The dream of roaming worlds other than ours and living multiple different lives has propelled the gaming industry since its earliest days. Transforming products of imagination to interactable visuals, games have offered something no means of entertainment had allowed before: fictional realms to enter and influence. Initially text-only, the first titles exploring the idea of an open-world environment came to life well over 30 years ago (yes, way before GTA) ,and nowadays almost every release contains at least some elements of the genre; for that reason, a strict definition of what counts as an open-world game and what doesn’t may prove a bit tricky. There is, however, one fundamental rule on which open worlds are built: freedom in deciding the order and direction of exploration and game progress.
From plot-less, utterly sandbox-style titles like Minecraft, to environment-oriented Assassin’s Creed series, to vast, unconquerable doom and gloom of S.T.A.L.K.E.R., to story-driven, but otherwise free-for-all RPGs like Fallout or Elder Scrolls installments, the open-world genre has a multitude of shapes and forms. And although many of those concepts were born as early as the 80s – think Wasteland or Dragon Quest, or even Ultima, whose online release coined the term “MMO” – it was only the modern technological advancement that allowed a better fulfillment of the “roam free” idea. Those games weren’t just about more and more ground to cover; they were about creating a world that felt alive – an unlimited environment which does not only react to and change with the player’s actions, but one that exists on its own, regardless of the player’s presence.
So far, the industry has seen numerous approaches and solutions attempting to balance freedom with a dynamic, independent setting. The most popular include scaling (that goblin from the first level is still ready to go head to head with you a hundred levels later) and areas of varying difficulty (the deeper into the woods, the bigger and angrier the wolves), but neither quite nails the genre’s essence: that true liberty of “choosing your own adventure” in a vibrant, unrestricted world. Still, between continuously groundbreaking releases from Bethesda, Rockstar Games, or Ubisoft, and second-generation VR headsets being launched, that original dream of seamlessly walking into another reality and making your own story there might just be at our fingertips.
So, what exactly does the nearest future hold for open-world games? 2021 will see new chapters of known and loved series, as well as entirely fresh releases with the potential to expand the genre even further. Here are four titles to keep an eye on:
Skull& Bones: first announced on E3 in 2017 and originally scheduled for release in late 2018, Skull & Bones carries a promise of merry pirate life, open seas, and climbing to the top of the naval food chain by crushing rivals and enemies. As opposed to the story-driven Sea of Thieves, S&B seems to be all about the ship, the battles, and the loot; starting as a captain of a single vessel, the player will have a chance to not only customize and upgrade the boat to their heart’s desire, but also expand the fleet, establish and break alliances, and choose from numerous ways of wreaking havoc on the opponents. Despite significant delays and rather vague timeframes on Ubisoft’s side, S&B may be worth to keep track of – especially for PvP fans, as both single-player campaign and co-op mode focus on spectacular naval encounters and fighting techniques.
New World(MMO): Amazon enters the MMORPG stage with an intriguing title – New World, as the name hints, revolves around conquering a land modeled after mid-1600s colonial America. Despite giving up classes, New World will include a vast majority of MMORPG staples: skill lines for different weapons and sorcery, elaborate crafting system, leading storyline (naturally featuring Some-Kind-Of-Ancient-Evil) coupled with ambitious sandbox mechanics, three factions to choose from, and absolute necessities like guilds and housing. To storm the market, though, Amazon decided to do at least a few things differently; the mentioned lack of the class system, the story taking place on Earth (technically an island from legends, but still, a game set on Earth is already a novelty these days), so the only playable race is human, magic is rather scarce, prone to corruption and stems from some sort of a mineral, and there is no auto-aim in combat… considering the latter, PvP could turn out equally interesting and infuriating. If New World is as open and free to roam as the developers claim, it will certainly find a place among existing MMO titans.
Far Cry6: the sixth installment in Ubisoft’s open-world shooter series can be expected to uphold the franchise’s traditions. This time, the players will assume the role of Dani Rojas, a resistance fighter opposing the ruthless dictatorship of Antón Castillo (brought to life by Breaking Bad’s star Giancarlo Esposito) on a fictional Caribbean island of Yara. Bearing the obvious resemblance of Cuba, Yara used to be a prosperous jewel on holiday maps of travelers from all around the world; a bloody revolution, however, resulted in the undivided rule of El Presidente and a decades-long, nationwide crisis. Far Cry 6 will certainly mix throwbacks and new solutions – it’s supposed to feature more land to cover than any of its predecessors and finally give the protagonist a voice. The players can expect a walk down memory lane as they freely explore the tropical environment, much like the one from the first Far Cry game. With vintage surroundings, modern weapons, and in-depth recreation of real-life resistance movements fighting against repressive governments, FC6 should deliver all the favorite elements of the franchise – and more.
Ashes of Creation (MMO): a tremendously successful Kickstarter project of Intrepid Studios, Ashes of Creation has an ambitious goal of entirely redefining the MMORPG genre by giving the players more power and influence over the in-game world than any title before. With an entirely original, high fantasy universe named Verra where plotlines, quests, and even the landscape itself are determined by gamers, this may be the closest the industry has ever come to fulfilling the original dream behind the concept of an open world. Standard elements of an MMORPG will have their place in AoC, but often with a bigger or smaller twist – for example, the class system is to involve eight professions and, much like in Dungeons & Dragons, they will be possible to combine; unusually for an MMO though, the balance between classes is based on a rock-paper-scissor principle, according to the Creative Director Steven Sharif. Instead of striving for equal one-on-one potential, each profession should counter and be countered by a different one, forcing the players to form tactically diverse groups. That being said, having a team with a solid push seems to be crucial in AoC, because the insane malleability of Verra relies on a node system, with nodes making cornerstones for various types of settlements. They can be conquered, developed, shaped and defended by the players, and depending on how that goes, the story and quests will adapt and unfold in entirely different ways. Considering the structured environments in the majority of MMORPGs, the absolute freedom Intrepid Studios promises sounds quite incredible, and with the game in testing stages, 2021 will hopefully see its full release.
All things considered, the open-world genre can only benefit from the continuous technical development of the video games industry. Between the titles listed above and many more somewhere on the horizon (could Bethesda please hurry with The Elder Scrolls VI?), players can expect deeper and deeper immersion in realms that will gradually feel less like interactive entertainment on a computer screen, and more like an unbounded journey to another dimension.
Amazon’s witty comic book adaptation doesn’t slow down in season 2. Between Vought somehow surviving the reveal of Compound V, Butcher’s wife choosing her son over her husband, and Homelander spinning entirely out of control, the show keeps us on the edge of our seats –especially with the widely criticized weekly schedule.
The new girl on the block, though, seems to be the eye of the storm and steals all the thunder, so to speak; Stormfront, the fresh addition to the Seven, screamed trouble even to the viewers who’d never read the original comics. As season 2 progressed, her cruelty and machinations quickly became obvious, but only the discovery of Stormfront’s true identity shed more light on her potential goals. Formerly known as Liberty, she got away with a racially motivated murder in the 70s, while Vought effectively silenced the victim’s sister.
Now, in Dynamite’s comics, Stormfront is a male Supe serving the Nazis; Amazon’s character retains those origins, and as she reveals to Homelander, she was born in 1919 Germany, and clearly loved the idea of the superior race so much she let Frederick Vought himself inject her with his OG Compound V cocktail. What’s worse, she’s stayed true to the Nazi dreams over the years – as Butcher, Starlight, and the boys discover, Stormfront runs SS style experiments in an old psychiatric hospital, clearly hoping to purify humanity by treating them to the V and getting rid of those who don’t survive.
Having gender-bent Stormfront, Amazon opened some seriously disturbing possibilities, even for The Boys. At first, it would seem her attempts to get Homelander’s attention come from the fact he’s the leader of the Seven, and allegedly, the most powerful Supe out there. But as she corners him with widespread PR manipulations, their relationship takes off at supersonic speed, treating us to intimate scenes so intense they actually required body armor to film. And yet, if you think of Homelander’s strange bond with Madelyn Stillwell, this new romance might still be bound for some yucky twist.
The only mother figure Homelander had ever known, and, simultaneously, the only lover to arouse him, Madelyn had a really ewww thing going on with Captain America's unsettling parody. Since losing her (well, murdering her) took a great toll on the Seven’s leader, to the point where he tried to satiate himself with the services of a shapeshifter, Homelander would certainly be open to an actual replacement… or perhaps even an upgrade – because what if Stormfront did make him happen?
Being the first Supe and devoted to the original plan of the Compound V master race, Stormfront could have given her DNA to Vought to build a perfect Supe from scratch. In the comics, Vought created Homelander by cloning Stormfront and buffing him up with even more V; that, of course, brings to mind more of a Harvey Dent type of duality between those two, the “good guy” and the “bad guy”, two opposite sides of, ultimately, the same coin. Could Amazon be drawing from that storyline, seeing a “paternal” link between the original Supe and his clone, and translating it to an equally bizarre “maternal” connection?
But hey, what if we’re in for something worse? Homelander’s relationship with Madelyn might have foreshadowed a reunion with his actual mother… actual, actual mother. As in, Stormfront contributed to the master race project by giving birth to an embodiment of everything she and her Nazi pals had ever wanted. What she tells Homelander seems to validate that theory: “… You are everything that we dreamed of. So I love you with all my heart. How could I not? Everyone I have ever loved is in the ground... And then I found you. We found each other. …” So… if Stormfront is Homelander’s mom, I think it’s fair to say that would surpass any and every gut-wrenching thing The Boys have thrown at us so far.
Informative: Deep in rural Poland, a young priest succeeds in helping disturbed, problematic youth. The secrets he harbors, though, must never come to light.
Narrative: Sexual tension. Religious devotion.
A friendship against all odds sparks between a priest and a rebellious teen.
Informative: When the paths of an old-school gangster and a smooth cocaine dealer from Warsaw cross, choices are questioned and lives spin out of control.
Narrative: His oddly well-organized criminal life is about to get shattered when a different kind of a gangster leaves prison.
Informative: In this equally witty and terrifying spin on an interracial couple, meeting the in-laws goes worse than a young African-American could ever imagine.
Narrative: An awkward weekend with in-laws... is it racial tension? Hospitality issues?Because it can't be a trap, can it?
They say that good things come to those who wait (unless you’re in the Loser’s Club) and today the fans of 2017’s IT have been rewarded for their (im)patience with the first trailer for IT: Chapter Two. Arguably one of the crown jewels among the modern adaptations of Stephen King’s impressive literary output, IT featured such a terrifying depiction of Pennywise that the World Clown Association claimed the movie killed their business. That statement, coupled with his other memorable accomplishments – like eating a baby in a deleted scene – might grant IT’s monstrous villain the title of the most disturbing clown in the cinematic history, but…
He’s got competition. The fear of clowns is certainly not a new thing, and with their painted faces, mocking, frozen expressions, and the tendency for (theoretically) innocent mischief, they make a perfect horror material when taken to extremes. And so, here are three disturbing examples of why you never liked the circus anyway (may include spoilers for the listed installments).
3. Twisty (AHS: Freak Show, 2014)
Not quite an interdimensional entity of pure evil, but a broken man instead, Twisty makes quite an entrance in the fourth season of the renowned horror TV series; with a seriously unnerving prosthetic mask and a dirty clown suit, he ambushes a young couple at a lakeside picnic and murders the man, only to kidnap and imprison the girl. As his story unravels, we aren’t sure whether to feel more sorry or more repulsed by Twisty — the tale of a mental disability caused by his not-quite-mother-of-the-year, the disgusting slander that ruined his career, the pervasive rejection which followed, and the attempted suicide resulting in an utter disfiguration make the former child entertainer a many-layered character; his tragic, human background counterweights the insanity and oblivion Twisty succumbs to, never leaving the role of a clown again.
2. Art the Clown (All Hallows’ Eve, 2013; Terrifier, 2016)
This gentleman, first introduced in a horror anthology and reappearing in his own movie couple years later, seems to be but a mortal as well — although he’s got some of that Ring’s Sadako flavor; the longer you watch him on the screen, the more real he becomes. There’s even a VHS tape involved, mysteriously placed in a candy bag of trick-or-treating kids, but obviously, it’s their babysitter who gets the dubious pleasure of viewing it (as if babysitting on the Halloween night could’ve ended well).
We don’t really know anything about Art, excepting his taste for hunting down lone women to kidnap and either dismember or pass them on to some unidentified, monstrous creatures. The fact he remains silent and communicates merely in the exaggerated gestures and behaviors of a clown only adds to his horrifying and abstruse demeanor; and Terrifier, the second movie featuring Art, doesn’t shed any more light on his background. Frankly, it serves him well – after all, it’s the things strange and unexplained that scare us the most.
1. Kent McCoy/Clöyne (Clown, 2014)
Clown manages to confirm our worst suspicions – those permanently happy, bizarre circus dwellers DO have demonic origins. Trying to make up for his long working hours and the indisposition of a hired clown, Kent, a loving father and husband, dresses up for his son’s birthday party using an old clown costume found in a decrepit house he’s selling as a real estate agent. Aside from some questionable hygiene involved in this stunt, another problem arises as Mr. McCoy wakes up after having passed out in the jester’s outfit — the clothes and accessories won’t come off at all... unless it’s with Kent’s own skin.
Being stuck in a clown’s costume for the rest of your life is bad enough, but it’s certainly not the worst those particular clothes are about to offer, especially that they are, in fact, no clothes at all. As Kent’s personality changes and becomes more and more sinister and callous, he discovers the outfit is actually skin taken off a demon, an entity named Clöyne after whom the circus jesters were fashioned.
And yes, you can expect Clöyne to personify every single fear you might have about clowns, starting from disturbing facial features and a misshapen body, through cruelty and malice, to children being its favorite dish.