Released in 2021, "Yasuke" is an anime miniseries created by LeSean Thomas for Netflix. Based on a legendary figure from Japanese history, the titular Yasuke is an African man who comes to Japan with some Jesuit missionaries and eventually becomes a samurai in the service of Lord Oda Nobunaga. When Nobunaga and his forces are destroyed by another warlord, Yasuke flees and finds a quiet retirement as a boatman outside a small village. When he's asked to help a sick little girl get to a doctor, he soon finds himself called on to fight once again.
With only six episodes, it's entirely likely that "Yasuke" will leave you wanting more. Fortunately, there are lots of other anime series out there for you to watch, and quite a few of them have similar settings and themes. We've put together a list of anime you should check out once you've watched Yasuke, and most of them involve sword fights and Japanese history.
Cannon Busters
"Yasuke" isn't the only anime from creator LeSean Thomas to show up on Netflix, so if you're interested in his work, you should probably check out his first. "Cannon Busters" is about a robot girl named SAM who teams up with a criminal named Philly the Kid while looking for her best friend, Kelby, who happens to be the prince of their embattled kingdom. Nobody in "Cannon Busters" is quite what they seem at first. Philly is immortal due to an old deal with a devil, with a number appearing on his body for every would-be death. Meanwhile, SAM looks like an innocent young woman most of the time, but when one of her friends is in danger, she instantly converts to an intimidating "cannon buster" form.
"Cannon Busters" is LeSean Thomas's first real anime, although his previous adaptation of Aaron McGruder's "Boondocks" for Adult Swim certainly had anime influences. In "Cannon Busters," we begin to see the mix of Western and Japanese elements influencing his storytelling, whereas in "Yasuke," we see those elements fully come into harmony.
Afro Samurai
You probably don't need this article to tell you that if you're looking for another anime about a Black samurai, you should probably check out "Afro Samurai." But seriously, if you've never watched it, it's really good. Manga artist Takashi Okazaki was inspired by his love of hip-hop and soul music and decided to combine a Black protagonist and American storytelling elements with Japanese history and culture. The original legend of Yasuke is also said to be an inspiration for Afro Samurai, although that certainly wasn't Okazaki's focus. The manga was adapted into an anime miniseries in 2007, with a follow-up movie in 2009. Both feature the voice of Samuel L. Jackson and the music of the RZA.
Afro Samurai (yes, that's actually the character's name) lives in a futuristic feudal Japan that's even less interested in historical accuracy than the Mech-infused world of "Yasuke." Afro's father wore the Number One Headband, which grants power to the world's greatest warrior. When a gunslinger named Justice kills him and takes the headband, Afro devotes his life to becoming a great warrior so that he can one day exact his revenge and take the Number One Headband. Of course, he learns that vengeance is a complicated and messy path, but there are lots of awesome sword fights along the way.
Samurai Champloo
If you're looking for samurai stories infused with a modern hip-hop sensibility, you can't go wrong with "Samurai Champloo," which first aired in 2004. Acclaimed creator Shinichirō Watanabe's follow-up to his huge hit "Cowboy Bebop," this series replaces jazzy space battles with breakbeat sword fights to great effect. "Samurai Champloo" features two diametrically opposed fighters: the chaotic outlaw Mugen and the taciturn samurai Jin. Although they are enemies on sight, they reluctantly team up to help a young woman named Fuu on a mission to find a mysterious samurai from her past.
Although the series is set in a recognizable version of the Edo Period in Japanese history, it brings in modern music and sensibilities. Many of the episodes focus on figures who are outsiders in Edo-era Japan because of their nationality, race, or sexuality. In its way, the series becomes something of a statement about how diversity is not new but has been an element of many societies all along. Most importantly, however, even when it has things to say, "Samurai Champloo" never forgets to be a fun and engaging samurai adventure anime.
Brave 10
The 2012 series "Brave 10" takes place in the Sengoku period of Japanese history and retells the legend of the Sanada 10 Braves, a group of 10 ninjas gathered by the warlord Yukimura Sanada. The central character is Saizō Kirigakure, a ninja so skilled he's rumored to have never let an opponent touch so much as his hair. Saizō has killed many people and no longer seems to have much feeling about that (or anything in general) until he meets Isanami, a priestess he saves from a kidnapping attempt in the woods. They travel together to Yokimura's home, where Isanami seeks refuge, and Saizō joins the team he's gathering.
If "Brave 10" were a simple surface-level historical adventure, it would most likely be worth a watch. However, it has a bit more going on than just that. Each of the 10 Braves corresponds to an element, with Saizō representing light, something he has a hard time accepting about himself since he's caused so much death. Isanami, on the other hand, represents darkness, and when his power is unleashed, things become really interesting (and unfortunate) for all concerned.
Blade Of The Immortal
"Blade of the Immortal" is another classic of samurai-focused anime. Originally a manga that began in the 1990s, the first anime version came out in 2008. There was a new anime in 2019, and both are worth a look if this is the sort of thing you're into, but we're focusing on the newer version. The immortal of the title is a ronin named Manji, who is unable to die because of some sacred bloodworms he got from a weird nun named Yaobikuni. It's clear at the beginning of the story that he's not fond of his immortality. For one thing, he's pretty sure it makes him a worse swordsman since he doesn't have to put in as much effort, and it gives him lots of time to dwell on the 100 good samurai he slew at the behest of his former master.
Manji makes a deal with Yaobikuni that she'll remove the bloodworms and allow him to die if he kills 1,000 bad men to make up for the 100 good men he killed. Meanwhile, a young woman named Rin Asano is looking for revenge on the warlord who killed her family. She reminds Manji of his late sister, so he's inclined to protect her, and of course, there are plenty of evil men to be slain along the way.
Hyouge Mono
Released in 2011, "Hyouge Mono" is based on the true story of a Sengoku-era warlord named Furuta Oribe. While the realm is torn apart by war and upheaval, Furuta becomes obsessed with the Japanese tradition of the tea ceremony. He's an aesthete by nature, taken with the simple beauty of things like tea, pottery, and architecture. In a time of constant war, his perspective is difficult for many to understand. Ultimately, Furuta Oribe becomes a legendary master of the tea ceremony. The anime shows the value of his perspective as well as the importance of aesthetic beauty and community-fostering traditions.
"Hyouge Mono" is an unusual story and an entertaining one. It also has a lot of perspectives to offer viewers, not just on Japanese history and traditions but on the value of the arts in the face of violence and conflict. That's certainly a theme with resonance for today's world.
Samurai 7
"Samurai 7" is an anime adaptation of the classic Akira Kurosawa film "Seven Samurai." It was released in 2004, 50 years after the original. Although it takes many departures from Kurosawa's version, starting with being set in the future, the seven warriors at its center have the same names and many of the same characteristics as their counterparts in that historical epic.
The wicked bandits that threaten a poor village in this version are cyborgs, making them that much more intimidating. A village priestess named Kirara is given the task of recruiting hungry samurai (since the town can only afford to pay them in rice), and the recruitment process is given a lot more space in the story, considering this is a 26-episode series as opposed to a movie. In addition to the grizzled leader Kanbei and the young romantic Katsushiro, the samurai include Kikuchiyo, an enormous armored cyborg with a truly huge sword. Perhaps inevitably, Katsushiro falls in love with Kirara, but Kirara falls for Kanbei, which inevitably leads to drama. And then, of course, they have to put all that drama aside to defend the village from evil cyborgs.
Shigurui: Death Frenzy
"Shigurui: Death Frenzy" came out in 2007, and the whole series revolves around one unusual fight. It's 1629, and the lord Tokugawa Tadanaga is holding a tournament in which the competitors will fight with real swords rather than the wooden training swords usually used for such activities. To the surprise of all in attendance, the first match of the tournament is between a one-armed swordsman named Fujiki Gennosuke and a blind Samurai named Irako Seigen. The series then goes on to tell the intertwined stories of these two men and how they came to this moment of inevitable conflict.
It turns out that Fujiki and Irako were both students of Kogan Iwamoto, a cruel sensei who runs his own school. Irako was once the heir to the school and engaged to marry Kogan's daughter, Mie. However, he also became involved with Kogan's concubine, Lady Iku, which led to his blinding and banishment. The less ambitious Fujiki then becomes Kogan's heir, despite losing his arm in an initial confrontation with Irako.
"Shigurui" is unrelentingly dark and grim in its tone, so it may not be for every viewer. The women characters are treated especially terribly, with depictions of sexual assault and extreme domestic violence. If you have a strong stomach, however, this is an entertaining and unflinching depiction of a dark time in Japanese history.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit theRape, Abuse & Incest National Network websiteor contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls
"Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls" was released in 2005 and takes place in the era when Japan was first united by one ruler, the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. When Ieyasu first seizes power, the legendary ninja Hattori Hanzo ends a centuries-long feud between two clans, the Iga of Tsubagakure and the Kouga of Manjidani, by conscripting both to serve the new shogun. A few years later, in 1614, that peace ends when the two clans are ordered to each send their 10 best ninjas to fight to the death. It seems there's disagreement about which of Ieyasu's grandsons should eventually inherit the shogunate, and it's already threatening to tear the young nation apart. Each ninja clan will fight for one of the heirs, determining once and for all who will eventually rule Japan.
The ninja clans never asked for this, especially after they'd spent years putting their feud behind them. Gennosuke Kouga, leader of the Kouga clan, is a young man who strongly believes in looking to the future and not holding grudges. As proof of his principles (and because he's in love, of course), he's even engaged to Oboro, the heir to the Iga clan. Unfortunately, what the shogun says goes, and the two are bound to be mortal enemies.
Gintama
No anime mixes samurai and science fiction more enthusiastically than "Gintama" from 2006, a series that takes place in an alternate version of feudal Japan occupied by invading aliens. Although the samurai of this world defended Earth against the invaders, the shogun surrendered to the aliens and allowed their occupation. Twenty years later, technology has vastly increased, but publicly carrying swords is illegal, and samurai are persona non grata. That leaves Gintoki Sakata, the series' protagonist, to take up a life of odd jobs to make ends meet.
Despite his unglamorous new career, Gintoki employs Shinpachi Shimura, a teenage boy who wants to learn the way of the samurai, and Kagura, a friendly alien girl. Together, the three have adventures involving aliens and samurai as they struggle against the strange world they live in and Gintoki's shady past.
"Gintama" is extremely comedic in tone, with a lot of fourth-wall-breaking humor that pokes fun at manga and anime tropes. It might even be the silliest thing on this list, but after witnessing the violence and tragedy of shows like "Shigurui" and "Basilisk," something silly might be just what you need.
Dororo
The original "Dororo" anime was created by "Astro Boy" innovator Osamu Tezuka in 1968, but that's not the one we're here to talk about today. In 2019, Tezuka's original manga was adapted into a new series that brings modern sensibilities to the already unusual story. It tells of Hyakkimaru, a young ronin whose limbs and several organs were sacrificed to 12 demons by his father when he was a newborn. As an adult, Hyakkimaru is equipped with prosthetics and the ability to see (and, therefore, fight) demons hiding on Earth. On the road, he meets young Dororo, who becomes his traveling companion, as he looks to retrieve his lost body parts from the demons. Dororo not only helps him with day-to-day stuff because of his disability but also becomes his emotional tether to humanity, as he is tempted to give in to the violence that has defined his life. As you can tell from the premise, this one is extremely dark, but it's also emotionally rewarding.
Eventually, Hyakkimaru must confront his evil father and fight his younger brother, who has become his father's heir. It turns out Dororo has a complicated family history, as well, and needs Hyakkimaru's help at least as much as he needs hers. This dark fantasy goes to some pretty unique places with the "wandering ronin" premise, and the 2019 version is well worth a look.
House Of Five Leaves
Another Edo period story, 2010's "House of Five Leaves" follows Masanosuke Akitsu, a down-on-his-luck samurai. Although he's a good swordsman, Masanosuke (or Masa for short) is a naturally timid man who gets uncomfortable around crowds. This leads to his shogun releasing him. Disgraced and unable to support his family, Masa moves alone to Edo (Japan's capital city, later renamed Tokyo). Looking for work as a bodyguard, he takes a job with a man named Yaichi, who turns out to be the leader of a criminal gang called the Five Leaves. Masa is initially reluctant to work with the Five Leaves, being more than a little uncomfortable using his skills for crime. However, he can't stop thinking about Yaichi's carefree attitude and gets increasingly drawn into the world of the Five Leaves.
Throughout the series, Masa tries to learn about Yaichi, whose origin story is finally told in the final episode. Yaichi was adopted by a prominent family but was kidnapped on his adoptive mother's instructions after she got pregnant with another son. He never goes back home, living the life of an outlaw from then on. Like Masa, he's a man who lost his family and is living the only life left to him, even if he seems to be having a great time.
Rurouni Kenshin
A classic of '90s anime, "Rurouni Kenshin" stands the test of time and is worth revisiting if you're in the mood for samurai stories (and if you've made it all the way through this list, you probably are). The title character is Himura Kenshin, a legendary assassin who has renounced his former ways and become a wandering swordsman who carries a "reverse blade sword," a katana with a cutting edge on the inner-curved side of the blade that makes it nearly impossible to kill with. As the series begins, Kenshin wanders into Tokyo, where he meets Kamiya Kaoru, a woman who owns a dojo. He takes up residence at the dojo, offering protection and help to those around him. Meanwhile, enemies from his violent past reemerge to cause trouble.
If you're looking for good anime about samurai and other sword-wielding Japanese historical figures, there's no shortage. This list probably could be twice as long, but we did our best to gather for you the cream of the crop from Champloo to Kenshin and focus on those that bring a modern sensibility to the table in a similar manner as "Yasuke."
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the New York Times: The leader of a small online gaming chat group where a trove of classified U.S. intelligence documents leaked over the last few months is a 21-year-old member of the intelligence wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, according to interviews and documents reviewed by The New York Times. The National Guardsman, whose name is Jack Teixeira, oversaw a private online group called Thug Shaker Central, where about 20 to 30 people, mostly young men and teenagers, came together over a shared love of guns, racist online memes and video games. On Thursday afternoon, about a half-dozen F.B.I. agents pushed into a residence in North Dighton, Mass. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland later said in a short statement that Airman Teixeira had been arrested "without incident." Federal investigators had been searching for days for the person who leaked the top secret documents online.
Starting months ago, one of the users uploaded hundreds of pages of intelligence briefings into the small chat group, lecturing its members, who had bonded during the isolation of the pandemic, on the importance of staying abreast of world events. [...] The Times spoke with four members of Thug Shaker Central, one of whom said he had known the person who leaked for at least three years, had met him in person and referred to him as the O.G. The friends described him as older than most of the group members, who were in their teens, and the undisputed leader. One of the friends said the O.G. had access to intelligence documents through his job. While the gaming friends would not identify the group's leader by name, a trail of digital evidence compiled by The Times leads to Airman Teixeira. The Times has been able to link Airman Teixeira to other members of Thug Shaker Central through his online gaming profile and other records. Details of the interior of Airman Teixeira's childhood home -- posted on social media in family photographs -- also match details on the margins of some of the photographs of the leaked secret documents.
Members of Thug Shaker Central who spoke to The Times said that the documents they discussed online were meant to be purely informative. While many pertained to the war in Ukraine, the members said they took no side in the conflict. The documents, they said, started to get wider attention only when one of the teenage members of the group took a few dozen of them and posted them to a public online forum. From there they were picked up by Russian-language Telegram channels and then The Times, which first reported on them. The person who leaked, they said, was no whistle-blower, and the secret documents were never meant to leave their small corner of the internet. "This guy was a Christian, antiwar, just wanted to inform some of his friends about what's going on," said one of the person's friends from the community, a 17-year-old recent high school graduate. "We have some people in our group who are in Ukraine. We like fighting games; we like war games."
Google on Thursday outlined a set of initiatives aimed at improving the vulnerability management ecosystem and establishing greater transparency measures around exploitation.
"While the notoriety of zero-day vulnerabilities typically makes headlines, risks remain even after they're known and fixed, which is the real story," the company said in an announcement. "Those risks span everything from
this has always fascinated me. I first learned it about 25 years ago, and ever since, every time I see a capital letter A a tiny voice inside me goes “bull!”
Fun to see an actual scholarly version of this, because I first read it as explained (-ish) by one of Kipling’s “Just So Stories” a very, very long time ago…
It may have taken Nic Cage over 40 years to play Dracula in "Renfield," but he previously donned fangs for one of his most out-there performances in "Vampire's Kiss."
It's kind of surprising that it's taken this long for Nicolas Cage to play Count Dracula. If any actor was born to play the most famous vampire on the planet then surely it was our generation's most unpredictable screen legend. Now he's getting his chance in the comedy "Renfield," where he stars alongside Nicholas Hoult, who plays Dracula's beleaguered goon in the midst of an identity crisis. Cage has always expressed interest in vampire lore. He produced the 2000 film "Shadow of the Vampire," a fictionalized version of the making of "Nosferatu" that imagines what would have happened if an actual vampire had been among the cast. Mostly, however, his highly specific strain of acting has been saved for playing mere mortals. There is an exception to that rule (sort of) in the movie "Vampire's Kiss," which manages to be strange even by the standards of the king of such qualities.
Yes, Nic Cage Is A Good Actor
It's easy to dismiss the work of Nicolas Cage, to decry it as bad or inept. His performances display immense range as an actor but his most infamous work is frenetic, highly committed, and often inexplicably gripping. For decades, he's demanded attention, even if not all of it has been positive. Many are cynical about his process because, even after over 40 years in the business, it's utterly unlike anything his peers are doing. Cage once described his acting style as "Western Kabuki" and "Nouveau Shamanic," more rooted in the likes of German Expressionism than the realism-driven method that has dominated Hollywood since the '50s. Where others aim for naturalism, Cage goes for the extreme, a kind of unpredictability that David Lynch once compared to jazz.
What's most fascinating about Cage's work (and we could be here all day listing his intriguing qualities) is how consistent he's been. There was no mid-career evolution into who we now know as Nic Cage. He was always like that, as evidenced by his feral subversion of the stoic romantic hero in "Moonstruck" and his turn as a traumatized soldier in "Birdy," wherein he yanked out two of his front teeth to prepare for the role. In 1988, still only 24 years old, Cage headlined a curious dark comedy that purported to be a vampire movie but quickly revealed itself to viewers to be something far stranger. Even by Nic Cage standards, "Vampire's Kiss" is a unique one.
How Vampire's Kiss Got Made
"Vampire's Kiss" centers on a yuppie literary agent whose grasp on reality is tenuous long before he meets a woman who may or may not be a vampire. His drug-addled rants about alphabetizing are so uncomfortable that his own psychiatrist has no idea how to help him. When he has a one-night stand with a woman he's convinced wants him to be a vampire, things only get bleaker from here. The film was written by Joseph Minion, who was best known at the time for the screenplay of "After Hours," the Martin Scorsese black comedy about a bored yuppie who tries to get home one night in the midst of absolute chaos. A minor disappointment upon release, "After Hours" is now considered one of Scorsese's most underrated works, a bleak blend of screwball comedy, film noir, and panic attack that delves into pure Freudian nightmare, albeit with more jokes. It's not traditionally comedic, often more concerned with needling at the audiences' anxieties than their funny bones.
For his follow-up script, Minion wanted to explore his ongoing depression as well as a toxic relationship he'd had with his then-girlfriend, producer Barbara Zitwer. He saw Zitwer as "vampire and destroying him," and he imagined the speculative aspects of a classic vampire tale would fit well into his oeuvre (which is especially raw given that she went on to produce this film). He wasn't wrong. Vampire stories work best when they act as a conduit to explore contemporary ideas and concerns. Minion also wanted to make a New York movie, one with as grim an outlook on the city as "After Hours." Initially offered to Dennis Quaid, perhaps a more traditional leading man than his replacement, the screenplay for "Vampire's Kiss" then fell into the hands of Cage. His own agent tried to coax him into turning it down, believing it to be a poor follow-up to his previous film, "Moonstruck." Of course, few people can tell Nicolas Cage what to do.
Cage's Performance Is, Of Course, Intense
As Peter Loew, a rich jerk with more issues than a Fangoria subscription, Cage is surreally committed to his acting choices. To paraphrase "Garth Marenghi's Darkplace," he knows actors who use subtext and they're all cowards. This is a part of pure text, of unfettered id that cannot be controlled. For Cage, the core of this character was his smothering isolation, and the idea that one could be so lonely that you could literally go mad. While Cage is known for going off-script, with "Vampire's Kiss," he followed the screenplay to the latter for almost the entire production. That's not to say he performed as the studio expected. He'd never be so predictable. In perhaps the film's most infamous scene, where Peter recites the entire alphabet with the disgusted force of a Baptist preacher railing against Satan, he noted that he planned out his movements "in my hotel room with my cat."
Director Robert Bierman, who is mostly known for working on British television, encouraged Cage's more out-there choices, such as his pretentious transatlantic accent that veers into Transylvanian during his most hectic bellowing. Even he, however, was baffled by Cage's request that, when shooting a love scene with Jennifer Beals, he has hot yogurt poured onto his toes to get him aroused. It was also Cage's idea to eat a real cockroach on camera, which was the only change he made to the script.
What Vampire's Kiss Is Actually About
It's easy to mock "Vampire's Kiss." It's bonkers, eminently quotable, and the blueprint for the Nic Cage archetype that has been the stuff of memes for many years. If you've seen "Con Air" or the remake of "The Wicker Man" or any of the bad movie night-primed Cage films, you'll recognize that shared energy immediately in "Vampire's Kiss." But it's not a bad movie, certainly not in the way it's been deemed since it opened to terrible reviews and disappointing box office. The film really does exemplify the Cage Method and why it's proven so wildly divisive over the decades. He wanted to shock the audience, to make them feel nauseated by this repulsive character whose fall into madness is nonetheless deeply moving. And he wanted to do it without any sliver of realism in his performance. You can't say he failed when he set the terms so thoroughly.
"Vampire's Kiss" could probably have still worked had Peter been played by, to put it kindly, a more timid actor. Like "After Hours," it's a pitch-black comedy with a scathing view of the much-fetishized misogynistic yuppie culture of the era that's equally fascinated by psychological distress. It's not hard to see Griffin Dunne looking increasingly harried as he becomes convinced he's joined the ranks of the undead. But it's with Cage that the film finds its perfect partner, the one it needed if not necessarily the one its studio wanted. The potency of Cage lies in how he captures something so acutely human, even if it seems over-the-top. Being so utterly and unbearably alone does feel agonizing on a Cage-esque level, as much as we bottle up our emotions and pretend otherwise.
Is Vampire's Kiss Actually A Vampire Movie?
A vampire film can be defined by such by the presence of, you guessed it, a vampire. What form said creature takes is another question. Dracula is a 180 turn from Edward Cullen, who is the total opposite of Nosferatu, who is nothing like Santanico Pandemonium, and so on. Centuries of vampiric lore give creators endless options to pick and choose when telling their own tale. Many of the things we see as requirements of vampirism — an aversion to sunlight, fangs — aren't present in its most iconic stories. That gives "Vampire's Kiss" a lot of leeway to define itself as a vampire film. Sometimes, vampirism is a metaphor. With Peter Loew, it often feels like an excuse.
It's not uncommon to see vampirism as a stand-in for misogyny. So much of "Dracula" makes more sense when read as a dissection of Victorian-era puritanism and how it punishes women for defying the rigid status quo. With "Vampire's Kiss," Peter's contempt for women is akin to derangement, something that has saturated the era and seems primed to explode at any moment. He treats every woman he comes across, from his therapist to his beleaguered secretary to the women he ditches after endless one-night stands, as prey. He cuts his neck while shaving but sees it as a bloodsucking attack from a mysterious seductress who pins him down and leaves him helpless. As he begins to modify his behavior to become more vampiric, including buying a set of plastic fangs that look hilariously cheap, it coincides with his increasing torment towards his secretary, Alva. Peter is so convinced of his vampirism when, in reality, he's just a misogynist whose fear of women has left him isolated beyond hope. That's a pretty nervy story for a 1980s dark comedy with the title "Vampire's Kiss." Clearly, Nic Cage knew that, and committed accordingly. This is the story of an apex predator who is terrified of losing his power, and it nails that frenetic panic with zeal. Look past the memes and descend into its thrall.
Just because Halfway to Halloween is over doesn’t mean the horror party hasn’t stopped over at our favorite streaming service. We’ve got some brand new films as well as some horror classics coming on over to Shudder. Check out what all is being thrown into your eyeballs this May.
PREMIERES
HUESERA: THE BONE WOMAN
Directed by Michelle Garza Cervera
Streaming on Shudder May 12th; Check our review here.
(Available in US, CA, UKI, ANZ)
Courtesy ShudderSynopsis: Valeria, a young woman expecting her first child, becomes cursed by a sinister entity. Plunged into a terrifying and dangerous world, a group of witches emerge as her only hope for safety and salvation, but not without grave risk.
CONSECRATION
Directed by Christopher Smith
Streaming on Shudder May 19th; Check out our review here.
(Available in US, CA, UKI, ANZ)
Synopsis: After the suspicious death of her brother, a priest, Grace (Malone) goes to the Mount Saviour Convent in Scotland to find out what really happened with the help of Father Romero (Huston). But she soon comes to distrust the account of the Church as she uncovers murder, sacrilege, and a disturbing truth about her own shadowy past that brings long-buried trauma to the surface.
Director: Christopher Smith
Writer: Christopher Smith, Laurie Cook
Cast: Jena Malone, Danny Huston, Janet Suzman
Language: English
INFLUENCER
Directed by Kurtis David Harder
Streaming on Shudder May 26th; Check out our review here.
(Available in US, CA, UKI, ANZ) **Shudder Premiere**
Courtesy Shudder
Synopsis: While struggling on a solo backpacking trip in Thailand, social media influencer Madison meets CW, who travels with ease and shows her a more uninhibited way of living. But CW’s interest in her takes a darker turn.
Director: Kurtis David Harder (SPIRAL)
Writer: Kurtis David Harder, Tesh Guttikonda
Cast: Cassandra Naud, Emily Tennant, Rory J Saper, Sara Canning
Language: English
SHUDDER RESURRECTED **Repertory Titles New to Shudder**
High Tension (2003)
Directed by Alexandre Aja
Streaming on Shudder May 1st
Inside (2007)
Directed by Alexandre Bustillo & Julien Maury
Streaming on Shudder May 1st
Livid (2011)
Directed by Alexandre Bustillo & Julien Maury
Streaming on Shudder May 1st
Martyrs (2015)
Directed by Kevin & Michael Goetz
Streaming on Shudder May 1st
Poison for the Fairies (1986)
Directed by Carlos Enrique Taboada
Streaming on Shudder May 8th
Darker than the Night (1975)
Directed by Carlos Enrique Taboada
Streaming on Shudder May 8th
The Babadook (2014)
Directed by Jennifer Kent
Streaming on Shudder May 15th
The Devil’s Doorway (2018)
Directed by Aislinn Clarke
Streaming on Shudder May 15th
In Their Skin (2012)
Directed by Jeremy Power Regimbal
Streaming on Shudder May 22nd
Is an IT certification worth it or a waste of time? While time-consuming, earning a credential from a trusted platform validates your skills and gives you credibility in the eyes of employers. Here are some reasons why you should get an IT certification.
If Valve isn't going to do Half-Life 3 (although we still believe; we’ll always believe) it’s over to fans of the stalwart Steam FPS game to keep the world and the story of Gordon Freeman going, and deliver a series of unofficial Half-Life 2 sequels. In 2022, we had Entropy Zero, an extremely professionally made and expansive mod which served as a spin-off to Valve’s original 2004 opus. Now comes the follow up, an entirely new Half-Life 2 campaign that casts you as a Civil Protection officer during HL2’s climactic revolt.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Star Trek: Picard."
Unless you've been living in a derelict Borg cube hopelessly severed from the Collective, you've probably noticed that this season of "Star Trek: Picard" has doubled down on "The Next Generation" to whole new levels of nostalgia. For some, that's exactly what they've been waiting for from this series ever since it was first announced. For others, well, just check out /Film's recap by Witney Seibold of the very last episode, titled "Vox," for the other end of the spectrum of reactions.
But for showrunner Terry Matalas, this third and final season has provided the best excuse to go out on a high note, smashing together various eras of "Trek" history to give Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), and the rest of our original heroes one last grand adventure. While that has obviously meant reuniting our title character with old friends like Brent Spiner's Data and LeVar Burton's Geordi LaForge, it's also made room for several deep cuts and unexpected references of lore from years past. This time, one sneakily clever reappearance by a previously established "The Next Generation" character gave one dramatic death at the hands of the Borg a little extra irony.
As the plot line surrounding the Changeling conspiracy to take down Starfleet once and for all barrels towards its explosive conclusion on Frontier Day, the festivities allowed for one familiar face to briefly take centerstage: a certain Admiral Elizabeth Shelby on the bridge of the Enterprise-F, portrayed by actor Elizabeth Dennehy. Of course, Trekkies have seen this particular character before in the classic "The Next Generation" two-parter, "The Best of Both Worlds" — which shocked the fanbase by having Picard assimilated by the Borg.
A Blast From The Past
The Borg. Why does it always have to be the Borg? Picard's lasting trauma from his previous assimilation by the biggest bad in all of "Trek" has lingered throughout the decades, having been explored throughout "The Next Generation," the subsequent movies, and even earlier this season in "Picard." But as much as Picard is a central figure in the Federation, he didn't face off against this threat alone. Back in the season 3 finale of "The Next Generation," Starfleet dispatched Captain Elizabeth Shelby to the Enterprise-D, a bona fide Borg expert tasked with helping to repel the imminent Borg invasion. Fans will remember that she and Riker almost immediately rubbed one another the wrong way, thanks to a combo of clashing styles, a little bit of political overambition, and, most unforgivably of all, beating Riker at a hand of poker.
Still, the young officer proved her worth when Picard was captured by the enemy as she led the away mission to retrieve the captain. Though she couldn't quite prevent his assimilation and subsequent rampage during the Battle of Wolf 359, her efforts helped cripple the Borg cube and set up their eventual rescue of Picard from Borg clutches. Riker smoothed over any differences between the unlikely pair by promoting her to first officer in Picard's absence and eventually commander, Starfleet tasked her with rebuilding their fleet to prepare for future attacks, and she even reappeared once more down the line in an incredibly silly episode of "Star Trek: Lower Decks."
Having so much Borg experience under her belt, it was perhaps only a matter of time before "Star Trek: Picard" recruited the services of Elizabeth Shelby upon the shocking revelation that the Changelings had been collaborating with the sinister Borg. Of course, none of us could've predicted exactly how she'd be used in the latest episode. Or how bleakly ironic her final appearance would be.
With all of Starfleet blissfully unaware of the danger at their doorstep, the fleet celebrates the storied Frontier Day by gathering en masse to test out their fancy, system-wide new gadgetry. Synchronously linking each and every ship to the other for a much more efficient level of defense — hint: if your newfangled tech looks like the Borg and sounds like the Borg, it's probably the Borg — the system makes the fleet disastrously vulnerable to sabotage. That's exactly what happens when Picard & Co. show up, interrupt Admiral Shelby's grandiose speech, and trigger the defense mechanisms of the starships in orbit around Earth. Even Picard notes the irony of Shelby endorsing a plan of action that's "so Borg-like," showing how even the most decorated figures in Starfleet could lower their guard in such a time of (perceived) peace.
When the Borg inevitably begins their assimilation of the fleet and turn their drones against the ships, a completely bewildered and overwhelmed Shelby becomes one of the first and most tragic victims of the attack. It's an unceremonious and deeply upsetting end for a character who's lived through some of the darkest moments in all of "Trek" canon, but the instinct to bring her back for such a small but crucial role in "Picard" pays off effectively.
The "Star Trek: Picard" series finale airs on Paramount+ April 20, 2023.
There’s only one more episode of The Mandalorian season 3 to come and we discuss theories answering the question: Is The Armorer a spy? We also explain the leader’s connection to Rook Kast and the mentioned Death Watch.
This week saw the reutrn of the formidable Moff Gideon and we previously discussed the villain’s Dark Trooper suit.
Created by Jon Favreau for Disney Plus and starring Pascal as the titular bounty hunter, The Mandalorian follows Din Djarin who is hired to track down a child known as Grogu – more commonly Baby Yoda – but ends up doing everything he can to protect him from Imperial forces.
Season 3 episode 7 saw Bo-Katan rally the Nite Owls and the Children of the Watch to retake the Great Forge on Mandalore.
Several Mandalorians offered to go, including Din Djarin, Paz Vizsla, and The Armorer, and the group also met up with more Mandalorian survivors on the planet.
After entering the Great Forge, the Mandalorians were quickly ambushed by Moff Gideon’s forces within a secret Imperial base.
A theory surrounding the Children of the Watch’s Armorer being an Imperial spy began during season 3, after she was willing to let Bo-Katan disregard the creed of keeping the helmet on in order for her to bring the scattered Mandalorian factions together.
Considering The Armorer has always been a devout follower of “the way,” it gave fans cause for concern when she was quickly willing to throw that away for the good of reuniting their exiled brothers and sisters.
Suspicions also rose after Chapter 23 when The Armorer offered to come on Bo-Katan’s mission to the Great Forge that was later ambushed – something the character would never have embarked on before.
It was also convenient that The Armorer went back with the injured survivors before the ambush began.
Fans also have their crosshairs on Axe Woves being a spy, after he left the ambush rather quickly and previously claimed his honor went to the highest bidder.
The Mandalorian – Cr. Star Wars/YouTube
Who are the Death Watch?
The Death Watch is a faction of Mandalorian terrorists who fought against the pro-active government on Mandalore during the Clone Wars and they were mentioned by The Armorer during the latest episode.
Led by Duchess Satine Kryze – Bo-Katan’s sister – the splinter group failed to overthrow the government many times and resorted to becoming the Shadow Collective led by Darth Maul.
The Shadow Collective managed to take control of the planet under Maul’s rule, but power for leadership created conflict between Maul and Pre Vizsla.
After the latter was defeated, Maul climbed the ladder and the Death Watch disbanded becoming the Mandalorian rebels led by Bo-Katan.
One Mandalorian theory points to The Armorer’s real identity being Rook Kast – known as a surviving member of the Death Watch and loyalist to Darth Maul.
This group of extremists was said to have disbanded – explained by The Armorer – but this theory suggests that some of Maul’s followers survived the Mandalorian civil war and regrouped with Rook as their leader.
Since The Armorer was the one that responded about the Death Watch in Chapter 23 – after a sinister pause – fans believe this could be a major clue.
The Mandalorian – Cr. Lucasfilm, Disney Plus
The Mandalorian episode count and release schedule
The Mandalorian season 3 is confirmed to have eight episodes, following the episode count of its previous two seasons.
Season 3 will follow the pattern of most Disney Plus shows and release weekly, with new episodes airing on a Wednesday.
Each episode lasts between 30-50 minutes and the season 3 finale is confirmed to take place on Wednesday, April 19, 2023.
Season 3’s full release schedule reveals when you can catch every new episode of The Mandalorian until the finale.
The Mandalorian – Cr. Star Wars, YouTube.
By Jo Craig – jo.craig@grv.media
The Mandalorian season 3 is now streaming on Disney Plus.
The Legend of Zelda library contains some of the best games of the past and modern eras. It's impossible to deny that the series has considerably influenced gaming history, not just for the players but also for developers of new titles.
An unprecedented analysis of how cancers grow has revealed an "almost infinite" ability of tumors to evolve and survive, say scientists. The BBC reports: The results of tracking lung cancers for nine years left the research team "surprised" and "in awe" at the formidable force they were up against. They have concluded we need more focus on prevention, with a "universal" cure unlikely any time soon. The study -- entitled TracerX -- provides the most in-depth analysis of how cancers evolve and what causes them to spread. More than 400 people -- treated at 13 hospitals in the UK -- had biopsies taken from different parts of their lung cancer as the disease progressed.
The evolutionary analysis has been published across seven separate studies in the journals Nature and Nature Medicine. The research showed:
- Highly aggressive cells in the initial tumor are the ones that ultimately end up spreading around the body
- Tumors showing higher levels of genetic "chaos" were more likely to relapse after surgery to other parts of the body
- Analyzing blood for fragments of tumor DNA meant signs of it returning could be spotted up to 200 days before appearing on a CT scan
- The cellular machinery that reads the instructions in our DNA can become corrupted in cancerous cells making them more aggressive. "I don't think we're going to be able to come up with universal cures," said Prof Charles Swanton, from the Francis Crick Institute and University College London. "If we want to make the biggest impact we need to focus on prevention, early detection and early detection of relapse."
Last week, Dr Paul Burton, the chief medical officer of pharmaceutical company Moderna, said he believes the firm will be able to offer vaccines for cancer, cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases, and other conditions by 2030. The new analysis reported on by the BBC casts doubt on that timeline.
"I don't want to sound too depressing about this, but I think -- given the almost infinite possibilities in which a tumor can evolve, and the very large number of cells in a late-stage tumor, which could be several hundred billion cells -- then achieving cures in all patients with late-stage disease is a formidable task," said Swanton.
Capcom is officially withdrawing support for the DirectX 11 versions of the Resident Evil remakes Resident Evil 2 and RE3, as well as Resident Evil 7, meaning that any future updates or patches for the horror games will only apply to the DirectX 12-enabled versions. The newer versions previously drew criticism for their integration of ray tracing lighting effects, which some fans felt made the games look worse than the DirectX 11-driven originals. Nevertheless, the RE series continues riding high thanks to the successful launch of Resident Evil 4 Remake and the first full trailer for tie-in movie Resident Evil Death Island.
Artificial intelligence has become an unavoidable trend, and with that comes an explosion of possibilities and fears. Though A.I. promises to free the masses from the suffering of alienated labor, it also threatens to render many redundant. In some sense, the blessing and curse of A.I. is that it may become too good, painfully exposing just how inadequate our biological modes of being are.
In Guerrilla Games' Horizon franchise, A.I. appears as both the villain and the hero, illustrating the dual nature of technology. Interestingly, the studio's science fiction vision appears to borrow heavily from H.G. Wells. Although it may seem counterintuitive at first, upon closer analysis, it becomes apparent that Guerrilla Games and Wells may have been trying to convey very similar messages through their art.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShJuY6Zl2Aw
Guerrilla Games and H.G. Wells
The story behind Horizon Zero Dawn's conception has been retold aplenty in the gaming community, as it demonstrates how creativity can be maximally harnessed with good leadership. After years of working on the Killzone franchise, Guerrilla Games realized that being a one-trick pony would not be a sustainable long-term strategy. Hermen Hulst, who was the studio head at the time, had the team pitch ideas about what games they'd like to work on. Out of that, the Horizon franchise was born.
During the pitching process, the team toyed with the idea of making a game based on H.G. Wells' The Time Machine, first published in 1895. The sci-fi novel is set in the distant year 802701, and at first, it appears that the perfect utopia has been achieved. However, upon closer inspection, readers discover that the class differences have been so exaggerated that humans have split into two races, and the rich and poor appear to be two separate species.
Though the idea of a Wells' game was scrapped, it doesn't mean that Guerrilla Games completely abandoned the iconic author. As Hermen Hulst has admitted when discussing The Time Machine: "Even though we ultimately didn’t pick it I suppose you can see some elements translated into Horizon". Wells fans will be aware that one of the races in The Time Machine is called the Eloi, a word that's quite similar to a certain red-haired heroine's name.
[caption id="attachment_373329" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]
The Horizon Between Biology and Bot
The War of the Worlds is perhaps Wells' most widely recognized text. It has found a special place in literary culture, and it is considered a seminal example of the alien invasion subgenre. Part of the novel's success comes from its descriptions captivating enough to cause mass panic when it was read in a 1938 radio program.
Through the vivid descriptions, Wells brings to life the Fighting Machines that the invading Martians use to terrorize England. In an unexpected twist, what makes the Fighting Machines so awe-inspiring is not their technological prowess, but their resemblance to simple biological beings.
The narrator notes how the Fighting Machines are not a mess of cogs and wheels. Instead, they walk on spider-like legs that are powered by a "sort of sham musculature" that electric currents run through. It is this "curious parallelism to animal motions" which was "so striking and disturbing to the human beholder". At one point, the animal-like nature of a Fighting Machine enchants the narrator so much that he "did not see it as a machine, in spite of its metallic glitter".
[caption id="attachment_373330" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]
A similar effect is found in the Horizon franchise. The Machines that have enchanted fans seem more animal-like than robotic, with many of them exhibiting reptilian or mammalian behavior. For players with an active enough imagination, it is also possible to form a bond with Aloy's mounts as if they were living pets.
Though the similarities between the machines of Guerrilla Games and Wells may seem merely poetic at first, it goes much deeper. The Corruptors, which bring destruction in Horizon Zero Dawn, walk on spindly legs much like the Fighting Machines, and they have the same skittish, animated style of motion described in The War of the Worlds. With the upcoming Horizon Forbidden West DLC, Burning Shores, it appears players will see more of the Horus Titans which sport tentacular appendages.
Hope During Dystopian Disasters
Wells' influence on the Horizon franchise has produced a unique variety of science fiction that represents a masterclass in worldbuilding. The peak of technology in both Wells' works and the Horizon franchise is represented, not by an austere, sentient computer like 2001: A Space Odyssey's HAL 9000, but rather by biology mimics. These are perhaps the comforting video game villains needed now more than ever, when technology poses the risk of ushering in biological obsolescence. Humans can draw some superiority from, and feel flattered by, the fact that the higher technology strives, the more it becomes like us.
The bizarre release of sensitive US government materials soon after their creation signals a potential shift to near-real-time unauthorized disclosures.
Windows 11 is a great version of Microsoft's operating system, having brought along many changes that make Windows more visually appealing and welcoming to new users. However, it's not to everyone's taste. For example, you might not like that you have to use a Microsoft account with Windows 11. It's used in a few places throughout the operating system and its apps. As of Windows 11 version 22H2, both Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 require a Microsoft account to set up, at least for most users.
This post contains spoilers for Season 3, Episode 7 of "The Mandalorian," "The Spies."
After last week's languid, lighthearted episode in the latest season of "The Mandalorian," we have been treated to an extremely high-stakes penultimate episode meant to gear us toward an explosive finale. Delivering a cold open that strengthens the show's connections with the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy, Rick Famuyiwa's "The Spies" does not waste any time in setting up multiple future storylines in an attempt to fill in the gaps or fleshing out the canon.
We finally see Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) in the flesh after being teased about his return for six episodes, and the big baddie is busy conversing with the Imperial Shadow Council, who are working overtime to reinstate the Empire covertly. We see Admiral Pellaeon (Steve Pemberton), who has a direct connection to Grand Admiral Thrawn, along with Commandant Hux (Brian Gleeson), known to be key to the First Order and its eventual rise to power down the line. While these cameos already tie the events of "The Mandalorian" to that of the sequel trilogy, a mysterious, secretive project is namedropped to suggest the return of a familiar face.
Gideon and Commandant Hux briefly talk about cloning technologies, with the former evading questions about Dr. Pershing's fate and being dismissive about plans related to this field. This is when Hux mentions Project Necromancer, which everyone in the council seems to be aware of. While Hux and co. are most likely referring to Palpatine returning somehow, let us look into the many facets that might factor into this nefarious Imperial experiment.
Understanding Sith Necromancy
While the Sith are known to walk a dark, dangerous path, incorporating arcane magic and alchemy, necromancy is still considered niche and mostly off-limits by disciples of this path. After all, reanimating the dead is no easy task, as it requires ritual magic and personal sacrifices that come at a great cost.
However, canon dictates the existence of Siths like Dathka Graush, who were among the earliest practitioners of Sith necromancy. Graush managed to perfect a spell that helped create a zombified army bound to him through the dark side of the Force, while he replaced his heart with a crystal to further amplify his connection to the dark side. Years after Graush's death, many Sith practitioners were desperate to learn more about the forbidden arts from the long-dead Sith King, going as far as disturbing his Korriban grave for answers.
There are many magic users spread across the galaxy — for instance, the Nightsisters of Dathomir tap into dark energies granted by the planet's ichor — but the act of bringing the dead back to life is a big no-no even for the most formidable magic users. While ritual necromancy might be a lost art to the remnants of the Empire in "The Mandalorian," it is not far-fetched to assume that some form of this idea is being implemented with the aid of advanced technology. Project Necromancer might be a combination of arcane magic and state-of-the-art technology, with several layers of objectives ranked according to priority. At the moment, the Empire is scattered and leaderless, which would make sense for the introduction of an interim puppet ruler sometime in the future, leading us to...
Snoke, And By Extension, Palpatine
Events of the sequel trilogy map out the rise and fall of Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), who acted as leader of the First Order in the New Republic era. After Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) betrays Snoke by killing him in "The Last Jedi," it is later revealed that he was only an artificial genetic construct created as a proxy until Palpatine's resurrection, with his only goal being manipulating events in favor of the Sith resurgence.
The opening of "The Rise of Skywalker" hints at several Snoke clones hibernating inside glass tanks, which could possibly mean they were all programmed to act a certain way, despite seeming to possess a mind of their own. The mechanics of cloning and artificial constructs in the sequels are murky at best, as we are never shown how Palpatine managed to return, but are instead treated to ascension schemes that abide by the Rule of Two. Kylo killing Snoke fulfilled the purpose of the last Skywalker sitting on the Sith throne, but Rey's (Daisy Ridley) decision to step up as "all the Jedi" thwarted this elaborate plan at the last minute. There are aspects of this plan that are shrouded in mystery, as Palpatine claimed that he was the one who created Snoke, and we might be offered a glimpse into how that came about.
Project Necromancer could be the Shadow Council's attempts to resurrect Palpatine while creating Snoke clones to keep edging towards their goal of establishing the First Order. Gideon seems to be in on it, but his latest display of forced leadership might point at potential tensions between and anyone who emerges as the supreme leader of this fascist superstructure.
An Undead Army
Gideon's interest in Grogu in the first two seasons of "The Mandalorian" ties in directly with the Empire's covert plans to champion genetic cloning and DNA reanimation. The Dr. Pershing episode reinforces these narrative strands, as he delivered a TED talk about the potential good that can come out of such experimental science, allowing dead loved ones to live on via DNA replication. Moreover, Elia Kane's presence on Coruscant also hints at a grander plan spearheaded by Gideon, wherein he has access to information about cloning that others in the Shadow Council might not be privy to.
But how does Thrawn factor into Project Necromancer, if at all? The Shadow Council seems to be confident of his imminent return, although Gideon, who is more power-hungry and ambitious than ever, does not seem too happy about this news. While Thrawn will most likely make his first live-action appearance in "Ahsoka," he is bound to be involved in the Council's plan to some extent. As Thrawn's hidden presence is the Empire's greatest wild card at the moment, it makes sense for the military strategist to pull the strings on a covert project involving the reanimation of the dead.
Could the Empire be seeking to bring back the dead in hordes? This is not a far-fetched idea, as Undead Troopers once existed in the galaxy, thanks to a viral outbreak. These troopers were infected with a viral agent that turned them into mindless killers after their deaths, and the group shared a hive mind and was able to sustain great damage. With thousands of stormtrooper casualties and dwindling Imperial forces, it is likely that Project Necromancer will focus on rebuilding an elite army of the dead that cannot be easily taken out with a blaster or the swing of a saber.
Six months after its announcement, the NVIDIA RTX Remix runtime is finally available to the public as an open source software released under the MIT license via GitHub.
Modders have been using the NVIDIA RTX Remix files used in Portal RTX to try enhancing old games for quite a few months, but the whole process should be a lot easier now. It'll be even better when the Creator Toolkit becomes available, too. NVIDIA says it'll happen soon, though the software will be released in early access. When the Creator Toolkit is launched, modders will be allowed to add brand new lights and assets, as well as remaster the game's existing assets with advanced AI upscaling.
Meanwhile, you can already take advantage of the following components in your NVIDIA RTX Remix projects:
USD capture and replacement modules, which are responsible for capturing a game scene to USD, and replacing original game assets with modded game assets at runtime.
Bridge, which translates the renderer from an x86 to an x64 instruction set. This component uncaps the memory available for rendering.
Scene manager, which uses information coming through the D3D9 fixed-function API to create a representation of the original scene, track game objects frame to frame, and set up the scene to be path traced.
The core path tracer, which includes the rendering loop, the material handling, and the game-specific rendering features (e.g., decals and particles).
The NVIDIA RTX Remix repository also outlines the software's development roadmap. Right now, the team is working on terrain blending (rendering terrain by baking blended textures together, which was common when those games were designed, and then adding the material replacement), anti-culling (to get the games to draw more geometry, which is helpful for path tracing, and possibly to cache previously seen objects), and increased game compatibility.
In the near future, you can look forward to OpenGL support added via a wrapper, improved performance for the bridging functionality, and improvements to setting up the games in the NVIDIA RTX Remix runtime. Long term, there are some ambitious goals on the roadmap:
Subsurface scattering support for foliage at first;
Improved visual compatibility with rasterized materials;
Advanced sky support for HDR and volumetrics;
Advanced mod stacking support, which will be particularly useful for games like The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind;
Support for skinned mesh replacement.
NVIDIA RTX Remix will be expanded even further by closely working alongside the community. Stay tuned on Wccftech to get news on the latest and greatest remastering projects from enterprising modders.
In addition to releasing the GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card today (unfortunately, no launch day Linux review, still waiting on hardware...), NVIDIA has released as open-source the RTX Remix software for helping to add path tracing support to classic games...
NVIDIA has just launched the NVIDIA RTX Remix Runtime in Early Access. The RTX Remix runtime captures a game scene, and replaces assets at playback while injecting RTX technology, such as path tracing, DLSS 3 and Reflex into the game. Now before continuing, let’s clarify some things. RTX Remix is composed of two core components … Continue reading NVIDIA RTX Remix Runtime available for download in Early Access →
Amanda, Rich, and Andrew talk about Meet Your Maker, Tails of Iron, Destropolis, Heavenly Bodies, Clubhouse Games, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and our favorite game villains and end worlds.
This post contains spoilers for the third episode of "Succession" season 4.
"Succession" just killed off what was seemingly the fulcrum of its dense, complicated, but always riveting drama, sending the rest of the HBO series' storylines into turmoil. It was possibly the most shocking event in a show filled with shocking events, an atom bomb of a twist that feels like it could have been the final episode of the show instead of the launching point for the rest of the final season. To honor the momentous occasion, real-life publications published their own obituaries covering the life of the fictional Logan Roy in their own ironically cheeky manner.
Both the Los Angeles Times and Vulture had their own take on the end of the Waystar Royco CEO's rule. In a manner that recalls the way the marketing for the recently acclaimed film "TÁR" made it seem as if the titular controversial conductor was a real person, the outlets summarized Logan's rise to power as if they existed in the same universe as "Succession." Here, fictional entities like the media conglomerate Waystar Royco and the streaming giant GoJo reign supreme, and Congressmen Jeryd Mencken and Connor Roy are real political figures.
Dies At 84
Both faux obits capture a satirical tone that pokes fun at the ruthlessness of Logan Roy and looks back at all the conniving and backstabbing that permeated "Succession." It helps that in the episode where Logan dies, "Connor's Wedding," the press swarmed around the incident as quickly as stunned critics were writing episode recaps. One wonders if the coverage from these two publications will predict the way the fallout will play out on television. For instance, the LA Times pulled a quote from Kendall Roy, who warned his siblings to "not do anything that restricts our future freedom of movement" and called his father "a malignant presence, a bully and a liar."
The articles also admirably reference the more obscure, background details that expand on the world of "Succession," and emphasize how wide Waystar's reach is across all media. Of particular note is the way the LA Times managed to make a callback to the fake, "Seinfeld"-esque movie posters "Kalispitron" and "Eric is a Sinner." Vulture even pulled up some old photos of Brian Cox to further immerse readers in the illusion. "Worldbuilding" is usually a term reserved for epic fantasy and science fiction, but these send-offs prove that showrunner Jesse Armstrong and the writing staff of "Succession" have meticulously crafted a universe of their own.
This update to Sysmon sets and requires system integrity on ArchiveDirectory (FileDelete and ClipboardChange events). Every existing ArchiveDirectory needs to be first deleted so that Sysmon can create it with the expected integrity and permissions.
This guide provides steps that organizations can take to assess whether users have been targeted or compromised by threat actors exploiting CVE-2022-21894 via a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) bootkit called BlackLotus.
An anonymous reader shares a report: Firefox has a reputation of being something of a resource hog, even among modern browsers. But it might not be entirely earned, because it looks like a CPU bug affecting Firefox users on Windows was actually the fault of Windows Defender. The latest update to the ubiquitous security tool addresses the issue, and should result in measurably lower CPU usage for the Windows version of Firefox. According to Mozilla senior software engineer Yannis Juglaret, the culprit was MsMpEng.exe, which you might recognize from your Task Manager. It handles the Real-Time protection feature that monitors web activity for malicious threats.
The bug was causing Firefox to call on the service much more frequently than comparable browsers like Chrome or Edge, resulting in notable CPU spikes. Said CPU spikes could reduce performance in other applications or affect a laptop's battery life. The issue was first reported on Mozilla's bug tracker system way back in 2018 and quickly assigned to the MsMpEng service, but some more recent and diligent documentation on the part of Juglaret resulted in more swift action from Microsoft's developers.
![[News] SHUDDER - Here's What's Coming in May](https://i0.wp.com/www.nightmarishconjurings.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Shudder-Logo.jpg?resize=600%2C337&ssl=1){kind=logo}
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Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]
Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]
Mimosa Willamo, Richard Lintern and Leonard Terfelt star in the tense and twisting Swedish mystery series, debuting in the U.S. and Canada on Viaplay.
