New World: The Once and Future King

To be fair, since it's an amazon game on an amazon series I really didn't expect much more than a glorified commercial for the game.

I was wrong!

They made the most out of a shot with a well rounded story, great visual, perfect dubbing (I mean Arnold comeon) and a funny yet touching story.

Yes it's nothing ground breaking, you can see the story coming from a mile away, but so is the same for pixar's shorts and yet they are still amazing.

Overall the most balanced short so far that doesn't feel too rushed like Sifu or too short like D&D.

Only grief would be the sound mixing, like in almost every new production for a few years where the dialogues are lost in the overall noise and music though.

I thought this would be just another video game trailer. Had to pause a couple minutes in to check IMDB because a just knew it was Arnold Schwarzenegger! Thrilled to see I was correct. Delighted to see Keanu's involvement as well. I had no expectations going in so it was a pleasant surprise to see it was actually full of humor. Kinda gave me a Lord Farquaad vibe.

I haven't played the game much at all in the last year because I've just had other things to do. Occasionally I catch something online about it and there are always people complaining in the comments. I do think that it could be run better but it's no worse than WoW or ESO, in my humble opinion.

The one thing this episode did was remind me just how beautiful the game is. It really is beautiful, especially the oceans. Maybe I'll go pay my taxes haha.

I can't say many negative things about this episode other than the fact that it just doesn't hold its ground against most other episodes in the series.

Among the other, much more serious episodes in this series, this one stands out as a comedic relief. But that's not all there is to it.

The story of the thirst for power has been told countless of times, but this one put its own witty spin on it. It was funny, cleverly written and well-rendered. It was overall an incredibly joyful watch. And it was all wrapped together in a touching and really beautiful way.

The episode serves as some relaxation in this quite gritty series and it does that job very well, but there's not enough here to make it anything amazing.

This episode is a highlight, even for those unfamiliar with the game, like me. Returning to photorealistic visuals like the D&D episode, it stands out with a well-rounded story. First, it features godfreakingdamn Arnold Schwarzenegger, mixed up with a fun "Edge of Tomorrow" vibe set in fantasy medieval/renaissance times, it's simple, entertaining, and moralistic. The protagonist's goofy charm adds humor, while the action and references keep it engaging. Unlike other episodes, it doesn't feel like a trailer-it has a proper beginning, middle, and end, making it a satisfying short film that's well-designed and fully developed.

Oh, this is Schwarzenegger's episode!

I read a lot of excitement at the prospect of his involvement, haha. I wonder how much disappointment this will bring at him not playing a warhammer character or similar.

Quite honestly, I don't even know what this is.. The episode is called "New World" with a "The once and Future King" subtitle, where a somewhat-likeable idiot seeks conquest/dominion and ends up stranded in an island where no one can die. A tale of "second chances" and ultimately friendship as its core message. The script is so basic it barely entertains, and the resolution is lamentably quite predictable.