The Walking Dead: David Morrissey on The Governor's Control

Fans of The Walking Dead comic book know that The Governor is not a character to be messed with – a man who’s managed to amass quite a group of followers and created a new society in the midst of a world overrun by zombies.

Cast as the character on AMC’s hit Walking Dead TV series this season, English actor David Morrissey is not what one would expect, physically, from The Governor – and clips and photos already show they are not giving him The Governor’s much mangier and hostile look.

But The Governor will still make a quick impact on the series, when he’s introduced on Sunday night’s episode – showing that there are different ways to exert power. I spoke to Morrissey about joining The Walking Dead and what it’s like taking on this coveted role in the series.

IGN TV: How did the possibility of you joining this show come up?

David Morrissey: I came to the show as a fan. I’d watched it and loved it, and I’ve known Andrew Lincoln for a long time. I also knew Lennie James from the pilot, he’s a great friend of mine. So when it was on in the UK, I really tuned in, and I loved it. I thought it was like a movie, that pilot. It was so great. I was hooked from then on. So I came to the show from TV. I knew nothing about the graphic novels. I came to LA to visit my friend Ian Hart, who had moved here with his family. So while I was there, my manager said, “These casting directors would like to see you. They do The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad.” I was like, “God, I love both of those shows.” So they said there was a character -- they were quite cagey about it -- in The Walking Dead. I said, “Well, I’m just such a fan of The Walking Dead.”

David Morrissey as The Governor in The Walking Dead.

Then I met Glen Mazzara, and again there was talk of a substantial character, but they wouldn’t say who it was -- and because I didn’t know about the graphic novels, I had no idea. Then it emerged, what this character was, and it sounded great. I had a big chat with Glen about the character itself. But yeah, it happened very quickly from then on. Even then, once they offered me the role, I didn’t read the graphic novels. What I read was Robert Kirkman’s book Rise of the Governor, which I think is a great book. That book really gave me a lot of insight into the characterization of this man. So that was it.

The Walking Dead: Danai Gurira on Portraying Michonne

IGN: Obviously, at some point you would have seen, just physically, how he looks in the comic. Did they make that pretty clear before you got to the set, that they weren’t going to go with that physical look?

Morrissey: There was a bit of that, yeah. Again, it came a little from me as well in the sense that I wanted to make him my own. And I think what I like about the Governor and the TV series is, in the graphic novel we meet him and he is fully formed, he’s absolutely at the end of his psychological journey. He’s out there, and he’s got this town. He’s a real badass character, right off the bat. In the TV show I think we meet him much earlier in his personal journey, and I like that because it gives me more colors to play with. And as soon as you say, “Well, look, let’s play this man differently from in the book, introduce him to our main characters earlier in their lives,” then you can have more fun with it, I think.

IGN: I imagine it must have been very helpful then to have read that book because you could kind of pull from aspects of that.

Morrissey: That’s the backstory, really. What Robert did in that book, which I thought was wonderful, was it gave you this great characterization of this man who’s living in this terrible world with his family and people he loved. I think that’s a really interesting journey for this man.

IGN: He also has to be this charismatic guy that would be able to have people follow him. What do you think it is that has some people inspired by him?

Morrissey: I think it’s because he provides a very secure place to live. In a very volatile world, he says, “If you live here and stay within the confines of my say and my town and abide by the rules, you will be safe.” And that is true, people have seen that that’s true. In Woodbury, he’s created a fortress-like community, which has very strict rules that are all security based; they’re for reasons of security. But your kids can run out onto the street. You can ride your bike down the street. You can do whatever you want -- in those confines -- because he has worked hard to create this security. That security comes at a cost, and the cost is that you do as you’re told. But that is it.

He is able to give you the illusion of freedom very well, as long as you abide by the very strict rules that he lays down. And in this world, that is an amazing place. So that’s where he delivers. As far as his populace is concerned, looking at their leader, he can deliver. And if you don’t like it, you can go out into that world and see how long you survive. That’s the real trump card he has: if you don’t like it here, off you go. And nobody wants to go out there on their own. So he delivers. I think that’s the real reason people follow him like they do. I think like all leaders, they are inspired by him, they’re a little bit scared of him, and he keeps them in a state of flux in a very clever way. He’s very good at manipulating their sense of gratitude to him, and also their fear of the outside. That’s very important.

IGN: Is there an element of danger to him from the get-go when we meet him? Do you feel like he’s a guy who’s keeping something in check, or is it a guy who’s been making the choices he thinks are right, but could have things go wrong pretty quickly?

Morrissey: Yeah, I think what is good about what we’ve done is that the characters that interact with the Governor -- different characters have different knowledge of him. Different characters have different relationships with him. Also, the audience has a whole other relationship with him. They’ll get to see him in his private moments, and that is a really good insight into the man. Whether that is an insight into a darkness of him or a lightness of him, that’s for the audience to decide. But they have a personal relationship with him. And you’ll have to wait and see, I think. The main thing about him is he’s -- I hope -- much more complex than good or bad. And I certainly hope he’s more complex than in the graphic novel. I think an audience would have to decide that, if they were living in this world that is so volatile and dangerous, what choices would they make. I think it’s very easy for us to make choices in our world. But if you put yourself in that world, your choices will be different. And I think that’s important before you condemn him and think he’s good, bad or evil or whatever. You have to realize what the survival instincts of these people are. That’s what I would say. And you know, good people do very, very bad things sometimes. That’s the complicated world we live in.

IGN: The show has already showed some interesting conflicts regarding “What is the right way to lead?” with Rick and Shane. Anything you can say about what Rick and The Governor make of one another?

Morrissey: Yeah, that’s the big question of the series, I think. How do these two men lead these two groups of people? How do they work it out? That is the story of Season 3.

IGN: Having known Andrew before, what was it like working with him here, and was it also just kind of funny to find yourself both so far from home playing these characters?

Morrissey: Andrew has helped me immensely since joining the show. From a professional point of view, just the fact that he is -- and I think all the other actors would say this -- he’s the most professional actor I’ve worked with. He’s so brilliant on the show -- obviously as an actor, but he’s also the first guy on set, he’s the last guy to leave. He makes sure everybody is all right. He really leads from the front, and his commitment and passion for the show is infectious to everybody else. But for me, he’s also been invaluable in the sense that moving to Atlanta, finding somewhere to live, the best restaurants and places to go -- he’s been invaluable in that way as well. Both personally and professionally, I couldn’t have done it without him.

The Walking Dead: Norman Reedus Talks Daryl Dixon

IGN: Merle will be reintroduced as part of The Governor's community. That seemed like a character that would be the last person to be a team player or cooperative, and yet it seems the Governor has found a way with him…?

Morrissey: I think when the Governor discovered Merle, he was in a terrible place. The Governor saved his life, and I think there’s some sort of loyalty in that. But also, he knows how to work with people and manipulate people. He knows when to flatter people and when to beat them with a stick. He’s very much that sort of coach-like person who knows people well enough to get the best out of them -- or the worst out of them in some cases -- and Merle really responds to that. I think he has people in his community who can do certain jobs for him, and Merle is very good at doing certain jobs.

David Morrissey makes his debut on the October 28th episode of The Walking Dead.

Eric Goldman is Executive Editor of IGN TV. You can follow him on on Twitter at @EricIGN and IGN at ericgoldman-ign.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Walking Dead: David Morrissey on The Governor's Control

Fans of The Walking Dead comic book know that The Governor is not a character to be messed with – a man who’s managed to amass quite a group of followers and created a new society in the midst of a world overrun by zombies.

Cast as the character on AMC’s hit Walking Dead TV series this season, English actor David Morrissey is not what one would expect, physically, from The Governor – and clips and photos already show they are not giving him The Governor’s much mangier and hostile look.

But The Governor will still make a quick impact on the series, when he’s introduced on Sunday night’s episode – showing that there are different ways to exert power. I spoke to Morrissey about joining The Walking Dead and what it’s like taking on this coveted role in the series.

IGN TV: How did the possibility of you joining this show come up?

David Morrissey: I came to the show as a fan. I’d watched it and loved it, and I’ve known Andrew Lincoln for a long time. I also knew Lennie James from the pilot, he’s a great friend of mine. So when it was on in the UK, I really tuned in, and I loved it. I thought it was like a movie, that pilot. It was so great. I was hooked from then on. So I came to the show from TV. I knew nothing about the graphic novels. I came to LA to visit my friend Ian Hart, who had moved here with his family. So while I was there, my manager said, “These casting directors would like to see you. They do The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad.” I was like, “God, I love both of those shows.” So they said there was a character -- they were quite cagey about it -- in The Walking Dead. I said, “Well, I’m just such a fan of The Walking Dead.”

David Morrissey as The Governor in The Walking Dead.

Then I met Glen Mazzara, and again there was talk of a substantial character, but they wouldn’t say who it was -- and because I didn’t know about the graphic novels, I had no idea. Then it emerged, what this character was, and it sounded great. I had a big chat with Glen about the character itself. But yeah, it happened very quickly from then on. Even then, once they offered me the role, I didn’t read the graphic novels. What I read was Robert Kirkman’s book Rise of the Governor, which I think is a great book. That book really gave me a lot of insight into the characterization of this man. So that was it.

The Walking Dead: Danai Gurira on Portraying Michonne

IGN: Obviously, at some point you would have seen, just physically, how he looks in the comic. Did they make that pretty clear before you got to the set, that they weren’t going to go with that physical look?

Morrissey: There was a bit of that, yeah. Again, it came a little from me as well in the sense that I wanted to make him my own. And I think what I like about the Governor and the TV series is, in the graphic novel we meet him and he is fully formed, he’s absolutely at the end of his psychological journey. He’s out there, and he’s got this town. He’s a real badass character, right off the bat. In the TV show I think we meet him much earlier in his personal journey, and I like that because it gives me more colors to play with. And as soon as you say, “Well, look, let’s play this man differently from in the book, introduce him to our main characters earlier in their lives,” then you can have more fun with it, I think.

IGN: I imagine it must have been very helpful then to have read that book because you could kind of pull from aspects of that.

Morrissey: That’s the backstory, really. What Robert did in that book, which I thought was wonderful, was it gave you this great characterization of this man who’s living in this terrible world with his family and people he loved. I think that’s a really interesting journey for this man.

IGN: He also has to be this charismatic guy that would be able to have people follow him. What do you think it is that has some people inspired by him?

Morrissey: I think it’s because he provides a very secure place to live. In a very volatile world, he says, “If you live here and stay within the confines of my say and my town and abide by the rules, you will be safe.” And that is true, people have seen that that’s true. In Woodbury, he’s created a fortress-like community, which has very strict rules that are all security based; they’re for reasons of security. But your kids can run out onto the street. You can ride your bike down the street. You can do whatever you want -- in those confines -- because he has worked hard to create this security. That security comes at a cost, and the cost is that you do as you’re told. But that is it.

He is able to give you the illusion of freedom very well, as long as you abide by the very strict rules that he lays down. And in this world, that is an amazing place. So that’s where he delivers. As far as his populace is concerned, looking at their leader, he can deliver. And if you don’t like it, you can go out into that world and see how long you survive. That’s the real trump card he has: if you don’t like it here, off you go. And nobody wants to go out there on their own. So he delivers. I think that’s the real reason people follow him like they do. I think like all leaders, they are inspired by him, they’re a little bit scared of him, and he keeps them in a state of flux in a very clever way. He’s very good at manipulating their sense of gratitude to him, and also their fear of the outside. That’s very important.

IGN: Is there an element of danger to him from the get-go when we meet him? Do you feel like he’s a guy who’s keeping something in check, or is it a guy who’s been making the choices he thinks are right, but could have things go wrong pretty quickly?

Morrissey: Yeah, I think what is good about what we’ve done is that the characters that interact with the Governor -- different characters have different knowledge of him. Different characters have different relationships with him. Also, the audience has a whole other relationship with him. They’ll get to see him in his private moments, and that is a really good insight into the man. Whether that is an insight into a darkness of him or a lightness of him, that’s for the audience to decide. But they have a personal relationship with him. And you’ll have to wait and see, I think. The main thing about him is he’s -- I hope -- much more complex than good or bad. And I certainly hope he’s more complex than in the graphic novel. I think an audience would have to decide that, if they were living in this world that is so volatile and dangerous, what choices would they make. I think it’s very easy for us to make choices in our world. But if you put yourself in that world, your choices will be different. And I think that’s important before you condemn him and think he’s good, bad or evil or whatever. You have to realize what the survival instincts of these people are. That’s what I would say. And you know, good people do very, very bad things sometimes. That’s the complicated world we live in.

IGN: The show has already showed some interesting conflicts regarding “What is the right way to lead?” with Rick and Shane. Anything you can say about what Rick and The Governor make of one another?

Morrissey: Yeah, that’s the big question of the series, I think. How do these two men lead these two groups of people? How do they work it out? That is the story of Season 3.

IGN: Having known Andrew before, what was it like working with him here, and was it also just kind of funny to find yourself both so far from home playing these characters?

Morrissey: Andrew has helped me immensely since joining the show. From a professional point of view, just the fact that he is -- and I think all the other actors would say this -- he’s the most professional actor I’ve worked with. He’s so brilliant on the show -- obviously as an actor, but he’s also the first guy on set, he’s the last guy to leave. He makes sure everybody is all right. He really leads from the front, and his commitment and passion for the show is infectious to everybody else. But for me, he’s also been invaluable in the sense that moving to Atlanta, finding somewhere to live, the best restaurants and places to go -- he’s been invaluable in that way as well. Both personally and professionally, I couldn’t have done it without him.

The Walking Dead: Norman Reedus Talks Daryl Dixon

IGN: Merle will be reintroduced as part of The Governor's community. That seemed like a character that would be the last person to be a team player or cooperative, and yet it seems the Governor has found a way with him…?

Morrissey: I think when the Governor discovered Merle, he was in a terrible place. The Governor saved his life, and I think there’s some sort of loyalty in that. But also, he knows how to work with people and manipulate people. He knows when to flatter people and when to beat them with a stick. He’s very much that sort of coach-like person who knows people well enough to get the best out of them -- or the worst out of them in some cases -- and Merle really responds to that. I think he has people in his community who can do certain jobs for him, and Merle is very good at doing certain jobs.

David Morrissey makes his debut on the October 28th episode of The Walking Dead.

Eric Goldman is Executive Editor of IGN TV. You can follow him on on Twitter at @EricIGN and IGN at ericgoldman-ign.

Source : ign[dot]com

Before Watchmen: Minutemen #4 Review

Minutemen was always the Before Watchmen book with the most potential for interesting character development. Luckily, Darwyn Cooke has been able to realize that potential. Though issue #4 is fairly scatterbrained in its focus, Cooke manages to deliver some memorable moments featuring just about every player in this troubled group.

Though Hollis Mason's flash-forwards still serve as a framing device, this issue hops all about the lives of the Minutemen during the post-WWII era. The tragic death of The Silhouette provides a loose sort of link between the other conflicts. But the general theme of this chapter is disillusionment. We see everyone from Nite Owl to Silk Spectre to Comedian weighed down by the harsh realities of life in the world of Watchmen. Tonally, this issue is very much a bridge between he more optimistic adventures of earlier chapters and the world as we see it in Alan Moore's story. Surprisingly, Silk Spectre enjoys the strongest scenes of all the characters. Cooke is able to showcase a very different and more genuine side of her character than readers are accustomed to.

Unsurprisingly, the art is a maor selling point once again. Cooke captures all the vibrant energy of this supposed Golden Age of super-heroism without ignoring the seedier visual elements. Cooke is able to capture many of the hallmarks of the original series, from it's rigid grid structure to its many visual gags and games, without remaining bound to those hallmarks or failing to exercise his own unique talents.

If not as focused as it could be, Minutemen #4 is nonetheless proof that there are interesting stories to explore in the shadow of Watchmen, as well as creators talented enough to bring them to life.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Sightseers Gets Four New Character Posters

Four new character posters for Ben Wheatley's Sightseers have been released by Studiocanal, ahead of the horror comedy's debut at the London Film Festival this coming weekend.

The follow up film from the Kill List director sees oddball couple Chris and Tina embark on a caravan holiday around the British Isles before things take a turn for the worse when everything rubs Chris up the wrong way, tipping him over a bloody edge.

Check out the hilarious character posters below. And yes, the caravan IS a character.

Sightseers is out in UK cinemas on November 30.

Source : ign[dot]com

The 13 Most Shameless Super Mario Rip-Offs on iPhone

He's the most iconic cartoon character on earth - a video game legend and the star of nearly three decades worth of incredible platforming games, go-karting games, freelance gynecologic work and whatever the hell he was doing in that game alleyway. Yet aside from a few trips and stumbles, Nintendo always makes sure that every entry in the Super Mario franchise has fantastic quality control.

Sadly though, Nintendo doesn't make any of these terrible Super Mario rip-offs on the iPhone. Most of these have since been altered or removed entirely from the App store since their initial slips past Apple security, but here we have preserved them as they originally appeared in all of their awful, awful glory.

Editor's Note: Every single one of the titles below are (or at least were) real, actual games that hit the iOS App Store.

3D Cartoon Land Safari

You see, the way copyright law works is that if you change only one detail of a product you've completely stolen, nobody can ever sue you. Right?

A Kaizo World

"AVOID DON'T BUY DODGE THIS GAME TO SAVING A DOLLAR"

Barrels!

Donkey Wrong.

Cloud Run

DELETE ->

Game Guy

Remember when classic retro handheld systems had the phrase "Classic Retro Handheld System" on them?

Mole Kart

Instead of a blue shell, why not throw your credit card?

Monino

How many "lifes" have been wasted playing this shameless rip-off?

Otaku Dash

Yes, that's a pile of sh*t. On top of the pile of sh*t that is this game. So basically this game has pile of sh*t inside a pile of sh*t. Sh*t.

Super Daddio

This game runs at more frames per second than Mario 64, hence it's better so therefore checkmate.

Super Jump World

At least this one manages to ditch the anti-European stereotypes inherent in the actual Mario games. Oh wait, this one is just racist against the Irish.

Super World Adventures

Why play as Mario when there's a farmer who just realized how high he was?

Tommy's World

Oh no! Watch out, Tommy!

Wait, who the f*ck is Tommy?!?

Ultra Dario

When there's no more Mega Barrio, Duper Marlo and Superb Sargento in hell, the Ultra Dario will walk the earth.

Brian Altano and Mike Drucker are hopefully much more fun and original than any of these terrible clones when they write IGN's premier comedy news show, Up At Noon. Follow them on Twitter at @agentbizzle and @MikeDrucker.

Source : ign[dot]com

Hawaii Five-0: Season 3's Big Changes, Including Mama McGarrett

Hawaii Five-0 ended its second season in a big way, with every character’s life in turmoil, either physically or mentally. With Season 3 set to debut this Monday, I recently visited the Oahu set of the series, and the first big example of this turmoil was standing in front of me, doing a a scene with Alex O’Loughlin as Steve McGarrett – Christine Lahti, playing Steve’s mom, Doris. This of course is oh-so notable because Doris was believed to be dead until the Season 2 finale.

“We deal with that immediately,” O’Loughlin told me. “He sits down with his mom and says, ‘All right, please explain.’ There’s a lot that goes along with that, too. One would think after 20 years you’d be thrilled to know that your mother’s still alive, but there’s a lot more that needs to be processed before that luxury. Basically, the devastation that’s gone in the household and the family and his life is largely due to the decisions that she made. The murder of his father was the direct result of the constant pursuit of her killers and what happened to her. So that immediately drops Steve into a place of pretty deep resentment and confusion.”

When last we saw Chin Ho (Daniel Dae Kim), he was given a horrible decision to make, with his wife, Mailia (Reiko Aylesworth) and his cousin, Kono (Grace Park) both in deadly scenarios in separate locations thanks to William Baldwin’s villainous Frank Delano – and Chin chose to go to his wife. The Season 3 premiere will find Chin facing even more crucial decisions and put through the wringer emotionally.

Said Daniel Dae Kim, “I think it’s really interesting stuff for an actor to play because we are in what essentially is a crime procedural. It’s a crime of the week, we all know the format, it’s all over the television. Generally, as an audience, you know what to expect. As an actor, when you get material like this that’s of a very personal nature and speaks to their character’s history and future, it’s very, very rare. So I appreciate it a great deal. It’s the kind of material that makes me feel like an actor, so it’s been really fun to play. It’s been great for Chin Ho to kind of reveal those sides of himself. That’s the one great thing about television: character can reveal itself week to week as opposed to over the course of two hours in a film. So yeah, I really appreciate the opportunity to get material like that, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the ramifications of it are.”

Team Five-0

Going forward this season, Chin will have to deal all of his recent actions. Said Kim, “He’s had to make some choices that he might not be proud of, in more than one way. You’ll see residual effects of it in subsequent episodes. I like the fact that it’s not just a ‘one-episode and done’ thing. It affects him physically, psychologically, as the season progresses.”

Danny ‘Danno’ Williams (Scott Caan) may have had the least jaw-dropping plotline occurring in the season finale, but it certainly was still one of vast importance to his character – as his ex-wife and her husband are threatening to take Danny’s daughter away from Hawaii, leading to his decision to fight her legally.

Daniel Dae Kim and Scott Caan in Hawaii Five-0

Regarding this turn of events, Caan said, “It’s obviously something fun to play with and something I like to do. The more character stuff they give me, the better. The more stuff they give me with my daughter or my family members, the better. The deeper I can dig and the more honest I can be, the more fun I can have. Ultimately, doing procedural stuff is more the job of this. But when you get the other stuff, it’s when you kind of light up and have more fun and play around a little bit more. I obviously enjoy that stuff the most. Anything that pokes me or upsets me or gets me going is good for drama.”

Continue to Page 2 as I talk to the Five-0 cast about a new series regular, more on Mama McGarrett's secrets and... Zombie Kono!?

Source : ign[dot]com

Doctor Who: "A Town Called Mercy" Review

Note: Full Spoilers for the episode follow.

For a character who spends most of his time fixing wrongs, rooting for the small guy, and drifting in and out of lives/towns/planets, it's surprising that the Doctor hasn't had more cowboy adventures.

In fact, there's only ever been one real Who Western to date - and while 1966's The Gunfighters wasn't exactly what you'd call a classic (the common - and untrue - pop culture myth goes that it had the lowest rating of any Doctor Who story ever), A Town Called Mercy proves that the Doctor suits the genre as well as he rocks a Stetson.

When Amy, Rory and the Doctor appeared in the remote backwaters of the great American dream (well, prairie), the bloodletting game was already afoot. A cyborg cowboy was on the hunt for an alien Doctor, and was going to hold a whole Wild West town hostage until he found (and more importantly, killed) him.

In a tale full of sliding morality scales and shades of ethical grey, the answer wasn't quite as simple as it appeared. For a story touting genocidal vivisectionists, murderous cyborgs, moustache-twirling Sheriffs (courtesy of Farscape's superb Ben Browder doing his best Josh Brolin-lite) and gun-toting townspeople, it was - surprisingly - the Doctor who proved the most volatile.

Throw in a sexually confused talking horse, an exploding spaceship, and some dry, typically British humour ("I don't want to miss The Archers"/"Who got toast crumbs on the console?") amongst all the traditionally American genre tropes, and you had a story that managed to celebrate all things both Who and Western.

When it comes to Westerns, it's all about the mood. Get the score, cinematography and set design wrong, and you've got more chance of looking like a Disney theme park village than a gruff, intense adventure into the heart of gunslinging darkness. Thankfully, writer Toby Whithouse (the man behind the genius Being Human, and last season's not-so-genius Who episode 'The God Complex') and director Saul Metzstein (who just finished work on the Second Unit of our other favourite gritty shoot-em-up of the moment, Dredd) have obviously done their genre research.

While it still held true to a pre-watershed family friendliness, there was a bewitchingly moody beauty to the episode, thanks no doubt to the decision to shoot in Spain, in an area where an array of classic Westerns (including A Fistful of Dollars and The Good, The Bad & Ugly) were also made. More importantly, everything fans would want from a Who Western was there - the Doctor rocking a stetson, straddling a horse and chewing a toothpick, a face-off at high noon, an (almost) bar fight etc etc.

And while the Terminator-meets-Predator killer cyborg offered solid thrills, it was in the Doctor's moral uncertainty that the episode really galvanised. Matt Smith dialled down the wacky to explore the cold, judgemental friction that we've seen simmering away since the Doctor returned in The Asylum of the Daleks. His willingness to cross a line both literal and metaphorical, and throw a mass murderer to the gattling-gun happy robo-dogs prompted a Batman-ish moral dilemma - how many times must his mercy come back to bite him in the (surprisingly chapless) ass before he finally cracked and dished out a murderously final punishment?

While Amy's convincingly impassioned wake-up call seemed to do the job, and simultaneously remind us of the importance of the humanity the Who companions bring to the TARDIS, it'll be interesting to see where things go from here - and if the Doctor's renewed mercy is the very thing that leads to Amy and Rory's potentially tragic departure.

Rated as a Doctor Who episode, A Town Called Mercy was a weighty, progressive, sumptuous and entertaining adventure.

Rated as a sci-fi western (hello Cowboys & Aliens), it was a nigh-on classic.

Source : ign[dot]com

Doctor Who: "A Town Called Mercy" Review

For a character who spends most of his time fixing wrongs, rooting for the small guy, and drifting in and out of lives/towns/planets, it's surprising that the Doctor hasn't had more cowboy adventures.

In fact, there's only ever been one real Who Western to date - and while 1966's The Gunfighters wasn't exactly what you'd call a classic (the common - and untrue - pop culture myth goes that it had the lowest rating of any Doctor Who story ever), A Town Called Mercy proves that the Doctor suits the genre as well as he rocks a Stetson.

When Amy, Rory and the Doctor appeared in the remote backwaters of the great American dream (well, prairie), the bloodletting game was already afoot. A cyborg cowboy was on the hunt for an alien Doctor, and was going to hold a whole Wild West town hostage until he found (and more importantly, killed) him.

In a tale full of sliding morality scales and shades of ethical grey, the answer wasn't quite as simple as it appeared. For a story touting genocidal vivisectionists, murderous cyborgs, moustache-twirling Sheriffs (courtesy of Farscape's superb Ben Browder doing his best Josh Brolin-lite) and gun-toting townspeople, it was - surprisingly - the Doctor who proved the most volatile.

Throw in a sexually confused talking horse, an exploding spaceship, and some dry, typically British humour ("I don't want to miss The Archers"/"Who got toast crumbs on the console?") amongst all the traditionally American genre tropes, and you had a story that managed to celebrate all things both Who and Western.

When it comes to Westerns, it's all about the mood. Get the score, cinematography and set design wrong, and you've got more chance of looking like a Disney theme park village than a gruff, intense adventure into the heart of gunslinging darkness. Thankfully, writer Toby Whithouse (the man behind the genius Being Human, and last season's not-so-genius Who episode 'The God Complex') and director Saul Metzstein (who just finished work on the Second Unit of our other favourite gritty shoot-em-up of the moment, Dredd) have obviously done their genre research.

While it still held true to a pre-watershed family friendliness, there was a bewitchingly moody beauty to the episode, thanks no doubt to the decision to shoot in Spain, in an area where an array of classic Westerns (including A Fistful of Dollars and The Good, The Bad & Ugly) were also made. More importantly, everything fans would want from a Who Western was there - the Doctor rocking a stetson, straddling a horse and chewing a toothpick, a face-off at high noon, an (almost) bar fight etc etc.

And while the Terminator-meets-Predator killer cyborg offered solid thrills, it was in the Doctor's moral uncertainty that the episode really galvanised. Matt Smith dialled down the wacky to explore the cold, judgemental friction that we've seen simmering away since the Doctor returned in The Asylum of the Daleks. His willingness to cross a line both literal and metaphorical, and throw a mass murderer to the gattling-gun happy robo-dogs prompted a Batman-ish moral dilemma - how many times must his mercy come back to bite him in the (surprisingly chapless) ass before he finally cracked and dished out a murderously final punishment?

While Amy's convincingly impassioned wake-up call seemed to do the job, and simultaneously remind us of the importance of the humanity the Who companions bring to the TARDIS, it'll be interesting to see where things go from here - and if the Doctor's renewed mercy is the very thing that leads to Amy and Rory's potentially tragic departure.

Rated as a Doctor Who episode, A Town Called Mercy was a weighty, progressive, sumptuous and entertaining adventure.

Rated as a sci-fi western (hello Cowboys & Aliens), it was a nigh-on classic.

Source : ign[dot]com

Legion Lost #0 Review

Legion Lost #0 is a pretty standard origin story for the most interesting character in the title, supplying enough action and drama for the title to transition smoothly into its next issue. Timber Wolf receives a solid retelling of his backstory and motivation for his career as a vigilante/Legion member. In the end, Tom DeFalco’s story is enough to justify this issue’s existence, but it’s unlikely to be your favorite book this week.

Pete Woods is strong this month, driving the book’s action with some great perspectives and motion. The old pro effortlessly conveys the fury and tragedy of DeFalco’s story, as the plot swirls between past and present. In fact, the work is so good that it can almost tell the story without any text at all.

When so many #0 titles are falling short of spectacular, Legion Lost #0 actually gives readers a reason to tune in. The story’s skeleton is a bit familiar, but the Woods’ execution is worth the price of admission.

Poet is a freelance writer, mid-core gamer, and frequent IGN contributor. Follow Poet on Twitter, or post a message on his IGN profile.

Source : ign[dot]com

Hero Worship: Solving Wonder Woman's TV Dilemma

I doubt it comes as a surprise that I’m a huge Wonder Woman fan. She’s my second favorite female superhero character (second only to Catwoman) and has a fluctuating standing in my overall top 5. My apartment displays more pieces of Wonder Woman art than anything else, including furniture. Visually, there’s a certain majesty to her character that no other hero in the DC Universe can match and I adore it.

Yesterday, there was news of former Wonder Woman scribe (and successful TV writer) Allan Heinberg writing a pilot for a potential new CW show called Amazon, centered around a younger Diana, who is described as “a budding superhero.” First and foremost, let me point out that my thoughts are 100% conjecture. Amazon is merely a script at this point, with no promise of making it any further. But I think the fact that it’s called Amazon is a clear indication that this show has intentions of being entirely different from its clear predecessor, Smallville. It implies a fantasy series; one in which I imagine part of the character’s journey would be learning about the unfamiliar world of man and trying to understand it.

Way back when NBC passed on David E. Kelley’s ill-conceived Wonder Woman pilot in early 2011, I wrote a feature (one of my first for IGN, actually) called The Trouble With Wonder Woman, all about the many difficulties involved in bringing the character to live action. In it, one of the problems I point to is Wonder Woman’s homeland of Themyscira (Paradise Island) and how to effectively deal with exploring those concepts on-screen. Wonder Woman and her fellow Amazons certainly hold no shortage of mythology, so what’s the best way to deal with that in a digestible manner?

I say embrace it wholeheartedly. Since I wrote that piece, we’ve had Thor prove that a similar sort of amalgam mythology can be managed well on-screen. If Thor can manage it all in two hours, surely an hour long weekly TV show could do it even better. Let’s not forget that the fantasy genre is doing pretty well for itself on TV at the moment with shows like Game of Thrones or, more appropriate for the CW audience, Once Upon a Time and Grimm. There’s no reason CW couldn’t celebrate Wonder Woman’s fantastical origins and make it the underpinning of the show.

Amazon could incorporate the politics of Themyscira, betrayal amongst Amazons, conflicts with the gods, conflicts with the world of man, and so much more. Diana’s journey of growing up in such an environment, learning who she is, the nature of her birth, and dealing with her desire to see the world beyond Themyscira are all solid, interesting threads to explore. Of course, the show runners could still manage to find a way to incorporate classic Wonder Woman baddies like Cheetah, Giganta, and Doctor Psycho in new and different ways.

There’s a larger issue of the network no doubt necessitating the presence of male characters, which a show set entirely on Themyscira would essentially prohibit. Unless… the pilot ends with Steve Trevor crash landing on the island, as per the classic Wonder Woman origin, with the first season exploring his time amongst these apparent goddesses and learning about their culture. Meanwhile, perhaps, the military is looking into his disappearance and coming ever closer to discovering Paradise Island.

This would also establish a sort of forbidden romance between Diana and Steve (remember, “young Diana” doesn’t necessarily mean “early teen Diana”), which could ultimately be stretched out in further seasons once Steve has to return home and they’re separated. There’s plenty of ways that this material is malleable, which really is part of the beauty of the superhero myths.

An added bonus to taking this approach to Amazon would be added context to the Justice League movie. With that film bringing together the DCU’s premier super team with a limited amount of origin stuff involved, movie goers perhaps unfamiliar with Wonder Woman can turn to Amazon for insight into Wonder Woman’s origin. Even if Amazon and the (eventual) DC movie universe aren’t related, the rather ambiguous time period (“early!”) makes it an acceptable point of reference for the origins of the character.

After the failure of the last version of TV Wonder Woman – which was a downright silly departure for the character – it’s doubtful that Heinberg would aim to change things up all that much, not to mention CW’s apparent full-steam ahead approach to incorporating many DCU elements to the upcoming Arrow. As the superhero genre continues to achieve new and unprecedented success in various mediums, I think we’ll start seeing networks embrace the nature of these characters more fully rather than shy away from the more fantastic elements.

Hopefully, as a result, Diana can finally make her live-action return.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter, or find him on IGN. He loves superhero pets so hard.

Source : ign[dot]com

Benedict Cumberbatch "Cynical" About Rival Sherlock Show Elementary

Sherlock Holmes himself – Benedict Cumberbatch – has been talking about Elementary, the forthcoming modern-day TV take on the character.

And much like Sherlock showrunner Steven Moffat’s comments on the rival show (see video below), Cumberbatch is none-too-pleased.

Speaking to Shortlist, the actor said that’s he’d spoken to the other Sherlock, Johnny Lee Miller…

“Jonny asked me if I was all right with him doing it. I said, “What are the similarities?” And he went, “Well it’s modern...” I went, “Oh.” Then he said, “Lucy Liu’s going to play Joan Watson...” And I went, “Oh.” I got hold of the pilot script just to check it out. I don’t know, we’ll see. I think there’s room for us both to coexist. I don’t feel threatened by it and I wish him the best, which is as diplomatic as I can be.”

Cumberbatch then questioned their motives for making the show in the first place.

“It’s very odd” he explained. “I did say, “Well, I’d prefer you didn’t do it but you’ve got a kid to feed, a nice house in LA and a wife to keep in good clothes.” When you get used to a certain standard of living and they waft a pay cheque at you, what are you going to do? I think Jonny was like, “Mate, I’ve got the f*cking mountain to climb here [to reach the acclaim of Sherlock], you’ve got nothing to fear.” I wish him the best of luck, but I’m a bit cynical about why they’ve chosen to do it and why they cast him.”

Head over to Shortlist to read Cumberbatch talking more Sherlock, teasing his role in Star Trek 2 and offering his thoughts on Otters Who Look Like Benedict Cumberbatch.

Chris Tilly is the Entertainment Editor for IGN and couldn't be less excited about Elementary. His idle chit-chat can be found on both Twitter and MyIGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Gambit #2 Review

An ongoing Gambit series is a tough sell. Though the character is fairly popular even by X-Men standards, much of that is due to residual nostalgia from the early '90s and X-Men: The Animated Series rather than any recent, memorable comic storylines. Gambit is one of the few characters whom even Marvel writers will admit to not liking very much. James Asmus had his work cut out for him coming into this series. And while there's fun to be had in Gambit's new series, the book still hasn't done much to justify its own existence after two issues.

Fresh off robbing a collector's secret stash of supervillain artifacts, Gambit now finds himself involuntarily bonded to a mystery device and in need of some answers. What ensues is another heist, this time in a museum setting. The focus on thievery and heists provides the book with a slight touch of excitement. And unlike issue #1, Gambit doesn't rely on a series of extremely convenient and contrived occurrences to succeed in his goals here.

Asmus still relies overly much on Gambit's narration, not as a means of exploring his character or motivations, but merely providing exposition and pushing the plot forward. And with the relative lack of supporting characters in this issue, Gambit really has no one to talk to but himself. Worse, it's still difficult to say what exactly is driving Gambit in this series. There's the vague notion that he wants to return to his thieving roots, but why? What is he really trying to accomplish beyond removing the pesky artifact from his body? That deeper emotional core needs to become apparent if this series is going to have any sort of lasting appeal.

Clay Mann's art helps keep the heist sequences engaging, at least. Mann has a real talent for rendering powerful, fluid figures that Asmus puts to good use. I do wish that the coloring meshed better with the pencils and inks, however. The colors are too shimmery and ethereal for what would otherwise be a realistically rendered issue.

Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and IGN Movies. He can't wait until he's old enough to feel ways about stuff. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Walking Dead: Who is Milton?

A new character will be added to the mix on The Walking Dead this fall, as EW.com has the scoop on a fellow named Milton, played by Dallas Roberts (Rubicon, The Good Wife). A brand new creation (as in not pulled from the comic books), Milton is one of the residents of Woodbury, the community ruled over by The Governor (David Morrissey).

Dallas Roberts in The Walking Dead

Walking Dead comic book creator and TV series executive producer Robert Kirkman tells EW, “Milton is the details guy. He’s the guy that works with the Governor, who is monitoring all situations and is trying to help the Governor make sense of this world that they’re living in. He’s not exactly a scientist, but he’s a smart guy that is trying to find out how zombies behave. Watching him do his little experiments is going to be a lot of fun.”

Walking Dead showrunner Glen Mazzara notes to EW that not every person would turn into a badass, zombie-killer in this world and with Milton, “We wanted to show how other people survive, and Dallas has come in and helped us establish that character. He just adds a lot of heart and humanity to Woodbury, which further complicates what that is. That is a real town with real people and real survivors. It’s not necessarily a group of bad guys.”

Source : ign[dot]com

Does Vin Diesel Want to Play Vision in The Avengers 2?

What happens when a movie star updates their profile pic with a Marvel character? Fanboy speculation kicks into overdrive!

Bleeding Cool points out that Vin Diesel recently changed his Facebook profile pic to an image of the Marvel character Vision, the android Avenger. Since Diesel uses his Facebook page primarily to pimp out his many projects (such as the forthcoming threequel Riddick) tongues are now a-wagging that maybe the xXx and Fast and the Furious star is dropping some hints that he is either A) Up for the role or has been cast as Vision in The Avengers 2, B) Wants to play the character in the movie and is essentially baiting fans into creating a buzz campaign to get Marvel to consider him for it, or C) is just pranking his fans.

It should be noted that Diesel's already switched his profile pic from Vision to something far less fanboy-baiting. Let's just say for the sake of discussion that Diesel might be up for the role: What would you think of Vin Diesel playing Vision in Avengers 2? Sound off in the Comments below!

Source : ign[dot]com

Hunger Games' Josh Hutcherson on Peeta's Progress

It's never a simple matter bringing a beloved literary character to life on screen. And when that character happens to have legions of passionate fans, each with their own specific idea about who he is and how he should be played, it's even more challenging. Josh Hutcherson understands that pressure all too well. Since he was cast in the role of Peeta Mellark in last year's highly anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins' bestseller The Hunger Games, life has been a whirlwind. Even now that the film has successfully opened, he still can't relax.

First, there's tonight's midnight DVD and Blu-ray release and all the buzz surrounding it, with retailers staying open late to host Hunger Games-themed events for eager fans. Then, of course, he'll soon be back to work on the next film in the series, Catching Fire, which brings with it a whole new set of acting challenges. And in November he'll be on the big screen once again, starring alongside Chris Hemsworth (the brother of his Hunger Games co-star Liam Hemsworth) and Isabel Lucas in the remake of Red Dawn. It's a lot to handle, but not unlike his Hunger Games alter ego, the modest and well-spoken Hutcherson manages to keep his cool and take it all in stride.

We had a chance to speak with Hutcherson on the phone as he prepared to get back to the role of Peeta.

IGN: Now that the film has come out, how would you describe the reaction from the fans after seeing it?

Hutcherson: It's been incredible. I'm still blown away by it. I think that when we started to make the movie we had an idea that there were a lot of fans of the books and whatnot, but I don't think that anybody really expected it to be this well received. So for me it's just a dream come true to make something that you love, that you're really proud of, that people also really loved.

IGN: Did you get satisfaction after?

Hutcherson: It does feel good. Especially when you have so many people who have so many different opinions of what the character should be like. It's good to know that all in all, they're pretty satisfied with it. It's definitely a little nerve wracking when you're making it because you're like, "Wow, a lot of people like this character so I hope I'm doing it the right way." So I'm very happy and the response has been really great.

IGN: Now that the movie is coming out on DVD and Blu-ray, do you feel that anticipation ramping up all over again?

Hutcherson: I'd say so, yeah. It's very similar to when the movie opened, because there are a lot of people who maybe didn't get a chance to see it in the theater and now they're going to see it for the first time. So I hope we get it right by them as well. So there's definitely some of that same nervousness I'd say, of just hoping that people respond well to it, even though it came out and people mostly did respond well to it. But yeah, there's definitely a bit of that, "Oh, god. I hope people like it" again.

IGN: Do you think the movie holds up on DVD?

Hutcherson: Definitely. I love watching movies on DVD. I love the moviegoing experience because of the popcorn and the big screen and the sound and everything with the audience is awesome. But there's also something nice about being able to sit and enjoy a movie in the privacy of your own home. It's really nice and calm. I feel like when I see it in the theater I'm there for the experience, and when I see it at home I'm there for the actual movie, seeing the movie itself.

IGN: There are a lot of special features on this disc, including that three-hour behind the scenes feature. Were you aware of the documentary crew hanging around while you were making the film? Was the future home video release even something you thought about back then?

Hutcherson: Yeah, Lionsgate was really proactive about making sure they got a lot of really good footage of the making of the movie. But it was never invasive, which is nice. You were aware that they were there kind of doing their thing, but it never really affected you, which is nice. I'm really excited for the fans to see what it's like from the beginning, just being a book, through the whole process that it went through to become a movie. Because as a moviegoer, for me that's always interesting. Especially with a book that's very popular. I think that's a cool process to see.

IGN: It's always a bit of a trick appealing to the fans of the books as well as people who have only seen the movies. Do you feel like there's something here for everyone?

Hutcherson: I actually haven't seen it yet, so I'm not sure, but I definitely feel like it would. I know that Lionsgate put a lot of work into it and took their time with it and wanted to make something really special, not just half ass it. So they wanted to give the fans and people who really loved the book a very real, up close experience of what it was like making the movie so they can feel like they were part of the making. And based on what I've heard about it and all the filming they did, I'm pretty sure they accomplished that.

IGN: Since The Hunger Games is a trilogy, did you keep the direction of Peeta as a character in your mind when you were making the first movie?

Hutcherson: I really tried not to, because in reality these characters don't know where they're going. So I thought it would be weird if I was too focused on what's happening in the future, because it would take the characters out of that moment and they would be knowing things they weren't supposed to know. I mean, obviously we all knew where it was going but I tried not to think about it too much while we were shooting. But now that it's actually coming and we're going to start shooting the second one, I can't wait. I can't stop thinking about it. And I'm really excited.

IGN: Peeta has one of the most interesting arcs of all the characters in the trilogy. Without spoiling anything for anybody who hasn't read the books, are you looking forward to what's coming for him?

Hutcherson: That's one of the things I've been most excited about with the whole series, the fact that Peeta does have such a really great arc, and he really goes through a big transformation. I mean, in the second book, he's caught in a situation where he's in love with this girl and she pretends to love him back, but only as a show. And that's like, I can't even imagine how deep that cut has to be, to be with this girl and be parading around and kissing and holding hands and pretending like you're in love, when you really are in love and you know that she really isn't. That's just a cool mind screw and I can't wait to play that out because it will be really fun.

IGN: Yeah, you've just got to feel sorry for the guy.

Hutcherson: I know! He's such a genuinely nice guy. He just wants love.

IGN: Separately from playing the role, just as a person watching the story, do you find yourself rooting for that relationship versus the Katniss and Gale relationship?

Hutcherson: Honestly, it's so hard to say. Because both have things that really make sense. Gale has been in Katniss' life forever, and they've been super close and now that they're older it's like, wait, what is this? And they're trying to define what their relationship is. [Peeta] is so in love with Katniss and has known it since the first time he saw her, but then never really acted on it. He's just kind of admired her from afar. And so to see that come to fruition as well, that's really intriguing. So it's really hard to say which one is the sole winner. I feel like just because Peeta has been in love with her for such a long time and it's this kind of undying love that he'd do anything for her, that's the one I'm rooting for. But at the same time, who's to say that Gale doesn't feel that same way? Gale's totally in love with her too. So it's really hard to say.

IGN: Did you learn anything on the first film that you're taking with you into the second?

Hutcherson: I think probably just how I learned how to work with our cast. There's a very cool, very dynamic cast and our relationship was so strong that we really built that up in the first movie. That's been something that will continue on in the second film with all the cast. And with the new people coming in I'm excited to get them into our group too. So I'm really excited to get back into it with these guys. I think in the first one I learned a lot about our dynamic. And to know that we have a couple of movies to do with that, it's nice to know that it's a good dynamic.

IGN: I read that you were in the gym bulking up to get ready for the next film. Is that what's going on for you right now?

Hutcherson: That is what's going on. I've been working on that for the last four weeks or so and it's going great. I'm very excited about it. I'm very proud of it. It's been a year since we filmed Hunger Games so I'm excited to be getting back into it. My hair's dyed blond now. So everything's coming back to life. It's really exciting.

IGN: Before I let you go, I have to ask you about the Red Dawn remake. For some of us of a certain age, the original movie was a touchstone growing up. I imagine there's a certain amount of anticipation for this movie as well, though probably not on the level of The Hunger Games.

Hutcherson: Yeah, it's cool. My parents grew up during that time, so it was more a part of their childhood, but I had seen it before the part came around to me. But yeah, it's a cool concept. Weirdly enough, it actually is similar to The Hunger Games in a sense, because these people are banning together to rise up against something that's much bigger than them. It's very kind of empowering movie as well. So I guess that's my new kind of role. I'm going to take on all these movies that empower the people [laughs].

Source : ign[dot]com

Mad Men Star Joins Arrested Development

Mad Men's John Slattery will soon be joining the upcoming fourth season of Arrested Development.

While TVLine, who broke the story, notes that Slattery's character has yet to be revealed, they also add that the actor will be appearing in multiple episodes. Slattery will play one of several new characters to appear alongside the original cast.

Said executive producer Ron Howard of the show's return, "[Series creator] Mitch [Hurwitz] isn't trying to recreate something. It's been away for a while, and part of the fun that Mitch has been mining and exploiting is, what's new to discover about these people? What’s delightfully unchanged? He and the writing staff and the actors have a fantastic sense of that. They're pretty brazen, pretty bold and fearless. That's what made the show into something that fans really kept alive."

As announced back in November, Arrested Development will be returning with 10 new episodes to premiere all at once on Netflix sometime next year.

Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN, and he desperately seeks your approval. Show him some love on Twitter and IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Star Wars: Darth Maul - Death Sentence #1 Review

Darth Maul, in my experience, has been a character better taken in small doses. While many complain that he was “wasted” in Episode I, I’m of the mindset that if we had been given much more of the character his mystique would’ve grow thin. However, with the character’s re-emergence in the last season of Clone Wars, the character is back with his cybernetic legs and ready to slice him up some Jedi. Luckily, Death Sentence #1 manages to walk that fine line between exposing the character and keeping enough hidden behind the curtain so that the illusion isn’t spoiled.

Writer Tom Taylor quickly sets up Maul’s current predicament – he and his brother Savage Opress find themselves with a massive bounty on their heads – while managing to re-establish why Maul is such a badass in the first place. If you’ve been waiting for Maul to spill some blood, this is the book for you. The level of savagery that he displays is beyond even a Sith Lord to some degree, as he doesn’t merely settle on the act of killing itself, but goes about it in a much more flamboyant and sadistic fashion. Meanwhile, Taylor balances this out with the Jedi trying to take control of the situation and a dangling mystery of just where Obi-Wan is. The result is a fast-paced but engaging romp through the Clone Wars era that you probably never knew you wanted to see.

The art of Bruno Redondo is more traditional Star Wars fare than we’ve seen in other recent launches like Ghost Prison and Blood Ties, and the book is all the better for it. The storytelling is fast-paced and matches the script beat for beat, meanwhile achieving the necessary likenesses for established characters like Maul and Mace Windu. Redondo’s action sequences do have a bit of a freeze-frame quality to them, slowing down the blaster fire and lightsabers to a degree that makes the imagery feel like snapshots instead of flowing action. However, there are some instances that this works to the book’s benefit – like a particular explosion in the final scene that finds Maul and Opress infiltrating the facility of the man that put the bounty on their heads.

The only other problem with the artwork is that Maul and Opress are cloaked nearly the whole time and often drenched in shadow, leaving the reader a bit confused as to who is who. It can be figured out through dialog on occasion, but in general I wish there was a clearer indicator of which character was which that didn’t require me to stop the scene to backtrack.

In all, Death Sentence is a nice surprise for Darth Maul fans, and the first issue should particularly satisfy fans of the TV show until it finally returns in the fall.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter, or find him on IGN. He will love Star Wars until the end of his days.

Source : ign[dot]com

Anna Review

I like the exhilaration that comes from being chased; the tension and rise of adrenaline that comes in the moments where my character is hiding from a stalking enemy; the way my hands shake as I let out a stifled breath upon reaching safety. Whereas so many games make you feel like you’re untouchable, horror games often strip you down to the most basic fight-or-flight impulse, stoking your primal instinct to run the hell away.

Anna doesn’t give much of an introduction. Your character simply starts out at an abandoned house, solving puzzles in a serene garden in order to gain entry into a twisted home that holds a key to the bizarre dreams you’ve been having. Something is wrong with this house, and you need to find out how you’re connected or, at the very least, escape.

It starts off scary. You wander around the environment in a first-person perspective looking for interactive objects to pick up, examine and sometimes combine with inventory items to create new things. Performing these actions triggers events within the house: spirits throw objects, random apparitions appear to startle you as you turn a corner and voices call out from the shadows. It’s unsettling to say the least, and if, like me, you scare easily, you’ll probably need breaks to dry your sweaty palms.

That is until you realize you really have nothing to worry about. You see, while a few big scares occur throughout the short story, the fear-inducing moments become neutered when you realize you can’t die, lose or otherwise find yourself in an irreparable situation. Suddenly the unknown spirits that taunted me went from beings of unknown and frightening power to uninteresting annoyances; spirits who were just out to slow me down rather than do me any actual harm. As the umpteenth can raised into the air and slammed into my head my adrenaline continued to pump, but only out of frustration with Anna’s anger-inducing puzzles.

OK, not all of Anna’s puzzles are unnecessarily confusing or frustrating, but the ones that are drag down the entire experience. Regularly your character encounters “puzzles” that are really just trial and error situations. Just like classic point-and-click adventure games of yesteryear, Anna often puts you in places where all you can really do is start combining unlikely items until you figure out the baffling combination the designers intended.

Bizarre polish issues and poor interface don’t help here, either. Opening up your inventory, clicking use on an item and then closing your inventory before trying to combine it with something in the environment is tedious. Now imagine doing this time and time again as you start randomly combining things in a fit of desperation after you encounter yet another obtusely designed puzzle – it’s maddening how clumsy and unintuitive it feels. Times when you know a puzzle’s solution, but you aren’t combining items in the exact order or way Anna intends are even more excruciating; combine A with B to get C and you win, but combine B with A and you get something unusable. Pixel hunting for the exact spot you can click to do something “right” isn’t rewarding, and makes the relatively short story of Anna drag unnecessarily.

Anna is billed as an experience that adapts to what you do, and that, “features three ending according to how much the character has gone deep into madness,” but that description is a bit misleading. Really what the team means is that if you interact with certain doors at specific times then Anna will end. If you want to get the ending where the credits actually scroll, the one with the most fulfilling (and least confusing) narrative, then you’ll either need to randomly make the right decisions or read a guide.

Source : ign[dot]com