This DOOM Trailer is a Feat of Clay

DOOMSo, yeah. DOOM comes out on May 13th and this 4th game can also be seen as a modern reboot of the seminal FPS franchise as well as a love letter by id Software to itself. While the official game trailer itself is quite NSFW, the very talented Claycat (or Lee Hardcastle) has whipped up a hilariously cartoon gory (and not for the kiddies) claymation version of one of the early trailers that’s a must-watch.

Er… Hey, that’s NOT blood, kids… it’s um, jelly! Take a look:

Yep, awesome, innit? Here’s the yuckier (content-wise) official trailer:

DOOM hits retail and digital on May 13, 2016. As the song says, “go to hell and see how you like it!”

Persona 5’s New Trailer Is A Game-Selling Jaw Dropper


 

Well, now. Or: Holy WOW, Persona 5 cannot come out soon enough. While I still miss the absolutely gorgeous and intentionally strange artwork of the great Kaneko Kazuma, Shigenori Soejima’s absolutely lovely work is a fine enough homage to Kazuma’s style that it makes me happy to see it work so flawlessly. That animation and new game engine flow like buttah, the new game looks like it’s going to play faster and that sexy interface and battle results screens? Yup. SOLD. I’d write more, but I need to go make dinner and then figure out how to escape into the future when this PS3/PS4 exclusive drops and be the first one to grab a copy, play it and NOT tell anyone I did so until it’s time to let loose a full review.

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

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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

April PSN Flash Sale: Your Wallet Just Went On A Crash Diet

PSN Flash Sale April…and is now MUCH lighter. Thanks, Sony!  This new PSN Flash Sale will have your head spinning as the values pile up in your digital shopping cart thanks to so many deals on PS4, PS3, and Vita games plus a bunch of Video content to keep you entertained and your friends wondering how you can afford all that content.  Hey, up to 75% off is nothing to sneeze at. Unless you’re allergic to discounts (of course).

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In case you didn’t get the picture – there are some NICE deals here!

Of course, they probably know all about this sale by now if they’ve read this far and they’re busy clicking away adding stuff to their carts in order to entertain themselves and make YOU jealous.  Such is life, right? Anyway, get to it – there’s a lot of tempting stuff there and you don’t have much time to spare.

Meanwhile, in Japan: EDF 4.1 Keeps On With the Fun Stuff


 

Here’s something you don’t see every day in Japan: an extended game video entirely in English that seems made for western audiences. Then again given the popularity of Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair worldwide, it seems that D3Publisher there is smart enough to have this new video all ready for distribution wherever people are playing their game. Anyway, enjoy this slice of humor, EDF style and go pick this one already if you have a PS4. It’s one of the better (okay, BEST) bang for your buck titles on any console with well over 100 hours of play which can easily double or triple if you get pulled into online play with like-minded EDF troopers.

Get on the Good Wood, Get Your Tech Some TOAST

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TOAST logo greyIt’s hard to believe a mere ten people work at TOAST hand-making beautiful custom environmentally friendly wood cases and covers for everything from phones to tablets, laptops, game consoles and more, all reasonably priced.

The Portland, Oregon-based company uses sustainable wood and in addition to standard cases also does custom work where buyers submit their own artwork for one of the specific cases they manufacture and within 3-5 days (for single item orders) they turn out a lovely tech keeper/keepsake.

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I wouldn’t be surprised if Sony and Microsoft haven’t bugged these folks to turn out a small amount of custom console cases for special occasions, but maybe they have and I’ve yet to hear about it. If not, someone needs to get on the ball over at Corporate and give he TOAST guys and gals a ring-up. It’s too bad the Wii U isn’t represented here, as Nintendo’s soon to be replaced console could use a bit of classy coverage journalists aren’t giving it (ha and ha). Still, if you’re a PS4 or Xbox One owner looking for a way to show off your consoles and want a finish that’s not only going to be unique even if you order the same one for multiple consoles (that’s the power of wood for you, folks!), it’ll make your gaming pals wanting their own freshly made TOAST, well there you go.

Axiom Verge on Vita: Instant Classic Goes Pocket-Sized

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Hey! That’s what we Vita owners are supposed to be saying to YOU, game! Thanks for showing up when you’re most needed, though.

While I’ve only sampled a bit of Thomas Happ’s outstanding and astounding retro action game Axiom Verge last year at Indiecade, it impressed me more than enough to want to play it as soon as it was released. Then I heard it was coming to the Vita and decided to hold my breath and wait because that powerful but plagued by a few issues handheld needs more top-drawer games like this.

VERY blue in the face later (*gasp!*), it may have taken a while to port over (it wasn’t a simple process at all), but it’s out now on PSN for $19.99 (Cross Buy with the PS4 version AND 10% off for a limited time) and it’s a must for Vita users worldwide. Got get it and prepare for a total blast. From what I played on the PS4 last year, the game is a fantastic mix of retro game challenge and messes with your head as it allows you to use intentional glitches as means to further your progress.

If you don’t have a Vita or PS4, fear not. PC owners can buy the game directly from the Axiom Verge site, on Steam or through the Humble Store. The game is also headed to Xbox One and Wii U at some point this year, so you kind of have no excuse NOT to play this one. Well, unless you hate great games and supporting indie developers, of course.

The Only April Fool’s Day Joke That Made Me Laugh Today


 

Thank you, CD Projekt RED for *magically* getting water to shoot out my nose earlier today. It’s a definite April Fool’s gag, but I’d more than gladly pay that five bucks for talking horse DLC just for the chance to have an option to have Roach talk in a Mr. Ed voice. Okay, back to work here – I’m up to my wet nostril hairs in stuff to do.

Daydreamer: Awakened Edition – Atlus Gets The Truly Trippy Platformer to PS4, Xbox One


 

Thanks to so darn many indie games dropping from the sky these days (it’s a digital monsoon at times!), I’d never even heard of the one man show called Roland Studios or its wild PC game Daydreamer until I got word that Atlus was handling the PS4 (May 31, 2016) and Xbox One (June 3, 2016) publishing in North America. Updated with enhanced features and now called Daydreamer: Awakened Edition, all you need to do is ogle that mind-bending weirdness above and you know you’re in for a trip and a half.

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If you like reading a bit more and that laser-eyed bunny above hasn’t freaked you out too much, here’s what to expect in the updated console version:

Daydreamer: Awakened Edition features:

• Twitchy Retro Gameplay – Those who live for intense side-scrolling, platforming, and shooting action will feel right at home, because players will shoot, whip, shield, jump, and warp their way to the Earth’s core. The design choices in the game harken back to gaming’s arcade classics!

• A Varied Combat System – With a dearth of different weapons and abilities at the daydreamer’s disposal, she will eradicate aliens with energy, homing, ray, helix, and flamethrower blasters, and melee mutants with her whips. She also has the abilities to shield against damage, warp to hard-to-reach areas, slow down time, and more. But they don’t come cheap—players must hunt for Psymatter in order to buy the weapons and items that will aid her along her hazardous journey.

• Powerful Pets – Psymatter also can be used to purchase/sustain a loyal pet companion to stay by your side to the death (or until you run out of Psymatter). From fuzzy turtles to vicious weasels, pets will offer invaluable support in varied forms to the daydreamer.

• Frightening Bosses – If normal aliens, mutants, robots, and bugs aren’t bad enough, the bosses of Daydreamer: Awakened Edition are truly terrifying to behold. The disturbing Mr. Smiles, the repulsive Grimeboy, and ferocious, but still kind of cute, Rabies Rabbit are just some of the creepy boss monsters brought to life in the game.

• Numerous Improvements – Since this is the Awakened Edition, that means there are a multitude of improvements and additions to the original release. Besides gameplay tweaks and balancing, there are now more difficulties, enhanced controls, improved combat, a ranked mode/leaderboard for the competitive, world map function, a brand new ending, and much more.

 

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That sounds like a plan to me, folks. The strangeness will commence on those two newer platforms on the dates noted above. Hopefully the PC version will get the same updates as I know some gamers who only do their thing on PC will want what everyone else is having.

Huge PSN Flash Sale: Your Wallet Gets “Magically” Lighter Thanks To TOO Many Deals

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Ay Carumba! If you have a PSN account, a PS3, PS4, Vita and/or PSP and some money to burn or you just like some excellent deals on a handful of titles, get ready for so many deals that you’d think you were dreaming. This newest PSN Flash Sale has games for all the aforementioned consoles plus movies if you have the time to watch those once you blow your paycheck on a ton of discount game downloads. Anyway, check out the list on the PSN site or go ogle the post on the PlayStation Blog if you just want to read that long list and see what you’re missing out on.