Altered Carbon is out now on Netflix and we're quite big fans of it. Between the cyberpunk sci-fi world, the who-dun-it detective story, and the cast of memorable characters, we think it's one of the best shows on the streaming service.
Although sci-fi continues to be perennially popular, cyberpunk as a genre is still somewhat niche. In 2018, however, it is on the cusp of grabbing the attention of a much broader market, and we think Altered Carbon could have a big part of that.
In the video, above Lucy and Tamoor discuss the show in detail, tackling the show's themes, its plot, characters, production, and everything else in between. It's a spoiler-filled deep dive, so we recommend watching the series first and then coming back to hear their thoughts.
Alternatively, you can watch our spoiler-free Altered Carbon review for a broader look at why we like it. We also have a written Altered Carbon review for you to check out. The show is also densely packed with information, so we've also put together a video breaking down of all the Altered Carbon jargon you need to know.
Netflix's new sci-fi show Altered Carbon is based on a series of novels by Richard K. Morgan. It takes place in a cyberpunk future where death is no longer a limitation on the lives of humankind, and existing in virtual reality is as normal as walking the streets of the real world. The seven settled worlds have evolved to accommodate this massive leap in technology, giving the rich and powerful the means to cheat death by moving between bodies, while miring the less privileged in rundown districts filled with their vices.
Naturally, the series is stuffed with grand ideas, existential quandaries, and strange technologies, and--in many cases--it doesn't dwell on them enough to fully explain them. It's easy to get lost in all the tech terminology, references to government agencies, or fleeting historical context, so we've put together a breakdown for all the most important things you need to know to watch Altered Carbon and fully understand what's going on.
In the video above, we go through everything from Stacks and Sleeves to AI, VR, Dippers, Songspires, CTAC, and more. We explain what they are, how they fit into the world of Altered Carbon, and why they're important to the story. Of course, we've done this while avoiding major story spoilers (there's some minor spoilers for episode one and two). You can also read about the many cyberpunk terms in Altered Carbon here.
Altered Carbon is available to watch on Netflix now, and we think it's well worth your time. You can watch our spoiler-free Altered Carbon review to find out why we like it. We also have a written Altered Carbon review for you to check out. For those looking for a deeper dive, we'll have a spoiler-filled Altered Carbon review coming up soon too. Make sure to subscribe to GameSpot Universe on YouTube so you don't miss it.
Fortnite has been a bit up and down in the last week with server issues and a buggy update. Systems designer Eric Williamson has some answers regarding the game's service issues, what's planned for limited time modes, and details on the first shooting test.
We already know that Fortnite's most recent service issues have surrounded social and party functions. Because of the extended downtime on PC, Xbox One, and PS4, players of both the Battle Royale and Save the World modes will get a little something for the trouble. Battle Royale players will get 20 battle stars, and Save the World players will get 1,600 seasonal gold.
Limited time modes (LTMs), meanwhile will see some adjustments.Although feedback indicates that players don't think revolvers in the sniper shootout mode make sense, Williamson believes otherwise.
"In our early playtests, we didn't have any close-quarters weapons, so sniping someone who is five meters away from you felt really odd," he said. "We threw the revolver in there to combat that, so that it felt like that there was something you could do to a person right next to you. We'll evaluate that for future LTMs, but right now, we think that's the best path to go."
The purpose of LTMs are to be a sort of testing ground for new modes and gameplay. The purpose of LTMs is to look at options for new modes in solo or duo, and to test how they work for each style of gameplay. A new mode called "Blitz" is also in the works for a LTM; more details should be released soon, though it was recently accidentally added to Quests.
The dev team has been wanting to improve shooting for some time now, and as such, a shooting test will be conducted. A few new things are coming to this test, and the team does intend to take the successful changes and put them into the default modes. For the break down of changes, check out the blog post on Epic Games.
