The Stone of Madness review - 18th century stealth 'em up with a devilish psychological twistGame of the roseImage credit: Tripwire Interactive Review by Lewis Gordon Contributor Published on Jan. 28, 2025 Isometric real-time stealth elevated by a unique approach to time, mental health, and a resplendent monastic setting.Stop me if youve heard this one before. There is a monastery located high in the mountains of Europe. Grisly secrets lurk within its fortified walls: inhabitants afflicted by strange diseases; bodies dropped from towers, chickens pecking at the bits of splattered brain. Scariest of all? The sheer hypocrisy of those who profess love to God and their fellow humans yet never miss an opportunity to subjugate - with words, cane, or an object much sharper - those more vulnerable than themselves.The Stone of Madness reviewDeveloper: The Game KitchenPublisher: Tripwire InteractivePlatform: Played on PCAvailability: Out on 28th January on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo SwitchThe Stone of Madness may be set in the 18th century, a full 350 years on from Umberto Eco's masterful monastic mystery The Name of the Rose, yet the game is clearly indebted to the literary phenomenon. Actually, the game approaches the novel via an unusual source, a 1987 adventure video game adaptation called The Abbey of Crime, "one of the most important games made in Spain," said The Stone of Madness director Maikel Ortega.What we have is not so much a straightforward adaptation as an interpretation twice removed which attempts to translate the spirit and structure of Eco's book into video game form. Naturally, there is a mystery to be solved, one involving nefarious clergymen. But you are not playing as a detective (or equivalent) parachuted into these sacred halls, but as a cast of inmates imprisoned within them. That's the other big point of departure from Eco's book: this monastery, rendered in ravishing, illustrated style, doubles as an asylum which, of course, is just another word for a prison in this historical setting. Here come lashings of agony, guilt, and heresy!Watch on YouTubeOn the face of it, The Stone of Madness is a departure for Spanish studio, The Game Kitchen. Its previous games, 2019s Blasphemous and its 2023 sequel, were robust, immaculately crafted works of homage to 16-bit action-platformers, elevated by genuinely depraved Catholic art. The Stone of Madness is an isometric stealth adventure with a dollop of immersive sim (and just a little less blood). It sees The Game Kitchen furrowing a more distinct mechanical path, and mostly executing on it.This isometric monastery is large and ornately detailed, protected by a militia's worth of club and gun-wielding guards. Playing as a band of plucky escapees, including devoted priest Alfredo and elderly witch Agnes, you're free to move about some areas with relative freedom (like the dusty courtyard that sits next to a vegetable garden) while others are strictly off limits (like the plush living quarters of more distinguished patients). You're aiming to avoid arousing suspicion while likely standing in a guard's beady-eyed cone of vision. Fail to do so and you must scarper to the nearest hidey-hole, Alfredo's white nightgown wafting as he runs. Image credit: Tripwire InteractiveIf you know the Commandos or Desperados games, all this will sound very familiar. The rub comes in the form of the clock: as time advances, levels change (you don't want to get stuck in the refectory while the monks are having lunch, for example). Choose to linger at night and areas will become further restricted; you must also reckon with both patrolling guards and the spirits that haunt the monastery. Then, having turned into a dank cell for the night, further opportunities arise: trade on the black market; heal party members; comfort one another to assuage the group's darkest thoughts.That's another key difference between The Stone of Madness and its stealthy forebears: each of your characters has a sanity meter which you will want to keep topped up, lest they spiral into despair.Pity poor Eduardo, a towering man with gangly limbs, hunched back, and a heart of gold. He provides the group's muscle, capable of heaving massive planks of wood to make walkways to unreachable areas and throwing rubble to distract guards. He is also afraid of the dark - not exactly an ideal trait in this dimly lit monastery. At the outset of the game, you control only Alfredo and this gentle giant. Such was my incompetence, I quickly whittled away at Eduardo's precious sanity (mainly by absent-mindingly leaving him in the dark). Image credit: Tripwire InteractiveWith each chunk of sanity diminished, Eduardo developed a new malady: claustrophobia, meaning he could not hide in enclosed spaces; cowardice, meaning he could not commit illegal acts in prohibited areas. Quickly, my loyal mammoth became a husk of his former self, so weakened as to become useless. So I left him in the cell, only putting him to use at night to either craft objects, or worst of all, partaking in back-breaking manual labour in a bid to convince the prison that neither he nor his co-conspirators posed a threat. It felt like a sad and all too likely demise for a man who had already been through so much.I relay the fate of Eduardo because it demonstrates how the game's systems, even in moments of irrefutable failure, whirr to produce narratively and mechanically coherent outcomes. Another instance involves Leonarda, a feisty heroine capable of cold-blooded murder. Except after slaying an unwitting foe, she is riddled with shame, slashing at her arm in a fit of unsettlingly animated self-harm, thus cleaving a heart from her set of lives. The effect is temporary but this is nonetheless an ingenious act of video game balancing - wince-inducing and elegant in equal measure. Image credit: Eurogamer/Tripwire InteractiveAlas, if only every aspect of the game was so effective. There is some clunkiness in controls, notably when directing characters about as a group and the path-finding leads following members into enemy lines of sight. Another niggle: having to manually move each character into a trap door (the game's fast-travel system) one at a time rather than as a single unit.The bigger issue is the mystery which, to put it bluntly, is not especially absorbing, and the actual script, which doesn't exactly jump from the screen as Eco's brilliant prose leaps from the page. This is a wordier and more straightforwardly plot-driven game than the Blasphemous games, which mostly eschewed specific plotting for arcane motivations and a dread-filled atmosphere. The indistinct, overarching narrative gets lost in the objectives that occur over the game's ambitious day-and-night structure. More than once, I forgot why I was completing a particular task, such as the setpiece which involves talking down a monk from a violent paranoid episode. The completion of such objectives does not usually lead to narrative epiphanies - casting the mystery in a new light - but to further its busywork, like looking for a precious emblem in the great crack that carves down one of the monasterys immaculate sandstone walls. The plot advances, but not in an especially tantalising, tension-filled way. Image credit: Tripwire InteractiveThe Stone of Madness accessibility optionsAdjustable font sizes and font type. Adjustable HUD size. Subtitles.And yet, if The Stone of Madness' mystery falls short of greatness, then the game nonetheless summons a great quality of mystery fiction. While skulking about cloisters and slipping past guards, when your team combines seamlessly and enemy AI goes your way, the game is an electric combination of coincidence, luck, skill and opportunity. It speaks to a subtle, but deviously entertaining shift in perspective between The Stone of Madness and The Name of Rose: the player isn't just solving a riddle but perpetuating one, too. What fun Eco's Franciscan monk William of Baskerville would have decoding this tangled web of actions!Still, for all the game's lighthearted sleuthing and slinking, it does not shy away from dreadful subject matter, concerning itself, to a large degree, with the Church's often monstrous real-world legacy. The most affecting story is that which occurs through the bodies and minds of its uniformly endearing characters. As they are beaten and maimed by fearsome monks and brutish henchmen, a slow accretion of hardship takes place. It is not the enjoyably flexible stealth action, nor the undercooked mystery, or even the lavish monastery that lingers in the mind, but their human suffering. Foregrounding this emotion is reason enough to tell such a story again.A copy of The Stone of Madness was provided for review by publisher Tripwire Interactive.

Roman Reigns headlines WWE 2K25 alongside largest-ever wrestling rosterPlus new The Island campaign mode.Image credit: 2K News by Ed Nightingale Deputy News Editor Published on Jan. 28, 2025 Roman Reigns will be the cover star for WWE 2K25, the next in the long-running wrestling series, alongside its largest-ever roster.It will also include a new The Island mode to complete challenges in a bid to impress "The Original Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns.The new game is set for release in March (7th or 14th, depending on edition) across PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC via Steam, though The Island will only be available in the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions.WWE 2K25 launch trailer.Watch on YouTubeThe Island will be a world consisting of areas based on different WWE themes where players can complete quests, take on challenges, compete in live events, and upgrade MySuperstars characters through storyline chapters.The game's roster, meanwhile, will include 300 wrestlers, including Superstars, Legends, and Hall of Famers - from John Cena and The Rock, to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Trish Stratus and more.Other additions include a third-person camera for online matches (controlled separately by each player); the 2K Showcase: The Bloodline's Dynasty mode celebrating the iconic wrestling family dynasty; intergender wrestling makes its debut across all game modes; and the return of Promos in the Universe mode.The creation suite will also be updated as per each new game, which is considered one of the most detailed and robust character creators."I am personally and professionally excited that the Original and Only Tribal Chief and the extended Anoa'i family are the focus of WWE 2K25," said Roman Reigns. "We've been building toward this moment for generations and I challenge players everywhere to show me and my Wiseman, Paul Heyman, what they've got, and prove they're worthy of the attention of their Tribal Chief.""WWE 2K25 expands on our winning formula in nearly every aspect of the player experience," said Greg Thomas, president of developer Visual Concepts. "Our new approach to 2K Showcase and MyRISE storylines really tap into the creativity of the development team, and we're excited to see our community enjoy these updated features."WWE 2K25 is available now to pre-order across three editions: Standard Edition ($69.99), Deadman Edition ($99.99), and The Bloodline Edition ($129.99), with the latter two including new cosmetics and the Season Pass to post-launch DLC character packs, as well as seven day earlier access - that's 7th March ahead of the Standard Edition on 14th March.Earlier this month, WWE 2K23 had its online servers shut down, leaving WWE 2K24 as the only game currently available with online functionality. It will soon be joined by 2K25 in March in a clear push towards the latest game in the series.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide The Call of Duty franchise is no stranger to collaborating with other names from the world of gaming, film, and television. Throughout the Black Ops 6 cycle, Activisions shooter series has joined forces with Squid Game in a move that saw the introduction of a paid event pass that caused widespread frustration among fans.Season 2 sees the return of The Terminator, another case of the publisher rinsing and repeating content from previous Call of Duty games, but Activision was once planning a Halo crossover planned for Modern Warfare 3 that planned go above and beyond the games usual crossover scope.Call of Duty Halo collab wouldve had mapsNotable Call of Duty leaker TheGhostOfHope claims Modern Warfare 3 developer Sledgehammer Games had planned a huge crossover between Call of Duty and Halo. In addition to the Master Chief appearing, several maps from the Halo franchise were also planned.Ranging from Halo 3s The Pit to Combat Evolveds iconic Blood Gulch, Halo has some of the most iconic battlegrounds in the first-person shooter genre. In the past, the Blood Gulch map was even added to Epic Games Fortnite, and was even shown off in a Red vs Blue advertisement for the Battle Royale game.Halo maps such as Zanzibar, LockOut, Blood Gulch and more have been largely praised as some of the best maps in multiplayer history. Seeing as the rise of Halo 2 online multiplayer resulted in CoDs eventual worldwide dominance with Modern Warfare, seeing these maps in Call of Duty wouldve been a surreal experience for fans of both games.To many, any kind of crossover between Call of Duty and Halo wouldve been an impossible task due to the Master Chiefs connection with Microsoft. Now that Microsoft owns Activision, a collaboration between the two has never been closer.Will Call of Duty ever collaborate with Halo?Its unclear if the hotly anticipated crossover between Call of Duty and Halo will ever take place. Considering Sledgehammer Games already has maps and a Master Chief skin ready to go, it would be hugely disappointing if nothing happened during the next four seasons of Black Ops 6 and Warzone.Treyarch often listens to player feedback and if enough fans speak up on a Halo crossover, theres always a chance Master Chief finally arrives alongside the likes of Russell Adler and Frank Woods.For more CoD, check out the best controller settings for maximum accuracy along with the best KSV loadout dominating the meta. For more Halo coverage, check out our interview with the games iconic multiplayer announcer Jeff Steitzer. Subscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereThe First Descendant has continually gotten better with every significant update, and there is a lot for fans to anticipate over the next 12-months. Season 3 is scheduled for March, and fans can sign up to play S3 early right now instead of having to wait for the new character to officially drop. However, before March and Season 3 arrive, TFD fans are in for many treats during the month of love. The First Descendant February 2025 roadmap is not final yet, but we do know some new skins and updates to anticipate.The First Descendant February 2025 roadmapThe First Descendant February 2025 roadmap starts on February 6th with update 1.2.6. There is no update for January 30th due to Nexon celebrating Lunar New Year, so this will be the newest patch following update 1.2.5. Below is everything confirmed for 1.2.6 so far:Void Erosion Purge leaderboard:We are introducing a leaderboard for Void Erosion Purge that showcases the top players who complete the highest stages in the fastest time. Youll be able to view rankings not only by platform but also by individual Descendants. Use the leaderboard to study the most effective builds and compete with other Descendants to set record-breaking clear times!Augmentation Core Upgrade:Craft Core can be accessed through Deslinyes, its Deslin again! This system allows you to combine lower-tier Augmentation Cores and materials obtained from Void Erosion Purge to create higher-tier Cores. With this update, youll be able to craft up to Tier 10 Augmentation Cores, empowering your Ultimate Weapons to reach their full potential.Void Erosion Purge Stage 30New stages, ranging from 21 to 30, will be added to Void Erosion Purge. These stages are significantly more challenging than Stage 20 and will introduce new environments to enhance the experience. The higher the stage, the better the rewards, such as higher-tier Augmentation Cores, but the difficulty will also increase accordingly. Prepare carefully and challenge these new stages to compete on the leaderboard rankings.Keyboard and mouse support on consolesFollowing the above, Nexon has then confirmed the following:February 13th:New hot spring-themed skinsNew eventNew Valentines Day skinsUnfortunately, we are yet to see what the Hot Spring-themed skins look like, and ditto for the Valentines Day costumes. Nexon has said the upcoming skins and new event will be shown off during the next developer livestream. Theres no date for this livestream yet, but it is scheduled for early February, so it will presumably happen in the week of February 3rd-7th.We will update this article following the developer livestream. Following February, Season 3 is arriving in March, and Nexon has confirmed this is when photo mode will arrive, along with the next Fellow. Nexon is then planning to add jiggle physics in May.Check out The First Descendant 2025 roadmap for more details about what Nexon has planned this year.The First DescendantPlatform(s):PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Action, Adventure, RPG5VideoGamerSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.It took four long years for Luke Havekes to complete his most recent projecta true tour de force Canadian chalet, wherein every detail inside reflects the designers passions as a traveler: masks collected on trips to Africa, prints and antique textiles from Japan and Italy, precious French tapestries, and a selection of rugs from Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Custom furniture and upholstery complement this unique home, like the 14-seat dining table carved from a single slab of walnut and a pair of travertine cocktail tables in the living room with forged metal bases and hand-polished curved edges.In the library, a rosewood desk overlooks the garden and makes a perfect airy workspace. An unusual Victorian-style chair with a star motif is upholstered in rich burgundy velvet. A Fortuny chandelier completes the space.Havekes owns a large collection of antiques from various eras and places. Theres an Art Deco library table in the living room, a French mahogany dresser in the entryway, and a midcentury serpentine sofa in the principal bedroom. The square house is made of fir logs from British Columbia and was built in 1968, Havekes says. It had been abandoned by the previous owners for about a decade and it was certainly not in good shape. The challenge was to give it a new lease on life, preserving all the qualities and architectural features that made it and still make it original.In the guest suite, color abounds including thanks to the wallpaper. A pair of midcentury Italian lamps with custom lampshades sit on walnut bedside tables.The chalet is located in Quebecs Eastern Townships, which are about an hour from Montreal in a part of the province known for skiing, vineyards, and beautiful landscapes of rolling hills and breathtaking views. A small river flows through the property in all seasons of the year. Set on two floors, with a steep, sloping roof with huge cornices and small dormers, it is in a typical French-Canadian design. To add some more character and charm to both the exterior and interior spaces, I decided to bring in Adam Borowczyk, an architect from Montreal, Havekes says. Although the layout wasnt changed, major structural improvements were made. The upper floor was transformed from being cramped and narrow to airy and open. This resulted in a light-filled living space and the homes truly unique features.The suite evokes luxury and romance. A Venetian Fortuny silk lamp is the star. For the curtains, a custom fabric in a perfect shade, made from raw silk, stands out.The chalet, with its majestic and imposing appearance, seems to have always been there, just a stones throw from the river. The use of noble materials gives the renovation a timeless charm that will endure. In fact the finishes and home furnishings will likely look even better as they age. Havekes and his team have created an updated version of the original, which had remained untouched for decades but did require an expert touch capable of giving it an upgrade. The designer explains, The first few weeks living in the house were quite surreal, and although the interiors had largely been completed, it took almost another year to oversee the landscaping by Yarek Design.A practical built-in bar with a stone top at the back of the dining room is designed for entertaining and at the same time creates a pleasing symmetry. Above is a midcentury still life with an original plaster frame.A pair of restored Art Deco sofas flank the living rooms imposing brick fireplace. Custom metal and travertine coffee tables and custom lighting add interest to the space. The curtains are in a rich moss-green corduroy.Now, more than a year after the completion of the house, the results are truly amazing. The house can comfortably sleep more than 14 people and Ive hosted parties with more than 80 guests without a problem! Since the house fits into the context of the nature surrounding it, there are always new revelations and surprises. With each season, there are different perspectives. It is a very special house, and all the challenges and efforts needed to make it what it is today were worth it, Havekes says.Designer and homeowner Luke Havekes in the entryway with its custom metal railing and lime-washed walls. His French bulldog Yogi sits on an antique Victorian chair atop a hand-woven reed rug.A view of the symmetrical living room. A midcentury Italian marble lamps sit atop an Art Deco library table. Chinese sang de boeuf enamel vases are arranged in front of French Aubusson tapestries.The closing of the house to start its renovation occurred a few days before the Covid pandemic disrupted life in Quebec, and the entire world. A renovation that was supposed to take about a year ended up taking three times as long and the budget also tripled. The designer encountered countless surprises along the way, obstacles that took time and resources to overcome. Delays in the delivery of materials during the pandemic, as well as the harsh Canadian winter, meant that the site was closed for several months at different points, especially in the early stages. Havekess appreciation for the old house, however, provided motivation to persevere.The covered terrace is located near the living room and includes a monumental steel fireplace.The guest house and gymnasium feature unique post and beam work at the gable end of the porch.At the end of all the effort, the Canadian chalet has now been reborn as Havekess country home. After visiting other locations in the area, he fell in love with this beautiful paradise surrounded by nature. An avid gardener and lover of the outdoors, he transformed it into an ideal retreat to enjoy quiet domestic and creative pursuits away from the stresses of the big city.1/10The main entrance stands under a porch with the same reclaimed brick flooring used throughout the home. The doors are painted in a pistachio shade from Farrow & Ball.2/10In the lounge space, a discreet bar hides in the cabinets alongside a refrigerator and other appliances for serving guests.3/10A custom chandelier hangs from beamed ceilings, which add depth to the dining room. The custom table is made from a slab of walnut, and the large vintage Persian carpet comes from the Arak region.4/10An island done in Italian marble worktop is the centerpiece of thekitchen. The wooden cabinets were handcrafted by a local atelier.5/10A pair of intaglio prints and antique lamps flank the oven, which is Italian-made in a butter yellow enamel.6/10A whimsical corner on the ground floor displays a collectionof curiosities and decorations. The doors are made of reclaimed slate and the vintage coffee table is hand-carved.7/10Volumes abound in the stairwell, where lime walls add texture and a collection of African masks draws the eye upwards. The stair runner is a hand-woven Oushak carpet and the Aubusson tapestry is of French origin.8/10The guest suite on the ground floor features a richly colored antique Turkish rug. The four-poster bed and striped wall coverings add drama to the room.Knowlton House, Montreal. Interior design: Luke Havekes. Architettura Adam Boroczyk e Marie Farmer Atelier Ur. Architettura del paesaggio: Yarek Design con Naturart. Photo Marc Oliver Becotte, courtesy Luke Havekes Design.9/10In the guest bathroom, a custom wood vanity with solid limestone sink stands in front of expansive garden views. Antique sconces with caramel glass lampshades accent the greenery outside.10/10Just outside the greenhouse, a nursery nurtures a selection of vegetables, fine herbs, and flowers.

Where does Jennifer Garner live? The actors house has been in the spotlight latelymost recently because paparazzi photographed Ben Affleck en route to her property after he was forced to evacuate his Pacific Palisades home on January 7, the day that the devastating Palisades fire broke out. Garners custom mansion is in Brentwood, and though it is not far from Afflecks Cliff Maydesigned dwelling, it has stayed outside the evacuation zone. Affleck and Garners three children also live in her farmhouse-style home.While Garners housewhich was pictured on the cover of ADs October 2024 issuehas thankfully remained outside of the wildfires path, she has held roots in the area for over two decades and was deeply impacted by the disaster. On January 10, the Deadpool & Wolverine actor spoke to MSNBC anchor Katy Tur about the loss of a friend from church to the deadly fires. I did lose a friend, and for our church, its really tender, so I dont feel like we should talk about it yet, Garner said. She didnt get out in time. The Methodist church, which Garner described as a central place for the community, burned down. Its my familys church and its where my kids went to Sunday school. We lit the Advent candle together there a couple of weeks ago, she lamented. Ive loved belonging there because wherever I went I would run into somebody from our [church].The interview took place while Garner was on the ground volunteering with Chef Jos Andrs and his nonprofit, World Central Kitchen, to provide food for evacuees and first responders. Ive lived in and around the Palisades for 25 years, so I just think all of us, we want to get our hands into working, somehow, to be helpful, she said. I feel almost guilty walking through my house, Garner continued, describing the scale of the loss to the Pacific Palisades. My heart bleeds for my friends. I mean, I can think of 100 families, and there are 5,000 homes lost. I could write out a list of 100 friends who lost their homes.The Texas native, who is often found sharing wholesome content of herself at home cooking or growing pumpkins, tends to gravitate towards historic houses with cozy amenities like a chicken coop and a wood-paneled kitchen. Read on for a rundown on the down-to-earth celebs Brentwood property, plus the other places she has called home over the years.Sherman Oaks cottageIn 1999, Garner made her first on-record purchasea ranch-style 1950s cottage in Sherman Oaks, California. The rising star paid $790,000 for her new abode, but a quick check on Redfin shows the homes current value as $3.66 million. Although we dont know what the three-bedroom, two-bathroom house looked like when Garner bought it, it wouldnt be far-fetched to think that she was able to enjoy the homes high ceilings, lush surroundings, and stunning city and mountain views that exist today. Garner sold the cozy 2,854-square-foot abode in 2002 for $900,000.Pacific Palisades bungalowGarner bought a Spanish bungalow in LAs Pacific Palisades neighborhood in 2002, two years into her marriage to actor Scott Foley. There was a three-bedroom, two-bathroom main house and a detached one-bedroom, one-bathroom guesthouse on the property when the couple bought it. When they divorced in 2004, Garner and Foley sold the dwelling for $1.85 million.Brentwood haciendaThis scene from Home Again shows the exterior of Garners former Spanish-style dwelling.Photo: Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo

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Tough LuckSorry, Agatha All Along lovers, but it sounds like any season 2 hopes you might had have been dashedAnd there's an extra confirmation as to why its creator didn't want to make WandaVision season 2.Image credit: Marvel News by Oisin Kuhnke Contributor Published on Jan. 28, 2025 If you were hoping to get a second season of Agatha All Along, I've got some bad news, as it sounds like its showrunner turned it down.Spoilers ahead for the end of Agatha All Along.It took quite a while to come out after WandaVision, but Agatha All Along finally released last year and was generally met with a pretty positive reception from fans. That was likely in no small part thanks to some good direction from creator Jac Schaeffer, as well as a strong cast, which included musical theatre icon Patti LuPone. But, in a recent interview on Andy Cohen Live, LuPone shared that fans shouldn't expect a second season, because, quite simply, Marvel isn't making one. "There wont be one," LuPone said of a second season. "Jac Schaeffer, the creator, came into my trailer and she said, 'Patti, Im just here to tell you that Lilias going to die,' and I went, But I wanted a second season.'"To see this content please enable targeting cookies. LuPone continued to explain that Schaeffer's reasoning behind not doing a season 2 for Agatha All Along is the same one she had for not doing WandaVision season 2: "[Schaffer] said, 'I dont do second seasons.' She said, 'They wanted me to do a second season of Wanda Vision and I didnt.' She said, 'Theres too much to write,' so she does one-offs and Im really hoping and praying that someday I get to work with her again because shes magic."That'll obviously be disappointing to fans of the first season, but that's just the way things go sometimes. Those of you that do want to see WandaVision's story continued in some way at the very least will be happy to know that Vision Quest, a show following the titular character played by Paul Bettany, is in the works, and it's even bringing back a surprising MCU character.

Stunt CastingWe have Phil Spencer to thank for the idea to bring Team Ninja and PlatinumGames together for Ninja Gaiden 4Uniting two of the most respected action game makers to create the next Ninja Gaiden once sounded like a dream, and we now know who came up with the idea.Image credit: Team Ninja, PlatinumGames, Xbox. News by Sherif Saed Contributing Editor Published on Jan. 28, 2025 The reveal of Ninja Gaiden 4 at last weeks Xbox Developer Direct was one of the shows highlights. Not only did the announcement unveil an unexpected collaboration between original series developer, Team Ninja, and the spectacle fighter masters at PlatinumGames, Xbox sweetened the deal with a shadow drop of a modern remaster of Ninja Gaiden 2.To bring together two storied teams from two different sides of the action game genre, however, wasnt easy, but it was Xbox boss Phil Spencer who made it happen.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Tea Ninja producer, Fumihiko Yasuda, revealed in a new Game Watch [Japanese] (via VGC) interview that the studio had been trying to come up with a plan to bring back Ninja Gaiden in a big way and create a new game in the series, but couldnt quite figure out all the details.It wasnt until meeting with Phil Spencer that ideas began percolating. The veteran games executive was the one to suggest bringing three entities together for the next numbered Ninja Gaiden: Team Ninja, Koei Tecmo, and PlatinumGames.Prior to that, Koei Tecmo president Hisashi Koinuma, and PlatinumGames president Atsushi Inaba toyed around with the idea of a possible collaboration, but it was ultimately Spencer who brought it all together. A lot of anticipation for this one. | Image credit: Team Ninja, PlatinumGames, Xbox.We have developed action games ourselves, but as we were about to launch Ninja Gaiden for the first time in over a decade, PlatinumGames has previously created a variety of fantastic action titles, such as Bayonetta, and NieR: Automata, so we were keen to work with them, and that's how we began our collaboration, Yasuda added (machine translated).PlatinumGames has a history of delivering stellar titles built on other studios' franchises. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, as well as NieR: Automata are two great examples of that, so theres a lot of hope for Ninja Gaiden 4 to join the list of all-time great action games - and that reveal certainly struck a few right cords.Ninja Gaiden 4 arrives this fall on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

Image: NintendoOne of the biggest surprises that came with Nintendo's announcement trailer for the Switch 2 was the confirmation that the company would be holding a number of global 'Nintendo Switch 2 Experience' hands-on events for members of the public following its April Direct presentation.You were free to file your application of attendance so long as you had an active Nintendo account, but the catch was that your place would only be granted via a randomly selected draw. Yikes. So naturally, then, social media is alight at the moment with users either elated at their confirmed attendance or somewhat saddened by Nintendo's denial.I've seen so much rejection on my timeline today for the Switch 2 Experience. When even Geoff Keighley can't get in, that's an exclusive event! Stealth40k (@stealth40k.bsky.social) 2025-01-27T21:53:07.607ZAt a quick glance, we've seen a lot more posts from people who have been refused entry than those who have been granted attendance, which suggests that a lot more people applied than Nintendo is physically able to acommodate; certainly a comforting signal of the console's early popularity, at least.So now, we'd like to hear from you, dear reader - did you get in? Cast your vote in the below poll and let us know. If you didn't even apply, we'd love to also know your reasoning; are you located too far away from one of the events, or are you simply content to wait until the console's launch day to finally get your mitts on it? Leave a comment to elaborate on your choice.Were you accepted for the Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on event? (212 votes)Yes, and I can't wait!13%No, sadly not42%I still haven't heard back2%I didn't even apply42%Wait, there's a Switch 2?!1% The wait is over!Followed by a hands-on tourShare:00 Nintendo Lifes resident horror fanatic, when hes not knee-deep in Resident Evil and Silent Hill lore, Ollie likes to dive into a good horror book while nursing a lovely cup of tea. He also enjoys long walks and listens to everything from TOOL to Chuck Berry. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesSteam Deck Sales Business As Usual For Valve During Week Of Switch 2 RevealUpdate: Sales chart "updated" by ValveRandom: Donkey Kong Country's Artist Reacts To Nintendo's Redesign"Everything changes!"Xbox Is "Really Looking Forward" To Supporting Switch 2Phil Spencer: "We love the work that we do with Nintendo"Opinion: My Daughter Made Me Realise That Mario Wonder's Difficulty Options Need WorkYoshi or Nabbit, make your choiceNintendo Joins 'Fuji TV' Commercial Boycott Following Sex ScandalOne of many companies pulling ads