Latest news with #Astarion
Business Mayor
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Mayor
WizKids' Baldur's Gate 3 mini figures look like they've been through the hells
WizKids did Baldur's Gate 3 dirty with its new D&D Icons of the Realms collection of miniature figures. The anticipated collection based on the beloved RPG (my personal 2023 GOTY) launched in April, and some buyers noticed that the characters look nothing — and I mean nothing — like how they were advertised. These cursed recreations of Shadowheart, Astarion, Karlach, Gale, Wyll, and Lae'zel look like unlicensed knockoffs when they are, in fact, officially licensed by Wizards of the Coast. And, it costs $50 for the set! Anyone who has played the game, or at least seen its cover art numerous times, knows what these characters should look like. They don't look like 3D-printed discards predestined for the garbage bin, with little to no effort made to look authentic, unless perhaps you're squinting from 10 feet away. In response to buyers posting pictures of the botched figures on social media and retail sites, and likely from GamesRadar and other sites posting about it last week, WizKids posted an apology to buyers — and to Wizards of the Coast. In it, it details how to get a refund or a replacement to anyone who bought them online or at a local games store. Keep them, replace them, destroy them, pray to them. It's up to you. READ SOURCE
The Verge
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Verge
WizKids' Baldur's Gate 3 mini figures look like they've been through the hells
WizKids did Baldur's Gate 3 dirty with its new D&D Icons of the Realms collection of miniature figures. The anticipated collection based on the beloved RPG (my personal 2023 GOTY) launched in April, and some buyers noticed that the characters look nothing — and I mean nothing — like how they were advertised. These cursed recreations of Shadowheart, Astarion, Karlach, Gale, Wyll, and Lae'zel look like unlicensed knockoffs when they are, in fact, officially licensed by Wizards of the Coast. And, it costs $50 for the set! — Gale-LOD 😏 (@HighLODLar) May 13, 2025 Anyone who has played the game, or at least seen its cover art numerous times, knows what these characters should look like. They don't look like 3D-printed discards predestined for the garbage bin, with little to no effort made to look authentic, unless perhaps you're squinting from 10 feet away. In response to buyers posting pictures of the botched figures on social media and retail sites, and likely from GamesRadar and other sites posting about it last week, WizKids posted an apology to buyers — and to Wizards of the Coast. In it, it details how to get a refund or a replacement to anyone who bought them online or at a local games store. Keep them, replace them, destroy them, pray to them. It's up to you.
Gizmodo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Oh Dear, Wizkids' Baldur's Gate 3 Miniatures Rolled a Natural 1
As Larian winds down its extensive post-launch support plans for Baldur's Gate 3, Hasbro has been keen to remind Baldur's Gate 3 fans that they have That Game You Like, Too as often as possible. Karlach and Astarion became the big digital faces of D&D's ambitiously gamified virtual tabletop Project Sigil, before it was effectively scrapped earlier this year. Not to worry though, Wizkids were getting ready to offer a Baldur's Gate 3 experience for the physical tabletop. Things should be good, right? … right? Last year Wizkids unveiled a series of pre-painted miniatures inspired by the character designs of Baldur's Gate 3, set to release this year. The 40-miniature-strong collection, alongside a box of just the main characters of the game, was set to bring a veritable host of both named characters and generic minions and creatures from Larian's vision of Faerun to your desk or your next gaming night for everyone who wanted to drag themselves away from their PC or console and imagine if the game behind Baldur's Gate 3 was real. What a concept! But now those miniatures have started getting in people's hands and, oh no. Alarm was sparked this week by, funnily enough, a Larian employee, when Baldur's Gate 3 senior cinematic artist Elodie Ceselli shared pictures of the horrifying paint applications on the final minis they received. Shadowheart has seen things not even Shar would have put her through. Withers is more withered than usual. Gale looks like he's about to tell someone they're the most devious bahstard in nyew waterdeep citaaaaaay. Frustrated gamers likewise chimed in Ceselli's thread with their own examples of dodgy paint apps and damaged minis. Not even samples sent out to press are faring better–GamesRadar's gallery of miniature mishaps is just as worthy of a Vicious Mockery or two, as well. To be fair to Wizkids, mass-marked pre-painted miniatures are not going to exactly be at the standard of seasoned miniature painters. $50 for a box of seven miniatures is a hefty price tag, but experienced hobbyists would know that that kind of money pales in comparison to what someone spending dozens of hours hand-painting their own models might spend in supplies or labor, or what you might pay getting a custom miniature made of your character. But that's a tough argument to make especially when what's getting out to gamers in-hand doesn't even match up with the samples being used to promote these miniatures–which themselves are a significant downgrade from the early renders shown to announce the miniatures last September. Baldur's Gate 3 is going out on a high note as a video game with its last patch bringing a ton of new subclasses and enhancements, but it seems like Hasbro's own handling of the franchise needed to make some better perception checks so far.
Forbes
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
London Soundtrack Festival review: 'The Most Creative Music Is In Gaming'
Before a single note of video game music had been played on Sunday evening, the founder of London's inaugural Soundtrack Festival, Tommy Pearson took to the stage at Camden's Roundhouse venue and proclaimed that the 'most interesting and creative things in music' were happening in the gaming world. The eclectic mix of scores that followed in the two hour concert, State of the Art: Games Music, proved him right. Pearson's words came after the week-long celebration of music - which also includes films and television - had already showcased the works of several influential composers from the likes of Howard Shore (The Lord of the Rings, Crash) to Lydia Tár, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest living maestros. A gaming cynic or classical purest might consider it sacrilege to include music from video games in the same breath as those names. However, after hearing scores from titles such as Assassin's Creed: Valhalla and Battlefield 2042, anyone would be able to see why artists composing scores for gaming have been recognised alongside the all-time greats. They put us through a rollercoaster of emotion that is as profound and impactful as any movie or opera. Unsurprisingly then, it was a night of shifting mood and tone, wonderfully performed by the Royal Philarmonic Concert Orchestra and led by the enthusiastic conductor, Pete Harrison. The composers introduced their work before 15 minutes of music was recreated for each game on the set list (eight in total) as an energetic crowd filled with people dressed up as characters like Spiderman and Astarion from Baldur's Gate 3 watched on. People in the audience were dressed as Astarion from Baldur's Gate 3 FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder It was Borislav Slavov's score from the latter that received the most rapturous applause, however. His playful and mischievous track, Raphael's Final Act, featured a typically theatrical vocal performance from one of the game's stars, Andrew Wincott; it wasn't surpassed by anything else for the rest of the show. In one of the best demonstrations of gaming music's diversity, Stephen Barton's sobering Trust Me from the sci-fi shooter, Titanfall 2, thrashed the audience around with its sombre opening before reaching an optimistic crescendo. This followed on from Hollywood composer Harry Gregson-Williams' energetic theme from Hideo Kojima's seminal espionage thriller, Metal Gear Solid. That wasn't the only Kojima title to star. Swedish composer Ludvig Forssell rocked the arena by grabbing a guitar and announcing a track from the upcoming Death Stranding 2, set to one of the game's boss fights. It was aggressive and fractious; a sneak peak into what might be in store for the sequel. Ironically though, the evening ended with the world premiere of a live rendition from a game based on one of cinema's most notable franchises; Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Gordy Haab's unique take on John Williams' score captured the essence of adventure and wonder seen in the films, while also being distinct enough to stand on its own feet. The London Soundtrack Festival will conclude on March 26
