Kaitlyn Dever, the actress portraying Abby Anderson in the second season of HBO's The Last of Us adaptation, required extra security during filming for her own protection.
This comes from fellow castmate Isabel Merced, who is playing Dina in the show. Speaking with Josh Horowitz on Happy Sad Confused, Merced discussed the strong emotions the series can spark within some that have resulted in volatile reactions from so-called fans.
When Horowitz said he was concerned about Dever, and the toxicity she will likely receive "through proxy of being Abby", Merced stated there are "so many strange people" who "genuinely hate" the character. This is despite her being completely fictional. And, because of this, Dever was required to have extra security during the filming for the second season.
Remnant: From the Ashes is undeniably worthy of praise, especially when it comes to the art direction and technical execution. Though not flawless by any stretch (its environments might appear somewhat stark or monotonous at times, but remember it is a 2019 game), only partially relieved by atmospheric elements present within each world (even though these worlds were generated procedurally and contained diverse areas), though its overall results speak to developer skills who excel in game design even under tight budget restrictions. Gunfire Games certainly excel at doing just this, more for less, a Soulslike experience with epic battles against massive bosses being just an example of their mastery.
Remnant: From the Ashes - You Will Not Notice It Is a Game on a Tight Budget
Remnant: From the Ashes is a game created with a tight budget, which many players forget while playing it as it is truly extraordinary and easily comparable with big-budget productions. The art design combined with a strong sense of inspiration (great creativity) makes for a truly remarkable performance when budget constraints are present, and the developers were really good at guiding this project. For this reason, you can safely buy Remnant: From the Ashes for PlayStation: Gunfire Games has excelled simultaneously artistically/creatively and technically. We can imagine this as part of an outstanding development team effort that displays their skill while exuberant artistic vision with spectacular technical execution, resulting in an end product that proves their capabilities once more!
Satisfying Boss Fights
Consider, for instance, our experience battling Mallet as our initial major boss: it became an agonizing battle spanning multiple nights; at three points close to being victorious, I came within inches of winning each time. only to find it all slipping away by just one inch or less! If you like this kind of struggle and you want to buy cheap PS4 games, Remnant: From the Ashes is one of the best choices available even today. My fight against Mallet was difficult and finally satisfying...the array of emotions I felt in such moments shows just how capable these developers were in creating challenging yet emotionally fulfilling gaming experiences that leave players satisfied but needing another go!
Remnant: From the Ashes is a Hybrid of Genres
Roguelikes have long employed such mechanics as we can see in Remnant: From the Ashes, however, this one takes it one step further by adopting the concept of Leentjebuurspelen - an intriguing hybridization of popular genres and gaming elements from recent decades - including cover systems inspired by Gears of War, cooperative dynamics that recall Destiny, acquired skills associated with recent shooters with RPG elements as well as acquired abilities that bring to mind recent shooters featuring RPG components. While such an amalgam may typically raise concerns, Remnant skillfully weaves these disparate elements together into an integrated whole; influences recognized from multiple games never hinder its flow primarily thanks to one dominant inspiration which serves as its structural backbone - something comparable to Dark Souls itself!
Remnant: From the Ashes - Campaign or Multiplayer?
Remnant: From the Ashes defies the misconception that games tend to soften with more players; its challenge adapts dynamically by increasing adversary numbers and strengthening boss health in proportion with each additional comrade in your party/group. It is another well-designed feature that not so many cheap PS5 games have. You have the choice between embarking alone for an engaging story journey/campaign or teaming up (with friends or strangers) in a 3-players cooperative session for quick collective destruction of adversaries; loot distribution follows an equal 1:1 ratio among participants within any session to ensure outcomes are in alignment with individual needs and preferences. Whatever you choose, Remnant: From the Ashes will deliver.
Stellar Blade's planet Earth lies ravaged and abandoned; skyscrapers puncture its murky sky like monuments of fallen civilization; humankind now struggles for survival on distant space stations ejected by monstrous entities known as Naytiba; however there remains one spark of hope as Eve, an individual wielding an iconic Stellar Blade sword, descends upon it determined to recover what's been taken.
Does Stellar Blade Reminds of Other Games?
Stellar Blade's post-apocalyptic setting, where remnants of civilization struggle for survival amidst monstrous threats, may recall The Last of Us' dark and atmospheric world-building. (Just in case you did not played it - and I do not think there are too many real gamers who did not do it already - you must buy The Last of Us.) Both games feature an earth that has become hostile against humanity's efforts at survival - with abandoned skyscrapers contributing to feelings of desolation and despair that is present throughout both games.
Stellar Blade adds its own special twist by including elements of space travel and cosmic entities known as Naytiba into its sci-fi post-apocalyptic narrative, further creating an engaging experience for viewers. Eve's presence wielding Stellar Blade sword sets in motion an extraordinary journey focused on recovering what has been lost against impossible odds. The combat is very different between the games (and we will talk about it soon).
Post-Apocalyptic Survival and Cosmic Exploration
Stellar Blade creats its own identity in the action-adventure genre by mixing elements of post-apocalyptic survival with cosmic exploration, creating a compelling story around Eve's quest for redemption. Is the story engaging? It is engaging enough but quite linear, lacking any depth or mistery, pretty commercial if you ask me. (Check other games with similar combat in our article about exclsuive PS4 and PS5 games.) The Last of Us is a clear masterpiece where Stellar Blade is nothing of this kind, just a slightly above average single-player game that has superlative elements but also minuses in so many ways.
Steps for Making An Informed Deliberation.
So the question stands: is Stellar Blade worth spending space-bucks on? The answer will depend entirely on what appeals to you in a videogame experience.
Stellar Blade for Combat Connoisseurs:
Stellar Blade will offer an engaging combat system, rewarding skill and mastery through parries, evasions and Beta/Burst Gauges to unleash devastating attacks - providing gamers with an immensely enjoyable gameplay experience. Without a doubt, the main reason why someone will buy Stellar Blade is to experience the Sekiro-like challanging combat, the diversity of enemies and tough bosses. Of course, in a totally different setting, however, recognizable in the defense-driven approach of the award-winning Sekiro: Shaddow Die Twice.
Stellar Blade for Exploration Enthusiasts:
Stellar Blade offers an intriguing post-apocalyptic world just begging to be explored, perfect for anyone seeking adventure. Vast landscapes filled with crumbling cities and treacherous terrain offer ample thrills and spillover. For the truly daring spirit, this game may provide more than enough excitement!
Stellar Blade for Story Seekers:
Stellar Blade may leave some gamers wanting more, especially if narrative innovation is your top priority because this is a very linear tale lacking deepness, character development, and more. While its worldbuilding is exceptional, predictable plot points and character depth may cause them to disengage with it quickly, so these players are better served if they are looking elsewhere.
Conclusion
The story develops as Eve attempts to connect with what remains of human civilization while searching for four hypercores guarded by powerful bosses, each unlocking another piece of the puzzle: its secrets behind an apocalyptic event, exodus to space, and Naytiba origins. Combat is the main dish when it comes to Stellar Blade, and even if derivative, it is recognizable and similar to that of Sekiro: Shaddow Die Twice. After all, if you copy someone, choose that someone carefully. Although somewhat predictable in plot development and execution, its narrative doesn't lack charm and Eve is quite an attractive picture - exploring forgotten settlements while discovering stories about past inhabitants add emotional depth - creating a realistic world with crumbling buildings and abandoned street corners feeling lived-in rather than felt during tragedy's heavy weight.
You can check out the teaser below, towards the end of HBO's latest sizzle reel. It starts at around the 01:15 mark. After the trailer, I will be breaking down a few bits I noticed, so please be aware of spoilers for The Last of Us Part 2 (the video game) below.
Sony has scrubbed an interview with Naughty Dog head Neil Druckmann from its website after finding "several significant errors and inaccuracies".
Last week Druckmann took part in an interview with Sony as part of the company's corporate strategy meeting, and at the time, Druckmann was reported to have said that Naughty Dog's next title could "redefine mainstream perceptions of gaming", and that "AI is really going to revolutionise how content is being created".
Soon after it was published, however, Druckmann took to social media to state that what he said had been lost in translation. Or, to quote Druckmann, his "words, context, and intent were unfortunately lost".
UPDATE 28/5/24: A photo showing Jeffrey Wright on the set of The Last of Us has started making the rounds online.
Wright was announced to be reprising his role as Isaac - whom he also played in The Last of Us Part 2 - for the show's second season at the end of last week. The photo appears to suggest that we will be getting more of Isaac's backstory told when season two airs next year.
You can see the photo below, if you want to see a clue to how the show is (perhaps) developing Isaac's story, however please be aware of potential spoilers.
Update Saturday 25th May 2024: Naughty Dog co-studio head, Neil Druckmann, has pushed back on claims he said Naughty Dog's next project "could redefine mainstream perceptions of gaming", saying his "words, context, and intent were unfortunately lost" in an interview with Sony.
In an image appended to his message, Druckmann highlighted the eyebrow-raising phrase, "[Naughty Dog's next game] could redefine mainstream perceptions of gaming", and then appended his original response to the interview question "is there a personal vision or dream you hope to see realised in the realm of entertainment", which I've written out in full below:
"Well, I've been very lucky, in that I've already had that. I got the chance to make several of my dream projects. I am working on a new one right now. And it's maybe the most excited I've been for a project yet. I can't talk about it or our bosses will get very mad at me. And I guess in general, there is something happening now that I think is very cool. Which is there's a new appreciation for gaming that I've never seen before. Like when I was growing up, gaming was more of a kid's thing. Now it's clearly for everyone. But it's like, if you're a gamer, you know about the potential of games, and non-gamers, they don't really know what they're missing out on.
Sony has added another game to its ongoing trials catalogue over on PlayStation Plus Premium.
Those subscribed to the service's Premium tier are now able to give The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered a whirl. This particular trial offers the chance for users to experience two hours of the game.
Once those two hours are then up, those that wish to continue on with the story will need to fork out the full £44.99.
As reported by Variety, Danny Ramirez, Tati Gabrielle, Ariela Barer and Spencer Lord have all joined HBO's adaptation. Those who have played The Last of Us Part 2 will recognise their characters as members of the Washington Liberation Front (WLF).
Ramirez, whose previous acting credits include Top Gun: Maverick and Marvel's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, will play Manny. The show's description states Manny is "a loyal soldier whose sunny outlook belies the pain of old wounds and a fear that he will fail his friends when they need him most". Barer, meanwhile, will play Mel, described as "a young doctor whose commitment to saving lives is challenged by the realities of war and tribalism".
Sony president and PlayStation chairman Hiroki Totoki has spoken of the opportunities available in its approach to releasing first-party games on PC, saying it's "proactively [working] on" bringing more titles to other platforms as part of an "aggressive" profit margin growth plan.
Totoki made the comments during an investor Q&A coinciding with Sony's latest financial earnings report. When asked how its gaming division might be looking to increase profits, he first discussed the difficulty of cost reduction in PlayStation hardware, given component pricing, before highlighting a "multiplatform" approach to its first-party game releases as a potentially more fruitful area of expansion.
"In the past, as you all know," Totoki explained, "we wanted to popularise [our] console, and the first-party title's main purpose was to make the console popular."