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Articles by Jim Avery
B&R update: one new card banned from Standard
Zendikar Rising has only been available for one week in Magic Online and Magic: The Gathering Arena, but one deck has already proven to be powerful enough that Wizards of the Coast has decided to intervene. The Four-Color Omnath deck, which revolves around Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath, Lotus Cobra, and Omnath, Locus of Creation, has proven to be dominant in Standard play.
Wizards of the Coast unveils new Commander Collection: Green set
Earlier today, Wizards of the Coast unveiled a new offering for their Commander format, titled Commander Collection: Green. This boxed set contains eight green-colored cards that “showcase the things green mages love to do in Commander”, and all of them feature brand-new art that makes reference to legendary characters.
New Secret Lair drop brings very good dogs to MtG
Wizards of the Coast has announced the newest Secret Lair drop, "Every Dog Has Its Day". This four-pack of cards features brand new art inspired by the dogs of the Magic: the Gathering development team. The cards that will be part of this pack are: Rest in Peace Dig Through Time Ancient Grudge Lightning Greaves Customers can pre-order the foil versions of these cards for $39.99, or the non-foil versions for $29.99.
6 Trendy Health Foods That Are Being Sold (To Idiots)
6 Drink This Stupid Frog Juice, Genius HansPeterK/iStock/Getty Images Continue Reading Below THINGS THAT ARE GREAT IN SMOOTHIES: -Fruit -Milk -Chocolate -Kale or something -Smaller smoothies that include the above ingredients THINGS THAT ARE NOT GREAT IN SMOOTHIES: -An entire frog Despite the centuries-old smoothie laws established by the Blendo Concordant of 1262, a number of places in Peru are selling frog smoothies, claiming that it has a number of health benefits.
Magic Untapped - 'Ikoria' physical release delayed to May 2020 in Americas and Europe
In addition to cancelling all in-store tabletop play, Wizards of the Coast has now delayed the physical release of the upcoming Ikoria: Lair of the Behemoths set. It's all part of the company's efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus. The physical set will now be released on May 15, 2020 in North America, Latin America, and Europe.
Thanks for transparency about COVID-19
OPINION Jim Avery, Manchester Published 9:21 a.m. PT March 25, 2020 Congratulations and thanks to Judge Bill Houser for allowing his name to be publicized after testing positive for COVID-19. Hopefully he will inspire others who test positive to allow their names to be made public.
Wizards suspends all in-person Magic events through mid-May due to COVID-19
In response to the growing worldwide threat of COVID-19, Wizards of the Coast has announced that it will be suspending all in-store play across the Americas and Europe for at least the next seven weeks. The earliest that in-store play will resume is May 10, but the suspension may continue after this date if WotC feels the risk to communities is too high.
Magic Untapped - Reaction: 'Magic: Legends' could be a great new foray for the franchise
Whenever Wizards of the Coast releases a new MtG set, they accompany it with an action-packed, cinematic CGI trailer. Most recently, this was the trailer for Theros: Beyond Death, which was shown at The Game Awards 2019, but one of my favorites was the trailer for War of the Spark from earlier this year (inexplicably set to a cover of "In the End" by Linkin Park).
Magic Untapped - 'Magic' in memoriam: Remembering Quinton Hoover
Quinton Hoover was one of the first artists working on Magic: the Gathering, with his work first appearing in the original Unlimited release, and he ultimately created more than 70 illustrations across a decade and a half. He died on April 20, 2013, at the young age of 49, but his legacy will live on forever in his work. We've looked back at some of his best and most famous works here. One of his most popular works is the illustration for the Headless Horseman, from the Legends set.
Top 20 most Halloween-esque 'Magic' cards
Magic: the Gathering has taken inspiration from all sorts of places, as the newest Throne of Eldraine set makes abundantly clear. Through the storied history of the game, however, few things have been as influential to card design as the holiday of Halloween and all of its associated folklore. We've scoured the entire Magic library in order to find what we believe are the twenty most Halloween-esque Magic cards ever made.
New platformer 'Phantom Gear' coming to Sega Genesis
Retro game publisher Mega Cat Studios has announced that they are teaming up with developer Bits Rule Games to release Phantom Gear, an old-school platformer that will be seeing release on the 30-year-old Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. This platforming title has a retro Genesis look, but a number of modern features, such as skill progression, animated cutscenes, massive boss fights and more.
Atari unveils more information on the Atari VCS
As part of this year's E3 expo, Atari unveiled more information on its upcoming Atari VCS (Video Computer System). During the show, the company heavily touted the machine's Sandbox Mode, which allows users to install and access various operating systems such as Windows, Ubuntu and ChromeOS. While in Sandbox Mode, users will be able to install a number of games and applications, controlling the device with a controller or with a USB or Bluetooth mouse and keyboard.
Tribute album 'Kingdom Heartbeats' available now from Materia Collective
Materia Collective, a publisher of music based on popular video game tunes, has announced the release of Kingdom Heartbeats, an album remixing the music of the Kingdom Hearts series. Created by music producer and DJ RoboBob, Kingdom Heartbeats features ten tracks from the original series, redone in the style of house, dubstep and trap.
'Chrono Trigger' tribute album 'Beneath Earth and Sky' now available
Video game music publisher Materia Collective has announced the release of "Beneath Earth and Sky", a collection of songs from Chrono Trigger. This collection of six songs spans battle hymns, level songs and character themes; these songs were re-recorded and organized by operatically-trained soprano singer Julia Henderson.
'Final Fantasy VII' arrives on Switch and Xbox One
Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy VII, one of the most beloved and celebrated video games of all time, is now available on the Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch. This game follows ex-soldier Cloud Strife and the revolutionary group AVALANCHE, as they try to free the planet from the grip of the Shinra Electric Power Company.
Versus Evil announces four new indie titles
Versus Evil, an independent game publisher, has announced a new batch of titles for release this year. The publisher is responsible for successful games such as Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire and The Banner Saga 3, and hopes to expand its portfolio of successes. Cardpocalypse is a game that places you in the shoes of 10-year-old Jess, who needs to navigate school while collecting Mega Mutant Power Pets cards.
Square-Enix announces 'Kingdom Hearts III' voice actors
Square-Enix, publisher of RPG series such as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, has announced a portion of the voice cast that will appear in the upcoming and highly-anticipated Kingdom Hearts III. Haley Joel Osmont will reprise his role as protagonist Sora, while Bill Farmer and Tony Anselmo will play the roles of Goofy and Donald, as they have been doing for over 30 years.
Cosplay: Evolution 2018
This past weekend, thousands upon thousands of video game fans descended upon Las Vegas for Evolution 2018, the world fighting game championships. While many were there to compete in the tournaments, others decided to show off their excellent cosplay skills. During the first and second days of the tournament, the show floor was teeming with great cosplayers, and we managed to capture plenty of them on film.
Review: 'Sonic Mania Plus' (Switch)
Sonic Mania was released last year to rave reviews, including from our own site, and now the game has returned with more content in the form of Sonic Mania Plus. This new version of the game comes in a physical format for the first time, but it also brings new game modes and new special stages, and it revives two long-list characters from the Sonic franchise. Is the new content worth going back, for those who have already completed the game?
'Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 + 2' out today
After the successful release of Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 and 2, Capcom announced today the release of Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 and 2 for all major platforms. Legacy Collection 1 brings together Mega Man X through X4, while 2 collects X5 through X8. In addition to all eight games, the collections add a variety of new features, including a boss challenge mode that pits X against multiple boss Mavericks at the same time, with online leaderboards.
C64 Mini miniature computer arriving later this year
Retro Games Ltd., a game company experienced with the Commodore 64, and video game distributor Solutions 2 Go announced today that the classic Commodore 64 will be remade in a miniature format, known as the C64 Mini. At 50% of the size of the original Commodore 64, the system comes with a joystick and 64 pre-loaded games, including Boulder Dash, California Games, Pitstop II and Uridium.
Sea Goddess, for Charlie
Ok Charlie, you mentioned sailing on Sea Goddess. When built they were considered one of the most expensive forms of transportation on the planet. Plenty of exterior photos available but not much on interiors. As the only person I have come across who has sailed Sea Goddess and SeaDream, (I have met several travelers who sailed Sea Goddess. Oddly, they don't seem to have ever heard of SeaDream) how was it then.
Review: 'Smoke and Sacrifice' (Switch)
On paper, Smoke and Sacrifice seems like it should be a fantastic combination. You are forced to scrounge to survive in an unfamiliar world, tracking down your long-lost son while uncovering a massive conspiracy that controls your entire world. Unfortunately, the various aspects of this game are not done the way they should be, and the end result is a game that is less than the sum of its parts.
Grim Fandango and Broken Age coming to Switch
At a Double Fine E3 event today, which included a live reading of Grim Fandango, Double Fine announced that two of their critically-acclaimed adventure games were coming to the Nintendo Switch. First off, the crowdfunding success Broken Age will be coming to the system later this year. This title, which raised millions of dollars on Kickstarter, features two playable characters, Vella Tartine and Shay Volta, both going on their own adventures in a coming-of-age story.
Seabourn complimentary jacket for Alaska cruises?
I have received a booking for a complimentary jacket/parka for our upcoming Sojourn Alaska cruise. Any insight on this jacket? Trying to determine what (if anything) to delete from our packing list based on what this jacket is like. Thanks for any info.
E3 2018: Microsoft Press Conference roundup
Although the show floor hasn't opened up yet, the press conferences have already begun, signaling the unofficial start of the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2018. Electronic Arts started the show yesterday, and today the first company to take to the stage was Microsoft. We watched their conference and summarized the information for you to read here.
E3 2018: Devolver Digital Press Conference roundup
For the second year in a row, independent publisher Devolver Digital took to the E3 stage to tell the rest of the gaming industry how terrible they were by comparison. Devolver's off-the-wall conference began with someone announcing a new battle royale game, and then immediately being murdered by the actual press conference host, Nina Struthers.
Where did all the Special Offers go?
Just an interesting observation from a SeaDream lurker that might want to book something this Winter: No special offers listed. Admittedly I have not looked there in a while but SD always had a few special offers. I guess they are selling out without them.....
Viking Ocean cruises selling out fast?
Having recently left the Viking Sun after 120 days, we were wanting to sell everything and move back on board...... Slight problem. Most of the longer VO cruises for 2019 are showing "Sold Out" or most categories showing that. Kudos to Viking for filling ships faster and better than any other line but we are wondering if some of the "Sold Out" might be marketing? We booked the recent Inaugural World Cruise only 7 months out and got a nicely located cabin in the grade we wanted.
Review: 'Death Road to Canada' (Switch)
If I ever found myself in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, I would die pretty much immediately. I didn't need to play Death Road to Canada to learn this about myself, but the game certainly drove the point home. This survival game has a great aesthetic to it, making the zombie apocalypse more radical than it's ever been, and the game's attitude really does make the game less frustrating and more fun. If you pick this up, though, be prepared to die a lot.
Atari VCS pre-sales begin in May on IndieGogo
Atari announced today that their upcoming Atari VCS system will be available for pre-order on IndieGogo on May 30. The Atari VCS is billed as a "fully customizable entertainment experience"; in addition to the Atari Vault that contains over 100 classic Atari games, the system offers media and streaming content with 4K resolution, HDR support, extendable storage, WiFi, Bluetooth and more.
Sega of Japan makes major announcements at Sega Fes 2018
At its Sega Fes 2018 event in Akihabara, Tokyo, Sega of Japan kicked off the event by making a number of announcements for the Japanese market. First, it was announced that their Sega Ages line of retro games will appear on the Nintendo Switch starting this summer. Similar to Nintendo's own Virtual Console, Sega Ages is a line of downloadable games from Sega's past, such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Phantasy Star and Thunder Force IV, all of which will be appearing on the Switch.
5 Bizarrely Specific Things Every Sci-Fi Movie Does
Anything is possible in science fiction! You can explore the future, delve into the past, chronicle alien civilizations, and probe the endless possibilities of time and space. The genre is limited by nothing but human imagination. Unfortunately, human imagination seems like it was depleted sometime in the 1970s, because no matter what obscure corner of the galaxy you warp to, some things never change. Like how ... Coming up with a new sci-fi aesthetic is tough.
Review: 'Embers of Mirrim' (Switch)
Last year I gave Embers of Mirrim a spin on the PlayStation 4, and I ended up enjoying it immensely. It was conceptually a simple puzzle game, but the developers were creative enough to extend the concept in numerous enjoyable ways, marrying it to a beautifully simple premise that compelled me to finish the entire game in one sitting. Now Embers of Mirrim has made its way to the Nintendo Switch, which is quickly becoming a haven for excellent independent games.
Dragon Ball FighterZ Open Beta Starts This Weekend
Bandai Namco has announced that the open beta for their upcoming fighter, Dragon Ball FighterZ, will be taking place this weekend. The beta will officially start at 12:00 am Pacific time on Sunday, January 14, and ends at 11:59 pm Pacific time on Monday, January 15; players who have pre-ordered the game through the Xbox One or PlayStation 4 digital stores will be able to access the beta a day early, at 12:00 am Pacific time on Saturday, January 13.
Sony Sells 5.9 Million PlayStation 4 Units Over Holiday Season
Sony Interactive Entertainment announced some sales figures today for its current-generation console, the PlayStation 4. The PS4 moved 5.9 million units over the holiday season 2017, and has total lifetime sales of over 73.6 million units as of December 21, 2017 (the system launched on November 15, 2013 in North America). Furthermore, the system sold 55.9 million games over the holiday season, bringing lifetime game sales figures to 645 million.
EA's greed is ruining Star Wars Battlefront II - and they'll get away with it
Electronic Arts has managed to get on gamers' bad side, for what seems like the hundredth time. It seems that their every step is making gamers more angry about the upcoming Star Wars Battlefront II. The loot boxes, the outrageous prices for new characters, and an unapologetic and apathetic response from corporate are making a bad PR problem even worse.
Review: 'Sonic Mania' (Switch)
I grew up with Sonic the Hedgehog in my house, right alongside Mario. He was the coolest game character ever, and his games were the most exciting, fast-paced and engaging platformers that existed anywhere. After the highs of Sonic 3 & Knuckles, I got to watch the character's reputation sink into oblivion as his 3D games went from bad to worse. Even the 2D platformer Sonic the Hedgehog 4 fell far short of recapturing the magic of the original games.
Hip-Hop Hadouken: a Q&A with the organizer of 'Street Fighter: The RVA Warrior'
Last week saw the release of a new hip-hop album inspired by Street Fighter II, entitled Street Fighter: the RVA Warrior. The album is a collaborative effort between twenty artists from the Richmond, Virginia area, working together to create twelve tracks based on the major songs and character themes from the game. The proceeds from the album will be donated to Building a Better RPS, a Richmond-based charity that aims to improve the Richmond public school system.
Review: 'Urban Trial Freestyle 2' (3DS)
If you've ever played any of the Trials games, then you have some idea of what to expect from Urban Trial Freestyle 2. While the two games are very similar in gameplay and even in name, they're not officially related. As a result, you can't expect exactly the same level of quality; the game in general is lacking in polish, and some of the details have been flubbed. Overall, though, I have to say that I ultimately enjoyed myself playing this game.
Review: 'Aaero' (PS4)
I am an enormous fan of rhythm games, and I like to imagine that I'm pretty good at them. So it was quite a surprise when I turned on Aaero, played a couple of levels, and got my butt kicked into next week. But after taking the time to learn and conquer the admittedly basic gameplay, I found an addictive and well-crafted game waiting for me, one that I had to force myself to stop playing.
Twitch launches new Twitch Prime service
Twitch.tv, a popular website dedicated to streaming video game content, has announced a new service that users can take advantage of immediately: Twitch Prime. Starting today, any Twitch users who activate Twitch Prime will be able to watch streams with no ads, subscribe to one user per month for free, receive discounts on new games from Amazon, and receive free game content for popular games such as Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft.
Sonic Team reveals new Sonic game is in development
In a recent interview with Famitsu magazine, Takashi Iizuka, the current head of the Sonic Team development studio, confirmed that a new Sonic the Hedgehog title was currently in development. In addition to this news, he confirmed that a movie based on Sonic was in the works from Sony Pictures, as well as mentioning the CG Sonic Boom cartoon.
Nintendo unveils The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Nintendo isn't holding a press conference or Digital Event for this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, instead opting for a Nintendo Treehouse live stream. The first announcement they made was to finally unveil their next Zelda title, named The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The game has a much greater focus on open-world exploration and interacting with the environment around Link, based on the trailer and a live stream of the game from Nintendo Treehouse.
Surgeon Simulator releases "Inside Donald Trump" DLC
Bossa Studios, the developers of the Surgeon Simulator titles, have announced the release of their new Inside Donald Trump DLC for Surgeon Simulator: Anniversary Edition. This DLC tasks players with performing a heart transplant on the business mogul and presumptive GOP Presidential nominee, giving him either a saintly heart of gold or a villainous heart of stone. The number of transplants of each type are tracked in Bossa's live tracker, as well as the total money spent saving Trump's life.
Persona Channel Website Gets Hacked
Earlier today Persona Channel, the Japanese Atlus website about all things Persona, was reportedly hacked. The news section of the website had a new entry, dated May 5, 3000, and contained the following message: ATLUS YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR SQL AND PASSWORD. ATLUS YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR SQL AND PASSWORD. DOONT NAME YOUR PASSWORDS AS A GAME. The content has already been removed from the website, but several users on social media managed to obtain screencaps of the hacked content.
Mirror's Edge Receives Two-Week Delay
Electronic Arts announced today that Mirror's Edge Catalyst, the sequel to the acclaimed but underselling free-running game Mirror's Edge, has had its release date pushed back by two weeks. Instead of releasing on May 24, the game will now release on June 7 in North America, and June 9 in Europe.
'The Banner Saga' (PS4) review
It's been two years since The Banner Saga was released on PC and mobile, and somehow I managed to avoid this Kickstarter success story, despite the decent amount of praise it received from other reviewers and players. Fast forward two years, and the title is finally hitting next-gen consoles, namely the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Does this game live up to the expectations that the last two years set for me?
PlayStation Experience 2015 press conference impressions
For the second year in a row, Sony took to the stage in San Francisco for the press conference of their PlayStation Experience event. Over a hundred thousand concurrent viewers watched the conference on Twitch, waiting for exciting news and game announcements. What were the highlights of the conference, and what moments didn't work out so well? Other notable elements from the press conference included Team Ninja's Nioh, which feels like an interesting cross between Dark Souls and Ninja Gaiden.
Final Fantasy character Cloud Strife coming to Super Smash Bros.
Earlier today, Nintendo held their first Nintendo Direct briefing video since the passing of former president Satoru Iwata. At the very end of the video, Nintendo played a new trailer for Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U, announcing that Cloud Strife, the main protagonist of legendary RPG Final Fantasy VII, will be joining the Smash Bros. roster as DLC.
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