A Microsoft Flight Simulator mod recreates the suddenly-iconic image of the cargo ship, the Ever Given, stuck in the Suez Canal. A viral TikTok video shows a pilot engaging in a flyby of the stuck ship, and you can recreate the bird’s-eye view yourself with the mod.
Mat Velloso, technical advisor to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, shared the video on Twitter. It features a player narrating as a plane captain, giving a tour of the Suez Canal as a major pipeline for global trade, and then noticing the ship. He then tells the passengers to fasten their seatbelts so they can turn for a better look.
The Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal for nearly a week, disrupting trade through the highly trafficked sea route. It was a serious problem and a source of frustration for the governments trying to free the ship, but it is also objectively hilarious that big boat got stuck. So there’s been no shortage of memes and videos about the incident, and this Flight Simulator mod is just the latest riff.
You can download the Ever Given mod by FlyBoyRez1 to view the scene yourself. You’ll just have to plan a flight path that overlooks the Suez (coordinates: 30.017650, 32.580220) and you can’t miss it. It’s the giant boat.
In the real world, though, the Ever Given has just been freed and traffic through the Suez Canal has resumed, reports the New York Times.
“Weiss, you dumbass! You better start making sense, you rotten book, or you’re gonna be sorry! Maybe I’ll start ripping your pages out one-by-one, or maybe I’ll put you in a goddamn furnace! How can someone with such a big, smart brain get hypnotized like a little b**ch? Oh, Shadowlord! I love you, Shadowlord! Come over here and give Weiss a big sloppy kiss, Shadowlord! Now pull your head out of your goddamn ass and START F***ING HELPING US!”
That’s the opening line delivered by Kainé, a tough and calloused character with a fighting passion. She yells this directly at Grimoire Weiss, a sentient book who’s a sassy wisecrack that wields crucial powers to fight against the otherworldly threat called Shades. But while this first impression is of conflict between allies, it’s illustrative of the eccentric group dynamic between the characters of Nier. And the line hits you like a truck just before you watch the intro cinematic, which is backed by the impassioned orchestrations and chorus composed by Keiichi Okabe. It’s all that’s needed to tell you that you’re in for an emotional journey without saying anything more.
In a post-Nier: Automata world, the original Nier has garnered a new spotlight that has afforded it a second lease on life. The initial release was a bit obscured in 2010, dated and rather basic in some aspects, which may have undercut its storytelling chops and the unique narrative stylings of creator Yoko Taro. I’ve been playing the original version on PS3 recently, and, in retrospect, the flaws in its gameplay systems are easier to overlook when it’s understood you’re playing an older game–and through that perspective, I’ve found something really special.
With this remake, fully and oddly named Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139…, an overlooked gem has been ushered into the modern era on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC with a modernized gameplay experience that’s closer to what you get from Automata. I’ve spent some time playing ahead of its launch, and it leaves me a bit shook to see this game again running in higher resolution and at 60 frames per second, with revamped combat mechanics and the reorchestrated, evocative soundtrack. But more importantly, it’s a real treat knowing that folks have another chance to play through a special piece of video game storytelling, especially considering how tough it is to go back to (and actually find) the original version.
Revamped combat makes Nier Replicant a much better gameplay experience than the original.
Nier Replicant doesn’t necessarily contain any structural changes from what I’ve seen thus far, essentially preserving the original experience as if it’s a one-to-one recreation. In the small snippets I played, combat scenarios and boss fights in The Aerie and Junk Heap still had their familiar multifaceted challenges, gameplay perspective shifts, and bombastic moments.
In The Aerie, a village constructed along a cliffside, you stand against the imposing threat of a massive Shade. Through sequences of hitting specific spots, reacting to attack patterns, and wailing on the Shade when the opportunity presents itself, you’ll take them down. Junk Heap features robots and machines (vaguely resembling the experience of Nier: Automata’s factories), and a Zelda-like boss fight where you destroy a machine’s floating hands then throw bombs into its mouth at the right time while fending off smaller enemies. It’s all fairly standard action-game-type stuff that doesn’t deviate much from the original Nier, though this does provide a decent vehicle for the game’s stronger elements.
Replicant has an enhanced satisfaction in battle with smoother movements and melee combos, and an enhanced system for Weiss’ Dark abilities (effectively magic spells). These spells are much more enjoyable to pull off, and it’s one aspect where Nier has an edge over Automata–you have hard-hitting projectiles, a Pod-like bullet barrage, spikes to summon from the ground, and a massive hand to call on to smack enemies with metaphysical power. The lock-on system also means that you aren’t necessarily struggling against the game itself to pull off attacks accurately and on your intended targets. I must say I quite like Grimoire Weiss more so than the various Pods of Automata.
No matter what, Emil will steal your heart.
Those who played Nier back in the day are getting something new for the Western experience. Replicant stars “Brother Nier” as opposed to “Father Nier.” The core story remains the same, where a young child named Yonah faces a seemingly terminal illness related to the Shades who threaten your world. Although I can’t exactly explore the dynamic in relation to Replicant quite yet, I did find something special about how this story is communicated with a father figure front and center. At a time when we have quite a few prominent games starring dads and parental struggles, the lens through which you view Nier’s desolate world and experience the unlikely relationships has been unique–it’s one that’s less about fatherhood and more about forming bonds with strangers and the power they afford you in critical moments. With the brother now in the starring role, however, I don’t expect Nier’s pivotal moments to lose their impact or poignance.
What I will say is that Nier eventually becomes narratively heavy. It’s blunt sometimes, philosophical at others. It can be grandiose but not without a bit of earnestness and levity in between. If you’re like me–someone who loves investing in stories only to have your heart ripped out–this is a game for us. Remake or otherwise, the original Nier has a keen focus on humanity, empathy, and tragedy, and in that regard, it’s a lot like Nier: Automata. But the original game itself has a charismatic edge that’ll draw you in to hit you in your feelings in a different way. The revelations and connections to Automata are also exciting things to explore, and first-timers should be eager to see this story unfold.
Like Father Nier, Brother Nier will do whatever it takes to save Yonah.
Although it shares the slick feel of a modern action game, this is very much the original Nier with what it asks you to do in terms of its core gameplay structure. That might make Replicant feel a bit outdated or perhaps a step back if you’re coming fresh off Automata–but admittedly, gameplay isn’t exactly why we’re here. Nier can be dark and depressing, but also uplifting at certain moments and in small ways. Surviving in a broken world to preserve your humanity and your connections with whoever you have left doesn’t come without the drama and heart necessary.
Just hearing a few of the songs in this soundtrack again hit something deep that I can’t quite explain without taking the time to really unpack that emotional response. And that’s kind of what Nier: Automata does, too. Not many games can deliver that sort of impact, so I’m looking forward to exploring Nier Replicant more as we get closer to its April 23 release date, if anything, just to feel something.
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Marvel’s Avengers already has a few elements that have clearly been inspired by Bungie’s successful space sandbox Destiny 2, and it’s about to add one more similar feature to its world in the form of an upcoming Patrol mode. With a busy summer period ahead of the game, the new Patrol mode will give players a wide area to explore, one that isn’t constrained by the usual mission parameters.
Players will be able to complete quests and earn rewards, but the new mode will only be open in the Wasteland area when it arrives. Introduced in the recent Operation: Future Imperfect expansion, the Wasteland is a vast and open post-apocalyptic area inhabited by mercenaries and the remnants of AIM’s robot army that were active during the Kree invasion of the planet. The Wasteland will be split into three key areas: Kree Sentry graveyard, Ruined City, and SHIELD stronghold.
We’re Introducing the new Patrol Mode mission type this summer that allows you to explore the largest War Zone to date, complete quests, and earn rewards without the constraints of a mission. Explore these areas as long as you want and complete Assignments at your leisure! pic.twitter.com/3mwdVbUApB
The area sounds like an ideal map in which to harvest rare resources, complete assignments and spend time leveling up your Avenger of choice, similar to how Destiny 2 operates with its multiple levels dotted across the solar system. Marvel’s Avengers has other zones which could also easily fit into this new mode, such as its Eastern Seaboard, Pacific Northwest, and Snowy Tundra levels which rotate in and out of the game as War Zone stages.
Marvel’s Avengers is currently preparing for a more content-packed future, as developer Crystal Dynamics has revealed the roadmap for the next few months. Black Panther will headline the War for Wakanda expansion as the next playable character in a future update listed under “summer and beyond” on the roadmap, with new gameplay options, cosmetic updates, and in-game events also being added throughout the year as part of a renewed drive by the developer to further fine-tune and strengthen the game.
In the more immediate future, players can try out Tachyon Anomaly missions that allow for any combination of four heroes and Red Room Takeover, which provides the HARM training room with a Black Widow-themed makeover. Those two modes will arrive in the spring season.
PlayStation 4 users will be able to pre-load the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War mid-season update, which is another big patch for the military shooter. According to CharlieIntel, the mid-season update weighs in at around 7 GB.
The site reported that players can install the 7 GB update, starting at 9 PM PT on March 29 (12 AM ET on March 30). For some reason, pre-loading is only available on PS4, it seems.
A new patch update for Black Ops Cold War, version 1.14, for PlayStation 4 is starting to become available for pre-loading. The update is 7GBs and will be available to install at 9PM PT on March 29. This is the mid-Season update. Pre-load only available on PS4.
The mid-season update is a big one, as evidenced by the file size and what we’ve heard about it so far. Developer Treyarch has already announced that the update will include new maps, including the Golova map with the new 40-player Hardpoint mode, along with a new map called Mansion that’s set in Cuba. Various weapon tuning changes are coming as well.
It’s expected there will be some updates and changes for the battle royale game Warzone as well, along with the fan-favorite Zombies mode, but we’re still waiting to learn more.
Prominent director James Mangold–who directed Logan, Ford v Ferrari, and Walk The Line and is attached to direct the new Indiana Jones movie–has said he won’t make a movie in the state of Georgia due to a recent law that makes changes to voting rules.
Mangold said succinctly on Twitter, “I will not direct a film in Georgia.”
Georgia is one of the US east coast’s movie-making hubs, with numerous Marvel and DC projects filming there such as The Avengers, Spider-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, and The Suicide Squad projects.
The new bill, which was signed into law late last week, makes changes to voter ID requirements and more. Democratic state senator Jen Jordan said of the bill, “It’s like the Christmas tree of goodies for voter suppression.”
Mangold responded to numerous people on Twitter who followed up and challenged him on his statement. You can see some of his responses below. Screenwriter Amy Holden Jones, who wrote Mystic Pizza, said Atlanta–which is where many of the big Hollywood productions film–is the “blue heart of the state.” Eliminating movie production in Georgia would harm Democratic voters, Jones said.
I am grateful for that election. But the Georgia legislature just made that election nearly impossible to ever repeat. Pressure is required. Get angry at the right people.
The state will be irredeemably red with these new “laws”. The only reason studios shoot in GA is cause they have steal production from other states and workers w/ cash.
Film and television shoot in Atlanta, the blue heart of the state. Eliminate production and you harm democratic voters, hard working people, not the representatives elected by the red rural areas.
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill also weighed in on the matter, saying he agrees with Mangold about wanting to stop filming in Georgia. “No More Filming In Georgia,” he wrote as a hashtag.
Mangold’s next project is the new Indiana Jones movie starring Harrison Ford. Series director Steven Spielberg was originally scheduled to direct the film but Mangold stepped in after Spielberg parted ways with the film.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time launched on PC last week, but as players found out when accessing the game through the Battle.net launcher, an always-online connection is required.
Ordinarily, this wouldn’t be too much of an issue as almost every game available on Battle.net requires being permanently tethered to the internet, but frequent login errors that forces the game to close during the middle of a challenging level have left players feeling frustrated.
Crash Bandicoot 4 is an entirely local game as well, with its only online component being multiplayer leaderboards. As Eurogamer originally reported as well, the game might not even remain playable on PC should Activision decide to shut down its servers.
As Activision stated on the game’s Battle.net product page: “Activision makes no guarantee regarding the availability of online features and may modify or discontinue those at its discretion without notice.”
The news has naturally not been well-received by fans, with one ResetEra thread even pointing out that with Crash Bandicoot 4’s anti-piracy DRM and online countermeasures having been cracked, “pirates get to have a much better experience than customers.”
On mobile platforms Crash Bandicoot: On the Run has seen a more positive launch so far. So far the game has managed more than 8.1 million downloads through both iOS and Android storefronts since its launch last week. If you’re still looking to try out Crash Bandicoot 4 and you have the option to purchase it on a console instead of PC, now’s a good time to experience the game with next-gen features.
The PS5 and Series X|S versions were recently upgraded with 4K and 60fps and faster load times, and If you already own it on PS4 or Xbox One, the upgrade is free within the same console family. Save data will transfer over as well.
“Even more so than playing the N.Sane Trilogy, which literally remade the original Crash games from my youth, playing Crash 4 felt like getting back in touch with the series,” Mike Epstein wrote in GameSpot’s Crash Bandicoot 4 review. “It’s an injection of new ideas into now-classic gameplay that surprises and delights, even as it feels like a homecoming. Truly, games like this are why we come running back to long-dormant franchises with open arms.”
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While some thought that Attack on Titan’s fourth and final season was going to end with its 75th episode, MAPPA has revealed that there will be a Part 2 in “Winter 2022.”
This second part of season four was teased following the end of the 16th episode of the season with a short video that hints of what’s to come.
Attack on Titan Final Season Part 1 began airing in in late December 2020, so this second part could follow a similar release schedule.
As reported by ScreenRant, Attack on Titan still has 23 chapters of the manga left to adapt. The first part of the season adapted 26 chapters to its 16 episodes, meaning fans could reasonably expect a season of similar length.
Fans had been questioning this final season for quite some time, as they thought there was no way it could cover the rest of the manga in its 16 episodes. There were rumors that a movie may have been in the works to tell the rest of the story, but it appears these final episodes will do so.
Attack on Titan Final Season has been airing in Japan and internationally via streaming services like Crunchyroll and Funimation. The English-dubbed release of Attack on Titan in the US has also been airing on Adult Swim’s late night Toonami programming block, although it is delayed by a few weeks.
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Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
