As 2020 came to a close, many different games, movies and entertainment news were released to the public. Here are some of the most notable things in entertainment that happened over Winter Break. 

“Soul”

“Soul” is the most recent animated feature film from Pixar studios. It was originally set to be released in June of 2020 but was pushed back until Christmas Day 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since its debut on Disney+, “Soul” has garnered glowing reviews.

Holding a 96 percent score on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer, “Soul” is one of the most highly acclaimed animated movies on the website. 

Pixar is no stranger to making critically acclaimed animated features, with movies such as “Toy Story,” “Monsters Inc.” and more recently, “Onward.” “Soul” maintains Pixar’s track record by giving audiences a deeply philosophical story accompanied by stunning visual animations that both adults and children alike can appreciate.

“Soul” is available to watch on Disney+.

“Wonder Woman 1984”

Unlike “Soul,” “Wonder Woman 1984” unfortunately does not deliver on the promises of its trailers.

Serving as a disappointing follow-up to the highly regarded “Wonder Woman” (2017), “1984” offers a significantly more campy and B-movie-esque sequel to its more serious predecessor. 

The opening scene of “1984” is arguably its worst, as it seems like it’s ripping itself off by resorting to cartoon physics that were notable in the original 1975 cartoon adaptation of “Wonder Woman.” Some fans may find this nostalgic, but moviegoers who were expecting a sequel to the more mature themes of the 2017 film were left sorely disappointed.

Other dismaying factors in “1984” include its villains, Cheetah (played by Kristen Wiig) and Maxwell Lord (played by Pedro Pascal of “The Mandalorian” fame). Both performances by Wiig and Pascal were lacking and came off as very forced. Comic book stereotypes such as the nerdy new girl becoming the villain and the con man having character “redemption” are both present in this film. For those who want to remember the good parts of 2017’s “Wonder Woman,” it would be best to skip its sequel film altogether.

“Death to 2020”

Just after Christmas, Netflix released an original “mockumentary” titled “Death to 2020.” This scripted documentary serves as comedic reflection on what an unusual and generally tough year 2020 was.

Actors who portray fictional historians, authors and other characters include Samuel L. Jackson, Hugh Grant and Lisa Kudrow, among others. 

Made by the creators of another Netflix original series “Black Mirror,” all parts of 2020 are reflected on in an attempt to make light of what is mostly considered a year that stands out from the rest.

For those who need a laugh or a chance to truly reflect on the amount of extraordinary events that took place last year, “Death to 2020” is the perfect film to watch.

“Cyberpunk 2077”

“Cyberpunk 2077” is a highly anticipated action role-playing game in which the player can customize their character to incredibly detailed degrees and fight their way through the futuristic Night City. 

Players have been waiting for “Cyberpunk 2077” since May 2012 when it was initially announced. After many release date push backs, the game was finally released in December 2020 to mixed reviews.

After being in development limbo for so long, fans were expecting a cleanly polished game that lacked glitches or major bugs that interfered with gameplay. Unfortunately, this was not the case. Multiple bugs such as frame rate drops, blurry textures and glitches with character models have left many fans and game distributors disappointed. Feedback was so bad from its initial release that Sony announced that the company would be removing “Cyberpunk 2077” from the PlayStation Store and offered refunds to those who bought digital copies of the game.

It is not all bad news when it comes to “Cyberpunk 2077” however. Many fans and critics, while pointing out the obvious flaws in the game, have also given credit where it is due. Many players praise the setting of Night City to be visually stunning due to the advanced lighting and water textures present throughout. The soundtrack of “2077” has also been highly praised as both a vinyl and possible cassette release of the soundtrack will soon be released. 

There is a future for “Cyberpunk 2077” as multiple patches to the game have been announced. The 1.1 patch has been promised to fans in January 2021, so only time will tell if game developers will deliver on those promises. 

“Cyberpunk 2077” is available digitally on Steam, the Xbox and “Cyberpunk 2077” websites, or physically in stores such as Best Buy and GameStop. 

Extreme buyouts of PlayStation 5

Automated programs and scalpers are still plaguing the internet as they automatically purchase PlayStation 5s (PS5) as soon as they become available to the public.

The PS5 is the most recent gaming console released by Sony and it has become a hot ticket item to buy and resell at extremely high prices. 

Sony delivered on many of the promises the gaming company made by giving players a console with significantly increased storage capacity, 4K resolution display, 3D audio effects and backwards compatibility with many PlayStation virtual reality games.

The main problem is that genuine PlayStation fans have had extremely difficult times getting a hold of a PS5 due to bots and scalpers alike buying out entire stocks of the console to upcharge desperate players. 

Not all hope is lost, as many people are dedicated to fighting scalpers by providing up-to-date information on when/where new stocks of PS5s will be released. Twitter accounts such as SOLELINKS and Wario64 have been giving out information on new stocks of many highly sought-after items, including PS5s. 

Players are cautiously optimistic that as time goes on, the extreme hunt for PS5s will slow down and the console will become easier to obtain for the public.