Up late talking games & writing? You're...

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Gifts: I’m going to start things off a little differently tonight with some physical merchandise talk instead of games.  'Tis the season for gift-giving, so maybe a few of you out there will be in a market for stuff of this sort

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By the way, the manufacturers of the items below sent me the merchandise free of charge for evaluation purposes, so I got to try these things out at no cost.  It doesn’t change my opinion of them, but I’m putting that out there in the spirit of full disclosure.  Take it as you will.

First up, a pair of “Turnover” sunglasses by Converse.  

I’ve dropped them a few times, but they show no signs of scratching or damage.  I also let the wife borrow them (she’s a more frequent shades-wearer than I am) and she’s been totally happy.  Not sure what else to say except that they retail for about $35 and that they're available right here.  Thumbs up.

Next, an actual ocarina.

Now, I've got zero musical talent but I have played almost all of the Zelda games, so I guess that counts as some kind of experience.  When I got the offer to review this thing, how can I possibly say no?

Once it arrived and got unpacked, I discovered that it was ceramic, with a very nice finish.  It’s smooth, heavy, and feels well-made.  That said, I’ve been completely paranoid about dropping it, because I’m afraid that it'll end up looking like a cracked coffee mug after one fall too many.  Thankfully, it comes with a glossy cord that can be wrapped around a neck or wrist for safekeeping. 

So how does it play?  Given that I’ve got no skill at this sort of thing, I was able to follow the included instructions (an obtuse musical manual and an accompanying DVD) and started playing some tunes on the first day.  It was pretty rough for sure, but that was more my fault than the instrument's.  With a little bit of practice, I’d be well-equipped to hit the next renaissance faire and feel good about it.

The model shown is going for $60, and they’ve got a number of other styles at different price points right here.

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Games: all right, that’s enough merchandise shilling for one night…  Let’s talk about games.

So, PS4. Honestly, I haven’t turned it on since the first day.  

The launch games haven't really grabbed my attention and I’ve got a ton of stuff in the backlog, so once I fooled around with it for a bit, I turned it off and it’s been sitting idle ever since.  I don’t regret the purchase because I’m sure I'll have something to play on it sooner rather than later, but to nothing big to report there.

So if not anything on the PS4, what have I been spending time with?

On the Vita, I’ve been playing Tearaway for review and it is fan-effing-tastic.  I’m no fan of Media Molecule and I was quite skeptical about this one beforehand because let’s face it…  Little Big Planet pretty much sucks.  However, once I got my hands on Tearaway, but I was a quick convert.

It’s a really bizarre, interesting project that has the player (you) in the real world interacting with the character in the game as if you were a god from another dimension.  When the game character needs help, you can “poke” your fingers into the world by touching the rear pad, or you can manipulate moving platforms and such with the main touchscreen. 

There are a million other ways to affect the game, like tilting the Vita, talking into the microphone, and so on. It's incredibly fun, fresh and unique. Love it.

Also, as the name suggests, the world and all its characters are made out of paper, so everything folds, pops, and rips the way they might if they were physically constructed in the real world – and as an added bonus, the devs included downloadable instructions to actually make your own characters and objects from the game – here’s mine above.

Apart from that, I finally completed The Last Of Us, and man, I’m glad I was able to get past the progress-halting bug that hit me earlier. Although I’ve never been an Uncharted fan and I wasn’t expecting much from this one, it turned out to be one of the best things I’ve played all year.

To begin with, the writing is outstanding.  The characters (all of them) are so incredibly well-written, and the game knows when to say something and when to show it.  The bits of dialogue that occur feel natural and not forced, and it’s quite easy to identify with, or at least to understand what these characters are feeling and where they’re coming from.

On the other hand, the combat seems to have escaped identification for some people. I’ve been listening to a lot of older podcasts now that I’m not afraid of spoilers anymore, and a common theme is that many expected full-on stealth play and were disappointed and/or frustrated when they didn’t get it.

I guess I’m not quite sure why people expected standard stealth, really.  Naughty Dog has never made a stealth game, and their historical focus has been on cinematic action.  

Going further, although the trailers show the characters hiding behind couches or around corners, I’ve never seen anything to suggest that the game should be received as a pure stealth title.  If anything, I see it as a hybrid – kind of a “hide until you can’t hide anymore, and then fight your way out” sort of crossbreed.

 

One particular podcast I listen to (Sorry, not going to name names here…  not trying to start an internet war) expressed displeasure that there was a certain level of randomness to the enemy AI, and that there weren’t clear visual indicators (like red arrows, etc.) when the player's characters were spotted.  So... it's slightly less gamey and artificial?

They also said that the “super listening” wasn’t a good feature since it wasn’t specific enough, and did not give definitive information to illustrate enemy states.  I respect the person who was saying this, but I think they were pretty far off the mark. From my perspective, the game only supports stealth in small bursts, and it should be expected that combat is likely to occur at any point if the player get spotted, or if the player reaches a certain choke point where enemies are stationed. 

This brings me to another point, actually…  On a different podcast, I heard someone complaining that they weren’t able to “ghost” their way through the entire game.  Again, I’m not sure why that’s even a problem, since I never got the sense that this game was meant to be a no-kill, no-conflict experience.  If anything, that person should have realized that the characters are a man and a girl, and neither one are professional operatives or ninjas. As such, it seems unrealistic to think that they would be able to sneak halfway across the country without being spotted or without getting into a fight.

Despite being a game, I think TLOU takes a fairly realistic tone at times, and it’s just a fact of life that certain things are out of a person’s control.  It’s not a “unfair” that there may be certain enemies stationed near an exit…  they're just there.  It seems perfectly acceptable to me for the developers to sometimes say that the AI might be a bit random, or to tell the player “Sorry, but there’s just no way of getting through here without a fight”.

In any event, I certainly thought that some parts were tougher than others and a little tweaking here and there would've been good, but in general, I quite enjoyed both the combat and the narrative in The Last Of Us, and would have no problem recommending it to someone who was after a gritty, emotional experience as long as they weren’t expecting a pure stealth game.  You can expect to see this one on my year-end list of 2013's best.

Finally, the last thing getting my time these days is Jacob Jones and the Bigfoot Mystery on Vita. 

 I haven’t put much time into it, (just started this morning) but really liking it so far.  It plays a lot like Professor Layton, only with fewer puzzles and it looks like something that Double Fine would put out…  Kind of cartoony, a kind of quirky.  A little bit dark, maybe?  I’ll have more to say on this one later, but so far it’s keeping my attention.

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TV: the wife and I just started watching Sleepy Hollow on Fox, and we buzzed through the first six episodes over the last couple of days.  I wasn’t sure what to think of it from the trailers, but once we started we were hooked immediately.

Although most people are at least vaguely familiar with the story of the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving, the writers on the show have taken great license with it, an expanded that story and the surrounding mythology greatly. 

In a nutshell, the story starts during the revolutionary war. The British are in league with the forces of evil (literal demons) and the Americans are resisting their attempts to hold the Colonies. At one point, the British summon Death (as in, the pale rider of the four horsemen of the apocalypse) and it embodies itself as a German mercenary.  Main character Ichabod Crane manages to behead it in battle, but falls himself.

200 years later, both Crane and Death are resurrected in modern times to continue the battle. If Crane wins, humanity survives. If the Horseman wins, it's the end times. 

It sounds a little complicated, but the writers do a good job of adding layers as they go, and although it may sound a little cheesy, it actually works pretty well.  There’s a bit of humor to the show, but there are plenty of dark moments and it’s interesting to see these various familiar pieces reworked into a brand-new mythology.

The other thing that’s really attracted us to the show is how diverse and female-positive it is.  Out of the four main characters, three are black and two are women.  Even better, those two women are quite strong and independent, easily capable of taking care of things on their own, and they often do so.  I think the show easily passes the Bechdel test, and although Crane is played by a white guy, other supporting characters are Latino or Asian and it doesn’t seem strange or forced at all.  I love this cast and the way the show puts this group of people together as the status quo.

All that stuff aside though, Sleepy Hollow is a fun, supernatural romp that strikes a good balance between horror, strong characters, and short bursts of comedy.  Recommended.

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Tic Tactics Launch Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIwL6_mfCJ0

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AquaPazza is finally available in North America, so seize the chance to fight and become a champion! And what's better than being a champion? Nothing. Literally, nothing is better. So be a winner and check out the launch trailer for AquaPazza! 

 Don't be fooled by the cute outfits and colorful hairstyles; the characters are skilled in a variety of deadly combat styles that you can use to kick some serious butt. (But when in doubt always sweep the leg.) 

Moreover, the Japanese voice track is left completely intact, so you can hear your opponents scream of pain in their original combat voices! AquaPazza is available now for the PlayStation 3 at the budget price of $29.99.

Check out the official website for move lists, character bios, and more!  

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HOLD IT! The additional case ‘Turnabout Reclaimed’ for Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies on the Nintendo 3DS system is available to download today. The extra episode will cost $5.99 / €4.99 / £3.99 and can be purchased directly from the in-game menu.

To provide an inside look into the swash-buckling shenanigans, Capcom has released a trailer that can be downloaded now from here. You’ll meet new client and pirate Sasha Buckler, who wants the Wright Anything team to help defend her friend on a murder charge. She takes Phoenix to the scene of the crime, the Shipshape Aquarium, to meet the defendant… a killer whale?!?

‘Turnabout Reclaimed’ is a full-length episode that tells the story of the first case Phoenix Wright took on after reclaiming his Attorney’s badge. Unravel the truth using all investigation techniques from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies, including the Mood Matrix and Psyche-Lock. Series favorite character Pearl Fey returns to assist the team as they face off against the mysterious prosecutor Simon Blackquill.

For all of the latest assets and game information, visit the Capcom press site. The full game of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies is available to download now for the Nintendo 3DS system in the Nintendo eShop for $29.99 / €24.99.

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With donations still coming in for Operation Supply Drop's annual fundraising campaign to get video games to the troops for Veterans Day, the 8-Bit Salute, the military gaming charity crushed last year's paltry $58,000 in games and gear raised by over five times with the grand total of the time of this posting of $282,721. The donations will be sent out as a part of Operation Supply Drop's end-of-the-year 8-Bit Salute fundraising drive to build video game stuffed care packages for soldiers deployed to combat zones and recovering in military hospitals.

The major donors for this year's event include a staggering donation from Popcap Games of over $100,000 of t-shirts and codes for their titles, GameStop donating over $40,000 in Playstation 3 bundles and console titles, Zombie Studios for donating $25,000 of in game currency for their free-to-play smash hit Blacklight: Retribution,Hidden Path Entertainment for donating $20,000 of Steam codes for their titleDefense Grid: The Awakening, and Intel donating over $20,000 of their handbuilt form-factor PC "NUC" units...with one major donation still being totaled as we speak!

For more information about how you or your organization can help get video games to the men and women of the Armed Forces, please visit OperationSupplyDrop.org.

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Persona 4 Arena: Official Design Works Featuring the art of Shigenori Soejima!

Fight and survive, heading towards the one throne waiting at the end in Persona 4 Arena! The fighting game spin-off to the legendary Persona 4 RPG is an instant classic! Now this spectacular art book collects the artwork behind the landmark title, including character designs, rough sketches, storyboards and pinups. All this plus character profiles, story summaries, creator interviews and more!

Now Available
Price: $39.99
ISBN: 1-926778-81-2
ISBN-13: 978-1-926778-81-5
Format: Softcover
Page Count: 176 Pages, Colour
Size: 8.25" x 11.75"
©Index Corporation 1996,2011 Produced by ATLUS

Order Now At Amazon.com!

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Hey there, amnesiac adventurers!

We are delighted to announce today that our action RPG title, Ys: Memories of Celceta, has launched exclusively on the PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system.

  

The timeless and much beloved Ys series spanning quarter-century-old Ys series brings together a special celebratory package for its fans with the Ys: Memories of Celceta Silver Anniversary Edition.

  

This Limited Edition release contains a 3-CD collection of original and arranged music spanning the entire history of the franchise, a cloth map detailing the lands of Celceta, a logo- emblazoned compass, and 'Adol's Travel Journal' containing 130 pages of adventuring strategies and artwork, all within an exclusive commemorative package.

The standard edition of Ys: Memories of Celceta is available for a suggested retail price of $39.99, and the Ys: Memories of Celceta Silver Anniversary Edition is available for a suggested retail price of $59.99. The game is also available for purchase as a digital download from the PlayStation®Store for $39.99.

BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!

To celebrate our latest Ys family launch, all 3 of our previously-released Ys titles on PSP (Ys SEVEN, Ys: Oath in Felghana, Ys I&II Chronicles) are now 50% off on North American PSN for the next two weeks, ending 12/10!

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Take to the Skies! Air Conflicts: Vietnam Is Out Today for PC, Xbox 360® and PlayStation®3 Are you ready to enter the cockpit and throw yourself into battle across the deadly skies of Vietnam? Well it’s time to do your duty, asAir Conflicts: Vietnam launches today for retail in North America and Canada. Experience the explosive conflict of Vietnam by piloting incredible fighter jets and helicopters, destroying enemy artillery and guiding your squadron to victory.

View the trailers below for a look at the fearsome combat aircraft you’ll encounter in the game and see how they tear up the skies in action-packed flight combat.

Air Conflicts: Vietnam is out today for PC, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.

Download the ‘Aircraft Showcase #1’ trailer for Air Conflicts: Vietnam here
Or view it on YouTube here
Download the ‘Aircraft Trailer #2 - F4 Phantom’ here
Or view it on YouTube here

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CastleStorm DLC Now Available on PlayStation 3 and PS Vita

From Outcast to Savior and The Warrior Queen DLC are now available for download as Cross Buy content for PlayStation 3 and PS Vita in North America and Europe ($2.99, €2.99).

From Outcast to Savior features a brand new Royal Guard faction, new environments, an unlikely Hero, 20 new battles, new weapons, Skirmish & Survival levels and new trophies! Lead your army into battle across stunning new environments including Stonecrest, The Royal Airport, The Skyship Harbor and the Bladgard Icefields in your quest to capture the mighty Viking warrior, Chief Ramhorn.

The Warrior Queen reveals a new Viking Elite troop class, plus huge additions to the arsenal of weapons available for the destruction of your enemy’s castles. We’re not joking around here: Meteor Showers, Exploding Barrels, Stormbringers, Golem Hostages, and FROZEN SWORDFISH. Throw in 20 new battles and new trophies and you have an excellent addition to your favorite super 2D physics destruction tower defense brawler mashup.

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Games: Starting tonight’s update off, we’ve got quite a few new reviews up over at @Gamecritics.  If you haven’t already checked them out, here they are for your convenience:

Beyond: Two Souls by @FinalMacstorm

Lego Marvel Super Heroes by @JohnVanderhoef

Memoria by @TayoDK

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD by @MikeSuskie

Alien Rage by @KayinAmoh

Dead Island: Riptide  (second opinion) by @GC_Danny

Nothing new from me this week, but I’ve got a few things that are in the pipe and that should be up soon.  The list includes…

Deadfall Adventures on 360.  It’s a small-budget adventure game with a first-person perspective.  Lots of puzzles and too much combat, but still pretty enjoyable if you don’t mind games that don’t exist in the AAA space.  I can’t wholeheartedly recommend it, but if you’re looking for a good weekender and you like the idea of raiding some tombs and popping a few Nazis, then it’s worth a look.

CastleStorm on Vita.  I totally passed this one up when it first appeared on XBLA, but it’s now on Sony’s handheld and it feels like a pretty perfect fit.  Basically, your castle is on one side of a small level, and your opponent's is on the other.  You send soldiers to attack their gate while lobbing a bunch of random stuff at 'em with your ballista…  It sounds kind of simplistic, but the beauty is in the details and I couldn’t put this one down until I finished it.

Batman: Arkham Origins on 360.  It was a real miracle, but the PR Rep for the game (Hi Chase!) found a workaround for the bug that had prevented me from moving forward in the campaign, so I was able to go back to the game and finally finish it.  I was quite glad to do so since I had been enjoying it up until I hit that showstopper, so it was a real treat to get some closure there. After I rolled credits, I went back into the game and completed about half of the sidequests available…  The Mad Hatter and Shiva were probably my favorites.  

I know this game is getting poo-poo’ed by the legion of Arkham City fans out there, but as someone who didn’t care for City at all, Origins is much closer to the sequel I was expecting after Asylum.  That said, I really don’t think that the open world structure brings much value to Batman, and I hope that future sequels either abandon that approach or scale it back dramatically in favor of tighter, more focused levels.  Also, I’ve never been much of a Bane fan, but I will say that his portrayal in City was probably the best I’ve seen.  I enjoyed his inclusion a good deal, even if actually fighting him wasn’t all that great.

(And speaking of finding workarounds for bugs, just a quick note that I deleted all of the content relating to The Last Of Us from my PS3, reinstalled the game and copied the backup save that was stored in the Sony cloud, and I was finally able to get past the part that kept freezing on me in Bill's section.  I’m not planning on reviewing the game, but I was enjoying it very much before the glitchout, so it’s back in my console now and I’m looking forward to forging ahead.)

Malicious: Rebirth on Vita.  I’ve had my eye on this one forever and never took the plunge, but then I heard @Dits to talking about it on The Same Coin podcast and his words swayed me.  I’m glad he did because this is an incredibly interesting title that I’m enjoying quite a bit, although I will be the first to admit that it’s got some issues that are quite frustrating and a little hard to get past.  

In this one, the player takes the role of an artificial humanoid construct created by a circle of mages to eradicate an evil force from the world.  To do this, the construct must defeat several bosses and acquire their powers, straight-up Mega Man-style.  It’s basically a “boss rush” title where it’s all about fighting huge monsters without a lot of filler, and the art style and ambiance are superb.  The downsides are that some of the bosses can be incredibly frustrating, and there is a certain roughness to everything that prevents the title from meeting its full potential.  

Still working on completing this one, but as of right now it’s pretty clear that it’s one of those broken masterpieces that will probably inspire a small, devoted following and turn everyone else away.

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Oh yeah, I guess I got a PS4  the other day.  

The hardware is really slick-looking and the controller is great.  Big props to Sony to to to for some top-notch work there.  

Even more impressive is how easy everything was to setup.  I love that WiFi was a snap, logging into my PSN account was no problem, I was able to sync up my PSN iPhone app, and I even got the “share” function to work without a hitch – I haven’t been streaming anything yet, but I was stunned at how easy it all was, and I plan on streaming review games at Twitch when the opportunity presents itself.  (My page is http://www.twitch.tv/bradgallaway, in case you want to make note of that for future reference.)

So what about the games?  I didn’t think any of the retail stuff was worth dropping sixty bones on, so I skipped it all and stuck with the stuff that was available for download.

Blacklight Retribution: I didn’t spend a lot of time with it, but it appeared to be a pretty standard run-around-and-shoot-people-and-the-face type of thing, with a lot of customization options locked behind a a F2P paywall.  I bailed on it pretty quick and deleted it from the console.

Warframe: I really dig the biomechanical art style of this title, but I have to say that it was kind of disappointing.  It’s funny because I was really attracted to it when I first saw pictures of it running on PC, and after waiting all of this time, I guess it really wasn’t worth looking forward to.  

Basically, the player becomes a space ninja who spends most of his time shooting, and can whip out a melee weapon that feels quite cumbersome to use.  Real talk: if your game features a sword and I end up spinning around enemies in a circle when I swing it, you need to go back to the drawing board on that.  

There’s also apparently some wall-running and some “acrobatics” to do, but the characters all feel very stiff and awkward to me.  I was also incredibly not-impressed with the lack of tutorials and information, and some really strange UI choices.  On top of all that, the action started feeling repetitive after the first day, so I can say that I’m very motivated to push on…  I might dabble a bit more just because I like the art style so much, but it’s not clicking and seeing so many things (again) locked behind a F2P paywall is a big turnoff.

Resogun: this one is clearly the darling of the show with people who've picked up the console so far.  I played it for a few minutes and it seemed all right, although it didn’t grab me.  I’m not much of a score-chaser to begin with, but I’ll definitely go back and give it some more time once I get a few things off of my plate.

Contrast: was really looking forward to this, but haven’t had time to even touch it.  Impressions forthcoming.

By the way, now that the PSN Friends List limit has been increased to 2000, I’ve got plenty of room on mine to connect.  Feel free to send me an invite, and if you do, mention this blog in the message section so I’ll know to accept it. See you online!

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Nordic Games has today unveiled the first of three gameplay trailers from the upcoming release of their action-driven first-person shooter Deadfall Adventures, out November 15th for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC.

The Sahara trailer gives players a glimpse of the North African region in the game. Here players will experience the intensity of the not-so-natural enemies in the stormy desert on a journey across the globe. It is just one of the many beautifully illustrated locations that players will explore for treasure, assuming the role of the action adventurer James Lee Quatermain.

Watch here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NskduT9oV50

Developed using Unreal Engine 3, Deadfall Adventures is full of spectacular jaw-dropping moments, set in picturesque locations including Egypt, Arctic and forgotten Mayan ruins in the jungles of Guatemala. Along the way, players will encounter fiendish puzzles, deadly traps and stunning set pieces, making this one of the greatest adventures ever told – let alone played.

Website: http://deadfall-game.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deadfalladventures
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/deadfalladv

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Kalypso Media is thrilled to announce that the fantasy themed hack ‘n’ slash Blood Knights is now available to download for Windows PC via digital download platforms for $14.99/£11.99/€14.99. The Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft version is available now with the PlayStation® Network version releasing on November 20th. 

Set in a medieval fantasy world, Blood Knights will feature quick, deadly combat, smart team-work and ferocious cooperative monster slaying. View the brand new trailer now for a look at the feared vampire hunter Jeremy, whose close combat fighting skills, strength and armor make him a formidable warrior. 

View the ‘Jeremy’ trailer for Blood Knights on YouTube here or download it here

View the ‘Alysa’ trailer on YouTube here or download it here

View the Announcement trailer on YouTube here or download it here

Blood Knights is a hack ‘n slash action - RPG, where the age-old war between humans and vampires is out-of-control and threatens to plunge the world into the abyss. The game combines spectacular combat with RPG elements in single-player or co-op mode. Blood Knights is developed by Deck 13 interactive, who have made a name for themselves with such titles as ‘Venetica’, ‘Jack Keane’ and ‘Ankh’. Set in a mystical version of the Middle Ages, Blood Knights is an exciting story about the Knights Templar and a legendary Vampire Hunter who finds himself bound by blood to the powerful vampire Alysa during a daring mission. The two must work together to break the blood spell and defeat the hordes of evil creatures who stand between them and their goal.

For more information about Blood Knights please visit www.kalypsomedia.com.   

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Midnight City, the recently founded indie label of Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of games for the mass market, is proud to announce The Bridge is now available on the Xbox Live online entertainment network from Microsoft for $9.99. The first console launch for the indie publishing super group, The Bridge brings a fresh take on physics games to the company’s ever-growing portfolio.

The Bridge offers a supremely cerebral 2D puzzle experience for those looking to bend their reality and perception of physics as they know it. Players join our stalwart, amnesiac protagonist through a journey into his heart, mind and soul to discover the life he’s forgotten. Throughout the story, players progress through detail-oriented, hand-drawn environments with aesthetics reminiscent of M.C. Escher’s artwork and style. In these fantastic puzzle rooms, players are asked to look beyond just the protagonist and into the world around them to solve each predicament. From the very start, The Bridge is designed to foster outside the box and critical thinking skills, leaving the player with a pronounced sense of intellectual accomplishment at the end of each level. Created to be both a stimulating experience and accessible game, The Bridge uses a minimalistic control scheme and effective, yet subtle tutorials through early gameplay to introduce new features.

The Bridge was developed by game designer and programmer Ty Taylor with artist Mario Castañeda; together they are known as the Quantum Astrophysicists Guild. The Bridge is rated E for Everyone and is now available on the Xbox Live Games Store for the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft for the suggested price of $9.99.

For more information, please visit our website: www.midnight-city.com

For more on The Bridge, please visit: www.thebridgeisblackandwhite.com

Follow Midnight City, Ty Taylor and The Bridge on Twitter: @Midnight_City https://twitter.com/Midnight_City

Casey Lynch Twitter: @Lynchtacular https://twitter.com/lynchtacular
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midnightcitygames
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/MidnightCityEnt

Ty Taylor Twitter: @IMakeIndieGames https://twitter.com/imakeindiegames

The Bridge Twitter: @thebridgegame https://twitter.com/thebridgegame

The Bridge Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBridgeIsBlackAndWhite

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Tic Tactics - A clever new spin on the legendary multiplayer game

With their first mobile game, Bag It!, Hidden Variable Studios created an underground grocery-stacking scene loved the world over. Now they are back in action with their newest creation, Tic Tactics!

In Tic Tactics, Hidden Variable takes one of the oldest and most popular games ever created – Tic Tac Toe – and elevates it to something that players over the age of 10 will actually want to play, blending instantly-familiar gameplay with strategic depth, turn-based mobile multiplayer, and a slick, stylish presentation.

If you know how to play Tic Tac Toe, you already know how to play Tic Tactics. The twist is that YOU decide precisely where to send your opponent with every turn. The more you play, the more you’ll be amazed by its strategic depth.

Here’s a little taste of features you’ll find in Tic Tactics:

• Classic gameplay reinvented

Tic Tactics takes one of the oldest known multiplayer games and brings it into the 21st century in a whole new way.

• Easy to play, rewarding to master

Although players will quickly learn the rules, they could spend a lifetime mastering all of its subtleties. Despite its depth, tacticians of all ages can start playing and developing their own strategies over time. Make your mark and start winning today!

• Stylish, clean, and bright

Tic Tactics greets players with a clean and playful visual style that is sure to satisfy everyone’s inner artist.

• Play with friends at your own pace

Tic Tactics makes it super easy to just jump in and play. Players will be able to connect to Facebook and challenge their friends to a game of wits. Only have 5 minutes to play a game? Hop into Tic Tactics, make a move or two and hop right back out. Players will be rewarded for checking in and making moves often!

• Prove you're the best

Tic Tactics features a player ranking system that matches up player’s with similar skill levels. Every match you play will be a battle, and the better you do, the higher your rank will grow. Become the best player in your circle of friends, then challenge other great players from around the world!

Tic Tactics will be available the world over on November 21st. Find out more at http://www.hiddenvariable.com/tic-tactics

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If you read Coffeecola with any regularity. I’m sure you know that I’m all about playing games with the family, and I’m always on the hunt for kid-friendly software that isn’t pathetic or insulting.  To that end, Andy Robertson (@GeekDadGamer) reached out to me and offered to write a bit about Sony’s Wonderbook. 

It was a fortunate circumstance because I had just recently heard some discussion about the device on a recent podcast I had running, and it piqued my interest.  That interest aside, I’m no fan of buying questionable peripherals without a proven track record.  

In any event, it was great timing and I was quite interested to hear what Andy had to say, so here it is… 

It’s taken some time but Wonderbook is getting up a head of steam. This is the big plush book peripheral for the PlayStation Eye and Move controller. It turns the games console into a story telling engine with real prowess and surprisingly engaging interactions.

This week Book of Potions and Walking With Dinosaurs extend the library in fine style and demonstrate what a great piece of technology the Wonderbook-Playstation Eye combination really is. This is not about high visuals or next generation processing, this is about the presence of a book in the gaming space – and that changes everything.

I had some hands-on with the two games and have put the new interactive stories to the test with my family. Although you do need to ensure your room is well lit to get the best out of the augmented reality experience, the results in good conditions are certainly impressive.

The two games are very different. Book of Potions, including fresh content from J. K. Rowling is a wizard based adventure where the player must learn potions to compete in a big contest and win the day. It’s all set in the Harry Potter universe although not directly referencing that fact in the game proper.

The other title, Walking With Dinosaurs from the BBC, offers more dramatic story telling and a good amount of educational elements. From a different developer it’s interesting to see what else the Wonderbook peripheral can be used for. This is a game where you need to pay attention if you are to score top marks in the quiz at the end of the chapter.

Walking With Dinosaurs works best during the excavation and Dino-hunting sections that make the most out of the Move controller and PlayStation Eye. At times this is a really magical experience for families.

It should be said that you need a well lit room to get the best performance from the interaction, and you will need a PlayStation Eye Camera and Move controller too. Once that investment is made though this really is good value for money, offering many hours of entertainment and an experience simply not possible elsewhere.

The best way to understand the experience on offer here is to see it, so here are the family trying out the games for the first time:

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Infinite thanks to BBC family gaming expert Andy Robertson for the guest piece.  He often covers family-oriented gaming on Twitter and runs Family Gamer TV, so if you're a parent or family member who plays games with children, follow him at @GeekDadGamer or check out his channel and see what he’s got to say!

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Links: @Gamecritics just had a slew of new reviews go live! 

Sweet Fuse: At Your Side by @ApricotSushi

Gone Home by @SparkyClarkson

Deadpool by Dan Coyne

How To Survive by… Me!

Metro: Last Light season pass DLC by @KayinAmoh

And don’t miss the @Gamecritics Podcast Episode 99! 

You asked us questions and we sort of answered them!

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Games: For review, I’ve been playing two games at once…  Not my favorite thing to do, but it is that time of the year and they aren’t at all alike, so playing one is kind of like taking a break from the other. The first is Batman: Arkham Origins, as mentioned in the last post.  I’m finding this is a very interesting title on many levels, but not necessarily for the reasons that you might expect.

In general, I was enjoying it a good deal.  It won’t make my year-end top 10, but it feels like the sequel I was expecting after Arkham Asylum.  Of course, everyone knows that Arkham City was the next game in this series, but that one put me right off. In fact, I tried to play City at least two or three separate times, but never made it more than a few hours in.  

To begin with, I never liked the premise, and the game started terribly.  Too many things were hitting me all at once, and it seemed as though the developers were assuming people would retain all of the systems familiarity from Asylum.  I clearly recall getting into fights near the game’s beginning that had way too many thugs, while not being able to remember how to use the gadgets, and so on.  I came to City wanting to love it just as much as Asylum, but it left me cold. It’s wildly overrated, I think.

On the other hand, Origins has a much better premise, and one that strikes me as something I would realistically read in a Batman graphic novel.  The pacing at the beginning is much better, and it takes more time to walk the player into what’s going on.  I also appreciate that the main quest is uncluttered by developers trying to cram too much in.

Unfortunately, just as I was nearing the end of the game and getting ready to write a fairly positive review, I hit a showstopping glitch that rendered the game unable to be completed.  It was especially ironic because I just got done telling people how few bugs I had encountered during my playthrough, and then less than fifteen minutes later, the game croaked.  PR assures me that the developers are aware of this problem and that a patch is coming this week, but as of right now, it’s unplayable.

The other game I’m playing for review is Skylanders: Swap Force, and it’s been the best game in the series so far.  However, there’s not a lot to say about it, really…  Apart from a number of smart tweaks  and improvements it’s more of the same, but since it was so fun and enjoyable to begin with, that’s not a bad thing.  

Series fans can look forward to the most polished entry with some interesting new characters, and newcomers can look forward to the best place to jump in.

In between those titles, I picked up Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies on 3DS and gave that a whirl.  The first game in the series is one of my favorite titles of all time, so I was definitely looking forward to it.  The first level started off right and gave me hope that the listing ship the series had become was righting itself, but the second level was a catastrophic crash and burn…  It was so annoying and overly talkative that I kept falling asleep trying to get through it.  

People tell me that it really picks up in the next level, but I’m just having a real problem getting through the section I’m in right now.  I’ll come back to it later, but I just can’t manage to force myself to trudge through at the moment.

Later this week, I’m going to begin reviews of Saints Row 4: Enter The Dominatrix and Deadfall Adventures, so look for some words on those soon.

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Film: The wife and I had a rare day and night, so we decided to take in a movie.  After hearing some any accolades for Gravity, we bought a couple of tickets and wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

Overall, I feel comfortable in saying that it was good, but not great.  

The performances were solid and I appreciated that Sandra Bullock basically carried the entire movie by herself.  It’s rare to see a role like that performed by a woman, and I’d like to see more choices like it.

In terms of the story…  Well, it started off in the right direction, but my suspension of disbelief was broken by a few too many action sequences.  I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen the film, but I would have been quite satisfied with half of the events that took place, and perhaps even a different ending.  By the time the credits rolled, I had lost my emotional engagement and felt very much as though I was watching a video game plot, and I don’t mean that in a good sense.

The technical achievements were impressive and more starring roles for women like this one would be quite welcome, but Gravity was more of a thrill ride than an emotional one, and the movie was lesser for it.

Youtube Link: http://youtu.be/ilEB4KTTOIo

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Midnight City, the recently founded indie label of Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of games for the mass market, is proud to announce The Bridge coming to Xbox Live online entertainment network from Microsoft on November 13th. Winner of multiple design and gameplay awards, The Bridgefeatures beautifully hand-drawn environments and thought-provoking physics challenges that push the boundaries of player perception.  

The Bridge focuses on bringing players into a new gameplay experience, beyond what they may expect from the usual puzzle game. Following in the footsteps of non-traditional titles like Braidand Limbo, The Bridge offers a uniquely cerebral approach to gaming. With detail-oriented, hand-drawn environments that resemble architectural design, more than level design, players are asked to look beyond just the protagonist and into the environment to solve each puzzle. The ability to control the world around the protagonist offers a plethora of options for strategically positioning both the character and the world to achieve success. Critical thinking is a key to player progress and is not limited to just the environment; players will face off with “The Menace,” gravitational vortexes and parallel universes adding twists for additional layers of gameplay in this award-winning title.

The Bridge was developed by game designer and programmer Ty Taylor and artist Mario Castañeda; together they are known as the Quantum Astrophysicists Guild. The Bridge is rated E for Everyone and will release on Xbox Live Games Store on November 13th for a suggested price of $9.99.  

For more information, please visit our website: www.midnight-city.com

For more on The Bridge, please visit: www.thebridgeisblackandwhite.com

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SEGA® of America, Inc. and SEGA® Europe Ltd. have announced that The Typing of the Dead: OVERKILL launched exclusively for PC Digital Download yesterday just in time for Halloween. Developed by Modern Dream with a little help from Hardlight Studios, this adaptation of console gore-fest The House of the Dead: OVERKILL™ is available for download now and will be priced at £14.99/$19.99/€17.99.  The original The House of the Dead: OVERKILL is also included in the package!

The Typing of the Dead: OVERKILL, like its aforementioned console counterpart, uncovers the ugly, terrifying secrets behind the original The House of the Dead™; the daddy of all over-the-top shooters. This time though, trigger-happy creature blasters will trade in their light guns for keyboards and will need to hone their typing skills to repel the mutant hordes with lightning-fast spelling and lethally accurate grammar. Up to two players can take on the fright-filled story mode or one of three monster-maiming mini-games all designed to improve your keyboard skills in the bloodiest typing tutorial around.

The Typing of the Dead: OVERKILL is out now and available on Steam and from other participating digital retailers. For more information about the game, please visit www.sega.com/typingofthedeadoverkill.

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Games: If you haven’t been paying close attention it’s probably been pretty easy to miss, but I would like todraw your attention to a recent XBLA to release called How To Survive, from EKO Software. 

I completed it last night and had a blast from start to finish.  The developers have created a very balanced product that feels like exactly the right size for something on XBLA, and there are loads of little nuances and interesting details that show it was created with love.  (Also, I’m a big fan of that ending.)

My review is in the can and should be out soon, but in the meantime, I could easily say that How To Survive is Recommended. 

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I’m sure this is old news to a lot of people, but I started and finished Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D on 3DS last week, and to my complete surprise, I thought it was magnificent.

I was never a fan of the original DKC on SNES (Admit it! The only thing it had going for it was snazzy graphics!) so I expected something along the same lines here, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Although it follows the same basic formula of a giant ape platforming from left to right, the developer has wisely stripped a lot of the crap out and boiled everything down to a refined, core set of mechanics. Diddy Kong acts as a hover-jump power up, the rhino makes a return in a few levels for some crate-busting action, but otherwise it’s all about mastering timing and jumps in beautifully-designed levels.

It’s pretty rare for me to do, but I actually completed every single level in the game because I enjoyed going through them so much.  There were definitely a few hair-pullers, but overall they struck a great balance between challenging and interesting design, and every level seemed to offer at least one or two things that changed it up.

People tell me that the 3DS version is the way to go since it removes any of the waggle that was required of the console version, so that makes sense to me.  Either way, this one is definitely Recommended.

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Although I’m not very far in either, just a quick mention of both Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies and Batman: Arkham Origins.

The original Phoenix Wright trilogy (and specifically, the first game) are some of my favorite titles of all time, but as the series went on, it was pretty clear that the developers weren't able to keep the high standard of quality that I expected, and I lost interest in the series.  Capcom decided to give it one more shot, though, and so far it seems like they are back on track. 

I’m only in the first case at the moment, but the graphics are super-sharp, the music is great, and the courtroom action has been satisfying.  Of course, a lot depends on how the story develops, but at the moment, I’m feeling hopeful.

I’m also at the very beginning of Arkham Origins…  I just started tonight (for review) and despite a lot of negative talk in reviews and on twitter, I’m liking what I’ve seen so far.  If nothing else it starts off better than Arkham City did, with a more measured pace and fewer things hitting the player all at once.  I’m also really interested with the premise of the Batman being hunted by at least eight different villains who are out to collect a $50,000,000 bounty on his head.

Like Phoenix, a lot will depend on how the game goes, but this beginning feels like it has its pieces in the right place.  That said, I’ve seen quite a few mentions of bugs, and at least two or three different people having problems with corrupted saves causing hours of progress to be wiped out.

Fingers crossed on both of these.

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TV: The wife and I just started a new (old) series called Wonderfalls.  It only ran for two-ish seasons, and the entire series can be picked up at Amazon for something like $18.  For fans of Better Off Ted, Dead Like Me or Pushing Daisies, it’s great stuff… 

The gist is that a slacker girl working in a gift shop near Niagara Falls starts having inanimate objects speak to her, and they give her cryptic clues about people nearby.  If she doesn’t follow their direction, they annoy her incessantly, so she’s often doing their bidding against her will.  The show isn’t nearly as sinister as that sounds, though…  The clues usually lead to someone in need of help, although the path the main character takes getting there is often a circuitous and embarrassing/painful/humiliating.

The writing is sharp and the cast is strong.  I can understand why it didn’t last long on television since it’s pretty quirky and smart, but we’ve been digging it so far.  Recommended.

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Ever since seeing Rebel Wilson in a few recent movies, the wife and I have been fans of her high-energy, high-confidence performances.  There really aren’t that many girls of size in Hollywood, so to see her pop up so often and in such enjoyable roles was a pleasure.  As such, we’ve been tuning into her new network show Super Fun Night, but although it started off with a decent first episode, it’s been more and more disappointing ever since.

Honestly, I think the writers are going in the absolute wrong direction.  Rather than showcasing Wilson as a strong person with self esteem and value, they quickly reverted to a constant string of food-oriented jokes and portraying her as more and more of a loser.

Even worse, I thought it was great that she seemed to have a potential love interest with the main male character of the show, but it quickly died off as he paired up with SFN’s “hot but emotionally empty” girl despite his apparent distaste for her at the start.  I’m guessing from the latest episode that the writers are intending to break that off and eventually have his character hook up with Wilson’s, but it’s pretty lame that he couldn’t be interested in her until after testing out the “hot” one.  I mean, what’s the lesson here?  That men are never interested in bigger girls, or that bigger girls should be content with picking up someone’s sloppy seconds?

The whole thing is just disappointing and frustrating, and it seems like a horrific waste of Wilson’s dynamism.  I’ll still support her as an actress since I think it’s way past time for Hollywood to break its obsession with alarmingly-thin actresses, but I can't really get behind a show like this that seems to be plowing ahead with the same old tropes and stereotypes.

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Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today confirmed that Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies is available to purchase digitally from today in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS™ for $29.99 / €24.99.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies sees the return of courtroom hero Phoenix Wright some eight years since his last appearance in the courts, The much loved gameplay and features from previous titles in the Ace Attorney® series return but for the first time in stunning 3D graphics, bringing the courtroom and characters to life and putting players directly in the heart of the action. Players will need to investigate each crime scene with the dynamic 3D visuals now making it possible to change views and zoom in on areas to uncover any hidden evidence or clues. In the court room the drama continues as players present their evidence, challenge witnesses and begin to unravel the truth behind each of the cases in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney -Dual Destinies.

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Dear opinionated gamer,

 We have upgraded and improved our official forums (with a little help from our Marvelous Online compatriots -- seriously, check out these forums, they're a huge step up!), and welcome you to join (or rejoin) us in discussing all things XSEED (or whatever other gaming or non-gaming topics you fancy!).

 Click here to register! https://www.marvelous-usa.com/member/input

 This is a sacred, safe and peaceful place for you to share your thoughts and feelings about your beloved games, where everyone will be respectful and caring about each other's comments... in an ideal world.  Come on, it's a gaming forum! Crazy stuff happens. But we will be sure to do our best to make it as fun a place as possible for everyone.

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505 Games, a global publisher of video games, today announced the availability of How to Survive, a third-person action adventure game that tests players’ ability to stay alive in a world where the outbreak of an unknown virus has turned most of the population into ravenous zombies. How to Survive is available on the Xbox Live online entertainment network for the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC via Steam by Valve® Corporation.  

 In order to make it through the day and night, gamers must learn to fulfill their most basic needs such as seeking food, water and shelter, as well as finding an incredible variety of items to combine into dozens of handmade tools and weapons - scrap metal, tubes, bolts, fertilizer, tires, harpoons, and empty bottles are just some of the many items scattered about, but how you use them determines whether you wind up dead, alive or undead.

How To Survive is priced at $14.99 for Xbox Live and Steam. A PlayStation® Network version will be available later this fall as will a Wii U™ version via the Nintendo eShop. The game has been rated “M” for Mature by the ESRB. Stay up to date with the latest survival techniques at https://www.facebook.com/HowToSurviveTheGame

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The clouds of war are gathering on PlayStation 3 and PS Vita as super genre mashup CastleStorm is making its way to both systems on November 5, 2013 in North American for $9.99 and November 6, 2013 in Europe for €9.99. The game will be Cross Buy entitled, allowing players to download the game on both systems at no extra charge.

To learn more about CastleStorm and the team behind the game, check out the developer diary on the Zen StudiosYouTube Channel.

CastleStorm is a super genre mashup of 2D physics destruction mashed with tower defense brawler! CastleStormwas born out of the fond childhood memory of building and destroy Lego castles, and currently available on Xbox LIVE® Arcade and Steam for $9.99.

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CONTRAST, the multi-award winning puzzle/platform game for PC, PlayStation®Store and Xbox LIVE® Arcade developed by Compulsion Games, today captivates us with its music through a new video, featuring the sublime voice of Laura Ellis.

Delivering a captivating ambiance of the brilliance of film noir mixed with the tease of burlesque and infusing a sultry jazz soundtrack, CONTRAST enthrals with every plot twist.  A unique game mechanic allows players to shift in and out of the shadow dimension playing light against dark as you make your way through a mysterious adventure. Today’s trailer reveals one of the tracks from the original soundtrack of the game, House on Fire performed by the talented jazz singer Laura Ellis. The lyrics were written by Compulsion Games and the music was composed by the talented audio team from WaveGeneration Audio, all originally scored for CONTRAST.

CONTRAST will be available mid-November, and will be available in two packages: the standard digital edition, and a Collector’s Edition which includes the Original Soundtrack of CONTRAST as well as the CONTRAST “Programme”, a 52-page art book containing the art commented throughout by the development team.

- Watch the video

- Download the video (150MB)

- Pre-order Contrast on Steam

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Rising Star Games has just released Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut: Ultimate Edition across North America on the PlayStation®Network for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.

 Brewed from the creative mind of Hidetaka "Swery65" Suehiro, Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut: Ultimate Edition is truly deserved of theUltimate branding, containing full game and all of the previously-released downloadable content in one solid package for $29.99!

Included with Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut Ultimate Edition:

Espresso Suit - Tolerance to Hunger and Tiredness x3

Field-Ops Suit - Increase HP and Attack Power x3

High Roller Suit - Money Rewards x3

Happy Songkran Suit - Money Rewards x3

Special-Ops Suit - Increase HP and Attack Power x2 - Tolerance to Hunger and Tiredness x2 - Money Rewards x2

Catgirl Outfit - Character skin only

Friday Night Outfit - Character skin only

The Blue GT - Enhanced Handling

The Devil's Red - Increased max speed and faster acceleration

The Green Drifter - Expert car, drifting capabilities

Chibi Chibi Bang Bang - Vehicle skin only

Greenvale Real Estate - Take up roots, rest, and recover from the comfort of your new home in Greenvale!

Also, While Agent York is seeing "FK" in his cup of coffee, we're seeing "VC:" Visual Companion. Clear as a crisp spring morning. The Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut: The Official Visual Companion is the sweetener to the large cup of coffee that is the Ultimate Edition. The 350+ page, highly-interactive Visual Companion is available now on the App Storefor the Apple iPad.

And like a knife, carving it's way into a plump, orange pumpkin, Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut will carve its way into the hearts of PC gamers when it releases on October 29 on Steam, with new features and additional content over the PS3 release.

For more information on Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut, please visit:www.deadlypremonitionthegame.com. For more information on all RSG titles, please visit the official site: www.risingstargames.com.

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Devolver Digital and developer Mommy’s Best Games announced that the bombastic 2D shooter Serious Sam Double D has been upgraded to Serious Sam Double D XXL on Steam! All the fantastic new content from the Xbox LIVE Arcade hit have made their way to Steam in a free title update to all current owners of the game.

Serious Sam Double D XXL is also on sale this week for $2.50 as part of Steam’s Weeklong Deals promotion. Store Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/111600

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AbleGamers Charity is thrilled to announce the first annual AbleGamers Day will be held on October 26, 2013. The festivities began on the 25th with the largest online streaming event in AbleGamers history, which leads up to an Accessibility Arcade in Loudoun County, VA.

The Accessibility Arcade is a staple of the AbleGamers community outreach program where our assistive technology experts hold a one-day opportunity for people with disabilities and their loved ones to come out and see all of the various cutting-edge assistive technology available on the market today. Electronic Arts, winner of the 2012 AbleGamers Accessible Mainstream Game of the Year, will be offering copies of games as prizes at the event. “The launch AbleGamers Day will bring great value to the community of gamers with disabilities,” said Kelsey Wesley, Diversity & Inclusion Specialist, EA. “Our hope is that AbleGamers Day will be an ongoing event that raises awareness for many years to come.”

This often life-changing equipment can often be expensive and inaccessible, but during these events everything is available for hands-on demonstration to anyone who has or has a loved one with a disability.

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Midnight City, the recently founded indie label of Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of games for the mass market, is proud to announce Scientifically Proven’s Blood of the Werewolf will be slashing its way onto Steam (PC) on October 28. Classic 2D platforming partnered with a stylistic reimagining of horror’s most iconic creatures and monsters provides an old-school challenge with new-school flair.

 Blood of the Werewolf is rated T and will release on Steam for PC via digital download on October 28, 2013 for $9.99.Blood of the Werewolf is also planned for console release in Q1 2014.

For more on Blood of the Werewolf, please visit our Steam page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/260250   

For more information, please visit our website: www.midnight-city.com

For more on Scientifically Proven, please visit: www.scientificallyproven.com and follow @BotWerewolf for updates.

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Midnight City, the recently founded indie label of Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of games for the mass market, is proud to announce Blue Isle Studios’ Slender: The Arrival is coming to Steam on October 28, just in time for Halloween. The only official Slender Man game, The Arrival puts you in the epicenter of the mystery surrounding the enigmatic internet persona that has captivated and terrorized millions. Slender: The Arrival wraps players in a dark, foreboding atmosphere and a story fraught with terror, paranoia and other-worldly forces. Not for the weak of heart, Slender: The Arrival is also compatible with Oculus Rift, offering a truly heart-pounding and immersive experience.

Written by the creative team behind Marble Hornets, this latest iteration in the Slender Man universe builds on the canon established by the original web-series, with some new twists and extended content. Players take on the role of Laura, an unsuspecting realtor helping her friend Kate sell her scenic property, but things quickly take a turn for the worse when Laura arrives to find Kate missing. Follow the clues and document your experience via camcorder as you unravel the mystery while evading the ominous forces that shadow your every move. The road is long and full of peril – implied, imagined and, of course – real.

Slender: The Arrival is rated T and will release on Steam for PC via digital download on October 28, 2013 for $9.99. Slender: The Arrival is also planned for console release in Q1 2014.

For more on Slender: The Arrival, please visit our Steam page: http://store.steampowred.com/app/252330

For more on Blue Isle Studios, please visit: www.blueislestudios.com

For more information on Midnight City, please visit our website: www.midnight-city.com

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