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Yakuza tales drenched in revenge and bloody samurai epics are what most people think of when asked about their favorite Japanese action movies. They wouldn't be wrong, either, as both are essential components of the genre. Japan has one of the oldest film industries in the world, with Thomas Edison's kinetoscope first imported in 1896. Between 1909 and 1928, director Makino Shozo began pumping out films, popularizing period pieces known as jidaigeki.

I bring up jidaigeki movies because they reached new heights by the mid-1940s, thanks to Akira Kurosawa. Kurosawa is the gateway to Japanese cinema for many Western audiences. This legendary director incorporated action into his period epics that have since influenced filmmakers globally.

Of course, Kurosawa is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Japanese action films. What fascinates me about these movies is the deep saturation of culture throughout. Filmmakers take their time with certain scenes, focusing on atmosphere and beauty. We see tender familial moments set in tatami rooms and characters floating in silence through cherry-blossom-lined streets. This delicate lifting of the kimono juxtaposes with violent passion as our protagonists fight for justice and honor. Above all, two prevailing themes in the genre revolve around tradition and humanity. Let's look at 15 of the best Japanese action movies of all time, from jidaigeki classics to films set in the criminal underground.

Seven Samurai

You can't discuss action movies without mentioning Akira Kurosawa's 1954 masterpiece, "Seven Samurai." This Japanese opus is a near-perfect film, gripping you for its entire three-and-a-half-hour runtime. We're introduced to the rōnin Kambei (Takashi Shimura), who is called upon to aid a defenseless village against a group of bandits. From there, Kambei finds six ragtag samurai to help him as they prepare for war while training the townsfolk in combat.

The final, monsoon-soaked battle is mesmerizing, with the rain only heightening the bedlam. With all the chaotic action, Kurosawa knew that using a single camera and filming multiple perspectives would be extremely difficult for continuity. Instead, he innovatively incorporates long lenses and multiple cameras to fill scenes with depth. The result is beautifully composed, with the visual layers making everything seem utterly cinematic.

From a storytelling perspective, most of the dialogue found in "Seven Samurai" is simplistic, but the theme of community still resonates today. This is a tale about two groups of people forced into cooperation. The hungry samurai agree to fight in exchange for food, while the villagers, mistrusting their sudden allies, have no choice but to band together. As Kambei wisely declares, "This is the nature of war: By protecting others, you save yourselves."

Tokyo Drifter

You'd be hard-pressed to find a slicker movie than 1966's "Tokyo Drifter." Seijun Suzuki's unhinged yakuza delight was light years ahead of its time, incorporating bursts of color, surrealism, and, oddly enough, musical montages. "Tokyo Drifter" can sometimes feel like it has more style than substance, but can you fault Suzuki when everything looks so darn cool?

The premise is deceptively simple. Tetsu (Tetsuya Watari) and his yakuza boss have declared they're going straight and leaving their criminal lives behind. Yet, when a rival mob wants to recruit Tetsu, he declines, infuriating the oyabun. Our hero finds himself on the run from an assassin, "drifting" through the countryside, all while casually taking out whichever lowlife crosses his path.

Suzuki had a lot of fun shooting this indulgent yakuza flick. The production design is imposing, with nightclub scenes lit up in a lavender glow, while a Western-inspired saloon brawl may be the most chaotic bar fight I've ever witnessed. Suzuki makes his sets as disposable as yakuza gangsters, allowing his gangsters to shoot through walls, the floor, or anywhere their trigger fingers fire. Tetsu is handily the best part of "Tokyo Drifter," displaying effortless swagger in his powder blue suit while whistling his theme song en route to annihilate some baddies.

Yojimbo

Akira Kurosawa made over 30 movies during his career, yet none were as profitable as his 1961 samurai hit, "Yojimbo." Kurosawa was a huge fan of Westerns, and you can definitely spot the John Ford influence in his lone hero wandering into a town and restoring order. 

In 1860s Japan, a wandering rōnin, who assumes the name Sanjuro (Toshirō Mifune), comes across a village. With two rival gangs vying for control, this small community yearns for peace. A seemingly amoral Sanjuro is amused by what he sees and decides to side with both factions. From there, he takes delight in cleaning up the village, using his sword to enact justice. The action sequences in "Yojimbo" are a meticulously choreographed feast for the eyes. Kurosawa doesn't take any of this too seriously, purposefully adding exaggerated sound effects such as the rattling sound of a jawbone getting hit or a sword slicing through flesh.

Like all of Kurosawa's films, "Yojimbo" has a timeless theme. "Now it will be quiet in this town," Sanjuro calmly declares at the movie's end, telling us that the only way to eliminate societal corruption is by dismantling it altogether.

Love Exposure

Few movies that clock in at four hours are as exhilarating as Sion Sono's upskirt epic, "Love Exposure." It's difficult to summarize this twisty action-comedy, as it can come across as a perverse, nonsensical tale. Yet, somehow, the scope of this film works, with an emotional payoff at the end that left me sobbing.

Yu (Takahiro Nishijima) is a troubled teenager whose mother has unexpectedly died, leaving him and his Catholic priest father, Tetsu (Atsuro Watabe), to rebuild their lives after tragedy. Yu's father eventually moves on. However, after a new flame breaks his heart, he spirals into a rage. Taking his frustrations out on his son, Tetsu forces him to confess his sins daily. Of course, the 17-year-old doesn't have much to confess, so he ups the ante by purposely sinning. Eventually, he becomes an upskirt photographer, but Yu is no average shutterbug. He trains in this voyeuristic art, wielding his camera like nunchucks with kung-fu-style acrobatics. After losing a bet that results in a brief cross-dressing stint, Yu falls in love with a girl named Yōko (Hikari Mitsushima) — his "Virgin Mary." Although he feels guilt about his new profession, Yu cannot deny his sudden, primal lust.

"Love Exposure" uses this frenzied plot to tackle challenging themes such as religious dogma, sexual abuse, familial trauma, and Japan's powerful patriarchy. Through all of this, Sono tells us that love conquers all — no matter how harrowing our sins are.

Ichi The Killer

One of the most violent action movies ever made, "Ichi the Killer" is so depraved it was banned in several countries after its 2001 debut. Dismissed by critics as misogynistic, exploitative, and brutal, the film by director Takashi Miike does something quite clever: It doesn't take a moral stance on what's unfolding on screen. Instead, Miike forces his audience to ask themselves what their attitude is towards this savage tale.

Based on the manga of the same name, "Ichi the Killer" introduces us to Kakihara (Tadanbu Asano), a yakuza enforcer who is so deranged he blows cigarette smoke through his perforated cheeks. Kakihara loses his boss, sending him into a spiral as he searches for the only person he's ever viewed affectionately. Interestingly, this thug is our protagonist — not the titular character.

Ichi (Nao Omori) has been psychologically brutalized by his oyabun, Jijii (Shinya Tsukamoto), and made into a weapon void of personal identity. When Kakihara realizes Ichi may have murdered his boss, the two engage in a wanton cat-and-mouse game. With "Ichi the Killer," Miike declares that we're all voyeurs. His violence is gratuitous. Yet, that's what draws us to this visceral canvas.

Lady Snowblood

If you're a fan of the "Kill Bill" saga, you must have heard of "Lady Snowblood." Quentin Tarantino borrowed heavily from this jidaigeki gem, with the iconic fight between the Bride (Uma Thurman) and O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu) in "Kill Bill: Vol. 1" lifted almost beat-for-beat from the 1973 film.

Set in late 19th-century Japan, the revenge classic sees Yuki (Meiko Kaji) on a quest to avenge the deaths of her family, going down her list of targets much as the Bride does in "Kill Bill." Yuki was raised with the sole purpose of revenge, and we even get flashback scenes with the nascent eight-year-old killing machine. In adulthood, our heroine is beautiful yet stoic, carrying a sword hidden in the handle of her parasol.

The action in "Lady Snowblood" is violent but also beautiful. Set against a snowy winter backdrop, the torrents of blood are even more vivid against the pristine white scenery. Soaked in carnage, "Lady Snowblood" also features my favorite cinematic sword-slicing scene: a gracefully executed slash through a human piñata.

Battle Royale

The premise of the dystopian classic "Battle Royale" sounds very similar to the beloved "Hunger Games" franchise. Trust me when I tell you that this 2000 gem is infinitely more action-packed and brutal. According to "The Mammoth Book of Slasher Movies," the film was deemed too disturbing at the time of its release, with censors fearing it would incite real-life violence among teens. However, director Kinji Fukasaku firmly believed that Japanese youth would benefit from the message of "Battle Royale," so he released an edited version to theaters for audiences 15 and up.

In the not-so-distant future, the tyrannical Japanese government institutes the "BR Act." This law allows them to pluck 42 ninth-grade students each year and send them to a remote island. Once they arrive, the students each get one random weapon and a collar that explodes if they try to escape or cheat. The only way to survive is by slaughtering each other.

More than just an action movie, "Battle Royale" is important social commentary. Representing the divide between two generations in Japan, our young heroes are lost, with no role models to turn to for help. Their teacher, Kitano (Takeshi Kitano), isn't respected by his students, while one of our leads, Nanahara (Fujiwara Tatsuya), tragically lost his father to suicide. These adolescents aren't out of control by choice. They're a byproduct of an authoritarian upbringing.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

Branded To Kill

Borrowing elements from the French New Wave movement and inserting moments of sheer Luis Buñuel-style absurdism, 1967's "Branded to Kill" earns Seijun Suzuki the spot as my favorite yakuza genre filmmaker.

Gorô Hanada (Jō Shishido), a hitman with a fetish for sniffing steamed rice, botches his most recent assignment when a butterfly lands on the barrel of his rifle and causes him to miss his target. He suddenly finds himself stripped of his rank and on the run from another assassin. With fast-paced action sequences, symbolic visuals, and intense moments of passion, Suzuki hurls everything in his arsenal at you during this film's 90-minute runtime.

While undoubtedly captivating, "Branded to Kill" can be hard to follow. Suzuki favored American noir-style storytelling and injected it into this beloved B-movie, forcing his audience to follow a non-linear narrative that incorporates unconventional camera angles. Unfortunately, this influence landed him in hot water with his production company, Nikkatsu. "We don't need a director who makes movies nobody understands," declared company president Kyusaku Hori (via Asian Cult Cinema). Suzuki had been on thin ice for years, and "Branded to Kill" was, unfortunately, the final nail in the coffin for his career at Nikkatsu.

Akira

You can't discuss Japanese action movies without mentioning Katsuhiro Otomo's 1988 masterpiece, "Akira." Considered one of the most important anime movies of all time, this cyberpunk classic has influenced filmmakers worldwide.

Set in dystopian Neo-Tokyo in 2019, the city is crumbling due to a psychic blast unleashed by the titular character 30 years before. Ravaged further by gang wars and protests, Neo-Tokyo finds itself in even more peril when biker gang member Tetsuo (Nozomu Sasaki) gains the same psychic powers as Akira — and let's just say he isn't using them for good. Frantic, Tetsuo's former friend, Shōtaro (Mitsuo Iwata), must work with the corrupt government and rebel factions to prevent destruction.

"Akira" was the first anime I ever saw, and to this day, it holds up. The amount of anxiety I feel, even during subsequent viewings, is simply unparalleled. Filled to the brim with insane imagery like the gigantic milk-oozing teddy bear that springs to life and the grotesque final act involving Tetsuo, this legendary anime is a nail-biting experience. "Akira" rocks, and while it's been endlessly imitated, there's nothing quite like it.

Battles Without Honor And Humanity

A year after Francis Ford Coppola captivated audiences with "The Godfather" in 1972, Japan released its own version of a sprawling gangster epic — "Battles Without Honor and Humanity." Much like "The Godfather," there are multiple entries in this saga, but don't be fooled. These are not chivalrous tales. Until the late 1960s, Japanese action flicks portrayed yakuza as men with strict moral codes. However, the new decade gave birth to jitsuroku eiga, movies which depicted gritty gang wars based on true events (via "A Companion to the Gangster Film").

The first entry in the "Battles Without Honor and Humanity" series perfectly represents the jitsuroku eiga film. As the opening shot of a mushroom cloud followed by a ruined Hiroshima appears on screen, it doesn't take long to realize that there is no humanity here. We follow Shozo (Bunta Sugawara), a former soldier in postwar Japan, as he rises in the ranks of organized crime. Throughout it all, Shozo navigates assassinations and gang fights aplenty while questioning his alliances.

Told through hectic, documentary-style cinematography, you'll need to pay attention to this one. I'm not joking. Director Kinji Fukasaku immediately throws you into utter bedlam, and if you can't figure out what's going on, well, too bad. If you're looking for constant action that's bloody, bleak, and downright exhausting, "Battles Without Honor and Humanity" is for you.

The Sword Of Doom

Kihachi Okamoto eschewed familiar jidaigeki tropes with the release of 1966's "The Sword of Doom," which presents us with the most amoral antihero in samurai movie history. Okamoto delivers irredeemable brutality in what can be seen as the antithesis to Akira Kurosawa's noble period epics.

With soulless eyes and a disturbing smile, the samurai Ryunosuke (Tatsuya Nakadi) leaves a bloody trail of death during the final days of Japan's Shogunate rule. As vendettas grow and the bodies pile up, Ryunosuke descends into madness. At the film's start, we see an old Buddhist man praying for death, only to have Ryunosuke grant his wish seconds later.

In Japan, the title of this action classic is translated to "Great Bodhisattva Pass," which brings up the film's spiritual undertones. In the final shot (which I won't spoil), we see that Ryonsuke has fully transformed into a primal and hopeless animal. Okamoto shows us that for a man this depraved, there is no retribution. He is stuck in his own violent samsara. It's a powerful, haunting moment.

The Street Fighter

Released in 1974, "The Street Fighter" is an action movie so iconic, Capcom named their legendary arcade game after it. This Shigehiro Ozawa-directed film spawned two sequels and numerous spin-offs. Still, the original remains the best. Complete with eyeball-gouging, skulls being shattered, and some, ahem, ripping of the genitals, "The Street Fighter" was the first film to earn an X rating in America due to its violence. As the movie's tagline warns, "If you've got to fight — fight dirty."

We meet Takuma Tsurugi (Sonny Chiba), a martial arts master who also happens to be an assassin-for-hire. Both the Mafia and yakuza ask him to kidnap Sarai (Yutaka Nakajima), the daughter of a dead billionaire. When these seedy gangs refuse to pay Takuma's fee, he decides to protect her, all while battling whoever crosses his path.

Chiba was Japan's answer to Bruce Lee, and there's no doubt that this well-received film cemented his status as a martial arts giant. When I watched "The Street Fighter" for the first time, I was blown away by how outlandish the fight sequences were. Featuring perfectly choreographed fights blended with laugh-out-loud facial expressions from Chiba, you can't help but be impressed by the creativity of it all.

Why Don't You Play In Hell?

If you're on the hunt for some truly bizarre yet action-packed movies, Sion Sono consistently delivers. Known for his cartoonish characters, bursts of color, and imaginative violence, the director is a cult figure in modern Japanese cinema. 2013's "Why Don't You Play in Hell?" serves as an excellent entry-point for those unfamiliar with Sono's work, as he strays further away from the experimental (think "Love Exposure") and dives deeper into comedy.

Led by the passionate aspiring director Hirata (Hiroki Hasegawa), a teenage movie crew, who call themselves the F*** Bombers, are eager to sharpen their guerrilla-style filmmaking skills. Hirata prays to the "Movie God," declaring that he's willing to die in exchange for one great film. Fast forward 10 years later, and he's still trying to achieve his dream. However, this time, the F*** Bombers find themselves in the middle of a yakuza battle — and one of the organizations hires them to film some real-life carnage.

The gags and movie references are never-ending, so to catch them all, you'll need to keep up with all the lunacy. Drawing inspiration from both Quentin Tarantino and Takashi Miike, "Why Don't You Play in Hell" is a joy to watch and a glorious ode to all the struggling filmmakers out there.

13 Assassins

Fair warning: "13 Assassins" starts slow — especially for an action flick. Just hold fast, as you'll soon witness the most beautifully choreographed and engrossing fight sequences ever filmed. A remake of a 1963 movie of the same name, "13 Assassins" was directed by Takashi Miike, who injects this version with his signature savagery in the final act. It's exhilarating. It's bloody. And it's guaranteed to assault your senses.

In Shogun-era Japan, Lord Naritsugu Matsudaira (Goro Inagaki) commits unthinkable crimes against his people as he tries to take the throne. Thankfully, a group of the finest samurai is hired by a government official to take him out.

I'd be remiss if I didn't say this plot sounds a bit like Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai," but the granddaddy of jidaigeki classics was never this vulgar. Lord Naritsugu is evil incarnate, and I'm convinced that only Miike could craft such a sadistic character. "13 Assassins" may not be as celebrated as his horror magnum opus, "Audition," but it's an impressive movie that's sure to satisfy any action enthusiast.

Sonatine

While Takeshi Kitano has directed some fantastic movies, he's best known as one of Japan's most celebrated comedians. Perhaps it's Kitano's background as a funnyman that instills such a refreshingly light-hearted aspect to 1993's "Sonatine." A yakuza flick that feels like the lovechild of Haruki Murakami and Martin Scorsese, "Sonatine" is reflective and existential, focusing more on the relationships of its characters than sheer explosive violence. That said, when he does hit you with bloodshed, it's detached, and that's precisely what makes it so shocking.

Kitano plays Aniki Murakawa, a middle-aged yakuza underboss debating going clean. Murakawa's bosses send him, along with a band of young underlings, to Okinawa to take out a rival gang. After they're ambushed, our hero suspects foul play. Deciding to hide out at a beach house until they figure out their next steps, Murakawa and his men pass their time playing games, putting on shows, and acting like, well, normal people. Once the gang starts getting picked off, Murakawa turns into a killing machine.

"Sonatine" is an action movie with heart, and Kitano adds a lot of depth to characters that other directors may have made disposable. The slower scenes are poetic, and whenever we're shown sudden, deadpan violence, we're grounded back in reality.

Read this next: Jackie Chan's 15 Greatest Fight Scenes Ranked

The post The 15 Best Japanese Action Movies of All Time appeared first on /Film.

Black ice is a thin, barely visible layer of ice that often masquerades as water and can really ruin your day if you come across some unexpectedly. It usually shows up when there’s moisture in the air and the temperature drops below freezing quickly, creating an ice slick across the coldest surfaces. While black ice…

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When "Star Trek: Voyager" debuted in 1995, Trekkies found themselves in new, exciting territory. Mixing the premises of "Star Trek" and "Lost in Space," "Voyager" saw a Federation starship, the very small but technologically advanced U.S.S. Voyager suddenly whisked clear across the galaxy to a remote quadrant -- the Delta Quadrant -- that Starfleet hadn't yet explored. Stranded 70 years from Earth, the determined Capt. Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) would have to wrangle an antagonistic crew in their mission to return home, and dramatically, there were going to be no other Starfleet vessels to back them up in a scrape. In the Delta Quadrant, there are no Starbases to replenish their supplies, nor repair damage. They were truly on their own. "Voyager" was to be a test of Starfleet resourcefulness.

Additionally, many members of the Voyager's crew once belonged to the Maquis, a group of anti-Federation terrorists, meaning that Capt. Janeway would have to smooth over Maquis/Starfleet officer relations. Plot points related to the Voyager's limited resources and the Maquis, sadly, were quickly forgotten as the show went on. The ship seemingly never ran out of food or replicator rations, and, in later seasons, could build brand-new shuttlecrafts and entire cartography labs seemingly out of thin air. Where exactly did they get the raw materials required to build the Delta Flyer, for instance?

Most excitingly, "Star Trek: Voyager" featured a type of captain that Trekkies hadn't seen before. Compared to the serious, angry, impatient, and ultra-professional captains of the past, Janeway was enthused, upbeat, energetic, and communicative. She referred to her crew as her family. And, as the show went on, she became more and more of an authoritarian. Janeway, it seems, was quite willing to break rules if it served her own ideas.

A Great Character, But Maybe A Bad Person

This is not to say that Capt. Janeway was a bad character, nor does it imply that Mulgrew did not give an intense and well-rounded performance over the show's seven seasons. But Janeway, when looking at her actions, came to respect individuals on her ship less and less, and her own authority more and more. On the Enterprise, several characters were capable of taking command, often just so the captain could take a rest. DS9 was overseen by the gruff Capt. Sisko (Avery Brooks), but he had a diverse team that all seemed capable of gathering together to solve unusual problems. On the U.S.S. Voyager, power started at the top and stayed there. Janeway was no tartar and perhaps no dictator, but it was rare that she deferred to the group. 

Only one person got to sit in the captain's chair. "Voyager" doesn't necessarily promote authoritarianism, but it does seem to argue that, in desperate times, it may be necessary.

There are myriad examples of Janeway's cavalier attitudes. For instance, in the episode "Scientific Method" (October 29, 1997), a group of invisible alien scientists has moved on board the ship and has deliberately been giving the Starfleet officers incurable headaches as a means of studying their behavior under pressure. The experiments go too far, and the aliens accidentally kill one of the crew. The aliens reveal themselves and say they'll stay on board regardless, not really caring about human life. In response, Janeway takes control of the helm and immediately steers her ship in between two binary stars, a route that could very likely destroy them all. 

Instigating an astral game of chicken, Janeway says she'll steer away if the aliens leave. They do. 

Were I a member of Janeway's crew, I would have liked a chance to debate that tactic before she put my life at risk. Although to be fair, Janeway was also suffering from headaches and was perhaps not thinking clearly.

The Tuvix Incident

Infamously, in the episode "Tuvix" (May 6, 1996), Janeway found that two of her crew members, Neelix (Ethan Phillips) and Tuvok (Tim Russ), had been accidentally blended together in a transporter malfunction. The resulting being called himself Tuvix (Tom Wright) and found that he very much enjoyed being alive. When Janeway discovered that she could separate her two (now dead) crewmates, Tuvix objected, as did the ship's doctor (Robert Picardo). It would not be ethical, Tuvix argued, to kill one being in order to restore two others to life. Janeway, however, orders it done anyway, and Tuvok and Neelix are resurrected. 

Mulgrew has been asked about Tuvix many, many times since that episode aired, notably by Alexandra Ocasio Cortez on Twitter. She has remained stalwart in her response: Janeway did the right thing and would do it again. She felt that her dead crew members, just as much as Tuvix, had a right to live. These responses haven't prevented Tuvix from becoming a meme that highlights Janeway's brusque dismissal of his life. 

After a while, it became clear that Janeway's crew was not operating as a team, but as subservient inferior officers underneath an absolute ruler. It was subtle, of course. Janeway never declared herself dictator-for-life or anything so crass. But on the rare occasions that someone did stand up to Janeway, it felt like a strange aberration. No one, it seems, dared doubt her. Even when she was making questionable decisions. 

The Reason For Janeway's Behavior

This was illustrated in the episode "Year of Hell, Part II" (November 12, 1997). When the Voyager was in extremely dire straits -- thanks to some temporal rigmarole, the ship was damaged nearly beyond repair and many died -- Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) questions Janeway's decision to attack the time-traveling antagonist. Janeway overrules her objections, and the crew is ordered to fulfil her mission. 

Seven of Nine, once a Borg drone with no individuality, was pleased that she had the agency to stand up for herself. With Janeway, that agency was taken away again. Seven, bafflingly, seems to accept it. "As a Borg," she said "I submitted to a single authority, the Collective. Over the past several months, I've been encouraged to think and act as an individual. It is difficult to know when to restrain myself." Tuvok advises, illogically, that the captain is always right. "Even when you know her logic is flawed?" Seven asks. "Perhaps," Tuvok says. 

It doesn't matter if she's making illogical decisions, the captain is in charge. Even the crew thinks so. 

There is, however, a logical reason for Janeway's authoritarian command style, and it has nothing to do with her taste for power. 

Because the Voyager will never receive any kind of Starfleet aid, there will necessarily be no comforting status quo. The structured rigors of Starfleet are absent, and endless improv remains. The ship will be in "crunch time" for the foreseeable future, and Janeway will require consistency. This is not a time to allow officers to grow and develop their own voice among the crew, as that will create an imbalance of command. 

Command In Difficult Times

Why else would the ultra-capable Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) never receive a promotion? Poor Harry, despite his level head and intelligence, remained an ensign for seven years. Even Kim acknowledged in the episode "Nightingale" (November 22, 2000) that hierarchy was required to function. "I understand there's a command structure and that our circumstances are unique," Harry said, "But the fact is, if we were back home, I'd be a lieutenant by now." This was one of the few times Janeway's implied insistence on the consistency of command was mentioned aloud.

But, this is "Star Trek," of course, and not a character study along the lines of "Breaking Bad" — we are not witnessing a human's moral downfall. Although notions of authoritarianism thematically lurk in the series, "Voyager" never openly rolls with the darkness. Indeed, Janeway is even a little startled by herself sometimes. In the show's final episode, "Endgame" (May 31, 2001) an older Janeway travels back in time to help present-day Janeway get back home, suggesting killing a bunch of Borg and providing contraband future technology. Present-day Janeway is shocked by her future self's lack of decorum. Even Janeway was startled by Janeway's cavalier attitude.

The notion of an authoritarian rule being required in desperate times was, in fact, something that would play out in the real world shortly after the conclusion of "Star Trek: Voyager." Following the events of 9/11, one could soon see a sudden channeling of power and authority to the top of the U.S. government in the George W. Bush administration. The rhetoric of the time was that extreme times called for extreme measures. Five months after "Voyager" went off the air, the spy series "24" became an immediate hit, and that show was predicated largely on the necessity of dark, extreme actions in the face of severe crimes and a ticking clock.

"Voyager," being "Star Trek," was never so mercenary as that. But it was dealing, overall and with a great deal of foresight, with a sticky philosophical ethic about the nature of command when the "safety net" of Starfleet is removed. One may not agree with Janeway's tactics or command style -- she seems like she'd be a crappy boss -- but one can wholeheartedly understand her command ethos.

Read this next: Every Star Trek Series Ranked From Worst To Best

The post Why Star Trek: Voyager's Captain Janeway So Often Clashed With the Franchise's Ideals appeared first on /Film.

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Apple continues to work on compact tablets since there is likely still a use case for such a product. Succeeding the iPad mini 6 will be the iPad mini 7, according to one analyst, who also provides a small amount of information regarding its potential launch timeline.

Apple could also delay the iPad mini 7 launch to early 2024, possibly due to ongoing economic circumstances

The prediction was made by TF International Securities analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, stating that Apple could begin mass shipments of the iPad mini 7 by the end of 2023. This statement suggests that the smaller slate could launch sometime in Q4 2023, but Kuo also says that there is a possibility that mass shipments will happen in the first half of 2024.

Considering that there is an ongoing economic downturn, we believe that Apple will likely wait until the storm has passed and then proceed to launch the iPad mini 7. After all, it makes little sense to put a product into mass production and have few people purchase them due to their decreased budget as a result of ongoing inflation. Kuo believes the iPad mini 7’s selling point will be its SoC.

Unfortunately, the analyst does not provide any information on which chipset could Apple use to power it. However, considering the iPad mini 6 uses the A15 Bionic, the iPad mini 7 could take advantage of the 4nm A16 Bionic found in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Even then, if Apple does not price the device competitively, consumers may not be attracted to it, especially when the iPad mini 6 is sold at discounted prices right now.

We also do not have reason to believe that Apple needs to change the iPad mini 7’s design. As such, it could sport the same 8.3-inch IPS LCD screen, but we do hope that the tablet gets an increase in RAM count and the number of camera sensors at the back so that there is some differentiation between the two product generations.

The post iPad mini 7 In The Works With New SoC, Apple Rumored To Release It As Early As Late 2023 by Omar Sohail appeared first on Wccftech.

In December, Wikichip reported that TSMC's 3nm process showed practically no improvement in density over the company's previous 5nm node with respect to SRAM density. The publication asked one simple question: Did we just witness the death of SRAM? At least in Wikichip's opinion, "historical scaling is officially dead."

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Even on the backside of a blizzard, we had a sporting tradition to uphold. 

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Colin Farrell is not the type of actor you can easily fit in a box. That may sound like a compliment now, a testament to his range, but there was a time when that might have worked against him, or at the very least: his status as a leading man. In the early aughts, Farrell seemed to be everywhere, trying on every role available to him. His insanely good looks and simmering intensity made him an undeniable box office draw, but the burden of the leading man — the hyper-masculine, hyper-cool version that dominated the 2000s — wasn't always a proper fit. That might be because Farrell, for all his conventional beauty and latent charisma ... is kind of a weird little guy. His intensity can often come off a bit like mania, and he seems much more comfortable in roles that subvert all that aforementioned appeal.

Obviously, there's nothing wrong with that. It just means that, until recently, some of Farrell's best work lived on the fringes of "conventional" cinema. His real power as an actor felt like Hollywood's best-kept secret, and though he's worked pretty consistently over the past few decades, he's been quietly inching further from the spotlight for some time.

Though, in spite of his rejection of the leading man label, 2022 finds him more popular than ever. It's been an especially busy year for Farrell: He's popped up in no less than three films, the bulk of which have been enjoying their share of critical acclaim or box office buzz. True to form, none of his performances feel like traditional fare. But in each role, Farrell seems more comfortable than ever before. It's an ironic twist of fate, but it's an amazing transition to watch ... especially because his work this year has been some of his best yet.

In The Batman

Farrell's role in Matt Reeves' "The Batman" is an interesting flex for the actor. As Oswald Cobblepot, aka The Penguin, Farrell dials up the charm to astronomic levels — and ironically, it mostly works because the actor is buried beneath mounds of head-to-toe prosthetics. "The Batman" got a bit of flack for this choice, as the practice so often sidelines actors who fit the physical description without the need for as much movie magic. Conflicted as I am about it, I do think "The Batman" needed Farrell (and his charm) to make this version of The Penguin work.

Transformation has become something of a gimmick in Hollywood — especially of late, with the recent boom of biopics and true crime adaptations — and there's definitely no Penguin without the stellar work of makeup artist Mike Marino, among others. But like costuming, lighting, and other aspects of filmmaking, it's something that Farrell uses to craft an entirely unique performance. The actor has spoken at length about how "liberating" the process of becoming The Penguin was, and how much of a gift it was. The prosthetics changed the natural cadence, even the timbre of his voice. Paired with a seamless accent, it's difficult to remember that it's Farrell underneath it all.

As a result, he's free to go to town, and he completely steals the show as The Penguin. Sure, he's a slimy, bottom-rung gangster, but Farrell's performance conjures empathy, even camaraderie, with the audience. He's hilarious; he's been praised as downright likable, and it's got a lot to do with the man beneath the makeup. As an actor, there's a whole lot more to Farrell than meets the eye, and "The Batman" serves as an excellent reminder for anyone who might have forgotten.

In After Yang

If you're at all on the internet, there's a chance you've seen the viral, endearing, absurd title sequence from the A24 film "After Yang." It features Colin Farrell as family man Jake, bossing through some difficult choreography with his wife Kyra (Jodie Turner Smith), adopted daughter Mika (Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja), and her android companion Yang (Justin H. Min). Director Kogonada has described the opening scene as a burst of confetti, and its aftermath — a quiet character study that explores grief, estrangement, and memory — is akin to the confetti falling. When Yang suddenly stops functioning after their dance battle, it's up to Jake to find a way to restore him, and his quest takes him and the rest of the family out of their comfort zone in a major way.

Farrell's performance as The Penguin lived and died on his gravitas, but the opposite could be said for his role in "After Yang." As Jake, Farrell is quiet, a bit hapless, and a bit distant. This story may be told from his perspective, and through his desperate odyssey to restore order to his home, but he's not necessarily the hero of this story (and that's entirely by design). The scopes of Kogonada's films are decidedly intimate. He's not necessarily interested in outward flourishes, but in the small, profound changes that inform huge transitions in our lives.

In "After Yang," Farrell allows Jake to drift in the silence, to open up to the shifting world around him, and the audience in turn is allowed to experience what he does. It's a beautiful exercise in stillness, and while it subverts nearly everything that Farrell is known for, he's clearly just as capable in this arena.

In The Banshees Of Inisherin

And then there's "The Banshees of Inisherin," and the performance that's spelling out Oscar buzz for Farrell. The actor reunites with "In Bruges" co-star Brendan Gleeson — as well as their director, Martin McDonagh — for a darkly funny, deeply devastating break-up film. Farrell is Pádraic, a very nice (if not slightly dull) man whose lifelong friendship with Colm (Gleeson) suddenly breaks down. Colm no longer wants to speak to Pádraic, no longer wants to be friends at all, and naturally, Pádraic can't understand why. Their falling out turns their small island town on its head, forcing everyone to consider just what it is they're doing with the time they have left in the world.

"Banshees" is an unmistakable master class, delivering laughter, tears, and existential angst on just about every level. Gleeson's turn as Colm is a career best: he offers dignity and reverie to a character that'd be easy to write off as a navel-gazing meanie. But as Pádraic, Farrell unleashes yet another layered, vulnerable performance that could very well be his greatest yet. Colm's rejection sends him adrift and desperate, at times bringing out the worst in him. It's devastating to watch him reckon with one change after the next, to watch his whole world spiral into something totally unrecognizable.

Through Pádraic, McDonagh seems to be confronting the nebulous, annihilating pressure of time. It's not an easy concept to contextualize, but Farrell faces the abyss all the same. The residents of Inisherin, Colm especially, give a lot of thought to whether they'll be remembered after they're gone. Pádraic, for all his niceness and simplicity, may not be — but it's very possible that we'll be talking about Farrell's performance for many years to come.

Read this next: The Best Movies Of 2022 So Far

The post Did Anyone Have A Better Movie Year Than Colin Farrell In 2022? appeared first on /Film.

Welcome to your new holiday tradition! No, it's not the biannual release of a new "Avatar" movie every December until everyone, fans and cynics of James Cameron alike, have become well and truly Pandora-pilled. Rather, it's a new Benoit Blanc murder-mystery from the internet's new favorite lightning rod: Rian Johnson.

Condemned to a lifetime of online infamy for the unforgivable crime of creating a pretty darn good "Star Wars" movie five years ago, the writer and director has since taken that clout and turned it into his own original and thoroughly successful franchise with "Knives Out." The Daniel Craig-starring ensemble became an instant smash-hit at the box office, earning an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay and leading to one of the most lucrative coups made by any major streaming service for the rights to the inevitable sequels. Now, after a not-so-surprisingly profitable run in theaters for only a week, "Glass Onion" has made waves with its Netflix premiere over the holiday weekend.

But even with all the good news to go around, there's one small, irritating aspect that Johnson himself can't quite shake. If you've been following along, you likely know what it is: that annoying (and wholly marketing-driven) addition to the title, which is officially known as "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery." We've griped at length about this topic, but now we can count the director as among those of us who reacted to that weirdly nonsensical subtitle as if it were nails on a chalkboard. If Johnson had his way, "Glass Onion" would stand on its own.

'I Want It To Just Be Called Glass Onion'

Move over, "Fast & Furious Presents": There's a new and equally as cringeworthy subtitle coming for the crown of Blandest And Most Unintentionally Hilarious Studio-Speak Marketing Campaign. As it turns out, Rian Johnson is far from a fan of the "A Knives Out Mystery" moniker that Netflix has attached to his sequel, "Glass Onion." It doesn't make a whole lot of logical sense from a creative point-of-view (wouldn't "A Benoit Blanc Mystery" roll off the tongue much better and be more accurate, given that the sequel has nothing to do with knives?), but clearly it's meant to capitalize on audience familiarity with 2019's "Knives Out."

In any case, there's a deeper reason why Johnson doesn't exactly care for it. In an interview with The Atlantic, the filmmaker addressed his main issue. As you might imagine, it goes back to the idea of turning a refreshingly original property into just another piece of serialized IP.

"I've tried hard to make them self-contained. Honestly, I'm pissed off that we have 'A Knives Out Mystery' in the title. You know? I want it to just be called 'Glass Onion.' I get it, and I want everyone who liked the first movie to know this is next in the series, but also, the whole appeal to me is it's a new novel off the shelf every time. But there's a gravity of a thousand suns toward serialized storytelling."

As someone who only recently made the eighth episode of "Star Wars" (and that's just in the main series), Johnson isn't unaware of the part he's played in the very issue he's speaking out about. That said, he certainly has a point that the clumsy titling can't help but dilute the main point of this new franchise.

Why So Serialized?

Taking its cues from Agatha Christie's Hercules Poirot-starring series of novels and various other classics of the murder-mystery genre, half the fun comes from how episodic and utterly unconnected one adventure is from another. Certain characters may recur over and over again (the quirky and mustached Poirot had his self-absorbed sidekick, Captain Hastings, and the equally quirky Benoit Blanc apparently has master of disguise, actor Noah Segan), but otherwise each and every entry is built for audiences to come to with no baggage whatsoever. In a landscape where one can't really watch a new Marvel movie these days without first having to catch up on various movies and streaming shows, there's something freeing about being able to just walk into a film -- and a sequel, at that -- without needing to do any homework beforehand.

Here, Johnson is touching on a much larger issue that Hollywood is currently obsessing over: the allure of serialization. By intentionally creating two movies in a new franchise with no other connective tissue other than its main lead, Rian Johnson has made his Benoit Blanc series (sorry, we're not referring to it as the "Knives Out" universe or what have you!) stand out as an oasis in the desert ... until Netflix went ahead and scotch-taped that garish subtitle to it, at least.

The frustration is completely understandable, even while some may also (rightfully) point out that Johnson made his bed by accepting Netflix's deal in the first place. Still, as long as we're getting new, twisty, and thoroughly entertaining genre movies like this every few years, it's hard to argue with anything that the "Looper," "The Brothers Bloom," and "The Last Jedi" director has to say.

"Glass Onion" is currently streaming on Netflix.

Read this next: The Best Movies Streaming Right Now: Malignant, A Hero, And More

The post Rian Johnson Would Prefer Glass Onion Not Be Called 'A Knives Out Mystery' appeared first on /Film.

The chief executive of one of Europe's biggest insurance companies has warned that cyber attacks, rather than natural catastrophes, will become "uninsurable" as the disruption from hacks continues to grow. From a report: Insurance executives have been increasingly vocal in recent years about systemic risks, such as pandemics and climate change, that test the sector's ability to provide coverage. For the second year in a row, natural catastrophe-related claims are expected to top $100 billion. But Mario Greco, chief executive at insurer Zurich, told the Financial Times that cyber was the risk to watch. "What will become uninsurable is going to be cyber," he said. "What if someone takes control of vital parts of our infrastructure, the consequences of that?" Recent attacks that have disrupted hospitals, shut down pipelines and targeted government departments have all fed concern about this expanding risk among industry executives. Focusing on the privacy risk to individuals was missing the bigger picture, Greco added: "First off, there must be a perception that this is not just data ... this is about civilisation. These people can severely disrupt our lives." Spiralling cyber losses in recent years have prompted emergency measures by the sector's underwriters to limit their exposure. As well as pushing up prices, some insurers have responded by tweaking policies so clients retain more losses.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The shoebox-shaped device, designed to capture fingerprints and perform iris scans, was listed on eBay for $149.95. A German security researcher, Matthias Marx, successfully offered $68, and when it arrived at his home in Hamburg in August, the rugged, hand-held machine contained more than what was promised in the listing. The device's memory card held the names, nationalities, photographs, fingerprints and iris scans of 2,632 people. From a report: Most people in the database, which was reviewed by The New York Times, were from Afghanistan and Iraq. Many were known terrorists and wanted individuals, but others appeared to be people who had worked with the U.S. government or simply been stopped at checkpoints. Metadata on the device, called a Secure Electronic Enrollment Kit, or SEEK II, revealed that it had last been used in the summer of 2012 near Kandahar, Afghanistan. The device -- a relic of the vast biometric collection system the Pentagon built in the years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks -- is a physical reminder that although the United States has moved on from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the tools built to fight them and the information they held live on in ways unintended by their creators. Exactly how the device ended up going from the battlefields in Asia to an online auction site is unclear. But the data, which offers detailed descriptions of individuals in addition to their photograph and biometric data, could be enough to target people who were previously unknown to have worked with U.S. military forces should the information fall into the wrong hands. For those reasons, Mr. Marx would not place the information online or share it in an electronic format, but he did allow a Times reporter in Germany to see the data in person alongside him. "Because we have not reviewed the information contained on the devices, the department is not able to confirm the authenticity of the alleged data or otherwise comment on it," Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder, the Defense Department's press secretary, said in a statement. "The department requests that any devices thought to contain personally identifiable information be returned for further analysis." He provided an address for the military's biometrics program manager at Fort Belvoir in Virginia where the devices could be sent. The biometric data on the SEEK II was collected at detainment facilities, on patrols, during screenings of local hires and after the explosion of an improvised bomb. Around the time when the device was last used in Afghanistan, the American war effort there was winding down.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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For all his originality, Stanley Kubrick sure loved using other people's work. Almost all his films are based on pre-existing stories, which, rather than undermining his talent as a director, simply formed a part of his specific filmmaking method. Kubrick sought out inspiration like it was his life-source — which, in a way, it was. The legendary auteur needed a good story to get him excited enough to make a film. And without films, who knows what would have become of the bookish boy from the Bronx.

Back in 1987, just as the director's celebrated Vietnam War drama "Full Metal Jacket" was opening in theaters, the New York Times noted how Kubrick would use the time before starting work on his next project to "catch up on 18 months of missed movies, good and bad, and read as ever with the hope of finding another story." That story would be one he'd been planning on adapting for some years — Arthur Schnitzler's "Traumnovelle" which formed the basis for 1999's "Eyes Wide Shut." But whether he found it on one of his regular trawls through the pages of the Virginia Kirkus Review or revisited an idea he'd had in mind for decades, the story was always the most important part.

So it was with "Full Metal Jacket," which was based on Gustav Hasford's 1979 novel "The Short-Timers." Hasford was an ex-Marine combat correspondent who did a tour in Vietnam and served with the 1st Marine Division during the 1968 Tet Offensive. "The Short-Timers" was a retelling of his Vietnam experience, which Kubrick found to be a "unique, absolutely wonderful book," and immediately worthy of being given the classic Kubrick adaptation treatment. Little did he know that his "unique" take on the material would prove more than a little contentious for the original author.

The Genesis Of Full Metal Jacket

Gustav Hasford's novel had been praised not so much for its characters or plot but for its stark detail, which painted a vision of the Vietnam War that could only have come from a man who'd been in the thick of Indochina's historic bloodbath. The military journalist had written drafts of the novel during his time in the country, typing up early versions between firefights and borrowing character names from his Marine companions. He'd even been involved in the 1968 battle of Huế, which would form a large part of Stanley Kubrick's eventual adaptation.

The director was taken by Hasford's vivid depictions of military life in 'Nam, and according to Hasford, spent hours on the phone discussing not just the story, but "just about any subject you could think of." Kubrick had, during the course of his life-long quest for inspiration, found multiple other ideas which he could have pursued, including an adaptation of Brian Aldiss' "Supertoys Last All Summer Long" which he'd began developing prior to taking on "The Shining" back in the '70s. That sci-fi tale would again take a back seat, however, once Kubrick turned his attention to Hasford's evocative war novel.

At some point during the string of lengthy phone calls between author and director, the adaptation became a sure thing, and Hasford, then out of the military, "working as a security guard [and] living in his car," was finally about to make some decent money. He was also about to make things difficult for his new director friend, who would draft in yet another writer with direct experience of the Vietnam War to work on the screenplay: "Dispatches" author Michael Herr. And this is where things start to take an unfortunate turn ... depending on who you ask.

War Breaks Out

If you asked Gustav Hasford (he died in 1993), he would have told you that he "worked on the screenplay for four years" and had written entire scenes. According to the writer, Stanley Kubrick would have Michael Herr write alternate versions of those same scenes, but either way, Hasford claimed to have written a version of them. That's on top of the almost daily phone calls he would have with the director, and the in-person visit between all three collaborators at Kubrick's UK home.

However, Kubrick had a different perspective on Hasford's contribution, leading to a dispute over the novelist's credit on the movie. The director and Warner Bros. wanted to give him an "additional dialogue" credit but Hasford fought them and was eventually named co-screenwriter. But it wasn't just his writing contributions that proved controversial.

Filming got underway in and around London in 1985, with Kubrick, who lived near the English capital, insisting on using various locales near his Hertfordshire country home. The most significant set was constructed at the derelict Beckton Gas Works on the banks of the Thames. Production designer Anton Furst and his team would create their own version of a war-ravaged Huế at the disused site, and Hasford took it upon himself to pay the ambitious production a visit.

Riding Towards The Sound Of The Guns

According to Gustav Hasford's friend Grover Lewis, writing in the LA Times about the "Full Metal Jacket" saga, the author "hadn't been invited onto the team as such [...] but [Stanley] Kubrick hadn't discouraged his visit, either." A fan of General Custer's phrase ("The only thing you have to know to be a soldier is to be able to ride toward the sound of the guns"), Hasford remained undeterred by Kubrick's lack of enthusiasm. He had been in the UK since 1984 to collaborate on the film and once shooting got underway, he "wanted to see in fact whether the picture was being made."

Already contemplating legal action over the credit situation, the writer took a couple of his friends to the Beckton set — a, quite literally, toxic place — "dressed up in tiger-stripe clothes" to try to sneak in as extras. According to John Baxter's biography of Kubrick, once there, Hasford "wasn't happy with what he saw, nor the changes wrought by Kubrick and Herr." Baxter's book also relates how Hasford apparently ramped up his efforts to gain appropriate credit on the film following his set visit and, according to author Lisa Tuttle, was "going to screw everything up for no reason."

The reason seems clear. Hasford felt he had contributed more than Kubrick was willing to admit. But his impromptu set visit seemed to have made things worse. If anything, it sounds like Kubrick should have been the one who was upset, considering he had "extended [Hasford] an invitation to drop in sometime, but left the details carefully vague" Alas, the novelist found his way there, and it seems the fabricated Huế and plastic palm trees didn't quite cut it for the man who'd experienced the real thing.

Kubrick And Hasford Needed Each Other

Talking about his overall approach to the sets in "Full Metal Jacket, production designer Anton Furst said, "We weren't going for complete historical accuracy [...] It was supposed to be the image of hell." Despite the fact that Stanley Kubrick had pored over thousands of photos of the real Vietnam, Furst preferred not to "look too hard at references," opting for a "broad stroke" approach that captured the essence of the scene.

Gustav Hasford, on the other hand, seemed like a real stickler for accuracy, especially considering his novel's lurid, chaotic, detailed description of the war. Perhaps he took exception to Furst's more interpretive approach. Or perhaps the marine had no patience for Kubrick who according to numerous people, including Furst, could be a very difficult man to work with. As the production designer put it, "If you can handle it with Kubrick then they think you can handle anything because he's 44 times more difficult than anybody else." 

Or, it could be that his years spent in 'Nam and living out of his car had taken a toll on Hasford. The writer had, according to Grover Lewis' LA Times piece, "no contract" and "no agent or other representation." Meaning, he was kicking up all this fuss without having secured basic protections for himself and his work. Regardless, his work, along with Michael Herr, Kubrick, Furst, and everyone else involved in "Full Metal Jacket," was truly worth it, having culminated in one of the most affecting and widely celebrated depictions of military life and the Vietnam War in film history. Ultimately, Kubrick needed Hasford and his story, just as much as Hasford needed Kubrick to bring his vision to a wide audience.

Read this next: The 15 Best Cold War Movies Ranked

The post Full Metal Jacket's Original Author Wasn't Happy With What He Saw On Stanley Kubrick's Set appeared first on /Film.

"Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" may not be the longest Quentin Tarantino movie, but it definitely isn't the shortest. Clocking in at 161 minutes, Tarantino's most recent film, released in 2019, broke the mold of what's expected from the filmmaker. The movie was less concerned about the plot and more interested in romanticizing late 1960s Hollywood, bathing in the atmosphere of the bygone era. Between the buddy dynamics of Rick Dalton (Leonardo Dicaprio) and Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) are an eclectic cast of characters representative of the period, especially Margot Robbie's earnest and heartbreaking portrayal of Sharon Tate.

Despite the runtime, a lot still ended up on the cutting room floor. With these cuts came the absence of certain characters and storylines, including an appearance by long-time Tarantino collaborator Tim Roth. The actor first worked with Tarantino on his directorial debut "Reservoir Dogs" in an incredible performance as Mr. Orange, an undercover cop in a robbery gone wrong. Roth would later go on to work with the director on "Pulp Fiction," "The Hateful Eight," and a cut role from "Hollywood" — despite still being featured in the credits. However, the most interesting part about Roth getting cut from the film is how cordial Tarantino was about it, an experience Roth thinks best exemplifies the director as a collaborator and a person.

The Four Hour Cut That Wasn't Meant To Be

Tarantino had already revealed on the Empire Podcast that Roth played the British butler to Jay Sebring (Emile Hirsch), essentially making him part of Sharon Tate's group of friends. Unfortunately, Tarantino's love letter to Hollywood had an overly long first cut. In an interview with Uproxx, Roth spoke about how the initial length of the film played into Tarantino's reasoning for cutting his role:

"What happened was that he called me to play this character, which was a strand in the film, and then he cut that strand out completely. He cut that whole storyline out because when he put his first cut together, it came in at four and a half hours or five hours long. And he didn't want to do a part one and two."

In the later years of Quentin Tarantino's career, the director has shown interest in longer-form storytelling. Most notably, the 187-minute Roadshow cut of "The Hateful Eight" (which was already Tarantino's longest film to date) was reconfigured on Netflix as a 4-episode mini-series with 25 minutes of new content. There had also been talks in 2019 about giving "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" a similar treatment, with star Brad Pitt confirming the possibility of expanding the movie into a series. No matter the case, Tarantino spoke to /Film in 2019, where he commented that "the idea that you could have a fuller version come out, after the fact, that's kind of exciting. That's kind of interesting."

Showing A Respect For Frequent Collaborators

Unfortunately, other than the theatrical re-release of the film with 10 minutes of footage that builds upon the fictional version of Hollywood Tarantino created, there haven't been any different extended versions of "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" (yet), meaning no Tim Roth in sight. However, Roth was sure to let Uproxx know that Tarantino made an effort to show the actor the fruits of his labor early in the editing stage:

"He [Tarantino] got me over to his editing place where he was doing his thing. And he said, 'I want to show you the scenes that you were in that I'm having to remove.' And he sat, and he screened them for me. And then he screened the film for me and so on. But in the process, I don't think he'd even locked the picture at that point. But it was very, very sweet of him to do that. But then he put in the credits, 'Tim Roth (Cut).' Which is so his sense of humor. My sons, they love that."

While Quentin Tarantino comes across as eccentric and intense when promoting his films and books, it's easy to see the innate passion that comes forward in his work, especially with his actors. From dancing with John Travolta and Uma Thurman on the set of "Pulp Fiction" to the freezing temperatures on the soundstage of "The Hateful Eight," his dedication to immersing his actors in the film is impressive and a big part of why they're so successful. It's fun to know that the director respects his frequent collaborators enough to share with them aspects of his vision that weren't meant to be. That is until the extended cut of "Once Upon a Time" makes its way to screens one day.

Read this next: 13 Tarantino Projects We Never Saw But Wish We Could've

The post Why Quentin Tarantino Cut Tim Roth's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Scenes appeared first on /Film.

Around six and a half months ago, AMD Core Tech Group Graphics Engineer Dihara Wijetunga announced he was working on a Return to Castle Wolfenstein path tracing mod. We got an update in late August with a handful of fresh screenshots. Now that 2022 is almost behind us, Wijetunga revealed the new implementation of all the main temporal upscaling technologies (AMD FSR 2, NVIDIA DLSS 2, and Intel XeSS) into the Return to Castle Wolfenstein path tracing mod.

Added FSR 2, DLSS 2, and XeSS to the RTCW path tracer over the weekend! Wanted to tackle something easier after working on the path tracing side.

When a user asked Wijetunga about the release date of the Return to Castle Wolfenstein path tracing mod, the AMD Graphics Engineer said:

I’m hoping to have something out by late next year. It’s mostly a solo effort, so progress is a bit slow.

Wijetunga also confirmed that the motion blur option in the graphics settings refers to per-object motion blur, which is the more advanced version.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein originally launched in November 2001, developed by the now-defunct Los Angeles game developer Gray Matter. The game managed to sell two million units by January 2004, though by that time, Xbox and PlayStation 2 ports had also been released. Critic reviews were very high, as testified by the 88/100 average score on Metacritic, with the multiplayer side of the game (developed by Nerve Software and Splash Damage) getting the lion's share of the praise.

There's a chance the Return to Castle Wolfenstein path tracing mod may launch when someone else has already used found a way to inject NVIDIA's RTX Remix tool into the PC classic game. The current obstacle is that Return to Castle Wolfenstein uses the OpenGL API, whereas RTX Remix only works with DirectX 8 and DirectX 9 games that use fixed-function graphics pipelines, but an OpenGL to DX9 wrapper could get around that limitation.

The post Return to Castle Wolfenstein Path Tracing Mod Gets FSR 2, DLSS 2 & XeSS; Tentative Release Set for Late 2023 by Alessio Palumbo appeared first on Wccftech.

When I started working from home five years ago, my chair was the floor and my desk was a stool. I was allowed to type with two hands when the baby on the floor next to me was napping or otherwise occupied. So really, any desk would have been an upgrade, but once I knew working from home was going to be my reality long-term, I went all in and bought a motorized standing desk.

After some research and lots of YouTubing, I settled on an Uplift V2, opting for the curved bamboo desk top in the 42-by-30-inch size with the standard (non-commercial) C-frame. I sprung for the advanced keypad, as Uplift recommends, and picked the storage grommet inserts, thinking I might want to put pens or a drink in there (I don’t).

Amy Skorheim / Engadget

I considered a few other companies including Autonomous, Vari and Fully when I was deciding which desk to get. Back when I ordered, the offerings from Uplift felt the most comprehensive, with a slew of size, color and desktop material customization options, and they had the most accessories.

That’s something you’ll notice as you configure your desk: there are a huge number of add-ons available. Probably the most unexpected is the under-desk hammock, but that’s only available for desks 72 inches wide and larger, so I didn't get one. Plus I own a couch. Mine came with two free accessories when I purchased it a couple years ago, but lucky buyers today get six freebies. I went for the free rocker board, which I don’t use, and now wish I’d grabbed the cushioned standing mat instead. I also picked the bamboo under-desk drawer, which I use daily, filled with a few of these metal storage bins.

If you browse through the image galleries on Uplift’s site you’ll notice idealized office setups, with a curious lack of cables on, under or snaking away from the desks, as if buying one will somehow make wireless energy transmission a reality. Turns out that’s not the case, but Uplift does offer a number of ways to route and hide those still-necessary cords. Every desk comes with a wire management tray that mounts at the rear underside of the desk, along with cable tie mounts to keep wires up and out of the way. I paid $35 extra for the magnetic cable channel which keeps the rather thick cable that powers the desk routed against the desk leg.

Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Once the desk arrived, it was fairly easy to assemble following the video instructions. What stood out to me most about my new office furniture was the weight. It’s heavy. Each leg contains three nesting sections of steel with a steel crossbar up top. I’m sure my bamboo desktop is among the lighter of Uplift’s options, but it’s still substantial. Considering how little anything wobbles as it raises and lowers, or when it’s 45 inches off the ground, I think the heft is a good thing.

After the desk was assembled, it took a little fussing to get the cables hidden in a way that somewhat resembled the minimalism you see in the Uplift gallery photos. It helps to lift the desk to its full height when you’re setting up so you can get under there to work with the plugs, power strips and cable ties – something I wish I’d realized before I spent an hour hunched under there while it was at normal-desk height.

Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Lifting and lowering the desk is a simple push-button operation. The standard (aka free) keypad only has up and down buttons, which you press and hold to adjust the desk’s height. Uplift “recommends” paying the extra $40 for an advanced keypad that lets you program four different height settings; I gave in to the upsell, but I’m glad I did. If you need to go from sitting to standing or the other way around, just push a numbered key and the desk adjusts all by itself. I only use two pre-programmed positions – a sit and a stand height – but it’s nice to have the option of more settings. For example, if I ever want to make use of that balance board, I might need a couple extra inches.

The operation is impressively smooth and almost silent. During working hours, my cat stations himself at the corner of my desk and doesn’t wake from a nap when I change heights. I adjust the desk four times a day, starting off standing, switching to sitting for lunch and staying seated for an hour or two after. When I start to feel that afternoon slump, I’ll raise the desk back up to standing, which (paired with a cup of tea) usually helps with focus. Then just before quitting time, I sit down for the last hour or so, pushing the standing button when I log off so it’s ready for tomorrow. I’ve been more or less following that pattern for two years and the motors are performing exactly as they did when I first got the desk. Aside from a little dulling in the desktop finish where I have my mouse, everything still feels and looks new.

You’ve probably heard it said that your healthiest working position is your next one, meaning you shouldn’t stay in any posture for long. Having an adjustable desk doesn’t necessarily solve the problem of bad ergonomics – standing still all day is nearly as bad as sitting – but I’ve found when I’m standing, I’m much more apt to step away and get in a stretch, or even pace a bit when I’m searching for my next word. The Uplift desk is worlds away from a stool on the floor, and I don’t think I could ever go back to just a regular desk again.

If you need a break from the hustle and cheer of the holidays, there’s nothing better than the ultimate escapist genre: sci-fi. This year has been a good one for those who like their entertainment off-planet or otherwise removed from our reality. We finally got a Predator sequel that isn’t silly; the author of Station Eleven released her highly anticipated new book; Star Wars proved it’s ready to grow up; and the production company A24 brought us one of the most exhilarating movies in years. There are even a number of sci-fi podcasts that can keep you company while you wrap presents or decorate your home with tinsel and lights. Here are some of the best sci-fi movies, books and shows as of late that you can binge over the holidays.

TV

Resident Alien

Syfy

If you still miss Northern Exposure 27 years after its finale aired and thought Wash was the best part of Firefly, you’ll find something to appreciate in Syfy’s Resident Alien. Now in its second season on the Syfy app and Peacock, the show follows a doctor, new to a small, snowy town, who’s actually an alien that came to Earth to exterminate humanity – except he’s misplaced his world-killer device. The extraterrestrial, played with gusto by Alan Tudyk, pretends to be Harry the human while getting into plenty of sitcom-style hijinks with a roster of quirky characters.

Two subplots expand the fish-out-of-water story: one about the recent murder of the former town physician, the other involving a secret government organization that’s hunting down the alien and his ship. It’s spit-your-drink-out funny and expertly plays with the small-town TV tropes we know and love. It’s also occasionally touching, particularly in moments between Harry and Max, a 10-year-old boy who happens to be the only person who can see past Harry’s human disguise.

Severance

Apple

In my personal accounting, Apple TV+ wins the streaming war this year, and Severance is among the best of their offerings. That’s saying a lot, considering Slow Horses, Afterparty, Pachinko and Black Bird all debuted on the streaming service in 2022. Not to mention the intelligent and pitch-dark time traveling serial killer thriller, Shining Girls. Where that show was awash in visceral, back-alley terror, Severance occupies a cleaner, tech-washed version of reality, but one that’s no less nightmarish.

Weaponizing the ideals of modern working life against us – the minimalist, high-design office, a strict work-life balance – Severance tells the story of employees at Lumon. While we’re not sure what they do, we do know they’ve all undergone a surgical procedure to separate their work brains from their personal brains, effectively creating two different people. The delight lies in figuring out who these people really are (and what that even means), and sussing out what’s actually going on at Lumon. Gorgeous in a sterile, Apple Store kind of way, Severance is anchored by exacting performances from Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, Christopher Walken and John Turturro. And yes, to keep us from rioting in the streets after season one’s cliffhanger, there will be a season two.

The Peripheral

Prime Video

With a William Gibson novel as source material and Westworld creators as producers, The Peripheral has a strong sci-fi pedigree. The assured performance by Chloë Grace Moretz and a particularly lush set design make Amazon Studios’ new production a treat for the eyes and ears – it gives your brain something to chew on, too.

Set both 10 years in the future in North Carolina and 77 years in the future in a post-apocalyptic, hologram-clad London, the show centers on Moretz’s Flynne, a woman trying to make enough money to care for her ailing mother by working her job at the local 3D print shop and by helping rich folks level up in VR games. When her brother lands a gig to try out a new headset, Flynne, being the better player, heads into the sim. Turns out, it’s not a sim, but a quantum tunnel into the future in which she controls perfectly rendered robots – the first one modeled after her brother, then one based on herself. Of course, putting on the headset ignites a world of troubles, some of which show up on Flynne’s doorstep.

There’s plenty of Gibson’s characteristic techno-cool terminology, and metaphysical and temporal intricacies that you’ll have to watch closely to figure out – you’ll get little hand-holding here – but the head-scratching opaqueness that obscured Westworld’s later seasons don’t really apply. Look for answers and you’ll find them, plus you’ll have a lot of cyberpunk-fueled fun along the way.

Andor

Lucasfilm/Disney

The scads of people who are calling Andor the best product in the Star Wars franchise aren’t wrong. Turning the camera away from the galaxy’s royal Skywalker family, the new Disney+ series follows Cassian Andor, who you may remember from Rogue One as the relative nobody in a band of nobodies who made sure the Death Star plans got into the hands of the Rebel Alliance so Luke could do his thing.

The series takes place five years before the events of Rogue One and replaces the melodrama of the saga and grandiosity of the Force with a human story on a human scale. It’s about a man who makes his own journey towards rebellion, instead of that rebellion being a predestined fact. Faced with an Empire that’s disturbingly bureaucratic in its repression, Cassian assists with a heist that prods the Empire to bring down its fist across the galaxy. Watching it gives you a detailed sense of the universe where Star Wars takes place, with fully realized worlds, mature storylines, and characters that don’t feel far, far away.

Movies

Prey

HULU

The 1987 sci-fi action classic Predator pits a band of heavily armed and macho soldiers against an extraterrestrial who likes to occasionally drop by Earth to hunt humans. Peak-form Arnold Schwarzenegger is the last man standing, and honestly looks pretty ragged in that final chopper ride out of the jungle. So how would a young Comanche woman in the early 1700s fare against a similar alien encounter? Pretty damn well, as it turns out.

Easily the best sequel in the Predator franchise, Hulu's Prey takes place on the Great Plains where Naru, played with steel by Amber Midthunder, dreams of proving herself as a hunter and warrior. With her dog by her side and a throwing axe in hand, Naru gets a chance to do just that as she faces off against predators of the animal kind (bears and mountain lions), the human variety (French fur trappers) and ultimately, one from another planet. Special attention was paid to historical fidelity with on-set Indiginous advisors and a largely Indigenous cast playing the Comanche tribe members, proving that when Hollywood makes an effort to get things right, everything only gets better.

Everything Everywhere All at Once

A24

We need films like Everything Everywhere All at Once to remind us of the pure joy movies can make us feel. Picture a mashup of multiverse tropes, Kung Fu action, family drama and absurdist comedy, and you’ll get a sense of what to expect from EEAAO. Michelle Yeoh plays Evelyn, a Chinese-American immigrant living in Simi Valley with her husband and daughter. The laundromat they run is being audited by an IRS examiner played by an uncharacteristically dowdy Jamie Lee Curtis. But before Evelyn makes it to her IRS appointment, she’s told she’s an important player in an inter-dimensional battle against a chaos-loving force known as Jobu Tupaki. Eveyln flits through parallel universes, gaining skills and perspectives as she does, ultimately braiding threads together to figure out what existence “means.”

The film comes from A24, a production and distribution company with an uncanny knack for fostering wholly original movies in a world awash in reboots and franchises. EEAAO is already racking up awards and nominations to match its overwhelming public acclaim. If you haven’t done so already, watch it and never see hot dogs, rocks or Ratatouille in the same way again.

Nope

Universal Pictures/Monkeypaw Productions

After the psychological terror of Get Out and grisly horror of Us, director Jordan Peele made Nope to prove he’s not out of ideas. Daniel Kaluuya plays the lead, as he did in Get Out, this time as a laconic cowboy in a trucker hat. Kaluuya’s OJ and Keke Palmer’s Emerald are a brother and sister team running a struggling ranch outside of Hollywood where they train horses for the movies. When nickels and house keys fall from the sky and the horses start running off, they see there’s something parked above the ranch, hiding in an immovable cloud – something that’s not from here, and definitely not friendly.

Like everything Peele makes, Nope has plenty of humor to shoot through the tension, and there’s a dose of abounding weirdness – particularly in a side plot about a sitcom chimpanzee. You also sense a clear love of movies coloring the film, with nods to classics like Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Alien. In fact, the idea of movie making itself drives the team that comes together against the UFO. The need to get the shot, to document the alien, is just as, if not more, important than self-preservation.

Books

Sea of Tranquility

Alfred A. Knopf

If you caught the dreamy, post-apocalyptic miniseries Station Eleven on HBO last December and wondered if there were any more ideas where that came from, check out Emily St. John Mandel’s latest novel, Sea of Tranquility. St. John Mandel wrote the book upon which the HBO series was based, and this time around, she’s exploring what life on a colonized moon would look like while also considering the effects of a space-time anomaly that links together a British Columbian forest, an airship terminal in Oklahoma City and four points in time running from 1912 to 2195. A time traveling agent is sent back from 2401 to investigate, tying together the narrative threads.

As in Station Eleven, St. John Mandel pairs wondrous speculation about our future with deeply human stories. Even minor characters are layered and complex, and her philosophical explorations feel important without coming across as dry academic exercises. Also, her sentences are beautiful. Read it now and you’ll be ahead of the game when the adaptation, which is currently in development at HBO Max, comes out.

The Candy House

Simon & Schuster

Jennifer Egan won a Pulitzer Prize for her essentially perfect 2010 work, A Visit from the Goon Squad and this year’s The Candy House is the sequel. Like Goon Squad, this is a novel told in stories and shifting perspectives. But where the first book focused on music and Gen X aimlessness, this time we’re looking at the technology we willingly give all parts of ourselves to. It’s not hard science fiction, but it does what the genre does best: speculating on a probable future and seeing how we humans react.

In the near future, a tech giant named Bix (a fleetingly minor character in Goon Squad) creates the next big thing in social media, called the cube, into which you can upload your unconsciousness and share it. Needless to say, there are repercussions. But the effects of the cube aren’t the focus. Instead, technology slips into the lives of the characters, just like all the previously impossible-seeming tech we live with today. Egan is one of the most assured writers I’ve ever read, and the prose is top-form literary stuff. It's never ever boring, and, like the teeming memories of the cube, impossible to look away from.

Dead Silence

Tor Nightfire

Pulitzer Prize-level literature is great. But sometimes you just want a gripping sci-fi story with a missing luxury cruise-liner spaceship in which all the people inside have violently died. Written by S.A. Barnes, who previously wrote under a pen name in the YA space, Dead Silence is part shipwreck hunter, part Event Horizon horror, and part Newt from Aliens’ epilogue.

Taking us to the year 2149, the novel centers on Claire, the team lead on a repair crew responsible for maintaining communication beacons at the edge of the solar system. The team gets a faint distress signal from a Titanic-esque spaceship that disappeared decades ago, halfway into its maiden voyage. Naturally they investigate, and things get disturbing when they discover bodies upon bodies inside the ship. Claire also happens to be the sole survivor of a viral outbreak on a Mars outpost when she was eleven, an experience that has left her with PTSD and more than a little unreliability in the narration department. The book is creepy and scary and mind-trippy and reminds me of the twitchy gratification of reading Stephen King as a teenager (with the lights on).

Podcasts

Celeritas

Magnesium Film

The creators of Celeritas (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others) bill it as a “cinematic podcast,” which doesn’t mean it’s about movies, but rather that listening to it feels as immersive as experiencing something with both sound and picture. And that description is correct. The narrative centers on an astronaut who pilots the first light-speed space flight, and ends up deep in the future after things go awry.

From episode one, Celeritas expands the possibilities of the aural medium, which you first notice in the thrilling and densely layered sound design. Then there’s the storytelling, which ditches the audiobook “once upon a time” formula for an approach that takes full advantage of radio-play dynamics. Instead of an astronaut on a space walk delivering exposition or narration to us, we instead hear him intersperse his communication with mission control with a message he records for his daughter as he takes care of mundane EVA procedures. The eighth of 12 planned episodes dropped in late November, and new episodes are released roughly every two months.

Flash Forward

Flash Forward

Initially called Meanwhile in the Future when it was launched back in 2015, Flash Forward (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others) isn’t usually a sci-fi podcast but rather, one that takes a speculative notion – say, what if all the world’s volcanoes erupted at the same time? – and then talks with experts to try and answer the question.

It’s a fascinating show in its own right, but then in October of this year, 27 three- to six-minute episodes dropped all at once. They tell the story of Vanguard Estates, an AI-automated retirement home where “you” are deciding whether or not to leave your father. It’s a choose your own adventure podcast that cleverly brings up the increasingly entwined issues of aging, healthcare and robots. Afterwards, creator Rose Eveleth explores those issues in the usual Flash Forward style.

Escape Pod

Escape Artists

Throw a dart at any one of the 865 (and counting) episodes of Escape Pod (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, their website and more) and you’ll be transported elsewhere. Each weekly episode tells a new short sci-fi story, written by a roster of different writers and narrated by talented voice actors. The episodes range from around 20 minutes to an hour long and cover every sci-fi angle possible: cyberpunk, space exploration, time travel, post-apocalypse, AI and far more. It has amassed numerous awards for podcasting and short fiction and, while I wish each episode included a brief description to make it a little easier to pick and choose, grabbing an episode at random will rarely let you down.

What a year for gaming. While 2022 may not have enjoyed as many AAA releases as in past years, the ones that weren’t delayed into 2023 were stellar and the indie development scene more than made up for the lack of big-budget titles. Some of our favorite releases this year came from small, ambitious teams that delivered fresh ideas. As is tradition, the Engadget team came together to extol the virtues of our favorite releases from the past 12 months.

Bayonetta 3

Bayonetta 3 is a delicious amplification of the series’ most ridiculous themes. It indulges in absurdity without disrupting the rapid-fire combat or Bayonetta’s unrivaled sense of fashion and wit. Bayonetta 3 is joyful, mechanically rich and full of action, plus it allows players to transform into a literal hell train in order to take down massive beasts bent on destroying the multiverse. Bayonetta elegantly dances her way through battles, dropping one-liners and shooting enemies with her gun shoes in one moment, and turning into a giant spider creature the next.

The Bayonetta series just keeps getting weirder, but that doesn’t mean it’s losing its sense of satisfying gameplay along the way. In the franchise’s third installment, Bayonetta is powerful, confident and funny; she’s a drag queen in a universe loosely held together by witchcraft, and the chaos of this combination is truly magical. – Jessica Conditt, Senior Reporter

Cult of the Lamb

Sure, you’ve played Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, Hades and The Binding of Isaac – but what if you could play all of them at once, in a single adorable demonic package? That’s Cult of the Lamb, baby.

Cult of the Lamb is part social and farming simulator, part dungeon-crawling roguelike and all-around fantastic. After being sacrificed and resurrected, you’re instructed by a grand, dark deity to start your own cult, managing worship services, agriculture, cooking, marriages, deaths and much more. You must also venture into the wilderness to battle demons and recruit more followers. Keep in mind that you’re a lamb, which makes all of this exceptionally cute.

Cult of the Lamb is a brilliant balance of satanic dungeon crawling and cult simulation, offering more action than Animal Crossing and more casual farming mechanics than Hades. Cult of the Lamb is incredibly satisfying, and it’s rich in gameplay, story and environments. Most of all, it’s cute as hell. – J.C.

Elden Ring

There was never going to be a version of this post that did not include Elden Ring, FromSoftware's big push into open-world Berserk-inspired sword and sorcery.

Yes, there's something to be said about the earlier, more linear Souls games forcing players down a path of increasing gloom and difficulty (cue the hallmark rasping laugh of an NPC who seems to know precisely how screwed you are), how the inevitability of that experience allowed the devs to craft a bespoke gameplay loop of apprehension, frustration, discovery and the eventual reward of mastery. I love that stuff! But Elden Ring tried something new, effectively playing a shell game with those four player states, and making discovery the new initial draw.

My big "aha!" moments in Dark Souls 3 or Bloodborne arrived when I'd finally spotted a shortcut or sussed out a boss's hidden weakness. Elden Ring retained that. But what really made the good brain chemicals flow was just… roaming around. Reaching the top of some lava-ridden mesa. Or finding a way onto some seemingly inaccessible islet. The grandeur of the settings and knowledge FromSoft wouldn't make me work for a slice of geography devoid of treasures to loot and dudes to hack apart made the effort worthwhile.

Some fans adore the limited palate of Sekiro which essentially tells players, "git gud or quit." Call me a bad gamer (accurate) but I prefer the maximalism and flexibility that Elden Ring brought to the table. Want to grind until every boss is trivial? How about a hitless all-remembrances run? Either, and anything in between, is valid. Allowing for challenge and accessibility makes Elden Ring a beautifully executed twist on the formula FromSoft has been honing for nearly 30 years. – Avery Menegus, Senior News Editor

Ghostwire: Tokyo

Sometimes, games you were once really looking forward to playing just sneak past you at launch. That’s totally true of Ghostwire: Tokyo, a game from Tango Gameworks, which also created the underrated horror game The Evil Within and its sequel.

Ghostwire: Tokyo is different to those, though. It’s often… funny. Sure, there are grotesque Japanese folklore monsters and creepy faceless men-in-suits to hurl magic at, but there are also ghosts trapped in toilet cubicles that need a few extra rolls of toilet paper, or park trees that need to be magically cleansed for nearby spirits to feel at ease. You play through a first-person perspective, using elemental attacks, charms and a spiritual bow and arrow set to take down an array of spirits that have invaded a substantial patch of central Tokyo. If you’ve heard the game described as Yakuza, but with ghosts, well, it’s a completely different kind of game. But the beautifully rendered buildings, interiors and streets definitely hit similar notes. Due to a supernatural attack on the city, you won’t bump into any other humans, pretty much through the entire campaign, which adds an eerie air to the entire game. It’s either ghouls trying to kill you, or spirits that need your help to move on.

The main game is short but punchy enough. It feels like a game that was banking on DLC to round out a lot of the more ambiguous plot questions players might have, but it’s uncertain whether that will ever happen. It’s still a fun supernatural game that takes a different approach to horror, with some mind-bending set pieces that bring some of the more imaginative parts of games like Control into the neon-lit streets of Tokyo. And who doesn’t want to be stalked by hundreds of paper eyeballs? – Mat Smith, UK Bureau Chief

God of War: Ragnarok

When I was first introduced to Kratos, the God of War, he was on my PS2, taking a stroll along a Cretan wharf, casually tearing a few Minotaurs in half. Things only went downhill from there. For a full three mythos-crushing game installments, things only went downhill from there. I mean, by the end of GoW III you had to dig pretty far down the Pantheon talent list to find a surviving deity.

But when we were reintroduced to Kratos on the PS4, we were not given back the pale ball of vengeful fury and barely-contained ultraviolence that we had grown to know and love. This new one was, well, not softer but at least not quite so hard-edged as before. This was a Kratos with bad knees who old-man grunted when he stood; a Kratos with a son he struggled to connect with but still reared in a dangerous and unforgiving world, demi-god or not. This was a more relatable Kratos, one that had aged alongside the gamers that inhabit his form in the intervening console years, with concerns and motivation beyond most efficiently chain slashing his way through enemy hordes.

I think a big part of what made God of War the Game of the Year in 2018 was that progression away from thinly-veiled plot points serving as excuses for more blood, boobs and button smashing; and towards a more mature, measured examination, not just of Kratos’ relationship with Atreus, but the larger theme of how to process familial loss, its accompanying grief, and to move forward from the pain.

Ragnarok is both an affirmation of Kratos’ reformation and a lodestar for the future of the God of War franchise. I’m not going to spoil the rich and nuanced multi-arc-with-just-a-hint-of-time-travel storyline for those who have not yet played but it, in my opinion at least, is the best written of the series. This is a game with cutscenes you’ll want to sit through. Combine that with well-paced skill-adjustable action, huge maps packed with treasures and secrets, an expansive supporting cast and star-studded voice acting – not to mention a menagerie-worth of mystical wildlife just begging to be torn limb from limb – and you’ve got yourself one of the best games of 2022. — Andrew Tarantola, Senior Reporter

Horizon Forbidden West

Sony’s first-party studios have generally done sequelsright, and Horizon Forbidden Westis no exception. The first game had one of my favorite narratives, as protagonist Aloy learned what happened a thousand years prior to bring about the mysterious world she (and the player) inhabit – one where mankind lives in relatively primitive tribes trying to stay safe from giant animal-like machines run amok.

Forbidden West delivers even more of what worked in Horizon Zero Dawn. Aloy remains a steadfast, righteous and occasionally stubborn protagonist who continues to grow as she uncovers more secrets about the world around her while fighting a totally unexpected force bent on destroying Earth as she knows it. The twists of Forbidden West don’t quite match the first game’s reveal of how the world we know evolved into the world Aloy inhabits. But the narrative is still rich and complex, and the new parts of what was once the American southwest that you get to explore are rendered in stunning detail. It’s one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever played.

As with any good sequel, combat and traversal around the world have been refined – there are more weapons than ever, and you can customize them to match your play style or the particular enemies you’re facing. Melee combat against humans and machines alike has also been significantly upgraded, and new items like a grappling hook and hang glider make getting around quicker and more fun. And nearly all the machines from the first game return, along with some colossal new enemies that present a massive challenge, but also a massive bit of satisfaction as you figure out their weak spots and systematically take them down.

I think my favorite new thing of Forbidden West, though, is the relationships you build with your friends. In the first game, Aloy is mostly a lone wolf, occasionally partnering with people here and there but mostly doing things on her own. In Forbidden West, though, you establish a posse of capable and likable companions, some old and some new, all of whom bring something different to the table in your massive quest. Trying to fend off the end of the world feels just a little bit easier when you have friends by your side. – Nathan Ingraham, Deputy Editor

Immortality

With Immortality, indie game director Sam Barlow has delivered a tribute to the surreal films of David Lynch, with a dose of Hitchcock for good measure. Similar to Her Story, it's also entirely about scrubbing through video clips, except this time it involves footage from three unreleased genre films spanning several decades. Your job? To figure out what happened to the actress Marissa Marcel.

Geared more towards cinephiles than mainstream gamers, Immortality can be frustrating if you're not operating on Barlow's wavelength. But if you're a fan of surreal cinema, and you enjoy diving into behind-the-scenes footage, it's a game with endless rewards. The mystery will get you started, but the spooky atmosphere and excellent performances will keep you hooked. – Devindra Hardawar, Senior Editor

Marvel Snap

After getting burnt out on Hearthstone a few years ago, and superhero movies more recently, the last thing I expected to hook me in 2022 was a comic book-themed collectible card game. But then the fine folks at Second Dinner released Marvel Snap and it quickly became my favorite time waster. Because a match lasts less than five minutes, you can easily play a round during commercials, while waiting for the train, or in the bathroom (I’m not judging). And while decks cap out at just 12 cards, there’s a surprising amount of depth with a huge variety of effects and counters. Meanwhile, thanks to appearances from lesser-known characters like Hell Cow, Devil Dinosaur and the Infinaut, the game has prompted me to learn more about Marvel lore than any of the movies ever did. So even though the game is a little barebones at the moment (the only mode is a basic ranked ladder but more features are on the way), Marvel Snap is sure to be a game I continue playing long after I’ve forgotten about whatever happened in the latest Spider-man movie. – Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter

Neon White

What do you do when you love speed running and score chasing, but you're generally not very good at it? You play Neon White. 

Like all good games, Neon White is simple to learn, and difficult to master. The basic ask is that you vanquish every demon from a level and head to a finish marker. It plays like a fast-paced first-person shooter, with the complexity coming from your weapons, which are cards that can either fire or be spent for a special movement or attack ability. The real challenge comes from the scoring system, which grades you based on the time you took to complete a level.

There are just shy of 100 levels, all begging to be learned, repeated and perfected. Despite its first-person shooter visuals, it plays out more like a cross between Trackmania and a platformer. You'll quickly turn that bronze medal into a gold, and then an "ace" that is supposedly your ultimate target. Then you'll see the online leaderboards and realize you've left some seconds on the table. Then you'll randomly achieve the secret red medal on a level, say "oh jesus" and realize that there's a whole hidden tier of perfection for you to attain.

The trick is that everything feels smooth, and fast. From my first gold medal time up to the top-ten-in-the-world run I showed my pretending-to-be-interested friends, every time I turned on the game I felt like a master, inches away from perfection. There are multiple paths through each level, ridiculous shortcuts to discover, and near-infinite degrees of satisfaction waiting after every good run.

The main negative point, for me, is the story, which plays out like a visual novel. I love the genre, and had heard good things about the game's characters, but found the narrative overly slow and just generally dull. There is mercifully a "fast forward" button, and once you've played through everything, a level select screen that lets you jump right into the action.

Despite its storytelling, and a couple of overly long levels that had me gnashing my teeth, Neon White was easily the most fun I had with a game this year. I played on Switch and PC, but a couple of weeks ago it landed on PlayStation as well, and I imagine I'll be starting up a new campaign and playing it all over again soon.– Aaron Souppouris, Executive Editor

OlliOlli World

Most of the time, single-player narrative-driven games are where I spend most of my gaming time. But once a year, I come across a game like OlliOlli World that I can play for minutes or hours at a time because the gameplay is just so satisfying. The goal in OlliOlli World is simple: become a skateboarding god. You do that by progressing through five worlds, each of which has a dozen or more individual stages, each with a wildly unique course to traverse.

Unlike the earlier games in the OlliOlli series, World is a bit more forgiving at first. It’s much easier to pick up and start pulling off wild moves and combos than ever before. But it’s still fiendishly challenging – if you want to beat every challenge, you’ll need lightning-fast reflexes and the mental stamina to change up your tricks and moves constantly. But once you get fluent in the game’s mechanics, you can enter a flow state where you’re just making moves purely on instinct.

The level and character design in OlliOlli World only enhances this effect. Like the earlier games, each of the five biomes has its own unique characteristics, but in all cases the levels are extremely colorful and interactive, with tons of eye candy and bizarre creatures hanging out in the background. And you can customize your character with clothing and items you pick up for completing challenges, letting you express your personal style in a huge variety of ways. There are also competitive aspects, like the daily challenge where you compete against nine other skaters to post the top score in your group. And every time you visit a level, you’ll see a “rival” score to try and beat. There’s always something pushing you to skate even better in OlliOlli World. – N.I.

Overwatch 2

Overwatch is my second favorite game of all time. Despite sharper, faster-paced gameplay, some much-needed quality-of-life improvements and the free-to-play shift I've wanted for years, Overwatch 2 isn't quite at that level yet. It's too rough around the edges.

The monetization changes felt like a gut punch. In fairness, many of the high-end skins cost around the same as what you'd pay for outfits in other major free-to-play titles. But newcomers now need to pay up if they want cosmetics that have been in the game for six years – items that veteran players were able to earn for free only a few months ago. Players also need to pay for the premium battle pass, grind through the free tier or wait until it's easier to unlock new heroes in later seasons before getting access to the latest characters.

And yet, Overwatch 2 has a hold over me like no other game. It's still the best multiplayer title around, with a rich lore, a wonderful cast of characters and a colorful aesthetic that helps it stand out from many other games on the market. The ping system is an excellent addition for accessibility, and the four new heroes that have joined the lineup since launch are all a blast. Some of the major hero reworks, especially the Orisa one, have been a resounding success.

As much as I enjoy the game as it is now, Blizzard has laid the foundations for an even more exciting future. Next year will bring long-awaited, story-driven co-op missions to the franchise – until now, we've only had a taste of those during seasonal events. After getting a sneak peek at some of the stuff that's on the way to the PvP side in the next few seasons, including a new core game mode and the season four hero, I can't see myself putting this game down anytime soon. – Kris Holt, Contributing Reporter

Rollerdrome

Roll7

Rollerdrome is lush. It’s incredibly stylish, taking cues from 1970s Hollywood sci-fi but with an attractive cel-shaded filter over every scene. Even better than its stunning visuals, Rollerdrome has smooth, precise mechanics that allow players to fall into a flow in every level. The game is all about gliding through the environments on rollerblades, picking up speed and doing tricks while dodging and shooting enemies, managing weapons and controlling time – and it all comes together in a thrilling dystopian bloodsport.

It’s a joy to dodge, dodge, dodge and then leap into the air, slow down time and take out the people shooting at you, refilling ammo and collecting health in the process. Meanwhile, an unsettling story of corporate greed unfolds naturally beneath the rollerblading bloodshed, keeping the stakes high. Rollerdrome was a sleeper hit of 2022, so if you’ve been napping on this one, now’s the time to wake up and play. – J.C.

Stray

When I fall in love with a game, it’s the setting that gets me, which maybe explains why I wandered around Fallout 76’s Appalachian wasteland long after most people had left – I wanted to live there. I want to live in the futuristic city where Stray takes place too, but since I’m neither cat nor robot, I wouldn’t be allowed. In the game, you play a standard orange tabby with no special abilities, apart from those given to most felines like agility and jumping prowess. Through a mishap, you find yourself trapped in a domed city populated exclusively by amiable humanoid robots, and you eventually team up with a small drone that lets you “talk” with those androids.

To find your way back to your cat family outside the city, you solve puzzles, fight mutant bacterial blobs and generally follow your curiosity. The cityscape is a gorgeous, multi-level cyberpunk playground that feels a little less hardcore than Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City, with plenty of woven rugs to scratch and pillows to nap on. In fact, scratching, napping and otherwise doing cat stuff not only unlocks achievements (I was particularly proud to earn the one for getting a paper bag stuck on my head) they’re also integral to the game.

As my colleague Jessica Conditt said in her review, Stray is “downright joyful.” By leaning into the cat premise, it creates a whole new gaming perspective – you can’t do stuff humans can do, but you can do stuff cats do, like shimmying through small holes and jumping on pipes and bookcases. Living 12 inches off the ground for the cumulative eight hours or so it took me to play the game, I finally understood why cats want to jump on top of everything. The view is just better up there. – Amy Skorheim, Commerce Writer

The Last of Us Part I

A ton has been said about how The Last of Us Part I is a remake of a game that was originally released for the PS3 and then remastered a year later for the PS4. (Oh, and it’s coming to PC in early 2023, too.) So, it’s not exactly an essential release if you’ve played it before. But for people who may have heard about the upcoming HBO show and want to know what all the fuss is about – or anyone who loved Joel and Ellie’s journey the first time – this PS5 version is the definitive way to experience this story.

The game has been entirely rebuilt from scratch, and it shows in everything from the ruined post-pandemic cities and surprisingly tranquil forests and mountains to the detail found in collectibles around the world. Most crucially, though, the facial animations are simply stunning. Everyone you encounter, whether a lead character or an NPC you only see once, looks amazingly detailed and realistic. Of course, that means the hordes of infected humans hunting you are even more disturbingly detailed than ever, as well.

The updates aren’t just skin deep, either. Enemies are smarter and more cunning than ever, thanks to developer Naughty Dog using the upgraded AI system they implemented in 2020’s The Last of Us Part II. Humans are more aggressive about flanking you and a lot easier to lose once they find you, while the Infected are even better at hearing you trying to sneak by. There are a host of other updates, big and small, perhaps the most important of which is a massive suite of accessibility features so that almost anyone can give this game a shot.

What hasn’t changed is the story and script – but that isn’t a problem, given that The Last of Us was already well-known for its outstanding performances and plotting. The debate on whether or not The Last of Us Part I was really “necessary” will likely continue, but don’t spend too much time thinking about it. If you’ve never played the game before, this is the way to do it. And if you’re like me and play it every year or two, this is the best way to do so. – N.I.

Tunic

How do you write about a game that’s best experienced without expectations? That’s the challenge of saying something meaningful about Tunic. You can speak to its influences – primarily The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, with a dash of Soulslike combat – but that doesn’t do the game justice. Worse yet, it fails to capture its appeal. I could also mention its haunting soundtrack by Lifeformed and Janice Kwan or the austere beauty of its art style. But again that’s not quite what makes Tunic so special.

I’m being purposefully vague because to say more would be to rob the game of its magic. So I’ll leave you with this: It’s fitting Tunic casts you as a cutesy fox because the game has a knack of making you feel so clever anytime you work through one of its many mysteries. Do yourself a favor and try to play this one without turning to the internet if you run into a roadblock. On the other end is one of the most rewarding gaming experiences in recent memory. – Igor Bonifacic, Weekend Editor

Triangle Strategy

As a longtime fan of the SRPG genre, no game in the last decade has managed to evoke classics like Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre more than Triangle Strategy. I admit it’s a bit of a slow burn and it gets a bit text-heavy, but with multiple endings (including a New Game+ mode), a deep roster of characters and rewarding turn-based combat, this game has it all. And thanks to its art style, which masterfully blends old-school sprites with a modern 2.5D approach, this game looks and feels like a love letter to those all-time greats of the late 90s. If you’re a fan of tactics games, Triangle Strategy is a must-play. – S.R.

Vampire Survivors

I had such good intentions for my Steam Deck. I swore I'd use it to get through my Steam backlog and stream a bunch of games from Xbox Cloud Gaming and Stadia (RIP). Sure, I do those things, but only on the rare occasion I can rip my attention away from Vampire Survivors.

It is a rudimentary-looking game with very basic controls. You'll face hordes of monsters, but because your weapons autofire, the only real control you have is using the thumbstick or touch controls to move your character. You'll need to carefully juke away from some enemies while getting close enough to kill others and pick up the experience gems they drop. After you collect enough gems and level up, you’re able to select another weapon or powerup.

This is where many of the game's intricacies come in. You'll get a random selection of weapons and power-ups to choose from at every level, as well as the ability to make your items more powerful. If you find the right pairings, you can evolve weapons into ultra-powerful forms. Vampire Survivors is the perfect distillation of the power fantasy. Flesh out the right build and you'll carve through bosses that once seemed unbeatable like a lightsaber through ice cream.

This game begs you to keep coming back. Since it debuted in early access last December, developer Poncle has frequently updated the game with more characters, weapons, items and levels. Part of the joy is in building different loadouts that can demolish enemies with ease. Vampire Survivors also shares some DNA with casinos. There's an explosion of color and some upbeat, tension-filled music whenever you open a treasure chest, along with a delightful chime whenever you grab a gem – you will hear that a lot. These aspects don't exactly make it easy to put the game down.

I love my Steam Deck. I love Vampire Survivors. Together, they have a toxic hold over my desire to play other games. I could simply uninstall Vampire Survivors from my Deck, but, really, what's the point when I can just play it on my phone now?– K.H.

Wordle

Mike Kemp via Getty Images

For a while in 2022, a word game brought the world together. Because it’s the same puzzle for every single player each day, Wordle was a giant inside joke amongst solvers across international boundaries. At Engadget, for example, London-based Mat Smith could give me hints or laugh at my inability to guess a word he got.

I also loved sharing and seeing the little blocks that showed how many tries it took us to solve the word. It was a chance to both bond and brag – the perfect gaming experience. Plus, whenever a word was controversial, whether it was spelled in US or UK English, for example, I loved the inevitable debate that would result. In 2022, Wordle gave us an elevated form of watercooler conversation fodder, but for the entire world.

Although technically launched in 2021, Wordle found widespread popularity in 2022. It was born from software engineer Josh Wardle’s desire to make a word game for him and his partner Palak Shah to play together. But it was when the user base expanded beyond his family to encompass the entire globe that Wordle took on a life of its own.

Countless iterations were spawned, building on the format and name… which itself was based on Wardle’s last name. You may have seen examples like Heardle, Worldle, Squirdle, Absurdle and more, using the puzzle’s format for us to guess songs, countries and other subjects. As always happens with anything popular, hundreds of websites published guides to beating the game, while scores of clones popped up in the Android and iOS app stores, hoping to cash in on the fever. Wardle later sold the game to the New York Times for an undisclosed sum that was reported to be in the low seven digits, and soon, just as quickly as the fever started, the game’s popularity subsided. Thanks to Wordle, we all may be leaving 2022 just a little bit savvier about the most common letters and words in the English language. – Cherlynn Low, Deputy Editor

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Getting into a new role-playing game series can be hard sometimes. This is especially true when you’ve allied yourself with a certain studio or series – and we are into double digits in the Trails series, not to mention the juggernaut that is Final Fantasy. It’s trickier to reorient yourself to completely new gameplay dynamics, series in-jokes that fly over your head and just, well, things being different.

That means I’m late to playing critically acclaimed RPGs – I have to be in the right mindset. So how did Xenoblade Chronicles 3 weasel its way into my heart? I think it’s because I was told by several people, both gaming critics and friends, that it was a perfect entry into the series, regardless of whether you’d played its predecessors. They weren’t wrong.

It’s a nice game to approach with a blank slate because it goes through around three different tonal gear shifts before you entirely know exactly what the heck is going on. While I don’t want to ruin the anime-nodding plot twists, several of which you will see coming from a mile away, the game starts with a sci-fi, steam-punk high-concept scenario. Teen warriors on two factions are pitted against each other, waging wars with mechs, but also close-range weapons. It turns out direct kills are the only way to leech their enemy’s life force, building up a store in their base’s “flame clock” and ensuring a squad’s survival. They have to fight, to live.

Noah and two of his allies clash against Mio and her retinue, and after the battle ends in a draw – and I get to enjoy a slick, anime-styled battle movie between all six – the fates conspire to ensure this is your group of warriors, and only they can save the world.

With a wide range of classes to wield and master, as well as the ability to add a guest warrior to your squad pretty much any time throughout the game, battles initially seem chaotic, but I soon got attuned to the rhythm. Defenders will coax enemies into targeting them, allowing your heavy-hitting attackers to wail on them from the side or back – positioning is crucial. Meanwhile, your healers will ensure your defender doesn’t fall and amp up damage either with area-specific skills or targeted attacks on enemies. Also, your epic, charge-them-up-in-battle Interlink attacks are accompanied by such a high-energy soundtrack, it’s hard not to feel like a hero.

There are some big pacing problems in places, and when you get the ability to combine with your allies and form powerful Evangelion-esque avatars, you wonder exactly what can stop them at times. But it’s a vast adventure with several compelling side quests to fill out your time in Aionios. Annoyingly, it’s won me over – and I have since downloaded the original Xenoblade Chronicles (and its sequel) to play in 2023. – M.S.

Now here is something really special for all our old-school first-person shooter fans. The 1995 prototype build/tech demo for 3D Realms’ Prey has just been leaked online. As such, PC gamers can download and run it on their PC systems. For those unaware, 3D Realms was working on Prey back in 1995.  Prey would be … Continue reading 3D Realms’ Prey 1995 Prototype Build has been leaked online →

The post 3D Realms’ Prey 1995 Prototype Build has been leaked online appeared first on DSOGaming.

The horniest time-traveling couple in all of Scotland (and later, all of France, and then all of colonial America) are set to return in summer 2023, and Starz is already getting fans warmed up with the first teaser trailer for "Outlander" season 7. Based on the books by Diana Gabaldon, the historical romance (tinged with either sci-fi or fantasy, depending on your interpretation of how the standing stones work) has taken Claire and Jamie Fraser a long journey so far, but there are many miles still to go.

At 16 episodes, season 7 will be double the length of the previous season of "Outlander," which left the story on a bit of a cliffhanger. Claire has been captured and is being taken to face trial for murder, but the trial proceedings are complicated by the fact that America is gearing up for a revolution. The new teaser indicates which way the wheels of justice will turn, featuring an ominous shot of Claire with a noose around her neck. Based on past experience, though, the odds of a hunky Highlander showing up to rescue her just in time are pretty good.

Watch The Teaser For Outlander Season 7

The teaser is built around narration from Jamie, describing a dream he had of Claire surrounded by a kind of light he has never seen in his own lifetime, but which he believes to be electric light — a vision of the future that Claire came from. This is a particularly interesting detail given a mystery that has been lingering since the "Outlander" pilot, when Claire's first husband, Frank Randall, arrived back at their lodgings to see a "ghost" watching Claire through the window ... where she was bathed in electric light.

Is Jamie destined to somehow travel forward in time through the stones at Craigh na Dun? Gabaldon has said that the ability to time-hop is genetic, which is why both Claire and Bree have traveled through them, yet Jamie never has. But if it's possible to absorb the time-traveling disposition through osmosis, then Jamie has certainly spent enough intimate time with Claire over the previous six seasons to have soaked up some of that time juice.

"Outlander" season 7 is based on Gabaldon's novel "An Echo in the Bone," the seventh in the main series that now consists of nine published novels, with Jamie and Claire's story set to wrap up in the tenth. If you haven't already been spoiled by reading ahead, you can find out what's next for the Frasers when "Outlander" returns to Starz next summer.

Read this next: The 15 Best Historical Romance Movies Ranked

The post Outlander Season 7 Teaser: Do Jamie Frasers Dream Of Electric Light? appeared first on /Film.

This beta version works well for the author, but will not necessarily work well for you. There may be errors with a lack of RAM on win 10 (win 11 has an improved memory manager, there are no problems on it), this will be fixed with the transfer of the game to 64 bits.

Check out our updated weekly list of all the best AAA and indie free games this week, starting with a new free game every single day at Epic Games Store, Greak on GOG, and much more freebies!

The post List of Free PC Games (Updated December 25th 2022) appeared first on Indie Game Bundles.

The RPCS3 team has just announced that the Playstation 3 emulator, RPCS3, can now run all the games that were released on Sony’s console. In other words, every PS3 game will at the very least boot and show an image output. We are delighted to announce that as of today, the RPCS3 Loadable compatibility category … Continue reading Playstation 3 emulator, RPCS3, can now run all released PS3 games →

The post Playstation 3 emulator, RPCS3, can now run all released PS3 games appeared first on DSOGaming.

Yes, yes, I know...you're probably thinking, "you wrote it, dude", and while that's true, that's not the reason why I really love RegRipper. Yes, it's my "baby", but there's so much more to it than that. For me, it's about flexibility and utility. At the beginning of 2020, there was an issue with the core Perl module that RegRipper is built on...all of the time stamps were coming back as all zeros. So, I tracked down the individual line of code in the specific module, and changed it...then recompiled the EXEs and updated the Github repo. Boom. Done. I've written plugins during investigations, based on new things I found, and I've turned around working plugins in under an hour for folks who've reached out with a concise request and sample data. When I've seen something on social media, or something as a result of engaging in a CTF, I can tweak RegRipper; add a plugin, add capability, extend current functionality, etc. Updates are pretty easy. Yes, yes...I know what you're going to say..."...but you wrote it." Yes, I did...but more importantly, I'm passionate about it. I see far too few folks in the industry who know anything about the Registry, so when I see something on social media, I'll try to imagine how what's talked about could be used maliciously, and write a plugin.

For the last thirteen years the Free Software Foundation has published its Ethical Tech Giving Guide. But what's interesting is this year's guide also tags companies and products with negative recommendations to "stay away from." Stay away from: iPhones It's not just Siri that's creepy: all Apple devices contain software that's hostile to users. Although they claim to be concerned about user privacy, they don't hesitate to put their users under surveillance. Apple prevents you from installing third-party free software on your own phone, and they use this control to censor apps that compete with or subvert Apple's profits. Apple has a history of exploiting their absolute control over their users to silence political activists and help governments spy on millions of users. Stay away from: M1 MacBook and MacBook Pro macOS is proprietary software that restricts its users' freedoms. In November 2020, macOS was caught alerting Apple each time a user opens an app. Even though Apple is making changes to the service, it just goes to show how bad they try to be until there is an outcry. Comes crawling with spyware that rats you out to advertisers. Stay away from: Amazon Amazon is one of the most notorious DRM offenders. They use this Orwellian control over their devices and services to spy on users and keep them trapped in their walled garden. Be aware that Amazon isn't the peddler of ebook DRM. Disturbingly, it's enthusiastically supported by most of the big publishing houses. Read more about the dangers of DRM through our Defective by Design campaign. Stay away from: Spotify, Apple Music, and all other major streaming services In addition to streaming music encumbered by DRM, people who want to use Spotify are required to install additional proprietary software. Even Spotify's client for GNU/Linux relies on proprietary software. Apple Music is no better, and places heavy restrictions on the music streamed through the platform. Stay away from: Netflix Netflix is continuing its disturbing trend of making onerous DRM the norm for streaming media. That's why they were a target for last year's International Day Against DRM (IDAD). They're also leveraging their place in the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) to advocate for tighter restrictions on users, and drove the effort to embed DRM into the fabric of the Web. "In your gift giving this year, put freedom first," their guide begins. And for a freedom-respecting last-minute gift idea, they suggest giving the gift of a FSF membership (which comes with a code and a printable page "so that you can present your gift as a physical object, if you like.") The membership is valid for one year, and includes the many benefits that come with an FSF associate membership, including a USB member card, email forwarding, access to our Jitsi Meet videoconferencing server and member forum, discounts in the FSF shop and on ThinkPenguin hardware, and more. If you are in the United States, your gift would also be fully tax-deductible in the USA.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The newest version of Brutal Wolfenstein! Check the description for details!

IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
Genre: Animation / Comedy / Family / Fantasy / Mystery
Size: 612.69 MB
Runtime: 1hr 6 min

When the Mystery Gang meet famous horror writer Ben Ravencroft (Tim Curry) on their last mystery, he invites them to the small town Oakhaven, Massachusetts. While there for the Autumn Harvest Festival, Ben explains the history of his ancestor Sarah Ravencroft, who happens to be an evil witch. At the same time, the Hex Girls, an all-female Gothic rock band, come to town bringing an audience there. The gang investigate the mysterious sightings while they are there which seems to be connected to the locals of the town which turns into something much more.