Author: Trafficblast

A live-action Anthem story short from Neill Blomkamp, director of District 9, Chappie, and Elysium, has been released. Titled ‘Conviction,’ the three-minute video is set in the world of BioWare’s upcoming action game, but decades before the game’s own story. It is narrated by a female character, who recounts the history of humanity, its enslavement, fight for freedom, and efforts to rebuild as it struggles for survival.

Freelancers–the Javelin-wearing characters that players take control of in the game–are shown to have discovered a mysterious woman in the jungles. However, her discovery ignites a new conflict, with lines being crossed, betrayals, and explosive battles. “The Anthem swims through your mind, it knows you, it knows us all,” she says.

While the details of the story are vague, perhaps purposefully so, the short does a good job of depicting the world of Anthem and teasing some of the sci-fi intrigue that BioWare will no doubt further explore in the game’s narrative. Check it out above.

Blomkamp’s ability to realize sci-fi worlds and tell stories within them is on show in the short, even if it is a bit brief. The director has some history with video games, having previously been attached to a Halo movie adaptation. The Javelins look especially cool, which is making us pine for the Halo movie he may have once created.

Anthem, meanwhile, is set to launch on February 22. However, those with an EA or Origin Access membership will be able to play from February 15. Ahead of its release, BioWare shared an update roadmap and endgame details to give players an idea of what they’ll be able to experience beyond the main campaign.

EA is expecting BioWare’s newest game to sell as many as 6 million copies by March, and CFO Blake Jorgensen said the company is confident that the game will reach these numbers based on the popularity of the game’s VIP and open demos. However, it will also face heavy competition from Fortnite, which is as popular as ever, Apex Legends, another EA title which launched for free and has already reached 10 million unique users, and Ubisoft’s The Division 2, which delivers a similar games as a service experience.

Hollow Knight developer Team Cherry has announced a full sequel that’s planned for release on Nintendo Switch and PC. Hollow Knight: Silksong was originally DLC for the first game funded through a Kickstarter stretch goal. It would allow players to take control of supporting character Hornet.

However, instead of building off the original Hollow Knight to offer a sub-chapter or a character swapping mechanic, Team Cherry has opted to take the character to a new location in her own game. “As we kept going and kicking around ideas, the idea of having Hornet going on an adventure in a whole new kingdom was an interesting idea to us,” co-director William Pellen said in a candid developer diary. “The other part is we have no idea how to make DLC… It seems like a weirdly complicated thing,” added Ari Gibson.

According to the co-directors, Silksong is a “huge game” and it’s still growing. Further information about the sequel’s inception can be found on the developer’s official website: “Almost from the very start, Hornet’s adventure was intended to take place in a new land, but as we dove in, it quickly became too large and too unique to stay a DLC, as initially planned. We do know that makes the wait a little longer, but we think the final, fresh world you’ll get to explore is worth it.

Those that backed the Hollow Knight Kickstarter will be be given a copy of Hollow Knight: Silk Song at no additional cost. “Any backer of the game from the $10AUD and above tiers can choose to receive their copy of Hollow Knight: Silksong free on either PC or Nintendo Switch, at launch,” Team Cherry said. “We’ll shoot out a simple survey as we get closer to release to find out which version you’d like to receive.

“Higher tier backers who received multiple copies of Hollow Knight will also receive multiple copies of Hollow Knight: Silksong, the same rules apply as for Hollow Knight. You can elect for your primary copy on either Nintendo Switch or PC, with all additional copies as PC versions.”

Although Hollow Knight: Silksong has only been announced for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Nintendo Switch, Team Cherry has said “more platforms may happen.” The developer noted, however, that it is still made up of just three people. It has also broken down what players can expect from Silksong in a handy list that you can see below.

• Discover a whole new kingdom: Explore coral forests, mossy grottos, gilded cities and misted moors as you ascend to the shining citadel at the top of the world.
• Engage in lethal acrobatic action: Wield a whole new suite of nimble moves as you dance between foes in deadly, beautiful combat.
• Craft powerful tools: Master an ever-expanding arsenal of weapons, traps and mechanisms to confound your enemies and explore new heights.
• Solve shocking quests: Hunt down rare beasts, unearth ancient mysteries and search for lost treasures to fulfil the wishes of the downtrodden and restore the kingdom’s hope. Prepare for the unexpected!
• Face over 150 all-new foes: Beasts and hunters, assassins and kings, monsters and knights – defeat them all with bravery and skill!
• Experience a stunning orchestral score: Hollow Knight’s award-winning composer, Christopher Larkin, returns to bring melancholy melodies, symphonic strings and heart-thumping, soul strumming boss themes to the adventure.
• Challenge Silk Soul mode: Once you conquer the game, test your skills in an all-new mode that spins the game into a unique, challenging experience.

In GameSpot’s Hollow Knight review, Alessandro Barbosa awarded the game a 9/10. “Hollow Knight feels exceptional because so many of its smaller, expertly designed parts fit so well together over an extraordinarily long adventure that could easily have fallen prey to poor pacing.

“But its expansive enemy roster and routinely surprising areas and platforming challenges ensure that your journey through this fallen bug kingdom is one you’re unlikely to forget. Hollow Knight offers a surprisingly large and harrowing adventure, and it’s a treat that every bit of it is just as divine as that last.”