Building blocks: Kids learn, explore at ‘Minecraft’ Club at Skaneateles Library

“Minecraft,” the iconic sandbox game by Mojang, is one of the most popular games in the world and is most distinguishable by the boxy texture of its in-game world. With Microsoft’s acquisition of the developer back in 2014, the game has since become a phenomenon worldwide and is now available to most gaming platforms.

With its popularity, it is no surprise that the game is bestseller. In fact, “Minecraft” has already reached another milestone recently, with Mojang having already sold over 25 million copies of the title.

The latest figure came from the Minecraft sales statistics page, MS Power User reported. The PC and Mac versions of the game combined have now sold 25,079,997 at the time this article is written. In fact, the title is selling like hotcakes, having sold 8,418 copies within the last 24 hours alone.

The sales figure is still incomplete though. The figure only comprises the sales for its PC and Mac version which are considered to be the original and main version of the game contributing to a huge chunk of its revenues.

But the figure is bound to get bigger if sales from other platforms are taken into account. Sales for the “Minecraft” Windows 10 and Pocket Editions are expected to pick up with the recently introduced version 1.0 to the Windows 10 and Pocket Editions versions of the game.

Mojang is slowly bridging the gap between the mobile, console and the PC / Mac versions of the game. Previously, each platform plays a different version of the game resulting in a drastically different gaming experience one may get depending on which platform one plays the game.

On the console side, Mojang is likewise upgrading “Minecraft” for the platform. The developer introduced last December 2016 the version 1.10 for consoles, adding a host of improvements like mods, blocks, and even wings, Game Spot reported.

The most exciting addition introduced by the version 1.10 for consoles is the Elytra described to be a chestplate-slot item allowing players to gain wings. Players can jump from high ledges and glide gracefully to the ground, the rate of fall can be controlled by looking up to gain altitude or looking down to glide to the ground.

With the updates in place, “Minecraft” players will definitely appreciate the more uniform gameplay experience across all platforms. Meanwhile, check out the video below released by Team Mojang showcasing The Ender Update.

‘Minecraft’ PC and Mac versions breach 25 million copies sold

Microsoft Japan is pushing the sales of Xbox One in the country with the Xbox One S bundled with “Minecraft.” The reason behind the bundle is to boost the otherwise lackluster sales the console has been suffering from during recent times.

The release of the Xbox One S bundle will be on Jan. 26, according to Dual Shockers. The bundle will contain a 500GB variant of the Xbox One S, which will cost around 29,980 yen ($261.4) in addition to taxes.

The price of the console coincides with the local price of the PS4. However, the difference is that the Xbox One version of “Minecraft” will be included in the box, as well as a download voucher for the Windows 10 version of the game as well.

Additionally, the bundle will also contain the “Favorites Pack” and the “Builder’s Pack,” which is included in the western release bundle for the Xbox One S. The packs will include seven and six DLCs respectively, and it certainly helps get players started with the game.

The move is surprisingly smart and relevant, as “Minecraft” enjoys a relatively good amount of popularity in Japan, according to Gaming Bolt. It is the best-selling Vita game of all time in the country, selling more than a million copies ever since its release. Meanwhile, its Wii U version still thrives ever since its launch, selling about a quarter million copies.

‘Minecraft’ update: Japanese Xbox One S bundle features game for $261.4

The Division is currently heading toward yet another major patch, 1.6, one that developer Massive has said is going to focus mainly on PvP. They’ve assembled another Elite Task Force of players and community members to give them suggestions, something that’s worked out rather well for them in the past, but the focus on PvP has sparked some of some of the most intense debates about the game since its launch.

Right now, the topic of the moment is whether or not The Division’s famous Dark Zone should get a PvE component at last, rather than simply continuing on with the PvPvE format it’s had since launch. I believe this debate began in earnest when SkillUp, a Division YouTuber, dedicated an entire ongoing video series to the PvP patch, and reversed a long-time position he’s held that yes, it’s finally time for the Dark Zone to get a PvE variant. Since then, The Division subreddit, the main fan platform for the game, has been swamped with everyone weighing in about the issue, and after watching this for about a week, I wanted to throw my hat in the ring. I’m no YouTuber, but I’ve probably written more about The Division than any other single games journalist out there, and I have a few thoughts of my own, for the two or three people that may want to hear them.

If you have been following my work for any amount of time, you’ll know that I’ve been pretty anti-Dark Zone/Division PvP from the very beginning. Back in June, I called The Dark Zone a failed experiment, and today, I still stand by the assessment. In fact, that description seems more appropriate than ever.

To sum up The Division in its current form, the game is a very good PvE looter which is being restrained from being truly great thanks to balance concerns with PvP. There have been countless items, builds, talents and perks that The Division has nerfed in order to retain some semblance of PvP balance. While many of these things may have been just fine in PvE, they unbalanced PvP so dramatically, the build or item was killed for both modes. This has happened time and time again, and with a PvP patch looming, that seems destined to happen again with current top-tier builds (AlphaBridge, RIP, most likely).

Ah, the glory of the pre-nerf Midas (Photo: Ubisoft)

SkillUp makes a good point when he references other loot-based games that have tried PvP. It rarely, if ever works, and when it does, you’re sacrificing a lot to make it that way. Diablo 2 and 3 each had bare-bones PvP modes that were comically unbalanced and shoved away in tiny corners of the game. But a game like Destiny has crafted a pretty effective PvP system, though it’s done so by normalizing damage and armor levels in many modes, and by limiting build diversity severely. You will not see multi-piece gear sets with crazy bonuses in Destiny like you do in Diablo or The Division. This makes PvP more competitive, but it really limits overall build potential, which is a complaint I’ve had about Destiny since the very start.

The Division has been moving in a very good direction by introducing cool new sets and items that really change the way the game is played. I have never had more fun in The Division than I have after 1.5, assembling full AlphaBridge, Firecrest, Frontline and Striker sets on my four characters, and despite the fact that The Division has no different “classes,” having the ability to effectively create new ones with these builds has been great. And yet, the amount of truly “good” sets is limited by PvP balance issues, and many that used to be good are now either worse or just garbage for PvE and PvP.

I am not as optimistic as SkillUp and certain players that A) The Division PvP can be saved or B) that The Division PvP is even worth saving. While no, I’m not calling for its removal from the game, I do not think that The Division’s increasingly great PvE should be hamstrung by the roughly 10% of the game that’s geared-up Dark Zone PvP.

PvP can still exist in Survival, which is the Rust-like battle royale The Division’s PvP probably always should have been from the start. Here there are less balance issues to worry about because everyone has the same, relatively crappy gear, and no one has time to make min-maxed builds.

Photo: Ubisoft

Dark Zone PvP is another story, and this is where we get into the great PvE Dark Zone debate.

If you asked me around launch whether The Division should have a PvE version of the Dark Zone, I would have immediately said yes, without question. But today, even though I hold the same opinion, I ultimately care a lot less about it. Why? Because of how the game has evolved since then. PvE is in a great spot in The Division right now. You can do one of a zillion activities to gear up in the Light Zone, from missions to HVTs to LZ bosses to Incursions to Underground to Survival. There’s actually so much to do, I really don’t even think a PvE Dark Zone would add all that much to the game given how many great options there are for PvE farming already. This was absolutely not the case for a long while after launch, hence why a PvE DZ back then would have been such a great addition at the time.

With that said, I see nothing empirically wrong with splitting the DZ into PvP and PvE variants. It’s not taking anything away from PvP players other than easy targets who aren’t geared for PvP and just trying to farm in the DZ. But it opens up a whole enormous section of the map that many players have probably avoided to this point for even more farming opportunities.

The DZ isn’t going to be the most efficient place to farm, even if you’re not having to look over your shoulder for Rogue agents. Limited bag size and extraction are a pain in the ass, and while mobs are plentiful in the DZ, they often take forever to repopulate.

But the DZ is arguably one of the best designed farming locations on the map. Enemy encounters are larger in scale, more numerous and a lot more tense than they are in the light zone, and it’s a hell of a place to explore. I know there are many players who probably played the DZ a handful of times, hated it, and never went back. Well, starting up a PvE variant would practically be like free DLC that opened up 30% more of the map.

Photo: Ubisoft

The problem seems to be that Massive just doesn’t want to let the DZ go. They want to hold on to their original intent of having the place be “high risk, high reward,” as is the common phrase, and judging by their comments and streams, many of them are huge PvP players themselves. While again, I don’t begrudge PvP continuing to exist, I do not think that’s what most of the community enjoys playing, nor do I believe that Massive should be hurting the aspect of the game it gets right, PvE farming, in order to try and make its never-going-to-actually-be-good PvP a little better.

There are more complicated issues at hand here, and there probably isn’t space here to go through them all. I would suggest you watch SkillUp’s video series for yourself. I agree with some of his suggestions, like tiers for a group PvP DZ, a normal PvP DZ and a PvE DZ, but I disagree with the idea that DZ funds should be used to purchase god-rolled maxed items Massive hand-crafts for vendors. Putting “perfect” items in any one activity alone is never a good idea in a game like this, as it hurts everything else besides that activity. And I think he had a cool idea about different premade classes for PvP matches, though I’m less sure about his plan to give victimized, non-Rogue players crazy buffs like 100% movespeed and such when Rogues first descend on them. It’s too convoluted and still wouldn’t fix a lot of the core problems with the system. But at least he’s trying to problem solve.

My own opinions are more cut and dry. The Division should continue to shift focus away from PvP, letting it exist in Survival and one DZ variant, but not letting it lead to nerfs for fun PvE builds. I’m trying to imagine what a game like Diablo 3 would be like if it tried to balance its gear sets for PvP play, and it would be an utter nightmare. For The Division, rather than broad nerfs that affect all game modes, if something is a serious problem? Ban it. Is that one weapon talent or sniper rifle or gear set making the DZ crazily unbalanced? Well, you can’t enter with it, and you can’t equip it there. The end. Problem solve that way, rather than nerfing things that destroy viable, fun PvE builds. As much as I’ve enjoyed getting gear sets the past few weeks, it’s incredibly irritating that only 3 or 4 out of 13 feel at all viable. It doesn’t have to be like that, and PvP is the main culprit as to why so many of these sets are so useless or dull.

The Division is a great loot-shooter. It is a not a great PvP game, and never will be. Focus on what works and continue to improve it. Don’t sacrifice any more of this game on the altar of PvP, as it’s lost too much already.

Yes, It’s Time For ‘The Division’ To Get A PvE Dark Zone At Last

Forget Half-Life 3, Star Citizen is officially gaming’s most perplexing, compelling mystery release at this point. While HL3 is more a question if Valve ever feels like making video games again, Star Citizen is another animal entirely, a game that’s very publicly in development with a practically unlimited budget thanks to a never-ending army of crowdfunding backers buying virtual spaceships that either don’t exist yet, or can’t be used in a fully-fledged game.

There’s perhaps no real significance to Star Citizen’s latest grand total, $141 million, other than the fact that it’s what’s now in the warchest heading into 2017. But there’s something both impressive and perverse about Star Citizen’s funding at this point. It’s raised more than the budget of most AAA games and movies at this point, and the money has almost turned into its own little mini-game. Fans “win” and get increasingly excited the more money the game brings in, somehow validating their own decision to give (invest!) and maybe give a little more. There’s an interactive widget on the RSI site that lets you see the cash come rolling in almost in real time, and you can break it down by how many thousands are rolling in per hour, tens of thousands per day, or hundreds of thousands per month.

I’m not going to park myself in the “this is gross because people should be donating to charity, not a video game” camp because that’s a flawed argument that doesn’t make much sense. People don’t understand that Star Citizen backers don’t feel like they’re donating to a charity, rather they’re “co-investors” in one of the most ambitious sci-fi video games of all time. The money lets them lay claim to virtual real estate (a ship, usually) and makes them feel like they’re a part of something. “I’m proud to have helped alittle bit [sic]. Love this game,” says a random person on my FB news feed as they share news of this funding milestone.

Photo: CIG

With that said, from outside the bubble, things feel like they’ve gotten a little out of hand. Like most crowd-funded games, Star Citizen had fund-raising stretch goals once upon a time, but those were cut off ages ago, and yet the money keeps pouring in for…what, exactly?

Photo: CIG

Forget Half-Life 3, Star Citizen is officially gaming’s most perplexing, compelling mystery release at this point. While HL3 is more a question if Valve ever feels like making video games again, Star Citizen is another animal entirely, a game that’s very publicly in development with a practically unlimited budget thanks to a never-ending army of crowdfunding backers buying virtual spaceships that either don’t exist yet, or can’t be used in a fully-fledged game.

There’s perhaps no real significance to Star Citizen’s latest grand total, $141 million, other than the fact that it’s what’s now in the warchest heading into 2017. But there’s something both impressive and perverse about Star Citizen’s funding at this point. It’s raised more than the budget of most AAA games and movies at this point, and the money has almost turned into its own little mini-game. Fans “win” and get increasingly excited the more money the game brings in, somehow validating their own decision to give (invest!) and maybe give a little more. There’s an interactive widget on the RSI site that lets you see the cash come rolling in almost in real time, and you can break it down by how many thousands are rolling in per hour, tens of thousands per day, or hundreds of thousands per month.

I’m not going to park myself in the “this is gross because people should be donating to charity, not a video game” camp because that’s a flawed argument that doesn’t make much sense. People don’t understand that Star Citizen backers don’t feel like they’re donating to a charity, rather they’re “co-investors” in one of the most ambitious sci-fi video games of all time. The money lets them lay claim to virtual real estate (a ship, usually) and makes them feel like they’re a part of something. “I’m proud to have helped alittle bit [sic]. Love this game,” says a random person on my FB news feed as they share news of this funding milestone.

Photo: CIG

With that said, from outside the bubble, things feel like they’ve gotten a little out of hand. Like most crowd-funded games, Star Citizen had fund-raising stretch goals once upon a time, but those were cut off ages ago, and yet the money keeps pouring in for…what, exactly?

CIG’s Chris Roberts released a sort of mini “state of the union” announcement as the new year began, but one so vague it almost seemed like a parody.

“Gameplay will get deeper as new systems come online to provide players the chance to do more than pew-pew,” he says. “I also expect exciting advancements as we integrate our revolutionary tech, like subsumption and procedural planets, into the game.”

“2016 was a noteworthy year in Star Citizen’s development. 2017 with Squadron 42 and Alpha 3.0 is looking to be even better.”

Star Citizen has so far missed every single full release date it’s set for itself, between SC itself and spin-off game Squadron 42. That’s become par for the course, and now the tone of this is more or less “we did great work last year, expect more great work this year” without any real indication of when this monster will actually come to life in earnest. The big Star Citizen story as of late is that the game has been changing its engine from CryEngine to Amazon’s Lumberyard, which seems uh, ambitious to say the least this far down the road, but this is what happens when you take this long to develop a game. The tech falls behind and you have to update, creating even more work and making things take even longer.

Photo: CIG

To me this all feels like a talented indie movie director who quietly tries to raise $1M for a passion project he wants to make. Instead, the concept is so good that it has Hollywood throwing a $150M blockbuster budget at him and suddenly, he has to throw out every plan he had and up the scope of his idea 100x over. That $1M movie he might have made in the first place could have been great and released in theaters already. But this $150M behemoth is a different sort of beast and is now stuck in development hell with six script variants and no release date. But the difference here is that there’s no Hollywood mogul breathing down his neck to finish, instead the funding comes from fans who are mostly content to sit back and say “take your time, make it good, we love you!” which isn’t exactly putting anyone’s feet to the fire.

My opinion has jokingly been that Star Citizen will either be the greatest video game ever made or a total disaster, but honestly I feel like it will land somewhere in the middle. The game has such a fervent following at this point that it’s most devoted fans will simply refuse to let it fail. No matter what the final product ends up being, they will play it religiously and claim it’s God’s gift to the genre. But will the finished product convert skeptics or those who haven’t followed this saga at all? I don’t know, that’s a much tougher sell.

This saga continues to be fascinating, promising and just a bit disturbing. Let’s wait and see if 2017 brings with it more than simply millions and in funding and new abridged alpha variants.

‘Star Citizen’ Lumbers Into 2017 With $141 Million In Crowdfunding

We’re all waiting in breathless anticipation for Nintendo’s big Switch press event in just a few days on Jan. 12, which should be the biggest info dump about the system to date. So far, information has only trickled out about the system through official channels, with the bulk coming from leaks. Nintendo debuted a three minute trailer for the Switch this fall which revealed its handheld/home console split functionality, but the spot almost raised more questions than answers, and Nintendo has been tight-lipped since.

One point of speculation has been about the price of the unit, and it seems everyone more or less has the same idea in mind. After the system was first announced, analysts said that Nintendo probably couldn’t price it higher than $300. Last November, there was a retailer leak that put the Switch’s price at $250, but that was mostly seen as a placeholder rather than inside info. Now, Nikkei, the Japanese paper, is predicting a ¥25,000 for the Switch, or about $215 in the US given the current exchange rate. Given different international pricing, that may end up being rounded pretty far up to $250 overseas, which was the original price of the Wii at launch.

All of these are essentially just estimates, but the idea is clear, Nintendo would be pretty crazy to price the Switch any higher than this.

The Wii U had a higher base price of $300, which certainly was not the only factor it floundered, but it was a higher barrier of entry to than the Wii. The common thought is that the base model of the Switch will be $250, and perhaps some upgraded, higher storage version may be $300 at worst.

Price has been a big point in Nintendo’s favor the last few console generations, with the Xbox One and PS4 starting out at $500 and $400 respectively, and the PS3 famously going for $600 at launch. It seems unlikely that even with a device that combines handheld and home console functionality, that Nintendo would want to skirt above the $250-300 range.

Photo: Nintendo

The problem? Nintendo has not been great about making prices come down over time for both software and hardware. Wii U’s are still incredibly expensive to this day and Nintendo games rarely come down in price the way you see with most PS/XB titles. So while you’re getting money off up front, if you enter later into the console’s lifecycle, you’re not really saving much. The message is clear. Buy this console/game now, as it won’t do you any good to wait.

The Switch would seem to do a lot for $250, acting as both a handheld and console, but this raises a question I’ve had for a while now, one we still don’t know the answer to. It’s more or less being implied that Nintendo will phase out the 3DS after this year, which would leave both its division working on one unit, the Switch. Now, it’s great that Nintendo has a device that does both, but Nintendo’s handhelds have been enormous sellers by themselves over the years, and now scaling back to only one device implies they’re really going to want to increase hardware sales to make up for that. But they’re in a tough spot because the Switch’s price point isn’t combining two hardware SKUs for something like a $500-$550 asking price, so that simply relies on them selling a ton of units to make up the difference.

Not that Nintendo can’t do this, but is it likely? Ehhh.

Just this last generation, the Wii U sold 13.3 million units. The 3DS sold 61.5 million units. Yes, the 3DS will continue to be sold this year, but after that? Will it continue? Will Nintendo actually make a new handheld? Who knows? But if not, and if the Switch becomes the end all, be all of Nintendo’s hardware offerings, is it really going to sell 70 million units in this current climate? Maybe, but that’s an incredibly tall order.

There are a lot of other factors at play here including Nintendo making new inroads into mobile revenue streams and opening up its IPs for branding opportunities in other industries (the theme park!) but there’s a whole lot riding on the Switch, and that may be especially true after this year.

Pretty Much Everyone Thinks The Nintendo Switch Will Cost Around $250

Ariana Grande to be guest character in Final Fantasy mobile game (update)

Ben Affleck confirmed this year that he would star in and direct Warner Bros.’ stand-alone Batman movie, but the actor recently admitted that wasn’t set in stone.

Affleck sat down with The Guardian to discuss his career and latest movie, Live by Night. During the interview, he was asked about Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and The Batman. Although Affleck confirmed he was on board during a panel at CinemaCon, he told The Guardian there were a few stipulations that could prevent him from going through with it.

“But it’s not a set thing and there’s no script,” Affleck answered when asked about the movie. “If it doesn’t come together in a way I think is really great I’m not going to do it.”

After Batman v Superman was released — and torn apart by the majority of critics — Affleck has been left to defend the film he made. In an interview with Fox 5 DC in October, Affleck finally addressed the criticism head-on instead of dodging the question.

“It was interesting, that movie, because it was judged not necessarily on execution so much as on its tone,” Affleck said. “People seemed to want to have a lighter tone to the movie, and I thought that was interesting because it’s subjective. Tone is not a qualitative thing. It’s subjective, right? Some tones resonate with me that might not with you.”

Affleck added that he personally loved it, but after scorching reviews and a seemingly neverending line of questioning about the poor reception, it seems like he’s being more cautious this time. Although Affleck will direct the movie and play Batman, giving him more control than most, it all depends on whether or not the script lives up to his standards. Affleck will reportedly co-write the script with Geoff Johns, one of DC’s more notable Batman writers and the head of DC Films.

Details surrounding the movie are still light, including when it’ll be released, but The Batman will be a part of DC’s Extended Cinematic Universe.

Ben Affleck has some concerns that may keep him from doing The Batman movie

Tom Hardy is a lost, vengeful and violent man in a new clip from the actor’s upcoming series on FX, Taboo.

The series, on which Ridley Scott is executive producer, follows James Keziah Delaney (Hardy) as he returns to London in 1814 to seek revenge for his father’s mysterious death. Although FX hasn’t released too many details about the series, recent trailers have explained that Delaney returns to London as a changed, unrecognizable man after spending years in Africa.

This clip showcases just how much he’s changed. In it, he’s talking to a woman who runs a brothel about tracking down a group of men. It’s the longest look we’ve gotten of Hardy in the role yet, but it should feel familiar to those who have seen films like Locke or Mad Max: Fury Road. Hardy is calm but terrifying as he turns into a monster, threatening the woman if he doesn’t get his way.

Taboo is one of Polygon’s most anticipated new shows of 2017, and this clip gives a pretty good indication as to why that is. Hardy has proven that he’s more than capable of handling a role like this, and with Scott on board as an executive producer, it seems like a pretty good bet. Hardy created the series alongside his father, Chips Hardy, with long-time collaborator Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders) on board as showrunner.

Taboo also stars Jonathan Pryce (Game of Thrones), Oona Chaplin (Game of Thrones) and Michael Kelly (House of Cards). It will premiere on Jan. 10 at 10 p.m. ET on FX, three days after it premieres on the BBC. A trailer for the series can be seen below.

Tom Hardy becomes a monster in new TV series, Taboo

2016 was a great year for movies.

This trend started with Deadpool, a film that surpassed all of our expectations. In our review, Susana Polo said the film’s “action sequences have a palpable rhythm that gives them great clarity, its good guys are genuinely lovable and its comedy is predominantly on point.” Deadpool feels unique — a stand-out title in genre overflowing with mediocrity.

Deadpool was a refreshing change of pace and, based on the two major Golden Globe nominations the film received, we’re not the only ones who thought so.

It felt like there was a great movie being released every week as the year went on. The surprising sequel to Cloverfield, 10 Cloverfield Lane, featured strong performances from John Goodman, John Gallagher Jr. and Elizabeth Winstead and subverted expectations. In April and May, films like The Jungle Book, Captain America: Civil War and Keanu made a big impact on Polygon.

Finding Dory, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, Ghostbusters, Pete’s Dragon and Kubo and the Two Strings managed to get us through the sweltering summer months. Kubo and the Two Strings, in particular, seemed to come out of nowhere. Produced by Laika Entertainment, the same company behind ParaNorman and Coraline, Kubo and the Two Strings follows a young boy with magical abilities who must stop a gaggle of evil ghosts from destroying his village. Like other projects from Laika, the film focuses on a feeling of isolation, acceptance and family.

There was a glut of blockbusters in the second half of the year, including Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Doctor Strange and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. That doesn’t mean there weren’t a number of sensational independent films also being released, though. Manchester by the Sea, The Edge of Seventeen, and Moonlight crept up on us.

A few of Polygon’s biggest cinephiles came together to talk about the films they considered the best of 2016. This year we’ve listed our top five movies as a collective group, followed by one honorable mention from each Polygon staffer involved in the voting process.

Without further ado, here are Polygon’s best movies of 2016.

Zootopia

Zootopia is a perfect example of what sets apart Disney from most other studios. Wrapped inside the story of a young bunny who’s determined to achieve her dream of becoming a police officer is a tale of racism, prejudice and fear.

Zootopia follows Judy (Ginnifer Goodwin), a small rabbit from a rural area who moves to the metropolitan city of Zootopia after graduating from the police academy. Although she’s the first rabbit to ever be accepted onto the force, she’s treated as a novelty by her fellow officers and forced to work low-level jobs. It’s not until she decides to take matters into her own hands and help an otter track down her missing husband that she discovers the evils lying within the city.

The story escalates when Judy discovers that the city wants to jail all predator-type animals, including her new fox friend, Nick (Jason Bateman). This is where the film finds its voice and powers through a haunting message about the way we treat people who we consider dangerous. It’s a crucial lesson and, considering the events that have occurred in the past couple of years, one that we’re glad to see handled as well as it was in Zootopia.

The film is also a treasure trove of comedy. The jokes arrive continuously and never lose their zing, even when the film takes on a more serious tone. The voice acting cast is likewise spectacular, with Bateman’s apathetic Nick turning in what’s likely the best performance.

Marvel Studios/Disney

Captain America: Civil War

Captain America: Civil War feels like the movie Marvel fans have been waiting for more so than any other, including The Avengers. Based on the seven-issue limited series released between 2006 and 2007, Civil War detailed the divide of the Avengers. The movie has everything we’re looking for in a Marvel feature, including long, well-choreographed battles and banter between the characters. More importantly, it set the tone for the future of the cinematic universe.

Like Rogue One, which we’ll get to in a bit, the reason that we love Civil War as much as we do is because it acts like a war film, focusing on a divide between characters we already care about. The world is never really in jeopardy during the events of the movie, although the team definitely is.

Much like they did with Captain America: Winter Solider, directors Joe and Anthony Russo manage to intertwine the emotional drama playing out between the characters with the much-needed action sequences. Although it’s not as funny as previous films in the MCU, like Thor or Iron Man, the lack of comedy just highlights the severity of the situation. As Julia Alexander said in her review, “Civil War is Marvel’s darkest and heaviest movie to date, but that’s part of what makes it the studio’s best.”

Kubo and the Two Strings

Kubo and the Two Strings is the type of movie that stays with you long after the credits roll. The themes it incorporates, including the fear of not belonging, are relatable for everyone. Even though there’s a supernatural element, the core of the story focuses on the most human aspects, making a very large and strange movie feel oddly reassuring.

Like other Laika Entertainment films, Kubo and the Two Strings has a breathtaking aesthetic. The animation style, which feels more like Coraline than any of the studio’s other projects, is both charming and disarming at the same time. When there are bursts of magical moments on screen, ranging from dancing paper figures that Kubo conjures to deadly apparitions, it feels all encompassing.

Kubo and the Two Strings is also a great reminder that animated films made for a mainstream audience don’t need to follow the Disney or Dreamworks guidelines. Kubo has a universal story — with some magic thrown in — that makes it accessible for everyone. It was one of the most popular movies on our voting list.

Fox

Deadpool

After spending years trying to make the Deadpool movie he wanted, it’s good to see that what Ryan Reynolds and the creative team envisioned was exactly what the genre needed.

Deadpool is raunchy, unapologetic and surprisingly sexual … which is exactly what a Deadpool movie should be. This is the character that pokes fun at comic book readers while inviting them into his strange world.

Deadpool as a film could not have succeeded without Reynolds. The actor — a self-proclaimed mega fan of the character — perfectly captured Deadpool’s charming, vulgar attitude. There are some superhero movies where the actor just doesn’t feel like the comic book character they’re portraying — like Edward Norton in The Incredible Hulk. It’s a good performance, but it lacks familiarity and understanding. Reynolds’ nails his interpretation of Deadpool, and even though the film references the actor in the opening credits sequence, you never feel like you’re watching him instead of Deadpool.

Reynolds manages to stay true to the tone of the comic and its world while also ensuring there are enough quips to appease everybody. This version of Deadpool was worth the wait.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a prequel to Episode IV: A New Hope. It tells the story of the Rebellion squad tasked with stealing the plans to the Empire’s first Death Star. In doing so, the film manages to accomplish something very important: it treats itself like a war movie.

Rogue One doesn’t make any apologies for its dark tone. Nor does it pretend to be anything it’s not. Instead, Rogue One brings out the severity of the mission at hand and never lets the audience forget that death is an inevitable part of war. It treats the story of the Rebellion fighters with so much respect that, by the end of the film, every moment feels more emotional than the last.

The best part about Rogue One, however, is that it’s a Star Wars movie. From K-2SO to Captain Cassian Andor, Rogue One follows the Star Wars formula while still taking on a unique angle.

If this is any indication of what the Han Solo spinoff may feel like, we’re definitely excited.

Honorable Mentions

Summit Entertainment

La La Land

There are several moments early on that will make or break La La Land for you: the opening credits, a classic Hollywood cinema pastiche; Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s first tap dance number; the moment their “will they or won’t they?” is answered.

If you don’t have a stomach for classical romantic comedies, perhaps La La Land won’t move you in the same way it did me. La La Land is a wonderful reminder of the romantic power of film. It’s a well-worn story, but the set pieces are what make it memorable, beautiful and emotional. Emma Stone makes the movie sing — literally — while Ryan Gosling is her perfect dance partner, a combination that is easy to fall in love with.

Maybe too easy to fall in love with, as proven by my relentless sobbing at La La Land‘s end. —Allegra Frank, senior reporter

StudioCanal

April and the Extraordinary World

April and the Extraordinary World opens on the edge of the Franco-Prussian war with a family of scientists working on a super-serum for Napoleon III’s soldiers. But before they can complete their findings, something goes awry and they end up kidnapped. Left behind is their daughter, and our protagonist, April (Marion Cotillard). Years go by, and we arrive in an alternate, steampunk version of Paris in the throes of World War II.

April is hell-bent on carrying on her parents’ work and, of course, finding out what happened to them. The characteristics that define her are refreshing to see in modern cinema; she’s plucky but not chipper. Practical but not cynical. Sharp but not without empathy. And above all, she’s mistrustful of everyone except her cat, Darwin (I feel that more than anything). She spends the next decade dedicated to continuing her parents’ work, but as she uncovers secret after secret, something way more unexpected and alarming comes into view.

April and the Extraordinary World has all the whimsy of a steampunk world while retaining dark undertones — there are mechanical rat spies, robot pigeons and sentient lizards. Ominous messages about resource management and climate change are layered into the smoke and grit of Paris.

I was actually surprised at how emotionally invested I became during the course of the film. There’s something earnest in the way April chooses to move through the world, and you can’t help but want to see what she does next. It’s a journey that you shouldn’t miss, even if it did fly under the radar for many. —Ashley Oh, social media manager

Walt Disney Studios

Moana

As I said in my review: When Disney animators, a great cast of Pacific Islander performers, a Pacific Islander screenwriter, and Lin-freaking-Manuel Miranda team up to make a musical, there should be no surprise that we wind up with something fantastic.

Moana still surprised me.

I wasn’t shocked the music was good — it was everything we’ve come to expect from Miranda’s talents. It’s hard to say whether Moana’s musical peak was Flight of the Conchords‘ Jemaine Clement doing David Bowie doing a jewelry-hoarding crab’s show stopping number, or our protagonist’s realization of self in a seamless three-way medley of previous songs that each represent a part of her newly affirmed identity.

No, Moana surprised me in how deeply and consistently its singular theme — identity — was woven into every character. As our hero, Moana’s literal journey leads her to discover that what had always set her apart from her people was actually bringing her closer to them while giving her the tools to teach them who they really are.

But it’s not just her. “Who am I without my external trappings?” is the core question of Dwayne Johnson’s Maui. “I am my external trappings” is the core message of Tamatoa — the aforementioned crab. The climax of the film turns on the reveal of a character’s unexpected true identity, and Moana’s understanding that a person’s identity is more than the trauma that was inflicted upon them.

If Moana simply had excellent music, writing, performances or design, it would live up to the standard of your average Disney release. It’s the best Disney musical in a decade because it has all of these. —Susana Polo, entertainment editor

A24

Moonlight

It’s rare that I’m left completely speechless by a movie. Most of the time, I have an immediate reaction to what I just watched, ready to give my unasked opinion to anyone who will listen. For a movie to leave me quiet, unable to offer a single thought because I’m still trying to work through how it left me feeling, means it’s either spectacular or abysmal.

Moonlight falls into the former category.

Moonlight tells three different stories about a boy, Chiron, in different stages of his life; as a child, a teenager and finally as an adult. Each part of the story is broken up into distinct chapters on screen and, while the difficulties Chiron faces in each segment change, the themes stay the same throughout. The movie handles self-realization, coming of age, addiction, poverty and crime better than any film I can recall in recent times. There’s an unfiltered honesty about what it means to “be a man” in today’s society and, most importantly, the film dedicates itself to breaking down those preconceived notions.

For a movie about the unquestioned, faux-masculinity that young men often learn, the brilliance is in its decision to remain vulnerable. Although Chiron wants to fit in and act tough, like his friend Kevin, he’s not ashamed to admit that he cries often about his situation at home. The point the film stresses throughout is that men are human beings; they’re allowed to be emotional and feel pain without having to mask it, even if we as a society say otherwise.

Moonlight handles the complexity of an issue not often discussed at length with responsibility and empathy, allowing each character to come to their own realization about the type of person they want to be. Moonlight is a movie about self-discovery, like so many before it, and yet it doesn’t feel like anything we’ve ever seen. —Julia Alexander, entertainment reporter

Screen Gems

Don’t Breathe

When we think of horror and thriller films, often the threat is larger than life. Instead of relying on big monsters, shambling zombies or demonic forces, Don’t Breathe uses more realistic fears to keep you on the edge of your seat: darkness, claustrophobia and up close and personal violence.

The impending doom is one creaky floorboard away. One misstep in the absolute dark. One audible whimper of fear. Don’t Breathe explores what happens when a group of thieves get plunged into a situation that spirals out of control. And in the end, we’re left questioning who is the villain: the thieves who came to rob a blind man or the blind man who is harboring a dark secret?

Don’t Breathe explores the depth of this question while maintaining a tense plot in the confines of a two-story house. It does more inside the four walls of a small, Detroit home than even the biggest names in horror could do inside a vast forest, a deserted spacecraft or inside the dreams of horny teenagers. The characters are morally compromised, their situation is inescapable and depending on how you look at the plot, everyone or no one is the true villain.

Don’t Breathe is one of my favorite films of the year because it manages to take a simple premise and escalates the tension constantly while keeping the audience on eggshells. Each character is a walking series of bad decisions and moral compromises. The film mixes them all together with a twist near the final act that stops you dead in your tracks — at which point the film slams on the gas until its end. —Jeff Ramos, engagement editor

Favorite movies of 2016

Here are some of the big video game releases for the month of January 2017. Be sure to check out the list we put together of our most anticipated games of 2017 and subscribe to Polygon’s YouTube channel for tons of gaming videos. Also, check out the free games you get with your Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus subscriptions this month. Additionally, here’s what is coming and going on Netflix in January.

What are you looking forward to playing? Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments.

Note: This is not a comprehensive list of releases and only games with specific dates are listed below. Some games are announced for January but have no firm release date.

Jan. 17:

Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star (PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita) — Set after the events in the 2010 PSP dungeon crawler, this single-player action game puts you in the role of a “master” and lets you team up with a spirit “servant” to battle various enemies. The servants will be divided into eight classes, each featuring a different fighting style, including melee and magic abilities.

Jan. 20:

Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King (Nintendo 3DS) — This 3DS port of the PlayStation 2 classic will include updates like more story content, full voice acting, two additional playable characters, new side quests, StreetPass functionality and an alternate ending. There’s also a fast-forward feature to cut down on time spent in random battles, as well as a quick save option.

Gravity Rush 2 (PlayStation 4) — For fans of the the original Gravity Rush, the biggest change in the sequel is the introduction of new gravity modes that shift how main character Kat controls and what combat moves she has access to. Check out our glowing preview, the demo, 15 minutes of gameplay and the 17-minute animation which fills in the story between the two games.

Jan. 24:

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue (PlayStation 4) — This is a collection of three games that each take place during different parts of the overall story. There’s Dream Drop Distance, originally released for Nintendo 3DS; that one comes right before the still-unscheduled Kingdom Hearts 3. Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover is a series of cutscenes culled from the eponymous mobile game, set far before the first Kingdom Hearts. Finally, the compilation’s unique new inclusion, 0.2: Birth By Sleep — A Fragmentary Passage, also takes place before Kingdom Hearts 3, although, in our interview, Tai Yasue didn’t specify whether that meant after Dream Drop Distance or parallel to it. (It’s after.) Check out the trailer which features Kingdom Hearts 3 footage.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One) — Resident Evil 7 Biohazard is something of a departure for the series. It’s in first-person perspective but Capcom has promised that familiar Resident Evil gameplay tropes — green herbs, for example — will return in the new game as found in one of a 10-part video tease. Check out the $179.99 deluxe edition and play the final demo, out now for PlayStation 4.

Tales of Berseria (PlayStation 4 and Windows PC) — At the 2016 Tokyo Game Show we were able to play through the first-ever English demo of the game and see how the localization is shaping up. The demo focused on Berseria’s battle system, which follows the series’ standard of being fast-paced and action-packed. In our eight minutes with the game, we learned some combos, smashed some monsters in the face and took on a powerful boss.

Yakuza 0 (PlayStation 4) — Yakuza 0 takes the player to the decadence of Tokyo in the late 1980s and is set up as a prequel to Sega’s action-brawler gangster franchise. Check out the E3 2016 trailer and the “Business Edition” of the game.

Jan. 30:

Disgaea 2 (Linux, MacOS and Windows PC) — This second entry in the Disgaea franchise joins the original, Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, which was ported to Steam in February. Similar to that release, the Steam version of Disgaea 2 has been retitled Disgaea 2 PC. Unlike the first game, though, Disgaea 2 PC will also be compatible with Mac and Steam Machines.

Double Dragon 4 (PlayStation 4 and Windows PC) — In observance of the 30th anniversary of Double Dragon‘s arcade launch, the first numbered sequel in 27 years will be released. The original development staff from the arcade version is on this project, including producer Takaomi Kaneko, director Yoshihisa Kishimoto, character designer Koji Ogata, composer Kazunaka Yamane, and programmer Kei Oyama. Check out our feature on Kishimoto and the Double Dragon series.

Jan. 31:

Digimon World: Next Order (PlayStation 4) — Digimon World: Next Order, a console port of the Japan-only PlayStation Vita title, begins when players are sucked into the Digital World to discover it is under siege by Machinedramons. Rescued by two Digimon from impending doom, players must forge forward with their Digimon partners and journey through the Digital World to discover the origins of the Machinedramon scourge and find a way back to the real world. Check out the announcement trailer.

Video game releases for January 2017

The latest update to hit Minecraft for consoles is now available, bringing the console version to near feature parity with the PC version.

Minecraft 1.10 for consoles is now available, making significant changes to endgame content, and adding a brace of new mobs, blocks, and items.

According to the release notes, new End Cities and End Ships have been added to The End, adding more life and character to the otherwise bland final area of one of the most popular games on the planet.

Players can also now get Elytra, a chestplate-slot item that gives the player wings. While equipped, players can glide from high ledges until they reach the ground, controlling their rate of descent by looking up or down. While a small amount of altitude can be gained by looking up, players will stall if they do so for too long. Elytra cannot be crafted, only found in The End.

Update 1.10 also adds brewing, new tutorials for banners and elytra, and status effects such as levitation and luck.

Minecraft was also recently updated to add new skins and environments from the Fallout franchise, and got a new soundtrack from composer Gareth Coker.

Minecraft Update Brings New Mobs, Blocks, and Wings to Consoles

The highly pixelated world of “Minecraft” has been a global hit among kids and adults alike and had mashed up with other game franchises over the years. This Holiday season will be no different as the five-year-old game will be crossing paths with an equally famed title – Bethesda’s “Fallout.”

The new downloadable content has been revealed to fans about a week ago and has gone live since yesterday. Just like the previous penchant, the new game segment has brought in loads of new skins and items taken from the “Fallout” universe, Gamespot learned.  Some of the new skins include the likes of “Fallout’s” renowned mascot, Vault Boy, Nick Valentine, Jangles the moon monkey, Paladin Cross, robo-sleuth, Tinker Tom, and even the super-powered mutant, Fawkes.

Nuked landmarks in the “Fallout” lore has also graced the game which include the Tenpenny Tower and the Capitol building. These well-known beacons won’t be complete without it being infested with oversized web crawlers, two-headed bovine mutations, gruesome-looking anomalies, and slender ghouls.

Making the “Minecraft-Fallout” experience complete is the playlist that went along the newly released game expansion. The soundtrack has stashed in popular tunes in recent and previous “Fallout” titles that will make sandbox gameplay all worthwhile during the Holidays.

The new DLC comes with a price tag of $6 and is now available on all major gaming platforms including legacy consoles such as Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.

PC players, on the other hand, will not be left out as Minecraft’s website also released the 1.11.1 patch that brought forth some nifty stuff within the game. Such items include a rocket equipped elytra glider, a so-called “sweeping edge” enchantment for bladed weapons, iron nuggets, and a tweak in the game’s attack indicator where players are now being signaled on when to strike.

‘Minecraft’ crossing paths with ‘Fallout’ in new DLC; PC’s 1.11.1 patch also released