Category: Games

The interesting thing about the Purge franchise is that its ridiculous-seeming premise–that all crime is legal for one night a year, including murder–opens the door for commentary on real-life America. The movies have quickly become political satires about racism and classism in the U.S., while also being about horrifying people in frightening masks attempting to use machetes to murder blue collar working folks.

USA’s 10-part TV series The Purge is digging a little further into the idea of an America where people can kill each other freely one night per year, expanding on the things we’ve already seen in the movies. The premiere aired on Tuesday, September 4, focusing on the ever-present dread as the clock ticks down to “commencement” of the Purge. But the really interesting thing about the series is the exploration of how people would really respond to a world where the Purge exists–and how the Purge might affect religious beliefs, by adding a “Purge cult” to the proceedings.

In the first episode of The Purge, we slowly come to realize that one of its main characters, a woman named Penelope (Jessica Garza), is a member of that Purge cult and follows its unnamed leader (Fiona Dourif). These folks don’t go out during the Purge to kill other people in the name of their religion, though. Instead, they have a different, spookier belief: They sacrifice themselves for the sake of other Purgers. As one cultist puts it, the group doesn’t purge, they are “purged upon.”

We learn early in the show that Penelope lost her parents to some past Purge, and she’s come to believe that, by allowing herself to die in the Purge, she’ll be reunited with them. The cultists seek peace through their sacrifice and pain, and expect to be spirited away to a kind of heaven (“The Invisible”) once they die.

Lots of horror concepts throw in cultists and other religious fanatics for flavor, but in “The Purge,” the concept that people would go out and sacrifice themselves adds another level that feels true to real life. Since the first “Purge” film back in 2013, there’s been an aspect to which the Americans of the movie universe delude themselves into thinking a night of allowing anyone to turn into Jeffrey Dahmer or a Manson Family member is a good idea. In the first film, the Purge comes off like a successful idea–in 2022, crime and violence are at historic lows and unemployment is near 1%. It’s a suggestion that it’s working.

Throughout the film series, the justification for the Purge is that it’s backed up by science. In “The First Purge,” we discover the concept was created by a social scientist who really did have people’s best interests at heart (well, OK, not the people getting murdered, but the other people). The audience knows the truth: that the Purge is used by the fascist New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) to kill poor people to thin out the population and boost the economy. But the country is told that the Purge is actually a good thing that helps people, and to the normal person, there’s evidence to support that conclusion.

So it doesn’t seem too far-fetched that traumatized people like Penelope would go out for a cult that fully buys into the need for the Purge and the idea that allowing people to kill them is actually a selfless act. We have cults in the real world that attract people when they’re hurt and damaged, like Penelope is by the loss of her parents, and we have plenty of real world religions that glorify concepts like “sacrifice” and suffering.

This isn’t the first time “The Purge” has used religion, but it might be the first time a part of the franchise has really delved into the idea of how something like the Purge might affect religious belief. What we’ve seen in “Purge” movies up to now of religion is a politicized view of Christianity through the lens of hypocritical fascists. Basically, the NFFA in the movies use religion when they can to justify the Purge and their power, but it feels like more of a comment on the relationship between real-world conservatism and religion–and the things both justify–than on how the Purge might actually affect real people.

So how might things shake out, if it’s generally accepted that the Purge is a good thing, and that the country is better for it? It’s not that big a leap to expect that empathetic or traumatized people might find a purpose in contributing to the Purge without committing murder themselves. The cult makes a frightening amount of sense, in that way, and it adds another dimension to the overall Purge concept of considering what might happen to people who aren’t necessary vulnerable to being killed because they can’t afford to protect themselves, but are vulnerable in other ways.

What makes the “Purge” franchise endure, apart from being a spooky set of horror movies and despite the idea of a crime night sounding impossible (as well as completely, ridiculously complicated to fit into the existing legal system), is that it’s easy to see shades of the real world in the absurdity. With a version that has the room to explore the Purge over 10 consecutive episodes, there’s a chance for the TV show’s creators to look at the concept in new and unexpected ways, like through the idea of spirituality, religion, and trauma–and to see what that might reflect about our world.

It’s a big day for those who have been impatiently awaiting the arrival of Marvel’s next film, Captain Marvel. We’ve gotten not just a look at Brie Larson in her superhero costume, but also a bunch of new information and photos from the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film due out next year. That includes reveals of Nick Fury and the Skrulls, among other things.

The new photos from the film were shared by Entertainment Weekly, where you can see all 10 images. They mark the first we’ve seen from Larson’s superhero debut, and they don’t disappoint. Not only can she be seen in her costume as the titular Captain Marvel–in an image featuring far less Photoshopping than the cover version–but several other details are given away.

Most notably, Captain Marvel brings back Nick Fury back–but in a major change, he actually has both of his eyes. As the movie is set in the 1990s, a younger version of the director of SHIELD will be introduced, long before he starts wearing his signature eye patch. Perhaps the movie will actually show how he loses his eye?

Also seen in the photos are the introduction of the Skrull alien race. In one image, they are walking out of the ocean, led by Talos (Ben Mendelsohn). According to a caption from EW, the Skrulls are among the “nastiest and most notorious baddies” in all of Marvel comics. Take that, Thanos.

The last photo we want to highlight is the first look at Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch). As EW explains it, Maria is one of Carol Danvers’ oldest friends and a fellow Air Force pilot, who flies under the call sign Photon. She’s also a single mother to a young daughter, which is where things get interesting. In the comics, Maria’s daughter is Monica, who ends up with superpowers and grows up to become an Avenger.

Monica has been known as Photon, but also Captain Marvel for a time. She’s currently known as Spectrum. As Marvel plots out phase four of the MCU, it will be interesting to see if the introduction of Maria opens the door for Monica to become a big part of the franchise’s future.

You can see the rest of the photos over at Entertainment Weekly. Captain Marvel is in theaters on March 8, 2019.

Last week, Bungie released Destiny 2‘s huge 2.0 update, which overhauled numerous areas of the game. Now, coinciding with the launch of the Forsaken DLC, it’s released another update, version 2.0.0.1. You might assume it’s a minor one based on that version number, but it’s more than 7 GB in size, and the patch notes are quite lengthy. Here’s what’s new.

Many of the changes here are expected ones that implement things tied to Forsaken. The level cap is now 50 for Forsaken owners, and Year 2 weapons come with random perks–an aspect of the original Destiny that Bungie abandoned in Destiny 2 until now. That’s a major change, as it gives players a reason to hang on to duplicates of the same items. The mod system has also been overhauled, depreciating all existing mods and introducing new ones.

A new Vanguard Strike playlist is now available that will have a different Power level recommendation based on your current Power, and Nightfalls again have scoring. On the Crucible side, Iron Banner will feature Power level advantages once it comes back on September 18, while Trials of the Nine has been shelved for the time being. When playing Rumble, placing in the top 3 will register as a win, and various tweaks have been made to Competitive (such as the removal of loss streaks from Glory rank).

Some balance changes have been made to certain abilities (Hunter’s Golden Gun now deals more damage to base and elite enemies) and Exotics (Riskrunner’s magazine size has been increased). Masterworks and shaders are now handled differently. Rewards and challenges have been changed significantly, and there are new bounties and challenges to take on each day or week. Various quality-of-life changes have been implemented, such as being able to dismantle shaders in bulk by talking to Rahool.

This is only a very small sampling of what’s changed–the combination of this update and Forsaken’s release have shaken up Destiny 2 dramatically. You can check out some new Forsaken Exotics and hear what we think so far in the video above.

Another Nintendo Direct is on the horizon. Nintendo announced via Twitter that it will stream a new presentation around the world tomorrow, September 6, and this one will focus on upcoming titles for both Nintendo Switch and 3DS.

According to the tweet, the presentation is scheduled to run for approximately 35 minutes, which suggests it will be packed with a lot of news and footage. North America’s broadcast kicks off at 3 PM PT / 6 PM ET, while Europe’s stream begins at 11 PM BST.

The presentation will be broadcast on Nintendo’s official website and Twitch channel. GameSpot will also have a stream of the presentation, so you’ll be able to tune in right here and watch it unfold.

Nintendo hasn’t specified what games will be showcased during tomorrow’s Direct, but we’ll presumably learn new details on some of this season’s biggest Switch titles, such as Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu and Let’s Go, Eevee and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. We may also get another look at some titles that were conspicuously absent from Nintendo’s E3 2018 presentation, such as Switch’s untitled Yoshi game, which was originally slated to release this year.

Nintendo will also likely share some new details about its paid online service for Switch. Despite being scheduled to launch later this month, there are still many details we don’t quite know about it. Nintendo has already revealed that Switch owners will need to have an active subscription in order to play most online multiplayer games like Splatoon 2 going forward, but we don’t yet know how other titles will be integrated into the corresponding Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app.

We also don’t yet know the full lineup of games that will be available as part of Nintendo Switch Online’s NES library. Nintendo says 20 classic titles will be playable right from the service’s launch and feature newly added online play, but only half of those have been revealed thus far.

Following a slight delay, Epic Games is getting ready to deploy Fortnite‘s latest weekly update. Patch 5.40, which was originally slated to arrive earlier this week before the developer discovered a “critical controller issue” and postponed it, will now roll out for all platforms on Thursday, September 6, marking the start of the recently teased High Stakes event.

As usual, the update will be preceded by a round of maintenance, during which time Fortnite’s servers will be taken offline. The maintenance period is scheduled to begin early in the day at 1 AM PT / 4 AM ET / 9 AM BST. Epic hasn’t revealed how long the downtime is estimated to last, but previous maintenance periods have typically been brief, generally running for an hour or two.

Once servers are back online, players will be able to dive into the changes coming as part of the update. Among other things, Epic is tweaking how the storm works. Specifically, the edge of the storm will now deal damage to player structures “in the final phases” of a match. The developer is also vaulting another weapon, the Revolver, as a way to “keep the item pool feeling fresh and dynamic.”

Most notably, the update will kick off High Stakes, a heist-themed event that consists of a new limited-time mode called Getaway. In this mode, four safes are scattered around the map, and players must work together in teams of four to find them, pilfer the jewel they contain, and safely reach the extraction point.

Getaway will also be accompanied by its own set of High Stakes challenges. These are completed by participating in the LTM and dealing damage to opponents who are carrying a jewel. There are three High Stakes challenges in total, and those who manage to finish all of them before the event ends will earn a crowbar skin for their pickaxe.

High Stakes also introduces one new skin and four masks, which will be available to purchase from Fortnite’s in-game store. Additionally, Epic is adding a new type of gun called the Grappler; like its name implies, players can fire the gun at a wall and quickly launch themselves toward it. Meanwhile, Week 9’s challenges have also been slightly delayed; they are now scheduled to go live on Friday, September 7.

Iron Fist Season 2 is almost here, as it’s scheduled to arrive this Friday, September 7, on Netflix. And based on the episodes we’ve seen so far–more than half the season–it seems like a massive improvement over the terrible first season. You might even want to check it out, which is why we’ve put together this refresher course for what happened across Iron Fist Season 1, as well as The Defenders.

The Netflix MCU may pride itself in being about “street level” heroics versus its big screen counterparts’ aliens and magic rocks and cosmic genocides–but that doesn’t mean things in regular, everyday New York City don’t get a little dicey from time to time. This is especially true when it comes to the world of Danny Rand, who brings his own level of crazy to the Defenders mix. He may not have bulletproof skin or the ability to lift cars, but the Iron Fist does his best to make literally fighting dragons work in a street level world, and that takes some work.

The Iron Fist story isn’t necessarily complicated, but it’s certainly got more moving parts–and a much broader scope–than your traditional Netflix Marvel story. Not only is Danny the product of an ancient, mystical civilization that hails from another dimension, he’s also the wielder of a chi-based, kung fu-influenced weapon that’s designed to destroy another ancient, mystical group of people who may or may not be puppeteering the entirety of New York’s underworld from the shadows. The Iron Fist continuity and mythology weaves its way through nearly every Defender’s life in one way or another, whether they’re dealing with the nefarious Hand themselves like Daredevil, or just trying to keep their heads above water while duking it out against corrupt systems like Jessica Jones and Luke Cage.

On top of all that, the bulk of Iron Fist’s first season culminated into the Defenders miniseries, so that’s even more you’ll need to bring yourself up to speed on: the story of the “Black Sky” and the final battle against the Hand–things you’ll probably want to know before you go wading back into the chaos.

All of this is to say, there’s kind of a lot to keep track of here–and it’s understandable if you’re not caught up, considering most people thought Iron Fist Season 1 and Defenders were pretty bad.

So whether you binged that first season back when it was released, or you want to dive right in without ever having to put yourself through it, we’re here for you. Here’s your crash course in everything Iron Fist, and a rundown of exactly what you need to know and what you’ll need to remember to hit the ground running When Iron Fist Season 2 releases on September 7.

To celebrate the launch of Insomniac’s Spider-Man on September 7, Sony is offering a free Spider-Man theme for PlayStation 4. It’s a static theme that features a Marko Djurdjevic-illustrated image of Spidey swinging into battle against Rhino and Scorpion. It’s set against music from the game and gives all of the PS4 system icons a Spider-Man pattern. Make sure to claim the freebie soon, because the offer ends right when the game launches.

To get your free theme, visit the launch countdown page for Spider-Man, scroll down, and click “Claim Reward.” A window will pop up with a code you can bring to the PlayStation Store to redeem. Once you do that, you can select it from the Themes section of the settings menu. Now Spider-Man is slinging webs on your PS4’s home screen.

Sony is going all-out to market this PS4-exclusive game. You can also pick up a limited edition Spider-Man PS4 Pro bundle for $400–if you can find it in stock. Take a look at our Spider-Man pre-order guide for details.

And don’t forget to check out our Spider-Man review. Critic Edmond Tran wrote, “The feeling of embodying Spidey and using his abilities is astonishing, and the time spent on exploring its major characters help make its story feel heartfelt, despite superhero bombast. There have been open-world Spider-Man games before, but none so riveting and full of personality, none that explore and do justice to this many facets of the universe.”

While you’re tinkering with your PS4 themes, you can also pick up a free dynamic Destiny 2: Forsaken theme here.

Destiny 2‘s third expansion, Forsaken, is out now and that means players have a bunch of new weapons, armor, subclasses, and more to explore. If you pre-ordered the game on PS4, Xbox One, or PC, though, you have an extra set of bonuses coming your way, providing you know where to redeem them.

Anyone that pre-ordered Forsaken will get Cayde’s Exotic Stash, which comes with a few cosmetic goodies. To redeem your reward, go see Amanda Holliday in the Tower Hangar once you finish the Forsaken campaign. Cayde’s Exotic Stash includes:

• Last Hand–An ornament for Ace of Spades
• Queen of Hearts–Exotic Ship
• Standoff–Emote
• Shades of Cayde-6–Shaders

Bungie says players who don’t have space for the items in their inventory will see them sent to the Postmaster, and you should make sure you have adequate space to avoid losing the items altogether. Once you get them, the rewards will be unlocked in the collection.

Forsaken is out now, unleashing all its new content (PS4 players get some exclusive items). You can check out all the new Exotics weapons and armor, read GameSpot’s full guide to Gambit mode, and learn how to unlock Forsaken’s new Subclasses and Supers. Meanwhile, Bungie has unveiled a new rewards program where you can earn collector’s items by completing in-game challenges and has announced Year 1 PS4 exclusives will now be available on all platforms.

The first image from Captain Marvel is here, and it’s a notable one. Brie Larson stars in the upcoming Marvel movie, which is set for release in March 2019. She is the first female superhero to headline a film within the MCU, and the image comes via Entertainment Weekly, which has subsequently shared additional photos and details.

The main EW image shows Larson as Carol Danvers wearing the iconic Captain Marvel costume from Marvel’s comic books, which will be good news for those fans who were worried that she might be wearing something a little different. Check it out below:

Captain Marvel is directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who collaborated on Ryan Gosling’s breakthrough Half Nelson and have directed episodes of hit TV shows The Affair and Billions. The cast features Samuel L. Jackson as SHIELD boss Nick Fury and also includes Ben Mendelsohn (Star Wars: Rogue One), Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes), DeWanda Wise (She’s Gotta Have It), and Gemma Chan (Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them). According to EW, the movie will not include an origin story and will initially see Danvars working in space as part of the elite Kree military team Starforce. The magazine also released additional Captain Marvel images and details.

Larson spoke about what we can expect from her character. “She can’t help but be herself,” she said. “She can be aggressive, and she can have a temper, and she can be a little invasive and in your face. She’s also quick to jump to things, which makes her amazing in battle because she’s the first one out there and doesn’t always wait for orders. But the [not] waiting for orders is, to some, a character flaw.”

Captain Marvel hits theaters on March 6, 2019. For more, check out our look at everything we know about Captain Marvel.

Famed game designer Hideo Kojima has shared little about his new project, Death Stranding, since the game’s showing at E3 earlier this summer, but fans may get another look at the enigmatic title soon. Kojima Productions has announced Death Stranding will have a presence at this year’s Tokyo Game Show, which is scheduled to kick off in Japan later this month.

According to the official Kojima Productions Twitter account (via Siliconera), the studio will host a Death Stranding stage event during TGS on September 23. No timing details have been announced yet, but the presentation will feature appearances from director Hideo Kojima himself, as well as “several” voice actors from the game. Additional information and guests will be announced at a later date.

Development on Death Stranding began following Kojima’s departure from Konami in 2015. The title was first revealed during Sony’s E3 2016 press conference, although aside from being an open-world action game, it is still very much shrouded in mystery. It stars a number famous actors, including The Walking Dead‘s Norman Reedus, Hannibal‘s Mads Mikkelsen, and Lea Seydoux and Lindsay Wagner, both of whom were revealed during the game’s E3 2018 trailer.

The extended trailer also provided fans their first glimpse at Death Stranding’s gameplay. In it, Norman Reedus’s character can be seen traversing a variety of environments, including rivers, expansive plains, mountainsides, and Martian-like landscapes. Later in the video, he encounters a woman who helps him avoid detection by invisible monsters.

Death Stranding is in development for PS4. A release date for the game has not yet been announced. Despite this, the title is already available for pre-order from a number of retailers. You can learn more in our Death Stranding pre-order guide.