Saturday, April 17, 2021
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Oddworld: Soulstorm Review – A NEGATIVE Batch Of Brew

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Playing Oddworld: Soulstorm is as arduous as Abe’s quest to liberate his Mudoken brethren from slavery. Each step is a supreme test of patience as you methodically guide your followers through challenging hazards, sweating over the fact that one slip-up could unravel all your effort. If you enjoy putting up with that old-school challenge, you might love this journey. However, if you’re a newcomer or a fan that believes this style of platformer hasn’t aged very well, turn back now. Soulstorm doesn’t do enough to modernize the series’ tedious gameplay, and a litany of severe technical hiccups spoil Abe’s attempted comeback. A reimagining of Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus, Soulstorm’s gameplay remains largely the same: you recruit and guide followers through 2D platforming stages littered with dangers. As charming as the classic Oddworld games are, they can be frustratingly difficult and that hasn’t changed much in Soulstorm. Most Slig enemies and other hazards mow Abe down instantly, and I was infuriated by how little wiggle room I had to correct course when things went sideways. Abe drops so fast that it makes the health meter seem like a cruel tease. While playing Soulstorm, I often felt like I was walking on eggshells because of that high price of failure, retracing every step, re-recruiting every Mudokon, and carefully guiding them through a gauntlet of foes is soul-crushing when it all falls apart in seconds. Dying to unexpected perils, like being suddenly gunned down by off-screen enemies, feels cheap and happens way too often. A crafting system serves as Soulstorm’s biggest addition, but it doesn’t feel necessary. You must repeatedly gather the same ingredients every time you die (by searching lockers, trash cans, and fallen foes), which wore me down in a hurry after repeatedly replaying certain sections. The crafted tools themselves, like proximity mines, smoke screens, even a flamethrower, do add a welcomed element of flexibility and improvisation to gameplay. Dropping smoke screens to create hiding spots anywhere is nice, but I wished I didn’t have to make these items myself and grew tired of digging around the same spots over and over.   Even when Soulstorm’s difficulty eases up, the gameplay is bland. The action feels largely the same from previous games in the series, and that formula doesn’t evolve significantly beyond the first few hours. Even the more interesting sequences, like facing down a giant mech aboard a speeding train, are far too punishing to be fun. I’m glad that Abe controls better now (he even has a double jump), but the controls still have a mushy unresponsiveness that makes entertaining actions, like possessing Sligs, feel like a hassle. The controls also lead to additional deaths because Abe doesn’t act as swiftly as you need him to, especially during the ill-fitting, overly demanding combat arenas that pit you against waves of baddies while you try to protect fleeing Mudokens. Soulstorm would be a tough recommendation for anyone outside of diehard fans if it performed flawlessly, but I encountered several progress-sabotaging bugs (even after installing the big day-one patch) that should scare off even those players. When I died, Mudokens sometimes failed to respawn alongside me even though my tally indicated they were still alive and under my command. That meant I lost out on turning in followers that I’d spent ages trying to safely liberate, which negatively affected my overall quarma – a vital metric in determining which of the four endings you get.  Abe occasionally gets stuck in environmental geometry, forcing a restart. At one point, I fell into an infinite loop. One escape portal permanently vanished once I reached it, forcing me to abandon followers. A gun in a late-game turret sequence failed to shoot despite working fine in previous segments. After multiple restarts, I randomly discovered that clicking the right stick “fixed” the weapon for some reason, allowing it to fire. I spent over an hour trying to lead a large group of followers through a particularly challenging area, but once I opened the exit door an invisible wall prevented me from moving forward. I was forced to restart this entire, lengthy sequence twice before the exit worked properly. Soulstorm’s gameplay pushed my patience to its limits, but these bugs sent me over the edge and made me nervous every time I started a new level. “What on Earth is going to screw me over this time?” I regularly asked myself. Soulstorm’s faults are a shame because its narrative and presentation brought a smile to my face. Abe and his pals are goofy, delightful underdogs I couldn’t help but root for. The enjoyable story is packed with heart, and the cutscenes look great. I wanted to welcome Abe into a new generation of gaming with open arms, but Soulstorm fails to make a case for why its brand of cinematic platforming works today. In fact, Soulstorm only reaffirmed that Abe’s past adventures are best viewed with rose-colored glasses.
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    Day, Slate, Rodriguez & More to Lead Amazon’s Ensemble you’re wanted by me Back

    Day, Slate, Rodriguez & More to Lead Amazon's Ensemble I'D LIKE You Back

    Day, Slate, Rodriguez & more to lead Amazon’s ensemble you’re wanted by me Back

    As production on the romantic comedy is underway going to get, Amazon Studios has unveiled the cast for  I Want Back which features an ensemble roster of stars including Charlie Day (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Jenny Slate (Big Mouth), Gina Rodriguez (Kajillionaire) and much more.

    RELATED: Lost and Found: Zachary Levi & Gina Rodriguez to Star in Amazon’s New Comedy Adventure

    Emma (Slate) and Peter (Day) thought these were on the precipice of life’s biggest moments – marriage, kids, and houses in the suburbs – until their respective partners dumped them. Within their thirties and terrified they have missed their shot at happily ever after, Peter and emma are horrified to discover that their partners have previously moved on. Without prospects coming and the risk of dying alone hanging over their heads, they hatch a desperate intend to end their exes’ new relationships and win them back.

    “It’s a dream to have the ability to bring Isaac and Elizabeth’s brilliantly authentic vision to the global world! It’ll capture the hearts of our Prime Video customers surely,” Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios, said in a statement. “We couldn’t become more excited to see this phenomenal ensemble come aboard this fun and witty story that audiences will love.”

    Alongside Day, Rodriguez and slate, the ensemble cast for the film is defined to add Scott Eastwood (Pacific Rim: Uprising), Manny Jacinto (The Good Place), Clark Backo (Letterkenny), Jami Gertz (Difficult People), Jordan Carlos (The First Wives Club), Midori Francis (Dash and Lily), Mason Gooding (Love, Victor), Isabel May (Alexa & Katie) and Luke David Blumm (The King of Staten Island).

    The film has been penned by Love, Simon writers and This Is Us co-showrunners Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger and helmed by Jason Orley (Big Time Adolescence), with Peter John and Safran Rickard producing for The Safran Company alongside The Walk-Up Company’s Aptaker and Berger.

    “I immediately fell deeply in love with Isaac and Elizabeth’s funny, heartfelt script, and I’m so honored they, together with the amazing team at Amazon are allowing me to create their timeless love story alive, and that I reach take action with this incredible band of actors,” Orley said in a statement.

    RELATED: Donald Glover Inks Eight-Figure Overall COPE WITH Amazon

    Production on I Want You Back is set to begin with in early March in Atlanta.

    (Photo Credits: Getty Images)

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    Disney+ May 2021 Movies and TV Titles Revealed

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    Disney+ May 2021 movies and TV titles revealed!Disney+ has revealed the full list of new movies and TV titles available on the streaming service this coming May 2021. This includes the debut of Lucasfilm’s newest animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch and the second season premiere of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Next month will also see the world premiere of Disney’s newest live-action feature Cruella starring Emma Stone as the iconic 101 Dalmatian villain. It will simultaneously debut in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access for a one-time additional fee.RELATED: Disney+ Launchpad Trailer Showcases New Live-Action Short FilmsLet us know in the comments what you are most excited to watch out of the Disney+ May 2021 new additionsAvailable May 4Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 101 – Premiere – Special DateAvailable May 7Disney Wander over Yonder (S1)Disney Wander over Yonder (S2)Everyone’s HeroFlicka 2Wild Hearts Can’t Be BrokenFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver SurferBig Shot – Episode 104 “Great in the Living Room”The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers – Episode 107 “Pong Hockey”Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 102Available May 14Disney Special Agent Oso (S1)Disney Special Agent Oso (S2)Disney Special Agent Oso: Three Healthy Steps (S1)X-Men: The Last StandLife Below Zero (S15)Race to the Center of the Earth (S1)High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Season Two PremiereHigh School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Episode 201 – “New Year’s Eve”Big Shot – Episode 105 “This is our House”The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers – Episode 108 “Change on the Fly”Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 103Available May 21Disney Big City Greens (S2)Disney Junior Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures (S1)Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverbeastFury Files (Interstitials)Ice Road Rescue (S5)Running Wild with Bear Grylls (S6)Inside Pixar: Unpacked – Batch PremiereUnpacked: About Time – Director: Erica MilsomHow can the passage of time be utilized as a tool for emotional storytelling? Narrator W. Kamau Bell breaks down how time can becomes its own character in Pixar films, looking at period pieces such as Brave and the tearjerking passage of time in Up.Unpacked: Everybody Loves a Villain – Director: Tony KaplanFrom Ernesto de La Cruz to Lotso to Hopper, foes of all shapes and sizes are essential to many of our favorite Pixar movies. But what makes a good villain? Narrator W. Kamau Bell digs into why we love to hate our favorite antagonists and what makes them so complicated.Unpacked: The Squint Test – Director: Tony KaplanPixar characters strive to strike a balance between realistic and caricatured. Narrator W. Kamau Bell explains how basic shapes and drawings influence the character design and story of favorite films such as Up, Ratatouille, and The Incredibles.Unpacked: Inner Drive – Director: Erica MilsomBeyond the world of Cars, vehicles of all kinds have made their mark throughout Pixar’s films. Jump in and go for a ride with narrator W. Kamau Bell as he cruises through some of his favorite Pixar planes, trains, and Incredibiles.Unpacked: No Small Roles – Director: Tony KaplanTake a deep dive into the art of crowds animation. Each of your favorite Pixar characters live in worlds populated by fellow fish, cars, toys, and humans, but creating thousands of these fully animated background characters is no easy feat. Join narrator W. Kamau Bell in understanding how Pixar adds thousands of background characters into every film.High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Episode 202 “Typecasting”Big Shot – Episode 106 “Carlsbad Crazies”The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers – Episode 109 “Head Games”Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 104Available May 28Bluey Shorts (S2)Disney Sydney to the Max (S3 – Episodes 1-8)Kingdom of the Polar Bears (S1)Wicked Tuna (S10 – Episode 1-7)Cruella – Premiere (with Premier Access)Launchpad – Premiere (Collection of Six Short Live-Action Films)High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Episode 203 “Valentine’s Day”Big Shot – Episode 107 “Kalm Korn”The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers – Episode 110 “State of Play” – Season FinaleStar Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 105
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    Watched in the home: Top Streaming Films for the Week of April 10

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    Watched at Home: Top streaming films for the week of April 10Welcome back, fellow couch potatoes, to another edition of DEG’s Watched at Home Top 20.  This week was, well, more or less similar to last week. Wonder Woman 1984 took the top spot again and seems to be engaged in a never-ending “mortal kombat” with Tom Hanks’ News of the World (No. 2) and The Croods: A New Age (No. 3). Will anything unseat this dynamic trio in the coming weeks?RELATED: Carey Mulligan Joins Adam Sandler in Netflix’s Spaceman MovieElsewhere, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar made its debut at No. 10, while the Nicolas Cage dark comedy Willy’s Wonderland popped in at No. 11, giving the actor two flicks on the list if you count his voice work on Croods. There has to be some kind of an award for this achievement, right?Otherwise, several titles just rotated spots. Harry Potter: Complete 8 Film Collection moved up one spot to No. 8, while Christopher Nolan’s Tenet plummeted to No. 20. Perhaps the best part about this week is Promising Young Woman, which made it back into the top 5 for the first time in weeks — it’s a great flick if you haven’t seen it, by the way.Until next time!DEG’S Top 201. Wonder Woman 1984 (Warner Bros.)2. News of the World (Universal)3. The Croods: A New Age (Universal)4. Monster Hunter (Sony Pictures)5. Promising Young Woman (Universal)6. Girl in the Basement (A+E)7. Greenland (Universal/STX)8. Harry Potter: Complete 8 Film Collection (Warner Bros.)9. Soul (Disney)10. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (Lionsgate)11. Willy’s Wonderland (Screen Media Films)12. Wrong Turn: The Foundation (Lionsgate)13. Let Him Go (Universal)14. Yellowstone S3 (Paramount)15. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (Warner Bros.)16. The Ten Commandments (Paramount)17. Yellowstone S1 (Paramount)18. Shadow in the Cloud (Vertical Entertainment)19. The Vault (Lionsgate)20. Tenet (Warner Bros.)MORE: Mondo Reveals Zack Snyder’s Justice League Soundtrack Box Set!
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    Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness Trailer Out, Director & Composer Revealed

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    Image Credit: NetflixResident Evil anime gets new trailer, director and composer revealedNetflix’s original computer graphic anime based on Resident Evil is nearing its release. A new trailer was released showing off the characters in Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness today. Series mainstays Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield can be seen in the exciting video. The anime series will celebrate the horror gaming franchise’s 25th anniversary and will launch in July 2021.RELATED: Resident Evil Reboot Film Finally Unveils Official Title The director is Eiichiro Hasumi, who has previously helmed Japanese hits such as The Sun Does Not Move. “Being involved in a work with such a long history and so many fans gave me more joy than it did pressure,” explained Hasumi. “While this is a full CG anime, I strove to adjust the camerawork and lighting atmosphere to resemble the live-action filming I usually do to instill this work with a sense of realism. I hope that both fans of the “Resident Evil” series and non-fans alike can enjoy watching the series in one go.”Image Credit: NetflixMeanwhile, Yugo Kanno will be handling the anime’s original score. “I inherited the spirit of the many people who worked on the previous Resident Evil titles and took on the challenge of creating a new atmosphere through trial-and-error,” says Kanno. “I was keenly aware that this work would be released on Netflix, so I focused on the scale of a Hollywood film so that overseas viewers could also enjoy this. Since I received the same detailed orders as usual from Director Hasumi, I was not particularly conscious of the fact this was an animation during its production. In fact, it feels like I am only now realizing that this is an animated series.”Watch the new character trailer for Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness below:The official synopsis states, “In 2006, there were traces of improper access to secret Presidential files found in the White House’s computer network. American federal agent Leon S. Kennedy is among the group invited to the White House to investigate this incident, but when the lights suddenly go out, Leon and the SWAT team are forced to take down a horde of mysterious zombies. Meanwhile, TerraSave staff member Claire Redfield encounters a mysterious image drawn by a young boy in a country she visited, while providing support to refugees. Haunted by this drawing, which appears to be of a victim of viral infection, Claire starts her own investigation. The next morning, Claire visits the White House to request the construction of a welfare facility. There, she has a chance reunion with Leon and uses the opportunity to show him the boy’s drawing. Leon seems to realize some sort of connection between the zombie outbreak at the White House and the strange drawing, but he tells Claire that there is no relation and leaves. In time, these two zombie outbreaks in distant countries lead to events that shake the nation to its very core.”
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    Patti LuPone Led OK Boomer Show Rounds Out Cast With Will Tim and Sasso Chiou

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    Image Credit: ABCPatti LuPone led OK Boomer show rounds out cast with Will Sasso and Tim ChiouThe HBO Max comedy pilot OK Boomer starring Broadway Icon Patti LuPone (Pose) fills out its cast with Will Sasso (United We Fall) and Tim Chiou (I Was a Simple Man). Deadline reports the pair join as series regulars along with Erinn Hayes (Bill and Ted: Face the Music) and Devere Rogers (Will and Grace), along with Zoe Manarel (An American Girl: Summer Camp) and Carter Chee.RELATED: Pose Final Season Trailer: The House of Evangelista Fights For Their LegacyIn OK Boomer, LuPone stars as Barbara in a self-centered boomer who shows up at her estranged daughter Sarah’s (Hayes) house hoping to live off the family’s money. Family hijinks ensue when she clashes with her precautious and progressive grandaughter but forms an unexpected bond with her when challenged on their differing views.Sasso will play Nick, Sarah’s (Hayes) older brother, who is recently divorced and putting his life back together while staying in Sarah’s guest house. Unlike his sister, Nick is thrilled by their mother’s return and seeks to earn her approval. Chiou will portray Trevor, Sarah’s even-tempered husband who runs a construction company. He strives to help his wife adapt to her family moving in with them and bringing along all their eccentricities. Manarel is Campbell, Sarah’s oldest, a socially conscious high school freshman who advocated for progressive causes but is also just a teen filled with self-doubt and angst. Chee plays Jacob, Sarah and Trevor’s youngest, a bright, sensitive but anxiety-ridden kid who lets fear rule his life.RELATED: Allison Janney-Led Sitcom Mom Officially Ending With Season 8The multi-cam comedy pilot comes from creator Todd Linden (Happy Endings), the late Jamie Tarses’ Fanfare and Sony Pictures TV.  The pilot written by Linden is to be directed by Victor Gonzalez (Last Man Standing). Vanessa McCarthy serves as showrunner and also the project’s executive producer, along with Tarses.
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    Borat Supplemental Reportings Trailer Teases Never-Before-Seen Footage

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    Borat Supplemental Reportings trailer teases never-before-seen footageComing off from the critical success of Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Amazon Prime Video has released the official trailer for the comedy sequel’s multi-part special titled Borat Supplemental Reportings. It features never-before-seen footage that was cut from Sasha Baron Cohen-led  2020 mockumentary film. The video also teases extended scenes of Borat’s time with the two conspiracy theorists and Tutar’s babysitter Jeanise Jones as well as behind-the-scenes footage of when Baron Cohen almost got in danger during a far-right rally. The special currently has no release date, but it is expected to debut sometime this year. Check out the video in the player below!RELATED: Limited Series About U.S. Capitol Insurrection in the Works at ShowtimeJason Woliner directed Borat Subsequent Moviefilm from a screenplay written by Cohen, Anthony Hines, Dan Swimer, Peter Baynham, Erica Rivinoja, Dan Mazer, Jena Friedman, and Lee Kern. The movie was produced by Cohen, Monica Levinson, and Hines, while it was executive produced by Buddy Enright, Nicholas Hatton, Peter Baynham, Dan Mazer, and Stuart Miller.Unlike the first film, Sacha Baron Cohen’s iconic Kazakh journalist is now joined by his fifteen-year-old daughter Tutar, who breakout star Maria Bakalova played. The sequel follows Borat as he was sent to America on a mission to redeem his nation.RELATED: Amazon Prime Show The Boys Getting a Podcast for Season 2Borat 2 was an instant hit to critics and viewers and was streamed by millions of Amazon Prime subscribers during its opening weekend. It recently won two major Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy and Best Actor in a Comedy Film for Baron Cohen’s performance. The sequel is currently nominated for two Academy Awards including Best Adapted Screenplay and Maria Bakalova for Best Supporting Actress.
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