Pathologic: GOG.com Gets A(nother) Unique Indie Horror Game…

With a name like Ice-Pick Lodge for the development team behind this Russian PC game from 2005, Pathologic was guaranteed at least some notoriety from gamers who pay attention to such things. However, this horror-themed adventure/RPG hybrid seems to have been forgotten over the years until the folks at gog.com dug it up, got it working and available as the latest game in their growing library. The surreal visual style is a bit dated (I like it a lot), so the graphics whores will get all pissy that it doesn’t look as if were made last week. Nevertheless, the game still has that odd overall charm familiar to games such as Deadly Premonition, D2, Silent Hill and a bit of Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earth (among other quirky horror games). Anyway, three playable characters, an intriguing game world and story, plenty of unsettling imagery and yep, death comes a-calling looking quite strange here. Even better – this one’s only $9.99, so definitely check it out if you’re in the mood for something weird and wild…

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Random Screenshot of the Day: More Road Rules…

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Paying attention to the road while driving may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised just how easily distracted most people get when behind the wheel. Case in point, this particular road trip in that not so fancy but fast Sheriff’s car, currently driven by one Francis York Morgan. Given that he’s got two passengers with him, he should be concentrating on the road and doing his best to drive safely. However, just LOOK at that speedometer! 73 MPH is not exactly following the Greenvale speed limit, it’s not an emergency (this time), and lack of traffic or not, he should keep an eye out for pedestrians. I’d say something about that “Talk” button onscreen, but I guess it’s OK, as talking while driving is something everyone seems to do. Granted, York will probably Talk to “himself” rather than his passengers (which is distracting enough), so perhaps he’s not too bad behind the wheel after all?

DPDC PS3 US EFS 2D RealOf course, you’ll get to find this out for yourself and more on April 30, 2013 when Rising Star Games’ Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut hits retail exclusively for the PlayStation 3. Featuring updated visuals, improved controls, all-new content PlayStation Move and 3D TV support and more, this is one of those games guaranteed to get you out driving safely to your favorite game shop and back home even if you’re a block away. Hey, practice makes perfect, right? And if you don’t drive, no worries – that walk will do you good, as you’ll probably be getting a wee bit less exercise once you pick up the game and start playing. Your heart will be racing quite a lot, though…

suda 51_swery 65Another reason you should buy this game is you’ll be keeping Game Director Swery65 a busy man. Getting him back in the office in Japan making more games is a good thing, as if he’s not making games, he’s getting into mischief with people like this other creatively named game-creating reprobate (and all-around nice guy if you get to meet him in person), Suda 51 (both seen here in a local drinking establishment somewhere on Planet Earth. So, yeah – you know what to do, right. Buy at LEAST two copies of this game so Swery gets back to making another one. Or at least thinks about a Vita version, as there’s nothing like being able to be scared out of one’s wits while on the road (er, except when one is behind the wheel – that’s NEVER a good thing)…

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Random Screenshot of the Day: Sleeping on the Job…

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In general, people in the U.S. just don’t get enough sleep. Whether it’s due to overwork, too much TV/computer time or doing too many things at night other than sleeping, it’s a national epidemic that can be the root cause of a few bigger problems. As you can see above, York stepping in to Greenvale’s police station SHOULD have that guy at the desk alert and facing the opposite direction. But he didn’t get enough sleep last night and doesn’t drink that strong coffee the A&G Diner sells at all so he’s a bit lax in his attitude. Before you ask, they don’t sell that multi-hour energy drink crap in town because it’s been banned (it makes hooded killers do their job a wee bit too efficiently, I’ve heard). Anyway, if York were a hooded killer, this poor sap would be on the floor with his face missing within a few seconds. But he’s only a detective on the prowl, so Officer Sleepy here will just get a damn good scare (and maybe wet his pants a little) and maybe a stern talking to he won’t soon forget.

DP_PreorderOf course, you’ll probably be joining him soon enough if you’ve pre-ordered or plan to pick up Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut, coming exclusively to the PlayStation 3 on April 30, 2013. Those updated HD visuals, quirky humor, PlayStation Move and 3D TV support, new content, Trophies and more will keep you up so late (and yes, half-scared out of your wits) that you’ll need to call in dead to work the next day. Or show up and pay the consequences. Just don’t be that one guy who doesn’t get enough rest and pops in to work at the VERY moment that heavy bottle of water in the water cooler needs changing. You ever drop one of those things on your foot in front of that cute secretary you’ve been secretly ogling? It’s not a good thing when that happens, folks.

swery65_igramI haven’t had the chance to ask him yet, but I’d bet a whole dollar that Game Director Swery65 (arriving a bit tired-looking at GDC 2013) has NEVER had an embarrassing incident like this happen to him. Of course, he’s seemingly always on a plane headed somewhere or working on something you’ll probably want to be playing at some point in the future, but I’ll have to remember not to forget to ask him about this one of these days…

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

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It’s good to get out and get some fresh air in sunny Greenvale, but probably not in the very good (and reasonably priced) suit like York here is wearing in today’s screenshot. Granted, the man has his own style and a certain rugged flair that comes from being kind of crazy, but one has to hope he’s got a very good deodorant protecting him under those clothes. Anyway, there are many places to run to in and around the town, but you kind of need to pay attention to the clock you see in that picture. Why? Well, there’s nothing worse than missing the opportunity to pick up a clue, run into someone needing a bit of assistance only you can provide or even better, making headway in solving a particularly nasty set of murders because Greenvale actually needs as many people in town as possible who are kind of alive. I hear that tourists don’t visit a small town just to stumble across mutilated corpses… unless they actually LIKE stuff like that.

Anyway, enjoy that run and don’t forget to hydrate!

DPDC PS3 US EFS 2D RealSpeaking of running, if you don’t pre-order a copy of Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut for the PS3 (set to arrive in stores on April 30, 2013), you may find yourself emulating York and running to that game emporium only to find that they’ve completely run out of copies. Which in turn forces you to pull more York-like running all over YOUR town looking for the game. Of course, what with you not running all winter and storing up all that extra fat, you’ll be out of shape and pull a hammy while you’re huffing and puffing it around.

Swery65_dSo, before you do anything else (well, as you’re reading this post, actually) ask yourself (or the snarky voice in your head): do you REALLY want to miss out on those updated HD visuals, quirky humor, plenty of gore, PlayStation Move and 3D TV support, new content, Trophies and more?  Besides, you can even carry your copy around with you everywhere, as you may one fine day run into Swery65, who just might sign it for you and really make your day. Well, it COULD happen if you’re REALLY lucky… you never know, right?

Humor: So, iNetvideo.com Is Having A Sale…

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NotL_long posterBut you could really care less about what iNetvideo.com is selling because you’re looking at the picture above they posted earlier this afternoon on their Facebook page and thinking something along the lines of “MAN, THAT’S A BIG FU@#ING BUNNY!” So let me get you back on track here. Yeah, that’s pretty damn massive lagomorph. Like Night of the Lepus massive. Which just so happens to be on sale at the site as we speak. Wait, now you’re hungry? Oh, you’ve seen that picture above, aren’t vegan at all and ran so fast into the kitchen to measure that turkey pan that you ran over one or more kids and the family pet in the process? Oh, they’ll heal up nicely – just let them cry it out. Besides, that smelly old bottle of Bactine is still in the medicine cabinet behind the big pills you take every morning. “It still stings, so it still works!”, as Grandma says.Or USED to say before she went off the The Big Sky all those years back. Ah, Grandma (*sniff*)…

 

 

Later on, the kids and pet are all snoozy and healed up, things are quiet and you’re absolutely stuffed full of rabbit photo. All is right in the world… until you realize that it’s NOT Bactine at all you sprayed everyone with, but some of Gammy Gam-Gam’s SPECIAL medicine she made in the bathtub from some old potatoes and onions, eleven garlic bulbs, a can of Sterno and some grain alcohol she gets from the guys down the hall. Yeah, the ones who wear overalls and long johns all summer. Er, a little of that goes a long way and yeah, you’ll end up calling a mere sip The Time Machine because you always wake up afterwards and it’s another day that’s passed you’ve forgotten all about. Horror Express, indeed…

rain Gameplay: Oh, The Weather Outside Is Frightful…

 

Here’s a look at SCE Japan Studio’s rather interesting adventure/puzzle/horror game, rain in action on the PS3. This one’s coming soon as a PSN download (but for some reason won’t be on the Vita, grrrr!). Sony is really doing a nice solid for indies on the PS3, but it would be nicer if we could get these compiled onto a disc much like that Journey: Collector’s Edition from last year. I’m betting a dollar that there are an awful lot of PS3 owners that either don’t know about these games or (eek) don’t care because SCEA isn’t bothering to ask them if they’d buy them if they put about 4 – 6 of these (relatively) short games onto a Blu-Ray, priced them reasonably, stuck a few extra demos on for good measure and saw what happened at retail. Hey, not every PS system owner has access to broadband, Sony. Work on getting those gamers some of these great-looking games and perhaps you’ll see even more love from your large user base in the future…

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

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So, it’s Monday in Greenvale and here’s Emily Wyatt, still waiting patiently from last week. Uh oh. She doesn’t look very happy at all for a few important reasons. One: you’re late. Never keep a lady waiting, PERIOD. Especially on a Monday. Two: you forgot to being her a hot cup of coffee after keeping her waiting. I mean, you came from the A&G Diner, right? ALWAYS buy a lady you’ve kept waiting a hot cup of coffee. Three, her hand still hurts from that punch she threw at you on Saturday night. YOU may have forgotten all about that incident, but she didn’t. And even if she did, her hand would still hurt. Anyway, your moral for today is the following. Never keep a lady waiting, always buy her a hot cup off coffee if you do keep her waiting and ABSOLUTELY do not mention what happened on the weekend at any point. Unless she brings it up, whereupon you’re to shift nervously in your seat and mumble an apology (which should probably e a sincere one).  Emily might not be in the best of moods today, but she’s a good kid and can forgive one or two mistakes like that.

DP_PreorderJust don’t let it happen again. In fact, you can probably be a bit more proactive in the future if you simply pre-order and play Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut, exclusively for the PS3 and landing in stores on April 30, 2013. Groove on the improved visuals, PlayStation Move and 3D TV support, new content, Trophies and more and if you play your cards right, you’ll be able to have a better Monday at some point down the road. You may even get a nod, a smile and a sunny “Hi!” from Emily, but remember, that doesn’t mean she’s anything but a professional.

IMG_2148If you’re still desperate, Dr. Swery’s radio advice show may still be on the air. Hmmmm. If I recall correctly, it used to run from midnight to 7AM daily on that radio station you get in the hotel better than anywhere else in Greenvale, but I haven’t heard a thing since those strange killings started. I hope he’s alright, as that was a really good program. Hmmm… now that you mention it, there’s been a few other odd things going on since he’s been gone. I sure hope he’s OK. Maybe I should call up a detective or something? Oh, wait – there’s one in town, I hear. Now where the hell was he? Probably working a big case or something…

(to be continued…)

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Random Screenshot of the Day: “Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!”

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“Hey, Not so loud!”, you sputter out
It’s been a long, long night.
You spent a good part drinking too much
(I think there was a fight.)

That Swery65 Bar, it’s quite the raucous place
Where too much booze and cheek pinching
got you punched in the face.

It was quite the sight to see you rise
when some blow sent you flying
You sailed into the ladies room
and thought that you were dying!

From what I heard after you left
it was the first time ever
They had toss a tourist out (using that hidden lever!)

So up you rise, your head throbbing
But hey, man – you’re alive
I’d say a decent hot breakfast
is the best way to survive

So put a pair of fresh pants on
(well, after a nice shower)
And tilt yourself on down the street
where you can regain some power.

The A&G Diner is the place you want to be
The food’s good and cheap, the wait staff’s great
And they make damn good coffee!

DPDC PS3 US EFS 2D RealWell, OK… your first weekend in Greenvale wasn’t a total bust (other than the fat lip you now temporarily own), as now the locals know who you are and know you can sort of hold your liquor (to a point). Still, watch it after that fifth drink, buddy. The ladies don’t like you sizing them up, especially with a killer on the loose and you the new guy in town (suspicious and grabby? Yeah, that’s a good way to get KO’ed). Anyway, after breakfast (don’t forget to tip your waitress!), you may want to relax the rest of the day. You know, keep a low profile and all?

SWERY65_tinyMy suggestion: Get a copy of Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut, coming April 30, 2013 exclusively to the PlayStation 3. Even if you’ve never played the Xbox 360 version, the improved visuals, PlayStation Move and 3D TV support, new content, Trophies and more will have you staying indoors for long enough that the residents will forget all about your transgressions (well, until NEXT weekend when you’re back at that bar). Remember, not only is Sheriff Swery watching your every move, he actually EXPECTS you to behave while you’re in his town. Yeah, he owns the bar too, and the diner and everything else, but he likes that cowboy hat the best, I hear…

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Random Screenshot of the Day: Saturday Night, Greenvale…

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It’s Saturday in sleepy Greenvale, so what are your plans for the evening? If you’re a drinking man or lady, you know where to point your boots, of course. Just tip your cap and tap, tap, tap to the stylish but rustic Swery65 Bar where the drinks are cheap, the company’s fine and if it’s not too late when you leave, you may even catch a dead body along the way home. Eeek. Hmmm… OK, that last thing might be a deal breaker for some of you, but that’s what happens when there’s a killer on the loose and a certain detective with a few loose screws hasn’t yet gotten around to solving this particularly nasty case just yet.

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Swery65_dYou can help Detective Francis York Morgan out AND keep Greenvale’s much-needed tourist dollars coming in, you know… just to make sure your trip to that cool old bar isn’t your last. How, you ask? Well, dear reader, just make sure to pick up a copy of Rising Star Games’ Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut for the PlayStation 3, of course!  The game has been reworked considerably from the original Xbox 360 cult hit with improved visuals, PlayStation Move and 3D TV support, new content, Trophies and more, but you’ll probably go and grab it anyway because the game hooks you in and keeps you playing for longer than you’d expect. Of course, I’m betting you’ll spend a chunk of that time playing under the couch, as the game can be scary as hell when it isn’t making you laugh.

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Random Screenshot of the Day: Welcome Wagons

Surprise! You get a free (and not so random at all, as Rising Star Games just posted this on YouTube) video today. Welcome to Greenvale! You also get to meet Emily Wyatt (well the back of Emily Wyatt, as she’s a bit preoccupied at the moment) and the car our hero Francis York Morgan (call him York – everybody else does) gets to drive around in for a bit in the game. Yes, that’s George Woodman in the distance, but he’s gotten enough coverage in two previous posts. Don’t worry, we’ll get back to him in a bit…

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Anyway, Emily is actually quite nice to look at, but don’t get fresh, buddy. She’s a good cop and knows how to use that training she’s gotten on you potential mashers. Get on her good side, on the other hand and maybe she’ll hold the door open for you at the A&G Diner (or if you’re REALLY lucky, the Swery 65 Bar)…

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOf course, the BEST way to get her attention and spend some quality time together (sort of) is to BUY and play Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut, coming your way April 30, 2013. The PS3 update to the polarizing and awesome super sleeper hit Xbox 360 game has updated visuals, improved controls PlayStation Move support, is 3D TV ready and much more. Game director and pensive thinker SWERY 65 thinks you should buy this game right away. Or he’s posing for the cover of his latest CD in that picture on the right. I can’t tell (but I think that the way he prefers it)…