28 Blood-Soaked Slasher Movies Streaming On Netflix And Elsewhere Right Now

28 Blood-Soaked Slasher Movies Streaming On Netflix And Elsewhere Right Now – GameSpot

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Who needs to leave the house when you can watch these cinematic killing sprees instead?

Who needs to leave the house when you can watch these cinematic killing sprees instead?

While being chased through the woods or stalked in your own home by a masked maniac wielding a butcher’s knife wouldn’t be a good time in reality, it sure is fun to watch onscreen. That’s the crux of the slasher subgenre of horror: Watching naive groups of unsuspecting teens or other victims run for their lives as they’re picked off one by one is fun. And if there’s one thing we need more of during these trying times, it’s that.

Luckily, thanks to the age of streaming, we don’t need to press pause on our media viewing habits just because of a global pandemic. And there are plenty of gruesome, terrifying, and hilarious slashers streaming on platforms like Netflix, Shudder, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and more. Check out our full guide below to all the slashers you can stream right now, then browse some streaming cosmic horror, body horror, and monster movies and make an evening of it.

And speaking of things you should be watching, consider listening to GameSpot’s weekly TV series and movies-focused podcast, You Should Be Watching. With new episodes premiering every Wednesday, you can watch a video version of the podcast over on GameSpot Universe or listen to audio versions on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, and Apple Podcasts.

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1. Scream 1-3 (1996-2000)

1. Scream 1-3 (1996-2000)

Streaming on: Various/Netflix

Scream may have revitalized the horror movie scene in the 1990s, but it’s just as fun a watch today. The original is available to stream on a variety of subscription and rental services, including Showtime, DirecTV, and Amazon Prime, while the first two sequels are available for streaming on Netflix.

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2. Friday the 13th (1980)

2. Friday the 13th (1980)

Streaming on: Shudder/Amazon Prime

While the Friday the 13th franchise is best known for introducing the masked killer Jason Voorhees onto the world, it’s not him stalking and killing a summer camp full of unsuspecting teens in the originalthis horror classic. This movie is available to stream with an Amazon Prime subscription, or on the horror streaming service Shudder. Oh, and there are, like, ten sequels on Shudder as well. Might as well binge ’em.

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3. Friday the 13th (2009)

3. Friday the 13th (2009)

Streaming on: Netflix

The 2009 remake, on the other hand, is streaming on Netflix. Sure, it wasn’t terribly well received at the time of its release, but maybe it’s aged better in the last decade? Either way, it could be good for a hate-watch.

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4. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

4. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Streaming on: Amazon/Google/YouTube/Vudu (rental)

A Nightmare on Elm Street ruined an entire generation of kids’ ability to sleep without nightmares about a blade-fingered, striped sweater-wearing lunatic slashing their throats. Like Friday the 13th, ANoES has a mediocre remake streaming on Netflix (the poorly received 2010 version). If you want to watch the classic original, you’ll have to pony up a few bucks to rent it on a service like Amazon Prime, Google Play, or YouTube.

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5. Candyman (1992)

5. Candyman (1992)

Streaming on: Netflix

Here’s one classic slasher that is available on Netflix. Written and directed by Bernard Rose and based on the short story “The Forbidden” by Clive Barker, Candyman features a supernatural, hook-handed killer who can be summoned by repeating his name into a mirror. It’s a tried-and-true gimmick, but effective nonetheless.

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6. Child's Play (1988)

6. Child’s Play (1988)

Streaming on: Netflix

The campy slasher that caused children everywhere to burn all their toy dolls on a pyre in the backyard (we’re guessing) is available to stream with a Netflix subscription. Just don’t say we didn’t warn you.

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7. Cult of Chucky (2017)

7. Cult of Chucky (2017)

Streaming on: Netflix

Most seventh sequels are not this good, making 2017’s Cult of Chucky a notable exception. Like the original Child’s Play, Cult of Chucky is streaming on Netflix.

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8. Child's Play 2-3

8. Child’s Play 2-3

Streaming on: Hulu

If you’re a Hulu subscriber, you can also check out some of the in-between Chucky movies–specifically, Child’s Play 2 and 3. If you think there’s only so much you can do with a talking, stabbing, evil doll, well, so what? Don’t overthink it.

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9. Halloween

9. Halloween

Streaming on: Shudder

The movie that introduced Michael Myers is streaming on the horror platform Shudder. With the revitalization the series has seen in recent years thanks to the 2018 sequel/reboot, it’s a great time to revisit the original.

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10. Halloween 2

10. Halloween 2

Streaming on: Max Go (Cinemax)

If you’re a Cinemax subscriber, you can also access Halloween’s original sequel, Halloween 2, on the streaming Cinemax service Max Go.

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12. The Slumber Party Massacre (1982)

12. The Slumber Party Massacre (1982)

Streaming on: Amazon Prime/Shudder

Writer Rita Mae Brown penned The Slumber Party Massacre originally as a parody of the slasher genre, but director/producer Amy Holden Jones wound up shooting it as a genuine thriller. The result takes on genre tropes while establishing some of its own. Watch it with an Amazon Prime or Shudder subscription.

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13. Maniac (1980)

13. Maniac (1980)

Streaming on: Amazon Prime/Shudder/Vudu (ads)

Cult classic exploitation slasher Maniac was remade in 2012 with Elijah Wood in the starring role, but it’s the original that’s still most worth watching. Luckily, you can find it streaming on Amazon Prime or Shudder, or, lacking either of those subscriptions, free (with ads) on Vudu.

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14. Maniac (2012)

14. Maniac (2012)

Streaming on: Amazon Prime

The aforementioned Elijah Wood-starring remake can also be streamed, if you prefer something a bit more modern, or want to watch the two back to back and compare the carnage.

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15. My Bloody Valentine (1981)

15. My Bloody Valentine (1981)

Streaming on: Shudder/Starz/DirecTV

When My Bloody Valentine was originally released in 1981, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) forced director George Mihalka to chop nine minutes of footage from the film. Most of that cut gore has never re-emerged, but nevertheless, you can stream the movie today on Shudder, Stars, or DirecTV. Oh, and in case you’re wondering (like I was), the band is unrelated.

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16. Hush (2016)

16. Hush (2016)

Streaming on: Netflix

Hush may stretch the definition of a slasher–if we’re being honest, it’s really more of a home invasion movie, since the list of victims is so short (slashers generally have a high kill count as a rule). But the story of a deaf woman fighting back against a vicious killer is a fun ride, and since it’s available on Netflix, we figured we might as well shout it out.

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17. All The Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006)

17. All The Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006)

Streaming on: Netflix

All The Boys Love Mandy Lane has everything slasher fans might hope for: A grindhouse aesthetic, a bunch of naive teenage victims, a psycho killer, Amber Heard, and more. However, don’t feel bad if you missed it–the movie did festival rounds in 2006, but then took several years to actually release, since its distributor went out of business. Thankfully, it’s available for streaming on Netflix now.

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18. Happy Death Day (2017) and Happy Death Day 2U (2019)

18. Happy Death Day (2017) and Happy Death Day 2U (2019)

Streaming on: HBO/DirecTV

This comedy slasher combines the genre’s familiar tropes–a masked killerd stalking attractive college students–with the traditions of a completely unrelated subgenre: Groundhog Day. The victim, played by Jessica Rothe, wakes up in her bed on the same day after being murdered over and over, and must deduce exactly who keeps killing her. The sequel expands the sci-fi concept.

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19. The Final Girls (2015)

19. The Final Girls (2015)

Streaming on: DirecTV

This genre send-up, in which a group of teenagers get trapped inside an actual slasher movie, features a stellar cast of comedic actors (including Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, Alia Shawkat, Thomas Middleditch, Adam Devine, and more) who know exactly how to play with slasher tropes to create a fun and unique tribute movie.

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20. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

20. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

Streaming on: Amazon Prime/Shudder

This overlooked slasher classic is both parodic mockumentary and genuine horror–a wannabe killer invites a film crew to document his rise to power. It’s a must-see for slasher fans, and it’s streaming on Amazon Prime and Shudder.

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21. Opera (1987)

21. Opera (1987)

Streaming on: Amazon Prime/Vudu (ads)/Epix

Italian horror filmmaker Dario Argento presented this twisted take on a Phantom of the Opera-like story in which a killer murders various players in a production of Verdi’s Macbeth opera. You can watch it with an Amazon Prime subscription, or free with ads on Vudu.

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22. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

22. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Streaming on: Amazon Prime/Shudder

The iconic Texas Chainsaw Massacre–the original–is streaming on Amazon Prime and Shudder. If you haven’t seen it, go correct that now.

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23. Christmas Evil (1980)

23. Christmas Evil (1980)

Streaming on: Shudder/Showtime/DirecTV/Vudu (ads)/Roku (ads)

A man is gradually driven insane by a childhood trauma involving Santa. Naturally, this leads to murderous hijinks that include a red-suited killing spree. To top it off, the movie was originally called “You Better Watch Out,” which is basically perfect. What more do you need to know?

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24. Hell Night (1981)

24. Hell Night (1981)

Streaming on: Shudder

Four college students–two male and two female–are picked off one by one in a decrepit mansion. You’ll find this slasher streaming on Shudder.

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25. StageFright (1987)

25. StageFright (1987)

Streaming on: Shudder/DirecTV/Vudu (ads)

Part slasher, part murder mystery, the Italian horror movie StageFright sees a troupe of actors trapped in a playhouse after one of them turns up dead during rehearsal. Like so many other classic slashers, it’s streaming Shudder, as well as a couple of other platforms.

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26. Madman (1982)

26. Madman (1982)

Streaming on: Amazon Prime/Shudder

Boy, the ’80s were a good time for slashers. This 1982 classic concerns an axe-wielding murderer summoned by a group of campers telling fireside scary stories. It doesn’t get more tropey than that.

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27. Tourist Trap (1979)

27. Tourist Trap (1979)

Streaming on: Shudder/Tubi (ads)

David Schmoeller’s 1979 slasher Tourist Trap follows a group of road-tripping teens as they become stranded at a roadside museum full of mannequins. Naturally, they quickly start dying. Watch it on Shudder, or on Tubi (with ads).

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28. The Mutilator (1984)

28. The Mutilator (1984)

Streaming on: Amazon Prime/Shudder

Finally, 1984’s The Mutilator opens with a young boy accidentally killing his own mother. Years later, he and his friends are hunted by his crazed father. You know, just another typical slasher. Watch it streaming on Amazon Prime or Shudder.

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Disclosure: ViacomCBS is GameSpot’s parent company


What Would Suit Tifa Choices: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Dress Guide

There are a few points in Final Fantasy 7 Remake where your actions affect the story later on, and it’s definitely not clear how your answers will change things. One of those moments is in Chapter 3, when you can spend a few minutes alone with Tifa. When she suggests dressing up and going out with Cloud, Tifa asks you what kind of outfit would suit her for the date. What you answer will change a later event slightly, and ties into a Trophy you can only earn once you fully completed the game.

Note: Spoilers for Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s story beyond this point. They’re minor, but if you want to experience everything yourself, quit reading and go play.

What Would Suit Tifa Answers And Effects

You first spend time with Tifa in FF7 Remake when you reach Sector 7 in Chapter 3. At that point, you’ll have several side-quests you can complete in the town to earn various rewards–check out our full Chapter 3 walkthrough for everything you need to know about them.

Complete all the side-quests and you trigger a new event called “Discover: Alone at Last.” Return to your apartment to activate a scene with Tifa, in which she suggests she and Cloud go out together to catch up, since they haven’t seen each other in a long time.

When Tifa adds that the two of you should dress up and hit the town, she starts thinking about a possible outfit, and says, “I wonder what would suit me.” At this point you can make one of three suggestions:

  • A “Mature” outfit
  • A “Sporty” outfit
  • An “Exotic” outfit

In Chapter 9, you’ll finally see how Tifa interpreted your suggestions when you get to Don Corneo’s mansion. Tifa will wear a different dress to Wall Market depending on what you answered in Chapter 3. Here are all three possibilities:

Mature

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Sporty

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Exotic

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Now Playing: Final Fantasy VII Remake Video Review

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Cyberpunk 2077 Will Get At Least Two DLC Expansions, Which Will Be Announced Before Launch

Cyberpunk 2077 will receive additional DLC post-launch, including a multiplayer mode. During a recent investors call reviewing the company’s most recent financial quarter, CD Projekt president Adam Kiciński revealed additional details about Cyberpunk’s DLC including potential length and announcement window.

During a Polish-language meeting with investors, Kiciński was asked about DLC for Cyberpubnk 2077 which is set to be released on September 17. Kiciński was asked how big the DLC will be and when they’ll be announced.

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As translated by IGN Poland, Kiciński revealed that players can “expect no less than Witcher 3 [expansion size].” Considering that the Blood and Wine and Hearts and Stone DLC combined to at around 40 hours of extra content, give or take, that’s quite a bold statement.

As for when players can expect an announcement for the DLC, Kiciński told investors “expect a similar scenario [to what] we had for The Witcher 3.” CD Projekt famously announced both Witcher 3 expansions a week before the game’s launch, meaning CD Projekt could potentially announce DLC for Cyberpunk shortly before the game is released.

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CD Projekt Red is currently developing the game while working from home. However, the developers stated that Cyberpunk 2077 is mostly complete and that current work focuses on polishing the game before its September release. The company recently revealed additional lore details like all the different gang factions in Night City.

For more, check out IGN’s Cyberpunk 2077 preview and Cyberpunk 2077 wiki for our full coverage.

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Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Want to Earn Big as a Project Manager? Check out This Training Bundle

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It pays to be a well-trained project manager. According to Payscale, the average Scrum Master makes $87,703 a year, the average Agile Project Manager makes $92,139 a year, and the average Project Management Professional (PMP) makes $106K a year. So, if you’ve ever considered pursuing a career in project management or would like to enhance your current PM skills to reach a new pay grade, then it’s worthwhile to invest in the instructional resources that will help you achieve your goals. The Project Manager’s Essential Certification Bundle Ft. Scrum, Agile & PMP teaches you how to successfully manage tasks and deliver projects successfully, and it’s on sale for just $49.99.

This 10-course bundle sets you up for success to become a high-earning project manager. You get 24/7 lifetime access to 26 hours of educational content taught by expert instructors, including Paul Ashun and Alan Jarvis.

Ashun is a certified Scrum Master and coach with experience in international blue-chip companies (e.g. Oracle and General Electric) dating back to 1999, while Jarvis has held senior management positions at several Times Top 100 companies and has 30+ years of PM experience. In other words, you’re in great hands whether you’re learning project management for the first time or looking to elevate your current skill set.

On top of that, this bundle takes you through a number of project management frameworks (the various methodologies these professionals use to see projects through on budget and on time). You’ll cover everything from Scrum to Agile, Six Sigma, and more, as you learn the fundamentals of each framework with courses that break down complex subject matter into digestible lessons.

Better yet, since the courses are designed both to teach you about the frameworks and prepare you for their respective certifications, you’ll make the most of your time by killing two birds with one stone. This also saves you a lot of money since you don’t need to sign up for specialized certification prep programs, which often cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

The Project Manager’s Essential Certification Bundle Ft. Scrum, Agile & PMP sets you up for success to become a high-earning project manager. Pick it up today for just $49.99.

These Amazon Web Services Training Courses Can Help You Start a Lucrative Tech Career

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We all know Amazon as the eCommerce giant that connects us with everything from gaming mice to full-on gaming PCs and ships them to our doorsteps in two days or less. But, there’s another part of Amazon that’s responsible for its larger-than-life success. Its name is Amazon Web Services (AWS).

With more than 175 products spanning computing, storage, analytics, and more, AWS is a cloud platform that helps today’s top companies scale and grow online while saving on IT costs, and many are willing to pay a pretty penny for anyone savvy with the platform (a certified AWS Solution Architect takes home about $126,000 a year).

Want to become one of them? The AWS Certification Training Master Class Bundle teaches you everything you need to know to become an in-demand AWS cloud expert, and it’s on sale for just $59 today.

This nine-course bundle helps you become an AWS cloud expert from home on your own schedule. First off, it gives you 24/7 access to over 48 hours of educational content for a year, so you can tackle the courses whenever it’s convenient for you. Plus, since all of the courses are taught by industry insiders with years of experience, you’ll learn the fundamentals of AWS products, services, and solutions under thoughtful instruction that comes from real-world application of the cloud computing platform.

Once you master the fundamentals, it’s then easy to move onto more advanced training through this bundle, eventually preparing for specific certifications. You have the opportunity to learn about sophisticated applications of AWS, like database migration, the creation of cloud-based networks, and the collection and storage of data at a massive scale. And, while these advanced learnings can help you become an in-demand AWS cloud expert, it’s also important to learn within the context of specific certifications.

For instance, this bundle lets you train toward becoming an AWS Solution Architect or an AWS SysOps Administrator. Taking the time to learn each position through these training courses not only sets you up for success when it comes time to interviews and tests, but it also gives you a taste of what each job entails so you can decide how you will continue to develop your skillset with AWS.

The AWS Certification Training Master Class Bundle teaches you everything you need to know to become an in-demand AWS cloud expert, and you can get it today for just $59.

This $35 Training Can Get You Making Real Games at Home

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Video games are one of your many passions. It’s always fun to get lost in an epic single-player journey or jump into an online match with friends. But, have you ever dreamt about making great games of your own? If creating games sounds like a rewarding and fun challenge, then now’s the perfect time to invest in the training that will get you creating your own titles from scratch at home. The Hands-On Game Development Bundle: Make Your Own Games! provides practical instruction on how to use various platforms and programming languages to create your own games, and it’s on sale for just $34.99.

This 10-course bundle offers a great foundation for understanding how to build video games. For starters, it gives you 24/7 lifetime access to over 12 hours of instructional content. That means you have the convenience to choose when your training happens, no matter if that’s on a break from work, after a long day at home with the family, or between gaming sessions on your couch. Plus, you can be confident that you’re learning game development in good company under the guidance of Zenva Academy, which is a leading platform for teaching in-demand development skills to over 500,000 learners worldwide. So, this bundle sets you up for success by giving you the convenience to learn on your schedule and learn from a team of experts.

On top of that, this bundle accelerates your learning of essential game creation platforms and programming languages. Covering everything from Unity, one of the world’s most commonly used video game engines, to C++ and APIs designed to support multiplayer games, this bundle helps you pick up game development more quickly with hands-on projects. For example, you’ll discover the best practices for how to build a platformer and then dive into Unity to make a platformer of your own. This type of experiential learning helps you progress rapidly by bridging the gap between conceptual knowledge and real-world practice. In just a few hours, you’ll go from learning about foundational platformer elements, like collision detection and character creation, to making a fully functional, great platformer of your own that you can proudly share with others.

The Hands-On Game Development Bundle provides practical instruction for how to build games from the comfort of your couch, and you can get it today for only $34.99.

What to Expect From Animal Crossing: New Horizons This Weekend

Spoiler Warning: Fishing Tourney information and prizes as well as Bunny Day events spoilers follow.

This is an incredibly busy weekend for players in Animal Crossing: New Horizons as cherry blossom season comes to an end and C.J. hosts the first-ever fishing tourney. Zipper makes his terrifying return for Bunny Day, rewarding players with a special item for crafting all the event’s recipes. Here’s everything you need to know about all of this weekend’s festivities and what you can do to prepare.

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How Long Do The Cherry Blossoms Last?

In Japan, cherry blossom season is about 2 weeks long. In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the season is even shorter, ending after only one and half weeks on April 11. The recipes are hard to come by so it’s very possible you haven’t found them all yet. We suggest checking out our guide on how to find cherry blossom recipes and catch cherry blossom petals before the event is officially over.

When Does the Fishing Tourney Start?

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The Fishing Tourney in Animal Crossing: New Horizons takes place on April 11 from 9am to 6pm. C.J. shows up to host the tournament and can be found in the plaza near the upgraded Resident Services building between those times. Speak to C.J. to participate. The first attempt is free but every attempt following will require a 500 bell entry fee.

What are the Fishing Tourney Prizes?

C.J. will track the number of points you accumulate throughout the day and at the end, he will mail you a trophy if you’ve met certain point thresholds. Players can also trade in 10 points for 13 different types of swag and other fishing related prizes like an anchor statue, fish drying rack, tackle bag, and more.

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Check out the full list of Fishing Tourney prizes and tips for scoring points on our ACNH wiki.

How Do You Win The Fishing Tourney?

Unlike previous fishing tournaments in Animal Crossing, the fishing tourney in New Horizons does not depend on the size or rarity of the fish you catch but on the quantity alone. Each attempt will have players catch as many fish as they can within three minutes. One point is earned for each fish caught. Two additional points are rewarded if you’ve caught at least three fish. To win the gold fishing trophy, you’ll need a total of 300 points by the end of the tournament.

What Happens on Bunny Day?

On Bunny Day, Zipper will return to your island and stand in the plaza by Resident Services for the entire day. Upon speaking to him, they will encourage you to craft every type of Bunny Day DIY Recipe (excluding clothing recipes you may have learned), as well as giving you a new recipe to add to the list: a Bunny Day Arch. Craft each of the recipes he requires, and he’ll have one last task for you – construct a Wobbling Zipper Toy. Once you craft this final recipe, Zipper will reward you with a DIY recipe for a Bunny Day Wand.

Check out the full list of Bunny Day recipes, as well as more features Zipper provides when he returns on April 12!

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Felicia Miranda is level 1 SEO Editor at IGN and a level 62 summoner on FFXIV. She wants to see your best FFXIV outfits on Twitter @FeliciaVagabond.

Hellraiser Movie Reboot Officially In The Works…Again

Horror fans, rejoice! Clive Barker’s horror 1987 masterpiece, Hellraiser, is getting a reboot–hopefully for real this time–The Hollywood Reporter says. The film will be handled by the team behind Sundance break-out hit, The Night House: David Bruckner, Ben Collins, and Luke Piotrowski. David Goyer will write the story as well as produce.

Details of the reboot have yet to be released, but in a statement production company Spyglass said the film would feature a “loyal, yet evolved” take on the source material.

Originally based on Barker’s own novella, The Hellbound Heart, Hellraiser tells the story of a young girl, Kirsty, as she’s swept up into the brutal web of lies, magic, and monsters spun by her evil (assumed dead) uncle, Frank. It’s a path that eventually leads her to uncover the mystery of the Lament Configuration, a Rubix-cube-like puzzle box capable of opening a portal to hell. Unfortunately for Kirsty, the portal goes both ways, and allows a group of hell-bound monsters called Cenobites to arrive on Earth.

This will be the fourth attempt at remaking Hellraiser, a saga which began back in 2006 with Dimension Films. The project went through three sets of directors before ultimately being shelved in 2013. The Spyglass/Bruckner reboot appears to be unrelated to the canceled projects.

No release date has been set for the project, but in the meantime, be sure to scratch your Hellraiser itch with our recommendations for the best streaming cosmic horror movies.

Which Anime Streaming Service Is Best For You?

When it comes to watching anime, there are several different options, but the ideal method is to stream it–it’s a lot cheaper than buying every series. Of all the major streaming services, six are the traditional go-to for anime fans. Three of them (Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hidive) are specifically geared toward anime, while the other half of the list (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu) happen to have fairly fleshed out anime libraries to complement their other offerings.

In an ideal world, you’d just subscribe to all of them. But that’s not exactly realistic. Regardless of your reasoning, we imagine you’re here because you only want to subscribe to one or two services that offer anime watching options. So we’ve broken down the details for each of the six, including their respective prices and notable exclusives.

Crunchyroll

Price:

  • US: $8/month or $80/year
  • UK: £6.50/month or £65/year
  • AU: $8/month or $80/year

Notable Original Content/Exclusives: A Place Further Than the Universe, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken, Laid-Back Camp

Bottom Line: Best for those looking for a free way to watch mainstream anime

A Place Further Than the Universe is a wonderful anime that's best experienced without too much prior knowledge of what it's about--try to go into it without reading any reviews or the synopsis.
A Place Further Than the Universe is a wonderful anime that’s best experienced without too much prior knowledge of what it’s about–try to go into it without reading any reviews or the synopsis.

If an anime has hit the mainstream, there’s a good chance it’s on Crunchyroll. That means you can find all the major shonen anime on the service, such as Dragon Ball, My Hero Academia, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, and Black Clover, as well as slice-of-life and isekai, the latter of which has dominated the anime industry for the past year. Which isn’t to say that this is all Crunchyroll has to offer–the streaming service just primarily markets these types of shows to its viewers.

That said, Crunchyroll is diversifying its marketing strategy and overall portfolio with Crunchyroll Originals, original content that Crunchyroll helps produce. Several Crunchyroll Originals are based off of webcomics from around the world as opposed to manga, light novels, or video games–meaning Crunchyroll is one of the few services that offers anime and anime-like shows that aren’t solely focused around Japanese culture.

Of all the streaming services in this guide, Crunchyroll is the only one that allows you to watch anime for free–you just have to contend with ads. However, if you can afford it, we highly recommend paying for Crunchyroll Premium. Though watching anime ad-free is nice, the true perk of Crunchyroll Premium is getting access to new episodes a week early. Paying also nets you access to a manga library and discounts in the Crunchyroll Store.

Funimation

Price:

  • US: $6/month or $60/year (Premium), $8/month or $80/year (Premium Plus), $100/year (Premium Plus Ultra)
  • UK: £4/month (Japanese Audio Only) or £7/month (Japanese Audio + English Dub Audio)
  • AU: Funimation is no longer supported in Australia, though Anime Lab offers a similar collection of shows and the Basic plan is free

Notable Original Content/Exclusives: Ghost Hunt, Nichijou – My Ordinary Life, Unbreakable Machine Doll

Bottom Line: Best for those who prefer dubs

You'll be hard-pressed to find an anime as funny as Nichijou - My Ordinary Life, a show that exaggerates moments of everyday life into hilarious extremes.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find an anime as funny as Nichijou – My Ordinary Life, a show that exaggerates moments of everyday life into hilarious extremes.

Funimation is not the only streaming service to offer dubs of anime, but it is probably the best. You can find shows in their original Japanese audio too, though in terms of unique content, Funimation doesn’t stand toe-to-toe with other services.

When it comes down to it, a vast majority (read: pretty much all but a handful) of the anime on Funimation eventually make their way onto Crunchyroll or Hulu as well. Funimation doesn’t really have exclusives like the other services on this list. Instead, Funimation holds the “exclusive” on certain simuldubs, dubbing certain shows quickly enough that the English dub of each episode releases the same day as the Japanese audio version. Eventually these dubs do release elsewhere (usually Hulu), but subscribing to Funimation is the only way to get the simuldub.

If watching anime is your only aim, then the default Premium subscription should be sufficient. That said, if your whole family is looking to start watching anime, go for Premium Plus. It’s just a little bit more but it allows up to five different people to watch on one account at the same time as opposed to just two.

Hidive

Price:

Notable Original Content/Exclusives: Princess Principal, Bloom Into You, Revue Starlight

Bottom Line: Best for those looking for non-mainstream storylines or uncensored anime

Bloom Into You is a beautiful anime that incorporates brilliant editing and framing techniques and includes adult gay couples to reinforce the fact that queerness is not a phase for high school teenagers.

If Crunchyroll is like PlayStation (lots of excellent exclusives with mainstream appeal) and Funimation is like Xbox (trying to get its limited-time exclusives on as many other streaming services as possible), then Hidive is the Nintendo of the anime world–it has a lot of exclusives, and most are the types of stories you don’t normally see get an anime adaption. Hidive also has its own way of doing things, offering extras that other streaming services usually don’t.

For example, Hidive offers uncensored versions of all of its anime, something none of the other services on this list do. So if you think it’s silly that a random beam of light would suddenly appear to blind you to a character’s equally sudden indecency, well then, you may like Hidive. Additionally, Hidive does a little more with its dubs. For instance, the dub of Princess Principal takes into account each character’s nationality, so the Japanese characters still primarily speak in Japanese when talking to each other and the European characters each speak with a different accent based on where they grew up. It’s a small but very cool detail.

Hidive is the cheapest option out of this entire list (you can even watch some of Hidive’s anime for free, though only about a dozen shows–nowhere near the number you’d find on Crunchyroll). That said, you’re getting that price cut at the cost of a smaller anime library. Hidive doesn’t have all of those mainstream titles like Dragon Ball and My Hero Academia–the service is best for those who are particularly starved for women-led and queer-positive storylines.

Netflix

Price:

  • US: $9/month (Basic) or $13/month (Standard) or $16/month (Premium)
  • UK: £6/month (Basic) or £9/month (Standard) or £12/month (Premium)
  • AU: $10/month (Basic) or $14/month (Standard) or $20/month (Premium)

Notable Original Content/Exclusives: Aggretsuko, Beastars, Devilman Crybaby

Bottom Line: Best for binge watchers

Beastars utilizes the dynamics of predator and prey to dissect racism, sexual empowerment, sexual violence, and gender inequality. Don't ignore it--it's so much more than a show about horny animals.

To put things bluntly, your experience with watching anime on Netflix will largely depend on where you live. If you live in the US, you will come to understand the concept that the anime community has both affectionately and irritably named “Netflix Jail.” If you live anywhere else in the world where you can watch Netflix, you’re probably fine. Just ignore the next few paragraphs and count yourself lucky that you get access to certain anime before everyone else.

Netflix has some top-tier exclusives in its Netflix Originals line-up. When it comes to anime, Netflix aims for an older audience–for example, Aggretsuko addresses sexism in the workplace, Devilman Crybaby includes hardcore depictions of violence and all-out nudity, and Violet Evergarden is all about coping with grief. There’s lots of heavy material, but they make for good shows. The problem is that Netflix doesn’t release these shows in the US until they finish airing. For instance, Beastars premiered on Netflix on October 8, 2019 and the final episode was added on December 26–but that was only for countries outside the US. All 12 episodes finally came to the US on March 13, 2020 when the show was released from “Netflix Jail.”

That’s just a very long way of saying that Netflix markets anime exclusively to binge watchers. Netflix is the worst service to subscribe to if you want to stay apprised of all the newest anime series as they air. If you’re looking to catch up with anime, it’s great–you have plenty of excellent older shows like Kill la Kill, Haikyu, and Fate/Stay Night to keep you occupied while you wait for the next Netflix Original anime to drop. But in comparison to the other services on this list, Netflix is a better secondary source of anime, an additional cost to complement your subscription elsewhere.

Amazon Prime Video

Price:

  • US: $9/month
  • UK: £6/month
  • AU: $7/month

Notable Original Content/Exclusives: Vinland Saga, Re:Creators, After The Rain

Bottom Line: Best for anime watching veterans

Vinland Saga gives you a reason to empathize with all its characters as they navigate an escalating series of cause-and-effect storylines--this anime is as anxiety-inducing as it is thrilling.

Amazon Prime Video is a hard service to recommend for people who have just fallen in love with anime. Granted, it has some particularly stellar exclusives–Amazon Prime Video has provided strong Anime of the Year contenders for several years now. But Amazon does very little to advertise the anime coming to its service, so if you don’t know what you’re looking for, there’s a good chance you’ll miss it.

If you’re just getting into watching anime, we’d urge you to look elsewhere. However, if you’re someone who has their fingers on the pulse of the industry and regularly keeps track of where all the dozens of new anime end up each season, then you want to have Amazon Prime Video. As mentioned above, the service has some really good exclusives.

Like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video is on the more expensive side than the other services listed. That’s fair; like Netflix you’re getting more than just anime–both services offer plenty of excellent live action content as well. But that also means that, like Netflix, this service isn’t the best deal if your sole aim is anime.

Hulu

Price:

  • US: $6/month (Basic) or $12/month (Premium) or $55/month (Basic + Live TV) or $61 (Premium + Live TV)
  • UK: Hulu is not available in the United Kingdom
  • AU: Hulu is not available in Australia

Notable Original Content/Exclusives: None

Bottom Line: Best for anime watching newcomers

Though you can now watch it elsewhere, at one point, Hulu did own the exclusive rights to streaming One-Punch Man Season 2 in the US.

Hulu doesn’t really have an identity of its own when it comes to the anime on its service, instead hosting a collection of series you can also find on Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hidive, and Amazon Prime Video. This, however, does make the service particularly friendly towards those just getting into anime.

Hulu doesn’t have any notable original or exclusive anime. Instead, it hosts both Japanese audio and English dub versions for several mainstream, experimental, and adult-oriented series. Regardless of where you are in life, Hulu likely has an anime that will appeal to you. It’s also very easy to find new anime on Hulu, as the service probably does the best job out of all the ones on this list when it comes to recommending new shows based on what you’ve watched in the past.

The problem you run into with Hulu is that the service doesn’t get the exclusives of other subscriptions and doesn’t get new anime as quickly as Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hidive. And though it’s a good selection overall, Hulu’s anime library is limited in comparison to its competitors. So though Hulu is the best subscription for getting your feet wet when it comes to anime, it’s unlikely to keep you satisfied for more than a year if watching anime becomes a regular hobby. At that point, you may want to pair this subscription with Netflix or Amazon Prime Video or cancel it altogether and look to invest in Crunchyroll, Funimation, or Hidive depending on your tastes.

Now Playing: 8 Must-See Anime To Watch For Spring 2020

Nioh 2 Update Addresses Yokai Abilities And More, Full Patch Notes Revealed

Developer Team Ninja has dropped a new update for the PS4 samurai Soul-like Nioh 2 that “primarily focuse[s] on Yokai abilities.” We’ve compiled the full patch notes below.

The update makes a number of adjustments to Nioh 2’s various Soul Cores. Many of these tweaks make the Yokai abilities easier to execute, cause them to do more damage and produce more hits, decrease startup and recovery time, increase drop rates, and more. Team Ninja said these alterations should provide “a more balanced and well-rounded experience for the player.”

In addition to adjusting the Yokai abilities, Team Ninja also tweaked some of Nioh 2’s mechanics to make them a little more forgiving. These include increasing the success window of the Ki Pulse, adjusting a bunch of different weapon skills, fixing a host of issues related to Yokai Shift and the Blacksmith, and more.

Elsewhere in the patch, Team Ninja addressed a variety of bugs that continue to plague Nioh 2. Weapons such as hatchets should gain element buffs, the Ki Pulse should trigger after activating certain skills, various “minor bugs” should be ironed out, and much more.

We awarded the game an 8/10 in our Nioh 2 review, saying, “Though it sometimes feels like a curse as you play, it is a testament that Nioh 2 successfully grabs and holds your complete attention so close for so long.”

Nioh 2 Version 1.08 Update Patch Notes (April 10)

Adjustment of Yokai Abilities

Adjustments focused mainly on abilities that felt underpowered and/or ineffective in order to achieve a more balanced and well-rounded experience for the player.

  • Gyuki Soul Core: It is now easier to hit with this attack.
  • Kasha Soul Core: Increased damage and reduced Anima consumption.
  • Daidara Bocchi Soul Core: Can now hit directly across from where it appears.
  • Shuten Doji Soul Core: Shortened the recovery and made it easier to hit with.
  • Magatsu Warrior Soul Core: Shortened the recovery and increased the damage output.
  • Toxic Slime Soul Core/Umi-bozu Soul Core: Shortened the recovery and increased the rate of attack.
  • Gaki Soul Core: Improved the amount of Amrita produced with the bite attack.
  • Yamanbe Soul Core: Improved the startup speed and buffed the duration.
  • Tesso Soul Core: Increase the number of hits.
  • Karasu Tengu Soul Core: Shortened the recovery and increase the damage output.
  • Mitsume Yazura Soul Core: Made it easier to hit with this attack.
  • Rokurokubi Soul Core: Increase the number of hits.
  • Aberrant Soldier Soul Core: Shortened the recovery.
  • Kodama Soul Core: Increase the drop rate of elixir when the attack hits.
  • Gozuki Soul Core: Adjusted the usage cost. Now causes the opponent yokai to flinch when hit.
  • One-eyed Oni Soul Core: Made it easier to hit with this attack. Adjusted Ki damage and Anima consumption.
  • Yotsu-no-Kami Soul Core: Adjusted the number of times the attack ricochets off of terrain and Anima usage.
  • Otakemaru Soul Core/Karakasa Umbrella Soul Core: Decreased damage to the following bosses and objects:
    • Gyuki
    • Lady Osakabe
    • Daidara Bocchi
    • Shard

Adjustments

  • Increased the drop rate of several Soul Cores:
    • Umi-bozu
    • Toxic Slime
    • Infernal Oni-bi
    • Maelstrom Oni-bi
    • Thunderstorm Oni-bi
    • Karakasa Umbrella
    • Flying Bolt
  • Adjusted the enemies in the training mission “Training Ground” to get stronger as the mission progresses.
  • Adjusted tutorial missions “Basic Actions” and Yokai Shift Control: Brute/Feral/Phantom” to always sync with the player’s level.
  • Increased the damage of the Katana skill “True and Through” at max charge.
  • Adjusted Spear skill “Rainbow Ruse” so that it can be customized.
  • Increased the success window of Kill Pulse and damage output when the Spear skill “Triple Threat” is successful.
  • Adjusted the Spear skill “Bracing Breeze” to make it easier to follow-up after a successful counter by shortening the recovery.
  • Fixed an issue where the following skills could not be customized to give elemental effects: Axe Skill – “Bear’s Bane.”
  • Fixed an issue where the following skills could not be customized to give elemental effects: Tonfo Skill – “Storm of Strikes,” “Sweeping Kick.”
  • Improved the timing of when the Samurai skill “Flux” can be executed after Tonfa skills “Demon Dance Heaven/Man/Earth.”
  • Attacks that can be triggered by the Switchglaive Mystic Arts now hit sooner and their power has been increased.
  • Shortened the usage time of techniques that give positive effects to the player (such as forbidden fire talisman) in Onmyo Magic Mystic Arts “Awakening.”
  • Made adjustments so that Ninjutsu-related effects (such as Life Drain (Ninjutsu Hit)) will occur when using the “Gunpowder Bomb” and “Shrapnel Bomb.”
  • Made an alteration so that there is a moment of transformation which maintains buffs and debuffs when the player transforms into their Yokai form via the special effect “Critical Yokai Shift (Dark Realm).”
  • Fixed an issue with “Azai Nagamasa’s” behavior.
  • Adjusted the line of sight when holding a ranged weapon to make it easier to use.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed an issue with the active skills “Piercing Hurl” and “Dual Hurl” where the special effects “Skill Damage + %” were not being properly reflected once upgrade to (Shadow/Light).
  • Fixed an issue where some hatchet attacks do not gain element buffs.
  • Fixed an issue with the Kusarigama skill “Serpent Strike.” When hitting certain enemies, it could not trigger Ki Pulse.
  • Fixed an issue where the Switchglaive skill “The Path of Three” was too easy to accidentally activate.
  • Fixed an issue with the Kusarigama skill “Water Drop” could not trigger a Ki Pulse.
  • Fixed an issue where the follow-up attack of the Spear skill “Chidori” may go through the opponent.
  • Fixed an issue where the following Customized skills would not take effect:
    • Dual Swords Skill – Ultimate Sign of the Cross
    • Spear Skill – Flying Monkey II: after the first hit
    • Kusarigama Skill – Water Drop, Second Wind
    • Switchglaive Skill – Infinite Retribution II
  • Adjusted the “Ki Pulse Man” effect so that it no longer disappears when entering poisonous bogs or tainted waters.
  • Fixed an issue in the Shifting skill “Refulgent Strike” that caused Amrita to be gained instead of the Amrita gauge.
  • Fixed an issue where the special effects of “Enemy’s damage over time” and “Enemy’s received damage over time” existed separately and were not calculated together, so the two have been merged.
  • Fixed an issue where in some cases Yokai abilities were mistakenly showing the effects for unarmed attack power as well.
  • Fixed an issue where the attack power of Yokai abilities while unarmed were very low.
  • Fixed an issue where the attack power of the Yokai abilities would not syn with the player’s level.
  • Fixed an issue where Soul Coul Kamaitachi would not reliably hit properly.
  • Fixed an issue where some yokai would float up and become stuck after being hit by guardian spirit “Genbu.”
  • Fixed a problem where the player could not Yokai Shift Grapple some yokai when they are downed by a Burst Counter.
  • Fixed an issue in the “Soul Match” option of the “Blacksmith,” if a transferable soul core was chosen as a material, a separate candidate could not be chosen for the finished item.
  • Fixed an issue with the “Soul Match” option of the “Blacksmith” when a ranged weapon was chosen as a base, a different weapon type would show up as a material.
  • Fixed an issue where the damage dealt by a visitor was still visible even after setting it to “Hide” in the option “Damage display – others.”
  • Fixed an issue where players could not buy “Transformation” in the “Tea Room” if their saved data has been deleted, even if all conditions were met.
  • Various other minor fixes.

Now Playing: Nioh 2 Video Review

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