Ubisoft has announced that For Honor will commemorate its third anniversary with the Peace Festival, a two-week in game event that will be live from 13th-27th of February.
As the threat of the great cataclysm has cooled down, the leaders of Heathmoor have invited the greatest warriors from all factions to compete in the Honor Games to celebrate the Truce of Wyverndale.
This in-game event brings a variation of the fan-favorite limited-time game mode Carousel of Death. The first time a player dies in this 4v4 Elimination game mode, they return to life five seconds later, but each subsequent death adds five seconds to respawn time. Victory is achieved when all opponents are dead at the same time. During the first week of the anniversary event, Carousel of Fire will add an additional twist with damage boosts and flaming geysers in the arena. Players will get to experience another twist to this game mode, yet to be revealed, in the second week of the event. During this rare time of festivities in the world of For Honor, the game map will be dressed up with details alternating as the event progresses. This includes fireworks, a live crowd with musicians and, for the first time ever, original fan art banners from the For Honor community.
The Honor Games event also brings a wealth of themed loot and event-specific additions to the game, including a new Battle Outfit, Ornament and Effect, as well as brand-new Instrument Emotes available for all Heroes. All event loot and content is available in the “Honor Games” Bundle until 2nd March for 30,000 Steel.
Launched in February 2017, For Honor recently entered its fourth year of post-launch support, titled Year of the Reckoning, with Year 4 – Season 1 “Hope”. With more than 20 million players, For Honor is available on PlayStation 4, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and Windows PC. For Honor is also available on UPLAY+, Ubisoft’s subscription service.
Square Enix revealed that Marvel’s Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Edition and Deluxe Edition will be available alongside the Standard Edition on September 4, 2020. Further, players who pre-order any version of the game will receive guaranteed access to the Beta (at participating retailers), a Marvel Legacy Outfit pack, and an exclusive nameplate.
The Marvel’s Avengers Deluxe Edition includes an exclusive Obsidian Outfit pack (six hero outfits), six exclusive Obsidian nameplates, and 72-hour early access.
Marvel’s Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Edition features a full color 12” statue of Captain America. Designed by the artisans at Gentle Giant, this deluxe high-quality PVC statue captures every texture and detail on Captain America’s uniform. Marvel’s Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Edition also includes a copy of the Deluxe Edition, an exclusive SteelBook® case, Hulk Bobblehead, Mjolnir Keychain, Black Widow’s Belt Buckle, Iron Man’s Prototype Amor Blueprints, Kamala Khan’s Honorary Avenger Pin, a commemorative Avengers group photo, and 72-hour early access before the September 4, 2020 release date.
At participating retailers, those who pre-order Marvel’s Avengers will receive either a limited-edition pin set, patch set, digital comic book, or SteelBook designed by legendary Marvel artist Mark Brooks. The company also kicked-off its pre-order program today, which includes guaranteed access to the Beta, an exclusive nameplate, and a Marvel Legacy Outfit pack. These Marvel Legacy Outfits are inspired by moments from the comics that defined who each Super Hero was as they first embraced their powers to become the icons they are today.
In addition, players who pre-order their copy of Marvel’s Avengers from the PlayStation Store will receive additional pre-order bonuses, including a Ms. Marvel “Talk to the Hand” emote and “Marvel’s Avengers: Hex Pattern Logo” dynamic theme. The exclusive Digital Edition on the PlayStation® Store includes an exclusive Ms. Marvel nameplate and 1,000 credits which can be used towards Super Hero customizations. This edition also includes 72-hour early access when the game launches in September. PlayStation 4 players can also play the beta first when they pre-order any edition on PS4.
Marvel’s Avengers will release simultaneously for the PlayStation 4 , Xbox One, Stadia, and PC on September 4, 2020. The game is currently rated RP, rating pending by the ESRB.
In a surprise reveal by Director Matt Reeves, the moment DC Comic fans has come as we have our first look at the Bat Suit that Robert Pattinson will be wearing in ‘The Batman’ courtesy of a Camera Test Video:
Reports have suggest that the film will a Bruce Wayne in the 2nd year of his nightly crusade as Batman protecting Gotham City. I really like the look of the suit which has a nice machine stitched leather cowl almost, not the rigid armoured look of previous film versions whilst the chest is very armoured with what could be an actual Batarang as the Bat Symbol on the chest which to me also has an almost Arkham Knight style from the Rock Steady Studios video Game Series.
I like this look, I also love the music used which the composer reacted rather adorably too with Reeves replying that more will be heard later. I am looking forward to ‘The Batman’ and very much to Pattinson’s take on the iconic role of Bruce Wayne and Batman.
There was something very special about watching the original Dark Crystal film in the cinema growing up for it was unlike anything I had seen before, dark and fierce in a way that stuck with me ever since. To then learn that Netflix was going to be producing a brand-new full Television series for Dark Crystal set before the film immediately got my attention and the show was incredible in the story telling and the world it brought to life. So, when it was announced that a video game was set to be made based on the new Netflix show, well it also grabbed my attention. Sadly, the experience did not continue to be a positive one!
The flipside of being able to say that Im old enough to remember seeing the original film in the cinema on its release, is that I also remember what the 80s and early 90s were like for the cash in quick video game to TV/Film tie in attempts were, OCEAN I am looking at you. Often the games based on TV shows or films had literally no real connection to the source material and were random generic titles with the visuals made to look like the show or film. I had thought those dark and lazy days were gone and long forgotten but sadly ‘The Dark Crystals: Age of Resistance Tactics” is everything I hate about lazy cash in games and to make it worse, it barely has anything even remotely original.
The game follows the same story as the Netflix Show and attempts to tell the same narrative but using the game mechanics you would instantly recognise from XCOM or Final Fantasy Tactics. Disappointment sets in as soon as you start a new game as story board cinematics introduce you to the world of the Dark Crystal and this was my first warning sign. The story boards have a comic book art style for some reason with bright and vibrant colours looking nothing like the tv show visuals at all. If that was not jarring enough, the narration is done via text boxes showing how little effort was put into the design of the story telling for the game and sticking with it throughout. It just looks like and gives the presentation a real mobile game look rather than a game for console and PC.
Once in the game and you can just see ideas and systems used in other games just copied and used for this game and my experience with XCOM allowed me to get stuck in right away with the controls and gameplay which is still very basic as in you have to move the members of your party of Gelfings, around the map area to position them near or away enemies in order to attack or defend. The sad thing is that combat just feels devoid of any of the creativity of the show and always comes down to the feeling that you have played similar games but better ones. The feeling that everything is just so half arsed never leaves you thought I will say that the RPG elements of unlocking new weapons, items and character classes does allow for some additional strategy options for the player as you progress through but the rest of the game just fails to motivate you to even bother.
That is the biggest issue with this game and if you are playing this game because you are a fan of the Netflix show its based on, all you are doing is reliving that story but in the most tedious way possible there can be to experience it. I will say this however, if you have not seen the show, do not play this game as it is full of story spoilers which come thick and fast during the comic book panel style story telling between the missions. The enjoyment of the actual TV show from the visuals, voice acting to the story telling is completely absent from this game and those are the very things that make the show must see viewing. Missions often boil down to simply moving your party from one side of the map to the other and moving them all is a chore in itself before you encounter the cumbersome combat which never offers the same thrill that it does in XCOM.
The battle between the Gelfs and Skeksis should translate into very memorable gaming moments but this title is just so hollow at its core. For the asking price of the game, I would recommend saving that and just extended your Netflix subscription for three months and continue to just watch the series again and again to enjoy it as it was intended, from the work of passionate and knowledgeable people who made it. None of that can be said of this game which feels like the cheapest form of cash in they could have come up with and it is no surprise that the same studio also produced the equally looked down on Stranger Things Season 3 video game.
Does this have any redeeming factors is the question I am left with and honestly, there just isn’t enough to make this a “go buy this now” title, even if you are a diehard fan that loves everything about Dark Crystal, this game will only push you back to watching the show instead which will still be the best way to enjoy the story. Borrowing so much from everybody else without coming up with enough refreshing or original ideas buries this game is that terrible “belongs on a mobile device” bin that quite frankly the people behind the show and original Dark Crystal story deserved to have a far better game using their work.
Avoid this game, go watch the TV series again instead.
To celebrate the cinematic release of SONIC THE HEDGEHOG, Paramount and Snapchat have joined forces to bring the much-loved character to life at a number of landmarks across the UK and beyond, using Snapchat’s augmented reality (AR).
To celebrate the cinematic release of SONIC THE HEDGEHOG, Paramount and Snapchat have joined forces to bring the much-loved character to life at a number of landmarks across the UK and beyond, using Snapchat’s augmented reality (AR).
In the movie, Sonic puts trust in his friends to navigate Earth, after coming to escape evil forces who are trying to steal his super-speed powers. Once on earth, following a series of accidental mishaps, Sonic’s adventures continue as he tries to evade capture by the tyrannical roboticist, Dr. Robotnik, played by Jim Carey.
Now, Sonic is befriending Snapchatters to help him on his quest to save the world, through the magic of AR.
Kicking off the quest, and for the first time ever, London’s Tower Bridge has been transformed into a Snapchat Landmarker where users will be challenged, via a gamified AR lens, to gather as many golden rings as possible before Sonic magically appears on the world-famous bridge.
Quicker than the speed of light, Sonic will continue his adventure to a number of landmarks around the globe, making a brief stop at London’s Natural History Museum before heading off to iconic destinations, such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris; the Brandenburg Gate in Germany; New York’s Flatiron Building; LA’s Chinese Theatre; the Sphinx in Egypt; and Chichen Itza in Mexico.
And for those not able to get to a Landmark, the lens will open to the face, transforming you into Dr Robotnik, before swapping to the rear camera and taking you on the same journey with Sonic.
“This collaboration really captures the theme of friendship that is at the heart of this movie, and we are thrilled this campaign marks the first time that Tower Bridge has been transformed into a Snapchat Landmarker,” says Mary Daily, Paramount’s co-president of worldwide marketing and distribution. “As a platform, Snapchat is founded on the idea of creating and sharing with your friends, and it’s exciting that Sonic is able to share his global adventures directly with Snapchatters around the world”.
Snapchat’s SONIC THE HEDGEHOG Landmarker Lens’ will be live from Friday the 7th of February at Tower Bridge and the Natural History Museum, before sprinting onto iconic landmarks across the globe.
Deep Silver and 4A Games are thrilled to announce that Sam’s Story, the second major story DLC for Metro Exodus is out now while also confirming that Metro Exodus will return to Steam on February 15.
Sam’s Story follows former US Marine Sam, a Spartan Ranger who has worked under Colonel Miller since the nuclear war devastated Moscow, and followed Artyom in search of a world outside of the Metro. Sam had long dreamed of returning to his homeland, and perhaps even finding his father alive. The prospect seemed impossible in the darkened tunnels of the Metro, but when the Spartans discovered that Moscow was not the only city left alive after the war, holding out hope didn’t feel so foolish anymore.
Sam, determined to find a way back to the USA, departed from the Aurora to make his way through Vladivostok’s tsunami ravaged harbours, ruined industrial buildings, and crumbling residential districts. However, to complete his journey, Sam will discover that he needs every tactic he has learned so far to survive, as his surroundings prove to be far trickier than expected.
In this expansive ‘sandbox survival’ level, players will experience another gripping story line featuring new characters, weapons and mutant variants, in a huge, non-linear environment that offers hours of gameplay.
Sam’s Story is available to purchase on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC and Stadia – links are available at https://www.metrothegame.com/buynow. It is included in the Metro Exodus Expansion Pass, which also entitles holders to the acclaimed DLC, The Two Colonels, which was released in August 2019.
Be the first to learn more about Metro Exodus by registering for updates at MetroTheGame.com, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @MetroVideoGame or on Facebook at Facebook.com/MetroVideoGame.
The time has finally arrived. After originally announcing this bundle nearly 6 months ago, we’re finally closing the loop on this. Yakuza 5 is now available to download for all digital owners of The Yakuza Remastered Collection on the PlayStation™Store!
Now is the perfect time to pick up this amazing collection that includes Yakuza 3, 4, and 5. Get a small taste of all that Yakuza 5’s remaster has in store by watching the launch trailer!
Kazuma Kiryu’s newfound calm as an unassuming cab driver comes to a sudden end as the standing peace between the Tojo Clan and Omi Alliance disintegrates. Forced to reckon with his past once more, the Dragon of Dojima returns to the criminal underworld to protect those he holds dear. Kiryu. Akiyama. Saejima. Shinada. Haruka. Their lives interwoven, follow their quest to navigate the corrupt underbelly and prevent an all-out turf war.
To celebrate the launch, and the momentous occasion of Yakuza 0-6 now all available on PlayStation 4 (Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami, Yakuza Kiwami 2, Yakuza 3 Remastered, Yakuza 4 Remastered, Yakuza 5 Remastered, and Yakuza 6: The Song of Life), we’ve released a dynamic theme featuring series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu’s iconic dragon tattoo, available for free to all owners of The Yakuza Remastered Collection!
For collectors, please take note – a physical release of The Yakuza Remastered Collection, detailed below, is also available starting today at all major retailers. Find the list of stores by visiting the official website at https://yakuza.sega.com/remastered, and discover what awaits you below!
The Yakuza Remastered Collection is far from a typical console generation port. In addition to graphical and performance upgrades (720p>1080p at 30>60fps), all three games have gone through a rigorous re-localization process. The English scripts for each game have been reviewed, revised, and even rewritten in some cases, and content previously cut from the Western releases of Yakuza 3, 4, and 5 have been re-added in The Yakuza Remastered Collection.
In Yakuza 3, this means the Mahjong, Shogi, Massage Parlor, and ever-popular Cabaret minigames, as well as a collection of Substories cut from the original release, are now available in the West for the first time!
Several quality-of-life changes have also been added for each release in the collection, including a Substory tracker on the map and the ability to toggle between English and Japanese written lyrics during Karaoke.
The Yakuza Remastered Collection Release Details:What’s Changed in The Yakuza Remastered Collection?
The Yakuza Remastered Collection is now available to download and play digitally for $59.99 and includes Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4, and Yakuza 5 – previously only available on the PlayStation®3 – beautifully remastered in 1080p at 60fps.
A limited run of The Yakuza Remastered Collection: Day One Edition will release on February 11, 2020 for $59.99, and contains Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4, & Yakuza 5 on two disks in a striking red collectible case emblazoned with Kiryu’s trademark dragon tattoo.
This release marks the first time Yakuza 5 will be available in a physical format in the West. After 5 years since the game’s original release, series collectors can finally fill the gap in their library with a genuine, collectible Yakuza 5 PS3 Amaray case. Supplies are very limited, so get your order in while supplies last!
The Yakuza Remastered Collection Features:
Complete the Journey of the Dragon: The Yakuza Remastered Collection brings the final missing chapters in Kiryu’s story to the PlayStation 4. From Yakuza 0 to Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, players can now experience the full story of The Dragon of Dojima, all on a single platform.
Remastered and Refreshed: All three games in the collection have received impressive graphical and performance upgrades, from 720p at 30fps to 1080p at 60fps and have also gone through a rigorous re-localization process. Missing content from the original Western releases has been re-added to the remastered versions, and the full English scripts have been reviewed, revised, and had portions rewritten for accuracy alongside the original Japanese releases.
Bungie welcomes back the Crimson Days free event, which is now live for all Destiny 2 players until 18th February. Crimson Days is a limited-time live event in Destiny 2 that honours the unbreakable bonds Guardians forge on and off the battlefield.
To celebrate how these bonds and friendships are forged within the Destiny community and can go beyond to lifelong connections, some Destiny players have agreed to share their stories from all around the world. From friendship to true love, celebrate and share how being part of the Destiny 2 community can originate amazing journeys.
“We spent long evenings together, farming quests, doing everything and anything, everything that was to be done but we always played together, sometimes very late at night, because I was jet lagged…” EnormeD2, a Belgian player who moved to Texas after meeting his future wife in Destiny.
“It took a long time to meet. The first time we saw each other was at Paris Games Week in 2017. […] The funny thing when you met people you didn’t know physically, is that there is a barrier at the beginning. And when you start talking to them… you see that the person is actually the same, so the barrier drops quickly.” Line and Yoda (Zombies Faktory), French Destiny fans and YouTubers who finally met their clan in the real life and now enjoying every day this new friendship.
“My husband Brandon and I met while playing Destiny 2 and that we’re now expecting our first child. It’s a little son, he will be born in May 🙂 Brandon is from California, USA and he is moving to me in Sweden for good in less than 14 days. […]. Thank you for making such a great game and for unknowingly pairing me with my soulmate! You guys made my life complete in so many ways and I can never thank you enough.” Frida, a Swedish Destiny fan who found love and build a family thanks to the game.
Crimson Days is available from 11th – 18th February. Share and celebrate your in-game friendship or love stories on Twitter using the following hashtag: #loveisyourdestiny2
Ubisoft has announced Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 Warlords of New York, a narrative-driven expansion for The Division 2, available on March 3rd, 2020 on the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X, PlayStation 4, Windows PC and UPLAY+, Ubisoft’s subscription service. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 and its expansion will also launch on the new generation gaming platform, Stadia, later in March.
Current The Division 2 players will be able to purchase the expansion on its own, whilst new players can purchase the Standard Edition, which includes The Division 2 base game and The Division 2 Warlords of New York expansion. The Ultimate Edition, which gives players both the game and the expansion, as well as all of The Division 2’s Year 1 content, classified assignments and unlocked specializations, will also be available. All players must be at Level 30 and have reached World Tier 5 to join The Division 2 Warlords of New York. As such, each edition of the game will come with a Level 30 boost that players can activate if they wish to do so, to immediately jump into the New York expansion. After completing The Division 2 Warlords of New York campaign, Agents can then fast travel freely between Washington DC and New York City to enjoy the entire range of The Division 2’s content.
All players pre-purchasing the expansion will be granted a free Level 30 boost that they can use at their discretion to jump their character to Level 30 in The Division 2, ahead of the expansion’s release.
In Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 Warlords of New York, Division Agents will go on the ultimate manhunt for Aaron Keener, a former Division Agent who has now gone rogue. Keener, along with his network of Rogue Agents, is now a major threat to the rebirth of civilization. To track down Keener, Agents will roam the untamed living open world of Lower Manhattan, a former Dark Zone recently hit by a devastating hurricane that hit New York City harder than anywhere else in the US. Agents are tasked to explore new zones, each with iconic locations such as Two Bridges, Chinatown, and Wall Street. To get to Keener, players must take down each of his Rogue Agents. Each Rogue Agent has their own unique back story and skill – which you discover once you take them down.
After taking the time to hear and gather community feedback, core gameplay enhancements have been implemented across various areas, including build diversity, gear streamlining and even more meaningful loot.
Along with The Division 2 Warlords of New York, Title Update 8 will include an RPG overhaul, allowing players to read and manage their gear inventory more easily. The UI screen will be updated to always show the roll ranges for each stat on a piece of gear or weapon. The overhaul also includes the return of god rolls, improving readability and helping players make better decisions on the gear’s usefulness to their build. Additionally, players will see a more streamlined gear recalibration system, with item and stat usefulness indicators, as well as permanent attribute and stat storage at the recalibration station. This will allow Agents the flexibility to plan the perfect build.
The existing Dark Zones in The Division 2 are also being revitalised, returning to a simpler rogue mechanic. The focus is on rewarding player-to-player interaction, whether it’s fighting against each other, or helping a fellow Agent against a tough Rogue player.
In The Division 2 Warlords of New York, the players’ level cap will increase from Level 30 to Level 40, but it doesn’t stop there. The Division 2 Warlords of New York is also introducing an infinite progression system, the SHD level, and 4 new skills that can be used throughout the game. Owners of the expansion will also get access to new gear and new weapons.
The expansion will also introduce a new post-launch philosophy: Seasons – a 3-month-long themed endgame event with a new main target and his network to track down, introducing them at a regular pace, each with their own stories and unique rewards. The first season begins one week after the release of The Division 2 Warlords of New York. In addition to the Seasonal Manhunt, Seasons will offer new in-game activities.
Leagues are a series of challenges for players with opportunities to unlock rewards based on players’ ability to complete these challenges. Players will also see the return of Global Events, time-limited in-game events during which a global modifier is applied to the entire game and players will be rewarded by completing specific tasks.
During each Season, players will grow their Season level to unlock various rewards by participating in the various seasonal activities or even simply playing the game. Players interested in collecting additional rewards can acquire a Season Pass.
Ever since it was revealed midway through 2019, fans have eagerly waiting to see more, especially gameplay for the new title from Square Enix called ‘Outriders’. Today a brand new ‘Gameplay Reveal’ trailer dropped and….well…..it lacks actual gameplay, just a world and story setting reveal and after watching it, I am left thinking that it is just a Destiny clone with a metal soundtrack?!?
Outriders is a 1-3 player co-op RPG shooter set in an original, dark and desperate sci-fi universe. As mankind bleeds out in the trenches of Enoch, you’ll create your own Outrider and embark on a journey across the hostile planet. With rich storytelling spanning a diverse world, you’ll leave behind the slums and shanty towns of the First City and traverse forests, mountains and desert in the pursuit of a mysterious signal.
Combining intense gunplay with violent powers and an arsenal of increasingly twisted weaponry and gear-sets, Outriders offers countless hours of gameplay from one of the finest shooter developers in the industry – People Can Fly.
The OUTRIDERS Reveal Stream will feature Game Director, Bartek Kmita; Lead Writer, Joshua Rubin; and host, Malik Forte and is set to debut Thursday, February 13th at 12:00pm Pacific Time. Watch the OUTRIDERS Reveal Stream at www.twitch.tv/squareenix.
“It’s incredibly exciting to finally reveal what we have been working on for the last four years,”said Bartek Kmita, Game Director at People Can Fly. “Outriders is our first game since leaving Epic Games, and has grown from an idea of the game we always wanted to make, to the most ambitious project People Can Fly has ever undertaken.”
Leave Humanity Behind. Releasing Holiday 2020 on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC.
My Thoughts
Yeah I am really not convinced by this, it looks far too similar to the foundation of Destiny, strange cosmic being giving special powers to people in order to fight some evil as well as standard bad guys and monsters. This gameplay reveal was lacking actual gameplay, just a very nice looking pre-rendered trailer giving a hint at what the story and gameplay should look like but without showing any of it at all in action within the game.
One to watch but this trailer gave me more doubts than goosebumps, will see what the livestream can show on Thursday!
Revealed over the past weekend, a new trailer has revealed the first two characters coming to Dragon Ball FighterZ for Season 3 and True power knows no limits!
The 3rd Season of Dragon Ball FighterZ begins on 26 February!
Fan favourite character Goku finally gets his ultimate form from Dragon Ball Super as ‘Ultra Instinct Goku’ will join the roster this spring and boy does the gameplay shown in the trailer match the anime so perfectly for him!
The surprise came as fighters will be able to play as Dragon Ball Super’s Kefla on 28 February, or get the FighterZ Pass 3 to get 2 days of early access to each character!
We are almost at the two part finale for series 12, but just before we get to the big finish, Episode 8 will see the Doctor and Team TARDIS will travel to Lake Geneva in1816 where Lord Byron and the Shelleys plot a night telling ghost stories. But as the Doctor and friends arrive, the Villa proves to have ghostly presences all its own.
During filming of “Fugitive of the Judoon”, Mandip tried her hand at a few other crucial roles in the making of Doctor Who!
Right now most thoughts for Doctor Who Series 12 are heading towards the now confirmed two part series finale, which is no doubt going to be rather huge. So what we have to look forward to with Episode 7 ‘Can you Hear Me?’ is the standard “watch from behind the sofa” story. But this could be a cracker if the description is accurate and had a similar feel to “Amy’s Choice’ which saw the Dream Lord take on the 11th Doctor as the story moves from ancient Syria to present day Sheffield, and out into the wilds of space, something is stalking the Doctor and infecting people’s nightmares.
We open for the first time in quite a while with an intro to the story the credits as it starts in Ancient Syria, a woman gives warnings of monsters coming for the people but her friend simply dismisses them as simple nightmares and is not believed. When night falls, the monsters do come and amongst the screaming the woman who knew the truth called out “they like it more when you struggle”.
I have to admit, next to the big lore changing series episodes like Spyfall and Fugitive of the Judoon, this episode is easily my favourite so far this season with a real sense of delicacy to the reveals and a pace in story telling that allowed for moments to linger with a lovely almost pantomime “he’s behind you” element to the story. I appreciated that right after the credits we actually saw the Doctor returning Team TARDIS back home to Sheffield so they could revisit their lives, all be it later than the team actually planned to be. This is finally seeing what was said earlier in the series about the Doctor travelling back to Gallifrey on her own, encouraging the team to return to their lives to take a break from TARDIS life but now instead we see a restless Doctor not knowing what to do with her own free time but it never goes as far as to see her showing the anger or emotion of her trips to Gallifrey, just a fun little moment before she senses something is wrong and takes the TARDIS to Ancient Syria, arriving moments after the attack seen in the intro.
The strength of the story telling really comes in the performance of the guest stars to the episode and particular mention goes to Ian Gelder, who plays a mysterious entity who manages to appear on the TARDIS before the Doctor leaves for Ancient Syria but is not seen by her or sets off any of the TARDIS defences, a running theme of this series seems to be the pushing back on the whole “Nothing can force entry into the TARDIS”. The way in which his character is revealed is subtle but impactful, giving him all the creepy sinister moments that no doubt had youngsters and some adults reaching to watch behind a cushion or sofa. The special effects used for his appearing and vanishing remind me of old school magician smoke bombs but its the quiet manner in which Ian Gelder delivers every line and every moment on camera he just steals the show each and every time.
Getting to see Team TARDIS back in their individual lives was perhaps the more interesting of the themes this story brought to the service. Yaz returns home to see her sister on the anniversary of something not revealed until the end of the episode whilst Ryan goes to see a friend who has been leaving him text messages revealing that it has been months since they all returned home. Graham, well he meets up with old friends for a game of cards. There is a strong theme of re-connection as Ryan is shown to be the one his friend has been reaching out for in his time of need whilst he was off having adventures with the Doctor whilst Yaz is missing out on the simple things like discovering her sister has learned to cook. The audience can often get lost in the excitement that the ‘companions’ represent on the adventures with the Doctor, but it is really not since Sarah Jane Smith, that we see what happens when a companion returns to a life without the Doctor. Team TARDIS have gradually and more deliberately so this series, have all had moments where they are realising how different they are to the people they were before they met The Doctor and stepped inside the TARDIS. It is a theme that would return towards the end of the story as well.
The big bad of the episode was exactly that, big and bad as the character played by Ian Gelder is revealed to be Zellon, an immortal which the Doctor believed was a myth but became all too real as he crossed time and space in order to cause people to suffer their worst fears so he can drain that dark energy….with his detached fingers….very creepy. There is yet more referencing of crossing dimensions as Zellon reveals that he “came to this universe”, continuing the theme that has run through Chibnall’s of putting enemies in the path of the Doctor that she has no knowledge of or has met before. Jodie has really perfected the “what are you” reaction before ultimately finding a solution to save the day and though it is becoming almost a ‘multiverse’ experience now for Doctor Who, what I felt was a lazy way of just bringing in a new threat to the show, has actually paid off with this story.
Yet again this episode was co-written by Chibnall in partnership with Charlene James and there really is something rather solid when the show runner has an input into the writing the episodes of a series, which is not always the case and something that was very evident about Series 11 was in how many of the stories felt throwaway and some even managed to get the basics of British Sci-Fi story telling with Doctor Who so completely wrong. But the writing for this episode managed to give every member of Team TARDIS to have great character moments on screen rather than using them as background scenery. Whilst Yaz again has the main stage from them as we are taking back three years to a Yaz trying to run away from her life and family only to be persuaded to stay by a female police officer, but we see Ryan feeling the guilt of not being there for his close friend due to him being away with the Doctor. Finally we have Graham who through his own nightmare, reveals that his one fear is being told his Cancer has returned.
Where this leads to is overall open a conversation about mental health but not with the sledgehammer preaching approach the social commentary can often be delivered with as of late. It is softly handled by showing that each of Team TARDIS have the need to talk to others about how they are feeling and that by travelling with the Doctor, this has stopped as who would believe them back home. With Graham, its the people who know what he went through and understand his survivor’s guilt and for Ryan its being there for a close friend who is struggling with his own mental health and the person he feels can help is no where to be seen.
It is through Yaz that we seen an example of someone at their lowest point, wanting to run away due to feeling helpless but having someone just stopping to talk them through it or just finding others to share what you are going through can be a source of help. I felt it was beautifully handled and by using Yaz as an example would have resonated with some of the audience and just to let them know that they are not alone in having doubts or fears and that talking to some one can help.
‘Can you hear me?’ was easily my favourite episode next to the big series story arc revealing ones and it ticked every box for me which I am very happy to say. We are now only one episode away from the two part series finale and I can say I have enjoyed this series far more than last year. Big things are still to come and there is a lot that Chris Chibnall has to make the landing on in order for some of the big lore changing moments to work.
If the lessons from this episode and from Spyfall and Fugitive of the Judoon can be taken into Series 13 should Chibnall carry on his tenure as show runner, we might just be in for something special.
Award-winning publisher, Wired Productions and leading Italian studio LKA, are delighted to announce the arrival of the highly celebrated psychological adventure The Town of Light, launching globally today on Nintendo Switch. This new Deluxe Edition of the game on the popular handheld console features exclusive making of content and documentary footage of the real Psychiatric Hospital of Volterra, never before seen on other platforms.
Created through the desire to tell the stories of those held within psychiatric facilities through the mid-twentieth century and create wider conversation around mental health, Wired Productions and LKA are delighted to continue to support positive mental health awareness with 10% of net proceeds from sales to be donated to Safe In Our World (http://www.safeinourworld.org)
The Town of Light was originally developed for PC, which came out in 2016, followed by the PlayStation and Xbox One launch in 2017. In development since 2018, the Nintendo Switch edition is out now. The Town of Light: Deluxe Edition is available to purchase now on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch with an SRP of $9.99/€9.99/£7.99. The game is rated ESRB M for Mature.
