But it wasn’t just Navarrette’s acceptance speech that caught the attention of X-Men fans.

In the video, Navarrette can be seen sporting noticeably longer red hair. While there’s no confirmation that the look is specifically for Rogue, it certainly adds another interesting wrinkle considering the actress is set to portray the iconic Southern Belle powerhouse in Marvel Studios’ upcoming X-Men reboot.

Navarrette was officially announced as Rogue during Disney’s D23 presentation in August, alongside the rest of the reboot’s initial cast. She will star alongside Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Maya Boyd as Storm, Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, and Adam Driver as Mister Sinister.

Production Weekly, a long-running industry newsletter, reported in early August that principal photography on the Marvel project at London’s legendary Pinewood Studios was already underway. Adam Driver even appeared virtually from Pinewood during the D23 cast announcement in August, joking that he was already waiting on the soundstage for everyone else to show up.

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Of course, fans will have to wait for Marvel to officially reveal Navarrette in character before we know exactly what the studio has planned for her version of Rogue. But if this new look is any indication, the X-Men reboot may already be moving much further along than fans realize.

The post Inde Navarrette’s Appearance at Critics Choice May Tease First Look at Rogue in X-Men Reboot appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

At first glance, D-topia has a cozy, relaxing vibe that makes you want to curl up on the couch and lose yourself for a few hours. The colorful art style, charming characters, and slower pace make it feel like a game you can unwind with after a long day. But beneath that cozy exterior, something much more intriguing is going on.

You’ll spend your time solving fun, engaging environmental puzzles while helping the residents of D-topia with their everyday problems. The puzzles not only look satisfying to complete but also feel like a natural part of the world and its characters, making each solution feel meaningful rather than just another obstacle to clear. Early previews have also hinted at unique mechanics that reveal hidden clues and objects, adding another layer to the exploration.

What really has me interested, though, is the mystery surrounding this so-called “perfect” world. On the surface, everything seems peaceful, but the more you look around, the more it feels like something isn’t quite right. There are subtle hints that this AI-managed paradise is hiding secrets, and I’m excited to see how deep that mystery goes. I always love games that slowly peel back the layers of their world instead of showing all their cards right away.

D-topia strikes a really interesting balance. It looks relaxing enough for fans of cozy games, while also offering enough mystery and puzzle-solving to keep players invested in uncovering what’s really happening beneath the surface.

If you’re looking for a game that lets you relax, solve clever puzzles, and slowly unravel an intriguing story, D-topia looks like it’s worth checking out.

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Higuchi was present to promote the upcoming 4K remaster of Shin Godzilla, which will stomp into North American theaters on August 14, 2025.

“It’s hard to believe that ten years have passed,” the director said during the panel. “When we were filming, it was more than ten years ago. We did spend a lot of money cleaning it up in 4K, so it’s like it’s fresh, but I do think it is still very relevant. So hopefully you guys who didn’t have the opportunity to go ten years ago can go see it in theaters.”

IDW Publishing stole the spotlight with exciting reveals about their expanding Godzilla comic universe. Editor Jake Williams announced the upcoming Godzilla x Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong 2 crossover series. Fans were also treated to previews of Starship Godzilla by Chris Gooch and Oliver Ono, and Godzilla: Escape the DeadZone by Ethan Parker, Griffin Sheridan, and Pablo Tunica, both explore a shared universe. The panel showcased new art and teased plot twists that promise to expand Godzilla’s mythos in bold, new creative ways.

Beyond comics, the panel highlighted an array of exclusive merchandise and fan experiences. This included Super7’s pop-up shop at their Gaslamp store with movie props, cosplayers, and exclusive items like the Toho ULTIMATES! Godzilla: Minus One figure and a Toho Kaiju Response Team T-shirt.

Mondo offered daily exclusives, including a Godzilla and Hedorah Soft Vinyl Figure Set and a Godzilla #1 poster of Herbe Trimpe’s classic 1977 Marvel cover.

The panel capped off with a surprise appearance by O’Shea Jackson Jr., star of 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters. He emerged from behind the curtain just as the moderator opened the floor for questions. The actor shared that his favorite Godzilla film was the 2019 flick he starred in because he did not die in the movie.

When Jackson Jr. asked the panelists about their favorite Godzilla movies, Shinji Higuchi cited the 1973 cult classic, Godzilla vs. Megalon, while others mentioned Shin Godzilla, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, and even the Matthew Broderick 1998 Godzilla.

Jackson’s unexpected appearance and how he constantly brought up the fact that his character is not dead have many fans speculating that he may be involved in the next Legendary Godzilla project.

The panel concluded with Mondo giving away unreleased figures to fans who answered Godzilla trivia questions.

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The hotel ballroom was transformed into a vibrant homage to Spider-Man’s New York City neighborhood, complete with comic book-inspired decor, and immersive experiences. Fans in attendance were able to get their hands on welcome decks and explore the new cards featuring iconic characters like Peter Parker, Miles Morales, Spider Gwen, Spider-Man 20999, and Venom. But the night’s highlight was undoubtedly DMC’s surprise performance, which brought a wave of nostalgia and energy to the packed venue.

DMC, one-third of the pioneering hip-hop group Run-DMC, is no stranger to blending music with comic book culture. A self-professed comic book fan, McDaniels has long celebrated his love for superheroes, even launching his own comic book series, DMC, through his publishing company, Darryl Makes Comics.
During his performance, D.M.C. played hits like Tricky and Walk This Way, and spoke about his love for superheroes. Even know at the age 61, he still believes in superheroes and encouraged the crowd to continue to follow their dreams.

For those who missed the preview night, the Hard Rock Hotel activation runs through the weekend, offering more chances to dive into the Marvel x Magic universe. Marvel’s Spider-Man | Magic: The Gathering set, is slated for global release on September 26, 2025.

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While plot details remain under wraps, we were able to check out the game’s tutorial, which gave us a glimpse of what we can expect from the full release. I have played or demoed other VR titles, but my own experience with VR is limited. That being said, I did enjoy my playthrough of REACH, and it left me with an impression that feels hopeful for the future of VR games.

The demo begins outside a warehouse, setting the stage for the introduction to REACH’s mechanics. Players navigate inside, where initial tasks introduce you to the climbing system. Using the Meta Quest controllers, you reach out and grip ledges with the triggers, effortlessly pulling yourself onto platforms.

The next challenge showcases dynamic movement: by guiding your character with the thumbstick and thrusting both arms forward, you leap between stacks of pallets and onto other objects. This leads to sprinting, followed by combining running with jumps. While the mechanics may take some time to master, once they click, the level design begins to shine, revealing that you’re not confined to the marked path set before you. There are far more creative ways you can reach your destination should you choose to step outside the path laid before.

Progressing further, you’re introduced to the game’s combat system, featuring bow and arrow-based mechanics. By reaching over your shoulder and holding the trigger, you seamlessly draw your bow from your back. With the other controller, you can grab an arrow and pull it back to fire. From there, the tutorial sets you loose, immersing you in a high-tension scenario straight out of an action movie. You charge through a Spanish villa, taking down nondescript armed militia soldiers. Explosions erupt, a helicopter roars overhead, bullets wizzing by you as you take what you have learned from the tutorial and now put it into practice. At one point, you leap out of a window into the building across, channeling Matt Damon in The Bourne Ultimatum.

REACH is shaping up to be a title to look out for, with the backing of a former major studio head and already a solid base for just the gameplay mechanics alone, I look forward to seeing what the full game will be when it releases later this year. REACH will be playable with the Meta Quest 3, PS VR2, and the Steam VR headsets.

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The game is set in a dystopian future, and Directive 8020 follows the crew of the colony ship Cassiopeia. The team was dispatched to scout a distant planet in hopes of finding a new home for humanity. Naturally, what started as a routine survey has turned into a downward spiral of horror and nightmares. Stranded in the emptiness of space, the crew discovers there is an alien organism capable of perfectly mimicking its prey, causing paranoia and distrust among the crew.

The hallmark of any Dark Pictures title, the game is led by Hollywood actress Lashana Lynch (The Woman King, No Time to Die) as Brianna Young, the pilot of the Cassiopeia. Other key characters include Commander Nolan Stafford, played by British actor Danny Sapani (Black Panther, Paramount +’s Halo).

Directive 8020 retains many of the signature elements of other The Dark Pictures games, such as narrative-driven choices and quick-time events, but it also introduces some new gameplay mechanics. This game will emphasize real-time threats, where every decision and step forward could be your last. Stealth will play a major part in Directive 8020, where you will have to quietly sneak around enemies and choose paths that may result in the untimely demise of your character. Thankfully, there will be five different protagonists you will be able to play as in the game.

The choices you make will impact the storyline, the other characters, and the overall outcome of the game. In one scenario, we saw the crew interrogating another crew member who was accused of being a mimic and not a human. Everyone was pleading their case for why the crew member was or wasn’t a mimic. Judging from the information you have been provided, you have to choose whether the character lives or dies, and if you are wrong, you will have to live with that choice.

There is one new feature that I did not like in Directive 8020, the Turning Points story tree. This new feature allows you to rewind time during your playthrough and change any of the decisions you’ve made in the game. I’ve always liked the idea of having to deal with your choices and that my playthrough could be completely different from your own. Thankfully, there is a hardcore mode that will disable Turning Points, should you choose not to use this new feature.

With its blend of cinematic storytelling, survival horror, and player choices, Directive 8020 is shaping up to be another chilling installment in The Dark Pictures series when it launches on October 2nd, just in time for the spooky season. While pre-orders are not yet available, players can wishlist the game on the Steam Store, PlayStation Store, and Xbox Store.

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The game is set in a dystopian cyberpunk future where the vast majority of the world is controlled by AI. In a crime-ridden, corrupt world, you play as Redline, who has acquired an AI implant. As the title suggests, the implant runs along her spine, enhancing her hand-to-hand combat and gun skills while granting additional abilities. It forms a symbiotic relationship with protagonist, growing stronger as their bond deepens. The stronger her bond with the implant, the more powerful she becomes.

During Summer Game Fest, we got some hands-on time with SPINE. We were told in advance that this was an early build of the game, but what we played seemed very promising.

SPINE’s combat is built around a “freeflow Gun Fu combat system,” a term coined by Nekki to describe the seamless integration of firearms, martial arts, and acrobatic movement. At one point, I was surrounded by six enraged diner patrons armed with bats and guns, but Redline is no damsel in distress. Wielding dual pistols and her SPINE implant, she can engage multiple enemies at once, dodging bullets and parrying attacks with ease.

While Redline’s pistols are her primary weapons, they inflict limited damage. Executions allow her to permanently eliminate her targets. Perfectly timed parries, dodges, or block-breaking moves against enemy attacks create opportunities for gruesome finishing moves. Fans of John Wick and The Raid will recognize many brutal executions.

While SPINE is fun and fast-paced, it has a notable learning curve. It isn’t quite a souls-like, but mastering its mechanics and handling multiple enemies takes time. Players can see the influence of the Batman: Arkham series’ combat system, though SPINE feels more demanding, adding to its engaging challenge.

I died quickly to the first mini-boss I faced, but by the end of my playthrough, I could hold my own against the level’s main boss. However, when the boss entered its second stage, it defeated me. Still, I grew more skilled at the game over time and felt confident that, with a replay, I could now defeat the boss, knowing its attack patterns and vulnerabilities.

SPINE was one of the highlights of Summer Game Fest for me. When I walked past Nekki’s booth, I knew I had to check out this game. I look forward to seeing more about the game as we get closer to its release later this year.

SPINE will be available for the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox.

The post Experience Fast-Paced, John Wick-like Action in SPINE appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

As someone who plays THPS 1 & 2 regularly on the Steam Deck, it took me little to no time to get right into the action with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4. Despite being developed by a completely different team, I felt no major differences in the controls and the feel of the game’s skating gameplay. You can still pull off wild, gravity-defying tricks with all your favorite skaters. The game’s original rosters are all here, along with some of the newer faces like Nyjah Houston and Aori Nisjimura, who also appeared in THPS 1 & 2. And  yes, Bam Margera is in the game.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater has a rich history of featuring unique unlockable characters. Past games included iconic crossover characters like Darth Maul, Spider-Man, and Gene Simmons. In the upcoming Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 & 4 remake, the roster expands with some very exciting new additions. Michelangelo, the party-loving turtle from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, is a new unlockable character in the game. Surprisingly, this is the first time a Ninja Turtle has appeared in a THPS game and Mikey comes with his set of special tricks unique to his character. Similarly, the Doom Slayer will also be available as a Digital Deluxe Edition exclusive, complete with two secret moves, unique outfits, and an Unmaykr Hoverboard skate deck.

All the original maps from both games return, fully remastered to preserve their iconic layouts and vibrant atmospheres. Levels like Airport, and Tokyo from THPS3, and Alcatraz, College, and London from THPS4, are back, each retaining their distinct challenge. Unique environmental interactions, such as riding the elephant in Zoo or grinding the ice cream truck in Suburbia, remain intact.

Adding to the nostalgia, three brand-new maps have been added to the game. Movie Studio, Water Park, and Pinball, introduce fresh challenges, with dynamic elements like grinding through film sets, splashing through water slides, and racking up points in a vibrant pinball-themed arena. This remaster blends the best of the originals with exciting new content, delivering a must-play experience for skaters old and new.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the game. Playing through the levels brought back many fond memories and I can’t wait to play Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 when it releases on July 11th on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC. The demo will be available to play later today.

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Fear the Spotlight is a game developed by Cozy Game Pals, a small indie dev team consisting of a former Nickelodeon art director and a game designer who worked on Uncharted. Cozy Game Pals was originally a passion project for the duo to make smaller indie games, but they are now launching their first major title.

Vivian and Amy

Fear the Spotlight is a story about two high school friends, Vivian Singh and Amy Tanka. The former is a nerdy goody-goody, while the latter is a rebellious goth. One stormy night, they sneak into their high school to use the Ouija board on display in the library to contact the spirits of the dead. Unbeknownst to them, their school has a tragic past and a dark spirit has been following Amy around. They use the board and make contact with something that is not friendly, and all hell breaks loose.

Fear The Spotlight’s style is very much a throwback to the days of PlayStation One graphics. I found it oddly fitting that this game will be released not long after the remake of Silent Hill 2‘s release, but I feel like a lot of fans could find a lot of comparisons to the original Silent Hill. The game relies more on its atmosphere and storytelling than some of the elements of combat and stealth, but the latter is not the driving point of the game’s narrative.

The gameplay is more about building tension and dread, and sound plays a major factor in that. You can hear whispers from around the corner and small creaks in the floorboards become unnerving. There was a part in the game where a machine made a constant noise in your vicinity as you traversed the level. I didn’t even notice I had become accustomed to it until I finished a puzzle that turned off the machine, and I was met with uncomfortable complete silence.

Darkness and Shadows

This game is not about jump scares like many modern indie games. However, darkness and shadows play a major role in the game. A shadow could move in the darkness just outside your peripheral vision. You could find yourself staring down a hallway and seeing a dark figure peering from behind a corner. Much of the uneasiness you feel from playing Fear the Spotlight comes from navigating the school’s dark corridors alone, armed with only a flashlight. You do pick up other items along the way, like a screwdriver or a wrench, but a majority of these items are only to help assist you with the game’s puzzles.

Silent Hill and Resident Evil Inspirations

The team of Cozy Game Pals was clearly inspired by Silent Hill and the PlayStation One era of Resident Evil because I easily found myself right at home with the game’s puzzle. They were challenging enough that a few times I was stumped, but I never felt the need to turn to the internet for help. I also like how the developers used the physicality of the puzzles as a way for the player to interact with the game. As the player, you must click and drag to connect wires or open panels. I would have loved to have seen the Nintendo DS version of this game because I feel like the puzzles would have easily lent themselves to that handheld.

While I did mention the game is not combat-heavy, there is a boss and constant threat, The Spotlight. He is the main baddie of the game and you will encounter him in different areas of the school as you navigate through the game. You can’t fight him, so your best bet is to hide outside his vision and sneak around. This can be tricky because when The Spotlight walks, everything around him begins to burn, which can damage your character. He also sometimes lingers in a central area where you need to visit several different rooms to open up the next section of the map. He’ll even come into the room you’re in if you complete a puzzle or task that makes a lot of noise. His identity and what he represents are an intricate part of the story that you’ll begin to unravel as you progress through the game.

Different Perspectives

One thing I have yet to mention is that you can play Fear the Spotlight from both Amy’s and Vivian’s perspectives. Once you have played through Vivian’s version of the story, the option to play as Amy becomes available. I like this feature because even though they both are part of this story, their playthroughs are completely different. Vivan’s story is more about uncovering the mystery of what happened at the school so many years ago. A fire broke out and killed several students. She’s also trying to rescue Amy from the dark spirit that has been haunting her.

Amy’s story is more about her personal family issues and the events that have led her to be at this school with Vivian. It’s a far more personal story and she even has her own bad guy that is not the Spotlight. I like that the game does not retread any of the areas or puzzles used in Vivan’s playthrough.

Final Reaction

I thoroughly enjoyed playing Fear The Spotlight. It reminded me of the games that got me into survival horror but with a storyline that could easily have been a Goosebumps book or an episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark? I was completely engaged with the story from beginning to end and wanted to see Vivian and Amy make it out the other side. The best way I could explain this game is if Life is Strange and the very first Silent Hill game made a baby, it would turn out to be Fear The Spotlight. I can’t wait to see what Blumhouse Games and Cozy Game Pals do next.

Fear The Spotlight will be released on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC on October 22nd.

Rating: 4 of 5 Atoms

The post Fear the Spotlight: A Nostalgic Dive into Retro Horror appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

working with Venom – this is me and the big guy’s last outing going out with a Bang!!! Come see us off – last in the trilogy and done We have had such a great time. Thank you.”

Since then it has been confirmed that Knull will be the film’s main villain and there has been heavy speculation on who is playing the role. The rumors at the time pegged Walking Dead star Norman Reedus as The King in Black, but a recent report says that Knull is actually being played by Let There Be Carnage director Andy Serkis. Known movie scooper DanielRPK says that not only will Serkis play Knull in the final Venom film, but that Serkis has signed on for more than one movie.

Earlier this year, news came out that the piece of the symbiote Tom Hardy left behind in Spider-Man: No Way Home would play a major role in the next Spider-Man film. Since then, news has come out that Marvel wants Spider-Man to appear in more MCU movies and that he will have a larger role in the next phase. There is a chance that Marvel’s new deal with Sony allows Venom and Spider-Man to finally crossover.

Back in August, Tom Hardy was spotted in New York City doing reshoots for The Last Dance. Some hypothesize that the reshoots were for a post-credits scene where Eddie Brock goes to New York in the MCU looking for Peter Parker and that the reason the reshoots were so close to the film’s release was due to Marvel and Sony finally hashing out a new deal.

If that wasn’t enough, earlier today, another scoop reporter claimed that the current working title for the next Spider-Man movie is Spider-Man: The King in Black.

Of course, this is all just rumors and we won’t know for sure until Venom: The Last Dance is finally released in theaters on October 25th.

Featured image: Courtesy of Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios.

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