Archive - 2017

Le Tour de France 2017 – A Review (Xbox One)

2017/07/03
Judgeman
Geek News, News, Reviews, Xbox One News, Xbox One Review

Ah, early summer!  Trips to the beach, enjoying lazy Sundays by the pool, and, of course, Le Tour de France.  What?  You don’t watch Le Tour de France?!?! The world’s premiere cycling tour that has been going on for the last 114 years?!?!  You are missing out, my friend!  Prior to the actual tour, Cyanide Studios and Focus Home Interactive release their yearly game, and this year we get Le Tour de France 2017.  Similar to the Fifa or Madden series, each year brings new riders, new tweaks to gameplay, and new features, but pretty much the core gameplay remains the same.  While I have been a fan of the Tour for years, this is the first time I have every played Le Tour de France, so I won’t be comparing it to last year’s edition, but really focusing on what is in this year’s version.  Let’s get into the game and see how it shapes up.

Story

Like almost all sports games, Le Tour de France 2017 does not have an actual story line, per se.  You are pretty much just trying to hit your objectives for your team, and win Le Tour.  It’s not that easy though, I’m afraid.  The race stretches over the entire month of July and stretches over 21 stages, across 3 countries, and will travel a distance of 3,500 km.  The race is organized by cycling teams.  Each team has nine riders of differing skill sets.  Like other sports, cyclists has roles and positions that they must play to perfection in order to reach their team’s objectives.  Some riders are better at sprinting, some are better in the mountains, while others are great at protecting their choses rider for the overall victory.  In Le Tour, there are six different objectives that riders can aim for and try to be first in at the end of Le Tour; the Overall Winner, the King of the Mountains, the Sprint Points Champion, the Young Rider, Combative, and Team Classification.

The stages are categorized by what the racers will face that day:  Time Trial, Flat, Mountain, Hilly, or Summit Finish.  Depending on the strengths of the individual team, the team will choose certain stages to really attack on, and try to secure the yellow jersey as the overall leader in Le Tour.  The overall leader is determined by time, so the less time you spend on each stage, the better your chances are for the entire tour.  You can win the entire tour without ever winning an individual stage, as long as you are ahead of everyone based on time.  When you start the tour, you get to pick a team of riders to navigate through the stages, with some teams being much better in stats than others, just like other sports games.

Game Play

Once you have selected your team, or created one using current riders, you are ready to tackle Le Tour de France.  There are a few options of how you can play the game, from playing the entire tour like a campaign, or selecting a particular stage to race.  You can also do it cooperatively, but only on local or split screen.  After a few tutorials on how to ride the bike (do the tutorials, trust me), you are ready to start the tour.  Controlling the bike is actually pretty easy,  considering everything you need to be aware of.  You can speed up or slow down, and have an arrow on the pavement that shows your best trajectory and speed, similar to car racing games.  You also have two meters you need to concern yourself with, one blue and one red.  Both are stamina meters, but the blue is your overall stamina and the red is your sprint stamina.  During the race, these meters can refill by either eating your power gels or by racing tactically (drafting behind riders, stamina management).  This stamina management and refill becomes your biggest concern.  If you run out of stamina, you will “blow up” or be unable to ride efficiently for a while and that will cost you.

The Le Tour de France 2017 is a very tactical game.  Many people will jump right in and think they can just speed their way to victory, however, that is just not true.  Breaking away from the peloton (French word that describes the large group of riders) is a difficult and risky proposition.  You need help to break away, and that group needs to help keep you ahead of the mass of riders that constantly inch closer to you.  Even understanding all of this, I was caught in my first stage of Le Tour, after leading the entire stage.  I could do nothing but helplessly watch as the peloton closed in and finally passed me.  You can order your team riders to perform tactics and help you move through the stage, but if you are out in front in a breakaway, you are alone and without support.

Playing a full stage will take a long time, this is like playing a game of Madden at actual speed.  You have a few options here, you can play the key areas of the stage, play at an increased rate, or just simulate the stage all together.  You can play Le Tour your way.  The riders you race against will also make very tactical decisions, and will try to change positions during the race to keep their target team members in the hunt.

Le Tour de France 2017 feels exactly like the actual tour.  I had to think tactically, reach team objectives and goals, and manage my stamina so I had enough to finish at the end.  After the first two stages, I was able to have the King of the Mountains jersey and was close to leading in the Points Competition, but wasn’t even in the top 10 for the yellow jersey.  While I could beat the A.I. in specific sections, cutting my overall time down to actually threaten for the overall lead was much more difficult.  After Stage 3, I was almost 2 minutes off the lead, which is horrible.  Playing the stage at actual time and distance is the best way to experience Le Tour de France 2017, but will be a long endeavor and should only be tackled by fans of cycling.  Of course, if you’re not a fan of cycling, then Le Tour de France 2017 has nothing to offer you.

Aesthetics

Like other sports games, Le Tour de France 2017 replicates the experience almost perfectly, both visually and auditorily.  Each stage is rendered beautifully, with lovely scenery, excited fans on the road side, and great lighting effects.  Speed effects help you feel the speed of the bikes, which can easily top 40 kmh, and feel the struggle of heading up a category 4 climb.

Audio is mostly just your race manager dictating tactics, or letting you know where everyone is.  The audio is closer to a Nascar game in terms of commentary, you aren’t hearing the television crew comment on the race, but your own team’s audio and commentary.  Ambient audio is perfect and plays it’s role well.

Final Thoughts

Le Tour de France 2017 is a fantastic game and a great representation of the actual Tour.  The only major flaw in Le Tour de France 2017 is it is a niche game.  If you love professional cycling, you will pick this game up, just like the NFL fan with Madden or the EPL fan with FIFA.  If you do not like cycling, then you are not going to buy this game.  Reviews on games like this one are funny things.  If you like it, you already own it and don’t need me to convince you.  If you don’t, then you are not reading this review, since cycling, and won’t buy the game anyway.  For those very few on the fence and need convincing, Le Tour de France 2017 is the best place to get into the franchise, since it is the newest and best.  I would also suggest tuning into the actual Le Tour de France each morning and watch the actual race occur.  They just finished Stage 3 at the time of this writing, so you have plenty of time to get on board!  Le Tour de France 2017 is available now.

 

Le Tour de France 2017 Review Score

[mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#dd3333″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#dd3333″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#dd3333″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#dd3333″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star-o” color=”#dd3333″ type=”fa”] (4 out of 5 stars)

 

ELEX E3 2017 Impressions

2017/07/03
boothby
E3, Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, PlayStation 4 Preview, Previews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Preview, Xbox One News, Xbox One Preview

During my visit to the 2017 E3 Expo, I stopped at THQ Nordic’s meeting room for a look at ELEX, their upcoming open-world RPG. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where fantasy meets science fiction, ELEX puts players into the role of a wanderer who will have great impact on the game world. One of the first things I noticed about the demo was that the game looked beautiful. It reminded me a lot of those single player RPGs like in the Gothic series. This might have been because ELEX is being developed by Piranha Bytes, the same developer! These guys have been making single player RPGs for a long time and know how to do it.

The planet Magalan has been ravaged by an extinction level meteor strike and four factions have risen out of the chaos. Each of these factions has a very specific aesthetic and preferred weapon set. For instance, there is the Outlaw faction which looks like they came straight from a Mad Max film and uses tinkered weapons. In contrast there is the Berserkers, a group of people who use magic to fight. Whether it is your jump jet pack or the Berserkers’ magic, it is all powered by a substance called ELEX, which came bubbling up after the impact event. There will be magic, ranged, and melee combat and it all seemed rather smooth in what I saw of the game.

Choosing which faction to join is supposedly a VERY important part of the story, and will have severe repercussions for the game world. ELEX will allow a huge number of hours of gameplay and there are a multitude of quests to undertake, equipment to collect and craft, and places to explore. What I am most interested in finding out is how many hours of play the game provides the average player in their testing. While they didn’t give exact numbers, it sounds like it could rival the Gothic series in scope and breadth of quests. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see too much of the game in the twenty minute demo, but we saw enough to know that it will be one that we purchase when it comes out.

ELEX is set for release this Fall for the PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One platforms.

Telltale Games The Walking Dead A New Frontier Review

2017/07/03
Ripper71
News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

Few characters in recent years has warmed my heart quite as much as the female protagonist of Telltale Games The Walking Dead series, Clementine.  In the first Telltale Games TWD series you primarily played as Lee Everett, a convict that is freed by an accident on his way to prison.  He had gone to jail for murder after temporarily going insane seeing his wife cheat on him.  Not a bad man at heart, Lee meets Clementine and wants to help her survive in this harsh new world.  Being an eight year old in the new zombie wastes of Atlanta would have it perils, and not all of them the dead.  Lee and Clementine develop a friendship that while their group continues to go about surviving as they can. Lee helps raise Clementine into this new world and his teachings will follow her (and you, as the player) even to this new series.

Without spoilers, which is really hard at this point in The Walking Dead series as if you are playing this season you probably played the earlier ones, a few years have passed at the start of A New Frontier. While it was only a few months between seasons one and two, three takes place a few years later and doesn’t follow Clementine at first.  She is still the moral compass of the groups she has come in contact with but the compass is a bit worn and the rules of the zombie apocalypse have outweighed the bonds of friendships.  As would for most of us in the situation, the closer you get to someone the harder it hurts when you lose them and the less you want to feel that way in the future.

The game controls can be a bit confusing at first on the PC, when the marker on the screen is arrow up you can either use the arrow key or the W.  Basically all arrow directions can be played with WASD which is important and handy since during fighting battles you need to use the mouse as well.  At first I was wishing for a third arm trying to hit the mouse then arrow up then Q or E.  Blargh.

This game also has the option of Crowd Play which is when you tell friends to got to Telltale.com/crowdplay, give them a code for your game and they can vote on what they would do in the situation.  When the votes are tallied or the timer is up to vote it will let you know what the most popular one is so that that is your choice.  If you have some good friends with smart thinking caps this could turn out really good.  If you have friends who fall under the description of “arsehats” you may spend the next two seasons fixing the damage the managed to do in one.

I tend to wait until I get a whole season of a game then play it.  It isn’t intended that way, these games have cliffhangers you are supposed to wait a week to find out but once I start one or sometimes two game I don’t sleep until done.  So here’s the deal: get all three seasons of Telltale Games The Walking Dead series because you will like them all. If you are a fan of the show or a devout reader of the comics, this is your bag baby. These are basically motion comics where you choose your own adventure. I loved it and can’t wait to play their future offerings!

The Walking Dead:The Telltale Series – A New Frontier Review Score

[mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#1e73be” type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#1e73be” type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#1e73be” type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#1e73be” type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star-o” color=”#1e73be” type=”fa”] (4 out of 5 stars)

 

Past Cure Story Trailer Released

2017/07/03
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

Berlin, July 3rd, 2017 – PAST CURE, the new action stealth thriller coming from Indie developer Phantom 8 Studio, is back on the screen with a stunning new trailer. Giving tantalizing insight into the story, the trailer also impressively demonstrates that in PAST CURE, action is not just a label: the fighting animations shown are completely motion-captured, having been created in collaboration with professional MMA fighters.

There’s also great news for console gamers: in addition to the PC and PlayStation® 4 versions already announced, PAST CURE is now set to come to Xbox One®. All versions will launch simultaneously in Q4 2017 and will be available both online and in retail stores.

Thrilling stealth missions blurring the line between madness and reality

After his years of being tortured in dark prisons across Europe, ex elite soldier Ian lives in the safehouse of his brother, struggling with the consequences of the military experiments he was put through. They twisted his mind, imbued him with preternatural mental abilities such as time control and telekinesis, and fractured his grip on reality. Driven by hallucinations and his thirst for revenge, Ian enlists his brother’s help as he sets out on a thrilling hunt for the perpetrators of the conspiracy against him, and for the truth underlying his torment. On his missions Ian experiments with his new powers, quickly coming to realize their inherent danger: with each use, his sanity frays a little more, inviting the nightmarish attention of something beyond reality. In pursuit of the men behind his imprisonment, Ian soon realizes that his true enemy may be hiding within his madness. With PAST CURE, indie developer Phantom 8 Studio have successfully combined challenging stealth missions and real-time action sequences. In the world of PAST CURE, two dimensions offer two realities – the waking world, and nightmare – coming together in a game aptly described as ‘Inception meets Fight Club meets John Wick’. PAST CURE will come to PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC in retail and online versions for US$ 29.99/ € 29.99 in Q4 2017.

About Phantom 8 Studio UG

Phantom 8 Studio UG & Ko. KG was founded in January 2016 by Ivan Mirkovikj, Roman Duda and Simon Gerdesmann. The Berlin-based independent developer is currently focusing on the development of their first title PAST CURE. By utilizing the latest 3D scan and motion-capturing technologies as well as their strong partnerships with technology providers such as 3Lateral, Cubic Motion and Metric Minds, the studio embraces the challenge of delivering thrilling high quality games at an affordable price point for millions of players.

Official website: www.phantom8.studio

Official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/pastcuregame

San Manuel Casino Now Has The Most Slots On The West Coast

2017/07/01
boothby
News

San Manuel Indian Nation, Calif (July 1, 2017) – The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is unveiling a new expansion to their San Manuel Casino.  As part of its commitment to All Thrill®, San Manuel Casino premieres an exciting expansion of its gaming floor with the unveiling of an additional 500 slots, which brings the total to over 4,700 slots.

“By staying at the forefront of gaming and player experiences, we ensure that more jobs, business partnerships, investments and brand concepts come here to the Inland Empire,” San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairwoman Lynn Valbuena said.

“Our goal is to provide our guests with an incredible gaming experience unlike anything else on the West Coast,” said San Manuel Casino General Manager Loren Gill. “The additional 500 slots will add to the excitement on the gaming floor.  We’re proud to announce Aristocrat’s Tim McGraw slots are part of the additional 500.”

A special Opening Ceremony will take place on Saturday, July 1 at 2 pm.

KRYTAC Begins Shipping KRISS Vector AEG

2017/06/30
boothby
Airsoft News, Geek News, News

June 30, 2017 – Brea, California, USA – Today KRYTAC®, KRISS USA’s brand of premium performance airsoft and training products, launches the first and only officially licensed KRISS® Vector AEG. The all-new AEG is the first of its kind, and an exact replica of the KRISS® Vector SMG Submachine Gun. The KRYTAC® KRISS® Vector AEG is shipping now to KRYTAC® distribution partners.

The dimensions of the all-new KRYTAC® KRISS® Vector AEG are a 1:1 scale to its firearms counterpart. Additional external features include the side folding stock, ambidextrous safety and selector switches, MIL-STD 1913 picatinny top rail, MIL-STD 1913 picatinny bottom accessory rail, and a Trident flash hider mounted to the 14mm counter clock wise threaded barrel.

Internally, the AEG is powered by a vertically oriented mechbox, with V2 compatible gears, piston, piston head, and cylinder. A short type motor pulls the AEG main spring, which is guided by a quick detach metal ball bearing spring guide. Semi, two round burst, and fully automatic fire modes are controlled by a micro-switch trigger and electronic control board with integrated 3034 MOSFET. Additional internal features include the famous KRYTAC® rotary hop up, bucking, and a 155mm inner barrel. Feeding the KRISS® Vector AEG is a 95 rounds mid capacity magazine.

Accessories
Factory standard accessories include the DEFIANCE® front and rear folding polymer sights, a 7-slot MIL-STD 1913 picatinny side rail section, and one magazine. Initial deliveries of the KRYTAC® KRISS® Vector AEG will ship with one (1) additional free mid capacity magazine.

Pricing and Availability
The KRYTAC® KRISS® Vector AEG is shipping now to the United States and is available for a suggested retail price of $449.00 (US). Other international markets including Asia, Europe, and South America will receive initial shipments by the end of July. First deliveries to Canada will be made by the end of August.

Additional magazines are available individually for $24.95 (US), or as a three-piece value package for $69.95(US). International pricing varies by region.

Midsummer Scream Announces Full Lineup of Attractions and Panels

2017/06/30
boothby
Geek News, Halloween, News

LONG BEACH, CA – Attracting more than 8,000 fans for its debut last summer, Midsummer Scream Halloween Festival is set to return bigger and more terrifying to the Long Beach Convention Center July 29 and 30. Drawing lovers of all things Halloween and horror to Southern California, Midsummer Scream delivers a stunning array of industry icons, more than 100,000 square feet of artisan vendors, live entertainment, specialty workshops, makeup demonstrations, short film screenings, haunted attraction previews, and an enormous dark zone known as the Hall of Shadows. Midsummer Scream is a joint production from the teams behind CreepyLA and Theme Park Adventure.

“We are thrilled to return to Long Beach this summer after such an exciting first year in 2016,” says David Markland, Midsummer Scream’s Executive Director. “Halloween and horror go hand-in-hand, and nowhere is the fan dedication to both more intense and heartfelt than right here in Southern California. Building on everything we learned from last year’s convention, our team has worked tirelessly over the past 12 months, preparing to take Midsummer Scream to a whole new level for this community. In just a few weeks, the Halloween season officially begins here on the West Coast; Long Beach has proven to be the perfect home for us, and we’re incredibly excited to lead the charge with the best fans in the world.”

One of the hallmarks of Midsummer Scream is its lineup of world-class panel presentations. This year, the Terrace Theater becomes the convention’s main stage, with a capacity to seat more than 3,000 fans at a time. The biggest tourist attractions on the West Coast are set to return to the main stage, unveiling their Halloween 2017 plans throughout the weekend, along with a stunning lineup of presentations that include:

  • Beyond the Fifth Dimension: Creating The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – Sure to thrill theme park fans, Midsummer Scream will welcome key members of the attraction’s design and development team who will discuss Tower’s inception for Walt Disney World, and each iteration that followed. Mark Silverman, renowned as the voice of Rod Serling in the attraction, will join the discussion, thrilling fans by reciting the famous soundtrack narration live on stage.
  • Submitted for Approval: Are You Afraid of the Dark? – Midsummer Scream is taking it back to the ‘90s to discuss the Nickelodeon sensation that sparked the imagination – and nightmares – of kids everywhere. Co-Creator/Executive Producer D.J. MacHale will be joined by other Are You Afraid of the Dark? alumni on stage to discuss their work on the show and what fun it was keeping viewers cowering behind their blankets all night.
  • Master Creature Makers: From Dinosaurs to Fantasy Worlds – Hosted by Jeff Tucker of 91 Reasons podcast, this fascinating discussion will take a close look at some of the world’s best practical creature makers, and the challenges their companies face in an increasingly digital world. Jeff will be joined on stage by Erich Grey Litoff from the Stan Winston School of Character Arts, Emmy award-winning creature designer and filmmaker Kirk R. Thatcher, themed entertainment icon Garner Holt of Garner Holt Productions, and John Criswell of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.
  • 45 Years of Knott’s Scary Farm – Independent of the Scary Farm’s official main stage presentation, this is a special 90-minute look at the past 45 years of the Halloween event that started it all in 1973. Hosted by author/historian Ted Dougherty, this presentation will feature a rotating panel of individuals who were, and are today, responsible for creating what is considered the granddaddy of all theme park haunt events. Panelists include early Halloween Haunt legend John Waite, former Entertainment Design Manager at Knott’s Todd Faux, world-renowned magician and entertainer Ed Alonzo, current Knott’s Berry Farm Vice President of Entertainment Ken Parks, and current Knott’s Scary Farm Design Specialist Jon Cooke.

Midsummer Scream’s second stage will offer seating for up to 750 guests at a time, featuring its own blockbuster lineup of presentations that include:

  • Shock Waves Live! – From your ear buds to the stage, Blumhouse.com’s hit horror podcast comes to Midsummer Scream for the first time. Hosts Rebekah McKendry, Robert Galluzzo, Ryan Turek, and Elric Kane will record an episode before a live audience, bringing with them an insightful and playful discussion about the world of horror films. Spend an hour with them, and maybe you’ll walk away with some great film recommendations!
  • Tales and Tribulations: The Delusion Retrospective – Internationally-recognized as a pioneering phenomenon in horror theater, Delusion returns to Midsummer Scream with a 90-minute retrospective of its past 5 productions and a glimpse into the future as creator Jon Braver and Skybound Entertainment discuss their new collaboration, Delusion: Lies Within – VR.
  • Winchester Mystery House: “Explore More” of Hallowe’en and Other Surprises – The Winchester Mystery House will host a 60-minute presentation on Sunday, July 30, featuring a look at never-before-opened areas of the mansion that are now featured on the new Explore More Tour, a sneak peek at the wildly-popular Hallowe’en Candlelight Tour – expanded for 2017, plus an exciting update on the upcoming Winchester motion picture, starring Helen Mirren. Doug Barnes of The Season Pass Podcast will lead the on-stage discussion with Walter Magnuson, General Manager of the Winchester Mystery House, and Tim O’Day, the company’s Director of Communications.
  • Stage & Scream: Immersive Horror Theater – Noah Nelson of No Proscenium is set to host this fascinating discussion amongst several very different performance group visionaries that each have their own approach and following in the exceptionally popular world of immersive horror theater on the West Coast and beyond. Joining Noah on stage are Jonathan Josephson of Unbound Productions/Wicked Lit, Zombie Joe of Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group, Anna Mavromati of Shine On Collective, and Landon Zakheim, Co-Director of the Overlook Film Festival.
  • Into the Black: First Look – Fans will get their first look at one of Southern California’s most-anticipated new haunted attractions for 2017, Into the Black. Hosted by Shawn Marshall of Parks and Cons Podcast, Into the Black: First Look will screen the attraction’s backstory film, as well as a teaser for the haunt’s “making of” documentary which will debut after the end of this year’s Halloween season, followed by a discussion and Q&A with Larry Bones, Creator, Executive Producer, and Director of Into the Black; actress Claire Dunlap; actress Aubree Garman; and Ted Dougherty, the Director and Co-Writer of Into the Black’s VR film.
  • Ben Cooper Costumes: Past and Future – This fascinating and nostalgic panel will focus on the history and future vision of Ben Cooper Costumes, founded in 1937. In the years to follow, the company would go on to produce Disney character-based Halloween costumes, as well as several from the Star Wars franchise. Moderator Rebekah McKendry from Blumhouse.com will be joined on stage by Shifra Cooper, Project Manager and Social Media Manager at Ben Cooper Costumes; Micheline Pitt, artist and designer; and Jon Miller, writer and Ben Cooper Costumes historian.

Theme Park Panel Presentations

One of the biggest draws to Midsummer Scream are major presentations by leading tourist attractions. During these blockbuster appearances, representatives of the greatest Halloween events in the world take to the main stage, connecting with their fans to discuss what each has in store for the Halloween season – from behind-the-scenes design details, to exciting announcements about new mazes and attractions. Joining Midsummer Scream 2017 are Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights, Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor, Six Flags Magic Mountain Fright Fest, and Knott’s Scary Farm.

Fans should expect dramatic surprises, fast-breaking announcements, monsters, and more throughout the weekend in the Terrace Theater!

Unique Theatrical Experiences

Featured this year as part of Midsummer Scream’s robust live entertainment selection, guests will have access to two unique productions by Los Angeles-based theater companies Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group, as well as Force of Nature Productions.

For those daring and curious – and 18 years of age or older – Zombie Joe’s will present a special Midsummer Scream 2017 version of its wildly-popular Urban Death show. Urban Death is a series of disturbing, frightening, graphically mature vignettes involving violence, death, and all things taboo; this adults-only production will leave guests laughing nervously, wincing, applauding, and wanting to see more Zombie Joe shows throughout the year.

Force of Nature will make its Midsummer Scream debut with Fallen Saints: Dia De Los Muertos, an immersive theatrical experience that will take guests deep into a cemetery late at night, where they witness the origin story of one of Mexico’s greatest folklore legends. This special engagement at Midsummer Scream is an exclusive “story bridge”, which will then continue this fall in Los Angeles during the group’s Halloween production.

Dark Harbor’s Sinister Circus at the Queen Mary

Once Midsummer Scream completes its activities for the evening at the Long Beach Convention Center on Saturday, July 29, the party continues just across the bay aboard one of the most haunted places in the world – the Queen Mary. Halloween fans don’t have to wait until October to mix and mingle with their favorite Dark Harbor characters; they’re going to populate the upper deck of the world-famous ocean liner all night long while Midsummer fans dance the night away – many in elaborate costumes, as Sinister Circus is also a costume ball featuring prizes and surprises! Tickets and hotel packages are now on sale for Dark Harbor’s Sinister Circus at www.queenmary.com/events/sinister-circus.

Hall of Shadows

Hall of Shadows is a massive dark zone that occupies over one third of the convention’s 90,000 square-foot show floor, giving thousands of fans the opportunity to preview more than a dozen stand-alone home and professional haunt experiences each day. In addition to terrifying haunted attractions, the Hall of Shadows will feature an elaborate Sleepy Hollow-themed entry portal designed and built by CalHauntS, a talented group of haunters based in Los Angeles. Walking through the creepy cemetery, guests will encounter eerie special effects and theme park-quality props and scenery.

High-energy performances by the Decayed Brigade slider team will take place three times each day; “sliding” is a scare tactic created more than 40 years ago at Knott’s Scary Farm, where performers push their bodies and the laws of gravity to the limit, creating a heart-stopping fright.

Once inside the Hall of Shadows, guests will experience more than a dozen “mini haunts” – a sampling of home and professional haunted attractions that can be found across the Southland this coming Halloween season. Each haunt in the Hall of Shadows will have a General Admission line, and a Front of Line lane. All haunts within the Hall are included with paid admission to Midsummer Scream.

Celebrity Guests

Halloween and horror fans will be able to meet celebrity guests throughout the weekend, including Sid Haig (House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil’s Rejects), Cassandra Peterson (Elvira, Mistress of the Dark), actress/model LeeAnna Vamp; Kane Hodder (“Jason Voorhees” from four Friday the 13th films); and more!

Screaming Room Presented by HorrorBuzz.com

Presented by HorrorBuzz.com, this screening room will feature a full two days of programming that includes short film submissions, Etheria Film Night selections, various haunted attraction flow-through videos by Theme Park Adventure, Trick R Treat select clips with recorded commentary by Michael Dougherty for Midsummer Scream, and BuzzFeed Unsolved hosted by Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej.

Family-Friendly Fun

Midsummer Scream recognizes that Halloween is a holiday that is enjoyed by people of all ages, including small children. The show floor will feature a large children’s area, complete with arts and crafts, friendly monster meet-and-greets, and the whimsical fun of Buster Balloon, entertainer and master balloon artist.

For more information regarding dates and times for panels and events, and to purchase tickets, log on to MidsummerScream.org. Fans may sign up on the site for email notifications and announcements, including discounts and other special offers.  Follow Midsummer Scream on social media –Twitter/Periscope: @MidsummerScream, Instagram: @MidsummerScream, and Facebook:facebook.com/midsummerscream.

Former producers of ScareLA, Midsummer Scream creators are David Markland, Executive Director; Gary Baker, Executive Producer; Rick West, Creative Director; Johanna Atilano, Producer; and Claire Dunlap, Supervising Producer.

About Midsummer Scream Halloween Festival

Midsummer Scream is a large-scale summer festival celebrating the spirit of Halloween and horror, drawing thousands of guests to Southern California for a weekend of thrills and chills. Featuring a massive show floor of vendors and exhibitors, haunted attractions and experiences, live entertainment and world-class panel presentations, Midsummer Scream is the West Coast’s premier Halloween/horror event, offering something for fans of all ages. More information can be found at MidsummerScream.org.

Aidy Bryant’s Danger & Eggs Premieres on Amazon Prime Video

2017/06/30
boothby
Movie News, News, Trailers / Videos

SEATTLE—June 30, 2017—(NASDAQ: AMZN) — Amazon today announced its original animated kids series Danger & Eggs premieres today on Prime Video in the US and UK. Featuring the voice talent of comedians Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live) as D.D. Danger and Eric Knobel (Huge Theater) as Phillip, the series will also include guest star voice talent from Weird Al (Milo Murphy’s Law), Lori Petty (Tank Girl), Charlyne Yi (Knocked Up), Kate Micucci (Garfunkle and Oates), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim), Jasika Nicole (Fringe), Felicia Day (Geek and Sundry), Jonah Ray (Nerdist, Mystery Science Theater), Angelica Ross (Her Story), and Jazz Jennings (I Am Jazz). Danger & Eggs is created by Mike Owens (Yo Gabba Gabba!, Animaniacs) and Shadi Petosky (Yo Gabba Gabba!, Mad) and executive produced by Owens, Petosky, and Chris Hardwick (Talking Dead, @midnight). The pilot, which was part of Amazon’s Fall 2015 pilot season and is rated 4.6 out of 5 stars by customers with 80% 5-star reviews, is now available to stream exclusively for Prime members via the Amazon Prime Video app for TVs, connected devices including Fire TV, mobile devices and online—Prime members can also download the pilot to mobile devices for offline viewing at no additional cost to their membership.

Danger & Eggs follows the endless adventures of a fearless, teal-haired girl named D.D. Danger (Aidy Bryant) and her ever cautious best friend, a giant talking egg named Phillip (Eric Knobel). As the daughter of world-renowned stunt daredevil, Roy Danger, D.D. is following in his footsteps and is always chasing her next big thrill. Luckily for her, Phillip is always there by her side with jerry-rigged safety mechanisms to make her thrill-seeking dreams come true. Together, they go in search of new adventures at their favorite spot, Chicken Paw Park, which is home to Philip’s mom Becky, a gargantuan chicken. The first season finds D.D. and Phillip meeting a raccoon with a thirst for technology, being sucked into a mysterious underground science lab, discovering a lonely robot in an overgrown garden, and taking on a famous zip line. Throughout their journey, they overcome obstacles with the “Buddy System” because even though they are polar opposites, their differences complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses to solve problems. Their Buddy System mantra says it all, “You look out for me and I’ll look out for you!”

“We are excited to introduce our first animated comedy for children ages 6-11 to our customers,” said Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids Programming at Amazon Studios. “We feel incredibly lucky to be working with the caliber of creative talent behind this series.”

“For us, the heart of Danger & Eggs is the friendship between Phillip and D.D. that proves you can face fear and danger and have a blast in the process because you are not alone,” said Mike Owens. Adds Shadi Petosky: “We can’t believe we get to take out our anxiety on a show–putting our inside voices into these characters and seeing if they stay friends.”

“I’ve been passionate about animation my whole life and to produce this series with my animation company fulfills a lifelong goal,” says Chris Hardwick, Executive Producer. “This show is funny, touching, and has incredible design–everything I’ve wanted to make.”

Below are what customers have said about the Danger & Eggs pilot:

· “[My 8 year-old son] asked to watch this show at least four times! He loves it! I’ve watched it with him for at least three of those times.”

· “As a father of a little girl with anxiety issues, I really appreciated Phillip’s portrayal. So often in cartoons there is shaming of nervousness or anxiety (ie: C’mon, don’t be a wimp) but in Danger and Eggs, Phillip is just there. He’s an anxious character and that’s ok.”

· “My son loves this show! He’s 6 and says he loves the characters and finds them very funny. He loves the art style and how crazy and fun it is.”

· “As a father of two young daughters, I was thrilled to see a show that revolves around a young girl going on playfully dangerous adventures without the need of an overly macho cohort saving her! Added points for the wonderful humor that is also incorporated for the older demographic without it being crude.”

· “My 10-year-old daughter and I both loved it! She appreciates the subtle humor and animation of this show and said she wants to watch more!”

Danger & Eggs is part of Prime Video’s growing line-up of award-winning and critically-acclaimed Originals for kids and families. All 13 episodes from the series will be available to stream and enjoy using the Amazon Prime Video app for compatible TVs, connected devices, including Amazon Fire TV and mobile devices, or online at www.amazon.com/kidsoriginals, at no additional cost to their membership. Prime members can also download select titles to mobile devices for offline viewing. Eligible customers who are not already Prime members can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/prime. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream. Danger & Eggs is also available as part of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, the all-you-can-eat subscription service designed from the ground up for kids. FreeTime Unlimited is available exclusively on Amazon devices, including Amazon Fire TV and Fire tablets, and a year-long subscription is included with every Fire Kids Edition.

About Amazon Video
Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers customers the greatest choice in what to watch and how to watch it. Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:

· Prime Video: Thousands of movies and TV shows, including popular licensed content plus critically-acclaimed and award-winning Amazon Original Series and Movies from Amazon Studios like Transparent, The Man in the High Castle, Love & Friendship, and kids series Tumble Leaf, available for unlimited streaming as part of an Amazon Prime membership. Prime Video is also now available to customers in more than 200 countries and territories around the globe at www.primevideo.com.

· Amazon Channels: Over 100 channel subscriptions that Prime members can add to their membership, including HBO, SHOWTIME, STARZ, Cinemax, PBS KIDS, Acorn TV and more, plus Anime Strike – the first curated on-demand subscription by Amazon Channels. To view the full list of channels available, visit www.amazon.com/channels

· Rent or Own: Hundreds of thousands of titles, including new release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental or purchase for all Amazon customers.

· Instant Access: Customers can instantly watch anytime, anywhere through the Amazon Video app on compatible TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online. For a list of all compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.

· Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range (HDR) and mobile downloads for offline viewing of select content.

In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited fast free shipping options across all categories available on Amazon, more than two million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with Prime Music, secure photo storage with Prime Photos, unlimited reading with Prime Reading, unlimited access to a digital audiobook catalog with Audible Channels for Prime, a rotating selection of free digital games and in-game loot with Twitch Prime, early access to select Lightning Deals, exclusive access and discounts to select items, and more. To sign-up for Prime or to find out more, visit: www.amazon.com/prime.

Voltron Legendary Defender Announces Comic-Con Events

2017/06/30
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, Movie News, News, SDCC

GLENDALE, CA – June 30, 2017 – DreamWorks Animation Television and Netflix will present a jam-packed Voltron Legendary Defender panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2017, with series showrunners and voice talent debuting the premiere episode of the highly-anticipated third season of the critically-acclaimed Netflix original series.

Fans will be treated to a first look into the exciting third season of the pop culture phenomenon Voltron Legendary Defender. Join executive producer Joaquim Dos Santos, co-executive producer Lauren Montgomery, Bex Taylor-Klaus (voice of Pidge), and Tyler Labine (voice of Hunk) in 6BCF for a special screening and a sneak peek at what’s to come for Team Voltron. The panel will be moderated by Kyle Anderson, Associate Editor of Nerdist.

Following the panel, DreamWorks is calling all Voltron cosplayers to meet Joaquim, Lauren, Bex and Tyler at FANDOM Fest at 2:00 PM PST in the Petco Interactive Zone for a Voltron cosplay and fan meet up. Additional details to follow.

You can also beat the heat at the Petco Interactive Zone for a cool treat from the Voltron-themed food truck “Hunk’s Food Goo Replication Station” in Space M. Just like the Paladins of Voltron, fans can try every Altean’s favorite intergalactic snack: green food goo (or the earth-friendly version that tastes oddly similar to frozen yogurt). Served Thursday–Saturday from 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM and Sunday from 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM for free while supplies last.

On Friday morning, Joaquim, Lauren, Bex and Tyler will be signing an SDCC-exclusive poster created by the Voltron crew from 10:30 AM – Noon in the Sails Pavilion at the Convention Center. Tickets will be made available in advance in the Autograph Area.

A full list of Voltron activities is included below.

DETAILS ON PANELS/SCREENINGS AND ACTIVITIES (in chronological order):

THURSDAY, JULY 20:

DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender, a Netflix Original Series

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

6BCF at San Diego Convention Center

Zarkon has been defeated and Shiro is nowhere to be found. Without a pilot for the black lion or the ability to form Voltron, the team must quickly devise a plan as the ascension of Prince Lotor pulls them into a perilous game of cat-and-mouse. Join executive producer Joaquim Dos Santos, co-executive producer Lauren Montgomery, Bex Taylor-Klaus and Tyler Labine as they debut the first episode of season three of the Netflix original series DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender. All attendees will receive an SDCC-exclusive poster created by the Voltron crew and the new Voltron chapter book “The Rise of Voltron” from Simon & Schuster.

Voltron Cosplay and Fan Meetup

2 PM – 3 PM

FANDOM Fest at the Petco Interactive Zone

Calling all Voltron cosplayers! Thursday is the day to break out your bayards and join Joaquim Dos Santos, Lauren Montgomery, Bex Taylor-Klaus and Tyler Labine at FANDOM Fest to celebrate Voltron with a cosplayer and fan meet up.

FRIDAY, JULY 21:

Voltron Legendary Defender Signing (Ticketed)

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Autograph Area in Sails Pavilion at San Diego Convention Center

A DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender signing with Joaquim Dos Santos, Lauren Montgomery, Bex Taylor-Klaus and Tyler Labine will take place from 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM on Friday in the Autographing Area located in the Sails Pavilion of the San Diego Convention Center.

VOLTRON AROUND THE CON

Hunk’s Food Goo Replication Station (Food Truck)

Thursday to Saturday from 11 AM – 6 PM, Sunday from 11 AM – 5 PM

Petco Interactive Zone

As Coran would say, “Ahoy, young paladins! I’ve whipped up a big batch of focusing food. After this snack, you’ll be forming Voltron six times a movement and twice on the astral conflux!” Take a break from the crowds and have a cold and refreshing treat on us. DreamWorks Animation Television is bringing every paladin’s (least) favorite snack to San Diego: green food goo! From 11 AM – 6 PM Thursday to Saturday and 11 AM to 5 PM Sunday you’ll find Hunk’s Food Goo Replication Station serving Altea’s finest green goo while supplies last.

Lion Forge Comics

Booth #1903

Located in Booth #1903, Lion Forge Comics is giving away free Black Lion masks (while supplies last), massive 22″x34″ 4-Color posters (while supplies last), 4-color bookmarks and will be selling Voltron Legendary Defender Volume 1 which collects issues 1-5 of the miniseries.