Monster Hunter World released for PS4 and Xbox One last month, but one of the biggest incentives to pick the game up on Sony’s console is an exclusive set of Horizon Zero Dawn DLC armor. The gear has been available since launch through a limited-time Event Quest, but it won’t be around for much longer.
The first round of Monster Hunter World’s Horizon collaboration event ends at 3:59 PT / 6:59 ET / 11:59 UTC on February 8, making this your last opportunity to embark on the quest. The mission is called Lessons of the Wild, and it’s a five-star quest available to players who’ve attained a Hunter Rank of 6 or higher. The object is to hunt eight Barnos, which will net you the materials needed to craft the Watcher armor and Felyn Watcher Grinder weapon for your Palico. You can take a look at the gear below.
While the Lessons of the Wild quest sounds simple on paper, you’ll also have to contend with a Tzitzi-Ya-Ku during the mission. Once you’ve defeated the Barnos and gathered the required materials, you can forge the Watcher gear at the Smithy. For more details on how to craft the armor, we’ve put together a guide on exactly how to get Monster Hunter World’s Horizon Palico gear.
The second round of the Horizon event begins at the end of the month, on February 28, and runs until March 5. Capcom hasn’t detailed what that quest will entail or what Hunter Rank you’ll need to reach in order to accept it, but your reward will be materials to craft Aloy’s Bow and armor set. When the latter is equipped, it will change your hunter’s appearance to look like the Horizon protagonist.
While the Horizon Zero Dawn gear is exclusive to the PS4 version of Monster Hunter World, all players will be able to get the recently announced Street Fighter V crossover costumes. An upcoming Event Quest will reward players with materials to craft Ryu and Sakura costumes for their hunter. Capcom hasn’t announced what date the Event Quest will begin, but PS4 players who have a save file for Street Fighter V on their consoles will be able to embark on the mission before everyone else.
Take Two label Private Division has announced the release of Kerbal Space Program’s first expansion, Making History, set to launch on March 13 for PC for $14.99.
“Kerbal Space Program: Making History Expansion will provide players with an entire new set of tools and content that fundamentally change how the game is played,” said Allen Murray, Vice President of Production at Private Division. “We can’t wait to see the creativity of the KSP community around the world as they create and share missions.”
The expansion will add a Mission Builder allowing players to “create and share their own scenarios,” and a number of pre-made missions inspired by historical moments in space exploration in the History Pack, among other additions.
The resurgence of vintage video games is great for many reasons, not the least of which is the availability of new equipment to play old games on modern TVs. Seattle-based Analogue has traditionally stood ahead of the competition by releasing great looking consoles that offer best-in-class video processing and notably nuanced configuration settings, and its latest device, the Super Nt, is no different. It’s a beautifully designed, compact console that, at the moment, is the best device for playing original Super Nintendo cartridges on HD and 4K TVs. It’s a relatively expensive option at $189, but if you obsess over minute details and strive for authenticity, the Super Nt’s price tag is easily justifiable.
In addition to Nintendo’s own SNES Classic (which obviously doesn’t support cartridges) there are multiple sub-$100, HD-enabled SNES consoles to choose from at present, from manufacturers like Hyperkin and Retro-Bit. While functional, the Retrons and Retro Trios of the world are consoles designed on a budget with constrained feature-sets and outdated tech. In theory, you can grow accustomed to shortcomings like input latency and improper video processing, but accepting these quirks doesn’t diminish their existence. Analogue took a decidedly different approach for its console that eliminates these issues from the get-go.
These images are captured directly from the Super Nt at 1080p, with an aspect ratio of 8:7, at 4.5x height.
The Super Nt offers highly configurable video output with resolutions up to 1080p through HDMI, and near-perfect performance thanks to the expertly configured FPGA under the hood. In simple terms, an FPGA chip can mimic components like RAM, video processors, and CPUs simultaneously. In the case of the Super Nt, developer Kevin Horton has created a seemingly complete and accurate Super Nintendo on an FPGA, a feat no one else can claim.
Generally speaking, games played on the Super Nt look and play exactly as they should when upscaled to resolutions beyond the original system’s native 240p signal. The Super Nt will output video at 480p, 576p, 720p, or 1080p, with suitable options to cater to the peculiarities of games designed for both NTSC and PAL standards. However, the output resolution is only half of the story. Once that’s settled, you can dive into other menus to configure the aspect ratio of the game screen, adjust its position, crop unwanted portions of the image, and manually scale width and height to achieve your desired look.
Simulated scanlines are also available, but rather than apply a static filter over the rendered image, the Super Nt’s solution operates on the individual horizontal lines of resolution. So when you enable scanlines in conjunction with a resolution that is not a multiple of 240p–such as 1080p–they lack complete uniformity. Super Nt’s scanline options can be adjusted and slightly improved from the default settings, but if you want to play with “proper” scanlines, the best solution is to stick to 480p or 720p.
With over 2,000 SNES games released across multiple territories, it’s virtually impossible for anyone to say with absolute certainty that the Super Nt is 100% compatible with all games from start to finish. In testing dozens of cartridges, only two proved troublesome for us: Mortal Kombat 2, and a reproduction cartridge of the unreleased English version of Rendering Ranger R2, known as Targa. Analogue’s answer for the Mortal Kombat 2 issue? To fix the bug in less than 48 hours after we brought it to their attention. A new firmware came quickly after Analogue reproduced the glitch on its end, and it’s comforting to know that a precedent has been set for addressing and resolving incompatibility issues in short order.
Analogue did a great job of matching the original aesthetic of both the original Super Nintendo and the Super Famicom.
Targa simply wouldn’t get past the publisher’s slashpage, despite working fine on other aftermarket consoles. This was also the case when trying to play the Japanese version using a flash cart on the Super Nt. Rendering Ranger is known to be a problematic game even for official SNES consoles, but Analogue promises a fix is on the way in the near future.
Of note is the potential (as hinted by Analogue) for an option down the road for users to switch the Super Nt’s FPGA–on-the-fly–to match different Super Nintendo hardware revisions. Even among Nintendo’s own consoles, these variations in processors and encoders would lead to rare instances of glitches in certain games (such as Rendering Ranger R2), so it’s refreshing to know that the Super Nt may have a workaround for end-user troubleshooting at a later date.
While there are obviously a few quirks to keep in mind, the benefits of the Super Nt far outweigh its relatively minor issues.
Aside from those two exceptions, compatibility was otherwise rock-solid during our tests, including games like Star Fox, Mega Man X2, and Street Fighter Alpha 2, which are designed around traditionally troublesome special expansion chips that handle applications like 3D calculations and asset compression. There’s also native support for peripheral carts like Game Genie and Super Game Boy–including streaming audio, which most SNES clone consoles struggle with. The only accessory you can count on not working is the Super Scope, a light gun designed for (and only compatible with) CRT TVs. Analogue is currently developing a digital-to-analog attachment for the Super Nt to support CRT TVs, though the performance, release date, and cost of the DAC remains to be seen.
On the hardware side, the Super Nt is straightforward: a Micro USB port for power, an HDMI port for A/V output, an SD card slot for firmware updates, and two SNES controller ports. Traditional SNES controllers work exactly as expected, and as Analogue suggests, you can also use wireless controllers made by 8Bitdo, which now come in colors designed to match the four color variants of the Super Nt.
The Super Nt’s scanlines work best at 720p, as seen in this screenshot of Konami’s Cybernator.
The 8Bitdo SN30 Bluetooth controllers are convenient to connect and charge, are very responsive, and feel almost like a Nintendo-made controller. The one minor issue is the d-pad, which will occasionally move your character on screen left or right when pressing down, should you inadvertently tilt your thumb. Though not perfect, we like the 8Bitdo controllers a lot, and only wish that the Super Nt came bundled with one.
It should be noted that even though you won’t normally have to tinker with the 8Bitdo wireless transmitter once you’ve started playing a game, removing or adding transmitters during gameplay can cause the Super Nt to crash, forcing you to power the console off and on. According to Analogue, this is due to related power demands coming from the transmitter, and the system detecting and protecting the FPGA from potential harm. Thankfully, wired controllers can be connected and disconnected during gameplay without risk of crashing the system.
While there are obviously a few quirks to keep in mind, the benefits of the Super Nt far outweigh its relatively minor issues. There is simply no other console that can play actual SNES cartridges at 1080p without relying on expensive video gear. And looking beyond resolution, the number of settings at your fingertips makes it easy to dial in the look you want for your SNES games in a matter of seconds. The Super Nt is impressive both inside and out, and a smart solution for anyone who strives to see their favorite 16-bit Nintendo games in their best light.
Editor’s note: Analogue provided GameSpot the Super Nt consoles and 8bitdo controllers used in this review.
The full trailer for the second season of Jessica Jones has been released. The Marvel Netflix show sees Kristen Ritter return as the troubled, hard-drinking private detective, who is forced to deal with consequences of her traumatic experiences in Season 1. Check it out above.
Jessica Jones Season 2 hits Netflix on March 8. The show also stars Rachael Taylor, Carrie-Anne Moss, Eka Darville, and Leah Gibson. David Tennant is set to make a return as the villainous Kilgrave too, although given his fate in Season 1, it’s not yet clear how exactly.
Last year, Jessica Jones showrunner Melissa Rosenberg spoke about her plans for Season 2 and revealed that her time on the acclaimed serial killer drama Dexter was influencing her approach. “I learned from working on Dexter that you can advance the character, but you never want to cure the character,” she said. “With Dexter, the moment he felt guilt or accepted that he was ‘bad,’ the show’s over. He’s no longer a sociopath.
“The equivalent for us would be if Jessica somehow recovered from the damage that had been done to her. People don’t just heal, you don’t go through that just to say, ‘Oh, he got arrested, he’s in jail, I’m OK now.’ That trauma is a huge part of who she is now. She was kind of messed up even before Kilgrave came along, and so in Season 2 we can explore what’s possible for her moving forward.”
As director David F. Sandberg revealed last week, DC’s superhero adventure Shazam is now in production. The movie stars Thor actor Zachary Levi in the title role, Asher Angel as his young alter ego Billy Batson, and Mark Strong as the evil Doctor Sivana. It’s set to hit theaters in April next year, and Warner has now released an official synopsis for the movie.
As Sandberg hinted last year, the synopsis confirms that the movie will have a more lighthearted tone than many of DC’s movies. As in the comic books, the story will focus on teenage Billy, who becomes an adult superhero by saying a single word.
The synopsis reads: “We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson’s case, by shouting out one word–SHAZAM!–this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult superhero Shazam, courtesy of an ancient wizard.
“Still a kid at heart–inside a ripped, godlike body–Shazam revels in this adult version of himself by doing what any teen would do with superpowers: have fun with them! Can he fly? Does he have X-ray vision? Can he shoot lightning out of his hands? Can he skip his social studies test? Shazam sets out to test the limits of his abilities with the joyful recklessness of a child. But he’ll need to master these powers quickly in order to fight the deadly forces of evil controlled by Doctor Thaddeus Sivana.”
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was previously announced in the role of Shazam’s nemesis Black Adam, but it was subsequently confirmed that he will not feature in Shazam. However, he is still set to appear in a spin-off movie.
Shazam first appeared in 1939, when he was known by the name Captain Marvel. The character was bought by DC in 1971, when he was renamed, due to Marvel’s ownership of the name Captain Marvel. A live action Shazam TV show was broadcast in the mid-’70s, while an animated show followed in 1981.
Details for the latest Overwatch Year of the Dog event have been teased.
A new developer update video brings some details of what we can expect in the next lunar new year event.
Lead designer Jeff Kaplan reveals a new map based on Thailand will be added to the game. The Ayutthaya map is designed specifically for capture the flag and will feature both ancient and modern themes.
Kaplan goes on to explain that updates have also come to the capture the flag game mode. Draws have been removed from the mode and instead a sudden death mechanic will commence if a tie is imminent. This will move both teams flags closer to the center of the map, allowing for either team to score a point quickly.
This week’s Flash was really all over the place in terms of tone and focus. In other words, pretty much par for the course with Season 4. The renewed focus on Clifford DeVoe and a handful of great character moments ensured that there was more bad than good, but there’s still little sense that the writers are figuring out how to strike a lasting balance between comedy and drama this season really needs at the moment.
Barry’s prison ordeal took a darker turn this week as he found himself locked away in the metahuman wing of iron Heights and placed at the mercy of the suddenly not-so-trustworthy Warden Wolfe. That made for an interesting shift, with Barry forced to join forces with the very metahuman criminals he put away in the hope of escaping. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before this episode began undercutting its own drama. The ease of Barry’s escape ensured that neither Wolfe nor Amunet Black presented quite the clear, immediate danger they should have.
Full SPOILERS follow for Black Lightning “Black Jesus.”
Tobias Whale finally gets a story worth talking about with the introduction of his sister Tori (Edwina Findley). His character was quickly becoming cartoonish and we didn’t need another slow motion strut alongside his deadly assistant. In a show that has been grounded in reality thus far, Tobias was the outlier, so it was nice to see Marvin “Krondon” Jones III smiling in a non-maniacal way upon first greeting his sister.
Lady Eve (Jill Scott) effectively brought Tobias down to Earth in a stomach-churning scene at her Blackbird Funeral Home. Using his Albino looks against him was a mighty way to get her point across concerning his recent failures. There are cases of black-on-black racism that are rarely addressed on network television and it was a pleasant surprise to see the writers tackling these issues here. Their interaction also added some much needed context surrounding Tobias’ past. Learning about his political origins explains his oratory skills and charisma as a gang leader.
