It's easy to understand why brutalism has been such a potent source of architectural inspiration for games. The raw forms - solid, legible and with clear lineation - are the perfect material for level designers to craft their worlds with. Simultaneously, these same structures are able to ignite imaginations and gesture outwards, their dramatic shapes and monumental dimensions shocking and attention-seizing.

Brutalism is a branch of architecture that spans roughly 30 years (1950s-1970s). It was borne out of the devastation of two world wars, when there was a need to rebuild. In this aftermath brutalism became a vital global phenomenon. If you live in a city, you've no doubt passed by a hulking example.

The term derives from a French invention: b ton brut, meaning raw concrete. This is the structure's most prominent feature - sheer concrete surface, often left rough, exposed or unfinished. Significant in the emergence of brutalism was the architect Le Corbusier and his Unit d'Habitation. Built from reinforced concrete, the housing unit was an attempt to create what Le Corbusier called "a machine for living" - a place that met our every need. It was a thoroughly modern, progressive and even utopian conception of architecture. Regardless of the visual force of brutalism, it's impossible to divorce it from this socio-historical background.

Read more…

Broadcaster Showtime has revealed a few new details on its upcoming, and long-anticipated, Halo TV series.

Two particularly pertinent bits of information were shared during Showtime's recent Television Critics Association summer press tour panel: that the new Halo television series is currently expected to air in 2020, and that it will indeed feature Master Chief as "a lead character".

Showtime's network president of programming, Gary Levine, noted during the panel (as reported by IGN) that Master Chief's aversion to showing his face "is a key question and an important part of our series." However, presumably to ensure there's a more relatable 'in' for audiences, the television show will feature other protagonists too.

Read more…

Nearly five years on, Microsoft has finally gotten its Halo TV series greenlit and into production.

Cable network Showtime has ordered 10 episodes of the show, which it is calling its "most ambitious series ever".

Entertainment Weekly reports the show's blurb as "an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant. Halo will weave deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future".

Read more…