A spin-off series of Rick and Morty was announced as early as 2022, but it is said to have a completely different style. A trailer could now tease the story.
Adult Swim has announced that it will soon air a spin-off series of the popular animated series Rick and Morty. However, this series is supposed to have a completely different style than the previous 7 seasons and will actually be an anime. So far, fans have already enjoyed two anime short films featuring the duo.
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In the anime of Rick & Morty, Morty is made an honorary citizen
Rick and Morty will soon appear in a completely new style
What does the trailer show? The new trailer can now provide you with information about a potential plot. An alien race is seen observing a massive spaceship. After some explosions, it crashes to the ground, which causes visible joy among the alien race.
After that, we first see Morty in a spacesuit, who also seems to be observing the spaceship’s crash from a rock ledge. A child from the alien race points at him and exclaims that Morty is the one who has made “them” ready for them.
The trailer also shows that Morty is celebrated all over the alien city. The boy greets you with large holograms, banners, and posters everywhere. One banner even celebrates a “happy Independence Day.” Morty himself is supposed to be awarded as an honorary citizen, and the people call him Space Morty.
When is the anime supposed to start? According to Crunchyroll, the anime series is supposed to start later this year. However, no exact timeframe for the airing has been provided yet. It is also not officially known whether the series is supposed to start here in Germany this year as well.
What other information is there? Similar to the start date, there are also few additional details available about the series. Thematically, the script created by Takashi Sano (Tower of God) is supposed to be closely oriented towards the original series and will consist of a total of ten episodes.
The series is also being created under the direction of Takashi Sano at the Telecom Animation Film and Sola Entertainment studios. There are still no exact details about the cast. If you’re looking for your next series to watch before the start of Rick and Morty the anime, check this out: 18 new anime are coming to Netflix, one of which every anime fan should know
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Tom Hiddleston played one of the most popular antagonists in the MCU with Loki. As he once revealed at a panel, he has been a big fan of movie villains since he was a child and took inspiration for Loki from an iconic character.
As People.com reported, the actor talked during a panel about Loki at PaleyFest 2024 about how he prepared for the Marvel role. As he recounted, a certain character from Die Hard was a great help to him in that regard.
Here you can see a trailer for Season 2 of Loki:
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English trailer for season 2 of the Marvel series Loki
Who inspired Tom Hiddleston? As the actor revealed, he carefully observed how Alan Rickman portrayed the criminal genius Hans Gruber in Die Hard.
Additionally, the spy Phillip Vandamm, played by James Mason in North by Northwest (1959), also influenced his character.
“These are all characters that revolve around control and revenge,” explained Tom Hiddleston at the panel. Even as a child, he was fascinated by antagonists in films and series who had a special charisma, even though they were not the actual focus of the story:
Maybe I just loved these portrayals as a child. … I was just so drawn to these portrayals because they seemed to have so much fun playing these antagonists, I suppose. And that was part of the charm. They were so charismatic, even though they weren’t the center of these films.
Will there be a Season 3 of Loki? So far, there has been no official confirmation that there will be a third season of the series. Therefore, it is still unclear whether the finale of Season 2 will be the final conclusion or if there is still hope for a continuation of the story.
When Son Goku landed on Earth as a baby at the beginning of Dragon Ball, he was found by an old man. He took the Saiyan in and became his adoptive grandfather. Over the years, Goku’s grandpa became his most important person of reference, and he learned the martial arts style from him. This raises the question of why the Saiyan never thought of bringing his grandpa back to life.
How did Goku’s grandpa die? Goku’s grandpa was actually killed by Goku himself. His grandfather taught him never to look at the full moon. Since Son Goku still had his tail at that time and carries Saiyan genes, he transformed into a giant ape when he looked at the full moon.
In this state, the Saiyans lose their consciousness and become ruthless killing machines. As a result, Son Goku killed his grandfather in this state. When Goku transformed back, he no longer remembered what had happened in the transformed state. He assumed that his grandfather had been killed by a monster.
During the Red Ribbon Saga, Goku gets the chance to meet his grandfather for one day. Uranai Baba has the ability to bring people back to life for a day. However, it is possible to bring individuals back to life for a longer period with the Dragon Balls. Yet, Son Goku did not choose to bring his grandfather back.
In Dragon Ball Daima, Son Goku will once again be as small as he was at the beginning of Dragon Ball:
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Dragon Ball DAIMA is nostalgic in the new trailer
Goku’s grandpa was never resurrected by the Dragon Balls
Why didn’t he bring him back to life? The Dragon Balls have some rules regarding the resurrection of individuals. The dragon Shenlong, who is summoned by the Dragon Balls and grants a wish, is only as strong as its creator. At that time, it was God who was Shenlong’s creator.
The following rules applied at the time when Goku’s grandpa died:
Only one person can be revived who has not been revived yet.
The person must not have died for more than a year on Earth.
The death must not be of natural origin, such as illness or old age.
With all these rules, it would have been possible for Son Goku to revive his grandfather immediately. However, the Saiyan was not aware of the rules and the secret behind the Dragon Balls at that time. Instead, he thought that his grandpa’s soul had transitioned into the four-star Dragon Ball.
Additionally, at that time, he only possessed one Dragon Ball. Therefore, he would have had only a year to find the other balls, even if he had started searching right away.
With other types of Dragon Balls, it is possible to revive individuals beyond these limits. The Super Dragon Balls can, for example, fulfill any wish. However, it seems that Son Goku had come to terms with his grandfather’s death at that time. He even named his own son after him, as a tribute to his grandpa. That’s why he did not continue searching for a way to bring his grandfather back to life.
A scene was particularly difficult for the author of Game of Thrones. Fans hated it – and yet it clearly defined the story.
There is still debate about the ending of Game of Thrones years after it aired. But even if the ending was not well received, it could not ruin the global success of the series. This was also due to the strong source material by George R. R. Martin, the “A Song of Ice and Fire” books. One scene that shocked fans in both the series and the books still haunts him years later. Many hated it, but at the same time, it makes the story one of the best of all time.
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Trailer for the first season of the HBO series ‘Game of Thrones’
Which scene is it? We are talking about the famous Red Wedding, the “Red Wedding”. In the third season of the series, this scene is depicted in episode 9, “The Rains of Castamere”.
The scene is so famous because it is quite brutal and kills several main characters of the series. Both Catelyn Stark and her son Robb Stark are killed during what seems to be a peaceful celebration – along with other characters, such as Talisa Maegyr, Robb’s pregnant wife.
The scene is a pure massacre of the Starks, the former “heroes” of the story, and their followers.
The episode caused an uproar on social media at the time, the “internet was on fire”. Many could not believe that the author simply made two of his main characters disappear from the story in such a brutal manner.
A few minutes before the devastating scene – Robb and Talisa still happy.
How fans reacted to the book scene: As early as 2000, when the book with the relevant scene was released, George R. R. Martin received a lot of feedback from readers – and it was not always positive. In an interview with Rolling Stone, he explained that one letter, in particular, stuck in his mind:
I received a letter from a woman, a waitress. She wrote to me: ‘I work hard every day, I’m divorced, I have several children. My life is very tough and my only pleasure is coming home, reading fantasy, and escaping into other worlds. Then I read your book, and oh God, it was absolutely terrible. That’s not why I read. Why did you do this to me?’
I wrote back and basically said: ‘I’m sorry, I understand why you see it that way.’
Why did George R.R. Martin do this? It has long been clear that Game of Thrones was also successful because many characters do not possess “plot armor” and death can appear unexpectedly and everywhere. There are no immune characters who can simply defy every danger. This unpredictability has also been one of Martin’s motivations:
I like my stories when they are unpredictable. I like it when there is a lot of tension. I killed Ned in the first book and that surprised a lot of people. I killed Ned because everyone thought he was the hero and, of course, he goes. He gets into trouble and everyone thinks he will somehow get out of it. The next predictable thing is that his eldest son will rise up [to become the hero] to avenge his father. Everyone expects that. So killing Robb became the next thing I had to do.
Although Martin knew exactly what he had to do, writing the scene was not easy for him. In fact, the whole book was already fully written; he just had to write the Red Wedding later – he had omitted it until the end:
It was the hardest scene I have ever had to write. It is around two-thirds of the way through the book, but I skipped it when I got to that part. The entire book was finished, but this chapter was still missing. Then I wrote it. It was like murdering two of your own children.
How did you like the scene at the time – whether in the book or in the series? Did you like it or did it hit you as hard as many others? Many are currently waiting for the final books of the series, but George R. R. Martin is also focusing on other projects. For example, he has worked on Elden Ring.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The MMORPG New World (Steam) from Amazon has just unnecessarily alienated its remaining players. In an attempt to be funny and bridge a drought period until the next big announcement in June, they went too far and are experiencing the consequences: annoyed players.
This is the situation with New World:
Currently, nothing is happening in New World. Everyone knows that. Everyone is waiting for a big announcement that is supposed to come in June 2024. Still, there needs to be communication and something to tell the fans.
In a video from May 13, Katy Kaszynski, Live Lead of New World, appeared to explain to fans what she is excited about in the big June update that everyone is waiting for.
However, every exciting detail was censored out of the video. It was apparently intended as a gag, but it did not go down well at all.
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New World: Rise of the Angry Earth – Trailer for the Expansion
Every exciting detail is censored for minutes on end
What is upsetting people? It’s simply the way: Kaszynski acts as if she is sharing incredibly exciting things that are coming to the MMORPG soon. But with every detail, her mouth is covered with a distortion effect so that no one can read anything from her lips. Additionally, music plays, and nothing can be heard.
She says something like: “I’m also really excited to see all the changes we [loud music].”
If they had done this once, it might have passed as a joke. But the segment takes up half of the 8-minute video.
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These are the reactions: The people in the YouTube comments are really angry that Amazon is seemingly mocking the community by leaving them in the dark and stringing their noses along for the June update.
In the comments, it says:
“Is this a joke?”
“Are you really trolling your entire community this way?”
“A whole community is just about to uninstall your almost dead game due to lack of content, and you make a video where 80% is censored. I don’t even know what to say.”
“Did you schedule the April Fool’s joke for May 13?”
How does New World respond: The person responsible at Amazon has sheepishly commented below the video. The “Head of Video” takes the blame. He says the next video will consist 100% of the content that people want to hear.
Console Release, Free2Play, or something entirely different?
So what is the big announcement? At MassivelyOp , it is assumed that New World will present what the rest of 2024 will look like. A big bang is expected:
A fan theory believes that a console release for New World is imminent.
Others believe New World could become Free2Play.
Maybe a big update or a major overhaul like with The Elder Scrolls Online back then will come as well.
Square Enix is in trouble. Profits have dropped by 70%. It is believed that the focus on exclusive titles like Final Fantasy XVI or Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for the PlayStation 5 was too strong. Now, a new strategy is being planned. This begins with layoffs.
This is the crisis: Square Enix has presented a new business plan (via square-enix) and showed the numbers for a disappointing year which ran from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024:
Profits have dropped by 69.79%
The sales for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Final Fantasy XVI were strong but below expectations (via pushsquare). Apparently, the problem identified was that the games were released exclusively for PS5.
With a new business strategy, they intend to counteract this. Square Enix speaks of a reboot and seems to be serious about it. New games are now set to be released for Switch, PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. Mobile titles are also an option.
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Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Launch Trailer
Layoffs in the USA and Europe
These are the direct consequences of the crisis: Square Enix has announced layoffs in Europe and the USA. They plan to “rebuild their overseas divisions from the ground up.”
In a statement, it is mentioned (via pcgamer) that unfortunately, the restructuring will involve a reduction in the total number of employees in Europe and America. They are grateful to the talented team members leaving Square Enix.
The exact extent of the layoffs is not yet known.
The cancellation of projects leads to poor figures.
Square Enix cancels games planned for 2027 and beyond
Additionally, Square Enix will halt the development of several unannounced projects that no longer fit the new strategy. This cancellation of projects reflects in the business balance sheet and contributes to the poor numbers.
They are writing off 38 billion yen in Q3 2024, which is about 230 million euros.
The write-off is largely due to the cancellation of games that were scheduled for release from 2027 onwards.
Games for Nintendo, PC, Xbox; Mobile and PlayStation
What is the new strategy? The new strategy is described as an “aggressive multiplatform strategy.” Furthermore, they want to focus on “quality over quantity.”
It is stated that they want to focus on the “core franchises,” regularly develop AAA titles, and also release profitable mid-tier titles.
As platforms, they are targeting Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. They also plan to develop mobile titles, with the option to bring them to PC.
Pokémon GO has a new Masterwork research that gives you another Master Ball. All tasks and rewards.
What kind of research is this? The Masterwork research appears with the Catching Wonders event in Pokémon GO, which starts on May 14, 2024, at 10:00 AM. It runs until May 19. During this time, you should log in to collect the research and not miss out.
Once you have collected the research, there is no end date, so you have unlimited time to complete it. That’s a good thing, as the tasks will take quite some time.
But the reward is worth it, as you will receive another Master Ball upon completing the research, which can catch any Pokémon guaranteed.
This item is extremely rare, and it’s only the third Master Ball you can obtain in Pokémon GO. So it’s better to not waste it.
The tasks of the new research have already been shared in the Pokémon GO community (via reddit). What you need to do for the Master Ball, we summarize here for you.
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Pokémon GO: This is what the new season ‘World full of Wonders’ looks like in the trailer
You see: Overall, there are several tasks to solve and above all, a lot of Pokémon to catch. The research is also designed to keep you busy for a long time, as Niantic announced. But once you have the Master Ball, you can look forward to a guaranteed catch. Which monsters are worth using the Master Ball on, you can read here.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Fallout 76 there are several Power Armors with different properties. We provide you with an overview of all Power Armors and the benefits they can offer you.
What is a Power Armor? This armor is a powerful exoskeleton that can protect you against damage, radiation, and other environmental influences, and even makes you immune to fall damage. In Fallout 76, there are different armors for different level areas and situations.
Our guide shows you which Power Armors are available, at which locations you can find them, when you can use them, and for which areas and dangers they are best suited .
Update: We have updated the article in April 2024 with all new Power Armors.
How do I get Power Armors? There are several ways:
some armors can be obtained through quests (Excavator Power Armor, X-01, Ultracite, and Hellcat)
others can be found at certain locations (a Raider Power Armor or a T-45, T-51b, or T-60 depending on the location)
or you craft the armors (requires the recipes)
The locations and properties of the respective armors are explained here in the guide.
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Everything you need to know about Fallout 76 – in 2 minutes
Perks and Skills for the Power Armor
This is how your armor benefits from your perks and your skill points: There are several perk cards from which the Power Armor can benefit. These perks are suitable when you wear armor:
Run through the middle: If you sprint into enemies, you deal damage. Can be upgraded to rank 3.
Repair genius: You can now repair your armor and Power Armor up to 120% instead of the normal 100%. Can be increased to up to 200%.
Power Smith: You can now craft advanced Power Armor.
Power Flicker: Your Power Armor is 20% more durable. Can be increased to up to 60%.
Portable Power: All Power Armor parts are reduced in weight by 25%. Can be increased to 75%.
Power User: Fusion cores last 20% longer. Can be increased to 60%.
Stabilized: When wearing Power Armor, heavy weapons gain more precision and ignore 15/30/45% of armor.
The higher your intelligence rating, the stronger your crafted Power Armors are. Thus, they can be better than usual. However, they lose this bonus with increasing wear and tear.
In total, there are eight different types of armor that differ in their resistances and properties. Below level 50, it hardly makes sense to be picky about Power Armor. Just take the parts you can get and swap them out when you find better ones.
How can I swap the parts at all? A Power Armor has a chassis, a type of base armor. You can attach the actual parts to this armor. Parts attached to a chassis weigh nothing.
Once you reach level 50, it gets interesting. From here on, it makes sense to think more about Power Armor. We present you with all models of Power Armors.
The Excavator Armor
These are the stats of the Power Armor:
Max. Level: 45
Damage Resistance: 240
Energy Resistance: 240
Radiation Protection: 366
Benefit: Increases carrying capacity
You can obtain the Excavator Armor at these locations: You need to follow a specific quest line to obtain the level 25 version of the armor. You can start this quest at the Garrahan Mine headquarters, located in the southern part of the Ash Heap region.
In the atrium of the headquarters, you will find a poster of the armor. Interact with it, and the quest will be activated.
It is always worth having an Excavator Armor with you. It increases your inventory capacity by 100 and is therefore suitable as a farming armor. Moreover, it allows you to mine twice as many ores.
You can obtain the Raider Armor at these locations: You can complete a quest for the Raider Armor at the Top of the World. At the end of it, you will receive the armor at level 15.
Alternatively, you can visit the Pleasant Valley Cabins. In a house that looks like an arena, you can find a suit of armor. Which parts it is remains random.
The Raider Armor is the weakest of all and is useful, especially for the beginning and low-level area. Later on, you should switch to other armors.
The T-45 Armor
These are the stats of the Power Armor:
Max. Level: 50
Damage Resistance: 233
Energy Resistance: 227
Radiation Protection: 227
The values correspond to level 25.
You can obtain the T-45 Armor at these locations: There are no fixed locations for the T-45, T-51b, and T-60 armor that you can get. The three armors share the spawn. So you have to be lucky and hope to find them at the spawn points.
For this Power Armor, you can check the Morgantown Train Depot east of Vault 76, for example. The Power Armor is located by a train.
The T-51b Armor
These are the stats of the Power Armor:
Max. Level: 50
Damage Resistance: 454
Energy Resistance: 454
Radiation Protection: 310
Benefit: Balanced DR and ER
You can obtain the T-51b Armor at these locations: If the previously mentioned train depot is already empty, you can try your luck not far from there at the Morgantown Warehouse.
The T-60 Armor
These are the stats of the Power Armor:
Max. Level: 50
Damage Resistance: 400
Energy Resistance: 370
Radiation Protection: 415
Benefit: High radiation resistance
You can obtain the T-60 Armor at these locations: Just like with the T-51b armor, you cannot choose whether you get parts for the T-60. If you had bad luck at the train depot, you can check out the Moundsville Penitentiary.
The penitentiary is located north of the train depot. In the center of the prison, you will find the armor in a yellow building.
The X-01 Armor
These are the stats of the Power Armor:
Max. Level: 50
Damage Resistance: 398
Energy Resistance: 453
Radiation Protection: 453
Benefit: Has the highest radiation resistance. You can attach a jetpack to it, which allows you to fly for a while.
You can obtain the X-01 Armor at these locations: You will receive the blueprint for this armor when you complete the enclave quests in the main story. It requires black titanium for repairs.
The Ultracite Armor
These are the stats of the Power Armor:
Max. Level: 50
Damage Resistance: 453
Energy Resistance: 393
Radiation Protection: 393
Benefit: You do not have to craft it yourself. Has a high DR value.
You can obtain the Ultracite Armor at these locations: You will receive a complete set when you complete the main quest about the Steel Brotherhood. It can be repaired with the rare material Ultracite. This is how you can find it.
The T-65 Power Armor
With the Wastelanders update, the T-65 was introduced. Of all Power Armors, it has the highest energy and physical resistances.
The T-65 can be seen in the center, the flagship of the update.
These are the stats of the Power Armor:
Max. Level: 50
Damage Resistance: 565
Energy Resistance: 470
Radiation Protection: 470
You can obtain the armor here: You need to craft the T-65 yourself. You will receive the recipes for the individual parts from Regs in Vault 79 at the Secret Service, and you need a total of 6,900 gold bars. In our guide, we explain how to farm gold bars correctly.
With the Nuclear Winter update, the Strangled Heart Power Armor was introduced (Strangled Heart), originally as a reward for the first raid ever. It has the highest radiation resistance of all Power Armors in the game.
These are the stats of the Power Armor:
Max. Level: 50
Damage Resistance: 453
Energy Resistance: 393
Radiation Protection: 500
Set Bonus: Poisons surrounding enemies and enemies hit by melee attacks.
You can obtain the armor here: Similar to the T-65, you will receive the blueprints for the Strangled Heart Armor at Regs in Vault 79. The cost is also 6,900 gold bars for the entire armor.
The Hellcat Power Armor
With the Steel Reign-update, the Hellcat Power Armor was added to Fallout 76. The special feature of the armor is that incoming ballistic damage is reduced by a percentage before the game calculates armor. This makes the Hellcat potentially even stronger than the T-65.
These are the stats of the Power Armor:
Max. Level: 50
Damage Resistance: 436
Energy Resistance: 320
Radiation Protection: 320
Set Bonus: Each piece of armor reduces incoming ballistic damage by 2% (12% for all pieces).
You can obtain the armor here: You will receive the blueprints for completing the quest The Catalyst.
The Union Power Armor
The Union Power Armor is the newest armor in the game and was introduced with the Expeditions: The Pitt-update, which introduced expeditions as a new activity.
The Union Power Armor is probably the worst in the entire game. It is expensive, hard to obtain, and has worse stats than the other armors. Only get it if you care about the appearance.
These are the stats of the Power Armor:
Max. Level: 50
Damage Resistance: 485
Energy Resistance: 295
Radiation Protection: 265
You can obtain the armor here: For the individual parts, you need to collect stamps. This currency is obtained for completing expeditions. You then exchange the stamps with Guiseppe Della Ripa in Whitesprings for the Power Armor parts.
This is how you use your Power Armor correctly: Depending on the situation, it can be worth having different Power Armors with you. If you are on a farming tour and gathering a lot of resources, you should have the Excavator Armor with you.
For areas with high radiation, you should rely on the X-01 or the Strangled Heart Armor. These could be areas that have been hit by a nuclear bomb. Perhaps you also just want to collect Ultracite, which can be found in the heavily irradiated tears.
If you simply want to roam the world and complete missions, the T-51b is probably the first choice, at least until you can afford the /-65. The two armors are the best all-rounders.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Pokémon GO, the Spotlight Hour featuring Abra takes place today, May 14, 2024. We from MeinMMO will show you all the important information about the start, the Shiny, and the bonus.
What event is it about? Every Tuesday, Pokémon GO hosts a so-called Spotlight Hour, during which a pre-determined Pokémon can be found in the wild for 60 minutes. An additional bonus enhances this short event.
Today is the day again, and during the Spotlight Hour you can encounter Abra. The Psychic Pokémon originates from the first generation of games and can evolve into Kadabra and then into Alakazam. Alakazam also has a Mega Evolution. We have summarized the additional bonus of today’s event and whether it’s worth it for you below.
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Pokémon GO: This is what the new season ‘World full of Wonders’ looks like in the trailer
Spotlight Hour on May 14 – Start, Bonuses, and Shiny
When does the Spotlight Hour start? Like every Tuesday, the Spotlight Hour today, May 14, 2024, will also start promptly at 6:00 PM local time. It will be active until 7:00 PM.
What bonuses can you expect? During the one-hour event, you will be able to encounter wild Abra everywhere in the game. If the spawns are not enough, you can attract additional specimens using incense.
The Psychic Pokémon is accompanied by an XP bonus. You will receive double the amount of experience points for evolving Pokémon.
Is there Shiny Abra? Yes, with a bit of luck, Abra can be caught as Shiny during the Spotlight Hour. You can recognize it by its slightly lighter body. However, note that the Shiny chance is not additionally increased, unlike during Community Day.
Is the Spotlight Hour with Abra worth it? Abra and its evolutions are not particularly strong. They do not play a significant role in the GO Battle League and in raids. Only the Mega Evolution can convince as a strong Psychic Pokémon in raids and is among the best attackers in Pokémon GO.
During the event, primarily Shiny hunters will benefit. Anyone who still has a number of monsters in their collection that they wish to evolve should do so during the Spotlight Hour to take advantage of the additional XP. How do you like the Spotlight Hour with Abra? Are you participating today? Or are you hoping for the contents of the other Spotlight Hours in May 2024? Feel free to let us know here on MeinMMO in the comments and exchange ideas with other trainers.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Analyst Bellular finds many positive words for the new dungeons in World of Warcraft: The War Within. We show what makes the instances so special.
The alpha of The War Within is already running, many content creators and streamers already have access to the new expansion of World of Warcraft. Even analyst Bellular, who often expresses critical thoughts and concerns about Blizzard and new games, is positively surprised.
He names the new dungeons in The War Within as clear candidates for “the best dungeons they have ever made” – and he confirms this with two of the new instances.
Start video
WoW: The War Within – All the major features of the new expansion
Which dungeons are we talking about? Bellular has already tested some of the dungeons, but two have stood out to him particularly. They have interesting gameplay and deviate in many places from the traditional systems that have been used in WoW battles. The two dungeons are:
Darkflame Cleft: A mine inhabited by goblins. Here, everything revolves around the goblins and their candles, which have a deeper purpose. Only light can keep the terrible “darkness” at bay. In the dungeon, you must continuously collect wax to keep the candlelight alive and even escort a trolley with a candle through the mine.
The Dawnbreaker: The dungeon is named after the great airship of the Arathi. In a final battle against cultists dedicated to the shadows and many hostile Nerubians, the fortress of the Arathi must be defended. There are some flying sequences, and according to Bellular, it’s simply “a really good piece of video game”.
What does Bellular say about it? In the Darkflame Cleft dungeon, there were several points that Bellular praises. On the one hand, he finds the theme of the dungeon appealing, but especially the clarity of the effects. For example, there is a boss fight against a wax elemental, where you have to light candles to create safe zones.
The second point is the passage where you have to escort a candle through a large part of the dungeon. This works a bit like a “payload mission” in Overwatch. While part of the group pushes the cart and wards off mobs, 1-2 characters venture into the darkness to cautiously search for wax – preferably without stumbling into new mobs.
Both are interesting and good mechanics that do not require a weak aura or other addons – they are clearly visible and feel intuitive. For Bellular, this is a true dungeon experience and not just the slaughtering of mobs in a constant run.
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During a boss fight on the Dawnbreaker, it happens that the boss casts a spell that shrouds the entire airship in devastating shadows – there is no safe spot. The only salvation: You mount the flying mount, fly around the ship, and wait until the spell is over. This is a very direct way of dodging that has not been present in WoW before.
The big concern that has been circulating in the WoW community for several years seems to have been laid to rest.
What was the concern? In recent years, “Mythic+” has become a cornerstone of the endgame of World of Warcraft. While the mode appeals to many players who gather strong gear and face difficult challenges, there were also concerns.
Many feared that Blizzard would design all dungeons with the “Mythic+” design in mind in the future. This would have favored the creation of dungeons consisting solely of multiple trash mob groups and bosses, without interesting or novel gameplay in between. The dungeons from The War Within show that this concern was likely unfounded. You can see how the Mythic+ dungeons are doing in the current season here.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
One of the most important decisions in Baldur’s Gate 3 you make already in Act 1: Do you help the Tieflings or support the Goblins? A player wants to be evil for the hot Drow but cannot fully commit due to animal welfare.
What is the player’s goal? On reddit, S1ebenfinger writes that he loves, adores, and cherishes the dark elf Minthara. Minthara is one of the possible companions in the game and is recruited by most players in an evil run.
S1ebenfinger also wants to have her on his team but could do without the necessary Goblin celebration in his camp:
In Act 1, you have to decide whether to help the Tieflings in the Emerald Grove and stand against the Goblins. Alternatively, you can raid the Emerald Grove together with the Goblins and Minthara. If you help the Tieflings, you will have a Tiefling party in your camp. If you help the Goblins, they will invite themselves to you.
Depending on your decisions, this party is the first opportunity to become intimate with some companions – including Minthara.
The hot Drow is coming to visit – But the dog must suffer
What is the problem? At the Goblin party, things get rougher than at the Tiefling party. This primarily affects the dog Kratzer, whom you can find and recruit during Act 1.
Kratzer is a friendly and lovable companion. With the ability Talk to Animals, you can even have conversations with him. He also regularly brings you gifts and is useful in combat. Many players take him along in every run. Your companions even have their own lines in case you should ever lose Kratzer.
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Baldur’s Gate 3 is coming to PS5 – Trailer prepares for console release
However, at the Goblin party, Kratzer is mistreated: One of the visiting Goblins chases the whimpering dog through the camp.
S1ebenfinger writes that he would draw the red line right there: This dog is under his protection; he cannot attack the Goblin. That would trigger a fight in the camp and end the celebrations. A hot encounter with Minthara would probably no longer be on the table.
How does the player solve the dilemma? S1ebenfinger writes that he would rather completely skip the party and the hot night with Minthara. Exactly that is also the solution to the riddle for him:
He clears the way for the Goblins into the Emerald Grove but then retreats into the mountain pass: There you find the Githyanki cradle that Lae’zel is searching for. If you quest through here and then return to the Goblin camp or the Grove, the invasion has already taken place. However, you have not earned a Goblin celebration with your absence.
However, Minthara survives, and you will meet her later as if you had actively fought against the Emerald Grove, in the Towers of the Moonrise.
For animal welfare, against the Tieflings – Nevertheless, Drow love
What does the community say about it?reddit user ElGordo94 writes somewhat cynically, I can excuse mass murder but not animal cruelty. The quote is a slight variation of a line from the series “Community.” In Season 3, Episode 6, the character Britta says she can excuse racism but not animal cruelty.
ErikTheBeard responds to the reddit thread, how funny he finds that the character Volo is locked in a cage at the Goblin party. More about Volo and who the quirky fellow really is can be read here:
reddit user Humorousphlegmflam points out that a hyena is also mistreated. Another comment adds that the same hyena would even think it deserved the mistreatment.
Overall, however, the Goblin party does not fare particularly well with the players.
Can Minthara be obtained differently? At the release of Baldur’s Gate 3, not yet. However, now you can. But you must side with the Tieflings:
Accept the quest to help the Tieflings and raid the Goblin camp. It is important that you do not kill Minthara during your confrontation but only knock her out. Whether a blow should kill or only incapacitate can be set in the passive features.
If you clear the camp but only take Minthara out of action, you will have the Tiefling party. Kratzer will not be mistreated there, and the hyena will not appear either. However, Volo is not locked in a cage but participates in the celebrations if you have rescued him.
If you make it to Act 2, Minthara’s storyline proceeds as if you had fought against the Emerald Grove. You should then be able to further advance her story.
On whose side did you actually fight in Act 1? And why? Is there a companion who always determines your runs in Baldur’s Gate 3? Let us know in the comments – We’re curious. One of your camp visitors is still mysterious. A player now has a dark theory about why a powerful NPC never heals you.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A few days ago, a new “Lord of the Rings” film was announced, focusing on Gollum. However, already 15 years prior, fans released a very similar film on YouTube. This has now led to legal issues.
What film is it about? The film studio Warner Bros. announced a new feature film in the “Lord of the Rings” universe a few days ago. Following the Amazon series “The Rings of Power”, whose second season has already been announced, “The Hunt for Gollum” will open another chapter in the Middle-earth saga.
We don’t know much about the upcoming film yet. Only that the story will revolve around Gollum. Presumably, the film acts as a prologue to “The Fellowship of the Ring,” and tells how different characters and factions are hunting the creature Gollum. His escape will likely also take him to Mordor, where he is captured by Sauron’s minions.
Once again, Peter Jackson is on board as producer, who previously directed the three main films and the Hobbit films. This time, none other than Andy Serkis, who played Gollum back then, takes the director’s chair.
Curiously, there has already been a film with a similar premise available for free on YouTube for 15 years.
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Epic Trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship
Fans had the same idea 15 years ago
What is this fan film about? A group of enthusiastic fans of Tolkien’s works filmed a movie about Gollum 15 years ago. The budget was accordingly small, only about 3,000 British pounds (as of 2009).
Filming took place in Wales, and only six actors appeared on screen. They portrayed well-known characters such as Aragorn, Gandalf, and Arwen. An additional 160 volunteers supported the project, either as extras or by assisting behind the scenes.
In the end, a 39-minute film was produced, aptly named “The Hunt for Gollum”.
You can watch the film here:
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If you’ve been paying attention, you might have noticed that both the fan project and the official film bear the exact same title. But that’s not the only curious aspect of this story.
After the fan film had existed on YouTube for several years and garnered 13 million views during that time, the creative minds behind it have now, in 2024, encountered legal problems.
What happened? Only a few hours after the announcement of the official Gollum film, the fan project was taken down on YouTube. The reason: The video was said to contain content from Warner Bros. Entertainment and was removed from the platform due to copyright infringement.
As expected, there was a great outcry in the community. It was met with misunderstanding that Warner would block the project of passionate fans while simultaneously announcing a film with the same title and premise.
However, the story had a happy ending. The fan film is now back online and can be viewed without restrictions. It remains to be seen how the official film will differ from it. We will know in 2026 when “The Hunt for Gollum” hits theaters. The iconic character, however, did not bring luck to everyone: For a German game developer, their Gollum game was a major flop.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The great US director Steven Spielberg is a master of his craft. Nevertheless, he cannot do without a certain ritual that he performs before each new film.
What ritual is it? Steven Spielberg is one of the most famous filmmakers in the world. His works include Jaws, E.T., Schindler’s List or Indiana Jones.
For him, working on set has long since become a habit, and he feels visibly comfortable in various genres. Before the filming of a new Spielberg film begins, the director has a little ritual that he performs just for himself.
He watches one or two films every time. And not just any films, but true classics of American cinema.
Apart from that, Spielberg likes to recommend the occasional film. For example, one of the most popular animes, or a science fiction classic. Here you can see the trailer to one of his own films:
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War of the Worlds – German trailer for Steven Spielberg’s Sci-Fi film
The films of a great role model
What does Spielberg watch? As the director recounted in an interview with the American Film Institute in 2013, he watches a film by John Ford before starting filming.
This filmmaker is considered one of the great directors of “Classical Hollywood,” the era between 1930 and 1960. Ford is mainly known today for his westerns, particularly The Searchers with John Wayne in the lead role.
And it is exactly this film that Spielberg watches every time anew. Not because he wants to relax before the strenuous filming, but because he gets inspired by it. He says the following:
I react very sensitively to the way he (Ford) uses the camera to paint his images.
John Ford would usually keep his images static, while only the characters move. Just like a painter who has the static frame of a canvas in front of him.
What is this film about? In The Searchers , western icon John Wayne plays the tough guy Ethan, who is searching for his children. They have been kidnapped and need to be rescued. Additionally, the family’s farm has been burned down, an image that was later quoted in the first Star Wars.
Over the years, the film has become a major classic and is regarded today as one of the best American films of all time. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a critic rating of 87%. The British Film Institute ranks it 15th in their list of the best films of all time (via bfi.org).
Steven Spielberg is such a big fan of John Ford and his work that he even incorporated the late director, who passed away in 1973, into a film. Namely in The Fabelmans (2022), in which Spielberg tells the story of his own family and his beginnings as a filmmaker.
John Ford appears in one scene and gives young Spielberg advice. Particularly curious: Ford is played by David Lynch, who himself is one of the great American directors. The Fabelmans was Spielberg’s most recent film. We can be curious about what the filmmaker plans next. By the way: Two of his blockbusters helped him graduate from university in the 1990s. You can read more about it on MeinMMO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Blizzard has announced the official start time for the upcoming Season 4 of Diablo 4. MeinMMO briefly summarizes what to expect.
When does Season 4 start? On Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at 7:00 PM German time, Season 4 is expected to go live. We do not know anything about prior maintenance work, so you can probably log in earlier. You can find all the information about Season 4 in our summary.
We will also accompany the start of Season 4 here in our live ticker:
The Season theme is the Iron Wolves, but there will not be a real Season mechanic. Most changes come to all realms. Only seasonal elements include a quest line, some rewards, and an elixir that makes Hell Floods harder and more rewarding.
Additionally, there will be some balance adjustments, new items, and modifications. Here you can find the full patch notes for Season 4.
We have already discussed the features of Season 4 in detail with the developers. Lead Seasons Designer Deric Nuñez and Lead Game Producer Timothy Ismay explain to us how exactly the new mechanics work, what changes for you, and how things should proceed in the future. You can find the interview with the developers about Season 4 here.
In this article, we summarize the 5 most important changes that you should know if you want to start or return to Season 4 in Diablo 4. In the video, the developers explain what has changed since the PTR:
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Diablo 4: Trailer shows the changes for Season 4 ‘Loot Reborn’
1. The best loot is available much earlier
One of the most important changes to loot is when you can receive and wear certain items. Blizzard wants to ensure that the items you find are truly an improvement or at least easier to compare:
Sacred items now drop only at World Tier 3 and you can wear them starting from level 35.
Ancestral items now drop only at World Tier 4 and you can wear them starting from level 55.
Ancestral Legendary items can now carry “Great Affixes” that are 1.5 times stronger than normal affixes. You can identify them by a special sign.
The Codex of Power will also be modified as part of this. Instead of extracting affixes, it is now sufficient to salvage a Legendary. Additionally, the best variant you have salvaged so far will always be saved instead of just using the lower base value.
Nice bonus: You will save a lot of space in Season 4, as you will no longer have to collect yellow items. Dim crystals can also be obtained by salvaging Legendaries.
2. Oboluses are much more important than before – Save them while leveling!
Additionally, the cap for Whispering Oboluses has been raised to 2,500. This means that you can accumulate significantly more while leveling before you have to “gamble” to make space.
Ideally, you should save your Oboluses until you reach level 100 to have the best chance at strong items. The Legendaries from the Obolus vendor can have Great Affixes.
Oboluses will also be available from more sources in Season 4, such as from the new endgame dungeon “The Pit.” This dungeon will be the best source for loot and Oboluses.
By the way, many towns have been revamped and vendors are now in one place instead of scattered. You should visit the vendors from time to time:
Start video
Diablo 4: Merchants are more useful than you think
The monster density is higher than in previous seasons.
When defeating monsters, you now collect “Threat.” If you become threatening enough, assassins appear who want to assassinate you – they drop even more and better loot.
When looting, you can collect Sin Hearts. With 3 of these hearts, you can start an event that summons lots of enemies and ends with a boss fight.
With Season 4, Hell Floods will be available at all difficulties, no longer just from World Tier 3. This means you can level easiest and fastest starting from level 1 in Hell Floods. Higher levels offer more experience.
4. The new crafting system is better but still expensive
Through Hardening and Completion, you can create your own “God Rolls” in Season 4, but you still need a lot of luck and time to do so. The system is meant to ensure that you have a steady progression once you are in endgame.
The two systems interact:
Hardening improves an item by adding further affixes.
The affixes are chosen randomly from a list, the “recipe.” You can find recipes by playing.
Once an item is fully hardened, you can further improve it with Completion.
Completion enhances a random affix on the item and can be applied up to 12 times per item.
At levels 4, 8, and 12, you receive a kind of “critical improvement.”
For the upgrades, you need materials and gold. You can obtain materials from the new endgame dungeon “The Pit” as well as by salvaging items. The costs will get increasingly expensive, in the end you will have to pay 10 million gold. By the way, the costs for enchanting are now capped at a maximum of 3 million gold.
If a fully upgraded item is not as you want it, you can reset it. Here you can find all the information about the new system:
With Season 4, your most important source for nearly everything will be “The Pit.” You unlock the new dungeon through a short quest. Once you reach World Tier 4, you should complete a nightmare dungeon at level 46.
By completing it, you will receive Rune Shards, which you can also get from other sources like world bosses, events, Hell Floods, and whispers. With these shards, you open up access to The Pit, which then operates similarly to a Greater Rift from Diablo 3:
You don’t have objectives like in dungeons, but you just have to slay enemies.
Additionally, you have limited time, so you need to be fast enough.
If you succeed, there will be a boss at the end that you must defeat.
The Pit has 200 levels with increasing difficulty. In The Pit, you will receive materials for crafting, loot, and Oboluses, making it ideal for grinding. You will level glyphs as usual through nightmare dungeons – with Season 4, the XP for glyphs will be increased by 25%.
For the biggest challenges and better chances for Uber Uniques, you will face Pinnacle bosses and their “Tormented” versions at level 200 in Season 4. A new boss, Andariel, will be added. You can now obtain the summoning materials from more sources, such as treasure goblins.
In addition to the “big” changes, there are a few smaller quality improvements that make the game more enjoyable. On Reddit, a user has compiled 27 points that players should now keep in mind. We have summarized the most important ones here:
Horses can now gallop in towns: “You can now do this here!”
Elixirs now grant 8% additional experience at World Tiers 1 and 2 instead of the previous 5%.
A new elixir increases your movement speed – ideal for leveling.
Player trading will be expanded: Everything except items that are account-bound through crafting and Uber Uniques can be traded, including Uniques and Legendaries.
There is a 6th slot for the stash.
Additionally, Blizzard is working on making some of the existing systems clearer, including stats. Certain attributes such as area damage scaling are capped, and you will now see where the cap lies. A particularly useful change concerns armor, the most important defense stat: From Season 4 onwards, you only need to remember one number.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Saiyans in Dragon Ball have the characteristic of being born with a monkey tail. The tail is there to transform into a giant battle ape. However, Son-Goku’s tail eventually stops growing altogether, and Vegeta and Son-Gohan are completely missing theirs. The manga artist Akira Toriyama explained why this is the case.
Why is the tail missing? For an interview with Akira Toriyama in the first Shonen Jump issue in 2003, fans could ask the manga artist questions. One reader wanted to know what happened to Vegeta’s tail after he was defeated on Earth.
Toriyama explains that it has to do with the power level of the Saiyans:
With the tail, one can gain enormous power instantly through the transformation into a battle ape, but the risks are equally great – one loses all strength if it gets pinned down. Once you are as strong as Vegeta and Goku, the tail is just in the way. It is assumed that the bodies of the Saiyans, who are a fighting species, decided that their tails are unnecessary appendages.
Over time, Vegeta and Son-Goku simply became so strong that they no longer needed to transform into a battle ape.
The fact that the tail does not regrow in Son-Goten, Trunks, and Oan also has a simple reason: The tails are a recessive genetic trait and do not even form with decreasing Saiyan DNA. Goten and Trunks have human mothers, which is likely why their genes regarding the tail prevail.
There is one exception: In Dragon Ball GT, the tail is necessary to transform into Super Saiyan 4. However, this is an anime series that is not directly created by Akira Toriyama. Toriyama himself has never drawn the SSJ4 for the anime. Therefore, it is possible that the Saiyans in the GT version still rely on their tails.
Perhaps the tail will also be needed in Dragon Ball Daima:
Start video
Dragon Ball DAIMA is nostalgic in the new trailer
Toriyama explains reasons for omitting the tail
Are there further reasons? With this explanation, Toriyama has clarified within the lore why the tail is missing. However, there is also a practical reason, as he explained in the Dragon Ball comic “Freeza Arc Vol. 5”. There, he was asked if Goku’s tail is a nuisance:
That’s true. (laughs) In the first sketches, Goku was originally a real ape. My editor said to me: “Without a tail, he has no distinguishing features,” so I added a tail. Drawing this tail was so annoying that I couldn’t stand it… so I immediately came up with an episode in which his tail gets cut off. (laughs)
Therefore, Toriyama found it annoying to have to draw the tail all the time. Since many manga artists are under pressure from deadlines, they save on everything that would take unnecessary time. This is also the reason why the hair turns blond in Super Saiyan.
According to a Daizenshuu issue (via Dragon Ball Wiki), there is even another reason why the tail no longer regrows. There is only an 8% chance that the tail will regrow, even if the Saiyan has not yet achieved a stronger form than the battle ape. For the tail to even regrow, a dangerous situation is necessary.
The Dane Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (53) gained the respect and recognition of many fans of the series as Jaime Lannister in “Game of Thrones.” His acting craft can now be admired in “God is a Bullet” (2023), an action thriller available on Amazon Prime. The film is rated for ages 18 and rightly so, according to MeinMMO author Schuhmann.
What is “God is a Bullet” about? Coster-Waldau plays the depressed suburban cop Bob Hightower, whose wife has left him. He sadly parks his police car in front of his former home and longs to spend more time with his 14-year-old daughter.
Into this sad still life bursts a group of Satanists who violate and shoot his wife, brutally kill her new husband, and kidnap the underage daughter. Bob wants to grab the shotgun and chase after his daughter, but his boss and everyone who knows him tells him that he has no chance. He is just a desk cop and doesn’t have what it takes.
Only when a former member of the Satanists, a broken woman, enters his life does Bob set out to find his daughter. The woman is scarred by years in the cult and seems to be playing a double game. Faithful Bob doesn’t trust her, but he has no other choice if he wants to find his daughter.
“God is a Bullet” is available on Amazon Prime:
Start video
German trailer for God Is a Bullet with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Jamie Foxx
A corrupted world turns even the noble man into a coyote
What is special about the film? It is bitter that the Dane Coster-Waldau most closely resembles the ideal image of a “blonde hero from the sagas” since Brad Pitt in Troy, but only plays broken characters who get worse the longer the film lasts.
“God is a Bullet” also describes a hero’s journey that bitterly marks and hardens the hero. The “Satanists” he is chasing are ruthless sadists and pure evil.
Satanism seems only to be a pretext to behave as abominably and wickedly as possible. There is violation, betrayal, rape, and murder.
The pursuit of the daughter becomes a side issue, it seems. Bob and the former Satanist lose all moral compass during the hunt. The lesson of the film seems to be that in such a broken world, even the noble man quickly strays from the path to achieve what he wants.
The film takes a lot of time just to show how broken and depraved the world in which it takes place is. It even takes an extra two or three rounds to show that the seemingly harmless side characters are also morally depraved and corrupt.
This could perhaps have been omitted, as the film is already somewhat lengthy at 156 minutes. Moreover, actors like Jamie Foxx make only brief appearances. Even the excellent Jonathan Tucker could have been given more screen time.
God is a Bullet is a hard-hitting action flick that lacks clever twists
Is the film worth watching? “God is a Bullet” is a relentless, harsh action flick that offers brutal scenes and ends in a massacre.
The violence is direct and merciless. The villains are sadistic. The good guys are hardly any better.
One can certainly watch it; at the very least, the film is intense, but “God is a Bullet” cannot be truly recommended. It lacks clever twists and more nuance.
YouTube streamer Rachel “Valkyrae” Hofstetter is fed up with some of her viewers who interfere too much in her roleplay in GTA 5. They are cowards, says the 32-year-old. She knows what she is doing with her character.
Here streamers take on the role of fictional characters, such as criminals or police officers. Valkyrae plays “Ray Mond”, a 28-year-old Filipina who has come to Lost Santos to find her missing twin brother.
But some of Valkyrae’s viewers fear that the streamer might jeopardize Ray Mond’s criminal career with her actions.
GTA 5 provides an excellent template for roleplay:
Start video
GTA Online: Los Santos Drug Wars: The Last Dose – Trailer
This is the conflict: Some viewers complain that Valkyrae is making wrong decisions in GTA 5 and revealing information to people who shouldn’t have it.
Because that could harm her character.
Valkyrae says: Betrayal adds the necessary spice to GTA 5
What Valkyrae says: She reacts annoyed to these hints from viewers. She says people are worried that she is giving information to the wrong people.
But she likes to add “spice” to things. The more information people have, the more they can react. People should let her character make mistakes; it makes the game more exciting for everyone. In GTA 5, after all, everyone finds everything out.
No one she trusts with information would ever betray Ray Mond, and even if someone did, that would be great. Because it adds more spice to all the action:
“I don’t understand why GTA viewers are so cowardly and make demands on characters to behave perfectly. It would be so boring to watch someone who does nothing but be perfect.”
She doesn’t understand those who want that. The people who want that should just watch a grinder instead.
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What it’s about: This is an interesting conflict. In roleplaying, it is not about acting in your own best interest, but behaving in a way that creates an exciting overall story.
For “backseat gamers” who like to instruct a streamer to get the most out of it, this apparently doesn’t work.
There are indeed other forms of gaming than just chasing high scores and playing optimally.
The game developer Tomas Sala is fed up: People on Steam simply do not understand his game “Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles”. He wanted to release a creative sandbox, but players on Steam are complaining because his strategy game has no “endgame”. Now the artist has had enough. He is renaming his game so that everyone knows: It is not a damn strategy game.
Who is the developer?
Tomas Sala is an independent developer, best known for his mod series for Skyrim, Moonpath to Elsweyr. He writes: With 2 million downloads, it remains one of the most popular mods for Skyrim.
He also released “The Falconeer” on Steam in November 2020. A game with 80% positive reviews on Steam, where you sail through the air on the back of a majestic war bird. The air combat game was nominated for a BAFTA, a British artist award.
However, with his new game “Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles”, Sala has had less luck. The artist feels misunderstood.
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Trailer for the city-builder game Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles
Steam reviews say: Nice game, but something is missing
What is the problem with the new game? The new game; “Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles” (via Steam) was released on March 26 on Steam. Although it had quite good reviews at release, this has turned around in recent weeks and the game currently has only “Mixed Reviews”.
One player complains: The game is more aimless than expected. In YouTube videos, it looks like there is a lot to do. But there isn’t actually that much to it.
Another player argues: He wants to like the game, but it simply lacks depth after the tutorial. The game is beautiful, but not for him.
A third player is annoyed: He loves experimental games. But Bulwark is just a nice city painter; that’s not enough for him.
A user in the Steam reviews explains the problem: There must be an error with the Steam tags. It states that it is a 4x strategy game. But it is a creative sandbox, and the tags are misleading.
The tags on Steam partially convey a false image of the game.
“It looks like an epic strategy game, but it’s not, okay?”
This is how the developer responds: The artist has identified a reason for this negative criticism: Ignorant players expect Bulwark to be a city-building game with endgame and everything. But the game was never designed that way, as the developer angrily writes.
He has now renamed his game to:
“Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles, a damn creative sandbox and not a damn strategy game, build cool shit and expect no endgame because it’s a sandbox”
However, only “Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles, a creative building sandbox” is displayed as the title on Steam.
The developer says his game only looks like a cool, deep strategy game. But it is not. Because he doesn’t like “cozy shit designs”; it is simply a relaxed sandbox.
This is how the developer sees his game: People should build cool fortresses with a bit of light, have a few hours of fun, and then do something else.
He will still put cool stuff in his sandbox, but it’s a sandbox. When you start the game, you also hear his voice saying: It is a sandbox. That is his intention as an artist. It looks epic and all, but it is not a damn fairy tale, okay?
How much does Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles, a creative building sandbox cost? The game currently costs €15 on Steam. But it is a sandbox, okay.
Helldivers 2 is a positive example of a live service for many players. But besides the gameplay aspects, the small references to the world are also important. To update these, the former lead writer of Helldivers 2 worked until burnout because he wanted to create the perfect game.
The former lead writer Russ Nickel was partly responsible for this, who had worked on films and series before the game. In an interview with inverse.com, he talked about his new game and working on a live service game.
In the announcement trailer, you can feel the satire about the world of Helldivers 2:
Start video
Helldivers 2 Announce Trailer PS5 PC
I completely self-destructed
What does he say in the interview? In the interview, Nickel talks about working on his new game and whether it will also be a live service game. Nickel says this is not possible because they just don’t have the capacity for it. However, he will miss working on a live service game.
Nickel was then asked if he managed to avoid burnout and manage the workload properly. Nickel replied:
No, I am completely burnt out. But that was my own fault. This is also a reason why I am making this new game. I wanted Helldivers 2 to be so perfect that I completely self-destructed.
Russ Nickel on burnout and Helldivers 2 (Source: inverse.com)
According to his own statements, Nickel gave up his friendships and pulled all-nighters. However, he emphasizes that this was never demanded by Arrowhead and that it happened of his own accord. He simply wanted to make the best out of the game.
What’s next for him? Currently, Nickel is no longer working for Arrowhead. However, he still wants to work with games and is therefore working on a new game. The game is primarily supposed to be inspired by Fire Emblem and become a tactical strategy RPG. However, the focus will also be on the narrative.
Nickel also says that everything he learned at Helldivers will influence the game. Helldivers 2 has a strong connection to its own community. Many of the employees are a well-known focus within the memes and posts. A community manager has also gained attention due to the Sony controversy: The community manager of Helldivers 2 has now been fired: players want him back
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The PS5 turns four years old this year and since then, several games have been released. But which games are truly Next Gen? This question was also raised by a Reddit user who received some recommendations from the community under his post.
The PS5 was released on November 19, 2020, and since then, many games have come out. However, to this day, many games are also available on the PS4, which often raises the question: Which game is truly Next Gen?
This question was posed by the user Man_mannly who published the post What games truly PUSH the PS5? on Reddit, under which many players gave their recommendations.
What aspects are the users referring to? It must be noted that these are purely recommendations based on players’ experiences. They are not deep, technical analyses showing which game requires what performance or which game is technically the most impressive.
Start video
Demon’s Souls Trailer
Players especially enjoy the PS5-exclusive games
Which games are frequently mentioned? One game that is often mentioned is the remake of Demon’s Souls by Bluepoint, who had previously remade Shadow of the Colossus. Frequencykenneth states that Demon’s Souls is a truly beautiful game. When he started the remake for the first time, he took a moment to admire the surroundings. What’s remarkable about Demon’s Souls is primarily because it is a launch title for the console.
One of the newest features of the PS5 controller is the adaptive triggers, which allow for a different resistance to be defined depending on the weapon or action of the game. According to kylozen101020, Returnal especially utilizes this feature like no other game. Helldivers 2 is also praised for its meaningful use of the adaptive triggers.
Another often-mentioned candidate is Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. The game offers many next-gen features like ray tracing or the imperceptible loading times in the titular portals. For user OpieMushroom, Rift Apart was a grand experience:
I think Ratchet and Clank A Rift Apart has impressively showcased the capabilities of the PS5. […] It looks great and sounds awesome, and plays mechanically excellently. The ray tracing is really well implemented. The haptics are solid. The action scenes and visual variety are at blockbuster level.
The user OpieMushroom about Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart on Reddit
The users also especially name Sony-exclusive games like Gran Turismo 7 and Horizon Forbidden West, as well as Final Fantasy 16. Noteworthy third-party titles include Alan Wake 2, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, and the remake of Dead Space.
The community has gathered a lot of recommendations. With which console games did you first feel like you had arrived in the Next Gen? Let us know in the comments.
