Recently, GameSpot had a big reveal for the upcoming Magic: The Gathering set Ikoria: Lair of Behemoth. We saw Snapdex, Apex of the Hunt, whose Godzilla Series Monster version is none other than King Caesar. Now, we have another reveal for the upcoming set.
Auspicious Starrix is a 6/6 creature from the upcoming set, which will launch in April and May. It utilizes the new Mutate mechanic, which allows you to combine creatures into one, unstoppable beast. Additionally, while using the Mutate mechanic, you exile permanent cards from your library, then put those permanents onto the battlefield. Check out the card below.
From the Ikoria: Lair of Behemoth set
“We wanted to go all out showing how awesome Godzilla in Magic would be, so we made sure to bring the new Mutate ability onto these cards,” lead product designer of Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Mike Turian explained to GameSpot. “Then when you combine Magic and Godzilla, there are so many evergreen abilities that fit perfectly so we mixed in those also. Who doesn’t want to have an amazing Godzilla that tramples over all of your opponent’s puny creatures?”
Warning: this review contains full spoilers for Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Season 7, Episode 7. If you need a refresher on where we left off, here’s our review for Season 7, Episode 6.
[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
Watching the final season of The Clone Wars, there’s a constant tug of war between gratitude we’re even getting a proper finale after all these years and frustration over how the show is choosing to spend its time. The opening Bad Batch storyline suffered from issues with pacing and repetition, and the current arc is faring even worse in that department. As wonderful as it is to see Ahsoka Tano back in action, the series seems to be doing little more than stalling for tie until the Siege of Mandalore kicks in.
After mostly redeeming itself in last week’s episode, the current arc again falls flat on its face as it attempts to further explore the dynamic between Ahsoka and the Martez sisters. Episode 5’s main flaw was a generally feeling of emptiness. It brought Ahsoka into Trace and Rafa’s orbit but accomplished little else. Episode 6 is where that relationship began to gain depth and meaning. Episode 7 isn’t entirely unsuccessful in building on that foundation, but it botches its key emotional scene and fails to actually advance the plot in a tangible way.
Here’s problem #1. The scene where Rafa finally lets down her guard and recounts her tragic past to Ahsoka should be the highlight of the episode. It’s certainly a revelatory look at her origins and why she’s so willing to screw over others to get ahead in the galaxy. The fact that her origin story ties back to the beginning of the series and Ahsoka’s own struggles with Ziro the Hutt is a nice touch. Unfortunately, the actual writing leaves a lot to be desired. Rafa’s dialogue is incredibly stilted and unnatural, more like she’s reciting a monologue from a novel than actually reflecting on her past. Actress Elizabeth Rodriguez brings as much energy as she can to this material, but there’s only so much anyone can do to make dialogue like that feel organic.
As for problem #2, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that our three heroes end this episode in literally the exact same place they start. All that struggle to break out of the Pyke prison and track down Trace’s ship wind sup being for naught. It would be one thing if there was enough character development to make that ill-fated journey seem worthwhile, but there isn’t. Beyond Rafa’s ill-conceived monologue and a scene reiterating that Ahsoka isn’t one to leave her friends behind, there’s really not a whole lot to chew on in “Dangerous Debt.” At most, we get a brief glimpse of Bo-Katan and her Mandalorian commandos, a brief tease to what will surely be a far more exciting conflict for Ahsoka.
That’s not to say there’s no excitement to be had during the short-lived jailbreak sequence. There’s certainly plenty of action along the way. And where the Bad Batch episodes were all about incredibly competent soldiers mowing down wave after wave of mechanical cannon fodder, there’s a novelty to the fact that these battle scenes are so chaotic and haphazard. The Martez sisters aren’t action heroes, and even Ahsoka is hamstrung by a lack of lightsaber and the need to disguise her Force powers. The result is that this episode is able to generate a certain element of danger and combine that with bits of comedy as Ahsoka does her best bumbling Clark Kent impression. None of this is enough to offset the episode’s glaring flaws or make it feel like anything other than a pointless detour, but it’s better than nothing.
Despite having a title that sounds like a fake Tracy Jordan 30 Rock movie, Coffee & Kareem — which pairs Ed Helms’ straight-laced cop with a foul-mouth 12-year-old — is a solid, raunchy action-comedy that serves as perfect tight 90-minute escapism.
Director Michael Dowse brings a lot of the faced-paced wit and gunfire that he delivered in Stuber, with actual better results than Stuber. In fact, Stuber and Coffee & Kareem have a ton in common. It just so happens that the formula works a bit better when someone’s screaming at Ed Helms and not Kumail Nanjiani.
Is Helms playing anything outside of his comfort zone here? Nope. He’s right at home, playing the type of character you’d expect him to. Have we seen abrasive, cussing tweens accuse adults of wanting to molest them before? Sure have. 2008’s Role Models springs to mind, first and foremost. But just because Coffee & Kareem has a few “stitched together” elements, doesn’t mean it doesn’t work overall. It’s smartly short, packing in a very simple story that’s filled with some pretty good jokes.
Helms plays Detroit cop/Hall & Oates fan James Coffee. Coffee’s dating a single working mom (Taraji P. Henson) whose son, Kareem (Terrence Little Gardenhigh), hates his possible future stepdad so much that he makes a play to pay a local gangster to beat him up. Gardenhigh is a great find. This flick has super raunchy dialogue so it was imperative to find a child actor who can perfectly play Kareem and find that balance between annoying and funny. Without a good kid in the part, you run a serious risk of pushing the audience away from the (albeit, small) heart of the story.
Helms, while playing to the familiar, is still able to shine in key moments. One particular interrogation scene, midway through the film, springs to mind, as Coffee attempts to take advice from Kareem about how to intimidate others. Again, the movie doesn’t offer up anything particularly new, but it does have some gems buried within.
The small supporting cast — Betty Gilpin, RonReaco Lee, Andrew Bachelor, and David Alan Grier — also help liven up the tropes. As Coffee’s workplace “alpha” nemesis, Gilpin gets to stretch her comedic prowess like crazy, delivering a whirlwind of cackles. And the film’s villains have a very fun rapport that almost reminds one of Elmore Leonard’s knack for writing super-smart dumbasses.
After Coffee’s framed for murder and kidnapping, everyone involved gets targeted for death. Henson, for her part, was made for this type of part. As Kareem’s mom, Vanessa, she not only has to react with confounded fury when the man she’s seeing returns home with her son and there’s an Amber Alert out naming both of them, but also be able to elevate the “damsel in distress” cliche as a character who’s more than capable of carrying herself in a fight.
Coffee & Kareem may seem like a film where the title came first and then a story was spun out around the wordplay, but it actually works well and offers up some chaotic and crass comedy. Fortunately for all, Helms and Gardenhigh work really well together and their chemistry helps elevate the film above the semi-laughable logline.
As part of Amazon’s gigantic push into gaming, the company is developing a new Lord of the Rings MMO with developers who previously worked on Destiny, WoW, and Planetside, among others. The game is in development at the company’s Irvine, California studio, and now some of the first details about the game have emerged thanks to job listings.
A job ad for a senior character artist on the Lord of the Rings project calls for a person who will help create what sounds like a new art style for the game. The listing states, “We’re seeking an art style for our game that is ‘different-at-a-glance’ from the games and movies that have come before us.”
The listing goes on: “We need an artist with bravery and artistic skills to help us do something new.”
Everything in Good Job is designed to keep you from achieving what its title implies. Even simple tasks like delivering parcels or mopping up the floor are made comically complicated with unpredictable physics and ridiculous office tools at your disposal. Good Job isn’t so much about finding a way to achieve your objectives in the cleanest manner possible, but is instead a fun playground for you and some friends to muck about in. It’s at its best when it gives you the freedom to create solutions to puzzles using the chaos you orchestrate, only faltering in a handful of scenarios.
Good Job puts you in the working boots of the ill-equipped and woefully unqualified child of a mega-corporation’s CEO, and you’re given any and every job possible as you climb the corporate ladder. The first floors are simple–you mop up brightly colored goop off the floor, deliver packages to color-coded desks, and courier projectors to meeting rooms in need. As trivial as it sounds, the chaotic layout of the offices combined with the loose, QWOP-like control scheme makes moving objects feel like you’re spring cleaning after a rough night out at a bar. Dragging a projector, for example, is humorously tricky. It easily slides around while you drag it, knocking over decorative art pieces and smashing the glass walls of meeting rooms. Good Job isn’t worried about how well you complete a job, but rather if you’re able to get it done period. Leaving a mess of memos, fire extinguisher foam, and distressed co-workers in your wake just makes it more fun.
Every object in Good Job is physically reactive, giving every little bump the potential to set off a chain reaction of destruction. Each level is designed with this in mind, forcing you to navigate through doors just too small to pull objects through, around twisting hallways filled with precariously placed vases and paintings, and over electrical cables that will catch anything you might be dragging with you. These are presented not only as obstacles, but as fun opportunities to create chaos that makes your job a little easier.
Amazon could soon be a force to be reckoned with in the world of gaming, as the company is said to have invested “hundreds of millions” of dollars into trying to become a major player in the games business. The New York Times reported that figure, and also noted that Amazon’s new push into gaming represents the company’s “most significant investment” in original entertainment since it launched a movie and TV business with Amazon Studios.
Amazon’s film and TV business has enjoyed a lot of success over the years, including the acclaimed TV show Transparent and the Oscar-winning movie Manchester by the Sea. Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel also won high acclaim, picking up multiple Golden Globe and Emmy wins.
Amazon is looking for success in gaming, too, and this begins with the launch of its first original game, the sci-fi shooter Crucible. The game, which is developed by Relentless Studios in Seattle, is due to launch in May, following delays related to COVID-19. Amazon is also working on multiple MMOs, including the 17th century New World (from Amazon’s Irvine, California studio) and a Lord of the Rings MMO from the same studio in southern California.
Persona 5 Royal is out now, but if you played the original, you might be wondering if the re-release is worth your time. We round up the biggest differences you need to know between the two games.
Buying a monitor might seem like a frivolous purchase if you only have a laptop and primarily play your games on a 4K TV, but these desk-bound screens are more helpful than you would think. For one thing, looking at a monitor at a desk is much more ergonomic than hunching over your laptop on the couch. Not only that, you also get a ton more screen real estate to work with, which means you can have more windows open at the same time and you don’t have to squint to see everything on your screen.
The good news is there’s a wide variety of budget monitors you can buy on the cheap and they’ll often fulfill your every need. Whether you’re looking for a basic task monitor or something higher-resolution, HDR-ready or even an ultrawide screen, there’s an affordable display out there for you. Like budget gaming monitors, the chance of running into a complete lemon is high, which is exactly why we’ve done the homework for you and found budget monitors that are guaranteed to be great and all cost under $500.
The Dell UltraSharp U2415 is a staple monitor in offices and homes all around the world. It’s not surprising considering that it’s one of the best all-around monitors with good brightness, contrast, and color. Best of all, every one of these screens are color calibrated at Dell’s factories so you’ll get the same picture if you decide to go for a multi-monitor setup.
The monitor’s Full HD (1,920 x 1,200) resolution looks sharp enough given its 24-inch screen size. That said, the 16:10 aspect ratio gives you just a little more vertical real estate so you can see your webpages, emails, documents or what have you at a glance.
If you’re looking for something truly cheap and still good, look no further than the Asus EyeCare VZ249HE. This $180 monitor features a decently sized 24-inch screen and a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) resolution in a slim, slim-bezel design. Better yet it utilizes an IPS panel so you get wide viewing angles and great color reproduction too.
The EyeCare in this monitor’s name refers to the four levels of blue light reduction it features. Essentially you can set the monitor to produce increasing levels of warm light depending. Level 1 and 2 are good for viewing web pages and media in a well ambient lighting situation. Meanwhile, you’ll want to bump up to level 3 and 4 if you’re looking at documents all day or working in a dimly lit situation.
The Samsung 27-inch Space Monitor (SR75) is an incredible display that not only gives you a larger screen for a budget price but also an integrated monitor arm. The coolest thing about it is by far its space-saving design. Rather than utilizing a base with large feet, this display comes on a stand that clips to the back of your desk. Meanwhile, the monitor arm that lets you change how close it sits from you as well as its height.
The monitor itself is no slouch either. For starters, you’re getting a large 27-inch screen and a sharp QHD (2,560 x 1,440) resolution. The IPS panel on this monitor also comes with a surprisingly fast 144Hz refresh rate and 4ms response time, which makes it a little more gaming-capable than the other displays on this list.
The Philips 272P7VUBNB is one of the few monitors that let you max out your screen resolution without breaking the bank. This 27-inch monitor features an IPS panel with a 4K resolution and the ability to produce 1.07 billion colors. It’s peak brightness only sits at 350-nits so it’s not a true HDR monitor – but we have an option below if that’s what you’re looking for.
One other thing that’s great about the Philips 272P7VUBNB is it comes with a built-in USB-C docking station. So if you have a laptop equipped with a USB-C port, you can plug in a single cable to carry the video signal, connect any USB peripherals you have connected to the monitor and power your laptop all at the same time. Note that the USB-C port can only supply up to 65W of power, so it can only recharge devices like Ultrabooks and Chromebooks.
If you’re looking for an extra splash of color and brightness, then check out the Monoprice Vivid Monitor. This monitor features a 27-inch IPS panel from LG that colors a wide range of colors including 100% of the sRGB and Adobe RGB spectrum as well as coverage for 97% of DCI-P3. With a peak brightness of 400-nits, this display is full HDR-ready.
The monitor’s 4K resolution is just the cherry on top of this affordable display. Just be ready to do a little color calibration as Monoprice usually skips this step to give users an incredible panel for an affordable price.
The LG UltraWide 34WL750-B sits right on the cusp of our self-imposed $500 budget but it’s all so worth it. This 34-inch ultrawide monitor sports a 21:9 monitor for the largest amount of screen real-estate on this list. Of course it doesn’t hurt that the monitor sports a sharp 3440 x 1440 resolution that gives you plenty of room to work and play.
It also happens to meet the HDR10 spec with a color depth of 1.07 billion and a peak brightness of 430-nits. You can also use this monitor as a USB-C hub for any laptops or smartphones you plug into it.
The Viotek LinQ Touch is the perfect portable monitor if you’re looking for a second screen you can tow along with your laptop. It might only weigh 1.7 pounds and measure less than a half-inch thick, but it’s a sizable 15.6-inch touchscreen you can take on the go.
The 15-inch IPS panel sports a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution and you’ll be able to use all 10 of your fingers on its capacitive touchscreen. The monitor also comes with a pair of integrated speakers, FreeSync support, and a magnetic folding leather cover that doubles as a stand.
Disney has announced that an updated version of The Simpsons in its original 4:3 aspect ratio will be available on its Disney+ streaming service by the end of May.
When Disney released Disney+ with every available episode of The Simpsons, viewers soon discovered that the series was formatted in 16:9 widescreen. This wouldn’t have been so bad if it didn’t actively ruin certain visual gags that The Simpsons is known for.
Comedian Tristan Cooper tweeted a famous example of how the widescreen format removed a sight gag from one of the classic Simpsons episodes.
All the classic Simpsons episodes on Disney+ are in cropped widescreen format — this means you miss out on tons of great visual jokes, like how Duff, Duff Lite and Duff Dry all come from the same tube. pic.twitter.com/cTy9adulFl
In November 2019, Disney announced that it would roll out a feature in 2020 that would allow users to choose a 4:3 viewing ratio for the first 19 seasons of The Simpsons, as well as some episodes from season 20.
The feature will now roll out at the end of May, which is a bit more specific though no actual date has been announced yet.
The Simpsons aired in a 4:3 aspect ratio since its premiere in 1989. In 2010, partway through the 20th season, The Simpsons switched to a widescreen format. Although the original aspect ratio was available when streaming The Simpsons on the FXX app, that option didn’t carry over to Disney+.
