#look this season has had its issues but at least episode 7 was a banger

[thymewayster]

Terrible, horrifying possibilities for episode 8 (that also make my whump-loving heart very happy):

Gideon takes off Din’s helmet

Gideon takes off all of Din’s armor

Gideon removes Din’s armor and melts it down in front of him

Gideon tells Din that the entire scouting party was slaughtered, including Grogu (because how would Din know if they got away??) Bonus points if he uses Paz’s armor/body for proof

Gideon tells Din the fleet was destroyed as well, making Din think basically all of his people are dead

Din gets mind-probed

Din goes in a mind flayer like Pershing did

Gideon tortures Din for anything ranging from Bo’s plans to Luke’s location to just for fun

Gideon sends the rest of the Mandos (and Grogu) Din’s empty, bloody helmet and threatens to send them what was in the helmet if they don’t yield

Din is still in Gideon’s custody at the end of the episode

#mandalorian #mandalorian spoilers #spoilers #and the most horrifying possibility of all #that the episode isn't good #look this season has had its issues but at least episode 7 was a banger #whump

[qwertyfingers]

we know that bobby only watched ds9 and dean watched the tos movies for sure which implies he's seen tos as well (plus he calls jack spock). so what do you think everyone's favorite trek is? sam is without a doubt a tng fan first and foremost. i think out of all tos movies cas prefers the wrath of khan because he Feels Things when kirk and spock do the ta'al through the glass. charlie has definitely seen some trek (we've seen her llap), do you think she's into tos first and foremost? anyway let's talk about star trek nights in the bunker.

OKAY SO I HAVE. MANY MANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS. SORRY THIS IS SO LONG.

like. like of COURSE bobby only likes ds9 of course he does i could have told you this without the show becuase like. bobby is That Bitch. i think rufus will have watched TOS at least because leonard nimoy worked hard on linking jewish faith and practices into the vulcan lore and i think that would mean something to him. bobby will catch rufus smiling at him sometimes while they’re watching ds9 and ask him what all gruffly and rufus will smirk at him and say something about sisko with jake and bobby with dean and bobby will just cough and take a swig of whiskey and rufus will raise his eyebrows but let it slide. rufus definitely makes a comment once about dean&cas being like jake&nog that totally flies over dean’s head but bobby is all knowing eyebrow raise about.

i think cas and jack would really like discovery. while it has some issues with inconsistency, pacing, being a little dark, it also does better than the other TV treks at utilising the nature of film as a medium to instill a sense of wonder, at space and the world, and that’s something they’d really appreciate. i have my own issues with disco, but an obol for charon is as close to the central core of trek that disco ever gets. cas and jack also like that one in particular because they like listening to all the different languages being spoken. they all love michael (everyone loves michael). cas’ faves are stamets and reno because they’re mean and gay, jack’s fave is tilly because she’s excitable and bright and he latches onto that. dean likes reno because she’s got spunk. sam’s fave is airiam and he will never forgive them for killing her off. sam, cas and dean all feel an uncomfortable kinship with both ash and culber - they’ve both been the one with monster teeming under the surface, controleld by something not themself, but they’ve also all spent that time in hell/purgatory, separated from everyone they love.

thinking about episodes that would really get to them all, darmok is. THE ONE. i have a whole unfinished essay about darmok as the platonic ideal of star trek; the perfect distillation of everything trek is SUPPOSED to be about. it doens’t always get there but by god it tries! that speech michael gives in the disco s2 finale - “There's a whole galaxy of people out there who will reach for you. You have to let them. Find that person who seems farthest from you and reach for them.” - that’s what darmok is about!!! it’s all about a situation where real communication seems impossible, where everything we know about talking and learning has broken down. and picard says, okay, i will find another way. i can’t relate to you, you can’t relate to me, but by god i’m going to try. we all meet people we have trouble communicating with in our lives, and often, those people will not care about changing their own ways to accommodate us. for people with autism, adhd, psychosis, the list goes on, this is a very common occurrence. it’s exhausting and frustrating and alienating. darmok is all about crossing that barrier. about reaching for someone through a world of difficulty and learning how to talk. learning how to share something with someone who seems out of our reach. it’s beautiful, it’s heartwrenching, it means more to me than i can easily put into words! 

anyway i think the bunker fam would experience a lot of emotions watching it together. there’s defintiely a lot of hugging eachother, sam cries a lot and won’t look at anyone until after the episode ends. jack just asks a lot of questions and talks about his progress learning sign language with cas. dean snakes his hand into cas’ halfway through and doesn’t let go. doesn’t show the emotion on his face, but he clutches harder at the emotional beats. cas runs his fingers through jack’s hair and thinks a lot, and decides not to say anything unless dean talks first. its just a Lot for everyone. 

dean def makes them marathon all the TOS and TNG movies. it’s an experience everyone needs at least once. i think you’re right about cas and TWOK with the ta’al through the glass, but also ‘this simple feeling’ and the hand hold would make him feel crazy. bones being the one that spock entrusts with his katra DEF makes dean feel some type of way because as much as destiel is kirkspock-coded, dean IS bones, and seeing spock trust bones so completely despite how at odds they were when they first knew eachother would dig deep into dean’s psyche and make him more than a little bit nutso. the movies are way too long for jack so he mostly sits and plays animal crossing while they watch and looks at the screen when everyone else gasps or when something exciting is happening that holds his attention for a while. sam’s fave is nemesis precisely because it’s terrible and he loves how camp it is.

dean has definitely seen all of trek. i refuse to believe someone who watches as much tv and films as dean wouldn’t sit and watch the whole shebang. i think he’s probably seen TOS and the TOS movies more than the others because its easier than sitting through 7 seasons, but i think rather than that being his favourite he’d just have really strong opinions about the best episodes of each one? like if you asked him what his favourite is he’d say you can’t answer that because they’re all so different from eachother

VOY - bride of chaotica, non seqitur, macrocosm for the favourite episodes. seven, janeway and tuvok would be his favourite characters. he think toms a bit of a knob but also feels a kinship with him for the similar brand of bab dad-ism but he wouldn’t be able to put that into words. he’s also a fierce defender of threshold being a good episode (he’s right for that)

DS9 - our man bashir it’s our man bashir. he doesn’t dislike ds9 but its very plot heavy and he didn’t care for it when he was younger. rewatching it after living through multiple supernatural wars he’d probably appreciate it more. i know for a fact he cries every time there’s an episode about sisko being a good dad. jadzia and garak are his faves

TNG - he LOVES q. he also absolutely will not be caught dead referencing how much loves q after cas comes into his life because sam will do the little brotherly knowing eyebrow raise at him and he will die of embarrassment. he regularly references ‘there are four lights’ because he’s a fucking nerd. he has made cas watch elementary my dear data and fistful of datas a half dozen times each at LEAST. cas KNEW how dean was going to be about the cowboy hat he’s defintiely got into full cowboy getup at home just for watching movies and in cas’ head star trek is fully to blame.

TOS - oh there are so many good TOS eps to choose from. obv he loves most of the series becuase TOS has MANY banger eps, his favourites are probably like. mirror mirror, amok time (baby dean defintiely had some kind of crisis watching it for the first time; i know the rituals are intricate). i know deep in my bones that dean watched the conscience of the king (introduction of the tarsus iv massacre) once and then spent his entire teenage years writing fic about that in his head, whether he posted it or not. dean related too much to those experiences of shared hunger. city on the edge of forever is one of everyone’s faves for a reason (and i’m STILL mad we never got a closer take on that episode in spn it could have been so fun). 

ENT - he definitely thinks enterprise is stupid and he’s not wrong but he has also definitely watched it and been very repressed about the whole thing. mans was like oh i feel a kinship with malcolm reed the obviously repressed queer man. i will never examine this feeling ever again thank you <3 he also makes fun of archer for being obsessed with, of all sports, water polo. shran is his favourite character because he’s a little shit and makes him laugh, and t’pol, because t’pol is a badass and he’d appreciate that. i can’t remember the title of a single episode off the top of my head though lol.

i can see what you’re saying about sam being a TNG stan. i’m conflicted though, I feel like TNG’s generally the favourite of 1) obnoxious nerds who think knowing trivia facts makes them smart, 2) men desperately trying to seem masculine and 3) people who’ve watched it three times and have extremely complex thoughts on the personhood and rights of robots. i could see sam fitting into the third group, but people who are in it for the robot feelings are a coin flip between voyager and tng being the fave, and i just have a feeling that voyager would be his favourite. i know kid sam is getting gender envy watching voyager in shitty motels while dad and dean are out, trying to find the words for it. his first semester at stanford he talks a friend into giving him the janeway haircut and rides that high for months. sam’s favourite characters are seven and EMH. 

sam and dean have definitely had dozens of long drawn out debates about philosophical topics in star trek. do the holograms deserve rights and if so which ones. are the romulans and vulcans still meaningfully the same people. was spock right for trying to foment reunification by going undercover on romulus. can the borg be redeemed. etc etc.

i haven’t seen any of picard at all so i can’t comment. i also think sam and dean probably read a lot of the trek books? they’re pretty common to find in secondhand bookstores and cheap, would have been even cheaper back in the day. sam probably doesn’t care for them much, dean has a few solid faves though. i’ve only read the disco books so i can’t comment anything specifically (besides the fact that i think dean read dead endless and cried like a baby), but some of the TOS and DS9 books are gay as hell and i know dean was eyes emoji-ing that shit. 

#spn #spn fic #tfw 2.0 #treknatural

[recentanimenews]

FEATURE: The Top 10 Anime OPs of 2020 According to YOU!

  As we near the voting period for the Anime Awards where we will collectively determine the anime bests of the year 2020, the well-worn adage of “never skip the OP” comes to mind. I’m confident we’ll make the best choice, but there were many great OPs this year that won't make the cut to be highlighted in the nominations. So let’s take a look back at some of the year’s greatest not determined by our admittedly extremely qualified panel of judges, but by numbers and you, the fans.

  We’ve been posting up OPs on YouTube all year and have even made a playlist for 2020 — so what better way to unbiasedly look at the year's best than with the most important votes of all? Views. Below I’ve composed a Top 10 list of anime OPs featured on Crunchyroll Collection YouTube Channel by views at 30 days so as not to give an unfair advantage to OPs posted earlier in the year. This is not a perfect metric — as I’ll get into a bit later — but delivers either an interesting look at what people have been watching this year or, at the very least, some great new additions to your playlist on YouTube ...

  10. Black Clover - "Everlasting Shine" by TOMORROW X TOGETHER

    The collision of anime and K-pop will become a theme on this list, so it’s only natural that it should begin with the collaboration between TOMORROW X TOGETHER and the anime that has never missed an OP. Black Clover hit off its next slate of anime-original content under the supervision of Yuki Tabata with a killer opening highlighting the magic knight captains. "Everlasting Shine" cleared 800k views in its first month and joined the series’ killer playlist snuggly between songs by Snowman.

  9. HAIKYU!! TO THE TOP - "Phoenix" by BURNOUT SYNDROMES

    BURNOUT SYNDROMES brought in the new year with a bang, heralding the beginning of Haikyu’s spring tournament arc with yet another absolute banger of an OP to compete with their own iconic "Hikare Are" and "Fly High!" Phoenix rose to claim 900k views in 30 days, especially impressive since Karasuno had no highlight opponents facing them down in the first half of the new TO THE TOP season.

  8. Black Clover - "Stories" by Snowman

    Black Clovers 11th OP had a lot of weight to carry introducing the first post-manga content the anime had to offer and nailed it with a Snowman collaboration so good that the group not only got signed to return for OP 13, but Daisuke Sakuma voiced an anime-original character designed just for him in Episode 140. "Stories" came just under 1 million views in its first month at 950k, joining the pantheon of hit Black Clover OPs.

  7. Rent-a-Girlfriend - "Centimeter" by the peggies

    I don’t know about you, but ever since Sarazanmai’s spectacular ED "Stand by Me" featuring the peggies, I’ve been waiting for more anime music by the group, and it is absolutely not a surprise to see their next collaboration on this list. They delivered an absolutely addictive song which TMS elevated with some great dance moves and brilliant color work. A smart move, as we’ll see later in this list.

  No metric for measurement is perfect and "Centimeter" may be the best example of where this list sells an OP short. The song barely cleared 1 million views in its first month and placed the peggies in the Number 7 spot, however, the viewership on Rent-a-Girlfriend’s OP has only accelerated since, and it now sits comfortably at 6 million views, tying it for second place in overall viewership. Looking back again in another six months, it might even be Number 1 ...

  6. Black Clover - "Black Catcher" by Vickeblanka

    The original Black Clover OP artists returned to close out the anime’s last wildly-escalating manga-adapted arc with a killer OP that got served up twice. First in a dark black-and-white aesthetic going into the series climactic battle, then again in brilliant color after the conclusion of the epic conflict. 

  "Black Catcher" brought in 1.1 million views in what is an astonishing sweep in popular viewership for this list. Every OP Black Clover dropped this year made it into the top 10. A spectacular feat for a series that serves up a new one every cour.

  5. Re:ZERO Season 2 - "Realize" by Konomi Suzuki

    In a series so notorious for outright ignoring it’s OP and/or EDs for the majority of its episodes to pack in as much extra time as possible for Subaru’s continued suffering, it’s absolutely amazing how quality each of its OPs has been. "Realize" rapidly ascended to 1.5 million in its first month and has since aged like a fine wine as the events of the series slowly added context to many of the unusual and intriguing visuals therein.

  4. JUJUTSU KAISEN - "Kaikai Kitan" by Eve

    Launching one of the most anticipated new series in years and adapted by studio MAPPA, who has acted as the headline studio of 2020 with multiple hit productions, "Kaikai Kitan" was a shoo-in for this list. JUJUTSU KAISEN didn’t disappoint with a slick OP directed by one of the all-time animation greats and Naruto alumni Shingo Yamashita. "Kaikai Kitan" cleared 2 million in its first 30 days, and if anything, is only accelerating as the series’ sterling production continues to draw more fans. Also, TOHO released the video early on their own channel, where it’s performing even better.

  3. Boruto - "Hajimatteiku Takamatteiku" by Sambomaster

    This ED stands out as a love letter to Naruto in an anime that is essentially one big love letter to Naruto. Returning to the franchise after crafting what may have been the original Naruto’s most iconic OP, "Rhapsody of Youth," Sambomaster delivers yet another bop, while Pierrot seeded the visual sequence with references to many iconic Naruto OP visuals. "Hajimatteiku Takamatteiku" cleared 2 million views in its first month and was the perfect introduction for the series' slow build toward the manga’s Kara arc.

  2. The God of High School - "Contradiction" ft. Tyler Carter by KSUKE

      Subtlety is not The God of High School’s thing and "Contradiction" dropped like a punch in the face with some completely wild visuals and music. Techno doesn’t often make appearances in anime OPs, so a song composed by KSUKE featuring the American metalcore vocalist of Issues, Tyler Carter, was a galaxy away from ordinary even in a year where an avalanche of K-pop has been dropping into anime. The accompanying visuals could only be described as aggressive with fight scenes set under a color-swapped psychedelic blacklight style effect. 2.5 million viewers tuned in in the first month, and the song recently cleared 6 million to continue competing with Rent-a-Girlfriend's "Centimeter" from the same season.

  1. Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! - "Easy Breezy" by chelmico

    It really couldn’t have been anyone else. Storyboarded by Masaaki Yuasa himself and animated with some surprisingly analog techniques by the talented French animator Abel Gongora, "Easy Breezy" cleared 3 million views in its first month and has breezed its way past 10 million over the course of 2020. This OP was easy, it was breezy, and it was super meme-y. The riffs of the girls of Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! dancing to chelmico’s addicting tune were absolutely legion and for good reason, the loud colors, the simple style, and the Drake references were a perfect breeding ground for some truly inspired fan content, making it, in my opinion, the only choice for OP of the Year for 2020.

  Gotta say I’m overjoyed to see Eizouken at the top of the list even after spending half a year working that earworm out of my head, as well as so much love for Black Clover's OPs which have really been an achievement in quality even against Pierrot’s own storied legacy in Naruto and Bleach music.

  And don’t think I’m stopping here. While many fans studiously never skip the OP, I also never skip the ED ...

  What's your favorite OP from this list? Let us know in the comments. And tune in tomorrow for the top EDs of 2020 according to YouTube!

      Peter Fobian is an Associate Producer at Crunchyroll, writer for Anime Academy and Anime in America, and an editor at Anime Feminist. You can follow him on Twitter @PeterFobian.

  Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features! 

By: Peter Fobian

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

[entergamingxp]

DualShockers’ Favorite Games of 2019 — Ryan’s Top 10

December 26, 2019 2:00 PM EST

This year wasn’t short of excellent games that were looking to push boundaries like Death Stranding and more: here’s my top 10 games of 2019.

As 2019 comes to a close, DualShockers and our staff are reflecting on this year’s batch of games and what were their personal highlights within the last year. Unlike the official Game of the Year 2019 awards for DualShockers, there are little-to-no-rules on our individual Top 10 posts. For instance, any game — not just 2019 releases — can be considered.

For me, 2019 really felt like the year of there being a wealth of too many great games to play and just not enough time to get to them all. Even in the last couple of weeks leading up to the release of our Game of the Year Awards and our individual staff lists, I still have a massive pile of games from this year that I want to get through. Especially considering the fact that the first few months of 2020 are already stacked with tons of incredible games on the horizon, this is kind of a problem.

But nonetheless, 2019 proved to be a great year in games and honestly, this was probably the most difficult Top 10 list that I’ve had to put together in quite some time. Of course, with the necessities of keeping this to 10 games, there are always going to be some great games that get left on the sidelines, so I’d at least like to give some honorable mentions out. Metro Exodus especially is one that just missed my list as a bold evolution of a series I enjoy (please play it!), and Astral Chain easily proved to be one of PlatinumGames’ best titles of the generation.

There are still plenty of games that I just haven’t had the chance to play yet but are on my radar to dig into in 2020, namely Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, The Outer Worlds, Outer Wilds (yes, that other “Outer” game), Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Gears 5. Hopefully in the new year, a few of these might just make my Top 10 list in 2020, if it isn’t already dominated by the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 and so many other games coming soon.

But anyway, with all of that out of the way, here were my favorite games of 2019:

10. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

I had only ever played a brief amount of the original Link’s Awakening when it was first out on the Game Boy, but even within the first 10-15 minutes that I spent playing this year’s Switch remake, it already felt like fond memories of it were coming back to me over 20 years later. As a longtime fan of the Zelda series–and especially coming off recent entries I loved like A Link Between Worlds and Breath of the Wild—Link’s Awakening for me just scratched that itch of a lovable 2D adventure with Link that I could get lost in.

Like Resident Evil 2 before it (which is also on my list), The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening strikes a near perfect balance of honoring a classic entry in a classic series, but with plenty of modern touches (and an adorable visual style) to make it feel fresh. Aside from giving me the chance to finally revisit a Zelda game that I had sorely been missing out on playing previously, Link’s Awakening is in its own right a wonderfully inventive game that harkens back to the classic entries of the series, but presented in a way that feels like it’s just being discovered for the first time.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening.

9. Ape Out

I might just be a sucker for snappy jazz music, but Ape Out came out earlier this year and has stuck with me ever since. Sure, there’s the fact that the game is just manic fun involving a killer ape on the loose, but how can you not forget a game like this when it looks and sounds so stylish?

Taking several elements that I love from Hotline Miami, Ape Out takes its simple but chaotic premise and jazzes it up (literally and metaphorically) with an incredible visual and aural presentation. Having the music and visuals blend so seamlessly with the ape-fueled chaos that you are causing only made me admire the game more, and whether you wind up playing through it on Switch or PC, this is one ape escape that can’t be missed.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Ape Out.

8. Life is Strange 2 

Compared to its predecessor, discussion and conversation around Life is Strange 2 has, strangely, seemed a little muted. Whether that’s because of the game’s sporadic release schedule or not, over the course of the last year Life is Strange 2 has evolved in ways that I admired even more than the series’ first season.

The story of Sean and Daniel Diaz and their trek across America to find a new life with family in Mexico not only gave us a heartfelt depiction of a brotherly bond, but also explored new ground narratively that most other games shy away from. Over the course of its five episodes, Life is Strange 2 delved into politics and contemporary issues of today that games hardly ever get the chance to explore, while also looking at maturity and love, family issues, and heritage, especially from the viewpoints of its protagonists.

Episodic storytelling is hardly a new experience in games, but Life is Strange 2 found a way to give it a deeper, more engaging meaning.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Life is Strange 2: Episode 1.

7. Untitled Goose Game

Oh, that damn goose. That damn, lovable goose. Untitled Goose Game, by design, is a simple game, but even with the few hours that I spent with the game on Switch, I had a smile on my face the entire time that I was playing it.

Is it the deepest game? No, not at all. Is there much of a challenge? Hardly. But all in all, Untitled Goose Game is one of the funniest and most charming games that I played all year, and it’s truly the type of game that I would encourage anyone–gamers or non-gamers alike–to give it a try and become a chaotic goose for a day.

HONK.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Untitled Goose Game.

6. Luigi’s Mansion 3

Well, okay; Untitled Goose Game is one of the most charming games that I’ve played recently, but so is Luigi’s Mansion 3. Maybe even more so.

Luigi’s always been in the shadow of his red-suited brother, but with Luigi’s Mansion 3, he finally has a game that can stand alongside some of Mario’s best adventures. Luigi’s Mansion 3 not only shines as a brilliant and funny adventure starring everyone’s favorite lanky, awkward brother, but also shines as one of the best Switch exclusives of the year. That’s saying something considering the fact that this year has been an absolute banger for the Switch with other games like Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Astral Chain, and more.

Even if the game is technically Luigi’s Hotel 3, Luigi’s Mansion 3 is still a stellar, spooky sequel that will have you smiling all the way through, even if is mostly at Luigi’s expense.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Luigi’s Mansion 3.

5. Resident Evil 2

Despite being a longtime Resident Evil fan–arguably one of my favorites–I’ve had a blindspot in the series by never having gotten the chance to play Resident Evil 2 or 3. Thankfully, in 2019 I was able to finally correct at least one of those problems by playing through the stellar Resident Evil 2 remake, and we won’t have to wait too much longer until it’s Resident Evil 3‘s time to shine next spring.

While I hadn’t played through the original iteration of the game, Resident Evil 2 was still an outstanding horror experience made even scarier by its modern tweaks and refinements. Constantly being pursued by Mr. X not only gave us one of the most terrifying game experiences of the year, but also made for some fantastic memes. But more than that, Resident Evil 2 perfectly blended the series’ classic elements of survival horror with the innovations of its modern entries, making me even more excited to see what is to come from the franchise in the years ahead.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Resident Evil 2.

4. Sayonara Wild Hearts

I played through all of Sayonara Wild Hearts in one sitting on the Switch earlier this year, and it’s safe to say that this game, as the kids say, slaps. Part interactive music video and part rhythm game, Sayonara Wild Hearts is an entirely sensory experience that few other games in could match in 2019.

Dripping with style and easily the best game soundtrack of 2019, Sayonara Wild Hearts is flashy and vibrant for days, but doesn’t let that overwhelm substance. At the heart of its stunning visuals and design, it also manages to craft a brief but impactful story of overcoming heartbreak and discovering your true inner abilities.

From the game’s stunning opening moments, to its wonderful surprise reveal at the end, to its soundtrack that I still listen to on a regular basis, Sayonara Wild Hearts is a game that I just haven’t been able to get out of my head just yet.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Sayonara Wild Hearts.

3. Devil May Cry 5

As a longtime fan of the Devil May Cry series–and someone that thoroughly enjoyed Ninja Theory’s take with DmC–it just felt so damn good to have Dante and the crew back. Devil May Cry 5 was easily one of the games that I was most looking forward to playing in 2019, and it fully delivered on everything that I could have hoped for as a fan and then some.

Aside from finally returning to the series’ mainline story after a decade since DMC4, Devil May Cry 5 came roaring back not only with a kickass story (and incredible soundtrack), but also delivered arguably the series’ best gameplay and combat since DMC3. The series’ stylish action has never looked, well, more stylish, and the amount of ability and input combinations that players have at their disposal in DMC5 is enough to rival nearly any fighting game.

From the introduction of wonderful characters like Nico and V, to a more badass Nero, and finally to Hot Dad Dante, Devil May Cry 5 moonwalked its way into my heart this year, and I can only hope that we’ll see them all kick some demon ass again sooner rather than later.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Devil May Cry 5.

2. Control

Admittedly, Control is the only game on my list that I have not entirely played through to completion, as I’m currently around halfway through the game. It’s been at the top of my backlog for months now, and though I’m just now starting to dig deeper and work my way to the end, Control has already, well, taken control of my thoughts and emotions since I started playing it.

Much like Remedy’s past games, you can easily point to many of the influences that Control blends together, from the obvious references to works like Twin Peaks to the more subtle inspirations behind it. But even without that, Control builds what is easily Remedy’s most defined and well-realized world to date, with the Oldest House serving as an intriguing setting with endless mysteries and secrets to discover.

Combined with Jesse’s powerful abilities and a roster of memorable characters–especially this year’s MVP, Casper Darling–Control is easily the game that I can’t wait to finish the most during my Christmas break and to really discover just what the Oldest House is really hiding.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Control.

1. Death Stranding

During the discussions for our Game of the Year Awards, when Death Stranding came up I explained that there are almost as many reasons (if not more) to debate against the game being GOTY than being for it. Death Stranding is, in a lot of ways, incredibly messy and convoluted. It drags significantly in many places story and gameplay-wise, it saves most of its best story moments for the very beginning and end, and its gameplay can feel finicky and not quite put together completely.

But for all of its faults, Death Stranding is still one of the most impactful game experiences that I’ve had all year. As much as I came into the game expecting the typical amount of Kojima Weirdness, I was also taken away by the story’s surprising thoughtfulness and emotion. The game’s themes of connection and working together was elevated by its online elements that seamlessly integrated “multiplayer” into the experience, and understanding the ways in which this world worked kept me invested throughout the dozens of hours that I spent with Death Stranding.

For all its convolution and exaggeration, Death Stranding also managed to be deep and meditative, and was ultimately the game of 2019 that I just couldn’t stop thinking about after I played it. Like its protagonist Sam Porter Bridges, Death Stranding is always on the risk of toppling over, burdened by the layers of gameplay and story it stacks on top of each other. And yet, the game also manages to keep it together from falling apart entirely, in a profound, surprising, and beautiful way.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Death Stranding.

Check out the rest of the DualShockers staff Top 10 lists and our official Game of the Year Awards:

December 23: DualShockers Game of the Year Awards 2019 December 25: Lou Contaldi, Editor-in-Chief // Logan Moore, Managing Editor December 26: Tomas Franzese, News Editor // Ryan Meitzler, Features Editor  December 27: Mike Long, Community Manager // Scott White, Staff Writer December 28: Chris Compendio, Contributor // Mario Rivera, Video Manager December 29: Scott Meaney, Community Director // Allisa James, Senior Staff Writer // Ben Bayliss, Senior Staff Writer December 30: Cameron Hawkins, Staff Writer // David Gill, Senior Staff Writer // Portia Lightfoot, Contributor December 31: Iyane Agossah, Senior Staff Writer // Michael Ruiz, Senior Staff Writer // Rachael Fiddis, Contributor January 1: Ricky Frech, Senior Staff Writer // Tanner Pierce, Staff Writer

December 26, 2019 2:00 PM EST

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2019/12/dualshockers-favorite-games-of-2019-ryans-top-10/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dualshockers-favorite-games-of-2019-ryans-top-10

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Latest story from https://movietvtechgeeks.com/walking-dead-hits-100-episodes-now/

'The Walking Dead' hits 100 episodes: Now what?

Season 8 of "The Walking Dead" is fast approaching, and you can expect more changes as fans have not been as happy with last season's splintering of the group. We were lucky to visit the show's set and talk directly to everyone involved. For seven seasons, AMC’s “The Walking Dead” has explored a world where the dead roam the earth while the living seek safety — from other humans as much as from the zombies trying to tear into their flesh. There are characters whose faith is tested but find their grit and fierceness. There are those who are kiss-ups and latch themselves onto leaders, their will to survive stronger than their pride. Then there are those who seize a newfound power to terrorize and bully. Through it all, it’s often difficult to discern the difference between who’s good and who’s evil, something that evolves and can change from moment to moment. And now, as the show approaches its 100th episode — the kickoff to Season 8 that launches on Oct. 22 — the characters are on the verge of war, a battle pitting character Rick Grimes and his band of loyalists against Negan and the Saviors, mixed in with a few other communities whose allegiances sometimes shift without warning. For a full day this spring, AMC invited a small group of journalists to the set to talk with the actors and crew involved in the show. Everyone took pains to avoid revealing what was in store in the next season. The main filming location is on a sprawling lot tucked behind this small south Georgia town where most of this new world has sprouted: Raleigh Studios, a constantly evolving set on 140 acres where all sorts of imaginary communities have been created from scratch. The Heap — an actual mound of trash filled with all sorts of debris and cars no newer than 2010 (the year the world is said to have died) — was created in just three weeks to serve as the domain for Jadis (played by Pollyanna McIntosh), who speaks in an odd clipped form of English and switches allegiances as fast as character Michonne can lop off a head with her Katana. The Hilltop, ruled over by drunkard and chauvinist Gregory (played by Xander Berkeley), took nearly four months to create, its 18th-century architecture brick exterior concealing an interior that is basically a shell, devoid of any walls. Alexandria, the gated community supposedly in northern Virginia, is an actual subdivision that four real families call home and have to stay clear of the film crews that flock there six months out of the year. The first season was shot largely in Atlanta. By the second season, Raleigh Studios in Senoia — about an hour south of Atlanta — had been created in this town of about 4,000. Not only does it allow the show to create and keep the communities that make up “The Walking Dead,” but it can be constantly reinvented. The spot where Gabriel’s church once stood? It was torn down and became the dirt circle where Season 6 ended with Rick and his crew kneeling before Negan, the spot where beloved characters Glenn and Abraham were slain at the end of Negan’s barbed-wire covered bat. And now? It remains vacant. “This is pretty much-hallowed ground,” said Tom Luse, the show’s executive producer, as he gave a group of journalists a tour of the studio grounds. It was a tough scene to shoot, he said, and it was even tougher to lose not only two beloved characters but two actors among a crew that considers itself tight-knit. “I don’t know if we’ll shoot here again,” Luse said, adding later: “This is a shrine.” Virtually everything is shot on the site. One exception: The Kingdom, which is shot at Tyler Perry’s studios at nearby Fort McPherson. One of the biggest advantages and challenges? The grass and shrubs. “Greens help hide a million sins,” Luse said. But they also have to ensure it doesn’t get trimmed or mowed too often. “We have to constantly recreate that dead look.” The show is based on comics created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore. The comics are still going strong with more than 165 issues so far. In some cases, the TV show mirrors how it plays out in the comics; in other instances it veers off on its own course. Even a few characters not seen in the comics find their way on the screen, including Daryl Dixon (played by actor Norman Reedus), a crossbow-wielding character who has proved to be one of the show’s most popular. Gale Anne Hurd, an executive producer, attributes much of the cast’s comradery to Andrew Lincoln, who plays lead character Grimes, a sheriff who emerged from a coma to find the zombie apocalypse has turned the world upside down. “We work and live in a bubble. And it’s great that’s the case because no one has changed,” Hurd said. “That’s what is special about this show. Not one person from the (original) cast all of a sudden thinks they’re some sort of superstar and has a big trailer or an entourage. They’re still in two banger trailers.” When did it start to dawn on them when the show would become a huge success and endure? For Hurd, it was fairly early: Season 2. The characters had escaped to a sprawling farm outside of Atlanta. There was comfort, apparent safety and places nearby to raid for weapons, food and other assorted basics. “The second season was one in which with people arguably could say OK, it slowed down, they’re at the farm, it was focused significantly on character development and the fandom grew,” Hurd said. “And in my mind knowing that there was action to come and there were bigger worlds, more worlds, more characters that if we were building viewers in Season 2 that it was the kind of trajectory that made for a show that could endure.” Greg Nicotero, special effects guru who has not only made his mark on the show by creating the zombies who lurch and prowl the world but also is co-executive producer and occasional-director, called this season’s premier it's most propulsive — a word repeatedly used by the cast and crew as they began taping Season 8. Season 7 was known for segmented episodes that narrowly focused on one character or community. It was described as a tough season to get through, the actors missing the chance to interact with a variety of colleagues and feeling isolated. Cast and crew say the feel for Season 8 is different. The pace will be accelerated, and even the way it’s filmed will feel different, though no one would even come close to betraying those nuggets fans crave to divine which characters might die and how the war will play out. But they do note that there will be moments that pay homage to all the previous seasons — and to their loyal fans. “There’s gonna be some moments that people who have watched the show from the beginning will see and be like, ‘Oh, OK, I see what they’re doing here’ by paying tributes to specific moments over the last seven years,” Nicotero said.

Movie TV Tech Geeks was lucky enough to be invited to sit among small group of media representatives who were invited to the set of “The Walking Dead” in Senoia, Georgia, to talk with about a dozen cast and crew members about the upcoming season, the filming of the show’s 100th episode and life on and off the set. Here are some highlights from those interviews:

— Actor XANDER BERKELEY on his character, Gregory, who rules over The Hilltop: “He’s on this animal level asking himself the question that I think if many people were faced with for real: Am I going to be heroic and save someone else’s life before my own?”

— Executive Producer SCOTT GIMPLE on whether he can envision “The Walking Dead” getting to Episode 200: “We’re planning on it. We’re projecting it out. I don’t think the story ends. Carl might need a cane. ... We want to keep doing it at least as long as Robert (Kirkman, the comic’s writer) is doing it. There are times when we rip right through the comic story and there are times when it gets way expanded out. ... It’s fun and sometimes necessary because there’s not the same characters and not the same situations to fortify the sort of stuff the expands aspects of it. That can take more time than even following the comic story. It’s always the comic story and then some. And he’s going full steam, unless next month he isn’t and he surprises us all. We’re prepared for the long haul.”

— Actor LENNIE JAMES on his character, Morgan Jones, who was first seen in the pilot episode and then didn’t return to the show until the third season: “Morgan’s decision to not kill was never about cowardice, it was never about the fear. The only fear he had is the fear of who he is, and what he’s like and what he does when he’s killing. And he’s trying to hold that beast at bay. Well, that beast is right in front of his face at the moment.”

— Actor TOM PAYNE, who plays Paul Rovia (aka Jesus from The Hilltop): When Payne first joined the cast, he had to wear hair extensions and a fake beard. That allowed him to go out in public incognito. But he’s since grown his real hair and beard out and now gets recognized regularly. It will be easy enough for him to shave it once he’s off the show. In the meantime, “it’s a fun ride and who knows how long it’ll last.”

— Actor STEVEN OGG, who plays Simon, one of Negan’s lieutenants: “This whole world is about survival and how people survive. So I think that’s the most important thing, who you make alliances with and who you decide to work with.”

— Actor ROSS MARQUAND, who plays Aaron, a gay man who ventured out to the dangerous world to find and recruit new residents to Alexandria, on how the show has seamlessly weaved in characters from a variety of backgrounds, from interracial couples to gay couples to May-September romances: “I love it. I think it’s very important. I think that Robert Kirkman has done a really good job of including characters from all walks of life as it should be because that’s how life really is. It’s a fair representation of how people are in the world.”

— Actress POLLYANNA MCINTOSH, who plays Jadis, the leader of a group of scavengers on what it’s like to work on a set and the massive mound of trash her character lords over: “When I walked onto that set, I couldn’t believe the scope of it. And I couldn’t believe that I was working, that me, Pollyanna, was working in a junkyard essentially because honestly, swear to God, when I was a kid and I’d pass those things in the car with my parents, I’d just be wanting to get out there and play. ... So on that level, it’s my fantasy.”

— Actress KATELYN NACON, who plays Enid, one of the younger cast members on the show, says the next season is jammed with action but she hopes future episodes show at least some happiness and goodness: “It can’t always been 100 percent bad! I get it’s the apocalypse but come on, just a little bit of happiness?”

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