Month: December 2017

Fans of the platforming genre had several great games to play in 2017. Find out which won IGN’s award as the best of the best.

Look, we’re not going to cover the regular stuff – we’ve got a place for that already – but in this episode you’ll find out some of the more niche pursuits the UK office has been enjoying this year.

Join Joe, Rory and Simon as we cover everything from our favourite Netflix Originals and the Games That Made Us Want to Punch One Another, to the greatest meal deal snack and our coveted Beer of the Year title.

IGN UK Podcast #415: Best of 2017 Awards

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Paramount Pictures has released the first photo for the Transformers prequel Bumblebee.

The shot shows actress Hailee Steinfeld standing next to an older, yellow VW bug version of Bumblebee. The Autobot is pretty darn dusty and dirty, and that makes sense considering he’s hanging out in a Californian junkyard, according to the movie’s synopsis. Check out the photo below:

Photo Credit: Jaimie Trueblood © 2018 Paramount Pictures.

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For the very last time this in 2017, Xur has appeared in Destiny 2 with a fresh stock of Exotic gear that Guardians can purchase. As always, we’ve gathered all the necessary information you need to decide whether it’s worth hitting pause on the Christmas and New Year festivities to pay him a visit. Take a look below to see where to find Xur this week and a rundown on what he’s selling on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

This week, Xur has landed on Nessus and can be found hanging out on top of the colorful tree he likes to frequent. The location is the same as all the previous times he’s appeared on Nessus so it should be fairly easy to track him down. If you’d like a visual guide, check out the video above, in which you’ll also get a showcase of his wares. Alternatively, you can check out his stock below.

• Fated Engram — 97 Legendary Shards
• Vigilance Wing (Pulse Rifle) – 29 Legendary Shards
• Foetracer (Hunter Class Helmet) – 23 Legendary Shards
• Peacekeepers (Leg Armor) – 23 Legendary Shards
• Eye Of Another World (Warlock Class Helmet) – 23 Legendary Shards
• Three of Coins — 31 Legendary Shards

The Three of Coins is used to improve chances of getting Exotic Engrams, but has proved to be controversial with Destiny 2 players, causing frustrating regarding the boost it provides and lack of clear communication about what it’s supposed to do. Bungie has since talked about Three of Coins and the effect it has; it’s also acknowledged a problem when using them in Heroic Strikes.

In other Destiny 2 news, The Dawning event is still going and by participating you can acquire a good variety of new items. The event also brings with it the debut of Mayhem in Crucible, which has unfortunately been marred by a Warlocks exploit. Bungie has said that this issue won’t be fixed before the end of the event, and it is not intended to issue bans to those who use the glitch.

The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia is set to launch exclusively for PlayStation 4 on February 9, 2018. Originally a manga, The Seven Deadly Sins has inspired an anime series as well as a 3DS game and a mobile game in Japan. But Knights of Britannia represents the first time a Seven Deadly Sins game has landed on consoles or come to the West. It’s kind of a big deal.

If you’re thinking about buying The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia, you probably want to know what’s in the preorder bonus, which stores have the cheapest price, and whether there are any retailer exclusives to consider. We have all the information you need below, so keep on reading.

Namco Bandai isn’t offering any fancy steelbook or collector’s editions for the game. It’s a standard $60 game. But if you want a little something extra, you will get a bonus for preordering.

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Find out what Xur is selling for the last time in Destiny 2 in 2017.

With 2017 coming to an end, it’s time to look ahead to the new year. And when it comes to TV, it’s easy to become daunted by all the selections available for consumption. Let’s cut through the clutter, shall we?

While fans will have to wait until 2019 before Stranger Things and Game of Thrones return, there are still a ton of small screen goodies worth getting excited about. There are some huge shows coming from broadcast network, premium cable, and streaming platforms. From returning favorites to edgy new genre offerings, here are 18 TV shows to be excited for in 2018.

18. The X-Files, Season 11

January 3, Fox

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are returning as Mulder and Scully once again. The reboot series ended on a huge cliffhanger in Season 10, with the fate of the entire world hanging in the balance. Government conspiracies, UFOs, and whole bunch of FBI drama abound as the pair will once again face their old nemesis, The Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis). And since Season 11 may be Anderson’s final go as Scully, we’re hoping the series goes out with a bang.

17. Krypton

SYFY

SYFY takes a step into the DCEU with Krypton, a Superman prequel series created by David S. Goyer (Man of Steel, The Dark Knight). The program will follow Superman’s grandfather, Seyg El (Cameron Cuffe), as he fights to bring honor back to the House of El, while attempting to save Krypton from falling into complete chaos. The series is billed as a prequel but the timeline will allegedly take place in the past, present, and future. And since this is a DC show, we’re expecting other comic-book heroes–like Adam Strange and Hawkwoman–to make appearances too.

16. Maniac

Netflix

Maniac will probably be one of the weirder series of the year. Given the names attached, though, the show comes with huge buzz. Cary Fukunaga helms the dark comedy, which stars Emma Stone, Jonah Hill, and Justin Theroux. The story centers on a patient living in a psychiatric hospital who escapes reality by living his life inside a fantasy world maintained solely inside his own mind. It sounds bonkers, but if Fukunaga brings the same sensibilities he brought to True Detective, the network may have a winner on its hands.

15. Sharp Objects

June, HBO

The HBO drama is inspired by Gillian Flynn’s novel of the same name. The series stars Amy Adams as a journalist who heads home after a stint in a psychiatric facility, only to find herself investigating the murder of two girls. If you take the tone and subject matter of Flynn’s previous work (Gone Girl) and add Jean-Marc Vallee’s (Big Little Lies) directorial skills into the mix, it’s easy to see Sharp Objects’ edgy allure.

14. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Netflix

The Coen Brothers are coming to TV. That sentence alone should get people excited. The duo–who brought classics like Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and No Country for Old Men to the big screen–will both write and direct a new western anthology series for Netflix. The six episode program will star Tim Blake Nelson, with each episode following a different character and story. Not much else has been announced regarding the series, but that’s fine. The Coen Brothers are coming to TV and that’s pretty awesome.

13. Altered Carbon

Netflix

Netflix’s Altered Carbon is based on Richard K. Morgan’s novel of the same name. The story takes place in the 25th century, where people can transfer their consciousness from one body to another. Of course this sort of immortality ain’t cheap–the procedure is reserved for the story’s rich upper class. Joel Kinnaman (The Killing, Robocop) stars as a soldier who finds himself caught up in a conspiracy, as his own consciousness gets transferred into a police officer’s body. With a budget of roughly $6 million per episode, Netflix has a lot riding on the series.

12. Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams

January 12, Amazon

Thanks to shows like Black Mirror, the anthology trend is popular again. Its success has inspired similar programs to follow suit, and Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams is one of them. The title is a reference to Dick’s classic novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep–which Ridley Scott famously adapted into Blade Runner–and will surely feature a plethora of dark, edgy science fiction goodness. Bryan Cranston, Steve Buscemi, Maura Tierney, and Terrence Howard are just a handful of the names tied to the project.

11. The Umbrella Academy

Netflix

A comic book property outside of Marvel’s purview is on its way to Netflix. The Umbrella Academy comes from the mind of My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way. The series tells the story of some not-pregnant women who suddenly give birth to a bunch of superpowered babies. Taking place in an alternate timeline–one where JFK is still very much alive–the story follows seven kids as they undergo training to save the world. Ellen Page has been tapped to star in the program, and Way will serve as producer.

10. The Twilight Zone

CBS: All Access

Since anthology TV shows are all the rage now, it seems only right that the granddaddy that started it all come out of retirement. Jordan Peele (Get Out, Key and Peele) and Simon Kinberg (Deadpool, Logan) have teamed up to bring a new Twilight Zone to the masses. Sure, multiple versions of The Twilight Zone have graced the big and small screen over the past 60 years–some better than others–but now seems like the perfect time for the series to return.

9. Black Lightning

January 16, The CW

The newest DC series coming to The CW will finally put an African-American hero in the spotlight. Black Lightning follows the story of retired superhero Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) who has spent the last nine years building a family and respected career within his community. But with crime and corruption on the rise, Pierce is forced to embrace his meta-human ability–the dude can harness the power of electricity–and superhero alter-ego to not only save his family, but the community he calls home.

8. Watchmen

HBO

Zack Snyder’s Watchmen movie was visually stunning, to be sure. The story, however, was a bit lacking. Is it possible a TV series is the right way to go? We’ll soon see, as HBO has tapped Damon Lindelof (LOST, The Leftovers) to helm a small-screen adaptation of Alan Moore’s iconic graphic novel. There’s huge buzz behind the series, but fans have sort of been left in the dark on what to expect. Will this draw from Moore’s comic, the 2012 prequel story, or DC’s 2017 sequel, Doomsday Clock?

7. Legion, Season 2

February, FX

Noah Hawley’s (Fargo) Legion accomplished some of the most intense, strange, and visually stunning TV moments of 2017. So of course the anticipation is high for Season 2. Not only has David Haller (Dan Stevens) embraced his super-mutant abilities, it seems that the Marvel story will dig deeper into the history of The Shadow King. While nothing has been confirmed, hopes are high that Professor Xavier will grace the X-Men spinoff with his presence. If that happens, would it be James McAvoy, Patrick Stewart, or a new actor entirely?

6. Luther, Series 5

BBC

Fans of Luther were both excited and dismayed when the series returned for a two-episode fourth season in 2015. With a busy actor like Idris Elba playing the title role, sometimes schedules can be tight. That said, it looks like Elba has donned his signature tweed coat for another go-round as brilliant detective John Luther. We don’t know what sort of gruesome crimes he will be investigating, but one thing is for certain: Idris Elba is at his best when the world is at its worst. Right now, John Luther is the hero we need and deserve.

5. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Netflix

Channeling the success of Riverdale, another Archie Comics story was in the works at The CW. But due to their concern of having too many witch shows–the network’s Charmed reboot is still on the horizon–the untitled Sabrina the Teenage Witch series was handed over to Netflix. The series will explore the origins of the half-witch, half-mortal as she battles the evil forces that threaten her friends and family. Tonally, Deadline describes the series as being “in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist.”

4. Marvel’s Jessica Jones/Daredevil/Luke Cage

March, Netflix

Iron Fist and The Defenders may have cracked the impeccable partnership Netflix cemented with Marvel but that doesn’t mean all hope is lost with the comic book giant’s street level heroes. While Frank Castle came in to disrupt Marvel’s small screen universe, it’s clear that Jessica Jones, Daredevil, and Luke Cage still have more work to do.

3. Black Mirror, Season 4

December 29, Netflix

Black Mirror will return to Netflix on December 29th, but we’re going to assume the majority of viewers won’t fully be binging these new episodes until after the New Year. The Charlie Booker series will explore more technological horrors, twisted morality plays, and heartbreaking plot-lines when Season 4 premieres. We can’t wait to watch “USS Callister,” the Star Trek-inspired episode. But really, it’s hard not to hope for another San Junipero.

2. Castle Rock

Hulu

The Stephen King renaissance has shown no sign of slowing down and with Castle Rock, Hulu’s aiming to bring the author’s story universe to the small-screen. The program’s cast features names like Sissy Spacek, Bill Skarsgard, and Melanie Lynskey. But what makes Castle Rock so special is the connected nature of the anthology series itself. Fans should expect to see familiar stories, characters, and themes that originated in the author’s previous works. There may be a decent wait before Pennywise the Dancing Clown returns to the big-screen, but that’s okay. We’re about to head back into Shawshank Prison, and that’s pretty dang cool.

1. Westworld, Season 2

Spring, HBO

It’s been about a year since Westworld’s first run ended on HBO. Throughout a season filled with jaw-dropping twists and gut-punching revelations, the end of Season 1 left fans with so many questions. Hopefully, the answers will be delivered once Season 2 hits the cable giant. While speculation has us wondering if the show will follow the path Michael Crichton’s original film took–could Delos introduce audiences to a Medieval and Roman World in 2018?– there’s a surefire bet the new episodes will be rife with chaos. Oh, and Samurais. There’s totally going to be Samurais.

Here at IGN, one of our favorite features these days is Explained, where we take a deep dive into the history and background of various pop culture characters who are in the headlines. Over the past couple years, we’ve published quite a few Explained pieces, covering up-and-coming superhero movies and TV shows, horror icons, and more. From Deathstroke to Planet Hulk to Justice League Dark to Pennywise to Slenderman and beyond, we’ve had you covered.

At this point, we figure it’s past time to unite all those pieces in one place. So check out the slideshow below for a roundup of every Explained feature we’ve published to date, including links to each one…

And for more deep dives into your favorite pop culture heroes, take a look at our latest Every Ever video, Every Justice League Member Ever:

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Anime is more accessible in the West than ever. In 2017, Your Name found great success in theaters and Netflix expanded its anime library. Looking ahead to 2018, there are quite a few shows we’re already excited about–and there’s sure to be more to come as the year goes on.

In this gallery, we’re taking a look at the most notable anime coming in 2018. While this list doesn’t include every cool-looking series, it features continuing seasons of great shows, series based on acclaimed manga (and even games!), and upcoming projects from favorite studios. For more anime, check out our list of the best anime you can stream on Netflix right now and our top 10 anime of 2017.

Devilman Crybaby

Based on the classic 1972 horror-shonen manga, Devilman Crybaby follows Akira Fudo, who learns that the world will be taken over by demons. In order to stop them, he combines with one to become Devilman, a being with the power of a demon but the heart of a human. The original Devilman manga is known for pushing the limits of the shonen genre with its dark themes as well as its extreme violence, and appropriately, the premiere of Devilman Crybaby on Netflix in 2018 marks writer Go Nagai’s 50th year as a creator. It’s exciting to see how an adaptation so many years later will iterate on the renowned original, and even more exciting to see it on a huge platform like Netflix.

Premieres January 5 | Available on Netflix

Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card

Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card is a sequel to the original Cardcaptor Sakura anime, which aired from 1998 to 2000. 14-year-old Sakura enters junior high school and has a strange dream, after which all her magical cards–which she collected in the first series as an elementary schooler–are blank and therefore powerless. Cardcaptor Sakura is a beloved magical girl series known for its beautiful animation and broad appeal as a shoujo anime; seeing it revived is definitely something for fans to look forward to in 2018.

Premieres January 6 | Available on Crunchyroll (sub) and Funimation (dub)

Darling in the Franxx

Darling in the Franxx is an original sci-fi mecha series co-produced by Studio Trigger (Kill la Kill, Little Witch Academia) and A-1 Pictures (Fairy Tail, Your Lie in April). Announced at Anime Expo this year, Darling in the Franxx is set far in the future in a world where children pilot robots known as Franxx. They live in a settlement closed off from the outside world, and the whole point of their existence is to pilot Franxx and battle giant enemy lifeforms. This all sounds a bit reminiscent of Gurren Lagann; Studio Trigger was founded by former Gainax creators, so we have faith that Trigger, along with A-1 Pictures, can bring us a worthy mecha anime successor in Darling in the Franxx.

Premieres Jan 13 | Available on Crunchyroll (sub) and Funimation (dub)

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K Season 2

The original run of The Disastrous Life of Saiki K was a huge hit, and the comedy is getting a second season in 2018. Kusou Saiki has, as his name suggests, psychic powers–but all he really wants is an ordinary life without the hassle of supernatural abilities, so he secretly uses his powers to try and be as normal as possible. The results, of course, are hilarious.

Premieres Jan 16 | Available TBA

My Hero Academia Season 3

If you already miss My Hero Academia–we certainly do–don’t worry! Season 3 of the hugely popular shonen series is arriving in Spring 2018, following the School Trip arc of the manga. For the uninitiated, My Hero Academia stars Izuku Midoriya, a superhero fanboy in a world where most people have some sort of power… but unfortunately, he’s one of the unlucky ones who is born “quirkless.” The series embodies everything that makes the shonen genre special, and if the improvement from Season 1 to Season 2 is anything to go by, Season 3 is worth getting excited about.

Premieres April | Available on Funimation, TBA

Steins;Gate 0

Steins;Gate 0 is based on the visual novel of the same name and is a sequel to 2009’s Steins;Gate, which got an anime adaptation in 2011. It’s set after the events of Steins;Gate in the Beta worldline; if you haven’t watched Steins;Gate yet, absolutely do so, because this is a complex time travel situation. Essentially, 0 is an alternate ending, and it follows the eccentric mad scientist Okabe as he deals with his own personal bad ending in a particular timeline.

Premieres April | Available TBA

Violet Evergarden

Auto Memory Dolls were originally created to generate voice to text, a simple function to help the visually impaired. But one company took that idea and applied it to real women who, in addition to providing the same function as the dolls, can also carry about military-related tasks. The series follows Violet Evergarden, a former soldier who becomes an Auto Memory Doll. Through her journey, she gets an intimate look at people’s emotions and searches for their greater meaning. Kyoto Animation, recently known for Sound! Euphonium, is a studio well-versed in emotional anime, so we’re excited to see what this next series holds.

Premieres Spring (outside of Japan) | Available on Netflix

Attack on Titan Season 3

After a long wait, the second season of Attack on Titan aired in 2017. We won’t have to wait another four years for more, though; Season 3 is slated for 2018. If you haven’t seen it yet, Attack on Titan is set in a world where humanity lives in fear of titans, beings that nearly destroyed human life and drove the rest of the species behind walls. Season 3 is set to adapt the Uprising Arc from the manga.

Premieres July | Available TBA

SSSS.Gridman

Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad Gridman, or SSSS.Gridman for short, is another Studio Trigger anime coming in 2018. It’s an adaptation of the live-action, special-effects series Gridman the Hyper Agent (which was adapted for America as Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad). Gridman is kind of like Power Rangers in style, so if you were a fan growing up, the Gridman anime is one to look forward to.

Premieres October | Available TBA

Ready to start planning your pull list for the New Year now? Feeling a little overwhelmed by the near endless barrage of solicits and advanced order notices from your favorite comics publishers? Lost track of just what’s coming out and when after the whirlwind of the holidays finally subsides?

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are 10 comics slated for release in 2018 that you should be keeping an eye on, from scientifically skewed superheroes to intrepid investigators.

Earth One: Green Lantern

DC’s latest entry into their “Earth One” line of graphic novels–stand alone books set in alternate universes where tenpole heroes like Batman and Wonder Woman can be reimagined from the ground up–is Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko’s Earth One: Green Lantern.

Primed to tell–surprise–an all new origin story for Hal Jordan, the second Green Lantern from Earth, with a decidedly more hard sci-fi bent than his original Silver Age story which involved him finding a crashed alien craft in the desert. Hardman and Bechko have cited influences like Interstellar for this new take and have revealed that Jordan will be an astronaut rather than a test pilot in this particular universe–a perfect intersection of sci-fi and superheroes for anyone who finds themselves on that particular venn diagram of interest.

Earth One: Green Lantern is coming in February.

The Seeds

A collaboration between two legends of the comic book industry–Ann Nocenti and David Aja–The Seeds falls under the newly founded Berger Books imprint at Dark Horse, handpicked and curated by Vertigo creator Karen Berger.

The Seeds is a four part story about a reporter in a world where “fact based reporting is gasping for its last breath,” Nocenti described. This reporter stumbles onto a huge story with potentially cosmic consequences–but it’s one she can’t report on, so, in lieu of telling the truth, she decides to concoct a myth and work from there.

The first issue of The Seeds is due in March.

Fence

Taking its queues from fan-favorite “sports anime” genre breakouts like Yuri!!! On Ice and Free! Boom Studios’ new ongoing, Fence–written by C.S. Pacat and drawn by Joanna the Mad–is the story of Nicholas Cox, competitive fencer with a chip on his shoulder trying to earn a spot on the team at the elite all-boys school, Kings Row.

The first two issues have already hit shelves in November and December of 2017, paving the way for a strong showing in 2018 as it continues monthly. Fence is going to be a must-read for not only “sports anime” fans, but anyone with so much as a passing interest in young adult fiction, queer narratives, or, unsurprisingly, fencing–though, don’t worry, any prior knowledge of fencing is definitely not required.

Fence #3 is due out in January.

Rise of the Black Panther

Journalist Evan Narcisse is joining forces with current Black Panther writer Ta-Nehisi Coates and artist Paul Renaud to tell a brand new “origin story” flavored tale for Marvel’s Black Panther, just in time for his solo big screen debut next year.

Teasers for the first issue have already dropped, featuring Renaud’s art and characters like Captain America and and Azzuri the Wise, solidifying this book as a “must read” for Black Panther fans new and old–or, really, anyone who might want to brush up on their comics history before Black Panther hits theatres in February.

Rise of the Black Panther #1 is due out in January.

Doomsday Clock

Despite making some massive waves in 2017, Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s Doomsday Clock has 10 issues of its 12 issue run remaining after the new year, making the bulk of the story a 2018 event.

No matter where you fall on the Watchmen controversy, Doomsday Clock is sure to be a spectacle–and a major guiding force of the DCU in 2018. Rebirth might be officially over, but the trailheads and mysteries that were seeded way back in 2016 have yet to be resolved. This is the book you’ll want to be reading for, if not the solutions, than at least the next wave of clues.

Doomsday Clock #3 will be published in January.

Bingo Love

Fresh off of a massive Kickstarter victory, earning nearly four times its intended goal, Bingo Love by Tee Franklin and Jenn St-Onge has been picked up for widespread release by Image Comics. The story of two young black women named Mari and Hazel who fall in love at a bingo hall in the early 60s, but are broken apart by their families, only to reunite 50 years later to find they’re both very much still in love–but that they’re both married to someone else. Bingo Love is a story about love, loss, and victory in the face of adversity with a focus on the issues surrounding coming out as queer later in life.

Bingo Love will hit shelves as a graphic novel in February, just in time for Valentines Day.

Milk Wars

DC’s offbeat Young Animal pop-up imprint (curated by former My Chemical Romance frontman, Gerard Way) is crossing the streams in a major way next year with the Milk Wars crossover event, bringing Young Animal’s cast of wild, reality bending, art house characters like Shade, The Changing Girl, Cave Carson, and the members of the Doom Patrol into contact with the mainstream DC books. These stories will be the place to go if you’re a little more into the strange and unusual side of capes and cowls.

Milk Wars will be built around various crossover one-shot specials like JLA/Doom Patrol, Shade The Changing Girl/Wonder Woman, and Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye/Swamp Thing and is kicking off at the end of January.

Judas

A four part story by Jeff Loveness and Jakub Rebelka, Judas is the story of, well, Judas. As in the biblical betrayer of Jesus Christ and what happens to him after his death. But don’t let the religious bent of the story fool you–the first issue, which dropped in December of 2017, established that this is going to be anything but a Bible story. Taking queues from Dante’s Inferno and Milton’s Paradise Lost, Judas is a poetic, beautifully rendered exploration of love, loss, and reckoning as Judas wanders the afterlife, wondering just where he fits into the canon of history.

Judas #2 is coming in January.

The Terrifics

One of the titles falling under DC’s newly rebranded New Age Of DC Heroes line, The Terrifics is Jeff Lemire and Ivan Reis’s crack at a tried-and-true superhero team formula. Comprised of some of DC’s B and C listers like Mr. Terrific, Metamorpho, Phantom Girl, and Plastic Man, the team is going to be spiraling out of the events of Dark Nights: Metal, the Batman-centric crossover that dominated the back half of DC’s 2017. And, if Metal is any indication, The Terrifics is definitely going to be a book to watch for fans invested in the larger story of the DCU.

The Terrifics #1 is slated for shelves in February.

Abbott

Novelist and current Black Bolt scribe, Saladin Ahmed, announced a new project this year with artist Sami Kivelä and Boom Studios called Abbott, the story of Detroit in an alternate 1972 where magic and mysticism are not only real but potentially out for blood. Focused on an investigative journalist named Elena Abbott, digging into the murder of her husband, Ahmed has said that Abbott is as much about its characters as it is about the city itself where Ahmed himself was born, raised, and currently resides.

Abbott #1 is set for release in January.