Prince of Persia, Last of Us Season 2, And More Of The Week's Hottest Takes

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January can often be a slow month for games news, but 2024 is already proving to be an exception. From the surprisingly good new Prince of Persia game to new cast announcements for HBO’s The Last of Us, here’s our thoughts on the week’s biggest stories in and around video games.

The Lost Crown protagonist Sargon falls to his doom.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is the newest entry in Ubisoft’s action-adventure franchise, launching on just about every platform on January 18. (You get three-day early access if you preorder the $60 Deluxe Edition.) I’ve been having a great time with the 2.5D side-scrolling Metroidvania, which has been kicking my ass and leaving me puzzled the whole way through. And I’ve realized The Lost Crown does something that other Metroidvanias should totally steal—a screenshot feature that makes backtracking so much easier. - Levi Winslow Read More

An image shows various Fortnite characters and items in a neon-filled void.

I ended 2023 playing Fortnite. And I’ve just kept going. We are nearly 10 days into 2024 and I’ve only played one game so far: Fortnite. I almost played some Destiny 2 at one point, but the servers were borked. I then almost played something on my phone, but it needed an update. I tried another game, but while I was ready to play, my brother’s game needed a big update. So I crawled back to Fortnite. I was such a fool for even trying to play something else. - Zack Zwiezen Read More

The first season of The Last of Us, the undeniable smash-hit HBO series based on the video game of the same name, is over. And though the discourse about the controversial ending rages on, people are looking ahead to season two, which will introduce one of the most infamous characters in the series: Abby Anderson and her incredibly toned arms. If you haven’t experienced The Last of Us Part II yet, or are hankering to revisit the game, you’re in luck—Sony’s launching a spiffy new remaster on January 19, with a new roguelike mode and even the option to turn on a director’s commentary while you play. - Alyssa Mercante Read More

Bill and Frank stand face-to-face in a scene from HBO's The Last of Us.

Nick Offerman just won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Bill in HBO’s The Last Of Us series, and he’s already thinking about reprising the character. While taking part in backstage interviews after his win, Offerman was asked whether he and Murray Bartlett, who played his on-screen lover, Frank, could return for the next season of The Last of Us in flashback form. According to Deadline, he wouldn’t spoil anything, but he did share an interesting tidbit: He pitched a prequel series starring Bill and Frank to HBO. - Alyssa Mercante Read More

The Mandalorian and Grogu stand against a blue-and-orange sunset on what looks like a sandy terrain.

As announced on January 9, another Star Wars film is on the way, one based on The Mandalorian’s dynamic duo: Din “the Mandalorian” Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu, who is not baby Yoda. Titled The Mandalorian And Grogu, it will be directed by Jon Favreau, who helped create the popular Disney+ series upon which it’s based. The project goes into production this year, and the story will likely take place after the events of the third season of the Disney+ show. - Levi Winslow Read More

Master Chief fireman carries a soldier across a smoky orange battlefield.

I’ve been a fan of the Paramount+ Halo TV series based on the Bungie/343 Industries shooter franchise from the jump, so I was on-board for the second season long before the latest trailer dropped. Then, after I saw that trailer, I was even more hyped—not only are we definitely getting several episodes highlighting the fall of Reach, one of the most important events in Halo lore, but it’s also obvious that this season will ramp up the action with alien battles and gunfights galore. - Alyssa Mercante Read More

Shep and Raichu take a selfie outside their home.

After playing through Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s epilogue I can definitively say I was mostly let down by the Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC. Don’t get me wrong, the “Mochi Mayhem” episode is an hour of silly fun alongside some of the best characters to grace the games’ Paldea region, but it is just that—silly, especially when compared to some of the games’ more memorable moments. - Kenneth Shepard Read More