Assassin’s Creed VR has been renamed Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR, and it will launch later this year for Meta Quest VR headsets.
Announced at the Meta Quest Games Showcase, Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR is the first game in the Assassin’s Creed franchise to be playable in virtual reality. Originally announced in a blog post in 2021, Assassin’s Creed Nexus was one of two VR games Ubisoft announced were in development for the Meta Quest VR headset along with Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell VR. However, it seems only Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR will see a release, as Axios reporter Stephen Totilo reported last year that Ubisoft canceled the development of Splinter Cell VR (along with three other games).
Ubisoft previously confirmed in the blog post from 2021 that Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR (then called Assassin’s Creed VR) Ubisoft Red Storm, a subsidiary focused on Tom Clancy games such as The Division and Rainbow Six, will take the lead on the development of the game, with additional support from Ubisoft Reflections, Ubisoft Dusseldorf, and Ubisoft Mumbai.
While the Meta Quest Games Showcase did not share much about the upcoming project other than the new name, we won’t have to wait much longer as today’s showcase confirmed that Ubisoft Forward, which will be held on June 12, will provide a full reveal of Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR.
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR is just one of many games from the Assassin’s Creed IP that Ubisoft is currently working on as the company announced in a recent earnings report that it is preparing to pump resources into the franchise following a “challenging” year of losses and minimal game releases from the publisher. Alongside Nexus VR, four major installments in the franchise (including Assassin’s Creed Mirage) and a mobile game are currently in development.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
When it launched in 2019, All Elite Wrestling emerged as an alternative to the mainstream of Professional Wrestling – a genre of sports entertainment that had mostly run without substantial competition in the US for decades. Its upcoming game, AEW Fight Forever, largely finds itself in the same position. It’s an arcadey and old school alternative to the more realistic and simulation focused WWE 2K series, and on that front, it succeeds at what it sets out to do. Based on about two hours of playtime with a pre-release build, Fight Forever is the kind of simple pick-up-and-play fun that wrestling games used to be, even if it is a bit rough around the edges.
I got to play Fight Forever at Gamescom last year as well, which you can read all about here. My thoughts largely haven’t changed since then, even though I’ve gotten to play with a bunch more wrestlers, more match types, on a more polished build. What impressed me this time around though were all of the small touches that really make each individual wrestler come to life. One of the issues that inevitably affects all wrestling games is that many of the wrestlers feel very samey, largely because they all pull moves from the same humongous pool of maneuvers. But Fight Forever has a number of really nice small touches that go a long way into making the characters feel unique.
Fight Forever has a number of really nice small touches that go a long way into making the characters feel unique.
As an example, most characters are able to perform a quick evade by double tapping the left stick in a direction. However, MJF can not do this. Instead, when you double tap to evade0, he goes down on his knees and starts to beg for his life, which you can then quickly cancel into an attack to try and catch your opponent off guard. It’s very MJF-like, and I got a real kick out of it every time I managed to land an attack with it.
Orange Cassidy on the other hand, is well known and beloved for putting his hands in his pockets during matches, which is something you can actually do in the game. By clicking in the right stick, he’ll go into a ‘hands-in-pockets’ stance, which changes up some of his moves, allowing him to even do his classic toe-tap combo into a super kick. Touches like these really go a long way into making Fight Forever into a game that hardcore fans will truly get a lot out of.
I also got to briefly check out the single player story mode, Road to the Elite, which is a mode that feels, like the rest of the game for that matter, directly inspired by WWF No Mercy. You select a wrestler at the start and begin their journey to AEW, beginning with a phone call from Tony Khan with an offer to appear at the very first AEW Pay-Per-View, Double or Nothing. There are some great live action video packages that help tell the story of the formation of AEW, and they’re complemented nicely by some in-game cutscenes that further your own personal story along as well.
The exciting thing about Road to the Elite is that the story will branch based on whether you win or lose.
But the real exciting thing about Road to the Elite is that the story will branch based on whether you win or lose, which I love for several reasons. For one, it obviously adds replay value, as I’m always going to be curious about what would’ve happened if I won or lost a particular match, and have incentive to play it again for a different story branch. But also it just feels right for a wrestling game. Not every wrestler is Goldberg or Jade Cargill and just runs roughshod through the competition, and I think there could be interesting stories told from the perspective of a wrestler who loses big matches.
Of course, this is just supposing, and I didn’t get far enough into the single player mode to really comment on the quality of the story, but I loved how the story mode worked in No Mercy, and my impressions of Road to the Elite are that it seems very much like a spiritual successor to that mode.
In between matches you can also choose how to spend your time to upgrade your character. Working out expends energy but grants you skill points, with harder workouts requiring more energy and coming with a higher risk of injury; you could do a press conference to boost your energy and momentum; you could play a minigame to try and win money and skill points, you could eat food; or you could go sightseeing.
Time will tell how well those systems come together in the full game, but at the very least, it’s clear that there is some meat on the bones of Fight Forever’s single player mode. We won’t have to wait much longer for AEW’s long awaited video game debut, as Fight Forever is set to release on June 29 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox, PC, and Switch.
Mitchell Saltzman is an editorial producer at IGN. You can find him on twitter @JurassicRabbit
In 1982, then Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter purchased the idea of a black costume for Spider-man from a 22-year-old fan named Randy Schueller for $220 dollars. After rejecting Schueller’s story ideas, Shooter came up with the suit being made of an alien material, the Symbiote that would alter Peter’s powers as well as his look. The rest, as they say, is history.
Already one of the coolest and most beloved Spider-Man designs in comic history, Insomniac Games will be taking its own spin on the costume when Spider-Man 2 comes out later this year. During the first gameplay trailer, Insomniac revealed Peter Parker will be getting his own Symbiote costume along with a suite of new powers, and new troubles.
IGN sat down with Insomniac’s creative director Bryan Intihar and game director Ryan Smith to discuss the origins of their suit concept and how Insomniac approached the Symbiote costume.
If you played Insomniac’s first Spider-Man game, you might have wondered why the Symbiote suit wasn’t one of the unlockable costumes in that game. According to Intihar, at the time of Spider-Man 1 development, the team was debating whether to include the suit or not.
“When we were deep in production of Spider-Man 1, we talked about what suits we were gonna feature. And of course, as you’d probably imagine, the black suit — the Symbiote suit — came up and we kind of decided, are we gonna just give it as a visual thing, or are we actually gonna go bigger with it?”
The team believed the Symbiote suit needed its own game and Insomniac made the conscious decision to not include the suit in the first Spider-Man at all, and instead hold onto the concept for the sequel where it could get the spotlight to itself. “I was surprised people didn’t get as mad as I thought they would, that it wasn’t in the first game,” Intihar laughs.
So Insomniac planted the seed at the end of the first game, with Harry Osborne covered in the Venom Symbiote. When Spider-Man 2 was announced, Peter and Miles Morales are seen fighting Venom. And most recently, we saw Peter fighting with the Symbiote suit on.
In the past, from other video games, the Symbiote suit has mostly been cosmetic, but Insomniac’s version of the suit comes with unique, aggressive abilities. “I think for us the Symbiote in-gameplay is about power and transformation,” says director Ryan Smith. “What really powerful moves can we imagine? How can we imagine them working with the Symbiote tentacles, and really changing the gameplay feel.”
The difference between how Peter plays in his normal suit versus the Symbiote suit will be immediately noticeable and there will be gameplay abilities that weren’t available to players before that will be now. “The Symbiote punch is gonna really impact a single target [and] stick them to walls, whereas the Symbiote strike launches a bunch of enemies up in the air. And so that’s something that lets you shift gears in Spider-Man combat… It’s something we didn’t have before that we could bring with the Symbiote,” says Smith.
It definitely has that aggression, that addictive elements to it that you can see changing [Peter’s] personality.
“We understand that the expectations for the Symbiote are really high and we wanted it to feel different than what you would normally see,” adds Intihar. “Peter and Miles, so much of their move set is based on fluidity, speed, acrobatic, and the Symbiote is power, is strength, aggression and I think we wanted to make sure that from a gameplay standpoint that was represented.” Intihar says players should just take one look at Peter’s new finishers which “are much more aggressive and borderline brutal.”
There were concerns that the Symbiote suit could be too powerful in the game, but Intihar and Smith say that the game was balanced to deliver on the power fantasy but not make the game “feel like a cakewalk.”
So the suit won’t just look cool but gives players awesome powers, great. But what will it mean for the story? In the trailer, the suit is having a clear psychological effect on Peter, making him more aggressive, even against his friends like Miles.
“We try as much as we can in everything we do, whether it’s in gameplay, there is a narrative reason for doing it,” says Intihar. “It’s obvious, as you saw in the gameplay reveal [the Symbiote] affects combat a lot, but it’s going to impact the story and how the story plays out. And I think, you know if you look at the Symbiote lore from the comics it definitely has that aggression, that addictive elements to it, that you can see changing [Peter’s] personality. But I think what we’re gonna continue to really explore more in this game is how does that impact the people around Peter? Impact Miles, impact MJ, impact others.”
Intihar says this was the main attraction of working with the Symbiote suit. Not just fulfilling a power fantasy, though there will be plenty of that, but to really dig into how this suit could corrupt Peter and damage his relationships with others. “You heard [Ganke] say at the very end ‘Is he usually like this?’ and Miles goes, ‘No, he’s never like this… This is different.’” The way [Peter] cuts off Miles when the other is talking…We wanted the Symbiote to be something serious that when Pete’s not acting like how he normally does then what’s that impact across the people that are close to him?”
The Symbiote suit has different origins depending on which comics you read, and Intihar says he won’t reveal how Insomniac will introduce the suit to Peter just yet. If you’ve played the first game, Intihar says the team is still respecting the “DNA” of the franchise but they’re not going to “be afraid to mix things up.”
But you may be able to see some clues in the suit design, which isn’t just a sleek black suit this time around. If you look closely you can see Peter has some tendrils wrapped around his arms. The goal was to reinforce to audiences that the suit is not cloth but organic and its origins will “tie into why it looks a certain way,” according to Intihar. “I will tell you there’s more to that suit than we’ve shown in terms of visuals than we’ve shown in that gameplay reveal” he teases. “It’s that blend of really wanting to have that familiarity, you know of being black and the [white] spider symbol, but at the same time add elements to it, some expected, some unexpected, and some yet to be revealed.”
Matt T.M. Kim is IGN’s Senior Features Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.
The confusing, violent, and cataclysmic events we know today as the Bronze Age Collapse shook the Mediterranean 3200 years ago, which is roughly how long it feels like it’s been since we last had a main series historical Total War game. But much as Ramesses III led Egypt out of this dark era, Creative Assembly’s Sofia studio (which most recently released the semi-mythological A Total War Saga: Troy) brings us Total War: Pharaoh. The mysterious Sea Peoples are coming, and as a variety of competing leaders from the Egyptian, Hittite, and Canaanite cultures, it will be up to us to weather the storm.
While we haven’t gotten to see the campaign map yet, I was able to get a few details on it. We’ll fight over the Nile Valley as far South as Nubia and Kush – modern-day Sudan, basically. Heading North, we’ll get to explore Canaan, the region we usually refer to today as the Levant. Opposite Egypt, across the sea, we’ll also get to battle for Anatolia, the peninsula today which makes up most of modern Turkey.
We won’t be going as far East as Mesopotamia, so don’t expect to be tangling with any Assyrians or Babylonians. But the developers were quick to point out that this is a “full-fledged,” main series Total War game, though, and not a Saga. So we should expect sandbox gameplay and a scope similar to Rome II or Three Kingdoms.
Born To Be Kings
While the marketing for Pharaoh centers on Egypt, there is no faction called “Egypt” to begin with. Similar to Three Kingdoms and Troy, each faction is organized around a specific historical or semi-historical figure who is in a position to potentially unite their culture under one rule. For the Egyptians, this obviously represents the ambition to become Pharaoh, including the historical winner, Ramesses III. The Hittities in Anatolia have an equivalent office called the Great King. And the Canaanites are kind of stuck in the middle of it all, just trying to survive.
Similar to Three Kingdoms and Troy, each faction is organized around a specific historical or semi-historical figure who is in a position to potentially unite their culture under one rule.
There’s quite a bit more variety than just those three cultures in terms of the available units, too. Egypt, by itself, has four different regions with their own local, “native” units to recruit, in addition to a base roster tied to your starting character which is always available. You have Lower Egypt, Upper Egypt, Nubia and Kush in the far South, and the Western Desert on the outskirts where the most rugged and hardy warriors are available. The Hittites will be able to recruit from other Anatolian people like the Phrygians, and the Canaanites have two subcultures with unique units that represent the more settled city-state dwellers closer to the sea, and the pastoral hill folk of the East.
Wrath of the Gods
As this campaign focuses on the Bronze Age Collapse, the world will grow darker and more dangerous as the turns tick by, partly based on how well you’re doing at holding everything together. One of the main ways this manifests in battle is a dynamic weather system, in which you might start a fight under a baking desert sun only to be caught in a raging downpour moments later. This can change the terrain mid-battle, with large areas of ground turning into mud that slows down chariots and heavy infantry. Likewise, this marshy muck can dry up if the sun grows too brutal.
Each culture is equipped to handle their native lands better than others. Egyptians are typically lightly armored, which makes them nimble and very capable at fighting in extreme heat. The Hittites are much more heavily-clad in bronze, shrugging off the cold and the rain and able to endure quite a bit more damage, but they will be more susceptible to the relentless desert sun.
Terror From the Deep
Then we come to the enigmatic Sea Peoples, who seemingly overran many ancient and powerful cities during this time. We know very few concrete facts about them, so their depiction in Total War: Pharaoh is assembled from fragments of art and written accounts, along with some historical “best guesses,” but their main role is to serve as a major endgame challenge like the Huns in Total War: Attila.
The Sea Peoples’ main role is to serve as a major endgame challenge like the Huns in Total War: Attila.
They’re ruthless raiders and obviously quite talented seafarers, visually realized as a multi-ethnic coalition with eclectic combat gear that suggests they have gathered warriors from all over the ancient Mediterranean. Some of their troops are clearly riffs on Total War: Troy’s Mycenaens. They have multiple units with “Aegean” in their names. Others borrow from ancient depictions of Corsican, Sardinian, or Cretan islanders. They won’t be playable at launch, though the DLC roadmap promising multiple “Faction Packs” makes me think that’s likely to change.
War Never Changes
Back on the battle side, the siege AI seems remarkably competent for once, though the city defense I played saw the entire opposing army retreating almost the second their general died despite making it past the walls and still outnumbering us. Total War: Pharaoh is promising more granular customizable difficulty settings for campaign and battles than ever before, though.
Another addition is the ability to damage enemy armor over the course of a melee, with units like clubmen being particularly good at this. We’re still living in an era without battlefield cavalry, like in Troy, so chariots are your fastest and smashiest units. We’re also getting some new “stances” that cut down on micromanagement for infantry a bit, including one where you can tell them to simply advance until they run into the enemy and then attack.
Sea of Sand
From what I’ve gotten my hands on so far, Total War: Pharaoh doesn’t feel like a revolutionary step forward for the series. Not yet, anyway. I really look forward to seeing more of the campaign. This is an era I find especially fascinating, and the fact that we know so little about what actually happened is both a challenge and an opportunity for Creative Assembly. The path ahead lies clear for us to claim the title of Pharaoh this October.
As someone who really loved the narrative-focused Telltale games of yesteryear, playing another opening episode in their instantly recognizable style reminded me just how much I’ve missed them. Good ol’ zombie Telltale picks up right where the original incarnation left off, as the studio’s newest licensed project, The Expanse, is full of drama, tough decisions that leave lives hanging in the balance, and NPCs who will certainly remember your choices. Though there are many notable improvements to the look and feel of the expected Telltale system, The Expanse largely follows in the footsteps of earlier projects, at least going by the first episode, and that comes with advantages and disadvantages in equal measure.
In case you didn’t know, The Expanse is a wildly successful television show based on novels written by James S. A. Corey, and its DNA has all the makings of a series ripe for a Telltale game. There’s deeply troubling political turmoil, war, uneasy alliances, betrayals, and just about everything else you’d want players to worry about as they make their next dramatic decision. Much like The Walking Dead before it, the setting mostly serves as a depressing playground for the developer to pile on high-stakes tension and imminent tragedy. But the science fiction flavor affords for some interesting new moments, like scavenging for scrap in the vacuum of space, or shooting your fellow crewmate out of an airlock for doing you dirty.
Aside from the theatrical new setting, not much has changed from the familiar episodic formula. You’ll walk around exploring the world (or in this case, spaceship) and solve small puzzles in between the real meat of the episode – building up or irreparably ruining relationships with your comrades as you careen towards impossible decisions with far-reaching consequences. In the first episode, I had the opportunity to choose how to deal with a disloyal crewmate and was forced to pick between procuring valuable supplies by dismembering a friend, or losing those supplies but keeping 20% more of said friend. Per usual, making choices and watching the story unfold are an absolute joy. I didn’t realize just how much I missed these bite-sized episodes every couple of weeks.
There are some minor but noticeable upgrades too, like the fact that The Expanse looks and sounds better than any Telltale game before it. It’s not a mindblowing leap forward or anything, but there’s a very tangible jump in quality that’s certainly welcome. In the gameplay department though, the improvements are somewhat heftier, as the episode I played had me floating through space and magnetizing to the sides of a derelict ship in search of scraps. It’s by no means enough to excite those who aren’t drawn in by the story that’s clearly still the main attraction, but they’ve definitely come a long way from the janky tank controls of The Walking Dead Season One.
“The Expanse is more likely to be a moderate upgrade than anything revolutionary.”
The only concern I’ve got is that, after going dark for so long, recreating the Telltale magic without changing up the formula too much might not be enough to recapture people’s interest. It certainly felt good to be playing high quality, narrative-focused adventure games again, but without any major surprises to shake up the Telltale recipe, it mostly felt like business as usual. If you were expecting Telltale’s return to blow you away with amazingly improved gameplay and graphics, The Expanse is more likely to be a moderate upgrade than anything revolutionary. For me, that’s fine – I loved Telltale games to begin with and am happy to see them keep the party going, but I don’t see it winning over a ton of new players who weren’t already convinced.
The first episode was only an hour long and only gave me a small taste of the characters and drama that surely lie ahead, but I’m already committed to seeing the series through to the end and basking in Telltale’s glorious revival. Besides, I gotta see how my crew reacts when they find out I straight-up murdered one of their friends.
Diablo Franchise General Manager and old friend of Unlocked Rod Fergusson joins the show this week to celebrate the launch of Diablo 4. Rod talks about the challenges of joining Blizzard mere days before the COVID-19 pandemic, why he left Gears of War behind after 15 years, which Diablo 4 class he’ll be playing first, and much more!
Subscribe on any of your favorite podcast feeds, to our YouTube channel, or grab an MP3 of this week’s episode. For more awesome content, check out our interview with Todd Howard, who answered all of our Starfield questions after the big reveal at the Xbox Showcase:
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
The second half of 2023 continues the slow but steady increase of new content in the Netflix library. After months of delay, the feature length movie, Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King, arrives on platform June 16th, 2023. The other major anime release of June is the anime adaptation of Fumi Yoshinaga’s award-winning manga Ōoku: The Inner Chambers.
It’s always tricky balancing new entries into the Best on Netflix list because sometimes it takes a few seasons for a series to shake out the kicks. This month, two series hit the list. One is, new sci-fi anime series Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune which premiered in May. The second is Vinland Saga that just keeps making its case for being considered one of the best anime series, period.
Note: As this is a list of anime series to watch, no anime movies were considered for this feature. This list applies to U.S. Netflix subscribers. Some titles may not currently be available on international platforms (yet). This list will also be periodically amended to remove series no longer available on Netflix, as well as add anime shows now available for streaming on the service.
Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune
Based on Carlo Zen’s sci-novel The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune follows a group of five soldiers mired in an intergalactic war. This military sci-fi offers highly detailed character design, action-driven, thematically rich story of youths recruited by the into the inner circle of the Pan-Star System Trade Federation Security Council in order to help in the fight against the Barkans, a race of intelligent mice who have grown tired of the Trade Federation’s presence and resistant to their command. It’s a do-or-die story about expendable soldiers full of battlefield drama entwined with the complicated dynamics of politics of war. It’s a six-episode Orwellian space opera that is absolutely a must-watch if this is your brand of sci-fi.
Vinland Saga
Everyone has their personal favorites when it comes to shonen anime. The field is jam-packed with a myriad of coming of age stories. Vinland Saga follows Thorfinn on his journey of growth and in search of revenge after witnessing the murder of his father at a young (six) age. It’s vividly drawn and exquisitely detailed. Set in the Middle Ages, Vinland is a balancing act between a cautionary tale about the perils of war and rich worldbuilding about growing up amidst rampant warfare. There’s violence, gorge, moral lessons and righteous vengeance. If you’re not watching, then you’re missing out.
Ajin: Demi-Human
Directed by Katsuyuki Motohiro, this series follows Kei Nagai, a pre-med student who resurrects after a car accident. He’s Ajin, an immortal demi-human, now on the run from government experiments and searching for other beings like himself. Despite its relatively standard entry point for a seinen anime intent on exploring how humans behave; Ajin perfectly capitalizes on the violence and cat-and-mouse elements of the maga and pairs it with creepy, and atmospheric 3D animation. So, if evading capture, not knowing friend from foe and uncovering secret organizations with agendas of their own is your bag this is the quick-paced, visually rich, thrill ride for you.
Monster
Set in Germany, Monster follows brain surgeon Kenzo Tenma as his complicated work life unravels after he makes the fateful decision to operate on a young boy instead of the mayor. That choice sets in motion a chain of events that see Tenam ostracized, with his career derailed, and him accused of murder. Using a blend of relationship drama, social climbing, and professional betrayals, Monster weaves in heavy moral and ethical dilemmas into the storyline in ways that maximize tension and keep the pace pushing from episode to episode.
By the time the big reveals and twists come, you’ll be fully invested. And if horror is what raises the stakes for you, this adaptation of Naoki Urasawa’s 1994 manga definitely leverages unsettling – even horrific – encounters between its main characters to a wicked character study of a serial killer and murder mystery. If you’re looking for an engrossing, complex psychological thriller where a great historical timeline, hefty philosophical themes, compelling characters and a damn good cat-and-mouse game come together into an exceptional series then this globetrotting classic is just what you need.
Vampire in the Garden
In Vampire in the Garden the fate of the world hangs in the balance when a vampire queen and human join forces in an effort to find Paradise. Paradise isn’t just a euphemism for a way to end the warring between the factions, but an action place where the two species lived harmoniously. The double entendre holds true for all of this beautifully drawn five episode fantasy anime series. Despite the story of young Momo and her fateful meeting with vampire queen Fine feeling occasionally rushed (the pitfalls of an extremely limited series) this story of a duo intent on finding a way for humans and vampires to live peacefully once again is a compelling little romance from Wit Studios.
High-Rise Invasion
High-Rise Invasion centers Yuri Honjo. A high schooler who finds herself in a twisted world of interconnected buildings known as “abnormal space.” Pulled into a wicked situation she chooses to fight back against her attackers. This is a blood-soaked dark story full of sadistic figures hellbent on mayhem. It’s got thrills, screams and a slaughterhouse of insanity.
Oni: Thunder God’s Tale
If you like the trend of incorporating new animation techniques, like say a 3D stop-motion hybrid, into anime visual effects, then Oni: Thunder God’s Tale may be just the thing for you. Based on Onari’s Lullaby by Emi Tsutsumi, Oni follows free-spirited Onari on her quest to become like the heroes from (Japanese) folklore. In her quest to unlock her inherent powers, Onari undergoes transformations – that offer lessons on empathy and connection with a light touch.
The pacing is slow, but with 45 minute episodes it covers a lot of ground with fun, action and plenty of emotion pay off to balance the occasional drag. So despite being a fantasy children’s story brought to such life and flair that even the crabbiest of diehards will find themselves rooting for Onair and laughing at the hijinx of the odd-ball gods and monsters she encounters along the way. A warm, family friendly story anchored by the consistently stunning animation is the perfect mini-series palette cleanser.
exception
exception takes a walk on the post-apocalyptic horror side with a story about a mission to terraform a planet that goes horribly awry. To escape AI control, humans have taken to space in search of a new home. The crew of humanoid entities created (from the DNA of living people) in a biological 3D printer called The Womb make up the advance party. Just as they arrive to start the work of making a new habitable planet, a misprint turns one crew member into a monster. Soon their ship becomes a hunting ground.
exception is a visual stunner with a unique way of bringing humor, mayhem and action. The story balances complicated questions about what makes someone human with an action-driven, unsettling sci-fi drama. Directed by Yuzo Sato, exception brings to life an original story by Hirotaka Adachi also known as Otsuichi (Goth: Love of Death) with non-traditional animation and character design that may not be everyone’s cup of tea but its original story and immersive pacing makes this a space horror a do not miss.
Tekken: Bloodline
A surprisingly straightforward adaptation of the Tekken 3 storyline, Tekken: Bloodline follows fifteen-year old Jin Kazama (Kaiji Tang) on his quest to avenge his mother. You don’t have to be a lover of the video game to find this six episode arc worthwhile. It showcases character design and story structure that’s reminiscent of the source’s gameplay but the real lure is in the slow burning reveal of Jin’s family history and his struggle to honor his mother and fight to control his destiny. There’s mystery, intrigue, and just enough fighting to keep things very interesting.
Kotaro Lives Alone
Kotaro Satо̄, a 4-year old boy living on his own, moves next door to Shin Karino, a manga artist. Based on the manga series written and illustrated by Mami Tsumura, Kotaro Lives Alone is the inverse odd couple you didn’t know you were missing in your life. It’s witty, self-aware, and relies on an animation style that only adds to the vibrancy of this adorably engaging ten episode slice of life series.
Little Witch Academia
Little Witch Academia is an underrated gem in the streamer’s library. This anime series directed by Yoh Yoshinari is a pastel drenched delight. Atsuko Kagari longs to be a world-class witch like her idol. There’s only one problem, she’s got a decidedly non-magical background. But the enthusiastic youth finesses her way into Luna Nova Magical Academy, her fav’s alma mater to train. What follows is a blend of lighthearted and hijinx as she attempts to navigate school. The animation is masterful and the characters joyfully entertaining. It’s a feel good watch with just enough depth to intrigue.
Spriggan
Based on the manga by Hiroshi Takashige and Ryōji Minagawa, Spriggan enters the list after only a six-episode debut jam-packed with action, slick character design, and a premise interesting to overcome an uneven start. Spriggan follows Yu Ominae, a 16-year-old super soldier tasked with finding and securing powerful artifacts.
With various military and private groups vying for control of what they see as potential weapons, Yu must defend against all comers if he hopes to comply with his employer’s mandate to safeguard the artifacts. Sticking close to the source, this anime series capitalizes on open-ended storytelling, charismatic characters, humor, necessary violence, and bombastic action sequences. This globetrotting adventure is all about world-building and setting up for adventures to come but still makes the most of its character arcs to be off to a fantastic start both newcomers and fans of the manga and previous movie.
Eden
The world feels like it’s a bit of a constant dumpster fire. So, it can’t hurt to have a bit of wholesomeness in your end-of-the-world adventure. It’s been a thousand years since humans have been on Earth. AI robots inhabit a city called Eden 3. Their overlords are long gone, but the robots continue to farm the land. Two maintenance robots accidentally wake up a human baby girl from stasis. Her appearance calls into question all their beliefs. The two robots decide to raise the little girl in a safe haven outside the city. Eden has engaging character design brought to life with great voice acting. The story’s simple and sweet. There isn’t much trope subversion but sometimes, sweet is exactly what the post-apocalyptic story needs.
Komi Can’t Communicate
Directed by Ayumu Wantanbe and based on the popular manga series written and illustrated by Tomohito Oda, Komi Can’t Communicate follows Shouko Komi, an extremely popular girl, and socially average Hitohito Tadano. Komi comes off as poised to others at school but in fact suffers from severe social anxiety that makes it difficult for her to interact with others. When Hitohito discover’s beautiful classmate’s secret, he vows to help her achieve her goal of making 100 friends at their prestigious prep school.
Komi Can’t Communicate is a stellar example of a slice-of-life anime. It explores touchy themes with a light-hearted, humorous edge. The characters’ personalities are engaging, the various situations they find themselves in at turns ridiculous, humorous or relatively serious but alway relatable. Brought to life with near flawless animation color scheme and impressive character design this series is a well balanced delight. If you’re into slice-of-life anime series, not necessarily into waiting. The full first season Komi Can’t Communicate is now in the anime library.
Death Note
Death Note follows Light Yagami, a teen who comes into possession of a magical notebook that allows him to kill anyone he wants just by writing their name inside. What comes after is a captivating cat-and-mouse game between him and the investigator intent on discovering who’s behind the deaths. This classic from director Tetsurō Araki is an engrossing exploration of morality, justice, loyalty, honor, and friendship. With illustrations and character design that never go out of style, Death Note is an absolute classic. The world seems intent on being a never-ending dumpster fire. So you can never go wrong with a classic anime series that isn’t afraid to dig into the dark side even as it reminds you that life’s direction is always a choice.
High Score Girl
High Score Girl follows Haruo Yaguchi, a sixth grader gamer, as he encounters a true challenger to his supremacy at the local arcades. Classmate Akira Oono who appears to be practically perfect on every level, best his favorite game, Street Fighter 2. From there this unlikely duo bond over vintage video games that allow them to decompress and avoid the anxieties of their everyday lives. Yaguchi slow learns that Oono’s life isn’t as idyllic as it seems and that he has a lot to learn about himself and life. High Score Girl’s full of funny misadventures, sly life lessons, and acts of ego. Sometimes, you need a coming-of-age story with a side of nostalgia and irony. If you’re a gamer, and have a chaotic internal monologue hyping you up, then High Score Girl may be just the ticket.
One Piece
One Piece is a long-running shonen anime about Monkey D. Luffy sails with his globetrotting crew of Straw Hat Pirates on their hunt for the treasure One Piece and quest to become the new king of the pirates. Based on Eiichiro Oda’s manga the anime adaptation is full of high action and laughs. With an ensemble made up of an eclectic group of male and female characters, there’s a camaraderie and sense of adventure that keeps the series engaging season after season. This series houses some of the greatest anime characters of all time.
The Orbital Children
Set in 2045 The Orbital Children, also known as Extra-terrestrial Boys and Girls, follows two children born on the moon and three from Earth. The story takes place in outer space (where internet and artificial intelligence are widespread) on a Japanese commercial space station. A massive accident leaves this group of kids stranded with little hope of rescue. They must rely on their wits, limited communications, and what’s available to try and avert further disaster…and possible death.
Written and directed by Mitsuo Iso (Ghost in the Shell, Rurouni Kenshin and Blade Runner: Black Lotus) this two part science fiction series not only takes anime to space, it stares directly into the distance and asks, are humans necessary? Iso takes direct aim at the ticking clock on Earth’s ability to adequately sustain human life. Then it ponders whether humans are capable of doing what’s necessary to save themselves. Although this philosophical schism should come as no surprise given it is Mitsuo Iso, The Orbital Children blends smooth animation, a striking color palette, relatable character design – that puts its excellent voice cast to great use – turning this into a coming of age story and full blown existential (and literal) crisis that shouldn’t be missed.
Record of Ragnarok
If you’re a fan of The Seven Deadly Sins, list mate JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure or the just idea of the gods giving humanity one last chance to prove itself tournament-style appeals, then get into the twelve episode first season of Record of Ragnarok. The pace is binge-perfect, the animation traditional, and the battles over the top (it’s a race to seven victories out of thirteen rounds). If we must contemplate our own humanity and face the end, let it be watching 13 champions fight their way through the pantheon of gods.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
After a demon attack leaves most of his family slaughtered and his sister turned, Tanjirou Kamado swears to save her and avenge his family. He joins a mysterious group calling themselves the Demon Slayer Corps intent on doing anything to exact revenge. If you’ve finished all the few remaining seasons of Attack on Titan the streamer has in its library but still want your fight scenes crisp then give Demon Slayer a go. You won’t be disappointed.
You’re minding your business, living your life. Then between one thing and the next, the world ends; leaving you behind. What would you do? Those left behind are confronted with giant bugs and flooded cities being reclaimed by nature. What a time to realize you weren’t ready for the apocalypse.
Aggretsuko
December 2021 meant a fourth season for Aggretsuko fans. This slice of life anime is full of subtle lessons about not letting life’s challenges get the best of you. Turns out, ten more episodes following 25 year-old Retsukothe as she deals with the highs and lows of her crap job as a police accountant, lackluster dating life, and life’s frustrations with heavy metal (and her werewolf-esque transformations) as her main outlet surprisingly still isn’t too much of a good thing. The simple art style is a perfect foil for the wry, witty writing and fully-loaded soundtrack. This is one series possibly destined tolist staple as long as it remains in the Netflix library.
Super Crooks
Based on the four-issue comic series by Mark Millar and Leinil Francis Yu, Super Crooks debuted on the platform in December. This prequel to the comic series follows Johnny Bolt and his band of crooks as they attempt to pull off the ultimate heist. This world of super-powered people offers a slick opening, simple, yet action-packed story full of quips, quirks, interesting characters, and crisp (Studio Bones) visuals. Although it won’t be to everyone’s taste (if redemption arcs and character growth are your bag then you’ll be left wanting), this 13-episode was definitely a 2021 surprise.
B: The Beginning
The vigilante “Killer B”’s turning the island of Cremona into their personal hunting ground. To catch this escalating killer, the Royal Investigation Service calls its ace – if eccentric – detective Keith Flick back into active duty. But the kills aren’t what they seem and Flick will need to unravel dangerous secrets in order to solve these crimes. If you’re in the mood for a cat-and-mouse detective story – with more than a few science fiction twists – then look no further than B: The Beginning. This visually stunning story offers a blend of mystery and horror for fans who like their anime to take ambitious risks (even if it doesn’t always stick the landing).
Code Geass
Sent to Japan as a hostage, Lelouch, a prince of Britannia, escapes after an encounter leaves him with the power to control anyone. Lelouch becomes the masked rebel known as Zero and begins to mercilessly exact vengeance against Britannia. Code Geass is a genre blend with action, charisma, and just the right amount of bombasticness to carry the story from episode to episode. This alternate history full of mechs and magic is a wild ride.
Dorohedoro
Set in a grim world, Dorohedoro is a quixotic and disorderly series about a big crocodile man who loves gyoza. It’s almost equal parts comedy and carnage. It’s a bizarre, gory, sci-fi world full of surprisingly compelling characters. With bold color and a brisk pace, Dorohedoro makes the most of its strange world to confuse and entertain.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Based on the wildly popular manga series, this multigenerational story follows the adventures of a Joestar family member – each with the same titular nickname and endowed with immense psychic strength – as they battle against rivals (and evil) down through the ages. With each new protagonist comes an independent story that expands the universe and keeps the narrative fresh and engaging. It’s sly wit and frequent hattips to popular Western trends add just the right amount of hilarity to this adventure-driven fantasy. With five quality seasons (Stone Ocean being the latest installment) now available on Netflix as of December 1st, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s addition to the best of list may just be a bit overdue.
Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop’s set in a world where a hyperspace gateway accident’s left Earth inhabitable. What remains of humanity colonized the rocky planets and moons in the solar system. Fifty years of rising crime prompts the Inter Solar System Police to legal bounty hunting and authorized hunters, known as Cowboys, to track and capture criminals across the system in order to bring them to justice. The series follows the crew of spacecraft Bebop as they hunt down criminals in 2071. This Japanese sci-fi noir and it’s now iconic soundtrack and vintage (but still solidly stylish) animation style offers up the space (mis)adventures of former syndicate member and hitman Spike, his former ISSP officer partner Jet Black along with a con artist with memory gaps, a wacky hacker and Ein a too-cute- for its own good genetically engineered Welsh Corgi with human-like intelligence.
The twenty-six episode series offers a genre-blending narrative, visually kinetic action, and audacious good fun for long-time fans and is a great place to start for those new to the anime space. Only time will tell if dropping the entire anime run just ahead of the live-action Cowboy Bebop November 19, 2021 premiere helped or hurt the movie franchise. Be sure to check out how IGN thinks film adaptation stacks up against the source material.
Beastars
If you prefer your shounen occasionally NSFW and built on a narrative designed to explore themes like prejudice, choice, introspection then Beastars may be the slice of life fantasy series for you. This drama-heavy mystery series digs into the lives of anthropomorphic animals; where carnivores and herbivores are trying to coexist peacefully. If Zootopia-eques that dig into slice-of-life stories and self-discovery are what grab and hold your interest then Beastars is definitely an anime series for you.
Violet Evergarden
Based on a light novel series this thirteen episode show brings to life a story of post-war reintegration into civilian life through the lens of fourteen-year-old Violet Evergarden. This fantasy coming-of-age story tells the tale of the young orphan’s attempt to find purpose beyond soldiering. It’s an introspective and touching narrative with a phenomenal score. This series is why phrases like “visually stunning” won’t soon go out of use. It is simply one of the most beautifully animated series around.
Now’s an excellent time to revisit this show then pick up with Violet Evergarden: The Movie added to the streamer on October 13, 2021.
Erased
Follow 29-year-old Satoru Fujinuma as he discovers an ability to time travel and ends up in the past trying to solve a murder mystery. This powerful ability he calls “Revival” permits him to jump back to the recent past (a few minutes) to change events and save lives. But after being accused of a murder himself, however, Satoru wakes up, as his younger self, eighteen years in the past. Soon realizing the crime he’s accused of is connected to an abduction and death of a classmate, Sartoru strikes out to unravel the mystery, prevent his classmate’s death, and ultimately clear his (future) name. Erased is a gripping adaptation of Kei Sanbe’s full manga run. The story is dynamic and brought to life through gritty and immersive animation. Set aside time, because it’s a binge-worthy series.
Hunter x Hunter
It’s pronounced Hunter, Hunter (the x really is silent). Young Gon sets out to find his missing father. Along the way, he makes new friends, enters a martial arts tournament, and comes face to face with creatures – on his quest to become a Hunter – that any horror prop master would kill to get their hands on. Gon’s enemies have zero chill so between the action sequences and well-crafted story Hunter x Hunter is some of the best shonen anime has to offer, ever. Come for the familiar premise, stay for the character depth, darker tone, and its engrossing and increasingly complex story arc.
The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.
All-powerful psychic Kusuo Saiki attempts to fly under the radar are continually thwarted and result in a high comedy. The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. follows Saiki as he tries to navigate school drama free despite his magnetic ability to attract people. It’s quirky, full of lovable characters, and hijinks. Despite its lighter tone, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. offers a quality crowd-pleasing story.
Great Pretender
Makoto Edamura’s a con man on the run. But don’t think that’ll stop him from falling head-first into new schemes instead of laying low. The Great Pretender is colorful, quick-step, offering all the elements of a perfectly designed heist film. If you like your anime stylish and your character’s too-slick for words, then this Netflix exclusive is tailor-made for you.
New Anime Series on Netflix
Although there’s still no word on when subscribers can expect the Black Clover anime to arrive, Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King debuts on June 16, 2023. Shortly thereafter, the first season of Netflix Original, Skull Island, launches on June 22nd, 2023. Pokemon: Ultimate Journeys reuters with Part 3 on June 23rd, 2023. The month closes out with a long-awaited adaptation, Ōoku: The Inner Chambers on June 29th, 2023.
How We Choose the Best Anime Series on Netflix
The goal is to have a list of great anime series that span many subgenres. We’ve included a mix of popular classics like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, along with relatively more obscure titles like The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. Whether you’re a complete anime newbie or a hardcore otaku, there’s something for everyone here.
The PlayStation Plus Game Lineup for June 2023 has been revealed, with NBA 2K23, Trek to Yomi, and Jurassic World Evolution 2 joining the subscription service early next month.
All three games will be available to download on both PS4 and PS5 consoles from June 6 up until July 3 at no extra charge for individuals with PlayStation Plus Essential, Extra or Premium subscriptions.
NBA 2K23
NBA 2K23’s released back in September 2022, bringing with it a slew of online and single player game modes, including the reintroduction of the Jordan Challenge, which tasks fans with recreating 15 moments from the iconic player’s illustrious career. PlayStation Plus subscribers also get access to “exclusive monthly MyTEAM packs”, according to the PlayStation blog post detailing the new additions.
In IGN’s 6/10 review we said that the game’s on-court improvements “ should’ve led it to an easy layup, but the ever-present nuisance of pay-to-win microtransactions make it much harder to enjoy”.
Trek to Yomi
Trek to Yomi meanwhile follows the story of the young samurai Horoki, as he voyages “beyond life and death” to protect his town, and fulfil the vow made to his dying master. In IGN’s 7/10 review we described Trek to Yomi as “a brief but captivating journey that’s like playing through a monochromatic Japanese movie”.
Jurassic World Evolution 2
Frontier Developments’ Jurassic World Evolution 2 rounds out the the June lineup, allowing players to relive the mistakes of the cult movie franchise as they wrangle dinosaurs and manage guest needs across a series of parks. The second entry in the series features four game modes along with an expanded cast of dinosaurs ranging from the noble triceratops to the ever hungry T. rex.
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer
Brian Holinka, lead combat designer for World of Warcraft, has announced that he is leaving Blizzard to join Greg “Ghostcrawler” Street in forming a new game studio.
The former World of Warcraft developer made the announcement on Twitter yesterday, saying he’s leaving Blizzard on Friday after working with Team 2 for nearly 11 years. This comes over two months after Street, former executive producer of the upcoming League of Legends MMO, stepped down from Riot Games and the game due to personal reasons.
“After nearly 11 years, Friday will be my last day on World of Warcraft and at Blizzard,” Holinka wrote in his Twitter thread. “I’m excited to spend time off with my family this summer, after which, I’ll begin a new adventure with my old friend and mentor, Greg Street.”
After nearly 11 years, Friday will be my last day on World of Warcraft and at Blizzard. I’m excited to spend time off with my family this summer, after which, I’ll begin a new adventure with my old friend and mentor, Greg Street.
He continued, “I will miss the combat team tremendously and my biggest regret is not being there to see them grow, develop and thrive as designers. [Team 2]’s new leadership is very strong and will serve them well. I leave confident that they are in good hands.”
Holinka joined Blizzard in 2012 as lead PvP designer for World of Warcraft, eight years after working on Battlefield 1942 and other first-person shooters for DICE, Trauma Studios, THQ, High Moon Studios, and Kaos Studios. In 2017, he took a break from World of Warcraft to develop an unannounced Blizzard project as a senior designer, and returned to the game to oversee the entire class and combat design team as lead combat designer.
Street nor Holinka haven’t released any details regarding the name of their new independent studio nor the games they will be developing. Even so, we can’t wait to see what projects they’ll be cooking up.
Cristina Alexander is a freelance writer for IGN. To paraphrase Calvin Harris, she wears her love for Sonic the Hedgehog on her sleeve like a big deal. Follow her on Twitter @SonicPrincess15.
Fans think that Microsoft and Xbox are teasing some Fable news at its upcoming Xbox Games showcase next month.
On Xbox’s official Twitter account, a video was posted showing a person’s Xbox controller covered in glitter. Then it’s revealed that the glitter forms a trail that leads to a screen that shows the Xbox Games Showcase logo with the caption, “seems important.”
In the Fable games, a glitter trail guided players to their next destination on a mission. So this trail of glitter implies that the Fable reboot will appear at the Xbox Games Showcase. The game is being developed by Forza Horizon developer Playground Games.
George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. He’s been writing about the industry since 2019 and has worked with other publications such as Insider, Kotaku, NPR, and Variety.
When not writing about video games, George is playing video games. What a surprise! You can follow him on Twitter @Yinyangfooey
