Slow Somewhat Sleepy (But Not At All) Saturday Stuff…

Status

Updates will be kind of minimal this weekend, but I don’t think you’re around to read this. I do have some game codes to give away, so that’s going to get done today or tomorrow depending on when I get back from the great outdoors and a few other distractions I need to tackle. I have a few films to write up for some blogathons and I believe I hear some ten for a dollar vegetarian spring rolls and gyoza calling me to buy them while I’m outside… I love bargains, don’t you? Anyway, off to do some perambulating and spelunking. Back in a bit…

Random Film of the Week: HOUSE (1977)

Posted on May 23, 2014 by geelw

(thanks, tubesoda!)

One of the most unusual “mainstream” horror films you’ll ever see, Nobuhiko Obayashi’s 1977 film HOUSE is one of those inventively crazy movies that will stick in your head for a long while after those end credits roll.

Paradoxically, it’s tricky to talk about the film in detail and not give a lot away. But on the other hand, you could go in knowing the entire story and what happens to every character in the film before you see it and still have your mind completely blown by the bizarre visual effects and how the tone switches from comic to horror (and back and forth at that) at the drop of a hat.

Or drop of the head, in this case… Continue reading →

Today’s Humble Daily Bundle is All About Going Deep And Long (or Short)…

Posted on May 23, 2014 by geelw

As in DUNGEONS (and get your mind out of the gutter, please!). Three indie games for up to ten bucks or more are on the plate today. Paper Sorcerer, Legend of Grimrock and Desktop Dungeons all come VERY highly recommended from yours truly as each is a decidedly different take on one of my favorite game genres.

Pay what you want for Paper Sorcerer, go above $3.21 for that and Legend of Grimrock and ten bucks or more nets you all three games. Yes, it seems odd that Desktop Dungeons ends up being the “big” game here, but given that you can learn to play it quickly and games tend to last about ten minutes or so, the potential millions random elements here give the game infinite replay value. Anyway, if you’re not going anywhere this holiday weekend, you know you may as well buy a few games, support charity and have something else to do other than stare at the walls for three or four days. Get to it, then!

Doctor Who Peter Capaldi Teaser: The Shadow Knows… And We Sure Don’t. Yet.

Posted on May 23, 2014 by geelw

Well. THAT was… annoying but necessary, as now the Whovians are chattering away. But it did get me wanting August to roll around a bit faster. Of course, if it were a thirty second teaser, that would be TOO long and if it were sixty seconds? You’d see people online raaaaaging that it was too long and gave away too much stuff. Oh well. I expect both thirty and sixty second teasers to indeed pop up within a few weeks, so I may the the only one NOT shocked to see them, spoilers or not.

Funko’s Hikari Friday 4 Giveaway: Batman is Back As A Prize, And You’d Better LOVE Glitter!

Posted on May 23, 2014 by geelw

Sure, that campy Batman TV show from the 1960’s hasn’t aged well to some of you out there, but it made me crack up as a kid and still does today. That’s why this week’s Hikari Japanese Vinyl giveaway from Funko is making me smile a bit broader.

Hmmm…you know something? I don’t think I’ve run the description that Funko puts in its press releases, so here you go:

Hikari, meaning ‘light’, is a highly collectible line of clear Sofubi Figures. These will be ultra-limited and piece runs will range from 500pcs-5000pcs depending on the treatment. Each Hikari piece will include a hand numbered card to prove authenticity and rarity.

Anyway, winning isn’t easy but entering IS. Just click on over to one of Funko’s social pages:

www.facebook.com/OriginalFunko
www.twitter.com/OriginalFunko
Instagram @OriginalFunko

Follow the instructions there and wait. Well, you can do OTHER important and non-important stuff while you’re waiting as they’ll most likely contact you if you’re the lucky winner. If you’re one of many unlucky LOSERS, you can still buy this limited to 3000 pieces figure when it ships out to retail in September.

Tune in next week for another excellent Hikari giveaway! Same Bat-time, Same Bat-channel!

Have I Got My Goat Yet? Not Quite Yet, But Yes Indeed I Will…

Posted on May 22, 2014 by geelw

Okay, I still haven’t played Coffee Stain Studios’ awesomely busted Goat Simulator yet and I’m so ashamed. Well, not really, but you know what I mean. Here’s a game that’s right up my twisted alley and I haven’t bought it yet nor done much other than post a few videos and yak about what I’ve seen. Hey, blame it on too many games, not enough time and me wanting to do so much stuff that even my mailboxes have given up on hoping I’ll get to reading EVERY message in them. I try, but then I get to reorganizing emails by importance and everything goes to hell in a hand basket like an intentionally broken indie game that everyone wants to play but some don’t quite get too because they already have too much on their plates. Wait, we’re back at the beginning of this story again? I thought it was a RIGHT turn at the last sentence! Darn. Hmmm… let me pull over and take a nap. Back in a bit…

Update: the game is getting a patch next month? Well, it’ll still be funny and busted, but local split-screen multiplayer will be added. That’s cool if you like that sort of thing, by the way…

Metro Redux Announce Trailer: Back In The (MUCH Better Looking, But Still Deadly) USSR…

Posted on May 22, 2014 by geelw

Okay, so the country is no longer called that long-dead name these days, but I had to get in at least one bad joke about this otherwise deadly serious first-person survival game. Calling Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light “shooters” does them little justice, as each is a finely crafted and often jarring gameplay experience that takes patience to play. You can’t run in guns blazing with no or not enough bullets, radiation zones you can’t stay out for too long in and a gas mask that doesn’t have enough of an air supply to walk more than fifty feet. Not to mention some rather strange mutants and not strange but somewhat upset humans that might want you dead for a few reasons. Both games have gotten an amazing makeover for next-gen consoles and PC while retaining the methodical yet compelling gameplay that made them both sleeper hits.

Developer 4A Games and Deep Silver get a huge pat on the back (and a case of the finest Vodka) for bringing these games back so more can play them and this will be the first time 2033 appears on a Sony console, so PS4 owners will see what all the fuss is about. Even better, the games are getting both a physical and digital release. Metro 2033 Redux and Metro: Last Light Redux will each be available separately as a digital download for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC for $24.99 in North America, and a boxed compilation of both games, titled METRO REDUX will be available for $49.99. Now, all I need is a working Geiger counter and to sew some extra pockets on that pair of old cargo pants in the closet so I can carry more slightly dented, irradiated cans of beans. Back with more on this one soon…

Watch_Dogs Launch Trailer: Your Ticket To Chicago Is Almost Ready…

Posted on May 22, 2014 by geelw

May 27 will be a pretty quiet day at some workplaces in a few places thanks to people coming down with crippling cases of Watch_Dogs flu and staying home to get some finger and wrist exercises in to keep healthy. Ubisoft Montreal is certainly doing its part to move next-gen consoles and maybe a new 3D card or two, but I think even on the older consoles the game will be a winner to those players that don’t give a hoot about their games looking about as realistic as it gets. Anyway, we’ll see what’s what next week (or later for Wii U owners still hoping for an actual release date).

Today’s Humble Daily Bundle Is All Mixed Up In A Good Way. The Weekly Bundle? Just BUY IT!

Posted on May 22, 2014 by geelw

Let’s see now, we’ve got goats escaping, a pair of retro RPGs that looks as if it was made in 1990 or so, an offbeat puzzle game with a very weird looking insect and a card battle game that’s quite addictive for almost anyone who picks it up. Yup, that’s what you get today PLUS two game soundtracks when you grab this Humble Daily Bundle. Pay what you want for the two Soulcaster games, six bucks or more gets you Escape Goat 2, but you should bump THAT up thirteen cents for Incredipede, I say. Or just pony up ten bucks or more and get everything and Ironclad Tactics, which should heel you busy for quite a spell.

As for that Humble Weekly Sale this week… Wow! Continue reading →

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II Launch Trailer: Hat’s Off (Again) To The Monster Killer!

Posted on May 22, 2014 by geelw

It’s finally all done and ready for its close up, so if you liked the first part a lot, you’ll want to just drop everything now and go out to buy a ring for Neocore Games’ The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II. The game is bigger and better in a number of key ways (you’ll see) and yes, that addictive chase & chop action is even more intense this time out. Not much else to say other than go get this on Steam NOW and have a blast. You don’t want to keep Lady Katerina waiting you know (as she’s way too good with the insults when she gets ticked off). Oh yeah, the guy with the hat and weapons could use your help, too.