163 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(07/11/17 11:47pm)
by Jeremy Rogers
Barry Jenkins, director of Oscar darling Moonlight, has announced that his next project will be an adaptation of famed author James Baldwin’s 1974 novel If Beale Street Could Talk.
Beale Street follows Tish and Fonny, young lovers living in 1970s Harlem. After Fonny is accused of rape and imprisoned, Tish, finding herself pregnant with her first child, must race to find the evidence to set her love free so he can see his child.
Jenkins has said that he wrote the screenplay for his upcoming adaptation while he was working on Moonlight, despite not having acquired the rights to Baldwin’s work. Reportedly, the Baldwin Estate has been in close contact with Jenkins as he has worked to bring his next film to audiences in a way that respects the late author’s ideals and voice.
If Beale Street Could Talk will begin production in October with Annapurna Pictures. Detroit will be their first film that they are distributing free of any other partnerships, and will be in theaters August 4. Some may be familiar with the company’s video game publishing branch, Annapurna Interactive’s recent indie success What Remains of Edith Finch which holds an 89% on metacritic. One of their upcoming projects, The Artful Escape, was featured during Microsoft’s 2017 E3 press conference.
Sources: New York Times, Annapurna, Metacritic
Image: The Indian Express
(07/08/17 9:20pm)
by Jeremy Rogers
The largest hobby gaming convention in North America has stated in a recent press release that they have run out of 4 day passes for the event being held August 17-20 at the Lucas Oil Stadium and Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.
“Though 4-Day badges have sold out for Gen Con 50 there are still many opportunities to attend the convention and take part in the celebration,” said Adrian Swartout, CEO/Owner of Gen Con LLC. “Family Fun Day badges provide a great opportunity for visitors who wish to sample the show for the first time. Anyone still interested in attending Gen Con 50 should purchase their badges soon.”
Single day passes are still available for the long running event. Fans of tabletop gaming can still purchase passes on gencon.com with will call for tickets starting Wednesday, August 16 and staying open until the convention is over. If current trends hold, many believe that single day passes will eventually sell out as well.
Source: Gen Con
Image: Naptown Buzz
(07/08/17 7:14pm)
by Jeremy Rogers
Nintendo devoted an entire Direct presentation to their upcoming game Splatoon 2 today, catching veterans of the first game and newcomers alike up to speed so they can all be ready when the highly-anticipated game releases on July 21. In addition to going over some of the basics of the games, the presentation also highlighted some of the updated features that have been changed or improved.The first deviation from the Splatoon formula is the added functionality of certain weapon types. Now a charge can be stored for a short duration; rollers can be swung vertically to increase their range at the expense of the width their splats; and the new dualies allow the player to execute a dodge roll for increased mobility. New weapons were unveiled as well, including the rapid-fire Clash Blaster, the long range Flingza Roller, the versatile Goo Tuber charger and the quick Dapple Dualies.
New sub weapons and special weapons were demonstrated through gameplay footage as well. The Autobomb appears to replace the Seekers from the first game, and Toxic Mist looks like a modification to the Disruptor. The special attacks in Splatoon 2 are promised to be all new. The Tenta Missiles lock on to enemies and fires multiple small projectiles; the Inkjet allows the player to fly and shoot exploding ink blasts; the Sting Ray replaces the Killer Wail and shoots a concentrated stream of ink through walls; the Splashdown deals high damage in a radius around the user; the Ink Storm rains ink from the sky; the Bomb Launcher launches Splat Bombs; Ink Armor renders the user and surrounding teammates impervious to one attack; and the Baller envelopes the user in a highly mobile ball that can explode when near enemies.
New maps were displayed as well, including The Reef, Musselforge Fitness, Inkblot Art Academy, Starfish Mainstage, Humpback Pump Track, and Sturgeon Shipyard. Maps from the first game that are returning, albeit with a few tweaks, are Port Mackerel and Moray Towers.Changes to ranked modes were unveiled in the Direct as well. Now players will receive individual rankings for each ranked game type. An update to the ranking system allows players to advance several ranks at once if they play well enough. A new game mode is the League Battle. For the League, players either pair up or form their own 4 player squid squad and battle for the top place in League leaderboards.
New abilities were demonstrated as well. Thermal Ink, Object Shredder, Respawn Punisher, and the Drop Roller will all be adding new strategies to the game. The gear upgrade system has been overhauled as well as a few of the user interface elements.
One of Splatoon 2’s most highly anticipated features, the new Salmon Run game mode, was revealed to only be available to play at certain times during the day.
Splashnet 2, Splatoon 2’s online information hub, will be made available through the Nintendo Switch Online app. Players can use the app to access detailed stats of their last 50 battles. Another feature of the app is the integration of an in-game store. Voice chat for players connecting through the app will split lobbies up depending on who is on which team during matches
After going over Amiibo functionality, the Direct showed off a new feature where buying food in Inkopolis Square can yield extra benefits from matches. Exactly how this feature works was not explained. Additionally, support was announced for both wireless multiplayer and LAN multiplayer.
Similar to its predecessor, Splatoon 2 has one year of new content that will be added to the game for free. Some of the new content to look forward to in future updates was shown off in the Direct. A new weapon, the Splat Brella which offers a unique blend of offense and defense, was shown off. The new Special attack, Bubble Blower, was shown as well. More gear was promised along with more arenas.The Direct also revealed that Splatoon 2 would have two years of Splatfests, a timed event in which players choose one of two teams and battle. Then the replacements for fan favorites Callie and Marie were unveiled in a short music video. Pearl and Marina will update players on stages and game modes through their in-game television show: Off the Hook. The two music idols wrapped up the presentation by announcing the Splatfest World Premier. This first Splatfest is available to all Switch owners and takes place Saturday July 15, from 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm Pacific Time or 6:00 pm – 10 pm Eastern Time.
Source: YouTube
Images: Nintendo, YouTube
(06/13/17 5:37pm)
by Graham Taylor
Nintendo has recently had a history of succinct E3 press conferences, and this year is no different. Clocking in at about 25 minutes, Nintendo had one of the shortest, yet most exciting shows of this year.
Reggie Fils Aime started the presentation off by detailing the two tournaments being held at E3 this year, one for Arms and one for Splatoon 2. After that, we got a new trailer for Xenoverse Chronicles 2 before diving head first into more trailers and announcements. A new Kirby game, going by only the name Kirby was the first to be displayed. Only showing off some of Kirby's trademark trademark copycat abilities and some co-op play, nothing else was revealed except a general release of 2018.
The hands down biggest announcements from the entire conference though, and possibly from all of E3 came next, with little fanfare and no actual trailers. Tsunekazu Ishihara of the Pokemon came appeared to announce that a mainline Pokemon RPG was being developed for the Nintendo Switch. Nothing else was revealed before the next teaser started playing. Also in development for the Switch is Metroid Prime 4, and again, nothing else was revealed.
Next, fans got a look at a new Yoshi game for the Switch appropriately titled Yoshi with a release date of 2018. Afterwards was another look at the previously announced Fire Emblem Warriors, which is still set to release in fall of this year.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath if the Wild was up next, and detailed the first two DLC packs. The first, titled "The Master Trials" was announced to release on June 30, and will include new challenges, a hard mode, a "Hero's Path" mode, which will track the player's travels throughout the playthrough, and new equipment. The second, "The Champion's Ballad" will be releasing holiday this year, and will release alongside Amiibos of the champion characters found in Breath of the Wild.
With this short showcase wrapping up, fans got another look at the recently announced Mario + Rabbid: Kingdom Battle, the upcoming tactical strategy mashup between Nintendo and Ubisoft, and the announcement of Rocket League for the Switch, which would feature exclusive customization options. Following this was a new look at Super Mario Odyssey featuring new locations and abilities, such as possessing enemies and NPC with the use of Mario's new companion Cappy. Anything from Goombas, to Koopas, and even T-Rex, almost anything could be controlled the the mustachioed mascot. With a firm release date of October 27, Odyssey is going to be a the first open-world collectible based Mario game since Super Mario Galaxy 2.
Short, sweet, and to the point, Nintendo once again had a memorable time at E3, closing off the conference portion of the Expo. While the big shows might be over, the doors have only just opened at the convention center, so we can still expect some more developments to happen as this week goes on.
(06/12/17 4:55pm)
by Graham Taylor
Day two of E3 has so far brought of Microsoft's press conference, and with it, a lot of interesting developments. Possibly taking note of Sony's conference last year, Microsoft spent a majority of their time showing off games, 22 of which are exclusive to Microsoft in some way. And of course, audiences finally got to see the first look at Project Scorpio.
The long awaited Project Scorpio was finally unveiled, officially named the Xbox One X. With 12 GB of RAM and 6 Teraflops of computing power, it is being marketed as the "most powerful console" to date. On launch, it will be comparable with all with all Xbox One games and accessories, and will be releasing later this year for $499.
With one of the bigger announcements of this E3 out of the way, Microsoft dove right into what games they would be bringing to both the Xbox One X and Xbox One. Forza Motorsport 7 was the first new reveal, and will be launching October 3. They quickly moved onto the reveal of Metro Exodus, the third game in the Metro series, and the first open-world entry.
While we knew a new Assassin's Creed was in the works, many were expecting its official announcement to be during Ubisoft's conference tomorrow. Instead, Assassin's Creed Origins was first seen on Microsoft's stage. Taking players to Egypt this time, the story revolves around the formation of the Brotherhood, and is set to include more RPG influence and more overall detail.
The increasingly popular Player Unknown's Battleground was also a surprising show for the conference, announcing a console version of the game that will be releasing on Xbox first this year. Afterwards, we got short glimpses of a few more upcoming games, including Deep Rock Galactic, State of Decay 2, and The Darwin Project, another competitive focused multiplayer survival game.
Another weird, yet big announcement was the Minecraft would be going cross platform via Xbox Live. Xbox, PC, mobile, and VR would all be able to play together for the first time. Console was also included on that list, and the Nintendo Switch was shown, but no further details were released. This update will also be introducing player made custom skins and texture packs and Ultra HD textures for Xbox One X. All of this will all be available after a free update this fall.
Moving on from that, a whole slew of new games took the main focus, ranging from indie to AAA. Highlights include Dragon Ball Fighter Z, Black Desert Online, The Last Night, Ashen, The Artful Escape, Code Vein, Tacoma, and quite a few more. Sea of Thieves returned to E3 this year, and while there is still no release date, more gameplay was shown off featuring off-ship adventuring. Previous E3 debut Cuphead also took the spotlight for just long enough to announce a release date of September 29.
A whole lot of sequels were also shown off towards the end. Crackdown 3 is being released alongside the Xbox One X; the Life is Strange follow up was revealed, Life is Strange: Before the Storm, and will be released over the course of a total of three episodes; Ori and the Will of the Wisps debuted officially after being leaked this morning; and Mordor: Shadows of War revealed a release of October 10 and two new features: the ability to recruit fighters, and then have them storm enemy fortresses.
With the show winding down, Microsoft had two more big announcements. The first being that backwards compatibility with original Xbox console games would be implemented for the Xbox One and Xbox One X, including the cult classic Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, which is available now. The second announcement was that over 30 games, both first party and third party, would be receiving free 4k updates for Xbox One X consoles.
Finally, fans got their first gameplay look at Anthem, EA's new IP that they announced yesterday. It will be a third-person shooter, featuring co-op focused combat in a post-apocalyptic word inhabited by monsters and machines. Players will don personalized mech suits and fight these threats as freelancers.
Overall, Microsoft's conference was rather hefty. Even with all of that, there is still a lot more to come from E3 2017, so stay tuned to Byte for the latest updates.
(06/11/17 3:43pm)
by Graham Taylor
EA has again this year started off the gauntlet of E3 press conferences with their EA Play event. Rife with YouTubers and other community members, they spent a majority of their time talking about games already announced, but they still managed to have a few surprises up their sleeves.
They kicked things off with a live drum line and a look at Madden NFL 18. Launching August 28, the game is being developed with EA's Frostbite engine, and will feature an all new story-driven mode called Longshot, which will feature dialog choices, branching story lines, and multiple endings. This will also be the first game since 2013 in the Madden franchise to include any reference to college football.
Battlefield 1, which released late last year, also had some time in the spotlight, with the new "In the Name of the Tsar" expansion detailed, and the addition of night maps. It will include 8 new maps, and introduce the Russian Army and Women's Battalion, and will be releasing later this year in September.
Fifa 18 was briefly shown off and is also being developed with Frostbite in order to bring the game to life like never before.
Need For Speed Payback then took the stage, looking to bring more action and customization to the series then ever before. Set in a Las Vegas inspired desert city, the gameplay showed off multiple explosions, stylish cars, and stunts that could easily be take from a Fast and Furious movie.
The first of two new IPs announced was A Way Out, a co-op action game from the creator of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. The game will only be able to played co-op, with each player taking the role of one of two brothers who are attempting to break out of prison. The second new IP teased was Anthem. Almost nothing was revealed other than the title, but the game seems to feature monsters, mechs, and a giant wall.
The final game shown off of their sports lineup was NBA Live 18. The main mode will focus on "The One" and player's individual choices, as well as feature street and professional settings.
EA ender their conference with a bang as the premiered Star Wars Battlefront II multiplayer gameplay. Set to feature more than three times the content of the reboot, Battlefront II will feature more heroes, maps, and weapons, spanning across all three eras of the Star Wars universe. On top of that, they revealed that Finn and Captain Phasma would be two of the new heroes, and would be released later in the fall in the first of many free season expansions. They stated that all future maps, heroes, and weapons would be released free to everyone who owns the game.
During today's conference, EA also announced that its EA/Origin Access services would be free for this upcoming week, allowing players to play through select games through their entirety as long as they are subscribed to the service.
For live E3 coverage, check out @ByteBSU for all the newest details.
(06/10/17 8:45pm)
by Daley Wilhelm
This afternoon at EA’s E3 event EA Play, we got a glimpse of a lot of familiar names, and a tease of some new ones. Specifically, EA announced a new IP from Hazelight Studios called A Way Out.
A Way Out is a co-op focused prison break adventure written and directed by Josef Fares, the creator of the 2013 game Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. Brothers introduced a unique gameplay wherein one thumbstick controlled the older brother, while the other controlled the younger. A Way Out provides the same kind of gameplay idea, but is meant to be shared with another player, either online or preferably, as Fares said, on the couch, and can only be played in co-op.
Each player controls one of the two inmates around which the driving, action-filled narrative revolves. Depending on the character, the game addresses different play styles as the new guy Vincent is more persuasive, whereas hardened convict Leo isn’t afraid of violence.
Each of these characters have their own personalities and goals, Fares said, but they have to work together. Cutscenes might play for one character, while they other is free to walk around, and they player must navigate breaking out of prison and dealing with the world beyond with their partner.
A Way Out is set for release in early 2018 and is currently in development at Hazelight Studios.
(06/10/17 4:57pm)
by Daley Wilhelm
Adam West, the first actor to give life to the iconic character of Batman, died today at the age of 88.
West became the first incarnation of Bruce Wayne in the original television series in the Sixties, which was a much campier, light-hearted version of the Caped Crusader than what we know today. A surprise hit, West played Batman for a total of three seasons, 120 episodes, and a film simply entitled Batman.
After Batman the television series’ final episode in ‘68, West went on to continue appearing in television, and in later years lending his iconic voice to various animated characters, a return to his role of Batman in The Simpsons, and even a spoof of himself in Family Guy.
Recently, in August of last year, West returned to his original role as Bruce Wayne alongside the original Robin Burt Ward in Batman: Returned of the Caped Crusaders. The animated film reclaimed the zany, wacky antics of West’s Batman.
In an interview with the Daily Express in 2015, West reflected on how much his role as Batman had impacted his career.
"If I had the chance to do it all over again I would," he said. "It was tough for a while but I'm the luckiest guy in the world because I got to create a character that lasts and that people love. So I made up my mind that if people love Batman I'll love Batman too."
Image: LifeTime TV UK
(06/09/17 4:33pm)
by Graham Taylor
Once again, we are just days away from the annual Electronics Entertainment Expo. While the convention floor itself doesn't open until June 13, tomorrow will be kicking off the E3 press conferences, which for many is the main event. With some (somewhat) big news having already come out this pre-E3 week (including a whole bunch of new Pokemon games and the return of Bubsy), those tuning in are excited to see what the actual expo will have in store.
EA
When: Saturday, June 10 @ 12 pm PST/3 pm EST
What to expect: In a post on the EA website, EA announced that they would be showing off eight games during their conference tomorrow, and posted six of them. Fans will be getting a look at Star Wars Battlefront II, three different titles from their EA Sports lineup, Need for Speed payback, Battlefield 1, and two other unannounced titles. Rumor has they will be announcing one of their other Star Wars projects, but there is no confirmation yet.
Where to watch: Official Site, Twitch, YouTube
Microsoft
When: Sunday, June 11 @ 2 pm PST/5 pm EST
What to expect: Microsoft will no doubt be spending a lot of time with Project Scorpio, the next installment of Xbox One consoles. Game wise, the past few years have seen the cancellation of a lot first-party and exclusive titles, so hopefully they will be bringing some new IPs to the table and soon. Especially when taking into consideration that past E3 announcements Cuphead and Sea of Thieves have been shown off at multiple conferences, but have yet to have hard release dates. Despite all of that, the future for Xbox is still hopeful and exciting.
Where to watch: Official Site, Twitch, YouTube
Bethesda
When: Sunday, June 11 @ 9 pm PST/12 pm EST
What to expect: Bethesda has had an impressive few years at E3 showing off a lot of games, both developed by their Softworks studio and just published by them. Bethesda is also impressive at keeping their information pretty locked down, so it's hard to know what to expect. Many are hoping to see the rumored sequels to either The Evil Within or Wolfenstein. Beyond that, we'll probably be seeing more information on Quake, as well as some more VR projects.
Where to watch: Official Site, Twitch, YouTube
Ubisoft
When: Monday, June 12 @ 1 pm PST/ 4 pm EST
What to expect: For this year's E3, the conference which has been hosted by Aisha Tyler for the past couple of year will instead be hosted by the developers. As for what they're showing off, we already know about new Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and The Crew games, so those will almost definitely be taking up some time. There will probably be a few other surprises as well, including the rumored Mario/Rabbids game. And of course, it wouldn't be E3 without a new Just Dance installment.
Where to watch: Official Site, Twitch, YouTube
Sony
When: Monday, June 12 @ 6 pm PST/9 pm EST
What to expect: Death Stranding's reveal at Sony's 2016 conference was one of the biggest announcements of the expo, and even though Kojima confirmed that it won't be present at this year's convention, Sony still has a lot to work with. Fans are hoping for more info on games revealed at last year's E3, including God of War and Days Gone, as well as some information on The Last of Us Part 2, which was teased at the end of last year. Insomniac's Spiderman is already confirmed to be there, which also created quite a stir, and a lot of fans are certain Bloodborne 2 will make an appearance, despite almost no evidence of its existence.
Where to watch: Official Site, Twitch, YouTube
Nintendo
When: Tuesday, June 13 @ 9 am PST/12 pm EST
What to expect: Just as with the past few years, Nintendo isn't doing an official E3 press conference, but will still be doing an hour long stream this coming Tuesday. Seeing as this is the Switch's first E3, it's no surprise that many fans are excited. We will definitely be getting some new info on the upcoming Splatoon 2 Super Mario Odyssey, and Arms (which released within the week), and we will probably also be seeing some of the other already announced games make appearances, including the new Fire Emblem games and Xenoblade Chronicles. But most fans are hoping to see some old IPs return for this gen, and maybe a couple of new ones too for good measure.
Where to watch: Official Site, Twitch, YouTube
Besides the sites listed above, YouTube has partnered with Geoff Keighley to stream the E3 conferences from Sunday onward. And as always, stay tuned to Byte for the latest E3 news and coverage.
(06/09/17 1:09pm)
by Daley Wilhelm
On June 6, The Pokemon Company hosted a Pokemon Direct announcement just a week before E3. Nintendo’s Pokemon Directs are usually short, and this one was no exception, lasting just all of eight minutes. Within that time, three new games and two updates were announced.
While fans were hoping to see the rumored Pokemon Stars game for the Nintendo Switch, the first Pokemon title for the Switch will be the fighting game Pokken Tournament DX, to be released this September 22. The Direct highlighted the game’s ability for online matches, friend matches, and new Pokemon to play as such as Decidueye, Empoleon, and Croagunk. This title will have a playable demo and a tournament at this year’s E3 on the 14th,
The second announcement, and perhaps the most anticipated featured the next step in the Pokemon Sun and Moon titles: Pokemon Ultra Sun and Pokemon Ultra Moon for the 3DS family of systems. Rather than a brand new title, the games function as an alternate story set in Alola. The trailer promises new features, teases new forms of the legendary Pokemon in each respective game, and mentioned Pokemon not available in the first version of Sun and Moon.
The two games will release globally this November 17th.
Finally, Nintendo announced the release of Pokemon Gold Version and Pokemon Silver Version for the Nintendo Virtual Console this fall. They will also be available for download September 22.
(04/30/17 8:00am)
by Graham Taylor
With a musical career spanning 15 years, Ryan Joseph Karazija has remained fairly under the radar. His second band, Low Roar, received some internet fame when their songs were used in trailers for Death Stranding. However the group is still relatively unknown. Debuting in 2011 with their folk heavy self titled album, Low Roar explored themes of loneliness following Karazija's move to Iceland. Their sophomore album, 0 returned to similar topics, but with a much more electronic and dream pop influence paired with their acoustics. Once in a Long, Long While takes the positives of both previous albums and continues to expand upon them, refining their style.
Single track sample:
Once in a Long, Long While begins with "Don't Be So Serious," a track which would have been right at home on 0. Despite being similar to previous works, the song itself does an excellent job of highlighting many of the band's strengths and defining characteristics. Opening with a simple drum machine, some synths, and Karazija's ethereal voice, it eventually grow to incorporate an impressive collection of sounds. Piano, horns, more synths, and more percussion are added with each verse and chorus, creating layers and layers of sound on top of dark, dreamy vocals. This looping effect has become very characteristic of Low Roar and even helps to actualize the idea of going in circles, a recurring motif throughout the album.
Cleaner and Clearer than ever before
Many of the songs on the first half of the album follow this pattern, but that is not a bad thing. Each song is uniquely crafted with different instruments and sounds, and each track offering a different soundscape. The fact that many of these tracks also weave together also plays off this structure, where periods of quiet reflection start to turn into noisy turmoil only for it to calm back down again, mirror the songs themselves. "Waiting (10 Years)" to "Poznań" is practically one uninterrupted block of music. And while some of the breaks between songs are easy to hear, others can go by unnoticed. Production wise, the album is top notch. Beats are deep; synths are crisp, and the vocals are clean. Even with the frequent addition of sounds, nothing every really gets lost in the background.
Thematically, Once in a Long, Long While delves into subjects of isolation and sadness, stemming from betrayal, abandonment, and dead love. Again, this is not an incredibly original idea to explore, especially not for Low Roar themselves, but it manages to come off skillfully and well thought out. The music structure helps emphasize these notions, and the lyrics and instrumentals play off of each other well, creating a rather whole, moody experience.
Once in a Long, Long While is overall a good album. It's not necessarily a departure or overly innovative compared to their earlier repertoire, but it does not need to be. Low Roar skillfully crafted a musical layer cake, and while it does not deviate much from any sort of norm, the consistency can be appreciated.
Best Tracks
"Don't Be So Serious"
"Give Me an Answer"
"Once in a Long Long While"
Image from Pledge Music
(04/29/17 8:21pm)
by Graham Taylor
In 2011, Foster the People released their debut album Torches and took the radio world by storm. The summer airwaves were dominated with peppy indie hits, including “Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)” and of course “Pumped Up Kicks,” earning the (at the time) trio two Grammy nominations. Their sophomore album, Supermodel was a bit more subdued in sound and reception but was another step in their evolution as musicians. With the surprise release of the aptly titled III on April 27 teasing their upcoming untitled third album, Foster the People not only boasts a new sound but also a new lineup following bassist Cubbie Fink’s departure. Foster the People has incorporated electronic influence since their conception, but that influence comes out in full force over the course of these three songs. Featuring drum machines, synths, and even some trap/EDM-influenced instrumentals, III is certainly stands out compared to their other works. But they stick to their indie beginnings, using catchy choruses and dancey verses.
The first track, “Pay the Man,” hits listeners with boisterous horns and a heavy beat before Mark Foster’s breathy voice comes in asking “Whatcha mean?” From there it delves into a moody atmospheric jam that is without a doubt the strongest track on the compilation. Dreary, antagonizing, almost nihilistic topics prevail throughout the song, complementing the somewhat gloomy new sound, but it remains safely rooted in pop territory. “Pay the Man” ultimately culminates in a bittersweet yet optimistic ending before segueing into the next song.
“Doing it for the Money” picks up lyrically where “Pay the Man” leaves off. Ending with “we all run when the light comes on…” “Doing it for the Money” continues with “Just close your eyes/ We're gonna run this light.” It maintains this thematic upward motion, relaying this idea of being fearless in the face of darkness. It’s okay at best, but the message alone can’t save the song from extraordinarily lackluster instrumentation. Musically, the song is just incredibly generic. Whereas the first song took popular pop tropes of the past few years and applied them skillfully to Foster the People’s established style, “Doing it for the Money” seems to only use these tropes. This leads to the song sounding tired, sterile, and just soulless. It is easily the weakest part of the collection, which is a shame considering the other two are rather enjoyable.
“S.H.C.” is much more reminiscent of their earlier works with a flurry of psychedelic guitars introducing the track. The whole song has a very nostalgic feel, as a simple yet familiar structure leads listeners through a return to a more standard pop/rock format. The chorus could easily be mistaken for a Torches B-side, and after the previous two songs, this is a refreshing change of pace that doesn’t sound out of place. The tone of the song also calls back to Foster the People’s darker hits, the lyrics asking questions about depression, inner demons, and God, all masquerading behind the curtain of a catchy tune.
The full album is still untitled and does not yet have a release date, but is planned to drop over the summer. And if III is any indication, fans should be cautiously excited. Two out of three ain’t bad, but the sheer nondescript, boring nature “Doing it for the Money” should leave some weary. As long as Foster the People avoids overusing clichés, their new sound could be welcome entry in their catalog, and much like the overall message of the release, I believe we should be hopeful.
Image from Music Match
(04/04/17 7:38pm)
by Graham Taylor
Warning: This review may contain spoilers for all previous seasons of this series.
"It gets darker Morty. Welcome to the darkest year of our adventures." - Rick
Despite a somewhat unconventional air date of April 1, the surprise release of Rick and Morty's season 3 premier was no joke. Almost entirely unannounced, the episode was broadcast on the [adult swim] network and website on repeat from around 8:00 pm until midnight, giving fans a taste of what's in store for this season.
Following where the season 2 finale left off, we find Rick imprisoned by the Galactic Federation, Earth taken over by aliens, and the remainder of the family trying to adapt to their new, Rick-less lives. The episode begins with Rick being unconventionally interrogated by the intergalactic government, who are trying to get him to divulge the secrets behind his universe-hopping portal gun. As this part of the story progresses, viewers are given an unusual amount of backstory and characterization for Rick, and while it's presented in an unexpected manner with plenty of twists, this isn't itself out of the ordinary for the show. As the title of the episode would imply, (a not-so-subtle reference to "The Shawshank Redemption") Rick plans to escape from prison. When the escape plan starts coming to fruition, chaos quickly follows.
Back on Earth, the rest of the cast is mostly unhappy, excluding Jerry, who has become successful in light of the recent colonization. Morty and Beth are lamenting the fact that they have been abandoned by Rick once again. Summer is instead upset that no one else is worried about whether or not Rick is alright. Morty on
the other hand, no longer views his grandfather as a hero after witnessing the destruction he is capable of causing. However, Summer decides she still wants to save Rick. This devolves into her and Morty fighting, leading to them revisit some of the darker parts of Rick's adventures, including the Cronenberg universe. This half of the story does a lot to further both Morty and Summer's characters, as well as setting up potential conflicts for future episodes. Between Summer and Rick's plans, both plot lines eventually converge into an explosive climax involving standoffs, betrayals, multiple intergalactic governments, and a whole lot of nostalgia for a 1998 promotional McDonald's condiment.
Visually, the show is as refined as ever. From intergalactic prisons to a new Earth, there is a lot of beautiful imagery. Of course there is some not so beautiful stuff as well, such as a planet of butts and a few gory action sequences. At this point though, the series has managed to intermingle colorful and ugly in an incredibly balanced way. It's cartoon-y and fluid, but still manages to be dense and visually impressive, giving the viewer a lot to look at without being overwhelming.
All in all, the episode is a fantastic return to form for the series. While only being a little over 20 minutes, it packs in a lot in that time, without anything feeling rushed. It's new while still being filled to the brim with its signature tongue-in-cheek moments, immature humor, and - of course - some seriously dark undertones and overtones. There are a couple call-backs that fans will enjoy, but not so many that it seems ham-fisted or unfunny. And even though most of the main cast received some new characterization, some other's motives are still a little muddled. "The Rickshank Rickdemption" is the fresh Rick and Morty that people have been clamoring for and will only make the wait until summer for the rest of the season even harder.
Images from Den of Geek.
(03/01/17 12:07am)
by Lucas Miller
Amidst the seemingly endless supply of subscription-based television options, YouTube has decided to throw its hat into the ring with the announcement of YouTube TV. Priced at $35 a month, the service - which will launch this Spring - will offer subscribers a number of channels from the four major networks: Fox, ABC, CBS, and NBC. The base package will include three dozen different channels.
YouTube TV will offer other benefits to subscribers as well, even with the basic package. These include a cloud-based DVR with unlimited storage, a recommendation system backed by Google AI, and the promise of a reliable and adaptable streaming experience.
The service, which will be provided through its own app, is being billed as a “mobile first” service, which means that it will be tailored to users who enjoy watching content on their phones. However, users will still be able to watch TV on their laptops, computers, or on traditional televisions via Chromecast devices.
With so many options available for streaming television content, I’m curious whether YouTube’s offering will catch on or get lost in the crowd. We will have to wait find out when the service launches in the Spring.
Source: Recode
(02/25/17 5:30pm)
by Lucas Miller
Last week, BioWare released the first part of its gameplay video series for Mass Effect: Andromeda. That video covered the game’s weapons and abilities. The second video in the series has now been released, this time featuring an in-depth look at the game’s character profile system, favorites menu, and squad combat. You can watch the video below:
The first part of the video introduces the new character profile mechanic, which allows players to unlock passive bonuses that enhance their skills in a certain area. For instance, investing in Biotic skills will allow you to unlock the Adept profile, which will provide a boost to a number of Biotic skills. There are a total of seven different types of profiles to choose from, ranging from specialized ones to more hybridized ones. For example, the Explorer profile enhances both Tech and Biotic skills. Additionally, players will be able to swap them on the fly using the game’s Favorites Menu.
The Favorites Menu allows players to choose up to four different saved presets, which consist of a Profile and three abilities. This will give players the opportunity to change up their strategy on the fly in order to choose the best tactics in a given fight.
Finally, the video covers the squad combat tactics that players will be able to employ in the game. The various squadmates in the game can fill various roles, such as support or tank, and players will be able to choose their squadmates’ skills and abilities in order to determine what role they will fill. However, squad combat doesn’t end there. Players will be able to issue commands to their squadmates during combat, and even set up combos with their squadmates in order to deal massive damage to enemies.
Mass Effrect: Andromeda hits store shelves on March 21, 2017. It will be released for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
Source: Mass Effect
Image: Mass Effect
(02/21/17 8:17pm)
by Dalton Martin
Lana Del Rey has released her latest music video for the single “Love,” the first from her unreleased fifth studio album slated to be released later this year. The video itself centers around a typical tale of romance set in Del Rey’s trademark “West-Coast” setting until the pair of lovers ride off into space, vintage car and all.
While space is a new territory for Del Rey, she has stated in the past how interested she is in the non-terrestrial. In an interview with Zane Lowe on his Beats 1 radio show, the singer stated, “Technologically, we’re advancing so quickly, I don’t want to miss any of it. I feel like we’re on the cusp just the way they were in the ‘60s, but in a different way.”
With Lana Del Rey constantly replicating a retro atmosphere in her work, it only makes sense for the baroque popstar to be inspired by the decade that revolutionized space technology.
(02/21/17 8:04pm)
by Bradley Dean Jones
Snap Inc., the creators of Snapchat, released a $129 pair of sunglasses with a built-in camera last November called Spectacles. The catch was you had to travel to special "Snapbot" vending machines in certain locations to get them.
After the initial hype, Snap has finally made them available for purchase online for the same $129, which the company hinted at when filing for an IPO recently saying they were going to “significantly broaden the distribution of Spectacles”.
This is just a small change Snap has made in the last few months in an attempt to make a name for themselves. Previously called Snapchat, the company changed their name to Snap Inc. along with their identity, stating that they are a camera company, more than the developers of an app. It is expect for Snap to release more camera related products and possibly even new apps.
But with all that said, follow Byte on Snapchat - @bytebsu
Source: Snap Inc, Venturebeat
Image: Spectacles
(02/21/17 6:15pm)
by Lucas Miller
Bioware released a new gameplay trailer for the latest game in the Mass Effect franchise, Mass Effect Andromeda. The trailer, which can be seen below, dives deep into the multitude of weapons and powers players will be able to wield in the new game.
Players will be able to make use of four different basic weapon types: shotguns, pistols, assault rifles, and sniper rifles. These weapons also come in three different technological variants.
Milky Way weapons are the traditional, projectile-based weapons that players will recognize from earlier games. Remnant weapons shoot energy beams, and do not require traditional ammunition; instead, they rely on a heat-based cooldown system. Finally, Heleus weapons shoot plasma projectiles, and utilize heat-seeking technology to find their target. Players will also be able to wield melee weapons, from the slow-but-powerful hammers to the more agile shivs and daggers.
The video also highlights the skills and abilities that players will be able to use in order to defeat their enemies on the battlefield. Unlike the original trilogy, players will be able to access any skills or abilities without class restrictions. The abilities are split into three different trees: Combat, Tech, and Biotics.
Combat skills allow players to make better use of their weapons and armor, and also allow them to deploy trip mines, flak cannons, grenades, and more. Tech skills equip the player with abilities such as Cryo Beam and Flamethrower, allowing them to damage enemies with elemental attacks. The Tech tree also offers skills such as Invasion and Energy Drain, which weaken enemies in order to take them out more easily. Finally, the Biotics tree gives players access to biotic powers such as Pull and Throw in order to draw enemies out of cover or even use them as shields. Each ability also offers upgrade paths for further skill customization.
Mass Effect Andromeda will be released on March 21 for Playstation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Source: Mass Effect
Image: Mass Effect
(02/14/17 12:00pm)
by Bradly Dean Jones
@whyhellobradley
Apple is a company that likes to price their devices relatively high. With some people posting concerns about the the new Macbook Pro prices, the rumors of the max out spec'd upcoming iPhone 8 will be over $1000. This will be Apple's 10th-anniversary iPhone and the successor to the iPhone 7 Plus, which when spec’d out was roughly over $950.
According to Fast Company, changing to an OLED display will most likely double the screen costs from the current LCD display. On top of that, they expect the iPhone 8 to include a “bigger battery” and some incorporation of “3D-sensing technology”.
“Our source says Apple has been working with Lumentum on 3D-sensing technology for the new high-end phone. … It could be used to recognize the user’s face for authentication. It could also be used in the camera to provide better image resolution.”
According to MacWorld, other new features that may come with this device could be a curved display, similar to the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, wireless charging, and the possibly of three different models, with them stating that “one model will sport a 5.5-inch OLED screen and a dual camera. One will have a 5.5-inch LCD screen, also with a dual camera. The third will be a 4.7-inch iPhone with an LCD screen and a single camera system.”
Last November, Apple released the Apple Watch 2. With many improvements over its successor, they added a variation with a white ceramic finish. Some rumors claim that this may come to the new iPhone. Cult Of Mac explaining why a ceramic iPhone may be in the works saying that the coating will yield less scratches, will help disperse heat better, and will give a new set of colors to pick from.
The iPhone 8 is expected to be announced fall of 2017. As it gets closer to the drop date, more and more rumors will continue to come out. With the possible high price tag, Apple may see a drop in sales, but if rumors are true, the new features may bring on new customers.
Image: Veniamin Geskin
(02/07/17 11:04pm)
by Bradly Dean Jones
@whyhellobradley
Today, in a blog post, Twitter announced they will be releasing three new features that will help them in their fight against ‘abusive content’ on their platform. This comes after a few high profile users have been suspended from the platform after racist remarks. Suspended users include: former Business Insider executive, Pax Dickinson, Richard Spencer, of the “alt-right” organization called the National Policy Institute, and British journalist and public speaker, Milo Yiannopoulos, who got permanently banned after he posted tweets that seem to direct racist targeting to the Ghostbusters star, Leslie Jones.
First, Twitter will continue to keep these banned users from creating new accounts, though they did not explain this process. Creating a new account under a fake name seems to be a work around, so this process is yet to be understood.
Next, Twitter will be able to remove certain content from search results. Twitter says, “we’re also working on ‘safe search’ which removes Tweets that contain potentially sensitive content and Tweets from blocked and muted accounts from search results.” They go on to say that this will help cut back on cluttered search results, but in a way that specific content can still be found if the user wants.
Lastly, the company will start clumping together seemingly abusive replies to other tweets to help lower the amount of negativity on their platform.
Twitter has been getting flack of the banning of users, with outcries of freedom of speech issues, but the company continues to update their services with features in the hopes to help stop the spread of “hate”. This is in addition to their November update that added to the mute and reporting features. Twitter adds, “With every change, we’ll learn, iterate, and continue to move at this speed until we’ve made a significant impact that people can feel.”
Source: Twitter, Fortune, Washington Post
Image: Streaming Observer