Netflix in March means many exciting things: the Peaky Blinders movie, a new four-part dinosaur documentary produced by Steven Spielberg, the entire Saw franchise (sans Spiral), the second season of the live-action One Piece, the Duffer Brothers-produced Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen. Plus, classics like Misery, Casino, The Green Knight, and Anatomy of a Fall!
Here's a rundown of every series, special, movie, and doc headed to Netflix in March...
All of a sudden Francis Ford Coppola was delivering unto us Bram Stoker's Dracula. Tom Cruise was starring in a Neil Jordan-directed Interview With the Vampire. Martin Scorsese was remaking Cape Fear and Kenneth Branagh was adapting Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - both starring Robert De Niro. Hell, even Jack Nicholson played a werewolf. Yes, before A24's "elevated horror" there was '90s "prestige horror." So do yourself a favor and check ou the truly excellent King adaptation (from back when those were few and far between), Misery.
Jeff Ross: Take A Banana For The Ride (stand-up special)
Ready or Not: Texas (South Korea, series)
March 25
Heartbreak High: Season 3 (Australia, series)
Homicide: New York: Season 2 (docu-series)
MLB Opening Night: Yankees vs. Giants (live event)
March 26
Caterpillar (Japan, movie, 2010)
The Conners: Season 7 (series)
Jo Nesbø's Detective Hole (Norway, series)
Based on Jo Nesbø's bestselling crime novels, this new Detective Hole series follows the brilliant crimestopper as he hunts killers while fighting his own demons.
Mike & Molly: Seasons 1- 6
The Prosecutor (Mexico, doc)
The Red Line (Thailand, movie)
Something Very Bad is Going to Happen (series)
March 27
53 Sundays (Spain, movie)
BTS: THE RETURN (doc)
The Parisian Agency: Exclusive Properties: Season 6 (France, series)
March 28
Anemone (movie, 2025)
March 31
Aaron Chen: Funny Garden (stand-up special)
Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom (doc)
What's Leaving Netflix in March 2026
Here's a quick look at everything leaving Netflix in March, including Pulp Fiction, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Hurt Locker, Forrest Gump, Titanic, and The Talented Mr. Ripley (we recommend watching the Netflix miniseries Ripley in its absence).
The weekend is finally here, and new deals have popped up! There are quite a few solid discounts across the board, including savings on Super Mario RPG, Death Stranding 2, and Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble. Check out our top picks for Saturday, February 28, below.
Super Mario RPG for $35.99
Super Mario RPG is one of the best Mario games on Nintendo Switch, as it brings back the beloved SNES classic in brilliant fashion. This adventure is a collaboration between Square Enix and Nintendo, following Mario, Bowser, Peach, and new friends on a journey to find the seven star pieces. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, "Super Mario RPG is considered a classic for a reason, and this faithful remake makes it easy for anyone who missed it in the SNES era to see why."
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach for $49.99
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is an incredible follow-up to 2019's Death Stranding that is one of the must-play games on PS5. Sam Porter Bridges is forced to venture out to the continent of Australia as the world continues to face the challenges thrown at it by the Death Stranding, and this sequel packs together a wild, sci-fi story, ultimate gameplay freedom, and some of the best visuals we've ever seen. Grab a copy this weekend for $49.99 at Amazon.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for $39.88
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch, and you can pick up a copy today for $39.88 at Walmart. If you played Donkey Kong Bananza on Switch 2 and are searching for another adventure with DK and friends, Tropical Freeze is an amazing choice.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble for $20
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble was the brilliant return to Monkey Ball we all hoped for, bringing a wonderful adventure to Nintendo Switch. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, "Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is a brilliant return to form with the best stages and controls the series has seen in over 20 years."
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II for $29.99
If you're on the hunt for one of the most talked-about RPGs of 2025, look no further than Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. This hit RPG is on sale this weekend at Amazon for 50% off, so you can take home a copy for $29.99.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening for $39.88
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is one of the best Zelda games on Nintendo Switch. This Presidents Day weekend, you can score a copy of the game at Walmart for $39.88. If you're playing on Nintendo Switch 2, you can play the game at 60FPS with a higher frame rate in both docked and handheld modes.
Scarlet 4K UHD Blu-ray Up for Pre-Order
Scarlet is the latest film from renowned director Mamoru Hosoda, and you can pre-order the 4K UHD Blu-ray starting today at Amazon. This film was directly inspired by Hamlet, following Princess Scarlet on a journey of revenge.
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, a new take on the classic LEGO game formula, doesn't launch until May 29. Luckily, to hold over all you ravenous Batfans out there, there are a handful of new LEGO sets you can buy that not only look great on your bookshelves lined with your favorite Batman comics, but come with some pretty awesome, unique digital download codes you can use in the game. What do you get with the download code after scanning the QR code in the instructions? Well, it wouldn't be a LEGO Batman game without a ton of optional skins, and you'll get some fancy gold minifigure and Batmobile skins for your trouble.
There are four of these new sets are available starting on March 1, each of which can be purchased via Amazon or through LEGO directly.
Every LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight Set
Check out detailed breakdowns of each new set below. The three Batmobile sets each celebrate different eras of iconic Batman films (minus the Christopher Nolan/Christian Bale era, which I am personally bummed about) and will run you $29.99. Each one is a faithful recreation of their onscreen counterparts, complete with a minifigure of that Batmobile's respective Batman.
LEGO DC Batman: Batman Logo
Of the four available sets with digital bonuses for the game, the Batman Logo is an intricate-looking build made up of 678 pieces that stands fairly tall. It comes with a classic black-suited Batman, as well as a special gold Batman minifigure to help celebrate the 20th anniversary of our favorite Caped Crusader in brick form. The skin you'll get in-game from this set is the gold minifigure.
LEGO DC Batman: Batman v Superman Batmobile
The Ben Affleck Batmobile is probably the most different out of any iteration of the car we've seen over the years, but it's still a pretty cool design nonetheless. At 220 pieces, it's the smallest of the bunch, but the plated armor details and Batman v Superman minifigure it comes with make up for it. You'll get a gold version of this Batmobile with the digital download code.
LEGO DC Batman: The Batman Batmobile
I'm partial to the Robert Pattinson version from The Batman -- this Batmobile is a less exaggerated version of the car we all grew up with, and I love the all-black and off-road-like design. Redeeming the code from this set gets you a gold skin of the Pattinson's Batmobile in the game. This one is 330 pieces, the highest brick count of the three.
LEGO DC Batman: Batman & Robin Batmobile
For you classic Batman fans, the George Clooney Batmobile from Batman & Robin is a 272-piece recreation of that film's vehicle. The red accents on the side are a nice added touch, but sadly the Batman minifigure does not include the infamous Batnipples. And like the other two sets, the digital download code nets you a gold version of this car.
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight Is Up For Preorder
If you haven't been following along with IGN Fan Fest, we've had the opportunity to get some exclusive new looks at some more LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight gameplay, where we've learned you can play as Catwoman. Both the Standard and Deluxe editions are available to preorder from all major retailers now before it launches May 29, and you can choose to reserve your copy for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with a Nintendo Switch 2 version planned for release later on this year. By preordering any version of the game, you'll receive the Dark Knight Returns Batsuit skin.
We’ve somehow already made our way to March, which hopefully brings some spring weather, but at the very least, guarantees new releases across all your favorite streaming services. While Disney+ has a relatively light month for new additions, some major highlights coming to the service include the premiere of a new season of Daredevil: Born Again, a Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special, and a spread of new shorts.
Without further ado, here’s what’s getting added to Disney+ in March.
Everything Coming to Disney+ in March
March 1
How Not to Draw S5
Vet Detective - Premiere
Disney+ is kicking off the month with a new batch of How NOT to Draw parody shorts. The streamer will also pick up the Vet Detective docu-series from National Geographic.
March 2
In Your Radiant Season (Hulu Original) - New Episodes
The Hulu original K-Drama In Your Radiant Season will continue to stream episodes on Disney+ every Monday.
March 3
American Idol S9 - New Episode
BeddyByes - Premiere
American Idol kicked off its 24th overall season, which is being marketed as Season 9 under ABC, back in January. New episodes will continue to air on ABC on Monday nights and stream on Disney+ the following day.
Disney + is also picking up Beddybyes, an animated series for pre-schoolers that focuses on relaxing daily routines and getting ready for bed.
March 4
Battle of Fates (Hulu Original) - Season Finale
Battle of Fates, a Korean survival series that pits shamans, fortune tellers, and tarot masters against one another in a test of their supernatural abilities, will stream its final episode toward the beginning of the month.
March 7
Locker Diaries: ZOMBIES: Shorts
Locker Diaries is a new Disney Channel special that features Disney characters ‘opening up their lockers’ to go on bite-sized adventures and reveal more about themselves. While the first 11 episodes are all about characters from the musical Zombies franchise, Disney promises future Locker Diaries with familiar faces from Phineas & Ferb and Descendants.
March 8
Ghost Elephants
From the National Geographic side, Ghost Elephants was a 2025 documentary directed by none other than Werner Herzog. The film follows a biologist, Steve Boyes, on his pursuit of a yet undiscovered species of elephants in Angola.
March 9
In Your Radiant Season (Hulu Original) - New Episodes
March 10
American Idol S9 - New Episode
March 16
In Your Radiant Season (Hulu Original) - New Episodes
March 17
American Idol S9 - New Episode
March 18
Short Circuit Experimental Films
Maddie & The Test
Life Drawings
Short Circuit Experimental Films are a new initiative at Disney where staff members can pitch and produce their own unique shorts. Two Short Circuit shorts will premiere on March 18: Maddie and the Test, about a young girl confronting anxiety during a school exam, and Life Drawings, the story of a man rediscovering his love of art through a series of self-portraits.
March 21
Locker Diaries: ZOMBIES: Shorts - New Episode
March 23
In Your Radiant Season (Hulu Original) - New Episodes
March 24
Daredevil: Born Again S2 - Premiere at 6pm PT
Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special - Premiere
Magicampers
American Idol S9 - New Episode
The major MCU release of the month, Daredevil: Born Again is returning for its second season on March 24. We were big fans of the first season, highlighting “masterful performances” from Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio in our review. The new season is expected to run for another 8 episodes, while teasers have already confirmed the return of Jessica Jones.
On the classic Disney side, the original Hannah Montana series is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and Miley Cyrus has signed on for a filmed special that will stream exclusively on Disney+. Details are slim, but we do know the special will include never-before-seen archival footage as well as an interview with Cyrus herself.
March 27
Versa: Short Film - Premiere
Chibi Tiny Tales: Shorts S6 - New Episodes
Versa is a new short film from Disney Animation Studios’ directed by Malcon Pierce, best known for his work on Moana. The short is described as a “cosmic dance of life,” and is marketed as a more “mature” turn for the animation studio.
The streamer will also get another batch of episodes from its Chibi Tiny Tales spin-off series.
March 28
Locker Diaries: ZOMBIES: Shorts - New Episode
March 30
American Idol S9 - Streaming live at 8/7c
In Your Radiant Season (Hulu Original) - New Episodes
Super Animals S3 - New Episodes
Chibi Tiny Tales: Shorts S6 - New Episodes
Yes, another episode of American Idol. From this point on, however, new episodes will stream live on Disney+ the same night they’re broadcast on ABC.
March 31
If It's Tuesday... It's Murder (Hulu Original) - Premiere
Disney+ will premiere the new Spanish original series If it’s Tuesday.., which follows a group of Spanish tourists on what turns into a particularly eventful trip to Lisbon.
While it hasn’t necessarily been confirmed in any episode release schedules, this is also most likely when we’ll get a second episode of Daredevil.
Expect More Additions From Hulu
2026 is the year that Disney has claimed will see the merging of Hulu content into the Disney+ app, where it's consistently lived internationally. Presumably as part of this transition, several Hulu Originals will be coming to U.S. Disney+ over the course of the month without firm release dates:
The pulse of Lumiose City is racing, and for good reason! Pre-orders for the Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution - Perfect Order expansion are dropping ahead of its March 27, 2026, release. This gorgeous new set continues the Mega Evolution hype of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, bringing Mega Zygarde ex into the spotlight.
This guide collects the best deals on the market right now for Pokémon Perfect Order boosters and ETBs, including line-ups, predicted chase cards, and what to expect from this latest collection.
We’ll be regularly updating this page with confirmed deals, so bookmark this page, keep checking back in, and follow @IGNDeals for the latest updates.
What’s in the Perfect Order Lineup?
As the third main expansion of cards from the Mega Evolution Series of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, this set has over 120 cards. There’s plenty to get your hands on, because let’s be real, we’re not just buying one.
Perfect Order will introduce new mechanics, four Mega Evolution Pokémon ex; nine Pokémon ex; 11 illustration rare Pokémon; 18 ultra rare Pokémon and Trainer cards; and six special illustration rare Pokémon and Supporter cards.Look out for Mega Zygarde ex, Mega Clefable ex, Mega Starmie ex, and the newly revealed Mega Skarmory ex!
Seemingly confirmed via Japanese set lists (M3), which historically dictate about 90% of what we see in our English releases, it will also introduce Telepath Psychic Energy, which provides psychic energy as long as this card is attached to a Pokémon. Neat!
Where to Preorder Pokémon TCG Perfect Order
While preordering ensures you get what you want, there’s no saying what the market will do in the weeks following release. Here are the most reliable sources right now, but we’re still waiting for a few preorders to drop.
TCGplayer
TCGPlayer is a reliable third-party retailer that has all Perfect Order options available for preorder. This is your best option for securing everything at the moment, but only if you're ultimately comfortable with paying over MSRP.
Albeit, compared to previous expansions, Perfect Order's market price isn't that far over standard pricing. For example, a booster box set is running for around $200 right now, about $40 more than Best Buy is selling it for at MSRP.
It's a similar story for the Elite Trainer Boxes, listed at around $100 market price, which is $50 more than MSRP. But, that's already $20 less than the recently released Ascended Heroes, and far better than the average $150-$200 we see more regularly. Hopefully Perfect Order follows the same trend as Phantasmal Flames and drops below $100 soon.
Walmart
Walmart will likely have Perfect Order preorders between now and release day on March 27. To be in the best chance to securing anything at MSRP, you'll need to be a paid Walmart+ member to early access to the drops. No free trial option here, you'll need to be paying for your membership to be in the race.
Pokémon Center US
The classic, and always the first to sell out. You’ll get the absolute best price (MSRP) and the exclusive Pokémon Center ETB, which has two copies of a full-art foil promo card featuring Tyrunt (one with a Pokémon Center logo).
Best Buy often has "Coming Soon" listings, and launches pre-orders closer to release than other retailers. Pre-orders haven’t gone live here yet, so keep checking back.
Remember - it also offers "Pick up in-store" options, which are always popular. If you want to risk it, keep your local Best Buy in mind for release day.
Amazon
Perfect Order is an English curated localization of the Japanese Nihil Zero expansion. Amazon US currently has no listing for Perfect Order. But, we usually see the online retailer begin to stock new sets after release, so keep an eye out through to March 27.
Predicted Chase Cards
We can look at the SAR pull rates from the Japanese Nihil Zero expansion and secondary market prices in Japan to predict chase cards for the US market.
Unsurprisingly, the new Mega Ultra Rare Mega Zygarde ex (card #117/080 in the Japanese set) fetches a pretty penny on Japanese marketplace PokeninJapan thanks to its "Nullifying Zero" attack mechanic. {115/080} Rosa's Encouragement is also trending high.
As the March 27 2026 release draws ever-closer, we’re sure to see more pre-orders dropping. Keep checking back for more information!
Peacock was the sole streaming service for the 2026 Winter Olympics and the Super Bowl last month, but March doesn't have nearly that same level of live coverage on the service. If you're wondering what new content a Peacock Premium subscriptionwill get you access to this month, we've got you covered with the full list of movies and TV shows coming down the pipeline.
The biggest highlight for March is the streaming premiere of Wicked: For Good, which arrives alongside a couple Wizard of Oz related movies (The Wiz, It's Dorothy!). Ted season 2 is also set to premiere this month, which is the only new Peacock Original on the list. You'll also be able to stream a couple of Friday the 13th movies starting on March 1, which is only really notable because those films have only been available to rent or buy for quite some time.
New to Peacock for March 2026
There's a ton of movies arriving to the platform starting on March 1, followed by various Peacock exclusives throughout the month.
March 1
8 Mile
9
9 to 5
Argo
Beekeeper
The Big Lebowski
Blockers
The Boss
Burn After Reading
The Colour Room
Dallas Buyers Club
Death Becomes Her
Death on the Nile
Death Race
E! Live From the Red Carpet
The Equalizer
The Equalizer 2
Erin Brockovich
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Fight Club
Friday the 13th
Friday the 13th – Part III
Fried Green Tomatoes
From Scratch: Season 6 - Streaming Premiere
G.I. Jane
The Glass Castle
Hanna
Home
Identity Thief
The Intern
John Wick: Chapter 4
A League of Their Own
Legally Blonde
Leprechaun
Leprechaun II
Leprechaun III
Leprechaun 4: Lost in Space
Leprechaun V: In the Hood
Leprechaun VI: Back 2 tha Hood
Leprechaun Origins
Les Misérables
Licorice Pizza
Little Rascals
Lost in Translation
Madagascar
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!
Megamind
Moonstruck
News of the World
The Other Guys
Penguins of Madagascar
Promising Young Woman
Schindler's List
Selena
Sonic the Hedgehog
Spirit: Season 1
Spotlight
Steve Jobs
Taken
Ted
Ted 2
The Wiz
Woman in Gold
March 2
The Real Housewives of Potomac: Season 9 - Reunion Part 3, Uncensored
March 3
Top Chef: Season 23 - Premiere
March 4
Vanderpump Rules: Season 12 - Reunion Part 1, Extended & Uncensored
March 5
One Chicago Crossover
Southern Hospitality: Season 4 - Premiere
Ted: Season 2 - Premiere (Peacock Original)
March 6
Ladies of London: Season 4 - Premiere
March 9
The Chrisleys: Back to Reality: Season 1
March 10
Taco Bell Más Live
March 11
Vanderpump Rules: Season 12 - Reunion Part 2, Extended & Uncensored
March 12
Southern Charm: Season 11 - Finale
Southern Charm After Show: Season 2 - Finale
March 13
It's Dorothy! - Premiere (Peacock Exclusive)
March 14
Sumble: Season 1 - Finale
March 15
A Plan To Kill: Season 2 - Premiere
E! Live From the Red Carpet - Oscars
Fast X
March 16
Married to Medicine: Atlanta: Season 12 - Finale
March 19
Southern Charm: Season 11 - Reunion Part 1, Uncensored
March 20
Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked
Wicked: For Good (Peacock Exclusive)
Wicked: For Good Sing-Along (Peacock Exclusive)
Wicked: For Good - Jon M Chu Commentary Version (Peacock Exclusive)
March 23
Married to Medicine: Atlanta: Season 12 - Reunion Part 1, Uncensored
March 24
The Wild Robot
March 26
Southern Charm: Season 11 - Reunion Part 2, Uncensored
March 27
Bambi: The Reckoning (Peacock Exclusive)
March 29
The People vs. Michael Jackson: Season 1
March 30
Married to Medicine: Season 12 - Reunion Part 2, Uncensored
March 31
Come Play
Django Unchained
Draft Day
Hellboy
Now You See Me
Now You See Me 2
Reservoir Dogs
Robin Hood (2018)
Silver Linings Playbook
Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen: Season 23 - Premiere
Tyler Perry's A Madea Family Funeral
Peacock Plans and Prices
If you don't already have a Peacock Premium subscription, there are a few different options available to you. For savings, I'd recommend sticking with one of the Apple TV and Peacock Premium bundles. This will get you both services at a decent discount, which opens up the full library of Apple TV Originals. You can also get access to Peacock via a Walmart+ subscription, which is a great option for those looking for additional savings via shopping benefits.
Although Peacock does not have a free trial available, you can get access to the service for free via a Walmart+ trial. Walmart offers 30 days of its service at no cost for new subscribers and includes either a Peacock Premium or Paramount+ subscription.
Magic: The Gathering is a fantastic card game, but the Commander format has given it even more legs.
It revolves around a central Commander that helms your deck, giving it a ton of personality as players gravitate towards their favorite legendary creatures to build around.
Wizards of the Coast finally recognized the format in 2011, beginning a deluge of preconstructed decks that are playable right out of the box. We’ve got a full list of them, but for now, we’ve narrowed down our top 12.
These aren’t presented in any real order, but let us know which ones you’ve played!
The Most Powerful Magic: The Gathering Commander Precons
Heavenly Inferno - Commander 2011
Heavenly Inferno is one of the first Commander precons, and its strength lies in its flexibility. The Commander, Kaalia of the Vast, helps you bring creatures into play, whether they’re Angels, Demons, or Dragons.
Because of that, you can easily swap out a bunch of Angels and Demons for Dragons, or lean into two of them if you’d prefer. As with some others on this list, it can get out of hand pretty swiftly.
Guided By Nature - Commander 2014
It’s not often we get mono-color decks in recent years, but Guided By Nature is a mono-green powerhouse helmed by a Planeswalker in Freyalise, Llanowar’s Fury.
Freyalise brings more tokens into play, includes removal, and allows for card draw, and she’s flanked by big-hitters like Siege Behemoth and Rampaging Baloths.
Tyranid Swarm - Universes Beyond: Warhammer 40K
How many +1/+1 tokens are enough? You’ll never have to find out, because Magus Lucea Kane can dish out plenty and give you double X-cost spells, while the Swarmlord turns your creatures with counters into card draw.
Tyranid Swarm is a deck that truly does feel like a ‘swarm’, and can give you big creatures to attack with, and plenty of tokens back to defend if you’re smart.
This mono-black Warhammer deck costs a pretty penny these days, with its Commander, Szarekh, able to mill cards to put more creatures into your hand.
I personally prefer to use Imotekh the Stormlord as my Commander, though, letting you create token creatures as you use recursion and power up a creature during combat.
Mutant Menace - Universes Beyond: Fallout
I hate this deck. It’s a pain to deal with, causing plenty of mill and life loss for the whole table, but there’s no denying it’s effective.
The Wise Mothman, its Commander, dishes out rad counters and then grows in power as those counters mill cards and wound your opponents. Nasty business, truly.
Endless Punishment - Duskmourn
A deck that’s so effective at dealing damage it can make Commander matches take half as long to complete, Endless Punishment is a great deck that gets even better if you swap out Valgavoth with Master of Pain.
This 5/5 stops opponents from gaining life, has Menace, and turns the mana cost of every first spell of a player’s turn into damage against another player. Given how expensive spells get as the match wears on, that can be a big, big hit.
Sliver Swarm - Commander Masters
A deck that’s all about Slivers, a creature type that’s relatively minor on its own but buffs every other ally with the same type.
This five-color precon is a problem for everyone at the table, helmed by the Sliver Gravemother that can help bring cards back from the graveyard as attacking tokens. Oh, and it means you can have multiple copies of Legendary creatures, too.
Eldrazi Incursion - Modern Horizons 3
An Eldrazi deck with five colors and a Commander that can copy spells and activated abilities for two generic mana, Eldrazi Incursion is great off the bat, but becomes positively vile with the right upgrades.
If you prefer, you can use Morophon the Boundless to make Eldrazi spells cheaper and give creatures of that type +1/+1.
Eldrazi Unbound - Commander Masters
Another Eldrazi deck, this one puts Zhulodok, Void Gorger as your Commander and lets you enjoy double Cacade on spells with mana value 7 or higher - ouch.
Kozilek, the Great Distortion, is another Legendary Creature in the deck. It costs a lot, but acts as a 12/12 with Menace and gets you card draw.
Vampiric Bloodlust - Commander 2017
There’s a reason that Edgar Markov remains the de facto vampire-type Commander in Magic: The Gathering. His Eminence ability, which triggers even if he’s in the Command Zone, means this 4/4 with First Strike and haste can create Vampire tokens as you cast spells of that type, and he empowers them with +1/+1 when he attacks.
Teferi’s Protection is here, too, with this being the kind of deck with no real weaknesses that’s easy to pilot as well.
Food and Fellowship - Universes Beyond: Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings Commander Decks were all solid, but Food and Fellowship wins out for its strength in just about every aspect. Sam generates Food tokens to gain life, then Frodo is tempted by the Ring as you consume them, with each of the Partner cards feeding into a cycle.
It’s not all Shire-friendly, either, with some true wrath coming in the form of Toxic Deluge, spot removal like Path to Exile and Swords to Plowshares, and cards like The Gaffer to turn that lifegain into more card draw. A great, well-constructed deck.
Veloci-Ramp-Tor - Lost Caverns of Ixalan
The kind of deck that steamrolls the precons it launched alongside, Pantlaza, Sun-Favored helms this dinosaur deck and helps you bring more and more creatures into play with the Discover ability.
With cards like Wakening Sun’s Avatar being a non-dino board wipe and comically large beasts like Apex Altisaur, this deck is wild right out of the box.
Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He's a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife's dismay.
This article includes mild spoilers for the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center section of Resident Evil Requiem.
With Resident Evil turning 30 this year, it’s no surprise that Requiem leans into nostalgia. Leon S. Kennedy is back in a starring role, and the game’s trailers feature ominous shots of a crumbling Raccoon City police station – the labyrinthine haunted house that our floppy-haired hero had to fight through back in 1998. But while this latest edition of Resident Evil features its fair share of direct nods to the past, it’s Requiem’s new ideas that actually feel the most nostalgic.
The story’s early sections, in which you play fresh-faced protagonist Grace Ashcroft, are where Requiem most successfully evokes the earliest days of Resident Evil. Despite using the series’ modern first-person perspective by default, it’s classic ‘90s survival horror in the truest sense, right down to the ink ribbons, should you wish. The building that Grace explores, the brand new Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center, is a next-generation echo of Resident Evil 2’s Raccoon City Police Department, complete with a puzzle-locked exit and deadly stalker prowling the halls. As much as it relies on the triumphs of the past, though, this RPD tribute demonstrates the timeless qualities of Resident Evil, and how the old hits can be made to feel like modern breakthroughs.
Within just a few steps, it’s clear that Rhodes Hill takes all of its foundational cues from the RPD. The first locked door you encounter yields only to an ornate key. Around the corner, a metal shutter prevents access to the wider facility, the nearby empty fusebox signalling that you’ll need to find a replacement component to progress. Beyond awaits a reception desk flanked by sweeping stairs, the very model of Raccoon City’s extravagant main precinct. And, like Resident Evil 2’s classic location, Rhodes Hill is split into two halves, the west and east wings, through which you need to scour eerie chambers – many of which must first be unlocked using a steadily mounting collection of keycards – in search of a means of escape.
Requiem, if it’s not clear by now, is less reverential to Resident Evil 2, more indebted to it. That’s thankfully not too much of a problem when developer Capcom owns the original bank of ideas, but it does walk the knife-edge between remake and reimagining just a little too dangerously at times. For instance, the center’s final exit is unlocked using a trio of quartz cubes, each dispensed by ornate machines upon solving a three-symbol puzzle. Yes, it’s the RPD medallion puzzle in an ill-fitting mask.
And yet this approach never feels like creative bankruptcy, nor does it feel like cynical nostalgia. That’s partly due to Capcom’s original survival horror formula having endured the test of time – Resident Evil 2’s fundamentals felt as fresh in the 2019 remake as they did two decades prior – but mostly because Rhodes Hill is arguably the strongest version of this environment format that the series has offered up since we visited the RPD. More expansive than both the Baker Estate and Castle Dimitrescu, and possessing a myriad of interesting loop routes and shortcuts, navigating its corridors is a fully engaging experience, regardless of whether you recognise the rough outline of Raccoon City’s police station or not.
The facility’s layout and the way you engage with it are undoubtedly classic Resident Evil, but Capcom isn’t afraid to bring some subtle modernity to the proceedings. Requiem pulls a trick I’ve never seen in a Resident Evil before: many of the center’s zombies are genuine characters, rather than generic enemy fodder. There’s the broad, burly chef whose methodical chores have you second-guessing your route through the kitchen. Out in the adjoining corridor, there’s the man I know as “Flick”, who obsessively turns the lights on and off. Elsewhere, a rotting maid continues to scrub the floors, moving from room to room to clean up all the blood I’ve spilt. And above the dining room, a would-be opera star warbles from the balcony – a shrill sound that sends one of the centre’s noise-sensitive patients into a murderous frenzy.
This is classic Resident Evil at its most nostalgic, but rendered with the full knowledge that the past isn’t quite enough to create actual magic.
Such distinct personalities are made possible thanks to Requiem’s emphasis on old-school survival horror. Despite the Resident Evil 2 homages, playing as Grace feels more akin to exploring the Spencer Mansion in Capcom’s bold 1996 original. This is a brutal environment where avoiding confrontation is the much smarter play (especially since, in a nod to the 2002 remake, defeated zombies can return to life as much more aggressive “Blister Heads”). But where the comparatively simple original Resident Evil often saw you fleeing threats and running past zombies, the more advanced enemy AI systems of today mean Requiem adopts a more stealthy approach, encouraging you to cautiously tiptoe around foes – something horror games in general have adopted over the past decade or so.
By shifting the engagement style away from careful shooting gallery to tense stealth, the environment requires far fewer enemies, thus allowing the development team the time and resources to make each zombie feel unique. And, since your tasks have you looping and backtracking through the building, you repeatedly sneak by the same zombies, contributing to the sense that you share the space with very real (albeit also very dead) people, rather than a bus load of replicated video game assets.
This approach lends Rhodes Hill a very different atmosphere from any other Resident Evil location, including those that await in the second half of Requiem. While there is admittedly a comedic element to these creatures retaining elements of their living personalities, it’s also unnerving, and the idea of contending with a person rather than a faceless enemy is inherently more frightening – that’s part of what makes the series’ stalker characters, like Jack Baker and Mr. X, so scary. He may wear that funny little hat, but you’d never dare to stop and laugh at it. Requiem’s retooling of the atmosphere here is proof that honing that iconic survival gameplay is as much in the immaterial as it is in the physical things you do.
Of course, Capcom knows that characterful enemies are no replacement for terrifying stalkers, and so Rhodes Hill has a couple of its own. First up is “The Girl”, a towering, gangly, bug-eyed hag that ensures your first impression of the Chronic Care Center is suitably horrifying. Later, you’ll have to contend with the east wing’s guardian, “Chunk” – a colossal, baby-faced, hallway-filling mound of flesh that moves faster than his weight should logically allow. Both operate in the classic stalker fashion of prowling the corridors and dynamically impeding your progress. There are interesting alterations to the formula, with The Girl using Alien: Isolation-style hidden pathways to take you by surprise in a manner Mr. X could only dream of, but these enemies are undeniably adhering to the horror playbook originally written for 1999’s Resident Evil 3 and its relentless Nemesis.
Unlike Nemesis and his more modern relatives, though, one of Requiem’s stalkers isn’t an invincible obstacle. Against all odds, the gargantuan Chunk can be killed, removing this terrifying chess piece from the board. Such a feat is a tall challenge… well, for Grace at least. Leon is much better equipped to take down not just Chunk, but all of Rhodes Hill’s zombies, and his arrival on the scene following Grace’s lengthy expedition makes for a fascinating spin on one of Resident Evil’s most beloved classic features: the dual playthrough.
The series’ early games put a lot of emphasis on playing through the story twice, seeing the same environment from two different perspectives. Exploring the first game’s Spencer Mansion is a notably different experience depending on whether you play as Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield. Capcom would remix this approach for Resident Evil 2, using the “A/B” playthrough system to ensure Leon and Claire’s runs through the RPD had interesting differences. While Requiem doesn’t adopt this idea wholesale, you can see the shape of it when Leon arrives on the scene. After tiptoeing around Rhodes Hill as Grace, carefully picking your battles and conserving ammunition, you get to explore the area again as the practically superheroic Leon. With a new move set seemingly modelled after John Wick, Agent Kennedy can blast, kick, and hack his way through all the zombies that previously saw you fleeing for the safety of the well-lit safe room.
This switch is undeniably cathartic. Because the location remains in situ, all the problems you encountered as Grace can now be tackled head-on by Leon. Those Blister Heads that were clogging up the lounge and forcing you to take the long route? A shotgun blast to the lumpy face will make you feel better about all the trouble they caused you. Leon’s deadly arsenal can make short work of that burly chef, turn Chunk into a puddle of mush, and break open locked cupboards that were inaccessible to Grace. In short, Requiem is able to use the same location to offer a completely different, complementary experience by shifting the perspective and toolset.
If it weren’t for the fact that Leon’s time at Rhodes Hill was so brief, I’d say this was the ultimate version of Resident Evil’s dual playthrough idea. As it stands, it’s simply the best idea of it – which still means his swift, bloody crusade through what minutes earlier felt like the most frightening place on Earth is one of Requiem’s high points. A peak rooted in a classic idea, but elevated by a modern twist.
It’s that philosophy that makes the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center work so well: this is classic Resident Evil at its most nostalgic, but rendered with the full knowledge that the past isn’t quite enough to create actual magic. The injection of subtle modern ideas, from Leon’s action-fuelled retread of the halls to the characterful zombies and increased emphasis on stealth, elevates the series’ greatest hits, making it feel like experiencing them for the first time all over again. Rhodes Hill may deliberately evoke your cherished memories of the RPD, but by galvanizing the old with the modern, Capcom has made the ultimate tribute to the past: something new.
Matt Purslow is IGN's Executive Editor of Features.
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