Author - Jerry Paxton

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania Official Launch Trailer

The latest Dead Cells adventure from Motion Twin and Evil Empire has finally arrived: explore the world that inspired the hit indie roguelike in a world-shattering collaboration today with Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania. The ambitious DLC, which adds numerous new weapons, enemies and three deadly bosses – all in a bombastic and unprecedented Castlevania mashup – is available today for $9.99 on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and the Nintendo Switch: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2101430/Dead_Cells_Return_to_Castlevania/

Today’s incredible launch trailer does not hold back: proudly showcasing the variety and attention to detail that the Evil Empire devs put into the stunning gothic environments of Dracula’s Castle. Each corridor, bridge and balcony from Castlevania has been painstakingly recreated in the gorgeous signature art style of Dead Cells. Play as 20 (…yes, 20!) iconic characters in Return to Castlevania, including Castlevania legends Richter Belmont and Alucard, and wield 14 brand-new weapons as you take on Dracula, Medusa and Death himself. Return to Castlevania is a massive love letter to the franchise that inspired Dead Cells, and hosts the most insane boss fight yet – catch a glimpse of what awaits when you finally meet Dracula Beast Form in a no-holds-barred, all-out, batshit boss fight. Best of luck.

But don’t fret: that sweet, sweet loot will help unlock new abilities to take on the various new challenges waiting for you. And of course, no Dead Cells DLC would be complete without the addition of a new pet: today’s trailer also introduces Maria Renard’s cat, which can be found …somewhere… in the castle ready to shred your foes to death with her surprisingly powerful claws. With this power at your fingertips (or hanging out on your shoulder), the minions of Dracula will be dead before you can say “wall meat.” And yes, you can pet the cat.

Revealing the many secrets hidden in Dracula’s Castle requires luck, skill and patience – keep your eyes peeled for the many Castlevania easter eggs that lie in wait. Extra secrets are hidden in the Castle, including the massive nostalgia bomb of Richter Mode: stashed away in the gloomy halls, this unlockable mode will let players relive their experience in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, complete with a moveset inspired by the title that includes all of Richter’s original, iconic attacks.

Finally, behind all of that content is a soundtrack of 51 original Castlevania songs that can be played anywhere in the game, plus 12 of the most famous tracks re-made in the style of Dead Cells for the DLC levels.

The largest and most ambitious DLC to date for the 8mm+ selling roguelite, Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania hosts the ultimate culmination of challenges, detail and surprises spanning the entirety of Dead Cells’ development, and it is available to fans around the world today from developers Evil Empire and Motion Twin.

For the latest on Dead Cells, be sure to follow @motiontwin on Twitter.

Cities: Skylines II Announcement Trailer Released

Paradox Interactive and Colossal Order today announced Cities: Skylines II, a revolutionary sequel to their hit city-simulation game. Cities: Skylines II offers the most realistic city simulation ever created, in which players can build any kind of city they can imagine and follow its growth from a humble village to a bustling metropolis. From individual households to the city’s economy and transportation system, Cities: Skylines II offers a deep and immersive simulation that welcomes both new and veteran players. Cities: Skylines II launches on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation®5 later this year.

A modern take on the city-building genre, Cities: Skylines II lets players create and maintain cities that come to life like never before, complete with fully-realized transport and economy systems, a wealth of construction and customization options, and advanced modding capabilities. Revealed during the Paradox Announcement Show 2023, Cities: Skylines II evolves the city-building genre further, letting players build the cities of their dreams with the most open-ended city-building sandbox on the planet.

Developed by the critically-acclaimed developer Colossal Order, Cities: Skylines launched in 2015 for PC. Over the past eight years, it has expanded to numerous platforms with dozens of DLCs and over 12 million copies sold. The accuracy and depth of its simulation has earned the respect of professional city planners, who use Cities: Skylines to solve real-world problems.

“Cities: Skylines reset the bar for city-building games when it launched eight years ago, and we are incredibly proud of its impact. We built a thriving community around Cities and introduced many to city building for the first time,” said Mariina Hallikainen, CEO of Colossal Order. “Now, we’ve brought the years of experience we’ve gained to take a new step forward in the city builder genre, again, for our community and new players”.

“The Cities brand has been an important part of Paradox’s catalog of games for over a decade. Cities: Skylines is a profound success, selling millions of copies, welcoming more than 5.5 million new players just last year, and setting the foundation for Cities: Skylines II,” said Fredrik Wester, CEO of Paradox Interactive. “With unprecedented amounts of customization and player control, Cities: Skylines II will continue to push boundaries for the city-building franchise.”

To learn more, please visit the Cities: Skylines II website and stay tuned for further information and updates on the official forums, Twitter, Instagram and Discord. Fans can look forward to more reveals and gameplay in the coming months and celebrate Cities: Skylines’ eighth birthday on March 10.

Netflix is a Joke Fest Back to Return in 2024

Mark your calendars because Netflix is a Joke Fest is returning to Los Angeles May 2 – May 12, 2024 with the biggest names in comedy performing at dozens of venues spanning the city, continuing the company’s push into live comedy. The announcement comes on the evening of Netflix’s first-ever live streaming special, Chris Rock: Selective Outrage.

Netflix is a Joke launched its inaugural festival in April of 2022, selling over 260,000 tickets, making it the biggest comedy festival in the US. The 12-day festival boasted 295 shows and 336 comedians across more than 35 venues in LA, and tied for the longest run of shows at the Hollywood Bowl. History was also made with Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias becoming the first solo comedian to ever play Dodger Stadium and selling over 50,000 tickets.

Highlights of the 2022 Netflix is a Joke Fest included shows from the biggest comedians in the world including Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney, Wanda Sykes, Snoop Dogg, Bill Burr, Tim Robinson, Stand Out: An LGBTQ Celebration, Cobra Kai, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, Seth Rogen and so much more.

Subscribe at netflixisajokefest.com for current updates and information.

Sherlock Holmes The Awakened Official Release Date Trailer

Ukrainian developer Frogwares can now confirm that Sherlock Holmes The Awakened has gone gold and the team can focus on preparing the game for release on multiple platforms.

With the game content complete and playable from start to finish, the team felt confident to also set a release date – April 11, 2023. To mark the news, a new trailer that delves more into the cosmic, Cthtulu-inspired horror of the game has been released.

The Awakened will be coming to PC, PS4, PS5, XB1, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch. The game will have 3 editions available:

  • Standard Edition | $ 39.99 / 39.99 EUR |  All platforms
  • Deluxe Edition | $ 49.99 /49.99 EUR | All platforms Includes full game + side quests packs + 6 exclusive outfits
  • Premium Edition | $ 54.99 / 54.99 EUR | PC Only Includes full game, side quest packs + 6 exclusive outfits + digital artbook and soundtrack

With a date now in place, the team has been able to launch pre-orders on all major digital storefronts. Players will receive 3 custom outfits for Holmes and Watson as a bonus for preordering the game.

The DioField Chronicle Update 1.20 Out Now

SQUARE ENIX® released a free update for the strategy role-playing game, The DioField Chronicle™ update ver1.20, available now for the PlayStation®5 (PS5™) console, the PlayStation®4 (PS4™) console, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch™ system and PC via Steam®. The update introduces a plethora of new content for players to enjoy, including five new missions, two sub missions, gear, skills, and more to extend their experience. The DioField Chronicle features a deep and strategic “Real-Time Tactical Battle” (RTTB) system, where players and enemy troops move in real-time, and the tide of battle can change in an instant. The game is set in a unique world which features a gritty and immersive storyline that combines fantasy, medieval and modern elements.

In this new update, fans can look forward to learning more about Waltaquin Redditch, who was first introduced in the main game. The update allows players to assume the role of Waltaquin, providing five new main missions and two new sub missions. Players can access a new map area known as the Basement (Camp), probe the new Mind Map system to explore Waltaquin’s choices, and utilize Waltaquin’s new weapon type “Magic Tomes,” specific to Waltaquin. Magic Tome brings Necromancy and Necrotiem skills to spawn Skeletal Knights into battle and transform units into Skeletal Dragons.

Fans can put their ultimate skills to the test by facing off against the fearsome new foe, Behemoth. This new boss will be the most powerful enemy that players have faced. Additionally, players looking for added challenges can look forward to Extra Mode as a part of New Game+, where enemy level and parameters, enemy attack power and more will be adjusted. “Very Hard” difficulty is also being added to provide a new level of challenge to the main gameplay experience.

The DioField Chronicle update is now available at no additional cost for players who own the base game on the PlayStation®5 (PS5™) console, the PlayStation®4 (PS4™) console, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch™ system and PC via Steam®. Visit the official The DioField Chronicle website for more information at: https://www.diofieldchronicle.com/

Razer Leviathan V2 Pro Beamforming Soundbar Review

When I first read the press release for Razer’s new Leviathan V2 Pro soundbar, I was intrigued, to say the least. The Leviathan V2 Pro features an infrared camera that tracks the position of your head and performs “adaptive beamforming.” This means that it changes how it projects sound to give you the best soundscape no matter where you are in relation to the front of the soundbar. It promises to be a virtual headset, partly due to its THX Spatial Audio (an impressive audio feature capable of excellent virtual surround sound). So many thoughts raced through my brain… Does adaptive beamforming really work? What happens to the images snapped by the infrared camera? What kind of software will be needed to tune the soundscape? For these answers and more – read on, my fellow gamer!

The Razer Leviathan V2 Pro is a reasonably robust soundbar by all accounts. Measuring almost twenty-four inches across, its stealthy black housing contains five 2-inch, full-range drivers and all the head-tracking tech. It is adorned with a mirrored Razer logo across its front-facing grill and has full Chroma RGB along its bottom perimeter. It is connected by a 3.5 mm cable to a separate unit that houses a downward-firing 5.25-inch subwoofer driver. This speaker configuration is a departure from its siblings in the Leviathan lineup. It features more capable but numerically one less driver than the Leviathan V2 standard edition. Its subwoofer driver is also .25 inches smaller in diameter.

Setting up the Razer Leviathan V2 Pro was very easy. After getting the soundbar and subwoofer unit connected and plugged into my PC via USB cable, I started my desktop machine. Razer Synapse updated, and the device was ready to go. It should be noted that a firmware update was available for the Leviathan V2 Pro and that needed to be installed outside of Razer Synapse. I would love to see these firmware updates handled within Synapse at some point in the future.

Configuring the soundbar is best done within the Razer Synapse application. In Synapse, you’ll be able to control the soundbar’s EQ and the type of audio mode the soundbar is in. The Razer Leviathan V2 Pro can function in four different modes: Stereo, THX Spatial Audio Virtual Headset, THX Spatial Audio Virtual Speakers, and Room Filling. Stereo mode projects native sound without any virtual processing. The THX Spatial Audio Virtual Headset function is where the soundbar fools your ears into having a headset-like experience while not wearing one. The results are outstanding, and the included THX Spatial Audio video within Synapse will let you gauge for yourself. It does sound like a more intimate headset experience. THX Spatial Audio Virtual Speakers is a more traditional surround sound experience where the Leviathan V2 Pro pretends to be a 5.1 or 7.1 virtual surround sound system. Much like the virtual headset mode, this is excellent and a joy to play games or listen to music with. The last method, Room Filling, projects sound to a broad audience without virtual surround capabilities. This last mode is excellent for when you’re using the soundbar to play music at a party or for your enjoyment while not in front of it. Switching between these modes can also be accomplished by pressing the “3D” button on the Leviathan V2 Pro itself.

Also, along the top of the Leviathan V2 Pro, you’ll find a volume dial with a power button, equalizer mode button, output button, and Chroma effects button. The equalizer button cycles the soundbar through various EQ modes (game, music, flat, etc.). In contrast, the output button switches the Leviathan V2 Pro between standard, Bluetooth, and headset modes (a headset can be connected to the 3.5mm port on the back of the soundbar). There are green LED indicator dots next to the front-facing IR camera, which denotes your mode when pressing the various buttons. It’s a simple notification system but very effective.

Regarding privacy, the Razer Leviathan V2 Pro has a hardware chip that’s sole purpose is to dispose of the images almost immediately after they are processed. This means you can rest easy knowing someone can’t hack into your soundbar to spy on you.

I played many games using the Leviathan V2 Pro as my sound output – both with and without the virtual headset mode engaged. From the orchestral score of Hogwarts Legacy to the rapport of an M4 firing in Call of Duty, the Razer Leviathan V2 Pro was more than up to the task. The Razer Leviathan V2 Pro is available now for $399.99. It is not cheap in any sense of the word, including the measure of quality. It’s a high-end gaming soundbar that is well worth your hard-earned money. Thankfully, if you still need a soundbar, but the Leviathan V2 Pro is out of your price range, Razer does offer the other Leviathan soundbars in the range for a less expensive price point. Check out Razer’s official website for information on the Leviathan V2 Pro and all its other peripherals.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards 2023 Highlights and Winners

Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2023 was filled with extreme logic-defying stunts, illusions and tricks, on Saturday, March 4, at 7 p.m. (ET/PT), live from the Microsoft Theater. Hosted by Nate Burleson and Charli D’Amelio, Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2023 featured: a show-stopping opening performance by Bebe Rexha; special honors given to Adam Sandler and Transformers’ Optimus Prime; exclusive teaser clips from highly anticipated feature films; appearances from today’s top stars; and exciting surprises revealing fans’ favorite TV shows, movies, music and more.

Highlights from Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2023 include:

  • Opening dance medley featuring Burleson, D’Amelio and content creators Michael Le and Markell Washington, as they recreated some of the biggest dance trends of the year, culminating with a performance from Bebe Rexha of her chart-topping hit single, “I’m Good (Blue);”
  • Special King of Comedy Silver Blimp given to Adam Sandler for his prolific career in comedy as an actor, writer, producer, comedian and musician over the past 30 years, accepted from a giant, opulent throne on the KCA stage before getting decimated in Nickelodeon’s iconic Slime;
  • A performance of “California Breeze,” by Lil Baby, from his chart-topping third studio album, It’s Only Me, joined by his kids;
  • Melissa McCarthy slimed by her The Little Mermaid co-stars Awkwafina and Halle Bailey, in a dunk tank filled with over 1,500 gallons of Slime;
  • Lifetime Achievement Award given to Transformers’ heroic leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime, presented by Pete Davidson, Dominique Fishback and Anthony Ramos, cast members from the upcoming sci-fi action film, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts;
  • A drum-off with Lil Uzi Vert and 8-year-old drumming prodigy, Justin Wilson II, until Slime jets activated for a messy surprise;
  • Tug of war showdown with WWE superstars Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair and The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods aka Austin Creed and Big E);
  • Exclusive teaser clips from action-adventure fantasy feature film, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, presented by cast members Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez; and the CG-animated superhero theatrical, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, presented by Seth Rogen and the voice cast Micah Abbey (Donatello), Shamon Brown Jr. (Michelangelo), Nicolas Cantu (Leonardo), and Brady Noon (Raphael), both concluding with ultimate slimings;
  • A first look of Monster High 2, a sequel to the live-action movie musical based on the iconic Mattel franchise about the children of famous monsters and creatures;
  • Nate Burleson and Charli D’Amelio, joined by their families on stage, for a grand finale sliming;
  • Celebrity appearances from Landon Barker, Bella Poarch, Dove Cameron, Miranda Cosgrove, Dixie D’Amelio, Dwayne Johnson, Keegan-Michael Key, Peyton List, Jenna Ortega, MrBeast, Olivia Rodrigo, Kelly Rowland, Lilly Singh, SeanDoesMagic, and more;
  • And appearances by Nickelodeon talent: That Girl Lay Lay (That Girl Lay Lay); Miia Harris, Nayah Damasen, Ceci Balagot and Case Walker (Monster High The Movie); Jack Griffo and Kira Kosarin (The Thundermans); and Young Dylan (Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan), who performed his brand-new single, “I Just Wanna,” produced by Jermaine Dupri.

The following are Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2023 winners:

TELEVISION:

  • FAVORITE KIDS TV SHOW
    The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder
  • FAVORITE FAMILY TV SHOW
    Wednesday
  • FAVORITE REALITY SHOW
    MasterChef Junior
  • FAVORITE ANIMATED SHOW
    SpongeBob SquarePants
  • FAVORITE FEMALE TV STAR (KIDS)
    Olivia Rodrigo (Nini, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series)
  • FAVORITE MALE TV STAR (KIDS)
    Joshua Bassett (Ricky, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series)
  • FAVORITE FEMALE TV STAR (FAMILY)
    Jenna Ortega (Wednesday Addams, Wednesday)
  • FAVORITE MALE TV STAR (FAMILY)
    Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler, Stranger Things)

FILM:

  • FAVORITE MOVIE
    Sonic the Hedgehog 2
  • FAVORITE MOVIE ACTRESS
    Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes, Enola Holmes 2)
  • FAVORITE MOVIE ACTOR
    Dwayne Johnson (Black Adam/Teth-Adam, Black Adam)
  • FAVORITE ANIMATED MOVIE
    Minions: The Rise of Gru
  • FAVORITE VOICE FROM AN ANIMATED MOVIE (MALE)
    Dwayne Johnson (Krypto, DC League of Super-Pets)
  • FAVORITE VOICE FROM AN ANIMATED MOVIE (FEMALE)
    Selena Gomez (Mavis, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania)

MUSIC:

  • FAVORITE ALBUM
    “Midnights (3am Edition)”- Taylor Swift
  • FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST
    Taylor Swift
  • FAVORITE MALE ARTIST
    Harry Styles
  • FAVORITE MUSIC GROUP
    BTS
  • FAVORITE SONG
    “As It Was”- Harry Styles
  • FAVORITE MUSIC COLLABORATION
    “Sweetest Pie”- Megan Thee Stallion, Dua Lipa
  • FAVORITE BREAKOUT ARTIST
    Dove Cameron
  • FAVORITE SOCIAL MUSIC STAR
    Bella Poarch
  • FAVORITE GLOBAL MUSIC STAR
    Harry Styles (UK)

OTHER CATEGORIES:

  • FAVORITE FEMALE CREATOR
    Charli D’Amelio
  • FAVORITE MALE CREATOR
    MrBeast
  • FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA FAMILY
    Ninja Kidz TV
  • FAVORITE FEMALE SPORTS STAR
    Serena Williams
  • FAVORITE MALE SPORTS STAR
    LeBron James
  • FAVORITE VIDEO GAME
    Minecraft
  • FAVORITE CELEBRITY PET
    Olivia Benson Swift
  • FAVORITE BOOK

Harry Potter Book Series

Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2023 will encore the following dates and times (ET/PT): Saturday, March 4, at 9 p.m., and Sunday, March 5, at 6 p.m. on Nickelodeon; Monday, March 6, at 7 p.m. on TeenNick; and Tuesday, March 7, at 8 p.m. on Nicktoons. The show will also be available on Nickelodeon On Demand beginning Sunday, March 5.

Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2023 is sponsored by LUNCHABLES with 100% Juice®, Nintendo Switch, and Olive Garden®.

Fede Alvarez’s Upcoming ALIEN Film Cast Announced

20th Century Studios’ new “Alien” film starring Cailee Spaeny (“Mare of Easttown”) will begin production in Budapest on March 9. Joining Spaeny in the cast are David Jonsson (“Industry”), Archie Renaux (“Shadow and Bone”), Isabela Merced (“Rosaline”), Spike Fearn (“The Batman”) and Aileen Wu (“Away from Home”). Fede Alvarez (“Evil Dead,” “The Girl in the Spider’s Web,” “Don’t Breathe”) directs from a screenplay he wrote with his frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues. Ridley Scott, who directed the original “Alien” and produced and directed the series’ entries “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant,” and Michael Pruss (“Boston Strangler” upcoming) are producing under their Scott Free banner, with Brent O’Connor (“Bullet Train”), Elizabeth Cantillon (“Persuasion”) and Tom Moran (“The Donut King”) serving as executive producers.

In this ninth entry in the immensely popular and enduring film series, a group of young people on a distant world find themselves in a confrontation with the most terrifying life form in the universe.

DREDGE Pre-Order Trailer Released

Team17 and Black Salt Games have today announced that pre-orders for the upcoming, sinister fishing adventure DREDGE are now available on PC and console platforms*. Nintendo Switch™ fisher-folk who can’t wait until launch on 30th March can head to the Nintendo eShop now to check out a brand-new demo.

PC anglers can lock in their pre-order now for the DREDGE base game or Digital Deluxe Edition on Steam and GOG, while console captains can reel in theirs at the Nintendo eShop, the PlayStation® Store, and the Microsoft Store. A Physical Deluxe Edition is also available for pre-order at participating retailers and includes a physical poster and meticulously crafted artbook and sticker set, the game’s digital soundtrack, and additional in-game items to help players kick-start their sea-faring adventures.

*DREDGE base game pre-order price is £21.99/$US 24.99/€24.99 on Steam, £21.99/$US 24.99/€24.99 on Nintendo Switch, £19.99/$24.99/€24.99 on PlayStation 5|4, and £21.99/$US 24.99/€24.99 on Xbox.

The Digital Deluxe Edition pre-order is £31.00/$US 35.06/€35.06 on Steam, £23.99/US $26.99/€26.99 on Nintendo Switch, £21.99/$26.99/€26.99 on PlayStation 5|4, £23.99/US $26.99/€26.99 on Xbox and includes the Blackstone Key DLC, granting players access to the mysterious workshop on Blackstone Isle. Pre-orders for all platforms also include an exclusive in-game fishing rod.

Pre-order for the DREDGE Physical Deluxe Edition is £29.99/US $39.99/€39.99 for Nintendo Switch, £24.99/US $29.99/€29.99 for PlayStation 5|4 and £24.99/$29.99/€29.99 for Xbox.

DREDGE Key Features

  • Unravel a Mystery: Captain your fishing trawler across a collection of remote islands, each with its own inhabitants to meet, wildlife to discover, and stories to unearth
  • Dredge the Depths: Scour the sea for hidden treasures and complete quests to gain access to strange new abilities
  • Study Your Craft: Research special equipment and upgrade your boat’s capabilities to gain access to rare fish and valuable deep-sea curios
  • Fish to Survive: Sell your discoveries to the locals to learn more about each area, and upgrade your boat to reach even more secluded locations
  • Fight the Unfathomable: Strengthen your mind and use your abilities to survive trips out on the water after dark