Author: Trafficblast

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Unlike its predecessor, Resident Evil: Revelations 2 was released as an episodic series comprised of four episodes. Below you can find excerpts from our reviews of each written by Peter Brown.

Episode 1 – 7/10: “Though you have to wade through mediocre puzzles and endure cringe-worthy dialogue and references to past games, episode one successfully entices you to look forward to the next episode. Just before you feel like its antics are wearing you down, it commands your attention by redeeming itself during the second half, just before sealing the deal with an impactful cliffhanger. With tastes of both classic and modern Resident Evil, Revelations 2 has something for everyone, but it would be served better if it was a little more focused and had a little less Moira.”

Episode – 6/10: “Sadly, it doesn’t, and it’s disappointing to see that, once again, only one half of this week’s episode is praise-worthy. Claire and Moira face tense situations, and when you come upon a new environment, you’re seeing it for the first time, but once you take control of Barry, you’re essentially going through the motions in the same environments that Claire did until you encounter the invisible enemies, which are more frustrating than anything else. The concept of an invisible enemy is interesting, but the fact that it also kills you in one hit makes its purpose so transparent that you loathe it, rather than appreciate the opportunity it presents. Were it not for Claire’s chapter, it wouldn’t be hard to sit out the rest of Resident Evil: Revelations 2, but the memory of the good times, and the latest cliffhanger, ultimately stick with you when the credits roll.”

Episode – 8/10: “Even though Barry’s final stint is a letdown, with payoff after payoff, Episode Three is easily the best episode of Revelations 2 yet. It no longer feels like it was designed in such a way that forcefully attempts to justify having a partner. Instead, your appreciation for your sidekicks comes organically as you work together to solve interesting puzzles and protect each other from danger. Controlling Moira and Natalia no longer feels like a chore; now, it’s a privilege, and Episode Three’s greatest feat overall.”

Episode – 7/10: “The final episode of Revelations 2 has its problems, especially when it pretends that you can decide Claire and Moira’s fate. However, Barry’s portion offers just enough excellent gunplay and tense exploration to distract you from that misstep, all before sending you to a great final boss fight, and hopefully the good ending. Revelations 2 doesn’t get a pass for obscuring the path to its most satisfying conclusion, but it gets credit for the excitement it ultimately delivers in the true end of this journey and the flicker of the next one creeping in its shadow.”

Hearthstone‘s Forged in the Barrens expansion is coming soon, and Blizzard is in the midst of a lightning-fast reveal season for the new cards coming in the set. GameSpot has its own card to reveal: the cult leader Death Speaker Blackthorn, a Demon Hunter Legendary minion.

This isn’t the first Demon Hunter card we’ve seen with Deathrattle synergy. Another card, the Demon Hunter rare card Razorfin Beastmaster, summons a Deathrattle minion from your hand. Death Speaker Blackthorn could conceivably summon Razorfin, who then summons yet another Deathrattle minion. With enough Deathrattle minions in your deck and hand, you could create a cascading series of bodies that keep summoning more onto the board.

Forged in the Barrens is coming March 30, and that date will also mark the start of the Year of the Gryphon. It will add another 135 cards to the set, as some others cycle out of play to start the new year. Blizzard is taking a different approach this year, though, with the addition of a new Core set that will replace the Basic and Classic card sets. This more-curated approach will rotate yearly, and allows Blizzard to pick cards from all of its previous expansions to suit the coming year.

The game will also be getting a new mode called Mercenaries this year. Plus, it has announced a revised rewards track including a new type of cosmetic: Diamond cards.

For more details, check out everything we know about Hearthstone in 2021.

Now Playing: Hearthstone Forged In The Barrens Trailer | BlizzCon 2021

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Mondstadt’s Windblume Festival to play fun new games and hang out with Barbara, Chongyun, Bennett and Noelle.”

All players who have reached Adventure Rank 20 or above and completed the “Song of the Dragon and Freedom” questline are cordially invited to join the citizens of Mondstadt in their annual celebration of freedom and love as dandelion seeds flutter in the warm spring breeze.

Allegedly, the Windblume Festival originated as an occasion to commemorate the liberation of Mondstadt 2,600 years ago. For the citizens of today, however, it has become the season to express true love and participate in all sorts of outdoor games. The Knights of Favonius and the Adventurers’ Guild will organize a series of mini-games and challenges for players to enjoy alone or with friends, with generous rewards including two festival-exclusive items — the Windblume Festival Commemorative Balloon and the Windsong Lyre, as well as a new 4-star weapon, Windblume Ode. Meanwhile, a new type of story quest with multiple endings available will give Travelers the opportunity to spend some quality time hanging out with Barbara, Noelle, Bennett, and Chongyun, creating a rich range of memories together.

In Version 1.4, more details about the Abyss Order and the fate of the Traveler’s long-lost sibling will be revealed. Travelers who continue their investigation with “Bough Keeper” Dainsleif will finally come face to face with the formidable Abyss Herald and learn some surprising secrets about the world’s first Ruin Guard at Stormterror’s Lair.

Two months after her first appearance in Dragonspine, “Thorny Benevolence” Rosaria will now be joining the game as the latest 4-star playable character. Wielding a polearm and the power of Cryo, Rosaria can quickly maneuver herself behind her enemy to attack from the rear. Her Elemental Burst unleashes a mighty slash, dealing high Cryo DMG, followed by constant bursts of AoE Cryo DMG to nearby enemies over a period of time.

New functions and optimizations will also be introduced to improve player experience. In Version 1.4, players can hold up to five Condensed Resin in their Inventory at any one time. Additionally, players can opt to lower their World Level to suit their needs both in Single-Player and Co-Op Mode.

Though there are more streaming services than ever before to choose from, Disney+ has positioned itself as one of the more unique options, offering subscribers access to a vast library of exclusive content from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and more. Disney+ comes with a competitive basic price for some of the most talked-about VOD shows around, like WandaVision, The Mandalorian, and Hamilton. You can also opt for a Disney+ bundle that gives you access to live sports and network TV programs. If you’re considering signing up for Disney+ in 2021, here’s what you need to know about its current pricing, deals, and whether it offers a free trial.

What is Disney Plus?

Launched in 2019, Disney+ is the streaming service that’s home to programming from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The service also includes content from National Geographic and offers original shows, such as The Mandalorian, a live-action Star Wars series.

Content on Disney+ is ad-free, and subscribers get unlimited downloads on up to 10 devices. Compatible streaming devices include TVs, computers, tablets, cellphones, and game consoles.

How much does Disney Plus cost?

Starting March 26, the price of Disney+ is increasing to $7.99 per month. That’s a $1 increase from the previous price, and existing subscribers will begin paying the higher cost on their next bill on or after March 26. The annual subscription price is increasing by too, costing $79.99 a year (previously $69.99). Paying for a full year drops your monthly cost to $6.67 (or you can look at it as $7.99 a month for 10 months with two months free).

Disney+ offers bundle options that package the service with two other Disney-owned streaming services, Hulu and ESPN+. The Disney Bundle costs $13.99 per month if you go for the ad-supported Hulu option, while the bundle with ad-free Hulu is $19.99 per month. If you’re interested in having Hulu with Live TV, you can get the Disney Bundle for $72.99 per month (however, this is the ad-supported version of Hulu with Live TV).

What is Disney Plus Premier Access?

Disney+ Premier Access is an add-on feature that gives subscribers access to a new Disney movie at the same time it’s released in movie theaters. In spring 2021, the film is Raya and the Last Dragon.

Disney+ Premier Access costs $29.99 as a one-time fee when a new movie is offered via Premier Access. Once you pay your $30, you can watch the film as many times you want on any platform Disney+ works on for as long as you keep your Disney+ subscription. Regular Disney+ subscribers get access to the movie for no additional charge about three months after its release.

When a new movie is being offered on Disney+ Premier Access, you can purchase access on the disneyplus.com website or through the Disney+ app.

How do I sign up for a Disney Plus free trial?

Disney+ doesn’t currently offer a free trial. The service had a free trial period when it was introduced in late 2019, but the offer ended several months later.

Hulu and ESPN+ also do not offer a free trial on the Disney Bundle if you sign up through one of their websites rather than on the Disney+ website. However, you may be able to get free access to Disney+ from another company offering a promotion, such as Verizon.

Current 2021 Disney Plus deals and bundles

Verizon has a promotion where subscribers can get six free months of Disney+ with select Verizon Wireless Unlimited plans. Meanwhile, subscribers to Verizon’s Play More and Get More Unlimited phone plans can get the full Disney Bundle included. You must enroll with Verizon before May 31 to take advantage of these Disney+ deals, which are available to both customers with an existing Verizon Unlimited plan and those who upgrade or switch to such a plan.

The Disney Plus website has detailed instructions on how to take advantage of the Verizon offer whether you’re a new subscriber, have a Disney+ subscription or Disney Bundle subscription, or subscribe to Hulu or ESPN+.

What is the value of the Disney Plus Bundle?

The Disney Bundle–the subscription package that includes Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu–is an offer worth taking advantage of if you’re interested in all three services. The wide variety of content included makes it a particularly nice option for families, and it saves you about $6 a month compared to subscribing to all three services individually.

The monthly price for the Disney Bundle is $13.99 if you’re OK with ad-supported Hulu. If you want to eliminate ads from Hulu, the cost for the bundle is $19.99. For a sense of how the costs compare, here’s what you’d pay if you purchased the subscriptions individually:

• Disney+: $7.99 per month
• ESPN+: $5.99 per month
• Hulu: $5.99 per month with ads; $11.99 a month without ads

The Disney Bundle amounts to a buy-two-get-one-free offer for streaming services. And the combination of the three services provides a wealth of entertainment options that will satisfy all the TV viewers in your household.

Disney+ is extremely strong on family-friendly and children’s programming, thanks to the Disney and Pixar libraries. You also get documentaries from Nat Geo, the entire MCU, and every Star Wars movie, plus original programming.

ESPN+ adds sports to the package. You can livestream college and professional sports events, including baseball, golf, soccer, hockey, and tennis. ESPN+ doesn’t just cover American sports, either. If you’re a soccer fan, for instance, you’ll be able to follow your favorite Bundesliga, Italian Serie A, or Major League Soccer team. You’ll also have access to ESPN features like 30 for 30 and fantasy sports commentary.

With Hulu, you can stream current TV shows and catch up on past seasons of your favorite shows. You can also watch current and classic movies and stream Hulu’s most popular original series, like Little Fires Everywhere and Pen15.

Disney+ and the Disney Bundle are available on a wide range of devices, including:

• TV: Amazon Fire TV, Android TVs, AppleTV, Chromecast, LG TV, Roku, Samsung
• Computer: Chrome, Mac, and Windows
• Mobile and tablets: Amazon Fire tablets, Android phone and tablets, iPhone, iPad
• Game consoles: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S

Is Disney Plus worth it?

Though Disney+ doesn’t have as many hit original shows as services like Netflix, its catalog of content continues to grow with popular series like The Mandalorian, WandaVision, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. For fans of Disney-owned properties like Marvel and Star Wars, Disney+ is the only way to stay up to date with all the latest releases in those franchises. And for families with kids–or those who just want to rewatch their favorite Disney shows and movies–having that entire catalog at your fingertips is very appealing.

Then you’ve got the Disney Plus Bundle, which might be one of the best entertainment deals around, assuming you take full advantage of its offerings. The Disney Bundle gives you programming in the most popular entertainment categories: kids, family, sports, and movies, plus current and classic TV. Its price is competitive with other streaming services (you could pay as much for Netflix alone) and much cheaper than cable or satellite TV. Though it’s hard to deny the appeal of Netflix’s sheer volume of original content–including shows like The Queen’s Gambit and Stranger Things that get the entire internet talking–you get a lot of bang for your buck with the Disney Bundle. And if you opt for the Disney Bundle with Hulu + Live TV, you’ve got a nice cable TV alternative as well as access to some of the best on-demand streaming content around.

Unfortunately, you can’t try Disney+ or the Disney Bundle for free. However, Disney+ managed to attract 100 million subscribers in just 16 months, so it remains a popular option with subscribers and, in our opinion, one of the best streaming service options around. If the Disney+ programming mix appeals to you, it may be worth $8 to check the service out. And if you decide it’s not for you, it’s easy to cancel your subscription anytime.

The music that comes out of the Destiny franchise has been consistently impressive throughout the series’ nearly seven-year lifespan, with the composers who work with Bungie capturing the often-spooky ongoing narrative of undead superheroes fighting alien gods. The next Destiny 2 expansion, 2022’s The Witch Queen, is going to bring together story threads that span Destiny’s entire life, which has inspired a fan-made soundtrack that’s so good, it sounds like Bungie could have created it.

The soundtrack is called Savathûn, named for the evil Hive god who has existed as an antagonist since the release of Destiny 2–and who has been a central figure since the Forsaken expansion. Savathûn is the Witch Queen to which the next expansion refers, and she has ties to Oryx, the villain players defeated back during the Destiny 1 expansion The Taken King.

What’s remarkable about the soundtrack, created by freelance artist and musician Benjamin Noisette is how well it takes into account Destiny’s musical history, while also telling a story of its own. Noisette’s soundtrack calls back major elements of Destiny music, linking The Taken King and Savathûn’s Song, a tune that first showed up in Shadowkeep and which has some threatening in-world story implications, and mixing them with the soundtrack’s original compositions.

“I wanted (the soundtrack) to tell a story through music, and I wanted the listener to see it as they listened,” Noisette, who lives in Paris, said in an email interview with GameSpot. “At this point, I very much wanted to include nods to existing Destiny themes, and I wanted it to sound like something that could belong to the soundtracks, while maintaining some sort of identity. I didn’t want it to be all bombastic and a series of boss themes either. It needed the right amount of emotion, the right amount of desperation and nostalgia.”

While Noisette explained that he wanted his soundtrack to feel like it could tell a story, he didn’t want to impose that story on the listener.

“The storyline within the music is not something specific–I wanted the listener to make it their own, be it something they want to hear while battling a boss in a raid, or something they hear while watching Savathûn’s story evolve,” he said. “Of course, I had specific ideas for specific tracks. ‘Sathona’ was the idea of an origin story, like “beauty, corrupted.’ ‘Swordbreaker’ and ‘Pro Regina’ were quite obviously more action-focused, for instance, which I wanted to balance with more nuanced tracks. These two tracks were like anthems in my mind.”

In addition to Destiny-inspired tracks, the 30-year-old Noisette has created music tracks in tribute to other games, like Horizon: Zero Dawn and Detroit: Become Human. While he’s always been a musician, having studied cello since the age of 6, Noisette said he’d never considered as a possible career. Instead, he spent the last decade working as a freelance motion graphics designer and 3D modeler.

But the expansive Savathûn project came out of the last year and the global pandemic that has marked it, he said.

“Last year was pretty rough, for obvious reasons, as I’m sure it was on a lot of people,” Noisette explained. “Lockdown didn’t really help with the fact that I was struggling to keep interest in what I was doing and I was increasingly desperate for a change, so I quit my job.”

Noisette said he’s now working to become a full-time composer and that he hopes to do more tribute work related to video games–and possibly do it for a living. As for what’s next, he’s considering exploring different musical genres, while possibly taking on inspiration from other well-known composers, like Doom Eternal’s Mick Gordon.

“I like the idea of writing original music to beloved games for now, and I want to do more,” he said. “Hopefully some day in the future, I might be able to do that for a living.”

You can hear more of Noisette’s work on Soundcloud.