, Irish Mike against the world. Its Irish Mike within the world, his actions reverberating through the many people who made him the person hes become.So when Mike fights, its not a man to man battle. Its a struggle of people trying to support and forgive one another, despite sometimes disastrous mistakes. Its a fight for grace, something so rarely found inside the boxing ring.Day of the Fight is playing in select theaters nationwide.

For the first time ever, step into the wonderful world of Moomins on Xbox and Windows in Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley! The game is a story-rich musical adventure game for all ages about Snufkin restoring the valley and helping the quirky and memorable characters and critters who call it home. A series of hideous parks have cropped up in Moominvalley, disrupting the landscape and its harmonious nature. As Snufkin, you will distract police officers, pull out signs, and knock over misplaced statues as you vigorously try to restore nature and the inhabitants home while putting an end to the industrious Park Keepers plans.About the MoominsThe Moomins, a series of charming and quirky characters, were created by the cherished illustrator and author Tove Jansson in 1945. Tove Jansson is recognised as possibly one of the most successful Finnish artists of all time and the Moomins started off in a series of books and a novel in Finland and then became known globally through a series of cartoon strips some might recognise the books Finn Family Moomintroll or Comet in Moominland.Tove Janssons niece Sophia Jansson has explained that the Moomin stories are essentially about the things that are the most important to anyone living anywhere things like love, tolerance, respect, being part of a family, and belonging. Those things are the same no matter where youre from, what your gender, race, religion, or sexuality.Melody of MoominvalleySnufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is a nostalgic yet innovative indie game thats quintessentially Nordic, with an originally written story based on the original works, including the emotions and a melancholic atmosphere that Tove Jansson is famous for creating.Our world draws heavily on Toves excellent watercolor illustrations and adapts it to a video game setting to create a rich and beautiful environment for our players to discover. The game style takes a cue from traditional watercolor and painting techniques, and rather than adhering to them strictly, were creating something attuned to the medium to account for the large volume of content.We hope you will have a fantastic time in our story-book-come-to-life experience, and meet both new and old friends You can pick up Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley on Xbox and Windows PC today.Snufkin: Melody of MoominvalleyRaw Fury$19.99Get it nowSnufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is a story-rich musical adventure game about Snufkin restoring the valley and helping the quirky and memorable characters and critters who call it home. A series of hideous parks have cropped up in Moominvalley, disrupting the landscape and its harmonious nature. As Snufkin you will distract police officers, pull out signs, and knock over misplaced statues as you vigorously try to restore nature and the inhabitants home while putting an end to the industrious Park Keepers plansMain features* Set out on a cozy, story-rich adventure game in a gorgeous storybook art style * Get the strict Park Keeper and his horrible parks out of Moominvalley with the help of your trusty harmonica, a bit of stealth, and the friends youll meet along the way* Meet over 50 charming characters and creatures calling Moominvalley their home* Experience narrative gameplay and a myriad of charming stories and quests involving the beloved characters inspired by Tove Janssons work* Explore Moominvalleys open world and solve musical and environmental puzzles along the way to uncover the happenings in the valley* Immerse yourself in the beautiful soundscape of music and melodies composed in collaboration with Sigur RsIn addition to the languages listed in the Supported languages section, this game also supports: Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Turkish

Enter the golden age of piracy with the tactical RPG Flint: Treasure of Oblivion, the first title from studio Savage Level. The game features five chapters that take players from the town of Saint-Malo in France to ancient temples in the jungles of Central America. It features an original narrative inspired by comic books, but also influenced by board games.Based around a system of cards and dice, Flint invites players to explore and collect various item cards, which can be purchased for use in combat. In addition, a system of skills and attributes specific to the character classes (Archetypes) and the ability to perform combos will add variety to the confrontations. The choice of weapons will also be crucial in turn-based battles, which can go as far as pitting teams of up to 15 pirates against one another.But before you do that, assembling and developing your pirate crew will be a core part of Flint: Treasure of Oblivion. Let me explain all you need to know about managing your unruly band of outlaws!Sail the Oceans to Recruit Your CompanionsFor a pirate captain like our hero James Flint, nothing is more important than the support of a solid team. In Flint: Treasure of Oblivion, the crew is your most precious asset, says Johan Spielmann, Game Director at Savage Level. Some characters will automatically join you as you progress through the story, like your first mate Billy Bones. With others, however, you will need to explore the environments or use your powers of persuasion to unlock them.In total, no fewer than 35 characters are available to be acquired by the sharpest players. Each will have a given role, just as it would have been on an actual eighteenth-century ship: freebooter, helmsman, messman, cook, and so on. And for each archetype, there is a unique linked skill, adds Johan. For example, the surgeon can heal wounded shipmates; as for the lookout, they can spot a coming attack and disrupt it. This is why it will be important for players to assemble a crew with as wide a range of skills as possible.Experience and Equipment: Character DevelopmentOnce you have assembled a pirate crew, there are different ways to develop it in Flint: Treasure of Oblivion. One of them is to share out experience points. A characters experience can be used to improve their dice rolls, giving them a greater chance of achieving their actions. Experience can also be used to reduce the time it takes for their unique skills to recharge, or to level up their characteristics (health points, damage and agility). Players will need to decide how to spend their experience, explains Johan. It wont be possible for them to increase everything to the max over the course of one game.Another way to make your crew more powerful is through equipment. There are nearly 50 unique weapons in Flint: Treasure of Oblivion, including swords, pistols, clubs and spears. You can also find or buy accessories like bandages, grenades and armor. Each character has three equipment slots, Johan continues. So you could take a pistol, armor and a bandage or even three grenades, which is an approach that could work! Equipment allocation cannot be modified while in combat, so it is a decision that needs to be made in advance.A final interesting feature of Flint: Treasure of Oblivion is that winning experience points and buying accessories is directly dependent on gold found over the course of your adventures. You can choose to use your loot to buy accessories for the whole crew, or share the gold out equally among the pirates in the form of experience, explained Johan. We drew inspiration from the life of pirates at the time, where each individual had the same voting power from lowly sailors right up to the captain.Manage Your Pirate Crew as You See Fit!As you can see, there is real depth to crew management in Flint: Treasure of Oblivion, with recruitment success linked to how well you explore and make decisions, while you will also find multiple possibilities for levelling up your crewmates.Will you choose to focus on your crews skills, or opt for brute force with the most lethal equipment? Find out your favorite strategy in Flint: Treasure of Oblivion, available today on Xbox Series X|S!Flint: Treasure of OblivionMicroids1$39.99Get it nowExperience the golden age of piracy through a strong and original narrative, real-time exploration and turn-based tactical combat in Flint Treasure of Oblivion.Assisted by his friend Billy Bones and his crew, Captain Flint sets sail for a mysterious treasure. If the call of the unknown galvanizes him, he doesnt yet suspect this adventure will set him free.Dive into the world of piracy bordering on fantasy of Flint: Treasure of Oblivion. Immerse yourself into a rich well-documented and exciting universe thanks to comic-book styled narration and tactical turn-based combat. Turn-based tactical combatA good preparation is key: Choose your crew members with unique abilities, obtain new skills, improve your dices.During the tactical phases, use cards to trigger skills and attributes, and influence the fight with dice throws. Comic-book narrativeEnjoy a story that, beyond the usual comic tropes (onomatopoeia, speech bubbles), offers the player original and dynamic comic book panels. An exploration beyond the oceansDiscover a magnificent world, from the french city of Saint-Malo to the exotic landscapes of central America. Visit diverse environments (cities, camps, jungle, caves) using the power of the Unreal Engine 5. Historically-inspired piracy worldThe game faithfully recreates a world of piracy, incorporating historical elements (language, costumes, weapons) making the experience even more immersive.

We recently announced our debut game, Empyreal, coming to Xbox Series X|S in 2025, and we would like to tell you a little more about the games setting and inspirations.Empyreal is an action RPG in a richly detailed sci-fi fantasy universe. While the setting is sci-fi, featuring futuristic technology and intergalactic civilizations, the feel and mood is more fantasy. And though technology replaces the magic from a traditional fantasy setting, the supernatural and the divine play a significant role in the lore and story of this universe.The game begins with your character arriving on a hitherto unexplored planet, only to discover the remnants of a lost civilisation. Whats more, it soon becomes clear that, though ancient, this civilisation made breakthroughs and discoveries that are far, far removed from humanitys understanding of the modern world.Soon, you are confronted with a looming and inscrutable monolith. Why is it here? Who built it? What is it for? And what power does it contain?Naturally, we wont be answering those questions for you here and now these discoveries (and more) are for you to make when you play for yourself. However, what we would like to share are some of the esoteric references that influenced some of the themes in the story, and the relevance they hold even to the modern world.Embracing a ParadoxWhile the universe of Empyreal is not directly based on or related to a specific culture or mythology from history, there is one figure that represents an important idea that permeates a core theme of the narrative in the game the ancient Greek god, Dionysus.Dionysus is typically portrayed as a drunken party animal in much of modern pop-culture media, but in his seminal work Dionysus: Myth and Cult, classical philologist Walter Otto paints a much more complete and complex picture.While there is truth in Dionysus being the god of wine and the festival, he was also the god of madness and death. Although at first this may seem a perplexing juxtaposition, is there some truth we can learn from it? Otto claims that in The visage of every true God is a visage of the World. In other words, even in myth, we invariably find an accurate insight into the nature of the world.In the case of Dionysus, he represents the paradox of duality. The understanding that life and death, madness and beauty and conflict and creativity are opposites, and yet also pre-requisites for each other. Embracing this paradox is a core philosophy behind Empyreal to see the universe as both a Mystic Temple and a Hall of Doom (an idea introduced by Thomas Carlyle in his text, Characteristics) and to accept this dual nature in its totality. This life-affirming perspective is known as the Tragic View.Empyreal does not feature an encroaching but ill-defined darkness, or a corruption of the land. Nor does it feature a pantomime villain of inexplicable evil for no other reason than to have an evil antagonist. Instead, the story and characters are designed to prompt careful reflection on the nature of humanity, our place in the universe and what it truly takes to guarantee the future of mankind.Exploring the Human ConditionNow, just because Empyreal does not feature a big bad intent on destroying the world for whatever reason, that doesnt mean the game is without conflict. As before though, the intent is for this conflict to reflect the struggle that life itself invariably presents.Unsurprisingly, you are not the only one invested in the exploration of this lost civilisation and its achievements. When you arrive on the planet, it is ostensibly to provide a relief effort to a beleaguered expedition that has already been there for two long years, with little progress and innumerable setbacks to show for it.Each other member of the expedition is an important character with their own personal questlines that you can choose to follow for unique rewards. There are nine of these quests in total, with each questline exploring a different facet of the human condition, based on the ideals of the individual themselves, the challenges they have faced and what they hope to ultimately achieve.For example, there is an accomplished scientist who, despite their achievements, lives in the shadow of their Great Grandfather, who made technological breakthroughs that transformed modern living. This character has dreamt all their life of making an innovative breakthrough to rival that legacy, and in reverse-engineering the technology of the lost civilisation, that opportunity has seemingly presented itself.You can choose to assist them in their goals, but it is also possible to set them on a different path by sharing even greater insight into the true divine nature of the cosmos, which then puts the characters relentless material pursuits into sharp perspective.There is also a veteran of several wars who is now the Quartermaster of the expedition. Having seen the excesses of humanity in his time, he is pragmatic and optimistic, but acutely appreciates the need to have a firm understanding of ones own beliefs; a solid foundation on which one is able to face the world. As a result, he will frequently challenge you on your beliefs and play devils advocate no matter your response.Choice and ConsequenceThese are just a couple of small previews of the characters you will come across in Empyreal. Not only do all nine characters have questlines you can follow, but each one has at least two distinct endings. Quests can play out differently depending on your choices and accomplishments and each ending offers a unique reward. But dont fret too much about which way to go in a given quest the game will feature a fully fleshed out New Game+ at launch, so youll be able to go back and experiment with different outcomes in subsequent playthroughs.Thats about all weve got time for in this blog. While we have touched on a few of the inspirations and references that influence Empyreals themes and narrative, this is far from a comprehensive list, and theres much more to be uncovered. The game draws heavily on classical and existentialist philosophy, theology and history, with many inspirations not mentioned here that we look forward to players discovering and discussing as they play the game.EmpyrealSecret ModeGet it nowEmpyreal is a complex, challenging, feature-rich action RPG.In a far-flung corner of the galaxy an Expedition arrives on a hitherto unexplored planet to find a colossal Monolith built by a lost civilisation. These are no mere ruins: the Monolith is filled with danger, and the Expedition is ill-equipped to unearth the secrets within.All eyes turn towards an elite mercenary who may succeed where all others have failed.Venture inside the Monolith and face the automatons that yet remain, remnants of the impossibly ancient civilisation that built this unknowable structure. Survive and uncover revelations that transform our understanding of humanity itself.Features: Stand against formidable foes; your only hope of victory lies in mastering a unique and complex combat system A memorable cast of characters, with personal questlines and multiple endings for each one A beautiful but shattered ancient world. Explore breathtaking environments filled with hidden details Customise your character with a vast array of equipment and collect armour sets that confer powerful bonuses Upgrade and modify the loot you find Unlock new abilities to personalise your playstyle