Month: December 2024

Why was the Master Chief missing in Halo Wars? No, it wasn't a mistake by Bungie

Back in 2009, with the Halo saga at the height of its glory and its third installment having appeared just two years earlier, Bungie decided to launch a completely different game from what was expected of the saga: a spin-off titled Halo Wars that almost immediately caused consternation and divided fans between those who appreciated the attempt to do something different and those who demanded Halo 4. And among everyone, in general, the same complaint: Where on earth was Master Chief? Had Bungie forgotten about him? Well. Not exactly. […]

Back in 2009, with the Halo saga at the height of its glory and its third installment having appeared just two years earlier, Bungie decided to launch in grand style a game completely different from what was expected from the saga: a spin-off titled Halo Wars that, almost immediately, caused consternation and divided fans between those who appreciated the attempt to do something different and those who demanded Halo 4. And among everyone, in general, the same complaint: Where on earth was Master Chief? Had Bungie forgotten about him? Well. Not exactly.

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What a Boss

Today we learned, after 15 years of speculation, that it was not an oversight by the studio, but a decision made completely consciously. “We didn’t want to use the Master Chief. We needed you to care about everyone else. We believed that the moment Master Chief made his appearance, people wouldn’t care about anything else“. And they are certainly right.

And no, of course, it wasn’t easy to make a game like this. In fact, they asked themselves several times how to turn their FPS into a real-time strategy game, and how to make the Spartans not necessarily the best unit: “Our challenge was to make them an equal option compared to the rest of the units. That’s what a strategy game is”.

Of course, Master Chief returned later in more games than we can list (and was part of the undeniable decline of the saga, which has been stalled since Halo Infinite), but, even though it initially received a somewhat lukewarm reaction, Halo Wars also ended up having a sequel and proving the team behind it right. After all, who needs Master Chief to make a great game?

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The most read mangas of the year make it clear that there is one series eternally above all the others

If you haven’t been to a comic book store in a while, you might be surprised to see that superhero comics, even with the massive success of their film adaptations, are not nearly as popular as manga. Japanese comics, aimed at men, women, and children (each with their own particular genres), have been at the top of sales charts for years, and it’s logical: their variety of genres is overwhelming, and the fact that there are no “phases” of writers and illustrators makes it easier for the casual reader to follow. […]

If you haven’t been to a comic book store in a while, you might be surprised to see that superhero comics, even with the massive success of their film adaptations, are not nearly as popular as manga. The Japanese comic, aimed at men, women, and children (each with their own particular genres) has been at the top of sales charts for years, and it’s logical: its variety of genres is overwhelming, and the fact that there are no “stages” of writers and illustrators makes it easier to follow for the casual reader. But, among all of them… Which are the most successful?

Manga Plus by Shueisha DOWNLOAD

¡Estamos en el crucero!

We go from less to more, always regarding the best sellers this year in Japan: in the top 10 we have My Hero Academia, which ended in August with 42 volumes behind it, followed by Spy x Family, which already has 14 volumes (and counting), in addition to having a hilarious anime adaptation. And no, none of the Folger family has yet guessed each other’s secrets, so there’s much more to come. At number 8, The Apothecary Diaries, which adapts the novel series about an herbalist who decides to help the emperor’s children (and whose life changes completely). Already at number 7, we have a classic among classics: Detective Conan. Yes, it is still ongoing, just celebrated 30 years of publication with 106 volumes to its name and the end is not yet in sight.

We move forward: at number 6 we have Demon Slayer, and the surprising thing is… It ended four years ago! Imagine how popular and iconic it must be in Japan, wow. Entering the top 5, we can’t miss Frieren, one of the big hits in manga in recent years about an elf mage who embarks on a journey to rekindle her passion for magic. Just above, at number 4, is Oshi no ko, about two people who are reborn as the twins of Ai Hoshino, a Japanese idol. So far, it has 16 volumes, with no signs of ending soon.

Finally, the top 3 is made up of three essentials: Kingdom, which has been telling ancient Chinese history in its own way since 2006; Jujutsu Kaisen, which has just ended but continues to be highly popular (with good reason, by the way) and, of course, the number 1 is… One Piece. Did anyone doubt it for a moment? Woe to anyone who tries to take the spot from Luffy and his crew! There are things that are impossible, pirates!

Manga Plus by Shueisha DOWNLOAD

Despite what it seemed, Better Man, the strangest musical biopic, has garnered very positive reviews

Since Bohemian Rhapsody premiered in 2018, Hollywood has fully entered the era of musical biopics, taking advantage of any famous singer to turn their life into a movie. Just next year, we have the new biopics of Michael Jackson and Bob Dylan on the horizon, making it clear that this is a phenomenon far from fading. However, before that, we will see a very special movie that, despite being a musical biopic, offers something very different (and strange) from the rest: Better Man. Directed by Michael Gracey, the movie will premiere next […]

Since Bohemian Rhapsody premiered in 2018, Hollywood has fully entered the era of musical biopics, taking advantage of any famous singer to turn their life into a movie. Just next year, we have the new biopics of Michael Jackson and Bob Dylan on the horizon, making it clear that this is a phenomenon far from fading away.

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However, first we will see a very special movie that, despite being a musical biopic, offers something very different (and strange) from the rest: Better Man. Directed by Michael Gracey, the film will premiere on January 1st and will bring Robbie Williams’ life to the screen. Only with a small addition: the protagonist is played by… a monkey.

That it’s a monkey is the least of it

Despite the unusual nature of the proposal, the movie has already been seen by critics, and they couldn’t be clearer. With 92% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, everyone agrees that it’s a great film. And this is what they say:

“A biographical film about Robbie Williams in which he plays himself as a computer-generated monkey shouldn’t work, but director Michael Gracey defies all expectations and delivers an incredibly inspired and surprisingly emotional film. Better Man is by far the best musical of 2024” – Bill Bria, Discussing Film

“If you could take your eyes off the screen long enough to look at the stopwatch, not a minute would pass without a funny, ridiculous, surprising, or emotional gesture appearing” – Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times

“It turns out it’s a bit easier to face the harsh reality when it’s told to you by a monkey in a suit” – Clarisse Loughrey, Independent

“A fantastic (and fanciful) version of a classic rise-and-fall biopic, where the fact that its subject is portrayed as a CGI chimpanzee (while everyone else is human) is one of the less striking aspects” – Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

You would never believe who the new member of the Justice League is

Since its founding in 1960 until now, the Justice League has included hundreds of members from the DC Universe, of all kinds, from Martian Manhunter to Wonder Woman, and of course, Superman and Batman. But in no comic multiverse could we remotely imagine who the new member revealed this week in issue 5 of Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns would be. Holy Santa Clauses, Batman! At the end of this comic, Batman and Superman offer a membership card to, exactly, Santa Claus! It has been 84 years since his first appearance, […]

Since its founding in 1960 until now, the Justice League has had hundreds of members from the DC Universe, of all kinds, from Martian Manhunter to Wonder Woman, including, of course, Superman and Batman. But in no comic multiverse could we remotely imagine who the new member would be that was revealed this week in issue 5 of Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns.

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Holy Santa Clauses, Batman!

And at the end of this comic, Batman and Superman offer a membership card to, exactly, Santa Claus! It has been 84 years since his first appearance in Superman’s Christmas Adventure, and since then he has gone through various crises, side adventures, and imaginary worlds. He even faced Lobo in his Christmas special! What no one expected is that after so much time, he would finally formalize his status with the Justice League. It was about time.

The reason for hiring him is that “They want the League to be able to face any threat”, and Santa receives him with honors: “Indeed, it has been nice going on adventures with you. It reminded me of another time with friends from long ago“. What better way to wish us a Happy New Year?

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After Nosferatu, Robert Eggers already has a new project in the works: a remake you wouldn't imagine

Robert Eggers is one of the most mentioned names this Christmas. Following the successful release of Nosferatu, the film that revives the most classic vampire in cinema history, the filmmaker has regained the faith that many had lost in him after The Northman. And not only that, but it has also helped him to steer his future with new projects. The latest to be announced is none other than the remake of Labyrinth, the iconic 80s fantasy classic directed by Jim Henson and starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly. […]

Robert Eggers is one of the most mentioned names this Christmas. Following the successful release of Nosferatu, the film that revives the most classic vampire in cinema history, the filmmaker has regained the faith that many had lost in him after The Northman. And not only that, but it has also helped him to steer his future with new projects.

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The latest to be announced is none other than the remake of Labyrinth, the iconic 80s fantasy classic directed by Jim Henson and starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly. According to a recent report from The Insneider, Eggers has teamed up with Sony and The Jim Henson Company to write and direct this new version of the fantastic universe that captivated several generations. Although the details on whether it will be a sequel or a complete remake are still unclear, what is known is that the director will also be in charge of the script.

A project frustrated for years

The project is not being easy to carry out. Over the years, several attempts have stalled in development hell. Directors like Fede Álvarez (Alien: Romulus) and Scott Derrickson (Black Phone) tried to bring a sequel to life, but creative conflicts and unfinished scripts thwarted the plans. Now, with Eggers at the helm, it seems that this new movie is finally taking shape.

The original movie, released in 1986, was not a box office success, but over time it became a cult phenomenon that is still remembered. The story followed Sarah (Jennifer Connelly), a teenager who had to navigate a labyrinth filled with strange creatures to rescue her little brother from the hands of the charismatic and terrifying Jareth, the Goblin King, played by an unforgettable David Bowie.

After the mastery shown in Nosferatu, where the director combines fidelity to the original material with a modernized vision in his purest style, there are high expectations about what he will do with this project. Will he opt for a more terrifying atmosphere, delving into the dark side of the Labyrinth, or will he maintain the balance between the fantastic and the somber that characterized the original?

In case there is any doubt, Christopher Nolan's Odyssey will be the most expensive movie of his entire career

A few days ago, the news broke: the highly anticipated next project by Christopher Nolan, which will be starring none other than faces like Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, or Robert Pattinson, will be The Odyssey. That’s right: a new adaptation of Homer’s epic, less adapted to film than many might believe, will be the director’s next big film. Little by little, we are learning more details about this film, which is scheduled to be released on July 17, 2026, and the latest of these has been its budget. According to reports, the […]

A few days ago, the news broke: the highly anticipated next project by Christopher Nolan, which will star none other than faces like Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, or Robert Pattinson, will be The Odyssey. That’s right: a new adaptation of Homer’s epic, less adapted to film than many might believe, will be the director’s next big film.

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Little by little, we are learning more details about this film, which is scheduled to be released on July 17, 2026, and the latest of these has been its budget. It has been reported that the movie will be the most expensive of Nolan’s entire career. Until now, his most costly film was The Dark Knight Rises, which cost Warner 250 million dollars (from which it grossed over 1,000 million). However, The Odyssey will be even more expensive, as it employs a new IMAX cinematography technology that could reach up to 300 million.

A deployment greater than anything we have seen

As far as is known, Nolan does not want to bring his usual realism to this film, but wants to maintain the fantasy that characterizes the story. Additionally, he tends to use much more practical effects than digital ones, so we might see all kinds of monsters created on set for the film. Certainly, the excitement couldn’t be greater.

The new Sinners trailer brings the best Michael B. Jordan since Creed

Ryan Coogler has become one of the most sought-after blockbuster directors in Hollywood after leading the two Black Panther movies and the original Creed. And if these two franchises have something in common, it’s Michael B. Jordan as a favorite actor. So, of course, the actor had to reunite with Coogler in his next big film: Sinners. In a new teaser that makes the tone of the movie very clear, Coogler presents Sinners, an action thriller with supernatural elements in which Jordan plays twin brothers who fight against […]

Ryan Coogler has become one of the most sought-after blockbuster directors in Hollywood after leading the two Black Panther movies and the original Creed. And if these two franchises have something in common, it’s Michael B Jordan as a favorite actor. So, of course, the actor had to reunite with Coogler in his next big film: Sinners.

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In a new teaser that makes the tone of the movie very clear, Coogler presents Sinners, an action thriller with supernatural elements in which Jordan plays two twin brothers who fight against their own demons and a much darker threat. The preview is chilling:

Vampire Exist

The film, which will hit U.S. theaters on March 7, 2025, promises to interestingly blend a vampire movie with all that it entails with an intense family drama. This time, Coogler takes a radical turn by exploring the fear and duality of the human being in a context as chilling as it is profound. Are we witnessing the beginnings of an author who goes beyond franchises?

It's not Iron-Man, but almost: this impressive exoskeleton allows paraplegic people to walk

A group of South Korean researchers has developed an innovative portable robot that could revolutionize the mobility of paraplegic individuals. The device, called WalkON Suit F1, is a lightweight exoskeleton that attaches to the user to provide assisted mobility, allowing them to walk instead of using a wheelchair. The project comes from the Exoskeleton Laboratory at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Kim Seung-hwan, a team member and wheelchair user, demonstrated the prototype to Reuters. Weighing 50 kilograms, the suit uses 12 motors that replicate natural movements […]

A group of South Korean researchers has developed an innovative wearable robot that could revolutionize the mobility of paraplegic individuals. The device, called WalkON Suit F1, is a lightweight exoskeleton that attaches to the user to provide assisted mobility, allowing them to walk instead of using a wheelchair.

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The project comes from the Exoskeleton Laboratory at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Kim Seung-hwan, a team member and wheelchair user, demonstrated the prototype to Reuters. Weighing 50 kilograms, the suit uses 12 motors that replicate the natural joint movements of walking. Additionally, it includes sensors that process more than 1,000 data points per second to anticipate the user’s movements and maintain balance.

The exoskeleton stands out for its ability to adapt to the environment thanks to a camera vision system, which identifies obstacles and elevation changes. Another particularly innovative feature is that the suit can locate and attach to the user while they remain seated in their wheelchair. This facilitates its use in daily life and reduces the need for external assistance.

During the tests, Kim reached a speed of 3.2 km/h, climbed stairs, and performed complex maneuvers, such as climbing onto a bench sideways. Inspired by the technology of the superhero Iron Man from Marvel, the team led by Park Jeong-su designed the WalkON Suit to easily integrate into the daily routines of people with disabilities.

The success of this design was reflected in the Cybathlon 2024, held from October 25 to 27, where Kim won the gold medal in the exoskeleton category. In this international competition, the Swiss exoskeleton VariLeg Enhanced was also awarded, with a hybrid design that combines a wheelchair and assisted mobility, and the ChiangMaiU EXO 2 from Thailand, which stands out for its lateral movement capability.

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Nier Automata continues to sell like there's no tomorrow and reaches nine million copies

NieR Automata is one of the most surprising games of recent years. Released in 2017, it catapulted its creator, Yoko Taro, to stardom, and since then he hasn’t released any other major game. Nor has he needed to. Because NieR Automata continues to sell like hotcakes while we keep waiting for his next big title. NieR Automata sells as if it were going to be taken off the shelves because, according to Square Enix, NieR: Automata has already sold more than nine million units. The last figure we had was from last February, when it reached eight million […]

NieR Automata is one of the most surprising games of recent years. Released in 2017, it catapulted its creator, Yoko Taro, to stardom, and since then he hasn’t released any other major game. Nor has he needed to. Because NieR Automata continues to sell like hotcakes while we keep waiting for his next big title.

NieR Automata sells as if it were going to be removed from stores

Because, as announced by Square Enix, NieR: Automata has now sold over nine million units. The last figure we had was from last February, when it reached eight million units. This means it has sold one million units in just the last ten months, which is an astonishing figure for a game that was released seven years ago and whose last edition was The End of YoRHa Edition for Switch in 2022. If we don’t count its DLC with Stellar Blade.

But this should not surprise us. NieR Automata is an excellent game, with a cult following that continues to grow. And while we patiently wait for Yoko Taro to announce his next game, we might as well start another playthrough of NieR Automata. Or play it for the first time, if you never have.

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Should Bethesda change its way of working? Former Starfield developer thinks so

Starfield was a disaster. Whether it was liked more or less, its launch was an unparalleled festival of bugs. And that’s not the worst part. The worst part is that it didn’t even resonate with the audience in the way one would expect from a Bethesda game. It was liked. It sold well. It worked among critics. But it wasn’t a sweeping success like Fallout or Skyrim: it was simply a game that worked well, in a discreet manner. In other words, it was a disaster by Bethesda’s standards. And this is something that could have been avoided, according to a former developer of the studio. According to Nate Purkeypile, an artist who […]

Starfield was a disaster. Like it or not, its launch was an unparalleled festival of bugs. And that’s not the worst part. The worst part is that it didn’t even resonate with the audience in the way one would expect from a Bethesda game. It was liked. It sold well. It worked among critics. But it wasn’t a runaway success like Fallout or Skyrim: it was simply a game that performed well, in a discreet manner. In other words, it was a disaster by Bethesda’s standards. And this is something that could have been avoided, according to a former developer of the studio.

According to Nate Purkeypile, an artist who worked at Bethesda for many years and who has now given an interview to Kiwi Talkz for the release of his game The Axis Unseen, one of the reasons for Starfield’s failure is the use of its internal engine, the Creation Engine. An engine that is not only outdated but also extremely difficult to use.

In Purkeypile’s words, the reason he has been able to release his game in just three years is because Unreal Engine 5 is a tool that has allowed him to automate many of the most laborious development processes. Something impossible with Creation Engine. And if he had used the engine they used at Bethesda, he would have spent hundreds more hours just polishing details. This makes him think that Bethesda should change their graphics engine if they want to thrive again in the future.

Is Unreal Engine the Future of Bethesda?

Defining working with Creation Engine as “being on a train while laying down the tracks… while both are on fire,” he has also admitted that transitioning from one engine to another involves a lot of work. But it’s worth it. In the same interview, he points out how other large studios, like CD Projekt, have done it recently due to having similar problems with their games, referencing the disaster that was the launch of Cyberpunk 2077.

Will Bethesda stop using the Creation Engine? Only time will tell. Although we are inclined to say no, we also didn’t think CD Projekt would make the jump to Unreal Engine. So, we’ll see if they end up listening to Purkeypile or not. And with which engine they release their next game, which should be the next Fallout.

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