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Affichage des articles du août, 2025

Pokémon Go Ditto disguises list for September 2025

Ditto is an elusive Pokémon in Pokémon Go , as it disguises itself and you can’t actually just catch one straight-up. source https://www.polygon.com/pokemon-go-guide/23648583/ditto-disguises-shiny/

FFXIV housing lottery schedule for September 2025

If you’re trying to get a house in Final Fantasy 14 , you’ll need to play the lottery system. source https://www.polygon.com/ffxiv-guides-ff14-final-fantasy-14-online/24115693/housing-lottery-schedule-entry-results-period/

Jujutsu Kaisen Culling Game trailer, release date blows up 2026

Jujutsu Kaisen fans can take a breather: season 3 — known to those in the know as The Culling Game Part 1 — is on the horizon, premiering in 2026. The announcement came with a brand new trailer focused on what promises to be a brutal stretch of story. source https://www.polygon.com/jujutsu-kaisen-culling-game-trailer-season3-2026-release-date/

The 25 new TV shows premiering in fall 2025 you can't miss

Back in olden times (pre-Netflix), autumn kicked off the return of network TV after a long summer vacation. Nowadays, there’s a new show to binge each weekend. And yet, there’s still something exciting about the slate of new television coming this fall. source https://www.polygon.com/new-2025-tv-shows-fall-premiere-release-dates/

Loving Alien: Earth? Check out the best Alien game of the decade

If, like myself, you have been hopelessly sucked into Alien: Earth , Noah Hawley's new FX series, you might already be feeling that nagging question in the back of your mind: "The season is already halfway over, what am I going to watch to fill the empty, chestburster-shaped hole in my heart once Season 1 is finished?" source https://www.polygon.com/alien-isolation-rec-essay-alien-earth/

Mortal Kombat II delayed to May 2026

In a surprise move that's left everyone at Polygon feeling a little bit like our spines have been ripped out of our backs, Warner Bros. has delayed Mortal Kombat 2 , the movie previously scheduled for release this October, to May 15, 2026. source https://www.polygon.com/mortal-kombat-2-movie-release-date-delayed-2026/

Behold! 46 amazing new Spider-Man cards from the Magic: The Gathering x Marvel crossover

Spider-Man is swinging into Magic: The Gathering — and he's bringing a whole bunch of supervillains with him. MTG publisher Wizards of the Coast gave fans a deep dive into the upcoming Universes Beyond crossover set (which launches on Sept. 26) during a special showcase on Aug. 29 during PAX West. There's a ton of cards to check out, but as head designer Mark Rosewater told a group of journalists at a special press preview event attended by Polygon, this is just the beginning of an even bigger team-up. source https://www.polygon.com/mtg-spider-man-new-cards-mechanics-variants-bonus-sheet/

Zero Parades preview: It's Disco Elysium 2.0, basically

A highly detailed story-driven RPG, predominantly text-based gameplay, and an artsy visual style to rival the old masters — Zero Parades is Disco Elysium 2.0 in everything but name. Playing as operative Hershel Wilk, you must choose the best course of action, pass skill checks, and explore your surroundings from an isometric perspective to survive in a hostile world. source https://www.polygon.com/zero-parades-gamescom-preview/

This half-forgotten Troma movie, streaming free online, crosses a rare line

Troma Entertainment is mostly known for gifting the world with two things: Toxie and James Gunn . The first is the protagonist of the schlocky film studio’s most successful project, The Toxic Avenger , a low-budget superhero satire that recently got a gory remake that’s playing theaters now. The second is perhaps its brightest star; Gunn got his start working on 1996's dark comedy Tromeo and Juliet , and has since risen to the very top of the superhero-movie-industrial-complex. However, I’d like to suggest adding a third, much less well-known item to the list of Troma's biggest achievements. source https://www.polygon.com/tubi-horror-movies-beware-children-at-play-troma/

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance review: Sega's ninja franchise is back in a big way

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is the first game to be released as part of Sega’s push to reimagine its older IP for modern audiences , an effort that is now off to an incredibly strong start. But that shouldn’t be a surprise to Sega fanatics who have followed Lizardcube’s work on revivals like Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap and Streets of Rage 4 . The French studio’s action-game know-how and artistic excellence have given Shinobi a major facelift, resulting in something distinctly new, authentic to previous games in the series, and quite different from Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound . source https://www.polygon.com/shinobi-art-of-vengeance-review-sega-lizardcube/

Peacemaker just proved an old rule: the only good DC sidekicks are animals

There have been nearly a dozen live-action movies starring Batman since Tim Burton rebooted the character in 1989, yet only two of them feature a costumed Robin. We’ve had two live-action Aquaman movies without Aqualad, and across Henry Cavill and David Corenswet’s Superman movies, Jimmy Olsen is either killed off or barely connected to Superman at all. By default, that leaves Peacemaker’s best friend Eagly as one of the few active sidekicks in the DCU, new or old, apart from Superman’s recently revived buddy Krypto . source https://www.polygon.com/peacemaker-season-2-episode-2-eagly-krypto/

Six One Piece films are leaving Netflix. Only a few are essential viewing.

Six One Piece films are setting sail from Netflix on September 1. The streamer is betting as big as Shanks on the franchise’s future, with a heavy investment in its live-action series and brand-new anime from Wit Studio . Odds are that these movies will dock back on Netflix someday, but for now, here’s the best watch order if you want to enjoy them before they vanish over the horizon. source https://www.polygon.com/one-piece-movies-specials-netflix-leaving-soon/

Windstorm: The Legend of Khiimori hands-on preview shows realistic horses and tranquil gameplay

I've got to admit, when I heard about an “open-world, third-person adventure game set in 13th-century Mongolia,” my mind instantly went to Genghis Khan and military conquests, but there’s none of that in Windstorm: The Legend of Khiimori . Instead of people, the only living beings that will attack you in this game are wild animals. source https://www.polygon.com/windstorm-the-legend-of-khiimori-gamescom-preview/

2020's X-Men movie New Mutants is better than you remember

The Fox X-Men film series was no stranger to wild swings in quality. Two of the seminal 21st-century superhero films, X-Men and X2 , were followed up by the complete duds X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine . (Wild swings in quality may be an understatement.) The franchise petered out by the late 2010s, largely due to lackluster films (pray you’re never forced to sit through X-Men: Dark Phoenix ) and a waning interest from an audience that was more excited about the potential of new X-Men joining the MCU following Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox. Perhaps no film was given the short end of the stick like New Mutants , which was released five years ago. source https://www.polygon.com/x-men-new-mutants-five-year-anniversary-reappraisal/

Alien: Earth's eyeball monster may be the series' biggest threat

The Xenomorph is the star of the show in Alien: Earth, but after catching episode 4, “Observation,” I'm starting to think the eyeball-octopus monster might be a bigger threat than anyone realizes. source https://www.polygon.com/alien-earth-eyeball-species-64-theories/

When does the Path of Exile 2 'The Third Edict' update release?

After having played through the first acts of the game, you’re more than ready to experience more of the campaign of Path of Exile 2 . In update 0.3.0 " The Third Edict ," Grinding Gear Games not only adds a fresh act that takes you to a brand-new region, but it also makes adjustments to skills and systems. source https://www.polygon.com/path-of-exile-2-poe2-third-edict-update-release-time/

How to win the Flower Festival in Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar

There are many different festivals and events to take part in during Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar, but one of your very first is the Flower Festival . source https://www.polygon.com/story-of-seasons-grand-bazaar-flower-festival-requirements-win/

12 Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar tips to help you get started

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar is a modern remake of the original Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar that die-hard farm-sim lovers may remember from their childhood. The game comes with a plethora of quality-of-life changes and a shiny new look made by Marvelous, Inc., the development team behind the original. source https://www.polygon.com/story-of-seasons-grand-bazaar-beginners-tips-tricks-tools/

Lego Batman chases the Arkham games that defined a generation

Heading into hype-filled events like Gamescom , it’s easy to guess which blockbuster titles will dominate the spotlight. But almost no one saw a new Lego game stealing the show — or the reason why it’s making waves. source https://www.polygon.com/lego-batman-legacy-dark-knight-arkham-fans/

Baby Steps delayed over Hollow Knight: Silksong release date

Baby Steps is the latest game to get out of the way of Hollow Knight: Silksong 's recently revealed release date . Publisher Devolver Digital announced Tuesday that physics-based walking simulator Baby Steps has a new launch date: Sept. 23 for PlayStation 5 and Windows PC. source https://www.polygon.com/baby-steps-delayed-new-release-date/

Watch Final Fantasy 14: Dad of Light before it leaves Netflix

It’s easy to forget sometimes, but video games are often a family affair. I fell in love with them while sitting on the floor, watching my older brothers play Super Nintendo and Genesis. My brothers fell in love with them while sitting on the floor, watching my dad play Intellivision. And Akio Inaba, the sweetie-pie protagonist of Netflix’s 2017 limited series, Final Fantasy 14: Dad of Light , falls in love with them by sitting on the floor, watching his dad Hirotaro play the original Final Fantasy . source https://www.polygon.com/final-fantasy-14-dad-of-light-netflix/

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds asks if Starfleet are colonizers

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds aims to capture the feel of classic Star Trek by alternating between serious episodes dealing with big issues like war crimes and prejudice , and very silly stuff like a musical and murder mystery . Those two aspects of the show collide in the season 3 episode (titled “What Is Starfleet?”), making a mess of what could have been a topical exploration of the organization's role in interstellar conflict. source https://www.polygon.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-what-is-starfleet/

What time does the Helldivers 2 Halo ODST legendary warbond release?

Marking a new phase in Helldivers 2, in which the fight for democracy reaches unexplored platforms, a Halo crossover is coming with the ODST Legendary Warbond. Halo’s universe comes crashing with a solid stomp and explosions, bringing new weapons, armors, and more to Helldivers 2 . source https://www.polygon.com/helldivers-2-halo-crossover-odst-legendary-warbond-release-time/

KPop Demon Hunters gives Netflix its first theatrical win

Aug. 22 to 24 was, without a doubt, the weekend of KPop Demon Hunters . Worldwide, the animated singing sensation was everywhere, from Vue Cinemas in the UK to Regal and Cinemark Theatres, along with Alamo Drafthouse, in the United States. And according to the Hollywood Reporter , it scored big, raking in $18 to $20 million from 1,700 North American theaters. source https://www.polygon.com/kpop-demon-hunters-theaters-success-netflix-box-office/

Mortal Kombat director: ‘You just couldn't rip any spines out’ in 1995

When the now 60-year-old British director was breaking into the film industry in the early 1990s, he would take a five-hour train ride from northern England down to London to meet with various movie producers in an effort to get his first project off the ground. In between those meetings, Anderson killed time at a nearby arcade, pouring coins into a Mortal Kombat machine and mastering the moveset of the game’s iconic poster boy. source https://www.polygon.com/mortal-kombat-30th-anniversary-paul-ws-anderson-interview/

What is a roguelike? Let's push the definition as far as we can

This article is part of Run, Die, Repeat , Polygon's week-long series exploring roguelikes. source https://www.polygon.com/roguelike-definition-what-is-roguelite/

The cutest new show on Netflix is an incredible stop-motion anime

I've been a fan of Sanrio for as long as I can remember. Best known for its extremely cute, extremely marketable characters like Hello Kitty , My Melody, Kuromi, Pompompurin, Badtz-Maru, and more, Sanrio has released several animated TV shows starring its adorable characters over the years. Most of these shows only make it to overseas audiences via fan-made subtitles, however, so until recently, I've only known My Melody and Kuromi as the delightful rabbits who adorn various shirts, purses, and blankets in my home. source https://www.polygon.com/my-melody-and-kuromi-netflix/

Watching Doctor Who with my American friends reminded me what I love about it

Fast forward to 2025. I’m 28 years old and preparing for a summer of sci-fi with Doctor Who and Andor . Doctor Who received a new lease of life (and a whole lot of dough alongside it) in 2022 when Disney Plus became its new international home . For a show that’s called ‘ One Piece for British people with its eye-watering number of episodes dating back to the series premiere in 1963, the fact that Doctor Who was suddenly available to much wider audience was exciting. (As an aside, I’d also called it the summer of Varada Sethu , who appears in both Andor and in Doctor Who , as the latest companion to Ncuti Gatwa’s 15th Doctor. I couldn’t wait to see how these shows would feature one of my favorite actors. Spoiler: This would not work out for me. Varada Sethu, I’m so sorry.) source https://www.polygon.com/watching-doctor-who-with-my-american-friends-reminded-me-what-i-love-about-it/

Pragmata hands-on: One of Capcom's most promising 2026 games

Capcom already has a packed 2026, with at least three major sequels — Resident Evil Requiem , Onimusha: Way of the Sword , and Monster Hunter Stories 3 — set to overshadow its long-in-development Pragmata , something brand-new from the company. But fans of action games should keep a close eye on Capcom’s sci-fi shooter, which brings some intriguing twists to the third-person shooter formula. source https://www.polygon.com/pragmata-game-preview-capcom-gamescom/

Trails in the Sky First Chapter demo is the perfect place to start

Nihon Falcom recently released a demo for Trails in the Sky: First Chapter ahead of the game's full launch on Sep. 19, and if you've hung around RPG spaces online for the past decade, you might know the game as just one piece of a multi-part series that spans decades That's an intimidating description on its own, and eager proselytizers of the series usually follow it up by saying that Trails ' interconnected story is one of the best reasons to play. They're right, to an extent, but playing 13 long games just to see how all these narrative threads eventually spin together is a huge ask. The good thing is: You don't have to. Trails in the Sky is excellent on its own merits, even if you never play the other games in the series. source https://www.polygon.com/trails-in-the-sky-first-chapter-remake-demo/

3 Netflix shows you need to binge this weekend

It’s late August, the season of sticky heat and that strange in-between stretch where summer isn’t quite over but fall hasn’t yet begun. Whether you’re in school or not, you’re probably having nightmares about going back to school. We’ve all been there. source https://www.polygon.com/netflix-shows-weekend-binge-aug-23-2025/

Pokémon Go Fest 2025 'Max Finale' event guide and Gigantamax schedule

Pokémon Go 's big end-of-summer event to conclude the Go Fest 2025 story line, " Max Finale ," runs on Saturday, Aug. 23 and Sunday, Aug. 24 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. in your local time. source https://www.polygon.com/pokmon-go-fest-2025-max-finale-schedule-gigantamax-timed-research/

Peacemaker's season 2 premiere has strong links with season 1's pilot

Season 2 of James Gunn ’s over-the-top superhero dark comedy Peacemaker launches with an episode that may prompt major déjà vu. Given how much has changed on the show, however, it takes a closer look to figure out why. In season 1, Gunn put the title character through a lot of changes, socially and emotionally, and it let him make progress as a person and as the hero he so desperately wants to be. So it’s startling to see where season 2’s premiere eventually dumps him — especially when you start to see how closely that premiere parallels the series pilot. The two episodes leave emotionally vulnerable anti-hero Peacemaker (John Cena) in painfully similar (and similarly painful!) situations. source https://www.polygon.com/peacemaker-season-2-episode-1-recap-analysis-explained-john-cena/

Peacemaker's season 2 premiere begins with a Zack Snyder retcon

Season 1 of James Gunn's DC spin-off series Peacemaker originally ended with a cameo that was daring enough to make Gunn nervous . (Spoilers ahead for an episode from 2022.) source https://www.polygon.com/peacemaker-season-2-zack-snyder-justice-league-retcon/

Devil May Cry season 2's first trailer is here, pitting Dante vs. Vergil

Netflix has revealed the trailer for season 2 of its Devil May Cry anime, in which an older, more Devil May Cry 2 -coded Dante finally meets his long-lost brother Vergil face to face. The trailer begins with a visibly older Dante, with longer, unkempt hair. Notably, his costume has evolved between seasons to resemble his appearance in 2003's Devil May Cry 2 , but don't worry, he at least still acts like Dante in this trailer, unlike the game. He appears to be working alongside Lady and her organization as she reveals to Dante that they've found his twin brother causing mayhem. It seems Lady's organization sends Dante in, where the two share an exchange before clashing in the middle of a rainy lake. source https://www.polygon.com/netflix-devil-may-cry-season-2-trailer-vergil/

25 best Game Pass games on Xbox and PC (August 2025)

In 2025, Game Pass is enjoying perhaps its best year ever , with great day-one releases on a monthly basis (if not weekly, or even within the same week) while the back-catalog offering continues to be very solid. This year, we’ve played and loved blockbuster role-playing games Avowed , Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 , and The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered as well as indie gem Blue Prince , and much more besides. source https://www.polygon.com/best-games/22372750/best-game-pass-games-xbox/

Herdling review: Sheep herding makes for the most human game of the year

When I clasped eyes on the rising sun over the staggering mountaintops far off into the distance, a trio of floppy-eared, red-eyed goats at my side, I knew that Herdling was going to be something special. source https://www.polygon.com/herdling-review/

I love Final Fantasy's Vivi, but he's ruining Magic: The Gathering

Vivi Ornitier is a 3’11” black mage who, while facing the existential crisis of questioning his place in the world, fights evil aliens and apocalyptic gods in Final Fantasy IX . Twenty-five years later, Vivi is still relevant, as he has also broken Magic: The Gathering Standard format . While I’m happy to have a collection of Magic: The Gathering cards featuring characters from my favorite JRPG, the dynamic Universes Beyond sets bring to the MTG ecosystem is problematic to say the least, as it risks harming the foundation that sustained Magic: The Gathering for a long time. source https://www.polygon.com/vivi-magic-the-gathering-controversy/

Inside Fantastic Four: First Steps' 'spiritual' animated sequence

Wilches is a creative director at Titmouse, the prolific animation studio that’s worked on series as diverse as Legend of Vox Machina , Star Trek: Lower Decks , Big Mouth , and Scavengers Reign . He primarily takes on special projects like the First Steps end cartoon. We asked him to walk us through the history of the First Steps cartoon intro — how his work on WandaVision paved the way, how Alex Toth and Jack Kirby factored into the art, and especially how he had to stop being “a very nice director” to get his staff to produce something this visually streamlined and simple. source https://www.polygon.com/fantastic-four-first-steps-animated-post-credits-scene-interview/

Resident Evil Requiem is as scary as RE7, thankfully

The next mainline Resident Evil game is bringing back one of the strongest aspects of 2017’s Resident Evil 7 biohazard , a major course correction for the franchise because it was steeped in creeping, unnerving terror. Resident Evil Requiem manages to capture that uncomfortable horror element of that game, while also feeling inherently Resident Evil, based on a small slice of the game I played recently. source https://www.polygon.com/resident-evil-requiem-demo-preview-hands-on/

Kirby Air Riders preview: nostalgic thrills fuel new Switch 2 game

For Kirby Air Riders to take off, Nintendo will have to pull off a successful U-turn with the series’ legacy. How do you accomplish such a daunting task? Perhaps by not doing very much at all. source https://www.polygon.com/kirby-air-riders-preview-impressions-hands-on-nintendo-switch-2/

Steam reviews are getting a big change, Valve says

Steam user reviews have become weapons for voicing discontent, which might be why Valve is tinkering with how they work. In the past, scrolling down to read other people's opinions would present either the most-voted reviews or the most recent reviews depending on your setting. Now, the system will be taking language itself into account. It's a logical change that might sound boring on paper, but the adjustments are landing in the wake of controversies involving big-budget games. source https://www.polygon.com/steam-valve-user-reviews-bombing-change-settings/

20 years ago, Cillian Murphy's nearly perfect thriller was ahead of its time

Plenty of viewers yearn for shorter movies, but it’s fair to say many of them aren’t sure how that’s actually accomplished. It’s easy enough to say a movie should be 15 or 20 minutes shorter (I think about this myself all the time), but any editor will tell you that a two-hour film with 15 or 20 minutes hatcheted out of it will often feel choppy or less coherent. source https://www.polygon.com/red-eye-rachel-mcadams-cillian-murphy-short-movies/

Am I the only one who plays 99% of an RPG but doesn't finish it?

When something good comes to an end, you'll often hear people say "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened!" That mindset — an incorrect quote falsely attributed to Dr. Seuss — might have worked well when I was saying tearful goodbyes to summer camp friends I adored as a child, but when it comes to feeling sad about finishing up an RPG that's had me mesmerized for hours on end, I tend to employ another method to protect my heart: I just put off finishing the game indefinitely. source https://www.polygon.com/rpg-prcrastination-never-finish-99-percent/

Why roguelike games are fun

We can't quit roguelikes. Often literally. They drop us into danger with ever escalating powers and then, inevitably, send us back to the start. The possibility of that one perfect attempt keeps us hitting “restart." source https://www.polygon.com/why-roguelikes-are-fun/

Why losing in roguelikes feels like winning

This article is part of One More Run, Polygon's week-long series exploring roguelikes. source https://www.polygon.com/psychology-roguelikes-punishment-into-reward/

The original Mortal Kombat movie still does one thing better than most of the games

Released 30 years ago on Aug. 18, 1995, Mortal Kombat remains celebrated as one of the greatest video game adaptations ever — despite barely following the original game’s plot. Its lasting appeal comes from spot-on casting, faithful costume design, sharp fight choreography, and an unforgettable soundtrack whose theme is now inseparable from the franchise. Fans don’t shout “Mortal Kombat!” because of the games, they do it because of this movie. The key unifier tying it all together? Keeping the story framed within the tournament format, just like the original game. source https://www.polygon.com/mortal-kombat-1995-review-hbo-max/

Dropout star Jacob Wysocki defends Dragon Ball's most underrated character

Game Changer took a left turn for its penultimate season seven episode “Who Wants to Be Jacob Wysocki?” Instead of the usual mind games host Sam Reich played on his trepidatious contestants, the episode was designed to spotlight fan favorite Jacob Wysocki . He was awarded $100,000, and later told Polygon, “I think there's still a part of me that doesn't even know if it's real.” source https://www.polygon.com/dropout-jacob-wysocki-game-changer-dragon-ball/

Inside the six-year battle to get a sci-fi cheerleader beat-'em-up off the ground

"[ Ra Ra Boom ] was our first game, so a lot of it was trial and error and learning, but it was six years to get the game out the door," Bergman told Polygon in a video interview. "It was quite the journey. COVID actually was wild, man. Because COVID happened, that was a huge challenge. We're such a small team, and everybody had all these big solutions for how to do development during COVID, and we're just like, 'I don't know, man, let's just talk on Slack a lot.'” source https://www.polygon.com/ra-ra-boom-gylee-games-interview/

Titan Quest 2 early access impressions: Good, but not one of the greats

As I wait for the new big Path of Exile 2 update — hoping it's better than Dawn of the Hunt — and Diablo 4 's Season 10 to come, the early access release of Titan Quest 2 comes as good news. A lack of fresh content in my current pool of action RPGs made this the perfect time to jump into something new. But while the early access release gives the new ARPG room to grow, what I've played of Titan Quest 2 is enough to tell me that the ARPG isn’t going to give me the hectic action I look for in the genre, at least not yet. source https://www.polygon.com/titan-quest-2-impressions-early-access-arpg/

Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025: What time it starts and how to watch

Gamescom , the world’s largest video game convention, officially starts on Wednesday in Cologne, Germany. For the rest of the world, Gamescom starts virtually on Tuesday, with a major games (and entertainment) livestream called Gamescom Opening Night Live , hosted by The Game Awards emcee Geoff Keighley. This year’s Opening Night Live starts Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 2 p.m. EDT/11 a.m. PDT and can be watched on Gamescom’s YouTube and Twitch channels, and at The Game Awards’ YouTube and Twitch channels. source https://www.polygon.com/gamescom-livestream-what-time-start-opening-night-live-2025/

This '90s Denzel Washington thriller deserves to replace Equalizer as his signature franchise

Denzel Washington may be the most consistently beloved movie star of the past 30 years. (Is there a great actor and proven box office draw who’s less divisive?) But even someone this beloved is still subject to a little bit of internet complaining. When Washington starred in the TV adaptation The Equalizer in 2014, it was reported that the show-turned-film was being looked at as a potential franchise. Sure enough, a second and third movie followed in 2018 and 2023, respectively. While all three did well at the box office, it was difficult for some movie nerds ( myself included ) to keep from mentioning how this serviceable old-guy-killing-fools series was less deserving of franchise status than a single noir that flopped back in 1995, just a few months after Washington had a smash with Crimson Tide . No, not Virtuosity . Washington’s signature ongoing film series should have started with Devil in a Blue Dress . source https://www.polygon.com/devil-in-a-blue-dress-denzel-washington...

Eve Frontier is an ‘evil’ crypto spinoff of Eve Online its makers couldn’t shut down if they wanted to

Even Pétursson and CCP have rarely done things as differently as they’re attempting to with their next game. Eve Frontier looks superficially similar to its sister (or parent) game Eve Online : It’s an online spaceship game of battles, mining, and base-building. It takes place in a remote part of the same universe, and the gameplay has been given a tough survival twist. source https://www.polygon.com/the-makers-of-eve-online-are-working-on-an-evil-crypto-spinoff-they-couldnt-shut-down-if-they-wanted-to/

The best KPop Demon Hunters cover songs and dance videos on YouTube

To say that KPop Demon Hunters “is popular” remains the understatement of the year. Since June 20, the animated film from Sony Animation and Netflix has overtaken every type of top-10 chart from Netflix’s own most-watched lists to the Billboard Hot 100 , where the fictional girl-group HUNTR/X hit number one. source https://www.polygon.com/kpop-demon-hunters-cover-artists-are-exploding-on-youtube-and-these-are-the-best/

The 2025 Pokémon World Championship merch is so good you'll wish you could catch it all

Each year, for the Pokémon World Championships, the Pokémon Center releases a line of exclusive merchandise for the series that is only available on-site. For 2025, the Pokémon merchandise team went all out with three different themes: SoCal, Varsity, and Rockabilly. source https://www.polygon.com/pokemon-center-world-championships-2025-merch-exclusive/

Where to find crow feather pieces in Grounded 2

Finding Grounded 2 's crow feather pieces is essential for crafting arrows that exploit elemental weaknesses, and you can even turn the pieces into furnishings and a special hat. Unless you're paying attention to certain audio cues, though, tracking these resources down feels like finding a pinfeather in a haystack. source https://www.polygon.com/grounded-2-crow-feather-pieces-locations-where-to-find/

Battlefield 6 fans hate new Rush mode, think maps are way too small

The second week of Battlefield 6' s beta is upon us, and the refresh includes things like a new map and the classic Rush mode. With the addition of a Custom Search, you'd think there would be a lot to celebrate here, especially for a franchise that's struggled to find its footing in recent years. But complaints are rolling in, and the consensus is this: Battlefield 6 maps feel cramped. source https://www.polygon.com/battlefield-6-beta-maps-rush-mode-size-complaints/

Pokémon Legends Z-A battles are thrilling in new preview on Switch 2

In this preview event, I played through two guided 10-minute sessions on a Nintendo Switch 2 — one where we battled trainers in a Battle Zone and another where we faced off against a Rogue Mega Absol. To aid me, I was provided a diagram that showed me the button layout, and lo and behold, Y was listed as the dedicated dodge button — implying that playing Z-A means you're going to have to dodge something . Yes, Pokémon Legends: Arceus , the previous entry in this spinoff series, had a dodging mechanic as well, but even Lucas' and Dawn's ancestors weren't laying their lives on the line like Ash was. source https://www.polygon.com/pokemon-legends-z-a-preview-active-battle-mechanics/

Avatar: The Last Airbender fans are going to have a huge 2026

Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then everything changed when the Fire Nation M. Night Shyamalan attacked. source https://www.polygon.com/avatar-the-last-airbender-new-movies-shows-magic-cards/

Borderlands 4 has more passive perks than 'all the previous Borderlands combined'

I’ve played the opening hours of Borderlands countless times. When Gearbox’s looter shooter first came out in 2009, everyone I knew was looking for a co-op partner. I was happy to be a pal’s Player 2 any time I was asked, even if it meant replaying the same sequences over and over. Why? Because each new playthrough was a chance to try a new Vault Hunter, a decision that radically changed my playthrough. source https://www.polygon.com/borderlands-4-passive-perks-interview-gearbox/

Netflix’s new Mononoke movie The Ashes of Rage puts the phantom in phantasmagoria

It’s easy to ensnare me when it comes to anime. If it’s uncanny to the point of absurdity, and/or its visual style appears unique and eye-catching, I’ll fly in like a magpie that’s spotted something shiny. So it was no surprise that Kenji Nakamura’s 2025 film Mononoke: The Ashes of Rage, with its demon-slaying protagonist and overstimulating vibrancy of colors on a ukiyo-e woodblock, would draw me into its orbit. source https://www.polygon.com/mononoke-movie-ashes-of-rage-review-netflix/

Superman's dog Krypto causes trouble in a series of animated shorts

The Kryptonian pooch Krypto causes all manner of havoc in James Gunn’s Superman , tearing up the Fortress of Solitude and chomping on Lex Luthor’s drones like chew toys. Now he has a starring role in a series of four animated shorts that will be included as a special feature with home editions of the film, which is coming to digital on Aug. 15 and will have a physical release on Sept. 23. source https://www.polygon.com/superman-krypto-saves-the-day-animated-shorts/

The next Fast & Furious video game might be good?

One would think that the hugely enjoyable, multibillion-dollar Fast & Furious film franchise would spawn any number of similarly fantastic video game adaptations, but devotees of the Toretto family have been starved for quality racing games powered by NOS over the past 24 years. But you may want to put some Coronas on ice right now, because a very promising Fast & Furious game is just around the corner. source https://www.polygon.com/fast-furious-arcade-console-game/

Marvel Rivals matchmaking conspiracies are hitting a breaking point

There's been a pesky rumor that's haunted Marvel Rivals since release, and it involves the way the game performs matchmaking and the player perceptions surrounding that process. Fans are convinced there's something unusual happening under the hood which impacts who they play with, and that has little to do with things like skills or region. Rather, fans believe that Marvel Rivals is intentionally altering the players you'll encounter during matches with the purpose of extending engagement and maximizing profits. The complaints surrounding Marvel Rivals ' matchmaking have been pervasive enough that NetEase felt the need to tell players that their fears were unfounded in mid-August. But whether or not players believe NetEase is a different story. source https://www.polygon.com/marvel-rivals-matchmaking-eomm-optmatch-netease-multiplayer-anger/

Drag X Drive review: Switch 2's gimmicks hit a breaking point

Gaming’s great success stories are often built on the backs of forgotten failures. Which is why Nintendo’s next Switch 2 exclusive, Drag x Drive , will only be remembered by real ones as the console’s Red Steel . source https://www.polygon.com/drag-x-drive-review-nintendo-switch-2/

Alien: Earth's new sci-fi creations, explained

Like George Lucas' Star Wars , James Gunn's Superman , and many other great sci-fi stories before it, Alien: Earth begins with some opening text. However, this neon-green message isn't meant to introduce the show's central characters: It's more about redefining the world they inhabit. In just a few sentences, the new FX series completely changes the parameters of the Alien franchise, introducing new conflicts and science fiction tropes to a story that was already brimming with them. In the process, it may even change our understanding of the original 1979 Alien and the many sequels and spin-offs that followed. source https://www.polygon.com/alien-earth-synthetics-cyborgs-hybrids-explained/

Helldivers 2 teases Halo crossover ahead of Xbox Series X release

Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead Game Studios is teasing an upcoming crossover with the Halo franchise in a new video promoting the co-op multiplayer space shooter's impending release on Xbox. At the end of a new teaser trailer that prominently features Christian rap metal band POD, we get a big shift in musical tone with a jazzy motif from the Halo 3: ODST soundtrack. source https://www.polygon.com/helldivers-2-halo-crossover-xbox-release-date/

Viewfinder, one of the best puzzle games in years, is now on Xbox

I love puzzles in games as much as the next guy, but even I have to acknowledge some lack of originality. Case in point: I think we’ve had enough “move mirrors around to direct a beam of light" puzzles in games by now. But Viewfinder , the 2023 debut from Sad Owl Studios, stands apart with challenges that bend the mind in original ways. Now, more players can enjoy the perspective-shifting game as Viewfinder makes its way to Xbox Series X today. source https://www.polygon.com/viewfinder-best-puzzle-games-xbox-release/

Time-loop movies get a whole new spin in the sweet, strange live-action anime River

We all know how “stuck in a time loop” movies are supposed to go. A character lives out a day that might or might not involve some incredible circumstance, like being splashed with alien innards , crawling into a magic cave , or just getting stabbed to death . It will feature some idiosyncratic signposts (a sound effect, a memorable piece of dialogue, a weird event) so the protagonist will immediately notice something’s weird when those things all happen again on day two, three, and four. As the cycle keeps repeating, something like Kübler-Ross’ five stages of grief follows, with disbelief, frustration, experimentation, sometimes despair and dramatic acting out, eventually some sort of cathartic confrontation or life lesson learned, and reconciliation with the normal timeline. That formula, derived from Groundhog Day and now run through just about every imaginable genre , has a lot of flexibility. But it’s still a formula, and time-loop movies rarely break its mold. source https:/...

Is This Seat Taken? turns your social anxieties into puzzle gold

Some games do everything they can to ratchet up the anxiety. They drop you in a doomsday scenario, send you out on the battlefield , or pit you against towering monstrosities that can slay you in one hit. Is This Seat Taken? taps into something more stressful than all of those experiences combined: trying to figure out where to sit on a crowded bus. source https://www.polygon.com/is-this-seat-taken-game-recommendation-nintendo-switch/

Final Fantasy dev kinda hates the PS1 graphics nostalgia

Video game visuals have come a long way since the '90s. The jump between pixel art and polygons was a massive one, but players still had to rely on a bit of imagination to fully see the things game developers were trying to depict at the time. Now that we have graphics that could be mistaken for reality , we've also seen a wave of games intentionally recreating the look and feel of retro titles. And at least one veteran game developer doesn't get why anyone would want to go back to all those jagged edges. source https://www.polygon.com/final-fantasy-ps1-graphics-low-poly-koji-sugimoto/

Weapons dominates box office, beating Disney sequel and boosting Warner Bros.' streak

Weapons , the latest horror movie from Barbarian writer-director Zach Cregger , received both rave reviews from critics and a huge vote of approval from audiences. According to Box Office Mojo , the film about the mysterious disappearance of a group of third-graders earned $42.5 million in its opening weekend, beating out Disney’s body swap comedy Freakier Friday , which earned $29 million. source https://www.polygon.com/weapons-warner-bros-freakier-friday-box-office/

Hannibal's finale was 10 years ago but I haven't given up on season 4

Fans of psychological horror-thriller series and films aren't facing any shortages on what to watch, but very few shows have captivated audiences like the sickeningly sweet splatterfest and kaleidoscope of the bizarre that is Bryan Fuller’s Hannibal . Inspired by Thomas Harris’ Hannibal Lecter novels , the show follows troubled FBI profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy), who forms an unlikely bond with forensic psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen). Unfortunately for Will and his slipping sanity, Hannibal also happens to be a cannibalistic serial killer. source https://www.polygon.com/hannibal-season-4-bryan-fuller-hugh-dancy-mads-mikkelsen/

I made Mafia: The Old Country's pork spezzatino recipe

Before I’m allowed to start gunning down rival family members in Mafia: The Old Country , I’m asked to help with a more important task: dinner. An early sequence has me picking up a butchered pig carcass and hauling it over to a kitchen where cooks prepare a meal for the powerful Torrisi family. What’s on the menu? Pork spezzatino, of course. source https://www.polygon.com/mafia-old-country-pork-spezzatino-recipe/

Julia Garner reveals a Weapons inspiration she only realized on the set

Julia Garner has genuine range. Even she thinks so. source https://www.polygon.com/julia-garner-weapons-silver-surfer-fantastic-four/

Netflix officially renews One Piece for season 3

As Japan’s annual One Piece Day wrapped up, Netflix unveiled the first look at season 2 and confirmed that a third season is already in the works. Although season 2 won't arrive until 2026, the early season 3 renewal also comes with news that production will begin later this year in Cape Town, South Africa. Marvel's Luke Cage and Iron Fist producer Ian Stokes is set to join Percy Jackson and the Olympians writer Joe Tracz as co-showrunner after original showrunner Matt Owen stepped down earlier this year. source https://www.polygon.com/netflix-one-piece-season-3-confirmed/

Netflix's One Piece finally shows its first full trailer during One Piece Day

Netflix's hit live-action series One Piece just got its first official trailer as part of the franchise's annual day of celebration. source https://www.polygon.com/one-piece-season-2-trailer-netflix/

KPop Demon Hunters gets a rare Netflix release in theaters

KPop Demon Hunters , produced by Sony Animation, has been a major win for Netflix since it premiered on the platform in June. If the stylized saga of three pop-singer slayers had actually gone to theaters, it probably would have dominated (just look at Marvel movie interest ). As of publication, the movie remains #1 on the platform Thankfully, Netflix has wised up: KPop Demon Hunters will arrive to multiplexes later this month. source https://www.polygon.com/kpop-demon-hunters-theaters-release-date-tickets/

Donkey Kong Bananza betrays the only bit of Nintendo lore I care about

Now that Donkey Kong Bananza has been out in the wild for a month, all of our burning questions have been answered. We now know how it connects to Super Mario Odyssey and how it fits in with Donkey Kong lore . The answer to the latter is that it takes a whole lot of liberty with it. All you really need to know is that it technically happens after the Donkey Kong Country games. The details get murky beyond that. source https://www.polygon.com/donkey-kong-bananza-dk-goes-home-lore/

Konami's Gradius Origins may be its best retro collection yet

Publisher Konami has certainly made some missteps in preserving and re-releasing its older games. Silent Hill and Metal Gear “HD” collections of old have soured some players on Konami’s attempts to reproduce beloved games, but more recent efforts — many of them led by emulation experts M2 — have delivered retro collections that go above and beyond. source https://www.polygon.com/gradius-origins-konami-m2-retro-collection/

Face/Off is the best body-swap movie ever made. Here's why

Most of the best-known body-swapping movies are comedies, and many of those follow the age-gap pattern of Freaky Friday , a 1976 adaptation of the Mary Rodgers’ YA novel where a mother and daughter inhabit each other’s bodies for a day. The Rodgers novel has been remade by Disney multiple times, including a 2003 version with a new legacy sequel, and the late 1980s body-swap boom featured several male versions of that same basic story. Empathy is taught, lessons are learned, and everything works out in the end. Even the slasher version is pretty sweet-natured. Maybe it’s the formulaic nature of these often family-based stories that makes John Woo’s Face/Off an unexpected contender for the best body-swap movie ever made. source https://www.polygon.com/john-woo-face-off-body-swap/

Josh Brolin on confronting masculinity in horror epic Weapons

But Brolin, 57, is out to spring a trap on anyone who thinks they know who he is, or what being a man is all about. This, he tells Polygon, is why he had to make Weapons . source https://www.polygon.com/josh-brolin-weapons-interview/

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' latest episode parallels Stargate's ancient aliens

The fifth episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, released on Paramount Plus on Aug. 7, has archaeological medicine pioneer Dr. Roger Korby (Cillian O'Sullivan) enlisting the Enterprise crew for a mission to learn about an ancient species that achieved immortality. Their excursion to explore a subterranean temple does not go smoothly, as the crew faces threats that combine pulp adventure and outright horror. source https://www.polygon.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-stargate-reboot/

Gina Carano's Star Wars lawsuit settlement leaves door open for Mandalorian return

Former MMA fighter and actor Gina Carano, Lucasfilm, and the Walt Disney Company have "have reached a mutual agreement" settling the lawsuit that followed after Carano was removed from her role in the Disney Plus Star Wars series The Mandalorian , according to a report in Variety . No details were forthcoming about the agreement, particularly in terms of whether Carano might return to the show, or whether her character, mercenary warrior Cara Dune , might reappear in future Star Wars spin-offs. But the statement Lucasfilm provided to Variety seems carefully worded to suggest they might work together at some future point, but have no current plans on the docket. source https://www.polygon.com/star-wars-gina-carano-disney-lawsuit-settled-mandalorian-cara-dune/

GTA 6 price should 'deliver more value than what we charge,' Take-Two CEO says

Grand Theft Auto 6 's publisher dodged on providing hard numbers when asked about the pricing of Rockstar Games' highly anticipated open-world crime epic, but said that Take-Two Interactive's goal with game costs is "to deliver more value than what we charge," according to a new interview with Variety . source https://www.polygon.com/gta-6-price-value-rockstar-games-take-two/

Watch Grace Kuhlenschmidt sing a ditty in Boys Go to Jupiter

There’s very little independent American animation tiptoeing into theaters these days, so bless illustrator Julian Glander for throwing himself into the surreal and entrancing Boys Go to Jupiter . source https://www.polygon.com/boys-go-to-jupiter-egg-song-grace-kuhlenschmidt/

The Monkey is streaming now on Hulu, but is it worth watching?

I have a theory about Oz Perkins : He’s not actually a great filmmaker, he’s just very good at marketing . The director behind the recent horror hits Longlegs and The Monkey has a knack for crafting viral marketing campaigns that build up tons of hype they can’t actually deliver on. source https://www.polygon.com/the-monkey-hulu-streaming/

Mafia: The Old Country review: bleak, brilliant history

I wouldn’t understand how different those worlds were until I watched Bicycle Thieves , Vittorio De Sica’s 1948 neorealist classic about a poor father trying to provide for his family in post-World War 2 Rome. It was through that film that I felt like I really saw my father for the first time. The film is an honest portrait of Italian anxiety of the time, depicting how poverty pushed decent men to desperation. Even if he was in America now and doing well for himself, there was still a part of his brain that would always be struggling to scrape by in the hills of Abruzzo. source https://www.polygon.com/mafia-the-old-country-review/

Rockstar co-founder's new open-world sci-fi game gets publisher

Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser's new studio has landed a publisher for its first game, which is still untitled but is described by its creators as a "AAA, open-world, sci-fi action-adventure game" set in an original universe. Korean publisher Smilegate and Houser's Absurd Ventures announced Wednesday that the two companies have teamed up to release the Rockstar co-founder's first post-Grand Theft Auto game. source https://www.polygon.com/rockstar-games-founder-dan-houser-absurd-ventures-smilegate/

War of the Worlds (2025) review: Ice Cube's sci-fi flops on Amazon Prime

There’s no mistaking War of the Worlds (2025), dumped at the end of July on to Amazon Prime Video, for Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise’s acclaimed 2005 War of the Worlds . Or Byron Haskin's Academy Award-nominated 1953 War of the Worlds . Or the BBC’s 2019 TV version of War of the Worlds , which expanded the story to 24 episodes. Or even The Asylum’s 2005 straight-to-DVD War of the Worlds , which looks like it was produced for several thousand dollars. source https://www.polygon.com/war-of-the-worlds-2025-ice-cube-review/

Netflix’s Wednesday season 2 is a victim of its own success

Netflix’s series Wednesday , a YA spin on the characters from Charles Addams’ Addams Family cartoons, was a smash hit when it debuted in 2022. After a week on the streaming service, the show had broken Stranger Things ’ record as the platform’s most-watched English-language TV show . That success led to a much bigger second season, with the show becoming the largest production to ever film in Ireland . But the increased spectacle and expanded cast just leave the characters and plots feeling thin and disconnected in season 2’s first half, which dropped on Netflix a month ahead of the second half. source https://www.polygon.com/netflix-wednesday-season-2-part-1-review-jenna-ortega/

Assassin's Creed: Mirage and Aliens: Fireteam Elite are coming to Game Pass this month

Xbox has just announced the first wave of games coming to Xbox Game Pass this month, and one of them is available to play right now. source https://www.polygon.com/game-pass-additions-august-2025/

The Avengers in The Veracity Trap goes full meta on the Marvel universe

The Avengers in The Veracity Trap , the latest original graphic novel from Abrams ComicArts’ MarvelArts line, is a love letter to the geeky chaos of Marvel comics , where anything could happen and usually did. Written by Eisner Award-winning designer Chip Kidd and drawn by Michael Cho, whose work has spanned Marvel and DC’s most legendary characters, Veracity Trap opens with a classic Avengers setup: Loki on the rampage, an army of monsters, and a brawl in Asgard. But what seems like a standard super-team slugfest quickly unravels into a confrontation, not just with a villain, but with reality itself. source https://www.polygon.com/the-avengers-in-the-veracity-trap-preview-interview/

Alien: Earth creator reveals what he took from Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (and what he didn’t)

In 1982, three years after directing the space-horror classic Alien (and following a failed attempt to adapt Frank Herbert’s Dune into a film ), Ridley Scott came back down to Earth. His follow-up film, Blade Runner , started with a concept Alien only briefly touched on — a robot masquerading as a human — and exploded it into a moody noir sci-fi set in a perpetually rain-soaked future version of our Los Angeles. source https://www.polygon.com/alien-earth-noah-hawley-blade-runner-synthetics/

Donkey Kong Bananza's lackluster fashion game needs a revamp

As I crashed and smashed my way to the first official stage of Donkey Kong Bananza , the Lagoon Layer, I was excited to check out how the developers of Super Mario Odyssey would go above and beyond with customization. I wanted to make DK look fly as hell . Or at least dress him up like Waluigi . source https://www.polygon.com/donkey-kong-bananza-outfits-ties-pants-glow-up-needed/

The most unique horror movie of 2024 just got a glorious upgrade

Last month, CBS canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert despite the fact that it is often the highest rated late-night show. Part of the reason may be political , but it’s also being heralded as the beginning of the end for late-night comedy , whose audience has aged and dwindled. It’s a sad end for a role that was once seen as so powerful that it inspired films like The King of Comedy , The Late Shift and, more recently, Late Night with the Devil . source https://www.polygon.com/late-night-with-the-devil-blu-ray-steelbook-release/

Nintendo's Switch price increase is now a controversial trend

The gaming industry can't stop bleeding money. Every year, there are countless stories of studios releasing big-budget games only to pull the title, lay people off, and in some cases, just close down entirely . With tariffs factoring into the equation, price hikes appear inevitable for AAA games. In recent months, nearly every publisher that considered or proposed a price increase on their titles has backed down. But the question of pricing is also more complicated than it appears. source https://www.polygon.com/switch-price-increase-80-dollar-games-xbox-gta-cost/

The 5 best spoof movies to watch after Naked Gun

Spoof comedies can sometimes feel like a scarce resource. They tend to appear in brief, market-saturating feasts, as in the early ‘90s or the mid-2000s, before disappearing for lengthy periods of famine, as in the past decade-plus of film comedy recession . But the history of the form, defined here as broad comedies structured to poke fun at familiar genres while prioritizing a great volume and variety of jokes, goes back nearly as far as cinema itself. (The boundaries are always debatable. For example, this piece considers Monty Python a whole other thing, even though their joke-packed features have elements of both parody and satire.) source https://www.polygon.com/best-comedy-spoof-parody-movies/

Alien: Covenant is still the most underrated sci-fi movie of the century, even on HBO Max

Since purchasing 20th Century Fox for a cool $71.3 billion back in 2019, Disney has seemingly pulled off the impossible: It’s revived the Alien franchise . You might think murderous xenomorphs are an easy sell, but history says otherwise. While the original Alien and follow-up Aliens are undeniable classics, the sequels that followed tend to verge on the unwatchable. And although original director Ridley Scott made a valiant effort to resurrect the saga in the 2010s, starting with Prometheus in 2012, those movies proved too heady to win over casual audiences or studio executives. source https://www.polygon.com/alien-covenant-streaming-hbo-max/

Weapons, one of 2025's best horror movies, was born from real tragedy

Zach Cregger’s new horror movie Weapons is the silver lining of a horrible tragedy. “That chapter of my life was terrible,” says the Barbarian director, reflecting on the 2021 death of his close friend and longtime collaborator Trevor Moore. “[Writing the movie] was just me kind of interacting with those feelings in a way that wasn’t self-destructive.” source https://www.polygon.com/zach-cregger-weapons/

I trusted the wrong person in The Witcher 3 and regret it to this day

CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher 3 hit 18-year-old me and every other fantasy role-playing games dork (honorific) like a truck. The threequel had everything: a dynamic open-world, multi-faceted characters and in-game choices that actually felt like they mattered. However, the latter bit me in the ass several times over in my first playthrough. source https://www.polygon.com/the-witcher-3-regret-choice-keira-metz-death/

One Piece could explain a huge mystery thanks to a legend introduced 21 years ago

One Piece chapter 1155 has left fans buzzing thanks to its deep dive into the mysterious past of Rocks D. Xebec. Introduced during the Elbaph arc, the ongoing flashback is shaping up to be one of the series’ most revealing, shedding light not only on the formation of the infamous Rocks Pirates but also on Xebec’s cryptic mention of Davy Jones—a figure long thought to be legend, but now hinted to be real. source https://www.polygon.com/one-piece-davy-jones-theory-real-xebec/

Critical Role Campaign 4 announces Brennan Lee Mulligan as new host

When it comes to dominating the TTRPG scene, Critical Role can’t stop, won’t stop. Having mainstreamed Dungeons & Dragons actual play , adapted their campaigns into popular animated series , and launched their own tabletop system in this year’s Daggerheart , it’d be easy to think the CR gang might be out of surprises. Then Brennan Lee Mulligan showed up. source https://www.polygon.com/critical-role-campaign-4-brennan-lee-mulligan/

Beautiful Clair Obscur Expedition 33 fanart reimagines the game in HD-2D

Imagining a game as beautiful as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 getting even prettier is a tall task, but there’s one thing that does the job: turning it into HD-2D pixel art, the striking art style popularized by Square Enix games like Octopath Traveler and Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake . source https://www.polygon.com/clair-obscur-expedition-33-hd-2d-pixel-art/

The Bad Guys 2 steals a brilliant trick from Mission: Impossible and James Bond

When The Bad Guys came out in 2022, it was riding a flashy new wave of movies redefining American animation. Four years earlier, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sent a shockwave through the industry . It was a radical break from the push toward visual realism that had dominated American animation since Pixar Animation became the studio to beat. And it was praised and profitable — proving extremely stylized animation might just be a draw. Other animation studios immediately pivoted to more experimental visuals. The Bad Guys was part of the first surge of Spider-Verse followers, but it was no easy feat. As director Pierre Perifel told Polygon at the time, making an animated movie with such dramatic shading and lighting, flat comics-page textures, and unusual character designs involved “fighting the computer” to get the look he wanted. source https://www.polygon.com/bad-guys-2-anamorphic-lens-director-interview/

What does the f in Silent Hill f mean, anyway?

After playing Silent Hill f for five hours last month, I walked away excited about the game's prospects, and looking forward to its Sept. 25 release . But I did have a few questions for Konami and developer NeoBards Entertainment, the least consequential of which was: "Why is it called Silent Hill f ?" source https://www.polygon.com/silent-hill-f-title-meaning/

This wildly underrated time-loop movie just made its Netflix debut

When Until Dawn landed on Netflix last week, I felt a sense of morbid curiosity. When director David F. Sandberg’s adaptation of the 2015 survival horror game released in theaters earlier this year, I was utterly disappointed and found myself agreeing with Polygon’s review : This film is trying to do too much. I was also severely bummed that anything resembling the original game was mostly reduced to blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameos or a complete reinvention of characters (Dr. Hill, I’m looking at you) that feels so left-field it truly just takes you out of the entire film. source https://www.polygon.com/until-dawn-movie-more-fun-second-time/