News:: The 300 Week 2: Double Digits on the Dime

Welcome back to The 300, a weekly feature chronicling my quixotic attempt to see 300 movies in theaters in 2018. Each week I'll be checking out new releases and hidden gems playing at movie theaters wherever I am. Hopefully I'll find something you may be interested in as well.

There are three rules for The 300:

• The movie must be at least 40 minutes long, meeting the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' definition of a feature film.
• I must watch the movie at a movie theater, screening room, or outdoor screening venue.
• While I can watch movies I've seen before 2018, I cannot count repeated viewings of the same film in 2018 multiple times.

Thanks to the sheer amount of old stuff playing in New York, I've managed to get a bit ahead of schedule by the end of week two, and with only one movie I regret seeing. There's some good repertory programming coming up in the next few weeks, so expect to see Quad Cinema and Metrograph showing up a lot through February.

And so, onward.

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News:: Housemarque is seeking testers for an unannounced PC game

Last year Resogun maker Housemarque revealed it was getting out of arcade game development, much to the disappointment (but also understanding) of fans. The studio cited "lackluster sales" for Nex Machina and an industry trend toward "multiplayer experiences with strong, robust communities."

"Our purpose as a company remains the same, however – to create enjoyable and memorable gaming experiences for players while simultaneously creating a great workplace that allows people to flourish both professionally and personally," Housemarque said at the time in a letter to fans.

As a progress update of sorts, the studio is seeking testers for "an unannounced project for PC."

"It is rather early in development but as the production moves forward we are going to need testers for it," reads a listing on the Nex Machina Steam page. "If you get accepted, you will receive an electronic non-disclosure agreement that you need to sign. After that you will receive more information about the project and its future tests. Expect something other than an arcade game."

I'm still bummed out about this whole turn of events, but I'm eager to see what's next for this team and wish these folks all the best with the new direction. They sure went out on a high note with Nex.

We are looking for game testers [Steam]

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News:: Microsoft taps 'Minecraft' leader to run its game studios

Now that Phil Spencer is managing Microsoft's broader game platform strategy, who's going to fill his shoes? Now we know: Microsoft has appointed Matt Booty, the overseer of the company's Minecraft teams, as the corporate VP of Microsoft Studios. He'll watch over all of Microsoft's own game publishing efforts, including Halo's 343 Industries, Gears of War's The Coalition and Forza's Turn 10. This isn't just about handing over the keys, though -- as Spencer explained to VentureBeat, it's also about improving the company's first-party game business.

Source: VentureBeat

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News:: Fate/Grand Order celebrates ensnaring 2 million innocents

Fate/Grand Order might be one of the crueler varieties of mobile gacha game, but that hasn't stopped it from achieving some measure of popularity, if the game's latest announcement is to be believed. The FGO website has announced that the English version of Fate/Grand Order has been downloaded 2 million times since its release last year, and they're celebrating the milestone by making it a good time for folks to actually start playing. Starting tomorrow and running through the 25th, players that just log in to the game each day will receive 25 units of Saint Quartz premium currency, as well as a handful of summoning tickets and other goodies. Further, a special Craft Essence accessory featuring unique art of the characters featured in the game's intro movie will be made available alongside a character outfit based on Saber's casual wear from Fate/Stay Night.

Everyone gets that stuff, but it's new players that get the most, as the game is re-running its "Start Dash" introductory campaign. Newly created accounts that clear the introductory chapter of the story and log in daily for a week will net up to 40 more Saint Quartz (in addition to the celebratory campaign rewards) and various other rewards.

Naturally, Aniplex have provided a place to spend all that newly-acquired Saint Quartz, as they'll be running a special summoning banner featuring the limited 5-Star Lancer-class Servant Brynhild. A war goddess, Valkyrie, daughter of Odin, Wagnerian archetype, and hair-alike to Pokemon's Lusamine, Bryn is a top-tier Lancer that does extra damage to characters that remind her of her heroic ex Sigurd. Other characters like Irish fella Fionn mac Cumhaill and Beowulf, hero of the Geats, will be available from the same banner, but unlike Brynhild, will remain summonable after the celebration's over.

While I couldn't in good conscience recommend playing FGO, folks with an appreciation for Type-MOON and strong willpower would be well-served by starting this week.

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News:: Oh hell yes, there's a Saw-like escape the room game

Escape the room, a genre of games about tricky and often obtuse solutions for leaving a place, has never been done better than in the original Saw film. It's the purest distillation of what these games try to accomplish. Hack your own leg off and then you get to escape the room. It's a devilishly cruel and simple dilemma.

Saw seems to have some admiring fans that are keen to pay homage to the movies. A new game released today on Steam that's called Play with Me. It goes whole hog into the Saw iconography -- grungy dungeons, makeshift medical equipment, a creepy doll. The aesthetic is unmistakable.

The execution seems to be more Saw II through Jigsaw, though. At first glance, the puzzles look as if they might veer into the elaborate. A series of hanging keys, using CDs to catch odd-angle reflections, using matchsticks to somehow open doors. However, the trailer is explicit in stating that this isn't a game about combining items; it's a game about using items as you could in real life.

Play with Me is $8.50 right now and maybe that's a reasonably-priced gamble for Saw enthusiasts. About once a month I think of Saw II and how terrible it'd be to fall into a pit of used heroin needles. If nothing else, Play with Me has kept me right on schedule for remembering that ridiculous phobia.

Play with Me [Steam]

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News:: Nintendo Labo combines Switch and cardboard for DIY toys

Leave it to Nintendo to drop a little teaser and get the internet out-of-control stoked.

That kid-friendly "new interactive experience" is Nintendo Labo, "a new line of interactive build-and-play experiences that combine DIY creations with the magic of Nintendo Switch." Just... watch:

Nintendo Labo will be available April 20, 2018 with the Toy-Con 01 Variety Kit and the Toy-Con 02 Robot Kit. I'm genuinely not sure what to make of all this yet, but Nintendo's name game is on point.

Breaking it down further, the Variety Kit will cost $70 and include five "projects": two RC cars, one fishing rod, one house, one motorbike, and one piano. The Robot Kit is a little steeper at $80 and comes with a full-on cardboard getup you can strap yourself into. Both kits include software, too.

Speaking to TIME, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé said the Toy-Con could "certainly" be used for "other forms of gameplay" down the road. For now, though, the plan is to "communicate the power of the idea with Nintendo Labo [and] really enable players to make their creations, personalize them, and enjoy the [inherent] gameplay experiences ... We think that's going to be a great way to start and then progress down the path."

This initiative feels like Nintendo going back to its roots. I just hope that cardboard is sturdy!

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News:: Street Fighter V's Season 3 costumes revealed on PSN

Benjamin Franklin (allegedly) said that only three things in life were certain: Death, Taxes and Street Fighter V DLC. Something along those lines, anyway.

A new listing popped up on the PlayStation Store yesterday, selling colour combinations for Season Three's newcomers. However, the image accompanying the listing gave away some of the alternate costumes planned for Sagat and friends.

We can see some new looks for Sakura, Sagat and newcomer Falke. But of particular interest is the mysterious "G" receiving gear which seems to align him with Third Strike's sinister robot, "Q." It also appears that, well as his job as Mayor, Cody also took Mike Haggar's pants. Perhaps it is such a crime that led Capcom's bad boy to end up in the slammer in the first place.

Which just leaves Blanka... what in the blue fuck is going on with Blanka?!

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News:: Nintendo unveils Labo, DIY cardboard add-ons for the Switch

If you thought Minecraft was the best thing for kids on the Switch, get ready for Nintendo to (once again) blow your mind. Behold Labo, a set of DIY tools built on cardboard sheets that turns the console into a powerhouse of play. Make a piano, with the Switch's screen for music! No, wait, a motorcycle game with cardboard handelbars! A house, with the Switch displaying an interior you can customize! Now is the era of the toy-con.

Source: Nintendo - What Is Labo?

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News:: Microsoft might be looking to improve the Xbox Elite controller

Microsoft made one of the best gamepads ever in 2015 when it introduced the Xbox Elite controller. It's a sturdy, comfortable, functional, and customizable device. Most anyone who can look past the $150 price would be quick to recommend it.

The Elite might be getting better. Rumors are circulating that Microsoft is revamping the Elite controller for an improved second version. Images first surfaced on Chinese site Bidau (they can be seen in the gallery below). Since then, other outlets like The Verge have corroborated the leaked images with reports from their sources that the photos are legitimate.

This iteration of the Elite is said to have a few significant changes. The rumored alterations are: Windows 10 Bluetooth support, a USB-C port, a built-in battery pack, adjustable thumbstick tension, three-level hair trigger locks, a switch to swap between three preset profiles, longer key travel for the paddles, and new grips that are allegedly more resistant to wearing down.

If Microsoft is indeed manufacturing a new Elite for retail, it's anyone's guess as to when an actual reveal and release might happen. E3 is the easy prediction but that's a ways off. Microsoft is playing this one close to the chest for now. We reached out and received the stock reply "Microsoft does not comment on rumor or speculation."

New Xbox Elite controller revealed in leaked images [The Verge]

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News:: Yakuza 6 still features the series' zany mini-games

Yakuza 6 is only a few short months away from us, so Sega is ramping up the hype train with some trailers. In this first one, we get a look at some of the various mini-games that will populate Kamurocho and Hiroshima. I'm particularly in love with the now iconic thumbs up pose that Kiryu gives during karaoke.

Some of the arcade games are reused from previous Yakuza installments, but the inclusion of Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown is incredible. I had a lot of fun with that game on PS3, even if it was light on content. Having an online enabled version of it within Yakuza is just awesome and could make for a hard to put down distraction from the main quest.

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News:: Get ready to scream, because a new Alien game is in development

A new Alien game is being developed by Cold Iron Studios, a fairly new developer recently acquired by FoxNext Games. The studio itself was founded in 2015 and is comprised of industry veterans who have previously worked on titles such as Neverwinter, BioShock Infinite, Borderlands, and Metroid Prime.

There isn't much information available at the moment, but what we do know is this will be the studio's first game, which they describe as a "shooter for PC and consoles set in the cinematic universe of the Alien franchise."

There is no word yet on a release date or specifically what "consoles" they'll be aiming to release the game on, however, CEO and founder of Cold Iron Studios, Craig Zinkievich, said this much:

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News:: Ubisoft inadvertently releases 'Assassin's Creed' DLC a week early

Ubisoft has a history of premature software releases, but here's one you might not mind. The developer has confirmed that it inadvertently released its Assassin's Creed Origins add-on The Hidden Ones to Xbox One users a week ahead of its January 23rd release. A "misconfiguration" of the in-game store allowed downloads for the new content, the company said. You'll still have access if you downloaded it and entered the new region (it'd create havoc for save files), but everyone else will have to wait for the official launch.

Via: Kotaku

Source: Ubisoft, Reddit

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News:: Jim Ryan announced as Sony Interactive's new Deputy President

Sony Interactive Entertainment announced yesterday that there has been a slight shuffle in their top brass, with former marketing head honcho Jim Ryan stepping up into the role of Deputy President for the billion-dollar company.

Ryan is an SIE lifer, having joined the division in 1994, not long after it opened its door to produce the industry-changing console, PlayStation. Over the past 23 years, Ryan rose to the position of Head of Global Sales and Marketing, and also President of Sony Interactive Europe. In his new role, Ryan will work alongside SIE President John Kodera and existing Deputy Kazuo Miura to "reinforce and accelerate the PlayStation business on a global scale".

"It’s a huge honor to be named a Deputy President of SIE", said Ryan of his shiny new name badge. "I’m looking forward to leveraging the experience that I have at PlayStation, both in Europe and also in leading Global Sales and Marketing, to support John Kodera as SIE strives to further expand the PlayStation business globally. Together with all our employees and partners, I’m committed to continuing to deliver unique entertainment offerings that are only possible on PlayStation."

Jim Ryan's new position with Sony Interactive Entertainment is effective immediately.

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News:: Xbox Game Pass is going to have another strong showing in February

Xbox Game Pass just keep growing. Xbox's take on a games on demand subscription service has upped its library consistently ever since its May 2017 debut. Come February, we're getting a few new titles that are worth keeping an eye on.

The biggest first-party name being added to Xbox Game Pass next month is Halo Wars 2. The Halo universe real-time strategy game is less than a year old, meaning that it's on the newer end for a non-annualized series. In our review, Chris thought Halo Wars 2 was a simple and polished RTS for consoles.

That's just one of February's eight additions, though. Chilled-out environmental puzzler Rime is also making an appearance. So is Fable Anniversary, an Xbox 360 trilogy of the original three Fable games (and available through Xbox One backward compatibility); that goes nicely with today's news that there's apparently another Fable being developed by the Forza Horizon studio.

Rounding out the month are NBA 2K17, WWE 2K17, Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition, Riptide Renegade GP, and Letter Quest: Grimm's Journey. A lot of big names and variation this month. Xbox Game Pass' portfolio keeps getting stronger and stronger.

Xbox Game Pass: NBA 2K17, WWE 2K17, Halo Wars 2 and More Available February 1 [Xbox Wire]

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News:: 'Select Soundtrack' for Sonic Mania pops up on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play

Sonic Mania's soundtrack is worth celebrating. It really tied the whole game together.

As of today, you'll be able to buy the 47-track Selected Edition of the Sonic Mania soundtrack through iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play if you feel so inclined. (Note: pricing varies.)

The Sonic Mania Official Select Soundtrack is now available on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon!

iTunes US: https://t.co/wLTzGTQ62P
iTunes UK: https://t.co/yfj61hI2XE
Google Play: https://t.co/HtT56KCc8C
Amazon: https://t.co/I6KanCAz8e http://pic.twitter.com/AUWbYPy18C

— Sonic the Hedgehog (@sonic_hedgehog) January 17, 2018

There are a few absences to mention. All of the tracks for Green Hill, Chemical Plant, and Oil Ocean are missing from this release, which is an undeniable bummer. Also, platform-wise, the soundtrack isn't available to stream on Spotify (though Sega is at least "looking into [it] for the future").

If and when that day comes, I'll be right there ready to play Studiopolis Act 1 on repeat.

Sonic the Hedgehog [Twitter]

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News:: Super Meat Boy is brilliant on the Switch even without a traditional d-pad

Having owned my Switch for just under a month now, I’ve come to terms with its idiosyncrasies. The button and joystick layout isn’t exactly perfect but I’m used to it by now. The Joy-Con controllers are effing small but I know which of my games I can adequately use them with. The battery doesn’t last as long as I’d like it to, but I also have to sleep at night so that one’s really a wash. Like with most gaming devices, I just needed some time to get used to it. Now that I have, it’s on its way to being my favorite Nintendo product ever.

The one issue that is still stuck in my craw is the lack of a traditional directional pad on the Joy-Con. A mainstay since the NES, it’s almost unheard of to have a Nintendo device launch without one. I understand gaming’s reliance on it has fallen greatly since the medium went 3D, but I still think every 2D game is more enjoyable when I control my character with a d-pad. That’s probably why I haven’t completed Metroid: Samus Returns or Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King yet. I thought the lack of a d-pad would keep me from enjoying Super Meat Boy too, but if anything, I love it far more on my Switch than I do my Mac.

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News:: Dark Souls Remastered will not feature cross-platform multiplayer

With cross-network play starting to become a standard in gaming, I could definitely see how many people were assuming Dark Souls Remastered might include the option. While Sony would rather flip off the world, Nintendo and Microsoft have already played nice together with Rocket League and Minecraft, so why not Dark Souls?

Sadly, that won't be the case. Bandai Namco confirmed to IGN that the upcoming re-release won't feature any kind of cross-network play. If you pick one platform, you're stuck with players from the same console. I imagine trying to tie together literal millions of players would be a networking nightmare, but it would have definitely given this remaster a huge boost in appeal.

Dark Souls: Remastered Will Not Support Cross-Platform Play [IGN]

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News:: Shenmue III gameplay details to be revealed at MAGIC conference

It's been about two-and-a-half years since the original E3 announcement that fans would finally see a third game in cult adventure series, Shenmue. With Shenmue III scheduled to hit later this year, Studio Ys Net is ready to brief fans a little more on what to expect.

Gaming overlord Yu Suzuki will be in attendance at this year's Monaco Anime Game International Conferences 2018 (MAGIC), which sounds like they came up with the acronym first and the name second. Suzuki will be showing off more screens for the dramatic RPG title, as well as revealing more details on the gameplay itself.

Given that the conference takes place less than a year from the game's intended launch, here's expecting that there's some live gameplay footage available. In the meantime, Sega have released some new screenshots for the long-awaited sequel, which you can check out below.

MAGIC 2018 takes place in Monaco on February 24. Shenmue III is scheduled to release on PS4 and PC later this year.

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News:: Capcom release results of Street Fighter character popularity poll

Back in October 2017, Capcom put out a poll asking fans to name their favourite Street Fighter character. Included were pretty much all characters from the mainline games and spin-off titles, even Captain Sawada from Street Fighter: The Movie got a look-in.

Over 150,000 fans voted and the results are now live. I will admit to being surprised by the top five. Not because they aren't great characters, but I thought it'd feature more OGs. Poster-boy Ryu only just scraped into the high rankings. Further down the rankings, some franchise veterans, such as Dhalsim, were beaten out by characters like Oni... ONI!

Of note, the previously-existing SF characters, who are available now as part of Street Fighter V's 2018 DLC, all made the top fifteen, funny that. I'd love to discuss the rankings further, but I can't bring myself to spoil it for you wonderful guys 'n' gals, so check out the links below and see how your favourite fared.

Street Fighter character poll countdown (courtesy of EventHubs):

• #109 - #31
• #30 - #11
• #10 - #1

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News:: More intriguing cut Bloodborne content emerges

Bloodborne has a pretty huge following -- even bigger than I initially realized. While I enjoyed my time with the game I've met a ton of people who either love Bloodborne the most out of every Souls entry, or straight-up have only played Bloodborne because of its faster combat system.

This tenacity has led to some interesting discoveries from the community, including anniversary events and quests for cut content. YouTube creator Lance McDonald has been showing off some of this content for weeks now, and as of this week, we have a new video highlighting five new enemies (or NPCs) -- including a skeleton king, slug princess, and a demon of some sort.

The fact that we're still talking about this game in 2018 is a testament to From Software's (and by proxy, Hidetaka Miyazaki's) staying power.

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News:: Overwatch's Blizzard World map ready to ride next week

There was an amusing moment during last year's Blizzcon where it almost seemed like Blizzard actually had the ego to open a theme park based on their video games. Then we slapped ourselves a nano-second later at what a ridiculous notion that was (although I'd admit I'd have a Season Ticket.)

No, it was in fact, "Blizzard World" a new map for team-based shooter Overwatch. The new map is a pretty intricately-designed park featuring areas and references to almost all of Blizzard's back-catalogue. Diablo, WarCraft, StarCraft, even The Lost Vikings are present and correct - though whether Rock 'n' Roll Racing gets a shout-out I'm unsure.

Blizzard World opens for business (and by "business" I mean shooting your friends and failing to Get On the Payload) next week, as the play-park goes live in Overwatch on January 23. Here's hoping it's not closed for repairs upon arrival.

Blizzard World coming to Overwatch January 23 [Twitter]

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News:: Hugh Jackman may put on his yellow spandex one more time (finally)

Temper your expectations with with every level of obvious skepticism and hearsay filter you can.

After all, our source is the ramblings of one Sebastian Stan, most commonly referred to as Winter Soldier Sebastian Stan, since his name's not quite synonymous with the comic book character he plays, say like a Robert Downey Jr., or a, well, Hugh Jackman.

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News:: Blizzard releases stats for first week of the Overwatch League

The first week of the Overwatch League is done, the dust has settled, and the numbers are in.

Blizzard is reporting that over 10 million viewers caught the event, with a peak of 437,000 concurrent viewers during the Seoul Dynasty (possibly the current fan favorite) and Dallas Fuel match. All of the action was broadcasted over Twitch, MLG, and "Chinese streaming partners ZhanQi TV, NetEase CC, and Panda TV." Blizzard also notes that the Blizzard Arena (the complex they created for the league) was "sold out" for the first week, and reminds us that there are 35 million Overwatch players currently.

It's a big first week for sure, but Blizzard will need to keep up the momentum and grow their audience over time if they want to justify the massive costs they've injected into this endeavor. Making team loyalty skin money in-game is one thing, but they need to keep consistently paying their players to really allow this "league" concept to breathe, and possibly inspire other industry giants to do the same.

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News:: Review: Full Metal Furies

After an amazing debut with Rogue Legacy, I couldn't wait to get my hands on Cellar Door Games' attempt at a side-scrolling beat-'em-up. I grew up, as many did, loving every opportunity to play the classics like Turtles in Time or The Simpsons arcade game, especially with friends. Since then, even more games have come out to rekindle that love, the poster child being Castle Crashers. 

Full Metal Furies is the newest game to cement itself as a modern classic, and with Cellar Door Games behind it, it's got a good shot.

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News:: Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux gets a western release date

Released back in the fall of 2017 for Japan on 3DS, Atlus USA today has announced via Twitter that Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux will be coming to the West on May 15, 2018. Atlus also unveiled the cover art which, as people have already pointed out, features some alterations, with one of the guns on the cover being removed.

This will definitely be another title to add my to massive 3DS backlog -- I just hope the translation is handled well.

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux launches on 3DS May 15 in America. The European release is yet to receive a confirmed date.

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News:: Now we know what Solo is all about (and at least it's not masturbatory)

Folks, this isn't HBO, no leaked scripts here. Disney released an official synopsis for Solo: A Star Wars Story. No pictures. No trailer. Still.

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