9 h. ago Until Dawn review – efficient, if unscary, video game horror

A solidly made adaptation of the Playstation hit sees a group of twentysomethings stuck in a gory death loopA week after the release of Ryan Coogler’s unusual, artfully crafted horror Sinners, we are now back to the industry’s genre norm with Until Dawn, a schlocky video game adaptation that has far less on its mind. Such a drastic drop in IQ and ambition means there’s no serious comparison to be made here and this weekend there’ll be no real competition at the box office (Sinners is likely to remain on top) so such contrast does ultimately allow the film to stay within its own, sillier space, a deep-fried donut for dessert after a filet mignon entree.On its own, lower-stakes terms, Until Dawn is a passable, if rather unfrightening frightener, made with some skill and enlivened by a strong troupe of young actors, enough to notch it slightly above the piss-poor standard but not quite enough to really justify its existence. The game it’s based on has been described by the director Dav...

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9 h. ago UK restricts export of video game controllers to Russia amid use to pilot drones

Some 150 new trade sanctions against Russia have been introduced by the UK, aimed at choking off the Kremlin’s war effort.

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45 h. ago Jennifer Aniston reveals true feelings about surprise The Last Of Us cameo after Pedro Pascal dating rumors

Based on a popular video game, the HBO series stars Game Of Thrones alumni Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay in a brutal post-apocalyptic dystopia.

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56 h. ago How devastating Last Of Us death is different to game after heartbreaking episode

Pedro Pascal's much-loved Joel has met a grisly end in the TV version of The Last Of Us, but it was done a little differently in the video game the show is based on

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59 h. ago ‘The Red Wedding times a million’ – The Last of Us’s most shocking moment was a masterpiece

It was the biggest open secret in TV history – but even though millions knew it was coming, that death still stunned beyond belief. Now, can it really achieve the impossible and make us root for the killer?This article contains spoilers for the The Last of Us season two. Please do not read unless you have seen the first two episodes.When is a twist not a twist? This is a question many people will be asking after this week’s brutal episode of The Last of Us. Titled Through the Valley, it demonstrated more clearly than ever that the show has two types of viewer: those who primarily know it as a television series and were stunned beyond belief by the violent, unheralded death of Pedro Pascal’s Joel at the hands of Kaitlyn Dever’s vengeful Abby; and those who have played the video game on which it is based. Continue reading...

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3 d. ago Every James Bond Video Game 2025: Here are all 24 games in the official 007 gaming universe

Gamers have been stepping into the shoes of the British superspy for well over 40 years.

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3 d. ago The Last of Us fans say they’re ‘robbed’ after ‘missing’ video game scene from season two

The second episode of season two didn’t follow its source material to the letter

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3 d. ago How The Last of Us season two’s major death differs from the video game

‘The Last of Us’ has just delivered one of the most shocking deaths in modern TV history, but how did they change it from the game?

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4 d. ago ‘When medieval times return, I’ll be ready’: Bella Ramsey on friendship, fashion and The Last of Us

The young actor’s life has been transformed since they landed the lead role in what turned out to be a TV phenomenon. As the much-anticipated second season begins, they discuss growing up in the glare of fameBella Ramsey self-recorded their audition tape for The Last of Us at their parents’ home in Leicestershire and sent it off more in hope than expectation. Ramsey, who was 17 at the time, had never played the post-apocalyptic zombie video game on which the new TV series was based, but knew it was a big deal: released in 2013, it had sold more than 20m copies. It would later emerge that Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, the show’s creators, looked seriously at more than 100 actors for the role of Ellie, the sassy and quirky but also complicated and vicious American protagonist of The Last of Us. “Yeah, I’ve been told,” says Ramsey with a wry smile.When Ramsey got the first callback from Mazin and Druckmann, they joined the Zoom from their childhood bedroom. “I’ve gotten very used to ...

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7 d. ago The Last of Us fans convinced game's 'biggest moment' is coming very soon

Those who have played the 2020 video game are predicting a stellar hour of television

Sport

8 d. ago Children are developing 'Fortnite accents' after spending too much time playing the video game, experts warn

Experts have warned that some children are spending so much time playing the game that they're developing 'Fortnite accents'.

Events

8 d. ago Gary Lineker thinks we're controlled by aliens – but at least we'll win the World Cup

The former Spurs and England striker admitted he thinks that human life could be part of a Matrix-style computer programme operated by aliens in a kind of video game

Politics

8 d. ago Rare letter offers glimpse into Bram Stoker’s early thoughts on Dracula

‘Lord forgive me. I am quite shameless’, author playfully wrote in note weeks after horror novel published in 1897He had just unleashed one of the most famed gothic horror books on the world, a blood-curdling classic that chilled readers and has inspired countless authors, film-makers and video game developers ever since.But a rare note that Bram Stoker wrote only weeks after Dracula was published in 1897 gives a glimpse into the playful fun he must have had with the novel. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago The Last of Us fans 'devastated' over casting choice that 'ruined the show'

The Last of Us fans were treated to episode one of season two this week, but many have said one particular casting choice that deviated from the video game has 'ruined the show'

Politics

8 d. ago ‘It’s allowed me to see through his eyes’: Super Mario, my dad and me

When his mum found their old family NES covered in dust and rust, Thomas Hobbs cleaned it up, got it working and reconnected with his childhood and late fatherOne of my earliest memories is watching my mum and dad play the opening level of Super Mario Bros in cooperative mode on the Nintendo Entertainment System. This was the early 1990s, and they were joined at the hip on the sofa, laughing at the idea of two portly plumbers becoming gigantic after consuming copious amounts of magic mushrooms.In this moment I sensed their natural chemistry, while the intoxicating mix of 8-bit visuals and perky, synth-heavy music blew my toddler mind. Although it was irritating seeing them constantly fail to jump high enough to hit the top of the flagpole at the end of the level, I remember being transfixed by the TV screen, and I’m pretty sure this was the first time I connected properly with a video game. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago The Last of Us season two review – Bella Ramsey is absolutely wonderful

The actor’s take on a damaged young soul fighting for autonomy is a punchy, watchable delight. The second season is slower and narrower in scope, but it is just as gutsy and thoughtfulSeason one of The Last of Us was a lot. It must have surprised some viewers to find that an adaptation of a video game was among the best dramas of 2023 – although it wasn’t too unexpected for anyone who noticed that it was co-created by Craig Mazin, writer of the magnificent Chernobyl. More to the point, The Last of Us was relentless, constantly shifting and weaving to deliver devastation and heartbreak in brutal new ways. On its return for a second season, it has earned the right to take a breath and slow down.A quick recap. A fungus-based pandemic has splintered civilisation as we know it, turning the millions of “infected” into groaning, lurching sub-humans who are not undead but are still monsters whose only impulse is to bite the healthy. Joel (Pedro Pascal), a man whose 14-year-old daughter died...

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1 week ago The Last of Us fans praise ‘perfect’ casting of season two character after dramatic first episode

Part two of the hit video game adaptation premiered Sunday and will continue to be released weekly

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1 week ago ‘Don’t you besmirch Super Mario Bros!’: how video game adaptations became prestige TV

From The Last of Us to Fallout, the days of ropey dramas stemming from consoles is over. Television insiders open up about why high-end shows and gaming now go hand-in-handTwo teenagers plan how to dispatch their latest undead enemy: a kill-shot to the head, or a knife in the side of the neck? One of them throws a glass bottle, distracting their prey. Then she goes in for the kill with all the breezy confidence of a kid playing a video game on easy.It’s a rare moment of playfulness in the second-season opener of The Last of Us, a show that generally takes its storytelling deadly seriously. While the wildly lucrative Minecraft movie strip-mines its IP for laughs, this celebrated HBO series, adapted from the PlayStation titles of the same name, is as focused on taut character drama as the thrills and spills of the zombie genre. Continue reading...

Culture

1 week ago Hit Blizzard video game tipped for 'Netflix treatment' TV show as fans share hopes

One industry insider has suggested that one Blizzard franchise is getting a Netflix adaptation, despite talks between both parties seemingly falling through a few years ago

Culture

1 week ago Horrifying rape video game which encourages players to sexually assault women banned from Steam

A horrifying video game which simulates illegal sexual acts has been banned from Steam after a series of complaints, raising concerns over children's online safety and violence against women

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