Author - Jerry Paxton

Star Trek Timelines Facebook Launch Trailer

2016/11/30

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

November 30, 2016 – As Star Trek’s 50^th anniversary comes to a close, Disruptor Beam continues to celebrate as their highly popular strategy role-playing game Star Trek Timelines is now available on Facebook Games via web browsers and Facebook Gameroom, a new PC gaming desktop app. With millions of fans playing the game on the App Store and Google Play, new and old players now have an extra way to experience the Star Trek universe.

Originally launched in January 2016 for the App Store and Google Play, Star Trek Timelines starts out when a temporal anomaly brings together space and time, allowing players to assemble a dream crew featuring characters from all eras of Star Trek. Players then deploy their crew to resolve conflicts using each crew member’s unique skills and abilities. The game allows players to engage in stunning 3D ship battles, as well as explore the galaxy alongside friends, delivering an immersive game experience to all Star Trek fans.

“One consistent request we’ve heard from our dedicated Star Trek Timelines community since launch has been to bring the action to Facebook,” said Joey Lapegna, Director of Product and Design at Disruptor Beam. “We could not be more thrilled to have Star Trek Timelines finally on Facebook Games and their new Gameroom platform and aim to deliver the same compelling experience as it is now on mobile.”

Star Trek Timelines on Facebook Gameroom and Facebook Games allows for persistent cross-platform gameplay between Facebook and mobile devices as progress made on either platform will be saved and accessible at any time. The Facebook versions of Star Trek Timelines are also available for free and in five different languages – English, Spanish, German, French and Portuguese. Moving forward Disruptor Beam will update both the Facebook and mobile versions in tandem with frequent additions of new characters, starships, features and popular weekly in-game events.

To get started with the Facebook version of Star Trek Timelines, check out this FAQ on the Disruptor Beam website, visit Star Trek Timelines on Facebook Games or download Facebook Gameroom on your Windows PC.

Players can follow new game developments by joining the Star Trek Timelines community and signing up for the Bridge Crew email list, joining the Disruptor Beam forums and following the game on Facebook and Twitter.

The Surge Mini-Boss Info and Screenshots

2016/11/30

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Screenshots / Photos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

November 30, 2016 – Deck 13’s new hardcore action-RPG, The Surge, today unveils some of the game’s mini-bosses set to prowl the hallways of overrun industrial complex CREO. From CREO’s elite security forces to malfunctioning industrial machinery, these enemies make up just a few of the dangers facing Warren throughout the dangerous environments of The Surge.

Led by a billionaire philanthropist, a project developed by CREO – a mysterious industrial and R&D megacorporation – designed primarily to reverse the effects of climate change on the planet is just beginning to take shape as something ominous.

Although most dangers in The Surge were not originally designed for combat, CREO’s security forces exist to maintain order within the complex. CREO’s ‘robot dog’ is a leaping quadruped designed to track down and kill any intrusions. As with most threats in The Surge, it has a weakness – although heavily armored, players can hit vulnerable places in order to take it down, and loot it, faster.

The Echelon 9 security forces, armed with anti-personnel combat gear, are armored in the GOLIATH-class armor making them extremely fast and strong. Although contrary to CREO’s image as a planet-saving company, CREO’s internal security forces’ primary goal is to protect CREO from outside interference, as the stakes are high.

One of the many malfunctioning industrial machines throughout CREO, the Smelter was designed to be impervious to tampering, making it extremely difficult to shut down. With ore-smashing gripper teeth and coolant forcing it to vent gasses to keeping it stable, you’ll have to attack its most vulnerable inner workings at the right time to deactivate it.

You will have to make the most of your newly installed exo-suit, armors, and almost limitless armament combinations to survive CREO when The Surge slices its way onto consoles for PS4, Xbox One, and PC in 2017.

Kingdoms and Castles Announced in Fig Campaign

2016/11/30

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Screenshots / Photos, Windows PC News

Los Angeles, CA – November 30, 2016 – Pete Angstadt and Michael Peddicord, who between them have worked on acclaimed indie games including Abzu, Journey and Cannon Brawl, as well as EA’s Spore and Boom Blox, have founded a new studio called Lion Shield and have announced their new city building game Kingdoms and Castles. Partially inspired by Angstadt’s time at Maxis and games like SimCity, Stronghold, and Banished, players build a simulated city while crafting a strategy to protect their peasants from a continually changing and dangerous world. Kingdoms and Castles begins a funding campaign on Fig.co/castles today, to raise $15,000 for the development, publishing and release of the game on PC and Mac in Spring 2017.

In Kingdoms and Castles, players start out creating small villages, which they expand to thriving cities protected by imposing castles. As the game progresses, choices about strategic castle expansions, tax policies, farming, industry, religious institutions, defense and other important decisions determine whether their city thrives for fails. Unlike other games that have come before, players in Kingdoms and Castles will both create a city and protect it from danger. Many other games have focused separately and exclusively on building or defending – not both.

The kingdoms face threats from a dynamic and dangerous world filled with vikings, plague, dragons, bitter winters and other challenges. The player’s strategy will determine if the viking raiders make off with their villagers or if they are stopped, full of arrows, at the castle gates; or if a dragon torches the town’s granary so that people die of starvation in the winter, or are able to boldly defeat the beast. The success of kingdoms depends solely on the player’s intelligence and skill as a city and castle planner.

The Kingdoms and Castles world dynamically changes and evolves throughout the game – seasons change, forests grow and clouds move through the sky, with a variety of algorithms and procedural systems operating behind the scenes to simulate the environment.

Individuals and organizations can learn more about the game and support Kingdoms and Castles on Fig.co/castles today. In addition to rewards contributions, qualified investors can get returns based on the game’s sales performance by investing in a Fig security that pays dividends tied to the revenues received from the game.

About Fig

As the only funding and publishing platform created by gamers for gamers that offers rewards and investment based funding, Fig.co empowers developers and passionate fans alike to bring well-known franchises and undiscovered indie titles to market. Fig.co was established with help from a coalition of independent game developers including Brian Fargo, Feargus Urquhart, and Tim Schafer. Fig Publishing, Inc. is an affiliate of the Fig.co company and was founded to give investors a way to support the development and publishing of great new games by Fig.

For more information, visit Fig.co and follow us on Twitter.com/playfig and Facebook.com/playfig.

Interactive Nintendo Areas Coming to Universal Studios

2016/11/30

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News

Kyoto, Japan and ORLANDO, Florida (November 29, 2016) – Imagine the fun of stepping into a larger-than-life Nintendo adventure. Gigantic Piranha Plants spring to life. Question blocks, power-ups and more surround you. And Mario and all his friends are there to pull you into a brand-new world.

You will enter an entire realm filled with iconic Nintendo excitement, gameplay, heroes and villains. And it is coming to three Universal theme parks around the globe.

The creative visionaries behind Nintendo’s legendary worlds and characters are working together with the creative teams behind Universal’s blockbuster theme park attractions. Their goal: to bring the characters, action and adventure of Nintendo video games to life within Universal theme parks. And to do so in new and innovative ways that capture what makes them so special. All of the adventure, fun and whimsy you experience through a screen will now be all around you – in breathtakingly authentic ways.

Nintendo-themed areas are coming to Universal Studios Japan, Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood.
These will be expansive, immersive and interactive. They will be highly themed and authentic environments filled with multiple attractions, shops and restaurants.
Guests will feel as if they are playing inside their favorite games – this time in real life.
There will be something for everyone – regardless of their age or gaming experience level.
Planning and creative work on these areas is well underway; they will open separately over the next several years.

The new themed areas come as the result of a global partnership between Universal Parks & Resorts and Nintendo – two icons of the entertainment world. Universal theme parks create incredibly popular family entertainment experiences for millions of people based on compelling characters, stories and innovative technology. Nintendo creates remarkable and imaginative games filled with captivating stories and beloved characters.

Each Universal theme park will announce details of its specific Nintendo areas. The first such announcement will come soon.

About Universal Parks & Resorts
Universal Parks & Resorts, a unit of Comcast NBCUniversal, offers guests around the globe today’s most relevant and popular entertainment experiences. With three-time Academy Award winner Steven Spielberg as creative consultant, its theme parks are known for immersive experiences that feature some of the world’s most thrilling and technologically advanced film- and television-based attractions.

Comcast NBCUniversal wholly owns Universal Studios Hollywood, which includes Universal CityWalk Hollywood. It also owns Universal Orlando Resort, a destination resort with two theme parks (Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure), five resort hotels, and Universal CityWalk Orlando. In addition, Comcast NBCUniversal owns a 51 percent majority interest in Universal Studios Japan, in Osaka and has a license agreement with Universal Studios Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore. The company has also announced plans for a theme park in Beijing.

Ghost Town Mine Ride & Shootin’ Gallery Review (HTC Vive)

2016/11/29

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

Spectral Illusions is a name many of you video gamers out there might not know just yet. However, if you are a part of the haunted house/haunter community, you will no doubt recognize them as a well-known producer of digital projector effects. I had seen them at various Halloween-related trade shows like ScareLA and Midsummer Scream, so I knew that they made quality effects. What I did not know was that this two-person team was working on what might just be the best “on-rails” virtual reality shooter to date: Ghost Town Mine Ride & Shootin’ Gallery. And it’s out now for your gaming enjoyment… If you dare!

Ghost Town Mine Ride & Shootin’ Gallery puts players in the shoes of a person exploring an abandoned thrill ride – a mine ride as the title mentions. The experience starts off in a small office attached to the mine ride and shooting gallery. From there, you will make your way into the ride, with the first stop being the stationary shooting gallery. Armed with a six shooter, players can shoot at the various targets as long as they like. The shooting gallery experience is extremely well-done, with 1:1 aiming and gun manipulation. Thankfully, the game still has some arcade shooter in its genetics as you have unlimited rounds for your pistol, and reloading is just a simple control press.

Speaking of controls, Ghost Town Mine Ride & Shootin’ Gallery uses the HTC Vive motion controllers extremely well. Movement is done in real-time, no teleportation here, and I am very happy for that. I think teleportation takes players out of the VR experience. Now, it is true that some players get motion sickness while using virtual reality headsets. If this is you, I would highly suggest you skip this game unless you pick it up just for the excellent shooting gallery. This is because after you shoot your heart out at the shooting gallery, you venture further into the attraction, boarding the mine ride itself. From there… Well, all Hell breaks loose and you are in for a wild ride.

Visually, Ghost Town Mine Ride & Shootin’ Gallery is a beautiful VR experience. The atmosphere is perfect and I experienced a ton of jump scares on this mine ride gone berserk. The sound is equally immersive and just adds to the creep-factor of the ride. In terms of performance, even when the action was crazy and frenetic, the frame rate kept stable and I experienced very little in the way of juttering when I turned my head. You can stand or sit when you board the mine ride, and I highly suggest you stand at moments when you would be standing in the experience and sit when you are riding the mine ride. Have a chair nearby and just be careful not to trip over it, lol.

Now, there are some bugs that still need to be worked out. For instance – every once in a great while, I would end up getting thrown out of the mine cart due to a glitch. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do at that point except restart. There are no save points or anything like that. In fact, that kind of issue is where the game’s independent development shows through. For the most part, it is an amazing experience that lasts about a half hour.

Overall, Ghost Town Mine Ride & Shootin’ Gallery is one of the best virtual reality-based experiences I have ever played. Finally, Ghost Town Mine Ride & Shootin’ Gallery is only $8.99 on Steam, making it one of the most economical VR experiences I have ever played. If you own an HTC Vive, you owe it to yourself to purchase Ghost Town Mine Ride & Shootin’ Gallery right away. You won’t regret it.

Ghost Town Mine Ride & Shootin’ Gallery Review Score:

[mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eded00″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eded00″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eded00″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eded00″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eded00″ type=”fa”] (5 out of 5)

New Styx: Shards of Darkness Screenshots Released

2016/11/29

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News

November 29, 2017 – Styx: Shards of Darkness, sequel to Cyanide Studios’ stealth hit Master of Shadows, comes to PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC in Q1 2017. Four new images show off the heavily guarded Port of Korrangar, airships in flight, and the impish nature of our green-skinned thief himself.

The only thing sharper than Styx’s wit is his knife, and both will be put to the test in his deadly adventure across land, sea and sky. After taking care of business in City of Thieves Thoben, Styx agrees to steal an ambassador’s scepter – in exchange for vast quantities of highly addictive, magical Amber of course! It’s not long before this seemingly straight forward task takes an unexpected turn though, as Styx is thrust into a dangerous world of shady politics and powerful magic.

This time around, Styx has access to a far greater arsenal of tools and abilities to fit with a range of different playstyles. Avoid or hunt guards with potent Amber powers, including the ability to instantly teleport into a newly hatched Styx clone. The newly-added crafting system lets you adapt to situations as you progress, allowing you to craft lethal traps and other devices from components stolen on your adventure.

This open-ended approach extends beyond Styx himself. The game once again features highly vertical environments, far grander in scale and non-linearity than ever before. Every objective is achievable through many different routes and tactics – from lurking through shadowy depths to unleashing silent attacks from above, how Styx progresses in each mission is entirely up to you.

Styx: Shards of Darkness comes to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in early 2017. Players who preorder now get exclusive access to the Akenash set, granting them the iconic outfit and dagger seen in Styx’s first adventure.

Bluefin to Distribute Bandai Star Wars Models

2016/11/28

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos

Anaheim, CA, November 29, 2016 – Bluefin, the leading North American distributor of toys, collectibles, and hobby merchandise from Japan, Hong Kong and more, expands its relationship with Bandai Hobby to include distribution of Bandai’s line of Star Wars Scale Vehicle Models.

Bandai Hobby is renowned for its high-quality model kits that blend complex detail and innovative construction that fans of all skill levels will enjoy. Manufactured in Japan, the Star Wars Scale Vehicle Model kit line includes notable crafts and space ships from the earlier classic Star Wars films as well as from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the latest Rogue One: A Star Wars Story release. Originally available only for the Asian market, these official U.S. releases will include English instructions and will also have product support from Bluefin.

Bluefin will launch the Bandai Hobby Star Wars model line in early December with the 1/72 and 1/144 scale Red Squadron X-Wing Starfighter Special Set, which features the star fighter depicted in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The kit will be initially available from Amazon.com in time for the film’s North American wide release in December.

Amazon pre-orders are available now at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LX1Y3CA/

Subsequent 1/72 scale kits for the Tie Interceptor, A-Wing Starfighter, and Poe’s X-Wing Fighter will follow in January and will be available at Barnes & Noble stores nationwide, followed by full distribution across the U.S. to hobby and independent store channels.

The remaining Scale Vehicle model kits in the Bandai Hobby Star Wars line are planned for release by Bluefin to additional online and physical retailers throughout 2017. Bluefin also plans to release new future Bandai Hobby Star Wars Scale Vehicle model kits simultaneously as the kits debut in Asia.

Bandai Hobby’s line of Star Wars kits includes:

1/72 & 1/144 RED SQUADRON X-WING STARFIGHTER SPECIAL SET

1/72 TIE INTERCEPTOR

1/72 A-WING STARFIGHTER

1/72 POE’S X-WING FIGHTER

Additional kits are planned for 2017

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Tickets On Sale Now

2016/11/28

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Movie News, News, Windows PC News

BURBANK, CALIF. (November 28, 2016)—Advance tickets are on sale now for Lucasfilm’s highly anticipated standalone Star Wars adventure “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Tickets are available wherever tickets are sold.

To celebrate “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” several theater chains and ticket sellers are offering special promotions. Detailed information available here: http://www.starwars.com/news/rogue-one-a-star-wars-story-tickets-on-sale-worldwide

Additionally, to kick off ticket sales, a new TV spot is now available, featuring the chilling sounds of an iconic villain:

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” follows a group of unlikely heroes in a time of conflict who band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, with Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker. Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel are producing, with John Knoll and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. The story is by John Knoll and Gary Whitta, and the screenplay is by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” opens in U.S. theaters on December 16, 2016 in 3D, Real D 3D and IMAX 3D.

2016 Knott’s Merry Farm Review

2016/11/27

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Misc Review, News, Reviews, Screenshots / Photos, Special Interest News

The 2016 Knott’s Merry Farm event is up and running, spreading some serious holiday cheer at Knott’s Berry Farm. Located in Buena Park, Knott’s Berry Farm has a long history of holiday-inspired events, most recently in the form of its “Scary Farm“. But enough about the frights – now it’s time to look at holiday delights (please blame rhyming on the Hamilton soundtrack I am listening to).

Knott’s Merry Farm features a ton of holiday treats for family members of all ages. This year, the Merry Farm sees several shows for guests to enjoy such as the annual Christmas ice show. It’s amazing as ever and the skaters are to be commended for their performances. Walking around the park again this year are the carolers – something I wish the “park down the road” (i.e. Disneyland for the non-Southern Californians here) would implement, but I digress. The Calico Saloon Christmas Show is back in the Calico Saloon and is, as always, a fun hoedown of a time while It’s the Merriest Christmas Show Ever, Charlie Brown graces the new Calico Mine Stage. Of course, during Knott’s Merry Farm, the rides are still in operation so you can get on the renovated Calico Mine Ride and Log Ride or head over to Camp Snoopy so the kids can enjoy some kid-focused attractions.

Santa’s Christmas Cabin returns with its array of treats. Pastries, cookies, egg nog, milk, and a lot more are available for your enjoyment. Unfortunately, the amazing cinnamon rolls of four years ago have yet to return, but I keep hoping! I highly recommend getting a polar bear cupcake at the pastries booth, followed up with some hot chocolate! It’s a great pairing for a wintry sort of day – especially if this crisp, cold Southern California weather we are having keeps up. Also inside Santa’s Christmas Cabin is, well, Santa! You can take pictures with the “jolly big guy”, and the little ones can tell him what they want for Christmas.

Even though the Ghost Town Grill is not a seasonal restaurant, I wanted to make sure to give it a special mention in my write up of the Merry Farm. Being able to sit outside on the small patio while eating a piping hot bread bowl of beef stew is something that I wish everyone could experience. The sights and sounds of Ghost Town are beautiful, and the patio is a great place to people-watch. There are several lunch dining options at Knott’s Berry Farm, but I have to recommend everyone try the Ghost Town Grill during your adventure.

All throughout Ghost Town, you’ll find the Christmas Craft Village where Knott’s Berry Farm has brought in a variety of vendors to show off their wares. There are artisans of every kind in the craft village and you’re sure to find some great holiday gifts for you and yours. During our visit, I purchased a couple of nifty handmade ornaments as well as a fun Christmas sign to put our in my yard. It should be noted that, for a discounted price, you can purchase a ticket to visit just the Christmas Craft Village.

Overall, Knott’s Merry Farm is a fun time for young and old alike. It’s a down-home Christmas celebration that exudes Americana and holiday cheer out of its every ribbon and ornament! Knott’s Merry Farm runs until January 8, 2017. You can find ticket information and park hours of operation at their official website.

Photo Gallery

Happy Thanksgiving 2016

2016/11/24

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News

From all of us at GamingShogun.com, we’d like to take a moment and say thank you to all the readers out there who make our site possible. Please take a moment and think about what you’re thankful for today! And eat good stuff!