1. Prepare yourselves, Gamescom 2019 is here
Gamescom is set to bring us some of this year's biggest news in game titles, consoles, and beyond. There's the promise of something from PlayStation - is it the PS5? - a Microsoft conference - is it the Xbox Project Scarlett - and a Google Stadia conference (more game announcements?
What's sure to be one of the biggest events is Geoff Keighly's Opening Night Live on August 19 at 7pm BST/2 pm EST, which will feature presentations and world premieres from Hideo Kojima, Activision, Bungie, EA, Square Enix, and Epic, to name a few. Whatever previews or news we get, it's sure to be an exciting event especially now that Google has entered the gaming scene with such gusto - they'll be doing a Stadia Connect conference on August 19 at 6pm BST/1pm EST.
What: Gamescom 2019
Where: Cologne, Germany and online
When: August 19 - 24
2. Ready or Not is a wedding movie with a difference
There's having the sort of annoying in-laws that hate dogs or post political claptrap on Facebook, but then there are the kinds that are determined to hunt you down as part of some murderous ritual. They're all equally bad , but it's the last kind that star in new horror movie, Ready or Not. Grace has just married into a rich board game dynasty, but ends up playing a dead kind of hide and seek on their fancy estate. Picnic at Hanging Rock's Samara Weaving plays Grace, and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett direct.
What: Ready or Not
Where: Movie theaters
When: August 21
3. Life is Strange 2 returns with episode 4: “Faith,” and it’s bringing the drama
Life is Strange 2 has been quite a rollercoaster ride of emotions already, and it looks like episode 4 will be ramping up the drama once again. A full trailer is set to drop on August 19 just a few days shy of its release date, but we recently got a little teaser which you may have already seen if you’ve played through episode 3. Sean has hit the road again, but wait...where’s Daniel? Why’s Sean all alone? And why are they calling him a cop murderer? From the sounds of it, things are about to take a turn for the worse. I for one will be taking the last week or so before it comes out preparing to have my emotions played with all over again. I have “faith” that feels are coming, and I’m most certainly not ready for it.
What: Life is Strange 2 - episode 4: “Faith”
Where: PC, Xbox One, PS4
When: August 22
4. Oninaki brings old school JRPG design forward into a creepy cool world
Oninaki is the third game from Square Enix's boutique JRPG studio, and it's also Tokyo RPG Factory's chance to step out from the shadow of the old classics that inspire it. Both I Am Setsuna and Lost Sphear were fine enough games but they faltered when compared to their source material. A demo for Oninaki arrived in July and quickly set it apart from the others, with an intriguing, melancholy world and combat that has room for ample customization (though it was still a bit button-mashy, hopefully that feels better in the full version). Square Enix has been known to make weird experiments throughout the years, and hopefully this is where Tokyo RPG Factory really starts to pay off.
What: Oninaki
Where: PC, PS4, and Switch
When: August 22
5. Another month, another classic horror movie remake reaches cinemas - Jacob’s Ladder
We’re living through the halcyon days of horror movies, with every famous franchise being remade and rebooted (Halloween, Child’s Play, Candyman, to name a few). Next comes Jacob’s Ladder. The remake centres on Michael Ealy’s Jacob, whose brother mysteriously appears at his house after being presumed dead. Things quickly get even weirder s Jacob starts being seemingly haunted by ghosts and ghouls everywhere he goes. Can the new film match the Tim Robbins-starring original that inspired the Silent Hills game series? Here’s to hoping.
What: Jacob’s Ladder
Where: Movie theaters
When: 23 August
Release Radar picks the best games, movies, and shows of the next seven days every Monday at 11am GMT.
