Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 1730

CONTROL is Remedy’s Trademark Weirdness with Sandbox Action

When Sony showed off the announcement trailer for Control at its E3 media briefing last night, it had publisher Remedy written all over it. The Finnish game developer, known most recently for Quantum Break and Alan Wake, has never been afraid to experiment, and Control appears to be no exception to that philosophy. Though the hands-off demo 505 Games presented at E3 shared some atmospheric elements with previous Remedy titles, it’s also something quite different for the studio.

For one thing, Control isn’t straightforward and linear; it’s “much more sandbox” than anything Remedy has created before. The demo took place slightly before the game’s midpoint, primarily in the Federal Bureau of Control’s office building. While that might seem straightforward, we soon found out that nothing there is as it appears. With a flick of a light switch, the locale changes from cold office building to seedy motel, and it only gets stranger from there.

Backing up a bit, what the heck is the Federal Bureau of Control? That’s still unclear, but we do know that our protagonist, Jesse Faden, is trapped inside its headquarters, despite having recently been named the organization’s director. She’s supposed to find the Head of Security, but instead there are floating people everywhere, and most of her coworkers are hostile. It’s quite surreal, and only gets stranger as Jesse is thrust into combat.

There are obviously some supernatural forces at work in Control, and they’re not all in the FBC building—Jess also has special abilities that are revealed throughout the game. The early encounters had her using skills like Launch, which acts as a sort of violent telekinesis, to take down her aggressive coworkers. Later on, she can levitate herself to find new areas to explore. Even her seemingly normal service weapon can take different forms, from “your everyday supernatural pistol” to a destructive firearm designed to take on groups of foes at short range.

The use of darkness and shadow makes Control feel more Alan Wake than Quantum Break, but it’s also got a distinct Twilight Zone vibe, which is helped by the minimal use of color. With the exception of the occasional red glow, there’s only a faint hint of other hues, adding to the mysterious atmosphere. It’s spooky, okay?

Under all that supernatural goodness is a third-person action-adventure game with flexible combat that’s more open-ended than previous Remedy games, according to the developer. I loved Alan Wake, but it was pretty linear, so I’m excited to see what Creative Director Sam Lake and his team can do with more room to explore. We won’t find out until 2019, when Control launches for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

Images: Remedy

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Tom King’s New Comic HEROES IN CRISIS Explores Sanctuary in the DC Universe

For months, Tom King’s Batman run has hinted at Sanctuary, a superhero crisis center where metahumans can seek treatment for their physical and psychological conditions alike. Now, DC has announced that the Sanctuary will be fully revealed in Heroes in Crisis, a new seven-issue miniseries by King and artist Clay Mann. But it’s far from good news for the world’s greatest superheroes. There’s a murder mystery in play and the culprit may be one of the heroes.

According to DC, the Sanctuary was created by Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman to help heroes deal with the severe mental trauma that often accompanies their chosen calling. Sanctuary was designed, and privately financed by Bruce Wayne, to give its patients a peaceful place by way of Kryptonian technology and Amazonian mysticism. Poison Ivy and possibly Booster Gold are among the patients there. Heroes in Crisis will explore the consequences of what happens when Sanctuary fails.

The first cover for Heroes in Crisis features almost every major hero in the DC Universe. But the focus of the story will primarily fall on Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Booster Gold, and Harley Quinn. While this series doesn’t appear to have the universe-threatening scale of previous Crisis event comics, it may be similar to Identity Crisis. In that miniseries, the superhero community was rocked by the murder of Sue Dibny and the revelation that her killer was someone they all knew. Heroes in Crisis could potentially go in that direction as well.

Heroes in Crisis #1 will debut on Wednesday, September 26.

Will Heroes in Crisis lead to another superhero murderer? Share your theories below!

Images: DC Comics

The Internet Nervously Watched a Raccoon Climb a Skyscraper

Cities aren’t designed for animals, very intentionally, but some species actually manage to fare pretty well in the urban jungles. Pigeons patrol the sidewalks just like the rest of us, rats can get their hands on pizza, and dogs have crosswalks and stop lights figured out. Now raccoons are starting to get used to city life, and as one raccoon in particular tried to figure it out, the world watched, terrified (via Bored Panda). Spoilers: the raccoon is now fine, don’t worry!

This poor raccoon apparently got itself stranded on a ledge of the Town Square office building in downtown St. Paul, likely on an errant mission to raid pigeon nests on the skyway over 7th Street. It’s been there for two days now, without food or water. @mprnews pic.twitter.com/fVI5pmdCWq

— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 12, 2018

Yesterday, the St. Paul, Minnesota area was focused on a raccoon that found itself stuck on a tall office building, and as Minnesota Public Radio News reporter Tim Nelson speculated, it was “likely on an errant mission to raid pigeon nests on the skyway over 7th Street.” He also said the raccoon had been there for two days without food or water, which made it more concerning when it started scaling the side of a skyscraper and making its way to the top of the huge building.

The #mprraccoon has arisen from his nap and is climbing again. pic.twitter.com/K1popKu2bF

— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 12, 2018

There wasn’t much local animal control and authorities were able to do to help get the raccoon down as it climbed the building, for fear of spooking it and causing it to take a fatal fall. Fortunately, the raccoon eventually made its way to the top of the building, where it was trapped, fed, and brought somewhere safer for a raccoon than a skyscraper. Through its perilous journey, the raccoon earned itself some fans, but most important, it’s safe and sound now.

For those of you worried about #mprraccoon: I’ve talked to wildlife experts, who say getting close to raccoon may invite attack or prompt it to leap or fall from ledge. Fire officials say they can’t in good conscience risk a life putting a FF over the side of bldg for a raccoon.

— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 12, 2018

RACCOON UPDATE: it has been trapped, its eating, still on top of tower, will be released “somewhere safe” by private Brooklyn Park contractor Wildlife Management Services

— Tad Vezner (@SPnoir) June 13, 2018

Here is the #mprraccoon being picked up by technicians from Wildlife Management Services just now. Taken away by truck to an “undisclosed location.” pic.twitter.com/x0iMZhW7zd

— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 13, 2018

Is this your favorite raccoon now (with apologies to Rocket Raccoon)? Let us know in the comments!

Featured Image: Henrique Pinto/Flickr

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Someone Turned Amazon Alexa Into SOLO’s L3-37

Last month, Solo: A Star Wars Story introduced moviegoers to L3-37, a free spirited and very outspoken droid who was the co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon when it was owned by Lando Calrissian. L3-37 was truly one of a kind, but that hasn’t stopped one intrepid Star Wars fan from attempting to make a L3 of his own. To realize his vision, he used an Amazon Alexa and documented its transformation into L3-37 on YouTube.



Via Gizmodo, the custom L3-37 Amazon Alexa was conceived and created by Patrick Stefanski for his PatchBots channel. According to Stefanski, one of the first hurdles he faced was the limited options available in Amazon’s Echo speakers. To get around those inherent limitations, the L3 build began with a Raspberry Pi3 mini computer running the Alexa software. Stefanski couldn’t perfectly mimic Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s voice, but he was able to get Alexa/L3 to speak with a British accent by setting his location as the United Kingdom.

Aside from the technical knowledge he displayed, Stefanski also demonstrated an impressive eye for detail and a willingness to make a screen accurate version of L3. In the video, Stefanski shared the specific steps he took to make L3 look properly textured and even dirty. And in a particularly inspired touch, he programmed L3 to respond to every inquiry with an annoyed “What?”

What did you think about this L3/Alexa hybrid? More importantly, what do you think L3 would say about it? Let us know in the comment section below!

Image: Patrick Stefanski 

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9 Obscure ARCHER References You Probably Missed

For nearly a decade now, Archer has been the smartest comedy on TV. You might not think so between its choking sex robots, holographic anime brides, rampant alcoholism, and often ineffective spy craft, but hidden within its hilariously over-the-top antics are some of the smartest, weirdest, and most obscure references you’ll find in any piece of television. In honor of Archer: Danger Island’s season finale and given that it is the show’s ninth season, today’s episode of The Dan Cave is showcasing 9 of the most obscure references in the history of Archer.

Bartleby the Scrivener

One of Archer’s best literary deep cuts is from way back in the season one episode “Skorpio.” When the corpulent arms dealer Spirodon Skorpio commands Archer to bring chocolate to a threesome with him and Lana, the superspy replies plainly, “I would prefer not to.” If this simple line induced a flashback to high school English class, it’s because that’s the infamous catchphrase of the title character in Herman Melville’s Bartleby the Scrivener, who would say the same thing when asked to do any number of unsavory tasks. Then again no one asked Bartleby about a chocolate threesome…but who can say if that would have changed his tune?

The Destruction of Sennacherib

Not only is Pam Poovey handy with a dolphin puppet in resolving interpersonal conflicts, but she can beat the ever-loving crap out of you too. Even more intimidating than her hand-to-hand combat skills is that fact that she has the third stanza of Lord Byron’s poem “The Destruction of Sennacherib” tattooed on her back. Most people opt for, like, two dragons smooching, or a glorious phoenix, or the Monster Energy drink logo, but not Pam! As we learn in season two’s “El Secuestro,” she prefers a poem about an Assyrian king trying to capture Jerusalem. What? Were you expecting Don Juan? How pedestrian.

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

When Archer was so unspeakably hungover in season three’s “Crossing Over” that he needed an entire pitcher of Bloody Marys to make his head stop pounding, he was perhaps at his most relatable. But unlike the majority of us when we’re hungover, Archer had the wherewithal to quote a sermon from 1741 by British theologian Jonathan Edwards. Personally speaking, I prefer Archer’s prayer, mainly because a gigantic pitcher of Bloody Marys is my platonic ideal of a Great Awakening.

The Sirens of Titan

Remember in season four when Archer had to travel to Morocco to help extract a secret agent…only to find out that he was a dog? Well that dog, Kazak the English mastiff, is a certified purebreed in terms of literary credentials: he is named in honor of Kazak, the spacefaring dog from Kurt Vonnegut’s novel The Sirens of Titan. Someone must have double dog dared Adam Reed and Mike Arnold to make double the obscure dog references because the episode title itself—”Un Chien Tangerine”, which means “A Tangerine Dog”—is a reference to surrealist filmmaker Luis Bunuel’s 1929 short film Un Chien Andalou, which means “An Andalusian Dog.” Thankfully, though, this episode contains far fewer instances of razor blades slicing into human eyeballs because YIKES.

Johnny Bench Called

One of Archer’s most delightful deep cuts happens in the show’s very first episode, Archer tells Mallory that “Johnny Bench called,” then trails off. Johnny Bench is a Hall of Fame catcher who played for the Cincinnati Reds and has famously large fingers, which allowed him to hold up to seven baseballs at once. The implication is that Archer’s next line would be “He wants his mitt back,” which is to suggest that his mother’s ladyparts are akin to a gigantic, well-worn catcher’s mitt. It also paved the way for Archer to refer to Lana’s “Johnny Benchian fingers” a few episodes later. It’s also just straight-up gross.

Alphonse Bertillon

In the season seven episode “The Handoff,” Cheryl wants to burn a cashier’s check, but Cyril wards her off, noting that it could have fingerprints on it. In response, Cheryl shoots back, “Well who am I? Alphonse Bertillon?” You’d be forgiven if that sailed over your head. Bertillon was a 19th century French police officer who created a technique known as anthropometry, which was the first scientific system of identifying criminals based on their physical measurements. It was later replaced by fingerprinting. He also invented the mugshot, something I’m sure that 95 percent of the Archer gang has in spades.

P.G. Wodehouse

One of Archer’s sneakiest references is hiding in plain sight: Archer’s trusty, mistreated, heroin-and-jazz-addled butler, Woodhouse. His name is a sly reference to a series of stories by English author P.G. Woodhouse, about a highly capable valet named Jeeves, who serves an incredibly wealthy man named Wooster. In these stories, Jeeves has to rescue Wooster from putting his foot in his mouth at every conceivable turn, much like Woodhouse must help Archer out from all manner of unsavory situations. Except unlike Jeeves, Woodhouse stands an exponentially higher risk of getting straight-up murdered.

Emile Zola

How would you like to be remembered when you die? Something tells me that French novelist and journalist Emile Zola didn’t anticipate being turned into a hamburger pun. Yet that’s exactly what happened to the literary giant in season four’s “Fugue and Riffs.” Believing himself to be Bob Belcher, Archer devises a deliciously cheesy Emile Gorgonzola burger served with “J’accusecumbers,” the topping being a reference to Zola’s famous 1898 letter “J’accuse,” which he published to accuse the French government of anti-Semitism in the wake of unlawfully imprisoning Alfred Dreyfus. The only thing we could accuse Archer of here is thinking that gorgonzola and cucumber is a winning burger combination.

Peter Abelard and Heloise d’Argenteuil

When Archer awakens from a drunken one-night stand with a French flight attendant in the show’s very first episode, he finds a pug in his apartment, violating Archer’s strict no-dogs rule. Abelard’s name, though, is a joke nested within a series of jokes all leading back to anal sex. When the woman tells Archer that she is hungry, he tells her to go to the diner because she’s obviously into Greek. This is a double entendre because “Greek” was a slang term for anal sex, referencing its popularity in Ancient Greece. Bu there’s more to it.

Her dog, Abelard, is named for a medieval French philosopher who dedicated his life to studying Greek thinkers. According to redditor jrhooo, this joke goes even deeper. Abelard famously had a romance with a younger working class woman named Heloise d’Argenteuil. Much like Heloise, this flight attendant is a younger working class woman who loves her Abelard. But wait, there’s more still! Not only was Heloise a scholar in her own right but, she was fluent in Greek. And thus, much like life, it all comes back to butt stuff.

And those are some of the most obscure references in Archer’s storied history! Which one is your favorite? What would you add to this list? Let me know in the comments below.

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Dan Casey is the senior editor of Nerdist and the author of books about Star Wars and the Avengers. Follow him on Twitter (@DanCasey).

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First Live-Action DUMBO Trailer Looks Like It Might Break Our Hearts Again

The legacy of Walt Disney Animation’s 1941 feature Dumbo is nothing if not complicated. These 77 years on, many of us remain duly freaked out by the film’s trippy-as-all-hell “Pink Elephants on Parade” sequence, rightfully vexed by its racially problematic Jim Crow character, and exceedingly overwhelmed with grief by the scene of Dumbo’s mother rocking her baby to sleep from inside a jail cell. Whatever new measures Disney’s live-action Dumbo remake intends to take in reviving the time-worn story, they’ll likely need to involve an overhaul of some of these concerns.

Our first look at the new film, directed by Tim Burton, is admittedly brief, but it does leave a taste of the sort of melancholy that enveloped the original Dumbo—but hey, maybe I’m just triggered by the sight of an elephant eye peeking out into the moonlit world through a tiny barred window (honestly, that cartoon did a number on me).



What we can expect is that our new Dumbo will experience a bit more kindness than his hand-drawn predecessor, as Burton looks to be painting his human characters with a more sympathetic brush than did Dumbo OG; Colin Farrell plays the calf’s hired caretaker, and Nico Parker and Finley Hobbins play Farrell’s two kids, and the whole family seems like good people. That isn’t to say that Michael Keaton’s circus owner or Danny DeVito’s ringleader won’t provide some expected cruelty, but we have yet to see what either one is planning to dole out.

In any event, we’re looking forward to more from Disney and Burton’s live-action Dumbo. Hopefully not drug trip scenes and racist characters, but whatever else they’ve got in store.

Images: Disney

More new movie trailers!

Check out Andy Serkis’ live-action Jungle Book remake, Mowgli
Keanu Reeves takes on a Russian jewel heist in Siberia
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Does PS4’s New SPIDER-MAN Video Game Live Up to the Hype?

E3 2018 is barely underway, but the gaming companies have wasted no time in showing off their highly anticipated upcoming titles. Today’s Nerdist News Talks Back is kicking off our second day of E3 coverage with a look at the very impressive trailer for Spider-Man, a Playstation 4 exclusive title. The early hands-on impressions from E3 suggest it may be one of the greatest superhero games ever. Can this Spidey game live up to the intense hype?



Join guest host Amy Vorpahl and her panel of experts, editor Adam Murray, writer Aliza Pearl, and producer Ben McShane, as they dive into the world of Spider-Man before asking a key question: why do Nintendo Switch commercials remind us of BuzzFeed videos? Watch the new trailers for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Super Mario Party again and keep that in mind. But will the Joy-Con controllers make Super Mario Party more complicated than it has to be?

And because it’s Tuesday, we’re once again asking whether Ben Affleck is stepping away from Batman. The latest rumors suggest that Matt Reeves’ The Batman will be a reboot with a new performer under the cowl. Also on the agenda for today is the new Game of Thrones prequel pilot; according to George R.R. Martin, it may not be the only GoT pilot in contention. We’ve got a few theories about what we may see in those prequel stories.

Nerdist News Talks Back airs live on our YouTube and Alpha channels at 1 PM PT every Monday through Thursday. Starting next Monday, June 18, we’re changing the start time to 11 AM PT every Monday through Thursday. On Fridays, we end the week in pop culture with our hourlong Nerdist News What the Friday at 1 PM PT, exclusively at Alpha. It’s the best daily talk show on the internet, and no topic is too big or too small for us to break down.

What did you think of today’s topics? Let us know in the comment section below.

Images: Sony/Insomniac Games

More from E3 2018!

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Twitter’s best reactions to E3 2018
Death Stranding‘s new trailer is… quite weird

Massive Custom LEGO BATMAN Wayne Manor and Batcave Is a Masterpiece

In Tim Burton’s Batman, Jack Nicholson’s Joker famously wondered “where does he get those wonderful toys?” We can only imagine what that Joker would say if he saw the actual toys inspired by the Dark Knight. There have been many fantastic Batman toys over the last eight decades, but a custom LEGO builder may have just outdone all of them.

Via The Brothers Brick, Brent Waller has unveiled his massive LEGO Batman Wayne Manor and Batcave that stands over six feet tall and is comprised of over 100,000 LEGOs. Waller’s design for both Stately Wayne Manor and the Batcave takes its inspiration from several chapters in Batman’s long history. Although it is primarily populated by The LEGO Batman Movie figures.

There are even a few hilarious side scenes, including Alfred performing a little Bat-laundry outside the mansion.

You may notice a few cameo figures from LEGO Dimensions in this build, including Stripe from Gremlins riding a dinosaur. In the picture below, Harry Potter is climbing a ladder with Green Lantern close behind him.

Below, you can see Batgirl in the armory, the Batcave’s central command computer, and a working carousel of Batman costumes.

Scooby-Doo and Shaggy are apparently getting a tour from Robin.

Many of the side rooms put the spotlight on the upper tier Batman villains including Two-Face, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, and of course, the Joker and Harley Quinn.

One of the more impressive touches is the Lazarus Pit room that depicts the resurrection of the second Robin, Jason Todd.

Waller’s incredible LEGO skills are only rivaled by his sense of design; this is such a masterfully conceived build that it’s practically perfect. His skills are far from unknown among LEGO builders, however, as he designed the LEGO Ideas Ghostbusters Ecto 1, and built LEGO Batmobiles that were used in the production of The LEGO Batman Movie.

For a more complete view of the LEGO Wayne Manor and Batcave, you can watch Waller’s nearly six minute overview below. You can also find more of his creations on his Flickr page.



What do you think about the LEGO Batman Wayne Manor and Batcave? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Waller Customs – Lego Creations

More nifty nerdy news you can use:

Kingdom Hearts toys now include Tron and Sark.
Preview Dark Horse Comics’ Zelda encyclopedia.
MTV to try live-action Aeon Flux again.

Has the Live-Action Nightwing Been Found By Fans?

There’s been a huge shift with the DC Extended Universe movies this week, as DC Entertainment President Geoff Johns has stepped down to take on a larger creative role in writing and shaping the films. But this doesn’t mean that Warner Bros. is slowing down the pace of the DCEU. Wonder Woman 2, Green Lantern Corps, and other projects are still on the way. And while it’s been a while since director Chris McKay’s Nightwing movie has been updated, many fans are speculating that Dick Grayson may have already been cast. Today’s Nerdist News is going into the Batcave to find some answers.

Join guest host Amy “the Clown Princess of Crime” Vorpahl, as she reintroduces us to Lewis Tan, the actor who portrayed Shatterstar in Deadpool 2. Tan apparently took a meeting at DC’s offices in Burbank before sharing the following picture on his twitter account.

Great meeting

Twitter’s Best Reactions to E3 2018 (So Far)

Every year, E3 brings gamers around the world breathtaking presentations, new stories, and innovations that we can’t wait to get our hands on, and meme-worthy moments that don’t happen anywhere else. (“My body is ready” will live on the Internet forever.) The incredible amount of streamed coverage, paired with real-time reactions on Twitter, make us all feel like we’re sitting in the front row of each presentation together… and we have opinions.

Here are just some of the funniest, smartest, and most intriguing reactions on Twitter from this year’s E3. Give these folks a follow if you’re a fan of live-tweeting and gamer gut reactions.

Bethesda

Bethesda‘s Todd Howard was a rock star at the company’s presentation, which wasn’t afraid to make fun of itself. With meme-worthy videos, a peek at Fallout 76, and a new Elder Scrolls game announcement, Twitter lit up the night of Bethesda’s presentation.

Mr. Todd Howard my wallet doesn't feel so good… #BE3 pic.twitter.com/cJHsmKbW52

— Anthony (@SilverAtrain) June 11, 2018

I sneezed right as Todd said “a blessing” and I thought he said “bless you” and my blood turned to ice

— Sam King (@SamanthaCKing) June 11, 2018

Ubisoft

Assassins Creed Odyssey, which offers a choice of Spartan protagonists, might be the game that stole the show this year. Kassandra and her possible romance options caught the eye of more than one live-tweeter.

Ask the correct question coward #E32018 pic.twitter.com/M4aORGlL4I

— Nibel (@Nibellion) June 11, 2018

Sony

Sony‘s presentation got a lot of attention this week, thanks to a look at Kingdom Hearts III, the frenetic energy of Spider-Man, the gorgeous graphics of Ghost of Tsushima, the jaw-dropping gameplay of The Last of Us Part II, and… whatever it is Death Stranding is. No one’s quite sure still.

You simply can't mess with greatness. #E32018 pic.twitter.com/v4Hd9P8zrH

— Gib of war the 95th (@Gib_reel) June 12, 2018

These animations are unreal. #TheLastofUsPartII pic.twitter.com/XOFwImrzd5

— shinobi602 (@shinobi602) June 12, 2018

Me for the past two years:
"Okay, I don't understand what's happening in #DEATHSTRANDING but I'm sure as soon as I finally see gameplay I'll understand"
Me after seeing gameplay: pic.twitter.com/xvAckokzYg

— Professor Thorgi (@ProfessorThorgi) June 12, 2018

Wow, humbled by the high expectations for #DEATHSTRANDING at the #E3… Now we're hoping we didn't elevate the hype too much