Sunday, 29 December 2013

Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2015

Edit: Seeming as my number one Batman Vs Superman has been delayed to 2016 I have decided to revise the list including another film.

10. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2
Mockingjay-Part 2 will be the last instalment of the extremely popular Hunger Games franchise. The film will conclude the Katniss's story and the war with the rebels and the evil Capitol.  The film will see Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth return for one final time November 20th of 2015.


9. Terminator: Genesis
Not much is known about the upcoming Terminator film Genesis apart from a few cast details. We know that Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke will play Sarah Connor in the film and that Arnold Schwarzenegger will again return as a Terminator. It is currently unknown whether the film is a sequel to Salvation or an entire reboot of the iconic franchise.



8. Assassin's Creed
Despite almost every video game film ever made having gone badly, I still hold out hope that the Assassin's Creed film will turn out well. Starring the critically acclaimed Michael Fassbender as the Assassin, we are not sure as of yet which game the film will based upon or whether the film will be an original story.



7. Inside Out
Inside Out is one of the two Pixar films to be released in 2015, the other being The Good Dinosaur. The film's story sees a pre-teen girl move from her happy life in Minnesota to an unwelcoming San Francisco. Predominantly the film takes place inside the girls head with the emotions Anger, Disgust, Fear, Sadness and Joy working together to try and keep the girl functioning and to find new friends. The film stars the voices of Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader and Amy Poehler.



6. Ant-Man
The second of Marvel's films of 2015, superhero Ant-Man finally finds his way to the big screen. Directed by Edgar Wright who's previous efforts include Shaun of the Dead and Scott Pilgrim vs the World and starring Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas as the title characters the film is shaping up well. The film will be the first of Marvel's Phase 3 and the first film after The Avengers: Age of Ultron. Little is known about the story so far apart from the fact it will explore the origins of the superhero.


5.  The Fantastic Four
2015 will see the reboot of the famous Marvel team. Starring Kate Mara as Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, Jaime Bell as Ben Grimm/ The Thing and Miles Teller as Reed Richards/ Mr. Fantastic. Story details at the moment are non-existent however we do know the Four's iconic nemesis Doctor Doom played by Toby Kebbell will play a part in the film. We also know there will be a sequel for the film to release 2017 and a possible X-Men crossover in the future.


4. Bond 24
Bond 24 will be released in October of 2015 and try to carry on the huge success of last year's Skyfall. The film will see Daniel Craig return as the MI6 agent for the fourth time and Skyfall director Sam Mendes will return to direct this film. Nothing is known of the plot so far but it was rumoured that the film would be based upon the novel 'Devil May Care'.


3. Jurassic World
Jurassic World is the long awaited fourth instalment to the hit franchise Jurassic Park. No plot details have been released after it's September announcement, all we know is that the film takes place 22 years after Jurassic Park 3 and will take place on the island from the original. No cast details have been released either but the film is rumoured to star Chris Pratt, Jake Johnson and Josh Brolin.


2. Avengers: Age of Ultron
Avengers: Age of Ultron is the second Avengers movie and the last of Marvel's Phase 2. The film will see the superhero team battle the evil robot Ultron, played by James Spader. The film will see the return of all previous Avengers like Iron Man and Black Widow but sees additions to the team with the likes of War Machine,and Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver from the X-Men universe.


1. Star Wars: Episode VII
2015 will see the seventh instalment of the incredibly popular sci-fi franchise Star Wars release. The film will be the first of a new trilogy and is the first Star Wars film after being bought by Disney. The film will continue from the events of Epiosde VI and will likely again star Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrsion Ford. The film will be directed by Star Trek director JJ Abrams.




Friday, 20 December 2013

Paul Rudd cast as Ant-Man

After months of speculation it has been confirmed that Anchorman actor Paul Rudd will play the main character in the Edgar Wright directed Marvel movie Ant-Man.



Rudd had been tipped as an early favourite to take the role despite saying he 'knew nothing of the project'. Other actors rumoured for the role included Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Simon Pegg and Nathan Fillion. Ant-Man will be the first film of Marvel's Phase 3 and will release in 2015 shortly after Avengers: The Age of Ultron.

Tuesday, 10 December 2013

The PS4 Game Guide of 2014

Now that the new generation of gaming consoles is fully underway below is a guide to the games coming for Sony's console next year.

Early 2014- Driveclub
Originally due for the launch of Sony's new console the racer was delayed for further polishing. The PS4 exclusive racer is hopefully worth the wait and may be an essential if you are a fan of the racing genre.






February 28th- Thief
This year will finally see the release of the long awaited sequel to the stealth franchise Thief. A reboot of sorts the franchises debut on consoles sees you again playing as master thief Garret stealing various things from the rich in the steampunk setting of The City. Like the recent Dishonored players can follow a number of paths to reach their loot.



March 21st- Infamous: Second Son
Another Playstation 4 exclusive delayed from the consoles launch the third entry of the Playstation exclusive franchise will release in March of next year. Starring all new protagonist Deslin Rowe who has the ability to control fire the game is set in Seattle and must battle against the organisation DUP who regard him as a 'bioterrorist'.



Early 2014- The Elder Scrolls Online
Due to be released before April The Elder Scrolls Online is an MMO addition to Bethesda's open-world fantasy series. Set 1000 years before latest instalment Skyrim players will be able to explore most of the continent of Tamriel with Daedric Prince Molag Bol trying to take over Tamriel serving as the main stroyline.
A beta will be released a short time before the release of the game.


March 21st- Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is the downloadable prologue to the full sequel The Phantom Pain. Ground Zeroes was created to ease the wait for the Phantom Pain and to help players learn how to play an open world MGS title. The plot will revolve around Snake infiltrating a Cuban prison camp and the events will lead directly into the Phantom Pain.


May 5th- EA's UFC
Following the bankruptcy of THQ WA acquired the popular fighting series. Seeming as EA Sports are the king of the sports genre this fares pretty well for UFC. Using EA's Ignite engine the game is sure to insanely detailed with 'signs of fatigue setting in through the course of each round. However no matter how good the game looks it's all about how it controls.


Before July- Watch Dogs
As one of the most anticipated launch games of the next generation it was quite a disappointment however the delay can only make the game more polished and a better overall experience. Playing as Aiden Pierce you are able to hack almost anything in Chicago.




Autumn- Dragon Age Inquisition
 The third entry in Bioware's fantasy series is well worth keeping your eye on. Inquisition allows you to explore a much more vast world than the previous instalments. The gameplay relies more on teamwork and less on button mashing. The game also has an increased focus on morality and customization.




September 9th- Destiny
Destiny is sure to be one of the stand out games of next year. Developed by Bungie, the team behind the Halo series Destiny is an MMO of sorts. As a Protector of the Earth with special powers you are able to visit a number of places in space. A beta is also due before release available on Playstation first when the game is pre-ordered.



Late 2014- The Evil Within
The Evil Within comes from the man who brought us Resident Evil 4. The game follows Detective Sebastian who when he arrives at a mass murder scene finds a powerful mysterious force. In a genre which is in peril The Evil Within is sure to bring it back to what it once was.



Assassin's Creed Unity- October 2014
This year's Assassin's Creed will take us to the French Revolution. Releasing exclusively on the next-gen consoles and PC Unity seems to be fully utilising the improved hardware. The first and only trailer we've seen for the game was supposedly in-game footage showcased impressive visuals, incredible detail and the largest crowd seen to date in a Creed game. However there is little detail on story, gameplay and characters thus far.

Batman Arkham Knight- October 15th
Batman Arkham Knight will be the final Rocksteady made game in the franchise and it looks like they are going out with a bang. Set a year after the events of Arkham City Scarecrow returns to unite a team of villains including the Penguin, Two-Face, and Harley Quinn to destroy The Dark Knight. For the first time in the series you will be able to drive the Batmobile in a larger and incredibly detailed Gotham.





TBA:
Everbody's Gone To The Rapture
The new indie title from The Chinese Room looks promising. The game will be based around six characters each connected to landmarks in the English town of Shropshire, the game takes place during an apocalypse. The game sports amazing visuals and will allow more interaction in it's gameplay.

The Crew
The Crew is an open world racing game from Ubisoft. Originally due spring the title was delayed alongside Watch Dogs. The game contains a full open world recreation of America which takes 90 minutes to drive from coast to coast. As well as racing players are able to play missions together. The single player contains a 20 hour long campaign.



Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor
Taking place between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings the game centres around ranger Talion who is killed along with his family by Sauron's army but is resurrected and given Wraith like abilities. He then heads to Mordor to get his revenge. The game is a third person action game and is open world with players being able to complete side quests.


The Order 1886
Playstation's new exclusive is rumoured to be coming this year. Revealed at last E3 gameplay shown is that of a third person cover based shooter. The game is set in an alternate history where a group of knights protect citizens from a breed of half human half animal monsters. You will play as one of these knights.






Wolfenstein: The New Order
The reboot of the classic FPS series was delayed from the launch of the PS4. Set in alternate timeline where the Nazis won World War 2 you again play as B.J Blachowitz trying to destroy the Nazi regime




Telltale's Games
The developer best known for delivering the critically acclaimed Walking Dead series has a number of games coming out next year. It is unknown whether or not the next season of The Walking Dead is on Sony's next platform however episodes will come out next year. As well as The Walking Dead Telltale is making games based on both the Borderlands series and the popular fantasy series Game of Thrones. It's going to be a big year for the talented developer.



Alien Isolation
A recently announced title Alien Isolation is an upcoming first person survival horror game based on the popular movie franchise. The game's story sees you play as Ellen Ripley's daughter Amanda and who when in search of her mother docks at a space station unaware it has been infested with Xenomorphs. The game looks visually incredible and gives off a creepy atmosphere with these detailed graphics.

Evolve
Made by Turtle Rock Studios the people behind Left 4 Dead, Evolve is an upcoming sci fi co-op shooter. The game's multiplayer will see 4 players teaming up against another player who plays a large alien. The alien can eat various wildlife in the game to become even bigger and harder to defeat. Each different human has a class set and specific skills. The game also apparently has a single player element


Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare
The next instalment of the yearly FPS franchise will take us into the future. From the first trailer shown Advanced Warfare seems to be drastically different to any other COD game we've seen before. In the trailer we see various future technologies which could really shake up the game. These include hoverbikes, climbing gloves, heavy suits with miniguns attached and exo-suits which gives characters superhuman strength and jumping abilities. Whether these features will be implemented into multiplayer is unknown as the trailer showed only campaign footage. The trailer was narrated by Oscar winning actor Kevin Spacey who will lend his likeness and voice to play the villain in the campaign.

Far Cry 4
Far Cry 4  is the next instalment in the open world FPS series Far Cry. Taking a break from the tropical setting of Far Cry 3, 4 takes place in the Himalayas. The region is being ruled by a self appointed king, much like the brilliant Vaas from the last game. The game will allow to drive vehicles to get around the large open world, one of which suggested was rideable elephants.




Others:
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Child of Light
Daylight
Diablo 3
Dynasty Warriors 8
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
Guilty Gear Xrd
Guns of Icarus Online
Hohokum
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
The Lego Movie Videogame
Lords of the Fallen

Lego: The Hobbit
Minecraft
Natural Doctrine
N++
Octodad: Dadliest Catch
Oddworld: New 'n Tasty
Outlast
Project Cars
Rogue Legacy
Scivelation
Secret Ponchos
Shadow Warrior
Sniper Elite 3

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishment
Strider
Soul Saga
Transistor
Trials Fusion
Valiant Hearts: Great War
Velocity 2X
Volume
The Witness
Wonder Flick
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition