Author - Jerry Paxton

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate – Nintendo Switch Launch Trailer

Super Evil Megacorp, in collaboration with Paramount Game Studios, is thrilled to announce the worldwide launch of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate on Nintendo Switch. The pizza loving, half-shelled brothers are back and better than ever in this roguelike action game for the device, marking Super Evil Megacorp’s console debut.

Travel through reality bending portals to rescue TMNT’s abducted master, Splinter. Players will take full control over the crime-fighting Turtle brothers, each wielding their own unique powers through this fast-paced roguelike action. Whether playing solo or with friends through the bodacious co-op capabilities, experience thrilling combat, randomized power-ups, boss modifiers and endless challenges – no two runs will be the same!

Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate’s features include:

  • Play the way you want! Solo, local or online co-op, up to 4 players.
  • Play as any of the 4 turtles, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo, each with their own attack style, special skills, and unique masteries.
  • Randomized powerups, enemies, and minibosses so no two runs are the same!
  • Permanent upgrade progression so you can still make progress, even in defeat!
  • Improved visual design, graphics, audio and optimized controls for Nintendo Switch.
  • All-new, dynamic story written by legendary comic book author Tom Waltz and Kevin Michael Johnson.

Creative Unveils Creative Outlier Go Open-Ear Earbuds

Creative Technology today announced the release of the Creative Outlier Go, the latest wireless open-ear headphones designed for personalized comfort and rich audio, perfect for those who are always on the move. Featuring custom-tuned 14.2 mm Neodymium drivers and an adjustable fit that suits all ear shapes, these headphones are a must-have for adventurers and daily commuters looking to enjoy superior sound quality while staying connected to their surroundings.

Boasting up to 26 hours of total playtime, the Creative Outlier Go keeps the beats going all day long. These headphones are also all about comfort, featuring an adjustable fit with soft silicone ear hooks that keep users comfortable even during marathon music sessions. Plus, users get to enjoy seamless connectivity with Bluetooth 5.4 and low latency mode, offering minimal audio delay for a smooth and lag-free listening experience.

The Creative Outlier Go is also adventure-ready, featuring an IPX4 splashproof rating and dual microphones for clear calls and uninterrupted jams in any environment. Users can further personalize their listening experience using the Creative App, customizing controls to match their preferences. Additionally, the multi-device connectivity enables seamless connection to two devices simultaneously, making switching effortless. Along with voice assistant support such as Siri and Google Assistant, hands-free control is more convenient than ever.

From exploring new trails to kicking back with favorite tracks, the Creative Outlier Go keeps users grooving wherever they go, ensuring they never miss a beat.

Pricing and Availability

Given these features at its irresistible launch price of $79, the Creative Outlier Go is simply a steal.

For more information, visit creative.com/OutlierGo

NEW EWOKS COMIC SERIES REVEALED

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Ewoks’ continued adventures beyond the Star Wars films. The Ewok Adventure, also known as Caravan of Courage, followed up on the popularity of the adorable—but formidable—creatures who secured the Rebellion’s victory during the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi. To celebrate the anniversary and the Ewok’s mighty legacy, they’ll star in a new 4-issue limited comic series this October—STAR WARS: EWOKS!

STAR WARS: EWOKS will be written by Marvel superstar Steve Orlando (Scarlet Witch) and drawn by acclaimed artists Álvaro López (Extreme Venomverse) and Laura Braga (Star Wars: The High Republic). The series will take place in the aftermath of Return of the Jedi as the Ewoks must once again stand against a caravan of carnage to save their home! Fans can expect new insights into Ewok culture, the return of friendly faces like Wicket, and the introduction of all-new Ewok heroes!

A team of Imperial-led bounty hunters and scavengers arrive on the Forest Moon of Endor searching for a secret cache of Imperial weaponry! Are they prepared to face off against the battle-ready Ewoks who took down so many of their ranks? Who is the mysterious new warrior Ewok returning to Bright Tree village, and what is their connection to Wicket W. Warrick?

“Forty years of EWOKS! Sometimes, a lot of the times, this job is just a dream–and for someone who grew up watching Return of the Jedi after every single Sunday Ski Trip, getting the chance to celebrate them and explore their world in the aftermath of the second Death Star’s fall is truly beyond belief,” Orlando shared. “When I was young, the Ewoks got me in the door–Wicket was my hero, a young hero like me (like I was back then) going on adventures with Princess Leia herself! Now, as an adult, it’s an honor to challenge Wicket and bring all-new Ewoks to Bright Tree Village–but not just that! There’s a lot more to Endor that we’ll be seeing for the first time since the Ewoks animated series–this is a powerful world, a powerful ecosystem, and we’ll be exploring it like never before! Join us for a caper like no other as Wicket races against time to outwit a dangerous crew of Imperial Thieves and save the Forest Moon!”

“The Ewoks are an often underestimated force in Star Wars. As a life-long Ewoks fan, I am EXTREMELY excited for the world to read this story and get a closer look into their world. It’s full of action, thrills, and heart. All things we’ve grown to love about Star Wars!” Editor Mikey J. Basso added.

Check out a trio of covers for STAR WARS: EWOKS #1 and don’t miss this exciting never-before-told Star Wars chapter this October! For more information, visit Marvel.com.

Endzone 2 – Release Date Reveal Trailer

Assemble Entertainment is thrilled to announce that post-apocalyptic survival colony builder Endzone 2 will launch into Early Access for PC via Steam and GOG on August 26th, 2024. Discover and repopulate the last habitable grounds, while the survival of your people hinges on your wits, foresight, and resilience in a harsh and unforgiving world. You can look forward to the Endzone 2 roadmap, which will be revealed very soon. Assemble Entertainment is also currently participating in Tacticon 2024, with Endzone 2 featured as part of the lineup. Check out the latest Steam demo and view the Early Access release date trailer below!

Developed by internal Assemble Entertainment team Gentlymad Studios, Endzone 2 is a post-apocalyptic survival colony builder in which players embark on missions to secure humanity’s survival after a cataclysmic disaster. Discover and repopulate the last habitable grounds, and manage the survival of your people by utilizing your wits, foresight, and resilience in a harsh and unforgiving world. Explore the treacherous badlands to discover loot as you develop and expand your settlements amidst the chaos.

River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next Announcement Trailer

Arc System Works America, Inc. has announced the upcoming release of River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next, a brand-new game sequel and chapter in Kunio’s “Three Kingdoms” story, coming to Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4, and Steam on November 7, 2024. Players on PlayStation 4 and Steam can now add the game to their Wishlist. The Nintendo Switch store page will open on August 8.

Follow the wild antics of over 100 River City characters coming together! The River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next sequel story begins following the Battle of Red Cliffs and continues with a mad dash towards the climax of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel, the Battle of Wuzhang Plains. The beloved River City ruffian Kunio takes on the role of the hero of the Three Kingdoms, Guan Yu, joining the hot-blooded battle over the nation.

River CIty Saga: Three Kingdoms Next will include the following story and action gameplay:

  • River City Cast in Three Kingdoms Roles – Including Kunio as Guan Yu, Misako as Zhuge Liang, Goda as Liu Bei, Yamada as Cao Cao
  • Romance of the Three Kingdoms Twists – The story of famous generals joining Liu Bei’s army in the battle against rival Cao Cao takes some inventive River City-style twists thanks to the influence of Kunio and his friends.
  • Get on Red Hare and Send Enemies Packing! – Kunio can move through the stages on his motorcycle, Red Hare. Soar down the road while tossing enemies aside and even create your own customized Red Hare ride by collecting parts. Meeting certain conditions can even change Red Hare into something other than a motorcycle…
  • Arsenal of Flashy Tactics and Specials – Similar to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel, game players can experience clever strategies employed by military tacticians.

○      Set the stage aflame with Fire Tactics

○      Wash the enemy base straight away with Water Tactics

○      Summon familiar faces to aid in battle with an all-new Tactic

○      Combine these Tactics with your special moves to conquer the unique stages where enemies await!

River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next is the sequel game to 2022’s River City Saga: Three Kingdoms on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Steam, which brought players a unique experience set during China’s Three Kingdoms period and was based on the popular Downtown Special: River City Historical Drama! game. The game saw River City characters enter China’s Three Kingdoms period and take on roles set within the historical tale, “Romance of the Three Kingdoms.”

Path of Exile: Settlers of Kalguur Expansion and PoE 2 Beta Test News

During today’s Path of Exile livestream, “GGG Live,” developer Grinding Gear Games unveiled details for Path of Exile’s 3.25 update, Settlers of Kalguur. The July expansion introduces the Settlers of Kalguur Challenge League, balance improvements including two Ascendancy Class changes, Endgame improvements, further additions to the Campaign and a variety of quality of life (QoL) features for both PC and console players. Path of Exile: Settlers of Kalguur will launch on July 26th at 1 PM PDT.

In the Settlers of Kalguur Challenge League, players will help Kalguuran pioneers build the town of Kingsmarch and establish trade between Wraeclast and their homeland. Players will focus on mining exotic resources, hiring and protecting skilled workers to construct and defend the town, and build out a harbor to establish and manage trading. Once the town is constructed and trade is underway, players will be able to buy and sell currency and other stackable items in the Currency Trade Market, and craft and recombine powerful weapons and items on the Runesmithing Table.

Ascendancy classes will be refreshed with the addition of the new Warden class, as well as a rework of the Gladiator. The Warden will replace the Raider class, focusing on elemental attacks, damage mitigation and a specialization in Tinctures, which can now be found throughout the land. The Gladiator class maintains powerful skills for Bleeding and Block, along with receiving newly designed skills including the opportunity to invest in Retaliation Skills, a new type of skill that allows you to unleash devastating damage upon meeting certain conditions in combat.

Settlers of Kalguur will add a long list of balance work including drastic alterations to Melee Skills, Block, Rage, Warcries, Banners, Bleed, Impale, adding new Base Types to Endgame, buffed Modifiers on Endgame Items, buffed Critical Strike Chances on Weapons, and much more. Endgame content has been addressed with changes to many Scarabs, a 6th Map Device Slot, new encounters in Tier 16 and Tier 17 Maps, updates to Blight and Ritual and more. There will also be a set of new Chisel types and a massive increase in the drop rate of Valdo’s Puzzle Boxes.

Path of Exile players on consoles will be delighted to find that the game now takes full advantage of PS5 and Xbox Series hardware, with a huge reduction in load times and texture pop-in. Overall visual fidelity has been improved with the highest available resolution textures and water effects, and a new upscaling algorithm that improves the crispness of dynamic resolution, as well as an additional anti-aliasing pass.

Grinding Gear Games announced that they will soon be running the first Closed Beta Test for their upcoming sequel Path of Exile 2. To be considered for participation in this and future tests, please sign up at www.pathofexile2.com/register.

Path of Exile: Settlers of Kalguur will launch on July 26th PDT for PC, Mac and Consoles. Check out the full changes here: https://www.pathofexile.com/settlers/patchnotes.

More information about specific features of Path of Exile can be found at www.pathofexile.com

Unknown 9: Awakening – Gameplay Walkthrough with Dev Commentary

Reflector Entertainment revealed an insightful look at UNKNOWN 9: AWAKENING, the narrative-driven action-adventure game based on the original IP. The developer walkthrough trailer features Christoper Rossignol, Creative Director at Reflector, who provides a deep look at gameplay and showcases the different combat styles and abilities of Haroona. Portrayed by British actress Anya Chalotra, the game’s protagonist Haroona is a mysterious Quaestor born with the ability to draw power from another dimension, on a quest to avenge the death of her mentor and save humanity. Go deeper into UNKNOWN 9: AWAKENING with eight minutes of gameplay narrated by Christophe Rossignol, Creative Director at Reflector Entertainment here:

In the trailer, the developer provides commentary for exploration and different combat playstyles, from the most discreet stealth approach to the most destructive and explosive, and shows how to best make use of the stepping mechanic, where Haroona takes control of her enemies and places them in tactical positions to gain advantage in battle. The video also showcases locations in Haroona’s harrowing journey,  which will take players to exotic settings such as the Mauritanian desert and the deep jungles of India, and demonstrates a few early game skills unlocked during a player’s playthrough, giving a new taste of this globetrotting adventure.

UNKNOWN 9: AWAKENING is slated for release this Fall for PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam®. For more information, visit www.bandainamcoent.com/games/unknown9/en/products/video-games/awakening/.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Collector’s Edition Steelbook Announced

Fresh off the heels of winning the Xbox Excellence Award, Gun Interactive continues to honor the legacy of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as it nears both the game’s first year anniversary and the original films anniversary. Their millions of players can continue to celebrate this iconic franchise with a special Collector’s Edition SteelBook.

This 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition SteelBook encapsulates the beauty and macabre tone of the game with exclusive art by legendary artist Gary Pullin. With earthy yellows and greens, the silhouettes of The Slaughter Family and their Victims are displayed walking along the edges of Leatherface’s Chainsaw, amidst the growth of wildflowers. A gorgeous display for a game critics claim is, “like nothing else in horror, no matter the medium.”

Players will receive this gorgeous SteelBook alongside other goodies such as a physical copy of the game, an exclusive pack of trading cards for The Slaughter Family, the 50th Anniversary 4K Blu-Ray of the 1974 classic film, and already released DLC including two playable characters (Danny and Nancy), Outfit Packs, Execution Packs, and more!

“I’ve had my eye on Gary Pullin for a long time. I adore his art and approach to horror. Once the two of us got together and started brainstorming on what this steelbook could look like, it was like we’d known each other for years. It was an absolute treat to work with Gary and I hope the fans love what he created. As a horror nerd myself, I only wanted to offer something that I myself would want to collect. Something I would be proud of to have on my shelf, and I think we accomplished that.”
  • Wes Keltner, CEO, Gun Interactive
“The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has always been on the top of my list of iconic films I’ve wanted to work with. That call came when Wes from Gun reached out to me to create the artwork for the steelbook. Wes sent me some truly stunning early footage of the game and we talked a lot about how our favorite images are often striking, simple concepts. With that direction in mind, I picked up a chainsaw and got to work. I’m very proud to have worked with GUN on this special release and I only hope we’ve come up with something Grandpa will approve of.
  • Gary Pullin, Artist, www.garypulllin.com
Players can pre-order this 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition SteelBook now from their favorite online retailers!

Lionsgate and Stern Pinball Bring John Wick Pinball to San Diego Comic-Con

In collaboration with Lionsgate, Stern Pinball, Inc. is bringing John Wick to San Diego Comic-Con where fans may play the new pinball game, check out exclusive merchandise, and view movie props used in connection with the actual filming of John Wick!

In Stern’s John Wick pinball games, players step into the role of the world’s greatest assassin as he fights to escape his past. As the titular character, players can engage in high-speed car chases and fast-action drifting across the playfield, which incorporates models and artwork inspired by iconic locations from the franchise, including the New York Continental Hotel and the Red Circle Club, all set against a dramatically edge lit New York City skyline. Players need to survive other adversaries, complete jobs for the legendary Factions of the High Table, and eventually take on John Wick’s “Special Assignment!” John Wick is set apart from other pinball games with Stern’s all-new dynamic AI combat system, an innovation that brings the frenetic combat of the legendary films to the game.

John Wick pinball will be featured at Stern’s long-standing Pop-Up Arcade, located outside the convention center at the Marriott Marquis, along with several other beloved Stern Pinball titles. Additionally, fans won’t want to miss the official props from the John Wick universe that will be available for viewing at the Stern Pinball booth, located on the show floor.

After going head-to-head with enemies, fans can get their hands on exclusive John Wick merchandise, including John Wick x Stern Pinball T-shirts and a limited-edition LP album featuring the game’s original score, signed by composer Charlie Benante of Anthrax and Pantera fame. Come quick – there will only be 500 copies of this limited-edition LP album sold onsite!

“Together with Lionsgate, we’ve created a thrilling, action-packed game that truly embodies the John Wick universe,” said Seth Davis, President and CEO of Stern Pinball, Inc. “We hold San Diego Comic-Con close to our hearts, and we’re having a blast working with Lionsgate to bring the franchise to this community in a new and exhilarating medium.”

Pricing and Availability:

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (“MSRP”)*:

*MSRP for sales to USA end-users before any VAT, GST, Sales Tax, Duties, or other taxes.                        

Pro Edition:                                                               $US 6,999

Premium Edition:                                                   $US 9,699

Limited Edition:                                                     $US 12,999

John Wick pinball games and accessories are available now through authorized Stern Pinball distributors and dealers worldwide.

Dungeons 4 the Good, the Bad, and the Evil DLC Announced

Saddle up, adepts of Evil! Publisher Kalypso Media and developer Realmforge Studios have announced the first DLC for their dungeon management simulator – Dungeons 4. Get ready for an adventure with Dungeons 4 – the Good, the Bad, and the Evil, introducing a new Wild West inspired landscape on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5, releasing on August 8.

Embark on an Evil pursuit against the formidable Dwarven Queen Brynnhild through the untamed West in five new missions. New dwarven units like the Pistolero, Machine Dwarf and Crack Shot, armed with powerful dwarven weaponry, add a fresh layer of tactical evilness, while Thalya goes full Wicked Wild West, bringing new passive skills into the fight against the Good.

Steam locomotives rumble across the land, brimming with dwarves armed with dynamite and guns, led by Brynnhild and her fearsome steel train, bringing hope to the forces of light and goodness—how revolting! But fear not, for you, with Thalya and your new arsenal, are the key to turning the tide in favour of Evil.

Use the new Steam trap and Hydro-Lava-non to protect your dungeon heart, which frightful new vermin, including Giant Scorpions, Lavalumps and Manavores, now call home. Once your dungeon is secure, destroy the enemy locomotives and build a carriage of carnage of your very own for the good of all that is evil!

Dungeons 4 – the Good, the Bad and the Evil will break free from the forces of Good and storm onto PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 on August 8.

Disclaimer: Any resemblance to real cowboys, gun-slinging dwarves, or evil overlords is purely coincidental. No scorpions were harmed in the making of this game… probably.