Amelia Emberwing
Guest
As Women’s History Month comes to a close, the ladies of IGN got together to discuss all of the shows, games, and movies we’re loving right now. There were no rules or regulations, simply a group of women talking about what makes their hearts shine right now. Consider this a list of recommendations from the leading ladies from all corners of IGN, whether it be video, news, features, sales, production, syndication, or events!
You can also read our other Women's History Month Coverage:
In Stars and Time: I loved the joyfully queer party members, the ways it used repetition as a form of player expression, all the plot twists, and the secret boss! — Reb Valentine, Senior Reporter
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth: Final Fantasy VII is one of my favorite RPGs of all time. The amount of care, attention and detail put into bringing the next chapter of the story to life is unbelievable. Everything from the story, combat, graphics, music comes together perfectly like a symphony that I look forward to playing again when we get closer to the release of the third and final chapter. — Jada Griffin, Community Manager
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond: This was a game I never played, but it was always on my list for the Switch. With the recent Pokemon news reveals, I was antsy to jump into another Pokemon game (I loved Pokemon Legends: Arceus) and this one has such a refreshing, adorable, and laid-back vibe to it. It's been my go-to when I want to unwind! — Jessie Wade, Senior Partnerships Coordinating Editor
Disney Dreamlight Valley: It's just cozy and mind numbing enough to be the perfect distraction. I can't wait for Tianna! — Amelia Emberwing, Streaming Editor
This final addition to the games section comes with a double dose of recommendations, to no surprise of our audience. Baldur’s Gate 3 has been occupying the attention of Senior News Editor Alex Stedman for some time now, and Associate syndication editor Alyssa Mora isn’t far behind. “I think it may genuinely be my new favorite game of all time,” starts Stedman. “For one, I'm a big Dungeons & Dragons player, but everyone knows D&D's biggest enemy is scheduling around a group of people. Baldur’s Gate 3 feels like it was made for me in that I am able to jump into this incredible campaign whenever I want. I'm two play-throughs deep at this point, and I flirt all the time with a third. And after my second play-through, I'll only do Dark Urge!”
Meanwhile, Mora comes to the table with a more succinct note on the beloved game. “Yes it's epic! Yes, it's fun! Yes, it's gorgeous! But, more importantly, I can kiss everyone I camp with. I have two whole boyfriends.” Watch Alyssa’s thorough exploration of the history of romancing in games below.
Godzilla Minus One: For a movie about a kaiju rampaging through Tokyo, Godzilla Minus One was an unexpectedly life-affirming and optimistic story about a community coming together against impossible odds. — Kat Bailey, Director of News
Nimona: I waited on watching it because I thought it was a cheesy kids film. It’s not. It is a really smart and heart wrenching film. Yes kids can watch it and love it. But it's really wonderful for all of those people who didn't feel like they fit in or that they were not wanted. I am not typically a warm and fuzzy movie watcher but Nimona really spoke to the kid in me. — Marhyan Franzen, Supervising Technical Producer
Happiest Season: This is such a sleeper movie for the holidays! I love seeing LGBTQIA+ representation in media, and Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis are just fantastic in this movie, along with the rest of the cast. Incredible women are also behind the creation of it, with Clea DuVall having written and directed the movie, and Mary Holland co-writing (while also playing one of the best roles). — Jessie Wade
Priscilla: It was emotionally riveting and her style is insane! — Aeysha Baeg, Rewards Operation Specialist
The movies section has a double tap of double dips, which just goes to show how very loved these next two films are by the women here at IGN.
Saltburn steps in first with shoutouts from former Associate Director Dantel Hood and Senior Audience Development Manager Lindsey Salzer. “The way Fennell so gorgeously depicted the asinine wealth of the Catton family and juxtaposed it against the vulgarity and smut of Barry Keoghan's character is... [chef's kiss] completely unhinged,” says Hood. “ I love a good twist, and this one was the weird, saucy, raw thriller I didn't know I needed,” Salzer adds.
The Marvels is the next double header, with Account Executive Sara Wang and Streaming Editor Amelia Emberwing having nothing but wonderful things to say about the latest Marvel movie. “ I've been a huge fan of Captain Marvel and Brie Larson since the first film,” starts Wang. “Adding Iman Vellani and Teyonah Parris to the mix added to the depth and dimension of the story and the characters. Since they were all leads, the three also weren't reduced to token side characters or stereotypes. Each of them had their own agency to be powerful, vulnerable, silly, and more, all while supporting and finding a family with each other.” Meanwhile, Emberwing was a bit more pointed. “I gave The Marvels an 8 when I reviewed it after seeing it for the first time, and I’d still give it an 8 if I were reviewing it today. Turns out that online discourse has no bearing on individual enjoyment of film.”
True Detective: Night Country: I'm just a girl who likes mysteries and spooky stuff. — Rachel Weber, Managing Editor
Severance: I was astounded by Severance when I first saw it. The way it captures the horror of capitalism and the incessant, gluttonous, all-consuming demand for labor at the sake of one's mental and physical health is brilliant. This show is so much about the slow death of individuality under the crushing fist of corporate desire and greed — even thinking about it makes me shiver. — Alyssa Mora
Warrior Nun: Even though this show has been "over" for a while (thanks a lot, Netflix), I never get tired of rewatching Warrior Nun because it featured a main cast made up mostly of women and people of color. It highlighted a critically important queer relationship that included the main protagonist, not just a background or side character, with one half of that relationship being a queer Asian woman which is still a rarity in today's media. Setting that relationship amongst the backdrop of a story centered around the Catholic church — albeit in a sci-fi/fantasy genre — means that the show also touches on themes of oppression and faith and freedom of expression that many marginalized communities relate to. Besides the relatable themes and messages, the show is just plain good, featuring beautifully choreographed fight scenes with "freewheeling, secret, ass-kicking nuns", a line which would have sold me on the show with no previous knowledge from the start — Sarah Wang
Love on the Spectrum: It's one of the most heartfelt, sweetest shows I've ever seen. (I'm not crying, you're crying!) — Lindsey Salzer
The Great North: This show excels in several of my favorite areas: it takes place in the wilderness, the cast is perfection, it's hilarious, and it's created and written by three talented women: Minty Lewis, Wendy Molyneux, and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin. Highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys animated shows (or even if you don't, check it out!). — Jessie Wade
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off: I absolutely love Scott Pilgrim, so I was already excited to revisit the story with Science Saru's animation. What I didn't expect was that one big twist (you know the one, although I won't spoil it if you haven't seen it yet), and the way it completely recontextualizes this story. It's a perfect example of what a remake or reboot can be at its best — not just a retelling with updated technology, but a chance to play with nostalgia while also laying out a different story. And yeah, the animation rules too. — Alex Stedman
Tales of the Shire: Weta Workshop and Private Division are making a game called Tales of the Shire where you can just...be a hobbit in the Shire, and that just sounds very nice to me in these Trying Times. — Reb Valentine
Silksong: I finally finished Hollow Knight for the first time earlier this year, and it's about time I finally get to play as Hornet. — Kat Bailey
Hades 2: The original Hades was a game that I just couldn't put down, even after hundreds and hundreds of hours it was one of those games that I just couldn't get enough of. It may only be coming out in Early Access this year but I'm eager to see how the sequel will improve upon the original which quickly became one of my favorite games of all time. — Jada Griffin
Venom: The Last Dance: Let Eddie and Venom make out. — Alyssa Mora
The Acolyte: I'm almost a little surprised to put this here, as it's been a minute since I've been excited for a new Star Wars TV show in a while. But everything I've seen and heard about this show (I was lucky enough to catch some footage at Star Wars Celebration last year) is completely fresh and badass, and I hope it lives up to my expectations. (I would list Andor Season 2 as an honorable mention, but it looks like that's not coming out until 2025!) — Alex Stedman
The Boys: I can’t wait for Season 4 to come out. This show is beyond wild, bringing some of the wittiest action-humor TV has to offer right now and such a great cast. Not to mention, by being the best anti-superhero show out there, it's making it--well, the best superhero show out there. — Lindsey Salzer
Some quotes have been edited or condensed for clarity.
You can also read our other Women's History Month Coverage:
- Yoko Shimumora Profile by Rebekah Valentine
- An Ode to the Fictional Women the Streaming Era Killed by Val Ettenhofer
- We Did Lisa Frankenstein Dirty During its Theatrical Run by Amelia Emberwing
Games
In Stars and Time: I loved the joyfully queer party members, the ways it used repetition as a form of player expression, all the plot twists, and the secret boss! — Reb Valentine, Senior Reporter
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth: Final Fantasy VII is one of my favorite RPGs of all time. The amount of care, attention and detail put into bringing the next chapter of the story to life is unbelievable. Everything from the story, combat, graphics, music comes together perfectly like a symphony that I look forward to playing again when we get closer to the release of the third and final chapter. — Jada Griffin, Community Manager
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond: This was a game I never played, but it was always on my list for the Switch. With the recent Pokemon news reveals, I was antsy to jump into another Pokemon game (I loved Pokemon Legends: Arceus) and this one has such a refreshing, adorable, and laid-back vibe to it. It's been my go-to when I want to unwind! — Jessie Wade, Senior Partnerships Coordinating Editor
Disney Dreamlight Valley: It's just cozy and mind numbing enough to be the perfect distraction. I can't wait for Tianna! — Amelia Emberwing, Streaming Editor
This final addition to the games section comes with a double dose of recommendations, to no surprise of our audience. Baldur’s Gate 3 has been occupying the attention of Senior News Editor Alex Stedman for some time now, and Associate syndication editor Alyssa Mora isn’t far behind. “I think it may genuinely be my new favorite game of all time,” starts Stedman. “For one, I'm a big Dungeons & Dragons player, but everyone knows D&D's biggest enemy is scheduling around a group of people. Baldur’s Gate 3 feels like it was made for me in that I am able to jump into this incredible campaign whenever I want. I'm two play-throughs deep at this point, and I flirt all the time with a third. And after my second play-through, I'll only do Dark Urge!”
Meanwhile, Mora comes to the table with a more succinct note on the beloved game. “Yes it's epic! Yes, it's fun! Yes, it's gorgeous! But, more importantly, I can kiss everyone I camp with. I have two whole boyfriends.” Watch Alyssa’s thorough exploration of the history of romancing in games below.
Movies
Godzilla Minus One: For a movie about a kaiju rampaging through Tokyo, Godzilla Minus One was an unexpectedly life-affirming and optimistic story about a community coming together against impossible odds. — Kat Bailey, Director of News
Nimona: I waited on watching it because I thought it was a cheesy kids film. It’s not. It is a really smart and heart wrenching film. Yes kids can watch it and love it. But it's really wonderful for all of those people who didn't feel like they fit in or that they were not wanted. I am not typically a warm and fuzzy movie watcher but Nimona really spoke to the kid in me. — Marhyan Franzen, Supervising Technical Producer
Happiest Season: This is such a sleeper movie for the holidays! I love seeing LGBTQIA+ representation in media, and Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis are just fantastic in this movie, along with the rest of the cast. Incredible women are also behind the creation of it, with Clea DuVall having written and directed the movie, and Mary Holland co-writing (while also playing one of the best roles). — Jessie Wade
Priscilla: It was emotionally riveting and her style is insane! — Aeysha Baeg, Rewards Operation Specialist
The movies section has a double tap of double dips, which just goes to show how very loved these next two films are by the women here at IGN.
Saltburn steps in first with shoutouts from former Associate Director Dantel Hood and Senior Audience Development Manager Lindsey Salzer. “The way Fennell so gorgeously depicted the asinine wealth of the Catton family and juxtaposed it against the vulgarity and smut of Barry Keoghan's character is... [chef's kiss] completely unhinged,” says Hood. “ I love a good twist, and this one was the weird, saucy, raw thriller I didn't know I needed,” Salzer adds.
The Marvels is the next double header, with Account Executive Sara Wang and Streaming Editor Amelia Emberwing having nothing but wonderful things to say about the latest Marvel movie. “ I've been a huge fan of Captain Marvel and Brie Larson since the first film,” starts Wang. “Adding Iman Vellani and Teyonah Parris to the mix added to the depth and dimension of the story and the characters. Since they were all leads, the three also weren't reduced to token side characters or stereotypes. Each of them had their own agency to be powerful, vulnerable, silly, and more, all while supporting and finding a family with each other.” Meanwhile, Emberwing was a bit more pointed. “I gave The Marvels an 8 when I reviewed it after seeing it for the first time, and I’d still give it an 8 if I were reviewing it today. Turns out that online discourse has no bearing on individual enjoyment of film.”
Shows
True Detective: Night Country: I'm just a girl who likes mysteries and spooky stuff. — Rachel Weber, Managing Editor
Severance: I was astounded by Severance when I first saw it. The way it captures the horror of capitalism and the incessant, gluttonous, all-consuming demand for labor at the sake of one's mental and physical health is brilliant. This show is so much about the slow death of individuality under the crushing fist of corporate desire and greed — even thinking about it makes me shiver. — Alyssa Mora
Warrior Nun: Even though this show has been "over" for a while (thanks a lot, Netflix), I never get tired of rewatching Warrior Nun because it featured a main cast made up mostly of women and people of color. It highlighted a critically important queer relationship that included the main protagonist, not just a background or side character, with one half of that relationship being a queer Asian woman which is still a rarity in today's media. Setting that relationship amongst the backdrop of a story centered around the Catholic church — albeit in a sci-fi/fantasy genre — means that the show also touches on themes of oppression and faith and freedom of expression that many marginalized communities relate to. Besides the relatable themes and messages, the show is just plain good, featuring beautifully choreographed fight scenes with "freewheeling, secret, ass-kicking nuns", a line which would have sold me on the show with no previous knowledge from the start — Sarah Wang
Love on the Spectrum: It's one of the most heartfelt, sweetest shows I've ever seen. (I'm not crying, you're crying!) — Lindsey Salzer
The Great North: This show excels in several of my favorite areas: it takes place in the wilderness, the cast is perfection, it's hilarious, and it's created and written by three talented women: Minty Lewis, Wendy Molyneux, and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin. Highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys animated shows (or even if you don't, check it out!). — Jessie Wade
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off: I absolutely love Scott Pilgrim, so I was already excited to revisit the story with Science Saru's animation. What I didn't expect was that one big twist (you know the one, although I won't spoil it if you haven't seen it yet), and the way it completely recontextualizes this story. It's a perfect example of what a remake or reboot can be at its best — not just a retelling with updated technology, but a chance to play with nostalgia while also laying out a different story. And yeah, the animation rules too. — Alex Stedman
Upcoming
Tales of the Shire: Weta Workshop and Private Division are making a game called Tales of the Shire where you can just...be a hobbit in the Shire, and that just sounds very nice to me in these Trying Times. — Reb Valentine
Silksong: I finally finished Hollow Knight for the first time earlier this year, and it's about time I finally get to play as Hornet. — Kat Bailey
Hades 2: The original Hades was a game that I just couldn't put down, even after hundreds and hundreds of hours it was one of those games that I just couldn't get enough of. It may only be coming out in Early Access this year but I'm eager to see how the sequel will improve upon the original which quickly became one of my favorite games of all time. — Jada Griffin
Venom: The Last Dance: Let Eddie and Venom make out. — Alyssa Mora
The Acolyte: I'm almost a little surprised to put this here, as it's been a minute since I've been excited for a new Star Wars TV show in a while. But everything I've seen and heard about this show (I was lucky enough to catch some footage at Star Wars Celebration last year) is completely fresh and badass, and I hope it lives up to my expectations. (I would list Andor Season 2 as an honorable mention, but it looks like that's not coming out until 2025!) — Alex Stedman
The Boys: I can’t wait for Season 4 to come out. This show is beyond wild, bringing some of the wittiest action-humor TV has to offer right now and such a great cast. Not to mention, by being the best anti-superhero show out there, it's making it--well, the best superhero show out there. — Lindsey Salzer
Some quotes have been edited or condensed for clarity.