If you celebrate today's festivities, my season's greetings to you. If you don't, well, no probs, because we're both just going to take advantage of the discounts aimed at people who do get into it. Everybody wins! Particularly if you want a free copy of Dredge or a cheap controller or a price slice on a game this connoisseur would buy himself.In retro news, I'm celebrating the 28th birthday of Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, arguably gaming's greatest goodwill limited edition freebie. Sega threw this in with my purchase of a select Sega Saturn game, and it was basically a little advent calendar whose content shifted in sync with my console's internal clock. Beating a level (reskinned in a wintry and/or outright Christmas theme) earned you limited chances to solve a tile-matching puzzle to unlock 25 "Presents." The best of the buncha mini-sandbox level starring Sonic the Hedgehog that ends with a satisfying Eggman scrambling. Honestly, I adore this demo disc and play it every year without fail. This Day in Gaming Aussie birthdays for notable games.- Link: The Faces of Evil (CD-i) 1993. eBay- Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon (CD-i) 1993. eBay- Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams (SAT) 1996. eBay- Art Academy (DS) 2009. eBayTable of ContentsNintendo SwitchPCXboxPlayStationLEGONice Savings for Nintendo SwitchManeater (-35%) - A$38.80Nyko GameCube cont. (-29%) - A$23.53NBA 2K25 (-32%) - A$27Metroid Prime Remastered (-18%) - A$49.95Fire Emblem Warriors: TH (-49%) - A$40.65Expiring Recent DealsUnicorn Overlord (-40%) - A$56.99Mario & Luigi: Brothership (-20%) - A$64SpongeBob: Patrick Star Game (-40%) - A$36Rune Factory 5 (-47%) - A$39.51Lego 2K Drive (-47%) - A$21.20PowerA Pro cont. (-31%) - A$698BitDo Arcade Stick (-20%) - A$151.95Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.Switch Console PricesHow much to Switch it up?Back to topPurchase Cheap for PCDredge (-100%) - FREEDays Gone (-78%) - A$16.86Everspace (-95%) - A$1.49Fallout 4 (-65%) - A$8.85Fallout: New Vegas (-56%) - A$6.57Witcher 3: Complete Ed. (-80%) - A$15.79Stardew Valley (-40%) - A$10.19Unpacking (-50%) - A$14.47Doom Eternal (-78%) - A$12.08Halo Col. (-75%) - A$14.98Hollow Knight (-50%) - A$10.97Celeste (-75%) - A$7.37Little Nightmares (-78%) - A$7.03Civ VI (-96%) - A$4.04Overcooked 2 (-78%) - A$7.90 It Takes Two (-80%) - A$9.99Ancient Dungeon VR (-33%) - A$19.76Expiring Recent DealsPlanet Coaster (-95%) - A$3.24NFS Heat Deluxe Ed. (-95%) - A$4.99Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes (-90%) - A$2.19Borderlands 1 GOTY (-90%) - A$3.99Batman Arkham Origins (-90%) - A$2.89Tales from Borderlands (-90%) - A$2.99Stellaris (-90%) - A$5.69The Forest (-90%) - A$2.89Divinity: Original Sin (-90%) - A$5.69Firewatch (-90%) - A$2.95State of Decay 2 (-90%) - A$4.29Warhammer Vermintide 2 (-90%) - A$4.19Total War Warhammer (-90%) - A$8.99Grim Dawn 2 (-90%) - A$3.65Metro Exodus (-90%) - A$4.49Titanfall 2 (-90%) - A$3.99Assassin's Creed Origins (-90%) - A$8.99South Park The Stick of Truth (-90%) - A$4.49Back 4 Blood (-95%) - A$4.49Or just get a Steam Wallet CardPC Hardware PricesSlay your pile of shame.Back to topExciting Bargains for XboxFallout 4 GOTY (-60%) - A$21.98Dragon's Dogma 2 (-40%) - A$64.77X/S controller black (-29%) - A$64Titanfall 2: Ult. (-90%) - A$3.99T.Flight Hotas One (-22%) - A$140.95Tekken 8 (-54%) - A$47Skull and Bones (-78%) - A$24CoD: MW2 (-57%) - A$47Expiring Recent DealsGreen X/S cont. (-17%) - A$59FFXII: Zodiac Age (-63%) - A$29.38A Quiet Place (-28%) - A$33.98Shin Megami Tensei V (-56%) - A$43.95Dragon Age: The Veilguard (-51%) - A$53.99CoD: BLOPS 6 (-42%) - A$64Or just invest in an Xbox Card.Xbox Console PricesHow many bucks for a 'Box?Back to topPure Scores for PlayStationDualSense Camo (-30%) - A$84FF VII: Rebirth (-51%) - A$55.99Star Wars Outlaws (-46%) - A$58.99Mass Effect Legendary (-92%) - A$7.99Hogwarts Legacy (-75%) - A$27.48Stray (-20%) - A$32.12The Last of Us Part 1 (-53%) - A$59Madden NFL 25 (-41%) - A$59LEGO Horizon Adventures (-38%) - A$68DualSense Edge ($40 off) - A$300Breachers [VR] (-50%) - A$22.47Among Us VR (-40%) - A$8.97Expiring Recent DealsTekken 8 (-47%) - A$68.99Crisis Core: FF7 Reunion (-42%) - A$49.10Suicide Squad: KTJL (-84$) - A$19 God of War: Ragnarok (-61%) - A$49Naruto: NInja Storm 4 (-24%) - A$19Dragon Age: The Veilguard (-51%) - A$53.99CoD: BLOPS 6 (-42%) - A$64NBA 2K25 (-64%) - A$44Persona 3 Reload (-60%) - A$42.90DualSense Sterling Silver (-32%) - A$85Or purchase a PS Store Card.What you'll pay to 'Station.Back to topLegit LEGO DealsRetro Roller Skate (-42%) - A$35Super Mario: Peach (-39%) - A$49City: Police Bike Chase (-37%) - A$10Expiring Recent DealsNascar Chevrolet Camaro (-40%) - A$23.99City: Double-Decker (-36%) - A$70Minecraft: Nether Portal (-35%) - A$39Back to top Adam Mathew is our Aussie deals wrangler. He plays practically everything, often on YouTube.

We all know what happens when voice acting goes wrong. Theres a reason your brain still reads "It's-a-me, Mario!" in Charles Martinets legendary voice, not whatever Chris Pratts doing (or isnt doing) in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog family flicks are playing the same adaptation game, but avoid making the same mistakes when it comes to gimmick casting that doesnt benefit the role.When you make an animated movies casting process about the human personalities behind the characters, you lose the magic necessary to transport audiences somewhere new. Dont get me wrong: Ben Schwartz, Idris Elba, and Keanu Reeves are all Hollywood stars but theres a key difference. Schwartz steps into Sonics fur and lets the hedgehog take over, making audiences aware of his artistry without putting a distracting spotlight on the artist himself. Same goes for Reeve and Elba, who disappear behind Shadow and Knuckles.That's the problem with celebrity stunt casting in animated movies and why it should be avoided you sacrifice quality for a (hopeful) box office cheat code.PlayEveryone's favorite Parks and Recreation brat isn't just Ben Schwartz-ing through Sonic's dialogue. The actor strives to honor Sonic's voice in past SEGA video games while putting his spin on a more juvenile character interpretation. There's an art to Schwartz's voice acting and acknowledgment of Sonic's prior iterations. Like Mario, Sonic's voice appears in television shows and video games when speech became more than 8-bit garble or speech synthesis. Why would you want to erase all that history and relation?The difference in quality between The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Sonic the Hedgehog film franchise depicts the stark contrast between memorable and forgettable revamps. Universal and Illumination's mushroom-eating adaptation opts for the aforementioned celebrity stunt castinga cold and transactional method focused on maximizing profits at all costs. Sonic the Hedgehog invests in transformative voice acting, where the draw isn't who's behind pixelated recordings but the characters on screen. It's an animated film's job to immerse audiences in fantastical worlds, which the hybrid live-action Sonic movies accomplish whether in the fictional town of Green Hills, modern-day Tokyo, or a digitized mushroom planet. Thats because no matter the backdrop, Schwartz and company want you to believe Sonic, Tails, and the whole gang are real. They dont want the credit themselves.Sonic the Hedgehog 3 GalleryThe Super Mario Bros. Movie boasts a stacked cast, but what do they bring to their character personalities? Jack Black grumbles and croons as a serviceable Bowser (Black himself is a cartoon character, so that checks out), but even impressionist Keegan-Michael Key's Toad is oddly flat. Luigi sounds like Charlie Day but vaguely New Yorker, Donkey Kong is straight-up Seth Rogen, Princess Peach is an unaltered Anya Taylor-Joy there's no passion behind vocal development. It's the equivalent of dialogue cosplay if purchased on Temu, like slapping a novelty mustache on Chris Pratt while he holds a plunger.Meanwhile, Ben Schwartz has a motormouth zip about his words that matches Sonic's hyperspeed lifestyle. Schwartz can be hilarious as Sonic does his best Quicksilver from X-Men impression during slow-motion action scenes, but also heartfelt and emotional when Sonic faces insurmountable odds or learns everlasting lessons. There's depth to Schwartz's vocal performance that speaks to the values of professional voice acting, which is infinitely harder than it looks. Youre reading lines off scripts in silent isolation, unable to interact with co-stars wholl share scenes with your pixelated and dubbed role yet Schwartz makes it look easy. Sonic never feels out of place next to James Marsten or Jim Carrey, as Schwartzs range, through sound only, hits more dimensions than live-action actors benefitting from all their theatrical tools.PlayWhat's distracting and frustrating about The Super Mario Bros. Movie is how all the film's voices have countless reference points, none of which the studio cares to duplicate or reward. When novels or comic books are adapted to film, there's a freedom to cast without direct audible comparisons. But a video game series with hours upon hours of line readings from voice actors who are still readily available for role reprisals? It's not only disrespectful to the artists who've mastered their crafts and helped galvanize a studio's brand, but distracting from a fanbase standpoint. Slaslfilms BJ Colangelo makes a compelling case to "stop screwing with legacy characters," and she's right. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 takes its reverence for its source material a step farther,, introducing beloved animal buddies Miles "Tails" Prower and Knuckles the Echidna. Now, Tails has one of the more unique voices in the Sonic universe so Paramount went right to the source by hiring Tails' voice actress since 2010, Colleen O'Shaughnessey. Knuckles eventually went to Idris Elba, but not as stunt casting. Elba's take on Knuckles understands the fight-first character, echoing his Drax-like barbarian mannerisms with a gruff warrior's tone. There's even a video of Elba wearing personalized Knuckles gloves during recording sessions so he can disappear into the role, which helps us forget there's an Englishman in a box somewhere reading lines.Then there's the casting of Keanu Reeve as Shadow in Sonic The Hedgehog 3. A handful of voice actors have put their spin on Shadow as a baddie and anti-hero, which Reeves manipulates into his John Wickian hedgehog. You can hear Reeves in Shadow's bluntness and gravel, but there's a more profound parallel. Shadow's history is one of coldness and tragedy at the hands of G.U.N., which Reeves handles with empathy. Reeves himself has dealt with unthinkable hardships throughout his life, tying this sympathetic bond between actor and character. Keanu Reeves isnt playing Shadow the Hedgehog, he is Shadow the Hedgehog, and the parallels between actor and character help develop a well-rounded alien who is himself on screen, not the man behind the words (even if he sounds just like him).Each actor's connection to their colorful counterparts is the secret sauce that's elevated Paramount's Sonic franchise above other video game adaptations. The Super Mario Bros. Movie sold itself on the backs of Chris Pratt, Jack Black, and the entire ensemble cast. Sonic the Hedgehog has enlisted equally impressive stars, but these movies aren't about Keanu Reeves or Idris Elba. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Shadow are the stars the characters are who were talking about after after the credits roll.When you watch any Sonic the Hedgehog after or before The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the debate over celebrity stunt casting falls apart. As an Italian, I laughed when Chris Pratt was announced as Mario but kept an open mind only to be proven wrong. As a Sonic fan who saw those nightmare first renderings of Sonic with teeth, I entered even more nervous once again proven wrong. Paramount's voice cast choices have been aces thus far, endearing these movies to Sonic fans instead of pushing them away. Let's give kudos where appropriate the fantastic voice actors selflessly bringing Sonic and his buddies to life on the big screen.

Max has renewed DC animated series Creature Commandos for a second season.Creature Commandos kickstarted James Gunn and Peter Safrans rebooted DC Universe when Season 1 of the adult animated series launched earlier this month. Its written and executive produced by Gunn himself, with the Season 1 finale out January 9.Creature Commandos follows a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. It features a number of characters who are voiced by actors who will reprise their roles in subsequent live-action DCU projects. For example, Frank Grillo plays Rick Flag Sr. in Creature Commandos and the upcoming Superman movie.Creature Commandos Season 2 is confirmed.Its certainly been well-received, with IGNs Creature Commandos review returning an 8/10. We said: Creature Commandos introduces the new DCU with a story only James Gunn could cook up, balanced by high-energy animated action, outrageous humor, and strong, emotional character arcs.Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President, HBO & Max Comedy Programming, commented: Only James Gunn could have conjured this wild band of misfit monsters who tug at your heart and force you to root passionately for them. We couldnt be more delighted to continue their stories with James, Dean Lorey, Peter Safran and our fantastic partners at DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation. James Gunn and Peter Safran also offered a quote: We're thrilled to team up with Max for another season of Creature Commandos mayhem. From our spectacular first season of Peacemaker to the astonishing run of The Penguin to the record-breaking launch of Creature Commandos, Max has consistently delivered above industry expectations and beyond our wildest imaginings. Thank you, Casey, Sarah, Pia, Sono and the entire team for your tremendous support of DC Studios. We are proud to call Max home. Season 1 stars Steve Agee as Economos, Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana, Anya Chalotra as Circe, Zoe Chao as Nina Mazursky, the aforementioned Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Sean Gunn as GI Robot & Weasel, David Harbour as Frankenstein, Alan Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorus, Indira Varma as The Bride, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller.Before Creature Commandos Season 2 comes out, the DCU continues with July 2025s hotly anticipated Superman movie. IGN has an explainer on all the DC Heroes and Villains in the new Superman trailer, comments from James Gunn on Krypto actually being a pretty terrible dog in the movie, thoughts on how Superman is about hope, and more.Photograph by Courtesy of Max.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The co-founder of Riot Games has responded to a report that claimed League of Legends animated series Arcane was a financial miss.Bloomberg reported that Arcane's two seasons cost an eye-watering $250 million to produce and market, and ultimately failed to generate enough gaming revenue for Riot despite winning a big audience on Netflix. The publication said Netflix paid $3 million per episode, with Riot owner Tencent handing over an additional $3 million per episode to show Arcane in China. All told, thats less than half the $250 million it cost Riot to bring Arcane to market. And, according to Bloomberg, Tencent started asking Riot difficult questions between the release of Season 1 and 2.The hope, Bloomberg reported, was that Arcane would fuel an increase in players of League of Legends and in turn a boost in spending. Riot makes significant revenue from the sale of skins for League of Legends characters, some of which cost hundreds of dollars. Bloomberg said that Riot failed to capitalize on the success of Season 1 with Arcane-themed items, but had more time to do so ahead of the release of Season 2.In a quote attributed to a spokesman, Riot insisted that while Arcane wasnt profitable, the show should be considered a success overall, with the last month one of the companys highest grossing revenue periods ever. Apparently the second season is on track to at least break even financially.Now, Riot co-founder Mark Merrill has responded to the report, taking to Reddit to address discussion about it within the League of Legends community.People who look at the world through a short term, transactional, cynical lens, really struggle to understand Riot, Merrill said. This has been true with various people trying to claim that high quality free games won't work, that esports will never work, that our music was insane, are now saying that Arcane wasn't awesome and worth it.These people think we make things like Arcane to sell skins, when in reality we sell skins to make things like Arcane. Riot is a mission driven company where Rioters are constantly striving to make it better to be a player. That is why we have successfully done that over and over again across multiple games and now multiple businesses / mediums - games, sports, music & animation. Do we get everything right? Nope. But we are not focused on the short term extraction of profits - we are focused on delivering exceptional value to our audience over the long term, again and again and again.To be clear, Arcane crushed for players and so it crushed for us.Merrill, clearly, is insisting that for Riot the costly Arcane was worth it, although its worth noting that he does not dispute any specific part of Bloombergs reporting. Merrill subsequently responded to one Reddit user who suggested Arcane wasnt profitable enough for Riot to make more League of Legends animated spin-offs, saying: "Except it was."Fans are hoping that Riot pushes forward with more League of Legends animated series despite all this. Last month, Riot creative director and Arcane creator and showrunner Christian Linke revealed the three Runeterra regions it's exploring as settings for future shows: Noxus, Ionia, and Demacia.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Let's cut the festive intro and get right to why we're really heresaving max moolah on the games that matter. Along with the stuff in the headline, I'd score one (or many) of those $59 Xbox official controllers. Why? Because Xbox Game Pass pairs so well with PCs and TV boxes nowadays (and could be your cheapest, console-less way to play Indy: Great Circle). In retro news, I'm celebrating the 25th birthday of SWAT 3, a cop-centric inspiration for the tactical CQC antics of your modern Rainbow: Six Siege. It sure had a strange path to becoming a shooter, however, as it's technically the seventh installment of Sierra's old as the hills (or mountain, as it were) Police Quest graphical adventures. From there, it morphed into an isometric SWAT tactics game, and then thisa po-po RoE shooter where, ideally, you'll arrest perps instead of installing blowholes in them. While Sierra certainly wasn't the first to kick the door in on this sub-genre, the pretty peerless solo, co-op, and TDM on offer stacked up tighter than SWAT 3's more remembered rival of the day, Tom Clancy's Rogue Spear. This Day in Gaming Aussie birthdays for notable games.- SWAT 3: Close Quarters Battle (PC) 1999. Get- Halo: Spartan Assault (XO) 2013. GetTable of ContentsNintendo SwitchPCXboxPlayStationLEGOLEGO Advent Face OffNice Savings for Nintendo SwitchUnicorn Overlord (-40%) - A$56.99Mario & Luigi: Brothership (-20%) - A$64SpongeBob: Patrick Star Game (-40%) - A$36Rune Factory 5 (-47%) - A$39.51Lego 2K Drive (-47%) - A$21.20HardwarePowerA Pro cont. (-31%) - A$698BitDo Arcade Stick (-20%) - A$151.95Expiring Recent DealsNBA 2K25 (-70%) - A$30Nintendo World Champs (-32%) - A$34Metal Gear Col. (-61%) - A$35.52Metroid Dread (-29%) - A$56.95Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.Switch Console PricesHow much to Switch it up?Back to topPurchase Cheap for PCPlanet Coaster (-95%) - A$3.24NFS Heat Deluxe Ed. (-95%) - A$4.99Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes (-90%) - A$2.19Borderlands 1 GOTY (-90%) - A$3.99Batman Arkham Origins (-90%) - A$2.89Tales from Borderlands (-90%) - A$2.99Stellaris (-90%) - A$5.69The Forest (-90%) - A$2.89Divinity: Original Sin (-90%) - A$5.69Firewatch (-90%) - A$2.95State of Decay 2 (-90%) - A$4.29Warhammer Vermintide 2 (-90%) - A$4.19Total War Warhammer (-90%) - A$8.99Grim Dawn 2 (-90%) - A$3.65Metro Exodus (-90%) - A$4.49Titanfall 2 (-90%) - A$3.99Assassin's Creed Origins (-90%) - A$8.99South Park The Stick of Truth (-90%) - A$4.49Back 4 Blood (-95%) - A$4.49Expiring Recent DealsAge of Empires II: Def. (-65%) - A$13.98Elden Ring: SotET (-12%) - A$57.19Helldivers 2 (-25%) - A$44.96God of War: Ragnarok (-25%) - A$71.21Metaphor: ReFantazio (-35%) - A$74.71Resi 4 (-49%) - A$37Spidey Miles Morales (-56%) - A$33.35Spidey Remastered (-56%) - A$42.25Or just get a Steam Wallet CardPC Hardware PricesSlay your pile of shame.Back to topExciting Bargains for XboxGreen X/S cont. (-17%) - A$59FFXII: Zodiac Age (-63%) - A$29.38A Quiet Place (-28%) - A$33.98Shin Megami Tensei V (-56%) - A$43.95Dragon Age: The Veilguard (-51%) - A$53.99CoD: BLOPS 6 (-42%) - A$64Expiring Recent DealsFC 25 (-65%) - A$39Starfield (-73%) - A$32Star Wars Outlaws (-46%) - A$59F1 24 (-46%) - A$59NBA 2K25 (-63%) - A$44Marvels GotG Cosmic (-50%) - A$54Or just invest in an Xbox Card.Xbox Console PricesHow many bucks for a 'Box?Back to topPure Scores for PlayStationTekken 8 (-47%) - A$68.99Crisis Core: FF7 Reunion (-42%) - A$49.10Suicide Squad: KTJL (-84$) - A$19 God of War: Ragnarok (-61%) - A$49Naruto: NInja Storm 4 (-24%) - A$19Dragon Age: The Veilguard (-51%) - A$53.99CoD: BLOPS 6 (-42%) - A$64NBA 2K25 (-64%) - A$44Persona 3 Reload (-60%) - A$42.90HardwareDualSense Sterling Silver (-32%) - A$85Expiring Recent DealsDualSense Purple (-30%) - A$84Rise of the Ronin (-45%) - A$69FC 25 (-65%) - A$39The Last of Us Part 1 (-57%) - A$54Gran Turismo 7 (-56%) - A$55Red Dead Redemption II (-75%) - A$19FF VII: Rebirth (-50%) - A$57Or purchase a PS Store Card.What you'll pay to 'Station.Back to topLegit LEGO DealsNascar Chevrolet Camaro (-40%) - A$23.99City: Double-Decker (-36%) - A$70Minecraft: Nether Portal (-35%) - A$39Expiring Recent DealsJedi Bob's Starfighter (-35%) - A$39Batmobile Animated series (-34%) - A$59Technic Porsche GT4 (-32%) - A$169Dune Ornithopter (-32%) - A$169This holiday season, I'm doing something different with the LEGO section. In Mathew Manor, my sons and I are racing LEGO Advent Calendarswe open our respective ones daily and compare the mini-prizes for "Coolness" and "Actual Xmas-ness". Winner gets extra eggnog.If you're also feeling festive, here are the cheapest prices for the three calendars we're using. Or just live vicariously through us.LEGO Star Wars Advent 2024 - A$59.95 $45LEGO Spider-Man Advent 2024 - A$59.95 $45LEGO City Advent 2024 - A$59.95 $45Back to top Adam Mathew is our Aussie deals wrangler. He plays practically everything, often on YouTube.

For just one more day, Best Buy is slashing $100 off the new Asus ROG Ally X gaming handheld PC. Best Buy was the only vendor that discounted the Ally X for all of Black Friday and Cyber Monday and according to the product page, this deal is going to expire in one day. If you're shopping for the absolute best gaming handheld PC on the market, this is your last chance to pick one up below market price for the rest of the year.$100 Off the New Asus ROG Ally XAsus ROG Ally X AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme 1TB Gaming HandheldIn our Asus ROG Ally X review, gaming guru Jacqueline Thomas wrote that "the Asus ROG Ally X is simply the best handheld gaming PC on the market right now (knocking the Legion Go off its throne). With more and faster memory and double the battery as the original Ally, the Ally X will run any modern game without dying in an hour and a half."The Asus ROG Ally X improves on the original ROG Ally in several significant ways, including a much bigger 80Whr battery with nearly double the runtime, more RAM, a beefier cooling system, double the storage capacity on the base model, and better controls. It carries over the AMD Z1 Extreme processor and 7" 1080p 120Hz display found on the more expensive of the two original Ally models. It's also more powerful than the Steam Deck, so if you prioritize visual fidelity and technical performance over an intuitive, easy-to-use UI, then the ROG Ally X is the better choice for you.Like the Ally, the Ally X runs off the Windows 11 operating system. The benefit of this OS compared to the Steam Deck's proprietary Steam OS client is that you can install pretty much any Windows-based game launcher, including Battle.net, Xbox Games Pass, Epic Games Store, GOG, Ubisoft Connect, and of course Steam itself. That makes it more attractive to gamers who like to play games that aren't normally available on Steam and are harder to load onto the Steam Deck, like Fortnite, Genshin Impact, Minecraft, and more.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.

It's the holiday season, which means festive activities, family time, and, most importantly, the Steam Winter Sale. With discounts on everything from massive open world RPGs to pixel-art platformers, it can be tough to limit yourself to just a few games. While I'm all for splurging on 2024 releases, if you're looking to maximize bang for your buck, you could also pick up a solid bunch of slightly older (but still amazing) PC games. For example, right now you can get over 10 copies of Fallout: New Vegas for the price of one S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. A starting point for Steam sales should always be checking your Wishlist, but if you're looking for something new (or want to make sure you're not missing an obvious deal), I found 33 of the best PC games for $10 or less. The Complete Edition of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for $10The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete EditionThe Witcher 3's massive open world, compelling characters, and meaningful approach to player decision-making raised the bar for RPGs back in 2015. After The Witcher 4 was revealed at The Game Awards, what better time to play (or replay) one of the greatest RPGs of all time? Especially now that the Complete Edition, which includes the base game and every DLC, is down to just $9.99.More RPGs Under $10: If you're looking for a narrative-driven RPG, I highly recommend Disco Elysium, which is also down to $10. Other RPGs with deep discounts include Bethesda properties like Fallout 4, Fallout: New Vegas, and (of course) Skyrim. Meanwhile, Baldur's Gate 3 fans who have a hankering for more turn-based combat can pick up one of Larian's older games, Divinity: Original Sin, for just $3.99. Fallout 4Fallout: New VegasDisco Elysium - The Final CutThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special EditionSee it at SteamControl - Ultimate EditionFable AnniversarySupports cross-platform co-opDivinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition40% Off Stardew ValleyStardew ValleyLeave your office job to inherit your grandfather's farm and help rebuild (or price out) the local town in Stardew Valley. IGN re-reviewed Stardew Valley after the farming game got a massive update and ended up giving it one of the only 10/10 game reviews for all of 2024. Given that Stardew was somehow my most-played game on Steam and Nintendo Switch, I have to agree that "Masterpiece" is a fair assessment.More Cozy Games Under $10:Cozy Grove, which I feel is more like Animal Crossing than Stardew, is on sale for under $5. If you're the type of person who enjoys organizing, I'd recommend Unpacking, while Spiritfarer brings the management game genre to the afterlife. Cozy GroveUnpackingSpiritfarer: Farewell EditionPotion CraftDOOM Eternal for $10DOOM EternalThe DOOM series was pretty foundational to the FPS genre, and one of the best DOOM games of the modern era has dropped to under $10. In IGN's 9/10 DOOM Eternal review, Ryan McCaffrey highlights the game's satisfying difficulty: "This excellent refinement of the already outstanding 2016 reboot makes you an unspoken deal: if you can keep up with it, it will keep up with you."More FPS Games Under $10: For more single-player shooting, you can get six Halo games for $10 with The Master Chief Collection. Multiplayer shooters like Siege and Battlefield 2042 are also under $10 for the time being. Halo: The Master Chief CollectionTitanfall 2Battlefield 2042Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege50% Off Hollow Knight Hollow KnightHollow Knight is one of the most rewarding gaming experiences I've had, and also the closest I've come to throwing my Switch at the wall in frustration (that's a positive, by the way). Per IGN's 9/10 review: "The world of Hallownest is compelling and rich, full of story thats left for you to discover on your own, and built with branching paths that offer an absurd amount of choice in how you go about discovering it." Now you can find out why there's always a chorus of comments begging for a Silksong release date for just $8. More Platformers Under $10: Like Hollow Knight, Celeste doesn't shy away from challenging the player, and additional "B-sides" for every level up the ante for even platforming veterans. I recommend Little Nightmares to any horror fan, while the 2020 Ori sequel offers particularly creative puzzles. CelesteLittle NightmaresIt Takes TwoOri and the Will of the WispsCivilization VI for $2.99Sid Meiers Civilization VIWith Civ VII set to release in just a couple of months, most of the Sid Meier franchise is on sale. While I prefer Civ V's map mechanics, Civ VI, in my experience, is better optimized for setting up multiplayer lobbies. Convince your friends to drop a couple of bucks, and you can all lock into an empire-building marathon that will most likely end in some form of betrayal. More Strategy and Simulation Games Under $10: Most Total War games and DLCs are discounted, though one of the best deals is the Warhammer base game for $6. And if you've ever wanted to travel across the entirety of Europe for $5, now you can (with Euro Truck Simulator 2). Total War: WarhammerStellarisCities: SkylinesPlanet CoasterEuro Truck Simulator 275% Off Overcooked 2Overcooked 2If you're looking for something cheap you can convince your friends to pick up and play with you, look no further than Overcooked 2. The cooperative cooking game allows up to four players to hop into a campaign that, with arcade-style levels and goofy physics, will probably lead to some screaming. But, as IGN's Overcooked 2 review describes, this "frantic and inventive co-op game... manages to turn frustration into charm."More Co-op Games Under $10: For larger groups, I also recommend For the King and Castle Crashers. It Takes Two is one of the best games for two-player co-op, and only one person has to buy the game courtesy of Hazelight Studio's "Friend's Pass." And, of course, Portal 2, down to just $2, will always be a co-op classic. Stardew ValleyIt Takes TwoCastle CrashersPortal 2For the KingWhat did you pick up in the sale? Anything you'd recommend that's missing from my list? Let us know in the comments below!

Universal Pictures has revealed that Christopher Nolan's next film will be The Odyssey, a 'mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology' that will be released in theaters on July 17, 2026.Nolan's The Odyssey will bring "Homer's foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time" and will be a retelling of the Ancient Greek epic poem that was first written in the 8th or 7th century BC.For those unfamiliar, The Odyssey follows the journey of Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, who travels the world for 10 years in an attempt to get home after the Trojan War. While Universal didn't reveal any further details on Nolan's The Odyssey, reports have already been painting a picture of the stacked cast the film will have.Matt Damon was the first person reported to be in talks to star in Nolan's next film, which marks his return to Universal after 2023's Oppenheimer, which won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director. Alongside Damon, reports state he may be joined by Charlize Theron, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong'o, and Robert Pattinson.Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty ImagesWe're obviously excited about Nolan's next film as we gave Oppenheimer a 10/10. In our review, we said, "A biopic in constant free fall, Oppenheimer is Christopher Nolans most abstract yet most exacting work, with themes of guilt writ large through apocalyptic IMAX nightmares that grow both more enormous and more intimate as time ticks on."A disturbing, mesmerizing vision of what humanity is capable of bringing upon itself, both through its innovation, and through its capacity to justify any atrocity."For more, read about Nolan's very public split with Warner Bros. and which movie we said was the best of 2024.Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

Lenovo has dropped the price of its powerful Lenovo Legion Tower 7i Gen 8 RTX 4080 SUPER gaming PC to only $1,979 after coupon code: "HOLIDAYT7". This is slightly better than the best Lenovo deal I saw during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In our Legion Tower 7 review, Jacqueline Thomas wrote that "The Legion Tower 7i is an incredibly powerful gaming PC, especially for the money youre likely going to be paying for it. If all you want is a powerful, upgradeable machine without having to go through the trouble of building it yourself, its hard to find many gaming PCs better than this one."Lenovo Legion Tower 7i Gen 8 RTX 4080 SUPER Gaming PCLenovo Legion Tower 7i Gen 8 Intel Core i9-14900KF RTX 4080 Super Gaming PC with 32GB RAM, 1TB SSDThe Lenovo Legion Tower 7i Gen 8 is equipped with an Intel Core i9-14900KF CPU, GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER GPU, 32GB of DDR5-4000MHz RAM, and a 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD. The unlocked 14th gen Intel Core i9-14900KF Raptor Lake "Refresh" CPU boasts a max Turbo clock of 6GHz with 24 cores, 32 threads, and a 36MB cache. It's still one of the most powerful Intel CPUs available (in many cases it even beats out the new Intel Core Ultra 9 285K). It's cooled by a robust 360mm all-in-one liquid cooling system that rivals many enthusiast setups.The RTX 4080 Super is Nvidia's second most powerful card. You'll be able to handle any game in 4K at high framerates, even with ray tracing enabled. It's 5%-10% faster in performance than the RTX 4080 thanks to its higher base clock speed, higher CUDA core count, and higher memory bandwidth. It trades blows with AMD's most powerful GPU, the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, but the RTX 4080 Super pulls ahead in ray tracing performance and where DLSS 3.0 is supported. In our RTX 4080 Super review, Jacqueline Thomas writes "If you're in the market for a 4K graphics card around $1,000, it's hard to think of any GPU that's a better purchase right now. This is the RTX 4080 that should have launched in 2022."Why Choose Lenovo?Lenovo Legion gaming PCs and laptops generally feature better and more rugged build quality than what you'd find from most other prebuilt PCs. For desktop PCs in particular, people like the fact that Lenovo does not use many proprietary components in their rigs, so the PCs are much easier to upgrade with easiy obtainable, off-the-shelf parts. For laptops, Lenovo generally does not throttle the GPU on most of their Legion laptops, so you should expect maximum performance from a given GPU. Lenovo generally includes a solid 1 year warranty with the option to extend.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.

Dell just dropped the price of one of its best gaming monitors to the lowest price ever, even lower than the deals we saw during Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Right now you can pick up an Alienware AW3423DWF 34" QD-OLED gaming monitor for just $552.49 after 15% off coupon code "MONITORS15". This is one of Alienware's highest end monitors, with a gorgeous QD OLED panel, WQHD resolution, and a respectable 165Hz refresh rate.34" Alienware AW3423DWF QD OLED Gaming Monitor34" Alienware AW3423DWF WQHD 165Hz QD OLED Gaming MonitorThe Alienware AW3423DWF is a curved 34" with a 3440x1440 WQHD resolution, 0.03ms response time, and 165Hz refresh rate. It uses a Samsung quantum dot OLED panel that's brighter and supports a wider color range than traditional OLED panels without losing the incredible black levels and instantaneous response times that OLEDs are known for. The AW3423DWF features a 99.3% DCI-P3 color range and is factory calibrated with a Delta E less than 2. It is HDR True Black 400 certified and boasts up to 1,000nits of peak brightness.If you're not looking for a true 4K monitor, this is one of the best monitors out there. The ultrawide WQHD resolution of this monitor measures out to a respectable 109ppi. You can get something like an RTX 4060 Ti or RTX 4070 GPU and achieve perfectly playable framerates. A true 4K monitor, on the other hand, would require a more powerful and pricier GPU.In our Alienware AW3423DWF review, Chris Coke compared it to its more expensive predecessor, the AW3423DW. He wrote that "Though $1,099 (its MSRP) is far from cheap, the Alienware AW3423DWF feels like a great value compared to the original. It offers the same stunning picture, and dropping G-Sync Ultimate really makes no noticeable difference in actual gameplay. Whats left is a monitor that is extremely similar for $200 less than it was earlier this year. Thats a win and an easy recommendation to make if youre in the market for a high-end display with a spectacular picture."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.

This article contains spoilers for the Sonic the Hedgehog film & game franchise. Ever since Paramount's animated take Sonic debuted on our screens Gerald RobotnikParamountJim Carrey has been offering up laughs as the often grotesque Ivo Robotnik since the first Sonic movie in 2020, but he returns in dual roles here playing the original villain and his nefarious grandfather Gerald. Not only is the performance the best thing about the film according to our reviewer, but it also introduces a key player in Sonic lore and one of the franchise's most evil but tragic villains. First appearing in the 2001 3D platformer Sonic Adventure 2, Gerald Robotnik is another super-intelligent scientist behind the mysterious "Project Shadow." Through the gameplay and numerous character flashbacks, players learn that the project was his scheme to find immortality. At first, it seemed like a selfish mission, until it was revealed that he was actually trying to save his granddaughter Maria who was terminally ill. We'll get to her in a moment, but otherwise his story is relatively similar to what we saw in Sonic 3. Though, while it appears Gerald died at the end of the film his video game history hints at a potential comeback for the villain in the already announced Sonic 4. After he disappears in the games, Gerald was forced to work for G.U.N to continue his experiments, and also ended up in Prison Island which we saw briefly in this film before being executed. Seems unlikely that the PG film franchise will adapt that bleak part of his lore but, seeing as they did bring to life the deeply controversial murder of a child this time round, never say never. MariaParamountSpeaking of the famously celebrated Sonic franchise child murder, we finally meet Maria (Alyla Browne), Shadow the Hedgehog's (Keanu Reeves) best friend, cousin of Ivo Robotnik, and the tragically sick granddaughter of Gerald who inspired his genocidal rage in the movie and games. Via an extensive sequence of flashbacks, we witness the happiness Maria brought to Shadow's life and the sadness that her untimely demise at the hands of G.U.N caused Shadow and Gerald which, essentially the same lore as in the games. There though, she was actually shot by a G.U.N agent marking a dark moment for the franchise as a whole as she attempted to help Shadow escape the military group's clutches. While Maria won't be getting resurrected in the next movie her impact will still be felt. Shadow is still alive at the end of the movie meaning that her loss will likely still be driving him especially as he takes on a more heroic role in the next film. So don't count out more Maria flashbacks even as the franchise moves on from her untimely death. ShadowParamountThe Ultimate Life Form has long been seen as one of the coolest characters in Sonic canon so, when Keanu Reeves one of the coolest actors on Earth was cast to play him, it felt like a match made in heaven. The inclusion of Shadow immediately meant that the film would hit on some of the darker lore we've already mentioned, as well as setting up a recurring rival or ally for Sonic. We get an interesting reimagining of his origin here, where he's an organic lifeform like Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails rather than a creation of Gerald Robotnik's like in the game. In that original lore, Shadow was created as part of the elder Robotnik's plan to save his granddaughter Maria's life and struggled with a heavy existential crisis when he couldn't help cure the young girl. As we mentioned above, Maria comes to a fateful end in both the games and the films, shaping his future as both an antagonist and ally to Team Sonic. Another vital Sonic Adventures 2 addition, Shadow is an incredibly powerful character who was inspired by famed anti-heroes like Todd McFarlane's Spawn. Just like the end of Sonic 3, Sonic Adventures 2 ended with Shadow's apparent death but, since that game, he's reappeared multiple times, becoming one of the franchise's most popular characters. When it comes to what we can expect for Shadow in Sonic 4, we wouldn't be surprised to see the aliens known as the Black Doom, who are part of his classic origin. We could also see the evil Phantom Copy of the anti-hero come into play as a potential antagonist for him and Sonic to team-up against once again. Super ShadowSegaJust as Sonic 2 finally bought the golden-hued super-powered heroic evolution of Sonic Super Sonic Sonic 3 introduces the souped up version of Shadow too. The action happens in the third act as the pair use the Chaos Emeralds to go Super in order to save the day and defeat Robotnik Sr. In the original game, this is more aesthetic than actual power-based but, in the movie, we saw the Super transformations of the characters gave them extra speed, power, and immense hit impact. Its another nice nod to his game origins as well as an epic final act battle, and we'll surely see Super Shadow and Sonic when Sonic 4 hits in 2027. Metal Sonic SegaThe first of the film's post-credits scenes reveals that one of Sonic's most dangerous foes has arrived in the Paramount Sonic universe. Metal Sonic a futuristic evolution of Eggman's badnik bots has been haunting gamers and the titular hero since Sonic the Hedgehog CD in 1993. The super-powered, high tech menace is like a Bizarro version of the heroic hedgehog, instead of kind and fun loving hes cold and brutal. And even more terrifying here is that in the post-credit scene we actually get multiple Metal Sonics, ready to take down the blue blur. Metal Sonic is regarded as one of Sonic's most fearsome and ferocious enemies, imbued with sentience thanks to his AI chip. Metal Sonic is often allied with Eggman. But will that be true in Sonic 4 even though it seems that Jim Carrey's vivacious villain has seemingly been vanquished? We would love to know the answer! However, what we can say for certain is that the metal menaces have a serious problem on their cold-shiny hands...Amy RoseSegaA mysterious ally arrives just in time to aid Sonic against the barrage of Metal Sonics in the mid-credits scene. Swinging around a giant weapon with sleek efficiency, the hooded helper reveals herself to be none other than one of Sonic's oldest friends and biggest fans, Amy Rose! That weapon is, of course, her Piko Piko Hammer, probably the most legendary of all weapons in Sonic cannon canon (pun intended). Amy Rose also first appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog CD, and she's since become a staple of nearly all Sonic games as well as the female lead of the franchise (sorry Rouge fans, maybe one day soon she'll get some proper respect from Paramount). Amy's not just a fighter she has a mystical side as well thanks to her love of fortunes and tarot and hopefully Sonic 4 will show us all the facets of this fascinating and funny heroine.Rosie Knight is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything from anime to comic books to kaiju to kids movies to horror flicks. She has over half a decade of experience in entertainment journalism with bylines at Nerdist, Den of Geek, Polygon, and more.

The following contains spoilers for Squid Game Season 1Its been three long years since Squid Games protagonist Seong Gi-Hun (also known as player 456) doubled back on an airplane jet bridge and decided to end the murderous competition once and for all. In the ensuing time, weve been left to wonder exactly how Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) would carry out his vendetta and if he would once again emerge victorious. Now Squid Game Season 2 is upon us, and if you havent watched the first season lately, weve got you covered. IGN recently sat down with Lee, Writer / Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, and much of the cast to reveal which pivotal moments from Season 1 are essential to watch again. Squid Game Season 2 - First Look PhotosHwang Dong-hyuk (Writer / Director)Squid Games creator reveals two pivotal scenes from early in Season 1 he considers worth a rewatch. The first occurs just a few minutes into the premiere episode and sets up the truly dire circumstances that lead to Seong Gi-huns decision to join the game. The second ties a seemingly minor character into the main plot of Season 2. Hwang Dong-hyuk: Because I killed off nearly the entire cast and all of your favorite characters from Season 1, there aren't many characters that continue on from the first season to the next. But there are two, one being Jung-bae, Gi-hun's friend. The second one (is) Kim, who's the loan shark. And so (there are) two scenes I recommend watching again before going into the second season. The first one (is) in the bathroom when Kim is beating Gi-hun up. And then the second scene (is) where Gi-hun goes and tries to borrow money from Jung-bae outside of his pub that he runs. I think it'd be really fun for you to check them out before you go into the second season. Where to watch it: Season 1, Episode 1: Red Light, Green Light (Gi-hun gets beat up by the loan shark)Season 1, Episode 2: Hell (Gi-hun asks to borrow money from Jung-bae)Lee Jung-jae (Player 456 / Seong Gi-hun) & Lee Seo-hwan (Player 390 / Park Jung-bae) Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun and Lee Seo-hwan as Park Jung-bae in Squid Game Season 2. Copyright No Ju-han/Netflix 2024Both Lee Jung-jae and Lee Seo-hwan agree with Hwang Dong-hyuk that the scene in which Seong Gi-hun asks his friend, Park Jung-bae, for money is key to understanding Season 2. Jung-bae only appears briefly in Season 1, but fully enters the game in upcoming episodes. Lee Jung-jae: So it just really naturally progresses from Season 1 to Season 2, but one thing to keep in mind is the character of Jung-bae. He is going to appear more in Season 2, so look out for him. Lee Seo-hwan: I would have to talk about my character Jung-bae. In Season 1, there is a scene where Gi-hun tries to get money from the ATM. He forgot the birthday of his mom, so he's struggling to get that money out of the ATM. And I was cursing at him standing behind him, how can you not know the birthday of your mother? And I used a very strong curse word then. So I was at home in my bathroom trying to figure out which curse word would really fit my situation and I was practicing the curse word. And when I met with Gi-hun again in Season 2, I kind of wanted to use the same curse, but its quite a strong word in Korean, so I decided to use a more common curse word that we usually use with our friends. Where to watch it:Season 1, Episode 2: Hell Lee Byung-hun (Front Man / Hwang In-ho)Lee Byung-hun as Front Man in Squid Game Season 2. Copyright No Ju-han/Netflix 2024At the end of Season 1 Lee Byung-huns Front Man, the masked mastermind charged with overseeing the game, is revealed to be the long-lost brother of Detective Hwang Jun-ho. Front Man is back in Season 2, and Lee insists that his character's unmasking is key to what comes next. Lee Byung-hun: For me, I would have to say the scene on top of the cliff when the mask comes off Front Man and he's standing face to face with his younger brother. I think in that scene not a lot of people probably relate to or even understand the kind of emotions that hes going through. You might have (been) left wondering why is he making that face?" and what's with the hand gesture? And I feel like after you watch the entire second season, you will get to understand a little bit more as to what went on inside his head and what emotions he was going through. Where to watch it:Season 1, Episode 8: Front Man Jo Yu-ri (Player 222 / Kim Jun-hee) & Yim Si-wan (Player 333 / Lee Myung-gi)Jo Yu-ri as Kim Jun-hee and Yim Si-wan as Lee Myung-gi in Squid Game Season 2. Copyright No Ju-han/Netflix 2024In addition to returning castmembers, Squid Game Season 2 is full of new faces. Yim Si-Wan plays a young man who gets caught up in a disastrous crypto scheme that affects numerous other players, including his ex-girlfriend played by Jo Yu-Ri. Jo Yu-ri: First of all, I was a big fan of Season 1. That's why I was so happy and also feel honored to join Season 2. And from Season 1, I would say if the fans remember the relationships or the dynamics that were built between Gi-Hun and other characters, that would help them understand why (he developed) such anger (and) resentment. So much so that he decided to go back to the game. Yim Si-wan: I think the key from Season 1 is of course this protagonist character Gi-Hun. So the fans can explore the reason for Gi-Hun not (getting) on the plane, which was the end of Season 1, to understand his ultimate motive (to go) back into another round of Squid Game in Season 2. Where to watch it:Season 1, Episode 9: One Lucky DayKang Ae-sim (Player 149 / Jang Geum-ja) & Yang Dong-geun (Player 007 / Park Yong-sik) Yang Dong-guen as Park Yong-sik and Kang Ae-sim as Jang Geum-ja in Squid Game Season 2. Copyright No Ju-han/Netflix 2024Also new to Season 2 are mother / son contestants played by Kang Ae-sim and Yang Dong-geun. Both were fans of Season 1 and think the key to understanding upcoming episodes is diving back into scenes featuring the repulsive VIPs who bankroll the game. Kang Ae-sim: There's so many great scenes in Season 1, but one that comes to mind is a scene where we see the VIPs and their approach and their understanding of the game. And I think if the audience thinks about that scene, they'll be very curious and interested to see what happens in Season 2. Yang Dong-geun I would say that it's the same scene, where the VIPs are talking. In-ho's brother (Detective Hwang Jun-ho) is able to sneak in and kind of see what is happening here. And I think this is a really interesting scene because it's Director Hwang shedding light into this world that most of us may not have access to or really can even imagine. And as an audience you realize, wow, this is really how the upper echelon of the world operates. And I think this is important context to have (while) watching Season 2.Where to watch it:Season 1, Episode 7: VIPsThese quotes have been edited for clarity.

The most popular iPad deal of Black Friday is back. Amazon is currently offering the 10th gen Apple iPad (newest model) for $249.99 after you clip a coupon on the product page. Only the silver model is available with this discount. This is the best price we've seen ever since it was launched back in 2022 and matches the best deal I found during Black Friday.Apple iPad 10.9" 10th Gen for $249.99iPad 10th GenFor most people, the iPad (not the Air, Mini, or Pro) is the best model to get because it offers nearly all the benefits of the iOS operating system and snappy performance at an affordable price. This model has significant improvements over its predecessor. For starters, it boasts a larger 10.9" screen without adding to the overall dimensions thanks to a slimmer bezel. It also has a faster A14 Bionic chip, which is a 20% increase in CPU performance and a 10% increase in GPU performance over the A13. It's now compatible with the Magic Folio keyboard so you can convert it into a mini laptop for better workflow (making it one of the best iPads for students). Other practical upgrades include the transition to a universal USB Type-C port, a better camera, and an updated Wi-Fi 6 protocol.The model on sale right now is equipped with 64GB of internal storage and Wi-Fi (not LTE) connectivity. All color options (Silver, Blue, Pink, and Yellow) are discounted and ship out in November. Choosing a model with more storage or cellular connectivity will cost you a lot more. Value-wise, keep it simple and go with the base model.Looking for more iPad resources?If you're not sure which iPad is best for you, we have an iPad guide which details which iPad is ideal for which use case. If you intend want to get an iPad for schoolwork, we have an iPad guide for students as well. If you're looking for options outside of iOS, check out the best Android tablets of 2024.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.

They say the third times the charm, and thats definitely true for Sideshow Collectibles when it comes to the Green Lantern franchise. Their latest Green Lantern Premium Format Figure marks the third time the company has tackled iconic DC hero Hal Jordan, and its undoubtedly their best attempt yet.Sideshow kindly provided IGN with a review sample of the Green Lantern Premium Format Figure so we could get up close and personal with this massive and eye-catching collectible. Read on to see images of the piece and learn why its easily Sideshows best Green Lantern yet.Sideshow Collectibles: Green Lantern Premium Format Figure Photo GalleryAs mentioned, this is the third time Sideshow has included Hal Jordan in its Premium Format Figure line. This particular piece, however, is the first to be sculpted by Daniel Bel, one of the most popular artists in Sideshow's stable right now. This statue is designed in 1:4 scale. Because of the pose Bel went with, where Hal has one arm outstretched to the skies, the result is that he measures in at a towering 33.5 inches. That's definitely something to keep in mind, as you'll need plenty of vertical space when placing this statue in your collection. Fortunately, he doesn't take up an excessive amount of horizontal space, with a base diameter of around 12 inches.Bel is well-known for sculpting superheroes that are incredibly powerful and muscular and locked in dynamic poses. This statue captures those qualities well. This is anything but a grounded, realistic take on Hal Jordan. You can pinpoint practically every muscle on Hal's body as he reaches for the stars. It's a very exaggerated sculpt, but one that certainly has plenty of shelf presence. And one of the strengths of Bel's work is that his figures retain a certain sleek, lithe quality despite the exaggerated musculature. Hal's is well-toned, for sure, but he still has a certain leanness to his physique. He's sculpted more like a gymnast than a linebacker. That's a major point in this statue's favor compared to the original Green Lantern Premium Format Figure, where Hal's physique was too bulky and his pose lacked the simple elegance of this sculpt.The exaggerated anatomy is half the fun with this statue.The display base also contributes to the statue's shelf presence. It depicts a Green Lantern logo construct rising out of the ground, while the ground itself is basically exploding upward underneath Hal. Sideshow tends to get flak for releasing so many statues of characters standing atop rocky bases, but this one is dynamic and visually interesting enough to rise above the pack. It's certainly an improvement over the lackluster energy construct base on the second Hal Jordan Premium Format Figure.In addition to the dynamic sculpting, this statue soars on the strength of its paint (based on prototype work by Casey Love). The combination of the deep black, stark white, and metallic green on Hal's uniform makes for a visually compelling contrast. There's also a liberal amount of shading to further highlight Hal's musculature. The only complaint in this area is that Hal's skin tone is unnaturally dark, as if he picked up a deep tan on some alien world. That's a pretty common issue with Sideshow's statues, in my experience.With a powerful, dynamic sculpt and colorful paint job, there's no denying that this Green Lantern statue has the potential to become a standout piece in anyone's collection. It's still not perfect, however, with a few niggles beyond the aforementioned skin tone complaint.The light-up effect begins to fade roughly midway through the Green Lantern logo.One is that the light-up feature is sadly underwhelming. The Green Lantern logo on the base and Hal's ring both light up when the statue is plugged into its accompanying charger. However, the light-up effect is far from uniform, losing its potency the higher up the base you look. It's also unfortunate that the statue doesn't come with any alternate, swap-out pieces or accessories. It's practically screaming for a swappable left hand holding a lantern or a right hand with another energy construct (though, to be fair, that would increase the height of an already extremely tall statue).Overall, though, this is an extremely impressive statue, and undoubtedly Sideshow's best effort with the character to date. I have to assume it won't be their last, though. The previous versions are long since sold out on Sideshow's website, and even this one is now waitlisted. Fans still hoping to add Hal to their collection will either have to jump on the waitlist and cross their fingers or hunt around on eBay or third-party sites. But it's certainly worth the trouble for anyone looking for a statement piece in their collection.PlayFor more collectibles fun, check out our impressions of Sideshow's Ahsoka Tano Premium Format figure and Hasbro's Chatter-Back Chopper figure.Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket byfollowing @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Space Marine 2 modders have once again answered players prayers by putting the axe from Secret Levels Warhammer 40,000 episode into the game.The Secret Level Warhammer 40,000 episode, called And They Shall Know No Fear, is a sequel to Space Marine 2 and stars protagonist Titus as he battles alongside his brothers to defeat the forces of Tzeentch. But while Titus appears in the animation as he looks in Space Marine 2, the episode also features a weapon players have yet to see in-game.It sounds innocuous, but the action scene in which this mystery Power Axe is used steals the show. We see it wielded with brutal efficiency to tear apart cultists and Tzaangors. Theres even a super cool moment in which a Space Marine bashes the helm of the axe in order to shift it into the upright position in his glove.After the release of Secret Level, Space Marine 2 fans let it be known that they wanted to see developer Saber Interactive and publisher Focus Entertainment add the axe to the game, expanding upon the arsenal of weapons already at their disposal. So far, neither has indicated plans to do so.Modders, as they so often do, have stepped into the breach. Astartes 2.0, from Space Marine 2 modder Warhammer Workshop, has just released a new update that adds the much-anticipated Power Axe, inspired by Secret Level, to the game, as well as the Chain-Axe and the Space Kings Hate Mace complete with its unique heraldry. (Space King is a fan-made Warhammer 40,000 parody.)Generally, the Astartes overhaul mod adds loads of new content, including lore-accurate Space Marine classes, reworked combat, and even new missions. Space Marine 2 has a thriving modding scene that makes a significant number of improvements and changes to the record-breaking third-person melee / shooter hybrid. IGN has reported on Space Marine 2s modding scene a number of times, shining a light on everything from more in-depth customization to a fix for one of the games biggest problems.Officially, Space Marine 2 is now up to Patch 5, although Focus has already talked about what to expect from Patch 6 and 7, both due out in 2025. The Year 1 roadmap for Space Marine 2 includes new content up to Season 4, which is set to kick off at some point in 2025 (we're currently in Season 2). Space Marine 2 is set for long-term support, and dataminers have uncovered information on cosmetics set to hit the game up to Season 9. IGN has reported on the availability in-game of what looks like a Battle Barge expansion set to hit Space Marine 2 with Season 3.In September, Saber Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits told IGN how the breakout success of Space Marine 2 had changed everything for the company. Eagle-eyed fans have spotted the Space Marine chapter now all-but confirmed to get a cosmetic pack after the Dark Angels, too.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Gladiator 2 makes its digital debut tomorrow, December 24, Paramount has announced.Director Ridley Scotts big budget sequel made over $416 million at the global box office, and now heads to digital just in time for Christmas. The 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray release, meanwhile, is set for March 4, 2025.The digital and 4K Ultra HD releases include over 100 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews, as detailed below. That includes deleted scenes, although there's no information yet on what those deleted scenes are. Gladiator 2 digital bonus content:A Dream That Was Rome: Origins Director Ridley Scott and producers delve into the history behind Gladiator II and how the story developed over many years before coming to the screen.What We Do In Life Echoes In Eternity: The Cast Take an inside look into Ridley Scott's casting process.In The Arena: Filmmakers Go behind the scenes as the cast and crew journey to Malta, Morocco, and the UK for the epic production.To Those About To Die, We Salute You: Combat Discover how Ridley Scott and his team combined choreographed combat with cutting-edge visual effects to take the action to a whole new level.Building An Empire: Post-Production Join the filmmakers for insights into the fascinating process of crafting the finished movie, which includes a scoring session led by composer Harry Gregson-Williams.The Making Of Gladiator 2 Explore how Ridley Scott, the cast, and crew worked to bring Gladiator 2 to life.Deleted ScenesThe Gladiator 2 4K Ultra HD release. Image credit: Paramount Pictures.Gladiator 2 launched in the U.S. alongside Wicked as one half of Glicked, although the double-bill failed to match last years phenomenally popular Barbenheimer box office behemoth. Still, Gladiator 2 appears to have done well enough, despite its $250 million production budget and estimated $100 million marketing budget.IGNs Gladiator 2 review returned an 8/10. We said: Gladiator 2 finds strength and honor in a familiar story, with enough fresh perspective to feel relevant and an unmissable Denzel Washington supporting turn which practically screams are you not entertained!?' "Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The theatrical version of the Superman trailer hit cinemas late last week, playing ahead of the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Mufasa: The Lion King. And in it fans are seeing ever so slightly more of the DC supervillains Superman is set to face in the movie itself.The debut trailer for Superman offered a good look at Nicholas Hoults Lex Luthor, a blink-and-youll-miss-it moment in which we see Mara Gabriela de Faras The Engineer / Angela Spica, and an enemy who battles Superman in an empty baseball stadium (Cleveland Guardians' Progressive Field in real life).The theatrical version includes a brief shot of Luthor flanked by The Engineer and Ultraman, who, it turns out, was the character taking on Superman in the stadium.The Ultraman we see here has the trademark U on the front of his uniform, but there are few other notable features. The characters body is concealed by his suit, so we cant see his face. He wears a pair of goggles that cover his eyes, giving away little.This shot in the theatrical trailer tallies with set photos that showed a cuffed Superman being led down a street by Ultraman, The Engineer, and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag. Sr, as well as some soldiers. So were now starting to get a clearer picture of what Superman is up against here, although how all these characters link to Lex Luthor remains a mystery.These supervillains arent the only enemies Superman is set to face. The trailer shows two huge monsters, one a fire-breathing, skyscraper-sized kaiju that looks a bit like an axolotl, the other an energy beam-firing floating tentacle ball monster.The trailer kicks off with a surprisingly vulnerable Superman lying prone on a snowy surface, battered, bruised, and bleeding. Who was powerful enough to do this to Superman? Perhaps it was the work of Ultraman. In the DC comics, Ultraman is an evil alternate version of Superman who shares the same Kryptonian superpowers, except Ultraman is depowered by sunlight and powered up by kryptonite.The shot in the theatrical trailer could be showing the villainous trio entering Superman's Fortress of Solitude. Fans are speculating that Superman tries to intervene but the fight doesn't end well for him, resulting in the state we see him in at the start of the trailer.Generally speaking, Superman has help from a number of DC superheroes, including Edi Gathegis Michael Holt / Mister Terrific. The theatrical trailer also includes a new, closer look at Mister Terrifics mask. And lets not forget Krypto the Superdog, who rescues Superman after his beatdown, Isabela Merced's Hawkgirl, and Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner / Green Lantern.Superman hits theatres on July 11, 2025, and is the first film in the DCU's Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. IGN has an explainer on all the DC Heroes and Villains in the new trailer, comments from James Gunn on Krypto actually being a pretty terrible dog in the movie, thoughts on how Superman is about hope, and more.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Black Myth: Wukong arrived in 2024 to incredible success and has seemingly spawned some copycats as a result, with Nintendo Switch fans laughing as Wukong Sun: Black Legend hits the platform this week.Gamers online have called out the $7.99 Wukong Sun: Black Legend as a fairly blatant rip-off of Black Myth: Wukong, which isn't on Nintendo Switch itself. Not only is the name incredibly similar, but the promotional image could easily be mistaken for that of the actual game.The similarities practically end there, however, as Wukong Sun: Black Legend is a side-scrolling platformer as opposed to Black Myth: Wukong's third-person action. It also requires a meagre 338 megabytes of storage space according to the Nintendo eShop page.Wukong Sun: Black Myth. Image credit: Nintendo eShop.Black Myth: Wukong. Image credit: Game Science.It's description doesn't allude to this seemingly more limited experience, promising "a chaotic world teeming with powerful monsters," "supercharged abilities and crazy fighting skills," and "captivating visuals with unforgettable storytelling.""Seriously, this is not even subtle," one ResetEra user wrote of the similarities between Wukong Sun: Black Legend and Black Myth: Wukong. "Not even trying," wrote another. "Yeah, this seems like the kind of shovelware cashgrab someone would release," said a third.Wukong Sun: Black Legend gameplay. Image credit: Nintendo eShop.Black Myth: Wukong is based on classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, so Wukong Sun: Black Legend could technically also be based on this source material, but it's not the first time such an incident has occurred.A game which looked incredibly similar to PlayStation mega hit The Last of Us, for example, was also released on (and then pulled from) the Nintendo eShop last year. Fans have called out digital storefronts for seemingly have little to no quality control, with PlayStation itself facing a similar issue with a Grand Theft Auto 6 parody earlier in December.Developers have felt the burden of this too, with Unpacking creative director Wren Brier calling out Nintendo for allowing copycats of their game on the eShop. As reported by Eurogamer, Brier called games such as Unpacking: Deluxe Edition or Unpacking: Chill Music Pack "egregious scams," as they are in no way linked to their own game.Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Sega has ruled out making any more Mini consoles, dashing hopes for a Saturn or Dreamcast revival.The company behind Sonic the Hedgehog has released a number of nostalgia-fuelled Mini consoles based on the Sega Genesis, but has so far stopped short of continuing the trend with Mini versions of 1994s Saturn or 1998s Dreamcast, the latter of which was Sega's final console.Sega fans have over the last few years hoped that the company would continue its Mini range, but in an interview with The Guardian, Segas America and Europe CEO Shuji Utsumi said it was looking to the future rather than the past for new products.Genesis Mini 2 GalleryIGN's Twenty Questions - Guess the game!IGN's Twenty Questions - Guess the game!To start:...try asking a question that can be answered with a "Yes" or "No".000/250Im not going for the Mini direction, he said. Its not me. I want to embrace modern gamers.Then: We are not a retro company. We really appreciate our legacy, we value it, but at the same time, we want to deliver something new otherwise well become history. Thats not what were aiming for.While Sega has said no to Mini consoles, it has big plans to revive its older intellectual property with modern takes. For example, big new games in the Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, and Virtua fighter franchises are all in the works.These games are being developed as Sega continues with the hugely successful Sonic, Persona, and Yakuza series, with Creative Assembly working on new Total War games and Alien Isolation 2, and Sports Interactive continuing with the eternally popular Football Manager.Meanwhile, in an interview with the BBC, Utsumi suggested Sega is considering launching its own subscription service for video games, competing with the likes of EA Play, Xbox Game Pass, and PlayStation Plus, to name but a few."We're thinking something and discussing something we cannot disclose right now," he said.Photo By BRUCE BISPING/Star Tribune via Getty Images.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

A dedicated Baldur's Gate 3 fan has searched through thousands of lines of dialogue to discover which characters agree, and disagree, the most with each other.As reported by The Gamer, Reddit user Tarrasque-Named-John datamined the beloved Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game to calculate which characters like Astarion, Karlach, Shadowheart, and the entire Baldur's Gate 3 party have the most aligning morals.The fan used the Approving and Disapproving mechanic of Baldur's Gate 3 to do so. When the player character makes certain decisions, messages such as "Gale Approves" or "Halsin Disapproves" pop up, and Tarrasque-Named-John looked to see which characters approved and disapproved the same decisions the most.Minsc and Karlach agreed the most, aligning on 97% of all decisions. They're followed by a few pairs at 96%: Wyll and Halsin, Minsc and Halsin, Jaheira and Halsin, and Karlach and Halsin.The opposite was revealed too, with Astarion and Wyll emerging as the most disagreeable pair with just 50% alignment. They're followed by Minthara and Halsin at 51%, and both Wyll and Minthara and Karlach and Astarion at 52%Tarrasque-Named-John also calculated who would become "best friends" by the end of Baldur's Gate 3, ignoring percentage and looking directly at the total number of times characters agreed with each other.Astarion's bestie would be Lae'zel, and Lae'zel's would be Astarion. Gale's would be Karlach, but Karlach's would be Wyll. Awkward. Wyll's bestie is therefore Karlach, as is Shadowheart's. Jaheria's is Wyll, Minsc's is Karlach, Minthara's is Astarion, and finally, Halsin's is Wyll.This data is true as of Patch 7, but developer Larian Studios may shake things up a touch with Patch 8, which is due sometime in 2025. Though it may not shake up the morals of each character too much, it is set to add 12 new subclasses to the game alongside loads more.Baldur's Gate 3 arrived in 2023 but, incredibly, is even more popular this year than last. This is due in large part to official mod support, which are even available on console and not just PC as standard.Players downloaded more than 50 million mods via the official mod support tool in less than two months, and this number doesn't include the thousands made unofficially. Mods released so far include one that adds real-time combat to the otherwise turn-based RPG and another that brought entire new maps to Faern, including the highly requested Avernus.In our 10/10 review of Baldur's Gate 3, IGN said: "With crunchy, tactical RPG combat, a memorable story with complex characters, highly polished cinematic presentation, and a world that always rewards exploration and creativity, Baldur's Gate 3 is the new high-water mark for CRPGs."Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

The original creators of much-loved sci-fi horror video game Dead Space say they pitched EA on Dead Space 4 this year, only for the publisher to say it wasnt interested.In an interview with Dan Allen Gaming, Glen Schofield, Christopher Stone, and Bret Robbins, three of the leading creatives at the now shuttered original Dead Space developer EA Redwood Shores / Visceral Games, revealed they all joined together to pitch EA on Dead Space 4.We tried, actually, the three of us, Schofield revealed. Dead Space 4. Were talking this year.Unfortunately for Dead Space fans, EA said it wasnt interested, with Schofield suggesting projections for how many copies Dead Space 4 would have to sell to make the venture worthwhile were perhaps a key factor in the decision.We didnt go too deep, Schofield explained. They just said, We're not interested right now. We appreciate it blah blah blah, and you know we know who to talk to. So we didn't take it any further. And we respected their opinion. They know their numbers and what they have to ship and all that so yeah.IGN's Twenty Questions - Guess the game!IGN's Twenty Questions - Guess the game!To start:...try asking a question that can be answered with a "Yes" or "No".000/250Stone added that the video game industrys high-profile struggles and its subsequent risk aversion has made projects such as Dead Space 4 a particularly hard sell.The industry is in a weird place right now, Stone said. People are really hesitant to take chances on things. So you got to take it with a grain of salt. Who knows, maybe one day. I think we'd all love to do it.Yeah, Schofield continued, we got some ideas.I'd make a Dead Space 4, Stone declared.Alas, it sounds like Dead Space 4 is an unlikely prospect, with EA focusing on its enormously successful sports games, The Sims, the revival of Battlefield, and Respawns ongoing projects, including the third Star Wars Jedi game. BioWare recently released Dragon Age Veilguard and is working on Mass Effect 5.EA released the well-received Dead Space remake in 2023, but since then EA hasnt said anything about a potential Dead Space 4. The last mainline game in the franchise, Dead Space 3, came out over a decade ago, in 2013.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Palworld has closed out what has been a remarkably eventful year with its huge Feybreak update.The update, which brings Palworld up to v0.4.11, adds new areas, new pals, new buildings, a hardcore mode, expeditions, research and a lot more. Check out the patch notes, below, for more.Feybreak arrives as developer Pocketpair works to defend itself in a high-profile patent lawsuit filed by Nintendo and The Pokmon Company. After Palworlds huge launch earlier this year on PC and Xbox, comparisons were made between Palworlds Pals and Pokmon, with some accusing Pocketpair of "ripping off" Pokmon designs. But rather than file a copyright infringement lawsuit, Nintendo and The Pokmon Company went down the patent route. They want 5 million yen (approx $32,846) each plus late payment damages, as well as an injunction against Palworld that would block its release.Palworld vs. Pokmon ComparisonIGN's Twenty Questions - Guess the game!IGN's Twenty Questions - Guess the game!To start:...try asking a question that can be answered with a "Yes" or "No".000/250Last month, Pocketpair confirmed the three Japan-based patents, which revolve around catching Pokmon in a virtual field, it is being sued over. Palworld does include a mechanic that involves throwing a ball-like object (called a Pal Sphere) at monsters out in a field to capture them, similar to the mechanic seen in the 2022 Nintendo Switch exclusive Pokmon Legends: Arceus. However, without explanation, Pocketpair recently tweaked how players summon Pals, with observers speculating the change had to do with the patent infringement lawsuit.Palworld launched on Steam priced $30 and straight into Game Pass on Xbox and PC earlier this year, breaking sales and concurrent player number records in the process. Pocketpair boss Takuro Mizobe has said Palworld's launch was so big that the developer couldnt handle the massive profits the game generated. Still, Pocketpair acted swiftly to capitalize on Palworlds breakout success, signing a deal with Sony to form a new business called Palworld Entertainment thats tasked with expanding the IP.Patent experts have said Nintendo and The Pokmon Companys lawsuit against Pocketpair is evidence of the threat posed by Palworld, which has since gone on to launch on PS5, albeit after a short delay in Japan.PlayAll eyes are on the lawsuit to see who will emerge victorious, if it isn't settled first. Pocketpair has vowed to take on Nintendo and The Pokmon Company in court, however, saying: We will continue to assert our position in this case through future legal proceedings.Through it all, Pocketpair has continued to release major updates for Palworld and Feybreak is just the latest example of that. The developer is even moving forward with crossovers with other huge video games, including the start of a Terraria collaboration with today's release of Feybreak.Palworld Feybreak update 0.4.11 patch notes:New ContentMeowmere from Terraria! Meowmere, the first "bullet-firing melee weapon" in Palworld, has been added. This is only a small taste of the Palworld x Terraria collab, and in 2025, even more collaboration content will be released! Enjoy taking a step towards a new adventure alongside the sound of cat meowing!New Island - FeybreakA new island, Feybreak, has appeared! A mysterious island with many challenges, glowing sand and many new Pals!Conquer the Feybreak Warriors, a new faction that dominates the island with the power of their missile battery camp!New Resources - Chromite and Hexolite Quartz!Chromite is buried underground and can only be found by using Pals or items that can detect metal.Hexolite Quartz is a rare ore that only exists on Feybreak.New Mechanic - Expeditions!Obtain supplies by sending Pals out on expeditions at the Pal Expedition Station!New Mechanic - Research!By conducting research at the Pal Labor Research Laboratory, you can unlock permanent passives and rewards that increase the productivity of your base!*Some existing buildings that increase work speed will now be unlocked as research rewards.Predator PalsVicious Predator Pals will now appear throughout the world. These Pals are extremely difficult to defeat but those strong enough to take them down will earn rare resources in return for their bravery!New "Bounty" NPCsDangerous criminals have appeared all over the Palpagos Islands. Bring these crooks to justice and cash in the country for rewards.New Strongholds and Stronghold Boss: The Attack ChopperA large and very difficult "Platform Oil Rig" has appeared! Great riches, important supplies and more are stored here. A powerful Attack Chopper guards this rig from any intruders!A smaller oil rig, the "Barge Oil Rig" has been added for beginners.Player level cap raised to 60! New technologies and more await!New Raid - Xenolord!Defeat the dark mechanical dragon that controls the Xeno army!Sphere ModulesYou can now attach modules to spheres to significantly change their trajectory, such as curving it, which in turn increases the capture rate!New ItemsMetal Detector - Find chromite buried underground on Feybreak.Pouches - Increases your inventory size!Double Jump Boots - Stylish and practical, time to double jump!Air Dash Boots, - Allows the player to dash while in the air.Revival Potion - Bring your Pals back to life.New cooking recipes have been added.Hardcore Mode!The ultimate challenge. Player and Pal death is permanent.Can be enabled in the world settings.Random Pal Mode!Turn on Random Pal Mode in world settings to randomize Pal spawns!Randomize by Region - Randomize Pal spawns while maintaining a certain regional range.Completely Random - All Pal spawns in all regions will be completely randomized! It could be a bit chaotic...New Area Discovery Bonus!Players will earn experience points when they discover a location for the first time.Many New Weapons!Makeshift SMGMakeshift Assault RifleMakeshift ShotgunOld RevolverSMGSemi-Auto RifleSemi-Auto ShotgunLaser Gatling GunPlasma CannonCompound BowAdvanced BowKatanaBeam SwordDark GrenadeDragon GrenadeGround GrenadeGrass GrenadeWater GrenadeNew BuildingsLarge-Scale Electric Egg Incubator - Hatch up to 10 eggs at the same time.Guild Chest - Items placed in a guild chest are shared among all guild chests.Item Retrieval Machine - Search for and take any item from any chest within your base!Medicine Rack - Pals will take medicine stored to treat their illnesses and injuries.Flea Market - Sell Pals and items to other players!Large-Scale Stone Oven and Gigantic Furnace - Multiple Pals can work together to cook and refine at higher speeds!Skillfruit Orchard - Plant and grow skill fruits!Gold Coin Assembly Line - Illegally produced coins, now made at home!Ladders - Players can go up and down without needing to build stairs!Pure Quartz Mine - Mine an infinite amount in the comfort of your base.Accumulator - By storing extra electricity, you can keep your facilities running at night while your Pals sleep.Elemental Treasure ChestsRare treasure chests that can only be unlocked by Pals of specific elements have appeared!PlayerPlayers can now sit on chairs!You can now obtain Successful Bounty Tokens by defeating field bosses. These tokens provide permanent passives to the player.Player climbing speed has been increased.Increased the maximum amount of power that can be enhanced by Lifmunk Effigies from 12 to 14.Implemented "Sphere Critical" hits! Throwing a sphere at a Pal's weak spot (the same weak spot as when attacking a Pal) will temporarily increase the capture rate!Experience points gained from crafting and building have been increased. You now also gain experience points for Pals crafting and building even when you aren't at your base!Improved player animations.Players will now be invincible for a few seconds after teleporting or entering/exiting dungeons.When mounted, Pals now cancel any active skills that are in effect, allowing it to move immediately.Base RelatedA function to replace foundation structures and defensive walls without destroying them has been implemented. Walls already built can be upgraded.New foundation structures, "Japanese Style" have been implemented! You can recreate Sakurajima's Japanese-style architecture at your base. Sliding doors have also been implemented.The maximum base level has been increased to 30.Pal transportation work has been improved while the player is not in the base.In Single-Player and COOP modes you can build much more freely around the world, except in some dungeons.The Pal working state set in the monitoring stand is now saved.PalsChristmas Skins!6 Christmas skins have been added for all players!(You must own the Pal to equip the skin)Pudding la GumossParty Night DepressoWinter Style ChilletWinter Style Chillet IgnisRoyal FrostallionWhite ShadowbeakRedistributing Limited-Time skins to all players!(You must own the Pal to equip the skin)Gold RelaxaurusSailor QuivernSummer ChilletNew Unique SkillsVanwyrm - Flame BreathVanwyrm Cryst - Tempest BlizzardAstegon - Firefist BreathstormMaraith - Spirit DashVerdash - Spinning RoundhouseUnivolt - Lightning GaleBlazehowl - Volcanic FangRagnahawk - Rush BeakBeegarde - Needle SpearBeakon - Lightning DiveRayhound - Beckon LightningJormuntide - Slither SlamJormuntide Ignis - Magma SerpentCryolinx - Blizzard ClawWumpo - Snow BowlingWumpo Botan - Lawn BowlingNew Ground SkillStone BeatNew Dark SkillPoison ShowerNew Dragon SkillCharge CannonNew Tier of Passive SkillsAn even higher tier of passives, "rainbow passive skill" has been added! Breed the ultimate Pal! "Swift" has been promoted to a rainbow passive skill, and the chance of obtaining it has decreased.Work Suitability Enhancement Books!By using various technique books, you can permanently increase Pal's work suitability.The limit on strengthening Pals with souls has been lifted! It's now possible to further develop your Pals.If a summoned Pal has three moves that are all on cooldown, it will use the most basic move of its element.Enemy Pals will now use every move they know at that level.Alpha Pal eggs are no longer all huge but are now each the appropriate size.UIAdded a filter function to the Technology screen.You can now add Pals to your favourites with a single button in the Pal Box UI.Improved Pal Box sorting function, making it easier to find the Pal you're looking for.You can now change the font size in the options settings.The player's main HUD no longer becomes hidden over time. (You can revert this setting in the options.)Mouse and KeyboardYou can now close any window with the Tab key.The right Shift key and right Ctrl key can now be registered in the key configuration.Controller PadFixed an issue where the player would continue walking if the UI was opened while moving.Changed the cutscene skip button on controller to Y.CrimeThe charges have been expanded. Serious crimes, such as "Obstructing Public Officials" will increase the player's criminal level even more.Dedicated ServersYou can now set "Maximum number of buildings per base" in the world settings.This allows server administrators to make adjustments to stabilize server performance and maintain a comfortable playing environment.Balance AdjustmentThe weight multiplier for all items can now be changed in world settings.Technology unlock levels have been adjusted.The selling prices of some Pals have been adjusted.Merchant stock and prices have been adjusted.The crafting recipes for some ammunition have been adjusted.Boss enemies are now immune to stuns and will now become staggered when their stun accumulation value reaches 100.Some technologies can now be unlocked by defeating tower bosses.Adjusted the work suitability of some Pals:Blazamut Ryu - Kindling 3 4Selyne - Handiwork 3 4Knocklem - Mining 3 4Cryolinx - Added TransportingLegendary Pals are now level 60, and they can learn more powerful skills.The recovery amount of Felbat and Lovander's partner skills has been increased from 6% to 10%Bug FixesImproved base pals so they don't get stuck as often.Reduced the issue of players falling under the ground after fast travel.Improved enemy pathing so they don't get stuck in walls as often.Improved the raid algorithm and pathing to ensure that raids reach bases much more often.Many many many other minor bug fixes.OtherNew NPCs have been added to various locations.Added the "Free Pal Alliance Judicator" to the Free Pal Alliance. He will now appear at their camps.Slowed down the work speed animation of base Pals with work speed buffs. (This is a measure to prevent the processing load from increasing too much when the effect is played at high speed. This change does not affect actual work speed.)Changed Paldeck to Palpedia to be more in line with other languages.Soundtrack3 new songs have been added to the soundtrack. If you have already purchased the game, please update the soundtrack.*Please note that the soundtrack update may be delayed by about a day.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The following review contains spoilers for the fifth episode of Dune Prophecy, The High-Handed EnemyMuch like all thats come before in Dune: Prophecy, there are a lot of good ideas in the finale of the first season, The High-Handed Enemy. From Tulas confrontation with her son Desmond and Valyas revelation of their relationship, to it all leading to the fall of Javvico, there is a good skeleton of drama there. But for every step forward, Prophecy always seems to take two steps back. As a fan of the books and movies, its almost more frustrating when they do succeed, when in the end the whole becomes less than the sum of its parts. The story being told just never finds a way to balance the pace of the series with all that needs explaining and expounding upon. And on top of that, The High-Handed Enemy leaves Prophecy with almost every plotline up in the air, looking towards its recently announced second season for any sort of resolution; that causes it to fail on the promise of the premiere, which laid out the various mysteries of the series.In a lot of ways, Prophecy does the best it can with the time its given. This whole first season has bounced back and forth, alternating between feeling too slow and too quickly paced for its own good. The High-Handed Enemy falls into the latter camp, feeling rushed to get everything out despite the extra 20-ish minutes its given on top of the regular hour-long runtime. And it manages to do some good work with Tulas confrontation of Desmond Hart, Valyas realization of their relation, and the Emperors end, but theres just an overwhelming sense that things were cut down for time. Constantine (Josh Heuston) doesnt even show up in the finale, and while there are relatively good story reasons presented for him not to be around, it feels like he was unceremoniously shoved out of the story to make room for the others. Just when he was getting interesting, too.There just wasnt enough time to fully expound on the ideas of Prophecy in six episodes. By the end, many of the younger Sisters feel underbaked, and with their worlds rocked by the revelations of Mother Dorothea, we dont really get to see how they react to the information. Were just left hanging. Even a few of the main cast, from Desmond Hart to Javvico and Natalya, dont feel as fully fleshed out as they needed to be to grasp their motivations or connect with them in any meaningful way. Its one of the many reasons why the royal storyline often feels flat and unexciting.What makes it worse is that so much of the episode is setup for the next season. Im not cliffhanger-shaming here every season finale, if the writers know theyre going to get another season or are at least confident they will, is going to tease something to come in the future to leave us wanting more. But usually there is still some meaningful resolution to the main plotlines and character arcs that have been the focus of this season (Ned Starks story in season 1 of Game of Thrones being the classic example) and The High-Handed Enemy offers very little in that regard. The return of Mother Dorotea and her influence over the young sisters as she reveals to them the literal skeletons in the closet of the Sisterhood left for next season. The fate of Tula and Desmond as the power over the Imperium shifts due to Javvicos death left for next season. And while it makes sense to leave Valyas quest to save Ynez and bring her to Arrakis open, the character arcs of Valya, Ynez, and Keiran have all been left unresolved, leaving them for next season as well. It all compounds into an episode and by extension, an entire season that feels unfinished.Dune Prophecy Episode 6 GalleryThe one area it does leave with some sense of conclusion is in maybe the most ultimate form of it: death. Javvicos fate, as well as Francescas, is handled relatively well, with some proper emotions from the two of them as well as Natalya. But like I mentioned earlier, its just hard to connect with these characters when weve been given so little insight into their motivations it just feels like there was so much more to be said that the shorter season order just couldnt allow for.The most egregious element of its habitual non-resolution, though, is these high-handed enemies themselves. The mystery of the origin and reality behind Desmond Harts abilities are built up throughout the season, only to reveal that that entire plotline leads towards an answer that raises more questions than it answers. That can be a good thing when done right, as Lost proved time and time again, but it doesnt work when its the majority of plot lines being left behind. Who implanted the fake eye and memories into Desmonds head, for instance? And why him? Rather than carefully planting those ideas in our minds over the course of the series and having a big revelation at the end to entice us into season 2, these questions are brought up and left unanswered all in one breath, taking the excitement out of the moment and leaving us unsatisfied.Its just hard to connect with these characters when weve been given so little insight into their motivations.It all comes back, again, to the too-short season, which had no room to fit another storyline to follow this mysterious new faction, whomever they might be (Tap to Reveal), and have the reveal feel more grounded in things we already knew. Now, were just left with a level of anticipation for answers thats aggravating more than it is exciting.

Time groweth short if you're not planning on not being a Grinch this holiday season. Bargain-priced presents (which I suspect are early Boxing Day deals leaked early) can still be yours, particularly if you have the Super Fast Delivery perk unlocked via an Amazon Prime membership. I'll still be on board over these holiday periods because I'm right there with your mentalityI cannot resist discounts and kick myself if I've missed them. In retro news, I'm celebrating the Aussie birthday of a rare and expensive bird, the SNK Neo Geo CD. Released in limited numbers in Oz around the $600 ballpark ($1,299 in '24 bux), this bad boy delivered near-perfect arcade-quality games, though it was a "budget" alternative to the hilari-expensive, cartridge-based Neo Geo AES. Being CD-based marred this unit with lonnng load times, though the gruelling wait for Metal Slug, Samurai Shodown, and Fatal Fury was always worth it. Here's a shot of the beast I sold a kidney and a lung for. Laser: still going strong. This Day in Gaming Aussie birthdays for notable games.- Neo Geo CD launch, 1994. eBay- Kirby & the Amazing Mirror (GBA) 2004. eBay- WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 (PSP) 2006. eBay- Harvest Moon DS: Sunshine Islands (DS) 2010. eBayTable of ContentsNice Savings for Nintendo SwitchFC 25Introduces some interesting new features, particularly the fast-paced and compelling Rush mode, but much of the package beyond that feels overly familiar.NBA 2K25 (-70%) - A$30Nintendo World Champs (-32%) - A$34Metal Gear Col. (-61%) - A$35.52Metroid Dread (-29%) - A$56.95Expiring Recent DealsStreets of Rage 4 (-60%) - A$15Golf Story (-82%) - A$3.99Super Mario RPG (-20%) - A$64Crisis Core: FF7 Reunion (-25%) - A$63.62Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (-75%) - A$17.48Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.Switch Console PricesHow much to Switch it up?Switch Zelda: $629 $539 | Switch Original: $499 $449 | Switch OLED Black: $539 $479 | Switch OLED White: $539 $479 | Switch Lite: $329 $299 | Switch Lite Hyrule: $339 $309See itBack to topPurchase Cheap for PCAge of Empires II: Def. (-65%) - A$13.98Elden Ring: SotET (-12%) - A$57.19Helldivers 2 (-25%) - A$44.96God of War: Ragnarok (-25%) - A$71.21Metaphor: ReFantazio (-35%) - A$74.71Resi 4 (-49%) - A$37Spidey Miles Morales (-56%) - A$33.35Spidey Remastered (-56%) - A$42.25Expiring Recent DealsOddworld Complete Col. [6 games] (-99%) - A$1.69Mass Effect: Andromeda Del. (-90%) - A$4.99Hitman: WoA (-90%) - A$4.39Spelunky 2 (-60%) - A$11.58Or just get a Steam Wallet CardPC Hardware PricesSlay your pile of shame.Official launch in NovSteam Deck 256GB LCD: $649 | Steam Deck 512GB OLED: $899 | Steam Deck 1TB OLED: $1,049See it at SteamBack to topExciting Bargains for XboxTekken 8Interesting tweaks to Tekkens classic fighting systems, a full suite of fun offline modes, great new characters, incredible training tools, and a vastly improved online experience all add up to a fighting game. 9/10, amazing.FC 25 (-65%) - A$39Starfield (-73%) - A$32Fancy X/S cont. (-17%) - A$79Star Wars Outlaws (-46%) - A$59F1 24 (-46%) - A$59NBA 2K25 (-63%) - A$44Marvels GotG Cosmic (-50%) - A$54Expiring Recent DealsTomb Raider Survivor Trilogy (-70%) - A$20.98Star Wars Outlaws Gold (-55%) - A$77FFXII: Zodiac Age (-66%) - A$26.86CoD: BLOPS 6 (-31%) - A$75.95Metaphor: ReFantazio (-42%) - A$67.03Or just invest in an Xbox Card.Xbox Console PricesHow many bucks for a 'Box? Series X: $799 $671 | Series S Black: $549 $545 | Series S White:$499 $471 | Series S Starter: N/ASee itBack to topPure Scores for PlayStationDragon Ball: Sparking! ZeroReliving a story that was foundational to my youth, looking and sounding as great as I remember it, with the opportunity to alter it in sometimes dramatic new ways is clever.DualSense Purple (-30%) - A$84Rise of the Ronin (-45%) - A$69FC 25 (-65%) - A$39The Last of Us Part 1 (-57%) - A$54Gran Turismo 7 (-56%) - A$55Red Dead Redemption II (-75%) - A$19FF VII: Rebirth (-50%) - A$57Expiring Recent DealsStar Wars Outlaws (-46%) - A$59Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero (-14%) - A$99CoD: BLOPS 6 (-42%) - A$64Metaphor: ReFantazio (-40%) - A$68.55Or purchase a PS Store Card.What you'll pay to 'Station.PS5 Slim Disc:$799 $798 | PS5 Slim Digital:679 $529 | PS VR2: $899 | PS VR2 + Horizon: $899 | PS5 Pro $1,199 | PS Portal: $329See itBack to topLegit LEGO DealsAnimal Crossing: Dodo AirlinesWhen you think safe air travel, think extinct bird airlines.Expiring Recent DealsSonic: Knuckles Shrine (-40%) - A$35.99Creator: Exotic Parrot (-40%) - A$23.99City: Excavator, Digger (-35%) - A$52LEGO Advent Calendar Face Off 2024This holiday season, I'm doing something different with the LEGO section. In Mathew Manor, my sons and I are racing LEGO Advent Calendarswe open our respective ones daily and compare the mini-prizes for "Coolness" and "Actual Xmas-ness". Winner gets extra eggnog.If you're also feeling festive, here are the cheapest prices for the three calendars we're using. Or just live vicariously through us.LEGO Star Wars Advent 2024 - A$59.95 $45LEGO Spider-Man Advent 2024 - A$59.95 $45LEGO City Advent 2024 - A$59.95 $45Back to top Adam Mathew is our Aussie deals wrangler. He plays practically everything, often on YouTube.

Roblox weightlifting experience Gym Star Simulator is bulking up for the holidays with its Christmas Update, which includes a new battle pass, a secret event set to kick off on Christmas day, and more.The update from developer Gym Simulator Club is out now with a handful of substantial changes to help celebrate the season. Patch notes for the update tease bigger additions, such as the previously mentioned battle pass and Christmas Event, with more in store for those who log in sometime through the next few weeks. Also included is an entirely new winter location to visit, with players then able to test their strength against NPC bullies and Buff Snowmen.Its time to get into the Christmas spirit with our upcoming Holiday Event, an official description says. Beat bosses in snowball fights, complete tasks to earn Snowflakes, and spend them on exclusive rewards. Dont miss out on the fun!Buff Santa invades Gym Star Simulator in new Christmas Update.The items that will keep the cheer going after the Gym Star Simulator Christmas Event concludes can be found in the Christmas battle pass. Through January 6, lifters can earn Snowflakes to unlock special trainers and pets to stand besides them on their journey to becoming the most swole Roblox player. Highlights include trainers like the Mighty Climber and Icy Knight, with pets including the Gingerbread Bear, Ice Spirit Wolf, Holiday Reindeer, and more. There's also Buff Santa, this season's event mascot. You'll find Buff Santa waiting for your arrival in the new winter location, which can be accessed from the starting area.Alongside the limited-time Christmas features come bug fixes, too. As for that mysterious Christmas Event, well have to wait until December 25 to find out just what the Gym Simulator Club team has in store. In the meantime, you can see our list of every active Gym Star Simulator code here. You can see the full patch notes below.Gym Star Simulator Christmas Update Patch NotesIt's Christmas time, and what better way to celebrate than with our brand new Christmas update!Here's what to expect:- NEW Christmas Pass- NEW Christmas Event- New Christmas Themed Pets, Trainers, and Belts- New EXCLUSIVE Buff Santa Trainer- New EXCLUSIVE Buffy the Elf Trainer- SECRET Christmas Event Starting The 25th- Bug Fixes!Note: If you dont see the update in-game yet please give it a few minutes or try swapping to a new server.Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.

The weekend is officially here, and we've rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Sunday, December 22, below:Gran Turismo 7 for $19.97Gran Turismo 7 - PlayStation 5Walmart has Gran Turismo 7 available for $19.97 today, and this is a perfect last-minute gift for the racing fan in your life. This is still one of the PlayStation 5's best games, with hundreds of hours worth of fun at your hands. You can test and drive over 500 cars in total. Plus, you can even play Gran Turismo 7 in VR with PlayStation VR 2!Persona 3 Reload for $24.97Persona 3 Reload: Standard Edition - PlayStation 5Persona 3 Reload is one of the best RPGs of the year. This remake recreates one of the most praised Atlus titles ever, with loads of new quality-of-life and gameplay features. An all-new voice cast debuted with this release, and each cutscene was remade with new assets for higher quality. If you've never jumped into the world of Persona before, this is a great place to start, especially at this price. Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics for $34.99Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics - Nintendo SwitchMarvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics - PlayStation 4Finally, you can score Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics for only $34.99 this weekend at Amazon. That's even lower than last week's sale! This collection packs in seven different titles, including the beloved Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. At last, you can play these classic titles on modern platforms. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven for $39.99Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the SevenRomancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is arguably the best entry point into the SaGa series at this time. Acting as a full 3D remake of the 1993 release, this game features English and Japanese voiceovers, rearranged music, retooled gameplay, and more. If you're still unsure about Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, you can check out the free demo across all platforms! LEGO Horizon Adventures for $39.99LEGO Horizon Adventures - Nintendo SwitchLEGO Horizon Adventures PS5Lego Horizon Adventures is the latest game in the Horizon series, and it marks the first time a Horizon game has been playable on Nintendo Switch. In our review, we wrote, "Lego Horizon Adventures reimagines Horizon Zero Dawn with a playful Lego twist, simplifying the story while keeping the heart of its key moments and characters."Alan Wake II for $59.99Alan Wake 2 Deluxe EditionAlan Wake II never received a physical release at launch last year, but Remedy has fixed that as of last month with the Alan Wake II Deluxe Edition. This release bundles in Alan Wake II and its two expansions, Night Springs and The Lake House. If you're a fan of survival horror, this is one of the best games available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.Astro Bot for $49.97Astro Bot PS5Selected as Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024, Astro Bot is on sale this weekend, and there has never been a better time to pick up one of the PlayStation 5's best games. Building off Astro's Playroom, Astro Bot features many new abilities and bosses to fight, with over 300 bots to rescue across the galaxy. You'll find planets modeled after beloved PlayStation games like Ape Escape and Uncharted, and even surprise third-party bots like Leon S. Kennedy from Resident Evil 2. Resident Evil 4 for $19.99Resident Evil 4 - PS5Resident Evil 4 was one of the biggest games of 2023, with Capcom recreating one of the highest-praised action titles ever. As Leon S. Kennedy, it's up to you to travel to Europe and rescue the President's daughter, Ashley Graham. With the Separate Ways DLC also available, the Resident Evil 4 remake is simply one of the best action games ever. There's never been a better time to jump in, with this price acting as an all-time low.Save on ROG Ally at Best Buy$449.99 for My Best Buy Plus MembersAsus ROG Ally AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme 512GB Gaming HandheldThis weekend at Best Buy, you can save on the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme model, where it's priced at $499.99. This handheld device is perfect for exploring your Steam library on the go, with PC Game Pass support also easily accessible. If you're planning to travel anytime soon, the ROG Ally will be your best friend.Ace Attorney Investigations Collection for $29.99Ace Attorney Investigations Collection - NIntendo SwitchAce Attorney Investigations Collection brought both Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth and Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutors Gambit in one package, with Prosecutor's Gambit releasing in English for the very first time. This release features updated visuals, new animations, gallery mode, conversation history, and more. You can even switch between the old and new sprites!DJI Action 2 Dual-ScreenDJI Action 2 Dual-Screen Combo (32GB)The DJI Action 2 is on sale this weekend at Amazon for $159, and it's the perfect camera to take with you on your next adventure. With 4K/120 capability, the DJI Action 2 can be attached to all kinds of accessories, including a magnetic headband, lanyard, and more. The camera itself is even waterproof, with support for depths up to 10 meters right out of the box. Metaphor: ReFantazio for $49.99Cyber MondayMetaphor: ReFantazioPS5 and Xbox.Metaphor: 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 post Black Friday. In our 9/10 review, we stated, "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."Stellar Blade for $49.99PS5Stellar BladeYou can grab Stellar Blade for just $50 this weekend. This action game from Shift Up has been one of the most popular games of the year. Just a few weeks ago, new Nier: Automata DLC was released, which included new outfits inspired by A2, 2B, and Emil. In our 7/10 review, we stated "Stellar Blade stands out as a gorgeous and well-crafted action game with very impressive strengths and very clear weaknesses."

Note: this is a spoiler-free advance review of Marvels What If? Season 3, Episode 1, which premieres on Disney+ on Sunday, December 22.The second season of Marvels What If? was truly a mixed bag, suffering from an overemphasis on Hayley Atwells Agent Carter and a season finale payoff that felt underwhelming at best. Fortunately, Season 3 starts off by giving us exactly whats needed - a strong palate cleanser. Its hard to go wrong with the giant mecha vs. kaiju formula.Dubbed "What If... the Hulk Fought the Mech Avengers?", the premiere takes place in a world where Hulks attempt to cure himself of his gamma affliction has major unintended consequences for humanity. Borrowing liberally from franchises like Godzilla, Pacific Rim, and Voltron, this episode ups the scope of the series considerably and allows for some truly titanic battles between radioactive super-monsters and Avengers piloting giant robo-suits. The series has always been devoted to showing us situations and plot twists that could never happen in the regular MCU. Sometimes it succeeds more than others, but this is one case where it definitely makes the most of the alternate timeline premise.PlayGranted, like most What If? episodes, the limited runtime becomes a bit constraining. The plot is nothing if not straightforward and predictable, and viewers will be able to easily call the major plot beats well in advance. But to its credit, this episode does find a solid emotional throughline to anchor all the larger-than-life spectacle. This scenario hinges on the friendship between Anthony Mackies Sam Wilson and Mark Ruffalos Bruce Banner, hearkening back to Sams role in Captain America: The Winter Soldier as a counselor to wounded warriors. Their bond helps give the episode some emotional heft, and actually left me wishing something similar existed in Earth-616. The MCU lost something with the transition to a smarter, more well-adjusted Hulk in Endgame.Another strength of this episode is in how it makes use of the larger Avengers roster. Rather than focus on the classic Phase 1 and 2-era Avengers, the premiere instead emphasizes more recent, post-Endgame MCU players. It gives us a valuable chance to see how characters like Simu Lius Shang-Chi, Teyonah Parris Monica Rambeau, and even Oscar Isaacs Moon Knight interact. Because, well, its not as if the live-action movies have been in any hurry to get us to that point. It all makes for a much more novel viewing experience. And with most of the live-action actors reprising their roles here, the team banter has that necessary air of authenticity. Isaac in particular is a lot of fun here, making it all the more unfortunate the series hasnt really focused on Moon Knight up till now. Visually, this is probably the most memorable What If? episode since the Season 2 premiere, the neo-noir-themed What If Nebula Joined the Nova Corps? The sheer scale of the action and the varied designs of the Mech Avengers ensure theres rarely a dull moment. The action is smooth and does a fine job of channeling the various anime shows and movies that have clearly inspired this episode. Theres even a delightful opening segment that pays homage to classic 80s anime, one that I only wish lasted longer than it does.

When From the World of John Wick: Ballerina hits theaters in June, it will mark the first film entry in the ever-expanding franchise not led by Keanu Reevess titular assassin. Instead Reeves passes the baton (or should we say Glock) to Ana de Armas and her character Eve Macarro, who the team insists is complex and nuanced in her own right and not just a female John Wick clone. De Armas leads a cast of newcomers featuring Norman Reedus and Gabriel Byrne along with returning faces Reeves, Ian McShane, Anjelica Houston, and the late Lance Reddick.On the heels of a wild panel at CCXP last week in So Paulo, Brazil, much of the cast along with director Len Wiseman sat down with IGN to talk about building on the franchises mythology, if de Armas could take Reeves in a fight, and how they made a John Wick movie without John Wick himself as the lead.From the World of John Wick: BallerinaIGN: At the CCXP panel, the fans were really excited to see you all. Ian McShane (Winston Scott): Delicious. It was delicious.IGN: With all that energy, what do you think is going to surprise and excite them about Ballerina?Ana de Armas (Even Macarro): Its (a) new take on this world. It is changing perspectives and a new point of view in the world that we already know and love. But this time (its) through Eve's experience. Well see the connection and the timeline, how it intertwines with John Wick.Len Wiseman (Director): One of the things that was very important early on was that I was not setting out to do a female John Wick, that John Wick is John Wick. This is an entirely different character, kick-ass (in) her own right. (Shes) a new character within the world, not somebody that's replicating what John Wick does. IGN: John Wick shows up in some form in Ballerina Norman Reedus (Daniel Pine): He shows up in human form. In human form. I was not setting out to do a female John Wick. This is a completely different character. Wiseman: Eve is looking to become an assassin. (She) starts up with the Ruska Roma, train(s), and becomes an assassin. John Wick is really essentially trying to get out of the world. So that became the building ground of what really set it apart.McShane: Its new but natural. I mean, don't forget, we've met the character before as a girl, but now we meet her as a grown-up. So my character has been keeping tabs on her throughout all these years. So when she appears, (he tries to) dissuade her from a mission in a certain sense as he always does John. Winston's ever, ever enigmatic. And also it's a natural thing. It's nice to turn around instead of looking at Keanu, I look at this gorgeousDe Armas: Keanu's gorgeous,McShane: Oh, he's gorgeous too.De Armas: Keanu is gorgeous too. We love him.IGN: Norman, was there something specific that made you want to join this franchise?Reedus: Well, I'm a big fan already. I've worked with Len before. I am friends with Keanu. I'm a big fan of Ana's as well, and the whole franchise. I mean, it's a cool world to be a part of, so it was kind of a no-brainer.PlayIGN: Ana, you're no stranger to fight scenes. Can you compare what you've done in Ballerina with what you did with Paloma In No Time To Die? Was there a change in how you approached the action scenes?De Armas: Its a completely different character. I mean, I loved Paloma. I really wish I had more time in the movie andMcShane: No, it was perfect. Everybody wanted her to come back again and she never did. But now you come back as a fully fledged Paloma Two!De Armas: (With) Eve, her motivation behind it all, it's pain. In this case also, I had the time to sink my teeth into the fights and really had time to get better at it. Not just three weeks training. I was training for four or five months. So it was really intense and the stakes (of) the fights and the level of detail and everything. These are very intricate, complicated fights with very imaginative stuff that I have around me to figure out how to defend myself in this male-dominated world. So it's less humor, but also (in) the John Wick universe (theres) this kind of humor or irony in these scenes. And some things are so crazy that you have to laugh at it because it's bananas. Every time you check into a hotel, you're on an airplane, John Wick is playing.IGN: As the series has progressed, the mythology has gotten bigger and more complex. When you're making this movie, how do you balance that with the action scenes the John Wick films have become known for?Wiseman: One of the things that is very special about the franchise is the mythology and the worldbuilding. Thered be a lot of conversations (with Chad Stahelski, director of the four John Wick movies, and Keanu) about that. Wed say what if we developed this section that's new to the world? And so it is a balance. It's fun. I love worldbuilding. So it's challenging, but it's a lot of fun as well.McShane: The mythology behind it has always been steeped into some kind of movie reality. That's why people love them. Lights go down (for) two hours, you go somewhere else, then the lights go up and you should feel you've been somewhere (else), a little deeper each time. Fans get so obsessed by and now social media, they want to know an answer to everything that happens in a movie. De Armas: When we met John Wick, he's already who he is, and we didn't see him becoming that person. We didn't see him in the Ruska Roma. And how was that training and preparation? And we do see that through Eve. What does it mean to be protected by them or be an outsider? What are the consequences? If you break the rules, who can help you? Who can you trust? So for me, it was interesting to explore a little bit more of the origins of becoming an assassin. McShane: I know (writers) Chad (Stahelski) and Michael (Finch) and Shay (Batten), each time kill off every character apart from Keanu. There are many versions until they decide how it should be going forward. The one thing I'll miss if we do another one is my dear friend Lance Reddick, of course. God bless you brother. But this will be a fitting testament to his character. And he was a great human being. He was a lovely man. PlayIGN: Norman, you've been involved in projects before that have had really hardcore dedicated fan bases. Reedus: I think the first time I experienced a rabid fan base was Boondock Saints. That movie, for not coming to theaters, was the most rented Blockbuster DVD ever above Titanic. And we filmed that for like $7 million. It became that successful because of the fan base. (With) The Walking Dead, that fan base is crazy. Death Stranding even has a crazy fan base. Of course, (John Wick) has a crazy fan base. Every time you check into a hotel, you're on an airplane, John Wick is playing. I'm sure this will be the same. So bring on the crazy. It's great.IGN: When you're preparing for a role like this in Ballerina, do you approach it differently than your involvement in something like Death Stranding?Reedus: That's apples and oranges. (Ballerina) is very physical and very mathematically put together as far as action scenes go. There's a lot of people that help put those types of things together and make them safe and make them spectacular. (The) people on a Death Stranding game are behind a computer and the walls are blue and I have a skintight, Lycra body suit on with a camera and balls all over me. And Hideo is going "pick up that baby doll and cry." And I'm like, why? And he's like, look, a whale goes over. They're totally different. There's nothing to hold onto in a Death Stranding game.Keanu is God. He's the Baba Yaga.IGN: Ana has trained so much for this, as Keanu did for all of his movies. Could you pick between Ana and Keanu if they faced off against each other? Who would win?Wiseman: John Wick. John Wick is the Baba Yaga. He has been Eve's character. She's on the rise. She starts to train, so we'll check it in a couple years.Reedus: Theres John Wick, then there's Keanu. If those crossed, maybe she would win because John would be "I can't. You can have it." You know what I mean?IGN: Ana, with all of the training you've done, do you think you could take Keanu if it came to it in a fight?De Armas: No, he's God. Keanu is God. He's the Baba Yaga.This piece was combined from two separate interviews and has been edited for clarity.

Even before I first stepped onto the Disney Treasure, anyone who had already seen The Tale of Moana couldnt wait to tell me how special this ships Broadway-style production of the beloved film was. I was excited, especially because Moana is one of my favorite Disney movies, but I have fallen to the beast known as hype many times before.It wasnt until I spoke to one of my Disney reps that I began to believe The Tale of Moana may not be what I was expecting. She told me she had been talking to Jodi Kimura, the Hawaiian actress behind the productions Gramma Tala, and she asked her why she left Broadway to come aboard the Disney Treasure. The answer was simple - it was the first time she was going to be able to perform with her people.After seeing The Tale of Moana on the Disney Treasure Media Preview Cruise thanks to Disney and speaking to the fantastic team that brought it to life, those words perfectly encapsulated why this show is, in fact, one of the greatest shows Ive seen in a very long time as it is an incredible celebration of the people and culture that make Moana so beloved around the world.I Am MoanaThe Tale of Moana begins in modern-day Motonui and Kimuras Tala serves as the shows narrator who shares the story of Moana with those who now live on the island. From this first scene, you can see the influence of the cultures of the Pacific Islands - from the actors Disney recruited from those same islands to the rendition of An Innocent Warrior with authentic dance moves and a mix of languages including Tuvaluan, Tokelauan, and Samoan. It all just feels so genuine, and this is all before we meet the incredible actress behind Moana, Kaenaonlaniowaianuhea Kekoa.Kekoa is Moana. I cant put it any better than that. She embodies the character the great Aulii Cravalho played so perfectly and commands the stage with pure joy, real emotion, and an unbelievable talent that sailed all the way through the audience into our hearts. Oh, and did I mention this was only her first Disney contract?"I am a girl from an island and I love the sea and my people."I could go on and on about her, but I want you to read her words as they convey my point better than I could ever hope to. I asked Kekoa when she knew she was Moana, and this is what she had to say:It was probably the moment when I'm on the boat with Gramma Tala, right before the song I am Moana and she's sings, I'm a girl who loves my island, and a girl who loves the sea, Kekoa said. That really got to me as I am a girl from an island and I love the sea and my people and being able to share that with the world... that's probably the moment I was like, Oh my gosh, I am this girl but we are all this girl! We all have ancestors whose legacy we have the honor of carrying on and passing down. So I hope that everybody can see that and a piece of Moana in themselves.And for as great as Kekoa was in Moana, the cast and crew around her rose just as high, including co-choreographer Peter Rockford Espiritu.Espiritu is another native Hawaiian who brought his culture and that of those around him to The Tale of Moana.My goal was to represent the Pacific Island cultures all the way around, Espiritu said. I lived in Fiji for almost seven years, I taught at the University of South Pacific, and I've been to all the island countries, so I'm very familiar with the vocabulary and the dance vocabulary of all of these people. So, it was my goal to represent not only my own culture - Hawaii and Samoan - but also all the Pacific Island cultures to bring the authenticity and the vocabulary of what that means to the storytelling so the audience can feel it.I'm also very proud of the ending, Espiritu continued. That whole part was me and I was like, What if we got the drums and just hit it hard and got faster and faster? And the musical team got right behind it and we knew it would bring people to their feet. There's some Fijian, a little Samoan slap dance called Faataupati, and some Haka in there so you can feel that drive and that authenticity at the same time. It's got that Broadway pizazz!The Tale of Moana on the Disney TreasureIt truly did, and that ending that did bring us to our feet for a standing ovation was the perfect follow-up to the stunning final confrontation between Moana, Maui, and Te K. Michael Curry Design, the legendary studio that brought Broadways Lion King to life, designed and built the massive and imposing Te K puppet that moved across the stage. The best trick, however, was how that same puppet transformed into Te Fiti in a moment that had us all in shock and awe.That last bit really sums up how I felt about The Tale of Moana. I was so impressed by every part of this production and, somehow, the story behind the stage is even more wonderful.Beyond the ReefA big question I had going into The Tale of Moana was why it took so long for film to get a stage production. I mean, 2016s Moana was the most-streamed movie of the past five years, and thats not just on Disney+. As it turns out, many in the company wondered the same thing.I think for all of us, from the very first time we saw Moana, we thought, Oh! This would make an incredible stage show.' Honestly, I am shocked that this is the first-ever stage adaptation of it, Jenny Weinbloom, VP of Disney Live Entertainment, said. This is because Moana, just like the classic films Alan Menken and Howard Ashman worked on like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Little Mermaid, are created as Broadway musicals that just happened to also be animated films.So, it was only natural that they would actually become Broadway musicals someday. And this mirrors Moana with how Lin-Manuel Miranda writes a Disney film. So, we always knew as a larger team that Moana would be part of our future.Even though it took a while, the wait was beyond worth it. All the pieces seemed to be in the right place at the right time for The Tale of Moana, and that goes all the way up to the director, Connor Gallagher, whose credits include Broadway's Beetlejuice and Disney's Beauty and the Beast.I'm a kid from upstate New York, Gallagher said. I'm very clearly not a Pacific Islander. So, at a certain point, the voice of that little devil on my shoulder was saying, What right do you have to be at the center of this thing leading the team? I then expressed that insecurity to our musical and cultural consultant Aaron Sal and co-choreographer Peter Rockford Espiritu, and they stopped me and said, The only thing you need to do is tell this story beautifully. That will be the greatest gift you can bring to this culture and this story. That really stuck with me. It empowered me as an artist to immerse myself in that world and make something worthy of that great gift they gave me.As you can tell from my chats with the cast and crew of The Tale of Moana, that desire to tell this story correctly was taken to heart on every level, and it paid off. My only regret is that the only people who get to see this show are those who voyage on the Disney Treasure. However, the sentiment I got was that Im hardly the only person who feels this version of Moana needs to sail beyond the reef and make its way to Broadway or elsewhere. Its that good. I found myself weeping in the middle of [Beauty and the Beast's] opening number because Belle's little provincial French village looked like Motonui."All that being said, there is something truly incredible about The Tale of Moana starting on a Disney Cruise Line ship and I think its the perfect way to end our story here. "The Tale of Moana is so powerful, but what I also love about what we do at Disney Cruise Line is that our shows are all performed in rep, which is to say this same cast is performing our other big shows on the ship like Beauty and the Beast, Weinbloom said. The first time I saw this cast, who I'd fallen in love in The Tale of Moana, perform Beauty and the Beast, I was struck and I found myself weeping in the middle of that opening number because Belle's little provincial French village looked like Motonui.I just thought, what a beautiful little sense of connection that both of these little villages now have, no matter what the people look like, no matter where our performers may be from, these little villages have so much more in common than we might think. It really is beautiful.For more on the Disney Treasure, which just began its Maiden Voyage on December 21, check out why the Haunted Mansion Parlor is the perfect extension of the beloved Disney Parks Attraction and why the Plaza de Coco dining experience was one of the most emotional I've had in quite some time.Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

My Dad passed away in 2018, well before his time, and Coco helped me in such a way with this terrible loss that I could never hope to truly put it into words. The film, and the Mexican tradition of Dia de los Muertos that inspired it, felt like the warmest blanket on the most frigid of nights and helped me believe for the first time that he was still with me and always would be. So, it should go without saying that when Disney invited me on the media preview sailing of the Disney Treasure and I first stepped into that world via the Plaza de Coco restaurant, complete with a recreation of the Riveras Ofrenda and the Plaza de Santa Cecilia, my heart soared and that feeling came rushing back.This dining experience was one of the most emotional meals Ive had in quite some time and I was so honored to be able to speak to and hear from Cocos director Lee Unkrich, Miguels voice actor Anthony Gonzalez, and members of the team that brought Plaza de Coco to life to learn more about why this is one celebration you wont want to miss.Our Love For Each Other Will Live on ForeverPlaza de Coco is set three years after the events of the film and it was such a pleasure to see how Santa Cecilia and the Rivera family have changed since the credits rolled. Hctor is now the star and Ernesto de la Cruz is nowhere to be found. There is a long hallway that leads to the main part of the restaurant, and it is adorned with the letters Hctor wrote Coco and the song lyrics and notes to the tracks my kids and I still dance and sing along to today. The hallway also has nods to the Rivera family being shoemakers with a workbench, shoes, and tools all around, and these are joined by pictures of the family from the present and the past. From those first few steps, you can feel how the events of Coco have changed the family and this town for the better.This then extends into the dinner show itself, which takes place over two nights. We only got to see the second night, which is much more a retelling of the events of Coco and features a lot more of the most popular songs, but the first night appears to set the stage in a wonderful way."We're seeing how generational trauma has been healed through music, and that's really, really powerful.Because our story starts three years after the film, we wanted to let that sink in for our guests, Plaza de Coco Show Director Juan Cantu said. So, it really is about seeing Miguel meeting Abuelita Elena a few years later where she's allowed music into her life. I mean, remember, she's the one that broke his guitarra, and I know what that felt like.I mean, my parents never broke my guitar, but I certainly felt the way Miguel felt at that moment wanting to be a musician. So, we're seeing how generational trauma has been healed through music, and that's really, really powerful.Speaking of powerful, seeing the Riveras Ofrenda in person - complete with the picture of Mama Coco who passed at the end of the film and the restored photo of Hctor, Mama Imelda, and Coco that now allows Hctor to cross the Marigold Bridge - was a tearful moment I wont ever forget. It also meant a lot to Cocos director Lee Unkrich, who had never seen it brought to life in such detail before.We spent a lot of time creating the Rivera familys Ofrenda and we based it upon elements of the most beautiful Ofrendas that we saw in rural Mexico during our research trips, Unkrich said. We would be with families that were very, very poor, yet they pulled together the most beautiful Ofrendas that sometimes took over whole rooms in their homes.We wanted more than anything to capture that beauty, so it was crazy for me to walk in and see that Ofrenda there that the Disney team put together because it looks so much like the one in the film. In all seriousness, I've only ever experienced that Ofrenda digitally while making the film, so it was really amazing for me to be able to walk up to it and touch it and just see the actual framed photos. It was very surreal in the best way. Plaza de Coco on the Disney TreasureGonzalez was also moved by seeing the Ofrenda at Plaza de Coco, because it means so much to not only his character in the film, but his heritage and those he loves the most.Seeing the Ofrenda was a very special moment because it represents the love that Miguel has for his family and represents the love that we all have for our ancestors, Gonzalez said. So, to see Miguel's family there and Mama Coco right in the middle was a very special moment to see in real life. "Plaza de Coco is a place that honors family. Sure, it honors Miguel's family, but also all the families that are going to come here and experience this wonderful culture, food, and music for themselves.Remember MeI know its taken a while, but yes, Im happy to report Anthony was right and the food is also wonderful! There were a ton of authentic Mexican dishes crafted specifically for Plaza de Coco, and the Michoacn Carnitas tacos entree was my favorite bite of the entire cruise. It just had the most tender and crispy bits of carnitas and a beautifully spicy and bright salsa, cilantro-lime rice, guacamole, pickled red onions, and delicious tortillas. Miguels Churros Calientes, which were sugar spiced and came complete with a warm cajeta caramel, were a close second as they were everything youd hope a churro would be. Delightfully crispy on the outside, pillowy soft on the inside, and accented masterfully with that sauce.Other highlights included the Red Chicken Enchiladas with Guajillo spiced red enchilada sauce, the Beef Birria Empanada with Oaxaca Cheese and Birria Consomme, and the Sunrise Spectacular Chocolate Cake with raspberry chocolate creme and Marigold petals. Oh, and its hard to beat chips and salsa waiting for you on your dinner table.Also waiting for us was that second night of the Plaza de Coco show, which features Miguel being joined once again by Hctor and Mama Imelda and singing the most popular Coco and Mexican songs. Just like everything else at Plaza de Coco, the team infused so much of Mexican culture into the show and hearing them talk about what a meaningful thing that was stuck with me long after I left the ship.It was such an honor to be invited to be part of this project as the cultural consultant, Mario Trujillo said. It was such a critical part to find authentic musicians to play the instruments from Mexico like the vihuela, wear the proper Mariachi outfits in the trajes de charro, and play beautiful, authentic Mexican melodies that are very, very familiar to not only our Hispanic cultures and Mexican cultures, but worldwide like Cielito Lindo, Cu Cu Ru Cu Cu Paloma, Sabor a Mi, and the birthday song Las Maanitas.We wanted to bring so much of our culture to Plaza de Coco and share it with our guests, who we believe will leave here as familia knowing they can start their own traditions after hearing this beautiful story and learning more about Dia de los Muertos, which is not a somber occasion, but a celebration of life. It's a celebration of the future. It's a celebration of the past of those we loved. And when it's deeply rooted in culture and tradition, I think that's the magic.Mario, Im so happy to report that there was magic in that room and the love, care, and authenticity put into every corner of Plaza de Coco shines so bright. It also really made me think of father in a beautiful way, and there is a truly special moment in the show where we all get to honor those we lost. I could ramble on about what that meant to me, but I want Juan Cantu to have the final words here and share a story that echoes my own and so many others around the world."It's a celebration of the future. It's a celebration of the past of those we loved. And when it's deeply rooted in culture and tradition, I think that's the magic."My parents are from Monterrey, Mexico, and I definitely dedicate this to my parents, Cantu said fighting back tears. I do this to honor them, and I celebrate them every night when I see the show. There's a beautiful moment where you will be invited to remember a loved one and I definitely think of Maria y Ramiro Cantu and honor them through this work.That's the beauty of this whole experience. They were a part of me going to Mexico to hold auditions for our actors and then they were there for every creative decision along the way. I felt them whispering in my ear, and not just them, but all of our ancestors, who we truly feel are present in this space when we perform this show. It's a very heartfelt, meaningful experience.It may have been the rendition of Proud Corazn that gets me every time when watching Coco or the Ofrenda or that moment where got to honor our loved ones, but I did feel that my Dad was in that room with us, and whats a better gift than that? For more on the Disney Treasure, check out why The Tale of Moana is one of the best shows I've seen on land or sea and why the Haunted Mansion Parlor is the perfect extension of the beloved Disney Parks Attraction.Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

Ever since it opened at Disneyland in 1969, the Haunted Mansion has spooked and delighted millions and millions of Disney Parks guests from all over the world. Now, with the Disney Treasure's Haunted Mansion Parlor, there is a brand-new way to experience this beloved attraction while in the middle of the ocean on Disney's newest cruise ship.Disney invited us on the Disney Treasure Media Preview Sailing and we had the chance to not only check out the Haunted Mansion Parlor and all of its haunts, but we also were able to speak to a couple of the Imagineers behind bringing this nautical twist on the attraction we all love to life.Welcome, Foolish MortalsThe Haunted Mansion Parlor feels like the perfect extension of The Haunted Mansion itself and just screams authenticity. From the iconic ticking clock sound to a floating Madame Leota to eerily familiar paintings that hide dark secrets to hitchhiking ghosts and the always wonderful 'Grim Grinning Ghosts,' there is so much love and care put into every inch of this lounge. However, this isn't just a smaller version of the Haunted Mansion. No, this is its own wonderful place with its own story to tell that shouldn't be missed."We built our own mythology here because we're on a cruise ship, so we wanted it to have a nautical twist to everything," Danny Handke, senior creative director at Walt Disney Imagineering, said. "And we built it all around this Captain character who is currently dead but lives on in this place and even in a portrait in the lounge. "This is the Captain's lounge, and the story is he rescued his bride-to-be who is actually a murderous mermaid you can also meet in the parlor. They get engaged and things start to go wrong and that's where the real Haunted Mansion story comes into play. More of the story is then told in various ways around the space and you have the option to discover it on your own and figure out what the lore is."One of the biggest additions to this lore is the centerpiece of the Haunted Mansion Parlor - an aquarium with ghost fish. While this alone seems like a very cool concept, its history goes way back to when the original Haunted Mansion was being developed.The Haunted Mansion Parlor on the Disney Treasure"The Haunted Mansion was worked on and developed for 10 years before it opened in 1969 at Disneyland for the first time and there were so many things that didn't make it in," Daniel Jones, executive illusions & effects development at Walt Disney Imagineering, told me. "So, with love, we looked at all these concepts and what really popped out were the Museum of the Weird elements that Imagineer Rolly Crump had worked on. Most of all however, the team and I agreed the Ghost Fish Aquarium was a must because it's the perfect fit."The Museum of the Weird was set to be a companion walkthrough experience to the Haunted Mansion but it never saw the light of day due in part to Walt's passing. Variations of some of the planned pieces of the museum - from the 'Donald Armchair' near the Endless Hallway to the iconic wallpaper - made it into the Haunted Mansion, and now one more of Crump's designs can be celebrated. While this was an exciting prospect for the team, it also proved to be one of the parlor's most difficult challenges."The Ghost Fish Aquarium was a call it action to my team and I because a lot of illusions and things that we like to do tend to be in the dark and from one point of view and, as you know, the aquarium is the central piece and can be seen from all sides," Joseph said. "You can look through and see other people behind it. So it is, for all intents and purposes, a real fish tank just like you'd normally have but with ghost fish."Getting this bit of "Disney Magic" came down to the wire as it wasn't quite to the standard of Walt Disney Imagineering until after it was already installed on the ship. The aquarium was mocked up and designed four years beforehand but the team was tweaking it up until the last minute to make it what they all knew it could be."The aquarium is a great example of typical Disney Magic where there's a lot of technology in it but you don't see any of it or don't even question it," Joseph said. "This thing was mocked up and developed probably four years ago and since then we've been kind of tweaking on and off how it would work and what's in it. And, really to the last minute, we didn't have it fully working to what we all knew it could do until it was on the ship, which is pretty late in our process."The aquarium is a great example of typical Disney Magic where there's a lot of technology in it but you don't see any of it or don't even question it."Grim Grinning Ghosts GaloreWhile Joseph didn't reveal all the tricks that finally brought the aquarium to the finish line, he and Handke did share how Imagineering made the rest of the parlor feel just as real and believable as the ghost fish are.We spoke previously about the paintings that change before your eyes in the parlor, which are very much in the style of those found in the original Haunted Mansion by Marc Davis, but Imagineering once again went above and beyond to honor the past while paving a new way forward."What we're really proud of about this paintings is a new technique that we use where you can go right up on top of them, put your face right near it, and it looks and seems like a real painting," Joseph shared. "Just like in a museum, you can go up and see the texture of the art, all the brush strokes, and even the glossiness and the matte finish of the oil paint."This is made even more impressive by the fact that these paintings do change and move, from the captain becoming a skeleton to his bride-to-be showing her true form as that murderous mermaid. However, Imagineering was careful never to go too far and leave what we all expect from the Haunted Mansion behind. In fact, their passion for the attraction is one of the main reasons it feels so authentic. This is perhaps seen best in the mirror behind the bar where we see the hitchhiking ghosts, Madame Leota, and more. One route the team could have taken was to update these characters and use modern-day techniques to bring them to a new audience, but they chose a different path.For the character behind the bar, we elected to go with the original Haunted Mansion animated figures," Joseph said. "So, there's no CGI in that because we wanted it to feel like the original from 1969. Those aren't animated cartoon characters that you can see in a video game, they are very analog looking. So, we took a very high ISO camera with high resolution and filmed a whole bunch of the figures in the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland and then amped up the quality and added glow and all that."I know it's cliche to say, but the Haunted Mansion Parlor truly is a love letter to the original attraction and the incredible people who made it into the iconic attraction it is and always will be. To shine a haunted light on that and bring this story to a close, I want to share one final story from Daniel Joseph that just really proves why this is more than just another lounge."Another character we all loved from the Museum of the Weird was Rolly Crump's Candleman," Joseph said. "Sadly, Rolly passed away during the development of the Haunted Mansion Parlor and we were all saddened by that and the fact he'd never get to see it completed. "So, we knew we wanted to do a bust in there no matter what just like you'd find in the Haunted Mansion, but we then knew the perfect choice was to make it of Rolly. To make it even more special, one of our team members suggested we do Rolly partially as the Candleman and make sure the side of his head that's melting is next to the fireplace. This was a huge honor and another really detailed thought and the authenticity of the design that follows suit with everything else in the Mansion parlor. For more on the Disney Treasure, check out why The Tale of Moana is one of the best shows I've seen on land or sea and why the Plaza de Coco dining experience was one of the most emotional I've had in quite some time.Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

The weekend is officially here, and we've rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Saturday, December 21, below:Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics for $34.99Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics - Nintendo SwitchMarvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics - PlayStation 4Finally, you can score Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics for only $34.99 this weekend at Amazon. That's even lower than last week's sale! This collection packs in seven different titles, including the beloved Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. At last, you can play these classic titles on modern platforms. Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven for $39.99Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the SevenRomancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is arguably the best entry point into the SaGa series at this time. Acting as a full 3D remake of the 1993 release, this game features English and Japanese voiceovers, rearranged music, retooled gameplay, and more. If you're still unsure about Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, you can check out the free demo across all platforms! LEGO Horizon Adventures for $39.99LEGO Horizon Adventures - Nintendo SwitchLEGO Horizon Adventures PS5Lego Horizon Adventures is the latest game in the Horizon series, and it marks the first time a Horizon game has been playable on Nintendo Switch. In our review, we wrote, "Lego Horizon Adventures reimagines Horizon Zero Dawn with a playful Lego twist, simplifying the story while keeping the heart of its key moments and characters."Alan Wake II for $59.99Alan Wake 2 Deluxe EditionAlan Wake II never received a physical release at launch last year, but Remedy has fixed that as of last month with the Alan Wake II Deluxe Edition. This release bundles in Alan Wake II and its two expansions, Night Springs and The Lake House. If you're a fan of survival horror, this is one of the best games available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.Astro Bot for $49.97Astro Bot PS5Selected as Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024, Astro Bot is on sale this weekend, and there has never been a better time to pick up one of the PlayStation 5's best games. Building off Astro's Playroom, Astro Bot features many new abilities and bosses to fight, with over 300 bots to rescue across the galaxy. You'll find planets modeled after beloved PlayStation games like Ape Escape and Uncharted, and even surprise third-party bots like Leon S. Kennedy from Resident Evil 2. Resident Evil 4 for $19.99Resident Evil 4 - PS5Resident Evil 4 was one of the biggest games of 2023, with Capcom recreating one of the highest-praised action titles ever. As Leon S. Kennedy, it's up to you to travel to Europe and rescue the President's daughter, Ashley Graham. With the Separate Ways DLC also available, the Resident Evil 4 remake is simply one of the best action games ever. There's never been a better time to jump in, with this price acting as an all-time low.Save on ROG Ally at Best Buy$449.99 for My Best Buy Plus MembersAsus ROG Ally AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme 512GB Gaming HandheldThis weekend at Best Buy, you can save on the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme model, where it's priced at $499.99. This handheld device is perfect for exploring your Steam library on the go, with PC Game Pass support also easily accessible. If you're planning to travel anytime soon, the ROG Ally will be your best friend.Ace Attorney Investigations Collection for $29.99Ace Attorney Investigations Collection - NIntendo SwitchAce Attorney Investigations Collection brought both Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth and Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutors Gambit in one package, with Prosecutor's Gambit releasing in English for the very first time. This release features updated visuals, new animations, gallery mode, conversation history, and more. You can even switch between the old and new sprites!DJI Action 2 Dual-ScreenDJI Action 2 Dual-Screen Combo (32GB)The DJI Action 2 is on sale this weekend at Amazon for $159, and it's the perfect camera to take with you on your next adventure. With 4K/120 capability, the DJI Action 2 can be attached to all kinds of accessories, including a magnetic headband, lanyard, and more. The camera itself is even waterproof, with support for depths up to 10 meters right out of the box.

The new year is nearly here, which means a wealth of exciting new games is on the horizon. Below, we look ahead at the biggest PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch (Switch 2, too?), and PC games announced with 2025 release dates. January has some cool stuff, but February is going to be way busier than usual with major game releases. Below, you'll find release dates for all the biggest games and expansions that have been announced for the rest of the year and beyond. Here's what's worth playing in January 2025.PlayIf you're someone who likes to preorder your games, you can click the links on the platform of your choice to make sure it arrives on launch day.January 2025 - Video Game Release DatesIf you're interested in remasters and remakes, January is the month for you. We've got new versions of the Wii game Donkey Kong Country Returns, the PS Vita game Freedom Wars, and more, plus a handful of other releases for good fun.Freedom Wars Remastered - January 10 - (PS5, Switch, PC)Donkey Kong Country Returns HD - January 16 - (Switch)Dynasty Warrior: Origins - January 17 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Tales of Graces f Remastered - January 17 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth - January 23 - (PC)Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles - January 23 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)Cuisineer - January 28 - (Switch)The Biggest Game Releases of January 2025January is looking pretty light for new games but there's still some cool stuff to be excited for!See AllFebruary 2025 - Video Game Release DatesKingdom Come: Deliverance 2 - February 4 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Civilization VII - February 11 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)Assassin's Creed Shadows - February 14 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Avowed - February 18 - (Xbox, PC)Lost Records: Bloom and Rage Tape 1 - February 18 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Monster Hunter Wilds - February 28 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Morsels - February 2025 - (Switch)March 2025 - Video Game Release DatesSplit Fiction - March 6 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Suikoden I & II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars - March 6 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)Lost Records: Bloom and Rage Tape 2 - March 18 - (PS5)Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition - March 20 - (Switch)The First Berzerker: Khazan - March 27 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Football Manager 25 - March 2025 (PS5, Xbox, PC)Split Fiction - First ScreenshotsApril 2025 - Video Game Release DatesThe Last of Us Part II Remastered - April 3 - (PC)Fatal Fury: City Of The Wolves - April 24 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)October 2025 - Video Game Release DatesDouble Dragon Revive - October 23 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Upcoming Video Games - Release Date TBA33 Immortals - 2025 - (Xbox, PC)The Alters - 2025 - (Xbox, PC)Anno 117: Pax Romana - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Arc Raiders - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)ArcheAge Chronicles - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Ark 2 - TBA - (PC)Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian - 2025 - (PS5, Switch, PC)Atomfall - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Ballad of Antara - 2025 - (PS5)Blackfrost: The Long Dark II - TBABlade Runner 2033: Labyrinth - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Borderlands 4 - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Capcom Fighting Collection 2 - 2025 - (PS4, Switch, Xbox, PC)Clockwork Revolution - TBA - (Xbox, PC)Coffee Talk Tokyo - 2025 - (Switch)Contraband - TBA - (Xbox, PC)Crimson Desert - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Death Stranding 2: On the Beach - 2025 - (PS5)Directive 8020: A Dark Pictures Game - 2025 - (PS5)Doom: The Dark Ages - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Dune: Awakening - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Dying Light: The Beast - Summer 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Elden Ring: Nightreign - 2025Everwild - TBA - (Xbox, PC)Expedition 33 - 2025 - (Xbox, PC)Fable - 2025 - (Xbox, PC)Fantasy Life i: the Girl Who Steals Time - 2025 - (Switch)Fantasy Life: The Girl Who Steals TimeFragpunk - 2025 - (Xbox, PC)Front Mission 3 Remake - TBA - (Switch)Game of Thrones: Kingsroad - 2025Gears of War: E-Day - TBA - (Xbox, PC)Ghost of Yotei - 2025 - (PS5)Grand Theft Auto 6 - 2025 (PS5, Xbox)Hell Is Us - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Hello Kitty: Island Adventure - 2025 - (Switch)Hollow Knight: Silksong - TBA - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy - Early 2025 - (Switch)Hyper Light Breaker - Early Access Early 2025 - (PC)Indiana Jones and the Great Circle - Early 2025 - (PS5)Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet - TBA - (PS5)John Carpenter's Toxic Commando - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Judas - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Jurassic Park: Survival - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Killing Floor 3 - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 1st - 2025 - (Switch)Little Devil Inside - TBA - (PS5, Switch, Xbox)Little Nightmares 3 - 2025 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)Lunar Remastered Collection - Spring 2025 (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)Mafia: The Old Country - Summer 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Marathon - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Marvel's Blade - TBA - (Xbox, PC)Mecha Break - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Metal Gear Solid : Snake Eater - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - 2025 - (Switch)The Midnight Walk - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Mio: Memories in Orbit - 2025 - (Switch)Mixtape - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Moth Kubit - Spring 2025 - (Switch)OD - TBA - (Xbox)Okami 2 - TBAOnimusha: Way of the Sword - 2026 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)The Outer Worlds 2 - 2025 - (Xbox, PC)Perfect Dark - TBA - (Xbox, PC)Phantom Blade 0 - TBA - (PS5)Phantom Hellcat - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero - 2025 - (Switch)The Precinct - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake - 2026 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Prison Architect 2 - TBA (Xbox, PC)Professor Layton and the New World of Steam - 2025 - (Switch)Replaced - 2025 - (Xbox, PC)Rift of the Necrodancer - 2025 - (Switch)Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma - Spring 2025 - (Switch)Screamer - 2026 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope DX - 2025 - (Switch)The Sinking City 2 - 2025 - (Xbox, PC)Slay the Spire 2 - early access in 2025 - (PC)Sleight of Hand - 2025 - (Xbox, PC)Sniper Elite: Resistance - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Sonic Racing CrossWorlds - TBA - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)South of Midnight - 2025 - (Xbox, PC)Star Overdrive - 2025 - (Switch)Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake - TBA - (PS5)State of Decay 3 - TBA (Xbox, PC)Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game - Early 2025 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)Terminator: Survivors - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Turok Origins - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 - H1 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Venus Vacation Prism - early 2025 - (PS5, PC)Winter Burrow - Early 2025 - (Xbox, PC)The Witcher 4 - TBAThe Wolf Among Us 2 - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Wolverine - TBA - (PS5)Wuchang: Fallen Feathers - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)Yes, Your Grace: Snowfall - Q1 2025 - (Switch, Xbox, PC)Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana - Early 2025 - (PS5, Switch)For more release date fun, check out our ongoing list of 4K UHD and Blu-ray release dates.Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on (long inhale) Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and the social network formerly known as Twitter.

Around this time last year I criticised The Game Awards for continually forcing racing games to share a common category with sports games, to compete for recognition at whats described (by The Game Awards) as gamings biggest night.Up until this year it was an award no traditional sports game had ever actually won. The category had been totally dominated by racing games, with the exception of 2015 (Rocket League, which still has cars in it) and 2020 (Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1+2, which is still on wheels). This year FC 25 got the gong. Just a single racing game made the shortlist: F1 24. A great racing game, no doubt, but one thats hard to argue was an immediately essential upgrade for those who already owned F1 23, or F1 22, or so on. What else couldve made it? Monster Jam Showdown? Good fun (which shouldnt be surprising given the developers recent form with the Hot Wheels Unleashed series) but I wouldnt fancy its chances at The Game Awards. Le Mans Ultimate? Well, thats still ostensibly in Steam Early Access, even though theyre already selling in-game DLC before the games officially finished. Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown? No chance. The sad reality is there simply werent enough racing games released in 2024, full stop. For the first time I can remember in my nearly 14 years at IGN, we didnt even hand out an award for the years best racer. There just werent enough of them to even pad out a list of finalists.Sad stuff.Now, for clarity, I have had a number of fresh reasons to slide behind a steering wheel this year, but the bulk of these opportunities have arrived as updates to existing racing games I already own. Most months of 2024 have seen an injection of new cars and content for Gran Turismo 7. As is usually the case with GT, not all those cars have had a solid racing pedigree, but I wont pretend Im not at least mildly interested in seeing how fast an eight-year-old Toyota Hiace can lap the Nordschleife.A 2024 expansion to EA Sports WRC added several new cars and two new countries: Latvia and Poland. The new countries feature some excellent stages, and it makes a lot more sense for Codemasters to improve WRC this way than immediately put it on a yearly, F1-style cadence (if only the asking price for the DLC wasnt as uncomfortably close to the cost of an entirely new game anyway).I wont pretend Im not at least mildly interested in seeing how fast an eight-year-old Toyota Hiace can lap the NordschleifeOn the flip side, The Crew Motorfest literally became 50% larger for free, with all players getting access to the entire island of Maui, added to Motorfest in November. Maui is not a bespoke area; its been seamlessly injected into the games existing world (and developer Ivory Tower has even added a fantasy connecting bridge, meaning you have a choice to either fly, boat, or drive to Maui from Oahu without any loading screens. It admittedly hasnt turned me into a Motorfest regular, but there are some satisfying stretches of road and some nice areas on Maui which is obviously a lot quieter than the more densely-populated Oahu.Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown has grown in a similar fashion with its Ibiza expansion (although dont expect a bridge from Hong Kong to the Mediterranean). Solar Crowns Ibiza map is a fairly small section of the island that may come as a nostalgic bonus for those players who recall blasting around the Spanish party paradise in 2011s Test Drive Unlimited 2, but its hard to say whether itll turn around Solar Crowns slow start. The map, after all, wasnt Solar Crowns main problem.PlayMount Panorama has finally found its way back into Forza Motorsport in its most-recent update, but I have to admit Im extremely disappointed with all the fake sponsors used throughout the track. It just makes it appear totally inauthentic compared to Bathurst in Assetto Corsa Competizione, Gran Turismo 7, and even Forza Motorsport 7 all of which feature real sponsors. It feels like a bizarre step backwards for the series, but hopefully it can be redressed. The update arrived along with a bunch of antipodean automobiles that have largely been seen in the series before, but nonetheless appeal to me as a dedicated Australian meathead. Theres only one new car, but it is a great one: a 1991 HSV Commodore VN Group A SV. If theres one thing I like more than Australian cars, its the 1990s, so this fills both of those criteria. Despite its faults, Forza Motorsport's garage philosophy is still more global than GT or NFS.And speaking of the 90s, Need for Speed Unbound just added a motorbike, which is a surprising and impressive first for a series thats literally celebrating 30 years since its 1994 debut this month.So, sure, theres been plenty of tinkering still going on beneath the bonnets of most of the biggest racers in the business, but very little new blood in the genre in 2024.Thats worrisome, particularly as younger generations continue to exhibit an increasing disinterest in cars in general, but I do think 2024 is probably just an aberration.The Greatest Racing Games EverI say this because 2025 is looking extremely exciting in the racing space. Assetto Corsa Evo promises to be one of the biggest racers of the year and, with the 1,600-square kilometre open world map in development for it, I do mean that literally. JDM: Japanese Drift Master from Polish studio Gaming Factory has shown promise for some time, and you can already check out a free demo of this on Steam now. Tokyo Xtreme Racer is set to return after a nearly 20-year absence. Project CARS spiritual successor Project Motor Racing is scheduled to arrive in 2025. Its got the Lister Storm in it.Yes please.And thats just some of what we know about already. Will Wreckfest 2 arrive in 2025? The planned release date for that is yet to be confirmed, but that should be something special. Is 2025 the year we hear about the future of Forza Horizon? Next year will mark four years since Forza Horizon 5, after all.Either way, Ill see you at the starting line.IGN's 2024 AwardsLuke is a Senior Editor on the IGN reviews team. You can track him down on Bluesky @mrlukereilly to ask him things about stuff.

Let's make this simple. You want to know if there are any post-credits or mid-credits scenes in the new Sonic movie. We'll tell you right here: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has both, so be sure to stick around!Full spoilers follow from this point on!Sonic fans have been waiting eagerly for the third installment to the blockbuster franchise since it was announced, and now the massive movie is here with a ton of new additions to the cast, as well as some wild and deep Sonic lore. Following the blue blur as he faces down Shadow (Keanu Reeves) and two Doctor Robotniks (Jim Carrey), Sonic 3 (review) is a delightful family film thats also filled with action, heart, and an honestly surprising amount of Sonic Adventure 2 references.So now that you've (hopefully) watched the movie and gotten your Sonic popcorn bucket, of course we're here to explain that absolutely wild ending, the importance behind that tragic character, what those post-credits scenes mean, and where the film leaves us heading into the recently announced Sonic 4. PlaySonic 3 Ending Explained After that unexpected Eggman team-up that the first act sets up, we end the film with the reveal that Gerald Robotnik, the grandfather of both Dr. Robotnik and Maria (Alyla Browne), doesn't just want to rule the world like his grandson: He wants to destroy it. That takes us to the famous Eggman game weapon the Eclipse Cannon, where Reeves Shadow uses his speed to super-charge the cannon with his Chaos Energy in order to destroy humanity for the death of his best friend, Maria. Sonic (Ben Schwartz) manages to get through to Shadow by connecting with him over the importance of making the right choice and remembering Maria the right way. This leads to one of the biggest moments in the movie as both Sonic and Shadow use the Chaos Emeralds to take on their Super forms, teaming up to fly through the sky. And in a very cool nod to Sonic Adventures 2, the main theme from that game, "Live and Learn" by Crush 40, begins to play as they soar up above. While in his Super form, Shadow helps save the Earth along with Dr. Robotnik the younger, with both sacrificing themselves. While in his Super form, Shadow helps save the Earth by staying on the Eclipse Cannon along with Dr. Robotnik the younger, with both sacrificing themselves for the good of humanity, though they do happen to carve through the moon while doing so, which feels like it will probably have ramifications. After the deaths of both Robotniks and seemingly Shadow as well, Sonic, Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessey), and Knuckles (Idris Elba) have a fun family race to settle their challenge from the opening of the film and celebrate saving the world. Who Is Maria in Sonic 3? Well, isn't that the big question. If you're a casual Sonic fan then you might not know about the incredibly bleak tale of Maria and Shadow that we get a truncated reimagining of here. In the video games, Maria is the terminally ill granddaughter of Gerald Robotnik. He brings her to the Space Colony ARK space station in the hopes of saving or prolonging her life, and it's there that she meets Shadow. But while the pair have a sweet childlike friendship in the film, their story in the games veers much darker as Shadow feels a great guilt for not being able to help Maria find a cure for her illness. Unlike the film where Shadow is discovered as a young alien by the US government, in the games' canon he was actually created by Gerald Robotnik to cure Maria thanks to the use of secret alien DNA. The fact that he was never able to help Maria weighs heavily on Shadow and leads to his protective nature around her. PlayShadow's origin has long been legendary among video game fans, because just like in the film Maria dies. But in the games she's intentionally killed by GUN as she frees Shadow from ARK and his pursuers. The murder of a child by a government soldier sounds far more like something out of The Last of Us than Sonic the Hedgehog, and it's still one of the franchise's most controversial and iconic moments because of it. A very important impact of all this is the way it changes Shadow, who vows to destroy all humanity alongside Gerald Robotnik. And that story has now been echoed in the third Sonic the Hedgehog film. Does Sonic 3 Have a Post-Credits Scene?Sonic fans rejoice: The answer here, as noted at the top of this page, is a resounding yes. The sequel actually has both mid-credits and post-credits scenes, and of course we're going to break them down for you here. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 GalleryAs Sonic realizes that he's outrun his family during their celebratory race, he stops in a New York state park only to quickly sense that he's not alone. Hidden among the trees is an army of Metal Sonics ready to take down the blue blur while he's alone. This is a big moment for Sonic fans as Metal Sonic is easily one of his most iconic foes appearing in 11 Sonic games so far and it got a huge crowd reaction at this writer's screening. But that was far from the biggest surprise that we got in the mid-credits scene because as Sonic was facing down the multiple metal menaces, he was saved by a hooded figure with a huge hammer who revealed herself to be none other than Amy Rose, Sonic's longtime ally and biggest fan. And that's not all. If you wait until the credits are over, youll see that Shadow is still alive as his feet appear and he retrieves his golden bracelet from the dusty ground, promising he lives to fight another day, likely alongside Team Sonic in the next film. How Sonic 3 Sets Up Sonic 4While the main film wraps things up pretty neatly, the post-credits scenes set up some serious conflict for the next movie, which will hit screens in 2027. We'll likely follow Amy Rose and Sonic as they try to work out where the Metal Sonic bots came from. In the games they're evolved versions of Robotnik's Badnik bots. But seeing as both Gerald and Ivo Robotnik seemingly died at the end of this movie, maybe well wind up getting another version of Robotnik in the future.When it comes to Shadow, it seems most probable that we'll get to see him return, probably to help Team Sonic find their fearless leader after he and Amy Rose meet on their mission. We could also see some version of a future Robotnik and future timeline where the Metal Sonics hailed from. But that's all hypothetical until the next Sonic movie appears in theaters two years from now. What did you think of the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie? Lets discuss in the comments!

This review contains spoilers for What We Do in the Shadows season 6, episode 11, The Finale.Trying to find the perfect ending for a TV show is a fools errand. So leave it to Guillermo de la Cruz (Harvey Guilln) no stranger to foolishness or errands to be the one stressing out over the conclusion of the fake documentary at the center of What We Do in the Shadows. Hes the sole mortal among the shows primary characters, and therefore the only one for whom endings of any kind are significant or even exist. But this supernatural comedy is too clever and layered to allow Guillermos freak out to drive the entirety of The Finale, its unceasingly hilarious sign-off. There are emotional highs and sentimental sing-alongs, yes, but theres also Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak) giving a goodbyes are hard pep talk that involves an anecdote about waving farewell to a train for over three hours, only to discover he was actually bidding adieu to a flatbed truck full of porta potties. And in its pileup of callbacks (Jackie Daytona! Laszlos witch-skin hat!), self-aware musings, and genuine heartache, The Finale is all locomotive, no portable toilet.That nondescript episode title is no afterthought or spoiler-disguising camouflage: Take its definitive article seriously, because in many ways this is the ultimate in series finales, the final bow that does the most and gets the most satisfying results. It goes so far as to drop Guilln and Novak into a pitch-perfect parody of one of TVs most notorious codas Newharts It was all a dream crossover with The Bob Newhart Show a fun detour for shippers and sitcom buffs alike. (Check the extra hypnosis features tab on the shows Hulu page for two more meticulous riffs on memorable endings.) But this is also where The Finale can get a little too cutesy, turning a house meeting about giving Guillermo the ending he desires into a pseudo writers room brainstorming session. (When The Guide suggests turning Guillermo into a vampire, Nandor shoots it down with a weary we did that already last year.) Far funnier and in-character for What We Do in the Shadows is Guillermos confession about why hes so bothered that the documentary is coming to an end. He delivers it directly to the soon-to-be-departing documentarians while Cravensworths monster (Andy Assaf) Laszlos (Matt Berry) scrappy stab at reanimating dead flesh la Dr. Victor Frankenstein humps a stuffed bear in the background. As Guillens heartfelt monologue about home mingles with his co-stars proud, perverse cooing about the monsters behavior, the out-of-focus-silhouette of Assaf gets freaky with the taxidermy and the go-for-broke spirit of The Finale is captured in a nutshell.The same goes for the documentary-within-the-documentary that fires up after Nandor and Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) reveal this isnt the first time theyve let a film crew into their inner sanctum. You can quibble with the fact that such vain creatures surely wouldve let their previous onscreen experience slip earlier; you may object to Jerry the Vampire (Mike OBrien) failing to mention working with direct cinema pioneers Albert and David Maysles when he threw a fit about the second documentary at the start of season 6. Whatever. I cackled through the entirety of this black-and-white interlude, a cavalcade of callbacks that temporarily puts Berry back into the persona of Arizonas most charismatic regular human bartender and gives him a Yes yes, very good. Thank YOU! for old times sake. The sequence is impeccably paced, ramping up to a panic over Nandor (not for the last time) blowing his and his roommates cover in news coverage of a nearby water-main break. The point is that all of this has happened before and will happen again in conversations amongst the characters, The Finale puts in the work to build the illusion that (after)life will carry on after the final credits roll. The committed lunacy of this abandoned doc is a welcome reminder that I wouldve happily watched these immortal idiots make the same mistakes for years to come.What We Do in the Shadows Series Finale GalleryReally, all of season 6 felt that way. Its one of the better sitcom swan songs in recent memory, due in no small part to how it prioritizes laughs. Ive already praised the delightful spin-out of Sleep Hypnosis, but What We Do in the Shadows managed to top itself the very next week with the fake-office hijinks of The Railroad. Putting the shows variety of colorful vampire factions into a send-up of The Warriors mustve been one of the biggest no-brainer pitches its writers ever threw out; that episode, Come Out and Play, scores additional points for closing the loop on Jerry and bringing back Doug Jones for one more commanding portrayal of Baron Afanas. And while the Cannon Capital Strategies subplot never really gathers a full head of steam, Gullermos time among the private equity vultures does lay the ground work for both Nandors mannequin-festooned, Apocalypse Now-inspired dark-comedy night of the soul in Nandors Arm and the reconciliation that gives The Finale its curtain-closing rush of warm fuzzies.Of all the wild guesses and concrete answers for why Guillermo might be feeling down about the end of the documentary, this is the most poignant: He already got the ending he thought he wanted, and being a vampire wasnt all hed hoped and dreamed it would be. The stint at Cannon renewed his sense of purpose, but as The Promotion effectively proved last week, that was just one more situation where hed be strung along by the promise of a life-altering change but without the fallback of someone like Nandor whod grown to respect him. The scenes between Guilln and Novak are the ballast that keeps The Finale from completely floating off into Wackyland they begin the episode wearing low-rent, humiliating superhero outfits but they end it as equals, looking at one another eye-to-eye. It is very What We Do in the Shadows that this precious moment occurs in a coffin, mere seconds before it descends into the imitation Batcave Nandor has dug beneath the vampire residence.I wouldve happily watched these immortal idiots make the same mistakes for years to come.In one of a few head-fake finishes, Guillermo gives the documentarians a pretend time to move on ending. But the real deal shows how far hes come. The guy sitting in that coffin is no longer the meek servant we glimpse in the excerpt from the series premiere shown during the credits of The Finale. Hes now a full, active participant in the chaos that defines the episode: Its format-breaking rabbit holes, its expressions of the monsters natural urges, its VFX-aided capper. And thats really the best ending that anyone in his situation couldve hoped for.

Jared Leto will be terrorizing the Masters of the Universe as the villain Skeletor in the upcoming live action movie adaptation.The Hollywood Reporter says Leto has joined the cast of the upcoming Masters of the Universe movie as the villain Skeletor, opposite Nicholas Galitzine who was cast as He-Man. Rounding out Skeletor's evil crew are Sam C. Wilson as Trap Jaw, Hafthor Bjornsson as Goat Man, Kojo Attah as Tri-Klops, and the previously cast Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn. Idris Elba has been cast as Man-at-Arms while Camila Mendes will play Teela.Skeletor is the main villain in the Masters of the Universe, and is a skull-faced wizard who wishes to take over the planet of Eternia. He is known for his distinctive voice, which I'm very interested to hear Jared Leto's take on.PlayBased on the popular line of Mattel toys, this particular live action adaptation of He-Man has been in development hell for years before finally gaining traction. Bumblebee director Travis Knight has been announced as the director, and will be working from a script written by fellow Laika creative Chris Butler who directed the animated film ParaNorman.This will be the second live action He-Man movie following a Masters of the Universe film released in 1987 starring Dolph Lundgren as He-Man, and Frank Langella as Skeletor.He-Man is having a kind of renaissaince as of late. A new He-Man animated series is currently on Netflix titled Masters of the Universe: Revelation featuring the voice talents of Mark Hamill as Skeletor. A third season titled Masters of the Universe: Revolution is set to premiere in 2024. Our review says the animated series "uses the original He-Man sandbox to truly go wild and explore these characters in ways that allow them to break tired molds and dissolve old conventions."What are your thoughts on Leto taking on the role of Skeletor? Let us know in the comments below.Matt Kim is IGN's Senior Features Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Back in May 2020, Blaze Entertainment established a surprising new platform with the release of the Evercade handheld and 10 game cartridges, which featured a diverse selection of licensed retro games. Since then, the company has released two additional handhelds, two consoles, and even smaller Hyper Mega Tech-branded Super Pocket handhelds, as well over 50 additional multi-game cartridges. Now, Blaze Entertainment is back with a whole new form factor in the Evercade Alpha bartop arcade, which not only has a great selection of built-in games, but can also play the entire Evercade library. While the Alpha doesn't necessarily elevate the bartop arcade category, for retro gaming enthusiasts, it proves a fun new addition to the growing Evercade ecosystem.Evercade Alpha Design and FeaturesThere are two basic versions of the Evercade Alpha the first is themed around Street Fighter, while the second is Mega Man, and each has six built-in Capcom games more or less matching the respective theme. Style-wise, I found both versions aesthetically pleasing, with the Mega Man mirroring much of the arcade look from Mega Man: The Power Battle and the Street Fighter matching Street Fighter II: Champion Edition.On the front of the Alpha is a light-up faux coin slot power button between two cartridge slots. Below the left cartridge slot is a 3.5mm audio jack and USB-A port for a player 1 controller, and below the right cartridge slot is a USB-A port for a player 2 controller. And youll find the volume control just below the power button. The rear of the unit has a single USB-C port for power, and youll find the speakers are on the left and right of the cabinet.Looking for a retro controller?Out August 30Blaze Evercade VS-R Wired Controller$24.99 at AmazonCheck out our roundup of the best controllers, too!The control panel features a bat-top digital arcade joystick and six colored digital arcade buttons. Above the arcade buttons are small Start, Select / Coin Up, and Menu buttons. Above the control panel is an 8-inch 1024 x 768 resolution IPS display with a 4:3 aspect ratio. And to top it all off, a light-up marquee sits above the display.Besides the Alpha itself, there's an envelope with two additional marquees, USB-C to USB-A power cable, USB-A power adapter with plugs for three different regions, and a quick start guide in the box. Fortunately, there's not much to set up, as you can pretty much remove the Alpha from the box, peel off the plastic protectors, apply power, choose your language, set up Wi-Fi, update and restart, and then start playing.I was able to evaluate the standard Mega Man bartop arcade and the more expensive Deluxe Edition of the Street Fighter bartop arcade. The respective Deluxe Editions include six pieces of marquee art instead of the three that are in the standard edition packages, and are pre-fitted with the upgraded Sanwa stick and button arcade parts. Lastly, the Deluxe Editions come with an exclusive Evercade Alpha-branded USB controller, which is the same type that comes with the Evercade VS consoles.I first set up the Mega Man bartop and it was easy enough removing the plastic from the marquee protector after sliding it out, but the plastic protection on the screen bezel was more difficult. I had to loosen the bezel screws to get the last bits of plastic, as well as use tweezers, and even then there was a tiny bit left in the corner that I couldn't quite get. On the plus side, there was only a little dust from the factory behind the bezel, nowhere near as bad as you often get with similar Arcade1Up products. There was also a slight ding on the upper left of the cabinet, which, unfortunately, is not unusual for these types of pre-assembled arcade products.The Street Fighter Deluxe Edition model was packaged similarly. With lessons learned from the previous unboxing, I loosened the bezel screws, then removed the two plastic cap screw covers to the left and right of the control panel. From there, I removed the screws and panel so I could more easily peel off the rest of the plastic. There were no dings on this one other than a chip above the right control panel screw cover, as well as some misaligned screw covers.The USB AC adapter included with the Mega Man was defective. Fortunately, any good USB power source can power the Alpha via its USB-C port. The same type of USB AC adapter, which had no issues, was included with the Deluxe Edition Street Fighter.Evercade Alpha Built-in Games and Menu SystemThe main menu has five options on the left-hand side of the screen, and the first at the top lists the built-in games. Below are the rosters built-in for the built-in games on both the Mega Man and Street Fighter editions of the Evercade Alpha.Evercade Alpha Mega Man Edition games:Carrier Air WingFinal FightKnights of the RoundMega Man: The Power BattleMega Man: The Power FightersStriderEvercade Alpha Street Fighter Edition games:Street Fighter II: Champion EditionSuper Street Fighter II TurboSuper Puzzle Fighter II TurboStreet Fighter Alpha: Warriors' DreamsStreet Fighter Alpha 2Street Fighter Alpha 3The second menu option showing a cartridge lists the games on any cartridge inserted into the slots. The third menu option shows the game of the month, which is free every month between April and December, and its automatically downloaded when you connect to Wi-Fi. For example, the game of the month for November 2024 was Batty Zabella, a point-and-click adventure game for the Game Boy from 2022, and the game of the month for December 2024 was Murtop, a modern retro-style arcade game native to the platform. This area also shows any hidden games you've unlocked.It looks great, plays great, and makes for a great entry into the growing Evercade ecosystem of retro gaming goodness.The fourth menu option, showing three cartridge boxes, lists the entire Evercade library. It's automatically updated with both announced and recently released content, and also tracks the cartridges you've inserted into the Alpha. The final menu option, a gear, is for settings. From here, you can adjust the display, theme, sound, network, accessibility options, and more. Besides the standard Evercade themes, both the Mega Man and Street Fighter editions each have their own exclusive themes, which are selected by default.One of the negatives with the menu system is that it doesn't always show what button to press to perform a function. For instance, on the main menu, you can use either the joystick or B button to go back to the left-hand side, but theres no on-screen indication that you can do so. It's by no means a dealbreaker and something youll eventually figure out, but for such a relatively well-thought-out menu system, it would have been nice to have just a bit more consistency with the on-screen control labels.Games in the menus get showcased with its artwork and a screenshot with it denoting the original release year. You can choose to have it run gameplay by selecting Demo with Y, or go to the game's main page with Select. When you're at the game's main page, you can read details, see how the controls are mapped, select a previous save state, or review play stats, which include the amount of time played, how many times played, save state count, and load count.Once you start a game, it works like it did on the original platform, which, for the built-in games, were all arcade releases. You can coin-up with the dedicated button, then press Start to begin. Pressing Menu lets you save, load, review and modify the control mapping, change the display settings, reset, or quit. For display settings, you can change the aspect ratio (which is set to the original ratio by default), enable scanlines, or add a decorative bezel. Since the Alpha's built-in screen is already in 4:3, you can only see a selected bezel if the aspect ratio is set to pixel perfect.The display is relatively small at just 8.0 inches, but it's not a bad size since you're up close. Fortunately, the games the Alpha plays are retro affairs, so they benefit from the more compact display and look great. Viewing angles are also top-notch with very little dimming even at more extreme angles.The sound is surprisingly good as well, especially for the form factor. It's not going to fill a room, of course, but it gets quite loud, and theres minimal distortion even at maximum volume. And while there's not much bass, what's there still has enough presence not to sound too hollow. Plugging in good speakers or headphones via the 3.5mm audio jack will sound better, of course. However, its unfortunate that, like all Evercade hardware, the Alpha lacks any type of Bluetooth support.In terms of the built-in games themselves, they look, sound, and control great with no noticeable emulation issues. The arcade-quality Sanwa joystick and buttons on the Deluxe are worth the upgrade if you can find that pricier model, but the choice of joystick on the standard model is surprisingly nearly as good, just with a slightly looser feel. I did like the Sanwa buttons on the Deluxe better than the generic buttons of the standard, however, as they were less noisy overall and just felt a bit more responsive. Of course, even if you don't get a Deluxe, Blaze Entertainment made it easy to upgrade the controls yourself with a choice of standard arcade parts.Evercade Alpha Game Library and Control OptionsThe ace-in-the-hole for any Evercade hardware is not necessarily what's built-in, but rather its growing cartridge library. Through the end of 2024, there have been 63 cartridge releases totaling more than 520 games from the arcade, Atari 2600, Atari 7800, NES, Sega Genesis, Super NES, Atari Lynx, PlayStation 1, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, GBA, Intellivision, N64, Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga, and MSX, as well as newer titles native to the platform.Every cartridge comes in a small plastic case, along with a color manual, though, as with the Alpha's built-in games, basic instructions are also always provided on a particular game's main page. While it can be jarring to have the Alpha switch controls to what's native for a particular platform, where, for instance, B is sometimes an action button rather than back, that's unavoidable given the diversity of platforms emulated.Cartridge cases are loosely categorized by color, with console (red), arcade (purple), and home computer (blue), as well as number. Some cartridges enter what's called Legacy status, where no more are produced, but if a cartridge is generally available it typically retails for between $20 and $30.Like the Evercade VS consoles, and unlike the Evercade handhelds, the Alpha has two hot swappable cartridge slots. Besides the convenience of having two sets of additional games immediately available, inserting certain cartridge combinations unlocks additional games. For instance, inserting both the legacy Atari Collection 1 (01) and Atari Collection 2 (05) cartridges unlocks the Atari 7800 version of Dark Chambers.I found the Alpha an ideal way to play many of the games in the library.One area where the Alpha lags behind the Evercade VS consoles is with multiplayer support. Unlike the consoles, which support up to four controllers, the Alpha only supports two at this time, with just a few exceptions. Typically, iIf you plug in an Evercade-compatible gamepad into the first USB port, it will mirror the main control panel as player 1. However, in the built-in Knights of the RoundOne quirk of the library is that the legacy Namco Museum Collection 1 (02) and Namco Museum Collection 2 (06) cartridges are not licensed for Evercade VS series console output to a TV, although those games do work when output to a TV from the original handhelds. Fortunately, since the Alpha is self-contained and has no HDMI output, those games work just fine, although its a shame theyre not the arcade versions, but rather home ports.Since the Evercade platform only supports digital controls, the small number of games that could benefit from analog control, like the Nintendo 64's Glover, found on Piko Interactive Collection 4 (39), are optimized to make the best use of what's available. As such, every game, from Pong to Tomb Raider, works just fine with the Alpha's digital arcade control panel. For instance, in Tomb Raider (from Tomb Raider Collection 1 (40)), as with the original Evercade handheld and the Super Pockets, there are no L2 or R2 buttons on the Alpha. You'll need to hold down L1 and R1 at the same time and move the joystick left or right to side step left or right, respectively, rather than just pressing L2 to side step left, or R2 to side step right. Again, most games don't make use of eight buttons, let alone the six found on the Alpha, but it's something to take note of if you don't have an alternative controller handy.Besides Blaze Entertainment's own Evercade gamepads, the platform is generally compatible with the same controllers and adapters that the Polymega works with. This includes Polymega's own controller, the 8BitDo Arcade Stick, and modern Xbox, PlayStation, Switch or Wii controllers via the 8BitDo USB Wireless Adapter 2.While I'm an Evercade platform fan and have every one of their handhelds and consoles, overall, I found the Alpha an ideal way to play many of the games in the library. While it's nice to enjoy classic games on a handheld or big-screen TV, there's something extra special about sitting in front of a mini arcade-style setup with a proper 4:3 aspect ratio display. It's a great middle-ground and is a form factor that's absolutely justified being added to the growing Evercade ecosystem.Purchasing GuideYou can get both versions, the Street Fighter and Mega Man Evercade Alpha, on Amazon for $249.99. You can also find the any of the Evercade cartridges for additional games between $20 and $30 on Amazon as well.

Welcome to Streaming Rewind, a weekly breakdown of the new and noteworthy as we work to help readers wade through the absolute deluge of television series and movies in the streaming space.Happy almost Christmas to all of those definitely working right now. I wish I were definitely working right now, but alas, I am writing this list of what to watch this weekend for all of you. (Insert sarcasm about my job being very hard.) Alright, what have we got this week? Lets seeThe Simpsons: O CMon All Ye Faithful (Disney+)This feels like a Christmas for cynicism and snark, and what better way to get that injected into your veins than via a long-beloved adult cartoon thats been around for most of our lives. In fact, the special marks the 35th anniversary since the original The Simpsons Christmas Special, Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire. Typing that, it occurs to me that for the younger readers, for those who 35 years could be more than their whole lives excuse me while I go turn to dust. I digress! This years Simpsons Christmas Special is up on Disney+ now. Its a double-episode that features British mentalist Derren Brown coming to Springfield and running amok. Homer gets hypnotized and believes hes Santa Claus, too. Who knows, maybe this will get you into the Christmas spirit! The Simpsons: Every Treehouse of Horror Episode Ranked Beast Games (Prime Video)If you were looking for the television version of a lump of coal, force the person who has been most awful to you this year to sit down and watch an episode of Beast Games. Its out now and we had, well, no real kind words for it here at IGN. Heres the verdict from our review: Beast Games is a reality show that tries and fails to translate the style of MrBeasts popular YouTube videos to a longer-form reality show. Its largely dull and without much of anything to get invested in, relying on constantly shouting at us about the stakes while frenetic editing slices everything to pieces. Its about what youd expect from an ever-hustling spectacle merchant like MrBeast, but that only makes it all the more exhausting to take in.What If? Season 3 (Disney+)What If? is back for Season 3! If youre not familiar with the Disney+ series yet, its a riff on the old comic runs of the same name that basically asked what if this weird stuff that didnt actually happen in canon occurred? Now, What If? has, by and large, played it pretty safe throughout its tenure, but Im hopeful that maybe theyll go hard in this final season of the show. Some of the episodes include "What If... Agatha Went to Hollywood?", "What If... the Emergence Destroyed the Earth?", and the series finale titled "What If... What If?" Were not sure whats actually coming in that finale, but cast details tell us Hayley Atwells Peggy Carter will be involved, and thats all I need to know in order to show up for something.PlayAlso New This WeekAnora December 17 (Digital and Demand)Aaron Rodgers: Enigma December 17 (Netflix)Secret Level (Second group of Season 1 episodes) December 17 (Netflix)The Six Triple Eight December 20 (Netflix)Juror #2 December 20 (Max)