Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Random Screenshot of the Day: Abstract Reflections…

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As you’ve probably guessed by now, Saturday night in Greenvale is usually fairly quiet and uneventful, but as the small town now has people packing the A&G Diner and Swery 65 Bar, FBI Special Agent Francis York Morgan (just call him York!) can get down to business and finish up his Red Seeds Killer case file. He’s made plenty of progress, mind you… but I’m not yet at liberty to discuss an open case such as this because it’ll affect any future prosecutions.

Of course, if this were the real world, you’d see all sorts of idiot network reporters and crews flying in from all over the country to camp out and follow York all over the place looking for a scoop at the cost of him potentially losing track of the killer. Or worse, some dopey news reader would get his or her dumb ass caught and killed by the axe-wielding menace or one of the creepy shadows that lurk in and around the small town. Hmmm… that sounds like a game idea, but I’d bet it’s already been done… I’ll need to look that up one of these days… but now now, I’ve got a detective to track down myself…

DPDC PS3 US EFS 2D RealWhile I’m poking around the woods trying to stay out of trouble, YOU can be safely indoors and playing Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut, coming exclusively to the PlayStation 3 on April 30, 2013 from Rising Star Games. Featuring updated HD visuals, PlayStation Move and stereoscopic 3D TV support and more, you can hop into the suit and shoes of York and help him as he tries to put and end to that Red Seeds Killer and his evil ways once and for all.  This won’t be a “short hop and 44 minutes later you’re done” episode of your favorite crime show, folks, as the game cuts deep on a few levels, is weird as hell and keeps you glued to the couch (or halfway under it) with its takes on horror and offbeat humor.

Game Director Swery 65 is taking a day off celebrating and is back under his sheriff’s hat today after George Woodman went missing earlier. It turns out I was DEAD wrong yesterday about accusing him of being the Red Seeds Killer, so we had a nice little conversation over some adult beverages (drunk mode ON) and went our separate ways at the end of the night. There’s still no news of Emily Wyatt and I’ve not yet run across York today at all other than seeing him drive by really quickly a few hours earlier. I think I know where he’s headed, so I’m on the way to see what’s up and maybe ask him if he’s seen Emily or George lately. I could live without Woodman’s mug stuck in my head, but I’d at least like to see Emily and say goodbye before I leave in a few days…

BEYOND: Two Souls “Breathe Me” Trailer: Turning Pages As The Story Unfolds…

Qunatic Dream’s upcoming (and what looks like final) PS3 game is going to set a few new heights in storytelling and visuals as well as become a big hit amongst those who’ve bought into the developer’s artistic vision, that’s for sure. Of course, those on the fence or not even planning to go near this one because of their own biases are going to miss out big time, and that’s too bad. The gaming scene needs its big blockbusters for sure, but it also needs games like BEYOND: Two Souls that raise a bar or three while showing off how time and money are often better spent on delivering stories and characters that aren’t one or less note cyphers in the same old game worlds. Granted, trying to get SOME people to think all developers just don’t make sequels to their last games is difficult enough, but I keep trying…

GRID 2 Gameplay: Algarve and Brands Hatch Laps To Lap Up…

Just about a month to go, so Codemasters is getting these GRID 2 gameplay trailers out like clockwork. Of course, the curse of the Internet Troll is still hitting the developer, as rants from the “no dash cam, no buy” crowd are still popping up (like clockwork as well). Well, I like the game as is, and I don’t thing threats of not making a purchase, begging for a patch (which would take a while if you add in the number of cars and other changes to the engine) or other complaining will fly right on over the dev team’s heads until they decide to re-implement the viewpoint into a different racer. As I’ve played bits of the solo and multiplayer modes, I can safely report that you really won’t miss the viewpoint (much) because the speed and handling are still there. But, whatever to those who still are screaming to the heavens. Tantrums like these keep me off message board sites and wondering if anyone bitching so loudly about ANY game they don’t plan on playing actually has a hobby outside of being a human soapbox…

Random Indie Game of the Whatever* Review: Pushcat

*Yeah, yeah, it’s been a WHILE since I reviewed an indie game here on DAF, but that’s because I’ve been downloading SO many of them and am slowly but surely going through what I can when I can. It’s YOUR fault, developers for churning out so darn many cool games. It’s a hell of a challenge, kids. Anyway, more indie reviews to come on a hopefully semi-regular basis…Onward!

screenshot__0003_title Damn you, Pushcat! There goes an hour wasted playing you (again). Granted, I did go in thinking I’d get a timed “grab the gems, get out of Dodge” game like my beloved Crystal Mines, but Pushcat’s a lazy bastard and that makes for a much better game that will burn up a few brain cells as it gets more challenging. There’s NO timer ticking down and forcing you to make mistakes and by the time the game’s handful of enemies and explosive surprises appear, you’ll have built up a healthy enough stock of lives that make the going not frustrating at all. The game’s combination of Boulder Dash, Crystal Mines and Match-3 gameplay makes it instantly addictive to puzzle fans, the retro visuals are sharp and cute, and the game has an amazing, catchy soundtrack made up of a bunch of ragtime and other ancient classics that has to be heard to be believed… Continue reading

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Random Screenshot of the Day: “This Ain’t No Disco…”

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It’s another Friday night in Greenvale and while the town is practically overrun with tourists checking out every nook and cranny and getting underfoot during FBI Special Agent Francis York Morgan’s (just call him York!) investigation of the Red Seeds Killer, making his work a wee bit more complicated, York is taking it all in stride by taking a little time off this urgent case. He’s been disappearing a few more times a day than he usually does, but I’m not about to follow him around to find out where he’s going and what he’s up to. I did get curious at first and thought about poking around the Sheriff’s office to see if Emily Wyatt was around so I could ask her if she had a clue as to what’s going on, but I haven’t seen her in a few days. Hmmm… I guess she’s on vacation for a bit. Oh well, I’ll guess I can speak to her when she gets back from wherever she went off to. Come to think of it, I think I don’t need to speak to her at all because I recall overhearing York at the A&G this morning talking about drinking some coffee and going to another place. Aha! the next town over isn’t too far a drive… I just need to find someone to take me over that way…

DPDC PS3 US EFS 2D RealHmmm.. where does than man disappear to? Of course, while I’m on MY trip looking for York, YOU might find out where he’s at before I do when you play Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut, exclusively for the PlayStation 3 from Rising Star Games. Featuring updated HD visuals, PlayStation Move and 3D TV support, over 100 improvements from the original release and more, this is one weird and wild trip you’ll want to bring a friend or three along on for the ride.Or to hold your hand when things get REALLY creepy. Granted, you may not all return if you’re unlucky enough to stumble across that killer York is looking for, but I guess if you have to go, it may as well be while playing a video game, right?

swery blueInnnnterestingly enough, I just so happened to pop by the Swery 65 Bar for a quick beer and who do I run into, STILL in celebratory mode, but owner and Game Director Swery 65. He’s still drinking away merrily and having a blast, but I hope he’s got Drunk Mode OFF, as that tall tube of Blue Curaçao he’s imbibing makes it look as if he’s drinking some Jekyll & Hyde concoction that could turn him sinister in a few seconds. Hey, wait… I think I may have discovered the identity of that Red Seeds Killer! Damn, and York is nowhere to be found when I actually need to ask him something important! Hmmm… I better pretend to not notice, as now Swery is giving me the eye and waving me over to join him… *Ulp!* 

Capcom Arcade Cabinet 1984 Pack: The Hits Just Keep On Coming…

Three more classics are now here for your downloading and playing pleasure. I definitely remember 1942 in the arcades and I think I recall playing SonSon down at an arcade back in the day. Pirate Ship Higemaru will be new to me, but I hear it’s pretty damn challenging right from the get-go. For me, it’s actually been a bit amusing listening to the folks who HAVEN’T played these yet saying they can get the same games for free on the internet and so forth and so on. Well, yes… you can grab a ROM from all over the place, but the higher resolution visuals, bonuses and most importantly, fact that supporting a game company that still owns the damn IP is a lot more of a nice thing to do to show your support means you’re not such a dick at the end of the day.

I’m just sayin’… people who spend money help gaming at the end of the day more than those who don’t…

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing Katarina Trailer: A Little Ghost Recon For You…

That’s LADY Katarina, to you, mister. Yeah, you can take your jiggered jump scares “reality” TV ghost shows and stick them in the circular fish tank where they belong. Me, I’ll be running around in some mighty pretty (and pretty deadly) environments with a ghost that’s actually useful against other supernatural creatures. Katrina might be fake, but at least she doesn’t give a crap and knows you’re going to like her for her skills and not just her good looks. NeoCore Games must have read my mind, as The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing has got “sleeper hit” stamped all over it, but “Mega Hit” is glowing away in BIG neon letters for fans of these action RPGs like me. Keep it coming guys. Did you know you can pre-order this one and get a beta key on Steam? NO? Well, hell – I’m not doing my job right then… (takes out Hypno-Coin)… Go do that pre-order thing NOW.

And you’re welcome…

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Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Random Screenshot of the Day: Watch the Clock!

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There’s been a great deal of excitement in Greenvale this week, as it’s gone out on the grapevine that there’s going to be a LOT of new visitors starting next week. Actually, some people are there already from what I’ve been seeing around town, which is both good and bad. The good is business is absolutely BOOMING at both the A&G Diner and Swery 65 Bar, the tips are generous and there are lots of new friends being made all over town. The not so good? Well, try and get a good cup of coffee or a beer in a timely manner at either place and yep, it’s suddenly a pain seeing all those new faces. FBI Special Agent Francis York Morgan (just call him York!) isn’t happy with all these new people getting in his way while he’s trying to wrap up his Red Seeds Killer case file, but he’s about to get a little more unhappy as this overly thrilled employee of the Greenvale police force runs into him and knocks him down, as he’s just heard that there’s now a game shop in the town and there’s this new title he’s been hearing about that he’s just DYING to play…

DPDC PS3 US EFS 2D RealAnd of course, that game just so happens to be Rising Star Games’ Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut, exclusively for the PlayStation 3. Those updated HD visuals, PlayStation Move and 3D TV support, new DLC, Trophies and more are all getting a few citizens of Greenvale quite hot and bothered. Of course, that means more PS3 sales and less people out and about once they get their hot little hands on the game, so perhaps York is going to get some relief after all. Well, once he gets up off the carpet and has the footprints cleaned from his suit, that is… ouch.

swery tall beerDid you know that Game Director Swery 65 is STILL celebrating the game’s release? I asked him about this after his sixth one and was told that he’s simply taking care of all his partying at one time because of the different release dates in a few territories. He said he plans to stop and rest for a bit once the North American version comes out, but I just realized he really doesn’t need to. Why? Well, dear reader… In Greenvale, the beer can’t get you drunk at all (it’s digitally created!), so you can drink as much as you want and never feel a thing. Of course, if you play around on the options screen, you can reverse that effect and pretty much pickle your liver in about three sips… but who the hell wants to do that? Enjoy responsibly, people!

Dead Island Riptide Launch Trailer: A “Staycation” Was A Much Better Idea…

Yeesh. I’ve heard of vacations from hell, but this is REALLY ridiculous. Granted, the original Dead Island had that whole “island paradise gone to zombie hell” vibe going for it from that first CG trailer everyone fell over backwards over that wasn’t quite what the game was about, but this one looks like it’s got more of a story. And more crazy undead to put down before they eat your skin. Did I mention this game isn’t for kids or those who faint at the word BLOOD or sight of it (even if it’s fake)? Well, it is. So there. Oh, wait…. you fainted dead away, so now I’m typing this to no one. Rats. Well, as long as you didn’t crack your head open when you fell from that chair (and don’t come after me as a zombie), it’s all good…

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Random Screenshot of the Day: Art Appreciation (3)…

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New visitors to otherwise sleepy Greenvale who eventually get around the town proper will soon realize that it isn’t as fancy as New York, Paris, Tokyo or some other big city packed with all sorts of fancy art galleries and museums. However, if you look around you can find art in the strangest of places. This particularly controversial piece is “Untitled” and I didn’t get the artist’s name at all (as it was scrawled in blood colored paint), but it’s a truly striking work that’s bound to raise a few hackles amongst certain viewers who see it as exploitative. I think it represents the monotonous daily grind of preparing for work each day by starting off with a hot shower or something. But I really don’t know much about art… I just know what I like.

On the other hand, the best artworks generate debate as to their meanings and just outside the location this piece was exhibited at, there are a few people having an animated discussion about the work. I didn’t want to get too close to them, as it’s rude to be so nosy, but I think they were actually convinced the sculpture inside was REAL and one of them even put in a call to that FBI Special Agent I’ve seen popping up around town over the last couple of days. Hah! just wait until he shows up here expecting to find a dead body and finds out it’s just a VERY lifelike mannequin in that working shower. Boy, I’d like to find out who made this – I’d even shake his (or her?) hand for doing something SO dramatic with the simplest of materials.

DP_Preorder Speaking or artsy things… even though the release date is less than a week away, did you know you can still pre-order a copy of Rising Star Games’ PlayStation 3 exclusive Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut before it hits stores on April 30? There’s even MORE art on display here in those updated HD visuals, PlayStation Move and 3D TV support, over 100 improvements over the original version, new DLC and more. I’d bet that playing this game will make you appreciate a few kinds of artwork you’d never have thought about until you picked up a copy of this one…

swery cigar_cognacOf course, if you’re a really highbrow kinda guy like Game Director Swery 65, you know all about art and appreciating it for what it is. Hey, you don’t get to smoke huge cigars and sip fine cognac because you happen to have them lying around in the house like a can of beans, y’know. Sit down with the man for a smoke and snifter and he’ll probably regale you with tales of the good olde days of making art and how he’s turned into one of the more recognizable names in his field in such a relatively brief time. That, or he’ll just ask if you’ve played his new game and what your favorite part was. I’d say you better have a darn good answer, as those big cigars and cognac aren’t cheap. I’m betting that’s a good Croizet in that glass…