Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Random Screenshot of the Day: Cheers, Too!

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Welcome! It’s another Saturday night in Greenvale and yep, that pic above shows it’s slow once more at the Swery 65 Bar. Generally, the joint is jumpin’ as the Fats Waller song goes, but the recent Red Seeds Killer case has made the place turn into a tomb after a certain hour. While it’s bad for business from a tourist perspective, it’s great for the small town’s core drinkers who end up spending more money on slow nights getting their drink on and welcoming anyone who strolls in with a free beer or shot. If it weren’t for the bodies piling up, you’d almost want o show up at the bar every night, like on that old TV show with the catchy theme song that went something like this:

Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
And they’re always glad you came;
You want to be where you can see,
Our troubles are all the same;
You want to be where everybody knows your name.

(“Cheers” lyric: © Gary Portnoy/Judy Hart Angelo)

Of course, I’d imagine that any sitcom set in Greenvale would have a grimmer opening theme or even odder, something particularly amusing in tone, as despite the axe-wielding killer stalking the woods, the sleepy town has a cool style all its own that keeps it going…

DP_PreorderYou’ll get to check this out for yourself soon enough when Rising Star Games’ Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut hits retail on April 30, 2013. Featuring over 100 improvements from the original version, updated HD visuals, PlayStation Move and 3D TV support, DLC and more, once you step inside this strange new world, you won’t ever want to leave. Well, except to get some real food, a beer or two and maybe use your own bathroom. The Swery 65 makes a good enough stop for a virtual drink and maybe some darts and pool, but those digital nachos aren’t the freshest thing on that limited menu…

swery4I’d say those cheesy nachos are the sole thing wrong with the bar, as owner (and Game Director) Swery 65 runs a tight ship. The last time around, he didn’t expect so much traffic, so ther were a few bugs and other issues that had the user ratings all over the map as some people didn’t appreciate the quirky atmosphere and dated decor. Taking all that into account, he’s cleaned up the joint quite a bit and while it looks a lot better with all that extra polish, he made sure to keep just enough of the old flavor that fans of that nostalgia will be coming back and really liking that they see and taste.

GOG.com Wants to Telltale You Some Stories This Weekend…

Oops. Once again, I got so stupidly busy burying myself in some new games here that I almost forgot about some of the old (and not so old) ones I needed to let you know about! Anyway, go boogie on over to gog.com and check out their Telltale Crazy Sale. You’ve got two days left to grab this bundle or bits of it for some HUGE savings. if you’re a fan of Telltale Games’ more recent adventure titles like the Walking Dead, all of these come recommended because they’re also well-crafted games but trade in the rib-ripping gore and cussin’ for some hilarious rib-tickling comedy and chuckles. Six complete game series for under $27 is a total STEAL, so get yours and get smiling, I say. also check out that video above for some other fine suggestions. Now, if you’ll pardon me – I’ve got some gaming of my own to get done!

Random Film of the Week(end): Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

Like a few too many people who didn’t initially “get” it, I absolutely hated Beyond the Valley of the Dolls the first time I saw it back in the early 1980’s. Of course, I went in expecting one thing (I’d never seen a Russ Meyer film before) and yes, got something else entirely. Yes, I was probably a wee bit too young to grasp the wild blend of comedy, drama, morality play and plenty of under-dressed female and male flesh bouncing and wiggling about. But it only took a few years and a more maturely snarky perspective to see what I was really missing. Before then, I’d always given anything Roger Ebert said about movies the hovering eyebrow (as in “What does HE know, he co-wrote that crappy movie!”). After I started liking this beautiful, campy mess co-written and directed by Russ Meyer, it became of the first flicks I’d recommend to friends or anyone wanting to see something “out there” and it’s still ahead of its time in many respects… Continue reading

Despicable Me 2 Toy Profile of the Week (9): A Little Traveling Music, Please!

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When Minions need a quick get-around
and their feet can’t touch solid ground
You’d best believe that pound for pound
That Minon Mobile’s mighty sound

With Minion Tim right at the wheel
(he’s got a license he didn’t steal!)
He’s got that “get there fast!” appeal
(just listen to those tires squeal!)

Yep, Thinkway Toys has whipped this up
to blaze right past your cat or pup
Whether you’re a kid or young grownup
You’ll want this ride without holdup!

Shown:

Minion Mobile (9”)

Age: 4+; Approximate Retail Price: $39.99
• Includes Voice, Lights and Sounds
• 10+ Sayings
• Comes with Minion Tim Driver

Available at a toy retailer near you starting in May. Despicable Me 2 is in theaters on July 2, 2013.

Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon: Michael Biehn Gets Back To Work…

It’s actually pretty darn cool that Ubisoft has tapped Michael Biehn to voice lead character Rex “Power” Colt in its intentionally campy send-up of way too many dopey (but awesome in their dopiness) 80’s action flicks, but I’ve had a burning question I’ve wanted to ask the actor ever since I saw The Terminator at the movies back when it was initially released. It’s bugged the HELL out of me that fresh through that time portal, a naked Kyle Reese gets his only pair of pants off a drunken homeless guy in an alley (Yuk!) and wears them throughout the entire film (Blech!), doesn’t go near a shower like he should (Ick!) but STILL gets it on with Sarah Conner (Nooooo!). That’s always made my skin crawl more than Arnold (well, his mechanical dummy head) doing “surgery” on himself by poking his own eyeball out with an X-Acto knife in that hotel scene. I guess Sarah had some pretty low standards and no sense of smell. Then again, SHE got to bathe when they got to the Tiki Motel – all Kyle did was buy stuff to make explosives.

Hey, I’m a continuity junkie, folks… I notice stuff like this in every movie I see. Hmmm… then again, maybe I’ll take this issue up with James Cameron. What’s his number again?

New Earth Defense Force 4 Trailer: “The Exterminators Are Back In Town…”

“… and there goes the neighborhood!” Well, that’s probably what the booming-voiced announcer would say if this were some “B” movie popping up at a theater near you or on cable. Circa 1988 and complete with a too-loud theme borrowed from another film (probably that climactic tune from James Horner’s ALIENS soundtrack that ended up in way too many trailers after the film hit it big). Hey, it’s cicada time this year, so I bet people in areas affected by that 17-year frenzy would want to get decked out in some military gear and grab a space age weapon to take down a pack of noisy crickets. Yeah, yeah… they’re not crickets, silly. I know that! It’s just a REALLY bad Men in Black joke I just made (from the OK original, not the “what were they thinking?” sequels. Wait a minute, now… good (or bad) comedy doesn’t NEED an explanation if the person telling the joke gets it, so don’t read that last sentence. Er, anyway… Japanese PS3 and Xbox 360 owners get EDF 4 on July 3, 2013 – North American gamers get it sometime later this year. I’ll let you know when I know, as usual…