Games

The new *Pokemon Legends: Z-A* game is entirely set in Lumiose City, which means the developers had to find innovative ways to keep the gameplay engaging. They’ve done this through things like climbing and, notably, by changing the city when night falls. At night, a ‘Battle Zone’ appears where trainers can battle to earn points. These points get you a special ticket to challenge a powerful opponent, crucial for progressing in the game. I recently got a hands-on preview at a Nintendo event and I’m here to share what you can expect from this new *Pokemon Legends: Z-A* experience.

The Speed Force is a powerful energy source that gives heroes like the Flash their super speed. It was introduced into Flash lore in the 1990s and has become central to the character’s story. Over time, both heroes and villains connected to the Speed Force have demonstrated incredible abilities. The Flash’s powers have become so vast that he can overcome almost any challenge. Considering everything the Flash has accomplished, it’s clear just how incredibly powerful he is.

The upcoming season 16 of *Bob’s Burgers* will begin with a special 300th episode called “Grand Pre-Pre-Pre-Opening.” Creator Loren Bouchard recently shared with TV Insider that the episode will show the very first day Bob’s Burgers opened its doors, and it will also be the day Tina was born. This combination will create a particularly challenging and memorable situation for Bob and Linda as they were just starting out with their restaurant.

It’s a common trend in Marvel Cinematic Universe movies that the heroes inadvertently create their own villains. While never on purpose, and often stemming from good intentions, many of Marvel’s biggest heroes are actually the root cause of their own biggest challenges. Despite being role models in their stories, several MCU heroes are surprisingly responsible for making their worst enemies.

Netflix’s biggest anime release this summer, *The Summer Hikaru Died*, was also one of the most intense and frightening shows of the season. The series offered a unique blend of horror and mature themes, and the first season recently concluded. Good news for fans: a second season is already confirmed and in development! You can find a sneak peek at *The Summer Hikaru Died* Season 2 below.

So, there’s been a lot of chatter online about *The Brave and the Bold* possibly being delayed until 2030 or 2031, and I just saw James Gunn address it directly on Threads. Someone asked him if that distant release window was the plan, and he gave a pretty straightforward “No.” He didn’t reveal *when* we can actually expect the film, but his response definitely suggests it won’t be *that* far off. It’s good news for fans who were worried about a massive delay, and it gives us a little hope that the film is still on track for a more reasonable release date.

I was really disappointed to hear that Erin Milioti won’t be back as Sofia in *The Batman Part II*. It also makes me worry about Zoë Kravitz returning as Catwoman, since they’re connected! After the success of *The Penguin* – and Erin winning an Emmy for her performance! – it feels like a huge missed opportunity. The ending of that show clearly set up a team-up between Sofia and Catwoman, and that’s something we *need* to see. Whether it’s in a second season of *The Penguin* or a brand new spin-off, the next installment in this universe absolutely has to bring those two characters together. They have such great potential!

Certain long-running series continue to sell well and stay popular even without changing much. They rely on their established names, while newer or smaller companies are the ones truly trying new things – though they often get lost in the shadow of these bigger brands. Currently, three franchises particularly stand out as succeeding more on reputation than actual new ideas.

Combining the challenging gameplay of ‘Souls-like’ games with a ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ setting is a great way to create something fresh, and ‘Dark Sun’ is the ideal world for it. Originally released in the early 1990s, ‘Dark Sun’ is known as the most harsh and demanding setting ever created for ‘D&D’. Its difficult world and built-in challenges perfectly complement the ‘Souls-like’ style, making it a perfect match.

It’s unfortunate that DC Comics hasn’t found a consistent direction for the Red Hood character since his return. Jason Todd once represented a powerful idea – Batman’s biggest failure and a reminder of the vulnerability of even his closest allies. However, since being resurrected, he’s lost that impact and has actually hindered both Batman’s development and his own. While I believe Jason has a lot of storytelling potential, Red Hood was arguably a more compelling character when he was gone.