GALLERY: Aragami – Losing its “Souls” Makes This Even More Appealing

Posted on May 1, 2016 by geelw

Formerly known as Twin Souls: The Path of Shadows, developer Linceworks’ upcoming stealth/action game is now officially known as Aragami and should land quietly behind you this fall provided you’re a PC or PlayStation 4 owner keeping a close eye on this one. The stealth mechanics and setting have a nice Tenchu vibe, but the game is also influenced by excellent games such as Mark of the Ninja and Dishonored. For my money, losing the word “Souls” from that re-titling is also a really good thing thanks to so many gamers comparing any game using that word as copying or influenced by FromSoftware’s Dark Souls trilogy and its precursor, Demon’s Souls. Solid-looking games like this don’t need that needless fan-brain baggage loading them down at all. Thankfully, Aragami seems to have it all going on from visuals to what’s sounding like a great score from Two Feathers (of Hammerwatch fame).

In terms of story, you’ll play as Aragami, a slain warrior summoned back from the dead by Yamiko, a noble girl from the sacred citadel of Kyûryu. Her connection to Aragami isn’t clear at the outset as his memories are somewhat hazy and need to be regained as he and Yamiko make their way though Kyûryu’s heavily guarded streets. Stealth and the risen raider’s Shadow Powers will be keys to survival as the developer notes:

Aragami has a punishing difficulty; you are lethal when undetected, but outmatched in numbers. Getting detected can lead to an abrupt defeat, so you must rely on your supernatural abilities and stealth to choose your battles wisely.

As for those Shadow Powers, look out below. Or above. Yikes!

Use your Shadow Powers to become the ultimate stealth killer. Cast shadows on any surface and use your Shadow Leap to move around undetected. Dispose of enemy corpses using your Shadow Vanish, create shadow clones to distract your enemies or invoke black holes to swallow your targets in one fell swoop. As you advance you will need to use all your powers and wit to sneak past guards, teleport between shadows, create your own areas of darkness and strategically assassinate those who stand in your way.

Sounds deadly, doesn’t it? Let’s take a look at some screenshots below the jump so you know what to expect in case that trailer was too much for you to handle Continue reading →

HoloGrid: Monster Battle – Tippet-ting the Scales With A Cool VR/AR Game

Posted on April 29, 2016 by geelw

HoloGrid Monster Battle is coming soon from developer HappyGiant and Tippett Studio. Yep, that Phil Tippett. Here’s a teaser trailer to ogle and wonder about making some table space for. Your family game night just got a bit more interesting:

A “Hybrid” Board Game, Collectible Card Game (CCG), and Digital Game in one, it delivers to players a new type of gaming experience.

While this sort of thing has been attempted previously (most notably in Sony’s fun but somewhat unwieldy to set up Eye of Judgment for the PS3 back in 2007), the VR/AR aspects of this may make HoloGrid more acceptable as it can be played across a wider range of already available phones and tablets. Additionally, playing on a mobile device means the game may find an larger audience among casual to core gamers if it’s as cool as it looks (and that nostalgia factor kicks in for us older farts who love stop-motion animation). More info is on the way on this one, but it looks promising enough to be a “next big thing” even without the popular license. Of course, if Disney wants to throw a chunk of money at Tippett and HappyGiant, I’d think they wouldn’t turn it down flat. As usual, we shall see.

Arrow Video June Releases: Blu-Rays of Sun For Your Collection

Posted on April 28, 2016 by geelw

Arrow Video is set to heat up your June with four more video releases through MVD Entertainment Group, all worth a buy for collectors and film buffs with a taste for the intriguing. Let’s take a look at what’s coming soon:

Nikkatsu Diamond Guys Volume 2 (June 14, $49.95) rolls up first and looks to be the perfect companion piece to the first three-film set. Akira Kobayashi (Tokyo Mighty Guy), and Jo Shishido (Danger Pays, Murder Unincorporated) are the featured actors in this trio of films that like the first Diamond Guys, is limited to 3000 sets. The first collection was a nice set of surprises, so expectations are high for this one to be equally fun and revealing.

Bonus Materials

Limited Edition Blu-ray collection (3000 copies)
High Definition digital transfers of all three films in this collection, from original film elements by Nikkatsu Corporation
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation
Original uncompressed mono audio
Newly translated English subtitles
Specially recorded video discussions with Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp on Diamond Guys Jo Shishido and Akira Kobayashi
Original trailers for all three films
Extensive promotional image galleries for all films
Reversible sleeve featuring brand new artwork by Graham Humphreys
Booklet featuring new writing on all the films and director profiles by Stuart Galbraith IV, Tom Mes and Mark Schilling

Three more below the jump, so JUMP! Continue reading →

Happy ALIEN Day! Go Get Scared or Win Some Stuff (Or Both)

Posted on April 26, 2016 by geelw

“Hey, baaaaaaby…. ‘sup?” Photo Credit: Desmond Mo

So yes, it’s officially ALIEN Day and if you’re a fan of the franchise with some time and a bit of disposable income on your hands, there are a few ways to get involved in the festivities today.

The Alien Anthology page on Twitter has a big deal contest where video questions about the film pop up like chestbursters and you can answer them for a chance to win some awesome ALIEN to Prometheus-themed merchandise from what’s looking like every company that makes officially licensed swag based on the series. Continue reading →

Gallery: BREACHED

Posted on April 24, 2016 by geelw

Welcome to BREACHED, coming to Steam sometime this year from indie developer Drama Drifters. “What’s it all about?” you ask with a raised eyebrow as you lean forward in your seat. Well… let’s take a look:

You awaken as Corus Valott, long lost in cryogenic slumber, to find your shelter damaged by unknown circumstances. The land and settlements around you have crumbled to ruin, broken buildings and jagged shards all that remains. Confused and isolated, you’re compelled to repair the shelter, explore the ruins and scavenge your surroundings, in hopes of uncovering – or perhaps avoiding – the uncomfortable truth of what has transpired.

Well, that’s not good news at all for Corus, but the game certainly looks quite impressive despite his plight.

You’d THINK by 2245 (when the game takes place), we’d have all this “how to survive on other planets” stuff down pat. But, nope. Stuff always tends to go haywire in sci-fi, which is of course a good deal better than it happening in reality, right? This is probably why BREACHED will work so well (if that trailer is any indication). Survival simulation, speedy drone piloting, exploration and repairs all come into play as Corus only has eight (game) days to get things taken care of. Will he make it off that rock or what? I’d say that may be all up to you and what the developers have planned. While you’re waiting for the release date, feel free to give a listen to the game’s otherworldly soundtrack a bunch of times while you wait. It’s quite good.

Back with more on this one once the inbox gets a tickle of news.

Valley: Blue Isle Studios’ Newest Is Intentionally More Jumpy Than Scary

Posted on April 23, 2016 by geelw

Blue Isle Studios made a name for itself with Slender: The Arrival on PC and then consoles, but the studio wisely decided not to become the all jump scare all the time game factory fans of that horror hit wanted it to be. Its upcoming title, Valley is a very different game than Slender was, although some are making direct (and probably unfair) comparisons to Gone North Games excellent first-person puzzle platformer A Story About My Uncle.

The trailer below certainly has a few things going for it that game didn’t as well as what looks like a tonal shift from freeform 3D platforming to a bit of slightly frightening business:

As for what’s what with the story and what to expect from the gameplay, here you go:

Valley is a First-Person adventure unlike any other. Hidden deep within a remote region of the Rocky Mountains, you find yourself bewildered within a secluded valley. With the power of a recently discovered L.E.A.F. suit (Leap Effortlessly though Air Functionality), run and jump your way through beautiful forests, dangerous ruins and vast environments; all the while utilizing the power to control life and death to uncover the startling secrets of the mysterious valley.

Features

Move faster, jump higher: make your way through the world of Valley™ using the incredible speed and agility of the L.E.A.F. suit.
Manipulate life and death: the L.E.A.F. suit grants its pilots the phenomenal power to both give and take life from any living thing.
Experience a unique twist on death: the more you die, the more the valley will die around you.
Enhance yourself: upgrade your suit with new abilities and strengths.
Explore: the world of Valley™ is filled with forests, wildlife, ancient ruins, charming creatures, dangerous enemies and other mysteries.

Six screens below to ogle:

The varied environments combined with the intriguing gameplay makes Valley quite intriguing and well worth a play to see how the mechanics work. If it all works well, Blue Isle will have what’s looking to be an even bigger hit than Slender was, provided that game’s legion of fans is willing to try something different. Valley lands on PC via Steam (so far), PlayStation 4 and Xbox One this summer.

Gallery: Niten

Posted on April 22, 2016 by geelw

“Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world”
– Miyamoto Musashi

That quote from Musashi’s classic The Book of Five Rings is seemingly what Edinburgh, Scotland-based indie developer Donald Macdonald is aiming to convey with Niten, an upcoming first-person exploration game currently available for backing on Kickstarter that blazed through the Steam Greenlight approval process in a mere ten days. Created with Unreal Engine 4 and Speedtree assets, MacDonald’s interactive adventure looks absolutely glorious with an open world beckoning to be fully explored as the story plays out:

In search of the past and the present find yourself lost on a remote island off the coast of Japan. Uncover the mystery where ancient Japanese culture meets breathtaking scenery, blossoming cherry trees and a sky that tells a story in its self. Watch the weather turn and see the sun go down, feel the chill of the morning mist and let the glowing fireflies guide you as you search to uncover the truth of the island.

As for that island, let’s take a look at some gorgeous screenshots below the jump. Passports ready? Good. We’re off: Continue reading →

Kvetch-22: You Win Some, You Lose Some

Posted on April 20, 2016 by geelw

Here’s some news fresh from the “Wouldn’t You Know It?” desk:

Hooray! I won something awesome recently – a blu-ray copy of the Ivan Tors produced, Herbert L. Strock directed sci-fi film GOG (1954), restored into its 3D state and in HD for the first time on disc. Many thanks go to Kino Lorber, Classic Movie Hub and Aurora’s Gin Joint (all fine places to sit for a spell and learn about plenty of classic films) for picking my hastily scribbled entry. I also got two more Arrow Video blu-rays in the post today to review right after GOG showed up via Fed Ex: Dillinger and The Zero Boys. Excellent!

However (and this is hi-larious)… Continue reading →

What’s Cookin’? Did Someone Order The Psycho Peppers?

Posted on April 20, 2016 by geelw

Thanks to the fine folks at Lingham’s Hot Sauce (or Lingham’s Chilli Sauce if you’re reading this from anywhere where it has that original name, I’ve got a few bottles of their extremely tasty goods to try out in a few recipes. This one’s too easy to whip up and in fact is a variation on a pizza pepper recipe I do ever so often.

As fir the name “Psycho Peppers”… yeah, well. I had to name them something catchy and that moniker popped into my head after I mixed a bit of Lingham’s SriRacha (smoky and spicy!) and Extra Hot (yes, it is!) together to see how they’d taste and proceeded to dip one of the hot chili peppers on the right of the pic to test the results out with. PROTIP: Keep some cold milk, yogurt or ice cream handy if you do this taste test thing.

Hokay, there’s really not much to this, so calling it a “recipe” is a bit of a stretch. Still, there are photos below the jump and some basic (overwritten) “how to” scribbling if you can’t figure out what to do with those ingredients above.

Continue reading →

ALIEN Day is Coming: Is Your Brain Ready For Some Pointed Questions?

Posted on April 19, 2016 by geelw

It figures that what with there being a Star Wars Day that’s taken off into a yearly festival of fun for many, someone at Fox would have kicked out the idea of an ALIEN Day and some sort of all-day contest to go with that.

Well, here you go: Starting April 26, 2016 (4/26, a reference to planet LV 426, naturally), there will be 24 hours of all-ALIEN thrills for everyone from movie buffs to those new to the franchise (there’s always someone who’s NEVER seen an ALIEN flick!) who want to know what the fuss is all about.

Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products has announced an out-of-this-world global celebration of the ALIEN franchise culminating with a special 24 hour, fan-focused social media event on April 26th – a nod to LV-426, the planet from the iconic ALIEN films. ALIEN DAY (#AlienDay426) will encompass a wide range of executions including nationwide screenings, never-before-seen consumer product activations and the kickoff of the ALIEN: Ultimate Trivia Challenge, allowing fans to test their ALIEN knowledge – with the chance to win prizes every 42.6 minutes on Twitter (@AlienAnthology). Fans may register now for the contest at ALIEN Anthology and refer to “Official Rules” for additional details.

The funny thing is, while Star Wars Day is a super family-friendly time indeed, I can’t see this catching on with the younger set. Hell, I’m old enough to remember this toy-related debacle which I actually had one of (they were quite cheap a few months after release because no one seemed to be buying them as no kids were seeing ALIEN in theaters thanks to the “R” rating and the culture being a lot different back then). It ended up in my younger brother’s possession when I moved out and yep, I came back a few years later and he’d tossed the box, lost the head cover and pretty much killed off my dream of reselling the thing for a hefty profit. Ah well…

Anyway, I’d imagine NOT answering those trivia questions correctly would result in a Xenomorph knocking at your door to deliver the news you didn’t win a prize. Um, you probably don’t want to answer that knock unless you want to become that rotten egg no one wants for breakfast in the morning. Just a word of warning…