Goichi Suda, the CEO of Grasshopper Manufacture and perhaps better known by his alias Suda51, says that the release of No More Heroes 3 marks the end of the series.
In a tweet shared by the No More Heroes 3 Twitter account, Suda joked about the game's official title before stating that it would mark the Travis Touchdown's final chapter.
"This game is called No More Heroes 3 FINAL BOUT – All-Out Galactic War! Or, it was going to be called that but the subtitle was just too long so we ended up taking a hint from the Rocky series and simply going with No More Heroes 3 instead." said Suda. "As hinted at with the 'Final' thing, Travis Touchdown will finally be coming to the end of his final battle, and will be embarking on a much-deserved, long journey."
— No More Heroes III-official-GhM (@nmh3_ghm) August 27, 2021
Following today's release of No More Heroes 3 (August 27), Suda took to Twitter saying that he "truly hope[s] everyone enjoys Travis Touchdown's final battle." The developer also took the chance to thank fans for their kind messages following the game's launch and bid farewell to Travis Touchdowns everywhere.
No More Heroes Ⅲ has been released. Thank you all so much for all your kind messages! I truly hope everyone enjoys Travis Touchdown’s final battle.
Goodbye, Travis. Goodbye, No More Heroes. Goodbye, fleeting moments and days. Farewell, to all Travis Touchdowns everywhere! pic.twitter.com/W5j7TrKrGG
No More Heroes originally debuted in North America in 2008 when it launched for Nintendo Wii. The series follows anime fan Travis Touchdown who starts out his role living in the fictional town of Santa Destroy, California. After winning a beam katana in an internet auction, the game then follows the character's exploits as he looks to become the top assassin in the fictitious United Assassin's Association.
Following the success of the original No More Heroes, its sequel No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle launched in 2010. No More Heroes 3 was then announced at E3 2019 and is now available to play on Nintendo Switch. Suda51 will take part in a special livestream event to celebrate the release of the game that will be streamed live on IGN Japan’s YouTube channel on August 29 at 6 pm Pacific / 9 pm Eastern (that's August 30 at 2 am UK / 11 am AEST). The event will be viewable entirely in English. If you'd like to find out more about the series' final installment then make sure to check out our No More Heroes 3 review, where we gave it a 6/10.
Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
Amazon Prime Video's September 2021 lineup brings with it the latest take on the classic tale of Cinderella, this time with Camila Cabello as the iconic character. This film has a huge focus on music and features such other stars as Idina Menzel, Billy Porter, Minnie Driver, and Pierce Brosnan.
Check out the official trailer for Cinderella below:
Other Amazon originals include LuLaRich – a four-part docuseries that looks at the rise and fall of LuLaRoe, a multi-level marketing company that "went viral promising young mothers a work-from-home-salvation." Theater fans will also be in for a treat on September 17 when Everybody's Talking About Jamie is released, as this film is not only inspired by true events, but it is an adaptation of the award-winning musical from London's West End.
August is also great for space movie lovers as both Armageddon and Apollo 13 are joining the library on the first of the month alongside other classics like I Know What You Did Last Summer and Romeo + Juliet.
Check out the slideshow gallery below for a spotlight of some of the most notable September 2021 Amazon Prime Video releases followed by the full list:
September 1
Movies
(500) Days Of Summer (2009)
21 Grams (2003)
American Me (1992)
Apollo 13 (1995)
Arachnophobia (1990)
Armageddon (1998)
As Good As It Gets (1997)
Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (2011)
Can't Hardly Wait (2017)
Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009)
Closer (2004)
Daddy Day Care (2003)
Daredevil (2003)
Daredevil (Director's Cut) (2003)
Death At A Funeral (2010)
Do The Right Thing (1989)
Grown Ups (2010)
Heist (2001)
I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006)
I Am Bolt (2016)
I Am Duran (2019)]
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)
Jennifer's Body (2009)
Nacho Libre (2006)
Open Range (2003)
Planet Of The Apes (2001)
Predators (2010)
Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Rudy (1993)
Sicko (2007)
Sleepless In Seattle (1993)
Soul Food (1997)
Stuart Little (1999)
Stuart Little 2 (2002)
The Alamo (2004)
The A-Team (2010)
The A-Team (Extended Cut) (2010)
The Best Man (1999)
The Boy (2016)
The Descent (2006)
The Host (English Subtitled) (2006)
The Karate Kid (2010)
The Kids Are All Right (2010)
The Last Of The Mohicans (1992)
The Omen (2006)
The Social Network (2010)
The Unborn (2009)
The Unborn (Unrated) (2009)
Traffic (2000)
Year One (2009)
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Series
A Feeling Home (2019) (Hallmark Movies Now)
Ancient Civilizations of North America: Season 1 (The Great Courses)
August Creek (2017) (Hallmark Movies Now)
Craig Ross Jr.'s Monogamy: Season 1 (ALLBLK)
Creepshow: Season 1 (Shudder)
Forensic Factor: Season 1 (A&E Crime Central)
Land Girls: Season 1 (PBS Masterpiece)
Latino Americans: Season 1 (PBS Documentaries)
Mail Call: Season 1 (HISTORY Vault)
Native Peoples of North America: Season 1 (The Great Courses)
Republic of Doyle: Season 1 (Acorn TV)
The Bastards of Pizzofalcone: Season 1 (MHz Choice)
The Blood Pact: Season 1 (PBS Masterpiece)
The Flintstones: Season 1 (Boomerang)
The Killing: Season 1 (Topic)
We'll Meet Again: Season 1 (PBS Living)
September 3
Movies
Cinderella – Amazon Original Movie (2021)
September 10
Movies
The Voyeurs – Amazon Original Movie (2021)
Series
LuLaRich – Amazon Original Series: Limited Series
September 12
Movies
Desperado (1995)
September 17
Movies
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Amazon Original Movie (2021)
The Mad Women’s Ball – Amazon Original Movie (2021)
American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally (2021)
Series
Do, Re & Mi – Amazon Original Series: Season 1
September 24
Series
Goliath – Amazon Original Series: Season 4
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
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Seemingly in a single breath, BenQ has tagged its X1300i projector as “the world’s first 4LED gaming projector,” that’s simultaneously capable of supporting incredibly smooth gameplay and cinematic visuals. In reality, this peculiar cube doesn’t completely live up to all of that hype. The good news, however, is that it gets about as close to meeting those lofty expectations as you could hope for from a $1,300 projector in 2021.
Specs
Resolution: 1080p (1920×1080)
Brightness: 3000 ANSI lumens
Contrast Ratio: 500,000:1
Input Lag: 8.33ms@120 Hz
Resolution support: VGA (640 x 480) to 4K UHD (3840 x 2160); HDR10; HLG
Connections: two HDMI 2.0 inputs; one 3.5mm audio output; one optical audio output.
BenQ X1300i – Design and Features
First, and most notably, the BenQ X1300i makes a deliberate departure from the rectangular shape that most modern projectors have adopted. Instead, the X1300i is a 14-pound cube of a projector, and a stylish one at that thanks to a color scheme that utilizes a black faceplate surrounded by an orange trim. The different shape may make this projector a trickier fit depending on the configuration of your space. But in general, it’s an aesthetically pleasing design that sets this projector apart from the competition.
In addition to a pair of HDMI ports – one of which is an HDMI ARC connection – there’s also a third, hidden HDMI input that can be found by unraveling a few screws on the projector’s back panel and lifting the cube’s lid. That connection is meant solely for the Android TV dongle that BenQ included in the package, which is a usable, slightly flawed tool for streaming if you don’t have another option at your disposal. More on that in a moment.
For all the praise awarded to the X1300i for how it looks, it’s what is inside the box that should be the real cause for excitement. As a 4LED projector, BenQ says the X1300i takes the RGB color system found in standard LED projectors and incorporates an additional blue “pump” into the mix. We’ll expand on this shortly, but the 4LED technology built into the X1300i made for an exceptionally bright picture that portrayed remarkably accurate colors.
Another major bonus from the X1300i’s status as a 4LED projector is its presumptive lifespan. BenQ rates the X1300i as capable of 20,000 hours of use while operating under “normal” projector settings, with a peak of up to 30,000 hours if the projector is in energy-saving mode. Obviously, we didn’t have time to truly test the validity of this claim by BenQ. But if the reputable brand’s assumption is even close, the X1300i will still last far longer than the average, non-LED projector under similar conditions.
Not to go unnoticed, the remote for the BenQ X1300i is a sleek, streamlined way to access important settings and features on the projector. It may not have all of the options that the remote for its relative, the BenQ TK850, comes equipped with, but it isn’t nearly as bulky while offering most of the essential functionality that everyday projector users will find handy, including dedicated buttons for Amazon Prime Video and for switching between the X1300i’s three gaming modes.
BenQ X1300i Projector – Performance
BenQ specced out the X1300i to be a workhorse projector for gamers. Simply put, that is precisely what this product is. There are gaming projectors with better input lag (the Optoma UHD38 comes to mind), and gamers used to the miniscule lag of great gaming monitors may be able to nitpick the X1300i. But 8.3ms for 120Hz playback is solid for a projector in this price range, and we experienced hours of smooth gameplay throughout our testing period.
That impressively low input lag is bolstered both by BenQ’s GameMaestro Technology – which the company says is designed to “optimize visual and audio settings,” for certain gaming styles – and the X1300i’s trio of gaming modes designed for RPG’s, sports, and FPS. The differences in the various modes weren’t necessarily massive, but they were noticeable in certain situations. In FPS mode, for instance, the image seemed slightly more illuminated to help decipher details hidden in darker parts of the picture. We can’t say the same for the projector’s audio, which according to BenQ is supposed to adapt alongside the image depending on what gaming mode is selected, but these three modes had a positive impact on the specific genres of gaming that they are meant for.
The end result of the BenQ X1300i’s intriguing combination of specifications is a gaming experience that should satisfy both casual and more experienced players alike. Make no mistake, the X1300i won’t replicate the performance of a great gaming monitor or comparable 4K TV. But in the gaming projector space, it’s a very capable machine.
Outside of gameplay, the X1300i can be a solid streaming solution, just as long as you’re willing to work with its faults. It’s ridiculously bright, making it compatible with non-light controlled spaces. Plus, BenQ’s auto color calibration feature shines with the X1300i, displaying astonishingly accurate colors with content like the breathtaking visuals showcased in The Grand Tour.
If you do want to play with the picture, the X1300i gives you the tools to do so. In addition to several picture presets (bright, living room, game, sports, cinema, and user), you can adjust standard settings like brightness, contrast and sharpness. Or, you can dive into the projector’s advanced color settings and tinker in areas like color management or HDR brightness for supported content. The average person will likely enjoy the picture that the X1300i presents right out of the box. But it is comforting to know that it’s possible to tune things to your own individual taste.
The X1300i is limited, however, to a 1080p native resolution, effectively putting a low ceiling on how spectacular of an image it can create. And, while the Android TV dongle is certainly better than other built-in streaming platforms we’ve tested in other projectors, it is missing native Netflix support. BenQ tried to include a workaround here by providing the option to cast Netflix to the dongle via a separate mobile device or computer. It works, but the best alternative here is simply to stream through your console or one of the many great, affordable streaming sticks available today.
The built-in stereo speakers of the BenQ X1300i follow a similar pattern to the Android TV dongle. They will work if you need them to, and are in fact better than other projector speakers we’ve dealt with. But there are better, more satisfying solutions readily available, from modest soundbar systems to full home theater setups.
Vacation Friends premieres on Hulu on Friday, Aug. 27.
Vacation Friends, starring Lil Rel Howery and John Cena, may not reach the absolute heights of comedy, but it's still an enjoyable hang featuring fun chemistry and another standout performance by Cena (in what's become a summer bubbling over with good ol' John).
When headlining wrestlers transition over to movies, the first instinct is usually to start them out as a straightforward action star. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson traveled this path, with films like The Scorpion King, The Rundown, and Walking Tall, and while he was fine in those films, Johnson was able to separate from the pack because of SNL and Be Cool.
Similarly, Cena began with stunted actioners like The Marine and 12 Rounds, but it was Trainwreck and Blockers that helped him ascend. It took someone being able to see beyond a dude seemingly sculpted out of stone to give him a chance to show off his true charisma. The same can even be said of Dave Bautista and his MCU Drax role. The actual comedy, and improv, talents of top-level wrestlers cannot be understated.
So, naturally, Cena is pure joy here, as he's able to use his wit and charm to their fullest while also borrowing another key ingredient from wrestling: finding the right dance partner. Like Johnson, who was lighting up the screen this summer with Emily Blunt in Jungle Cruise, Cena is able to make magic with fresh and formidable scene partners. Both Howery and Insecure's Yvonne Orji are great here as the "reactors" to Cena and co-star Meredith Hagner's wild antics. Howery and Orji's Marcus and Emily aren't fully free, but also not firmly rigid, so they're able to take a few beats to absorb the craziness while still having a blast partaking in it.
Vacation Friends isn't mean-spirited. At first glance, it may seen like Cena and Hagner's Ron and Kyla are destructively chaotic, like something out of a Hangover movie. It's all a little warmer than that. This is not a "one guy annoys another guy for 90 minutes"-style comedy, though the ads may steer you into thinking that. Marcus and Emily genuinely like Ron and Kyla, and during their week in Mexico, the two couples have a good-natured (and only slightly debaucherous) time. It actually makes the petty and predictable blowup near the end of the movie feel a bit too forced, since this foursome only ever benefits from being friends. That third act conflict aside, the medium levels of shock here help the movie feel less aggravating overall and more enjoyable.
Much of the tension and conflict in Vacation Friends is fairly easy to map out ahead of time. It's basically all misunderstandings which we're way ahead of, and while that stifles the story a teensy bit, it doesn't fully squash the fun. After Marcus and Emily have their raucous romp with Ron and Emily, who are wackily cordial and earnest (especially with drugs and sex), they go back to their old non-vacation lives until their wedding day arrives seven months later. Ron and Kyla unexpectedly show up, never realizing that they'd gotten the brush-off, and the stuffy affair (lorded over by Emily's disapproving father, played by Robert Wisdom) livens up.
Vacation Friends isn't mean-spirited.
The only times Vacation Friends doesn't really work is when it strains to make Marcus and Emily actually angry with Ron and Kyla, because, aside from a few instances, they're actually incredible people who are liked by almost everyone. They just commit the sin (for the sake of comedy) of speaking freely in front of the repressed and uptight. Another bright spot here is Hagner, who you may have seen in Search Party or Palm Springs, as Cena's zany partner in crime. These two obviously need Marcus and Emily to bounce their nuttiness off of, but they also need each other as perfectly synced-up social pterodactyls always willing to live every moment in life to the Nth degree.
He's All That premieres Friday, Aug. 27 on Netflix.
He's All That, a reworked and gender-flipped reboot of 1999's teen rom-com She's All That, is a deftly charming and capable update that takes the original premise, revolving around a glow-up "makeover" bet, and slides it effortlessly into 2021.
Directed by Freaky Friday and Mean Girls' Mark Waters, He's All That isn't laugh-out-loud funny per se, but it does sweetly pull off the magic trick of presenting us with a handful of somewhat insufferable characters at the start and then slowly chipping away at them until they're vulnerable and engaging. As Tanner Buchanan's anti-everything grouch, Cameron Kweller, states at one point, high school is filled with scared people pretending to be something they're not. He's All That cradles this notion and uses it as a storyline strength for its two leads as they both discover what's really underneath all that emotional armor.
TikTok star Addison Rae strikes gold with her first major role, parlaying her social media fame into a character who, similarly, lives her life online in an attempt to craft and cultivate a persona that helps her fit in at a rich and privileged school. Rae is able to give us a character, Padgett, who's shallow, but has also workedvery hard to become shallow, in an odd way. She's a paid makeover influencer with an enormous following, but it's all a means to an understandable end. Meanwhile, Buchanan nicely channels some of his angry outsider vibe from Cobra Kai to give us Cameron, who's off-putting to the point where you can understand why he's ostracized.
One of the lingering jokes/tropes from She's All That, which also permeates a lot of other rom-coms, is the idea that an attractive person, like Rachael Leigh Cook's Laney, somehow isn't beautiful until she takes off her glasses and puts on makeup and formal wear. That's ridiculous, obviously. He's All That still has a bit of this as background noise, though it gives us more of a reason why Cameron makes for a perfect "I can make him Prom King" bet. No one thinks Cameron is unattractive; he's just an unbearable malcontent. He's a growling culture snob who would be an absolute pain in the ass to hold a conversation with. In that regard, He's All That's biggest triumph may be making him actually enjoyable by the end rather than redeeming the so-called superficial Instagram girl.
Rae and Buchanan work very well together, as he begins to soften and smile and she — well, see, she's always been a good person. Mostly. There's an element of Padgett's online personality that requires a bubbly and ever-positive demeanor, but that's also Padgett's factory setting. She's able to connect with Cameron, to his surprise, because she's not the person most people think she is. The romance here comes easily and naturally, and the film smartly leans heavily on the winning charisma of these two. It's a reboot that has a few nudging nods to the original but also stands on its own as just an adorable and appealing story.
Original She's All That stars Cook and Matthew Lillard also appear in supporting roles, but not as their O.G. characters, as this isn't a legacy sequel. After all, Cook plays Padgett's mother, and there's no way a grown-up version of Laney would let Padgett coat herself with the false front she uses for her high school life. Here, simply playing Padgett's hard-working nurse mom, Cook can be a supportive wisdom-dispenser without the baggage of being Laney. Lillard's earnestly befuddled principal, meanwhile, makes for a silly third act scene stealer.
