Author - Jerry Paxton

Gangs of Sherwood Character Spotlight Trailers

NACON and Appeal Studios are delighted to share new details about the four heroes in the co-op action-adventure game Gangs of Sherwood in a new video series narrated by Andrea Di Stefano, Game Director at Appeal Studios. Gangs of Sherwood will be available on 19 October on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store).

In Gangs of Sherwood, you’ll be able to choose between 4 characters, Robin, Marian, Little John and Tuck, each with a completely unique and customizable gameplay style, to fight against the evil armies of the Sheriff.

Get to know the characteristics and unique features of our heroes:

Robin
Robin of Locksley is the leader of the Resistance and an archer who never misses his target. He has a wide range of skills and combos that can fell the strongest enemies once he reaches his maximum potential, and all from a distance!

With his special shots, Robin can hit several enemies at the same time, drill through shields and launch enemies in the air to open up combo opportunities for his allies!

Marian
Marian is the notorious daughter of the Sheriff of Nottingham and her lethal elegance hides many deadly abilities. She is an assassin who can fight equally well from a range, as well as up close with her retractable chain-sword.

Whether you use her sword to cut down large groups of enemies, or target more distant ones with her daggers, Marian is extremely versatile and can deal damage effectively all over the combat arena.

Friar Tuck
Friar Tuck is a healer monk and plays a key role in the Resistance. You would never see him without his mace and his barrel of mead. Tuck is a melee specialist and an excellent defensive tank for your team. Swing his mace to deal huge damage over an area and deploy his giant shield to protect your allies from the most challenging enemies.

Friar Tuck’s gameplay is all about charging his attacks to increase their damage and grant them devastating properties, such as generating shockwaves or deadly fire pillars. His censer can also heal all nearby allies.

Little John
As a former leader in the Sheriff’s army, Little John is the most experienced member of the Gang. His bravery and might are unmatched. He is a ferocious brawler who can dish out rapid devastating punches.

His devastating fist of steel deals massive damage in close combat and builds up heat, which he can then release with a powerful Overheat attack. He inflicts heavy damage on his opponents by grabbing them or by emitting powerful laser beams that cross the battlefield.

Each character has a wide range of special abilities. They can be customized using various fragments that can be found during the adventure. These fragments alter the characters’ attacks to suit the player’s preferred fighting style. When our heroes are confronted by boss enemies, they can call on their unique skills, called Rebel Abilities, or temporarily upgrade their skills with the special Rebel Instinct mode.

Gangs of Sherwood is a story-driven co-operative action-adventure game for 1 to 4 players with fast-paced gameplay and high replay value in a reimagined world based on the legend of Robin Hood. Exploiting the powers of the Philosopher’s Stone, the Sheriff of Nottingham’s armies have built up untold power and are oppressing the people of England more than ever. In a unique science-fantasy version of the Robin Hood legend, the game features explosive combat, spectacular combos, and co-op gameplay for fans of epic battles and challenges in stunning environments.

9 Minute Dragon’s Dogma 2 Gameplay Trailer

Dragon’s Dogma 2 Director Hideaki Itsuno kicked off Capcom’s TGS Online Special Program by providing the first in-depth look at the deep, explorable world of Dragon’s Dogma 2. The roughly ten-minute overview included an explanation of the Pawn AI companions, some of the available vocations, and the two nations players will explore throughout their journey. Itsuno also gave a glimpse of the many ways players will be able to use their creativity to adventure through this immersive world when Dragon’s Dogma 2 releases on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

Set forth on your grand adventure, Arisen!

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a narrative-driven action RPG that places players in an immersive fantasy world as the Arisen. You will lead a party of up to three AI companions known as Pawns, including your custom main Pawn, and up to two additional Pawns that can be recruited from other players or offline. Before embarking on each quest of your journey, it is essential to organize your party and ensure that each member is able to leverage each other’s strengths and mitigate their weaknesses by tactically selecting their vocations. When players start their journey in Dragon’s Dogma 2, they will be able to choose their desired playstyle among the four initially available vocations: Fighter, Archer, Thief, and Mage. Players can change the vocation of their Arisen and main Pawn at any time by visiting Vocation Guilds throughout the world and unlock new vocations as they progress through the game.

Choose Your Vocation

  • Fighter: The Fighter wields a sword and shield to slice through enemy ranks and deliver powerful blows, while also using shields to protect themselves and their allies.
  • Archer:  Archers utilize the bow and arrow to strike enemies from afar and excel at targeting airborne foes or creating opportunities for follow up attacks after striking enemy weak points.
  • Thief: Attacks with deadly speed, dealing rapid and consecutive strikes with daggers in both hands while exhibiting outstanding mobility. They quickly step away after striking, exploit openings to cling onto enemies, and inflict heavy damage. Thieves may steal from enemies and NPCs alike.
  • Mage: Wielding a staff, the Mage offers support to their party in various ways: from launching magick attacks, offering enchantments that bolster party members’ weapons, to casting healing spells.

Itsuno also revealed the Magick Archer and Mystic Spearhand, two vocations that will only be available to the player-controlled Arisen.

  • Magick Archer: Using magickal arrows, the Magick Archer has a versatile move-set capable of attacking, healing allies, or even learning a custom skill that unleashes a devastating attack over a wide area, in exchange for reducing their own maximum HP.
  • Mystic Spearhand: The Mystic Spearhand makes use of their unique Duospear and magick to attack enemies up close or from afar with punishing strikes or magick that can paralyze enemies or hurl multiple objects at them.

Exploring the Nations of Dragon’s Dogma 2

The tale of Dragon’s Dogma 2 is split between two nations: Vermund, the kingdom of humanity, and the beastren nation of Battahl. Vermund is a land of rolling green hills, with a fortified capital city populated by nobles, and sprawling commoner settlements surrounding the castle grounds. Meanwhile, the steep canyons of Battahl are littered with ancient ruins that later became the foundation for its current cities. When venturing outside the safety of each nation’s towns, players will encounter travelers, merchants, soldiers, and other folk as they go about their daily lives. Each character has their own motives and objectives, and may even approach the Arisen with a quest. If a Pawn in your party has knowledge of a quest, they will offer to guide the Arisen to their destination. If the sky begins to darken while en route, the Arisen should seek a campsite to sleep rather than brave the smothering darkness and increased dangers of night. Oxcarts also offer quick passage between each major town, but beware: these transports can be attacked before their arrival.

More information regarding Dragon’s Dogma 2 will be revealed at a later date.

Millenia Announcement Trailer

Lead a nation of your own design through thousands of years of history in Millennia, a new turn-based strategy game from Paradox Interactive and C Prompt Games. Progress through ten ages of humanity, from the Stone Age to the near future, unlocking new technologies, new ways of living, and, maybe, alternate pasts that could have been.

C Prompt Games is an American development team helmed by veteran strategy game developers Rob Fermier, Ian Fischer and Brian Sousa. Motivated by a passion for deep and replayable systems-driven games, they bring their experience working on many celebrated real-time strategy games (including Age of Empires II, Age of Mythology and Starcraft II, as well as Orcs Must Die) to the turn-based 4x space in Millennia, a game that pairs the familiar comforts of the genre with fresh new gameplay to enable players to write their own stories of the past.

Features of Millennia include:

  • History and Alternate History: Lead your people through ten historical ages, steer your timeline into the uncharted alternate history of a Variant Age or the danger and opportunity of a Crisis Age.  Each Age involves unique rules, units, buildings, goods, and challenges, which can alter the path of history.
  • National Spirits: Decide what your Nation is famous for by selecting National Spirits and using the bonuses they provide to achieve your goals.  Combine multiple National Spirits as you progress through history to craft a unique civilization in every game.
  • Domains: Invest in six different Domains that influence the focus of your Nation – Exploration, Government, Warfare, Diplomacy, Engineering, and Arts.  The better you provide for each, the more your Nation can make use of unique Domain Powers.  Everything from claiming territory, to adopting new governments, to spreading religion, to reinforcing Armies flows from mastery of the Domains.
  • Deep Economy: Design your economy to support your strategy.  Gather raw materials, then build Improvements to refine basic Goods like logs or iron into lumber, paper, books, ingots, tools, or weapons – specialized products that allow you to improve and adjust your economic engine to suit whatever history sends your way.
  • Army Based Combat: Customize your approach to war by combining individual Units into powerful Armies.  Each Unit influences the capabilities of its Army, allowing you to employ a vast number of varied strategies.  Once in conflict, watch the action unfold through the Combat Viewer, where battles play out and provide details on how different Armies perform.
  • And more: discover natural landmarks, build the Pyramids, compete in the space race, finance expeditions, survive plagues, use diplomacy to your advantage, defeat barbarians, unleash innovations, deal with alien visitors, govern underwater cities, manage air combat, and master a host of other historical-themed content.

Millennia is targeted for a 2024 release.

The Exorcist: Believer A Look Inside Featurette

Exactly 50 years ago this fall, the most terrifying horror film in history landed on screens, shocking audiences around the world. Now, on Friday, October 6, a new chapter begins. From Blumhouse and director David Gordon Green, who shattered the status quo with their resurrection of the Halloween franchise, comes The Exorcist: Believer.

Since the death of his pregnant wife in a Haitian earthquake 12 years ago, Victor Fielding (Tony winner and Oscar® nominee Leslie Odom, Jr.; One Night in Miami, Hamilton) has raised their daughter, Angela (Lidya Jewett, Good Girls) on his own.

But when Angela and her friend Katherine (newcomer Olivia O’Neill), disappear in the woods, only to return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, it unleashes a chain of events that will force Victor to confront the nadir of evil and, in his terror and desperation, seek out the only person alive who has witnessed anything like it before: Chris MacNeil.

For the first time since the 1973 film, Oscar® winner Ellen Burstyn reprises her iconic role as Chris MacNeil, an actress who has been forever altered by what happened to her daughter Regan five decades before.

The film also stars Emmy winner Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale, Hereditary) as Victor and Angela’s neighbor, and Grammy winner Jennifer Nettles (Harriet, The Righteous Gemstones) and two-time Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz (Fosse/Verdon, Bloodline) as the parents of Katherine, Angela’s friend.

When The Exorcist, based on the best-selling book by William Peter Blatty, was released, it changed the culture forever, obliterating box office records and earning 10 Academy Award® nominations, becoming the first horror film ever nominated for Best Picture.

The Exorcist: Believer is directed by David Gordon Green from a screenplay by Peter Sattler (Camp X-Ray) and David Gordon Green, from a story by Scott Teems (Halloween Kills), Danny McBride (Halloween trilogy) and David Gordon Green, based on characters created by William Peter Blatty.

The film is produced by Jason Blum for Blumhouse and by David Robinson and James G. Robinson for Morgan Creek Entertainment.

The executive producers are Danny McBride, David Gordon Green, Stephanie Allain, Ryan Turek and Atilla Yücer. Universal Pictures presents a Blumhouse/Morgan Creek Entertainment production in association with Rough House Picures.

Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood Launch Trailer

Skybound Entertainment, the creator-led, multi-platform entertainment company, in collaboration with Universal Games and Digital Platforms, today announced Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood – based on the Universal Pictures and Skybound produced horror comedy film, Renfield – is now available. Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, is developed by Skybound partner Mega Cat Studios and is available now on Steam for $3.99 during a special publisher 25% off Steam launch sale through October 2, after which it will retail for $4.99.

In the game, inspired by the events of the movie, Dracula has tasked you with a simple job – do everything he wants you to do for the rest of his immortal life. Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood immerses players into the Renfield universe with one-touch gameplay that innovates on the familiar roguelite recipe and takes inspiration from extraction shooter games. Updated and additional features now available in the full release include:

  •   New playable characters, including Dracula himself!
  •   Fight off enemies with powerful new weapons including dueling pistols and the Marble Cat statue.
  •   New “Challenge Rooms” add risk/reward decisions. Do you play it safe and stick to a route of vanilla rooms? Or do you jump into a harder room and risk it all for more loot?
  •   Two new stages to play, including Dracula’s Castle.
  •   Companions can now be unlocked and upgraded at the shop! These minions are unlocked through special rooms and will remain with you throughout your run.
  •   Battle brand new enemies such as Cannoneer, Honest Abe, Flintlocker, Saboteur and Gatling Gunner.
  •   New accessibility features including Color Blind mode and haptic feedback.
  •   New “Nightmare mode” where difficulty is increased and players will have to use all of their skills to survive.

It’s a demanding gig, but the benefits are great – immortality, mystic powers, and a high-fiber diet of mostly insects. Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, is a single player adventure that combines the simplicity of one-touch gameplay with frenetic, room-based action for a new roguelite experience. With unique stages, dozens of enemies, diabolical bosses, and enough weapons for a bug-powered bloody rampage, Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, is the only game that shows you the ups and downs of being the lackey/employee of the worst boss in history – Dracula.

The simple controls allow players to clear rooms filled with frenetic action while environmental objects and collectibles will create new split-decision moments as players pick their path through hordes of enemies. Players will also encounter Dracula’s constant and hilarious fetch quest demands that parallel the storyline from the movie.

Phandalin in Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk Out Now

D&D fans can now discover a horrifying plot that is threatening the existence of Phandalin in Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk – available for purchase everywhere starting today.

Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk returns players to a familiar location that was first seen in Lost Mine of Phandelver, but the stakes now are much higher and more challenging. This new adventure takes parties from level 1 to 12. It includes a fresh take on the town of Phandalin, new secrets for players to discover, and unexpected story twists that lead the characters deep into the Underdark and beyond.

Similar to the hit video game Baldur’s Gate 3 now available on PS5 and PC, the major threat in the campaign is led by those tentacle-faced abominations, the mind flayers. As the masterminds behind the goblins’ mischief in Phandalin, these illithids are different than any others that fans have encountered in D&D. They are involved with a godlet who’s been previously unknown to fans lurking in the Far Realm.

The Simpsons Season 34 Disney+ Release Date

Today, Disney+ announced that season 34 of the hit animated series “The Simpsons” will launch October 11 on the streaming service. The new season of the Emmy® Award-, Annie Award- and Peabody Award-winning animated comedy takes fans back to Springfield for 22 more episodes of fun with the Simpson family. Season 34 also marks an exciting milestone – the 750th episode of “The Simpsons” titled “Homer’s Adventures Through The Windshield Glass.” The season features guest voice appearances from Fred Armisen, Anna Faris, Will Forte, Simu Liu, Lizzo, Rob Lowe, Melissa McCarthy, Jade Novah, Aubrey Plaza, John Roberts, and more.

The longest-running primetime scripted show in television history, “The Simpsons” exploded into popular culture in 1989 and has remained one of the most groundbreaking and innovative entertainment franchises, recognizable throughout the world. Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie are instantly identifiable television icons. In the premiere, Homer is desperate to prove he’s not dumb and sets out to solve the case of the tortoise missing from the zoo. Season 34 also features a double dose of “Treehouse of Horror” episodes, marking the first time in the show’s history there have been two “Treehouse”-branded episodes in a single Halloween.

In addition to 34 seasons of “The Simpsons,” Disney+ is also home to “The Simpsons Movie” and 10 shorts featuring the Simpsons family. All these and more can be found in “The Simpsons” collection on the streaming service: https://www.disneyplus.com/franchise/the-simpsons

New and returning customers looking to enjoy “The Simpsons” can subscribe to Disney+ Basic (with ads) for $1.99/month for three months by visiting www.disneyplus.com through September 20.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians New Trailer Released

Today, Disney+ released a new teaser trailer for the upcoming Disney+ Original series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.” This latest teaser begins to lift the veil on the heroic quest Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell), Grover Underwood (Aryan Simhadri) and Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava Jeffries) are about to embark on when the series debuts December 20 on Disney+ with a two-episode premiere, followed by new episodes weekly.

The epic eight-episode series features exciting guest stars, some of which can be seen in this teaser trailer, including Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Hermes”), Megan Mullally (“Alecto” aka “Mrs. Dodds”), Toby Stephens (“Poseidon”), Virginia Kull (“Sally Jackson”), Jason Mantzoukas (“Dionysus” aka “Mr. D”), Jay Duplass (“Hades”), Glynn Turman (“Chiron” aka “Mr. Brunner”), the late Lance Reddick (“Zeus”), Adam Copeland (“Ares”), Charlie Bushnell (“Luke Castellan”), Dior Goodjohn (“Clarisse La Rue”), Jessica Parker Kennedy (“Medusa”), Olivea Morton (“Nancy Bobofit”), Suzanne Cryer (“Echidna”), Timm Sharp (“Gabe Ugliano”), Timothy Omundson (“Hephaestus”). The first two episodes are written by Rick Riordan and Jon Steinberg and directed by James Bobin. Steinberg and Dan Shotz serve as executive producers alongside Rick Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, The Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Bert Salke, The Gotham Group’s Jeremy Bell and D.J. Goldberg, James Bobin, Jim Rowe, Monica Owusu-Breen, Anders Engström and Jet Wilkinson.

Through September 20, new and returning customers can subscribe to Disney+ Basic (with ads) for $1.99/month for three months by visiting www.disneyplus.com.

Atomi Unveils E30 Electric Scooter

Atomi, an electric scooter manufacturer and micro-mobility industry expert, announced the release of Atomi E30 today. The electric scooter expert continues to pave the path for the company’s essentials series with the launch of the latest Atomi E30 electric scooter. The motorized scooter comes at an attractive price and entry-level features supported by smart technology. Atomi E30 will enable riders to commute effectively on a 10″ pneumatic tire scooter without breaking the bank. The electric scooter is equipped with Atomi’s signature automatic locking system, and its overall design and features were developed to fulfill the need for flexible, safe, and secure personal transportation.

The new member of Atomi’s budget line of electric scooters appears similar to the recently announced Atomi E20 but comes with larger tires and upgraded peak motor power. At 36.5 lbs, the new Atomi E30 is also slightly heavier than its entry-level sibling. The 36V 7.5Ah 280WH battery and 650W brushless motor allow riders to reach an 18.6-mile range on a single charge. The new e-scooter elevates above the competition with its state-of-the-art dual-braking system with a rear disc brake that ensures efficient and safe travel while enjoying top speeds of up to 15 mph

Riders get a sense of freedom by choosing between three-speed modes, which allow scooting at approximately 3.7, 11, and 15.5 mph. Even though the product is part of Atomi’s budget line, it does not compromise safety as the new model has a bright lighting system consisting of a front LED and brake tail lights, helping riders see and be seen in the dark. The new Atomi E30 comes with a large LED display and all the bells and whistles Atomi offers in the Atomi app, including riding records, battery level, app locking, distance, cruise control, and navigation access. The app is available on Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store.

“Atomi strives for excellence in every category of the personal transportation space, and the new E30 electric scooter fulfills a small but fairly important gap in our essentials series. With this new micro-mobility solution, we are introducing electric scooter fans to competitively-priced electric scooters with 10-inch shock-absorbing pneumatic tires,” said Carol Young, co-founder of Atomi. “Even though the new model comes with an attractive price tag, our unique positioning on the market allows us to build Atomi E30 with some of the finest components on the market.”

Atomi E30 will be available in an elegant black color. The micro-mobility expert plans to offer the usual free next-business-day shipping with delivery in 5-8 business days. Atomi will also accept returns on unused scooters within 14 days of delivery and provide an industry-standard 12-month warranty.

Atomi E30’s MSRP is $449.00 and is readily available for preorder on Amazon and Atomi’s official website. Shipping is expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2023, with the products planned to arrive in time to satisfy the micro-mobility market demands during the Black Friday season.

More information about Atomi E30 is available at https://atomiscooters.com/.

Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova Edition Release Date Trailer

Stardock announced the release date of Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova Edition, the latest entry in its award-winning space turn-based strategy game will be October 19, 2023, and will coincide with Stardock’s 30-year anniversary.

Currently in Early Access on the Steam and Epic Store, the game is currently available for purchase at a discount over the final release price.

Beginning shortly after humanity has discovered father-than-light travel, Galactic Civilizations puts the player in the role of leader of a united world looking to expand their civilization into the galaxy. As a leader, you must decide what technologies your scientists focus on, what policies your government enacts, and what your foreign policy with alien species will be.

Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova Edition on Steam is the integration of the Epic version of Galactic Civilizations IV with the Supernova Expansion pack, currently in development.

“Supernova is, by far, the biggest expansion Stardock has ever made,” said Brad Wardell, founder of Stardock who returned to the design chair for Supernova. “It doesn’t just add a lot of new content but transforms the gameplay in ways not seen in a 4X game before.”

Amongst the new innovations in Supernova is AlienGPT, a technology that allows players to describe their own custom civilization and then uses generative AI to create it. Other new features include the Civilization Vault, Cultural Progression, a story-driven campaign, several new canon alien civilizations, a new starship designer, a new battle system, and much more.

Galactic Civilizations IV can be found on Steam and Epic. Epic customers can upgrade from Galactic Civilizations IV to Supernova for a highly discounted rate. The release date is October 19 for $49.99 ($39.99 during its early access period).

To learn more visit www.galciv4.com.