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What’s New To Shudder In August 2019? Horror Movies, TV Shows, And Exclusives

There are plenty of streaming services to choose from, like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu. However, their horror selections can be pretty weak. Luckily, AMC’s Shudder exists, a service that deals only with horror movies and TV shows. The streaming service has revealed what’s new for August, and there is plenty to watch, especially if you love ’80s horror.

When the folks at GameSpot are talking about horror movies, I try my hardest to work in a reference to the 1987 horror film/borderline musical Slumber Party Massacre II. I once even got to write a tiny piece about it. Well, it’s time to talk about my favorite cheesy horror movie of the ’80s once again because it’s coming to Shudder on August 5. The movie follows Courtney, who was the younger sister of the “New Girl Across The Street” in the first film. She’s in a band with some friends, and they go to a condo for the weekend to rock out with their boyfriends. That doesn’t sound much like a horror movie, especially when the film has three different song breaks. However, Courtney is haunted by visions of her sister, who is locked up in an insane asylum, and eventually (like WAY later), a rockabilly guitarist is on the prowl, killing off everyone with his drill-guitar…and dancing in the living room for some reason. Please watch this, so I have someone to talk about it with.

If you like your antagonists to have more depth and not be an amalgamation of things producers thought looked cool in 1987, then you’ll be excited to learn that a slew of Freddy Krueger movies are coming to Shudder on August 1. You can relive all the over-the-top dream murders from the first six A Nightmare on Elm Street movies and check out the 2010 documentary Never Sleep Again, which chronicles the film franchise.

AMC’s horror TV series NOS4A2, based on the Joe Hill novel, has its first episode drop on August 8 with new ones arriving every Thursday. The series follows an artist who has the ability to track Charlie Manx, an immortal who feeds on the souls of children and dumps their corpses in Christmasland, Manx’s bizarre Christmas village.

Below, you’ll find everything headed to Shudder in August, and please, watch Slumber Party Massacre II when you get the chance.

Coming to Shudder in August

August 1

Raising Cain (1992, Brian De Palma)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
A Nightmare on Elm Street II: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)
A Nightmare on Elm Street III: Dream Warriors (1987)
A Nightmare on Elm Street IV: The Dream Master (1988)
A Nightmare on Elm Street V: The Dream Child (1989)
Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010)

August 5

The Slumber Party Massacre (1982, Amy Holden Jones)
Slumber Party Massacre II (1987, Deborah Brock)

August 8

NOS4A2 (2019) — New episodes on Thursdays through October 10

August 12

Chopping Mall (1986, Jim Wynorski)
Get My Gun (2017, Brian Darwas)
Why Horror? (2014, Nicolas Kleiman and Rob Lindsay)

August 15

Incident in a Ghostland (2018)

August 19

Bad Moon (1996, Eric Red)
Hell Night (1981, Tom DeSimone)

August 26

Humanoids From the Deep (1980, Barbara Peeters and Jimmy T. Murakami (uncredited))
The Love Witch (2016, Anna Biller)

August 29

Belzebuth (2017)

Arrow’s Stephen Amell Says He’s Done Wrestling, But AEW Has Other Ideas

Filming on the final season of Arrow is underway, with the show’s last 10 episodes set to debut in the fall. Once production on the show is wrapped, star Stephen Amell will be looking for a new job. While finding a new role on the big or small screen might be the natural place to start, there’s always another more physical option for Amell.

As it stands, the actor has there professional wrestling matches under his belt–one for WWE, another for ROH, and a singles match at 2018’s All In. Now that the wrestlers that organized All In have launched a promotion in All Elite Wrestling, it’s easy to wonder whether Amell could call the new company his wrestling home.

However, according to the Arrow star himself, that’s likely not happening. Speaking to GameSpot at San Diego Comic-Con, Amell said, “I’ve got a very, very lovely, accommodating, and thoughtful wife and I risk divorce if I get back in the wrestling ring.”

The actor also revealed that he fractured his hip during his All In match against Christopher Daniels, and AEW executive vice president Cody Rhodes said Amell kept the injury to himself after the match. “He didn’t even tell anyone, though. You’d think he would want to take a badge of honor and the warrior’s feeling that comes with it. But he kept it secret,” Rhodes told GameSpot at the TCA press tour. “He’s a total stud, total wrestler.”

Rhodes also isn’t so sure fans have seen the last of Amell wrestling. “I could see him coming and doing something with us for sure,” he admitted, with one caveat. “He’s not allowed to do anything with WWE. I want to have it. He’s got to come back and hang with us. I mean, technically he’s part of the Elite and the Bullet Club. So when it’s time, he’ll have to get back in the ring. Maybe in a little bit safer environment. Maybe like a tag match, something of that nature, but it’s in his blood now.”

Time will tell who’s right about Amell’s second career as a wrestler One thing is for sure, though. “When he’s ready, and when Arrow’s wrapping up, there’s a home for him at AEW,” Rhodes declared.

AEW’s weekly show launches October 2 on TNT. Meanwhile, Arrow’s final season premieres October 15 on The CW.

Best Wi-fi Mesh System 2019: Expand Your Wireless Internet Network – IGN

Some homes are just too big for one router. If you can’t get a signal to the furthest reaches of your house, condo or apartment, you should consider a mesh Wi-Fi system, which blankets your house in one giant, easy-to-manage network. Traditionally, Wi-Fi range extenders have been the easiest way to broaden coverage across your home, but the quality of range extenders can vary wildly.Wi-Fi Mesh Systems are a much better solution as they utilize several nodes to repeat and extend the range of your network. Since Wi-Fi Mesh Systems are designed to work this way from the getgo, they’re far easier to set up, can be managed from one user-friendly interface, and can often provide better performance than multiple range extenders. There are a ton of mesh kits out there, but these are the few that really stand out from the pack.

TL;DR – Here are the Best Wi-Fi Mesh Systems

1. Eero Pro

Best Wi-Fi Mesh System

Our Pick

Eero Pro

On Amazon

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Eero was the first consumer mesh kit, and after a few iterations and lots of software updates, it’s still one of the best you can buy. Right now, Eero comes in two main varieties: you can buy a package with one Eero Pro and one to two Eero Beacons ($276 or $400, respectively), or you can buy an Eero Pro system for $480, which contains three Eeros.

The Eero beacons are cheaper plug-in units that communicate over Wi-Fi only, while the larger Eeros contain Ethernet ports that allow you to wire them together for better performance—that is, if you have Ethernet wiring in your home (or are willing to add it). If you choose not to wire up, both use a tri-band system, allowing one band for backhaul between nodes—meaning better performance than traditional dual-band repeaters and mesh systems.

Eero also offers a pretty useful subscription service called Eero Plus. While the Disney Circle service has some great parental control options, Eero Plus focuses a bit more on general usage, offering some basic parental controls alongside ad blocking, a VPN service, a password manager subscription to 1Password, a subscription to MalwareBytes, and some other security odds and ends. For $99 a year, that’s a pretty good deal.

Note that Eero is now owned by Amazon, and while they claim they have no intention to change the privacy policy “at this time,” it’s something to consider if you’re rather privacy-focused—if you prefer a system that doesn’t require a cloud service, you should check out Netgear’s Orbi below.

2. TP-Link Deco M5

Best Budget Wi-Fi Mesh System

Our Pick

TP-Link Deco M5

On Amazon

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If $300+ is higher than your budget allows, TP-Link offers a more reasonably priced mesh system called Deco. At $150 for two units or $175 for three, the Deco M5 is one of the less expensive kits you’ll find, but it comes with some caveats. First, it’s dual-band, which means you don’t get quite as efficient backhaul as tri-band units. Second, it doesn’t have a web interface and must be managed from a smartphone app—some people will mind, some won’t.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, many reviewers have found that it doesn’t work as well in multi-hop configurations as other systems. Instead, it works best when the main unit is in the center of your house, connected to the router, and the other notes are all connected to the main unit. If your house isn’t laid out that way, and you want to daisy chain the satellite nodes, you’ll be better off with one of the other systems above.

It does have built-in security and parental control features, though, which is a nice touch. If the caveats don’t bother you and you’d rather save some money, the Deco M5 is worth a try.

3. Netgear Orbi

The Best Non-Cloud Mesh Wi-Fi Option

Our Pick

Netgear Orbi

On Amazon

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While Netgear’s Orbi system had some growing pains in the beginning, several software updates have brought it up near the top of the pack, offering stellar performance at a competitive price. Orbi comes in many varieties, but the $300 Orbi Ultra-Performance kit is probably the one you’ll want to go with. You’ll get two full-featured units, each of which boast tri-band Wi-Fi with one band dedicated to backhaul between nodes.

Each unit also has four Ethernet ports so you can wire up any stationary devices, and doesn’t rely on a cloud service like most mesh systems, which is becoming rarer and rarer these days. Netgear even makes an Orbi satellite with Alexa built-in, which is a cool accessory (though its speeds match Orbi’s slower units, not the Ultra-Performance kit linked above).

Finally, Orbi also comes with the ability to subscribe to Disney’s Circle service, which is chock full of fine-grained parental controls like time limits, bedtime, rewards, and more. If you have kids, this can be a valuable addition for $5 per month.

Netgear’s track record with the Orbi is a bit spottier than Eero’s, though, and despite a few more features, a seemingly higher-than-normal number of customer complaints makes us hesitant to recommend it as the go-to for everyone. Netgear has improved their system a lot, though, and time will tell if they’ve gotten better at releasing new features without glitches.

Ultimately, both systems have their advantages—Orbi with its higher number of Ethernet ports and parental controls, Eero with its security features and smaller design—and which one you choose will depend a lot on what you need.

4. Linksys Velop

Best Mesh Wi-Fi If You Can Get It Cheap

Our Pick

Linksys Velop

On Amazon

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Linksys also offers its own mesh system that, after a few years of updates, has become very similar to Orbi and Eero in terms of basic features. Smaller than Orbi but taller and skinnier than Eero, the Velop has two Ethernet ports, a tri-band radio for faster backhaul, and similarly user-friendly setup. However, it offers less flexibility than the above two options, with their plug-in extender only offering dual-band coverage and fewer alternate units than Orbi.

That said, Linksys has a better track record of reliability than Orbi—see above—so some may prefer it (especially if you already have some Linksys gear that works with Velop). Its list price is a bit higher than Eero and Orbi, but if you have an opportunity to get it for cheaper, you’ll probably be happy with it.

5. Samsung SmartThings WiFi

Mesh Wi-Fi With a Smart Home Hub Built-In

Our Pick

Samsung SmartThings WiFi

On Amazon

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If you have a lot of smart home gear in your house, you might consider Samsung’s SmartThings WiFi mesh system for $240. After a not-so-great attempt at the concept with Samsung Connect Home, Samsung partnered with Plume (another popular mesh company) to create a mesh Wi-Fi system with a smart home hub built-in.

It’s similar in appearance to the Eero, with two Ethernet ports on the back (but no ability to use Ethernet for backhaul), dual-band coverage (which is an unfortunate downside), and support for Zigbee and Z-Wave built-in. That last part is the real kicker, as you don’t need a separate hub for all your smart devices—you can just connect them directly to the same units providing Wi-Fi across your home.

That’s pretty compelling, especially for the price, and while it isn’t quite as easy to manage as other options—while also lacking some of the security and parental control features Eero and Orbi offer—tech-savvy smart home users will probably appreciate the consolidation of hubs.

6. Portal Mesh Wi-Fi Router

Best Wi-Fi Mesh System for Gaming

Our Pick

Portal Mesh Wi-Fi Router

On Amazon

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Gaming over a Wi-Fi mesh system is a little more demanding than just streaming Netflix and so you’ll want some more serious hardware. Luckily, this is exactly the sort of thing the Portal Mesh Wi-Fi Router was designed for. With just two Portal units, you’ll be able to enjoy speedy 1.7Gbps speeds with a wireless network that spans 6,000 square-feet.

The Portal is also supremely easy to set up and you’ll only need a smartphone, which you can also use as a second screen to watch your Internet speeds in real-time. If you’d rather run hard lines to your devices, the Portal also features four Ethernet ports, plus an additional gigabit WAN port.

7. Ubiquiti UniFi

Best Mesh Wi-Fi If You’re Tech Savvy

Our Pick

Ubiquiti UniFi

On Amazon

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Consumer mesh is somewhat new, but multi-point Wi-Fi networks have been around for ages—it’s how businesses run Wi-Fi networks across large buildings. If you’re a bit more tech-savvy and want crazy bang for your buck, enterprise hardware like Ubiquiti’s UniFi Lite access points can be great. They only cost $80 each and will work with your existing router.

However, you will need to connect each access point via Ethernet—they won’t be able to connect wirelessly like Eero, Orbi, and other consumer options. Again, wiring up with Ethernet will give you better performance, so it’s a worthy trade-off—even if you have to pay extra to run Ethernet cables through your house—but it’s a job that less savvy folks may not want to undertake. If you’re comfortable managing a more complex network setup, though, Ubiquiti access points are a fantastic alternative.

Whitson Gordon is a writer, gamer, and tech nerd who has been building PCs for 10 years. He eats potato chips with chopsticks so he doesn’t get grease on his mechanical keyboard.

Opinion: Breath of the Wild 2 Can’t Just Give Us More of the Same – IGN

How do you follow up a masterpiece? It’s a question many artists face, and it’s what Nintendo must ask while developing the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Breath of the Wild was a revolutionary title for the Zelda series and the open-world genre. The, “go anywhere, climb anything” approach was the breath of fresh air (pun intended) the franchise needed, and it is widely regarded as one of the greatest Zelda games of all time (and the best game on Nintendo Switch.) The reveal of Breath of the Wild 2 was Nintendo’s big announcement to cap off its Nintendo Direct for E3 2019, but the trailer told us very little about what to expect from our next trip to Hyrule.

I don’t believe it’s enough for the sequel to just give us more of the same. Breath of the Wild was special because of how fresh and new it felt, so a game too similar likely wouldn’t have the same effect– we’ve already been there, and done that. In fact, people are still discovering exciting secrets in Breath of the Wild, like figuring out that Lurelin Village is clearly inspired by Wind Waker’s Outset Island.

After all, the reason many fans got tired of the 3D Zelda games is because they followed the same formula for so long. Nintendo can avoid similar fatigue with Breath of the Wild 2 with some kind of unique hook; let’s look to history to see what kind of direction the publisher could go in.

After ‘Ocarina’, The Moon Fell

It’s hard to ignore the comparisons being drawn between Majora’s Mask and Breath of the Wild 2. We already know that Breath of the Wild’s sequel is not directly related to the N64 classic, but that doesn’t mean it can’t take the same approach when it comes to following up the franchise’s newest masterpiece. After all, Majora’s Mask borrowed the assets and engine from Ocarina of Time, the generational classic that came before it.

Breath of the Wild 2 is doing the same thing, but- according to the only trailer we’ve seen- it appears to be set in the same world as the original Breath of the Wild. The only other Zelda game to reuse an overworld was A Link Between Worlds, but that was 20 years after A Link to the Past. With the same engine, assets, and overworld, the Breath of the Wild sequel has to find a way to differentiate itself despite its similarities.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 Screenshots

Majora’s Mask stood apart from its predecessor in a number of ways. The dark, haunting tone, the three-day time limit, and the way different masks allowed for a variety of gameplay styles gave Majora’s Mask a completely unique identity, even though it looked almost identical to Ocarina of Time. The mask itself is one of the most recognizable icons in the Zelda franchise, and that’s thanks to the risks the team took during Majora’s development.

The key to success for Breath of the Wild 2’s world will be density, not size.

“

Our first look at Breath of the Wild 2 paints a very grim picture of Hyrule, as we watch Link and Zelda trudge through a sewer crawling with rats and reawakened mummies. Breath of the Wild Producer Eiji Aonuma has commented on the sequel’s dark nature, saying that the upcoming title is, “currently a little darker” than Majora’s Mask. This is a promising first step: a tonal shift is a great way to forge a new identity, especially after the idyllic, peaceful vibe of the first game.

Same Map, New World

Often, sequels feature larger, more expansive worlds than their predecessors, but Breath of the Wild’s overworld is already huge. The key to success for Breath of the Wild 2’s world will be density, not size. Fans recently discovered how beautiful Breath of the Wild’s underwater areas are, but they’re practically unexplorable. Opening these areas up to the player would make the world feel even more open and accessible, without making the map itself any larger.

Additionally, we don’t yet know how much time has passed between the original Breath of the Wild and its sequel. Zelda is sporting a new haircut, which is traditionally (especially in anime) a trope used to convey the passage of time. Hopefully, it’s been long enough to give Link and Zelda the opportunity to rebuild Hyrule, meaning new towns, attractions, and landmarks to explore. It would not only be a great way to see what’s new in the world we spent countless hours in during the first game, but a smart way to make the world feel more alive.

The question that seems to be on everybody’s minds, though, is if we’ll get to play as Zelda in this game. That would be a great new twist on the Breath of the Wild formula, and it could open up tons of new gameplay possibilities. Imagine a fully realized moveset completely unique from Link’s, focused on magic like Din’s Fire and Nayru’s Love from Ocarina of Time.

Of course, there is plenty more Nintendo might do to freshen the next Breath of the Wild. Dungeon design that returns to the earlier 3D Zelda games, the reintroduction of some fan-favorite items, and more varied enemy design would definitely be great additions, if not groundbreaking ones. But ultimately, we’ll have to wait and see what direction the developers choose.

I trust that Nintendo will deliver something remarkable with Breath of the Wild 2– after all, there’s a reason the Zelda series has survived for over 30 years. The stories and moments we experienced in Breath of the Wild all felt deeply personal, and I hope some of that DNA carries over to the sequel. But, I hope this game will also take risks and pursue new ideas, because that’s how it will cement itself as something truly special.

Logan Plant is a freelancer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant

Pokemon Go: Last Chance To Catch Armored Mewtwo

Time is running out to catch Pokemon Go‘s latest Legendary Pokemon, Armored Mewtwo. This special version of the Legendary Psychic-type will only be available until 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET / 9 PM BST on July 31, making this your last opportunity to add one to your collection.

Unlike a standard Mewtwo, this version of the Legendary Pokemon is sporting the power-suppressing armor it wears in the Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution movie. Not only is its appearance different, but it has more defense-oriented stats than a regular Mewtwo, and it is capable of learning different attacks.

Like most other Legendaries in Pokemon Go, Armored Mewtwo will appear in five-star Raids. You must team up with other players in-person and battle the Legendary Pokemon first, before you can earn a chance at capturing it. Despite its different appearance and stats, Armored Mewtwo is still a pure Psychic-type, which means it’s weak to Ghost, Dark, and Bug Pokemon such as Giratina, Tyranitar, and Scizor.

Armored Mewtwo isn’t the only Pokemon leaving Go soon. You also only have a few more days to catch a Pikachu wearing a straw hat, which is spawning around the world as part of a One Piece crossover event. Straw hat Pikachu will only appear in the wild until July 29, so time is running out to add one to your collection if you haven’t already.

In other Pokemon Go news, Team Rocket has begun appearing in the game. You can challenge Rocket grunts at certain PokeStops and then catch the Shadow Pokemon they leave behind. Niantic has also announced the first details for August’s Community Day. The event is set for Saturday, August 3, and the featured Pokemon this time will be the Psychic/Fairy-type Ralts.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Complete Series Nearly 50% Off At Amazon Right Now (US)

There’s a discount for the complete series of Avatar: The Last Airbender on Amazon right now. The Blu-ray is 43 percent off, knocking down the price of the beloved series to $25.73 USD.

Composed of three phenomenal seasons, Avatar: The Last Airbender takes place in a world where certain people are born with the gift of telepathically manipulating one of the four elements–earth, fire, water, and air–by performing a martial art called bending. The series stars Aang, a 12-year-old airbender who’s also the Avatar, a being who reincarnates after death and each time is born with the ability to learn how to bend all four elements.

Avatar – The Last Airbender: The Complete Series

$25.73 (~~$45~~)

See it on Amazon

After accidentally crashing into an iceberg and being cryogenically frozen, Aang awakens over a century after the Fire Nation developed industrialization and went to war against the other three kingdoms. The Fire Nation began its conquest with the extermination of the Air Nation–knowing the Avatar would reincarnate there next–killing every citizen in it and making Aang the last surviving airbender. Aang sets out to learn how to bend the other three elements so he can be powerful enough to stop the Fire Nation, initially only accompanied on his quest by the waterbender Katara and her normal brother Sokka, and then also joined by blind earthbender Toph and disgraced Fire Nation prince Zuko.

The Legend of Korra: The Complete Series

$29.39 (~~$33~~)

See it on Amazon

Though the discount isn’t quite as large, Avatar: The Last Airbender’s follow-up The Legend of Korra is also on sale on Amazon right now. The complete series of The Legend of Korra is 11 percent off, knocking the price of the Blu-ray down to $29.39 USD.

Taking place after the death of Aang, the four-season series follows Korra, the reincarnation of the Avatar after Aang. Like The Last Airbender, the beginning of The Legend of Korra is about the new Avatar learning how to bend the elements she doesn’t have a grasp on (with air, ironically, being the one she requires the most help with). Korra eventually goes out into the world in order to make it a better place, as Aang did before her, though her journey is a lot less black and white, exploring more nuanced themes like racism, sexuality, physical disability, and religion.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood Review – Blood In, Blood Out

In Wolfenstein’s alternate 1980s, Nazis remain a tyrannical force of evil and oppression across Europe, even after Hitler was killed by series protagonist BJ Blazkowicz. Thus, the Nazi killing continues as the Blazkowicz twins, Jess and Soph, pick up where their parents left off for a spin-off in Wolfenstein: Youngblood–a relentless co-op shooter driven by an unapologetic, youthful attitude. It may not reach the same narrative heights of its predecessors or land every idea borne out in its new approach, but Youngblood hits where it counts.

Our introduction to Jess and Soph shows how their parents, Anya and BJ, taught them the means for survival on their rural Texas homestead. There’s a tense tone of protective parents who’ve been through the worst and are preparing their daughters to be able to handle the same, which is quickly juxtaposed with the twins’ carefree exuberance when alone together. Bring in the wizkid best friend Abby, daughter of Wolfenstein 2‘s Grace Walker, and you have a trio that brings their own unique swagger to the Wolfenstein name.

Their personalities immediately come to life. Jess and Soph are boisterous and sometimes dorky, the same way many teenagers and young adults are, and it gives them genuine personalities that mostly just come off cool as hell, especially with stellar voice acting. They’ll go back and forth about their favorite superspy novel series Arthur & Kenneth, even imagining themselves as their beloved in-fiction duo. They’ll refer to things their parents have done, hype each other up in combat, and just straight up act silly in the elevator loading screens to the tune of ’80s synthpop background music, breathing new life into the Blazkowicz family.

The game is less about a bold, fleshed-out narrative and more about instilling an infectious charisma in its star characters to match the over-the-top action and sow the seeds for what’s next in Wolfenstein.

It’s not long before they take a turn for the absurd; with BJ gone missing, they uncover clues to his disappearance and take matters into their own hands. But they’re not exactly sneaking out of the house or secretly taking their parents’ car out for a drive. They’re taking a military-grade helicopter to Nazi-occupied France to find their dad, and well, kill Nazis. As either Jess or Soph (with your co-op or AI partner as the other sister) and equipped with high-tech Da’at Yichud battle suits, you join a French resistance movement in Neu-Paris, which quickly boils down to you raiding Nazi outposts and strongholds.

With Jess and Soph inseparable, co-op is at the heart of the experience, and thankfully partnering up online is a breeze. As a host you can have friends (or randoms) jump into your session seamlessly without interruption; the AI will assume control until a player connects and again right as a player leaves. If players have identical missions in the quest log, completing it will record progress for both players. And if you’d rather go it alone alongside a decent AI companion, it’s just as viable an option for the entire game.

Youngblood captures that familiar Wolfenstein feeling of taking an automatic shotgun to a Nazi soldier, melting an armor-clad supersoldier with a laser rifle, or zapping a horde with a lighting coil, and what a powerful feeling it is. But what’s new is that tougher enemies have one of two armor elements that are weak to corresponding weapons, encouraging you to actively juggle your varied arsenal. Furthermore, a slightly more diverse weapon upgrade system helps flesh out some familiar firearms to get them to function the way you prefer and tear through enemies more efficiently.

Light RPG elements also make their way into the character progression system; you rack up XP then dump upgrade points into new skills and perks, like raising health/armor caps, increasing cloak times, stocking heavy weapons, and much more. Enemies scale to your level, and only a few sections are defended by near-impossible enemies early on. It’s a simple system that helps facilitate steady unlocks, making you feel like you’re getting ever more devastating, but never overpowered.

Solid gunplay and some neat mechanics wouldn’t mean much without the proper combat encounters to complement them, and Youngblood delivers. You’ll often find yourself pulling out all the stops to either finish combat scenarios or realize you have to retreat and rethink your approach. A completely stealthy approach isn’t as viable as it was in previous Wolfenstein games, even with the new cloaking ability, but it’s a good way to thin out the opposition before going all-out guns blazing. It can get overwhelming when supersoldiers, massive mechs, and a bomb-strapped panzerhund bear down on you, but that’s when Youngblood is at its best. Intense firefights can break out anywhere with little warning, and the main missions manage to keep a consistent action-packed momentum throughout.

Youngblood captures that familiar Wolfenstein feeling of taking an automatic shotgun to a Nazi soldier, melting an armor-clad supersoldier with a laser rifle, or zapping a horde with a lighting coil, and what a powerful feeling it is.

Admittedly, co-op centric features are a bit sparse. Each sister has a roster of emotes and motivational quips called pep signals that provide stat buffs or much-needed armor/health. However, that’s pretty much what you get in terms of tandem abilities, and the absence of some sort of joint attack or tag-team abilities feels like a missed opportunity. In the fray, partners will be frantically trying to revive each other or falling back on shared lives which work like instant continues, taking the place of a traditional checkpoint system. It can be frustrating to make it to the final fight of a main mission, run out of shared lives, and be sent back to the very beginning of the mission. But if anything, it’s a crude way to emphasize cooperation and tactical gameplay.

Overall, Youngblood leans more into an open structure by making Neu-Paris a group of separate districts (open hub areas) where you find your missions. After a brief introduction, you’re tasked with assaulting three “Brother” towers–your main quests–attached to each hub area. Out on the streets, though, side missions and random events fill in the spaces and are conducive for racking up early XP, getting familiar with district layouts, and soaking up the vibe of a downtrodden 1980s Paris, but these missions quickly feel like filler that bulk out your to-do list.

The design of the districts are striking, however, and you’ll see hints of Arkane Studios’ influence; when I’m double jumping and mantling to the rooftops and top floors of buildings, I’m reminded of Dishonored, especially as I search for collectibles and chests full of currency. This approach also spices up combat with some verticality and the opportunity to flex the agile capabilities of those slick Da’at Yichud suits. The Brother towers even have alternative entry points that you’ll have to discover yourself or find through side missions. It’s a successful incorporation of that studio’s strengths, and the game is better for it.

The Paris catacombs acts your safe hub in Youngblood, and it’s where you accept side missions from resistance members, stock up on supplies, or hit up the old knock-off Wolfenstein 3D cabinet. It’s not as extensive as The New Colossus’ U-boat home, and you won’t get much from its inhabitants–they’re nowhere near as involved as Wolfenstein 2’s supporting cast since they’re just quest givers. However, Jess, Soph, and Abby are there to pick up the slack.

They might be polar opposites of their parents, but it gives Youngblood its own flair. BJ’s inner monologue and struggle internalizing life-long trauma is at the heart of modern Wolfenstein games, and Anya has seen the pure evil of the Nazi regime first hand through the years. Naturally, Jess and Soph have vastly different characterizations, only knowing a post-war world and presumably growing up in a stable household. They capture the spirit of a carefree youth, yet they share the same unfettered motivation for killing Nazis; it would seem that Anya and BJ taught them well.

The story doesn’t reach the same highs as mainline Wolfenstein games, namely The New Colossus. It’s an incredibly tough act to follow, really. But aside from a cheap plot twist and underwhelming villains, most of Youngblood’s lean story is quality stuff. To that end, the game is less about a bold, fleshed-out narrative and more about instilling an infectious charisma in its star characters to match the over-the-top action and sow the seeds for what’s next in Wolfenstein. Despite Youngblood taking place after events we’ve yet to see unfold in the mainline games, it leaves the door open for some exciting, wild possibilities for where the series could go.

Jess and Soph are boisterous and sometimes dorky, the same way many teenagers and young adults are, and it gives them genuine personalities that mostly just come off cool as hell…

Throughout Youngblood, traces of an ongoing game structure become more pronounced once you finish the main story. You can take on daily and weekly challenges as they cycle into the game, which offer some additional XP and currency to unlock any remaining abilities and weapon mods. What’s a bit more substantial is the option to replay story missions on harder difficulties (hard, very hard, and challenging) for increasing amounts of XP and currency. While it’s a bog-standard way to keep the co-op experience going, they at least offer an outlet to try new tactics, as these harder modes can become quite unforgiving. The endgame may not be extensive, but the ride was exciting enough that the content feels like a little value added.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood has the series’ signature first-person shooting thrills that’ll have you gladly busting shots and blasting lasers in the face of Nazi trash–and the opportunity to do so alongside a friend. It incorporates some new ideas which are serviceable for the most part, but hits more of the right notes in RPG elements and level design. It also knows the resistance doesn’t end when one person cuts the head off a monstrous regime; the fight continues, sometimes into the next generation. And the way this brief spin-off broadens the saga with the Blazkowicz twins makes you wish there was more to see from this new cast of lovable knuckleheads. Jess and Soph–and Abby too–learned from the best, and embrace their newfound duty of ridding their world of tyranny while being cool as hell doing it. Youngblood is short, but oh-so sweet.

What’s New To Hulu In August 2019? Movies, TV Shows, And Originals

August is right around the corner, and that means streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu have revealed what’s coming to its services for the upcoming month. And if you’re a Hulu subscriber, you’re in luck because there are plenty of movies you’ll want to watch.

Right at the beginning of the month, Hulu is dropping a ton of movies and roughly 12% of those movies are Star Trek-related. That’s right, Spock, Kirk, and the gang will be invading your screen as Hulu releases nine Trek movies. Star Trek 1-6, 8, 9, and Nemesis all arrive on August 1. Watch Captain James T. Kirk yell “KAHN” or watch the crew travel back to 1986 to hang out with some whales. If only Hulu was also releasing Generations and Insurrection, so you could binge them all in one, very long sitting.

If space and science-fiction aren’t up your alley, then how do you feel about the personification of Death, trying to end people’s lives? Are you into that? If so, the first four Final Destination movies are headed to Hulu on August 1 as well. In those movies, the concept of death is actually attempting to kill people. However, some can see his plan and avoid their demise. Can the trick the being that ends lives for a career or will they ultimately meet their maker? I’m making this movie sound a bit smarter than it actually is. You’re going to watch this for the Rube Goldberg-esque death sequences.

What about anime? Well, if you’re looking for a series where every character you know and love will eventually be eaten by giantantic beasts–which will make you cry a lot–then you’ll want to check out Season 3A of Attack on Titan, which arrives on August 6. Based on the popular manga series, the show follows a world that’s been under attack from Titans, humongous, expressionless humanoids who eat people. Humans build a wall around their city, but that doesn’t always work out for them. It’s emotional, terrifying, and action-packed. Who’s your favorite Attack on Titan character? Mine’s the one that died in Season 1!

Below, you’ll find the complete listing for everything coming to and leaving Hulu in August.