X-Men ’97 Reveals Theo James’ Mystery Role
Before the premiere of X-Men ’97, it was announced that Theo James, the star of Netflix’s The Gentlemen, would provide the voice of “a fan-favorite character” on the series. And during the events of this week’s episode, “Bright Eyes,” James’ role was finally revealed to fans… and his importance to the remaining episodes of Season 1 may have been underplayed by X-Men ’97’s creative team.
Warning: the following contains spoilers from the latest episode of X-Men ’97 on Disney+. If you haven’t seen the installment or don’t want to know what happens, stop reading now.
Sharp-eyed viewers may have caught a glimpse of James’ character in the fourth episode, “Lifedeath 1,” when he appeared in a picture on Forge’s wall. But now, Bastion stands revealed as the true mastermind behind the mutant massacre on Genosha, as well as Operation: Zero Tolerance, an initiative that has created advanced human Sentinels.
In the comics, Bastion was the fusion of Master Mold and Nimrod after they were forced through a mystical object called the Siege Perilous. When Bastion returned to Earth in a human body, he launched the Prime Sentinel program and systematically targeted the X-Men and their allies. That history is seemingly repeating itself on the show, although Bastion’s alliance with Mister Sinister is new.
The seventh episode confirmed that Gambit died during the assault on Genosha, but it also revealed that Magneto survived and is now a prisoner of Bastion. Additionally, Bastion now has proof that the X-Men lied about Charles Xavier’s death, and he may use that to discredit them before unleashing his “masterpiece” against them.
X-Men ’97’s three-part season finale, “Tolerance is Extinction,” will begin on Wednesday, May 1.
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Many Of Square Enix’s Best Games Are Steeply Discounted For Golden Week
Green Man Gaming is holding a massive sale in honor of the Japenese Golden Week Festival this week. While games from many publishers are on sale, some of the best deals are for Square Enix RPGs, including many of the company’s best releases in recent memory.
Two of the best deals are for Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion, both of which are 60% off for GMG XP members. Final Fantasy VII Remake is the first of the planned Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy that reimagines the characters and storyline of the 1997 turn-based RPG on PS1 into a 3D action RPG, while folding in many of the characters, events, and lore from the numerous FFVII spinoffs released after the original game. You can pick up the PC version for just $28 (was $70) at GMG.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is a remaster of the PSP original and is a prequel to both the original FFVII and the FFVII Remake trilogy. While it’s not part of the core FFVII remake trilogy, Reunion upgrades Crisis Core’s gameplay and graphics to be closer to FFVII Remake and Rebirth. Reunion features the same voice cast as the Remake trilogy, which makes it feels even more cohesive with this new version of FFVII. You can grab it for just $20 (was $60) at GMG.
Note that to get the full 60% discounts, you need to be a GMG XP member. GMG XP is free to join, but unlocking the extra savings requires you to spend at least $1 first. Otherwise, the discount for both games is only 50% off–which is still a great deal. For an alternative option, Humble Bundle also has both games for 50% off, and a portion of your purchases goes to charity.
Both Final Fantasy VII Remake and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion are worth picking up if you plan to play the recently-released second part of the remake trilogy, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is currently a PS5 exclusive, but a PC version is expected to launch in the near future.
More Final Fantasy Deals
While the Final Fantasy VII discounts are the big draws in GMG’s Golden Week sales, there are a bunch more great Square Enix deals on offer, including huge price drops on the rest of the Final Fantasy franchise. You can grab PC versions of almost every mainline entry and numerous spinoffs like Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin and World of Final Fantasy. Once again, GMG’s prices are lowest for XP members. Many of the games are also on sale at Humble Bundle at prices similar to GMG’s non-XP discounts.
More Square Enix Golden Week Deals
Of course, Square Enix makes much more than just Final Fantasy, and plenty of the publisher’s other marquee franchises are included in GMG’s sale. You can grab PC versions of beloved RPGs like Octopath Traveler II, Dragon Quest XI S: Definitive Edition, Chrono Trigger, and Nier: Automata at big discounts, as well as select entries from smaller series like Mana, Star Ocean, and more. The sale is also a great time to pick up the publisher’s smaller, experimental games like Dungeon Encounters, Harvestella, and Paranormasight.
Check out the list below for a roundup of some of the best Square Enix Golden Week deals at GMG and Humble. And if you’re still hungry for more Golden Week deals, be sure to check out discounts from other Japanese publishers like Capcom, NIS America, Koei Tecmo, and Bandai Namco. Just like with the Final Fantasy deals, XP Members get the best prices, but even non-XP members can save a hefty chunk on all these games. And if you prefer Humble Bundle, most are on sale there, too.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Will Be Released Late In 2024
While the release of new Star Wars shows on Disney+ has slowed down from the pace of the last few years, The Acolyte won’t be the only new live-action series this year. Via Collider, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew co-creator Jon Watts confirmed at CCXP Mexico that his series will be released around Christmas. Assuming that Disney+ intends to release new episodes weekly, Skeleton Crew’s season would extend into 2025.
Watts and his frequent collaborator, Christopher Ford, conceived Skeleton Crew as the story of four children who discover a secret on their home world. The kids subsequently wind up on a starship and find themselves lost somewhere far from home. The series will take place during the same time period as The Mandalorian and Ashoka.
Jude Law, Kerry Condon, and Jaleel White are among the most prominent adult actors on the show. The rest of the cast includes Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Robert Timothy Smith, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Kyriana Kratter, and Tunde Adebimpe.
Everything Everywhere All at Once helmers TheDaniels directed an episode of the series alongside Jake Schreier, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Lee Isaac Chung.
What’s Going On With Batman Games? | Spot On
It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly a decade since Rocksteady Studios concluded its Arkham trilogy with Batman: Arkham Knight. And yet, it’s somehow even harder to believe that same studio released Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League just a few months ago, which unfortunately tells you just about everything you need to know about the poorly-received action shooter.
Earlier this week, however, Camouflaj Games announced it had begun its own venture into Gotham City for a new Batman game, Batman: Arkham Shadow. The only catch? It’s a Meta Quest 3 exclusive. With all this in mind, we’re left with one, big question: is the golden age of Batman video games over?
On this week’s Spot On, Tam and Lucy discuss what’s next for the Dark Knight, if VR is a smart move for his next installment, if Rocksteady can bounce back from Kill the Justice League, and if WB Montreal–the studio behind Batman: Arkham Origins–could return to helm the series. The pair share their thoughts and delve into how Arkham Shadow could connect to Arkham Origins in this Batman-centric episode.
Spot On is GameSpot’s weekly news show in which managing editor Tamoor Hussain and senior producer Lucy James talk about the latest game news. Given the massive video game industry’s highly dynamic and never-ending news cycle, there’s always something to talk about. Unlike most news shows, Spot On will dive deep into a single topic instead of recapping all the news. Spot On airs each Friday.
Everything To Know About Apex Legends Season 21: New Legend Alter, Map Makeovers, And Solos Mode
Apex Legends Season 21: Upheaval is set to introduce the first new Legend to join the Apex Games in 2024, but it also features a number of other big changes, like a much-needed makeover for the Broken Moon map, the long-awaited return of Solos Mode, and some surprising new Legend buffs and nerfs.
We’ve got the scoop on everything from the season’s launch date to Alter’s ability set and details on Broken Moon’s revamp. Keep reading for a closer look at everything you need to know before you dive into Apex Legends Season 21: Upheaval.
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When does Season 21 begin?
Apex Legends Season 21: Upheaval goes live on Tuesday, May 7 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET.
Who is Season 21’s new Legend?
Season 21’s debut Legend is Alter, a mysterious, dimension-hopping new character who Respawn describes as a “villain.”
What we do know is that she was trained in combat by a secretive organization, and appears to have a history as an interdimensional assassin. In her episode of Stories From The Outlands, Alter can be seen telling a series of increasingly exaggerated lies and half-truths when asked who she is.
“Alter is from another dimension, although which dimension is kind of hard to say–she’s not the most reliable narrator when it comes to her past because she will only let others know what she wants them to know,” Alter narrative lead Jaclyn Seto said during Season 21 previews. “Definitely take what she says with a grain of salt, although if you look hard enough, you might find some bits of truth in her words. In general, her past is whatever it needs to be. Not only can she use it as a tool to manipulate others, but she knows that knowledge is power. Only she knows what her past is, and she’s unwilling to give anyone the power to know those details about her.”
There is one verifiable fact about Alter’s background, however: She’s fluent in Cantonese.
“We didn’t have any characters with a Chinese background, so I jumped at the chance to write one,” Seto said. “It’s any developer’s dream to be able to create a character that shares their same background. [Alter] definitely grew up in her culture, and you’ll definitely see her display that within the game.”
Alter’s episode of Stories From The Outlands shows her holding a photo of Horizon and her son, Newton, which has raised questions about what sort of connection the two Legends may share.. But Seto says Alter doesn’t have a relationship with Horizon so much as she has a “fixation” on her. “There are gonna be some really world-shattering events that stem from this fascination [with Horizon].”
Despite knowing very little about who she is, we do know what she’s capable of. Alter has the following in-game abilities:
- Tactical: Void Passage–Create a portal passageway through a surface
- Passive: Gift From The Rift–Remotely interact with a deathbox to claim one item (cannot be armor).
- Ultimate: Void Nexus–Create a regroup point that all allies can remotely interact with to open a phase tunnel back to that location.
Solos Mode is returning
Season 21’s gameplay trailer confirmed that Solos Mode is returning to Apex Legends–despite Respawn previously stating that the mode was gone for good. Solos will replace Duos Mode for the first six weeks of Season 21.
“Solos will run as a six-week takeover of Duos for the first half of the season,” Apex Legends events lead Mike Button explained during previews. “We’re excited to give everyone an extended period of time to experience this new take on Solos, and for us to be able to collect more feedback over the course of a longer run. With growing demand from players and a desire on the [development] team to explore the concept again with everything we’ve learned since the mode’s last appearance in 2019, Upheaval seemed like the right time to reintroduce a Solos experience to Apex.”
The new version of Solos Mode will include some features that weren’t included in previous iterations of the mode, like fully-kitted weapons and a new item called a Respawn Token, which gives players a second chance to get back in the game if they’re killed.
Broken Moon is getting a facelift
Broken Moon’s centerpiece POI, Promenade, is being replaced by a new POI called Quarantine Zone in Season 21. Respawn has shared that its main goals with the map revamp are addressing loot deserts and making squad rotations a bit smoother. Mutated foliage and a new skybox are among the aesthetic changes to the map, meant to reflect the changes occurring on the moon after a recent collision with the stasis net satellite severely damaged it and sent an entire chunk of the moon itself floating off into space. During the cleanup process, some “unknown alien eggs” were discovered, so the Quarantine Zone POI was created to contain any potential threat the eggs may pose.
“Trees are wrapped up for protection, spray stations can be found throughout [the map], which are meant to keep everything as sterile as possible, and if you really wanna soak up all the details, you’ll find some samples tucked away in some cold storage containers,” lead level designer Steve Young said of the lore behind the aesthetic changes to the map. “Broken Moon feels really unique now, it’s got super bright colors and just an overabundance of alien plant life. It’s really cool.”
Legend buffs & nerfs
One of the biggest changes to Legend abilities is the reworking of Newcastle‘s Castle Wall ultimate ability. Developers saw that Newcastle players frequently teamed up with Wattson players, using Newcastle’s Castle Wall to block bullets, and placing one of Wattson’s Interception Pylon’s to block grenades. For Season 21, Respawn decided to give Newcastle’s Castle Wall the ability to block grenades and bullets.
“You could still get a [Gibraltar Defensive Bombardment] or a Bangalore [Rolling Thunder] strike in from above, and you could still get other abilities or grenades in from the sides or from above or from the back,” Apex Legends balance designer John Larson told GameSpot. “It’s just if you are facing the [Castle] Wall, you will not be able to sneak a [grenade] through or in.”
“It’s something we had been wanting to do to help the [Castle] Wall succeed more–even before watching scrims–but I coincidentally had been watching scrims and [Northeption] has a team that had been experimenting [and] they’re still running Newcastle/Wattson,” Larson added. “It’s like, ‘Oh, that’d be nice if they could free up a whole legend pick so they can do the thing that Newcastle should just be able to do.'”
Catalyst and Crypto are getting some love this season, too, while Legends like Bloodhound, Fuse, and Octane are getting a few minor tweaks as well, though we won’t have the details on these changes until Respawn releases the Upheaval patch notes.
Minecraft Fans Can Save 30% On Official Visual History Preorders At Amazon
The upcoming visual history of Minecraft just received a huge discount at Amazon, dropping the price from $40 to $28. Created by Mojang Studios and set to be published on September 3 by Random House Worlds, The World of Minecraft is a 224-page hardcover book that tells the story of the game’s 15-year history. It’ll include full-color art, development secrets, and interviews with Mojang developers, content creators, and notable members of the Minecraft community.
$28 (was $40)
The World of Minecraft will cover behind-the-scenes insights on the creation of iconic Minecraft characters and creatures like Alex and the Phantom, as well as stories from the wider Minecraft community, including mods like Feed The Beast, popular servers like Hypixel, and YouTube channels like The Yogscast. The 224-page book will also include tons of concept art, high-resolution renders of in-game assets, and never-before-seen development materials.
The combination of rare production materials, in-game lore, and real-world history makes The World of Minecraft the most comprehensive source of Minecraft information and a cool addition to any fan’s collection.
Amazon’s preorder price guarantee ensures that you’ll get the book for the lowest price offered between the time you order and when it ships.
The World of Minecraft will launch just in time to catch up on your Minecraft history before the live-action Minecraft movie premieres in theaters next year. While we don’t know much about the movie’s plot, Jack Black will reportedly star as one of the main characters from the game, Steve. Emma Myers, Jason Momoa, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Coolidge, Kate McKinnon, and Jemaine Clement are all confirmed to star in the movie as well. The movie recently wrapped filming in April, so we expect more news to be revealed soon. In the meantime, check our round-up of everything we know about the Minecraft movie for all the details shared so far.
The upcoming movie is far from the only piece of non-gaming media to tell a story within the world of Minecraft. The modern classic has also been adapted to the page. Multiple children’s book series focused on Minecraft are available now. You can get the six-book Woodsword Chronicles box set for $35 at Amazon (down from $60). You can also preorder the Stonesword Saga six-book box set at a 15% discount ahead of its May 7 release.
Minecraft is one of the wildest success stories in video game history. What started as a simple one-man project in 2009 ballooned into one of the best-selling games of all time that now ranks among the likes of Super Mario Bros., Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto V, and Pokemon Red/Blue as one of those rare generation-defining games for millions of players.
Star Wars Day – New Stormtrooper And Boba Fett Electronic Helmets Launch On Disney Store
It used to be that if you wanted to dress up as a Star Wars Stormtrooper, your options were limited to cheap masks unless you invested heavily in a set of 501st-approved armor or learned how to make your own. These days? While you’ll still need a decent chunk of change for that iconic white armor, at least getting your hands on a helmet isn’t complicated. Previously an Amazon exclusive, Hasbro’s Black Series Imperial Stormtrooper voice-changing helmet is now available on the Disney Store. The helmet is just one of many new additions to Disney’s catalog as part of the Star Wars Day celebrations. Joining the Stormtrooper helmet is the new Boba Fett Prototype Armor helmet, a pretty cool collectible for those interested in the history of Star Wars.
The Stormtrooper helmet retails for $105 on the Disney Store, and you can get free shipping with promo code SHIPMAGIC. It’s worth noting the Stormtrooper helmet isn’t available directly from Amazon at the moment, and it’s unclear if it will be restocked. You can still buy it from third-party resellers, but the price is currently sitting at $130 minimum (plus shipping).
Star Wars – Imperial Stormtrooper Helmet (Rogue One) — $105
This Imperial Stormtrooper helmet is based on the cannon fodder trooper from Star Wars: Rogue One, and includes fine details based on that film’s Stormtrooper armor. It features an adjustable fit so that it can securely sit on most noggins, but the cool thing here is the inclusion of an electronic voice-changer. With that powered on, you’ll sound like you’re communicating through a ham radio at your next convention. As mentioned, this helmet was previously an Amazon-exclusive helmet, but after it quickly sold out, resellers were listing this helmet for hundreds of dollars at one point, so it’s nice to see it available at retail price again.
If you’d rather cosplay as the Artillery Stormtrooper from The Mandalorian, Amazon and Best Buy are selling that particular helmet for $103 (was $132) for a limited time.
Star Wars Boba Fett Prototype Armor Helmet (Empire Strikes Back) – $105
Though the voice-changing effect built into the Stormtrooper helmet is very cool, the new Boba Fett helmet is cooler from a historical standpoint. While it has the signature shape of Fett’s bucket, it pays tribute to the original concept of the bounty hunter back when he was envisioned as a Super Stormtrooper in concept art. Instead of the olive green that became his trademark color, this helmet has a crisp white finish. This one also has interior padding for a snug fit, a flip-down rangefinder, a heads-up display, and LEDs to indicate when you’re in “hunting” mode.
If you love Boba Fett but want a different style of helmet, the Axe Woves edition inspired by his role in The Mandalorian is on sale for $109 at Amazon (was $132).
Disney has a bunch of other new products and deals available for Star Wars Day, including Force FX lightsabers, Black Series action figures, and cool clothing.