Month: March 2018

Veronica Review: Great Horror Film From Co-Creator of [REC]

Paco Plaza’s Verónica was released on Netflix last week with little fanfare, some good critical buzz, and no major expectations from anyone other than fans of Plaza’s

films. Only a few days after its Netflix release, however, articles began appearing calling it perhaps one of the scariest movies ever made. Audiences took to Twitter to record their dread in real time, often talking about how they had to turn the movie off because it was so scary. No film can accumulate that sort of immediate pop imprimatur without escaping the notice of any tenacious horror fan, eager to discover if Verónica lives up to its hype.

I too have now watched Verónica, and I can declare handily: It’s not the scariest movie ever made. It is, however, a skillfully made haunted house movie that seeks to be about more than your average haunted house movie. And while director Plaza may have more interest in his excellently creepy visuals – if you’ve heard about the demon in the hallway, then you know what to prepare for – he does not mishandle the film’s more pertinent themes of sexual hysteria, burdened adolescence, and the death of childhood.

Continue reading…

6 Things to Expect From the Next Star Wars Animated Series

It’s a bittersweet week for fans of the animated series Star Wars Rebels. The action-packed show just aired its series finale, bringing an end to the story of Ezra Bridger and his fellow rebel freedom fighters. The good news is that we know Dave Filoni and others at Lucasfilm Animation are hard at work crafting their next big Star Wars epic.

We don’t know much about that new project other than the fact that it exists. But based on the way Rebels wrapped up this week, we have a few ideas on where the animated Star Wars saga is heading next. Scroll down to see our predictions for the next animated series, including when it’ll take place and what characters it’ll feature.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the series finale of Star Wars Rebels!

Continue reading…

Princess Leia Manga to Debut in Japan on Star Wars Day

Princess Leia will soon be headlining her own manga webcomic later this year.

Per Newsarama, Haruichi is adapting Claudia Gray’s Leia, Princess of Alderaan novel into a manga serial, which will make its debut in Japan on Star Wars day, May 4. It’ll be released on the LINE app, with a print edition planned for release later this year after the final installment.

For now, the manga is only expected to come out in Japan, with no word yet on a possible English translation. Check out some of the art for the manga below.

leia Princess Leia manga, image via Newsarama.

Continue reading…

The Best Cheap PS4 Games

PlayStation 4 is now more than four years old, and in that time it’s amassed a substantial library of games. It was difficult to keep up with all of the quality releases even if you were onboard from day one; for those who have picked up a PS4 late, the number of games now available can be positively overwhelming.

You’re unlikely to ever play everything PS4 has to offer, but we’re here to help you ensure you play some worthwhile games without breaking the bank. As is to be expected from a system that’s now several years old, there’s a wide array of games that can be picked up for quite cheap. We’re highlighting many of the best games that can be had for no more than $20 on the US PlayStation Store. Be sure to let us know your recommendations in the comments below.

2018 is poised to grow the PS4’s library even further, with high-profile releases like God of War, Spider-Man, and Red Dead Redemption 2 on the way alongside a variety of lesser-known hidden gems that you should be excited for this year.

Next Free Game From Amazon / Twitch Prime Now Available

Following a delay, the next PC game to be offered for free to Twitch Prime members is now available. The original Devil May Cry–not to be confused with 2013’s DMC: Devil May Cry–is up for grabs to everyone with a Prime subscription for a limited time.

Free games and other in-game content (like the recent Fortnite pack that’s still available) are offered periodically through Twitch Prime. This Devil May Cry freebie was originally set to go live last month but was delayed due to “unforeseen technical circumstances.” As a result, the promotion will run until April 3, giving you just under a month total to claim it. You can grab it from Devil May Cry’s hub or by clicking the Prime Loot button in the top navigation bar from anywhere on Twitch’s site. You’ll need to use the Twitch desktop client in order to download the game, but the game is yours permanently once you claim it.

Devil May Cry was originally released in 2001 on PS2. It’s a stylish action game that has spawned several sequels. A collection of the first three games, Devil May Cry HD Collection, launches for PC, PS4, and Xbox One on March 13. It features remastered versions of Devil May Cry, Devil May Cry 2, and Devil May Cry 3 with improved visuals and a 60 FPS framerate. You can see a trailer of it above.

Twitch Prime is the premium membership of livestreaming service Twitch. Without knowing it, you may already have a subscription, as Twitch Prime is one of the benefits that Amazon Prime members receive. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can claim your Twitch Prime membership here.

Nintendo Direct Announced For This Week, Will Focus On New Switch And 3DS Games

Nintendo has announced its next Direct presentation, which will reveal more details on upcoming Switch and 3DS games. The video will air on March 8 at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET / 10 PM GMT (that’s 9 AM AEST on March 9 in Australia).

Nintendo specifically promised “new details on Mario Tennis Aces” in its announcement, though more games will also be discussed in the 30 minute presentation. It’s unclear at this stage whether the company plans to reveal any new games or merely talk more about titles we already know of.

The video will be the second Direct of the year after the Mini presentation that aired in January. That provided more information regarding Mario + Rabbids DLC and Payday 2’s Switch port; it was also where Nintendo revealed Dark Souls Remastered for Switch and an updated edition of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. For more from that event, check out all the new Switch games shown during the January 2018 Nintendo Direct.

As for the presentation coming this week, it’s possible we could hear more about Kirby Star Allies–which launches this month–as well as Yoshi for Switch and Pokemon for Switch. For more on the latter, check out nine things we want from Pokemon on Nintendo Switch.

Lots Of Cheap PS4 Exclusive Game Deals Happening Now In PSN EU Sale

Sony has announced its latest PlayStation Store sale for Europe: it’s called the Only On PlayStation sale, and it discounts lots of PS4 exclusives like The Last of Us Remastered, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, and more. In addition, the company has revealed the Store’s latest deal of the week, Call of Duty: Black Ops III.

Black Ops III’s Zombies Chronicles Edition is £30 / €35, a 45% reduction on its usual price. This is the version that includes the base game and eight remastered Zombies maps from previous Treyarch Call of Duty games.

As for the PlayStation exclusives on sale, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is 33% off at £20 / €25, The Last of Us Remastered is down to £16 / €20 (a saving of 54%), and Horizon Zero Dawn‘s Frozen Wilds expansion is 37% off at £10 / €13. More games, such as Gran Turismo Sport (£30 / €35), Infamous: Second Son (£8 / €10), and Knack 2 (£16 / €20), are also available–check out the full sale here. The Only On PlayStation Sale ends on March 21, while the deal of the week (Black Ops III – Zombies Chronicles) is on offer until March 14.

For our US readers, the American Store has its own PS4 sale happening right now. That’s in addition to March’s free PS Plus games, which are available now. They include Bloodborne and Ratchet & Clank on PS4, as well as plenty more on PS3 and PS Vita. That won’t be the case for too much longer though, as Sony is dropping free PS3 and PS Vita games from PS Plus from next year.