Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Joseph Aberl

  • Gamescom: First Look at ‘World of Warcraft: Shadowlands’ Expansion

    Gamescom: First Look at ‘World of Warcraft: Shadowlands’ Expansion

    World of Warcraft is still a behemoth in the industry. It is hard to believe that the game originally released back in 2004. Even after all this time, the game is still getting new content as the eight expansion titled Shadowlands has been revealed during Gamescom. Not only that but we also get our first look at the story, as we explore Bastion. that is not all, as we also got an official release date. The expansion will release on October 27th, which shows how the new expansion will change Azeroth forever. We will see if the mortal souls can reckon with their past or face eternal punishment.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q5gHTCFlbg

    Source: YouTube (Story), YouTube (Release Date)

  • Gamescom: ‘Twelve Minute’ to Star Willem Dafoe, James McAvoy & Daisy Ridley

    Gamescom: ‘Twelve Minute’ to Star Willem Dafoe, James McAvoy & Daisy Ridley

    It’s always the small surprises that really grab your attention. Last year’s E3, we got a look at a game that will feature a man trapped in a time loop. It was a small indie game that looked quite intriguing as you have to find a way to break the loop. We get teases of a couple, as their life gets more and more twisted with each repeat. This year’s Gamescom gave us a major reveal for what seemed like just a small indie title. Daisy Ridley and James McAvoy will voice the titular characters. Not only that but none other than Willem Dafoe is the narrator of the story. It is uncertain if he will also constantly narrate each loop but it is an exciting prospect. This casting might have put this once small game on everyone’s radar. Check it out right here:

    Source: YouTube

  • Gamescom: ‘Ratched & Clank: Rift Apart’ Extended Demo Showcases Next-Gen

    Gamescom: ‘Ratched & Clank: Rift Apart’ Extended Demo Showcases Next-Gen

    Not too long ago, Sony finally revealed their next generation console PlayStation 5. It hada. line-up of games to show just how strong the next generation will end up being. Among them was a brief showcase of Ratched & Clank: Rift Apart. It highlighted how the new systems will allow for fluid animation and faster loading. We’ve been anxiously waiting for more gameplay that proves just how big the next generation will be. Luckily, Gamescom gave us an entire uninterrupted Demo that shows just what the PS5 is capable of. Insomniac got a chance to highlight how the DualSense will also allow you to control how you use the various weaponry.

    It is the extended gameplay trailer we saw briefly teased during the console showcase, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

    Source: YouTube

  • Gamescom: ‘Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond’s VR Story Trailer Released

    Gamescom: ‘Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond’s VR Story Trailer Released

    Respawn Entertainment has been hard at work on the next entry in the Medal of Honor franchise. The classic icon will make a grand return as a VR experience. A new trailer was released during Gamescom that confirmed the return to the world of WW2 with Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond. You will go on an adventure to play a member of what would one day become CIA. The best part of the trailer is how much interactivity they are teasing. Just standing near a piano and able to play the keys is a great way to create immersion. They also confirmed that it will consist of three acts with unique missions to keep things interesting.

    Source: YouTube

  • Gamescom: ‘Fall Guys’ Season 2 Goes Medieval

    Gamescom: ‘Fall Guys’ Season 2 Goes Medieval

    Fall Guys has brought a lot of people together this summer. It combines elements from Wipeout, Takeshi’s Castle, and many more game shows to add that crazy frenzy. It is a blast to play through and everyone is fighting to finally get their hand on the crown. Already, the developers behind the game are announcing the content for the second season during Gamescom. Looks like it will be inspired by the Middle Ages. Some of the iconic games will remain but the visuals are getting an upgrade with castles and wooden bridges. Of course, this includes a variety of costumes, either as a wizard, knight or even a dragon. This is a fun reveal, as it means we will get a lot of different styles with each season. Check out the first look below:

    Source: Twitter

  • Gamescom: First Look at ‘Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga’ Gameplay Released

    Gamescom: First Look at ‘Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga’ Gameplay Released

    It is strange to think how large the Lego games have become over the years. The original Lego Star Wars: The Video Game was my introduction to the franchise. As a huge Star Wars fan, the game was perfect to relieve these iconic moments. During the Opening Night to Gamescom, we finally got our first look at the gameply for the upcoming Lego Star Wars: Skywalker Saga. We’ve been anxiously waiting for a trailer to just see what a true next-gen Lego game would look like. One thing is for certain, it is a Lego game that will have its fun with the source material. The trailer also confirmed that it will release Spring 2021. Check out the gameplay right here:

     

  • RECAP: Nintendo Direct Mini August 2020

    RECAP: Nintendo Direct Mini August 2020

    A few years ago, Nintendo started their own digital event series titled Nintendo Direct. They’ve pioneered the approach and started to expand on it. We saw the addition of Indie World to focus on Indie releases. As the current pandemic has delayed quite a few projects, they added the Mini version to showcase some producing partners. We just recently got one focused on Atlus’ games like Shin Megami Tensei. Suddenly, Nintendo decided to drop another one today. As there were quite a few announcements, here is a quick recap from the Direct Mini:

    • Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory is confirmed for a November 13th release date. It was leaked a few weeks ago by an Austrian retailer.
    • Fuser will allow multiple players to mix up songs and compete for who gets the most reactions. It will release this Fall.
    • Taiko No Tatsujin: Rhythmic Adventure Pack is an adventure game based on the popular drumming franchise. This will consist of two separate adventures similar to Pokémon Sword and Shield. Game is confirmed for Winter 2020.
    • World of Tanks Blitz was released the same day for Switch players
    • Big Rumble Boxing: Creed Champions is a tie-in game for the Rocky and Creed films. The boxing game will let you fight iconic characters like Adonis Creed, Rocky Balboa, Clubber Lang and many more. It will also include local mutliplayer
    • Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legends is a re-release of the original Gameboy trilogy. It is the first time it will be made available in Europe. Game will be made available as of December 15th.
    • Just Dance 2021 will release with 40 tracks on November 12th.
    • Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 has also been confirmed. This will once again let players play competitively by seeing if Puyo Puyo or Tetris is the ultimate puzzle game. It also includes an adventure mode that will be playable once it releases December 8th.

    The August Mini ended with a few reminders for the upcoming Minecraft Dungeons DLC; Jump Force‘s Switch release, a new entry in the Captain Tsubasa franchise and this month’s release of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. At first, I thought this Direct Mini was going to focus on rhythm games but the World of Tanks announcement was a surprise curveball. One thing is for sure though, did not expect a game based on Creed two years after the last film was released.

    Also, to accompany the Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory announcement, series creator Tetsuya Nomura also shared a brand-new key art.

    In case you want to check out the Direct Mini, you can watch it here:

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘Making The Witcher’ Special Released on Netflix

    ‘Making The Witcher’ Special Released on Netflix

    Making of-Series are all the rage right now. Disney+ created Disney Gallery to show how they made their originals. Currently, the first season only showcases the making of behind The Mandalorian. They even released an exclusive Frozen 2 BTS series titled Into the Unknown: Making Frozen 2. Looks like Netflix wants a part of this BTS pie. They have now officially released Making The Witcher that offers a look into Lauren Schmidt Hissrich‘s adaptation of the iconic book series. They also released a trailer to let everyone know what they can expect.

    The Witcher was a great addition to Netflix’s ever-expanding media library. It was a bit confusing in how often it jumped between different time periods but it still was quite a fun ride. Henry Cavill was a perfect choice as Geralt of Rivia. He certainly has a talent for grunting at people. I cannot wait to see how they got a lot of those creature effects done. Some of them looked outstanding and the blend of practical with CGI is always a major plus. The special will be around 32 minutes long with interviews of the cast.

    The series is already renewed for a second season. As the first focused on short stories that took place before the main storyline, we do not know what will be the focus in the next eight episodes. A prequel is currently in the works under the title The Witcher: Blood Origin. They even announced an anime spin-off as well. Series was one of Netflix’s most-watched debut shows so they will milk it as much as they can. Production has already resumed for the second season so maybe we will get some teases in this special feature on what we can expect moving forward.

    Source: Slash Film

  • ‘Gotham Knights’ Producers Reveal Game Mechanics & Tease Franchise’s Future

    ‘Gotham Knights’ Producers Reveal Game Mechanics & Tease Franchise’s Future

    DC FanDome has brought us some amazing surprises. We finally got our first look at Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad. The event even started with WB Games Montreal’s reveal of Gotham Knights. We still had a lot of open questions after the event. Luckily, IGN got a chance to interview Gotham Knights’ creative director Patrick Redding and senior producer Fleur Marty. They offered more insight into the game. Here’s a quick summary of what we learned from the interview:

    • This will potentially kickstart a new franchise. Redding teased something may already be development.
    • Gamestyle will be similar to third-person action-adventure brawlers.
    • Special abilities will be linked to an ability tree.
    • Characters play different and offer unique modifications and upgrade options. They point out Red Hood as a very unique character.
    • Gear is confirmed for the game. This is connected to melee and ranged weapons, as well as suit characteristics.
    • The city is open from the start. No level gating when exploring Gotham.
    • The game won’t be game-as-service.
    • The game can be played as a self-contained story or 2 player co-op.
    • The story takes place over multiple nights. Daytime is spent in the “Belfry” headquarter. During these sections, the characters will be out of costume, or at least show their face.
    • Alfred is confirmed to be in the game. Will appear in the Belfry.
    • Once again confirmed as a separate universe. This was planned since the beginning.

    There is a lot to unpack in this short interview. It certainly is a departure from the Batman-heavy Arkham franchise. Gotham Knights will be quite a departure. I cannot wait to get my hands on the game. Already want to play as Red Hood. Also, Court of Owls is always a win. 

    Source: IGN

  • ‘Altered Carbon’ Cancelled After Two Seasons

    ‘Altered Carbon’ Cancelled After Two Seasons

    Not too long ago, we discussed how Netflix’s business model sadly keeps shows from going beyond a certain amount of seasons. Sadly, it seems that their cyberpunk series Altered Carbon was also affected by it. It was officially announced that the show would not return for a third season. The show based on Richard K. Morgan’s 2002 novel followed Takeshi Kovacs as he switched between different bodies. In the first season, he was played by Joel Kinnaman before Anthony Mackie took over in the second.

    Deadline reports that this show wasn’t affected by COVID. The decision was already made back in April. It is common for Netflix to cancel shows around their second season. They also just recently canceled the shows The Society and I Am Not OK With This. Those, however, were due to the pandemic. Ironically, the show is from Skydance Television, who Netflix has worked on the comedy Grace and Frankie which will end its run with seven seasons.

    Netflix is still working with Skydance as they are also the ones that produced The Old Guard. Sadly, it looks like Takeshi’s body-swapping story has come to an end. Maybe further down the line, they can revisit this world with a new cast but we did get a great interpretation with two very unique seasons. Netflix is already expanding its sci-fi slate with a new season of Another Life and Away. Who knows what else they are already working on for the future but we will be there to keep you updated.

    Source: Deadline