The Black Widow codename may be all but synonymous with Natasha Romanoff thanks to Scarlett Johansson and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but with the upcoming Black Widow solo movie, and Natasha's rather unfortunate (and emphatically final) demise in Avengers: Endgame, the status quo is about to be shaken up in a major way. Thankfully, the history of Black Widow over in Marvel's comics is full of weird loopholes, clones, and top-secret spy training programs, giving us all kinds of wiggle room when it comes to figuring out when and how the Black Widows who aren't Natasha Romanoff might come into play. Most notable among them is Yelena Belova, the Black Widow who was recently confirmed to be played by Florence Pugh at this year's completely insane Marvel Studios panel during San Diego Comic-Con.But knowing that Yelena is on her way to the big screen is only one part of the equation. To really understand the ins and outs of who she is, why she matters, and where the other Black Widows fit into this mess, we need to do some serious digging--starting with the organization behind it all: the Red Room.The Room (no, not that one)One of the most important things to understand about Marvel history is that the publisher as we know it owes a lot to the fact that it came into being during the height of the Cold War. This context is the catch-all explanation for virtually every classic Marvel hero's first origin story. There's anxiety about communism (Iron Man), nuclear power (Hulk), counter culture (the X-Men), and of course, the overwhelming fear of the omnipresent Russian threat (just about every major villain for those early years)--you know, stuff that was really in the zeitgeist at the time. That's where the Black Widow comes into play, and by extension, the concept of the Red Room.Introduced in 1964, Natasha's early years as the Black Widow were largely playing on the era-typical Russian femme fatale tropes you'd see in something like Rocky & Bullwinkle. She was a regular antagonist against various Avengers who eventually broke out into a series of her own, sliding back and forth between antagonist and anti-hero roles as she became more popular. Development of her history and origins was slow-going and typically banked on Cold War-era stereotypes that Russians were scary and dangerous and, of course, mysteriously sexy, without much real substance to speak of. Things slowly started to change as the Cold War came to an end in the real world, opening the door for a more thorough exploration of just who Natasha was and where she came from.In 1999, Natasha's origin was given a complete overhaul, introducing the concept of the "Black Widow Ops Program" that was later explored through the Red Room, an idea that would not only retroactively reshape Black Widow as a character in the Marvel universe, but open all sorts of interesting narrative avenues for writers and artists to travel down that were only tangential to Natasha herself. After all, if there was a whole program to train Black Widow agents, it obviously follows that Natasha wasn't the only one.The organization responsible for the Black Widow Ops Program was called The Red Room, which was both a literal place and sort of covert secret society. It was one part "boarding school" spy academy for children, where they'd be taught things like ballet (remember those flashbacks in Avengers: Age of Ultron?) martial arts, and murder; and one part Illuminati-flavored web of secret basis and soviet-era secrecy that spanned the globe for whatever nefarious super villain purposes Marvel Comics needed. It continued to grow and evolve over the years, with each change affecting any number of retroactive updates to Marvel history for those aforementioned nefarious purposes.For example, when Bucky Barnes was resurrected as the Winter Soldier, the Red Room was responsible for his revival and subsequent brainwashing. A male version of the Black Widow Ops program was added to the mix called the Wolfspider Program, which Bucky participated in as a trainer. Later it was revealed that the Red Room had also engineered a cloning program of its operatives, secretly creating duplicate bodies for people like Natasha, which could have the memories and consciousness of operatives uploaded as a sort of "extra life" should things go south.Because, sure, we may be talking about gritty, neo-noir spy stuff here, but let's not forget these are still superhero comics.Meet YelenaNaturally, the genesis of the Red Room afforded writers and artists the opportunity to create new Black Widows, other products of the training program who were retroactively placed in Marvel continuity. The most famous of these new Widows is Yelena Belova, a highly conditioned Russian spy in a black catsuit with blonde hair, instead of Natasha's trademark red.No, really, that was their one key difference at first. Their abilities and skillsets were, by design, completely identical.Yelena's story wasn't all that complicated. She debuted in 1999 right alongside the Red Room reveal, so her initial story was pretty barebones. She was activated, told that she was the rightful heir to the Black Window title, and sent after Natasha when she volunteered for a mission that would allow her to prove it. The Black Widow vs. Black Widow fight got a little dicey, but ultimately Natasha was able to grab the upper hand and brutally shatter Yelena's delusions about her abilities and her claim to the mantle. For her part, Yelena took the defeat pretty well and retired for a while to become a model. You know, like all super spies do at one point or another.Things didn't stay simple for Yelena for long. After her retirement and subsequent return to action, she spent some time as the Super Adaptoid, a deeper-cut Marvel villain. This was the result of being captured and experimented on by Hydra (who, important to note, are independent from the Red Room in the comics, though their MCU incarnations tend to blur those lines).Yelena's stint as the Adaptoid came to an end after she was rescued by the Avengers, but she never quite rose to prominence or joined any major teams. With her inferiority complex with Natasha mostly overcome, Yelena's role in modern comics is to pop up by surprise whenever things start getting complicated for Nat--not as an opportunistic thorn in anyone's side, but as a sort of chaotic-neutral force who wants to make sure the Black Widow legacy is maintained. To do so, both Natasha and Yelena have a tendency to impersonate one another when the situation calls for it--because why not, right? There aren't many people in the Marvel universe who share the exact same skillset and almost the exact same history, so the two of them have an advantage when pulling that sort of stunt, no matter what their goals may be.Where does this fit into the MCU?The Red Room situation in the MCU is more than a little mysterious. Outside of some vaguely defined flashbacks and Natasha's oft-repeated refrain of her "red ledger," we don't really know much of where her live-action incarnation came from or what the MCU Red Room's goals were. In the comics, Marvel uses the fact that the Red Room experimented on its recruits with various serums to slow (or sometimes completely stop) the process of aging, which explains why a woman who looks like she's in her mid- to late-20s can be so heavily connected to Cold War history--but the MCU has yet to make such implications. As far as we know, Natasha is just a totally normal, albeit absurdly well-trained, human--meaning whatever developments come about the Red Room, Nat's relationship with Yelena, and their shared 1960s-flavored origin story, are going to require a little fancy footwork.During Marvel's SDCC 2019 panel, fans got to watch a full trailer for the Black Widow movie, which featured a pretty extensive (and extremely brutal) fight scene between Nat and Yelena. They called one another "sister" before reaching a stalemate, sitting down, and sharing a shot of vodka. So, we can obviously surmise that, no matter what revelations and changes might be on the way for their published history, the fact that they're the products of the exact same system is going to remain the same.Knowing what we know about Natasha's Endgame finale, it might even be a safe bet to assume that the Black Widow movie will position Yelena as her de facto successor and a hero in her own right. Yelena's comic book history might be shady and strange, but there's nothing that says the MCU can't play a little fast and loose with the details--and, knowing what we know about Natasha's Endgame demise, the MCU may have a job opening that Yelena is uniquely suited to fill. Info from Gamespot.com

Season 9 of Fortnite may be winding down, but developer Epic Games still has some more new content in store for the hit battle royale shooter before Season 10 officially arrives. On the heels of the big monster-robot showdown that took place this past weekend, Epic will be rolling out the game's 9.41 content update, which will add another new weapon to Battle Royale mode.The 9.41 content update is scheduled to go live on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices tomorrow, July 23, at 5 AM PT / 8 AM ET / 1 PM BST. Epic will release the full patch notes for the update once it is available, but we got a glimpse at a new item coming courtesy of the in-game news feed: the "weather-tracking" Storm Scout Sniper Rifle.As previously mentioned, a big world event took place in Fortnite on July 20. The giant robot that was being assembled in Pressure Plant was completed and did battle with the giant monster that was lurking beneath Polar Peak. The robot lost one of its arms in the ensuing clash, but it managed to ultimately defeat the monster using a giant sword, whose hilt was disguised as a statue in Neo Tilted. If you missed the event, you can watch a recording of the giant monster-robot battle here.Season 9 of Fortnite ends August 1, according to the game's official website, which means there's still a little time left to complete any outstanding challenges from this season and unlock the last few remaining Battle Pass rewards. If you need help mopping up some of this season's missions, we've put together tips and guides for all of the trickier ones in our complete Fortnite Season 9 challenges roundup.It's still unclear what repercussions the giant monster battle will have for Season 10 of Fortnite, but we do know the game's minimum PC requirements will be changing as of next season. Starting with Season 10, the PC version of Fortnite will require a graphics card capable of running Microsoft DirectX 11. As Epic explained:"While a DirectX 11-capable graphics card has always been one of Fortnite’s system requirements, we've kept support online for players with older graphics cards--so they could keep playing! However, when Season 10 begins, Fortnite will no longer be compatible with these older graphics cards. This allows us to focus our development and testing efforts to further optimize the Fortnite experience for all players."Info from Gamespot.com

Target really wants you to visit your local Target store: The retailer is currently slashing 25% off the price of select PS4 and Xbox One games when you select Order Pickup at checkout, meaning you'll need to swing by your neighborhood Target to grab your games. This offer is available now through Saturday, July 27.This marks the return of a popular deal that initially launched before Prime Day, about a month ago. No word yet on whether Amazon will hijack this sale like it did with the last one, but in any case, this is a pretty great opportunity to save big on new releases like Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Days Gone, and Judgment. Plus, some of these games are already discounted on top of the extra 25% off, so your savings might be even greater.It's worth noting some of the games included in Target's sale can be found cheaper online elsewhere, such as Kingdom Hearts 3, which is only $20 at Amazon; Red Dead Redemption 2, which is still $30 at Walmart; and God of War, which is $20 at Walmart. So consider double-checking the price elsewhere first, as you may find some of these games cheaper and eligible for free shipping at other retailers.To make your job easier, we've gathered some of the best deals worth claiming (and driving to Target for) below. Please note prices shown reflect the full discount with the additional 25% off applied, and both PS4 and Xbox One versions are available except where noted (in some cases only one version is cheaper). Availability may also vary by store. You can check out the full list of titles at Target.See all games eligible for 25% off with Order PickupAce Combat 7: Skies Unknown -- $30Bendy and the Ink Machine -- $15Bloodbourne -- $15Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night -- $24.74Dark Souls Remastered (PS4) -- $16.12Days Gone -- $30Devil May Cry 5 (PS4) -- $30The Division 2 -- $30Doom (2016) -- $15Final Fantasy XV: Royal Edition (Xbox One) -- $15Judgment -- $30Marvel's Spider-Man -- $30MLB The Show 19 -- $30Mortal Kombat 11 -- $37.50Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom -- $15Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare (PS4) -- $10.50 Resident Evil 2 -- $30Samurai Shodown (Xbox One) - $37.50Samurai Shodown (PS4) -- $45Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice -- $35.62Shadow of the Tomb Raider -- $18.75SoulCalibur VI (Xbox One) -- $19.12SoulCalibur VI (PS4) -- $22.50Spyro Reignited Trilogy (Xbox One) -- $22.50World War Z -- $25.50Yakuza 0 -- $14.54Info from Gamespot.com

Amazon's big-budget Lord of the Rings TV show is one of the most-anticipated programs in development anywhere. But up until now, there hasn't been any word as to who would appear in it or what stories it would tell. Now, some of those details are coming into focus.Variety and other Hollywood sites are reporting that Amazon has cast Australian actress Markella Kavenagh (Romper Stomper) as a series regular. She will reportedly play a character known as Tyra, but no other details were made available. Tyra could be a brand-new character invented for the show, similar to how Peter Jackson's The Hobbit series created Evangeline Lilly's non-canon character, Tauriel.According to Deadline, Amazon has tasked its casting directors to seek out talent for the show from all around the world.JD Payne and Patrick McKay are the showrunners for Amazon's Lord of the Rings show. Like D.B. Weiss and David Benioff before they created Game of Thrones, Payne and McKay have no TV credits. Game of Thrones veteran Bryan Cogman and Breaking Bad's Gennifer Hutchison are believed to be among the writers of the new Lord of the Rings show.J.A. Bayona, who directed Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, is set to direct multiple episodes of The Lord of the Rings TV show. Bayona is also known for the Guillermo Del Toro-produced horror The Orphanage and the acclaimed drama A Monster Calls.The Lord of the Rings show is set before the events of JRR Tolkien's trilogy of books and Peter Jackson's movie adaptations. It will take place during the Second Age, which is a 3,441-year period that covered major events like the forging of the Rings of Power, the War of Sauron, the beginning of the Ringwraiths, and the Numenor island sinking into the ocean.The show will air on Amazon Prime, though a release date has not been announced.In Lord of the Rings video game news, a new Lord of the Rings title focused on Gollum is in development at Daedalic Entertainment, while a brand-new Lord of the Rings MMO is coming from Amazon--though it is not connected to the TV show. Info from Gamespot.com

Bandai Namco has released the opening animation for Digimon Survive, which has been embedded below. Originally scheduled for a summer 2019 release, Digimon Survive has been delayed to 2020.The opening animation introduces all of the major human characters for Digimon Survive, including protagonists Takuma, Aoi, and Minoru. The three are prepped to go on a trip with the rest of their class, which is composed of several other school stereotypes such as a beautiful girl who's always on her cellphone and a delinquent-looking boy who's just misunderstood. The class is headed to some ruins, though mysterious earthquakes in the area have caused several students to voice concern over whether it's safe.As the class gets ready to leave, several mysterious supernatural phenomena begin to pop up: an elderly man is surrounded by monstrous creatures, a trouble-making girl encounters snow in the midst of spring, and Takuma notices a ghost-like girl watching him from the window of his classroom. As the students leave, the ghost girl starts singing, the classroom begins to decay become overrun with vegetation, and we see the girl stroking the head of a sleeping child.Digimon Survive is a survival strategy RPG that also incorporates visual novel elements. The game stars the aforementioned Takuma, Aoi, and Minoru who wander into a strange world and become partnered with Agumon, Labramon, and Falcomon respectively. Taking inspiration from the original Digimon Adventure anime, Survive has you shape the emotional and mental evolution of Takuma, Aoi, and Minoru, which in turn affects how Agumon, Labramon, and Falcomon digivolve. Survive also revisits the concept of what a Digimon is that was first conceived by Digimon Adventure director Hiroyuki Kakudō--that they've always been a part of human history and mistakenly identified as shikigami, yokai, or demons in the past.Digimon Survive is scheduled to launch for Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch.Info from Gamespot.com

Tom Hanks has played a lot of famous Americans over the years, including astronaut Jim Lovell in Apollo 13, Walt Disney in Saving Mr. Banks, Captain Richard Phillips in Captain Phillips, Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger in Sully, and James B. Donovan in Bridge of Spies. His next role is that of Fred Rogers, the TV personality from the long-running TV show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.Sony has now released the first trailer for A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, providing a first in-depth look at Hanks as Rogers. The movie is based on the true story of Rogers' relationship with journalist Tom Junod (Matthew Rhys). Junod was tasked with writing a profile of Rogers, but it became so much more than that; A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood tells this story.You can read Junod's actual profile of Rogers in this 1998 piece for Esquire.Marielle Heller (Diary of a Teenage Girl) is directing the film off a script from Transparent writers Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster. It hits theaters in November 2019.The new Mister Rogers movie with Hanks follows the Mister Rogers documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor from Oscar winning director Morgan Neville. It was released earlier this year to much acclaim.Info from Gamespot.com

A new feature from The Hollywood Reporter shines a light on the massive paydays that some Hollywood A-listers get. Sources told the site that Leonardo DiCaprio was paid a jaw-dropping $15 million USD for his starring role in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.That's a huge sum of money, but it is reportedly $5 million USD below the veteran and in-demand actor's normal $20 million USD pay per movie. DiCaprio took less for the new Tarantino movie reportedly to help the movie get off the ground.He appears to have agreed to less money up front in exchange for a share of the backend, which is the Hollywood industry term for a share of the box office profits. THR states that if Once Upon a Time in Hollywood only meets expectations, he could end up making $45 million or more off the film. Presumably if the film exceeds expectations, DiCaprio could take home even more.This sounds similar to the unique deal that Robert Downey Jr. reportedly struck with Marvel for the Avengers movies. He was reportedly paid less up front, but took home a share of the box office profits, which turned out to be immensely lucrative for Downey Jr.The report claims that DiCaprio's deal for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is "structured in a way that certain territories yield higher percentages than others."The entire story at THR provides a fascinating and in-depth look at DiCaprio's history in the movie-making business. Among many other things, a source from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood told the website that some crewmembers were told to not make eye contact with DiCaprio. Additionally, producer Shannon McIntosh said there is a singing and dancing scene in the film, and DiCaprio was initially concerned about being able to pull it off. But in only a week, DiCaprio returned "absolutely fearless" and performed the scene which is said to be outside of his comfort zone.Read the full DiCaprio story here at THR.Once Upon a Time in Hollywood premieres in theatres in August. DiCaprio stars as ageing movie star Rick Dalton, while Brad Pitt plays his stunt double, Cliff Booth. The movie is set in Hollywood in 1969, and the Tate murders will be one of the storylines. Margot Robbie plays Sharon Tate, while Damon Herriman plays Charles Manson. The movie features a long list of huge names in other roles, including Timothy Olyphant, Bruce Dern, Al Pacino, Dakota Fanning, Emile Hirsch, and Kurt Russell. Luke Perry appears in the movie in his final role following his death.Info from Gamespot.com

Editor's note: GameSpot originally reviewed Warframe in 2013 and gave it a 6. Due to substantial revisions and new content since its debut, we have re-examined Warframe as it is in 2019 and produced a new review to reflect its current state.To play Warframe is to reconcile yourself with the sensation that you're always a bit in over your head. Even six years after its debut, it's still something of an oddity within the realm of online action-RPGs. With an expanding universe housing a wealth of content, the free-to-play game offers a stellar amount of freedom to explore, uncover loot, and take on missions with its cast of stylish space ninjas. It takes a decidedly unorthodox approach with its non-linear adventure--sometimes frustratingly so--yet journeying across Warframe's massive universe is as satisfying as it is endearing.In GameSpot's original 2013 review, we praised the game's agile and hard-hitting combat but criticized the lack of meaningful features that effectively took advantage of those strengths. In the broader sense, the Warframe of old was a promising sketch of an idea that lacked reasons for investment. The Warframe of today, however, has filled out the bigger picture. Its vision is clearer, and it's now so much more than just space ninjas brawling in corridors. Some of Warframe's best moments involve venturing into the realms of deep space, exploring open worlds and, yes, engaging in combat to power up and take on greater challenges.When it comes to its gameplay and narrative, Warframe always seems to chuck you into the deep end. The larger story focuses on an interstellar clan of warriors known as the Tenno as they reacquaint themselves with a grander universe in perpetual conflict. You take control of a reawakened Frame--revitalized Tenno fighters from the distant past--to engage in missions against a myriad of enemy factions. This conceit of spacefaring ninjas slashing and shooting across the universe holds the loose narrative together while also giving you an impressive amount of freedom. Several cinematic quests shed light on the history of the Tenno, leading up to some profound moments that reveal a surprising depth for your character and their place in the galaxy.Warframe is a massive game with numerous, complex systems to dive into--but therein lies the rub. It's a challenging game to crack; even with hundreds of hours under my belt, I can still feel overwhelmed by how much game there is to unpack. However, the trick to understanding this game lies within finding your own focus in the nebulous grind--whether that's taking on a variety of side-activities and missions on a series of planets or investing time to customize, experiment, and tweak your favorite Frames.It can often feel like playing catch-up, considering there is six years' worth of content in the package, but it's a game that rewards taking the time to soak it all in, instead of rushing through. How you get accustomed to this surprisingly sink-or-swim structure will determine the mileage you get out of it. Most missions are singular, discrete encounters across the solar system. This piecemeal structure ultimately makes the massive game more digestible. There's a staggering amount of activities to dive into, and with over 40 hyper-stylized Frames to utilize, there's a constant sense of fun and surprise when discovering how deep it all runs. However, while the opening missions do well to get you into the basic swing of things when it comes to its core gameplay, the more in-depth systems are left for you to decipher on your own.The overall speed and flexibility in its action is something that it continually excels at, and there's a constant sense of grace and finesse that can make even the ordinary missions thrilling.This mostly hands-off approach in getting you acclimated can sometimes manifest feelings of aimlessness. And it's magnified when it becomes apparent that there isn't a traditional endgame to work up to. There are higher-end missions and stories designed for more experienced players, some focusing on endless fights against waves of enemies, but there isn't anything like raids to unlock later on. In many ways, you're introduced to that familiar endgame grind from the onset, and that often entails fine-tuning your suite of Frames to tackle many of the game's tougher challenges.The true star of Warframe are the various Frames, with each possessing their own unique designs and abilities. The pursuit of new characters to play as is one of the many constants in your journey, often dictating where you should invest your time. It always feels rewarding when you find a new Frame, especially when it's one that stands apart from the others. Some are highly specialized, such as the stealth-oriented Ash or the aquatic, alien-tentacle-summoning Hydroid. Another standout is Octavia, a Bard-like Frame that lets you craft custom music to amplify your abilities and attack enemies. One time, a squadmate of mine used Octavia's skills to effortlessly clear a hallway full of enemies--all to the tune of Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It."There is a ridiculous amount of room to experiment, and it can be especially fun strengthening one of the beginner Frames with powerful mods and armaments that can melt through enemies. It's also impressive how in-depth customization and personalization is in Warframe--you can apply different shaders, accessories, and even alter their particular animation set, and it's rare to find another player who has the same style and loadout.It's a necessity to get your Frame to reach its potential for them to be viable for more advanced activities. If you don't apply the correct mods and buffs to your character, it can often stop you in your tracks at some inconvenient moments in your progression. If you're committed to figuring out the intricacies of the game, then using online guides to understand these advanced mechanics, much like with other aspects of the game, is a must. These resources are a big help, but it's disappointing how often you have to use them, as opposed to the game teaching you the same information. Without them, learning these systems on your own can be a significant test of patience.You'll quickly find yourself in a rhythm of cutting down mobs of enemies and boosting your Frame's strength by collecting mods and earning experience as new gameplay systems and events open up. While the core gameplay is often satisfying, it's still common to see a streak of highly repetitive missions, most of which re-use tile-sets for procedurally-generated levels and objective types. This repetition can create a recurring feeling of déjà vu throughout, and there were times when this left me feeling exhausted after an extended play session with the game.To help ease this sense of repetition, Warframe does inject a number of variations on standard missions, as well as adding in new activities. Along with Nightmare challenges, harder versions of previously completed levels, several missions even remix past stages by including multiple enemy factions within one level, making some standard objectives far more hectic. Some objectives feature totally different gameplay modes, in particular incorporating the Archwing, which switches up the familiar action sequences with Wing Commander-style shooter levels. There's even a set of PvP game types, such as the Conclave and Duel modes, with the latter letting you invite another player to a player-made clan dojo to engage in a solo fight. Unfortunately, the PvP activities come across as exceedingly basic and clunky compared to the core PvE experience.Despite how much the game has grown over the years by adding in game-changing features, Waframe's roots are still planted firmly in its fast-paced and satisfying core combat. The overall speed and flexibility in its action is something that it continually excels at, and there's a constant sense of grace and finesse that can make even the ordinary missions thrilling. It often shows similar shades to a fast-paced corridor shooter by way of a stunning character-action game, with your squad tearing through enemies using myriad skills and armaments.The core combat and general traversal of Warframe can move at a blistering pace. Despite how complex they can get, they're still intuitive enough to dive into, and you can pull off Warframe's advanced acrobatics like gliding, wall-runs, and the appropriately named "Bullet Jump"--which darts your character in any direction--reasonably quickly. Melee combat also features its own complexities, allowing you to use an assortment of combos and aerial abilities to cut through legions of foes in flashy display. Over time, chaining together slick parkour leaps into fast strikes with your weapons can become second nature, resulting in Warframe's most gratifying and stylish encounters.Warframe can be daunting for newcomers, yet it can also prove a challenge for players--like myself--who take an extended break and have to learn the basics of new features while simultaneously unlearning outdated ones. Such is the case for online games, and fortunately, Warframe does have an active and open community to trade with and seek assistance from, and you can directly interact with others at various social spaces across different planets. It's common that you might have to consult outside resources in order to figure out what to do next, or else your progress might come to a halt abruptly.Stick with the game long enough, and you'll unlock access to the more involved cinematic story missions and open-world settings that best show the game's considerable growth. Unlike the fragmented storytelling in most of the game, these two pillars present a more guided plot that offers memorable narrative and character moments. Some of these missions even include the surprising addition of a dialogue system, which can result in some slightly different events in questlines.In the open-world settings of the Plains of Eidolon and the Orb Vallis, which open after you reach the planets they're located on, you can take in the sights of the large-scale worlds, take on dynamic bounties and events with squads, and even learn more about the brewing conflict within each setting. The Vallis' story is especially engaging, dealing with workers' rights and the perils of late-stage capitalism in the interstellar age. Though these main stories set in the open worlds tend to end far too quickly, the amount of nuance and narrative packed in was impressive, which left me wanting to spend more time in the settings to continue interacting with its characters.I'm continually pleased with the flexibility of Warframe's many systems, and how it allows for you to attain a variety of rewards and unlocks at your own pace. Of course, there is an assortment of items, weapons, and even Frames to purchase with real money or with Platinum, Warframe's premium currency. Fortunately, most items in the game are attainable through gameplay, allowing you to get into the nitty-gritty of the game's content mostly unabated. The in-game economy of Warframe is very active, and if you're resourceful enough, you can even trade some of your own gear and blueprints with other players for Platinum as well.When new content is introduced, the pathway to experiencing the quests or acquiring the next Frame is available to all players. This relaxed approach is reassuring, especially for a game of this magnitude. I generally find acquiring gear and new classes to be quite manageable. However, there are still some time-sinks that feel mostly arbitrary, resulting in the expected and sometimes lengthy grind that's commonplace in free-to-play games. To that end, the primary intent of Platinum is to circumvent both investments of time and resources.Thinking back to GameSpot's original review, it's interesting how much the game has improved, yet also how much has stayed the same. The game still has issues with repetition and lack of explanations for its more complex systems, but it's managed to overcome their severity by introducing so many events and revisions that continue to elevate it. While there are inevitable bouts of frustration here and there, I always manage to center myself once I move on to other opportunities. In a lot of ways, that's what Warframe manages to do best. One moment you're taking part in a random spy mission on Saturn, and the next, you're partnered up with a powerful squad of players that help you through several void fissures. Just when you feel like you've hit a lull, a better, and more fulfilling opportunity will likely present itself. Perhaps most importantly, Warframe makes sure that the time spent in its world is almost always well rewarded.Info from Gamespot.com

During Marvel's Comic-Con 2019 panel Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, detailed its plans for Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including release dates. Those in attendance got to see first confirmation that Phase 4 begins with The Eternals, which arrives on November 6, 2020. Although before that, we'll be getting the Black Widow movie on May 1, 2020. And at some as-of-yet unspecified date, we'll be getting a new Blade movie, and the introduction of the Fantastic Four and the X-Men to the MCU.Eternals will be directed by Chloe Zhao and will be "full Jack Kirby" according to Feige. Zhao said she "just really really wanted to make a Marvel movie for so long. This film is about this group of incredible immortals but through their journey we really get to see what it means to be human."The cast includes Richard Madden as Ikaris, and he revealed that Eternals is about a group of "immortal aliens, sent to earth by the celestials to protect Earth from the Deviant." He added, "I play Ikaris, the sexiest Eternal."Coming after The Eternals will be Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings. Feige said the 10 Rings have been in the MCU from the very start and the real Mandarin is quite upset with the imposter that appeared in Iron Man 3. Tony Leung will play Mandarin and Awkwafina will be in the movie in an unrevealed role. Shang-Chi will be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. The lead character of Shang-Chi will be played by Simu Liu.On May 7, 2021, Stephen Strange will return in his second standalone movie. Doctor Strange 2: In the Multiverse of Madness picks up on something mentioned in Spider-Man: Far From Home: The Multiverse. Benedict Cumberbatch appeared on stage during the panel and said he'd be faced with horrors unlike anything he'd encountered before. Scarlet Witch will also be in the movie, alongside Doctor Strange and, as such, the events of the Wanda and Vision Disney+ TV series will be tied in.The Phase 4 release rollout is as follows, including movies and Disney+ TV shows. For a full recap of the panel, check out our rundown on everything announced at the Marvel Studios panel.May 1, 2020 -- Black WidowFall 2020 -- Falcon and Winter SoldierNovember 6, 2020 -- The EternalsFebruary 12, 2021 -- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 RingsSpring 2021 -- WandaVisionMay 7, 2021 -- Doctor Strange 2: In The Multiverse of MadnessSpring 2021 -- LokiSummer 2021 -- "What If?" animated seriesFall 2021 -- HawkeyeNovember 5, 2021 -- Thor: Love and ThunderInfo from Gamespot.com

Marvel Studios' first big announcement at its highly-anticipated San Diego Comic Con 2019 panel was a confirmation that, yes, an Eternals movie is actually, really, for real coming, with a launch date slated for November 2020.Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige described the tone of Eternals as being "full Jack Kirby", referrring to the famed comic book artist/writer's unique and colorful cosmic art style, and described the characters as ""a group of immortals who have been on earth for 35000 years, but we haven't met them before."Jack Kirby created the Eternals, who are superpowered beings created millions of years ago when the Celestials travelled to Earth and experimented on early humans. While news about the cast for the movie has been around for many months, this news from SDCC was the first official confirmation of the movie being produced.Director Chloe Zhao (from films The Rider and Songs My Brother Taught Me) took to the stage to join Feige, and said the film was "about this group of incredible immortals but through their journey we really get to see what it means to be human."The film's impressive cast then took to the stage. Eternals will feature actors like Angelina Jolie (in the role of Thena), Kumail Nanjiani, Salma Hayek (as Ajak), Brian Tyree Henry (as Phastos), and Richard Madden (as Icarus). DEVELOPING Info from Gamespot.com

Doctor Strange saw the future 14 million times in Avengers: Infinity War, so we're pretty sure he must have known he's set to star in another solo movie as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase Four of films. The movie--Doctor Strange 2: In The Multiverse of Madness--is set to release on May 7, 2021.Marvel Studios' president Kevin Feige officially confirmed the film on stage at the Marvel panel at San Diego Comic Con 2019, referencing the last MCU film Spider-Man: Far From Home by stating: "Just because (Quentin) Beck made up lies about the multiverse doesn't mean it isn't real."Director Scott Derrickson is back at the helm for the Doctor Strange sequel, and while on stage at Comic-Con, he said the new film would lean more into the horror genre. "What excites me about Doctor Strange is from the comics--he doesn't fight villains from this Earth, he fights everything from everywhere. If I was gonna do a sequel we're gonna dip into the gothic and the horror -- we're gonna make the first scary MCU film," he said.Doctor Strange himself--actor Benedict Cumberbatch--was also in attendance, and was serenaded by the crowd singing Happy Birthday when he first appeared on stage (apparently it was his birthday the previous day). "We're going to do some of the things we had in the first film with that twist of horror. He'll be facing unexpected things--he won't know what's coming at him. We're going back to trying to destroy him a bit," he said.And in perhaps one of the most exciting news for Doctor Strange 2, it was confirmed the Scarlet Witch herself--Wanda Maximoff (as played by Elizabeth Olsen)--will also be in the film. Kevin Feige confirmed the events in the upcoming Disney+ show WandaVision will directly link to Doctor Strange 2.DEVELOPING Info from Gamespot.com

As if the avalanche of MCU Phase Four films and Disney+ show news from Marvel Studios' San Diego Comic Con panel wasn't enough already, the world's biggest purveyor of superhero film and TV fare decided to save one of the their biggest announcements for last: Blade, the half vampire-half human last seen being portrayed by Wesley Snipes, is being rebooted for the big screen.And while Wesley Snipes was amazing in the three Blade films already made in the early 2000s, the new Blade has serious acting chops: two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali will be our new vampire hunter.DEVELOPING Info from Gamespot.com

We just got a big bang in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. During its panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, Marvel Studios laid out several new movies coming in Phase 4, starting with Black Widow on May 1, 2020, and including several other movies and TV series to build fan's hype.Panel-goers got a close look at Black Widow, the first standalone film for the Avengers character played by Scarlett Johansson. That movie is a prequel, filling in the backstory of the former Agent of SHIELD and Russian spy. Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige filled fans in on the movie's cast, and there was even a trailer that ran during the panel. Fans also heard about other movies coming in 2020, including The Eternals and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and new information about previously announced series Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki.We've got all the big announcements below to bring you up to speed instantly. You should also check out our Comic-Con hub for a rundown of all the news to come out of this year's convention, including from Marvel, and beyond.Release ScheduleHere's everything that's coming in 2020 and 2021 in the MCU, including movies and series, and when you can expect to see them.Marvel's Phase 4 Movie Release Date Schedule: Loki, Doctor Strange 2, EternalsBlack WidowThe Avenger's standalone film is a prequel that digs into her pre-SHIELD Agent past, and Marvel finally revealed when it'll hit theaters.Marvel Announces Black Widow Release Date, CastingEternalsMarvel Studios boss confirmed Eternals is really, truly coming in Phase Four, and it'll be "full Jack Kirby."Marvel's Eternals Release Date Officially Confirmed For MCU Phase FourShang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten RingsMarvel is digging up elements it introduced in the Iron Man movies, including terrorist organization Ten Rings and the Mandarin, the "real" version of the supervillain.Marvel Confirms Shang-Chi Will Be Third Film Of Phase 4MCU Phase 4 Includes The Real Mandarin, And He's Not Happy About Iron Man 3Doctor Strange 2: Madness In The MultiverseDoctor Strange is coming back, with the MCU multiverse opening up a whole lot more mystical stuff for him to deal with.Doctor Strange 2 Release Date Confirmed May 7, 2021Thor: Love And ThunderMarvel revealed the title of Thor 4, which is helmed by Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi and will see the return of Natalie Portman's character, Jane Foster.New Thor 4 Details: Release Date, Title, And Natalie Portman's Return Confirmed At Comic-ConBladeYup, Blade is happening--and it'll star Mahershala Ali as the half-vampire superhero.Holy Crap Marvel Studios Is Making A Blade Movie EveryoneFalcon And The Winter SoldierHere's what's going on when Captain America's best friends team up in the upcoming Disney+ show.New Falcon And Winter Soldier Details Revealed At Marvel's Comic-Con PanelWandaVisionWanda and Vision are bringing some romance to the MCU with their Disney+ series.Vision And Scarlet Witch Series, WandaVision, DetailedLokiMarvel explained a little about the mischief and mayhem Loki is liable to get up to, now that he's free in the universe post-Endgame.Marvel Confirms Loki's Endgame Moment Sets Up Disney+ Show, Reveals Release Date WindowWhat If...?Marvel is exploiting the multiverse with What If...?, an animated series that sees heroes and villains thrown into strange situations.What If...?, Marvel Studios' First Animated Series, Coming Summer 2021HawkeyeWe finally learned a bit about the upcoming series starring the sharpshooting Avenger.Hawkeye TV Series With Kate Bishop, Ronin DetailedFantastic Four and X-MenMarvel also hinted that the Fantastic Four and mutants would make their way into the MCU, thanks to Disney's purchase of Fox's movie wing.The Fantastic Four And Mutants Are Finally Teased For The MCU Info from Gamespot.com

Marvel outlined its upcoming plans for its the MCU Phase 4 during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con, and it includes a way to slightly ret-con one of its most divisive villain choices. The company announced that the Mandarin is going to be represented as a villainous threat closer to his comic inspirations--and it's even working the twisty Iron Man 3 plot in.Essentially, Iron Man 3 established the Mandarin as a cover for the film's real threat, the industrialist Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce). Killian had been manufacturing a terrorist threat via a bumbling actor pretending to be the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley). It was a clever take, but some fans voiced disappointment over a classic character being treated as a punchline. The next phase of the MCU will address that head-on.Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings will bring on actor Tony Leung as the iconic villain. The ten rings is a reference to both a major part of the Mandarin's character, and to references already made in the MCU."The 10 rings have been in the MCU from the very beginning," Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige said during the panel. "There is a real Mandarin, and he was quite upset with the imposter in Iron Man 3."Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton added that now that he's been given a peek behind the curtain, "incredible things have been thought out from the very beginning." That suggests that the plot beats will at least feel like a natural fit with the rest of the MCU.Shang-Chi is scheduled to hit theaters on February 12, 2021. It follows a kung fu master, and is the first film to feature an Asian lead in the MCU. For more on the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, be sure to check out all the Phase 4 plans revealed during the SDCC panel.Info from Gamespot.com

It was an absolutely jam-packed Marvel Studios Hall H panel at this year's San Diego Comic-Con including first looks at the recently confirmed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings, Thor 4, titled Thor: Love And Thunder, Black Widow, The Eternals, as well as Disney+ TV shows like Loki and Falcon and Winter Soldier. At the end, it felt as if there was no more news left in the Marvel Universe for fans to get.But nothing in the MCU is ever what it seems. As the panel wrapped up for the evening, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige dropped a handful of playful teases that serve as confirmation for something fans have been clamoring about for years: the inclusion of not only the Fantastic Four, but "mutants" (you know, like the X-Men) in the MCU."We talked about so much tonight, it's a shame we didn't have time to talk about Black Panther 2, about Captain Marvel 2, about Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 [...]" Feige joked, "We didn't have time to talk about the Fantastic Four, or about the mutants."The recent Disney/Fox merger has made both additions to the shared universe possible, meaning that the confirmation isn't exactly unexpected--but it is certainly more than welcome.With D23, Disney's own pop culture convention, just around the corner on August 23 through the 25th in Anaheim, California, we can certainly expect to hear more very, very soon. Info from Gamespot.com