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Dell’s Inspiron gaming laptop lineup has long offered a decent gaming experience at an affordable price. However, since Dell owns Alienware it’s always careful not to step on its alien feet, and thus nearly all of the off-the-shelf Inspiron 15 Gaming laptops sport a mid-range spec sheet.
The newest version of the Inspiron 15 7000 (See it on Dell.com) / (See it on Currys PC World UK) adopts a few upgrades over the previous version, and the biggest one is that the GPU has been upgraded from a low-end Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti to a GTX 1060. Other small changes include the move to an IPS panel, a slight reduction in size, and the addition of a fingerprint reader.
10 games are debuting on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and PlayStation VR this week, with Monster Hunter World and Dragon Ball FighterZ among the week’s biggest releases.
For a full rundown of what’s releasing, along with official descriptions via the PlayStation Blog and links to IGN’s reviews when applicable, check out the gallery below.
Monster Hunter World (Available on Jan. 26 on PS4)
Dragon Ball FighterZ (Available on Jan. 26 on PS4)
Overwatch‘s big new cosmetic update has launched on all platforms. That means there’s a ton of new skins and items to get your hands on–and no time limit rushing you to get them all right away. These new cosmetics work differently than those we typically see added as part of an event with a limited-time loot box. This update adds more than 100 new items to the base loot box. In other words, these can all be unlocked at any time by playing, or you can purchase them directly through the Hero Gallery with Credits.
Among the new items are 17 new skins: 12 Legendaries, and five Epics. Some of these were revealed in the lead up to the update’s release, but now we’ve gotten a look at them all–you can check them out in the gallery above, along with all the new sprays. The update also introduces new player icons, emotes, highlight intros, and more, spanning all 26 characters in the game.
Aside from the cosmetic side of things, the new update introduces a new map called Blizzard World. This is an amusement park based on Blizzard’s other, non-Overwatch franchises, such as Warcraft, Diablo, and StarCraft. It’s a hybrid map where teams fight to push or defend a payload through the park. On a related note, some of the new skins are actually based on characters from other franchises, such as Zarya’s Barbarian outfit based on Diablo III and Widowmaker’s Nova from StarCraft II.
Iconoclasts‘ Metroidvania-inspired style and structure is deceptively simple at first. The vibrant 2D-pixelated world you inhabit is evocative and the action is quick and snappy. But if you’ve played games like this before, it’d be easy to dismiss Iconoclasts as trite and rudimentary considering the number of similar experiences available nowadays. Yet as you push through the game’s myriad twists and turns, it matures before your very eyes, unfurling to reveal complex puzzles and a heart wrenching narrative.
Iconoclasts is a fantastic looking game with an impressive level of detail on display, a prime example being the unique animations and sounds each character exhibits. The presentation and catchy retro music elevates the personality of the world, making the game more captivating as a whole. However, judging Iconoclasts simply on its appearance undersells what’s buried under the surface. There’s much to love about this adventure: it’s brimming with nuanced characters, riveting drama, sharp wit, and a host of well-crafted action set-pieces. Iconoclasts leverages its storytelling and presentation to pull you in. These elements distinguish it from the old-school adventures it recalls, making it worth checking out even if you’re not traditionally a fan of retro games.
The adventure begins with little fanfare, putting you in control of mute protagonist Robin, an unlicensed mechanic in a world where technology is considered sacred due to its link to a dwindling magical resource that powers all things. This effectively renders her chosen profession illegal in the eyes of One Concern, a corrupt theocracy that rules the world with an iron fist. When Robin’s actions inevitably provoke One Concern to hunt down everyone she loves, she becomes embroiled in a conflict that threatens not only the safety of her family but the entire world.
The strength of Iconoclasts’ narrative isn’t in the broader story beats, but the smaller emotional arcs of its characters. While the people you meet in your journey are inherently charming and likable, they’re also broken individuals, consumed by their own inadequacies and traumatized by the crimes One Concern has inflicted upon them. Iconoclasts’ depiction of grief is realistic and powerful; it doesn’t hesitate to explore the emotional issues of its cast, often resulting in moments that fundamentally alter their identities in unexpected ways. There’s a real sense of growth, with each character transcending their wit-laced dialogue and evolving into people with affecting, relatable plights.
Iconoclasts doesn’t hesitate to explore the emotional issues of its cast, often resulting in moments that fundamentally alter their identities in unexpected ways.
Unsettling events occur throughout, so it helps that Robin is such an uplifting presence. Her unspoken optimism and willingness to help those in need makes her an incredibly endearing hero. Robin’s endless strength and kindness in the face of a world permeated with religious and political corruption–not to mention her own emotional issues–serve as rays of hope in an otherwise dark journey. In the multitude of disasters that befall your allies, you’re always compelled to keep pushing further, if only to see how Robin may hope to fix the world’s atrocities.
As Robin, it’s a joy to move and engage in combat. With her trusty stun gun and wrench, you’ll navigate various biomes and industrial complexes where all manner of foes await, from rampaging deer and purple slimes to One Concern guards and deformed mutants. Combat is primarily focused on running ‘n gunning, but there’s some added nuance thanks to an upgrade system driven by collecting materials to craft Tweaks, which are special items that alter Robin’s abilities. The effect of Tweaks are subtle, mostly altering physical characteristics such as running speed, the strength of your wrench attack, or how long you can hold your breath underwater.
Areas are packed with puzzles where you’re often pushed to think critically about how you can use your arsenal to clear a path.
While tweaks are handy, they feel underutilized as there’s rarely any urgency to rely on them to succeed. Their effects aren’t all that noticeable, so they do little to change combat and exploration, which is disappointing. This can be somewhat remedied by crafting three of the same tweak to maximize their effects as opposed to diversifying the types you have equipped. Still, combat remains gratifying even with the less-than-impactful tweaks as it relies on skill and precision over an overly complicated upgrade system.
Rather than emulate Metroidvania games that favor open-ended exploration, Iconoclasts puts its focus on environmental puzzle solving. Areas are packed with brain-teaser-like trials where you’re often pushed to think critically about how you can use your arsenal to clear a path towards the objective. For example, there are puzzles that involve moving platforms using a concussive bomb launcher. This sounds simple in theory, but it’s far more involved when you have to consider how a bomb can only move a platform when it hits it from a specific direction. This is further complicated by the fact that when you charge up the launcher, it fires a missile that can only push platforms once it has picked up enough speed. Iconoclasts’ puzzle design encourages you to consider its smallest details, which can occasionally be overwhelming during its most painstaking conundrums. But when you put in the time to work out a difficult solution, it’s incredibly satisfying.
The emphasis on puzzle-solving even bleeds into boss fights, which are intense screen-filling battles that test your intellect as much as your reflexes. One boss has you switching between Robin and another playable character in order to work through a series of specific steps to reveal its weak point. While the game is quick to surprise you (and even make you laugh) with its bombastic boss fights, it also offers more tactical complexity than simply shooting at a foe until it’s dead. As a result, you’re often challenged to completely revise your strategy at a moment’s notice in case a boss becomes invulnerable to your attacks.
Iconoclasts is a sincere and compelling adventure that anyone with respect for fantastic storytelling and 2D-action can enjoy.
When Iconoclasts’ end credits begin to roll, it’s bittersweet to see it all come to a close. After solving all of its puzzles and witnessing the finale of its poignant narrative, you can’t help but reflect on the growth of its characters and your impact onto the world. The game will shock and surprise you with how gripping its story is, and it’s likely to do so again in subsequent playthroughs of New Game+ with your expanded knowledge of character histories and events. Iconoclasts may be a callback to the style and mechanics of old-school games, but it’s also a sincere and compelling adventure that anyone with respect for fantastic storytelling and 2D-action can enjoy.
The closed beta for Microsoft’s upcoming pirate game, Sea of Thieves, is set to begin tomorrow, January 24, and players can now start preparing for it ahead of time. The beta is available to pre-load on both Xbox One and PC, though only certain players will be able to participate in it.
Like the Sea of Thieves technical alpha back in December, tomorrow’s beta is restricted to those who either joined the Sea of Thieves Insider Program prior to December 1, 2017 or have pre-ordered the title. Xbox One players who reserved Sea of Thieves digitally from the Xbox Store will find the beta waiting in the My Games and Apps section of their console’s dashboard, while those who pre-ordered the game on PC via the Microsoft Store will find it in their Library. If you reserved the game at retail, you’ll need to redeem the code you received for the Black Dog cosmetic pack on the Microsoft Store (PC) or Xbox Store (Xbox One) before installing the beta. The beta client weighs in at 7.45 GB on Xbox One; you can read more about how to install it on the official Sea of Thieves website.
The Sea of Thieves closed beta begins at 4 AM PT / 7 AM ET / 12 PM GMT on January 24 and runs until 12 AM PT / 3 AM ET / 8 AM GMT on January 29. Developer Rare hasn’t detailed what players could expect from the beta, but the studio did confirm it won’t be a portion of the full game but rather a tailored experience “that offers a true taste of the pirate life.”
Every year the Academy Awards arrive and every year there are new controversies, new debates, and new films that – arguably – didn’t deserve to be nominated. But as weird as it is that films like 102 Dalmatians and Click are officially in the record books as Oscar nominees, their nominations weren’t necessarily “weird.” They just had impressive achievements hidden under all of their more obvious badness.
No, if you want to explore the WEIRDEST Oscar nominations in history, you’re going to have to dig deeper than Norbit. You have to explore forgotten controversies, bizarre jokes that got taken too seriously, and strange one-time occurrences that forced the Academy to ultimately change their rules, just so they’ll never look foolish again. So get ready folks, we’re about to take a pretty deep dive. These are the weirdest Oscar nominations in history…
The original Old Man Logan storyline introduced readers to a post-apocalyptic Marvel Universe where an aged Wolverine was among the last heroes standing. Now All-New Wolverine readers will get to see how that premise plays out with Laura Kinney in the lead role, thanks to a new arc called “Old Woman Laura.”
All-New Wolverine #33 cover by David Lopez. (Marvel Comics)
It’s the last week of January with no slowdown of game releases in sight. So IGN has gathered a list of the latest eShop releases of the week for Nintendo Switch and 3DS in North America.
CELESTE
Help Madeline survive her inner demons on her journey to the top of Celeste Mountain, in this super-tight, hand-crafted platformer from the creators of multiplayer classic TowerFall. The controls are simple and accessible – simply jump, air-dash, and climb – but with layers of expressive depth to master, where every death is a lesson. Lightning-fast respawns keep you climbing as you uncover the mysteries of the mountain and brave its many perils.
While this year’s crop of nominees managed to avoid another embarrassing #OscarsSoWhite scenario of oversights and omissions, there were nevertheless some very notable snubs and exclusions. Here are some of the biggest ones:.
Guillermo del Toro’s romantic fantasy film The Shape of Water led the Oscar race with 13 nominations, including Best Picture, but Academy members apparently only allowed themselves to take that one genre movie seriously this year. Blade Runner 2049 received critical raves, but outside of some regional critics groups the film itself has failed to win any major awards. It received five below-the-line nominations (we’ll see if cinematographer Roger Deakins finally wins an Oscar thanks to his work on Blade Runner 2049).
Atari has launched a crowdfunding campaign to bring a new RollerCoaster Tycoon game to Nintendo Switch.
The campaign is on the StartEngine platform, where Atari is seeking between $10,000 and $1.07 million. Nvizzio Creations, the studio behind the free-to-play RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch, will be developing this new entry in the long-running series.
Investors will participate in a revenue share, be kept informed about the game’s development, and potentially become involved in future Atari projects. For a full detailed breakdown of all the investor perks, visit the campaign page here and check out the video pitch below.
