A new Helldivers 2 patch has nerfed the Slugger shotgun, and players aren't happy in the slightest, even after one developer spoke about why the nerfs were implemented.
18.03.2024 - 16:09 / polygon.com / Denis Villeneuve / Frank Herbert
In 1974, my aunt and uncle returned to the United States from a honeymoon world tour. Over the course of their travels, they ventured through India, Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkey, before winding up in Israel, where my aunt’s sister — my mother — had recently lived for two years on a collective kibbutz.
Children of the late hippie generation, my aunt and uncle were seekers of spirituality and enlightenment in every form (the more exotic the better), and instinctive sympathizers with the put-upon of all nations. They were also sci-fi and fantasy nerds of the first order who loved Frank Herbert’s novel Dune. Its pervasive overtones of Islamic culture and spiritualism and its story of exploited native tribes fighting a jihad of liberation against their oppressors was a perfect fit for both of their interests. Shortly after returning, they conceived a daughter, and, after the prescient Bene Gesserit in Herbert’s novel, they named her Alia.
Around the same time Alia was born, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 3525, condemning the state of Israel for its occupation of the Palestinian territories in the West Bank and Gaza. Among the specific acts named by the U.N. were: “The establishment of Israeli settlements therein and the transfer of an alien population thereto”; “The evacuation, deportation, expulsion, displacement and transfer of Arab inhabitants”; and “The illegal exploitation of the natural wealth, resources and population of the occupied territories.”
My aunt and uncle had passed through these territories on their travels, and I have often wondered whether they thought about this when they named their daughter after a book ostensibly sympathetic to the cause of colonial liberation and an exploited population. I thought about it again while watching Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two, the second half of his cinematic adaptation of Herbert’s novel. That morning, at least 112 Palestinian civilians were reported to have been killed by Israeli gunfire while trying to reach aid trucks supplying food. Dune is a novel and a movie entangled in contradiction: a story about the sins of colonizers, told to an audience of viewers and readers largely among those doing the colonizing. And here I was: an American Jew, watching Dune while Gaza was in flames.
I am not the first to observe that Herbert’s novel is deeply rooted in Islamic religion, culture, and history. The native Fremen are a kind of generalized fantasy of nomadic Bedouin: desert-dwelling spiritualists gifted in the ways of warfare and survival, caretakers of the spice (read: oil) on which the universal economy depends. The Fremen language and religious mythology that plays so vital a role in the story plucks its terminology
A new Helldivers 2 patch has nerfed the Slugger shotgun, and players aren't happy in the slightest, even after one developer spoke about why the nerfs were implemented.
Let’s face it: The buzz of FX’s Shōgun on Hulu might have you thinking about reading the books that it’s based on. But, wading through over 2,000 pages in the series is a daunting prospect, to say the least. If you want a more accessible way to consume the source material for the hit TV show, you can pick up an $18 bundle of eight audiobooks that comprise Humble’s Asian Saga bundle.
As the April 8 total solar eclipse draws near, sky gazers prepare for an astronomical display that promises not only a captivating display of darkness but also the potential for witnessing rare solar phenomena. For those fortunate enough to be in the path of totality, a brief period of darkness, known as totality, will offer a unique opportunity to observe the sun's corona without the need for solar eclipse glasses.
It's been a turbulent few days in the Helldivers 2 community. Arrowhead Game Studios (and the Ministry of Truth) has finally admitted that flying bugs are real, and the airborne critters are currently running wild in the game. We were also given a seriously tough Major Order from galactic game master Joel, which tasked us with liberating five planets in just three days.
In a powerful move, one of the two devs behind Cryptmaster announced the delightful typing-based dungeon crawler's release date last night during his acceptance speech after it won the Independent Games Festival award for Excellence In Design. Powerful. May 9th is the day, so you have time to practise your touchtyping with Mavis Beacon. I really enjoyed playing Cryptmaster's Steam Next Fest demo, so I'm excited for the full game.
The wrong kind of bug has thrown a wrench in Helldivers 2 right as players eagerly throw themselves at a daunting challenge from Game Master Joel. Developer Arrowhead has confirmed that, as players had begun to suspect after barely making any planetary progress today, democratic activities aren't being tracked properly, skewing progress in the warfront.
Blizzard have posted a clarification regarding how the Bladestorm from Slayer Warrior's Frenetic Flurry will interact with other abilities in the War Within. The War Within Hero Talents Overview
In a repeat from last weekend, the animated adventure Kung Fu Panda 4 and Dune: Part Two led the box office, per Deadline. Both movies maintained their strong performance, with Panda experiencing only a 48% decline, accumulating $30 million in its second weekend and reaching a domestic total of $107.7 million. Meanwhile, Dune saw a 37% drop, earning $29.1 million in its third weekend and bringing its domestic total to $205.3 million.
Blizzard have posted a clarification about Hellcaller Warlock's new ability Wither citing its status as an instant cast ability for Destruction and Affliction as well as how it interacts with abilities that apply Corruption/Immolate. The War Within Hero Talents Overview
Blizzard have posted a clarification about some changes in the baseline talent trees to remove Essence Font and make accommodations for Conduit of the Celestials Mistweaver Monks. The War Within Hero Talents Overview
Helldivers 2 players are once again honing in on Malevelon Creek, and others are worried it's going to drag the Galactic War effort into the mud.
The Hearthstone 10 Year Anniversary Event is now live in World of Warcraft, offering fun, games, and more importantly… prizes! Around every hour, Hearthstone minions will be summoned into the world, giving players who defeat them an opportunity to loot new cards, mounts, transmog, and more! For players who participated in the Diablo IV launch event, its a lot like hunting Treasure Goblins. Around every hour, genius toymaking inventor Whizbang will open a portal in Valdrakken, Stormwind, or Orgrimmar, spawning violent hearthstone minions! Players who defeat these creatures have a chance of looting random several varied rewards.Note: Although the bluepost states there is a lockout, players have reported successfully hopping shards for multiple chances of loot. Like the Diablo event though, these areas appear to be very laggy and the events don't consistently spawn at the same time.