The PlayStation Store's Totally Digital Sale continues this week with markdowns on PS4 games like Dead Cells, Dragon Ball FighterZ, and Superhot VR. Plus, more game deals have been added, including a batch of over 200 titles that PS Plus members can get twice the discount on. There's also a new Warner Bros. sale with markdowns across franchises like Batman: Arkham, Lego, Hitman, and Mortal Kombat.A PS Plus membership will come in handy with this week's PS4 deals (and by the way, you can get a 12-month membership for only $40 right now). PS Plus members can save twice as much on hundreds of titles, like Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition ($19.79), Dirt Rally 2.0 ($30), and XCOM 2 ($14.39). Other notable deals include BioShock for $4, Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden for $25, and No Man's Sky for $25. You have some extra time to claim these discounts--the deals end June 4 at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET.The Warner Bros. sale is also worth checking out for its deals on Batman: Arkham games and Lego titles. You can get the entire Batman: Arkham collection for $30, which includes the definitive versions of all three games, plus all DLC. Injustice 2's Legendary Edition is marked down to $24 from $60, and Mad Max is only $7. Meanwhile, the Lego games are all available for $8, except for Lego: Marvel Super Heroes 2's Deluxe Edition, which is $14. These deals end May 28 at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET.See some of the best game deals below, and browse the full offering of deals at the PlayStation Store. Plus, don't forget to check out the deals posted last week as part of the Totally Digital Sale--those discounts will also expire May 28.Double Discounts SalePrices shown reflect full PS Plus discount.Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion -- $8Battlefield 4 -- $4.79BioShock -- $4BioShock: The Collection -- $14.39Borderlands -- $4Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition -- $19.79Borderlands 2 -- $4Burnout Paradise Remastered -- $4.79Cities Skylines -- $12The Crew -- $7.49Dirt 4 -- $12Dirt Rally 2.0 -- $30Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition -- $10.39Dragon Age: Inquisition - Game of the Year Edition -- $9.59Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen -- $18Fe -- $4.79The Gold Club 2019 feat. PGA Tour -- $30Grand Theft Auto V -- $15Just Cause 4 -- $30Lego: The Incredibles -- $12Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden -- $25NBA 2K19 -- $19.19No Man's Sky -- $25Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 -- $2Shadow of the Tomb Raider -- $30Song of the Deep -- $4Surviving Mars -- $15Tacoma -- $6Tom Clancy's The Division -- $10Unravel 2 -- $4.79The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt -- $12The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition -- $15XCOM 2 -- $14.39Warner Bros. Sale Prices shown reflect the standard discount; PS Plus members will save a bit more.Batman: Arkham Collection -- $30Batman: Arkham Knight -- $10Batman: Arkham Knight - Premium Edition -- $18Batman: Arkham VR -- $14Batman: Return to Arkham -- $10Hitman HD - Enhanced Collection -- $30Injustice 2 - Legendary Edition -- $24Lego: Harry Potter Collection -- $8Lego: Jurassic World -- $8Lego: Marvel's Avengers -- $8Lego: Marvel Super Heroes -- $8Lego: Marvel Super Heroes 2 - Deluxe Edition -- $14Lego: Star Wars - The Force Awakens -- $8Mad Max -- $7Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor - Game of the Year Edition -- $12Middle-Earth: Shadow of War -- $17.49Mortal Kombat XL -- $10Mortal Kombat X - Kombat Pack 2 -- $10Info from Gamespot.com

The mobile spin-off Mario Kart Tour has just launched its closed beta, available to select users who pre-registered. Those early impressions are giving us some of our first indications for what to expect from this new type of Mario Kart game.On the whole, it seems like a greatest hits of tracks and racers from throughout Mario Kart history. And mechanically, it appears stripped down and simple, but functional; you drag from one side to the other to steer your go-kart around the tracks. Like Mario Kart 8, your loadout includes a racer, kart, and glider selection. It also uses auto-accelerate similar to the Mario Kart 8 option.However, the game is facing criticism over its approach toward microtransactions. Rather than a traditional Mario Kart game with unlockable racers, Mario Kart Tour is said to have free-to-play loot mechanics for earning additional racers and karts.In a preview, Kotaku reported green gems serve as the premium currency. You can use those to pull a random racer, kart, or glider out of a golden pipe. But some characters get bonuses based on the track, so it's possible that to compete at higher levels you may need to use particular characters, creating a loot grind. The game also uses a stamina mechanic, represented by hearts, which bars further play once you run out. You can either wait a requisite time for them to refresh on their own or you can pay the premium currency to refill them.This is a beta test, so Nintendo could still be testing and balancing these mechanics. The company recently announced it will be pulling Animal Crossing Pocket Camp and Fire Emblem Heroes from Belgium, due to the country's recent laws against loot box mechanics in games. Meanwhile US Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) has recently proposed a bill that would forbid loot box mechanics in games targeted at minors, which would likely impact most of Nintendo's catalog including Mario Kart Tour if passed.Info from Gamespot.com

It's almost June, and that means a wave of new content is coming to Netflix in the upcoming month. From movies that hit theaters earlier in the year to brand-new Netflix originals, there is plenty of content coming to the service next month.The final season of any Netflix/Marvel joint venture hits the streaming service in the upcoming month. Season 3 of Jessica Jones is set to debut on Netflix sometime in June. However, no specific release date has been announced. There will be no more Marvel TV series on Netflix, as Marvel is moving its properties to the new streaming service, Disney+ later this year.The most-anticipated release this month is Season 5 of Black Mirror on June 5. The last release of the series, a choose your own adventure-style episode called Bandersnatch, actually delayed Season 5 of the hit show. This season will only contain three episodes,--Striking Vipers, Smithereens, and Rachel, Jack And Ashley, Too--but it's looking like it will be an exciting one--also, super-depressing.As usual, there are plenty of movies coming to the service in June, including Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, which arrive on June 1. And while Disney is pulling its content this fall, there are still a few things coming, like on June 15 when Ralph Breaks the Internet arrives.But Netflix is also giving content the boot in June, so you have a limited amount of time to watch some movies. On June 1, Stargate, Doom, and the Kill Bill movies exit Netflix, so watch them before they leave. On June 5, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 leaves, so it'll be your last chance to check that one out as well.Below, you'll find the full list of everything coming and going from Netflix in June. For more on streaming services, check out the June releases list for Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.Coming To Netflix In JuneNo DateMarvel's Jessica Jones: Season 3 -- NETFLIX ORIGINALTrinkets -- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvail. 6/1/19Arthdal Chronicles -- NETFLIX ORIGINALOh, Ramona! -- NETFLIX FILM50/50A.I. Artificial IntelligenceAnohana: The Flower We Saw That DayBatman BeginsCabaretCarrieCat on a Hot Tin RoofDynasty: Season 2Good Night, and Good LuckGran TorinoLife in the DoghouseMadagascar: Escape 2 AfricaMagic MikeNetworkPlatoonProsecuting Evil: The Extraordinary World Of Ben FerenczSatan & AdamSmall SoldiersThe Dark KnightThe Phantom of the OperaThe Space Between UsWhat a Girl WantsAvail. 6/3/19Documentary Now!: Season 3Malibu Rescue: The Series -- NETFLIX FAMILYAvail. 6/4/19Miranda Sings Live…Your Welcome -- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvail. 6/5/19A Silent VoiceBlack Mirror: Season 5 -- NETFLIX ORIGINALDr. Seuss' The GrinchAvail. 6/6/19Alles ist gut -- NETFLIX FILMTodos lo sabenAvail. 6/7/193%: Season 3 -- NETFLIX ORIGINALBelmonteThe Black Godfather -- NETFLIX FILMThe Chef Show -- NETFLIX ORIGINALDesignated Survivor: Season 3 -- NETFLIX ORIGINALElisa & Marcela -- NETFLIX FILMI Am Mother -- NETFLIX FILMPachamama -- NETFLIX FAMILYRock My Heart -- NETFLIX FILMSuper Monsters Monster Pets -- NETFLIX FAMILYTales of the City -- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvail. 6/8/19Berlin, I Love YouAvail. 6/11/19Disney’s Ralph Breaks the InternetAvail. 6/12/19Jo Koy: Comin' In Hot -- NETFLIX ORIGINALRolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese -- NETFLIX FILMAvail. 6/13/19The 3rd Eye 2 -- NETFLIX FILMJinn -- NETFLIX ORIGINALKakegurui xx -- NETFLIX ANIMEAvail. 6/14/19Aggretsuko: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ANIMEThe Alcàsser Murders -- NETFLIX ORIGINALAwake: The Million Dollar Game -- NETFLIX ORIGINALCharité at War -- NETFLIX ORIGINALCinderella Pop -- NETFLIX FILMGirlfriends' Guide to Divorce: Season 5Leila -- NETFLIX ORIGINALLife Overtakes Me -- NETFLIX ORIGINALMarlon: Season 2Murder Mystery -- NETFLIX FILMUnité 42 -- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvail. 6/15/19Grey's Anatomy: Season 15Avail. 6/16/19Cop CarAvail. 6/17/19The Missing: Season 3 -- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvail. 6/18/19Adam Devine: Best Time of Our Lives -- NETFLIX ORIGINALBig KillAvail. 6/19/19Beats -- NETFLIX FILMThe Edge of Democracy -- NETFLIX FILMAvail. 6/20/19Le Chant du Loup -- NETFLIX FILMAvail. 6/21/19Ad Vitam -- NETFLIX ORIGINALBolívar -- NETFLIX ORIGINALThe Casketeers: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINALThe Confession Tapes: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINALDark: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINALThe End of EvangelionEVANGELION: DEATH (TRUE)²Girls Incarcerated: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINALGO! Live Your Way: Season 2 -- NETFLIX FAMILYJaoon Kahan Bata Ae Dil -- NETFLIX FILMLa misma sangre -- NETFLIX FILMMr. Iglesias -- NETFLIX ORIGINALNeon Genesis EvangelionShooter: Season 3Avail. 6/24/19Forest of Piano: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ANIMEAvail. 6/25/19Mike Epps: Only One Mike -- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvail. 6/26/19The GolemSpider-Man: Into the Spider-VerseThe ZookeeperAvail. 6/27/19Answer for Heaven -- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvail. 6/28/1920th Century Women7SEEDS -- NETFLIX ANIMEDope: Season 3 -- NETFLIX ORIGINALExhibit A -- NETFLIX ORIGINALInstant Hotel: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINALMotown Magic: Season 2 -- NETFLIX FAMILYPaquita Salas: Season 3 -- NETFLIX ORIGINALThe Chosen One -- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvail. 6/29/19Scare Tactics: Seasons 4 & 5Avail. 6/30/19Madam Secretary: Season 5Leaving Netflix In JuneLeaving 6/1/19An Extremely Goofy MovieApollo 13Cold in JulyDisney's 101 DalmatiansDisney's The Fox and the Hound 2Disney's The Jungle Book: Mowgli's StoryDoomFreddy vs. JasonFriday the 13thHoney, We Shrunk OurselvesI Am LegendIn the Army NowInspector Gadget 2Jason XKill Bill: Vol. 1Kill Bill: Vol. 2Legally BlondeLegally Blonde 2: Red, White & BlondeMy Bloody ValentinePlaying It CoolPretty in PinkReindeer GamesStargateTerminator SalvationThe Bone CollectorThe Constant GardenerLeaving 6/4/19District 9Leaving 6/5/19Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2Leaving 6/6/19The SoloistLeaving 6/14/19Grand Designs: Australia: Season 4I Own Australia's Best Home: Season 1I Own Britain's Best Home: Season 1MotherLeaving 6/15/19Apocalypse NowMinimalism: A Documentary About the Important ThingsNational Lampoon's Van WilderThe PianistLeaving 6/16/19Death RaceLeaving 6/24/19Disney's Mulan 2Info from Gamespot.com

Developer Team Ninja is back with some new, if scant, information on Nioh 2. This time, the Toyko-based studio has unveiled a new trailer detailing a closed alpha for the upcoming hack 'n' slash title.The closed alpha trailer looks very much like Nioh, with all the same imagery and iconography. Something new, however, is the change in characters. Alongside playable male samurai, we see a female samurai (Onna-bugeisha) do battle against yokai throughout the trailer. Later in the trailer, the playable characters transform into yokai themselves with what looks to be different forms and movesets, suggesting that Nioh 2 will feature some sort of transformation state players can use in battle. The game also seems to feature several new weapons, including a longer, nodachi-style blade, duel-wielded axes, a naginata (a pole weapon similar to a spear), and more. You can check out the closed alpha trailer below.As indicated by the trailer, Nioh 2's closed alpha will be held for a full week, starting on Saturday, May 25 and ending on Sunday, June 2. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a way to request an invite. According to a tweet from the official Team Ninja Twitter account, "Some PS4 users are invited to take part in the Nioh 2 closed alpha to help gather feedback for the development." Team Ninja didn't clarify how it will notify PS4 users that they've been granted access, and the studio currently has no plans to expand the alpha.Some PS4 users are invited to take part in the Nioh 2 closed alpha to help gather feedback for the development. To ensure the team can manage the feedback, there are no plans to expand the alpha at the moment, but please keep an eye on our channels for more info in the future. pic.twitter.com/hS1l0rHLFa — Team NINJA (@TeamNINJAStudio) May 22, 2019Nioh 2 was revealed during Sony's E3 2018 press conference. The short teaser, at the top, sees a wounded samurai fleeing into a marsh field before defending against a few yokai. After succumbing to wounds, the samurai falls to his knees, at which point he grows horns on his forehead and pulls them both out of his skull, revealing the demon underneath. With Sony skipping E3 2019, it's unclear when we'll be getting our next look at Nioh 2.Info from Gamespot.com

It seems developer Riot Games is looking to bring one of the world's most popular games, the MOBA League of Legends, to the mobile market. According to a Reuters report, a mobile version of League of Legends is reportedly in development.Both Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Riot did not provide comment on the matter, but Reuters reports that "one of the sources said Tencent and Riot have been working on a mobile version of 'League of Legends' for more than a year." A separate source, according to Reuters, says this mobile League of Legends probably won't launch this year.Reuters cites data aggregator Statista, which states that League of Legends raked in $1.4 billion last year, a 21% decrease from the year prior but a huge sum nonetheless. Bringing League of Legends to mobile, a game with 10 years of history under its belt, would bode well for both Riot and Tencent. As Reuters puts it, "Mobile games accounted for 57% of videogame revenue in China in 2018 but only 36% in the U.S. market."As Newzoo analyst Gu Tianyi states, "League of Legends is not doing as well as it used to and so Riot badly needs a new way to monetise the game, especially considering that it is Riot's only game."In our Most Influential Games of the 21st Century series, we covered the impact League of Legends has had on things like the burgeoning esports industry. "From record viewership numbers on Twitch to hosting one of the biggest esports events ever at Madison Square Garden in 2016, Riot Games' prodigal son has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2009. Blizzard and Valve, the top dogs when Riot Games entered the scene, are now playing catch-up to the well-oiled Ferrari that is the League of Legends production model, and it shows."While there's no doubting the significance of League, developer Riot has received an increase amount of attention recently due to complaints from its employees. Most recently, more than 150 members of its staff staged a walkout to protest company policies.Info from Gamespot.com

Tired of the hopeful sentimentality of the superhero movie genre, or just looking for something different, scarier, and much, much darker? Brightburn could be your ticket. As a movie that begins and ends with the question "What if Superman, but evil?" Brightburn isn't a movie for the young or faint-hearted. It takes the concept to the extreme, following a young super-powered boy who gets more and more murderous as he discovers his incredible abilities.But while "evil Superman" sounds like a great concept for a comic book supervillain, Brightburn director David Yarovesky told GameSpot that his titular protagonist/antagonist is not a supervillain, and certainly not an anti-hero--but simply an evil superhero. The distinction is somewhat fuzzy, but it's crucial to the movie's indentity."I've heard people talk about this as a supervillain story. I've heard people talk about this as an antihero story. I've heard people talk about it as a superhero story. It seems to be one of those things, you know, 'Are you looking at a blue dress or a white dress?' kind of a situation," the director said. "I would say that it is an evil superhero movie--I like 'evil superhero.'"Calling Brandon Breyer, who comes to be known as Brightburn, a supervillain isn't quite right. But it's not completely incorrect, either, the director said, "because supervillain has a connotation to it--that he's the counter to some other power. And it's also, [a supervillain] feels like, not central--it feels like the B-plot, the supervillain story. You know? This is an evil superhero story."Brightburn is, indeed, the central figure of the movie, for better or worse. There's no counterpoint or foil for Brandon, no scrappy hero to rise up and thwart his evil plans."It's a challenging idea, because you have potentially the most powerful villain in a horror movie that I can wrap my mind around right now," Yarovesky said. "He's so powerful--how do you fight that? How do you survive an encounter? And so that was one of the challenges of the movie, was finding clever, creative ways to play cat-and-mouse with him, to build anticipation, to make it scary."Brightburn obviously straddles two genres: superhero and horror. "The fun of this movie was always where superhero and horror meet, like, the corner of that street," Yarovesky said. "So finding ways to take any beat that felt horror and inject superhero into it, and at the same time, finding any moment that felt too just purely superhero, finding ways to tell it in a new way--tell it in a scary way."Ultimately that meant leaning more into the horror side of it. "I approached this movie like a horror movie," he said. "I wanted people to be scared, you know? I wanted to tell a [superhero] origin story, but I wanted to tell it through the lens of horror. To me, it was a horror movie, and I had a clear intention of how I wanted you to feel in the movie."A Promise to FansBrightburn gets really intense with its gore, including gruesome close-up shots of a car crash victim, an injury involving an eyeball, and much more. Yarovesky said he wasn't afraid to go there, because he believes he understands who this movie's audience is."I felt like I made a promise to the audience," he said. "I knew the trailer that we were going to be putting before people. I knew what we were telling people the movie was going to be: We're telling the definitive superhero horror story. And what that means is, I'm going to show you what it looks like if someone starts using superpowers on us. And it's horrifying. I felt like I absolutely had to give you the most f***ed up superhero movie you could possibly imagine.""I always kept my eye on the prize of, I know what this movie is. I know who my audience is, you know? I'm making this movie for people who think seeing a scary, evil superhero would be cool," he continued. "16-year-old me, knowing that, would have gotten incredibly excited to hear that that movie was R-rated. And knowing that it was R-rated, it felt like a promise to the audience that we were going to go there. And so we went there."Yarovesky said the movie is meant to feel hopeless; it's a response to the contemporary superhero movie landscape."I think that if you look at the sort of more family-friendly, altruistic superhero movies that we've all grown up with and that we all love--and that I will still continue to pay money for every time they come out and see every one of them again and again and again--but if you look at those movies, they are full of hope and joy and optimism," he said. "The evil superhero in this movie is is the counter to that, and is the inverse of that. So I would be failing at my duties of making that evil superhero story if I filled you with hope and optimism."Brightburn was produced by MCU heavy hitter James Gunn, and written by Gunn brother Brian and his cousin Mark. Yarovesky has also appeared in Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy franchise as one of Yondu's Ravagers (he's credited as "Goth Ravager," which Yarovesky said is indeed his character's official name). The Brightburn director is well aware that the movie is a weird fit for this moment in cinematic history."I mean, sure. In one part, it's hard not to see this movie and think about Avengers and the scale of superheroes these days," he said. "You know, we'll all look back at this era in pop culture and see how superheroes infected all aspects of storytelling in so many ways. And this is certainly one of those ways. I grew up loving horror movies and watching horror movies, and I'd watch interviews with the people who created horror movies of the '80s, and of the '90s, and even of the '70s. And so much of those stories were birthed out of that time period and what was happening then to inspire the things that scare them. And there's no way to look at this movie and not see that it is absolutely inspired by the time, in so many different ways."In addition to current superhero movies, the director leveled some criticism at modern horror: "I think that sometimes the era of horror that we're in right now can feel overly supernatural and soft and without consequence," he said. "I wanted [Brightburn] to be scary and threatening. When you know he's coming for you, he's going to get you, and it's going to be real bad."I think that we fulfilled that promise."Brightburn hits theaters Friday, May 24. Info from Gamespot.com

It's been a long wait for Fire Emblem fans since the newest entry in the series, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, was first announced in January 2017. Since then, the release date has been pushed back several times, but the game will finally release on Nintendo Switch July 26. It'll be the first Fire Emblem main title on a home console since Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, which released on the Wii back in 2007.Fire Emblem: Three Houses will introduce fans to the continent of Fódlan, which is comprised of three nations who are currently at peace. At Fódlan's center is the Church of Seiros and the game's main setting, the Officer's Academy. Like previous Fire Emblem games, your customizable character will act as an advisor--only this time, you're actually a professor at the Academy, and your warriors are also your students, who are divided into three houses based on their respective nation.The game will feature the same style of turn-based combat with life-or-death stakes, only now you can create battalions of troops to support individual warriors in battle. When you're not on the battlefield, you'll be able to explore the Academy and form relationships with students, which will in turn influence how they perform in battle.It's likely we'll get one more look at Fire Emblem: Three Houses during the Nintendo Direct scheduled to air at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 5 PM BST on June 11, the first day of E3. We'll update this story as new info about Fire Emblem is revealed; meanwhile, you can also catch up on the other Nintendo Switch games confirmed for E3 2019.If you have a Nintendo Switch online membership and want to save yourself $20 in the long-term, you can also take advantage of Nintendo's limited-time voucher deal. The deal offers a pair of vouchers for $100 that you can then redeem for two eligible Switch titles, Fire Emblem included. You can get more info about that deal at Nintendo.Pre-order listings for Fire Emblem: Three Houses are up on many retailer sites, and there are two editions currently available. Here's what you should know if you're planning to purchase the game.Fire Emblem: Three Houses pre-order bonusSo far, there's only one pre-order bonus available for Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and it's limited to GameStop. The retailer just announced it's offering an exclusive pin set representing the three houses at the Officer's Academy, while supplies last.Pre-order Fire Emblem: Three Houses standard editionIf you only care about owning the game itself, pick up the standard edition, which is selling at the usual launch price of $60. Remember that if you pre-order on Amazon and the price drops between the day you order and release day, you'll be charged the lowest price when the game ships.Get it at Amazon -- $60Get it at GameStop -- $60Get it at Best Buy -- $60Get it at Target -- $60Get it at Walmart -- $60Pre-order Fire Emblem: Three Houses Seasons of Warfare editionHardcore Fire Emblem fans may be interested in the Seasons of Warfare edition, which sells for $100. In addition to the game itself, the Seasons of Warfare edition comes with a sound selection CD, art book, steelbook case, and 2020 desk calendar.Last time we checked, this edition was sold out at Amazon and Best Buy, but you can currently grab it at GameStop and Target. These types of special editions sell out quickly, so we suggest securing your copy now if you want it.Get it at Amazon -- $100Get it at GameStop -- $100Get it at Best Buy -- $100Get it at Target -- $100Info from Gamespot.com

One of the most macabre scenes in A Plague Tale: Innocence is the eponymous plague, manifesting in the form of cursed rats. These vermin have a malevolent, otherworldly presence, their incessant screeching and scratching on stone pavements and atop piles of corpses making for a nightmarish, cacophonous din. Like sewage sludge, these creatures pour out of crevices towards their unwitting victims, ravaging them until they are just skin and bones. It’s an incredibly grotesque and spine-chilling sight--one that will linger in your mind hours later.But even though the rats are a constant presence in Innocence, they merely serve as the backdrop for its more poignant moments, featuring the two characters you’ll spend the bulk of your time with: Amicia and Hugo de Rune, a pair of young siblings who are suddenly thrust into this hellscape of war and pestilence. Set amidst the Hundred Years’ War during the Middle Ages, the comfort the siblings once knew as children to a noble French family has been ruthlessly shattered. The Black Death, too, has wrought terror upon the country, with the bulk of the French population either dying from the plague or eaten by rats. Compounding this is the Inquisition, a fanatical group of knights keen to get their hands on the last of the de Rune descendants. Surrounded with sludgy pools of grimy rats, and with murderous knights hunting them down at every other turn, the duo need to gather their wits, leaning on stealthier means to escape from this mess. But not only do you have to navigate through the bedlam as the teenage Amicia, you’ll also have to take care of the five-year-old Hugo; he panics and shouts for Amicia when she ventures too far from him--as any young child will presumably do when surrounded by a neverending miasma of death and decay.This arrangement does give Innocence the appearance of an elaborate escort mission, but fortunately, the game knows how to subvert the tedium that’s so typical of such games. A huge part is due to how human Innocence is. Despite his neediness and naiveté, Hugo is easy to grow fond of. His childlike wonder cuts through the wretchedness of their circumstances, allowing him--and helping Amicia--to appreciate the beauty even in the bleakest of times. In one scene, he quickly takes off to a nearby pier, fascinated by the curious sight of bubbles from frogs in the lake. Even a small gesture from him, such as plucking a flower--a symbol of tenacity in such trying times--to gently place it among Amicia’s braids, captures the warmth of their relationship. Such moments are heart-wrenchingly sweet, and you’ll share Amicia’s growing attachment to Hugo; his companionship is even greatly missed when she has to be paired up with other characters you meet along the way. On a mechanical level, it also helps that the artificial intelligence behind the characters isn’t hopelessly illogical, at least most of the time. Hugo isn’t usually one to chase after a butterfly in the thick of trouble, but the game still has its moments where a companion might accidentally take a kamikaze dive into a pool of quivering rats. Thankfully, these blunders are mercifully rare.With survival being the thematic core of the game, Innocence is, at its crux, a series of survival puzzles; you’ll need to avoid the ravenous rat colonies, as well as evade the knights of the Inquisition. The rodents are terrified of light and will scuttle away at its mere presence--a weakness you can exploit to make your way across death-stricken battlefields and cities. Yet key to survival is also vigilance; wander too close to the rats, and they will attempt to devour you, clawing at the fringes of the light as their teeth chatter with insatiable hunger. And when a few stray rodents manage to latch onto you, Amicia can drown in a whirlpool of vermin, as they viciously and noisily gnaw on her. Few scenes in video games manage to be quite as eerie as this, heightening the game’s cloying atmosphere of despair and danger.What’s decidedly less impressive, however, are the members of the Inquisition. As children, Amicia and Hugo won’t survive most direct confrontations with these armored brutes, who are only too eager to swing their cudgels and swords upon discovering them. Luckily for the de Rune siblings, the knights are also dumb as rocks; these barbarians are easily distracted by loud noises or sudden movements, such as by smashing a pot near their feet or tossing a rock towards a nearby chest full of armor. After staring at the offending object for a minute, the knight will mutter a variant of “Guess it’s just my imagination”--the most hackneyed and quintessential line used by hilariously obtuse NPCs in stealth games--and lumber back to their post, completely bewildered by the sound. In another far more egregious gaffe, another knight, while gawking at rats stripping his comrade to the bones, would grouse about the pointlessness of searching for his murderer, since they must be far gone by now. He then settled back to his programmed patrol, his back turned against the torrent of crazed rodents. For a game whose storytelling relies heavily on its atmosphere of dread and fear, such illogical instances absolutely butcher the mood.That said, the game’s puzzles eventually ramp up in difficulty in later chapters, which renders combat and confrontations unavoidable at certain points. As dim-witted as the knights are, they’re still mostly decked out in heavy armor and weaponry--and can make devastating enemies. To compensate for her lack of brute strength, Amicia can modify and augment her trusty slingshot and ammunitions with the right materials and a dash of basic alchemy, turning the humble tool into a deadly and versatile weapon. Hugo isn’t a passive companion either; reaching cramped, hard-to-access places is his forte, and he’s gutsy enough to crawl through smaller breaches in walls alone to open up new paths for Amicia--provided the coast is cleared. Other characters, like a talented young alchemist named Lucas and a pair of orphaned thieves called Mellie and Arthur, will come with vastly different capabilities--and each with their own affairs to settle in this dire tale.Scenes of desolation and tragedy mark Innocence’s dark, intriguing world, tied together with a narrative that’s genuinely moving without resorting to fetishizing the children’s sufferings. Despite their challenging situation, the siblings make do with what little help they get, bolstered by Amicia’s astounding resourcefulness, to survive this catastrophic mess. The game also magnifies the cataclysmic impact of the Black Death through a lens of cosmic horror, invoking the frightful atmosphere of H.P. Lovecraft’s macabre stories; the slithering rats, whether they are scurrying in the dank blackness beneath the city or trailing around half-eaten cadavers, never fails to be disconcerting. On the other hand, its villainous characters are almost painfully one-dimensional, with predictable twists and turns in the plot. This renders some of its revelations lackluster.Powerfully ghoulish depictions of the plague and rats aside, Innocence is ultimately an emotive story of resilience against harrowing odds. The game’s title is an obvious nod towards the loss of innocence the endearing young cast faces throughout their journey. But more than that, it also speaks of the depths of human depravity and the agonizing cost of survival in the midst of war. Despite the unremitting horrors of Innocence’s beginnings, the game occasionally lets in a faint glimpse of hope. One of my favorite moments is when Amicia spots another wildflower in a lone trek across the city, nestled among the decay of the rats’ revolting nests. Without her brother around, she picks it up, and places it gingerly in her own hair--a personal reminder to keep trudging on amidst the hardships, and a testament to her growing strength and tenacity. Despite flashes of predictability, moments like these will bring a lump to your throat, as it did mine. Info from Gamespot.com

In 2018, All In was the biggest independent wrestling show of all time. Selling out a 10,000+ arena is no easy task, and the wrestlers/promoters of The Elite did it in under 30 minutes. From this success spung the new promotion All Elite Wrestling, and AEW is ready to present its first branded PPV on Saturday, May 25.Taking place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas, Nevada, AEW's first major event is Double or Nothing. The show will feature a mix of new and familiar faces to wrestling fans, featuring talent from all around the world. As of this writing, there are 10 matches on the Double or Nothing card with two taking place on the pre-show, titled The Buy-In.How To Watch:WarnerMedia announced that AEW will have a weekly show on TNT, once the home to WCW, but the Double or Nothing PPV will appear on multiple streaming services, depending on your location.If you live in the United States, you'll have to watch Double or Nothing on WarnerMedia's B/R Live. The show will cost $50. If you live in the UK, Double or Nothing will air on the ITV Box Office channel at 1 AM BST on Sunday, May 26. For everyone outside of the US, you can watch the PPV on Fite.tv, which aired All In last year, and it will cost $50 as well.There is a pre-show which starts one hour prior, which you can watch on B/R Live or on AEW's YouTube.The Casino Battle Royale and Kip Sabian vs. Sammy Guervara will air for free through those services.Main Card Time:4 PM PT7 PM ET12 AM BST (May 26)9 AM AET (May 26)While there are reportedly some surprises still coming in the final days before the show, you'll find the match carded for Double or Nothing that has been booked thus far. All of these matches have been built up on the YouTube series Being the Elite and Road to Double or Nothing.Sadly, Hangman Page vs. Pac will not be happening at Double or Nothing now. The two did have a match recently in England, which was featured on All Elite Wrestling's YouTube channel. However, there are still plenty of great matches on the card, including Kenny Omega vs. Jericho for the #1 Contender spot for the AEW Championship, which has not been revealed yet. The winner of Omega vs. Jericho will face the winner of the Casino (Battle) Royale at a later date.Below, you'll find the full match card and everyone that's been revealed for the Casino Battle Royale on AEW's Double or Nothing PPV.Match Card:Casino (Battle) Royale (Buy-In Pre-Show… #! Contender Match)Kip Sabian vs. Sammy Guervara (Buy-In Pre-Show)Aja Kong, Yuka Sakazaki, & Emi Sakura vs. Hikaru Shida, Riho, & Ryo MizunamiThe Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta) vs. Angelico & Jack EvansSCU (Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky) vs. Strong Hearts (Cima, T-Hawk, and Lindaman from China's OWE)Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho (#1 Contender Match)Dr. Britt Baker vs. Nyla Rose vs. Kylie RaeCody vs. Dustin RhodesThe Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) vs. The Lucha Bros (Pentagon Jr. & Fenix) For The AAA Tag Team ChampionshipsCasino Battle Royale Competitors:Shawn Spears (Formerly Tye Dillinger in WWE)Sonny KissGlacierBrian Pillman JrBrandon CutlerKip SabianAce RomeroMJFSunny DazeDustin ThomasMarq QuenIsiah KassidyMake sure to come back to GameSpot on Saturday, May 25 for live coverage and review of the show. Info from Gamespot.com

James Bond actor Daniel Craig sustained an ankle injury while filming Bond 25 in Jamaica, the film's producers have confirmed. Related to the injury, Craig is undergoing "minor ankle surgery."While Craig will be out of commission while he recovers over a period of two weeks after the surgery, Bond 25 is not going to be delayed. The film "remains on track" for its previously scheduled release date in April 2020. However, the producers did not say when the injury was sustained or when the surgery will take place. They also did not share what specific kind of injury Craig had.BOND 25 update: Daniel Craig will be undergoing minor ankle surgery resulting from an injury sustained during filming in Jamaica. Production will continue whilst Craig is rehabilitating for two weeks post-surgery. The film remains on track for the same release date in April 2020. pic.twitter.com/qJN0Sn4gEx — James Bond (@007) May 22, 2019Craig is known to do his own stunts, even if he gets injured sometimes. "He gets his hands very dirty," Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace's chief stunt coordinator Gary Powell told The Guardian in 2008. "Daniel puts the work in, even if it's something he's not keen on."Some of the other injuries Craig has sustained over the years while filming Bond movies include losing his two front teeth while filming a fight scene for Casino Royale and an injury filming Quantum of Solace where he lost the tip of one of his fingers. "I was bleeding a lot. I had to get it cauterized," Craig recalled. "Filming stopped and everybody went, 'Oh my God! He sliced the end of his finger off!' They went looking for it, but couldn't find it."Esquire has a roundup of the injuries that Craig has sustained over the years filming Bond movies.Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, and Lea Seydoux will all reprise their roles in what is still only known as Bond 25. Jeffrey Wright and Ben Whishaw also return. This is the final 007 movie featuring Craig as the super-spy.Actors new to the series for Bond 25 include Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody), Billy Magnussen (Game Night), Ana De Armas (Blade Runner 2049), David Dencik (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy), Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel), and Dali Benssalah. Malek will seemingly play the film's villain, as he stated his excitement to be a part of the film before promising to make sure "Bond does not have an easy ride."Bond 25's story begins with Bond no longer on active service but instead enjoying himself in Jamaica. "His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology."The movie was initially going to be directed by Danny Boyle, but he left due to "creative differences." True Detective's Cary Fukunaga replaced Boyle before the film was delayed first from October 2019 to February 2020 and then again to April 3, 2020. Info from Gamespot.com

You're facing down the scattered remnants of the last, great Han warlords, and your entire adult life so far has been building to this moment. Ever since you first took up arms at the age of eighteen against the corruption bleeding China dry, vengeance has been the one thing driving you forward. People call you the Bandit Queen, spitting the title at your feet in battle before your twin axes cleave their heads from their shoulders. As your forces pursue routed, scarlet-clad warriors, you feel the gaze of one of your lieutenants upon you, pivoting almost too late to meet their steel with your own. However, you're resigned to this by now, and he meets a gurgling end like so many before him who disagreed with your methods. No general suffers any threats to their rule, even when the peasantry starts to mutter about you and the old tyrant, Dong Zhou, in the same breath. There are no saints in Total War: Three Kingdoms, just a castell of death and destruction with its apex pointed squarely at the throne.The Romance of the Three Kingdoms is essentially the Chinese version of The Iliad in construction. Larger-than-life characters, an at-times heady mix of romance and intrigue, and a hell of a lot of fighting are what define it. However, it's almost entirely unique as a text because of the fact that it is widely treated as a reasonable record of the events of the turbulent period of 169 AD to 280 AD in Chinese history, despite embellishment. The Total War franchise is no stranger to adapting the militaristic trials and tribulations of our world's past, but Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a work that has at times straddled the dual worlds of academia and fantasy.While the popular Dynasty Warriors games have very successfully depicted the fantasy, it's not been as easy to capture the intricate, personal stories of now-recognisable figures like Cao Cao, or to capture how they played into the wider scheme of the world as we know it. Total War: Three Kingdoms focuses keenly on those key figures and their motivations, using the literature's extensive canon as fodder for your own strategic in-game actions. Thrown into the thick of the battles and diplomacy of 190 AD, you'll need guts, gore, and perseverance to either unite China or to break the chains of oppression that hold its people fast, and Creative Assembly has succeeded in translating the themes from a decades-long, larger-than-life epic into a form that will appeal to both Total War enthusiasts and rookies alike.For the uninitiated, Total War is a mix of turn-based strategy and real-time battles where you take full control of squadrons of warriors and watch them duke it out against your foes on a picturesque patch of blood-stained grass. When you're not exerting military might on everyone else, entries in the series have historically focused on strategy elements akin to those that you would see in traditional 4X games like Civilzation. You have to balance expanding cities with diplomacy, manage population growth and happiness, and also deal with the very real concerns of keeping enemies off your tail. You do this by managing a series of complex, interconnected systems that influence everything from your inner circle to what a certain township might have to trade in winter. Give a town a governor with a green thumb and see trade flourish, or marry off a dissenter to an enemy and see previous peace treaties wither. As with every strategy title, the consequences of your choices are far-reaching, and Total War is an exercise in choosing wisely.The first thing that will stand out with Three Kingdoms is how it puts its best foot forward on its production values. Dynamic weather, lighting, and beautiful watercolour environments--ranging from mountains to besieged cottages--paint a striking backdrop for the conflict and bloodshed to follow. Your generals themselves remain rendered larger than life and in great detail, and their idle chatter (fully voiced in Chinese, if you so choose) lend them a lot of personality when you're taking your time deciding on your next move. The UI is also clean and well-designed; Three Kingdoms is a return to the usual gamut of interactive windows providing the minute details and statistics seen in older Total War titles, but information can be pinned and dismissed at will so you aren't fighting a battlefield of clutter.Detailed mechanics from previous titles return, which means a lot of information for more recent Total War fans to contend with. This is particularly noticeable when wrangling your allies, which is now essentially a full-time job. Managing relationships within your own coterie is no longer as easy as paying them to look the other way, nor are the effects almost instantaneous. It's now a long game of min-maxing retinues, victories, ideal reforms, and placation. While you're picking a general, faction identities are not as set in stone in practice as they may have been in previous titles. Playstyles ranging from expansionist and war-mongering to diplomatic can all be found in the same faction, and this translates nicely to create a dynamic inner circle.Some of the streamlining done in recent Total War titles has been walked back, potentially to emphasize Three Kingdom's focus on cults of personality in adherence with the source material for the game; your advisors and family members are all fully-fledged characters of their own with personality traits that will conflict, sometimes fatally, with your ethos. Making concerted decisions over a long period of time that are in line with your vassals' beliefs are necessary to keep them keen, lest you cop a challenge and a sword in the back when you least expect it. The threat of defection from your wider allies is always on the horizon too; the factions fighting over China are as fractured as the land itself. Where Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia invited you to ruminate upon keeping your faction cohesive so as to ensure that your reformations would live on, diplomacy and faction politics in Three Kingdoms feel much more like putting pressure on a bleeding wound. Everyone starts at each other's throats, with the major balance of power being in favour of the Han Empire.Whether you were part of the Yellow Turban rebellion, an independent warlord, or a former seneschal of the Empire, everyone at the time was clamoring for a piece of the pie, and having that reflected in Three Kingdom's mechanics is a nice touch. But you can sometimes feel pigeon-holed into conflict in a way that restricts your agency as a player. War declarations come hard and fast, with AIs as mercurial at decision-making as their portrayals in the source material. Sure, you can suggest marriage or pay a tithe, but taking the peaceful road often shakes out to be incredibly costly in negotiations. By the time you're staring down a line of cavalry encroaching on your territory, you can often feel like you only have one real option: to fight to the death.Combat in Three Kingdoms' main campaign has two distinct strains depending on which mode you're playing in: Romance, or the more traditional Historical option, which is more reminiscent of how Total War usually operates. While you can delegate combat to a dice roll of AI-generated auto-battling odds, getting bogged down in the minutiae of the battlefield is incredibly thrilling. You'll marshal your forces and pit them against those of your foes' in the pseudo weapons triangle of cavalry, infantry, and assorted others, all in real time. Whether it be a relentless siege against a settlement, meeting the Han empire in open combat, or simply trying to hold it together as someone else knocks on your gates with axe-wielding bandits, Total War's depiction of battlefield conflict is where it has always excelled, and Three Kingdoms is no different.However, the distinctive, much-trumpeted difference between Three Kingdoms and previous titles is the aforementioned Romance mode. This is where the fantastical merges with the historical in a way that offers you a new way to dominate opponents on the battlefield. In this mode, your generals stand head and shoulders above the rest, capable of single-handedly taking out entire squadrons on their own even as they yell out orders to the men rallying around them. In Romance mode, the strength of said generals grows in epic scale and scope over time, much in line with the fantastical deeds they perform in the source material. Generals also have the option to engage in duels with each other, which provides a spectacular, clash of the titans-style combative satisfaction. Three Kingdoms also lets you take these types of confrontations one step further in the new Battle mode, which lets you reenact famous skirmishes from Chinese history as these storied generals. It's both nicely educational and a refreshing change of pace.The game's tutorial is decent at helping you parse the essential mechanics from the math soup, but it feels like a large expository information dump as Three Kingdoms attempts to get you up to speed on both the world's ingrained politics and what to do with all these damn menus and buttons. You're given a crash course in everything from how to wage war to how to manage the people under your rule within the first 20 turns, which is mechanically almost a lifetime in-game, but not very long at all for someone who isn't familiar with Total War or the Three Kingdoms story to get properly acclimatised. But to its credit, Three Kingdoms does provide plenty of helpful supplementary material and difficulty adjustments to help rookies learn what they need to know to succeed, given enough time--from instructional videos to the pace in which the game unravels its conflicts on Easy difficulty, as well as the ability to streamline processes like waging war and building prosperous townships (the latter mostly through a one-size fits all approach to reformation). With enough patience, it's easy to be infected with Total War once you finally get your mouth around that first, overly-large bite.Three Kingdoms feels like a breath of fresh air. By harkening back to the intricacies of older titles and builds on some of the foundations laid by Thrones of Britannia, it offers a distinctly contemporary and thorough experience. This is the most ambitious that Total War has ever been, from the variety of different ways that you can enjoy the game to the sheer scope of the stories that they've weaved around each unique character's playable experience. Three Kingdoms feels like the rightful evolution of the series, pulling from its roots in historical military tactics to come up with an engrossing modern strategy game that is always a delight, even in its less well-oiled moments.Info from Gamespot.com

A new handheld video game system has been announced, and it's anything but traditional. The system, called Playdate, features an actual hand crank that can be used to play games (or not).The system is yellow and it is small enough to fit in your pocket. It features a black and white screen, and it plays all kinds of games. It's being made by the software developer Panic, which has been in business for more than two decades. Recently, it started a publishing business and some of its marquee titles have included Firewatch and the soon-to-release Untitled Goose Game.Oh yeah, the crank! No, it doesn't power the device. It's a flip-out rotational controller that puts a fresh spin on fun. Some games use it exclusively, some use it with the d-pad, and some not at all. pic.twitter.com/XYW97nLZKK — Playdate (@playdate) May 22, 2019Panic wanted to do even more, and that led to an idea to make a handheld game system. "What if we could push ourselves even further? What if we could build something? A real something that you could hold?" Panic said. "It was harder than we thought, but it's here."Panic worked with independent game designers Keita Takahashi, Zach Gage, Bennett Foddy, and Shaun Inman to create the Playdate console. "We showed them Playdate and asked, "Want to make a game for it?" Then we lost our minds when they said "Yeah!" Playdate said.In terms of game releases, the Playdate will get 12 "brand-new games," one released each week. Panic is keeping them a secret now so their release comes as a surprise. "Some are short, some long, some are experimental, some traditional. All are fun," Panic said.As for the Playdate's most unique feature, the hand crank, the rotating analog controller flips out from the side of the system. Some titles will use the crank exclusively, but others won't use it at all. The console also has traditional A and B buttons, along with a D-Pad. The system also has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, as well as USB-C and a headphone jack.The Playdate console launches in 2020, priced at $150 USD. All 12 of the games in Season One are included for that cost. Presumably further seasons of games will follow if the system succeeds.You can read this detailed FAQ to learn more about the Playdate console.Info from Gamespot.com

Quentin Tarantino's ninth movie, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival this week, and the first reviews are incredibly positive.The movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio as an actor falling out of prominence and his stunt double who is played by Brad Pitt. This is all happening in Hollywood during the summer of 1969. DiCaprio's character lives next door to the actress Sharon Tate (played by Margot Robbie in the film), who would be murdered by the Charles Manson family that same year.Reviewers are calling the movie one of Tarantino's most personal films, and a love letter to the Hollywood industry. The movie also features other huge-name actors such as Al Pacino, James Marsden, Timothy Olyphant, Dakota Fanning, and Kurt Russell, while Luke Perry appears in his final role before his death.We're breaking out some review excerpts here, but the movie isn't coming out until July in the US, so only a small handful of press were able to see the film at the famous French movie festival. You can also check out a 30-minute Q&A with Tarantino, DiCaprio, Pitt, and Robbie in the video above.The Guardians' Peter Bradshaw said about Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, "Quite simply, I just defy anyone with red blood in their veins not to respond to the crazy bravura of Tarantino's film-making, not to be bounced around the auditorium at the moment-by-moment enjoyment that this movie delivers--and conversely, of course, to shudder at the horror and cruelty and its hallucinatory aftermath."Writing for Time, Stephanie Zacharek said, "This is a tender, rapturous film, both joyous and melancholy, a reverie for a lost past and a door that opens to myriad imagined possibilities."David Rooney for The Hollywood Reporter summed up his thoughts thusly: "Once Upon a Time in Hollywoodis uneven, unwieldy in its structure and not without its flat patches. But it's also a disarming and characteristically subversive love letter to its inspiration, in which Tarantino rebuilds the Dream Factory as it existed during the time of his childhood, while rewriting the traumatic episode often identified as the end of that era."Below are some other thoughts and opinions about the film that were posted on Twitter:I’m a fan of watching great actors. There is no better actor than Leo. There are moments in #OnceUponaTimeinHollywood that are mind-boggling. Movie within a movie. Acting within acting. Crazy. — Tatiana Siegel (@TatianaSiegel27) May 21, 2019This standing O is going to go on for awhile. Here’s a taste. #OnceUponATimeInHollywood pic.twitter.com/wSbG7KT3SJ — Tatiana Siegel (@TatianaSiegel27) May 21, 2019To be completely honest I'm not yet sure what to make of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Need to let this one marinate, don't have an instant reaction. Most of the film is pretty good, I'm having fun watching them play around in late 60s Hollywood. Then the finale is HOLY FUCK. — Alex Billington @ Cannes (@firstshowing) May 21, 2019ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD - Historically dubious, thematically brilliant, QT finds his form in film that could win Palme d'Or or be picketed by audiences, or maybe both. Thrilling, provocative, blackly comical, intensely unsettling masterwork. #cannes2019 — Jason Gorber - at #Cannes2019 (@filmfest_ca) May 21, 2019ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD: Tarantino wasn't joking when he said this was the closest to PULP FICTION that he has come. He juggles a mosaic of characters and story-lines in this one, eventually stringing them together for a relentlessly playful and touching finale. #Cannes2019 — Jordan Ruimy @ Cannes (@mrRuimy) May 21, 2019I'm thinking #OnceUponATimeinHollywood is going to divide critics. Heck, I'm divided, and I'm just one critic. But I think the side of me that enjoyed it is going to win out. #Cannes2019 — Chris Knight (@ChrisKnightfilm) May 21, 2019Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood is so gloriously, wickedly indulgent, compelling and hilarious. The film QT was born to make. The world is a more colourful place in Quentin Tarantino’s twilight zone. Round two, please. #Cannes2019 — Joe Utichi (@joeutichi) May 21, 2019Go to GameSpot sister site Metacritic to see a further breakdown of the critical reaction to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood opens July 26 in the US, August 14 in the UK, and August 15 in Australia. Info from Gamespot.com

A new report from Australia's Interactive Games & Entertainment Association shows that that Australian game industry is growing. The organisation announced today that consumer spending on video games reached $4.029 billion in 2018; that's up by 25 percent over 2017's spending.By comparison, the United States video game industry generated $43.4 billion in 2018.Digital sales stood at $2.851 billion with physical retail sales amounting to $1.179 billion. Digital sales specifically jumped by a very healthy 39 percent, which is reflective of the industry's overall trending toward digital games. Physical retail sales jumped by only 0.2 percent. This is all further evidence that digital sales are taking up more and more of the pie.Here are some further insights from the IGEA's report:In-game digital purchases jumped by 190 percent year-over-year.Digital full game sales rose 71 percent year-over-year.Mobile gaming remains huge, with 11 percent year-over-year growth in revenue.Console accessory sales jumped 18.7 percent and helped improve overall retail sales.Of the $2.851 billion in digital sales, in-game microtransactions, season passes, and expansions--this category jumped by 190 percent year-over-year. Fortnite's massive success contributed to this uptick in revenue.Full-game digital sales revenue rose by 71 percent year-over-year.Subscription revenue rose by 31 percent compared to last year."The excitement for video games is continuing to grow, with phenomenal consumer sales in 2018," IGEA CEO Ron Curry said in a statement. "Australia continues to experience video games sales growth, in line with trends similarly experienced by other countries, including the USA and the UK."Curry went on to say that he hopes the Federal Government will recognise that the Australian gaming industry is an "integral part of the overall screen industry, thereby allowing the sector to access screen support programs available such as refundable tax offsets.Curry added: "It is imperative that these innovative and creative Australian-based tech companies can compete on a level playing field globally with many other jurisdictions offering support. Australian games developers should be able to take advantage, culturally and economically, of the global growth of this wildly popular entertainment medium."The video game industry's next major worldwide event is E3 2019 in June. We are expecting a lot of big news from the show, so keep checking back with GameSpot soon for lots more.Info from Gamespot.com

The newest game in Sony's long-running golf series, Everybody's Golf VR is the second to launch on PS4 and first to bring the series to virtual reality. The transition isn't without its bumps (there's a noticeable lack of Everybody's Golf's traditional competitive modes), but the PSVR golf game does deliver a fairly realistic golfing experience that's both accessible to play and fairly challenging to master.Everybody's Golf VR abandons the franchise's usual third-person view for a first-person perspective. The three-click swing mechanic (commonly seen in most of today's golf games) is also gone. Instead, you swing your clubs with a PlayStation Move or DualShock 4 controller, hopefully in one smooth motion. The direction of the ball is determined by the angle you hit it, and distance is calculated by how hard you swing. There are other factors to consider when you're on the course as well, such as wind direction and your elevation in relation to the hole.Actually swinging your arms to hit the ball takes a bit to get used to, but the motion controls are remarkably responsive with a DualShock 4 controller. Once you've got the form down on your swing, you'll be able to reliably hit the ball the way you want to. The same can't be said for the PlayStation Move controller. Occasionally, the Move controller works fine, but I found myself more often than not being unable to even reach the ball with my club while swinging the Move. I ultimately just had to stop using it, as it became too frustrating to play a near-perfect hole only to be stopped short just because my club would not reach down far enough to hit the ball no matter how much I crouched.In Everybody's Golf VR, the golf balls behave as they're expected to, obeying the laws of gravity when it comes to the arc of your shot or elevation of a slope, and their roll realistically heeds to changes in friction when the terrain is affected by different weather patterns, like rain. As previously mentioned, the motion controls are pretty precise. The camera measures whether your swing misses the ball, glances off of it, or makes full contact, and then takes the angle and power of your swing into account. Shifting too much of your body weight to one side or curving your swing typically results in a lousy shot, while maintaining good form sends your ball flying straight as an arrow (provided there are no environmental factors to take into account as well). The game isn't an exact representation of reality--you don't have to swing nearly as aggressively as a professional golfer to achieve distances like one--but Everybody's Golf VR sells you on the experience that you're actually playing golf in your living room.There's a welcome variety of customization options in Everybody's Golf VR, allowing players of all skill levels to enjoy time on the course. If you're having trouble putting, for example, you can turn on vacuum holes--which suck the ball in provided you get your shot close enough. For a more challenging experience, you can tee up on longer versions of the courses where it's harder to hit par. There are some nice accessibility options as well, such as the choice to play while standing up or sitting down, the option to change your dominant hand from right to left, and the freedom to choose between several sets of clubs--including one that makes it easier to hit the ball straight if you have limited mobility in your arms. There's plenty in Everybody's Golf VR to make the experience appealing to all types of players, and helpful tutorials give newcomers a chance to grasp the basics of the sport until they can get the swing of things.Everybody's Golf VR's courses are populated with everything you'd expect to see in a golf game, like sand traps and trees, as well as a few things you might not, like dinosaurs. Occasionally, a bee flies in your face or the sound of a wave crashes onto a nearby beach. These sights and sounds are never distracting, but via a PSVR headset and headphones, they do make it feel like each golf course is full of life. Decide to look closely enough, however, and you'll notice the golf resort's reception area and each course is always eerily empty save for your character and either the receptionist or your caddie. It's a tad unsettling.Each distinct environment provides more than just a cosmetic change, as a course's aesthetic translates into different environmental hazards to deal with; the Seaside Course is very windy, for example, and its holes have a lot more sand and water traps for your ball to be blown into. A course's hazards aren't enough to force you to drastically change how you play, but they do provide just enough of a welcome challenge to encourage out-of-the-box thinking. It's fun learning about how a new course works and satisfying to successfully deduce how to adapt to it. In the Seaside Course, for instance, you can risk timing your shot to a powerful gust of wind in hopes it will send your ball flying over an out-of-bounds area--which could save you an entire swing in the long run.Unfortunately, there aren't many courses for you to play on. And other than Practice Range, the only game mode in Everybody's Golf VR is Course. In Course, you do have the choice of whether you play a random three holes from a course, the first nine, the last nine, or all 18. But with only three courses total, you'll end up replaying the same holes repeatedly in order to unlock all the in-game rewards. It gets tedious after a few hours.The lack of additional modes in Everybody's Golf VR is a step back in comparison to previous titles in the series, many of which have one or two modes where you can face off against NPCs. As is, the only thing you can do in Everybody's Golf VR is play a course by yourself while your nearby caddie yells words of encouragement. Everybody's Golf VR does lessen some of its tedium with those caddies, though, as the eagerly helpful Riko and teasingly friendly Lucy help make your repeated trips out to the same collection of courses far less lonely.Replaying courses allows you to unlock additional outfits for your caddie to wear, which is a fun cosmetic reward to chase after. You can also unlock a handful of Events by partnering with a caddie long enough. Some play out like romantically-charged mini dates, but most are just goofy distractions good for a laugh or two. Each caddie has her own unique set of four Events, and though their unlock rates are spread out enough that it will take you a few hours to see them all, once you do there's nothing compelling to work towards in the game.Despite the lack of different activities in Everybody's Golf VR, the one thing it does do--provide a means of playing golf without actually having to go outside--is relatively enjoyable. Though it runs out of steam quickly, Everybody's Golf VR is fun while it lasts, and there are satisfying goals to chase for a time. Everybody's Golf VR's best feature is its assortment of customization and accessibility options, though, as they allow both golf newbies and veterans to curate their desired experience and just enjoy playing a round.Info from Gamespot.com